The 2017 college football season finally has a phenomenal Saturday coming up in Week 8. After a long stretch of rather boring weeks that fielded a sparse amount of important matchups, there are now a number of notable games on tap for the weekend. The main event is a two-part affair that features a pair of key battles between ranked teams. No. 19 Michigan is heading to Happy Valley to take on the No. 2 team in the country, Penn State, while the Jeweled Shillelagh is up for grabs when No. 13 Notre Dame hosts No. 11 USC.
Unfortunately for viewers, both of these marquee showdowns will be taking place at the same time on Saturday. There’s no better argument for busting out a second screen or heading to the sports bar to enjoy these thrilling contests simultaneously. The excitement won’t be confined to this time slot, however, with games like No. 10 Oklahoma State against Texas and No. 1 Alabama vs. Tennessee earlier in the day, No. 9 Oklahoma at Kansas State in the afternoon and No. 15 Washington State hosting Colorado to conclude the evening.
The entire slate is going to be action-packed and should keep even the most casual fans entertained, but those seeking to crank up the excitement to another level might want to consider taking a crack at choosing some winners against the spread. Jon Price of SportsInformationTraders.com is one of the best in the business at correctly predicting which team will cover. He’s back this week to provide his take on one of the key contests. Before getting to the pro Las Vegas handicapper’s analysis, here’s a look at the full schedule, TV information, start times, odds and more for every notable Week 8 college football game.
College Football Week 8 Viewing Guide and Odds
Odds updatedon 10/20 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Time (ET) | Matchup (TV) | Odds |
12 p.m. | No. 10 Oklahoma State at Texas (ABC) | OSU -7 |
12 p.m. | Maryland at No. 5 Wisconsin (FOX) | WISC -24 |
3:30 p.m. | Tennessee at No. 1 Alabama (CBS) | BAMA -35.5 |
3:30 p.m. | Indiana at No. 18 Michigan State (ABC) | MSU -6 |
3:30 p.m. | Syracuse at No. 8 Miami (ESPN) | UM -17.5 |
3:30 p.m. | North Carolina at No. 14 Virginia Tech (ESPN2) | VT -21 |
3:30 p.m. | No. 20 UCF at Navy (CBSSN) | UCF -7.5 |
4 p.m. | No. 9 Oklahoma at Kansas State (FOX) | OU -14 |
7 p.m. | No. 16 USF at Tulane (ESPN2) | USF -11 |
7:15 p.m. | No. 24 LSU at Ole Miss (ESPN) | LSU -7 |
7:30 p.m. | No. 21 Auburn at Arkansas (SECN) | AUB -15.5 |
7:30 p.m. | No. 11 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame (NBC) | ND -3.5 |
7:30 p.m. | No. 19 Michigan at No. 2 Penn State (ABC) | PSU -9.5 |
8 p.m. | Kansas at No. 4 TCU (FOX) | TCU -38.5 |
8 p.m. | No. 23 West Virginia at Baylor (Local) | WVU -9 |
10:45 p.m. | Colorado at No. 15 Washington State (ESPN) | WSU -10.5 |
All College Football Odds available here
Top-25 Odds courtesy of BetDSI.eu Sportsbook
Week 8 Full CFB Schedule and TV Info here
Pick of the Week: No. 11 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame
This is one of the most historic rivalries in all of college football. Saturday night will mark the 88th clash between these legendary programs. With a combined 22 national championships between the schools, this often something on the line when USC and Notre Dame square off. There will be even more at stake in Week 8 than there been in more than a decade, as Matt Fortuna noted in his tweet:
It's gonna be 6-1 USC at 5-1 Notre Dame next week in a matchup that hasn't had stakes this high for both teams since the Bush Push game.
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 15, 2017
As you may remember, USC earned a highly controversial victory in 2005 after star running back Reggie Bush pushed reigning Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart into the end zone for the game-winning score. Here’s how that contest and every one since has played out:
USC vs. Notre Dame (Since 2005)
Date | (Rank) Winner | Score |
October 15, 2005 | #1 USC | 34–31 |
November 25, 2006 | #2 USC | 44–24 |
October 20, 2007 | #9 USC | 38–0 |
November 29, 2008 | #5 USC | 38–3 |
October 17, 2009 | #6 USC | 34–27 |
November 27, 2010 | Notre Dame | 20–16 |
October 22, 2011 | USC | 31–17 |
November 24, 2012 | #1 Notre Dame | 22–13 |
October 19, 2013 | Notre Dame | 14–10 |
November 29, 2014 | USC | 49–14 |
October 17, 2015 | #14 Notre Dame | 41–31 |
November 26, 2016 | #12 USC | 45–27 |
Despite a poor 4-8 record since 2005, the Irish hold a slight advantage in the all-time series by leading it 44-36-5. This is largely boosted by an 11-game winning streak that lasted a full decade, from 1983 to 1993.USC dominated the turn of the millennium thanks to an 8-game streak that began in 2002 and ran through 2009. The rivalry shifted gears and became extremely competitive beginning in 2010, with each side earning three wins apiece since then.
USC won the most recent meeting, which took place at the Coliseum last November. The action now travels to South Bend, where oddsmakers have installed Notre Dame as a 3.5-point home favorite. It’s a smart line considering neither side has earned a road win since 2012, when Irish went to Los Angeles and escaped with a critical 22-13 victory, a win that helped push them all the way to the BCS National Championship Game that season. It was also revenge for a 31-17 loss that they suffered the year prior to the Trojans in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said his young men are aware of the stakes, but won’t allow the hype to impact their diligent preparation, as per the school’s website:
Certainly our players are aware of the game, the rivalry. But it really doesn't change things in the sense that our preparation, the standard that we'll have to play to still is about what we do. But it's important to be aware of the excitement and the opportunity that awaits our football team.
USC will be trying to put together back-to-back wins against the Irish for the first time since 2008-2009, but the school will need to overcome the odds to do so. The Trojans have not been an away underdog this year until now, but they have not performed well when put in this position in 2015 or 2016. The program is just 1-4 against the spread in that time period, which means they have not only failed to win, but couldn't keep things close either. Notre Dame has fared much better as a home favorite during that same span, going 8-6 ATS.
While those trends may be concerning for Trojans fans, there is one stat that should have them feeling optimistic. That is the fact that the Irish haven’t beaten a ranked USC team since the mid-1990’s. Potential bettors should note that they hardly cover the spread on the occasions that the Trojans are in the Top 25, an intriguing stat that Brad Powers made note of:
Notre Dame has NOT beat a ranked USC team since 1995. They are 0-9 SU/2-7 ATS anytime USC is ranked in the AP Top 25. This week USC No. 11.
— Brad Powers (@BradPowers7) October 20, 2017
Will Notre Dame find a way to win against a ranked USC team for the first time in over 20 years? Or will they suffer a familiar defeat when the final whistle blows on Saturday night? Here are Jon Price’s thoughts and a prediction for the outcome:
Price’s Take: “This is an unbelievably great game. It’s always fun when the Trojans and Fighting Irish take the field, but it’ll be even better now that both are in contention for a College Football Playoff spot. USC has been winning with displays of fantastic offensive firepower, ranking No. 8 in the country in total yardage largely thanks to star quarterback Sam Darnold’s arm. Notre Dame has taken a more balanced approach this campaign, ranking No. 21 in yards generated and No. 48 in yards allowed per game.
At the end of the day this one is going to come down to the Trojan defense. They have the capability to be great, although haven’t consistently showed it. One area where they have truly been impactful is getting after the quarterback—as USC ranks No. 6 in the country with 22 sacks on the season. That pressure is a large reason why they are also No. 6 in total interceptions with 11.
Notre Dame is just getting its starting signal-caller, Brandon Wimbush, back on the field after a three-week layoff due to injury. It’s quite a game to come back for. While he’ll be key to the Irish’s chance of winning, this isn’t the ideal time to try and shake off some rust. The junior suffered a foot strain at the end of September. He’s claiming to be 100 percent, but there is still a chance that he's not being entirely truthful and that the strain will hinder his ability to escape the pocket. If Wimbush can’t avoid the dangerous USC pass-rushers, it’s going to be a long day in South Bend. I wouldn’t bet on this QB guiding this team to a big win, so take the points and watch as USC either wins, or if they lose, by less than field goal.
Pick: USC +3.5
Prediction: USC 34 – Notre Dame 32