Week 8 College Football Preview
Last week’s games absolutely delivered! My picks, as has been the trend so far this season, did not live up to expectations. Week 8 is another loaded slate across the country, and we are going to test our knowledge once again.
We get started with a great Friday night schedule.
Louisville +12.5 @ (2) Miami 6 pm ESPN
Louisville is an excellent ACC football team. Miami is an elite college football team.
Last time we saw the Hurricanes, they were dominating Florida State on the road. The final score was somewhat close, but the game was over halfway through the third quarter. Now off a BYE week and at home. I expect them to come out and throttle the Cardinals.
Friday nights are weird in college, and a back door makes me nervous. Nonetheless.
Projection: Miami -12.5
(25) Nebraska -7 @ Minnesota 7 pm FOX
Nebraska is a much better team than Minnesota. However, I have no doubt PJ Fleck will have the boys ready to play.
The real question is, will Matt Rhule be focused after having to answer questions all week about the Penn State job opening? I have a suspicion that the second half of the season, he’s going to be coaching to earn a chance for that gig.
Projection: Cornhuskers -7 and Under 47.5.
North Carolina +8.5 @ Cal 9:30 pm ESPN
The North Carolina soap opera continues to worsen for Belichick and Jordan Hudson. This morning, Pablo Torre released behind-the-scenes footage of Bill and Jordan on his podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out, which is not flattering. This is just a week after reports surfaced that Bill was trying to negotiate his buyout.
The drama at UNC, combined with the travel across four time zones, signals disaster to my ears. This game starts at 10:30 in Chapel Hill.
On top of all that, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is my favorite freshman quarterback in the country, and Cal is a fine football team.
Projection: Cal -8.5
Saturdays Slate
(12) Georgia Tech +2.5 @ Duke 11 am ESPN
Anytime a top fifteen team is an underdog on the road to an unranked team, Vegas is telling you the AP has overrated the ranked team.
Georgia Tech is undefeated, but its best win is the corpse of Clemson. Duke is battle-tested, and Manny Diaz might also be auditioning for the Penn State head coaching job. I think the Duke defense stifles Haynes King and the Georgia Tech offense. Manny Diaz gets a big top fifteen win to boost his resume.
Projection: Duke ML
(10) LSU +1.5 @ Vanderbilt 11 am ABC
This is absolutely insane. For the first time since joining the SEC, Vanderbilt is favored in a matchup against a top-ten team. This is Vanderbilt’s 178th game against an SEC team that is ranked in the top ten, and the first time they will be favored. Just a wild stat that came across my desk earlier this week.
With that said, I have no idea what happens here. This is the most clueless I have ever been for a college football matchup, and I cannot even formulate an opinion. Please stay away from this game if you gamble.
(14) Oklahoma -4.5 @ South Carolina 11:45 SECN
The media’s preseason darling, South Carolina, which I told y’all was overrated, has officially blossomed into a beautiful midseason underachievement flower. The schedule screamed 7-5, and they are well on their way. After Saturday, they’ll be 3-4 on the season with Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M still left on their schedule.
As for the actual game, this is simple. South Carolina’s offense against Oklahoma’s defense is a matchup disaster. I absolutely love Oklahoma on the road to bounce back this week.
Projection: Oklahoma -4.5
(5) Ole Miss +7.5 @ (9) Georgia 2:30 ABC
I was in Athens two years ago when Georgia beat the absolute snot out of Ole Miss. To this day, I have nightmares about that game.
Fast forward to this year, and I don’t expect the spread to be enough. Georgia is not the elite teams of the past that won a few national titles, but it has outstanding talent across the field and is well-coached, rarely out of position.
Ole Miss is also very good everywhere and well-coached. They lack depth at RB, and I am starting to have concerns about Kewan Lacy’s workload. The defense is not as elite as last season’s squad, but they are manageable, and that is not my concern here.
To go along with the depth issue at RB for Ole Miss. Georgia has not been getting any pressure against the passer so far this season, 122nd in the nation. However, they excel against the run, with a 56% success rate against inside zone and a 60% success rate against man-blocking schemes. To top that off, Georgia has been very good at tackling. In the last three games, they have combined to miss seventeen tackles. To put that into perspective, the average college football team misses thirteen tackles a game.
With Trinidad playing QB for Ole Miss and Ole Miss being a little more of a running team with him taking snaps, I believe that favors Georgia in this game.
Projection: UGA -7.5
(20) USC +9.5 @ (13) Notre Dame 6:30 pm NBC
It should be an excellent game in Indiana on Saturday. I have been high on the Trojans all season, but I was pleasantly surprised by how they beat Michigan last weekend. Watching the game, there was never a doubt that they were better than Michigan.
Notre Dame has bounced back after starting the season 0-2 with losses to Miami and Texas A&M. Improving offensively with true freshman CJ Carr as the season has progressed. They’ve been solid, but the defense gives me pause.
This game screams at me, even with it being so high —60.5. Both teams can score, and both QBs can sling the ball around. Southern Cal has struggled traveling multiple time zones under Lincoln Riley, but the offense is too good to get blown out, even with their first and second-string RBs out for the game.
I want to take the over 60.5, but I have to wait and see about the weather.
Projection: USC +9.5
(11) Tennessee +8.5 @ (6) Alabama 6:30 pm ABC
I think Tennessee is overrated and Alabama might even be a hair underrated. They are looking once again like the standard in the SEC.
What gives me pause is how brutal Alabama’s schedule has been. This is their fourth straight game against a top-20 opponent. I do not worry about motivation; I only worry about fatigue.
What gives me confidence is how bad Tennessee’s defense has been, and Alabama’s offense has gotten better and better each week—still, too many points for Tennessee’s offense.
Projection: Tennessee +8.5
BEST of the REST
Washington +4.5 @ Michigan 11 am FOX
(4) Texas A&M -7.5 @ Arkansas 2:30 ESPN
(7) Texas Tech -7 @ Arizona State 3 pm FOX
Mississippi State +9.5 @ Florida 3:15 SECN
(16) Missouri -1.5 @ Auburn 6:45 SECN (Love the Tigers in the matchup!)
Teasers of the Week
Nebraska -1.5 & Same Game Under 53.5
LSU +8 & Tennessee +14
