College football week 5 is in the books. After every week fans can take away things from what happened on the field. Here are 5 things learned from college football week 5. Related: 5 Things to watch in college football week 5.
Heading into the week, the computer numbers loved Virginia. It helped the Cavaliers only be a 6.5 point underdog against Florida State on Friday night. This is despite Florida State looking good to start the season, including their win over Alabama to start the season. Virginia proved the computer right by beating Florida State 46-38 in overtime.
Florida State still has a lot in front of them this season, but so too does Virginia. Quarterback Chandler Morris made some mistakes, throwing three interceptions, but was able to make up for it with timely throws and three scores on the ground. J’Mari Taylor had a nice game at running back, rushing for 99 yards and one touchdown. The Cavaliers have one loss, but it wasn’t in the ACC, which could make them a contender or spoiler in the ACC race.
Last season, Trinidad Chambliss was leading Division II Ferris State to a national championship. Things have changed quickly for him. He started the season as the backup quarterback to Austin Simmons at Ole Miss. Chambliss was thrust into action early this season due to Simmons being injured and has brought a spark to the offense. That continued on Saturday against LSU, as he passed for 314 yards and rushed for 71 more in Ole Miss’s win.
Ole Miss seemed ready and willing to let Simmons run the offense early in the season, but Chambliss has helped the offense be more effective. His dual-threat abilities can be dangerous in Lane Kiffin’s system and helps the rushing attack. The Rebels missed out on the CFP last season, but Chambliss could help them make it this year with continued good play.
James Franklin and Penn State have struggled in big games over the years with it being well documented. This year, Penn State brought a lot of talent back on both sides of the ball, which had hopes higher that they could get a big win. In their first opportunity for a big win in 2025, Penn State came up short, losing to Oregon in overtime.
Penn State’s defense played well, but the offense waited until late to get going. A critical Drew Allar interception in double overtime ended the game. Oregon gets credit for a big win and their path is now easier moving forward to make the Big Ten Championship Game. The same question for Penn State will continue now: When will James Franklin get the program over the hump?
After Alabama’s week 1 loss to Florida State, a lot of people wrote them off. They didn’t look good and were not physical. Since that game, they have looked great, but week 5 presented their first big test since week 1. Alabama lived up to their potential in the game, beating Georgia 24-21 on the road.
Alabama may not win make the CFP, but the win over Georgia should have fans feeling like they are back onthe right track. Kalen DeBoer has taken some losses before in games he should win, but he seemingly continues to push the programs he leads in the right direction. The win over Georgia is proof that the program could still be making positive steps forward. They’ll just need to stay focused in games that aren’t the marquee ones on their schedule.
The transfer portal and NIL has leveled the playing field in college football. In past years, schools could hoard talent and have plenty of depth to spare. That isn’t the case anymore, as talent is getting more spread out. The result is less elite teams, as it is very hard to construct a roster like the one Ohio State had last season.
Even so, Ohio State has looked solid so far this season. Oregon looked good at Penn State and Miami is doing well. It still seems like a dominant team isn’t suiting up every Saturday. These teams may continue to win, but there is more parity between teams. This could make things more interesting down the stretch.
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