Five ranked NCAA football teams dropped to unranked squads on Saturday
The GIST: Five ranked Week 5 matchups meant at least five of the Top 25 would lose. But five other ranked teams dropped to unranked squads on Saturday, seriously shaking up the poll.
- Alabama is now No. 1, seven teams fell out of the national rankings and undefeated No. 19 Kansas joined the ranks for the first time since 2009. Plenty more where that came from…
Unranked no more: Another of the seven rings teams nabbing rankings? UCLA, who bested the then–No. 15 Washington Huskies 40–32 to debut this week at No. 18. The Bruin defense pressured the country’s leading passer, Huskie quarterback (QB) Michael Penix Jr., into two interceptions as UCLA’s offense totaled an impressive 499 yards.
Surprising squeaker: In a shocking near-upset that cost Georgia the No. 1 spot, the Missouri Tigers led all game until the Bulldogs came back with 4:03 on the clock to secure the 26–22 dub and Georgia’s 5-0 record.
- Although Georgia running back Daijun Edwards rose to the occasion, QB Stetson Bennett failed to throw a touchdown all game. Woof.
No coach, who cares: Down the road in Atlanta, less than one week after firing their HC and athletic director, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets took down then–No. 24 Pittsburgh 26–21, dropping the Panthers from the rankings for the first time this season. Big “nothing to lose” energy.
Butterfingers: In a 22–19 loss to the then–No. 14 Ole Miss Rebels, the Kentucky Wildcats fumbled twice in the last three minutes of the game. The nail in the coffin? A first-and-goal turnover inside the red zone with 58 seconds left. It was trick and treat causing Kentucky to tumble six spots to No. 13.
Injury report: One of the most brutal scores saw then–No. 18 Oklahoma drop 55–24 to the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs, made worse by the now-unranked Sooners’ safety Damond Harmon and QB Dillon Gabriel getting injured. Harmon is undergoing further medical evaluation and Gabriel is in concussion protocol.
- Also sidelined? LSU defensive back Sevyn Banks, who was carted off with a neck injury after kickoff, and Alabama QB Bryce Young, who suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the Tide’s 49–26 win at Arkansas.
