Week 7 of college football features marquee matchups from coast to coast, with playoff hopes and conference races at stake. A number of matchups could bring more chaos to the AP Top 25 poll after two wild weekends.
Alabama heads to Missouri in a ranked matchup headlining SEC play. The Crimson Tide hopes to keep momentum rolling against Missouri and the nation’s top rusher, Ahmad Hardy.
In the Big Ten, Oregon hosts Indiana in an electric quarterback matchup featuring Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza. Ohio State will face its biggest test in weeks at Illinois.
Top games to watch
— No. 1 Ohio State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) at No. 17 Illinois (5-1, 2-1). This should be Ohio State’s biggest test since Week 1 against then-No. 1 Texas but the Buckeyes are heavily favored because of their high-powered offense and stout defense. Illinois bounced back from a blowout loss to Indiana with back-to-back wins against USC and Purdue. A win here strengthens Illinois’ case for a CFP bid. BetMGM Sportsbook: Ohio State by 14.5 points.
— No. 7 Indiana (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0, 2-0). It’s the best quarterback matchup of the week. Indiana’s Mendoza and Oregon’s Moore are both very much in the Heisman conversaton. This game features two of the three teams that rank in the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. BetMGM Sportsbook: Oregon by 7.
— No. 8 Alabama (4-1, 1-0 SEC) at No. 14 Missouri (5-0, 1-0). Alabama has won four straight, including Georgia and Vanderbilt the past two weeks. Slowing Hardy, the FBS leader in rushing yards (730), will be key for Alabama’s defense, which ranks 87th in rushing yards allowed (155.4 per game). The Crimson Tide have won six of the eight matchups against Missouri, last delivering a 34-0 win in Oct. 2024. BetMGM Sportsbook: Alabama by 3.
The undercard
— No. 6 Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. Texas (3-2, 0-1). The Red River Rivalry game is a big one for both teams. Suddenly unranked, Texas has the opportunity for a marquee win to keep any faint playoff hopes alive and Oklahoma has its sights set on both SEC and national titles. The Sooners could have quarterback John Mateer back from hand surgery. He was upgraded to probable late this week. BetMGM Sportsbook: Oklahoma by 1.
Noteworthy rematch
— No. 15 Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) at USC (4-1, 2-1). USC’s game plan will involve getting the ball to Makai Lemon, who has 589 receiving yards, the second-most in the FBS. Michigan RB Justice Haynes had two touchdowns and 117 rushing yards last week. The winner will be 5-1, with three wins in the Big Ten and in the discussion for the postseason. BetMGM Sportsbook: USC by 2.5.
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