College football Week 8: Picks and preview

Some mid-week Sun Belt action, and potentially Coastal Carolina's toughest test to date. The Chanticleers are one of 11 unbeaten teams left in the FBS and outscoring their opponents 293-90. But, they're 0-5 all-time at Appalachian State. Coastal topped the Mountaineers for the first time last season, 34-23 at home. App State will look to rebound from a 41-13 loss at Louisiana from Oct. 12.

Prediction: Coastal Carolina (-4 1/2)

Speaking of unbeaten teams. There's more than one in the American Athletic Conference. Behind the arm of Tanner Mordecai (1,893 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 175.5 passer rating), SMU is trying to go 7-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Mustangs survived a serious test at Navy last week, now welcome a Tulane squad looking to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat. SMU has won five straight in this series.

Prediction: SMU (-13 1/2)

Wake is the lone undefeated team in the ACC, but this weekend, it steps outside the league to visit Army. It will be an intriguing test for the Deacons, who rank 12th in the nation averaging 38.7 points. Keep an eye on receiver A.T. Perry, who caught touchdown passes of 46, 69, and 22 yards in the team's most recent victory, 40-37 in overtime at Syracuse. Army, meanwhile, played Wisconsin tough in a 20-14 loss last weekend, but it's 0-36 against Top 25 teams since the start of the 1980 season.

Prediction: Wake Forest (-3)

Are the Sooners officially Caleb Williams' team? With 506 passing yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, 154 yards rushing, and two scores on the ground in the last two games. We'd say so. What does that mean for Spencer Rattler? Whatever it is, it probably won't get answered this weekend. Oklahoma has won 16 in a row over Kansas by an average margin of nearly 31 points. The Sooners can probably go to their scout team quarterback and take down the Jayhawks.

Prediction: Oklahoma (-38)

Michigan last started 7-0 in 2016, and after two weeks to prepare, should be poised to achieve that feat again versus Northwestern, which allowed 86 points in road losses to Duke and Nebraska. The Wolverines' defense has yielded more than 17 points once this season, but that came in its most recent 32-29 win over the Cornhuskers. Expect Michigan to return to its stinginess against a Wildcats' group that's averaging just 21.8 points.

Prediction: Michigan (-19)

For a second consecutive week, Cincinnati has secured its highest ranking in The AP Top 25. That's because the Bearcats have not shown any signs of slowing down. They've totaled 108 points in the last two games -- versus Temple and UCF -- with Jerome Ford's 338 rushing yards and six touchdowns leading the way in those contests. This will be Cincinnati's first meeting against Navy since 2018. The Midshipmen have allowed 96 points in their last three contests overall.

Prediction: Cincinnati (-27 1/2)

As the Nittany Lions return to action two weeks after losing at then-No. 7 Iowa, the topic at hand is who will start under center with Sean Clifford injured . Whether it's Ta'Quan Roberson or freshman Christian Veilleux, Penn State has too many surrounding weapons to be upset at home. Especially by an Illinois squad that's averaged 12.8 points in its last five games and apparently has little elite talent on its roster -- at least according to first-year head coach Bret Bielema.

Prediction: Penn State (-23)

How many Big Ten fans would have thought that during the fourth weekend of October, it would be Purdue and not Wisconsin that has the better record and be ranked? That's where we are after the Boilermakers stunned then-No. 2 Iowa 24-7 on the road last weekend. Though receiver David Bell (38 reception, 679 yards, four touchdowns) is a star, Purdue averages 23.7 points but is giving up 14.0 per contest. The latter could be an issue for the inconsistent offense of the Badgers, who have won 14 straight over the Boilers.

Prediction: Wisconsin (-3)

This could very well end up being the most entertaining game of the weekend. Oklahoma State has won two straight and eight of the last nine versus Iowa State. However, the last six meetings have been decided by seven or fewer points. Iowa State is aiming for a third consecutive victory but has dropped three in a row against top-10 opponents. This contest also features two of the nation's top rushers in Iowa State's Breece Hall (748 rushing yards, 5.6 yards per carry, 10 TDs) and the Cowboys' Jaylen Warren (705 yards, 4.8 ypc, six TDs).

Prediction: Oklahoma State (+7)

Don't think Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will get pelted by golf balls in his home stadium. It's also uncertain what the Rebels fans will have in store as coach Ed Orgeron begins his farewell tour with LSU this weekend. It's possible we can be in for another crazy contest, considering Mississippi is averaging 43.7 points and LSU 32.4 per game. This will be the fourth straight Top 25 team the Tigers will face, and look to build on last weekend's 49-42 win over then-No. 20 Florida.

Prediction: LSU (+9)

Pittsburgh sits atop the ACC Coastal Division while riding a three-game winning streak -- in which it's outscored opponents 157-35. Now, the Panthers play their biggest game of the season against an unranked and offensively challenged (averaging 20.5 points) Clemson squad. The Tigers won the last two meetings with Pitt, which is led by star quarterback Kenny Pickett (1,934 passing yards, 21 TDs, one INT) and a defense that's recorded 21 sacks.

Prediction: Pittsburgh (-3)

Four Oregon games have been decided by seven points this season. The Ducks won three, including their most recent, 24-17 over Cal at home last weekend. Oregon has won back-to-back games versus UCLA

 but lost the last meeting at the Rose Bowl -- in 2017. The Ducks' inconsistent offense could find trouble against a Bruins squad that allowed 33 points in winning at Arizona and Washington over the last two weeks. UCLA, though, will try to avoid a third straight home defeat.

Prediction: UCLA (-2 1/2)

San Diego State needed two overtimes to get by San Jose State 19-13 on the road last weekend. Things don't expect to be much easier this weekend against Air Force, which is aiming for a fifth straight victory. This could also be another low-scoring affair with the Aztecs ranked 10th in the country in scoring defense (16.0 points allowed per game) and Air Force sitting 12th (16.3), entering the week's action. By the way, SDSU will be looking for a ninth consecutive victory over the Falcons.

Prediction: Air Force (-4)

The Crimson Tide will try for a 15th straight victory over Tennessee. Of Alabama's previous 14 wins in the series, only three have come by single digits. While the Volunteers nearly upset then-No. 13 Mississippi at home last weekend -- amid a wild and disturbing finish, they've dropped 10 consecutive games against ranked opponents. They're also 0-26 versus teams in the top five since a 30-27 victory at then-No. 4 LSU on Sept. 26, 2005.

Prediction: Alabama (-25)

For the first time in the history of the program, Texas-San Antonio will play as a ranked football team. The current class of Conference USA, UTSA averages 38.6 points and has recorded two shutouts this season. Sincere McCormick (778 rushing yards, six TDs) is one of the best running backs most of the nation never heard of and receivers Joshua Cephus and Zakhari Franklin have combined for 86 catches and nine touchdowns. That said, the Roadrunners will try again for their first road win over Louisiana Tech.

Prediction: UTSA (-7)

During the preseason, this had the makings of an intriguing Big Ten East Division matchup. Now, the Hoosiers will look to avoid a third straight defeat after totaling 15 points in their last two contests and Ohio State owns a 218-57 scoring advantage during its four-game winning streak since that 35-28 home loss to then-No. 12 Oregon. Oh yeah, there's also the Buckeyes' current 27-0-1 run during this series that dates to a 41-7 Indiana home victory on Oct. 8, 1988.

Prediction: Ohio State (-20)

The Wolfpack are eying a fifth consecutive victory. Primarily because of a defense that's giving up 86 points this season, and no more than 24 in any contest. That doesn't bode well for Miami, a major disappointment on the national scene, even though it's averaged 46.3 points in the last three games. The problem, however, is that the Hurricanes have one of the country's worst defenses, allowing an average of 30.0 points.

Prediction: N.C. State (-3)

A classic rivalry, but one that has been rather one-sided of late. Notre Dame has won three in a row and seven of the last 10 meetings with the Trojans. This season, perhaps there's even more luster worn off the rivalry. USC has been one of the country's biggest disappointments, alternating wins, and losses and already having fired its coach while allowing at least 42 points in each of its defeats and no more than 14 in any of its victories. The Irish, meanwhile, have had three of their wins determined by three points. Their quarterback situation is far from steady, Kyren Williams is averaging 3.9 yards per carry and they've given up 24 sacks.

Prediction: Notre Dame (-7)

Give the Aggies credit, they followed up that huge win over then-No. 1 Alabama by rolling over Missouri by 21 points. Texas A&M has totaled 76 points in the last two games and boasts a pair of top-notch running backs in Isaiah Spiller (659 yards, 6.3 yards per carry) and Devon Achane (453 yards, 6.9 ypc). South Carolina has yielded 431 rushing yards in its two SEC road games versus Georgia and Tennessee in 2021.

Prediction: Texas A&M (-21)

This is the old case of two teams headed in the opposite direction. Minnesota knocked off Purdue and Nebraska by seven points apiece after falling at home to Bowling Green. The Gophers are getting it done with a defense that's allowed 76 points over the last five games. Maryland, meanwhile, has been outscored by Iowa and Ohio State 117-31 while losing its last two games -- but it's had two weeks to potentially regroup.

Prediction: Minnesota (-5)

This was already going to be an interesting non-conference matchup, but the recent firing of Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich and four assistants for refusing to comply with the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate has added more drama to the contest. BYU's season has derailed some with back-to-back losses to Boise State and Baylor while allowing 64 points in those contests. Washington State, meanwhile, will try for a fourth consecutive victory, thanks to the work of quarterback Jayden de Laura (1,482 passing yards, 15 TDs, five INTs), who hopes to rally his squad in the wake of Rolovich's departure.

Prediction: Washington State (+4 1/2)

At the moment, Utah sits atop the Pac-12's South Division, and Oregon State is tied with rival Oregon for first in the North. The Utes are riding an impressive three-game winning streak over Washington State, USC and then-No. 18 Arizona State by an average of 13.7 points. The Beavers, meanwhile, are back after their four-game winning streak ended with a 31-24 loss at Washington State from Oct. 9. Utah has won the last five meetings in this series.

Prediction: Utah (-3)