College Football 2011: Predicting the Winner of Every Week 5 Game
By (Senior Analyst) on September 27, 2011
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It is already Week 5, and as expected, the SEC is leading the pack with the most impressive showing of any conference. With five SEC teams in the Top 25, it is going to be hard to beat the odds that an SEC team will appear in, if not win the National Championship this year.
Yeah, I know, boring to everyone who isn’t an SEC fan. They are tops for a reason though and perhaps other conferences should take note. (Of what is the subject of a whole other article.)
This week there are 55 games involving 108 teams from the FBS with two schools playing teams from the FCS.
Twelve Teams have a bye week: California, Florida State, Iowa, Louisiana-Monroe, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon, San Diego State, UCF, UNLV, Vanderbilt, and Wyoming.
Let's take a look at Predictions for all of Week 5's College Football Games.
Houston at UTEP
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Houston and QB Case Keenum just keep rolling along. Last weekend they beat the Georgia State Panthers 56-0.
The UTEP Miners are 2-2 but those losses come at South Florida and at SMU.
The Cougars will keep their winning streak alive.
Winner: Houston
South Florida at Pittsburgh
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This should be a great matchup between the Bulls and the Panthers, with South Florida reigning supreme and moving to 5-0.
Winner: South Florida
Utah State at BYU
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Although Utah State almost beat Auburn in the season opener, its been mostly downhill. They beat Weber State and lost to Colorado State.
BYU is the better team. (And is favored by more than a touchdown in Vegas.)
Winner: BYU
SMU at TCU
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
TCU should not have a hard time at all with the Mustangs.
Winner: TCU
Air Force at Navy
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While the Navy mulls over whether they want to join the Big East or not, they will take care of business against Air Force.
Winner: Navy
Akron at Eastern Michigan
Leon Halip/Getty Images
Eastern Michigan is 2-2 but those two losses are to Penn State and Michigan. The Eagles should have no problem beating the 1-3 Zips.
Winner: Eastern Michigan
Alabama at Florida
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Alabama should win this game, but Florida is not going to just roll over and hand it to them. This should be a classic SEC battle.
Winner: Alabama
Arizona at USC
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USC had massive struggles in Tempe last week in their loss to ASU.
This week Arizona comes to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Nick Foles is good, but they are not going to get out of the Coliseum alive.
Winner: USC
Oregon State at Arizona State
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ASU will have no issues shutting down (and possibly out) the winless Beavers.
Winner: Arizona State
Arkansas at Texas A&M
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The Aggies just barely lost to Oklahoma State last week. Arkansas is decent, but not quite good enough to beat this A&M team.
Winner: Texas A&M
Arkansas State at Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky is 0-3 and is not going to get their first win against Arkansas State.
Winner: Arkansas State
Tulane at Army
Army should have no issues with Tulane.
Winner: Army
Ball State at Oklahoma
Brett Deering/Getty Images
Nice scheduling Oklahoma.
Winner: Oklahoma
Baylor at Kansas State
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Robert Griffin III and his Baylor Bears should roll right over Kansas State.
Winner: Baylor
Nevada at Boise State
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The Broncos don't lose too often on their Smurf turf.
Winner: Boise State
Wake Forest at Boston College
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BC isn't great, but they are certainly better than Wake Forest.
Winner: Boston College
Bowling Green at West Virginia
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West Virgina, fresh of the loss to LSU, will rebound versus Bowling Green.
Winner: West Virginia
Buffalo at Tennessee
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There's something I like about the Vols' sherbet colored uniforms. That said, Bowling Green should not be too much of a threat.
Winner: Tennessee
Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
NIU should have no problem beating the Central Michigan Chippewas.
Winner: Northern Illinois
Cincinnati at Miami (OH)
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Cincinnati should easily take care of Miami of Ohio.
Winner: Cincinnati
Clemson at Virginia Tech
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Clemson, is 4-0 and has beaten Auburn and Florida States in consecutive weeks. They might suffer from the proverbial letdown game, but I'm more willing to bet this Tigers team is for real and Virginia Tech shouldn't end their winning streak.
Winner: Clemson
Washington State at Colorado
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Washington State is on a serious roll, and one of the most prolific offenses in the nation. Go Cougars!! It's so good to see them winning again.
Winner: Washington State
San Jose State at Colorado State
There is little doubt that this 3-1 Colorado State team will emerge victorious versus the 1-3 Spartans from San Jose State.
Winner: Colorado State
Western Michigan at UConn
Elsa/Getty Images
I'm going with the home team on this one.
Winner: UConn
Duke at FIU
FIU is having a season for the ages. After the loss last week, they will rebound versus Duke.
Winner: FIU
UNC at ECU
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The Tar Heels should have no problem handing the Pirates a loss.
Winner: UNC
FAU at Louisiana-Lafayette
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Louisiana Lafayette should have little problem beating FAU.
Winner: FAU
Mississippi at Fresno State
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Ole Miss is not that good. (To say the least.) Fresno State is not that bad.
Winner: Fresno State
Mississippi State at Georgia
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This should be a great game, but ultimately I feel like Georgia is on an upswing.
Winner: Georgia
Georgia Tech at NC State
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Simply put: Georgia Tech is on fire.
Winner: Georgia Tech
Hawaii at Louisiana Tech
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Hawaii is flying a long way for this matchup, and for that effort, should be rewarded with a victory.
Winner: Hawaii
Idaho at Virginia
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UVA is not going to lose to Idaho in Charlottesville.
Winner: Virginia
Northwestern at Illinois
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The Fighting Illini are 4-0. And after the Northwestern game, they will be 5-0.
Winner: Illinois
Penn State at Indiana
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Penn State will have no issues with the Hoosiers.
Winner: Penn State
Texas at Iowa State
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I'm going to go with Iowa State. It may not be a popular choice, but I just have a feeling about the Cyclones.
Winner: Iowa State
Texas Tech at Kansas
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Texas Tech will beat Kansas.
Winner: Texas Tech
Kent State at Ohio
The Ohio University Bobcats will easily beat Kent State.
Winner: Ohio
Kentucky at LSU
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LSU looks like the best team in the country to me. No one is going to beat them this year.
Winner: LSU
Marshall at Louisville
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
No disrespect to fans and alumni, but both teams are pretty terrible this year. Advantage goes to the home team.
Winner: Louisville
Towson (FCS) at Maryland
Maryland will have no problem disposing of this FCS opponent.
Winner: Maryland
Memphis at Middle Tennessee
If every game were as sad a matchup as these two teams, college football would have no fans.
Winner: Middle Tennessee
Bethune Cookman (FCS) at Miami (FL)
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Miami stumbled last week, but it wasn't because they stink. That was an anomaly.
Winner: Miami
Minnesota at Michigan
Leon Halip/Getty Images
Michigan should easily hand Minnesota their fourth loss of the season.
Winner: Michigan
Michigan State at Ohio State
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Michigan State is going to pull off a win at the horseshoe.
Winner: Michigan State
Nebraska at Wisconsin
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This game will determine the new pecking order in the Big Ten as well as the eventual conference champion.
Winner: Wisconsin
New Mexico State at New Mexico
Well, neither team is going to set the world on fire, but since New Mexico hasn't won a game since the paleolithic era and they just fired their coach...
Winner: New Mexico State
North Texas at Tulsa
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Tulsa will win this game.
Winner: Tulsa
Notre Dame at Purdue
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Notre Dame is still finding its footing, but they are good enough to beat Purdue.
Winner: Notre Dame
Rice at Southern Mississippi
Southern Mississippi should easily beat Rice.
Winner: Southern Miss
Rutgers at Syracuse
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This is going to be a close one, but the Scarlet Knights will leave Syracuse with the win.
Winner: Rutgers
UCLA at Stanford
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Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Sorry. It was the idea that UCLA has any shot at all in this game that made me laugh.
Winner: Stanford
Toledo at Temple
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Temple will win.
Winner: Temple
UAB at Troy
I am told Troy is actually pretty good, so I think they will win.
Winner: Troy
Washington at Utah
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Utah and Washington face off in a Pac-12 matchup. I think the Huskies will hang in there with the Utes, but the home team will win.
Winner: Utah
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