College Football, Week 5

Week 5 is here and the number of undefeated teams is dwindling and teams are entering into more conference play. This is when we start to get a better feel for how things actually lay.

Because Jerry Palm is predicting the future and not really looking at the present (“The rankings are not based on today, but how the poll would look at the end of the season. “)  I’m going to drop the CBSSports poll from my lists and confine myself to the AP and Coaches’ polls.  In a week or two I may add the BCS standings to the mix.

Of the teams listed among the Top 25 (and a few more), there are six of them which have the weekend off.  Two games match ranked teams against one another: #9 West Virginia (3-0) plays host to the #24 Baylor (3-0) and #14 Ohio State (4-0) play at #20 Michigan State (3-1). Then the #22 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) host the Coaches’ #23 Wisconsin Badgers (3-1).

Thursday nights’ game has #8 Stanford (3-0) at Washington (2-1). Friday night it’s Hawaii (1-2) at BYU (2-2).

(Numbers given this week are the rankings of: AP/Coaches’. NR = Not Rated Those in parentheses are last week’s rankings and include all three: AP/Coaches’/CBSSports)

1/1 (1/1/5) Alabama (4-0) The Tide hosts the Mississippi Rebels (3-1).  It’s Alabama’s fourth home game in this young season. (Their schedule includes just four road games?) They should win this one too. 

2/2 (3/3/7) Oregon (4-0) The Ducks will play at the home of the Washington State Cougars (2-2). Ducks win big.

3/3 (2/2/1) LSU (4-0) The Tigers will host the Towson Tigers (2-1) (and FCS team). Well they aren’t Auburn so LSU should win handily. North Texas, Idaho, and now Towson; it would be nice if they, you know, actually played someone

4/4 (4/4/4) Florida State (4-0) The Seminoles will play “on the road” against the South Florida Bulls. State wins this one but they may need their 55+ point average to do it.

5/5 (5/6/11) Georgia (4-0) The Bulldogs will host the Tennessee Volunteers (3-1) Saturday afternoon. This could be closer than you might expect. In fact, this could be THE upset of the week.

6/6 (7/8/16) South Carolina (4-0) The Gamecocks head west to play the Kentucky Wildcats (1-3) on Saturday night. Wildcats win big on the road.

7/8 (15/13/23) Kansas State (4-0) The Wildcats have the weekend off.

8/9 (9/11/25) Stanford (3-0) The Cardinal head north to Seattle to play the Washington Huskies (2-1) on Thursday night at 9 PM. Stanford wins by a little bit.

9/7 (8/7/12) West Virginia (3-0) The Mountaineers host the #24 Baylor Bears (3-0) Saturday afternoon. This could be a high scoring affair as both teams have powerful offenses. Winner will make the fewest mistakes.

10/11 (11/15/10) Notre Dame (4-0) The Fighting Irish have the weekend off.

11/12 (14/14/17) Florida (4-0) The Gators have the weekend off.

12/10 (12/10/19) Texas (3-0) The Longhorns will play at the home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-1) Saturday night. Could be close but the Longhorns win this one.

13/13 (13/12/2) Southern California (3-1) The Trojans have the weekend off.

14/NR (16/NR/6) Ohio State (4-0) The Buckeyes will play at the home of the #20 Michigan State Spartans (3-1) in a big Big Ten contest.

15/14 (17/16/NR) TCU (3-0) The Horned Frogs will play the SMU Mustangs (1-2) on the road. TCU should win with a comfortable margin.

16/15 (6/5/3) Oklahoma (2-1) The Sooners have the weekend off.

17/16 (10/9/8) Clemson (3-1) The Tigers played at Florida State last week, this week they head north to play Boston College (1-2). Should get a win this time.

18/21 (NR/NR/NR) Oregon State (2-0) The Beavers head to Arizona to face the 3-1 Wildcats Saturday night.

19/17 (20/18/9) Louisville (4-0) The Cardinals will go on the road to play the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (0-3) Saturday night. Louisville should win this easily.

20/18 (21/20/18) Michigan State (3-1) The Spartans host the #14 Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) Saturday afternoon.

21/19 (23/23/NR) Mississippi State (4-0) The Bulldogs have the weekend off.

22/20 (25/22/NR) Nebraska (3-1) The Cornhuskers host the Wisconsin Badgers (3-1) Saturday night. A lot depends upon whether or not Montee Ball of the Badgers can play.

23/25T (NR/NR/NR) Rutgers (4-0) After playing three of their first four games on the road—and winning them all—the Scarlet Knights have the week off before playing two home games against UConn and Syracuse.

24/NR (24/NR/NR) Boise State (2-1) The Broncos head south to play the New Mexico Lobos (2-2). They should come home with a victory.

25/24 (NR/NR/NR) Baylor (3-0) The Bears head to Morgantown, WV to face the #9 West Virginia Mountaineers (3-0). First team to 45 points MAY win.

NR/23 (NR/24/NR) Wisconsin (3-1) The Badgers will head south to play the #22 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) in a game vital to both teams dreams.

NR/25T (NR/NR/NR) Virginia Tech (3-1) The Hokies hit the road to play the Cincinnati Bearcats (2-0) who have had two weeks to prepare.