After a Week 7 that flipped the Top 25 upside down, Week 8 brings two ranked-vs-ranked showdowns: No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas, and No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah. Below is a preview of every game involving a ranked team on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Last weekend set the tone. Unranked Auburn beat No. 1 Georgia at home, Tennessee beat then-No. 6 Alabama by 16, Ohio State won 19-15 at Indiana to end the defending champs’ 22-game win streak, and BYU knocked off Notre Dame 28-24. Miami climbed to No. 1 for the first time in 24 years.
Make your own picks: every Week 8 game is live on the RallyFuel Week 8 predictions board. Each pick earns +20 reward points and helps fuel your team’s NIL momentum.
Rankings are the AP Top 25. All times Eastern.
Game of the week: No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas
7:30 PM · ABC
Texas has its back against the wall after back-to-back 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida, and this is a must-win at home. Arch Manning faces Ole Miss, the alma mater of his father and grandfather, for the first time. The bad news for Austin: edge rusher Colin Simmons, the nation’s sack leader with 10.5, was carted off against Florida and is reportedly out with an ankle sprain.
Ole Miss rolls in hot. Trinidad Chambliss has 1,676 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, and he accounted for four scores in a 52-17 rout at Vanderbilt, and running back Kewan Lacy is back from the injuries that slowed his season.
Late-night showdown: No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah
10:15 PM · ESPN
Unbeaten Utah ranks 12th nationally in scoring defense. Quarterback Devon Dampier has thrown 15 touchdown passes, and Wayshawn Parker ran for 171 yards and two scores, including an 89-yarder, against Kansas. He’s up to 597 yards and seven touchdowns.
Houston has revenge history on its side: the Cougars beat Utah 17-14 on a walk-off field goal in 2024. Conner Weigman threw five touchdown passes in last week’s 35-32 win over Oklahoma State and has 20 on the season with just two interceptions. Defensive back Latreveon McCutchin has a knack for game-changing plays. This is Houston’s first trip to Salt Lake City since 1977.
Noon kickoffs
Pittsburgh at No. 1 Miami
12:00 PM · ESPN
Miami plays its first game as the No. 1 team in 24 years. Darian Mensah is completing 80.8% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and one interception, and running back Mark Fletcher Jr. gives the offense balance. Pitt has a gunslinger of its own in Mason Heintschel, who tied a school record with seven touchdown passes against Miami (OH), with Blue Hicks as a deep threat at 19.2 yards per catch.
No. 6 Indiana at Michigan
12:00 PM · Fox
The defending champs lost 19-15 to Ohio State, ending a 22-game win streak, and Indiana hasn’t won at Michigan Stadium since 1967. Josh Hoover and Nick Marsh, who went for 187 yards and two scores at Nebraska, lead the Hoosiers. Hoover has 18 touchdown passes and zero interceptions, and Marsh has 585 receiving yards. Michigan’s quarterback spot is in flux after backup Tommy Carr sparked the offense against Penn State, so starter Bryce Underwood may share snaps. Tight end JJ Buchanan is the Wolverines’ most reliable target, with 482 receiving yards.
No. 8 Texas Tech at Cincinnati
12:00 PM · FS1
Unbeaten Texas Tech is 6-0 with Will Hammond settling in at quarterback. Running back J’Koby Williams ran for 165 yards and two scores on 11 carries against Arizona State and averages 7.3 yards per carry. Cincinnati has lost two straight and leans on JC French IV and Gi’Bran Payne.
No. 18 LSU at Auburn
12:00 PM · ABC
Auburn is coming off a stunning road win at No. 1 Georgia, but LSU beat Mississippi State by 31 last week. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has 1,785 passing yards and 14 touchdowns but is managing a hamstring injury, and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen has led FBS in sacks. Auburn counters with dual-threat Byrum Brown and running back Omar Mabson II.
California at No. 23 SMU
12:00 PM · CW
Kevin Jennings has 1,834 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, including a 464-yard day against Missouri State, and Kendrick Raphael ran for 197 of his 542 yards at Louisville. Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele left the UNLV loss after a hit to the head, and safety Kingston Lopa led FBS with five interceptions through four games.
Rutgers at No. 24 Northwestern
12:00 PM · Peacock
Aidan Chiles and Griffin Wilde connected eight times for 144 yards against Ball State. Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan has a big-play target in KJ Duff, who ranks fifth nationally with 741 receiving yards and has nine touchdowns.
3:30 PM kickoffs
No. 2 BYU at UCF
3:30 PM · Fox
BYU is fresh off a 28-24 win over Notre Dame. Bear Bachmeier threw for 329 yards and ran for 109 against Iowa State, and Legend Glasker is the home-run threat. UCF may get starter Alonza Barnett back; KeyOne Jenkins threw four touchdowns against Oklahoma State in his place. Defensive back Demari Henderson earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors with two interceptions against Georgia State.
Michigan State at No. 9 UCLA
3:30 PM · CBS
UCLA is off to a 6-0 start. Nico Iamaleava was shaken up on an awkward tackle, so watch for Ty Dieffenbach to see snaps. Running back Wayne Knight has 11 rushing touchdowns, including two in a 177-yard day against Purdue. Michigan State is 2-5 and leans on quarterback Alessio Milivojevic.
No. 11 Tennessee at South Carolina
3:30 PM · ESPN
Tennessee beat then-No. 6 Alabama by 16 for its third straight win, and the Vols are 5-0 all-time at South Carolina the week after beating Bama. George MacIntyre has taken over at quarterback, and DeSean Bishop ranks third nationally with 837 rushing yards and has 10 touchdowns. South Carolina has dropped four straight SEC home games, but LaNorris Sellers accounted for five touchdowns in a 38-19 upset at Florida. Edge rusher Dylan Stewart forced two fumbles in that game.
Texas A&M at No. 13 Alabama
3:30 PM · ABC
Alabama returns home after the loss at Tennessee. Keelon Russell has 1,746 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. Texas A&M is 4-3 after a 27-6 loss at Missouri, where Marcel Reed threw two interceptions. Receiver Mario Craver, a preseason All-American, is the Aggies’ best bet for big plays.
No. 15 Iowa at Minnesota
3:30 PM · FS1
Iowa’s offense has taken off with Jeremy Hecklinski at quarterback, and Kamari Moulton has 519 rushing yards, including a career-best 208 against Washington. Minnesota ranks 12th nationally in defensive EPA per play. Drake Lindsey and running back Darius Taylor power the Gophers’ offense.
Evening kickoffs
No. 21 Boise State at Washington State
6:00 PM · USA Network
Boise State comes off a bye. Maddux Madsen threw 11 touchdowns without an interception through five games, and Dylan Riley ranks fourth nationally with 835 rushing yards despite a lower-leg injury. Washington State is 1-6 under first-year coach Kirby Moore, with Caden Pinnick at quarterback and Leo Pulalasi in the backfield.
Vanderbilt at No. 12 Kentucky
7:30 PM · SEC Network
Kentucky beat LSU 35-34 in overtime when Kenny Minchey ran in the winning two-point conversion. He has 13 touchdown passes and just one interception. CJ Baxter added 123 yards and two scores in that game, including a 77-yard run, and has eight rushing touchdowns on the season. On defense, linebacker Grant Godfrey ranks seventh nationally with 67 tackles. Vanderbilt is 3-4 after a 52-17 loss to Ole Miss and starts freshman Jared Curtis.
No. 16 USC at Wisconsin
7:30 PM · NBC
Jayden Maiava ranks second nationally with 2,045 passing yards and has 18 touchdowns, including three in a 31-23 win at Penn State, with Trent Mosley catching nine passes for 111 yards. Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph threw three touchdowns and ran for 130 yards in a 31-3 rout of Michigan State. A night game at Camp Randall keeps this one tight.
Iowa State at No. 25 Arizona
7:30 PM · ESPN2
Noah Fifita, the active FBS leader with 89 career touchdown passes, threw for 341 yards and three scores in a 52-31 win at West Virginia. He’s completing 73.3% of his passes this season. Isaiah Mizell caught six of them for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Iowa State is 3-3 behind Jaylen Raynor and pass rusher Isaac Terrell.
Who do you have? Lock in your picks on the RallyFuel Week 8 predictions board, earn reward points for every pick, and back your favorite players directly through their RallyFuel athlete pages.
