Week 5 Football: What to Watch

Well last week lacked a lot of great match-ups across the college football landscape, but I don’t think a single NC State fan is going to complain about it. I know I’m not!

This week has a lot more to offer, so let’s take a look.

We get an ACC match-up Thursday night. Virginia isn’t a very good team, but they’re playing a Miami squad that has been woefully underwhelming in games against FBS competition. We’ll also get a look at the last two 1.1 NFL picks Thursday night, if you’re interested in that. Don’t forget to set your fantasy lineups!

On Friday, Houston vs Tulsa sounds like it should be a fun offensive game, but both teams have been a little weak on offense thus far. That Iowa-Maryland game will be better, as weird as it is to type that. It’s also a little humorous that Sagarin says Iowa is almost a Top 5 team while SP+ doesn’t even think they’re a Top 25 squad.

BYU is ranked in the Top 15 of both human polls, but is barely inside the Top 50 of both of the advanced rating systems. If you’re to believe SP+ and Sagarin, that is your imposter team. They’re playing Utah State this week, though, so it’s doubtful they lose.

Saturday kicks off with some great noon games. Arkansas has looked like the best Razorbacks team in a decade or more, and they get an opportunity to prove it at Georgia. Michigan also gets to prove if they’re for real or not against Wisconsin, although this Wisky team hasn’t been particularly impressive.

Pitt and GT both have embarrassing losses to not particularly good G5 teams, but each also have an impressive win to their credit (Pitt over Tennessee, GT stomping UNC). This will be another good game to set the hierarchy in the ACC this year. It is Coastal football, though, so... [shrug].

Go Duke!

Louisville vs Wake is a game that will test SP+ vs Sagarin. SP+ says it’s a close game, Sagarin thinks Wake wins easy.

Cincy vs Notre Dame should be great, by the way. Circle that one for your tailgate watch... at least until Ole Miss vs Alabama comes on. Ole Miss has looked really really good, but they’re playing Bama, who SP+ dropped from the #1 spot (#motivation), and it’s Saban vs a former assistant (#woodshed).

This week has to be a must-win for Florida State as they’re playing Syracuse. ‘Cuse has looked better than anyone expected, including taking down Liberty last week, but the rest of their schedule is pretty unforgiving. If FSU drops this one, there’s going to be real talk about Mike Norvell getting the axe sooner rather than later.

Baylor vs OK State, BC vs Clemson, Auburn vs LSU, and Arizona State vs UCLA are the evening games I’m most interested in. The nice part for that BC-Clemson game from an NC State perspective is that the Wolfpack can benefit from either team winning.

Go State! And Go Football!

Rankings for SP+ Ratings and Sagarin Ratings listed, respectively, ahead of each team’s name.

Thursday

58/66 Virginia @ 31/61 Miami - 7:30pm - ESPN

[NFL] Jaguars @ Bengals - 8:20pm - NFLN

Friday

75/95 Houston @ 66/86 Tulsa- 7:30pm - ESPN

28/6 Iowa @ 24/35 Maryland - 8:00pm - FS1

49/47 BYU @ 104/93 Utah State - 9:00pm - CBSSN

Saturday

16/21 Arkansas @ 1/2 Georgia - 12:00pm - ESPN

8/4 Michigan @ 11/30 Wisconsin - 12:00pm - FOX

21/31 Pittsburgh @ 62/49 Georgia Tech - 12:00pm - ACCN

78/82 Duke @ 18/36 North Carolina - 12:00pm - ESPN2

20/14 Texas @ 45/33 TCU - 12:00pm - ABC

69/56 Louisville @ 54/20 Wake Forest - 12:30pm - ESPN3

29/59 Appalachian State @ 85/110 Georgia State - 2:00pm - ESPN+

14/13 Cincinnati @ 22/5 Notre Dame - 2:30pm - NBC

13/9 Ole Miss @ 2/1 Alabama - 3:30pm - CBS

17/11 Oregon @ 83/48 Stanford - 3:30pm - ABC

6/3 Oklahoma @ 50/23 Kansas State - 3:30pm - FOX

3/7 Ohio State @ 53/34 Rutgers - 3:30pm - BTN

77/94 Tulane @ 98/103 East Carolina - 3:30pm - ESPN+

74/107 Troy @ 86/69 South Carolina - 3:30pm - SECN

70/76 Syracuse @ 73/101 Florida State - 3:30pm - ACCN

48/72 Texas Tech @ 44/26 West Virginia - 3:30pm - ESPN2

79/68 Nevada @ 58/28 Boise State - 3:30pm - FS1

122/120 USF @ 40/27 SMU - 4:00pm - ESPNU

110/92 Louisiana Tech @ 42/22 NC State - 6:00pm - ESPN+/ACCNX

4/8 Florida @ 46/29 Kentucky - 6:00pm - ESPN

36/44 Mississippi State @ 12/18 Texas A&M - 7:00pm - SECN

26/32 Baylor @ 35/15 Oklahoma State - 7:00pm - ESPN2

27/57 Liberty @ 55/58 UAB - 7:00pm - CBSSN

61/55 Indiana @ 5/12 Penn State - 7:30pm - ABC

34/42 Boston College @ 7/10 Clemson - 7:30pm - ACCN

68/79 Louisiana @ 107/115 South Alabama - 8:00pm - ESPN+

25/24 Auburn @ 39/17 LSU - 9:00pm - ESPN

38/25 Washington @ 43/40 Oregon State - 9:00pm - PAC12N

9/46 Arizona State @ 10/19 UCLA - 10:30pm - FS1

59/52 Fresno State @ 93/118 Hawaii - 11:00pm - CBSSN