6 bold college football predictions for Week 5: Iowa puts Big Ten on notice

Week 5 of the college football slate is already here, and as every week, we have some bold predictions.

There are a few ranked-on-ranked games happening in both the Big Ten and SEC this week that every college football fan should keep an eye on. But there are also key games in both the ACC and Big 12 this weekend.

Here are six bold predictions that could come true this weekend.

MORE: College football Week 5 upset watch: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee on alert

Iowa shows it’s for real in the Big Ten

Sep 19, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown (9) warms up before the game against the UNI Panthers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

College GameDay will be at Kinnick for the big game between Iowa and Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are two-score underdogs in the game, but Kinnick is where top teams go to die. In 2017, Ohio State was on the wrong side of Kinnick.

Iowa beat the Buckeyes, 55-27, and while that’s likely not going to happen again, the Hawkeyes play differently at home. They are also coming off a dramatic win over Michigan last weekend, and Ohio State’s defense isn’t the same as it was last year.

An Iowa win would showcase that it’s the real deal and a major contender in the Big Ten.

Florida makes a case for the No. 1 spot

Sep 26, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Aaron Philo (12) gestures after a touchdown against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Can it really get any better than a 52-28 over Ole Miss? Probably not, but Florida isn’t going to stop at 4-0. Jon Sumrall has built a beast during the early going, and running back Jadan Baugh is a Heisman contender.

Missouri might be the worst-ranked team in the country at No. 25 and the Tigers, despite being the home team, don’t have the firepower to hang with the Gators. Now, if Florida enters Missouri and turns the ball over, this game could flip in a hurry.

But another massive win, over a ranked team, will have voters pondering if Florida is the best team in the country.

Colorado impresses with Isaac Wilson

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Isaac Wilson (16) throws a pass against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Oh, Colorado. Coach Prime’s team is a mess and the Buffaloes are benching Julian Lewis in favor of Isaac Wilson, the brother of Zach Wilson. Clearly, Isaac hasn’t shown he’s the same as Zach, but there would be no better time than on Saturday.

Texas Tech is ranked No. 12, but this game is in Boulder. Deion Sanders can’t afford another terrible season and he’s hoping the change at quarterback will propel the offense. The good news for Colorado is that Texas Tech’s defense has yet to show that it’s as good as last season.

Quarterback Will Hammond has thrown five interceptions and some crazy things can happen at night when Colorado hosts a ranked team.

Five-star DJ Lagway shines through

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback DJ Lagway (2) carries the ball for a six yard gain against the Colorado Buffaloes during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

DJ Lagway has yet to live up to his five-star billing, and he hoped a change of scenery was going to do that. Lagway suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 against Auburn, and he returned to the field last week in Baylor’s win over Colorado. But his ankle limited his mobility.

This week, Baylor travels to Arizona State to take on a talented Sun Devils team. If the Bears are going to win in Tempe, they need Lagway to flourish. He needs to run the football, along with showcasing his arm talent.

A 100% healthy Lagway can do both of those, and at some point in time, Lagway will deliver his five-star billing.

Darian Mensah continues to do unprecedented things

Sep 26, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) looks on from the field against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix holds the season record for completion percentage with 77.45% back in 2023. And while it’s only been four games for Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, he’s well on his way to breaking it.

Mensah currently leads college football, completing 88.7% of his passes. And it’s not like they are dink-and-dunk passes. Miami stretches the field with wide receiver Malachi Toney, and Mensah has been right on the money.

This week, Miami travels to Clemson and the Tigers’ defense has played really well of late. But they aren’t going to be able to stop Mensah and the Hurricanes. Another 90% completion rate against a good defense will have Mensah more than on pace to break the record.

Ryan Field explodes with massive Northwestern win

Sep 25, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles (0) runs the ball against the Indiana Hoosiers during the second half at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Northwestern hosts Penn State on Friday night and it will be the first time the Wildcats play in their new Ryan Field. What better way to open a new stadium than getting a big win? Penn State is coming into the game after suffering a tough loss at home against Wisconsin last weekend.

The Nittany Lions should be ranked in the top 15, but a terrible loss has them out of the rankings. Northwestern competed with Indiana last weekend, and this team can play. A major win over Penn State will have the fans at Ryan Field exploding.

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