Makai Lemon continues putting on a show for the USC Trojans, and I expect that to continue in a huge matchup against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The latest: Lemon will need to come up big if No. 20 USC is going to knock off No. 13 Notre Dame without the bulk of its running game. Elsewhere, Sedrick Alexander looks to get to double-digit touchdowns for the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Check out my favourite Week 8 college football prop picks, featuring a prediction on Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley.
College football prop picks
Best bet: Lemon over 90.5 receiving yards (-118)
This is a pretty square play, but I don’t think this line shows enough respect to Lemon given the circumstances.
USC’s top two running backs, Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders, have both been ruled out due to injury. And Lemon currently leads the Big Ten in receptions (44) and receiving yards (682).
Notre Dame’s secondary lost a pair of studs to the NFL this spring. The remaining group has been solid but not superb (rankings via Game On Paper):
- 57th in EPA per dropback
- 72nd in pass success rate
Lemon is 4-2 vs. this yardage line, but he landed on exactly 90 yards in one of the unders.
In his past three games, Lemon has 28 catches, 371 yards and four TDs on 34 targets. Notre Dame knows to key on him, but I don’t think that will matter.
Key stat: Halfway through the season, Lemon is averaging 113.7 receiving yards per game.
CFB prop bets
Alexander anytime TD (-103): Alexander has nine TDs through six games, which leads the SEC.
The LSU Tigers are a tough bunch to score on, but Alexander’s dual-threat ability as a tailback and pass-catcher will help the cause.
Alexander has 50 carries and five rushing TDs so far. He also has eight catches and four receiving TDs.
Last time out, Alexander provided all the scoring for Vanderbilt in a 30-14 loss to Alabama. He broke off a 65-yard TD run in the first quarter and followed up with a four-yard receiving touchdown near halftime.
Even if Vandy is largely held in check by LSU, Alexander should be at the centre of the Commodores’ offensive plans. That makes this near-even play enticing.
Boley under 0.5 passing TDs (+112): Texas has one of the best defences in the country, ranking inside the top 10 in EPA per pass, EPA per rush and average third-down distance.
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley will likely be in plenty of obvious passing situations, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to convert any into points.
In two SEC games so far, the redshirt freshman is 1-1 vs. this prop with two passing touchdowns, three interceptions and a miserable 5.8 yards per attempt.
Texas has only allowed three passing TDs across six total games so far, going 4-2 vs. this prop. Things should be a bit easier for Bowley at home, but I like the plus-money value of fading an inexperienced QB against a vaunted defence.
College football prop picks made at 1:30 p.m. on 10/16/2025.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.