College football Week 8 games of the week: Clemson-NC State in a battle of ACC unbeatens
By Cephas Evans
Don’t plan on leaving the couch this Saturday, because Week 8 of college football will keep you on the edge of your seat. Here is everything you need to know about the games of the week.
Last week was a wild one in college football with four teams in the Top 10 losing and plenty of near-upsets that made for a great weekend. But this week is shaping up for another great one for fans across the country as some of the best programs will be putting it all on the line, with hopes of keeping their conference championship aspirations alive. With four Power 5 conferences fielding top 25 games, there will be plenty for fans to watch this weekend.
In the Big Ten, in-state rivals Michigan and Michigan State will face off for the Paul Bunyan Trophy in Lansing. The Wolverines lead the series by a significant margin, but Michigan State has dominated Michigan since the 2008 season.
LSU will face another daunting test against Mississippi State. The Tigers are fresh off a huge win over Georgia and look to take care of business before what could be the game of the year against Alabama on Nov. 3.
In the Pac-12, Oregon is coming off an upset victory over Washington and will look to stay hot against Washington State. Whether the Cougars can make this a tight game is unknown, but I do know you won’t want to miss Mike Leach in the post-game interview.
Finally, the two remaining undefeated teams in the ACC will meet when North Carolina State travels to Death Valley for a game against the Clemson Tigers.
Week 8 should be an interesting week that looks to answer some questions heading into the home stretch of the season. Here is everything you need to know about the games of the week.
(12) Oregon at (25) Washington State – 7:30 p.m. ET – FOX
Washington State has won the last three meetings against Oregon, but this team is nothing like what the Cougars have faced over that period of time. With College Gameday coming to town, the pressure is on for Mike Leach and his squad to try to make it four straight against the Ducks.
Oregon is coming off a huge win over Washington and will enter the game with only one loss on the year. Quarterback Justin Herbert is playing as well as anyone in the country but will be challenged by the No. 1 pass defense in the Pac-12. That said, the Cougars have yet to be tested by a quarterback of Herbert’s caliber, who enters the game with 1,613 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. The Ducks should have no trouble finding holes on the ground, which should open up the field and allow Herbert to expose the Cougars untested secondary.
Washington State may be 5-1, but their only test this season was a four-point victory over Utah. The Cougars defense ranks in the top 10, but the pressure will be on the Mike Leach “Air Raid” offense to hang with the Ducks on Saturday. Quarterback Garner Minshew is putting up huge numbers and comes into the game averaging over 400 yards per game through the air. Oregon should be prepared for the Cougars passing attack, but Minshew will have the opportunity to show the nation why he should be considered a Heisman candidate for the remainder of the season.
With the Pac-12 North lead up for grabs, the stakes don’t get much higher in conference play. Expect a competitive game from start to finish, but Justin Herbert and the Ducks should pull away in the fourth quarter to easily cover the 2.5 point spread.