Week 7 of the college football season is loaded, headlined by a pair of top-five and top-10 showdowns with No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana and No. 3 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU. But some of the best betting value on the board might be found a little further down the slate.

Michigan (3-2) is reeling after back-to-back losses and returns home to face Penn State, with all eyes on sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood. Georgia (6-0) is laying three touchdowns at home against Auburn as the Bulldogs go for their 10th straight win in the series.

Out west, No. 18 Oklahoma State brings a four-game winning streak into Houston for a Big 12 clash with the No. 20 Cougars, while Virginia and SMU meet in an ACC matchup with plenty of conference implications.

We break down our best bets for Week 7, including a player prop for Underwood, a spread pick for Georgia vs. Auburn and more. Football season is the perfect time to get into football betting, as bet365 offers new users a special promo: Bet $10, get $200 win or lose!

MORE: Beginner’s guide to futures betting

Best college football sportsbook promos

Here are some of the current sportsbook welcome offers to consider when comparing legal betting sites. Promotions change frequently and depend on state eligibility.

MORE: Best sportsbook promos and betting app bonuses

College Football Week 7 best bets

Michigan vs. Penn State odds

All odds are courtesy of bet365.

MORE: Reviewing the best college football betting sites

Michigan vs. Penn State best bet

It hasn’t been a smooth sophomore season for Bryce Underwood, but his legs have been one of the few consistent parts of Michigan’s offense, and this is a great matchup for him to get going on the ground.

Underwood is averaging about 42 rushing yards per game, and he’s shown he can hurt defenses with one big run. He broke off a 38-yard touchdown run against Oklahoma, and the Wolverines have used him more as a runner this season than they did a year ago.

Penn State has really struggled to stop the run. The Nittany Lions are allowing 167 rushing yards per game, second-worst in the Big Ten, and Northwestern ran all over them for 413 yards a few weeks ago. That’s a defense that can get stretched thin, especially when they have to account for a quarterback who can tuck it and go.

The Nittany Lions also haven’t gotten home very often, with just eight sacks this season. That matters for this prop, since sacks count against a quarterback’s rushing total in college football. Fewer sacks means fewer negative plays dragging down Underwood’s number.

There’s some risk in backing him after the last couple of weeks. Underwood managed just 20 rushing yards in the loss at Minnesota, and Penn State’s game plan will center on keeping him in the pocket.

That said, he’s been much more comfortable at home, and Michigan needs to lean on what he does well to snap this two-game skid. With the Wolverines’ season on the line in the Big House, I expect them to call his number plenty, and he should clear 33.5.

MORE: Everything to know about moneyline betting

Georgia vs. Auburn odds

Georgia vs. Auburn best bet

Georgia has been on a different level this season, and I don’t think Auburn has the horses to keep up in Athens.

The Bulldogs are scoring 46.2 points per game, second-most in the country, and they’ve been just as nasty on the other side of the ball. Georgia is allowing only 14 points per game and has completely shut down opposing ground games, giving up fewer than 75 rushing yards per game.

That’s a major problem for Auburn. The Tigers want to win by running the ball, averaging 180 rushing yards per game, but if they can’t move the ball on the ground, they’ll be stuck in long-yardage situations against one of the best defenses in the SEC. Auburn is also reportedly without their top linebacker, which doesn’t help against an offense this explosive.

To be fair, Auburn is coming off a bye, and they gave Georgia a fight last season before the Bulldogs pulled away for a 10-point win. Rivalry games have a way of staying closer than expected, and a backdoor touchdown late could sink this ticket.

That said, Georgia has won nine straight in this series and has been taking care of the ball far better than Auburn this season. The Bulldogs are plus-six in turnover margin, while the Tigers are in the negative. If Auburn gives Georgia a short field once or twice, this one could get out of hand by the fourth quarter.

I’ll lay the points with Georgia at home.

MORE: Beginner’s guide to futures betting

Virginia vs. SMU odds

Virginia vs. SMU best bet

Virginia wants to run the ball, and Jekail Middlebrook is the guy who gets the call when the game is close. I expect him to be busy against an SMU defense that’s had trouble slowing teams down on the ground.

Middlebrook’s raw numbers don’t jump off the page, but his workload tells a different story. His lighter games came in blowouts of Norfolk State and Delaware, where he barely needed to play. In Virginia’s four competitive games, he’s carried the ball 15 to 17 times in three of them and finished with between 64 and 95 yards each time. He’s coming off his best game of the season, too, rushing for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Syracuse.

The Cavaliers lean on the run more than most teams, and their offensive line has done a good job of creating push up front. That’s a nice setup against an SMU defense that’s been one of the worst in the country at limiting explosive plays. The Mustangs are solid at the point of attack, but once a runner gets to the second level, things have tended to open up.

MORE: Guide to how over/under totals betting works

Oklahoma State at Houston odds

Oklahoma State at Houston best bet

Oklahoma State has been one of the best stories in college football this season, and I’m happy to grab more than a field goal with a team that can score with anybody.

The Cowboys have won four straight, including a 39-31 upset of Oregon, and Drew Mestemaker has been a big reason why. He’s averaging 315 passing yards per game, third-most in the country, while completing 67.5% of his throws. Wyatt Young gives him a legit No. 1 target, and Oklahoma State plays at one of the fastest paces in the country, so they’ll get plenty of chances to put up points.

That’s a tough matchup for Houston. The Cougars have been excellent against the run, but their pass defense has been a different story. They’ve struggled to keep teams in front of them, giving up a lot of deep completions, and they’ve been one of the worst teams in the country at keeping opponents out of the end zone once they get close.

To be fair, Houston’s offense is no joke. The Cougars have been one of the best third-down teams in the country, and Conner Weigman has been incredibly efficient. Oklahoma State also hasn’t been able to run the ball well, which could make them one-dimensional against a defense built to stop the ground game. Houston also rolled the Cowboys 39-17 in last year’s meeting.

That said, this Oklahoma State team looks nothing like the group that lost that game. With an offense that can strike quickly through the air and a pace that keeps adding possessions, the Cowboys should be able to answer whenever Houston scores. I think this one comes down to the final possession, and I’ll take the points.

MORE: What is a teaser in sports betting?

Players to watch this weekend

Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri

Austin Simmons gets a homecoming of sorts Saturday when Missouri heads to Oxford to face Ole Miss, the program he left in the transfer portal after losing the starting job last season. He’s been one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC since arriving in Columbia, throwing for 1,434 yards and 14 touchdowns with just one interception, and that lone pick came on a tipped ball. Simmons is coming off his quietest game of the season with 147 yards against Texas A&M, though, so it’ll be interesting to see how he responds in a hostile environment against his old team.

MORE: Beginner’s guide to building parlays

Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State

Kamario Taylor has been one of the breakout stars of the college football season, and he leads the SEC with 17 touchdown passes. The question is whether he’ll be on the field Saturday at LSU. Taylor is listed as questionable with a foot injury that’s bothered him since the win over Missouri, and he left the loss to Alabama early in a walking boot. If he can’t go, freshman Parker Puckett would get the start in Death Valley, which would be a massive blow to Mississippi State’s SEC title hopes.

MORE: What is a round robin bet?

Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia

Gunner Stockton has been incredibly efficient for unbeaten Georgia, completing nearly 77% of his passes for 1,298 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s been especially sharp in Athens, where he’s thrown 12 touchdowns against just one interception. Stockton gets Auburn at home Saturday as Georgia goes for its 10th straight win in the series, and another clean, efficient performance would keep him firmly in the Heisman conversation.

College football Top 25 Week 7 schedule