Week Five Power Rankings – 

After week four, it is still clear to me that the SEC is far and above the dominant conference in college football. Outside of Ohio State, it is only SEC teams that have really convinced me that they could be championship contenders. My biggest riser this week is Tennessee who put up an impressive performance on the road in a tough Oklahoma environment. 

1. Texas

Whether it’s Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning under center, Texas has shown that they are the team to beat at the moment. It helps when you have Isaiah Bond and freshman Ryan Wingo to throw to as well. Texas looked dominant against Michigan and has dominated in every other matchup. Their defense has only allowed 22 points through 4 games, and they are without a doubt the team to be at the moment.

2. Georgia

True, Georgia struggled offensively against Kentucky, but their defense remains the best in the country. They allowed three points against Clemson (who put up 50+ in the next two games) and still haven’t allowed a touchdown all season. As long as Georgia’s offense and Carson Beck can start to find explosive plays at a consistent rate, they will continue to be a top three team even after a loss against Alabama. With a win, they may jump back to #1. 

3. Alabama

Alabama will prove they are a top three team this weekend against Georgia regardless of the result. Their defense is right there with Georgia as the best in the country. Jalen Milroe has looked very good. They dominated Wisconsin. They are certainly a top five team, but they need to prove it against SEC opponents before they are ranked higher. 

4. Ohio State

Ohio State very well could be the best team in the country, but they haven’t had a chance to prove it. Thus far, they have one of the weakest schedules in the country, and they won’t face a real test until week 7 at Oregon. Still, they pass the eye test in many categories. Quinshon Judkins and Treyvon Henderson are, without a doubt, the best running back duo in the nation, and their defense is stacked with top-of-the-list NFL draft prospects. Anything less than 12-0 would be a disappointment for the buckeyes. 

5. Tennessee

Tennessee proved to me  against Oklahoma that they can win the SEC this year. Nico Iamaleava, to me, is the difference maker for the Vols. He has looked very sharp in his young career, and he will only improve. Their offense is first in the SEC in yards-per-play and points per drive, and their defense has held N.C. State and Oklahoma to 10 and 15 points respectively. 

6. Ole Miss

For Ole Miss, the eye test is the only real metric to use. True, they lead FBS in offensive yards per game, but their strength of schedule so far is ranked 120 out of 134 FBS teams. If Ole Miss can win 2 out of 3 against Georgia, Oklahoma, and LSU, then they will likely be in the SEC Championship game and 12-team playoff with a relatively easy SEC schedule. 

7. Oregon

Oregon has been anything but convincing so far. Their offense struggled against Idaho, their defense struggled against Boise State, and they just haven’t really put it together yet. Still, Dan Lanning is one of college football’s best coaches for a reason, and their offense under Dillon Gabriel will improve before their week seven meeting against Ohio State. 

8. Michigan

Michigan struggled against Texas, but they showed they can grind it out against any team by beating USC this weekend. However, their offense lacks explosive plays. They average roughly 5.5 yards per play (66th in FBS) and average 122 passing yards per game (6th worst in FBS). This method of ground and pound might work against USC, but they will need to balance their offense to compete with the top teams. 

9. Penn State

I guess the Nittany Lions are a top ten team? They feel like the least deserving on this list, but I have them above USC, Notre Dame, and Missouri at the moment. Let’s be honest, Penn State is not a championship contender this year (maybe James Franklin will make me eat my words). But they are the most likely to upset Ohio State and possibly make the Big Ten Championship. 

10. Clemson

To be honest, I’m as surprised as anybody that I am putting Clemson here after their awful performance against Georgia. But since then, they have come out and put up 66 and 59 points on the scoreboard. In those two weeks, Cade Klubnick has finally impressed, Phil Mafah is proving to be what people thought he would be, and Antonio Williams is one of the best receivers in college football. They are my clear favorite to win the ACC this year and will be in the 12 team playoff. What happens after tha against SEC opponents is a different story. 

Barely missing from my list – 

• Missouri who struggled against Vandy.
• Notre Dame who can’t seem to put it together for four quarters.
• USC who may not have the defense to compete for a championship. 
• Miami who hasn’t convinced me they are any different than the past fifteen years.