The 2026 college football season is now into Week 5, where conference games reign supreme. There are countless conference tilts set for this weekend, many of which will have major College Football Playoff implications. One game to keep an eye on is Alabama at Mississippi State. Both teams are 4-0, with Alabama No. 7 in the nation and MSU at No. 16. Sports betting expert Mike Tierney has that SEC matchup as part of one of his parlay betting picks involving favorites and underdogs for the Week 5 college football betting slate. Get a $55 bonus after $25 in trades by claiming the latest Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55 here:
A veteran sportswriter whose work appears periodically in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. He is 320-271-16 in the NFL the past four seasons, returning $1,867 to $100 players. That includes Mike going 130-101 ATS (56.3 percent) the past two seasons. And over the past two college football seasons, Tierney is 121-103. Here are his best parlays for Week 5.
Welcome to the weekly feature where we recommend three-team money line betting parlays on Friday’s and Saturday’s college football card. You will see one parlay consisting exclusively of favorites, followed by a set consisting entirely of underdogs for those feeling especially daring.
By the time you read this, some numbers might have shifted slightly.
CFB Week 5 favorites parlay
Alabama money line vs. Mississippi State
Mississippi State QB Kamario Taylor is rising with a bullet on the Heisman Trophy odds list, yet the case can be made that his Week 5 counterpart Keelon Russell has been equally impressive. The public might be under-buying the post-Saban Crimson Tide. Bama has registered at least 45 points in all four outings en route to a No. 21 ranking in FBS for yards per play. Saban’s successor, Kalen DeBoer, stands 4-1 outright against ranked foes and 6-3 in SEC away games.
BYU money line vs. TCU
As the 10th-ranked team in the land, BYU is not inspiring much admiration among the betting masses. The Cougars have coasted to three wins with a balanced offense behind dual-threat QB Bear Bachmeier. They are deadly in the red zone and are stepping out of a bye week. TCU is 0-2 against Power Four opposition with just 23 points scored. Its glossy 12.5-point allowance per game is misleading with a not-so-great yardage yield. Good luck finding explosive plays given BYU ranks eighth in fewest allowed.
Arizona money line vs. Cincinnati
Cincinnati and Arizona are almost gonna wait ’til the midnight hour — at least based on the Bearcats’ body clock. The 11 p.m. (ET) kickoff poses a challenge to the journeymen who have yet to partake in a true road game. Arizona has made two trips and is coming off a win at Washington State. The Bearcats are 4-0, yet they were outgained last weekend by Kansas State and trailed Miami (Ohio) by three scores at halftime the previous Saturday. Wildcats QB Noah Fifita is the real deal. Follow Tierney’s college football bets with the latest FanDuel promo code and get up to $250 in bonus bets:
CFB Week 5 underdogs parlay
Pittsburgh money line vs. Virginia Tech
Unbeatens Pitt and Virginia Tech converge under the Friday night lights. The Panthers rang up 59 points against two softies and 27 versus Syracuse. Draw a line through the 12-7 win over UCF in harsh weather. Virginia Tech was just as explosive on offense before regressing to 21 points against Boston College last Saturday. Not helping the Hokies is the absence of injured OT Justin Terry. Of the last 10 meetings, Pitt has covered eight times. In a true toss-up, take the “plus” side.
Kentucky money line vs. South Carolina
South Carolina, a straight-up loser of seven consecutive SEC games and 1-9 in its last 10, spots points to … an SEC team. In the past three weeks, Kentucky led Alabama at halftime and Texas A&M and South Alabama handily at the end of the game. Its dynamic offense could make mincemeat out of a team that has been bullied for 90 points over the last two Saturdays. Complicating matters, the defense’s marquee player, Dylan Stewart, has been suspended for a thrown punch. Pressure is mounting on coach Shane Beamer. Any upcoming game could be his last one with the Gamecocks.
Baylor money line vs. Arizona State
If not for a failed 2-point conversion at the close of its opener at Auburn, Baylor would be undefeated. The Bears have not sweated out an outcome since then, even though QB DJ Lagway sat for a spell. He is back in the saddle after recovering from an injury. Arizona State, enjoying R&R last week, is coming off a narrow win in London where it was outgained Kansas 414-228 and averaged south of four yards per snap. A week earlier, Texas A&M spanked the Sun Devils 48-20. Baylor is flat-out better at this juncture of the season. Bet on Week 5 college football at DraftKings and get $150 in bonus bets when you spend $5+:
