What do Army, Navy, Indiana, James Madison, Duke, BYU, UNLV and Rutgers have in common?

They are all — shockingly enough — undefeated more than a month into the college football season. Those eight schools are 35-0: two military academies, a private religious-affiliated university in the mountains of Utah, three basketball schools, a Big Ten cellar-dweller located in New Jersey and a school in Virginia named after the fourth U.S. president.

But after another wacky Saturday in college football, these programs sit among the list of 18 total FBS unbeatens.

Army and Navy are 4-0 for the first time since World War II. Indiana is 5-0 for the first time since the Vietnam War. JMU, in just its second year in FBS, sits at 4-0. BYU leads the Big 12 with an undefeated record. Rutgers is 4-0 for the first time in more than a decade.

UNLV, without QB Matthew Sluka, cruised to a 59-14 trouncing of Fresno. Down 20-0, Duke stormed back to beat North Carolina to improve to 5-0 in Manny Diaz’s first season.

Who woulda thunk it?

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Mark Stoops’ Kentucky Wildcats provided the most stunning upset of the day, downing Ole Miss in Oxford. Out West, Boise State running back and Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty continues his early season tear. His 259 yards against Washington State give him 845 on the season. He’s averaging an astonishing 10.3 yards a carry.

Enough already! It’s on to our rankings.

One last reminder: We do not consider any preseason polls or any past season results. What happened in the past is in the past. It’s who you’ve beaten and how you’ve beaten them!

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

This week: beat Georgia 41-34

Next week: at Vanderbilt

The Tide now own arguably own the country’s best win of the season. Kalen DeBoer’s team knocked around the Bulldogs for a 28-0 lead, got a record-breaking performance from their quarterback, Jalen Milroe, and survived in the end with a pair of incredible catches from two true freshmen. A win at Wisconsin already in the bag, Bama’s got a good enough resume to claim our top spot.

2. Tennessee Volunteers

This week: Bye

Next week: at Arkansas

The Vols got their quality wins against NC State and at Oklahoma — two convincing power conference victories — but they’ll be tested even more in Fayetteville, where the Hogs are feeling frisky after winning at Auburn. It’s a big game for the future of Arkansas coach Sam Pittman. Can Tennessee’s nasty defensive front slow OC Bobby Petrino’s attack with QB Taylen Green?

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

This week: beat Illinois 21-7

Next week: vs. UCLA

After Illinois scored on its first drive of the game, the Nittany Lions defense forced the Illini into four punts, a fumble, interception and missed field goal. They never mounted a drive longer than 50 yards after the opening score. PSU’s win at West Virginia to start the year and its smothering of a previously ranked and undefeated Illinois has them firmly in our rankings.

4. Texas Longhorns

This week: beat Mississippi State 35-13

Next week: Bye

No Quinn Ewers; no problem. Arch Manning started his second straight game and led the Longhorns to victory over a struggling Bulldogs team. Manning misfired on just five passes, threw for 324 yards and tossed two touchdowns. The Longhorns get a bye before their annual clash against Oklahoma in Dallas. That’s plenty of time for Ewers to regain enough strength for a return against the Sooners.

5. Miami Hurricanes

This week: beat Virginia Tech 38-34

Next week: Bye

Survive and advance! The Hurricanes stormed back to avoid what would be a devastating home loss to a Tech team that had already lost two games. And they needed a controversial replay overturn of what would have been a game-winning Hail Mary for the Hokies. Miami QB Cam Ward threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

6. BYU Cougars

This week: beat Baylor 34-28

Next week: Bye

Some within the industry thought coach Kalani Sitake — in his ninth season — needed a strong year to cool his seat after going 5-7 in Year 1 in the Big 12 in 2023. Here the Cougars are, four games into the season, and without a loss. They led 21-0 against the Bears before hanging on for the win. Couple that with victories at SMU and against Kansas State and the Cougars have a pretty strong resume thus far.

7. Iowa State Cyclones

This week: beat Houston 20-0

Next week: vs. Baylor

The Cyclones aren’t splashy. They don’t have an all-world quarterback or truly incredible skill players. But, boy, do they have a defense. Through four games, Matt Campbell’s team has given up a grand total of 29 points. Their one-point win at Iowa looms as one of the best victories of the season so far. Speaking of Campbell, he became the school’s all-time wins leader with Win No. 57. Fifty-seven!

8. Oregon Ducks

This week: beat UCLA 34-13

Next week: vs. Michigan State

The Ducks haven’t necessarily played any top-10 juggernauts, but they have beaten one of the G5’s best (Boise State), dominated at UCLA on Saturday and whipped Oregon State two weeks ago. That’s enough to (barely) move them into the Top 10. The Ohio State game looms in two weeks.

9. Georgia Bulldogs

This week: lost to Alabama 41-34

Next week: vs. Auburn

The Bulldogs become the first team this year to make our rankings despite a loss. Remember, they’ve got a pair of quality victories away from home (at Kentucky, which knocked off Ole Miss on Saturday; and against Clemson in Atlanta). Losing at Alabama — our No. 1-ranked team — is understandable. And the Dawgs almost came back to win!

10. Missouri Tigers

This week: Bye

Next week: at Texas A&M

The Tigers are new to our rankings. While we understand they haven’t played the toughest schedule — or had the most convincing wins — they have beaten a pair of power conference programs in Vanderbilt and Boston College, each of whom have shown flashes of greatness this season.

Dropped out: Utah (4), Illinois (6), Washington State (9)

Game of the week, if not year, is about to take place in Tuscaloosa. Alabama and Georgia are set to battle in Bryant-Denny Stadium, being the first-ever matchup between Kalen DeBoer and Kirby Smart. ESPN has been in town for the entire weekend with the game set to be broadcasted on ABC.

Unfortunately, there have been some audio technical difficulties in the booth. Thankfully only during the pregame show, Herbstreit was in the middle of talking about the stakes on the line. And then all of a sudden, people at home cannot hear the ESPN analyst.

“Both of these teams have so much pride,” Herbstreit began. “And they want to be the big dog. They want to be the bar in college football. It’s a great discussion –“

From there, the audio from Herbstreit is cut off. Fowler begins to talk shortly after but nothing is coming from his end either. The ESPN broadcast then puts up a graphic discussing the win streak Georgia is and nothing is heard behind it. Eventually, Fowler comes back after around 20 seconds of silence.

Seemingly everybody in the college football world is in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Even former President Donald Trump will be at the game, set to make an appearance at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Having some troubles due to the number of people in town is not too big of a surprise.

For the rest of us watching at home, hopefully, the audio issues do not bleed over into the game broadcast, getting to hear the great commentary of Fowler and Herbstreit.

Mykell Williams set to play against Alabama

Star Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams appears set to play against Alabama on Saturday night, making his return from an ankle injury. Williams was listed as a “game time decision” on the final injury report.

During pregame warmups, Williams appeared to participate in all the drills with his teammates. And while he is apparently available, Williams is not expected to play a full snap load in his return for the Bulldogs, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Williams has been out since early in the season with a sprained ankle. On Saturday morning, it was reported his status would be determined shortly before kickoff.

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report

The choice was easy for ESPN regarding their College GameDay location in Week 5, as the show took place live in Tuscaloosa on Saturday morning, ahead of the gigantic SEC clash between Georgia and Alabama.

Nick Saban returned to a grand ovation, bringing along his wife Terry Saban — known as Miss Terry — as the Celebrity Guest Picker. Aside from the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide, some of the other intense matchups the crew predicted included Louisville at Notre Dame, Illinois at Penn State and Oklahoma State at Kansas State.

Ahead of all the action taking place, the College GameDay crew locked in their Week 5 picks, with a raucous crowd of Alabama fans behind them. Here’s what Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, joined by the aforementioned Miss Terry, came up with for this weekend’s action.

ESPN College GameDay Picks for Week 5:

Georgia at Alabama: Howard got the crowd warmed up, rocking with the Crimson Tide, before Saban and Miss Terry joined hands to select Alabama in an awesome moment, “Roll Tide Roll,” they exclaimed.

Herbstreit is calling the game, so he’s not making a pick, while McAfee chose to roll with Alabama. What would Corso do? He grabbed that Big Al mascot head, and Sweet Home Alabama blared throughout the set, as the entire crew chose to roll with the Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma State at Kansas State: Oklahoma State has been slow out of the gate, can they defeat the Wildcats on the road? They don’t have any believers on Saturday, as everyone is on Kansas State.

Colorado at UCF: Miss Terry was shocked her husband picked against Coach Prime and the Buffaloes, but he wasn’t the only one, Corso and Herbstreit also believe in the Knights.

BYU at Baylor: Corso is the only believer in the Bears, rocking with Baylor to defeat the Cougars.

Illinois at Penn State: Nobody believes the Fighting Illini can pull the upset against the Nittany Lions.

Kentucky at Ole Miss: Everyone is on the Rebels this weekend over the Wildcats.

Louisville at Notre Dame: Only Saban is on the Cardinals on in Week 5.

North Carolina at Duke: Saban and McAfee are the lone dissenters, riding with the Blue Devils.

Oklahoma at Auburn: Howard and Herbstreit are on the Tigers, much to the dismay of the crowd in Tuscaloosa, but the rest of the crew are on the Sooners.

Full CGD analyst picks for Week 5:

Desmond Howard: Alabama, Kansas State, Colorado, BYU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Auburn

Nick Saban: Alabama, Kansas State, UCF, BYU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Louisville, Duke, Oklahoma

Celebrity Guest Picker – Terry Saban: Alabama, Kansas State, Colorado, BYU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Oklahoma

Pat McAfee: Alabama, Kansas State, Colorado, BYU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Duke, Oklahoma

Lee Corso: Kansas State, UCF, Baylor, Penn State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Oklahoma

Kirk Herbstreit: No pick for Georgia at Alabama, Kansas State, UCF, BYU, Penn State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Auburn