Diehard Picks: Week 8

South Alabama (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt), ranked No. 18 in the Diehard G6 Top 25, opens the week Tuesday night at Marshall (3-3, 0-2 Sun Belt) on ESPN2 (6:30 PM CT) in the game with the highest over/under on the G6 board at 64.5. The Jaguars are 3-point road favorites after scoring 52 against UL Monroe and 56 against Arkansas State in consecutive weeks. Marshall is winless in conference after losses to James Madison and Coastal Carolina.

Five Diehard ranked-vs-ranked matchups headline the rest of the board — the most of any week this season. No. 5 North Dakota State (6-1, 3-1 MW) at No. 3 New Mexico (5-1, 2-0 MW) is Saturday night's headliner (9 PM CT, CW) — NDSU gets the upset pick. No. 2 James Madison (7-0, 4-0 Sun Belt), the only unbeaten G6 team, visits No. 21 App State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) on Thursday (6 PM CT, ESPNU) as a 10.5-point road favorite. No. 7 Western Michigan (5-2, 3-0 MAC) at No. 14 Toledo (5-2, 2-1 MAC) is the MAC's biggest game of the year on Saturday (11 AM CT, CBSSN) — Toledo wins straight up but Western Michigan gets the points at +3.5. No. 4 UTSA (6-1, 3-0 American) at No. 20 Tulane (3-3, 1-1 American) on Saturday (7 PM CT, ESPNU) is just a 2.5-point spread after Tulane upset Memphis last week. And No. 12 Army (4-2, 3-1 American) at No. 24 Tulsa (4-3, 1-2 American) on Friday (7:30 PM CT, ESPN2) features an Army option attack that rushed for 479 yards against FAU last week.

All rankings are from the Diehard G6 Top 25, our weekly poll of the top 25 teams outside the Power 4.

Two upset picks this week: NDSU over New Mexico, Arkansas State over Georgia State.

Three ATS fades: Western Michigan +3.5 at Toledo, Eastern Michigan +10.5 at Ohio, Southern Miss +10.5 vs Louisiana.

Last week: SU 20-11 | ATS 15-14-2

Season: SU 188-55 (.774) | ATS 125-108-5 (.525)

Tuesday

South Alabama (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt, No. 18) at Marshall (3-3, 0-2 Sun Belt)

USA -3 | O/U 64.5

Pick: South Alabama 41, Marshall 36 — South Alabama covers

Middle Tennessee (3-3, 1-1 CUSA) at FIU (3-3, 1-1 CUSA)

FIU -10.5 | O/U 45.5

Pick: FIU 30, MTSU 17 — FIU covers

Missouri State (2-4, 1-1 CUSA) at Delaware (2-4, 0-2 CUSA)

DEL -3 | O/U 51.5

Pick: Delaware 27, Missouri State 20 — Delaware covers

Wednesday

New Mexico State (2-4, 1-1 CUSA) at Sam Houston (1-5, 0-2 CUSA)

NMSU -3 | O/U 44.5

Pick: NMSU 34, Sam Houston 24 — NMSU covers

Thursday

James Madison (7-0, 4-0 Sun Belt, No. 2) at App State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt, No. 21)

JMU -10.5 | O/U 56.5

Pick: JMU 41, App State 28 — JMU covers

Liberty (5-1, 2-0 CUSA, No. 9) at Kennesaw State (1-5, 0-2 CUSA)

LIB -11.5 | O/U 48.5

Pick: Liberty 30, Kennesaw State 17 — Liberty covers

East Carolina (3-3, 1-1 American) at Memphis (5-2, 2-1 American, No. 10)

MEM -10.5 | O/U 54.5

Pick: Memphis 34, ECU 20 — Memphis covers

Friday

Army (4-2, 3-1 American, No. 12) at Tulsa (4-3, 1-2 American, No. 24)

TLSA -1.5 | O/U 53.5

Pick: Tulsa 30, Army 27 — Tulsa covers

Air Force (5-1, 3-1 MW, No. 8) at Wyoming (4-3, 3-1 MW)

AF -5.5 | O/U 45.5

Pick: Air Force 31, Wyoming 23 — Air Force covers

Saturday

Rice (1-6, 0-3 American) at FAU (4-2, 1-1 American, No. 23)

FAU -10 | O/U 55.5

Pick: FAU 33, Rice 21 — FAU covers

Western Michigan (5-2, 3-0 MAC, No. 7) at Toledo (5-2, 2-1 MAC, No. 14)

TOL -3.5 | O/U 45.5

Pick: Toledo 26, WMU 24 — Western Michigan covers

Miami (OH) (4-3, 2-1 MAC, No. 25) at Central Michigan (3-4, 1-2 MAC)

M-OH -2.5 | O/U 43.5

Pick: Miami (OH) 27, Central Michigan 21 — Miami (OH) covers

Akron (1-6, 0-3 MAC) at Kent State (2-5, 1-2 MAC)

KENT -3 | O/U 45.5

Pick: Kent State 31, Akron 24 — Kent State covers

North Texas (4-2, 2-0 American, No. 11) at Navy (2-4, 1-3 American)

UNT -1.5 | O/U 61.5

Pick: North Texas 35, Navy 31 — North Texas covers

Sacramento State (1-6, 0-4 MAC) at Ball State (2-5, 1-2 MAC)

BALL -11.5 | O/U 50.5

Pick: Ball State 41, Sacramento State 20 — Ball State covers

Bowling Green (2-5, 2-1 MAC) at Buffalo (4-3, 2-1 MAC)

BUF -4.5 | O/U 44.5

Pick: Buffalo 24, Bowling Green 17 — Buffalo covers

Hawaii (1-6, 0-4 MW) at Northern Illinois (0-6, 0-2 MW)

HAW -4 | O/U 46.5

Pick: Hawaii 30, Northern Illinois 21 — Hawaii covers

UL Monroe (0-6, 0-2 Sun Belt) at Troy (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt)

TROY -17.5 | O/U 50.5

Pick: Troy 47, ULM 24 — Troy covers

Eastern Michigan (4-4, 3-1 MAC) at Ohio (5-2, 3-0 MAC, No. 15)

OHIO -10.5 | O/U 49.5

Pick: Ohio 27, EMU 23 — Eastern Michigan covers

Louisiana (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt, No. 13) at Southern Miss (1-5, 0-2 Sun Belt)

UL -10.5 | O/U 52.5

Pick: Louisiana 38, Southern Miss 31 — Southern Miss covers

Old Dominion (2-5, 1-3 Sun Belt) at Louisiana Tech (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt, No. 19)

LT -10.5 | O/U 45.5

Pick: Louisiana Tech 34, Old Dominion 17 — Louisiana Tech covers

San Jose State (4-3, 2-1 MW) at Nevada (2-4, 1-2 MW)

NEV -5.5 | O/U 45.5

Pick: Nevada 28, San Jose State 21 — Nevada covers

Boise State (5-1, 2-0 Pac-12, No. 1) at Washington State (1-6, 0-3 Pac-12)

BOIS -12.5 | O/U 50.5

Pick: Boise State 40, Washington State 27 — Boise State covers

San Diego State (3-4, 2-1 Pac-12) at Colorado State (2-4, 0-2 Pac-12)

SDSU -2.5 | O/U 61.5

Pick: SDSU 30, Colorado State 24 — SDSU covers

Georgia State (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt, No. 22) at Arkansas State (3-4, 1-2 Sun Belt)

GAST -2.5 | O/U 56.5

Pick: Arkansas State 44, Georgia State 37 — Arkansas State covers and wins outright

Utah State (2-4, 1-1 Pac-12) at Texas State (3-3, 1-1 Pac-12)

TXST -11.5 | O/U 58.5

Pick: Texas State 44, Utah State 31 — Texas State covers

UTSA (6-1, 3-0 American, No. 4) at Tulane (3-3, 1-1 American, No. 20)

UTSA -2.5 | O/U 51.5

Pick: UTSA 28, Tulane 24 — UTSA covers

North Dakota State (6-1, 3-1 MW, No. 5) at New Mexico (5-1, 2-0 MW, No. 3)

UNM -4.5 | O/U 42.5

Pick: NDSU 30, New Mexico 27 — NDSU covers and wins outright