2024 College Football Week 7 Odds and Predictions

By:

Rick Bouch

in

NCAAF

Last Updated on

There is always that one week of the college football season where a bunch of top teams just seem to fall. Well, Week 6 of the 2024 season was that week. We saw the No. 1 team in the nation, Alabama, fall to Vanderbilt. The win was epic and likely the greatest victory in the history of the Commodores’ program. Vanderbilt fans tore down the goalposts and marched them through the streets of Nashville.

Alabama had won 23 games in a row over Vandy. The last Vanderbilt win over the Crimson Tide came in 1984. Since 1957, the Commodores had just two wins over Alabama. Now, they have three. Vanderbilt wasn’t the only unranked team to pull off a massive upset.

Arkansas held the nation’s top-scoring team, Tennessee, to just 14 points and upset the fourth-ranked Volunteers 19-14. Minnesota played a great defensive game against USC and upset the No. 11 Trojans 24-17. SMU beat No. 22 Louisville 34-27, and No. 25 Texas A&M absolutely crushed No. 9 Missouri 41-10.

Will we see more upsets in Week 7? It’s always possible. What we do get this week are three more ranked versus ranked games with a huge Top 5 matchup. The second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will travel to Eugene to take on the No. 3 Oregon Ducks. The other matchups include the annual Red River Rivalry – No. 1 Texas at No. 18 Oklahoma – and No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 13 LSU.

As always, our college football experts are here to serve up the best analysis, picks, and predictions for Week 7. Scores & Stats called a number of wins in Week 6, though we did take some losses. We split our best bets once again as we went back to the well on Army in the first half. We will continue to provide you with winners from now until the 2024 college football national championship in January. Let’s see what Week 7 has in store!

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College Football Week 7 Odds

Keep an eye on the latest College Football Odds and monitor how the lines change throughout the week.

We get the first huge matchup of the season with a No. 2-No. 3 showdown in the Big Ten. Ohio State plays at Oregon in what should be a doozy. Both teams have high-powered offenses – the Buckeyes rank second in the nation averaging 46 points per game, Oregon is 17th at 37.8 – and both play pretty good defense. Ohio State ranks No. 1 in the nation in points allowed (6.8). Oregon is 16th, giving up 17.8 points per game.

No. 1 Texas also has a huge game as the annual Red River Rivalry, aka Red River War, aka Red River Shootout takes place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The two rivals have played each other 119 times and this year, for the first time, they will play as members of the SEC. The Longhorns returned to the No. 1 spot after having last week off while Alabama lost. Oklahoma was also off last week. The Sooners beat Auburn 27-21 in their most recent game.

The other matchup of ranked opponents pits No. 9 Ole Miss against No. 13 LSU in another primetime SEC shootout. Both offenses are prolific with the Rebels scoring 37.6 points per game (18th in the nation) and the Tigers scoring 33 (31st). What many may not realize is that both teams are pretty good defensively too. Ole Miss is actually third in the nation in scoring defense allowing opponents just 9.0 points per game. LSU ranks 37th giving up 21.8 per game.

What’s interesting is that as good as the Rebels and Tigers defenses are, they have the highest game total this week – 64.5. Appalachian State-Louisiana  and UNLV-Utah State on Friday night both opened at 64.5. Prior to last week, 101 games this season closed with a total of 60 or higher. The Under is 61-40 (60.4%) in those games.

College Football Week 7 Schedule

With over 65 College Football games scheduled for Week 7, the following is a list of the featured games of the week: 

DateTime (ET)Road TeamHome Team
Sat., Oct. 123:30 PMTexas LonghornsOklahoma Sooners
Sat., Oct. 123:30 PMPenn State Nittany LionsUSC Trojans
Sat., Oct. 127:00 PMFlorida GatorsTennessee Volunteers
Sat., Oct. 127:30 PMOhio State BuckeyesOregon Ducks
Sat., Oct. 127:30 PMOle Miss RebelsLSU Tigers
Sat., Oct. 128:00 PMIowa State CyclonesWest Virginia Mountaineers
Sat., Oct. 1210:15 PMKansas State WildcatsColorado Buffaloes

College Football Week 7 Predictions

Let’s take a look at the featured College Football Week 7 games and make our spread, total, and moneyline NCAAF picks for each game.

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Texas Longhorns-780-14 (-110)O 51.5 (-110)
Oklahoma Sooners+530+14 (-110)U 51.5 (-110)

As mentioned, these two teams have played 119 times with Texas leading the series 63-51-5. Oklahoma won last year’s game 34-30. It was the Longhorns only regular season loss. The Sooners have actually won five of the last six games in the series and Oklahoma has scored at least 34 points in all of the wins.

The Longhorns, of course, are the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. They have won nine of their last 10 games and they are 7-3 ATS. Oklahoma is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games. The Sooners only loss so far this season was to Tennessee 25-15. Oklahoma is 3-2 ATS this season and 5-5 ATS in its last 10 games.

In eight of the last ten games in this series, the winner has scored at least 34 points. Interestingly, the Over/Under is an even 5-5 over the last 10 games in the series. Saturday’s game total of 51.5 (right now) will be the lowest in the past decade. The lowest total over the last 10 games is 60.

Texas ranks fifth in the country in scoring (45.0 ppg) but also ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 7.0 points per game. Oklahoma also has an elite defense, ranking 12th in the country in scoring defense, giving up 16.0 points per game.

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Predictions

Just because Texas is ranked No. 1, don’t assume the Longhorns have this one in the bag. The lower ranked team has won 5 of the last 11 games in this series, including last year. The health of Texas QB Quinn Ewers will also play a role in how this one turns out. Ewers hasn’t played since Week 3. Backup Arch Manning (70.5%, 901 yds., 9 TDs) played well in Ewers absence, but the extra week off should be exactly what the Longhorns starter needed.

Nobody has stopped the Longhorns this season. They have scored at least 31 points in all five of their games so far. Oklahoma’s trademark is its defense. They have not allowed more than 25 points and remember, they gave up just 25 to the nation’s top-scoring team, Tennessee. The Sooners are built to stop today’s modern offenses. The Longhorns will still score, but not like they have been so far this season.

Texas is 12-1 SU in their last 13 games as a favorite. The Longhorns have covered 8 of the last 12 against Oklahoma, but two touchdowns seems like a lot. Eight of the last 10 games in this series have been decided by one score. Oklahoma will likely try to slow the game down too. The Sooners rank in the bottom half of the nation in tempo. That should result in a close, low-scoring game.

Bet: ML pass, Oklahoma +14 (-110), Under 51.5 (-110)

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. USC Trojans Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Penn State Nittany Lions-196-4.5 (-115)O 48.5 (-110)
USC Trojans+162+4.5 (-105)U 48.5 (-110)

Two storied college football programs meet as Big Ten opponents on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. No. 4 Penn State travels west to take on USC. The Trojans suffered a 24-17 upset loss to Minnesota last week. USC had a -2 turnover margin that it could not overcome.

Penn State and USC have only played four times since 1996. USC won three of the games. The Trojans have started the 2024 season 3-2. USC is 13-3 SU in its last 16 home games, but they are just 5-10 ATS in their last 15 overall. Ironically, they have failed to cover in two of their first three Big Ten games which now makes the Trojans 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games against Big Ten opponents.

Penn State is off to a 5-0 SU start this season. The Nittany Lions are 2-3 ATS and failed to cover each of the last two games. Both were double-digit spreads. Penn State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games on the road. The Nittany Lions offense has been very efficient, but they do play a slower pace. PSU averages 64.4 plays per game which ranks 101st in the nation. That’s why the Under is 4-1 in Penn State’s last five games.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. USC Trojans Predictions

This is not a role that USC relishes, though you might say the same about Penn State. Since the Big Ten has gone transcontinental, there have been nine games between teams that are separated by at least two time zones. The road team is just 1-8 SU in those games. Just last week, USC was one of those teams, suffering a 24-17 mistake-filled loss at Minnesota.

That could be bad news for Penn State, which makes the trek from the Eastern Time Zone to the Pacific Time Zone. However, the Nittany Lions have been somewhat of a road warrior over the last several seasons. Since 2020 in 18 road games, Penn State is 13-5 SU and 14-4 ATS.

The Trojans have won two straight as an underdog, something they haven’t done in a decade. In fact, over the last decade, USC is just 5-25 SU and 10-20 ATS as an underdog. That is the worst ATS winning percentage among all schools that have played at least 30 games as an underdog over the past 10 seasons.

USC’s defense has definitely improved. The Trojans have not allowed more than 27 points this season. The difference in this one though might be Penn State’s defense. The Nittany Lions front seven should take advantage of a suspect USC offensive line. The PSU running game averages over five yards per carry and USC’s defense ranks 98th in Success Rate. The Trojans win over LSU in the season opener doesn’t mean all that much anymore. USC was manhandled up front by Minnesota and Penn State is even better.

Bet: Penn State -196, Penn State -4.5 (-115), Over 48.5 (-110)

Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Florida Gators+460+14.5 (-105)O 54.5 (-110)
Tennessee Volunteers-650-14.5 (-115)U 54.5 (-110)

It was typically the third Saturday in September, but now it’s Florida-Tennesse on the second Saturday in October. It won’t matter. It will still be a hotly contested battle between two fierce SEC rivals. The Gators won last year’s game 29-16. The Vols were ranked No. 11 at the time.

Florida has actually won 17 of the last 19 games against Tennessee. But, it appears that times have changed and the tide may be shifting in Tennessee’s favor. The Gators have suffered through three straight losing seasons. Tennessee is 24-7 SU since the beginning of the 2022 season.

Tennessee is 6-1 SU in its last seven games and 5-1 ATS in its last six. The Vols have won 17 of their last 18 games at home. Florida, on the other hand, is 3-7 SU and ATS in its last 10 games. Head coach Billy Napier is among the top coaches expected to be fired before the end of the season. The Gators have won and covered each of their last two, but they played Mississippi State (1-4) and UCF (3-2).

The Vols only scored 14 points last week, so they dropped from No. 1 to No. 11 in the nation in scoring (40.3 ppg). The Over is 3-2 in the Vols games this year. Ten of Florida’s last 13 games have gone Over the total as have each of the Gators last five road games. Of the last five games in this series, however, the Under has cashed four times.

Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers Predictions

Tennessee was one of the upset victims last week, losing to Arkansas 19-14. The Vols understand that another loss would probably remove them from CFP consideration. Don’t forget; Alabama comes to town in two weeks. The sting from that loss to the Razorbacks might be bad news for the Gators.

Florida has won two straight, but they beat UCF and Mississippi State. Tennessee could get off to a quick start and remember, our Scores & Stats experts are high on the Vols first half spread. Josh Heupel coached teams are now 51-23-2 against the first half spread. When laying seven or more points in the first half, Heupel’s teams are 29-9-2, even after a first-half loss to Arkansas last week.

From a game perspective, Florida under Billy Napier has been a great fade candidate. Since 2021, 16-27 ATS. That includes 4-11 SU and 6-9 ATS on the road. What’s interesting is that in those 15 road games, the Over cashed 11 times. Look for Tennessee to get back on track with a big offensive day.

Bet: ML pass, Tennessee -14.5 (-105), Over 54.5 (-110)

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Ohio State Buckeyes-154-3.5 (-105)O 52.5 (-110)
Oregon Ducks+128+3.5 (-115)U 52.5 (-110)

These two teams played for the national championship at the end of the 2014 season. Ohio State won that game 42-20 as Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns. It was one of three games played between the two teams over the past 14 years. Ohio State has won two of the three.

Both teams are off to great starts this season. Oregon, of course, is in its first season as a Big Ten member. The Ducks are 5-0 SU, but they have only covered once this season. That was against rival Oregon State. The Ducks won 49-14 covering the 18.5-point spread. All of Oregon’s games thus far have had double-digit point spreads.

It’s the same for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been favored by as many as 48.5 points (Akron) and as few as 17.5 (Iowa). Ohio State is 3-2 ATS so far this season. Both teams win and they win a lot. Ohio State is 10-1 in its last 11 Big Ten games and 10-1 in its last 11 on the road. Oregon is 6-0 SU in its last six and 11-0 in its last 11 home games.

As mentioned, both teams are outstanding on both sides of the ball. Ohio State ranks second in the country in scoring and No. 1 in scoring defense. The Ducks rank in the Top 20 in both categories. Something will have to give and it might come down to which quarterback – Ohio State’s Will Howard or Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel – plays better.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks Predictions

It’s the biggest game of the year so far. No. 2 takes on No. 3. Two teams that are expected to potentially play for a Big Ten championship and make the College Football Playoff. Both teams are 5-0 and one of them has to be the underdog. That would be Oregon.

Oregon hasn’t been a home underdog since 2018. Historically, home underdogs don’t do that well in these top five matchups. Alabama did beat Georgia just two weeks ago, but over the last 30 years, home underdogs in a top five matchup are 5-12 SU and 8-9 ATS.

Both quarterbacks are outstanding and among the nation’s best. Dillon Gabriel of Oregon completes 77.8 percent of his passes for 1,449 yards and 11 TDs. Will Howard has completed 71.5 percent of his throws for 1,248 yards and 12 scores.

Both teams run the football effectively too. Ohio State ranks ninth in rushing with 222.4 yards per game. Oregon is 41st at 179 yards a game. The difference on Saturday night might come down to defense and that’s where Ohio State may have an edge.

The Buckeyes are No. 1 in the country in scoring defense (6.8 ppg) and total defense (203.4 ypg). Oregon ranks 16th and 12th in the same categories, but the Ducks also have the third-best pass coverage grade of all 134 FBS teams. This will be the toughest test for both teams so far. When in doubt, back the home dog.

Bet: Oregon +128, Oregon +3.5 (-115), Under 52.5 (-110)

Ole Miss Rebels vs. LSU Tigers Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Ole Miss Rebels-142-2.5 (-120)O 64.5 (-110)
LSU Tigers+118+2.5 (-102)U 64.5 (-110)

Ole Miss recovered from its upset loss to Kentucky by beating South Carolina 27-3. Too few people recognize the power of the Rebels defense. Lane Kiffin and his offense get all the hype, but the Ole Miss defense is legit. The Rebels ranks third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 9.0 points per game. They will have their hands full with an LSU offense that scores 33 a game.

The Rebels are 4-1 ATS this season and they’ve covered six of their last seven games dating back to last season. Ole Miss is also 7-2 SU in its last nine SEC games. LSU, on the other hand, has won seven of the past ten games in this series. The Tigers are 6-3-1 ATS in those ten games against the Rebels. LSU has won eight of its last nine games dating back to last season and the Tigers are 13-0 SU in their last 13 games at home at Death Valley.

With LSU’s proficiency on offense under head coach Brian Kelly, the Over has cashed in 16 of the Tigers past 20 games. Six of the last seven Ole Miss-LSU games have gone Over the total as well. As good as the Rebels offense has been, each of their last five games have gone Under the total as have six of their last seven on the road.

Ole Miss Rebels vs. LSU Tigers Predictions

If you like offense, you’ll get plenty of it in this one. The thing is, both of these defenses are pretty good. Ole Miss actually ranks No. 3 in points allowed per game – 9.0. LSU ranks in the top 40, coming in at No. 37, allowing 21.8 per game.

This game has one of the highest totals of the week at 64.5. We already mentioned that games with a total of 60 or higher lean heavily to the Under. If you go back five years, the Under hits right around 55 percent of the time in games with totals of 60 or higher.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin excels in these types of games. As a road favorite, Kiffin is 28-7 SU and 19-15-1 ATS. He’s been even better recently. Since 2019, Kiffin is 14-1 SU and 11-3-1 ATS when his teams are favored on the road. Kiffin’s quarterback, Jaxson Dart, is No. 2 in the nation in passing yards (2,100). Dart completes 73.4 percent of his passes and has 13 touchdowns. The Rebels are also a top 30 rushing offense (27th, 196.4 ypg).

LSU has won 13 straight home games and the Tigers are 6-2 SU in the last eight against Ole Miss. The Tigers have the sixth-best passing game in the country (336 ypg), but the difference in this one could come down to the Ole Miss defense. In addition to being third in scoring defense, the Rebels are also third in third down conversion percentage. That will prevent LSU from sustaining drives.

Bet: Ole Miss -142, Ole Miss -2.5 (-120), Under 64.5 (-110)

Iowa State Cyclones vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Iowa State Cyclones-144-3.5 (+102)O 51.5 (-105)
West Virginia Mountaineers+120+3.5 (-124)U 51.5 (-115)

Iowa State might be one of the best kept secrets in college football this season. Head coach Matt Campbell’s team is solid all the way around. The Cyclones rank fourth in the nation in scoring defense allowing opponents just 7.25 points per game. ISU runs the ball well and QB Rocco Becht doesn’t make many mistakes.

The Cyclones have owned West Virginia over the past few seasons. ISU is 4-1 SU and ATS in the last five games against the Mountaineers. Iowa State has started this season 5-0 SU and the Cyclones travel well. They are 6-0 against the number in their last six road games.

West Virginia (3-2) rebounded from losses to Pitt and Penn State in their first three games. The Mountaineers have won each of their last two games, both in the Big 12. They covered in both games as well, easily handling Oklahoma State 38-14 last week. Going back to last year, WVU has won six of its last eight games.

Three of Iowa State’s last four games have gone Over the total. It’s the same for West Virginia. Three of the Mountaineers’ last four have gone Over as well as nine of their last 13. However, in the last nine games between these two teams, the Under has cashed six times. That includes the most recent game played in 2022, a 31-14 Iowa Statt victory with the total set at 49.5.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Predictions

No. 11 Iowa State is probably the best team in the country that you have yet to watch. The Cyclones very quietly have gone 5-0 with a huge win over rival Iowa in Week 2. Iowa State has one of the best defenses in the nation. They rank seventh in points allowed (11.8), fifth against the pass (136.8 ypg) and ninth in total defense (265.8 ypg).

Head coach Matt Campbell’s offense is built around the run. ISU averages 207.8 rushing yards per game (20th nationally). The Cyclones have three players with over 200 yards rushing and collectively, Iowa State averages over five yards per carry. West Virginia’s run defense has been good. They held three of their opponents under 80 yards. The other two were Kansas (247) and Penn State (222), two teams built like Iowa State.

WVU did win its last two games against Kansas and Oklahoma State. They also covered the spread in both games and scored 30-plus in each. The Mountaineers will find out early that Iowa State is neither of those teams. They’ll also find out QB Rocco Becht is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the nation.

Bet: Bet: Iowa State -144, Iowa State -3.5 (+102), Under 51.5 (-110)

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Kansas State Wildcats-194-4.5 (-115)O 56.5 (-110)
Colorado Buffaloes+160+4.5 (-105)U 56.5 (-110)

Colorado’s 4-1 start is more surprising than Kansas State’s. The Buffaloes beat UCF last week as 13.5-point underdogs. Colorado jumped out early and won 48-21. Now, they are 3-0 SU and ATS in their last three games. Colorado has covered the spread in seven of its last ten games.

Kansas State took a surprise loss at the hands of BYU. They fell victim to the night game at BYU curse and lost 38-9. Other than that game, the Wildcats have been pretty good. They are 4-1 SU and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against Colorado. Kansas State ranks No. 15 in the nation in rushing (240.2 ypg) and they try to outphysical their opponents. It has worked so far.

Colorado is just 5-12 SU in its last 17 games against Big 12 opponents. Kansas State, on the other hand, is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 against Big 12 teams. The two teams are a contrast of styles. Colorado ranks 17th in passing offense (296.3 ypg) while Kansas State, as mentioned, has one of the Top 15 rushing offenses in the country.

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes Predictions

Coach Prime gets a home game against No. 18 Kansas State. The last time the Wildcats played a road game at night, they were upset by BYU, which is now ranked No. 14. This time should be different though. Head coach Chris Klieman’s squad is one of the top rushing offenses in the country and the defense is outstanding.

The public loves Colorado with QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/CB Travis Hunter. While the Buffaloes defense has improved, it just can’t sustain the pounding of a physical run game like Kansas State. The Wildcats are fifth in the nation, averaging 244.5 yards on the ground per game. That takes a toll on a defense. The Buffs are a middle-of-the-pack run defense, which is far better than they were a year ago. Is it good enough? Probably not.

Colorado has played 17 games with Deion Sanders as its head coach. They have been favored in seven of those games and Colorado is 6-1 SU (3-3-1 ATS). As an underdog, Coach Prime has not done that well. Colorado is just 2-8 SU as an underdog with one of the two wins coming last week against UCF. Last year, the Buffaloes defeated TCU as an underdog. In their very next game, Colorado lost to Oregon by 36.

Bet: Kansas State -194, Colorado +4.5 (-105), Over 56.5)

College Football Week 7 Best Bets 

We split our best bets again last week. Tennessee’s first half magic didn’t come through against a pretty good Arkansas defense. Of course, the Razorbacks went on to win that game. Army, on the other hand, did come through once again and covered the first half spread against Tulsa.

Our experts have been hard at work checking out the Week 7 college football schedule. These are their best bets for Week 7.

  • California vs. Pittsburgh -152
  • Minnesota -5.5 vs. UCLA

The Panthers (5-0) are one of this season’s biggest surprises. The offense is outstanding. Head coach Pat Narduzzi hired former Western Carolina OC Kade Bell, who makes the Panthers go fast. Pitt averages 38.8 points per game (13th) and they are a Top 25 team in tempo.

Cal typically struggles on the road after a home game. The Bears are 10-39 SU and 22-28 ATS since 2010 in road games right after one at home. Cal is also just 5-34 SU as an underdog in those games. Plus, West Coast Big Ten teams that have traveled to the East this season are just 1-9 SU.

Minnesota (3-3) is coming off a huge win over USC at home. Now, they have to be the Big Ten team traveling west across two time zones. That doesn’t play well for the Gophers, but UCLA is awful. They haven’t scored more than 17 points in a game this season and Minnesota’s defense is elite. The Gophers have the top-ranked pass defense in the nation and they rank in the top 25 in scoring as well.

If you play these two wagers separately, you would need to put out $262 to win $200 ($152 on Pitt and $110 on Minnesota). However, you can parlay these two bets and a $100 wager will earn you $209 at odds of +209.