WAKE UP! Week 7 College Football viewing guide, schedule, and why-to-watch

Happy Homecoming to one and all. Fall has finally arrived for most of the conference, and it’s a glorious day for Alabama football.

Today, the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide 6-0 (3-0) face the 3-2 Missouri Tigers (0-2), the latter riding an up and down offense and a two-game losing streak in conference play. The nation’s 109th passing defense does not look to get a reprieve in Tuscaloosa today as the nation’s No. 1 offense is on tap, led by a veteran offensive linemen, the best quartet of wideouts in the SEC — and probably the country, a deep talented stable of future NFL backs, and the runaway Heisman favorite, Tua Tagovailoa under center. The guy behind him? NBD: Jalen Hurts is just an SEC Player of the Year, Freshman All-American, and in the Top 5 in nearly every Alabama quarterbacking record. Did we mention the defense, though banged up, is pretty pissed off with their performance last week and looks to prove something against the future No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft?

Godspeed with that, Mizzou and God have mercy on your soul, Drew Lock.

#GUMPSOHARD

Here’s your slate of games before the Tide takes the field. It’s a very light schedule today, with fully 30 teams on byes. So, use this as your thread until the evening.

Finally, for those of you in the affected areas of the Gulf, Georgia, and the Atlantic Coast, our prayers are with you and yours.

All times Eastern:

Don’t Miss These...

Tennessee +16 at No. 21 Auburn (12:00) — Is Auburn really three scores better than any SEC team at the moment? The passing game, always sort of illusory, has particularly been exposed without having a stud backfield and three senior offensive linemen. The story no one’s really talking about? How pedestrian the Auburn defense has been (9th in the SEC against the rush, 7th vs. the pass). Tennessee brings a quality secondary to the Plains and just enough of a defensive line to make this one uncomfortable if the Barn’s not firing on all cylinders. Honestly, you could be forgiven rooting for a meteor here too.

No. 2 Georgia -7 ¹⁄₂ at No. 13 LSU (3:30) — Will the real LSU please stand up. For that matter, do we even know what Georgia is made of? This is the first team they’ve played a team that will punch them back. The Tigers’ offense is a disaster, but the defense is top-shelf as always. Fromm has been...well, very game managerish. Throw in that battered offensive line and an offense facing the nation’s best pair of corners? It wouldn’t really be an upset, would it?

No. 10 UCF -5 at Memphis — The only team that played the Knights within a FG last year was the Memphis Tigers. And they get a home night game in the Bluff City? Should be an excellent game. This will also be an interesting contrast in styles: both score a ton, but the Tigers lean on Heisman hopeful Darrell Henderson, while UCF’s Heisman candidate McKenzie Milton can light it up.

Arkansas vs. Ole Miss -6 ¹⁄₂ (7:30) — Get the feeling that Arkansas is going to beat someone they shouldn’t? I’ve got my money on this terribly-coached, terrible-traveling Rebels team. Those WRs are just biding their time until April.

No. 15 Wisconsin +8 at No. 12 Michigan (8:00) — Two teams that look to be trending in opposite directions. The Badgers just have not looked good all year, even in wins: They gave up almost 600 yards to the lowly Huskers at home last week and now they travel to the Big House for a Michigan team badly in need of a signature win on the season. Shea Patterson has played within the offense very well, and the Wolverines offense finally looks competent — probably for the first time under Harbaugh.

Keep An Eye On...

No. 14 Florida -8 at Vanderbilt (12:00) — Riding a two-game winning streak over ranked teams and looking quite good doing so, the Gators travel to Smashville to play a Vandy team that has rebuilt on defense, has one of the SEC’s most efficient passing attacks, and carries a long history of playing UF close. Losing this one would be the most Dan Mullen thing ever.

No. 19 Colorado +7 at USC — This will be an interesting test for the Buffaloes; undefeated, but the clear underdog against a much more talented Trojans team that needs a win to keep pace in the South. And both are trying to keep pace with the Utes, who are peaking at the right time. The Trojans’ biggest weakness also corresponds to the Buffs’ main strength — the passing game.

No. 6 West Virginia at Iowa State -7 ¹⁄₂ (8:00) — This is a sexy upset pick for some. The Clones play really well at home, but as we saw in the Oklahoma game, they can be roughed up by superior talent. The ‘Eers have that — but they travel really poorly too.

No. 23 Texas A&M -3 at South Carolina (3:30) — Jimbo’s career has been marked by his teams playing lights out one game, and then falling flat on their face the next week — it’s very Tom Hermanish. Here’s your chance, Aggies. After knocking off a Top 10 UK team last week, and carrying momentum into the back half of the schedule, A&M travels to Columbia to face a South Carolina team that they should be able to handle. key word: Should.

Today’s Unwatchable Filth:

New Mexico at Colorado State — If there’s a more disappointing G5 team than the Rams, I’ve not seen them. That 2-4 Bobo-tastrophe hosts Bob Davies’ triple option beast in what should be a super ugly game. CSU can’t stop a fart in church — they give up almost 6 yards per carry and well over two hundred yards per game on the ground. I have no idea how they’ll fare against the wishbone. UNM struggles against the forward pass, so a shootout looks imminent. But this will not be good football.