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
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Here are the ten games that look to be a wee bit favorable …
10 Best ATS Picks So Far: 38-35
Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.
10. Kentucky at Georgia
LINE: Georgia -24.5, o/u: 48.5
ATS PICK: Georgia
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
The only question is whether or not Georgia really is capable of taking its game up another level to do what it’s supposed to do at home.
The Bulldogs actually outplayed South Carolina last week … outside that little four turnover thing. Yeah, they only beat Vanderbilt by 24 in the opener, and yeah, they needed a half before turning it on against Tennessee, but Kentucky is running on fumes.
Let’s put it this way. If Georgia really is that good, and if the South Carolina thing really was a blip, it wins this by 25.
9. Oregon State at Cal
LINE: Cal -11.5, o/u: 51.5
ATS PICK: Oregon State
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Cal just doesn’t score enough.
The Bears will win, and the defense will keep the Oregon State offense from doing much of anything – LOVE the under on this – but Cal only scored more than 23 points against Ole Miss and UC Davis, and it’s more likely to hang around the low 20s than go off and score in the 30s. Oregon State got hammered by Utah 52-7 last week, but Cal’s O isn’t Utah’s.
8. Florida State at Wake Forest
LINE: Wake Forest -2.5, o/u: 68.5
ATS PICK: Wake Forest
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Do you want to buy into the team with the unstoppable high-powered offense – and a little bit of a defense – or the team with no defense and the emerging offense?
Florida State absolutely has the talent and skill to quickly get past the blowout loss to Clemson and come up with a big performance on the road. However, the Noles don’t take the ball away enough to screw up the Demon Deacons. It’ll be a back-and-forth shootout with the home team bouncing back.
Wake Forest – who turned the ball over four times on teh year and never more than once in a game – isn’t going to turn it over three times like it did against Louisville.
7. West Virginia at Oklahoma
LINE: Oklahoma -33.5, o/u: 63.5
ATS PICK: West Virginia
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
West Virginia might be struggling, and it might be getting rocked by double-digits in its three losses, but 33.5 are a whole lot of points – even against Oklahoma.
The Mountaineer offense should be good enough to get to at least 14 points – you’re asking Oklahoma to score 48, which is possible, no one has scored more than 42 on the Mountaineer attack. The Sooners beat UCLA by 34 and Texas Tech by 39, but coming off the Texas game, watch out for them to get up fast and take their foot off the gas just enough to matter.
6. Michigan at Penn State
LINE: Penn State -8.5, o/u: 45.5
ATS PICK: Michigan
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
And it’s going to go up. The line is at 9 at some spots, and it should be hammered hard by the Michigan public that normally skews the number a little bit.
The Penn State defense has been phenomenal, allowing fewer than 14 points in all six games so far – and it’ll be that good again. However, Michigan’s defense will do its part and keep the Nittany Lions attack under wraps. Think PSU’s 17-10 win over Pitt and 17-12 win over Iowa – low scoring and close …
And Michigan might be able to pull this off outright.
NEXT: The Top Five
5. Kansas at Texas
LINE: Texas -21.5, o/u: 62.5
ATS PICK: Texas
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
There’s a little bit of history for you to worry about.
Kansas gave Texas all it could handle late last year – almost screwing up the Longhorn season. In 2016, Kansas pulled off a shocker of shockers with a 24-21 win in Lawrence.
Whatever.
Kansas isn’t miserable under Les Miles, but it doesn’t have the offensive punch. It had one good game against Boston College, and it’s struggled against everyone else.
The O hasn’t scored more than 24 points in five of the last six games. Texas has scored 42 or more in three of its six games.
As good as the Longhorn offense has been, it’s not blowing out anyone but Rice and Louisiana Tech. The defense has been non-existent at times, and it might be down a little bit after the loss to Oklahoma, but this is where the team perks up with just the second home game since September 7th.
The Jayhawks lost at home to Oklahoma by 25 points and dropped a road game to TCU by 36 points.
Texas will get the O going early and the D will show up just a wee bit … finally.
NEXT: Just how good do you think they are?
4. Colorado at Washington State
LINE: Washington State -11.5, o/u: 70.5
ATS PICK: Colorado
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
The betting world apparently got all spooked by the Oregon game.
Colorado lost to the Ducks 45-3, but as bad as the final score was, the actual game wasn’t quite that bad considering there were plenty of chances to generate points on good drives.
Of course, 45-3 is 45-3, but try to blow that off.
Colorado is 3-3 with a road win over Arizona State and close-call losses to Air Force and Arizona. It had one really bad game against one really good team.
Washington State isn’t a really good team.
The Cougars can and should win this, but after losing three straight – and struggling to get by Houston – they haven’t been rocking against anyone who’s all that terrific.
The defense isn’t doing enough to compliment the great offense, and Colorado certainly has the attack to keep up.
Against, Wazzu is good enough to win this, but the 11.5 is way too big a number to give up.
NEXT: When a half a point feels like a big deal …
3. Temple at SMU
LINE: SMU -7.5, o/u: 58.5
ATS PICK: Temple
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Trying to thread the needle a little bit here.
Not sure of Temple at +7, but 7.5 …
Or even 8.
The Owls had one weird clunker at Buffalo, but they were fine on the road at East Carolina with a 27-17 win. They followed that up with a win over Memphis for a 5-1 start, coming up with another fantastic performance from the defense to go along with a good-enough day from the offensive side.
SMU’s offense has been a steady machine, coming up with 41 points or more in any of the last five games after starting out with a 37-30 win over Arkansas State.
It’s not that the Mustangs haven’t played anyone with a defense – TCU is solid – but they won by three over the Horned Frogs and with three of the six wins this year by seven points or fewer.
SMU is the pick to win because it’s a home game, but if this was at Temple, the Owls would probably be the call. They’re just good enough to push for the outright win, and they should be able to keep this within a touchdown.
7.5 though …. be careful.
NEXT: The role-reversal about to come …
2. Purdue at Iowa
LINE: Iowa -17.5, o/u: 48.5
ATS PICK: Iowa
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Purdue had its moment.
The Boilermakers rose up and rocked a bad Maryland team that’s hammered by injuries, winning 40-14 in West Lafayette. They were way overdue to come up with a big performance and have a little bit of luck, and they really did play well. However, that might have been more of a one-off than an indication that Purdue is about to be a whole lot better.
Before that, Jeff Brohm’s team was 1-4 with blowout losses to TCU and Penn State along the way.
Iowa is like Purdue was last week – it’s overdue for some luck and is way overdue for another breakout performance. Three of the last four games were low-scoring slugfests, but the Hawkeyes have an offense.
Purdue doesn’t have a defense.
The Boilermakers allowed 34 points or more in four of their previous five games and were blasted 35-7 at Penn State. Expect something like that in Iowa City.
Iowa will be in the 30s, Purdue will be in the teens – at best – and the 17.5 shouldn’t be too much of stretch.
NEXT: Try to forget what you just saw …
Week 8 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
– CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
– Week 8 Expert Picks & Predictions
– Week 8 Final Thoughts, Betting Advice
1. Florida at South Carolina
LINE: Florida -5.5, o/u: 48.5
ATS PICK: Florida
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line
Just how much do you really believe in what just happened in Athens?
Georgia outgained South Carolina 468 yards to 297. The Gamecocks were dominated in the time of possession battle, committed 11 penalties, and managed just ten offensive points before overtime. Even though they were a +4 in turnover margin, they still survived on a missed Georgia field goal.
Oh sure, the pass rush worked and the D did its part to keep Jake Fromm from going off, but any narrative that South Carolina simply outplayed the Bulldogs isn’t quite true.
Are you worried that Florida is a bit beaten up? That’s fair.
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The Gators dealt with a nasty battle against Auburn, and had an equally physical and tough fight with LSU to follow. With a week off before dealing with Georgia, of course there’s a shot Florida might not be mentally sharp for this.
But the line is just 5.5.
Even with injuries, the defense has still been a rock. LSU is at a whole other level, and South Carolina isn’t close to getting there.
Even if this is a tight game – like Florida’s 29-21 win was over Kentucky – we’re still only asking for a six point win. South Carolina might have crushed UK 24-7, but even that was sort of strange considering the Wildcat offense was having so many issues.
Florida is still really, really good. South Carolina is still really, really okay.
