Three and Out: Florida jumps, top 10 shakes up in AP Top 25 after Week 5
Florida is on the rise in the AP Top 25 poll after Week 5. The Gators made the biggest move in Sunday's poll, from No. 25 to No. 11. The Big Ten swapped Wisconsin for Iowa. And there's a new order in the top four. Here are three thoughts on all the happenings:
1. Is Florida for real?
The Gators made a huge leap up 14 spots in the latest poll after trouncing Ole Miss 38–10. Coach Jim McElwain's squad entered the top 25 last week after eking out a win over Tennessee, but the Gators showed new dominance against the Rebels. Will Florida keep it up? Ole Miss notched an impressive victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, but it’s possible the Rebels never deserved to be as high as No. 3. Florida’s offense is still hit or miss, though quarterback Will Grier had little trouble picking apart the Rebels on Saturday. The Gators are ranked one spot ahead of in-state rival Florida State, and McElwain is achieving a measure of early success few expected. At the very least, Florida has made itself a contender for an SEC East title.
2. Clemson's king in the ACC
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Clemson held off a furious comeback from Notre Dame to move just outside the top four at No. 6 in Sunday’s poll. This places the Tigers six spots ahead of their ACC rivals, the Seminoles. Florida State has had a Jameis Winston-sized grip on the conference the past two seasons, but the ACC may find its best playoff contender in the state of South Carolina this year. Clemson was far from perfect against the Fighting Irish—a successful two-point conversion could have led to a very different conversation—but the Tigers could find themselves vying for a playoff spot during the conference championship game. As for the Seminoles, they remain undefeated, but Everett Golson has failed to lift the offense anywhere close to the heights of its championship past.
3. Is Ohio State still the best team in the country?
The Buckeyes struggled mightily with Indiana in Week 5 but remained at the top of the poll. For most of the season, the defending national champions have looked far from the behemoth that steamrolled through its final three games of last season. Cardale Jones has not been able to recapture the magic that had some believing he could leave for the NFL after only three starts in college. Fortunately for Ohio State, it has a bona fide Heisman candidate in Ezekiel Elliott, who bailed out the Buckeyes against the Hoosiers on Saturday. TCU is the new occupant of the No. 2 spot in the poll, but the Horned Frogs' banged-up defense will be seriously tested throughout conference play. For now, it seems that no team has really staked its claim as the best in the nation, which means voters are sticking with Ohio State for now.
Here’s the full poll:
1. Ohio State
2. TCU
3. Baylor
4. Michigan State
5. Utah
6. Clemson
7. LSU
8. Alabama
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma
11. Florida
12. Florida State
13. Northwestern
14. Ole Miss
15. Notre Dame
16. Stanford
17. USC
18. Michigan
19. Georgia
20. UCLA
21. Oklahoma State
22. Iowa
23. Cal
24. Toledo
25. Boise State
