Top five Week 7 college football games: TV info, predictions, start times

Just when things looked like chalk, Week 6 provided chaos yet to be seen in college football this season. Shockwaves coursed through the SEC as No. 1 Alabama (and the goalposts) fell at Vanderbilt while No. 4 Tennessee was upended at Arkansas. No. 9 Missouri appeared fraudulent after a beatdown at No. 25 Texas A&M and No. 10 Michigan stumbled at Washington.

It all set the stage for Week 7, which on paper appears to be one of the best weeks of the season. Buckle your seatbelts. Three Top 25 showdowns plus a slew of other quality games make this week can’t-miss television.

Here are the top five games of the week ranked in inverse order.

5. No. 18 Kansas State at Colorado | Saturday | 10:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

Those in the Eastern time zone will need to stay up late, but this is an old rivalry renewed that’s important in the Big 12 title race. Both teams have had a bye week to prepare and the K-State pass defense will have to be at its best for the Wildcats to win. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders ranks 10th in the nation with 1,630 yards passing. He has a stable of weapons, but none better than two-way star Travis Hunter (46 receptions, 561 yards, 6 TDs). Saturday is another opportunity for both stars to make a Heisman statement.

Prediction: Colorado rides the home crowd to an important win, 34-23.

4: No. 4 Penn State at USC | Saturday | 3:30 p.m. ET | CBS

USC has received a rude awakening to the Big Ten, taking a pair of losses in its first three conference games. It doesn’t get any easier on Saturday. Lincoln Riley’s team is desperate to find the win column and keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. To do so, the Trojans have to crack the code of the Penn State defense, which ranks fourth in the nation at just 233.2 yards allowed per game. 

Prediction: Penn State makes life difficult for USC quarterback Miller Moss and wins 28-13.

3. No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 13 LSU | Saturday | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC

Ole Miss bounced back last week at South Carolina after its first loss of the season, while LSU had its bye week. Saturday night under the lights in Baton Rouge is an intimidating place to be, and Ole Miss has struggled there mightily. The Rebels haven’t won in Tiger Stadium since 2008. Expect points in bunches and plenty of yards through the air. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has already surpassed the 2,100-yard mark while LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is at 1,652 yards. It could come down to offensive line play. Ole Miss has allowed 11 sacks. LSU has allowed only two.

Prediction: It’s a shootout as expected, but Ole Miss leaves with a 41-31 victory.

2. No. 1 Texas vs. No. 18 Oklahoma | Saturday | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC

The Red River Rivalry almost always delivers. Oklahoma has won seven of the last nine matchups, including last year’s. But nine of the last 11 games have been decided by eight points or less. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that quarterback Quinn Ewers could start Saturday. Ewers has missed the last two games with an abdominal injury. That’s a storyline to watch heading into Saturday. It may not matter who is under center for the Longhorns, though, considering how good Texas’ defense is. The Longhorns allow just 228.2 yards per game. That’s bad news for an Oklahoma offense that struggles to move the ball, averaging just 297.8 yards per game.

Prediction: Texas rolls, dominating Oklahoma from start to finish in a 34-10 win.

1. No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Oregon | Saturday | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC

The biggest showdown of the season to date in the Big Ten provides the first test of the season for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have cake-walked through their first five games of the season, winning by an average margin of 39 points. Oregon hasn’t always looked dominant en route to a 5-0 record, but has held its opponents to 14 points or less in four games. Ohio State spent big money on its roster and has championship-or-bust aspirations. Now’s the time to prove the money is worth it.

Prediction: The money is worth it and the expectations are valid. Ohio State wins 30-13.