College football rankings: Week 5 AP Top 25 projection after Michigan beats USC, Tennessee wins

Saturday’s result: Beat ULM, 51-3

Arch Manning threw two touchdowns passes and two interceptions in his first-career start during Saturday night’s win over ULM. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian announced Manning would replace injured starter Quinn Ewers (abdominal strain) for the Longhorns earlier this week and Texas amassed nearly 500 yards of total offense, including 124 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Jaydon Blue. The Longhorns host Mississippi State next week.

Saturday’s result: Open

The Bulldogs hope several key players are healthy for next weekend’s top-five showdown against Alabama. Via Dawgs247, Kirby Smart said quarterback Carson Beck is fine and practiced on Monday and Tuesday after sustaining an injury toward the end of the Kentucky game. Smart also said that Georgia was hopeful to get defensive linemen Mykel Williams, Warren Brinson, and Jordan Hall back as they work through the rehab process.

“They’re all working to come back. They’re all doing the rehab process. Warren’s really close. Warren’s out there doing stuff now. Mykel’s running, Jordan’s running,” Smart said.

Saturday’s result: Beat Marshall, 49-14

Quinshon Judkins rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns, TreVeyon Henderson scored twice on the ground and the Buckeyes a 7-7 tie after the first quarter with 21 points in the second to pull away from the Thundering Herd. Coming out of an open week, Ohio State started slow before the ground game got going and lots of explosive plays dictated the rest of the contest. The Big Ten schedule begins next week for the preseason league favorite.

Saturday’s result: Open

College football’s national spotlight will be in Tuscaloosa in Week 5 for the Crimson Tide’s unbeaten showdown with Georgia, an early barometer game in the SEC. First-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said this week he always paid attention to Georgia-Alabama matchups from afar because he wanted to catch the “peak” of the sport between the two national championship-contending programs. Another huge outing from Jalen Milroe would push the Crimson Tide’s quarterback to the front of the Heisman picture.

Saturday’s result: Beat Oklahoma, 25-15

Tennessee posted one of its most impressive defensive showings under Josh Heupel, squashing previously-unbeaten Oklahoma on the road in the SEC’s biggest matchup of Week 4. Nico Iamaleava’s 66-yard touchdown strike to D’onte Thornton in the first quarter was the only scoring toss of the contest for the Vols, who had a vice grip on the game’s tempo throughout until late in the fourth quarter, forced three turnovers and held the Sooners to under 300 yards of total offense. It took 19 quarters for Tennessee to give up a touchdown this season before the Sooners pushed two across down the stretch.

Saturday’s result: Beat Georgia Southern, 52-13

Lane Kiffin’s offense continues to roll in a big way after Jaxson Dart finished with 382 yards and four touchdowns ahead of this team’s SEC opener next week against Kentucky. Tre Harris caught 11 passes for 225 yards and two scores to continue his league-leading assault this fall. The first test of the season for the Rebels could come in Week 5, unless the Wildcats struggle to keep up.

Saturday’s result: Beat USF, 50-15

Miami didn’t need to be reminded of how competitive USF played unbeaten Alabama a couple of weeks ago. Mario Cristobal said this week in prep for Saturday night’s game against the Bulls that Miami respects its opponent and knows second-year coach Alex Golesh has that Group of Five program ascending to another level. The Hurricanes responded by leaving no doubt, thanks to 404 yards passing and three touchdowns from Cam Ward.

Saturday’s result: Open

After consecutive so-so performances along the offensive line, Oregon’s win at Oregon State last week was the best version of the Ducks — but they’re still a work in progress according to Dan Lanning. Oregon used its open week to assess the offensive line and other areas of potential worry heading into Big Ten play.

“The key is growth. We’re not the best version of us yet, and we won’t be the best version of us right until, hopefully the end of the season,” Lanning said. “The key is, are we getting better today and getting better tomorrow as we continue to progress.”

Saturday’s result: Beat Kent State, 56-0

A week after giving up 71 points at Tennessee, the Golden Flashes were blanked again, this time by the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar accounted for three first-half touchdowns and added a third scoring toss in the third quarter as Penn State rolled to 3-0. We’ll know more about James Franklin’s team after they host unbeaten Illinois in Week 5. That’s an early barometer game in the Big Ten between nationally-ranked teams.

Saturday’s result: Beat Vanderbilt, 30-27 (OT)

The Tigers are dropping in Sunday’s rankings, perhaps outside of the top 10 altogether, after escaping Vanderbilt’s upset bid at home. After beating then-ranked Boston College last week, Missouri proved it was almost vulnerable once again and avoided a letdown after the Commodores missed a chip-shot field goal in the extra session. It wasn’t a clean game from the Tigers, who have a favorable slate by SEC standards this fall and need to get to double-digit wins to have a shot at the playoff.

Saturday’s result: Beat Oklahoma State, 22-19

The Utes overcame a couple mistakes and forced several takeaways themselves during a major conference-opening win at Oklahoma State. Micah Benard rushed 182 yards for an offense that dominated time of possession on the road to take control of the Big 12 race alongside fellow unbeaten Kansas State. The Utes host Arizona next with Cameron Rising’s status still up in the air due to injury. Isaac Wilson would be the starter after throwing two interceptions in Saturday’s win.

Saturday’s result: Beat USC, 27-24

With its season on the brink of destruction, Michigan recorded its best win of the early Sherrone Moore era after knocking off USC in the final minute. The Wolverines were only a couple weeks removed from getting blown out at home by Texas before going back to dominant aggression at the point of attack against Lincoln Riley and USC’s revitalized defense. Kalen Mullings rushed for 159 yards and scores, including the go-ahead burst with 37 seconds to play to cap a 10-play drive.

Saturday’s result: Beat NC State, 59-35

Clemson raced to a 28-point lead in the first quarter and didn’t look back during a Week 4 thrashing of NC State. Cade Klubnik threw three touchdown passes, rushed for another and the Tigers got 107 yards on the ground from Phil Mafah on just seven totes. After scoring 66 points last time out against Appalachian State, this Clemson offense is clicking on all cylinders since mustering just three points in the opener against Georgia. They’re moving up in Sunday’s rankings.

Saturday’s result: Beat UCLA, 34-17

For the second-straight week, LSU used a dominant second-half to dispose of the opposition. Another 300-yard passing effort from Garrett Nussmeier — along with three touchdowns — paced the Tigers, who host South Alabama next week prior to a nationally-ranked showdown with unbeaten Ole Miss on Oct. 5. LSU outscored the Bruins, 17-0, after intermission, but did lose star linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. to injury. His status is uncertain for Week 5.

Saturday’s result: Beat Miami (Ohio), 28-3

Behind 143 yards rushing and two touchdowns from quarterback Riley Leonard, the Fighting Irish shook off a lackluster start and handled Miami (Ohio) at home to remain in the top 20. As long as Notre Dame keeps winning, despite the early-season loss to Northern Illinois, Marcus Freeman’s team will be in control of their own playoff destiny. Louisville looms for the Fighting Irish.

Saturday’s result: Beat Georgia Tech, 31-19

Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals did not get caught looking ahead to Notre Dame and took care of business against the Yellow Jackets. Paced by a couple touchdown passes from Tyler Shough and a defensive front that held Georgia Tech’s mighty rushing attack to under 100 yards rushing, Louisville will move up a spot or two in Sunday’s Week 5 rankings with the victory. With matchups against Clemson and Miami during the second half of the slate in a few, Louisville will have a say in the ACC race.

Saturday’s result: Lost to Michigan, 24-21

USC turned around multiple double-digit deficits in Ann Arbor, but struggles at the line of scrimmage doomed the Trojans in the final minute of the contest in their Big Ten opener. Miller Moss threw an interception in the third quarter to All-American candidate Will Johnson in the third quarter that was returned for a touchdown that seemed to suck the momentum from the visiting sideline, but Jakobi Lane’s 24-yard touchdown reception with 7:01 left gave the Trojans a 24-20 advantage.

Saturday’s result: Beat Kansas State, 38-9

BYU improved to 4-0 on the season and come out with an emphatic win Saturday night’s Big 12 opener for both teams. A pun return score and a couple big-time takeaways helped the Cougars to one of the nation’s biggest wins in Week 4.

“You got to make them earn it all and eventually we were able to crack the code a little bit and get some turnovers and create some momentum and then you saw the result,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.

Saturday’s result: Lost to BYU, 38-9

Did anyone see that level of setback coming for the Wildcats? A couple interceptions from Avery Johnson and a faulty effort defensively doomed the Wildcats a week after Kansas State dismantled Arizona. The Big 12 opener in Week 4 did not go as planned and as a result, Chris Klieman’s squad takes a rankings hit.