Key contests brewing in the SEC and Nationally in Week 5 of College Football. This week’s Playoff Predictions
The No.7 Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers face serious assignments in conference play this Saturday as the Tide travels 85 miles west to Starkville and the Cow Bells, while the Tigers head north to Knoxville and encounter the Tennessee Vols and the “friendly” confines of Neyland Stadium. Both Neyland Stadium and Davis Wade Stadium will be rockin’.
Also in the SEC, Florida goes to Missouri, Kentucky travels to South Carolina, and Georgia, LSU, Arkansas and A&M are all in action. Texas, after their slugfest with Tennessee last Saturday, in which they prevailed, 20-17, a reeling Oklahoma team and an Ole Miss team that had their tails kicked at Gainesville, are all off.
Interesting national matchups on the Saturday lineup as well.
Here’s a look at the action this weekend along with predictions.
All games Saturday. All Times Central.
Record: Last Week: Straight up-13-5, Overall: 65-17, 79%
Against the Spread: 11-7, 44-38, 54%
Over/Under: 12-6, 47-35, 57%
No.7 Alabama (4-0) @ No.16 Mississippi State (4-0)
Davis Wade Stadium, Starkvegas
11 A.M.
ABC
Crimson Tide by 5 1/2, 60 1/2
Keelon Russell has been a phenom the last two weeks for Alabama, completing 23-of-30 passes for 320 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions versus FSU, and going 21-of-27 for 365, 4 TDs and 0 ints against South Carolina last Saturday in Crimson Tide victories over those respective teams.
He’s also rushed for a TD in each of those games. For the season, he’s 78-of-110, 71%, for 1,129 yards, 8 TDs and 2 interceptions. He’s explosive, electric and has taken over the lead of this team in this so far successful season.
But Kamario Taylor ain’t no joke, either. The Mississippi State quarterback has completed 83-of-120 passes, 69%, for 1,192 yards, with 14 TDs against only 2 ints.
So, it’s a clash of the titans behind center on Saturday in Starkville The weather looked questionable up until today, but the forecast is looking much more promising.
I’m looking at a high powered, offensive game with the Crimson Tide prevailing in an SEC classic. Both quarterbacks will do well and they’ll be factors running the football also, which could be the difference as Russell makes one more big play than Taylor does.
Alabama 34, Mississippi State 27
Auburn (2-1) @ No.17 Tennessee (3-1)
Neyland Stadium, Knoxvegas
2:30 P.M.
ESPN
Vols by 6 1/2, 53 1/2
I like a solid game here, but I see the home field being the difference for the Vols.
Tennessee 24, Auburn 17
Vanderbilt (3-1) @ No.2 Georgia (4-0)
Sanford Stadium, Athens
11:45 A.M.
SEC Network
Georgia by 25 1/2, 51 1/2
Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, a five star who looks like he could be terrific if he ever gets some help, is questionable for this game.
Curtis took a beating at Auburn last Saturday. As Bill Gates Bates and I like to say, this could be a “B-I-D” for the Commodores, a “Blessing in Disguise,” if he doesn’t play. Georgia may knock him out for the season with the blocking Curtis has ben getting and with how violent and physical Georgia is. Georgia dominates, regardless.
Georgia 42, Vanderbilt 10
No.8 Florida (4-0) @ No.25 Missouri (3-1)
Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia, MO.
2:30 P.M.
ABC
Gators by 5 1/2, 57 1/2
The Gators look for real after annihilating Pete Golding’s defense last Saturday.
Florida 34, Missouri 24
Arkansas (2-2) @ Texas A&M (2-2)
Kyle Field, College Station
6 P.M.
ESPN2
Aggies by 13 1/2, 49 1/2
I like A&M in this contest, but I don’t like’em to beat the spread.
It’s been a struggle this season for A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and his first year offensive coordinator Holman Wiggins, who took over from Collin Klein, now the head coach at Kansas State, which is 3-1 overall, but 0-1 in the Big 12, losing to Cincinnati 31-26 last Saturday.
Texas A&M 31, Arkansas 20
No.24 Kentucky (3-1) @ South Carolina (2-3)
Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.
3:15 P.M.
SEC Network
South Carolina by 3 1/2, 54 1/2
Maybe Kentucky’s first year coach Will Stein’s proclamation back at SEC Media Days in July that he’s the savior of Kentucky football could be prophetic. After his victory at College Station a couple of weeks ago, he became a little more believable.
Real long way to go for Stein though, and I don’t see him being successful this Saturday. Arrogance can take you just so far.
South Carolina 28, Kentucky 24
McNeese (2-3) @No. 11 LSU (3-1)
Tiguh Stadium, Baaton Rouge
6:45 P.M.
SEC Network
L-S-U by 53 1/2, 61 1/2
Lane and the Bengal Tigers get a breather this Saturday.
LSU 59, McNeese 3
National Slate
No.5 Ohio State (3-1) @ No.14 Iowa (4-0)
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City
2:30 P.M.
CBS
Buckeyes by 14 1/2, 45 1/2
I like this game to be competitive for a while, but for the Buckeyes to pull away in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State 31, Iowa 14
No. 3 Notre Dame (4-0) @ North Carolina (2-1)
Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, N.C.
11 A.M.
ESPN
Fighting Irish by 22 1/2, 47 1/2
Give me the Fighting Irish to control this game.
Notre Dame 38, North Carolina 10
No.4 Miami (4-0) @ Clemson (3-1)
Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C.
6:30 P.M.
ABC
Miami by 16 1/2, 47 1/2
I’ll take the ‘Canes to “matriculate” at Death Valley.
Miami 31, Clemson 14
No.10 BYU (3-0) @ TCU (2-2)
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX.
6 P.M.
ESPN
BYU by 6 1/2, 47 1/2
I like this to be a tight contest, but with Kilani Sitake and his Cougars to prevail.
BYU 31, TCU 28
No.6 Indiana (4-0) @ Rutgers (1-3)
SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
7 P.M.
Big Ten Network
Hoosiers by 24 1/2, 56 1/2
Trying to figure out if Indiana is a contender or a pretender. They play @ Nebraska next Saturday, which is now 4-0, and then Ohio State comes to Bloomington Saturday, October 17th. That’ll be a Saturday Night 6:30 prime time ABC game.
We’ll find out if Indiana is elite or “middle of the road,” then
Indiana 38, Rutgers 13
College Football Playoff Projections
12 Playoff Teams
No.1 Georgia, No.2 Alabama, No.3 Florida, No.4 Notre Dame, No.5 Miami, No.6 Texas, No.7 Ohio State, No.8 LSU, No.9 Oregon, No.10 Mississippi State, No.11 Oklahoma State, No. 12 North Dakota State-one of the tougher teams west of Athens.
First Round games, All games are home for the higher seeded teams
Friday, 12/18/26, 7 P.M. CT, ESPN
No.5 Miami over No.12 North Dakota State
Saturday Games, 12/19/26
No.11 Oklahoma State over No.6 Texas, 11 A.M. ESPN
No.10 Mississippi State over No.7 Ohio State, 2:30 P.M. CT, TNT/truTV
No.8 LSU over No.9 Oregon, 6:30 P.M. TNT/truTV
Quarterfinals
VRBO Fiesta Bowl, Wednesday, 12/30/26, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ. 6:30 P.M. TNT/truTV
No.8 LSU over No.3 Florida
Friday, 1/1/27
Goodyear Cotton Bowl, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX. 11 A.M. TNT/truTV
No.2 Alabama over No.10 Mississippi State
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA., 3 P.M. ESPN
No.5 Miami over No.4 Notre Dame
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA. 7 P.M. ESPN
No.1 Georgia over No.11 Oklahoma State
Semifinals
Thursday, 1/14/27
Capital One Orange Bowl, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL. 6:30 P.M., TNT/truTV
No.1 Georgia over No.8 LSU
Friday, 1/15/27
Allstate Sugar Bowl, Caesars Superdome, N’Awlins, ESPN/ABC
No.2 Alabama over No.5 Miami
Monday, 1/25/27
National Championship Game
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
6:30 P.M.
ESPN/ABC
As of today, I like Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide to prevail in a classic over Gunner