College Football Picks Week 6: Vegas Odds, Spread Predictions for Top 25 Games

While the reigning champions from Ohio State continue to sit atop the polls, no clear front-runner has truly emerged so far this season heading into Week 6. There are still plenty of contenders with their eye on one of those coveted playoff spots.

As a hectic Week 5, which saw the Buckeyes and Michigan State win by just a single score, illustrated conference play is when business really begins to pick up. So the teams with a legitimate chance to win the national title will rise in the coming weeks while the pretenders fall by the wayside.

Let's check out the full slate of Top 25 games on tap for Week 6 along with spread details and picks for each contest. That's followed by a preview for some of the weekend's top clashes.

Week 6 Spread Picks for Top 25 Games

Time (ET)	Road	Home	Line	Pick
12 p.m.	New Mexico State	No. 14 Ole Miss	MISS -43	NM ST
12 p.m.	No. 3 Baylor	Kansas	BAY -44	KAN
12 p.m.	No. 10 Oklahoma	Texas	OKLA -17	OKLA
12 p.m.	Illinois	No. 22 Iowa	IOWA -11	ILL
12 p.m.	Maryland	No. 1 Ohio State	OSU -33	OSU
3 p.m.	Kent State	No. 24 Toledo	TOL -15.5	TOL
3:30 p.m.	South Carolina*	No. 7 LSU*	LSU -19.5	USC
3:30 p.m.	Navy	No. 15 Notre Dame	ND -14.5	ND
3:30 p.m.	No. 13 Northwestern	No. 18 Michigan	MICH -7.5	MICH
3:30 p.m.	No. 19 Georgia	Tennessee	GEO -3	GEO
3:30 p.m.	Georgia Tech	No. 6 Clemson	CLEM -7	GT
7 p.m.	Arkansas	No. 8 Alabama	BAMA -16.5	ARK
7 p.m.	No. 21 Oklahoma State	West Virginia	WVU -6.5	OK ST
7 p.m.	No. 25 Boise State	Colorado State	BSU -16	CO ST
7:30 p.m.	No. 2 TCU	Kansas State	TCU -9	TCU
7:30 p.m.	No. 11 Florida	Missouri	FLA -5	MIZZOU
8 p.m.	Miami (Fla.)	No. 12 Florida State	FSU -9	MIA
8 p.m.	No. 4 Michigan State	Rutgers	MSU -14	RUTG
10 p.m.	No. 23 Cal	No. 5 Utah	UTAH -7	UTAH

Previewing Best Matchups

No. 13 Northwestern vs. No. 18 Michigan

There were plenty of overreactions when the Jim Harbaugh era at Michigan began with a road loss to Utah. Since then, however, that defeat looks far more acceptable considering the Utes' success and the Wolverines have rattled off four straight wins, including an impressive 31-0 triumph over BYU.

Now it's time for another serious test. Northwestern owns the nation's top scoring defense. Michigan is close behind in second. That points toward a classic brawl, and Wildcats defensive end Deonte Gibson is looking forward to it, per Brian Bennett of ESPN.

"It's old-school football," Gibson said. "We're going to line up and go, and it's either we're going to move you off the ball or you're going to stop it. It's a battle of wills."

Both teams are at their best offensively when running the ball, and it's unlikely either side is going to change their approach. The action at the line of scrimmage is going to feature plenty of intense, hard-fought battles for just a couple of yards.

That said, the biggest question surrounds the quarterbacks. Which starter, Michigan's Jake Rudock (5 TD, 6 INT) or Northwestern's Clayton Thorson (4 TD, 3 INT), will do a better job of moving the chains on third down without turning the ball over? The answer likely decides the game.

Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 12 Florida State

Yes, this game would have carried more intrigue if Miami didn't lose to Cincinnati last week. But that doesn't change the fact it's good to see meaningful games between the Hurricanes and Seminoles again. It's one of the most entertaining rivalries in sports when both sides are competitive.

The latest edition of the rivalry also marks the first real test for FSU. It's just outside the top 10 despite some mundane showings against the likes of Boston College and Wake Forest. Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post isn't expecting a technical masterpiece from either side this week, either:

Though the Seminoles offense has been trending in the right direction, the defense must rise to the occasion this week. It hasn't faced an offense with the number of playmakers Miami features, led by Joseph Yearby and Rashawn Scott.

If Florida State is a serious contender to make another championship run, this is a game it should win pretty handily. Miami isn't back on that level quite yet. But whether the Seminoles can shake off the numerous lingering concerns is still up for debate.

No. 23 Cal vs. No. 5 Utah

No team has shot up the rankings with more authority during the early weeks than Utah. It scored that aforementioned victory over Michigan to open the campaign, and then the Utes crushed Oregon to garner a lot more attention on a national level.

Now they have to deal with the added pressure of being among the playoff favorites. It may not seem like much on the surface, but it's a big deal for the program to get a visit from ESPN's College Gameday. Kevin McGuire of College Football Talk further highlighted their rise:

Like Utah, Cal remains undefeated, but it doesn't have a marquee win. The Golden Bears have three chances to change that coming up as they face UCLA and USC after Utah. So the outlook for their season will be a lot more clear by Halloween.

Once again, it's the defenses that will take center stage. Cal must get a better performance from a unit that has given up 96 points over the last three games. That's why Utah, which held Oregon to just 20 points, should hold the edge overall.