College Football Picks, Schedule: Predictions vs. Spread, Odds for Week 8 NCAA Top 25 Games

The second leg of the 2024 college football season wastes no time with the haymaking. Georgia’s trip to Austin to face No. 1 Texas in an SEC top-five matchup carries arguably the highest single-game stakes of the regular season. Although the Bulldogs have already suffered a loss to Alabama, they are still one of the standard programs in the country. The Longhorns have certainly made strides under coach Steve Sarkisian and are now back among college football’s top programs, but a win here would further solidify them as the team to beat in their first year of SEC membership.

Conference play produces some intriguing matchups in Week 8. Number 6 Miami faces an important ACC test at the start in Louisville. Big Ten and SEC action continues in the afternoon as No. 22 Illinois hosts No. 24 Michigan in a game the Illini hope will be a breakthrough game. No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee also renew their rivalry at a key weak point for both programs. No. 8 LSU finds itself in a difficult prime-time road game at Arkansas in a rivalry that isn’t immune to strange results.

Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage starting with the opening game. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 8, with quoted tips from the best sports betting apps available.

Always east

No. 6 Miami at Louisville

lunch | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — I think last year’s meeting between these two says a lot about the showdown on the big stage this Saturday, even with so many key players swapped. Jeff Brohm is an excellent game planner who can make explosive plays. While Miami’s defense can be disruptive, this group has also missed out on individual plays in recent weeks. This has all the makings of a track and field meet where the last possession counts. Your best play on sports betting apps is to attack the total. Pick: Over 61.5 via BetMGM – Chip Patterson

No. 24 Michigan at No. 22 Illinois

3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with ShowtimeCBSSports.com, CBS Sports App – Michigan gives Jack Tuttle his first start of the season at quarterback, but the Wolverines are still a one-dimensional team. Illinois knows the Wolverines will rely on the run, and the Illini should be able to fill the box defensively. Luke Altmyer plays as well as any quarterback in the Big Ten and is capable of producing some scoring drives even against this defense. Look for the betting underdog Illini to pick up their first win over Michigan since 2009. Pick: Illinois +3.5 above FanDuel – David Cobb

No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee

3:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — Both teams were inconsistent. Alabama’s win over Georgia and Tennessee’s over Oklahoma came with shocking road losses. Alabama is the more explosive team and has shown it can win in a track and field game, but its defense leaves a lot to be desired. Vanderbilt outplayed the Alabama defense right away and kept getting what it needed in the third period. Tennessee should have success running the ball against the Tide, but it remains questionable whether Nico Iamaleava can make enough big plays to win a game like this. He hasn’t done that yet this season, although he hasn’t caught up with Tennessee for the most part, aside from the loss at Arkansas. In a turbulent environment, bet on Tennessee to cover in a tense situation. Pick: Tennessee +3 above DraftKings –John Talty

No. 8 LSU at Arkansas

7 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Looking at each team’s offensive performance in conference play, one might shy away from the over. But looking at the match it shows that a decent number of points should be scored in this game and I didn’t want to go for the spread as it is extremely tight and I think the final score will go both ways could. LSU’s defense was good against Ole Miss, but overall it wasn’t great. Of particular concern is the fact that the Tigers have the fourth-worst rush defense in the SEC, which bodes well for Arkansas’ pairing of quarterback Taylen Green and running back Ja’Quinden Jackson. Conversely, this will be the best passing attack Arkansas has seen all year, and the Razorbacks’ secondary has looked suspect at times this year. Expect points. In fact, there are more of them than sports betting apps predict. Selection: Over 55.5 (-110) Via fanatic – Will Backus

No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — It’s strange that Georgia is listed as an underdog for the first time since September 4, 2021, but it’s understandable. With an average scoring margin of just +10.6 points per game and uncomfortably close wins against Kentucky and Mississippi State, the Bulldogs didn’t exactly look dominant. I think Texas has the advantage in several areas, including an offensive line that can weaken Georgia’s defensive strength. As strange as it feels to pick the betting favorite, give me the Longhorns to cover. They are the better team at the moment. Pick: Texas -4.5 via FanDuel – Chris Hummer

SportsLine’s proven computer model calls for five upsets in Week 8 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times.