Week 5 Games of the Week: How to Watch, Previews, and Predictions
RELATED ARTICLES: W4 RECAP, G5 TOP 4, CFP TEAMS, GOPHER UPDATE
We are now a month into the college football season, and there's been plenty of excitement thus far. For most teams, conference play begin, but some teams will have a non-conference game sprinkled in for the rest of the year. Week 5 has plenty of action worth watching, and it all starts tonight. USC heads to Pullman to take on Mike Leach's Cougars. There are also multiple Top 25 matchups on Saturday, and the chaos of college football is just beginning.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
LAST WEEK: 2-2
SEASON RECORD: 11-5
OVERALL RECORD: 89-45
USC is undefeated, but not unblemished. The Trojans inconsistencies have got them into trouble in some games, and it all started in Week 1 against Western Michigan. There's only been one game in which USC looked good, and that was against Stanford in Week 2. The other three games give us cause for concern.
Heading to Washington State will provide yet another difficult test for the Trojans, and they can't afford to make mistakes. Quarterback Sam Darnold was supposed to be the next great quarterback at USC, but has struggled thus far. While he has shown flashes of his talent, Darnold has already thrown seven interceptions. If he can turn his season around, the offense should look just like they did against Stanford. They are facing a Cougars team that might be the most balance Mike Leach team he's ever had.
Cougars quarterback Luke Falk is one of the best quarterbacks in college football, and will try to gash the Trojans defense with his arm. Already with 1,378 yards and 14 touchdowns passing, Falk might be on his way to his best season of his career. He's also getting relief from both the running game and his defense. Running backs James Williams and Jamal Morrow were solid in 2016, and are off to another good start this year as well. They also run behind an offensive line that includes potential NFL draft pick Cody O'Connell, and their consistency has been a huge factor in Falk's success.
Falk is expected to do these things, but it's the other side of the ball that's making the big difference. Leach's defense is playing well in the tune of 12th in total defense. That's right, a Mike Leach team is 12th in defense. Let's just admire that for a second. Darnold will be tested on the road against a good defense, and this could be the game that USC's struggles finally catch up to them.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Washington State 42 USC 38
I honestly kind of forgot about these two teams. Northwestern lost some steam with their loss to Duke, but we're not sure what this team looks like. Many pegged them as the dark-horse team in the Big Ten, but those projections seemed foolish after just two weeks.
Running back Justin Jackson appears to be the only consistent force on the offense, but he's going to need help against the Badgers. Quarterback Clayton Thorsen was expected to improve in his third year as a starter, but he's been inconsistent in the first three games this year. The defense also hasn't been a normal, stout Northwestern defense, and a trip to Camp Randall doesn't appear to be what the Wildcats need.
Wisconsin has quietly stayed in the top 10 despite playing a rather lackluster schedule, and conference play may not improve that perception until later in the season. The Badgers have honestly been boring, but that's what makes them so good. The defense is playing well, the Badgers are running the ball on offense and passing only really when necessary, and they keep winning games. So boring doesn't always necessarily mean bad.
My pick: Wisconsin 24 Northwestern 10
Memphis has yet another test just four games into their season, and they face another red hot, high-powered offensive team. How the Tigers defense responds will go a long way to determine the result of this game.
Memphis already has a Power 5 upset under their belts, and their offense proved that it can compete with the best in the country. The Tigers are loaded with talent, and the depth behind the starters has stepped up as well. Quarterback Riley Ferguson and wide receiver Anthony Miller picked up where they left off in 2016, and the duo appears to be on their way another outstanding season. Miller also has threats around him that relieve the pressure defenses may provide to his side of the field. Tony Pollard is dynamic, and is one of the most dangerous return men in the country on special teams. Phil Mayhue is a big target, Joey Magnifico has proved to be reliable, and the Tigers also have proved they can run the ball as well. Patrick Taylor Jr. and Darrell Henderson have been a two-headed monster out of the backfield in the absence of starter Doroland Dorceus. Once he heals from a nagging injury, the Tigers will have yet another weapon to make their offense more lethal than it already is.
The question for the Tigers will be their defense. Memphis has struggled to make stops, though they have shown flashes of promise in every game so far. They will be facing an offense that is equally as explosive and dangerous as their own. UCF also notched a Power 5 win last week when they beat Maryland, and the Knights are looking to take control of the AAC this weekend. Quarterback McKenzie Milton is a dual threat who appears to be making progress in his second year as a starter. Receiver Tre’Quan Smith is fast, and Memphis would be wise to make sure they wrap him up before he can break loose. Dredrick Snelson and Jordan Akins are Milton’s two other favorite targets, and the running game features Adrian Killins and Jawon Hamilton. UCF's biggest advantage over the Tigers is they can play defense, at least so far. This will be the best offense they've faced by a longshot, and the defense will need to be focused to get stops. It's safe to say this has the makings of one of the best games in college football this weekend.
My pick: UCF 44 Memphis 38
Clemson continues its dominance, and it's scary to think that this team might be better than last year's national championship team. But we'll pump the brakes since we're just a month into the season.
Quarterback Kelly Bryant has already exceeded expectations, and it seems that nothing rattles his cage. Taking over for Deshaun Watson wasn't supposed to look this easy, but Bryant has hit the ground running. He's also benefited from a deep set of skill players, including four players that have rushed for over 100 yards and four receivers with 100 yards or more on the season. Ray Ray McCloud, Hunter Renfrow, and Deon Cain are the three names that fans should expect to see plenty of on Saturday, and all three can have monstrous games. But that's not even what makes Clemson great because their defense is the best in college football. This unit reloaded from last year's team and appears to be better thanks to an extremely deep defensive line. The first four of Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell, and Austin Bryant are nearly impossible to block, and the backups aren't much easier either.
So how does Virginia Tech even have a chance of winning? Relax, they're plenty talented as well, and they're at home. Lane Stadium provides fans with one of the coolest experiences in college football, and you can bet it will be rocking on Saturday night. Quarterback Josh Jackson is receiving comparisons to Hokie legend Michael Vick, and that's not something to throw around lightly. Should it be true, we may see his greatness Saturday night. Going against Clemson's defense won't be easy, and Jackson will need to play the best game of his career to give the Hokies a chance to win.
Many are probably wondering if the Tigers have a weakness, and there is one. Kelly Bryant is good, there's not doubt about that, but his passing has been suspect so far. There have been some poor decisions made by the Tigers signal caller, and Virginia Tech has a great defense that can capitalize on those mistakes. Bryant has just two touchdown passes paired with three interceptions, so the Hokies want him to throw. Lastly, Justin Fuente has magic that you simply can't beat, and that intangible compared with the aura in Lane Stadium might just be enough to blow this game wide open for the home team. Need any chills before you watch this game? Here you go.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Virginia Tech 27 Clemson 24
