Missouri Upsets No. 8 Florida 45-17 in College Football Week 5

Missouri beat No. 8 Florida 45-17 on Saturday, ending the Gators' first top-10 stay since 2020 after just one week, according to ESPN's Week 5 recap. The score validated a warning Florida coach Jon Sumrall issued seven days earlier, after his team blew out then-No. 4 Ole Miss: "We have not arrived," he said, per ESPN.

Why Did Florida Lose After Beating Ole Miss?

Florida's rout of Ole Miss the prior week had looked like a signature win. The Rebels had climbed to No. 4 in the AP poll on the strength of a 32-24 victory over LSU, ESPN reported, and Florida's win over them was described by the network as "lopsided." Six days later, Missouri turned the tables, handing the Gators the 45-17 defeat that knocked them out of the top 10.

How Many Yards Did Keelon Russell Throw For Against Mississippi State?

Alabama freshman quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns against then-No. 16 Mississippi State, ESPN reported, outplaying Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor in a matchup Starkville had hoped would cement Taylor as a Heisman Trophy contender. Mississippi State entered the week unbeaten and tied for its highest AP ranking in a decade, according to ESPN, before what the network called a "reality check" against the Crimson Tide.

What Made Jeremiah Smith's Highlight Record-Setting?

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith produced what ESPN labeled a "record-setting highlight" during the Buckeyes' game against Iowa, drawing a reaction from NBA star LeBron James that became its own headline: "THROW IT TO 4!" ESPN did not detail the underlying statistic in the material reviewed, but the play reinforced a broader theme from the network's Week 5 coverage — Ohio State looked like the class of a growing field of one-loss national title contenders.

Where Do One-Loss Teams Stand in the Playoff Race?

ESPN's post-Week 5 projection of the 12-team College Football Playoff field put Ohio State atop what the network described as a growing crop of one-loss teams. The Buckeyes' performance against Iowa, paired with Alabama's win over Mississippi State, gave the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences fresh playoff ammunition entering October, according to ESPN's analysis.

What Comes Next for Florida, Mississippi State and Ohio State?

Florida now faces a credibility test after cracking the top 10 for the first time in six years only to fall out of it in a single week, per ESPN. Mississippi State's loss ended its unbeaten run and will reset expectations for Taylor's Heisman candidacy. Ohio State, meanwhile, heads into the back half of the schedule as one of the teams ESPN's CFP model favors most, with Smith's playmaking cited as a central reason why.

ESPN's full Week 5 recap includes additional scores, highlights and quotes from across the slate, available at the network's gameday final page.

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