Pittsburgh Panthers News

College Football Week 5 Odds, 5 Sleeper Games To Watch

Check out the breakdown and odds for five sleeper games as college football season enters Week 5.

58 MINS AGO • FOX SPORTS

College Football Week 5 Odds, 5 Sleeper Games To Watch

Pitt's Pat Narduzzi and Virginia Tech's James Franklin have met before, just not quite like this

Pittsburgh's Pat Narduzzi and Virginia Tech's James Franklin meet again when the unbeaten Panthers and Hokies play Friday

5 HOURS AGO • Associated Press

Tony Kinsler - Status in question for Week 5 Kinsler (undisclosed) is listed as questionable ahead of Friday's matchup against Virginia Tech.

Impact Kinsler is questionable to miss his first game of the season with an undisclosed injury Friday. The wide receiver has four catches for 39 yards this season.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Ja'Kyrian Turner - Bumped to probable Turner (undisclosed) has been bumped to probable ahead of Friday's game at Virginia Tech, per the ACC availability report.

Impact Turner was listed as questionable in Tuesday's initial report, but the bump in status to probable suggests the tailback could be available to face the Hokies this Friday. Turner hasn't played since Week 1, but if he's available and plays Friday, that'd mean fewer touches for Damon Ferguson.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech meet as unbeaten teams in a coaching reunion as part of ACC's weekly slate

Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech meet Friday in a matchup of unbeaten teams to headline the Atlantic Coast Conference's Week 5 slate

1 DAY AGO • Associated Press

La'Vell Wright - Good to go for Week 5 Wright is good to go for Week 5 against Virginia Tech on Friday, according to Brendan Howe of On3.com.

Impact Wright didn't play against FCS Bucknell in Week 4, but the tailback shouldn't have problems suiting up Friday in this ACC matchup. Wright has 31 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown, as well as three catches for 33 yards on seven targets, in three games this season.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Justin Cook - Probable vs. Virginia Tech Cook (undisclosed) is listed as probable ahead of Friday's game at Virginia Tech, per the ACC availability report.

Impact Cook is on the right track to suit up Friday after carrying a probable tag on Pittsburgh's initial injury report. The running back serves as a depth option, so he isn't expected to see a heavy workload if he takes the field.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Ja'Kyrian Turner - Officially questionable for Week 5 Turner (undisclosed) is questionable ahead of Friday's game at Virginia Tech, per the ACC availability report.

Impact Turner has not played since Week 1 and his status remains uncertain as he carries a questionable tag. The running back is the lead option in Pittsburgh's backfield, but Damon Ferguson has seen increased work in his stead. He will aim to recover in the coming days to potentially upgrade his status ahead of Friday's game.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Florida flies into the top 10 as four teams join the rankings

Florida leapt into the top 10 of the AP Top 25 college football rankings after defeating Ole Miss over the weekend

4 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

Heintschel passes for 6 touchdowns as Pitt improves to 4-0 with 59-0 win over Bucknell

Mason Heintschel passed for 403 yards and six touchdowns as Pittsburgh rolled past Bucknell 59-0

4 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

Cataurus Hicks - Totals 66 receiving yards in win Hicks secured three receptions for 66 yards during Saturday's 59-0 win against Bucknell.

Impact Hicks was outshined by his fellow starting receiver Censere Lee, who had three touchdowns in the rout. Hicks was unable to get in on the scoring fun, but the 66 yards were respectable, as he didn't play the entire game. The second half saw the reserves take over and get valuable playing time. Hicks will look to re-discover the end zone Friday at Virginia Tech, as conference play resumes.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Carson Kent - Scores TD vs. Bucknell Kent recorded six catches for 57 yards and a touchdown during Saturday's 59-0 victory over Bucknell.

Impact It was another Oprah game for the Pitt passing game on Saturday. You get a touchdown, you get a touchdown...everybody gets a touchdown! Pitt had eight receiving scores on Saturday in rout of the Bison, and Kent led the team with six receptions. He'll look to carry over the momentum on a short week Friday at Virginia Tech, as the Panthers return to conference play.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Censere Lee - Finds end zone three times in rout Lee logged five receptions, 47 yards and three touchdowns during Saturday's 59-0 victory versus Bucknell.

Impact The senior has hooked up with QB Mason Heintschel for four touchdowns through four games this season, and he has five catches in two of those four outings. It was his first multi-score game since he had two touchdowns at Chattanooga playing for Western Carolina in 2023. He'll look to keep up the good work in Friday's game at Virginia Tech.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Demetrice McCray - Good for two touchdowns in win McCray totaled three receptions, 73 yards and two touchdowns during Saturday's 59-0 victory over Bucknell.

Impact McCray was seeing some extra snaps with the game out of hand, and he showed the coaching staff that he is more than equal to the task if needed. The freshman has posted multiple receptions in his two appearances this season. The two touchdowns were the first of his collegiate career.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Bryce Yates - Racks up 77 receiving yards Yates had four receptions for 77 yards during Saturday's 59-0 win versus Bucknell.

Impact The sophomore from Ettrick, Va. has carved out a nice role for himself in the Pitt offense, and he has multiple receptions in every game this season. However, he hasn't found the end zone since Week 1 against Miami (Ohio). Yates might play with a little extra intensity in Friday's game at Virginia Tech, likely playing in front of plenty of family and friends.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Tyreek Robinson - Explodes onto scene in rout of Bucknell Robinson totaled five receptions for a game-high 78 yards and his first collegiate touchdown during Saturday's 59-0 victory versus Bucknell.

Impact The five receptions were easily Robinson's career high. In fact, he only appeared in two games on offense in 2024, including two receptions for seven yards in the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Toledo on Dec. 26, 2024, while posting just one grab in the regular season. He didn't play in 2025, so this was a big day for Robinson. As long as Cataurus Hicks and Censere Lee stay healthy, there aren't a lot of targets for the wideout, but Robinson showed he can do the job if his number is called.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Jaylin Brown - Registers six carries in lopsided win Brown tallied six rushes for 41 yards during Saturday's 59-0 win over Bucknell.

Impact Brown did a good job when his number was called, as the Panthers went three-deep with Damon Ferguson Jr., Synkwan Smith and Brown seeing six or more carries and at least 41 rushing yards each against the Bison. The schedule gets a lot tougher from here, and Brown's chances might dry up as a result. Plus, RB Ja'Kyrian Turner (undisclosed) might also return soon, adding to the difficulty in finding touches going forward.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Damon Ferguson Jr. - Leads backfield with solid average Ferguson accrued nine carries for 56 yards during Saturday's 59-0 win against Bucknell.

Impact Ferguson racked up a team-high in rushing yards, but it was a community effort in a lopsided game. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry, including a 21-yard scamper, but then he ceded touches to Synkwan Smith and Jaylin Brown. RB Ja'Kyrian Turner continues to miss time with an undisclosed injury, but once he joins the mix, it should push everyone down a spot on the depth chart, so beware.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Mason Heintschel - Six more TD passes in rout Heintschel was 29-for-37 passing for 403 yards and six touchdowns during Saturday's 59-0 victory versus Bucknell. He also had three rushes for 33 yards.

Impact It's been feast or famine for Heintschel so far this season, as he has six or more TD passes in routs of Miami (Ohio) and Bucknell, and no TD throws against UCF or Syracuse. He and the Panthers take the trip to Blacksburg to visit Virginia Tech, and it might be a big-time regression against a Hokies team playing well under new coach James Franklin.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Synkwan Smith - Opportune time for return Smith (undisclosed) logged 10 carries for 47 yards during Saturday's 59-0 win against Bucknell.

Impact After beginning Pittsburgh's 2026 season on the mend, Smith finally logged backfield action Saturday. Ja'Kyrian Turner (undisclosed) being limited and Pitt dominating Bucknell allowed the Panthers to experiment. In doing so, among their running backs, Smith led them in carries. Though the redshirt freshman's role is unknown, especially once Turner returns and with competition like Week 4 starter Damon Ferguson, his performance against Bucknell indicates that he has at least a small chance to immediately flourish.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Malik Knight - Out without timetable to return Knight (undisclosed) is out for Saturday's game versus Bucknell and does not have a timetable for return, Brendan Howe of On3.com reports.

Impact Though Knight's injury is not season-ending, it's currently unclear when he'll be able to return to the field for the Panthers. He caught seven passes for 73 yards and a touchdown across the first two games of the season, so he will be missed while he's out of the lineup.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Ja'Kyrian Turner - Unlikely to play Week 4 Turner (undisclosed) is unlikely to play in Saturday's game against Bucknell, Brendan Howe of On3 reports.

Impact Damon Ferguson is taking first-team snaps in Pittsburgh's pregame warm-up instead of Turner, who is on pace to sit out for the third time across four games Pitt has played this month. Though the running back's previous update suggests that him sitting out Week 4 was more likely than not, it looks like he will have little leeway before Pitt immediately returns to conference action in October.

5 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Ole Miss rises to No. 4 with win over LSU

Mississippi climbed to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 rankings after defeating LSU 32-24

SEPTEMBER 20 • Associated Press

Pitt stays perfect, improves to 3-0 by grinding its way to a 27-13 win over sloppy Syracuse

Pittsburgh continued its perfect start with a 27-13 win over Syracuse

SEPTEMBER 18 • Associated Press

Bryce Yates - Secures three receptions in win Yates reeled in all three targets for 36 yards during Thursday's 27-13 win against Syracuse.

Impact Yates was second in receiving yardage in a rough night for the Pittsburgh offense. There weren't a lot of bright spots, but Yates was one of them, outperforming the more heralded receivers like Cataurus Hicks and Censere Lee. We'll see if Yates gets more targets when Bucknell pays a visit next Saturday.

SEPTEMBER 18 • ROTOWIRE

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College Football Week 5 Odds, 5 Sleeper Games To Watch

Pitt's Pat Narduzzi and Virginia Tech's James Franklin have met before, just not quite like this

Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech meet as unbeaten teams in a coaching reunion as part of ACC's weekly slate

Florida flies into the top 10 as four teams join the rankings

Heintschel passes for 6 touchdowns as Pitt improves to 4-0 with 59-0 win over Bucknell

Ole Miss rises to No. 4 with win over LSU

Pitt stays perfect, improves to 3-0 by grinding its way to a 27-13 win over sloppy Syracuse