Skip to main content

College football expert picks, predictions for biggest Week 6 games

Picks, predictions for college football's biggest Week 6 games

Week 6 of the college football schedule is here, and it's time to make our picks and predictions for the top games on Saturday.

There are three matchups this weekend pitting top 25 ranked teams on the same field, including one surprise in the Big 12, a notable SEC matchup, and a date between Pac-12 contenders out west.

Let's get up to date on how the Football Power Index computer prediction model projects the top games.

Football Power Index (FPI) college football rankings and computer prediction model are a measure of team strength that predicts a team’s future performance. 

Rankings and scores predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season, using a combination of analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, and a team’s schedule.

College football picks, predictions for Week 6 games

Alabama Crimson Tide college football team schedule, rankings

Week 6 college football picks, predictions

Odds courtesy SI Sportsbook | All times Eastern

Early Saturday college football picks

No. 4 Michigan at Indiana
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | Fox
Line: Michigan -22
FPI Prediction: Michigan 91.9%
College Football HQ pick: Michigan by 21

No. 8 Tennessee at No. 25 LSU
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Line: Tennessee -3
FPI Prediction: LSU 58.6%
College Football HQ pick: Tennessee by 6

No. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | FS1
Line: TCU -7
FPI Prediction: TCU 68.0%
College Football HQ pick: TCU by 4

Arkansas at No. 23 Mississippi State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | SECN
Line: Mississippi State -9
FPI Prediction: Mississippi State 75.7%
College Football HQ pick: Mississippi State by 6

Missouri at Florida
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Line: Florida -11
FPI Prediction: Florida 69.7%
College Football HQ pick: Florida by 13

Texas vs. Oklahoma
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | ABC
Line: Texas -7
FPI Prediction: Texas 68.2%
College Football HQ pick: Texas by 8

Purdue at Maryland
Sat., Oct. 8 | 12 p.m. | BTN
Line: Maryland -3
FPI Prediction: Maryland 67.9%
College Football HQ pick: Maryland by 9

Afternoon college football picks

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers catches a pass during a college football game in the SEC.

USF at No. 24 Cincinnati
Sat., Oct. 8 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Line: Cincinnati -28
FPI Prediction: Cincinnati 96.9%
College Football HQ pick: Cincinnati by 20

Auburn at No. 2 Georgia
Sat., Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
Line: Georgia -30
FPI Prediction: Georgia 93.9%
College Football HQ pick: Georgia by 17

Texas Tech at No. 7 Oklahoma State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Line: Oklahoma State -9.5
FPI Prediction: Oklahoma State 77.1%
College Football HQ pick: Oklahoma State by 13

No. 11 Utah at No. 18 UCLA
Sat., Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Fox
Line: Utah -4
FPI Prediction: Utah 68.7%
College Football HQ pick: Utah by 5

Wisconsin at Northwestern
Sat., Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | BTN
Line: Wisconsin -10
FPI Prediction: Wisconsin 79.9%
College Football HQ pick: Wisconsin by 14

Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh
Sat., Oct. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | ACCN
Line: Pittsburgh -14.5
FPI Prediction: Pittsburgh 87.6%
College Football HQ pick: Pittsburgh by 10

No. 3 Ohio State at Michigan State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 4 p.m. | ABC
Line: Ohio State -27
FPI Prediction: Ohio State 88.7%
College Football HQ pick: Ohio State by 25

No. 9 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt
Sat., Oct. 8 | 4 p.m. | SECN
Line: Ole Miss -17
FPI Prediction: Ole Miss 89.6%
College Football HQ pick: Ole Miss by 20

No. 21 Washington at Arizona State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 4 p.m. | Pac-12
Line: Washington -14
FPI Prediction: Washington 75.3%
College Football HQ pick: Washington by 17

North Carolina at Miami
Sat., Oct. 8 | 4 p.m. | ESPN2
Line: Miami -3.5
FPI Prediction: Miami 67.2%
College Football HQ pick: North Carolina by 6

Primetime college football picks

Clemson Tigers running back Will Shipley celebrates a touchdown in a college football game in the ACC.

No. 5 Clemson at Boston College
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Line: Clemson -20.5
FPI Prediction: Clemson 93.7%
College Football HQ pick: Clemson by 21

Washington State at No. 6 USC
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Fox
Line: USC -13
FPI Prediction: USC 87.4%
College Football HQ pick: USC by 13

South Carolina at No. 13 Kentucky
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | SECN
Line: Kentucky -10
FPI Prediction: Kentucky 76.1%
College Football HQ pick: Kentucky by 15

Army at No. 15 Wake Forest
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3
Line: Wake Forest -17
FPI Prediction: Wake Forest 84.7%
College Football HQ pick: Wake Forest by 25

No. 16 BYU vs. Notre Dame
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
Line: Notre Dame -3.5
FPI Prediction: Notre Dame 70.0%
College Football HQ pick: Notre Dame by 3

No. 20 Kansas State at Iowa State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Line: Kansas State -2
FPI Prediction: Iowa State 55.3%
College Football HQ pick: Kansas State by 4

Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama
Sat., Oct. 8 | 8 p.m. | CBS
Line: Alabama -24
FPI Prediction: Alabama 96.2%
College Football HQ pick: Alabama by 17

Florida State at No. 14 NC State
Sat., Oct. 8 | 8 p.m. | ACCN
Line: NC State -3.5
FPI Prediction: NC State 60.6%
College Football HQ pick: NC State by 7

No. 12 Oregon at Arizona
Sat., Oct. 8 | 9 p.m. | Pac-12
Line: Oregon -13
FPI Prediction: Oregon 78.1%
College Football HQ pick: Oregon by 16

Oregon State at Stanford
Sat., Oct. 8 | 11 p.m. | ESPN
Line: Oregon State -7
FPI Prediction: Oregon State 57.7%
College Football HQ pick: Oregon State by 10


Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Facebook