A top-10 matchup in Columbus, Ohio, between Ohio State and Penn State kicks off the Week 8 slate as Alabama and Tennessee meet again one year after their thriller in Knoxville.
Week 7 of the 2023 college football season took a trip out West as the Pac-12 took center stage. Washington and Oregon put on an absolute classic in Seattle as the Huskies put themselves in the driver’s seat in the Pac-12 conference. All eyes were also on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams as the USC Trojans got blasted by Notre Dame in South Bend. Week 8 of the season brings with it a trip back to the East Coast, at least for the majority of the day.
Unlike last year when both offenses were the focus, the defenses of Tennessee and Alabama will get the attention. Alabama and Tennessee are third and fourth, respectively, in the SEC in yards allowed per game, with both defenses giving up less than 20 points per game. Tennessee’s defense gets after the quarterback – 24 sacks in six games – while Alabama’s offensive line has allowed 31 sacks on the year .
The Duke defense, 16th in the country in yards allowed per game , will face Heisman-hopeful quarterback Jordan Travis. 'You look at the standard of good defenses. This is one that you would point to,' Florida State coach Mike Norvell said, according to ESPN. 'All 11 guys on their defense tackle, they can run, cover. They're disruptive in the schemes that they present – got really good pressure packages that challenge offenses. You can see the confidence in how they play.
The Utes defeated USC twice last season, including in the Pac-12 Championship Game where Utah ended the Trojans’ CFP hopes. Head coach Kyle Whittingham’s team is playing stellar defense – allowing just 277.8 yards per game, best in the Pac-12 – but it also has a struggling offense without quarterback Cam Rising. The Utes are dead last in the conference in total yards and passing yards per game. The defense will need to significantly slow down an explosive USC offense to keep things close.
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