Viewer's guide to Week 5: Can't-miss games, potential upsets, and more
Week 4 nailed it.
Between Pittsburgh's thrilling win over UCF, the spectacle of Georgia-Notre Dame, and the 130 total points scored on the Palouse, last weekend contained as much drama as any in 2019. By the time it was over, six of the top 20 teams in the AP Top 25 had lost.
Hopefully, we'll get plenty more excitement this weekend.
Before it begins, theScore is here to guide your viewing experience. Here's our look at the can't-miss matchups and the under-the-radar games in Week 5.
(All times ET)
The early slate
Must-watch: Texas Tech at No. 6 Oklahoma (noon, FOX)
The noon slate of games Saturday might be this season's least interesting. Texas Tech's trip to Norman seemed intriguing until quarterback Alan Bowman got hurt against Arizona.
Red Raiders head coach Matt Wells said this week that his team will use both junior Jett Duffey and Rice transfer Jackson Tyner versus Oklahoma. Duffey actually replaced Bowman last year against the Sooners and threw two touchdowns in a 51-46 loss. Tyner threw four TDs and seven interceptions in his Rice career. Either way, expect Texas Tech to lean on running backs Armand Shyne and Ta'Zhawn Henry.
The main attraction here is Oklahoma's offense in its fourth game of the Jalen Hurts era. The Sooners haven't faced tough competition yet, but their 10.46 yards per play are more than they averaged over the first three games in either of the last two seasons when Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield quarterbacked the team.
Has potential (sort of): Northwestern at No. 8 Wisconsin (noon, ABC)
Like we said, Week 5's wave of noon games might provide an opportunity for you to get out and enjoy some fall weather. The interest here is largely one-sided: Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor is worth watching no matter the opponent. He has at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in every game this season.
Northwestern's offense has been dreadful - and that might be an understatement. The Wildcats are completing 48.3% of their passes, with one touchdown and six interceptions in three games. Now, they go against a Wisconsin defense holding opponents to an FBS-low 3.2 yards per play.
Upset alert: Kansas at TCU (noon, FS1)
There was some thought during the preseason that TCU could emerge as the top challenger to Oklahoma and Texas at the top of the Big 12. Gary Patterson's teams typically bounce back from down seasons, and the Horned Frogs went just 7-6 a year ago.
But a loss last week to SMU exposed TCU's limitations. The Horned Frogs have a solid prospect at quarterback in freshman Max Duggan, but he's only completed half of his throws. Additionally, SMU signal-caller Shane Buechele picked apart a Horned Frogs pass defense that had looked good up until last Saturday.
So could Kansas, two weeks after shocking Boston College, pull off another road upset? The Jayhawks have always played TCU close. Four of the last five meetings have been decided by less than a touchdown, including a Kansas win last year.
Keep an eye on: Rutgers at No. 20 Michigan (noon, Big Ten Network)
This is Week 5's it-won't-be-good-but-we-can't-look-away game.
You've got Michigan, a team reeling from a blowout loss against Wisconsin and dealing with the outside noise regarding Jim Harbaugh's shortcomings as head coach. The Wolverines haven't rushed the football and haven't stopped the run. Quarterback Shea Patterson is struggling to pass efficiently.
And you've got Rutgers, which has lost 13 consecutive Big Ten games. Michigan has won the last four meetings between the schools by an average score of 51-9. The Scarlet Knights might be the perfect antidote to Michigan's maladies.
Midafternoon
Must-watch: No. 21 USC at No. 17 Washington (3:30 p.m., FOX)
California is the Pac-12's lone undefeated team, but a couple of other schools could potentially finish 12-1 and with an interesting College Football Playoff resume.
Oregon is likely still the favorite among one-loss teams, but Washington and USC play a pivotal conference game Saturday afternoon that should also be fun to watch.
The key matchup will present itself when the Trojans have the football. USC's third quarterback, Matt Fink, threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns as he orchestrated an upset win over Utah last week. The Huskies get the benefit of preparing for Fink. They haven't allowed an opposing quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns in a game this season.
Washington quarterback Jacob Eason, meanwhile, averaged 10.4 yards per pass attempt in recent wins over Hawaii and BYU.
Has potential: Iowa State at Baylor (3:30 p.m., ESPN) and No. 18 Virginia at No. 10 Notre Dame (3:30 p.m., NBC)
Neither team is ranked, but Iowa State-Baylor is sneakily one of the most interesting games of the week.
The Cyclones were picked third in the Big 12's preseason poll but were promptly dismissed after a slow start and loss to Iowa. But the offense, led by Brock Purdy, got back on track with 72 points (and 31 first downs in 67 plays) against Louisiana-Monroe.
Baylor hasn't played anyone of importance yet but still look like Matt Rhule's best team. Led by running back John Lovett, the Bears' offense is averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
The middle of the afternoon is a three-screen period, at least. Virginia enters South Bend with a chance to remain undefeated and erase any hope Notre Dame has of a playoff run. The Fighting Irish, who lost last week, are 2-0 all time against the Cavaliers.
Upset alert: Indiana at No. 25 Michigan State (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)
Michigan State's offense rebounded last week, scoring 31 points in a win over Northwestern. But the Spartans actually averaged fewer yards per play than they did in the 10-7 loss to Arizona State in their previous game. They still look vulnerable.
Indiana enters Saturday with a question at starting quarterback, but both Peyton Ramsey and Michael Penix have been effective at times. The Hoosiers are 3-1 but lost their Big Ten opener to Ohio State 51-10.
Keep an eye on: No. 1 Clemson at North Carolina (3:30 p.m., ABC)
There aren't many potential pitfalls left on Clemson's schedule. The Tigers breezed past Texas A&M and Syracuse. After Saturday, their three remaining road games come at Louisville, North Carolina State, and South Carolina.
So, is there any chance that the trip to Chapel Hill for a game against a North Carolina team with a more-than-capable quarterback could be a close one? Maybe not, but it's worth keeping an eye on Saturday.
Mack Brown's North Carolina team has wins over South Carolina and Miami and losses to Wake Forest and Appalachian State. Quarterback Sam Howell is fifth among freshmen in passing yards. The Tar Heels will likely struggle to contain Travis Etienne and Clemson's run game, however. UNC ranks 95th in yards per carry allowed.
Evening
Must-watch: No. 5 Ohio State at Nebraska (7:30 p.m., ABC)
College GameDay returns to Lincoln for a contest that had plenty of potential entering the season. But Nebraska will need to play better than it has all season to keep up with Ohio State.
The Cornhuskers, once considered Big Ten West contenders in Scott Frost's second season, haven't lived up to the hype. They blew a lead and lost in overtime at Colorado. More recently, they had to come from behind to edge Illinois 42-38. The problem? Turnovers. Nebraska has lost nine fumbles in four games.
Another loose game with the football could mean an Ohio State romp. Few teams have been as impressive as the Buckeyes on a week-in, week-out basis. With an offense led by Justin Fields and J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State is outscoring opponents 214-36 on the season.
Has potential: Mississippi State at No. 7 Auburn (7 p.m., ESPN)
Mississippi State could play both senior Tommy Stevens and freshman Garrett Shrader against Auburn, but the matchup to watch is running back Kylin Hill against the Tigers' stout defensive line. Hill is third in the country in rushing yards (551) for the 3-1 Bulldogs, but he hasn't seen a defense with talent like Auburn tackle Derrick Brown.
Auburn might boast the strongest resume in the country right now but must see continued development from quarterback Bo Nix. Four of the Tigers' final seven games come against top-10 teams.
Upset alert: Stanford at Oregon State (7 p.m., Pac-12 Network)
Yes, Stanford has defeated Oregon State nine consecutive times. But the Cardinal hasn't started a season 1-3 since 2007. This isn't the team we've become accustomed to seeing under David Shaw.
Stanford mustered six points against Oregon last week and suffered its third consecutive double-digit loss. The offense should find more success Saturday against a poor Oregon State unit, but the Beavers are also going to score, too.
The Cardinal's defense sits in the bottom 10 of the FBS in yards per pass attempt allowed (9.6). Oregon State receiver Isaiah Hodgins is a budding star and could have a big day.
Keep an eye on: No. 24 Kansas State at Oklahoma State (7 p.m., ESPN+)
Kansas State could be the best team that no one is talking about. The Wildcats, in their first season under Chris Klieman, went to Mississippi State two weeks ago and returned with a victory. They have a run-first approach, but quarterback Skylar Thompson is experienced. He's also 2-0 against Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys are coming off a 36-30 loss at Texas. Kansas State's defense should present another stiff challenge for redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders.
After dark
Must-watch: Washington State at No. 19 Utah (10 p.m., FS1)
If last week taught us one thing, it's not to go to bed on Pac-12 After Dark. Washington State came up just short last week in the game of the year, a 67-63 loss to UCLA. The Cougars now go to Utah to play a Utes team coming off a devastating loss of their own.
There's a definite clash of styles here. Washington State features the nation's leading passer in Anthony Gordon, and two receivers (Brandon Arconado and Easop Winston) are averaging more than 80 yards per game. Utah, meanwhile, relies on its defensive line, though the Utes produced only one sack last week in their loss to USC.
Has potential: UCLA at Arizona (10:30 p.m., ESPN)
UCLA mounted an incredible comeback last week, winning a game it once trailed by 32 points. It could prove to be a critical moment in sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson's development.
But the Bruins will have their hands full on the road against a seemingly improved Arizona team. The Wildcats have bounced back well from their season-opening loss at Hawaii. Their three-pronged rushing attack (running backs Gary Brightwell and J.J. Taylor, and quarterback Khalil Tate) should have no problem against a UCLA defense that ranks 93rd in yards per carry allowed.
Keep an eye on: Hawaii at Nevada (10:30 p.m., ESPN2)
This is a potentially fun alternative to the late Pac-12 games. Hawaii owns wins over Arizona and Oregon State. Nevada upset Purdue in one of the season's best finishes. Neither is the favorite in the Mountain West, but both will have a say in who wins the conference.