College Football Week 8 betting odds: Picking Top 25 teams against the spread
By Mike Dyce
This is one of the best weekends of the college football season so far. There are a lot of compelling match ups to watch. We have four games pitting Top 25 teams against one another, headlined by the No. 5 Florida State showdown with the No. 3 Clemson squad. No. 9 UCLA taking on No. 13 Stanford is another interesting pairing.
So what are the lines, or spreads, and how should we bet? Here is a breakdown for every game.
#10 Miami at North Carolina
When: Thursday, October 17th
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
Line: Miami -9
I think this one is a relatively easy choice. Undefeated Miami favored just 9 points over North Carolina, take Miami with the spread. Only once this season has North Carolina lost by a smaller margin than that, it was against Georgia Tech. They lost to Eastern Carolina at home by 24 points, and they’re a 4-2 Conference USA team.
UCF at #8 Louisville
When: Friday, October 18th
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Line: Louisville -12
This is a tough one. UCF has a better record against the spread, 2-1 on the road. Louisville at home is just 2-2 against the spread. I think that the spread is small enough that Teddy Bridgewater can get Louisville over the top.
Arkansas at #1 Alabama
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Line: Alabama -28
Take Alabama. I know the spread is large and that has me worried. But Arkansas is 0-2 against the spread on the road this year, and 2-5 against the spread all season. Not to mention they just got blown out by 45 points against South Carolina.
Washington St at #2 Oregon
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Line: Oregon -39
Again, I am cautious around big spreads, 39 points is a lot. Washington State is surprisingly good against the spread, they’re 5-2 this season and 3-0 on the road. Of course, Oregon is undefeated against the spread. But losing by nearly 40 seems impossible, they played Auburn tough and lost by only a touchdown. They did get blown out a bit by Oregon State, but not by 40 points. Even Stanford blew them out, but only by 38 points. I’m gong to say, take Washington State with the spread. But I do so with hesitance.
#5 Florida State at #3 Clemson
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Line: Florida State -3
You’re almost picking a team to win straight up here, the three points though means that Florida State can’t win by a field goal, it has to at least be by 4 points. FSU is 4-1 against the spread and 1-1 on the road. Clemson is 3-3 ATS and 2-2 ATS at home. This looks like it will favor FSU. Clemson is the tested team here, but they’re coming off a one touchdown win at home over Boston College. I think Clemson will bounce back and win. Home dogs are good bets.
Iowa at #4 Ohio State
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Line: Ohio State -17
Iowa is undefeated on the road against the spread, Ohio State on the other hand is 3-1 ATS at home. Iowa hasn’t lost by 17 points combined in their two losses this season, I don’t think they’ll lose by 17 on Saturday.
#6 LSU at Ole Miss
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Line: LSU -8½
This is a tough call. You never expect a SEC team to go to another SEC school and blow them out. Especially not one that has peaked it’s head in the rankings this season. Still, I think you can expect LSU to win this one, they’re 4-2-1 against the spread this year including a 2-0-1 record ATS on the road. Geaux Tigers.
#24 Auburn at #7 Texas A&M
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
Line: Texas A&M -7
This is a tough SEC match up for Texas A&M. When Auburn played at LSU though, they lost by 14 points. As Floyd Mayweather says, always bet on Johnny Football. A&M is 3-1 against the spread at home. I’ll take A&M to cover.
#9 UCLA at #13 Stanford
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA
Line: Stanford -6
This is a close one, but I think it is easy. UCLA will win this game. I think 6 points is too much for this Stanford squad to cover. Add in that Stanford is 2-4 against the spread all season, 1-2 ATS at home. UCLA on the other hand, undefeated ATS. I’d take the Bruins.
#11 South Carolina at Tennessee
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
Line: South Carolina -7½
This is a tough match up to call. South Carolina is 2-4 against the spread, and 1-2 on the road. Tennessee on the other hand is 3-3 against the spread, and 2-2 at home. South Carolina is all over the place too, so you don’t know what you’ll get. One week they’re barely beating UCF on the road, and one week they go to Arkansas and demolish the Razorbacks. I think South Carolina will cover the spread, so I’m very hesitantly picking the Gamecocks.
Iowa State at #12 Baylor
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, TX
Line: Baylor -34
Baylor has been dismantling people, but I don’t like big spreads. It makes things too risky. Iowa State also just went to Lubbock and only lost by a touchdown. Even if they don’t perform as well as they did in that game they still might not lose by 34 points. Iowa State is also undefeated against the spread on the road this season. I pick Iowa State.
#22 Florida at #14 Missouri
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:21 p.m. ET
Where: Faurot Field, Columbia, MO
Line: Florida -3
A close game and a close line. Florida comes in as a 3-point favorite, despite being ranked lower and being on the road. That is an insult to Missouri. The Tigers are undefeated against the spread, and I love home-dogs. Missouri Tigers all the way.
#15 Georgia at Vanderbilt
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
Line: Georgia -8
Georgia is coming off another tough defeat, they’ll rebound against an inferior Vanderbilt team. Both these teams are horrendous against the spread, so there isn’t really a trend there. I’ll take the Bulldogs.
#16 Texas Tech at West Virginia
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WV
Lines: Texas Tech -7
Tech with seven points? No-brainer. West Virginia were blown out by 31 points at Baylor, by 37 points to Maryland and lost by 9 earlier in the season at Oklahoma. Tech has been crushing people lately, with the exception of one close win over Iowa State.
UNLV at #17 Fresno State
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bulldog Stadium, Fresno, CA
Line: Fresno State -25
Fresno State is horrible against the spread, 1-4 on the season in fact. UNLV isn’t great ATS either, but they’re 3-3. Fresno State is also 0-3 ATS at home. What makes this difficult, is that UNLV was blown out in their two losses this season. Fresno State on the other hand has had a lot of close wins. I’ll go with UNLV.
#18 Oklahoma at Kansas
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS
Line: Oklahoma -23
Oklahoma will be looking for a rebound win, and the 2-3 Kansas Jayhawks are coming into a game against an opponent that overmatches them. Even still, Oklahoma has faults and they haven’t beaten a quality opponent by this margin this season. For what it’s worth, Kansas has yet to cover the spread at home. Still, I’d take Kansas.
#20 Washington at Arizona State
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ
Line: Arizona State -3
Washington is a good team, but ASU is 2-1 at home against the spread. So Arizona State simply can’t win, they have to win by 3. Still, this could be the beginning of the end for Washington who have suffered two consecutive losses to top 5 teams. I’ll take the Huskies to rebound.
TCU at #21 Oklahoma State
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Line: Oklahoma State -7
TCU played Oklahoma tough and lost by only three points. They beat Kansas, they also played Tech close. OSU has struggled a bit lately, they lost to West Virginia and beat Kansas State by only 4 points. They’ve both been horrible against the spread, but Oklahoma State has a 2-1 record ATS at home. Still, I’ll take TCU to cover.
#23 Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, MI
Line: Northern Illinois -16
Seems like kind of a high spread. Still I’ll take Northern Illinois if pressed. They’re 3-1 against the spread on the road, compared to Central Michigan, who are 0-2 ATS at home.
#25 Wisconsin at Illinois
When: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL
Line: Wisconsin -13
Illinois isn’t really Big Ten tested yet. They lost on the road to Nebraska by 20 points, but they only lost to a No. 19 Washington at home by 10 points. Wisconsin is 5-1 against the spread, but on the road that slips to 1-1, Illinois on the other hand is 3-1 at home against the spread. Take Illinois.
All lines and spreads via Bovada.lv