Week 5 features one of the best slates of college football odds of the season, with a handful of high-stakes ranked matchups across the nation.
That includes Alabama taking on Georgia in Athens and Oregon heading to Happy Valley for a Top-6 matchup against Penn State. I pick a side for all of the best games in my Week 5 ATS college football picks below.
College football picks against the spread for Week 5
| Matchup | Pick |
|---|---|
 Florida State vs  Virginia |
(-6.5) |
 TCU vs  Arizona State |
(+2.5) |
 Notre Dame vs  Arkansas |
(-3.5) |
 USC vs  Illinois |
(+6.5) |
 Indiana vs  Iowa |
(-7.5) |
 Auburn vs  Texas A&M |
(-6.5) |
 LSU vs  Mississippi |
(-1.5) |
 Ohio State vs  Washington |
(+8.5) |
 Alabama vs  Georgia |
(-2.5) |
 Oregon vs  Penn State |
(+3.5) |
Lines courtesy of FanDuel as of 9-23.
Expert Week 5 CFB ATS picks
Florida State (-6.5) vs Virginia: Florida State -6.5
I'd probably take the points if this went beyond a touchdown, but FSU will be eager to play a real team after smacking around Kent State and East Texas A&M (143-13 combined score).
TCU vs Arizona State (-2.5): TCU +2.5
With 1,000 yards and 11 passing TDs through three games, I'm putting my faith in Josh Hoover and a TCU offense that scored 48 and 35 against its two FBS opponents.
Notre Dame (-4.5) vs Arkansas: Notre Dame -4.5
I understand having doubts about Notre Dame, but Arkansas doesn't compare to the likes of Notre Dame and Miami. I'll lay the small number.
USC (-6.5) vs Illinois: Illinois +6.5
It would be easy to pile on Illinois after last week's showing, but USC failed to cover last week after giving up 31 to Michigan State. I'll buy low on the Illini and hope last week's game said more about Indiana.
Indiana (-7.5) vs Iowa: Indiana -7.5
Speaking of, the Hoosiers made ranked Illinois look like an FCS team, and that momentum should carry over against Iowa.
Auburn vs Texas A&M (-6.5): Texas A&M -6.5
A second straight tough road environment will take its toll on Auburn. Lay the number so long it stays under a touchdown.
LSU vs Mississippi (-1.5): Mississippi -1.5
I've been suspicious of LSU since the media's initial push to rank it No. 1 in the country. On the road against an undefeated SEC foe, this is the perfect opportunity for those suspicions to materialize.
Ohio State (-8.5) vs Washington: Washington +8.5
This number has crashed from the -14 opener because Washington is better than we expected and also hasn't lost at home since 2021. I do think that changes, but it won't be by a wide margin in Julian Sayin's first road test.
Alabama vs Georgia (-2.5): Georgia -2.5
I wholeheartedly expected this line to be in the 4-6 range, so seeing it under a field goal makes this an easy decision. Georgia's comeback win at Tennessee proves to me that this is the team to beat in the SEC.
Oregon vs Penn State (-3.5): Oregon +3.5
Another year, another chance for James Franklin to prove he can win the big one. Happy Valley at night is no joke, but this pick comes down to trust — and I trust Dan Lanning more.
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My college football ATS/ML record is 16-18 this season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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