Well, that didn’t last long.
After two straight 9-3 weekends had us feeling like we were finally getting the hang of this college football thing, Week 7 brought us back down to earth. We finished with a 5-7 record, and we owe a pretty big thank-you to Craig for keeping the weekend from getting even uglier.
Craig delivered a perfect 3-0 performance, while Caleb and Zack both finished 1-2. And then there was Matt, who went 0-3 against the spread and earned himself the prestigious Week 7 Cone of Shame.
We’re not panicking. At least, not publicly.
The season standings are still competitive, and there’s plenty of football left to make up ground. Craig’s perfect weekend gave him a much-needed boost, while Zack takes hold of the top spot.
Week 8 gives us plenty to work with, including Tennessee at South Carolina, Ole Miss visiting Texas, USC at Wisconsin, and a fascinating matchup between Michigan and Indiana.
We’ve also got a few games where multiple writers are backing the same team. Tennessee is the most popular pick of the week, while BYU has some support as well.
Let’s see if we can get back on track.
Tennessee Is the Pick of the Week
If there’s one team our crew seems to agree on this weekend, it’s Tennessee.
Caleb, Craig and Zack are all taking the Volunteers and the points against South Carolina.
The reasoning is pretty straightforward: Tennessee has looked like a team capable of competing with the best in the country, while South Carolina hasn’t consistently shown the same level of play.
Tennessee’s explosive offense is the biggest selling point. All three believe the Volunteers have enough firepower to make this matchup difficult for the Gamecocks, regardless of the home-field advantage.
Caleb: Tennessee +2.5
Tennessee has looked like a top team in the country, while South Carolina has simply not. Tennessee has an explosive offense that should be able to take over in this game.
Craig: Tennessee +2.5
Slightly confused by the line here. I think Tennessee wins this game by a couple of scores.
Zack: Tennessee +2.5
I don’t know how much home-field advantage is worth, but how are the Volunteers the underdog in this one? Unless Vegas knows something I don’t—they probably do—I like Tennessee to win this one.
BYU Also Has Our Attention
Tennessee isn’t the only team attracting multiple votes this weekend. BYU is also getting support from Caleb and Zack.
Caleb is laying seven points with the Cougars against UCF, while Zack has BYU at -6.5.
Both believe BYU has looked dominant this season and has the talent to continue rolling against a UCF team that has struggled on both sides of the ball.
Caleb: BYU -7
BYU has looked dominant this season, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. UCF has struggled on both sides of the ball and I don’t see a way they keep this game close on Saturday.
Zack: BYU -6.5
The Cougars favored by a single touchdown on the road over the Knights makes zero sense to me, especially coming off that win over Notre Dame. As long as they don’t come in with a “big win hangover,” I wouldn’t be surprised if they win by 20.
Michigan vs. Indiana: A Big Ten Split
One of the more interesting disagreements this weekend comes from the Big Ten.
Matt is taking Michigan +7.5 at home against Indiana, while Zack is laying 7.5 points with the Hoosiers.
That gives us a classic clash of perspectives: Matt is trusting Michigan’s home-field advantage, while Zack believes Indiana is the better team and will prove it on the road.
Matt: Michigan +7.5
Indiana has not won a game in Ann Arbor since 1967. This is a massive situational bounce-back spot for the Wolverines, who just halted a skid by beating Penn State and are expected to start freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. With a defense capable of dragging the Hoosiers into a low-scoring, sloppy Big Ten slugfest, Michigan has the ground game and home-field advantage required to prevent a blowout and comfortably keep this game within a single score.
Zack: Indiana -7.5
This game being at the Big House has to be why the spread is even this close. The Wolverines have not impressed, and Indiana was about as close as you can get to beat Ohio State without actually winning. I think the Hoosiers bounce back with a double-digit victory.
Caleb
Tennessee (+2.5) vs. South Carolina
Tennessee has looked like a top team in the country, while South Carolina has simply not. Tennessee has an explosive offense that should be able to take over in this game.
Kentucky (-10.5) vs. Vanderbilt
The Wildcats have started off this season hot with a very explosive offense. I don’t see Vandy being able to keep up with this Kentucky team.
BYU (-7) vs. UCF
BYU has looked dominant this season, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. UCF has struggled on both sides of the ball, and I don’t see a way they keep this game close on Saturday.
Craig
Tennessee (+2.5) at South Carolina
Slightly confused by the line here. I think Tennessee wins this game by a couple of scores.
Ole Miss (+3.5) at Texas
The Longhorns have had a rough couple of weeks. Things won’t get any better as they host the Rebels. I think the Ole Miss offense will be too much for Texas to handle.
USC (-2.5) at Wisconsin
This will be my first time picking the Trojans this season. I think Lincoln Riley has this offense in a good spot, and they should be able to take care of business on Saturday.
Matt
Pittsburgh (+20.5) vs. Miami
Getting more than a three-touchdown cushion (+20.5) is an immense luxury against a Miami team that failed to cover a similar line last week and has a bottom-tier pass defense. Pittsburgh features a top-20 passing offense and an aggressive pass rush that disrupts offensive rhythm. They have the exact tactical tools needed to slow Miami down early—and, more importantly, score a quick late touchdown to secure a “backdoor cover.”
Michigan (+7.5) vs. Indiana
Indiana has not won a game in Ann Arbor since 1967. This is a massive situational bounce-back spot for the Wolverines, who just halted a skid by beating Penn State and are expected to start freshman quarterback Tommy Carr. With a defense capable of dragging the Hoosiers into a low-scoring, sloppy Big Ten slugfest, Michigan has the ground game and home-field advantage required to prevent a blowout and comfortably keep this game within a single score.
Texas Tech (-10.5) vs. Cincinnati
Cincinnati has a dynamic passing game, but their defense is an absolute sieve, ranking 81st nationally in points allowed per game and fresh off leaking 45 points to West Virginia. They now run directly into an elite, highly balanced Texas Tech juggernaut (6–0) that ranks 19th in the country defensively, surrendering a measly 17.7 points per game.
Zack
Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan
This game being at the Big House has to be why the spread is even this close. The Wolverines have not impressed, and Indiana was about as close as you can get to beat Ohio State without actually winning. I think the Hoosiers bounce back with a double-digit victory.
BYU (-6.5) at UCF
The Cougars favored by a single touchdown on the road over the Knights makes zero sense to me, especially coming off that win over Notre Dame. As long as they don’t come in with a “big win hangover,” I wouldn’t be surprised if they win by 20.
Tennessee (+2.5) at South Carolina
I don’t know how much home-field advantage is worth, but how are the Volunteers the underdog in this one? Unless Vegas knows something I don’t—they probably do—I like Tennessee to win this one.
The Week 8 Heartland Sports Scorecard
The good news? We’re still in striking distance.
The bad news? We just watched two weeks of momentum disappear in a hurry.
Craig was the bright spot in Week 7, going a perfect 3-0. Caleb and Zack both finished 1-2, while Matt went 0-3.
That gives us a combined 5-7 record for the week. Not a disaster, but certainly not the kind of weekend we were hoping for after back-to-back 9-3 performances.
Here’s where things stand heading into Week 8:
| Rank | Writer | Week 7 | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zack | 1-2 | 13-11 |
| 2 | Matt | 0-3 | 12-12 |
| 2 | Craig | 3-0 | 12-12 |
| 4 | Caleb | 1-2 | 10-14 |
Craig’s perfect week pulls him into a tie with Matt, while Zack moves into first place. Caleb has some ground to make up, but with three picks every week, the standings can change quickly.
Week 8 Picks
| Writer | Pick No. 1 | Pick No. 2 | Pick No. 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb | Tennessee +2.5 | Kentucky -10.5 | BYU -7 |
| Craig | Tennessee +2.5 | Ole Miss +3.5 | USC -2.5 |
| Matt | Pittsburgh +20.5 | Michigan +7.5 | Texas Tech -10.5 |
| Zack | Indiana -7.5 | BYU -6.5 | Tennessee +2.5 |
Week 8 Storylines to Watch
Most Popular Pick: Tennessee +2.5
Caleb, Craig and Zack are all taking Tennessee against South Carolina.
The Volunteers have looked like a top team, and our writers aren’t convinced South Carolina has done enough to deserve being favored.
Tennessee’s offense will be the key. If the Volunteers can dictate the pace and create explosive plays, our crew could be celebrating a three-for-three consensus win.
If South Carolina protects home field, though, three of us will be sweating the same result.
The Other Consensus: BYU
Caleb and Zack are backing BYU against UCF, with Caleb laying seven points and Zack laying 6.5.
The Cougars have been impressive, and both writers believe UCF will struggle to keep pace.
The question is whether BYU can avoid a letdown after its big win over Notre Dame. Zack sees a potential blowout, while Caleb simply expects the Cougars to continue doing what they’ve done all season.
Game of the Week: Michigan vs. Indiana
Matt and Zack are on opposite sides of this Big Ten matchup.
Matt is taking Michigan +7.5, trusting the Wolverines to keep the game close at home. Zack believes Indiana is the better team and expects the Hoosiers to win by double digits.
This one could have a direct impact on the standings—and on whether Matt can shake off last week’s disastrous performance.
Biggest Underdog Cushion: Pittsburgh +20.5
Matt is taking nearly three touchdowns with Pittsburgh against Miami.
The Panthers’ passing offense and pass rush give him hope that they can stay competitive, even if Miami controls the game.
The challenge is obvious: Miami has enough talent to win comfortably. Matt is counting on Pittsburgh to make enough plays to cover, potentially with a late touchdown.
The Bounce-Back Watch
Craig is coming off a perfect 3-0 week and has an opportunity to build momentum with Tennessee, Ole Miss and USC.
Matt, meanwhile, needs a response after going 0-3. He’s taking Pittsburgh, Michigan and Texas Tech, with the Panthers getting a huge cushion against Miami.
Zack will try to protect his narrow lead, while Caleb needs a strong week to start climbing the standings.
Let’s Get Back on Track
We got a little too comfortable.
Two straight 9-3 weekends had us thinking we might have finally cracked the code. Week 7 reminded us that college football has a way of humbling everyone.
Craig deserves the credit this week. A perfect 3-0 weekend is exactly what the doctor ordered, and it helped keep the group’s results respectable.
Matt, on the other hand, has some work to do. The cone of shame is never a fun accessory, but at least he has three more picks to get back on track.
Week 8 gives us a few shared opinions, some intriguing disagreements and plenty of chances to make up ground.
Three of us like Tennessee. Two are backing BYU. And Matt and Zack are going head-to-head on Michigan and Indiana.
We’re not going to pretend we have this figured out.
But we’re not giving up on the winning weekends, either.
Week 8 is here. Let’s see if we can bounce back.