Clay Travis' Gambling Picks For College Football Week 5: Penn State, Georgia And, Yes, Colorado

Crazily, we are nearly halfway through the college football regular season for many teams out there. Yes, before September is over, many teams will already have played five of their 12 regular-season games. This is the challenge of college football, it's our nation's best sport with the shortest season of all of them. 

As we approach the halfway point of the season, we continue to keep our head above gambling water. We went 7-6-1 last week. (I toss out the pushes and we pushed on Rutgers at Michigan). That means we are 30-25 on the year for a 55% winning percentage. 

That's solid, but we can do better. 

Which is why I'm giving you 15 brand spanking new winners this week. 

As always, let's get rich, kids and #respectthepicks

Utah at Oregon State, the under 45.5

This is a bet on the Utah defense. 

It's managed to take the air out of every game it has played this season.

I don't know why that would change, even on the road, against Oregon State. 

This game is going to be played in the mud and everyone who has the under will exult on Friday night when we cash our first winner of the week. 

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - SEPTEMBER 23: Penn State Nittany Lions Tight End Tyler Warren (44) reacts to scoring a touchdown along with Penn State Nittany Lions Wide Receiver Omari Evans (5) and Penn State Nittany Lions Wide Receiver Liam Clifford (2) during the second half of the College Football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions on September 23,2023, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Penn State -25.5 at Northwestern

I'm finished betting against Penn State. 

The Nittany Lions are just flat out mauling their opponents. They've scored 30 or more in 11 straight games and last week's game against Iowa was a complete and total beatdown. Iowa posted less than 100 total yards and only four first downs, that's nearly impossible to do. 

Why would that change on the road against a Northwestern team that, I think, will struggle to score at all against Penn State. 

The Nittany Lions win 38-7. 

Kansas +17 at Texas

Quick question, did you know Kansas was 4-0 this year?

I bet you didn't. 

Granted the opposition has not been fierce, but there was a time when the Kansas football team would have lost against air. 

This is a big number, especially for a Jayhawks team that is catching Texas the week before the rivalry game against Oklahoma. I'm not saying the Longhorns will lose, but I am saying Texas fans may well be nervous in the fourth quarter of this one. 

Rock chalk coverhawk, give me Kansas. 

Florida at Kentucky -2.5

The Wildcats are going to win for a third straight year. 

Really. 

Florida's just not a good team and I don't think Mark Stoops or his program is intimidated by the Gators at all. 

It should be an electric environment in Lexington -- remember Kentucky didn't beat the Gators from 1984 to 2018 so this series still has a lot of magic for Wildcat fans -- and I just don't think the Gators have much on the offensive side of the ball if you stop their rushing attack, which I think Kentucky will do. 

The end result?

Tap the veins, boys and girls, it's my blood bank guarantee: Kentucky wins 27-14. 

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas +6.5

This might be the craziest rivalry that no one talks about in college football. 

For most of these games, it's basically been Texas A&M figuring out different ways to break the hearts of Arkansas fans. The Aggies have won 10 of the last 11 games in this series, including a brutal missed-field-goal finale last year. 

So what happens Saturday in Jerry's World?

I think it's another field goal game. 

Which means, deep breath, all the value is on Arkansas as nearly a touchdown underdog. 

Woo pig for the cover. 

Clemson at Syracuse +7

Clemson just lost an incredibly tough game against its bitter rival and now it heads on the road against an undefeated Syracuse team that has played the Tigers tough. 

The last two games of the series have been six-point and three-point wins for Clemson and don't forget in 2018 Syracuse went on the road and won at Clemson. 

A touchdown is too much here, Syracuse covers -- and just might win outright. 

TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 23: USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws a pass during the NCAA College Football game between the USC Trojans and Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Adam Bow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

USC at Colorado +21.5

Everyone is jumping off the Colorado bandwagon this week, but I feel like the USC defensive performance on the road against Arizona State is being completely overlooked. 

Sure, Colorado might not be able to block anyone again this week, but the Buffaloes will play better at home and remember this game is kicking off at 9 a.m. west coast time. 

Surely, that will impact the Trojans body clocks at least a bit. 

If the defense has been awful already, why wouldn't that be more the case earlier in the day?

I've got Deion's team covering and losing by 14. 

Indiana at Maryland -14

The great thing about gambling is sometimes you fall in love with a team that no one else pays attention to, like the Maryland Terrapins. 

The Terps are rolling over all competition and that continues Saturday when they rout an Indiana team that needed overtime to beat Akron. 

It turns out there's three things Maryland knows -- crab cakes, football and covering. 

The Terps win by 20+. 

Georgia -14.5 at Auburn

Now that we've entered the SEC schedule, I just don't see Auburn able to score many points against elite defenses. 

And Georgia most definitely has an elite defense. 

Georgia has won six in a row in this series and most of them haven't been particularly close. 

I think that continues Saturday between the hedges where Georgia wins 35-14. 

Michigan at Nebraska +17.5

After two straight defeats to start the season, the Cornhuskers have righted the ship and won two straight at home. Now Michigan, who is 4-0 but hasn't looked that impressive offensively, is on the road as a huge favorite. 

I just don't see a ton of points being scored in this game and if I'm right then this number is way too high. 

And let's be honest, when am I ever wrong?

The Big Red covers and loses by 10. 

Missouri at Vanderbilt +14

Yes, Mizzou is 4-0, but here are their margin of victories against FBS opponents: MTSU by four, Kansas State by three, Memphis by seven. And all of those were at home. 

Now you're telling me the Tigers are going to go on the road and win by over two touchdowns against Vanderbilt?

I just don't see it happening. 

The Commodores +14 is the play. 

LSU at Ole Miss +2.5

I think Lane Kiffin's Rebels win this game outright. 

But I love them as the home underdog. 

LSU couldn't stop Arkansas at home and Ole Miss is recovering from a winnable game they let pass them by in Tuscaloosa. 

Last time these teams played in Oxford the Lane train won by 14. 

This time it's closer, Ole Miss by seven, which means you cover by nearly ten points if you take the Rebels as the home underdog. 

South Carolina +12.5 at Tennessee

I've stared at this line for over 24 hours now. 

I just don't get it. 

Last year Tennessee gave up 63 points to Spencer Rattler's Gamecocks and got blown out in Columbia, South Carolina. 

This year Spencer Rattler is back -- he completed 16 straight passes against Mississippi State last week -- and Tennessee hasn't been that great on defense and you're telling me the Vols are going to win by two touchdowns? 

I think Spencer Rattler is likely to pick apart this defense all over again.   

Remember South Carolina went down to Athens and dominated the Bulldogs in the first half and kept it close for the entire game. 

I get the revenge angle and the wild Neyland Stadium at night aspect of this game -- which is why I think Tennessee finds a way to win -- but I just don't see needing to win by two touchdowns to cover. 

I'm on the Gamecocks with all these points. 

(By the way, this is one of these Vegas lines that is so terrifying I understand if you don't bet it at all. I'd bet 90% of the bets here are going to be on South Carolina. Which means every site is going to need the Vols big. When that happens, Vegas doesn't lose big very often. I'm just saying.)

Notre Dame at Duke +5.5

The Fighting Irish just lost in the most heartbreaking fashion imaginable and now they have to go on the road for what should be, really, a raucous home crowd at Duke. 

The Blue Devils are hosting Gameday for football for the first time ever and I think they'll be ripe to pull off yet another major home upset. 

Give me Duke plus the points and I think the Blue Devils win outright. 

Alabama at Mississippi State +15.5

If I believe that Alabama's offense is not very good -- and I do -- and that Alabama will likely struggle on the road, which I do, why would I not leap on the chance to take the home Bulldogs plus over two touchdowns?

I'm either going to look like a genius on this pick and it's going to be a three-point game late in the fourth quarter or Alabama is going to win 42-3 and I'm going to look like a complete idiot. 

I don't see any middle ground. 

Cowbells, clanga, let's cover. 

...

There you have it, boys and girls, 15 winners for this coming weekend.

Let's roll!