The biggest game of the season (so far) is upon us.
No. 2 Georgia visits No. 4 Alabama in the first top-five matchup of the season on Saturday night. It’s the first game between the schools without both Kirby Smart and Nick Saban on the sidelines since Mark Richt was coaching Georgia in 2015 and the first game against Georgia for an Alabama team coached by someone other than Saban since 2003 when Mike Shula was leading Alabama.
New Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has a strong record to uphold against the Bulldogs too. Overall, Alabama is 43-26-4 against Georgia dating back to 1895 and Saban’s winning percentage was even better. His teams lost to Georgia just twice. The first came in his first season in 2007. The other came in January of 2022, when Georgia knocked off Alabama for the national championship.
Overall, Saban’s teams were 8-1 against Georgia during his tenure and 6-1 against Smart. Saturday night is a great opportunity for Georgia to reverse that trend.
Here are the five biggest games of Week 5. All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.
Time: Noon | TV: ESPN | Line: Kansas State -4.5 | Total: 55.5
Both teams enter this one after losses to open conference play against teams from Utah. The Cowboys lost 22-19 at home to a Utah team that didn’t have Cameron Rising under center and Kansas State got blasted by BYU in the second and third quarters in the midst of a 38-9 loss against the Cougars.
Oklahoma State really needs to get All-American RB Ollie Gordon II going sooner rather than later if it wants to get back to the Big 12 title game. Gordon has 73 carries for 258 yards and four scores through four games this season. And that stat line is even misleading. After rushing 28 times for 126 yards and three scores against South Dakota State to open the season, Gordon hasn’t broken the 50-yard mark or averaged more than three yards a carry in each of OSU’s other three games.
Kansas State has been much more effective running the football. The Wildcats are averaging over six yards a carry and running back D.J. Giddens has 417 yards on 68 carries. QB Avery Johnson has rushed 39 times for 261 yards. That’s a 6.7 yards per carry clip. However, Johnson is averaging more yards per rush than he is per pass. He has thrown three interceptions this season and is completing 61% of his passes. Kansas State needs to be less one-dimensional.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: Peacock | Line: Notre Dame -6 | Total: 45.5
The Cardinals got a statement win over the Irish a season ago at home. And it’s fair to wonder if Louisville is better this season than it was in 2023. Former Oregon and Texas Tech QB Tyler Shough has been very good so far this season, completing over 68% of his passes for eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Shough has shown flashes of excellence throughout his college career but has never played in more than seven games in a single season. If he’s healthy all season for the first time in seven college seasons, Louisville has a chance to hang with Miami and Clemson atop the conference.
Notre Dame is still looking to rely on Riley Leonard through the air to complement what’s been a dominant run game through four games despite injuries along the offensive line. RBs Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Leonard are all averaging at least seven yards a carry and Leonard has rushed for six scores. Leonard just hasn’t looked comfortable as a passer yet. He’s averaging just 5.7 yards per throw and has thrown for 587 yards with one TD and two interceptions through four games.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: NBC | Line: Penn State -18 | Total: 47.5
The Illini knocked off previously undefeated Nebraska in overtime in Week 4 and it’s just the third time since 1951 that Illinois has won its first four games. A big reason for that is the improved play of former Ole Miss QB Luke Altmyer. In his first season at Illinois in 2023, Altmyer threw for 1,883 yards and had 13 TD passes to 10 interceptions. So far this season, Altmyer is completing 71% of his passes for 862 yards and is already close to surpassing last year’s TD total. He’s thrown 10 TDs and hasn’t tossed an interception yet.
Can he keep that up against Penn State on the road? Opposing QBs are averaging just 144 yards per game against the Nittany Lions. The Penn State offense also looks a lot more creative than it did in 2023. QB Drew Allar is completing 70% of his passes while RB Nicholas Singleton has 37 carries for 314 yards. The unit does need to cut down on its penalties, however. Penn State’s offense has been flagged 22 times already in 2024.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: Georgia -1.5 | Total: 48.5
This matchup of perennial playoff teams features two Heisman contenders at quarterback. No QB is responsible for more TDs per game than Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Carson Beck spent much of the offseason as the favorite for the award.
Beck’s 2024 season hasn’t lived up to the Heisman hype. Yet. He threw for just 160 yards against Kentucky in Week 3, but Georgia’s offense as a whole was sluggish that night. It won’t be a surprise in the slightest if Beck has a big game, though someone will need to step up on the outside for the Bulldogs. None of Georgia’s three leading receivers is averaging over 13 yards a catch so far. Replacing Brock Bowers is one thing, but the Bulldogs need to find a field stretcher or two as well.
Ryan Williams has shown he can be a game-breaker already for the Crimson Tide at 17 years old. The freshman has 10 catches for 285 yards and four scores; no other Alabama receiver has more than 125 yards receiving. If Georgia can effectively take away Williams, does Alabama have enough receiving depth around him?
Time: 10 p.m. | TV: FS1 | Line: Boise State -7.5 | Total: 64.5
Washington State is on the precipice of the AP Top 25 after a 4-0 start that includes wins over Texas Tech and Washington. QB John Mateer is slinging it. The Texas native has thrown for 1,102 yards despite completing just 54% of his attempts. He’s also the team’s leading rusher with 57 carries for 425 yards and five scores. Given the way the Cougars’ last two games have gone, staying up for this one will be worth it. Wazzu beat Washington on a goal-line stand and needed a huge comeback in the second half in Week 4 to beat San Jose State 54-52 in overtime.
Opposing offenses are rushing for almost five yards a carry against the Cougars. That’s an appetizing statistic for Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. He’s still averaging over 10 yards a carry so far this season after an easy 11-carry, 127-yard game against Portland State in Week 4. Jeanty has 586 yards and nine touchdowns over three games. There’s a reason he’s the non-QB with the best Heisman odds (+2000) at BetMGM.
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Other games to watch
No. 22 BYU at Baylor (Noon, ESPN): The Cougars moved into the top 25 with that dominating win over Kansas State. Baylor is reeling after losing to Colorado in overtime on a goal-line fumble after giving up a game-tying Hail Mary at the end of regulation. If Baylor isn’t still too devastated, this has all the makings of a trap game for BYU.
No. 21 Oklahoma at Auburn (3:30 p.m., ABC): Whoever gets the best quarterback play probably wins this game. Freshman Michael Hawkins will get the start for Oklahoma after replacing Jackson Arnold in the team’s Week 4 loss to Tennessee. Either Payton Thorne or Hank Brown will start for the Tigers. Thorne took over for Brown after Brown threw three interceptions against Arkansas in Week 3.
Arkansas vs. No. 24 Texas A&M (3:30 p.m., ESPN): This annual game at AT&T Stadium has produced some thrillers that Arkansas has been on the wrong end of. The Aggies have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the two schools dating back to 2011. Don’t be surprised if Arkansas bucks that trend this season.
Colorado at UCF (3:30 p.m., Fox): Colorado is riding high after its miracle win over Baylor but don’t overlook UCF. The Knights are 3-0 after a big comeback of their own against TCU in Week 3. RB RJ Harvey has 59 carries for 448 yards and eight touchdowns over three games. Colorado has rushed for 275 yards as a team over four games.
Florida State at SMU (8 p.m., ACC Network): FSU finally got into the win column in Week 4 with an ugly win over Cal and enters this game as a 5.5-point underdog. SMU demolished TCU 66-42 a week ago as RB Brashard Smith had 151 total yards and four touchdowns.