Tucker’s Top 10: Week 7 College Football Matchups

Credit: University of Mississippi Athletics

By Tucker Harlin

This is the final week before official halfway point of the 2024 college football season! Parity is at an all-time high across the sport and we’re witnessing multiple Top 10 upsets on a weekly basis.

I’ll give myself a 7/10 for my Week 6 performance. Oddly, the three games I thought were going to play out as the best last weekend were the worst in my 10 while everything beneath them turned out far more competitive.

My primary focus in Week 7 is on the SEC and Big 12. The Big 12 in particular is filled with trap games for the teams sitting near the conference at the moment.

However, there is a matchup outside of the SEC and Big 12 that could contend for best of the year should it play out the way we’re all expecting.

10. VANDERBILT (3-2) @ KENTUCKY (3-2)- UK -14, 7:45 PM SEC NETWORK

There’s one reason and one reason only I put this game in the Top 10 and all of you reading know the reason.

Kentucky leads 49-43-4 all time in this series of traditional SEC bottom feeders, but Vandy won 24-21 against Will Levis the last time they met in Lexington.

Aside from one unusual play call that led to a victory over Ole Miss, this is your run of the mill Mark Stoops Kentucky team. The offense will do enough to get by while the defense looks to terrorize the Wildcats’ opponents.

Vandy will try to exorcise Bama hangover for the first time in 40 years in Lexington. The option is critical to Vandy’s success, and Diego Pavia has demonstrated an ability to run it well.

The two touchdown spread in favor of Kentucky seems a little steep, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it took down a hung over Vanderbilt at Kroger Field.

9. CAL (3-2) @ #22 PITTSBURGH (5-0)- PITT -3, 3:30 PM ESPN

These two incredibly traditional conference foes met five times between 1955-1966, Pitt winning three of the five.

If I had to create a list of the teams that are under radars across the country, Pitt is absolutely a part of it. Coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2023, Pat Narduzzi appeared to have run his course with the Panthers and was setting up for a hot seat year in 2024.

The 5-0 start Pitt is off to is the best since 1991. Alabama transfer Eli Holstein has been a godsend for the Panthers, throwing for over 300 yards four of their five wins. Holstein has good company in the backfield in Western Carolina transfer Desmond Reid, who poses a threat both running and catching the ball.

Cal is coming off an emotional 39-38 home loss to current #6 Miami. The Golden Bears are a gritty bunch that can drag you into the mud with the defense Justin Wilcox fields every year.

Cal’s grittiness along with the fashion in which Pitt has won this year make me believe this one will end close to the spread. The Panthers needed fourth quarter heroics to take down Cincinnati, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

8. #16 UTAH (4-1) @ ARIZONA STATE (4-1) (Friday)- UTAH -6, 10:30 PM ESPN

You know I couldn’t go without putting a Fun Friday game on my Top 10 this week.

These two former Pac-12 teams have a little more history against one another than the last matchup on the list. The Sun Devils lead the Utes 22-12 all time, but the Sun Devils also haven’t won since their 38-20 win in Tempe back in 2018.

The second year of the Kenny Dillingham era is off to a far better start than the bowl-banned 2023 season.

The Sun Devils love to run the ball with their bell cow Cam Skattebo, whose season-high is a 262-yard output against Mississippi State. Each of the Sun Devils’ last three finished as one-score games, the most recent a 35-31 survival against Kansas.

If we’ve learned anything about Utah in the last three seasons, we know it’s not the same without Cam Rising manning the controls.

The Utes lost 23-10 at home to Arizona before their bye. The defense and special teams are always going to pose threats to Kyle Whittingham’s opponents, but Zach Wilson’s brother Isaac is a very inconsistent option at quarterback.

Utah is the better team on paper, but I don’t think a Rising-less Utah strolls out of Tempe with an easy win.

7. #11 IOWA STATE (5-0) @ WEST VIRGINIA (3-2)- ISU -3, 8 PM FOX

Here’s another sleepy Big 12 matchup to keep your eyes on Saturday.

It’s been two years since these conference foes have met. The Mountaineers lead 6-5 all time but lost the last meeting 31-14 in Ames.

Iowa State has very quietly crept to the #11 spot in the AP poll. The Cyclones’ strongest win by far is a 20-19 victory in the Cy-Hawk Trophy game. The other two wins are by three scores against Baylor and at Houston, but neither figures to have an outstanding 2024.

The Cyclones’ rushing output has increased with each passing week and has featured three different pieces in Jaylon Jackson, Abu Sama, and Carson Hansen. Defensively, Matt Campbell’s group has been up and down against both the run and pass but has surrendered no more than 21 points in a game all season.

Despite dropping losses to Penn State and Pittsburgh, West Virginia has started Big 12 play with two wins. The most recent win was an impressive 38-14 road win at Oklahoma State, a game in which the Mountaineers out rushed Ollie Gordon and the Pokes 389-36.

West Virginia wants to use the three-headed monster of Jahiem White, C.J. Donaldson, and quarterback Garrett Greene to gash opponents on the ground. I’d expect both teams to commit to the run and provide an entertaining contest in Morgantown.

6. ARIZONA (3-2) @ #14 BYU (5-0)- BYU -4.5, 4 PM FOX

These two recent Big 12 adds have met on several occasions in the last 90 years, splitting their series 12-12-1. However, BYU has won the last three meetings dating back to 2016, including a 24-16 win in Las Vegas to open the 2021 season.

The Brent Brennan era in Tucson is off to an up and down start.

The Wildcats were blasted in the second half of a 31-7 loss at Kansas State. After a bye, they went up to Salt Lake City and never trailed in a 23-10 upset win over #10 Utah. But the return to Tucson came with a 28-22 loss to Texas Tech in a game in which they never led.

You can narrow down Arizona’s offensive game plan to two players: Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan. These two lifelong teammates have some of the best quarterback to receiver chemistry across the country.

BYU hasn’t relied on a great quarterback and a great receiver to win its first five games. Jake Retzlaff has a pair of 300-yard passing performances this season, but both are against non-power four competition.

Defense is winning the day for Kalani Sitake’s squad.

The 38-9 win over Kansas State that put the Cougars in the AP poll featured only 241 yards from Retzlaff and company while the defense forced three turnovers and the punt return unit scored a touchdown.

The only way BYU wins in a blowout is if it turns Arizona over multiple times, which is possible considering the Wildcats turned it over three times in the loss last week.

5. #18 KANSAS STATE (4-1) @ COLORADO (4-1)- KSU -4, 10:15 PM ESPN

As Staind said in 2001, “it’s been awhile” since these traditional Big 12 foes have met.

Colorado dominates the series 45-20-1 all time, winning the most recent battle 44-36 in Boulder back in 2010.

I already mentioned Kansas State’s one loss to BYU and its important win over Arizona. The Wildcats are off a bye following their 42-20 dismantling of Oklahoma State at home.

K-State has rushed for no less than 215 yards in a game this season, showcasing a combo of quarterback Avery Johnson and running back D.J. Giddens on the ground. Johnson’s best work as a quarterback is still ahead of him as this is his first season under new coordinator Conor Riley.

Colorado suffered a 28-10 loss in Week 2 at Nebraska, but it has started 2-0 in conference play thanks to an overtime win against Baylor and a dominant 48-21 blowout over UCF in Orlando.

Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are natural subjects of attention, but LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn have caused as many problems for opposing defense as the other two. Additionally, the Buffs are starting to show a pulse on defense and on the ground.

I know the last four games on my list look like a broken record, but the sleepy Big 12 matchups are worth monitoring this weekend.

4. FLORIDA (3-2) @ #8 TENNESSEE (4-1)- TENN -16, 7 PM ESPN

The spread indicates this game should be worse than basically every other game on my list, but everybody that’s a part of the fan bases in this series knows it defies all logic and reason.

Florida leads the series 32-21 all time and has won 17 of the last 19 over Tennessee.

The Vols come into this one battered and bruised from a 19-14 road loss to Arkansas while Billy Napier seems to have quieted the drums beating for his departure at Florida with a 24-13 win against UCF.

Florida’s dual-quarterback scheme worked against the Knights and at Mississippi State but failed miserably against what looks like a strong Texas A&M team.

Tennessee fans have witnessed Jabar Gaffney score a fraudulent touchdown, Neon Treon, a 4th and 14 conversion, a hail mary, an onside kick with an incredibly unfortunate bounce, and many a Swamp meltdown over the last 20 years to think this will be a simple task.

I don’t expect the Vols to cover the spread.

3. #1 TEXAS (5-0) vs #18 OKLAHOMA (4-1)- TEX -14, 3:30 ABC

2024 is the first year the legendary Red River Shootout is an SEC game.

Athletics directors Joe Castiglione and Chris Del Conte argued this is the greatest rivalry in football. I’m not going that far, but the fact it’s played in the middle of a state fair probably makes it the most unique in college football.

Texas leads the series 63-51-5, but Oklahoma has won all but four meetings dating back to 2010.

There’s no confirmation as of right now but it sounds as if Quinn Ewers will play for the first time in nearly a month Saturday. The closest win the Longhorns have at this point is the 31-12 road victory over reigning national champion Michigan.

Oklahoma’s defense has been the best phase through five games. The Sooners haven’t gotten the desirable answers from Jackson Arnold at quarterback, so they rolled out Michael Hawkins Jr. to see if production could change for the better. We’ll likely know if Hawkins is the answer after this weekend.

The only way this game stays close is if Oklahoma’s defense holds Ewers or Arch Manning in check. Texas already passed a tough defensive test in Week 2, one that shouldn’t differ too much from the Sooners.

2. #9 OLE MISS (5-1) @ #13 LSU (4-1)- MISS -3.5, 7:30 PM ABC

The Magnolia Bowl is the second storied SEC rivalry on my Top 10 this week. LSU leads the series 65-42-4 and hasn’t lost since 2008 in Death Valley.

Both ends of the Magnolia Bowl have shown vulnerability in the first half of the season.

LSU lost its opener to USC and Las Vegas but has won its last four, including a home victory over UCLA and a survival at South Carolina. Garrett Nussmeier can sling the ball around, but the Tigers still aren’t what they once were on the ground and I fear for their defense against stronger competition without Harold Perkins.

Ole Miss dropped a real stinker at home against Kentucky at the end of September but responded well in a 27-3 blowout win at South Carolina last week. Jaxson Dart has padded his stats in wins over weak competition all season, and Lane Kiffin’s defense is comprised of portal acquisitions that are still gelling

The Rebels didn’t perform well the one time they were punched in the mouth all season, so what do they do if the environment at Tiger Stadium is at its usual strength?

The loser of this game could find itself on the outside looking into the playoff picture.

1. #2 OHIO STATE (5-0) @ #3 OREGON (5-0)- OSU -3, 7:30 PM NBC

This Big 10 clash of titans should provide fireworks for the top spot in the league and maybe the country.

Ohio State has won nine of the 10 meetings, including a Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day of 2010 and a national championship in the winter of 2015. However, Oregon won in Columbus back in the second week of the 2021 season.

Oregon didn’t dominate in either of its first two games against Idaho or Boise State, but it has won by no less than 21 in each of the last three contests. The Ducks beat Michigan State 31-10 last Friday, but Dillon Gabriel threw a concerning two interceptions in the first half before they could pull away.

Ohio State cake walked through three weeks before its 38-7 win at Michigan State, who really isn’t anything special. The Buckeyes beat Iowa 35-7 last week in the Shoe, but it’s easy to outmatch an inept offense when you have talents like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka at receiver.

This weekend is the moment of truth for one of these teams. There exists a reality in which these two meet this weekend, in the Big 10 championship, and in the college football playoff in December or January.

This reality seems like the new reality of college football.