LOS ANGELES, Sporting Alert – College football Week 8 action continues on Saturday with another loaded schedule, with several top-ranked and undefeated teams on the list.
The One To Watch: Utah v USC
Since the early lines were released by Odds Shark on Sunday, a lot of attention has been on the matchup between No. 3 Utah and USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.
The Utes (6-0, 2-0 Pac-12) are undefeated this season and sits atop of the Pac-12 South Standings with a 3-0 record.
In their last outing, the Utes beat Arizona State 34-18 at home, while covering the -4-point spread as favorites.
Quarterback Travis Wilson threw two touchdown passes, while Devontae Booker ran for two scores in that win for Utah.
The last time out for USC (3-3, 1-2) they were beaten 41-31 by Notre Dame on the road. The visitors also failed to cover in the match as a +6-point underdog.
Nevertheless, oddsmakers have the Trojans as 3.5-point favourites against the Utes, despite their problems this season. The game’s total sits at 60.
It will be interesting to see how this game pans out.
Various people are shocked by the Odds Shark spread and lines for this contest, but several college football experts, including those from ESPN, believe that USC – putting aside the season records – is correctly picked to win this one.
Let’s look at the numbers: on the offense, the Trojans are passing for 337.3 yards per game, rushing for 173.3 yards, while scoring 38.0 points per game.
This is compared to the third-ranked Utes’ 204.2 passing yards, 192.2 rushing, and their 36.0 PPG.
USC is also rushing for 5.27 yards on average as opposed to Utah’s 4.57. The Trojans are averaging 13.93 yards per passing, with the Utes coming in with 10.02 in that category.
In looking at those figures and many others, including the numbers at overall yards gained on offense (396.33 Utah v 510.67 USC), you can easily see why there is such a fuss about the ranking position of Utah, as people aren’t too impressed by the Pac-12 leaders’ undefeated run.
In fact, the pundits say the Utes aren’t playing any better than the Trojans and shouldn’t even be the No. 3 ranked team in the country.
Ouch!!
Watch Oklahoma v Texas Tech Closely Too…
Another game on the watchlist in college football Week 8 is the Big 12 clash between Texas Tech No. 17 Oklahoma and Texas Tech at Memorial Stadium, Norman, Okla.
The Sooners (5-1) are 14.5-point favourites and loved 83.6 percent by the ESPN Football Power Index heading into this battle.
Nevertheless, the Red Raiders are not expected to just roll over and let Oklahoma do to them what they did to Kansas State last week in the 55-0 shutout win.
The men from Texas have a better offense, which is being led by a quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, who has thrown for 2618 yards and 20 touchdowns already this season with an adjusted QBR of 81.6.
Keep your eyes on this one for sure.
Elsewhere on Saturday, No. 1 Ohio State will take on Rutgers on the road with J.T. Barrett taking over the quarterback duty from Cardale Jones for the Buckeyes.
No. 2 Baylor host Iowa State, No. 6 Clemson face a tricky Miami (FL), Indiana goes to No. 7 Michigan State and Washington travels to No. 10 Stanford.
College Football Week 8 Fixtures
Live ESPN3, WatchESPN and TV Channels
Saturday, October 24
No. 21 Houston at UCF 11:00 AM ESPNN, WatchESPN
NC State at Wake Forest 11:00 AM ESPN3, WatchESPN
No. 25 Pittsburgh Syracuse 11:00 AM ESPNU, WatchESPN
Northwestern at Nebraska 11:00 AM ESPN2, WatchESPN
Iowa State at No. 2 Baylor 11:00 AM ESPN, WatchESPN
Auburn at Arkansas 11:00 AM SECN, WatchESPN
No. 6 Clemson at Miami (FL) 11:00 AM ABC, WatchESPN
Boston College at Louisville 11:30 AM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Bowling Green at Kent State 12:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Fresno State at Air Force 1:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Miami (OH) at Western Michigan 1:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
No. 19 Toledo at Massachusetts 2:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Central Michigan at Ball State 2:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Virginia at North Carolina 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Ohio at Buffalo 2:30 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Penn State at Maryland 2:30 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
Indiana at No. 7 Michigan State 2:30 PM ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN
No. 23 Duke at Virginia Tech 2:30 PM ESPNU, WatchESPN
Tennessee at No. 8 Alabama 2:30 PM CBS
Texas Tech at No. 17 Oklahoma 2:30 PM ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN
Kansas at No. 14 Oklahoma State 2:30 PM FOXS1
Washington State at Arizona 3:00 PM PAC12
Missouri at Vanderbilt 3:00 PM SECN, WatchESPN
Louisiana at Monroe Idaho 4:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
No. 9 Florida State at Georgia Tech 6:00 PM ESPN2, WatchESPN
No. 15 Texas A&M No. 24 Ole Miss 6:00 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
Western Kentucky at No. 5 LSU 6:00 PM ESPNU, WatchESPN
South Alabama at Texas State 6:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Kentucky at Mississippi State 6:30 PM SECN, WatchESPN
No. 3 Utah at USC 6:30 PM FOX
No. 1 Ohio State at Rutgers 7:00 PM ABC, WatchESPN
Troy at New Mexico State 7:00 PM ESPN3, WatchESPN
Wyoming at Boise State 9:15 PM ESPN2, WatchESPN
Washington at No. 10 Stanford 9:30 PM ESPN, WatchESPN
