There are only three FBS teams that have yet to trail in a game this season.

Two of them, Miami and Texas Tech, are favored to win on the road this Saturday against conference rivals. The other? Mike Locksley’s Maryland Terrapins, who are 6.5-point underdogs at home to the Washington Huskies.

The question of the week, though, is which of the 20 remaining unbeaten teams will take its first L this week.

I went 6-4 picking straight-up winners last week (thank you, Alabama, Arizona State, Indiana, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Texas A&M) but missed my upset of the week again. I’m also 0-for-15 on stat-stuffers. Let’s start there.

Most passing yards

It’s not often we’ll highlight a Conference USA game, but Western Kentucky’s Maverick McIvor has the Hilltoppers off to a 4-1 start heading into Friday night’s game at Delaware. McIvor has three games with over 300 yards passing and has thrown 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Delaware is 3-1 and a 2.5-point favorite, but the Blue Hens rank 96th in passing yards allowed per game. I expect McIvor to put up numbers (350-plus passing yards, two TDs), but I’ll take the Blue Hens to win.

Most rushing yards

Oregon State is off to an 0-5 start for the first time since 1996 and has to travel 2,700 miles to Boone, N.C., to face a 2-2 Appalachian State team coming off back-to-back losses to Southern Miss and Boise State. This feels like the perfect stage for former Arkansas running back Rashod Dubinion, who ranks fourth nationally with 128.3 rushing yards per game, to put on a show against an Oregon State defense that ranks 89th against the run. I’ll take Dubinion to go for 200-plus yards, but for Maalik Murphy and the Beavers (1.5-point underdogs) to get their first win.

Most receiving yards

I went with Jeremiah Smith last week as the top-ranked Buckeyes visited Washington. He was held to eight catches for 81 yards and one touchdown. I’m back on the JJ train this week because the Buckeyes are at home Saturday against 3-1 Minnesota, whose strength is stopping the run. Smith gets his name back into the Heisman discussion with 10 catches for 150-plus yards and two scores in a 17-point Ohio State home win. The point spread is 24.

Five big gamesNo. 14 Iowa State at Cincinnati (-1.5)

Last season, Cincinnati knocked off eventual Big 12 champion Arizona State in the friendly confines of Nippert Stadium. This season, the Bearcats get to host the team tied with Arizona State for the league lead at 2-0. Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been playing at a high level, ranking 11th nationally in passing efficiency. Iowa State’s defense, though, is pretty good. And the Cyclones have trailed for just 28 seconds this season, the fewest among teams that have played at least five games. A late touchdown run from Iowa State QB Rocco Becht breaks a late tie in this one.

Matt Campbell, Rocco Becht and the Cyclones will remain unbeaten. (David Purdy / Getty Images)

No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama (-10.5)

Diego Pavia is walking into Bryant-Denny Stadium with oodles of swagger, a 5-0 team and the knowledge that he already beat the Crimson Tide last year. The problem for Alabama in this matchup: Vanderbilt has been much better both at running the ball and stopping the run than the Crimson Tide this season. Take the logos off the helmets, and the Commodores would probably be the favorites on paper. The difference in the game: turnovers. Alabama commits its first two of the season, but Vanderbilt commits more. Bama wins by a touchdown.

No. 24 Virginia at Louisville (-7)

Virginia is ranked for the first time since it won the ACC’s now-defunct Coastal Division in 2019. If Tony Elliott’s team wins Saturday, the Cavaliers will be 5-1 for the first time since 2017. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are looking to go 5-0 for the second time under Jeff Brohm. Statistically speaking, U of L quarterback Miller Moss and running back Isaac Brown are looking up at Virginia’s Chandler Morris and J’Mari Taylor when it comes to quarterback efficiency and rushing yards per game. Saturday, though, the script flips and Louisville wins by 4 points.

No. 11 Texas Tech (-12.5) at Houston

Behren Morton is expected back behind center for the Red Raiders, who didn’t skip a beat when backup Will Hammond took over in the third quarter and led them to an impressive win at Utah last time out. Unbeaten Houston has one of the best pass efficiency defenses among Power 4 schools, ranking 10th overall. But it doesn’t really matter. Texas Tech’s defense is better. The Raiders will limit Houston’s offense to under 300 total yards, win by 10 and improve to 5-0 for the first time since 2013.

No. 3 Miami (-4.5) at No. 18 Florida State

Gus Malzahn’s fast-paced FSU offense leads the nation in both scoring (53.0 ppg) and total offense (600 ypg). That would’ve meant a lot of trouble for the 2024 Hurricanes, who could score a bunch behind Cam Ward but couldn’t stop anyone at the end of the season. This year’s version of the Hurricanes defense, however, is far better, ranking eighth against the run. Still, this is a hot-blooded rivalry game in prime time, and Miami quarterback Carson Beck has made some mistakes of late. Miami prevails in a tight one behind a late defensive stop by Rueben Bain.

Upset alertWashington (-6.5) at Maryland

A cross-country flight of 2,700-plus miles awaits Jedd Fisch’s team. Last season, the Huskies lost at Rutgers, Iowa, Indiana and Penn State. Maryland, meanwhile, won only once after the calendar switched to October last season — 29-28 at home over USC. This team is better with standout freshman Malik Washington at quarterback. The Terrapins will win behind 250 total yards of offense and three touchdowns from Washington.

Reader predictions

Thank you for your submissions last week.

Here are the hits:

Haazim: “Cal goes to BC and bounces back with a big win to start ACC play.”

Blair Cartwright: “Ole Miss wins 10-plus points and Brian Kelly pounds another table.”

Andy Sills: “Luke Altmyer shreds the USC defense with his arm and his feet, and the Illini bounce back from the Indiana debacle and defeat USC.”

Alan: “Virginia beats Florida State.”

Alex Schraeger: “I think Oregon wins (big) outright and James Franklin cries at the press conference postgame.”

Here are the misses:

Hunter S.: “LSU beats Ole Miss 20-14 because of a late turnover forced by Landry Kiffin.”

Denny Beresford: “Georgia beats Alabama by 14 points or more.”

Rob O.: “UCLA will not score a touchdown, but will win on all field goals and a safety.”

Ralph: “Arkansas will play for coach Pittman’s job and shock Notre Dame as the Irish experience a bit of SEC hospitality. A key turnover and special teams play will be central to the upset.”

Augustus: “Washington gets its 23rd consecutive home win in a 27-24 thrilling victory over Ohio State. Demond Williams has his breakout game, throwing a touchdown to Denzel Boston and running for 35-plus yards and a rushing TD.”

Trent: “Syracuse rides their high of knocking off Clemson and with a backup QB, demolishes Duke at home.”

Week 5 report card

The good: I called Alabama’s upset at Georgia and was right about Trinidad Chambliss producing well over 300 yards of offense in Ole Miss’ home win over LSU.

The bad: I put faith in James Franklin winning a big game. Not smart. Previous unbeatens Florida State and USC — favorites — choked on the road. I thought they’d win at Virginia and Illinois, respectively, in tight games.

Just missed: Mississippi State (-7.5) took ranked Tennessee to overtime, but didn’t come up with the home upset I predicted.

(Photo: Andrew Nelles / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)