Week 6 brings the kind of slate that makes college football feel like it’s about to hit another gear. Georgia and Alabama square off in Tuscaloosa in a game that could look like a preview of the SEC title picture, Texas and Oklahoma renew the Red River Rivalry in Dallas, and a couple of unbeaten teams in the Big Ten are about to find out a lot more about themselves.
The headline act in the SEC is Georgia at Alabama, and the oddsmakers are leaning toward the Bulldogs by a narrow 2.5 points. Georgia has spent the first five weeks flattening opponents, though the path has been soft.
Alabama, meanwhile, has been explosive with Keelon Russell at the controls and hasn’t been held under 45 points in any game. That makes this one a real strength-on-strength matchup, with Kirby Smart’s defense facing a serious test and Gunner Stockon trying to keep the Crimson Tide from making life miserable for him.
Texas is also favored by 9.5 in the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma, and that number tells you plenty about where Vegas sees these two right now. The Longhorns have the edge on a neutral field, and Oklahoma’s offense has been the problem.
John Mateer has had a rough go at quarterback, and the Sooners used their open date to try to clean some things up. Brent Venables’ defense may need to keep the game close while Arch Manning and Texas try to take control.
Another game with major Big Ten weight sits in Lincoln, where Indiana visits Nebraska as a 9.5-point favorite. The Hoosiers are unbeaten, but so are the Cornhuskers in October, with Anthony Colandrea helping fuel that run.
Matt Rhule is still chasing his first top-25 win at Nebraska, and this matchup gives him another shot at it. Indiana has earned its status as the favorite, but this is also its toughest challenge so far.
Out west, UCLA’s rise under Bob Chesney gets a stiffer examination at Oregon, where the Ducks are 11.5-point favorites. The Bruins have been one of the season’s best early stories and have scored in bunches, though the defenses they’ve faced haven’t exactly been the ’85 Bears.
Oregon has looked capable of handling the assignment, even if the Ducks have also underwhelmed at times. There’s also the possibility that Dylan Raiola starts at quarterback in place of an injured Dante Moore.
LSU is a 10-point favorite at Kentucky, and that game comes with some real intrigue after the Wildcats’ comeback win over South Carolina. Will Stein has Kentucky thinking bigger, but this is a tougher assignment with Lane Kiffin and LSU coming to Lexington.
The Tigers have a quarterback in Sam Leavitt who has thrown at least one interception in every game, so Kentucky will need to create more mistakes if it wants to spring the upset. The last time a top-tier opponent visited, Alabama pulled away with a strong second half.
The rest of the board is packed with tight lines and a few teams trying to make a statement. BYU is an 11.5-point favorite at home against Iowa State.
Arizona is a 2.5-point favorite at West Virginia. Missouri is laying 3 against Texas A&M.
Pittsburgh is favored by 4.5 against North Carolina. Washington is a 2.5-point favorite over Iowa.
Tennessee is a 14-point favorite at Arkansas. Kansas State is laying 2.5 at home against Houston.
And USC is a slight 1.5-point favorite at Penn State.
In Other News...
Nebraska Stayed Unbeaten But This Win Raised A Bigger Concern
Nebraska moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2016 with a 48-23 win over Maryland, and the record still looks as good as it has in years. The Huskers shook off an uneven first half and then rolled with 34 unanswered points after the break, getting notable contributions from Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee as the offense found its rhythm and the game got away from Maryland.
Even with the unbeaten start intact, the bigger question is what Nebraska will need to clean up before the schedule tightens again. The next test comes Oct. 10 against Indiana in a ranked game at Memorial Stadium, and the Huskers will have to show they can bring the same second-half punch from the opening whistle if they want this start to mean more than just a fast beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska's Maryland Win Didn't Silence The Worries Fans Still Have
Nebraskas 48-23 win over Maryland offered the sort of response the Huskers needed after a rough opening stretch, and the coaching staff deserves credit for the in-game fixes that helped turn things around. The defense settled in, several players made notable contributions, and the result showed a team capable of recovering when the first half goes sideways.
Still, the victory did not erase the issues that have followed Nebraska around this fall. Penalties remain a problem, the offense can still look predictable at times, and there is a clear need for a more balanced passing attack as Indiana approaches. A win helps, but for a fan base looking for something sturdier, the bigger questions are still waiting. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Finally Looks Built To Handle The Moment
Nebraskas unbeaten start took another step forward with a comeback that looked a lot like the sort of game this program has too often let slip away in recent years. After falling behind 23-14, the Cornhuskers seized control and rolled past Maryland 48-23, a result that pushed them to 5-0 for the first time since 2016 and added another layer of credibility to a season that is beginning to feel different.
Anthony Colandrea was at the center of it, throwing for 238 yards and three touchdowns while also piling up 108 rushing yards, highlighted by a 51-yard run that helped flip the games energy. Maryland never recovered after the midpoint of the second quarter, as Nebraska ripped off 34 unanswered points and turned a tense road test into a statement win, leaving the bigger question now not about whether the Cornhuskers can survive the moment, but how far this start can carry them. [Read more 🡒]