USA TODAY Sports college football staff picks for Week 5

College football weekends don't get much better than this. Three matchups of top 10 teams highlight a schedule that's full of playoff implications.

The first showdown will take place Friday night when No. 9 Washington hosts No. 6 Stanford. The winner holds the clear edge in the Pac-12 North and takes a major step toward possibly being the league's representative in the College Football Playoff.

The same story line will unfold Saturday night in the ACC with some significant Heisman Trophy implications added as No. 3 Clemson and Deshaun Watson gets a visit from No. 4 Louisville and Lamar Jackson.

Not to be overlooked is a Big Ten meeting between No. 5 Michigan and No. 8 Wisconsin. The Badgers already have two wins against top 10 teams and will be looking to knock off the Wolverines in the Big House.