tenn-vols.jpg
Imagn Images

Upsets are a massive part of college football, and there are quite a few highly-ranked teams who have tough tasks this weekend, including some of the top contenders in the SEC. If you're interested in college football betting on underdogs, be sure to check out our five top underdog picks for Week 8. 

All spreads and money line odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook.

No. 5 Ole Miss (+7.5, +225) at No. 9 Georgia

Were the Rebels looking past Washington State last week? Lane Kiffin better hope that's what his players were doing in a narrow 24-21 win, otherwise Georgia can easily hand Ole Miss its first loss of 2025.

After a hot start, OIe Miss' offense hasn't been quite as good the last few weeks. As for Georgia, its lone loss was a close one to Alabama, and its offense outside of an overtime loss to Tennessee has looked more good than great like we're used to seeing in Athens.

Kiffin has done a remarkable job with the Ole Miss program, and the Rebels are firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation, even with a loss on Saturday to Georgia. But a road win against the Bulldogs is the kind of program-altering win that Kiffin and Co. are looking for here. Trinidad Chambliss has looked great in Kiffin's scheme, and he's the kind of dual-threat quarterback that can always lead an upset bid. 

No. 11 Tennessee (+8.5, +245) at No. 6 Alabama

Alabama lost on the road to Vanderbilt last season before beating the Commodores at home this year. Well, the Tide lost at Tennessee last year and now play host to the Volunteers on Saturday. Can they get their revenge?

These teams look much different than last year. Ty Simpson has been a much better fit for Kalen DeBoer's system than Jalen Milroe was, and Joey Aguilar has given the Vols an upgrade at quarterback even with some huge weapons from last year's team now in the NFL.

This is the fourth game in a row for the Tide against a ranked SEC foe, and they've passed every test so far. The Vols could very well be the final straw, though, as the Georgia and Missouri wins were awfully close and Tennessee's lone loss was a nailbiter in overtime against Georgia. 

A win would say a lot about the Crimson Tide's resilience against a brutal stretch of games, but it would also be a big boost to Tennessee's CFP hopes.

No. 20 USC (+9.5, +265) at No. 13 Notre Dame

USC is fresh off a big win over Michigan, knocking the Wolverines out of the AP poll, while Notre Dame has outscored its opponents 120-27 over the last three weeks. Both offenses appear to be in good shape, and the Irish's defense appears to have settled down after an ugly start to the year. 

This is a huge game for both sides. USC still has a road game against Oregon on the schedule, while Notre Dame already has two losses this year. Yes, those losses came to undefeated Miami and Texas A&M programs, but can the Irish make it back to the CFP with three losses? 

This is the biggest test defensively Notre Dame has had since the A&M game as Jayden Maiava looks like the next great Lincoln Riley quarterback. He already has more than 1,800 yards with 17 total touchdowns, and he sure wasn't the problem in the Trojans' lone loss of the year to Illinois.

USC has the firepower to get Notre Dame in a shootout, which isn't how the Irish want to operate. The stakes are massive for both sides in this game when looking at the rest of each these teams' schedule, so expect both the Trojans and Irish to potentially empty the deck in this rivalry game.

South Carolina (+5.5, +172) vs. Oklahoma

The Sooners got star quarterback John Mateer back for the Red River Rivalry just two-plus weeks after he underwent hand surgery, and his return didn't go as planned. Texas won 23-6 and Mateer tossed three interceptions.

Did Mateer come back before he was ready, or is Texas' defense just that good? It's likely a mix of both, and South Carolina now has a blueprint of sorts for slowing Mateer and Co. down.

Things haven't gone as planned for the Gamecocks after they opened the year as a trendy CFP pick. They're 3-3 with losses to Vanderbilt, Missouri and, most recently, LSU. The offense hasn't clicked with LaNorris Sellers under center, and the Gamecocks have lost all their big games so far.

But Mateer and the Sooners looked lost offensively against a Texas team that gave up 29 points to a poor Florida offense. If South Carolina is going to get any sort of signature win this year, Saturday's as good a chance as any.

Arizona State (+9.5, +280) vs. No. 7 Texas Tech

The Sun Devils' chances of an upset bid here fall firmly on the shoulders of quarterback Sam Leavitt -- or maybe more accurately, his foot. Leavitt missed last week's loss to Utah and was seen with his foot in a boot, an injury he reportedly has been battling this year. 

The Sun Devils missed him, losing in blowout fashion to Utah. Texas Tech beat Utah 34-10 earlier this year and looks like the clear best team in the Big 12 this year with both a great offense and dominant defense. The most points the Red Raiders have allowed in 2025 is just 17, which was last week against Kansas.

Texas Tech is the big favorite to win the Big 12, something Arizona State did last year en route to a CFP appearance. The Sun Devils have two losses already, but only one was in Big 12 play. They can win out and potentially still take the conference. But whether ASU has a chance this weekend centers around Leavitt's status, so that's worth keeping an eye on as kickoff nears.