CFB Week 7: Three Under The Radar Games to Watch

By: Jonathan Howard, Staff Writer
October 9, 2025

Usually when we publish our weekend previews we look at the games that will likely headline and highlight Saturday’s action. This week would certainly be a great week for that with top-ranked and undefeated Ohio State traveling to No. 17 Illinois, undefeated No. 14 Missouri hosting No. 8 Alabama, and No. 7 Indiana and No. 3 Oregon clashing in a battle of 5-0 teams. But with these high profile games going on, it’s easy to overlook games that seem small – but could have potential College Football Playoff implications later on. Let’s take a look at three of those games from this week.

No. 24 South Florida (4-1) at North Texas (5-0)

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST), Fri TV: ESPN2 FanDuel line: USF -1.5 VSS line: North Texas -4.72

With the highest “group of six” conference champion receiving a bid to the College Football Playoff, all eyes are on the American Athletic Conference at this point in the season. South Florida is one of two ranked teams from the AAC (No. 23 Memphis is the other) in this week’s AP Top 25 and two other teams – North Texas and Navy (more on them to come) – received votes. UNLV, representing the Mountain West, is the only other G5 school currently on voters' minds. The AAC standings are currently a clogged mess with three schools currently undefeated and two more with just one loss, and all five of those schools will be jockeying for a chance to make it to college football’s biggest stage.

All of that is to say, South Florida and North Texas both have a lot on the line heading into Friday night’s clash. Looking at both teams’ schedules, South Florida has arguably the harder path, having to play the Mean Green in Texas as well as having to travel to both Memphis and Navy. North Texas’ most difficult conference games including this one, Navy and Temple are all in the friendly confines of DATCU Stadium.

While South Florida has the high-profile (at the time) wins and the ranking next to its name, North Texas might have the best players on the field – and they’re both freshmen. Running back Caleb Hawkins has been on fire over the last three weeks in wins over Army, Washington State and South Alabama, accounting for eight touchdowns (seven rushing) while averaging just under 100 yards per contest and nearly eight yards per rushing attempt. He’s quickly become a prime complement to quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who is the conference’s most efficient passer with a 158.4 rating. After bursting onto the scene in last season’s First Responder Bowl with 448 total yards and three total touchdowns, Mestermaker has passed for 1,247 yards and 11 touchdowns with no interceptions through five games in 2025. It’ll be up to USF linebackers Jhalyn Shuler and Mac Harris (AAC leader with three forced fumbles), who have combined for 88 tackles, to slow down the potent North Texas attack.

Nebraska (4-1) at Maryland (4-1)

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (EST) TV: BTN FanDuel line: Nebraska -6.5 VSS line: Nebraska -10.27

As we’ve already mentioned, there’s plenty of heavyweight fights going down in the Big Ten this week. However, this is a sneaky good matchup between one of the conference’s best quarterbacks and one of the country’s most opportunistic defenses.

A year ago, Dylan Raiola made a name for himself as a freshman quarterback by looking, sounding, and every now and then playing like Patrick Mahomes. This season he’s off to a great start in all categories. Raiola enters Nebraska’s game against Maryland with a completion percentage of 74.2 percent, good for sixth in the country. He has tossed 12 touchdowns this season and stung Michigan for 308 yards through the air two weeks ago. Awaiting him this week is perhaps the best defense Mike Locksley has had at Maryland. Through five games the Terrapins lead the conference in interceptions (9), turnover margin (plus seven) and sacks per game (3.8). Maryland is also coming off a massively disappointing loss at home last week in which it led Washington 20-0 deep into the third quarter, but gave up 21 points in the fourth and fell 24-20.

This game is ultimately a measuring stick for two programs who are both trying to reach the next level in the conference. Maryland had three straight winning seasons under Locksley until last year’s 4-8 campaign, but every season has begun with a string of wins – including an early conference victory – only to lose the tough games and fall to the middle of the pack. Nebraska is just the tip of the iceberg for the Terrapins, who will face Indiana, Illinois and Michigan over the next month. Before finishing last season with a bowl win and a 7-6 record, Nebraska hadn’t had a winning season since 2016 or a bowl win since 2015. With Raiola at the helm, Rhule appears to have the Cornhuskers ready to make a leap, but a win here is needed to ensure that the results of last year won’t repeat. Nebraska won five of its first six games a year ago, but lost five of its last six to end the regular season.

Navy (5-0) at Temple (3-2)

Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. (EST) TV: ESPN2 FanDuel line: Navy -8.5 VSS line: Temple -3.73

The AAC makes the list once again, this time with a Mid-Atlantic battle between Navy and Temple. After last year’s 10-3 season in which the Midshipmen were ranked for two weeks in late October, Brian Newberry once again has his team on the cusp of being ranked before Halloween.

As you’d expect with a Navy football team, the quarterback draws the headlines. After becoming just the third player in school history to pass and rush for 1,200 or more yards in the same season a year ago, Blake Horvath is on pace to achieve the feat once again. The senior has thrown for 839 yards and six touchdowns, including three last week against rival Air Force. He’s rushed for 485 yards and an additional six scores, including a 159-yard performance in a win at Tulsa. But make no mistake, Navy is a balanced football team. The Midshipmen have a top 40 defense led by sophomore linebacker MarcAnthony Parker (40 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and senior defensive lineman Landon Robinson (28 tackles, 5 sacks, 6 TFL).

Temple hasn’t exactly been competitive against elite competition this season, losing 42-3 to Oklahoma and 45-24 at Georgia Tech, but with three wins the Owls have matched their win total from each of the last three seasons under first-year head coach K.C. Keeler. That sort of improvement is noteworthy, and with Navy’s upcoming schedule, Temple could easily catch the Midshipmen sleeping. Navy finishes October with Temple and Florida Atlantic before facing a relative murderers row of North Texas, Notre Dame, South Florida and Memphis in consecutive weeks. Getting out of that stretch with only one loss would probably mean Navy is ranked – but only if it gets out of Philadelphia unscathed. To beat the Midshipmen the Owls will need to stretch the field with receiver JoJo Bermudez (16-192, 3 TDs) and tight end Peter Clarke (12-229, 3 TDs) and strike quick to counteract Navy’s heavy possession game.

Beat the Books: Week 7

Each week we highlight games where the Vegas line and Versus Sports Simulator don’t see eye to eye. Here are some of the matchups we’re tracking this week: