No. 20 Ole Miss versus No. 13 LSU (Ian Sparks)
Final Score Prediction: Ole Miss 28, LSU 21
The Rebels are coming off a tough loss on the road to Alabama last week in a game where the team’s offensive struggles proved to be their downfall. Running back Quinshon Judkins still has yet to have a big game, so Ole Miss’ run game has continued falter.
The Tigers have won three in a row after their opening loss against Florida State, including a close win over Arkansas last week. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is just shy of 1,300 passing yards and has 12 passing touchdowns already this season. The LSU offense is averaging 530 yards per game and 42.8 points per game so far and are looking to stay red hot against a stout Rebel defense.
Last season, the Rebels failed to fully bounce back after losing to Alabama at home. Following the loss last week to the Tide in Tuscaloosa, the focus will be on whether Ole Miss can rebound. The Rebs will need big performances from Judkins and quarterback Jaxson Dart, along with the defense, in order to get the win.
No. 11 Notre Dame at No. 17 Duke (Cameron Larkin)
Final Score Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Duke 21
This week’s College Gameday matchup is one that received absolutely no preseason buzz, but it happens to be one of the more intriguing Week 5 games. The Blue Devils burst onto the scene after a win against Clemson to start the season, and Notre Dame will serve as Duke’s second big test of the year.
The Fighting Irish dropped a heartbreaker at home against Ohio State last week. The disappointing loss marked the Irish’s first of the season, but make no mistake, Notre Dame is still one of the better teams in the country.
Wake Forest transfer QB Sam Hartman has been the answer for Notre Dame and Head Coach Marcus Freeman so far, and the defense has been elite through four games.
Duke QB Riley Leonard has been a pleasant surprise for his team so far, and he will play a big part in how competitive the Blue Devils will be in this game. However, the Irish look polished and scary, despite the Ohio State loss.
Texas A&M versus Arkansas (Teddy King)
Final Score Prediction: Texas A&M 35, Arkansas 21
In Week 5 of college football and Week 2 of SEC play, the Arkansas Razorbacks will meet the Texas A&M Aggies in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium for the annual Southwest Classic.
In its SEC opener against Auburn, despite rocky first-half execution, Texas A&M won 27-10. Sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman suffered a season-ending injury in the win, though. Filling in for Weigman was backup quarterback Max Johnson, who ultimately threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns going 7/11 on pass attempts.
After a hard-fought but not-so-happy ending in Death Valley, losing to No. 12 LSU 34-31, the strong and talented KJ Jefferson and the Razorbacks are looking to bounce back.
While both teams come into this matchup with one loss, A&M’s very impressive defensive efforts and better-than-expected performance from Johnson this past week signal an Aggie victory on Saturday.
No. 10 Utah at No. 19 Oregon State (Tanner Shapiro)
Final Score Prediction: Oregon State 31, Utah 20
No. 10 Utah travels to play No. 19 Oregon State in what should be a great game. Utah is without star QB Cam Rising but is still thriving. The Utah defense is special, as they held UCLA to seven points thanks to the team’s multitude of star players.
On the other hand, Oregon State is coming off of a loss to Washington State; it was a high scoring affair (38-35), but WSU outlasted the Beavers. OSU quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a transfer from Clemson, has been solid all year for the Beavers.
Oregon State’s strength is its offensive line, which could be in for a tough test against a stacked Utah front seven. The Utah offense is unreliable, as their defense keeps them in games and the offense cannot capitalize most of the time. Oregon State shocks Utah in this one.
