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After several upsets helped Penn State move up in the polls last weekend, week seven offers many games that could throw the rankings into further chaos. Two of those games (#2 Georgia at #13 LSU and #7 Washington at #17 Oregon) have the same 3:30 p.m. kickoff time as Penn State, so they will not listed below- but make sure to keep an eye on the scores as both teams currently ahead of the Nittany Lions will face major tests on the road.
Iowa at Indiana
Noon, ESPN2
This may not get much attention on a national stage, but it’s a great way to scout out Penn State’s next two opponents following this weekend. A win by Iowa could potentially set up an Oct. 27 battle in Happy Valley between two 6-1 teams, giving Penn State an opportunity for a quality win against a ranked opponent.
Prediction: Iowa-27, Indiana-20
Pitt at (#5)Notre Dame
2:30 p.m., NBC
This game looks terrible on paper, but Pitt has made it a habit to string together losing seasons with one major upset. They were the first team to hand Miami a loss in 2017, and managed to upset Clemson in 2016, who would later go on to win a national championship. If not, maybe they can at least make it interesting for the hour before Penn State kicks off.
Prediction: Notre Dame-38, Pitt-17
(#6)West Virginia at Iowa State
7 p.m., FS1
Like Pitt, Iowa State is one of those programs that is able to put it together for one game to ruin someone’s season just about every year. It may very well be West Virginia, after the Mountaineers struggled to pull away from Kansas a week ago. The Cyclones are only 2-3, but all three losses were close against quality opponents (Iowa, Oklahoma and TCU). With the game being played at night in Ames, all the stars are aligning for an upset.
Prediction: Iowa State-34, West Virginia-31
(#15)Wisconsin at (#12)Michigan
7:30 p.m., ABC
Not only does this game have some major implications for Penn State, it will also serve as a playoff elimination game. The loser is out, while the winner can still likely control its own destiny by winning out (including the Big Ten Championship Game). A Michigan victory is more beneficial to the Nittany Lions, as it would keep Penn State’s hopes alive to win the East Division via tiebreaker. Regardless of who wins, it could still set up a major November showdown between two top ten teams.
Prediction: Wisconsin-23, Michigan-20