2024 College Football Week 5 action report: UGA-Bama 'will be like the Super Bowl'

College football Week 5 likelihood characteristic this season’s first morganatic circle-this-game-in-red-Sharpie matchup: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 4 Alabama, successful Tuscaloosa.

How large is it? To reply that question, it’s champion to spell to BetMGM’s Beau Rivage successful Biloxi, Miss., nan bosom of SEC country. 

Sportsbook head Carl Johnson had an reply that mightiness astonishment you.

"It will beryllium for illustration nan Super Bowl for us," Johnson said. "It doesn’t person nan run-up connected early bets for illustration nan Super Bowl. But travel Friday afternoon, everyone will beryllium getting tickets successful connected this game. It will beryllium huge."

Oddsmakers and crisp bettors service up their insights connected Georgia-Alabama and more, successful this week’s assemblage shot betting nuggets.

Early Tide

On Wednesday night, Caesars Sports had Georgia a 2-point roadworthy favourite for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. ET showdown vs. Alabama. The Bulldogs opened -2 past week and spent clip astatine -2.5 and -1.5, truthful nan constituent dispersed is now conscionable splitting nan difference.

The location squad getting points — constricted arsenic those points are — is charismatic to early bettors.

"This will beryllium nan first clip Alabama has been a location underdog since 2007, Nick Saban’s first twelvemonth there," Caesars caput of shot trading Joey Feazel said. "It’s conscionable a monolithic game. It’s NFL Junior. I expect to spot a batch of Alabama money.

"Even pinch Saban leaving, nan Alabama emotion continues to show up, week aft week."

Feazel rightly noted this crippled has ramifications acold beyond this week.

"It’s gonna make a large scatter successful nan futures market," he said, alluding to College Football Playoff odds. "Does Georgia go a bigger favorite? Or does Alabama move person to Texas?

Caesars Sports presently has Georgia and Ohio State arsenic +370 co-favorites to triumph nan nationalist title. Texas follows astatine +450, past Alabama astatine +650.

Colorado @ UCF and more: College Football Week 5 Super Six

College Football Rocks On FOX

This week’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show connected FOX is for nan Colorado vs. Central Florida game, pinch nan unit heading to Orlando, Fla. However, Colorado-UCF will footwear disconnected astatine 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, alternatively than noon ET.

Deion Sanders — Coach Prime, if you will — on pinch son/QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way standout Travis Hunter are nan large tie for this matchup. Colorado is 3-1 consecutive up (SU) and 2-2 against nan dispersed (ATS), coming disconnected a chaotic location overtime triumph vs. Baylor.

But Central Florida is 3-0 SU and ATS. And nan Knights are two-touchdown favorites against nan Buffaloes.

At DraftKings Sportsbook, early action is solidly connected nan Buffs. Colorado is taking 81% of dispersed tickets/71% of dispersed money.

On nan moneyline, which connected Wednesday nighttime stood astatine UCF -575/Colorado +425, summons count was adjacent to even. But 67% of moneyline dollars were connected Colorado to propulsion nan large upset.

At +425, that’d beryllium a bully payout: A $100 stake would profit $425 (total payout $525).

On-Campus Sharp Side College shot betting master Paul Stone is progressive pinch 2 games connected Saturday’s docket. But he’s steering clear of nan Georgia-Alabama contest.

"On 1 side, Alabama is playing good and will apt beryllium a location underdog for nan first clip successful 17 years," Stone said. "On nan other, Georgia is 45-2 consecutive up since nan commencement of nan 2021 season. I don't attraction to measurement successful beforehand of either of these SEC juggernauts."

That’s sage proposal for everyone: Just because it’s a immense crippled doesn’t mean you person to stake connected it. 

Sit back, watch and bask it.

Stone is backing No. 23 Kansas State arsenic a 5-point location favourite vs. No. 20 Oklahoma State, astatine noon ET Saturday. Both teams are coming disconnected losses successful their Big 12 openers. K-State sewage drilled by BYU 38-7 connected nan road, and Oklahoma State mislaid astatine location to Utah 22-19.

The Wildcats gave up touchdowns connected a 30-yard fumble return and a 90-yard punt return. Stone believes K-State will cleanable things up importantly this week astatine home. 

He notes that Kansas State covered its past 8 games pursuing a straight-up loss, making love to nan 2021 Texas Bowl.

"Oklahoma State entered this play arsenic 1 of nan nation's astir knowledgeable teams. But nan Cowboys person been an enigma successful my mind," Stone said. "All-America moving backmost Ollie Gordon is only averaging 3.5 yards per carry, and their seasoned violative statement has no-showed to this point.

"I for illustration backmost Avery Johnson and Kansas State to rebound astatine home."

Like Kansas State, Big Ten personnel Nebraska is coming disconnected an outright nonaccomplishment arsenic a betting favorite. The Cornhuskers were -7.5 astatine location against Illinois and mislaid 31-24 successful overtime.

Stone expects Nebraska to return attraction of business Saturday arsenic a 10-point favourite astatine Purdue, successful different noon ET start.

"In its 2 games this play against FBS opponents — Notre Dame and Oregon State — Purdue has been outscored by a mixed 104-28," Stone said. "The Boilermakers are arguably nan worst Power Four squad successful nan country, and I deliberation Nebraska rolls successful this spot."

CFB Week 5: Alabama vs. Georgia champion bets, likelihood & predictions

College Football Quick Hitters

Feazel provided his insights connected 2 different noteworthy matchups successful assemblage shot Week 5 odds:

• No. 15 Louisville vs. No. 16 Notre Dame: "Right now, we’re seeing immoderate Louisville action, and action much geared toward nan Under, a low-scoring game." Midweek, nan full is down to 45, aft opening astatine 48.5. And contempt nan Cardinals seeing early tickets/money, nan constituent dispersed is up to Notre Dame -6.5 from a -5.5 opener. "I expect this not to spell done 7."
• No. 20 Oklahoma State vs. No. 23 Kansas State: Caesars opened Kansas State -5.5, went to -6 for a fewer hours Monday and has been astatine -5 since. "We’ve seen immoderate action connected Oklahoma State. We’re apt gonna beryllium K-State Wildcats fans travel Saturday."

I Like Big Bets And I Cannot Lie

Caesars Sports has taken a mates of low-five-figure plays truthful acold successful nan assemblage shot Week 5 likelihood market.

• $17,631 connected Miami -19 vs. Virginia Tech. Potential profit of $16,028 (total payout $33,659).
• $11,600 connected Boston College -13 vs. Western Kentucky. Potential profit of $10,545 (total payout $22,145).

By Saturday night, there’ll surely beryllium a tidal activity of large bets connected Georgia-Alabama, peculiarly astatine nan aforementioned Beau Rivage successful Biloxi. 

Enjoy each nan games, and wager responsibly.

Patrick Everson is simply a sports betting expert for FOX Sports and elder newsman for VegasInsider.com. He is simply a distinguished journalist successful nan nationalist sports betting space. He’s based successful Las Vegas, wherever he enjoys golfing successful 110-degree heat. Follow him connected Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.