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

This game loves the king. This game favors a despot. This game is for a winner.

Georgia is 49-3 as of Nov. 7, 2020, for all such losses it will suffer Alabama. But ever since the Bulldogs beat the Crimson Tide in the 2022 national title game, UGA feels like Zeus defeated Cronus, claiming the crown and declaring himself king of this Olympia.

With respect to State of Ohio again Texasthis game – alabama vs. Georgia – it’s about who owns the standard. There’s nothing hot about that take, or there’s heat here for Kirby Smart.

If Smart had won this game, we would have decided he had a Nick Saban problem. But you lost. And now Georgia has an Alabama problem – as Zeus had with Prometheus. The path to the pantheon begins with this fire, and Jalen Milroe was an orange forge.

With that, here’s a look at my top 25 rankings for Week 5 of the college football season:

1. Alabama (4-0)

Week 5 result: Georgia lost, 41-34

In a classic rushing game, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards, rushed for 117 yards and had four touchdowns, while 17-year-old Ryan Williams caught six passes for 177 yards, including a game-winning 75-yard then run which would be the winning score.

Alabama is the only program to beat Georgia since Nov. 7, 2020. And Kalen DeBoer scored 1-0 against Kirby Smart.

2. Texas (5-0)

Week 5 result: Lost to Mississippi State, 35-13

McDonald’s has the Golden Arches. But just like McDowell’s has the Golden Arcs, Texas has the Golden Arch.

Arch Manning completed 26 of 31 passes for 324 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in Texas’ win over Mississippi State. DeAndre Moore Jr. tallied four catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

3. State of Ohio (4-0)

Week 5 result: Lost to Michigan State, 38-7

The Buckeyes looked dominant in their Big Ten Conference opener with Jeremiah Smith continuing to play at a Biletnikoff Award level as a true freshman. He caught five passes for 83 yards, including a spectacular one-handed 17-yard touchdown catch.

4. Tennessee (4-0)

Week 5 result: It doesn’t work

5. Georgia (3-1)

Week 5 result: Lost at Alabama, 41-34

The Bulldogs have lost just three times since Nov. 7. 2020 – all three from Alabama. Looks like Kirby Smart doesn’t have a Nick Saban problem. He’s got Alabama in trouble, and for a few minutes late in the fourth quarter Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, it looked like Smart was going to win. However, Jalen Milroe and freshman Ryan Williams struck out. Carson Beck did his best in the second half, but in the end, the Tide was too much for this Georgia team.

6. Penn State (4-0)

Week 5 result: Lost to Illinois, 21-7

The Nittany Lions entered Beaver Stadium with a 10-man rushing attack thanks to a punishing offensive line and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Those two standout quarterbacks combined for 196 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in Penn State’s win over Illinois.

7. In Oregon (4-0)

Week 5 result: Lose to UCLA, 34-13

The Ducks entered the game as 25.5-point favorites and walked away with a 21-point victory over the lowly Bruins. Dillon Gabriel threw three touchdowns – two of them to Tez Johnson – and continued to climb the NCAA record books as the Ducks notched their first Big Ten victory.

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

Week 5 result: Lost to Virginia Tech, 38-34

Look, Da’Quan Felton caught it. Then ACC overturned a Hail Mary touchdown — that would have led to the Hokies’ upset of the Canes — on an incomplete pass.

But before that flurry, Cam Ward put the Canes on his back as Beatrix Kiddo made two buckets of water up the stairs of Pai Mei, throwing for 343 passing yards and four touchdowns, while adding 57 yards and a rushing score in the win.

9. Missouri (4-0)

Week 5 result: Doing nothing

10. Clemson (3-1)

Week 5 result: Defeated Stanford, 40-14

The Tigers got back to looking like one of the top teams in the ACC with their third straight win, scoring at least 40 points per team.

11. In Michigan (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Minnesota, 27-24

This was Michigan’s 27th win against a Big Ten opponent. The 27-24 victory came despite anemic passing from quarterback Alex Orji, who finished 10-of-18 for 86 yards.

Despite playing light football early, the Wolverines were unable to close with authority. Minnesota scored 21 points in the fourth quarter.

12. Iowa State (4-0)

Week 5 result: Houston lost, 20-0

The Cyclones sit atop the Big 12 and are off to a 4-0 start since 2000.

Quarterback Rocco Becht is the real deal, and Iowa State’s defense has been impressive, holding opponents to an average of 7.3 points per game.

13. USC (3-1)

Week 5 result: Wisconsin lost, 38-21

Despite being taken off the field at halftime, the Trojans scored 28 unanswered points in the second half at the Coliseum to make it 3-1 Miller Moss passed for 308 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

14. In Oklahoma (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Auburn, 27-21

Linebacker Kip Lewis came up with a pick-six with just over four minutes to play to give Oklahoma its first SEC victory. The real freshman is Michael Hawkins Jr. became the first Oklahoma quarterback to win his first start on the road in school history.

15. BYU (5-0)

Week 5 result: Byalor lost, 34-28

Coming off last weekend’s bronze medal game against Kansas State, this could be a place for the Cougars to slip up. But instead, Kalani Sitake’s team held their own against a Baylor team that lost 2-3 following the loss.

16. LSU (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to South Alabama, 42-10

Garrett Nussmeier continues to look like a legitimate SEC quarterback, throwing for a career-high 409 yards in LSU’s 42-10 win over South Alabama. Caden Durham totaled 217 yards from scrimmage as Brian Kelly’s team posted 667 yards of total offense in the victory.

17. Ole Miss (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Kentucky, 20-17

Lane Kiffin may have a great football team, but you can’t go 1-for-10 on third down while losing to Kentucky and expect to stay in the top 15 of these rankings.

18. Notre Dame (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Louisville, 31-24

Riley Leonard had only one touchdown in Notre Dame’s game against Louisville. The senior QB doubled that number on Saturday, throwing for 163 yards and two scores, as well as rushing for 52 yards and a touchdown in the win.

19. Boise State (3-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Washington State, 45-24

Ashton Jeanty plays like the best running back in the country, and it’s not even close. The do-it-all back carried the ball 26 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns in the win. This was Jeanty’s fourth 200-yard game, tying the school record.

20. UNLV (4-0)

Week 5 result: Lost to Fresno State, 59-14

UNLV begins conference play without starting QB Matthew Sluka, who announced through his agent earlier this week that he will sit out the remainder of the season over a $100,000 NIL payment he allegedly was promised before he transferred to UNLV, but was never paid. .

Hajj-Malik Williams filled in, and the Rebels didn’t miss. Williams threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 119 yards and a score on the ground in a dominant win over Fresno State.

21. Kansas State (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Oklahoma State, 42-20

Taylen Green proved that a dual-threat QB can light up Oklahoma State as he went for 416 passing yards and 61 rushing yards against that defense. After that, Utah tailback Micah Benard rushed the Cowboys defense for 183 yards. On Saturday, DJ Giddens rushed for 187 yards on 15 carries.

22. Illinois (4-1)

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

Illinois and Tennessee are the only programs in the country with two of 25 wins heading into Week 5. Brett Bielema’s team was looking for another on Saturday, but fell short in a 21-7 loss to Penn State. The Illini gave up 239 yards on the ground and only produced 219 yards of total offense in the loss.

23. Texas A&M (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Arkansas, 21-17

Marcel Reed threw two touchdowns, including a 5-yard score to Tre Watson with nine minutes left in the game to seal the victory for the Aggies.

24. Utah (4-1)

Week 5 result: Lost to Arizona, 23-10

The Utes were able to survive last weekend without Cam Rising, but that wasn’t the case Saturday night against Arizona. Kyle Whittingham’s team struggled on offense as QB Isaac Wilson completed just 50% of his passes and threw two fumbles in the loss.

25. In Indiana (5-0)

It’s time to show the respect they deserve for the Hoosiers, who are off to a 5-0 start since 1967. First-year coach Curt Cignetti, who hails from James Madison, promised Hoosier fans he would put his stamp on it. The program, and that’s exactly what he did for five games.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and commentator for FOX Sports and podcast host “The Number One College Football Show.“Follow him @RJ_Omusha again subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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