We’re in for another fun Saturday in college football as we dive right into conference play.
There will be three ranked vs. ranked showdowns on the day as well as some tough spots on the road for other ranked teams, which could put some of the top teams in the country at a disadvantage. that watch out.
Here’s what we’re keeping a close eye on in Week 5.
Time: Noon | TV: Fox | Line: USC -21.5 | Overall: 73.5
Deion Sanders and Colorado are the biggest story in sports as the Buffaloes surprisingly start the year 3-0. Things changed last weekend, however, as Colorado was destroyed 42-6 by Oregon. Now back home, the Buffs get another tough challenge with USC and Heisman Trophy running back Caleb Williams visiting Folsom Field. USC is off to a casual 4-0 start and is averaging a whopping 55 points per game, even against lackluster competition. Colorado really struggles on defense, but USC’s defense is also easy to break down. It’s going to be a shootout.
Time: 3:30 pm | TV: ABC | Line: UT -16.5 | Total: 63.5
Could this be a tough spot for Texas? The Longhorns are 4-0 and up to No. 3 in the country. The next big game on Texas’ schedule is next week against rival Oklahoma. But the Longhorns can’t be caught looking past the Sooners with a dangerous Kansas team visiting Austin. Kansas coach Lance Leipold quickly transformed the Jayhawks into a viable Big 12 team. Kansas is off to a 4-0 start for the second straight season behind a stellar offense led by QB Jalon Daniels, RB Devin Neal and a deep group of receivers. The Jayhawks run a unique offensive system that could give the Longhorns problems.
Time: 6 pm | TV: ESPN | Line: LSU -2.5 | Overall: 66.5
The Tigers entered the season with national title hype, but their play has been uneven thus far. LSU was fired in the second half of the season-opener against Florida State but has since won three straight. The offense has plenty, but the defense has plenty of concerns – especially in the secondary. Does Ole Miss have the skill set to exploit LSU’s weaknesses? On paper it looks that way, but the Rebels haven’t looked quite right on offense. Back home, how will Lane Kiffin’s team respond after last week’s uninspiring performance against Alabama?
Time: 7:30 pm | TV: ABC | Line: ND -5.5 | Total: 52.5
Notre Dame is coming off a brutal last-second loss to Ohio State. This should be extremely deflating for Marcus Freeman’s program, and now the Irish have to go on the road to face an undefeated Duke team. Notre Dame has clearly improved with Sam Hartman at QB, but can this team bounce back after a tough loss? For Duke, it’s the program’s biggest game in years and the first time the school has hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” for football. Are coach Mike Elko and the Blue Devils ready for now?