Week 7 College Football Playoff impact games: Notre Dame-BYU, Ohio State-Indiana lead monster slate
A pair of top-10 showdowns in Provo and Bloomington lead a loaded Week 7 of action where national contenders and hopeful crashers put their postseason hopes on the line
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Last week, multiple losses by AP Top 10 teams shook up the College Football Playoff picture. That momentum is sure to continue into Week 7 as multiple such teams are guaranteed to lose in pivotal spots.
BYU and Notre Dame battle in a major nonconference matchup that can nearly write a ticket for the College Football Playoff. Ohio State and Indiana both have the chance to position themselves for Big Ten contention, while Missouri has a prove-it spot to cement itself in the top tier of contenders.
Here are seven games that will have major implications on the College Football Playoff picture, including a pair of top-10 matchups.
No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU
The postseason implications are off the charts as two of the biggest religious institutions in the FBS meet in Provo. Notre Dame has only three ranked matchups this year, with the Cougars as the only road opponent. A win essentially locks Notre Dame into a playoff spot after missing last year.
For BYU -- and the Big 12 -- the implications are even deeper. The Cougars finished No. 11 and 13 in the AP Top 25 in the past two years, but were excluded from the postseason both times. The Big 12 has also failed to produce an at-large since the field moved to 12, the only league to face that issue. Those dynamics can quickly change if BYU pulls the monumental upset.
BYU is playing for a nice resume boost on Saturday, Notre Dame is fighting for its CFP life
Brad Crawford
No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana
Ohio State vs. Indiana is a heavyweight battle in Bloomington, and the only thing nudging it down the list is that it might not be the only time these two teams play. The Buckeyes have an early loss to Texas, but have otherwise been dominant.
Indiana remains undefeated, but needed a late comeback to survive a top-25-caliber Nebraska. The Buckeyes are the only top-15 opponent on the schedule; finishing 11-1 should be enough to reach the postseason, but this is where we learn whether there's championship contention in IU's future.
No. 6 Alabama at No. 14 Tennessee
Tennessee sits right on the edge of postseason contention after a 5-1 start, with the only loss coming by three points to then-No. 1 Texas. Now is the time to elevate if they're ready to make a push, though underwhelming offensive performances against Auburn and Arkansas bring up major questions.
Instead, this is likely a major prove-it spot for Alabama coming off an emotional loss to Georgia. The Crimson Tide are undefeated coming off losses under Kalen DeBoer, including three wins by multiple scores against SEC opponents. Alabama can reassert itself as a national contender by thrashing Tennessee in Neyland Stadium.
No. 13 Missouri at No. 9 Ole Miss
Even though both of these teams are comfortably within the top 13 at this point, this is a de facto College Football Playoff elimination game at The Grove. Ole Miss's resume wins against LSU and Louisville are quickly losing their luster, and the loss to Florida looks even worse after the Gators' two-game collapse.
Missouri, conversely, has the chance to stun the SEC and firmly enter the playoff picture with a road win. Since a tight road loss to Mississippi State, the Tigers have won two straight by a combined 49 points as running back Jamal Roberts took a major step forward. Missouri's offense is good enough to blitz Ole Miss' defense if they bring their A-game.
No. 18 Oklahoma State at No. 20 Houston
There's room for one outsider to crash the Big 12 title race alongside BYU, Utah and Texas Tech. The winner of this game has an excellent chance to take that spot.
The Cowboys have recovered masterfully since their Tulsa fumble, winning both Big 12 matchups by at least two touchdowns. Houston's only miscue came against Texas Tech, a road loss on a missed two-point conversion. They need this game to stay alive, as tiebreakers get complicated if they finish with multiple Big 12 losses.
No. 7 Texas vs. Florida
This marks a pivotal get-right game for Texas after a stunning loss to Oklahoma last Saturday. The Longhorns have been wildly inconsistent on offense, ranking No. 80 in total offense and No. 105 in yards per play, numbers tanked by playing three elite defenses. If Texas can't move the ball at will against Florida's SEC-worst defense, it's time to set off alarm bells.
James Madison vs. Georgia State
It's time to keep a close eye on undefeated James Madison. The Dukes have taken care of business every week under first-year coach Billy Napier and have a surging Georgia State squad on the other sideline. The Panthers are 4-1 after obliterating Old Dominion, and their only blemish came in a competitive matchup vs. UCF. Winning this game clears the way for James Madison to control the Sun Belt race and get into the CFP race.
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