(Photo Courtesy: CNN)
Week five of the college football season is in the books, and it certainly did not disappoint. As the saying goes, ROLL TIDE ROLL! They certainly did, defeating the then second ranked Georgia Bulldogs 41-34 in an instant classic down in Tuscaloosa. 17-year-old receiver Ryan Williams broke the internet with his game-winning touchdown. Now he and the Tide are the new number one in the nation. While I’m not shocked by the jump from fourth to first, I still believe Texas is the better squad. The two will not meet in the regular season, so the two powerhouses could potentially meet in the SEC championship.
Elsewhere in the nation, both Army and Navy are both undefeated at 4-0. Both will play Notre Dame later this year, so we could potentially see the rivalry game carry playoff implications, with one of these pristine military schools possibly being in the playoffs. Both the Black Knights and the Midshipmen have one of the best rushing attacks in the country. This may not seem like much as of right now but is worth keeping our eye on throughout the year.
Also worth mentioning, one of the coveted top-four seeds in the playoffs has just become the most competitive. The BIG 12 conference now has two new contenders in Iowa St and BYU. Both are undefeated in conference play and have jumped into the top 20 in the nation. Kansas St and Utah are still in contention but with one loss in the conference. It will certainly be interesting as the season plays out.
With all of that being said, here’s my bracket based on the teams now and how I think their seasons will shake up:
First Round Byes:
1. Texas (SEC Champion)
2. Ohio St (BIG 10 Champion)
3. Miami (ACC Champion)
4. Iowa St (BIG 12 Champion)
First Round Matchups:
12. Boise St VS 5. Tennessee
11. Georgia VS 6. Missouri
10. Alabama VS 7. Notre Dame
9. Clemson VS 8. Penn St
Games to watch this week:
I just want to note this isn’t the most exciting week of Saturday football, however, there is no shortage of interesting matchups that will have implications later down the road.
9 Missouri at 25 Texas A&M (Saturday NOON EST ABC/ESPN+)
The Tigers face their toughest test of the season thus far, going into College Station to face the 25th-ranked Aggies. A&M features one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC, headlined by junior running back LeVeon Moss, currently averaging 11 yards a carry. On the other side, Missouri has put together one of the better defenses in the SEC, only allowing 12 points per game and 219 yards a game, both top-five in the conference. A win for either squad will propel themselves in the run for an SEC title.
12 Ole Miss at South Carolina (Saturday 3:30 PM EST ESPN)
A squad that was just a contender for a national title now finds itself in desperate need of a victory. The Rebels were upset at home last week, losing to Kentucky 20-17. Now they travel to Columbia, South Carolina to face the Gamecocks, who are fresh off a bye week. The thing to keep your eye on this week will be the Ole Miss offense, who were only held to 353 yards of total offense. While that is a lot, that’s surprisingly a season-low for the Rebels. The key to victory for the Gamecocks will be to hold Jaxson Dart and their highly explosive offense. For the Rebels, they need to find their offensive rhythm and restore faith in their quest for a title.
Iowa at 3 Ohio St (Saturday 3:30 PM EST CBS)
The Buckeyes have surprised no one this season, winning every contest by a country mile. Leading the BIG 10 in almost every single offensive and defensive category, the Hawkeyes of Iowa are no slouch. They go into Columbus as the Buckeye's toughest test thus far. Expect this one to be a low-scoring defensive battle, with Ohio St notching another conference victory.
4 Tennessee at Arkansas (Saturday 7:30 PM EST ABC)
There’s been a lot of SEC talk, and for good reason, as juggernaut Tennessee goes into Arkansas. This one is headlined by two young signal callers Nico Iamaleava (TENN) and Taylen Green (ARK). While the Razorbacks have lost two games this season, they only lost by one possession, meaning they can keep it close to the very end. That’s the key to victory against this explosive Volunteers offense. Iamaleava has one of the best passer ratings in the SEC, and he could have a field day against the Razorback's shaky pass defense. Expect the Vols to get the road victory, but not without a fight.
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcome. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Thomas Szot tszot@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu
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