ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs are hurting. Kirby Smart doesn’t mind a bit. From his perspective, a crushing loss to Alabama will go a long way toward determining if this team has what it takes to make another championship run. So far, the coach likes what he sees. No. 12 Georgia will be looking to bounce back from a 24-21 setback to Alabama when it hosts Kentucky on Saturday. While the Bulldogs have dominated the series, the Wildcats have occasionally been a troublesome opponent. A year ago, the Bulldogs struggled to a 13-12 win in Lexington.
UNDATED (AP) — This week in the Southeastern Conference, No. 16 Vanderbilt heads to No. 10 Alabama. Vanderbilt is off to its best start since 2008, boasting a 5-0 record after a big win over Utah State. Alabama, fresh from a victory against Georgia, poses the biggest challenge yet for the Commodores. Mississippi State faces No. 6 Texas A&M. Mississippi State is eager to break into the Top 25, while Texas A&M aims for the highest SEC ranking. Impact players include Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Texas A&M’s Mario Craver, both having standout seasons.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — No. 10 Alabama surely wants some measure of revenge against Vanderbilt, even if players and coaches won’t acknowledge it. The Crimson Tide host the surprising and 16th-ranked Commodores on Saturday and insist they won’t get blindsided again. A year ago, the Tide followed a win over Georgia with a 40-35 loss at Vanderbilt as three-touchdown favorites. That stunning setback played a part in keeping Alabama out of the College Football Playoff. Coming off another victory against the Bulldogs, Vandy is up next again. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer says the team has to handle success better than it did in 2024.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2016, No. 6 Texas A&M is quite pleased with its early season performance. But perhaps more exciting to the Aggies as they look to remain undefeated on Saturday against Mississippi State is that they believe they can play much better. Coach Mike Elko says “I just think the ceiling for this team is a lot higher if we could figure out how to go put four quarters together.” This week they’ll face a team coming off its first defeat after Mississippi State (4-1) fell just short in a 41-34 overtime loss against No. 15 Tennessee.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 9 Texas is about to find out what it’s really like to play on the road in the Southeastern Conference. The Longhorns travel to one of the league’s most daunting venues when they open SEC play at Florida. It’s the first of eight consecutive conference games for quarterback Arch Manning. The next four come away from home. Coach Steve Sarkisian says “everybody better buckle up.” Texas got more than a taste of road hostilities in a 14-7 loss at then-No. 3 Ohio State to open the season. Playing four in a row away from home is sure to present new challenges and plenty of adversity.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — No. 5 Oklahoma will see if it can focus during what appears to be a major mismatch at home against Kent State. The Golden Flashes have losses of 62-14 to Texas Tech and 66-10 to Florida State this season. Oklahoma is a 45 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, even with Michael Hawkins Jr. stepping in for the injured John Mateer. Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said he’s looking for efficiency as his team fights the urge to look ahead to the Oct. 11 game against rival Texas in Dallas.
UNDATED (AP) — In college football, the focus has shifted from blowouts to parity, close games, and upsets. The average winning margin in Week 5 was 14.2 points, the narrowest since Week 7 in 2022. Losses by Penn State, LSU, and Georgia marked the first time since 2016 that three top-five teams lost in the same week. Top-five teams are 1-4 against opponents ranked 6 to 25, the worst record through a Week 5 since at least 2000. Penn State coach James Franklin used the recent upsets to motivate his players, emphasizing the importance of positioning for the playoffs.
UNDATED (AP) — College football heats up as October kicks off with conference races and the chase for playoff spots ramping up. Only two Top 25 matchups are on the schedule: Miami at Florida State and Vanderbilt at Alabama. Miami aims for its first win in Tallahassee since 2019 while Vanderbilt seeks a historic 6-0 start. In the Big 12, Houston faces Texas Tech and Iowa State visits Cincinnati. Heisman watch sees Oregon's Dante Moore leading after a strong performance against Penn State. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's coach Luke Fickell feels the pressure heading into its game at No. 20 Michigan.
