Week 7 of the college football season is packed to the brim with intriguing matchups, as 17 of the top 18 teams in the AP Top 25 poll will be in action. With most teams set to play their sixth game, Saturday marks the unofficial halfway mark of the 2025 regular season.
Given the surprises we’ve had so far this season, gear up for another whirlwind day of impactful results. Three games between top 20 teams are on the docket, and several more highly ranked squads face significant conference challenges.
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The Big Ten schedule is particularly strong, starting with No. 1 Ohio State traveling to No. 17 Illinois in the early window.. The Buckeyes have established themselves as the clear betting favorite to win the national title, but the Illini could present some resistance.
Headlining the day’s action is a top-10 tilt on CBS, as No. 3 Oregon hosts No. 7 Indiana in an afternoon clash between two fiery head coaches and a couple of Heisman contenders at quarterback. Capping off the league’s strong slate is a critical clash between one-loss teams, as No. 15 Michigan travels to USC. It’s also a pivotal day in the SEC highlighted by a couple of rivalry showdowns.
As kickoff approaches, here are the CBS Sports expert picks for the weekend’s top matchups.
No. 1 Ohio State at No. 17 Illinois
Noon on Fox, fubo (try for free): Unstoppable force, meet immovable object. This game is all about whether Illinois’ offense can be the first team to find any kind of success against Ohio State. The Fighting Illini have only had one game go under this 51.5-point total, while the Buckeyes have only gone over that mark once. If you trust coordinator Matt Patricia to keep his defense humming at its unfathomable level, the under is the play. If you trust Illinois QB Luke Altmyer to find the end zone a time or two, over. One of those two wavered once this season — Illinois scored just 10 points against Indiana — while the other is as steady as they come, so I lean toward the Buckeyes controlling this and keeping it on the lower-scoring side. Pick: Under 51.5 — Carter Bahns
Noon on ABC, fubo (try for free): Alabama has struggled to score more than four touchdowns in its games against mid- to upper-tier power programs, which is fine, particularly with the defense playing so much better of late. Missouri loves to run the ball, ranking third nationally, and leads the nation in time of possession. The Tigers scored 29 in their only SEC game this season. The Tide rank No. 1 in turnover margin, which could make for a lower-scoring game for the explosive Tigers. Picking a winner is difficult, especially with a 3.5-point spread in favor of Alabama, so we’ll go with the point total (51.5) and side with the teams sliding just under. Pick: Under 51.5 — Brandon Marcello
No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon
3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium: Indiana was aggressive in addressing the offensive line this offseason, a response that came from how the Hoosiers looked against the likes of Ohio State and Notre Dame. That, plus the addition of Fernando Mendoza at a time when he’s playing great football, has really given Indiana’s offense a boost that will be needed to score against a quality Oregon defense. Getting stops against Dante Moore at home will be another concern, for sure, but getting the offense going is the part that seems the most important for hanging around in Eugene. Pick: Indiana +7.5 — Chip Patterson
3:30 p.m. on ABC, fubo (try for free): Unlike most of the past few Red River Rivalries, this one will be a defensive showdown between lackluster offenses. The Longhorns have gotten almost zero production from their running game, and Oklahoma’s defensive line might be the toughest challenge yet. The Sooners will need to find an explosive play or two, but Texas’s inconsistency will prove the difference. Pick: Oklahoma +3 — Shehan Jeyarajah
7 p.m. on ESPN, fubo (try for free): Banking on Lagway to perform in a tough environment is asking a lot. He threw five interceptions at LSU and managed just 61 yards at Miami. Elko, defensive coordinator Jay Bateman and the 12th Man are more than capable of making life difficult on him in a similar fashion even with Wilson breaking out as a potential game-changer in the Gators’ receiving corps. On the flip side, Florida boasts the best defense Texas A&M has seen all year. The threat of a defensive touchdown always looms, and 47.5 is not a very large number, but I have a hard time believing these offenses will put the ball in the end zone seven times. Pick: Under 47.5 — Bahns
7:30 p.m. on ABC, fubo (try for free): With how unpredictable college football has been this season, and neither Auburn nor Georgia’s offenses — led by Jackson Arnold and Gunner Stockton, respectively — being particularly imposing, it might be best to lean toward the total. The two SEC rivals are a combined 3-7 ATS this year, and recent history in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry backs that up, with nine of the last 12 meetings finishing under the total. Pick: Under 45.5 — Cody Nagel
No. 15 Michigan at USC
7:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (try for free): This game is a toss-up. I really like what Michigan has done with its running game and Bryce Underwood is one of the best young quarterbacks in college football. USC has one of the best wide receiver duos in the sport, and that may ultimately make the difference in this one. This is a pivotal moment for Riley’s tenure at USC because last year, against Michigan, his team fell short. A win over the Wolverines would change the narrative and would be one of his most impressive wins since leaving Oklahoma. This game will come down to the wire, but USC will walk away with a huge win. Pick: USC -2.5 — Cameron Salerno
SportsLine’s proven computer model has simulated every Week 7 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see all the picks, all from the model that is 38-25 since the beginning of last season on top-rated money-line and over/under picks.
