5 Best SEC Bets for Week 8 That You Should Consider Backing

David Caraviello

October 17th, 2018

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These days in the Deep South, the omnipresent humidity is occasionally broken by a breeze carrying something resembling a chill.

Nighttime temperatures create perfect conditions for sitting on a screened-in porch with an adult beverage. Early mornings are downright refreshing, although they don’t last long before those final vestiges of summer set in for the remainder of the day.

That’s right: Fall is coming. Not calendar fall, but the real thing, when it doesn’t always feel 95 degrees outside and you can even wear a long-sleeved shirt in the middle of the day.

In SEC country, real fall means the stretch run of the football season, when the games take on greater meaning and every weekend is crucial to those programs with something still on the line.

So, fans of college football betting, crack open a can of something Oktoberfest-themed, maybe open a window and have a sweater on hand for a night game. And enjoy these five best bets for this weekend in the SEC, where the race to Atlanta begins in earnest.

1. LSU vs. Mississippi State

   The line: LSU -6.5 with SugarHouse

   It’s now clear that LSU’s early-season victories were colored by the recent dysfunction surrounding the program, and the anticipation that it would all come rushing back. That allowed us to overlook an improved offense to go with one of the best defenses in the SEC.

   Mississippi State is better than LSU in almost every statistical category, but that’s skewed by lopsided early wins over lower-tier opponents, and the Bulldogs simply don’t have the resume to match what the Tigers have done this season.

   In Death Valley, on the heels of a dismantling of Georgia, with an off week before that mega-showdown against Alabama, there’s just too much to like about LSU. Bet them at -6.5 with SugarHouse.

2. Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt

   The line: Kentucky -11.5 with 888Sport

   Wildcats fans, here’s something to help soothe the hurt of that overtime loss at Texas A&M: With the exception of the Nov. 3 game against Georgia, you’ll be favored every other time you play the rest of this season, setting the table for a 10-2 record and a nice bowl game in a sunny locale.

   Just don’t blow it at home against Vanderbilt, which after throwing a scare into Touchdown Jesus has returned to its usual ways. According to the Nashville paper, Vandy should have top rusher Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who left last week’s collapse against Florida with an unspecified injury.

   But the Wildcats boast one of the best defenses and top rushing games in the SEC, and have grown into a smashmouth unit built to control tempo and win games at this time of year. Yeah, we’re talking about Kentucky here. Who’d have thunk it?

   Bet Kentucky -11.5 with 888Sport.

3. Tulsa at Arkansas

   The line: Arkansas -7 with SugarHouse

   Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for a showdown between 1-5 Tulsa and 1-6 Arkansas, which is sure to leave the fans in Fayetteville … looking for something else to do Saturday afternoon?

   Arkansas has looked worse than its record, blowing a game at Colorado State, getting drilled at home by North Texas and gaging one away against Ole Miss last week.

   Tulsa had South Florida all but beaten last weekend only to lose in the final seconds, but the Golden Hurricane have covered against the three best teams they’ve played: USF, Houston and Texas.

   They’re all better than Arkansas, whose starting quarterback Ty Storey is questionable after taking a shot to the head last week. Take Tulsa +7 with SugarHouse.

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4. Memphis at Missouri

   The line: Missouri -9.5 with SugarHouse

   Speaking of collapses, Memphis also suffered a notable one last week, when it led top-10 Central Florida 30-14 only to lose 31-30.

   Missouri has the worst pass defense in the SEC, and both teams can score, so going north of that over/under total of 74 is a real possibility.

   Memphis has covered in its last two, has a better overall defense than Missouri — Memphis ranks 33rd nationally in pass defense, sure to get the attention of Mizzou slinger Drew Lock — and has the offense to keep it close against an opponent that isn’t as good as the one it nearly upset last week.

   Grab Memphis and the 9.5 points with SugarHouse.

5. Auburn at Ole Miss

   The line: Auburn -3.5 with 888Sport

   On the list of most disappointing performances by an SEC team this season, Auburn’s no-show last week at home against two-TD underdog Tennessee ranks pretty high.

   Auburn is a wreck, and it travels to face an Ole Miss team that stole one from Arkansas a week ago. And yet — that Rebels defense is hard to trust against any bowl-quality opponent. If the Tigers’ misfiring offense needed an opportunity to try and pull things together, this is it.

   Auburn is dysfunctional right now, and its fan base is fuming, and the whole program feels covered in a pall of unmet expectation. But that Tigers scoring defense still ranks 14th nationally, and Ole Miss still can’t stop anyone.

   That’s why we’ll bet Auburn -3.5 with 888Sport