Week 7 of the college football season features the Red River Rivalry and a matchup of unbeatens in the Southeastern Conference. Covers checks in on the opening odds and early action, with insights from Matt Chaprales, head of content for PointsBet USA.
No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 11 Texas Longhorns (+9.5)
Oklahoma aims to keep its College Football Playoff hopes on track in this neutral-site game, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. In Week 6, the Sooners (5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS) gave up the opening touchdown at Kansas, then scored 42 straight points en route to a 45-20 victory as 32-point favorites.
Texas has certainly prepared well for this contest, with a stern Week 2 test in a close loss to Louisiana State and challenging Big 12 games the past two weeks. The Longhorns (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) were challenged through three quarters at West Virginia, then scored 21 points in the fourth to notch a 42-31 victory as 10.5-point faves.
PointsBet USA, with mobile operations in New Jersey and a brick-and-mortar in Iowa, saw some back-and-forth action after posting this line.
“We opened the game Oklahoma -9.5 and saw some early support at that number,” Chaprales said. “We moved it through 10 to 10.5 and got some resistance, resulting in an adjustment back to 10.”
It didn’t take long for the Sooners to go back to -10.5, though, as the line ticked back up by Monday afternoon.
No. 7 Florida Gators at No. 6 Louisiana State Tigers (-13)
Florida threw its hat firmly into the CFP ring with a big Week 6 victory. The Gators (6-0 SU, 3-3 ATS) closed as 2.5-point home underdogs to previously unbeaten Auburn and took care of business in a 24-13 victory.
LSU got that aforementioned win at Texas, but otherwise hasn’t been challenged much, and Week 6 was no exception. The Tigers (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) pounded Utah State 42-6 laying 27 points at home.
Despite Florida’s strong showing against Auburn, the Gators are catching double digits in this contest.
“Florida garnered sharp support as a home ‘dog vs Auburn last week and won outright, and pros will likely be on the Gators again this week, assuming public LSU money inflates the number,” Chaprales said. “That’s a plausible scenario, as the Tigers have done nothing but cash tickets thus far.”
No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 18 Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)
Penn State also hopes to be in the CFP conversation, currently standing at 5-0 SU (3-2 ATS). The Nittany Lions had little trouble in Week 6, dispatching Purdue 35-7 while falling just short as 28.5-point favorites.
Iowa had a great opportunity to bolster its Big Ten resume and remain unbeaten, but couldn’t find the end zone in Week 6. In an extremely low-scoring contest, the Hawkeyes (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS) fell to Michigan 10-3 as 4-point road pups.
“Another stiff test for Iowa after a hard-fought loss to Michigan last week,” Chaprales said. “Early action has laid the 3 with Penn State, but it will take more to instigate a move, given the key number at play.”
PointsBet’s book at Catfish Bend Casino in Iowa will likely generate a lot of Hawkeyes action, as it did last week against Michigan.
Southern California Trojans at No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-11.5)
Notre Dame is 4-1 SU and ATS, and arguably its best game this season was the lone loss, 23-17 at Georgia getting 15.5 points in Week 4. The Fighting Irish boatraced Bowling Green 52-0 as massive 45.5-point home favorites in Week 6.
Southern Cal hopes to have true freshman Kedon Slovis back from concussion protocol in time for the trip to South Bend. Slovis was hurt in a Week 3 overtime loss at Brigham Young. The Trojans (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) had a bye in Week 6, after third-string QB Matt Fink and Co. lost at Washington 28-14 catching 12.5 points.
“Notre Dame has gotten the better of this matchup in the recent past and has been steadily covering numbers,” Chaprales said. “Which is to say we’re going to need USC. It’s just a matter of how much.”
Patrick Everson is a Las Vegas-based senior writer for Covers. Follow him on Twitter: @Covers_Vegas.
