College football’s Week 7 schedule brings six games in which both teams are ranked in the AP, Coaches or SP+ top 25. The headline games send Ohio State to defending national champion Indiana at midday and Notre Dame to unbeaten BYU in prime time, with four conference races filling the space between them.

Rankings reflect the updates released after games of October 10. SP+ is a predictive efficiency rating, not a résumé ranking.All kickoff times are Central, and Wednesday-morning lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Matchup	AP	Coaches	SP+
Ohio State at Indiana	Ohio State 4, Indiana 5	Ohio State 5, Indiana 4	Ohio State 1, Indiana 5
Mississippi State at LSU	Mississippi State 16, LSU 22	Mississippi State 19, LSU 21	Mississippi State 28, LSU 9
Alabama at Tennessee	Alabama 6, Tennessee 14	Alabama 7, Tennessee 14	Alabama 8, Tennessee 15
Missouri at Ole Miss	Missouri 13, Ole Miss 9	Missouri 13, Ole Miss 10	Missouri 13, Ole Miss 16
Oklahoma State at Houston	Oklahoma State 18, Houston 20	Oklahoma State 20, Houston 18	Oklahoma State 22, Houston 20
Notre Dame at BYU	Notre Dame 2, BYU 8	Notre Dame 2, BYU 8	Notre Dame 3, BYU 11

No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana

Saturday, October 17 — 11 a.m. CT — FOX/Fox Sports app
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
Wednesday line: Ohio State -3.5; total: 50.5

The rematch of last season’s Big Ten championship game arrives with Ohio State looking more explosive and Indiana carrying a 21-game winning streak. The Buckeyes have responded to their one-point loss at Texas by winning four straight, most recently beating Maryland 45-16. Julian Sayin threw four touchdown passes in that game, two to Jeremiah Smith, but he also lost a fumble and worked behind a depleted offensive line. Indiana needed a fourth-quarter comeback at Nebraska, where Josh Hoover hit Nick Marsh for touchdowns of 75 and 44 yards to erase a 17-6 deficit and win 20-17.

The quarterbacks face very different stress tests. Hoover has thrown 17 touchdown passes without an interception, and Indiana averages 40.2 points and 462.7 yards per game. Charlie Becker and Marsh give the Hoosiers two proven perimeter targets, while Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. keep the offense from becoming one-dimensional. Ohio State’s defense, however, is built to challenge every layer of that attack. If the Buckeyes eliminate the explosives that rescued Indiana in Lincoln, Hoover will have to sustain long drives against SP+’s No. 1 overall team.

The other side may decide the game. Indiana allows only 11.8 points and 237.8 yards per game, and edge rushers Tobi Osunsami and Stephen Daley have five sacks apiece. Sayin’s efficiency drops when the pocket collapses, making the health of Ohio State’s line critical. Ryan Day said right tackle Phillip Daniels is expected back after missing four games, though receivers Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin were among five starters absent against Maryland.

Smith remains the matchup-bender. His two touchdowns last week gave him 38 for his career, one shy of the Big Ten record. Indiana must decide whether to devote extra coverage to him or preserve numbers against Ohio State’s run game. The Hoosiers won last December’s title game 13-10 by controlling the line and refusing to concede a decisive play. A repeat requires pressure without reckless blitzing. Ohio State’s route to revenge is cleaner protection, early-down balance and finishing drives before the home crowd can tighten the game.

What decides it: Whether Indiana’s front can hurry Sayin without giving Smith favorable one-on-one coverage.

No. 16 Mississippi State at No. 22 LSU

Saturday, October 17 — 11 a.m. CT — ESPN/ESPN app
Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Wednesday line: LSU -14.5; total: 58.5

This matchup pairs two ranked teams trying to prevent one bad result from becoming a slide. Mississippi State was off last weekend after Alabama ended its 4-0 start with a 56-23 rout. LSU fell 35-34 in overtime at Kentucky, dropping to 4-2 and 1-2 in the SEC after allowing the Wildcats to erase a late deficit and win on a two-point conversion. The rankings say close game; the two-touchdown line reflects LSU’s large SP+ advantage and Mississippi State’s uncertainty at quarterback.

Kamario Taylor is the fulcrum. He leads the SEC with 290 passing yards per game and 17 touchdowns, but a lower-leg injury suffered against Missouri limited his mobility against Alabama and was aggravated in that loss. Taylor still threw for 258 yards and three scores, yet his fumble and two interceptions directly fueled Alabama’s separation. Jeff Lebby said the Wednesday availability report would clarify Taylor’s status; Parker “Billy” Puckett and AJ Swann are listed behind him. Receiver Anthony Evans III, who averages an SEC-best 114.8 yards per game, gives any State quarterback a legitimate field-stretcher.

LSU’s Sam Leavitt has been productive but volatile. He threw for 275 yards in Lexington and ran for a 15-yard overtime touchdown, but the Tigers committed two turnovers while Kentucky had none. Leavitt has 10 touchdown passes against eight interceptions this season, a ratio that leaves Lane Kiffin’s offense exposed when it does not stay ahead of the chains. Tight end Trey’Dez Green and running back Ronnie Guillory Jr. entered the week with uncertain status, adding importance to Jackson Harris and LSU’s remaining backs.

Mississippi State’s best chance is to turn this into a possession game, protect a less-than-fully-mobile Taylor and attack LSU’s linebackers with quick throws before the rush arrives. LSU should force Taylor to move, make State prove it can run consistently and avoid giving Evans isolated deep shots. The Tigers have the deeper margin for error, but their turnover habit keeps the door open.

What decides it: Taylor’s mobility and ball security against an LSU defense that should make him operate off schedule.

No. 6 Alabama at No. 14 Tennessee

Saturday, October 17 — 2:30 p.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Wednesday line: Alabama -8.5; total: 51.5

Alabama arrives in Knoxville angry after a 20-17 home loss to Georgia; Tennessee arrives 5-1 but still unsure who will take the first snap. The Volunteers beat Arkansas 24-17 behind George MacIntyre, who threw for 247 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in his first start. Freshman Faizon Brandon, limited since injuring his shoulder against Texas, increased his practice work early this week, but Josh Heupel had not named a starter by Wednesday morning.

That uncertainty shapes the matchup. Tennessee ranks 15th nationally with 228.3 rushing yards per game, led by DeSean Bishop’s 678 yards and eight touchdowns, but it is last in the SEC in passing offense. The Vols can protect either quarterback by staying on schedule and using tempo after successful runs. Alabama will crowd that plan until Tennessee proves it can win outside, especially because Jim Knowles’ defense has allowed only three passing touchdowns and 15.5 points per game.

Alabama also has a major availability problem. Leading receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, who has 415 yards and four touchdowns, is expected to miss the game with head and knee injuries. Center Racin Delgatty is a game-time decision, and edge defender Terrance Green may be limited. Keelon Russell still has Lotzeir Brooks and Rico Scott, but replacing Coleman-Williams’ ability to create separation on obvious passing downs is not automatic. Russell threw for a season-low 185 yards against Georgia after producing 10 touchdown passes over the previous three games.

The market trusts Alabama’s depth and efficiency—its offense averages 7.0 yards per play despite five Power Four opponents—but Neyland has flipped this rivalry recently. Tennessee has beaten Alabama on its last two visits, and the home team has won five straight meetings. The Volunteers need Bishop to shorten the game, their secondary to survive Alabama’s play-action shots and their quarterback to avoid handing Russell a short field. Alabama needs patience: stop the run, make Tennessee throw and let its superior passing game emerge over four quarters.

What decides it: Tennessee’s quarterback play once Alabama forces the Vols out of their run-first comfort zone.

No. 13 Missouri at No. 9 Ole Miss

Saturday, October 17 — 2:30 p.m. CT — SEC Network/ESPN app
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
Wednesday line: Ole Miss -6.5; total: 58.5

Missouri and Ole Miss enter at 2-1 in SEC play, making this a playoff-elimination game in everything but name. Missouri rebounded from its loss at Georgia by smothering Texas A&M 27-6. Ole Miss responded to its own upset loss at Florida with a bye and a 52-17 win at Vanderbilt. The Rebels scored through Trinidad Chambliss’ quick decisions and mobility; the Tigers won by controlling the line and holding an explosive A&M offense without a touchdown.

Missouri’s offense runs through Jamal Roberts while Ahmad Hardy continues his recovery from an offseason gunshot wound. Roberts has 828 rushing yards, including consecutive 200-yard games before A&M, and his ability to create manageable third downs protects quarterback Austin Simmons. Simmons threw for only 147 yards last week and was intercepted once, but former Ole Miss receiver Cayden Lee gives him a matchup-aware target in his return to Oxford. Missouri’s line has been managing injuries, and guard Cayden Green’s availability remained a talking point this week.

Ole Miss can create stress that A&M did not. Chambliss threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns at Vanderbilt, and his escape ability punishes a rush that loses lane integrity. Running back Kewan Lacy returned from a shoulder injury in a managed rotation and gives the Rebels a physical counterpunch. Pete Golding has said Lacy will not immediately resume a 40- or 50-snap workload, so JT Lindsey and Makhi Frazier should remain involved.

The key contrast is Missouri’s defense against Ole Miss’ pace. If the Tigers can win first down with four rushers, they can keep extra defenders available for Chambliss’ scrambling lanes and intermediate windows. If Ole Miss forces substitution problems and gets Lacy downhill against light boxes, Missouri will have to choose which threat receives the extra body. The Tigers also must reverse a road trend: they have lost seven straight games against ranked opponents away from home. Roberts gives them a formula to slow the environment, but Simmons will eventually need to convert throws beyond the sticks.

What decides it: Missouri’s ability to contain Chambliss without sacrificing the numbers needed to handle Ole Miss’ running backs.

No. 18 Oklahoma State at No. 20 Houston

Saturday, October 17 — 6:30 p.m. CT — FOX/Fox Sports app
TDECU Stadium, Houston, Texas
Wednesday line: Houston -4.5; total: 62.5

This is the first ranked matchup at TDECU Stadium since the 2015 American championship game, and it places two fast-rising Big 12 contenders under the lights. Houston has won three straight, including a 35-16 victory at Kansas State. Oklahoma State has won four in a row after dropping its opener, most recently beating UCF 42-28. The winner stays near the front of a conference race in which every clean week is becoming more valuable.

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has been one of the country’s most efficient dual threats. The Cougars complete more than 67 percent of their passes and have 17 passing touchdowns against one interception. Weigman has not thrown a pick since Week 1 and has added six rushing scores. Re’Shaun Sanford II and Makhi Hughes, with 404 and 387 rushing yards, give Willie Fritz the option to control the game without exposing his quarterback to unnecessary hits. Tight end Patrick Overmyer supplies a dependable red-zone target.

Oklahoma State can answer with volume and explosiveness. Drew Mestemaker directs an offense ranked sixth nationally in total production, supported by a deep group of receivers that can stretch Houston’s coverage horizontally and vertically. The concern is balance on the other side: the Cowboys rank 81st against the run, an invitation for Houston to use Sanford and Hughes to stay ahead of the chains. Oklahoma State’s defense has been much better after halftime, with linebacker Ethan Wesloski and the secondary helping it close games, but waiting until the third quarter to adjust is dangerous against an offense this efficient.

Houston’s run defense is the stabilizing unit in a game carrying the week’s highest total among the six ranked matchups. If the Cougars make Oklahoma State one-dimensional, they can use disguised pressure and force Mestemaker to beat tight windows repeatedly. The Cowboys’ counter is tempo and explosive passes before Houston’s defense is set. No major new absence involving either starting quarterback had been reported by Wednesday morning; conference availability reports later in the week could still change the supporting cast.

What decides it: Houston’s rushing advantage—its two-back offense against Oklahoma State’s run defense, and its own front against the Cowboys’ balance.

No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU

Saturday, October 17 — 6:30 p.m. CT — ABC/ESPN app
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Wednesday line: Notre Dame -10.5; total: 46.5

Provo hosts its first top-10 matchup, with ESPN’s College GameDay visiting for the first time since 2009. Notre Dame is 6-0 and has won 16 straight dating to last season. BYU is 5-0 after beating Iowa State 24-10, but the double-digit spread shows how strongly the market rates the Irish’s depth, defense and line play.

Notre Dame’s latest win revealed another weapon. True freshman Jonaz Walton ran for a school freshman-record 181 yards against Stanford, including a 97-yard touchdown, as the Irish piled up 598 yards in a 58-7 rout. C.J. Carr added three touchdown passes without an interception and continues to distribute efficiently to Jaden Greathouse, Jordan Faison and the backs. The Irish can now threaten BYU with inside power, perimeter speed and play action rather than asking Carr to manufacture the entire offense.

BYU’s Bear Bachmeier produced his best all-around game of the season against Iowa State: 329 passing yards, two touchdowns and 109 rushing yards. His 75-yard strike to Legend Glasker supplied the separation in a game BYU controlled statistically but kept close with missed opportunities. Bachmeier’s mobility is especially important because leading rusher LJ Martin is expected to miss another game with the lower-leg injury he suffered against TCU. Journee Tonga and the remaining backs must keep Notre Dame from treating every meaningful snap as a pass.

Notre Dame entered the week with cornerback Leonard Moore and defensive tackle Jason Onye questionable, while offensive lineman Matty Augustine and linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa had been cleared. Moore’s status matters against Glasker and a quarterback willing to extend plays. BYU must also tackle far better in space than Stanford did; one missed fit against Walton can erase an otherwise sound series.

BYU’s upset path is pressure, field position and Bachmeier creating outside structure. Notre Dame’s path is more conventional: run into favorable boxes, force BYU to devote an extra defender, then let Carr attack the vacated windows. The altitude and crowd can narrow the gap early, but the Cougars need red-zone touchdowns—not field goals—to keep it narrow late.

What decides it: Whether BYU can create a functional run game without Martin and keep Notre Dame from dictating every passing situation.

Six ranked games provide a full Saturday arc: a Big Ten rematch in the early window, two SEC tests in the afternoon and a pair of prime-time games with conference and playoff consequences. Ohio State–Indiana may be the most complete matchup, while Notre Dame–BYU offers the week’s best atmosphere and clearest upset question.