Week 5 of the College Football season is here. It’s Homecoming for 25th-ranked Mizzou as they host No. 8 Florida. No. 16 Mississippi State is the talk of College Football as they host No. 7 Alabama. College Gameday heads to Iowa City for No. 14 Iowa vs No. 5 Ohio State. That, and plenty more on this Saturday slate. Let’s make some picks (with the odds provided by our partners over at FanDuel Sportsbook).
But first, a standings recap after Week 4:
Stava: 17-7
Gustafson: 15-9
Matejka: 10-4
Lewis: 11-3
No.
25 Missouri Tigers vs No. 8 Florida Gators (-4.5) (2:30 p.m. CST on ABC)
Sammy Stava: It’s at the point where I’ll need to see it to believe it for Eli Drinkwitz against a ranked team. Should be a good game and I like this spot for Mizzou on Homecoming. In the end, Florida’s offense will be too much to overcome. 34-30, Gators.
Matthew Gustafson: I think this ends up as a one score game, and Mizzou has won its close ones in Columbia more often that not the past few years. Florida is also coming off the high of its most important win in years, while the Tigers will be determined to recover after falling just short in Starkville. That being said, I just don’t know that I trust Mizzou’s defense right now, especially against a great offensive team in the Gators that features Jadan Baugh. Give me Florida in a close one, 31-28.
Josh Matejka: There’s something about this game that gives me good feelings as a Mizzou fan. The Tigers didn’t cover themselves in glory in Starkville, but they did take a genuinely good SEC team to the final drive on the road, where Drinkwitz teams struggle to come out on top. They’re much better at home, especially when Homecoming rolls around – they’ve yet to lose a Homecoming game under Drinkwitz. On top of all that, Florida is riding a wave of good vibes after demolishing Ole Miss. But they almost got pipped by a not great Auburn team in their first road game, and Mizzou’s offense could give them fits. It’ll be a shootout, but I think Mizzou finds a way to get back on track. Tigers win, 38-36.
Jaden Lewis:
Nathan Hurst:
No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide (-5.5) at No. 16 Mississippi State (11:00 a.m. CST on ABC)
Sammy Stava: Missouri wasted an opportunity last week in Starkville. As good as Kamario Taylor is, Alabama has the better and more complete team on paper. Crimson Tide get it done even on the road. 40-31, Bama.
Matthew Gustafson: The Bulldogs are legit, and Davis Wade should again be rocking for another top 25 matchup. But Alabama has aced every test it’s faced so far, and I think that will be the case again on Saturday. I might choose differently if this one was a night game, but with an 11 a.m. kickoff I’m taking Bama, 42-35.
Josh Matejka: Tough one here. You can’t help but be impressed by the way Kamario Taylor has handled things thus far, but I can’t shake how Missouri was able to bottle him up for a good chunk of last Saturday’s game. Alabama is different gravy, and they won’t let Taylor recover if he falls behind. I think Mississippi State finally falters and Alabama covers late, 38-31.
Jaden Lewis:
Nathan Hurst:
No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes (-14.5) at No. 14 Iowa Hawkeyes (2:30 p.m. CST on CBS)
Sammy Stava: College Gameday in Iowa City should present a fun atmosphere, but the Hawkeyes are up against a talented and motivated Ohio State team that already has a loss. Buckeyes get it done on the road, 35-23.
Matthew Gustafson: GameDay is back in Iowa City for the first time in 20 years, and the energy that will create has to make you think for just a moment about picking the Hawkeyes. Only for a moment, though, as this Iowa team looks like many of its predecessors: pretty good, but not good enough to win the really big games. The Buckeyes win it 27-17.
Josh Matejka: Sorry, Hawkeyes, you can’t fool me by beating a mediocre Michigan team that nearly lost to Western Michigan. I don’t care where it was. So while I think Iowa covers a two-score spread thanks to their defense, I don’t think this will ever be in doubt. Ohio State wins, 23-13.
Jaden Lewis:
Nathan Hurst:
Auburn Tigers at No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers (-7.5) (2:30 p.m. CST on ESPN)
Sammy Stava: Coming off a tough loss to Texas at home, Tennessee will be in a good spot to bounce back here, especially since this game is in Knoxville. Vols roll, 35-17.
Matthew Gustafson: I think Tennessee has looked pretty good this year; Texas was just a little too much to handle. I don’t expect that to be the case against an Auburn squad that’s looked fairly pedestrian and will go into Neyland with a first year head coach that’s facing his former boss. Give me the Vols in a 31-21 final.
Josh Matejka: Auburn goes on the road for only the second time this year, and a mediocre Baylor squad isn’t waiting for them this time. Tennessee isn’t a perfect team, but they’re good enough to dispatch the Tigers. Volunteers win handily, 34-21.
Jaden Lewis:
Nathan Hurst:
No. 24 Kentucky Wildcats at South Carolina Gamecocks (-2.5) (3:15 p.m. CST on SEC Network)
Sammy Stava: Kentucky already has the confidence to win on the road in SEC play after beating Texas A&M. South Carolina is going nowhere under Beamer. 24-20, Cats.
Matthew Gustafson: Will we hear the death knell of the Beamer Ball era in the other Columbia this weekend? A loss to Kentucky might be the final straw, especially with the ongoing Dylan Stewart drama hanging over the program (and also causing the Gamecocks to be without their best player). The Cats win it 28-24.
Josh Matejka: The ship is sinking, and Shane Beamer is running out of chances to right it. I suppose he could do it against Kentucky… but something tells me he won’t. Kentucky pulls the road upset, 30-24.
Jaden Lewis:
Nathan Hurst:
