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18 October 2025

Georgia Tech Faces Duke And Big Ten Showdowns Highlight College Football Week 8

Expert picks favor Washington over Michigan as Georgia Tech seeks a historic 7-0 start on the road against Duke, while Big Ten and non-conference matchups promise drama and surprises across the nation.

Week 8 of the college football season has arrived, and fans are in for a treat with a slate packed full of high-stakes matchups, surprise underdogs, and playoff implications. As conference play intensifies, the spotlight falls on the Big Ten, ACC, and a handful of marquee non-conference showdowns. With expert picks rolling in and storylines heating up, let’s dive into the games that are setting the college football world abuzz this weekend.

One of the most anticipated clashes comes from the ACC, where No. 13 Georgia Tech travels to Durham to take on Duke in a noon showdown this Saturday. Georgia Tech, riding high at 6-0 and seeking their first 7-0 start since 1966, enters as a surprising underdog despite their unbeaten record. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a commanding win over Virginia Tech, where they jumped to an 18-0 lead and never looked back. But now, the stakes are higher as they face a Duke team boasting one of the nation’s most potent offenses.

Duke’s attack is orchestrated by quarterback Darian Mensah, who has been nothing short of electric this season. Mensah ranks seventh nationally in passing yards with 1,838, adding 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions to his stat sheet. The Blue Devils, averaging 467 yards per game, are ranked No. 20 in total offense, making them a daunting challenge for any defense. Georgia Tech’s defensive unit, however, will be without one of its key contributors, Ahmari Harvey, who suffered an injury late in last week’s contest. That absence could loom large as the Jackets look to contain Mensah and company.

Georgia Tech’s approach is clear: create pressure with their front four, limit explosive plays, and stay disciplined in coverage. Veteran safety Clayton Powell Lee summed up the defensive mindset, stating, “We take that into every game, honestly, because any quarterback can make those plays. Honestly, every quarterback I feel like he has that ability to make those improvising plays, and he's one of them, so just knowing that and just harnessing on the details of all right… He may get out of the pocket, that doesn't mean come out of coverage… if we just stay disciplined, stay to our keys, stay to our reads, and everything, and plaster when he is outside the pocket, he has nowhere to throw. Then we can keep playing ball like that. You can't beat us just running outside the pocket.”

Georgia Tech’s players and staff are relishing the chance to prove themselves on the road. “Playing on the road is awesome, going into a different environment and it is an opportunity for us to come closer as a team and build our trust even more with each other, knowing we love playing at home, the crowd has been outstanding, the environment has been outstanding but it is a different type of situation to go on the road, it gives you another chance to come together as a football team, to really go against everything that should be in your favor when you are playing at home and we relish that and we are excited for it,” said one Georgia Tech player, echoing the team’s collective excitement for the challenge ahead.

Predictions for the Georgia Tech-Duke matchup are split among experts, but optimism runs high in Atlanta. Jackson Caudell, publisher for Georgia Tech on SI, predicts a 35-31 win for the Yellow Jackets, while Arvon Bacon forecasts a more decisive 38-20 triumph. Najeh Wilkins, another staff writer, sees Georgia Tech prevailing 31-20. Despite being the underdog, the Jackets are clearly not short on belief or motivation.

The ACC isn’t the only conference serving up drama. The Big Ten is as competitive as ever, with several teams vying for supremacy as the season reaches its midway point. According to expert picks compiled this week, Nebraska is the consensus favorite over Minnesota in their Friday night clash, with all four analysts siding with the Cornhuskers to cover the seven-point spread. Saturday’s marquee Big Ten duel features Michigan traveling to Washington, and while Michigan enters as a 4.5-point favorite, the consensus pick is for Washington to pull off the upset at home.

Elsewhere in the conference, Northwestern is favored by three over Purdue, and the consensus among experts is for the Wildcats to defend their home turf. Indiana, a hefty 27.5-point favorite over Michigan State, is expected to cruise to victory, with all analysts backing the Hoosiers. Oregon, a 17-point favorite on the road at Rutgers, is another unanimous pick, highlighting the Ducks’ continued dominance.

The nightcap in the Big Ten features Penn State visiting Iowa, with the Hawkeyes favored by three. The consensus pick leans toward Iowa, despite one expert giving Penn State the nod. Meanwhile, UCLA is favored by 3.5 over Maryland, and the Bruins are the popular pick to come out on top in Los Angeles.

In one of the weekend’s most storied rivalries, USC travels to South Bend to face Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are 9.5-point favorites, but the consensus among experts is that Notre Dame will win, though not cover the spread—a subtle nod to the expected competitiveness of this classic matchup.

Beyond the Big Ten and ACC, several high-profile non-conference games are set to capture the nation’s attention. LSU, despite being a 2.5-point underdog at Vanderbilt, is the consensus pick to win. Georgia Tech, as previously mentioned, is expected by some experts to lose to Duke, despite their impressive start. Georgia, favored by 7.5 over Ole Miss, is picked to win but not cover, suggesting a closer contest than the line indicates. Alabama, an 8.5-point favorite, is also picked by consensus to win but not cover in their primetime matchup. To round out the evening, Utah is favored by 3.5 at BYU, with the consensus siding with the Utes to emerge victorious.

As the action unfolds, fans will be glued to their screens, eager to see if the experts’ predictions hold true. Will Georgia Tech continue their historic run, or will Duke’s high-flying offense hand them their first loss? Can Washington upset Michigan and shake up the Big Ten race? With so much at stake and so many storylines in play, Week 8 promises to deliver the kind of excitement that makes college football so beloved.

With kickoff just hours away, all eyes are on the gridiron. Whether you’re rooting for a powerhouse or an underdog, this weekend’s games are sure to provide plenty of drama, highlight-reel plays, and perhaps a few surprises. Stay tuned—college football’s Week 8 is shaping up to be one for the books.