Week 7 has arrived with the kind of slate that can rattle the rankings in a hurry. Georgia has already snapped through in Tuscaloosa, Oklahoma has knocked Texas from the top spot in the Red River Rivalry, and Kentucky keeps finding ways to survive in the wildest possible fashion.
Now the Bulldogs are No. 1, Ohio State and Indiana are set for a rematch with real Big Ten weight behind it, and the Third Saturday in October is back in Knoxville.
One of the day’s biggest spots lands at noon ET on FOX, where No. 4 Ohio State heads to No.
5 Indiana. This is a rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship Game, which Indiana won 13-10, and the Hoosiers come in on a 22-game winning streak.
For Indiana, this is the kind of home game that can redefine a program. For Ohio State, it is a chance to show the early loss to Texas was just a blip.
The Buckeyes have the offensive talent, but Indiana’s front is set up to challenge quarterback Julian Sayin in familiar fashion.
The SEC’s marquee afternoon window brings No. 6 Alabama to No.
14 Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. Alabama is trying to regroup after its rare home loss to Georgia, and Keelon Russell will need a steadier showing against a Tennessee defense that leads the country with 25 sacks.
The Volunteers have quarterback uncertainty too, with George MacIntyre expected to make his second straight start while Faizon Brandon continues to recover from a shoulder injury. Neyland Stadium has a way of turning stress into a full-time job for both offenses.
At the same time on SEC Network, No. 13 Missouri goes to No.
9 Ole Miss in a game packed with familiar faces and a lot of recent momentum. Austin Simmons, Cayden Lee, and Chris Graves return to Oxford with a Missouri team that has piled up 72 points against Florida and Texas A&M over the last two weeks while allowing only 23.
Ole Miss bounced back from its loss to Florida by scoring 52 against Vanderbilt, but slowing Missouri’s run game looks like a much tougher ask. The Rebels also haven’t beaten Missouri since 1974.
Georgia gets its own return to action at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, hosting Auburn in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. The Bulldogs are coming off their first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007, and the Tigers arrive with a bye week behind them and suspended linebacker Xavier Atkins unavailable.
Georgia has won nine in a row in the series, and Kirby Smart’s group has to avoid the emotional letdown that sometimes follows a statement win. Auburn’s offense, meanwhile, has allowed an SEC-high 18 sacks.
Later in the day, No. 15 Kentucky travels to Oklahoma for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network.
It’s the kind of matchup that would not have looked obvious in August, but both teams arrive with plenty of attention attached. Kentucky is 5-1 under first-year head coach Will Stein after back-to-back overtime wins, including the upset of LSU.
Oklahoma, fresh off its last-second Red River win over Texas, carries that momentum into a different kind of test. Kentucky has made a habit of winning in tight spots, but Brent Venables’ defense is another level of challenge.
The Dawgs247 staff has its against-the-spread picks lined up for the week, and each selection includes an upset call as well.
In Other News...
Alabama Finally Responded After Raylen Wilson Postgame Confrontation
Georgias win at Bryant-Denny Stadium was already a big postgame moment, but it quickly turned into something else when a confrontation with linebacker Raylen Wilson was caught on video and spread across social media. Alabama later identified the fan involved and took action, a response that brought some closure to an incident that never should have followed the game into the tunnel area.
Kirby Smart had already pointed to Wilsons composure in the moment, a steady response from a player who had every reason to be rattled by the exchange. Alabama also condemned the behavior as unacceptable, and the episode now stands as another reminder of how quickly emotions can spill over after a high-profile SEC matchup, especially when the cameras keep rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Gunner Stockton Faces A Bigger Test As Georgia's Backfield Thins
Gunner Stockton is one of the names getting early Heisman buzz, but the more immediate concern for Georgia is the shape of its backfield as the schedule keeps getting tougher. The Bulldogs have leaned on Stockton to steady the offense, and his upcoming matchup now comes with added importance because the people around him may not be as plentiful as before.
For Georgia, that changes the equation in a hurry. A thinner backfield can put more on the quarterbacks plate, especially when the defense knows the game plan may have to be trimmed and every possession matters. Stockton has already put himself in the national conversation, but this next stretch will say a lot about how well he can carry it when the margins get tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Secondary Suddenly Has A Bigger Auburn Concern Than Fans Expected
Georgias secondary got a little more complicated heading into Auburn week when the Bulldogs released an updated injury report that pushed safety KJ Bolden to doubtful. Georgia has dealt with absences elsewhere on the roster as well, but Boldens status stands out because it comes against an Auburn team the Bulldogs will want to handle cleanly on the back end. Even with the uncertainty, Georgia does have ways to shuffle pieces around in the defensive backfield if needed.
The bigger issue now is simply waiting for the next round of availability updates as the SEC continues to release injury reports before kickoff. Georgia will have to keep preparing for multiple scenarios, especially if Bolden cannot go, since the staff may need to adjust the secondary on short notice. For a defense that wants stability entering a rivalry game, the timing is not ideal. [Read more 🡒]