Week 4 of the 2026 college football season brought some wild stuff, and now we’re diving headfirst into Week 5 where the stakes are getting absolutely massive. Most teams are already deep into conference battles, with a month of the season in the rearview mirror, which means every single game from here on out just keeps getting bigger. Sure, the Oklahoma Sooners are on their bye week after a rough start, but there are still some seriously important matchups on the schedule that you can’t miss.
Big Ten’s Top Dogs Face a Upset Alert in Iowa City
This weekend, the most important game in the Big Ten is no doubt Ohio State heading to Iowa. The Buckeyes have mostly cruised through the season so far, but that loss to Texas is still hanging out there. Despite that, head coach Ohio State definitely has to be considered one of the Big Ten’s true favorites, and quarterback Julian Sayin will be looking to prove that dominance on Saturday. But don’t sleep on the Hawkeyes! They exploded into the conversation last week with an absolutely insane, last-second win over Michigan. Now, they’re playing host in Iowa City and they’ve got another shot to flip the entire league’s standings on its head. Head coach Kirk Ferentz and his crew are sticking to their tried-and-true formula of suffocating defense and killer special teams. However, quarterback Hank Brown and the offense are going to have to find a way to keep pace with Ohio State’s powerful attack. This one is going to be a slugfest.
Surprise Story in Starkville: Can Mississippi State Really Pull Off the Upset?
Who would’ve thought Alabama at Mississippi State would be one of the clear-cut games of the week when the season started? Nobody, that’s who! But here we are. The Crimson Tide haven’t really been tested yet this year, but that’s about to change in a big way when they go on the road Saturday afternoon. Head coach Kalen DeBoer has his team undefeated going into this one, with quarterback Keelon Russell running the show on offense. With even bigger games looming down the road, this is absolutely not a game the Tide can afford to overlook. Mississippi State has been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far, stacking up consecutive wins against South Carolina and Missouri. Now, they’ve got a much, much bigger test waiting for them, and trust me, Starkville is going to be an absolute madhouse on Saturday. Head coach Jeff Lebby looks like he’s building something strong at MSU, but a game like this is the real measuring stick. Quarterback Kamario Taylor has been having an excellent season, and he’s gonna need to keep that going this week if they want to pull off what would be a truly massive upset.
SEC Showdown: Undefeated Florida Takes on Missouri
Down in the SEC, Florida and Missouri are gearing up for another big clash. Both teams had massive games last week, but came away with totally opposite results. The Gators are straight up rolling, undefeated so far this year, with impressive back-to-back wins over Auburn and Ole Miss. They’re looking like a force, and this first-half-of-the-season SEC battle is going to be key as teams try to establish themselves.
With a third of the season already in the rearview mirror, every single snap just gets more and more important. These matchups aren’t just about this week; they’re about setting the tone for the rest of the conference battles. You can bet your bottom dollar these teams will be leaving it all out there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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