Week 7 College Football Picks: Couriers’ Expert Forecasts for Five Key Games
The Courier Journal’s panel of eight experts has submitted its college football picks Week 7, forecasting straight-up winners for five games involving Louisville, Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Indiana and Notre Dame. The picks are not against the spread, and all lines come from DraftKings as of Tuesday, Oct. 12. Rankings referenced are from the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.
Louisville at Syracuse
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network. Line: Louisville -14.5, over/under 55.5.
Louisville rides into Syracuse after beating Florida State last week. The Orange are dealing with injuries to their top three quarterbacks, leaving their situation under center uncertain. Every panelist picked Louisville, making it a clean 8-0 split.
Kentucky at Oklahoma
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. Line: Oklahoma -6.5, over/under 43.5.
Kentucky knocked off LSU in overtime last week and remains in contention for a conference championship. A win at Oklahoma would strengthen that case. The game may hinge on how well the Wildcats handle recent success. The panel leans Kentucky 6-2, with two picks for Oklahoma.
Western Kentucky at Sam Houston
Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. Line: WKU -1.5, over/under 53.5.
Western Kentucky won its first conference game last week and now seeks its first road win on a short week. The Hilltoppers scored 34 points and totaled 464 offensive yards against Missouri State. Sam Houston has dropped three Group of Six games, allowing 82 points across those contests. Six panelists picked WKU; two chose Sam Houston.
Indiana vs. Ohio State
Saturday, noon ET, FOX, in Bloomington. Line: Ohio State -3.5, over/under 50.5.
Ohio State is seeking revenge after losing to Indiana in last year’s Big Ten championship game. Indiana went undefeated last season but has looked good rather than dominant this year. The Athletic has called this arguably the biggest game in Memorial Stadium history. Jeremiah Smith is the Heisman favorite. All eight panelists picked Ohio State.
Notre Dame at BYU
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC, in Provo. Line: Notre Dame -10, over/under 47.5.
Both teams are unbeaten. Notre Dame has won six games by a combined 198 points, but has lost seven straight road games against top-10 opponents. Many consider this the Fighting Irish’s first test of 2026, and ESPN College GameDay will be on site. The game could offer insight ahead of the College Football Playoff rankings. All eight panelists picked Notre Dame.
Standings after Week 6
- Jason Frakes: 22-8
- Alaina Morris: 21-9
- Brooks Holton: 19-11
- Ryan Black: 19-11
- Alexis Cubit: 18-12
- Josh Connelly: 18-12
- Payton Titus: 17-13
- C.L. Brown: 17-13
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