College Football Picks Week 8: Predictions for Top 25 Games on Upcoming Schedule
It will be hard for Week 8 in college football to top the chaotic set of results from Week 7.
While there may not be a rush of upsets sweeping the AP Top 25, there are some crucial clashes that could go a long way to determining which programs end up in the top four of the first College Football Playoff rankings.
A pair of Top 10 teams face challenging in-conference road trips in Week 8, while a pair of divisional races in two power conferences could be settled.
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In total, 10 ranked teams have to hit the road in Week 8, with two of Week 7's top victors, Michigan and Oregon, facing the toughest tests.
Week 8 Schedule and Predictions
All Times ET.
Predicted winners in bold.
Saturday, October 20
No. 6 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State (Noon, Fox)
No. 9 Oklahoma at TCU (Noon, ABC)
Maryland at No. 19 Iowa (Noon, ESPN2)
No. 20 Cincinnati at Temple (Noon, ESPNU)
Illinois at No. 23 Wisconsin (Noon, FS1)
No. 1 Alabama at Tennessee (3:30 p.m., CBS)
No. 16 NC State at No. 3 Clemson (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Colorado at No. 15 Washington (3:30 p.m., Fox)
No. 18 Penn State at Indiana (3:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 22 Mississippi State at No. 5 LSU (7 p.m., ESPN)
No. 10 UCF at East Carolina (7 p.m., ESPN2)
UConn at No. 21 South Florida (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network)
No. 2 Ohio State at Purdue (7:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 12 Oregon at No. 25 Washington State (7:30 p.m., Fox)
Vanderbilt at No. 14 Kentucky (7:30 p.m., SEC Network)
Predictions
Clemson 27, NC State 24
The rare mid-October clash of undefeated teams will decide the ACC Atlantic champion.
Third-ranked Clemson and No. 16 NC State enter Saturday's clash on plenty of rest, as both programs had byes in Week 7.
The Tigers have plenty on the line in terms of the College Football Playoff, as Saturday represents one of the few tests they'll face before the ACC Championship.
Clemson's quarterback situation received plenty of headlines after freshman Trevor Lawrence beat out Kelly Bryant for the starting job, which in turn caused Bryant to transfer from the program.
While it's easy to get deep into a discussion about Lawrence and his potential, you need to give some love to Clemson's running game.
The Tigers produced three 100-yard rushers in the 63-3 demolition of Wake Forest, with Travis Etienne leading the way with 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
NC State's standout star is also a quarterback, as Ryan Finley is one of the top upperclassmen at his position, and he could be a potential first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Finley's thrown for over 300 yards in four of his five games, but he'll face his toughest challenge of the season against Clemson's defensive line chock full of NFL talent.
In order to alleviate some of the pressure headed toward Finley, the Wolfpack need balance on offense similar to what they received in the 28-23 win over Boston College in which Reggie Gallaspy II ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns and Ricky Person Jr. totaled 92 yards on the ground.
While recent numbers suggest an offense-dominated affair, Clemson and NC State rank in the top 10 in total defense.
Clemson sits sixth in points conceded per game with 14.5, while NC State is 16th at 16.8, which means points could come at a premium for the majority of the contest.
Eventually, the skill of both offenses will take over, and the team with the final possession will come out on top.
Finley will put the Wolfpack ahead in the fourth quarter, but Saturday will be remembered as the first major moment in Lawrence's collegiate career, as he engineers a comeback that keeps Dabo Swinney's team undefeated.
Michigan 31, Michigan State 21
Jim Harbaugh and Mark Dantonio have the unenviable task of keeping their respective programs level-headed after massive Week 7 victories.
Neither No. 6 Michigan nor No. 24 Michigan State can afford another loss in the Big Ten East, which makes Saturday's rivalry clash so important.
The sixth-ranked Wolverines have been rolling since their Week 1 defeat to Notre Dame, and Saturday's victory over Wisconsin reinforced the progression Shea Patterson and Co. have made to date.
Patterson totaled 214 yards, with 90 of them coming on the ground, in the 38-13 win over the Badgers, while Karan Higdon put up 105 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Sustaining those numbers for another week won't be easy, as Michigan State boasts the top rushing defense in the FBS.
The Spartans will be motivated to turn in a much better performance against the run in Week 8 than they produced against Penn State, as they allowed 205 yards on the ground to Miles Sanders and Co.
The key for the Wolverines defensively will be containing Michigan State's combination of Brian Lewerke and Felton Davis.
Lerweke and Davis combined for a few big plays, including the game-winning touchdown, in the 21-17 win over the Nittany Lions, as they connected on eight passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Michigan's defense ranks 37th in the FBS in passing yards conceded per game, while it has let up 12 touchdowns through the air.
Although Harbaugh's coaching has come under the microscope more than Dantonio's decision-making, the coaching matchup is a push, as both are more than capable of putting together a winning game plan in a big game.
Much like the Clemson-NC State game, the difference-maker will be a quarterback delivering his defining moment.
Patterson will take over the second half for the Wolverines and set his team on track for a Big Ten East title game against Ohio State November 24.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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