Here are the locks for college football Week 8, and after a 2-2 week that pushed the season record to 15-12, the board looks a little cleaner this time around.
Last week did bring two winners with BYU and Tennessee both covering, but Ole Miss and Missouri failed to get the over, and Memphis came up short on the road. With another slate in front of us, the numbers are starting to settle in a bit more as the season rolls on and the conference races start to take shape.
It’s also the stretch of the year where the pressure starts to bite harder for some teams. A 2-5 squad is staring straight at trouble, especially when the next step involves a road game against a ranked opponent.
On the other side, teams sitting at 5-2 are trying to keep their College Football Playoff hopes intact with no room left for a slip. That’s where the picks come in.
Rutgers heads to No. 24 Northwestern as a 16.5-point underdog, and this one feels set up for the Wildcats to control it.
Northwestern didn’t exactly light it up against Michigan State last week, but it handled business. Rutgers, meanwhile, is still searching for its best win of the year and has already shown what happens against stronger competition in that 47-15 loss to Indiana.
Vanderbilt at No. 12 Kentucky carries another double-digit number at 10.5, and the setup isn’t kind to the Commodores.
They opened 3-0, then dropped four straight, including a loss to Arkansas, and now they’re headed to Lexington for a late kick. Kentucky has put its fan base through plenty of tense moments this season, but this looks like a spot where the Wildcats can cover without much drama.
Oregon traveling to Illinois at +8.5 is the kind of game that can get interesting fast, especially with Dante Moore out at quarterback for the Ducks. Illinois is coming off a bye, and outside of its loss to Ohio State, it has stayed within one score in its other defeats. With the home field in play, this has the feel of a game that can hang around longer than expected.
The best number on the board might be No. 7 Ole Miss getting 3.5 points at No.
19 Texas. Texas is likely to come out aggressive after back-to-back losses, and there’s plenty riding on this one.
But Ole Miss only needs to survive that opening push long enough for its offense to settle in with Trinidad Chambliss under center. It could also be the spot for Kewan Lacy to make noise in his native state, especially with his carry volume down over the last month.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Hit With NCAA Penalties As Chris Beard Avoids Fallout
Ole Miss basketball is dealing with the consequences of a tampering case tied to former assistant coach Wes Flanigan, with the NCAA saying the program committed both Level I and Level II violations. The penalties are real and immediate for the Rebels: two years of probation, a $455,000 fine, recruiting restrictions and additional sanctions that will linger well beyond the paperwork.
For Chris Beard, the ruling brought a different outcome. The NCAA did not penalize the Ole Miss coach because it determined he was not involved and not aware of the violations, leaving the program to absorb the fallout without touching its current head coach. Flanigan, meanwhile, drew a one-year show-cause order and a two-game suspension, a reminder that the case is not just about institutional penalties but also about the individuals tied to the conduct. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces A Huge Opening In Texas' Defense
No. 7 Ole Miss heads into its Oct. 24 SEC matchup with No. 18 Texas knowing the Longhorns defensive front could look different than usual. Texas star defensive end Colin Simmons is dealing with an injury, and his status is one of the biggest storylines hanging over a game that already carries plenty of weight for both teams. The latest injury reports on both sides add another layer to what should be one of the weeks most watched matchups.
For Ole Miss, the timing matters because this trip comes with the Rebels trying to measure themselves against a ranked opponent and a defense that usually sets the tone early. A possible absence up front would force Texas to adjust its pass rush and could shift the way the game is played on both sides of the ball, especially with key player matchups and recent performances already under the microscope. By kickoff, the conversation could be less about the ranking and more about how much Texas has left on the edge. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Offense Has Carried This Start But One Test Awaits
Six games into the 2026 season, Ole Miss has built a 5-1 start and climbed to No. 7 in the AP Poll on the strength of an offense that has looked increasingly hard to slow down. Trinidad Chambliss has been central to that surge, piling up more than 1,800 total yards and 20 touchdowns, while Kewan Lacys return from injury has given the Rebels another needed piece in the backfield. The offensive line has done its part too, keeping Chambliss upright and helping the attack find a better rhythm on the ground in recent weeks.
What has made Ole Miss so dangerous is how the pieces have started to fit together at the same time, with the passing game and rushing attack both carrying real weight. The one lingering question is how this offense will hold up when it runs into a defense that can match its pace, pressure its quarterback, and force it out of the comfortable script it has enjoyed so far. [Read more 🡒]