College Football Week 8 Picks and Predictions

Each Monday morning, Whatifsports.com's NCAA college football simulation engine will provide you with game predictions for every D-1 FBS game that upcoming week.

The college football simulation engine generates detailed information for each game including the home team's chances of winning (Home Win Percentage) and the average points scored for both teams.

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The statistical inputs to the thousands of college football simulations are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth charts and statistically based player rankings. Roster modifications are made in cases of injury or suspension and those player's are removed from their team's game simulation for that week.

Games of the Week: Oklahoma at Missouri and LSU at Auburn

At times, college football's No. 1 ranking carries with it a reputation and shelf life that exists about as long as a prom king's reign.

In order to qualify for the throne you must be, in most instances, a popular and respectable football program with a history of success. Teams must be proactive in cleaning up blemishes on offense, defense and special teams to get the votes. Clean cut and Tebow-esque is greater than rich and spoiled.

However, Zach's control of Bayside's scepter is short-lived after word gets out that he's been cavorting with a girl from rival Valley.

That or you get exploited by South Carolina or Wisconsin.

Boom! Welcome back to the land of the peasants.

If the metaphor fits, wear it. It's now Oregon and Oklahoma's turn to don the crown. By default, as they were enjoying a bye week, the Ducks move to the top spot in the AP ranking. With wins over Florida State, at Cincinnati and most importantly Texas, Boomer Sooner has earned elite status in the first edition of the BCS standings.

Oklahoma's reward for a 6-0 start is another road war in the Big 12. Bob Stoops will have his hands full preparing for the Missouri Tigers as they have quietly crept up into the Top 20.

Gary Pinkel's defense is the best you've never heard of, and to be fair their strength of schedule is the reason why, but when you shut down the Texas A&M offense to the tune of nine points, you are doing something right. The Tigers are holding opponents to 10.8 points per game, second-best in the nation behind TCU.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is the main reason why the Tigers' passing offense is ranked in the top 20. Seven weeks into the season, he's amassed over 1,500 yards through the air and 10 touchdowns. As a whole, the Tigers' offense is ranked 24th in points per game (34.5). Although, their schedule includes such non-conference gems McNeese State, Miami (OH) and soon-to-be Pac-10 refugee Colorado.

Considering Sam Bradford missed most of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury, the team has transitioned really nicely under Landry Jones in 2010. The sophomore quarterback has offensive stats comparable to Michigan State's Kirk Cousins and Arizona's Nick Foles. The Sooners are currently ranked in Top 20 in total offense. Their passing game is averaging 303 yards each contest while senior running back DeMarco Murray is carrying the ground game with eleven touchdowns and over 155 yds/gm.

The only glaring weakness in the OK resume is their road test came at Cincinnati, where the Sooners allowed Zach Collaros to pass for over 300 yards and nearly handed the game to the Bearcats in the fourth quarter. It may have been a bump in the road, however, as Oklahoma is ranked 28th in the country in points allowed per game at 19.

Auburn vs. LSU Coming Soon

College Football Week 8
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
Eastern Michigan Eagles	5.9	8	Boxscore
@ Virginia Cavaliers	94.1	33
Duke Blue Devils	7.9	17	Boxscore
@ Virginia Tech Hokies	92.1	40
North Carolina Tar Heels	24.8	19	Boxscore
@ Miami (FL) Hurricanes	75.2	29
Maryland Terrapins	37.6	21	Boxscore
@ Boston College Eagles	62.4	28
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	64.4	29	Boxscore
@ Clemson Tigers	35.6	27
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	11.9	11	Boxscore
@ Pittsburgh Panthers	88.1	31
Syracuse Orange	17.8	16	Boxscore
@ West Virginia Mountaineers	82.2	30
South Florida Bulls	20.8	17	Boxscore
@ Cincinnati Bearcats	79.2	31
Connecticut Huskies	64.4	26	Boxscore
@ Louisville Cardinals	35.6	23
Purdue Boilermakers	5.0	10	Boxscore
@ Ohio State Buckeyes	95.0	39
Wisconsin Badgers	30.7	22	Boxscore
@ Iowa Hawkeyes	69.3	30
Indiana Hoosiers	48.5	28	Boxscore
@ Illinois Fighting Illini	51.5	31
Michigan State Spartans	65.3	32	Boxscore
@ Northwestern Wildcats	34.7	29
Penn State Nittany Lions	95.0	36	Boxscore
@ Minnesota Golden Gophers	5.0	13
Ball State Cardinals	15.8	16	Boxscore
@ Toledo Rockets	84.2	33
Central Michigan Chippewas	26.7	19	Boxscore
@ Northern Illinois Huskies	73.3	30
Western Michigan Broncos	39.6	20	Boxscore
@ Akron Zips	60.4	24
Kent State Golden Flashes	55.4	20	Boxscore
@ Bowling Green Falcons	44.6	19
Temple Owls	85.1	31	Boxscore
@ Buffalo Bulls	14.9	18
Ohio Bobcats	95.0	32	Boxscore
@ Miami (OH) RedHawks	5.0	12
Washington State Cougars	5.0	15	Boxscore
@ Stanford Cardinal	95.0	48
UCLA Bruins	5.0	11	Boxscore
@ Oregon Ducks	95.0	38
Washington Huskies	8.9	16	Boxscore
@ Arizona Wildcats	91.1	37
Arizona State Sun Devils	52.5	29	Boxscore
@ California Golden Bears	47.5	29
UAB Blazers	9.9	19	Boxscore
@ Mississippi State Bulldogs	90.1	41
Mississippi Rebels	12.9	29	Boxscore
@ Arkansas Razorbacks	87.1	44
LSU Tigers	32.7	24	Boxscore
@ Auburn Tigers	67.3	30
Georgia Bulldogs	75.2	31	Boxscore
@ Kentucky Wildcats	24.8	23
Alabama Crimson Tide	95.0	34	Boxscore
@ Tennessee Volunteers	5.0	13
South Carolina Gamecocks	95.0	40	Boxscore
@ Vanderbilt Commodores	5.0	11
New Mexico State Aggies	5.0	10	Boxscore
@ Idaho Vandals	95.0	46
Hawaii Warriors	64.4	35	Boxscore
@ Utah State Aggies	35.6	31
Fresno State Bulldogs	92.1	35	Boxscore
@ San Jose State Spartans	7.9	16
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	83.2	30	Boxscore
@ Navy Midshipmen	16.8	20
Iowa State Cyclones	5.0	10	Boxscore
@ Texas Longhorns	95.0	38
Kansas State Wildcats	20.8	19	Boxscore
@ Baylor Bears	79.2	32
Nebraska Cornhuskers	38.6	25	Boxscore
@ Oklahoma State Cowboys	61.4	31
Oklahoma Sooners	52.5	32	Boxscore
@ Missouri Tigers	47.5	31
Texas Tech Red Raiders	82.2	32	Boxscore
@ Colorado Buffaloes	17.8	20
Texas A&M Aggies	95.0	39	Boxscore
@ Kansas Jayhawks	5.0	18
Rice Owls	5.0	18	Boxscore
@ UCF Knights	95.0	40
Tulane Green Wave	23.8	22	Boxscore
@ UTEP Miners	76.2	35
Marshall Thundering Herd	25.7	19	Boxscore
@ East Carolina Pirates	74.3	30
Houston Cougars	38.6	29	Boxscore
@ Southern Methodist Mustangs	61.4	35
Colorado State Rams	5.0	11	Boxscore
@ Utah Utes	95.0	42
Air Force Falcons	5.0	13	Boxscore
@ TCU Horned Frogs	95.0	44
Wyoming Cowboys	31.7	14	Boxscore
@ Brigham Young Cougars	68.3	24
San Diego State Aztecs	95.0	36	Boxscore
@ New Mexico Lobos	5.0	12
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers	16.8	13	Boxscore
@ Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns	83.2	30
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks	41.6	25	Boxscore
@ Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders	58.4	29
Florida Atlantic Owls	42.6	27	Boxscore
@ Arkansas State Red Wolves	57.4	30