College Football Picks Week 8: Top 25 Odds, Box Score Predictions, Rankings, Schedule
October 14, 2024College Football Picks Week 8: Top 25 Odds, Box Score Predictions, Rankings, Schedule
Week 8 on the college football schedule is all about the SEC.
Four of the league's top five teams square off on Saturday in two games that will help align the conference pecking order when it comes to the College Football Playoff.
The Texas Longhorns have displayed few flaws this season, and they face their toughest test yet against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.
Georgia's brutal start against Alabama last month is still fresh in everyone's minds, and it will be the primary concern regarding Kirby Smart's team going into Austin.
The Crimson Tide have not looked like a title contender in the two weeks since they toppled Georgia, though. They have a chance to erase those poor performances from memory with a strong outing in Knoxville against the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tennessee needs a win the most out of the quartet of those teams because a loss could cause a tumble down the rankings that it can't recover from.
Week 8 Top 25 Schedule and Odds
Friday, October 18
No. 2 Oregon (-28) at Purdue (8 p.m. ET, Fox)
Oklahoma State at No. 13 BYU (-8.5) (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Saturday, October 19
No. 6 Miami (-3.5) at Louisville (Noon ET, ABC)
Virginia at No. 10 Clemson (-21) (Noon ET, ACC Network)
Nebraska at No. 16 Indiana (-6.5) (Noon ET, Fox)
Auburn at No. 19 Missouri (-6.5) (Noon ET, ESPN)
East Carolina at No. 23 Army (-17) (Noon ET, ESPN2)
No. 7 Alabama (-2.5) at No. 11 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
No. 12 Notre Dame (-8.5) at Georgia Tech (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 24 Michigan (-1.5) at No. 22 Illinois (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Charlotte at No. 25 Navy (-17) (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)
No. 14 Texas A&M (-14.5) at Mississippi State (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
No. 8 LSU (-3) at Arkansas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (-3.5) (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
UCF at No. 9 Iowa State (-12.5) (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
No. 17 Kansas State (-3) at West Virginia (7:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
No. 21 SMU (-14.5) at Stanford (8 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (-3.5)
No one will question that Georgia has the talent to go blow-for-blow with Texas.
However, the Bulldogs put together an incredibly poor start at Alabama on September 28.
UGA had to dig itself out of a 21-0 hole in Tuscaloosa, but if a similar thing happens in Austin, it may not have the opportunity to pull off a comeback, as it almost did against Alabama.
The good news for Georgia is that Carson Beck is coming off his best passing game of 2024, and he completed at least 75 percent of his passes in the two games since the Alabama loss.
The Bulldogs' passing attack enters Austin with a ton of confidence, and the hope for the team is that it does not take time for the offense to heat up.
Texas has been a well-oiled machine that showcased few flaws through six weeks.
The Longhorns crushed the Oklahoma Sooners 34-3 in Week 7. They now have six double-digit victories and have scored at least 30 points in every game.
The offensive consistency has been there with or without Quinn Ewers at quarterback, but it will be the signal-caller's experience that could be the X-factor on Saturday.
He has already led the Longhorns into Michigan to earn a win this season, and he's played in countless big games for Steve Sarkisian's team.
Texas will not be intimidated by UGA's defense, and it is the better team going into the Week 8 showdown.
The Longhorns should be trusted as a 3.5-point favorite, but their 30-point streak might come to an end. A game in the low 20s to cash the under of 56.5 points is likely if both defenses play up to their potential.
No. 7 Alabama (-2.5) at No. 11 Tennessee
Alabama looked a shell of the team that beat Georgia in its loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores and slight win over the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The Crimson Tide defense did not have an answer against Vandy, and quarterback Jalen Milroe struggled for stretches against South Carolina.
Neither performance inspired confidence that Alabama can go into Knoxville and pick up a vital SEC win.
However, Tennessee has challenged the Tide for the title of most underwhelming SEC team over the last two weeks. The Volunteers lost on the road to the Arkansas Razorbacks and needed overtime to beat the Florida Gators at home.
The offense that was supposed to shine under Nico Iamaleava managed just 62 points in three SEC games.
Tennessee's defense held its three SEC foes under 20 points, but winning games has been a struggle in the last three weeks.
The Vols defense can keep the game close, but at this moment in time, Milroe has to be trusted to make a few big throws in a game of this caliber compared to Iamaleava.
One or two clutch throws could be the difference-maker in Knoxville if the same struggles from the last few weeks rear their head again in Week 8.
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