College football odds, Week 5: How to bet every Top 25 game against the spread

College football odds are out for Week 5 and these are our against the spread picks for every Top 25 game, including the Georgia-Auburn tilt in Athens.

Everything changed when the defending champs lost their first game of a very strange season. LSU was knocked off the pedestal not long after the opening kickoff against Mississippi State in Mike Leach’s first game as head coach. That wasn’t the only Top 10 team to fall. Oklahoma was the Big 12’s only hope, but now they have one notch in the loss column in their first conference game, sitting at the same place as Kansas in the conference standings. Auburn and Georgia struggled a bit at times while Florida and Miami ended up running away with things.

Basically, there’s still a lot to work out this season.

This week, the first marquee games of the season will take over TVs across the country. Auburn and Georgia is the first Top 10 matchup of the year. Texas A&M tries to make its first big statement when they take on Alabama for the third time under head coach Jimbo Fisher. It’s going to be one of the best weekends of this very strange season.

All lines courtesy of William Hill Sportsbook.

No. 25 Memphis (-1.5) vs. SMU

Some very interesting pundits picked Memphis to make the College Football Playoff once upon a time. That was when there was only the Big 12, SEC, and ACC playing, but still, it looks very bad after the Tigers looked weak against Arkansas State. Memphis faced an outbreak on the team that forced them to cancel games, meaning this is their first contest in a month. Meanwhile, SMU is scoring just under 50 points a game to start the year. It’s time to see if Ulysses Bently IV is the real deal in the backfield, as he needs to take over the game to give his team the win.

Pick: SMU (+1.5)

NC State vs. No. 24 Pitt (-13.5)

This one is simple. Pitt’s pass rush is one of the best in the country, and it’s just not something that the Wolfpack is equipped to contain. The Panthers can get to the quarterback, which in turn will hold harmless the NC State running game. It will force the Wolfpack into a fairly predictable offense, which will then lead to turnovers.

Pick: Pitt (-13.5)

Louisiana Tech vs. No. 22 BYU (-24)

A big spread on a Friday night is always worrisome, but BYU is just so much better than Louisiana Tech on paper it’s impossible to bet against them. Louisiana Tech is a spread killer (9-3 against the spread last season), which makes this a stay away overall. If there’s no other choice, injuries to LA Tech’s quarterback, running back, and multiple defensive pieces lead to a BYU cover.

Pick: BYU (-24)

Missouri vs. No. 21 Tennessee (-10)

Missouri didn’t look completely out of place last week against Alabama. They didn’t quit when down 28-3 at halftime, and actually beat the Crimson Tide in the second half (but ended up losing the game overall). Tennessee struggled against South Carolina to pull ahead. Shawn Robinson looked good at times, despite struggling on third down. The Tigers running game might be really bad, but a decent enough front seven might force Jarrett Guarantano to beat them, which he might not be able to.

Pick: Missouri (+10)

No. 20 LSU (-20) vs. Vanderbilt

LSU cornerback Derrick Stingly missed the Tigers’ loss to Mississippi State after he was forced to go to the hospital last week. He’s expected to play this week. That’s going to lift up a Tigers team that put themselves in a major hole in their title defense. Myles Brennan will look better in his second start, and Vanderbilt will hope the game ends quickly after the first half.

Pick: LSU (-20)

No. 18 Oklahoma (-7) vs. Iowa State

Iowa State and Oklahoma are the catalysts for a disappointing Big 12 early this season. They both have losses as heavy favorites that knock them out of contention for lofty dreams of the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma obviously had a bigger claim after five-straight conference titles and plenty of Playoff appearances. This could be a statement game for the Cyclones, and the line is downright scary, but this feels like a Sooners 10-point win.

Pick: Oklahoma (-7)

No. 17 Oklahoma State (-21.5) vs. Kansas

Oklahoma State was suffocating to a West Virginia offense last week, frustrating them at every turn. Outside a fluke 70-yard touchdown, it held the Mountaineers in check. It’s been years since a Kansas defense held anyone in check. The Cowboys have an insane one-two punch in the backfield with Chuba Hubbard and LD Brown. There’s no stopping them for the Jayhawks, and this line gets covered before halftime.

Pick: Oklahoma State (-21.5)

Arkansas vs. No. 16 Mississippi State (-17)

This is the big test for Mississippi State. They take on a bad team that does have some talent coming off a week where they were the kings of the hype. K. J. Costello is getting legitimate Heisman Trophy consideration. Mike Leach is being lauded for bringing the Air Raid to the SEC. Everything is coming up Bulldogs. This has all the makings for a letdown. If Arkansas can avoid a quarter like the third they had against Georgia (allowed 22 points in that quarter alone), they can cover this spread.

Pick: Arkansas (+17)

South Florida vs. No. 15 Cincinnati (-22)

USF had a chance to reevaluate things after a 52-0 loss to Notre Dame. The Bulls had to postpone last week’s game against Florida Atlantic because of Covid cases on the Fighting Irish. Now, USF faces another tough test in Cincinnati. The Bearcats go up against a team that has multiple quarterbacks. As the saying goes, a team that has multiple quarterbacks playing really has no quarterback. This should be an easy win for Cincy.

Pick: Cincinnati (-22)

No. 12 North Carolina (-11) vs. Boston College

North Carolina hasn’t played a game in three weeks after a shaky start against Syracuse. Sam Howell is going to be sharp again, and he’s the key to victory here for the Tar Heels. Can that be enough to cover a two-score spread? Quarterback Phil Jurkovec can sling it, and BC has some weapons, but their lack of a running game will make them too predictable. It will be a rough day as they throw the ball 40+ times.

Pick: North Carolina (-11)

Tulsa vs. No. 11 UCF (-21)

Will this be the year UCF actually competes for a spot in the College Football Playoff? Despite adding Big Ten and Pac 12 teams to the Top 25, the Knights are still right on the cusp of the Top 10. A team with the aspirations of UCF has to come out swinging every week, especially against a team with talent but flawed overall like Tulsa. UCF has weapons galore, and Tulsa’s defense is going to struggle to stop them.

Pick: UCF (-21)

TCU vs. No. 9 Texas (-13)

Texas struggled against a bad Texas Tech team. They needed two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in less than three minutes left in regulation before winning the game in overtime. Sam Ehlinger helped lead Texas to a 63-point outing. His defense really let them down, especially allowing a 75-yard run that almost clinched it. Meanwhile, the TCU defense struggled against an Iowa State team that was on the ropes. These teams have a lot to prove, which is a major reason to take almost two touchdowns worth of points.

Pick: TCU (+13)

South Carolina vs. No. 3 Florida (-18)

The Florida Gators went off after a slow start against Ole Miss. Kyle Trask became a household name thanks to a huge performance and Kyle Pitts might be the first tight end Heisman Trophy candidate since Leon Hart won the award in 1949. He’s the biggest weapon possibly in college football, and he’s ready to start his SEC takeover. South Carolina keeps it close in the first half, but a big halftime adjustment from Dan Mullen leads to a blowout.

Pick: Florida (-18)

Virginia vs. No. 1 Clemson (-28)

This feels like a lot of points for this matchup. Clemson is the best team in college football, but these two teams are very different from the ones that faced off in the ACC Championship last season. Then, the Tigers had a message to send. This year, Virginia has a chance to sneak up on the Tigers. The Cavaliers haven’t faced Clemson in the regular season since 2013, so this will be a different look. The points are just too scary to go with Clemson and the spread on this one. Clemson wins, but the Cavaliers keep it within three touchdowns.

Pick: Virginia (+28)