WEEK 8 INFO

[Lumi]

Ohio State detractors and Big Ten bashers won?t have to worry about Ohio State screwing up BCS championship game plans. The Buckeyes were whipped on all fronts at Purdue. Helmets smattered with buckeyes might intimidate some teams but the talent at Ohio State is not substantially better when it chooses not to play. Purdue ravaged Ohio State on both sides of the ball. The Boilermakers forced five turnovers and sacked Terrelle Pryor five times. They had 24 first downs to Ohio State?s 12. In other words, after five consecutive losses, Purdue wanted it more than the Buckeyes and took it.

Three observations, first coach Jim Tressel needs to hire a coach that can make Pryor a better quarterback. All the talent in the world is useless without practical application. Second, Pryor needs to grow-up, the gliding into the end zone for two-point conversion and the behind the back basketball-style flip to bring Ohio State WITHIN eight points is better served with a lead, not when trailing. Lastly, don?t expect the Buckeyes to be overrated the rest of the year by oddsmakers, this team simply isn?t that good and finishes at Penn State, Iowa and at Michigan.

USC proved they deserve to be in national championship discussion and if they play like they did for three quarters at South Bend, Texas better start beating Big 12 teams with abandon. Though Notre Dame has closed the talent gap with the Trojans, wasn?t the feeling USC had 15 players that looked like they could play in the NFL, while the Irish had around six. Matt Barkley looks fantastic and being able to throw to TE Anthony Mc Coy and WR Damian Williams is a real privilege, especially against a Notre Dame secondary that couldn?t cover a piece of toast if they had a stick of butter.

Not sure if the Notre Dame offensive linemen stopped to shake hands with USC defensive end Everson Griffen, but if they did it was the only time they slowed him down all day. Safety Taylor Mays was exceptional and took away Irish tight end Kyle Rudolph (3 catches, nine yards). The last remaining challenge for the Trojans is at Oregon and that should determine Pac-10 title. If Pete Carroll?s crew plays the same or improves, the Ducks are in trouble.

Notre Dame can say what they want about closing the talent gap and all that nonsense. The Irish showed plenty of fight, but this was their opportunity and they came up short. What really matters looking ahead does this team have the character to close 10-2 or do they do what many expect and find a way to finish 8-4?

Really felt bad for Sam Bradford in the Red River Rivalry contest and if I?m an NFL scout, my urgency meter is really up on him. Twice he?s proven the lack of escape-ability from the shotgun. The same again was proven about Tim Tebow vs Arkansas. These quarterback?s are so comfortable receiving snap, feeling little pressure and just making one read and rip. When pressured, they lack the survival instinct of stepping up or avoiding the chaos around them and are easy targets for on-rushing linemen.

Coach Bob Stoops was 3-3 in 2005 and his team responded winning four of last five, how will this group perform? Coach Urban Meyer can thank his lucky stars Arkansas could not execute when it counted most, missing touchdown pass and field goal that would have added more pressure on the Gators. The toughest remaining game on the regular season schedule is at South Carolina and Florida will be favored in all other games. If the opponent can play defense, wouldn?t count the Gators as safe bet as Tennessee and Arkansas proved.

Iowa overcame 10-0 deficit at Wisconsin and took over the game with 17-0 second half. What was impressive about the Hawkeyes is they held the Badgers to 87 yards on the ground. This week at Michigan State and later at Ohio State appear to be the stumbling blocks. Grit and determination are what this Iowa team is about, but that doesn?t mean it holds up every time. Best guess if Iowa and USC win out, the Trojans would be 17 or more point favorites in the Rose Bowl.

Texas Tech didn?t overwhelm Nebraska statistically (259 yards to Huskers 285), but buried them on the scoreboard 31-10. This Big 12 matchup had two elements almost no one saw coming. Nebraska opened as 5.5-point favorites and were bet heavily to 11-point choice, before the market adjusted them to 10.5. Evidently the Cornhuskers are a good matchup for the Red Raiders, who have won four straight. The total of 58.5 was never in question. Coach Mike Leach will have to make coaching decision as backup QB Steven Sheffield throws a nice ball and is elusive an a runner. Taylor Potts is about ready to comeback from concussion.

It was just last week Virginia Tech was the class of the ACC, blah, blah, blah. As was noted, this isn?t typical Hokies defense and Georgia Tech proved just it, bruising and deceiving Virginia Tech for 309 yards on the ground in 28-23 upset as 3.5-point underdogs. The Yellow Jackets option is on fire and here is the reason they might go 11-1 and be a solid bet. In their last two losses, Miami had 10 days to prepare for the option and LSU had basically a month in Chick-fil-A Bowl. All five remaining opponents have conventional one week.

Goal Line Observations ? Central Michigan is the best team in the MAC and should continue to stay a good bet thanks to improved defense in 2009?.Idaho is not a fluke, too bad they have to play at Boise State?.Pop Illinois out of the microwave, they are done. At 1-5 and 0-6 ATS, they are headed nowhere with that defense?.This was presumed to be a down year for the Pac-10 with a dearth of quarterbacks. Yet out of nowhere youngsters are emerging. Matt Barkley is headed for stardom and Stanford?s Andrew Luck and Arizona?s Nick Folk combined for 838 yards in Wildcats come from behind 43-38 victory.

 

[LDB]

good stuff thanks ill

 

[Lumi]

good stuff thanks ill

You are Welcome LDB

Always more to follow :00hour

 

[Lumi]

In these times of trying to be environmentally friendly, it is good for the earth to do so. The three R?s are at the centerpiece of this movement, recycle, reuse and reduce. Buying in larger quantities helps reduce the amounts of garbage is placed in landfills. Other tips include product lifecycle, sustainability and value. In the spirit of looking to do what?s right for the earth, adding Green to one?s wagering account also is beneficial since the more greenbacks a person has; it makes it easier to buy in bulk.

Let?s be clear, Al Gore might not wholly endorse this idea, but winning college football wagers surely creates a friendly environment, especially in these economic times.

As mentioned, the first aspect to consider is lifecycle. While there is no way to know exactly what the future holds, a true Green investor likes to have a good start to the future based on prior results. Take these college football teams for example.

ATS Records
Idaho 7-0
Connecticut 6-0
Central Michigan 6-1
Nebraska 5-1
UL-Monroe 5-1
Wyoming 5-1
Alabama 5-2
Ohio State 5-2

As these college football teams approach or are at the midpoint of their respective schedules, they have shown to be worthy of furthering the cause of Going Green by generating a vast amount of cash. What these teams have proven is they can look the wisest of oddsmakers and prove to the world they are more wrong than your local weatherman.

In most cases, the sportsbooks don?t take too heavy a beating since many teams on this list are below or off many sports bettors radar. That?s just fine since the majority of us are more concerned about doing what is right within our means and would prefer the public stayed away from our opportunity to Green-up our world.

Idaho a wonderful example of exercising one?s right of Going Green. The Vandals have been like Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor with six covers of the spread as underdogs, which has included five OUTRIGHT upsets. Idaho is bowl eligible for the first time since 1999, having last played a in bowl game the previous year in Boise, ID at the Humanitarian Bowl against Southern Mississippi. The Vandals were favorites last week against Hawaii, which was the second time this has happened in 37 games. Trips to Nevada and Boise State will be challenging, however this just might be year to back Idaho and stay in the green.

Another consideration is sustainability for Going Green. It won?t happen every year, but tried and true college football programs are like blue chip stocks, they may not pay out huge dividends every year, but over time your money will grow. This season such marquee names include Nebraska, Alabama and Ohio State.

The Cornhuskers haven?t been in the public eye a great deal since winning the national championship in 1997. Frank Solich was a good coach, but wasn?t a great recruiter and Bill Callahan would be wise to stay two states away from Nebraska. Bo Pelini has brought back the Husker mentality of playing hard-nosed defense and placed the offense in the hands of able assistant coaches. With a Top 12 defense and quality offense, the covers should keep coming in Husker Nation.

When Nick Saban was hired, everyone figured it was just a matter of time before Alabama was a national power again and were they ever right. Alabama is a physically dominant team on both sides of the ball and since Saban has been able to bring in these type of players, the Crimson Tide are rolling with 14-6 ATS record in the regular season the last two years.

It?s hard to imagine a name like Ohio State not being given their due, but the Buckeyes just go about their business and keeping winning games. This is far from one of coach Jim Tressel?s best squads in Columbus and sports bettors have been able to take advantage of the situation with oddsmakers dissing them to a certain extent. A couple points to remember about Tressel teams that have Buckeye leaves on helmets. Ohio State won?t cover all the time, but they seldom lose when they are not supposed. In 45 regular games the Buckeyes have been favored by 10 or more points since 2001, they?ve lost only three times, including at Purdue last Saturday. Since ?The Vest? was in his second year, Ohio State has never had a losing ATS record on the season (52-38 ATS).

The final part of going Green is value. The whole aspect of doing what is right for the world doesn?t come easy; you have to work for it. A lot of time it costs money and energy spent in terms of consumable workload. The beauty of the putting in the time is there can be a payoff in the end.

Searching thru figures to find teams that have a stellar defense like Connecticut is invaluable to Going Green. Coach Randy Edsall had built a program on defense and though the Huskies offense can make an adult more squeamish than a Six Flags rollercoaster ride, few people constantly monitor every penny they make or lose. The Huskies bring home the money.

The MAC conference generally draws about as much attention as a Carly Simon comeback (google to see how many CD?s she sold with last project). This makes a team like Central Michigan a valuable commodity. The Chippewas have been putting up outstanding offensive numbers since Dan LeFevour arrived at Mt. Pleasant what seems like eight years ago. LeFevour?s first two years C. Mich was 18-7-1 ATS, however last year without much of a defense, they sank to 5-7 against the spread. With 10 starters back on the defensive side, covering spreads is back to normal for Central Michigan.

Wyoming has scored 10 points or less three different times including being shut out twice, however that hasn?t stopped them from posting 4-3 SU record and sparkling spread mark. The Cowboys have relished the role of underdog and are 4-1 against the spread in that situation. With the offense lagging, Wyoming?s defense has raised the level of their play in 2009 with its eight returning starters. Take away the 41 points they allowed to No. 3 Texas and these Cowboys have permitted just 17.7 points per game.

Our hope this has been a valuable lesson in understanding some of the elements of what it takes and what it means to Go Green. Now is the time to get it right since Dec. 5 is the last day to have everything in order before a different type of opportunity presents itself for going even further Green, with the bowl season.

 

[Lumi]

Beware of Let Downs - Week 8

Beware of Let Downs - Week 8

Beware of Let Downs - Week 8

Let?s be honest with ourselves: We all knew we were due to see some upsets in college football. We got those upsets as Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Kansas all took one on the chin last Saturday. Last week wasn?t all about upsets. There were also some big wins that give us some looks at possible trap plays. Let?s look at a few spots where we can profit.

Trojan Let Downs?

Looking back at last week, we shouldn?t be surprised that Southern California was going to beat the Fighting Irish on the road. It?s what the Trojans have excelled at since Pete Carroll took over as head coach in 2001.

I also doubt that it comes as a shock that the Trojans are listed as 20 ?-point home favorites over Oregon State.

While you?d think that the smart money is on USC to cover, the reality is far different. As of Monday afternoon, 63 percent of the money at Sporsbook.com is taking the Beavers to cover the spread.

There are a few reasons to think that Oregon State that would be able to keep it close against the Men of Troy. First on that list is the fact that the Beavers have gone 6-3 against the spread in their last nine head-to-head meetings with USC.

The Trojans have also developed a nasty habit of losing the little games that follow the big ones. They?ve done it once already this season with a loss in Washington after beating Ohio State on the road the week before. And they lost last year?s tilt with the Beavers after dumping the Bucks at the Coliseum.

If you need another reason to fade Southern Cal, consider that they are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS when listed as a home ?chalk? after playing the Fighting Irish since 1997.

Where do the Buffaloes go?

Dan Hawkins boldly stated that his Buffaloes would put together a 10-win campaign in 2009. Yeah, that?s not happening this season as Colorado is just 2-4 midway through the season. The Buff did get a nice win last week though with Tyler Hansen under center during a 34-30 home triumph over Kansas.

The betting shops aren?t buying into the Buffs? recent good fortune by making them 4 ?-point road pups against Kansas State.





The Wildcats have started to play a little better in the second installment of the Bill Snyder Era, going 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four contests.

There are some good things to note about this fade spot against Colorado. The first thing is that K-State has covered the spread in the last four meetings of these Big XII North foes. The other thing to remember is that the Buffaloes have won back-to-back games in Hawkins? tenure just once back in 2007.

It?s in the Cards?

A lot of people wrote Cincinnati off before the start of this year because they had all offense and no defense. The Bearcats proved they have the defense to stay perfect for the season in a 34-17 road win over South Florida. Cincy forced B.J. Daniels into a pair of interceptions and made the Bulls go ?three and out? on seven different occasions.

It certainly looks like the sportsbooks have bought into the Bearcats now after installing them as heavy 17-point home favorites against Louisville.

This doesn?t look like a game where you?d think that the Cardinals have a shot at covering. Not many people would give a team that is 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS a shot at doing something against a potential national title contender.

A couple of things come into play here. Tony Pike?s status for this weekend is in doubt after spraining his left wrist. However, Pike has played through pain on more than one occasion for Cincinnati. Zach Collaros did perform admirably (72 passing yards, 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns) last week. But you have to wonder if he can get up for his career start.

We also have to keep in mind that the Cardinals have gone 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in the last six games against Cincy. Also, the Bearcats lost their last contest as a home favorite after winning a game by 17 points on the road.

 

[Lumi]

Betting on Ranked Teams

Betting on Ranked Teams

Betting on Ranked Teams
October 20, 2009

One question that we get asked all the time at Bodog is how much a college football team?s ranking corresponds with the betting handle for its games. In short, the answer is, a lot, and for many reasons.

First off, ranked teams are mostly big colleges and universities with large followings. Alumni are passionate backers of their schools, both emotionally and financially. This translates at the betting window. Heck, we all know USC alumni like to show off by throwing money around. (Just kidding. Sort of.)

Ranked teams are also on TV a lot more. A nationally televised affair like last week?s Oklahoma-Texas game is going to draw a lot of betting interest simply because a lot of people are going to watch it. Remember that betting on televised college games for a lot of people is like icing on the cake. It helps them enjoy an enjoyable game even more. While professional bettors might not even watch the games they?re betting on, retail bettors typically do. A lot of them are simply betting with their hearts, too. After all, what?s better than your favorite team winning? It?s your favorite team winning while you?re winning money.

Big games like the Red River Rivalry also receive a ton of media coverage, which results in more information and more possible angles for bettors to play on. Each angle is going to be perceived differently by each bettor, leaving plenty of differing predictions on the final score. It?s like the difference between a large cap stock and a small cap. More information results in more volume.

Just because a high-profile ranked team is involved and on national TV, however, doesn?t necessarily translate into a large handle. It usually takes two ranked teams, which is why Florida?s close escape of Arkansas last week didn?t hurt the book too much. Even though bettors love the Gators they?re not always willing to lay three touchdowns or more. Yes, even with Tim Tebow at quarterback. In contrast, there was far more action on Florida when it took on LSU the previous week.

As for games between two non-ranked teams, the handle on these games is usually about 10 to 15 percent the size of games involving ranked teams. Again, these games typically involve smaller schools. There?s also going to be far less media coverage; not much is going to be found on the front page of websites like ESPN.com.

If you?re willing to do some digging, you?re far more likely to find value in games involving non-ranked teams than ones between the big boys. Sportsbooks simply don?t monitor the lower-profile games as closely because they?re not exposed financially to the same extent, and that can mean an opportunity for you to take advantage.

 

[Lumi]

Looking for ATS Clues

Looking for ATS Clues

Looking for ATS Clues
October 21, 2009

At the midway point of the college season, it's often a good idea to wipe clean many of the team perceptions that might have been developed during the first few weeks of the campaign. That's because we've seen the story repeated countless times over the years; several teams that look good, or bad, in the first month of each season experience a change in fortunes along the way. Injury situations might begin to expose some depth concerns. On the other hand, some newer performers (often freshmen and redshirt freshmen) who were just getting acclimated to the college game begin to get more comfy with their surroundings as the year progresses. Coaching situations can also change; teams with mentors on the proverbial "hot seat" will often see their campaigns begin to unravel as the losses mount.

The bottom line is that the product on the field in September often has a far different look in October. Just as the November versions of the teams will often have a different look than the October editions. The question, then, is how to best identify those teams and their changing fortunes.



Emerging pointspread trends, both winning and losing, are going to be illuminated in the listings each week. We'd pay particular attention to teams at the lower-end of the "streak" scale; two or three-game pointspread streaks often grow into something truly meaningful. Teams that break recent spread and straight-up losing or winning streaks in their most-recent effort are identified each week. And though not all of those teams will run off extended winning or losing streaks, a few of them inevitably will; it's up to the handicappers to decide which ones to follow, and which ones not to follow.

Following are some teams we would be keeping our eyes on as the college season moves into late October.

On the way up? Arkansas...It's obvious that the Razorbacks are a different team than they were at the start of the season, when Michigan transfer QB Ryan Mallett was just getting used to things in Fayetteville. With a half season now under his belt, the rocket-armed Mallett has emerged as one of the best in the SEC, if not the country. Meanwhile, Bobby Petrino's robust defensive front is drawing raves as well. Over the past three games, the Razorbacks have faced unbeaten teams each week, destroying two of them (Texas A&M & Auburn) and narrowly missing a major upset at top-ranked Florida. With four home games to finish the season, don't be surprised to see the Razorbacks close with a flourish and earn a quality bowl bid.

On the way up? Oregon State...We've seen HC Mike Riley rally his troops before. Indeed, over the past three-plus seasons, Riley's Beavers stand a noteworthy 24-5 straight up once the calendar turns to October. And once again this season, OSU seems to be putting the pieces together. A rebuilt defense that lacked experience but not athleticism took a few weeks to come together, but the underclass-dominated platoon now seems to be hitting stride. Meanwhile, Riley added a new wrinkle to the offense in the recent 38-28 win over Stanford, putting slithery sophomore RB Quizz Rodgers as the pilot of new "Wildcat" looks, and Rodgers responding with a 61-yard TD run out of the formation, the longest of his college career. A tough test awaits this week with revenge-minded Southern Cal on deck, but the recent script seems to be repeating itself in Corvallis.

On the way down? Texas A&M...Although A&M is playing a lot of underclassmen, there was simply no explanation for the Aggies' performance last Saturday at Manhattan, when they weren't prepared to play an angry Kansas State team that itself was off a numbing 66-14 loss at Texas Tech. By halftime the score had reached 38-0, then ballooned to 59-0 midway in the third quarter before Bill Snyder mercifully called off the dogs (or Cats, if you will). A&M's encouraging 3-0 break from the gate (accomplished vs. lesser opposition) is now long forgotten, and regional sources say that HC Mike Sherman is quickly positioning himself on the hot seat with the latest losing streak. Sherman's hiring and subsequent subpar beginning to his regime last season had more than a few Aggie-exes wondering if the school hadn't blown the hire. There have been stray rumors floating around the region that some A&M power brokers would like to pull the plug on the Sherman era and bring in ex-Auburn HC Tommy Tuberville to lead the Ags out of the woods. Stay tuned for further developments.

On the way down? Baylor...Ominous developments in Waco, where the Bears have run into some misfortune in recent weeks with the season-ending injury to QB Robert Griffin. Many Big XII sources believe it was Griffin's dynamism that made HC Art Briles' spread work so surprisingly well last season, and kept the Bears competitive vs. most foes. But with Griffin out, the "O" lacks the same pop, as former starter Blake Szymanski lacks the speed that Griffin used to full advantage. Szymanski was ineffective last week at Iowa State, tossing a pair of picks in a 24-10 loss. Without Griffin available until next season, the Bears could disappear down the stretch in the rugged Big XII South.

On the way up? Florida Atlantic...We've seen this before at FAU, where Howard Schnellenberger's Owls usually take their lumps in non-conference action (this year getting thumped at Nebraska & South Carolina) before regaining their bearings in the Sun Belt. And the same thing might be happening now, as FAU finally got in the win column after four defeats in last Saturday's wild 44-40 victory at North Texas. The Owl offense remains potent, with sr. QB Rusty Smith still around, and the attack has taken on a more-balanced look slamming sophomore RB Alfred Morris adding a legit infantry diversion while gaining over 104 YPG. FAU, which lost a pair of two-point decisions vs. UL-Monroe and Wyoming prior to its win at Denton, could yet get back into the bowl picture for a third straight season.

Others to watch: On the way up?...Boston College, Bowling Green, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, Fresno State, Kansas State, UL-Monroe, Mississippi State, Ohio, San Diego State, Texas Tech. On the way down? Arkansas State, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Rice, San Jose State, UCLA, UNLV, Vanderbilt.

 

[Lumi]

LVSC Rankings - Week 8

LVSC Rankings - Week 8

LVSC Rankings - Week 8


For the first time this season, Florida relinquished its top spot in the AP Poll to Alabama after a pair of subpar efforts against LSU (13-3) and Arkansas (23-20). The Gators haven?t looked as dominant as last year when they finished 13-1, but handicapper Brian still believes the Gators are the team to beat.

?I don?t think a lot of people understand how good last year?s UF team was, especially on offense. They lost two wide receivers in Percy Harvin (17) and Louis Murphy (10) to the NFL who accounted for 24 touchdowns. Not having any playmakers on the outside has hurt the team plus costly turnovers don?t help their overall numbers.?

In last week?s close call against the Razorbacks, quarterback Tim Tebow was sacked six times and the offense had four fumbles, including two inside the Arkansas 10-yard line. Last year?s team won with offense, perhaps this year?s club will prevail with defense.





?Another thing to put in perspective is the Gators? spread record (2-2-1). Not winning convincingly or more specifically, not covering the number often creates doubt and it apparently has in the last two weeks. In all seriousness, did you really think Florida was going to produce an amazing 12-1 ATS ledger like they did in 2008??

The oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants agree with him and they still have Florida listed first in their weekly rankings and Alabama is third but the gap is closing.

Last week, LVSC Chief Operating Officer Kenny White and his staff would?ve sent out Florida as a five-point favorite against Alabama on a neutral field but now they believe 3 is a better number.

For the second consecutive week, the SEC has eight teams listed in the latest Top 30. Texas (2) remains the squad to beat in the Big 12, which has five schools listed in this week?s rankings.

Texas Tech (15) and Pittsburgh (27) were the biggest movers in Week 8, both climbing seven spots. The Red Raiders blasted Nebraska 31-10 in Lincoln last Saturday with a backup quarterback. Say what you want about head coach Mike Leach but his system is tough to match and the defense is getting better in Lubbock. Still, early back-to-back losses to Texas (34-24) and Houston (29-28) are tough to overcome.

Do you think Dave Wannstedt and the Panthers are looking back at their Week 4 loss to N.C. State (38-31) right about now? Pitt stands at 6-1 and four of the final five are at Heinz Field, including the season closer against Cincinnati (19), the only other ranked Big East team in this week?s LVSC rankings.

The ACC and Big 10 both had four teams ranked, while the Pac 10 has three. The Mountain West Conference will get clearer this week when TCU (6) and Brigham Young (24) battle from Provo. The Horned Frogs jumped four spots this week, while the Cougars fell 6 places.

Below is a complete breakdown of this week?s LVSC Rankings.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants - Week 8 Rankings
Rank Team Rating Last Week
1 Florida 122.1 1
2 Texas 119.6 2
3 Alabama 118.0 4
4 Southern Cal 117.9 3
5 Oklahoma 111.7 5
6 Texas Christian 111.0 10
7 Penn State 110.8 8
8 Ohio State 110.6 6
9 Boise State 110.4 9
10 Oregon 110.2 10
11 LSU 109.9 12
12 Iowa 109.5 14
12 Mississippi 109.5 14
14 Nebraska 109.3 7
15 Texas Tech 108.7 22
16 Miami 108.5 16
17 California 108.4 17
18 Oklahoma State 108.0 19
19 Cincinnati 107.9 21
19 Georgia Tech 107.9 23
21 Virginia Tech 107.8 13
22 Clemson 107.7 24
23 Notre Dame 107.5 20
24 Brigham Young 107.4 18
25 Georgia 106.3 30
26 Arkansas 106.2 29
27 Pittsburgh 105.9 NR (34)
28 South Carolina 105.9 26
29 Tennessee 105.7 28
29 Michigan State 105.7 NR (33)
Dropped out of Top 30: Kansas (25), South Florida (27)
Next 10: West Virginia, Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Michigan, Boston College, Missouri, Tulsa, South Florida, Connecticut

 

[Lumi]

TCU-BYU matchup attracts 'College GameDay' spotlight

TCU-BYU matchup attracts 'College GameDay' spotlight

TCU-BYU matchup attracts 'College GameDay' spotlight

Top-20 game carries serious BCS implications


So, will Lee Corso end Saturday morning's "College GameDay" broadcast by putting on a Cougar or Horned Frog head?

It doesn't matter to the Mountain West Conference -- what's important is that the show is being broadcast from a league site.

The popular ESPN show will visit Provo, Utah, marking it as college football's place to be this weekend, when No. 16 Brigham Young hosts No. 10 Texas Christian.

"I think 'College GameDay' to pay us the compliment of coming to Provo, Utah, to be a part of that game is a big deal," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "A lot of times we don't get a chance to be a part of that because our (TV) package is not with ESPN."

The two-hour 'GameDay' show provides in-depth analysis of the weekend's games while cheerleaders stand high in the background and sign-holding fans wear out their vocal chords.

The broadcast ends with Corso donning the mascot head of the team he picks to win in the matchup at the "GameDay" site.

Just being on "GameDay" is validation for the teams involved, especially when they belong to a non-Bowl Championship Series conference such as the Mountain West.

" 'GameDay' doesn't just pick any site," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "They pick the most intriguing matchups from the best programs that are playing at the highest level.

"I think it speaks volumes, and it should be paid attention to and noticed, and it's one more sign we're making progress."

? CHASING BOISE -- ESPN has good reason to be in Provo. TCU-BYU carries serious BCS implications.

TCU is eighth in the BCS standings, four spots behind Boise State, the top school without an automatic bid. The highest-ranked school from such a league in the top 12 automatically earns a bid.

Because of its more difficult schedule, TCU probably would pass the Broncos if it continues to win.

"BYU needs to be the concern," Patterson said. "The first goal is to win a conference championship. That's one thing you have control over."

BYU would love to play spoiler, just like TCU did against the Cougars last season. The Horned Frogs beat then-No. 8 BYU 32-7 on Oct. 16, 2008, after it entered the game 6-0 and on a 16-game winning streak.

"I didn't have (the players) focused and as detailed as necessary in our preparation," Mendenhall said. "I don't think they rose to the occasion in which they needed to because that was a big football game against a very good team. And I think they treated it simply as another game without maybe the edge necessary."

? TRAGIC LOSS -- UNLV defensive tackle Martin Tevaseu has left the team to travel to the San Francisco Bay Area after his 19-year-old sister, Zsorhzinnia, was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning in Oakland, Calif.

It is not known whether Tevaseu will play in Saturday's 5 p.m. PDT game at New Mexico.

? UNLV INJURIES -- The status of Rebels linebackers Starr Fuimaono (ankle) and Ronnie Paulo (shoulder), wide receiver Rodelin Anthony (ankle) and tight end Kyle Watkins (ankle) for Saturday's game is unknown.

Linebacker David Blair (calf) probably won't play.

 

[joefrog91]

I hope Corso doesn't put on the Horned Frog head. I hate that guy.

 

[Lumi]

College Football Big Moves

College Football Big Moves

College Football Big Moves

Las Vegas Sports Consultants suggested and opening line of Oregon -5.5 point favorites at Washington. The Las Vegas Hilton opened the line -6.5 and it has shot up to -10. My first thought was that maybe the status of Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli was in question with the opening line and an announcement confirming his status as starting shot the line up, but Kenny White says Masoli has been probable for this game from the start of the week and was in the equation of making the opening line.

?I really like what Washington has done this season with Jake Locker, who has NFL skills, and especially at home,? said White. ?This season at home they barely lost to LSU, beat USC, and then beat a really good Arizona team. On the other side, Oregon is coming off a bye and has a big look ahead game next week against USC.?

It?ll be interesting to see where this game ends up at by game day. The sharpest wise-guy in Las Vegas made early plays Oregon and bet it all the way up to the ladder with the last play coming at -9.5. Many books didn?t see that action and moved on air with the steam.

Despite, the move and who bet it, the value right now still looks to be with Washington at home, unless of course this person has information that many of us don?t get for some time, which has occurred on several occasions in the past, just not in Pac 10 games.

It?s ?Pick-on UNLV on the road? time again for bettors every where. The Rebels opened -3 and has been moved to New Mexico a -1.5 point favorite, a pretty good indication of how the betting world feels about the Rebels on the road.

But New Mexico? That stretches the boundaries of logic to a whole new realm. The Lobos haven?t won a game all season.

?UNLV coach Mike Sanford is 7-17 against the spread on the road,? said White. "New Mexico is a very weak team with a new coaching staff that haven?t been able to put much together thus far. Their quarterback hasn?t been 100% all season and they are a very finesses team who I believe the Rebels should be able to take advantage of."

New Mexico is coming off of two tough road games at Texas Tech and Wyoming while the Rebels hit the road after two tough home beat downs given by BYU and Utah.

On the road this year, the public has treated UNLV like an ATM machine by just betting against them. A few of the largest moves of the season occurred when the Rebels played at Wyoming as a favorite, losing 30-27, and at Nevada when they got smacked 63-28 giving up 771 yards.

As bad as the Rebels have been on the road this year and years past, they may have their best chance at winning this week.

 

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Error-prone Pryor not Buckeyes' only problem

Error-prone Pryor not Buckeyes' only problem

Error-prone Pryor not Buckeyes' only problem
Midway through his sophomore season, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is under fire from critics who want to see him benched or switched to wide receiver. None of it makes sense.

A year ago, many of the same people were praising Pryor as the second coming of Troy Smith, only better.

The Buckeyes and their backers are up in arms after Pryor's poor effort in a 26-18 loss to two-touchdown underdog Purdue last week. One popular way to panic and vent frustration is to target the quarterback as the clown.

Here's the truth, as spoken by The Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall: "Ohio State is just not that good."

The next thing I'll say is that Pryor is only partially at fault, and most of the blame should fall on Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel.

Ohio State has no offensive identity. The smash-mouth running attack is missing, the wideouts are average, and Pryor is being asked to run a system with no definitive game plan. Pryor's footwork is poor, and it's obvious he's not being coached properly.

Put Pryor at Michigan or Purdue -- the only two Big Ten teams that use the passing game effectively and consistently produce NFL quarterbacks -- and the results would be different.

Tressel had been living on the edge, and winning masks most mistakes, but it could be a good thing for the Buckeyes that they finally slipped off the cliff and got exposed by the Boilermakers.

Ohio State's 31-13 victory over Wisconsin on Oct. 10 was as deceiving as it gets. The Badgers held a 368-184 advantage in total yards, while the Buckeyes had eight first downs and Pryor completed only five passes. But Ohio State covered as a 15-point favorite by scoring on two interception returns and a kickoff return.

Pryor's turnover problems -- eight interceptions and three fumbles -- are a product of his youth and a weak support system. He's a rare talent at 6 feet 6 inches, but he has regressed because the offense fits him like a new suit that's two sizes too small.

The Buckeyes will kick butt the next two weeks, as a 16-point favorite over Minnesota on Saturday and again at home against pitiful New Mexico State on Oct. 31.

The Gold Sheet projects Ohio State, which is 5-2 against the spread, to beat Minnesota, 34-10. Criticism of Pryor, who is being counseled by LeBron James, will quiet down, and in a few weeks we'll see if Tressel is getting the offense figured out.

It's not often this happens, but the Big Ten is in the background this weekend and a Mountain West Conference game is in the spotlight.

Brigham Young is a 21/2-point home underdog to Texas Christian, and the early money has been on the Horned Frogs, who won last year's meeting, 32-7.

Marshall (goldsheet.com) is siding with TCU, which he said will put too much pressure on the Cougars' big but slow offensive line and quarterback Max Hall.

"It's a matchup that works against BYU because of TCU's speed on defense," Marshall said. "Hall has been throwing too many picks this year. He has been a little sloppy."

Marshall also recommends Air Force as a 91/2-point underdog at Utah. The Utes are still in the league title hunt.

"The Mountain West is better than the Big Ten this year," Marshall said. "The top teams are definitely better in the Mountain West. At the top and middle, I would say that. I'd take BYU over Ohio State in a minute, and I'd take TCU over Penn State.

"But the bottom of the Mountain West is pretty bad, and that's the problem."

UNLV opened as a slight favorite at winless New Mexico, but money moved the Lobos to 1-point favorites, and the line has steadied at about pick-em. The Gold Sheet projects the Rebels to win by 11.

Marshall also recommends plays on Oklahoma State (-9) over Baylor, and Texas Tech (-211/2) over Texas A&M.

? CLOSING NUMBERS -- Bad luck with Washington and bad handicapping with UNLV led to a 2-4 record last week, but I plan to bounce back with these six picks for Saturday (home team in CAPS):

Illinois (+11) over PURDUE; Indiana (+51/2) over NORTHWESTERN; Boston College (+8) over NOTRE DAME; WASHINGTON (+10) over Oregon; MICHIGAN (+41/2) over Penn State; Auburn (+71/2) over LOUISIANA STATE.

 

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Public Enemies - Week 8

Public Enemies - Week 8

Public Enemies - Week 8
October 22, 2009


Every week in college football, we try to find the teams that shined the week before and may be due for a letdown. This week, we'll take a look at a handful of teams that pulled off shocking victories that are now in a 'chalk' position.

Illinois at Purdue (-10) - 12:00 PM EST

These two teams are a combined 3-10 SU and have both been disappointments at the bottom of the Big 10. However, Purdue feels good about itself this week, after their upset of Ohio State last week. Now, the Boilermakers are in a tough spot, laying double-digits against an Illini squad who is 0-4 in conference play.

Purdue is 1-2 ATS this season as a favorite, with SU losses to Northern Illinois and Northwestern. The Boilermakers have scored at least 20 points in each game, but prior to the Ohio State game, Purdue's defense had allowed at least 24 games in each contest.

Illinois' offense has been non-existent this season, tallying 17 points or less in five of six games. The lone game in which the Illini scored more than 17 came against FCS school Illinois State, when Ron Zook's team busted out for 45 points.

capper says this could be a prime letdown spot for Purdue, "The upset for the Boilermakers was overdue as Purdue has posted great yardage this season and played tough against several quality opponents including Oregon and Notre Dame, but had just one win to show for it. Turnovers have been the key factor for Purdue as they have been among the nation's worst, but last week finally caught some breaks on the other side."

Juice Williams has shown very little production for a struggling Illini offense, but Nelson doesn't believe that's reason enough to take the points, "Illinois had its most favorable matchup of the season last week and did not come close to winning and although at some point the 'dog value will catch up, fading a highly productive Purdue offense may not be the best opportunity. The letdown risk is there but there have to be better games on the board to try to catch a 'dog win."

Colorado at Kansas State (-4) - 12:30 PM EST

Interestingly, these two teams have been pretty good pointspread plays over the last month. Colorado and K-State are a combined 5-1 ATS in October, as these two teams hook up at the Little Apple. The Buffaloes, following a disappointing 0-2 start, have covered four straight, including an upset win over Kansas last Saturday.

The Wildcats exploded for 62 points in a 62-14 blowout of Texas A&M last week, one week after allowing 66 points at Texas Tech. Bill Snyder's team still has issues at quarterback, but running back Daniel Thomas has been the bright side on offense for K-State, scoring four touchdowns against A&M.

Kansas State has covered four of the last five in this series, including a 14-13 loss in Boulder last season as three-point underdogs. Nelson says the numbers the Wildcats have put up may be a bit misleading, "Statistically this looks like a mismatch as Kansas State has been the better producer and a much stingier defensive team, but Colorado has played a significantly tougher schedule for the year. The run defense numbers against high quality competition the last two weeks for Colorado (vs. Texas & Kansas) has been impressive and forcing K-State into a one-dimensional pass attack should provide some favorable opportunities."

Nelson points to the Wildcats as a potential big public play due to last week's outburst, "With a short number, many bettors may flock to a home favorite that just scored 62 points, but K-State got to that figure with a lot of help from turnovers and special team scores. Colorado has turned the corner after an awful start to the year and the Buffaloes look like a play-on team for the foreseeable future."

Maryland at Duke (-5) - 1:30 PM EST

This line feels like a February basketball game at Cameron Indoor, as the Blue Devils are laying a couple of baskets against the Terrapins. We're still far away from ACC play in hoops, but this is a rare occurrence for the Devils to be favored. In fact, since 2000, Duke has laid points in conference play just three times, going 1-2 ATS.

Maryland is not in good shape, dropping five of seven games this season. The only quality victory on their ledger was at home against Clemson, winning outright as nearly two-touchdown underdogs. Duke is coming off the bye week, but the Devils did pull off an impressive road victory at N.C. State two weeks ago, 49-28. Thaddeus Lewis may not get the publicity as other quarterbacks in the ACC, but the Duke senior has tossed 12 touchdowns and only two interceptions this season.

These two teams haven't met since 2004, when the Terps blew out the Blue Devils, 55-21. Duke has been a strong 'over' play this season, hitting the 'over' in all five games.

Nelson believes that the Blue Devils may be a bit undervalued, "The oddsmakers have not been willing to make this line as steep as it probably should be based on what has happened on the field this season, so there is some value on the home favorite here. Duke covered in two of three games as home favorites last season and the best performances for Duke have actually come on the road as they have faced two FCS schools and Virginia Tech in three home games this season. Neither defense will shut down the offenses in this match-up but Duke has better personnel to handle a shootout."

Iowa at Michigan State (PK) - 7:30 PM EST

The Hawkeyes are the lone unbeaten team in the Big 10, after rallying past Wisconsin last week. Iowa travels to East Lansing this week to take on a Michigan State squad that has quietly won three straight.

The Spartans have played fantastic defense the last three weeks, outgaining each of their opponents, while allowing an average of 16 ppg in this span. The Hawkeyes are 3-0 SU/ATS on the road, including the upset at Penn State last month, 21-10.

The home team has won each of the last nine meetings, but Iowa has covered six of the last seven matchups. Nelson sees it hard to go against the Hawkeyes at this point, "Iowa has one of the best turnover margins in the nation and this is a team that is playing solid fundamental football and is not beating itself. MSU QB Kirk Cousins has been a more efficient passer than Ricky Stanzi, but Iowa should feature match-up advantages on both lines. These teams have played incredibly close games in the past two years so the dog might be worth a look, but there is no value in going against Iowa right now as most seem to believe they are overrated after they have skated by in a few close games."

 

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BCS Banter

BCS Banter

BCS Banter
October 22, 2009
By The Gold Sheet

As the first "official" BCS rankings have been announced, there are several potential down-the-road developments we can see on the horizon that could make past controversies almost mute by comparison. Before we address those points, however, a few observations on the rankings themselves.

1) Florida...No problem, we suppose, with the Gators garnering the top spot. After all, until the number one team gets knocked off, why should it lose its top spot in the rankings? Although the Gators haven't been quite as impressive as some were expecting (last week's close call vs. improving Arkansas in particular), there is nothing wrong about sitting unbeaten in SEC play entering late October. A lot of teams would be thrilled with 10-point wins over Tennessee and LSU. Having said that, however, we think Florida might be missing a little of the spark it had last season, and that might be because Percy Harvin is now with the Minnesota Vikings and no longer around Gainesville to distort enemy defenses. The Gator offense, Tim Tebow or not, doesn't look quite as scary, although the defense appears to be as good (or better) than ever.


2) Alabama...The Tide, which has even moved to the top of the AP poll, has been picking up more support every week and is effectively in a pole position for the BCS title game; all Bama has to do is keep winning through the regular season and SEC title game, where the Gators would almost assuredly await, to earn a spot in Pasadena in early January. Still, however, we're a bit surprised that much of the media seems to believe the Tide has a clear path until that potential showdown vs. Florida. A November 7 home date vs. LSU is more than treacherous (indeed, it would put the Tigers on top in the SEC West if they pull off what would only be a minor upset), and even though Auburn has slipped a bit in the last two weeks, don't forget that this year's Iron Bowl is being played at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 27. Longtime Tide supporters don't have to be reminded how the Tigers have ended Bama's unbeaten hopes before (Tide fans recall the '72 loss vs. Shug Jordan's underrated Auburn as bitterly as Democrats about that year's election loss by George McGovern). A trip to Starkville vs. improved Mississippi State November 14 might not be a picnic, either; remember that Nick Saban's first Bama team lost at Starkville in 2007.

3) Texas...At this point, it really doesn't matter that the Longhorns are behind both Alabama and Florida in the rankings, since either the Tide or Gators are guaranteed to lose once before the bowl season. All Mack Brown's team has to do is keep winning and it should get to the big game. With Texas Tech and Oklahoma now in the rear-view mirror, the toughest remaining tests likely come in the next two weeks on the road, at Missouri (which has fallen from grace in the past few weeks) and the real scary test left on the schedule at Oklahoma State on Halloween. Still, Texas hardly looks unbeatable, especially with Colt McCoy not at his best, at least at the moment, as he deals with a distracting thumbnail problem (a real nuisance for a QB or baseball pitcher) and a running game that has been a bit spotty to date. Texas has also covered just one pointspread in six outings, so the feeling persists that the Horns are playing under their capabilities...if only just a bit.

After the top three, things get very interesting, however. We'd watch a few other scenarios in particular in the coming weeks.

Cincinnati. The unbeaten Bearcats (currently 5th in the BCS poll) survived what figured to be one of their toughest tests last Thursday at South Florida, and did so with QB Tony Pike on the shelf for most of the second half. Pike, who had minor surgery on his left forearm (the same arm broken last season) during the week, might not make the post for this week's game vs. Louisville, although the Cats shouldn't have much trouble prevailing with mobile soph QB Zach Collaros (who had a 75-yard TD sprint vs. the Bulls) in the lineup. As long as Pike is available down the stretch, Cincy figures to be solidly favored in its last five games, beginning Halloween at Syracuse. The toughest tests figure to be when West Virginia comes calling to Nippert Stadium on November 13, and a regular-season finale (in expected tough weather conditions) at Pitt December 5.

Here is where it could get very interesting for the Bearcats. As a card-carrying member of the BCS, the Big East would expect an undefeated champion of its league to get full consideration for the title game, especially if it comes down to a choice between an undefeated Cincy and, say, a one-loss SEC team, or maybe Southern Cal from the Pac-10. If a one-loss team hurdles the undefeated Bearcats and gets into the title game, we would have to assume the Big East would either consider withdrawing from the BCS, or bring some sort of action against the organization. And we'd just sit back and watch the fireworks as they occur.

Iowa. Much like Cincy, the Hawkeyes are unbeaten, if barely so in what has amounted to an early-season, wild slalom run (three wins by six points total, vs. unheralded Northern Iowa and Arkansas State, as well as Michigan). But with wins already at Penn State and Wisconsin, and upcoming tests at Michigan State (this week) and Ohio State (November 14) not looking any more daunting, the Hawkeyes have emerged as the team we thought Penn State might be this season, sneaking through a watered-down Big Ten and showing up with an undefeated record in December. This could potentially present another dilemma for the BCS, as the Big Ten is definitely one of the card-carrying conferences in the group, and for its unbeaten champ not to be rewarded in the title game (especially if leapfrogged by a one-loss SEC team), we can only wonder what would transpire thereafter. Remember, the Big Ten, and Pac-10, have threatened in the past to use their Rose Bowl "escape hatch" as a way out of the BCS if things don't go their way, which in the past has meant any expansion of the BCS to a "plus-one" or other playoff-looking format. Would the exclusion of an unbeaten Iowa from the title game, in favor of a one-loss SEC entry, trigger the Big Ten to make good on its previous threat?

Boise State. Although the Broncos should do enough to qualify for the BCS if they continue to win, their chances at getting involved in the title game are remote at best. Even though, from what we've seen, Boise at its best might be one of the two top teams in the land. The computer rankings will begin to downgrade the Broncos as the season continues and Boise's schedule becomes weighted down by various WAC teams. The "human polls" (coaches and the Harris) will also prove interesting, as Boise has been ranked ahead of some of the top one-loss teams, at least until last week, when Southern Cal leapfrogged it in the AP version. If the Broncos remain unbeaten (as they figure to do) and nonetheless get excluded from the title game, we suspect that their part in the eventual debate will be as the poster child for a playoff. After all, shouldn't an undefeated Bronco team have a chance to play for a national title, just as an undefeated Boise basketball team would have the opportunity in the hoop Big Dance?

Southern Cal. The Trojans, who have been involved in a few scrapes already and even lost one of those at Washington, still have a few land mines to avoid in the Pac-10 (including the next two weeks vs. Oregon State and Oregon), but are in position to move into title-game contention if Texas should stumble before the end of the season. It would get even more interesting for the Trojans if no team were to escape the SEC unscathed; in an eventual logjam of one-loss teams, SC might not be in bad shape, especially if poll etiquette comes into play (remember, SC's loss came early in the season, historically the best time to suffer a setback and stay in the title hunt). As mentioned above, however, it will really get interesting if Iowa and/or Cincinnati continue on their unbeaten paths. We would expect a one-loss SC to get the nod over an unbeaten Boise for the title game, but can't be as sure a one-loss SC would get the title game nod over unbeaten champions of other BCS leagues.

Stay tuned.

 

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Games to Watch - Week 8

Games to Watch - Week 8

Games to Watch - Week 8

Unlike last weekend, this week's slate doesn't feature that one game that you can't miss. If you're a gambler looking to get down on some competitive matchups, then take a look at the seven highlighted tilts below.


Saturday - South Florida at Pittsburgh (Gameplan, 12:00 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Don't look now folks but head coach Dave Wannstedt and Pittsburgh (6-1 straight up, 4-2 against the spread) have quietly jumped into the top spot of the Big East standings. The lone loss, which could've been a win, came at N.C. State (38-31) on Sept. 26. Toss away that game and Pitt might be garnering more respect. This weekend, the Panthers welcome South Florida (5-1 SU, 2-2 ATS), who will be trying to rebound after losing to Cincinnati 34-17 last Thursday. The all-time series between the Bulls and Panthers is tied at 3-3 but the visitor has won and covered the last two meetings, plus four of the previous six. The Bulls have been a solid play as a road underdog behind head coach Jim Leavitt lately, going 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS the last three. Totals players should note that Pittsburgh has watched the 'under' go 4-1 and USF has one of the best defenses (13.5 PPG, 286 YPG) in the country. In the six head-to-head battles, the ?over? has gone 4-2 between the Bulls and Panthers.



Saturday - Boston College at Notre Dame (NBC, 3:30 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Two Catholic schools battle on the gridiron Saturday when Boston College (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) clashes with Notre Dame (4-2 SU, 2-4 ATS) from South Bend. The all-time series between the two schools is all square at 9-9 after BC blanked ND 17-0 at home last year, its sixth straight win in the series. The Eagles haven?t fared well on the road in 2009, going 0-2 and getting outscored 73-21. Notre Dame is coming off an emotional 34-27 loss to USC last Saturday, which dropped its home mark to 3-1. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen (1,804 yards, 14 TDs) has been brilliant this year and wide out Golden Tate (41 catches, 6 TDs) has had way against every secondary. Even though the Irish have lost two games by a combined 11 points, the defense continues to be a major issue. The unit is giving up 419.5 YPG and only one opponent has been held under 20 points. The ?over? has been winning tickets for both Boston College (4-1) and Notre Dame (4-2) this season.



Saturday - Clemson at Miami, Fl. (ABC-Regional 3:30 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Miami, Florida (5-1 SU, 4-1 ATS) continued its return to the glory days last weekend by cruising past Central Florida 27-7 in Orlando. The Hurricanes still have six games left to play but the team has a good shot to run the table and play in the ACC Championship with some help. Standing in their way this weekend is a Clemson (3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS) squad that has been tough to gauge. The Tigers dominated Wake Forest 38-3 last Saturday after getting upset 24-21 in Maryland two weeks prior. Clemson has three losses by a combined 10 points and two of them came to ranked opponents in Georgia Tech (30-27) and TCU (14-10). Miami sits in the ninth spot in the latest AP Poll and it could be the best offense the Tigers face all year. QB Jacory Harris (1,518 yards, 11 TDs) is complemented by a nice receiving corps, plus the ground game has been steady too. Harris will get tested this week against a fast Clemson defense that is known to apply pressure and create turnovers (10 INTs). Miami won the last battle (36-30) against Clemson in 2005, which was a triple-overtime thriller in South Carolina. The ?under? has gone 4-1 for both the Hurricanes and Tigers this season.


Saturday - Oklahoma at Kansas (ABC-Regional, 3:30 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Oklahoma (3-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) is easily the best three-loss team in the country and arguably still a top-10 team, considering the trio of setbacks were by a combined five points and all were played at venues outside of Norman. The Sooners can try to bounce back from last week?s loss to Texas (16-13) this weekend when it visits Kansas (5-1 SU, 2-3 ATS), who just got suffered its first defeat of the season last Saturday at Colorado, 34-30. The Jayhawks? offense (38.8 PPG, 503 YPG) has been clicking on all cylinders behind QB Todd Reesing and a pair of skilled running backs. Despite the impressive numbers, KU hasn?t seen a defense comparable to Oklahoma?s unit (9.7 PPG, 258.2 YPG). The Sooners? offense (31.3 PPG) won?t have QB Sam Bradford or RB Demarco Murray for this matchup due to injuries. Oklahoma stopped Kansas 45-31 last year at home but failed to cover as a 19-point favorite. Total players should note that the Sooners have watched all of their games go ?under? while the ?over? has been perfect in every Kansas tilt.


Saturday - Penn State at Michigan (ABC-Regional, 3:30 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Michigan (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) hasn't won a big conference game under head coach Rich Rodriguez since he arrived in Ann Arbor. This week, he's got a shot to do so when Penn State (6-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) visits. Last year, the Nittany Lions blasted the Wolverines 46-17 as 24 ?-point home favorites, which snapped a nine-game losing streak in the series. People tend to forget that Michigan did lead 17-7 before giving up 39 unanswered in this game. Penn State is favored by 4 ?-points this year and gamblers have been burned by Joe Paterno's team all season. The Wolverines do have two losses to their ledger but they came by a combined eight points. Close games have been a consistent pattern between these schools at the Big House, with the last three decided by 5, 2 and 3. Michigan is 2-1 both SU and ATS as a home underdog Rodriguez. PSU are 0-5 SU in its last five trips to Ann Arbor with the last victory coming in 1996 when Kerry Collins and Kijana Carter wore the old school jerseys. The total has been hovering around 48 points and this series has leaned toward the ?under? (4-2) in the last six encounters.



Saturday - TCU at BYU (Versus, 7:30 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

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Will this be the last test for TCU (6-0 SU, 3-2 ATS)? It appears that only BYU (6-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) stand its way with maybe exception to a home game against Utah in three weeks. The Horned Frogs and head coach Gary Patterson have been gaining attention lately, deservingly too. TCU is one of seven programs that remain unbeaten and the defense (13.7 PPG, 238 YPG) is nasty. BYU has a solid offense (38.6 PPG) behind quarterback Max Hall (2,069 yards, 16 TDs) and running back Harvey Unga (575 yards, 9 TDs). However, its defense (22.7 PPG) has been suspect this year and it was exposed in last week's victory over San Diego State (38-28). TCU humbled BYU last year 32-7 in Fort Worth as a two-point favorite. The Frogs are laying a little less than a field goal this week which could have some people smelling an upset in Provo. The Cougars have only been home underdogs twice under head coach Bronco Mendenhall and the team has produced a 1-1 both SU and ATS mark.



Saturday - Texas at Missouri (ABC-Regional, 8:00 p.m.)
Matchup Skinny

vs.
Texas (6-0 SU, 1-4 ATS) was almost tripped up last week but luckily survived a 16-13 victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The Longhorns have no time to rest this week as they head to Columbia for a primetime showdown against Missouri (4-2 SU, 2-3 ATS). Gary Pinkel and the Tiger weren?t expected to be a serious contender this year after losing key players to the NFL. However, Missouri silenced the critics with an early 4-0 start but has since dropped back-to-back games to ranked teams. The Longhorns will be the third straight ranked opponent and the pundits could be right about Mizzou with another setback. Quarterback Colt McCoy (7 Ints) catches all the press in Austin but he hasn?t a Heisman Trophy campaign by any stretch. Rather, it?s the Texas defense (246 YPG, 14.7 PPG) that has been outstanding, especially against the run (36 YPG). After averaging 36.8 PPG in the first four games, the Tigers and QB Blaine Gabbert have put up a total of 29 in the last two. Both Texas (3-1) and Missouri (4-0) have been on the right side of the ?under? this season. Laying points with Mack Brown hasn?t been profitable this year but Texas has won 14 of 15 against Missouri, including a 56-31 rout last year in the Lone Star State.

 

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Afternoon Showdowns

Afternoon Showdowns

Afternoon Showdowns

Saturday?s afternoon card gives us a pair of tilts that at one time looked like they would be played with more on the line. Still, these matches give us a chance to see who will keep their hopes alive at winning a conference title.

Oklahoma at Kansas ? 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC

Of all the games on the board, this one had the makings of a possible Big XII title game precursor. That was before the Sooners lost a close one against Texas in the Red River Rivalry and the Jayhawks took a nap in Colorado. Oklahoma?s (3-3 straight up, 1-3-1 against the spread) setback wasn?t that big of a surprise, but Kansas? loss to the Buffs was a classic case of the look-ahead trap.

Most sportsbooks have posted Oklahoma as a 7 ?-point road favorite with a total of 54 ?. Bettors can take a shot with Kansas to win outright for a nice return of plus-250 (risk $100 to win $250).

If there is any certainty for the Sooners this week, it?s that they?ll be without Sam Bradford from here on out. Last year?s Heisman Trophy winner went down with another shoulder injury in the first quarter of last week?s game against Texas. That means we?re going to get a lot more familiar with Landry Jones under center. Jones had a decent outing in relief of Bradford, completing 24 of his 43 pass attempts for 250 yards and one score. Jones hasn?t helped out gamblers so far, going 1-1 ATS in his two starts.

The loss of Bradford is much more noticeable in the line coming out of the betting shops. Randy Scott, sportsbook manager for betED, relayed that Oklahoma would have been between a 17-point and 20 ?-point road ?chalk? had he played.

At least Jones will have Ryan Broyles on the field as a target. Broyles didn?t play the whole game, being substituted by Brandon Caleb last weekend. Yet the Sooners? top receiver made two catches for 33 yards and the lone aerial touchdown they scored against Texas in a 16-13 setback.

Kansas appeared to have the makings of a great darkhorse for the Big XII North title and maybe even a national title game as they opened the year with five straight wins. Yet we should have seen the fall to Colorado coming in the two games prior for the Jayhawks. The Fighting Manginos failed to cover the spread in wins over Southern Mississippi (-12 ?) and Iowa State (-19).

The Jayhawks will have their top gunslinger on the field this week with Todd Reesing. KU?s signal caller leads the Big XII passing yards per game (330.0) and passing efficiency (152.6). Reesing has passed for over 400 yards in each of his last two starts though. It will be interesting to see if he light up the Sooners like similar numbers since they give up 189.8 YPG this season through the air.

This series has recently been one-sided in terms of bragging rights with Oklahoma going 7-3 SU. However, Kansas has been the better option for gamblers as they?ve gone 6-4 ATS.

The Sooners are 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS when playing in games as road faves after facing Texas. The ?under? has hit in all three of those matches since 2001.

Penn State at Michigan ? 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC

Do you think Joe Paterno was going to let another loss to Iowa to bring his Nittany Lions down for the year? Hell no. Penn State (6-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) has responded to that setback with three straight wins by a combined score of 107-20.

Look no further than the man under center for a reason why Penn State is back on track. Daryll Clark went 12 for 32 for 198 passing yards with one touchdown and three picks against Iowa. Since that loss, Clark has completed 67 percent of his passes for 696 yards with four scores and one interception.

It also doesn?t hurt that JoePa has another stellar defense at his disposal. The Nittany Lions are ranked fifth in the country in total defense by allowing only 238.9 YPG. They?re also holding teams to just a 32 percent success rate on third down conversions this season.

Michigan (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) may have played a bully against Delaware State, but it doesn?t hide the fact that they have lost two straight games in Big Ten play. Tate Forcier remains the starter for the Wolverines. Yet there has to be concern that he?s completing only 49 percent of his passes in those two defeats for 317 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. And Denard Robinson has been more of a running threat (273) than he is throwing the ball (172).

Most sportsbooks have installed the Nittany Lions as 4 ?-point road favorites with a total of 47 ?. You can wager for Michigan to win the game outright at plus-165 (risk $100 to win $165).

Last year, Penn State was able to beat the Wolverines as a 24 ?-point home ?chalk? 46-17, thanks to a second half surge. Michigan still holds a 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS mark in the last 10 head-to-head meetings.

Despite the series stats, the Nittany Lions would appear to be a solid wager. Michigan is 5-2 SU, but 0-6-1 ATS when playing at home after covering as a road favorite in its last game that was on the board.

 

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Favorites Ruled Week Seven - What's in Store this Saturday?

Favorites Ruled Week Seven - What's in Store this Saturday?

Favorites Ruled Week Seven - What's in Store this Saturday?

- Last week was a huge one for favorite players as the betting choice came through with a 32-20-2 mark and a 61% winning percentage.

However, if a bettor had played the favorite in all games involving top-10 teams, he would have won just two of nine wagers (LSU was on a bye). The only clubs to cover were Miami-Florida and Cincinnati, while Texas pushed its game with Oklahoma.

A lot of focus early this week was placed on the top-ranked clubs and how most of them failed to strut their stuff, but the spotlight should have been on the rest of the favorites as they totaled an unbelievable 30-14-1 mark, good for a 68% winning percentage!

The dominating week began on Tuesday night when UL-Monroe covered as a slight choice over Arkansas State, a game the Warhawks lost their starting quarterback early in the second quarter.

The final contest of the week was also won by the favorite.

Arizona State, favored by 6.5-points over Washington pulled out a seven-point victory in a match up that should have gone into overtime.

Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian admittedly made a mistake calling for a pass play on third-and-one from the Huskies' own 19-yard line with less than 30 seconds remaining. The incomplete pass forced Washington to punt and gave the Sun Devils a chance to win in regulation. And that's exactly what they did when Danny Sullivan hit Chris McGaha on a 50-yard touchdown strike with five seconds left, covering the spread by one-half point!

BCS STANDINGS NOT A FACTOR

It was somewhat surprising to see almost all the top teams fail last week considering they were playing for more than just on-the-field victories. The first BCS rankings were released last Sunday so one would have expected the big-time clubs to put forth their best efforts.

That was not the case, especially with Ohio State and Virginia Tech, who lost outright to Purdue and Georgia Tech, respectively.

Perhaps even more stunning was how the top two teams - Florida and Alabama - responded to the pressure.

Both clubs were favored by large amounts (Florida -24 and Alabama -18) and neither squad ever held an ATS lead in the two games combined. The Gators barely squeaked past Arkansas by three, while the Crimson Tide held its largest lead (14 points) for less than six of the 60 minutes.

Will the downward spiral continue? The top six teams in this week's AP Poll all are favored by double-digits. A couple of them could cover, namely Boise State and Texas, but the majority will once again falter against the spread given the pressure to succeed.

AFTER SEVEN WEEKS

I went 5-6-1 last week for a seven-week total of 60-53-1, good for 53%. There were zero Five-Star plays once again, so the season total still stands at 2-4. The Three-Star selections are now 21-20-1 after a 1-1-1 week.

Meanwhile, two of the three Two-Star plays proved victorious, including the Mountain West Conference underdog play of the week, so that record improves to 22-12, while the One-Star picks went 2-4 for a 15-17 overall mark.

As a reminder, the Five-Star plays are when my Power Plays and Key Plays coincide. The Three-Star selections comprise the rest of my Power Plays: games where there's at least a five-point differential between my line and the actual line. The Two-Star picks are the remaining Key Plays and the One-Star plays are the secondary selections.

THREE-STAR SELECTIONS

There are four games to choose from this week, highlighted by Colorado (at Kansas State) and Western Michigan (vs. Buffalo). The other two are Illinois (at Purdue) and Florida Atlantic (at UL Louisiana). There are no Five-Star plays.

TWO-STAR PLAYS

Mississippi State welcomes Florida to Starkville, Mississippi for just the fourth time since 1990. The Bulldogs own a 3-0 mark both SU and ATS over the reigning national champions, including a 38-31 victory in the last meeting back in '04 as 23-point underdogs.

Florida comes into this contest off a pair of hard-fought games - the 10-point victory over LSU and then the three-point home win vs. Arkansas. Mississippi State may not be in the same class as the Tigers and Razorbacks but Dan Mullen's team almost defeated LSU at home a few weeks back.

Speaking of Mullen, the Bulldogs' head coach was Urban Meyer's offensive coordinator the last four years in Gainesville so it goes without saying that he has imparted all his knowledge of how Florida's offense operates to his players. In addition, the Gators have their annual matchup with Georgia next week so this one has all the makings of a very close contest.

Take Mississippi State plus the points.

Maryland comes to Durham, North Carolina to face a much-improved Duke team. The Blue Devils should win this game by over two touchdowns and they're only favored by four points!

Prior to their huge road win over North Carolina State, they held their own with Virginia Tech picking up 397 total yards while holding Ryan Williams to only 83 rushing yards on 3.5 yards per carry - 2.5 yards less than his season average.

Maryland's ground attack is in disarray with injuries to Da'Rel Scott and Gary Douglas and the passing game has been weak with Chris Turner throwing only nine touchdown passes in seven games while being sacked 22 times. The Terrapins have played only two road games this season and they're still 1-5 against FBS teams!

The Blue Devils are off a bye week, which might actually help them maintain their composure. The club could have come into this game extremely overconfident if this matchup were played immediately following the monster performance at NC State.

Take Duke minus the points.

Arkansas takes on Ole Miss in Oxford. The Razorbacks, 1-3 in SEC play, destroyed Auburn the week before their close call with Florida so don't think for a moment there'll have a letdown, especially against former coach, Houston Nutt.

The Rebels have looked horrible the entire season, but surprisingly, the line for this game has drifted more and more in their favor the last few days. Are they really worthy of being almost a touchdown favorite against one of the hottest teams in the country?

Ole Miss has yet to put back-to-back FBS wins on the board this season and it won't happen here.

Take Arkansas plus the points.

Three other Two-Star selections are Washington (vs. Oregon), Kansas (vs. Oklahoma) and Oregon State (at Southern Cal)

ONE-STAR PLAYS

Go with Tennessee (at Alabama), Texas A&M (at Texas Tech), Boston College (at Notre Dame), Clemson (at Miami-Florida), Iowa State (at Nebraska) and Bowling Green (vs. Central Michigan).

 

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NORTHWEST SHOWDOWN: Washington a live home underdog

NORTHWEST SHOWDOWN: Washington a live home underdog

NORTHWEST SHOWDOWN: Washington a live home underdog

No. 11 Oregon could overlook upstart Huskies




When former Southern California assistant Steve Sarkisian took over a once-proud Washington football program, only the most optimistic Huskies supporters probably expected considerable progress on the heels of last season's 0-12 debacle.

At 3-4 just past the season's halfway point, the Huskies have competed at a high level all season and easily could have a winning record despite facing arguably the nation's most difficult schedule.

Under the wing of Sarkisian, who starred for Brigham Young at quarterback, Washington QB Jake Locker has moved up the NFL Draft boards and almost certainly will be one of the first names called in the spring.

Locker has passed for 1,702 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, and he's also a running threat with 223 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Oregon (5-1) enters today's game at Washington ranked No. 11 in the season's inaugural Bowl Championship Series standings. The Ducks have won five straight after a season-opening flop at Boise State.

The Huskies, however, have been live home underdogs this season, going 3-0 against the spread in the role with outright wins over USC and Arizona.

Oregon clearly has been the more impressive team, but it has USC on deck at Autzen Stadium, and, quite simply, the 10-point line is too high. Take Washington and the points.

Six more plays for today (home team in CAPS):

? UNR (-15) over Idaho -- The Vandals are one of the season's feel-good stories, entering this Western Athletic Conference showdown with a 6-1 straight-up record (7-0 against the spread) after years of ineptitude. The Wolf Pack averaged 48 points against Idaho the past four seasons and normally are strong as a home favorite.

? Arkansas (+61/2) over MISSISSIPPI -- The Razorbacks are showing steady improvement and have bested the point spread by 26, 23 and 22 points in their past three games. The Rebels have struggled against the more talented opponents on their schedule.

? BRIGHAM YOUNG (+21/2) over Texas Christian -- Despite all the BCS talk, the Horned Frogs are not at the same level as last year. TCU has won road games against Virginia and Clemson, but Provo is a tougher environment, and BYU will be primed after last season's 32-7 loss to the Horned Frogs.

? Southern Methodist (+17) over HOUSTON -- The Mustangs are one of the nation's most improved teams and could be 5-1 if not for blowing double-digit leads against Washington State and Navy. SMU has competed gamely when getting 101/2 points or more, having gone 11-3-2 in its past 16 games in that role.

? STANFORD (-61/2) over Arizona State -- Stanford is a different team at home with nine straight covers in Palo Alto, and the Sun Devils are a different team on the road (6-16 ATS as a conference road underdog since 2001). The Cardinal should snap a two-game losing streak with a touchdown-plus victory.

? TROY (-201/2) over North Texas -- Troy has been the class of the Sun Belt Conference in recent years and should wreak havoc on Mean Green backup quarterback Nathan Tune, who will start in place of injured Riley Dodge.

Last week: 2-3 against the spread

Season: 12-22-1 :shrug: :mj07:

 

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SEC News and Notes

SEC News and Notes

SEC News and Notes

Let?s start this week?s stroll around the SEC by breaking down Florida?s trip to Starkville to face Mississippi State. The Gators haven?t won at Scott Field since 1985.

Now that stat is a tad misleading because UF has only played at Mississippi St. four times during that stretch. Nevertheless, it?s extremely relevant because the orange and blue faithful are well aware that this venue has been nothing but a House of Horrors over the last two decades and change.

In 1992 on a Thursday night, Shane Matthews? Heisman hopes were obliterated in a 30-6 loss to the Bulldogs. The Gators haven?t played on a Thursday night since then.

In 2000, Dicenzo Miller and Dontae Walker bullied their way through Florida?s defense for more than 300 rushing yards in a 47-35 victory. Then in 2004, Jerious Norwood?s game-winning TD run in the final minute lifted Sylvester Croom?s squad to a 38-31 win as a 24 ?-point home underdog.

Ron Zook was fired less than 36 hours later. Five years later, The Zooker is working on another pink slip at Illinois.


Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Gators as 24 ?-point road favorites with a total of 49. As of Friday afternoon, most books had UF favored by 23 with a total of 50. The Bulldogs are plus-1350 to win outright at the Vegas Hilton (risk $100 to win $13,500).

Mississippi St. snapped a three-game losing streak by capturing a 27-6 win last week at Middle Tennessee. Dan Mullen?s team easily covered the number as a five-point road ?chalk.?

Senior running back Anthony Dixon ran for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Blue Raiders, while senior quarterback Tyson Lee completed 14-of-20 passes for 155 yards without an interception. Lee also had 38 yards rushing and a one-yard TD plunge.

MSU comes into this game ranked 13th in the nation in rushing. Dixon, who was suspended for the opener, has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in each game since then except for a 94-yard effort in a loss at Auburn.

Dixon?s life will be a lot easier Saturday if Florida All-American LB Brandon Spikes does not play. Spikes left last week?s 23-20 win over Arkansas in the first half and did not return. He?s suffering from a groin injury that has his status at ?50-50? according to Urban Meyer?s comments in Friday?s edition of the Gainesville Sun.

UF?s defensive line is also ailing. DT Justin Trattou is ?out,? while DTs Lawrence Marsh and Jaye Howard are ?doubtful.?

The Gators survived a scare last week in the aforementioned win over the Razorbacks, who won the turnover battle 4-0 but lost on Caleb Sturgis? game-winning field goal in the final seconds. The Hogs easily took the cash as 24 ?-point underdogs.

UF failed to cover the number in its first eight games as a road favorite on Meyer?s watch. But since then, the Gators have taken the money in eight consecutive road ?chalk? spots.

ESPN will have the telecast at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

Alabama jumped Florida in the AP poll to become No. 1 after last week?s 20-6 win over South Carolina. The Gamecocks covered the spread as 18-point underdogs, improving to 11-4-1 ATS as road ?dogs during Steve Spurrier?s tenure.

Mark Ingram probably became the Heisman favorite (for now, that is) with an incredible game, rushing 24 times for 246 yards and one touchdown. Mark Barron gave the Crimson Tide an early lead when he picked off Stephen Garcia and returned the interception 77 yards for a TD.

Ingram and Barron?s heroics allowed ?Bama to overcome the shaky play of junior QB Greg McElroy, who threw for just 92 yards and was intercepted twice. McElroy?s struggles came from out of nowhere, as he was exceeding expectations until the ?Cocks came to Tuscaloosa. He still maintains an excellent 9/3 touchdown-interception ratio.

Alabama starting CB and special-teams ace Javier Arenas (rib injury) did not play against South Carolina, but he is expected to be in the lineup Saturday vs. Tennessee.

LVSC opened the Tide as a 17-point favorite with a total of 44. As of late Friday afternoon, most spots had ?Bama listed as a 15-point home ?chalk? with the total adjusted to 42. The Volunteers are plus-450 to win outright (risk $100 to win $450).

Lane Kiffin?s team comes to Bryant-Denny Stadium with two weeks of preparation. UT enjoyed its bye week after trashing Georgia 45-19 as a one-point home favorite. Jonathan Crompton enjoyed a career day against the Dawgs, throwing for 310 yards and four touchdowns.

CBS will have television coverage at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

Houston Nutt?s Ole Miss squad won at Arkansas last season in his first game against his former school. The Rebels will host the Hogs in Saturday?s 12:20 Eastern kickoff on the SEC Network.

Most books have Ole Miss tabbed as a 6 ?-point favorite with a total of 53. Bettors can take Arkansas on the money line for a plus-220 return.

The Rebels are 5-2 ATS as home favorites under Nutt. Meanwhile, the Hogs are 3-3 ATS as road ?dogs on Bobby Petrino?s watch.

Like UT, LSU was also off last weekend. The Tigers return to the field Saturday to face Auburn in Baton Rouge. Most spots have Les Miles? team listed as a 7 ?-point favorite with the total in the 51-52 range. Gamblers can take Auburn to win outright for a plus-250 payout.

The honeymoon is over for Gene Chizik, who won his first five games as head coach at Auburn. However, the War Eagles have now gone down in back-to-back weeks. They took a shellacking two weeks ago at Arkansas by a 44-23 count. Kentucky then went on the road and collected a 21-14 win on the Plains.

The Wildcats picked up their first SEC win of the year and their first victory against Auburn since 1966. Randall Cobb scored on a four-yard TD run with 3:17 left that proved to be the difference. UK won outright as a 13 ?-point underdog even though it was without All-American CB Trevard Lindley, who has missed back-to-back games with an ankle injury.

Rich Brooks? team is back in action Saturday vs. ULM. The ?Cats are 14 ?-point favorites with the total listed at 47. The Warhawks, who have won three in a row both SU and ATS versus Sun Belt foes, will be without starting QB Trey Revell.

South Carolina will be trying to end a two-game losing streak against Vanderbilt, which went into Columbia and won a 17-6 decision as a 13 ?-point road underdog in 2007. In a Thursday game last year, the Commodores beat the Gameocks 24-17 as 9 ?-point home underdogs.

South Carolina senior WR Moe Brown is ?out? after sustaining a concussion in last week?s loss at Alabama. TE Wesley Saunders is ?questionable? after re-aggravating an ankle injury at practice Tuesday. The same injury kept Saunders out of a 28-26 win over Kentucky two weeks ago.



--Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett completed 12-of-27 passes against the Gators for 227 yards with one TD and no interceptions. For the season, Mallett is sporting an impressive 14/3 TD-INT ratio.

--Robbie Andreu, the UF beat writer for the Gainesville Sun, predicted the Gators to win by a 27-17 count in Starkville.

--Vandy is an abysmal 1-4-1 ATS this season.

--Georgia has an open date this week to prep for next week?s showdown against Florida in Jacksonville. The Dawgs bounced back from their embarrassing loss at UT by spanking Vandy 34-10 last week as 8 ?-point road favorites.

 

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College football betting weather report

College football betting weather report

College football betting weather report

Connecticut Huskies at West Virginia Mountaineers (-7.5, 46.5)

There is a 60 percent chance of showers in Morgantown. Game-time temperatures could fall into the low 60?s. If the rain does hit, it could make is slick rushing for WVU standout RB Noel Devine, who has totaled 734 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Virginia Cavaliers (+5.5, 49)

The Yellow Jackets rush-heavy offense is hoping the rains hold off in Charlottesville Saturday. There is a chance of showers but even if it doesn?t open up, the teams will have to deal with an 18-mph wind blowing south directly down the field.

Boston College Eagles at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7.5, 54.5)

It could rain in South Bend but the real issue facing the Irish is the nasty wind blowing across the field with gust getting up past 25 mph. Notre Dame has the seventh-best passing attack in the nation while Boston College has relied on its rushing game, which has averaged more than 155 yards this year.

South Florida Bulls at Pittsburgh Panthers (-6.5, 48.5)

Football bettors have all heard the horror stories about Heinz Field. It?s been rainy all morning in Pittsburgh, setting up a very messy and very slick surface for the Panthers? freshman phenom Dion Lewis, who has rushed for 918 yards and 10 scores this season. South Florida is also relying on its ground game to move the chains. Quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has stepped in for the injured Matt Grothe, leads the Bulls in passing yards but also rushing yards and touchdowns.

Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan State Spartans (-1.5. 42.5)

This weekend?s most controversial pointspread could have something to do with the weather in East Lansing. The forecast is calling for showers all day with light drizzle during the game. Temperatures will be in the 30?s with gusts blowing as high as 20 mph, blowing SW from corner to corner.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Utah State Aggies (-1.5, 53)

Light rain will plague this afternoon WAC matchup. There is little wind and temperatures will be in the mid 40?s. There could be some fumbles and dropped balls Saturday. Utah State is the third-best passing team in the conference but leads the WAC in fumbles. The Bulldogs are second in the league in picks with seven interceptions on the year.