We’re in for another fun Saturday of college football as we fully dive into conference play.
There are three ranked vs. ranked showdowns on the day as well as some tricky road spots for other ranked teams, which could put some of the nation’s top teams in upset watch.
Here’s what we’re watching closely in Week 5.
Time: Noon | TV: Fox | Line: USC -21.5 | Total: 73.5
Deion Sanders and Colorado have been arguably the biggest story in sports as the Buffaloes surprisingly started the year 3-0. Things changed last weekend, however, as Colorado got demolished 42-6 at Oregon. Now back home, the Buffs get another extremely difficult challenge with USC and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams visiting Folsom Field. USC is off to a casual 4-0 start and is averaging a whopping 55 points per game, albeit against lackluster competition. Colorado has really struggled on defense, but USC’s defense has also been prone to breakdowns. This could turn into a shootout.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: UT -16.5 | Total: 63.5
Could this be a tricky spot for Texas? The Longhorns are 4-0 and up to No. 3 in the country. The next massive game on Texas’ schedule is next weekend against rival Oklahoma. But the Longhorns can’t get caught looking ahead to the Sooners with a dangerous Kansas team visiting Austin. Kansas coach Lance Leipold has quickly transformed the Jayhawks into a viable Big 12 team. Kansas is off to a 4-0 start for the second consecutive 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 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Line: LSU -2.5 | Total: 66.5
The Tigers entered the season with national title hype, but their play has been uneven so far. LSU was blasted in the second half of the season-opener vs. Florida State and has since won three straight. The offense has been prolific, but the defense still has major concerns — particularly in the secondary. Does Ole Miss have the skill talent to exploit LSU’s weaknesses? On paper it would appear so, but the Rebels have not looked quite right on offense. Back at home, how will Lane Kiffin’s team respond following last week’s uninspiring performance against Alabama?
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: ND -5.5 | Total: 52.5
Notre Dame is coming off a brutal last-second loss to Ohio State. It had to be incredibly 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 will this team be able to bounce back after such a crushing defeat? For Duke, this is the program’s biggest game in years and the first time the school has ever hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” for football. Will coach Mike Elko and the Blue Devils be ready for the moment?