Week 7 is right here, and it’ll mark the halfway level of what’s been an eventful faculty soccer common season to this point. And after Invoice Belichick and North Carolina dominated the information throughout their idle week, there’s loads of intriguing on-field motion to look at on Saturday.
What do it’s essential learn about No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Texas, No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon and extra? Take our weekly quiz (discover all of our School Sports activities Quizzes right here) and compensate for important pregame studying beneath.
Pregame reads
As at all times, Justin Williams counts all the way down to the highest 10 video games of the week, Manny Navarro makes his Oddly Particular Predictions and our employees makes picks in opposition to the unfold.
• No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS): It’s the primary assembly between the 2 groups since 2004, when the Hoosiers upset the No. 24 Geese 30-24 in a weird recreation wherein they have been outgained 495 to 198 however pressured seven turnovers. This matchup is simply the fifth time Indiana has been concerned in a matchup of two AP top-10 groups on the time of the sport, becoming a member of a 1968 Rose Bowl loss to USC, losses to Ohio State in 2020 and 2024 and final 12 months’s first-round Playoff loss at Notre Dame.
Can the Hoosiers win the massive one? It might come all the way down to a extremely anticipated quarterback matchup between Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore, who’re surprises atop our Heisman Trophy straw ballot.
It’s additionally an intriguing teaching matchup between Curt Cignetti, who has swiftly enlivened soccer assist at Indiana, and Oregon’s Dan Lanning, who is among the greatest rising stars within the sport relationship again to his time on Memphis’ mega employees with Mike Norvell, Kenny Dillingham and Ryan Silverfield.
• No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Texas (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC): No. 3 in our July faculty soccer rivalry rankings, the Pink River Rivalry on the Cotton Bowl in Dallas is usually stuffed with surprises and drama. That shouldn’t change this 12 months. We’d not know if star Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer will play till kickoff — he has been upgraded to “possible” after September hand surgical procedure — as he seeks to place the Sooners’ offseason overhaul on full show of their greatest rivalry recreation. Texas, in the meantime, is reeling. The preseason No. 1 fell out of the AP ballot after a loss to Florida that raised a easy query: What’s Texas truly good at? Columnist Will Leitch writes that Arch Manning’s early-season flop feels in contrast to something we’ve ever seen earlier than in faculty soccer.
• No. 8 Alabama at No. 14 Missouri (midday ET, ABC): Alabama has recovered properly from its opening loss at Florida State, as coach Kalen DeBoer bought the massive win he wanted in opposition to Georgia, then quarterback Ty Simpson confirmed once more why he’s a rising star in a win in opposition to Vanderbilt. Subsequent up: a tough highway take a look at in opposition to unbeaten Missouri, which has stable wins in opposition to Kansas and South Carolina however now has its greatest likelihood but for a marquee victory to firmly set up itself within the School Soccer Playoff combine. The Tigers entered Week 7 with a 29 % likelihood to make the CFP, in keeping with The Athletic’s mannequin, and that quantity is predicted to rise to round 45 % in the event that they take down Alabama. Missouri ranks seventh within the FBS in scoring behind Penn State switch quarterback Beau Pribula and Louisiana Monroe switch working again Ahmad Hardy, who leads the nation in speeding after going nearly totally ignored as a recruit.
• Oklahoma-Texas isn’t the one Week 7 rivalry. Forward of Iowa at Wisconsin (7 p.m. ET, FS1), take a journey on the Iowa-Wisconsin beer freeway with Scott Dochterman. … The Illibuck wood turtle trophy is on the road for the primary time since 2017 in No. 1 Ohio State at No. 17 Illinois (midday ET, Fox). … No. 15 Michigan at USC (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC) won’t be a typical “rivalry,” however the brand new Huge Ten foes have an extended historical past of assembly within the postseason — and this matchup might decide if one of many two has an opportunity to get to the Playoff this 12 months. … The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry has been lopsided in favor of the Bulldogs. Will that proceed in No. 10 Georgia at Auburn (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)?
In case you missed it
• Invoice Belichick pledged an NFL strategy at North Carolina. Program insiders name it dysfunctional. Right here’s what we realized from speaking to quite a few sources about what’s occurring in Chapel Hill.
• Right here’s what Bruce Feldman and Ralph Russo are listening to concerning the struggles of Penn State and Texas, Memphis’ makeover and extra forward of Week 7.
• No. 2 Miami is the favourite within the ACC, however No. 13 Georgia Tech has emerged as maybe the highest challenger led by wrecking-ball quarterback Haynes King.
• Name-in radio reveals was a weekly staple for school soccer coaches. Is podcasting subsequent? It definitely is for Nebraska’s Matt Rhule.
• Sam Khan Jr. breaks down some key superior stats that illustrate what’s occurred by means of six weeks of the season.
• Is the School Soccer Playoff going to broaden past 12 groups? Ralph Russo lays out the most recent developments and potentialities.
• Bookmark Austin Mock’s School Soccer Playoff projections web page and examine again for normal updates all through the season.
• Miami topped The Athletic 136 after Week 6, adopted by Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.
