Chaos has been consistent across college football as we head halfway into the 2021 season. Week 8 appears to be a lighter slate in terms of potential annoyance, but there are plenty of competitions with the top 25 facing stiff competition from opponents in the conference that could potentially rattle off. Eliminate their chances in a college football game.
There are 17 ranked teams working on Saturday but not a single match between the top 25 opponents. Both ranked first in Georgia and ninth-ranked Michigan State, are both out of competition while the rest of the top ten face unranked opponents. The SEC features two of the most popular games like LSU, after their surprise win over Florida, looking to beat the No. 12 Ole Miss and Tennessee hoping to find enough insult to test the No. 4 in Alabama. Elsewhere, Pittsburgh 23rd seed Kenny Pickett and CBS Sports Midseason All-America Kenny Pickett look to prove they belong at the top of the ACC when they host Clemson as more than a field goal favourite.
While winning is all that matters for the rankings, we do care if these teams will cover their spreads. Be sure to stick to CBS Sports all day for coverage of college football from the start of the inaugural game onwards. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the eighth full Saturday of the season.
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times are oriental
Northwestern at No. 6 Michigan
nun | Fox fuboTV (try for free)– Northwestern has a decent defense and will get some stops, but the Wildcats were no stranger to a big loss. Conversely, Michigan beat four of its six opponents with three touchdowns or more. Wolverines have the ability to withdraw and cover a massive spread. Prediction: Michigan (-23.5) – Sheehan Jiraj
LSU at No. 12 Ole Miss
3:30 PM | CBS, CBSSports.comAnd CBS Sports . app – The great back-to-back matches of Tyrion Davis-Price give me confidence that at least, the Tigers can hang out. The Rebels defense has been brutal this season, and the best way to keep Lane Kevin’s attack in hand is to keep him on the sidelines. When you ask the questions surrounding Matt Coral’s health, it sounds like he’s going to be a nail-biter late in the game, which fits well with the Rebel trajectory lately. Prediction: LSU (+9.5) – Barrett Sally
Clemson at No. 23 Pittsburgh
3:30 PM | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)– There’s no doubt: this is one of Pitt’s biggest games since he joined the ACC. Settling down and living up to the point would be a legitimate concern, but having a fifth-year apprentice in Kenny Beckett will help keep things in check. Clemson collapsed to high-profile competition, having lost to the top 25 teams he’s faced. It was the ACC class home and will prove it again on Saturday afternoon. Prediction: Pete (-3.5) – Sheehan Jiraj
Tennessee at No. 4 Alabama
7 pm | ESPN, fuboTV (try for free)– Alabama was right last week, and with Tennessee likely to be drained from an Ole Miss game, this should have been a blast. Nick Saban likely isn’t inclined to show mercy to a program that recently found a way to fire his former longtime assistant, Jeremy Pruitt, for a reason. Prediction: Alabama (-27.5) – David Cope
USC at No. 13 Notre Dame
7:30 PM | NBC, fuboTV (try for free)– Trying to predict how well this Trojan team will perform is a fool’s errand, but I’m foolish enough to bite into a talented team that has some extra incentive to play against a competitor on the road. USC has been a lot better on the road than it was at home, so I think that trend continues and the Trojans can stay within the number. Prediction: USC (+7) – Chip Patterson
What college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 8, and which top 10 team will be tough? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the difference – all from a proven computer model that has made close to $3,700 in profits over the past five seasons – and find out.