College football's best games on the Week 7 schedule you should watch today

As the Week 7 college football schedule gets underway today, we highlight those most important games that you should be watching this weekend.

This Saturday brings us three games featuring head-to-head matchups involving ranked teams with plenty on the line, including...

Big Ten rivals on the same field with the No. 1 team in the country putting its undefeated season on the line...
SEC hopefuls from Faurot with Kalen DeBoer facing a third-straight test against an undefeated insurgent conference hopeful, and...
Two perfect Big Ten contenders, each coming off signature victories in a battle out west with one Power Four upstart looking to show it belongs...

Here are the most important games on the Week 7 college football schedule today that we’ll be watching, and that you should, too.

College football's best games today: Week 7 schedule, what you should watch

All times Eastern

Ohio State at Illinois

College football games today: Week 7 schedule, what to watch — Ohio State pays a visit to Illinois in a battle of ranked Big Ten foes. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Why watch? To see if the Buckeyes can maintain their dominance against Big Ten competition and if ranked Illinois’ improvement since the Indiana debacle is the real thing, or if this team is a paper tiger, in a battle of conference title hopefuls.

Ohio State has dominated just about everything in its wake, outscoring opponents 187-25, the latter number being the fewest allowed by any defense in the country, as are the 5 points per game this unit has surrendered on average, and its 2 total TDs allowed, through five games.

Defensive production was a question for the Buckeyes this year, with all that talent from the national championship team gone, including coordinator Jim Knowles off to now 3-2 Penn State, but this rotation, under the direction of Matt Patricia, has exceeded expectations.

Luke Altmyer has quietly had a banner year throwing the football, with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions while covering 1,753 yards, aided by some quality skill players, but the Buckeyes’ famously-loaded receiver corps looks a lot better than the Illini secondary right now.

When to watch: 12 p.m. on Fox

Alabama at Missouri

College football's best games today: Week 7 schedule, what you should watch — Alabama heads into a third-straight SEC test against a ranked opponent with Missouri looking confident. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Why watch? Alabama heads into its third-straight test against a ranked SEC opponent while Missouri faces its most important obstacle yet against a team on a roll.

A huge, crimson elephant has been pulled off Kalen DeBoer’s back over the last two weeks, as Alabama pulled out consequential wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt, both ranked at the time and now, giving the second-year coach some breathing room since that Week 1 loss at Florida State.

Now comes a third-straight prove-it moment for DeBoer and the Tide on the road against an undefeated Missouri squad that has found a 1-2 offensive punch with Beau Pribula at quarterback and Ahmad Hardy in the backfield.

They combine to lead college football’s ninth-ranked scoring attack, averaging more than 45 points per game and Hardy leads the nation’s third-best rushing offense.

Bama is just 89th against the run through five games, but Ty Simpson has played up to his five-star billing, a picture of efficiency, completing over 70 percent of his passes with 13 TDs and just 1 turnover and already up to 1,478 yards through 5 starts.

Alabama started fast and finished slow at Georgia, then started slow and finished fast against Vandy, but would like to play a more complete game here, while Mizzou wants to hand the Tide another black eye and force itself into the SEC title conversation.

When to watch: 12 p.m. on ABC

Oklahoma vs. Texas

Why watch? Red River Shootout football is appointment-viewing every year, and this time we get to see if Arch Manning can really get anything going against a ferocious defense, or if we were all really just duped by some intense preseason hype.

So far, that seems to be the consensus opinion around the uber-promoted former No. 1 overall recruit with that famous last name. Arch has not come close to his promised potential, his play marred by rookie mistakes, questionable mechanics, and inconsistency all around.

Now he lines up against a Sooner defense that ranks No. 2 in college football in scoring, allowing a touchdown per game, is second in passing defense allowing 52 percent completion, and second-best also in FBS in sacks and tackles for loss recorded against opponents. Good luck, Arch.

Quarterback is also a question for Oklahoma, but not for any concerns around his talent. John Mateer has been a production machine since his transfer this season, but he underwent surgery for a hand injury recently that could curtail his involvement, and which just might keep this close.

When to watch: 3:30 p.m. on ABC

Indiana at Oregon

Why watch? To see if Indiana can finally pass a test against a ranked, elite opponent on the road after failing both times out a year ago, and if the Ducks can stay on track after a big win at Penn State.

You would think Indiana has already proven itself after last season’s insurgent success and College Football Playoff bid, and with its 5-0 record entering October this year.

But there’s still a cloud of suspicion over the Hoosiers, given the last two marquee games they played on the road against ranked teams resulted in uneven losses: last regular season at Ohio State, and the first-round playoff matchup at Notre Dame.

Now comes a test of equal intensity, going on the road against an undefeated Big Ten championship hopeful, itself fresh off a statement win at Penn State last time out, and playing in a raucous venue it hasn’t lost a game in since 2022, including a win over Ohio State there last season.

Two potent offenses, piloted by confident quarterbacks, stacked with elite perimeter speed, and each playing solid defense. The winner of this one goes a long way.

When to watch: 3:30 p.m. on CBS

Florida at Texas A&M

Why watch? To see if Billy Napier has pulled himself off the hot seat yet again in another notable road test against a ranked, undefeated SEC contender.

No one is saying Florida is back after one decent performance, but there was an enormous feeling of relief for Napier and the Gators after taking out No. 9 Texas in one of college football’s monster upset results last weekend.

Once again, Napier pulled a rabbit out of his hat amid the nearly-constant calls for his head, just like his Florida team was able to do with a strong late push last season.

Now comes another massively-important test for the Gators, in one of the country’s most intimidating road environs, against another top 10 ranked foe, one more critical chance for this team to prove last Saturday wasn’t a one-day wonder, but the start of a real turnaround. Or not.

When to watch: 7 p.m. on ESPN

Michigan at USC

Why watch? Because this is another crucial moment for Lincoln Riley to prove he can field a team that can beat the Big Ten’s best, and that he’s not just a glorified offensive coordinator, while the Wolverines look to play a little ground-and-pound.

USC hasn’t struggled looking for points this season. It ranks third in the country by averaging 48.4 of them every time out behind the efficient play of quarterback Jayden Maiava and some blue-chip skill threats who can stretch the field easily.

This should still be an undefeated and ranked Trojans team. That is, if they’re defense didn’t cough up a sure-thing last time out at Illinois by allowing a last-second field goal and losing yet another game to a Big Ten foe by one score.

Every one of USC’s conference games has gone that way since joining up last season, and for Riley to ever gain the confidence of the program, he’ll have to prove he can win instead of lose in those situations.

Michigan will hold onto the ball with both hands. Justice Haynes, the transfer from Alabama, is a bruiser who averages nearly 8 yards per carry, and leads a Wolverines backfield that is top 15 in FBS in total output with over 6 yards per attempt.

When to watch: 7:30 p.m. on NBC

What else you should watch today

Pittsburgh at Florida State. The once-undefeated Seminoles look to avoid a third-straight loss in this ACC matchup. 12 p.m. on ESPN

Iowa State at Colorado. Deion Sanders’ team is yet to win a game in Big 12 play, and the Cyclones are hoping to avoid a second-straight L. 3:30 p.m. on ESPN

Georgia at Auburn. The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry finds the Bulldogs playing inconsistently on offense and not as dominant as usual on defense, while Auburn’s offense is yet to do much of anything despite all that talent. 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Kansas at Texas Tech. Some analysts are calling an upset alert here for the undefeated Red Raiders and their new-look defense. 7:30 p.m. on Fox

South Carolina at LSU. The Gamecocks need to get something going to avoid falling to .500, while LSU wants to change the narrative around its offense. 7:45 p.m. on SECN

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