Saturday’s college football schedule features numerous key games that will further define the conference championship races and the College Football Playoff landscape and potentially separate the Heisman Trophy contenders from the contenders as mid-October arrives. The Week 7 schedule is filled with high-stakes matchups from top to bottom, but none are perhaps bigger than a top-10 showdown brought to us by the most exciting conference in the country this season.
The biggest game of the day is in the Pacific Northwest, where No. 7 Washington faces No. 8 Oregon in a matchup that will likely push the winner into the top four of the CFP projections. Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Ducks veteran Bo Nix are two of the sport’s shining stars, and the national spotlight will help both increase their visibility across the country as one looks to give the other a leg up on the season win Heisman races.
There will be a non-conference rivalry with more than just bragging rights to win on Saturday night when No. 10 USC takes on No. 21 Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The Trojans want to keep their undefeated season alive, while the Fighting Irish’s chances of a New Year’s Six bowl could be in jeopardy.
Below is a handy viewer’s guide to help you navigate all the action as Week 7 of the 2023 college football season takes center stage on Saturday.
Always east
The best games
No. 1 Georgia at Vanderbilt – Noon on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free): The Bulldogs had their best game of the season with a 51-13 win over Kentucky, and now they get a chance to build on that on the road against the Commodores. This could be a great opportunity for first-year starting quarterback Carson Beck to continue to assert himself as a Heisman contender for the Bulldogs.
No. 8 Oregon and No. 7 Washington – 3:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try it for free): The Pac-12 has become one of the best conferences in the country in virtually its final year of existence, and this game will likely set the landscape for the rest of the season. The winner will have every goal in sight, while the loser will fight an uphill battle to keep the Pac-12 championship game from becoming a playoff at all.
Texas A&M at No. 19 Tennessee – 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free): The Aggies lost heartbreakingly to Alabama last week, leaving them very little room for error in the race for the SEC West. The Volunteers find themselves in essentially the same situation in their attempt to displace Georgia in the east. The key here is how Vols quarterback Joe Milton III handles the enormous pressure created by the Aggies’ strong front seven.
No. 10 USC at No. 21 Notre Dame – 7:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (Try it for free): The Trojans’ defense has been a liability and a big reason the undefeated Trojans are behind two other Pac-12 teams in the national rankings. They will face a Fighting Irish squad that hasn’t quite lived up to its expectations under star quarterback Sam Hartman. Something has to give.
No. 25 Miami and No. 12 North Carolina – 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try it for free): This game should have been a battle of undefeated ACC contenders, but Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal’s last-minute coaching error that led to a loss to Georgia Tech last week changed history. North Carolina star quarterback Drake Maye has a chance to make a massive Heisman statement while improving the Hurricanes’ chances of reaching the ACC Championship Game.
No. 18 UCLA at No. 15 Oregon State – 8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (Try it for free): This Pac-12 showdown is being overlooked, due in large part to Oregon’s showdown with Washington. However, don’t overlook this. Each team has a loss in conference play and the loser of that loss is eliminated from contention for the Pac-12 Championship Game. This will be an old-school defensive slugfest not to be missed.
The best of the rest
- Indiana at No. 2 Michigan – Noon on Fox, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 3 Ohio State at Purdue – Noon on Peacock
- Syracuse at No. 4 Florida State – Noon on ABC, fuboTV (try free)
- Arkansas at No. 11 Alabama – Noon on ESPN, fuboTV (Try Free)
- Kent State at Eastern Michigan – Noon on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- #16 California at Utah – 3 p.m. on Pac-12 Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- UMass at No. 6 Penn State – 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- No. 23 Kansas at Oklahoma State – 3:30 p.m. on FS1, fuboTV (try free)
- Troy at Army – 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
- No. 14 Louisville at Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. on CW Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- Arizona at No. 19 Washington State – 7 p.m. on Pac-12 Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- Auburn at No. 22 LSU – 7 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)
- Wyoming at Air Force – 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
- Missouri at No. 24 Kentucky – 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- NC State at No. 17 Duke – 8 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (try for free)
- San Diego State at Hawaii – 11 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)