College Football: B/R Experts Answer Biggest Questions for Week 8
Winning a national championship is the dream, but every program wants to win a conference title too.
Look around the Week 8 slate, and you'll see plenty of pivotal league games. In nearly every Group of Five conference and Power Five leagues such as the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12, critical matchups are all over the schedule.
But you know the nation will be watching from a College Football Playoff perspective too.
B/R's expert panel—Max Escarpio, David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Morgan Moriarty and Brad Shepard—is getting you set for a lovely weekend of college football.
Plus, thanks to a busy recent weekend, the CFP race is becoming ever so slightly clearer. Besides, we have a half-season of information. Each expert provided a midseason CFP update as well.
What's the Best Matchup Outside the Top 25?
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Max Escarpio
Week 8 isn’t the most exciting slate, but a quality non-Top 25 matchup is Purdue at Wisconsin.
The Boilermakers head to Madison on a four-game win streak, set to face a Badgers team that's lost three of its last four. This is Purdue's chance to take advantage of a matchup that looked to be one of its toughest heading into the season, as Wisconsin is in a transition phase under interim head coach Jim Leonhard.
The Boilermakers are averaging 446.6 yards and 34.0 points per game on the season. Their numbers don't jump off the page, but Wisconsin hasn’t been able to stop a parked car as of late, having given up at least 34 points in its last three losses.
Purdue is not the favorite in this matchup since there’s usually a good home atmosphere in Madison, but the Boilers hold the edge with their experience and should win.
Morgan Moriarty
I have to go with Kansas-Baylor. Yes, the Jayhawks' magical 5-0 start has lost some luster thanks to two straight losses to TCU and Oklahoma. But this is still a good team, and it's facing a Baylor squad also trying to avoid a three-game skid.
Kansas' offense should get a bit more production against a Baylor defense that gives up 24.3 points per game. This should be a fun quarterback matchup too. Baylor signal-caller Blake Shapen has thrown for 300-plus yards and two touchdowns in each of his last two games.
The Jayhawks will likely need to turn to backup quarterback Jason Bean again. The redshirt senior, who entered for an injured Jalon Daniels (shoulder) against TCU, has thrown for 527 yards and eight touchdowns in the last two games. He has thrown three interceptions, so he'll look to avoid turning the ball over against a Bears defense that only has four picks.
Baylor is 2-1 at home, but I like Kansas in this one. If the Jayhawks come out with a win in Waco, they will be bowl-eligible for the first time since 2008.
David Kenyon
Shoutout to the Group of Five conferences.
We'll talk Cincinnati and SMU in a moment, but every non-power league has a marquee game.
Thursday night, Troy edged South Alabama in an important Sun Belt contest. North Texas and UTSA are the final unbeaten teams left in Conference USA games, and the same goes for Toledo and Buffalo in the MAC. Air Force hosts Boise State in a key Mountain West affair.
The matchups aren't as glamorous, sure, but these are very meaningful games for each program.
Which Ranked Team Isn't Getting Enough Respect?
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Adam Kramer
North Carolina feels like that team, and I say that looking backward and forward.
The Tar Heels are 6-1 and No. 22 in the AP poll. They have played in a slew of tight games—including their last two wins—which explains, at least partially, why they aren’t ranked higher.
Quarterback Drake Maye is a star; there is no other way to say it. The redshirt freshman has accounted for 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He’s thrown for at least 300 yards passing in all but two games. He’s also run for nearly 400 yards.
Has the competition been incredible? Absolutely not.
I’m not positioning this as a potential playoff contender, although UNC feels like a resilient team powered by one of the best young players in football.
The other element of this that’s intriguing is the schedule. After playing Pitt, UNC plays at Virginia, at Wake Forest, vs. Georgia Tech and vs. NC State. Pretty much every game on the remaining docket feels winnable.
While an unknown future should not shape the respect UNC is trying to earn now, it’s worth keeping an eye on. This is a fun football team with a lot still in front of it.
Morgan Moriarty
It has to be Syracuse, right? The Orange are one of just nine undefeated teams in the nation, and Syracuse is only ranked 14th. Fourteenth! The Orange sit behind five one-loss teams too.
Syracuse knocked off then-No. 15 NC State at home last week, a game in which the Orange defense kept NC State out of the end zone. Syracuse ranks sixth nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 13.2 points per game, and has recovered nine turnovers.
But it's not just the defense that has helped Syracuse enter Week 8 undefeated. The Orange offense is a balanced unit too. 'Cuse averages about 433 yards per game, and quarterback Garrett Shrader and running back Sean Tucker have combined for 11 touchdowns on the ground.
I wouldn't be surprised if Syracuse knocks off Clemson. The one big advantage Clemson will have is that this game is in Death Valley. Syracuse's Dino Babers has knocked off a Dabo Swinney-coached Clemson team before, though. In 2017, the Orange upset the then-No. 4 Tigers 27-24.
Brad Shepard
Syracuse. I know your on-field product is your resume, and the 6-0 Orange haven’t exactly played beautiful football. But neither has any team in the imperfect ACC, including Clemson.
Everything will come out in the wash, as the old saying goes, when Syracuse travels to play Clemson this weekend. If Babers’ team wins, it surely will surge from its No. 14 ranking as the last remaining undefeated ACC squad.
Considering this team plays Notre Dame, Florida State, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest after Clemson, the Orange will get the chance to prove their merit. But they have to feel at least a little bit slighted.
It seems style points only matter if you’re a name-brand team.
No. 21 Cincinnati at SMU: Who You Got?
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Max Escarpio
Undefeated in the AAC and ranked No. 21, Cincinnati heads south to face the SMU Mustangs. The visiting Bearcats have reeled off a five-game win streak since falling in their first contest.
Cincinnati lost a great deal of talent from last year's CFP team to the NFL draft, but a skilled group of running backs, including Charles McClelland and Corey Kiner, have led the offensive attack. Quarterback Ben Bryant has been decent, but he needs to be more consistent if Cincinnati wants to make another significant run.
He is questionable for the matchup after recently suffering a concussion, but head coach Luke Fickell said he’s "hopeful" the upperclassman will suit up, per The Athletic's Justin Williams. He also has explosive receiver Tyler Scott (28 catches, 500 yards and six touchdowns) to boost him.
SMU loves putting the ball in the air with quarterback Tanner Mordecai and wideout Rashee Rice, so the No. 4-ranked passing offense can hold its own against a polished top-20 Cincinnati defense. The Mustangs offense may keep them in this game despite their No. 109 defense, but Cincinnati is the better team and will extend its streak to six games.
David Kenyon
While the matchup itself doesn't have an undeniable national draw—Cincinnati is ranked, but SMU holds a 3-3 record—it's a key moment for the AAC.
Following that opening loss to Arkansas, the Bearcats put together three straight blowout wins yet have cooled slightly. They managed a 10-point win at Tulsa before edging past USF two weekends ago. This is a typical "look-ahead game" with a surging UCF team looming next Saturday.
SMU, once again, has a superb offense. Veteran quarterback Tanner Mordecai has thrown for 295-plus yards in every game, save for a blowout win over lower-division Lamar. Plus, against both Maryland and TCU, the Mustangs stayed within one score. That's the long version of saying an upset is a real possibility.
This is an ideal opportunity for Cincinnati, which has given up the fourth-fewest yards per snap nationally, to contain an explosive attack in preparation for UCF. It won't be a comfortable game, but Cincinnati wins.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Will No. 5 Clemson Wrap Up A Division Title Against No. 14 Syracuse?
4 of 8![TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 15: Clemson Tigers captains Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Tyler Davis (13), Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Will Putnam (56), Clemson Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5)] and Clemson Tigers defensive end Xavier Thomas (3) line up before the Clemson Tigers game against the Florida State Seminoles on October 15, 2022, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)](https://legacymedia.sportsplatform.io/image/upload/v1666220383/vhzcx0wiizkz8u1x2hqv.jpg?w=684 "TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 15: Clemson Tigers captains Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Tyler Davis (13), Clemson Tigers offensive lineman Will Putnam (56), Clemson Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5)] and Clemson Tigers defensive end Xavier Thomas (3) line up before the Clemson Tigers game against the Florida State Seminoles on October 15, 2022, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)")
Kerry Miller
Well, officially, no. Even if Clemson wins, Syracuse could still take the ACC's Atlantic Division. It would require the Tigers to lose both of their remaining ACC games (home to Louisville and Miami), as well as the Orange going 4-0 in November against Pitt, Florida State, Wake Forest and Boston College. Based on ESPN Analytics win probabilities, there's a 0.16 percent (1-in-610) chance all six of those things happen.
But, yes, Clemson will basically secure its spot in the ACC championship for the seventh time in eight years with a convincing victory over Syracuse.
This game will be a repeat of Penn State at Michigan. The road team is undefeated with impressive defensive numbers, but Syracuse has done its damage against an unimpressive schedule. (NC State was good before losing Devin Leary to a torn pec; however, that offense was going to struggle against anyone without its QB and top running back.) And against a legitimate threat to win the national championship, the Orange are in for a rude awakening.
Tigers QB DJ Uiagalelei has been outstanding over the past few weeks, but he has flown below the radar in the Heisman Trophy conversation. He'll have another big day in this one to head into the final third of the regular season as a top-three candidate for the stiff-armed trophy.
David Kenyon
Clemson's defense, while very good, is not the overwhelming unit I anticipated. Wake Forest and Florida State both had considerable success, even though Clemson won both games.
Now, can Syracuse do the same?
The pieces are there. Dual-threat quarterback Garrett Shrader has been efficient as a passer and runner. Sean Tucker is an All-American back, and hybrid receiver Oronde Gadsden II—be still my 1990s Dolphins heart—has enjoyed a breakout start. Beyond the unbeaten record, its scoring has jumped from 24.9 points per game to 36.0 with a significant jump of 5.6 yards per snap to 6.6.
However, there's a difference between some clear progression and competing with a strong CFP contender, which Clemson most decidedly was not in 2021 when the Orange lost by three to Dabo Swinney's squad.
Consider me a Syracuse hater if you'd like, but an upset falls in the see-it-to-believe-it category. Clemson puts itself in the divisional driver's seat.
No. 9 Oregon or No. 10 UCLA in Key Pac-12 Matchup?
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Max Escarpio
This might be the best matchup in Week 8 and possibly the Pac-12 game of the year. Oregon is 5-1, with its only loss coming against top-ranked Georgia in Week 1.
The Ducks have had an impressive season, but UCLA football hasn’t felt this exhilarating in years. The Bruins might be making their way back on top of the Pac-12 if they continue to improve at this rate.
UCLA, 6-0, is led by an underrated quarterback in Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who’s thrown 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He has the help of running back Zach Charbonnet, who’s recorded 615 yards and six touchdowns with a 7.1-per-carry average. Their offense doesn’t look thrilling on paper but has produced in the pass and run game against every opponent.
A linebacker core of Laiatu Latu and JonJon Vaughns leads the way for the Bruins defense. They’ll face a Ducks team averaging 49.8 points in the past five outings.
The Bruins will be ready for another Pac-12 showdown, but home-field advantage will play a huge role in this game. Oregon should come out on top after a back-and-forth matchup.
Adam Kramer
I am putting my faith in Bo Nix. There, I said it.
In fairness to Nix, he’s played extremely well of late. After a dreadful opening game against Georgia, Nix has found his footing with the Ducks. He’s accounted for 20 touchdowns in six games and thrown just one interception since Week 1.
UCLA, of course, is one of the hottest teams in football. The Bruins are also an underdog despite entering Week 8 unbeaten.
My chief concern? Playing on the road. UCLA has played one road game this season, and that game was at Colorado. That is a polite way of pointing out that things will be different this week. Thompson-Robinson has been great, and he likely will play great again.
It just feels like we have slept on Oregon a bit. Sure, the Ducks moonwalked their way into the Top 10, although I’m not sure we’ve taken them seriously along the way. This feels like the moment when all of that changes.
Oregon becomes a legitimate CFP contender with a big home win.
Brad Shepard
All season, many (including myself) have largely glossed over Chip Kelly’s Bruins, but all they do is keep winning.
That’s also the case for the Ducks, who got embarrassed 49-3 by Georgia to open the season but have righted things recently behind the sterling play of transfer quarterback Bo Nix.
You’ve got to love what Kelly has done with his veteran-laden offense, led by Thompson-Robinson, Charbonnet and receiver Jake Bobo. But the Ducks are playing extremely well and get to host this pivotal game in the Pac-12.
Lanning gets his biggest win yet as Oregon’s head coach, handing UCLA its first loss in a 45-41 barnburner. This will be a fun, back-and-forth battle.
Will No. 7 Ole Miss Stay Unbeaten in Test at LSU?
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Brad Shepard
When you think of rivalries in the SEC, you think of the Iron Bowl, the Third Saturday in October, the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and the Egg Bowl. But don't forget these two teams hate each other fervently.
It would be a big deal for LSU head coach Brian Kelly to follow last weekend’s rivalry win over Florida with another one, but that won't be easy.
Ole Miss runs the ball as well as anybody in the country, and the Bayou Bengals are 69th nationally in stopping the run. While LSU signal-caller Jayden Daniels and Co. are playing much better on offense, the Rebels will run the ball down the Tigers’ throats, and quarterback Jaxson Dart will make a couple of huge plays in a 37-35 win.
David Kenyon
UCLA's trip to Oregon is probably the consensus top game of the weekend, but this one is my favorite.
Georgia is doing Georgia things, cruising to a 7-0 start as defending champions. Most of the CFB world is rightfully focused on Tennessee's upset of Alabama and what that means for both programs. Meanwhile, here's Lane Kiffin's squad just running all over poor souls on the way to 7-0.
Sure, the competition level hasn't been high for Ole Miss. That's a notable part of this contest, which LSU hosts. Will the visitors from Oxford reliably communicate their offensive checks while dealing with a raucous crowd? Though that's a well-rehearsed part of the Ole Miss offense, this is the first massive road test for Dart with the Rebels.
Ole Miss leans on the nation's third-most prolific rushing attack for the victory. But it'll be a hard-earned win.
Which Teams Win the Showdowns in the Big 12?
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Kerry Miller
For the Big 12's CFP dreams, victories by both of the home teams in Texas at Oklahoma State and Kansas State at TCU would be the ideal scenario.
Instead, both road teams will win, leaving the league with potentially four teams in the Nos. 11-15 range of the AP rankings but devoid of Top 10 squads.
On the Texas-Oklahoma State front, the Longhorns will capitalize on a defense that simply has not been good. Take out the game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and OSU is allowing 32.0 points and darn near 480 total yards per game. Against Quinn Ewers and Co., that's not going to cut the (Bijan) Mustard(son). Texas wins a high-scoring affair to remain in the hunt for the conference championship.
And in the Kansas State-TCU showdown, I cannot shake the gut feeling that it'll be a 24-21 nail-biting classic that boils down to a fourth-quarter turnover.
To that end, KSU has one of the best turnover margins in the nation and is the only team without an interception thrown. QB Adrian Martinez remains mistake-free as the Wildcats win the first part of their three-week gauntlet before hosting Oklahoma State and Texas in the next two weeks.
David Kenyon
I wish Spencer Sanders were closer to full strength. Oklahoma State's longtime QB has been so much fun to watch.
However, he's dealing with a shoulder injury that is a significant concern this weekend. Sanders' health is the singular reason I keep leaning toward Texas. Ewers hasn't fully unlocked the upside of the Longhorns offense, but he should have a solid day opposite a vulnerable Oklahoma State secondary ceding 7.7 yards per throw to FBS teams.
As for the nightcap, at least in my flawed brain, the result comes down to the running game.
Every foe knows K-State wants to run the ball. All-American back Deuce Vaughn and Martinez have been a powerful duo, combining for 1,207 yards and 12 touchdowns. TCU, though, has limited its opponents to a modest 3.7 yards per carry and a single rush of 30-plus yards.
Kansas State would certainly prefer a slower tempo to limit TCU's scoring opportunities. But the TCU defense is well-prepared to force sustained drives—the old "bend, don't break" mentality—for a rugged win.
Let's Reset: Who Are Your CFP Teams?
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David Kenyon
No changes among Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson. But the road to the CFP has taken an unexpected turn because of Bama's loss at Tennessee—which has another narrative-busting chance at UGA soon.
As a result, the Crimson Tide must navigate the rest of the regular season and win the SEC Championship Game. They did it last season, though, and I'm not going to pick against Nick Saban in a game he's never lost while Bryce Young, a Heisman-winning QB, has been on the roster.
Adam Kramer
In order: Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson and Alabama.
This is a struggle. I won’t lie to you.
Ohio State and Clemson were not as hard to pencil in, but the SEC feels like a bit of a mess. Tennessee is very much in play, although the Vols still have work to do. In particular, beating Georgia on Nov. 5 is key. What hasn’t changed is that Ohio State feels like the team to beat.
Kerry Miller
Three of the four remain unchanged: Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson. As far as the No. 4 seed is concerned, Tennessee finishes 11-1 with a competitive road loss to 13-0 Georgia and gets into the playoff without even needing to play in the SEC championship.
Obviously, an undefeated TCU or UCLA would finish ahead of the Volunteers, but I can't see either of those teams finishing 13-0. (I don't even see either of them getting to 7-0 this weekend.)
Morgan Moriarty
I still can’t pick against the preseason favorites of Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia and Alabama.
Tennessee is absolutely for real, but that game against Georgia being in Athens on Nov. 5 gives the Dawgs an edge in that one. Alabama then has a chance to recover with a win over Georgia in the SEC title game.
Brad Shepard
It’s hard to see anybody beating Ohio State with that offense, and Clemson will run the table in a bad ACC.
That leaves the question of whether you believe in Tennessee. The thought here is UGA beats the Vols in November, goes to the SEC championship game and knocks off Alabama. The Buckeyes beat Michigan, and the committee puts a one-loss Tennessee in over the Wolverines because of a better schedule.
College football has plenty of twists and turns remaining, though.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
