ESPN.com staff
Oct 2, 2016, 05:00 PM
Here's how things shook out in ESPN's Power Rankings for this week.
Power Rankings voters: Edward Aschoff, Butch Davis, Heather Dinich, Brad Edwards, Chris Fallica, Rod Gilmore, Danny Kanell, Chris Low, Ivan Maisel, Ryan McGee, Adam Rittenberg, Mark Schlabach | How they voted
Previous rankings: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 1
Week 5 result: defeated Kentucky 34-6
The Tide keep rolling along, beating Kentucky 34-6, though it didn't look all that pretty at times. It took a big third quarter to blow the game open and a big performance from wide receiver Calvin Ridley (career highs with 11 catches and 174 yards). Alabama goes on the road for the first time in three weeks to play at Arkansas.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 2
Week 5 result: defeated Rutgers 58-0
Ho-hum, the Buckeyes rolled to yet another big win, this one a 58-0 shutout of Rutgers. Ohio State has scored at least 45 points in every game this season and will be favored to hit that mark again next week against Indiana.
3. Clemson Tigers (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 5
Week 5 result: defeated Louisville 42-36
The Tigers blew an 18-point halftime lead, then rallied in the fourth quarter to score the final 14 points of the game to beat Louisville in a 42-36 thriller and take control of the ACC Atlantic Division race. Deshaun Watson had five touchdown passes and 397 total yards in the win.
4. Houston Cougars (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 4
Week 5 result: defeated UConn 42-14
The Greg Ward Jr. show rolled on in a big win over UConn. Ward threw for a career-high 389 yards and scored five touchdowns. Next up is Navy and its run-heavy offense, coming off a loss to Air Force.
5. Washington Huskies (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 10
Week 5 result: defeated Stanford 44-6
The Huskies put themselves squarely into the College Football Playoff discussion after a 44-6 win over Stanford, the biggest win over a top-10 team in school history. The defense was suffocating, holding Stanford to just 214 total yards. Next week's matchup at Oregon looms in a crucial Pac-12 North game.
6. Michigan Wolverines (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 6
Week 5 result: defeated Wisconsin 14-7
How about that one-handed interception from Jourdan Lewis? That was the play of the day in the Wolverines' 14-7 win over Wisconsin, their first over a top-10 team since 2008. With games against Rutgers and Illinois coming up, it's a good bet that Michigan will be unbeaten heading into its showdown with Michigan State on Oct. 29.
7. Louisville Cardinals (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 3
Week 5 result: lost to Clemson 42-36
Lamar Jackson did everything he could to rally the Cards against Clemson, gaining 457 total yards of offense and scoring three touchdowns. But Louisville came up 1 yard short with the game on the line and lost. Although the Cards no longer control their ACC destiny, playoff hopes are not completely gone.
8. (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 9
Week 5 result: defeated South Carolina 24-13
Believe it or not, the Aggies are 5-0 for the third straight season. But the difference is they are 3-0 in conference play for the first time since joining the SEC after beating South Carolina. The gauntlet will be thrown down over the next two weeks with games against Tennessee (College GameDay will come to College Station) and Alabama.
9. Tennessee Volunteers (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 11
Week 5 result: defeated Georgia 34-31
How many comebacks can the Vols tally this season? Because they had the craziest one yet in a wild, come-from-behind win over Georgia, taking the victory on a Hail Mary from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings with no time left. It doesn't get any easier going forward, with Texas A&M and Alabama coming up.
10. Wisconsin Badgers (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 8
Week 5 result: lost to Michigan 14-7
The Badgers had their chances to beat Michigan on the road, but they couldn't overcome three interceptions from true freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook, including a one-handed pick from Lewis with 2:15 to play.
11. Miami Hurricanes (4-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 15
Week 5 result: defeated Georgia Tech 35-21
The Hurricanes beat Georgia Tech for their first win over a Power 5 team this season because of their defense, which scored twice off fumble recoveries and had eight tackles for loss. Confidence has to be high headed into their game against Florida State, which already has two conference losses.
12. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 14
Week 5 result: defeated Illinois 31-16
Nebraska got off to another sluggish start but outscored Illinois 21-0 in the fourth quarter to rally and win 31-16. The Huskers have outscored their opponents 78-6 in the fourth quarter this season. With Indiana and Purdue next, the Huskers will be favored to enter their game at Wisconsin on Oct. 29 without a loss.
13. Stanford Cardinal (3-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 7
Week 5 result: lost to Washington 44-6
Stanford was humiliated at Washington, its worst loss since 2007 -- dealing the Cardinal a blow to their College Football Playoff and Pac-12 championship hopes. Christian McCaffrey had 49 total rushing yards and will hope for a rebound performance against Washington State.
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 19
Week 5 result: defeated Alcorn State 52-10
The Razorbacks weren't really tested against FCS foe Alcorn State, beating their overmatched opponent 52-10 behind 100-yard rushing games from Devwah Whaley and Rawleigh Williams III. A make-or-break stretch is coming up against Alabama, Ole Miss and Auburn before the bye week arrives.
15. North Carolina Tar Heels (4-1)
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Week 4 ranking: NR
Week 5 result: Defeated Florida State 37-35
The Tar Heels beat Florida State on a 54-yard field goal from Nick Weiler as time expired, giving them a second straight win that came down to the final seconds. North Carolina enters a crucial Coastal Division stretch with games against Virginia Tech and Miami.
16. Ole Miss Rebels (3-2)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 16
Week 5 result: defeated Memphis 48-28
The Rebels piled up 624 yards in a 48-28 win over Memphis, as Chad Kelly threw for 361 yards. They have scored 40 or more points in three straight games and now get a bye week to prepare for road games against Arkansas and LSU.
17. Baylor Bears (5-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 13
Week 5 result: defeated Iowa State 45-42
The Bears erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to beat Iowa State with a 19-yard field goal as time ran out, remaining unbeaten. But they did not play well defensively and have plenty of improvement if they want to hold on to their playoff aspirations.
18. Colorado Buffaloes (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: NR
Week 5 result: defeated Oregon State 47-6
Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre might be an early candidate for coach of the year honors given the way the Buffaloes have started the season. They cruised 47-6 over Oregon State and have more than one Pac-12 win for the first time since 2011. Next they play USC, a team they have never beaten.
19. Florida State Seminoles (3-2)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 12
Week 5 result: lost to North Carolina 37-35
The Seminoles dropped to 0-2 in ACC play for the first time since 2011 after losing on a field goal on the game's final play. Once again Florida State trailed big early and couldn't climb out of a hole. Next up are the rival Hurricanes, who are eager to break a six-game losing streak in the series.
20. Oklahoma Sooners (2-2)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: NR
Week 5 result: defeated TCU 52-46
The Sooners already posted two nonconference losses, but maybe they can bounce back and win a Big 12 title. That quest started with a wild 52-46 win over TCU in which Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns (but also had two fumbles). Could redemption be on the way against Texas this week?
21. Florida Gators (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 21
Week 5 result: defeated Vanderbilt 13-6
The Gators struggled again on offense in a 13-6 win over Vanderbilt, managing just 236 total yards. But there could be some good news on the way. Injured starting quarterback Luke Del Rio is targeting a return against LSU next week.
22. Boise State Broncos (4-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 23
Week 5 result: defeated Utah State 21-10
Boise State remained unbeaten after a 21-10 victory over Utah State. Running back Jeremy McNichols had 226 all-purpose yards in the victory. The question now is whether the Broncos can do enough to move up in the polls as a potential Group of 5 team for the New Year's Six bowls. They need Houston to lose to help their cause.
23. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: NR
Week 4 result: defeated Kansas State 17-16
There are two unbeaten teams left in the Big 12: Baylor and West Virginia, which stayed perfect on the season with a 17-16 win over Kansas State. The Mountaineers are now 4-0 for the first time since 2012 and face a big test at Texas Tech after a bye.
24. UCLA Bruins (3-2)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 24
Week 5 result: defeated Arizona 45-24
The Bruins jump back in after a 45-24 victory over Arizona. QB Josh Rosen threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns (plus a rushing touchdown) in the victory. They remain in the thick of the Pac-12 South race, with Colorado the only team unbeaten in league play on that side of the division.
25. Utah Utes (4-1)
Trending:
Week 4 ranking: 17
Week 5 result: lost to Cal 28-23
Utah had six tries to punch in the winning score from inside the 10 in the final minutes against California and failed to do so, losing its first game of the season 28-23. That includes a stop from the 1-yard line on the game's final play. Arizona is up next in an important division game.
Fell out of the rankings: Texas, TCU, San Diego State, Michigan State
Others receiving votes: Georgia, Michigan State, Western Michigan, Auburn, Virginia Tech, LSU, TCU, Maryland, Arizona State, Air Force, North Dakota State
