BCS Standings: College Football Predictions, Week 8

The BCS standings are out and our college football predictions are in for Week 8.  There are intriguing matchups between ranked opponents and less intriguing matchups among others.

Will the Top 10 in the BCS remain unscathed, or will we see some of them fall?  In ranked matchups, Auburn takes on LSU in the battle of the Tigers, undefeated Wisconsin takes on one-loss Michigan State and the battle of the Pacific Coast Highway highlights Washington versus Stanford.

Who will fall and who will solidify their position among the BCS's best?

No. 20 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 1 LSU Tigers

In a battle of this year's No. 1 versus last year's national champion, the Auburn Tigers take on LSU in Baton Rouge.  Will the Tigers solidify their spot as No. 1?

While LSU has defeated staunch competition in the past, it's already been a long season for the Tigers, and they host a fierce SEC West opponent.  Auburn enters weaker than last year, but a threat, nonetheless.  Despite the well-balanced attack by Les Miles and company, it looks like Gene Chizik will find the magic to pull the upset on Saturday.

LSU lets down to lose the contest against a lesser Tigers program.

Auburn 31, LSU 27

Tennessee Vols vs. No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide

This game has had plenty of intrigue in the past with Alabama police under the order to subpoena Phil Fulmer if he entered the state, but this year's contest will be an embarrassment for the Vols.

Tennessee is missing sophomore phenom Tyler Bray, and Matt Simms is clearly not on the same level as his Volunteer counterpart.  Furthermore, UT is missing the stable of running backs it once enjoyed and the stout defense it once employed.  Without any of those factors, they will struggle on Saturday.

Alabama, on the other hand, is out to prove that it should top the BCS rankings and that it can outdo LSU in its 38-7 rout of the Vols.  Alabama brings an unrelenting defense to the field on Saturday with a fanbase that seems to never forget how much it hates its northern rival.

Tennessee 3, Alabama 48

No. 4 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Missouri Tigers

While Missouri is doing well to compete against the Big 12's tougher teams, it will struggle against the No. 2 passing offense in the nation.  Oklahoma State is putting up huge numbers and simply can't be stopped.

Will the Missouri Tigers be able to defend Oklahoma State's offense?  Missouri only lost to Oklahoma by 10 and Kansas State by seven.  This may be their chance to finally steal a win from a ranked opponent.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma State has the No. 2 scoring offense in the nation.  While Missouri would like to hang its hat on its 13th-ranked rushing attack, that won't be enough against a Cowboys offense that defeated Texas and is looking to claim a Big 12 championship.

Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 24

No. 5 Boise State Broncos vs. Air Force Falcons

While this game has a recipe for an interesting matchup, it will likely be a dud for the Air Force Academy.  Saturday's contest pits one of the nation's best rushing attacks against one of the nation's top passing attacks.

Air Force presents a problem for most of its opponents with its triple-option attack.  The Falcons are third in the nation in rushing yards, which means the Falcons can control the clock against a high-scoring Boise State attack.  The problem, however, is that the Falcons are susceptible to turnovers and their attack works best against larger, traditional defenses.  Boise is smaller and scrappier on defense, neutralizing the Air Force Attack.

While Boise State's offense hasn't scored on the same scale as it has in the past, the Broncos are still prolific.  If a bad San Jose State team could defeat the Falcons easily, this game shouldn't be a problem for the Broncos.  Then again, Notre Dame had to rely on Air Force turnovers to defeat Air Force.

Air Force 28, Boise State 56

No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 16 Michigan State

There is no team more overrated than the Spartans.  They've struggled against a bad Ohio State program, had difficulty against an even more overrated Michigan program and were blown out by Notre Dame.  Do they have a chance against Wisconsin?

The Badgers have an offensive line as athletic as their skill position players.  Equally proficient in their ability to run the ball and pass the ball, the Badgers make it tough for any opponent to overcome them.

While Michigan State looks grand after defeating a previously No. 11-ranked Michigan program, the victory should be placed in context.  Michigan has no offensive line and their only threat is a quarterback who can't truly pass the ball except for jump ball passes to double-covered receivers.  Michigan's only real win against a Notre Dame program that couldn't defend the jump ball and gave away five turnovers.

Michigan State exploited every one of Michigan's weaknesses and nearly lost the game against the Wolverines, anyway.

Wisconsin crushes Michigan State so badly that it falls out of the BCS.

Wisconsin 63, Michigan State 13

No. 25 Washington Huskies vs. No. 8 Stanford Cardinal

While the Huskies are providing a lot of offense under Steve Sarkisian, they aren't matching that production with the same defensive production.  That will be their undoing against the Cardinal.

Stanford is fifth in points scored and fifth in points allowed, providing one of the most balanced overall team efforts in the nation.  Additionally, the Cardinal enjoys the 14th-ranked passing atttack behind the arm of Andrew Luck.

Washington isn't far off with the 22nd-ranked offense in points scored, but the rest of its team can't handle the even approach the Cardinal brings to the field in Palo Alto.

Overall, Stanford is too much for the Huskies who lose in a close battle.

Washington 28, Stanford 38

USC vs. Notre Dame

This is typically one of the nation's most viewed rivalries, but this year's contest will be a letdown compared to years past.  The Trojans are impotent, and the Irish have underachieved.

The Trojans have fallen far, despite their current record.  Their offensive line struggles to protect quarterback Matt Barkley, whose 5-star status as a recruit has been questioned after his inconsistency as a passer.  Against Cal, his passes were often overthrown or fell far behind their intended targets.  Furthermore, the backfield is thin, especially after losing starter Marc Tyler.

The USC defense also struggles against the pass, which will be an issue against a prolific Irish passing attack.

Notre Dame has underachieved, but their offensive production is without question.  Furthermore, despite a letdown against Michigan, the Irish defense is stout and the front seven are fast.  If USC's offensive line thought it had trouble in its previous games, it'll struggle mightily on Saturday to protect a quarterback who has difficulty without enough time in the pocket.

Look for the Irish to solidify the dominance they reclaimed against the Trojans last season.

USC 17, Notre Dame 44