Some Top 25 results were the real deal, others merely smoke and mirrors during Week 5

Back Porch Sports’ Scott Hamilton is one of 69 voters in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. Here’s how his Week 5 ballot shook out:

Magic Edition

Illusion: Actually, it’s reality that the very top of these rankings didn’t budge. Top-ranked Texas had Week 4 off and remained at No. 1. The three other teams at the very top of these rankings remained in place, winning their respective games by an average margin of 21 points.

That includes Miami beating ACC foe Clemson, 41-13. It was Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s fourth-worst loss ever and improved to the Hurricanes to 5-0 (3-0 ACC) for the second straight season. Miami is fourth in these rankings, and has Week 5 off before hosting Florida State.

Abracadabra: Just like that, Alabama has gone from 12th during the first two weeks of the season to looking like a legit national championship contender. 

The Crimson Tide (5-0, 3-0 SEC) has pummeled the opposition by nearly 30 points a game, including a Week 4 drubbing of previously unbeaten Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 56-23. It appears to have exorcised the issues that plagued it last year, and quarterback Keelon Russell has been a revelation. 

The sophomore has thrown for 1,414 yards this season, 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions while also rushing for 184 yards and four more scores. Russell played turnover-free football against the Bulldogs, going 16-of-22 for 285 yards and three touchdowns passing, while rushing for another score.

Alabama hosts No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) this week.

Sleight of hand: Two-thirds of these rankings remained in familiar territory. Eight teams either stayed in place or only moved one spot up or down.

That includes No. 18 Southern Cal, which had its hands full with struggling Washington. The Trojans (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) won, 25-21, though only after falling behind 21-10 in the third quarter.

Nineteenth-ranked SMU (4-1, 2-1 ACC) also seemed to play with its food before finally putting Boston College away, 25-16.

Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings entered the game leading the FBS with 357 yards a game. But he had one of the worst starts of his career, going 20 of 30 for 160 yards. Jennings still managed to throw a pair of scoring passes despite his lowest passing yardage since 2004.

Presto chango: Kentucky went for a 2-point conversion on the final possession of the first overtime to beat South Carolina, 35-34. It not only snapped a four-game losing streak to the Gamecocks and put South Carolina coach Shane Beamer’s job security on a respirator – it also moved the Wildcats up one spot on this list. Kentucky is now 22nd.

Now you see them: After a week of criticism for landing in the final poll (though not in these rankings), Missouri went out and wrapped up a signature win. The Tigers beat up Florida, 45-17, to give coach Eli Drinkwitz his first victory over a top-10 opponent in 11 tries. The margin of victory and the quality fo the opponent was enough to not only thrust Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC) into these rankings, but helicopter it in at No.15.

Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC) drops 10 spots to sixteenth.

Now you don’t: Iowa and Virginia Tech were int these rankings at Nos. 14 and 20, respectively. 

The Hawkeyes’ exit is pretty simple: their 31-14 loss to Ohio State booted them. 

But the Hokies are gone not so much because a potentially game-winning 36-yard field goal missed the mark as time expired. Rather, it was four turnovers that Pittsburgh converted into 14 points that did them in. The Panthers won, 35-33.

Shell game The SEC again had the most teams in these rankings with nine, three more than any other conference. Iowa’s exit dropped the Big Ten five teams, with three being booted and UCLA its only the addition. Five teams from the Big 12 made the cut, while the ACC landed four. 

Notre Dame, as usual, is the lone independent. 

Hamilton’s rankings (last week): 

1. Texas (1)

2. Georgia (2)

3. Notre Dame (3)

4. Miami (4)

5. Alabama (8)

6. Ohio State (7)

7. Indiana (5)

8. BYU (9)

9. Ole Miss (10)

10. LSU (11)

11. Texas Tech (12)

12. Utah (13)

13. Oregon (16)

14. Tennessee (17)

15. Missouri (NR)

16. Florida (6) 

17. Mississippi State (15)

18. Southern Cal (18)

19. SMU (19)

20. Oklahoma State (21)

21. Kentucky (22)

22. Wake Forest (25) 

23. Houston (23)

24. UCLA (24)

25. Boise State (NR)

Follow Scott Hamilton on X @ScottHsports