We’re into Week 7 of the college football season and it’s the most loaded collection of games we’ve seen yet.
Saturday features six seeded vs. seeded matchups, including three huge games where both teams are undefeated. Things kick off in the midday window with a Big Ten matchup between Michigan and Penn State before a massive SEC matchup between Tennessee and Alabama and a big Big 12 matchup between Oklahoma State and TCU. All of this leads to a tasty Pac-12 matchup tonight between USC and Utah.
We’re past the mid-season mark, so these games are gaining importance heading into the week. We could look back on this weekend as a turning point in the season for many teams.
(Note: All times ET, BetMGM odds)
Time: 3:30 p.m TV: CBS | Line: Alabama -7.5 | Total: 65.5
All eyes will be on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, the Heisman Trophy winner who missed last week’s win over Texas A&M with a shoulder injury. The Crimson Tide got the win despite a shaky offensive performance, so Alabama will likely need Young if it wants to leave Knoxville with a win. This is Tennessee’s biggest game in a long, long time. Not only has Tennessee lost 15 straight against Alabama, but a win here would put the Vols in the heart of the College Football Playoff race. To get to this point, Tennessee has used a potent offense led by senior quarterback Hendon Hooker. Can the Vols finally end their losing skid?
Time: 3:30 p.m TV: ABC | Line: TCU -4 | Total: 68.5
Oklahoma State and TCU are the lone undefeateds remaining in a deep Big 12 conference. Oklahoma State was expected to contend for the conference crown after playing in the title game last year. The Cowboys are scoring a ton of points this year, but the defense isn’t as strong as it was last fall, and they’ll face another big challenge Saturday in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs, led by first-year head coach Sonny Dykes, have gotten better as the weeks have gone on, especially on offense. It’s a big reason why TCU is 5-0 with wins over Oklahoma and a ranked Kansas team.
The story continues
Time: 19:30 | TV: ABC | Line: Clemson -3.5 | Total: 51
Is this trip to Florida State the toughest test of the season so far for Clemson? Certainly those who believe so. Clemson is just a 3.5-point favorite on the road at FSU. That’s the smallest point differential of the year for the Tigers, who could face a serious challenge from an FSU team with back-to-back losses. The Seminoles started the year 4-0 and climbed back into the Top 25 before losing 31-21 at home to Wake Forest and then blowing a 17-3 lead in last week’s 19-17 loss at NC State. Can FSU bounce back against an even better Clemson team?
Time: 8 p.m TV: Fox | Line: Utah -3.5 | Total: 65
The USC Lincoln Riley train keeps rolling. The Trojans are now 6-0 with a 4-0 mark in Pac-12 play so far in Riley’s first season with the program. But this week’s road trip to Salt Lake City may represent the Trojans’ toughest challenge yet. Utah is coming off a loss to UCLA last week. That makes this a big game for the Utes if they want to get back into the Pac-12 title race. Utah hasn’t been as strong as usual, but this team still has a lot of talent. That includes Cam Rising, one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country.