Top 5 must-watch college football games of Week 8 ft. Alabama vs Tennessee

Week 7 of college football action was full of upsets, with the Northwestern Wildcats' shock win against Penn State causing the firing of coach James Franklin. As the season enters its climax, Week 8 is full of blockbuster games that will change the landscape of the rankings.

Top 5 College football games in Week 8

Below, we take a look at the top five marquee college football games in Week 8 action.

#5. Washington vs. Michigan

The Washington Huskies will travel to Ann Arbor to clash against the Michigan Wolverines, who were dominated by the USC Trojans last week, dropping them out of the AP Poll Top 25 rankings and putting coach Sherrone Moore on the hot seat. The clash between the Huskies and the Wolverines has huge Big Ten championship game and college football playoff spot connotations.

Despite not being ranked, the Washington Huskies have a respectable 5-1 record this season, with their only loss coming against national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

#4. LSU vs. Vanderbilt

The No. 10 LSU Tigers will be on the road to face the No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 8. Both sides have a 5-1 record and had bye-weeks ahead of their pivotal SEC clash.

Despite Vandy being 2.5-point favorites for the clash, the Tigers have already beaten two ranked opponents this season. After this game, both teams will face three ranked sides, giving this Week 8 clash even more significance in the race for the SEC championship game.

#3. USC vs. Notre Dame

The No. 20 USC Trojans will make the trip to South Bend to face off against the No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 8 for one of the spiciest fixtures of the weekend.

The Trojans stormed back into the AP Poll top 25 rankings after a blowout 31-13 win against the Michigan Wolverines in Week 7. The USC offense is humming, averaging 45.5 points per game with quarterback Jayden Maiava under center.

Coach Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish have stormed back from a 0-2 start to the season to win four straight games and put themselves in a good position to reach the college football playoffs once again.

#2. Ole Miss vs. Georgia

The No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels versus the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs just missed out on top billing as college football's most anticipated game in Week 8. Coach Lane Kiffin has led the Rebels to a flawless start to the season and coach Kirby Smart's Bulldogs are still reeling from a Week 6 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in Athens that broke their 33-game home win streak.

Last season, the Rebels dominated the Bulldogs in Oxford, but Smart's team is still an 8.5-point favorite for the SEC clash that could determine which team reaches the championship game and clinches a college football playoff spot.

#1. Alabama vs. Tennessee

The third Saturday of October clash between the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers is college football's marquee matchup for Week 8. The Crimson Tide are riding high after three consecutive wins against ranked sides and have not lost to the Vols in Tuscaloosa since 2003.

The game will also pit college football's most in-form quarterbacks, with Tennessee's Joey Aguilar leading the SEC in pass yards (1,680), while Alabama's Ty Simpson has shot up the 2025 Heisman Trophy race (+350 according to BetMGM).

Coach Josh Heupel's Tennessee has only lost a narrow thriller to the Georgia Bulldogs, while coach Kalen DeBoer's Bama lost to the Florida State Seminoles. With both teams harboring SEC championship game aspirations, this Week 8 rivalry clash holds even more significance.

Edited by Cabral Opiyo