College football upset picks, Week 8: 5 teams on upset alert

Red Flags: 5 college football teams on upset alert in Week 8

Oct 1, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan (15) celebrates with TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) and TCU Horned Frogs offensive tackle Michael Nichols (68) after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oregon Ducks. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

College football upset picks for a light Week 8 slate in the sport but with several ranked teams in danger of dropping a game they’re favored in.

Fans got one of the biggest upsets that we’ll see in college football this season as Tennessee slayed the dragon and upended Alabama. Don’t worry, Crimson Tide fans — there won’t be another upset alert this week as I suspect the Tide to boat-race an overrated Mississippi State team in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.

While the slate is quite light overall with teams like Georgia, Michigan, USC and more on bye in Week 8, that doesn’t mean there aren’t teams that aren’t safe. We aren’t putting Texas on upset alert as the Longhorns are favored on the road against Oklahoma State simply because the Cowboys are nine spots higher in the rankings, which is weird. Meanwhile, Ohio State is safe against Iowa because that mismatch shouldn’t be trouble for the Buckeyes. Oh, and Ole Miss isn’t on upset alert because, well, they aren’t favored at LSU.

Which teams do make the college football upset picks for Week 8, though? These are the teams showing red flags for their matchups on Saturday.

Note: All odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook. For more betting content, check out BetSided.

College football upset picks for Week 8: 5 teams on upset alert

5. Oregon Ducks

Opponent: UCLA | Time: Saturday, Oct. 22, 3:30 p.m. ET | Spread: ORE -6.5

Oregon might be the lower-ranked team (by only one spot) in their huge Pac-12 matchup against UCLA on Saturday, but the game being at Autzen Stadium and with the way the Ducks have played since getting blown out by Georgia has swung the point spread just shy of a touchdown in their favor.

But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t susceptible to losing this game. For one, the Bruins have been far more battle-tested to this point with wins over Washington and Utah. Meanwhile, Oregon’s best win to this point is over a then-ranked BYU team that has since started to fall, so maybe that win isn’t that pertinent.

More importantly, my faith in Bo Nix remains fraught. This is a guy who has shown a propensity to shrink against top competition, which UCLA looks to be. They are right to be favored, but the Ducks are in a spot to be punched in the mouth by the Bruins offense and Nix might not be able to keep up.

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