Sports Betting: What to look for in CFB Week 5

Big Ten battle of the unbeatens

No. 9 Penn State is hosting No. 19 Illinois and both sides are looking to keep their spotless seasons alive. And while the Nitty Lions were expected to be hard to beat this season, the Fighting Illini were not -- and the pregame optics make this a very intriguing battle to bet on.

Sports Illustrated points out that simulations are projecting Penn State to win at a 86.2% rate, however 75% of FanDuel bettors are backing Illinois to cover the 17.5-point spread as the underdog.

Which way should you lean if you want to bet on this Big Ten bout?

The Nitty Lions may hold a 21-6 advantage in the overall series, but the current Fighting Illini contingent has the tools to keep this game closer than 18 points. 

Go low on No. 16 Notre Dame

Saturday's big to-do in South Bend is a biggie for the 3-1 Fighting Irish since they likely won't make the playoffs with two losses on the season. That's why many are expecting Notre Dame to be extra aggressive against the no. 15 Louisville Cardinals on Saturday.

This is also a good reason to bet under 45 points to be scored, which DK is leaning toward. The Under has already hit in three out of Notre Dame's four games this season, per Covers, thanks to their emphasis on the run game and their defense.

"Notre Dame’s defense enters Saturday’s contest against No. 15 Louisville ranked sixth in pass efficiency (79.13), eighth in interceptions (six), 10th in scoring (9.8 points) and 16th in total yards allowed (256.2) all while limiting Purdue and Miami to a combined 3 of 24 on third down," the Associated Press noted.

That big bad Alabama-Georgia game

Tough noogies if you're tired of hearing about this game, because it really does promise to be a wild one. The big question is: Who should you back? Heck, should you back either team this week?

The No. 2 Bulldogs are narrow 2-point favorites at DK against the No. 4 Crimson Tide and most experts are split on who will come out on top. So for a game like this, placing player props is more likely to return. 

Georgia running back Trevor Etienne is DK's favorite at +550 to score the first touchdown, and he will likely get a ton of work after Carson Beck struggled in Week 3 against Kentucky. 

If you're looking to bet on Alabama in some fashion, Jalen Milroe is your guy. DK has the Heisman hopeful throwing two-plus touchdowns price at +650. Since he has thrown at least two TDs in each of his three starts this season, that bet is worth strong consideration.