This is the kind of weekend that totally fools you, college football fans. Seriously. After a September that was absolutely packed with statement games, this Week 5 schedule might look like a breather, but don’t you dare get comfortable. College football *never* cooperates with a formulaic script, and we’re circling this weekend as potentially chaotic nationwide. The stakes are high: seven of the nation’s top 10 teams are playing away from home, and yeah, a couple of those matchups are even against other unbeaten squads.
Penn State vs. Northwestern: New Stadium Hype vs. Bounce-Back Nittany Lions
Alright, first up we got Penn State (-2.5) heading to Northwestern. This is a massive game for the Wildcats. They’re opening a brand-new, state-of-the-art $875 million stadium, and it’s gonna be on national TV. Chris Hummer is riding with Northwestern +2.5 here, saying if what we saw from them in the first half last week is legit, they’re gonna be trouble for Penn State. He’s talking about Northwestern being talented upfront on both sides of the ball and feels it’ll come down to which QB makes more plays down the stretch, giving the edge to Aidan Chiles for Northwestern to win 24-23. Brad Crawford, though, sees it differently. He’s taking Penn State -2.5, sensing a bounce-back after the Nittany Lions lost to Wisconsin last week. He’s got Penn State winning 23-20. Penn State’s defense is eighth nationally in yards allowed per play, but they do lack those explosive offensive playmakers. This one is going to be tight, that’s for sure.
Michigan at Minnesota: The Gophers’ Quality Win Isn’t Enough for Hummer
Then we’ve got Michigan (-6.5) traveling to Minnesota. This one’s got a big swing, mostly from Hummer’s pick. He’s sticking with Michigan -6.5 here, even though the Gophers are 3-1 and have a quality road win over Washington. That’s a bold call given Minnesota’s start! Michigan has played four games so far this season, and three of them have been decided by slim margins, meaning they haven’t exactly been blowing teams out of the water every time. Hummer sees the value with Minnesota, but he’s still leaning into the Wolverines to cover on the road. Crawford’s pick isn’t detailed in the source, so we’re left wondering if he agrees with Hummer’s take or if he’d lean toward the Gophers causing an upset. The fact that the Wolverines have been in some tight games makes that -6.5 line against a 3-1 Minnesota squad pretty spicy.
This whole weekend, with all those unbeaten top-10 teams on the road, could absolutely shake up the rankings. Don’t be surprised if some favorites stumble. It’s a light Top 25 schedule, yeah, but as the experts said, we’ll believe it when the weekend’s over. Keep those eyes glued to the TV, because anything can happen.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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