By Dean Lowery '27, Alex Jessey ‘28, and Benjamin Ross ’28
Introduction
Well, we made it. Week Five is upon us. Things are beginning to take shape. Last week saw
Southern Cal fall flat in their B1G debut, and NIU take a huge hit in their bid for the #5 seed.
Utah also established a stranglehold on the Big 12, earning a huge win in Stillwater. This is the
week when things get real, as the focus of the national audience turns to Tuscaloosa.
Three big games
#2 Georgia @ #4 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium
The flagship game of the week comes as a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship, which saw the Crimson Tide earn a Rose Bowl berth, 27-24, in Atlanta. This sneaky rivalry is slowly emerging as one of the country’s best.
Keys for the Bulldogs: Georgia will be hungry to prove themselves after a scare against unranked Kentucky last week, winning by 1 point. QB Carson Beck will be looking to bounce back and get revenge for last year’s SEC Championship. Can Georgia’s so far solid defense continue its dominance?
Keys for the Crimson Tide: 17-year-old Ryan Williams continuing to shock the nation by burning grown men off the line. Jalen Milroe has been solidifying his Heisman trophy hopes as a dual-threat QB, and Que Robinson has been a pass-rushing menace in the early going. The Tide have a chance to overwhelm the Dawgs, but they need to put them away if they get the chance.
#19 Illinois @ #9 Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania, Beaver Stadium
The Fighting Illini get a chance to prove themselves coming off a huge win against Nebraska, but they’ll have to do so in a place notorious for noise. Penn State also has a chip on its shoulder, as it seeks to escape the “third fiddle” role, marking its B1G experience for the better part of a decade.
Keys for the Illini: QB Luke Altmyer tossing touchdowns without interceptions. He has 10 TDs this season. Continued secondary success as DB Xavier Scott has 3 picks this season. Let’s see if the Illini can go get a big one.
Keys for the Nittany Lions: Can Drew Allar play well against a ranked opponent? Can James Franklin win a big game? Nick Singleton needs to keep the rushing game going if the Lions want to prove to the country they can win when it counts.
#15 Louisville @ #16 Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, Notre Dame Stadium
Big, big, big stuff. Will Notre Dame finally make it to the playoff? Can Riley Leonard rally a team that took a devastating loss just a few weeks ago? Or will Louisville emerge as a frontrunner in the ACC? Either way, both teams can ill afford a loss.
Keys for the Cardinals: Tyler Shough commanding the high scoring offense with efficiency. Can the explosive running back room break a few more runs?
Keys for the Fighting Irish: Leonard finally passed the ball well, continued backfield domination, overcoming injuries to the offensive line.
Three Big Players
Carson Beck (Georgia Bulldogs) @ #4 Alabama
The questions surrounding Carson Beck have been plentiful. He has tremendous shoes to fill, and certainly still needs to do more to prove that he can lead the Dawgs to their third national championship in four seasons.
Ashton Jeanty (Boise State Broncos) @ Hawaii
Ashton Jeanty has come out of seemingly nowhere. He has put up a ridiculous 598 all-purpose yards through three games, and nine touchdowns to go along with it. He has positioned the Broncos back within the Top 25, giving us all Statue-of-Liberty flashbacks. Jeanty for Heisman.
Cam Ward (Miami Hurricanes) vs. Virginia Tech
Cool. Calm. Collected. This guy has elevated Miami back to its glory days, and has us all thinking of the great ‘Canes of the past. He has 1439 passing yards thus far, and has also tacked on 14 touchdowns. He could be huge for a program in the upcoming transfer portal, but much remains to be seen.
Three Teams to Watch
Well, well, well. Who is going to occupy the coveted five seed? We might start using the term “cinderella” in football.
Boise State Broncos (2-1)
The blue field isn’t the only thing setting this team apart this season. Ashton Jeanty is a BEAST. And we know, we know. The Week 2 loss to Oregon is a resume eyesore. BUT, the Ducks are still a top-10 squad, and the Broncos have a legitimate chance to run the table and win the Mountain West with just one loss.
James Madison Dukes (4-0)
SEVENTY POINTS!?! ‘Nuff said. The Dukes are for real, and in a conference that has long been underrepresented, they stand a legitimate chance to go undefeated. This is especially likely considering the shakiness of Appalachian State.
UNLV (3-0)
Another Mountain West team, and like the Broncos, has looked incredible through their early contests. On top of this, they have arguably had the most difficult schedule of the three teams listed here. Their win over early contender Kansas will take them far, but a win coming up against the Orange would take them farther.
Three Value Bets
#22 Oklahoma (-1) @ Auburn
Oklahoma took a tough home loss last week against an excellent Tennessee team, but they still have plenty of talent in their huddle. Auburn’s only two wins have come at home against Alabama A&M and 0-4 New Mexico. Look for the Sooners to cover easily.
Duke (-2.5) vs. North Carolina
We know, we know. This isn’t the sport you’re looking for in this rivalry. However, the Victory Bell Game has produced its fair share of classics. However, despite the history, UNC’s quarterback situation is shaky at best, and its defense just gave up 70 to a Sun Belt team. Two and a half points is not moving the needle for us.
#19 Illinois (+19.5) @ #9 Penn State
Illinois, while several rungs behind the big dogs of the B1G, does not deserve to be two and a half touchdown underdogs. Certainly going to be a tough environment, but the Nitanny Lions are notorious for making games closer than they should be.