College football, especially in the 2026 season, loves to zig when everyone thinks the zag is coming. Texas was the No. 1 team in college football, and now has two straight losses. Georgia lost as the No. 1-ranked team last week to Auburn. Ohio State downed Indiana last week, but lost Julian Sayin indefinitely. Notre Dame lost its first test of the season in Provo to BYU. That makes our college football picks and predictions each week more complicated, because the flattening at the top of the sport and parity in college football has led to us having to consider potential chaos every week.

There might be less chaos in Week 8 than in the past two weeks, but there is still some coming. Let's find out where we should be expecting that and which teams we should be backing as we dive into our full college football picks for Week 8 with predictions both straight-up and against the spread for all 56 games on the schedule this week.

2026 College Football picks record — Straight-up: 393-105 (Last Week: 40-22) | Against the spread: 263-233-1 (Last Week: 31-31)

College football picks for every Week 8 game, straight-up and ATS

Once again, we keep our receipts at FanSided and already had the four games on Tuesday and Wednesday locked in.

Expert picks and analysis for the biggest Week 7 CFB games

LSU (-7) at Auburn

All due respect to Auburn for the historic upset they pulled at previously No. 1 Georgia last weekend, but this one just has let-down spot written all over it. Byrum Brown and the Tigers must be physically and emotionally drained, and now just a few days later they have to host an LSU team that knows it has no more margin for error in its pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot — and also happens to sport a pretty ferocious defense that’s tied for second in FBS in sacks. 

Brown and Auburn’s offense made real progress in the Georgia win. I’m still skeptical of his ability as a passer, though, and you can bet that LSU will have a plan to try and keep him in the pocket. It’s also worth noting that Auburn got outgained by nearly two full yards per play, only for three UGA turnovers to crack open the door. If this were more than a touchdown, I’d think twice, but LSU is simply the better team in addition to this being a favorable spot. — Chris Landers

Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan

It feels like it happens all the time: a backup quarterback comes off the bench and sets the world on fire, only to come crashing back to Earth once the next opponent has a full week (and some relevant film) to prepare. I bring this up because this will be the first collegiate start for Michigan true freshman Tommy Carr, who led the Wolverines to a win over Penn State last weekend after coming on in relief for Bryce Underwood. 

Carr is a four-star recruit with plenty of physical tools. He’s also still very, very raw, as you’d expect a true freshman to be, and now he has to face an Indiana defense that boasts one of the very best fronts in the country. The Hoosiers are going to sell out to stop Michigan’s running game and force the Wolverines to try and throw to beat them. Is Carr up to the challenge? Maybe, but I’m skeptical. After coming inches away from beating Ohio State last Saturday, Curt Cignetti and Co. have a chance to unload some frustration here. — Chris Landers

Texas A&M at Alabama (-14.5)

It’s an eye-popping number, but it’s hard to say it’s not deserved if you’ve watched Marcel Reed and this A&M offense try to move the ball against anybody with a pulse this season. Six points apiece in the team’s last two road games, blowout losses to Missouri and LSU. Less than six yards per attempt and two picks in a 10-point home loss to Kentucky back in September. 

It’s been downright ugly, and I don’t think it’ll get any better against a very good Alabama defense hungry for revenge after getting run over by Tennessee this past Saturday. That felt more like a hangover from the Georgia game, as well as the product of a truly ridiculous atmosphere at Neyland Stadium, than anything else. I have zero faith that Reed and A&M can move the ball in this game, and I think Keelon Russell will bounce back nicely back in the friendly confines of Bryant-Denny. — Chris Landers

Tennessee at South Carolina (-2.5)

Tennessee is coming off a massive win that vaults the Volunteers into a new realm of perception in the college football world. Beating Alabama, even in Knoxville, with the way the Crimson Tide have looked this season tells us that the Vols defense is elite and that the offense is good enough to compete most weeks. And yet, as they go on the road to face South Carolina in Columbia this week, not only are the Gamecocks, a .500 team, favored in this matchup, but I'm also going to be riding with Shane Beamer's team in this matchup.

Especially in hindsight, South Carolina's two games are also sneakily impressive. They lost on a last-second two-point conversion to Kentucky and beat Florida (on the road at Gainesville, no less) by 19 points. LaNorris Sellers is playing like the player we wanted to see last year and this season. While I do believe Jim Knowles' defense will slow him down at times, the Gamecocks defense has the talent to limit this one-dimensional Tennessee offense. When that even of a matchup is the case, I'm going to give the home team the slight edge.

Plus, with how roller-coastery the SEC has been this season, this result would weirdly make sense in this specific season. — Cody Williams

Ole Miss vs. Texas (-3.5)

Speaking of SEC results that look stupid in a vacuum but would make sense in this 2026 season alone, why not take Texas at home to take down the No. 7-ranked team in the country, Ole Miss? There are obviously serious questions about Arch Manning and the offense right now. At the same time, the defense has been elite and, while likely not having Colin Simmons in this game certainly matters, the Longhorns still have a group that might actually be the toughest test Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels have seen this season.

Moreover, I still have my worries about Ole Miss' defense, especially in the secondary. Manning, for his and Steve Sarkisian's faults, is still highly talented and surrounded by elite talent in its own right. This feels like a game wherein Texas gets things at least more right than they have been on offense and Ole Miss gets punched in the mouth a bit. There could be a weird energy in Austin after two-straight losses, but give me Texas to bounce back and "shock" the world with a big victory. — Cody Williams

Houston (+6.5) vs. Utah

We're still trying to figure out what to make of the Big 12, even though we're seven weeks into the season. BYU passed its big out-of-conference test, Texas Tech has beaten Houston, but outside of that, we're still trying to figure quite a lot out. That might not be more true with anyone than it is with the Utah Utes. Yes, they're a Top 10 team in college football according to rankings, but they haven't beaten a soul that's worth a darn this season so far. That's fascinating against a Houston team that's been tested several times, including beating Oklahoma State last week.

My big concern with Utah, whose offense I'm a big fan of with Devon Dampier leading the way, is that the Utes defense has shown some worrisome signs. They went back and forth with a down Colorado team last week but more concerningly let Kansas move the ball consistently the week prior. Houston is a superior offensive outfit there, especially with the way Conner Weigman is playing right now. The Cougars are more battle-tested, and, while I have respect for the Rice-Eccles environment, Houston is going to be too much for Utah's defense to contain. — Cody Williams