NCAA Football Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Joey House - 10/13/2025

College football Week 8 opening line report Arch Manning Texas Longhorns

I apologize for missing last week's College OLR. A family emergency came up unexpectedly, and I wasn't able to get it posted in time. We are three weeks away from the release of the first College Football Playoff ranking, and history suggests that many of the teams included early will not be there by season's end. Whether you love or hate the NIL era, one of its most apparent effects is the dispersion of talent, creating a level of parity rarely seen before. Heading into last week's slate, the top two teams from the AP preseason poll, Texas and Penn State, were not even ranked in the Top 25. This year's Week 7 poll featured two Group of Five programs, Memphis and South Florida, at No. 23 and No. 24. In 2015, the Week 7 poll included four teams outside the Power 4 conferences, including Houston, which later joined the Big 12. Each of those teams was undefeated at the time. Going back 20 years to 2005, only Louisville at No. 19 and TCU at No. 25 stood outside the Power 4, and both eventually joined one. Another decade earlier, in 1995, the Week 7 poll featured only the traditional powers.

Doc’s Sports offers college football expert picks for every game on our college football predictions page.

Quest for Perfection

Slightly over 35 percent of the unbeaten FBS teams in action last week picked up their first loss of the season. The headline matchup featured No. 7 Indiana visiting No. 3 Oregon in a Top 10 clash of unbeatens, where the Hoosiers controlled the game and came away with a 30-20 win. Indiana now looks sharper than last year's playoff squad, showing improved balance and poise on the road. In total, five of the 14 remaining perfect teams suffered their first blemish, underscoring how quickly the playoff picture can shift in October.

Coaching Obituaries

In 2024, five Power 4 programs made coaching changes, and yesterday added two more to the list. Penn State, once ranked No. 2 in most preseason polls, opened the year with a 3-0 record built on wins over lesser opponents. Their momentum stalled in the high-profile "WhiteOut" game three weeks ago, where they fell to then-No. 7 Oregon. The Nittany Lions followed that loss with two more defeats as heavy favorites, each by more than three touchdowns. Amid the slide, Penn State finalized a major sponsorship deal with Adidas, and speculation is swirling that the company will cover most, if not all, of the $50 million buyout tied to James Franklin's contract extension signed four seasons ago.

Oregon State parted ways with second-year head coach Trent Bray on Sunday, marking the program's second coaching change in as many years. Bray guided the Beavers to a 5-7 finish in their first season following the dissolution of the Pac-12, but a winless 0-7 start this fall proved too much to overcome. The early-season collapse sealed his fate, and the university decided to move on as it looks to reset the program's direction.

UAB's head coach, Super Bowl XXV champion QB Trent Dilfer, didn't have anywhere close to the success he had in his 13-year NFL career. After compiling a 7-17 record with the Blazers in his first two seasons, the administration pulled the plug after his 2-4 start in 2025.

Dead Coaches Walking

A few more head coaching jobs are teetering, and Florida's Billy Napier remains squarely on the hot seat. His Gators earned a reprieve with a 29-21 upset over then-No. 9 Texas last week, but the momentum didn't last. After a flat performance against No. 5 Texas A&M, Napier's status has reverted to the familiar "any-day-now" territory, with pressure mounting and patience wearing thin in Gainesville.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell began the season under scrutiny, brought in to elevate the program after Paul Chryst was dismissed despite a 67-26 record and a .720 winning percentage. Expectations were high, but injuries to the transfer quarterbacks expected to lead the offense and a cultural shift that failed to take hold have derailed the campaign. After a 2-0 start in non-conference play, the Badgers' scoring output has dropped every week, and they now rank fifth-worst in the FBS at just 15.5 points per game. The low point came in a 37-point home shutout loss to Iowa, a team known more for defense than offensive fireworks. Wisconsin has now lost four straight and sits at 2-4, with little sign of recovery. Given the trajectory and recent moves around the conference, it's fair to wonder if the clock on Fickell's tenure has been dramatically accelerated.

No. 8 Oregon Ducks @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+17/60) Saturday, Oct. 18th, 6:30 p.m. BTN

Oregon enters its matchup with Rutgers as a 17-point favorite, and the underlying metrics suggest the Ducks are built to cover. While Rutgers carries a 4-2 record and some surface-level defensive accolades, the deeper numbers reveal significant vulnerabilities. The Scarlet Knights are allowing 9.2 yards per pass attempt, which ranks 132nd nationally, and 4.9 yards per rush, placing them 117th. That adds up to 7 yards per play, the third-worst rate in the country, forming a defense that Oregon's explosive offense is well-equipped to exploit. The Ducks have the speed, depth, and scheme to stretch Rutgers vertically and punish soft fronts, especially if the Scarlet Knights struggle to generate pressure or force third downs. Even with home-field advantage in Piscataway, Rutgers faces a talent gap and a statistical mismatch that favors Oregon pulling away. The Ducks should control tempo, create chunk plays, and be pissed off enough after last week's defeat against Indiana to cover this with ease.

PICK: Oregon -17

No. 21 Texas Longhorns @ Kentucky Wildcats (+17/42.5) Saturday, Oct. 18th, 7 p.m. ESPN

Kentucky enters its matchup with Texas as an 11.5-point underdog, but the Wildcats have the pieces to keep it close. Despite a 2-3 record, Kentucky is generating consistent pressure that could disrupt a Texas offensive line that has already surrendered 10 sacks this season. The home crowd in Lexington has a history of elevating performance in big games, and the Wildcats have covered in four of their last six as underdogs. Texas, sitting at 4-2, has shown flashes of vulnerability, including a narrow escape last week, and its offense has averaged just 17 points per game on the road. With a balanced attack that produces over 150 rushing yards per game, Kentucky can control tempo, limit possessions, and stay within the number.

PICK: Kentucky +17

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Iowa Hawkeyes (-3.5/38) Saturday, Oct. 18th, 7 p.m. Peacock

Iowa enters its Big Ten matchup against Penn State as a 3.5-point favorite, and the setup favors the Hawkeyes to cover at home. With a 4-2 record and a defense allowing just 17.8 points per game, Iowa ranks among the top 15 nationally in scoring prevention. This strength should challenge a Penn State offense now missing its starting quarterback. The Nittany Lions are 3-3, winless in conference play, and recently fired their head coach during a three-game losing streak, a disruption that could affect focus and execution. Their backup quarterback remains untested in hostile environments, and the offense has averaged under 300 total yards in recent losses, leaving them exposed to Iowa's pass rush, which leads the conference with 15 sacks through six games. At Kinnick Stadium, where Iowa is 3-0 this season and backed by one of the loudest crowds in college football, the Hawkeyes' ground game, averaging 184 rushing yards per contest, can control tempo and limit Penn State's chances. With defensive consistency, home-field advantage, and a favorable matchup, Iowa is positioned to win by a touchdown or more and cover the spread.

PICK: Iowa -3.5

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Pick:	Over 67.5 Odunze Rec Yds
Start:	October 13, 2025 @ 8:15 PM
Expert:	Scott Rickenbach

Analysis:

FREE Play from Scott Rickenbach -> NFL Prop - 13 October 2025 - This line is available at FanDuel, among others, as of 9:30 AM ET. Chicago @ Washington @ 8:15 PM ET Rome Odunze (Bears) 'Over' 67.5 Receiving Yards The Bears are off a bye week and QB Caleb Williams and this offense have been performing better as the season has gone along. Odunze has totaled at least 62 yards receiving each of the last 3 games. This total is slightly above that average but Odunze is sure to take advantage of a Commanders pass defense that is struggling this season. Washington, prior to last week's shocking shutdown of the Chargers, had been giving big passing yards consistently and had allowed their opponent to have a big game in receiving yardage in each and every game. Considering that fact plus the fact that Odunze is the receiving leader for the Bears and gets plenty of targets, I look for a huge game from him here. OVER 67.5 receiving yards Odunze Read More Read Less

NCAA Football Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

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