Joel Klatt’s newest Top 10 college football rankings after Week 5 brought plenty of strong opinions, especially with the top teams. While Ohio State secured his No. 1 spot, the rest of the field showed just how unpredictable this season has become.
Outside of the top ten had a few teams fighting to stay in the Playoff hunt. Klatt left Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Texas Tech out. He cited the injury to Oklahoma’s John Mateer as too damaging and could be a factor. Notre Dame’s losses came to top-tier opponents, which most think they're better than their record. Texas Tech has impressed, but he couldn’t justify placing them above Georgia.
Joel Klatt’s Top 10 in college football After Week 5
10. Georgia - Still dangerous, but costly play-calling hurt them vs. Alabama.
9. Penn State - Needs better fit between Drew Allar and scheme, but talented.
8. Alabama - Ty Simpson improving, great third-down execution.
7. Indiana - Proven versatile, winning shootouts and grinders alike.
6. Ole Miss - Lane Kiffin’s offense thriving, QB dynamic, handled LSU.
5. Texas - Elite defense, Arch Manning developing steadily.
4. Texas A&M - Can win both offensively and defensively, great balance.
3. Miami - Strong OL, Rueben Bain Jr. disruptive on defense, balanced attack.
2. Oregon - Gritty, balanced, survived double OT vs. Penn State.
1. Ohio State - Best defense in the country, offense hasn’t even fully clicked yet.
Klatt’s Week 5 Top 10 reflects the craziness in college football this year. His respect for defense-heavy teams like Ohio State, Texas, and A&M shines through, but he also rewards programs like Indiana and Ole Miss that have proven adaptable.
With so many evenly matched contenders, Klatt explained why the coming weeks in the SEC and Big Ten will decide everything. I think any one of those teams could beat any other team, Klatt said. "So that's like, this is going to be an incredible race coming down the stretch."
Key games remaining:
Week 6: Miami at Florida State, Vanderbilt at Alabama
Week 7: Alabama at Missouri, Ohio State at Illinois
Week 8: Ole Miss at Georgia, Tennessee at Georgia
Week 9: Ole Miss at Oklahoma, Texas A&M at LSU Texas
Week 10: Penn State at Ohio State, Oklahoma at Tennessee
Week 11: Texas A&M at Missouri, LSU at Alabama, Indiana at Penn State
Week 12: Oklahoma at Alabama, Texas at Georgia
Week 14: Georgia at Georgia Tech, Texas A&M at Texas
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