Joel Klatt picks Alabama vs. Georgia, top Week 5 college football games
College football analyst Joel Klatt shared his thoughts on the major games of Week 5. It’s a week that comes with several marquee matchups and important conference games.
The biggest game of the week is, without a doubt, the game in Tuscaloosa between Alabama and Georgia. However, that’s far from the only important game this week, with multiple Top 25 matchups and games that should help set the table within conference races around the country.
So, with all of that in mind, here’s a look at who Joel Klatt picked in some of the biggest games of Week 5 on The Joel Klatt Show:
Minnesota vs. Michigan
Joel Klatt wasn’t able to pick the Minnesota vs. Michigan game because he’s going to be on the call for it. However, he did share some thoughts on what should be a hard-fought Big Ten game. This comes after Michigan made the switch from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Still, it’s expected to be a low-scoring game.
Klatt praised the Wolverines for how they’re able to play complimentary football. At the same time, there are still major questions in the passing game and it will be interesting to see how the defense for Minnesota approaches stopping Michigan. Similarly, however, Minnesota also has concerns on offense going into the game and will need to find a way to stop the run.
Alabama vs. Georgia
The game of the week is in the SEC, with Alabama hosting Georgia. It’s a matchup of Top 5 teams in the AP Poll and Georgia is entering the game as a 2.5-point favorite. The last time the Crimson Tide were a home underdog was in 2007, with Klatt pointing out that Alabama is 59-2 in their last 61 home games.
Klatt argued that the key to the game is going to be Georgia’s ability to create explosive plays. However, he doesn’t know that they’ll be able to do that. So, he picked Alabama to win and cover in a classic game for the 2024 season.
Penn State vs. Illinois
There has been talk about the energy in Happy Valley for the game between Penn State and Illinois. That’s because Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin has called for “white out energy” against a talented and unbeaten Illinois team. Still, Penn State is a 17.5-point favorite in this game.
Ultimately, that number is too many points for Klatt. He has Penn State winning the game but Illinois covering the large number. Part of that does go to the fact it’s a home game for Penn State, though Klatt credited Illinois for its defense and what they can do to slow down the Nittany Lions.
Auburn vs. Oklahoma
In an SEC test, Auburn and Oklahoma both enter the game with major questions at quarterback. Oklahoma benched star Jackson Arnold against Tennessee and is now set to go with his backup, Michael Hawkins. At the same time, Auburn has a major turnover issue from its quarterback spot.
Oklahoma is, to its credit, excellent at forcing turnovers on defense. Because of that, and Auburn’s tendency to give the ball away, Klatt is picking the Sooners. He also expects it to be a low-scoring game where the Sooners cover the 2.5-point spread on the road.
Notre Dame vs. Louisville
Notre Dame enters its game against Louisville as a 6.5-point favorite. That’s despite losing to Louisville last season and dropping the game to Northern Illinois in Week 2. For Klatt, the Irish have an issue because they want to go to the College Football Playoff but there’s now zero room for error moving forward and they need the win against a good team.
Because of the context around the game, and the Irish’s elite defense, Klatt thinks Notre Dame is going to come out strong in this game. However, concerns about the Notre Dame offense remain. So, while he has Notre Dame winning, he doesn’t think they’ll cover the spread.
Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State
The game between Kansas State and Oklahoma State features two teams who have aspirations of competing for a Big 12 Championship. They’re also coming off conference losses, though, and because of that, this is almost a must-win. The Wildcats enter as a 4.5-point favorite, but as Klatt explained, it’s hard to know what to expect.
One major concern for Oklahoma State is its defense, which has struggled to slow down running quarterbacks, like Avery Johnson. Meanwhile, Ollie Gordon has struggled to run the ball for the Cowboys despite all the high expectations on his shoulders. That makes for foundational concerns about the Cowboys. With that in mind, Klatt likes Kansas State to win and cover.
UCF vs. Colorado
Big Noon Saturday will be in Orlando for the game between UCF and Colorado. This Big 12 game features two teams who won their first conference game but are trying to prove they’re more than a dark horse to make some noise this season. It’s also a game where UCF is a big favorite. Klatt has them as a 15.5-point favorite, which he thinks is also a large number.
One concern that Klatt has with Colorado is how they handle success after their remarkable win over Baylor last week. They’ll have to maintain that focus against an unbeaten UCF team that has one of the best rushing attacks in the country. That’s something Colorado needs to find a way to stop. On the other side, is the concern about UCF’s secondary against Colorado’s offense. So, Klatt expects a high-scoring game that UCF ultimately wins without covering the spread.