Notre Dame travels to Provo for what looks like their first real test of the season, and BYU is ready to make noise in what Connelly frames as the biggest Irish matchup in that venue in years. The Irish haven't faced legitimate resistance yet, so this is where we find out if they're actually built for the playoff push or just rolling through cupcakes.
But Week 7 extends beyond South Bend. Ohio State hosts Indiana in a game that matters more than it looks on paper. The Buckeyes need to stay clean in the Big Ten while preparing for November, and Indiana has quietly become competitive enough to make noise if Ohio State sleepwalks. That's a trap waiting to happen.
The rest of the slate features teams jockeying for position as we hit the back half of the season. Some contenders will stumble. Others will separate themselves. This is the week the pretenders usually show their hand. Connelly's breakdown cuts through the hype and identifies which games actually reshape the playoff picture and which ones just fill the schedule. If you're serious about tracking this season's narrative, this one matters.