College football games, Week 5: NC State’s latest chance to break through, Georgia faces tough SEC East road

These are heady occasions for No. 10 NC State. The final time it was ranked within the high 10 was 20 years in the past. The final time it gained on the road in opposition to a top-five opponent was 55 years in the past. The solely impediment in the way in which this week is No. 5 Clemson. You know, the identical Clemson that has been in six of the final seven College Football Playoffs. The similar Clemson that gained 10 video games in an “off” 12 months final season.

If you have not observed, there is not a lot room on the high. Not a lot has modified since we began with Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State holding onto these high three spots. One-third of the way in which via the season, it is nonetheless cheap to venture there’s one spot left to fill within the CFP.

But what appeared like one other same-old, same-old playoff race has some spice. Suddenly, we’d like to take into account the likes of USC, Kentucky and Tennessee. Oklahoma State, too. Don’t neglect: The Cowboys have been inside inches of a playoff spot final season. An alternative is hanging on the market for the Wolfpack. Non-traditional, positive. A basketball faculty, positive. Non-factor? Well, we’ll see.

Coach Dave Doeren has methodically constructed this system over the past decade ending as excessive as second outright within the ACC Atlantic as soon as. He has a quarterback, Devin Leary, who began the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate. (At least I obtained the hat within the mail that stated as a lot.)

A whole lot of this potential turning level is on him. A win over Clemson opens up that CFP chance. After Saturday, there are solely three extra road video games. NC State might dangle one of many nation’s most spectacular wins in entrance of the CFP Selection Committee. Don’t neglect: Half the CFP area was newcomers final 12 months (Michigan, Cincinnati).

Leary led the Wolfpack with 4 touchdowns in final 12 months’s upset of the Tigers in extra time. This season has been sort of blah as a result of the schedule has been sort of blah. Leary (and the remainder of the Pack) struggled in opposition to East Carolina. Numbers have been padded in opposition to Charleston Southern and UConn.

Against the one Power Five opponent up to now, Leary relied totally on brief throws in opposition to Texas Tech. He has to be a distinction maker on this sport. A whole lot of the measurables work in favor of Leary and NC State. Clemson’s secondary has been weak, a part of the ACC’s second-worst move protection. Meanwhile, NC State’s protection leads the ACC in interceptions (seven).

It’s not a query of whether or not Clemson is again; it is whether or not the Tigers ever actually left. D.J. Uiagalelei willed Clemson to that win final week at Wake Forest. Clemson has gained 36 in a row at dwelling. The Wolfpack are solely the second top-10 opponent for the Tigers throughout that streak.

The groups began enjoying in 1899. This could be the largest Clemson-NC State sport ever. Much like Texas A&M beating Alabama, NC State did not do sufficient with that breakthrough Clemson win, going 9-3. And it nonetheless hasn’t gained the ACC since 1979, again when Dabo Swinney was all of 10 years outdated. Maybe it is time for NC State’s aspirations to develop up, too. 

Week 5 storylines

Best teaching jobs on the one-third level: Earlier this week, we have a look at Lance Leipold’s scorching begin in Year 2 at Kansas and puzzled whether or not the Jayhawks will likely be ready to cling on to him given the already-churning teaching carousel. But Leipold isn’t the one coach deserving reward one-third of the way in which via the season.

• Lincoln Riley, USC: Have we forgotten the Trojans have been 4-8 final season? So far, the turnaround in SoCal has been large. USC is the one program that hasn’t turned the ball over but. Caleb Williams is within the Heisman dialog. Jordan Addison appears like he took his Biletnikoff Award to the West Coast with no downside. Shane Lee appears like an Alabama linebacker — like lots of Trojans, obtained via the portal.
• P.J. Fleck, Minnesota: Tanner Morgan is a fifth-year starter with loads of expertise. Mohamed Ibrahim is again from a season-ending damage at No. 2 in FBS dashing. Fleck is not any fraud. He is coming off a nine-win season in 2021 and gained 11 at Minny in 2019. The Golden Gophers might win the Big Ten West.
• Josh Heupel, Tennessee: When Heupel left in 2018 to develop into UCF’s coach, there was barely a shrug at Missouri. When he left UCF to go to Tennessee amid an NCAA scandal, Heupel hit his candy spot inheriting Hendon Hooker. The Volunteers are 4-0 for the primary time in six years after a powerful win over Florida.
• Sonny Dykes, TCU: The Horned Frogs slumped in later years below Gary Patterson. Dykes has restored them with the nation’s top-rated passer, Max Duggan. That was after Dykes resurrected cross-town rival SMU. Beat Oklahoma and TCU will likely be 4-0 for the primary time since 2017.
• Mark Stoops, Kentucky: Stoops misplaced his high tailback, briefly. Chris Rodriguez is predicted to return this week. He outslugged Florida and surpassed Bear Bryant as UK’s winningest coach. He developed quarterback Will Levis into an NFL prospect. Stoops is at a faculty the place he can go 8-4 the remainder of his profession, and so they’ll construct him a statue.
• Kalen DeBoer, Washington: A junior model of Leipold being a nationwide championship coach at a decrease division (Sioux Falls in NAIA). The former Indiana offensive coordinator imported his former quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., by way of the portal. The Huskies are again within the nationwide dialog.
• Dino Babers, Syracuse: From scorching seat to scorching coach. In Year 7 of an up-and-down stick with the Orange, Babers has ‘Cuse 4-0 for the primary time in 2018. We’ll discover out extra in back-to-back weekends in opposition to NC State and Clemson subsequent month.

Hog Heaven: No. 2 Alabama at No. 20 Arkansas (3:30 p.m., CBS) would have been so significantly better if a sure kicker would have made a sure kick in opposition to Texas A&M. But right here we’re with the Razorbacks ready to climb proper again into the SEC West race. Hogs defensive coordinator Barry Odom could have one thing for the Crimson Tide. The query: For how lengthy?

Alabama didn’t play notably effectively the one time it hit the road this season. Texas, now 2-2, uncovered Bama’s weaknesses that day: inexperience at cornerback, a questionable offensive line. Aside from a key 81-yard scoring run by Jace McClellan, the Tide averaged solely 3.4 yards per carry. Arkansas led Texas A&M 14-0 on the finish of the primary quarter. It had the sport gained when kicker Cam Little lined up for the game-winning area purpose. You know what occurred subsequent. Arky’s New Year’s Bowl aspirations could also be at stake. 

SEC East won’t be a stroll over for No. 1 Georgia: We know that now due to the begins by No. 7 Kentucky and No. 8 Tennessee, each 4-0. Oh, and do not forget Florida (2-2), which has extra wins over ranked groups than 10 different SEC groups. (OK, one, nevertheless it was an enormous one in opposition to present No. 12 Utah.) Through 4 weeks, the Gators have executed sufficient to make the World’s Largest Cocktail Party much more fascinating.

Georgia will get one other scrimmage this week in opposition to 28-point underdog Missouri. In Kentucky at No. 14 Ole Miss, the successful coach will get Auburn? OK, possibly it is too quickly, however Stoops and Lane Kiffin have executed fantastic issues. They are at faculties that may very well be thought of steppingstones for each. Kentucky has the nation’s second-longest successful streak (eight video games). Stoops will get Rodriguez again from suspension. Kiffin needs people to go away The Grove early to be on time for the sport. That lands someplace between sacrilege and guerilla advertising and marketing.

Big 12 Rematch: It could be revenge, of types, for the No. 9 Oklahoma State to win at No. 16 Baylor this week. The world appears to have forgotten the Cowboys have been 2 yards away from a playoff berth within the Big 12 Championship Game. Dave Aranda’s protection held and adjusted the mathematics at a number of ranges. Aranda continues to be a scorching title in teaching circles. The query he should reply: Does he consider he chase a CFP berth in Waco, Texas? The reply, for now, is sure.

If the higher-ranked Pokes are going to keep within the playoff race, they have to win. Quarterback Spencer Sanders has gained 27 profession video games, one in need of coach Mike Gundy’s faculty report. That nugget was outshone this week when Gundy “celebrated” the fifteenth anniversary of his “I’m a man. I’m 40,” rant.

Road journey! Finally! We don’t desire to say Iowa cannot rating, however when you give the Hawkeyes a dart from 2 toes away, they’d miss the dartboard. It’s that dangerous for an offense that’s offensive (as in … stinks). Meanwhile, who has it higher than No. 4 Michigan? Nooooooobody. The Wolverines get to wait till October to play their first road sport. They’ve obtained their quarterback state of affairs settled (J.J. McCarthy). You’ve obtained to like their probabilities with the No. 2 offense (50 factors per sport) in opposition to the nation’s worst offense (5.8 factors per sport). Another purpose to just like the Wolverines: Blake Corum has rushed for 9 touchdowns (most in FBS). Iowa as a staff has rushed for 5 (T-second fewest in FBS).

Quick Kicks: Will the successful coach in Iowa State at Kansas get the Nebraska job? … No. 18 Oklahoma visits TCU nonetheless attempting to work out what occurred to Brent Venables’ protection final week. The 41 factors scored by Kansas State have been probably the most at dwelling in opposition to a Venables protection since 2016 … Williams’ streak with out an interception (188) has been completed at two faculties (Oklahoma, USC), survived a switch, and to date, 4 opponents’ defenses this season. Arizona State visits USC this week … The Sun Devils are 1-3 (or worse) after 4 video games for the primary time since 1994 … Minnesota leads the nation outgaining opponents by 355.2 yards per sport. Thirty-one groups aren’t averaging that many complete yards … Arkansas leads the nation with 20 sacks, 4 greater than the following closest staff (Middle Tennessee, 16) … Heisman contender Brock Bowers — largely considered the nation’s finest tight finish — has extra dashing touchdowns (three) than receiving scores (two).