College Football Picks Today: Best Bets for Week 8 CFB (Oct. 24)
By Blair Johnson in College Football
Published:
- Week 8 delivers a stacked Saturday slate with three ranked teams on the road at noon ET
- I am backing two point spreads and one total built on rushing, ball security and pass-rush data
- Read below for my college football picks today and best bets for Oct. 24
Week 7 flipped the college football landscape. Indiana’s 22-game winning streak ended in a 19-15 loss to Ohio State, and Auburn stunned Georgia 27-24 on a last-second field goal in Athens. Those results set up a fascinating early window for Week 8 this Saturday.
No. 6 Indiana visits Michigan, which is expected to start freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. No. 8 Texas Tech brings a 6-0 record to Cincinnati, while No. 18 LSU travels to Auburn. All three games kick off at noon ET, and I checked the latest college football odds before building my card.
I targeted spots where the matchup data points clearly in one direction. Here are my best bets for Week 8 CFB, with prices from BetMGM and FanDuel.
College Football Picks Today
My card leans on two spreads and one total. Indiana is the lone favorite I am laying points with, while Cincinnati gets double digits at home. The LSU-Auburn Under is the cheapest price of the three at -105, which keeps its break-even rate lowest on the card.
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College Football Picks Today #1: Indiana -7
- Pick: Indiana -7 (-114 at BetMGM)
Michigan’s offense is the problem in this Indiana vs. Michigan prediction. The Wolverines have failed to score more than 21 points in five of six games, and their 17 scrimmage plays of 20-plus yards rank second fewest in the Big Ten.
Carr is expected to make his first career start after leading three second-half touchdown drives against Penn State. If he does, he meets an Indiana defense allowing 12.0 points per game since the start of the 2025 season.
Michigan’s ground game has also slipped to 147.7 rushing yards per game, down from 210.2 last season. On the other side, Josh Hoover has thrown 199 consecutive passes without an interception and missed just one play after hurting his right arm or shoulder against Ohio State.
Both teams have struggled against the number. Indiana is 1-6 ATS and Michigan is on an 0-3 ATS skid, but I trust this Hoosiers defense to cover a full touchdown.
College Football Picks Today #2: Cincinnati +10.5
- Pick: Cincinnati +10.5 (-108 at FanDuel)
The Texas Tech vs. Cincinnati odds make the Red Raiders double-digit road favorites, but I see value on the home side. Cincinnati runs for 231.2 yards per game, fourth among Power 4 teams, against a Red Raiders defense allowing 82.0 rushing yards per game in 2026.
The bigger edge is ball security. Cincinnati has only two giveaways this season, tied for the fewest in FBS, and JC French IV has thrown 237 consecutive passes without an interception, the longest active streak in FBS.
That matters against a Texas Tech defense with four defensive touchdowns this season, all in its last three games. French just threw for 389 yards and ran for 52 against West Virginia, and Cole Tabb’s 9.14 yards per carry ranks second in FBS (minimum 40 attempts).
The risk is a Bearcats defense that allowed 1,120 yards over its last two games, but double digits gives Cincinnati plenty of cushion.
College Football Picks Today #3: LSU vs Auburn Under 50.5
- Pick: LSU vs Auburn Under 50.5 (-105 at BetMGM)
My LSU vs. Auburn prediction starts in the trenches. LSU ranks second in the country with 27 sacks, while Auburn’s offensive line has allowed 23, the fourth-most nationally.
LSU has outscored opponents 283-111 through seven games, including a 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State last week. Auburn has scored 161 points in six games, and its offense leans heavily on quarterback Byrum Brown’s legs.
Brown ran for 115 yards in the upset at Georgia, and that run-first approach should shorten the game. The Under is also 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in this series. I expect a grind that stays below the number.
Odds as of Friday, October 23, and subject to change.
Sports Writer
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
