College Football Rankings 2022: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 5

I want to predict Kansas in the AP Top 25 this week, but I think Cincinnati’s rather dominant win over Indiana will be enough to get the Bearcats back into the rankings after a short absence. Kansas will be there soon, though. Is Cincinnati the best non-Power Five team in the country? It’s honestly too soon to tell but Luke Fickell’s team is not to be messed with.

Pittsburgh had a “bye week” of sorts with Rhode Island coming to town. The Panthers were able to handle business with a three-score win and the game was never in doubt but it also didn’t impress anyone. I think Pitt will have to move up a little this week just based on the losses that happened in front of it.

I see Wake Forest hanging on in the top 25 this week after losing to Clemson because, well, the Demon Deacons put up quite a fight against the Tigers. They pretty much responded to everything Clemson threw at them and they look like legitimate ACC title contenders, especially when Sam Hartman is healthy. He had quite the duel with DJ Uiagalelei. The AP voters will keep Wake in here.

I’ll be the first to admit that Florida State wasn’t on my radar when the season started and I was quick to shrug off the Seminoles’ 3-0 start even with that one win over LSU. But it’s tough to ignore them now. The Seminoles dominated a bad Boston College team in Week 4 to improve to 4-0 and maybe Mike Norvell has turned a corner. It looks like Florida State will finally break through.

Minnesota went on the road to face a Big Ten team that began the season ranked in the top 15 and dominated. The Golden Gophers smacked the Spartans of Michigan State around for four quarters, winning 34-7. They almost had a shutout, but Michigan State’s backup quarterback was able to throw a late touchdown pass. Minnesota is the best team in the Big Ten West by a mile.