This weekend’s college football schedule on CBS Sports Network for Week 5 of the 2021 season will feature plenty of action headlined by two ranked teams along with heavyweights from three different conferences and the independent ranks. No. 13 BYU defeated Utah State 34-20 to kick things off Friday night in an in-state showdown that will be followed by four games spanning the length of the day on Saturday as we begin creeping near the midway point of the 2021 season.
Buffalo and Western Michigan kicked things off at noon ET Saturday in a cross-division MAC meeting between teams with conference title aspirations. Then, in the afternoon, coach Gus Malzahn and the UCF Knights played their first game without injured star quarterback Dillon Gabriel, and things went south as they were defeated by Navy 34-30.
In the evening, two strong programs with 3-1 records will square off when UAB and Liberty meet. Finally, in the late-night in window, No. 18 Fresno State makes the trip to Hawaii, where the Bulldogs will try and improve to 2-0 in the Mountain West after a tight win against UNLV last week.
Here is the full rundown of all the Week 5 action on CBS Sports Network with all times Eastern.
UAB vs. Liberty
Date: Saturday, Oct. 2 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Protective Stadium — Birmingham, Alabama
TV: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
Live stream: CBSSports.com | Mobile: CBS Sports App
Storylines: The first-ever meeting between Liberty and UAB pits two of the better teams from the Group of Five sphere in the first game in the Blazers’ new stadium. Liberty is technically an independent program, but the Flames play a schedule consisting primarily of Group of Five teams and other independents. This will be a meeting of the minds as Liberty and its offensive guru coach Hugh Freeze armed with NFL prospect quarterback Malik Willis goes up against defensive-oriented UAB coach Bill Clark and a stout Blazers defense. Both teams are 3-1 and would count a win here as a quality victory.
Hawaii vs. Fresno State
Date: Saturday, Oct. 2 | Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex — Honolulu, Hawaii
TV: CBS Sports Network [Channel finder]
Live stream: CBSSports.com | Mobile: CBS Sports App
Storylines: The early-season darlings of the Mountain West will cap a stretch of six games in six weeks when No. 18 Fresno State travels to the Pacific to play Hawaii. The Bulldogs could use a bye after starting out in Week 0 and playing on the road against two Pac-12 teams early, and they will get one next week. But first they will have to handle business against a Hawaii team coming off a win at New Mexico State. The Warriors also played a good San Jose State team close at home two weeks ago and won’t be intimidated by the fact that Fresno State has a win over UCLA under its belt.
