Ohio State at Indiana, Notre Dame vs. BYU and Tennessee-Alabama headline Week 7

Week 7 brings three ranked matchups that matter, starting with number 4 Ohio State at number 5 Indiana. The Hoosiers won last year's Big Ten championship game against the Buckeyes, and now they're trying to prove it wasn't a fluke. This is the test that tells us if they're for real or just riding a soft schedule.

Ohio State comes in knowing they can't afford another slip against a conference rival. The winner stays in the playoff conversation; the loser starts sweating.

Notre Dame's streak on the line in Provo

Number 2 Notre Dame travels to number 8 BYU for a Saturday night game in Provo, Utah. BYU at home is a different animal, and the altitude and crowd could make this the toughest test Notre Dame's faced all year.

If the Irish win, they're playoff locks. If BYU pulls the upset, the whole top ten gets reshuffled.

Tennessee-Alabama without the usual firepower

Number 14 Tennessee and number 6 Alabama round out the weekend's ranked games. Reports say Tennessee is starting George MacIntyre at quarterback, which means the Vols are dealing with injuries at the worst possible time. Alabama's got the talent advantage on paper, but this rivalry doesn't care about rankings or rosters—it's always a fight.

Tennessee needs to find a way to move the ball without their usual firepower. Alabama just needs to show up and take care of business.

Refresher: Ohio State and Indiana met in last year's Big Ten title game, with the Hoosiers pulling the upset. Tennessee and Alabama have been trading shots in this rivalry since before most of us were born, and it's always worth watching no matter who's under center.

Ohio State-Indiana is the one that decides who's actually elite in the Big Ten, Notre Dame-BYU could be the game of the night, and Tennessee-Alabama is just good football between two programs that hate each other the right way.