Blue Through and Through Rankings--Week Five

In a week in which many lower-ranked teams beat ranked teams, the search for clarity resulted only in muddy waters.  As a result, there are many shake-ups in the rankings and in a season of near-unparalleled parity, the number of teams being considered increased.  It will still take at least two more weeks to sort out the 2016 results.  This is much longer than it usually takes in normal years.

(Note:  the rankings are based on logic rather than hype or potential.  Teams with the same record are judged by their biggest wins and their losses, if any.  Impressive wins over Top 25 teams are more important than other wins, and losses to Top 25 teams hurt far less than other losses.

The "Biggest Win" refers to the highest-ranked win; generally, only ranked teams and teams being considered are listed.  Sometimes, as in the case of Western Michigan, they don't have a win over teams in these rankings, and it is unknown at this time which of their listed wins is the biggest.)


12-1   Michigan (5-0) held off #9 Wisconsin 14-7; Biggest Wins: #9 Wisconsin 14-7 and #18 Colorado 45-28
1-2     Texas A&M (4-0) ran away from South Carolina 28-13; Biggest Wins: #12 Arkansas 45-24, Auburn 29-16 and UCLA 31-24
4-3    Tennessee (5-0) came from way back to tip Georgia 34-31; Biggest Wins: #19 Florida 38-28, #23 Virginia Tech 45-24 and Georgia 34-31
10-4   Clemson (5-0) scored a 42-36 win over #10 Louisville; Biggest Wins: #10 Louisville 42-36 and Auburn 19-13
19-5   Washington (5-0) blasted #20 Stanford 44-6; Biggest Win: #20 Stanford 44-6
7-6     Ohio State (3-0) had a good time with Rutgers 58-0; Biggest Win: Oklahoma 45-24
6-7     Houston (5-0) handled Connecticut 42-14; Biggest Win: Oklahoma 33-23
8-8    Alabama (5-0) bounced Kentucky 34-6; Biggest Win: Mississippi 48-43
2-9   Wisconsin (4-1) lost on the road to #1 Michigan 14-7; Biggest Win:  Michigan State 30-6; Lost to #1 Michigan 14-7
3-10    Louisville (4-1) fell to #4 Clemson 42-36; Biggest Win: Florida State 63-20; Lost to #4 Clemson 42-36

11-11   Baylor (4-0) came from behind to beat Iowa State 45-42; Biggest Win: Oklahoma State 35-24
14-12   Arkansas (4-1) annihilated Alcorn State 52-10; Biggest Win: TCU 41-38; Lost to #2 Texas A&M 45-24
21-13 Western Michigan (5-0) walloped Central Michigan 49-10; Biggest Wins: Northwestern 22-21, Central Michigan 49-10 and Illinois 34-10
23-14  Boise State (4-0) won ugly 21-10 over Utah State; Biggest Win: Washington State 31-28
-----15 Miami of Florida (4-0) got past Georgia Tech 35-21; Biggest Win: Georgia Tech 35-21
13-16 Nebraska (5-0) beat Illinois 31-16; Biggest Win: Oregon 35-32
-----17 Air Force (4-0) took care of Navy 28-14; Biggest Win:  Navy 28-14
-----18  Colorado (4-1) crushed Oregon State 47-6; Biggest Win:  Oregon 41-38; Lost to #1 Michigan 45-28
22-19 Florida (4-1) escaped past Vanderbilt 13-6; Biggest Wins: Vanderbilt 13-6 and Kentucky 45-7; Lost to #3 Tennessee 38-28
5-20   Stanford (3-1) was blown out by #5 Washington 44-6; Biggest Wins:  USC 27-10 and UCLA 22-13; blown out by #5 Washington 44-6
24-21 West Virginia (4-0) came back to edge Kansas State 17-16; Biggest Win: Kansas State 17-16
-----22 Troy (4-1) trounced Idaho 34-13; Biggest Win:  Southern Mississippi 37-31; Lost to #4 Clemson 30-24
-----23 Virginia Tech (3-1); did not play; Biggest Win:  East Carolina 54-17; Lost to #3 Tennessee 45-24
-----24 Maryland (4-0) pounced on Purdue 50-7; Biggest Win:  Central Florida 30-24
-----25 North Carolina (4-1) squeaked by Florida State 37-35; Biggest Win: Florida State 37-35, Lost to Georgia 33-24

Dropped Out:  Michigan State, TCU, Florida State, San Diego State, Utah, Memphis, Arizona State

Also Considered:
Navy (3-1) lost to #17 Air Force 28-14; Biggest Win:  Connecticut 28-24; Lost to #17 Air Force 28-14
Southern Mississippi (4-1) cooked Rice 44-28; Biggest Win:  Kentucky 44-35; Lost to #22 Troy 37-31
Auburn (3-2) trounced Louisiana-Monroe 58-7; Biggest Win:  LSU 18-13; Lost to #2 Texas A&M 29-16 and #4 Clemson 19-13
Arizona State (4-1) lost to USC 41-20; Biggest Wins:  Texas Tech 68-55 and California 51-41; Lost to USC 41-20
Texas Tech (3-1) whipped Kansas 55-19; Biggest Win:  Louisiana Tech 59-45; Lost to Arizona State 68-55
Florida State (3-2) lost to #25 North Carolina 37-35; Biggest Win:  Mississippi 45-34; Lost to #10 Louisville 63-20 and #25 North Carolina 37-35
South Florida (4-1) whipped Cincinnati 45-20; Biggest Win: Cincinnati 45-20; Lost to Florida State 55-35
Oklahoma (2-2) held off TCU 52-46; Biggest Win:  TCU 52-46; Lost to #6 Ohio State 45-24 and #7 Houston 33-23
UCLA (3-2) beat Arizona 45-24; Biggest Win:  Arizona 45-24; Lost to #2 Texas A&M 31-24 and #20 Stanford 22-13
Mississippi (3-2) beat Memphis 48-28; Biggest Win:  Georgia 45-14; Lost to #8 Alabama 48-43 and Florida State 45-34
Georgia (3-2) lost to #3 Tennessee 34-31; Biggest Win:  #25 North Carolina 33-24; Lost to #3 Tennessee 34-31 and Mississippi 45-14
Utah (4-1) lost to California 28-23; Biggest Wins: BYU 20-19 and USC 31-27; Lost to California 28-23
Memphis (3-1) was no match for unranked Mississippi 48-28; Biggest Win: Kansas 43-7; Lost to Mississippi 48-28
San Diego State (3-1) was embarrassed by South Alabama 42-24; Biggest Win: California 45-40; Lost to South Alabama 42-24
TCU (3-2) lost to Oklahoma 52-46; Biggest Win:  Iowa State 41-20; Lost to #12 Arkansas 41-38 and Oklahoma 52-46
California (3-2) beat Utah 28-23; Biggest Win:  Utah 28-23; Lost to Arizona State 51-41 and San Diego State 45-40
North Carolina State (3-1) downed Wake Forest 33-16; Biggest Win:  Wake Forest 33-16; Lost to East Carolina 33-30
Wake Forest (4-1) lost to North Carolina State 33-16; Biggest Win:  Indiana 33-28; Lost to North Carolina State 33-16
Indiana (3-1) stopped Michigan State 24-21 in overtime; Biggest Win:  Michigan State 24-21 in overtime; Lost to Wake Forest 33-28
Michigan State (2-2) lost to Indiana 31-24; Biggest Win:  Notre Dame 36-28; Lost to #9 Wisconsin 30-6 and Indiana 31-24