Reality Check: Florida Crashes, Alabama Rolls, and USC Survives Week Five.

Written By: Daunte Lee Jones

College Football, Film, & MMA Contributor

Waymo Jordan finds the endzone for USC.

Missouri defense shutdown Florida’s run game.

Keelon Russell is a rising star in College Football.

Jeremiah Smith is hands down the best wide receiver in college football.

In the most competitive game of the week #18 USC would take on Washington. Though Washington isn’t a ranked team, they are one of the more dangerous unranked teams with the ability to gain a shocking win if an opposing team falters, making this an important game the Trojans would have to pull through if their hopes to make the college football playoffs were to continue.

Early in the game a muffed punt from USC’s Terrell Anderson would put the Huskies in the red zone where in a creative play call Demond Williams Jr. would toss the ball to wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck in the backfield who would pass to Baron Naone for a touchdown and the lead. A desperate interception from USC quarterback Jayden Maiava would look to determine the flow of the game, but Washington’s inability to capitalize on the mistake would keep the Trojans in the game.

After a rushing touchdown from Waymond Jordan, USC would hold the lead for a second before back-to-back scores from the Huskies would give them a 21-10 lead. On a 50/50 ball wide receiver Tanook Hines would rip down a touchdown for the Trojans to cut the lead, followed by a housed fumble off the hands of Demond Williams Jr. who was unaware of the defender behind him while trying to convert a key 3rd down. USC would take the lead, but the Huskies would get back into the endzone with one more chance on a fourth down to score and would fail, cementing a huge USC victory, 25-21. 

The perceived second-best receiver in college football, Malachi Toney seems to be facing competition for the spot from his own teammate in Cooper Barkate who continued his streak of excellent play in a win against Clemson with 98 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop bounces back from a disappointing game against Texas, with a strong showing against Auburn rushing for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

#8 Florida should be on fraud watch after their disappointing performance against #25 Missouri. The Gators came off a huge blowout victory against Ole Miss the past week, though I credited the Rebels's bad performance due to their exhaustion because of their previous matchup, I still took the Gators seriously because of their dominant play in the run game.

In this bout Missouri would find the way to stop that run game, with Florida totaling 42 total rushing yards, a 260 yard dropoff from the previous week. Star running back Jadan Baugh would drown with 12 carries for a measly 13 yards. The Tigers would force the opposing quarterback Aaron Philo to be the factor that would win the game, but he would fold under the pressure and become a non-factor.

On offense Missouri would perform perfectly with the receiver duo of Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode both totaling over 90 receiving yards, coming from quarterback Austin Simmons who looks to be a sneaky player to watch entering the 2027 NFL draft. Running back Jamal Roberrts would be the fang of the Tigers with his 211 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns on 24 carries, proving the be deciding factor for their 45-17 upset victory. 

#7 Alabama went into Davis Wade Stadium to take on #16 Mississippi State in a game where many thought the underdog would sneak a victory. Though both teams entered this game undefeated, it would be the Bulldogs who seemed to have the momentum on their side coming from their statement victory over Missouri the past week.

A costly fumble from Kamario Taylor in the first drive of the game would decide the outcome of the game as the Crimson Tide dominated their opponent with their overwhelming talent. Keelon Russell would feed the ball to all of his teammates and finish the game with an efficient 72% completion rate for 285 passing yards and 4 four total touchdowns. Mississippi State simply could not keep up with the juggernaut as the game ended, 56-23, with Alabama preventing the upset. 

This week of college football has confirmed that Jeremiah Smith is the unrivaled greatest wide receiver in the modern college football landscape. Against #14 Iowa, Smith would total 206 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns off of 11 receptions, leaving the Hawkeyes with no way to defend the rising star.

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