Tonight the college football weekend kicks off. We saw some upsets and close play last week as the conference season began in earnest. This week separates still more contenders from the rest of the pack, with several games where both squads are ranked: Virginia Tech-Clemson, USC-Washington State, Auburn-Mississippi State.
One game I particularly like is IU at 18 on the road. The Penn State secondary is vulnerable. While I’m pretty sure the Hoosiers lose this one, this game could be a shootout. Georgia being less than a TD favorite against the Vols is also piquing my interest. I wouldn’t touch the Alabama spread with stolen money, TBH. For that matter, I’d leave the Auburn line alone too: That game is played much tighter in Starkville. It can be a field goal State win or an Auburn blowout. South Florida at -24 vs. ECU is good value. ECU’s run defense defense is woeful and the Bulls crush it on the ground. And, lastly, I like Troy at +19.5 vs. a reeling LSU team trying to find their way, with a dual QB system, and no Derrius Guice. I do like A&M to cover 8 against South Carolina. The Gamecocks have lost their best wide receiver and their best linebacker in one week.
Below are Week Five odds, I’ve placed the SEC games in bold and some bonus tidbits from Scott Cooley below the list. What games are you looking at?
Top 25
Mississippi at Alabama (-28)
Clemson at Virginia Tech (+5.5)
Indiana at Penn State (-18)
USC at Washington State (+4)
Washington at Oregon State (+28)
Georgia at Tennessee (+6.5)
Northwestern at Wisconsin (-13)
Ohio State at Rutgers (+29)
Mississippi State at Auburn (-9.5)
Miami at Duke (+4.5)
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (+11)
Murray State at Louisville (OFF)
South Florida at East Carolina (+24)
Northern Illinois at San Diego State (-12)
Vanderbilt at Florida (-9.5)
Miami-Ohio at Notre Dame (-23)
Troy at LSU (-19.5)
College Football Week 5 Odds
Texas at Iowa State (+4)
Miami at Duke (+4.5)
Nebraska at Illinois (+6.5)
BYU at Utah State (+3)
USC at Washington State (+4)
Charlotte at Florida International (-10)
Rice at Pittsburgh (-21.5)
South Florida at East Carolina (+24)
Memphis at Georgia State (OFF)
Syracuse at NC State (-11.5)
Eastern Michigan at Kentucky (-14)
Ball State at Western Michigan (+4.5)
Central Michigan at Boston College (-8)
Akron at Bowling Green (-1)
Ohio at UMass (+6.5)
Buffalo at Kent (+4)
Houston at Temple (+14)
Marshall at Cincinnati (-5)
Baylor at Kansas State (-14)
Maryland at Minnesota (-12.5)
Ohio State at Rutgers (+29)
Iowa at Michigan State (-2.5)
Florida State at Wake Forest (+7)
Northwestern at Wisconsin (-13)
Indiana at Penn State (-18)
Navy at Tulsa (+3)
UConn at SMU (-17.5)
Texas State at Wyoming (-18.5)
Colorado at UCLA (-7)
Cal at Oregon (-15)
Washington at Oregon State (+28)
Coastal Carolina at UL Monroe (-11)
South Carolina at Texas A&M (-8)
Troy at LSU (-19.5)
New Mexico State at Arkansas (-18.5)
San Jose State at UNLV (-10.5)
UTEP at Army (-24)
Vanderbilt at Florida (-9.5)
Georgia at Tennessee (+6.5)
North Texas at Southern Miss (-9)
South Alabama at Louisiana Tech (-14)
Miami-Ohio at Notre Dame (-23)
Middle Tennessee State at Florida Atlantic (OFF)
Mississippi State at Auburn (-9.5)
North Carolina at Georgia Tech (-10)
Clemson at Virginia Tech (+5.5)
Air Force at New Mexico (PK)
Mississippi at Alabama (-28)
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (+11)
Arizona State at Stanford (-15.5)
Nevada at Fresno State (-9)
Northern Illinois at San Diego State (-12)
Memphis at UCF (-3)
Murray State at Louisville (OFF)
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- The USC/Washington State spread (Trojans -4) is the smallest spread between those two programs since 2002. A span of 10 games.
- Vanderbilt +9.5 marks the first time the Commodores have been a single-digit underdog on the road against Florida since 1985. They are 1-12 in that stretch with the lone win coming in 2013.
- Since 1995, Army has never been a bigger favorite against an FBS team (currently -24 vs. UTEP). The previous high was -17.5 versus North Texas last year.