Get your popcorn ready for a massive Week 7 slate of college football. We’ve got some big-time matchups this week, and it all starts with Ohio State traveling to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers.
There are a few top-25 ranked matchups in the SEC as Missouri faces Ole Miss and LSU will take on Mississippi State. And then ‘ESPN College GameDay’ will be in Provo for the undefeated showdown between Notre Dame vs. BYU.
Here are some bold predictions for the Week 7 slate.
MORE: College football Week 7 upset watch: Missouri, UMass, Kansas push favorites
Notre Dame OR Ohio State’s seat at the playoff becomes a little blurred
The College Football Playoff is expected to be expanded to 24 teams starting next season, which means teams will get in with three, maybe four losses. But this season, two losses should be the max to get into the 12-team field.
Ohio State already has one loss, coming to Texas in Week 2. A loss to Indiana this weekend will give the Buckeyes two, and Ohio State still has to play USC, Oregon, Northwestern, and Michigan. None of those games will be guaranteed wins and despite the Buckeyes being a top team in the country, it would be hard for the committee to get a three-loss Ohio State team into the playoff.
It’s a crucial week for the Buckeyes, as it is for Notre Dame. The Irish are undefeated, but all eyes will be on BYU to see if it can upset Notre Dame during primetime football on Saturday. The Irish do get an automatic bid if they are ranked inside the top-12 on selection day, but a loss to BYU will raise some eyebrows.
Notre Dame will play both Miami and SMU this season, and a loss to BYU will put a lot of pressure on Marcus Freeman to not mess up anymore this season. There are a lot of implications this week.
Oklahoma is suddenly back in the SEC race after top-15 win
Don’t look now, but Oklahoma could make a lot of noise this weekend with a win over Kentucky. The Wildcats have won two games in a row in overtime over South Carolina and LSU, but Will Stein’s team will take a trip to Oklahoma.
The Sooners have some major momentum after upsetting Texas in the Red River Rivalry, and now the Sooners suddenly control their own fate. Oklahoma’s schedule sets up nicely, missing Alabama, and already facing Georgia earlier in the season.
If Oklahoma can take down Kentucky this weekend, the Sooners’ toughest games will come at the end of the season, vs. Ole Miss and at Missouri. Oklahoma plays great defense and if John Mateer can take that next step, the Sooners could become a force to compete with.
Dylan Raiola’s career comes full circle
Dante Moore will miss another game after suffering a concussion against USC, and Oregon has to win this weekend at home against Nebraska. The Ducks suffered a home loss last weekend to UCLA and Dylan Raiola was benched during it.
Dan Lanning said there would be a quarterback competition, but with the Ducks hosting Nebraska and Raiola being the more talented signal caller, expect him to draw the start.
Raiola’s career at Nebraska was quite shaky, and he opted to sit behind Moore for a season to learn before earning the starting nod next season. After seeing Raiola turn the ball over three times last weekend, his confidence might be shot.
Nebraska would love to come into Eugene and take down its former starting quarterback. Don’t forget, the Huskers had every opportunity to beat Indiana last weekend. Nebraska is a good team, and Raiola’s career could come full circle after suffering losses as the Huskers’ starting quarterback by losing against his former team.
First head coach gets his pink slip
It’s Week 7 of the college football season and most teams have played over 50% of their games. There are a lot of disappointing teams, and a lot of coaches who were already on the hot seat aren’t helping their case.
Eyes are on both Maryland head coach Mike Locksley and Florida State head coach Mike Norvell. The Terrapins (2-4) are hosting the lowly Rutgers Scarlet Knights. We’ve seen Rutgers give USC all it wanted earlier this season, and an upset win over Maryland isn’t off the table.
The Terrapins have done nothing but lose under Locksley, and a loss against Rutgers might seal his fate.
And it seems like a matter of time before Norvell is gone as FSU’s head coach. The Seminoles have actually played a lot better this season, but the fact is they are 3-3 and will play rival Miami this weekend. The Seminoles are looking for the right time to move on from Norvell and if the ‘Canes blow out Florida State, it could be this week.
—Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —