College football Week 7 features a heavy schedule highlighted by two top-10 matchups, according to an October 16 report. The slate includes a prime-time showdown between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 8 Brigham Young, as well as a matchup between No. 5 Ohio State and No. 4 Indiana.
The matchup in Provo between Notre Dame and Brigham Young is expected to be a significant resume booster for the winner. BYU will be playing without running back LJ Martin, meaning quarterback Bear Bachmeier will likely need to provide much of the team's ground yardage. Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr has led an efficient offense alongside running back Aneyas Williams and wide receiver Jordan Faizon, though he has not yet faced a comeback situation this season. Defensively, BYU will look to Tausili Akana to pressure the Notre Dame offense, while Notre Dame will rely on linebacker Drayk Bowen and defensive back Adon Shuler.
The SEC is well-represented throughout the Week 7 schedule. No. 7 Alabama is scheduled to visit No. 14 Tennessee in a traditional October matchup, where both teams face the possibility of a second league loss. Additionally, No. 13 Missouri will face No. 10 Mississippi in what is considered a vital SEC pairing. Other SEC action includes No. 19 Mississippi State traveling to No. 21 LSU, while No. 6 Texas is scheduled to host Florida.
In the Big 12, No. 20 Oklahoma State is scheduled to visit No. 18 Houston. The contest is expected to feature high passing totals from Houston quarterback Conner Weigman and Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestmaker. In the SEC, LSU returns home to face Mississippi State, while Alabama's Keelon Russell may play without primary wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams.
The Week 7 slate includes several high-stakes games that could impact playoff paths. For example, Notre Dame's path to the playoffs relies on high-end results like the upcoming game against BYU. Meanwhile, the Big Ten is represented by the top-ranked matchup between Ohio State and Indiana, a game scheduled for noon ET on Fox.
