2021 College Football Week 8 Preview, Odds and Picks
There’s a new national championship favorite in college football in Georgia as the Bulldogs also are the new No. 1 team in the country in both polls. Georgia has allowed 33 points all season. Meanwhile, 221 times this season a team has allowed 33 points in a single game. Here’s a look at two big matchups this week around the country including the Dawgs.
Be sure to check out the latest 2021 College Football odds and lines at our online Bitcoin sportsbook before placing your bets this season!
Top 2021 College Football Week 8 Games to Bet On
Dawgs still on top in the Week 8 AP Poll ?⤵️
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 17, 2021
1. Georgia
2. Cincinnati
3. Oklahoma
4. Alabama
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan
7. Penn State
8. Oklahoma State
9. Michigan State
10. Oregon
READ MORE: 2021 College Football Week 7 Recap
Clemson at No. 23 Pittsburgh
- When: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30pm ET
- Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia
- 2021 College Football Week 8 Odds: Pittsburgh Panthers -3
Clemson is an underdog in an ACC game for the first time since 2016 and if the Tigers lose, they are not going to reach the conference title game – they are six-time reigning ACC champions.
Clemson (4-2) has played four straight close games and was very lucky to win three of those. It was 17-14 at mediocre Syracuse last Friday. Syracuse placekicker Andre Szmyt’s 47-yard game-tying field goal attempt sailed left with 38 seconds to play, allowing the Tigers to seal the victory. Defensively, Clemson forced four three-and-outs, piled up six tackles for loss, broke up eight passes and tallied two sacks on the night.
However, the offense remains a major issue. Sophomore tailback Kobe Pace took 14 carries for 76 yards and one touchdown. His lone score of the day came on a two-yard touchdown run to put Clemson up 14-7, a score that would stay locked in place until midway through the fourth quarter. Pace has taken over as the featured back for the injured Will Shipley. Meanwhile, QB DJ Uiagalelei has thrown for over 200 yards just once on the season, as he’s thrown for just four touchdowns on the season to three interceptions.
Pittsburgh (5-1) won 28-7 at Virginia Tech last week. Kenny Pickett threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a score. He might be the best QB in the ACC right now. He has 21 touchdown passes through six games, the most in a season since Nathan Peterman had 27 over 13 games in 2016. Pickett has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each game this season.
Pitt boasts the nation’s No. 3 scoring offense, averaging an ACC-best 48.3 points per game. Clemson is second nationally in scoring defense, yielding an ACC-low 12.5 points. This will be the first time that Clemson plays at Pitt as ACC members. It will be Clemson’s second game in Pittsburgh all-time, though, joining the Tigers’ 34-13 win against Duquesne at Forbes Field in 1947.
2021 College Football Week 8 Pick: Clemson
No. 22 San Diego State at Air Force
- When: Saturday, October 23rd, 7:00pm ET
- Where: Falcon Stadium, Usaf Academy, Colorado
- 2021 College Football Week 8 Odds: Iowa -2.5
This could be a preview of the Mountain West title game with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS Sports Network. Air Force (6-1) is second in the Mountain West Mountain Division while San Diego State (6-0) leads the West Division. With a combined record of 12-1, the San Diego State-Air Force game features the best FBS matchup in the nation this week.
SDSU was nearly upset last week, beating San Jose State 19-13 in double overtime. Aztecs QB Lucas Johnson threw TD passes to Jesse Matthews in both overtime periods for his only completions of the game. Johnson relieved an ineffective and banged-up Jordon Brookshire in the fourth quarter. Neither team scored a touchdown in regulation.
The Aztecs held their 28th straight opponent to fewer than 450 yards of total offense. That is the longest active streak in the nation. San Diego State improved to 6-0 for just the second time in 46 seasons and the fifth time in the Division I era. Brady Hoke is now the only active FBS head coach to lead three different programs to a 6-0 start (2008 Ball State started 12-0, 2011 Michigan started 6-0 and 2021 San Diego State started 6-0).
Air Force was a 24-17 winner at Boise State last week. After Boise State scored on its opening drive, Air Force out-scored the Broncos 24-10 the rest of the way out. The Falcons got bowl eligible and improved to 6-1 for the first time since 2002.
San Diego State and Air Force are two of five teams in the nation that ranks among the top 20 nationally in both rushing offense and rushing defense. The Aztecs are 1st in rushing defense and 19th in rushing offense, while the Falcons are 1st in rushing offense and 10th in rushing defense.
SDSU and Air Force are meeting for the 37th time, with the Academy owning a 19-17 advantage. The Aztecs have won the last eight games in the series, including the last two by four points each (28-24 in 2017 and 21-17 in 2018).
2021 College Football Week 8 Pick: SDSU
READ MORE: Ohio State vs. Indiana 2021 College Football Week 8 Odds, Preview & Pick
Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 College Football season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.
*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.
