There’s been a major shake-up on the NCAAF AP rankings. The Clemson Tigers are no longer the No. 1 team in college football; they barely escaped the North Carolina Tar Heels in Week 5, winning 21-20 as 28.5-point road favorites after stuffing a 2-point conversion attempt. The Alabama Crimson Tide (–38.5 at home) didn’t get the cover in their 59-31 win over the Ole Miss Rebels, either, but it was good enough to supplant Clemson as the top team in the rankings.
They weren’t the only teams to receive first-place votes, either. Both the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs and No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes got some love from the AP writers and the coaches in their respective polls, and with both Alabama and Clemson idle in Week 6, the Bulldogs and Buckeyes will have a chance to move up the NCAA odds board with a strong performance on prime time television. But first, they’ll take a backseat to two overlooked teams fighting for recognition in the SEC.
NCAA Odds Week 6: Best Odds and Matchups
1. No. 7 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 10 Florida Gators (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET, CBS)
The Tigers (5-0 SU and ATS) keep doing everything that’s asked of them. Last week’s 56-23 evisceration of the Mississippi State Bulldogs (+8.5 away) was one of the most impressive performances on the NCAA football betting board. At press time, Auburn are laying 3.5 points against the Gators (5-0 SU, 2-3 ATS), who are trying to stay afloat after losing starting quarterback Feleipe Franks to a broken right ankle. Back-up QB Kyle Trask has played at roughly the same level as Franks so far, and Florida’s defense should improve with cornerback CJ Henderson and end Jabari Zuniga returning from their ankle injuries.
2. No. 14 Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 19 Michigan Wolverines (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Old-school fans look towards the Big Ten when they bet on NCAA football, and Saturday’s game between the Hawkeyes (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) and Wolverines (3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS) could be the difference-maker if either is going to challenge Ohio State for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The popular Wolverines are 4.5-point favorites with a low total of 48 on what should be a fairly mild day in Ann Arbor. When they met two years ago at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa pulled off the 14-13 upset (Under 51) as 24-point home dogs.
3. No. 25 Michigan State Spartans at No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET, ABC)
Sticking with the Big Ten, the Buckeyes (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) are shredding the NCAA football lines in the first year of the Ryan Day-Justin Fields Era. Meanwhile the Spartans (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS) are clinging to a spot in the rankings after dropping the cash in three of their four home games. Perhaps a trip to Columbus will help Sparty get back on track as 21-point underdogs. That was almost the exact same spread back in 2016 when the Buckeyes escaped East Lansing with a 17-16 win.
4. California Golden Bears at No. 13 Oregon Ducks (Saturday, 8 PM ET, FOX)
The Pac-12 is definitely looking healthier this year. California (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS) find themselves just outside the Top 25, while the Ducks (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) have maintained their composure despite losing to Auburn in their season opener. They’ll be laying 17.5 points in Eugene, with a low total of 46 despite their potent offense. In fact, it’s been the defense that has driven both clubs to success thus far. Note that Oregon will have the rest advantage in this matchup after taking Week 5 off.
5. No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers (Saturday, 7 PM ET, ESPN)
Both the teams in this SEC battle were idle last week, but you could argue the Volunteers (1-3 SU and ATS) have been absent all season. They’re winless against FBS teams, and they’re 25.5-point underdogs at home against the Bulldogs (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS), who are trying to get past Alabama and into the National Championship Game. Georgia can’t afford to slip up here; the Vols are 2-5 SU and 5-2 SU against the Dawgs in their last seven meetings, including last year’s 38-12 loss at Sanford Stadium, where Georgia were laying 30.5 points on the NCAA football odds board.
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