(Editor's reminder: There is a 25 percent penalty of earned Fantasy points for FBS teams that play FCS schools.)

ACC
Notes: Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and MCL. The Seminoles take a huge loss here since Piurowski was one of their top targets. Beau Reliford and Ja'Barris Little are expected to fill in for Piurowski ... Virginia starting quarterback Jameel Sewell sprained his ankle Saturday against Maryland and wasn't able to finish. If he can't play by the weekend, Marc Verica will get the start against Georgia Tech. Virginia starting running back Mikell Simpson (neck) is also questionable ... Boston College running back Montel Harris shredded one of the nation's best run defenses -- N.C. State -- on his way to two school records Saturday. Harris rushed for a Boston College record 264 yards and five touchdowns.
Byes: N.C. State, Virginia Tech
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Boston College at Notre Dame. Let's ride the hot hand here and back the Eagles after their 52-20 thrashing of N.C. State in Week 7. Aside from a devastating loss to Virginia Tech two weeks ago, Boston College has been much improved thanks to quarterback Dave Shinskie. Boston College has just 21 points in two road games, but that should change against Notre Dame, who has allowed 30 or more points in three of their last four games. They are also 117th in pass defense (283.0 ypg).
Unfavorable matchup: Clemson at Miami (Fla.). Since losing to Virginia Tech, 31-7, the Hurricanes have allowed a total of 43 points in their last three games (14.3 ppg). The defense appears to have that Miami swagger we have seen through the years as they rank in the top 40 for both total (305.7 ypg) and scoring defense (20.8 ppg).

Big East
Notes: Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike missed most of the second half against South Florida in Week 7 because of a wrist injury. Pike has returned to practice with a cast on his forearm and coach Brian Kelly will decide his status later in the week. If Pike can't face Louisville on Saturday, then Zach Collaros will get the start ... West Virginia could also have some quarterback issues after starter Jarrett Brown sustained a head injury Saturday against Marshall. Geno Smith, who replaced Brown, would start against Connecticut in Week 8, if Brown is unable to dress ... Cincinnati wide receiver Armon Binns has three touchdowns in his last two games and appears to be emerging as the Bearcats' second receiving threat behind Mardy Gilyard ... Pittsburgh freshman running back Dion Lewis has already reached the point in his career where he has become a must-start Fantasy option. In his last two games against Connecticut and Rutgers -- both highly-rated run defenses -- Lewis has totaled 338 rushing yards and two touchdowns. It seems no matter the competition; Lewis is bound to get his yards ... Connecticut running back Andre Dixon totaled 153 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a win Saturday against Louisville. He had a team-high 33 carries to starter Jordan Todman's eight. While Todman is still in the mix, it seems Dixon is emerging as UConn's top threat out of the backfield ... Connecticut receiver Marcus Easley is also emerging as quarterback Cody Endres' top target. Easley has managed at least 100 yards and one touchdown in two straight games.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Syracuse vs. Akron. The Zips have struggled with out-of-conference FBS opponents in 2009. They lost to Penn State and Indiana, while allowing both teams to score more than 30 points and break 300 yards. Syracuse doesn't have a great offense (313.2 ypg), but coming off a bye this is their chance to make a statement.
Unfavorable matchup: Rutgers at Army. The Scarlet Knights trounced the Black Knights, 30-3, last season, but the circumstances were different. Rutgers was riding a hot streak thanks to the outstanding play of Mike Teel, who has since graduated. Rutgers now stands behind a freshman quarterback in Tom Savage, who is still learning the ropes. Army has also improved defensively under first-year coach Rich Ellerson. The Black Knights are allowing just 285.0 yards per game (17th).

Big 12
Notes: Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford re-injured his throwing shoulder in a Week 7 loss to Texas. Head coach Bob Stoops said Bradford is out for Week 8 against Texas, but no decision has been made beyond that. Landry Jones will start in Bradford's absence ... Texas quarterback Colt McCoy banged up his right thumb on Saturday, but he is not expected to miss any time. Keep him active in Fantasy ... Already battling an ankle injury, Baylor starting running back Jay Finley has added a quad injury to his list of ailments and is not a recommended Fantasy play until he is 100 percent ... Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud is not expected to miss any time after bruising his hand in Week 7 against Baylor ... Kansas running back Jake Sharp returned to the starting lineup Saturday against Colorado after missing two games with a calf injury ... Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert is not completely recovered from a sprained ankle suffered two weeks ago against Nebraska, but he is playing through the pain ... There is still no word on whether the NCAA will allow Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant (indefinite suspension) to return this season. Hubert Anyiam has stepped up in the absence of Bryant, totaling 16 catches for 223 yards and two touchdowns in three games since Bryant has been out ... There is a chance Texas A&M wide receiver Jeff Fuller returns to the lineup in Week 8 against Texas Tech after missing the last month with a broken fibula ... The Texas Tech quarterback carousel is once again in motion. Steven Sheffield, who has won the last two games in place of Taylor Potts (concussion), is now out 2-3 weeks with a foot injury suffered during Saturday's upset win over Nebraska. Potts, who was cleared to play in Week 7 but did not see any action, should return to the starting lineup ... Due to injuries to Tre' Newton and Vondrell McGee, Foswhitt Whittaker is getting the chance to emerge as Texas' top running back ... Texas Tech wide receiver Detron Lewis seems to be finally settling into a groove. He has 13 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games ... Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said he is waiting until game time Saturday to choose whether the struggling Zac Lee or Cody Green will get the start against Iowa State. Pelini doesn't want to use a two-quarterback system, but said he would if needed. Obviously, Fantasy owners should steer clear of the Nebraska quarterbacks until further notice ... Kansas State running back Daniel Thomas rushed for four touchdowns on Saturday against Texas A&M. It also seems the Wildcats have made the permanent move to Grant Gregory at quarterback, replacing the ineffective Carson Coffman ... Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen was brilliant in his first start during Saturday's upset win over Kansas. Hansen totaled 209 yards (175 passing) and two touchdowns ... Baylor wide receiver Ernest Smith has 13 catches for 196 yards in his last two games and is definitely more involved on offense since the loss of quarterback Robert Griffin (knee)... Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander caught nine passes for 180 yards and one touchdown Saturday against Oklahoma State. He has three 100-yard games in 2009.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M. After an outstanding start to the season, the Aggies have lost three straight to even their record. They have allowed 145 points during their losing streak (48.3 ppg). You know how efficient Texas Tech is on offense, so they are probably licking their chops waiting to face the 94th ranked defense (393.5 ypg). The Red Raiders had 43 points and 561 yards of offense against A&M last season.
Unfavorable matchup: Iowa State at Nebraska. We wouldn't want to be the Cyclones in Week 8. Nebraska is coming off a disappointing home loss to Texas Tech and you know coach Bo Pelini won't face that kind of embarrassment for a second straight week. Nebraska is going to bring the heat and Iowa State is the unfortunate sacrificial lamb. Nebraska held Iowa State to seven points and 218 yards of offense last season.

Big Ten
Notes: Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins will play the entire game again in Week 8 against Iowa if Keith Nichol is still battling an elbow injury ... Ohio State running back Daniel Herron is having a hard time recovering from a sprained ankle and is still questionable for Week 8 against Minnesota. Brandon Saine continues to start in his absence ... Now that he is healthy, Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki is living up to his potential. He has nine catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games. Moeaki is definitely a viable Fantasy start when healthy ... Ohio State wide receiver DeVier Posey has a touchdown in three straight games and four of five. He is also starting to showcase his potential after being a top recruit in 2008 ... Purdue receivers Aaron Valentin and Keith Smith are turning into quite reliable Fantasy options. Valentin has seven touchdowns in his last six games and Smith has a 100 yards in four straight games and five of seven this season ... Michigan State wide receiver Blair White broke out of his slump with 12 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns in Week 7 against Northwestern. White had just 11 catches for 107 yards and no touchdowns in his previous three contests ... Northwestern wide receiver Zeke Markshausen hit 50 receptions on Saturday after he posted a career-high 16 catches for 111 yards and one touchdown against Michigan State ... Penn State wide receiver Derek Moye leads the Nittany Lions with 27 catches for 472 yards and four touchdowns after posting six receptions for 120 yards and one score Week 7 against Minnesota.
Byes: Wisconsin
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Purdue vs. Illinois. Even coming off a huge win against Ohio State, we don't think Purdue will have a letdown against the Illini. Ron Zook's crew still ranks near the bottom in the country in both total (420.8 ypg) and scoring defense (28.3 ppg). Purdue also has a very efficient passing offense (267.3 ypg), while Illinois has a suspect pass defense (241.3 ypg).
Unfavorable matchup: Michigan State vs. Iowa. The Spartans have managed at least 20 points in every game this season and are 48th in scoring offense (29.2 ppg). However, they have their work cut out in Week 8. Iowa is allowing just 15.0 points per contest (16th) and held Michigan State to 13 points in 2008.

Conference USA
Notes: Memphis quarterback Tyler Bass has opted to call it a season after injuring his non-throwing shoulder in Week 5 against UCF. Will Hudgens has taken over as Memphis' starting quarterback ... Tulane could have a quarterback controversy shortly since Ryan Griffin has replaced Joe Kemp in each of the last two games ... Memphis running back Curtis Steele is back at 100 percent after missing a few games with a sprained knee. Steele has rushed for 376 yards and two touchdowns in his last two contests. He is back to being a reliable Fantasy running back ... East Carolina wide receiver Dwayne Harris tied a career-high with 128 yards on nine catches Saturday against Rice. He also had two touchdowns. Harris leads ECU with 42 catches for 465 yards and three touchdowns ... Rice wide receiver Toren Dixon had his fourth career 100-yard receiving game in Week 7 against ECU ... Southern Methodist wide receiver Bo Levi Mitchell hasn't thrown an interception in his last two games after throwing 10 in his first four contests. Interceptions have been holding Mitchell back from being a must-start Fantasy quarterback. If he stays turnover free, he could be ready to turn the corner.
Byes: East Carolina, Memphis
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: SMU vs. Houston. When these two teams met in 2008, they combined for 82 points and 948 yards. We expect much of the same in the 2009 matchup since both teams are in the bottom rung of defense this season.
Unfavorable matchup: Rice vs. UCF. It's a nice matchup for the Knights since the Owls are one of the worst defensive teams in the country. However, UCF is one of the few teams that plays defense in C-USA and that's not good for Rice, who are 108th in total offense (301.6 ypg).

Independents
Notes: Notre Dame's Golden Tate has reached the upper echelon of Fantasy wide receivers. After he torched a very good USC defense for 117 yards and two touchdowns, Tate has 41 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns in six games. He has four 100-yard receiving games this season and is doing very well despite not having a threat like Michael Floyd across the field ... Even though Navy has one of the best rushing attacks in college football every season, their quarterback usually is never a viable Fantasy option. That has all changed in 2009 thanks to Ricky Dobbs. The junior quarterback is a multiple-touchdown threat on a weekly basis and is averaging nearly three touchdowns per game. He is also racking up Fantasy points thanks to nearly 600 rushing yards ... Navy fullback Vince Murray had another great game in place of the injured Alexander Teich (ankle) during a Week 7 win against SMU. Murray rushed for 141 yards and two scores. He has 324 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his last four games.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Notre Dame vs. Boston College. It doesn't seem like a favorable matchup since Boston College has one of the better defenses in college and is coming off a shutout of Notre Dame in 2008. However, if there is one thing we have learned about the 2009 Irish is that they seem to do their best when the odds are stacked against them. They could very well go score-for-score with the Eagles in Week 8. Also, Boston College has allowed each of their last five opponents to break 20 points, so it's not like they are invincible.
Unfavorable matchup: Army vs. Rutgers. The Black Knights have the 12th best rushing offense (222.6 ypg), but they continue to have trouble punching the football into the end zone (17.9 ppg). Army has not scored more than 16 points in their last four games and that's not good going up against the 22nd ranked scoring defense (17.7 ppg).

MAC
Notes: Toledo starting quarterback Aaron Opelt has been upgraded to probable for Week 8 against Temple after missing Week 7 with a shoulder injury ... Ball State lost quarterback Kelly Page to a thumb injury in Week 7 against Bowling Green. He was replaced by Tanner Justice, who would start on Saturday against Eastern Michigan if Page can't play ... The Buffalo running back situation could be down to Mario Henry in Week 8 against Western Michigan after Ike Nduka and Brandon Thermilus both suffered ankle injuries on Saturday against Akron. Remember, Buffalo already lost star running back James Starks for the season with a shoulder injury ... Ohio running back Chris Garrett missed Week 7 with an ankle injury and remains questionable for Week 8 against Kent State ... Temple is expected to be without star running back Bernard Pierce in Week 8 against Toledo after he was carted off the field in Week 7 against Army with a shoulder injury. It's a real shame too since Pierce was becoming a nice Fantasy option. Kee-ayre Griffin should replace Pierce in the backfield ... Western Michigan lost two of their top receivers -- Jordan White and Juan Nunez -- to ankle injuries in Week 7 against Central Michigan. Both players are questionable for Week 8 against Buffalo ... Central Michigan wide receiver Antonio Brown has a touchdown in four straight games and six total in his last six ... Buffalo receiver Naaman Roosevelt had a career-high 12 catches on Saturday against Akron. He now has 52 catches for 705 yards and six touchdowns in 2009 and is hardly missing quarterback Drew Willy.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Buffalo at Western Michigan. Buffalo is about to face a Western Michigan squad that has been involved in a lot of high-scoring affairs as of late. In their last three games, the Broncos are allowing 32.7 points per game.
Unfavorable matchup: Miami (Ohio) vs. Northern Illinois. The last thing a struggling team like Miami (Ohio) wants to see is a squad like Northern Illinois coming off a tough one-point loss. The Huskies have also been playing solid defense, allowing just 23 points in their last two contests. NIU is 30th in scoring defense (18.8 ppg).

Mountain West
Notes: Colorado State leading rusher Leonard Mason left the field in Week 7 against TCU with a rib injury. He is questionable for Week 8 against San Diego State ... Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is waiting to name his starting quarterback for Week 8 against Utah until later in the week, but all indications are pointing toward Connor Dietz after he helped spark the Falcons to a Week 7 win against Wyoming as he replaced Tim Jefferson in the second half ... UNLV wide receiver Michael Johnson is becoming a more prominent player in the passing game. He has at least five catches in four straight games and has 308 receiving yards in that span ... BYU second-string tight end Andrew George has seven catches for 136 yards and one touchdown in his last two games ... San Diego State Vincent Brown's touchdown streak ended at five games in Week 7 against BYU. However, he managed 100 yards for the fifth time this season ... San Diego State wide receiver DeMarco Sampson had a career game against BYU with five catches for 77 yards and two scores. He is the team's second-leading receiver behind Brown.
Byes: Wyoming
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: San Diego State at Colorado State. The Aztecs finally seem to be settling into a rhythm under first-year coach Brady Hoke. They have totaled 62 points in their last two games and are about to face a Colorado State squad that has allowed an average of 35.3 points in their last four contests.
Unfavorable matchup: BYU vs. TCU. Brigham Young might get the home-field advantage in this top 25 matchup, but we aren't sure how much that is going to help. The Horned Frogs still have one of the nation's best defenses and have the formula to beat BYU after limiting them to seven points and 23 rushing yards in 2008.

Pac-10
Notes: The Ducks are preparing Nate Costa to play Saturday against Washington just in case Jeremiah Masoli (knee) isn't 100 percent. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly will likely make a quarterback decision later in the week ... USC quarterback Matt Barkley had his first career 300-yard passing game in Week 7 against Notre Dame and is showing no ill-effects of a shoulder injury that kept him out one game earlier this season. Damian Williams has been a big benefactor of Barkley's solid play since the junior receiver has had three straight games of 100 yards. He also has three touchdowns in that span ... USC tight end Anthony McCoy had a career-high 153 yards on five catches against Notre Dame ... Cal quarterback Kevin Riley snapped out of his passing funk with a three-touchdown performance in Week 7 against UCLA. Riley had no passing touchdowns in his previous three games ... Washington wide receiver Devin Aguilar has looked very sharp since returning from a two-game absence because of a knee sprain. In his last two games, Aguilar has 10 catches for 197 yards and three touchdowns and is becoming a sort of go-to-receiver for the Huskies ... Stanford and Arizona combined for 81 points and 1,137 yards in their Week 7 matchup. Some of the top performers were Arizona quarterback Nick Foles (415 passing yards, three TDs), Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (423 passing yards, three TDs), Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu (116 yards, one TD), and Arizona receivers Juron Criner (152 yards), Terrell Turner (101 yards, one TD) and David Douglas (92 yards, two TDs).
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: California vs. Washington State. The Golden Bears broke out of their offensive slump with 45 points and 494 yards in a Week 7 win against UCLA. We see them keeping the momentum going against Washington State. Cal totaled 66 points and 505 yards against Wazzu last season and the Cougars aren't that much improved defensively.
Unfavorable matchup: Oregon State at USC. Oregon State has been a very efficient offense in the last few weeks, averaging 32.7 points in their last three games. But the hammer is about to be dropped on the Beavers. They now head to Los Angeles to face a Trojans team that hasn't forgotten about their upset loss in Corvallis, Ore., last season. Notre Dame has been the only team this season to score more than 16 points against USC and that was a road game for the Trojans.

SEC
Notes: Arkansas running back Michael Smith remains questionable for Week 8 against Mississippi after missing Week 7 against Florida with a hamstring injury ... Florida receiver Riley Cooper suffered a hip pointer on Saturday against Arkansas and is questionable for Week 8 against Mississippi State ... South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia was noticeably gimpy on the final drive of a Week 7 loss to Alabama and is questionable for Week 8 against Vanderbilt with a knee injury ... The Gamecocks could also be down starting running back Jarvis Giles, if he is not reinstated from a suspension for violation of team rules ... Florida tight end Aaron Hernandez is the team's leading receiver with 28 catches for 360 yards ... Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs has a touchdown in four of five games and five total in that span ... What has happened to the high-powered Auburn offense? They haven't had more than 26 points in any of their last three games and the play of quarterback Chris Todd has been atrocious. He hit a low with just 80 passing yards in a Week 7 loss to Kentucky and has just one touchdown in his last three games ... Kentucky might finally have a feature back in Derrick Locke, who has 290 rushing yards in his last three games... Alabama running back Mark Ingram has been a perfect replacement for Glen Coffee in 2009. Ingram has managed to score a touchdown in every game this season and is just 95 rushing yards shy of breaking 1,000. He has also reached must-start Fantasy status regardless of the competition.
Byes: Georgia
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Florida at Mississippi State. The whole background to this game will be former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen going up against his mentor in Urban Meyer. You know Mullen will want to get into a shootout and that's good news for the Florida offense. Mississippi State did hold Middle Tennessee State to six points in Week 7, but before that they allowed an average of 35.3 points in their previous three contests.
Unfavorable matchup: Tennessee at Alabama. The Volunteers had one of their best offensive efforts in a 45-19 rout of Georgia in Week 7, but they won't be facing a suspect defense in Week 8. The Crimson Tide continue to bring the heat in 2009 and have allowed just one SEC foe (Kentucky) to score more than seven points in four conference games.

Sun Belt
Notes: FIU starting running back Darriet Perry is probable for Week 8 against Arkansas State after playing sparingly in Week 7 against Troy because of an ankle injury ... La.-Lafayette running back Undrea Sails is out indefinitely with a leg fracture. Yobes Walker is likely to replace him in the starting lineup ... North Texas quarterback Riley Dodge is back on the injury report with an ankle injury after missing time earlier in the year with a shoulder issue. Nathan Tune might have to start on Saturday against Troy ... Troy kicker Sam Glusman, who has missed two games with a quad injury, remains questionable for Week 8 ... Arkansas State wide receiver Brandon Thompkins has a touchdown in three straight games ... Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey had the first 100-yard game of his career on Saturday against La.-Lafayette and has rushed for at least 99 yards in three straight contests ... Troy quarterback Levi Brown is finally settling into a rhythm after a rough start to the season. He has passed for at least 350 yards in three of his last four games and has eight touchdowns to one interception in that span ... Florida Atlantic wide receiver Chris Bonner has a touchdown in three of four games. He had his second 100-yard receiving game on Saturday against North Texas.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Troy vs. North Texas. The Trojans have averaged 32.5 points in their last four games after totaling just 20 points in their first two contests this season. They should keep the chains moving against North Texas, who are 113th in scoring defense (35.5 ppg). Troy had 45 points and 547 yards of offense against North Texas last season.
Unfavorable matchup: La.-Monroe at Kentucky. The Warhawks head to SEC country to face a Kentucky team that prides itself on defense. The Wildcats got a little off track due to some injuries against Florida, Alabama and South Carolina, but they made a loud statement last week against Auburn (21-14 win) and are pumped up going into Week 8.

WAC
Notes: Hawaii lost wide receiver Rodney Bradley for the remainder of the season after he broke his left leg in Week 7 against Idaho. Hawaii is also down Royce Pollard with a stress fracture in his leg, so that means the Warriors will likely lean heavily on Greg Salas ... Boise State tight end Tommy Gallarda had two touchdowns in Week 7 against Tulsa, but Fantasy owners shouldn't look too much into it. Gallarda still isn't a regular contributor for the Broncos ... Utah State quarterback Diondre Borel had one of his better games in 2009 with a season-high 401 yards (353 passing) and three touchdowns in Week 7 against Nevada ... Louisiana Tech running back Daniel Porter has 391 rushing yards in his last three games and six touchdowns in his last five contests ... Louisiana Tech tight end Dennis Morris is the team's leading receiver with 16 catches for 273 yards and four touchdowns. He had six catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico State in Week 7 ... Fantasy owners need to start taking a look at Idaho running back DeMaundray Woolridge. He might have only one 100-yard game in his freshman season, but after his four-touchdown performance on Saturday against Hawaii, Woolridge now has 12 scores in his last six games. He has four multi-touchdown games in that span.
Byes: San Jose State
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Louisiana Tech at Utah State. Aggies head coach Gary Andersen might be a defensive coach by trade, but Utah State hasn't slowed down many opponents in 2009. The Aggies are 110th in total defense (437.0 ypg) and 103rd in scoring defense (32.8 ppg). The Bulldogs have averaged 33.5 points in their last four games and are starting to click on offense. Louisiana Tech posted 45 points and 345 yards in 2008 against Utah State.
Unfavorable matchup: Hawaii vs. Boise State. The Warriors are beat up on offense and that is never a good thing when you are facing a top 20 defense. Boise State held the Warriors to just seven points and 288 yards in 2008 and could have similar success against Hawaii in 2009.