College football winners, losers in Week 5: Keelon Russell sparks Alabama to new level, Florida collapses

Russell sparks the Crimson Tide in a blowout road win, while the Gators collapse against Missouri and Bryce Underwood struggles in Michigan's upset loss

Oct 3, 2026 at 8:07 pm ET • 5 min read

Mississippi State's matchup against Alabama was billed as one of the best quarterback battles of the season. Instead, it proved to be a coming-out party for Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, who emerged as one of the biggest winners of Week 5. 

The sophomore outdueled Kamario Taylor to deliver the Tide a fifth straight dominant victory. Several other AP Top 25 teams were challenged, including big deficits by No. 20 Houston. Outside of No. 8 Florida, all of them eventually managed to pull through. 

There are plenty more matchups to keep an eye on as we head into primetime. Four ranked teams play road games, including No. 4 Miami traveling to Clemson. A few other teams in the late-night slate can make statements, including Baylor-Arizona State and Cincinnati-Arizona. Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 5 before the evening slate. 

Winner: Alabama

Beware, college football: the Alabama death machine is back. The Crimson Tide went on the road against a nationally-ranked Mississippi State and delivered kill shot after kill shot to Kamario Taylor and the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs turned the ball over four times, including two from Taylor on the first two drives, to set up a blowout victory. 

But the story of the day was under center, where Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell was sensational. The sophomore threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. With Russell under center, Alabama's offense is starting to look like the unstoppable Michael Penix Jr. unit DeBoer fielded at Washington. There's a lot of football left, but the Tide look like a serious national championship contender. 

Loser: Florida

The Gators got plenty of love after crushing Ole Miss, including a rise into the AP top 10 for the first time since 2021. That trip won't last long after the Gators completely collapsed against No. 25 Missouri in a stunning 45-17 decision. The Tigers completely dominated the trenches, holding Jadan Baugh to only 13 yards rushing. 

Florida rose to the top of the SEC and playoff conversation after a hot start, but much of it is now in doubt after the emotional swing. Now, the Gators will wonder what could have been as they face No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Georgia in the coming weeks. 

Winner: Wisconsin

The Badgers haven't had much to celebrate during the Luke Fickell era, but a 31-3 decimation of Pat Fitzgerald's Michigan State felt like a deep exhale. Wisconsin jumped out to a 17-0 lead and got more than 140 yards passing and rushing from quarterback Colton Joseph. 

Wisconsin's administration gambled they could get more out of the Fickell hire with additional roster investment. Since a slow start against Notre Dame, the Badgers have looked the part, rattling off four straight victories. A road trip against No. 23 UCLA will reveal the mettle of this team, but they're playing with tremendous confidence. 

Loser: Penn State

When Penn State fired James Franklin, the hope was that the Nittany Lions could find a coach able to punch up and beat the elite teams in college football. Through two games, Matt Campbell has proven unable to take care of business against the middle class. 

One week after collapsing against Wisconsin, Penn State went on the road and got destroyed 34-13 against Northwestern. The Nittany Lions were obliterated in the trenches specifically, losing the rushing battle by an astonishing 413-48. Penn State is at serious risk of missing a bowl game. Campbell's contract is fully guaranteed, but he couldn't have drawn up a worse start to his career. 

Winner: RB Aiden Flora, Iowa State

The Cyclones didn't return a single starter from their 2025 team (as many followed Campbell to State College). But five games into the season, one of the few players who stayed looks like the top breakout player in the Big 12. Flora carried the ball only 15 times in two seasons under Campbell. First-year coach Jimmy Rogers had a better plan. 

Flora exploded for 212 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a dramatic 45-42 win against West Virginia. Amazingly, he also added 48 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air as offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl found perfect ways to use him. 

Iowa State is up to 3-2 after stunning the Mountaineers and has played exceptionally well in all five games. Rogers' rebuild is well ahead of schedule. 

Loser: QB Bryce Underwood, Michigan

Michigan's offense has lost its magic. While quarterback Bryce Underwood is an easy target, the sophomore was a total disaster in a 20-14 loss against Minnesota. 

Underwood completed only 10 of 21 passes for 101 yards and two interceptions in the loss as Michigan started 0-2 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2014. Underwood is completing only 54.5% of his passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions against power conference competition. The Wolverines will seriously consider a change during the bye week. 

Winner: WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

We've had Smith as a winner essentially every week of the year, but what do you want us to do? In Week 5, Smith passed Emeka Egbuka and Chris Olave, respectively, to set the Ohio State records for receptions and receiving touchdowns. After recording 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa, Smith is up to 44 catches for 823 yards and nine touchdowns. The season isn't even halfway over! 

Loser: California

Tosh Lupoi seemed to be an exciting hire to maximize quarterback Jaren-Keawe Sagapolutele, but he's lost every ounce of goodwill after a miserable 2-3 start to the season. The Golden Bears lost an awful game 39-31 against UNLV on Saturday after going down 24-7 at halftime. 

Sagapolutele left the loss against UNLV with an apparent head injury, though backup Jackson Brousseau played well in his absence. Still, Lupoi will have to consider all options on offense to right the ship. As it stands, the Golden Bears will be heavy underdogs in every game until rival Stanford on Nov. 21. 

Winner: QB Dante Reno, Yale

One day after losing his father, Yale quarterback Dante Reno stepped up with a masterful performance. The junior shook off an early pick-six to respond with 298 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs outlasted Merrimack 41-24 on Saturday. 

Dante's father, Tony Reno, coached at Yale from 2012-25, winning five Ivy League titles and ranking No. 2 on the program's all-time wins list. He was forced to step down due to health issues before his untimely passing on Friday. Tony was 52.