We have reached the midway point of the college football season and while a number of teams have survived tough slates to establish themselves as the top programs in the nation there is still a long way for them to go in order to solidify their positions. Alabama appears to be a lock at No. 1 right now but their biggest obstacles are still ahead of them with back-to-back games against ranked SEC opponents. Here is a look at the top ranked teams on upset alert for week eight of the college football season.
#1 Alabama vs. #6 Texas A&M
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
The Tide are rolling at 7-0 following back-to-back double-digit victories over ranked opponents in Arkansas and Tennessee, but they are only midway through their season and midway through the gauntlet of their SEC schedule. They’re facing a Top 10 team this week, which is why they are on upset alert.
Next up is a home date with Texas A&M and they won’t be overlooking the Aggies’ potential with a trip to LSU right around the corner. Alabama will be a 17-point favorite and while they could definitely top that number we are predicting the Aggies keeping this game close in the Tide’s first real challenge of the season. Trevor Knight will have one opportunity to prove just how good he is to the college football world and we are banking on him giving Alabama all that they can handle in this one. Are the Aggies for real, though? That’s the question we’re wondering. We know that Alabama has proven themselves but seeing the Aggies struggle with Tennessee recently doesn’t bode well – especially when you consider that Alabama went to Tennessee and pounded them. Unless Alabama is half asleep in this one, they should avoid the upset alert and get the win.
Pick: Texas A&M +17
#10 Wisconsin @ Iowa
Saturday, 12:00 PM ET
Wisconsin is coming off back-to-back one-score losses to Michigan and Ohio State with the latter coming in overtime on the road last week. For as impressive as the Badgers have been, the schedule doesn’t provide any relief on the road against Iowa this week. The Hawkeyes fell out of the top-25 with a pair of losses to North Dakota State and Northwestern but they still have the talent to catch Wisconsin off guard if the Badgers suffer any sort of letdown this week. Iowa finally has a little confidence following back-to-back wins so look for them to throw everything they have at Wisconsin in what should be a close game regardless of which team comes out on top. They’ll put Wisconsin on upset alert.
Pick: Iowa +4
#12 West Virginia vs. TCU
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
The Mountaineers snapped Texas Tech’s streak of nine straight home games with at least 50 points when they held them to 17 last week and after years of ineptitude the defense finally looks like it can hold its own. West Virginia is undefeated at 5-0 but they will face a tough text at home this week against a TCU side that is 4-2 with its two defeats coming by an average of 4.5 points to Arkansas and Oklahoma. The horned Frogs should be able to give the Mountaineers all that they can handle and put them on upset alert. It’s another important Big 12 showdown and we are expecting them to cover the spread with a very real chance they win this game straight up.
Pick: TCU +5
#16 Oklahoma @ Texas Tech
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
Baker Mayfield and the Sooners’ offense is on a roll, powering Oklahoma to three straight wins heading in to a showdown with Texas Tech this week. Kansas State owned the Big 12’s best defense before Mayfield threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s win over them but Texas Tech could present a different problem if they can finally get their offense back on track. The Red Raiders averaged 57.0 points in wins over Louisiana Tech and Kansas but were held to 38 points in a loss to Kansas State and then 17 points in last week’s loss to West Virginia. We expect them to bounce back with a better performance this week and at the very least they should be able to keep this game close as they chase the upset win as home underdogs this week.
Pick: Texas Tech +14
