College Football Week 8 Opening Lines, Odds & Best Bets: South Carolina Prevails at Home

After a chaotic and unforeseen Week 7 in college football, the playoff picture couldn’t be cloudier and more competitive. That’s a good thing; it adds even more drama to the rest of the regular season that lies ahead – starting with the upcoming Week 8 slate. 

After cashing my third early-week best bet in four weeks, it’s time to dive into the early lines and odds for the approaching week of college football. Here are the highlights for the Week 8 menu. 

Don’t forget to check Pickswise throughout the week for our CFB predictions for all the FBS action in Week 8 and beyond.

College Football Week 8 Early Lines and Odds

Odds available on bet365 at the time of publishing. 

Tuesday, October 20

• FIU -10.5 (-108) vs Middle Tennessee; Total 45.5 (-110)
• Delaware -2.5 (-123) vs Missouri State; Total 51.5 (Over -112)
• South Alabama -2.5 (-120) @ Marshall; Total 64.5 (-110)

Wednesday, October 21

• New Mexico State -2.5 (-120) @ Sam Houston State; Total 44.5 (Over -112)

Thursday, October 22

• James Madison -10.5 (-112) @ Appalachian State; Total 56.5 (Over -111)
• Liberty -10.5 (-109) @ Kennesaw State; Total 48.5 (-110)
• Memphis -10.5 (-110) vs East Carolina; Total 54.5 (Over -112)

Friday, October 23

• Virginia -2.5 (-104) vs Duke; Total 47.5 (-110)
• Tulsa -1.5 (-107) vs Army; Total 53.5 (Under -111)
• Air Force -5.5 (-107) @ Wyoming; Total 45.5 (Under -113)
• NC State -7.5 (+100) @ Stanford; Total 55.5 (Under -112)

Saturday, October 24

• Indiana -7.5 (+103) @ Michigan; Total 41.5 (Over -112)
• LSU -8.5 (-107) @ Auburn; Total 49.5 (-110)
• Miami -20.5 (-117) vs Pitt; Total 50.5 (Over -115)
• Northwestern -16.5 (-108) vs Rutgers; Total 58.5 (-110)
• Texas Tech -10.5 (-110) @ Cincinnati; Total 56.5 (Over -111)
• TCU -8.5 (-109) vs West Virginia; Total 56.5 (Over -112)
• Toledo -3.5 (-110) vs Western Michigan; Total 45.5 (Under -112)
• Baylor -1.5 (-112) @ Kansas; Total 54.5 (-110)
• Georgia Tech -5.5 (-109) vs Boston College; Total 49.5 (-110)
• North Texas -1.5 (-115) @ Navy; Total 61.5 (Over -115)
• Oklahoma -2.5 (-124) @ Mississippi State; Total 45.5 (Over -112)
• South Carolina -2.5 (-107) vs Tennessee; Total 50.5 (Over -112)
• BYU -6.5 (-111) @ UCF; Total 44.5 (-110)
• UCLA -14.5 (-103) vs Michigan State; Total 45.5 (Under -115)
• Alabama -14.5 (-110) vs Texas A&M; Total 50.5 (Over -111)
• Iowa -6.5 (-113) @ Minnesota; Total 40.5 (Over -119)
• Nevada -5.5 (-113) vs San Jose State; Total 45.5 (Over -112)
• Boise State -12.5 (-110) @ Washington State; Total 51.5 (Under -116)
• Oklahoma State -13.5 (-111) vs Colorado; Total 55.5 (Over -112)
• Texas -3.5 (-108) vs Ole Miss; Total 52.5 (Under -111)
• North Carolina -9.5 (-105) vs Syracuse (Over 45.5 -112)
• USC -3.5 (-101) @ Wisconsin; Total 49.4 (Over -112)
• Clemson -2.5 (-112) vs Virginia Tech; Total 49.5 (Under -111)
• Utah -6.5 (-112) vs Houston; Total 56.5 (Over -111)
• New Mexico -4.5 (-108) vs North Dakota State; Total 42.5 (-110

CFB Week 8 Early Best Bet: South Carolina Gamecocks ML over Tennessee Volunteers (-122)

Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Playable to -150 or -3 (-115).

I don’t want to take anything away from Tennessee’s win over Alabama because it was a convincing win that carries substantial weight, but it was an ideal spot for the Vols. They got the game at home after Alabama went toe-to-toe with Georgia for four quarters in what was an extremely physical game in Tuscaloosa the week prior. They won’t have that situational edge this week. In fact, they are on the opposite end of the handicap this week, as it’s a South Carolina spot through and through. 

The Gamecocks come into this game off a bye following what felt like a season-turning win over Florida in the Swamp. South Carolina may be 3-3, but they really could and arguably should be 5-1 after two blown 17-point leads at home against Mississippi State and Kentucky. I’d be lying if I said that wasn't in the back of my mind here, but I’m not sold on Tennessee’s quarterbacks being capable of leading comebacks of that magnitude. Rather, I’d argue quarterback is a position of weakness for the Vols despite George MacIntyre’s winning performance against Alabama. 

MacIntyre has been pressured 21 times on 78 dropbacks – 13 times in his two starts over the last two weeks – (PFF) behind a porous offensive line that is outside the top 90 in havoc allowed outside of garbage time since Week 2. Going one step further, the Vols are outside the top 100 in front-seven havoc allowed in that span, which is not exactly comforting against a rested South Carolina front that clearly benefitted from the return of DE Dylan Stewart against Florida. Without a reliable passing game, Tennessee could be extremely one-dimensional offensively, and South Carolina is much better against the run than the pass to this point. 

Tennessee looked good last week against a flat Alabama team, but let’s not forget the Vols struggled on the road at Arkansas the week prior and was outgained at home by a bad Auburn offense before that. Now, the Vols are in a flat spot themselves, in what will be a raucous environment at Williams-Brice Stadium against a South Carolina team that had extra time to prepare for this matchup. Gamecocks by a touchdown.