College Football 2026 Week 5 Top 25 Preview And Picks

October begins with Week 5 of the 2026 college football season. Big game betting features two SEC Top 25 matchups plus one Big Ten battle with Iowa a huge home underdog to Ohio State.

Our weekly Top 25 picks and additional games of interest and opinions are part of the Week 5 Top 25 betting report driving more watch and wager action at top online sportsbooks. Following an 8-2 result on our Week 4 college football picks and opinions at Off Shore Gaming Association, we’ll be adding more including game analysis and stats with information you can bet on later in the week.

The top 3 teams in the AP Top 25 Poll remain the same with Texas, Georgia and Notre Dame. But Ole Miss moves drops from No. 4 to No. 9 following their 52-28 loss at Florida, a double winner for us side and total. Miami and Ohio State round out the top 5 with Indiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and BYU from the Big 12 completing the top 10. Louisiana State (LSU) is No. 11 and three other teams remain undefeated at #12-14 with Texas Tech, Utah and Iowa, who won for us last week and pulled off the closing seconds stunner on back-to-back plays including the 16-yard TD pass to knock off Michigan, 20-19.

From the betting lines and adjustments at leading online sportsbooks to key matchups, insight and odds updates, there is plenty of action in Week 5 following a record six Top 25 matchups in Week 4.

Top 25 Games and Week 5 Odds

Betting lines and college football odds from top online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live/in-game betting. Point spread on favorites plus game totals. All times ET.

Check back by Friday each week and my updates @FairwayJay on X as Fairways Forecast adds additional Picks and Opinions plus any upgrades with select game analysis, stats and information you can bet on.

Sat, Oct. 3

– No. 1 Texas | Bye, Next Week Red River Rivalry vs Oklahoma
– Vanderbilt at No. 2 Georgia (-24), 51 | 12:45 pm | SECN
– No. 3 Notre Dame (-21) at North Carolina, 47 | 12 pm | ESPN
– No. 4 Miami (-16.5) at Clemson, 47.5 | 7:30 pm | ABC
– No. 5 Ohio State (-14) at No. 14 Iowa, 45.5 | 3:30 pm | CBS
– No. 6 Indiana (-24) at Rutgers, 55.5 | 8 pm | BIGN
– No. 7 Alabama (-6) at No. 16 Mississippi State, 60.5 | 12 pm | ABC
– No. 8 Florida (-5) at No. 25 Missouri, 55.5 | 3:30 pm | ABC
– No. 9 Ole Miss | Bye, next week at Vanderbilt
– No. 10 BYU (-6.5) at TCU, 47.5 | 7 pm | ESPN
– McNeese at No. 11 LSU (NL) | 7:45 pm | SECN
– No. 12 Texas Tech (-12.5) at Colorado, 50.5 | 7:30 pm | FOX
– No. 15 Oregon | Bye, next week vs. UCLA
– Auburn at No. 17 Tennessee (-7), 54 | 3:30 pm | ESPN
– Washington at No. 18 USC (-9), 59  | 7:30 pm | NBC
– No. 19 Oklahoma State | Bye, next week vs. UCF
– Central Florida at No. 20 Houston (-12), 51.5 | 12 pm | ESPN2
– Boston College at No. 21 SMU (-21), 55 | 12 pm | CW
– Utah State at No. 22 Boise State (-20.5), 51.5 | 7:30 pm | CBSSN
– No. 23 UCLA | Bye, next week at Oregon
– No. 24 Kentucky at South Carolina (-2.5), 53 | 4:15 pm | SECN

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin (102), Duke (101), Penn State (98), Wake Forest (88), Virginia Tech (86), Michigan, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Louisville, Cincinnati, James Madison, Arizona, Minnesota, North Dakota State, Northwestern

UCLA moved into the top 25 and the Bruins are 4-0 including 2-0 on top of the Big Ten after mauling Maryland 54-3 and assuring Terps bumbling ‘idiot‘ coach Locksley will not be back next season.

Oklahoma State also cracked the Top 25 this week following a high-scoring second-half win at West Virginia, 45-24 – a top play totals winner for us. The Cowboys had just 1 win last season, zero vs. FBS teams and have also beaten previously ranked No. 6 Oregon this season.

Check out the notable line and total adjustments from Sunday’s Week 5 opening lines from Las Vegas and BetOnline. Updated Wednesday afternoon.

– Penn State -3.5 to -2.5 at Northwestern, total 47 to 45
– Virginia -3 to -2.5 at Florida State
– Vandy/Georgia total 53 to 51
– Ohio -5 to -3 at Kent State
– Miami at Clemson, total 50.5 to 47.5
– Louisville -6 to -3.5 at NC State
– Michigan -7.5 to -5.5 at Minnesota
– Kansas -21 to -18.5 vs. MTSU
– Boston College at SMU total 57 to 55
– Baylor at Arizona State total 51 to 49
– Arizona -8.5 to -7 vs. Cincinnati
– Washington at USC total 55 to 59
– Florida -3.5 to -5 at Missouri
– Iowa State -3.5 to -2.5 vs. West Virginia
– Oregon State -4.5 to -6.5 at Colorado State
– Texas State -3.5 to -5 at San Diego State

Other games of interest

– Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech (-3), 54.5 – Friday
– Penn State (-2.5) at Northwestern, 45 – Friday
– Stanford at Wake Forest (-12.5), 53.5
– Navy at Air Force (-3), 46
– Michigan (-5.5) at Minnesota
– West Virginia at Iowa State (-3.5), 53
– Michigan State at Wisconsin (-10), 43
– Virginia (-2.5) at Florida State, 51.5
– Louisville (-3.5) at NC State, 58.5
– Wyoming at North Dakota State (-18), 45.5
– Cal at UNLV (-3), 53
– Maryland at Nebraska (-14.5), 52
– Purdue at Illinois (-11), 62
– Oregon State (-6.5) at Colorado State, 61
– Arkansas at Texas A&M (-14), 50
– Fresno State at Washington State (-2), 45.5
– Baylor at Arizona State (-3.5), 49
– Temple at South Florida (-6.5), 48
– Bowling Green at Miami O (-13.5), 42.5
– Western Michigan (-13.5) at Buffalo, 46
– Ohio (-3) at Kent State, 50.5
– Eastern Michigan at UMAA (-6.5), 48
– Akron at Central Michigan (-6.5), 47

In the 13-team MAC, only UMASS (4-0) and Toledo (3-1) have winning records will all teams now hitting conference action this week.

Select Week 5 College Football Top 25 Matchups and Picks

Week 5 College Football Picks

Top 25

– Florida (-5)
– USC (-9)

NCAA Football Opinions

– North Carolina (+21.5), line up
– Mississippi State (+6) – Lean
– Alabama/Mississippi State Over 60.5
– Iowa (+14.5)
– Texas Tech (-12.5)

Non-Top 25 – Picks and Opinions (P & O)

P – Pittsburgh/Virginia Tech Over 54.5 (Friday)
O – Pittsburgh (+3), best numbers gone
P – West Virginia (+3.5)
O – Minnesota (+5.5/6)
O – Northwestern (+3) – Friday
O – UNLV (-2.5)
P – Oregon State/Colorado State Over 61/62
P – Cincinnati/Arizona Over 56

I’ll be at next Sat., Oct. 10 game Arizona at West Virginia in Morgantown, and getting ahead of projected scoring with the Wildcats over the total this week at home vs. Cincinnati Bearcats. Plan on betting over Arizona at West Virginia next Saturday. Cincinnati beat Miami, Ohio 35-31 on a neutral field allowing more than 400 yards offense including 334 passing. The Bearcats have a pair of top offensive lineman to assist protection and rushing, which they did last week with 271 yards on the ground and 430+ total in 31-26 home ‘Dog win over Kansas State. Now first road game and in the desert, where Arizona projects to more than 450 yards offense led by top All-Big 12 QB and fifth-year senior Noah Fifita, who passed for 297 yards last week at Washington State and 230 at BYU against a much beter team and defense. Points should be plentiful in Tucson.

Alabama at Mississippi State

Alabama has beaten Mississippi State 16 straight times (12-4 ATS) with the last meeting 40-17 in Starkville in 2023. Two Heisman favorite quarterbacks have emerged with Keelon Russell for the Crimson Tide and Kamario Taylor on the Bulldogs. Taylor leads the nation with 14 passing touchdowns and is third with 344 total yards/game, and fifth with 22 plays of 20+ yards. This sets up for a shootout with both teams surpassing 400 yards offense.

Florida at Missouri

These two teams last played in 2023, a 33-31 Mizzu win in Columbia when the Gators were unranked and Tigers No. 11. Florida has dominated in a 4-0 start including last week’s 52-28 win over Ole Miss, a winner for us. Missouri lost at Mississippi State last week 31-24, and it should have been worse with MSU piling up 500 yards offense including 360 passing. It only gets much tougher this week with Florida’s positional edges all across the field and the Gators leading the nation in scoring offense at 54 points per game. That includes a most efficient, balanced offense averaging 275 rushing (top 5 country) and 263 passing yards per game despite playing at a below average pace.

Ohio State at Iowa

First trip to Iowa City for the Buckeyes since 2017 when the Hawkeyes (+18) pulled the huge upset over No. 3 Ohio State, 55-24 after the game was tied 17-17 in the 2nd quarter. Buckeye’s have the verticle passing game and best receiver in Jeremiah Smith to test Iowa’s secondary which Michigan and Iowa State were unable to do. But the Hawkeye’s defense is still stout, and they have a more balanced offense and can have some success as Illinois did last week at Ohio State rushing for 200 yards and passing for 263 in a misleading final, 42-19.

Washington at USC

Both teams off their first loss of the season, and Washington is now 0-4 ATS while USC is 1-4 ATS. The difference is the Trojans have the firepower and capable QB in Jayden Maiava, who leads FBS with 1,500 passing yards. Huskies Bro QB Demond Williams has struggled under pressure while holding the ball too long, and he has 3 INT’s while playing without the starting center. Williams was sacked seven times in the home loss to Minnesota last week 27-24, and the week prior they squeaked by Utah State 16-14 as a huge favorite. The Trojans can pile up 39+ points, which they have done four times this season, and take out their frustration from last week’s second half in losing to Oregon.

Check back Friday for picks and opinions and any additions, stats, analysis and information you can bet on.

You can bet on it.