Something’s gotta give. Week 5 of the NCAA college football season promises to put some undefeated streaks to rest with several ranked schools set to face off against one another.
Let’s take a look at the five top-heavy games this Saturday, all featuring current Top 25 teams from the AP Poll. Afterwards, be on top of some of the other quality college football matches on this weekend’s slate with our previews for Arizona State vs. UCLA and Air Force vs. Navy.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]The Top Five College Football Games to Watch in Week 5 of the 2015 NCAA Season
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Where: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman
When: Saturday, October 3, 12:00 PM ET
Line: West Virginia Mountaineers (+7) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (-7) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: FS1
[sc:NCAA240banner ]It’s time for some Big 12 action from some big-time programs this Saturday with the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners playing host to the No. 23 West Virginia Mountaineers.
West Virginia is coming off of a blowout 45-6 thrashing of Maryland and exhibited a potent offense that has been stellar on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Skyler Howard’s 69 percent completion rate is rather absurd, all thanks to wideouts Jovon Durante and Shelton Gibson, who have combined for 528 receiving yards and six touchdowns for the season. The Mountaineers’ running game (220.3 yards per contest) has been clicking as well, which could spell trouble for the Sooners’ D.
However, Oklahoma will likely counter with a prolific offense of its own. Baker Mayfield has already thrown for over a thousand yards this season, and the imposing backfield tandem of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon can easily shift the Sooner ground attack (182 rushing yards per game) if needed.
But here are three x-factors heading into this match that has tipped the scale in Oklahoma’s favor: the game will be played in Norman, the Sooners have an extra week of rest coming from a bye, and the team has won its past three meetings versus the Mountaineers.
Writer’s Prediction: Oklahoma wins in a shootout, 41-35.
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens
When: Saturday, October 3, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Alabama Crimson Tide (+2) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (-2) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Two powerhouses from the SEC will collide for the first time since the 2012 SEC conference championship game when the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide travel to Athens to take on the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs.
Alabama badly needed a bounce-back win after the heavy defeat dealt by Ole Miss, and they got one with the shutout win of Louisiana Monroe this past Saturday. However, we still have to question the Tide’s ability to contain ranked schools. In the Week 3 loss to Ole Miss, the team had five turnovers and gave up 341 passing yards. Bama better win this tough road game, as four more opponents currently ranked in the AP Top 25 still await the team on their schedule.
Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs have made quick work of their first three games this season, with Saturday’s game against Alabama being their first true test of their young campaign. With Heisman Trophy candidate Nick Chubb (+900) scorching right through defenses at almost 200 rushing yards per game this 2015, QB Grayson Lambert playing hyper-efficient of late (76.5 season completion rate, just two incompletions last two games), and the 13th-best defense in the nation, Georgia has enough tools to keep the Tide at bay.
Writer’s Prediction: The Bulldogs (-2) stay undefeated, 37-30.
Ole Miss Rebels vs. Florida Gators
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, Gainsville
When: Saturday, October 3, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Ole Miss Rebels (-7.5) vs. Florida Gators (+7.5) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
It’s time for some more fireworks from the SEC as the No. 3 Ole Miss rebels get ready to take on the No. 25 Florida Gators at The Swamp.
Ole Miss is a force on offense, averaging almost 55 points and 544 points per game. Quarterback Chad Kelly is mostly having his way this season by putting up 13 touchdowns (10 via pass and three on the ground), while the team’s leading running back Jaylen Walton is averaging a whopping 6.4 yards per carry for a well-rounded offense.
On the other hand, Florida has been just as impressive on offense. Averaging 33.5 points and 404 yards per game through the season so far has been no easy feat, but those numbers pale in comparison to Ole Miss’. Plus, the Rebels have had a tough test this season already in Alabama, whereas the Gators have yet to win an overly convincing game yet early on into this year. Florida’s 28-27 victory over Tennessee had to go down the wire this past Saturday, while Ole Miss had better command of its 43-37 win over the Crimson Tide.
Writer’s Prediction: The Rebels walk away from Gainsville with a sweet 39-33 win on the road.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Where: Kyle Field, College Station
When: Saturday, October 3, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Mississippi State Bulldogs (+7) vs. Texas A&M Aggies (-7) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: SECN
Still not enough SEC action for you? Well here’s another thrilling matchup coming from arguably the nation’s most loaded conference.
The No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies are fresh off a 28-21 overtime win against Arkansas, with quarterback Kyle Allen showing some tenacity down the stretch and raising his TD count for the season to 11. And with backup Kyler Murray taking a decent amount of snaps this year to change the offense up mid-game for option plays, the two Texas A&M play-callers have led the team to average 41.5 points and 471.5 yards per game this 2015.
In spite of being the only team on this article with a loss this season, the No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs have shown a ton of grit after having gone through two SEC rivals already, most recently with a quality win over Auburn this past Saturday. Bulldogs QB Dak Prescott has yet to throw a pick and has eight total TDs to date. The defense, meanwhile, is only giving up 14.8 points per contest thanks to some stellar heroics from junior linebacker Richie Brown, who has 39 tackles, three sacks and an interception for the season.
Writer’s Prediction: Mississippi State deals Texas A&M its first loss of 2015, 28-24.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Clemson Tigers
Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson
When: Saturday, October 3, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Clemson Tigers – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Do the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish really need Malik Zaire to be successful? Well, the 62-27 win over UMass this past week should silence some critics. It was the first time that the Irish have scored 60 points in almost a decade, and CJ Prosise has taken his team to once victory after another in the wake of QB Zaire’s absence.
Prosise already has 600 rushing yards on just 74 carries for the year, while the team’s backup playmaker in DeShone Kizer hasn’t been that bad (or really that good for that matter), going 15-of-22 for a pair of TDs and a pick in last Sunday’s demolition.
However, if you really want to talk about efficient quarterback play, look no further than the No. 12 Clemson Tigers’ Deshaun Watson. The sophomore signal-caller has already thrown three picks to just seven touchdowns this season, but Watson’s impeccable completion rate of over 74 percent and passer rating of 165.3 are what’s keeping the Tigers utterly competitive. To add, the team has won its past 11 games at home.
On the flipside, Notre Dame is actually 5-0 when the Pope makes a visit to the US. But since the papal tour has been wrapped up, the Fighting Irish might need a good helping of divine intervention to leave Death Valley with a win.
Writer’s Prediction: Clemson keeps their winning streak at home alive, 31-27.
Create a betting account now to place your stakes on all of these riveting matches and all the other exciting games yet to come this 2015 NCAA college football season.
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