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SALT LAKE CITY — The unpredictable happened to many teams in Week 5.
In total, six Associated Press Top 25 teams dropped games this week, though there were a few more that probably should have lost in a wild weekend of college football.
The following is the ballot I submitted to the Associated Press that will be counted in the consensus rankings that will be released Sunday afternoon.
1. Alabama
It doesn't matter the coach it seems, Alabama remains impossible to stop. The Crimson Tide looked like they'd roll over a good Georgia team, but allowed for some dramatics at the end, including a 75-yard touchdown and a late interception to hold off the Bulldogs.
An offensive-minded Alabama is a scary thought. Also, Alabama's win over Georgia is better than Texas' win over Michigan, which gives the Crimson Tide the edge for the No. 1 spot.
2. Texas
Without Quinn Ewers under center, Texas is still getting the job done with Arch Manning — weird, I know. Texas faced a little more adversity against a down Mississippi State team, but still came away with a comfortable win — even if it was much less than the betting spread. But who's asking?
3. Ohio State
It's impossible to stop Jeremiah Smith, who is just 17 years old and making plays all over the field. The Buckeyes handled Michigan State on the road, which is what we'd expect. The schedule has still been a bit easy for the Buckeyes, but wins are wins.
4. Tennessee
Tennessee won the bye week, with teams around them falling. But don't let that distract you from the fact that the Vols remain a force in the SEC — at least so far.
5. Georgia
For a stretch, I literally had to question (somewhat seriously) whether Georgia was good this year. The scare against Kentucky was one thing, but getting blown out by Alabama was a bit unexpected. The Bulldogs made it a game, though, to show there's still a lot more to like about Georgia. But Kirby Smart officially has an Alabama problem — even without Nick Saban as the coach.
6. Penn State
Against a good Illinois team that was undefeated, Penn State allowed only one touchdown in the first quarter, and then held Illinois scoreless the rest of the way. The Nittany Lions aren't a perfect team, but it's been good enough against good teams.
7. Oregon
The first win of Big Ten play for Oregon came against ... UCLA. It may have been a common opponent from the Pac-12 days, but the Ducks looked good doing it. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel tossed three touchdowns and 278 passing yards on 41 attempts. The path will certainly get much tougher for Oregon in Big Ten play.
8. Notre Dame
After a bad loss to Northern Illinois, Notre Dame has been a much different team. Against a ranked Louisville team, Notre Dame managed 21 first-quarter points to take a commanding lead. But it got a bit more challenging as the Irish only put up 10 more points the rest of the way.
9. Missouri
Missouri was on a bye this weekend and benefitted from teams losing around them in the rankings. It's still TBD, in my opinion, on whether Missouri is as good as this ranking, but I'm willing to take a chance for now.
10. Miami
A top-10 ranking for Miami after this weekend may seem to be a stretch, though it's a three-spot drop from my previous week. The Hurricanes likely should have lost to Virginia Tech (a 19-point underdog) if not for a wild Hail Mary attempt being ruled incomplete, but Miami stayed undefeated. They remain my top team in the ACC, though it's slipping a bit.
Dropping out: Oklahoma State
Checking in: Boise State
In consideration (alphabetical): Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, UNLV
If you can't see my full ballot below, click here.
