College football odds, picks, bets, lines, predictions for Week 8, 2024: Proven model likes LSU, SMU

USC will try to avoid having its season completely derailed for the second straight year when it travels to Maryland on Saturday afternoon during the Week 8 college football schedule. The Trojans started 0-6 last year before losing five of their last six games, and they have lost three of their last four games this season. However, they have covered the spread in four of their six games and are 7.5-point favorites against the Terrapins in Week 8 college football odds. Should you back any of these teams with your college football betting in Week 8?

Week 8 college football spreads include SEC showdowns between No. 11 Tennessee (+3) and No. 7 Alabama and No. 1 Texas (-3.5) against No. 5 Georgia. Saturday’s other ranked vs. ranked matchup pits No. 22 Illinois (+3) against No. 24 Michigan in a Big Ten on CBS contest. Before you lock in your Week 8 college football picks for these or any other games, be sure to check out the latest college football predictions from SportsLine’s trusted model.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the company has generated well over $2,000 in betting profits for players with $100 on its top-rated college football picks, and in the final three weeks of this season, it is tied for all top picks 12:5. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.

Now it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds and college football betting lines for Week 8. Click here to see each selection.

The best college football predictions for Week 8

One of the college picks the model has at the top in Week 8: No. 8 LSU (-2.5) is coming off a road win against Arkansas in a 7 p.m. ET matchup on Saturday. Arkansas starting quarterback Taylen Green suffered a left leg injury in the fourth quarter of an upset win over Tennessee in Week 6, and his status for that game is uncertain. The Razorbacks can’t afford to be without Green in this matchup as LSU is on a five-game winning streak following an overtime win against then-No. 9 Ole Miss.

Junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had 337 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Rebels, leading to a crucial performance in the final seconds of regulation. LSU has scored at least 29 points in every game of its winning streak, while Arkansas has been held under 25 points in all three conference games. The Tigers have won seven of the last eight meetings between these teams, and the model covers LSU in over 60% of its most recent simulations. Find the rest of Week 8 college football picks here.

Another prediction: No. 21 SMU (-16) cruises to a blowout win at Stanford on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The Mustangs have been extremely impressive in their last three games, defeating TCU and Florida State at home before defeating then-No. 22 Louisville as an underdog with 6.5 points. Sophomore quarterback Kevin Jennings completed 21 of 27 passes for 281 yards while running 10 times for 114 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals.

Jennings has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,014 yards, six touchdowns and one interception this season, while also passing for 262 yards and two scores. SMU had an extra week to prepare for this game after beating the Cardinals, while Stanford has lost three straight games by more than 24 points. The Cardinal didn’t score more than 14 points in each of those outings, and their lack of firepower is a reason SMU covers nearly 70% of the time. Tips for every other game in Week 8 can be found here.

How to make college football picks for Week 8

The model also determined who will win and cover in each FBS matchup in Week 8, calling for five underdogs to win the overall. Only at SportsLine can you get every pick for every game.

So which college football picks can you make with confidence and which five underdogs will win outright in Week 8? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams are winning and covering the spread, all using a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profits since its inception has, and find out.

College football odds for Week 8

Complete college football picks, odds and predictions for Week 8 can be found here

Wednesday, October 16th

Western Kentucky at Sam Houston State (-2.5, 55.5)

FIU at UTEP (+7, 47.5)

Thursday, October 17th

Georgia State at Marshall (-9, 51.5)

Boston College at Virginia Tech (-7, 49.5)

Friday, October 18th

Florida State at Duke (-3, 42.5)

Oregon at Purdue (+27.5, 98.5)

Oklahoma State at BYU (-9.5, 53)

Fresno State at Nevada (+2.5, 50.5)

Saturday, October 19th

Virginia at Clemson (-21, 57.5)

Miami at Louisville (+4.5, 61.5)

Notre Dame at Georgia Tech (+11.5, 49)

Alabama at Tennessee (+3, 56.5)

Michigan at Illinois (+3, 43.5)

Colorado at Arizona (-3.5, 57.5)

LSU at Arkansas (+2.5, 55.5)

Georgia at Texas (-3.5, 56)

SMU at Stanford (+16, 53.5)