Week 7 College Football Picks Against the Spread

• Week 7 of College Football features exciting slates on Friday, October 15th and Saturday, October 16th
• Cincinnati hosts UCF in a Group of Five showdown, while Syracuse aims to upset Clemson in ACC action
• Read below for the best ATS picks for Week 7 of the CFB season

The 2021 College Football season is heading into its seventh week, and there’s some enticing matchup on tap for Week 7. The slates on Friday, October 15th and Saturday, October 16th offer several games with betting value.

Cincinnati hosts UCF in a Group of Five showdown, while Syracuse is an intriguing home underdog against Clemson in ACC action. Over in the Big Ten, Mel Tucker’s Michigan State aims to stay unbeaten at Indiana.

Here are three ATS picks to consider for Week 7.

Clemson vs Syracuse Odds

All odds as of Oct 13th at DraftKings

Pick #1: Orange Keep It Close vs Tigers

Syracuse (3-3) will look to become the first unranked team to beat Clemson (3-2) this season when they welcome Dabo Swinney’s Tigers to the Carrier Dome in Week 7. Clemson has dropped out of the AP Top 25 following losses to ranked Georgia and NC State teams, but they’ve managed to secure victories against bottom-tier ACC teams.

Syracuse is still searching for it’s first win in conference play, but they’ve kept each game close. The Orange have lost by only three points in consecutive losses against Florida State and Wake Forest. Dino Babers’ squad racked up a whopping 354 rushing yards in a 40-37 OT loss to the undefeated Demon Deacons in Week 6.

Headed to OT in the Dome pic.twitter.com/2ssBV7qUpj

— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 9, 2021

Clemson has been a major disappoint this season, ranking last in the ACC offensively with only 20 points scored per game. It couldn’t be more evident how much they miss QB Trevor Lawrence and RB Travis Etienne. Sophomore pivot DJ Uiagalelei is only completing 54% of his passes, while no dominant threat has emerged in the running game.

This struggling Clemson offense is going to be challenged by a stout Syracuse defense allowing just 308 yards per game. The Orange have the x-factor in this game with running back Sean Tucker, who leads the nation with 995 all-purpose yards. After incurring back-to-back heartbreaking losses, look for Syracuse to give Clemson everything they can handle Friday night.

• Pick: Syracuse +14 (-110)

UCF vs Cincinnati Odds

Pick #2: Bearcats Eat Up Knights

Cincinnati (5-0) will face one of it’s toughest non-Power Five opponents when they welcome UCF (3-2) to Nippert Stadium in Week 7. The Bearcats have already earned signature wins over Indiana and Notre Dame and will need a statement victory against UCF to remain in the CFP conversation.

Cincinnati is 4-1 ATS this season after blowing out Temple 52-3 in Week 6. Luke Fickell’s team entered the game as 30-point favorites and easily covered the spread. The Bearcats racked up over 500 yards of offense thanks to huge performance from QB Desmond Ridder and RB Jerome Ford. They should go off again vs a struggling UCF squad.

The Knights are struggling to find their identity after losing starting QB Dillon Gabriel to a shoulder injury. Gus Malzahn’s team have failed to cover the spread in three straight contests, including a 20-16 victory over ECU last weekend. Freshman QB Mikey Keene is still trying to find his stride, completing 63% of his passes for three TDs and two interceptions on the season.

It’s hard to see this UCF offense generating much against this elite Cincinnati defense. The Bearcats are only allowing 12.2 points per game and will clamp down on a true freshman QB starting in a hostile environment. Ridder, meanwhile, has been rising in the Heisman odds and will torch a UCF defense allowing 220 passing yards per game.

Cincinnati is playing with all kinds of momentum right now, while Central Florida appears to be trending in the opposite direction. The Bearcats need as many style points they can get to impress the playoff committee and should bolster their resume with a convincing home win against the Knights.

• Pick: Cincinnati -20.5 (-115)

Michigan State vs Indiana Odds

Pick #3: Spartans Run Over Hoosiers

Michigan State continues be one of the most undervalued teams in the CFB betting odds. The Spartans are 6-0 entering a Week 7 showdown against Indiana (2-3) in Bloomington. Mel Tucker’s team is coming off a 31-13 win at Rutgers in which the team accumulated almost 600 yards of total offense. The Spartans easily covered as -4 favorites and are now 4-2 ATS.

MSU QB Payton Throne and WR Jaydon Reed connected on several big plays vs Rutgers, while RB Kenneth Walker III had a 94-yard TD run. Walker III is one of the most electric running backs in CFB, leading the nation with 913 rushing yards. He’s primed for another big afternoon facing an Indiana defense that got gashed for over 200 yards on the ground by Penn State last time out.

HE WOULD NOT BE STOPPED!

Kenneth Walker III with a 94-yard TD run, the longest play from scrimmage in Michigan State football history 😱 pic.twitter.com/VAIfOa6bUw

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 9, 2021

Indiana has vastly disappointed in conference play this season, failing to score a touchdown in two Big Ten games against Iowa and Penn State. One of the big concerns for the Hoosier is the health of starting QB Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a separated AC joint in the loss to the Nittany Lions. It’ll likely be backup Jack Tuttle starting against MSU.

Indiana has failed to score on the top defenses in the Big 10, and the Spartans present a similar challenge. Michigan State is only allowing 19 points per game and rank top-five nationally in sacks (23). MSU defensive line will dominante IU’s susceptible offensive line, and Walker III will run rampant for the seventh straight week to keep the Spartans undefeated.

• Pick: Michigan State -4.5 (-110)