Games to watch in Week 5 of college football season
December 14, 2021
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared as part of the October 1 Double Coverage flipbook.
No. 2 Georgia at No. 8 Arkansas
Oct. 2, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
The Bulldogs and Razorbacks will face off Saturday in an SEC East-SEC West showdown. Both programs enter Week 5 undefeated, meaning the end for an undefeated season for one of them. Georgia has started its season with overwhelming wins,including a 62-0 beatdown of Vanderbilt last Saturday. In all but one game, Georgia’s defense has kept opponents to under 10 points. The Bulldogs’ success has made them heavy favorites, but Arkansas has been victorious as an underdog this season. The Razorbacks took care of business against Texas and took down No. 8 Texas A&M two weeks later, all while allowing only an average of 14.5 points per game.
No. 7 Cincinnati at No. 9 Notre Dame
Oct. 2, 1:30 p.m. CT, NBC
Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly will welcome his old program this weekend as Cincinnati travels to South Bend. With the exception of Notre Dame’s matchup against Wisconsin, both teams remain relatively untested this season. A win for Cincinnati, which plays in the American Athletic Conference, would be essential for its College Football Playoff campaign. The Bearcats are led by veteran quarterback Desmond Ridder, who has helped the team to a 43-point average this season. Notre Dame quarterback Jack Brian is also slated to take snaps under center this weekend after an injury, giving a push to the Fighting Irish.
No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 1 Alabama
Oct. 2, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS
Whether it’s back-to-back victories in 2014 and 2015, or Nick Saban’s “rat poison” speech, Ole Miss has brought excitement in an otherwise stable era for Alabama. As the Rebels return to Bryant-Denny Stadium after five consecutive losses to Alabama, they will try to turn the Tide again. While both teams enter the weekend undefeated, a close finish against Florida in Week 3 has raised doubts about the Crimson Tide. Saturday’s matchup will be a test of Alabama’s questionable defense as Ole Miss enters the game with one of the strongest offenses in the nation.
No. 21 Baylor at No. 19 Oklahoma State
Oct. 2, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN2
Undefeated Big 12 teams Baylor and Oklahoma State will meet at Boone Pickens Stadium in what promises to be one of the closest games of the weekend as Baylor holds only a 3.5-point spread. Both teams have put forward strong defensive showings throughout the season, holding teams to under an average of 20 points per game. The Bears will be missing key outside linebacker Terrel Bernard on Saturday after he was reinjured last week, which could put a damper on Baylor’s defensive efforts.
No. 3 Oregon at Stanford
Oct. 2, 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
While Oregon enters Saturday’s game as heavy favorites over two-loss Stanford, an upset would mean a major shake-up for the Pac-12 conference. The Cardinals will have home-field advantage, but the Ducks have already proved their strength on the road this season against Ohio State. Both teams have scored over 30 points in each game with the exception of Stanford’s season opener and last weekend’s loss to UCLA, making for a potentially competitive offensive game.