About a third of the 2022 college football season is in the rearview mirror, and the standings are settling across the board. But the Week 5 schedule features plenty of top-25 matchups with implications for the Power Five and Group of Five conferences and the college football playoff picture. Best of all, these matchups are scattered throughout the day on Saturday, giving fans the chance to listen to as many of them as possible over the course of the day.
In fact, there are five games between ranked opponents that day with two such competitions each among SEC and ACC opponents. No. 14 Ole Miss welcomes No. 7 Kentucky as a touchdown favorite despite his higher ranking, while No. 2 Alabama hits the road at No. 20 Arkansas as a favorite by 17 points, according to Caesars Sportsbook. No. 23 Florida State looks to stay undefeated with a home tilt to No. 22 Wake Forest before No. 5 Clemson and No. 10 NC State meet in the top 10 undefeated in an hourly showcase great listening. Not to be outdone, No. 16 Baylor aims to return to the top of the Big 12 race when they host undefeated No. 9 Oklahoma State.
At the end of Saturday’s action, the top 25 will be noticeably different, and there may even be significant changes in the CFP projections. (Although there are two games scheduled for Sunday with Sunshine State teams that had to delay their kickoffs due to Hurricane Ian, neither offers ranked programs.)
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from kickoff. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games of Week 5.
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times Eastern
No. 2 Alabama at No. 20 Arkansas
Featured game | Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
3:30 p.m. | SCS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Part of the reason Alabama hasn’t been good on the road is that its offensive line hasn’t lived up to the typical standard. Alabama’s offense this year hasn’t been as explosive in the passing game as we’ve seen in recent years. There is no true alpha receiver — at least, not one who has taken the reins from the outstanding receivers Alabama had on its roster. All of that combined with Arkansas dropping into coverage and forcing teams to set up long drives to beat him suggests this will be a weaker and closer affair than expected. I don’t have a high level of confidence, but if I’m betting anything here, I’d rather be on the Razorbacks. Prediction: Arkansas +17 –Tom Fornelli
Oklahoma State No. 9 at No. 16 Baylor
Featured game | Baylor Bears vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
3:30 p.m. | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — Oklahoma State has won the last two regular season matchups between those teams, but the Cowboys have been untested in 2022 since losing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Ohio State. The Bears maintained their impressive defensive performance and showed a real advantage in the passing game in a win over Iowa State. Home advantage wins. Prediction: Baylor -2.5 –Shehan Jeyarajah
No. 10 NC State at No. 5 Clemson
Featured game | Clemson Tigers vs. NC State Wolfpack
7:30 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — I’ll take Clemson straight, but give me grip points on the road. Clemson will win the battle at the line of scrimmage and force a few errors from Devin Leary that will prevent this from becoming a shootout. Tigers running back Will Shipley will take over late and prevent DJ Uiagalelei from having to make the difference for the second week in a row. This one will come down to the last practice or two, and the Tigers will be hanging on to keep their national championship hopes alive. Prediction: State NC +6.5 — Barrett Sallee
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No. 4 Michigan at Iowa
Featured game | Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines
Noon | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) — When these teams met last December in the Big Ten Championship game, Michigan outright beat Iowa, 42-3. The jury is out on whether the Wolverines are as good as they were last season, but Iowa appears to have regressed. The Hawkeyes have scored just four offensive touchdowns in four games and now face an opponent far superior to anything they’ve seen so far. Michigan gave up four 70-yard or more touchdown passes in a 34-27 win over Maryland last week, but the Terrapins are much better equipped offensively than Iowa. Even if the Hawkeyes are successful in slowing down Michigan’s offense, it’s hard to see them hitting double-digits without a chance of a ridiculous turnover. Wolverines should cover that gap with any score in the 20s. Prediction: Michigan -10.5 –David Cobb
No. 7 Kentucky at No. 14 Ole Miss
Noon | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — The Rebels are heavy favorites heading into the game despite being ranked lower. However, don’t count the Wildcats. Kentucky has a major defensive advantage, as well as more quarterback experience. Ole Miss’s offensive reputation under coach Lane Kiffin is well established, but Jaxson Dart hasn’t been tested against a quality defense. That will change this week. Prediction: Kentucky +7 –Shehan Jeyarajah
