Best College Football Bets Week 8

#7 Penn State @ #3 Ohio State 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets using our exclusive link.  

PICK: Penn State +4.5 (-110)

The Big Ten East is one of the most competitive divisions in any national conference. Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan are all in the AP top ten. Saturday’s Ohio State vs Penn State game will mark the first collision between these teams. 

The winner sets themselves up for a Big Ten East title game with the Wolverines later in the year. The Nittany Lions face the Wolverines in late November at home, while the Buckeyes will travel to the Big House to conclude the regular season. 

Michigan is the best of the three teams in the division, but this doesn’t mean Penn State or Ohio State couldn’t advance to the Big Ten Championship out of the East. Both these teams are explosive, but only one will prevail on Saturday. 

The biggest knock against Penn State under James Franklin is that they can’t win the big game. This knock has turned into a harsh reality. Franklin is a great recruiter, but taking Penn State from good to great hasn’t been his strong suit. 

However, this year’s Penn State team is different from the ones in years past. They have talent on offense, defense, and special teams. They also have covered the spread in every game this season. They’re winning the games they’re supposed to win by many points. 

Ohio State’s biggest challenge came against Notre Dame, where they won in the final seconds. The Buckeyes have been efficient all over the field and have a severe passing attack with Kyle McCord. 

McCord has found Marvin Harrison Jr. all season down the field, but this will be a tough matchup for the duo. The Nittany Lions are great on defense, allowing just 193.7 yards per game. They haven’t been challenged much, but the talent is still there for Penn State to control the tempo of this game. 

If Drew Allar can continue to manage the game and not turn the ball over, Penn State has a realistic chance of upsetting the Buckeyes on the road. However, we will take the 4.5 points rather than playing the moneyline, as it’s safer in a challenging road environment.

#17 Tennessee @ #11 Alabama 

PICK: Alabama -9

Tennessee's +9 against Alabama may seem like a gift, as they’ve been dominant recently. Their one loss was a blowout against Florida in The Swamp, and we believe this game will resemble that same script. 

The biggest issue with Tennessee is how they play on the road. Their quarterback, Joe Milton III, is very good at home but atrocious on the road and hasn’t been tested. Milton was 20 of 34 for 287 yards against Florida with a bad interception. 

Tennessee lost this game 29-16, and the Volunteers were out of the contest by the fourth quarter. On the flip side, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe hasn’t been the best this season. 

Milroe was benched following a bad home performance against Texas. However, Nick Saban quickly realized that Milroe was the best option in the quarterback room. This got him back on the field, and he hasn’t disappointed with his second chance. 

Milroe established himself as the starting quarterback in the past four weeks with a 4-0 record. He has sometimes turned the ball over, which is a given, but he is getting better at reading defenses and making throws in high-leverage situations. 

We can trust Milroe at home, and we can’t rely on Milton on the road. The Tuscaloosa crowd will be rocking as Alabama still has a realistic chance of winning the SEC. If Alabama can jump on Tennessee early, they should finish the job in the second half.