The tide has turned in Week Five of the college football season, and the online conversation shows it.
The University of Alabama surged to the No. 1 spot in the College Sports Social Pulse™ team rankings, the University of South Carolina’s measure of which college teams, players and coaches are making the biggest impact online.
Bama was fueled by quarterback Ty Simpson’s big performance in a 24–21 win over Georgia. The intensity on the field spilled over to social media as the Bulldogs landed at No. 2.
Meanwhile, the Big Ten showdown between Oregon and Penn State helped propel the Ducks to the No. 3 slot after a double-overtime victory at Penn State.
Ohio State held steady in the Top 5 after defeating Washington on the road, while Ole Miss and Tennessee continued to build momentum.
“The SEC and Big Ten are clearly dominating college football’s online conversation,” said Clay Owen, professor of practice at the College of Information and Communications. “The SEC owns half the slots in the Pulse’s Top 10 while the Big Ten takes three. No other conference can touch the online value of these two conferences.”
Top 10 Teams – Week Five 2025
- University of Alabama
- University of Georgia
- University of Oregon
- Penn State University
- Ohio State University
- University of Mississippi
- University of Tennessee
- Louisiana State University
- University of Utah
- Florida State University
On the player side, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier topped the rankings, followed by Gamecock quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Oklahoma’s John Mateer held strong at No. 3, with the online community discussing his hand injury.
Top 10 Players – Week Five 2025
- Garrett Nussmeier – LSU
- LaNorris Sellers – South Carolina
- John Mateer – Oklahoma
- Trinidad Chambliss – Ole Miss
- Ty Simpson – Alabama
- Jeremiyah Love – Notre Dame
- Dante Moore – Oregon
- Tommy Castellanos – Florida State
- Sam Leavitt – Arizona State
- Le’Veon Moss – Texas A&M
Among coaches, Kirby Smart rose to No. 1. Fans weighed in on game-time coaching decisions as Smart continued to struggle against the Crimson Tide. The story was much the same with Penn State’s James Franklin, who dropped another big game and came in at No. 3 in the Pulse rankings.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s victory over Penn State helped move him into the No. 2 slot and created momentum for the Ducks overall.
Top 10 Coaches – Week Five 2025
- Kirby Smart – Georgia
- Dan Lanning – Oregon
- James Franklin – Penn State
- Kalen DeBoer – Alabama
- Sam Pittman – Arkansas
- Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss
- Mike Norvell – Florida State
- Brian Kelly – LSU
- Deion Sanders – Colorado
- Steve Sarkisian – Texas
Methodology
The College Sports Social Pulse Week Five rankings are built from millions of social posts across X, Instagram, Reddit, and more. Using a formula that blends volume, sentiment, and engagement, the Pulse shows who’s winning the online conversation.
Week Five measures online activity from Sept. 24–30. Every Pulse ranking reflects a single week of activity (Tuesday through Monday). This allows the Pulse to capture the volatility of college football in real time — the weekly rises, falls, and breakout storylines that define the sport beyond the field.
About the College Sports Social Pulse™
Developed by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab, the Pulse analyzes millions of social media posts each week to track the shifting heartbeat of college football fandom. Using a proprietary blend of engagement, sentiment and volume, the Pulse reveals which teams, players and coaches are dominating the national conversation online — regardless of what the scoreboard says.