Week 5 delivered. All the talk leading up to the weekend was about the slate—and how sorry we should feel for the guys being dragged to weddings. All I can say is, if you weren’t streaming during the bride and groom’s first dance, you missed out. Every day, every window, there was great action to soak in.
Flashy Friday
Friday brought us three enticing matchups: an ACC showdown in Charlottesville, a Big 12 clash in Tempe to determine an early frontrunner, and a quirky meeting in Corvallis between a current Power Five school that used to be Group of Five and a former Power Five program that now feels more like Group of Five.
Florida State, fresh off a win over Kent State, traveled to Virginia hoping to keep their bounce-back season rolling. After a cupcake stretch since the Alabama game, this marked their first real test and first taste of ACC play. Virginia, meanwhile, came in confident with their only loss being a road nailbiter at NC State. The Seminoles quickly fell into a 14–0 hole midway through the second quarter before exploding in the final seven minutes of the half for three scores. Thanks to a late Cavaliers drive, the teams entered halftime tied at 21. They traded touchdowns through the third and fourth quarters, sending it to overtime knotted at 35.
The first OT was forgettable, with neither side moving the chains and both settling for field goals. Then the chaos began in double OT. Virginia marched the 25 yards in four plays for a touchdown—but then sent out the kicking unit. Somehow, in the fifth season under the new rules, no one on the Cavaliers sideline seemed to realize a two-point try is mandatory in the second overtime. The refs bailed them out by resetting the play clock rather than penalizing them. As you can imagine, Mike Norvell was not exactly calm about that. I agree with him—the rules are the rules, and the Cavs should’ve been flagged. Still, they regrouped and converted the two-point try.
Florida State answered with their backs against the wall. On third down, QB Tommy Castellanos fired to Duce Robinson. The pass slipped through his hands at the front of the end zone, bobbled all the way to the back, and appeared to be controlled just before he stepped out. But on replay, the ball shifted one last time after Robinson had landed, and the officials ruled it incomplete. The right call, in my opinion. That set up a do-or-die fourth down. Castellanos launched a prayer that was intercepted, sealing a wild Virginia win.
The field rush that followed was elite. With no barrier to hop, it looked more like a basketball court storm than a football field rush—instantaneous and chaotic. Was it 100% safe? No. Did some students cross the line, like the one flipping off Castellanos? Sure. But overall, it wasn’t nearly as bad as some old heads on X made it out to be. Reports even surfaced of Virginia students boxing out others to protect Florida State WR Squirrel White from being trampled. If true, that just cements it: best field storming of the year so far, and maybe one of the best of the decade.
The other two Friday night games delivered as well. TCU, riding high, entered Tempe to take on Arizona State in a matchup that would help determine the Big 12’s early running mate for Texas Tech. The Sun Devils nearly doubled the Horned Frogs in total yards but, somehow, never led. Late in the fourth, the game was tied when TCU got the ball back with just over 90 seconds left and a chance to win it. Two plays later, a costly fumble flipped the script. Arizona State quickly cashed in with a 23-yard field goal—its first lead of the night—and it held up as the game-winner, vaulting the Sun Devils back into the Big 12 conversation.
Meanwhile, Houston rolled into Corvallis undefeated and eager to prove themselves as a Big 12 threat, while Oregon State was desperate to stop a four-game skid. With 12 minutes left, the Beavers were up 14 and cruising. Then it all unraveled. Missed opportunities piled up, capped off by a missed field goal at the end of regulation that could’ve sealed the win. Instead, we got our second overtime thriller of the night. Unlike Oregon State, Houston made its kick, and that was enough. The Cougars escaped 4–0, while the Beavers dropped to a brutal 0–5.
SEC Confusion
LSU entered the week as the top-ranked SEC team, riding high after shoring up its defense in the early part of the season. A showdown with Ole Miss promised fireworks—recent matchups between the two had delivered thrilling finishes. Lane Kiffin has historically struggled against the conference’s heavyweights, and I figured this game would be no different. But maybe Kiffin unlocked something last year in that win over Georgia, because Ole Miss looked in control almost the entire way. Behind another standout performance from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels nearly doubled LSU’s yardage. On the flip side, Garrett Nussmeier once again failed to deliver. Both teams have schedules full of marquee opportunities—and potential pitfalls—but this result shifts the balance. For LSU, the margin for error just shrank dramatically. For Ole Miss, the win provides cushion heading into their looming clash with Georgia, where a victory could vault them to No. 1.
Speaking of the Dawgs, they hosted Alabama in what was supposed to be a comfortable win. The Crimson Tide entered with a struggling offense, a frustrated fan base, and a coach already on the hot seat just a season and a half in. But the team that stumbled in Tallahassee earlier this year was nowhere to be found. Alabama dominated start to finish, with Ty Simpson posting his best outing of the season. Georgia’s Gunnar Stockton struggled mightily, finishing with just 130 passing yards, and the Tide struck first and never looked back. Kirby Smart’s lone win against Alabama remains the 2022 national title game—and at 1–7 all-time, that record is starting to hang heavier than Georgia fans would like.
Upsets and G5 Contenders
Week 5 marked the first time this season that a Group of 5 school didn’t upset a Power 4 opponent. Is that because conference play has started and there was only one G5–P4 matchup? Maybe. But hey, credit where it’s due—Stanford held off San Jose State… by a whole one point.
I already highlighted the two big SEC upsets above, but honestly, this week might be better remembered for the almost upsets. Wake Forest blew a 17-point lead at home and lost in OT to Georgia Tech. UCLA nearly grabbed their first win of the season, mounting a gutsy comeback before falling short against Northwestern on the shores of Lake Michigan. Northern Illinois’ defense held San Diego State to just 6 points—28 fewer than Cal surrendered to the same Aztecs the week before—but the Huskies only managed a field goal of their own in a 6–3 loss. Speaking of Cal, a late surge saved them from back-to-back disasters as they narrowly escaped Boston College. And then there’s Pittsburgh, who tried the bold strategy of not scoring in the second half after boat-racing Louisville early. Shockingly, it didn’t work—the Panthers blew a 17–0 lead and fell to the Cardinals.
As for the G5 picture: South Florida had the week off, while Tulane opened American play in style, easily dispatching Tulsa on the road. Boise State dismantled App State, and with that result, the G5 playoff race looks like it will come down to either Boise or the American champion.
Other Top 25 Teams
Ohio State went into Washington and had no problem with the noise—or the Husky offense. They bottled up Demond Williams and Jonah Coleman, and after a slow start, Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith found their rhythm to cruise to a 24–6 win. This was Washington’s first game without a touchdown since 2012 and their lowest point total since the 2017 CFP semifinal against Alabama. Honestly, Ohio State scoring only 24 might be the bigger story, but I chalk that up to a sluggish opening rather than cause for concern.
Texas A&M survived a slugfest in College Station, beating Auburn 16–10. Not much to report—it was every bit as slow and grinding as the score suggests.
Indiana held on to beat Iowa in a classic Big Ten rock fight that ended in bizarre fashion: Hoosiers QB Sam Mendoza ran 40 yards backward into his own end zone as time expired, handing Iowa a safety to end it 20–15. Why he didn’t just slide in bounds when the clock hit zero is anyone’s guess—maybe he felt bad for beating Iowa and wanted to give the fans something to cheer about with their beloved safety.
Iowa State took care of business against Arizona in Ames, with the highlight being how quickly the Cyclones’ special teams managed to toss Arizona’s extra-point ball clean out of the stadium.
In a top-25 showdown, Illinois hosted USC and came out on top thanks to a walk-off field goal as time expired. That drops Lincoln Riley to 13–12 over his last 25 games, and the criticism is only getting louder. USC didn’t just blow up the Pac-12—they blew it up to lose to Illinois, Maryland, and Minnesota.
Game of the Week: Oregon 30, Penn State 24 2OT
College Gameday rolled into Happy Valley in white suits to match the Penn State White Out, and for once Fox didn’t ruin a college football tradition by sticking this game at noon—it got the primetime treatment. All the stars were out for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, ranked No. 3 and finally looking to prove they belonged in the national championship conversation. What could possibly go wrong?
Oregon, that’s what. The Ducks came into this game quietly feeling disrespected by the narrative that Penn State was “different this year” and about to break through. Dan Lanning had his team ready, and I wasn’t falling for the trap that this wouldn’t be a dogfight.
The first half proved it: a 3–3 stalemate that was the epitome of time-consuming drives ending in punts, missed field goals, or turnovers on downs. In the second half, each team had only four possessions—and Oregon made theirs count. After two straight Duck touchdowns, Beaver Stadium grew tense as fans feared they were about to watch yet another Penn State collapse on the big stage.
But the Lions clawed back. A 15-play, 62-yard drive chewed up nearly seven minutes before Drew Allar found the end zone to tie it at 17–17 with just 30 seconds left. Oregon couldn’t do anything with the clock, and we headed to overtime.
Penn State struck first in OT, scoring easily. Oregon responded, though not without controversy. On third down, Dante Moore hit Jayden Limar short of the sticks, but replay clearly showed a Penn State defender leading with the crown of his helmet. Somehow, no targeting was called. While Oregon converted on fourth down and scored a play later, the moment reignited the endless debate over what “targeting” actually means.
The Ducks opened the second overtime with fireworks: one play, touchdown. Their two-point try was wild—an interception returned 50 yards before being fumbled away—but it kept the door open for Penn State. All the Nittany Lions had to do was answer with a touchdown and convert.
Instead, Allar misread the coverage, never saw Dillon Thieneman dropping into the zone, and Oregon’s defensive back high-pointed the ball to seal the game. Ducks win, Lions collapse—again.
The loss drops James Franklin to 2–21 against AP Top-6 opponents, his last such win all the way back in 2016 against Ohio State. The “big game” stigma is in his head now. You can’t blame Penn State fans for being tired of the same old script.
Meanwhile, Dan Lanning keeps proving he’s the real deal. Oregon is now 11–0 in Big Ten play since joining the conference, and with only Indiana left as a ranked opponent, a rematch with Ohio State in the conference title game feels inevitable. While other realignment transplants have struggled, Oregon has thrived—they look like they belong, and maybe even more than that, they look like contenders.
This game had everything: intensity, controversy, drama, and another late Penn State heartbreak. The way Oregon controlled the second half yet still let the Lions give their fans false hope is exactly why this one earns the College Footblog Game of the Week. Heck, even a friend’s wife texted me: “This is the most intense game I’ve ever watched.” Hard to argue.
Stat Line of the Week
Lunch Winfield (Louisiana): 7/13 125 YDS 2 TD 13 CAR 129 YDS 3 TD
Not only is Lunch on the All-CFB Name Team, he absolutely balled out yesterday for the Ragin’ Cajuns, racking up 254 yards and 5 touchdowns in their 54–51 win over Marshall. His 10-yard touchdown run sealed the game and gave Louisiana a much-needed victory to open conference play.
Will’s Corner
BYU 24, Colorado 21
Colorado jumped out to a 14–0 lead thanks to quarterback Kaidon Salter’s running ability. But after the first two drives, BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill adjusted to take away Salter’s legs. It worked, and BYU slowly chipped away. The Cougars took control early in the fourth but couldn’t quite deliver the knockout punch on offense. Instead, their defense sealed it with a late interception from Isaiah Glasker. BYU now hosts West Virginia this Friday night.
Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34 (OT)
Tennessee outplayed Mississippi State in all phases Saturday, but unlucky bounces and questionable calls kept the Bulldogs in it. The constant ringing of cowbells is bad enough, but an offensive PI call on Chris Brazzell—after the defender simply tripped—took a touchdown off the board and hurt Vol morale. Still, the Vols stuck with it and locked down the Bulldogs in overtime to get the win. As far as I’m concerned, any SEC road win is a good win. Tennessee now has a bye before hosting Arkansas on the 11th.
Washington State 20, Colorado State 3
Washington State came out hot with Zevi Eckhaus once again leading the offense. All the scoring came in the first half, and for once, the Cougar defense finally stepped up and got stops. They’ll enjoy a bye this week before a tough trip to Oxford to face Ole Miss. That one might get ugly.
AP Poll Reaction
Oregon Jumps to #2
Ole Miss and Alabama climb into the Top 10.
Virginia and Arizona State enter the Top 25, replacing USC and TCU
Biggest loser: Florida state drops 10 spots, LSU drops 9, and Georgia drops 7.
Ole Miss jumps 9 spots all the way to #4.
CFB News
College Gameday heads to Tuscaloosa as Alabama hosts Vanderbilt next week. This will be the first that Vanderbilt will have been part of College Gameday since 2008 when they hosted Auburn. Alabama looks to get revenge from losing in Nashville last year as the #1 in the country.
Big Noon Kickoff goes to Ann Arbor Michigan as the Badger of Wisconsin come into the Big House to take on Michigan. The Wolverines open as early 17.5 favorites.
Games to Watch – Week 6
24. Virginia @ Louisville – Oct 4, 3:30 PM ET (ESPN2)
3. Miami @ 18. Florida State – Oct 4, 7:30 PM ET (ABC)
Guest Guesser Update
Through the college games of week four for our picks, mom leads 46-44 on correct picks made this year so far. I have a chance to cut the gap with our NFL picks from later today.
I’d love to hear from readers, too. Think my takes are dumb? Want my opinion on something I missed? Email me at thecollegefootblog@gmail.com.
