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We have now entered the third week of the OutKick College Football top-12, and what an incredible weekend it was, with a number of fantastic games that will make this week’s poll certainly interesting. 

I hope you all didn’t turn off the Alabama vs. Georgia game at halftime on Saturday night, as the Bulldogs put together an incredible comeback that came up short on their final possession. 

But that wasn’t the only game that changed the college football playoff poll this week. Down in Oxford, Mississippi, it was the Kentucky Wildcats that pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend. Sorry Virginia Tech fans, I have no idea how they overturned the touchdown call. 

Heading into the season with aspirations of playing for a national championship, Ole Miss looked like a team that would fight for an SEC title. Now, I’m not implying that one game will define the 2024 season, but if Lane Kiffin and the Rebels play like they did on Saturday against Kentucky, they won’t be a team we’re discussing for the playoffs in late November. 

Kentucky shocks Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 28: head coach Lane Kiffin of the Mississippi Rebels  during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 28, 2024 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

A huge win for Mark Stoops, as the Wildcats stormed into Mississippi and shutdown the Rebels high-octane offense, upsetting No.6 Ole Miss. 

On the other side of the country, No.10 Utah was beaten by Arizona in a Big-12 game that will have ramifications for the Utes. I did not expect the other Wildcats to pull-off the upset win, and it proves how tough the conference will continue to be this season. 

Alright, let’s introduce you to our expert pickers for the OutKick Top-12. 

Here is the list of pickers for each week’s OutKick Top-12 Poll. 

  • Clay Travis
  • Trey Wallace
  • Chad Withrow
  • Jonathan Hutton
  • Dan Dakich
  • Les Miles
  • Brock Huard
  • Tim Brando
  • Lou Holtz
  • Tommy Tuberville
  • Jeannine Edwards
  • Will Cain
  • Ricky Cobb
  • Kelly Stewart

The OutKick College Football Playoff Top-12 Poll, Week Five Rankings

After crunching the numbers and deciding on who would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, here’s how the rankings came out after week five of the college football season. 

The OutKick College Football Playoff Top-12

The OutKick College Football Playoff Top-12

Don’t forget, the rankings include the conference champions, who make up the top-four teams in the poll, with each one getting a first-round bye. Things could’ve gotten a bit crazier if the Virginia Tech touchdown was confirmed, but I’ll move on from that wacky ending. 

How The College Football Playoff’s Would Look. Each Vote This Week

Now we get to the fun part, which is finding out how each voter had their top-12. We have seen some interesting votes in recent weeks, which is what makes this poll so intriguing. 

The OutKick College Football Playoff Projected Matchups

The OutKick College Football Playoff Projected Matchups

The OutKick College Football Playoff Top-12

Voters pick The OutKick College Football Playoff Top-12

The voters were split 50/50 on who should be ranked first in the new Top-12 poll, Alabama and Texas were the favorites, according to the voters. Obviously, the win over Georgia put them in a fantastic spot to take the overall No.1 seed for the playoffs, representing the SEC. 

I have to give some props to Dan Dakich, as he has stayed on the Indiana train for the opening weeks, and it seems to be paying off. Right now, the Hoosiers are 5-0, with a good chance that they could be undefeated when the Ohio State game comes around next month. 

LISTEN TO THE ELITE 12 ANNOUNCEMENT ON DON’T@ME

The OutKick Elite Top 12 – Week 5

Following the loss to Kentucky, the Ole Miss Rebels are only ranked in four out of 10 polls this week. We have a long way to go, but a majority of the experts feel as if their loss to the Kentucky Wildcats would have them out of the playoffs. Lane Kiffin will take his squad to South Carolina this week. 

As for the final spot, which could be the at-large berth, we are definitely all-over the place when it comes to who gets that coveted spot. While Boise State received enough votes to take the 12th spot, there were a number of teams that caught the panel’s attention. UNLV, Tulane, Navy and James Madison all received a vote, which makes this final spot so intriguing over the next two months. 

Let me know what you think of this week’s OutKick Top-12. Send your arguments or who you think deserves a spot to Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com