Indiana's Fernando Mendoza throws a pass in a Hoosiers game.
Getty Images

The game of the week in the Big Ten offers more than just College Football Playoff implications. Positioning in the race for the Heisman Trophy is also on the line when No. 3 Oregon hosts No. 7 Indiana. Both quarterbacks in this matchup are premier threats to win the sport's most prestigious award, and the winning signal-caller will all but certainly boost his odds, so long as he performs well en route to the victory.

Moore could distance himself from the pack with another resume-building outing. The betting market views the blossoming Oregon star as the frontrunner ahead of the season's midway point, and a second win over a top-10 team in as many games would likely sway many of those who prefer, say, Carson Beck as the Heisman favorite.

Mendoza, meanwhile, is actually the statistically more accomplished quarterback in the showdown. He leads the Big Ten with 16 touchdown passes and boasts the top passer rating in the country. The highly touted transfer already has one five-touchdown game against a ranked opponent, and a second in this high-profile spot could launch him up to the top of the odds board.

The Oregon-Indiana battle is not the only marquee matchup that Heisman voters will be focused on in Week 7, though. Let's assess the situation.

Heisman Trophy odds entering Week 7

Stock up: John Mateer back in spotlight

John Mateer was as formidable of a contender as any through four games. A hand injury and the surgery to repair it, however, hit the pause button on his campaign. He was delisted from various sportsbooks' Heisman odds and was for two weeks out of sight and out of mind.

The absence may be over. Mateer could return in a starting role this week for No. 6 Oklahoma's Red River Rivalry showdown against Texas. It would be a speedy return for the dynamic quarterback, who initially projected to miss about a month, but a potentially realistic one after he received positive post-surgery feedback and progressed quickly through his recovery.

Injuries are often devastating to Heisman campaigns because they limit players' sample sizes and allow others to bolster their biographies. One game out of action (plus a bye week) should be reasonable enough for Mateer to overcome, though, if he does in fact move back into the lineup against the Longhorns. The question is whether he can deliver another tremendous performance against one of the nation's stingiest defenses.

Auburn v Oklahoma
Oklahoma QB John Mateer could return from injury this week against Texas in the Red River Rivalry. Getty Images

Stock down: Diego Pavia's dark horse run takes a turn

No. 20 Vanderbilt was a fun story through the first month of the season, and one loss to a playoff contender does not change that. But Diego Pavia has some catching up to do if he is to re-emerge as a sneaky Heisman contender after the defeat against No. 8 Alabama. The sixth-year veteran completed a season-low 60% of his throws against the Crimson Tide and tossed his fourth interception in a 16-point loss.

This is still the SEC completions leader we're talking about, though. Pavia also still paces the conference in touchdown passes. And he is as tough to bring down as any mobile quarterback in the league with his 352 rushing yards on the year.

The beauty of the SEC is that a true Heisman-caliber player will not lack opportunities to prove himself. Bounce back next week against No. 11 LSU or wreak havoc on one of the two other ranked opponents on his remaining slate, and Pavia could again be a trendy dark-horse pick.

Longshot of the week: QB Luke Altmyer, Illinois (+30000)

Our own Tom Fornelli said it best: "Luke Altmyer is fifth in the nation in passing efficiency. He's second in yards per attempt. He's seventh in yards per dropback. And he has yet to turn the ball over a single damn time this season. … A guy for a top-25 team and contender for the playoff who's one of the top five quarterbacks in the country so far statistically."

Why, then, is Altmyer barely listed as a Heisman contender with his outrageously long +30000 odds? No. 17 Illinois' 63-10 loss to Indiana earlier in the season certainly did not help. But Altmyer was far from poor individually in that defeat, and he has been tremendous across the Fighting Illini's five wins.

If Illinois pulls off the upset of No. 1 Ohio State this week, you may never see Altmyer's Heisman odds drop to this level the rest of the way.

College Football QB Power Rankings: Alabama's Ty Simpson takes No. 1, Nico Iamaleava returns to top 50
David Cobb
College Football QB Power Rankings: Alabama's Ty Simpson takes No. 1, Nico Iamaleava returns to top 50

Week 7 performances to watch

The aforementioned Oregon vs. Indiana battle (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium) headlines the slate, and Altmyer's quest for national recognition against Ohio State will put even more attention on the Big Ten. There are also a couple of key matchups in the SEC in Week 7.

Dante Moore vs. Fernando Mendoza

There is not much else to say about the biggest matchup of the week, but there is some additional significance on the Indiana side as the Hoosiers seek to establish themselves as a truly elite program by going into hostile territory and defeating a national championship contender. That feat eluded them last year. Can Mendoza take them to the next level? Moore stands in the way.

Ty Simpson vs. Ahmad Hardy and Beau Pribula

There might not be a better quarterback in the SEC this year than Ty Simpson -- the conference's leading passer who has No. 8 Alabama cruising with four consecutive wins. And there certainly is not a better running back than No. 14 Missouri's Ahmad Hardy, who is on pace to win the Doak Walker Award. Even more prestigious hardware could be in the picture if he and fellow dark-horse contender Beau Pribula lead the Tigers to victory.

Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin vs. Luke Altmyer

We've already outlined the stakes for Altmyer, but what about the other side of the matchup? Illinois is one of just two ranked opponents left on Ohio State's slate, so Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin only have so many chances to truly wow the nation under the brightest lights. They could do special things against a defense that ranks 113th against the pass.

John Mateer vs. Arch Manning

Before the season, the Red River Rivalry had all the makings of a showdown between Heisman frontrunners. Instead, Arch Manning is practically an afterthought having failed to deliver on his sky-high expectations and Mateer may not even suit up. Mateer's status will determine how much meaning this showdown carries outside of the playoff and SEC races.