2024 College Football Week 8 Odds and Predictions 

We are now past the halfway point in the 2024 college football season. We learned a lot in Week 7. Texas is the best team in the country right now as evidenced by their 34-3 domination of Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.

It’s officially the best time of year now that there are Tuesday and Wednesday night games from now until the end of the regular season. The Sun Belt, aka Fun Belt, and Conference USA will bring us five more mid-week games in Week 8. Bettors and fans also will get a good look at two Top 15 teams on Friday night. No. 2 Oregon is at Purdue and No. 13 BYU hosts Oklahoma State.

Last Friday, we saw Arizona State upset No. 16 Utah. Then, on Saturday, we were treated to thrillers. No. 13 LSU upset No. 9 Ole Miss, 29-26 in overtime. Later on Saturday night, No. 3 Oregon beat No. 2 Ohio State 32-31 in what could be a preview of the Big Ten championship and a potential College Football Playoff matchup.

In Week 8, we will get treated to three more ranked-versus-ranked matchups. No. 24 Michigan travels to 22nd-ranked Illinois in a Big Ten clash. No. 7 Alabama heads up to Knoxville to face No. 11 Tennessee and the big game of the day pits No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas.

Once again, Scores & Stats college football experts are back at work gearing up for another great week of action. Last week, our experts served up 13 wins in their 21 picks (62%). The S&S staff is looking to serve you with the best analysis, picks, and predictions for Week 8 of the season. Sit back, relax, and follow along as we preview this week and every week from now until the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship.

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College Football Week 8 Odds 

Keep an eye on the latest College Football Odds and monitor how the lines change throughout the week.

Last week’s No.2 versus No. 3 game did not disappoint. Ohio State and Oregon went back and forth until the Ducks kicked a 19-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining in the game. In the latest AP poll, the Ducks moved up to No. 2 and the Buckeyes only fell two spots to No. 4. The Big Ten now occupies spots No. 2 through No. 4. Penn State, 6-0 after a 33-30 win over USC in overtime, is No. 3.

We mentioned Oregon will play at Purdue on Friday night. The Ducks are this week’s biggest favorite, laying 27.5 points to the Boilermakers who are now 1-5. What many may not realize though is that Purdue changed quarterbacks last week and redshirt freshman Ryan Browne came with a two-point conversion of pulling the upset over Illinois last week.

The Big Ten will also have this week’s lowest total. Rutgers hosts UCLA. The Scarlet Knights are 6.5-point favorites and the total is 40.5. Rutgers is a Top 40 defense against the pass and in scoring defense. The Bruins are one of the worst offenses among Power 4 teams. UCLA ranks 127th in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game.

Then, there’s the game that will cause bettors and the top handicappers to do a double take. New Mexico plays at Utah State in a Mountain West game that likely will not attract many viewers. The Lobos are 2-4 and the Aggies are just 1-5 this season. This might be one of the most entertaining games to watch all season.

Both teams can score. Utah State averages just under 23 points a game and New Mexico is actually among the Top 30 scoring teams in the nation. The Lobos average 36.2 points per game. What will really make this game entertaining is the fact that defense is pretty much optional for both of these teams.

New Mexico ranks 129th out of 134 FBS teams, allowing 44.2 points per game. Somehow, Utah State is worse, giving up 48.6 to rank 133rd. That’s why their Week 8 game total is set at 78.5.

College Football Week 8 Schedule 

With over 65 College Football games scheduled for Week 8, the following is a list of the featured games of the week: 

College Football Week 8 Predictions

Let’s take a look at the featured College Football Week 8 games and make our spread, total, and moneyline NCAAF picks for each game.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. BYU Cougars Odds

Oklahoma State entered the 2024 season with high expectations. They had a ton of starters returning on both sides of the ball. One of those was last year’s college football leading rusher Ollie Gordon. Last year, Gordon, a 6-foot-2-inch, 225-pound junior, ran for 1,732 yards. So far in 2024, he has 384 yards in six games. Gordon averages just 3.8 yards per carry.

The Cowboys won their first three games of the season, but they have dropped the last three, two as the favorite and they failed to cover in all three as well. Oklahoma State is now 2-4 ATS for the season, but head coach Mike Gundy is known for turning things around in October. In their last five games played in the month of October, Gundy and the Cowboys are 4-1 ATS. Since 2017, Oklahoma State has the seventh-best cover percentage (57.4%) among FBS programs that were FBS members prior to 2020.

BYU started last season 5-2 and then finished with five straight losses to go 5-7. The Cougars are back with one of the nation’s best defenses and they are now 6-0 after a 41-19 win over Arizona last week. BYU is also 8-0 ATS in their last eight games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven at home.

The Over has cashed in four of the Cougars six games this season. That’s interesting since BYU is the No. 16 defense in the country in points allowed (15.6 ppg). The Under has actually cashed in 14 of the last 19 games played at BYU on a Friday night. The Cougars have given up more than 20 points just once all season. Oklahoma State hasn’t scored more than 20 in each of its last three games.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. BYU Cougars Predictions

BYU has a ton of advantages heading into Saturday night’s game. The Cougars are, of course, unbeaten and their confidence grows with every win. They now own a 16-point scoring margin for the season. BYU has beaten one ranked opponent already. The Cougars defeated Kansas State 38-9 on Sept. 28. The Wildcats were ranked No. 9 at the time.

Saturday’s game has something in common with that win over K-State. In one of the more amazing statistics you’ll see in Week 8 (or in any week for that matter), BYU owns a SU record of 28-3 when playing at night. The Cougars are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games at night at home and in the Kilani Sitake era (BYU’s head coach), they are 9-2 SU in such games after playing the previous Saturday.

Oklahoma State comes into this after a week off. That gave the Cowboys the opportunity to not lose. They also will come into this game well rested. Gundy-coached teams have typically been very good after a bye. In 14 such games, Oklahoma State is 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS.

The week off may give Gordon and WR Brennan Presley time to get ready to play on Saturday night. Both Gordon and Presley were listed as questionable on an injury report early this week. Presley leads Oklahoma State with 36 receptions. He’s tied with De’Zhaun Stribling for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (four). The Cowboys need to do something to generate some drives against BYU. Oklahoma State ranks 125th in the nation in rushing. The Cowboys are also just 90th in third-down conversion percentage. That won’t cut it against a team as good as BYU.

Bet: ML pass, BYU -8.5 (-110), Under 55.5 (-110)

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Indiana Hoosiers Odds

It’s mid-October and Indiana is 6-0. They were the first team in the country to become bowl eligible. Now, after a week off, the No. 16 Hoosiers will host 5-1 Nebraska. The Cornhuskers were also off last week after consecutive wins over Purdue and Rutgers. Nebraska’s only loss came at home to Illinois on a Friday night. The Huskers lost that game 31-24 in overtime.

Both of these teams are on the rise under new head coaches. Matt Rhule is in his second season at Nebraska. His team has one of the best defenses in the country. Curt Cignetti led James Madison through its transition from FCS to FBS and is working his magic at Indiana. In addition to being 6-0, the Hoosiers are also 5-1 ATS, covering their last five games in a row.

These two teams have only played each other three times since 2016. Nebraska holds a 2-1 SU advantage. The Huskers have also covered two of three. The Under has cashed in two of the three games as well. Nebraska has struggled on the road recently losing 11 of its last 15 on the road. They did beat Purdue in their last road game on Sept. 28.

This will be a great test for both the Nebraska defense and the Indiana offense. The Hoosiers have scored 40-plus in four straight games. Nebraska ranks ninth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 12.2 points per game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Indiana Hoosiers Predictions

As mentioned, this will be a great test for the Indiana offense and the Nebraska defense. Both teams had last week off, so there isn’t a rest advantage. However, since 2015, teams unbeaten in their sixth game or later playing at home on extended rest have done very well. They are 61-10 SU and 39-29-4 ATS. There’s a reason why they are unbeaten.

The Nebraska defense is one of the nation’s best. The Cornhuskers are No. 2 in the country against the run, giving up just 73.2 rushing yards per game. Nebraska ranks eighth in total defense (266.6 ypg) and eighth in scoring defense, allowing 13.0 points per game.

On the other end, Indiana’s offense ranks 12th in passing (302.8 ypg) and ninth in total offense (478.6 ypg). That has helped the Hoosiers become one of the more prolific scoring teams in the nation, averaging 41.6 points per game. That ranks ninth-best in the country.

Nebraska has lost 26 of its last 27 games against ranked opponents. Indiana, on the other hand, has won each of its last six games against a ranked opponent. Indiana, as mentioned, has covered the spread in each of its last five games. The Huskers are 4-1-1 ATS this season. Something has to give.

Bet: Indiana -220, Nebraska +6.5 (-110), Over 50.5 (-110)

Miami Hurricanes vs. Louisville Cardinals Odds

Louisville (4-2) finally got a win last week after two straight losses. Miami is ranked No. 6 and enters off of two tough wins over Virginia Tech (38-34) and Cal (39-38). The Hurricanes are getting everyone’s best shot. Louisville has played the ‘Canes pretty tough in the past, but this Miami roster is loaded.

QB Cam Ward is second in the nation in passing yards (2,219). He leads an outstanding offense that is No. 1 in the nation in total yards per game (590.8). The ‘Canes also lead the nation in scoring with 46 points per game. Historically, Miami hasn’t done all that well against Louisville.

The two teams have played just seven times and the Cardinals hold a 4-3 lead in the series. Louisville won last year 38-31 on the road in November. All seven games between the two teams have featured at least one team scoring 30 or more points. The seven games have averaged a total of 62.1 points per game.

Louisville holds the advantage against the number. The Cardinals have covered the spread in five of the seven games. Louisville is only 3-6 ATS in its last nine games overall. Miami, in addition to being 6-0 SU, is 4-1 ATS in its last five games on the road. Both teams trend Over as well. Eight of the last 11 Cardinals games and eight of the last nine for Miami have all gone Over the total.

Miami Hurricanes vs. Louisville Cardinals Predictions

With Ward at quarterback and skill players like WR Xavier Restrepo (32 catches, 585 yards, 5 TDs) and RB Damien Martinez (4.4 yards per carry, 5 TDs), the Miami offense is as good as it gets. The Hurricanes practically score at will.

Louisville does have a pretty solid defense. They rank in the top 40 in scoring defense (19.6 ppg) and against the run (113.8 ypg). The magic number for the Cardinals seems to be 20. They held Virginia to 20 points last week in a 24-20 victory. In all of their wins this season, Louisville has held the opponent to 20 points or less.

Doing that will be difficult against the Hurricanes. Ward is virtually unstoppable. The ‘Canes average 415.2 passing yards per game. That’s tops in the country. Ward’s lowest output of the season is 304 yards. That was against FCS Florida A&M, a game in which Ward didn’t play much in the second half. He only has five interceptions against 20 touchdowns and he’s only been sacked eight times.

If Louisville’s defense has an Achille’s heel, it is against the pass. The Cardinals give up 245.4 passing yards  per game. That ranks 89th in the nation. With Ward winging the ball all over the place, Louisville will have a hard time keeping up with the Hurricanes.

Bet: Miami -192, Miami -5 (-110), Over 61.5 (-110)

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Tennessee Volunteers Odds

Alabama and Tennessee go way back. They have played each 106 times dating back to 1901. That very first game ended in a 6-6 tie. Now, Alabama holds the series lead 59-39-7. Known as the “Third Saturday in October,” the rivalry had been won by Alabama 15 times in a row between 2007 and 2021. The Vols scored a 52-49 win over the Crimson Tide in 2021 when the Vols were ranked No. 6 and Alabama No. 3.

Now, the two teams enter Saturday’s game ranked among the Top 11 teams in the nation. Both teams won last week, but both had a scare from their opponent. Alabama managed to sneak by South Carolina 27-25 after the Gamecocks failed on a two-point conversion attempt. Tennessee needed overtime to beat rival Florida 23-17.

Alabama has owned this series. The Tide has won 16 of the last 17 and their last seven wins in the series have all been by double digits. Alabama is 6-2 ATS in the last eight games in the series. Tennessee has failed to cover in each of its last two games. The offense, which had been leading the nation in scoring at one point, has produced three straight games with 25 or fewer points.

Alabama has won 16 of its last 18 games. In addition to covering six of the eight overall in the series, the Tide is 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games in the series played in Knoxville. Tennessee has won 18 of its last 19 games at home.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Tennessee Volunteers Predictions

Tennessee plays well at home historically, but the Vols offense has shown some signs of regression. The Vols have failed to go Over 345 total yards in each of their last three games. QB Nico Iamaleava looked like he was the real deal early in the season, but his recent performances have been sub-par at best.

The Vols have become more one-dimensional with RB Dylan Sampson carrying most of the load. He’s got 699 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the season. The problem for Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel is that Alabama’s defense is strong up front. The Tide’s front seven is the strength of their defense.

Alabama’s offense is a juggernaut. The Tide ranks eighth in scoring (41.7 ppg) led by QB Jalen Milroe. The Alabama quarterback has 1,483 yards passing and he’s the team’s second-leading rusher with 319. He is Alabama’s leading scorer with 23 total touchdowns (12 passing, 11 rushing).

The Tennessee defense is surprisingly good, though it has been roughed up a little over the past few weeks. The Vols still rank in the Top 10 in scoring (12.2 ppg, 5th) and total defense (254.4 ypg, 5th). Shutting down the Tide is a whole different animal though. Alabama hasn’t scored fewer than 34 points in this game since 2015.

Bet: Alabama -145, Alabama -3 (-110), Over 57 (-110)

Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Odds

Michigan (No. 24) and Illinois (No. 22) are both ranked heading into this one. Both teams need wins to stay alive in the race for the Big Ten title. Illinois lost to Ohio State and Michigan fell to Washington leaving both teams 2-1 in conference play.

Illinois almost dropped another one last week when redshirt freshman QB Ryan Browne of Purdue led a furious Boilermakers comeback. Browne threw for 297 yards and ran for 118 more as Purdue took a 43-40 lead with just 45 seconds to play. Illini QB Luke Altmeyer led the drive that tied the game at 43-43 and threw a touchdown pass on Illinois’ very first play in overtime for the win.

Michigan was off last week. The Wolverines lost to Washington 27-17 on Oct. 5. Michigan is just 1-5 ATS this season. This is just the third time since 1990 the Wolverines have started a season 1-5 ATS. Michigan has owned this series against Illinois, winning the last six straight and eight of the last ten. The Wolverines are just 2-6 ATS in the last eight against the Illini.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Predictions

Both teams have strong defenses, though Illinois did give up 49 points last week. The Illini are still ranked 12th in scoring defense giving up just 14.2 points per game. Michigan is No. 4 in the nation against the run, but they have been gashed in the air. They rank 115th in the country in pass defense.

Illinois clearly has the edge at quarterback. Altmeyer completes 67.7 percent of his passes and he has 1,426 yards passing. So far this season, Altmeyer has thrown for 14 touchdowns and he has tossed just one interception. On the other end, the Michigan quarterback situation is not good. The Wolverines beat Minnesota and USC and their combined passing yardage in those games was 118 yards. If Illinois slows down the Michigan running game, the Wolverines are in trouble.

Illinois will surely try to air the ball out against Michigan. Head coach Bret Bielema would love to run the ball, but that may be difficult against the Wolverines. Last year’s game was a 19-17 Michigan win. With the total set at 43.5, this should be another low-scoring game. In games between ranked opponents, favorites have been the best choice. Since 2020, favorites in these types of games win 57 percent of the time.

Bet: Michigan -150, Illinois -3.5 (-102), Over 43.5 (-110)

LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Odds

LSU and Arkansas have played some pretty entertaining games over the years. “The Battle for the Boot” dates back to 1910 and the two teams have played each other 69 times. LSU leads 42-23-2 and has won seven of the last eight meetings. Arkansas’ only win came in 2021 when the Razorbacks won 16-13 in overtime in Baton Rouge.

While LSU has owned this series recently, the Tigers haven’t been great against the number. In the last 17 games in the series, LSU has only covered the spread four times. Also, the Tigers haven’t been great against the number this season. Going back to last year, LSU is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven games.

Arkansas, on the other hand, is 4-2 SU this season and 5-1 ATS. The only game they didn’t cover was against UAB as a 23.5-point favorite. Both of the Razorbacks losses this season were by a single score and head coach Sam Pittman and company could easily be 6-0 coming into Saturday night.

Both teams have been trending Over. LSU and its prolific offense have gone Over the total 15 times in their last 20 games. The Tigers have scored at least 29 points in their last five straight games since a season-opening loss to USC. Arkansas has seen the Over cash seven times in its last 10 games.

LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Predictions

LSU is coming off a huge upset of Ole Miss. It’s a game that LSU could play ten times and lose nine. QB Garrett Nussmeier led an impromptu game-tying touchdown drive with less than three minutes to play. Then, Nussmeier found Kyren Lacy on the Tigers first play in overtime for the 29-26 win.

A big SEC win like that will certainly take a lot out of a team and make it difficult to prepare for the next one. It also may lead to some recency bias. LSU, while better on defense this season, still has some issues. Ole Miss totaled 464 yards against the Tigers last week. LSU also has some issues running the football (67th in Rushing Success Rate, 89th in rushing yards per game).

This is a prime upset spot for Arkansas. The Razorbacks are at home after a bye week. They beat a ranked team – Tennessee – in their last game. Arkansas ranks in the Top 30 in both rushing and passing offense. The running game is physical and wears down opponents. The only question mark is quarterback Taylen Green who was injured in the win over Tennessee.

One of the more interesting stats you will see this season involves SEC matchups. So far, underdogs in SEC games are 18-6 ATS. Over the last three weeks, SEC underdogs are 13-3 ATS.

Bet: Arkansas +112, Arkansas +2.5 (-104), Under 54.5

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns Odds

It’s interesting that Texas is only favored by 3.5 in this one. The Longhorns are the nation’s No. 1 team at 6-0. They are also 5-1 ATS this season and have an average scoring margin of +36.8. All of the Longhorns’ wins have come by at least 19 points. That includes last week’s 34-3 win over Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. That’s why Texas has been able to cover. Georgia, on the other hand, hasn’t covered a spread in its last five games. The Bulldogs are just 1-5 ATS in their last six SEC games. They have won 18 of their last 20 and 16 of their last 17 on the road. This will be no picnic though as Texas is 11-0 SU in its last 11 home games.

Texas has scored 31 or more points in all six of its games this season. The Over is only 3-3 this season but 6-3 over the Longhorns last nine games. The Texas defense is the reason why three games have gone Under the total. For Georgia, the Under has cashed in seven of the last 10 games.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns Predictions

Texas QB Quinn Ewers returned to the lineup last week. It took a minute, but he got settled and went 20-for-29 for 199 yards and a touchdown. Ewers and his backup Arch Manning have led Texas to 43.2 points per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. The passing game is outstanding no matter who the quarterback is, averaging 306.5 yards per game. That’s 11th-best in the country.

Georgia has been great on defense for most of the past decade, but the 2024 Bulldogs defense is not the Georgia defense of your older brother. Kirby Smart’s defense found a way to give up 31 points to a 1-5 Mississippi State team last week. Two weeks earlier, Georgia suffered its only loss of the season, allowing 41 points to Alabama.

The Texas offense is just as good, if not better than Alabama’s. Remember, the Tide jumped out to an early 28-0 lead on Georgia. Texas has more weapons than Alabama. While the offense gets all the attention, the biggest factor in this game could be the Texas defense. It ranks No. 1 in the nation in points allowed. Texas gives up just 6.3 points per game. They’ve held four of six opponents to seven points or less.

Carson Beck has proven he can get it done for Georgia. Beck has 1,818 yards passing and 15 touchdowns so far this season. He should be able to keep Georgia in this game. It might not be enough to cover the spread, but it could be enough to push this total Over.

Bet: Texas -172, Texas -3.5 (-114), Over 55.5 (-114)

Best Bets for College Football Week 8

It was another split last week on our best bets. Pittsburgh did beat Cal, but they failed to cover the spread. That’s why our experts recommended the Panthers on the moneyline. Minnesota did pull out the victory at UCLA, but they did fail to cover the 5.5-point spread.

This week, our Scores & Stats experts have perused the schedule. It’s a good one in Week 8. Here’s what the Scores & Stats staff sees as the best bets for this weekend’s action.

• UCLA @ Rutgers -4.5
• Auburn @ Missouri -4.5

UCLA might be the worst team in the Big Ten. The offense is horrendous. The Bruins did play pretty well at home last week, but still fell in the end to Minnesota. UCLA is now 1-5 overall and 0-4 in its first season in the Big Ten. Rutgers has an elite defense and gets the luxury of being the home team against a team from the West Coast. Teams traveling across the country have not fared well this season.

Auburn hasn’t had much success at all this season, regardless of where they play. The Tigers are 2-4 overall and 0-3 in SEC play. The quarterback play has not been good for Auburn, which is why they haven’t scored more than 21 points in any of their last three games. Those were all Auburn losses.

Auburn hasn’t done well against ranked opponents either. Going back to 2020, Freeze-coached teams have lost nine straight games to ranked opponents. In his FBS coaching career, Freeze is 12-27 SU in 39 games against ranked opponents. They are just 4-13 SU in road games.

Playing these two bets separately will cost you $220 to win $200 total ($100 on each game). A parlay, though, will allow you to place one $100 bet at +281 odds. Win both legs of the parlay and you’ll win $281!