NCAA Week Eight: Betting preview, free tips, when to watch

Free college football tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's NCAA Week Eight games.

LSU at Mississippi State

Where to watch

BT Sport ESPN, 8.30pm Saturday

Best bet

LSU -10 first-half handicap
2pts 10-11 general

Match preview

The last time these sides met in Starkville the Mississippi Bulldogs pulled off a huge upset in a 37-7 mauling of the then 12th-ranked LSU Tigers.

But times have changed. LSU head into this clash as the second-ranked team in the country and it could be argued they should have toppled Alabama at number one after their 42-28 domination of Florida last week.

The Tigers have excelled on offence this season, scoring 42 or more points in each of their six victories to begin the campaign.

A big factor has been the outstanding play of quarterback Joe Burrow, who ranks second in both passing yards and touchdowns, with 2,157 and 25, and first in completion percentage with an impressive 79.6.

Mississippi State struggled terribly against the only other complete offence they have seen this year when they conceded 56 points in Auburn, including 41 in the first half.

The Tigers are 17.5-point favourites heading into this clash, and while LSU are 4-2 against the handicap this season, this might not be the best spot to back them to cover.

The LSU defence have allowed an average of 35 points against the three Power 5 teams they have faced this season - Texas, Vanderbilt, and Florida - most of which has come late in the games.

The Bulldogs quarterback carousel has impacted on their offence so far this season, especially early in games, with a measly nine first-half points in their last two matches combined.

LSU will be eager to wrap this game up early, with one eye on their next two opponents Auburn and then a mouthwatering clash on the road against Alabama.

The Tigers have averaged the second-most points in the first half this season with 28.4 and another fast start is to be expected in this one.

Baylor at Oklahoma State

9pm Saturday

Best bet

Oklahoma State -3
1pt 5-6 RedZone

Match preview

Baylor Bears have won their opening six games but they have had a soft non-conference schedule to start the season, beating Stephen F Austin and UTSA at home, before winning but failing to cover the handicap as 26.5-point favourites in their 21-13 win on the road over Rice.

The Bears have won three conference games since, most recently against Texas Tech, but they needed a fourth-quarter field goal and double-overtime to do so.

That victory came at a huge cost with Baylor’s star linebacker Clay Johnson, who led the team with 58 combined tackles, suffering a serious knee injury.

That could not have happened at a worse time for the Bears as they now face Oklahoma State star Chukka Hubbard, who leads the nation with 1,094 rushing yards, 268 more than anyone else.

Dual-threat quarterback Spencer Sanders has added 426 rushing yards himself, with wide receiver Tylan Wallace adding 703 receiving yards and seven touchdowns through the air.

Baylor’s offence has seen success this season, but they lack the explosiveness of Oklahoma State, and if the Cowboys can limit their turnovers, which were key in their two defeats, the Bears will have little chance of going toe-to-toe with them on offence.

The Cowboys are 2-0 at home this season, covering the handicap in both of those wins. They have a sizeable advantage on offence, come into this game with a week’s rest, against a banged-up Baylor team, and look to have a solid chance of comfortably ending Baylor’s unbeaten start to the season.

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