Cover 4: A (Wake) Forest Fire

College football week 5 picks against the spread.

Sep 27, 2017 by Kolby Paxton

How about that NC State pick last week? Pretty smooth, huh? Like, did I nail it? Or did I nail it? If I keep talking about this pick will you forget about Old Dominion?

No? Well then…

Let's just move right along to week five. Nothing to see here. Well, except a bounce-back performance for the 'Noles and another impressive win for Kevin Sumlin and Co.

Check it.

Florida State (-7.5) over WAKE FOREST

Saturday, Sept. 30 | 3:30 PM ET | Winston-Salem, NC (BB&T Field)
Complex things I do not understand: Web development, my wife, paleomagnetism, why wheels spin backwards in car commercials, et al.

Complex things I do understand: Florida State football.

Of course the Seminoles lost to NC State last Saturday as double-digit favorites (which was insane, by the way) with weeks to prepare arguably the ACC's most talented roster. It made no sense -- so, you know, it completely made sense.

But this week? This week the 'Noles have been written off, left for dead, and are favored by a measly touchdown against a vastly inferior Wake Forest squad. Easy money. Fightin' Jimbos roll.

CENTRAL FLORIDA (-3.5) over Memphis

Saturday | 7 PM ET | Orlando, FL (Spectrum Stadium)
The most difficult aspect of this season for UCF has been simply playing its games. The Knights had back-to-back games spoiled by Hurricane Irma, but when they've actually been on the field in wins against FIU and Maryland, UCF has been nothing if not impressive.

FIU isn't exactly hunting 'Bama -- although, for whatever it's worth, the Panthers do have a very real shot at moving to 3-1 with a win against Charlotte this weekend. Maryland, though, is no slouch, and UCF smacked the Terrapins. And, yes, I realize the Terps lost Kasim Hill (which sucks, by the way). And, yes, I realize that Memphis beat UCLA in a game that set defensive football back a decade.

Don't @ me. Just thank me later.

TEXAS A&M (-9) over South Carolina

Saturday | 6:30 PM CT | College Station, Texas (Kyle Field)
Full disclosure: This is a Willie Saylor selection that I cannot, in good conscience, co-sign. But Willie doesn't like Georgia at Tennessee, swears that A&M giving nine points to the Gamecocks in College Station is a lock, and he has the ability to fire me -- which, you know, is an outstanding motivator.

So if and when the Aggies forget to return from the locker room for the third quarter, feel free to yell at @WillieAtFLO.

Clemson (-7) over VIRGINIA TECH

Saturday | 8 PM ET | Blacksburg, VA (Lane Stadium)
Important lesson learned two weeks ago: Don't doubt Clemson in the primetime Saturday night game when the majority of your case against the Tigers is, "Well, they're on the road where the crowd will likely yell mean things at them loudly."

The Hokies crushed Old Dominion and the Monarchs' 17-year-old freshman quarterback last week. That was my bad. Got a little drunk on the hype juice. Surely Virginia Tech can't cover for a third week in a row against this team, right?

Right..?