2024 SID Sports Week 5 Rankings

Breaking down the Top 25 and players of the week after Week 5

There was a ton of movement in the SID Sports Top 25 this weekend after some ranked-on-ranked matchups and upsets. With the non-conference slate drawing to a close, this may be the clearest picture of who’s set themselves up for success heading into the conference schedule.

SID Sports Week 5 Top 25

1. Texas 4-0 LW: 1
   Even without Quinn Ewers, who is nursing an abdominal injury, the Longhorns offense is unstoppable. Granted it was against UL-Monroe and it was the long-awaited first start for uber-hyped redshirt freshman Arch Manning, but still. Manning wasn’t as great as last week, but still put up a very respectable 71.3 QBR behind a strong running game led by Jaydon Blue’s 124 yards and three touchdowns.

2. Georgia 3-0 LW: 2
   The Bulldogs had a much needed week off before perhaps the most consequential match this season in a trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend. The Dawgs have a very strong defense that’s only allowing 6 points per game this season and Carson Beck is looking like a first-round draft pick. Let’s see if the Kentucky game was just that - a weird Kentucky game.

3. Ohio State 4-0 LW: 3
   Ohio State came out a big sluggish against Marshall, but the Buckeyes took care of business. Will Howard had a 98 QBR despite tossing a pick and the two-headed monster of Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson in the backfield combined for 249 yards, four scores and an average of 12.6 yards per carry. Oh, and the defense held Marshall to a 61.5 QBR and 2.9 yards per carry.

4. Alabama 3-0 LW: 4
   The Tide also had a week off, making the Georgia-Alabama game this weekend even better. Even without Nick Saban, the Tide aren’t looking any different. They’ve outscored their opponents 147-26 on the season and post top-10 marks in scoring offense (49 points per game - sixth) and defense (8.7 points per game - sixth). I think you know the Game of the Week by now.

5. Tennessee 4-0 LW: 8
   In the first shakeup of our rankings, Josh Heupel’s Vols vault into the Top Five behind a dominating 25-15 win in Norman. Nico Iamaleava didn’t have his best day with only a 62.1 QBR, but he took care of the ball and attacked downfield. The rushing game wasn’t the most explosive, but the combo of Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop contiues to be a problem in the wide-open splits Heupel loves to use. The Volunteer defense knocked Jackson Arnold to the bench, too, whil only allowing 222 yards on the game.

6. Oregon 3-0 LW: 5
   Listen, I believe in the Ducks. I do. But they just haven’t shown much this year. It’s really been confusing. Dillon Gabriel has been outstanding, but the offense hasn’t scored as much as you’d expect. The defense is allowing 20.7 points per game, ranking 54th in the nation. I think the win over Oregon State was a get-right game, but Dan Lanning’s Ducks need to show they’re the team that looked like a Top Five team coming into the season.

7. Missouri 4-0 LW: 7
   It took overtime, but Missouri was able to sneak a win past a sneaky-good Vanderbilt team. Brady Cook had a less-than ideal game with a 46 QBR, but Nate Noel picked up the slack with 199 yards on 24 carries. Luther Burden III is back to doing Luther Burden III things with six catches for 76 yards and two scores. Vanderbilt exposed a potential defensive weakness, though, as the Tigers couldn’t slow down Diego Pavia through the air or on the ground as the senior posted a 85.3 QBR with two touchdowns though the air and 84 yards on the ground. Let’s see if the Missouri defense can adjust to account for dual-threat quarterbacks in the future.

8. Utah 4-0 LW: 15
   Maybe the Utes don’t need Cam Rising on the field. In their Big 12 debut, the Utes survived a comeback attempt by Oklahoma State without their star super-super-senior quarterback. Instead, true freshman Isaac Wilson showed the future in Salt Lake City is bright with a 86.2 QBR despite tossing two picks. Micah Bernard was the best player on the field with 182 yards on the ground en route to 42 minutes of ball control. Utah’s defense was stifling, forcing quarterback Alan Bowman into his worst game of the season and kept Ollie Gordon in check once again. This is a scary team, even without Rising on the field.

9. Penn State 3-0 LW: 9
   Penn State did what they were supposed to against a MAC school, which is more than you could say a few weeks ago. All in all, it was a classic Penn State game under James Franklin - 300 rushing yards, a solid day from Drew Allar and a quality defense that allowed only 67 yards on the day. If the Nittany Lions can follow that formula, they’ll be a good to great Big 10 team.

10. Ole Miss 4-0 LW: 11
    At this point, it’s same story different week as Ole Miss blew out Georgia Southern. Jaxson Dart was lethal through the air, Henry Parrish Jr. had 6.8 yards per carry and a score and the defense allowed their first touchdown of the season. The only reason they’re not higher is because they haven’t beat anyone yet.

11. Miami 4-0 LW: 13
    It’s time to start considering that Miami is actually good this year. Have they played anyone? No. Have they trounced everyone they’ve played so far? Yes. It’s the same thing I’m preaching with Ole Miss - I want to see them beat a quality opponent before they can jump some of the teams ahead of them. But Cam Ward is leading a great offense in Coral Gables and the defense seems pretty solid too.

12. Michigan 3-1 LW: 18
    A Top 10 win is a Top 10 win and Michigan did what they needed to do to ruin USC’s Big 10 debut. The passing game is still a concern after Alex Orji posted a 26.7 QBR and only 32 passing yards, but 290 rushing yards and a strong defense can make up for that. Is Michigan following the Iowa playbook? Sure, but it worked against USC. A ball control and strong defense formula isn’t the worst thing in the world.

13. USC 3-1 LW: 6
    Speaking of the Trojans, they’ve got to do better on offense. That’s right, I’m coming after the USC offense. Miller Moss was average at best with a 28-of-51 line for 283 yards, three scores and an interception. Woody Marks ran for 100 yards, but the Trojans declined to lean on the run all day. This is a more physical team than we’ve ever seen under Lincoln Riley - especially on the defensive side of the ball - but they’re not quite there yet.

14. Louisville 3-0 LW: 16
    The Cardinals are looking to be for real. They got a solid win over a good Georgia Tech team and Tyler Shough is playing very well. I love the five-back system Jeff Brohm is trotting out there because it keeps all the backs fresh and punishing throughout the game and the season. Plus, it keeps Shough from doing hero-ball things that will get him hurt. This is an offense-first team, but the offense is dangerous.

15. Oklahoma 3-1 LW: 10
    It was an ugly first SEC game for Brent Venables’ Sooners. Jackson Arnold’s QBR was as low as I’ve ever seen at 1.3 before he was benched. Remember, QBR is a 1-100 scale. The good news - or bad, depending on how you look at it - is that Michael Hawkins Jr. may be a step up. He surely threw the ball better with a 58.9 QBR in the second half. The defense is still a solid unit and reined in the high-flying Tennessee offense, but the offense can’t keep up. With the SEC slate heating up, let’s see if Hawkins can be the catalyst on offense.

16. Iowa State 3-0 LW: 17
    52-7 is what you’d expect of a Top-20 team against Arkansas State, and that’s just what Iowa State did. Rocco Becht did what he needed to, but a very diverse running game with seven players accounting for 237 total yards was the real star of the show. Well, that and a defense that allowed 1.8 yards per carry and kept both Jaylen Raynor and Timmy McClain in check - 11.0 QBR and 16.3 QBR respectively. Look out, here come the Cyclones.

17. LSU 3-1 LW: 20
    The first half against UCLA was rough, but the Tigers really took over in the second. Garrett Nussmeier continues to be one of the best pro-style quarterbacks in the nation with an 86.0 QBR and ranks 13th in the nation with a 84.3 QBR. There’s been a ton of concerns on the defensive side of the ball, though. LSU’s defense was up to the task, with their porous run game suddenly looking like stone with a 0.6 average yard per carry allowed. They did just lose one of the nation’s best defensive players in Harold Perkins Jr. for the season so keep an eye on that going forward.

18. Clemson 2-1 LW: 21
    Maybe NC State isn’t the best team this year, but the Clemson offense sure looks fixed. Phil Mafah and Cade Klubnik have taken over the past two games, with Klubnik looking like the promised star with a 99.2 QBR. The defense was stout, giving up 21 of the 35 points with subbed-in second-stringers on the field. Don’t discout the Tigers simply because they lost to Georgia to open the season.

19. Oklahoma State 3-1 LW: 14
    After the first half, I was ready to sound alarm bells in Stillwater, especially when Garrett Rangel played even worse then Bowman. But then Bowman came back and started to play better. So I’m not that concerned yet. What I am concerned about is why Ollie Gordon looks like a shell of himself. He has only 3.5 yards per carry on the season and isn’t the receiving threat he was last season. Can the junior turn it on down the stretch?

20. Iowa 3-1 LW: 24
    Even with an off week, the Hawkeyes get a boost from some down-ballot chaos. Let’s be clear about one thing - this is still Iowa. They’re looking a lot better on offense, but they’re still Iowa. The formula is the formula. They’re going to run the ball until they either score or flip field position. The defense isn’t going to give up a lot of points. They just have a little passing threat now.

21. Notre Dame 3-1 LW: 25
    I’m usually a proponent of head-to-head matchups ranking supreme in the rankings, but Notre Dame has a quality win over Texas A&M (more on them later). Also, it helps that Notre Dame looked like a quality team this week against Miami of Ohio. The defense shut down Brett Gabbert. Riley Leonard had his way with the RedHawks’ defense and the Irish crusised to a 28-3 win. Let’s hope the Irish can keep that going.

22. Illinois 4-0 LW: Next Five Out
    So Illinois is a good team now? I’ve been pointing to that possibility the past year or so, but they’re doing the things they need to, which is winning the winnable games. I’m not saying they’re a Big 10 threat, but this is has the makings of a good team. Luke Almyer is a legitimate dual threat, the wideouts Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin are good and the defense is what you’d expect of a Bret Bielema squad.

23. Texas A&M 3-1 LW: Next Five Out
    Is it bad that I’m kind of considering a 26-20 win over Bowling Green a quality win? We won’t get into the Falcons here, but I think Mike Elko may have a quarterback battle on his hands after another great game from freshman Marcel Reed in the stead of Conner Weigman. Reed posted a solid 75.5 QBR, took care of the ball and led the team with 91 yards on the ground. All told, the Aggies posted 235 rushing yards and are one of the nation’s best rushing teams. I’d like to see more from the Elko-led defense, though. Bowling Green’s Connor Bazelak was comfortable in the pocket and if it wasn’t for a clutch Marcus Ratcliffe interception in the endzone with 1:41 remaining - which the Aggies amost immediately tried to give away - this may be a flipped spot for Bowling Green.

24. BYU 4-0 LW: Unranked
    I’ll be honest - BYU wasn’t on my radar. But this weekend, they beat the snot out of a good Kansas State team. I’d like to see more out of quarterback Jake Retzlaff to feel confident that the Cougars can keep this going, especially since he’s only got a 56.9 QBR this season. They have had a solid defense so far, ranking 18th in the nation and allowing only 12.8 points per game. A boost from the offense would be great, but I think BYU has a legit defense.

25. Washington State 4-0 LW: Next Five Out
    It’s time to show the PAC-12 some love, isn’t it? Washington State had a scare against San Jose State, but the Cougars were able to hold on and get the win in overtime. It took a massive comeback with 22 points scored in the fourth quarter, but quarterback John Mateer put the team on his back and threw for 390 yards and four scores with only two picks while leading the team with 111 yards and a score on the ground. This is one of the nation’s best offenses with top 25 marks in passing yards per game (290.8 - 22nd), rushing yards per game (224.5 - 22nd), and points scored (46.3 - 12th). The defense needs help, but the makings of a spoiler are here.

Next Five Out: Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Northern Illinois, Nebraska, Boise State

Kansas State got embarrassed in Provo, but the Wildcats should bounce back well. They’re following the Chris Klieman model of, as Steven Godfrey would say, meat grinding opponents with a strong defense and strong running game. Pittsburgh’s offense kicked it into high gear against FCS Youngstrown State and didn’t need a comeback in the 73-17 win. That’s what good teams do against FCS programs. Northern Illinois had a major setback in an overtime loss to a not-great Buffalo team in early MACtion, but don’t count the Huskies out yet. Tailback Antario Brown was great again and should be able to help NIU finish strong in the MAC. With a win at Notre Dame on their resume, they’ll be a playoff contender. Nebraska fell in overtime to Illinois but it was a good game all around. They couldn’t get the run going, but Dylan Raiola was good enough in his first major test. I think he’ll continue to grow throughout the season. Finally, Boise State’s 56-14 win over Portland State was what you wanted to see. Maddux Madsen was actually the motor, but Ashton Jeanty had 127 yards on 11 carries for a solid day even though he didn’t find the endzone.

Players of the Week

Finally, let’s get into some of the best individual performances of this week.

1. Alonza Barnett III, QB, James Madison
   It’s not everyday James Madison scores 70 points against North Carolina, but quarterback Alonza Barnett III was the reason. The senior had a 95.5 QBR on the best day of his career, carrying a passing statline of 22-for-34 for 388 yards and five touchdowns. But that’s not all, Barnett was a monster on the ground as well, accounting for 99 yards and two scores. That’s a seven touchdown day.

2. Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
   I’ll be honest, Navy hanging with and upsetting Memphis may have been the most surprising result of the day for me. It’s not hard to see how that happened when looking at Horvath’s game, though. The option maestro had 12 carries for 211 yards and four scores running the textbook triple option. But he also made an impact in the passing game, going 9-of-12 for 192 yards and two scores for a near-perfect 99.8 QBR.

3. Nick Nash, WR, San Jose State
   Let’s get away from the quarterbacks and shine a light on the guy I missed last week. There was no way Nash could recapture his 225-yard, three touchdown day, but he came close. The senior quarterback-convert had an astonishing 16 catches again, this time for only 152 yards and two touchdowns. He’s the main target in a surprisingly potent Spartan passing attack and will keep getting featured as the season goes on.

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