College Football Picks & Parlays: Kentucky-Ole Miss, Clemson-NC State Highlight Week 5

Week 5 of the 2022 college football season features quite a few competitive conference games that could be as fun to watch as bet on. With so many great games on deck, it looks like a great weekend to take a chance on a parlay. On that note, let’s review a few college football picks and parlays for Week 5.

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Kentucky vs. Ole Miss Betting Lines: Point Spread, Total, Moneyline, Pick

Kentucky is a touchdown underdog (as of Friday) despite being a top-10 team and ranked higher than Ole Miss.

Kentucky (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) has become a top ten team a month into the season despite not having a running game. But that is about to change with Chris Rodriguez finally coming back. Last season, he averaged 6.2 yards a carry; the last time he faced Ole Miss (during the 2020 season), he had 17 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

Against an Ole Miss (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) defense that gave up 262 yards on the ground last week to Tulsa, Rodriguez could have a good day in his first game back. If he can, it will take a lot of pressure off Kentucky quarterback Will Levis which could in turn, help set him up to have a big day. But for that to happen, the Wildcats defense needs to figure out how to slow down an Ole Miss run game averaging 280.8 yards a game.

Kentucky vs. Ole Miss Betting Analysis & Pick

Look for this one to be a low-scoring contest in the first half, as the run games for both teams eat up the clock and keep the other team from having too many scoring chances. But Kentucky’s passing game will bring home the win in the second half.

Our Pick: Kentucky +220

Also read: CFP National Championship odds | Heisman odds

Alabama vs. Arkansas Betting Lines: Point Spread, Total, Moneyline, Pick

The Tide are laying double digits against the Razorbacks in this pivotal conference match-up.

Alabama (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) rolled over Utah State, ULM, and Vanderbilt just like expected. But when they played a halfway decent Texas team, they struggled. Texas might have won that game if Quinn Ewers had not left the game with an injury. While Bama deserves credit for completing the comeback, the game showed how vulnerable the Tide might be this year.

Mental mistakes and poor blocking played a significant role in the Texas game. Arkansas (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) can’t count on Bama helping them out that way; then again, the Tide is one of the most penalized teams this season (118th in penalties; 93rd in penalty yards). Arkansas will need to establish the run against Alabama’s top-five run defense to have a chance.

Alabama vs. Arkansas Betting Analysis & Pick

The Razorbacks will give Alabama as good of a fight as Texas did. However, the Arkansas defense will struggle to keep the Tide out of the endzone. Arkansas will keep it from getting out of hand, but they will not bring the Tide’s 15-year winning streak to an end.

Our Pick: Arkansas +17.5

Oklahoma State vs. Baylor Betting Lines: Point Spread, Total, Moneyline, Pick

Oklahoma State is the underdog in this Big 12 match-up, despite being the higher-ranked team.

There are plenty of reasons to be cautiously optimistic about Oklahoma State (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) this season. While the run game has not been too impressive, the passing game is one of the best in the country, and the offense is averaging close to 50 points a game. You can still win games while the defense holds opponents to 22.7 points on average when you score as much as they do.

However, the gaudy numbers the Cowboys have been putting up came against Central Michigan, Arizona State, and Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Can they do the same against a competitive team like Baylor (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS)?

Baylor’s offense is not as explosive as Oklahoma State’s, but the Bears are efficient and balanced, averaging around 200 yards a game on the ground and through the air. But you don’t have to be flashy when your defense is holding opponents to about 300 yards and 17 points a game.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma State Betting Analysis & Pick

If you are going to watch one game on Saturday, watch this one. It should be a close, hard-fought, exciting contest that may come down to whoever has the ball last.

Our Pick: Over 56 points

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NC State vs. Clemson Betting Lines: Point Spread, Total, Moneyline, Pick

The Tigers are 6.5-point favorites against a top ten NC State team (as of Friday).

The road to the top of the ACC began last week for Clemson (4-0 SU, 1-3 ATS) with a win over Wake Forest. DJ Uiagalelei came through with a stellar performance against the Demon Deacons. However, while the defense may boast an NFL-caliber front, it was shredded by Sam Hartman for 337 yards and six touchdowns.

While they did record three sacks and six tackles for a loss, they’ll have their work cut out against a solid NC State offensive line. If Devin Leary can get the kind of time Hartman had, he’ll be able to carve up a secondary that ranks 104th in the nation.

NC State vs. Clemson Betting Analysis & Pick

Clemson comes in as the more battle-tested of the two after surviving a 2OT game against Wake Forest last weekend. But the Tigers have not faced a defense as tough as NC State. At the same time, the Wolfpack haven’t encountered one as good as Clemson’s and have played a relatively soft schedule (so far).

Look for the game to be close through the first three quarters, but for the NC State offense to take over in the fourth quarter and secure the win.

Our Pick: NC State +225

Also Read: Heisman Trophy Odds | Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina | Troy vs. Western Kentucky  | Georgia vs. Missouri

College Football Parlays: Week 5 (odds via DraftKings)

Parlays can be a double-edged sword; they are a great way to boost your winnings, but they can also drain your bankroll in the blink of an eye. So, tread carefully when it comes to parlays. Don’t get enamored with the idea of a monster payday if you add just one more leg.

Putting a few bucks down on longer parlays is okay, but you’ll have a better chance of winning if you keep them shorter. This section will review a few parlays based on the games above.

Parlay No. 1—Kentucky vs. Ole Miss

• Kentucky +6.5 (-110)
• Under 54.5 (-110)
• Parlay Odds: +260

Kentucky hasn’t been blowing opponents out of the water, but they have been playing efficient football and doing enough to win. It will be tougher to control a run game as potent as the Ole Miss rushing attack, but the Wildcats are good enough to keep it close in a relatively low-scoring game.

A $100 bet will result in a $360 payday if you win, your stake plus $260 in winnings.

Parlay No. 2 — Alabama vs. Arkansas

• Arkansas +17.5 (-110)
• Over 60.5 (-115)

While Alabama looked vulnerable against Texas, no one can right the ship like Nick Saban. If the last two games are any indication, the Tide has done just that. However, the competition has been soft (so, have they?). Arkansas will put up a good fight, just like they did last year.

A $100 bet will result in a $356 payday if you win, your stake plus $256 in winnings.

Pick one you like: Best Sportsbooks Apps for CFB Parlay Betting 

Parlay No. 3—Three-Team Moneyline Parlay

Not a fan of point spreads? Judging whether one team can beat another by 17+ points is not easy. But if you are confident one team will win, you can take the moneyline. If you find yourself picking teams with minus odds (the favorites), you can combine multiple bets into a parlay and create a plus money situation:

• Baylor -130
• NC State +225
• Alabama -800
• Parlay Odds: +546

When you start dealing with multiple legs and long odds, you may not want to risk $100. But if you put $50 down on this parlay and it wins, you’ll enjoy a $323.43 payday (your stake plus 273.46 in winnings). If you would rather go with the favorites in all three games (Clemson -265), the parlay’s odds go down to +174. A $50 bet will result in a $137.07 payday, your stake plus $83.07 in winnings.

Handy tool: Parlay calculator