Every week we talk about how difficult it will be for the college football slate to top the excitement from the previous week and every Saturday we are amazed when our expectations are exceeded. The potential is there for week eight to deliver even more excitement with a handful of games in particular that will be broadcast across the country. Here is a look at the top televised games for week eight of the college football season.
NC State @ #7 Louisville
Saturday, 12:00 PM ET – ABC
NC State followed up an upset win over Notre Dame by nearly ending Clemson’s undefeated season in last week’s 24-17 overtime loss. The Wolfpack had a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter before Deshaun Watson marched his team back with the tying score to force the extra frame and the Tigers finished the job in overtime. Some are expecting an emotional letdown with NC State forced to travel to face a top-10 ACC opponent for the second week in a row but we aren’t about to overlook this team’s potential. Louisville experienced its own letdown in last week’s 24-14 win over Duke and if that happens again then the Wolfpack should be able to keep this game close.
Pick: NC State +21.5
#6 Texas A&M @ #1 Alabama
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET – CBS
The top-ranked Tide rolled to a 49-10 win over Tennessee that has left college football experts wondering if anybody can stop them the rest of the way. Some people think that Texas A&M should be able to provide a tougher test than the Vols did but that may not be the case. While Alabama pummeled the Volts by 39 points, they won on the road at Rocky Top. But Texas A&M was barely able to get by Tennessee – with the help of six turnovers – a couple of weeks ago when the Vols visited College Station.
The Aggies are 6-0 and they had an extra week off to prepare for this college football showdown. A&M might not win at Tuscaloosa but they should be able to keep this game close and cover the spread.
Pick: Texas A&M +17
#2 Ohio State @ Penn State
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET – ABC
The Buckeyes will travel to Beaver Stadium for a college football showdown with the Nittany Lions in primetime and while conventional wisdom would indicate another big road win, last week’s close call at Wisconsin might provide cause for pause. Ohio State’s offense struggled to find a rhythm against the Badgers and while they won by a touchdown, that game was a lot closer than it was expected to be. Penn State is playing with house money this week, so while they might not win the game straight up, they could make it interesting and cover the number as a home underdog against a tired Buckeyes’ team. The other thinking is that Ohio State had their scare last week and that they’ll get it together right off the bat in Happy Valley. The fact that the Nittany Lions are a 20-point home underdog says a lot in this spot.
Pick: Penn State +20
#23 Ole Miss @ #25 LSU
Saturday, 9:00 PM ET – ESPN
The final game of the night that features a pair of top-25 teams will pit Ole Miss against LSU in a battle of SEC powers that have stumbled early on this season. The Tigers have bounced back with a couple of lopsided wins against average opponents since Les Miles was dismissed and interim head coach Ed Orgeron will be hoping that the ground game can continue to pave the way to another victory this weekend. Sophomore running back Derrius Giuce has averaged 9.9 yards per carry while rushing for 325 yards and five touchdowns in his last two starts and if he can put up similar numbers in this game, then LSU will be able to win the possession game and pull out the close win that the fans so desperately want to see. This is really just a matchup of the second-tier teams in the SEC but it’s an even college football matchup, so it should be entertaining to watch. This should be one of the better games of the weekend.
Pick: LSU-6
