Texas is opening as a 3.5-point favorite at home against Ole Miss, but Longhorns fans have to be sweating more than just the spread. Two weeks after the wildest Saturday in college football history, where five of the top seven teams in the AP poll went down for the first time since 1936, the unpredictability of this 2026 season is still driving us all nuts. It’s Week 8 and we’re looking at a serious rebound opportunity for a lot of perceived elites, and for Texas, there are some massive questions heading into this matchup.
Longhorns’ Reckoning: Sarkisian, Simmons, and the Chambliss Problem
Listen, Steve Sarkisian needs this win. He’s looking at potentially losing a third straight SEC game, and that would bring a whole new wave of questions to the Forty Acres. The biggest wildcard? Defensive end Colin Simmons. The guy leads the entire country with a mind-blowing 10.5 sacks, but he was carted off the field against Florida. His injury status is still unknown, and if he’s not back, that’s a huge blow to the Longhorns’ defense. On the other side of the ball, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is an absolute nightmare. He’s the SEC’s top individual playmaker and has already carved up two nationally ranked opponents this fall, leading the Rebels to impressive wins over LSU and Missouri. Can Texas’s defense, possibly without their best player, contain a guy like that? That’s the real question here.
The Rest of Week 8’s Wild Slate: Unbeatens, Underdogs, and Unexpected Sparks
While we might not have a ton of “good on good” matchups like last week, this season has shown us that literally anything can happen. We’re down to just six undefeated teams: BYU, James Madison, Miami, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Utah. Could more fall to unranked foes this weekend? Michigan’s looking to keep things rolling after backup quarterback Tommy Carr provided an immediate spark against Penn State, leading multiple second-half touchdown drives. He stepped in for Bryce Underwood and lit it up, but manufacturing that same success against Indiana, the defending national champions who just snapped Ohio State’s 22-game winning streak, is a completely different challenge. Indiana hasn’t won at Michigan Stadium since 1967, which makes Michigan’s -7.5 line feel a little low, doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, Tennessee is a -2.5 favorite at South Carolina, in a pivotal game for the Vols’ CFP hopes. Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer has had an extra week to prep, and he’s known for knocking off top-15 SEC opponents, though he’s only 3-4 in those spots overall with extra prep time. South Carolina’s offense finally clicked last time out at Florida with LaNorris Sellers accounting for five total touchdowns. These two have split their last eight meetings since 2016, so it’s always a battle. And don’t sleep on Houston at Utah (-5.5). The Utes survived a scare from Colorado, and now they get a red-hot Cougars squad fresh off a 35-32 win over Oklahoma State, thanks to Conner Weigman. Houston is absolutely gunning for a spot at that CFP table.
This weekend is set to be another wild ride. Will Texas rebound, or will Sarkisian’s hot seat get even hotter without Simmons? Can the remaining unbeatens keep their streaks alive? Get ready, because Week 8 is going to deliver some more jaw-dropping moments.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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