Top College Football Expert SU Picks For Week 8
Posted by Eric Williams on Tuesday,October 18, 2016 3:49, EDT in
If you like your college football picks like you like your favorite adult beverage, then you’re going to love the ‘straight, no chaser’ trio of Week 8 college football picks that you’re about to get! With that said, let’s get started in the Lone Star State.
A Closer Look At The Top College Football Expert SU Picks For Week 8
Oklahoma Sooners (4-2) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-3)
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 8:00 PM ET
Where: Jones AT&T Stadium
TV: FOX
NCAAF Odds: Oklahoma -14
Analysis: The Oklahoma Sooners have won three straight and enter this contest coming off an emphatic 38-17 spanking of Kansas State as a 13.5-point favorite on Saturday. Conversely, the Texas Tech Red Raiders have dropped two straight and got completely humbled in their 48-17 beatdown on Saturday while never coming close to covering the college football betting line as a 3-point underdog.
The Sooners are the easy pick to get the SU win over a Texas Tech team that plays absolutely no defense whatsoever. While both teams have really good quarterbacks in Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Tex Tech’s Patrick Mahomes II, the Sooners have the edge at just about every other position, including running back where Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon are sure-fire NFL performers at some point in the very near future.
Oklahoma has outscored Texas Tech 105-57 in the last two matchups and has scored at least 38 points in each of the last six meetings against the Red Raiders. Oklahoma wins outright!
My Pick: Oklahoma 42 Texas Tech 31
Michigan State Spartans (2-4) at Maryland Terrapins (4-2)
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 7:30 PM ET
Where: Maryland Stadium
TV: BTN
NCAAF Odds: Maryland Terrapins / N/A
Analysis: The Michigan State Spartans have lost four straight games since winning their first two games of the season, but they’re still my pick to get past a Maryland Terrapins team that has lost two straight – against mediocre opponents no less. The Spartans are completely desperate after falling to Northwestern 54-40 on Saturday as a 6.5-point favorite, but Maryland got utterly overwhelmed in their humbling 31-10 Week 6 loss against Minnesota.
The good news for the Spartans and their fan base is that Michigan State has not lost five consecutive games since 2012. I also think young quarterback Tyler O’Connor is improving after tossing at least two touchdown passes in four of his last six starts and running back LJ Scott should be the best player on the field in this matchup.
Maryland backup quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome is completing a dismal 50 percent of his passes and could get another start for injured starter Perry Hills who remains questionable with a shoulder injury. The Spartans have won two straight in this series by at least 17 points and will make it three straight by beating the Terps to cover the spread.
My Pick: Michigan State 35 Maryland 31
Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) at Penn State Nittany Lions (4-2)
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 8:00 PM ET
Where: Beaver Stadium
TV: ABC
NCAAF Odds: Penn State Nittany Lions +19.5
Analysis: The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to remain unbeaten when they visit a Penn State Nittany Lions team that is playing excellent football in winning three of their last four games. Ohio State is coming off a hard-fought 30-23 overtime win over Wisconsin on Saturday and has not lost a road game since 2011.
Dual-threat quarterback J.T. Barrett is completing a solid 63.2 percent of his passes for 1,207 yards with16 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Barrett has tossed 10 touchdown passes over his last four games. Penn State is playing much better and comes into this Week 8 Big Ten battle off a commanding 38-14 win over dangerous Maryland as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday.
The Nittany Lions have a talented young quarterback in Trace McSorley and a gifted running back in Saquon Barkley, but I’m expecting Ohio State to force McSorley into a couple of costly turnovers after humbling Wisconsin’s young starter Alex Hornibrook this past weekend.
McSorley will face a powerful defensive front seven and the Nittany Lions will have to be up to the task of stopping Ohio State’s powerful rushing attack. The Buckeyes are giving up just over 12.0 points per game defensively and they have the big edge in all three phases of the game, not to mention – coaching. Expect the streaking Buckeyes to stay unbeaten and keep their four-team CFB Playoff hopes alive.
The Buckeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings against Penn State while the favorite has gone 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings. Penn State manages to cover the insanely high point spread, but Ohio State wins outright!
My Pick: Ohio State 31 Penn State 24
