College Football (CFB) Week 8: Best Spread Bets & Picks

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Couldn’t get enough of last weekend’s college football slate? Then Week 8 of the NCAAF season will have you glued to your couch all weekend.

Saturday is headlined by the potential game of the year – a meeting between national championship favorites No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Georgia in Austin. There’s also No. 11 Tennessee hosting No. 7 Alabama. The results of these matchups could determine which teams reach the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.

A loaded week of games on the gridiron makes this the perfect time to check out the best college football betting sites.

Looking for some college football betting tips? Here are our favorite college football spread bets for Week 8 (betting favorites in parentheses).

All odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and subject to change.

No. 2 Oregon vs. Purdue (Oregon -27.5)

The Boilermakers acquitted themselves well in a 50-49 loss to No. 23 Illinois last week. It was their fifth straight loss but also their best performance of the season, giving Purdue some hope ahead of an intimidating showdown with the Ducks.

Oregon secured its best win of the season thus far in a 32-31 thriller against Ohio State last weekend. The Ducks moved the ball with ease against a defense that had allowed the fewest points in the nation, while their run defense looked much improved.

Oregon is leaps and bounds ahead of the Boilermakers, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see an emotional letdown or for Purdue to cover +27.5.

UCLA vs. Rutgers (Rutgers -4.5)

Rutgers’ 4-0 start feels like a distant memory after back-to-back losses and a 42-7 thumping at the hands of Wisconsin last Saturday. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has only completed 39.1% of his passes over the last two weeks and needs to get it together.

The Bruins are 1-5 (0-4 in conference play) and haven’t won since their season opener. They weren’t embarrassed in any of their matchups with LSU, Oregon or Penn State, but they’ve averaged a horrific 2.4 yards per carry and have five touchdown passes to nine interceptions.

UCLA can’t count on its defense forever, making Rutgers -4.5 an attractive option.

Wake Forest vs. UConn (UConn -1.5)

UConn isn’t just a basketball school anymore. The Huskies have won three straight games, have a nice quarterback-receiver connection, average over five yards per carry and rank 45th in defensive EPA per play.

Wake got blown off the field by Clemson in a 49-14 loss last weekend. The Demon Deacons have been highly disappointing aside from an outlier win against NC State, so look for UConn to cover -1.5.

No. 6 Miami vs. Louisville (Miami -4.5)

Louisville prioritizes balance. The Cardinals run the ball on 60% of their plays and rank 12th in yards per pass attempt. Their defense is also 39th in EPA per play despite allowing 20-plus points in three straight games.

The potential ACC champions didn’t look great in their last two games against Virginia Tech and Cal, both of which were marred by referee-induced controversy. Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Ward can be the best player on the field at any given time but also makes head-scratching decisions, and Miami’s defense hasn’t been sharp recently.

Watch out for a back-and-forth battle and a potential upset with Louisville +4.5.

No. 24 Michigan vs. No. 22 Illinois (Michigan -3.5)

Last week’s close encounter with Purdue was uncharacteristic for Illinois, but this has still been a great season for the Fighting Illini. Their only loss was in a hard-fought game against Penn State, and they’re 4-1-1 against the spread despite ranking 53rd in average scoring margin (+4.2).

The reigning national champions fell to unranked Washington 27-17 in their last game. They’ve already cycled through three quarterbacks and no longer dominate games despite being great on the ground and having excellent defensive personnel.

That said, look for Illinois to stay within 3.5 points thanks to its defense and physicality.

Houston vs. Kansas (Kansas -5.5)

What was supposed to be an exciting Kansas team with room for growth is now just 1-5 with five straight losses. The Jayhawks are 93rd in rushing yards allowed per game and 72nd in average scoring (24.6 points per game) despite having a dynamic quarterback in Jalon Daniels.

Houston’s pivot to Zeon Chriss at quarterback paid dividends two weeks ago as it took down TCU 30-19 and Chriss played an excellent game. The Cougars’ defense quietly ranks 25th in EPA per play and could help them cover +5.5 on Saturday.

No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 11 Tennessee (Alabama -2.5)

Is Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava the explosive, decisive, beyond-his-years talent the world saw in the first four games of the season? Or is he the nervous freshman with one interception and zero touchdowns in his last two games combined?

The answer will likely decide the Volunteers’ fate this week despite them ranking fourth in rushing offense and fifth in scoring defense.

Alabama’s defense is not what it has been in years past, and the offense really struggled last week against South Carolina. Jalen Milroe has thrown a pick in three straight games, but taking the Crimson Tide -2.5 is still a viable play.

No. 8 LSU vs. Arkansas (LSU -2.5)

LSU is undefeated in SEC play and just took down Ole Miss 29-26, extending its winning streak to five games. QB Garrett Nussmeier is playing like one of the best players in college football, but the Tigers will miss the home-field advantage that often makes a difference in important matchups.

Arkansas might not be at the top of the conference pecking order, but it played Texas A&M close and just took down Tennessee. Every game the Razorbacks played against a Power Four opponent finished within 10 points, so expect this to be a close game as well.

Still, we like LSU -2.5.

NC State vs. California (California -9.5)

The fun story that was the California Golden Bears is losing steam after three straight losses and an 0-3 start to ACC play. Cal moves the ball well but struggles with its offensive efficiency and red zone defense.

It’s easy to overlook NC State because of its disappointing start to the year, but it played Syracuse well and got a solid outing from freshman QB CJ Bailey in place of the injured Grayson McCall. The Wolfpack’s secondary should struggle, but the line gives plenty of room for NC State to cover +9.5.

UCF vs. No. 9 Iowa State (Iowa State -13.5)

The Cyclones’ climb into the top 10 has featured just one win over a ranked opponent (Iowa). They give up the seventh-fewest points per game (12.6) and dominate time of possession (33:45 per game – ninth) thanks to their run-heavy offense.

UCF’s three-game losing streak directly coincides with its decline in rushing production. The Knights averaged around 300 yards per game on the ground during their wins and only 160 rushing yards per game during their losses.

Iowa State’s biggest weakness has been defending the run, so UCF +13.5 has a realistic chance.

USC vs. Maryland (USC -7.5)

Lincoln Riley’s Trojans have not responded well to physical teams that knock them off their spot, as evidenced by losses to Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State. Miller Moss has cooled off after a hot start to the season, and USC is giving up 26.3 points per game over its last four outings.

Luckily for the Trojans, Maryland was just embarrassed in a 37-10 loss to Northwestern and is fairly one-dimensional on offense. USC -7.5 is a strong play.

No. 14 Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State (Texas A&M -14.5)

Can Texas A&M make the College Football Playoff? The next roadblock in the Aggies’ path to an unblemished SEC record is a 1-5 Mississippi State team that fell way behind Georgia last week before rallying for a backdoor cover.

The Bulldogs average a woeful 3.4 yards per carry and are playing their backup quarterback, freshman Michael Van Buren Jr.

A&M is a solid team and has a great chance to cover -14.5 and move one step closer to the CFP.

No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas (Texas -4.5)

The game of the week is here! Georgia QB Carson Beck has been lights-out since the first half against Alabama, but the Bulldogs’ offense still doesn’t look like one of the most dominant units in football. The defense has also regressed, which severely hurts the team’s bottom line.

Texas has home-field advantage and is better or equivalent at nearly every position. The Longhorns also have an advantage on the offensive line which could be the difference against UGA’s underperforming defense.

The coaching battle will play a major role here, but this looks like Texas -4.5.

Oklahoma State vs. No. 13 BYU (BYU -9.5)

Someone needs to cool off the Cougars! They’ve held opponents to the eighth-fewest yards per play and 11th-fewest points per game (17). Their balanced offense has a near-even split of pass and run, and QB Jake Retzlaff has 15 total touchdowns and only five interceptions.

Oklahoma State generates one pressure nearly every five dropbacks (the second-highest rate in the country), while its quarterback gets rid of the ball at the seventh-fastest clip. However, the Cowboys’ poor run blocking has been their Achilles heel in three straight losses, making BYU -9.5 an alluring option.

Nebraska vs. No. 16 Indiana (Indiana -6.5)

Curt Cignetti’s transformation of the Indiana program is one of the season’s best stories. The Hoosiers haven’t beaten a ranked opponent this year, but they’ve amassed impressive numbers in various categories and have not beaten a team by fewer than 14 points thus far.

Nebraska’s only loss this season came in an overtime bout with Illinois a few weeks ago. The Cornhuskers struggled to move the ball in last week’s 14-7 win over Rutgers, but they are a tough-nosed team with a great coach.

This looks like a back-and-forth battle where Nebraska covers.

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