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College Football 2019: Top 5 games with playoff implications in Week 5

By Tanner Nestle

COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 7: Head Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes watches his team warm up before a game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Ohio Stadium on September 7, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 7: Head Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes watches his team warm up before a game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Ohio Stadium on September 7, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
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Auburn Football Anthony Schwartz
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 21: Anthony Schwartz #5 of the Auburn Tigers rushes past Demani Richardson #26 of the Texas A&M Aggies and Myles Jones #10 for a 57 yard touchdown during the first quarter at Kyle Field on September 21, 2019 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

5. MSU at No. 7 Auburn (Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. ET – ESPN)

This is a bit of a sneaky one, and that’s exactly why it’s on this list. This is a dangerous game for Auburn, who welcomes a non-awful opponent to Jordan Hare this Saturday. The Tigers are fresh off a huge road win over Texas A&M and come kickoff of this game will be just seven short days away from a date with the Gators in the Swamp. There are a lot of potential distractions here and Auburn has to keep things in check to keep this dream season alive.

The Tigers are up to No. 7 in the AP poll and creeping ever closer to Alabama and LSU in the SEC West. Fortunately for us, we’ll see Auburn play both of them at some point this year. And that’s the unfortunate news for the Tigers. But that doesn’t come before we see one of the oldest rivalries in the SEC renewed next week when Auburn plays Florida, and that’s not before we see Auburn play Mississippi State. Again, lots to break down for Guz Malzahn, Bo Nix, and Co.

Nix is still completing just over 53 percent of his passes this year, but he hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 1 against Oregon. I’m still waiting for Nix to show his true freshman colors. I just might be waiting for a long time.

Auburn’s defense looks like the real deal and should be able to keep Mississippi State at bay. Yet the Bulldogs haven’t played the cleanest football this year, but are still 3-1 and are a much more formidable opponent than the Tigers would probably like this weekend.

College football wouldn’t be college football if games like this didn’t sometimes go awry for the home favorite. I still expect Auburn to win, but as I said, there are a lot of distractions swirling.

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