Week 5 of the college football season means that conference play is in full swing. Almost every team will have played at least one conference game by the end of the weekend and league play will define each team's success from here until rivalry weekend.
There are a few games in Week 5 that have major conference implications. No. 19 Oregon State is trying to keep its Pac-12 hopes alive against No. 10 Utah. The Beavers are coming off a loss against No. 16 Washington State, and can hardly afford to start 0-2 in conference play if they want to stay in the race.
No. 3 Texas and No. 24 Kansas are two of three undefeated teams left in the Big 12, but something has to give this weekend. South Carolina travels to No. 21 Tennessee in a key SEC East clash. The Gamecocks stunned the Vols last season, and killed Tennessee's College Football Playoff hopes, with a 63-38 win. There should be plenty of animosity between the two.
There's a ton of value to be found in these games. After a blazing hot start to this weekly column, we went 1-4 last week. Many thanks to No. 5 Florida State for taking care of business against Clemson and preventing a total wash. Week 5 is a good opportunity to get back above .500 for the year.
| Week 4 | Season |
|---|---|
1-4 | 5-5 |
Here are the value plays that bettors should keep an eye on during Week 5 of the college football season.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
No. 10 Utah at No. 19 Oregon State
When: Friday, 9 p.m. | Where: Reser Stadium -- Corvallis, Oregon
Injury concerns may make bettors anxious about laying money on Utah. Quarterback Cam Rising's status is still in the air. Tight end Brant Kuithe, the Utes' best offensive weapon, has yet to even dress out this year. The running back room is super thin, with starter Ja'Quinden Jackson dealing with nagging ankle issues and No. 2 option Micah Bernard on the shelf. And yet, even with this offensive injury plague, the Utes are 4-0. Their defense is top-shelf, good enough to win any game on its own. The offense is far from explosive -- or even productive -- but it does a good job of taking care of the ball and prolonging drives to help the defense out a bit. Utah keeps finding ways to win against really strong opponents. Pound the Utes money line now because if Rising's return is announced, this line will shift on a dime. Prediction: Utah ML (+139)
Cincinnati at BYU
When: Friday, 10:15 p.m. | Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium -- Provo, Utah
It's downright peculiar that Cincinnati is favored in this matchup. It would be one thing if the Bearcats were the home team, but they have to travel over 1,000 miles to play in one of the most underrated venues in all of college football. And this isn't the same Cincinnati team we're used to. The Bearcats lost to Miami (OH) and only put six points on the board, at home, against an Oklahoma team that gave them every opportunity to score. BYU, in the last two weeks, beat Arkansas on the road and hung around with Kansas before the Jayhawks pulled away near the end. Take the Cougars' on the money line. It provides a little bit more value than picking BYU to cover a paltry 2-point spread. Prediction: BYU ML (+112)
No. 24 Kansas at No. 3 Texas
When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. | Where: Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium -- Austin, Texas
Texas has done nothing but take care of business this year. Some expected Baylor to put up a fight last week, but the Longhorns walked out of McLane Stadium with a 32-point win. This line is also almost certainly inflated by Texas' 17-4 record against the Jayhawks. Two of those Kansas wins have come in the last seven years, though. The last time these two teams met in Austin, Kansas got a thrilling overtime win. As evidenced by its placement in the AP Top 25, Kansas has grown a lot since then. It's the Big 12's most experienced team with one of college football's best all around players in Jalon Daniels. Texas will win, but the Jayhawks are good enough to make it a lot closer than the spread suggests. Prediction: Kansas +16.5 (-110)
South Carolina at No. 21 Tennessee
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. | Where: Neyland Stadium -- Knoxville, Tennessee
This has all the makings of a track meet. South Carolina's offense has been inconsistent this year. The running game is almost nonexistent and the offensive line has had its fair share of struggles when it comes to pass blocking. Spencer Rattler is a special talent, and has covered up a lot of issues by himself. The emergence of wide receiver Xavier Legette, who leads the FBS with 556 receiving yards in four games, helps. Those two should feast against a Tennessee secondary that still consistently underperforms. In similar fashion, Tennessee's talented stable of running backs will have a big day against a Gamecock run defense that ranks eighth in the SEC. South Carolina allows more yards per game (434.5) and yards per play (6.02) than any other team in the conference. Expect a lot of points, which means the over should hit without much of a sweat. Prediction: Over 63.5 (-110)
No. 7 Washington at Arizona
When: Saturday, 10 p.m. | Where: Arizona Stadium -- Tucson, Arizona
Good teams win, but great teams cover. Washington is a phenomenal team. The Huskies are 4-0 on the year and 3-1 against the spread. They're winning by an average of just under 33 points per game. That includes two blowout wins against power conference competition and a 37-point rout against Mountain West Conference power Boise State, a trendy preseason pick to upset Washington. Arizona has been a disappointment this year. Its power-conference game results leave a lot to be desired. The Wildcats lost to Mississippi State and beat Stanford -- the No. 105 team in CBS Sports' ranking of all 133 FBS programs -- by a single point. Bettors may balk at an 18.5-point spread, especially on the road, but Washington is more than capable of covering. Prediction: Washington -18.5 (-110)
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 5, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $2,500 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.