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College Football Games to Watch Week 5: Matchups, Info, Odds

Henry John

Last Updated: September 28, 2022 8:45 AM EDT • 3 min 46 sec read.

Bryce Young #9 and Jase McClellan #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half of the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 24.
Bryce Young #9 and Jase McClellan #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half of the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 24. Photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images via AFP

Breaking down the opening odds and attempting to predict how the lines will move for some of the biggest matchups on the Week 5 college football schedule.

The Week 5 college football schedule packs quite the punch. As conference play ramps up, fans and bettors can expect even more high-quality games in the weeks ahead.

Five matchups between ranked teams headline our list of college football games to watch in Week 5. Another element that makes the upcoming weekend so exciting is the fact that there are marquee matchups in several different conferences. From the ACC to the Pac-12, there will be great games all across the country in the week ahead.

Here are previews and analyses for our top seven games to watch in Week 5 of the 2022 college football season (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook).

College Football Week 5 Games to Watch

(15) Washington vs. UCLA

Date: Friday, Sept. 30, 10:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Odds: WAS -3 | O/U 65

After making a national statement with a dominant win over Michigan State two weeks ago, Washington followed it up by running over Stanford in Week 4. The Huskies are now set to go on the road for the first time this season for a high-stakes Pac-12 showdown against UCLA. 

Oddsmakers opened the spread at three points in favor of 15th-ranked Washington. Despite the brilliance of Michael Penix and the Huskies’ offense, it wouldn’t be a shock to see this line dip below a field goal in the lead-up to the game.

(7) Kentucky vs. (14) Ole Miss

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, Noon ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Odds: MISS -5.5 | O/U 55.5

Both Kentucky and Ole Miss came nowhere close to covering last week against mid-major programs. Perhaps each side was looking ahead to this Week 5 matchup at the Vaught. 

To the likely surprise of some, DraftKings has Ole Miss priced as a moderate home favorite. Out in Las Vegas, this spread actually opened at Rebels -4 and has climbed as high as -6 at some shops. Knowing that the Wildcats are the higher-ranked team, it will be interesting to see if the betting public gets behind the road ‘dog in this spot.

(9) Oklahoma State vs. (16) Baylor

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Location: McLane Stadium, Waco, TX
Odds: BAY -1.5 | O/U 55

Oklahoma State has had two full weeks to prepare for Saturday’s road trip to Waco. Meanwhile, Baylor managed to get past Iowa State on the road last week despite being a slight underdog.

Of course, the last time these schools met was in the Big 12 Championship game last December, a 21-16 Baylor win. The Bears are easily the more battle-tested team at this point in the season. Look for the spread to grow larger in the home team’s favor throughout the week.

(2) Alabama vs. (20) Arkansas

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Odds: ALA -15.5 | O/U 62

After watching a would-be game-winning field goal bounce off the top of the upright, Arkansas now must regroup for its toughest opponent of the season. The last time the Razorbacks beat Alabama was all the way back in 2006. Then again, the Crimson Tide didn’t exactly look dominant in their only previous road game this season.

It’s worth noting that the Tide closed as a 20-point favorite at Texas two weeks ago. The college football betting power rating of Arkansas is clearly greater as this spread only opened at Alabama -14.5. The visitors have already taken smart money and that is likely to continue.

(22) Wake Forest vs. (23) Florida State

Sam Hartman #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons drops back to pass against the Clemson Tigers during the first half of their game at Truist Field on Sept. 24. Lance King/Getty Images/AFP

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Odds: FSU -6 | O/U 66

The first of two Week 5 matchups between ranked ACC Atlantic Division teams features a newcomer to the AP Top 25. The question of whether Florida State is truly back could be answered on Saturday when the Seminoles host Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons have to regroup quickly after last week’s overtime loss to Clemson. FSU poses another daunting test for Wake, particularly at the line of scrimmage where the Seminoles will have a blatant size advantage. Perhaps this is why the spread has increased in size after opening at Florida State -3.

Troy vs. Western Kentucky

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN+
Location: Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY
Odds: WKU -5 | O/U 57.5

Each week, we do our best to include a mid-major contest or two among our college football games to watch. For Week 5, the spotlight is on a non-conference encounter between Troy and Western Kentucky.

In reality, both of these teams should have one more win than their records currently show. The Trojans were on the wrong end of an Appalachian State Hail Mary two weeks ago. That same day, WKU blew a double-digit lead and lost in overtime to Indiana. The Hilltoppers are laying five, but bettors should anticipate this line moving in Troy’s favor before kickoff.

(10) NC State vs. (5) Clemson

Date: Saturday, Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Odds: CLEM -7 | O/U 46

Is Clemson’s offense fixed? It sure looked that way in a wild overtime win over Wake Forest. All of a sudden, the concerns have suddenly shifted to the Tigers’ defense, specifically the secondary. After last week’s emotional win, Clemson now faces an even greater challenge in the form of NC State.

The Wolfpack will undoubtedly come into Death Valley with confidence having beaten Clemson last year. NC State has a massive advantage in experience, especially on defense. The Tigers may be laying a full touchdown now, but this spread will likely shrink in the lead-up to game day.

Where To Bet on Week 5 College Football

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook
PointsBet
BetMGM

SEE ALSO: All picks, odds, and sports betting news. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Written By:
Henry John
Henry’s passion for sports dates all the way back to childhood and has ultimately led to a full-fledged career as an analyst and content creator. After getting his start penning fantasy football articles, he forrayed into the betting side of the business in early 2019. His love for sports and statistics proved to be an ideal match with the dedicated research and strategy that handicapping requires. Henry currently specializes in betting analysis and picks for college football, college basketball, and NASCAR. He counts NFL, WNBA, and NBA player props as additional leagues/markets of interest. Henry graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a Communication Studies degree and a Psychology minor. A native of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, he and his pup, Harold, have since relocated to Laramie, Wyoming. Thanks to his professional goals within the sports betting industry, there has been a whole lot of steam on the odds for a move to Las Vegas in 2023! Most of Henry’s free time is spent on outdoor adventures, playing chess, snowboarding, or reading a good book. He is also a competitive powerlifter and aspires to qualify for the USAPL Nationals meet within the next 2-3 years.