College football Week 5: Sneaky good games of the week

College football season continues this week, and while matchups like Georgia vs. Auburn may get all of the attention, others could be even more exciting.

One week after the SEC fully kicked off its season, the Saturday slate finally feels somewhat whole again. While the impending returns of the Big Ten and Pac-12 will certainly help improve on that, marquee matchups are abundant this week, including No. 7 Auburn visiting No. 4 Georgia and  No. 13 Texas A&M facing off with No. 2 Alabama. However, some of the week’s best games may be those receiving little attention at the moment.

No. 18 Oklahoma at Iowa State (+7)

The Oklahoma Sooners were shocked by the Kansas State Wildcats a week ago, and a free fall in the rankings followed. While Iowa State should provide less of a challenge, the Cyclones are fresh off of a win over TCU and hope to stay relevant in the Big 12 standings as the season progresses. Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler and Cyclones running back Breece Hall are the players to watch here, with each serving as the engine of his respective offense. Rattler was off to a near-perfect start to the season before Oklahoma’s collapse, and fans should keep an eye on whether or not he can pick up where he left off.

Baylor at West Virginia (+3)

West Virginia presents the first true test for Baylor this season after its first two contests were postponed, as the Bears made light work of Kansas last weekend. With the Mountaineers looking to avoid a losing streak after falling to Oklahoma State, this game should be a good barometer for each team’s standing in the Big 12. West Virginia quarterback Jarret Doege should be under the microscope once again as he looks to continue his strong start to the season, while Baylor running back and return man Trestan Ebner looks to build on last week’s two special teams touchdowns.

No. 25 Memphis at SMU (+2.5)

In this matchup between two undefeated teams, expect a ton of points. Although Memphis has not played in almost a month, the Tigers remain ranked in the AP poll and have the opportunity to make their case once again as an elite Group of Five team. SMU, meanwhile, has scored over 50 points twice in three games and should test the Memphis defense. Former Texas quarterback Shane Buechele leads the way for the Mustangs, while tight end Sean Dykes looks like the player to watch on the Memphis side. Dykes emerged as quarterback Brady White‘s favorite target in the season opener, catching 10 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

Ole Miss at Kentucky (-6)

The Rebels and Wildcats both put up a fight against superior opponents last weekend but ultimately failed to capitalize. Ole Miss fell to Florida and Kentucky dropped its game against Auburn, but the two teams have a chance at redemption this weekend when they face off in Lexington. Rebels quarterback Matt Corral showed off a strong rapport with wideout Elijah Moore last week, and the two should be expected to find success again on Saturday. The Wildcats, meanwhile, need to hope that quarterback Terry Wilson can build on his solid performance against Auburn, as the Rebels have the tools to make this one into a shootout.

Texas Tech at Kansas State (-2.5)

Kansas State shocked the college football world with its win over Oklahoma last week, mounting a furious comeback to upset the Sooners for the second consecutive year and avoiding an 0-2 start in the process. Texas Tech, meanwhile, gave Texas a scare, with the Longhorns overcoming a 15-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation to win in overtime. Once again, the signal-callers are the players to watch here, with Kansas State’s Skylar Thompson leading last week’s comeback and Texas Tech’s Alan Bowman racking up 761 passing yards over two games. Each team comes into this game with something to prove, and another high-scoring affair is likely.

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