College football fans may have noticed there has been a relative lack of separation between contenders and pretenders as we approach the midway point of the 2023 season. With 22 of 133 FBS teams still undefeated through five weeks, expected attrition is to come sooner than later — and this week may serve as a perfect opportunity to see that play out.
Starting with the (thankfully renamed) Red River Rivalry, an undefeated Big 12 team is guaranteed to go down as No. 3 Texas battles No. 11 Oklahoma in Dallas. Whether the Longhorns’ improved defense or Sooners’ successful offense — against a relatively lackluster set of opponents thus far — wins out remains to be seen, but either way, this will be the last Red River battle with UT and OU as members of the Big 12. One of the biggest games of the season becomes an SEC contest in 2024.
Elsewhere, Maryland will look to buck a trend — it has never beaten Ohio State — when it visits the No. 4 Buckeyes with plenty of wind in its sails. No. 11 Alabama hopes to continue its forward progress when it visits Texas A&M. No. 1 Georgia, which has hardly been as dominant as it has proven to be in years past, hosts a No. 20 Kentucky team that is certainly not afraid of stepping up to the challenge as another SEC unbeaten will fall. And then there’s No. 10 Notre Dame, which seeks to continue rebuilding its College Football Playoff resume as it visits a revitalized No. 25 Louisville under alumnus Jeff Brohm.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 6.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia
7 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Georgia is 0-3-1 against the spread in FBS games this season, while Kentucky is 3-0. Those trends are hard to ignore. Plus, the hook on the 14.5-point line makes it tempting to take the Wildcats. That’s exactly where I’ll land. The Kentucky rushing attack is too good to ignore, and Georgia’s struggles up front have been established through five games. That’s just who Georgia is at this point. This will be a rock fight, and even if Georgia controls it throughout, it will be low-scoring. The chances of a backdoor cover are incredibly high, too. Pick: Kentucky +14.5 — Barrett Sallee
No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville
7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — I’m upgrading Notre Dame’s passing game as the Fighting Irish are expected to get Jaden Greathouse and Jayden Thomas back from injury after they missed last week’s narrow win at Duke. Louisville’s offense already has high-end potential, especially with Jeff Brohm dialing up plays. Notre Dame’s defense is obviously one of the best in the country, but this is its third straight primetime game. The Fighting Irish could give up enough explosive plays to get us to the over. Pick: Over 54 — Chip Patterson
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 11 Oklahoma
Noon | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — A general rule concerning the Red River Rivalry is to expect the unexpected, which is why picking this game rarely comes with confidence. However, it’s clear that Texas enters as the more battle-tested bunch. The Longhorns’ ceiling was on full display during their Week 2 win at Alabama — the first by a visiting team against the Crimson Tide since 2019 — in which quarterback Quinn Ewers passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Oklahoma’s offense shouldn’t be discounted, but the challenges presented by the Texas defense exceed anything the Sooners have dealt with already. There will be momentum swings as always, but the Longhorns win and cover. Pick: Texas -5.5 — Shehan Jeyarajah
Maryland at No. 4 Ohio State
Noon | Fox, fubo (Try for free) — The Buckeyes haven’t been great on the road, but they’ve been quite good at home, so I like them here. Don’t get me wrong, this Maryland team has played well on both sides of the ball, and that’s not strictly the result of an easy schedule. That said, I have seen the Terps in spots like this before, and it usually doesn’t end well. Taulia Tagovailoa has been great, but history suggests he’s prone to mistakes when pressured. He hasn’t faced a defense that can put him under pressure the way this Buckeyes defense can. I expect a few mistakes from Tagovailoa that keep the Terps from making this one close. Pick: Ohio State -18 — Tom Fornelli
No. 11 Alabama at Texas A&M
3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — These teams combined to score just 44 points last season when Alabama beat Texas A&M 24-20. The Crimson Tide are still figuring things out offensively with quarterback Jalen Milroe under first-year coordinator Tommy Rees, while Texas A&M’s defense just held Arkansas under 200 total yards. Keep in mind that two of the Aggies’ four touchdowns against the Razorbacks came via an interception return and a punt return. These factors combine to make the under a wise pick. Pick: Under 49.5 — David Cobb
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 6, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned more than $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons — and find out.
2023-10-07 21:32:00
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