Danny Kanell’s Week 5 top 12 got a fresh No. 1, and Alabama is the team sitting there after a weekend that shook up the upper end of the rankings.
Kanell posted his updated list early Sunday morning after a Week 5 slate that started with intrigue and then turned into a parade of blowouts in the biggest games. The result was a cleaner picture for him than last week, when his rankings featured six SEC teams. This time, only four SEC programs made the cut: Alabama, Texas, Georgia and Ole Miss.
Alabama jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 after its 56-23 rout of Mississippi State. Kanell had the Bulldogs at No. 3 entering the week, and the Crimson Tide made that look way too high. Keelon Russell put together a dominant performance, strengthening his case as a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, while Kane Wommack’s defense forced four turnovers in a win that kept Alabama’s early-season momentum rolling.
Georgia landed at No. 5 after a 38-14 win over Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs were not quite as overwhelming as they were in September, but the margin was still plenty comfortable. Gunner Stockton completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
Texas, which sits at No. 2, and Ole Miss, ranked No. 12, were both idle in Week 5. Looking ahead, Alabama and Georgia are set to meet in Week 6 for early conference supremacy.
Kanell’s full Week 5 top 12: 1.
Alabama
2.
Texas
3.
Notre Dame
4.
Miami
5.
Georgia
6.
Ohio St
7.
Indiana
8.
Texas Tech
9.
BYU
10.
Utah
11.
Pitt
12.
Ole Miss
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