Week 5 Football AP Poll: Horns Down Bad

Going into the 2022 season, it was popular among national college football media to suggest this is the year for several teams looking for a return to prominence, headlined by the Texas Longhorns and the Miami Hurricanes. Just four weeks into the season and both programs already have been handed two losses and have not only dropped from the Top 25 but fully off the voting list. The Florida Gators joined those two in falling below the cut line, replaced by #21 Minnesota, #23 Florida State, and #25 Kansas State.

Most Overrated

Everyone but the top 3? - Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State are good. Everyone else - who knows? Michigan got pushed by Maryland, Clemson needed 2OT to handle Wake Forest, USC barely escaped Oregon State, etc. etc. I cannot point to one team this week whose ranking is especially egregious, except perhaps Baylor still being ranked ahead of the BYU team to which it lost. If I had to give to just one: North Carolina receiving any votes is absurd - the Tar Heels barely escaped App State & Georgia State before getting walloped by a bad Notre Dame team that is not receiving any votes.

Most Underrated

#26 Kansas - This must be a case of voters completely unable to separate the Jayhawk’s past with its present. Kansas is undefeated with two P5 wins, including one on the road, and a road win over a Houston team that many projected to be the class of the American. The offense has been one of the most explosive in the country and is showing no signs of slowing. 19 voters omitted 4-0 KU from their ballots this week in favor of teams like 2-loss Florid and teams with losses to App State, Tulane, and Southern Miss. Kansas will look to improve to 5-0 by defeating Iow State this week to jump across the Top 25 threshold before hosting the Horned Frogs next week.

Spotlight Voter

David Briggs (@dbriggsblade), Toledo, OH - Showcasing Briggs for his true dedication to the importance of head-to-head results. This is best noted at the bottom of his ballot as he ranks Tulane ahead of Kansas State, followed by Oklahoma at #25. Does he truly believe Tulane is a better or more deserving team than the Sooners, especially after dropping a home contest to Southern Miss? I doubt it, however the transitive wins dictate this ranking given the Green Wave’s win over KSU, which knocked off OU.

TCU Status

The Frogs finally make an appearance as the very last team receiving votes in the AP Poll this week, thanks to a single vote at #25. Before we make any claims regarding whether TCU “Gets No Respect,” this Saturday will tell the tale: a win and this is an obvious Top 25 team; lose and it obviously is not yet. The Coaches Poll has TCU with 20 points, 54 behind #25 Syracuse.

Big 12 (+4) Votes

• #9 Oklahoma State - A successful Bye week saw some top competitors take conference losses
• #16 Baylor - Bears with a big road conference win as underdogs in Ames...yet still somehow ahead of BYU
• #18 Oklahoma - The Sooners again fell victim to the Deuce Vaughn boogeyman; will look to begin climb in Fort Worth on Saturday
• #19 BYU - The Cougs got a two-TD win over Wyoming and gets another likely easy MWC win this week against Utah State. The schedule picks back up in mid-October with games against Notre Dame & Arkansas.
• #25 Kansas State - A massive win in Norman put the ‘Cats on solid footing in the conference race, with fellow surprise winners Texas Tech on deck Saturday morning.
• #26 Kansas - Rank the Jayhawks you cowards! Kansas will have to continue proving itself, next as home underdogs against Iowa State
• #27 Cincinnati - After dismantling Indiana, the Bearcats still can’t return to the rankings. With a relatively down American, it may take an undefeated conference record to jump the P5 teams in this range.
• #32 Texas Tech - The Red Raiders deserve more votes as well, with wins over Houston and Texas and only an away loss at an NC State team that some voters have ranked as high as #7.
• #38 TCU - Shoutout Brett McMurphy who ranked the Frogs #25 on his ballot, the only voter to include TCU.