Week 8 of an impactful college football schedule gets underway on Saturday with several high-profile games that will have a direct influence what the playoff looks like. Here are the most important games we will be keeping a very close eye on today.
Conference play is heating up as we move deeper into October, so we’re heading into games that will have a direct effect on how league title races and the College Football Playoff chase eventually shake out.
Alabama and Tennessee are set to reunite in a Third Saturday of October game that looks like a toss-up and will play a big role in how the selection committee judges the SEC come playoff time.
But the most consequential game could come from the Forty Acres, as No. 1 Texas is off to its best start since 2009 and playing host to No. 5 Georgia in a bombshell confrontation loaded with conference and national championship implications.
Now as the Week 8 schedule kicks off today, here’s your look at the most consequential games on your TV screen that you should be paying the most attention to.
All times Eastern
Why watch? To see if Indiana is the real deal. After marching out to a 6-0 record behind some dynamic aerial offense, we’ll see if Kurtis Rourke and his receivers can keep up that pace against a strong Nebraska front seven defense that will be the Hoosiers’ biggest test yet.
12 p.m. on Fox
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Why watch? This game could end up playing an outsized role in how the ACC standings look going forward, and consequently, how the College Football Playoff shakes out. Miami has been tested the last two weeks and its undefeated record is on the line against a Louisville team that can get to the quarterback and score some points.
12 p.m. on ABC
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Why watch? The Third Saturday in October is always must-see TV during the college football season and this year’s edition is genuinely up for grabs. Tennessee isn’t the vertical threat we thought it was, but it’s still playing ferocious defense on the line and can run the ball, while Alabama needed some luck to not get upset by the Gamecocks last week. Who is this team, really?
3:30 p.m. on ABC
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Why watch? Michigan is already down two losses this year and has been playing with fire in the near-complete absence of any passing offense, instead relying on its defensive front and productive backs to get by, but Illinois has the receivers to make a statement in the Big Ten.
3:30 p.m. on CBS
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Why watch? Everyone had this game circled for almost a calendar year looking ahead to the Longhorns’ SEC debut season. But truth be told, we thought Georgia would be more dominant defensively, as this unit has already been exposed in a loss at Alabama, leaving the Bulldogs with their backs against the wall hoping to avoid a costly second SEC loss. And with the Longhorns looking to further entrench their No. 1 position in a marquee matchup the selection committee is watching closely.
7:30 p.m. on ABC
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.
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