With the midway point of college football’s regular season to be ranked within the national rankings, Week 7 brings a blockbuster assortment of matchups. By late Saturday night, several teams — especially the top contenders in the Big Ten — should have a clearer picture of where they stand in the pecking order.
Facing USC in a game that could put the Nittany Lions in prime position to clinch a spot in the Big Ten title game, Week 1 of No. 4 Penn State hits the road for the first time. Teams traveling across multiple time zones for Big Ten battles have struggled this season, and the Trojans hope to continue the trend after seeing a 1-2 start to bounce back from conference action.
No. 2 Ohio State, the Buckeyes make the trek across the country as they take on No. 3 Oregon in the most anticipated matchup of the day. While Ohio State is favored, it enters a hostile environment as the Ducks host the Buckeyes for the first time since 1967.
Be sure to stay tuned to CBS Sports all Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff. Check out our expert picks for the best games in Week 7, with picks quoted from top sports betting apps.
East at all times
No. in South Carolina. 7 Alabama
Noon | ABC, Fubo (try it for free) — South Carolina doesn’t have the offensive weapons to pick apart Alabama like Vanderbilt, but the Gamecocks are very good defensively — especially if they have to be athletic enough to force Jalen Milrow to throw in the pocket. I actually expect this to be a pretty low-scoring game, and while South Carolina will have a big spread, Alabama should still pull out a comfortable win. Pick: South Carolina +21.5 via FanDuel — Will Backus
No. at USC. 4 Penn State
3:30 pm | CBS, Paramount+ with ShowtimeCBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — The biggest question heading into the season is how USC’s defense will perform. At the midway point, there are more questions surrounding Riley’s offense than a team that has shown flashes under first-year defensive coordinator De’Anton Lynn. Penn State and USC are two of the best passing defenses in the country, so this game will be about who can control the trenches and run the football better. Penn State has a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield with Nicholas Singleton and Caitron Allen, so the advantage in that department should go to the road team. Pick: Penn State -5.5 via DraftKings — Cameron Salerno
ok 1 Texas vs. ok 18 Oklahoma (Dallas)
3:30 pm | ABC, Fubo (try it for free) — Red River Rivalry is one of those matchups where you need to get the logs out. Granted, this is one of the tougher ones to do since Texas is coming in as a much higher-ranked team than Oklahoma, but stranger things happen in the Cotton Bowl. A win for Oklahoma would be huge for Brent Venables after a disappointing start to his third year. Taking care of business will help cement Texas as a serious national title contender. The Longhorns come away with the win, but two more touchdowns in a hotly contested game. Pick: Oklahoma +14.5 via BetMGM — Shehan Jayaraja
No. 13 LSU at No. 9 Ole Miss
7:30 pm | ABC, Fubo (try it for free) — The game is a back-and-forth fashion that creates chaos and mayhem to see which team can get the ball last. While Ole Miss was the statistically overpowered team, LSU should come out of the week with a strong focus on winning and what it takes to maintain its undefeated start in SEC play. In this series, the home team is 10-2 in the last 12 and the spread in nine of the last 10. It continues here. Pick: LSU +3.5 via Caesars — Chip Patterson
No. 2 Ohio State No. 3 in Oregon
7:30 p.m. NBC, Fubo (try it for free) — It was Ohio State’s first real test of the season. It’s the Buckeyes’ first game against a ranked opponent, and Audzen Stadium is a tough place to play. However, Ryan Day’s team fits this well. Oregon hasn’t exactly set the world on fire yet, and its offensive struggles are a big reason why. The Ducks’ offensive line has allowed seven sacks in the first two games, and even though they’re trailing, Ohio State has the best defensive front they’ll see all year. Oregon’s run game has struggled recently, but Ohio State has held three of its five opponents under 100 total yards rushing. This game will be close, and Ohio State will need to cover. Pick: Ohio State -3.5 via Fanatics Sportsbook — Backus
SportsLine’s proven computer model calls for 10 obvious upsets in Week 7 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them allAnd get a wide selection for each game from a model that simulates each game 10,000 times.
