Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is one big catch away from tying the Big Ten's career receiving touchdowns record. But Indiana has never allowed him to score in two meetings. Will that change Saturday in Bloomington?
Ohio State's Heisman Trophy frontrunner has 38 career touchdown catches, one short of the Big Ten record held by Michigan's Braylon Edwards. Smith broke a similar slump earlier this season against Texas, which had held him in check in two previous meetings, and picked up 164 yards (in a loss) in Week 2.
No other team has held Smith scoreless more than once. He can end that drought — and break another record — Saturday when No. 4 Ohio State travels to No. 5 Indiana. The Hoosiers are slight underdogs despite winning 22 straight games and posting a perfect 19-0 record at home under Curt Cignetti.
Week 7 promises to be a big one across the sport. It's the first weekend since 2018 with four matchups between AP Top 15 teams.
No. 6 Alabama heads to Knoxville after a loss to Georgia, which climbed to No. 1 this week. The Crimson Tide haven't dropped back-to-back regular-season games since 2007, Nick Saban's first season, a streak of 220 games. The home team has won the last five games in the rivalry known as the Third Saturday in October. No. 14 Tennessee spent the week sorting out its quarterback situation — George MacIntyre will start in place of the injured freshman Faizon Brandon.
Elsewhere in the SEC, Austin Simmons returns to No. 9 Ole Miss, where he opened last season as the starter before an ankle injury opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss. Now, Simmons brings No. 13 Missouri to Oxford for a gigantic showdown.
Then comes Provo at night, as No. 8 BYU hosts No. 2 Notre Dame in one of the biggest games in Cougars history. The Irish have won 16 straight games by double digits but enter Saturday with seven consecutive road losses against AP Top 10 teams. BYU hasn't beaten a top-two team since Ty Detmer stunned Miami in 1990.
Plenty can change in one week. Remember, Texas was No. 1 last week, and Florida was in the top 10 two weeks ago. Nothing is safe in college football.
Here's how our experts see the big weekend unfolding.
Ohio State vs. Indiana prediction, picks
Noon on Fox, Fubo (try free): This should be another tremendous game between a pair of national title contenders, and it may very well be a preview of the Big Ten Championship matchup. Having said that, I do wonder how well Indiana's passing defense will hold up for 60 minutes, especially without D'Angelo Ponds in the secondary this time. Ohio State hits enough big plays with Smith to create some breathing room late. Pick: Ohio State -3.5 -- Austin Nivison
Texas vs. Florida prediction, picks
Noon on ABC, Fubo (try free): Texas has problems on offense, but Florida's even worse on defense. Consecutive SEC blowouts have erased the goodwill from a 4-0 start and No. 8 ranking, and a secondary LaNorris Sellers picked apart last week now gets Manning. Consistency hasn't been Manning's calling card, but this matchup should restore some confidence in the Longhorns' passing game. Florida isn't giving anyone reason to trust its defense, especially against an opponent with something to prove. Last season's loss to the Gators should have Texas' attention. The Longhorns return the favor this weekend. Pick: Texas -10.5 -- Brad Crawford
No. 22 LSU vs. No. 16 Mississippi State
Noon on ESPN, Fubo (try free): LSU is a 14.5-point favorite, and SportsLine gives the Tigers a 76% chance to win, but the total is the more interesting number.
Strip away overtime, and LSU's three SEC games have produced 56, 41 and 54 combined points. Not one cleared 58.5. Kiffin's offense averages 42 points per game, but against SEC defenses LSU has scored 24, 35 and 27 in regulation.
Mississippi State scores 39 points per game, but that production was built on Taylor's legs and Bothwell's workload. Both are in question against a front that has been among the nation's best against the run. Mississippi State's SEC games have averaged nearly 70 total points, and if Taylor is close to 100%, Lebby's tempo can drag LSU into a bayou shootout. It's hard to bet on that version of Taylor showing up two weeks after he left Alabama in a boot. Pick: Under 58.5 -- Brandon Marcello
Michigan vs. Penn State
3:30 p.m. on CBS CBSSports.com, CBS Sports AppParamount+ Premium: There is a "stoppable force vs. movable object" situation happening here with the Michigan offense against the Penn State defense, but I'm banking on the home team dictating the tempo here in a classic Big Ten rock fight. Michigan games have finished with fewer than 40 total points four times in five games -- with the lone exception being against lowly UTEP -- and even against a leaky Nittany Lions defense, it's hard to see this Michigan offense being overly explosive. On the other side, the Wolverines are still stout as ever on defense, and this seems destined to be a tense, one-score game late, with both teams struggling to top 20 points. Pick: Under 42.5 -- Robby Kalland
No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 14 Tennessee
3:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try free): Tennessee's defense and run game have carried it to a 5-1 start. Replicating that formula against Alabama won't be possible unless the Crimson Tide shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers and special team miscues. Because the Crimson Tide won't respect the Volunteers' passing game, they'll be able to load the box and frustrate Tennessee's ground game, much like Texas did in Week 4. Offensively, Alabama has too much firepower to be fully restrained for four quarters. Look for Bama to pull away in the fourth quarter. Pick: Alabama -8.5 -- David Cobb
No. 3 Miami vs. Florida State
7 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try free): Miami isn't just blowing teams out on the scoreboard this season; it's a team that's also been exceeding oddsmakers' expectations nearly every week. The Hurricanes indeed have the best point differential in FBS (+39.8), but they also rank T-14 nationally with a 4-1 record against the spread and carry the 15th-best cover margin in the country, beating the spread by an average of 7.8 points per game. With those kinds of trends, it's tough to think that Miami is a candidate for an upset alert, and Florida State's road woes make it very possible that this game will get sideways on the Seminoles. Pick: Miami -21 -- Chip Patterson
No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 8 BYU
7:30 on ABC, Fubo (try free): Don't let the line fool you; a war is coming in Provo. BYU's defense is vastly underrated, and Notre Dame showed some messiness against a depleted North Carolina squad. The loss of running back LJ Martin will be too much to overcome for the Cougars and will prevent them from winning the game, but BYU will comfortably cover the spread and threaten late in a low-scoring game. Pick: BYU +10.5 -- Shehan Jeyarajah
