I’ve got three underdogs worth a look for Week 8 of college football.
If all three of them spring the upset, it pays 37-1 at Hard Rock Bet.
And yeah, I think I just heard a collective groan. 37-1?
I always try to make these at least 30-1 or better. And yes, this is the lowest-paying one of the season. It’s bound to happen. We can only predict so many double-digit dogs winning outright, guys.
Michigan +7.5 vs. Indiana
Indiana is 6-1 straight up on the season. But this is a classic letdown spot, traveling to Ann Arbor immediately following that 19-15 loss to Ohio State.
The Hoosiers just got bodied on the ground. 2.5 yards per carry. They turned it over twice in arguably their highest-stakes game of the season.
Following the outright loss, Indiana is just 1-6 against the spread this season.
What do I love about Michigan? There’s not a lot to love, but they do control the tempo through their physical rushing attack. Another 211 yards on the ground versus Penn State.
And what does Kyle Whittingham do well? He runs a disciplined run defense.
He also benched Bryce Underwood at halftime after going 5-11 for 43 passing yards and two interceptions in the first half.
He then brings in Tommy Carr, who led three second-half touchdown drives to get the Wolverines the W.
Michigan consistently stays within single-possession games, especially in Big Ten matchups. Five of Michigan’s last six games have been decided by seven points or fewer.
Getting a touchdown in the Big House is great situational value here against a potentially fatigued Indiana squad.
Give me Michigan +7.5 and Michigan +250 on the moneyline.
Illinois +8.5 vs. Oregon
We’ve all seen it. Oregon‘s offense has completely stalled with Dante Moore sidelined with that concussion.
15 and 17 points in the last two weeks is not going to win football games.
Neither is turning the ball over seven times against UCLA or averaging just three yards per pass attempt against Nebraska.
Without Dante Moore under center, this unit lacks serious vertical threat capabilities. Their efficiency metrics are basically nonexistent.
Oregon is 1-4 against the spread against the FBS this year, including that outright loss at Oklahoma State as 23.5-point favorites.
Against Nebraska, they had just six points through three quarters. I cannot believe we lost with Cornhuskers moneyline.
This is another strong situational spot here because Illinois is coming off a bye week.
You guys remember when Michael Clayton II came in and won the game for the Illini in overtime at Michigan State after Katin Houser got injured? This means he’s got more time with the first team to get those reps in.
The bottom line is, asking Oregon to lay over a touchdown on the road with a compromised offense is a dangerous proposition.
Illinois is 14-4 at home over its last 2+ seasons, with only one of those losses coming by more than eight points.
Give me the rested home underdog, Illinois +8.5, and +260 on the moneyline.
Houston +6.5 at Utah
Now, normally this is where I give you guys a double-digit underdog, but as I alluded to at the start, there just weren’t any this week.
Sometimes you’ve just got to see the ball go through the hoop. Last but not least, we’ve got Houston +6.5.
Conner Weigman is playing elite football right now. Nine touchdown passes in his last two games.
They just beat Oklahoma State 35-32, and they routed my Kansas State Wildcats there in Manhattan.
The only setback of the season was that tight two-point loss in Lubbock, where they covered for us on that Friday night as eight-point underdogs.
Utah is 6-0 on the season, but boy, did they struggle in Colorado as 15-point favorites.
They needed late heroics just to escape Boulder 27-24.
They managed just 3.4 yards per carry on 39 carries. Devon Dampier turned the ball over twice.
And I think what we saw there is that he shows a lot of vulnerability against pressure.
You know who pressures quarterbacks really well? The Houston Cougars.
They’re also holding FBS opponents to under four yards per carry.
They held Oregon State to 26 rushing yards on 25 carries. They piled up eight tackles for a loss against UCF.
They’ve got 12 sacks in six FBS games this year. They make you one-dimensional.
And as I mentioned, who already looked one-dimensional at Colorado? Utah, who was forced to throw it 41 times.
Make Dampier beat you from the pocket, and Houston +195 is in play.
College Football Week 8 Underdog Parlay
- 3-Team Parlay Odds: 37-1
- Michigan +250
- Illinois +260
- Houston +195
Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-833-PLAYWISE. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In AZ, OH, & VA, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1‑800‑GAMBLER (CO, IL, MI, NJ, TN)
