College Football Betting Odds Week 8: Picks Against the Spread for Top 25 Schedule
College Football Betting Odds Week 8: Picks Against the Spread for Top 25 Schedule0 of 4
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The SEC is the center of the college football universe in Week 8.
Two colossal showdowns between Top 11 programs will figure out the College Football Playoff hierarchy within the conference.
The Texas Longhorns have proved to be the class of the league so far in 2024. They can further cement that status at home against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Georgia needs to prove to the nation that its slow start against the Alabama Crimson Tide was a fluke and that it can thrive in big games.
Alabama has been a mess since its win over Georgia. The Crimson Tide need a complete performance against the Tennessee Volunteers to remain inside the top 10.
Tennessee’s defense has been fantastic, but its offense is a step behind the other unit. The Vols need a complete performance more than Alabama, which puts so much on the line in Knoxville.
Other playoff contenders will be watching the SEC closely to see how much the overall postseason picture opens up. The Clemson Tigers, who have been on a roll since their loss to Georgia, could end up as one of the biggest non-SEC beneficiaries from Week 8.
Week 8 Top 25 Schedule and Odds1 of 4
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Friday, October 18
No. 2 Oregon (-28.5) at Purdue (8 p.m. ET, Fox)
Oklahoma State at No. 13 BYU (-9) (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Saturday, October 19
No. 6 Miami (-5) at Louisville (Noon ET, ABC)
Virginia at No. 10 Clemson (-21) (Noon ET, ACC Network)
Nebraska at No. 16 Indiana (-6.5) (Noon ET, Fox)
Auburn at No. 19 Missouri (-4) (Noon ET, ESPN)
East Carolina at No. 23 Army (-16.5) (Noon ET, ESPN2)
No. 7 Alabama (-3) at No. 11 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
No. 12 Notre Dame (-9.5) at Georgia Tech (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 24 Michigan (-4) at No. 22 Illinois (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Charlotte at No. 25 Navy (-16.5) (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)
No. 14 Texas A&M (-17.5) at Mississippi State (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network)
No. 8 LSU (-2.5) at Arkansas (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (-5) (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
UCF at No. 9 Iowa State (-13.5) (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1)
No. 17 Kansas State (-2.5) at West Virginia (7:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
No. 21 SMU (-16.5) at Stanford (8 p.m. ET, ACC Network)
No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (-5)2 of 4
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Texas already showed that it could win one big game early in the season away at the Michigan Wolverines.
Michigan isn’t on the same level as Texas or Georgia now at the midway point of the season, but the Longhorns’ performance proved they mean business.
The same thought process can be applied to their 34-3 win over the Oklahoma Sooners last weekend. Quinn Ewers and Co. obliterated their biggest rival while not looking ahead to Georgia.
Georgia’s horrendous first quarter against Alabama is still in the back of everyone’s minds and it will be used against it when people pick this contest on Saturday.
Kirby Smart’s team scored 72 points on its last two opponents to rebound from the Alabama loss, but those totals came against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers, two bottom-tier SEC programs.
Georgia will be in prove-it mode in Austin, while Texas will be attempting to continue its dominance.
The point spread moved from three to five points in Texas’ favor, an indicator that there is more public trust in the Longhorns right now.
Georgia is more than capable of winning outright, but it is worth noting that it is 1-5 against the spread this season. Texas is 5-1 ATS.
Texas is the more complete team at the moment and its defense, which held all opponents to 13 points or less, will be the difference-maker against Carson Beck and the Bulldogs.
No. 7 Alabama (-3) at No. 11 Tennessee 3 of 4
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It’s hard to settle on which team needs a win more for morale in the Alabama-Tennessee matchup.
Alabama lost to the Vanderbilt Commodores and then almost fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the two games after its win over Georgia.
Tennessee barely rebounded from its loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks, as it went to overtime versus the Florida Gators.
Alabama’s shown the most potential this season, but Jalen Milroe threw all four of his interceptions in the last three games and he was sacked four times last week.
Tennessee’s biggest strength is its pass rush and it has not allowed a single opponent to cross the 20-point threshold this season.
If anything, the under of 57 points seems to be the best bet because you have a mistake-prone quarterback in Milroe going head-to-head with a first-year starter in Nico Iamaleava making his first big SEC start.
Alabama has the better individual talent at the offensive skill positions, led by wide receiver Ryan Williams, and if the game comes down to one big play, Bama’s top playmaker could make the difference in a game that will likely be played in the low 20s.
Virginia at No. 10 Clemson (-21)4 of 4
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Clemson has had one of the most electric offenses in college football since its Week 1 defeat to Georgia.
Dabo Swinney’s team hit the 40-point mark in four of its five victories and all of its five wins have been by double digits.
Cade Klubnik has found a rhythm in the pocket, Phil Mafah is thriving on the ground and the Clemson defense is playing well.
That’ll be the formula to beat the Virginia Cavaliers by a few touchdowns at home on Saturday afternoon.
Virginia has been more competitive in the ACC than most experts thought it would be, but challenging Clemson is whole other mountain to climb.
The Cavaliers just gave up 408 total yards to the Louisville Cardinals. A defensive concession of that level against Clemson will put a team down 14-21 points.
Clemson just isn’t making any mistakes on offense right now, and if Virginia isn’t perfect on every possession, the Cavaliers run the risk of losing by well more than 21 points.
Another blowout win would suit Clemson since it should move up at least two spots in the Top 25 and be a serious contender to the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC for the final six weeks of the regular season.
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