College Football Week 5 Predictions: Oregon/PSU, Geo/Ala, LSU/Ole Miss and Much More

Week 4 saw strong outings for Indiana, Texas Tech, Miami, Memphis, Michigan, and the referees playing a role in Oklahoma’s win over Auburn.  Week 5 features big games in the Big Ten and SEC, along with several key matchups flying under the radar. The news came down on Sooners QB John Mateer’s injury. The ACC joined the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC by mandating nine conference games, which likely equates to a 16-team playoff. Let’s hope we get two rounds of matchups at the higher seeds’ home field instead of forcing fans to travel. Buckle up for Week 5 as we gather more data to crown a national champion ultimately.

Marquee Matchups

#3 Penn State vs. #6 Oregon: Heading into this marquee matchup in the Big Ten it’s a bit difficult to judge just how great these teams are in 2025. Neither team has faced a legit team. That said, the Ducks have faced a Power 4 opponent, but it was Oklahoma State. The Nittany Lions’ signal caller, Drew Allar, has something to prove, as does his head coach, James Franklin, in high-profile games. Ducks QB Dante Moore has looked the part in this plug-and-play system Oregon has developed over the years. Oregon lost more key players from last year’s Big Ten championship but was very strong in the portal in acquiring talent. Penn State brought back a ton of players off a successful year. The Nittany Lions will attack Oregon on the ground and make a few explosive plays in the pass game.

The Pick: Penn State +3.5

BetMGM

4.5/5

Tip: Bet Penn State +3.5

• White Out
• Allar something to prove
• Iregon was strong in the portal

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#5 Georgia vs. #17 Alabama: The Georgia Bulldogs were the winners of a phenomenal drama filled shootout win over Tennessee. While Alabama appeared out gunned in a loss to Florida State. Since then, Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson has shown some improvement albeit against lesser competition. Georgia QB Gunnar Stockton silenced the doubters with an impressive performance in Knoxville. The bye will help both teams so neither get an advantage heading into this highly important SEC tilt. The Bulldogs have run the ball better this year averaging over 200 yards a game. Alabama has the edge in passing yards throwing 336 yards per game. Whichever team takes care of the ball and generates the best pass rush will win. This is a pick’em so the home field in Athens, Georgia is a difference maker.

The Pick: Georgia -3

FanDuel

4.6/5

Tip: Bet Georgia -3

• Stockton to play well
• Bulldogs deadly on the ground
• Simpson Playing Well

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Under The Radar

#4 LSU vs. #13 Ole Miss: Ole Miss backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss not only has a great name, but many also believe he’s earned the starting job. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier and the Tigers offense has yet to hit their stride. Normally a high-powered offense, LSU wasn’t able to pull away from Clemson or put their foot on Florida’s throat even with 5 interceptions by Gators QB DJ Lagway. So which unit will show up on Saturday afternoon on ABC? Can LSU find success against defense giving up 190 rushing yards per game? Or will Ole Miss shutdown the struggling Tigers offense the way they did to Tulane. Kentucky and Arkansas were able to score points and keep the game close. Look for LSU’s wide receivers to break out their shell and help jump start their offense.

The Pick: LSU +1.5

DraftKings

4.5/5

Tip: Bet LSU +1.5

• LSU WRs to play well
• Ole Miss Run Defense Struggling
• LSU Offense Struggling

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#9 Texas A&M vs. Auburn: Last week the Auburn Tigers went down to the wire losing a heartbreaker in Norman, Oklahoma. If you watched it, you could see the refs played a part in their loss. That said the Sooners got after Auburn QB Jackson Arnold sacking him 10 times. Some of those sacks were on Arnold as well as the off target throws that could’ve resulted in a big win. Texas A&M’s offense has put up at least 40 points in all 3 contests thus far. The Aggies offense has been a tad bit of a surprise but so has their lack of quality defense. My gut tells me to side with Auburn however this will be the Tigers third road trip to Texas, and we’re not even done with the month of September.

The Pick: Auburn +6.5 

Caesars

4.4/5

Tip: Bet Auburn +6.5

• Arnold to Play Well
• Auburn Offensive Line Struggling
• Aggies defense underperforming

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Saturday Upset Special

Rutgers pulls off a win at Minnesota as a +5.5 road dog. And yes, I know this College Football podcaster picked the Scarlett Knights to beat Iowa last week.

Hardcore Barnburners

#21 USC vs. #23 Illinois: USC let Michigan State hang around last week. The Fighting Illini got trounced by Indiana and took multiple injuries in a beatdown to boot. Can Illinois right the ship? Can the Trojans show they belong by playing well on the road something they didn’t really do last year? USC will outscore the Illini, but don’t be shocked if the home team covers as the dog.

The Pick: USC –6.5

#24 TCU vs. ASU: This Big-12 hardcore barnburner fits the bill and will likely go a long way in deciding the conference race. The Sun Devils bounced back with a game winning FG over Baylor after dropping one to Mississippi State in week 2. TCU outlasted SMU and now attempt to keep their record unblemished.  If were basing the Big-12 off last year with a crazy finish, that would mean Arizona State wins. But as we know it’s 2025 and TCU has the makings of a true conference winning contender.

The Pick: TCU +3

Against The Spread

Syracuse +5.5 versus Duke

Honorable Mention: Rutgers +5.5 versus Minnesota

Quick Hits Recap

-Oklahoma’s defense had 10 sacks the most in a single game in school history as the Sooners defeated Auburn 24-17.

-Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza was 21 of 23 for 267 passing yards and 5 TD’s in an absolute thrashing of Illinois 63-10.

-Not to be outdone the running game for the Hoosiers amassed 312 rushing yards.

-The 63 points put up by Indiana were the most in school history when facing a ranked opponent.

-Miami rushed the ball for 184 yards topping a total yardage of 141 for Florida’s offense in a 26-7 win.

-Clemson suffered their worst home loss when facing an unranked opponent in a 34-21 Syracuse victory.

-Ole Miss backup QB Trinidad Chambliss threw for 307 yard and 2 touchdowns while also compiling 112 rushing yards on 12 carries in a 45-10 win over Tulane.

-Texas Tech moved to 4-0 for the first time since the 2013 season with a huge conference win over Utah 34-16.

-TCU WR Eric McAlister had 8 catches for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 35-24 victory over SMU.

Written by Chris Carlson Host of The College Ball Show available under The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast Umbrella on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker, I-Heart Radio, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts & More! Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio