It would be nearly impossible for week 7 to come close to week 6.
Just this past weekend, four top 10 teams lost on the road. No. 1 Alabama lost to Vanderbilt, No. 4 Tennessee lost to Arkansas, No. 9 Missouri lost to No. 25 Texas A&M, and No. 10 Michigan lost in a rematch of the national title game in Washington.
We’re going to go out on a limb and say none of the top 10 teams will lose this Saturday, but that doesn’t mean Week 7 will be lackluster. It features the first matchup of the season between the top three ranked teams, with the nation’s No. 1 team playing in a prestigious neutral-site rivalry. The day should be full of energy.
Here are the five games I’m most looking forward to in Week 7. All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.
Time: 3:30pm | TV: ABC | Line: Texas -14.5 | Total: 50.5
Both teams will enter a Cotton Bowl rivalry game during the bye week off. The Longhorns moved into first place in the AP Top 25 after the Alabama loss, with Quinn Ewers returning to the starting lineup. Ewers has been sidelined since leaving the Longhorns’ Week 3 game with an abdominal strain. Backup QB Arch Manning started in his place.
Ewers was very good before his injury. He completed 58 of 73 passes for 691 yards, threw eight TDs and had two interceptions. He took only one bag with him. Manning played well in relief of Ewers, but it’s not much of an argument that the senior is reclaiming his position.
Meanwhile, for Oklahoma, true freshman Michael Hawkins will start for the second straight game. He made his first career start at Auburn replacing Jackson Arnold against Tennessee. Hawkins has thrown 65 fewer passes than Arnold this season, but he has completed a higher percentage of his throws and averaged over three more yards per attempt than Arnold before he was benched.
For the Sooners to pull off an upset, Hawkins has to be great and the run game has to get back on track. Oklahoma averages less than four yards per carry, with leading rusher Giovante Barnes carrying just 199 yards on 57 carries.
Time: 3:30pm | TV: CBS | Line: Penn State -5.5 | Total: 50.5
A week ago, the Trojans lost some of their luster against Minnesota when Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer snuck into the end zone on fourth down with less than a minute left. The loss dropped USC out of the top 25 and severely hurt the Trojans’ chances of winning the Big Ten championship.
But it could still be a dangerous game for Penn State. This is only the Nittany Lions’ second road game of the season after opening the year with a 34-12 win at West Virginia.
Penn State’s offense has been much better so far in 2024 after an offseason coordinator change, with the defense scoring 12 points or less in four of five games. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Caitron Allen have combined for 127 rushes for 775 yards.
The 17 points USC scored against the Gophers were the fewest points the Trojans scored all season. Miller Moss threw for just 200 yards on 38 attempts and two interceptions. USC’s offense has been much better at home than on the road this season, and if it doesn’t pick up, USC will likely start the Big Ten at 1-3.
Time: 7:30pm | TV: NBC | Line: Ohio State -3.5 | Total: 52.5
This weekend’s featured matches should be great. Both offenses are among the best in the nation, and Ohio State’s offense was on another level. The Buckeyes are averaging 7.7 yards per game through five games as the defense can’t solve OSU’s two-headed rushing attack and passing game that features all-world freshman Jeremiah Smith.
RB Treveillon Henderson is averaging 8 yards per carry, and Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins is right behind him with 7.8 yards rushing. Smith already has 23 catches for 453 yards, and Emeka Egbuka is a threat underneath with a team-high 30 catches.
If the game comes down to quarterback play, Oregon State could have an advantage. Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard has been solid for the Buckeyes, completing 72 percent of his passes for 1,248 yards and 16 TDs. Oregon State QB Dillon Gabriel led the nation with a completion percentage of 77.8% and threw for 1,449 yards. Ohio State will likely try to slow down Oregon State’s quick passing game, and it will be interesting to see if Oregon goes all out against Ohio State’s run game, forcing Howard to make plays and win the game. There is.
Time: 7:30pm | TV: ABC | Line: Ole Miss -3.5 | Total: 63.5
This game has all the elements of a gunfight. The Rebels are averaging 44 points per game, while LSU is scoring over 35 points per game. The Tigers have not scored fewer than 34 points since losing to USC 27-20 in the season opener.
Ole Miss bounced back from its loss to Kentucky in Week 5 with a dominant win over South Carolina in Week 6. QB Jackson Dart has already thrown for 2,100 yards and is averaging over 12 yards per attempt through the first six games of the season. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeyer has followed up 2023 Heisman winner Jaden Daniels well, throwing for 1,652 yards and 15 TDs through five games.
The Tigers had Week 6 off, but we’ll see if the bye week helped them solidify their defense. LSU is giving up 5.9 yards per play while opposing QBs complete 66% of their passes. I like LSU’s balanced passing attack against the Rebels defense. I’m not too sure if LSU’s defense can hold up its end of the bargain.
Time: 10:15pm | TV: ESPN | Line: Kansas State -4 | Total: 56.5
This game is very similar to Colorado’s Week 4 trip to Oregon a season ago. The Buffaloes acquired Eugene as the talk of college football after starting 3-0, but quickly lost in a blowout on their way to finishing the season at 1-8.
It’s unlikely that Kansas State will beat Colorado late Saturday night, but the Wildcats will be a good measuring stick for a beefed-up Buffaloes squad. The team has already matched its win total from 2023 and is two wins away from bowl eligibility.
Colorado’s biggest challenge will be its defense up front. The team is averaging over 150 rushing yards per game against the Buffaloes, with KSU running back DJ Giddens and QB Avery Johnson each averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Kansas State will look to keep the ball away from the Buffaloes and may not test Travis Hunter as much. Only two Wildcat receivers have had seven or more catches so far this season.
Other notable matches
South Carolina, Alabama 7th (ABC noon): How will the Crimson Tide bounce back from the loss to Vanderbilt? South Carolina is already 1-2 in the SEC, picking up just three points in Week 6 at home against Ole Miss. This could be a great game for the Crimson Tide.
Cal, No. 22 Pitt (3:30 p.m., ESPN): The Panthers earn a bowl berth with a win over a Bears team that had lost their first two ACC games after starting 3-0. . Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, has been very strong in his first season as Pitt’s starter, already throwing for 1,564 yards and 15 TDs this season.
Arizona No. 14 BYU (4 p.m., Fox): The Cougars have a rare daytime home game as Arizona heads to Provo. The Wildcats already had a win against the Utes in Utah this season, but lost at home to Texas Tech in Week 6. Although the Cougars are favored by 4.5 points, Arizona’s win would not be unexpected and would further demonstrate Big 12 parity.
Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky (7:45 p.m., SEC Network): Vanderbilt is 3-2 overall, with four of those games decided by one possession. Kentucky is also 3-2 with a 13-12 loss to Georgia and a 20-17 win over Ole Miss. I have a feeling it will be a close battle.
No. 11 Iowa State at West Virginia (8 p.m., Fox): West Virginia defeats Oklahoma State on the road in Big 12 play, dropping the Cowboys to an 0-3 start before becoming undefeated. The Cyclones head to Morgantown. Opponents are averaging over four yards a carry against the Iowa State defense, and WVU’s offense is run-heavy. The Mountaineers are averaging over 42 rushing attempts per game.
