Week 5 Game of the Week: No. 15 Alabama unexpectedly cruised by No. 5 Florida, 31-3. The Crimson Tide scored 17 points in the first quarter and never looked back. Quarterback Brodie Croyle threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns, including an 87-yarder to Tryone Prothro and a 65-yarder to Keith Brown.
Alabama's defense swarmed the Gators, who were never able to find the end zone. It was the first time that an Urban Meyer-coached team had been held without a touchdown.
While up 24-3 at halftime, the Tide did not let up defensively in the second half, shutting out the Gators for the final two quarters. Florida quarterback Chris Leak was harassed and frustrated all game, finishing 16 for 37 with 187 yards and two interceptions. His first-half interception left him three passes shy of the school record of 121 straight attempts without a pick, set by Danny Wuerffel.
Alabama improved to 5-0 on the season and finds itself ranked seventh in the AP poll this week. The Gators, on the other hand, suffered their first loss of the season, putting them at 4-1 and dropping them to 13th in the polls.
More Week 5: No. 1 USC survived another scare, beating No. 14 Arizona State 38-28 in Tempe. A week after falling behind Oregon 13-0 early, the Trojans trailed the Sun Devils 21-3 at the half. USC decided to turn to the running game, and it paid off. The Trojans relied on tailbacks Reggie Bush and LenDale White, and they delivered, combining for 355 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Bush's touchdown runs went for 24 and 34 yards, and White scored on 32- and 46-yard bursts.
USC took a 31-28 lead with 3:44 to go, and White's final touchdown sealed the deal with 2:22 to play. The Sun Devils came close, but USC came away with its 26th straight victory, breaking a Pac-10 and school record. Next week, the Trojans get a bit of a breather as they face a lowly Arizona team at home.
No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Virginia Tech both got big contributions from their stars and continued their dominating ways. The Longhorns beat Missouri 51-20, as quarterback Vince Young not only threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns but also ran for 108 yards and another score. Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick posted similar numbers in his team's 34-17 victory over West Virginia. The junior completed 15 of 17 passes for 177 yards and two scores and also gained 74 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
No. 13 Notre Dame continued its resurgence as it trounced No. 22 Purdue 49-28 in a battle of ranked teams. The Boilermakers, suffering their second consecutive loss, fell from the rankings, while the Fighting Irish moved up one spot to No. 12.
Purdue was not the only team to fall out of the top 25, though, as former No. 18 Minnesota, No. 19 Virginia, and No. 23 Iowa State all suffered losses to unranked teams. The makes room for Oregon, after a one week hiatus, to reenter the AP poll at 25th, following a 44-20 romp over the Cardinal at Stanford.
Player of the Week: Michigan kicker (yes, kicker) Garrett Rivas. After missing a 37-yard field goal attempt in the last minute of regulation that would have won it for the Wolverines, Rivas redeemed himself in overtime by nailing a 35-yarder to beat the No. 11-ranked Michigan State Spartans 34-31 in East Lansing. It's always thrilling to win a game on a field goal, but it feels that much better when it's against a rival on the road.
Upcoming Game of the Week: Too many to choose from, so Inside College Football is offering the following three picks:
Oklahoma vs. Texas at the Cotton Bowl: The Sooners have not been themselves this year, and are now unranked, but anything can happen when these two teams go head-to-head.
No. 5 Georgia at No. 8 Tennessee: These two teams always have epic battles, and this year should be no different. Volunteer quarterback Rick Clausen has filled in admirably for the struggling Erik Ainge and will try to lead his team over the Bulldogs in Knoxville.
No. 10 California at No. 20 UCLA: This is the only match-up in week six in which both teams are ranked and unbeaten. It also features two of the three teams that stand between USC and another national championship game. The Golden Bears, coming off a 28-0 shutout of Arizona, are playing well, and quarterback Joe Ayoob is becoming more comfortable with the offense. Cal is going to have its hands full down at the Rose Bowl, however, and could have a match up problem with 6'6" Bruin tight end Marcedes Lewis.
