Coaches Poll top 25: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Indiana rise in college football rankings after notable wins

Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Indiana are notable risers in Sunday’s Week 5 Coaches Poll following ranked wins. Brent Venables knew his Oklahoma defense had a chance to be good, but the Sooners appear elite after recording nine sacks during Saturday’s 24-17 win over Auburn.

Texas Tech scored 21 unanswered points in the final nine minutes of the fourth quarter during a clobbering of Utah. Backup quarterback Will Hammond’s pair of touchdown passes helped the Red Raiders move to No. 14 this week on the strength of the program’s first 4-0 start since 2013.

Indiana is one of seven teams from the Big Ten now ranked, pushing forward to No. 12 after dominating previously eighth-ranked Illinois. Fernando Mendoza’s five touchdown passes was more than enough to overwhelm the Illini, who were trying to win the first matchup of ranked teams in the series since 1950.

“We’ll get people’s attention with this one,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after the game. “The team really laid it on the line tonight. There’s nothing better than being the Grinch in the second half with a big lead. I love that feeling.”

Previously slotted as the last two teams inside the top 25, South Carolina and Auburn dropped out of the rankings following SEC road losses to Oklahoma and Missouri, respectively. For the Gamecocks, a 2-2 start this season is not what Shane Beamer envisioned — the program’s highest ranking in more than a decade. 

Looking ahead at next weekend’s slate of games, several poll-altering matchups highlight the docket including Alabama vs. Georgia, Oregon vs. Penn State and LSU vs. Ole Miss. Those are all top 15 teams with midseason bragging rights on the line within the SEC and Big Ten.

Week 5 Coaches Poll

1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. Georgia
4. LSU
5. Oregon
6. Miami
7. Texas
8. Florida State
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma
11. Ole Miss
12. Indiana
13. Iowa State
14. Texas Tech
15. Tennessee
16. Alabama 
17. Georgia Tech
18. Michigan
19. Missouri
20. Vanderbilt
21. Notre Dame
22. USC
23. Illinois
24. BYU
25. TCU

Others receiving votes: Arizona State 104; Utah 99; Louisville 67; Mississippi State 57; Memphis 55; Auburn 48; South Florida 32; Washington 19; Navy 17; Maryland 10; Kansas 6; Syracuse 4; Houston 4; UNLV 3; Tulane 3; Nebraska 3; North Texas 2; Iowa 1;