College Football Week 8 Preview: Ole Miss vs Texas and More
October 21, 202612 min readUpdated October 21, 2026
No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas headlines a college football Week 8 board that runs from a noon ET kickoff to a 10:15 PM ET finish on Saturday, October 24. As of October 21 at 2:32 PM ET, the market's implied probability favors Texas at 59%, with Ole Miss at 41%.
The slate at a glance
Ten featured games, all on Saturday, October 24. Every percentage below is the market's implied probability captured on October 21 at 2:32 PM ET.
| # | Matchup | Market favorite | Our Read | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No. 7 MISS at No. 19 TEX | Texas 59% | Lean | 7:30 PM ET |
| 2 | No. 6 IND at MICH | Indiana 72% | Clear favorite | 12:00 PM ET |
| 3 | No. 14 HOU at No. 10 UTAH | Utah 69% | Clear favorite | 10:15 PM ET |
| 4 | TAMU at No. 13 ALA | Alabama 84% | Lopsided | 3:30 PM ET |
| 5 | No. 18 LSU at AUB | LSU 72% | Clear favorite | 12:00 PM ET |
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Each price is the market's implied probability of an outcome, from 0 to 100 cents. An event contract priced at 59 cents implies about a 59% chance. If the outcome happens, the contract pays $1. If it does not, the contract pays nothing and you lose the 59 cents you paid.
No. 7 Ole Miss at No. 19 Texas
Texas is the market's implied favorite at 59%, with Ole Miss at 41%, a Lean on this week's board. Kickoff is 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, with ABC carrying it.
See markets for Ole Miss at Texas.
What’s at stake
Both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 released October 18, so this is a top-10 team visiting a top-20 team in a conference game.
Ole Miss has won four of its last five, including 31-3 over Missouri on October 17. Texas has lost its last two, 24-27 to Florida on October 17 and 24-27 to Oklahoma on October 10.
The numbers
Ole Miss averages 290.7 passing yards per game this season to Texas's 226.3, and converts 47.2% on third down to Texas's 41.7%. Texas answers on defense, allowing 166.2 passing and 106.3 rushing yards per game against the 236.5 and 153.5 Ole Miss has allowed. Our take: that is an offense against a defense, with little overlap.
What the market says
As captured on October 21 at 2:32 PM ET, the market gives Texas 59% and Ole Miss 41%, a narrower split than the 12-place rank gap between them.
No. 6 Indiana at Michigan
Indiana is the market's implied favorite at 72% on the road, with Michigan at 28%, a Clear favorite read. The Hoosiers and Wolverines open the noon window at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, on FOX.
See markets for Indiana at Michigan.
Why it matters
Indiana arrives No. 6 in the AP poll released October 18 and Michigan arrives unranked. Indiana lost 15-19 to Ohio State on October 17, its only defeat in five games; Michigan beat Penn State 21-18 the same day. A road result here for Indiana will shape the Big Ten race.
The numbers
Indiana averages 200.1 rushing yards and 249.1 passing yards per game; Michigan averages 147.7 and 165.7. Michigan's defense allows 166.8 passing and 89.7 rushing yards per game, close to Indiana's 195.1 and 75.4. Indiana has conceded 14.8 points per game across its last five, Michigan 17.0.
What the market says
Indiana at 72% is a road favorite by 44 points of implied probability, as captured on October 21 at 2:32 PM ET. Reading that gap, the market is leaning on Indiana's scoring margin rather than on Michigan's home field. The Wolverines have won three of their last five, including 17-10 over Oklahoma on September 12.
No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah
Utah is the market's implied favorite at 69%, with Houston at 32%, a Clear favorite read. The two meet at 10:15 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, on ESPN.
See markets for Houston at Utah.
Utah has won each of its last five, including 27-24 at Colorado on October 18, conceding 15.0 points per game in that span. Utah allows 88.7 rushing yards per game this season.
Houston has won four of its last five, including 35-32 over Oklahoma State on October 17, and lost 26-28 at Texas Tech on September 19. Houston converts 61.4% on third down, and no other featured offense this week is above 53.3%.
Texas A&M at No. 13 Alabama
Alabama is the market's implied favorite at 84%, with Texas A&M at 16%, a Lopsided matchup. Kickoff is 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, on ABC.
See markets for Texas A&M at Alabama.
Alabama has lost its last two, 10-26 at Tennessee on October 17 and 17-20 to Georgia on October 10, and still prices as a heavy home favorite. Texas A&M has scored 21.6 points per game over its last five and was beaten 6-35 by LSU on September 26.
No. 18 LSU at Auburn
LSU is the market's implied favorite at 72% on the road, with Auburn at 28%, a Clear favorite read. The two Tigers teams kick off at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, on ABC.
See markets for LSU at Auburn.
LSU allows 168.3 passing yards and 88.1 rushing yards per game and shut out Mississippi State 31-0 on October 17. Auburn won 27-24 at Georgia the same day but allows 143.0 rushing yards per game.
No. 16 USC at Wisconsin
USC is the market's implied favorite at 59%, with Wisconsin at 42%, a Lean. Kickoff is 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, on NBC.
See markets for USC at Wisconsin.
USC averages 310.1 passing yards per game and converts 51.2% on third down, but has conceded 30.0 points per game across its last five. Wisconsin allows 171.2 passing and 115.5 rushing yards per game and lost 7-17 at UCLA on October 17. On our reading, the 59% price turns on whether Wisconsin's yards-allowed numbers hold up against USC's passing volume.
Virginia Tech at Clemson
Clemson is the market's implied favorite at 56%, with Virginia Tech at 44%, the closest price on this week's board. Kickoff is 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, on ESPN.
See markets for Virginia Tech at Clemson.
Virginia Tech averages 301.6 passing yards per game and beat Georgia Tech 34-24 on October 17. Clemson converts 33.3% on third down this season but has conceded 15.6 points per game over its last five, including a 37-0 win over Charleston Southern on October 17.
That is the narrowest gap on this week’s board: a Clemson defense against a Virginia Tech passing game, with 12 points of implied probability between them.
Pittsburgh at No. 1 Miami
Miami is the market's implied favorite at 92%, with Pittsburgh at 8%, the widest price on this week's board. Kickoff is 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on ESPN.
See markets for Pittsburgh at Miami.
Miami averages 333.0 passing yards and 226.5 rushing yards per game and has won each of its last five, scoring 49.2 points per game and conceding 15.6 in that span. Pittsburgh allows 57.3 rushing yards per game but has lost two straight, 21-27 at Boston College on October 17 and 17-21 to North Carolina on October 10.
No. 8 Texas Tech at Cincinnati
Texas Tech is the market's implied favorite at 80% on the road, with Cincinnati at 21%, a Lopsided affair. Kickoff is 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, on Fox Sports 1.
See markets for Texas Tech at Cincinnati.
Texas Tech has won each of its last five, scoring 38.8 points per game and conceding 19.2 in that span, and allows 82.0 rushing yards per game. Cincinnati converts 49.4% on third down and averages 231.2 rushing yards per game, but allows 294.0 passing yards per game and lost 42-45 at West Virginia on October 17.
No. 15 Iowa at Minnesota
Iowa is the market's implied favorite at 70% on the road, with Minnesota at 31%, a Clear favorite read. Kickoff is 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 24 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
See markets for Iowa at Minnesota.
Iowa averages 194.0 rushing yards per game and allows 84.7 on the ground; Minnesota averages 104.8 rushing yards per game and allows 129.2. Minnesota lost 13-41 at Purdue on October 11 but beat Michigan 20-14 on October 3. Minnesota’s 20-14 win over Michigan is its best result in that span.
See the Week 8 markets
Every featured game in this preview has its own page, and the full board sits on the college football hub. Fanatics Markets provides a place where you can trade event contracts on real-world outcomes, at prices that keep moving until kickoff on Saturday, October 24. Every percentage here was captured on October 21 at 2:32 PM ET.
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