After a week of blockbusters, Week 5 presents more minefields than heavyweight battles. Seven AP top-10 teams are on the road as they try to keep their postseason hopes alive. A major SEC quarterback battle leads the list with Alabama's Keelon Russell and Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor battling for supremacy.
Ohio State also makes its return to Iowa for the first time in nearly a decade, while USC faces a critical rebound spot after its embarrassing finish against Oregon. Here are six games in Week 5 with major College Football Playoff and conference championship implications. Starkville will be out in full force as Mississippi State faces its biggest matchup since 2014.
The Bulldogs outlasted No. 19 Missouri last week to enter the rankings, but a home game against No. 7 Alabama will prove whether Mississippi State is ready for primetime. Since a slow start against Kentucky, quarterback Keelon Russell has been otherworldly. The Tide have averaged 48.0 points per game on the year, despite playing three Power Four opponents.
If Mississippi State is up for the challenge, it will enter the postseason picture. The last time Ohio State went to Iowa City, the Hawkeyes dropped a 50-burger on Urban Meyer to keep the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff. It's safe to say we don't expect a repeat of that performance, but Iowa is riding high after stunning Michigan with a walk-off touchdown in the Big House.
Ohio State plays its first road game since losing in Week 2 against Texas. The Buckeyes still have a difficult path ahead with No. 6 Indiana, No. 18 USC and No. 15 Oregon. Iowa can play its way into the Big Ten title race; a loss would be devastating for Ohio State's chances.
College athletics staffer Shelton Moss found an amazing stat this week: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh will be the first game in the history of modern college football to feature a pair of 4-0 major conference teams -- while both are unranked. The Panthers and Hokies have been disrespected by the polling public, but that could change this week.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
