AP voters are staring at a reshaped Week 6 ballot after a Saturday that produced a few loud statements and at least one brutal reality check.
Alabama made the strongest noise of the bunch. The Crimson Tide beat Mississippi State for the 17th straight time, and this one came with style points attached.
Alabama rolled to a record 56 points against a ranked SEC opponent on the road, and it has now scored at least 45 points in every game this season. Keelon Russell looked composed throughout, working the field with accurate throws, while the Tide’s ground game chipped in almost 200 yards.
The defense held up, too, giving Alabama a real argument for the No. 1 spot next week if it can back this up against Georgia.
Mississippi State, on the other hand, missed a chance to change its own story. Kamario Taylor still put up numbers - 258 yards and 3 touchdowns - but the game turned into a turnover-heavy collapse that exposed the gap between the Bulldogs and Alabama.
Mississippi State managed only 18 rushing yards and 0.6 yards per carry, and its defense gave up 28 second half points. Taylor also turned it over three times.
The road gets no easier from here, with trips to LSU and Texas and a home game against Oklahoma in between.
Missouri also earned a major leap in credibility by finally getting a ranked win for Eli Drinkwitz. That mattered because it ended a school-record nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents, and it came in emphatic fashion against undefeated Florida.
Missouri’s offense piled up 35 unanswered points, while the defense smothered the Gators’ run game and the passing attack opened things up downfield. The Tigers kept themselves in the SEC picture and should be sticking around in the poll, with a chance to pick up a few more votes.
Florida is headed the other way, and hard. No team inside the poll a week ago got more of a boost than the Gators, which makes this road loss sting even more.
The hype around their 4-0 start met a wall in Columbia, and the offense that led the nation with 18 rushing touchdowns was held to 42 yards on 25 carries. The secondary had no answer either, allowing 340 passing yards as Missouri ran away with it.
Iowa was in position to make things interesting in the Big Ten race after that emotional last-second win at Michigan, especially with College GameDay in town for Ohio State’s visit. Instead, Jeremiah Smith took over, breaking a school record with his 36th career receiving touchdown and moving through the Hawkeyes’ defense with ease. Kirk Ferentz now has injury issues to manage with star safety Zach Lutmer and quarterback Hank Brown, and Iowa heads into two straight road games against Washington and Minnesota with its playoff hopes still alive.
In Other News...
Iowa Lost Saturday But Kinnick Still Showed What Makes This Program Different
Saturdays loss to Ohio State did not change what makes an Iowa home game feel different from so many others around college football. ESPNs College GameDay was on campus for the first time this season, and before kickoff the crew stopped at the University of Iowa Childrens Hospital, spending time with patients and families as part of a visit that fit right into the atmosphere around Kinnick Stadium.
The bigger story there has always been more than what happens on the field. The Wave remains one of the sports most recognizable traditions, and it reflects the kind of local support that has long defined Iowa football. Even on a tough afternoon, the scene around Kinnick served as a reminder that this programs connection to its community is part of the draw. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's QB Picture Just Got More Complicated Ahead Of Washington
Iowas Week 6 depth chart added another layer to an already fluid quarterback situation heading into Washington, with Hank Brown listed as the starter even after getting banged up in the previous game. Browns status has been a talking point all week, and the release only sharpened the focus on how the Hawkeyes plan to handle the most important spot on the field.
Jeremy Hecklinski is still in the mix after stepping in and performing well in Browns place, so Iowa does have another option if the game script or Browns availability pushes it that way. The rest of the offensive picture looks a little more settled, with Kamari Moulton listed as the lead back, though the Hawkeyes are clearly still planning to rotate other running backs into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Desperate Washington Team In A Huge Road Test
Friday night brings Iowa into a tricky Big Ten road test against Washington, a matchup that carries a different kind of urgency for both programs. The Hawkeyes are 4-1 and looking to head into their bye week at 5-1, a mark that would keep their season moving in the right direction after a strong start.
Washington, meanwhile, is the team with more immediate pressure. At 3-2, the Huskies need a win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes from slipping further, and this is only the second Big Ten meeting between the programs, with Iowa holding a 4-3 edge in the all-time series. For Iowa, it is the kind of road game that can say plenty about where this team stands in the league race. [Read more 🡒]