This is the type of weekend that college football fans live for. It’s the one where you clear your schedule for 12+ hours of coverage, and just throw up your hands and ask “why me?” if you’re unlucky enough to have to attend something like a wedding that conflicts.
It was legitimately difficult to whittle down the list to just 10 games, because there are far more than that to keep an eye on this weekend. But for most fans, it’s the headliners that will steal the show, and boy are there some good ones at the top in particular.
As we cross the midpoint of the regular season, we’ll continue to see more and more close games. Not all of them will be expected to be that way, however. This weekend, the expectation and promise of highly entertaining matchups is what really separates it preemptively. We can be ready for it, as opposed to scramble to avoid missing anything.
Here are the top games to pay attention to in a jam packed Week 7.
Embed from Getty Images5 Games You Need to Watch This Weekend
#4 Ohio State at #5 Indiana (Saturday, 12 PM ET – FOX)
The sudden transformation of Indiana’s football program under Curt Cignetti has resulted in this becoming the premier matchup in a Big Ten Conference loaded with candidates that would easily earn that distinction in other leagues. It also holds the distinction of being the top matchup in what is on paper the biggest weekend of the 2026 regular season. As the two previous national champions, it’s hard to say that either team can play the role of hunter, but if there was one it would be the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers have struggled at times dealing with a target on their back and will now seek to maintain perfection against the most talented team they have faced this season.
While Ohio State has generally gone about its business without much national buzz the past two weeks, its victories have indicated that Ryan Day is not about to let another Texas game happen again this season. The Buckeyes have clamped down in the second half, hogging possession and ending with more than 25 minutes more time of possession collectively than its opponents the past two games. This strategy may come in handy against an Indiana squad that wants to control the tempo via its run game, but has at times struggled to do so this season. The Hoosiers’ defense is the best in the Big Ten at stopping the run, however, so Ohio State’s possible approach will be difficult to successfully deploy. In the end, this should be a close game but Indiana is due for a letdown and the Buckeyes are one of the few teams in the country with the talent level to actually get the job done as opposed to simply coming close.
My Pick: 27-24 Ohio State (does not cover -3.5 spread)
#16 Mississippi State at #22 LSU (Saturday, 12 PM ET – ESPN)
For the second time in three seasons, Lane Kiffin walked into Kroger Field as a touchdown-plus favorite and walked out on the losing end of an unexpected dogfight. The Tigers have now completely eaten into any margin for error they may have had when it comes to qualifying for the Playoff following the loss to Kentucky last weekend. LSU boasts the SEC’s top defense from a statistical standpoint, but has been Jekyll & Hyde on that side of the ball this season, failing to show up in the biggest games and looking nasty in blowouts. This is, therefore, a dangerous game for Kiffin’s group, as Mississippi State’s success this season has stemmed from a potent offense that is lethal through the air.
The Bulldogs were humbled at home last time out by an Alabama team that basically did whatever it wanted offensively. The concern for Mississippi State moving forward is that it looked to be on the back foot the entire time against the Crimson Tide, and the results from star quarterback Kamario Taylor weren’t nearly as good as when the Bulldogs have controlled the tempo of the game and the mood of the crowd this season. I can see a scenario where an angry LSU team is very motivated following last weekend’s loss and Mississippi State is again trying to “keep up” for the majority of the game. There is no doubt in my mind that points will be scored, but it is imperative for the Bulldogs that they don’t get down more than two scores at any point in this game. A drag race where both teams nail the start gives Mississippi State a chance in this one.
My Pick: 38-31 LSU (does not cover -16.5 spread)
#6 Alabama at #14 Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – ABC)
The Crimson Tide were unable to defend home turf against Georgia last Saturday night, but held their own and the performance, rightfully so, did little to affect confidence in Alabama as deserving of a Top 10 ranking. Kalen DeBoer’s team will have an opportunity to get right against another Top 15 foe when it travels to Rocky Top to take on the Volunteers. Unlike Alabama, which has a victory over a Top 25 squad and has generally been dominant in its other victories this season, Tennessee has yet to truly validate its position in the national rankings outside of a close loss at home to Texas. I think a close loss to Texas has the potential to become less impressive as the season wears on, which in my mind necessitates that Tennessee has a strong showing this weekend to stay in the good graces of the national media.
Despite the negative talk about the Longhorns, they did write the blueprint on how to neutralize Tennessee’s offensive attack. One of the best in the SEC in terms of running the ball but with a young quarterback that can be rattled, the goal in this game for Alabama is to limit the ground touches and pressure sophomore George MacIntyre when he drops back. MacIntyre was named the starter for this game as freshman phenom Faizon Brandon continues to recover from a shoulder injury suffered in the loss to Texas, yet another advantage that the Crimson Tide can exploit. The Volunteers don’t get any more experienced with Brandon out, and the offense was already trending towards being too one-dimensional. The Tennessee defense will be leaned upon heavily in this game, and I see it being too tall a task against a humming Alabama offense.
My Pick: 30-17 Alabama (covers -7.5 spread)
#13 Missouri at #9 Mississippi (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – SEC Network)
I feel like it is still too early in the season to say with confidence whether either one of these teams are a Top 10 team in the country, but after this weekend is finished one of them will almost certainly be labeled as one crossing into the second half of the season. Though the victory over Florida quickly lost its luster, what it did do was confirm that the Missouri offense has some real juice and, perhaps surprisingly, an amount of balance that gives it an opportunity to be dangerous against any defense. The absence of Ahmad Hardy has done little to damper the run game’s effectiveness, with Jamal Roberts stepping in and currently leading the conference in yards. And Austin Simmons has shown the ability that initially made him a coveted recruit coming out of high school. Simmons returns to where he began his collegiate career, where he will square off against the guy who forced his transfer to Missouri in the first place.
The level of inconsistency from the Rebels and coupled with the victory over LSU being fueled heavily by emotion leads to a cause for multiple concerns. The lesser of them is the play of Trinidad Chambliss, which has been both electric and inconsistent (a theme here). That can change in an instant, however, as Chambliss is still a tremendous individual talent. The greater concern is that related to the defense, which hasn’t found a way to stop the run and currently sits dead last in the SEC in the statistical category. Missouri has long been comfortable favoring the run game under Drinkwitz, and despite the opportunity to prove something at his old stomping grounds, I don’t think Simmons will let the moment get to him and try to do too much. If Simmons maintains his composure and lets the game come to him, I see Missouri’s offense giving Mississippi a lot of trouble offensively, limiting Chambliss’s touches and creating a frustrating afternoon in Oxford.
My Pick: 35-32 Missouri (covers +5.5 spread)
#2 Notre Dame at #8 BYU (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET – ABC)
A game that has been circled on the calendar of college football fans nationally is unsurprisingly a battle between Top 10 programs. It’s the most difficult matchup on Notre Dame’s schedule outside of the latest edition of Catholics vs. Convicts, and in this case the Fighting Irish have to travel. BYU has yet to face a team it wasn’t expected to beat this season, but Kalani Sitake’s group has taken care of business exactly as it has intended – with stifling defense and a bruising, run-first offensive attack that burns a lot of clock. The Fighting Irish will put the true strength of those units to the test, as Marcus Freeman’s squad boasts the third best run defense in the country and an offense that utilizes even more clock than the Cougars.
Notre Dame has an embarrassment of riches on offense, starting with Heisman Trophy contending quarterback CJ Carr. He was a revelation last year and this year has allowed the run game, which was working in new pieces after the departure of two NFL backs, to flourish without missing a beat. The corps is incredibly deep, with five players contributing to the 15 rushing touchdowns scored thus far. That depth will put pressure on a BYU defense that has been stout in 2026 (just three rushing touchdowns allowed) but that hasn’t faced the highest quality competition. That’s the big question mark on defense for BYU, but the biggest question will be whether Bear Bachmeier can burn a Notre Dame defense that I expect to load the box and refuse to let the Cougars beat it on the ground. If you’re a fan of old-school, physical football, this might be the game of the season for you, let alone the game of the week. It will be entertaining and close, but I do think the Fighting Irish get the job done in Provo and validate their current ranking.
My Pick: 24-17 Notre Dame (does not cover -10.5 spread)
Embed from Getty Images5 Games to Keep an Eye On This Weekend
UNLV at Air Force (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – CBS Sports Network)
The new-look Mountain West has been hotly contested at the top thus far, with all of the favorites getting off to a good start in league play. Air Force narrowly lost to North Dakota State earlier in the year but can maintain great position by handing UNLV its first conference loss of the season this weekend. The Rebels’ run defense bent but didn’t break against North Dakota State last week, but may be compromised heading into this matchup against the country’s No. 2 rushing attack.
Wisconsin at #12 UCLA (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET – NBC)
As ugly as the game in Eugene was last weekend, the Bruins announced themselves as a true Big Ten contender with their upset of the Ducks. UCLA has enjoyed operating under the radar for most of the season but now must contend with something of a target on its back, a dangerous spot to be in against a Wisconsin squad that has relished playing the role of underdog in 2026 as well.
#15 Kentucky at Oklahoma (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET – SEC Network)
Was the Sooners’ victory in the Red River Shootout a positive turning point in the season, or a blip on the radar fueled in large part by the desire to disappoint a fierce rival? We’ll find out quickly when Will Stein’s group visits Norman, looking to build upon what has already been an incredible first half of the season for Kentucky.
#18 Oklahoma State at #20 Houston (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET – FOX)
These two relatively undervalued Big 12 squads will again be overshadowed on a packed weekend, but it is an important matchup nonetheless. With BYU competing out-of-conference this weekend, the winner of this one is guaranteed to match any other leader in the Big 12 in terms of league victories.
Nebraska at Oregon (Saturday, 11 PM ET – FOX)
Dylan Raiola became the latest individual to suffer from Around The Corn’s “kiss of death”, throwing two picks before being yanked in the fourth quarter in Oregon’s ugly, seven turnover loss to UCLA. The Ducks now have no margin for error when it comes to their Playoff hopes, and will need to bounce back against a Nebraska team that last weekend suffered yet another big game close loss under Matt Rhule. Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, one of the things Oregon has done particularly well this season is defend the run.
