By Vegas Matty
According to the Week 6 odds released by BetOnline.AG there might not be a single team in the top 25 on “upset alert” this weekend according to the numbers. Every single team is listed as double-digit favorites, including five that are posted at -21 or higher. While that seems to make for some lopsided matchups on paper, it also gives bettors excellent opportunities to take a shot backing underdogs they think are underrated against potentially overrated undefeated teams.
Nine of the Top 10 teams are unbeaten, with the Ohio State Buckeyes the lone exception. Ohio State is one of four Big Ten teams currently ranked in the Top 10 joining the fourth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, seventh-ranked Michigan Wolverines and ninth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers.
The defending Big Ten champion Nittany Lions opened as 13-point road favorites against the Northwestern Wildcats at BetOnline.AG and quickly moved up to -15 before settling at -14. The Wolverines also opened as 13-point home chalk hosting the Michigan State Spartans with the number remaining steady through early wagering. The Badgers have been the biggest movers of the bunch, sitting as 13-point road chalk for their trip to Lincoln to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers after opening at -10. The Buckeyes are -31 point favs playing host to the Maryland Terrapins fresh off a 56-0 win against conference doormat Rutgers.
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At the top of the poll the first three teams are all listed as three touchdown favorites or more. The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide are 25-point road favs visiting the Texas A&M Aggies after opening at -21 looking to build on a 149-10 scoring margin against Power 5 opponents. The second-ranked Clemson Tigers are 21-point home chalk versus the Wake Forest Demon Deacons but that is already down significantly from the opening number of -24.5. Meanwhile the third-ranked Oklahoma Sooners return from their bye to host the Iowa State Cyclones as 26-point home faves, down a tick after opening at -27.
Other Top 10 schools in action include the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs as 16.5-point road favorites against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Bulldogs opened at -12 and have been bet up following their impressive road shutout of the Tennessee Volunteers this past Saturday. The sixth-ranked Washington Huskies are 26.5-point road chalk visiting the Cal Golden Bears and the eighth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs are 12.5-point home chalk playing host to the West Virginia Mountaineers. The matchup between TCU and West Virginia is the only match-up on the entire Saturday slate featuring top 25 teams.
The only other top 25 match-up this week kicks off Thursday between the 17th-ranked Louisville Cardinals and 24th-ranked North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Cardinals opened as 3.5-point road favorites against the Wolfpack and moved down to -1.5 before settling at -2.5. NC State has won four in a row since losing its season opener to the South Caroline Gamecocks.
Thursday night will feature an intriguing NFL game to start Week 5 as well, with the New England Patriots visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as 5-point road faves. This will be the third time in five games this season that the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots will be playing an NFC South opponent looking to get back in the win column after their loss to Carolina.
Listen to Monday’s NFL Podcast for an early preview of Week 5
The marquee matchup of Week 5 takes place at AT&T Stadium on Sunday afternoon when the Green Bay Packers visit the Dallas Cowboys in a rematch of their thrilling playoff game from last season. The Packers blew a big lead in that game but still hung on to win (and cover +5) 34-31 en route to the NFC Championship game. This time around Dallas has opened as 2-point home favorites.
NFL Week 5
Patriots -4.5 @ Buccaneers
Giants -4.5 vs Chargers
Bengals -3 vs Bills
Browns -2.5 vs Jets
Steelers -9 vs Jaguars
Titans -3 @ Dolphins
Colts -2.5 vs 49ers
Eagles -6 vs Cardinals
Lions -3 (-120) vs Panthers
Rams PK vs Seahawks
Raiders (NL) vs Ravens ***Carr
Cowboys -2 vs Packers
Chiefs -1.5 @ Texans
Vikings -3.5 @ Bears
College Football
Louisville -2.5 @ NC State
Memphis -13.5 @ Connecticut
Boise St -7.5 @ BYU
Iowa -18.5 vs Illinois
Notre Dame -17 @ North Carolina
Western Michigan -8 @ Buffalo
Toledo -12.5 vs Eastern Michigan
Ohio -12 vs Central Michigan
Akron -8.5 vs Ball St
Miami OH -14.5 vs Bowling Green
Marshall -14.5 @ Charlotte
UCF -16.5 @ Cincinnati
Georgia St -2 @ Coastal Carolina
Penn St -14 @ Northwestern
Temple -3 @ East Carolina
Duke -1 @ Virginia
Syracuse -4 vs Pittsburgh
Virginia Tech -16 @ Boston College
Appalachian St -10.5 vs New Mexico St
Ohio St -31 vs Maryland
Clemson -21 vs Wake Forest
Purdue -3.5 vs Minnesota
Michigan -11.5 vs Michigan St
UT San Antionio -10.5 vs Southern Miss
Western Kentucky -18 @ UTEP
Stanford -5 @ Utah
Idaho -5.5 vs UL Lafayette
Colorado St -7.5 @ Utah St
Tulane -3.5 vs Tulsa
Army -13.5 @ Rice
San Diego St -9 @ UNLV
Navy -10.5 vs Air Force
Arkansas -2 @ South Carolina
Colorado -7 vs Arizona
Texas Tech -16.5 @ Kansas
Washington -26.5 vs California
Washington St -2.5 @ Oregon
MTSU (NL) vs FIU
USC -35 vs Oregon St
UL Monroe -7.5 @ Texas St
Georgia -16.5 @ Vanderbilt
TCU -12 vs West Virginia
Louisiana Tech -11.5 @ UAB
N. Illinois -23 vs Kent St
FAU -3 @ Old Dominion
Florida -6 vs LSU
Oklahoma -27.5 vs Iowa St
Houston -5.5 vs SMU
Kentucky -13 vs Missouri
Wisconsin -13 @ Nebraska
Auburn -21 vs Ole Miss
Texas -6 vs Kansas St
Alabama -25.5 @ Texas A&M
Fresno St -16 @ San Jose St
Hawaii -4 @ Nevada
Miami -3.5 @ Florida St
