The top 10 college football games of Week 7: Ohio State-Oregon, Ole Miss-LSU, Red River and more
Last Saturday I was waiting in line at the bar at a family wedding when I noticed another guest checking his gambling app. When I asked how he was doing, he grumbled about Alabama, well, to bullyhis parody.
Week 6’s seemingly lackluster slate instead demonstrated why there are no bad college weekends, as many have noted in the days since. It was also a reminder not to dismiss a matchup based solely on the size of the betting line, especially in conference play (Alabama was a 23.5-point favorite over Vanderbilt). In an NFL-dominant landscape where double-digit favorites are rare, it’s easy to forget how fickle those wide spreads can be in college football. Until Alabama ruins your conversation.
Let’s rank the top 10 games of Week 7, starting with honorable mentions and counting down.
Honorable mention: Washington at Iowa, Wisconsin at Rutgers, Cincinnati at UCF, Stanford at No. 11 Notre Dame, Louisville at Virginia, Memphis at USF, Arizona at No. 14 BYU, Florida at No. 8 Tennessee, Vanderbilt at Kentucky
(All point spreads are from BetMGM; click here for live odds. Stream college football on fubo. All kickoff times are Eastern and on Saturday unless otherwise noted.)
10. Cal (3-2) at No. 22 Pitt (5-0), 3:30 p.m., FuboESPN
Show some respect for the Pitt Panthers, who entered the Top 25 this week and are 5-0 for the first time since 1991. Quarterback Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, appears to be one of the best portal activities this season. He is eighth in the FBS with 313.4 passing yards per game and the first Pitt QB to win his first five starts since Dan Marino in 1979. Add to that transfer running back Desmond Reid and first-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell, and the new offense has made Pitt one of the first surprises of 2024. Cal and the Calgorithm are making a cross-country trek to recover from the high-to-low swing of last Saturday’s “College GameDay” atmosphere and late-night collapse against Miami.
GO DEEPER
What is ‘Calgorithm?’ Cal football fans bask in the spotlight of satirical, self-aware social media
Line: Pit -3
9. No. 17 Boise State (4-1) at Hawaii (2-3), 11 p.m., FuboCBS Sports Network
Ashton Jeanty is reason enough to tune into Boise State. The running back and Heisman hopeful leads the FBS with 1,031 rushing yards – 260 more than the closest player – and 16 rushing touchdowns, averaging 10.9 yards per carry. That’s in addition to the Broncos being in pole position among the Group of 5 programs for a Playoff berth. Boise’s offense ranks third in the FBS at 8 yards per play (the equivalent of an insufficient handoff to Jeanty) and first at 50.6 points per game. That should be more than enough to handle a Hawaii team that has yet to earn an FBS win, although the Rainbow Warriors have been respectable on defense. And with a bye week followed by a trip to UNLV on the horizon, the Broncos can’t afford to look ahead.
Line: Boise State -20.5
8. No. 16 Utah (4-1) at Arizona State (4-1), Friday, 10:30 PM, FuboESPN
Not to be confused with the other Big 12 game featuring a ranked Utah team against an Arizona team, but this one gets the nod on our list. The Utes, preseason favorites in the Big 12, will try to avoid a second conference loss against the surprisingly feisty Sun Devils, a team defying its last ranking in the preseason poll. The never-ending Cam Rising injury saga also continues, with Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham once again non-committal on the quarterback’s status for Saturday. The Big 12 race is already looking like the pitch everyone expected, but two losses this early would put a real dent in Utah’s conference title aspirations.
Line: Utah -5.5
7. South Carolina (3-2) at No. 7 Alabama (4-1), noon, FuboABC
Big moment for the Tide. How will they react to the loss at Vanderbilt at home against very hot and cold South Carolina? The Gamecocks beat Kentucky, should have beaten LSU and managed just three points at home against Ole Miss last Saturday. But this is all about a humiliated Alabama, with a defense that has been shattered since halftime of the game against Georgia. Losing Vanderbilt not only put Alabama on notice, but it will also instill a level of confidence in every other team they face this season — the kind of confidence usually lacking from opponents when Nick Saban was on the sidelines. Kalen DeBoer’s squad has Tennessee and Missouri waiting on the other side, but the team must first prove it can weather the criticism and bounce back.
Line: Alabama -21.5
6. No. 18 Kansas State (4-1) at Colorado (4-1), 10:15 p.m., FuboESPN
A big prime-time television window for Colorado against a ranked opponent that is sure to draw significant viewership – be prepared for something wild to happen. Both teams say goodbye weeks before Kansas State pulled off a big win in the best performance of quarterback Avery Johnson’s young career, and the Buffs played perhaps their best all-around game of the Deion Sanders era. This match is another crucial one for the Big 12 race; Like Utah, the Wildcats must avoid a second conference loss, while a win would establish Colorado as a legitimate contender for the league crown. And if recent history is any indication, expect Travis Hunter to do something to polish his Heisman resume.
Line: Kansas State -3.5
5. No. 11 Iowa State (5-0) at West Virginia (3-2), 8 p.m., FuboFox
Iowa State is quietly on the cusp of a top-10 ranking and is handling things in a workmanlike manner, while chaos reigns elsewhere. The Cyclones have tended to lean on defense under Matt Campbell, and this year’s unit is once again one of the best in the country. But a balanced offense elevates this team into Playoff contention, led by steady redshirt sophomore Rocco Becht at quarterback and a pair of game-changing receivers in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. West Virginia will look to play a week of disruptor after rushing for nearly 400 yards against Oklahoma State — and while wearing new black alternate uniforms for the program’s first-ever Coal Rush game.
Line: Iowa State -3
4. No. 4 Penn State (5-0) at USC (3-2), 3:30 p.m., FuboCBS
This feels like a huge prove-it game for both teams. USC fell out of the Top 25 after the loss to Minnesota, but if Penn State is able to cruise across the country and pick up a win against a top opponent, it will be a boost to that top five ranking and the Big Ten’s team. opportunities, with Ohio State the only currently ranked opponent left on the schedule at home. For the Trojans, a third loss would essentially foreshadow their season and put Lincoln Riley under the microscope. Still, a top-five win keeps Playoff hopes alive, with Notre Dame set to end the regular season but no Ohio State or Oregon (or Indiana!) in the competition.
Line: Penn State-4
3. No. 9 Ole Miss (5-1) at No. 13 LSU (4-1), 7:30 p.m., FuboABC
Could be a barn burner: Both offenses rank in the top 20 nationally in yards per play. However, Ole Miss hasn’t been nearly as efficient over the past two games. He went a combined 4-for-23 on third down in the loss to Kentucky and the win over South Carolina, running the ball just 3.3 yards straight. two games. The Rebels must rediscover that top gear in what will be a loud Tiger Stadium. Other than a narrow escape at South Carolina, LSU hasn’t been tested too much after its season-opening loss to USC and could use a quality win. The winners here get to stay in the upper echelons of SEC and Playoff Contenders for another week, while the losers get kicked to the Pretenders bin.
Line: Ole ma’am -3
2. No. 1 Texas (5-0) vs. No. 18 Oklahoma (4-1), 3:30 p.m. FuboABC
It took a top-five showdown to keep the Red River rivalry out of first place, but this matchup has rarely disappointed in recent years. Nine of the last 11 meetings, including the 2018 Big 12 Championship, have been decided by one score, although Oklahoma has won eight of those 11, including a quadruple overtime victory in 2020 and last year’s last-minute win. The two will face off in Dallas for the 120th rendition of the rivalry and first as SEC foes. Quinn Ewers is back at quarterback for Texas after missing two-plus games, and his experience could be vital against an aggressive Sooners defense and the league-leading plus-eight turnover margin.
GO DEEPER
Texas starts Quinn Ewers vs. Oklahoma
Line: Texas -14.5
1. No. 2 Ohio State (5-0) and No. 3 Oregon (5-0), 7:30 p.m., FuboNBC
Our last top-five matchup was the instant classic Georgia-at-Alabama a few weeks ago, so this game has a lot to live up to. Oregon and Ohio State will compete as conference opponents for the first time after the Ducks won the most recent tilt in Columbus in 2021, the program’s only victory over the Buckeyes in 10 tries. There are major implications for the Big Ten and the CFP in what should be a much-needed litmus test for both. Ohio State has slid to a 5-0 start, with Marshall scoring the most points against the Buckeyes all season with 14. Oregon’s run hasn’t been as smooth, including a last-second win over Boise State. The offense has played better lately, but is still below the high level the Ducks set last season. Saturday should provide answers to the question of whether Ohio State has the edge in the Big Ten, or whether Oregon is a legitimate national title contender.
Line: Ohio State -3.5
(Photo of Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson: Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
