College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for NCAA top 25 games in Week 8

The second leg of college football’s 2024 season doesn’t waste any time with the haymakers. Georgia’s trip to Austin to face No. 1 Texas in a top-five SEC clash carries arguably the biggest single-game stakes of the regular season. The Bulldogs, though already carrying a loss to Alabama, are still among the standard-bearing programs in the country. The Longhorns have certainly made strides under coach Steve Sarkisian and are now back among college football’s premier programs, but a win here would further solidify them as the team to beat in Year 1 of SEC membership. 

Conference play produces some fascinating matchups for Week 8. No. 6 Miami faces a key ACC test at Louisville to start things off. More Big Ten and SEC action continues during the mid-afternoon slate with No. 22 Illinois hosting No. 24 Michigan in what the Illini hope is a breakout game; No. 7 Alabama and No. 11 Tennessee also renew their rivalry in a key vulnerable spot for both programs. No. 8 LSU is in a tricky prime time road game at Arkansas in a rivalry that is not immune to strange results. 

Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 8 with cited picks from best sports betting apps available.

All times Eastern

No. 6 Miami at Louisville

Noon | ABC, fubo (Try for free) —  I think last year’s meeting between these two says a lot about this Saturday’s big-stage showdown, even with so many of the key players swapped out. Jeff Brohm is an excellent game-planner who can dial up up explosive plays. While Miami’s defense can be disruptive, that group has also given up chunk plays over the last couple of weeks. This has all the makings of a track meet that comes down to the final possessions. Your best play on sports betting apps is to tackle the total. Pick: Over 61.5 via BetMGM — Chip Patterson

No. 24 Michigan at No. 22 Illinois

3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Michigan is giving Jack Tuttle his first start of the season at quarterback, but the Wolverines are still a one-dimensional team. Illinois knows the Wolverines are going to rely on the run, and the Illini should be able to load the box defensively. Luke Altmyer is playing as well as any quarterback in the Big Ten and is capable of leading a few scoring drives, even against this defense. Look for the betting underdog Illini to scrape out their first win over Michigan since 2009. Pick: Illinois +3.5 via FanDuel — David Cobb

No. 7 Alabama at No. 11 Tennessee

3:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — Both teams have been inconsistent. Alabama’s win over Georgia and Tennessee’s over Oklahoma paired with shocking road losses. Alabama is the more explosive team and has shown it can win in a track meet-type game, but its defense has left a lot to be desired. Vanderbilt straight up outplayed Alabama’s defense and got what it needed over and over again on third down. Tennessee should have success running the ball against the Tide, but there remain questions whether Nico Iamaleava can make enough big plays to win a game like this. To this point this season, he hasn’t been able to, though it largely hasn’t caught up to Tennessee outside of the Arkansas loss. With what should be a raucous environment, you are best off betting Tennessee to cover in a tight one. Pick: Tennessee +3 via DraftKings — John Talty

No. 8 LSU at Arkansas

7 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — If you look at each team’s offensive production in conference play, you might balk at the over. But diving into the matchup shows that there should be a decent amount of points scored in this game, and I didn’t want to pick the spread since it’s extremely narrow and I think the final result could go either way. LSU’s defense was good against Ole Miss, but it hasn’t been great overall. Particularly concerning is the fact that the Tigers have the SEC’s fourth-worst rush defense, which bodes well for Arkansas’ pairing of quarterback Taylen Green and running back Ja’Quinden Jackson. Conversely, this will be the best passing attack that Arkansas has seen all year, and the Razorbacks’ secondary has looked suspect at times this year. Expect points. More of them than sports betting apps are predicting, in fact. Pick: Over 55.5 (-110) via Fanatics — Will Backus

No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — It’s weird to see Georgia listed as an underdog for the first time since Sept. 4, 2021, but it’s understandable. The Bulldogs haven’t looked like their dominant selves, with an average scoring margin of just +10.6 points per game and uncomfortably close wins against Kentucky and Mississippi State. I think Texas has the advantage in multiple spots, including an offensive line capable of mitigating Georgia’s defensive strength. As weird as it feels to pick the betting favorite, give me the Longhorns to cover. They’re the better team right now. Pick: Texas -4.5 via FanDuel — Chris Hummer

SportsLine’s proven computer model is calling for five outright upsets in Week 8 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.