Georgia nipping on Alabama’s heels in Westgate power ratings

Alabama’s status as the best team in college football is starting to come into question.

The defending national champion still holds the top spot in the Westgate SuperBook’s power ratings, but the gap has closed to two points on a neutral field against Georgia.

Alabama’s rating dropped a point to 106.5 after last week’s 63-14 blowout of Southern Mississippi, while Georgia gained a point to 104.5 after crushing Vanderbilt 62-0. ESPN’s FPI ratings have gone a step further, placing Georgia in the top spot, a half-point above Alabama.

Meanwhile, the gap between the top two and the rest of college football is growing. Ohio State and Oklahoma dropped three points off their ratings but remain Nos. 3 and 4.

The Westgate would make Alabama a 10-point favorite over Ohio State or Oklahoma on a neutral field, and Georgia would be an 8-point favorite over the Buckeyes or Sooners.

WESTGATE RATINGS

The Westgate’s power ratings of all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, from No. 1 Alabama to new No. 130 Massachusetts:

1. Alabama, 106.5

2. Georgia, 104.5

3. Ohio State, 96.5

4. Oklahoma, 96.5

5. Mississippi, 94.5

6. Clemson, 93.5

7. Florida, 93.5

8. Cincinnati, 92.5

9. Texas A&M, 91.5

10. Penn State, 90.5

11. Iowa, 90.5

12. Michigan, 90.5

13. Oregon, 90.5

14. Wisconsin, 89.5

15. Iowa State, 89.5

16. Texas, 88.5

17. Auburn, 88.5

18. Arkansas, 88.5

19. North Carolina, 87.5

20. Notre Dame, 87.5

21. LSU, 87.5

22. Central Florida, 86.5

23. Fresno State, 85.5

24. UCLA, 85.5

25. Miami (Fla.), 84.5

26. Wake Forest, 84.5

27. Arizona State, 84.5

28. Coastal Carolina, 84.5

29. Virginia Tech, 83.5

30. Pittsburgh, 83.5

31. Nebraska, 83.5

32. Michigan State, 83.5

33. Oklahoma State, 83.5

34. West Virginia, 83.5

35. Boise State, 83.5

36. Utah, 83.5

37. Kentucky, 83.5

38. SMU, 82.5

39. North Carolina State, 82.5

40. Indiana, 82.5

41. Maryland, 82.5

42. TCU, 82.5

43. Washington, 82.5

44. Virginia, 81.5

45. Louisville, 81.5

46. Minnesota, 81.5

47. Baylor, 81.5

48. Southern California, 81.5

49. Appalachian State, 81.5

50. Mississippi State, 81.5

51. Brigham Young, 80.5

52. Oregon State, 80.5

53. Missouri, 80.5

54. Boston College, 79.5

55. Purdue, 79.5

56. UNR, 79.5

57. California, 79.5

58. Tulsa, 78.5

59. Kansas State, 78.5

60. Liberty, 78.5

61. Stanford, 78.5

62. Louisiana (Lafayette), 78.5

63. Memphis, 77.5

64. UAB, 77.5

65. UTSA, 77.5

66. Toledo, 77.5

67. Houston, 76.5

68. Tulane, 76.5

69. Florida State, 76.5

70. Northwestern, 76.5

71. Rutgers, 76.5

72. Texas Tech, 76.5

73. Marshall, 76.5

74. San Diego State, 76.5

75. Georgia Tech, 75.5

76. Western Michigan, 75.5

77. Wyoming, 75.5

78. Western Kentucky, 74.5

79. Army, 74.5

80. San Jose State, 74.5

81. Air Force, 74.5

82. Tennessee, 74.5

83. South Carolina, 74.5

84. Illinois, 73.5

85. Washington State, 73.5

86. Duke, 72.5

87. Central Michigan, 72.5

88. Kent State, 72.5

89. Colorado, 72.5

90. Syracuse, 71.5

91. Florida Atlantic, 71.5

92. Troy, 71.5

93. East Carolina, 70.5

94. Utah State, 70.5

95. Ball State, 68.5

96. Eastern Michigan, 67.5

97. Hawaii, 67.5

98. Colorado State, 67.5

99. Georgia State, 67.5

100. Louisiana Tech, 65.5

101. Miami (Ohio), 65.5

102. Buffalo, 65.5

103. Arizona, 64.5

104. Arkansas State, 64.5

105. South Alabama, 64.5

106. Northern Illinois, 63.5

107. Rice, 62.5

108. Middle Tennessee, 62.5

109. Charlotte, 62.5

110. Florida International, 62.5

111. Ohio, 62.5

112. New Mexico, 62.5

113. Georgia Southern, 62.5

114. Navy, 61.5

115. South Florida, 61.5

116. Vanderbilt, 61.5

117. Texas State, 60.5

118. Temple, 58.5

119. North Texas, 58.5

120. UNLV, 58.5

121. Kansas, 57.5

122. Southern Mississippi, 57.5

123. UTEP, 57.5

124. Old Dominion, 54.5

125. Bowling Green, 54.5

126. Connecticut, 48.5

127. Akron, 48.5

128. Louisiana-Monroe, 48.5

129. New Mexico State, 45.5

130. Massachusetts, 45.5

BIGGEST RISE

— Connecticut is no longer rated as the worst team in college football. The Huskies gained nine points to 48.5 after sticking close to Wyoming in a 24-22 loss last week and climbed from No. 130 to No. 126 in the ratings. Massachusetts takes over the bottom spot, though its rating stayed the same at 45.5.

BIGGEST FALL

— Texas Christian dropped six points to 82.5 after losing 42-34 to rival Southern Methodist. The Horned Frogs fell from No. 18 to No. 42 in the ratings.

WEEK 5 POINT SPREAD COMPARISON

Here is a comparison of Week 5 point spreads to spreads created by two popular power rating services, ESPN’s FPI and Jeff Sagarin, along with the raw numbers from the Westgate SuperBook (which sometimes differ from actual spreads).

Notes: Power rating spreads are rounded to the nearest half-point and reflect three points added for home-field advantage. ESPN FPI does not produce ratings for Football Championship Subdivision teams. Teams are listed with Associated Press poll ranking where applicable.

Thursday

— Virginia at Miami (Fla.) (-5½, total 62), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Miami -7½

Sagarin: Miami -3½

Westgate: Miami -6

Friday

— Houston at Tulsa (-5, total 55), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Tulsa -2½

Sagarin: Tulsa -5

Westgate: Tulsa -5

— No. 5 Iowa (-3½, 47½) at Maryland, 5 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Iowa -2½

Sagarin: Iowa -7

Westgate: Iowa -5

— No. 13 Brigham Young (-8½, 62½) at Utah State, 6 p.m.

ESPN FPI: BYU -8½

Sagarin: BYU -6½

Westgate: BYU -7

Saturday

— No. 8 Arkansas at No. 2 Georgia (-19, 48½), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Georgia -17

Sagarin: Georgia -17

Westgate: Georgia -19

— No. 14 Michigan at Wisconsin (-2, 43½), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Michigan -6½

Sagarin: Michigan -6½

Westgate: Wisconsin -2

— Tennessee at Missouri (-3, 65), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Missouri -1

Sagarin: Missouri -2½

Westgate: Missouri -9

— Charlotte at Illinois (-11, 55), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Illinois -11

Sagarin: Illinois -8½

Westgate: Illinois -14

— Pittsburgh (-3½, 58) at Georgia Tech, 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Pittsburgh -1½

Sagarin: Pittsburgh PK

Westgate: Pittsburgh -5

— Duke at North Carolina (-20, 72), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: North Carolina -13½

Sagarin: North Carolina -11½

Westgate: North Carolina -18

— Minnesota at Purdue (-2, 47½), 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Purdue -7

Sagarin: Purdue -8

Westgate: Purdue -1

— Toledo (-27, 57) at Massachusetts, 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Toledo -21

Sagarin: Toledo -23

Westgate: Toledo -29

— Texas (-4½, 66½) at TCU, 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Texas -6½

Sagarin: Texas -3

Westgate: Texas -3

— Memphis (-11½, 60) at Temple, 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Memphis -13

Sagarin: Memphis -14

Westgate: Memphis -16

— Western Michigan (-6½, 59½) at Buffalo, 9 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Western Michigan PK

Sagarin: Western Michigan -6½

Westgate: Western Michigan -7

— Louisville at No. 24 Wake Forest (-7, 61), 9:30 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Wake Forest -8

Sagarin: Wake Forest -9

Westgate: Wake Forest -6

— Appalachian State (-10, 55) at Georgia State, 11 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Appalachian State -13

Sagarin: Appalachian State -8½

Westgate: Appalachian State -11

— Southern California (-7½, 51) at Colorado, 11 a.m.

ESPN FPI: USC -8½

Sagarin: USC -9

Westgate: USC -6

— No. 7 Cincinnati (-2½, 50) at No. 9 Notre Dame, 11:30 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Notre Dame -4

Sagarin: Notre Dame -7

Westgate: Cincinnati -2

— Louisiana-Monroe at No. 16 Coastal Carolina (-34, 57), 11:30 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Coastal Carolina -29

Sagarin: Coastal Carolina -23

Westgate: Coastal Carolina -39

— Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois (-2½, 60), 11:30 a.m.

ESPN FPI: Easstern Michigan -3

Sagarin: Northern Illinois -3

Westgate: Eastern Michigan -1

— No. 12 Mississippi at No. 1 Alabama (-15, 79), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Alabama -13½

Sagarin: Alabama -12½

Westgate: Alabama -15

— No. 3 Oregon (-8, 57½) at Stanford, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Oregon -8½

Sagarin: Oregon -6½

Westgate: Oregon -9

— No. 6 Oklahoma (-11, 52½) at Kansas State, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Oklahoma -13

Sagarin: Oklahoma -6½

Westgate: Oklahoma -15

— No. 11 Ohio State (-15, 58) at Rutgers, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Ohio State -9½

Sagarin: Ohio State -6

Westgate: Ohio State -17

— Troy at South Carolina (-7, 43½), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: South Carolina -7½

Sagarin: South Carolina -12

Westgate: South Carolina -6

— Florida International at Florida Atlantic (-10, 51½), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Florida Atlantic -13½

Sagarin: Florida Atlantic -17½

Westgate: Florida Atlantic -12

— Syracuse at Florida State (-5½, 51½), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Florida State -2½

Sagarin: Syracuse -2½

Westgate: Florida State -8

— Texas Tech at West Virginia (-7, 56½), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: West Virginia -7

Sagarin: West Virginia -11

Westgate: West Virginia -10

— Central Florida (-16½, 53) at Navy, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: UCF -22½

Sagarin: UCF -19½

Westgate: UCF -22

— Tulane (-4, 64½) at East Carolina, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Tulane -5

Sagarin: East Carolina PK

Westgate: Tulane -3

— Central Michigan at Miami (Ohio) (-1, 56), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Miami -1

Sagarin: Miami PK

Westgate: Central Michigan -4

— Ohio (-9, 55½) at Akron, 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Ohio -4

Sagarin: Ohio -5½

Westgate: Ohio -11

— Bowling Green at Kent State (-16½, 56½), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Kent State -13½

Sagarin: Kent State -14½

Westgate: Kent State -21

— UNR at Boise State (-6½, 59), 12:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Boise State -12

Sagarin: Boise State -10

Westgate: Boise State -7

— South Florida at SMU (-21, 68½), 1 p.m.

ESPN FPI: SMU -22

Sagarin: SMU -22½

Westgate: SMU -24

— Arkansas State at Georgia Southern (-2, 66), 1 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Arkansas State -1

Sagarin: Arkansas State -3

Westgate: Georgia Southern -1

— Army (-7½, 47) at Ball State, 2 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Army -10½

Sagarin: Army -8

Westgate: Army -3

— Washington State at California (-7½, 51½), 2:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: California -8½

Sagarin: California -9½

Westgate: California -9

— No. 10 Florida (-8, 55) at Kentucky, 3 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Florida -10

Sagarin: Florida -4½

Westgate: Florida -7

— Louisiana Tech at No. 23 North Carolina State (-21, 55), 3 p.m.

ESPN FPI: N.C. State -20

Sagarin: N.C. State -16

Westgate: N.C. State -20

— UNLV at UTSA (-21, 56), 3 p.m.

ESPN FPI: UTSA -21½

Sagarin: UTSA -21½

Westgate: UTSA -22

— Southern Mississippi at Rice (-2½, 45), 3:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Southern Miss -5

Sagarin: Southern Miss -4

Westgate: Rice -8

— Air Force (-10, 46½) at New Mexico, 3:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Air Force -10½

Sagarin: Air Force -16

Westgate: Air Force -9

— Mississippi State at No. 15 Texas A&M (-7, 46), 4 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Texas A&M -6½

Sagarin: Texas A&M -8½

Westgate: Texas A&M -13

— No. 21 Baylor at No. 19 Oklahoma State (-3½, 47½), 4 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Oklahoma State -1

Sagarin: Oklahoma State -7½

Westgate: Oklahoma State -5

— Marshall (-10, 66) at Middle Tennessee, 4 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Marshall -3

Sagarin: Marshall -4½

Westgate: Marshall -11

— Liberty at UAB (-1½, 50), 4 p.m.

ESPN FPI: UAB -5

Sagarin: UAB -2

Westgate: UAB -2

— Kansas at Iowa State (-34½, 58½), 4 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Iowa State -32½

Sagarin: Iowa State -27

Westgate: Iowa State -35

— Indiana at No. 4 Penn State (-13, 53½), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Penn State -13

Sagarin: Penn State -12½

Westgate: Penn State -11

— Western Kentucky at No. 17 Michigan State (-11, 64), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Michigan State -17½

Sagarin: Michigan State -13

Westgate: Michigan State -12

— Boston College at No. 25 Clemson (-16, 46½), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Clemson -16

Sagarin: Clemson -12

Westgate: Clemson -17

— Connecticut at Vanderbilt (-14, 51), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Vanderbilt -12½

Sagarin: Vanderbilt -15½

Westgate: Vanderbilt -16

— Northwestern at Nebraska (-12, 51), 4:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Nebraska -11

Sagarin: Nebraska -8

Westgate: Nebraska -10

— Louisiana (Lafayette) (-12, 53) at South Alabama, 5 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Louisiana -8

Sagarin: Louisiana -7

Westgate: Louisiana -11

— No. 22 Auburn at LSU (-3½, 55), 6 p.m.

ESPN FPI: LSU -1

Sagarin: LSU -4½

Westgate: LSU -2

— Old Dominion at UTEP (-5½, 48½), 6 p.m.

ESPN FPI: UTEP -2½

Sagarin: Old Dominion -1

Westgate: UTEP -6

— Washington at Oregon State (-2, 56½), 6 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Oregon State -2½

Sagarin: Oregon State PK

Westgate: Oregon State -1

— Arizona State at No. 20 UCLA (-3, 55), 7:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: UCLA -6½

Sagarin: UCLA -8

Westgate: UCLA -4

— New Mexico State at San Jose State (-27, 52), 7:30 p.m.

ESPN FPI: San Jose State -22½

Sagarin: San Jose State -27½

Westgate: San Jose State -32

— No. 18 Fresno State (-10½, 65) at Hawaii, 8 p.m.

ESPN FPI: Fresno State -12½

Sagarin: Fresno State -12½

Westgate: Fresno State -15

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.