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2017 Week 7 college football players to watch
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

2017 Week 7 college football players to watch

We are hitting the midpoint of the season, and we've already seen some surprises. Oklahoma's stunning loss to Iowa State last Saturday (along with TCU's win over West Virginia) has put the Big 12 title back up for grabs. 

This week could see more of the same. There are no games involving two ranked teams going head-to-head, but you know a few of them will get upset. Dangerous games include Auburn at LSU, TCU at Kansas State, Texas Tech at West Virginia, Michigan at Indiana, N.C. State at Pittsburgh, Utah at USC and Michigan State at Minnesota. We also get the Red River Shootout with an angry Oklahoma taking on an improving Texas team. 

So with a bevy of unranked teams looking to make their marks, there are many players who need to come up big to either avoid the upset or to be the next Iowa State and shock the college football world. Let's look at the players who should be keys to Week 7.

 
1 of 18

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Barrett can't win even when he's winning. He's having an outstanding season, but everyone just thinks back to the dud against Oklahoma in Week 2. In the last four weeks, he's thrown for 13 touchdowns and zero picks — and run for two more scores. The Buckeyes' offense has been outstanding, though OSU hasn't faced any great opponents since Oklahoma. That will continue somewhat at Nebraska this week when he sees a Cornhuskers defense that struggles against big-time offenses.

 
2 of 18

James Blackman, Florida State

James Blackman, Florida State
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn't supposed to be like this for FSU. Blackman was supposed to spend his freshman season backing up Deondre Francois and enjoying a possible playoff run. However, Blackman has had to step in from the opening game and take over the program, dealing with all that has plagued Florida State's season. The playoffs and an ACC title are probably long gone, but the Seminoles need to build on something. A win at Duke would be big. With three losses already and dates with Clemson and Florida remaining, Blackman needs to essentially save FSU's season.

 
3 of 18

Jake Browning, Washington

Jake Browning, Washington
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Browning is just so consistent. You can pencil him in for 225 yards and a couple of TDs each week. He's even good for a rushing score every once in a while, like he had last week against California. He gets to face an Arizona State offense that can't defend anyone. A year after being a serious Heisman contender for most of the season, Browning is back in the hunt in 2017. He may not be the surprise he was last year, but he again has the Huskies vying for a playoff berth. You know, because he's consistent. 

 
4 of 18

Sam Ehlinger, Texas

Sam Ehlinger, Texas
Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

The Longhorns certainly aren't back yet, but they are seemingly on the right track. After an embarrassing opener to Maryland, they've played much better, and Ehlinger has been a key to that. He's been so good of late, Texas fans chanted "we love you" to him after the Horns knocked off Kansas State last week. In a weird platoon situation, Ehlinger made his third start and threw for 380 yards and two TDs. However, if Shane Buechele is healthy, he may take Ehlinger's gig. Still, the fans have made up their mind whom they want to go in the Red River Shootout.

 
5 of 18

Jesse Ertz, Kansas State

Jesse Ertz, Kansas State
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

K-State may be in a must-win situation. The Wildcats lost a tough game to Texas last week and have a doozy of a stretch now (TCU, Oklahoma, Texas Tech). Ertz has been everything for the Wildcats (930 yards passing, 336 rushing, 10 total TDs), and they will need him to come up big against the Big 12's top team. He has been much, much better at home than on the road, and the Wildcats hope that the home cooking with help pull off an upset against the Horned Frogs. To do that, Ertz needs to be big time.

 
6 of 18

Ryan Finley, N.C. State

Ryan Finley, N.C. State
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Could Finley and the Wolfpack be the best team in the ACC's Atlantic Division? After beating Florida State in Tallahassee, N.C. State beat Louisville last week. Finley threw for 367 yards and a TD against the Cardinals, making his season total of 10 TDs and zero interceptions stunning. With games at Notre Dame and hosting Clemson on the horizon, Saturday's game at Pitt could be a trap.

 
7 of 18

Feleipe Franks, Florida

Feleipe Franks, Florida
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

If Florida wants to turn its season around, Franks needs to step up. He hasn't put up the numbers the Gators need to contend in the SEC (just 378 yards passing in the last three games combined), but all isn't lost on the season. They have a huge game against Texas A&M before a bye and then their huge rivalry game with No. 4 Georgia. If they can pull that off, then they could get back to the SEC title game. However, they need Franks to produce more, and they need him to do it now.

 
8 of 18

Ty Isaac, Michigan

Ty Isaac, Michigan
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Isaac is almost a metaphor for Michigan. Both are really good, but they could be so much more. For the fourth time in five years, the Wolverines lost to Michigan State, and a season of hope becomes another season where a championship may be unlikely. Isaac had a huge fumble in that game, and while he's performed well for Michigan (365 yards rushing), he's only scored one TD and isn't involved in the passing game. With the quarterback position in flux, Isaac needs to pick the offense up and lift the Wolverines to more success. Indiana is a good team to put you back in the groove.

 
9 of 18

Kerryon Johnson, Auburn

Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

I know Stanford's Bryce Love and Penn State's Saquon Barkley get most of the love, but there aren't many running backs as hot as Johnson is right now. Last week against Ole Miss, he ran for 203 yards and three TDs. In his three games back from injury, all he has done is run for 368 yards and 11 TDs. This week he and the Tigers head to Baton Rouge to face LSU, whose defense against Florida looked like we expected to see all year long. Auburn is a top 10 team, and Johnson is a huge part of that.

 
10 of 18

Brian Lewerke, Michigan State

Brian Lewerke, Michigan State
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

America got introduced to Lewerke last week, ironically in what was his worst passing performance but his biggest win. Against Michigan in the Big House, he threw for only 94 yards and completed just half of his passes, but he ran for 61 yards against that Wolverines defense and rushed for and threw for a TD. He's been big time all year (more irony, his best game was a loss to Notre Dame). Sparty heads to Minnesota this week in what is a classic trap game. Lewerke has helped turned the program around from a disastrous 2016. 

 
11 of 18

Hercules Mata'afa, Washington State

Hercules Mata'afa, Washington State
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

A great name for a great player. Mata'afa is one of the best defensive linemen in the country and a destructive defensive force. He's among the nation's leaders in sacks and tackles for loss. While the Cougars are known most for their dynamic offense, it is the defense that will carry them to a Pac-12 title.

 
12 of 18

Anthony Miller, Memphis

Anthony Miller, Memphis
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Miller has had two huge games this season, and one was last week. He caught 15 passes for 224 yards and four TDs against UConn. Miller has also had three poor games, including his last outing against a top-tier AAC team in Central Florida. Memphis hosts No. 25 Navy on Saturday in a huge West Division showdown and will need Miller to look like he did last week against the Huskies.

 
13 of 18

Malik Rosier, Miami

Malik Rosier, Miami
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Rosier and the Hurricanes got a huge monkey off their back by finally beating Florida State, ending a seven-year losing streak. Miami looks to be the favorite to win the ACC Coastal Division, but with star back Mark Walton out for the season, a lot of the offense falls on Rosier's shoulders. He's played well, though his completion percentage isn't the greatest. Still, that game-winning drive against the Seminoles was clutch, and he'll need to be clutch again against a tricky Georgia Tech squad on Saturday.

 
14 of 18

Jaylen Samuels, N.C. State

Jaylen Samuels, N.C. State
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

How often does an H-back get love on a list like this? For that matter, how often do we have two N.C. State Wolfpack players on a list like this? Samuels deserves some love. He has scored a TD in five of six games and is a weapon as a runner and a receiver. Against South Carolina to open the season, Samuels caught 15 passes. Two games later, he rushes for three TDs against Furman. State heads to Pitt to fight the Panthers.

 
15 of 18

Nic Shimonek, Texas Tech

Nic Shimonek, Texas Tech
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

If you've followed us, you know we love Shimonek. Last week was a bit of a ho-hum effort (233 yards, 2 TDs), but it was in a blowout of Kansas. The Red Raiders are ranked and headed to West Virginia for a huge game. Shimonek has thrown for 1,811 yards and 14 TDs this year and will need to match West Virginia's Will Grier if Tech wants to continue its path to a Big 12 title game appearance.

 
16 of 18

David Sills V, West Virginia

David Sills V, West Virginia
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Sills has had a fantastic season for the Mountaineers. In four of their five games, he has caught at least seven passes. In those four games, he has also caught at least two touchdowns. Last week against TCU, Sills caught seven passes for 116 yards and two scores. West Virginia lost that game, which makes this week's home game against Texas Tech all the more important.

 
17 of 18

Khalil Tate, Arizona

Khalil Tate, Arizona
Russell Lansford-USA TODAY Sports

Who is Khalil Tate? In the first two games of the season, Tate threw just nine passes and had only 10 rushing attempts before not playing the following two games. Then last week against Colorado, Tate came in after the Wildcats' first drive of the game and went 11-of-12 for 142 yards and a TD. Oh, and he ran for a quarterback-record 327 yards and four TDs. Now Arizona gets UCLA in Tuscon, and it is unknown if starter Brandon Dawkins will play. Even if he does, Arizona must find a way to get Tate some snaps.

 
18 of 18

Devin White, LSU

Devin White, LSU
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

For LSU, it's all about defense. Last week against Florida, White was everywhere on defense. He recorded 13 tackles, including a sack of Feleipe Franks. That was significant because White called out Franks for de-committing to LSU a few years ago. When the Gators made the game awfully close late, it was White who batted down a Franks pass to ice the win. Against Auburn this week, White and that Tigers' D are tasked with stopping running back Kerryon Johnson and Auburn's suddenly explosive offense.

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