Best College Football Week 8 Bets: Friday (2025)
We have a four-game slate Friday night with No. 2 Miami taking on Louisville, No. 25 Nebraska traveling to Minneapolis to play Minnesota, Utah State hosting San Jose State and North Carolina visiting California. But how should you approach betting on these games? What are the best bets?
Keep reading, and we'll tell you what we think are the best college football Week 8 bets for each contest.
- More NCAAF Betting Advice
- Expert Game Picks for College Football
- Top Bettor Picks for College Football
- NCAAF Betting Strategy
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Friday's Best College Football Bets
Louisville vs. No. 2 Miami
Chris Bell had a total of 13 receptions in his first three games of the season, but has 22 over the last two weeks (10 and 12). It will be harder to keep that type of production going against a solid Miami pass defense, but as long as the Cardinals try, I like Bell's chance of recording at least seven receptions.
Miami should win this game, but I think the Cardinals’ pass defense will make the Hurricanes work for it and keep the score relatively close.
Picks: Louisville +13.5 (-105 at Fanatics Sportsbook) & Chris Bell Over 6.5 Receptions (+116 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
No. 25 Nebraska vs. Minnesota
All eyes will be on Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola in this one, which will give Emmett Johnson a chance to have a relatively solid but productive day. He's gone over this total once in his last four games, a 170-yard day against Maryland last weekend, but he opened the season with a pair of 100+ yard games.
Minnesota's run defense is solid (28th in the country), but once the Gophers start to adjust in an effort to slow down the Nebraska pass game, the lanes will open up and Johnson will have a big day.
Pick: Emmett Johnson Over 96.5 Rushing Yards (-114 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
San Jose State vs. Utah State
What do you get when you put two teams with prolific offenses and poor defenses on the same field? You get a high-scoring game. The fireworks should start early and not slow down until the game is done.
Braden Pegan has gone over this mark in three of his last four games. It would be shocking if he didn't go over it again while facing one of the worst, most inefficient pass defenses in the country.
Picks: Over 63.5 Points (-108 at FanDuel Sportsbook) & Braden Pegan Over 74.5 Receiving Yards (-114 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
North Carolina vs. California
Bill Belichick has certainly found out the hard way that coaching in college is a different animal than coaching in the NFL. His team should absolutely lose this game; however, it is hard to say whether the Tar Heels can cover a 10.5-point spread. As luck would have it, Cal isn't much better than UNC.
Belichick's team struggles to move the ball, averaging 18.8 points a game, but has only scored 53 points in its four games against FBS teams and just 33 points against Power Four teams. Cal averages 24.2 points per game and has scored 20+ points in four out of five games.
This will be a low-scoring game.
Pick: Under 47.5 Points (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)