Pitt at (#1)Miami
Noon, ESPN/Disney+
Pitt is good for a huge upset from time to time, while the ‘Canes are notorious for major letdown games under Mario Cristobal. Maybe this is the week everything comes together for Pitt. Or maybe they just get beaten into the ground by the nation’s top-ranked team.
Prediction: Miami-35, Pitt-21
(#18)LSU at Auburn
Noon, ABC
I made the mistake of not including Auburn’s upset of then-#1 Georgia last week. They deserve a mention as the suddenly-hot Tigers take on LSU at home. They now have the opportunity to build off the momentum of the upset of the ‘Dawgs to hand LSU its third loss and possibly toss them out of the playoff race.
Prediction: LSU-27, Auburn-24
(#11)Tennessee at South Carolina
3:30 p.m., ESPN
The Vols are looking to be a challenger in the SEC race behind one of the nation’s best defenses. However, playing at South Carolina has been a house of horrors in recent years for Tennessee. It doesn’t help that the Gamecocks are coming into the game with some momentum, after a surprise blowout over Florida. Expect a battle in Columbia during a time slot that may be lacking any enticing options.
Prediction: Tennessee-21, South Carolina-17
Virginia Tech at Clemson
7 p.m., ESPN
James vs. Dabo in a game where the loser will fall into desperation mode. You hate to see it.
Prediction: Virginia Tech-20, Clemson-16
(#7)Ole Miss at (#22)Texas
7:30 p.m., ABC
The Longhorns are in desperation mode after losing its last two games – a steep fall after being ranked #1 for most of the first half of the season. Things may get even worse with an Ole Miss team coming to town with a surging defense and the nation’s best playmaker at quarterback. It may get messy in Austin with two consecutive seasons where they reached the top of the polls only to fall out of the playoff picture.
Prediction: Ole Miss-27, Texas-21
North Dakota State at New Mexico
10 p.m., CW
This is the pick for the under-the-radar game that could be the most entertaining game of the week. Both have a single loss as they fight for a potential playoff spot. New Mexico is worth checking out, considering head coach Jason Eck will be a name to know once the coaching carousel starts spinning.
Prediction: New Mexico-34, North Dakota State-28
(#14) Houston at (#10)Utah
10:15 p.m., ESPN
College GameDay is heading to the Beehive State for the second week in a row. Can the Utes match BYU’s thrilling win over the Golden Domers on Saturday? They will have their hands full with an impressive Houston offense, led by Connor Weigman and a group of seriously explosive skill players. Utah has one of the best home atmospheres in the nation, and week eight will end in a rocking environment in Salt Lake City.
Prediction: Houston-31, Utah-27
Check out odds for the games mentioned above, and other games from week 8, on FanDuel.
