A ridiculously good slate of college football games, on easily the most hotly anticipated Saturday of the season, arrives with an unmistakable theme:
Color schemes.
We’ve got the annual White-Out game at Penn State, which hosts Oregon in a mega-matchup that might all but lock the winner into a College Football Playoff spot. And Black-Outs at both Georgia, which faces a dizzying dust-up against Alabama, and Iowa, which must contend with red-hot Indiana. Meanwhile, the operative words all week at Washington, host to top-ranked Ohio State, were “Purple Reign,” which is fancy-pants for Purple-Out.
All this “out”-ing refers to the home fans, by the way. The simple, yet all-important, tasks for those in the stands at each of these places: Don the assigned color; stand, don’t sit; and create a level of racket that can be heard from as far away as Indonesia. Such behavior only helps the good guys in their efforts to secure massive, season-shaping victories.
“I’m challenging everybody,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “This is a four-quarter, one-play-at-a-time [thing]. First down, second down, third down, fourth down, punts, kickoff coverage — we need to be on our feet, screaming a collective battle cry in the stadium. We’re going to need everybody’s help.”
Washington coach Jedd Fisch called for an overload of purple at Husky Stadium.
“Whatever the capacity is, hopefully we go over it,” Disch said. “I probably just got in trouble.”
If it makes the difference, it will have been well worth it. But will it?
WEEK 5 PICKS
All games are Saturday.
No. 21 USC (-6½) at No. 23 Illinois (11 a.m., Fox 32, 890-AM): The Illini are coming off a 63-10 loss at Indiana. In a preposterous, related development, they’re still ranked. How is that even possible?
“I got good coaches, got good players, same group that went over to Indiana,” coach Bret Bielema said. “We came back, and I feel that same way. I know we can rebound. I think you rely on who you are, what you are, what you’ve built, and I know the answer to those questions.”
That makes one of us. But it’s reasonable to doubt the unbeaten Trojans, too. They haven’t beaten anybody of note yet. They have a long trip for an early kick, not a combo any of the Big Ten’s westernmost teams enjoy. Also, USC is — whoa — 4-16 in its last 20 games against ranked opponents. Did we mention the Illini are still ranked?
Here’s what I can’t get past: Much the same as Indiana, the Trojans can fly down the field in a blink on offense and sack everything that isn’t nailed down on defense. It’s constant pressure on an opponent, and the Illini didn’t stand up to that whatsoever last time out. Got to go with the Men of Troy, 34-24.
No. 22 Notre Dame (-4½) at Arkansas (11 a.m., ABC 7, 780-AM): The Razorbacks have all kinds of talent on offense. They also have a way — and have for years — of futzing up seemingly every opportunity for a big win. At the risk of offending the fine folks of the Natural State, I’m calling Woo Pig Phooey on their upset hopes. The two-loss Irish have faults of their own, clearly, but that won’t stop them from busting huge runs when they need them. Cue the “Victory March,” 38-31.
Purple Reign Game Trailer ☔ 🎬 pic.twitter.com/uf6vjmjF55
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) September 26, 2025
No. 1 Ohio State (-8½) at Washington (2:30 p.m., CBS 2, Paramount+): This is one of the loudest venues in football. Maybe the loudest, when it really gets going. The Huskies should have been ranked coming in. They will be after QB Demond Williams Jr. introduces himself to America. Buckeyes by the skin of their teeth, 33-31.
No. 4 LSU (+1½) at No. 13 Ole Miss (2:30 p.m., Peacock): The home team has won five straight games in the Magnolia Bowl, something to think about. Something else: LSU’s hardfought wins against Clemson and Florida are looking a tad suspect, in hindsight, given those teams’ poor play since. Ole Miss, then? No, LSU 30-27 before I talk myself out of it.
No. 11 Indiana (-8½) at Iowa (2:30 p.m., Peacock): Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti may or may not have been digging at Illinois when he said, “This will be a challenge. A more difficult challenge than the last one, for sure. And the sooner our guys realize that, the better.”
They’ll know they’re in for a fight when Iowa’s stout, tough guys along both fronts start pushing back. Home-field advantage gives the Hawkeyes a legit shot. The Hoosiers’ edge in playmakers saves them, 23-20.
UCLA (+6½) at Northwestern (2:30 p.m., BTN, 720-AM): The Bruins have been blown out at home by both Utah and New Mexico, fired coach DeShaun Foster after an 0-3 start and sunk to perhaps an all-time low as far as their standing in the sport. Other than that, they’ve had a terrific season. Wildcats, 24-16.
My favorite favorite: No. 5 Georgia (-2½) vs. No. 17 Alabama (6:30 p.m., ABC 7): The Crimson Tide have won nine of the last 10 head-to-head, but everything is lined up for the home team tonight. Better team plus Black-Out equals Bulldogs.
My favorite underdog: No. 6 Oregon (+3½) at No. 3 Penn State (6:30 p.m., NBC 5, Peacock): Two reasons these Ducks might be even better than they were last season: more explosive plays on offense, and an overall uptick on defense. A 70-degree night in Happy Valley? That’s called upset weather.
Last week: 5-2 straight-up, 3-4 against the spread.
Season to date: 16-11, 12-15.