Week 5 College Football Odds, Spreads, and Early Picks for Opening Games

• The Week 5 college football odds are out, including #2 Georgia vs #4 Alabama
• Unbeaten Louisville travels to South Bend to face one-loss Notre Dame
• See all the opening college football Week 5 odds including point spread, moneyline. and game total

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Week 4 is in the books and all of the top-ten teams survived unscathed. Heading into Week 5 of the college football season, all eyes will be on Tuscaloosa as the #4 Alabama Crimson Tide welcome the #2 Georgia Bulldogs to Bryant-Denny Stadium at 7:30 pm ET. But that’s just one of a handful of games between ranked teams as the season kicks into high-gear this Saturday.

The table below lists the opening NCAAF Week 5 odds for all games currently on the board. More games will be added to the table as odds are released. Under the table, find my favorite early lines to target for Week 5.

Opening College Football Week 5 Odds

In the marquee matchup of the week, Georgia has opened as a 2.5-point road favorite at Alabama. The Tide have only lost one home game since 2019, but that came last year in an early-season tilt with Texas (34-24) on Sep. 9, 2023.

Odds as of Sep. 22 at FanDuel and ESPN Bet. Download the bets college football betting apps to land a bonus for Week 5. 

Sascha Paruk’s 2024 NCAAF betting record: 7-3 (+3.71 units).

Early NCAAF Week 5 Pick: SMU (-164) over Florida State – 2.0 units

Cal couldn’t quite get it done as my upset pick of Week 4, falling 14-9 to Florida State, but I’m going right back to the fade-the-Noles well in Week 5. This is their first true road game of the season, and their Week 4 win over Cal did nothing to reshape my opinion that FSU is a bad football team. The Seminoles were widely out-gained by the Golden Bears (410-284) and needed multiple red-zone defensive stands in the fourth quarter to secure their first win of the season.

The Mustangs are 3-1 on the season with their only setback a respectable 18-15 loss to undefeated BYU. Dual-threat QB Kevin Jennings took over from prolific passer Preston Stone as QB1 last week, and SMU picked up a  66-42 shootout victory over TCU as one-point home underdogs. They have a much better offense and, while their defense is suspect, Florida State hasn’t shown any consistency moving the ball. Don’t expect that to change in hostile territory in Week 5.

As we head into Week 5 of the college football season, there are some exciting matchups on the horizon. With several teams looking to solidify their spot in the rankings and others hoping to pull off an upset, there is sure to be plenty of action on the gridiron.

One of the most anticipated games of the week is the matchup between two top-10 teams, with the Georgia Bulldogs taking on the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Bulldogs are coming off a dominant win over Vanderbilt, while the Razorbacks are looking to bounce back from a tough loss to Texas A&M. The early odds have Georgia as a slight favorite in this game, but with both teams boasting strong defenses and explosive offenses, it could be anyone’s game.

Another game to keep an eye on is the showdown between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Maryland Terrapins. Iowa has been one of the surprise teams of the season so far, with a dominant defense and a potent rushing attack. Maryland, on the other hand, has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled to put it all together consistently. The early spread has Iowa as the favorite in this matchup, but with Maryland playing at home, anything could happen.

In terms of early picks for the opening games of Week 5, there are a few matchups that stand out. The Texas Longhorns are set to take on the TCU Horned Frogs in a game that could have major implications for the Big 12 race. Texas has looked strong so far this season, while TCU has struggled at times. The Longhorns are favored in this game, and they should be able to come away with a win if they can limit turnovers and establish their running game early.

Another game to watch is the clash between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Cincinnati Bearcats. Notre Dame has had a solid start to the season, with wins over Florida State and Purdue, while Cincinnati has been one of the top teams in the country so far. The Bearcats are favored in this game, and with their high-powered offense and stingy defense, they should be able to come away with a win.

Overall, Week 5 of college football promises to be an exciting one, with plenty of intriguing matchups and potential upsets on the horizon. As always, it’s important to keep an eye on the odds and spreads as they can provide valuable insight into how a game might play out. So grab your favorite jersey, settle in on the couch, and get ready for another thrilling weekend of college football action.