  We present new lattice investigations of finite-temperature transitions for
SU(3) gauge theory with Nf=8 light flavors. Using nHYP-smeared staggered
fermions we are able to explore renormalized couplings $g^2 \lesssim 20$ on
lattice volumes as large as $48^3 \times 24$. Finite-temperature transitions at
non-zero fermion mass do not persist in the chiral limit, instead running into
a strongly coupled lattice phase as the mass decreases. That is,
finite-temperature studies with this lattice action require even larger $N_T >
24$ to directly confirm spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking.
