The third Saturday in October features a rivalry that, for the first time in nearly a generation, has national title ramifications for both participants.
No. 3 Alabama will head to Rocky Top to take on No. 6 Tennessee in a cross-division SEC showdown that has been won by the mighty Crimson Tide for the last 15 years. Only once during that span has both teams been ranked in the top 10 — a 49-10 thrashing by top-ranked Alabama over then-No. 9 Tennessee in 2016. The Volunteers are riding high after a 40-13 win at LSU, while coach Nick Saban’s crew survived a scare from Texas A&M on Saturday.
The Big Ten East also features a top 10 matchup with No. 10 Penn State traveling to No. 5 Michigan to determine which team is the biggest threat to Ohio State in the division.
Here’s a quick look at those games and the lines from the rest of the top 25 in Week 7. All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
No. 3 Alabama (-8) at No. 6 Tennessee: Volunteers’ quarterback Hendon Hooker hasn’t thrown an interception all season, and has shown that teams have a hard time dealing with his offense when he cranks up the tempo and uses his legs as a weapon. The Crimson Tide will have a quarterback concern heading into the showdown. Bryce Young didn’t play last week, and reserve Jalen Milroe turned the ball over three times.
No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan (-7.5): The Nittany Lions have had two weeks to prepare for a Wolverines defense that has been lights out for the majority of the year. The Wolverines needed three second half touchdowns from J.J. McCarthy to pull away from Indiana, but could have been looking ahead a bit knowing that this division showdown looms.
No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU (-2.5): This battle of border foes could be a huge factor in determining the matchup in the Big 12 Championship Game. The Horned Frogs are coming off a shootout win at Kansas, while the Cowboys survived a wild one vs. Texas Tech last week.
No. 15 NC State at No. 18 Syracuse (-3.5): Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary left last week’s game with a shoulder injury, and his status for this weekend’s game is very much up in the air. The Orange will have two weeks to prepare and have a big stage to become bowl eligible and make a national statement against a ranked conference foe.
No. 16 Mississippi State (-7) at No. 22 Kentucky: The Bulldogs have quietly posted a very impressive season, have one of the pest pocket passers in the game in Will Rogers, and have been consistent defensively throughout the year. They’ll be squaring off against a Wildcats team that could be without star quarterback Will Levis for the second straight week.
No. 7 USC at No. 20 Utah (-3): The Utes’ defense struggled at UCLA last week, but still prides itself on owning the line of scrimmage. Quarterback Caleb Williams is squarely in the Heisman Trophy mix, and the dual-threat weapon has a big stage this week that could help boost his resume.