It was fun while it lasted, this silly idea of parity in college football. This notion that the season was wide open. That several teams were capable of winning it all.

The narrative, one I admittedly had somewhat subscribed to, was eliminated this weekend. Call it a sad dose of reality.

Alabama’s shaky win at Florida two weeks ago and several power programs’ uneven performances made us want to believe this year could be different, following season after season of the same few teams playing for a national championship. It won’t be. We’re merely waiting for Alabama to meet Georgia in the SEC Championship game on Dec. 4, and then again in the title game. Nobody else has a chance.

Saturday was supposed to be a monster day, with three matchups of teams ranked in the top 12. Only one of the three games, Cincinnati-Notre Dame, was worth watching. Alabama embarrassed Ole Miss, 42-21, and Georgia obliterated Arkansas, 37-0, despite the absence of starting quarterback J.T. Daniels. Its defense has allowed just one touchdown in four games while the Crimson Tide have a balanced offense with the Heisman Trophy front-runner in Bryce Young and a defense that has significantly improved since the Florida game.

Nobody else in the country seems capable of playing either team close. Oregon, thought to be a contender after winning at Ohio State, blew a late lead against Stanford, likely eliminating the Pac-12 from the playoff conversation. Cincinnati has a strong shot at breaking through for non-Power Five schools after winning at Notre Dame, but the Bearcats’ offense isn’t good enough to stand toe-to-toe with Georgia or Alabama. Oklahoma, undefeated despite its struggles so far, isn’t even as good as recent Oklahoma teams that were blown away in the playoff. The best chance just may be the Big Ten, if Ohio State’s rout at Rutgers is an indication it has found itself. But that’s a big maybe.

After five weeks, we’re back in the same place we’ve been the last several years. A clear top two, and everyone else playing for third place. Only instead of Alabama and Clemson, it’s Alabama and Georgia.

Consider this a reminder to everyone in Iowa City, Ann Arbor and Happy Valley. All roads in the Big Ten still run through Columbus. Ohio State may have a loss, one that looks worse now that Oregon fell from the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday after its overtime loss to Stanford, and had yet to look quite like Ohio State typically does.

But against a Rutgers team that nearly upset Michigan the previous week, the Buckeyes had that look again in a 52-13 beatdown in Piscataway. The offense was electric. The defense was stifling. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns after a week off to rest his ailing shoulder.

Ohio State’s remaining schedule is very manageable, with home games against Penn State and Michigan State before the annual showdown with Michigan, this time on the road. Win out, and Ryan Day’s team can absolutely return to the College Football Playoff. On Saturday, it looked like a bad bet to pick against it.

I’ve seen enough. Give me Bryce Young or the field for the Heisman Trophy, and I’ll take Young. The Alabama sophomore quarterback shined again on the big stage in a Heisman showdown against Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral. He now has thrown 17 touchdown passes versus two interceptions in his first five starts with a through-the-roof completion percentage of 73.0. Young is already the best player in college football — and he’s only getting better.

That narrow victory over Florida seems like months ago. All that vulnerability looked gone Saturday, when Alabama treated Ole Miss like an overwhelmed sparring partner, reasserting itself as the national championship heavy favorite.

Even with backup quarterback Stetson Bennett IV under center, Georgia flexed its muscles in a rout of Arkansas, proving the Razorbacks weren’t quite ready for the big time. The Bulldogs’ ferocious defense has allowed one touchdown in four games.

Now that Cincinnati knocked off Notre Dame, it has to root hard for the Irish the rest of the way, to make sure this road victory looks as impressive in December as it does now. Oh, the irony.

Penn State wideout Jahan Dotson against the elite Iowa secondary on Saturday is a must-watch in this top-five showdown between these two Big Ten contenders in Iowa City.

The last time Iowa was undefeated after five games was 2015. That team reached the Rose Bowl. Beat Penn State this week, and this group can dream even bigger.

An explosive offense and a leaky defense that keeps the game close. Now this is the Oklahoma, a 37-31 victory at Kansas State, we’ve come to expect.

This was more of what was expected from the Buckeyes, a 52-13 shellacking of Rutgers, that was far and away their best performance of the season. This version of Ohio State is the Big Ten’s best.

5-0 is 5-0, and Michigan should be undefeated when it visits in-state rival Michigan State Oct. 30.

The Cougars have three wins over Pac-12 foes and have four more contests against Power Five schools (Baylor, Washington State, Virginia and USC). Win out, and a New Year’s Six bowl is very possible.

The Ducks can kiss the playoff goodbye after allowing two-loss Stanford to go 96 yards in the final 1:44 of regulation. The Pac-12’s dream of returning to the playoff was fun while it lasted.

Dropped out: Notre Dame (4-1) and Arkansas (4-1)

(in alphabetical order)

QB Matt Corral, Ole Miss

Corral’s Heisman hopes took a massive hit Saturday, when he was handcuffed by Alabama in a lopsided loss that was uglier than the 42-21 result. His 216 total yards were his fewest since the 2019 regular-season finale.

QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

The senior backed up his big talk of quieting Notre Dame Stadium by producing three touchdowns and 323 total yards. He can now begin to pile up eye-popping numbers in the soft AAC.

RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

The dynamic tailback has rebounded from his quiet day against Arkansas with 480 rushing yards and six scores in the last three weeks, running his way back into the race.

RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

Sparty is undefeated and the sophomore is a big reason for their success, rushing for eight scores, 680 yards and 6.8 yards per carry.

QB Bryce Young, Alabama

The Heisman is his to win, after he again was masterful, vastly outplaying Corral in Alabama’s dominant win over Ole Miss.