10 Biggest Questions Facing Top 25 Teams Heading into Week 5
If you enjoy the finer things in life, we suggest you tune into Week 5 of the college football season.
To get you ready for "the weeknd," be sure to first check out Adam Kramer's primer (you won't be able to feel your face, but you'll love it).
Secondly, peruse the top 10 storylines for this week's slate in the following slides. From Alabama and Georgia squaring off in a good ol' fashioned ground-and-pound game to Notre Dame and Clemson battling it out in Death Valley, there's a lot to cover.
For instance, perhaps the Big 12 game of the year is not Nov. 27 between Baylor and TCU but on Oct. 3 between West Virginia and Oklahoma.
What are the top 10 questions facing Associated Press Top 25 teams heading into Week 4? Here we provide the answers based on last week's results, upcoming matchups and more.
10. Will Florida State's Passing Game Rebound Against Wake Forest?
1 of 10
Despite his recent struggles, Everett Golson is still Florida State's quarterback. However, the possibility exists that backup Sean Maguire could see the field against Wake Forest if Golson continues to struggle.
But the Seminoles' passing problems are bigger than just Golson, though his accuracy has been an issue. Protection up front and inconsistencies with the wide receivers have contributed to a shaky passing attack as well.
“We’ve got to make a few more throws. But also got to run a route better, got to catch better. There’s a block or two we’ve missed when he’s had an opportunity to make a big play or two," head coach Jimbo Fisher said, via Safid Deen, the Tallahassee Democrat. It wasn’t all just effort. It was an accumulation.”
Wake Forest's pass defense is one of the worst in the ACC in yards per attempt allowed. Interestingly, its worst game against the pass came against Syracuse, which threw for 221 yards on just eight of 14 attempts.
It just goes to show that Florida State doesn't have to throw it often to have success. But it does need to protect Golson, and receivers have to do a better job of making contested catches.
9. Can Michigan and Northwestern Continue Winning Before Their Week 6 Battle?
2 of 10
Last year's game between Michigan and Northwestern was an all-time stinker, a merciless overtime folly that ended 10-9 in favor of the Wolverines.
This year's edition, however, could be the Big Ten game of the year that no one saw coming.
But first, the Wolverines and Wildcats need to get through Week 5. Michigan has a road trip to Maryland, but the Terps are struggling big-time after getting housed by West Virginia, 45-6. Northwestern, on the other hand, may be on upset alert against Minnesota.
At the very least, Minnesota-Northwestern should be a low-scoring affair. The Wildcats have the top scoring defense in the Big Ten, while the Gophers pass defense is one of the conference's best.
8. Can Oklahoma State Quarterback Mason Rudolph Bounce Back vs. Kansas State?
3 of 10
Mason Rudolph has looked like the future at quarterback for Oklahoma State. Against Texas in Week 4, however, he was unsure of himself and made several poor decisions that immediately resulted in points for the Longhorns.
As noted by Mark Cooper of the Tulsa World, Rudolph "turned the ball over a career-high three times" against Texas and "attempted only two passes in the fourth quarter, one an incompletion and one an interception." J.W. Walsh was brought in to take over the offense but didn't fare much better.
Heading into the Kansas State game, the possibility for another quarterback controversy for the Cowboys is certainly there. Expect Rudolph to get the start, but one has to wonder how quickly head coach Mike Gundy will switch to Walsh if Rudolph struggles early. K-State, after all, has one of the top defenses in the Big 12.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7, Will Texas A&M's Defense Contain Dak Prescott?
4 of 10
Texas A&M's defense has made some positive strides this season under first-year coordinator John Chavis. Still, the Arkansas game proved the Aggies have a way to go in stopping the run.
Though Mississippi State ranks last in the SEC in run attempts per game, the Bulldogs still have the conference's best quarterback, Dak Prescott, who is still a rushing threat. Can the Aggies keep Prescott under wraps? Last year, Prescott tallied more than 300 yards of offense and five touchdowns in a 48-31 win.
A&M's defensive line, specifically star edge-rusher Myles Garrett, will be the key component to getting to Prescott early and often.
6. Is West Virginia's Defense Really This Good?
5 of 10
There's no other way to put it: West Virginia's defense has been phenomenal.
No, the Mountaineers haven't played anyone of note yet, but they're giving up an average of 7.7 points per game—that's the best in college football—and have shut out all three opponents in the first half.
Realistically, there's no way WVU can consistently manage either of those stats going forward, so the defense shouldn't be held to those specific standards. However, we'll find out just how stiff the Mountaineers defense is against Oklahoma.
The X-factor for this game is Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield. He's currently second in the Big 12 to TCU's Trevone Boykin in total offense (400.3 yards per game). Beyond the stats, Mayfield can extend plays with his scrambling ability. There's almost no way to coach against that.
Can West Virginia corral Mayfield and keep Oklahoma's offense off balance? That'd go a long way toward pulling an offset upset on the road.
5. How Will Ole Miss Handle Having the Target on Its Back?
6 of 10
Ole Miss, not Alabama or Auburn, has the proverbial target on its back now. Not just in the SEC West, but in the entire conference. That's what happens when you're the highest-rated team in the SEC with your eyes on a playoff spot.
Following their huge road win against the Tide, the Rebels struggled to put away Vanderbilt in Week 4. Then again, the Commodores have an excellent defense and have been a thorn to everyone they've faced this year. Ultimately, the game against Vandy was never really in doubt for Ole Miss.
A road trip to Florida could be different, however. The Gators are a surprising 4-0 under first-year coach Jim McElwain and, as B/R's Barrett Sallee opined, are possible SEC East contenders. Though they're not always pretty to watch on offense, the Gators have one of the SEC's better defenses.
Can Ole Miss go into the Swamp as the favorite and handle its newfound label?
4. Will Clemson Quarterback Deshaun Watson Rediscover His Rhythm vs. Notre Dame?
7 of 10
The last time we saw Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, he was fighting off Louisville's defense in a 20-17 nail-biter in Week 3. The sophomore quarterback looked uncomfortable thanks to the Cardinals pass rush, had accuracy issues, threw a couple of picks and couldn't find the deep ball consistently.
At least part of the problem resides in the fact that the Tigers are without star wide receiver Mike Williams, who sustained a neck fracture in Week 1 against Wofford. The good news is that the injury isn't career-ending, but it could leave Clemson without Williams for the rest of the season. At 6'4" and 220 pounds, Williams is a big-bodied, vertical target whom Watson has sorely missed.
Receiver Artavis Scott is certainly productive with 20 catches but just hasn't been the same type of deep threat.
Can Watson get back on track against Notre Dame? The Irish's defensive line has already shown up in a big way against Georgia Tech's option attack. How will it do against Clemson's spread? Can it keep Watson disrupted? And will Watson finally find success down the field?
3. Which Run Defense Will Emerge in Alabama vs. Georgia?
8 of 10
LSU's Leonard Fournette might be the top running back in college football, but the battle of the running backs in Week 5 will take place in Athens, Georgia, between Alabama and Georgia.
You're not going to get a more even matchup than this one. The Bulldogs offense is led by running back Nick Chubb, while the Tide have Derrick Henry. But it's not just Chubb and Henry; Sony Michel and Kenyan Drake have been excellent complementary backs for their respective teams.
As a whole, Georgia and Alabama rank second and fourth in the SEC in yards per rush. Conversely, Alabama has the conference's top run defense in yards per rush allowed (1.97), while Georgia is tied for third (3.09).
How will this game play out? Will both defenses rule the day? Will one rushing attack break through?
Stylistically, Georgia is much more run-heavy than Alabama on offense. "They've got 10 rushing touchdowns, nine passing touchdowns, so very balanced in their approach," Georgia coach Mark Richt said of Alabama's offense, via Michael Casagrande of AL.com.
Ultimately, though, each rushing attack is effective in its own way.
2. How Will Notre Dame Quarterback DeShone Kizer Handle a Road Environment?
9 of 10
Give Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer credit. He's been thrust into a tough situation and has handled it like a pro.
As the next man up following Malik Zaire's season-ending ankle injury, Kizer is 2-0 as a starter vs. Georgia Tech and UMass and helped Notre Dame win a dramatic game on the road at Virginia.
As Keith Arnold of Inside the Irish wrote, though, Kizer's toughest challenge to date awaits him in Death Valley:
"But with all apologies to the Yellow Jackets and Minutemen, Notre Dame’s trip to Clemson is another beast. Asked to lead his teammates into Death Valley, a place where opponents have only emerged with victories twice since the 2012 season, Kizer will have the weight of Irish nation on his shoulders as he prepares to lead Notre Dame to their third 5-0 start in four seasons.
"
Head coach Brian Kelly has expressed the utmost confidence in Kizer, as he should. The question will be whether Kizer will show that same confidence in himself in a hostile environment.
1. Will Either Quarterback Take Over in Alabama vs. Georgia?
10 of 10
We already know Alabama-Georgia is a matchup of running backs vs. run defenses. But what about quarterbacks Jake Coker (Alabama) and Greyson Lambert (Georgia)? Will the game ask either of them to make huge plays on their own?
Lambert has been asked to do far less than Coker, attempting nearly 50 percent fewer passes through four games. Yet, statistically, Coker and Lambert aren't that far apart in touchdown passes (8-7) and passing yards per game (196.5-183.3). Coker has also shown the capability of being a running threat at times, rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown against Ole Miss.
Of the two, Coker has been asked to do more. Will that hold up in Week 5, or will Lambert have a surprise performance?
This could be something as big as orchestrating a come-from-behind victory or as little as making a few key third-down/fourth-down throws.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
