This Week in College Football Week 7: Playoff hopefuls battle – The Vanderbilt Hustler

Band to honor Dolly Parton at halftime show Saturday
Band to honor Dolly Parton at halftime show Saturday
YOUNG: Charge and punish the Cornell 7
BREAKING: Vanderbilt wideout Kayleb Barnett arrested, no longer with team
SAFRA: Vanderbilt is the ideal school for Jewish students
TOLEDANO: Students for Justice in Palestine, do you even know what today is?
UPDATED: Nashville Symphony suspends 2026-27 season, furloughs all orchestra members
BREAKING: Nashville Symphony partners with Oracle, reinstates 2026-27 season
FRIEDMAN: Tennessee must legalize marijuana
New Nashville event venue The Truth opens
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear visits Vanderbilt’s campus, teases potential 2028 presidential run
POWELL: Taylor Swift is not the problem
The Week 7 slate brings the start of the playoff conversation. Week 6 saw a massive win for Georgia at Alabama, along with upset wins for both UCLA and South Carolina on the road. 
This week features games that could decide the champions for many of the power conferences, with highly ranked teams squaring off.  
The Hustler is here to dive into Week 7’s critical games and player matchups.  
After a relatively light schedule to start the year, No. 5 Indiana will have its work cut out in what may be its biggest home matchup in program history. The Hoosiers have never played a home matchup in which they and their opponent were both ranked in the top 10 of the  AP poll. The last time head coach Curt Cignetti’s team played an opponent ranked in the top 10 at home was Week 4 of its national title-winning season last year, when it pulverized No. 9 Illinois 63-10. This time, things will not be nearly as easy.  
Following a heartbreaking Week 2 loss to Texas, No. 4 Ohio State has waltzed through Big Ten play without much difficulty, including an impressive 31-14 win on the road against No. 14 Iowa. The defense has largely been up to the Ohio State standard, holding opponents to just 16.3 points per game in conference games, but it also helps to  have worldbeater Jeremiah Smith carrying the offense. Smith, who may be the greatest wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson, has already racked up 916 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year. He combines a blend of speed, route-running and size that’s so unfair he feels like a player straight out of a video game. Smith is pacing to have an all-time wideout season in college and is the current favorite to win the Heisman trophy, which would make him the first pure receiver to win the award since Devonta Smith in 2020. 
The Hoosiers’ defense will have its hands full containing Smith, especially with the secondary coming off a shaky game after allowing Nebraska pass catcher Jacory Barney Jr. to haul in nine catches for 123 yards. The Indiana defense, which lost star corner D’Angelo Ponds in the 2026 NFL draft, will have its hands full. 
The offense will look to get back to its dominant 2025 form, too. Cignetti hoped to recreate the magic Fernando Mendoza had with TCU transfer Josh Hoover, but the senior signal caller has merely been serviceable so far this year. He’s averaging a solid 227.3 yards per game, but with a shaky-looking run game accounting for only 65 yards against Nebraska, Cignetti will surely be wanting more if he hopes to take down the championship-contending Buckeyes. While last season’s Indiana was used to blasting teams in huge blowouts, this year’s iteration has already had a few nail-biters. The Hoosiers barely escaped Nebraska 20-17 last week, and it took a controversial call for them to get past Northwestern 29-23. Ohio State comes into the matchup favored by 3.5 on the road, so it will take a strong game from the Hoosiers to keep their nation-leading 22-game win streak alive. 
Indiana hosts Ohio State Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. CDT, and it will air on Fox. 
Despite being somewhat overlooked in a week full of juggernaut clashes, the Cowpokes and Cougars will face off in a matchup that will be instrumental in determining how a competitive Big 12 standings play out. Both teams have shown reasons to be optimistic about their ability to compete in high profile games. Houston took preseason conference favorites Texas Tech to the wire in a 26-28 Week 3 loss, and Oklahoma State surprised No. 6 Oregon at home with a massive Week 2 upset. With both teams eyeing a spot in the Big 12 title game, this may be a de facto elimination game in a crowded conference with limited opportunities for the top teams to play each other. No. 8 BYU, No. 11. Utah and No. 13 Texas Tech all stand undefeated in conference, and Utah against BYU is the only matchup between the three programs. So, this clash is a crucial one for both Houston and Oklahoma State. 
After a slow start, Oklahoma State and quarterback Drew Mestemaker have caught fire, winning 4 straight following a Week 1 loss to Tulsa. Mestemaker, a transfer from North Texas who didn’t start under center on his high school team, has thrown for over 300 yards in every win for the Cowpokes and is generating real buzz from pro scouts. This will be a pivotal moment for him to show what he’s capable of, but the Cowpokes will also hope to lean on star running back Caleb Hawkins. A fellow North Texas transfer who followed Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris to Stillwater, Hawkins is averaging 105 rushing yards per game as a sophomore and looks to stay hot here. 
On the other side, Houston has been one of the toughest and most physical teams in the nation. The Cougars are converting a national leading 58.2% of their first downs, headlined by a two-headed backfield featuring Re’Shan Sanford II and Makhi Huges. They’ve owned the trenches on both sides of the ball, rushing for 230 yards per game while holding opponents to just 74 yards per game. To finally get a marquee home win and hang in the Big 12 race following the Texas Tech loss, Houston will have to keep grinding, and attempt to drag Oklahoma State’s high-flying offense into the mud. 
Houston hosts Oklahoma State Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. CDT, and it will air on Fox. 
This game marks another clash between Ole Miss and another SEC powerhouse. In the past three weeks, the Rebels have played close games against LSU and Florida before annihilating a reeling Vanderbilt. Meanwhile, Missouri is coming off back-to-back wins against Florida and Texas A&M after dropping a tight game to Mississippi State. Both teams are 2-1 in SEC play, and the winner of this game could make a run to play in the SEC Championship. 
Ole Miss has been involved in a number of marquee games to start the year. The Rebels’ revenge game was one of the most anticipated games of the year, beating LSU at home in a clash with former coach Lane Kiffin. Their clash with Florida was a great game — a high-powered offensive clash in which Florida won 52-28 — and after playing against a Commodore team that is struggling to find an identity after losing Diego Pavia, Ole Miss has proven itself as a stacked team.  
The strength of Ole Miss resides in its offense. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss started the season strong, but his recent play has not been up to his elite caliber. Chambliss did look sharp against the Commodores, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for one. Additionally, the Rebels’ run game is back to full strength, as star running back Kewan Lacy returned against the Commodores after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 3. The junior carried the ball seven times for 39 yards and a touchdown in his return to action. 
The Tigers’ defense is anchored by Daeden Hopkins, who has a staggering seven sacks to start the year. If the defensive end can run down Chambliss, Missouri will find success by putting pressure on Chambliss in the pocket. Junior linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez leads the team in tackles with 63 and has recorded 1.5 sacks. Missouri’s defense hasn’t allowed more than 21 points in a game outside of its lone loss against Mississippi State.  
Austin Simmons’ return to Oxford will be the story to watch as the game unfolds. After losing his starting role to Chambliss, Simmons transferred to Missouri in January.. He has found strong success in the Tigers’ air attack, throwing for over 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns and just one interception. Simmons will try to show that Ole Miss made a mistake letting him in this much-anticipated matchup.  
Vaught–Hemingway Stadium hosts this conference clash, and it will air on SEC Network at 2:30 p.m. CDT. 
College GameDay is heading to Utah for this top-ranked matchup, and BYU will be hosting the show for the first time since 2009. Both teams will face their best competition of the year, with the Cougars and the Fighting Irish coming into this Week 7 matchup undefeated. It is an important matchup for both teams, with each program in a prime position to fight for a playoff spot. 
The Cougars have been strong to start the season, with a 5-0 record including wins against Arizona and Iowa State. BYU’s team is led by its defense, which ranks No. 9 nationally in points allowed per game. There are a number of elite-level players on the defense. Safety Faletau Satuala has been one of their best defensive players this season, and he won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award after BYU’s win against TCU. The Cougars will also be relying on star linebacker Cade Uluave to stop Notre Dame. Uluave leads the team in tackles and had a critical interception against Arizona. BYU will need these two to lead the defense in order to stop Notre Dame’s potent offense. 
Offensively, BYU is led by its quarterback, Bear Bachmeier. In his sophomore season, Bachmeier showed immense growth and will look to continue his strong play. After a rough showing against TCU, Bachmeier shone against Iowa State. With starting running back LJ Martin set to miss significant time with a high ankle sprain, Bachmeier bore the load of the offense. Bear threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 109 yards rushing on just nine carries.  
Notre Dame is looking for a College GameDay rebound after losing to Ohio State two years ago. So far, the Fighting Irish have won all six of their games, but haven’t had much strong competition. Their best win was an 11-point close victory against UNC, so this game will be a true test of the team’s mettle.  
CJ Carr is the difference-maker for Notre Dame. Carr is one of the top quarterbacks in all of college football, and he looks to improve his resume with a significant game Saturday. Carr has yet to attempt more than 30 passes in a game but has still produced well this year. Over the past three weeks, Carr has scored 12 touchdowns while only throwing one interception — but these stats might not hold up as well against this week’s strong Cougar defense. 
However, Notre Dame might have an even better defense than BYU. They have the No. 4   scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 11 points per game. Defensive end Boubacar Traore has been dominating lately, recording a forced fumble and an interception last week. Captain Drayk Bowen is another critical piece of their defense, as he leads the team in tackles and will look to shut down Bachmeier’s legs. A notable injury to watch this week is cornerback Leonard Moore; he is questionable with a concussion and would be a critical player to have on the field, as he has been excellent this year for the Fighting Irish. 
These two playoff contenders will head to LaVell Edwards Stadium for kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CDT.  The game will be broadcast on ABC.  
Enjoy a great Saturday of football! 
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University
Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Comment *
Name *
Email *

Enter the destination URL
Or link to existing content

source