Notre Dame will host the NC State Wolfpack this Saturday and our staff picks the winner along with the top games of Week 7 in college football.
Notre Dame football will host the North Carolina State Wolfpack this weekend, as they are in the midst of a three-game home stretch which will conclude next Saturday.
However, the focus will be on the Wolfpack, as the Irish will see multiple other top teams across the country facing difficult challenges. It’s another great slate in Week 7 of college football, and we are back to pick the best games of the weekend.
The staff of Tim Healey, Dave Miller and Michael Chen all picks the winners of the top games of the weekend along with Notre Dame vs. North Carolina State.
No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) at No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1)
Game data: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CST on FOX
Healey - My heart wants the Illini to win -- I am not a big Illinois fan, but I do root for them casually. And, well, aren't we all tired of the Buckeyes? That said, while this Illinois team is legitimately good, and not a fluke (blowout loss against Indiana notwithstanding), Ohio State has looked like the team to beat once again. I don't think the Buckeyes are unbeatable, but I don't think Illinois is the team to upset them.
Miller - This is a big spot for Bret Bielema's squad. Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer is completing 74 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions, and he's seemingly going under the national radar. This Illini attack will test the Buckeyes secondary, but OSU's pass rush will ultimately be too much. Also Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin will be able to pick apart the Illini secondary.
Chen - The Buckeyes are better than Indiana, who beat the Illini 63-10. Being a home game for Illinois will be somewhat of an advantage, but they’re going up against one of the most talented teams in the country. I think the score is closer than that blowout, but Ohio State pulls out the road ranked victory.
No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) at No. 14 Missouri Tigers (5-0)
Game data: Saturday at 11:00 a.m CST on ABC
Healey - Alabama is getting right after a rough start, and I think that will continue this week. Missouri might put up a fight, but Alabama should win.
Miller - Kalen DeBoer was able to silence the critics with the Crimson Tide's win over Georgia in Week 5, then followed that up with a solid win against Vanderbilt. QB Ty Simpson is squarely in the Heisman Trophy race, while the Tigers are bracing for probably the biggest home game of the Eli Drinkwitz era. Mizzou QB Beau Pribula has a 75.9 percent completion rate, while Ahmad Hardy leads the SEC in rushing yards. 'Bama has owned Missouri in the SEC. This one will be close, but Tide RB Jam Miller will be the difference.
Chen - After Alabama lost its opener against Florida State, many, including myself, wrote them off this season. They’ve responded in a big way, with notable wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt the last two weeks. I don’t think Missouri is as good as either of those teams, and the Tide roll.
No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers (5-0) at No. 3 Oregon Ducks (5-0)
Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m CST on CBS
Healey - Indiana's 2024 CFP appearance wasn't a fluke, even if Notre Dame dispatched the Hoosiers with relative ease. And this team made short work of a fellow Big 10 CFP candidate -- Illinois -- not long ago. But the Ducks are on another level. Oregon survived Penn State, and I don't think the subsequent loss to UCLA means the Nittany Lions are overrated -- college football is just weird. Oregon wins in a close one.
Miller - The Hoosiers are legit, and this offense led by QB Fernando Mendoza will stress the Ducks defense, especially if there is a lack of pass rush. I fully expect a close game for four quarters.
Oregon had a bye after its win over Penn State, while the Hoosiers are coming off of a trip to Iowa City last week. Give me Oregon, which has just one turnover and 18 penalties in five games.
Chen - I just can’t buy into Indiana, sure they’ve got that big win over Illinois, but having to travel across the country to take on the Ducks is a huge challenge. Oregon hasn’t lost a Big Ten game since joining the conference last season, and I don’t think that changes on Saturday.
No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) at Texas Longhorns (3-2)
Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST on ABC
Healey - The Longhorns' fall and Arch Manning's struggles have surprised the nation, and I don't see a matchup against arch-rival Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout being a get-right game. The Sooners take it.
Miller - Now that everyone has given up on Texas QB Arch Manning, it's time to buy back in. While the Longhorns have two losses heading into the Red River Rivalry, and the Sooners have a defense that allows less than 200 yards per game, this just feels ripe for an upset. I think Manning leads a late scoring drive to keep the 'Horns alive in the SEC race.
Chen - Before the season, everyone believes that the Longhorns were legit, but the struggles have compounded, which has led them to being unranked at this moment. Oklahoma could see John Mateer returning, which would be a huge boost for them. It might not matter in this rivalry, as the Sooners continue to march towards a berth in the College Football Playoff.
No. 15 Michigan Wolverines (4-1) at USC Trojans (4-1)
Game data: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CST on NBC
Healey - My brain just broke trying to figure out which hated rival Notre Dame fans need to win in order for the Fighting Irish to get more CFP love. I think, I think, a USC win helps Notre Dame have a stronger strength of schedule, assuming Notre Dame later beats USC. The thing is, I have no idea how good USC is. The Trojans were once ranked, are now unranked, and fell just short against Illinois. Michigan, meanwhile, is quietly holding down spots between 15 and 25 in the rankings. I think Michigan wins a close one, and I think Notre Dame fans avoid watching this one either way.
Miller - This is a huge game for the Big Ten both for league and College Football Playoff consideration in a rematch of last year's close 27-24 contest.
The Wolverines have shown that they are susceptible against the pass, and Trojans QB Jayden Maiava is the Big Ten's top-rated passer. Meanwhile, Justice Haynes leads the league with 654 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The difference will be the play of Wolverines QB Bryce Underwood, who I think will have a stellar game. But the Trojans will make one more defensive stop to eek out a home win.
Chen - The start time is a huge advantage negator for USC, as the Wolverines won’t be off kilter playing lathe late game on the West coast. The biggest question is if the Trojans can stop the Michigan running attack, which I think the do just enough to get a victory.
Tim Healey - contributor
Gut feelings and vibes are as much as part of my picks as stats and sober analysis. Stats say Notre Dame should win, and my gut says that the Fighting Irish will win in a game that feels a bit like last week's win over Boise State, though with fewer penalties and more scoring from the opponent.
I expect one of those games where the Irish outplay the opponent, in this case North Carolina State, in the first half but can't quite pull away either because of one or two bad mistakes. Or maybe the Wolfpack get a couple of explosives early.
I see a game where it's relatively close at half but the eye test suggests Notre Dame will pull away and cruise after halftime -- and the Fighting Irish do just that. Notre Dame 31, NC State 21.
Dave Miller - contributor
The Irish welcome in NC State and have won each of the last two matchups as well as the lone meeting at Notre Dame Stadium in 2017. After an 0-2 start, the Irish have won games against Purdue, Arkansas and Boise State by an average margin of 30 points.
QB CJ Carr is completing 72.3 percent of his throws with seven touchdowns and no interceptions during the team's three-game winning streak, and the ND rushing attack should be able to exploit an NC State defense that allowed 200-plus rushing yards to Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The NC State offense that should move the ball against the ND defense, but Chris Ash's bunch should be able to make several key stops along the way as the Irish claim a 43-20 victory.
Michael Chen - site lead
Notre Dame is starting to see that the country has forgiven them for its two early losses, as they’ve risen up the rankings following three-straight wins. They know what is at stake, and I don’t think that Marcus Freeman will let them take any teams for granted without a number next to their name.
The offense is humming, and the defense is getting closer to what many of us expected it to look like as the season began. Notre Dame is starting to figure things out, and I don’t think it stops on Saturday. Notre Dame 48, NC State 13.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame vs. NC State: We pick who wins and the top games of Week 7
Category: General Sports
