Week 5 brings another loaded college football slate, and we're combining our favorite betting angles from the biggest games into our best college football combos of the weekend.
Our latest college football picks include combos for Vanderbilt vs. Georgia, Ohio State vs. Iowa, Alabama vs. Mississippi State, Miami vs. Clemson, Washington vs. USC, and more.
Best Week 5 college football combos
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Saturday, Oct. 3
Best Vanderbilt vs Georgia combo
The script for this game presents a strong combo opportunity due to the non-correlation between the first half and full game results.
Georgia should come out strong and put Vanderbilt to the sword early and often, especially if the Commodores fail to cash in on drives as they did against Auburn.
Kirby Smart's desire to rest players and hold back looks for the Alabama game opens the door for Vandy to make the score more respectable late, bringing home the total and the spread.
Check out Jason Ence's full Vanderbilt vs. Georgia predictions.
Best Ohio State vs Iowa combo
Iowa will need to score to keep this game close, but I'm not sure Hank Brown is capable of leading the Hawkeyes to more than 17 points. The Buckeyes have one of the best secondaries in the country and rank third nationally in pass success rate on defense (30.7%).
Ohio State is more susceptible to the ground attack, but the Hawkeyes have been inefficient running the ball, ranking 120th in rush success rate (36%).
A slow start in front of a rambunctious Kinnick Stadium crowd should turn into a second-half Buckeyes blowout in the No. 2 must-watch game in my college football Top 25 predictions.
Check out Rob Paul's full Ohio State vs. Iowa predictions.
Best Alabama vs Mississippi State combo
This combo again emphasizes this game being Bama's first true road test of the season.
Mississippi State’s early-down offense produces 0.30 EPA per play (13th nationally), and the Bulldogs convert 60.0% of third- and fourth-down opportunities (ninth nationally). That gives them a path to control the first half before Alabama’s depth takes over.
The script is Mississippi State ahead early, Alabama rallies, and the game finishes with both teams scoring in the mid-30s.
Check out Geoff Clark's full Alabama vs. Mississippi State predictions.
Best Michigan vs Minnesota combo
Minnesota has long struggled to win the Little Brown Jug, and nothing has changed since Fleck took over. The Golden Gophers have kept the game within 20 points just once in the four matchups under Fleck.
With both defenses ranking in the top 35 in net EPA per play, I'm expecting a slow, grind-it-out first half before Michigan pulls away late. Look for Wolverines wide receiver JJ Buchanan to be the X-factor.
While this is Kyle Whittingham's first time in the rivalry, he's no stranger to winning rivalry games. As Utah's head coach, Whittingham went 11-6 in the Holy War against BYU.
Check out Rob Paul's full Michigan vs. Minnesota predictions.
Best Miami vs Clemson combo
Clemson isn't new to slow starts, averaging 21 total points in the first half of its last three games.
What starts as a sludgefest in a rainy game will open into a Miami rout after the Hurricanes acclimate to the weather and the environment and let the trenches do the talking.
Check out JD Yonke's full Miami vs. Clemson predictions.
Best Washington vs USC combo
Criticize the opposition all you want, but Washington's defense has been nasty. The Huskies allow 4.6 yards per play and are a well-coordinated unit with a penchant for stopping the run (3.2 yards per rush allowed).
That gives them a leg up against USC's poor defense, which is allowing 6.1 yards per play despite facing a schedule ranked outside the top 60 per ESPN's FPI.
Check out J.D. Yonke's full Washington vs. USC predictions.
Best BYU vs TCU combo
TCU's offense has struggled mightily this fall, often getting in its own way as penalties and turnovers stall drives. The Horned Frogs rank 113th in the country in penalties per game (8.3). If they are going to stay competitive this weekend against BYU, they will likely need their defense to keep this a low-scoring game.
Check out Nick Galaida's full BYU vs. TCU predictions.
Best Florida vs Missouri combo
Missouri’s defensive efficiency should keep this from becoming an early track meet, but Florida comes with the stronger profile in the downs that decide close games.
The Gators convert 61.9% of third- and fourth-down opportunities, sitting sixth nationally, while Missouri’s offense converts 42.9%, ranking 74th. That gives Florida a better chance to sustain the possessions that matter most after halftime, even if Missouri’s field position and home environment produce an early lead.
A competitive first half followed by Florida’s superior talent and coaching taking over is the vision for this combo.
Check out Chris Hatfield's full Florida vs. Missouri predictions.
Best Navy vs Air Force combo
This game should be decided on the ground, where Navy owns the biggest matchup advantages. The Midshipmen's efficient rushing attack faces one of the nation's worst run defenses, while Navy is much better equipped to stop Air Force's ground game.
That also correlates with both Unders. Both rarely throw, which lets long possessions drain the clock and limit scoring opportunities. Even successful Air Force drives can chew up huge chunks of the first half.
Check out Geoff Clark's full Navy vs. Air Force predictions.
Best Texas Tech vs Colorado combo
This combo follows one game script: Colorado keeps it ugly and hangs around.
Neither offense has been efficient on early downs, both struggle to prevent Havoc, and Colorado lacks the explosiveness to turn this into a shootout.
That supports the Buffaloes catching nearly two touchdowns and the full-game Under. I'm also attacking the slow start, with these teams combining to average just 3.3 first-quarter points against FBS opponents, making Under 10.5 the natural third leg.
Check out Geoff Clark's full Texas Tech vs. Colorado predictions.
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