Last week we saw a major battle in the Big Ten and this weekend it’ll be the SEC’s turn. Our number one must-watch game of 2024 from our pre-season happens on Saturday as Georgia visits Austin. Is it a possible preview of the National Championship Game?
2024 Betting Record
ATS: 28-31-1
SU: 39-21-0
I went 6-4-0 against the spread last week, that’s solid. I’m trying to get this thing over .500 again. None of Louisville, Arizona, Iowa State, or Kansas State covered with the Wildcats outright losing.
I was a poor 4-6-0 straight up for week 7, as well. My bad picks were Utah, USC, Arizona, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and West Virginia.
Week 8 Games to Watch
All times are Eastern. Rankings are from the AP Poll.
Friday Games
#2 Oregon [-27.5] at Purdue
8:00 PM, Fox
I’m including this game because this is the most let down game for a top team imaginable, coming on a short week after huge win and traveling back East. On the other hand, Purdue might be on the verge of giving up on the season after last week’s overtime loss. Something tells me this one is going to be super annoying for the Ducks, though.
Oregon 39
Purdue 14
Oklahoma State [+9] at #13 BYU
10:15 PM, ESPN
I’m pretty sure I’ve predicted BYU to lose on at least a couple occasions this year. It still hasn’t happened. How the Ollie Gordon-led Cowboys are 0-3 in Big XII play is super weird. I think we’re finally getting my Cougar upset.
Oklahoma State 47
BYU 43
Saturday Games
#6 Miami [-4.5] at Louisville
12:00 PM, ABC
Miami has been teetering in recent weeks (back-to-back wins by a combined 5 points) and this might be their toughest remaining game of the regular season from a very, very lean 2024 schedule. They are so due.
It’s time for this upset.
Louisville 29
Miami 27
Nebraska [+6.5] at #16 Indiana
12:00 PM, Fox
These teams are 7 spots apart on the latest FEI rankings (Indiana the higher at 26th) but the spread is almost a touchdown in favor of the Hoosiers. This is a classic game of an excellent offense for Indiana going up against a very good defense for Nebraska. I really want to see this Indiana story going for a little while longer (9-0 is definitely in play) but I’ll gladly take these points.
Indiana 27
Nebraska 23
#7 Alabama [-3] at #11 Tennessee
3:30 PM, ABC
Just a few weeks ago this looked like maybe the 2nd or 3rd biggest SEC game of the season. Lately, both teams have looked really poor on offense and the hype for the Third Saturday in October has decreased likewise. With that though, comes the feeling this might be a knockout game from the playoffs for the loser. So the hype is back!
Fall in Knoxville.
Alabama 30
Tennessee 24
#24 Michigan [-3] at #22 Illinois
3:30 PM, CBS
You’ll have to kill me to pick a Michigan win.
Illinois 20
Michigan 17
#5 Georgia [+3.5] at #1 Texas
7:30 PM, ABC
Our pre-season number one game to watch for 2024 is finally here. Texas is the only undefeated SEC team remaining and should they win they’d be in great position to make the SEC Championship Game in their first year in the league as their schedule softens quite a bit before a regular season finale at Texas A&M. You might think that game in College Station could be massive after they haven’t played each other since 2011 but I’m here to tell you there’s a 27% chance (roughly) they face each other and then turn around and play each other again in the SEC title game. Something seems off with Georgia this year, Texas should hold on here.
Texas 35
Georgia 32
Maybe this is what seems off about Georgia?
Georgia has had at least 30 arrests or citations for speeding, reckless driving or racing since a Jan. 15, 2023, crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, a member of the USA TODAY Network.
And then you add this:
Junior wide receiver Colbie Young had been charged with battery and assault of an unborn child on Oct. 8 following an alleged altercation with Young’s ex-girlfriend at his apartment. Smart announced the next day that Young would be indefinitely suspended until the legal matter was resolved. It came just two months after Smart dismissed wide receiver Rodarius “Rara” Thomas from the team after a second arrest for charges involving family violence.
Judas priest, that sounds like a nightmare discipline scenario. I suppose your recruiting rankings don’t translate to on-field performance if a host of those elite players are suspended, arrested, or deceased 🙁
It *feels* like this volume of disciplinary issues is high even for d1 power 4 football. Also, juxtapose this against HCMFs tenure, I can’t think of many/any off field discipline issues in the last few seasons… maybe bothelo earlier in his career? I do appreciate the current state in that regard at ND; push to bring in great players, then create an environment where they can be successful both on and off the field.
I totally agree. I love to watch our current players, being interviewed and interacting. And they continue to speak like ND players have for a while, as well-educated young men. Including in many ways the portal intake guys. In fact, MF is so on target about bringing guys in — both recruits and transfers –who fit with not only the coaching and the team but the school, that his other first-time coaching issues kind of break my heart.
Classic UGA. To quote the ol’ ball coach
That Louisville Miami game a sneaky huge swing game for ND. A louisville win gives nd another ranked win, drops miami below, almost certainly locks in only 1 acc team above 1 loss nd and gives nd a tiebreaker against miami.
Also ILL-
Yeah, if Miami and Clemson win out, and Clemson wins the ACC title game, that puts two ACC teams not just in the playoff but above ND.
Whoa, right, I hadn’t thought it through. Come on, Cardinals Bring it!