After the highly anticipated Week 4, I’d say most fans including myself were satisfied with the slate of games last weekend. Wisconsin destroyed Michigan, Auburn held on against A&M, and Notre Dame/Georgia was close the entire night. All in all, it was a solid day. Week 5 is all about conference play as a few matchups will have a significant impact on the standings. Going into Week 5, my College Football Playoff includes:
- Clemson
- Alabama
- LSU
- Georgia
The only change this week involves inserting Georgia to the fourth spot instead of Oklahoma because of their win over Notre Dame. Three SEC teams in the playoff? As much as the majority of the country fears this possibility, this scenario could happen. It’s still early so don’t tar and feather me just yet. Here are the Top 5 CFP storylines heading into Week 5.
Will The Scoreboard Break When Penn State Plays Maryland?
Through two weeks of the season, Penn State and Maryland had two of the highest-scoring offenses in the country. Through 4 games, both teams combined for an average of 66.5 points per game. Then, Week 3 happened where both teams scored 17 points each. Penn State narrowly escaped against Pittsburgh while Maryland suffered a setback in the loss to Temple. I’m expecting both offenses to get back on track Friday night in College Park. If Josh Jackson and the Maryland rushing attack to get going early, the over will hit easily.
California, Here We Come
To be honest, I’ll use any excuse to play the theme song to The O.C. That being said, California sits atop the Pac-12 as the only remaining unbeaten in the conference. It hasn’t been pretty, to say the least, but teams that find a way to win close games especially when two of those games were at Washington and at Ole Miss. Linebacker Evan Weaver leads the nation in tackles and quarterback Chase Garbers is coming off of a 4 TD performance. Now, Cal hosts Arizona State in what many will call a trap game because next week, Cal travels to Eugene to play Oregon. Survive this week and Cal may move into the Top 10.
Wisconsin Is A Legitimate Playoff Contender
After two weeks, Wisconsin outscored their two inferior opponents, 110-0. How did Wisconsin fare when playing Michigan at home? The Badgers bullied Michigan the entire game as they won 35-14. It’s time to start mentioning running back Jonathan Taylor in the Heisman race after his 203 yards and 2 TD performance against the Michigan defense. Wisconsin should beat Northwestern on Saturday and if all goes well the next few weeks, the Badgers could be 7-0 before their trip to Ohio State with huge College Football Playoff implications on the line.
Can Notre Dame Rebound After A Tough Loss To Georgia?
Some say there’s no such thing as a moral victory, but I say they’re wrong. For a team that allegedly can’t compete with the “big boys,” Notre Dame proved that they belonged against Georgia. Had Notre Dame been able to establish a running game (14 runs to 47 runs) and eliminate some of their 12 penalties on the night, the Irish might have escaped Georgia with a win. However, there’s no time to dwell on the loss and Notre Dame welcomes the No. 18 Virginia Cavaliers to South Bend. Notre Dame’s chances to make the playoff decreased, but if the Irish win out, they’ll be in the conversation.
Will Ohio State Survive?
The Big Ten West has been a thorn in Ohio State’s side the past two seasons. In 2017, Ohio State went on the road to Iowa and lost to the Hawkeyes 31 points. In 2018, Ohio State went on the road to Purdue and lost to the Boilermakers by 29. These two games cost the Buckeyes a chance at the playoff. Now, Ohio State travels to Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers in Lincoln on Saturday night. For Ryan Day and Justin Fields, it’s time to earn their stripes. Survive Saturday night and the College Football Playoff is insight.
What are your top College Football Playoff storylines for Week 5? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.