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

4. Penn State Nittany Lions

Opponent: Minnesota | Time: Saturday, Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. ET | Spread: PSU -4.5

Let’s make this clear: Minnesota is not on the level of Michigan. But last week was a proving ground for Penn State and they fell on their face. The defense got ran through like a hot knife through butter and the offense was almost completely stifled outside of one long Sean Clifford run.

That’s a terrible recipe as they take on Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are not as good as previously though, which Illinois put on display. However, the offense runs through Mo Ibraheim and he should find success against the Nittany Lions defense. Moreover, P.J. Fleck has a strong defense that could again cause Clifford and Co. problems.

This is a hugely important game at Beaver Stadium for Penn State, but it’s also a bad matchup that they could easily not come out of unscathed.

3. TCU Horned Frogs

Opponent: Kansas State | Time: Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m. ET | Spread: TCU -3.5

In no way should we be doubting the TCU Horned Frogs. They have been handed one test after another and have continued to pass them. What stands out, though, is going to overtime last week with Oklahoma State, a team they looked better than in the fourth quarter and overtime.

To me, this is a product of the schedule that Sonny Dyke’s team has had to run through as of late. Their last four games have been a road rivalry game at SMU, vs Oklahoma, at Kansas, and then vs Oklahoma State last week. That’s a brutal run to know have to welcome a ranked Kansas State team to Fort Worth.

Fatigue in these types of gauntlet schedules is a very real thing and we could see that against the Adrian Martinez-Deuce Vaughn combo for the Wildcats. This is the type of team that can control pace and really gash the TCU defense, which could put the Horned Frogs’ perfect season in jeopardy.