College Football Picks for Week 5: B/R Experts' Predictions for the Top 5 Games

The Pac-12 was in the spotlight in Week 4 and delivered narratives that shook up the landscape of the conference and college football as a whole. Utah's statement win in Oregon vaulted the Utes squarely into the playoff conversation, while UCLA's dismantling of Arizona was one of the most complete performances of the entire season. 

But this week, the action returns down South, as the slate of the week's best features three high-profile SEC matchups.

The biggest of them sees Georgia host Alabama in Athens. It's a chance for the Bulldogs to prove that they belong in the upper echelon of the SEC. If they can get past the Tide, they will have a very real chance to run the table the rest of the regular season. Alabama will look to hold on to its playoff hopes as well in its first true test since being upset by Ole Miss in Week 3. 

Speaking of the Rebels, they visit the Swamp to play a pesky Florida squad that still sits unbeaten after a dramatic comeback win over Tennessee on Saturday. Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly will get to test out his high-powered offense against arguably the best defensive back in college football, Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III. The Rebels better bring it, too, or they'll find what so many other teams have found this season—your seat on top of the world often only lasts until your very next game. 

Elsewhere in the SEC, Texas A&M will look to stay unbeaten as it hosts Mississippi State. This is a revenge game of sorts for the Aggies. Last season, they stood 5-0 with a lofty Top 10 ranking before heading to Starkville and getting thumped, 48-31. It was the start of a slide that saw them lose five of their next seven games. Mississippi State is hoping to keep itself in the conversation in the brutal SEC West and needs a great performance from QB Dak Prescott to have a shot at pulling off the upset. 

Perhaps the most intriguing game of the week sees Notre Dame travel to Clemson to face the Tigers, where one of these unbeaten teams will watch their playoff hopes take a hit. Can Notre Dame's running game continue to carry it forward against a stout Clemson defense? Or will Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson grab the national spotlight and lead Clemson to a win in what is the biggest game of his young career?

The final game on the slate should keep the scoreboard operator busy, as Texas Tech visits Baylor in a Big 12 showdown. The Red Raiders, who lost a heartbreaker to TCU in the waning seconds last week, rank third in the nation in total offense. They'll face a Bears team that ranks fifth in the category and leads all of the FBS with an astounding 64 points per game this season. 

B/R

Who will emerge as the week's best performer, and whose picks do you disagree with? Be sure to sound off in the comments section below about who you think will win in Week 5. 

All picks made straight up. Spread is not a factor.