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2018 NFL Draft: 5 Best college football games of Week 8

By Stephen Forsha

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers on September 30, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers on September 30, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – OCTOBER 14: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals runs for a 41-yard touchdown to tie the game in the fourth quarter against the Boston College Eagles at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. Boston College won 45-42. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – OCTOBER 14: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals runs for a 41-yard touchdown to tie the game in the fourth quarter against the Boston College Eagles at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. Boston College won 45-42. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Louisville Cardinals at Florida State Seminoles (Noon ET, ESPN)

Neither team is ranked and both have suffered tough losses along the way to Week 8 this season. But this is still a very watchable game between two teams who feature players that will be on an NFL roster in 2018, plus it will give all of us a competitive game to watch to start out Saturday.

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Of course, there is Lamar Jackson — the reigning Heisman Trophy winner — as the quarterback for Louisville is having another solid season, in what is his last year in college football. Jackson’s team isn’t as good as they were a season ago, with the Cardinals having a 4-3 record and just one win in ACC play.

As for how Jackson is playing this season, so far his completion percentage is better than what it was a year ago, because in 2017 Jackson has completed 60.2 percent of his passes (157-of-261) through seven games. He’s thrown for 2,322 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Last season, Jackson completed 56.2 percent of his passes with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Of course, for Florida State, watch safety Derwin James, as once again FSU has another solid defensive back who will most likely become a top five draft choice and no worse than a top-10 pick if he keeps up his skill level and production.

This college football season, James has 29 tackles (19 solo) with 0.5 sacks and four passes defensed. If teams are smart, they won’t challenge James, and the scary thing is with James is he’s only going to get better as the season progresses, and he’ll have a strong challenge this weekend with Jackson on the opposing offense.

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