Weekly college football top 25 rankings are a big part of every season, and Athlon Sports will update its top 25 following the games each weekend.

The fifth weekend of the 2026 season was headlined by Missouri’s blowout upset of Florida, Alabama’s road victory over Mississippi State, Miami crushing Clemson in Death Valley and Ohio State’s win at Iowa. Additionally, Tennessee edged Auburn on Rocky Top, Notre Dame defeated North Carolina and Texas Tech rallied to beat Colorado in a key Big 12 game.

Texas takes the No. 1 spot in the post-Week 5 top 25 rankings, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Ohio State, Miami and Alabama. Here are Athlon Sports’ top 25 college football teams after Week 5:

College Football Top 25 Rankings (After Week 5)

1. Texas (4-0)
Last Week: 1
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Longhorns were off in Week 5 and will return to action next Saturday for the Red River Rivalry showdown in Dallas against Oklahoma.

2. Georgia (5-0)
Last Week: 2
Week 5 Result: Defeated Vanderbilt
The Bulldogs are ready for next week’s showdown against Alabama after a 38-14 win over Vanderbilt. After an uneven first half, coach Kirby Smart’s team stepped up in the final two quarters to put away the Commodores. Quarterback Gunner Stockton threw for three touchdowns and 295 yards in the win.

3. Notre Dame (5-0)
Last Week: 3
Week 5 Result: Defeated North Carolina
Quarterback CJ Carr tossed four touchdowns, and running back Jonaz Walton ran for 120 yards on a rainy day in Chapel Hill to defeat North Carolina 37-26.

4. Indiana (5-0)
Last Week: 4
Week 5 Result: Defeated Rutgers
Coach Curt Cignetti’s team handled its first road trip of the season with an easy 47-15 victory over Rutgers. Indiana’s ground game pounded the Scarlet Knights for 329 yards, and quarterback Josh Hoover tossed four touchdowns. The dominance continued on defense by limiting Rutgers to 254 yards.

5. Ohio State (4-1)
Last Week: 5
Week 5 Result: Defeated Iowa
Receiver Jeremiah Smith torched Iowa’s standout defense for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches to help lift Ohio State to a 31-14 victory. The Buckeyes also limited the Hawkeyes to just 39 rushing yards.

6. Miami (5-0)
Last Week: 6
Week 5 Result: Defeated Clemson
Injuries are piling up, but coach Mario Cristobal’s team still dominated with a 41-13 victory at Clemson on Saturday night. Quarterback Darian Mensah (18 of 27 for 227 yards) was outstanding once again, and Miami’s defense dominated the line of scrimmage with six sacks and nine tackles for a loss.

7. Alabama (5-0)
Last Week: 8
Week 5 Result: Defeated Mississippi State
An anticipated quarterback duel between Alabama’s Keelon Russell and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor was a one-sided affair, as the Crimson Tide crushed the Bulldogs 56-23 in Starkville. Russell completed 16 of 22 throws for 285 yards and three scores and added another touchdown on the ground. Alabama’s defense generated five sacks and forced two turnovers, including an interception returned for a touchdown.

8. Ole Miss (3-1)
Last Week: 9
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Rebels were off in Week 5 and will return to action next Saturday on the road against Vanderbilt.

9. LSU (4-1)
Last Week: 10
Week 5 Result: Defeated McNeese State
The Bayou Bengals didn’t have to sweat much on Saturday night, as coach Lane Kiffin’s team easily defeated McNeese State 63-14.

10. BYU (4-0)
Last Week: 12
Week 5 Result: Defeated TCU
Defense and a couple of clutch plays from quarterback Bear Bachmeier was just enough for BYU to escape Fort Worth with a 17-10 win over TCU.

11. Texas Tech (5-0)
Last Week: 11
Week 5 Result: Defeated Colorado
Defense led the way for Texas Tech in a sluggish 29-7 road win at Colorado. The Red Raiders limited the Buffaloes to just 4.7 yards per play, forced four takeaways and scored on an interception return in the second half.

12. Utah (4-0)
Last Week: 13
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Utes were off in Week 5 and will return to action next Saturday against Kansas.

13. Oregon (3-1)
Last Week: 14
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Ducks were off in Week 5 and face off against UCLA next Saturday in a crucial Big Ten matchup. Quarterback Dante Moore’s status is uncertain after a concussion suffered against USC.

14. Missouri (4-1)
Last Week: Not Ranked
Week 5 Result: Defeated Florida
Missouri delivered a statement 45-17 victory over Florida on Saturday. Coach Eli Drinkwitz’s team dominated the Gators on both sides of the ball to complete the win. Florida’s vaunted rushing attack was held to just 42 yards, while quarterback Austin Simmons torched the Gators for 340 passing yards and two scores. Missouri’s defense also recorded 11 tackles for a loss.

15. Florida (4-1)
Last Week: 7
Week 5 Result: Lost to Missouri
A week after a huge win over Ole Miss, the Gators were totally dominated in a 45-17 loss at Missouri. The Tigers limited Florida’s rushing attack to just 42 yards, with Jadan Baugh managing only 13 yards on 12 carries. Missouri’s passing attack also carved up the Gators’ suspect secondary for 340 yards.

16. Tennessee (4-1)
Last Week: 17
Week 5 Result: Defeated Auburn
Tennessee’s defense, along with the production of running back DeSean Bishop (220 yards and three scores), led the way in a 24-14 victory over Auburn. Coach Josh Heupel turned to George MacIntyre at quarterback following a slow start from starter Faizon Brandon. MacIntyre was solid in relief, completing eight of 10 throws for 86 yards. It’s uncertain if Brandon or MacIntyre will get the nod next week at Arkansas.

17. USC (5-1)
Last Week: 18
Week 5 Result: Defeated Washington
The Trojans were sloppy once again, but coach Lincoln Riley’s team rebounded from last week’s loss with a 25-21 victory over Washington. A 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jahkeem Stewart helped to swing momentum in the second half in favor of USC.

18. Iowa (4-1)
Last Week: 15
Week 5 Result: Lost to Ohio State
Iowa’s offense struggled to find its footing (238 total yards), and the defense couldn’t contain Ohio State’s passing attack and receiver Jeremiah Smith in a 31-14 loss on Saturday.

19. Oklahoma State (3-1)
Last Week: 19
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Cowboys were off on Saturday and will return to action next Saturday against UCF.

20. Houston (4-1)
Last Week: 21
Week 5 Result: Defeated UCF
The Cougars scored 27 unanswered points to overcome a slow start and defeat UCF 27-17. Houston’s defense gave up just 136 yards in the second half.

21. Mississippi State (4-1)
Last Week: 16
Week 5 Result: Lost to Alabama
Mississippi State suffered its first loss of 2026 on Saturday, as Alabama won 56-23 in Starkville. Quarterback Kamario Taylor was banged up and didn’t look 100 percent, but the bigger problems for the Bulldogs were a struggling rushing attack, along with a defense that gave up 7.9 yards per play to the Crimson Tide.

22. Boise State (4-1)
Last Week: 22
Week 5 Result: Defeated Utah State
Quarterback Maddux Madsen completed 17 of 21 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while Boise State’s defense dominated the line of scrimmage with six sacks in a 37-18 victory against Utah State.

23. UCLA (4-0)
Last Week: 23
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Bruins were off in Week 5 and will return to action next Saturday at Oregon.

24. Duke (4-0)
Last Week: 24
Week 5 Result: Off Week
The Blue Devils were off in Week 5 and will return to action next Saturday at Georgia Tech.

25. SMU (4-1)
Last Week: 25
Week 5 Result: Defeated Boston College
The Mustangs hang on to the final spot in the top 25 with a 25-16 win over Boston College.

Up Next: Kentucky, Pitt, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona, Nebraska

Related: Top 25 Predictions: What the AP Poll Will Look Like After Week 5

Related: CJ Carr Looks Like He’s Ready for the NFL

Related: College Football’s Top 10 Must-See Games of October

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Oct 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Source: Yahoo Sports