The end of October is one of the best times for following NCAA college football with conference races taking shape along with a handful of unbeaten teams trying to run the table. College football week 7 is in the books and we are on to week 8 which features unranked teams with a chance to jump into the Top 25 by pulling an upset over a strong conference rival or by making headlines knocking off an undefeated or Top 10 team.
It's a great time for total players, as offenses have had two months to get in sync and are playing at a high level of precision. Oddsmakers are in sync, as well, with mountains of season stats to draw on along with a good understanding of how many points each team is going to score to help narrow down sides and totals. The level of betting interest and action is high, too.
To beat those odds, it takes skill, discipline, and a keen betting eye to handicap the best college football picks wagering opportunities, such as first-half totals, proposition team totals, emotional games, and the right situational spots.
Looking for computer picks that beat the spread? Get my week 7 college football computer picks (ATS), updated weekly.
Why Use Free College Football Week 8 Picks
Most people bet with their hearts, believing their team is going to win by 3 TDs in a game that they're only favored by 6. They pay little attention to line movement. But the oddsmakers aren't dummies. Even lines that appear to be off by a few points are often more accurate than you first think when you really start to dig deep.
By this point in the season, everyone had a good sense of the best teams, the mediocre ones, and the bad ones. However, there are still overvalued and undervalued teams and point spreads out there. Getting the opinions of an established professional handicapper will help you narrow the best plays and expand your betting knowledge.
Betting Value in Free College Football Week 8 Picks
Not every game is approached the same way by a team. There are emotional highs and lows during a long campaign. Some games will mean more against longtime conference rivals, while other games are "look-ahead" spots where a team expects to win against a smaller school or losing team but is focused more on an upcoming showdown.
The betting lines don't always take these into consideration. In one recent Week 8, undefeated Michigan was a road favorite at rival Michigan State but was playing its third Big 10 road game in four games.
The home dog Spartans won the game 37-33. The following week, the situation was reversed working against the Spartans: Michigan State was unbeaten, playing its third conference road game in four contests...and as a road favorite lost at Purdue, 40-29.
The underdog Boilermakers put in several trick plays that worked for touchdowns in a showdown that meant an enormous amount to the home team.
Wunderdog Free College Football Week 8 Picks
I keep daily tabs on the stats, matchups, line movement, and situational factors that are taking place on the weekend football card. Gameday matchups are important but can be trumped by emotional factors such as rivalry or a road-weary team.
Line movement can be significant, as well - if you can decipher the difference between public and sharp money. I'm well aware with over two decades of experience looking for the best situations and numbers. Free College Football Week 8 Picks from my personal service will add multiple layers of handicapping insight for you.
Not just with sides, but with totals, props, and college football moneylines. It's about winning consistently and I have the documented track record to prove it.
Free College Football Week 8 Picks vs. Premium Picks
Free College Football Week 8 Picks Pros:
- More information improves your odds of finding the best odds
- Insight into evaluating the emotional highs and lows teams experience
- Comparing your selections to those that handicapping pros are on. If you're on opposite sides, take a second look to find out why
Free College Football Week 8 Pick Cons:
- If a handicapping service hides won/lost records beware
- Don't tease or parlay unless advised by the professional cappers with the reasons why presented
- By Week 8, the oddsmakers have detailed team stats, so bettors should be open to betting edges with moneylines, totals, and first halves
Premium College Football Week 8 Pick Pros:
- Top plays should come with detailed analysis and multiple betting angles
- A professional bettor digs deep doing all work
- Early releases allow you to lock in the best betting line before it moves against you
Premium College Football Week 8 Pick Cons:
- Undocumented results should cast doubt on the "expertise" of the handicapper
- Too many releases can diminish your betting bankroll on the inevitable rough Saturday
- A lack of sound money management. It's a mistake if a service advises tripling your normal wager on an over-hyped play
How To Win With Free College Football Week 8 Picks
The stretch run of the NCAA college football season begins in Week 8. The coast-to-coast excitement is extensive, as is the interest at the sports books. There will be games stretched out over multiple days from Thursday to Saturday night.
That's a lot of betting lines requiring loads of information to acquire and digest in just a few days. You win by combining the best situations on the field with the softest lines at the betting window. A variation of just 1-3 points in wagering value with add up over the course of the season. Getting access to free College Football Week 8 Picks helps to maximize winning opportunities and profit margin.
Free College Football Week 8 Picks Betting Strategy
Incentive
Coaching is about getting dozens of players to focus and play at a high level each week. It's not easy and there are plenty of times when not all athletes are super-motivated to face an opponent. Sometimes they expect to win facing a 1-6 team, other times they've come off a big emotional victory over a conference rival and have less in the tank.
Week 8 in college football will feature teams eager to knock off an unbeaten opponent, looking for revenge, or fired up to pull an upset that could move the team into the Top 25. In one recent campaign, Fresno State was a Week 8 underdog to undefeated San Diego State but had a chance to tie the Aztecs for first place in the Mountain West standings.
The Bulldogs were highly motivated from the opening kickoff, leading 20-7 at the half on the way to a 30-20 straight-up victory. That put them both at 4-1 in the conference. The Fresno State coaching staff didn't have to give any Knute Rockne motivational speech. All the players knew what was at stake and played like it.
Totals
Week 8 is a great time for total bettors. Offenses have had two months to get in sync and should be playing at a high level of precision. Watch movement on totals carefully during the week as they can change far more than sides.
There are more Wise Guys who bet totals, so a significant amount of big-money sharp action can move a total 3-5 points. In addition, conference showdowns can feature teams with great defense and ball control offenses. When these giants battle it out, it's often a game of field position, punts, and more field goals than touchdowns.
Iowa and Wisconsin were Big 10 teams fitting that description in a recent Week 8 meeting where the Badgers won at home, 27-7, sailing UNDER the total. Looking at First Halves to go UNDER is another component of totals wagering. Teams often come out with conservative game plans in the first half and you won't get burned later if the game happens to go into overtime.
Road Trips
Late in the season, road trips can take more of a toll on teams than September trips. The players have been practicing regularly since the dog days of August, game preparation is mentally exhausting studying film and digesting playbooks, plus they've already been on several road games along with hard-hitting battles against conference rivals.
NC State had a two-game road trip in mid-October, losing the second game at Miami, 31-30. They finally came home the next Saturday and topped Louisville in Week 8, 28-13. They then went on another two-game road trip that ended in a 45-42 loss at Wake Forst, before coming home and flattening Syracuse, 41-17.
That same season, Georgia State had a grueling late-season three-game road trip. When they finally came home, they were a 16-point favorite over Arkansas State but didn't come close to covering, looking a bit road-weary in a 28-20 win.
Free College Football Week 8 Picks Subscription
Stats, information, and matchups are all essential to examine when assessing which team will cover the spread, but by Week 8 there are many other facets of handicapping that come into play. I've been beating the sportsbooks on a regular basis for over two decades.
My plays come with a detailed, in-depth analysis of who will cover and why. This professional insight will upgrade your handicapping skills as you search for the best odds and winning edges. By getting my picks through a free subscription service you'll be working alongside me to give you a key leg up in the competitive world of 11-to-10.
Get free premium picks daily.