2023 College Football Week 8 predictions, best bets by Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica

“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.

Week 8 of the college football season is here, and I like a couple of underdogs this weekend.

As for betting on college football every week, I will share my best bets and gambling nuggets (Bear Bytes) with you throughout the season in this space. So, if you are looking to throw a few bucks down on the big games this week, I’ve got you covered.

On a side note, a new episode of my digital gambling show and podcast will be posted every Thursday. The college football-focused episodes — presented by Big Noon Kickoff — will be released on Thursdays, with the NFL-themed episodes dropping on Fridays.

Let’s have some fun and, hopefully, make some money. 

Here are my favorite wagers for Week 8.

Last week: 3-4 (21-26-1 season)

(All times ET Saturday)

South Carolina @ No. 20 Missouri, 3:30 p.m., SEC

The Tigers are coming off a nice upset win at Kentucky and has potentially their biggest home game in quite some time up next, when Georgia visits Columbia. 

The Gamecocks blew a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead last week against Florida, but their passing attack was on point. At the very least, quarterback Spencer Rattler will keep South Carolina within striking distance, and if the pass rush doesn’t fall apart like it did against Florida’s Graham Mertz, it can go to Missouri and pull the upset. 

PICK: South Carolina (+7) to lose by fewer than 7 points (or win outright)

Pittsburgh @ Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m., ACC

The Panthers played to the script last week by upsetting undefeated Louisville and that, of course, means they will go to Winston-Salem and lose to a Wake Forest team which has scored 16, 12 and 13 points the past three weeks, with a pair of two-touchdown losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in which it turned the ball over eight times. 

The Demon Deacons have quarterback issues, but this is just a play against what I expect to be typical bizarro Pitt. 

PICK: Wake Forest (-1) to win by more than 1 point

Northwestern @ Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., Big Ten

The Wildcats have been blasted by Rutgers and Duke in their two road games, and if the Cornhuskers have done anything consistently well this year — other than turn the ball over with Jeff Sims — it is doing a good job against bad offenses.

Minnesota scored 13 points, Northern Illinois 11, Louisiana Tech 14 and Illinois seven against the Cornhuskers. 

This will probably be a bit of an uncomfortable grind to get there, but it feels very 27-10-ish.

PICK: Nebraska (-11.5) to win by more than 11.5 points

No. 13 Ole Miss @ Auburn, 7 p.m., ESPN

The Tigers were torched for 563 yards and 48 points in Baton Rouge last week and now get to deal with Jaxson Dart, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels offense. 

There isn’t much there to think the Tigers can pull the upset, but we saw Georgia have to rally in the second half at Jordan-Hare Stadium and if there’s one thing the Auburn offense hasn’t done in SEC play (besides be trusted to score points), it is not turning the ball over (one in three games). 

This game just has weird written all over it, and I’ll grab the points as a result.

PICK: Auburn (+6.5) to lose by fewer than 6.5 points (or win outright)

UNDERDOGS TO PLAY ON THE MONEYLINE

South Carolina +230
Auburn +210
Connecticut +110
Rice +135
Georgia State +130

Chris “The Bear” Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an “occasional” wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, “The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!” Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica. 

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