The first quarter of the season has come and gone and only 22 undefeated teams remain. It’s been a chaotic start to the 2026 campaign and that figures to continue with the first weekend in October.
Week 5 has a little bit of everything on the docket. There are a few undefeated matchups, including a game featuring two of the best quarterbacks in the country so far. There’s the debut of a new stadium at Northwestern, as well as what’s sure to be a raucous stadium environment in Iowa City. Plus, there are teams in action like Michigan and USC which need to bounce back after gut-wrenching losses last week.
So to help you determine where you should put your focus this weekend, Sports Illustrated has highlighted the top 10 games on the schedule, as well as one unique element that makes each matchup special. Let’s dive in.
Pittsburgh (4–0) at Virginia Tech (4–0)
Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
What to watch: Elite defenses square off
Though quarterback Mason Heintschel may keep stealing headlines with six- and seven-touchdown games, Pitt’s defense has allowed just 8.5 points per game (third in FBS) and 4.2 yards per play (tied for 13th) across the first four weeks. Tech may not be quite as stout at keeping points off the board but has been menacing in the backfield, racking up 45 tackles for loss (first in FBS) in just four games. Neither offense has been a slouch against lesser competition so far, but will have to be much better to solve the Cory Sanders- and Brent Pry-led defenses.
Penn State (3–1) at Northwestern (2–1)
Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
What to watch: the debut of Northwestern’s new stadium
The Wildcats will play their first game at the new Ryan Field, a venue that cost over $870 million and took more than two years to construct. The stadium is just a piece of Northwestern’s plan to establish itself as a contender in the Big Ten, but if the ‘Cats can play as well as they can build a stadium, that bodes well. The pressure will be on in Evanston with a hungry Penn State team arriving, looking to avenge a head-scratching loss to Wisconsin. Ryan Field should look spectacular under the lights and the overhead camera shots on Fox should provide some epic angles.
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