ESPN shakes up FPI Top 25 rankings following upset-filled Week 5 in college football

On3 imageby:Jonathan Wagner10/02/22

Jonathan Wagner

This season has been filled with upsets across college football, and Week 5 was no exception. Ten ranked teams fell during the action, five of which came against unranked opponent. Following Saturday’s slate, ESPN has shaken up its FPI Top 25 rankings as the page turns towards Week 6.

Five games on Saturday were between two ranked teams. Alabama cruised to a 49-26 victory over Arkansas, even after losing Bryce Young to a shoulder injury. Clemson also hosted NC State in a highly anticipated top ten matchup, with the Tigers ultimately coming away with a 30-20 win. Ole Miss played host to Kentucky, and that one came down to the very end. Ultimately, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels escaped with a narrow 22-19 triumph.

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The action didn’t stop there, though, as Oklahoma State topped Baylor 36-25 in another matchup between two ranked teams. Wake Forest also edged out Florida State 31-21 in the final ranked matchup of the weekend.

But even after the big-time matchups inside the previous top 25, there were lots of losses. Washington (40-32 at UCLA), Texas A&M (42-24 at Mississippi State), Oklahoma (55-24 at TCU), Minnesota (20-10 vs. Purdue) and Pittsburgh (26-21 vs. Georgia Tech) all dropped games against unranked opponents.

Following the excitement in Week 5, ESPN’s FPI Top 25 rankings see some changes. There are three new teams in ESPN’s top ten, with plenty more changes throughout.

Updated ESPN FPI Top 25 rankings

  1. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0)
  2. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0)
  3. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0)
  4. Michigan Wolverines (5-0)
  5. Clemson Tigers (5-0)
  6. Texas Longhorns (3-2)
  7. Utah Utes (4-1)
  8. LSU Tigers (4-1)
  9. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0)
  10. Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)
  11. USC Trojans (5-0)
  12. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
  13. TCU Horned Frogs (4-0)
  14. Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-1)
  15. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0)
  16. Baylor Bears (3-2)
  17. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-1)
  18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-2)
  19. Oklahoma Sooners (3-2)
  20. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-1)
  21. Maryland Terrapins (4-1)
  22. Oregon Ducks (4-1)
  23. Washington Huskies (4-1)
  24. Kentucky Wildcats (4-1)
  25. NC State Wolfpack (4-1)

TCU was this week’s biggest riser, jumping up 15 spots to joining the top 25 at No. 13. Kentucky and NC State each rose six spots, rounding out the top 25 in its final two spots. Florida State, Iowa State and Wisconsin fell out of ESPN’s top 25.