Preview and Picks for NCAA Football Week 7

The college football Week 7 schedule is a big one with four Top 25 matchup including No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Oregon and No. 1 Texas vs. No. 18 Oklahoma in Dallas for the 120th Red River Showdown. I chip-in a Top 25 betting report in Forbes with added insight and information you can bet on for those key games, and additional stats, ATS info and picks below. 

Earlier this week, I added a college football Top 25 update on Off Shore Gaming Association noting the many upsets last week that caused a shakeup in the Top 25. As such, we cashed for a top payout going 8-1 ATS on Week 6 Picks and Opinions including 3-0 on Picks. 

Week 7 Top 25 Picks And Matchups

College football odds from leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. All times Eastern and betting favorites (-) listed. For bettors interested in reduced juice sportsbook options, checkout BetAnySports and Heritage Sports, which also offers cash back bonuses getting the 'most squeeze for your juice."  Odds and spreads below from BetOnline. 

Friday, Oct. 11 
 
No. 16 Utah (-6) at Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN

Saturday, Oct. 12

No. 1 Texas (-14.5) vs. No. 18 Oklahoma (in Dallas, Texas) | 3:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
No. 2 Ohio State (-3) at No. 3 Oregon | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
No. 4 Penn State (-3.5) at USC | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
No. 5 Georgia (-33.5) vs. Mississippi State | 4:15 p.m. | SEC Network
No. 6 Miami | Bye
No. 7 Alabama (-21) vs. South Carolina | 12 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
No. 8 Tennessee (-14) vs. Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN
No. 9 Ole Miss (-3.5) at No. 13 LSU | 7:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
No. 10 Clemson (-20.5) at Wake Forest | 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 11 Notre Dame (-23.5) vs. Stanford | 3:30 p.m. | NBC
No. 12 (T11) Iowa State (-2.5) at West Virginia | 8 p.m. | FOX
No. 14 BYU (-3.5) vs. Arizona | 4 p.m. | FOX
No. 17 Boise State (-20.5) at Hawai'i | 11 p.m. | CBSSN
No. 18 Kansas State (-3.5) at Colorado | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN
No. 19 (T18) Indiana | Bye
No. 21 Missouri (-27) at UMass | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 22 Pitt (-3) vs. Cal | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
No. 23 Illinois (-21.5) vs. Purdue | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
No. 24 Michigan | Bye
No. 25 SMU | Bye

Other receiving votes: Southern California 98, Nebraska 51, Navy 43, Army 33, Vanderbilt 26, Arkansas 17, Washington State 8, Iowa 8, Texas Tech 7, Syracuse 6, Washington 4, Louisville 4, Colorado 3, Kentucky 1.

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Texas vs. Oklahoma

The 120th Red River Rivalry, Showdown features the No. 1 team in the country, Texas, tackling No. 18 Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. If you like the Longhorns, you may find -14 game day at reduced juice sportsbooks with majority of top online sportsbooks dealing +14.5 for the Sooners. Pick Oklahoma. Sooners freshman QB Michael Hawkins Jr. is a Dallas native, and he'll see pressure packages and disguised coverage, but look at his speed and ability to break a defense down in this TD run vs. Auburn. Sooners defense should be up to task vs. Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers in his first game back off an oblique injury a month ago.

The Sportsbetting.ag manager noted that back in May they opened Texas -9 for this Red River Rivalry, but the Longhorns high-level play has moved the number in their direction with "our sharp split about 84% in favor of the 'Horns." 

“No matter what the state of either program is, the Red River Rivalry always attracts a very healthy handle from not just the die-hard fans and bettors in Texas and Oklahoma, but around the entire country. It’s the third-most bet matchup at this point in Week 7."

Penn State at USC

USC has dropped from +5.5 to +3.5 and we provide an Opinion on the Trojans. Lincoln Riley is 41-4 at home as a head coach in his career,a nd USC has played by far the stronger schedule and gets their most high-profile opponent at home. 

Ohio State at Oregon

Home Duck, urr 'Dog looks attractive, but still an Opinion on Ohio State in the most watched and wagered game Saturday with one leading online sportsbook saying “If you combine spread and moneyline, Ohio State-Oregon has drawn over two times more handle than any other Week 7 game.”

Dr. Bob Sports ATS: Underdogs of 2 points or more in a game pitting two 5-0 or better unbeatens are 39-18-5 ATS and unbeaten home 'Dogs that are 5-0 or better are 47-22-3 ATS since 1980, including 19-3-1 ATS since 2012. 

From Playbook: The Duck call has been sounded. It’s Mallard Madness with ESPN GameDay in Eugene for Ohio State-Oregon.

One thought for Thursday on Ohio State-Oregon

Oregon's skill vs Ohio State LB/DBs

First off... the biggest difference between safety play in the NFL v CFB is safeties getting into the box/LOS to make tackles. Rare in CFB ... these Ohio State dudes are ballers. They are all over…

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) October 10, 2024

Ole Miss at LSU

Last season these two teams combined for 1,433 yards and Ole Miss came back in the closing minutes to score 15 points and win 55-49 in a wild game. You'll see my Top 25 update in Forbes and added chip-ins by colleagues with advanced stats noting they favor Ole Miss. But LSU would have been a slight favorite to start the season, and now many injury concerns for Ole Miss combined with the stronge situations favoring LSU including the Tigers off a bye has us chippin'-in an Opinion on LSU and Under 62.5 total points. 

Other Top 25 Opinions and Picks

Our 8-1 ATS Week 6 Picks and Opinions included Cal as a double-digit home 'Dog and they (should have) eaten the who pie. But the Bears blew it and lost a 20-point 4th quarter lead in a 39-38 defeat. Now Cal travels across the country to face well-coached Pitt, who cracks the Top 25 and is in a strong situation and also the Panthers have a +2.7 yards per play margin vs. Cal's +0.7. Pick Pitt Panthers (-3, -120 or -3.5 reduced juice). 

Opinion Arizona +3 at BYU. Last week's lone off the board bonus pick was a winner on Texas Tech (+6.5) outright over Arizona. But the Wildcats had the better stats and continue to play better than expected with QB Noah Fifita a prime time player for new coach Brent Brennan. Good bounce back this week even as price has dipped on 'Dog. This week we also have a Pick on Georgia Southern (+1) on the Moneyline (-105) rested and ready off a bye. Marshall is off a very misleading victory and result last week vs. App. State with big turnovers into TD's the difference. Not this week in a Sun Belt special win in Georgia.

Check back for any additional picks and information you can bet on Saturday. 

You can bet on it. 

FairwayJay is recognized as one of the sports industry's insightful analysts, and he chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA.com and on X @FairwayJay for more sports betting insights.