College football Week 5 predictions: Best bets, picks against the spread

Keelon Russell, 19, had thrown 15 career passes and spent the summer battling to be Alabama’s starting quarterback.Kamario Taylor, 19, had made two winless starts at Mississippi State, entering this season as a Heisman uber-long shot (150/1) at a program that has won double-digit games once this century. But on Saturday in Starkville, one of the unlikely Heisman contenders could become the undefeated front-runner. Russell has been a force since a shaky start at Kentucky, throwing for 685 yards, with nine total touchdowns and no interceptions in his past two games.

But Taylor is the breakout star of this young season, showcasing the talent and poise that could make him a future No.1 draft pick. The nation’s third-ranked offense has led the Bulldogs to wins over three power-conference opponents this season, with Taylor completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and leading the team to its first win over a ranked team in 12 years with a fourth-quarter comeback in Missouri. With the support of a top 15 ground game, Taylor can lift his team to new heights against a defense that ranks 88th in yards allowed per passing attempt (7.8).

The local kid has been waiting his whole life for a moment like this, leading MISSISSIPPI STATE (+6) against the juggernaut that has been torturing his boyhood team for decades. “Enter Sandman” worked better in The Bronx.In their first home game against a power-conference team since going 2-5 at Lane Stadium last season, the Hokies face a Pitt defense that hasn’t allowed more than 14 points in any game this season and a quarterback (Mason Heintschel) who went 4-0 on the road for the Panthers last season. The Wildcats have waited more than two years to open the new $870 million Ryan Field, but the Nittany Lions have even more motivation following their fourth-quarter meltdown against Wisconsin. Bill Belichick has suffered four losses by at least 21 points since coming to Chapel Hill.

Now, he faces a national power for the fi...