Kentuck running back Ray Davis and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers were among the biggest stars in Week 5, while USC's defense and UAB head coach Trent Dilfer's temperament need work. Here are the winners and losers from Week 5 of the college football season.
Kentucky running back Ray Davis: Kentucky rolled 33-14 over No. 22 Florida thanks to a phenomenal day from Davis. He had 26 carries, 280 yards and four total touchdowns as the Wildcats defeated the Gators for the third consecutive year for the first time since Harry Truman was in office. Thanks to Davis's big day, Kentucky is 5-0 heading into a pivotal game next Saturday at No. 1 Georgia.
USC's defense: Can someone please give Caleb Williams a defense? The 2022 Heisman winner was excellent in No. 8 USC's 48-41 win over Colorado, finishing 30-of-40 for 403 yards, six touchdowns and an interception. Unfortunately for him, his defense is no better this year than last, making the Trojans hard to trust in the Pac-12. After allowing 564 yards to the Buffaloes, chances are No. 7 Washington and No. 9 Oregon will feast against USC's defense in back-to-back weeks on Nov. 4 and 11.
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers: The Bulldogs kept their 22-game win streak alive after they erased an early 10-0 deficit at Auburn in a 27-20 win. Tight end Brock Bowers was the reason why, finishing with eight receptions for 157 yards, including the winning 40-yard touchdown with 2:52 left.
BROCK BOWERS YOU BEAUTY pic.twitter.com/vp4hHkBB1x
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) September 30, 2023
This season, Bowers has 30 receptions, 413 yards and three touchdowns. His 23 career receiving touchdowns are tied with A.J. Green for second-most in program history.
Trent Dilfer's cool: Dilfer made the leap from high school to college during the offseason but didn't leave his anger issues behind.
— wow that was crazy (@CowardlyDoggo) September 30, 2023
During UAB's 35-23 loss to Tulane, Dilfer was apoplectic during a sideline outburst directed at an assistant coach. At least he's not picking on students like he did at Lipscomb Academy. A coach losing their temper is rarely a story but Dilfer takes things too far. If he thinks it makes him look tough, he's sorely mistaken. Dilfer looks out of his element, entirely out of control. UAB's 1-4 record would agree.
Baylor's wild comeback: Baylor (2-3) was on the brink of a blowout loss at UCF after a Knights third-quarter touchdown gave them a 35-7 lead. The Bears stormed back, scoring 29 unanswered points (including 26 in the fourth) to escape with a 36-35 win. The 28-point comeback is the largest in program history, and per Elias Sports' Matt Martingale, the 25-point fourth-quarter deficit overcome is the third largest in FBS history.
The 25-point end-of-3rd-quarter deficit erased by @BUFootball was the 3rd-largest ever by a winning I-A/FBS team over another. Utah vs Arizona in 1972, UCLA vs. Texas A&M in 2017 were both down 27 entering 4th. @EliasSports
— Matt Martingale (@MattMartingale) September 30, 2023
UCF wasting the play of the year: UCF nearly avoided its epic collapse thanks to the most incredible 16-yard completion in college football history.
UCF with the wild 4th down conversion!
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 30, 2023
exactly how you draw it up pic.twitter.com/CKv0NtoPD6
Quarterback Timmy McClain retreated 20 yards trying to escape Baylor's pass rush before delivering a completion to wide receiver R.J. Harvey on fourth-and-5. Unfortunately for the Knights, it was for naught after Colton Boomer's 59-yard field goal attempt came up short as time expired.
Missouri's Brady Cook: Missouri is a surprising 5-0 because of Cook's mistake-free start to the season. In Saturday's 38-21 win at Vanderbilt, Cook broke the SEC record for consecutive passes without an interception.
Missouri's Brady Cook has broken Andre Woodson's SEC record of 325 consecutive passes without an interception.
— Brandon Zimmerman (@BZSEC) September 30, 2023
He finished the game 33-of-41 for a career-high 395 yards and four touchdowns. He has 348 consecutive attempts without an interception, and if he keeps it up next Saturday against LSU, Missouri will be the Tigers with the loudest roar in the SEC.
LSU QB Jayden Daniels taking big hits: Daniels is playing quarterback as well as anyone in the country, which is a minor miracle considering the number of brutal hits he's taken this year. In Saturday's 55-49 loss at No. 20 Ole Miss, Daniels was nearly perfect, finishing 27-of-36 with 513 total yards after taking a couple of massive hits. The first resulted in a red-zone fumble, while he managed to get a 15-yard personal foul penalty for a late hit on the other one.
Weight Room
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 30, 2023
@daijahn5 pic.twitter.com/hf4FSt5jEE
Jayden Daniels takes another big hit.
— Matthew Brune (@MatthewBrune_) October 1, 2023
This time it's called for a late hit. pic.twitter.com/GtpmoXjSzB
He also took a big hit against Florida State in the season opener.
— wow that was crazy (@CowardlyDoggo) September 4, 2023
LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson needs to invite Daniels to practice sliding drills. As good as he is, the Tigers can't afford to lose him. They sure as heck can't rely on their defense.
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