NCAA Football Week 8 Odds, Overview & Predictions

This past weekend brought several major upsets throughout the college football ranks, perhaps none bigger than the 36-16 beating that LSU put on Georgia, clearing the field for Alabama to run the table — but Alabama has to win at Baton Rouge to make the SEC Championship, barring other losses by the Tigers. Oregon knocked off Washington in overtime, almost ensuring that there will not be a Pac-12 team in the College Football Playoff. Of course, if Oregon had just knelt down the stretch a week ago, they would be in the top ten and heading for a potential playoff spot. West Virginia went to Iowa State and took a loss as well, which means we could be headed to a scenario once again where two of the Power Five conferences miss out on the national semifinals. Take a look at our primo NCAA Football Week 8 betting picks from the college gridiron for this coming weekend. As always, home teams are in all caps.

NCAA Football Week 8 Odds, Overview & Predictions

AP Top 25 College Football Rankings, Week 8: Brett McMurphy’s Ballot https://t.co/DEtNS5Syrw

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Saturday, October 20

MICHIGAN STATE (+7) over Michigan (12:00pm ET, FOX)

Michigan heads across the state to take on the Spartans on the heels of a 38-13 stomping of Wisconsin last week. However, they only have one road win on the season, and this is one of the most unpredictable rivalries in the Big Ten. Shea Patterson has improved each week and has now completed 69 percent of his passes with a 10:3 TD:INT ratio. The ground game is improving as well, pushing its average to 217 yards per game after the Wisconsin game, led by Karan Higdon, who has 687 yards in seven games. The Wolverines’ defense is strong again this year, permitting just over 15 points per game. The Spartans enter this game on the momentum of a 21-17 win at Penn State last week, and they have a 6-1 record in their last seven games. Brian Lewerke has gotten his completion rate up to 60 percent, but that 8:7 TD:INT ratio is still concerning, especially against a defense like Michigan’s. The Spartans don’t have much going on the ground this year, averaging just over 123 yards per game. However, this is a rivalry that produced close results, and the Wolverines have not covered the spread in any of their last five games at Spartan Stadium and have only covered once in their last 11 games overall against Michigan State. So while the Wolverines might eke this one out, they won’t cover. NCAA Football Week 8 Prediction: Michigan 27, Michigan State 23

Oklahoma (-7.5) over TCU (12:00pm ET, ABC)

The Oklahoma Sooners will have had two weeks to think about their 48-45 loss to Texas in their annual showdown at the Cotton Bowl. They are now 5-1 but could still make the Big 12 Championship if they can win out. Oklahoma did well in the turnover department against Texas, coming out with a +3 margin in the game, but they gave up 532 yards of offense and ended up firing defensive coordinator Mike Stoops after the game. Oklahoma heads south to take on Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, and the Horned Frogs are suddenly in a free fall, losers of three games in their last four. They played Texas Tech back on Thursday but lost by three at home despite winning the yardage battle by 58, as they coughed up the ball three times. Quarterback Shawn Robinson went 26 for 45 for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns but also had two picks. TCU will have the momentum of playing at home, but they have failed to cover the spread in five straight conference games, and I don’t see them covering here. NCAA Football Week 8 Prediction: Oklahoma 31, TCU 16

LSU (-6.5) over Mississippi State (7:00pm ET, ESPN)

Mississippi State heads to Baton Rouge after their bye week — and off the momentum of a huge 23-9 win over Auburn two weeks ago. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald is the driving force in the team’s offense, with just 709 yards through the air (and a 4:3 TD:INT ratio) but with a team-best 513 yards on the ground, with seven touchdowns on the ground. The team is scoring 31 points per week while permitting under 13, leading the nation in that defensive metric. LSU, though, took down the #2 team in the nation last week. Quarterback Joe Barrow has shaken off some of the difficulty he had in the early going, throwing for 1,415 yards and six touchdowns against just two picks. His completion percentage is still fairly low (53.3%), and the tailback duo of Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire have given the Tigers needed balance on offense. If this game were in Starkville, I’d consider taking the Bulldogs, but with the game in Baton Rouge and with LSU coming off that huge win, I like the Tigers to win and cover. NCAA Football Week 8 Prediction: LSU 27, Mississippi State 16