We’ve reached Week 7 of the college football season, and it’s the most loaded set of games we’ve ever seen.
Saturday features six ranked and unranked matches, including three epic games in which both teams are undefeated. Things kick off in the midday window with a big SEC showdown between Tennessee and Alabama and a Big Ten showdown between Michigan and Penn State before a big game in the Big 12 between Oklahoma State and TCU. All of this should lead to a tasty Pac-12 showdown between USC and Utah.
We’re past the midseason mark, so these games are getting more important week by week. We can look back on this weekend as a turning point in the season for many teams.
(Note: All times ET, odds from BetMGM)
Time: 3:30 pm | TV: CBS | Line: Alabama -7.5 | Total: 65.5
All eyes will be on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who missed last week’s win over Texas A&M with a shoulder injury. The Crimson Tide picked up the win despite a shaky offensive performance, so Alabama will need Young if it wants to leave Knoxville with a win. This is Tennessee’s long, long game. Not only has Tennessee lost 15 straight against Alabama, but a win here would thicken the stakes in the College Football Playoff race. To get to this point, Tennessee used a potent offense led by senior quarterback Hendon Hooker. Can the Vols finally end their losing skid?
Time: 3:30 pm | TV: ABC | Line: TCU -4 | Total: 68.5
Only Oklahoma State and TCU remain undefeated in the deepest Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma State was expected to contend for the conference crown after playing in the title game last year. The Cowboys have scored a ton of points this year, but the defense is nowhere near as strong as it was last fall, and will face another big challenge Saturday in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs, led by first-year head coach Sonny Dykes, have gotten better and better as the weeks have progressed, especially on offense. That’s a big reason why TCU is 5-0 with wins over Oklahoma and top-ranked Kansas.
Time: 7:30 pm | TV: ABC | Line: Clemson -3.5 | Total: 51
Will this trip to Florida State be Clemson’s toughest test of the season so far? Contrarians certainly think so. Clemson is a 3.5-point favorite on the road at FSU. It’s the smallest point spread of the year for the Tigers, who will face a tough challenge from an FSU team. The Seminoles started the year 4-0 and climbed back into the top 25, then lost 31-21 to Wake Forest and then blew a 17-3 lead in a 19-17 road loss to NC State last week. Can FSU bounce back against an even better Clemson team?
Time: 8 pm | TV: Fox | Line: Utah -3.5 | Total: 65
The Lincoln Relay Train at USC keeps rolling. The Trojans are 6-0 in Pac-12 play, 4-0 so far in Riley’s first season. But a road trip to Salt Lake City this week could be an even tougher challenge for the Trojans. Utah is coming off a loss to UCLA last week. This is a big game for the Utes if they want to get back into the Pac-12 title race. Utah hasn’t been stumbling along the lines of scrimmage as usual, but there’s still plenty of talent on this team. That includes Cam Rising, one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country.
