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Now that we are in the second half of the 2018 academic football season, the title-book races are starting to heat up across the country. The best games of the eighth week could have a huge impact on the teams that will play for the championships once the first week of December is over.
It's a big weekend in the Pac-12, with games between No. 12 Oregon and No. 25 Washington State in the decisive race between North Pac-12, USC and Utah arguably fighting over the first place in the South.
We will have movement in the SEC, Big Ten and ACC races as well. Oh, and there are six teams ranked on the road against unclassified opponents. Could there be more upheaval in the cards?
(Amber Matsumoto / Yahoo Sports)
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5. USC to Utah
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USC, winner of three consecutive games, is now 4-2 (3-1 Pac-12) after defeating Colorado, previously undefeated. The Trojans have exclusive possession of first place in the South and can dig the gap Saturday night in Salt Lake City. Despite the winning streak, USC still seems to be a team trying to find consistency in attack. The Trojans are completely missing from the running game, which means that a ton is placed on the shoulders of QB J.T. Daniels freshman. Daniels and the USC offensive only collected three points in his first big test on the road (second week at Stanford). Utah's No. 9 defense could prove a much more difficult challenge.
The Utes also enter this match on a winning streak, after combining 82 points in wins over Stanford and Arizona. Utah took a big lead and scored nearly 500 yards in Friday night's Arizona win, going 2-2 in the Pac-12 game. According to the way Colorado (5-1, 2-1) plays against the No. 15 Washington, Utah could finish the night in first place in the division if it wins. If the Utes offensive continues at its recent pace to join the top 10 defense, it could become a dangerous team as the season progresses and perhaps even win its first ever Pac division title. -12.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Choice: Sam Cooper: Utah -7, Nick Bromberg: USC +7 "data-reactid =" 45 "> Choice: Sam Cooper: Utah -7, Nick Bromberg: USC +7
4. State of Mississippi No. 22 at USS Number 5
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In the third of four straight games against ranked opponents, LSU (6-1, 3-1 SEC) hosts the state of Mississippi (4-2, 1-2) at Death Valley. Last week, the Tigers bounced back after a defeat on the road in Florida. 2 Georgia in a dominant position, 36-16. LSU is waiting next week to host Alabama, No.1, Nov. 3, at Tiger Stadium. The MSU match has the merit of being a trap match, but Ed Orgeron has not allowed his team to withdraw from the match. accelerator pedal at this point of the season. With its status as a candidate for the college football playoffs, as well as the bad taste of Starkville's 37-7 loss last year, LSU has a lot of motivation for this game.
State of Mississippi started 3-0 and climbed to No. 14 in the AP survey before crashing on Earth with losses in Kentucky and Florida. The Bulldogs then had a rebound victory over Auburn to allow new coach Joe Moorhead to win his first SEC win. In the win at Auburn, the Bulldogs returned to an attack based on the run led by quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald recorded 17 pass attempts, the lowest of the season, while counting 28 of his team's 57 attempts (349 yards). Will Moorhead continue to hit the ground with Fitzgerald and RB Kylin Hill or will he attempt to incorporate more overtures for which he was known as the Penn State Offensive Coordinator?
3. No. 6 Michigan at No. 24 Michigan State
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Thanks to his victory on the road against Penn State last week, Michigan State (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) gave himself a chance at the Big Ten East. But it will still take some changes to make it happen. The next item on the agenda is the visit of his rival Michigan (6-1, 4-0), a team that has six consecutive victories to his credit. The Spartans have dominated the rivalry over the past decade, winning eight of the last 10 clashes, including two out of three with Jim Harbaugh at Ann Arbor. A victory on UM would put the Spartans in second place in the division behind No. 2 Ohio State with the Buckeyes visiting East Lansing on Nov. 10.
Aside from a scare from the Northwest, Michigan has easily won all of its six games since the first game lost against Notre Dame at South Bend. Last weekend, the 38-13 years of No-. Wisconsin was particularly impressive. The Michigan defense, now ranked No. 2 in the country, completely overwhelmed the much vaunted offensive line of the Badgers as the attack rushed to 320 yards. Michigan needs this game not only to keep up with the Ohio State level in the Big Ten, but also for its hopes of winning university football matches to be healthy.
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2. Number 16 NC at number 3 Clemson
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NC State (5-0, 2-0 ACC) is one of eight undefeated teams to stay in college football and probably the team that has attracted the least attention among this group. Wolfpack's early-season program was not exactly a juggernaut, but there were quality victories (Virginia, Boston College) throughout the course. Led by NFL quarterback Ryan Finley, the Wolfpack will now be under the spotlight against long-time leader of ACC Atlantic, Clemson. A victory over the Tigers would put the Wolfpack at the top of the Atlantic standings and the CFP debate.
After a week off, Clemson (6-0, 3-0) should be fresh and ready to go for this one. Clemson played his last full game of the season in the final Wake Forest 63-3 defeat at Winston-Salem. The Tigers rushed for a ridiculous 471 yards in the win, including 167 yards and three goals from Travis Etienne. With four consecutive 100-yard outings, Etienne became # 1 without fail and gave freshman QB Trevor Lawrence a very powerful weapon by his side in the backfield. Can he do five in a row? NC State has the 13th best advanced defense in the country.
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1. No. 12 Oregon to No. 25 Washington State
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The Pac-12 North race will be tight. Stanford (who beat Arizona State on Thursday night), Washington, Oregon and Washington all have a loss. Oregon (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) would be in the best place of all these teams if it can win a win Saturday night in Pullman. Oregon would win wins against UW and WSU, an OT loss to Stanford (which was not as strong as in recent years) and no ranked team – even if Utah could jump into the composition – not meeting its schedule . But before embarking on this path, the Ducks need to worry about Wazzu and his big power offensive. Justin Herbert, the first pro-quarterback, is going to have his hands full in a noisy environment.
Washington State (5-1, 2-1), which hosts College GameDay for the first time, has an impressive quarterback to Gardner Minshew. The transfer from East Carolina leads the country with 2,422 passing yards and fits perfectly into Mike Leach's program. The Cougars averaged 413.7 yards per game, 40 more than any other team in the country. Minshew spreads the ball to a group of deep receivers, seven of whom have at least 19 receptions. A win would mean that the Cougars are here to stay in the divisional race.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Choice: Sat: WSU -3, Notch: Oregon +3 "data-reactid =" 69 "> Choices: Sat: WSU -3, Notch: Oregon +3
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "ATS record to date: Sat: 16-19, Nick: 13-22"data-reactid =" 70 ">ATS record to date: Sat: 16-19, Nick: 13-22
Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew is hoping for a pass in the first half of the NCAA-South California college football game on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo / Jae C. Hong)
The best bets of the week 8
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Nick Bromberg (Last Week: 1-2, Total: 12-9)"data-reactid =" 92 ">Nick Bromberg (Last Week: 1-2, Total: 12-9)
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Tulsa to Arkansas (-7): The Hogs lost a broken heart by Ole Miss a week ago. But Arkansas is slowly improving and that could be the game when everything is going well and it's a brilliant victory. Tulsa does not come to understand his quarterback situation and Arkansas could start with a turnover or two. To choose: Arkansas -7"data-reactid =" 93 ">Tulsa to Arkansas (-7): The Hogs lost a broken heart by Ole Miss a week ago. But Arkansas is slowly improving and that could be the game when everything is going well and it's a brilliant victory. Tulsa does not come to understand his quarterback situation and Arkansas could start with a turnover or two. To choose: Arkansas -7
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Cal at Oregon State (+7.5): I will enjoy the bad week 7 of Cal. The Bears were eliminated by UCLA at home to fall to 3-3 for the season. But the Bruins are better than the Oregon State, a team in the midst of a multi-year rebuilding project. To choose: Cal -7.5"data-reactid =" 94 ">Cal at Oregon State (+7.5): I will enjoy the bad week 7 of Cal. The Bears were eliminated by UCLA at home to fall to 3-3 for the season. But the Bruins are better than the Oregon State, a team in the midst of a multi-year rebuilding project. To choose: Cal -7.5
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "# 2 Ohio State to Purdue (+13): One of the best offensives in the country giving less than two touchdowns to a team that yields 5.7 yards per game? Yes, please. Purdue can stay in the game with the big games of Rondale Moore against a Buckeye defense that tends to abandon some explosive games. But the Ohio state offensive is expected to deviate in the second half. To choose: Ohio State -13"data-reactid =" 95 "># 2 Ohio State to Purdue (+13): One of the best offensives in the country giving less than two touchdowns to a team that yields 5.7 yards per game? Yes, please. Purdue can stay in the game with the big games of Rondale Moore against a Buckeye defense that tends to abandon some explosive games. But the Ohio state offensive is expected to deviate in the second half. To choose: Ohio State -13
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Sam Cooper (Last Week: 1-2, Total: 10-11)"data-reactid =" 96 ">Sam Cooper (Last Week: 1-2, Total: 10-11)
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "N ° 20 Cincinnati at the Temple (-3): The Bearcats are 6-0 and have just passed a bye, but they are neglected against a team of three Temple defeats. That's probably because Temple has a 4-1 record since Anthony Russo's entry into the starter squad, including the Navy's impressive weekly win over the fleet. A midday start in a sleepy NFL stadium really makes me feel good. To choose: Temple -3"data-reactid =" 97 ">N ° 20 Cincinnati at the Temple (-3): The Bearcats are 6-0 and have just passed a bye, but they are neglected against a team of three Temple defeats. That's probably because Temple has a 4-1 record since Anthony Russo's entry into the starter squad, including the Navy's impressive weekly win over the fleet. A midday start in a sleepy NFL stadium really makes me feel good. To choose: Temple -3
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "State of Utah (-15) in Wyoming: The Utah State is one of the most underrated teams in the country. The Aggies easily scored points on the board with an average of 51.7 points per game. This figure is the second in the country behind Alabama. USU is also 6-0 against the spread this season. I do not expect them to have problems with 2-5 Wyoming, a team that has covered only once this year. To choose: State of Utah -15"data-reactid =" 98 ">State of Utah (-15) in Wyoming: The Utah State is one of the most underrated teams in the country. The Aggies easily scored points on the board with an average of 51.7 points per game. This figure is the second in the country behind Alabama. USU is also 6-0 against the spread this season. I do not expect them to have problems with 2-5 Wyoming, a team that has covered only once this year. To choose: State of Utah -15
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Vanderbilt at No. 14 Kentucky (-11.5): Vanderbilt dug the lead with a 21-3 lead in a near-surprise Florida last week. He must now hit the road to face a relaxed Kentucky team that has just left the night. The last time the UK has played, it has dropped its first game against Texas A & M. With the SEC is wide open (the UK, Georgia, and Florida all have a loss), I'm not the only one to play. expect the UK to stand out and challenge the Commodores with a big performance from Benny Snell. To choose: Kentucky -11.5"data-reactid =" 99 ">Vanderbilt at No. 14 Kentucky (-11.5): Vanderbilt dug the lead with a 21-3 lead in a near-surprise Florida last week. He must now hit the road to face a relaxed Kentucky team that has just left the night. The last time the UK has played, it has dropped its first game against Texas A & M. With the SEC is wide open (the UK, Georgia, and Florida all have a loss), I'm not the only one to play. expect the UK to stand out and challenge the Commodores with a big performance from Benny Snell. To choose: Kentucky -11.5
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "For Pat Forde and Pete Thamel's picks at Week 8, check out Race for the Case:"data-reactid =" 100 ">For Pat Forde and Pete Thamel's picks at Week 8, check out Race for the Case:
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