College football Week 5 picks from ESPN's College GameDay

Let's lock in our final picks for college football's Week 5 games with some help from the guys on ESPN's College GameDay, including Lee Corso's headgear pick.
ESPN College GameDay locks in their final picks for the biggest games on the Week 5 college football schedule today.
ESPN College GameDay locks in their final picks for the biggest games on the Week 5 college football schedule today. / Andrew Wevers-Imagn Images

As the Week 5 college football schedule prepares to kick off today, the analysts on ESPN's College GameDay reveal their final picks for the biggest games across the country.

Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban and the whole GameDay gang are on site from Tuscaloosa, Ala., where college football’s biggest game of the early 2024 season kicks off under the lights.

A pair of top-five ranked SEC contenders and national championship hopefuls, Georgia and Alabama face off in a marquee matchup full of electric skill players and dominating defense on both sides, and with the winner taking one giant leap towards College Football Playoff contention, as the selection committee will keep a very close eye on the proceedings.

Elsewhere around the country, Notre Dame hosts Louisville in a battle of ranked teams hoping to avoid a costly second loss at home, while Kansas State welcomes Oklahoma State in a huge Big 12 tilt as both teams are already down a game in the conference, and Penn State and Illinois meet in a huge Big Ten matchup under the lights in Happy Valley.

Let’s take a turn around the nation and lock in our final picks for college football’s biggest games with some help from the guys on ESPN’s College GameDay.

College football Week 5 picks

Oklahoma at Auburn: Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit were the lone votes for Auburn to drop the Sooners to 0-2 in SEC play.

North Carolina at Duke: Nick Saban and Pat McAfee sided with Duke over the Tar Heels.

Louisville at Notre Dame: Saban was the sole voice in favor of the Cardinals to upset the Irish on the road.

Kentucky at Ole Miss: A unanimous decision for the Rebels to win their SEC opener.

Illinois at Penn State: Likewise for the Nittany Lions in their Big Ten opener against the undefeated Illini.

BYU at Baylor: Lee Corso was alone in predicting Baylor will take down the Cougars.

Colorado at UCF: Saban, Kirk, and Corso are siding with the Knights and their high-powered ground game to put away the Buffaloes.

Oklahoma State at Kansas State: Everyone on GameDay is taking the Wildcats to hand the Cowboys their second Big 12 loss.

Georgia at Alabama: Likewise for the Crimson Tide to take down the Bulldogs in primetime.

Lee Corso's Headgear Pick: Alabama over Georgia.

College Football HQ picks

Week 5 picks against the spread

College Football HQ's straight-up picks

Best games on the Week 5 schedule today

Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State

Arkansas vs. Texas A&M

USC vs Wisconsin

Louisville vs. Notre Dame

Michigan vs. Minnesota

Ole Miss vs. Kentucky

Penn State vs. Illinois

Oklahoma vs. Auburn

Georgia vs. Alabama

AP top 25 rankings

First-place votes in parentheses

  1. Texas (44)
  2. Georgia (13)
  3. Ohio State (5)
  4. Alabama
  5. Tennessee
  6. Ole Miss
  7. Miami
  8. Oregon
  9. Penn State
  10. Utah
  11. Missouri
  12. Michigan
  13. USC
  14. LSU
  15. Louisville
  16. Notre Dame
  17. Clemson
  18. Iowa State
  19. Illinois
  20. Oklahoma State
  21. Oklahoma
  22. BYU
  23. Kansas State
  24. Texas A&M
  25. Boise State

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.