Games of the Week: Week 7
J. Harris, Boston Mountain Publishing
Friday, October 14, 2022, 3:15 PM
Week 7 -
Top Matchups of the Weekend:
Preview and Predictions
Week 7 of the college football season is here, and it looks chaotic. We are going to witness two Top 10 matchups along with a Top 15 matchup all featuring undefeated squads. Along with high profile matchups, we are going to see teams like USC get their toughest test so far this season against Utah, along with finding out the legitimacy of Syracuse.
(10) Penn State 5-0 @ (5) Michigan 6-0 - 12/11:00 AM FOX
Top 10 matchup at 11 AM. Sign me up. The Big Ten is having their biggest game so far this season, kicking off tomorrow morning, Penn State is looking to upset the Michigan Wolverines who are favored in this matchup.
Michigan will be looking to get that offense going with one of the premier backs in the country in Blake Corum, but with the struggling pass offense that Michigan has, Penn State features one of the best run defenses in the country, and they like their odds. When Penn State Head Coach James Franklin was asked the question, do you think they can stop the Michigan run, he said this, “Yeah, I think we’re better equipped to do it from a personal standpoint, but I also think we’re better equipped to do it in terms of not getting away from the run and being one-dimensional. Kind of sticking with the plan.” via (WolverinesWire). Michigan looked slow in the previous week, and I think their undefeated season will come to an end because of Penn State's Top 10 run defense.
Prediction: Penn State
(3) Alabama 6-0 @ (6) Tennessee 5-0 - 3:30/2:30 PM CBS
The game of the week is going to be on CBS for a Top 10 thriller where the Vols will be hosting the Crimson Tide. The atmosphere of this game is going to be unmatched. If you're an Alabama fan and plan on attending this game I would sell my ticket, because the hatred between these two programs is unreal. Bryce Young will be back which is a great thing for the Tide after an almost devastating loss to Texas A&M last weekend. When Tennessee Coach Heupel was asked about Bryce Young being back and the challenges that he presents, coach said “Bryce has played at an elite level for a long time. Arm talent, being able to be accurate with the football, and a great decision maker back there. The X-factor for him is his ability to move, extend and make plays outside of the pocket and inside the pocket. He does a good job of finding the soft spot in the pocket. When he escapes, he is a thrower first and finds guys if you don’t match them out when you are in zone coverage, and then has the ability to tuck it and make big plays too. He has the ability to put and apply pressure to you in all ways.” via (99.1 the Sports Animal). With Alabama not having faced a high-powered offense like the Volunteers, I expect to see some struggles, but Alabama has a winning culture, and they are going to play with something to prove to the college football world this weekend.
Prediction: Alabama
(8) Oklahoma State 5-0 @ (13) TCU 5-0 - 3:30/2:30 PM ABC
In the final undefeated matchup between two ranked teams, we will be watching Oklahoma State go on the road to Fort Worth and take on the Horned Frogs. TCU features one of the best defenses in the Big 12. After a huge win on the road last week in Lawrence, Kansas, will TCU be able to continue their success in a huge game like this? This should be a showdown between some great offenses, and Oklahoma States ranks nationally among the best. Dominick Richard, Oklahoma State running back was said, "This is something to look forward to. TCU has always been a good defensive team, but our offense is showing out this year. We're looking forward to this game. It's two big teams that are undefeated going against each other, and we're ready for it." The winner of this game will create a nice cushion in the Big 12 championship race and get their name in true contention for the college football playoff, so this is a big one.
Prediction: TCU
(15) NC State 5-1 @ (18) Syracuse 5-0 - 3:30/2:30 PM ACC Network
Syracuse is looking really dangerous so far this season beating some solid teams like Purdue and Louisville. They can easily scare the Wolfpack this weekend with their balanced offensive play style and their aggressive defensive play. If Syracuse can win this game, they can really put a big highlight on their next upcoming matchup which will be against the Clemson Tigers which would be a huge game next week with a win here. NC State still has a lot to play for as a one loss team. If they can run the table and get in the conference championship who knows what can happen. The reason we all love college sports is for the atmospheres and the craziness and all of that can happen with this game.
Prediction: NC State
(7) USC 6-0 @ (20) Utah 4-2 - 8/7:00 PM FOX
USC has one of the most talented rosters in the country, but they haven't necessarily been impressive and fully put their opponents away. With a good team like Utah, if USC allows the Utes to hang around, this could be really close and has potential to be the biggest upset yet this year. When Utah quarterback Cam Rising was asked about the game he said “you've just got to have unwavering belief in everything we're doing. The only thing that matters is what's going on inside the building and focusing on that. Just need to take it one rep at a time, focus on getting better and being ready to go for this weekend." With that being said, if Utah can play this game one rep at a time, not worry about the scoreboard, they should have a legitimate shot to pull this off. For USC, the goal should be to run up that scoreboard using their offensive weapons. For some reason they just haven't under their new coach Lincoln Riley, but if they want to be considered real contenders, they need to put more points on the board.
Prediction: USC
Check out this week's team rankings here:
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