Ole Miss and Kentucky headline Week 8 SEC locks

Red Cup Rebellion author One Man listed Ole Miss +3.5 at Texas and Kentucky -10.5 against Vanderbilt among four Week 8 selections published Oct. 23, 2026. The column entered the week with a 15-12 season record after going 2-2 in Week 7.

No. 12 Kentucky was favored by 10.5 points at home against Vanderbilt, and the author picked the Wildcats to cover. The Commodores had opened 3-0 before losing four straight, including a loss to Arkansas. Kickoff in Lexington was late. Kentucky had produced several tense finishes earlier in the season, but the source expected a more comfortable result against Vanderbilt.

The other SEC selection backed No. 7 Ole Miss as a 3.5-point underdog at No. 19 Texas. The author stopped short of predicting an outright Rebels victory, instead arguing that Ole Miss could remain within the spread if it weathered Texas' opening push. The Longhorns entered the matchup after back-to-back losses with plenty riding on the result.

For Ole Miss, the offensive focus was Trinidad Chambliss at quarterback and Kewan Lacy in the backfield. The column said Lacy had received a lower carry volume during the previous month and suggested the game in his native state could provide an opportunity for a larger performance.

Its analysis was limited to the pregame point spreads, each team's recent form and the expected path to covering.

Why it matters

Ole Miss-Texas matched two ranked SEC teams, while Vanderbilt entered Lexington on a four-game losing streak. The selections centered on whether Ole Miss could withstand Texas' opening push and whether Kentucky could cover 10.5 points.

What to watch next

The source identified the Week 8 results as the next test of these selections, but it did not report the outcomes or provide a later follow-up.