TUCKER’S PICK ‘EM: College football picks and previews for Week 7

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – 41NBC’s Tucker Sargent makes his picks for Week 7.

Record last week: 7-4

Record this season: 52-17

All Times Eastern

All FBS rankings reflect latest Associated Press poll

 

Duke (3-3, 0-2 ACC) @ No. 7 Louisville (4-1, 2-1 ACC)
Saturday, October 14 at 7 p.m. ESPN
The Blue Devils have lost 23 straight games to top 10 teams.

Their last win came against No. 7 Clemson the year I was born:

Louisville 43, Duke 20

Actual Score: Louisville 24, Duke 14 (WIN)

 

 

Mississippi State (2-3, 1-2 SEC) @ BYU (3-3)
Friday, October 14 at 10:15 p.m. ESPN
It appears Mississippi State is back to being the worst team in the SEC West..

..at least for this season:

BYU 31, Mississippi State 17

Actual Score: BYU 28, Mississippi State 21 – 2 OT (WIN)

 

 

Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-3 SEC) @ Georgia (4-2, 2-2 SEC)
Saturday, October 15 at 12 p.m. SEC NETWORK
After a sloppy Sunday win in South Carolina, the Bulldogs return to Athens to face Vanderbilt.

It’s been a decade since the Commodores won there:

Georgia 27, Vanderbilt 10

Actual Score: Vanderbilt 17, Georgia 16 (LOSS)

 

 

NC State (4-1, 1-0 ACC) @ No. 3 Clemson (6-0, 3-0 ACC)
Saturday, October 15 at 12 p.m. ABC
Did you know this series is called the Textile Bowl?

Both schools produce lots of textile graduates, but Clemson produces better football teams:

Clemson 35, NC State 17

Actual Score: Clemson 24, NC State 17 – OT (WIN)

 

 

Georgia Southern (3-2, 2-1 Sun Belt) @ Georgia Tech (3-3, 1-3 ACC)
Saturday, October 15 at 12:30 p.m. ACC NETWORK
The Eagles and Yellow Jackets step out of conference play for an in-state battle at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

In their first and only meeting two years ago, Georgia Tech led Georgia Southern 35-10 at halftime before taking its foot off the gas pedal.

Tech held on for a 42-38 win:

Georgia Tech 31, Georgia Southern 20

Actual Score: Georgia Tech 35, Georgia Southern 24 (WIN)

 

 

Fort Valley State (1-5, 1-3 SIAC) @ Florida Tech (4-1, 2-1 Gulf South)
Saturday, October 15 at 1 p.m.
Fort Valley State won’t get over the hump this week.

Florida Tech is simply a better team:

Florida Tech 45, Fort Valley State 3

Actual Score: Florida Tech 48, Fort Valley State 14 (WIN)

 

 

Wake Forest (5-1, 2-1 ACC) @ No. 14 Florida State (4-2, 1-2 ACC)
Saturday, October 15 at 3:30 p.m. ESPN
OK. Seriously. Why is Florida State in the top 15?

I know it beat Ole Miss and Miami, but it also gave up 63 points once this season and lost at home to North Carolina:

Florida State 38, Wake Forest 24

Actual Score: Florida State 17, Wake Forest 6 (WIN)

 

 

No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC) @ No. 9 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC)
Saturday, October 15 at 3:30 p.m. CBS
Tennessee’s magic finally ran out last week in College Station.

A win here could place the Vols right back into the playoff picture:

Alabama 37, Tennessee 20

Actual Score: Alabama 49, Tennessee 10 (WIN)

 

 

Georgia State (1-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) @ Troy (4-1, 2-0 Sun Belt)
Saturday, October 15 at 3:30 p.m. ESPN3
The wall has been rebuilt.

By dark on Saturday, coach Neal Brown’s Trojans will be one win away from bowl eligibility:

Troy 35, Georgia State 13

Actual Score: Troy 31, Georgia State 21 (WIN)

 

 

Western Carolina (1-4, 0-3 SoCon) @ Mercer (2-3, 1-2 SoCon)
Saturday, October 15 at 4 p.m. ESPN3
It’s a whiteout at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium Saturday as the Bears try to knock off Western Carolina for the first time.

Bears fans should leave happy. The Catamounts are winless in SoCon play and haven’t won on the road, either:

Mercer 28, Western Carolina 21

Actual Score: Mercer 38, Western Carolina 24 (WIN)

 

 

Missouri (2-3, 0-2 SEC) @ No. 18 Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC)
Saturday, October 15 at 4 p.m. SEC NETWORK
The Gators had a week off thanks to that LSU/Hurricane Matthew fiasco.

Missouri had the week off too:

Florida 27, Missouri 17

Actual Score: Florida 40, Missouri 14 (WIN)

 

 

No. 12 Ole Miss (3-2, 1-1 SEC) @ No. 22 Arkansas (4-2, 0-2 SEC)
Saturday, October 15 at 7 p.m. ESPN
If you like points, make sure not to miss this one.

The Rebels are hoping to end a 2-game losing streak to the Razorbacks, including a 53-52 overtime loss in Oxford last year:

Ole Miss 45, Arkansas 35

Actual Score: Arkansas 34, Ole Miss 30 (LOSS)

 

 

Stanford (3-2, 2-2 Pac-12) @ Notre Dame (2-4)
Saturday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. NBC
This could be the worst Stanford-Notre Dame matchup ever.

The Cardinal might not even have Christian McCaffrey:

Notre Dame 21, Stanford 17

Actual Score: Stanford 17, Notre Dame 10 (LOSS)

 

 

No. 2 Ohio State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) @ No. 8 Wisconsin (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten)
Saturday, October 15 at 8 p.m. ABC
How for real is Wisconsin’s defense? We’re about to find out.

I’m taking the Buckeyes, but beating Wisconsin in Madison isn’t going to be easy:

Ohio State 28, Wisconsin 23

Actual Score: Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 23 – OT (WIN)