The unpredictability of the college football season reached new heights with five of the top seven ranked teams losing, setting up an interesting Week 8 slate. For the third time in as many weeks there is a new No. 1 in the national rankings with Miami taking over the top spot after a thrilling overtime win over rival Florida State. The Canes host Pitt on Saturday as an early 22.5-point favorite on the NCAAF betting lines. Ohio State remains the national championship favorite on the NCAAF futures odds after beating Indiana, but will be without QB Julian Sayin for a few games due to a shoulder injury.
NCAAF Today: Weekly College Football Schedule
We might not see as much chaos in Week 8 with three of the top 5 teams taking the week off. The bye comes at a good time for No. 3 Ohio State so they can prepare for life with Julian Sayin. Two games on the Saturday NCAAF today schedule featured ranked teams against each other. The biggest game of the week takes place in the Big 12 with No. 10 Utah hosting No. 14 Houston. The Utes are an early 6.5-point NCAAF odds favorite.
Once again it’s a busy week of college football with the schedule starting on Tuesday with three games and continuing until Saturday with at least one game played every day. One of the top ranked Group of 6 teams vying for the automatic CFP bid is in action on Thursday when James Madison (7-0) visits Appalachian State in a Sun Belt Conference contest. The Dukes have the most wins of any team in the FBS and opened as a 10.5-point favorite.
Biggest NCAAF Games Today
- Week 8 features fewer head-to-head matchups between top 25 teams than previous weeks, but there are a number of high-stakes conference showdowns on the docket. The Big 12 has a big matchup with undefeated Utah hosting 1-loss Houston in a top 15 showdown.
- Texas takes a 2-game losing streak into its matchup with No. 7 Ole Miss in a massive SEC showdown. The Horns can’t afford another loss and need Arch Manning to step up after committing three turnovers in the last two games. The Horns opened as a 3.5-point home favorite against a squad that outscored its last two opponents 83-20.
- Following their upset of Notre Dame, BYU looks to avoid a letdown against UCF. The 6-0 Cougars moved to No. 2 in the national rankings and opened as a 6.5-point NCAAF odds favorite against the 3-3 Knights.
NCAAF Scores Today
- If you’re looking for points on the NCAAF scores today look no further than the Colorado State Rams. The transition to the new Pac-12 hasn’t helped nor did replacing the team’s defensive coordinator. The Rams have allowed at least 56 points in their last three games, they’re last in the FBS allowing an average of 43.2 points and they OVER is 6-0.
- Since their loss to Florida in Week 4, Ole Miss has been on fire, beating their last two opponents by a combined score of 83-20 with over 900 yards of offense. Trinidad Chambliss is back in the Heisman conversation throwing three TD passes in each of the games.
- West Virginia has the perfect recipe for running up NCAAF scores today. WVU scores a lot of points (37.6 ppg) and also surrenders a bunch (34.0) allowing the Mountaineers to cash the OVER on the NCAAF odds in all seven games.
NCAAF Odds for This Week
Following another hectic week that saw five of the top seven teams in the national rankings lose, opening NCAAF lines for Week 8 have surfaced. Riding a 2-game losing streak, Texas hit the board as a 3.5-point home favorite against streaking Ole Miss. Freshly minted No. 1 Miami is a heavy 23.5-points NCAAF odds favorite against Pittsburgh.
How to Read NCAAF Betting Lines
- Reading NCAAF betting lines requires understanding of three main types of wagers; the point spread, moneyline and the total (over/under).
- The spread is designed to even the playing field between two unequal teams. The minus (-) sign indicates the favorite with the team needing to win by more than that number to win the bet. The underdog is shown with a plus (+) sign. They can with the game outright or lose by fewer points than the number to cash a winning ticket.
- The moneyline is a straight bet on the game winner. There is no point spread, but the payouts are adjusted based on who’s expected to win. The minus (-) number is the amount you must risk to profit $100. The plus (+) number is the amount of profit on a $100 wager.
- The total is a bet on the combined number of points scored regardless of who wins the game. If the teams score more than the set number the OVER wins. If fewer points are scored than the number the UNDER is a winner.
NCAAF Lines Movement to Watch
- There are several factors that will trigger movement on the NCAAF betting lines. Roster announcements prior to the game are a big reason and once into the season injuries to key players become a major factor.
- Coming off their big win over Notre Dame, BYU was getting plenty of early action pushing the spread onto the critical key number of 7. More money on BYU will create artificial value for UCF.
- Despite their loss to Ohio State, bettors are showing confidence in Indiana for their matchup with Michigan. Early action on the Hoosiers drove the line past the touchdown hook.
NCAAF Predictions for This Week
The way things have played out already this season there’s a good chance the chaos continues. Unfortunately we don’t know which games will be the most chaotic, further hampering successful NCAAF predictions. Two SEC squads still in the national rankings but riding 2-game losing streaks look to rebound. Texas lost both by identical 27-24 scores while Alabama scored a total of 27 points in consecutive setbacks.
NCAAF Game Predictions
- They’re not must-win games for Texas and Alabama, but they are darn close. A few weeks ago it was hard to imagine Arch Manning and the Bama offense both going into major slumps. Both are home this week and looking to rebound from their recent skids making them worth backing in NCAAF predictions.
- Both Houston and Utah are stout defensively making their Big 12 showdown feel like a struggle to score. Houston’s only loss was by two points to unbeaten Texas Tech and they can stay within the 6.5-point NCAAF odds spread.
- Coming off their first loss of the season that ended a 22-game winning streak, analysts are in agreement that Indiana responds to outpace Michigan’s limited offense to cover the 7-point spread.
Upset Watch for This Week
- Auburn has flown under the radar this season boasting a 4-2 record with close losses to Florida and Tennessee. They are coming off a huge upset of Georgia and will be geeked for another ranked matchup. Playing at home with plenty of confidence, experts back Auburn to stay within the 8.5-point spread with another potential upset.
- Utah has taken care of the bottom of the Big 12 and will face one of the top teams in the conference. If the Utes’ offense continues to stall, the door opens for Houston to steal an important victory.
NCAAF Picks and Best Bets
Early NCAAF best bets for Week 8 of the college football season targets teams in strong situational bounce back roles, and those carrying superior statistical advantages. Though they lost last week, Indiana is one of the more efficient teams in the country with a major analytical edge over Michigan making the Hoosiers a top pick.
Best NCAAF Spread Picks
- After six straight wins we can say UCLA is good. The defense picked things up after Nico Iamaleava was lost, holding the last three opponents to a total of 25 points. They have a decent backup and should cover the two-touchdown spread against struggling Michigan State.
- Looking to maintain its spot as the top Group of 6 team, Boise State comes off a bye to take on a poor Washington State squad. The Broncos are the most balanced team in the Pac-12 having scored more than 30 points in each of their last five games. They are 12.5-point better than the Cougs making BSU a NCAAF pick.
- Texas Tech blasted Arizona State with a season-high 53 points last week. They have a flawless 6-0 record averaging nearly 38 points a game and will cover the 10.5-point line against a Cincinnati squad that’s allowed 79 points in two straight setbacks.
Best NCAAF Over/Under Picks
- Instead of laying 21 points, bettors are backing the UNDER 51.5 in the Pitt at Miami contest. Since losing starting QB Mason Heintschel Pitt has struggled to win games and score points yet they remain strong defensively.
- UCF utilizes a run-heavy approach on offense and that style of play will keep BYU’s Bear Bachmeier off the field. And you can expect the Cougars to experience a letdown after their huge win and travelling to Orlando to face an opponent that’s better than its record indicates. Backing UNDER 45.5 points is a NCAAF best bet.
NCAAF Best Bets This Week
- Even with a backup QB I like UCLA. Ty Dieffenbach did a nice job in his first start leading the Bruins to a 17-7 win over Wisconsin and the defense has been stellar. The opening line of UCLA -12.5 looked like a misprint and struggling Michigan State will have a hard time covering on the road.
- App State is known for its upsets, but they’ll have a hard time against one of the last remaining unbeaten teams. James Madison -10.5 heads to Boone with a prolific offense and is 6-1 ATS. The Dukes will come out with another win and payout.
- If BYU can avoid a letdown after knocking off Notre Dame, they should beat an inconsistent UCF club by at least a converted touchdown with Bear Bachmeier at the helm.
NCAAF Futures Market Update
Following last week’s carnage with five of the top seven teams in the national ranking losing, the NCAAF futures odds to win the national championship readjusted. The same teams remain at the top with Ohio State, Georgia and Notre Dame holding down the top three slots. With powerhouse programs Texas and Alabama losing consecutive games the latest college football odds shifted dramatically.
National Championship Futures
- Ohio State +430
- Georgia +490
- Notre Dame +550
- Miami (FL) +650
- Indiana +850
- Alabama +1100
- Texas +1500
- Ole Miss +1600
- LSU +1800
- Tennessee +3500
- Texas Tech +3500
Heisman Trophy Futures
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith remains the favorite on the Heisman Trophy NCAAF futures odds, but the race tightened after an eventful Week 7. Two players notably surged up the board led by Oregon State’s Jesse Legree and BYU’s Bear Bachmeier. Legree has at least 100 receiving yards and a TD in every game and leads the country with 14 TD grabs. Bachmeier has BYU undefeated following the defeat of Notre Dame.
- Jeremiah Smith -150
- Darian Mensah +400
- Trinidad Chambliss +600
- Jesse Legree +1500
- CJ Carr +1600
- Malachi Toney +1800
- Bear Bachmeier +2200
- Gunner Stockton +6000
- Drew Mestemaker +8000
- Connor Weigman +10000
- Jayden Maiava +10000
- Josh Hoover +10000
Final NCAAF Betting Thoughts
Following an unprecedented week in college football where five of the top 7 ranked teams lost, sportsbooks have tightened lines leaving trap scenarios for the remaining unbeaten squads. With unpredictability surrounding marquee matchups bettors are forced to navigate market inflation and major quarterback injuries. Ohio State has a bye but will return with Luke Fahey running the show until Julian Sayin is cleared. Also, Mississippi State was ineffective without Kamario Taylor, who missed last week with a lingering foot issue. The Heisman Trophy NCAAF futures market remains volatile with Jesse Legree and Bear Bachmeier crashing the board. Analysts recommend locking in early key numbers before public weekend volume forces NCAAF lines to move.
