Balls In Your Court Week 5 CFB Picks

Oh conference play, we missed you. This is the first massive CFB week of the season with numerous ranked matchups, rivalries, and plenty of storylines. Will Clemson add another tombstone to their grave yard? Will we finally see Wisconsin and its old school brand of football officially fall behind? Was Scott Frost holding Adrian Martinez back (confirmed)? Plenty to discuss but even more to predict!

Jon's 2022 Record: 27-15 (0.642)

Zach's 2022 Record: 26-16 (0.619)

Friday, September 30, 2022:

Washington -2.5 @ UCLA:

Jon's Pick: Washington 38-35

Zach's Pick: Washington 34-31

Saturday, October 1, 2022:

Texas Tech @ Kansas State -7.5

Jon's Pick: Kansas State 28-27

Zach's Pick: Kansas State 20-17

Illinois @ Wisconsin -7

Jon's Pick: Wisconsin 23-20

Zach's Pick: Wisconsin 21-14

Wake Forest @ Florida State -6.5

Jon's Pick: Wake 44-41

Zach's Pick: Florida State 34-31

Michigan -10.5 @ Iowa

Jon's Pick: Michigan 31-12

Zach's Pick: Michigan 24-14

Kentucky @ Ole Miss -7

Jon's Pick: Ole Miss 33-21

Zach's Pick: Ole Miss 34-17

Alabama -17.5 @ Arkansas

Jon's Pick: Bama 40-28

Zach's Pick: Bama 34-24

Iowa State -3 @ Kansas

Jon's Pick: Iowa State28-24

Zach's Pick: Kansas 27-20

Oklahoma State @ Baylor-3

Jon's Pick: Baylor 31-28

Zach's Pick: Oklahoma State 20-16

Indiana @ Nebraska -5.5

Jon's Pick: Nebraska 41-33

Zach's Pick: Nebraska 40-33

Stanford @ Oregon -17

Jon's Pick: Oregon 34-30

Zach's Pick: Oregon 34-21

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Balls In Your Court Week 5 CFB Game of the Week: NC State @ Clemson -7.5

So much pageantry in College Football and look no further than the walk to Howards Rock for a great example. One of the more intense rivalries in the south, Clemson and NC State meet again in South Carolina. Clemson has looked much improved on offense by finding an identity in the run game. Led by Will Shipley and supplanted by Phil Mafah, this RB room is the identity. DJ U throws a beautiful deep ball but just about everything else still needs work. NC State certainly has the QB advantage in Devin Leary, but the talent gap isn't close and I wonder if NC State has an answer for that loaded defensive line of Clemson. NC State wants to throw the ball and Clemson has to be careful not to get into another shootout. It can win as it did last week, but this team can go pretty far by sticking to its identity; running the ball and playing damn good defense. I expect this to be a close battle all the way to the end to give us a game that reminds us why we spend all Saturday waiting for games like this.

Jon's Game Of the Week Pick: Clemson 31-20

Zach's Game of the Week Pick: NC State 17-14

Jon's GOW Record: 1-3

Zach's GOW Record: 3-1

*All Bets and Lines via DraftKings