Cnotes53 2017 College Football Picks-Trends-News Etc. !

[Cnotes53]

Saturday's Week 13 NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds

(7) Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+11, 51.5)

* The Bulldogs have scored on 40 of 41 total trips inside the red zone, tied with Arizona State for the best success rate in the nation. RBs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel have combined for 24 of Georgia's 32 rushing scores to date.

* The Yellow Jackets boast the worst red-zone defense in Division I, allowing opponents to score points on 32 of 33 visits inside the 20-yard line. Georgia Tech runs the ball on 81.7 percent of offensive plays vs. FBS teams, the fourth-highest rate in the nation.

LINE HISTORY: The Bulldogs hit the board as 11-point road chalk at most books and has yet to move off the opening number. The total opened at 52 and is down slightly to 51.5.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.

* Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games overall.

* Over is 4-1 in Yellow Jackets last 5 games following a ATS loss.

* Bulldogs are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Georgia Tech.

(8) Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines (+12, 50)

* The Buckeyes have converted 49.6 percent of their third-down opportunities in 2017, the fourth-best rate in the country. QB J.T. Barrett has seven passing touchdowns to six interceptions over his last three games, but has added three rushing scores.

* The Wolverines have been the stingiest team in Division I on third downs, allowing teams to score or extend drives just 24.7 percent of the time. Michigan averages 3.27 sacks per game, tied with Texas A&M for eighth among FBS teams.

LINE HISTORY: The Buckeyes opened as 11-point road faves for this Big Ten showdown and at most shops that number has been bet up to +12. The total hit the betting board at 50.5 and is down to an even 50.

TRENDS:

* Over is 7-0 in Buckeyes last 7 games following a straight up win.

* Over is 6-1 in Wolverines last 7 games following a straight up loss.

* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

* Buckeyes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Michigan.

Kansas Jayhawks at (21) Oklahoma State Cowboys (-41, 70)

* The Jayhawks rank in the bottom-5 nationally in points per play (0.225) and points against per play (0.616) against FBS opponents. Kansas has scored on 29 of its 31 red-zone opportunities in 2017, but just 17 of those resulted in touchdowns.

* WR Marcell Ateman needs 58 receiving yards to make Oklahoma State the first team in Big 12 history with a 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. The Cowboys lead the nation in passing yards per game (383.1).

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers installed the Cowboys as massive 40-point home chalk and that wasn't high enough for bettors as money coming in on the home team pushed that number up to 41. The total opened at 70 and has yet to move off the opening number.

TRENDS:

* Jayhawks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a double-digit loss at home.

* Over is 6-1 in Cowboys last 7 vs. a team with a losing record.

* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Oklahoma State.

* Jayhawks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Oklahoma State.

East Carolina Pirates at (16) Memphis Tigers (-28.5, 79)

* The Pirates have allowed opponents to convert 52.9 of their third-down opportunities; only Oregon State has been worse. East Carolina surrenders just 1.18 sacks per game, tied for the 15th-best rate in the nation.

* The Tigers are one of only 13 Division I schools with double-digit fumble recoveries (13) and interceptions (10). Memphis QB Riley Ferguson has accounted for 14 touchdowns (nine passing, five rushing) over his previous three games.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in Pirates last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.

* Over is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

* Pirates are 11-0 ATS in their last 11 meetings.

LINE HISTORY: Memphis opened as 26.5-point home faves and money continued to come in on the home team driving that line up two full points to -28.5. The total hit the betting board at 79 and remains at that number at the end of the week.

(4) Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Golden Gophers (+17.5, 43.5)

* Badgers RB Jonathan Taylor has eight 100-yard rushing performances on the season, including each of his previous three games. Wisconsin leads the nation in rushing defense (79.4 yards per game) and fewest rushing TDs against (four).

* The Golden Gophers average 3.45 penalty flags per game, fewest in all of Division I. Minnesota WR Tyler Johnson (team-best 677 yards, seven touchdowns) will miss the game after suffering a broken hand.

TRENDS:

* Badgers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.

* Over is 4-1 in Badgers last 5 road games.

* Over is 4-1 in Golden Gophers last 5 games following a straight up loss.

* Over is 15-2 in the last 17 meetings.

LINE HISTORY: The Golden Gophers opened this Big Ten West battle as 17-point home dogs at most shops and inched up as high as +18 late in the week. The total opened at 43 and was bet up slightly to 43.5.

(11) Penn State Nittany Lions at Maryland Terrapins (+22, 58)

* Nittany Lions QB Trace McSorley has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four straight games while rushing for three more scores in that stretch. Penn State's plus-12 turnover margin for the season is tied for fifth-best in the nation.

* The Terrapins' defense has produced just 15 sacks through 11 games, tied for 111th in the country. Maryland WR D.J. Moore has one touchdown catch in his past five games after racking up seven scores over his first six contests.

TRENDS:

* Nittany Lions are 8-0-1 ATS in their last 9 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.

* Terrapins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

* Over is 14-3 in Nittany Lions last 17 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.

* Over is 5-1 in Terrapins last 6 games following a ATS win.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers installed the Nittany Lions as 21-point road chalk and that wasn't enough as money on the road team raised the line to +22. The total hit the betting board at 56 and was bet up to 58 at most shops.

(24) Boise State Broncos at Fresno State Bulldogs (+7, 48.5)

* The Broncos make good on 47.4 percent of their third-down opportunities, the seventh-best rate among FBS teams. Boise State is averaging 46.3 points over its past four games.

* The Bulldogs have surrendered seven sacks all season, tied with Marshall for the second-fewest in Division I. Fresno State QB Marcus McMaryion has surpassed 200 passing yards just once in his past five games.

TRENDS:

* Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.

* Under is 7-0 in Bulldogs last 7 games overall.

* Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings in Fresno State.

* Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

LINE HISTORY: The Broncos hit the board as 7-point road faves at most books and remained there at the end of the week. The total hit the boards at 48.5 and has yet to move off that opening number.

(1) Alabama Crimson Tide at (6) Auburn Tigers (+4.5, 47)

* The Crimson Tide have thrown two interceptions this season, tied with San Diego State for the fewest in the country. Alabama is the only team in Division I to be perfect on fourth-down conversions in 2017, going 12-for-12.

* The Tigers have snagged six interceptions this season; only 14 FBS teams have fewer INTs. Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson has recorded a rushing or receiving TD in every game this season, and has six 100-yard efforts in his past seven outings.

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.

* Tigers are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games.

* Over is 7-0 in Tigers last 7 conference games.

LINE HISTORY: The undefeated Crimson Tide opened the 2017 Iron Bowl as low as field goal road chalk and money on the road team pushed that number up to +4.5. The total opened at 47 and hasn't moved off that number.

West Virginia Mountaineers at (5) Oklahoma Sooners (-23, 67)

* Mountaineers QB Will Grier will miss Saturday's game after suffering a broken finger in last weekend's game against Texas. West Virginia ranks outside the top 100 nationally in third-down conversion rate (34.2 percent).

* Sooners QB Baker Mayfield will open Saturday's game on the sidelines following his antics in last weekend's win over Kansas. Oklahoma has held opponents below 60 percent passing in 17 of its last 21 games.

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 10-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

* Sooners are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.

* Under is 6-0 in Mountaineers last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

* Under is 6-1 in Sooners last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Sooners as 22.5-point home faves and at most books that line has been bet up to an even -23. The total hit the betting board at 68.5 and money on the under has driven that line down to 67 at most shops.

(22) Michigan State Spartans at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+13.5, 41)

* The Spartans rank third in the nation in average time of possession at 34:03. Michigan State has played the eighth-toughest schedule in the nation, with its opposition sporting a collective 65-41 record.

* The Scarlet Knights have allowed opponents to score on 92.9 percent of their red-zone trips, the fourth-worst rate in the nation. Rutgers is just the sixth Big Ten team since 1960 to win three conference games a season after going winless in Big Ten play.

TRENDS:

* Spartans are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 road games.

* Scarlet Knights are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

* Under is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 games following a ATS loss.

* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

LINE HISTORY: The Spartans opened as 13-point road faves and has been bet up slightly to -13.5 The total opened at 40 and money on the over pushed that number as high as 41.5.

(23) Northwestern Wildcats at Illinois Fighting Illini (+16.5, 46)

* The Wildcats are tied for ninth in Division I in both red zone scoring rate (93.6 percent) and red zone defense (71.1 percent). Northwestern RB Justin Jackson has three 100-yard performances during his team's six-game winning streak.

* The Fighting Illini are surrendering an average of 3.45 sacks per game; only four FBS teams are allowing more. Illinois also allows seven tackles for loss per contest, ranking 115th out of 129 Division I schools.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 6-0 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.

* Over is 4-0-1 in Wildcats last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

* Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

* Tigers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 meetings in South Carolina.

LINE HISTORY: The Wildcats opened this Big Ten clash as 16.5 point road faves and at most shops, the line hasn't moved off the opening number. The total hit the betting board at 45.5 and has been bet up slightly to 46.

(3) Clemson Tigers at South Carolina Gamecocks (+13.5, 46.5)

* The Tigers have scored 70 points off turnovers this season while allowing just 13. Clemson's defense allows opponents to convert just 27.6 percent of their third-down situations, the fifth-best rate in the country.

* The Gamecocks are a plus-70 in points off turnovers, scoring 76 points while surrendering only six. South Carolina averages a paltry 31.8 penalty yards per game, third-fewest in the nation.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.

* Gamecocks are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.

* Under is 7-0 in Gamecocks last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.

LINE HISTORY: Clemson opened as high as 14-point road chalk and that number has been bet down slightly to -13.5. The total opened across the board at 46.5 and has yet to move off the opening number..

Texas A&M Aggies at (18) LSU Tigers (-10, 50.5)

* The Aggies' defense averages 3.27 sacks per game, tied with Michigan State for eighth in the nation. Texas A&M RB Keith Ford has scored a rushing touchdown in four straight games despite being given just 38 total carries in that span.

* The Tigers have turned the ball over just seven times in 2017, tied with Alabama for the fewest in Division I. LSU RB Derrius Guice has racked up 591 rushing yards and five touchdowns over his past four games.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

* Under is 8-1 in Aggies last 9 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

* Aggies are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers installed the Aggies as 10-point home chalk at most shops and money coming in on both sides has seen the line up as high as -10.5 and as low as -9.5. By the end of the week at most books, the line returned to the opening number. The total hit the betting boards at 50 and was bet up as high as 51 before fading down to 50.5.

(9) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at (20) Stanford Cardinal (+2.5, 56.5)

* Fighting Irish QB Brandon Wimbush has exceeded 165 passing yards just once in his past five games, but has still accounted for 14 touchdowns in that span. Notre Dame ranks 12th among FBS teams in red-zone scoring percentage (93.0).

* The Cardinal are one of 11 Division I teams with a per-game turnover ratio of 1.00 or better. Stanford RB Bryce Love has a rushing touchdown and at least one run of 35+ yards in every game this season.

TRENDS:

* Cardinal are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up win.

* Under is 6-0 in Cardinal last 6 games following a straight up win.

* Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

* Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Stanford.

LINE HISTORY: Notre Dame hit the board as low as 1.5-point road faves and money on the Irish has bumped that line up at most shops to 2.5. The total opened at 57 and is still available at that number.

(15) Washington State Cougars at (14) Washington Huskies (-10.5, 48)

* The Cougars have limited opponents to a 25-percent success rate on third downs; only Michigan has been stingier. Washington State QB Luke Falk has thrown for 648 yards and six touchdowns in his past two games.

* The Huskies have completed 69.5 percent of their passes as a team in 2017, behind only Oklahoma and UCF. Washington RB Myles Gaskin has three 100-yard performances and eight total touchdowns over his previous four outings.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.

* Under is 5-1 in Huskies last 6 games following a straight up win.

* Under is 6-1 in Cougars last 7 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.

LINE HISTORY: The Huskies opened this Pac-12 as 9-point home chalk and money on the home team has seen that line pushed up to -10.5. The total hit the board at 48.5 and is down slightly to 48.

 

[Cnotes53]

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CONN at CIN 12:00 PM
CONN +6.0

LOU at UK 12:00 PM
UK +9.0

TULN at SMU 12:00 PM
TULN +7.5
O 67.0

ECU at MEM 12:00 PM
ECU +28.5
O 79.5

IND at PUR 12:00 PM
PUR -2.5

OSU at MICH 12:00 PM
MICH +12.5
U 49.5

FSU at FLA 12:00 PM
FLA +5.0
U 43.5

UGA at GT 12:00 PM
UGA -11.0
U 52.5

KU at OKST 12:00 PM
KU +41.0
O 69.5

BC at SYR 12:20 PM
BC -3.0
U 56.0

DUKE at WAKE 12:30 PM
DUKE +11.5


*****************************


UTEP at UAB 01:00 PM
UAB -21.0

UNT at RICE 01:00 PM
UNT -12.0

FAU at CHAR 02:00 PM
FAU -23.0

APP at GSU 02:00 PM
GSU +7.0
O 51.0

SOMIS at MRSH 02:30 PM
SOMIS +2.5

UNLV at NEV 03:00 PM
UNLV +3.0

ODU at MTU 03:00 PM
MTU -13.0

ARST at ULM 03:00 PM
ARST -8.0

BSU at FRES 03:30 PM
FRES +7.0

PSU at MD 03:30 PM
PSU -22.5

WIS at MINN 03:30 PM
MINN +18.0
U 43.5

ALA at AUB 03:30 PM
ALA -5.5
O 47.5

ISU at KSU 03:30 PM
ISU +1.5

UNC at NCST 03:30 PM
UNC +16.0

WVU at OKLA 03:45 PM
OKLA -22.5


****************************

MSU at RUTG 04:00 PM
MSU -13.5

IDHO at NMSU 04:00 PM
IDHO +10.0

TEM at TLSA 04:00 PM
TEM -3.5
O 57.0

NW at ILL 04:00 PM
NW -16.5

VAN at TENN 04:00 PM
VAN +1.5

ARIZ at ASU 04:30 PM
ASU +1.5

WYO at SJSU 05:00 PM
WYO -19.0

GASO at ULL 05:00 PM
GASO +6.0

 

[53defense]

Hey "C" thanks again this season for your efforts.

Start my day looking for your post

Saves me Much time and if you look real close,,,, just may find a "gem" stat you had no no knowledge about prior.

:0008

Good Luck and Happy Holidays

 

[Cnotes53]

ORST at ORE 07:00 PM
ORST +26.0
O 63.5

UTSA at LT 07:30 PM
UTSA +1.0

CLEM at SOCAR 07:30 PM
CLEM -13.5
U 46.5

TAM at LSU 07:30 PM
TAM +11.0
O 50.5

WSU at WASH 08:00 PM
WSU +10.0
O 50.0

ND at STAN 08:00 PM
ND -3.0
U 56.0

BYU at HAW 09:00 PM
HAW +3.5

COLO at UTAH 10:00 PM
UTAH -10.5

USU at AFA 10:15 PM
USU +1.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Top 25 roundup: No. 9 Ohio State overcomes Barrett's injury to beat Michigan
November 25, 2017

AUBURN, Ala. -- Sixth-ranked Auburn emerged with a 26-14 victory Saturday over top-ranked Alabama behind the outstanding play of quarterback Jarrett Stidham, tailback Kerryon Johnson and a rugged defense.

Stidham completed 21 of 28 passes for 237 yards. He added 12 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson finished with 30 carries for 104 yards and a score before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. He also had three receptions for 21 yards.

Auburn's Ryan Davis led all receivers with 11 catches for 139 yards.

The win wrapped up the SEC West title for Auburn (10-2, 7-1 SEC). The Tigers will take on Georgia in the SEC title game in Atlanta next Saturday.

Alabama (11-1, 7-1) still has a shot at a College Football Playoff berth, but it no longer controls its destiny.

A big story of the game was third-down success. Alabama converted just three of 11 third-down attempts; Auburn was nine of 17.

No. 3 Clemson 34, No. 24 South Carolina 10

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Clemson made its case for moving into the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings by rolling past rival South Carolina.

Clemson improved to 11-1, and will play Miami on Saturday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium.

Against South Carolina, it was all Clemson, which posted its fourth consecutive victory in the Palmetto Bowl and gave Coach Dabo Swinney his 100th career victory.

Kelly Bryant completed 23 of 34 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns and Clemson's defense held the Gamecocks (8-4) to a season-low 207 total yards.

No. 4 Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 31

NORMAN, Okla. -- Baker Mayfield threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns as No. 4 Oklahoma blew out West Virginia in Big 12 play.

Mayfield didn't start the game and didn't serve as a captain, following last week's profane tirade at Kansas. He sat for two plays.

Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1) stayed on track for a College Football Playoff berth with the win, its seventh consecutive since the Oct. 7 loss to Iowa State.

Kennedy McCoy ran for 137 yards and three scores for the Mountaineers (7-5, 5-4).

No. 5 Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 0

MINNEAPOLIS -- Alex Hornibrook threw for three touchdowns, Jonathan Taylor ran for 149 yards and a touchdown and No. 5 Wisconsin blanked Minnesota.

Troy Fumagalli, Kyle Penniston and Danny Davis caught touchdown passes for the Badgers (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten), who finished the Big Ten regular-season undefeated for the first time since going 5-0 in 1912. They will face Ohio State in next week's Big Ten championship game.

Minnesota's Demry Croft was 3-of-9 passing for 40 yards. Rodney Smith had 16 carries for 82 yards for the Gophers (5-7, 2-7), who saw their bowl hopes all but fade away in coach P.J. Fleck's first season.

No. 7 Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 7

ATLANTA -- No. 7 Georgia amassed 470 total yards, 247 coming on the ground, and kept its national championship hopes alive with a rout of rival Georgia Tech.

Georgia (11-1), which entered the game averaging 267.4 yards rushing, was led by senior running backs Sony Michel (13 carries, 85 yards, one touchdown) and Nick Chubb (12 carries, 53 yards, one touchdown).

Quarterback Jake Fromm completed 12 of 16 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown.

Georgia Tech (5-6) was led by quarterback TaQuon Marshall, who rushed 17 times for 72 yards and completed 2 of 7 passes for 38 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

No. 21 Stanford 38, No. 8 Notre Dame 20

STANFORD, Calif. -- Stanford was the winner in two games as K.J. Costello threw four touchdown passes and Bryce Love rushed for 125 yards against Notre Dame (9-3).

More important to the Cardinal (9-3) was the game 800-plus miles away in Seattle, where Washington beat Washington State, giving Stanford a berth in next Friday's Pac-12 championship game against USC in nearby Santa Clara, Calif.

Three Notre Dame turnovers, all in the fourth quarter, ruined its chances. Brandon Wimbush threw touchdown passes of 83 and 75 yards but also two interceptions.

Costello's 20-yard scoring pass to Kaden Smith early in the fourth quarter put the Cardinal ahead to stay at 24-20.

No. 9 Ohio State 31, Michigan 20

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Redshirt freshman Dwayne Haskins led No. 9 Ohio State on three scoring drives in place of injured senior quarterback J.T. Barrett, in a win over rival Michigan.

Barrett suffered an apparent right knee injury during the third quarter.

Barrett, who fractured his right ankle against Michigan as a freshman, ran for a touchdown and passed for another in the first half. Haskins was 6-for-7 passing for 94 yards and also rushed for 24 yards.

J.K. Dobbins gained 101 yards on 15 carries and scored a touchdown for the Buckeyes (10-2, 8-1 Big Ten), who erased an early 14-point deficit.

Michigan (8-4, 5-4) quarterback John O'Korn completed 17 of 32 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

No. 10 Penn State 66, Maryland 3

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Trace McSorley accounted for three touchdowns as 10th-ranked Penn State pounded Maryland.

McSorley completed 22-of-33 passes for 237 yards and also added a rushing touchdown for Penn State, which visited Maryland for the first time in 25 years. He also had seven rushes for 36 yards before taking a seat in the third quarter with the game in hand.

Sophomore Max Bortenschlager completed a career-high 20 passes in 36 attempts for 185 yards for Maryland (4-8, 2-7).

No. 17 Washington 41, No. 13 Washington State 14

SEATTLE -- Myles Gaskin ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns and Washington dominated Washington State in the Apple Cup.

Washington State's opportunity at winning the Pac-12 North and playing USC in the Pac-12 championship game drowned in the heavy Montlake rain as the Cougars endured their fifth consecutive defeat in the rivalry series.

Gaskin's 2-yard scoring scamper finished a five-minute, 75-yard drive to open the game. His second TD, also from 2 yards, capped a 93-yard march in which he had 70 yards, including a 43-yard dash, to put Washington (10-2, 7-2) in control at 21-0.

Gaskin's fourth touchdown answered the only score by Washington State (9-3, 6-3), making it 41-7.

No. 16 Michigan State 40, Rutgers 7

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Brian Lewerke accumulated 278 total yards to set a school season record for a sophomore quarterback as No. 16 Michigan State routed Rutgers.

Lewerke has 3,206 yards of total offense this season, eclipsing Connor Cook, who passed and ran for 2,928 yards for the Spartans in 2013. Lewerke completed 21 of 31 passes for 222 yards and a TD as Michigan State (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) won for the sixth time in eight games.

Rutgers (4-8, 3-6) starting quarterback Gio Rescigno failed to complete his first three passes of the game and was lifted for Johnathan Lewis, who was 6-of-16 for 98 yards.

No. 18 LSU 45, Texas A&M 21

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Danny Etling ignited a 25-point rally in the second half and completed 19 of 30 passes for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns to power No. 18 LSU over Texas A&M at Tiger Stadium.

In helping raise LSU's record to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the SEC, Etling's passing also dealt a blow to Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, whose job reportedly is in jeopardy after a fourth straight five-loss season. The Aggies are 7-5 overall and 4-4 in the SEC.

With Texas A&M stacking its defense against LSU's running attack, Etling threw scoring passes of 11 yards to Russell Gage, 10 yards to John David Moore and 6 yards to D.J. Chark.

Leading 20-14 in the third quarter, LSU scored 22 points on its next three possessions, culminating with a 1-yard run by Derrius Guice (127 yards on 28 carries) and Etling's scoring passes to Moore and Chark.

No. 19 Oklahoma State 58, Kansas 17

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Mason Rudolph passed for 438 yards and two touchdowns as No. 19 Oklahoma State routed Kansas State.

Rudolph was 31 of 43 and also ran for two more scores while wideouts James Washington, Marcell Ateman and Dillon Stoner went over 100 yards. Oklahoma State (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) totaled 661 yards on offense.

Kansas (1-11, 0-9) lost its 11th straight since a season-opening win over Southeast Missouri State.

No. 20 Memphis 70, East Carolina 13

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Riley Ferguson passed for 299 yards and three touchdowns as No. 20 Memphis rolled over East Carolina.

Anthony Miller caught three passes for 144 yards as Memphis (10-1, 7-1 American Athletic Conference) outgained ECU 635-466.

Gardner Minshew completed 28 of 54 passes for 351 yards with two TDs and three picks for ECU (3-9, 2-6). Pirates' wideout Trevon Brown finished with seven receptions for 128 yards.

No. 22 Northwestern 42, Illinois 7

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Justin Jackson rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown Saturday as No. 22 Northwestern routed Illinois.

Most of Jackson's yardage came on a 79-yard jaunt all the way to the 1-yard line midway through the third quarter, a play originally ruled as a touchdown before replay detected him stepping out of bounds.

Northwestern (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) quarterback Clayton Thorson went 13 of 21 for 140 yards.

Cam Thomas finished 14 of 31 for 139 yards as Illinois (2-10, 0-9) lost its 10th straight and finished 0-9 in conference play for the first time in school history.

Fresno State 28, No. 23 Boise State 17

FRESNO, Calif. -- Fresno State never trailed Saturday against No. 23 Boise State at Bulldog Stadium, earning a win that was a preview of next Saturday's Mountain West title game.

Despite the Bulldogs' victory, the game likely will be held in Boise. The four computer polls used by the conference to determine the host had Boise State (9-3, 7-1) at an average position of 22.5, and Fresno State (9-3, 7-1) was 43.8. The conference will announce the site host Sunday.

Fresno State's Marcus McMaryion was 23-of-36 for 332 yards with two touchdowns, adding 27 yards rushing.

Brett Rypien completed 22 of 31 passes for 278 yards as Boise State saw its seven-game winning streak end.

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday's best
November 25, 2017

STARS

-Myles Gaskin, Washington, ran for 192 yards and four TDs , and the No. 15 Huskies ended No. 14 Washington State's hopes for a Pac-12 North title with a 41-14 thumping.

-Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State, passed for 438 yards and two TDs and ran for two scores in his final home game to lead the No. 18 Cowboys to a 58-17 victory over Kansas.

-Nyheim Hines, North Carolina State, rushed for a career-best 196 yards and two TDs to help the Wolfpack beat North Carolina 33-21.

-Ben Hicks, SMU, threw for 375 yards and four TDs, and the Mustangs needed a goal-line stand in the closing seconds to edge Tulane 41-38.

-Kyle Shurmur, Vanderbilt, threw four TD passes as the Commodores defeated Tennessee 42-24.

-AJ Dillon, Boston College, rushed for 193 yards and three TDs in a 42-14 win over Syracuse.

-Demario Richard, Arizona State, ran for 165 yards and two TDs to help the Sun Devils rally for a 42-30 victory over rival Arizona.

-Jalin Moore, Appalachian State, ran for 239 yards and a score in a 31-10 victory over Georgia State.

-Nic Smith, North Texas, rushed for a career-high 178 yards and a score, and the Mean Green warmed up for the Conference USA championship game with a 30-14 victory over Rice.

---

TIGERS TAKE DOWN TIDE

Auburn earned its title shot. Top-ranked Alabama may need some help to get another one.

Jarrett Stidham and No. 6 Auburn dominated top-ranked Alabama 26-14, earning a berth in next week's Southeastern Conference title game.

The Tigers quarterback passed for 237 yards and ran for a fourth-quarter touchdown to set up a rematch with No. 7 Georgia in the SEC championship game Dec. 2 with a playoff spot almost certainly on the line.

Auburn mostly shut down the league's top scoring offense for their second win in three weeks over the top team in the playoff rankings. They won the Western Division a week after dispatching the Bulldogs with similar precision.

The Crimson Tide made a rare assortment of mistakes for a team that had appeared to be headed toward a shot at a fourth consecutive SEC title and playoff berth.

---

BARRETT INJURED, BUCKEYES WIN

Dwayne Haskins did what Ohio State quarterbacks have been doing for more than a decade. He beat Michigan.

The latest victory, though, came with a bizarre twist.

Haskins replaced injured star J.T. Barrett and led the eighth-ranked Buckeyes from behind to beat the Wolverines 31-20 for their sixth straight win in a rivalry they've dominated no matter who's under center.

Barrett was warming up on the sideline before kickoff when he said an unidentified male made accidental contact with his right leg, aggravating a knee injury he has played through all season.

Barrett said he will play next Saturday night when Ohio State plays in the Big Ten championship game against No. 5 Wisconsin, needing another win to bolster hopes of getting a spot in the College Football Playoff.

---

NUMBERS

45-Straight road losses by Kansas after losing 58-17 at No. 18 Oklahoma State.

47:40-Time of possession for Michigan State in its 33-7 win over Rutgers.

52-Years since Memphis last had an undefeated home season prior to this year.

60-Career rushing touchdowns by Oregon's Royce Freeman , breaking the record of 59 by the Ducks' Ken Simonton from 1998-01.

 

[Cnotes53]

CFB November's Best Bets & Opinions ( All Best Bets Based On 5 Units Per Play )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD
11/25/2017 35-21-3 62.50% +59.50
11/24/2017 14-9-0 60.87% +20.50
11/23/20171-1-050.00%-0.50
11/21/20171-5-016.67%-22.50
11/18/2017 25-30-0 45.45% -40.00
11/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
11/16/2017 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
11/15/2017 2-4-0 33.33% -12.00
11/14/2017 1-3-0 25.00% -1150
11/11/2017 28-26-4 51.85% -300
11/09/2017 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
11/08/2017 1-5-0 16.67% -22.50
11/07/2017 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
11/04/2017 26-28-2 48.15% -24.00
11/03/2017 2-4-0 33.33% -12.00
11/02/2017 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
11/01/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00

Totals.............150 - 150.........50.00%%.....-65.00

Best Bets:*****
Best Bets :........................ATS............TOTALS.... .............O/U................TOTAL

11/25/2017....................16 - 11- 2......+19.50.................5 - 2................+14.00
11/24/2017......................3 - 6............-18.00..................1 - 2................-6.00
11/23/2017......................0 - 1............-5.50...................1 - 0.................+5.00
11/21/2017......................0 - 3............-16.50.................1- 2..................-6.00
11/18/2017.....................17 - 18.........-14.00..................1 - 1.................-0.50
11/17/2017......................2 - 0...........+10.00.................1 -1...................-0.50
11/16/2017......................1 - 1...........-0.50....................0 - 2.................-11.00
11/15/2017......................1 - 0...........+5.00...................1 - 1.................-0.50
11/14/2017......................0 - 2...........-11.00..................1 - 1..................-0.50
11/11/2017....................6 - 7 - 1.........-8.50...................4 - 0..................+20.00
11/09/2017......................1 - 2............-6.00...................1 - 0..................+5.00
11/08/2017......................0 - 1............-5.50...................0 - 3..................-16.50
11/07/2017......................0 - 2............-11.00..................1 - 1..................-0.50
11/04/2017....................11 - 10..........+0.00...................5 - 2.................+14.00
11/03/2017......................2 - 1............+4.50..................0 - 2..................-11.00
11/02/2017......................2 - 0............+10.00................1 - 3..................-11.50
11/01/2017......................1 - 0............+5.00..................1 - 0 .................+5.00

Totals.........................63 - 65 - 3..........-42.50................25 - 23..............-1.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Opening Line Report - Week 14
November 27, 2017

With championship week, the de facto national quarter-final round, upon us, here?s a look the early betting lines and wagering patterns for six conference title tilts, with insight from two Las Vegas bookmakers ? the Wynn?s John Avello and Westgate SuperBook?s Ed Salmons:

Pac 12: Stanford vs. USC (-3, 58)
Friday, Dec. 1 - (ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

South Point and CG Technology sports books both opened USC -1.5 on Sunday morning, but the line was driven in the favorite?s direction during the first few hours of wagering. As of this writing, most Vegas sports books are dealing USC -3, but bettors can still lay -2.5 (-120) at CG.

When these teams met on Sept. 9, USC covered as a four-point home favorite in a 42-24 win and dominated the game from a statistical standpoint (623 yards to 342, 28 first downs to 16).

Salmons points out the Trojans got to rest last week, while Stanford was involved in a physical game against Notre Dame, a 38-20 Cardinal win.

?Whoever made USC?s schedule was pretty smart about getting a bye week before the championship game, and Stanford not only played, but this game is Friday night, so it?s a six-day week and they?re at a distinctive scheduling disadvantage,? Salmons said.

Salmons is also wary about the health of Stanford?s star running back Bryce Love.

?He?s definitely not 100 percent healthy, it?s obvious watching him,? Salmons said.

If Stanford has an edge in this matchup, it?s coaching, according to Avello.

?I like the Stanford coach. David Shaw does a really good job with this team. He gets them ready for big games,? Avello said. ?I?m not overly impressed with the coaching staff at USC.?

AAC: Memphis vs. Central Florida (-7, 85)
Saturday, Dec. 2 - (ABC, 12:00 p.m.ET)
Spectrum Stadium, Orlando

Sharp bettors took Memphis +7.5 at the Wynn, prompting Avello?s shop to join the rest of the crowd at UCF -7.

In these teams? first meeting of the season, which was played Sept. 30 at this same stadium, UCF rolled to a 40-13 win as a 5.5-point favorite, handing Memphis its only loss of the season.

Since its loss to UCF, the Memphis offense has been putting up gaudy point totals, averaging 53.5 points per game over its last seven games.

?This total probably can?t be high enough,? said Avello, as over/unders in the 84.5 to 85.5 range were flashing on Vegas betting boards.

As for the mid-major proponents who believe undefeated UCF deserves an invitation to the College Football Playoffs, Avello and Salmons both said the Knights would be underdogs of about 17 against the Clemsons of the world.

?Central Florida plays at the level of say, somewhere between a Northwestern and Michigan State, somewhere in that range,? Salmons said.

Big 12: TCU vs. Oklahoma (-7, 63.5)
Saturday, Dec. 2 - (FOX, 12:30 p.m. ET)
AT&T Stadium, Arlington

While Oklahoma was as cheap as -5.5 at CG Technology, openers of -6.5 were adjusted up to -7 at the Wynn and Westgate, and Salmons sees the number getting bigger.

?Everyone is going to bet Oklahoma,? he said.

Oklahoma was just a six-point favorite when they hosted TCU in November, which may have some handicappers thinking there?s value on the 'dog at a neutral site.

But, Salmons said of the Sooners? 38-20 win, ?You?ve got to look at the result of that game. It got so bad that Oklahoma stopped trying to score in the second-half.?

Avello, though, believes this line is largely a function of perception, noting his personal rankings had Oklahoma 8th in the nation ahead of the season, and TCU 75th.

?Oklahoma figured to be there at the beginning of the year and TCU figured to have a good year but not be playing for a national championship,? Avello said. ?I think this line is based more on the perception of who Oklahoma is and who TCU is.?

SEC: Georgia vs. Auburn (-2.5, 49.5)
Saturday, Dec. 2 - (CBS, 4:00 p.m. ET)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium , Atlanta

At the Wynn, the number on the SEC championship opened Auburn -2.5 (-120), was bet up to -3, and then starting moving in the other direction, settling at -2.

While Avello anticipated the action on Georgia, Salmons isn?t on board with bettors? sentiment on the dog.

?I don?t think the 3s gonna hold up,? Avello said before the move on Georgia.

Salmons, though, was one of the few bookmakers who believed Auburn should have been the favorite in the first matchup between these teams on Nov. 11. The Tigers were -2.5 on the Westgate?s Games of the Year board two weeks before the game; they went off 2.5-point dogs and trounced to a 40-17 win. ?The game played out, and I was vindicated,? Salmons said. ?Auburn was the better team than Georgia that day, and I still have Auburn the much better team than Georgia. I?m shocked at how low the line is, I think it?s a one-way line.?

Avello and Salmons differ in their opinions about how impressive Auburn?s 26-14 win over Alabama was.

?I thought they played an okay game against Alabama, but Alabama made mistakes that they don?t normally make,? Avello said.

Countered Salmons, ?All Auburn does is seemingly get better game after game. They demolished Alabama. I know Alabama had some hurt linebackers, but there was nothing wrong with Alabama?s offense, and Auburn stopped ?em.?

Big Ten: Ohio State (-6, 53) vs. Wisconsin
Saturday. Dec. 2 - (FOX, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

While bettors are laying the points with Ohio State early, pushing the line from as low as -4 at CG up to -6 at most shops, both of our bookmakers see Wisconsin hanging in against a team they haven?t had much success against in recent years.

Avello noted the Badgers can put points on the board, as they?ve scored less than 24 just once all season, in a 17-9 win over Purdue. The other side of the ball, however, is where their strength lies.

?Defensively, they?ve been really good all year, they?ve really been solid,? Avello said. ?There?s not one game all year that anybody ran ragged over them.?

This year?s Ohio State team, meanwhile, isn?t Urban Meyer?s best version of the program.

?I don?t think they?ve got that mojo, I really don?t,? Avello said. ?Wisconsin is a team that can give them problems. I see Wisconsin in this game.?

Added Salmons, ?After watching Michigan play with Ohio State, I see no reason why Wisconsin can?t play with them next week.?

ACC: Miami vs. Clemson (-9, 47)
Saturday. Dec. 2 - (ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte

Most of the books we?ve talked to throughout this college football season, Avello and Salmons included, have not been high on Miami, even though it took until Week 13 for the Hurricanes to lose a game. It?s funny, but the bettors seem to dislike Miami even more than the oddsmakers do, as opening numbers of Miami -6.5 and -7 have been bet up to the 8.5 to 9.5 range.

Avello said bettors are laying the points based on these teams? most recent performances ? Clemson beat South Carolina 34-10 last week, and Miami lost at Pittsburgh 24-14 ? but he expects wiseguys to come in later on the 'dog.

??The line should be at 7.5,? Avello said. ?I think people are going to think there?s value with the Miami team.?

Clemson was pushed to -9.5 at the Westgate by Monday, and Salmons said, ?You get close to 10 and it?s a big number. Clemson is not exactly an explosive offense. They play really close to the vest.?

 

[Cnotes53]

Championship Notes
November 26, 2017

Week 14 of the 2017 college football season will be highlighted with nine championship games on tap.

The action starts Friday with Pac-12 title game before finishing on Saturday with eight more championships.

Check out the matchups, odds and betting notes on all eight title games below.

Opening Odds per BookMaker.eu

Pac 12 Championship - Stanford (9-3) vs. USC (10-2)
Date: Friday, Dec. 1 (ESPN, 8:00 p.m.)
Venue: Levi's Stadium
Location: Santa Clara, California
Pac-12 Betting History

Odds: USC opened as a three-point favorite with a total of 57.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- The Pac-12 North has captured the first six championship games, which includes three wins by Stanford.

-- Favorites have gone 5-1 SU but just 3-3 ATS in the first four Pac-12 title games.

-- The ?over/under? has gone 3-3.

-- This will be the fourth trip to the Pac-12 title game for Stanford while its the second trip for USC.

-- The Cardinal are 3-0 in the championship, which includes a 41-22 victory over Southern Cal in the 2015 installment.

-- USC defeated Stanford 42-24 in Week 2 as a four-point home underdog. The Cardinal had won the three previous meetings in this series.

Preseason Future Odds to win the Pac-12
Stanford 9/2
USC 10/11

MAC Championship - Akron (7-5) vs. Toledo (10-2)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (ESPN, 12:00 p.m.)
Venue: Ford Field
Location: Detroit, Michigan
MAC Betting History

Odds: Toledo opened as a 17-point favorite. The total opened 54.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- Saturday's matchup will be the 21st MAC Championship.

-- Underdogs have gone 12-8 against the spread in the MAC title game. The 'under' is 11-9.

-- This will be Toledo's first trip to the title game since 2004 while Akron is making its second trip to the championship, the first instance taking palce in 2005.

-- Akron is 1-0 in the title game, while Toledo owns a 2-3 mark.

-- The Rockets blasted the Zips 48-21 on Oct. 21 as 15-point home favorites. Toledo has won six of the eight meetings against Akron and five of those games were decided by 10-plus points.

Preseason Future Odds to win the MAC
Akron 20/1
Toledo 10/11

CUSA Championship - North Texas (9-3) at Florida Atlantic University (9-3)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (ESPN2, 12:00 p.m.)
Venue: FAU Stadium
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
C-USA Betting History

Odds: Florida Atlantic opened as an eight-point favorite and the total was set at 74 1/2.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- This will be the 13th Conference USA Championship Game. This will be the first title game appearance for both North Texas and FAU.

-- Underdogs and favorites have gone 6-6 against the spread while total bettors have seen the ?under? go 6-5-1.

-- The host has won five straight and is 9-3 overall in the title game.

-- These teams met at the same venue on Oct. 21 and FAU destroyed North Texas 69-31 as a 3 1/2-point home favorite. The 'over' (67) was never in doubt.

Preseason Future Odds to win the CUSA
North Texas 80/1
Florida Atlantic 12/1

American Athletic Championship - Memphis (10-1) at Central Florida (11-0)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (ABC, 12:00 p.m.)
Venue: Spectrum Stadium
Location: Orlando, Florida
AAC Betting History

Odds: Central Florida opened as a seven-point home favorite with a total of 81. The early money pushed the total up to 83.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- This will be the third American Athletic Championship game and the first appearance for both schools.

-- Favorites and Underdogs split the first two games as did the visitors and hosts. The 'under' is 2-0.

-- Central Florida has owned Memphis, winning 10 straight in the series and that includes a 40-13 win on Sept. 30 as a 5 1/2-point home favorite.

-- The 'under' (68.5) was never in doubt in this year's first encounter and is on a 4-1 run in the series.

Preseason Future Odds to win the AAC
Memphis 5/1
Central Florida 6/1

Big 12 Championship - TCU (10-2) vs. Oklahoma (11-1)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (FOX, 12:30 p.m.)
Venue: AT&T Stadium
Location: Arlington, Texas
Big 12 Betting History

Odds: The Sooners opened as 6 1/2-point favorites and the total jumped from 61 1/2 to 62 1/2.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- The Big 12 will be featuring a postseason game for the first time since the 2010 season.

-- In the first 15 title games from 1996 to 2010, Oklahoma made eight appearances in the title game and it won seven of those contests.

-- Oklahoma defeated TCU 38-20 on Nov. 11 as a six-point home favorite.

-- Including that win, the Sooners have won three straight and eight of their last 10 meetings against the Horned Frogs. The 'under' has gone 8-2 during this span.

Preseason Future Odds to win the Big 10
Oklahoma 1/1
TCU 7/1

SEC Championship - Georgia (11-1) vs. Auburn (10-2)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (CBS, 4:00 p.m.)
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
SEC Betting History

Odds: Auburn opened as a three-point favorite with a total of 51. Early wagers pushed the total down to 49.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- Saturday?s matchup will be the 26th SEC Championship Game. Since its inception in 1992, underdogs and favorites have gone 12-12-1 against the spread.

-- Total players have watched the ?over? cash in the last eight championship games. The ?over? is 16-9 in the 25 title matchups.

-- The SEC West has won eight straight matchups and seven of those victories were by double digits.

-- Auburn has earned five trips to the title game and is 3-2 overall. The Tigers have won their last three visits, the most recent coming in 2013 against Missouri.

-- Georgia has also made five appearances in the championship and it's gone 2-3. The Bulldogs made back-to-back visits in 2011 (42-10) and 2012 (32-28) but came up short to LSU and Alabama respectively.

-- Auburn ran over Georgia 40-17 on Nov. 11 as a 2 1/2-point home underdog. The Bulldogs had won the previous three encounters in this series. The 'under' is on a 3-1 run over this span.

Preseason Future Odds to win the SEC
Auburn 6/1
Georgia 8/1

Mountain West Championship - Fresno State (9-3) at Boise State (9-3)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (ESPN2, 7:45 p.m.)
Venue: Albertsons Stadium
Location: Boise, Idaho
MWC Betting History

Odds: Boise State opened as a 9 1/2-point favorite and the total has moved from an opener of 48 to 49 on Sunday evening.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- This will be the fifth MWC Championship game and played at the venue of the higher seed.

-- In the first three title games, the home team won each time but San Diego State snapped that skid last season with a 27-24 win at Wyoming.

-- Favorites have gone 4-0 in this matchup but underdogs have prodcued a 3-1 ATS mark. The ?under? has gone 3-1.

-- Fresno State has made two appearances in the title game and has gone 1-1 while Boise State is 1-0 with the win coming in 2014 at home to the Bulldogs.

-- These teams just played last Saturday and Fresno State posted a 28-17 win over Boise as a 6 1/2-point home underdog. Despite the win, the Broncos have won 13 of the previous 16 encounters.

Preseason Future Odds to win the MWC
Boise State 6/5
Fresno State 300/1

ACC Championship - Miami, Fl. (10-1) vs. Clemson (11-1)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)
Venue: Bank of America Stadium
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
ACC Betting History

Odds: Clemson opened up as a 7 1/2-point favorite and the number has been bet up to 8 1/2 and 9 at most betting shops. The total opened at 48.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- This will be the 13th installment of the ACC Championship. Favorites have gone 8-4 SU and 6-6 ATS. Total bettors have watched the 'over' go 7-5.

-- Clemson has played in the title game four times and has gone 3-1, which includes back-to-back victories the last two years against Virginia Tech (42-35) and North Carolina (45-37).

-- Miami will be making its first appearance in the championship game.

-- These teams met in 2015 and Clemson hammered Miami 58-0 as an eight-point road favorite.

Preseason Future Odds to win the ACC
Clemson 3/1
Miami, Fl. 5/1

Big 10 Championship - Ohio State (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (12-0)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 2 (FOX, 8:00 p.m.)
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Big Ten Betting History

Odds: The Buckeyes opened as 5 1/2-point favorites with a total of 53 1/2.

Betting Notes and Trends

-- This will be the seventh Big Ten Championship game.

-- Underdogs have gone 4-2 SU and 5-0-1 ATS in the first six Big Ten title games.

-- The ?over? has gone 5-1.

-- Wisconsin won the first two Big Ten title games but was upset 38-31 by Penn State in last year's installment. The Badgers are 2-2 overall.

-- Ohio State has made two trips to the Big Ten championship and it has gone 1-1 with the victory coming in 2014 against Wisconsin in blowout fashion (59-0).

-- Including that setback, the Buckeyes have won five straight against Wisconsin and they've covered four of those wins.

Preseason Future Odds to win the Big 10
Ohio State 5/7
Wisconsin 5/2

 

[Cnotes53]

UGA faces Auburn looking for revenge
November 27, 2017

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Three weeks isn't much time at all.

Certainly not enough to forget a 23-point blowout.

Now the question is: Can No. 6 Georgia turn the sting of its lone defeat - not to mention the gleeful boasting of Auburn coach Gus Malzahn - into the sort of controlled anger and nagging motivation that produces a vastly different result in the Southeastern Conference championship game?

No matter how you slice it, that Nov. 11 mismatch at Jordan-Hare Stadium looms large over Saturday's rematch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

''We'll have a lot of energy, a lot of emotions,'' Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter said Monday. ''But when it comes down to it, those emotions aren't going to win the game. It's how you play.''

No. 4 Auburn (10-2) is playing as well as any team in the country, winning five straight games by an average of 22 points since a seemingly crushing loss to LSU.

That streak includes a 40-17 rout of Georgia , when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 2 by The Associated Press and sitting atop the College Football Playoff standings, and last Saturday's equally impressive 28-16 victory over top-ranked Alabama .

Suddenly, the Tigers are a trendy pick to win it all.

But they've got to beat Georgia (11-1) for the second time in less than a month.

And Malzahn may come to regret what he said right after the previous meeting. Walking away from his on-field interview with CBS, he was overheard commenting, ''We whipped the dog crap out of `em, didn't we!''

The coach wasn't wrong, considering Auburn outgained the Bulldogs 488-230 in total yards and shut down the dynamic running back duo of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

But those words are sure to be plastered all over the Bulldogs' training facility this week.

''It is certainly a normal human response to want revenge when we are harmed,'' Will Freeman, the track coach at Iowa's Grinnell College who also teaches sports psychology, wrote in an email. ''Can it increase motivation? Yes. Can that motivation go bad? Also, yes. Optimal performance requires the athlete find the optimal level of motivation and excitement for the situation. Too much, and the athlete can lose focus, control and mental awareness about the situation. Just as important, too much arousal can cause timing and rhythm issues with the athlete that result in poor performance.''

Georgia coach Kirby Smart was part of a rematch situation during the 2011 season while serving as Alabama's defensive coordinator.

The Crimson Tide lost to LSU 9-6 in overtime during the regular season , only to get another shot at the Tigers in the national championship game.

Alabama dominated the second meeting in New Orleans, claiming the BCS title with a stifling 21-0 victory .

Looking back on LSU's poor performance, then-coach Les Miles said recently the team that loses the first game probably has an easier time getting its players motivated for the rematch.

''They plan and they work and there's a stronger commitment than the team that looks back on a hard-fought victory, but a victory nonetheless,'' Miles said. ''I think once you've beaten a team, it takes a special view of how to get them ready to beat that team again.''

But it's not unusual, at least in the SEC, for the team that won the first game to take the second as well.

This will be the seventh time in the title game's 26-year history that there's a rematch of a regular-season matchup. Five of the six times it happened before, the same team won both games, the only exception coming in 2001 when LSU lost to Tennessee 26-18 in late September but bounced back to win the SEC crown with a 31-20 triumph.

''You can watch the tape of the game,'' Smart said. ''It fires you up pre-game and gets you all excited, but when the toe meets leather it's about striking people, it's about speed, it's about blocking, tackling, it's about having composure. It's about having discipline. It really doesn't revert back to who won the previous game.''

What makes this a bit different is the proximity of the two meetings - all previous SEC rematches were at least seven weeks after the first game - and these teams are especially bitter foes even though they're in different divisions. Billed as the Deep South's oldest rivals, they first played in 1892 and have clashed nearly every season since then for a total of 121 meetings.

Georgia leads by the slimmest of margins, 57-56 with eight ties.

If Smart is taking notes on all that history, and especially the most recent matchup, he isn't letting on.

''The other game is past history,'' he said. ''Now whether or not you say that it helps mentally with your preparation, that somebody is more focused than the other, I don't know. I certainly think Auburn was more focused down the stretch because their backs were against the wall. They had two losses. Now everybody's backs are against the wall.''

Indeed, the winner of the rematch will almost certainly land a spot in the four-team playoff. The loser is eliminated from the national championship race.

''I think you should prepare the same, regardless of your record, regardless of a revenge factor and be real consistent in your approach so that the players are able to understand that it's important to prepare right for every game,'' Smart said. ''We don't say that this game is more important than the other because it's the next game. The next game is always the most important.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Ohio State QB Barrett probable to play
November 27, 2017

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, who left Saturday's game in the third quarter with a knee injury, is probable to play in the Big Ten Championship Game, coach Urban Meyer said Monday.

The Buckeyes (10-2) play Wisconsin (12-0) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.

Barrett said he was hit on the right knee, perhaps by a photographer, while on a crowded sideline before Saturday's game at Michigan. That aggravated a meniscus injury that he has been playing through, but the knee locked up in the second half and he was unable to continue.

"He's doing a nice job with all the rehab," Meyer said.

Redshirt freshman Dwayne Haskins came in and led three scoring drives in the 31-20 victory over the Wolverines. Haskins completed 6 of 7 passes for 94 yards, also rushing for 24 yards.

As for Barrett's potential mobility on Saturday, Meyer said, "It's too early to tell. That's what this week's for. But those are all things we've taken into consideration."

Barrett, a senior, has completed 217 of 328 passes for 2,728 yards, with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He has rushed for 672 yards and nine scores.

Barrett has 102 career passing touchdowns and 40 rushing touchdowns.

 

[Cnotes53]

CFB notebook: Tennessee AD defends Schiano vetting process
November 27, 2017

Tennessee athletic director John Currie on Monday defended the coaching search and vetting of leading candidate Greg Schiano, a day after the Volunteers backed out of the hiring agreement following a public backlash and campus protests.

The Vols reportedly had a deal in place with the Ohio State defensive coordinator on Sunday morning, but it fell through by the end of the day after the university heard from the fan base, state representatives and local business owners.

"We carefully interviewed and vetted him, as we do candidates for all positions," Currie said in the statement Monday. "He received the highest recommendations for character, family values and commitment to academic achievement and student-athlete welfare from his current and former athletics directors, players, coaching colleagues and experienced media figures."

Currie's statement did not give an explanation of why the potential deal collapsed Sunday night. The outcry stemmed from Schiano's time on the staff at Penn State in the early 1990s, with fans expressing outrage with his alleged connection to convicted child sexual abuser Jerry Sandusky. Schiano spent five seasons at Penn State, four as the defensive backs coach on the staff with Sandusky, who was defensive coordinator.

Schiano went 68-67 over 11 seasons at Rutgers after taking over one of the worst programs in the country. He left for the NFL following the 2011 season and was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he was fired after two seasons with an 11-21 record.

--Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, who left Saturday's game in the third quarter with a knee injury, is probable to play in the Big Ten Championship Game, coach Urban Meyer said.

The Buckeyes (10-2) play Wisconsin (12-0) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.

Barrett said he was hit on the right knee, perhaps by a photographer, while on a crowded sideline before Saturday's game at Michigan. That aggravated a meniscus injury that he has been playing through, but the knee locked up in the second half and he was unable to continue.

As for Barrett's potential mobility on Saturday, Meyer said, "It's too early to tell. That's what this week's for. But those are all things we've taken into consideration."

--Central Florida head coach Scott Frost continues to be hit with questions about Nebraska's open job as he prepares his undefeated and 15th-ranked team for the American Athletic Conference championship game against No. 20 Memphis on Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

Frost declined to offer any definitive statements about his future as the speculation runs rampant that he will be become the next head football coach at his alma mater.

"I'd be hurt if Nebraska wasn't interested in me," Frost said during a news conference to preview UCF's appearance in the AAC title game. "We're undefeated and I'm from there. When you win, a lot of people are interested in you. That doesn't matter. What matters are these players and what they've accomplished and they deserve the focus to be on them and not me."

Sources told ESPN's Mark Schlabach that the 42-year-old Frost met with Florida officials more than a week ago to discuss the Gators' vacancy, but he declined to meet again this past weekend. Florida officials were convinced Frost was taking the Nebraska job, so they moved on to Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, who was named the Gators' new coach Sunday.

--Rice fired football coach David Bailiff after 11 seasons with the Owls.

Rice finished 1-11 overall and 1-7 in Conference USA this season, only winning the second game against winless UTEP.

"We have made the decision to part ways with coach David Bailiff after 11 seasons," Rice athletic director Joe Karlgaard told KRIV-TV in Houston. "It's excruciating, and that's because of the man that David Bailiff is. He's a high-character man. He's led our program with integrity. Our student athletes represent the institution extraordinarily well. Our football alumni are involved. David graduates the kids."

Bailiff was Rice's coach since 2007, going 57-80 overall. His best seasons were 10-3 in 2008 and 10-4 in 2013, being named the Conference USA coach of the year those years. He led the Owls to their first outright conference championship in 56 years in 2013. However, Bailiff's teams were just 4-20 the past two years, ending his tenure at Rice with a 30-14 loss to North Texas on Saturday.

--Chad Lunsford, who was named Georgia Southern's interim head football coach during the season, has accepted the full-time position, the school announced.

Lunsford went 2-3 as the interim coach, including wins in the past two weeks -- 52-0 over South Alabama and 34-24 at Louisiana. The Eagles (2-9, 2-5 Sun Belt) finish their season Saturday at Coastal Carolina.

"The search committee went through an extensive process and evaluated a number of candidates nationwide," athletic director Tom Kleinlein said in a statement. "In the end, it was hard to ignore the progress the team has made under Coach Lunsford both on and off the field."

The school fired coach Tyson Summers after an 0-6 start dropped his record to 5-13 in a year and a half at the school. Lunsford, 40, is in his ninth season at Georgia Southern and fifth in his current stint.

--Texas offensive lineman Connor Williams, one of the top-rated tackle prospects in the country, has declared for the NFL Draft and will skip the team's bowl game, he announced.

Williams is rated the No. 19 overall prospect by NFLDraftScout.com, with plenty of room to move up during postseason workouts.

Williams missed much of this season after suffering a knee injury (torn meniscus and sprained MCL and ACL) on Sept. 16 at USC. He opted for rest and rehab, rather than surgery, and came back for the team's final two games.

"My family and I have decided it is my best interest to forgo the bowl game and my senior season to begin preparing for my professional football career," Williams said in a statement. "One of the reasons I worked so hard to come back from my injury was to help the team reach its goal of playing in a bowl game, and I'm proud we were able to accomplish that."

--BYU fired offensive coordinator Ty Detmer, coach Kalani Sitake announced.

Detmer, who won the 1990 Heisman Trophy with the Cougars, completed his second season with the team. The 50-year-old joined Sitake's staff after serving six years as the head coach at a private high school in Austin, Texas.

BYU, which finished 4-9 this season, scored only 221 points and ranks 118th in total offense among 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

Detmer is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after playing for the Cougars from 1987 to 1991 and passing for 15,031 yards and 121 touchdowns. Detmer went on to play in the NFL from 1992 to 2005 for six teams before becoming the coach at St. Andrews Episcopal School in 2009.

 

[Cnotes53]

STAT WATCH: Memphis' Pollard builds on his kick return lead
November 27, 2017

Memphis' Tony Pollard keeps building on his reputation as one of the nation's top playmakers.

The sophomore ran back a kickoff 100 yards for the second time this season and third time in his career in the Tigers' 70-13 win over East Carolina on Saturday.

Pollard leads the nation with a kick return average of 44.2 yards and is tied with Louisiana-Monroe's Marcus Green with four kick return TDs. Pollard also had a 100-yard return against Southern Illinois, a 99-yarder against Louisiana-Monroe and a 93-yarder against Houston.

Last year he ran back a kick 100 yards against Navy and another for 95 yards against Temple.

Pollard is one kick return touchdown away from the NCAA season and career records.

Tulsa's Ashlan Davis ran back five kicks for TDs in 2004, and Clemson's C.J. Spiller (2006-09), Houston's Tyron Carrier (2008-11) and San Diego State's Rashaad Penny (2014-17) each have seven in their careers.

Other notable feats this past weekend:

---

THAT'S A GOOD START

Memphis' 49-0 lead over East Carolina was the largest by a Bowl Subdivision team over another FBC team this season. The Tigers' 70 points against East Carolina pushed the Tigers' season total to 517 points, five off the school record set by the 2015 team. The 517 points were achieved in one fewer game.

2,000-YARD BARRIER

San Diego State's Penny became the first player over 2,000 yards rushing this season after going for 205 against New Mexico. The Aztecs are the first team in FBS history with back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons by different players, with Donnel Pumphrey doing it last season.

Penny, the national rushing leader, is the first FBS player since Tulane's Matt Forte in 2007 with at least 200 yards rushing in four consecutive games.

Penny needs 107 yards in SDSU's bowl game to break Pumphrey's single-season record of 2,133 yards.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN

Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor ran for 149 yards against Minnesota to give him 1,806 for the year, the third-highest total by a freshman in FBS history. He trails Ron Dayne (2,109 yards for Wisconsin in 1996) and Adrian Peterson (1,925 yards for Oklahoma in 2004).

PLAYING KEEP-AWAY

Michigan State's advantage in time of possession against Rutgers is believed to be an FBS record, according to MSU record-keepers. The Spartans had the ball for 47 minutes, 50 seconds and the Scarlet Knights for just 12:10. Air Force had what's believed to be the previous record of 45:14, set in 2016.

HEAVY WORKLOAD

Air Force quarterback Isaiah Sanders tied the national season high for carries in a game, with a school-record 44 against Utah State. That tied the number of attempts by Georgia Tech's Taquon Marshall against Tennessee. Sanders finished with 196 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start, including the game-winner with 1:38 left in a 38-35 victory.

SACK STATS

New Mexico State tied the national season high with 11 sacks against Idaho, matching the 11 Clemson had against Auburn. TCU's Mat Boesen set the individual high with a school-record 5 + sacks against Baylor. Boesen has a team-best 11 + sacks for the season, with at least one in six of the last seven games.

 

[Cnotes53]

UCF's Frost: 'I'd be hurt' if Nebraska was not interested
November 27, 2017

Central Florida head coach Scott Frost continues to be hit with questions about Nebraska's open job as he prepares his undefeated and 15th-ranked team for the American Athletics Conference championship game against No. 20 Memphis on Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

Frost declined to offer any definitive statements Monday about his future as the speculation runs rampant that he will be become the next head football coach at his alma mater.

"I'd be hurt if Nebraska wasn't interested in me," Frost said during a news conference to preview UCF's appearance in the AAC title game. "We're undefeated and I'm from there. When you win, a lot of people are interested in you. That doesn't matter. What matters are these players and what they've accomplished and they deserve the focus to be on them and not me."

Sources told ESPN's Mark Schlabach that the 42-year-old Frost met with Florida officials more than a week ago to discuss the Gators' vacancy, but he declined to meet again this past weekend. Florida officials were convinced Frost was taking the Nebraska job, so they moved on to Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, who was named the Gators' new coach Sunday.

Frost was asked earlier Monday on an AAC teleconference whether he would return to UCF in 2018.

"I'm just not going to talk about it," Frost said. "All I want to talk about is this football team.

"I can't tell you how much I care about these players. And that's been true in my past. It's going to be true every year that I'm coaching. And our entire staff is that way. These guys are special. They deserve my best. I've said that all year. They deserve our coaching staff's best."

A win in the conference title game likely would put the Knights in a Jan. 1 bowl game.

UCF officials will be trying to convince Frost to stay but the offer from Nebraska could come in north of $4 million beyond his current $1.7 million annual salary.

"Every year in college football, there's tough decisions to make," Frost said. "And those kind of things happen. And when the time's right, we'll make them. I know it would be really hard to leave this team because of how much love I have for this group of guys and how much effort they've given us.

"So all I'm going to do is go back to my office and watch more film. This shouldn't be about me. I know the questions are going to come, but these guys have earned the right to have the conversation be about them."

Nebraska fired head coach Mike Riley on Saturday after he went 19-19 in three seasons. The decision came a day after the Cornhuskers were embarrassed 56-14 by Iowa at home in the team's regular-season finale to finish 4-8.

Frost played quarterback at Nebraska in 1996 and 1997, winning a share of the national title as a senior.

In his second season at UCF, Frost coached the Knights to an 11-0 record after a 49-42 win Friday over South Florida to lock up a berth in the AAC championship game.

"I've been doing my thing," said Frost, who added he does not address the job speculation with his players. "I'm a loyal guy and I'm loyal to my family and I'm loyal to people that care about me. I'm loyal to this coaching staff, I'm loyal to these kids. I'm loyal to my alma mater, but I'm more loyal the people that I'm going to battle with every day and that's been at Kansas State and Northern Iowa and Oregon and here and, right now, my loyalties lie with these players."

 

[Cnotes53]

Title Tips - Group of Five
November 28, 2017

Playing for a championship is the goal of every program and nine conference champions will be decided this weekend, eight coming on Saturday.

College Playoff berths are not on the line in the Conference USA, AAC, MAC, and Mountain West games but all four contests will feature regular season rematches to fill out the championship Saturday schedule.

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP

Matchup: North Texas Mean Green at Florida Atlantic Owls
Venue: At FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida
Time/TV: Saturday, December 2, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN2
Line: Florida Atlantic -11, Over/Under 73?
Last Meeting: October 21, 2017 at Florida Atlantic (-3?) 69-31

Lane Kiffin is only 42 but he has already been the former head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee, and USC. After rebuilding his tarnished reputation as an assistant at Alabama for three seasons he surprised many by taking over at Florida Atlantic. It has proven to be a wise move for the trajectory of his career with a great season in Boca Raton and likely some options available to him if he chooses to pursue another position higher up the college football ladder.

The Owls went 3-9 last season and started this season 1-3 while also dealing with the complications of Hurricane Irma in September. Florida Atlantic wound up as one of three teams in the nation to go undefeated in conference play. Florida Atlantic averaged 39.8 points per game with the sixth most productive rushing attack in the nation. North Texas was just 1-11 in 2015 before Seth Littrell took over the program. The Mean Green managed to get a bowl invite at 5-7 last year, losing to Army in the Heart of Dallas Bowl but delivering a season of improvement. This year?s team is now 9-3 with the only loss after a 1-2 start coming in Boca Raton.

North Texas is without Jeffery Wilson who led the team in rushing as they look for their first conference title since winning four Sun Belt titles in a row from 2001-2004. Nic Smith has been very productive as his replacement and Mason Fine had the top quarterback rating in Conference USA, just ahead of FAU?s Jason Driskel while attempting nearly twice as many passes.

2017 Meeting: The Owls had a record setting day hosting North Texas is October with 69 points and 804 total yards. It was 24-0 not even 14 minutes into the game and 41-7 at halftime. North Texas did wind up with 31 points and 420 yards as well but three turnovers on the first five possessions put the Mean Green in a substantial hole.

Series History: Florida Atlantic won the first six meetings between these teams from 2004 to 2009, going 5-1 ATS in the run as well. North Texas won all four meeting from 2010 to 2014, going 3-1 ATS. October?s blowout win for Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton was the first meeting since November of 2014.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Matchup: Memphis Tigers at Central Florida Knights
Venue: At Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, Florida
Time/TV: Saturday, December 2, 12:00 PM ET, ABC
Line: Central Florida -7?, Over/Under 82
Last Meeting: September 30, 2017 at Central Florida (-5?) 40-13

The top two quarterbacks in the AAC face off in the third ever AAC Championship and the first appearance in the game for either program. UCF last played for a championship losing the 2012 Conference USA title game to Tulsa while Memphis and UCF were co-champions of the AAC with Cincinnati in the 2014 season before the league had divisions.

Sophomore McKenzie Milton followed Scott Frost to UCF and after emerging as the starter as a freshman last season he was the AAC?s top rated passer (2nd nationally) this season with 30 touchdowns against six interceptions, completing 69 percent of his passes on 10.3 yards per attempt. Milton has also rushed for 429 yards leading a Knights offense that scored 47.6 points per game to pace the nation. Riley Ferguson delivered a fine senior season for Memphis with 32 touchdown throws and 3,500 passing yards. At 6?4? Ferguson could be a mid-round NFL draft pick in April. As the total suggests both offenses are capable of huge numbers with Memphis scoring 44.3 points per game.

The head coaches will be bigger storylines than the quarterbacks however as it is assumed the Scott Frost will be departing Orlando for a power five job. His Alma Mater Nebraska certainly is interested but there could be other schools in play as well, including possibly Florida State should that position open up. Memphis head coach Mike Norvell is 18-6 in two seasons at Memphis and also will likely have the opportunity to interview for a few openings as well. He played at Central Arkansas as the opening in Fayetteville seems like a possibility but he also was an assistant at Arizona State before taking over at Memphis.

2017 Meeting: Originally scheduled for the second week of the season this game was shuffled along with several other AAC games following Hurricane Irma, played in late September when UCF has originally scheduled FCS Maine and Memphis had originally scheduled a game at Georgia State. UCF had only played two games but they had outscored Florida International and Maryland 99-27 with the win at Maryland turning some heads as the Terrapins were 2-0 with a win over Texas. UCF has clear edges statistically and led 23-7 before eventually leading 40-7 with the Tigers adding a late touchdown. UCF had a 603-396 yardage edge with a 4-1 turnover edge. The rushing edge was most prominent with a 350-75 advantage for the Knights.

Series History: Central Florida has won S/U 10 meetings in a row in this series going back to 2005 with the last win for Memphis coming in 1990 when UCF was not playing at the top college football level. Memphis has covered in three of the last five meetings going back to 2010 with this September?s 40-13 win for the Knights the first meeting since 2013. The highest scoring meeting between these teams didn?t quite reach this year?s total with a 56-20 result in favor of UCF in 2007.

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Matchup: Akron Zips at Toledo Rockets
Venue: At Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
Time/TV: Saturday, December 2, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN
Line: Toledo -21?, Over/Under 57?
Last Meeting: October 21, 2017 at Toledo (-15) 48-21

Toledo has been one of the better teams in the MAC for much of the last decade but the Rockets haven?t been to the MAC Championship since winning the 2004 title. The Rockets are 10-2 with only one MAC loss and a loss to highly rated Miami, FL in the non-conference schedule. Senior quarterback Logan Woodside has 24 touchdown passes with just three interceptions to finish fourth nationally in quarterback rating.

Playing as the biggest favorite of championship weekend, run defense might be the biggest weakness for Toledo, allowing 170.8 rushing yards per game on 4.7 yards per carry. Akron isn?t a great threat to exploit that weakness as the Zips were out-rushed in all 11 FBS games this season but the Zips have some momentum with a late season upset of Ohio to move up in the MAC East standings, clinching this spot with a win over rival Kent State last week.

Terry Bowden is in his sixth season at Akron with now five straight seasons of finishing at least 5-7 after the program went 1-11 in three consecutive seasons including Bowden?s first with the program in 2012. Akron was 5-3 last season before losing the final four games to miss a bowl bid as this has been a redemptive campaign. Akron senior quarterback Thomas Woodson hasn?t played the past three games after being suspended for a violation of team rules. Freshman Kato Nelson has played well since taking over and while Bowden has said that Woodson is available he hasn?t made it clear what the plan will be as they look for an upset.

2017 Meeting: Toledo led 21-0 after the first quarter and coasted to a 48-21 win with a 626-333 yardage edge. The Rockets only lined up for 3rd down nine times and converted six times to move the ball with ease throughout the game. Toledo had 11 penalties for 104 yards compared to none for Akron as that could be an area of emphasis for second year head coach Jason Candle who is now 19-6 in two seasons and could get some calls from athletic directors around the country in the coming weeks.

Series History: Toledo has won nine of 12 meetings S/U since 1992 though going just 2-3 ATS since 2008. This season and last season the result was nearly identical with a 48-17 win at Akron last season and a 48-21 home victory for the Rockets in October. Akron?s last win in the series came in 2013 at home wining 31-29 (+11) and this is set to be the highest spread ever in the series.

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERNCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Matchup: Fresno State Bulldogs at Boise State Broncos
Venue: At Albertson?s Stadium in Boise, Idaho
Time/TV: Saturday, December 2, 7:45 PM ET, ESPN
Line: Boise State -9, Over/Under 49
Last Meeting: November 25, 2017 at Fresno State (+6?) 28-17

Boise State won eight WAC titles from 2002 to 2010 but the program has won the Mountain West championship just twice and just once since the championship game format started. That title came by virtue of beating Fresno State in 2014 in Boise 28-14, though falling well short of an over three-touchdown spread. The Broncos have won 10 or more games in 14 of the last 18 seasons and they will hit that mark with a win this weekend (or with a bowl win).

The Broncos have several notable upsets vs. power five schools in recent years but they missed in both opportunities in September. This year?s team drew one of the tougher schedules in the conference having to play San Diego State and Colorado State on the road with those teams generally considered the preseason division favorites. Quarterback Brett Rypien didn?t match the numbers he posted last season and wound up splitting a lot of time with Montell Cozart as the Broncos had some inconsistency on offense but were one of the top defensive teams in the conference.

Jeff Tedford had success in 11 seasons at California before he was let go after the 2012 season. He coached in the NFL in 2014 and the CFL in 2015 before returning to college football as an assistant at Washington last season. This season has led one of the great turnarounds in college football with the Bulldogs going from 1-11 to 9-3 and playing for a conference championship at his Alma Mater. Always known as a quarterback developer he has turned Oregon State transfer Marcus McMaryion to one of the top players in the conference. The Fresno State defense is also 12th nationally in scoring defense allowing just 17.3 points per game for a dramatic improvement from last season.

2017 Meeting: These teams played last week in Fresno knowing that they would play again in this championship game this week. Fresno State prevailed 28-17 to pull away after Boise State closed to within two points in the fourth quarter. There were no turnovers and the yardage was nearly even with third down success the biggest difference in the box score.

Series History: Boise State is 13-4 S/U in this series since 1996 with a 12-4 ATS record however Fresno State has covered in the past three meetings. Prior to last week?s 28-17 win for Fresno State at home these teams last met in the MWC Championship in 2014 with Boise State winning 28-14 but falling short of a -23 spread at home. None of the S/U wins for Fresno State in this series have come in Boise.

 

[Cnotes53]

CFB notebook: Clemson, Auburn 1-2 in CFP rankings
November 28, 2017

Losses by the top two teams over the weekend caused a shakeup in this week's College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, and the conference championship games to be played this weekend may shake things up again.

On Friday, then-No. 2 Miami lost to Pittsburgh, and the next day No. 1 Alabama was beaten by Auburn.

As a result, Clemson (11-1) was moved to the top spot this week by the CFP panel, while Auburn (10-2), despite its two losses, rose four spots to No. 2 after recent wins over Georgia and Alabama, both of whom where No. 1 at the time. Oklahoma (11-1) advanced one spot to No. 3, and Wisconsin, one of the two unbeaten FBS teams, moved one critical spot to the No. 4 slot.

Looming just behind, at No. 5, is Alabama (11-1), which might sneak into the top four even though it is not in the Southeastern Conference championship game. At No. 6 is Georgia (11-1), which probably could win its way into the playoff with a victory over Auburn in the SEC championship game.

Miami is No. 7 in this week's rankings, but the Hurricanes would move up if they beat Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game in Charlotte, N.C.

The top four teams in the final rankings, which will be announced Sunday, participate in the national championship playoff.

--ESPN analyst Herm Edwards is interested in getting back into coaching and confirmed he will interview for the Arizona State vacancy.

Edwards hasn't coached since being fired by the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2008 season.

Former NFL executive Ray Anderson is Arizona State's athletic director and said he would consider NFL coaches in his search. The school fired Todd Graham on Sunday.

--Tennessee has turned its attention to Mike Gundy in a bid to fill its head coaching vacancy, according to multiple outlets.

Knoxville (Tenn.) radio station WNML reported about the Volunteers' interest in Gundy, who has coached at Oklahoma State for the last 13 years. Gundy met with Tennessee athletic director John Currie on Tuesday.

The talk swirling around Gundy comes two days after the Volunteers backed out of the hiring agreement involving leading candidate Greg Schiano following a public backlash and campus protests.

--Former Syracuse star running back Walter Reyes died Sunday night after experiencing stomach pain. He was 36.

Reyes reportedly complained of stomach pain for a couple days. He was transported to a hospital Sunday and died shortly after arrival. A coroner's report to determine cause of death is slated to be released in eight to 10 weeks.

Reyes played at Syracuse from 2001-04 and is the second-leading rusher in school history with 3,424 career yards.

 

[Cnotes53]

Herm Edwards to interview for ASU job
November 28, 2017

ESPN analyst Herm Edwards is interested in getting back into coaching and confirmed he will interview for the Arizona State vacancy.

Edwards hasn't coached since being fired by the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2008 season.

Former NFL executive Ray Anderson is Arizona State's athletic director and said he would consider NFL coaches in his search. The school fired Todd Graham on Sunday.

Edwards last coached at the college level when he was defensive backs coach at San Jose State from 1987-89. He was a longtime NFL assistant and also served as head coach of the New York from 2001-05.

Edwards spent 10 seasons (1977-86) in the NFL as a cornerback, the first nine with the Philadelphia Eagles. He split time with the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams in his final season.

Edwards had a 54-74 record in eight seasons as an NFL head coach.

Recently fired Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin also has been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Graham in Arizona.

 

[Cnotes53]

PSU's Moorhead to be next Miss St. coach
November 28, 2017

Mississippi State will hire Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead as its next head coach, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because a deal was still being finalized.

Moorhead replaces Dan Mullen, who left Mississippi State after nine years to become Florida's coach. Moorhead has been with Penn State the last two seasons, calling plays for one of the best offenses in the country.

Before coming to Penn State, Moorhead was head coach at FCS Fordham University in New York. He went 38-13 at his alma mater with three playoff appearances in four years. The Rams have made only two other playoff appearances since moving up to Division I in 1989.

The 44-year-old from Pittsburgh also has been offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Connecticut and Akron.

Penn State coach James Franklin hired Moorhead after the 2015 season to bring his creative spread offense to State College, and it has helped the Nittany Lions take off. Penn State is 21-5 the last two seasons with Moorhead directing the offense. In 2015, the Nittany Lions were 21st in the nation and second in the Big Ten in yards per play at 6.50. This season, they are 17th nationally and second in the Big Ten at 6.55 yards per play.

At Mississippi State, Moorhead will have one of the best quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference in Nick Fitzgerald, though he will be recovering from a serious ankle injury suffered in the season finale against Mississippi. When healthy, Fitzgerald is a dual-threat who would seem to be a perfect fit for Moorhead's offense.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season 8-4 and have much of this season's team returning in 2018.

 

[Cnotes53]

UF's Mullen fires Shannon, hires pair
November 28, 2017

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida coach Dan Mullen's first official day on the job included numerous staff changes.

Mullen dismissed defensive coordinator Randy Shannon and five other assistants Tuesday, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the Gators have not publicly announced the personnel moves. The person said Mullen parted ways with Shannon, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, defensive backs coach Corey Bell, receivers coach Kerry Dixon, tight ends coach Greg Nord and defensive assistant Robb Akey.

Shannon had two years remaining on his contract that paid him $890,000 annually.

So the Gators will end up with four head coaches on the payroll in the future: Shannon, who was the former interim coach, as well as Mullen, Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp.

Florida has one payment remaining to Muschamp: $787,500 in 2018.

Full details of Mullen's contract and McElwain's separation agreement were released Tuesday.

McElwain will get a $7.5 million buyout spread across six payments between this week and 2021. He will receive the first installment, a $3.75 million ''transition payment,'' Friday. HIs original buyout would have been a little more than $12.5 million, an amount the team and coach negotiated after he failed to produce evidence of alleged death threats in late October.

Both McElwain and Florida also agreed not to disparage each other verbally or in writing.

Mullen signed a six-year, $36.618 million contract Monday to replace McElwain. Mullen can earn up to $925,000 more in bonuses and has a $5 million pool to pay assistants, up about $500,000 from McElwain's final year.

The new coach announced Tuesday the hiring of two of his long-time assistants, Billy Gonzales and John Hevesy.

Gonzales and Hevesy each spent at least 10 years working with Mullen, including several years in Gainesville.

Gonzales just finished his fifth season on Mullen's staff at Mississippi State and was in charge of receivers. He also served as the team's co-offensive coordinator overseeing the passing game for four seasons. He also worked with Mullen at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida, and spent time at LSU.

Coming off his ninth season at Mississippi State, Hevesy spent the past three seasons as the Bulldogs' co-offensive coordinator. He also oversaw the offensive line since 2009.

Offensive line coach Brad Davis, defensive line coach Chris Rumph, running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and linebackers coach Tim Skipper remain on Florida's staff, at least for now. They are expected to be on the road recruiting this week.

 

[Cnotes53]

Big 12 title game back after 6-year hiatus
November 28, 2017

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) When Texas beat Nebraska in the championship game at the end of the Big 12's first-ever season in 1996, the only other conference playing such a title game was the SEC.

The Cornhuskers were also in the last Big 12 title game, in their final season as a league member when they lost to Oklahoma in 2010.

Now after a six-season hiatus, and a change in NCAA rules to allow it, the revived Big 12 championship game returns Saturday when the No. 2 Sooners (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No. 3 CFP) play No. 10 TCU (9-2, 7-2, No. 11 CFP) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

In the first three years of the four-team College Football Playoff, the only Big 12 team to make it was Oklahoma in 2015. Of the 12 teams to make the playoff since the CFP's inception in 2014, 10 got there after winning their respective conference championship games.

The ACC started its conference championship game in 2005. The Big Ten and Pac-12 added title games in 2011, the first year the Big 12 was the only Power Five Conference without one.

It was after Big 12 co-champions TCU and Baylor were both 11-1 and left out of the first four-team playoff in 2014 that league leaders considered resuming the championship game. The NCAA in 2016 passed legislation co-sponsored by the Big 12 to allow conferences with less than 12 members to stage a championship game.

TCU had been No. 3 in the CFP rankings before a 55-3 win over Iowa State in its regular season finale in 2014, the same day Ohio State took advantage of a 13th game and beat Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten championship game. When the final CFP rankings came out the next day, the Horned Frogs had dropped to sixth behind the Buckeyes and Baylor.

Now that so-called ''13th data point'' would almost certainly take the Big 12 out of playoff contention this season if Oklahoma doesn't beat TCU for the second time in four weeks.

Even TCU coach Gary Patterson acknowledged when asked Tuesday that ''probably the best (result) for the Big 12 is Oklahoma to win.''

But the Frogs certainly relish the opportunity for another chance against Oklahoma, which won 38-20 when they played in Norman on Nov. 11.

''I was the one that went from third to sixth, so for me to feel sorry for somebody else ... you're talking to the wrong person,'' Patterson said.

Oklahoma is making its record ninth appearance in the Big 12 title game, having gone 7-1 in its previous eight appearances from 2000-10. Texas (3-2 in its five appearances) and Nebraska (2-4) are the only other teams who have won multiple Big 12 championship games.

The last two Big 12 title games were also played in the home stadium of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in 2009 and 2010. Texas Stadium, the previous home of the Cowboys, hosted the game in 2001.

Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City hosted the Big 12 game a record five times (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008), and the Alamodome in San Antonio did three times. St. Louis was the championship site twice, including the inaugural 1996 game, and the game was also played twice at the home stadium of the NFL's Houston Texans.