Week 5 Puts 10 Key Games in Focus as No. 7 Alabama Visits No. 16 Mississippi State
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
Week 5 Puts 10 Key Games in Focus as No. 7 Alabama Visits No. 16 Mississippi State
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
Summary
No. 7 Alabama at No. 16 Mississippi State tops a Week 5 slate The Athletic ranks with 10 must-watch games as playoff hopes and coaching pressure intensify.
Starkville gets the marquee unbeaten showdown at noon, with Alabama favored by 6 and quarterback Keelon Russell coming off 365 yards and 4 touchdowns against South Carolina.
No. 5 Ohio State at No. 14 Iowa ranks second, reviving memories of Iowa’s 55-24 upset in 2017 as Jeremiah Smith enters off a 217-yard, 4-touchdown game.
Other high-impact matchups include No. 4 Miami at Clemson, No. 8 Florida at No. 25 Missouri and unbeaten Pitt at unbeaten Virginia Tech, where the winner could finally crack the polls.
The week’s broader stakes stretch beyond rankings, with bowl paths, CFP positioning and hot-seat scrutiny shaping games from South Carolina-Kentucky to Washington-USC.