college football rankings week 5

Another wild college football weekend in which three of the top six teams lost created plenty of waves in the USA TODAY coaches poll. Potential BCS bust Boise State was arguably the biggest beneficiary.

The Broncos climbed three places this week to No.5. It is the highest ranking ever for the Broncos in the coaches poll, even surpassing their No. 6 finish in the final rankings following their perfect 2006 campaign. BSU’s easy 49-14 at Bowling Green helped, but the ranking was also likely buoyed by Oregon’s 42-3 demolition of then-No. 6 California.

Oregon, returning to the poll this week at No.25, has now won three in a row since losing on opening night at Boise. BSU appeared on all 59 ballots, picked as high as fourth by nine coaches and fifth on 20 other ballots. Their lowest was a No. 18 vote on one ballot. The Broncos will be heavily favored to sweep the Western Athletic Conference, and that victory over Oregon will be its best argument for a return to the Bowl Championship Series.

But two other teams from conferences without automatic inclusion in the big-money BCS lineup also have strong cases. TCU of the Mountain West Conference ground out a 14-10 win at Clemson to remain unbeaten and moved up to No. 10 in the rankings. The Horned Frogs were also picked as high as fourth on a single ballot and also got a fifth-place nod.

No. 15 Houston of Conference USA is also in the BCS busting mix after winning a 29-28 thriller over Texas Tech, the Cougars’ second win over a Big 12 opponent.

The top three teams remained the same, with No. 1 Florida claiming 58 of 59 first-place votes after a dominant win at Kentucky. Texas held on to the No. 2 spot, getting the last No. 1 nod, following an easy win against Texas-El Paso. Alabama maintained the No. 3 spot by downing Arkansas at home. LSU, which hosts Florida in two weeks, climbed to fourth.

No.17 Iowa, which won at then-No.4 Penn State, returned to the top 25 for the first time since the preseason. Penn State fell to No. 13.

North Carolina and Florida State dropped out after losses