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

4. Arizona State at No. 15 Cal (Sept. 27 at 10:30 p.m. – ESPN)

Folks, that number in front of Cal’s name is correct. They are currently slotted at No. 15 in the country, just behind Iowa and ahead of Boise State. Cal has already beaten Washington, something the Golden Bears have now done for the second year in a row, and just got back from a road trip to Oxford where it held off a goal-line run to win as time expired.

The Pac-12 has had the toughest time of any Power Five conference making the four-team College Football Playoff since its inception. Maybe the football out west doesn’t get the attention it deserves, or maybe the football just isn’t good enough to warrant a bid. Either way, the Pac-12 is off to a tough start this year again. Except for Cal.

Utah, Washington, Oregon and Washington State have all seemingly been eliminated from playoff contention because they’re no longer undefeated. Well, Cal is still undefeated. Why can’t the Golden Bears be in consideration?

The difficult part for Cal is obviously to make it through the season undefeated and that’s something it has to do week by week. This week, however, is the first week where the spotlight will be on Justin Wilcox and his team as a potential cinderella team in 2019. Herm Edwards will have his team as ready as any to go on the road and beat a tough Cal team. This game should have a more old school feel to it.

Cal still has some really tough road games on the remaining schedule, including going to Oregon next week. If the Golden Bears can get by the Sun Devils, that matchup may be featured here for week six as we monitor the Pac-12’s newest hope for the College Football Playoff.