Under the Radar: Week Eight

We’re past the halfway point of the regular season of college football, and the drama of the season continues to heat up. We’ve had our first coaching move of the season, as Mike Locksley was let go at Maryland. We also saw one of the wildest weeks of the season, with three top-five teams suffering a loss last week. However, the chaos doesn’t stop at the top of the pyramid, as there is plenty to talk about outside of the power conferences. With that in mind, let’s dive into some of the best games around the country outside of the power conferences in week eight.

James Madison at Appalachian State

How to Watch: Thursday, October 22nd – 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPNU

Why You Should Watch: Until James Madison stumbles, the Dukes are going to represent one of the must-watch teams in the country as they aim for a second straight college football playoff appearance as a G6 team. JMU is the dominant force in the Sun Belt, but it wasn’t long ago that Appalachian State occupied that position. The Mountaineers represent one of the stiffest tests on the schedule for JMU. I’m giving App State a little slack for the Old Dominion loss, given the conditions of that game, and Kidd Brewer remains one of the best pound-for-pound environments in the country. You can bet they’d love to spoil James Madison’s party in Boone.

Western Michigan at Toledo

How to Watch: Saturday, October 24th – 11:00 a.m. CT on CBSSN

Why You Should Watch: Western Michigan’s robbery against Michigan seems like it was just yesterday, but the Broncos have stayed the course and gotten off to an undefeated start in MAC play. Toledo will look to put a blemish on the record for WMU. The Rockets lost head coach Jason Candle to UConn over the offseason but haven’t skipped a beat, remaining a contender for the conference title. WMU feels like a team that is due for a stumble, and I think it will happen this weekend at the Glass Bowl, where the Rockets are favored.

North Dakota at South Dakota

How to Watch: Saturday, October 24th – 1:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+

Why You Should Watch: We no longer have the Dakota Marker game at the FCS level, but after North Dakota’s huge upset win over South Dakota State, we do get a massive top-ten FCS matchup between #6 North Dakota and #8 South Dakota this weekend at the DakotaDome. As the race for the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship heats up, this is one of the most important games of the season.

Southeastern Louisiana at Stephen F. Austin

How to Watch: Saturday, October 24th – 5:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+

Why You Should Watch: After South Dakota State was upset by North Dakota last week, the top two teams in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 both reside in Texas. #2 Stephen F. Austin will play host to #23 Southeastern Louisiana this weekend with a chance to prove they deserve that lofty ranking. The Lions represent the stiffest test for the Lumberjacks since Coach Colby Carthel’s squad traveled to Abilene Christian back in non-conference play. If the Jacks come out on top here, they have a great shot at running the table and finding themselves in prime position headed into the FCS playoffs. This should be a fantastic one to watch.

North Dakota State at New Mexico

How to Watch: Saturday, October 24th – 9:00 p.m. CT on CW

Why You Should Watch: The Bison and the Lobos represent two of the best teams in the Mountain West. This one has genuine conference championship implications and potentially even playoff implications if New Mexico does come out on top. We know North Dakota State plays a physical brand of football. Jason Eck has built this New Mexico program into a physical machine as well, no surprise given his background as an offensive lineman at Wisconsin and his time as an OC at NDSU’s rival South Dakota State. If you like defensive showdowns and hard hits with high stakes, this is the one for you. Expect a packed house in Albuquerque for this late-night kick.

What under-the-radar games are you most excited about for Week Eight? We’d love to hear from you.

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