Friday night gives college football bettors a loaded Week 10 appetizer, and the prediction markets have plenty to pick from before Saturday’s showdowns even kick off.
The headliner comes out of Dallas, where Virginia Tech and SMU meet for the first time since 1974 with both teams sitting at 6-2 and chasing a spot in the ACC title race. The Mustangs are 6-point favorites at home, but James Franklin’s Hokies come in rested and riding the high of a road win at Clemson.
The rest of the Friday slate stretches across the country. Nebraska is laying 4.5 points at Illinois as the Huskers try to snap a three-game skid, No. 22 New Mexico brings the nation’s stingiest scoring defense to Reno as a 9.5-point favorite over Nevada, and No. 24 Arizona closes the night hosting TCU in a late Big 12 matchup in Tucson.
We break down our favorite value plays for Friday’s games on ProphetX, Kalshi and OG.com, including a team total in SMU vs. Virginia Tech and a pair of road underdogs worth backing.
Prediction markets use a format that pits one crowd against another, without a sportsbook in the middle setting the odds. Now is the perfect time for sports fans to use these platforms, especially ProphetX. New users can get started with promo code TSN to earn a $75 prediction bonus on ProphetX.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know to use prediction markets on college football action during Week 8, including the best apps and promos.
MORE: A complete guide for using ProphetX
College Football Week 8 prediction market offers
ProphetX prediction market offer
ProphetX is one of the best up-and-coming prediction markets in the country, and the new user promo code is a big reason for that status. Currently, first-time players on ProphetX can claim a generous welcome offer at sign-up to trade $50 and get $75 in bonus funds.
Once applying the TSN promo code, new users must trade $50 on any qualifying market to receive the bonus reward. The $75 bonus will be paid out in three $25 increments over 14 days. With the welcome bonus awarded right out of the gate, new players can have the ability to continue wagering on the ProphetX platform using incentive funds rather than having to make an additional deposit right away.
PROPHETX: New users can use promo code TSN to trade $50 and get $75 in incentive funds
Kalshi prediction market offer
On Kalshi, new users can trade $25, get $25 on the prediction platform.
This is exclusive to new accounts that are verified as 18 years old and reside in the United States. Availability varies by state, and other terms and conditions may apply.
OG.com prediction market offer
On OG.com, new users can trade $10 and get $10 on the prediction platform.
This is exclusive to new accounts that are verified as 18 years old and reside in the United States. Availability varies by state, and other terms and conditions may apply.
How to trade College Football Week 8 with prediction markets
Trading on Week 8 of the college football season is a simple process for users to take part in. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to trade in on the action:
- (if applicable) Create a prediction market account: Users must choose on which prediction market to create an account with.
- (if applicable) Verify your account and deposit: Once users set up their account with verification details and deposit funds, they can move on to making a prediction.
- Find the college football section: This location varies across the market, but this can usually be found on the top or side navigation bar.
- Locate a desirable game and market: Now that you’ve made it to the college football tab, you’ll be presented with games that can be predicted on. Click on a matchup and find a betting market (game lines, player props, etc.). Good luck!
MORE: How do prediction market fees work?
ProphetX college football Week 8 prediction markets
ProphetX has an extensive selection of available markets for Week 8 of the college football season. As a reminder for those used to sports betting, ProphetX displays market percentages instead of betting odds. The percentages reflect the collective implied probability of an event. Meanwhile, betting odds are set by the house to bake in a profit margin.
Here’s an outline of some markets users can predict on:
- Game lines (moneyline, spread, game total)
- Team totals
- TD props (anytime TD)
- Passing props (passing TDs, yards, attempts)
- Rushing props (yards, attempts)
- Receiving props (yards, receptions)
- Quarter/Half props (moneyline, spread, total)
MORE: Promo code TSN gets you $75 in investment funds when you trade $50 on ProphetX
ProphetX College Football Week 8 value picks
James Franklin’s first season in Blacksburg is going better than most expected. The Hokies are 6-2; they’re coming off a 20-16 win at Clemson that snapped a long losing streak against the Tigers, and they’ve had nearly two weeks to get ready for this trip to Dallas.
The Clemson game is the one that might give bettors pause. Virginia Tech couldn’t run the ball at all that night, managing just 70 yards on 37 carries. That said, Clemson’s front is legit, and the Hokies walked into that game averaging 37.1 points per game.
Ethan Grunkemeyer is a big reason I’m comfortable with this number. He’s thrown for 2,140 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions, and he’s added five more scores on the ground. He takes care of the football, and SMU’s defense hasn’t been able to take it away from anyone, forcing just six turnovers all season.
The Mustangs have really struggled near the goal line. Opponents are scoring on 90% of their red-zone trips against SMU, one of the worst marks in the country, and Syracuse just put 30 on them last weekend.
The offensive line is the piece I’m watching. Grunkemeyer has been sacked 23 times, and SMU has been stingy on third down. The bye week should help, with Franklin expecting Montavious Cunningham and Brody Meadows back up front.
This could turn into a shootout; give me the team I think is undervalued.
MORE: Everything to know about the ProphetX promo code
This pick comes down to Carter Jones’ availability.
Nevada’s starting quarterback has missed the last three games with an arm injury, and the offense has fallen apart without him. In his starts, the Wolf Pack has averaged 33 points per game. Without him, they’ve managed 13, bottoming out in a 27-0 loss at UCLA last week, where Luke Duncan threw three interceptions in the first quarter alone.
Jeff Choate said he’s hopeful Jones will be ready Friday. Nothing is official yet, but I’m willing to get in at this number before it’s settled.
New Mexico deserves plenty of credit. The Lobos are 7-1, ranked for the first time in school history, and their defense leads FBS at 11.9 points allowed per game. The passing game tells a different story, though. Toa Fa’avae threw three interceptions on just 14 attempts in last week’s 21-16 win at San Jose State, and the Lobos had to grind that one out on the ground.
Nevada’s defense gives them a path to hang around. The Wolf Pack ranks 23rd nationally in yards per play allowed, and they held UCLA to 303 total yards even while their offense kept handing the ball over. Dylan LaBarbera has 4.5 sacks off the edge, and linebacker EJ Smith has piled up 85 tackles.
With the total sitting at 38.5, points will be hard to come by on both sides. Laying nearly 10 in a game projected to be this low-scoring is a big ask, even for this Lobos defense. New Mexico has also never won in Reno, and two points decided last year’s meeting. I expect this one to stay within a touchdown.
Kalshi College Football Week 8 markets
Of course, Kalshi offers its own batch of markets for CFB’s Week 8 as well. They’re outlined here:
- Game lines (moneyline, spread, game total)
- Quarter/Half props (moneyline, spread, total)
- Team props (team receiving TDs, team receiving yards)
- Game props (first team to score a TD)
- Overtime
MORE: Complete guide to using Kalshi
Kalshi College Football Week 8 value pick
Nebraska has spent the last month finding new ways to lose. The Huskers blew fourth-quarter leads against Indiana, Oregon, and Washington, dropping those three games by a combined 13 points, and Matt Rhule is now 7-15 in one-score games since taking over.
The encouraging thing is how good this team has looked on defense through it all. Washington managed just 32 rushing yards on Saturday, averaging 1.7 yards per carry, and the Blackshirts held one of the Big Ten’s better passing offenses to 267 total yards. Nebraska’s defense has kept them in every game this season.
The offense needs work, and Illinois is a good opponent for it. The Illini barely touch opposing quarterbacks, registering only eight QB hits through their first seven games, and their red-zone defense has been among the worst in FBS. That should give Anthony Colandrea time to work. He came into the Washington game with 14 touchdown passes against four interceptions, and he’s been a problem on the ground too, running for 334 yards and four scores.
Illinois deserves credit for the three-game win streak, but it hasn’t exactly been dominant. The Illini needed a one-point win at Michigan State and a three-point escape at Maryland, a team that walked in at 2-5. Bret Bielema’s group does have a knack for winning close games, and that’s the one thing giving me pause.
Still, I trust the better roster. Nebraska has won its last two Friday night trips to Champaign, and this defense is good enough to win a game in the low 20s. Eventually this team closes one out, and I’ll back them to do it Friday.
OG.com College Football Week 8 prediction markets
OG.com also has some markets for users to make predictions on. Here’s what platform users can decide on for this weekend’s college football slate:
- Game lines (moneyline, spread, game total)
- Quarter/Half props (moneyline, spread, total)
MORE: Which prediction market app is best for sports?
OG.com College Football Week 8 value pick
Four losses, and every one of them came by a single score. TCU has dropped games to North Carolina, UCF, BYU, and West Virginia by a combined 24 points, making the Horned Frogs a tough team to trust outright and an easier one to back with a touchdown-plus cushion.
The defense is the reason. Andy Avalos’ group is giving up just 14.1 points per game and leads the Big 12 on third down, and Arizona head coach Brent Brennan didn’t hold back this week, calling it the best defense in the conference. It’s been even stingier after halftime, allowing 4.6 points per game in the second half.
That’s a tough draw for an Arizona offense built around Noah Fifita. He’s been terrific, throwing for 324 yards per game with 19 touchdowns and only four picks, but he’s down two receivers this week with R.J. Mosley out and Tre Spivey done for the season. Isaiah Mizell is riding three straight 100-yard games, and he’ll see plenty of Jamel Johnson on the back end.
The Wildcats also haven’t been able to lean on the ground game. Kedrick Reescano has seven rushing touchdowns, but he’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, and Arizona’s offensive line has given up 2.75 sacks per game.
TCU’s offense is far from a sure thing. Jaden Craig has thrown for 2,207 yards, but the Frogs have a habit of moving the ball and then handing it right back, turning it over three times in the West Virginia loss despite racking up 484 yards. Sonny Dykes fired offensive line coach A.J. Ricker after that game, and his team responded with a 22-16 win over Kansas.
Arizona is 4-0 at home and should have a loud crowd for a 10:15 p.m. ET kickoff. That said, with the total sitting around 42.5, points will be scarce, and a defense this good tends to keep games tight late. This TCU team hasn’t lost by more than eight all season, and I don’t see Arizona breaking that trend Friday.
Polymarket College Football Week 8 markets
Finally, it’s time to look at what markets Polymarket is offering for this week’s edition of college football. Here’s what users can predict on:
- Game lines (moneyline, spread, game total)
- Quarter/Half props (moneyline, spread, total)
- Team props (totals, each half totals, TDs, 1st downs, passing TDs, rushing TDs, passing yards, rushing yards, offensive yards, receptions, FGs)
- Quarter/Half props (moneyline, spread, total)
- Game props (first to score points, first to score a TD, exact margin of victory, defensive/special teams TD, 2-point conversion, overtime)
