Image Courtesy: The Vanderbilt Hustler
AP Top 5
1.Ohio State 4-0 (1-0) Big Ten This week: Minnesota (3-1) (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET, NBC)
2.Oregon 5-0 (2-0) Big Ten This week: Off
3.Miami 4-0 (0-0) ACC This week: @ 18.Florida State (3-1) (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET, ABC)
4.Ole Miss 5-0 (3-0) SEC This week: Off
5.Oklahoma 4-0 (1-0) This week: Kent State (1-3) (Saturday, 4 PM ET, SECN)
Biggest risers and fallers in the AP Top 25 this week:
Risers
2.Oregon 5-0 (2-0) Big Ten Week 5: #6 (Defeated 3.Penn State 30-24)
4.Ole Miss 5-0 (3-0) SEC Week 5: #13 (Defeated 4.LSU 24-19)
6.Texas A&M 4-0 (1-0) SEC Week 5: #9 (Defeated Auburn 16-10)
8.Indiana 5-0 (2-0) Big Ten Week 5: #11 (Defeated Iowa 20-15)
10.Alabama 3-1 (1-0) SEC Week 5: #17 (Defeated 5.Georgia 24-21)
Fallers
7.Penn State 3-1 (0-1) Big Ten Week 5: #3 (Lost to 6.Oregon 30-24)
12.Georgia 3-1 (1-1) SEC Week 5: #5 (Lost to 17.Alabama 24-21)
13.LSU 4-1 (1-1) SEC Week 5: #4 (Lost to 13.Ole Miss 24-19)
18.Florida State 3-1 (0-1) ACC Week 5: #8 (Lost to Virginia 46-38)
Dropped Out
USC 4-1 (2-1) Big Ten Week 5: #21 (Lost to 23.Illinois 34-32)
TCU 3-1 (0-1) Big 12 Week 5: #24 (Lost to Arizona State 27-24)
New
24.Virginia 4-1 (2-0) ACC Week 5: NR (Defeated 8.Florida State 46-38)
25.Arizona State 4-1 Week 5: NR (Defeated 24.TCU 27-24)
Key games this weekend (Rankings based off of AP Poll)
Saturday, October 4
16.Vanderbilt (5-0) @ 10.Alabama (3-1)
3:30 PM ET, ABC
Vanderbilt heads to Tuscaloosa for a Saturday afternoon battle looking for their second consecutive win over Alabama. The Commodores are 5-0 and are already looking for their second victory in SEC play. Alabama is trying to keep their momentum going after another win over Georgia for coach Kalen DeBoer.
Commodore quarterback Diego Pavia has been on fire to start his final collegiate season. Pavia has thrown for over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 294 yards and two more scores. Tight end Eli Stowers and receivers Tre Richardson, Junior Sherrill, and Richie Hoskins combined nine receiving touchdowns will have to help Pavia against the toughest defense they have faced up to this point, Alabama.
Alabama secondary mates Bray Hubbard (17 tackles, 3 passes defended, and 2 interceptions) and Keon Sabb (13 tackles) will do their best against Pavia’s targets down the field. Linebackers Justin Jefferson (15 tackles and 1 interception), Deontae Lawson (14 tackles), and defensive tackle LT Overton (12 tackles and 1,5 sacks) will attempt to slow down tailback Sedrick Alexander, who looks to build on his 243 yard and four touchdown season against the Crimson Tide this season.
Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson had a great performance last weekend in their victory over Georgia last Saturday. He threw for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 12 yards and another touchdown. Germie Bernard (310 yards and 4 touchdowns) has stepped up as the primary target for Simpson while Ryan Williams has taken a secondary role, with just 238 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
If Vanderbilt’s secondary led by safety CJ Heard (23 tackles and 1 interception) can slow Bernard, Williams, and the Alabama passing attack, it will be easier to deal with Crimson Tide running back Kevin Riley, who has rushed for just 150 yards and has yet to rush for a touchdown. That is why it is important for the entire Vanderbilt defense to show up and play well in Tuscaloosa because if they do, they can give their quarterback Pavia more opportunities to score.
However, Alabama lost to Vanderbilt last season, 40-35, and they have been thinking about it for almost an entire year. The game is in Tuscaloosa so that should give the Crimson Tide the edge and their second consecutive conference win.
Projected Score: Alabama 38, Vanderbilt 31
11.Texas Tech (4-0) @ Houston (4-0)
7 PM ET, ESPN
Two undefeated teams in the Big 12 battle for their second conference victory on Saturday night. Texas Tech’s last performance was a dominant performance over then No. 18 Utah two weeks ago. Houston beat Oregon State by just three their last time out.
The Red Raiders are the perceived Big 12 favorite five weeks through the season after rising to number 11 in the AP poll. A big reason is because of their passing game. Five Texas Tech pass catchers have over 200 yards and at least a touchdown. That list includes Coy Eakin, Terrance Carter Jr., Caleb Douglas, J’Koby Williams, and Reggie Virgil. They all catch passes from quarterback Behren Morton, who has thrown for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Running backs Cameron Dickey, Adam Hill, and J’Koby Williams have already rushed for over 200 yards and a combined eight touchdowns themselves. It will be up to Houston defensive lineman Carlos Allen Jr. and linebackers Jalen Garner, Sione Fotu to stop Texas Tech’s high-powered offense.
For the Cougars offense, former Texas A&M signal-caller Connor Weigman emerged as their quarterback. Weigman has already accounted for 10 touchdowns this season. His running back Dean Connors has rushed for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Texas Tech linebacker trio of Jacob Rodriguez, John Curry, and Ben Roberts will look to stop the Houston running game so that it does not unlock Weignman’s down the field passing.
Receivers Stephon Johnson, Amare Thomas, and tight end Tanner Koziol will be trusted with making catches against a Texas Tech secondary headed by Cole Wisiniewski and Brenden Jordan. Success in the pass game will help the Cougars upset the Red Raiders.
The home field environment will be important as Houston attempts to take down Texas Tech on Saturday night. But I believe the Red Raiders will simply outscore the Cougars and end their undefeated season.
Projected Score: Texas Tech 42, Houston 31
Mississippi State (4-1) @ 6.Texas A&M (4-0)
7:30 PM ET, SECN
In what should easily have been a match up between undefeated teams this Saturday night, Mississippi State tries their luck for the first time on the road in front of of what should be a raucous environment at Kyle Field against Texas A&M. The Bulldogs fell to Tennessee in overtime 41-34 at home while the Aggies beat Auburn in a low-scoring 16-10 result last Saturday.
The Bulldogs look to bounce back with another terrific offensive performance. Their offense has many playmakers including two tailbacks Fluff Bothwell and Davon Booth who have rushed for a combined 612 yards and 10 touchdowns. The passing game has not been lacking either. Quarterback Black Shapen has thrown for 1,064 yards and 8 touchdowns. Four of his targets have over 100 yards receiving and have nine touchdowns between themselves. That group includes receivers Brenen Thompson, Anthony Evans III, Jordan Mosley, and tight end Seydou Traore.
Texas A&M’s defense had its best performance of the season last weekend against Auburn. Another one will be expected if they want to defeat Mississippi State. Linebacker Tauren York’s 24 tackles, end Will Cashius Howell’s four sacks will lead the Aggies’ pursuit against the Bulldogs’ ground game. Cornerback Will Lee III and safety Marcus Ratcliffe’s combined seven passes defended must challenge Shapen’s passing game.
Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed has shaped up well throwing for over 1,000 yards, nine touchdowns, and just two interceptions so far this season. The ground game has come alive again, with Le’Veon Moss (307 yards, 5 TDs), Reuben Owens (134 yards), and Reed (119 yards, 1 TD) all making key contributions. But it has been wide receivers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion that have stolen the show. Craver has caught 24 passes for 477 yards for four scores while his running mate KC Concepcion has caught 20 passes for 340 yards and three more touchdowns.
The Mississippi State defense will need to be trusted to make many more stops against Texas A&M than they did against Tennessee last Saturday if they are going to win this game. Lineman Will Whitson’s 2 sacks and Isaac Smith’s two interceptions thus far will be crucial in stopping Texas A&M’s improving offensive attack.
It is clear Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi State Bulldogs have improved from their 2-10 record during the 2024 season. But are they good enough to go into Kyle Field in a primetime atmosphere and win? Not this time. The Aggies will improve to 5-0 ahead of a date with Florida.
Projected Score: Texas A&M 38, Mississippi State 28
3.Miami (4-0) @ 18.Florida State (3-1)
7:30 PM ET, ABC
A week ago before the Seminoles’ loss to Virginia, the battle between Florida State and Miami was likely to be featured as the game ESPN’s College GameDay would go to. But the Seminoles’ defense failed to get consistent stops against the Cavaliers and they suffered a 46-38 loss. A win for the Hurricanes gives them their first ACC win of the season.
The way Florida State gets back on track is with a better defensive performance. All eleven guys out there have to give it there all on every play and make a difference against Miami’s talented offense. Defensive back Earl Little Jr.’s 24 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass defended will be trusted against Carson Beck’s passing attack. The Little Jr. led secondary will have a difficult time against Hurricane receivers Malachi Toney, CJ Daniels, and Keelan Marion if they do not step up on Saturday night.
Seminole linebackers Justin Cryer, Elijah Herring, and lineman Darrell Jackson Jr. must lead their front against the Miami running game, headed by tailbacks Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown who have combined for almost 600 yards and nine touchdowns. If Florida State comes out with a better defensive performance, they have a chance to give the offense a chance to continue scoring points and potentially winning the rest of the games on their schedule.
That all starts with quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who also had his fair share of struggles in last Friday’s loss. He threw just one touchdown and two interceptions against the Cavaliers. Castellanos must trust his receivers like Duce Robinson (346 yards and 3 TDs) against Miami’s secondary and let them go up and get passes down the field. Miami defensive backs JaKobe Thomas and Xavier Lucas will be trusted to continue Castellanos’ struggles through the air and prevent him from getting the ball to his favorite target Robinson so he is challenged to go elsewhere with the ball.
The Seminoles’ running back duo of Gavin Sawchuck (234 yards and 6 TDs) and Ousmane Kromah (174 yards) must support Castellanos’ passing game as well as his rushing attack. He has already gone for 217 yards and four scores on the ground this season. Hurricanes’ defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr., Akheem Mesidore, and linebacker Mohamed Toure need to step up against Florida State’s running attack if they want to keep their undefeated season alive.
Miami has been one of if not the most impressive team in college football this season. But they will have to travel on the road to instate rival Florida State coming off of a disappointing performance. As a result, this game should be a four quarter battle with the lead changing hands multiple times over 60 minutes. But the Hurricanes’ Beck is the reason why they will continue their winning ways and make the Seminoles 0-2 in the ACC.
Projected Score: Miami 28, Florida State 24
