Diehard Picks: Week 5

Diehard G6 Top 25 No. 24 Oregon State went 10-3 in 2022. Then the Pac-12 collapsed around them. The Beavers lost their Power 5 status, played an independent schedule for two years and went 2-10 last season. They opened 2026 with losses to AP-ranked Houston (by 13) and Texas Tech (by 11) — two Big 12 programs with the resources Oregon State no longer has. The Beavers have won two straight since, blowing out FCS Montana and Mountain West member UTEP, and now visit No. 23 Colorado State (2-2) on Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite. It is the only matchup between Diehard G6 Top 25 teams this week.

The all-time series is tied 2-2. Oregon State won a 39-31 double overtime game in 2024. Despite the 0-2 start, the Beavers are probably going to be favored in every Pac-12 game until they visit Diehard G6 No. 1 Boise State on Nov. 14. A win Saturday would get them above .500 for the first time this season. It would also mark the Beavers' first three-game winning streak since October 2023.

No. 1 Boise State (3-1) opens Pac-12 play at home against Utah State as a 21-point favorite. UNLV hosts California as a 2.5-point home favorite — the only G6 team favored over a Power 4 opponent this week. Navy and Air Force meet in a Commander-in-Chief Trophy game on CBS.

In Alabama, UAB (2-2) hosts Samford in just the second meeting between the programs and the first in 34 years. The Blazers have never lost to an FCS opponent as an FBS program — 26-0 since 1996. South Alabama (2-2) opens Sun Belt play at home against UL Monroe (0-4). Troy and Jacksonville State are on bye before mid-week TV games next week in conference play.

Eight upset picks this week, including Cal over UNLV and UConn over Syracuse — two of the three remaining G6-vs.-P4 games.

Last week: SU 35-7 | ATS 27-15

Season: SU 126-23 (.846) | ATS 83-62-1 (.572)

Alabama Schools

Samford (1-3) at UAB (2-2, 1-0 American)

Pick: UAB 34, Samford 6

UL Monroe (0-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) at South Alabama (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt)

USA -14.5

Pick: South Alabama 35, UL Monroe 17 — South Alabama covers

Troy and Jacksonville State are on bye.

G6 vs. G6

Oregon State (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12, DG6 No. 24) at Colorado State (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12, DG6 No. 23)

ORST -4.5

Pick: Oregon State 27, Colorado State 20 — Oregon State covers

Navy (1-2, DG6 No. 25) at Air Force (2-1)

AF -2.5

Pick: Navy 30, Air Force 27 — Navy covers and wins outright

North Texas (2-2, 0-0 American) at Tulsa (3-1, 0-0 American, DG6 No. 16)

TLSA -2.5

Pick: North Texas 38, Tulsa 34 — North Texas covers and wins outright

Temple (1-3, 0-1 American) at USF (4-0, 1-0 American, DG6 No. 4)

USF -6

Pick: USF 31, Temple 17 — USF covers

Old Dominion (1-3, 0-1 Sun Belt) at Georgia State (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt, DG6 No. 17)

ODU -1.5

Pick: Georgia State 26, Old Dominion 23 — Georgia State covers and wins outright

Liberty (3-1, 0-0 CUSA, DG6 No. 15) at Delaware (2-2, 0-0 CUSA)

LIB -7

Pick: Delaware 29, Liberty 27 — Delaware covers and wins outright

Western Michigan (2-2, 0-0 MAC, DG6 No. 8) at Buffalo (2-2, 0-0 MAC)

WMU -15.5

Pick: Western Michigan 23, Buffalo 21 — Buffalo covers

Toledo (3-1, 0-0 MAC, DG6 No. 13) at Ball State (1-3, 0-1 MAC)

TOL -19.5

Pick: Toledo 35, Ball State 17 — Ball State covers

Memphis (3-1, 0-0 American, DG6 No. 6) at Charlotte (0-4, 0-0 American)

MEM -20.5

Pick: Memphis 44, Charlotte 17 — Memphis covers

Wyoming (2-2, 1-0 MW) at North Dakota State (4-0, 1-0 MW, DG6 No. 3)

NDSU -20.5

Pick: North Dakota State 38, Wyoming 17 — North Dakota State covers

Eastern Michigan (2-3, 1-0 MAC) at UMass (4-0, 1-0 MAC, DG6 No. 10)

MASS -5.5

Pick: UMass 31, Eastern Michigan 17 — UMass covers

Marshall (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) at James Madison (4-0, 1-0 Sun Belt, DG6 No. 2)

JMU -16.5

Pick: James Madison 34, Marshall 24 — Marshall covers

UTEP (1-3, 0-0 MW) at New Mexico (3-1, 0-0 MW, DG6 No. 5)

UNM -22.5

Pick: New Mexico 37, UTEP 17 — UTEP covers

UTSA (3-1, 0-0 American, DG6 No. 7) at Rice (1-3, 0-0 American)

UTSA -10.5

Pick: UTSA 41, Rice 24 — UTSA covers

Utah State (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12) at Boise State (3-1, 0-0 Pac-12, DG6 No. 1)

BOIS -21

Pick: Boise State 40, Utah State 17 — Boise State covers

Army (2-1, DG6 No. 14) at Louisiana Tech (1-2)

ARMY -3.5

Pick: Army 30, Louisiana Tech 20 — Army covers

Arkansas State (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) at Louisiana (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt, DG6 No. 12)

UL -6.5

Pick: Louisiana 28, Arkansas State 20 — Louisiana covers

Fresno State (3-1, 0-0 Pac-12, DG6 No. 11) at Washington State (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12)

FRES -1.5

Pick: Washington State 24, Fresno State 23 — Washington State covers and wins outright

Western Kentucky (1-3, 0-0 CUSA) at New Mexico State (1-3, 0-0 CUSA)

NMSU -1.5

Pick: New Mexico State 34, Western Kentucky 28 — New Mexico State covers

Akron (1-3, 0-0 MAC) at Central Michigan (2-2, 0-0 MAC)

CMU -6

Pick: Central Michigan 31, Akron 22 — Central Michigan covers

Ohio (2-2, 0-0 MAC) at Kent State (2-2, 1-0 MAC)

OHIO -5.5

Pick: Ohio 30, Kent State 24 — Ohio covers

Bowling Green (0-4, 0-0 MAC) at Miami (OH) (2-2, 0-0 MAC)

M-OH -14.5

Pick: Miami (OH) 30, Bowling Green 14 — Miami (OH) covers

Georgia Southern (1-3, 0-0 Sun Belt) at Coastal Carolina (1-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)

GASO -2.5

Pick: Coastal Carolina 32, Georgia Southern 27 — Coastal Carolina covers and wins outright

Texas State (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12) at San Diego State (1-3, 0-0 Pac-12)

TXST -4

Pick: Texas State 45, San Diego State 38 — Texas State covers

San Jose State (2-2, 0-0 MW) at Hawaii (1-3, 0-2 MW)

HAW -3

Pick: Hawaii 38, San Jose State 3 — Hawaii covers

G6 vs. Power 4

California (2-2) at UNLV (2-2, DG6 No. 19)

UNLV -2.5

Pick: Cal 36, UNLV 28 — Cal covers and wins outright

Syracuse (1-2) at UConn (2-2)

SYR -5.5

Pick: UConn 26, Syracuse 24 — UConn covers and wins outright

Middle Tennessee (2-2) at Kansas (1-2)

KU -20.5

Pick: Kansas 33, Middle Tennessee 24 — Middle Tennessee covers

G6 vs. FCS

Texas Southern (1-3) at FAU (3-1, DG6 No. 9)

Pick: FAU 45, Texas Southern 14