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Week 6 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles slip below Bills and Chiefs after tough win

The Philadelphia Eagles appeared to tumble from the top spot in some NFL power rankings after a hard-fought 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals in week 5

Perfection isn’t always an acknowledgment of success and as the 5-0 Eagles prepare for the Cowboys in Week 6, there seems to be some confusion among the national media.

The Birds are the NFL’s only undefeated team.

Yet, they landed behind Kansas City and Buffalo in multiple power rankings, with the 3-2 Buccaneers hovering right below Philadelphia in some listings.

With Jalen Hurts and the Eagles set for a return to the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday, here’s a look at the Week 6 NFL power rankings.

Week 5 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles sit at No. 1 ahead of matchup vs. Cardinals

The Philadelphia Eagles sit atop the throne as the No. 1 team in the Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

The Eagles are headed out West for an exciting NFC matchup against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.

The matchup will feature two dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, and it’ll be the second time Hurts and Murray have matched up since the 2020 season.

With Week 4 of the regular season in the rear view mirror, experts from around the league have revealed their power rankings, and Philadelphia is the top team in every ranking except two.

Here’s where The Sporting News thinks Florida will play their bowl game

The Sporting News sees slot machines and blackjack tables for Florida football’s bowl game.

The college football schedule is quickly nearing as the Gator Nation prepares for the first year of the [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] era after shedding the skin of the previous administration at the end of last season. The grand finale of [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag]’s tenure created a toxic cloud that smothered the program and left Gators buried in the standings.

Unfortunately, the fog continues to hover over Gainesville in the eyes of the national media but mostly because the Orange and Blue have not had a chance to prove themselves on the field. Yes, Napier is untested at the Power Five level and has only experienced Southeastern Conference competition as an assistant, but a change in team philosophy and culture can go a long way in college sports.

With all of that in mind, The Sporting News published its college football bowl predictions recently, with the Gators set to face the Washington Huskies in the Las Vegas Bowl, which is scheduled for December 17.

Considering that five of the last six first-year head coaches have won at least eight games (Will Muschamp won just seven) in their debut seasons, the prominent publication’s prognostications likely represent the floor for Florida’s postseason possibilities. Additionally, if the Gators stumble in 2022 it would be far more likely that they play in an in-state bowl — like how they landed in the Gasparilla Bowl last season — rather than travel cross-country to Sin City.

So do not set your calendars just yet Gator fans, there is plenty of football to be played before there is any idea where Florida might land in the post-season. But if all else fails, always keep an eye on the Sunshine State for a bowl game host.

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Notre Dame’s updated national bowl projections

Would you prefer Atlanta or Phoenix for New Years?

A 31-16 win over USC moved No. 11 Notre Dame to 6-1 on the 2021 season as a favorable schedule awaits them to close the year. Notre Dame won’t play another team who is currently ranked, although 5-2 Virginia is knocking on the door as they’re again in the “receiving votes” category of both the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll this week.

So where do the experts think Notre Dame will be headed this bowl season?

The loss to Cincinnati will be nearly impossible to overcome in terms of another College Football Playoff appearance, assuming absolute craziness doesn’t happen at least, but the Irish are being seen by more as a New Years Six team in this week’s look around the national bowl projections.

Where the Sporting News ranks Oklahoma, Big 12 in early top 25

Where the Sporting News ranked Oklahoma, three other Big 12 schools in their preseason rankings.

Another day, another top 25 preseason ranking list has been released. For this edition, Bill Bender of The Sporting News released his top 25 preseason ranking. Others have consistently ranked the Oklahoma Sooners in the top two spots. However, Bender sees it a bit differently for the Crimson and Creme.

Sporting News Top 25 Rankings

Oklahoma Sooners No. 4

Is this the year the Sooners break through for their first national championship since 2000? Oklahoma closed 2020 as one of the hottest teams in the FBS, and Heisman Trophy favorite Spencer Rattler will improve with another year with Lincoln Riley. The running back rotation is loaded with Kennedy Brooks, Marcus Major and Tennessee transfer Eric Gray. Marvin Mims and Theo Wease and Jadon Haselwood form an elite receiving trio. The defense is always a question, but defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey and Nik Bonitto return. The Sooners will be ranked No. 1 by some publications, and a fifth CFP appearance is within reach. Oklahoma still needs to prove it in the CFP.

Bender put the Sooners behind the Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Those four have routinely been touted as the top four teams in all of college football. Most expect that they could be the last four standing by the time the College Football Playoffs roll around in 2021. The Sooners will be the only team of the four returning their starting quarterback. That might give them an edge but only time will tell if Spencer Rattler is ready to return OU to the promised land.

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Remaining Big 12 Teams

Iowa State Cyclones- No. 9
Texas Longhorns– No. 13
Oklahoma State Cowboys- No. 17

The Texas Christian Horned Frogs are the most likely team to just miss the cut for the preseason rankings from the Sporting News. Along with the other four teams in the Big 12 Conference, they seem like the obvious answers to battle for conference supremacy in 2021.

Philadelphia Eagles land in the top-10 of a NFL uniforms ranking

Eagles land in the top-10 of the Sporting News 2020 NFL uniform rankings

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the top organizations on the field and they’re a top-10 franchise when it comes to the popularity of their uniforms as well.

The Falcons and Buccaneers both recently unveiled new uniforms and that prompted The Sporting News to rank the uniforms for all 32 NFL teams heading into the 2020 NFL season.

The Eagles threads landed them a top-10 ranking, coming in at No. 9 on the list.

Yes, the Kelly green uniforms of the late 1980s and early ’90s look best on the Eagles. But their current look is sharp and not in need of tweaking.

Philly’s helmets are among the best in the NFL, and the black facemasks work thanks to the prominence of black in all of the team’s uniform combinations. With three jersey color options and three pants color options, the Eagles are able (and willing) to change up their look each week.

The Eagles also have an awesome logo, which looks great on the jersey sleeves.

It’s unknown if and when the Birds will ever wear the Kelly green uniforms again because of helmet concerns, but there’s no doubt that the logo, sleek color designs, and alternate black uniforms place the Birds among the most popular in the NFL.

The Ravens, Rams, and Chargers rounded out the top-10. In the top-5, the Raiders, Packers, Steelers, and Seahawks rounded out the top-5, with the Dallas Cowboys taking home the No. 1 spot.

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