Get ready for Week 8 of the college football season! After a thrilling Week 7 expect to see more of the same in week at as teams will look to hit a higher gear as bowl season and the College Football Playoff are right around the corner. That means every win and loss becomes more important. One of the key matchups in Week 8 will be the Michigan Wolverines taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini in what should be a highly entertaining matchup between Big Ten rivals.
After winning the College Football Playoff last season, this year has been the complete opposite for the Wolverines following the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh. They have an overall record of 4-2 and are eighth in the Big Ten Standings. Their hopes of making it back to the College Football Playoff this year are likely dashed. But they still have enough life left to make some magic happen to finish out the season. A win over a quality program like Illinois could also set them up to qualify for a more favorable bowl game.
The fighting Illini narrowly escaped disaster in their matchup with Purdue last weekend. They snuck away with a 50-49 victory over the unranked Boilermakers. If the Illini have hopes of contending for a bowl game this year, these next two weeks will be important. They face Michigan this week, followed by the second-ranked Oregon Ducks. After that they will not face a ranked team for the rest of the season, leaving very little opportunity for them to make a statement. It will interesting to see how they respond.
So whether you are rooting for a clear favorite or hoping for a miracle by the underdog, the most important thing to remember is that you must be in it to win it.
