Chaos reigned in college football a week ago, with five of the top seven AP ranked teams taking losses for the first time ever, setting up a consequential Week 8 slate for contenders to prove themselves in the crunch.
Here are the most interesting games we’ll be keeping an eye on today, and what you should be watching, too.
All times Eastern, and game lines are courtesy of DraftKings
6 Indiana at Michigan
Line: Indiana -7.5 | Total: 42.5
It may have been inevitable after last year’s run, but Indiana’s offense just doesn’t feel as threatening and potent this season. Especially against better scoring defenses ranked inside the top 25, where the Hoosiers average under 23 points per game.
Say what you will about Michigan, but they’re great when the other team puts the football is in the air. They rank No. 14 in FBS on that score, allowing just 5.8 yards per pass and have surrendered just 7 touchdowns from opposing quarterbacks all year.
Coming off a narrow loss to Ohio State last week, Indiana is in a spot where they could drop a second-straight in Big Ten competition. Not ideal for their playoff ambitions.
12 p.m. on Fox
18 LSU at Auburn
Line: LSU -7 | Total: 51.5
Finally, the system Alex Golesh is trying to install at Auburn worked. Few thought they would hang around at No. 1 Georgia last week, but the offense weathered an early 14-0 deficit and rattled off 24 unanswered points to knock off their rivals on the road.
Returning home, they now get a crack at an LSU squad that plays solid defense but has struggled on the road. Lane Kiffin is 0-2 on that score, dropping games to Ole Miss and Kentucky. To keep their playoff hopes alive, LSU has to prove it can win on the road.
12 p.m. on ABC
7 Ole Miss at 19 Texas
Line: Texas: -3 | Total: 53.5
By this time, you’re probably thinking that Arch Manning is basically a bust. Not a bad quarterback per se, but definitely not what he was made out to be. Sitting on a two-game losing skid to Oklahoma and Florida, both unranked, Texas needs a win to save its soul.
Now, they’re also expected to not have star edge rusher and college football sack leader Colin Simmons. Add to that a potent Rebels offense that can move the ball vertically and a defense that just held Missouri’s attack to 3 points, and this could be trouble.
The postseason stakes couldn’t be more lopsided. Texas is clearly playing for its College Football Playoff life. A third loss in October would effectively eliminate it from the field. Ole Miss looks to deliver the knockout blow and pick up what would be a fourth Top 25 win.
7:30 p.m. on ABC
14 Houston at 10 Utah
Line: Utah -6.5 | Total: 57.5
If College GameDay elects to leave SEC country, it’s for a good reason. They’ll be in Salt Lake City to watch the Utes host the Cougars in a battle for some very important breathing room in a close Big 12 title picture.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Utah is 6-0 for the first time since 2015 and looking to solidify its inside track to Arlington. Houston is a 2-point loss to Texas Tech away from being undefeated. A win here keeps them in the playoff hunt. A loss could knock them out.
Houston is one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, leading the FBS with a 61.4 percent third down rate and a 54.9 percent offensive success mark. Utah’s defense is sixth in defensive success rate and No. 1 in stopping plays for zero or negative yards.
10:15 p.m. on ESPN
Keep an eye on: BYU at UCF, to see if the Cougars walk into a trap game across the country on the road after knocking off Notre Dame, and; Tennessee at South Carolina, for much the same reason after the Vols took out Alabama, and bookies like the Gamecocks chances.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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