Week 5 of the college football season is highlighted by a series of blockbuster matchups that will define conference title races and national narratives. It’s the final weekend of September, and teams can no longer hide behind results against overmatched foes. Most squads that haven’t been truly tested yet will be this week.
That’s certainly the case for No. 21 USC, which is heading to the Central Time Zone for the second time in the past three weeks to take on No. 23 Illinois in a critical Big Ten showdown that kicks off at 9 a.m. Pacific time. The Trojans will need their coffee to kick in early.
The afternoon brings another Big Ten battle between cross-country foes, as No. 1 Ohio State travels to Washington for its first road game of the 2025 campaign. Finally, the evening is highlighted by yet another high-stakes Big Ten clash between foes from different regions of the country, as No. 3 Penn State hosts No. 6 Oregon.
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Also on the Week 5 docket are a couple of seismic SEC clashes, as No. 4 LSU travels to No. 13 Ole Miss in the afternoon. Then, in the evening, No. 5 Georgia hosts No. 17 Alabama.
Here is an early look at the odds for those games and many of the other Week 5 contests involving ranked teams as the season continues ramping up.
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.
The big games
No. 21 USC (-6.5) at No. 23 Illinois: Is USC back? This game will teach us a lot about the Trojans’ legitimacy in coach Lincoln Riley’s fourth season. A 2-0 start in Big Ten play against Purdue and Michigan State was nice, but this marks a significant uptick in competition. With games against Michigan and Notre Dame coming in October, this is the beginning of a physically demanding stretch for USC that will reveal its true composition.
No. 4 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss (-1.5): The past two meetings between these teams were thrilling affairs that ended with fans rushing the field. If Ole Miss knocks off another top-five opponent and establishes itself as a national contender, it’s easy to envision another chaotic scene unfolding. The Rebels toppled LSU 55-49 in a 2023 barnburner that featured a combined 1,343 yards of total offense. Last season, LSU earned revenge with a 29-26 overtime victory over the Rebels. It will be hard to top the craziness of those two games, but these teams will try.
No. 1 Ohio State (-9.5) at Washington: Ohio State is hitting the road for the first time and is likely to get its toughest challenge since a Week 1 win over Texas, as the Buckeyes travel three time zones west for their Big Ten opener. Washington is in the midst of what appears to be a solid Year 2 progression under coach Jedd Fisch. The former Arizona coach is an offensive guru and has a budding dual-threat star at quarterback in Demond Williams. He is talented enough to frustrate the Buckeyes’ defense and make this an uncomfortable spot for Ryan Day’s club.
No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia (-3.5): The stakes couldn’t be higher for second-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who desperately needs a marquee victory over Georgia to help flush his fan base’s frustration with a Week 1 loss at Florida State. Taking down the Bulldogs on the road would put Alabama right back in the College Football Playoff hunt. The alternative is far more bleak for Nick Saban’s successor. Georgia will be plenty motivated, too. The Bulldogs are angling for revenge after falling 41-34 to the Crimson Tide last season.
No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State (-3.5): A rematch of Oregon’s 45-37 win in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game will go a long way toward setting the tone in this year’s league title race. The Nittany Lions have looked sluggish during a 3-0 start against overmatched opposition. But they are coming off a bye and will have the “White Out” crowd at Beaver Stadium in their corner as they seek to take down a top-10 Big Ten foe at home for the first time since beating Ohio State in 2016.
Best of the rest
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