Georgia, Alabama in SEC clash

College Football HQ makes our final straight-up picks for the biggest games on the Week 5 schedule, including a bombshell confrontation between Georgia and Alabama in primetime.

Thanks to the expansion of the College Football Playoff, regular season games may not carry the same enormous weight as in the past, but winning is still better than losing, especially in marquee matchups the selection committee will be paying very close attention to.

Georgia vs. Alabama certainly fits that bill, a battle between top-five ranked SEC blue-bloods and national title contenders that have combined for five national championships in the playoff era.

Our pick: Kansas State | For some reason, Oklahoma State still has not been able to get Ollie Gordon going, and the Wildcats have the bodies up front to keep the Cowboys from building any momentum on the ground again.

More: K-State vs. Okie State prediction

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Our pick: Michigan | While the lack of a passing game will be a problem for the Wolverines in the future, right now they have the pieces in the front seven to swarm the Gophers’ offense and the power on the ground to dictate terms with ex-linebacker Kalel Mulling leading the load.

More: Michigan vs. Minnesota prediction

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Our pick: USC | Wisconsin might have some gas early on to run the ball at the Trojans’ line like Michigan did last week, but it can’t match up with USC’s skill threats at the Coliseum.

More: USC vs. Wisconsin prediction

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Our pick: Ole Miss | The Rebels shouldn’t be tested too severely in the SEC opener, but the Wildcats were able to play tough at the line against Georgia, and could keep this a little closer than expected early on before Ole Miss pulls away.

More: Ole Miss vs. Kentucky prediction

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Our pick: Notre Dame | We picked the Irish to win straight-up, but for Louisville to win against the spread with a superior passing offense that will be able to squeeze out enough yards from a good Notre Dame defense to keep it close all day.

More: Notre Dame vs. Louisville prediction

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Our pick: Oklahoma | Auburn emerged as the late favorite in this one as the Sooners make a quarterback change and will be without a ton of injured receivers, but Oklahoma’s defense is still the best overall unit on the field in this one against a Tiger offense that is not there.

More: Oklahoma vs. Auburn prediction

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Our pick: Texas A&M | Arkansas can rush the passer a little and can run around with Taylen Green and Ja’Quinden Jackson, but the Aggies have the superior front seven and have the bodies to adequately block for their superior rushing attack.

More: Texas A&M vs. Arkansas prediction

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Our pick: Penn State | Illinois isn’t a pushover with the solid defense it’s playing right now and Luke Altymer is a stabilizing force for an offense that features two solid receivers, but Penn State still has the offensive edge and can bring more pressure up front.

More: Penn State vs. Illinois prediction

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Our pick: Boise State | The Cougars can spread things out and boast a dual threat quarterback in John Mateer who is 3rd nationally in total production, but the Broncos still have stud tailback Ashton Jeanty and should find passing lanes against a Wazzu secondary that is 132nd in air defense.

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