College football upset alert: Expert picks for Week 7 underdogs with the best odds to win

We've nearing the home stretch of the college football season, as we've somehow reached Week 7. Despite plenty of parity within college football season, we haven't seen all too many landscape-altering upsets. For the sake of Sporting News' Underdog Challenge, we're urging the college football gods to give us more jaw-dropping upsets.

Mike DeCourcy still owns the top spot ahead of Week 7, but Edward Sutelan and yours truly are within striking distance. Bill Bender got a much-needed "W" in Week 6 with Nebraska (+3.5) winning outright in Champaign, but Bender and Bill Trocchi might need to start hunting double-digit dogs to get back in this thing. All it takes is one upset for either Bill to remain in contention for the title of "Upset King" this year.

As a reminder of how the Underdog Challenge works, our experts pick three underdogs to win outright (not just cover the spread). They then earn points equal to the number of points those teams got on the spread if their upsets come to fruition. 

Onto the upsets.

Mike DeCourcy, Senior writer

USC (+2.5) over Notre Dame

Even without knowing everything that ever happened in every week of practice before a big game, we can classify the Trojans’ prep for their trip to South Bend as the most pathetic in the game’s history. Have you seen the video of USC players trying to handle the ball while those helping out at practice chased them with little water sprayers? The idea was to prepare them to play in the rain. It was hard to tell if the Trojans were laughing under their helmets, or not. Yeah, but even with that sorry display, they’re still the better football team.

Western Michigan (+8.5) over Miami (OH)

Miami showed they are legit with their trip to defeat Cincinnati in overtime in the Victory Bell game. But Western’s crummy 2-4 record is built on three lopsided high-major defeats. Against the MAC, they’ve been highly competitive and gloriously entertaining. The winner in both their conference games rang up more than 40 points, and one of those winners was the Broncos. Western has started two different quarterbacks to date, and played three. They still list Treyson Bourguet and Hayden Wolf as co-starters. The RedHawks won’t know what hit them.

Memphis (+4.5) over Tulane

The Tigers did some wacky stuff at home when Navy visited the Liberty Bowl for a weeknight game a few weeks back, but they still won. So even though we can’t trust Memphis to be sound, we can expect they’ll be dynamic. They’ve yet to score fewer than 27 points, and that season low was against a very capable Missouri squad. Tulane’s one serious game to date with a 17-point loss to Ole Miss. Yes, the Green Wave have the potential to be very good. But Memphis at home getting more than half a touchdown is too tempting.

Bill Trocchi, Senior editor

Memphis (+4.5) over Tulane

Friday night home dogs in college football is one of my gambling gospels. But Memphis isn’t just a home dog. The Tigers’ only loss was by one score to Missouri, and Tulane just got through a four-quarter game against a less-than-stellar UAB team. Give me some Friday night magic at the Liberty Bowl.

USC (+2.5) over Notre Dame

USC averages seven touchdowns per game. Notre Dame has averaged two touchdowns per game the last three weeks. Even if Touchdown Jesus throws in an extra score or two, it is not going to be enough to keep pace with this USC offense.

Oregon (+3) over Washington

Both teams have great offenses, but only Oregon has a great defense, and that will prove to be the difference. The Huskies are also the nation’s most penalized team (94 yards per game!), which hasn’t hurt them yet but will play a factor at some point.

Bill Bender, Lead college football writer

USC (+2.5) over Notre Dame 

This is a risky pick given USC’s defense has allowed 40-plus points in consecutive games, and the Irish have nothing to lose against a top-10 opponent. Look for Caleb Williams to frustrate Notred Dame's defense with his legs, and as long as the Trojans' maintain a positive turnover ratio then they will get out of South Bend with a victory that will be a conversation piece in the CFB race later. 

Iowa State (+5.5) over Cincinnati

This feels more like a toss-up game knowing the Bearcats have lost three straight games and are coming off a bye week. The Cyclones are 0-2 S/U on the road, and that includes a 10-7 loss at Ohio on Sept. 16. That said, Iowa State is 3-0 when it forces multiple turnovers. Cincinnati has two turnovers in each of those last three losses. The Cyclones win ugly on the road. 

Wyoming (+11.5) at Air Force

This line seems way too high. We respect the Falcons' and the nation's leading rushing attack (329.8 ypg.), but the Cowboys are 3-0 S/U as an underdog this season. Wyoming has a balanced offense, too, and the Cowboys have won four of the last six meetings in this series. The winner of this game will be ranked in the next AP Top 25. 

Edward Sutelan, Digital content producer

Temple (+6) over North Texas

It might not have looked great when Temple lost to UTSA 49-34, but if there was one bright spot from the defeat, it was E.J. Warner having a breakout performance, completing 64.6 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and no picks. At times throughout his career, he's looked dangerous, particularly down the stretch of last season. North Texas has struggled against the pass, getting only a bit of a reprieve last week facing Navy, but has otherwise allowed 262 yards per game through the air. Chandler Rogers has been solid in his own right, but the Owls get the upset here over the Mean Green in Denton.

USC (+2.5) over Notre Dame

I had to do a bit of a double take seeing this line. USC is an underdog against Notre Dame? Yes, the Trojans' defense has looked shaky. And yes, this game is in South Bend. But this is a Fighting Irish team fresh off a crushing loss to Louisville that ended their already slim CFP hopes. USC survived its sleepwalk against Arizona, but that offense wakes back up in a big way against a Fighting Irish team facing their fourth straight ranked foe.

Hawaii (+6) over San Diego State

There's no doubt that the Aztecs have had a tough stretch of the schedule lately, facing UCLA, Oregon State, Boise State and Air Force. But there's been little in those games to suggest they'll turn things around, as all but the Boise State game were blowouts. Hawaii at an identical 2-4 record has hardly been a dominant team, but Brayden Schager has looked solid under center and the Rainbow Warriors have been stingy against opposing QBs. Hawaii makes it five losses in a row for San Diego State on Saturday.

Nick Musial, Content producer

Iowa State (+5.5) over Cincinnati

Matt Campbell's crew is steadily progressing, most recently taking the reigning Big 12 champs to the woodshed in a 27-14 win over TCU. I have trouble backing Cincinnati as a favorite, as it's hard to trust Emory Jones to manufacture consistent scoring drives. Against a Cyclone offense finding its groove, give me the 'Clones to notch a road upset.

Pittsburgh (+7.5) over Louisville

Louisville was the more physical team in last week's 33-20 upset over Notre Dame. Even after Jeff Brohm's first big win at his alma mater, I expect them to fall flat on their face. Lousiville's rather fortunate to maintain an unblemished record, going 3-0 in one-score games, so we'll pick against them in a game the nation expects them to pull out a stress-free dub.

UAB (+9.5) over UTSA

Trent Dilfer's team is still undervalued in the betting market, as his offense, led by Baylor transfer Jacob Zeno, is one of the more solid Group of Five offenses. This iteration of UTSA is not what it was the past two seasons, as UAB's ability to put scoreboard pressure on the Roadrunners could lend itself to an upset win.