College Football Picks: Picks for All of Week 5's Top Games

Week 4 of the 2011 college football season offered up a bunch of games that pitted ranked foes against each other, and it will be the same story this weekend.

Four games feature teams that are both ranked and a few of them have some crucial conference implications on the line.

After shutting down Arkansas last week, Alabama will travel to Gainesville to try to slow down the speedy Florida offense.

Up north, Wisconsin will host Nebraska for what should be a great game to kick off Big Ten conference play.

Down at Cowboys Stadium, Texas A&M and Arkansas, two teams reeling after defeats last weekend, will try for a bounce-back victory.

And last but not least, Clemson will hope to keep the momentum going when the Tigers travel to Blacksburg to face off against a strong Virginia Tech team.

It should be another exciting weekend of college football and one that will cause a few shifts in the rankings once the dust settles.

Here’s a look at my picks for this weekend’s biggest games.

No. 3 Alabama at No. 12 Florida

Pick: Alabama

This one doesn’t exactly have the same feel as some of the epic battles these two have waged in recent years, but nonetheless, it’s still a game that is going to have an effect on the race to the SEC championship game.

So far this season, Alabama’s defense has been nothing short of sensational and the Tide proved at Penn State that this team is well equipped to handle a big spot on the road.

The main factor to watch in this one will be the success of both ground games.

Florida employs a more speed style with lightning-fast backs like Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, while Alabama chooses to go with a more traditional "We’re going to pound the ball right down your throat" approach with powerful running back Trent Richardson.

It will be interesting to see what this revamped Florida offense can do against such a dominant defensive foe.

Until they show some weaknesses, there’s no reason to pick against Alabama, even if there are some concerns about how QB A.J. McCarron will fare in such a hostile, pressure-packed environment.

This one could be close, but I’ve got to side with the Tide for this game.

No. 8 Nebraska at No. 7 Wisconsin

Pick: Nebraska

After beating up on a few less-than-stellar challengers early on in the season, Nebraska will now get a taste of what life in the Big Ten is really like when they travel to Madison to take on Wisconsin under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium.

So far, Nebraska’s defense hasn’t been anywhere near as good as originally advertised, but the Cornhuskers will have the chance to make a big statement against QB Russell Wilson, RB Montee Ball and the rest of the Wisconsin offense.

The Badgers currently lead the Big Ten in both scoring offense and total offense, averaging 48 points and 532 yards per game, so Nebraska’s defense better come prepared to play on Saturday night.

Remember though, it’s not exactly as if Wisconsin has been putting up those numbers against tough defenses.

The Nebraska front seven is good enough to contain the Badgers run game, and if QB Taylor Martinez can peel off a few big plays on offense, the Cornhuskers have a great chance to make a positive first impression on their new conference.

No. 13 Clemson at No. 11 Virginia Tech

Pick: Clemson

After Clemson took down Florida State on Saturday, we’re now looking at a big clash for ACC bragging rights.

Clemson has come up with two huge victories over the Seminoles and Auburn over the last two weeks, but it’s asking a lot of the Tigers to go on the road to Blacksburg and make that a trifecta.

Still, when you’ve got offensive weapons like RB Andre Ellington and WR Sammy Watkins, anything’s possible.

Clemson is no longer a sleeper anymore.

This team is one of the fastest and most athletic in the country, and if QB Tajh Boyd can handle a tough road environment, the Tigers have the type of talent to run past the Hokies.

Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas needs to be wary of the Tigers' talented defensive front.

This one could turn out to be a preview of the ACC championship game, so make sure to tune in.

No. 14 Texas A&M vs. No. 18 Arkansas

Pick: Texas A&M

Both of these teams went into last weekend looking to make big statement wins, as Texas A&M hosted Oklahoma State and Arkansas traveled to Tuscaloosa for a tilt with Alabama, but neither of them were able to get the job done.

Now, both are reeling after tough losses and they’ll each travel to Cowboys Stadium with the hopes of getting the season back on track.

In this renewed rivalry of old Southwest Conference rivals, Arkansas is 2-0 over the past two years, but on paper, it appears that Texas A&M is the stronger team this time around.

The Aggies boast a plethora of top-flight offensive playmakers like running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael and receivers Jeff Fuller and Ryan Swope.

The Razorbacks also have their fair share of weapons, though, so don’t be surprised to see this one turn into a shootout.

In the end, I liked what I saw out of A&M last week a lot more than what I saw from Arkansas.

After losing two straight to the Razorbacks, Ryan Tannehill, Cyrus Gray, Jeff Fuller and the rest of the A&M crew will have revenge on their mind.