College Football Week 7 Preview

"Action" Jackson here.  We continue into the middle of the 2016-2017 college football season with some great match-ups, including one in the Big Ten that could shake things up and an annual SEC battle that could turn into the upset of the century. We're not even going to talk about that Michigan game.  (Good God, Harbaugh.)  Welcome to Week 7.  

College Football Top 25: Week 6 Recap

The Oklahoma Sooners took on their rivals the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Showdown, the annual grudge match of historic fame, winning a shootout with some big days from quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver DeDe Westbrook.  Final Score: 45-40.

The Tennessee Volunteers couldn't conjure up another late game comeback even though the Texas A&M Aggies gave them plenty of opportunities.  The game coming down to kickers once again forced an overtime thriller as Texas A&M put a damper on Tennessee's season, final score: 45-38.  

​The Florida St. Seminoles went into the Hard Rock Stadium in Coral Gables and escaped with a victory over their rivals the Miami Hurricanes in grudge match for the history books.  Of all the ways it could've ended, this one came down to a blocked extra point, of all things.  Final score: 20-19

Week 7 Match-ups and Breakdowns

Some big games on tap for this weekend: classic SEC rivalry, coaches seeking to save their season, and a top 10 Big Ten match-up that could have major playoff implications.  This is going to be another good weekend.  

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at #9 Tennessee Volunteers

The Alabama Crimson Tide travel to Rocky Top this weekend to take on the Tennessee Volunteers in a game called "The Third Saturday in October" because of the traditions associated with this game.  These two teams are historic rivals, having played one another for over a century.  

This season, the Crimson Tide are once again an unstoppable juggernaut, with a high flying offense and an impenetrable defense, boasting future NFL 1st round draft picks playing on both sides.  Nick Saban is coaching a well-oiled machine, and it's a thing of beauty to watch him churn out championship after championship.  Tennessee, meanwhile, has been trying to play catch-up for years now, lacking the talent and coaching the the Tide have enjoyed for so long.  This season, their roster boasts plenty of talent, and  they look to be able to match the Tide for the first time in 8 seasons.  Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs has engineered plenty of late game comebacks this season, but after failing to beat the Texas A&M Aggies last week in overtime, the Volunteers know they need to keep their season alive with a solid win at home.  Who better to beat then their most hated rivals?

Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

This season started off with so much promise for these two squads.  Both boasted Heisman contenders, both were vying for a playoff spot, and suddenly, both are on the downswing and looking to save their seasons.  Rivalry games used to mean something; now, this one is just to save their skin.  

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey has been running into a wall the past couple of games, unable to replicate the production he enjoyed the last season and the first few games of this one.  The Cardinal are on a two game skid, losing to PAC-12 opponents Washington and Washington St., but a win on the road against a declining Notre Dame Fighting Irish squad could be the turn around they need to make a push for a mid-level bowl.  On the other sideline, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is all but fired.  Already down their defensive coordinator, this whole season has been a disappointing one for both the Fighting Irish players and fans alike.  Winning against an old school rival like Stanford on the road would go a long way to helping Kelly keep his job, or at least pad his resume on his way out.

#2 Ohio St. Buckeyes at #8 Wisconsin Badgers

This one is going to be bloody, I promise you that.  The Big Ten has 4 teams in the AP top 10 this season for the first time since 1960 for a reason, with plenty of teams learning the hard way that these schools mean business.

With wins against LSU and Michigan St. and a close loss on the road to Michigan, the Wisconsin Badgers haven proven that they are tough and deserving of a top 10 ranking.  They host the Ohio St. Buckeyes this weekend, and they want nothing more than to ruin another team's playoff chances.  The Badgers are tough, battle tested, and hungry to prove that the Big Ten belongs to them.  For Ohio St., this is another business trip.  They've already traveled to Norman and beaten the Oklahoma Sooners, and this young Buckeyes team is ready to win another one for head coach Urban Meyer.  Like most games they've played this season, this game could be either a curb-stomp or a shootout, depending on which Ohio St. team shows up on Saturday night.  Either way, this one will have major playoff implications and affect rankings later in the year.