Week 5 of the 2024 college football season is underway and that can only mean that conference play is in full swing. While the slate is highlighted by four matchups featuring ranked teams, it doesn’t get bigger than No. 2 Georgia’s trip to No. 4 Alabama. Not only are the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide serious SEC contenders, but they’re both early favorites in the national championship race. It’s also a huge opportunity for first-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer to earn a signature win early in his tenure.
There’s plenty of marquee games before that evening clash, though. No. 20 Oklahoma State and No. 23 Kansas State get things started at noon ET with a showdown that will go a long way towards determining the final Big 12 standings. A surging No. 15 Louisville squad makes the trip to No. 16 Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. in a contest that feels crucial for either team’s playoff hopes, while No. 9 Penn State hosts No. 19 Illinois at 7:30 p.m. That game could change the entire Big Ten landscape depending on the result.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 5.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Wisconsin is off to a shaky start to the 2024 season, highlighted by two lackluster performances in the first two weeks against Western Michigan and South Dakota. Braedyn Locke is 1-2 in his career as a starter, and this is a great opportunity for the USC defense to get a bounce-back performance after a lackluster showing on that side of the ball against Michigan. Moss has looked like a Heisman dark horse through the first month of the season, and a strong performance would get him right back in the conversation. Pick: USC -15.5 — Cameron Salerno
No. 15 Louisville at No. 16 Notre Dame
3:30 p.m. | Peacock — Notre Dame has turned the page since losing at home to Northern Illinois in Week 2. The Fighting Irish showed what they are capable of in a 66-7 win at Purdue on Sept. 28 and will be motivated to reward their fans with a win over a top-15 Louisville team. This is far and away the toughest defense that Louisville has faced, and the Cardinals may struggle to create the explosive plays that fueled their win over Georgia Tech last week. Look for Notre Dame’s defense to frustrate Louisville and eventually break through with the help of Leonard’s dual-threat ability. Pick: Notre Dame -7 — David Cobb
7:30 p.m. | Peacock — Michigan State will be the best team Ohio State has played so far, but I don’t think we’ve seen a true glimpse at what Ohio State’s capable of. We’ve only seen a facade of what the new Buckeyes offense will look like under Chip Kelly, and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles hasn’t been forced to go deep into his playbook, either. That latter part worries me when it comes to Aidan Chiles and his propensity to turn the ball over. Pick: Ohio State -24 — Tom Fornelli
No. 19 Illinois at No. 9 Penn State
7:30 p.m. | NBC, fubo (Try for free) — The Fighting Illini have been underrated at every turn by the oddsmakers, boasting a 3-0-1 record against the spread and covering the spread by an average of 10.9 points per game. This is another spot where Illinois’ chances to hang around and find success through the air is being discounted, and while Penn State is a deserved favorite to win, Illinois has a good chance to keeping this closer than the experts think. Pick: Illinois +17.5 — Chip Patterson
No. 2 Georgia at No. 4 Alabama
7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — There are storylines galore with this game, but perhaps most interesting will be seeing how real both these teams are. Georgia looked very wobbly against Kentucky, while Alabama hasn’t played anyone yet. Both should be SEC championship and CFP contenders, but we’ll know a lot more after Saturday night. Bryant-Denny Stadium should be rocking, but the Bulldogs still have the slightest of edges here. A slim victory against Kentucky plus a bye week gave Kirby Smart plenty of time to hammer the message home with his team — and build a successful game plan — that proves the difference here. Pick: Georgia -2 — John Talty
No. 20 Oklahoma State at No. 23 Kansas State
Noon | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — The battle between these two Big 12 contenders will come down to the ground game. Ollie Gordon II was positioned as the top rusher in the nation, but Kansas State’s three-headed monster of Giddens, Johnson and Edwards has quickly overshadowed the talented Cowboys back. OSU proved against Utah it needs a consistent running game to compete against the best in the Big 12. The Wildcats will prove to be too fast and too good. Pick: Kansas State -5 — Shehan Jeyarajah
SportsLine’s proven computer model is calling for 10 outright upsets in Week 5 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.
