Week 7 was great for the underdog picks, with the big one coming through as Florida took down Texas as 10-point underdogs. It's going to be extremely tough to top that outright winner, but here are my Week 8 college football underdog picks!
I’ve found three dogs with some serious bite on this week’s slate: Ole Miss, Northern Illinois, and Stanford. All three have a legitimate shot at an upset, and I’m ready to back them.
Before you dive in, check out our college football picks page for Week 8.
CFB Week 8 underdog picks
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Ole Miss (vs. Texas)
How have we given up on the Ole Miss Rebels after their emotional win over LSU was followed by an embarrassing loss to Florida the next week? We can't hold that loss against them. This is still a very talented team led by one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in the country, Trinidad Chambliss.
In the two games since that loss, Ole Miss has beaten Vanderbilt 52-17 and Missouri 31-3 this past weekend. This team is just fine. One team that isn't? The Texas Longhorns, who are officially on quit watch.
After watching Texas lose to a freshman making his first collegiate start, who arguably looked better than Arch Manning in the process, the Longhorns are in for another tough matchup. They now have to face one of the most talented and battle-tested quarterbacks in the country over the last two years.
My back's against the wall here. Ole Miss or nothing.
Northern Illinois (vs. Hawaii)
It's sad to see how poorly the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors have performed during the 2026 college football season, as they currently sit at 1-6. Following last weekend's home loss to New Mexico, they now have to pack up and travel across five time zones to DeKalb, Illinois.
This matchup marks the longest-distance regular-season conference trip ever made by an FBS team within the United States.
People love to say, "Back Hawaii on the island, fade them on the mainland." Well, the Rainbow Warriors are 0-3 on the mainland, with their farthest trip taking them to Laramie, Wyoming.
The only bright spot for the winless Northern Illinois Huskies is that 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist and NIU legend Jordan Lynch will have his jersey retired Saturday. That's a little extra motivation for Rob Harley and his boys. Plus, the NIU die-hards will likely bring some energy to this matchup as they try to will their team to its first win of the season.
The combination of Hawaii's brutal travel schedule, disappointing season, and the extra motivation surrounding Lynch's jersey retirement gives NIU a great opportunity to secure its first win of the season at home.
Stanford (vs. NC State)
Your stepdad’s favorite ACC rivalry: North Carolina State vs. Stanford. Remember all the stories he would tell about this classic matchup? No? I digress...
The NC State Wolfpack are leaving the state of North Carolina for the first time since the White Sox and Guardians were still battling for the AL Central crown on Sept. 19, when the Wolfpack lost in dramatic fashion at Vanderbilt. Since then, they’ve been sleeping in their own beds for the past four weeks.
Coming off their bye week, the Wolfpack now have to travel to the other side of the country for a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff, which will be the latest start in NC State football history.
Enter Stanford, which has endured some grueling tests this season, taking on Miami and Notre Dame. They lost by 39+ points in both games.
However, NC State hasn’t been tested like Stanford this season. Factor in the cross-country travel and the late kickoff, and the Wolfpack could look more like a pack of zombies.
Week 8 underdog combo
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