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College Football Conference Title Futures: Week 5

John Supowitz highlights three contenders for their college football conference titles based on what we know entering Week 5.

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We’re a month into the college football season and have already seen some major movement in the rankings. 

This has turned some teams that were originally counted out into potential contenders.

Let’s examine three conference title futures as we head into Week 5.

College Football Conference Title Futures for Week 5

Miami Hurricanes

Did you know that Miami has been in the ACC since 2004 and has never won the conference? That may change this season.

The ACC could have other legit contenders this season, including Clemson, which has played better since its loss to LSU. Duke is 4-0, and Pitt looks great, but Miami looks far better than all of them.

Darian Mensah appears to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country, leading in completion rate (88.7%); in fact, he has fewer incompletions (12) than passing touchdowns. 

Wide receiver Malachi Toney is coming off an amazing freshman season and is again one of the most electric pass-catchers in the country. He ranks second in yards after the catch (243), third in receiving yards (564), and fourth in receiving touchdowns (6). 

The Hurricanes’ success comes from dominating on both sides of the ball. Miami is the only team in the nation ranked in the top nine in scoring offense and defense. 

Miami hasn’t had a tough schedule to start the year, but their recent win over Wake Forest looks better after the Demon Deacons upset No. 16 Louisville last week. 

This week, Miami has a primetime road matchup against Clemson, and it could be its first test of the year. If the Hurricanes show the same level of dominance in the hostile environment of Death Valley, they could be the real deal.

Georgia Bulldogs

The Bulldogs are seeking their third straight SEC championship, and from how they are playing this season, that’s a strong possibility.

Offensively, quarterback Gunner Stockton has been efficient, ranking eighth in completion rate (74.3%) but 82nd in passing yards (754). That’s because they are crushing their opponents with a +106-point margin, which has led the Bulldogs to run the ball, as they rank 38th in rushing play percentage (57.2%).

The schedule gets tougher with three games against top-ten teams (No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Florida, No. 9 Ole Miss), but Georgia looks like the better team right now. Every year, they face a challenging schedule and remain a contender. 

Given how the Bulldogs have played to start the season, they look as good as the Georgia teams that won those National Championships a few years ago. Those teams had a quarterback who could command an offense, great running backs, and one of the top defenses in the country, and this team looks like it has all those components.

Utah Utes

Texas Tech is the reigning Big 12 champion and the favorite to win the conference title, but their path to a repeat may not be guaranteed. That’s because Utah has had an incredible start to the season, winning all four games by a combined score of 173-41.

Quarterback Devon Dampier has always been effective with his legs throughout his college career, but to take the next step as a top-tier dual-threat quarterback, he needed to improve his passing. This season, he is posting his best passing numbers, including career highs in completion percentage (70.3%), yards per attempt (8.9), and passer rating (172.2).

Dampier can focus on being a better passer because of running back Wayshawn Parker. He’s coming off a career-high 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the win over Iowa State. As great of a runner as Parker is, his receiving ability makes him highly valuable. He leads the nation among running backs in receiving touchdowns (4) and is third in receiving yards (154).

The Utes’ schedule improves their chances of reaching the Big 12 championship. They avoid Texas Tech and play their two toughest opponents at home (No. 10 BYU and No. 20 Houston).

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