College Football Odds Week 7: Picks Against the Spread and Score Predictions
This Saturday is set to be a big one in the college football world. That's because quite a few of the top teams in the country will be tested with challenging matchups against strong opponents, including two of the top five schools in the AP Top 25 poll.
No. 3 Alabama will be going on the road to take on No. 6 Tennessee, while No. 5 Michigan is set to host No. 10 Penn State. Those are two of the six Week 7 contests that will feature a pair of ranked teams facing off.
The Crimson Tide fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the poll this week after their narrow victory over Texas A&M last Saturday. But if they put together an impressive performance against the Vols, perhaps they could jump back ahead of No. 1 Georgia (hosting Vanderbilt) and/or No. 2 Ohio State (bye week).
Here's a look at this week's full schedule for ranked teams, along with odds, per DraftKings, and picks for each matchup.
Week 7 Top 25 Schedule, Picks
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Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan (-7), noon ET, Fox
Auburn at No. 9 Ole Miss (-14.5), noon ET, ESPN
No. 19 Kansas at Oklahoma (-9), noon ET, ESPN2
Iowa State at No. 22 Texas (-16.5), noon ET, ABC
Minnesota (-6.5) at No. 24 Illinois, noon ET, Big Ten Network
Vanderbilt at No. 1 Georgia (-38.5), 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
No. 3 Alabama (-7) at No. 6 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU (-4), 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 15 NC State at No. 18 Syracuse (-3.5), 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network
No. 25 James Madison (-12) at Georgia Southern, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN+
No. 4 Clemson (-3.5) at Florida State, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
No. 16 Mississippi State (-4.5) at No. 22 Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
No. 7 USC at No. 20 Utah (-3.5), 8 p.m. ET, Fox
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Picks in bold against the spread.
Alabama Will Win by More Than a TD on The Road
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The biggest question mark surrounding Alabama heading into this marquee SEC matchup at Tennessee is the status of quarterback Bryce Young. The junior missed the Crimson Tide's 24-20 win over Texas A&M last week, as freshman Jalen Milroe started at QB and helped lead them to victory.
During Wednesday's SEC teleconference, Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Young has been on a "pitch count" at practice while starting to get worked back into practice, per AL.com's Michael Casagrande. But it isn't too clear yet whether Young could be ready in time for Saturday's game.
Either way, the Crimson Tide should beat the Vols, and they should cover the seven-point spread while doing so. That's because Tennessee will likely struggle to contain Alabama junior running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has rushed for 360 yards over the past two weeks.
The Vols are much better than they've been in recent years, but they're not quite at the talent level of the Tide. Even if Young is out again, Alabama has enough playmakers on both sides of the ball to remain undefeated.
Prediction: Alabama 31, Tennessee 21
Michigan Should Pull Away Late from Penn State
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Michigan hasn't faced any ranked teams during its 6-0 start, and it hasn't been tested too much. The Wolverines have won five of their first six games by 13 or more points, as their closest game thus far was a 34-27 win over Maryland on Sept. 24.
Penn State is 5-0, but it also hasn't faced many challenging opponents. Although the Nittany Lions haven't played any ranked teams, their two Big Ten matchups (against Purdue and Northwestern) were each decided by 10 or fewer points.
So while this week's Michigan-Penn State tilt could be competitive early, it shouldn't stay that way. And that's because the Wolverines are an overall stronger team.
Michigan junior running back Blake Corum is having an impressive season, as he's rushed for 735 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games. Expect the Wolverines to get the ball in his hands quite a bit, and they'll lean on him to pull away from the Nittany Lions in the second half, easily covering the seven-point spread.
Prediction: Michigan 35, Penn State 21
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USC Will Make Statement with Road Win
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USC continues to find ways to win Pac-12 games early in the season. The Trojans have jumped out to a 6-0 start, with four of those victories coming against conference rivals. They've defeated Stanford, Oregon State, Arizona State and Washington State.
But none of those teams are as strong as Utah, which will be USC's most challenging opponent yet. Although the Utes are 4-2 (having lost road games against Florida and UCLA), they should give the Trojans a competitive game on Saturday, which is why they're 3.5-point favorites at home.
That's why bettors should go with USC this week, given it has those extra 3.5 points. However, some may want to bet the Trojans moneyline, as they should be talented enough to go on the road and take down Utah.
Even though USC may not be dominating opponents, it has a solid team, especially with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams (1,590 yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception) playing so well. So bet on the Trojans to remain undefeated and prove that they're a top-tier Pac-12 team this season.
Prediction: USC 34, Utah 26
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