Week 5 games that most affect the College Football Playoff
With only four applicants accepted in the College Football Playoff audition, every week is important.
But you’d be hard pressed to find a slate of games that will shape the race for the remainder of the campaign more than this one. Without further ado then, here are the Week 5 games with the most playoff impact.
No. 6 Stanford at No. 9 Washington
Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN | Pregame.com odds: Washington by 3½
We’re putting this one at the top of the list, not just because it takes place first, but because it will tell us definitively whether Washington is in fact a Playoff contender. The Huskies were pushed for the first time a week ago by Arizona but found a way to get out of Tucson with their unblemished record intact. A win here gives them the inside track in the Pac-12 North, but getting by the Cardinal is something Washington has managed only once in the last eight meetings.
Stanford had a road escape of its own last week at UCLA, a victory that probably registered higher on the credibility meter than the Huskies’ overtime triumph at Arizona. It also solidified the leadership capability of Stanford QB Ryan Burns. But the Cardinal enter this game with an injury-depleted secondary that Washington QB Jake Browning must exploit.
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No. 4 Louisville at No. 3 Clemson
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC | Pregame.com odds: Louisville by 2
It isn’t an outright elimination contest with two months to go in the season. That’s especially so if Clemson prevails, which would set up a very realistic three-way tie scenario in the ACC Atlantic. Louisville, however, has a chance to all but put the division race away.
On a related note, Tigers’ QB Deshaun Watson has a huge opportunity to reinsert himself in the Heisman discussion. One could in fact argue that he’ll have to do just that to give his team a chance to outscore Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals. The Tigers’ defense has performed well but probably won’t be able to shut down Louisville entirely for 60 minutes.
No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 5 Michigan
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC | Pregame.com: Michigan by 10½
This top-10 clash isn’t an eliminator, either, since they’re in opposite divisions of the Big Ten. But it will be a major boost for the winner, not to mention a yardstick game for both.
On paper, the Wolverines appear better equipped to handle a shootout, though they’re unlikely to reach their average output of 52 points against the Badgers’ defense. Wisconsin freshman QB Alex Hornibrook has brought another dimension to the power-based attack, but he has yet to encounter a defensive back seven with Michigan’s depth and athleticism.
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No. 11 Tennessee at No. 20 Georgia
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS | Pregame.com: Tennessee by 3
For the Vols, who played arguably their best half of football in at least a decade to rally past Florida, this game represents a dangerous trap. The Bulldogs are a young team with a new coaching staff and looked exactly like that in a decisive loss at Ole Miss. But they have enough talent to be troublesome if Tennessee lets them.
As well as Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs threw the ball in the second half, the coaching staff would still like to see more consistency in the ground game, particularly in short-yardage situations. Georgia’s problem has been the opposite, with freshman QB Jacob Eason unable to provide reliable air cover for the playmakers in the backfield.
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No. 23 North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN | Pregame.com: Florida State by 10½
The Seminoles got the bounce-back win they needed last week, but they remain in the position of needing help to get back into playoff contention. A second loss would almost certainly eliminate them, and the Tar Heels have the weapons to give it to them if their defense continues to spring leaks.
The good news for FSU is TB Dalvin Cook finally got loose, easing the heat on freshman QB Deondre Francois. UNC QB Mitch Trubisky has been efficient and accurate with his throws, though he might need more help from TB Elijah Hood this week to hang with the Seminoles.
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