Welcome to our College Football Week 6 predictions! We’ll look at the top games of the day and what that means for our favorite CFB picks and player props.
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College Football Week 6 Predictions & Preview
Week 5 delivered chaos across the top 10 — Penn State fell in a heart-breaker at home to Oregon in overtime, Georgia went down in Athens to Alabama, and Florida State was stunned at Virginia. The ripple effects are everywhere.
Oregon is now surging towards being the top team in the CFP, Alabama has climbed back into the top 10, and Virginia is ranked for the first time in six years.
Saturday in Week 6 doesn’t quite have the same number of top-10 showdowns, but there’s no shortage of intrigue.
From Bryce Underwood’s Michigan continuing its quarterback growing pains to Alabama hosting unbeaten Vanderbilt in a revenge game, plus the always-emotional Miami–Florida State rivalry, here’s the full Saturday slate breakdown.
No. 20 Michigan vs. Wisconsin
Michigan comes in at 3–1 after leaning heavily on the legs of freshman Bryce Underwood. He’s totaled just one passing touchdown in his last three games, but three rushing scores across the last two.
Against Nebraska, he was only 12-for-22 for just over 100 yards. Wisconsin, meanwhile, is reeling. The Badgers have dropped two straight, including blowouts to Maryland and Alabama, and at 2–2, Danny O’Neil hasn’t done much to stabilize the offense.
On paper, this is a reset spot for Michigan before USC looms in Week 7. The Wolverines’ defense should dominate, and Wisconsin’s two-game free fall suggests Michigan on the money line is the safe play.
Pick: Michigan ML
No. 14 Iowa State at Cincinnati
One of the weekend’s most quietly fascinating games. Iowa State is unbeaten at 5–0 for the second year in a row, but Rocco Becht has cooled off. Against Arizona, he didn’t throw a touchdown pass — though he did notch three rushing scores, ending with the strange line of nine carries for –10 yards but three trips to the end zone.
Cincinnati, 3–1 and favored by 1.5–2.5 points depending on the book, has won three straight since its opener. Brendan Sorsby has been sharp in that run, and the Bearcats’ run defense gets a boost with nose tackle Dontay Corleone returning. This could be a shootout, but the Cyclones’ defense might make just enough stops to stay unbeaten.
Pick: ISU ML
Clemson at North Carolina
This was supposed to be a headline matchup back in August — Dabo Swinney’s top-five Tigers against Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels. Instead, it’s a battle of disappointments. UNC is 2–2, fresh off a blowout loss to UCF where they mustered just nine points. They’ve also fallen to TCU (the only other “real” team they’ve played).
Clemson has already dropped three games of its own. Still, Cade Klubnik threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns (on a staggering 60 attempts) in a loss to Syracuse and should find success here against UNC’s soft defense. This isn’t a ranked game, but it feels like a crossroads moment for Clemson’s offense.
Pick: Clemson Spread
No. 7 Penn State at UCLA
Penn State had its playoff dreams dented in overtime by Oregon last week, but James Franklin’s team rarely plays down to bad opponents. UCLA is 0–4 after a narrow loss to Northwestern, and Niko Iamaleava has struggled badly.
Penn State is a 24.5-point favorite, and history suggests they’ll cover. The Lions routinely beat up on bottom-tier Big Ten teams, and this sets up as a get-right blowout before they face tougher opponents down the line.
Pick: Penn State Spread
No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama
Circle this one. It’s the first time both programs have been ranked in years, and the first meeting since Vanderbilt shocked the college football world with last year’s insane upset. The Tide have been simmering since — they just knocked off Georgia in Athens — and Ty Simpson is settling in after starting shaky.
Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia has been sensational, with 13 passing touchdowns, only three picks, and a team-leading 294 rushing yards. But Alabama’s defense has allowed just 11.7 points per game since the opener, and revenge is a powerful motivator. Expect fireworks, but the Tide have the edge at home.
Pick: Bama ML
No. 1 Ohio State vs. Minnesota
The Buckeyes are back home after a narrow win over Washington, and they remain the No. 1 team in the nation. Julian Sayin has been ruthlessly efficient — 78.8% completion, but not much of a rushing threat. Minnesota, 3–1, just squeaked past Rutgers and is led by redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey, who’s been excellent with ball security.
Still, asking the Gophers to break through Ohio State’s defense (nation-leading 5.5 points per game allowed) is a tall order. The 23.5-point line feels heavy, but the Buckeyes should still roll.
Pick: Ohio State Spread
No. 3 Miami at No. 18 Florida State
The Saturday headliner. Miami enters unbeaten, Carson Beck is steady but not spectacular, and a dominant offensive line is paving the way for a physical run game. Florida State just lost at Virginia, a gut-punch that puts their season on the brink.
Tommy Castellanos struggled through two picks, and FSU’s defense was gashed on the ground. But Gus Malzahn’s creative run game and the backs Gavin Sawchuk and Ousmane Kromah still make the Noles dangerous. Rivalry atmosphere, playoff implications, ACC title race — this is as big as it gets. Florida State is a 4.5-point underdog, and I like them to cover at home.
Pick: FSU Spread
CFB Week 6 Picks: Saturday Takeaways
- Michigan should cruise against a reeling Wisconsin, even if Bryce Underwood still looks like a work-in-progress.
- Cincinnati–Iowa State is a sneaky best-of-the-noon-window game: Rocco Becht’s red zone legs vs. Brendan Sorsby’s recent heater.
- Penn State should pummel winless UCLA.
- Alabama–Vanderbilt is a revenge game with real stakes, and a national measuring stick for Diego Pavia’s Cinderella run.
- Miami–Florida State has the rivalry heat and the playoff implications to make it the marquee matchup of the weekend.
Week 6 may not match the headline chaos of Week 5, but Saturday is loaded with storylines — redemption, revenge, and rivalry drama. October football is here, and the season is only getting wilder.
