Clemson up, Ohio St. down in college football Power Rankings after Week 5

Clemson moved up, Ohio State fell and Utah maintained its No. 1 spot in the latest college football power rankings.

As the number of remaining undefeated teams decreased in Week 5, it became increasingly apparent that the season simply lacks a dominant team. There doesn’t appear to be a 2013 Florida State-type squad who pummels everyone in its path.

Rankings are, by their nature, a relative thing. How does Team A compare to Team B and Team C and every other team in the country? So other than making it a little harder to determine a team’s relative strengths, it doesn’t really matter how historically good the best teams are. What’s important is they’re the best teams this year. And for 2015, that doesn’t mean that they’re flawless, just that they seem to have the smallest or most manageable flaws.

• NADKARNI: Three thoughts on AP Poll after Week 5 | Complete AP Top 25

1. Utah Utes

PREVIOUS: 1

RECORD: 4-0

Next week: Saturday vs. Cal

2. Clemson Tigers

PREVIOUS: 12

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat Notre Dame 24–22 Next week: Saturday vs. Georgia Tech

3. Baylor Bears

PREVIOUS: 6

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat Texas Tech 63–35 Next week: Saturday at Kansas

4. Oklahoma Sooners

PREVIOUS: 10

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat West Virginia 44–24 Next week: Saturday vs. Texas (in Dallas)

5. LSU Tigers

PREVIOUS: 12

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat Eastern Michigan 44–24 Next week: Saturday at South Carolina • BECHT: Biggest takeaways from Week 5

6. Alabama Crimson Tide

PREVIOUS: 14

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Beat Georgia 38–10 Next week: Saturday vs. Arkansas

7. Texas A&M Aggies

PREVIOUS: 15

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Mississippi State 30-17 Next week: Bye week

8. Florida Gators

PREVIOUS: 20

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Ole Miss 38-10 Next week: Saturday at Missouri

9. Northwestern Wildcats

PREVIOUS: 17

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Minnesota 27-0 Next week: Saturday at Michigan

10. TCU Horned Frogs

PREVIOUS: 11

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Texas 50-7 Next week: Saturday at Kansas State • Johnson: Strong era hits new low with TCU loss

11. Ohio State Buckeyes

PREVIOUS: 3

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Indiana 34-27 Next week: Saturday vs. Maryland

12. Michigan State Spartans

PREVIOUS: 4

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Purdue 24-21 Next week: Saturday at Rutgers

13. Ole Miss Rebels

PREVIOUS: 5

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Lost to Florida 38-10 Next week: Saturday vs. New Mexico State

14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

PREVIOUS: 7

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Lost to Clemson 24-22 Next week: Saturday vs. Navy

15. Iowa Hawkeyes

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Wisconsin 10-6 Next week: Saturday vs. Illinois • Iowa checks in at No. 22 in new AP Poll 

16. California Golden Bears

PREVIOUS: 25

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Washington State 34-28 Next week: Saturday at Utah

17. Florida State Seminoles

PREVIOUS: 9

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat Wake Forest 24-16 Next week: Saturday vs. Miami

18. Stanford Cardinal

PREVIOUS: 18

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Beat Arizona 55-17 Next week: Bye week

19. Michigan Wolverines

PREVIOUS: 23

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Beat Maryland 28-0 Next week: Saturday vs. Northwestern

20. Georgia Bulldogs

PREVIOUS: 8

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Lost to Alabama 38-10 Next week: Saturday at Tennessee • ELLIS: Bama puts SEC on notice, routs Georgia

21. USC Trojans

PREVIOUS: 19

RECORD: 3-1

Last week: Bye week Next week: Thursday vs. Washington

22. UCLA Bruins

PREVIOUS: 2

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Lost to Arizona State 38-23 Next week: Bye week

23. Oklahoma State Cowboys

PREVIOUS: 22

RECORD: 5-0

Last week: Beat Kansas State 36-34 Next week: Saturday at West Virginia

24. Houston Cougars

RECORD: 4-0

Last week: Beat Tulsa 38-24 Next week: Thursday vs. SMU

25. Boise State Broncos

RECORD: 4-1

Last week: Beat Hawaii 55-0 Next week: Saturday at Colorado State

Dropped out: Wisconsin, West Virginia, Mississippi State
Next five:<> West Virginia, Toledo, Duke, Oregon, Wisconsin