What ten college football games appear to be the best bets and the best picks against the spread going into Week 8? Here you go. Enjoy.
Week 8 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews
– Week 8 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
– CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
– Week 8 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
– Week 7 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
Results So Far ATS: 34-29
Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.
10. Syracuse at Clemson
LINE: Clemson -46.5
ATS PICK: Syracuse
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
There is absolutely no rational or reasonable argument to take Syracuse in this.
The offensive line is playing as poorly as any in the country – and maybe by any Power Five program over the last ten-plus years.
Clemson is amazing, Syracuse isn’t, and there’s no like one team that just got trucked at home by Liberty to do anything against another team that slipped by Georgia Tech 73-7.
This is purely theoretical.
Usually, the belief is that you always take any team plus 50 points, but if you’re walking into a stadium up 46.5-0, you can take that, too.
Of course Clemson can and should win 63-3. However, 50-7 doesn’t get it done, and the same goes for a whole slew of possible blowout outcomes. Clemson could go up 38-0 at halftime and shut it all down. Syracuse could hang a late touchdown on the Tiger third stringers and lose 58-13. Or, maybe, the Orange program that beat Clemson a few years ago and lost in a heartbreaker in 2018 …
Nah. But remember, Clemson won 41-6 last year.
– Week 8 Expert Picks & Predictions: College
9. South Carolina at LSU
LINE: LSU -6.5
ATS PICK: South Carolina
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
By the time you read this, the line should drop even more, but it’s fine – South Carolina might just win this outright.
The Gamecocks would still be the call even if Myles Brennan was able to go for the Tigers. He’s out, untested new starter and true freshman TJ Finley is in, and now it’s time for the South Carolina team that pummeled Vanderbilt and got by Auburn to show that it really does have the talent and ability to keep winning on a consistent basis.
But this is more about LSU – what about this team so far would suggest that it’s ready to go on a roll? Of course the talent is there to wipeout the Gamecocks, but until this thing turns around, go ahead and give away the points.
8. Oklahoma at TCU
LINE: Oklahoma -6.5
ATS PICK: Oklahoma
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Oklahoma really is fantastic. It just doesn’t know how to close.
Can that win over Texas be the spark that Spencer Rattler and this team needed? Can it be that jolt of confidence to come through against the less-talented teams on the schedule like TCU?
The Horned Frogs got by Texas, but they couldn’t handle Kansas State with a backup quarterback, and they lost at home to Iowa State by three. The Horned Frog attack should be able to keep up, but for 6.5 points, you’re banking on the Sooners being able to finally lock down a fourth quarter.
– Week 7 Expert Picks & Predictions: NFL
7. Virginia Tech at Wake Forest
LINE: Virginia Tech -10
ATS PICK: Wake Forest
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
If you’ve been reading this piece this year, may you find someone who loves you as much as we love Virginia Tech. However, this is the time to take a wee bit of a timeout.
The Hokies are amazing, the running game is special, and this really might be the second or third-best team in the ACC by the end of the season. However, Wake Forest is at least good enough to keep this close.
It’s at home, the offense has the pop to keep up, and it should be able to at least keep this to ten. And if it doesn’t …
We’re sorry, Hokies. Please take us back.
– Week 8 Schedule, Times, Lines, Previews
6. Wyoming at Nevada
LINE: Wyoming -3
ATS PICK: Wyoming
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
It’s the start of the season for the two Mountain West teams, and it’s worth the flier just in case Wyoming is still Wyoming.
It loses a slew of key defensive parts, and the offense will never wow anyone, but few teams are able to muck it up and slow things down like this one does under Craig Bohl. The Cowboys beat the Wolf Pack 31-3 last year and have won three in a row in the series going back to 2012.
That -3 feels like a guess.
NEXT: Top 5 Picks Against The Spread, Week 8
5. Kentucky at Missouri
LINE: Kentucky -4.5
ATS PICK: Kentucky
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Just keep riding that bull until it throws you off.
Kentucky might not be anything special in terms of overall SEC talent, but it has its system figured out. It’s all working over the last two weeks after needing a bit to come together in the first two.
The Wildcat defense struggles in a loss to Ole Miss, and the offense didn’t work in the loss to Auburn, but every clicked in a dominant 24-2 win over Mississippi State, and last week the team pitched a gem in a 34-7 win over Tennessee.
UK doesn’t have a great record against most SEC teams over the last several decades, but it found a way to get by Missouri five times in a row since losing 20-10 back in 2014 to a Tiger team that played for the SEC title.
What is it doing right? It’s owning third downs on both sides of the ball, it’s not turning the ball over, and it’s absolutely dominating the time of possession battle.
Missouri is playing well. It has a good offense, the defense has been decent despite playing Alabama and LSU, and it has the firepower that UK doesn’t. But this is a momentum call.
Even on the road, if the Wildcats really do have something figured out – like they did last week against Tennessee – stick with them.
NEXT: Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina
4. Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina
LINE: Coastal Carolina -5.5
ATS PICK: Coastal Carolina
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Let’s not make this any harder than it has to be. Can Coastal Carolina stop the run?
Not really, but it hasn’t mattered all that much.
Georgia Southern is getting healthy, it has most of the parts back now, and it’s playing well going 3-1 and almost getting by Louisiana on the road in a 20-18 loss despite being extremely short-handed. Coastal Carolina was all in, and it only beat the Ragin’ Cajuns 30-27 last week.
However, Georgia Southern still has yet to beat anyone with a pulse, taking down ULM and UMass – arguably the two worst teams in college football – along with struggling to get by Campbell. Again, to be fair, the Eagles weren’t healthy.
Coastal Carolina was able to stuff the Arkansas State offense and hasn’t been gouged yet by anyone’s attack. More importantly in this game, the Chanticleers can control the clock and are great on third downs. Win those two stats, and there’s no problem against Georgia State.
Coastal Carolina is third in the nation in third down conversions, and sixth in time of possession.
NEXT: Michigan at Minnesota
3. Michigan at Minnesota
LINE: Michigan -3.5
ATS PICK: Michigan
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
We don’t know what these Big Ten teams are going to look like, and we don’t know in what kind of shape they’re in. So what do we have to work on with Michigan and Minnesota?
Minnesota has one of the nation’s most efficient passers in Tanner Morgan under center, and it has NFL wide receiver Rashod Bateman back in the mix to go along with Chris Autman-Bell.
It has a good starting 22, the coaching is fantastic, it’s at home, it’s probably going to snow, and it’s going to get grindy and ugly.
Michigan is starting Joe Milton on the road against a good team. It’s his first real action with the pressure on, however, the Wolverine lines should be able to take over.
If this gets sloppy in any way, Michigan has the running game to batter its way through this. The talent level is better, the defense should be way better, and so far in the era, Jim Harbaugh doesn’t lose these types of games. If he does, that usually means the team on the other side is outstanding.
And then there’s that whole history factor, for those of you who care about these sorts of things.
It’s the first time the two have played for the Little Brown Jug since a 33-10 Michigan win in 2017. The last time Minnesota won was 2014, but the last time the Gophers won at home in this ridiculously lopsided trophy game – at least over the last several decades …
1977.
And you’re only giving up 3.5 points for the privilege.
NEXT: Rutgers at Michigan State
2. Rutgers at Michigan State
LINE: Michigan State -12.5
ATS PICK: Michigan State
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
We’re all flying blind here when it comes to the Big Ten, especially in this game.
How much will new head coach Mel Tucker matter to a Michigan State team that couldn’t score – tasteless analogy cheerfully withheld – last year?
What will new head man Greg Schiano bring to Rutgers to change around the program right away?
Here’s what we know. Michigan State is closer to being okay than Rutgers is to being merely passable.
The Spartans aren’t going to blow off anyone’s doors with their offense, but they might not have to. As bad as they were last year, the defense was strong late – including a 27-0 win over Rutgers – and all you’re giving up here are 12.5 points.
Rutgers? This isn’t Arkansas, which had players for new head coach Sam Pittman to build around. This is a total gut job rehab project on the dilapidated house.
New year, new coach, new attitude, new players, new team, however, you’re going to be kicking yourself if you don’t at least throw a flier against a program that failed to score more than seven points in seven of its 12 games last season, was shut out three times, and lost by way more than 12.5 in every game except for the wins over UMass and Liberty.
NEXT: Cincinnati at SMU
1. Cincinnati at SMU
LINE: SMU -2.5
ATS PICK: Cincinnati
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Do you believe in this Cincinnati thing or not?
The SMU offense has been fantastic. Even though it lost a few key parts to injury, the attack keeps on rolling, QB Shane Buechele has been magnificent, and the team is 5-0 complete with a good home win over Memphis and road victory over Tulane.
Here’s the issue. The offense totally worked – throwing for over 430 yards in each of those two games – and each game was a three-point win.
Cincinnati is better than Memphis and it’s far, far better than Tulane.
The Bearcats don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up in a shootout, but that’s not their style. They grind, they play strong defense, and they make you play their style.
However, it’s not like they’ve played a slew of killers – Austin Peay, Army, USF – and they still need to prove they can get the O going enough against a good team to keep up.
But you’re getting points, and Cincinnati is the better team. Hope for the line to go up to SMU -3 by gametime, but you should be fine outright.
