College Football Parlay Picks for Week 8

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron won the national title in 2019 but already has lost his job – Coach O will finish out the season with the Tigers but then be unemployed. Here’s a look at LSU’s matchup Saturday at No. 12 Ole Miss – could Rebels coach Lane Kiffin be a candidate at LSU? – and one other marquee matchup Saturday.

Let’s take a look at how the teams are performing so you can place your NCAAF bets.

LSU at No. 12 Ole Miss (-11)

Interesting that the Ed Orgeron news leaked out after LSU’s 49-42 home upset of then-No. 20 Florida on Saturday. With the Gators driving to perhaps tie the score late, senior linebacker Damone Clark intercepted Florida’s Anthony Richardson at the LSU 30-yard line, allowing Davis-Price and the Tigers offense to run out the clock.

Tyrion Davis-Price went nuts for LSU in setting a school record with 287 yards rushing. The junior had 36 carries including touchdown runs of 18, 40 and 25 yards. The previous LSU single-game rushing record was 285 yards. LSU finished with 321 net rushing yards, while holding Florida to 138. The Tigers scored 21 points off four turnovers. Davis-Price was the first player to rush for 200+ yards against Florida since South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore in 2010. QB Max Johnson completed 14 of 24 attempts for 3 touchdowns and 133 yards with no interceptions. LSU is now 32-6 under Coach O when winning the turnover margin.

Orgeron is among the highest-paid coaches in the FBS, behind only Alabama’s Nick Saban and Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, with an annual salary of about $9 million. Under the terms of the six-year contract he signed in January 2020, the school owes him a buyout of more than $17 million. He is 49-17 over six seasons with LSU

Ole Miss improved to 5-1 with a 31-26 win at Tennessee on Saturday. QB Matt Corral, among the Heisman Trophy favorites, completed 21 of 38 passes for 231 yards and threw two touchdown passes while rushing for a career-high 195 yards on a career-high 30 carries. He became the first Rebel to run 30 times in a game since 2007 (BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Missouri) and has thrown a touchdown pass in 18 straight games, the second-longest streak in school history. Corral trails only Chad Kelly (22).

Entering the game, Ole Miss was No. 2 in the country in plays greater than 10 yards, averaging 20.8 such plays per game. They had 17 more vs. the Vols. Ole Miss ran a school record 101 plays on offense. The previous mark was 100 plays in 2004 against Wyoming.

Last year, Ole Miss lost at LSU 53-48. Tigers receiver Kayshon Boutte caught 14 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns. He was recently lost for this season due to injury, missing the Florida game. Corral drove the Rebels into LSU territory in the final minute, but his sixth turnover of the game on a fumble caused by Ali Gaye ended the threat.

USC at No. 13 Notre Dame (-6)

One of the best rivalries in the nation – probably the best out of conference – is renewed from South Bend. At 5-1, the Irish can’t afford another loss and hope to return to the College Football Playoff. They probably won’t make it even with winning out.

Notre Dame comes off a 32-29 win at Virginia Tech on Oct. 9. Kicker Jonathan Doerer recorded his second game-winning field goal of the season with the 48-yarder that put the Irish ahead with 17 seconds remaining in the game.

Irish QB Jack Coan completed 9-of-12 passes for 108 yards with a touchdown. Coan got the start for Notre Dame, but then was benched in favor of Tyler Buchner. Buchner threw a couple of interceptions — including a pick-six, although he did also rush for a score and throw another — and Coan was put back in. He should start this game.

The Irish have won eight-straight road games dating back to the 2019 season. They also have won 37 consecutive-games when they have scored 30 or more points. Finally, Coach Brian Kelly’s team has won 36 straight-games against unranked opponents. It is the longest active streak in the FBS.

USC (3-3) fired coach Clay Helton earlier in the season and continues to be led by interim coach Donte Williams – he won’t get the full-time job. Could be that USC and LSU are looking at some of the same guys. The Trojans come off a 42-26 home loss to Utah on Oct. 9. Drake London had 16 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown for USC, which has lost three straight at the Coliseum by at least 14 points for the first time in school history. The Trojans also lost three consecutive conference games in 1991 and 2000.

These intersectional rivals did not play last season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only the second interruption in the series after World War II halted it from 1943-1945.