College football's best games on the Week 8 schedule you should watch today

As the Week 8 college football schedule gets underway today, we highlight those most important games that you should be watching this weekend.

This Saturday brings us five games featuring head-to-head matchups involving ranked teams with plenty on the line, including...

SEC rivals, both at one costly loss already, meet in Music City in the hopes of avoiding a second defeat...
The reigning SEC champs return home between the hedges to square off against an undefeated conference foe...
The Third Saturday in October rivalry game gets renewed with Kalen DeBoer looking to avenge last year’s loss...
The Greatest Intersectional Rivalry in Sports under the eyes of Touchdown Jesus with some concern around the future of the series, and...
A Holy War between ranked Big 12 title hopefuls under the lights.

Here are the most important games on the Week 8 college football schedule today that we’ll be watching, and that you should, too.

What you should watch on the Week 8 college football schedule today

All times Eastern

LSU at Vanderbilt

College football games on the Week 8 schedule you should watch today — Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Why watch? A battle between ranked SEC title hopefuls both already with one loss and under pressure to avoid a second as the conference race tightens up.

The knock on LSU’s apparently-amazing offense was its inability to get much of anything going when running the ball to complement Garrett Nussmeier and these gifted receivers, but they changed that narrative a little last week.

For the first time this season, LSU’s backs posted more than 4 yards per carry, averaging 5.5 yards per touch in a 10-point victory against South Carolina.

Was that the rule, or the exception? They’ll find out against a Vanderbilt run-stop that is playing very confident football, ranking 16th in FBS right now.

Where to watch: 12 p.m. on ABC

Ole Miss at Georgia

Why watch? This could be the moment that Ole Miss reasserts itself as a genuine SEC and playoff contender and deals Kirby Smart’s would-be dynasty another serious blow.

Georgia already has one ugly loss on its schedule after falling yet again to archnemesis Alabama this season at home. Is another loss to a ranked SEC contender in store?

This isn’t a vintage Georgia defense anymore. It’s not bad, but it’s not great, and it could definitely struggle against a loaded Ole Miss offense stacked with field-stretchers and led by a rising star in dual-threat quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

In particular in the first half, where the Rebels are outscoring opponents by about 9 points on average, compared to Georgia playing 4 points better before the half.

If Ole Miss can get off to a fast start, this could be a repeat of what happened against Alabama between the hedges and could deal Kirby Smart with another worrying regular season loss.

Where to watch: 3:30 p.m. on ABC

Tennessee at Alabama

Why watch? The Third Saturday in October is appointment viewing every year, especially as the Vols have proven more competitive the last few seasons.

After watching the Tide roll in 15 straight meetings, Big Orange has taken two of the last three in dramatic fashion. But they still haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003.

Kalen DeBoer was about ready to be run out of town by a posse after the season-opening loss at Florida State, but his team regrouped and responded, winning five straight games, including three in a row against ranked SEC competition. Can they make it four?

Tennessee plays the SEC’s most productive scoring offense, and its worst scoring defense. Alabama has one of college football’s most efficient passing attacks, but one of its most unremarkable running games.

When to watch: 7:30 p.m. on ABC

USC at Notre Dame

Why watch? Because this may be the last time we see this rivalry classic, unless somebody gets their act together soon.

That’s right, the powers that be still have not come to an agreement to keep The Greatest Intersectional Rivalry in College Football on the schedule after this meeting.

Notre Dame says they want to play it, and USC has, too, but is clearly troubled by the rest of its schedule in the Big Ten with all that cross-country travel.

The Golden Domers have taken six of the last seven in the series as the Trojans still look for their identity in the post-Pete Carroll years, although they took one important step in the right direction after beating a ranked Michigan team at the Coliseum last week.

Getting back into the national title race depends on USC winning games of this caliber, while Notre Dame is under big pressure to not lose a third game that would put its playoff chances in considerable peril.

When to watch: 7:30 p.m. on NBC

Utah at BYU

Why watch? This is low-key one of the meanest rivalries in college football, and now both sides are ranked and angling for attention in a competitive Big 12 title race.

BYU is undefeated, but needed some late-game magic and overtime to beat Arizona last week, while Utah already has one potentially-costly loss on its resume.

That loss came against current Big 12 darling Texas Tech and saw the Utes’ offense basically ground to a half by a championship-caliber D, but in the weeks since, Devon Dampier has led Utah to two-straight wins by scoring 40-plus points each time out.

BYU’s defense has some playmakers on a unit that ranks 12th nationally in scoring, but they’ll be challenged by what the Utes can throw at them, and could find itself struggling to match their rivals when throwing the ball.

When to watch: 8 p.m. on Fox