Sam Avellone
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College football Week 5 is upon us. As conference play continues (or begins in some cases), the drama of this regular season continues to heighten. With each week comes bigger games and more must-see matchups, making each Saturday an absolute treat for college football fans. This Saturday should be no exception to that notion with multiple entertaining matchups across the country. As in weeks past, I put together a 3-leg college football parlay consisting of some of my favorite plays of the day in hopes of cashing in on increased odds. Let’s break down each leg, while you can also find out our expert CFB picks for all of the big matchups on Saturday.
NC State -7 (-112)
Old Dominion +10 (-108)
Georgia ML (-115)
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NC State Wolfpack -7 over Northern Illinois Huskies (-112)
The NC State Wolfpack have underwhelmed to this point, yielding more than 50 points to Tennessee and Clemson and failing to pull away from Western Carolina and Louisiana Tech. The Week 1 struggles against Western Carolina were head-scratching, but NC State was implementing multiple offensive transfers – so I’ll give them a pass for that one. The blowouts to Tennessee and Clemson were alarming, but also not too surprising given the talent edge those programs have over NC State. The most surprising performance from a box score perspective was the narrow win over Louisiana Tech in Week 3, but starting quarterback Grayson McCall was knocked out of the game via injury and replaced by true freshman CJ Bailey. Again, I think there’s an argument for giving the Wolfpack a pass due to a mid-game quarterback injury, especially considering they still managed to win the game while holding the Bulldogs to just 3 points in the 2nd half.
This feels like a big motivational spot at home against a seemingly over-hyped Northern Illinois team that managed to beat Notre Dame in South Bend in Week 2 before losing to Buffalo at home last week as a double-digit favorite. With their most difficult games behind them and just 1 conference loss, NC State’s season is far from over – and I feel confident in coach Dave Doeren’s ability to convey that to his team leading into this matchup. Look for maximum effort from the ‘Pack here, and for them to come away with the win and cover at home to round out their non-conference schedule.
Read our full Northern Illinois vs NC State prediction
Old Dominion Monarchs +10 over Bowling Green Falcons (-108)
This pops off the page as a let-down spot for Bowling Green. The Falcons went toe-to-toe with Penn State and Texas A&M in their last 2 games, covering each game easily and losing by a touchdown or less. Following those massive road games against power conference opponents, Bowling Green will return home to host another non-conference opponent in Old Dominion – but how motivated are the Falcons going to be to play this opponent? The Monarchs are 0-3 straight up, and the Falcons start conference play next week against Akron. As MAC title contenders with the College Football Playoff out of reach, I’m not sure how much this game actually means to Bowling Green.
Old Dominion, on the other hand, is off a bye and still hungry for its first win. I’m not sure if the Monarchs will secure the outright win in this spot, but I do expect them to keep this game close behind a defense that has been relatively solid against the pass and in opposing scoring opportunities.
Georgia Bulldogs ML over Alabama Crimson Tide (-115)
Having this matchup in late September rather than early December is quite different, but any game between Georgia and Alabama is a highly anticipated matchup with plenty of intrigue. This year should be no different, as Kirby Smart seeks to prove his 1-5 record against Alabama was more of a Nick Saban thing rather than a lasting thorn in his side. The Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide both had a week off prior to this game, but the Bulldogs went into the bye off a near loss to Kentucky while the Tide cruised to a victory over the Wisconsin Badgers and their backup quarterback.
That near loss to Kentucky likely served as a motivational piece for Coach Smart throughout the bye week, not to mention the fact that Alabama was responsible for knocking Georgia out of the playoff race last year. Statistics aside, this is a massive step up in class for Alabama compared to the level of opponents it has played thus far, and I don’t think the Tide have truly been tested enough to be fully prepared for Georgia’s speed and physicality. With what I consider to be a decent motivational edge, look for Georgia to prevail in Tuscaloosa.
Read our full Georgia vs Alabama predictions on the side and total
