Sporting Alert – The college football schedule continues in Week 7 with several highlighted clashes, including two notable ones in the SEC Conference and another in the Big Ten Conference.
At the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, No. 7 Michigan State will take its undefeated record this season on the road to face No. 12 Michigan.
The Spartans head into this clash with a perfect 6-0 record for the term, but are no way close to playing flawless football.
In fact, Mark Dantonio’s side struggled to hold off unranked teams in back-to-back games, after Purdue and Rutgers both ran the country’s seventh-ranked team closely in Week 5 and in Week 6.
Michigan, on the other hand, is playing like a team on a mission, after winning five games in a row since losing to Utah at the start of the season.
The Wolverines (5-1) come into this matchup with a remarkable defensive record, having registered three straight shutouts, including last Saturday’s 38-0 win over Northwestern.
At 6.3 points against this season, Michigan sits above all its rivals in that column, while scoring 30.0 points per game on average.
Michigan State started this season as strong contenders for the Big Ten title, but their performances in recent weeks have not been up to standard and a defeat to Michigan over the weekend could end Dantonio’s side chances.
Vegasinsider.com is listing the Wolverines as 8-point favourites to knock off the Spartans, while the total is sitting at 40.5.
Over in the SEC, No. 8 Florida travels to Baton Rouge to take on No. 6 LSU at the Tiger Stadium and this is shaping up to be a big time conference battle.
The visiting Gators (6-0) will be without starting quarterback Will Grier, who has been suspended for the rest of the college football season after a positive drug test.
Nevertheless, the squad remains confident about picking up a win, with Treon Harris expected to be the starting QB.
After beating Ole Miss 38-10 and then Missouri 21-3, the SEC EAST leaders announced that they have the best defense in college football, and they are eager to prove it against an LSU side which is putting up 37.0 points per game.
Florida is allowing 14.3 points per game, which is 11th in the country.
LSU (5-0) comes into this game with one of the Heisman Trophy leading contenders, Leonard Fournette and the Tigers are positive that the nation’s leading running back will drive fear into the hearts of the Florida defense.
Another SEC battle on the watch list in Week 7 is the No. 9 Texas A&M against No. 10 Alabama matchup at Kyle Field, in College Station.
The Aggies (5-0) who have tapped out two ranked teams already this season, are returning to action this weekend after being on a bye last in Week 6 and they are eager to get going again.
Alabama, in the meantime, is coming off a 27-14 victory over Arkansas, but struggle to get going on offense until the second half.
The Crimson Tide (5-1) scored 24 of its 27 total points in the second half, 17 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Nick Saban’s side will certainly need to start better if they are going to beat a Texas A&M side which has put up 118 points in the first half through five games this season
The Aggies were hammered and embarrassed 59-0 last season in Tuscaloosa, during a three-game losing streak against AP ranked sides, but it highly unlikely that we will see a similar scoreline this time.
Alabama is a 4-point favourite to end the win streak of Texas A&M this term, according to Vegasinsider.com, with the game total set at 53.5.
College Football Week 7 Fixtures
Saturday, October 17
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Western Michigan at Ohio 11:00 AM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Eastern Michigan at No. 22 Toledo 11:00 AM ESPN3, WatchESPN
South Florida at Connecticut 11:00 AM ESPNU, WatchESPN
Tulsa at East Carolina 11:00 AM ESPNN, WatchESPN
Purdue at Wisconsin 11:00 AM BTN
Texas Tech at Kansas 11:00 AM FOXS1
West Virginia at No. 2 Baylor 11:00 AM FOX
No. 17 Iowa at No. 20 Northwestern 11:00 AM ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN
No. 13 Ole Miss at Memphis 11:00 AM ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN
Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State 11:00 AM SECN, WatchESPN
Louisville at No. 11 Florida State 11:00 AM ESPN, WatchESPN
Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech 11:30 AM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Buffalo at Central Michigan 12:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Northern Illinois at Miami (OH) 1:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Akron at Bowling Green 2:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Georgia State at Ball State 2:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Kent State at Massachusetts 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Idaho at Troy 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Virginia Tech at Miami (FL) 2:30 PM ESPNU, WatchESPN
No. 10 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M 2:30 PM CBS
Syracuse at Virginia 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
No. 19 Oklahoma at Kansas State 2:30 PM ABC, WatchESPN
No. 7 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan 2:30 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
Nebraska at Minnesota 2:30 PM ESPN2, WatchESPN
Vanderbilt at South Carolina 3:00 PM SECN, WatchESPN
Nevada at Wyoming 3:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
New Mexico State at Georgia Southern 5:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Appalachian State at Louisiana Monroe 6:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
No. 8 Florida at No. 6 LSU 6:00 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
Wake Forest at North Carolina 6:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Boston College at #5 Clemson 6:00 PM ESPNU, WatchESPN
No. 3 TCU at Iowa State 6:00 PM ESPN2, WatchESPN
USC at No. 14 Notre Dame 6:30 PM NBC
Missouri at Georgia 6:30 PM SECN, WatchESPN
Penn State at No. 1 Ohio State 7:00 PM ABC, WatchESPN
Arizona at Colorado 8:00 PM FOXS1
Arizona State at No. 4 Utah 9:00 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
Oregon at Washington 9:30 PM ESPN2, WatchESPN
San Diego State at San José State 9:30 PM ESPNU, WatchESPN
