It's time to strap in and get ready for things to get wild as we enter the second half of the 2026 college football regular season. With upsets galore on a weekly basis, the race for the College Football Playoff is wide open, and this weekend's results are going to play a big role in who gets in and who will have to settle for a normal bowl game.

Let's take a look at three of my favorite bets for Saturday's slate of games.

College Football Best Bets for Week 8

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

California +20 (-118) vs. SMU

UCF +6.5 (-102) vs. BYU

Texas -3.5 (-102) vs. Ole Miss

California vs. SMU Best Bet

SMU is rightfully favored and will win this game, but I think the spread in this game is too lopsided. California's biggest strength is its secondary. The Golden Bears rank 31st in opponent EPA per pass and 51st in opponent pass success rate.…