Week 6 has come and gone, and it feels like the intensity has been turned up a notch on the 2023 season. We saw Oklahoma take down Texas to remain undefeated and let the Horns know they aren’t all the way back yet. In the SEC, Alabama reminded the rest of the division that it’s still the team to beat out West with a win over Texas A&M, while Georgia finally woke up and had its most dominant performance of the season, routing Kentucky.
Week 7 looks poised to make even more noise, as we have four matchups between ranked teams, including an enormous showdown in the Pac-12. No. 7 Washington hosts No. 8 Oregon in a battle of undefeated top-10 teams. While that’s the headliner, it’s one of three big games involving Pac-12 teams, as No. 15 Oregon State will host No. 18 UCLA, and No. 10 USC puts its unbeaten record on the line with a road game against reeling No. 21 Notre Dame.
What do the oddsmakers think will happen? Let’s find out with an early look at the Week 7 lines.
Odds via SportsLine consensus
No. 8 Oregon at No. 7 Washington (-3): There’s a fun new wrinkle on this matchup in 2023, and I’m not talking about how both schools will be in the Big Ten next season. After residing in the Pac-12 North, there are no longer divisions in the Pac-12 and that means that this could be the first of two meetings we see this season between two of the most impressive teams we’ve seen in the 2023 season. Michael Penix and the Washington Huskies have one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but to this point, Oregon has been the more complete team and has a more impressive resume overall. However, it’s never easy to go into Husky Stadium, and it’s even more imposing when it feels like you’ll have to score at least 35 points to have a chance.
No. 10 USC at No. 21 Notre Dame (-2.5): You have to wonder what kind of shape Notre Dame will find itself in for this game. Obviously, the Irish are coming off another loss, losing to Louisville on Saturday, but it’s not only the results I’m wondering about. This will be the fourth straight “big game” the Irish have played, after squaring off against Ohio State, Duke and Louisville the last three weeks. There has to be some kind of toll not only physically, but mentally. As for USC, the Irish are the toughest test the Trojans will have faced so far, though USC seems pretty adept at making things tougher on themselves when their opponents aren’t up to it.
No. 25 Miami at No. 12 North Carolina (-4): If only Mario Cristobal understood late-game clock management, this could’ve been an epic showdown between undefeated, top-15 teams. The kind of game the ACC has sorely lacked in recent seasons that’s ultimately hurt its national profile. Instead the Canes blew a game against Georgia Tech and come into this game with a loss, clinging to a spot in the top 25. Will the Canes recover from shooting themselves in the foot? It won’t be easy, as the Tar Heels are coming off a blowout win over Syracuse, and stud QB Drake Maye seems to be peaking at the right time.
No. 18 UCLA at No. 15 Oregon State (-5): Oregon State looked impressive last week, going on the road and taking care of business against Cal in a spot a lot of teams may have suffered a letdown. This week they’re back home to face a UCLA team that rebounded from a road loss to Utah by beating the Washington State team that just beat the Beavers. This is a must-win game for both teams if they hope to keep their Pac-12 title hopes alive.
Auburn at No. 22 LSU (-11): LSU may have lost twice already, but only one of those losses have come in conference play. Right now, they’re the only team in the SEC West with a realistic chance of taking the division from Alabama. Not only do they get to face the Tide still, but the other two one-loss teams in the division lost to Alabama, which effectively gives the Tide a two-game lead on them. Will Auburn prove to be the team LSU’s defense figures out a way to slow down? The 11-point spread suggests so, but I don’t know how confident I’d be in it.
Best of the rest
No. 1 Georgia (-31.5) at Vanderbilt
Indiana at No. 2 Michigan (-34)
No. 3 Ohio State (-20) at Purdue
Syracuse at No. 4 Florida State (-17.5)
UMass at No. 6 Penn State (-42.5)
Arkansas at No. 11 Alabama (-20)
No. 14 Louisville (-10) at Pitt
Cal at No. 16 Utah (-13.5)
NC State at No. 17 Duke (-3)
Texas A&M at No. 19 Tennessee (-3)
Arizona at No. 19 Washington State (-9)
No. 23 Kansas (-3.5) at Oklahoma State
Missouri at No. 24 Kentucky (-2.5)
