2024 college football rankings: Alabama moves to No. 1 following win over Georgia

This athletics loves a monarch. This athletics loves a despot. This athletics craves a conqueror.

Georgia is 49-3 since Nov. 7, 2020, alongside each 3 of those losses coming against Alabama. But since nan Bulldogs hit nan Crimson Tide successful nan 2022 nationalist heading game, UGA has felt much and much for illustration Zeus that person defeated Cronus, took nan crown and declared itself king successful this present Olympia.

With respect to Ohio State and Texas, this crippled — Alabama vs. Georgia — is astir that person carries nan standard. There's thing basking astir that take, though location is power present for Kirby Smart.

If Smart won this game, ourselves would've decided he had a Nick Saban problem. But he lost. And now Georgia has an Alabama problem — like Zeus had alongside Prometheus. The way to nan pantheon starts alongside this fire, and Jalen Milroe was an orangish forge.

With that, present is simply a look astatine my apical 25 rankings pursuing Week 5 of nan college football season:

1. Alabama (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Georgia, 41-34

In an instant classic, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards, rushed for 117 yards and was responsible for 4 touchdowns, during 17-year-old Ryan Williams caught six passes for 177 yards, including nan game-winning 75-yard catch-and-run that could beryllium to beryllium nan winning score.

Alabama is nan only programme to conclusion Georgia since Nov. 7, 2020. And Kalen DeBoer is 1-0 against Kirby Smart.

2. Texas (5-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Mississippi State, 35-13

McDonald’s has nan Golden Arches. But for illustration McDowell’s has nan Golden Arcs, Texas has nan Golden Arch. 

Arch Manning completed 26 of 31 passes for 324 yards alongside 2 touchdowns and zero interceptions successful Texas' win complete Mississippi State, alongside DeAndre Moore, Jr., accounting for 4 catches for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns.

3. Ohio State (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Michigan State, 38-7

The Buckeyes looked ascendant successful their Big Ten Conference opener alongside Jeremiah Smith continuing to play astatine a Biletnikoff Award level arsenic a genuine freshman. He caught 5 passes for 83 yards, including an unthinkable one-handed 17-yard touchdown catch.

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith makes an UNREAL one-handed touchdown drawback vs. Michigan State

4. Tennessee (4-0)

Week 5 result: Idle

5. Georgia (3-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Alabama, 41-34

The Bulldogs person mislaid conscionable 3 times since Nov. 7, 2020 — each 3 are to Alabama. It appears Kirby Smart doesn't person a Nick Saban problem. He has an Alabama problem, and for a fewer minutes precocious successful nan 4th fourth connected Saturday nighttime successful Tuscaloosa, it looked for illustration Smart was going to prevail. But then, Jalen Milroe and freshman phenom Ryan Williams struck. Carson Beck did his champion successful nan 2nd half, but successful nan end, nan Tide were excessively overmuch for this Georgia team.

6. Penn State (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Illinois, 21-7

The Nittany Lions walked into Beaver Stadium alongside a apical 10 rushing onslaught acknowledgment to a punishing violative statement and tailbacks Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Those 2 ascendant backs mixed for 196 rushing yards and a brace of rushing touchdowns successful Penn State's win complete Illinois.

7. Oregon (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated UCLA, 34-13

The Ducks entered this crippled arsenic 25.5-point favorites and near alongside a 21-point triumph complete nan lowly Bruins. Dillon Gabriel threw 3 touchdown passes – 2 of that went to Tez Johnson – and continued to move upward successful nan NCAA grounds books arsenic nan Ducks notched their first Big Ten win.

No. 8 Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins Highlights

8. Miami (Fla.) (5-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Virginia Tech, 38-34

Look, Da’ Quran Felton caught it. Then nan ACC overturned nan Hail Mary touchdown — that would've led to nan Hokies upsetting nan Canes — to an incomplete pass.

But earlier that mess, Cam Ward put nan Canes connected his backmost for illustration Beatrix Kiddo did 2 buckets of aqua upward Pai Mei’s steps, throwing for 343 passing yards and 4 touchdowns, during adding 57 yards and a rushing people successful nan win.

9. Missouri (4-0)

Week 5 result: Idle

10. Clemson (3-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Stanford, 40-14

The Tigers are backmost to looking for illustration 1 of nan champion teams successful nan ACC alongside their 3rd win successful a row, scoring astatine slightest 40 points successful each.

11. Michigan (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Minnesota, 27-24

The was Michigan’s 27th-straight win against a Big Ten opponent. The 27-24 triumph came contempt different anemic passing capacity from backmost Alex Orji, that person vanished 10-of-18 for 86 yards.

Despite playing lights-out shot early on, nan Wolverines couldn't adjacent alongside authority. Minnesota scored 21 points successful nan 4th quarter.

12. Iowa State (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Houston, 20-0

The Cyclones beryllium atop nan Big 12 standings alongside BYU and Colorado and are disconnected to their first 4-0 commencement since 2000. 

Quarterback Rocco Becht is nan existent deal, and Iowa State's defense has been great, holding opponents to an mean of 7.3 points per game.

13. USC (3-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Wisconsin, 38-21

Despite being booed disconnected nan section astatine halftime, nan Trojans scored 28 unanswered points successful nan 2nd half astatine nan Coliseum to amended to 3-1 alongside Miller Moss passing for 308 yards alongside 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.

14. Oklahoma (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Auburn, 27-21

Linebacker Kip Lewis came upward alongside a pick-six alongside conscionable complete 4 minutes near to play to springiness Oklahoma its first SEC win. True freshman Michael Hawkins, Jr. became nan first Oklahoma backmost to win his first commencement connected nan roadworthy successful schoolhouse history.

15. BYU (5-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Byalor, 34-28

Coming disconnected past weekend's ascendant showing against Kansas State, this could person been a spot for nan Cougars to gaffe up. But instead, Kalani Sitake's squad took attraction of business against a Baylor squad that fell to 2-3 pursuing nan loss.

No. 22 BYU Cougars vs. Baylor Bears Highlights

16. LSU (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated South Alabama, 42-10

Garrett Nussmier continues to look for illustration a morganatic SEC quarterback, throwing for a career-high 409 yards successful LSU's 42-10 win complete South Alabama. Caden Durham totaled 217 yards from scrimmage arsenic Brian Kelly's squad put upward 667 yards of full discourtesy successful nan victory.

17. Ole Miss (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Kentucky, 20-17

Lane Kiffin mightiness person a bully shot team, but oneself can't spell 1-for-10 connected 3rd down during losing to Kentucky and expect to enactment successful nan apical 15 of these rankings.

18. Notre Dame (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Louisville, 31-24

Riley Leonard only had 1 passing touchdown heading into Notre Dame's matchup against Louisville. The elder Qb doubled that full connected Saturday, throwing for 163 yards and a brace of scores, arsenic patient arsenic rushing for 52 yards and a touchdown successful nan win.

19. Boise State (3-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Washington State, 45-24

Ashton Jeanty is playing for illustration nan champion moving backmost successful nan country, and it's not moreover close. The do-it-all backmost carried nan shot 26 times for 259 yards and 4 touchdowns successful nan win. This was Jeanty's 4th 200-yard game, tying nan schoolhouse record.

Washington State Cougars vs. No. 25 Boise State Broncos Highlights

20. UNLV (4-0)

Week 5 result: Defeated Fresno State, 59-14

UNLV kicked disconnected convention play lacking starting QB Matthew Sluka, that person announced done his supplier earlier this seven days that he could beryllium retired nan remainder of nan play complete a $100,000 NIL costs he alleges was promised to him anterior to transferring to UNLV, but was ne'er paid.

Hajj-Malik Williams filled in, and nan Rebels didn't miss a beat. Williams threw for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns, during adding 119 yards and a people connected nan crushed successful a ascendant win complete Fresno State.

21. Kansas State (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Oklahoma State, 42-20

Taylen Green proved a dual-threat QB tin ray upward Oklahoma State astatine that long he went for 416 passing yards and 61 rushing yards against that defense. Then, Utah tailback Micah Benard ran done nan Cowboys' defense for 183 yards. On Saturday, DJ Giddens ran done it for 187 yards connected 15 rushes.

22. Illinois (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Penn State, 21-7

Illinois and Tennessee were nan only programs successful nan state alongside 2 apical 25 wins heading into Week 5. Brett Bielema's squad was looking for different 1 connected Saturday, but came upward short successful a 21-7 nonaccomplishment to Penn State. The Illini gave upward 239 yards connected nan crushed and only produced 219 yards of full discourtesy successful nan loss.

23. Texas A&M (4-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Arkansas, 21-17

Marcel Reed threw for 2 touchdowns, including nan go-ahead 5-yard people to Tre Watson alongside 9 minutes remaining successful nan crippled to unafraid nan win for nan Aggies.

24. Utah (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Arizona, 23-10

The Utes were capable to past last vacation lacking Cam Rising, but that wasn't nan lawsuit again Saturday nighttime against Arizona. Kyle Whittingham's squad struggled mightily connected discourtesy arsenic QB Issac Wilson completed only 50% of his passes and threw 2 interceptions successful nan loss.

25. Indiana (5-0)

It's long to show immoderate well-deserved respect to nan Hoosiers, that person are disconnected to their first 5-0 commencement since 1967. First-year caput coach Curt Cignetti, that person came from James Madison, promised Hoosier fans he could put his stamp connected nan program, and that's precisely that he has done done 5 games.

RJ Young is simply a nationalist assemblage shot writer and expert for FOX Sports and nan big of nan podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him astatine @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" connected YouTube.

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