What a slate we have. Saturday features six ranked-on-ranked matchups, including a rematch of last year's Big Ten title game. This is as good as it gets.
Here are our picks and favorite bets against the spread.
👉 Check out all college football Week 7 lines on theScore Bet
Our trio of betting writers - Brenden Deeg, Dane Belbeck, and Eric Patterson - will make picks against the spread for the week's biggest games all season.
Brenden Deeg breaks down a few of this week's marquee matchups, adding his own analysis and insights. He also identifies three hidden gems the public may be overlooking.
Game time - 12 p.m. ET
🏈 Bet: Ohio State (-2.5)
The Big Ten championship rematch is undoubtedly the biggest game of the week.
Last year, Indiana halted Ohio State's undefeated season in a 13-10 win and went on to win the national title. Now, the Hoosiers are 6-0, but this isn't last year's team. They're 1-5 against the spread and squeaked out two close wins against Northwestern and Nebraska. The biggest difference is that Indiana's pass defense is nowhere near as dominant as last season.
The loss of De'Angelo Ponds to the NFL has hurt, plus the Hoosiers have dealt with cornerback injuries. They've been forced to play a ton of zone coverage as a result, doing so on 86.5% of their defensive snaps - the fourth-highest rate in the nation, according to TruMedia. Meanwhile, Ohio State has absolutely shredded zone this year, averaging 8.4 yards per play and an FBS-leading 12.8 net yards per pass attempt. Jeremiah Smith, in particular, has destroyed zone coverage, recording 36 catches for 780 yards and eight touchdowns against it.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State's run defense has been spectacular, allowing just 2.65 yards per rush in two games against ranked opponents. That should force Indiana to play one-dimensionally, and I think this is the week Josh Hoover makes some mistakes. He hasn't thrown an interception this year but also hasn't played tough competition. From 2024-25, Hoover's 28 turnovers were tied for second most in the country. Give me the Buckeyes to win by more than a field goal. 👉 Add Ohio State to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
Game time - 3:30 p.m.
🏈 Bet: Ole Miss (-5.5)
Austin Simmons heads back to Oxford for the first time since transferring to Missouri. While he'll be motivated after losing his job to Trinidad Chambliss last season, I like Ole Miss to cover this spread.
The Rebels covered for us last week by destroying Vanderbilt on the road, and now they play host for the first time since beating LSU nearly a month ago. Ole Miss is 7-4 against the spread at home going back to last year, and it's won all 11 of those games.
Simmons has been great this season, but Chambliss, who has 1,548 total yards through five games, is the best quarterback in the country. Missouri's defense struggled mightily against Kamario Taylor, the only solid quarterback it's played, allowing 332 passing yards and 7.3 yards per play. I'm predicting that Ole Miss' bye week did wonders for its defense and Pete Golding gets the unit back on track. 👉 Add Ole Miss to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
Game time - 7:30 p.m.
🏈 Bet: Oklahoma State (+4.5)
This is a massive Big 12 showdown between one-loss teams, with the loser likely out of contention for the College Football Playoff and the conference title game.
There's an elite quarterback matchup here between Conner Weigman and Drew Mestemaker, the latter of whom has emerged as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Mestemaker has been incredible over the last four games, throwing for 1,334 yards with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also a passer efficiency rating of 192.2 during that stretch, which ranks fourth in the country.
Houston's defense, especially its pass defense, has been mediocre at best all season. The unit ranks 98th in EPA/dropback and 117th in passing yards per game (248.3). It also can't get after the quarterback, as evidenced by an abysmal 24.5% pressure rate (123rd nationally).
Weigman and the Cougars' offense, however, should be able to produce. The total sits at 62.5, so sportsbooks expect fireworks. But the Cowboys getting 4.5 points while having the better quarterback and defense makes for an easy pick. 👉 Add Oklahoma State to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
Game time - 3:30 p.m.
🏈 Bet: North Carolina (+3.5)
Let's check in on Bill Belichick in Year 2: The Tar Heels are 3-2, and if it wasn't for a weather delay against Clemson, they might be 4-1 despite encountering a really tough schedule. This team is playing hard for Belichick, and I like North Carolina in this spot against Duke.
The Blue Devils are battling injuries to two key players, running back Nate Sheppard and offensive lineman Matt Craycraft, who are both listed as questionable. Duke, which has played the weakest schedule in the ACC, will meet its toughest defense yet in Belichick's unit.
The Tar Heels' offense has also found its footing, and quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is playing solid football. Last week, the Blue Devils allowed 6.7 yards per play to Georgia Tech, the only good team they've faced. I love getting the hook here, and I think North Carolina might be the better team. 👉 Add North Carolina to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
Game time - 6 p.m.
🏈 Bet: Oregon State (-18.5)
Last week, I said that I'd bet on Oregon State until they proved me wrong, and they proceeded to score 66 points in a sweat-free cover. This is my third time taking the Beavers - one of only three FBS teams that are 6-0 against the spread.
A 18.5-point spread is a lot, but I believe the books still haven't fully caught up to this team. Oregon State ranks 10th in the nation in line-of-scrimmage EPA and is averaging an insane 7.3 yards per play, good for eighth in the country. Quarterback Braden Atkinson and wide receiver Jesse Legree are on an insane heater and will now face a mediocre Washington State defense.
I'm also choosing to fade a Cougars offense that's really struggled this season. The unit ranks 133rd in yards per play and has converted just 25% of its third-down attempts, which is the second-lowest mark in the nation. Freshman quarterback Owen Eshelman will make his first career start after Cadden Pinnock was benched earlier this week, but I don't see that making much of a difference in this game. 👉 Add Oregon State to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
Game time - 8 p.m.
🏈 Bet: Louisiana Tech (-15.5)
I'm going back to the well and fading Louisiana Monroe, which has arguably been the worst team in the country. The winless Warhawks lost to FCS program Southeastern Louisiana in September, and they have the sixth-worst net line-of-scrimmage EPA as well as a minus-103 point differential. When your head coach begins arguing with fans on social media after Week 3, you're in trouble.
Louisiana Tech has been solid this year, especially in last week's win over Louisiana. The Bulldogs rank 38th in points per game despite having played tough opponents in LSU and Baylor, and they sit 4-1 against the spread.
Louisiana Tech should be able to do whatever it wants against a Warhawks defense that ranks 136th in total EPA and a 96th-ranked scoring offense that can't stay on the field. I expect the Bulldogs to roll to a three-touchdown victory. 👉 Add Louisiana Tech to your betslip on theScore Bet here.
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