Projecting the College Football AP Top 25 for Week 6
In college football's game of the day, the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide took a stranglehold on the game early against the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs. Alabama took a 21–0 lead in the first quarter, a lead that grew to 28–0 early in the second. Georgia came storming back thanks to a dominant defensive effort for (most) of the second half. Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck hit receiver Dillon Bell for a 67-yard touchdown to give Georgia their first lead of the game, 34–33, with 2:31 to play.
But Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who had been held down for almost the entire second half, got the last laugh. On the first snap of the ensuing offensive possession, Milroe saw freshman phenom wide receiver Ryan Williams facing 1-on-1 coverage to his right. He hit Williams before the defender turned around, and Williams did the rest, taking it 75 yards to put the Crimson Tide back on top.
Georgia had one last chance to attempt to tie the game, but Alabama's Zabien Brown intercepted Beck in the end zone with 43 seconds to play to clinch the thrilling win for the Crimson Tide and spoil what would have been the largest comeback victory in school history for Georgia.
Alabama's 41–34 victory overshadowed a weekend that included a controversial Friday night ending to No. 7 Miami's win over Virginia Tech and a Top 10 upset, as No. 6 Ole Miss fell at home to unranked Kentucky for the Wildcats' first victory in Oxford since 1978.
Alabama's impressive home win has earned the Crimson Tide the top spot in Sports Illustrated's AP Top 25 projection for Week 6.
The Projected Ranking
1. Alabama Crimson Tide: 4–0 (1–0 SEC)
This Week: Won 41–34 vs. No. 2 Georgia
Week 6: Away at Vanderbilt
2. Texas Longhorns: 5–0 (1–0 SEC)
This Week: Won 35–13 vs. Mississippi State
Week 6: Idle
3. Ohio State Buckeyes: 4–0 (1–0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 38–7 at Michigan State
Week 6: Home vs. Iowa
4. Tennessee Volunteers: 4–0 (1–0 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 6: Away at Arkansas
5. Georgia Bulldogs: 3–1 (0–1 SEC)
This Week: Lost 41–34 at No. 4 Alabama
Week 6: Home vs. Auburn
6. Miami Hurricanes: 5–0 (1–0 ACC)
This Week: Won 38–34 vs. Virginia Tech
Week 6: Away at Cal
7. Penn State Nittany Lions: 4–0 (1–0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 21–7 vs. No. 19 Illinois
Week 6: Home vs. UCLA
8. Oregon Ducks: 3–0 (0–0 Big Ten)
This Week: LATE at UCLA
Week 6: Home vs. Michigan State
9. Utah Utes: 4–0 (1–0 Big 12)
This Week: LATE vs. Arizona
Week 6: Idle
10. Missouri Tigers: 4–0 (1–0 SEC)
This Week: Idle
Week 6: Away at Texas A&M
11. Ole Miss Rebels: 4–1 (0–1 SEC)
This Week: Lost 20–17 vs. Kentucky
Week 6: Away at South Carolina
12. Michigan Wolverines: 4–1 (2–0 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 27–24 vs. Minnesota
Week 6: Away at Washington
13. USC Trojans: 3–1 (1–1 Big Ten)
This Week: Won 38–21 vs. Wisconsin
Week 6: Away at Minnesota
14. LSU Tigers: 4–1 (1–0 SEC)
This Week: Won 42–10 vs. South Alabama
Week 6: Idle
15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 4–1
This Week: Won 31–24 vs. No. 16 Louisville
Week 6: Idle
16. Clemson Tigers: 3–1 (2–0 ACC)
This Week: Won 40–14 vs. Stanford
Week 6: Away at Florida State
17. Iowa State Cyclones: 4–0 (1–0 Big 12)
This Week: Won 20–0 at Houston
Week 6: Home vs. Baylor
18. Oklahoma Sooners: 4–1 (1–1 SEC)
This Week: Won 27–21 vs. Auburn
Week 6: Idle
19. BYU Cougars: 5–0 (2–0 Big 12)
This Week: Won 34–28 at Baylor
Week 6: Idle
20. Kansas State Wildcats: 4–1 (1–1 Big 12)
This Week: Won 42–20 vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State
Week 6: Idle
21. Louisville Cardinals: 3–1 (1–0 ACC)
This Week: Lost 34–27 at Notre Dame
Week 6: Home vs. SMU
22. Texas A&M Aggies: 4–1 (2–0 SEC)
This Week: Won 21–17 vs. Arkansas
Week 6: Home vs. Missouri
23. Boise State Broncos: 2–1 (0–0 Mountain West)
This Week: LATE vs. Washington State
Week 6: Home vs. Utah State
24. Illinois Fighting Illini: 4–1 (1–1 Big Ten)
This Week: Lost 21–7 at No. 9 Penn State
Week 6: Idle
25. UNLV Rebels: 4–0 (1–0 Mountain West)
This Week: Won 59–14 vs. Fresno State
Week 6: Home vs. Syracuse
Dropped from Rankings: No. 20 Oklahoma State
Others Considered: Washington State, Indiana, Boston College, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Colorado, Iowa