Texas rolls over Oklahoma 34-3 in Week 7, and quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) leads No. 1 Texas against … [+]
Three Top 25 matchups are scheduled for Sat., Oct. 18 to kickoff Week 8 in college footaball. That includes ESPN’s College GameDay in Austin for the most watched and wagered game of the day between No. 1 Texas Longhorns and No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs. Another SEC showdown features No. 7 Alabama at No. 11 Tennessee. The Big Ten’s feature game is No. 24 Michigan at No. 22 Illinois.
Texas rolled over Oklahoma 34-3 in the Red River Rivalry last Saturday, but two other Week 7 Top 25 matchups were closes finishes with Oregon over Ohio State 32-31 and Penn State rallied to take down USC 33-30. That caused some movement in the Top 25 rankings, and could have been more but Alabama held off South Carolina 27-25 and Illinois escaped vs. Purdue 50-49 with both the ‘Tide and Illini avoiding among the biggest upsets of the season as more than 21 point favorites.
FanDuel is the official odds provider for The Associated Press, who selects voters for the AP Poll from sports reporters around the country who cover college football.
AP Top 25 Week 8 Matchups and Odds
College football odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. All times Eastern and betting favorites (-) listed.
Friday, Oct. 18
- No. 2 Oregon (-28.5) at Purdue, 8 p.m. | FOX
- No. 13 BYU (-9.5) vs. Oklahoma State, 10:15 p.m. | ESPN
Saturday, Oct. 19
- No. 1 Texas (-4.5) vs. No. 5 Georgia, 7:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
- No. 3 Penn State | Bye
- No. 4 Ohio State | Bye
- No. 6 Miami (-4.5) at Louisville, 12 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
- No. 7 Alabama (-3.5) at No. 11 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+
- No. 8 LSU (-2.5) at Arkansas, 7 p.m. | ESPN
- No. 9 Iowa State (-13.5) vs. UCF, 7:30 p.m. | FS1
- No. 10 Clemson (-20.5) vs. Virginia, 12 p.m. | ACCN
- No. 12 Notre Dame (-9.5) at Georgia Tech, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
- No. 14 Texas A&M (-17.5) at Mississippi State, 4:15 p.m. | SECN
- No. 15 Boise State | Bye
- No. 16 Indiana (-6.5) vs. Nebraska, 12 p.m. | FOX
- No. 17 Kansas State (-2.5) at West Virginia, 7:30 p.m. | FOX
- No. 18 Ole Miss | Bye
- No. 19 Missouri (-4.5) vs. Auburn, 12 p.m. | ESPN
- No. 20 Pittsburgh | Bye
- No. 21 SMU (-15.5) at Stanford, 8 p.m. | ACCN
- No. 22 Illinois vs. No. 24 Michigan(-3.5), 3:30 p.m. | CBS/Paramount+
- No. 23 Army (-15.5) vs. East Carolina, 12 p.m. | ESPN2
- No. 25 Navy (-16.5) vs. Charlotte, 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Others receiving votes: Vanderbilt 68, Nebraska 62, Arizona State 39, Oklahoma 36, Washington State 32, Iowa 29, Texas Tech 18, Syracuse 13, Arkansas 13, Utah 7, Louisville 6, Southern California5, Liberty 2, UNLV 1.
Texas received 56 first place votes and Oregon6 to start Week 8.
A total of 11 teams remain undefeated into Week 8. That includes Army and Navy, who both moved into the Top 25. Army has the nation’s longest active win streak at 10 games. Oklahoma and Utah dropped out of the Top 25. Liberty is the lone undefeated team to be unranked.
Alabama at Tennessee
Alabama remains overvalued for the third straight week since knocking off then No. 1 Georgia on Sept. 28. The loss to Vanderbuilt was a shocker, but last week Alabama was outgained by 61 yards against South Carolina in Tuscaloosa while gaining just 313 yards and unable to get the running game untracked. Tennessee’s defense is better and my college football colleage Case Keefer points out that the Tennessee Volunteers predictive metrics are more favorable including expected points added (EPA) per play (No. 12 in the nation to No. 13) and success rate (No. 10 to No. 18). But in three SEC games, the Volunteers offense has only scored 25, 14 and 23 points last week in an overtime win and excape vs. Florida. With both teams 5-1, this becomes a pivotal game for 12-team playoff hopes. The Volunteers offense runs for 235 yards per game – best of all Power 4 teams. They also pass for 203 yards per game providing great balance and a better defense making a Volunteers victory worth betting on in this SEC clash.
Michigan at Illinois
Illinois (5-1) has matched their season win total from last year. Michigan (4-2) has the situational edge off a bye last week, but Illinois has a more balanced offense and QB Luke Altmyer has tossed 14 TD’s to just 1 interception. The Illini defense allowed 49 points at 9.2 yards per play last week in a 50-49 escape vs. Purdue in a game they led 27-3 early third quarter. But Michigan ranks last in the Big Ten in passing with just 115 yards per game and continues to rely on a one-dimensional running attack. Illinois head coach Bret Bieleme is 14-5 as a conference home underdog including eight outright upsets. Make it nine.
Georgia at Texas
The prime time college football clash is another beauty. Georgia also has 1 loss and faces a tall task in Texas to avoid a second defeat that would make the Bulldogs vulnerable to miss the 12-team college playoff with games at Mississippi and home vs. Tennessee back-to-back in November. Georgia has failed to cover the spread in 5-straight games since their opening week romp over Clemson. But the Dawgs fit some solid ATS profiles, and they match Texas with a prolific passing attack (315/game). Texas has the hot hand and is playing the best football in the country with a top-tier offense averaging 495 yards per game (306 passing). Texas ranks No. 2 in yards per play margin and No. 1 in scoring margin. Add in a nation-best 230 yards per play defense and you can see why Y’all are ready to Hook’Em along with more than 100,000 fans at Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday. The Texas Longorns are 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS with all six wins by at least 19 points. Watch and wager and enjoy the entertainment as Texas and Georgia engage in a a heavyweight fight with the Longhorns landing more punches in victory.
Notable Line Moves Week 8
Circa Sports in Las Vegas opens the weekly college football lines on Sunday morning following each week’s NCAA football games. Here are the notable line moves with updates on FanDuel.
- Texas -3 to -4.5 vs. Georgia
- Alabama -1 to -3.5 at Tennessee
- Michian -1 to -3.5 at Illinois
- Oregon -25 to -28.5 at Purdue
- Indiana -4 to -6.5 vs. Nebraska
- BYU -7 to -9.5 vs. Oklahoma State
- LSU -1 to -2.5 at Arkansas
More big game betting action ahead as college football’s biggest games draw the most watch and wager action.
You can bet on it.
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