Michigan vs. Penn State, USC vs. Utah, more we're watching in Week 7

By RJ Young and Michael Cohen
FOX Sports College Football Writers

It's a battle of unbeatens as No 5. Michigan (6-0) plays host to No. 10 Penn State (5-0) in a Week 7 matchup with serious implications in the Big Ten Championship race.

The game will highlight the start of a great college football weekend as the featured game on  "Big Noon Kickoff" on FOX.

But that's not all that's going on this weekend. We've also got our eyes on three interesting Big 12 matchups, a game between top-10 SEC heavyweights and a crucial Pac-12 nightcap between No. 7 USC and No. 20 Utah.

Here's what we're looking forward to watching in some of the biggest matchups on Saturday. 

What storylines are you watching in No. 10 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan (Noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)?

Young: As I wrote earlier this week, for me this game is about running the ball, stopping the run, and which team is better at both. It’s no secret Blake Corum is the maize that turns the offense in Go Blue Lightning — that’s a moonshine reference — with his steady ability to turn short-yardage plays into explosive plays. For his part, Corum is on pace to end the season with nearly 1,500 rushing yards.

A stat to keep an eye on: Jim Harbaugh is 38-1 when he has a 100-yard rusher at Michigan.

But Penn State has a top-five rush defense at the front and its own stick of dynamite seven-and-a-half yards deep in true freshman phenom Nick Singleton. Singleton rushed for 124 yards on just 10 carries against Auburn and has put up a high of 172 (against Ohio) on just 10 carries, too.

With battery mate Kaytron Allen, the duo rushes for more than 153 yards per game. If either Singleton or Corum run wild, it might come down to quarterback play, and for the first time in some time, Michigan walks into this game with the more talented guy behind center.

J.J. McCarthy’s ability to accurately throw the ball downfield and to make corn liquor out of corn mash has many believing in the Wolverines, who are continuing to improve offensively and defensively from week to week. 

On top of all this, both teams are ranked in the top 10 for this matchup for the first time since 1997, so you can see why this "Big Noon" game is the biggest of the week.

Cohen: The most important storyline is arguably the matchup between Corum, who ranks seventh nationally with 122.5 yards per game, and the vaunted Penn State rush defense that ranks fifth in the country by surrendering just 79.8 yards per game. The 5-foot-8, 210-pound Corum has hushed critics who questioned his durability and has carried the ball 84 times for 500 yards and four touchdowns in the last three weeks. The only player in college football with more rushing touchdowns than Corum (11) is Pittsburgh tailback Israel Abanikanda (12).

Another aspect worth monitoring is how well the Wolverines’ defense can tackle Penn State’s tandem of Singleton (63 carries, 463 yards, five TDs) and Allen (57 carries, 303 yards, three TDs). The two rushers have combined to force 30 missed tackles in five games, according to Pro Football Focus, and will face a Michigan team charged with just 34 missed tackles all season. Something has to give. 

What are you watching in No. 19 Kansas at Oklahoma (Noon ET)?

Cohen: More interesting than any Xs and Os insight or statistical analysis of this game is the simple eye test for how each team responds to their crushing defeats last weekend. For Kansas, 12 consecutive seasons with three or fewer wins gave way to a wondrous 5-0 start under second-year head coach Lance Leipold. The Jayhawks scored quality wins over West Virginia, Houston, Duke and Iowa State to ascend from the depths of college football to a place in the top 25 polls. But Leipold’s group fell short in a 38-31 loss to No. 17 TCU last Saturday to temper the program’s grandest expectations in years. Star quarterback Jalon Daniels dropped out with a shoulder injury and is doubtful to play this weekend. How does Kansas respond?

Oklahoma’s most recent defeat was equally devastating but for entirely different reasons. The Sooners were crushed, 49-0, by arch-rival Texas in one of the most lopsided games in Red River Showdown history. First-year head coach Brent Venables has drawn the ire of OU fans after three consecutive losses to Kansas State, TCU and last week’s drubbing from the Longhorns. Will the embattled Sooners rally or implode? 

Young: We live in a world where KU is ranked, and OU ain’t. Holy smokes, folks. 

The Sooners are looking to stave off their first five-game losing streak since 1996 with a win against the 5-1 Jayhawks. Their task might have become a bit easier with the shoulder injury to Daniels.

If Daniels is out, the Jayhawks lose not just their leading passer but their second-leading rusher, plus a tremendous player when plays break down. Jason Bean came in for Daniels last week and acquitted himself like a starter — 16-for-24 for 262 yards with four TDs and an INT — perhaps because last season he was. 

Now after coming up just short against an Oklahoma team that won 11 games last year, the Jayhawks will look to finish the job in Norman to keep themselves in contention for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. 

How about Iowa State at No. 22 Texas (Noon ET)?

Young: Texas is back. 

After slumping Oklahoma last week — 49 to nothing, zip, nada — the Longhorns need to continue to ride the wave that came with Quinn Ewers’ return.

When Ewers is healthy and starting at quarterback, the Longhorns look like a top-10 team (see: Alabama) and with Bijan Robinson, the best tailback in the league, beside him, the Longhorns are formidable.

With Iowa State in the midst of a three-game slide, I’m looking to see if Texas can earn another comfortable win against a middling Big 12 program that looks as off-kilter as Oklahoma.

Still, ISU makes it tough. A three-point loss to ranked Kansas and a one-point loss to ranked Kansas State are enough to show that the Cyclones are capable of turning every game they play into a rock fight.

Cohen: The continued dimming of Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell’s national profile is one of the more thought-provoking topics in this matchup. Campbell, 42, was the darling of the coaching carousel after racking up 34 wins in his last four seasons at Toledo and then guiding the lowly Cyclones to an average of eight wins per year from 2017-20. At that point, Campbell was connected with nearly every high-major job available and even drew considerable interest from the NFL. But sky-high expectations for the 2021 season fizzled when Iowa State lost three games to unranked opponents and six games overall. Fast-forward to this weekend, and the Cyclones enter Saturday with three consecutive losses and another subpar campaign on the horizon. 

The Longhorns, meanwhile, were reinvigorated by the return of Ewers from a sprained clavicle that sidelined him for nearly a month. Ewers completed 21 of 31 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s demolition of Oklahoma to finish with the highest NFL passer rating (123.5) of his brief Texas career. With Ewers back under center, the Longhorns are legitimate players in the Big 12 race.

What interests you most in No. 3 Alabama at No. 6 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET)? 

Cohen: It feels like everything about this game hinges on the health of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, the Heisman Trophy winner who exited his team’s win over Arkansas on Oct. 1 with a shoulder injury. Young was in uniform for the Crimson Tide’s last-second escape against Texas A&M on Saturday but never entered the game. 

His replacement, Jalen Milroe, had a wildly uneven performance. Milroe’s final stat line showed three passing touchdowns and 83 rushing yards, but his total of five turnover-worthy plays — as graded by PFF — were the most of any Power 5 quarterback in Week 6. His actual turnover ledger included one interception and two lost fumbles. 

Earlier this week, Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he’s hopeful Young will return for the top-10 showdown against Tennessee. The Volunteers have soared to No. 6 in the nation under second-year head coach Josh Heupel thanks to three wins over ranked opponents: a 34-27 OT win over Pittsburgh; a 38-33 win over Florida; and a 40-13 rout of LSU last weekend.

Young: It’s been 16 years since the Volunteers have beaten the Crimson Tide. Put another way, Nick Saban has a perfect record against yet another SEC foe since he took the reins in Tuscaloosa 15 years ago. 

But this is the first time in a dog’s age — Smokey’s to be exact — since I’ve believed the Vols can come running down that mountain, carrying a full load of distilled corn — that’s another moonshine reference — with reason to sing Rocky Top at the top of their lungs after a win. It’s the first time since 1998 that both Alabama and Tennessee have been ranked in the top 10 at the time of their matchup. That same year the Vols won the national title.

How about No. 8 Oklahoma State at No. 13 TCU (3:30 p.m. ET)? 

Young: No. 8 Oklahoma State and No. 13 Texas Christian are playing for Big 12 supremacy — just as we predicted at the beginning of the season. [Borat voice: Not.]

Both programs have played outstanding ball on both sides. The quarterbacks are absolutely capable of cooking your brisket, and the defenses aren’t giving up much.

The Cowboys are averaging better than 45 points and 469 yards of total offense per game. The Horned Frogs are putting up 46 points and more than 500 yards of total offense per contest.

This game feels like it’s going to be a mid-2010s league matchup where the team that gets to 50 points first is going to win. Max Duggan and Spencer Sanders will be tasked with taking care of the ball, and the one that flinches first probably falls in this one.

Cohen: Fans could be forgiven for overlooking the importance of this game given how firmly entrenched the country’s top four teams are in the national rankings. With a four-team playoff, it’s hard to look beyond Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson until one of those teams stumbles. But Oklahoma State and TCU are among the teams waiting in the wings for a potential misstep. They are the only unbeatens remaining in the Big 12 and could force their way toward the CFP doorstep by staying the course between now and December.

The Cowboys are tied for third nationally in scoring offense at 46.4 points per game thanks in large part to star quarterback Sanders, who ranks fifth in total offense (327 yards per game) among players from Power 5 schools. And who’s tied with Oklahoma State in scoring offense? None other than the Horned Frogs of TCU. First-year head coach Sonny Dykes’ group is averaging 530 yards of offense, behind only Tennessee (547.8) and Ohio State (543.7). 

What’s worth watching in Wisconsin at Michigan State (4 p.m. ET; FOX and the FOX Sports app)?

Young: Michael will tell you that I love a profane coach, and Mel Tucker has been just that. Not about his team, though, but about himself. 

It’s no secret that after the contract Tucker was awarded last year — 10 years, $95 million — a 2-4 start to the season isn’t what the Spartan faithful expected. 

But that is their reality as they face a team in Wisconsin that might have turned over a new leaf, ushering in Jim Leonhard as interim head coach after the firing of Paul Chryst. And while last week’s outing — Leonhard’s first as the head ball coach in charge — was a decisive win against Northwestern, I’m beginning to believe there are some 6A high schools who would like a shot at the Wildcats based on how they’ve played since returning from Europe.

At 3-3 and with just one loss in conference play, there’s still a road to the Big Ten West title ahead of the Badgers if they can just keep winning. But they’re gonna have to get a W in East Lansing for us to continue to believe that’s the case. 

Cohen: The game within the game between Tucker and Leonhard is fascinating here. Tucker generated headlines earlier this season when he called himself "a horse---- football coach" amid the ongoing struggles of the Spartans’ secondary — a group he’s partially responsible for after assuming the role of cornerbacks coach in 2022. In truth, the pass defense has been poor for the entirety of Tucker’s tenure. Michigan State ranked 72nd in passing yards allowed in 2020 (239.4 per game), dead last in 2021 (324.8 per game) and 122nd this season (292 per game). 

On Saturday, Tucker will peer across the field at a rising star in the coaching ranks, an elevated defensive coordinator whose secondaries have been stellar. A former NFL safety, Leonhard was hired to oversee Wisconsin’s defense and personally coach the defensive backs in 2017. Since then, the Badgers have ranked in the top 12 for passing yards allowed three times (2017, ‘19, ‘21) and never finished outside the top 31. Four of Leonhard’s defensive backs were drafted during that stretch. 

What are you looking for in No. 4 Clemson at Florida State (7:30 p.m. ET)?

Cohen: If Clemson wants to continue its march toward the CFP, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei must extend his judicious approach to ball security. A year ago, Uiagalelei threw more interceptions (10) than passing touchdowns (nine) in a performance that invited questions about his long-term viability as the starter. He finished with 11 turnover-worthy plays and an NFL passer rating of 69.8, according to PFF. 

But the script is being rewritten in 2022 as Uiagalelei spearheads an offense that has only turned the ball over five times, elevating the Tigers to the top 25 nationally in turnover margin at plus-5. With a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 14:2 in his first six games, Uiagalelei is playing with the type of measured restraint necessary to keep Clemson in pole position for a spot in the playoff. Arkansas State’s James Blackman (one) and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (one) are the only quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks who have fewer turnover-worthy plays than Uiagalelei (three) this season, according to PFF. On Saturday he’ll face a Florida State defense with eight takeaways in six games. 

Young: Maybe it’s as simple as Clemson is for real and FSU is not. However, that didn’t feel true at the beginning of the season as we hadn’t seen the best version of Uiagalelei since 2020.

Meanwhile, the turnover at both coordinator positions on Dabo Swinney’s staff led me to believe the Tigers — who began 2021 4-3 — might take a step back this season. Nope, it's the same little ol’ Clemson who can absolutely take you apart like Chucky in a slasher flick.

FSU has to know this, and Seminole fans have to be tired of getting their behinds handed to them by a program that didn’t even rate until 2008. And now this game has become an annual reminder of just how far the Noles have fallen.

Mike Norvell has a chance to change that narrative at Doak Campbell this weekend with a team that looks capable of standing up to the task for the first time since his arrival in 2020. 

And finally, what catches your eye in No. 7 USC at No. 20 Utah (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)?

Young: For the first time this season, USC faces a foe not just capable of defeating the Trojans handily, but in an environment — Rice-Eccles Stadium — that will be filled with folks who believe the "It" kids in L.A. have been too quickly crowned kings of a conference that the Utes have ruled.

No one might have more cause to feel this way than Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who has quietly stewarded a program that has been one of the most consistently excellent of the past 15 years. Remember, it was Whittingham’s team that ran the table in 2008, knocking off Nick Saban’s Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish 13-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country.

This time, yet again, Whittingham and the Utes have their first and perhaps best opportunity to demonstrate that just because Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams came to town doesn’t mean they’re gonna roll through Salt Lake City and win.

I’m fired up to see how this game ends.

Cohen: The matchup between one of the nation’s best quarterbacks in USC’s Williams and one of the best secondaries in the country from Utah should make this appointment viewing for the prime-time window. 

Considered by some as the No. 2 candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy, Williams has put together an electric start after following head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to Southern California. He’s holding the ball longer than any quarterback in the country with at least 200 dropbacks (3.23 seconds per throw, according to PFF) and is using that time to pump the ball downfield. Seven of his 14 touchdown passes and 824 of his 1,590 passing yards were accumulated on throws traveling at least 10 yards downfield. His NFL passer rating of 125.6 on passes at least 20 yards downfield is fifth among Power 5 quarterbacks with at least 25 such attempts. 

But Utah’s defense has flashed an adroitness for taking the ball away, evidenced by 10 interceptions in six games (tied for third nationally) and three fumbles recovered. The Utes have yielded just four completions longer than 30 yards this season and the only Power 5 teams to allow fewer third-down conversions (22 total) are Minnesota (10), California (20), Alabama (21) and Stanford (21). 

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports. He has also covered the NFL, NBA, professional soccer and more, and his work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.