Best Week 8 CFB ATS picks

— -- Every Wednesday during the college football season, we will give "Stanford Steve" Coughlin of ESPN Radio and the SVP & Russillo show and Chris Fallica of ESPN Stats & Information and "College GameDay" their shot at picking the weekend's top college football games.

Here are their against-the-spread picks ( in bold) for Week 8, along with a confidence level of 1-10 for each:

Note: All odds courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

Florida State Seminoles (-10) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Fallica: The Noles have been a great team to fade this season (1-5 ATS) and clearly have not been their dominant self from a year ago. In 2013, FSU led the FBS in game control and this year is just 17th. Last year, the Noles had an average win probability of 92 percent at halftime. This year that number has dropped to 70 percent. At the start of the year, it looked like this game was a lock for the Noles, but now, both on- and off-the-field concerns make this much more of a test for FSU. All that said, I think the Seminoles answer the bell here. Keep in mind: the teams Notre Dame has beaten are a combined 4-18 vs. Power 5 teams. The schedule hasn't been very taxing. Everett Golson has been a turnover machine lately, turning the ball over nine times in the last three games. That won't cut it in Tallahassee.

ATS pick: Florida State 34, Notre Dame 16 (confidence: 8)

Coughlin: This game marks the 11th time in school history that Notre Dame has been involved in a game in which both teams were 6-0 or better, and the Irish own a 9-0-1 record in the previous 10 such meetings. For the first time in my life I think I am rooting for Notre Dame in a college football game. That being said, I think this Irish team is better than the team they had in 2012 that went to the BCS title game. Golson has had recent turnover issues, but he is atop my list of most improved college football players. And with that, get the Heisman Hype started and ramped up after this game.

We saw mobile quarterbacks like DeShaun Watson (Clemson) and J.W. Walsh (Oklahoma State) give the Noles defense trouble earlier this year. The feeling here is that Golson will play the game of his life and lead the Irish. I also feel this Notre Dame defense will confuse Jameis Winston and the FSU offense, who really seems to be lacking a run game. Just like in 2012, when no one thought the Irish could win a huge road game like when they went to Oklahoma, Brian Kelly and his guys pull off the upset and win in Tallahassee.

ATS pick: Notre Dame 27, Florida State 24 (confidence: 5)

Alabama Crimson Tide (-11.5) vs. Texas A&M Aggies

Fallica: The Aggies were never the sixth-best team in the country, but they are a nightmare matchup for Alabama. Texas A&M pulled the upset in Tuscaloosa in 2012 and then last year put up 42 points and 628 yards on the Crimson Tide. This Bama team is not as good as either of the past two and has been susceptible against the pass, allowing 365 passing yards and five 20-yard completions vs. West Virginia and three second-half TD passes in the loss at Ole Miss. Alabama will win, but it will not be easy.

ATS pick: Alabama 38, Texas A&M 35 (confidence: 5)

Coughlin: It wouldn't be a normal week if we didn't have Nick Saban snap in a news conference after a Bama win. The Crimson Tide offense last week failed to produce either a first down or touchdown on nine of its 13 drives against Arkansas, the most such drives in a game in the Saban era and the most by any SEC team in the past three seasons. Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said his team's goal was to take away Amari Cooper, and the Razorbacks did that, limiting him to just two catches. The Bama secondary has been unimpressive against teams that air it out, but it just seems to me that the Tide are being disrespected a little too much, and the youth of Texas A&M will show up for a third straight week. I see Bama getting back on track this week and covering the 11.5-point spread.

ATS pick: Alabama 34, Texas A&M 21 (confidence: 6)

TCU Horned Frogs (-8.5) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Fallica: TCU has to be steaming after giving one away last week against Baylor. But the Horned Frogs still have at least a 63 percent chance of winning every game the rest of the way, according to ESPN Stats & Information. If they won out, that would put them at 11-1 and right in the thick of things. As crazy as it seems to back a defense that allowed 782 yards last week, that's what I'm doing here. TCU has forced 15 turnovers and has 19 sacks this year, including three turnovers and four sacks last week at Baylor. Oklahoma State has had a lot of trouble protecting the QB this year, allowing 19 sacks, and has committed multiple turnovers each of the past three games. TCU takes out its frustration in a big way.

ATS pick: TCU 44, Oklahoma State 20 (confidence: 9)

Coughlin: Not many teams in the country could feel worse after last week than the Horned Frogs. The Pokes come in off an unimpressive win in Lawrence against Kansas, winning by only seven. There might not be a coach in the country I trust more to get his team ready for another big game after a heartbreaking loss than TCU's Gary Patterson. With that feeling, I expect the Horned Frogs to win a high-scoring affair.

ATS pick: TCU 42, Oklahoma State 31 (confidence: 4)

Cal Golden Bears (+7) vs. UCLA Bruins

Fallica: UCLA looked like a team in disarray last week and the final 42-30 score didn't do justice as to how one-sided the loss to Oregon was. The Bruins have all the looks of the classic trendy preseason hype team that disappoints in a big way. UCLA hasn't won at Cal since 1998 and each of the past five games in Berkeley was a double-digit loss. UCLA can't rush the passer and can't protect the QB, which is a bad combo against a Cal team itching to get back on the field after an offensive no-show against Washington.

ATS pick: Cal 38, UCLA 31 (confidence: 9)

Kansas State Wildcats (+8.5) at Oklahoma Sooners

Fallica: Bob Stoops has the ultimate respect for Bill Snyder and it's easy to see why. You likely will not find a better underdog than Kansas State. Since 2011, the Cats have won nine games outright as an underdog, including a win in Norman two years ago as a 15.5-point 'dog. The Wildcats nearly pulled the upset of Auburn as a big 'dog a few weeks back and really stymied the Tigers offense, holding it to 2.8 yards per carry. Oklahoma is going to need Trevor Knight to make some plays. He has struggled in three Big 12 games with two TD passes, three interceptions and just 42-of-84 passing.

ATS pick: Oklahoma 28, Kansas State 24 (confidence: 4)

Arkansas Razorbacks (+3.5) vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Coughlin: The time has come for the Razorbacks to get their first win in the SEC this year and for Bret Bielema to get his first SEC win as a head coach. The Hogs come in being so close to getting that elusive win, while Georgia comes in off a very impressive win at Mizzou. However, I don't think the Tigers could've have played worse last week, as they gave the Dawgs the ball five extra times on turnovers. Arkansas is as hungry a team as there is, while the Bulldogs might come in feeling a little overconfident after shutting out Mizzou on its home field.

ATS pick: Arkansas 24, Georgia 20 (confidence: 7)

Michigan State Spartans (-15) at Indiana Hoosiers

Coughlin: Ever since I went on the world famous "Behind the Bets" podcast with Chad Millman and stated that Sparty will make the College Football Playoff, they have not covered a game. So, blame Chad when you see or hear him, but I am jumping back on Sparty this week. I do think they got a little bored after dominating Nebraska for three quarters two weeks ago, as they left the back door open for the Huskers, giving them an absolute miracle cover. And then they followed that up with an uninspired effort winning (and not covering) at Purdue. The Spartans will face the nation's leading rusher, Hoosiers RB Tevin Coleman, who comes in with eight straight 100-yard games. However, IU also will start true freshman  Chris Covington, who wasn't even recruited as a quarterback. I don't think Sparty messes around in this one.

ATS pick: Michigan State 51, Indiana 17 (confidence: 9)

Season records

Fallica: 19-13 ATS (59.4 percent)
Last week: 4-1 

Coughlin: 24-11-1 (66.7 percent)
Last week: 2-3