It’s a big weekend in Texas. There are only two ranked games featuring the top 25 teams in Week 8, and each involves a Texas school.
No. 7 Ole Miss travels to No. 19 Texas (7:30 p.m. ET) in what looks like a referendum game for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and starting quarterback Arch Manning. The stories ran rampant this week as Texas lost its last two games, both to unranked opponents, as the Manning-led Texas offense struggled mightily. To get back on track, Arch will have to beat the program that means so much to his family. Arch’s father (Cooper), uncle (Eli), and grandfather (Archie) all played football at Ole Miss.
Later that night, No. 14 Houston faces No. 10 Utah in a game that has both Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff implications. The Utes didn’t look great in a win over Colorado last week, but remain one of the last five undefeated Power Four teams. Houston’s only loss is a two-point loss to Texas Tech, and the Cougars could take a big step toward becoming a CFP contender with a road win against Utah.
Other intriguing matchups include No. 6 Indiana at Michigan, No. 18 LSU at Auburn and No. 11 Tennessee at South Carolina. The Hoosiers are coming off a tough loss to Ohio State, while the Wolverines may have found something with true freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. In the battle of the Tigers, LSU will need a win to keep its playoff hopes alive. Tennessee catapulted itself into the SEC hierarchy with a victory over Alabama last weekend and yet remains a 2.5-point underdog to the Gamecocks.
After a historic weekend that saw five top-eight teams lose in a single day, the Week 8 slate isn’t as promising, but there’s plenty to be excited about.
Michigan vs. Indiana #6
12 p.m. on Fox, Fubo (try for free): We have two elite run defenses, an inconsistent passing attack, and a freshman making his first start. This is a recipe for a low-scoring battle. Michigan has played five games against teams not named UTEP, and all five games ended with fewer than 40 points. Indiana’s last two games have also ended in the 30s, as they’ve faced the two best defenses on their schedule thus far, and it’s hard to see a flow of play here leading to anything approaching a shootout. The fear here is the potential for defensive scores, but despite that, give me the under in Ann Arbor for the second week in a row. Pick: Under 41.5 – Robby Kalland
No. 18 LSU vs. Auburn
12 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): What Auburn did last week will be commendable — and fans will remember it forever — but it was also extremely improbable. Georgia outgained Auburn by 74 yards and the Tigers barely got the win despite a plus-3 turnover margin. LSU’s defense is athletic enough to contain Byrum Brown, and the offense is capable of putting up big numbers. It’s possible the crowd and Auburn’s defense could cause Sam Leavitt some problems, but LSU is capable of winning this game by double digits. Pick: LSU -9.5 – Austin Nivison
No. 9 UCLA vs. Michigan State
3:30 p.m. on CBS CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app Paramount+ Premium: Michigan State has only allowed one team this season to average more than 4 yards per carry. The Spartans are able to slow down the Bruins rushing attack, which is already going in the wrong direction. It’s hard to imagine the Spartans scoring enough to win the game against UCLA’s stout defense. But a two-touchdown spread is a lot to cover for a Bruins team playing with its backup quarterback. Look for a low-scoring game won by the UCLA defense. Pick: Michigan State +14 – David Cobb
No. 13 Alabama vs. Texas A&M
3:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): The Crimson Tide could be running on empty here, playing their eighth game in eight weeks, especially considering the physical toll of facing teams like Georgia and Tennessee. And while Texas A&M may be well behind preseason expectations and suffering from disappointing performances, the Aggies are still a team with SEC-caliber athletes and bodies. A well-motivated Texas A&M team can make life a little more difficult for Alabama, even with the advantages they have on paper. Because of this, I could see this game being a bit underperforming, with some tough points to score in what is ultimately an Alabama victory. Pick: Under 50.5 – Chip Patterson
No. 16 USC vs. Wisconsin
7:30 p.m. on NBC, Fubo (try for free): Wisconsin is probably looking at the weather forecast for this game and wondering what it did to offend the weather gods. If there was ever a time to wish for temperatures in the 40s with a biting wind, it’s when USC comes to town. Instead, the forecast calls for temperatures in the 60s with a manageable breeze. Still, even though the weather doesn’t have a major impact, I like the underside here. USC may have won its two road trips so far this season, but the offense didn’t look great against Penn State, and that Wisconsin defense is good. I don’t have much confidence in Wisconsin’s offense either. Pick: Under 50.5 – Tom Fornelli
No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 18 Texas
7:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): Texas is a 2.5-point favorite and the SportsLine model projects a 29-17 win for the Longhorns. History confirms this. Ole Miss is 1-6 in a row and ATS as a road underdog against ranked teams since 2020, and Texas has won three straight home games against top-10 opponents.
But is this the same Texas team that has had so much success at home? The Longhorns scored 17 points against a Florida defense ranked last in the SEC, and the Gators sacked Manning five times with 11 tackles for loss. Texas didn’t score more than 24 points against a strong opponent. The offensive line is a mess, ranking 111th in sacks allowed, and the running game is mediocre at 101st. The Longhorns are also 1-5 against the spread this season and have not covered in five straight games.
Ole Miss has the better quarterback and a running game that just totaled 257 yards. Without Simmons, Texas loses the only defender built to ruin Chambliss’ night. Texas also lacks championship-level coaches. Pick: Ole Miss +2.5 — Brandon Marcello
No. 14 Houston vs. No. 10 Utah
10:15 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): Utah has been a dominant force through the first two weeks and will ultimately come away with a dramatic victory in Salt Lake City. At the same time, Houston may have been the most undervalued team nationally, rolling on both sides of the ball behind the tremendous quarterback play of Conner Weigman. A nearly hit line is disrespectful to the machine Willie Fritz built in Houston; don’t be surprised if they get angry. Pick: Houston +6.5 – Shehan Jeyarajah
The Proven SportsLine Computer The model simulated every Week 8 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see the picks, all from the model that is on a 59-49 run among CFB’s top-rated picks this season.
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