College Football Betting Preview: Week 5 Picks

Each week during the college football season, theScore's Dane Belbeck will handicap the board and offer up a three-pack of picks.

Wisconsin at Michigan (-10)

No. 8 Wisconsin pulled off one of the most shocking results of the season last week, hammering No. 17 Michigan State in East Lansing 30-6, but No. 4 Michigan is a different beast. The Wolverines have destroyed opponents this year by a combined score of 208-55, and will provide a much tougher challenge for the standout Badgers defense. Justin Wilcox's unit was close to perfect against the Spartans, but it's hard to believe they duplicate that effort in Ann Arbor. Look for quarterback Alex Hornibrook to struggle against a dominant Wolverines secondary, and for Michigan to score enough on offense to cover the 10-point spread. Michigan 28, Wisconsin 10

Notre Dame (-10.5) vs. Syracuse

When Syracuse plays a team with a poor offense, Dino Baber's squad rolls to victory. When they play a team with a capable offense, they don't stand a chance. Just like we jumped on the Orange getting four points last week against an offensively inept UConn squad, let's hammer Notre Dame at -10.5 this week. For all the defensive struggles the Fighting Irish have had throughout their ugly 1-3 start, Brian Kelly's squad is still averaging 37 points per game. Look for the embattled defensive unit to improve slightly under new coordinator Greg Hudson, and DeShone Kizer to have a monster day in a win. Notre Dame 42, Syracuse 21

*Game to be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Texas at Oklahoma State (-3)

Look away if you like defensive football, because there won't be much of that on display in Stillwater on Saturday. Texas and Oklahoma State kick off at 11 a.m. local time, with both teams coming off their first loss of the season. The Longhorns rank 107th in the country, allowing 34.7 points per game, while the Cowboys aren't much better at 72nd overall. With apologies to Cal's home crowd, this represents the first difficult road environment for true-freshman quarterback Shane Buechele. While the Cowboys' defense gives up a ton of yards and points, they have been successful at forcing turnovers, ranking 14th in the country with nine this season. Texas sits last in the same category with just one. Oklahoma State wins the turnover battle and the contest to right the ship. Oklahoma State 42, Texas 34

Other games of note

Stanford at Washington (-3)

Don't make plans for Friday night, because No. 7 Stanford and No. 10 Washington get the weekend started early with a big-time Pac-12 tilt in Seattle. Both teams enter undefeated, and if the Huskies are going to register the home win, they must slow down Christian McCaffrey. The All-American running back posted 300 all-purpose yards versus Washington last season, scoring two touchdowns in a 31-14 victory. Expect Chris Petersen to stack the box, hoping to force quarterback Ryan Burns to beat the Huskies. We don't think he can, and Washington will win a close game to take the lead in the Pac-12 North. Washington 28, Stanford 23

Memphis at Ole Miss (-15)

Memphis absolutely waxed Bowling Green 77-3 last week, but is in for a rude awakening in Oxford. The Tigers registered the largest win in school history last year against Ole Miss, but don't expect the same result this time around. The Rebels certainly won't take their opponent for granted this season, and the swarming defense should force Riley Ferguson into some poor decisions. Look for Chad Kelly to have a big day and for Ole Miss to avenge last year's setback with a statement win. Ole Miss 38, Memphis 17

Louisville at Clemson (+3)

In the span of four games, Clemson went from national finalist to home underdog against Louisville. That is the power of Lamar Jackson. The Cardinals' star quarterback has taken the college football world by storm, throwing for 13 touchdowns while adding 12 scores on the ground through just four games. Stopping Jackson entirely doesn't seem possible, but Clemson's Deshaun Watson will match his counterpart score for score. A deep Tigers defense and a raucous home crowd will give Clemson the edge, and the lead in the race for the ACC crown. Clemson 37, Louisville 34

*Odds provided by Bodog

Season Record

Gold: 3-1
Silver: 1-2-1
Bronze: 2-2
Other: 5-7