Believe it or not, we are nearing the midway point of the 2023 college football season.
Generally, during this time, we get a better sense of who could potentially be a playoff team and the ones whose opportunity may have passed them by.
This week was primarily defined by outstanding individual performances by running backs. All in all, there were a lot more things we found out when it was all said and done.
What Did We Learn After Week 5?
The Georgia Bulldogs have not been the center of attention as they have been in the last two seasons. Perhaps it's because we're used to seeing them win all the time; Coach Prime and his Buffaloes also have much to do with it. Well, the Bulldogs are back in the spotlight as they narrowly got past Auburn. Anyone watching this team knows they are not the same powerhouse team they were one year ago.
USC may have won, but they found that Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes are no pushovers. Undermaned and undersized, it seemed that the game was over by the first half. In the second half, it was a different story as the Buffaloes found their offensive footing, scoring 27 points to the USCs' 14. What everyone needs to remember is that this is Coach Prime's team version 1.0, and even in its current form, they can compete against any team.
LSU may be the most interesting team in college football. On one hand, they're down by three scores. The next minute, they're scoring 21 points in a quarter. In a game that featured two of the highest-scoring teams in the SEC, both LSU and Ole Miss combined for 104 points and 1,343 total yards of offense. In the end, the Tigers defense couldn't hold the Rebels from scoring the deciding touchdown in the contest.
For Notre Dame, beating Duke on their home turf was sweet. What was sweeter was relegating their star quarterback to just 134 passing yards. The Notre Dame defense was at its best on this day, especially Howard Cross III.
As quickly as we were going to put the Florida Gators in place of true credibility, they suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of Kentucky running back Ray Davis, who set the SEC single-game rushing record in the process.
Dillon Gabriel and Oklahoma did what they do each week: dominate offensively and win games. If Texas was not in the equation, they would be the top team in the Big 12.
Michigan won yet again. So far, the Wolverines have had the luxury of playing a weak schedule. This will unfortunately continue until early November, when they get their first big test against Penn State.
If it wasn't bad enough that the Kansas Jayhawks were without their star quarterback Jalon Daniels, their defense had little answers in stopping Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, who single-handedly ruined their day. The Longhorns are looking strong after five weeks and deserve to be in the top 3.
Alabama was able to beat Mississippi State without their quarterback, Jalen Milroe, throwing single touchdown pass. How did they manage this? Well, Milroe rushed for two touchdowns, and their defense is amazing.
Penn State QB Drew Allar did not have one of his best games. Then again, he didn't need to, as his defense registered seven sacks and dominated Northwestern. Whether it is offense or defense, this Nittany Lions team continues to find different ways to win games.
Clemson beat Syracuse in convincing fashion, but with their 3-2 record, they have a long way to go if they want to play for the ACC title, let alone be considered a playoff contender.
This was the type of game where Utah could have used their star quarterback, Cameron Rising. Unfortunately,they did not get the offense they needed, and Oregon State came through. If anything can be said about the Utes, their defense is legit.
At this point, it would be foolish not to have Louisville in the Top 25. It may not have been one of their best offensive outputs, but they came out on top. 5-0 is 5-0
Week 5 Top Performers
Gold Standard -
QB Caleb Williams - USC
QB Shedeur Sanders - Colorado
QB Jayden Daniels - LSU
DL Howard Cross III - Notre Dame
WR Omarion Miller - Colorado
QB Taulia Tagovailoa - Maryland
RB Ray Davis - Kentucky
QB Jaxson Dart - Ole Miss
S Sione Vaki - Utah
TE Brock Bowers - Georgia
WR Tai Felton - Maryland
LB Smael Mondon - Georgia
WR Brian Thomas Jr. - LSU
RB Quinshon Judkins - Ole Miss
RB Kadarius Calloway - Old Dominion
DE Jonah Elliss - Utah
RB Jonathon Brooks - Texas
DT Zane Durant - Penn State
LB Edgerrin Cooper - Texas A&M
Offense -
QB Dillon Gabriel - Oklahoma
QB Cardell Williams - Tulsa
QB Emory Jones - Cincinnati
WR Brenden Rice - USC
QB Brady Cook - Missouri
WR Adonai Mitchell - Texas
QB Quinn Ewers - Texas
QB Michael Penix Jr. - Washington
WR Tahj Washington - USC
QB Donovan Smith - Houston
RB Terion Stewart - Bowling Green
WR Jeshaun Jones - Maryland
QB Haynes King - Georgia Tech
WR Tyler Brown - Clemson
QB Carson Beck - Georgia
Defense -
LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold - Oregon
DE Jamil Muhammad - USC
LB Tre Freeman - Duke
DL George Rooks - Boston College
DL Shemar Turner - Texas A&M
DE Devean Deal - Tulane
DE Brandon Dorlus - Oregon
LB Trezmen Marshall - Alabama
DB Markevious Brown - Purdue
DL Pheldarius Payne - Virginia Tech
LB Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. - Virginia Tech
LB Kobe King - Penn State
LB Josaiah Stewart - Michigan
LB Donovan Ezeiruaku - Boston College
DL CJ Nunnally - Akron
LB Leon Lowery - Clemson
DE T.J. Parker - Clemson
LB Barrett Carter - Clemson
DE Dani Dennis-Sutton - Penn State
LB D'Eryk Jackson - Kentucky