CFB: Player Matchups in Week 8
Penn State has hogged the headlines after the firing of James Franklin this week, but College Football rolls on into Week 8, and we have plenty of intriguing player matchups. Can LSU slow down Vandy’s tight end passing game? Can David Bailey be stopped off the edge? All questions we should find answers for this weekend.
Germie Bernard vs Colton Hood
- Teams: Alabama vs Tennessee
- Position: Wide Receiver vs Cornerback
- Height: 6'1 vs 6'0
- Weight: 204lbs vs 195lbs
Most College Football savants would have predicted Ryan Williams to lead the Crimson Tide in receiving yards ahead of the season, but that crown currently sits with Germie Bernard. He had his worst outing last week against Missouri, who held him to a paltry 20 yards. Bama has gradually found some variation within their passing game as Ty Simpson grows in confidence, but more often than not, Bernard is his go-to guy in big spots.
While you can expect Bernard to move around the formation, he’s likely to line up against Colton Hood at some point. Hood has performed admirably in the Vols’ secondary, considering the headline act of the group, Jermod McCoy, has been missing to date through injury. Hood was lockdown during the first three weeks of the year, allowing 10 yards on 11 targets. While that was never going to be sustainable, Simpson should exercise caution when throwing in his direction if he wants to keep his Heisman campaign alive.
Rene Konga vs Mark Fletcher Jr
- Teams: Louisville vs Miami
- Position: Defensive Tackle vs Running Back
- Height: 6'4 vs 6'2
- Weight: 300lbs vs 225lbs
This Miami offense has been at its best this year when they have established the run. Lead back, Mark Fletcher Jr. has demonstrated the physicality and speed to open up games. He has already recorded 14 runs of over 10 yards this season. While he was slowed down by FSU last week, he will be hoping to break the 100+ yard barrier here, as he did against UCF and Florida.
Lining up opposite is Cardinals’ defensive tackle Konga. PFF has him ranked as the 13th best interior d-lineman in the country, and he showed out earlier in the year vs James Madison. He had four defensive stops and two sacks that day, but the ‘Canes O-Line offers a stiffer test. They rank 11th vs the run nationally, and Konga will need to overcome center James Brockermeyer to stop Fletcher in the backfield.
Eli Stowers vs AJ Haulcy
- Teams: Vanderbilt vs LSU
- Position: Tight End vs Safety
- Height: 6'4 vs 6'0
- Weight: 235lbs vs 222lbs
This LSU secondary has been one of the highlights of the season so far. They have displayed speed, physicality and ball skills. No better example is deep safety AJ Haulcy. The former Houston transfer has been a leader in the defensive backfield, even snagging a pick versus Florida in Week 3. Now he will really need to be on his game, considering Vandy comes to town and their QB’s number on target is a tight end.
Eil Stowers is averaging over 12 yards per catch on his 25 targets this year. He had his worst outing of the season last time out against Alabama, with seven targets and only three catches for 22 yards. A repeat of that, and Diego Pavia will find it hard to move the ball versus one of the SEC’s most impressive defenses so far. Getting Stowers matched up one-on-one with safeties and linebackers will be a priority, and you have to feel that it is the only way they can cause the upset in this one.
Denzel Boston vs Jyaire Hill
- Teams: Washington vs Michigan
- Position: Wide Receiver vs Cornerback
- Height: 6'4 vs 6'2
- Weight: 209lbs vs 190lbs
After a tough week against USC last time out, Michigan will need to bounce back in this one vs Washington. It won’t be easy, considering Demond Williams is one of the most talented QBs in the nation and his favourite target, Denzel Boston, is a potential future first-rounder. He has six touchdowns but has only surpassed 100 yards receiving in one game this year. He will hope to improve on that against a Wolverine defense reeling from a poor outing vs USC.
While the team effort was sub-optimal, highly-touted corner Jyaire Hill managed to contain another potential first-round pick, Ja’Kobi Lane. Despite allowing four receptions from 5 targets when defending Lane, Hill only conceded 26 yards. The biggest concern would be the fact that he gave up three first downs. If Hill wants to show his worth as an early-round pick, then corralling another well-regarded receiver will undoubtedly help.
David Bailey vs Max Iheanachor
- Teams: Texas Tech vs Arizona State
- Position: Edge Rusher vs Offensive Tackle
- Height: 6'3 vs 6'6
- Weight: 250lbs vs 330lbs
Along with Indiana, Texas Tech have been one of the surprise teams of the season so far. Backed by billionaire booster Cody Campbell, the Red Raiders have assembled a strong lineup, including Stanford transfer David Bailey. Our draft guru, Jack Brentnall, highlighted how he and fellow edge defender Romello Height have been wreaking havoc earlier in the week, and it will be worth tracking Bailey on Saturday.
Bailey leads the nation in PFF’s Pass Russ Productivity metric, and when aligned on the left side, he will take on Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor. Iheanachor is yet to concede a sack in six games during the 2025 season and has earned a pass blocking grade of 79.6. At 6’6, 330lbs, he has the size to handle Bailey, but can he cope with the speed? If he comes out unscathed in this one, he’s worthy of more draft buzz.
Rory-Joe Daniels
NFL & Cfb contributor
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.