Let's keep it going.
Week 5’s massive slate continues with more bangers in the afternoon slate, including Ohio State vs. Washington and UCLA vs. Northwestern.
Our staff has more college football best bets and college football picks for Week 5 on Saturday, Sept 27 — check them all out below.
Week 5 College Football Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 pm.. | |
 | Afternoon | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Collin's Card: Afternoon Best Bet
Demond Williams and Jonah Coleman will exclusively run inside and outside zone read concepts straight at the Ohio State defense.
Washington is super efficient at running inside-zone concepts, with a 73% Success Rate, while the outside zone has produced an explosive play on one of every three attempts.
This will be problematic for an Ohio State defense that ranks 118th nationally in Defensive Stuff Rate.
Second-level tackling could also come into play for the Buckeyes, who rank 59th nationally in PFF's Tackling grades. Texas proved that Ohio State can lose the war in the trenches after averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
If Julian Sayin can throw against Washington's nickel package that mixes man and Cover 1 schemes, Ohio State may have an answer in Husky Stadium. Sayin has a limited sample of 16 passing attempts against Cover 1 coverage, but has produced a low 44% Success Rate.
Action Network's betting power ratings make Washington a 6.5-point underdog, offering value in the current market.
Ohio State must shore up the defensive front against zone read concepts, while Washington will keep a single high safety in hopes of picking off Sayin.
Read Collin's entire Ohio State-Washington breakdown and more in his Week 5 card:
Pick: Washington +8 (-110, bet365)
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Stuckey's Spots: Afternoon Best Bet
By Stuckey
I would project the above spread if both teams played on a neutral field. However, not only will NIU host this game, but the Aztecs will have to travel 2,000 miles in a tough situational spot.
Following a huge upset win over Cal as a two-touchdown underdog, head coachSean Lewis will try to get his team ready for a rather meaningless nonconference game in DeKalb one week before the start of Mountain West play.
As a result, I could see them coming out a bit lethargic.
Additionally, NIU has played the much tougher strength of schedule with its last two games coming on the road against P4 competition (Maryland and Mississippi State), in which it held its own before wearing down late.
In fact, this matchup features one of the widest strength-of-schedule disparities of the weekend.
Yes, SDSU looked amazing last week in its victory over Cal, but I really do believe it caught the Bears napping in a major sleepy spot.
Cal also essentially had six turnovers if you include failed fourth-down attempts and missed field goals in addition to three normal giveaways — two of which went the other way for touchdowns.
This is still an Aztec team that got blown out in its only road affair against a bad Washington State squad. It's also still a subpar offense that had 25% of its yardage output last week on a fluky 80-yard touchdown reception.
NIU's defense can control this game, while running back Chavon Wright and company should do just enough to keep the chains moving in NIU's extremely run-heavy offense against a San Diego State front that can be pushed around to keep this likely low-scoring affair very tight throughout.
Ultimately, I'm selling high on San Diego State in a tough spot against an NIU team I expect to have full motivation after two straight losses against a future conference opponent ahead of its move to the Mountain West next season.
Check out all of Stuckey's Situational Spots for Week 5 here:
Pick: Northern Illinois +3 or Better
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Ziefel's Player Props: Afternoon Best Bet
By Doug Ziefel
The Huskies are not a team that throws the ball much, but when they do, there is a clear No. 1 target, Denzel Boston.
Boston has garnered 29% of the target share through three games this season, which has equated to a whopping 7.7 targets per game.
Given that the Huskies are likely to be trailing in this matchup, we should only see his target volume increase, making his receptions prop a strong play on Saturday.
Pick: Denzel Boston Over 4.5 Receptions (-118, DraftKings)
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Our Featured Bet Labs System For The Afternoon Slate
This game triggered one of our Action Labs PRO betting systems, powered by our guy Evan Abrams:
Early Road Redemption is a college football system that identifies value in visiting teams during the opening stretch of the season, after they have underperformed against the spread in their previous outing.
The market often punishes these teams too heavily for a single early loss, creating inflated lines in the next matchup.
By narrowing the spread range between modest underdogs and double-digit spots, the system captures situations where the road team is competitive but overlooked.
These games are played in manageable weather conditions and typically fall within lower scoring totals, which reduces volatility and keeps contests closer than expected.
When teams in their first eight games seek redemption on the road after a poor showing against the spread, they frequently outperform expectations, making this a profitable angle.
UCLA has arguably been one of the most disappointing teams in the nation so far, but I'm uncertain if I can lay seven with Northwestern against any Power Conference squad.
Luckily, my guy Stuckey agrees with me and the system:
Nico Iamaleava and Co. should find a way to stay competitive in this one.
Want more PRO betting systems? Get an Action PRO subscription today:
Pick: UCLA +6.5 (-110, bet365)
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Breese's Full Action App Card
Need more plays for Saturday? It's always wise to see what our guy Calabrese is betting on for this monster Week 5!
Additionally, if you haven't already, make sure you download the free award-winning Action Network App to track all your bets and tail all of your favorite experts:
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