Saturday, October 24, 2026 | NCAA Division I FBS
Week 8 brings another pivotal weekend in college football as ranked teams face conference tests, playoff contenders look to protect their positions, and several programs have opportunities to make a statement in the race toward the College Football Playoff.
The headline matchups include Ole Miss visiting Texas, Texas A&M travelling to Alabama, Indiana heading to Michigan, and Tennessee facing South Carolina.
With the season entering its decisive stretch, every conference game carries added importance.
Top Games to Watch.
Prediction at bottom
Ole Miss at Texas
Ole Miss
Indiana at Michigan
Indiana
Texas A&M at Alabama
Alabama
Houston at Utah
Utah
LSU at Auburn
LSU
Pittsburgh at Miami
Miami
USC at Wisconsin
USC
BYU at UCF
BYU
Other Games
Tennessee at South Carolina 3:30 p.m. Tennessee tries to build on its victory over Alabama.
Texas Tech at Cincinnati 12:00 p.m.
A key Big 12 contest with conference implications.
Iowa at Minnesota 3:30 p.m.
A traditional Big Ten rivalry built around physical football.
Three Keys to Week 8
Quarterback performance:
The Ole Miss–Texas matchup features two quarterbacks who could shape the outcome through decision-making, accuracy and composure under pressure.
Conference positioning:
Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, Houston and Utah have opportunities to strengthen their postseason cases with important conference victories.
Turnover margin:
With several games expected to be competitive, interceptions, fumbles and special-teams mistakes could decide the biggest contests.
Final Outlook
Week 8 offers a valuable opportunity for contenders to separate themselves from the pack.
Ole Miss–Texas is the marquee evening matchup, while Indiana–Michigan and Texas A&M–Alabama headline the daytime schedule.
Houston–Utah could provide one of the most competitive finishes of the weekend.
The biggest takeaway is straight forward:
Teams aspiring to compete for a conference championship or a College Football Playoff berth cannot afford to overlook opponents at this stage of the season.
