Packers Draft: College Football Discussion, Week 8

This is not a headlining week of college football, as there are only two top-25 matchups in the sport, but as we saw in Week 7, when the sport got turned upside down, sometimes the more interesting games are upsets, not big brands playing against each other head-to-head.

This is going to be an open thread for all of you to discuss Saturday’s college football action, including if you’re watching games for a 2027 NFL draft perspective. We’ll break down the top-25 matchups, including who the projected top-100 selections are on each team, according to the current consensus board.

#7 Mississippi @ #19 Texas – 6:30 pm CT, ABC

• #2: Colin Simmons, ED, Texas (out)
• #5: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
• #10: Trevor Goosby, OL, Texas
• #12: Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Mississippi
• #13: Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
• #15: Will Echoles, DL, Mississippi
• #49: Melvin Siani, OL, Texas
• #53: Kewan Lacy, RB, Mississippi
• #54: Deuce Alexander, WR, Mississippi
• #63: Ryan Wingo, WR, Texas
• #64: Jelani McDonald, S, Texas
• #74: Rasheem Biles, LB, Texas

The best player in this game should have been edge rusher Colin Simmons, who has some Micah Parsons in his game, but Simmons will be out with a high ankle sprain that will continue to cost him games down the stretch. The headliners here are obviously quarterbacks Arch Manning and Trinidad Chambliss, who are sort of moving in opposite directions.

Coming into the year, the expectation was that Manning was going to be the top draft prospect in this class. Now, he’s already been jumped by Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker at the quarterback position, and Miami’s Darian Mensah, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Chambliss, who is currently third in the Heisman odds behind Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith and Mensah, are breathing down Manning’s neck.

Texas is probably one loss away from being on real shaky ground for the college football playoff. This is going to be a huge game for both sides.

#14 Houston @ #10 Utah – 9:15 pm CT, ESPN

• #37: Zereoue Williams, OL, Utah
• #93: Anthony Boswell, OL, Houston

There’s not a lot of top-end talent in this game, but Utah tackle Zereoue Williams is a huge riser this season. He wasn’t really on the draft radar for many teams, as he only played 156 snaps in 2025 after a season-ending injury in 2024, but the 6’8” tackle is now getting some first-round buzz. Maybe he’s a tackle prospect who could be around for the Packers’ first pick of the 2027 draft, a second-round selection.

While he didn’t make the cut as a “top-100” prospect, Conner Weigman is currently listed as the #103 player in the class on the consensus board. The Houston quarterback has been putting up video-game numbers (15 touchdowns, 1 interception) this season, and the Texas A&M transfer looks like he has an NFL future.

The Big 12 is surprisingly tough this year, as BYU, Texas Tech and Utah remain undefeated while both Houston and Arizona each have just one loss.

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For what it’s worth, here are the teams that have at least a two percent chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s FPI, per conference:

ACC

• Miami: 95%
• Wake Forest: 41%
• SMU: 8%
• North Carolina: 2%
• Louisville: 2%

Big 12

• BYU: 70%
• Texas Tech: 68%
• Utah: 49%
• Houston: 31%
• Arizona: 7%

Big Ten

• Ohio State: 90%
• Indiana: 80%
• UCLA: 40%
• Iowa: 22%
• USC: 18%
• Northwestern: 15%
• Oregon: 13%
• Nebraska: 9%
• Wisconsin: 3%

SEC

• Georgia: 79%
• Alabama: 50%
• Tennessee: 44%
• Mississippi: 44%
• Texas: 41%
• Kentucky: 39%
• LSU: 28%
• Florida: 14%
• Auburn: 7%
• Missouri: 4%
• Mississippi State: 3%

Group of 6/Notre Dame

• Notre Dame: 78%
• Boise State: 51%
• New Mexico: 16%
• James Madison: 11%
• UTSA: 6%
• Oregon State: 5%
• Liberty: 4%
• North Dakota State: 3%