Top five D-I football programs analyzed

As we enter the sixth weekend of college football, conversation about the Heisman has begun, teams have already accomplished tremendous upsets and the season is barely a month old. This week, we will delve into the top five college football programs in the country.

The Auburn Tigers have taken the No. 1 spot in ESPN’s College Football Power Rankings for week seven, around the halfway point of the season, after beating the LSU Tigers 41-7. Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, who was instrumental in the team’s turnaround last season, threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns while also tallying 119 rushing yards and two scores, easily his best performance of the season. Running back Cameron Artis-Payne added another 126 yards on the ground. Auburn’s defense also performed well, advancing to 14th in total defense, allowing an average of 306.6 yards per game and holding LSU to its first loss this regular season. The Tigers now sit with a very impressive 5-0 record on the season, good for first overall in the West Division. Auburn’s next opponent will be Mississippi State when the Tigers travel to face off against the Bulldogs, another undefeated team in the West Division. Both teams will put their perfect record on the line, though the Tigers have the clear edge according to multiple college football experts.

Coming in at second place in the power rankings are last year’s champions, the Florida State Seminoles. Florida State remains undefeated after beating the Wake Forest Demon Deacons this past weekend by an embarrassing final score of 43-3. Kicker Roberto Aguayo scored five field goals, four of which were outside of the 40 yard line, while last year’s Heisman winner, quarterback Jameis Winston, threw for 297 yards and a touchdown, while running for a score as well. Despite the strong offensive performance, it was the Seminole defense that stole the spotlight, holding Wake Forest to 126 yards and forcing three turnovers. The 2014 champions will travel to upstate New York this weekend to face off against the Syracuse Orange, a team that has struggled to find its identity while accumulating a 2-3 record so far on the season.

Speaking of the Bulldogs, Mississippi State jumped nine spots in the rankings, taking third place this week after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies 48-31. Quarterback Dak Prescott, who is already in the running for a potential Heisman, completed 20 of 26 passes for a total of 268 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another three to cap off a nearly perfect day of football. Running back Josh Robinson added another two touchdowns and now totals 592 all-purpose yards this season. On defense, linebacker Richie Brown tied a school record by intercepting three passes. The Bulldogs will face No. 1 ranked Auburn this weekend in an SEC matchup that will likely affect the rankings for the rest of the season. As mentioned above, Auburn holds the advantage, but expect this game to be one of the most memorable of the college football season.

Ole Miss takes fourth place, and is the last of three SEC teams in the top five. The Rebels beat Alabama 23-17 after a nail biting fourth quarter. Ole Miss scored twice in the last five and a half minutes of play, including an incredible end-zone interception with 37 seconds left on the clock. They held the Crimson Tide, who came to Mississippi averaging 42 points per game, to a mere 17. They remain undefeated heading into another star-studded matchup this weekend when the Rebels travel to College Station, Texas to take on the Aggies of Texas A&M.

Rounding out the top five is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who beat Stanford 17-14 this past weekend in a very tight matchup. Despite the Cardinal’s undefeated record, quarterback Everett Golson’s performance is cause for concern as he continues a worrying streak of offensive performances, finishing just 20-for-43 passing with an interception and a fumble. However, what Notre Dame lacked in offense, it made up for in defensive performance, holding the Cardinal to 205 yards and intercepting Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan twice. The Fighting Irish will play host to the Tar Heels of North Carolina, who have notched a 2-3 record thus far this season and will have to perform on all cylinders if they hope to best a stingy Notre Dame defense this weekend.