The Week 5 slate in faculty football was once no longer just about as loaded as its predecessor, which featured six matchups pitting groups ranked in the AP Top 25 towards one some other, however there aren’t any uneventful weeks in this game. The motion was once nonetheless aplenty with winners and losers around the board as we realized extra in regards to the pecking order in faculty football with the 2023 season shifting alongside into the month of October.
Is No. 1 Georgia mortal? It could be after narrowly averting a defeat at the street that may have hindered its probabilities for a ancient three-peat. But, in the method, a hero stepped up and printed himself to be essentially the most integral a part of this Dawgs dynasty. No. 8 USC passed Colorado and Deion Sanders their moment consecutive loss, although a well-recognized flaw that is develop into not unusual with Lincoln Riley-led groups reared its unpleasant head because the Trojans have shyed away from crisis. Speaking of a well-recognized flaw — No. 13 LSU will have performed itself out of the College Football Playoff race as a result of an inconsistency on one aspect of the ball.
Let’s take a look now at some winners and losers from the Week 5 faculty football motion.
Winner: Georgia TE Brock Bowers
There had been plenty of extremely gifted gamers to stroll thru Georgia’s program all through its back-to-back nationwide championship run. I’m able to mention it: Tight finish Brock Bowers is a very powerful participant to grace Athens, Georgia, along with his presence all through this time.
In a come-from-behind victory at the street towards Auburn, Bowers was once absurd. The junior posted 148 of his 157 yards receiving in the second one half of, together with a go-ahead, highlight-reel 40-yard landing reception that ranks a number of the performs of the 12 months. Georgia wanted each one in every of them to steer clear of an disenchanted.
The Bulldogs have not been completely blank all through their 5-0 get started, however Bowers has been the trump card. He has 24 catches over his previous 3 video games and his ranking on Saturday pulled him right into a tie with A.J. Green for the second-most landing catches in Georgia historical past. On a Georgia workforce that appears quite wanting the remaining two nationwide championship squads, Bowers is an early MVP.
Loser: USC trainer Lincoln Riley
Stop me when you’ve heard this one sooner than: A Lincoln Riley workforce went up giant and gave up at the recreation a long way too early. This time, it was once Colorado combating again from a 34-7 first-half deficit as No. 8 USC slightly hung on for a 48-41 win. After the sport, Colorado trainer Deion Sanders informed the media that he believed that if the sport lasted another ownership, the Buffs win.
The protection gets lots of the blame, for nice explanation why. A Colorado workforce that mustered simply six issues towards Oregon scored 41 issues in 3 quarters. However, the issues are larger than simply the protection. The offense scored its ultimate issues with 2:14 ultimate in the 0.33 quarter, whilst Caleb Williams finished simply two of his ultimate six passes.
Last 12 months, Tulane got here again through scoring 16 issues in the overall 4 mins to surprise the Trojans in the Cotton Bowl. In 2017, Georgia got here again from down 17 issues to overcome Riley’s Oklahoma and head ot the nationwide championship recreation. Blowing leads has develop into a part of Riley’s DNA as a head trainer, and this system must get that in order if it ever hopes to compete for a countrywide championship.
Winner: Baylor
Through 3 quarters in Orlando, Florida, the Dave Aranda generation regarded useless in the water. The Bears regarded hapless and trailed through 28 issues towards first-year Big 12 member UCF. A loss would had been Baylor’s 8th towards an FBS opponent, one of the most longest streaks in the country.
But, for the primary time this season, the Bears did not balk. After giving up a landing at the first power of the second one half of, Baylor took over. The Bears scored on all 4 drives of the second one half of, together with a go-ahead box function. A 72-yard fumble go back through cornerback Caden Jenkins swung the sport. A go back box function from UCF swung vast proper and the Bears overcame the most important deficit in program historical past, sliding previous the 61-58 win over TCU in 2014.
Since beating Oklahoma on Nov. 5, 2022, the most efficient Baylor end result was once a 29-28 loss to rival TCU. Baylor has been constantly deflated towards high quality pageant and has only a few sure moments because the 2021 season, all through which the Bears received the Big 12 name, got here to an in depth. Going at the street and pulling off an disenchanted as an 8-point underdog offers Aranda some juice for the primary time in some time. Now, it is as much as Baylor to capitalize with in-state rival Texas Tech coming to the town subsequent week.
Loser: LSU protection
One 12 months in the past, LSU rode a top-30 scoring protection and good-enough offense to an SEC Championship Game look. Now, that protection is just about unrecognizable. The Tigers gave up 706 yards and let Lane Kiffin’s squad develop into the primary Ole Miss workforce in the remaining two decades to each go and rush for 300 yards in a 55-49 Rebels win.
The Tigers protection has collapsed around the board. LSU has allowed 36.3 issues in line with recreation towards FBS warring parties, together with 100 mixed issues in two video games towards ranked warring parties. Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart was once just about unstoppable, throwing for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns on simply 39 go makes an attempt.
LSU was once decided on as a peak contender in the SEC West and a dismal horse College Football Playoff contender. Five weeks into the season, the Tigers protection is a long way from championship caliber. A matchup subsequent week towards Missouri will make or damage LSU’s season.
Winner: RB Ray Davis, Kentucky
Kentucky misplaced superstar working again Chris Rodriguez to commencement and Kavosiey Smoke to the switch portal. After the day that Vanderbilt switch working again Ray Davis had in a 33-14 win towards Florida, the Wildcats are not lacking the pair a lot.
Davis hit some other stage towards Florida, speeding for 280 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 carries towards the Gators. The senior had extra yards speeding on the half of (206) than he had in his remaining 3 video games towards Vanderbilt, Akron and Eastern Kentucky (202) on one-third of the carries.
The win was once great in its personal proper, however additionally it is a ancient one for Kentucky. The Wildcats have no longer crushed Florida in 3 instantly video games since 1948-51 when Bear Bryant was once the pinnacle guy in Lexington. Kentucky is 5-0 heading right into a matchup with No. 1 Georgia for the second one time in 3 seasons.
Loser: Utah
Utah’s skill to control accidents in the hole weeks of the season after all got here due. The Utes offense proved totally hapless offensively in a 21-7 loss towards No. 19 Oregon State that wasn’t as shut as the overall ranking. Utah mustered simply 198 yards and 1.8 yards in line with raise towards a stout Beavers protection.
The Utes had been with out beginning quarterback Cameron Rising and projected first-round tight finish Brant Kuithe all season, however the accidents best proceed to mount. Top working again Ja’Quinden Jackson and receiver Mycah Pittman have been each out towards OSU. Underclassman quarterback Nate Johnson confirmed some flashes over the primary few weeks, however his experience got here to an finish in Week 5.
The nice news for Utah is that the cavalry may well be at the approach when the offense will get wholesome. The Utes play California subsequent week at house, which will have to be a bounce-back spot. If Rising and Co. are not again through Oct. 21 at the street towards USC, it is laborious to consider Utah getting again into the Pac-12 dialog.
Winner: Clemson
The Tigers confronted few issues all through a 31-14 win over Syracuse, cruising out to a 14-0 lead early and getting a nice recreation from Cade Klubnik (263 yards and two touchdowns in the course of the air). Clemson moved to 1-2 in convention play and above .500 for the primary time this season.
No. 17 Duke’s 21-14 loss towards No. 11 Notre Dame later in the night time will have to best make Clemson really feel higher about its scenario. The two early-season losses towards Duke and Florida State hit the Tigers laborious and taken up critical questions on the way forward for this system. Five weeks into the 12 months, then again, the losses proceed to age higher.
Clemson is not acting as much as its lofty requirements. Luckily, it says extra in regards to the energy of Florida State and Duke than indicators of coming near near cave in.
Loser: Big 12 inexperienced persons
We’ll put BYU to the aspect because the Cougars moved to 4-1 with a win over fellow newcomer Cincinnati. Otherwise, the opposite 3 participants of the Freshman Four moved to 0-2 in Big 12 play. The Bearcats picked up the loss to BYU whilst UCF gave up the ancient cave in to Baylor. Similarly, Houston jumped on Texas Tech early however in the end gave up 21 unanswered issues to finish the sport in a 49-28 loss.
Transitioning to the Power Five stage comes with headaches, and all 4 groups live it in other ways. Depth has proven up in overdue collapses. The 3 0-2 groups have all proven actual promise, together with UCF competing towards Kansas State and Cincinnati giving Oklahoma a scare, however there is a explanation why preseason electorate gave the returning groups extra admire.