Kirk Herbstreit releases College Football Playoff Top 4, first 2 out after Week 5

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has named his top four for the College Football Playoff after Week 5 of the 2023 season, along with his first two out. It features the same six teams as he did in Week 4 but it is a totally different order in the top four.

Herbstreit has Georgia, Texas, Washington and Florida State all in his top four once again. This time, it is the defending champion Bulldogs who have the top spot. For the second straight week, Michigan and Ohio State are two teams on the outside looking in.

The Seminoles and Buckeyes retained their position in the top six of the ranking during their bye weeks while the other four teams won to move to 5-0.

1. Georgia

Auburn gave Georgia its best shot in this weekend’s contest on The Plains. But the Bulldogs emerged victorious with a 27-20 win.

It was a signature game for both quarterback Carson Beck and tight end Brock Bowers. Beck, who Herbstreit said grew up in the game, had 313 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

2. Texas

Texas rollicked its way through the Kansas defense Saturday in a historic showing in Austin. The Longhorns totaled 661 yards, which is a program record in a Big 12 game.

Quinn Ewers threw for 325 yards and one score while Jonathon Brooks established himself as the team’s top running back with a two-touchdown, 217-yard game. Texas couldn’t have asked for a better game heading into its rivalry showdown with Oklahoma.

3. Washington

Washington was the No. 1 team in Herbstreit’s ranking last week but has fallen two spots to No. 3. The Huskies defeated Arizona on the road Saturday, but it was a much closer affair than people were expecting.

There are no questions about the Washington offense at this point, which Herbstreit says is the most explosive of the top teams. Heisman contender Michael Penix Jr. had 1999 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions on the season.

4. Florida State

Florida State was on a bye this week following its 4-0 start to the season. It will host Virginia Tech in Week 6.

The Seminoles have arguably the best resume in the country with their wins over LSU and Clemson, two of the four programs that are most recent winners of the College Football Playoff. The most difficult part of their schedule is over, putting them in a good spot to make a run to the playoff.

5. Michigan

Michigan once again finds itself on the outside looking in of Herbstreit’s top four rankings despite a thorough victory. The Wolverines are 5-0 while scoring at least 30 points in all five games and allowing seven yards or less in all of them.

They may have had their most well-rounded performance of the year this past weekend with its beatdown of Nebraska in Lincoln. But the team has still yet to go against a high-quality opponent, leaving some questions about the team going forward.

6. Ohio State

Ohio State was on bye this week after its thrilling victory over Notre Dame the previous week. But the Buckeyes will return with a difficult challenge in undefeated Maryland.

The Terrapins are no joke, having won every game by 18 points while scoring at least 31 in every game. They steamrolled Indiana this past week behind 352 yards and five touchdowns from Taulia Tagovailoa.