The staff at Fighting Irish Wire pick Notre Dame at Arkansas and the top games of Week 5

It’s another big weekend in college football, and although Notre Dame’s road matchup against Arkansas isn’t going to garner many headlines, it’s a very underrated game that many could be overlooking.

Multiple teams across the country who are undefeated will have tough matchups, and while some of them are against unranked teams, there will still be plenty of eyes on those games. This weekend we will start to see some teams separating themselves in the race for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The staff here of Tim Healey, Dave Miller and Michael Chen pick the winners of the top games this weekend, along with Notre Dame’s contest at Arkansas.

No. 24 TCU Horned Frogs (3-0) at Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1)

Game data: Friday at 8:00 p.m. CST on FOX

Healey - This one is a coin toss for me, and when that happens, I usually ride with the home team. Which I will do here and take ASU.

Miller - Both of these teams scored big wins last week, with TCU overcoming SMU and Arizona State besting Baylor. The programs will face off for the first time as Big 12 rivals, and ordinarily, I would expect Sun Devils QB Sam Leavitt to be the difference. But counterpart Josh Hoover is playing at a high level for the Horned Frogs, whose veteran defense will make one extra stop to steal a tough road win.

Chen - The Sun Devils are coming off a great season which saw them make the CFP, and it wasn’t long ago that TCU was playing for a title. Like Tim said, this is a toss up, but I’m going with the Horned Frogs, as they seem like they have more momentum entering the contest.

No. 21 USC Trojans (4-0) at No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini (2-1)

Game data: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CST on FOX

Healey - Illinois isn't as bad as it showed against Indiana, and I expect the Illini will bounce back. But I also suspect USC is a tad underrated. Trojans in a close one.

Miller - Expect Bret Bielema's team to be ready to play after last week's disastrous thumping to Indiana in Bloomington. Still, Lincoln Riley's Trojans have too much offensive firepower as the Fighting Illini drop a close one in Champaign. The Trojans will be playing their first 11:00 am CT game since joining the Big Ten, though. So they will need to overcome potential initial sluggishness.

Chen - Last week provided a lot of information about Illinois, and it was not good, as Indiana dominated them. USC has found its groove again, and will be a tough test for the Irish in a few weeks. The Trojans roll here even if it’s a tough task by playing halfway across the country in an early game.

No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) at Washington Huskies (3-0)

Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST on CBS

Healey - This isn't the Huskies team of a few years ago -- Washington isn't even ranked. But the Seattle setting is tough on opponents. I expect Ohio State will struggle early before pulling away for the win.

Miller - Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin will face a tough road test at Husky Stadium, so I expect a sloppy first half. Overall, the Buckeyes have the talent advantage, but the Huskies have enough playmakers to stick around until Ryan Day's squad wins the fourth quarter.

I do like the under in this one if you're into that sort of thing.

Chen - This will be one of the tougher road environments that Ohio State will face, as Washington has bounced back from a disappointing 2024. Both defenses have been elite this fall, and I don’t think that changes on Saturday. The Buckeyes win in a close one.

No. 4 LSU Tigers (4-0) at No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels (4-0)

Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST on ESPN

Healey - It can be hard backing a Brian Kelly team, but I think LSU will hang on in a close one on the road. The Tigers' comeuppance is, uh, coming, but not yet.

Miller - I am hopping aboard the Lane Train. For some reason I am foreshadowing a red-faced Brian Kelly at some point in this one.

I think Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss can make enough plays against the Tigers defense in his third straight start. He has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 719 yards and four touchdowns this season, and the senior has also rushed for 195 yards and two scores on 36 carries.

The Tigers do boast the No. 17 defense in the FBS (246.3 yards allowed per game), so it will be a challenge. But I think Chambliss will be up for it, and the game is in Oxford.

Chen - I still don’t trust Kelly in big games, even if he has won a few this fall. However, I don’t think that Ole Miss is as good as its record, and the Tigers win, but almost blow it.

Auburn Tigers (3-1) at No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies (3-0)

Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN

Healey - Notre Dame fans have to hope for the Aggies to have a strong record, thus bolstering strength of schedule. And given how much better Texas A&M looks than last year, I expect that to happen. Yes, Notre Dame blew the chance to beat the Aggies at home with terrible defense in the two-minute drill. But the Aggies offense is legit, and we'll see that unit continue to roll.

Miller - The Tigers lost wide receiver Horatio Fields to a broken foot in practice this week and will miss an indefinite amount of time, but there is still plenty of talent in that receiving room. The same goes for the Aggies.

This is a desperate Auburn team coming off of a loss at Oklahoma, but if the Aggies can keep Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold in the pocket, I like A&M.

Chen - Notre Dame needs Texas A&M to continue to roll, and being at home is huge for them. They’re coming off a bye week, while Auburn lost its first game of the year last weekend. They’ll lose their second in-a-row, as the Aggies get another impressive victory.

No. 6 Oregon Ducks (4-0) at No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0)

Game data: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST on NBC

Healey - Tough one here. I think Oregon is better than PSU, but Happy Valley is often miserable for opponents. Still, I am taking a deeper Ducks team in a relatively close tilt over the Nittany Lions.

Miller - Both of these teams have enjoyed cupcake opponents thus far. Keep in mind Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jim Knowles faced Oregon twice last year while he was at Ohio State, so I think that gives James Franklin's squad the edge. Can the Ducks stop the PSU running back duo of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen?

Chen - To me, this is the game of the week. Franklin has a chance start to squash the idea that he can’t win the big game. Oregon has reloaded once again, and is looking to make it two-for-two winning the Big Ten. A White Out is always a tough environment, but the Ducks overcome it and return to the West Coast with a victory.

No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide (2-1) at No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (3-0)

Game data: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST on ABC

Healey - Alabama isn't Alabama this year, and I think that will be evident on the road at Georgia. It won't be a cakewalk for the Bulldogs, but it will be close. Georgia takes it.

Miller - This is a big one for Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide were handled with ease at times in the trenches during their loss at Florida State. How will 'Bama hold up against a Georgia team that already has a win at Tennessee? Give me Kirby Smart's squad in this one.

Chen - DeBoer has shown that he isn’t Nick Saban, but one of his disciples in Kirby Smart has virtually taken up his mantle. I think it continues, as the Bulldogs once again are one of the best teams in the country.

Tim Healey - Contributor

Arkansas is NOT a gimme for Notre Dame, especially on the road. That said, the Irish's offense is clicking. If the running game can take the crowd out of it early and the passing game can move the ball, maybe Notre Dame puts enough points on the board to cover for a beleaguered defense.

Or maybe this is the week the defense, and the secondary especially, figures it all out.

Games like these always scare me as traps -- the Irish have overlooked opponents before, and not just during the Freeman era. On the other hand, the Irish have no illusions about the playoff race.

If the offense plays well and the coaches and players don't underestimate their opponent, Notre Dame can win a close-ish contest. If they don't, well, that could be trouble.

Let's say Notre Dame 31, Arkansas 21.

Dave Miller - Contributor

Will the Fighting Irish defense get right on the road in Fayetteville? It's going to be difficult because the Razorbacks feature an explosive QB in Taylen Green, who leads the country in total yards per game (387.8). He has topped 300 yards passing in three of four games, and he has also rushed for over 100 yards twice.

Meanwhile, the Irish secondary has been leaky, ranking No. 103 in passing efficiency. The Razorbacks have five players with more than 130 receiving yards through four games, so the Irish will have their hands full. However, the Irish defense has been able to contain the run. ND is No. 41 in the nation in rush defense, giving up just 3.5 yards per carry.

Expect this one to be a shootout from start to finish, and I have the Irish coming out on top 41-33. CJ Carr will shine in the high-scoring affair, and the running backs will complement Carr's aerial attack.

Michael Chen - Site lead

I’ve been trying all week to push the idea that Arkansas isn’t as bad at its 2-2 record. They have one of the best offenses in the country, and while Notre Dame has tons of talent on defense, they haven’t played at a level that puts them at elite. In fact they’ve been downright terrible.

There are going to be a lot of points scored in this one, and the good news is that the Irish offense is up to the challenge. Carr has shown that he can run whatever offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock calls, which is a huge development for Notre Dame.

I think that this game will come down to which defense makes the most big stops at the right time, and I think the Irish do that. Notre Dame 45, Arkansas 41.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: FIW staff picks Notre Dame at Arkansas and top Week 5 games