College Football Rankings 2019: Reviewing NCAA Week 6 Standings Before Saturday

Although it may seem the 2019 college football campaign is still young, many programs are reaching the halfway point of their regular seasons in Week 6.

And with every passing Saturday, the significance of each result rises. Some losses are problematic in conference races. Every defeat, however, affects College Football Playoff chances.

In Week 6, the CFB world has its collective eyes on three showdowns between Top 25 teams.

While the marquee game is No. 7 Auburn at No. 10 Florida, a pair of Big Ten battles―Iowa at Michigan and Michigan State at Ohio State―are high on the national radar. Before the excitement arrives, let's review the Top 25 entering Week 6.

Week 6 AP Top 25

1. Alabama (5-0)
2. Clemson (5-0)
3. Georgia (4-0)
4. Ohio State (5-0)
5. LSU (4-0)
6. Oklahoma (4-0)
7. Auburn (5-0)
8. Wisconsin (4-0) 
9. Notre Dame (3-1)
10. Florida (5-0)
11. Texas (3-1)
12. Penn State (4-0)
13. Oregon (3-1)
14. Iowa (4-0)
15. Washington (4-1)
16. Boise State (4-0)
17. Utah (4-1)
18. UCF (4-1)
19. Michigan (3-1)
20. Arizona State (4-1)
21. Oklahoma State (4-1)
22. Wake Forest (5-0)
23. Virginia (4-1)
24. SMU (5-0)
T-25. Michigan State (3-1)
T-25. Texas A&M (3-2)

Clarity Coming in Big Ten

At this point of the season, only a handful of Big Ten games have taken place. Beginning in Week 6, though, the conference will start to have a bit of separation in the standings.

Ohio State is widely considered the favorite, but Michigan State could throw a wrench into that discussion. While the Spartans are 20-point underdogs, per Caesars, MSU has regularly been a thorn in the Buckeyes' side in recent years.

Strong defense won't be enough for the Spartans, though.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Last season, MSU only allowed 347 yards yet fell 26-6 because the offense failed to even cross midfield on 12 of its 16 drives. That level of ineffectiveness is crushing against any opponent, but a team of Ohio State's caliber won't lose that contest.

The Spartans must be effective on offense early and put up some points, lest the Buckeyes create a multiple-score advantage and force MSU to play from behind.

Whichever team pulls out the victory will remain unblemished in Big Ten action and hold an important win for tiebreaker purposes.

Iowa's trip to Michigan doesn't have the same context, but the Hawkeyes are undefeated this year. Given the struggles of Northwestern, Nebraska and Purdue, Iowa appears to be Wisconsin's only challenger in the West Division.

Michigan, on the other hand, is trying to stay alive in the Big Ten and national races. The Wolverines have already lost to Wisconsin this season.

Jim Harbaugh's teams have performed much better at home against marquee opponents, so the sky might not continue falling in on Michigan. Simultaneously, a terrific Iowa defense is a bad matchup for an offense searching for its identity.

If the Wolverines falter again, they will be all but eliminated from the Big Ten and CFP races. Only a monumental collapse from Ohio State would give U-M a second chance.

But with a win―despite all the deserved criticism of Harbaugh―Michigan wouldn't be finished.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.