The 2025 College Football season rolls on with a full Saturday slate of Week 8 games. Welcome to our CFB Best Bets as we break down CFB picks for this week’s action. Let’s focus on two matchups for our top CFB predictions. Plus, check out more college football bets below.  

Saturday’s Week 8 college football slate lasts all day and all night. That means we have plenty of ways to go for our CFB picks. Note that all bets below are for one unit unless otherwise noted. Without further ado, let’s dive into our CFB Best Bets. 

CFB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets: Week 8 Saturday, 10/18

Let’s kick off Saturday’s Week 8 CFB Best Bets with an ACC matchup between Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Plus, Purdue takes on Northwestern in a Big Ten battle. Be sure to check out more CFB picks below for other notable Week 8 games, including Ole Miss vs. Georgia and Utah vs. BYU. Good luck!  
 

 

 

Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse Prediction: Saturday, October 18th

These ACC rivals are heading in opposite directions. Pittsburgh is looking to win its third straight game and move to 3-1 in the conference. Syracuse, on the flip side, is hoping to avoid a third loss in a row. 

Pitt enters this matchup with tons of confidence and momentum. The Panthers are coming off a big 34-31 road upset at Florida State last week, outscoring the ‘Noles 20-10 in the second half. They also dominated Boston College with a 48-7 victory two weeks ago. 

Pat Narduzzi has his team trending up after a 2-2 start to the season. It’s also worth noting that Pitt easily could be undefeated, with its two losses both coming in coin-flip games. The Panthers lost in overtime to West Virginia after leading by 10 points late in the fourth quarter. They also led Louisville by 10 at halftime, before losing by just a touchdown thanks to a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions. 

Yet, those blown leads were both with Eli Holstein at quarterback. Pitt is a different team since handing the offensive reins to true freshman QB Mason Heintschel. The Panthers’ offense made the switch for the BC game, and Heintschel immediately tossed 4 TDs with 323 passing yards. Last week, the youngster kept it going by accounting for 385 total yards against FSU. 

Pittsburgh has found something in Heintschel, who has notably upgraded the passing attack and brings some dual-threat ability. The Panthers now face a weak Syracuse defense that ranks 128th in the country in total yards allowed per game while giving up 29.8 PPG this year (114th in FBS). The Orange defense is also 132nd nationally in success rate and 118th in EPA/Play. It bodes well for Pitt, who’s averaging 39.8 PPG (15th in FBS).

Syracuse, meanwhile, has seen its season take a turn for the worse after pulling off that improbable road upset of Clemson last month. The Orange were dealt a big blow in the win, as starting QB Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending injury. Since then, the Orange have gotten blown out in back-to-back games. 

Two games ago, ‘Cuse lost 38-3 at home to Duke while being out-gained by nearly 200 yards. Then came a 31-18 loss to SMU. The Orange trailed 31-3 at one point in the fourth quarter before some garbage-time scores made the final line more respectable. 

Losing Angeli has proven tough to overcome, while backup Rickie Collins clearly downgrades the Syracuse offense. It’s hard to see the Orange keep pace with Pitt’s scoring in this matchup. The Panthers rank 32nd in the FBS in total defense, in addition to being 12th in defensive success rate and 30th in defensive EPA/Play. 

Let’s grab Pittsburgh to cover the spread as the road favorite. The Panthers have owned this rivalry over the past two decades, winning 17 of the past 20 meetings vs. Syracuse. Plus, each of their last four wins over the Orange have come by 10+ points, including last year’s 41-13 victory. 

 

 


 

Purdue vs. Northwestern Prediction: Saturday, October 18th

Northwestern pulled off one of the season’s most improbable upsets last week with a win at Penn State as 21-point underdogs. It was certainly impressive, especially on the road, and the victory could ultimately send the Wildcats bowling. However, we’re fading them against Purdue this weekend. 

Last week’s result was more about Penn State continuing to underperform amid a failure of a season. The Nittany Lions entered the year with national title expectations, but things have gone downhill fast since losing to Oregon. They also lost to UCLA as 25-point favorites two weeks ago, and have now fired head coach James Franklin. Give credit to Northwestern for getting the win, but Penn State’s collapse also allowed it to happen. 

With that in mind, this week’s matchup against Purdue is a prime letdown spot for Northwestern coming off that massive upset. The Boilermakers are just 2-4 on the year and currently on a 4-game losing streak. Yet, they’re likely better than that record, and certainly more on par with Northwestern. 

Purdue had to play a trio of Top 25-caliber teams in a row as it lost to USC, Notre Dame, and Illinois. Each loss is understandable. The Boilermakers then suffered a 27-20 defeat on the road at Minnesota last week. They probably should’ve won, though, after leading 20-13 in the fourth quarter and out-gaining the Golden Gophers by nearly 200 yards. 

It’s a good time for Purdue to bounce back. This game and next week’s home matchup against Rutgers are likely the only realistic opportunities for wins left on its schedule. The Boilermakers then end the season with this four-game stretch: at Michigan, home vs. No. 1 Ohio State, at Washington, home vs. No. 3 Indiana. So, expect a determined effort from Purdue here. 

As for the X’s and O’s, Purdue can have success running the ball in this matchup to control the flow of the game. The Boilermakers’ offense ranks 16th in the country in EPA/Rush and 29th in rushing success rate. That was evident last week when they racked up 253 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry vs. Minnesota. The backfield is led by senior RB Devin Mockobee and dual-threat QB Ryan Browne, who can combine to carve up Northwestern’s shaky rush defense. 

The Huskies, meanwhile, have struggled to stop the run. They rank 106th nationally in yards allowed per carry, 121st in defensive EPA/Rush, and 96th in success rate against the run. That’s also with Northwestern only facing a couple of good rushing offenses thus far. 

On the other end, Purdue’s rush defense can keep the Northwestern offense in check. The Huskies lean heavily on the run and boast a top-50 rushing attack in the country. However, Purdue is strong against opposing ground games. The Boilermakers rank 51st in rushing yards allowed per game, 40th in defensive EPA/Rush, and 43rd in success rate vs. the run. 

Let’s take Purdue to cover the spread as the road dog. Don’t be surprised if the Boilermakers win this game outright. 

 

 

 

Best CFB Prop Bets & Other Picks: Saturday, 10/18

 

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