College Football Week 8 Picks: Friday Night Lights Best Bets

College football is back, baby! From now until the start of December, we will be keeping a close eye on all the action, sharing our expert analysis and betting insights every week. Stay up to date with the top picks, predictions, and betting advice for all things college football.

Check out what bets we’re targeting with our Week 7 selections!

Where to Watch Louisville Cardinals vs. Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium
Location: Miami Gardens, FL
Where to Watch: ESPN
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Spread: MIA -12.5 | Total: 49.5
Moneyline: MIA -550 | LOU +380

Note: All odds are subject to change after article publication. Get the most up-to-date odds here.

Few people expected the Miami (FL) Hurricanes to be as dominant as they are. The ACC frontrunners started the season as a fringe top 10 team, and the Hurricanes were widely expected to get blown out in their season opener versus Notre Dame. Yet here we are, eight weeks into the college football season, and Miami is still undefeated. They put that record to the test in a Friday night battle against the Louisville Cardinals.

Miami’s offense is getting all of the credit early. Led by Heisman Trophy candidate Carson Beck, the Hurricanes are averaging 428.0 yards and 35.0 points per game. Inarguably, those numbers are impressive. Still, it’s time to pay attention to what Miami is doing on the defensive side of the ball.

So far this season, the Hurricanes have wrapped up opponents. They’re giving up just 276.4 yards per game, the 14th-fewest in the country, which correlates with the ninth-ranked scoring defense. Those benchmarks could improve on Friday night, as the Canes host a Louisville squad that is on a collision course with regression.

As it stands, the Cardinals operate the 29th-ranked scoring offense, which is light years ahead of their 62nd-ranked total offense. Watch their scoring production come down, as production balances with output.

The Cardinals’ defense has feasted on inferior opponents, which has boosted their averages and metrics. But we don’t expect Louisville to have the answer against Miami. The Hurricanes wash away the Cardinals in this one.

Best Bet: Miami -12.5

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Where to Watch (25) Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Where to Watch: FOX
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Spread: NEB -7.5 | Total: 47.5
Moneyline: NEB -280 | MIN +230

Don’t look now, but the Nebraska Cornhuskers have re-emerged as a top 25 team. After years of underwhelming results and burning through coaches, Matt Rhule finally has the Huskers moving in the right direction. However, we’ve seen this story unfold in the past. Every time people start believing in Nebraska, the Cornhuskers fall flat on their collective faces. Unfortunately, we’re anticipating another flat performance against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Nebraska’s lone loss came to the 21st-ranked Michigan Wolverines back in 4, which was the start of an unflattering trend. Since then, the Huskers have given up an average of 29.3 points per game, with all three Big Ten opponents putting up at least 27 points. Moreover, they’ve seen a sharp decline in their offensive production. Across the same three-game sample, Nebraska is averaging 355.0 yards per game, which represents a significant departure from its season average of 450.0 yards.

Minnesota’s defense will be ready to exacerbate those offensive concerns. Through six games this season, the Golden Gophers rank 27th in total defense, holding opponents to 308.3 yards per game. Likewise, they have an elite scoring defense, giving up an average of 21.2 points per game.

The Golden Gophers’ best efforts are typically reserved for Huntington Bank Stadium, and that poses a significant risk for Nebraska. This has all the makings of a classic Big Ten showdown, but Minnesota’s chances of winning are greater than the betting line implies. You could play it safe and take the points, but we’re calling for an upset under the bright lights.

Best Bet: Minnesota +230

Where to Watch San Jose State Spartans vs. Utah State Aggies

Stadium: Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium
Location: Logan, UT
Where to Watch: CBSSN
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Spread: UTST -4.5 | Total: 61.5
Moneyline: UTST -195 | SJSU +165

Finally, the Utah State Aggies host the San Jose State Spartans in Mountain West action on Friday night. Both teams are trying to salvage their bowl season aspirations, needing a win to stay in the running. As expected, Utah State is the presumptive home chalk, but the Spartans have plenty of fight in them.

Defense is a limiting factor for San Jose State. The Spartans rank 117th in total and 104th in scoring defense, a concerning sign of their defensive vulnerabilities. They’ve given up 28 or more points in five straight, including 35 in last week’s loss to Wyoming. Expect the Aggies to poke holes in the Spartans’ defense all night long. Utah State deploys a balanced attack, averaging 233.0 passing and 168.3 rushing yards per game. Those benchmarks combine for the 42nd-ranked total offense in the country.

However, as we’ve seen in recent weeks, San Jose State can rely on its air raid offense to keep pace. SJSU throws for more than 300 yards per game, sitting ninth in the passing yards per game category. Walker Eget was a surprise addition to the injury report yesterday, but we’re expecting him in the lineup on Friday night. If he’s there, he should be ready to build on the 367.3 passing yards per game he’s averaged over his last three starts. Conversely, if Eget is out, the prospects of keeping pace with Utah State look dismal.

Like the Spartans, Utah State has no interest in playing defense. With that, we’re predicting this one turns into a track meet early. We’re taking a stance on the over, with both teams positioned to eclipse 30 points easily.

Best Bet: Over 61.5

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