College Football Picks Week 7: Odds, Score Predictions for Top 25 Teams
Don't look now, but the college football season is almost halfway over. Fans have already been given some quality, high-drama affairs as the rankings have seen plenty of changes since the season's first games.
Last week, five teams within the Associated Press Top 25 polls went down to ensure different-looking rankings heading into Week 7.
Let's take a look at the updated polls:
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| 1 | Ohio State | 6-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Baylor | 5-0 | 3 |
| 3 | TCU | 6-0 | 2 |
| 4 | Utah | 5-0 | 5 |
| 5 | Clemson | 5-0 | 6 |
| 6 | LSU | 5-0 | 7 |
| 7 | Michigan State | 6-0 | 4 |
| 8 | Florida | 6-0 | 11 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 5-0 | 9 |
| 10 | Alabama | 5-1 | 8 |
| 11 | Florida State | 5-0 | 12 |
| 12 | Michigan | 5-1 | 18 |
| 13 | Ole Miss | 5-1 | 14 |
| 14 | Notre Dame | 5-1 | 15 |
| 15 | Stanford | 4-1 | 16 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 6-0 | 21 |
| 17 | Iowa | 6-0 | 22 |
| 18 | UCLA | 4-1 | 20 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | 4-1 | 10 |
| 20 | Northwestern | 5-1 | 13 |
| 21 | Boise State | 5-1 | 25 |
| 22 | Toledo | 5-0 | 24 |
| 23 | California | 5-1 | 23 |
| 24 | Houston | 5-0 | Unranked |
| 25 | Duke | 5-1 | Unranked |
USC and Georgia crashed out of the polls this week after losses to Washington and Tennessee, respectively. Taking their places within the polls are undefeated Houston and Duke, whose one loss came in Week 3 to Northwestern, who at the time was ranked 23rd in the nation.
There was even some sinking within the Top Four as TCU's escape from Kansas State dropped it from second to third, while Michigan State's narrow win over Rutgers saw the Spartans lose a playoff spot and descend to seventh.
With another packed slate of games in Week 7, there's a good chance there is going to be even more movement in the polls come next week. Here is a look at the upcoming schedule, odds and who I think will win. All odds courtesy of OddsShark.com.
| Friday, Oct. 16 | |||
| No. 24 Houston at Tulane | 9 p.m. | HOU -16 | Houston 33-14 |
| No. 21 Boise State at Utah State | 9 p.m. | BSU -8.5 | Boise State 30-20 |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | |||
| Eastern Michigan at No. 22 Toledo | 12 p.m. | Toledo -28 | Toledo 38-10 |
| West Virginia at No. 2 Baylor | 12 p.m. | Baylor -18 | Baylor 48-35 |
| No. 17 Iowa at No. 20 Northwestern | 12 p.m. | Iowa -2.5 | Northwestern 28-24 |
| No. 13 Ole Miss at Memphis | 12 p.m. | Miss -10.5 | Ole Miss 34-17 |
| Louisville at No. 11 Florida State | 12 p.m. | FSU -9 | 28-13 |
| No. 10 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M | 3:30 p.m. | 'Bama -3 | Alabama 38-34 |
| No. 19 Oklahoma at Kansas State | 3:30 p.m. | OU -4 | Kansas State 31-28 |
| No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan | 3:30 p.m. | Michigan -7 | Michigan 27-21 |
| No. 8 Florida at No. 6 LSU | 7 p.m. | LSU -6.5 | LSU 34-23 |
| Boston College at No. 5 Clemson | 7 p.m. | CU -15.5 | Clemson 42-21 |
| No. 3 TCU at Iowa State | 7 p.m. | TCU -18 | TCU 53-28 |
| USC at No. 14 Notre Dame | 7:30 p.m. | ND -3 | Notre Dame 21-20 |
| Penn State at No. 1 Ohio State | 8 p.m. | OSU -17.5 | Ohio State 45-24 |
| Arizona State at No. 4 Utah | 10 p.m. | Utah -6.5 | Utah 28-21 |
Game of the Week
No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan
A few weeks back, it didn't seem like these two sides would be this close in the rankings. After Michigan's opening-week loss to Utah, it was out of the rankings, while Michigan State was vying for a playoff spot.
And while both teams have combined for 10 wins since, the Spartans' survival against Rutgers last week saw them drop from the fourth spot to just five ahead of the Wolverines.
Players and coaches are feeling the pressure of this interstate rivalry as this game, for the first time in years, holds drastic ramifications for each team's title hopes.
Michigan State linebacker Riley Bullough spoke with ESPN.com:
"It's kind of crazy in this state. You literally identify yourself as part of the blue and maize or the green and white. That's your identity, that's your everything.
"
Bullough's team is going to have to find a way to score off of the stout Michigan defense. It has not allowed a point in its last three games, outscoring its opponents 97-0. It wasn't against any pushover teams either. Two of those three games were against ranked sides at the time in No. 22 BYU and No. 13 Northwestern.
Wolverines defensive end Willie Harris talked about the defense with MLive.com's Brendan F. Quinn:
"It's all up to us. We go out there and play on Saturdays, so it's not always up to the coaches. Maybe (early in the year) the players came together and said we're going to play harder and this is the year when people don't expect much out of us, we've got a new coach and a lot of hype coming around him. But coach Harbaugh is not the one out there playing. We are. So we've got to step up as a unit.
"
The Wolverines will be attempting to defend one of the top quarterbacks in the nation in Michigan State's Connor Cook. The senior put up a season-high number of passing attempts (38), completions (23) and yards (357) last week, and will look to carry that into Week 7.
He knows what he'll be up against in the Wolverines defense, as he spoke with ESPN.com:
"For them to pitch three straight shutouts, that's hard to do in college football, doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter who you are playing. We're looking forward to going into there and playing against a defense like that, because you want to play against the best.
"
If Cook can carve his way through the Wolverines defense like he did against Rutgers, then Michigan State has a chance. But he is going to be under pressure against a Michigan defense that has recorded 15 sacks in its first six games.
The Spartans will be able to score, but they won't be able to get past the Wolverines.
Prediction: Michigan defeats Michigan State 27-21
Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
