The Georgia Bulldogs have climbed to #1 on the AP rankings and our Week Seven College Football picks are covering their massive matchup with #11 Kentucky this weekend. Our experts have also looked over four other games, which we deemed to be the best of the weekend to find our top College Football picks for you!
Don’t miss out on our preview for each week along with our College Football Picks for the five best games of this week’s schedule!
#12 Oklahoma State @ #25 Texas – 12pm EDT
The Texas Longhorns looked a sure thing last week in the Red River Showdown but ultimately fell short against Oklahoma, and now they have to back up again this week against Oklahoma State. Will they be able to bounce back against the Cowboys or will Oklahoma State be able to take advantage of an emotionally vulnerable Longhorns side?
Tony Battalio
Coming off an absolutely heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma, Texas will look to rebound against Oklahoma State. Meanwhile the Cowboys come in off a bye week, fresh and rested. This should be another typical high scoring Big 12 matchup. Oklahoma State comes in at 5-0 and Texas limps in at 4-2. After last week’s collapse vs Oklahoma, I look for Texas to have a slow start that they don’t quite recover from. Oklahoma State should win this huge conference matchup in Austin.
Tony’s College Football Pick: Oklahoma State (+172)
Big Play Zay 🤘 pic.twitter.com/QOcRE3d4zM
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) October 14, 2021
Noah Dunlap
Can Texas rebound after an excruciating loss last week against Oklahoma? That’s the only question I have for this one. Even though Oklahoma State has looked good so far this season, I can’t force myself to become a believer in the Cowboys, despite being undefeated, and this is just the kind of game head coach Mike Gundy has made a habit of losing in the past. Look for Texas to use the home crowd and the fact that they’re back in Austin to their advantage and get the win in a tight, lower scoring affair than many expect. I don’t like the Longhorns by 4.5 though, so stick with the moneyline.
Noah’s College Football Pick: Texas (-215)
UCF @ #3 Cincinnati – 12pm EDT
The Cincinnati Bearcats have climbed up to 3 on the AP rankings behind exceptional play from Desmond Rattler and their defense. They now stay at home for a second straight week to host the UCF Knights, who have only won one of their last three games and may be up against it here.
Tony Battalio
Cincinnati is on a collision course with the College Football Playoffs. All they have to avoid is a bump in the road before their huge matchup with fellow AAC unbeaten SMU. If both those schools go into that one undefeated it could very well be a defacto playoff elimination game.
Desmond Ritter has looked like a top NFL draft pick at QB while Spencer Rattler and Sam Howell have shown why another year in college would be helpful for them. This game will also be a battle between two high powered offenses which is why I’m taking the over.
Tony’s College Football Pick: Over 57.5 (-112)
Noah Dunlap
Sitting in the top-5, everyone is on board the Cincinnati bandwagon, and for good reason. They’ve been absolutely dominant behind QB Desmond Ritter and a defense that has only given up 37 points this season, if you take out a mediocre performance against a then top-20 team in Indiana. Meanwhile, on the other sideline, UCF is on shaky ground following an ugly loss to Navy and a tight win against East Carolina. Despite the struggles, I think the Knights head coach Gus Malzahn uses his experience in massive games (having won a title at Auburn) to his advantage, and comes up with a gameplan to keep this one close. The Bearcats win, but UCF covers the number.
Noah’s College Football Pick: UCF +21.5 (-118)
#11 Kentucky @ #1 Georgia – 3.30pm EDT
With Alabama’s loss, the Georgia Bulldogs climb up to #1 and they feel like this has been a long time coming. Their defense is the best in the country and their offense is starting to come together, but can they remain focused when hosting the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend, who are undefeated this season and coming off a big win over LSU last week.
Tony Battalio
Kentucky may very well be college football’s biggest surprise along with Wake Forest. Both are sitting at 6-0 in mid-October, but only this game will tell if the Wildcats are ready for the big time. Georgia was far and away the number one team in the nation before it was confirmed after Alabama’s loss on Saturday. Boasting a powerful defense with just enough offensive firepower to help them win even without starting QB JT Daniels. At the end of the day, welcome surprise or not, Georgia is going to overwhelm the Kentucky Wildcats.
Tony’s College Football Pick: Georgia -21.5 (-105)
𝙽𝚘. 𝟷#𝙶𝚘𝙳𝚊𝚠𝚐𝚜 pic.twitter.com/CKQ5wqaO7Y
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) October 10, 2021
Noah Dunlap
Props to Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops for leading his Wildcats to an undefeated season so far… but that ends here. Georgia’s defense is the best in the nation by a wide margin, and Kentucky’s offense has looked iffy at times. Barring a defensive score, I don’t think the Wildcats reach 10 in this one. On a positive note, I like the Wildcat defense to stand strong early, before eventually tiring out late, as the Bulldogs offense plays ball control. Take a chance in this one and parlay a Georgia cover and the under 44.5.
Noah’s College Football Pick: Georgia -21.0 & Under 44.5 (+330)
Purdue @ #2 Iowa – 3.30pm EDT
While they may have looked like losing their first game since Week 2 last year, the Iowa Hawkeyes defense stamped their authority over last week’s nationally televised game against Penn State, winning 23-20. They now host a Purdue side that has lost two of its last three games, including losing to Minnesota, at home, 13-20 last week.
Tony Battalio
Coming of a win in what was potentially the game of the season vs Penn State, Iowa has proven to be the top dog in the Big Ten so far this year. Waiting on the other side for a potential Big Ten title clash is Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State or a Penn State rematch. This is a game that should swing wildly in favor of the Hawkeyes.
Tony’s College Football Pick: Iowa -11.5 (-110)
Noah Dunlap
Iowa is one of the best teams in the country (they are ranked second, after all) and they proved it last week by erasing a 14-point deficit to outlast Penn State. Add in the fact that Purdue has struggled as of late, and this is a game that screams take Iowa -11.5. However, I think the Hawkeyes will come out slow and lackadaisical following the big win last weekend, and with an offense that I still have doubts about, I think that means they struggle to score. The defense holds up, but the offense struggles, which gives us only one play: the under 42.5.
Noah’s College Football Pick: Under 42.5 (-110)
#5 Alabama @ Mississippi State – 7pm EDT
Alabama has lost and it seems as if the world is crumbling in. The critics are now sharpening their blades as the mighty have fallen, but they now travel to Mississippi State in a game that the Bulldogs may be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Will the Crimson Tide remind everyone how good they are or can Mississippi State cause another upset?
Tony Battalio
Not many teams want to play Alabama in a regular week, I would absolutely not want to play them following a loss. A struggling Mississippi State squad has that unfortunate matchup ahead. The truth is this game should not be close at all, the Crimson Tide should run away with this one early. Due to the odds make sure you parlay this one.
Tony’s College Football Pick: Alabama (-900)
Saturday Night in #StarkVegas!#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/oybZFeXjJT
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) October 13, 2021
Noah Dunlap
I would hate to be a Bulldog fan this week, as this game is getting out of hand in a hurry. Coming off their first loss in nearly two calendar years, expect Nick Saban to have his Alabama team ready to dominate a mediocre Mississippi State team this week. The Tide offense is going to look more focused, and they are going to score early and often, despite MSU having played decent defense this season. Add in the fact that I think Bama’s defense plays much better than they did last week, after what was guaranteed to be a full week of misery in practice, and the fact that they are facing a Bulldog offense that has struggled at times this year, and we’re looking at the Tide by 30+ in this one.
Noah’s College Football Pick: Alabama -17.5 (-105)
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
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