BTB draft radar: Week 7 college football preview

Every week here at Blogging the Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide. (For teams previously covered in other weeks, we move down […]

Every week here at Blogging the Boys, we’ll spotlight the biggest college matchups and the players who could soon wear the Star. If you want to get a jump on who might help America’s Team in the years to come, this is your weekly college football guide. (For teams previously covered in other weeks, we move down the depth chart, giving you more insight on other draft candidates)

GAME OF THE WEEK

Autzen Stadium is about to sound like a two-minute drill with the national spotlight parked in Eugene as number three Oregon hosts number seven Indiana in a game that feels every bit like playoff game. Think Cowboys logic here, win the edges, protect the rock, and own third down.

Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers need to stay on schedule in the noise and land a couple of explosive plays to keep pace. The Ducks’ blueprint is much clearer by operating on third down, avoid the turnover bug, and score when in the red zone. It’s Autzen loud, it’s heavyweight fast, and it’s decided in the margins. Prediction for this game is Oregon 35, Indiana 27.

Game Overview

Matchup: Indiana (7) vs. Oregon (3)
October 11th, at Autzen Stadium
Kickoff time: 73:30 p.m (EST)
Oregon favored by 7 points
This is a pure playoff litmus test for both teams

Player Watch

Indiana:

Fernando Mendoza, QB

Think of Mendoza as the guy with the clicker, he keeps the offense on time and punishes any busted coverage. In Curt Cignetti’s scheme he’s the efficiency engine with quick decisions, quiet feet, ball out on time with just enough juice downfield. If the offensive line stays clean and the explosives keep popping, you’re talking early-round buzz, exactly the sort of timing-and-anticipation passer Cowboys fans love to see.

Elijah Sarratt, WR

Sarratt is the “Dak-friendly” type big receiver with a huge frame, stronger hands, and veteran pacing that turns 50/50 balls into 70/30s. He wins with body positioning on slants, digs, and back-shoulders, then churns extra yards like a tight end in a wideout’s jersey. Not a pure burner, but he stacks corners with savvy and punishes soft zones who also steals a few red-zone fades. Plug-and-play chain-mover with Sunday traits.

Oregon:

Dillon Thieneman, S

Thieneman is the center-fielder Cowboys fans always beg for at safety with calm eyes, clean angles, and click-and-close range that shuts the lights on deep shots. He’s a take-the-ball, not just tackle-the-catch safety and communicates coverages, erases crossers, and keeps the roof on without needing constant help. More glide than sledgehammer, but if the catch-point nastiness keeps climbing, you’re looking at a plug-and-play single-high safety who lets the defense sleep easy over the top.

Iapani Laloulu, C

“Poncho” Laloulu is the kind of plug-and-play pivot Cowboys fans love who’s thick through the hips, steady with the calls, and downright mean on double teams. He’s bounced between guard and center and now steers an Oregon front that rarely leaks pressure.He maintains clean pockets, on-schedule runs, and a center who identifies the picture fast. He won’t wow you with flash, he wins with leverage, timing, and just enough range to climb and finish.

Oklahoma (6) Texas

The Red River steps onto center stage as Texas and number six Oklahoma collide at the Cotton Bowl in front of a perfectly split sea of burnt orange and crimson. This game is all about the trenches and don’t hand away easy yards. Oklahoma rolls in unbeaten with a defense tightening the screws and an offense that wants clean pockets and fast tempo. Texas counters with Arch Manning’s big arm and a front seven built to muddy run lanes and force third-and-long. This one is all about communication, explosive plays, and special-teams field position. Final score predictions for this one, Oklahoma 28, Texas 23.

Game Overview

Matchup: Oklahoma (6) vs. Texas
October 11tb, at Cotton Bowl
Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m (EST)
Texas favored by 1 point
This years Red River Rivalry has Texas out the top-25 AP rankings and a loss here could cement the season as a complete failure

Player Watch

Texas:

Trey Moore, OLB

Moore is pressure-in-a-can. He wins with snap anticipation, leverage, and a nasty long-arm that forklifts tackles, turning third-and-long into a dead end. He’s not a sprinter, but he’s crafty with angles, counters, and finishes show up every week. In short, a true edge hybrid who widens the blitz options and keeps a defense on the front foot.

Oklahoma:

Sammy Omosigho, LB

Omosigho plays like a guided missile with linebacker pads. He’s a former safety and plays with length, real thump, and closing speed that jumps off the screen. At 6’1”, 235 pound, he’s already flashing this season while rotating inside, and the Sooners’ staff clearly wants more of him. With more snaps comes more chaos. His calling card is timing and there’s legitimate blitz juice on tap. Add a little more shed-through-contact against guards and you’ve got a what the future the WILL linebacker is moving toward, and is tailor-made for a pro defense that values speed on the field.

Jaydn Ott, RB

Ott is a point-and-shoot” runner that plants then bursts upfield . He’s built for wide zone and shotgun looks, with enough glide to turn a crease into a chunk and enough receiver polish to live on swings and screens. You won’t mistake him for a goal-line bulldozer, but in space he stacks yards. Keep the workload steady and the blitz pickups tidy, and you’re looking at a modern RB2 who juices tempo, keeps the call sheet on schedule, and sneaks explosives into the weekly script.

Alabama (8) vs. Missouri (14)

Game Overview

Matchup: Alabama (6) vs. Missouri (14)
October 11th, at Memorial Stadium
Kickoff Time: 12:00 p.m. (EST)
Alabama favored by 3 points
Missouri are currently unbeaten and are hoping to maintain that winning streak against a 4-1 Alabama

Player Watch

Alabama:

Keon Sabb, S

Sabb is the clean type safety Cowboys fans are always hunting for. He plays with a quick trigger post-snap, and enough range to erase deep shots without a babysitter. At 6’1”, 204 pound, he communicates effectively, fits the run stopping needs, and slides comfortably between single-high and quarters. Post-injury, he’s trending up with steady production and the tape shows a stabilizer who keeps everything on schedule. The next step is adding a little more bite at the catch point and tightening pursuit angles. If he does that, and you’re looking at a plug-and-play back-end fixer who lets you get creative up front without leaking explosives over the top.

Missouri:

Kevin Coleman Jr, WR

Coleman Jr. is a quarterbacks easy read play-to-play. He pops open early, finishes clean, and tacks on yards after the catch consistently. Mizzou shuffles him inside and out, and he keeps drives on schedule with sharp route sense rather than sheer horsepower. He’s more finesse than above-the-rim, but in a timing-and-spacing attack he functions like a first-down machine.