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USATSI

Week 8 of the 2023 college football season isn't lacking in marquee games. There are four contests featuring two opponents ranked in the latest AP Top 25, including a top-10 showdown between No. 3 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State that carries major College Football Playoff implications. Even with a top-heavy Saturday slate, there's plenty of betting value to be found down the card as well. 

Rutgers hits the road to take on Indiana in a game that means a lot to the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers has a chance to win its sixth regular season game and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. Pittsburgh battles Wake Forest as it looks to keep momentum rolling from last week's upset against Louisville. 

Saturday boasts a few games with conference title implications as well. No. 16 Duke travels to No. 4 Florida State in a game that sees the winner take control of the ACC race. No. 13 Ole Miss could keep its SEC hopes alive with a win against Auburn. 

Last week's value plays column got us back on track. We went 3-2, our first positive record overall since Week 3. Looking to get over .500 for the year, here are the value plays that bettors should keep an eye on during Week 8 of the college football season. 

Last weekSeason

3-2

11-14

Indiana vs. Rutgers 

When: Saturday, noon ET | Where: Indiana University Memorial Stadium -- Bloomington, Indiana 

Casual Big Ten viewers might look back at Indiana's game agianst Ohio State and think the Hoosiers field a great defense. They might also think it's been a long time since Rutgers has been able to reliably score points. Well, the Scarlet Knights are fifth in the Big Ten with 27.7 points per game and Indiana has the conference's second-worst scoring defense, allowing 29 points per game. Indiana's last three opponents scored at least 27, which is already over half of this game's total. Indiana's run defense is vulnerable, allowing over 150 yards per game, while Rutgers fields a rushing offense that averages almost 165 yards on the ground. Not to mention Rutgers' defense, which should keep the Hoosiers pretty quiet. Prediction: Rutgers -5 (-110) 

Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh 

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | Where: Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium -- Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Don't expect a lot of points in this one. Neither offense has really lit up scoreboards this season. Pittsburgh looked a lot better last week with Christian Veilleux at quarterback, but he'll have to sustain success before anyone anoints him. The big difference in this game will be along the line of scrimmage, where the Panthers should dominate. They lead the ACC and rank eighth nationally with 3.33 sacks per game. Wake Forest's offense has allowed 29 sacks all season, which is more than any other team in the conference. Pitt also has a knack for forcing turnovers and already has two defensive touchdowns. Pittsburgh has never lost to Wake Forest. Expect that trend to continue this weekend.  Prediction: Pittsburgh ML (-104)

No. 9 Oregon vs. Washington State

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | Where: Autzen Stadium -- Eugene, Oregon 

You probably don't need me to tell you, but Oregon's offense is really good this year. The Ducks are scoring a lot of points thanks to a loaded unit guided by star quarterback Bo Nix. While that group grabs all the headlines, Oregon also fields one of the best defenses in the nation. Last week's loss against Washington was the first time since Sept. 9 that Oregon allowed more than 30 points. In the three-game span between, the Ducks allowed a total of 22 points. 

Even so, with Oregon's explosive offense the over is tempting. Sprinkle in a Washington State team that scored at least 30 points in each of its first four games and it might seem like a guarantee. But a string of recent injuries has thrown the Cougars' offense out of rhythm. Wazzu scored just six points in a blowout loss to Arizona -- a team that gave up 72 combined points in the two weeks prior. Expect the Ducks to control this game early, take their foot off the gas in the second half and cruise to a win that falls short of the total. Prediction: Under 62 (-110)

Auburn vs. No. 13 Ole Miss 

When: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET | Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium -- Auburn, Alabama 

Ole Miss hasn't been great at creating separation this year. The Rebels' last two wins came by a single touchdown. Last week it took a fourth quarter comeback to dispatch a subpar Arkansas team. So it's understandable why Saturday's spread is so thin -- especially since Auburn has the homefield advantage in a primetime slot. That being said, this should be a game that Ole Miss puts away rather easily. The Tigers' offense is abysmal. They've failed to reach 100 passing yards in just three out of six games. Their rushing attack is respectable, but it isn't good enough to pick up that much slack. 

Even Auburn's defense is in a bit of a slump, comparatively. The Tigers have the SEC's third-worst rush defense and now have to contend with an Ole Miss team that has preseason All-American Quinshon Judkins coming out of the backfield. Not to mention the Rebels' passing attack, which posts 306 yards per game. All this creates a situation in which Ole Miss should win by at least a touchdown.   Prediction: Ole Miss -6.5 (-110)

No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 16 Duke

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET | Where: Doak S. Campbell Stadium -- Tallahassee, Florida

There's a chance Duke quarterback Riley Leonard makes his return this weekend after missing last week's game against NC State. If he's able to go, the Blue Devils covering a 14.5-point spread becomes an absolute lock. Even with Leonard absent, the Blue Devils dominated a really good NC State team for a 24-3 win. Henry Belin IV, Leonard's replacement, had just four completions but they covered 107 yards and produced two touchdowns. More importantly, he averaged 5.6 yards per carry. 

Florida State has been susceptible to dual-threat quarterbacks this year. Boston College almost upset the 'Noles behind Thomas Castellanos' 121 rushing yards. Either a healthy Leonard or Belin can do damage with their legs, so Duke is good in that area regardless. Not to mention Duke's defense, which has allowed more than 14 points just once and has held four of its opponents to single-digit scoring figures. That defense alone is enough to keep this game respectably close.  Prediction: Duke +14.5 (-110)