Ranked CFB teams whiffed on Friday but fared better on Saturday

In Week 5, Saturday was much kinder to top-25 teams as compared to Friday night.

Two ranked squads played on Friday evening, and both lost. On Saturday, it was an exciting day and night full of great games. Not one ranked team fell to an unranked foe, although some ranked versus ranked matchups produced upsets.

Ranked CFB teams performed well in Saturday contests

Friday night was a dud for top-25 groups. Virginia shocked No. 8 Florida State in double overtime. Arizona State beat No. 24 TCU by a field goal.

In the noon games on Saturday, top-25 squads flexed their muscles. Notre Dame, ranked No. 22, has two losses and basically has to be perfect the rest of the way to get into the conversation for an invite to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

All the Fighting Irish did on Saturday was go into Fayetteville and pummel a lifeless Arkansas group, 56-13. It was a totally embarrassing setback for the Razorbacks, and Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman will see his seat get hotter and hotter.

No. 23 Illinois got crushed by Indiana in Week 4, 63-10, and the Fighting Illini had to deal with No. 21 Southern California at home on Saturday in the early window. Credit Illinois for bouncing back, as the Fighting Illini handed the Trojans their first 2025 loss, 34-32.

Two other ranked teams got to 5-0 with wins earlier on Saturday. No. 18 Vanderbilt, playing in Nashville, Tenn., against Utah State in a non-conference duel, took care of business, 55-35. For the Commodores, graduate student quarterback Diego Pavia threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception. Vanderbilt looks like the real deal and could be a legit CFP contender.

In the most thrilling of the noon games, No. 16 Georgia Tech spotted Wake Forest a 20-3 lead in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Yellow Jackets would storm back, forcing overtime. In the extra period, both teams scored touchdowns. Wake Forest went for a two-point conversion to win the game, but it failed, and Georgia Tech survived, 30-29.

Later on Saturday, Mississippi State had No. 15 Tennessee on the ropes at home, but the Volunteers managed to squeak out a seven-point overtime win. No. 20 Missouri, on its turf, blew out UMass. No. 14 Iowa State had no problems in handling Arizona in Ames.

In one of two massive Southeastern Conference upsets, No. 13 Ole Miss got by No. 4 LSU, 24-19, in Oxford to hand the Tigers their first loss of the 2025 season. On Saturday night, No. 17 Alabama went on the road and stunned No. 5 Georgia, 24-21. The Crimson Tide are 10-1 in their last 11 contests against the Bulldogs.

Three other games were quite close. No. 3 Penn State continued its losing ways against top opponents under head coach James Franklin, as No. 6 Oregon defeated the Nittany Lions in State College, 30-24, in double overtime.

Also, No. 9 Texas A&M remained perfect in 2025 by defeating Auburn, 16-10, in College Station. No. 11 Indiana, coming off that blowout of Illinois, went on the road and beat Iowa, 20-15.

No. 1 Ohio State went to Seattle and had no issues with Washington, winning by a final of 24-6. Finally, No. 25 BYU found itself down 14-3 in the first quarter at Colorado, but the Cougars would ultimately prevail in Boulder, 24-21.