College football week 8 schedule 2026: Games, predictions and team news
Pittsburgh visits Miami and Michigan State heads to UCLA in college football Week 8. Get kickoff times, OG win probabilities and a quick preview of all 17 games.
Football
By George Karmpoulonis
Pittsburgh visits Miami and Michigan State heads to UCLA in a college football Week 8 slate of 17 games involving ranked teams on Saturday, October 24. No. 1 Miami in the AP Top 25 is a heavy market favorite, while Ole Miss at Texas and Houston at Utah headline the day. Below is the full schedule, including kickoff times and prediction-market odds, followed by a quick preview of every game.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
College Football Week 8 schedule and odds
All kickoff times are Eastern Time (ET). The first team listed is the designated visiting team.
The percentages below show OG's market-implied win probabilities at the time of the update. Displayed percentages may not total 100%. Game predictions reflect our editorial assessment and may differ from the market. Neither guarantees an outcome.
Market data as of October 19, 2026. Schedule and team news last checked October 19, 2026. Prices and schedules may change.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs Miami Hurricanes prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Panthers 8%; Hurricanes 93%.
What to watch: Miami's offense against Pittsburgh's run defense.
Darian Mensah threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns in Miami's win over Florida State. Miami averages 48.5 points per game, while Pittsburgh holds opponents to 57 rushing yards per game, so the Hurricanes will test that run defense through the air. We favor Miami. Pittsburgh's only route is a clean day from Corey Dailey, who threw two interceptions in the loss at Boston College.
Indiana Hoosiers vs Michigan Wolverines prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Hoosiers 73%; Wolverines 28%.
What to watch: Bryce Underwood against Indiana's pass rush.
Bryce Underwood threw two interceptions on 11 attempts in Michigan's win over Penn State. That is a concern against an Indiana defense that allows 12.9 points per game and has 24 sacks. We lean Indiana. Michigan's route to an upset runs through its ground game, which has to keep Underwood out of obvious passing downs while Josh Hoover and the Hoosiers' offense look for rhythm.
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Cincinnati Bearcats prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Red Raiders 83%; Bearcats 21%.
What to watch: JC French IV against Texas Tech's ball-hawking secondary.
JC French IV threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns in Cincinnati's loss at West Virginia, and the Bearcats gave up 45 points in that game. Texas Tech has 11 interceptions, tied for second nationally, so French's volume carries risk. Texas Tech gets our pick. Cincinnati stays in range only if French again goes without an interception and the ground game keeps Will Hammond and the Red Raiders' offense on the sideline.
LSU Tigers vs Auburn Tigers prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Tigers 74%; Tigers 27%.
What to watch: LSU's pass rush against Auburn's protection for Byrum Brown.
Sam Leavitt completed 31 of 38 passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions in LSU's shutout of Mississippi State. LSU has 26 sacks, third nationally, and Auburn has allowed 23 sacks, tied for 134th. We favor LSU. Auburn's path is narrow: Byrum Brown has to get the ball out before the LSU rush arrives and give the Auburn run game manageable third downs.
California Golden Bears vs SMU Mustangs prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Golden Bears 11%; Mustangs 90%.
What to watch: Cal's run game against SMU.
California rushes for 90 yards per game, 137th nationally, and Jackson Brousseau managed 81 passing yards in a 7-41 loss to Wake Forest. That leaves the Golden Bears with little balance against an SMU offense averaging 467 yards per game. We lean SMU. Cal needs its defense, which struggles against the run, to slow Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Northwestern Wildcats prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Scarlet Knights 15%; Wildcats 89%.
What to watch: Rutgers' defense against Northwestern's ground game.
Rutgers allows 31.8 points per game, 119th nationally, and 185 rushing yards per game, 118th. Northwestern's offense, led by Aidan Chiles, rushes for 192 yards per game and won at Michigan State by three points. We give Northwestern a slight edge. For Rutgers to turn this into a shootout, Dylan Lonergan has to repeat the three touchdown passes he threw in the win at Maryland.
BYU Cougars vs UCF Knights prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Cougars 71%; Knights 31%.
What to watch: Bear Bachmeier's protection against UCF's pass rush.
Bear Bachmeier beat Notre Dame with 224 passing yards, and BYU has been sacked only three times this season, tied for fourth fewest. UCF has recorded 12 sacks, so its rush has to find a way through that line. BYU gets our pick. UCF needs pressure on Bachmeier and a defense that allows 21.7 points per game to stay within reach.
Michigan State Spartans vs UCLA Bruins prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Spartans 15%; Bruins 86%.
What to watch: Michigan State's protection against UCLA's secondary.
Alessio Milivojevic threw two touchdown passes in Michigan State's loss to Northwestern, but the Spartans have allowed 20 sacks, tied for 129th, and score 21.3 points per game. UCLA's defense has 10 interceptions, tied for fifth nationally. We favor UCLA. Michigan State has to protect the football with Milivojevic and give the run game a chance to shorten the afternoon.
Tennessee Volunteers vs South Carolina Gamecocks prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Volunteers 46%; Gamecocks 56%.
What to watch: Tennessee's national-best pass rush.
Tennessee leads the country with 30 sacks, and George MacIntyre led the Volunteers past Alabama while throwing one interception. South Carolina scores 37.7 points per game and rushes for 232 yards per game, so the Gamecocks can slow that rush by running first. We give Tennessee a slight edge, even with the market leaning toward South Carolina. South Carolina can flip it by staying on schedule on early downs.
Texas A&M Aggies vs Alabama Crimson Tide prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Aggies 16%; Crimson Tide 85%.
What to watch: Keelon Russell's pass protection.
Keelon Russell threw two interceptions in Alabama's loss at Tennessee, and the Crimson Tide score 39.3 points per game. Texas A&M has just five sacks, tied for 133rd, so Russell should find time to recover. Alabama gets our pick. Texas A&M needs Marcel Reed to show he can move the offense against an opponent far stronger than The Citadel.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Hawkeyes 72%; Golden Gophers 31%.
What to watch: Minnesota's run game against Iowa's front.
Minnesota rushes for 105 yards per game, 129th nationally, and meets an Iowa defense that allows 85 rushing yards per game, seventh best. The Hawkeyes also allow just 14.5 points per game. We lean Iowa. For Minnesota to change that, its pass protection, which has surrendered four sacks, has to buy time for an offense that must move the ball without a dependable run game.
Boise State Broncos vs Washington State Cougars prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Broncos 83%; Cougars 20%.
What to watch: Washington State's protection for Owen Eshelman.
Owen Eshelman attempted 49 passes in Washington State's loss at Oregon State, and the Cougars have been sacked 24 times, 136th nationally. Boise State rushes for 234 yards per game, ninth nationally, which keeps the Washington State offense off the field. We favor Boise State. Washington State's best route is a rushing day against a Boise State defense that allows 107 yards per game.
Ole Miss Rebels vs Texas Longhorns prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Rebels 42%; Longhorns 59%.
What to watch: Arch Manning against Ole Miss's protection.
Arch Manning threw one touchdown pass in Texas's loss to Florida, and the Longhorns allow 106 rushing yards per game, 28th from the bottom. Trinidad Chambliss has thrown three touchdowns in Ole Miss's win over Missouri, and his line has allowed only five sacks. We see a closer game than the prices suggest. For Ole Miss to land the upset, Chambliss has to get the same time in the pocket he has had all season.
Vanderbilt Commodores vs Kentucky Wildcats prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Commodores 21%; Wildcats 80%.
What to watch: Jared Curtis against Kentucky's secondary.
Jared Curtis threw two interceptions in Vanderbilt's loss to Arkansas, and Kentucky has 11 interceptions, tied for second nationally. Vanderbilt also allows 29.7 points per game, 115th, which puts pressure on every possession. Kentucky gets our pick. For Vanderbilt to flip this, Curtis has to avoid another multi-interception day and the defense has to slow Kenny Minchey and the Wildcats early.
USC Trojans vs Wisconsin Badgers prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Trojans 59%; Badgers 42%.
What to watch: USC's run defense against Wisconsin's ground game.
USC allows 111 rushing yards per game, 32nd from the bottom, while Wisconsin rushes for 152 yards per game. The Trojans score 36.4 points per game and have had extra time to prepare. We give USC a narrow edge. Wisconsin's upset hopes rest on Colton Joseph building on his 66 passing yards from the loss at UCLA while the Badgers force USC to defend the run all afternoon.
Iowa State Cyclones vs Arizona Wildcats prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Cyclones 28%; Wildcats 75%.
What to watch: Arizona's pass rush against Iowa State's protection.
Arizona has 19 sacks, tied for tenth nationally, and its defense is 32nd best in points allowed. Iowa State has recorded nine sacks and rushes for 182 yards per game, so it needs to control the line of scrimmage. We lean Arizona. For Iowa State to change that, its ground game has to keep Arizona's rush off the quarterback and move the offense without long third downs.
Houston Cougars vs Utah Utes prediction
Date: Saturday, October 24.
Kickoff: 10:15 p.m. ET.
OG win probabilities: Cougars 35%; Utes 73%.
What to watch: Conner Weigman against Utah's defense.
Conner Weigman threw five touchdowns in Houston's win over Oklahoma State, and the Cougars allow 83 rushing yards per game, sixth best. Utah scores 40.2 points per game, and Devon Dampier threw two interceptions in the win at Colorado. We favor Utah. For Houston to pull the upset, Weigman has to keep up his output and the run defense has to force Dampier into more throws.
What could change before the Week 8 games?
Quarterback and injury decisions across the slate could shift the picture, including Vanderbilt's Jared Curtis, Michigan's Bryce Underwood and Alabama's Keelon Russell after rough outings last week. Tennessee at South Carolina is the closest game in the market. The probabilities above reflect the recorded market snapshot and may change as news develops. Any confirmed kickoff changes will be reflected in the schedule.
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