With week seven about to start, the season is in full swing and the conference outlooks are starting to shape together. There are a few games this week that can decide the top teams in each conference. There are also many games with upset potential. The impact of many of these games will be felt when the playoff is selected and major bowl game matches are decided on.

Texas Tech at TCU

Analysis:

(Is this game a rivalry I legitimately do not know) Both of these teams come into this game 3-2 off of a bye week. TCU has two losses against good teams in Ohio State and Texas (I love calling Texas a very good team). Their defense is solid and is something that has become a staple for any TCU team. TCU will need to attack Texas Tech’s defense. TCU has a strong rushing attack led by Darius Anderson, Sewo Olonilua, and quarterback Shawn Robinson. Robinson will also need to do better as a passing threat. TCU’s corners will be tested in this game. Texas Tech was last seen having a failed comeback against West Virginia. Thankfully for Texas Tech, Alan Bowman is expected to return from suffering a collapsed lung in the West Virginia game. Texas Tech will need to be able to run the ball more effectively than they did against West Virginia where Demarcus Felton only rushed for 12 yards. Defensively, Texas Tech will need to be able to stop the run and force Shawn Robinson beat them with his arm.

Prediction:

TCU wins 34-31 in a pretty offense heavy game.

Minnesota at Ohio State

Analysis:

Minnesota sits at 3-2 after starting the season off 3-0. The Golden Gophers have had a spell of bad play the last couple of weeks in their losses to Maryland and Iowa. Their defense looks noticeably worse with the absence of Antione Winfield Jr as they put up a combined 90 points in the last two games. True freshman quarterback Zack Annexstad has shown flashes, but still has a lot of room to grow. Their offensive line got abused against Iowa causing true freshman and mountain of a man Daniel Faalele will start at right tackle after poor play on the offensive line (the dude is 6’9” and weighs 400). This team may not sounds great, but they will gear up for this game. PJ Fleck knows how to motivate a team, and Minnesota will come out with some intensity. Ohio State took care of Indiana in a game where it was close for longer than I would have expected. Dwayne Haskins is still someone who can be a Heisman finalist at the end of the year. Ohio State has one of the most talented offenses in the country. What concerns me is their defense. They allowed 322 passing yards against Indiana. I still do not fully trust this defense without Nick Bosa. That being said, Ohio State should stroll to an easy victory.

Prediction:

Ohio State wins 41-17. Minnesota is plucky but still can not hang with Ohio State.

Washington at Oregon

Analysis:

This will be a prime opportunity for rebound for Mario Cristobal (I seriously typed Willie Taggart and did not realize my mistake until embarrassingly late) The last game they played at Autzen Stadium was a heartbreaking loss to Stanford where the Ducks had plenty of opportunities to win. Oregon also had a bye week to prepare for this game. While they may not even be favored in this game, they will face a lot of pressure to win. Justin Herbert will be tested against a very strong secondary. Receiver Dillon Mitchell, who has emerged as Herbert’s number one target, will need a big game. The success of the passing game will be essential for Oregon. Defensively, they will need to focus on slowing down Myles Gaskin as he has been the primary source of offense for the Huskies. That task will rely the most on linebacker Troy Dye and defensive end Jalen Jelks. While Washington has not lost since their opener against Auburn, they still seem like they have not kicked it into high gear yet, and this is a major concern for me. They struggled to win by seven points last week against a winless UCLA team. Offensively, Myles Gaskin must keep his current form and take the pressure off of Jake Browning. The biggest responsibility for the Huskies will be to slow down Justin Herbert. That responsibility will rest on the shoulders of defensive backs Taylor Rapp, Myles Bryant, and JoJo McIntosh. This game will be very high stakes for each team as Oregon wants to regain their elite status in college football, and Washington will want to keep theirs

Prediction:

Oregon gets the upset as Washington’s poor form comes back to bite them 28-27.

Georgia at LSU

Analysis:

LSU is looking to bounce back this week after dropping their last game to Florida. Joe Burrow could not get things going through the air, and the offensive line was of no help as he was sacked five times. Defensively, they allowed Florida to run on them, and gave up 13 points in the fourth quarter. This is not a mistake they can repeat against Georgia, who has more talent offensively. LSU will need to get penetration on Georgia’s very talented offensive line. Offensively, Nick Brossette needs to get going quickly for the Tigers. Georgia comes into this game undefeated and has yet to win a game by less than two touchdowns. One of the keys to victory for Georgia will be throwing on Greedy Williams, Grant Delpit, and LSU’s secondary. Not only will Jake Fromm need a good day throwing the ball, but his receivers will need to help him out as well. Terry Godwin and Riley Ridley need to run their routes well and create separation. Defensively they need to stop LSU’s rushing attack and force Joe Burrow into throwing it down the field.

Prediction:

Georgia wins 28-16. LSU just gets stifled by Georgia’s defense.

Baylor at Texas

Analysis:

Baylor won a thrilling game against Kansas State last week to boost their record to 4-2 on the season. Baylor was led by the multifaceted talents of Jalen Hurd, and Denzel Mims’s playmaking at receiver (his tipped catch might be the catch of the year). Texas has a good defensive backfield, and Charlie Brewer needs to be able to get the ball in the hands of those receivers. Trestan Ebner had 100 yards rushing against Kansas State and that kind of performance will be very nice to have again this week. Defensively, they can not let Texas’s offense grind them to dust like Oklahoma did. Texas comes into this game wining the biggest game for their program in recent memory. Sam Ehlinger has emerged a great passer and runner at quarterback, and his days of throwing dumb interceptions seem to be behind him. Keaontay Ingram is a beast at running back who almost never goes down on initial contact. Collin Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey have become one of the nation’s top receiver duos (can you tell that I am still riding the high of the Red River Shootout). What Texas needs to be ready for is Baylor’s receiving corps. Jalen Hurd and Denzel Mims are both very good receivers. Leaving receivers open was something that concerned me about Texas when they played Oklahoma. PJ Locke, Caden Sterns, and Brandon Jones need to play well in coverage. Tom Herman also needs to get this team to play like they did against Oklahoma. Tom Herman’s Teams always play up or down to their competition, and Texas needs to drop that habit. If they can do both of those things, this should be an easy win.

Prediction:

Texas wins 31-20 in a game where Baylor just never fully goes away.

UCF at Memphis

Analysis:

This game is a rematch of the 20-7 AAC Championship Game that UCF won 62-55 in double overtime. UCF is 5-0 on the season and has yet to play a game decided by fewer than 20 points. UCF has a high scoring offense led by quarterback McKenzie Milton. Adrian Killins has stepped up as a reliable part of the offense with 113 rushing yards last week against SMU. What UCF will need to do is slow down Memphis’s offense, which has scored over 50 points four times. Memphis is 4-0 when they score over 50, and 0-2 when they do not. UCF needs to get some stops on defense to keep their offense going and take the pressure off them. Memphis is coming off of a 55-14 thrashing of Connecticut. Memphis boasts a high powered offense led by running back Darrell Henderson. Henderson already has 934 yards rushing on the season and is Tigers primary player on offense. Quarterback Brady White is efficient, completing 69% of his passes, and has only thrown one interception this season. What Memphis needs is a big offensive game and for their defense to make enough stops to keep their offense going.

Prediction:

UCF wins a shootout 45-38.

Michigan State at Penn State

Analysis:

Michigan State has not quite lived up to the hype this season. The Spartans are 3-2 and still have yet to get their offense going. Brian Lewerke has not quite lived up to the hype at quarterback, and they have not gotten anything from the run game in recent weeks. This offense needs to improve if they want a chance in this game. Defensively, the Spartans only allowed 10 rushing yards and had two interceptions. This kind of performance, or one even better will be needed for the Spartans to win. Trace McSorley will not be afraid to challenge their defensive backs, and Michigan State’s secondary needs to punish him when he attempts to. Penn State will play for the first time since their heartbreaking loss against Ohio State. Thankfully for Penn State, they will face a step down in terms of competition. Trace McSorley has 461 yards passing and rushing against Ohio State (it might have eclipsed 500 if it was not for getting sacked four times) and will punish Michigan State’s defense if they are not ready for him. Miles Sanders had only 43 rushing yards, but that was partly due to McSorley’s dominance. The one concern I have for Penn State is that their defense can be a liability at times when it comes to making stops in high pressure situations. If they can overcome this, it will be an easy win.

Prediction:

Penn State wins 31-20 in a game where Michigan State sticks around until late.

Miami at Virginia

Analysis:

Virginia is 3-2 on the season and looks to be no slouch. Their last game was a competitive loss to North Carolina State two weeks ago. While he is inconsistent at times as a thrower, Bryce Perkins does have a solid arm and is capable of making plays with his legs. Olamide Zaccheaus (great name) is a great pass catching back. Bryce Perkins throwing into Miami’s defense that is known for creating turnovers does scare me. Virginia can counteract that by establishing the run game, and doing the same to Miami quarterback N’Kosi Perry. Miami come into this game after having a bad day in what was still a 28-27 win over Florida State. They played sound defense in the second half and were able to come up with a win. While N’Kosi Perry was not very accurate, he made his completions count, throwing for 15 yards per competition and four touchdowns. Jeff Thomas is a very dangerous weapon at receiver that commands attention from defensive backs. Defensively they had six sacks and an interception. Miami just needs keep setting up the offense for success by putting them in good field position.

Prediction:

Miami wins this game 28-20. Miami has at least one defensive touchdown.

Missouri at Alabama

Analysis:

If you do not know that Alabama has been massacring all of their opponents this season, then you likely are just an Auburn fan in denial. Alabama’s offense is one of the best units in the country, and Tua Tagovailoa is one of the best quarterbacks in the country as well. Tua is complimented by a great backfield duo in Damien Harris and Najee Harris. They also have many talented receivers, and even have Irv Smith Jr, who is a talented tight end/fullback. Alabama’s biggest concern for this game is stopping Drew Lock. Alabama has a tendency in recent years to lose to quarterbacks who are fearless in throwing at their defense. Drew Lock fits into that, and will not be afraid to throw into the teeth of Alabama’s defense. This is more worrisome because Trevon Diggs was just ruled out for the season due to injury. Missouri is coming off of their second straight loss. Against South Carolina, they came up just short in a game dominated by bad weather. Drew Lock has a bad day, and Missouri suffered because of it. Lock will need to pick up his performance this week. Also Missouri must find some way to stop Alabama’s offense. They had just one sack, and no interceptions against South Carolina’s backup quarterback and that will not come close to cutting it against Alabama. While the upset is possible, it is not likely.

Prediction:

Alabama wins 52-31. Missouri puts up a bit of a fight.

West Virginia at Iowa State

Analysis:

West Virginia currently sits at 5-0, but the are cracks showing. Will Grier three three interceptions on top of being sacked five times against Kansas last week. It was a sloppy game for the Mountaineers that they may have lost if they played against a better opponent. They need a better performance this week as they travel to Iowa State, a place that does not take too kindly to highly ranked visitors. If Grier can have time to throw, this game will go much better. Defensively, West Virginia needs to find a way to slow down David Montgomery if he plays, as well as their Iowa State’s new quarterback, Brock Purdy, on the ground. Defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow and linebacker David Long will be relied upon to do that. Iowa State is 2-3 but all of their losses have been against good teams. Unfortunately for them, West Virginia is definitely a good team. With Kyle Kempt listed as doubtful, it looks like true freshman quarterback Brock Purdy will get the nod. Purdy entered the game on Saturday and instantly made a splash, with over 400 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. With David Montgomery listed as questionable, Purdy will have a bigger weight to carry, and may be relied upon to recreate his performance against Oklahoma State last week. Defensively, they need to find a way to rattle Will Grier. They had seven sacks last week, and more of the same will be a huge benefit in Saturday’s game. While West Virginia looks like the better team, Iowa State can not be taken lightly.

Prediction:

Because I feel gutsy, I say Iowa State takes the upset 34-31. I may regret this.

Wisconsin at Michigan

Analysis:

This game features two teams that are desperately trying to hang on to their status in the list of top programs in the Big 10. Wisconsin is 4-1, but played a pretty sloppy game against Nebraska last week. Jonathan Taylor was their main source of offense with 221 yards on the ground. Wisconsin’s offensive line, led by NFL bound David Edwards and Beau Benzschawel, will need to block for Taylor against Michigan’s stellar defensive line. If Taylor can have an easy way to get yards, the game will be much easier for Wisconsin. Michigan has looked much improved since their opening loss against Notre Dame. Shea Patterson was good at quarterback last week, and Karan Higdon is emerging as an elite running back. Michigan’s offensive line also looks improved. Defensively, there are concerns as Aubrey Solomon is listed as questionable. On the bright side, Rashan Gary is likely to play, which will be huge for playing against a top tier offensive line like Wisconsin’s. Michigan needs to slow down Jonathan Taylor and force Alex Hornibrook to beat them with his arm. If they can do that, and get some points on offense, Michigan should walk away with a win.

Prediction:

Michigan wins 21-17. This game features a lot of battles in the trenches and running the ball at the other team.

Colorado at USC

Analysis:

This game may very well decide the winner of the Pac 12 South. USC is coming off of a bye and is 3-2 on the season, both losses are against very good teams (guys this is so cool that I can call Texas a very good team). USC’s running game had me concerned, but Aca’Cedric Ware rushed for 173 yards in their last game against Arizona. If they can get their run game going, it will also take some of the pressure off of JT Daniels. Daniels has looked good as a true freshman starter, but it is hard to trust young quarterbacks in big games like these. Defensively, the Trojans biggest concern is finding a way to slow down Laviska Shenault. Coverage of Shenault will likely fall on Isaiah Langley, with the help of standout safety Marvell Tell. If USC can shut down Shenault, this victory will come a lot easier. Colorado comes into this game as one of the eleven remaining unbeaten teams. They had their first quality win last week against Arizona State, and USC will be best and most talented team they have faced so far. Colorado needs to get the ball in the hands of their playmakers like Shenault, receiver KD Nixon, and running back Travon McMillan. Steven Montez can definitely be relied upon to do that. Defensively, the Buffaloes need to take advantage of a mediocre at best USC offensive line. Defensive linemen Mustafa Johnson, and Jase Franke will be the keys to getting that done. This will be a big game for both teams, and it does fall into #Pac12AfterDark so anything can happen

Prediction:

Colorado comes away with the win 31-27.

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