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Week 7 Picks & Predictions: Ohio State-Indiana, Notre Dame-BYU, Alabama-Tennessee & More

31m 28s

Week 7 Picks & Predictions: Ohio State-Indiana, Notre Dame-BYU, Alabama-Tennessee & More

The episode features a deep analysis of key college football matchups, with a focus on Ohio State vs. Indiana, where Ohio State faces mounting pressure due to recent losses and defensive vulnerabilities. The matchup hinges on Jeremiah Smith’s performance and the effectiveness of Indiana’s defensive line in pressuring the Buckeyes’ offensive line. Other games include Notre Dame vs. BYU, where Notre Dame’s improved run game and defense are favored over BYU’s home strength; Alabama vs. Tennessee, where Alabama’s consistency and physicality are expected to prevail despite a recent loss; and Missouri vs. Ole Miss, where Missouri’s dominant run game is projected to overcome Ole Miss’s weak run defense. The analysis also highlights Michigan’s elite defense as a key factor in their win over Penn State and Wisconsin’s strong defensive performance against UCLA, despite the matchup’s underdog status. Throughout, the host emphasizes defensive pressure, team consistency, and player development as core themes, concluding with a series of betting picks that underscore confidence in high-effort, disciplined teams. The segment is promoted by Michelob Ultra, which offers fans access to sporting events through its “Superior Access” program.

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This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra. Good times mean competitions between you and your friends, like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest. Winner gets an Ultra. Because it's not just a Superior-like beer, it's also giving fans Superior access to their favorite sporting events. Superior is worth playing for. Visit MichelobUltra.com slash SuperiorAccess to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser-Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer St. Louis, Missouri. Smith is the cheat code. He's the best thing on either team, on any team, in all of college football. It was about Mendoza, which means it will be about Hoover. He's going to have to make a big play. Whoever loses this game, it's like, yikes. Hey, welcome into the program. This is the Joel Klatt Show. I'm Joel Klatt. This show is brought to you by Hilton. Hilton for the stay. And we thank them for their support. We got picks and previews on a huge day of college football on Saturday. Lots of games to get to, so let's get right to it. Let's start with the game that I'm going to be at. Ohio State at Indiana. Monster game. Best game of the day by far. Big noon kickoff is going to be there. That's going to start bright and early there in Indiana and Bloomington. 10 Eastern. And then the game, obviously, at noon. Kurt Cignetti and these Hoosiers, 22 straight games they've won. 22 straight games they are undefeated at home. Under Cignetti. And I got to tell you, I get the sense, and I think you would agree with me, that all the pressure is on Ohio State in this game. And mostly because they already have the loss. You don't want to get behind the eight ball. But also because the last three times we've seen Ohio State play in these, what they would consider to be matchup-style games, which was the Big Ten championship game against Indiana. It was the playoff against Miami. And then earlier this year, week two, against Texas, they lost. They're 0-3 in their last three matchup games. And Julian's saying he hasn't been Julian saying in those games. So, to me, there is a lot of pressure on Ohio State. If they lose this game, remember, and I told you this in yesterday's program, they have the number one hardest schedule from this point on in college football. In all of college football. Do you really think that 9-3 is going to get in? It might. It might if you're Ohio State. I don't want to take that totally off the table. But do you really want to? Do you really want to play that game if you're Ohio State? Do you really want to put yourself in that spot if you're Ohio State? And this is a moment where they can go prove that, no, no, no, no, listen, we were consistent. We played three bad series against Texas. We should have won that football game. But we're one of the best teams in the country. So, that's where the pressure is. Now, Indiana, like I said, really good at home under Kurt Cignetti. Unbeaten in Bloomington under Kurt Cignetti. Let's start with the matchup here. Let's start with the Buckeyes having the football. As we know, it all starts with Jeremiah. There's not much you can say anymore about Jeremiah. He's the best player. You know, I think you can start to say, like, whoa, you got to take him out of the game. Okay, how? You know, Iowa tried that. He was double and triple covered. It didn't matter. You know, they can throw him screens like they did last week against Maryland. He can take it the distance. He can go down the field and make contested catches. He's a clean route runner in the intermediate space. You know, to some degree, what you're trying to do is, like, just don't let him have four touchdowns. Now, easier said than done, but as we know, Smith is the cheat code. So, what does that mean? What does that mean? Well, Brian Haynes, the defensive coordinator, he's going to have something. I would say the weakness of the Indiana defense is the secondary. You don't want to bring a defense that's weaknesses in the secondary to face Jeremiah Smith. They're going to have to manipulate something, because I don't think they can just sit there and play him in man coverage or one-on-one coverage. Illinois tried to play him in single coverage, and they just got ran out of the building. Just totally ran out of the building. And what Cignetti and Haynes do, generally, is they try to take away your best attribute, find your weaknesses, and attack those weaknesses. They were actually able to do that last year. Now, they did not remove Jeremiah Smith from that Big Ten championship game. He still got his. But what did they do? They attacked the offensive line, and that's where I, I would say, is the weakest point for Ohio State's offense, is their offensive line. They are, you know, in between some lineups up there, and this is where you have to beat them, because that is where they have shown to be susceptible and lose games. They lost the line of scrimmage against Indiana. They lost the line of scrimmage against Miami last year in those two losses. And then you can make a strong argument that it was their inability to run the football or protect Julian Sane in the fourth quarter that caused all those three and outs. So, again, like, where are they weak? That's exactly where Indiana is. They're going to start to press, and they're going to start to push. It just so happens that that's the strongest part of Indiana's defense, is their defensive line. In particular, their ends. Stephen Daly on the field is a difference maker. Toby Osunsami, he's a difference maker. And now they're going to have their opportunity, and they're going to be active up front. There's no doubt. There's no doubt. So the question becomes, like, can Ohio State protect Sane enough to utilize Smith down the field? He'll win down the field. I don't, listen, there's not enough guys on defense to cover him down the field. So the question becomes, can you protect Sane long enough? Well, to do that, I do think that you've got to run the football a little bit. Why do you have to do that? So you can be out of obvious passing situations where you just are trying to get people out, and it's hard to protect. You want to throw the ball when you want to versus when you have to, right? I talk about that all the time. And to do that, you've got to run it a little bit on first down, stay in base down, stay on schedule. We always talk about that, but we talk about that because it's vital and it's important. Now, I don't think Ohio State's run game is going to scare you, although. It has been efficient. It won't scare you because they don't create explosive plays out of it, but they have stayed committed to it. Arthur Smith knows how to run the football, and their backs do enough to keep you on balance. So that'll be a great matchup right there. Like I said, I think Osun Sami's going to have to have a big day for Indiana. Daly's going to have to have a big day for Indiana. And then Smith, I think, is going to have to have a big day for Ohio State because nobody else on offense has proven that they can just be the production person outside of Smith. So we'll see if he's able to get that production in this one. Now when IU has the ball, starts with the run game up front. Indiana wants to run the football. You can tell this because every time that they get in a close game, and you can't say every time they lose because they just haven't lost. In the 22-game winning streak now, in these games that they've struggled, okay, so let's think about them. Iowa last year on the road. Even Oregon to a certain extent on the road. The Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State. On the road against Penn State. Last week against Nebraska. What did those defenses do to put them in a bind? They stopped the run. Now they don't stop them completely. They're able to get a few yards here and there, but they can't dominate on the run in the run game. They can't control the line of scrimmage, which put the onus on Mendoza last year. And guess what? Last week, Hoover had to have his Mendoza moment late in that game against Nebraska and throw two fourth-quarter touchdowns. So these are where the game is won and lost. You have to take away, or at least limit, the run game for Indiana and put the game on to Hoover and those wide receivers. Now, they're elite out there. This is the problem when you're defending Indiana is that you still have Marsh and you still have Becker down the field. These guys can get it done. The explosive plays killed Nebraska last week. They had 44 total snaps, and on 40 of them, Nebraska played great. Four explosive plays killed the Huskers. Killed them, right? So you can do a really good job for a long time, and that offense can still succeed. And we'll see how the secondary for Ohio State matches up with Marsh and with Becker on the outside and if Hoover can make those plays. Because remember, it's always about Mendoza. Like, this is a Hoover, or it was about Mendoza, which means it will be about Hoover. He's going to have to make a big play and a big completion in this game. The microscope is going to be on him. One little thing, too. The weakest part up front for Indiana is a Johnny, the right tackle. So we'll see if Ohio State can get to the quarterback a little bit there. That's our game. Can't wait for that one. All right, let's get to some of these picks. All right, Notre Dame at BYU. Notre Dame number two in the country. BYU is number eight in the country, both undefeated. Notre Dame is favored by 10 and a half. That should tell you a lot. Should tell you a lot. Top 10 game in Provo where BYU has won 14 of their last 15. It's a really good home field advantage for BYU in large part, and I said this on yesterday's episode, because their home crowd, their fan base in general, is awesome. BYU's fan base is awesome. BYU's fan base is incredible. They really are, and that's a terrific place to go watch a game. Lavelle Edwards Stadium is fantastic. Now, Notre Dame has gotten quietly better this year. Quietly because all of us just want to trash their schedule, and I get it. I get it. Listen, I think that that's on the table. You can trash their schedule. It hasn't been great, but they've dominated that schedule, and every single week, what do we see? They get better running the football. That should be scary. Yeah, everybody, because Carr is an elite player. I think he's playing at a very high level, C.J. Carr. I think he's a day one draft pick. There's no doubt. We know that they have an elite defense. They're number one in total defense in America right now, so the question was, like, well, would you be able to run the football as well as you were able to run it a year ago? And maybe not even as well, but just efficiently. Take some of the pressure off of Carr. They've been able to do that. 361 yards last week against Stanford, and every game, they've increased their rushing total, so you know it's a point of interest. of emphasis for Marcus Freeman. in and you know that they're getting it done. BYU, I think that they're going to be able to ride the emotional crowd early in the game. Think Ole Miss LSU. Remember Ole Miss, who is not a good defense, played pretty good early in that game defensively. Why? Emotion, passion, crowd. So they're going to have to ride that, but they don't have LJ Martin on offense and I think that's a big deal. They need him for balance. Bear Bachmeier was terrific last week. 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, but can he do that against Notre Dame? I have my questions about that. BYU has struggled in this type of matchup. This is exactly where they kind of fell apart last year is when they leveled up and played a team that has elite level players like Texas Tech did a year ago. They lost both of those games, not particularly close. This Notre Dame team better than last year's Texas Tech teams. So I think it's going to be difficult for BYU. I still think the Irish, by the way, they've got a chip on their shoulder. They've won 16 in a row and they were kept out of the playoff last year. Let's not forget that. They lost those first two games. They were 10-2, didn't make the playoff, and this is their first opportunity to really prove it, to really get out there and prove it. So I think you're going to get a different version of Notre Dame. 10.5 is a lot. Notre Dame covers 28-17. I'm going to take the Irish. Notre Dame gets it done. Again, I like C.J. Carr a lot. I like that defense. And if they continue to develop running the football, they're going to be scary. Winner gets an Ultra because it's not just a Superior-like beer. It's also giving fans Superior access to their favorite sporting events. Visit MichelobUltra.com slash Superior access to enter. Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026 Anheuser-Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer, St. Louis, Missouri. Alabama at Tennessee. This is going to be a great game. Alabama favored by eight and a half on the road. All right. I'm really fascinated to see how Bama bounces back and how they play, what sense of urgency they have, what physicality they have up front after Saturday night. We know that's a devastating loss. They feel like they should have won the game because of the non-call. It was very emotional. Kalen DeBoer's yelling at players. There's a lot going on. Now, if you peel it back, what did we see on Saturday night? Well, what I saw on Saturday night was a team that was far better at the line of scrimmage than what they were a year ago. You see, a year ago, they would get into games and they would get decimated trying to protect the quarterback. Florida State comes to mind. Let's see. OU got after the quarterback. Georgia in the SEC Championship, they got after him up front. Indiana in the Rose Bowl got after him up front. So, now you have an opportunity to go up against a Georgia team that you know is going to be physical. And I'm not saying that they were as physical or even out-physical Georgia because they didn't. And Georgia is still the preeminent program in the SEC. But man, it looked a little different on Saturday night, didn't it? Didn't it? Now, the question is, can you maintain that level? This is what the secret sauce of Nick Saban was, is the fact that his teams were so consistent with effort and urgency, discipline, attention to detail. You see, those are things that you can control. You can't control a lot, but you can control your own effort level. And that's something that we became so accustomed to with Alabama. This is something that we should, I think, rightly praise for a team like Indiana winning 22 straight games or Notre Dame winning 16 straight games. The coaches that can get their players to understand that the only thing they have total control over is their own effort level. Those are the teams that can put their best effort forward. Every single week. It's hard to do. We've seen ups and downs out of programs this year. So my question for Alabama is, will you be consistent? Do I get that same version of Alabama that I saw almost beat Georgia on Saturday night? And do I see them this week against Tennessee on the road? Likely not going to see Ryan Coleman Williams. He got banged up against Georgia. I do believe in Keelan Russell, guys. It wasn't perfect. And there are certainly things that he was going to want back off of last week's game. But trust me when I tell you this, I watched the entire film. It is very difficult to decipher Georgia's defense. They hold their water, meaning that they disguise. They don't tell you what you're in pre-snap. You've got to decipher that post-snap. Very difficult for a young quarterback. He made some plays with his legs that are still like, get out of your seat style plays. This guy is a special player, folks. He really is. I like their defense. I thought that they ran it a lot better against Georgia than I anticipated. A lot better than they did a year ago. Here's what I don't like. And unfortunately, it's on the Tennessee side. I don't like the quarterback situation right now for the Volves. George McIntyre is going to make his second start. Redshirt freshman. They struggled through the Arkansas game. Arkansas is struggling this year. They trailed going into the fourth. I don't love that. You see some of the games that Arkansas has played this year. And to play that way against them, maybe they were looking ahead to this game against Alabama. Maybe that's the case. But Deshaun Bishop, he's one of the best backs in the SEC. I think he's explosive. He's got to be huge in this game. They've got to be able to run the football to protect the quarterback. Because if they don't, it's going to be a sack fest for Alabama. We saw that against Texas. Texas had 10 sacks against Tennessee. And Tennessee's offense largely didn't do much. The reason Tennessee was in the game was because of Texas in that game. And I love their home field. I love Neyland. You know, same thing I can say about Neyland that I did about BYU. Incredible fan base. They'll be there. It'll be loud. It'll be difficult on Alabama. But I trust what I've seen from Alabama where I just, I don't know how I can get Tennessee to 20 points in this game without a defensive score, without a special team score, something along those lines. I don't see it. I don't see them lighting up the scoreboard. They didn't against Texas and they had those things and didn't even get to 20. So I've got Bama 31-17 covering the 8.5. I'm going to go with Bama. They don't. I want them to be that consistent urgency effort team that we've known and come to love. How about Oklahoma State at Houston? Number 18 at number 20. Houston favored by four and a half at home over Oklahoma State. Okay. Interesting. Houston's had a really solid start to the year. Their one loss was that game in which they had the chance to go to overtime in Lubbock at Texas Tech. They weren't able to get it done. Eric Morris, as you know, and I talked about yesterday, brought a ton of players with him from North Texas. And it's this is what Cignetti did. This is what Chesney's doing. This is what Eric Morris is now doing. Big fan of Drew Mestemaker. I think Mestemaker is the day one draft pick. I think he's one of the better players in college football. I think he plays at an elite level, elite level. He throws for over 300 game. They can run it with Caleb Hawkins. He's got 120 scrimmage yards per game, and they've got a really good slot receiver and Wyatt Young, 90 receiving yards per game. This is one of the best offenses in all of college football. In fact, if you go back and you just say, like, all right, I'll give you a pass week one. I don't love giving passes, but whatever. They lost to Tulsa. If you throw that game out, they're the number one yards per play offense in America. Not that surprising after what they did a year ago with Mestemaker at North Texas, and here it's the same players, and they're doing it to the Big 12. I think it's a bad matchup for Houston. I like what Willie Fritz is doing. Connor Wigman has been good. Like I said, I like Houston. I just like Oklahoma State more, and you're telling me that I can take four and a half. I'm going to take it. Houston's pass defense, not where it needs to be to face Mestemaker, 118th in the country in pass defense. I'm going to take Oklahoma State, 35-28. I'll take the four and a half in that game on the road. Missouri at Ole Miss. Ole Miss favored at home by six and a half. Austin Simmons, a bit of a homecoming there. He's going back to Ole Miss. He's been terrific for Mizzou, folks. He really has. Their last couple of games, they have played so well, and they have pounded the rock, even without a hardy, right? Like, I love Ole Miss, and Chambliss don't love Ole Miss' defense. That's a problem in this one because Missouri seems to have that thing that can travel, which is physicality and run game. That's coming out in this. Jamal Roberts has been outstanding. Missouri in their last two ballgames has run it for 220 against Florida and then 250 against A&M. Now, you can tell me those defenses are not great, and you know what? Okay. I think that they're as good or better than Ole Miss have you seen Ole Miss' defense? Ole Miss' run defense is 111th in the country. This is not a very good defense, this Ole Miss defense. So, is Missouri going to be able to move the ball? Yes. Yes, and they will be able to score, and Austin Simmons is playing well. There's no doubt in my mind. The question becomes, is Chambliss Superman? I think he's got to be in this game. I know Lacey came back. I don't think he's a hundred percent. I struggled with the shoulder injury when I played. I think I know what he's dealing with from a shoulder perspective, and as a back, you're taking those hits. That's incredibly difficult to do. Probably not a hundred percent the rest of the year, so we'll see what he's able to do. Chambliss is so good. I love Chambliss, but man, this is going to be difficult even at home, and six and a half is too many. It's too many. I've got to take the six and a half the way that Missouri is playing. Again, they're doing the things that travel. Their quarterback is playing well. They're not turning it over. I don't love Ole Miss' defense in particular their inability to stop the run. Give me Missouri in this game. Maybe even a tight one, 27-24. I will take the 6.5 there, and I'm going to go Mizzou in an upset on the road. How about Penn State at Michigan? Oh, guys. Whoever loses this game is like, yikes. Yikes. That's why I think this is an interesting game, man. I worry about whoever loses this game. Anybody else? Isn't this kind of the one you're like, you see it and you're like, ooh, someone's, ooh, not going to be good. Not going to be good. Penn State 3-3, Michigan 3-2. Let's just talk about, all right, two teams that have underperformed. They're below expectations. What do we know about this game? Let's start with that. What is the best element of this game? Well, that's easy. It's Michigan's defense. And they're the best thing in this game by a wide margin. And because they've got the best unit in this game, they can try to build into points. Everyone's going to be watching this offense. And I get it. All eyes are on Jason Beck. All eyes are on Bryce Underwood. Let's not make the mistake of thinking that it's been terrible every single week. Have there weeks that it's been terrible? Yes. Minnesota, bad. Western Michigan, bad. OU and Iowa, not bad. Not bad. The offense wasn't necessarily the reason that they lost. The game, it was some of those bonehead mistakes and penalties late. And then excellent play from Iowa in that last possession. Meanwhile, Penn State's offense, like, they don't do anything. They don't have guys that can get open. I worry about how many points that they can score. So I know everyone's going to be worried about Michigan's offense. But the key of this game is that Michigan's defense is an elite defense. An elite defense. I look at them to control the game. I find it difficult to see how Penn State gets even more than 13. Michigan's favored by six and a half. I'm going to take Michigan. Low-scoring game, 20-13. Michigan covers the six and a half. And Michigan wins that one over Penn State. All right. Wisconsin at UCLA. UCLA is number 12 in the country. Wisconsin is unranked. And UCLA at home is only favored by two and a half. Huh. Interesting, right? Very interesting. Very interesting. Very interesting. This is a sneaky big game right now. Because if you actually look at the odds to win the Big Ten right now, it's obviously at the top by a wide margin, by the way, Ohio State and Indiana. And rightly so. Rightly so right now. Those are the two best teams in the league. But do you know who has the third best odds to win the Big Ten? UCLA. Do you know who has the fifth best odds to win the Big Ten? Wisconsin. I think that's surprising to some people. Let's get into this game. Because this UCLA team, partly because of guys like me, they've been hearing their praises. And what do we know about teams that, like, get those big wins? They're, you know, everyone's talking about them. And they typically go out the next week and it just falls flat. I hope that doesn't happen to UCLA. I think Bob Chesney is a better coach than that. Ty Dieffenbach. Their new quarterback. The backup quarterback. Now Wisconsin's going to be able to scheme for him. I think he's, I think he was fine out there. He's still a backup quarterback. And he's a backup quarterback to a guy in Nico Iomaliaba that was not lighting it up. They were throwing it about 23 times per game. This team is about running the football. And they're about Wayne Knight. And now you look up and you're going to face this Wisconsin team. And I get it. A lot of you out there are rolling your eyes when I'm talking about Wisconsin. But I'm just here to tell you, they are vastly improved from the team that we even saw late last year. And late last year, they got two ranked wins in their last five. This is a vastly different team. And in particular, on the defensive side, this is a pretty darn good defense. Wisconsin's defense is fifth in the country in yards per play defense. That's nothing to scoff at. They played Notre Dame. You know, it's not like they haven't played anybody. And by the way, that first half against Notre Dame should have been the evidence that like, okay, Wisconsin's a little bit different this year. Nobody wants to talk about them. If you look at the games outside of that Notre Dame game, they don't give up any points. They are very good on the defensive side. This is a Luke Fickle team. This is what all you Badger fans thought you were getting when you hired Luke Fickle. It's just taken, in a lot of your minds, an eternity to get there. We've seen the slow process. I told you. I told you in previous episodes that we saw this coming late last year. They got those back-to-back shutouts. Everyone's like, bam, get him out of here. Fire him. They decide not to. And what do they do? They win a couple of ranked games late. They played tough in bigger environments. And it's like, okay, maybe there's got something. Lose to Notre Dame, but play them pretty tough. Got a tough review on a turnover that shouldn't have been a turnover. And it kind of set the wheels in motion to that blowout to Notre Dame. And then all they've done since, play Luke Fickle. Football. Sometimes you've got to lose big before you lose small. And sometimes you've got to lose small before you win small. And sometimes you've got to win small before you win big. They blew out Michigan State. I'm just telling you, this is not just UCLA is great. And I've been the one singing UCLA's praises. I like UCLA, there's no doubt. I don't love this matchup for UCLA because of this defense. UCLA's going to have a backup quarterback. And that defense, I fully anticipate that defense. To just be staring at the run game and saying, listen, if Ty Dieffenbach beats us throwing the football, we'll tip our cap. But we're not letting the run game and Wayne Knight get loose, even though we're on the road. So they're going to travel out there. Man, I'm just, I'll take the two and a half. I'm going to go, I'm going to go Wisconsin wins the game. 20 to 17. I know I've been like Mr. Bruin. I've given several eight claps on this show. Blowing people's minds right now. Wisconsin 20 to 17. I'll take the two and a half. Last game I want to talk about here. Kentucky at Oklahoma. Kentucky is 15th in the country. They're five and one. OU, huge win over Texas. Huge win over Texas. Oklahoma favored by six and a half. Look at that. My question for Kentucky is like, does the clock strike midnight right now on this Kentucky team? Can you play? Those two emotional overtime games, two point conversions to win both of those games in against South Carolina and LSU 35, 34. Can you come back and play well, well enough to beat an Oklahoma team that is still talented enough to go beat Texas? That's a big question. Can you place three straight emotional games or is OU going to come back and lay an egg after Red River? Maybe they do that. I'm all over the map on this game. I love Will Stein. I think Kenny Minchie has been outstanding. There's no doubt. I do not love Kentucky's defense. I love Oklahoma's defense. I don't love Oklahoma's offense. Like there's a lot going on in old Duder's head right now. Okay. If you don't know what that's from, you need to find out and go watch that movie. And you've got to probably watch it eight times because the more you watch it, the better it gets. It's a league game, Smokey. Oklahoma's offense, I thought, got better. I know that's hard to say because it's like, oh, they got a special teams touchdown. They got a defensive touchdown. But there were like breadcrumbs in that game. Remember, Texas is an elite defense. They're ninth in the country in yards per play defense. And there were breadcrumbs, like Avant ran it decent at times. Mateer late that last series. Brilliant throws to Satania to get them in range so Tate Sandell can actually hit that field goal. Did those breadcrumbs turn into something more? Does Mateer gain confidence? I think Kentucky's incredible run, I just gave it away there. It comes to an end. A lot of talking here. Kentucky's incredible run comes to an end on the road. I think OU wins this game 24-17. Here's the big question. I don't think Kentucky gets to 20 and somehow breadcrumbing their way there. Maybe a defensive score. Maybe a special teams score. Maybe an explosive touchdown. I think OU gets to 24. 24-17, OU covers a six and a half. So where are we at with all of our picks? We gave you a lot of games. Like I said, it's going to be a great day. If you're invited to a wedding on Saturday, don't go. Don't go. Recapping our picks. I'll be at Big Noon Saturday. You're going to watch that game for sure. Notre Dame at BYU. I've got Notre Dame covering the 10 and a half. I know that's a lot, but I'm going to give them all there. I like Notre Dame a lot. BYU did not play well when they leveled up a year ago. Bama at Tennessee. I'm going to give the eight and a half there. I'm just going to trust that Keelan. Russell is going to get better after seeing an elite defense, and that's going to up his level. He's going to level up. So I'm going to go Alabama, and I'll give the eight and a half there. Oklahoma State at Houston. You're telling me I can take Mestemaker, Eric Morris, that offense, which could be one of the better offenses in the country, and you're going to give me four and a half? I'll take it. I'll take the four and a half. I think Oklahoma State wins outright. Missouri, I'm getting points there with that run game against a defense that can't stop the run. I know. Listen, I'll hold my hand. I'll be the first one to tell you that I've Mizzou fans don't like me at all. They think that I hate Mizzou. Love Mizzou this week. Let's go, Mizzou. M-I-Z. I'll take the six and a half with Mizzou. I think they went out right on the road against Ole Miss. Penn State at Michigan. Nobody wants to lose this game. The Desperation Bowl. I'll take Michigan and I'll give the six and a half there. The best thing in that game is the Michigan defense. Wisconsin at UCLA. I'm just telling you, like, watch out for Wisconsin. This is what everyone wanted Wisconsin to be when Luke Fickle was hired. They're turning into that. Yeah, they can't throw the football very well. But Colton Joseph can run around. It can be exciting. That defense. That defense. Watch out for that defense. Wisconsin wins the game. I'll take the two and a half there. And Kentucky at Oklahoma. Glass slipper. Shatters. OU somehow gets to 24. How, Joel? No idea. Go ask Brent Venables, but I'll give the six and a half. Right there. Those are the picks and previews. Subscribe on the YouTube channel. If you would, follow us on social media at Joel Klatschow. As always, please tweet. Please tweet and enjoy the games on Saturday. Thank you.

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. Ohio State faces high pressure in their matchup against Indiana due to three consecutive losses in critical games, including to Texas, Miami, and Indiana.
  2. Jeremiah Smith is the offensive cornerstone for Ohio State, and Indiana’s secondary weakness makes it difficult to contain him, placing heavy emphasis on Ohio State’s ability to protect quarterback Julian Smith.
  3. Indiana’s defensive line, led by Stephen Daly and Toby Osunsami, is expected to exert strong pressure, particularly on Ohio State’s offensive line, which has shown vulnerabilities in recent losses.
  4. Notre Dame is favored over BYU by 10.5, with the analysis highlighting Notre Dame’s improved running game and elite defense, despite BYU’s strong home field and fan base.
  5. Alabama is favored over Tennessee by 8.5, with confidence in their consistency and physicality after a tough loss to Georgia, while Tennessee’s quarterback situation and offensive instability raise concerns.
  6. Oklahoma State is favored over Houston by 4.5, citing Houston’s weak pass defense and a top-tier offensive threat in Drew Mestemaker.
  7. Missouri is projected to upset Ole Miss by 6.5, leveraging a dominant run game against a weak Ole Miss run defense.
  8. Michigan is favored over Penn State by 6.5, with Michigan’s elite defense seen as the decisive factor in a low-scoring, defensive battle.

Summary:

The episode features a deep analysis of key college football matchups, with a focus on Ohio State vs. Indiana, where Ohio State faces mounting pressure due to recent losses and defensive vulnerabilities. The matchup hinges on Jeremiah Smith’s performance and the effectiveness of Indiana’s defensive line in pressuring the Buckeyes’ offensive line.

Other games include Notre Dame vs. BYU, where Notre Dame’s improved run game and defense are favored over BYU’s home strength; Alabama vs. Tennessee, where Alabama’s consistency and physicality are expected to prevail despite a recent loss; and Missouri vs.

Ole Miss, where Missouri’s dominant run game is projected to overcome Ole Miss’s weak run defense. The analysis also highlights Michigan’s elite defense as a key factor in their win over Penn State and Wisconsin’s strong defensive performance against UCLA, despite the matchup’s underdog status. Throughout, the host emphasizes defensive pressure, team consistency, and player development as core themes, concluding with a series of betting picks that underscore confidence in high-effort, disciplined teams.

The segment is promoted by Michelob Ultra, which offers fans access to sporting events through its “Superior Access” program.

FAQs

Michelob Ultra offers fans access to their favorite sporting events through its Superior Access program, making it more than just a beer—it's a way to enhance the sports viewing experience.

Jeremiah Smith is considered one of the best wide receivers in college football, known for his ability to make contested catches and gain significant yardage down the field.

The game hinges on Ohio State’s ability to protect quarterback Julian Sane and run the football effectively, as Indiana’s defense is strong against the run and has key defensive players like Stephen Daly and Toby Osunsami.

Mendoza refers to quarterback Hoover, who is expected to make big plays in high-pressure situations; the phrase 'it was about Mendoza, which means it will be about Hoover' highlights his importance in Indiana’s offense.

The predictor favors Notre Dame, citing their strong defense, elite quarterback C.J. Carr, and improved running game, despite BYU’s home advantage and strong fan support.

Alabama is expected to rebound from a recent loss with improved line of scrimmage performance, while Tennessee faces a questionable quarterback situation and struggles to run the ball effectively.

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