Week 7 brings a slate loaded with heavyweight games, and this is the kind of Saturday that can redraw the College Football Playoff race in a hurry. Nebraska, Indiana, Missouri and the playoff format itself all sit in the spotlight as the weekend opens with more uncertainty than answers.
Start with Oregon, where the quarterback picture is still a mess. Dylan Raiola, Akili Smith Jr. and Brock Thomas are all in the mix after Raiola’s rough outing turned into a 17-15 loss to UCLA, with Thomas putting up the more encouraging numbers after stepping in.
Nebraska walks into that uncertainty as a tougher team than the Bruins by ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ metric, and the Huskers also come in with fresh motivation after losing to Indiana. Oregon’s seven-point spread edge looks vulnerable here, especially with Nebraska’s strong secondary waiting to make life miserable for whichever quarterback the Ducks choose.
Anthony Colandrea is expected to deliver a clean day at quarterback, and that should be enough for Nebraska to keep pushing toward a CFP berth.
Indiana gets its own chance to shake up the top of the sport when it faces Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ offensive line has already shown cracks this season, and now it will be missing starter Austin Siereveld.
That is a dangerous setup against an Indiana defense that ranks third nationally with 20 sacks, behind only Tennessee and LSU. Julian Sayin is expected to feel that pressure throughout the day, much like he did in the Big Ten championship, when Indiana sacked him five times.
Add in a strong showing from Indiana’s receivers, and the Hoosiers have a path to slip past Ohio State and leave Ryan Day’s team with very little breathing room.
Ole Miss also enters the weekend under pressure at a spot that should be its strength. Pete Golding’s defense has not exactly been airtight, with 392.4 yards per game allowed - a mark better than only Florida in the SEC.
Missouri visits with a quarterback who has both a reason and a resume to make the Rebels pay: Austin Simmons. He lost his job a season ago to Trinidad Chambliss, had not thrown an interception before last week’s pick against Texas A&M, and still averages 239 yards per game even after that off day.
If Simmons has another rough one, Missouri’s defense looks good enough to carry the Tigers and strengthen their case as CFP contenders.
And then there’s the other big conversation hovering over the entire day: a 24-team CFP. That subject figures to pop up everywhere Saturday, but don’t expect much real pushback on air.
Networks have every incentive to talk up the idea, especially with ESPN likely needing to spread CFP inventory to other channels if the field expands next year. If there’s a viral moment, it may come from whichever commentator is willing to say what plenty of fans are thinking.
Pat “Rat” McAfee, Sean McDonough and Robert Griffin III all stand out as possibilities to be that voice.
In Other News...
Indiana Took The Least Painful Route Into Jersey Patch Sponsorships
Indiana University is taking a broader swing at corporate partnership revenue, expanding its relationship with Merchants Bank into jersey patch sponsorships across all 24 varsity athletic programs. The banks logo will now show up on jerseys, coaches apparel and throughout Indianas athletic venues and digital platforms, adding another layer to a relationship that already includes naming rights to the field at Memorial Stadium.
For Indiana, the appeal is obvious: more visibility, more support and one less awkward step in the ongoing march of college athletics toward branded everything. The move also reflects how familiar this partnership already is to Hoosiers fans, with the banks presence now stretching beyond one part of the football experience and into nearly every corner of the department. The next question is how quickly that expanded footprint becomes part of the everyday look and feel around Indiana sports. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Won A Huge NCAA Eligibility Fight For Now
A legal fight that has hovered over Indiana athletics took another turn this week when the Indiana Court of Appeals denied the NCAAs emergency motion to stay a preliminary injunction keeping three Hoosier athletes eligible to compete. Football players Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt, along with basketball player Sam Alexis, remain on the field and the court for now while the larger case works its way through the appeals process.
The ruling matters well beyond those three names, since 97 student-athletes in the case are covered by the same injunction. The NCAA had pressed for a stay, arguing that letting the athletes play would cause irreparable harm, but the court was not persuaded enough to grant it, leaving the association to keep fighting while Indianas players continue competing under the current order. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Is Turning Ohio State Gameday Into A Full Stadium Spectacle
Memorial Stadium is set up for much more than just a Noon ET kickoff against Ohio State. Long before the opening whistle, Indiana will be part of the FOX Big Noon Kickoff show, complete with giveaways and a fan pit, turning the pregame window into its own event for a crowd expecting a big-stage atmosphere.
The rest of the presentation is built to match it. Straight No Chaser is scheduled to perform during the Marching Hundred pregame show, IndyCar champion Alex Palou will drive Hoosier the Bison onto the field and help lead the I-U Chant, and the pageantry is expected to peak after the National Anthem with four Army Blackhawk helicopters overhead before rooftop fireworks cap the scene. Indiana has clearly planned for Saturday to feel bigger than a single game, even if the biggest moments are still waiting to unfold. [Read more 🡒]