The fourth week of this college football season saw three top-25 matchups conveniently spaced apart in the early afternoon, late afternoon and evening—and all three delivered from a narrative-building standpoint.
No. 17 Texas Tech pulled dramatically away from No. 16 Utah to score a signature win in Salt Lake City. No. 11 Oklahoma slipped past No. 22 Auburn at home with the help of its star quarterback, John Mateer, and a fierce defensive performance. Most surprisingly, No. 19 Indiana throttled No. 9 Illinois 63–10 in Bloomington, Ind.
Here's a look at how voters could potentially assess FBS's best ahead of a seismic Week 5.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes: 3-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Away at Washington
2. Penn State Nittany Lions: 3-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Home vs. Oregon
3. LSU Tigers: 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 56–10 vs. Southeastern Louisiana
Week 5: Away at Ole Miss
4. Miami Hurricanes: 4-0 (0-0 ACC)
This Week: Won 26–7 vs. Florida
Week 5: Idle
5. Georgia Bulldogs: 3-0 (1-0 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Home vs. Alabama
6. Oregon Ducks: 3-0 (1-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 41–7 vs. Southeastern Louisiana
Week 5: Away at Penn State
7. Florida State Seminoles: 3-0 (0-0 ACC)
This Week: Won 66–10 vs. Kent State
Week 5: Away at Virginia
8. Texas Longhorns: 3-1 (0-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 55–0 vs. Sam Houston
Week 5: Idle
9. Oklahoma Sooners: 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 24–17 vs. Auburn
Week 5: Home vs. Kent State
10. Texas A&M Aggies: 3-0 (0-0 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Home vs. Auburn
11. Iowa State Cyclones: 4-0 (1-0 Big 12)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Home vs. Arizona
12. Ole Miss Rebels: 4-0 (2-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 45–10 vs. Tulane
Week 5: Home vs. LSU
13. Alabama Crimson Tide: 2-1 (0-0 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 5: Away at Georgia
14. Texas Tech Red Raiders: 4-0 (1-0 Big 12)
This Week: Won 34–10 at Utah
Week 5: Idle
15. Indiana Hoosiers: 4-0 (1-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 63–10 vs. Illinois
Week 5: Away at Iowa
16. Tennessee Volunteers: 3-1 (0-1 SEC)
This Week: Won 56–24 vs. UAB
Week 5: Away at Mississippi State
17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: 4-0 (1-0 ACC)
This Week: Won 45–24 vs. Temple
Week 5: Away at Wake Forest
18. Vanderbilt Commodores: 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 70–21 vs. Georgia State
Week 5: Home vs. Utah State
19. Illinois Fighting Illini: 3-1 (0-1 Big Ten)
This Week: Lost 63–10 at Indiana
Week 5: Home vs. USC
20. Michigan Wolverines: 3-1 (1-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 30–27 at Nebraska
Week 5: Idle
21. Utah Utes: 3-1 (0-1 Big 12)
This Week: Lost 34–10 vs. Texas Tech
Week 5: Away at West Virginia
22. Missouri Tigers: 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
This Week: Won 29–20 vs. South Carolina
Week 5: Home vs. Massachusetts
23. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 1-2
This Week: Won 56–30 vs. Purdue
Week 5: Away at Arkansas
24. USC Trojans: 4-0 (2-0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 45–31 vs. Michigan State
Week 5: Away at Illinois
25. BYU Cougars: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)
This Week: Won 34–13 at East Carolina
Week 5: Away at Colorado
Dropped From Rankings: No. 22 Auburn
More College Football on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Projecting the College Football AP Top 25 for Week 5.
