Ward leads Houston in rout at Cincy
September 15, 2016
CINCINNATI (AP) Greg Ward Jr. threw an interception in the end zone. Cincinnati responded by going down the field, getting a touchdown and grabbing the lead and the momentum.
For the first time this season, No. 6 Houston was on the road and feeling the pressure. How would the Cougars respond?
Ward ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Cougars' fabulous defense returned a couple of interceptions for touchdowns as they pulled away to a 40-16 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday night.
''The fourth quarter exemplified a veteran team that's played in big games,'' coach Tom Herman said. ''They go down and score and we come back and take the lead.''
Nobody was under the spotlight more than Ward, who sat out a 42-0 victory over Lamar on Saturday because of a sore shoulder. He came through pregame warmups without an issue, and got treatment on the sideline between series.
''They were keeping my shoulder warm on the sideline,'' Ward said. ''It tends to get tight. I was thankful to be out there.''
The Cougars (3-0, 1-0 American Athletic) trailed 16-12 early in the fourth quarter before Ward and the defense took over.
Ward dispelled any worries about his arm with a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Cougars' second series. He was 24 of 36 for 326 yards with two interceptions, and he ran 26 times for 73 yards.
''We put in a defense just for him, some guys that were faster,'' Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville said. ''We did a good job in pass coverage and he'd just pull it down and run. That's hard to defend.''
Houston's defense took away any semblance of a running game from Cincinnati (2-1, 0-1) and accounted for 16 points on its own - a safety and the two interception returns by Steven Taylor and Howard Wilson.
The Cougars haven't allowed any of their last five opponents to rush for 100 yards. Cincinnati managed only 30 yards rushing, putting too much pressure on redshirt sophomore Hayden Moore, whose two fourth-quarter interceptions allowed the Cougars to pull away.
Moore had never faced a defense so good. He made an impact early with a 61-yard touchdown pass , but the lack of a running game was tough to overcome. Moore finished 21 of 37 for 275 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and three sacks.
''You can't beat any good team if you can't run the football,'' Tuberville said. ''They put all the pressure on our quarterback and receivers and they dictated the game to us.''
THE TAKEAWAY
HOUSTON: Oh that defense. The Cougars didn't need to get a lot out of their offense - and Ward wasn't at his best - in order to win a tough league game on the road. That's another good sign in a season that opened with a 33-23 win over Oklahoma.
''It was ugly for a long time,'' Herman said. ''I think we'll be OK if we can take care of the self-inflicted wounds.''
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats have been overly reliant on a pass-heavy offense the last two years. The defense's showing on Thursday was encouraging - it simply wore down. The defense also looked solid during a 38-20 win at Purdue on Saturday, coming up with five interceptions.
''We got a little tired at the end,'' Tuberville said. ''The defense was out there forever.''
POLL IMPLICATIONS
HOUSTON: The Cougars have their highest ranking since they were No. 3 in 1990. Any chance to move up? The top three teams in the poll - Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State - all play road games against ranked teams this week, while Michigan and Clemson are at home.
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats got one vote in this week's poll, and did nothing to suggest they deserve more.
UP NEXT
HOUSTON: The Cougars will be looking for another easy time at Texas State on Sept. 24. Last year, Ward led them to a 59-14 win by throwing for four touchdowns and running for two more as Houston piled up 689 yards.
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats host Miami of Ohio on Sept. 24 for the Victory Bell. They've won 10 in a row over their local rival, although Moore had to overcome four fourth-quarter turnovers last year to pull out a 37-33 win in Oxford.
September 15, 2016
CINCINNATI (AP) Greg Ward Jr. threw an interception in the end zone. Cincinnati responded by going down the field, getting a touchdown and grabbing the lead and the momentum.
For the first time this season, No. 6 Houston was on the road and feeling the pressure. How would the Cougars respond?
Ward ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Cougars' fabulous defense returned a couple of interceptions for touchdowns as they pulled away to a 40-16 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday night.
''The fourth quarter exemplified a veteran team that's played in big games,'' coach Tom Herman said. ''They go down and score and we come back and take the lead.''
Nobody was under the spotlight more than Ward, who sat out a 42-0 victory over Lamar on Saturday because of a sore shoulder. He came through pregame warmups without an issue, and got treatment on the sideline between series.
''They were keeping my shoulder warm on the sideline,'' Ward said. ''It tends to get tight. I was thankful to be out there.''
The Cougars (3-0, 1-0 American Athletic) trailed 16-12 early in the fourth quarter before Ward and the defense took over.
Ward dispelled any worries about his arm with a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Cougars' second series. He was 24 of 36 for 326 yards with two interceptions, and he ran 26 times for 73 yards.
''We put in a defense just for him, some guys that were faster,'' Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville said. ''We did a good job in pass coverage and he'd just pull it down and run. That's hard to defend.''
Houston's defense took away any semblance of a running game from Cincinnati (2-1, 0-1) and accounted for 16 points on its own - a safety and the two interception returns by Steven Taylor and Howard Wilson.
The Cougars haven't allowed any of their last five opponents to rush for 100 yards. Cincinnati managed only 30 yards rushing, putting too much pressure on redshirt sophomore Hayden Moore, whose two fourth-quarter interceptions allowed the Cougars to pull away.
Moore had never faced a defense so good. He made an impact early with a 61-yard touchdown pass , but the lack of a running game was tough to overcome. Moore finished 21 of 37 for 275 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and three sacks.
''You can't beat any good team if you can't run the football,'' Tuberville said. ''They put all the pressure on our quarterback and receivers and they dictated the game to us.''
THE TAKEAWAY
HOUSTON: Oh that defense. The Cougars didn't need to get a lot out of their offense - and Ward wasn't at his best - in order to win a tough league game on the road. That's another good sign in a season that opened with a 33-23 win over Oklahoma.
''It was ugly for a long time,'' Herman said. ''I think we'll be OK if we can take care of the self-inflicted wounds.''
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats have been overly reliant on a pass-heavy offense the last two years. The defense's showing on Thursday was encouraging - it simply wore down. The defense also looked solid during a 38-20 win at Purdue on Saturday, coming up with five interceptions.
''We got a little tired at the end,'' Tuberville said. ''The defense was out there forever.''
POLL IMPLICATIONS
HOUSTON: The Cougars have their highest ranking since they were No. 3 in 1990. Any chance to move up? The top three teams in the poll - Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State - all play road games against ranked teams this week, while Michigan and Clemson are at home.
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats got one vote in this week's poll, and did nothing to suggest they deserve more.
UP NEXT
HOUSTON: The Cougars will be looking for another easy time at Texas State on Sept. 24. Last year, Ward led them to a 59-14 win by throwing for four touchdowns and running for two more as Houston piled up 689 yards.
CINCINNATI: The Bearcats host Miami of Ohio on Sept. 24 for the Victory Bell. They've won 10 in a row over their local rival, although Moore had to overcome four fourth-quarter turnovers last year to pull out a 37-33 win in Oxford.
Big Ten Report - Week 3
September 15, 2016
2016 BIG 10 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Illinois Fighting Illini 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
Indiana Hoosiers 2-0 0-0 1-1 0-2
Iowa Hawkeyes 2-0 0-0 1-1 1-1
Maryland Terrapins 2-0 0-0 1-1 0-2
Michigan Wolverines 2-0 0-0 2-0 2-0
Michigan State Spartans 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1
Minnesota Golden Gophers 2-0 0-0 1-1 1-1
Nebraska Cornhuskers 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Northwestern Wildcats 0-2 0-0 0-2 0-2
Ohio State Buckeyes 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Penn State Nittany Lions 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-0
Purdue Boilermakers 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-1
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1-1 0-0 0-2 2-0
Wisconsin Badgers 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Ohio State: Urban Meyer takes his Buckeyes into Oklahoma as a favorite. It’s the first time since 2000 that the Sooners have been a home underdog. Since Stoops took over in 1999, the Sooner have been a home dog just 2 times winning both those games outright in easy fashion 51-6 & 31-14. Oklahoma has a home record of 96-8 since Stoops took over…Urban Meyer, however, is a remarkable 18-0 in road games since taking over at Ohio State back in 2012. The Buckeyes have averaged 41 PPG in those 18 road games and were held under 28 points only twice…After 2 games OSU is 2nd nationally in scoring offense averaging 62.5 PPG and 5th in total offense putting up 596 YPG…
Michigan: The Wolverines are now 2-0 beating Hawaii & UCF by a combined score of 114-17…Those games provided a “perfect storm” for Michigan blowouts as Hawaii had nothing left in the tank after playing in Australia vs Cal a week earlier and UCF is implementing a new fast-paced offense which plays right into the hands of the much more talented Wolverines…Michigan’s defense has allowed their first two opponents to complete only 18 total passes however, their rush defense also allowed UCF to run for 6.0 yards per carry last Saturday…Talk about a favorable schedule? Michigan doesn’t leave Ann Arbor until venturing to New Jersey to play Rutgers on October 8th…Colorado is 2-0 and entered the season with more returning starters (18) and more returning lettermen (63) than any other Power 5 Conference team…The Buffs have outscored their first 2 opponents (Colorado State & Idaho State) 100 to 14…
Michigan State: Sparty had a bye last week after an uninspiring 28-13 win over Furman in week 1. The Paladins actually had the ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie the game with the score at 21-13. That’s a Furman team that was just 4-7 the previous season…Notre Dame has won 4 of the last 5 in this series with MSU’s only win during that stretch coming in 2010 by a final score of 34-31…After playing each other for 16 consecutive seasons from 1997 – 2013, these two did not face each other the last 2 seasons…The Spartans have been an absolute money maker as an underdog with a spread record of 13-3-1 their last 17 in that role – including 11 outright wins during that stretch…Dating back to 1980, when Michigan State is a dog of a TD or more they are 55-35-2 ATS (61%)…MSU has won 39 of their last 44 games dating back to November of 2012…Notre Dame is now 1-1 with a 3-point loss at Texas and an easy win last week at home vs Nevada…Irish are just 11-23-1 ATS as a home favorite of -7 or more dating back to the 2006 season…Irish WR Torii Hunter Jr said he expects to play on Saturday after missing last week’s game after sustaining a concussion at Texas…
Nebraska: The Huskers are 2-0 on the season but led Fresno just 21-10 entering the 4th quarter and were up just 24-17 last week vs Wyoming entering the 4th quarter. NU ended up burying each of those opponents outscoring by them by a combined 50-0 in the 4th quarter…The Huskers have outgained ther first two opponents by a combined total of 818 yards to 463 and they are also already +7 in turnover margin…These two haven’t faced each other since 1986, however Nebraska head man Mike Riley will have a good idea of what he needs to do against Oregon having coached at Oregon State for 14 years prior to taking the job at Nebraska. Riley’s Beavers went 4-10 SU & 5-7-2 ATS vs the Ducks during his tenure…The Ducks have been a fabulous underdog going 31-13 ATS the last 44 times they’ve been getting points…Even more impressive, of those 44 times they’ve been tabbed a dog by the oddsmakers, Oregon has won 25 of those games outright…Oregon is averaging 48.5 PPG on a whopping 8.1 yards per play…Only Marshall & Louisville have a better YPP average…
Wisconsin: Starting RB Corey Clement was held out of last week’s 2nd half vs Akron after sustaining an ankle injury. He said following the game he could have played if needed. He has been held to limited duty so far in practice this week and may not play on Saturday…Wisconsin is a 34 point favorite this week vs Georgia State and it looks warranted. After 2 games, Georgia State is dead last in the NCAA in rush defense allowing 395 YPG and dead last in time of possession. Not a great recipe when playing Wisconsin…The Panthers have been outgained 986 to 441 in their 2 losses to Ball State & Air Force. Tough travel spot for Georgia State (based in Atlanta) after traveling west to play Air Force last week and now north to play Wisconsin this week…
Penn State: Penn State made a valiant comeback last week at Pitt but fell just short. The Nittany Lions fell behind 28-7 and came back to cut the lead to 42-39 late in the game. PSU had the ball on Pitt’s 30-yard line late before throwing an interception to end the comeback…The Penn State offense has topped 30 points in each of their first 2 games after topping 30 just 3 times all last season…Heading into last year’s meeting with Temple, the Lions were 25-0 all-time vs the Owls. Temple won last year’s meeting 27-10 to get their first win every in this Pennsylvania series. Temple’s defense held PSU to just 183 total yards in that win…Temple is 1-1 this year with a home loss to Army and home win vs Stony Brook. The interesting point in their home loss to Army is the fact that the Cadets were 1-25 their previous 26 road games before that win…
Illinois: The Illini are actually a 3-point home dog in this one…Illinois has won 5 straight games vs MAC teams. The last time they lost to a MAC team was in 2008 vs this Western Michigan team…Last week’s home loss to North Carolina (46-23 final) was actually a one score game in the 4th quarter with the Illini trailing 31-23…Western Michigan already played at a Big Ten venue and beat Northwestern on the road as a 5-point underdog…The Broncos are 2-0 beating Northwestern as we mentioned and then clobbering North Carolina Central 70-21…WMU returns most of their key offensive players from a team that went 8-5 last year and averaged 36 PPG on nearly 500 YPG…Dating back to 1950, Big Ten teams are 273-49-2 vs MAC teams…
Maryland: After winning only 3 games all of last season, the Terps are already 2-0 under new head coach DJ Durkin…Much of last year’s struggles were due to mistakes as Maryland threw a whopping 29 interceptions in 2015. This year they have yet to turn the ball over in their first 2 games…The Terps are traveling to Florida for the 2nd straight week after beating FIU in Miami last week 41-14. This week they are 9-point favorites at UCF…Entering this season Maryland had been tabbed a road favorite only 5 times over the last 7 seasons. They are now favored on the road in back to back weeks…The Maryland offense has put up 519 yards & 477 yards in their first 2 games vs Howard & FIU. To put that in perspective, coming into this season the Turtles had topped 500 yards just once in their previous 35 games…UCF has implemented a new “fast-paced” offense under new head coach Scott Frost. The Knights are averaging 80 offensive plays per game so far this year…UCF lost 51-14 at Michigan last week but averaged 6 yards per carry on 46 carries vs Michigan’s defense…
Rugers: The Knights bounced back with a win over Howard last week after getting whipped at Washington in week 1. Their blowout loss to the Huskies (48-13 final) was actually not as bad as it seemed. Rutgers was only -76 total yards in that game and they ran 29 more offensive plays. How did they lose so badly you ask? Big plays. The Knights gave up 2 special teams TD’s and 3 TD passes of 38, 43, and 50 yards…The Knights will face a completely different offense this week as they prepare for New Mexico’s 3 back triple-option attack. The Lobos do it with a twist however as their QB Apodaca operates out of the pistol formation. Rutgers defensive coaches this week have stated that this offense is really hard to emulate in practice…New Mexico is coming off a rivalry loss to New Mexico State last weekend 32-31 as the Lobos blew a 9-point 4th quarter lead…Dating back to the 2007 season, Rutgers is 12-21 ATS as a home favorite of -3 or higher…
Northwestern: The Wildcats have started the season in disappointing fashion losing each of their first two games to Western Michigan & Illinois State. The Cats were favored in both games. They lost those 2 games by a combined 3 points…Neither loss was a fluke as NW was had fewer first downs and were outgained in both games. For the season, mind you after playing WMU & Illinois St, two teams they expected to beat, the Cats are -21 first downs and -192 yards…Duke was upset at home last week by Wake Forest losing 24-14 as a 7-point chalk. The Devils offense moved the ball well (370 yards of offense) but shot themselves in the foot with 2 missed FG’s and 2 turnovers in Wake territory…NW beat Duke on the road last year 19-10 as a +4.5 point dog. The Cats had just 1 offensive TD, a 55-yard run, and scored on a 98 yard kick return. Duke outgained NW by 56 yards…These two top notch academic institutions have met 11 times on the gridiron since 1996 with Northwestern winning 9 of those games…
September 15, 2016
2016 BIG 10 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Illinois Fighting Illini 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
Indiana Hoosiers 2-0 0-0 1-1 0-2
Iowa Hawkeyes 2-0 0-0 1-1 1-1
Maryland Terrapins 2-0 0-0 1-1 0-2
Michigan Wolverines 2-0 0-0 2-0 2-0
Michigan State Spartans 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1
Minnesota Golden Gophers 2-0 0-0 1-1 1-1
Nebraska Cornhuskers 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Northwestern Wildcats 0-2 0-0 0-2 0-2
Ohio State Buckeyes 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Penn State Nittany Lions 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-0
Purdue Boilermakers 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-1
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1-1 0-0 0-2 2-0
Wisconsin Badgers 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Ohio State: Urban Meyer takes his Buckeyes into Oklahoma as a favorite. It’s the first time since 2000 that the Sooners have been a home underdog. Since Stoops took over in 1999, the Sooner have been a home dog just 2 times winning both those games outright in easy fashion 51-6 & 31-14. Oklahoma has a home record of 96-8 since Stoops took over…Urban Meyer, however, is a remarkable 18-0 in road games since taking over at Ohio State back in 2012. The Buckeyes have averaged 41 PPG in those 18 road games and were held under 28 points only twice…After 2 games OSU is 2nd nationally in scoring offense averaging 62.5 PPG and 5th in total offense putting up 596 YPG…
Michigan: The Wolverines are now 2-0 beating Hawaii & UCF by a combined score of 114-17…Those games provided a “perfect storm” for Michigan blowouts as Hawaii had nothing left in the tank after playing in Australia vs Cal a week earlier and UCF is implementing a new fast-paced offense which plays right into the hands of the much more talented Wolverines…Michigan’s defense has allowed their first two opponents to complete only 18 total passes however, their rush defense also allowed UCF to run for 6.0 yards per carry last Saturday…Talk about a favorable schedule? Michigan doesn’t leave Ann Arbor until venturing to New Jersey to play Rutgers on October 8th…Colorado is 2-0 and entered the season with more returning starters (18) and more returning lettermen (63) than any other Power 5 Conference team…The Buffs have outscored their first 2 opponents (Colorado State & Idaho State) 100 to 14…
Michigan State: Sparty had a bye last week after an uninspiring 28-13 win over Furman in week 1. The Paladins actually had the ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie the game with the score at 21-13. That’s a Furman team that was just 4-7 the previous season…Notre Dame has won 4 of the last 5 in this series with MSU’s only win during that stretch coming in 2010 by a final score of 34-31…After playing each other for 16 consecutive seasons from 1997 – 2013, these two did not face each other the last 2 seasons…The Spartans have been an absolute money maker as an underdog with a spread record of 13-3-1 their last 17 in that role – including 11 outright wins during that stretch…Dating back to 1980, when Michigan State is a dog of a TD or more they are 55-35-2 ATS (61%)…MSU has won 39 of their last 44 games dating back to November of 2012…Notre Dame is now 1-1 with a 3-point loss at Texas and an easy win last week at home vs Nevada…Irish are just 11-23-1 ATS as a home favorite of -7 or more dating back to the 2006 season…Irish WR Torii Hunter Jr said he expects to play on Saturday after missing last week’s game after sustaining a concussion at Texas…
Nebraska: The Huskers are 2-0 on the season but led Fresno just 21-10 entering the 4th quarter and were up just 24-17 last week vs Wyoming entering the 4th quarter. NU ended up burying each of those opponents outscoring by them by a combined 50-0 in the 4th quarter…The Huskers have outgained ther first two opponents by a combined total of 818 yards to 463 and they are also already +7 in turnover margin…These two haven’t faced each other since 1986, however Nebraska head man Mike Riley will have a good idea of what he needs to do against Oregon having coached at Oregon State for 14 years prior to taking the job at Nebraska. Riley’s Beavers went 4-10 SU & 5-7-2 ATS vs the Ducks during his tenure…The Ducks have been a fabulous underdog going 31-13 ATS the last 44 times they’ve been getting points…Even more impressive, of those 44 times they’ve been tabbed a dog by the oddsmakers, Oregon has won 25 of those games outright…Oregon is averaging 48.5 PPG on a whopping 8.1 yards per play…Only Marshall & Louisville have a better YPP average…
Wisconsin: Starting RB Corey Clement was held out of last week’s 2nd half vs Akron after sustaining an ankle injury. He said following the game he could have played if needed. He has been held to limited duty so far in practice this week and may not play on Saturday…Wisconsin is a 34 point favorite this week vs Georgia State and it looks warranted. After 2 games, Georgia State is dead last in the NCAA in rush defense allowing 395 YPG and dead last in time of possession. Not a great recipe when playing Wisconsin…The Panthers have been outgained 986 to 441 in their 2 losses to Ball State & Air Force. Tough travel spot for Georgia State (based in Atlanta) after traveling west to play Air Force last week and now north to play Wisconsin this week…
Penn State: Penn State made a valiant comeback last week at Pitt but fell just short. The Nittany Lions fell behind 28-7 and came back to cut the lead to 42-39 late in the game. PSU had the ball on Pitt’s 30-yard line late before throwing an interception to end the comeback…The Penn State offense has topped 30 points in each of their first 2 games after topping 30 just 3 times all last season…Heading into last year’s meeting with Temple, the Lions were 25-0 all-time vs the Owls. Temple won last year’s meeting 27-10 to get their first win every in this Pennsylvania series. Temple’s defense held PSU to just 183 total yards in that win…Temple is 1-1 this year with a home loss to Army and home win vs Stony Brook. The interesting point in their home loss to Army is the fact that the Cadets were 1-25 their previous 26 road games before that win…
Illinois: The Illini are actually a 3-point home dog in this one…Illinois has won 5 straight games vs MAC teams. The last time they lost to a MAC team was in 2008 vs this Western Michigan team…Last week’s home loss to North Carolina (46-23 final) was actually a one score game in the 4th quarter with the Illini trailing 31-23…Western Michigan already played at a Big Ten venue and beat Northwestern on the road as a 5-point underdog…The Broncos are 2-0 beating Northwestern as we mentioned and then clobbering North Carolina Central 70-21…WMU returns most of their key offensive players from a team that went 8-5 last year and averaged 36 PPG on nearly 500 YPG…Dating back to 1950, Big Ten teams are 273-49-2 vs MAC teams…
Maryland: After winning only 3 games all of last season, the Terps are already 2-0 under new head coach DJ Durkin…Much of last year’s struggles were due to mistakes as Maryland threw a whopping 29 interceptions in 2015. This year they have yet to turn the ball over in their first 2 games…The Terps are traveling to Florida for the 2nd straight week after beating FIU in Miami last week 41-14. This week they are 9-point favorites at UCF…Entering this season Maryland had been tabbed a road favorite only 5 times over the last 7 seasons. They are now favored on the road in back to back weeks…The Maryland offense has put up 519 yards & 477 yards in their first 2 games vs Howard & FIU. To put that in perspective, coming into this season the Turtles had topped 500 yards just once in their previous 35 games…UCF has implemented a new “fast-paced” offense under new head coach Scott Frost. The Knights are averaging 80 offensive plays per game so far this year…UCF lost 51-14 at Michigan last week but averaged 6 yards per carry on 46 carries vs Michigan’s defense…
Rugers: The Knights bounced back with a win over Howard last week after getting whipped at Washington in week 1. Their blowout loss to the Huskies (48-13 final) was actually not as bad as it seemed. Rutgers was only -76 total yards in that game and they ran 29 more offensive plays. How did they lose so badly you ask? Big plays. The Knights gave up 2 special teams TD’s and 3 TD passes of 38, 43, and 50 yards…The Knights will face a completely different offense this week as they prepare for New Mexico’s 3 back triple-option attack. The Lobos do it with a twist however as their QB Apodaca operates out of the pistol formation. Rutgers defensive coaches this week have stated that this offense is really hard to emulate in practice…New Mexico is coming off a rivalry loss to New Mexico State last weekend 32-31 as the Lobos blew a 9-point 4th quarter lead…Dating back to the 2007 season, Rutgers is 12-21 ATS as a home favorite of -3 or higher…
Northwestern: The Wildcats have started the season in disappointing fashion losing each of their first two games to Western Michigan & Illinois State. The Cats were favored in both games. They lost those 2 games by a combined 3 points…Neither loss was a fluke as NW was had fewer first downs and were outgained in both games. For the season, mind you after playing WMU & Illinois St, two teams they expected to beat, the Cats are -21 first downs and -192 yards…Duke was upset at home last week by Wake Forest losing 24-14 as a 7-point chalk. The Devils offense moved the ball well (370 yards of offense) but shot themselves in the foot with 2 missed FG’s and 2 turnovers in Wake territory…NW beat Duke on the road last year 19-10 as a +4.5 point dog. The Cats had just 1 offensive TD, a 55-yard run, and scored on a 98 yard kick return. Duke outgained NW by 56 yards…These two top notch academic institutions have met 11 times on the gridiron since 1996 with Northwestern winning 9 of those games…
Pac-12 Report - Week 3
September 14, 2016
2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 1-1 0-0 0-2 0-2
Arizona State 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
California 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-0
Colorado 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Oregon 2-0 0-0 0-2 1-1
Oregon State 0-1 0-0 1-0 0-1
Southern California 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
Stanford 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
UCLA 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-0-1
Utah 2-0 0-0 0-2 0-2
Washington 2-0 0-0 2-0 2-0
Washington State 0-2 0-0 1-1 1-1
Arizona State at Texas-San Antonio (Fri. - ESPN2, 9:30 p.m. ET)
The Sun Devils hit the road for Texas-San Antonio after a 68-55 shootout win against Texas Tech, while UTSA looks to rebound after a 23-14 setback at Colorado State a week ago. The Roadrunners are 0-2 ATS and the 'under' has cashed in each of their two games. The 'under' hasn't been a problem for Arizona State, as they're averaging 56.0 PPG while allowing 34.0 PPG while covering each of their first two games. The Sun Devils are 2-6 ATS in their past eight road games, while going 2-6 ATS in their past eight in the month of September. The Roadrunners are 1-4 ATS in their past five non-conference games while going 1-6-1 ATS in their past eight overall.
Idaho at Washington State (Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m.)
Idaho was waffled at Washington by a 59-14 score last weekend in Seattle, now they take on the Evergreen State's other Pac-12 representative. The last time these teams matched up it was WaZu winning 42-0 Sept. 21, 2013. The Vandals are averaging just 17.0 PPG while allowing 38.0 PPG. The Cougars are searching for their first win of the season after losing to FCS Eastern Washington in the opener, and at Boise State last weekend. However, the Cougs were much better in Boise. They nearly pulled off the upset, losing 31-28 as a near two-touchdown underdog. The Vandals are 1-4 ATS in their past five against the Pac-12, and 1-8 ATS in their past nine in September. The Cougs are still 5-1 ATS in their past six at home despite their loss to EWU, and they're 10-2 ATS in their past 12 overall.
Colorado at Michigan (Big Ten, 3:30 p.m. ET)
The Buffaloes hit the road for the Big House to face the high-flying Wolverines. Seeing Colorado-Michigan on the schedule brings back memories of Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook on a Hail Mary to sadden Ann Arbor back in 1994. Colorado is off to a hot start, spanking Colorado State 44-7 and then punishing FCS Idaho State by a 56-7 count. So far the Buffs are 2-0 ATS, but they will face, by far, their stiffest test Saturday. Michigan is averaging 57.0 PPG while allowing just 8.5 PPG, and they have covered two spreads of 36 or more points with the 'over' cashing in each outing. Colorado is 3-1-1 ATS in their past five non-conference tilts, but they're 11-23-1 ATS in their past 35 road outings. Michigan has covered four straight non-conference games while going 7-3 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning overall record. However, they are 1-9 ATS in their past 10 tries against Pac-12 foes.
Oregon at Nebraska (ABC, 3:30 p.m.)
Perhaps this game doesn't have the interest of Florida State-Louisville, Ohio State-Oklahoma, etc. However, the Ducks meeting former Oregon State head coach Mike Riley, who is now the head man in Nebraska. How's that for a storyline? Riley coached Oregon State to a 4-10 record against Oregon. The Ducks are 27-10 ATS in their past 37 against teams with a winning record, and an amazing 22-5 ATS in their past 27 road games. However, they are 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference games, including 0-2 ATS in their first two outings. The Huskers are 5-1 ATS in their past six non-conference battles while going 5-2 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record. Nebraska enters as a 3 1/2-point favorite. The 'over' is also 4-1 in Oregon's past five against a team with a winning record, and the over is 8-2 in Nebraska's past 10 non-conference games and 5-1 in their past six against teams with a winning overall mark.
Southern California at Stanford (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)
USC rebounded last week against Utah State, spanking the Aggies to make themselves feel better after being emasculated by Alabama in their opener. Stanford topped Kansas State and then had a week off, so they're fresh and ready for a visit from the Trojans. This line opened at 6 1/2 and quickly moved to 9 1/2 while the total holds steady at 53. USC is 2-6 ATS in their past eight overall, while going 7-19 ATS in their past 26 road outings. They're also 4-12 ATS in their past 16 road outings against a team with a winning home record. Stanford is 36-16-1 ATS in their past 53 conference games, and 39-18 ATS in their past 57 home games. The Trojans are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 against the Cardinal, while the road team is 9-3 ATS in the past 12 meetings. The underdog is also 8-2 ATS in the past 10 battles.
UCLA at Brigham Young (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.)
UCLA heads to Provo looking to top BYU again. They held off the Cougars last season by a 24-23 score, averting a near disaster as 16 1/2-point favorites at the Rose Bowl. UCLA lost to Texas A&M in their opener, and rebounded with a win over UNLV. They have failed to cover in either of their outings, and they're 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference games. BYU has covered both of their games, topping Arizona in the opener and then slipping up at Utah in the Holy War last week, electing to go for two in the final moments rather than kick an extra point and battle in overtime. The 'under' is 2-0 for BYU so far.
Texas at California (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
The Longhorns are climbing in the rankings after spanking Texas-El Paso last week, covering for the second time in as many games. California will be back home after dropping one at San Diego State last week against Heisman dark horse Donnel Pumphrey. The Bears were locked in a shootout last week, losing 45-40, and they figure to see more of the same against a Texas team averaged 45.5 PPG. Remember, the last time these two teams faced each other Sept.. 19, 2015, it was Cal coming away with a 45-44 win in Austin courtesy of a missed extra point. In this one, Texas is a much better team, while California isn't nearly as dangerous. Texas opened as a touchdown favorite and the line climbed to eight. The total is just shy of 80.
Hawai'i at Arizona (Pac-12 Network, 10:45 p.m.)
Hawai'i plays its fourth game of the season already, having lost to California in Sydney and Michigan in Ann Arbor. They are coming off a win against FCS Tennessee-Martin to make them feel better, but now it's back to reality in Tucson this weekend. Arizona was dumped by BYU in their opener before narrowly avoiding disaster against FCS Gramling State last weekend. The Wildcats have failed to cover in two games, and the 'under' has cashed in each outing. Hawai'i is 1-5 ATS in their past six road games, while going 1-7 ATS in their past eight overall. Arizona is just 2-9 ATS in their past 11 games in the month of September, while going 2-7 ATS in their nine non-conference battles.
Other Games
Idaho State at Oregon State (Pac-12 Network, 5:00 p.m.)
Portland State at Washington (Pac-12 Network, 8:00 p.m.)
Utah at San Jose State (CBS Sports Network, 10:30 p.m.)
Other Games -- NOTES
Oregon State is looking to rebound after a loss at Minnesota in their opener Sept. 1. They've had 16 days to rebound and get prepare for Idaho State in what should be their first win of the season. Idaho State was hammered last weekend by Colorado by a 56-7 score last weekend. ... Portland State heads to Seattle to battle U-Dub for the first time since Sept. 15, 2012 when the Huskies came away with a 52-13 win. That Washington team paled in comparison to this season's squad, which has lofty expectations. Washington has covered both of their games while averaging 53.5 PPG and allowed 13.5 PPG and the 'over' has cashed in each. ... Utah heads to the Bay Area to meet San Jose State, and they enter as near two-touchdown favorites. The Utes are 4-1 ATS in their past five battles against Mountain West foes, and they're 11-3 ATS in their past 14 non-conference games. The Spartans are 1-1 ATS in two non-conference games this season, and 19-9 ATS in their past 28 outside the MWC. They're just 2-9 ATS in their past 11 against teams with a winning overall mark.
September 14, 2016
2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 1-1 0-0 0-2 0-2
Arizona State 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
California 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-0
Colorado 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
Oregon 2-0 0-0 0-2 1-1
Oregon State 0-1 0-0 1-0 0-1
Southern California 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
Stanford 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
UCLA 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-0-1
Utah 2-0 0-0 0-2 0-2
Washington 2-0 0-0 2-0 2-0
Washington State 0-2 0-0 1-1 1-1
Arizona State at Texas-San Antonio (Fri. - ESPN2, 9:30 p.m. ET)
The Sun Devils hit the road for Texas-San Antonio after a 68-55 shootout win against Texas Tech, while UTSA looks to rebound after a 23-14 setback at Colorado State a week ago. The Roadrunners are 0-2 ATS and the 'under' has cashed in each of their two games. The 'under' hasn't been a problem for Arizona State, as they're averaging 56.0 PPG while allowing 34.0 PPG while covering each of their first two games. The Sun Devils are 2-6 ATS in their past eight road games, while going 2-6 ATS in their past eight in the month of September. The Roadrunners are 1-4 ATS in their past five non-conference games while going 1-6-1 ATS in their past eight overall.
Idaho at Washington State (Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m.)
Idaho was waffled at Washington by a 59-14 score last weekend in Seattle, now they take on the Evergreen State's other Pac-12 representative. The last time these teams matched up it was WaZu winning 42-0 Sept. 21, 2013. The Vandals are averaging just 17.0 PPG while allowing 38.0 PPG. The Cougars are searching for their first win of the season after losing to FCS Eastern Washington in the opener, and at Boise State last weekend. However, the Cougs were much better in Boise. They nearly pulled off the upset, losing 31-28 as a near two-touchdown underdog. The Vandals are 1-4 ATS in their past five against the Pac-12, and 1-8 ATS in their past nine in September. The Cougs are still 5-1 ATS in their past six at home despite their loss to EWU, and they're 10-2 ATS in their past 12 overall.
Colorado at Michigan (Big Ten, 3:30 p.m. ET)
The Buffaloes hit the road for the Big House to face the high-flying Wolverines. Seeing Colorado-Michigan on the schedule brings back memories of Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook on a Hail Mary to sadden Ann Arbor back in 1994. Colorado is off to a hot start, spanking Colorado State 44-7 and then punishing FCS Idaho State by a 56-7 count. So far the Buffs are 2-0 ATS, but they will face, by far, their stiffest test Saturday. Michigan is averaging 57.0 PPG while allowing just 8.5 PPG, and they have covered two spreads of 36 or more points with the 'over' cashing in each outing. Colorado is 3-1-1 ATS in their past five non-conference tilts, but they're 11-23-1 ATS in their past 35 road outings. Michigan has covered four straight non-conference games while going 7-3 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning overall record. However, they are 1-9 ATS in their past 10 tries against Pac-12 foes.
Oregon at Nebraska (ABC, 3:30 p.m.)
Perhaps this game doesn't have the interest of Florida State-Louisville, Ohio State-Oklahoma, etc. However, the Ducks meeting former Oregon State head coach Mike Riley, who is now the head man in Nebraska. How's that for a storyline? Riley coached Oregon State to a 4-10 record against Oregon. The Ducks are 27-10 ATS in their past 37 against teams with a winning record, and an amazing 22-5 ATS in their past 27 road games. However, they are 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference games, including 0-2 ATS in their first two outings. The Huskers are 5-1 ATS in their past six non-conference battles while going 5-2 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record. Nebraska enters as a 3 1/2-point favorite. The 'over' is also 4-1 in Oregon's past five against a team with a winning record, and the over is 8-2 in Nebraska's past 10 non-conference games and 5-1 in their past six against teams with a winning overall mark.
Southern California at Stanford (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)
USC rebounded last week against Utah State, spanking the Aggies to make themselves feel better after being emasculated by Alabama in their opener. Stanford topped Kansas State and then had a week off, so they're fresh and ready for a visit from the Trojans. This line opened at 6 1/2 and quickly moved to 9 1/2 while the total holds steady at 53. USC is 2-6 ATS in their past eight overall, while going 7-19 ATS in their past 26 road outings. They're also 4-12 ATS in their past 16 road outings against a team with a winning home record. Stanford is 36-16-1 ATS in their past 53 conference games, and 39-18 ATS in their past 57 home games. The Trojans are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 against the Cardinal, while the road team is 9-3 ATS in the past 12 meetings. The underdog is also 8-2 ATS in the past 10 battles.
UCLA at Brigham Young (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.)
UCLA heads to Provo looking to top BYU again. They held off the Cougars last season by a 24-23 score, averting a near disaster as 16 1/2-point favorites at the Rose Bowl. UCLA lost to Texas A&M in their opener, and rebounded with a win over UNLV. They have failed to cover in either of their outings, and they're 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference games. BYU has covered both of their games, topping Arizona in the opener and then slipping up at Utah in the Holy War last week, electing to go for two in the final moments rather than kick an extra point and battle in overtime. The 'under' is 2-0 for BYU so far.
Texas at California (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
The Longhorns are climbing in the rankings after spanking Texas-El Paso last week, covering for the second time in as many games. California will be back home after dropping one at San Diego State last week against Heisman dark horse Donnel Pumphrey. The Bears were locked in a shootout last week, losing 45-40, and they figure to see more of the same against a Texas team averaged 45.5 PPG. Remember, the last time these two teams faced each other Sept.. 19, 2015, it was Cal coming away with a 45-44 win in Austin courtesy of a missed extra point. In this one, Texas is a much better team, while California isn't nearly as dangerous. Texas opened as a touchdown favorite and the line climbed to eight. The total is just shy of 80.
Hawai'i at Arizona (Pac-12 Network, 10:45 p.m.)
Hawai'i plays its fourth game of the season already, having lost to California in Sydney and Michigan in Ann Arbor. They are coming off a win against FCS Tennessee-Martin to make them feel better, but now it's back to reality in Tucson this weekend. Arizona was dumped by BYU in their opener before narrowly avoiding disaster against FCS Gramling State last weekend. The Wildcats have failed to cover in two games, and the 'under' has cashed in each outing. Hawai'i is 1-5 ATS in their past six road games, while going 1-7 ATS in their past eight overall. Arizona is just 2-9 ATS in their past 11 games in the month of September, while going 2-7 ATS in their nine non-conference battles.
Other Games
Idaho State at Oregon State (Pac-12 Network, 5:00 p.m.)
Portland State at Washington (Pac-12 Network, 8:00 p.m.)
Utah at San Jose State (CBS Sports Network, 10:30 p.m.)
Other Games -- NOTES
Oregon State is looking to rebound after a loss at Minnesota in their opener Sept. 1. They've had 16 days to rebound and get prepare for Idaho State in what should be their first win of the season. Idaho State was hammered last weekend by Colorado by a 56-7 score last weekend. ... Portland State heads to Seattle to battle U-Dub for the first time since Sept. 15, 2012 when the Huskies came away with a 52-13 win. That Washington team paled in comparison to this season's squad, which has lofty expectations. Washington has covered both of their games while averaging 53.5 PPG and allowed 13.5 PPG and the 'over' has cashed in each. ... Utah heads to the Bay Area to meet San Jose State, and they enter as near two-touchdown favorites. The Utes are 4-1 ATS in their past five battles against Mountain West foes, and they're 11-3 ATS in their past 14 non-conference games. The Spartans are 1-1 ATS in two non-conference games this season, and 19-9 ATS in their past 28 outside the MWC. They're just 2-9 ATS in their past 11 against teams with a winning overall mark.
ACC Report - Week 3
September 14, 2016
2016 ACC STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Boston College 1-1 0-1 1-0-1 0-2
Clemson 2-0 0-0 0-2 0-2
Duke 1-1 0-1 1-1 0-2
Florida State 2-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Georgia Tech 2-0 1-0 0-0-1 0-1
Louisville 2-0 1-0 2-0 2-0
Miami (Fla.) 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
North Carolina 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
North Carolina State 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-0-1
Pittsburgh 2-0 0-0 0-2 1-1
Syracuse 1-1 0-1 1-1 1-1
Virginia 0-2 0-0 1-1 0-1-1
Virginia Tech 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-1
Wake Forest 2-0 1-0 1-1 0-2
Florida State at Louisville (ABC, 12:00 p.m. ET)
We're going to find out a lot about Louisville Saturday afternoon, as ESPN's College Gameday visits for the first time in the program's history. More importantly, we're going to find out if Lamar Jackson is ready for prime time or still needs some seasoning. He has been putting up video game-like numbers in the first two outings, but a visit from Florida State's battle-tested defense is a different story. The Seminoles opened as 3 1/2-point favorites and it has been bet down to 2 at most shops, with more movement to come. The 'Noles are 4-1 ATS in their past five ACC games, and 5-2 ATS in their past seven road outings against teams with a winning home record. The Cardinals are 5-2 ATS in their past seven home games dating back to last season. The 'over' is 7-2 in FSU's past nine on fieldturf, while the 'under' is 9-3 in their past 12 ACC battles. The 'over' is 4-0 in the past four on fieldturf and 4-0 in the past in the ACC for the Cards.
Miami-Florida at Appalachian State (ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET)
Miami invades Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C. for perhaps the biggest game in Appalachian State's history. Well, the biggest game outside of their upset win at Michigan as an FCS squad. App State is an FBS team now in the Sun Belt Conference, and they're looking to make headlines again. The Mountaineers nearly pulled off an upset at Tennessee, taking the Vols to overtime before succumbing 20-13. Miami has rolled through Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic at home, going 2-0 ATS in the process. The line for this game opened at 4 1/2 and slipped to 3 1/2 as of Tuesday night. Can the Mountaineers shut down the speedy Hurricanes? Miami is 5-1 ATS in their past six games in September, while App State is 0-5 ATS in their past five following a straight up win and 1-4 ATS in their past five at home.
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech (ACC Network, 12:30 p.m. ET)
Vandy goes from the capital of Tennessee to the capital of Georgia to battle the Ramblin' Wreck. Anyone going to this game have a slaw dog for me at The Varsity and tell me all about it. The Commodores are 14-6 ATS in their past 20 road games, and 12-4 ATS in their past 16 on the road against teams with a winning home record. The Yellow Jackets are 13-6-1 ATS in their past 20 in September, but just 1-4 ATS in their past five at home, 2-5 ATS in their past seven against the SEC and 1-9-1 ATS in their past 11 games overall. The trends point to an 'under' result, as the under is 7-1 in Vandy's past eight on the road and 7-2 in their past nine against teams with an overall winning record. The under is 5-1 in Ga. Tech's past six and 5-2 in their past seven against SEC foes. The line for this game is set at Georgia Tech -6 1/2 points and a total of 43.
Virgnia at Connecitcut (ESPN3, 1:30 p.m.)
Virginia heads to UConn searching for their first taste of victory after an extremely disappointing opening game loss to FCS Richmond, and a drubbing at the hands of Oregon at Autzen last weekend. UConn nearly met the same fate in their opener, edging FCS Maine 24-21 despite entering as a 27-point favorite. The Huskies played Navy tough in Annapolis, but were dumped 28-24. The 'over' has connected in each of UConn's first two games while going 0-2 ATS. The Cavaliers are also 0-2 ATS in their first two games, so something's gotta give. Connecticuts enters as 4 1/2-point favorite with a total of 48 1/2.
Boston College at Virginia Tech (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.)
The Eagles head to Blacksburg for their second conference game of the season already, while the Hokies look to rebound after Tennessee raced past them at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend. The Eagles have already been to Ireland and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, and now head to Virginia, failing to play a game on campus yet. They're 5-1 ATS in their past six games on the road, including last weekend's cover against UMass. The Hokies have covered just once in the past five at Lane Stadium, and they're a dismal 5-16-1 ATS in their past 22 in the month of September. Boston College has owned this series, at least against the number, going 4-1 ATS in the past five, and 8-3 ATS in their past 11 trips to Blacksburg. The underdog is also 4-1 ATS in the past five.
Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.)
The Panthers outlasted Penn State in an emotional rivalry game, and now turn around for another difficult matchup on the road. Oklahoma State was jobbed by the refs last weekend before falling on a miraculous hook and ladder play against Central Michigan that should have never been allowed to occur. OK State enters as a six-point favorite, and they should be mighty angry after their loss last weekend. Pittsburgh is 6-2 ATS in their past eight road games, but just 2-6 ATS in their past eight in September and 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference tilts. OK State is 0-4 ATS in their past four against teams with a winning record, and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 after a straight-up loss.
South Florida at Syracuse (ACC Network, 3:30 p.m.)
South Florida tuned up Northern Illinois at the Ray Jay last weekend, now they hit the road for the Carrier Dome against a Syracuse team which served as punching bag for Lamar Jackson and Louisville last Friday. USF has been hot against the number, covering six of their past seven in the month of September, 6-2 ATS in their past eight non-conference games and 5-2 ATS in their past seven on the road. The Orange is still 5-2 ATS in their past seven against winning teams despite being manhandled last weekend, and they're 5-1 ATS in their past six under the dome. however, they are just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.
Old Dominion at North Carolina State (ACC Network, 6:00 p.m.)
Old Dominion pummeled FCS Hampton in their opener to cover a 24-point line, and then were smashed at App State 31-7. N.C. State returns home from the coastal plain after being dumped by East Carolina last weekend. These sides met last season in Virginia, with the Wolfpack pushing aside the Monarchs 38-14 to cover a 17-point number. The last time these teams met in Raleigh, ODU covered a 15 1/2-point number in a 46-34 loss, but that was also with their former dynamic QB Taylor Heinicke, who now carries a clipboard on Sundays for the Minnesota Vikings. N.C. State enters as a 21 1/2-point favorite with a total of 58. ODU is 1-7 ATS in their past eight non-conference tilts, and 1-5 ATS in their past six on the road. The Wolfpack are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 non-conference battles despite last weekend's debacle, but they're just 1-4 ATS in their past five at Carter-Finley.
Duke at Northwestern (Big Ten, 8:00 p.m.)
Duke looks to rebound after taking it on the chin 24-14 to Wake Forest in Durham. Northwestern has really struggled to open the season, falling by a point in their opener to Western Michigan before being stunned by FCS Illinois State in a defensive slog last weekend. The Wildcats are averaging 14.0 PPG with two 'under' results and they're 0-2 ATS. The Blue Devils have split their first two games with a pair of 'under' results. The last time these clubs met, it was Northwestern winning 19-10 at Wallace Wade Stadium Sept. 17, 2016, in a game I actually attended. You can expect another low-scoring battle in Evanston between two disjointed offensive units.
Other Games
South Carolina State at Clemson (ACC Network, 12:00 p.m.)
James Madison at North Carolina (ACC Network. 3:30 p.m.)
Delaware at Wake Forest (ACC Network, 6:30 p.m.)
Other Games -- NOTES
Clemson was nearly tripped up by Troy last weekend. Look for the Tigers, 0-2 ATS, to get on track against an in-state FCS foe. The last time these squads met it was a 73-7 lesson that the Bulldogs are likely still feeling. SCSU enters 0-2, having lost to UCF 38-0 in their opener Sept. 3, and 53-24 to Louisiana Tech last weekend. ... UNC handled their business, topping a Power 5 team on the road, albeit a bottom-feeder in Illinois. Now, the Tar Heels take another breather against the Dukes of James Madison. The Dukes are averaging 68.0 points per game, including an 80-spot against Morehead State in their opener. ... Wake Forest is suddenly thinking bowl after winning at Duke to move to 2-0. A win against the Blue Hens and they're halfway home to bowl eligibility in mid-September.
September 14, 2016
2016 ACC STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Boston College 1-1 0-1 1-0-1 0-2
Clemson 2-0 0-0 0-2 0-2
Duke 1-1 0-1 1-1 0-2
Florida State 2-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Georgia Tech 2-0 1-0 0-0-1 0-1
Louisville 2-0 1-0 2-0 2-0
Miami (Fla.) 2-0 0-0 2-0 1-1
North Carolina 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-1
North Carolina State 1-1 0-0 1-1 1-0-1
Pittsburgh 2-0 0-0 0-2 1-1
Syracuse 1-1 0-1 1-1 1-1
Virginia 0-2 0-0 1-1 0-1-1
Virginia Tech 1-1 0-0 0-2 1-1
Wake Forest 2-0 1-0 1-1 0-2
Florida State at Louisville (ABC, 12:00 p.m. ET)
We're going to find out a lot about Louisville Saturday afternoon, as ESPN's College Gameday visits for the first time in the program's history. More importantly, we're going to find out if Lamar Jackson is ready for prime time or still needs some seasoning. He has been putting up video game-like numbers in the first two outings, but a visit from Florida State's battle-tested defense is a different story. The Seminoles opened as 3 1/2-point favorites and it has been bet down to 2 at most shops, with more movement to come. The 'Noles are 4-1 ATS in their past five ACC games, and 5-2 ATS in their past seven road outings against teams with a winning home record. The Cardinals are 5-2 ATS in their past seven home games dating back to last season. The 'over' is 7-2 in FSU's past nine on fieldturf, while the 'under' is 9-3 in their past 12 ACC battles. The 'over' is 4-0 in the past four on fieldturf and 4-0 in the past in the ACC for the Cards.
Miami-Florida at Appalachian State (ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET)
Miami invades Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C. for perhaps the biggest game in Appalachian State's history. Well, the biggest game outside of their upset win at Michigan as an FCS squad. App State is an FBS team now in the Sun Belt Conference, and they're looking to make headlines again. The Mountaineers nearly pulled off an upset at Tennessee, taking the Vols to overtime before succumbing 20-13. Miami has rolled through Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic at home, going 2-0 ATS in the process. The line for this game opened at 4 1/2 and slipped to 3 1/2 as of Tuesday night. Can the Mountaineers shut down the speedy Hurricanes? Miami is 5-1 ATS in their past six games in September, while App State is 0-5 ATS in their past five following a straight up win and 1-4 ATS in their past five at home.
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech (ACC Network, 12:30 p.m. ET)
Vandy goes from the capital of Tennessee to the capital of Georgia to battle the Ramblin' Wreck. Anyone going to this game have a slaw dog for me at The Varsity and tell me all about it. The Commodores are 14-6 ATS in their past 20 road games, and 12-4 ATS in their past 16 on the road against teams with a winning home record. The Yellow Jackets are 13-6-1 ATS in their past 20 in September, but just 1-4 ATS in their past five at home, 2-5 ATS in their past seven against the SEC and 1-9-1 ATS in their past 11 games overall. The trends point to an 'under' result, as the under is 7-1 in Vandy's past eight on the road and 7-2 in their past nine against teams with an overall winning record. The under is 5-1 in Ga. Tech's past six and 5-2 in their past seven against SEC foes. The line for this game is set at Georgia Tech -6 1/2 points and a total of 43.
Virgnia at Connecitcut (ESPN3, 1:30 p.m.)
Virginia heads to UConn searching for their first taste of victory after an extremely disappointing opening game loss to FCS Richmond, and a drubbing at the hands of Oregon at Autzen last weekend. UConn nearly met the same fate in their opener, edging FCS Maine 24-21 despite entering as a 27-point favorite. The Huskies played Navy tough in Annapolis, but were dumped 28-24. The 'over' has connected in each of UConn's first two games while going 0-2 ATS. The Cavaliers are also 0-2 ATS in their first two games, so something's gotta give. Connecticuts enters as 4 1/2-point favorite with a total of 48 1/2.
Boston College at Virginia Tech (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.)
The Eagles head to Blacksburg for their second conference game of the season already, while the Hokies look to rebound after Tennessee raced past them at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend. The Eagles have already been to Ireland and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, and now head to Virginia, failing to play a game on campus yet. They're 5-1 ATS in their past six games on the road, including last weekend's cover against UMass. The Hokies have covered just once in the past five at Lane Stadium, and they're a dismal 5-16-1 ATS in their past 22 in the month of September. Boston College has owned this series, at least against the number, going 4-1 ATS in the past five, and 8-3 ATS in their past 11 trips to Blacksburg. The underdog is also 4-1 ATS in the past five.
Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.)
The Panthers outlasted Penn State in an emotional rivalry game, and now turn around for another difficult matchup on the road. Oklahoma State was jobbed by the refs last weekend before falling on a miraculous hook and ladder play against Central Michigan that should have never been allowed to occur. OK State enters as a six-point favorite, and they should be mighty angry after their loss last weekend. Pittsburgh is 6-2 ATS in their past eight road games, but just 2-6 ATS in their past eight in September and 0-4 ATS in their past four non-conference tilts. OK State is 0-4 ATS in their past four against teams with a winning record, and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 after a straight-up loss.
South Florida at Syracuse (ACC Network, 3:30 p.m.)
South Florida tuned up Northern Illinois at the Ray Jay last weekend, now they hit the road for the Carrier Dome against a Syracuse team which served as punching bag for Lamar Jackson and Louisville last Friday. USF has been hot against the number, covering six of their past seven in the month of September, 6-2 ATS in their past eight non-conference games and 5-2 ATS in their past seven on the road. The Orange is still 5-2 ATS in their past seven against winning teams despite being manhandled last weekend, and they're 5-1 ATS in their past six under the dome. however, they are just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.
Old Dominion at North Carolina State (ACC Network, 6:00 p.m.)
Old Dominion pummeled FCS Hampton in their opener to cover a 24-point line, and then were smashed at App State 31-7. N.C. State returns home from the coastal plain after being dumped by East Carolina last weekend. These sides met last season in Virginia, with the Wolfpack pushing aside the Monarchs 38-14 to cover a 17-point number. The last time these teams met in Raleigh, ODU covered a 15 1/2-point number in a 46-34 loss, but that was also with their former dynamic QB Taylor Heinicke, who now carries a clipboard on Sundays for the Minnesota Vikings. N.C. State enters as a 21 1/2-point favorite with a total of 58. ODU is 1-7 ATS in their past eight non-conference tilts, and 1-5 ATS in their past six on the road. The Wolfpack are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 non-conference battles despite last weekend's debacle, but they're just 1-4 ATS in their past five at Carter-Finley.
Duke at Northwestern (Big Ten, 8:00 p.m.)
Duke looks to rebound after taking it on the chin 24-14 to Wake Forest in Durham. Northwestern has really struggled to open the season, falling by a point in their opener to Western Michigan before being stunned by FCS Illinois State in a defensive slog last weekend. The Wildcats are averaging 14.0 PPG with two 'under' results and they're 0-2 ATS. The Blue Devils have split their first two games with a pair of 'under' results. The last time these clubs met, it was Northwestern winning 19-10 at Wallace Wade Stadium Sept. 17, 2016, in a game I actually attended. You can expect another low-scoring battle in Evanston between two disjointed offensive units.
Other Games
South Carolina State at Clemson (ACC Network, 12:00 p.m.)
James Madison at North Carolina (ACC Network. 3:30 p.m.)
Delaware at Wake Forest (ACC Network, 6:30 p.m.)
Other Games -- NOTES
Clemson was nearly tripped up by Troy last weekend. Look for the Tigers, 0-2 ATS, to get on track against an in-state FCS foe. The last time these squads met it was a 73-7 lesson that the Bulldogs are likely still feeling. SCSU enters 0-2, having lost to UCF 38-0 in their opener Sept. 3, and 53-24 to Louisiana Tech last weekend. ... UNC handled their business, topping a Power 5 team on the road, albeit a bottom-feeder in Illinois. Now, the Tar Heels take another breather against the Dukes of James Madison. The Dukes are averaging 68.0 points per game, including an 80-spot against Morehead State in their opener. ... Wake Forest is suddenly thinking bowl after winning at Duke to move to 2-0. A win against the Blue Hens and they're halfway home to bowl eligibility in mid-September.
Best Bets - Week 3
September 15, 2016
There are some huge games on the college football schedule this week as potential playoff aspirations for the likes of Oklahoma and Notre Dame would be dashed with another loss.
Alabama is in Mississippi with double revenge after losing to Ole Miss the past two seasons, and we can't forget about the huge matchup between Florida State and Louisville.
Ranked vs. Ranked games typically generate the most headlines, but savvy college football bettors know that there is often much more value elsewhere on the board, and that's where I'm looking with this week's best bets.
Best Bet #1: Oklahoma State -4.5
By all accounts the Oklahoma State Cowboys got screwed out of a victory last week thanks to an improper application of a rule giving Central Michigan one untimed down. Central Michigan made the most of it with a Hail Mary-lateral play for the game winning TD, sparking a tremendous amount of controversy.
Even with the misapplication of the rules, Oklahoma State should have never put themselves in that position as they could have simply ran around the field on their 4th down play for 4 seconds to run out the clock, rather than simply chuck it up and get the intentional grounding flag.
It was poor game management by the entire OK State staff and players, and bettors are already looking to go against them this week (line has moved from -6.5 to current number) after that type of defeat.
However, going the other way and backing OK State is the better bet here as this team knows they were wronged and are anxious to take out their frustrations on somebody. Enter Pittsburgh, fresh off a 3-point victory over old rival Penn State.
Pittsburgh's offense surprised many by putting up 42 points on the Nittany Lions a week ago (the total in that game was 44), but they'll have a tough time matching points with a high-powered Cowboys team that is pissed off.
Pittsburgh is on an 0-4 ATS run in non-conference games and have a 1-4 ATS run going when coming off a win.
Stylistically this is a very tough matchup for Pitt and when you add in the mindset of this OK State team right now, expect the Cowboys to rattle off a double digit victory here.
Best Bet #2: California +7.5
Cal finally gets to play a home game this year after opening up the campaign in Australia a few weeks ago and losing (but covering) in San Diego State last week.
The Golden Bears welcome in a Texas team that has been a great story in CFB so far this year, but this is an absolutely brutal spot for the Longhorns to be laying more than a TD.
Texas has put up 91 points in their two victories so far and this game should be another high-scoring game. The Longhorns do have the revenge angle in their favor after losing 45-44 in a wild game vs. Cal last season, but with this being the start of a three-game road trip for Texas with Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on deck, there is a solid chance Texas has one eye on opening up their conference schedule next week.
If this game was in the -3.5 to -4.5 range the tune might be a little different, but Texas laying -7.5 points here is simply too much.
Texas is just 1-4 ATS in their last five on the road, and last week's cover vs. UTEP was just the third time in the past 12 games that Texas has won ATS after scoring 40+ points.
The Longhorns put up 40 points in last week's victory so that same negative scenario applies here.
September 15, 2016
There are some huge games on the college football schedule this week as potential playoff aspirations for the likes of Oklahoma and Notre Dame would be dashed with another loss.
Alabama is in Mississippi with double revenge after losing to Ole Miss the past two seasons, and we can't forget about the huge matchup between Florida State and Louisville.
Ranked vs. Ranked games typically generate the most headlines, but savvy college football bettors know that there is often much more value elsewhere on the board, and that's where I'm looking with this week's best bets.
Best Bet #1: Oklahoma State -4.5
By all accounts the Oklahoma State Cowboys got screwed out of a victory last week thanks to an improper application of a rule giving Central Michigan one untimed down. Central Michigan made the most of it with a Hail Mary-lateral play for the game winning TD, sparking a tremendous amount of controversy.
Even with the misapplication of the rules, Oklahoma State should have never put themselves in that position as they could have simply ran around the field on their 4th down play for 4 seconds to run out the clock, rather than simply chuck it up and get the intentional grounding flag.
It was poor game management by the entire OK State staff and players, and bettors are already looking to go against them this week (line has moved from -6.5 to current number) after that type of defeat.
However, going the other way and backing OK State is the better bet here as this team knows they were wronged and are anxious to take out their frustrations on somebody. Enter Pittsburgh, fresh off a 3-point victory over old rival Penn State.
Pittsburgh's offense surprised many by putting up 42 points on the Nittany Lions a week ago (the total in that game was 44), but they'll have a tough time matching points with a high-powered Cowboys team that is pissed off.
Pittsburgh is on an 0-4 ATS run in non-conference games and have a 1-4 ATS run going when coming off a win.
Stylistically this is a very tough matchup for Pitt and when you add in the mindset of this OK State team right now, expect the Cowboys to rattle off a double digit victory here.
Best Bet #2: California +7.5
Cal finally gets to play a home game this year after opening up the campaign in Australia a few weeks ago and losing (but covering) in San Diego State last week.
The Golden Bears welcome in a Texas team that has been a great story in CFB so far this year, but this is an absolutely brutal spot for the Longhorns to be laying more than a TD.
Texas has put up 91 points in their two victories so far and this game should be another high-scoring game. The Longhorns do have the revenge angle in their favor after losing 45-44 in a wild game vs. Cal last season, but with this being the start of a three-game road trip for Texas with Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on deck, there is a solid chance Texas has one eye on opening up their conference schedule next week.
If this game was in the -3.5 to -4.5 range the tune might be a little different, but Texas laying -7.5 points here is simply too much.
Texas is just 1-4 ATS in their last five on the road, and last week's cover vs. UTEP was just the third time in the past 12 games that Texas has won ATS after scoring 40+ points.
The Longhorns put up 40 points in last week's victory so that same negative scenario applies here.
Friday's Tip Sheet
September 14, 2016
**Baylor at Rice**
-- As of early Wednesday, most books had Baylor (2-0 straight up, 0-2 against the spread) installed as a 30.5-point favorite with a total of 65.5 points. One offshore shop, SBG Global, had the Owls with 45/1 money-line odds.
-- After failing to cover in its first two games, Baylor is mired in a 2-7 ATS slump in its last nine outings dating back to last season.
-- Jim Grobe’s team beat Northwestern State 55-7 as a 50-point home favorite in its season opener on Sept. 2. The Bears led 48-0 at intermission and went ahead of the number with a 55-0 advantage on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Blake Lynch to Zach Smith with 11:13 left in the third quarter. However, the Demons scored late in the third quarter and they took the cash when both teams went scoreless in the final stanza.
-- Baylor’s defense limited Northwestern State to 78 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Seth Russell connected on 14-of-20 passes for 163 yards and four TDs without an interception. Shock Linwood rushed for 97 yards on nine carries, while Terrence Williams ran for 72 yards and a pair of TDs on 11 carries.
-- Baylor didn’t have it as easy when it hosted SMU in Week 2 last Saturday. In fact, the Mustangs advanced into the red zone twice in the first quarter, setting line for short field goals and a 6-0 lead. The Bears pulled even with Chris Callahan’s second field goal with 1:15 left until halftime. At this point, I was extremely tempted to fire down on Baylor as a 16.5-point favorite for second-half wagers, but I inexplicably passed on this great opportunity. The Bears scored three quick TDs to go ahead 26-6 with 4:55 left in the third quarter. The Mustangs would answer with a TD to trim the deficit to 26-13 with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter. But Baylor tacked on two more scores en route to a 40-13 victory. It failed to cover the number for the game (-34.5), but easily cashed tickets for second-half supporters.
-- Rice (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) has posted a pair of 10-win seasons during David Bailiff’s 10-year tenure. The Owls went to three consecutive bowl games from 2012-2014, but that streak was snapped when they limped to a 5-7 finish. They’ve been to the postseason four times under Bailiff, winning three bowl games.
-- Rice returned seven starters on offense and nine on defense from last year’s team. Nevertheless, it has lost both of its first two games by lopsided margins. In the opener at Western Ky. on a Thursday, the Owls lost 46-14 as 19-point road underdogs. Rice gave up 649 yards of offense to the Hilltoppers. Senior QB Tyler Stehling threw for 183 yards but was intercepted twice. Stehling rushed for a team-high 85 yards and one TD on just 11 carries.
-- Rice was on the road again last week, dropping a 31-14 decision at Army as an 8.5-point underdog. The Owls were minus two in the turnover department for a second straight week. Stehling completed 16-of-30 passes for 197 yards with one TD and an interception. Darik Dillard ran for a team-best 52 yards on eight carries.
-- The ‘under’ has cashed in both of Rice’s games to date.
-- Rice owns an 11-11-2 spread record in 24 games as a home underdog on Bailiff’s watch.
-- Baylor senior starting CB Ryan Reid is ‘questionable’ at Rice with an ankle injury. Reid has 69 career tackles, 20 passes broken up, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one tackle for loss.
-- Since 1993, Baylor owns a 7-0 record both SU and ATS in head-to-head meetings against Rice, winning the last five games by 17 points or more. The Owls last beat the Bears in 1992 by a 34-31 count as 1.5-point home underdogs. These schools met last year in Waco with Baylor capturing a 70-17 victory as a 33-point home ‘chalk.’ Russell completed 12-of-16 passes for 277 yards and six TDs without an interception, while Shock Linwood rushed 16 times for 158 yards and one TD.
-- The ‘over’ is 3-1 in the last four head-to-head encounters between these in-state rivals.
-- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**Arkansas State at Utah State**
-- Two of college football’s top-tier mid-major programs are set to collide Friday night in Logan, with both schools in dire need of a victory. As of early Wednesday, most spots had the Aggies listed as nine-point favorites with a total of 56.5 points. The Red Wolves were available for a +280 payout if they win outright (risk $100 to win $280). For first-half bets, Utah State was favored by six at a few offshore shops, but there wasn’t a total yet.
-- Arkansas State (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) has to be one of the nation’s most disappointing teams at this early date. The Red Wolves brought back six starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that went 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS. They also added a former five-star recruit in Alabama transfer DT Dee Liner, in addition to former All-American return man Cameron Echols-Luper from TCU. Other additions included QB Chad Voytik, a grad transfer and former starter at Pitt, and WR Kendall Sanders, a former four-star recruit who started seven games at Texas before sitting out last year per transfer rules.
-- Arkansas State opened the year at home as a 4.5-point favorite versus Toledo, which had run the Red Wolves out of The Glass Bowl by a 37-7 count in 2015. But the revenge angle didn’t matter, as the Rockets dealt out woodshed treatment again. This time around, Toledo easily won 31-10, cashing money-line tickets in the +160 neighborhood. The Rockets enjoyed 556-266 and 24-13 advantages in total offense and first downs, respectively. Voytik completed just 11-of-24 passes for 124 yards. The Red Wolves were plus two in turnover margin, but it didn’t help.
-- In Week 2, Blake Anderson’s squad took a 51-14 shellacking at Auburn as a 20.5-point underdog. The 65 combined points soared ‘over’ the 51-point total. Arkansas State allowed 706 yards of total offense to an AU team that hasn’t exactly been producing points galore recently. On the bright side, Voytik played better by connecting on 15-of-21 throws for 215 yards. He also ran for both of the Red Wolves’ TDs.
-- Liner hasn’t had much of an impact yet, recording four tackles and one QB hurry. Sanders has only one catch for three yards.
-- Arkansas State has posted a 2-4 spread record in six games as a road underdog during Anderson’s three-year tenure.
-- Utah State (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) trashed Weber State 45-6 in its opener as a 21-point home favorite. Devante Mays was the catalyst with 208 rushing yards and three TDs on 18 carries.
-- Matt Wells’s team went to The Coliseum to face Southern Cal in his first season in 2013, losing 17-14 but covering the number as a six-point underdog. But it was a different story last weekend when Utah State caught the Trojans in a foul mood one week after being decimated by Alabama at Jerry World. USC cruised to a 45-7 victory as a 15.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 52 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 54.5-point total. Mays was limited to 24 yards on eight carries before he was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury. Kent Myers completed 25-of-37 passes for 204 yards with one TD and one interception.
-- Mays is ‘questionable’ vs. Arkansas State due to the ankle injury. Also, Utah State senior starting CB Daniel Gray (neck) is listed as ‘doubtful.’
-- Utah State owns a 9-7 spread record in 16 game as a home favorite during Wells’s tenure.
-- The CBS Sports College Network will provide the broadcast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Arizona State at Texas-San Antonio**
-- As of early Wednesday, most books had Arizona State (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) as a 19-point favorite with a total of 60. Sportsbook.ag had the Roadrunners with 10/1 odds to win outright (risk $100 to win $1,000).
-- Todd Graham’s squad picked up a solid non-conference win in Week 2 when it captured a 68-55 victory over Texas Tech as a one-point home underdog. The 123 combined points roared past and ‘over’ the 80-point tally. Manny Wilkins completed 28-of-37 passes for 351 yards and two TDs without an interception. Wilkins also ran for 55 yards on 10 totes. Kalen Ballage enjoyed a career night by rushing for seven TDs and 137 yards on just 13 carries. Demario Richard ran 30 times for 109 rushing yards, while Ballage also had two receptions for 48 yards and another TD. N’Keal Harry, the true freshman who was the prize of Graham’s 2016 recruiting haul, had six catches for 72 yards and one TD.
-- In its season opener, ASU thumped No. Arizona by a 44-13 score as a 27-point home ‘chalk.’ The 57 combined points remained ‘under’ the 76-point total. The Sun Devils led by just seven (10-3) at intermission and they weren’t looking good to cover with a 20-6 advantage going into the final stanza. But they outscored No. Arizona 24-7 in the fourth quarter to take the cash. ASU went ahead of the number for the first time with 2:46 left thanks to a 12-yard TD scamper from Nick Ralston. Wilkins threw for 180 yards and one interception, but he rushed for a team-high 89 yards and one score on 14 carries. Richard had 78 rushing yards and one TD on 19 totes, while Ballage had 56 rushing yards and one TD on 10 carries. Tim White had nine receptions for 95 yards.
-- ASU has compiled a 6-3 spread record in nine games as a road favorite during Graham’s five-year tenure.
-- ASU might be without its two leading tacklers from last season. LB Salamo Fiso remained suspended, while LB Christian Sam is ‘questionable’ with a foot injury. Fiso had 99 tackles, 15.5 TFL’s, 4.5 sacks and one interception in ’15, while Sam had 98 tackles, three sacks, three TFL’s and one interception last year.
-- UTSA (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) opened the year by beating Alabama State 26-13 as a 24-point home ‘chalk.’ Junior QB Dalton Sturm connected on 20-of-25 passes for 274 yards and two TDs with one interception. Sturm rushed for 52 yards and another score on just three attempts. Jalen Rhodes ran for a team-best 78 yards and one TD on 16 carries.
-- UTSA went on the road in Week 2 and dropped a 23-14 decision to Colorado State for a frustrating ATS loss as an 8.5-point underdog. The Rams covered the number thanks to a 46-yard field goal with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners went 0-for-3 on fourth-down plays. Sturm completed 15-of-23 passes for 176 yards and two TDs with one interception. The ground game for UTSA was a joke, though, as it had minus one yards on 34 attempts. Sacks led to Sturm accounting for -57 yards on 10 attempts. Rhodes was limited to 39 rushing yards on 13 carries, though he did have five catches for 54 yards.
-- UTSA is 5-5 ATS in 10 games as a home underdog in the program’s brief history.
-- Arizona State has lost outright in seven of its last eight road openers.
-- ESPN2 will have the telecast at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.
September 14, 2016
**Baylor at Rice**
-- As of early Wednesday, most books had Baylor (2-0 straight up, 0-2 against the spread) installed as a 30.5-point favorite with a total of 65.5 points. One offshore shop, SBG Global, had the Owls with 45/1 money-line odds.
-- After failing to cover in its first two games, Baylor is mired in a 2-7 ATS slump in its last nine outings dating back to last season.
-- Jim Grobe’s team beat Northwestern State 55-7 as a 50-point home favorite in its season opener on Sept. 2. The Bears led 48-0 at intermission and went ahead of the number with a 55-0 advantage on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Blake Lynch to Zach Smith with 11:13 left in the third quarter. However, the Demons scored late in the third quarter and they took the cash when both teams went scoreless in the final stanza.
-- Baylor’s defense limited Northwestern State to 78 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Seth Russell connected on 14-of-20 passes for 163 yards and four TDs without an interception. Shock Linwood rushed for 97 yards on nine carries, while Terrence Williams ran for 72 yards and a pair of TDs on 11 carries.
-- Baylor didn’t have it as easy when it hosted SMU in Week 2 last Saturday. In fact, the Mustangs advanced into the red zone twice in the first quarter, setting line for short field goals and a 6-0 lead. The Bears pulled even with Chris Callahan’s second field goal with 1:15 left until halftime. At this point, I was extremely tempted to fire down on Baylor as a 16.5-point favorite for second-half wagers, but I inexplicably passed on this great opportunity. The Bears scored three quick TDs to go ahead 26-6 with 4:55 left in the third quarter. The Mustangs would answer with a TD to trim the deficit to 26-13 with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter. But Baylor tacked on two more scores en route to a 40-13 victory. It failed to cover the number for the game (-34.5), but easily cashed tickets for second-half supporters.
-- Rice (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) has posted a pair of 10-win seasons during David Bailiff’s 10-year tenure. The Owls went to three consecutive bowl games from 2012-2014, but that streak was snapped when they limped to a 5-7 finish. They’ve been to the postseason four times under Bailiff, winning three bowl games.
-- Rice returned seven starters on offense and nine on defense from last year’s team. Nevertheless, it has lost both of its first two games by lopsided margins. In the opener at Western Ky. on a Thursday, the Owls lost 46-14 as 19-point road underdogs. Rice gave up 649 yards of offense to the Hilltoppers. Senior QB Tyler Stehling threw for 183 yards but was intercepted twice. Stehling rushed for a team-high 85 yards and one TD on just 11 carries.
-- Rice was on the road again last week, dropping a 31-14 decision at Army as an 8.5-point underdog. The Owls were minus two in the turnover department for a second straight week. Stehling completed 16-of-30 passes for 197 yards with one TD and an interception. Darik Dillard ran for a team-best 52 yards on eight carries.
-- The ‘under’ has cashed in both of Rice’s games to date.
-- Rice owns an 11-11-2 spread record in 24 games as a home underdog on Bailiff’s watch.
-- Baylor senior starting CB Ryan Reid is ‘questionable’ at Rice with an ankle injury. Reid has 69 career tackles, 20 passes broken up, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one tackle for loss.
-- Since 1993, Baylor owns a 7-0 record both SU and ATS in head-to-head meetings against Rice, winning the last five games by 17 points or more. The Owls last beat the Bears in 1992 by a 34-31 count as 1.5-point home underdogs. These schools met last year in Waco with Baylor capturing a 70-17 victory as a 33-point home ‘chalk.’ Russell completed 12-of-16 passes for 277 yards and six TDs without an interception, while Shock Linwood rushed 16 times for 158 yards and one TD.
-- The ‘over’ is 3-1 in the last four head-to-head encounters between these in-state rivals.
-- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**Arkansas State at Utah State**
-- Two of college football’s top-tier mid-major programs are set to collide Friday night in Logan, with both schools in dire need of a victory. As of early Wednesday, most spots had the Aggies listed as nine-point favorites with a total of 56.5 points. The Red Wolves were available for a +280 payout if they win outright (risk $100 to win $280). For first-half bets, Utah State was favored by six at a few offshore shops, but there wasn’t a total yet.
-- Arkansas State (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) has to be one of the nation’s most disappointing teams at this early date. The Red Wolves brought back six starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that went 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS. They also added a former five-star recruit in Alabama transfer DT Dee Liner, in addition to former All-American return man Cameron Echols-Luper from TCU. Other additions included QB Chad Voytik, a grad transfer and former starter at Pitt, and WR Kendall Sanders, a former four-star recruit who started seven games at Texas before sitting out last year per transfer rules.
-- Arkansas State opened the year at home as a 4.5-point favorite versus Toledo, which had run the Red Wolves out of The Glass Bowl by a 37-7 count in 2015. But the revenge angle didn’t matter, as the Rockets dealt out woodshed treatment again. This time around, Toledo easily won 31-10, cashing money-line tickets in the +160 neighborhood. The Rockets enjoyed 556-266 and 24-13 advantages in total offense and first downs, respectively. Voytik completed just 11-of-24 passes for 124 yards. The Red Wolves were plus two in turnover margin, but it didn’t help.
-- In Week 2, Blake Anderson’s squad took a 51-14 shellacking at Auburn as a 20.5-point underdog. The 65 combined points soared ‘over’ the 51-point total. Arkansas State allowed 706 yards of total offense to an AU team that hasn’t exactly been producing points galore recently. On the bright side, Voytik played better by connecting on 15-of-21 throws for 215 yards. He also ran for both of the Red Wolves’ TDs.
-- Liner hasn’t had much of an impact yet, recording four tackles and one QB hurry. Sanders has only one catch for three yards.
-- Arkansas State has posted a 2-4 spread record in six games as a road underdog during Anderson’s three-year tenure.
-- Utah State (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) trashed Weber State 45-6 in its opener as a 21-point home favorite. Devante Mays was the catalyst with 208 rushing yards and three TDs on 18 carries.
-- Matt Wells’s team went to The Coliseum to face Southern Cal in his first season in 2013, losing 17-14 but covering the number as a six-point underdog. But it was a different story last weekend when Utah State caught the Trojans in a foul mood one week after being decimated by Alabama at Jerry World. USC cruised to a 45-7 victory as a 15.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 52 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 54.5-point total. Mays was limited to 24 yards on eight carries before he was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury. Kent Myers completed 25-of-37 passes for 204 yards with one TD and one interception.
-- Mays is ‘questionable’ vs. Arkansas State due to the ankle injury. Also, Utah State senior starting CB Daniel Gray (neck) is listed as ‘doubtful.’
-- Utah State owns a 9-7 spread record in 16 game as a home favorite during Wells’s tenure.
-- The CBS Sports College Network will provide the broadcast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Arizona State at Texas-San Antonio**
-- As of early Wednesday, most books had Arizona State (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) as a 19-point favorite with a total of 60. Sportsbook.ag had the Roadrunners with 10/1 odds to win outright (risk $100 to win $1,000).
-- Todd Graham’s squad picked up a solid non-conference win in Week 2 when it captured a 68-55 victory over Texas Tech as a one-point home underdog. The 123 combined points roared past and ‘over’ the 80-point tally. Manny Wilkins completed 28-of-37 passes for 351 yards and two TDs without an interception. Wilkins also ran for 55 yards on 10 totes. Kalen Ballage enjoyed a career night by rushing for seven TDs and 137 yards on just 13 carries. Demario Richard ran 30 times for 109 rushing yards, while Ballage also had two receptions for 48 yards and another TD. N’Keal Harry, the true freshman who was the prize of Graham’s 2016 recruiting haul, had six catches for 72 yards and one TD.
-- In its season opener, ASU thumped No. Arizona by a 44-13 score as a 27-point home ‘chalk.’ The 57 combined points remained ‘under’ the 76-point total. The Sun Devils led by just seven (10-3) at intermission and they weren’t looking good to cover with a 20-6 advantage going into the final stanza. But they outscored No. Arizona 24-7 in the fourth quarter to take the cash. ASU went ahead of the number for the first time with 2:46 left thanks to a 12-yard TD scamper from Nick Ralston. Wilkins threw for 180 yards and one interception, but he rushed for a team-high 89 yards and one score on 14 carries. Richard had 78 rushing yards and one TD on 19 totes, while Ballage had 56 rushing yards and one TD on 10 carries. Tim White had nine receptions for 95 yards.
-- ASU has compiled a 6-3 spread record in nine games as a road favorite during Graham’s five-year tenure.
-- ASU might be without its two leading tacklers from last season. LB Salamo Fiso remained suspended, while LB Christian Sam is ‘questionable’ with a foot injury. Fiso had 99 tackles, 15.5 TFL’s, 4.5 sacks and one interception in ’15, while Sam had 98 tackles, three sacks, three TFL’s and one interception last year.
-- UTSA (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) opened the year by beating Alabama State 26-13 as a 24-point home ‘chalk.’ Junior QB Dalton Sturm connected on 20-of-25 passes for 274 yards and two TDs with one interception. Sturm rushed for 52 yards and another score on just three attempts. Jalen Rhodes ran for a team-best 78 yards and one TD on 16 carries.
-- UTSA went on the road in Week 2 and dropped a 23-14 decision to Colorado State for a frustrating ATS loss as an 8.5-point underdog. The Rams covered the number thanks to a 46-yard field goal with 2:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Roadrunners went 0-for-3 on fourth-down plays. Sturm completed 15-of-23 passes for 176 yards and two TDs with one interception. The ground game for UTSA was a joke, though, as it had minus one yards on 34 attempts. Sacks led to Sturm accounting for -57 yards on 10 attempts. Rhodes was limited to 39 rushing yards on 13 carries, though he did have five catches for 54 yards.
-- UTSA is 5-5 ATS in 10 games as a home underdog in the program’s brief history.
-- Arizona State has lost outright in seven of its last eight road openers.
-- ESPN2 will have the telecast at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.
Friday, September 16
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BAYLOR (2 - 0) at RICE (0 - 2) - 9/16/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RICE is 72-44 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home games since 1992.
RICE is 72-44 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
RICE is 111-83 ATS (+19.7 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 1-0 against the spread versus RICE over the last 3 seasons
BAYLOR is 1-0 straight up against RICE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARIZONA ST (2 - 0) at UTSA (1 - 1) - 9/16/2016, 9:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARKANSAS ST (0 - 2) at UTAH ST (1 - 1) - 9/16/2016, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARKANSAS ST is 1-0 against the spread versus UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
ARKANSAS ST is 1-0 straight up against UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, September 16
8:00 PM
BAYLOR vs. RICE
Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Baylor is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Rice's last 9 games at home
Rice is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
9:00 PM
ARKANSAS STATE vs. UTAH STATE
Arkansas State is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Arkansas State's last 11 games
Utah State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Utah State is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home
9:30 PM
ARIZONA STATE vs. UTSA
Arizona State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona State's last 5 games
UTSA is 1-5-2 ATS in its last 8 games
UTSA is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
----------------------------------
Fri – Sept. 16
Baylor at Rice, 8:00 PM ET
Baylor: 4-7 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders
Rice: 5-1 ATS after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse
Arizona State at UTSA, 9:30 PM ET
Arizona St: 5-1 ATS when the total is between 56.5 and 63
UTSA: 3-10 ATS after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
Arkansas State at Utah State, 9:00 PM ET
Arkansas St: 12-3 ATS in road games after being outrushed by 150 or more yards last game
Utah St: 3-12 ATS in home games after a loss by 28 or more points
----------------------------------------
Friday, September 16
Arizona State @ Utah State
Game 107-108
September 16, 2016 @ 9:30 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Arizona State
99.256
Utah State
62.816
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona State
by 36 1/2
68
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona State
by 19
60 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona State
(-19); Over
Baylor @ Rice
Game 105-106
September 16, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Baylor
103.030
Rice
76.562
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baylor
by 26 1/2
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
30 1/2
66
Dunkel Pick:
Rice
(+30 1/2); Under
Arkansas St @ Utah State
Game 109-110
September 16, 2016 @ 9:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas St
76.465
Utah State
82.967
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah State
by 6 1/2
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah State
by 9 1/2
57
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas St
(+9 1/2); Over
------------------------------------------
Friday’s games
Baylor (-33) hammered Rice 70-17 LY, running for 427 yards; Bears have new coach now- they are 4-0 vs spread in last four games vs Rice. Baylor ran ball for 275 yards, passed for 261 yards LW; last five years, they’re 4-9-1 as road favorites. Rice lost its first two points, giving up 46-31 points to WKU/Army. Hilltoppers threw for 552 yards, Army ran for 348. Last 5+ years, Big X teams are 16-11 vs spread vs C-USA teams, 9-5 the last 2+ years.
Arizona State beat Texas Tech 68-55 LW, running for 301 yards, throwing for 351; they also gave up 909 passing yards in two games, including 369 to I-AA Northern Arizona. ASU is 6-3 as road favorite under Graham- they open Pac-12 play with Cal next week. UTSA was outgained 328-235 in 23-14 loss at Colorado State LW. Roadrunners are 5-5 as home underdogs. Last five years, C-USA teams are 4-3 vs spread when facing a Pac-12 squad.
Utah State got hammered 45-7 at USC LW; Aggies have only three starters back on defense- they’re 12-8 in last 20 games as a home favorite. Arkansas State gave up 82 points in losing its first two games, by 21-37 points. Two years ago, Aggies (+.5) lost 21-14 in Jonesboro. Last 5+ years, Sun Belt teams are 7-4 vs spread when facing a Mountain West foe. Mountain West favorites are 2-4 vs spread; Sun Belt road underdogs are 5-3.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BAYLOR (2 - 0) at RICE (0 - 2) - 9/16/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RICE is 72-44 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home games since 1992.
RICE is 72-44 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
RICE is 111-83 ATS (+19.7 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 1-0 against the spread versus RICE over the last 3 seasons
BAYLOR is 1-0 straight up against RICE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARIZONA ST (2 - 0) at UTSA (1 - 1) - 9/16/2016, 9:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARKANSAS ST (0 - 2) at UTAH ST (1 - 1) - 9/16/2016, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARKANSAS ST is 1-0 against the spread versus UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
ARKANSAS ST is 1-0 straight up against UTAH ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, September 16
8:00 PM
BAYLOR vs. RICE
Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Baylor is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Rice's last 9 games at home
Rice is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
9:00 PM
ARKANSAS STATE vs. UTAH STATE
Arkansas State is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Arkansas State's last 11 games
Utah State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Utah State is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home
9:30 PM
ARIZONA STATE vs. UTSA
Arizona State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona State's last 5 games
UTSA is 1-5-2 ATS in its last 8 games
UTSA is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
----------------------------------
Fri – Sept. 16
Baylor at Rice, 8:00 PM ET
Baylor: 4-7 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders
Rice: 5-1 ATS after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse
Arizona State at UTSA, 9:30 PM ET
Arizona St: 5-1 ATS when the total is between 56.5 and 63
UTSA: 3-10 ATS after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
Arkansas State at Utah State, 9:00 PM ET
Arkansas St: 12-3 ATS in road games after being outrushed by 150 or more yards last game
Utah St: 3-12 ATS in home games after a loss by 28 or more points
----------------------------------------
Friday, September 16
Arizona State @ Utah State
Game 107-108
September 16, 2016 @ 9:30 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Arizona State
99.256
Utah State
62.816
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona State
by 36 1/2
68
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona State
by 19
60 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona State
(-19); Over
Baylor @ Rice
Game 105-106
September 16, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Baylor
103.030
Rice
76.562
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baylor
by 26 1/2
61
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
30 1/2
66
Dunkel Pick:
Rice
(+30 1/2); Under
Arkansas St @ Utah State
Game 109-110
September 16, 2016 @ 9:00 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas St
76.465
Utah State
82.967
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah State
by 6 1/2
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah State
by 9 1/2
57
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas St
(+9 1/2); Over
------------------------------------------
Friday’s games
Baylor (-33) hammered Rice 70-17 LY, running for 427 yards; Bears have new coach now- they are 4-0 vs spread in last four games vs Rice. Baylor ran ball for 275 yards, passed for 261 yards LW; last five years, they’re 4-9-1 as road favorites. Rice lost its first two points, giving up 46-31 points to WKU/Army. Hilltoppers threw for 552 yards, Army ran for 348. Last 5+ years, Big X teams are 16-11 vs spread vs C-USA teams, 9-5 the last 2+ years.
Arizona State beat Texas Tech 68-55 LW, running for 301 yards, throwing for 351; they also gave up 909 passing yards in two games, including 369 to I-AA Northern Arizona. ASU is 6-3 as road favorite under Graham- they open Pac-12 play with Cal next week. UTSA was outgained 328-235 in 23-14 loss at Colorado State LW. Roadrunners are 5-5 as home underdogs. Last five years, C-USA teams are 4-3 vs spread when facing a Pac-12 squad.
Utah State got hammered 45-7 at USC LW; Aggies have only three starters back on defense- they’re 12-8 in last 20 games as a home favorite. Arkansas State gave up 82 points in losing its first two games, by 21-37 points. Two years ago, Aggies (+.5) lost 21-14 in Jonesboro. Last 5+ years, Sun Belt teams are 7-4 vs spread when facing a Mountain West foe. Mountain West favorites are 2-4 vs spread; Sun Belt road underdogs are 5-3.
NCAAF
Short Sheet
Week 3
Sat – Sept. 17
E Michigan at Charlotte, 6:00 PM ET
Michigan: 4-1 ATS after allowing 50 points or more last game
Charlotte: 2-7 ATS as an underdog
W Michigan at Illinois, 4:00 PM ET
W Michigan: 11-3 ATS off 1 or more straight overs
Illinois: 12-27 ATS after allowing 6.75 or more yards/play in their previous game
E Carolina at S Carolina, 4:00 PM ET
E Carolina: 21-7 ATS as a road underdog of 7 points or less
S Carolina: 0-8 ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56
Florida State at Louisville, 12:00 PM ET
Florida St: 0-3 ATS after scoring 37 points or more in 2 straight games
Louisville: 5-1 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
Temple at Penn State, 12:00 PM ET
Temple: 10-2 ATS in a road game where the total is between 49.5 and 52
Penn St: 1-5 ATS off a road loss
Maryland at UCF, 7:00 PM ET
Maryland: 2-8 ATS after 1 or more consecutive straight up wins
UCF: 5-2 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
Virginia at Connecticut, 1:30 PM ET
Virginia: 9-1 ATS as an underdog
Connecticut: 0-7 ATS when the total is between 42.5 and 49
Iowa State at TCU, 12:00 PM ET
Iowa St: 14-29 ATS in road games after allowing 37 points or more last game
TCU: 6-0 ATS in home games after scoring 31 points or more in 2 straight games
Colorado at Michigan, 3:30 PM ET
Colorado: 12-1 OVER after scoring 50 points or more last game
Michigan: 5-15 ATS after scoring 37 points or more in 2 straight games
New Mexico at Rutgers, 12:00 PM ET
New Mexico: 41-24 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points
Rutgers: 0-8 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
Middle Tenn State at Bowling Green, 12:00 PM ET
Midd Tenn St: 1-11 ATS after 2 straight games with 40 or more pass attempts
Bowling Green: 15-1 ATS after 2 consecutive games with a turnover margin of -1 or worse
FLA International at Massachusetts, 3:30 PM ET
FLA INT: 11-24 ATS after a loss by 17 or more points
Massachusetts: 1-6 ATS after gaining 225 or less total yards in their previous game
Georgia State at Wisconsin, 12:00 PM ET
Georgia St: 10-3 ATS as a road underdog
Wisconsin: 2-4 ATS after a win by 35 or more points
UNLV at C Michigan, 3:00 PM ET
UNLV: 41-70 ATS after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
C Michigan: 9-0 ATS in the first half of the season
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech, 12:30 PM ET
Vanderbilt: 9-1 UNDER as an underdog
Georgia Tech: 18-7 ATS in home games after a game where they forced no turnovers
Army at UTEP, 7:00 PM ET
Army: 2-14 ATS as a road favorite
UTEP: 6-0 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive straight up losses
Florida Atlantic at Kansas St, 2:30 PM ET
Florida ATL: 7-0 UNDER in road games after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers
Kansas St: 24-11 ATS in home games off a road loss
Fresno State at Toledo, 3:00 PM ET
Fresno St: 1-8 ATS in non-conference games
Toledo: 10-2 ATS in games played on turf
Boston College at Virginia Tech, 3:30 PM ET
Boston College: 8-1 UNDER against conference opponents
Virginia Tech: 61-39 ATS after playing a non-conference game
South Florida at Syracuse, 3:30 PM ET
S Florida: 6-0 ATS off 1 or more straight overs
Syracuse: 18-6 UNDER off a home loss by 14 or more points
San Diego State at Northern Illinois, 3:30 PM ET
S Diego St: 15-4 UNDER after gaining 275 or more rushing yards last game
N Illinois: 6-0 ATS after a game where they committed no turnovers
Western Kentucky at Miami Ohio, 3:30 PM ET
W Kentucky: 9-2 ATS as a favorite
Miami OH: 13-4 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
North Texas at Florida, 7:30 PM ET
N Texas: 2-11 ATS in road games
Florida: 39-17 ATS after a 2 game home stand
Louisiana Tech at Texas Tech, 7:00 PM ET
Louisiana Tech: 11-3 OVER in the first half of the season
Texas Tech: 26-13 ATS in home games after playing a non-conference game
New Mexico State at Kentucky, 4:00 PM ET
New Mexico St: 3-12 ATS in road games off 2 or more consecutive overs
Kentucky: 33-29 ATS as a home favorite
Texas State at Arkansas, 7:30 PM ET
Texas St: 9-1 OVER in the first half of the season
Arkansas: 10-2 ATS after a playing a game where 60 total points or more were scored
Ohio at Tennessee, 12:00 PM ET
Ohio: 4-14 ATS in road games after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in 2 straight games
Tennessee: 19-7 ATS after gaining 125 or less passing yards in last game
Akron at Marshall, 12:00 PM ET
Akron: 10-2 UNDER after allowing 525 or more total yards in their previous game
Marshall: 11-2 ATS in home games after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game
Oregon at Nebraska, 3:30 PM ET
Oregon: 31-16 ATS after a 2 game home stand
Nebraska: 24-41 ATS off a home blowout win by 28 points or more
UCLA at BYU, 10:15 PM ET
UCLA: 1-9 ATS in games played on a grass field
BYU: 11-2 ATS off an extremely close road loss by 3 points or less
Miami Florida at Appalachian State, 12:00 PM ET
Miami FL: 3-12 ATS in road games after allowing 100 or less rushing yards in 2 straight games
Appalachian St: 2-0 ATS in non-conference games
Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State, 3:30 PM ET
Pittsburgh: 9-23 ATS in road games after a 2 game home stand
Oklahoma St: 49-31 ATS as a home favorite
UL Monroe at Georgia Southern, 6:00 PM ET
UL Monroe: 14-28 ATS as a road underdog of 21.5 or more points
Georgia S: 23-10 ATS in all lined games
Old Dominion at North Carolina State, 6:00 PM ET
Old Dominion: 2-10 ATS after 1 or more consecutive straight up losses
N Carolina St: 12-2 UNDER off an upset loss as a road favorite
Troy at Southern Miss, 7:00 PM ET
Tory: 37-15 OVER in non-conference games
S Miss: 30-14 ATS after playing 2 straight non-conference games
South Alabama at UL Lafayette, 7:00 PM ET
S Alabama: 14-1 ATS in road games in the first half of the season
UL Lafayette: 11-25 ATS in home games after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers
Kansas at Memphis, 12:00 PM ET
Kansas: 31-57 ATS as a road underdog
Memphis: 21-9 UNDER after a game where they committed 3 or more turnovers
Michigan State at Notre Dame, 7:30 PM ET
Michigan St: 0-6 ATS in non-conference games
Notre Dame: 6-0 ATS in home games in the first half of the season
Texas AM at Auburn, 7:00 PM ET
Texas AM: 1-9 ATS in road games after gaining 375 or more passing yards in last game
Auburn: 15-5 ATS after gaining 575 or more total yards in their previous game
Duke at Northwestern, 8:00 PM ET
Duke: 13-2 ATS in road games after gaining 40 or less rushing yards last game
Northwestern: 22-42 ATS as a home favorite
Ohio State at Oklahoma, 7:30 PM ET
Ohio St: 8-1 ATS after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game
Oklahoma: 7-0 OVER in home games off a home no-cover where the team won as a favorite
Alabama at Mississippi, 3:30 PM ET
Alabama: 46-26 ATS in road games off a home win
Mississippi: 11-2 UNDER after playing a game at home
Georgia at Missouri, 7:30 PM ET
Georgia: 14-3 ATS in a road game where the total is between 52.5 and 56
Missouri: 11-24 ATS after a win by 28 or more points
Mississippi State at LSU, 7:00 PM ET
Mississippi St: 8-0 ATS after playing a game at home
LSU: 3-5 ATS after playing a non-conference game
Navy at Tulane, 7:00 PM ET
Navy: 49-20 ATS off a home win
Tulane: 31-49 ATS as a home underdog
Hawaii at Arizona, 11:00 PM ET
Hawaii: 0-6 ATS after playing their last game on the road
Arizona: 39-20 OVER after a game where they forced 3 or more turnovers
USC at Stanford, 8:00 PM ET
USC: 34-54 ATS after allowing 3 points or less in the first half last game
Stanford: 16-6 ATS in games played on a grass field
Texas at California, 10:30 PM ET
Texas: 41-22 ATS in road games after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
California: 7-19 ATS in home games in games played on turf
Buffalo at Nevada, 9:00 PM ET
Buffalo: 6-16 ATS after a loss by 6 or less points
Nevada: 10-2 ATS in home games after scoring 14 points or less last game
Utah at San Jose State, 10:30 PM ET
Utah: 57-34 ATS in non-conference games
San Jose State: 2-12 ATS as an underdog
Idaho at Washington State, 2:00 PM ET
Idaho: 8-21 ATS when the total is between 63.5 and 70
Washington St: 9-2 ATS when playing with 6 or less days rest
Short Sheet
Week 3
Sat – Sept. 17
E Michigan at Charlotte, 6:00 PM ET
Michigan: 4-1 ATS after allowing 50 points or more last game
Charlotte: 2-7 ATS as an underdog
W Michigan at Illinois, 4:00 PM ET
W Michigan: 11-3 ATS off 1 or more straight overs
Illinois: 12-27 ATS after allowing 6.75 or more yards/play in their previous game
E Carolina at S Carolina, 4:00 PM ET
E Carolina: 21-7 ATS as a road underdog of 7 points or less
S Carolina: 0-8 ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56
Florida State at Louisville, 12:00 PM ET
Florida St: 0-3 ATS after scoring 37 points or more in 2 straight games
Louisville: 5-1 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
Temple at Penn State, 12:00 PM ET
Temple: 10-2 ATS in a road game where the total is between 49.5 and 52
Penn St: 1-5 ATS off a road loss
Maryland at UCF, 7:00 PM ET
Maryland: 2-8 ATS after 1 or more consecutive straight up wins
UCF: 5-2 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
Virginia at Connecticut, 1:30 PM ET
Virginia: 9-1 ATS as an underdog
Connecticut: 0-7 ATS when the total is between 42.5 and 49
Iowa State at TCU, 12:00 PM ET
Iowa St: 14-29 ATS in road games after allowing 37 points or more last game
TCU: 6-0 ATS in home games after scoring 31 points or more in 2 straight games
Colorado at Michigan, 3:30 PM ET
Colorado: 12-1 OVER after scoring 50 points or more last game
Michigan: 5-15 ATS after scoring 37 points or more in 2 straight games
New Mexico at Rutgers, 12:00 PM ET
New Mexico: 41-24 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points
Rutgers: 0-8 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
Middle Tenn State at Bowling Green, 12:00 PM ET
Midd Tenn St: 1-11 ATS after 2 straight games with 40 or more pass attempts
Bowling Green: 15-1 ATS after 2 consecutive games with a turnover margin of -1 or worse
FLA International at Massachusetts, 3:30 PM ET
FLA INT: 11-24 ATS after a loss by 17 or more points
Massachusetts: 1-6 ATS after gaining 225 or less total yards in their previous game
Georgia State at Wisconsin, 12:00 PM ET
Georgia St: 10-3 ATS as a road underdog
Wisconsin: 2-4 ATS after a win by 35 or more points
UNLV at C Michigan, 3:00 PM ET
UNLV: 41-70 ATS after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
C Michigan: 9-0 ATS in the first half of the season
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech, 12:30 PM ET
Vanderbilt: 9-1 UNDER as an underdog
Georgia Tech: 18-7 ATS in home games after a game where they forced no turnovers
Army at UTEP, 7:00 PM ET
Army: 2-14 ATS as a road favorite
UTEP: 6-0 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive straight up losses
Florida Atlantic at Kansas St, 2:30 PM ET
Florida ATL: 7-0 UNDER in road games after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers
Kansas St: 24-11 ATS in home games off a road loss
Fresno State at Toledo, 3:00 PM ET
Fresno St: 1-8 ATS in non-conference games
Toledo: 10-2 ATS in games played on turf
Boston College at Virginia Tech, 3:30 PM ET
Boston College: 8-1 UNDER against conference opponents
Virginia Tech: 61-39 ATS after playing a non-conference game
South Florida at Syracuse, 3:30 PM ET
S Florida: 6-0 ATS off 1 or more straight overs
Syracuse: 18-6 UNDER off a home loss by 14 or more points
San Diego State at Northern Illinois, 3:30 PM ET
S Diego St: 15-4 UNDER after gaining 275 or more rushing yards last game
N Illinois: 6-0 ATS after a game where they committed no turnovers
Western Kentucky at Miami Ohio, 3:30 PM ET
W Kentucky: 9-2 ATS as a favorite
Miami OH: 13-4 ATS in a home game where the total is between 56.5 and 63
North Texas at Florida, 7:30 PM ET
N Texas: 2-11 ATS in road games
Florida: 39-17 ATS after a 2 game home stand
Louisiana Tech at Texas Tech, 7:00 PM ET
Louisiana Tech: 11-3 OVER in the first half of the season
Texas Tech: 26-13 ATS in home games after playing a non-conference game
New Mexico State at Kentucky, 4:00 PM ET
New Mexico St: 3-12 ATS in road games off 2 or more consecutive overs
Kentucky: 33-29 ATS as a home favorite
Texas State at Arkansas, 7:30 PM ET
Texas St: 9-1 OVER in the first half of the season
Arkansas: 10-2 ATS after a playing a game where 60 total points or more were scored
Ohio at Tennessee, 12:00 PM ET
Ohio: 4-14 ATS in road games after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in 2 straight games
Tennessee: 19-7 ATS after gaining 125 or less passing yards in last game
Akron at Marshall, 12:00 PM ET
Akron: 10-2 UNDER after allowing 525 or more total yards in their previous game
Marshall: 11-2 ATS in home games after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game
Oregon at Nebraska, 3:30 PM ET
Oregon: 31-16 ATS after a 2 game home stand
Nebraska: 24-41 ATS off a home blowout win by 28 points or more
UCLA at BYU, 10:15 PM ET
UCLA: 1-9 ATS in games played on a grass field
BYU: 11-2 ATS off an extremely close road loss by 3 points or less
Miami Florida at Appalachian State, 12:00 PM ET
Miami FL: 3-12 ATS in road games after allowing 100 or less rushing yards in 2 straight games
Appalachian St: 2-0 ATS in non-conference games
Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State, 3:30 PM ET
Pittsburgh: 9-23 ATS in road games after a 2 game home stand
Oklahoma St: 49-31 ATS as a home favorite
UL Monroe at Georgia Southern, 6:00 PM ET
UL Monroe: 14-28 ATS as a road underdog of 21.5 or more points
Georgia S: 23-10 ATS in all lined games
Old Dominion at North Carolina State, 6:00 PM ET
Old Dominion: 2-10 ATS after 1 or more consecutive straight up losses
N Carolina St: 12-2 UNDER off an upset loss as a road favorite
Troy at Southern Miss, 7:00 PM ET
Tory: 37-15 OVER in non-conference games
S Miss: 30-14 ATS after playing 2 straight non-conference games
South Alabama at UL Lafayette, 7:00 PM ET
S Alabama: 14-1 ATS in road games in the first half of the season
UL Lafayette: 11-25 ATS in home games after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers
Kansas at Memphis, 12:00 PM ET
Kansas: 31-57 ATS as a road underdog
Memphis: 21-9 UNDER after a game where they committed 3 or more turnovers
Michigan State at Notre Dame, 7:30 PM ET
Michigan St: 0-6 ATS in non-conference games
Notre Dame: 6-0 ATS in home games in the first half of the season
Texas AM at Auburn, 7:00 PM ET
Texas AM: 1-9 ATS in road games after gaining 375 or more passing yards in last game
Auburn: 15-5 ATS after gaining 575 or more total yards in their previous game
Duke at Northwestern, 8:00 PM ET
Duke: 13-2 ATS in road games after gaining 40 or less rushing yards last game
Northwestern: 22-42 ATS as a home favorite
Ohio State at Oklahoma, 7:30 PM ET
Ohio St: 8-1 ATS after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game
Oklahoma: 7-0 OVER in home games off a home no-cover where the team won as a favorite
Alabama at Mississippi, 3:30 PM ET
Alabama: 46-26 ATS in road games off a home win
Mississippi: 11-2 UNDER after playing a game at home
Georgia at Missouri, 7:30 PM ET
Georgia: 14-3 ATS in a road game where the total is between 52.5 and 56
Missouri: 11-24 ATS after a win by 28 or more points
Mississippi State at LSU, 7:00 PM ET
Mississippi St: 8-0 ATS after playing a game at home
LSU: 3-5 ATS after playing a non-conference game
Navy at Tulane, 7:00 PM ET
Navy: 49-20 ATS off a home win
Tulane: 31-49 ATS as a home underdog
Hawaii at Arizona, 11:00 PM ET
Hawaii: 0-6 ATS after playing their last game on the road
Arizona: 39-20 OVER after a game where they forced 3 or more turnovers
USC at Stanford, 8:00 PM ET
USC: 34-54 ATS after allowing 3 points or less in the first half last game
Stanford: 16-6 ATS in games played on a grass field
Texas at California, 10:30 PM ET
Texas: 41-22 ATS in road games after a game where they forced 1 or less turnovers
California: 7-19 ATS in home games in games played on turf
Buffalo at Nevada, 9:00 PM ET
Buffalo: 6-16 ATS after a loss by 6 or less points
Nevada: 10-2 ATS in home games after scoring 14 points or less last game
Utah at San Jose State, 10:30 PM ET
Utah: 57-34 ATS in non-conference games
San Jose State: 2-12 ATS as an underdog
Idaho at Washington State, 2:00 PM ET
Idaho: 8-21 ATS when the total is between 63.5 and 70
Washington St: 9-2 ATS when playing with 6 or less days rest
Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds
The Razorbacks opened as 32.5-point faves at home against Texas State. The public actually showed a bit of faith in the Bobcats and bet the line down to -30.5 by Friday afternoon.
We're on to Week 3 of the college football season and the full slate of games can be tough to navigate for bettors. So we bring you our Top 25 betting cheat sheet to handicap the best games of the day.
Georgia State Panthers at No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers (-35.5, 50)
* The Panthers’ defense struggled during a 48-14 loss to Air Force last week, surrendering 531 total yards while spending 45:14 on the field. Senior wide receiver Robert Davis has 166 career receptions, nine behind the program’s all-time leader and current Kansas City Chief Albert Wilson. Offensively, Georgia State will need much more than the 27 rushing yards it mustered against Air Force to stay close with the Badgers.
* Defense has done it for the Badgers as it has allowed only one touchdown, created five turnovers and stopped 17 of 20 third-down conversions through two weeks. The return of linebacker T.J. Edwards has been a big boost, but the loss of junior cornerback and top kick returner Natrell Jamerson (leg) for at least the next month is tough news for a team that plays four Big Ten foes ranked in the top 11 before the end of October. Running back Corey Clement ran 21 times for 111 yards last week before leaving with what was deemed as a non-serious injury to his left leg late in the second quarter.
LINE HISTORY: Wisconsin opened the betting week as 34-point favorites and by Friday that line has been bet up to -35.5. The total opened at 49 and gradually bumped up to 50 by the end of the week. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Panthers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Badgers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Panthers last 8 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Badgers last 5 non-conference games.
No. 25 Miami Hurricanes at Appalachian State Mountaineers (+3.5, 51.5)
* With 17 returning starters from a team that finished 11-2 in its first season as an FBS member, the Mountaineers were expected to be good and proved that in taking then-No. 10 Tennessee to overtime before losing 20-13 in the opener on a fumble recovery in the end zone by the Vols. The defense, led by linemen Antonious Sims (seven solo tackles, three sacks) and Caleb Fuller (two sacks) along with linebackers Eric Boggs (nine tackles) and Kennan Gilchrist (eight), held Tennessee to 3 yards per carry and only 319 total yards but did allow a disappointing 5.1 yards per carry against FCS foe Old Dominion in last week's 31-7 win. Cox is the offensive focal point but the Mountaineers also have a veteran quarterback in junior Taylor Lamb who has started 25 games and thrown 49 TD passes.
* Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz promised Miami would play an attacking style, and that has been the case with the Hurricanes leading the nation with 28 tackles for loss and tied for second in sacks with 10 with freshmen linebackers Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney, who had nine tackles against Florida Atlantic, and sophomore defensive linemen R.J. McIntosh and Demetrius Jackson leading the way. Miami ranks No. 2 nationally at 8.69 yards per carry with sophomore tailback Mark Walton (271 yards, five TDs, 8.5 yards per carry) and junior Joe Yearby (224 yards, three TDs, 8.4) off to blazing starts. Kaaya is coming off one of his poorest games -- two interceptions and no scoring passes -- but his history and a talented receiving corps suggests he'll rebound from a slow start.
LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as 4.5-point road favorites but the public really seems to like App State in this spot and has bet the point spread down to 3.5. The total opned at 53.5 and has come down two full point to 51.5. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Hurricanes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in September.
* Mountaineers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-0 in Hurricanes last 4 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 7-0 in Mountaineers last 7 games in September.
Ohio Bobcats at No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers (-27, 58)
* While senior quarterback Greg Windham has already thrown for 560 yards and five touchdowns this season, the Bobcats proved they can also run the ball by boasting two runners with more than 100 yards last week for the first time since 2005. Windham (146 yards, touchdown) and junior running back Dorian Brown (122) slashed through the Kansas' defense with career-high performances to lead a 329-yard rushing attack. Windham's top targets are senior wide receiver Jordan Reid (nine catches, 152 yards, two touchdowns) and sophomore running back Papi White (9-154-1).
* The Volunteers nearly had a pair of 100-yard rushers against the Hokies as junior running back Jalen Hurd rushed for 99 and averages 104.5. Junior wide receiver Josh Malone made his four catches count this season as they've gone for 127 yards and two touchdowns. The defense is led by sophomore linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (16 tackles, 11 solo) and senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (15, 10), who combined for 20 (15 solo) last week.
LINE HISTORY: Tennessee opened the betting week as 27.5-point home favorites and the line can come down slightly to -27. The total began the week at 56.5 and has steadily jumped in 1/2 point increments all week to settle in at 58 by Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bobcats are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.
* Volunteers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-0 in Bobcats last 6 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 20-7 in Volunteers last 27 games in September.
No. 2 Florida State Seminoles at No. 10 Louisville Cardinals (pick, 67.5)
* James played near the line of scrimmage and received much of the credit for holding Jackson to only 32 yards rushing in last season's 41-21 win - a "spy" role that could fall into the lap of linebacker Matthew Thomas this time around. Junior Travis Rudolph burned Charleston Southern for seven catches, 105 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone, allowing him to earn the second ACC Receiver of the Week award of his career and become the fifth Seminole to win a conference player of the week award this season. Cook tallied 192 yards from scrimmage in the opener against Ole Miss before settling for 92 in a little over two quarters last week, but he amassed 223 total yards in last year's meeting.
* Jackson set an ACC record with 610 total yards of offense last week versus the Orange and became the first player in FBS history to record over 400 yards passing (411) and 175 yards (199) in the same game, helping the Cardinals set another school record with 845 total yards. Jackson and Brandon Radcliff (156) each topped 100 yards rushing, while receivers Jamari Staples (136) and James Quick (108) each went over 100 yards receiving, giving Louisville its first pair of 100-yard rushers and 100-yard receivers in the same game. The Cardinals are averaging a FBS-best 754 yards of total offense - 138 more than Baylor's top-ranked offense from a season ago and 338 more than Louisville averaged in 2015.
LINE HISTORY: The higher ranked Florida State Seminoles opened as 3.5-point road faves but the betting public said, "Nuh uh!" and hammered the host Louisville Cardinals. By Friday morning the point spread was all the way down to a Pick. The total began the week at 65 and was taken all of the way up to 68 before settling down a half point to 67.5 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Seminoles are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Cardinals are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 5-0 in Seminoles last 5 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 games overall.
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 17 Mississippi Rebels (+11, 54.5)
* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts still hasn't been declared the starting quarterback over redshirt freshman Blake Barnett but it is heading in that direction after Hurts passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns in last Saturday's victory over Western Kentucky. "I know you all are going to ask me about the quarterbacks, but we are going to continue to work with both of the quarterbacks," Saban said. "We have to try to get them better. Jalen, obviously, played the most in the game and there are things he could do better and there are things he did very well." Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen (three sacks) has been superb while senior safety Eddie Jackson (one interception) and sophomore cornerback Marlon Humphrey (one interception, one forced fumble) will be key figures against the Rebels' passing attack.
* Senior quarterback Chad Kelly passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns while fueling last season's win at Alabama and he has thrown for 532 yards and seven touchdowns in this season's first two games. Senior tight end Evan Engram, who has caught 11 passes for 164 yards, claimed he isn't the least bit concerned about playing the Crimson Tide, saying "we love opportunities and we know what's at stake with this game. I just have a confidence about it." Senior standout safety Tony Conner is shaking off the rust -- the NFL prospect suffered a season-ending knee injury against Alabama last season and is still rounding into top form.
LINE HISTORY: Alabama opened as 9.5-point favorites in this SEC showdown and by late in the week they had been bet all of the way up to 11-point faves. The total opened at 54.5 and has been steady for the entire week. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Crimson Tide are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Rebels are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Under is 7-0 in Rebels last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Colorado Buffaloes at No. 5 Michigan Wolverines (-19, 56)
* Senior quarterback Sefo Liufau went 15-of-18 for 204 yards and two touchdowns in two quarters of action against Idaho State before he was rested for the second half with the Buffaloes up 42-0. Center Alex Kelley and linebacker Derek McCartney both missed the win against Idaho State but are expected to return in time to make the trip to Michigan. The Buffaloes poked fun at Michigan's refusal to provide a depth chart by creating their own, listing pop culture characters such as Elmer Fudd at quarterback, Eric Cartman at left tackle and Happy Gilmore as the punter.
* Wilton Speight was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after completing 25-of-37 passes for 312 and four touchdowns in his second career start. All-American cornerback Jourdan Lewis missed his second straight game due to a muscle strain but is expected to return against the Buffaloes while defensive ends Taco Charlton (ankle) and Bryan Mone (knee) will be sidelined at least for another game. "We've got a few guys working through some things," Harbaugh told reporters. "Other than that we've got a team that came out of the past ballgame with no injuries ... so I believe the callous of the football team is being built and hardened."
LINE HISTORY: The Wolverines opened as big 19-point home favorites. During the week the point spread inflated as high as 20.5 before settling back down to the original opening figure of -19. The total hit the betting board at 57 and came down a point to 56. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Buffaloes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Wolverines are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 vs. Pac-12.
* Under is 5-1 in Buffaloes last 6 games overall.
* Over is 10-1 in Wolverines last 11 games overall.
No. 21 Oregon Ducks at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-3.5, 73)
* The Ducks appear well on their way to fielding at least one 1,000-yard runner for a FBS-best 10th straight season as Royce Freeman ranks eighth in the country with 294 yards rushing - 9.2 yards per carry - while scoring twice in each game. With 39 rushing touchdowns and 3,495 rushing yards in his career, the junior needs only two more rushing scores and 129 yards to move into second place in school history in both categories. Montana State graduate transfer Dakota Prukop has thrown for three touchdowns in both of his starts, extending the Ducks' FBS record with at least one touchdown pass to a FBS-record 82 straight games.
* One game after attempting only 10 throws, Tommy Armstrong Jr. unleashed 34 attempts for 377 yards - four shy of his personal best - and three touchdowns to give him a school-record 57 TD passes for his career. Jordan Westerkamp (105) and Alonzo Moore (109) each topped 100 yards receiving versus the Cowboys, marking only the third time in school history a pair of Nebraska wideouts accomplished the feat in the same game - Westerkamp has been a part of all three, which have occurred over the past three seasons. Safety Nate Gerry was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after returning from his one-game suspension to intercept two passes and record a team-high seven versus Wyoming.
LINE HISTORY: The upstart Nebraska Cornhuskers opened the betting week as 2.5-point favorites over the visiting Oregon Ducks. By the end of the week the Huskers had been bet all the way up to 3.5-point faves. The total opened at 73 and hasn't moved off that number. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Ducks are 22-5 ATS in their last 27 road games.
* Cornhuskers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-1 in Ducks last 6 games overall.
* Over is 8-2 in Cornhuskers last 10 non-conference games.
No. 20 Texas Aggies A&M at Auburn Tigers (-3, 54.5)
* Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight (583 passing yards, four touchdowns) is second in the SEC in passing and is tied for the league lead with three rushing TDs. Oklahoma transfer Keith Ford (team-high 63.5 yards) also has three rushing TDs for Texas A&M, which is averaging 49 points. Christian Kirk (team-high 13 catches for 164 yards, two TDs) needs seven receptions to join teammates Josh Reynolds (six catches, 131 yards, TD) and Ricky Seals-Jones (six catches, 90 yards) with 100 career catches.
* White went 17-of-23 for 244 yards and three scores last week after rotating with two other quarterbacks in a Week 1 loss to Clemson. Sophomore tailbacks Kerryon Johnson (218 yards, three TDs) and Kamryn Pettway (152 yards) each recorded their first 100-yard games last week, helping the Tigers to a SEC-leading 274.5-yard rushing average. Marcus Davis (seven receptions, 60 yards) is one of three Tiger receivers with at least five catches while Tony Stevens (five catches, 91 yards) has two scoring receptions.
LINE HISTORY: Auburn opened as four-point home favorites against visiting Texas A&M, but the 2016 Auburn Tigers are leaving a bad taste in the public's mouth and they have been bet down to -3. The total hit the board as 54 and after a few wobbles throughout the week settled in at 54.5 on Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 conference games.
* Tigers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Aggies last 7 games overall.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Tigers last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Mississippi State Bulldogs at No. 22 Louisiana State Tigers (-13.5, 45)
* Bulldogs wideout Fred Ross caught a touchdown and threw for another score last week, and the senior enters this weekend leading all active SEC receivers in career catches (138). Fitzgerald, meanwhile, is looking to deliver an encore to his 195-yard rushing effort against South Carolina and enters this weekend second in the nation in rushing yards among quarterbacks. On the defensive side of the ball, A.J. Jefferson is tied for the SEC lead with three sacks and has a league-high six tackles for loss.
* The Tigers leaned on sophomore Derrius Guice in Fournette's absence last week and were rewarded with 155 rushing yards and a score. Etling, a transfer from Purdue who was making his LSU debut, completed only six passes but those passes went for 100 yards and a score, plus he added a rushing TD. Linebacker Kendell Beckwith paces LSU with 17 tackles, while cornerback Tre'Davious White had a pick-six in Week 1 and a punt return for a touchdown in Week 2.
LINE HISTORY: This one opened with LSU pegged as 12.5-point faves at home and by the end of the week the line was up to -13.5. The total opened at 44 and jumped one full point to 45 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 11-2 in Bulldogs last 13 conference games.
* Under is 6-1 in Tigers last 7 games overall.
No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners (+1, 63)
* The Buckeyes proved that their offense can be centered on the passing game in Week 1, when J.T. Barrett threw for six touchdowns as part of a 349-yard performance against Bowling Green. Then last week they showed off their rushing attack as Mike Weber rushed for 92 yards and a score, Curtis Samuel added 78 yards on eight carries and Barrett rushed for a pair of scores. As for the defense, which allowed 188 total yards and forced six turnovers, coach Urban Meyer said: "Our defense is playing so well right now. Obviously, the challenge will come (Saturday) against a very good team, and we're going to jump on that one early and get ready to go."
* The Sooners only needed Mayfield for a half against ULM their last time out, as the junior passed for three touchdowns before sitting out the rest of a contest that saw his team finish with 640 total yards. Joe Mixon paced the Oklahoma rushing attack with 117 yards on 13 attempts while Semaje Perine added a pair of rushing scores. Jordan Evans and Neville Gallimore combined for 18 tackles versus ULM and will have their work cut out for them against Ohio State's dynamic attack.
LINE HISTORY: Ohio State opened the betting week as 2.5-point road faves against the powerful Oklahoma Sooners. The line has been wobbly for most of the week; dropping to 1.5 before jumping back up to 2, dropping all of the way down to a Pick before recovering up to 1.5, and finally settling down at Buckeyes -1 by Friday. The total hasn't been anywhere near as exciting, opening at 64.5 before dropping down to the current number of 63. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Sooners are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Over is 6-0 in Buckeyes last 6 games on grass.
* Over is 5-1 in Sooners last 6 home games.
No. 8 Michigan State Spartans at No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7, 49.5)
* The Spartans had more trouble than expected in Week 1 as the offense was inconsistent with senior Tyler O'Connor taking over at quarterback after spending three years backing up Connor Cook. "We've been working, and we had a tough bye week," O'Connor told reporters. "We had our toughest bye week that we've had since we've been here over the past two years and rightfully so. We need it early in the season and also a big-time opponent." O'Connor, who threw three touchdown passes in the win over Furman, started against a ranked team at Ohio State last season in place of an injured Cook and managed 89 passing yards in a 17-14 win.
* Kizer was named the full-time starter over Malik Zaire after throwing five touchdown passes in the narrow loss to Texas and cemented his position with another solid performance against Nevada. "Look, if you've got a really good quarterback you've got a chance, and he's a really good quarterback," Kelly told reporters of Kizer. "He knows the offense, you know. ... He knows what he's doing. He knows how to do it and he's working to get better at it every single day. He gives you a shot at winning every game you play." Kizer completed 15-of-18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 2 win and added a rushing score.
LINE HISTORY: The Irish opened as 7.5-point favorites at home over the higher ranked Spartans. The point spread was pretty steady all week before taking a slight nudge up to -8 on Thursday evening. The total hit the board at 52.5 View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Spartans are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Fighting Irish are 8-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 5-1 in Spartans last 6 games overall.
* Road team is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.
Texas State Bobcats at No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks (-30.5, 61.5)
* The Bobcats will go into Arkansas with plenty of confidence after beating Ohio on the road in Week 1 and having Week 2 off to prepare for the battle with an SEC titan. The Sun Belt Conference team put up 546 yards of total offense in the opener - led by a school-record 440 passing yards - and Tyler Jones added a rushing score to his total of four passing touchdowns. The Bobcats are about to endure one of the tougher back-to-backs in the nation with a home date against No. 7 Houston scheduled for next week.
* Allen, a junior, is in his first season as the Razorbacks starting quarterback and proved himself cool under pressure with his two-minute drill to send the game into overtime last week. "I thought I was gonna have to loosen him up," Bielema told reporters of his conversation with Allen before the start of the final drive. "...He just smiled and said, 'I got you coach.' Just that moment, I walked away. He was smiling, I was smiling. I'm like, 'That bro don't have no problems right now.'" Allen, who also led a game-winning drive in the opener against Louisiana Tech, was named SEC Player of the Week.
LINE HISTORY: The No. 24 ranked Razorbacks opened as 32.5-point faves at home against Texas State. The public actually showed a bit of faith in the Bobcats and bet the line down to -30.5 by Friday afternoon. The total opened at 57.5 and finished the week at 61.5. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bobcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Razorbacks are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 6-0-1 in Bobcats last 7 games in September.
* Under is 6-1 in Razorbacks last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
North Texas Mean Green at No. 23 Florida Gators (-36, 51)
* Fine was 11-of-22 passing for 108 yards and gained 46 yards on eight rushes while commanding an offense that rushed for 329 yards and gained 420 yards overall against Bethune-Cookman. "His numbers may not be eye-popping, but he led us on some touchdown drives and he really managed the game well," said first-year coach Sean Littrell, the offensive coordinator at North Carolina the past two seasons. Junior tailbacks Jeffrey Wilson (14 carries, 83 yards ,two touchdowns) and Willy Ivery (13 carries, 103 yards, one TD) led a running attack that averaged 6.5 yards per carry. The Mean Green defense, led by senior linebacker Courtney Finney (eight tackles, one sack and a touchdown-saving batted down pass), allowed only 78 yards in the opening half and 231 overall.
* A key to Del Rio's big game was the improved play of the offensive line -- the quarterback said he was only touched once after the opening possession -- which struggled at times in the win over UMass. Better blocking also helped open up the rushing attack, which produced 244 yards after gaining only 107 against UMass, a total that was almost equaled by freshman Lamical Perine (105 yards on 17 carries). All-America cornerback candidate Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson and Marcus Maye all had interceptions as the defense held Kentucky quarterback Drew Barker, who threw for more than 300 yards against Southern Mississippi, to 2-of-10 passing for 10 yards before he was benched in the third quarter.
LINE HISTORY: Florida opened as big favorites at -36 and, although there a brief jump up to -36.5, closed the week at that number. The total hit the board at 49.5 and rose steadily all week to settle at 51 on Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Mean Green are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 road games.
* Gators are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in Mean Green last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-1 in Gators last 7 games on grass.
No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs at Missouri Tigers (+6.5, 55)
* Smart did not say whether freshman Jacob Eason (11-for-20, 204 yards last week in his first career start) or senior Greyson Lambert would start at quarterback. Junior tailback Nick Chubb rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries after a 222-yard performance against North Carolina in the season opener, but three turnovers led to 17 points last week, and the Bulldogs gave up three touchdowns and a field goal in the red zone. Sophomore defensive tackle Trenton Thompson recorded 11 tackles last week and has 3 1/2 tackles for loss through two games.
* Improved play by the Tigers’ offensive line has sparked Lock’s hot start, as the sophomore has been sacked just once while passing for 730 yards – fifth among FBS quarterbacks. Four receivers – Chris Black, J’Mon Moore, Johnathon Johnson and Ray Wingo – have all reached the 100-yard receiving plateau in a game this season, helping Missouri rank 15th nationally in total offense per game (554.5 yards). Defense has been an issue at times as the Tigers have surrendered 461 yards per contest, but Missouri broke up 14 passes last week and senior cornerback Aarion Penton has interceptions in each of the first two games.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread for this one opened with the Georgia Bulldogs as 7-point faves on the road. The line wobbled a bit before settling in at 6.5 on Tuesday afternoon as has been steady ever since. The total opened at 50, took a sharp turn upward, and currently sits at 55. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.
* Tigers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 11-0 in Bulldogs last 11 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 7-1 in Tigers last 8 conference games.
* Road team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
Southern California Trojans at No. 6 Stanford Cardinal (-8.5, 52.5)
* Max Browne threw for 182 yards last week and connected with JuJu Smith-Schuster for two touchdowns after the star wideout was held to one catch against Alabama in the opener. USC will look to control the clock behind a solid offensive line and running back Justin Davis, who ran for 99 yards against Stanford in last season’s Pac-12 title game and gained 70 on 16 carries last week against Utah State. The Trojans need improvement from their defensive line but have a shutdown cornerback in Adoree’ Jackson, who returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown last week and could be the most dynamic player on the field besides McCaffrey.
* Senior Ryan Burns made his first career start against Kansas State and threw for a serviceable 156 yards with one touchdown, but he’ll receive a tougher test against USC's secondary. Starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (knee) likely will miss Saturday’s contest, while running back Bryce Love (leg) is expected to return after missing the opener but figures to see limited playing time behind McCaffrey, who will receive another heavy workload against the Trojans. “Great players need to touch the ball,” coach David Shaw told reporters. “Last year, he had over 400 (touches). But he doesn’t get hit hard a lot. His 400 may not be like 400 for somebody else.”
LINE HISTORY: Stanford kicked off the betting week as 6.5-point favorites over their rivals from USC. The public was all over the Cardinal, forcing the books to move the line higher. The spread peaked at -9.5 on Tuesday and settled in at -8.5 by the end of the week. The total opened at 53 and came down a half point to 52.5 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Trojans are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Cardinal are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 4-1 in Trojans last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Underdog is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
No. 16 Texas Longhorns at California Golden Bears (+7, 81)
* A true freshman, Buechele continued to impress against UTEP with 244 passing yards and four touchdowns - including a pair to sophomore wide receiver Jerrod Heard, who started at quarterback last season. Sophomore defensive end/linebacker Breckyn Hager recorded a team-high eight tackles against UTEP in his first career start, but questions remain about the team’s secondary after Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer threw five touchdown passes in the opener. The young Longhorns expect starting running back D’Onta Foreman, left tackle Connor Williams and tight end Caleb Bluiett to return Saturday after all three sat against UTEP with minor injuries.
* Webb has picked up where Jared Goff left off as the Golden Bears are second in the nation in passing offense (481.5 yards per game) and tied for third in total offense at 617 yards per game. Chad Hansen has become Webb’s favorite target with 28 catches for 350 yards and three touchdowns, but the team ranks 94th nationally with an average of 135.5 rushing yards through two games and could use a more-balanced attack after tailbacks Khalfani Muhammad and Vic Enwere combined for 13 carries against San Diego State. Cal needs to see improved play from its linebackers after being exposed by Aztecs star Donnel Pumphrey, who rushed 29 times for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread in this one opened with Cal as 7-point home favorites. Despite the line peaking as high as -8, on Thursday it settled back down to the original figure of -7. The total hit the board at 76.5 and immediately began it's week-long upward climb. At publication time on Friday evening the total for this game was up to 81. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Longhorns are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Pac-12.
* Golden Bears are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 7-1 in Longhorns last 8 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Golden Bears last 7 vs. Big 12.
NOTE: No. 11 Iowa hosts North Dakota State, No. 3 Clemson hosts South Carolina State and No. 9 Washington hosts Portland State, none of which currently have lines posted
The Razorbacks opened as 32.5-point faves at home against Texas State. The public actually showed a bit of faith in the Bobcats and bet the line down to -30.5 by Friday afternoon.
We're on to Week 3 of the college football season and the full slate of games can be tough to navigate for bettors. So we bring you our Top 25 betting cheat sheet to handicap the best games of the day.
Georgia State Panthers at No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers (-35.5, 50)
* The Panthers’ defense struggled during a 48-14 loss to Air Force last week, surrendering 531 total yards while spending 45:14 on the field. Senior wide receiver Robert Davis has 166 career receptions, nine behind the program’s all-time leader and current Kansas City Chief Albert Wilson. Offensively, Georgia State will need much more than the 27 rushing yards it mustered against Air Force to stay close with the Badgers.
* Defense has done it for the Badgers as it has allowed only one touchdown, created five turnovers and stopped 17 of 20 third-down conversions through two weeks. The return of linebacker T.J. Edwards has been a big boost, but the loss of junior cornerback and top kick returner Natrell Jamerson (leg) for at least the next month is tough news for a team that plays four Big Ten foes ranked in the top 11 before the end of October. Running back Corey Clement ran 21 times for 111 yards last week before leaving with what was deemed as a non-serious injury to his left leg late in the second quarter.
LINE HISTORY: Wisconsin opened the betting week as 34-point favorites and by Friday that line has been bet up to -35.5. The total opened at 49 and gradually bumped up to 50 by the end of the week. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Panthers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Badgers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Panthers last 8 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Badgers last 5 non-conference games.
No. 25 Miami Hurricanes at Appalachian State Mountaineers (+3.5, 51.5)
* With 17 returning starters from a team that finished 11-2 in its first season as an FBS member, the Mountaineers were expected to be good and proved that in taking then-No. 10 Tennessee to overtime before losing 20-13 in the opener on a fumble recovery in the end zone by the Vols. The defense, led by linemen Antonious Sims (seven solo tackles, three sacks) and Caleb Fuller (two sacks) along with linebackers Eric Boggs (nine tackles) and Kennan Gilchrist (eight), held Tennessee to 3 yards per carry and only 319 total yards but did allow a disappointing 5.1 yards per carry against FCS foe Old Dominion in last week's 31-7 win. Cox is the offensive focal point but the Mountaineers also have a veteran quarterback in junior Taylor Lamb who has started 25 games and thrown 49 TD passes.
* Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz promised Miami would play an attacking style, and that has been the case with the Hurricanes leading the nation with 28 tackles for loss and tied for second in sacks with 10 with freshmen linebackers Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney, who had nine tackles against Florida Atlantic, and sophomore defensive linemen R.J. McIntosh and Demetrius Jackson leading the way. Miami ranks No. 2 nationally at 8.69 yards per carry with sophomore tailback Mark Walton (271 yards, five TDs, 8.5 yards per carry) and junior Joe Yearby (224 yards, three TDs, 8.4) off to blazing starts. Kaaya is coming off one of his poorest games -- two interceptions and no scoring passes -- but his history and a talented receiving corps suggests he'll rebound from a slow start.
LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as 4.5-point road favorites but the public really seems to like App State in this spot and has bet the point spread down to 3.5. The total opned at 53.5 and has come down two full point to 51.5. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Hurricanes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in September.
* Mountaineers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-0 in Hurricanes last 4 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 7-0 in Mountaineers last 7 games in September.
Ohio Bobcats at No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers (-27, 58)
* While senior quarterback Greg Windham has already thrown for 560 yards and five touchdowns this season, the Bobcats proved they can also run the ball by boasting two runners with more than 100 yards last week for the first time since 2005. Windham (146 yards, touchdown) and junior running back Dorian Brown (122) slashed through the Kansas' defense with career-high performances to lead a 329-yard rushing attack. Windham's top targets are senior wide receiver Jordan Reid (nine catches, 152 yards, two touchdowns) and sophomore running back Papi White (9-154-1).
* The Volunteers nearly had a pair of 100-yard rushers against the Hokies as junior running back Jalen Hurd rushed for 99 and averages 104.5. Junior wide receiver Josh Malone made his four catches count this season as they've gone for 127 yards and two touchdowns. The defense is led by sophomore linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. (16 tackles, 11 solo) and senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (15, 10), who combined for 20 (15 solo) last week.
LINE HISTORY: Tennessee opened the betting week as 27.5-point home favorites and the line can come down slightly to -27. The total began the week at 56.5 and has steadily jumped in 1/2 point increments all week to settle in at 58 by Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bobcats are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.
* Volunteers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-0 in Bobcats last 6 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 20-7 in Volunteers last 27 games in September.
No. 2 Florida State Seminoles at No. 10 Louisville Cardinals (pick, 67.5)
* James played near the line of scrimmage and received much of the credit for holding Jackson to only 32 yards rushing in last season's 41-21 win - a "spy" role that could fall into the lap of linebacker Matthew Thomas this time around. Junior Travis Rudolph burned Charleston Southern for seven catches, 105 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone, allowing him to earn the second ACC Receiver of the Week award of his career and become the fifth Seminole to win a conference player of the week award this season. Cook tallied 192 yards from scrimmage in the opener against Ole Miss before settling for 92 in a little over two quarters last week, but he amassed 223 total yards in last year's meeting.
* Jackson set an ACC record with 610 total yards of offense last week versus the Orange and became the first player in FBS history to record over 400 yards passing (411) and 175 yards (199) in the same game, helping the Cardinals set another school record with 845 total yards. Jackson and Brandon Radcliff (156) each topped 100 yards rushing, while receivers Jamari Staples (136) and James Quick (108) each went over 100 yards receiving, giving Louisville its first pair of 100-yard rushers and 100-yard receivers in the same game. The Cardinals are averaging a FBS-best 754 yards of total offense - 138 more than Baylor's top-ranked offense from a season ago and 338 more than Louisville averaged in 2015.
LINE HISTORY: The higher ranked Florida State Seminoles opened as 3.5-point road faves but the betting public said, "Nuh uh!" and hammered the host Louisville Cardinals. By Friday morning the point spread was all the way down to a Pick. The total began the week at 65 and was taken all of the way up to 68 before settling down a half point to 67.5 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Seminoles are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Cardinals are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 5-0 in Seminoles last 5 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 games overall.
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 17 Mississippi Rebels (+11, 54.5)
* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts still hasn't been declared the starting quarterback over redshirt freshman Blake Barnett but it is heading in that direction after Hurts passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns in last Saturday's victory over Western Kentucky. "I know you all are going to ask me about the quarterbacks, but we are going to continue to work with both of the quarterbacks," Saban said. "We have to try to get them better. Jalen, obviously, played the most in the game and there are things he could do better and there are things he did very well." Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen (three sacks) has been superb while senior safety Eddie Jackson (one interception) and sophomore cornerback Marlon Humphrey (one interception, one forced fumble) will be key figures against the Rebels' passing attack.
* Senior quarterback Chad Kelly passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns while fueling last season's win at Alabama and he has thrown for 532 yards and seven touchdowns in this season's first two games. Senior tight end Evan Engram, who has caught 11 passes for 164 yards, claimed he isn't the least bit concerned about playing the Crimson Tide, saying "we love opportunities and we know what's at stake with this game. I just have a confidence about it." Senior standout safety Tony Conner is shaking off the rust -- the NFL prospect suffered a season-ending knee injury against Alabama last season and is still rounding into top form.
LINE HISTORY: Alabama opened as 9.5-point favorites in this SEC showdown and by late in the week they had been bet all of the way up to 11-point faves. The total opened at 54.5 and has been steady for the entire week. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Crimson Tide are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Rebels are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Under is 7-0 in Rebels last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Colorado Buffaloes at No. 5 Michigan Wolverines (-19, 56)
* Senior quarterback Sefo Liufau went 15-of-18 for 204 yards and two touchdowns in two quarters of action against Idaho State before he was rested for the second half with the Buffaloes up 42-0. Center Alex Kelley and linebacker Derek McCartney both missed the win against Idaho State but are expected to return in time to make the trip to Michigan. The Buffaloes poked fun at Michigan's refusal to provide a depth chart by creating their own, listing pop culture characters such as Elmer Fudd at quarterback, Eric Cartman at left tackle and Happy Gilmore as the punter.
* Wilton Speight was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after completing 25-of-37 passes for 312 and four touchdowns in his second career start. All-American cornerback Jourdan Lewis missed his second straight game due to a muscle strain but is expected to return against the Buffaloes while defensive ends Taco Charlton (ankle) and Bryan Mone (knee) will be sidelined at least for another game. "We've got a few guys working through some things," Harbaugh told reporters. "Other than that we've got a team that came out of the past ballgame with no injuries ... so I believe the callous of the football team is being built and hardened."
LINE HISTORY: The Wolverines opened as big 19-point home favorites. During the week the point spread inflated as high as 20.5 before settling back down to the original opening figure of -19. The total hit the betting board at 57 and came down a point to 56. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Buffaloes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Wolverines are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 vs. Pac-12.
* Under is 5-1 in Buffaloes last 6 games overall.
* Over is 10-1 in Wolverines last 11 games overall.
No. 21 Oregon Ducks at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-3.5, 73)
* The Ducks appear well on their way to fielding at least one 1,000-yard runner for a FBS-best 10th straight season as Royce Freeman ranks eighth in the country with 294 yards rushing - 9.2 yards per carry - while scoring twice in each game. With 39 rushing touchdowns and 3,495 rushing yards in his career, the junior needs only two more rushing scores and 129 yards to move into second place in school history in both categories. Montana State graduate transfer Dakota Prukop has thrown for three touchdowns in both of his starts, extending the Ducks' FBS record with at least one touchdown pass to a FBS-record 82 straight games.
* One game after attempting only 10 throws, Tommy Armstrong Jr. unleashed 34 attempts for 377 yards - four shy of his personal best - and three touchdowns to give him a school-record 57 TD passes for his career. Jordan Westerkamp (105) and Alonzo Moore (109) each topped 100 yards receiving versus the Cowboys, marking only the third time in school history a pair of Nebraska wideouts accomplished the feat in the same game - Westerkamp has been a part of all three, which have occurred over the past three seasons. Safety Nate Gerry was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after returning from his one-game suspension to intercept two passes and record a team-high seven versus Wyoming.
LINE HISTORY: The upstart Nebraska Cornhuskers opened the betting week as 2.5-point favorites over the visiting Oregon Ducks. By the end of the week the Huskers had been bet all the way up to 3.5-point faves. The total opened at 73 and hasn't moved off that number. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Ducks are 22-5 ATS in their last 27 road games.
* Cornhuskers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-1 in Ducks last 6 games overall.
* Over is 8-2 in Cornhuskers last 10 non-conference games.
No. 20 Texas Aggies A&M at Auburn Tigers (-3, 54.5)
* Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight (583 passing yards, four touchdowns) is second in the SEC in passing and is tied for the league lead with three rushing TDs. Oklahoma transfer Keith Ford (team-high 63.5 yards) also has three rushing TDs for Texas A&M, which is averaging 49 points. Christian Kirk (team-high 13 catches for 164 yards, two TDs) needs seven receptions to join teammates Josh Reynolds (six catches, 131 yards, TD) and Ricky Seals-Jones (six catches, 90 yards) with 100 career catches.
* White went 17-of-23 for 244 yards and three scores last week after rotating with two other quarterbacks in a Week 1 loss to Clemson. Sophomore tailbacks Kerryon Johnson (218 yards, three TDs) and Kamryn Pettway (152 yards) each recorded their first 100-yard games last week, helping the Tigers to a SEC-leading 274.5-yard rushing average. Marcus Davis (seven receptions, 60 yards) is one of three Tiger receivers with at least five catches while Tony Stevens (five catches, 91 yards) has two scoring receptions.
LINE HISTORY: Auburn opened as four-point home favorites against visiting Texas A&M, but the 2016 Auburn Tigers are leaving a bad taste in the public's mouth and they have been bet down to -3. The total hit the board as 54 and after a few wobbles throughout the week settled in at 54.5 on Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 conference games.
* Tigers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Aggies last 7 games overall.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Tigers last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Mississippi State Bulldogs at No. 22 Louisiana State Tigers (-13.5, 45)
* Bulldogs wideout Fred Ross caught a touchdown and threw for another score last week, and the senior enters this weekend leading all active SEC receivers in career catches (138). Fitzgerald, meanwhile, is looking to deliver an encore to his 195-yard rushing effort against South Carolina and enters this weekend second in the nation in rushing yards among quarterbacks. On the defensive side of the ball, A.J. Jefferson is tied for the SEC lead with three sacks and has a league-high six tackles for loss.
* The Tigers leaned on sophomore Derrius Guice in Fournette's absence last week and were rewarded with 155 rushing yards and a score. Etling, a transfer from Purdue who was making his LSU debut, completed only six passes but those passes went for 100 yards and a score, plus he added a rushing TD. Linebacker Kendell Beckwith paces LSU with 17 tackles, while cornerback Tre'Davious White had a pick-six in Week 1 and a punt return for a touchdown in Week 2.
LINE HISTORY: This one opened with LSU pegged as 12.5-point faves at home and by the end of the week the line was up to -13.5. The total opened at 44 and jumped one full point to 45 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 11-2 in Bulldogs last 13 conference games.
* Under is 6-1 in Tigers last 7 games overall.
No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners (+1, 63)
* The Buckeyes proved that their offense can be centered on the passing game in Week 1, when J.T. Barrett threw for six touchdowns as part of a 349-yard performance against Bowling Green. Then last week they showed off their rushing attack as Mike Weber rushed for 92 yards and a score, Curtis Samuel added 78 yards on eight carries and Barrett rushed for a pair of scores. As for the defense, which allowed 188 total yards and forced six turnovers, coach Urban Meyer said: "Our defense is playing so well right now. Obviously, the challenge will come (Saturday) against a very good team, and we're going to jump on that one early and get ready to go."
* The Sooners only needed Mayfield for a half against ULM their last time out, as the junior passed for three touchdowns before sitting out the rest of a contest that saw his team finish with 640 total yards. Joe Mixon paced the Oklahoma rushing attack with 117 yards on 13 attempts while Semaje Perine added a pair of rushing scores. Jordan Evans and Neville Gallimore combined for 18 tackles versus ULM and will have their work cut out for them against Ohio State's dynamic attack.
LINE HISTORY: Ohio State opened the betting week as 2.5-point road faves against the powerful Oklahoma Sooners. The line has been wobbly for most of the week; dropping to 1.5 before jumping back up to 2, dropping all of the way down to a Pick before recovering up to 1.5, and finally settling down at Buckeyes -1 by Friday. The total hasn't been anywhere near as exciting, opening at 64.5 before dropping down to the current number of 63. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Sooners are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Over is 6-0 in Buckeyes last 6 games on grass.
* Over is 5-1 in Sooners last 6 home games.
No. 8 Michigan State Spartans at No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7, 49.5)
* The Spartans had more trouble than expected in Week 1 as the offense was inconsistent with senior Tyler O'Connor taking over at quarterback after spending three years backing up Connor Cook. "We've been working, and we had a tough bye week," O'Connor told reporters. "We had our toughest bye week that we've had since we've been here over the past two years and rightfully so. We need it early in the season and also a big-time opponent." O'Connor, who threw three touchdown passes in the win over Furman, started against a ranked team at Ohio State last season in place of an injured Cook and managed 89 passing yards in a 17-14 win.
* Kizer was named the full-time starter over Malik Zaire after throwing five touchdown passes in the narrow loss to Texas and cemented his position with another solid performance against Nevada. "Look, if you've got a really good quarterback you've got a chance, and he's a really good quarterback," Kelly told reporters of Kizer. "He knows the offense, you know. ... He knows what he's doing. He knows how to do it and he's working to get better at it every single day. He gives you a shot at winning every game you play." Kizer completed 15-of-18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 2 win and added a rushing score.
LINE HISTORY: The Irish opened as 7.5-point favorites at home over the higher ranked Spartans. The point spread was pretty steady all week before taking a slight nudge up to -8 on Thursday evening. The total hit the board at 52.5 View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Spartans are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Fighting Irish are 8-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 5-1 in Spartans last 6 games overall.
* Road team is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.
Texas State Bobcats at No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks (-30.5, 61.5)
* The Bobcats will go into Arkansas with plenty of confidence after beating Ohio on the road in Week 1 and having Week 2 off to prepare for the battle with an SEC titan. The Sun Belt Conference team put up 546 yards of total offense in the opener - led by a school-record 440 passing yards - and Tyler Jones added a rushing score to his total of four passing touchdowns. The Bobcats are about to endure one of the tougher back-to-backs in the nation with a home date against No. 7 Houston scheduled for next week.
* Allen, a junior, is in his first season as the Razorbacks starting quarterback and proved himself cool under pressure with his two-minute drill to send the game into overtime last week. "I thought I was gonna have to loosen him up," Bielema told reporters of his conversation with Allen before the start of the final drive. "...He just smiled and said, 'I got you coach.' Just that moment, I walked away. He was smiling, I was smiling. I'm like, 'That bro don't have no problems right now.'" Allen, who also led a game-winning drive in the opener against Louisiana Tech, was named SEC Player of the Week.
LINE HISTORY: The No. 24 ranked Razorbacks opened as 32.5-point faves at home against Texas State. The public actually showed a bit of faith in the Bobcats and bet the line down to -30.5 by Friday afternoon. The total opened at 57.5 and finished the week at 61.5. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bobcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Razorbacks are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 6-0-1 in Bobcats last 7 games in September.
* Under is 6-1 in Razorbacks last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
North Texas Mean Green at No. 23 Florida Gators (-36, 51)
* Fine was 11-of-22 passing for 108 yards and gained 46 yards on eight rushes while commanding an offense that rushed for 329 yards and gained 420 yards overall against Bethune-Cookman. "His numbers may not be eye-popping, but he led us on some touchdown drives and he really managed the game well," said first-year coach Sean Littrell, the offensive coordinator at North Carolina the past two seasons. Junior tailbacks Jeffrey Wilson (14 carries, 83 yards ,two touchdowns) and Willy Ivery (13 carries, 103 yards, one TD) led a running attack that averaged 6.5 yards per carry. The Mean Green defense, led by senior linebacker Courtney Finney (eight tackles, one sack and a touchdown-saving batted down pass), allowed only 78 yards in the opening half and 231 overall.
* A key to Del Rio's big game was the improved play of the offensive line -- the quarterback said he was only touched once after the opening possession -- which struggled at times in the win over UMass. Better blocking also helped open up the rushing attack, which produced 244 yards after gaining only 107 against UMass, a total that was almost equaled by freshman Lamical Perine (105 yards on 17 carries). All-America cornerback candidate Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson and Marcus Maye all had interceptions as the defense held Kentucky quarterback Drew Barker, who threw for more than 300 yards against Southern Mississippi, to 2-of-10 passing for 10 yards before he was benched in the third quarter.
LINE HISTORY: Florida opened as big favorites at -36 and, although there a brief jump up to -36.5, closed the week at that number. The total hit the board at 49.5 and rose steadily all week to settle at 51 on Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Mean Green are 2-11 ATS in their last 13 road games.
* Gators are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in Mean Green last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 6-1 in Gators last 7 games on grass.
No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs at Missouri Tigers (+6.5, 55)
* Smart did not say whether freshman Jacob Eason (11-for-20, 204 yards last week in his first career start) or senior Greyson Lambert would start at quarterback. Junior tailback Nick Chubb rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries after a 222-yard performance against North Carolina in the season opener, but three turnovers led to 17 points last week, and the Bulldogs gave up three touchdowns and a field goal in the red zone. Sophomore defensive tackle Trenton Thompson recorded 11 tackles last week and has 3 1/2 tackles for loss through two games.
* Improved play by the Tigers’ offensive line has sparked Lock’s hot start, as the sophomore has been sacked just once while passing for 730 yards – fifth among FBS quarterbacks. Four receivers – Chris Black, J’Mon Moore, Johnathon Johnson and Ray Wingo – have all reached the 100-yard receiving plateau in a game this season, helping Missouri rank 15th nationally in total offense per game (554.5 yards). Defense has been an issue at times as the Tigers have surrendered 461 yards per contest, but Missouri broke up 14 passes last week and senior cornerback Aarion Penton has interceptions in each of the first two games.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread for this one opened with the Georgia Bulldogs as 7-point faves on the road. The line wobbled a bit before settling in at 6.5 on Tuesday afternoon as has been steady ever since. The total opened at 50, took a sharp turn upward, and currently sits at 55. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.
* Tigers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 11-0 in Bulldogs last 11 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 7-1 in Tigers last 8 conference games.
* Road team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
Southern California Trojans at No. 6 Stanford Cardinal (-8.5, 52.5)
* Max Browne threw for 182 yards last week and connected with JuJu Smith-Schuster for two touchdowns after the star wideout was held to one catch against Alabama in the opener. USC will look to control the clock behind a solid offensive line and running back Justin Davis, who ran for 99 yards against Stanford in last season’s Pac-12 title game and gained 70 on 16 carries last week against Utah State. The Trojans need improvement from their defensive line but have a shutdown cornerback in Adoree’ Jackson, who returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown last week and could be the most dynamic player on the field besides McCaffrey.
* Senior Ryan Burns made his first career start against Kansas State and threw for a serviceable 156 yards with one touchdown, but he’ll receive a tougher test against USC's secondary. Starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (knee) likely will miss Saturday’s contest, while running back Bryce Love (leg) is expected to return after missing the opener but figures to see limited playing time behind McCaffrey, who will receive another heavy workload against the Trojans. “Great players need to touch the ball,” coach David Shaw told reporters. “Last year, he had over 400 (touches). But he doesn’t get hit hard a lot. His 400 may not be like 400 for somebody else.”
LINE HISTORY: Stanford kicked off the betting week as 6.5-point favorites over their rivals from USC. The public was all over the Cardinal, forcing the books to move the line higher. The spread peaked at -9.5 on Tuesday and settled in at -8.5 by the end of the week. The total opened at 53 and came down a half point to 52.5 by Friday. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Trojans are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Cardinal are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 4-1 in Trojans last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Underdog is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
No. 16 Texas Longhorns at California Golden Bears (+7, 81)
* A true freshman, Buechele continued to impress against UTEP with 244 passing yards and four touchdowns - including a pair to sophomore wide receiver Jerrod Heard, who started at quarterback last season. Sophomore defensive end/linebacker Breckyn Hager recorded a team-high eight tackles against UTEP in his first career start, but questions remain about the team’s secondary after Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer threw five touchdown passes in the opener. The young Longhorns expect starting running back D’Onta Foreman, left tackle Connor Williams and tight end Caleb Bluiett to return Saturday after all three sat against UTEP with minor injuries.
* Webb has picked up where Jared Goff left off as the Golden Bears are second in the nation in passing offense (481.5 yards per game) and tied for third in total offense at 617 yards per game. Chad Hansen has become Webb’s favorite target with 28 catches for 350 yards and three touchdowns, but the team ranks 94th nationally with an average of 135.5 rushing yards through two games and could use a more-balanced attack after tailbacks Khalfani Muhammad and Vic Enwere combined for 13 carries against San Diego State. Cal needs to see improved play from its linebackers after being exposed by Aztecs star Donnel Pumphrey, who rushed 29 times for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
LINE HISTORY: The point spread in this one opened with Cal as 7-point home favorites. Despite the line peaking as high as -8, on Thursday it settled back down to the original figure of -7. The total hit the board at 76.5 and immediately began it's week-long upward climb. At publication time on Friday evening the total for this game was up to 81. View complete line history here.
TRENDS:
* Longhorns are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Pac-12.
* Golden Bears are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 7-1 in Longhorns last 8 road games.
* Over is 6-1 in Golden Bears last 7 vs. Big 12.
NOTE: No. 11 Iowa hosts North Dakota State, No. 3 Clemson hosts South Carolina State and No. 9 Washington hosts Portland State, none of which currently have lines posted
CFB EARLY BEST BETS:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
KU at MEM 12:00 PM
O 60.5
GSU at WIS 12:00 PM
WIS -35.5
O 50.5
MTU at BGSU 12:00 PM
BGSU +6.5
O 73.0
TEM at PSU 12:00 PM
PSU -8.5
U 51.0
FSU at LOU 12:00 PM
FSU +0.0
U 68.5
AKR at MRSH 12:00 PM
MRSH -17.5
OHIO at TENN 12:00 PM
OHIO +27.0
O 58.0
MIA at APP 12:00 PM
MIA -3.5
ISU at TCU 12:00 PM
U 61.0
VAN at GT 12:30 PM
VAN +6.5
UVA at CONN 01:30 PM
UVA +4.0
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS
KU at MEM 12:00 PM
O 60.5
GSU at WIS 12:00 PM
WIS -35.5
O 50.5
MTU at BGSU 12:00 PM
BGSU +6.5
O 73.0
TEM at PSU 12:00 PM
PSU -8.5
U 51.0
FSU at LOU 12:00 PM
FSU +0.0
U 68.5
AKR at MRSH 12:00 PM
MRSH -17.5
OHIO at TENN 12:00 PM
OHIO +27.0
O 58.0
MIA at APP 12:00 PM
MIA -3.5
ISU at TCU 12:00 PM
U 61.0
VAN at GT 12:30 PM
VAN +6.5
UVA at CONN 01:30 PM
UVA +4.0
MIDDAY GAMES:
IDHO at WSU 02:00 PM
WSU -27.5
FAU at KSU 02:30 PM
FAU +24.0
FRES at TOL 03:00 PM
TOL -21.0
UNLV at CMU 03:00 PM
CMU -11.0
EKY at BALL 03:00 PM
BALL -13.0
ALA at MISS 03:30 PM
ALA -10.0
USF at SYR 03:30 PM
USF -14.0
JMU at UNC 03:30 PM
UNC -24.5
MONM at KENT 03:30 PM
KENT -14.5
ORE at NEB 03:30 PM
ORE +3.0
BC at VT 03:30 PM
VT -6.5
U 40.5
SDSU at NIU 03:30 PM
SDSU -10.5
WKU at M-OH 03:30 PM
WKU -17.0
O 63.0
PITT at OKST 03:30 PM
PITT +3.0
U 59.0
COLO at MICH 03:30 PM
COLO +17.5
IDHO at WSU 02:00 PM
WSU -27.5
FAU at KSU 02:30 PM
FAU +24.0
FRES at TOL 03:00 PM
TOL -21.0
UNLV at CMU 03:00 PM
CMU -11.0
EKY at BALL 03:00 PM
BALL -13.0
ALA at MISS 03:30 PM
ALA -10.0
USF at SYR 03:30 PM
USF -14.0
JMU at UNC 03:30 PM
UNC -24.5
MONM at KENT 03:30 PM
KENT -14.5
ORE at NEB 03:30 PM
ORE +3.0
BC at VT 03:30 PM
VT -6.5
U 40.5
SDSU at NIU 03:30 PM
SDSU -10.5
WKU at M-OH 03:30 PM
WKU -17.0
O 63.0
PITT at OKST 03:30 PM
PITT +3.0
U 59.0
COLO at MICH 03:30 PM
COLO +17.5
EVENING CFB BEST BETS:
TROY at SOMIS 07:00 PM
TROY +9.5
O 61.5
NAVY at TULN 07:00 PM
TULN +7.0
TAM at AUB 07:00 PM
AUB -1.0
MSST at LSU 07:00 PM
MSST +13.0
LT at TTU 07:00 PM
LT +11.0
O 82.5
MD at UCF 07:00 PM
MD -10.5
ARMY at UTEP 07:00 PM
ARMY -3.0
USA at ULL 07:00 PM
USA +1.5
LIB at SMU 07:00 PM
SMU -14.0
TXST at ARK 07:30 PM
TXST +28.5
UNT at FLA 07:30 PM
FLA -33.5
MSU at ND 07:30 PM
ND -7.5
UGA at MIZZ 07:30 PM
MIZZ +7.0
OSU at OKLA 07:30 PM
OSU -2.0
TROY at SOMIS 07:00 PM
TROY +9.5
O 61.5
NAVY at TULN 07:00 PM
TULN +7.0
TAM at AUB 07:00 PM
AUB -1.0
MSST at LSU 07:00 PM
MSST +13.0
LT at TTU 07:00 PM
LT +11.0
O 82.5
MD at UCF 07:00 PM
MD -10.5
ARMY at UTEP 07:00 PM
ARMY -3.0
USA at ULL 07:00 PM
USA +1.5
LIB at SMU 07:00 PM
SMU -14.0
TXST at ARK 07:30 PM
TXST +28.5
UNT at FLA 07:30 PM
FLA -33.5
MSU at ND 07:30 PM
ND -7.5
UGA at MIZZ 07:30 PM
MIZZ +7.0
OSU at OKLA 07:30 PM
OSU -2.0
LATE EVENING GAMES:
USC at STAN 08:00 PM
STAN -7.0
O 51.5
DUKE at NW 08:00 PM
DUKE +4.0
U 47.5
PRST at WASH 08:00 PM
WASH -42.5
BUFF at NEV 09:00 PM
BUFF +10.5
UCLA at BYU 10:15 PM
UCLA -3.5
O 50.5
UTAH at SJSU 10:30 PM
SJSU +13.0
TEX at CAL 10:30 PM
TEX -7.5
U 80.0
HAW at ARIZ 10:45 PM
HAW +23.0
O 63.5
USC at STAN 08:00 PM
STAN -7.0
O 51.5
DUKE at NW 08:00 PM
DUKE +4.0
U 47.5
PRST at WASH 08:00 PM
WASH -42.5
BUFF at NEV 09:00 PM
BUFF +10.5
UCLA at BYU 10:15 PM
UCLA -3.5
O 50.5
UTAH at SJSU 10:30 PM
SJSU +13.0
TEX at CAL 10:30 PM
TEX -7.5
U 80.0
HAW at ARIZ 10:45 PM
HAW +23.0
O 63.5
4th Quarter Covers - Week 2
September 12, 2016
Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are some of the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the second college football weekend. Each week there are several teams that cover despite not necessarily deserving it, as well as other teams that played much better than the final score shows.
Louisville (-17) 62, Syracuse 28: The Cardinals stormed out to a 21-0 lead less than five minutes into the first quarter with some big plays, but despite allowing huge numbers, the Orange managed to stay in the game and eventually trailed by just 14 points heading into the final quarter. Louisville settled for a pair of field goals early in the quarter to keep Syracuse within a score of an underdog cover, but turnovers on three consecutive Syracuse possessions in the fourth quarter allowed the Cardinals to add a few more points to create a lopsided final margin though the Cardinals deserved it with an eye-popping 845 yards of offense.
Boston College (-16) 26, Massachusetts 7: The Minutemen struck first vs. Boston College with a big play to take a 7-0 lead, but by halftime the Eagles were up by six and the margin inched closer to the spread with a 19-7 lead through three quarters. A strong punt return put Boston College in good field position late in the game and a five-play, 35-yard drive put the Eagles past the road favorite spread with just over four minutes to go.
Arkansas (+10½) 41, TCU 38: Despite dominating the yardage, TCU dug an early hole vs. Arkansas to trail 13-0 at the half with the lone Razorbacks touchdown coming on an interception return. The Frogs still trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter, but finally started to cash in opportunities, scoring three straight touchdowns to take a 28-20 lead, past a spread that sat at -7 early in the weekend before a big late line move. The defense let the Frogs down again as Arkansas managed to tie with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion with just over a minute to go. TCU got a 64-yard kickoff return and looked certain to take the win but a failed cover, lining up a 28-yard field goal attempt only to have it blocked. After trading touchdowns in the first overtime, TCU settled for a kick in the second session and Arkansas found the end zone for the upset.
Michigan (-37) 51, Central Florida 14: The heavy favorite spread on this game eventually climbed to 37 and that is right where the final score landed. The Wolverines reached that margin early in the third quarter with a 44-14 advantage, but a long run put Central Florida in the end zone as Michigan led by just 30 heading into the fourth quarter. Wilton Speight threw another touchdown pass with about 10 minutes to go to make it 51-14 and the final three drives for Central Florida ended on downs in Michigan territory as the Knights were certainly in position to spoil the cover despite not quite getting there.
Appalachian State (-21) 31, Old Dominion 7: Coming off the strong opening week performance against Tennessee, Appalachian State had a little trouble pulling away from Old Dominion as a 24-7 lead at the half stayed right there for over 29 minutes in the second half before a short run on just a 39-yard drive put the Mountaineers ahead 31-7 and past the favorite spread in the final minute of the game. The Monarchs came up empty on two long second half drives, stopped with an interception on the 15-yard line and on downs from the 30-yard line.
Pittsburgh (-3) 42, Penn State 39: The hosting Panthers were a bigger favorite than -3 most of the week and they had a 28-7 lead until a touchdown in the final minute of the first half for Penn State. After trading scores in the third quarter, Pittsburgh still had a 14-point edge entering the fourth quarter. A touchdown and a field goal in the span of less than two minutes put the Nittany Lions down by just four early in the final frame. Pittsburgh answered on a short field off a turnover to lead by 11, but with five minutes to go in the game Penn State found the end zone and lined up for a critical two-point conversion down by five. The conversion was good to cut the margin to three points and the Penn State defense held to get the ball back. With the Lions down to the Pittsburgh 31-yard line, an interception ended the threat and the game landed on the closing number.
Indiana (-17) 30, Ball State 20: Indiana had a 30-0 lead in the third quarter, but Ball State would score the final 20 points in the game including getting a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as they wound up stealing a backdoor cover on the Hoosiers with the last touchdown coming with just over three minutes to go.
Navy (-3½) 28, Connecticut 24: A 21-0 lead for Navy was erased quickly as an 86-yard fumble return late in the third quarter became a third straight Huskies score to knot the game at 21-21, returning the favor as Navy had scored on a fumble return touchdown early in the game. In the final quarter, Connecticut took its first lead of the game with a 38-yard field goal but after trading punts, the Huskies were pinned deep and punting from the end zone Navy wound up with incredible field position late in the game. It took just a 17-yard scoring drive as the Midshipmen took the lead with about four minutes to go, slipping just past the closing spread as well. The Huskies were not done as they reached first and goal with 45 seconds to go but the Huskies mangled the clock management burning a final timeout when they didn’t need to and eventually running out of time after running the ball on second down.
Texas (-31) 41, Utep 7: Texas led by just six until a touchdown just before halftime. The margin was still 13 well into the third quarter before the Longhorns had back-to-back short touchdown drives in a span of just over two minutes. The margin was just 27 at that point, but Texas would add another touchdown in the fourth quarter to sneak past the big number that rose all week.
Colorado State (-8) 23, Texas San Antonio 14: The line on this game dropped all week to just -8 for the Rams and at halftime it was a tight game with a 20-14 lead for the hosts. The Rams stalled on offense in the second half, but the defense stopped the Roadrunners twice on fourth down attempts just outside of field goal range as the margin remained at six. In the final minutes, Colorado State added a field goal which was critical for many supporting the home team. An interception by Texas San Antonio in their own territory seemed to offer Colorado State a chance to tack on more points to cover the early week numbers as well, but they were able to run out the clock.
Washington (-36) 59, Idaho 14: Washington was up 42-0 at one point, but Idaho was back within 35 early in the fourth quarter. The Huskies added a field goal and an interception return touchdown late in the game to put away the Vandals.
Alabama (-27) 38, Western Kentucky 10: While the closing line dipped below four touchdowns, many had to lay -28.5 or higher on the Crimson Tide. Alabama only led by 17 entering the fourth quarter, but back-to-back touchdown drives put the lead to 35 points. Western Kentucky managed to spoil the cover for some however, finding the end zone in the final minute on a short field following an Alabama fumble.
Oregon (-24) 44, Virginia 26: The Ducks led by 24 at the half and then by 31 late in the third quarter, but the scoring for Oregon stopped from there on as Virginia added two late touchdowns to score the underdog cover. Oregon was to the Virginia 38-yard line in the final three minutes, but there was no urgency to put points on the board and they stayed at 44.
Miami, FL (-26) 38, Florida Atlantic 10: The Hurricanes led 24-3 late in the third quarter, but Florida Atlantic hit a big play to find the end zone for the first time in the game. Miami added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to slip past the spread including the final score coming with just a minute to go in the game despite the victory being in hand.
Georgia Southern (-12½) 24, South Alabama 9: At the half, Georgia Southern led just 10-6 but they added scores early in both the third and fourth quarters to lead 24-6 and past the road favorite spread. South Alabama threatened in the middle of the fourth quarter, but wound up kicking a short field goal to leave the margin at 15 points. The Jaguars then were stopped on downs after an 11-play drive to the edge of field goal range and then late in the game a 71-yard drive to the Georgia Southern 6-yard line ended in an interception as the Eagles escaped with a lucky road favorite cover.
Nebraska (-26½) 52, Wyoming 17: For the second straight week, Nebraska turned in a big fourth quarter as they led Wyoming by just seven through three quarters. Nebraska scored four touchdowns in the final frame with a few short fields as Wyoming eventually ended up with six turnovers in the game. The late scoring also turned a likely ‘under’ into an ‘over’.
Utah (-3½) 20, BYU 19: The Holy War was sloppy this season with nine combined turnovers and Utah opening the scoring with an interception return touchdown. At halftime, the Utes led by one but they pushed past the slight home favorite spread with a field goal in the third quarter. Utah entered the red zone in the final minutes looking to put the game away, but they settled for a short field goal to lead by just seven. Taysom Hill engineered a 75-yard drive in the final three minutes to pull the Cougars within one and the new coaching staff made the bold play to go for two, a decision those on the slight underdog certainly favored as well. BYU didn’t convert as Utah held on, but BYU backers collected without having to sit though overtime.
Boise State (-13) 31, Washington State 28: The Broncos led by 10 heading into the fourth quarter and pulled ahead by 17 on the first play of the final frame. Washington State quickly answered to get back within the number and a touchdown pass with about four minutes to go in the game put the Cougars within three. A second straight Boise State interception gave Washington State the ball back and a real shot at the upset but the drive stalled near midfield, though the Cougars had done enough to win plus the points.
San Diego State (-5½) 45, California 40: With the help of a kickoff return touchdown and an interception return touchdown, the Aztecs pulled to a 10-point lead at the half and that was extended to a 17-point lead halfway through the third quarter. A 59-yard pass play gave the Bears a bit of momentum and by the end of the third quarter, California trailed 38-31, right even with the common spread on the game, though just before kickoff the home favorite number did slip. The Bears scored a field goal early in the fourth quarter, but San Diego State seemed to lock up the game with a touchdown drive to lead by 11 with less than three minutes to go in the game. California converted a fourth down play in their own territory and eventually went the distance on a 12-play drive to score a spread-spoiling touchdown in the final minute of the game, trailing by five after missing the two-point conversion. The on-side kick was actually successfully recovered and the Bears reached the San Diego State 22-yard line in the final seconds before an interception ended the game.
September 12, 2016
Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are some of the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the second college football weekend. Each week there are several teams that cover despite not necessarily deserving it, as well as other teams that played much better than the final score shows.
Louisville (-17) 62, Syracuse 28: The Cardinals stormed out to a 21-0 lead less than five minutes into the first quarter with some big plays, but despite allowing huge numbers, the Orange managed to stay in the game and eventually trailed by just 14 points heading into the final quarter. Louisville settled for a pair of field goals early in the quarter to keep Syracuse within a score of an underdog cover, but turnovers on three consecutive Syracuse possessions in the fourth quarter allowed the Cardinals to add a few more points to create a lopsided final margin though the Cardinals deserved it with an eye-popping 845 yards of offense.
Boston College (-16) 26, Massachusetts 7: The Minutemen struck first vs. Boston College with a big play to take a 7-0 lead, but by halftime the Eagles were up by six and the margin inched closer to the spread with a 19-7 lead through three quarters. A strong punt return put Boston College in good field position late in the game and a five-play, 35-yard drive put the Eagles past the road favorite spread with just over four minutes to go.
Arkansas (+10½) 41, TCU 38: Despite dominating the yardage, TCU dug an early hole vs. Arkansas to trail 13-0 at the half with the lone Razorbacks touchdown coming on an interception return. The Frogs still trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter, but finally started to cash in opportunities, scoring three straight touchdowns to take a 28-20 lead, past a spread that sat at -7 early in the weekend before a big late line move. The defense let the Frogs down again as Arkansas managed to tie with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion with just over a minute to go. TCU got a 64-yard kickoff return and looked certain to take the win but a failed cover, lining up a 28-yard field goal attempt only to have it blocked. After trading touchdowns in the first overtime, TCU settled for a kick in the second session and Arkansas found the end zone for the upset.
Michigan (-37) 51, Central Florida 14: The heavy favorite spread on this game eventually climbed to 37 and that is right where the final score landed. The Wolverines reached that margin early in the third quarter with a 44-14 advantage, but a long run put Central Florida in the end zone as Michigan led by just 30 heading into the fourth quarter. Wilton Speight threw another touchdown pass with about 10 minutes to go to make it 51-14 and the final three drives for Central Florida ended on downs in Michigan territory as the Knights were certainly in position to spoil the cover despite not quite getting there.
Appalachian State (-21) 31, Old Dominion 7: Coming off the strong opening week performance against Tennessee, Appalachian State had a little trouble pulling away from Old Dominion as a 24-7 lead at the half stayed right there for over 29 minutes in the second half before a short run on just a 39-yard drive put the Mountaineers ahead 31-7 and past the favorite spread in the final minute of the game. The Monarchs came up empty on two long second half drives, stopped with an interception on the 15-yard line and on downs from the 30-yard line.
Pittsburgh (-3) 42, Penn State 39: The hosting Panthers were a bigger favorite than -3 most of the week and they had a 28-7 lead until a touchdown in the final minute of the first half for Penn State. After trading scores in the third quarter, Pittsburgh still had a 14-point edge entering the fourth quarter. A touchdown and a field goal in the span of less than two minutes put the Nittany Lions down by just four early in the final frame. Pittsburgh answered on a short field off a turnover to lead by 11, but with five minutes to go in the game Penn State found the end zone and lined up for a critical two-point conversion down by five. The conversion was good to cut the margin to three points and the Penn State defense held to get the ball back. With the Lions down to the Pittsburgh 31-yard line, an interception ended the threat and the game landed on the closing number.
Indiana (-17) 30, Ball State 20: Indiana had a 30-0 lead in the third quarter, but Ball State would score the final 20 points in the game including getting a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as they wound up stealing a backdoor cover on the Hoosiers with the last touchdown coming with just over three minutes to go.
Navy (-3½) 28, Connecticut 24: A 21-0 lead for Navy was erased quickly as an 86-yard fumble return late in the third quarter became a third straight Huskies score to knot the game at 21-21, returning the favor as Navy had scored on a fumble return touchdown early in the game. In the final quarter, Connecticut took its first lead of the game with a 38-yard field goal but after trading punts, the Huskies were pinned deep and punting from the end zone Navy wound up with incredible field position late in the game. It took just a 17-yard scoring drive as the Midshipmen took the lead with about four minutes to go, slipping just past the closing spread as well. The Huskies were not done as they reached first and goal with 45 seconds to go but the Huskies mangled the clock management burning a final timeout when they didn’t need to and eventually running out of time after running the ball on second down.
Texas (-31) 41, Utep 7: Texas led by just six until a touchdown just before halftime. The margin was still 13 well into the third quarter before the Longhorns had back-to-back short touchdown drives in a span of just over two minutes. The margin was just 27 at that point, but Texas would add another touchdown in the fourth quarter to sneak past the big number that rose all week.
Colorado State (-8) 23, Texas San Antonio 14: The line on this game dropped all week to just -8 for the Rams and at halftime it was a tight game with a 20-14 lead for the hosts. The Rams stalled on offense in the second half, but the defense stopped the Roadrunners twice on fourth down attempts just outside of field goal range as the margin remained at six. In the final minutes, Colorado State added a field goal which was critical for many supporting the home team. An interception by Texas San Antonio in their own territory seemed to offer Colorado State a chance to tack on more points to cover the early week numbers as well, but they were able to run out the clock.
Washington (-36) 59, Idaho 14: Washington was up 42-0 at one point, but Idaho was back within 35 early in the fourth quarter. The Huskies added a field goal and an interception return touchdown late in the game to put away the Vandals.
Alabama (-27) 38, Western Kentucky 10: While the closing line dipped below four touchdowns, many had to lay -28.5 or higher on the Crimson Tide. Alabama only led by 17 entering the fourth quarter, but back-to-back touchdown drives put the lead to 35 points. Western Kentucky managed to spoil the cover for some however, finding the end zone in the final minute on a short field following an Alabama fumble.
Oregon (-24) 44, Virginia 26: The Ducks led by 24 at the half and then by 31 late in the third quarter, but the scoring for Oregon stopped from there on as Virginia added two late touchdowns to score the underdog cover. Oregon was to the Virginia 38-yard line in the final three minutes, but there was no urgency to put points on the board and they stayed at 44.
Miami, FL (-26) 38, Florida Atlantic 10: The Hurricanes led 24-3 late in the third quarter, but Florida Atlantic hit a big play to find the end zone for the first time in the game. Miami added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to slip past the spread including the final score coming with just a minute to go in the game despite the victory being in hand.
Georgia Southern (-12½) 24, South Alabama 9: At the half, Georgia Southern led just 10-6 but they added scores early in both the third and fourth quarters to lead 24-6 and past the road favorite spread. South Alabama threatened in the middle of the fourth quarter, but wound up kicking a short field goal to leave the margin at 15 points. The Jaguars then were stopped on downs after an 11-play drive to the edge of field goal range and then late in the game a 71-yard drive to the Georgia Southern 6-yard line ended in an interception as the Eagles escaped with a lucky road favorite cover.
Nebraska (-26½) 52, Wyoming 17: For the second straight week, Nebraska turned in a big fourth quarter as they led Wyoming by just seven through three quarters. Nebraska scored four touchdowns in the final frame with a few short fields as Wyoming eventually ended up with six turnovers in the game. The late scoring also turned a likely ‘under’ into an ‘over’.
Utah (-3½) 20, BYU 19: The Holy War was sloppy this season with nine combined turnovers and Utah opening the scoring with an interception return touchdown. At halftime, the Utes led by one but they pushed past the slight home favorite spread with a field goal in the third quarter. Utah entered the red zone in the final minutes looking to put the game away, but they settled for a short field goal to lead by just seven. Taysom Hill engineered a 75-yard drive in the final three minutes to pull the Cougars within one and the new coaching staff made the bold play to go for two, a decision those on the slight underdog certainly favored as well. BYU didn’t convert as Utah held on, but BYU backers collected without having to sit though overtime.
Boise State (-13) 31, Washington State 28: The Broncos led by 10 heading into the fourth quarter and pulled ahead by 17 on the first play of the final frame. Washington State quickly answered to get back within the number and a touchdown pass with about four minutes to go in the game put the Cougars within three. A second straight Boise State interception gave Washington State the ball back and a real shot at the upset but the drive stalled near midfield, though the Cougars had done enough to win plus the points.
San Diego State (-5½) 45, California 40: With the help of a kickoff return touchdown and an interception return touchdown, the Aztecs pulled to a 10-point lead at the half and that was extended to a 17-point lead halfway through the third quarter. A 59-yard pass play gave the Bears a bit of momentum and by the end of the third quarter, California trailed 38-31, right even with the common spread on the game, though just before kickoff the home favorite number did slip. The Bears scored a field goal early in the fourth quarter, but San Diego State seemed to lock up the game with a touchdown drive to lead by 11 with less than three minutes to go in the game. California converted a fourth down play in their own territory and eventually went the distance on a 12-play drive to score a spread-spoiling touchdown in the final minute of the game, trailing by five after missing the two-point conversion. The on-side kick was actually successfully recovered and the Bears reached the San Diego State 22-yard line in the final seconds before an interception ended the game.
Betting Recap - Week 2
September 11, 2016
Overall Notes
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2 RESULTS
WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 64-10
Against the Spread 39-33-1
WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 61-12
Against the Spread 36-35-1
WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 37-34
WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up (neutral site) 1-0
Against the Spread (neutral site) 1-0
Over-Under (neutral site) 1-0
The largest underdogs to win straight up
Central Michigan (+18, +650 ML) at Oklahoma State, 30-27
Illinois State (+12, +400 ML) at Northwestern, 9-7
North Carolina A&T (+11.5, +350 ML) at Kent State, 39-36 (OT)
The largest favorites to cover
Texas A&M (-49) vs. Prairie View A&M, 67-0
Colorado (-45.5) vs. Idaho State, 56-7
Marshall (-42.5) vs. Morgan State, 62-0
Top 25 Notes
-- The second full weekend of college football still left a lot of questions and not many answers for some of the top teams in the nation. Clemson was in the national title game last season, but so far they have looked anything but championship caliber through two games. The Tigers barely topped Troy despite entering as 34 1/2-point favorites. While the Tigers are 2-0 SU, they are 0-2 ATS and have won each of their games by an average of 6.0 points per contest. ... Ranked teams managed a 22-2 SU and 14-10 ATS mark in Week 2, with Oklahoma State and Texas Christian suffering defeats. The Cowboys lost in controversial fashion, as referees incorrectly gave Central Michigan the ball for an untimed down after OK State was called for intentional grounding on fourth down. The game should have been over, but the Chippewas had a Hail Mary and while falling to the ground, the receiver lateraled to another player who took it in for the winning score. Miraculous, yes, especially if you took the Chips on the moneyline (+650), but tremendously controversial. ... Georgia nearly joined OK State and TCU in the loser's lounge, narrowly escaping a monumental upset at the hands of FCS Nicholls State. The Bulldogs entered as a 52 1/2-point favorite, but they ended up winning just 26-24.
-- Ohio State and Michigan have a long way to go until their season-ending battle, but they have each looked like playoff-caliber teams during the early going. The Buckeyes thrashed a high-octane Tulsa team by a 48-3 score even after a sluggish start. Through two games the Buckeyes have outscored a pair of FBS opponents by a total of 125-13. The Wolverines took care of UCF rather handily, 51-14, covering a big number for the second consecutive week. Michigan is averaging 57.0 points per game while allowing just 8.5. They figure to get a much bigger test next week at home against Colorado, while Ohio State will have its hands full in a marquee road game at Oklahoma.
-- Houston and Texas had huge wins last week, and they had no letdown falling those big victories. The Cougars punished FCS Lamar by a 42-0 count, just narrowly missing the cover as a 42 1/2-point favorite. The Longhorns posted a 41-7 win over Texas-El Paso to move to 2-0 SU/ATS on the season. Texas has another big game at California, the start of a three-game road trip which also includes stops at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
-- Another team on the rise, Louisville looks for real, and QB Lamar Jackson has thrown his name into the early Heisman talk following his two giant games to start. The Cardinals punished Syracuse in a 62-28 road win, using a 20-0 fourth quarter to pull away for the cover. The Cardinals are 2-0 SU/ATS heading into their clash next week against Florida State.
Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)
-- The ACC did not have a good day. North Carolina State kicked off the day with a loss at East Carolina, as the Pirates improved to 7-0 in their past seven against the ACC, and 6-0 ATS in their past six. As mentioned, Clemson almost suffered a catastrophic loss, but managed to survive. ... The same cannot be said for Virginia Tech, as they slipped up at Tennessee in the Battle at Bristol Motor Speedway. ... Virginia continues to look lost, slipped to 0-2 SU, falling at Oregon, 44-26. ... The biggest surprise might be out of Winston-Salem, as head coach Dave Clawson has Wake Forest at 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS after their road win at Duke.
-- Like the ACC, it was a difficult weekend for the Big Ten, too. Illinois and Purdue suffered home losses against non-conference foes, while Penn State was dumped at Pittsburgh in a renewal of that rivalry after a 16-year hiatus. There was also a bad beat in that game (see below). ... But the most embarrassing loss for the conference came in Evanston, Ill., as Northwestern was stunned at home against FCS Illinois State, losing 9-7. The Wildcats are now 0-2 SU/ATS with both losses at home. They'll look to get things right next weekend in the Brain Bowl against Duke.
-- Iowa State is off to a horrific start, slipping to 0-2 SU/ATS following a second straight loss to an in-state rival. Last week it was a setback against FCS Northern Iowa, and this week they were annihilated by Iowa by a 42-3 count. Next week, they travel to face an angry TCU in their conference opener. ... Kansas felt good last weekend following a win, but Saturday showed they have plenty of work left to be done. They fell 37-21 against Ohio to slip to 1-1 SU/ATS.
-- The most insane game of the day came from a Big 12-Pac-12 battle, as Arizona State topped Texas Tech by 68-55 score in regulation, easily going 'over' the 80-point total. Sun Devills RB Kalen Ballage tied an NCAA record with eight total touchdowns (seven rushing, one receiving), matching an FBS record for touchdowns against a major college opponent. The Sun Devils are now 2-0 SU/ATS, averaging 56.0 points per game through two outings. ... Colorado looks to be rather dangerous this season, moving to 2-0 SU/ATS with a 56-7 win over FCS Idaho State. The Buffaloes are averaging 50.0 PPG while allowing just 7.0 PPG. Those averages figure to change dramatically with a big measuring-stick game at Michigan next weekend followed by a trip to Oregon.
-- Mississippi State bounced back from an embarrassing home loss last weekend by throttling South Carolina to kick off conference play. Vanderbilt moved to 1-1 SU/ATS with an impressive win over Middle Tennessee by a 47-24 score. ... Florida was awfully sluggish in its opener, but offense wasn't a problem in a thrashing of Kentucky, 45-7. Kentucky has allowed 44.5 points per game in two losses, both 'over' results. ... Auburn rebounded for its disappointing narrow loss to Clemson last week by pounding Arkansas State by a 51-14 margin. The Tigers are 1-1 SU/2-0 ATS on the season. They will host Texas A&M next weekend. The Aggies paddled FCS Prairie View A&M 67-0, improving to 2-0 SU/ATS.
Mid-Major Report
-- Cincinnati won its first road game against a current Big Ten opponent since 1957, toppling Purdue by a 38-20 count. The Bearcats were much more impressive than they were a week ago against FCS Tennessee-Martin. ... Connecticut caught a break with Navy forced to use a backup quarterback. However the Middies still got it done, winning 28-24. The Huskies fell to 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS. They'll host equally disappointing Virginia next weekend. Tulane rebounded from a road loss to spank FCS Southern University by a 66-21 score. The Green Wave improved to 2-0 ATS on the season with the whitewash.
-- Conference USA had a rough week, as its league members posted just five wins in 13 games. Rice is off to an ugly start, slipping to 0-2 SU/ATS with a road loss at Army. The Black Knights won just two games a season ago, but they're now 2-0 SU/ATS. ... Appalachian State roughed up Old Dominion 31-7, as the Monarchs struggled in the mountains after polishing off an FCS team last week. The Mountaineers of the Sun Belt are now 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS. ... Texas-San Antonio narrowly missed out on a cover in a 23-14 setback at Colorado State. The Roadeunners are now 1-1 SU/0-2 ATS heading into next week's tilt with high-octane Arizona State.
-- The MAC had a banner week. Not only did Central Michigan make highlight reels on every national sports show while also setting Twitter ablaze, but Ohio made the MAC 2-0 SU/ATS against the Big 12 with their win at Kansas. ... It wasn't all great for the MAC, as Kent State slipped up at home to FCS North Carolina A&T, as the Golden Flashes slipped to 0-2 SU/1-1 ATS. ... Northern Illinois is off to an uncharacteristically poor start, as they lost in Wyoming in Week 1 and were slaughtered 48-17 in the heat at South Florida this week. NIU has allowed 44.0 points per game through two outings, and it's no surprise the 'over' is 2-0 in two games for the Huskies.
-- San Diego State posted a 45-40 win over California, moving to 2-0 SU but 0-1-1 ATS. ... Boise State held off Washington State, 31-28, improving to 2-0 SU but falling to 1-1 ATS. The Cougars slipped to 0-2 SU, but they were able to earn their first cover of the season. ... Hawaii scored its first win of the season, polishing off Tennessee-Martin 41-36. The Warriors are just 1-2 ATS on the season and the 'over' is a perfect 3-0. The Warriors defense has been terrible, allowing at least 36 points in each game, averaging 50.0 PPG allowed this season.
Bad Beats
-- Oregon bettors thought they caught a break with :40 remaining against Virginia. The Ducks ripped off a long touchdown run for what looked to be a miraculous cover, but a late flag came in for holding to wipe out the good feeling. The Ducks are now 0-2 ATS on the season.
-- If you were holding an 'under' (57.5) ticket in the Arkansas-TCU game, things were looking good at halftime with just 13 total points. There was a total of just 27 points through thee quarters, too. Arkansas scored a touchdown in the final minute to close to within 28-26. They ended up going for two, and converted on a trick play to force overtime. While 'over' bettors could not believe their good fortune, 'under' bettors were left shaking their heads.
-- If you were laying 3 1/2 points with Pittsburgh, things were looking good when it was 28-7 near the end of the first half. Things were loooking good midway through the fourth quarter, too, at 42-31. However, with 5:00 to go, Penn State found the end zone and they converted the 2-point conversion to cut the lead to three and end up with the backdoor cover.
-- Florida Atlantic did a good job covering a 25-point number for the entire game at Miami-Florida. With exactly 1:00 remaining, rather than going into victory formation, the Hurricanes punched a late score in to take a 38-10 lead and send FAU side bettors into an expletive-filled rant. The Owls slipped to 0-2 ATS on the season.
-- 'Over' (43) bettors thought they were in good shape in Brigham Young-Utah, but the Cougars elected to go for two rather than send the Holy War to overtime.
September 11, 2016
Overall Notes
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2 RESULTS
WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 64-10
Against the Spread 39-33-1
WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 61-12
Against the Spread 36-35-1
WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 37-34
WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up (neutral site) 1-0
Against the Spread (neutral site) 1-0
Over-Under (neutral site) 1-0
The largest underdogs to win straight up
Central Michigan (+18, +650 ML) at Oklahoma State, 30-27
Illinois State (+12, +400 ML) at Northwestern, 9-7
North Carolina A&T (+11.5, +350 ML) at Kent State, 39-36 (OT)
The largest favorites to cover
Texas A&M (-49) vs. Prairie View A&M, 67-0
Colorado (-45.5) vs. Idaho State, 56-7
Marshall (-42.5) vs. Morgan State, 62-0
Top 25 Notes
-- The second full weekend of college football still left a lot of questions and not many answers for some of the top teams in the nation. Clemson was in the national title game last season, but so far they have looked anything but championship caliber through two games. The Tigers barely topped Troy despite entering as 34 1/2-point favorites. While the Tigers are 2-0 SU, they are 0-2 ATS and have won each of their games by an average of 6.0 points per contest. ... Ranked teams managed a 22-2 SU and 14-10 ATS mark in Week 2, with Oklahoma State and Texas Christian suffering defeats. The Cowboys lost in controversial fashion, as referees incorrectly gave Central Michigan the ball for an untimed down after OK State was called for intentional grounding on fourth down. The game should have been over, but the Chippewas had a Hail Mary and while falling to the ground, the receiver lateraled to another player who took it in for the winning score. Miraculous, yes, especially if you took the Chips on the moneyline (+650), but tremendously controversial. ... Georgia nearly joined OK State and TCU in the loser's lounge, narrowly escaping a monumental upset at the hands of FCS Nicholls State. The Bulldogs entered as a 52 1/2-point favorite, but they ended up winning just 26-24.
-- Ohio State and Michigan have a long way to go until their season-ending battle, but they have each looked like playoff-caliber teams during the early going. The Buckeyes thrashed a high-octane Tulsa team by a 48-3 score even after a sluggish start. Through two games the Buckeyes have outscored a pair of FBS opponents by a total of 125-13. The Wolverines took care of UCF rather handily, 51-14, covering a big number for the second consecutive week. Michigan is averaging 57.0 points per game while allowing just 8.5. They figure to get a much bigger test next week at home against Colorado, while Ohio State will have its hands full in a marquee road game at Oklahoma.
-- Houston and Texas had huge wins last week, and they had no letdown falling those big victories. The Cougars punished FCS Lamar by a 42-0 count, just narrowly missing the cover as a 42 1/2-point favorite. The Longhorns posted a 41-7 win over Texas-El Paso to move to 2-0 SU/ATS on the season. Texas has another big game at California, the start of a three-game road trip which also includes stops at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
-- Another team on the rise, Louisville looks for real, and QB Lamar Jackson has thrown his name into the early Heisman talk following his two giant games to start. The Cardinals punished Syracuse in a 62-28 road win, using a 20-0 fourth quarter to pull away for the cover. The Cardinals are 2-0 SU/ATS heading into their clash next week against Florida State.
Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)
-- The ACC did not have a good day. North Carolina State kicked off the day with a loss at East Carolina, as the Pirates improved to 7-0 in their past seven against the ACC, and 6-0 ATS in their past six. As mentioned, Clemson almost suffered a catastrophic loss, but managed to survive. ... The same cannot be said for Virginia Tech, as they slipped up at Tennessee in the Battle at Bristol Motor Speedway. ... Virginia continues to look lost, slipped to 0-2 SU, falling at Oregon, 44-26. ... The biggest surprise might be out of Winston-Salem, as head coach Dave Clawson has Wake Forest at 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS after their road win at Duke.
-- Like the ACC, it was a difficult weekend for the Big Ten, too. Illinois and Purdue suffered home losses against non-conference foes, while Penn State was dumped at Pittsburgh in a renewal of that rivalry after a 16-year hiatus. There was also a bad beat in that game (see below). ... But the most embarrassing loss for the conference came in Evanston, Ill., as Northwestern was stunned at home against FCS Illinois State, losing 9-7. The Wildcats are now 0-2 SU/ATS with both losses at home. They'll look to get things right next weekend in the Brain Bowl against Duke.
-- Iowa State is off to a horrific start, slipping to 0-2 SU/ATS following a second straight loss to an in-state rival. Last week it was a setback against FCS Northern Iowa, and this week they were annihilated by Iowa by a 42-3 count. Next week, they travel to face an angry TCU in their conference opener. ... Kansas felt good last weekend following a win, but Saturday showed they have plenty of work left to be done. They fell 37-21 against Ohio to slip to 1-1 SU/ATS.
-- The most insane game of the day came from a Big 12-Pac-12 battle, as Arizona State topped Texas Tech by 68-55 score in regulation, easily going 'over' the 80-point total. Sun Devills RB Kalen Ballage tied an NCAA record with eight total touchdowns (seven rushing, one receiving), matching an FBS record for touchdowns against a major college opponent. The Sun Devils are now 2-0 SU/ATS, averaging 56.0 points per game through two outings. ... Colorado looks to be rather dangerous this season, moving to 2-0 SU/ATS with a 56-7 win over FCS Idaho State. The Buffaloes are averaging 50.0 PPG while allowing just 7.0 PPG. Those averages figure to change dramatically with a big measuring-stick game at Michigan next weekend followed by a trip to Oregon.
-- Mississippi State bounced back from an embarrassing home loss last weekend by throttling South Carolina to kick off conference play. Vanderbilt moved to 1-1 SU/ATS with an impressive win over Middle Tennessee by a 47-24 score. ... Florida was awfully sluggish in its opener, but offense wasn't a problem in a thrashing of Kentucky, 45-7. Kentucky has allowed 44.5 points per game in two losses, both 'over' results. ... Auburn rebounded for its disappointing narrow loss to Clemson last week by pounding Arkansas State by a 51-14 margin. The Tigers are 1-1 SU/2-0 ATS on the season. They will host Texas A&M next weekend. The Aggies paddled FCS Prairie View A&M 67-0, improving to 2-0 SU/ATS.
Mid-Major Report
-- Cincinnati won its first road game against a current Big Ten opponent since 1957, toppling Purdue by a 38-20 count. The Bearcats were much more impressive than they were a week ago against FCS Tennessee-Martin. ... Connecticut caught a break with Navy forced to use a backup quarterback. However the Middies still got it done, winning 28-24. The Huskies fell to 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS. They'll host equally disappointing Virginia next weekend. Tulane rebounded from a road loss to spank FCS Southern University by a 66-21 score. The Green Wave improved to 2-0 ATS on the season with the whitewash.
-- Conference USA had a rough week, as its league members posted just five wins in 13 games. Rice is off to an ugly start, slipping to 0-2 SU/ATS with a road loss at Army. The Black Knights won just two games a season ago, but they're now 2-0 SU/ATS. ... Appalachian State roughed up Old Dominion 31-7, as the Monarchs struggled in the mountains after polishing off an FCS team last week. The Mountaineers of the Sun Belt are now 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS. ... Texas-San Antonio narrowly missed out on a cover in a 23-14 setback at Colorado State. The Roadeunners are now 1-1 SU/0-2 ATS heading into next week's tilt with high-octane Arizona State.
-- The MAC had a banner week. Not only did Central Michigan make highlight reels on every national sports show while also setting Twitter ablaze, but Ohio made the MAC 2-0 SU/ATS against the Big 12 with their win at Kansas. ... It wasn't all great for the MAC, as Kent State slipped up at home to FCS North Carolina A&T, as the Golden Flashes slipped to 0-2 SU/1-1 ATS. ... Northern Illinois is off to an uncharacteristically poor start, as they lost in Wyoming in Week 1 and were slaughtered 48-17 in the heat at South Florida this week. NIU has allowed 44.0 points per game through two outings, and it's no surprise the 'over' is 2-0 in two games for the Huskies.
-- San Diego State posted a 45-40 win over California, moving to 2-0 SU but 0-1-1 ATS. ... Boise State held off Washington State, 31-28, improving to 2-0 SU but falling to 1-1 ATS. The Cougars slipped to 0-2 SU, but they were able to earn their first cover of the season. ... Hawaii scored its first win of the season, polishing off Tennessee-Martin 41-36. The Warriors are just 1-2 ATS on the season and the 'over' is a perfect 3-0. The Warriors defense has been terrible, allowing at least 36 points in each game, averaging 50.0 PPG allowed this season.
Bad Beats
-- Oregon bettors thought they caught a break with :40 remaining against Virginia. The Ducks ripped off a long touchdown run for what looked to be a miraculous cover, but a late flag came in for holding to wipe out the good feeling. The Ducks are now 0-2 ATS on the season.
-- If you were holding an 'under' (57.5) ticket in the Arkansas-TCU game, things were looking good at halftime with just 13 total points. There was a total of just 27 points through thee quarters, too. Arkansas scored a touchdown in the final minute to close to within 28-26. They ended up going for two, and converted on a trick play to force overtime. While 'over' bettors could not believe their good fortune, 'under' bettors were left shaking their heads.
-- If you were laying 3 1/2 points with Pittsburgh, things were looking good when it was 28-7 near the end of the first half. Things were loooking good midway through the fourth quarter, too, at 42-31. However, with 5:00 to go, Penn State found the end zone and they converted the 2-point conversion to cut the lead to three and end up with the backdoor cover.
-- Florida Atlantic did a good job covering a 25-point number for the entire game at Miami-Florida. With exactly 1:00 remaining, rather than going into victory formation, the Hurricanes punched a late score in to take a 38-10 lead and send FAU side bettors into an expletive-filled rant. The Owls slipped to 0-2 ATS on the season.
-- 'Over' (43) bettors thought they were in good shape in Brigham Young-Utah, but the Cougars elected to go for two rather than send the Holy War to overtime.
Louisville surges to No. 3 in the Top 25
September 18, 2016
Louisville surged to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, matching the best ranking in school history, and Ohio State moved up to No. 2 behind Alabama.
The Crimson Tide received 50 first-place votes after coming from 21 points down to win 48-43 at Mississippi on Saturday. The Buckeyes moved up one spot after an emphatic 45-24 victory at Oklahoma.
No team made a bigger move than Louisville, which jumped seven spots and received six-first place votes after Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals beat Florida State 63-20. The Seminoles slid 11 spots to No. 13.
The Cardinals were No. 3 on Nov. 5, 2006, during coach Bobby Petrino's first stint with Louisville.
North Dakota State didn't make the rankings, but received 74 points after upsetting Iowa - the most points ever for a Football Championship Subdivision team. Iowa dropped out.
POLL POINTS
CHARGING BISON
North Dakota State, the five-time- defending FCS national champion, set a record for most points AP poll received by team from Division I football's second tier. Ten FCS teams have received votes in the poll since 2007, after Appalachian State's victory against Michigan prompted the AP to declare that voters could include teams playing in what was once called I-AA.
North Dakota State, which is 5-0 against Power Five teams since 2010, received votes during each season from 2010-14.
UP
- No. 15 Miami moved up 10 spots after winning 35-10 at Appalachian State.
- No. 10 Texas A&M jumped seven places after a 29-16 road victory against Auburn.
- No. 8 Michigan State moved up four spots after beating Notre Dame 36-28 on the road.
DOWN
- Florida State's loss to Louisville was the third-most lopsided for a team ranked No. 2 and its drop in the poll was the largest by a No. 2 team since Southern California fell to No. 13 after losing to Stanford 21-14 on Sept. 15, 2012.
- Two weeks after vaulting into the poll, Texas dropped 10 spots to No. 21 after losing a wild game at California.
- No. 23 Mississippi and No. 25 Oklahoma both managed to stay in the rankings after dropping to 1-2 on the season. The Rebels, who opened the season with a loss to Florida State, dropped four spots. The Sooners, who lost their opener to Houston, fell 11 spots.
Six times previously teams have been ranked with 1-2 records since the poll expanded to 25 in 1989. The last 1-2 team to be ranked was Notre Dame on Sept. 12, 1999.
IN
- No. 20 Nebraska is back in the rankings for the first time since Dec. 7, 2014 after beating Oregon 35-32.
- No. 22 San Diego State is ranked for the first time since 1995.
- No. 24 Utah moved to 3-0 after beating San Jose Stater 34-17 on the road.
OUT
- Iowa's loss to North Dakota State cost the Hawkeyes a place in the rankings.
- Notre Dame is out for the first time since the second half of the 2014 season.
- Oregon essentially gave its spot to Nebraska.
CONFERENCE CALL
SEC - 8
Big Ten - 5
ACC - 4
Big 12 - 3
Pac-12 - 3
American - 1
Mountain West - 1
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State. The Badgers sleep-walked through a victory against Georgia State before starting a daunting stretch that includes back-to-back games against the Spartans and No. 4 Michigan.
No. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee. The Gators have won 11 straight meetings, but won't have quarterback Luke Del Rio (knee).
No. 12 Georgia at No. 23 Mississippi. The Bulldogs have found their quarterback of the future and present in Jacob Eason.
No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 17 Arkansas at Arlington, Texas. The Aggies and Razorbacks went to overtime last season.
September 18, 2016
Louisville surged to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, matching the best ranking in school history, and Ohio State moved up to No. 2 behind Alabama.
The Crimson Tide received 50 first-place votes after coming from 21 points down to win 48-43 at Mississippi on Saturday. The Buckeyes moved up one spot after an emphatic 45-24 victory at Oklahoma.
No team made a bigger move than Louisville, which jumped seven spots and received six-first place votes after Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals beat Florida State 63-20. The Seminoles slid 11 spots to No. 13.
The Cardinals were No. 3 on Nov. 5, 2006, during coach Bobby Petrino's first stint with Louisville.
North Dakota State didn't make the rankings, but received 74 points after upsetting Iowa - the most points ever for a Football Championship Subdivision team. Iowa dropped out.
POLL POINTS
CHARGING BISON
North Dakota State, the five-time- defending FCS national champion, set a record for most points AP poll received by team from Division I football's second tier. Ten FCS teams have received votes in the poll since 2007, after Appalachian State's victory against Michigan prompted the AP to declare that voters could include teams playing in what was once called I-AA.
North Dakota State, which is 5-0 against Power Five teams since 2010, received votes during each season from 2010-14.
UP
- No. 15 Miami moved up 10 spots after winning 35-10 at Appalachian State.
- No. 10 Texas A&M jumped seven places after a 29-16 road victory against Auburn.
- No. 8 Michigan State moved up four spots after beating Notre Dame 36-28 on the road.
DOWN
- Florida State's loss to Louisville was the third-most lopsided for a team ranked No. 2 and its drop in the poll was the largest by a No. 2 team since Southern California fell to No. 13 after losing to Stanford 21-14 on Sept. 15, 2012.
- Two weeks after vaulting into the poll, Texas dropped 10 spots to No. 21 after losing a wild game at California.
- No. 23 Mississippi and No. 25 Oklahoma both managed to stay in the rankings after dropping to 1-2 on the season. The Rebels, who opened the season with a loss to Florida State, dropped four spots. The Sooners, who lost their opener to Houston, fell 11 spots.
Six times previously teams have been ranked with 1-2 records since the poll expanded to 25 in 1989. The last 1-2 team to be ranked was Notre Dame on Sept. 12, 1999.
IN
- No. 20 Nebraska is back in the rankings for the first time since Dec. 7, 2014 after beating Oregon 35-32.
- No. 22 San Diego State is ranked for the first time since 1995.
- No. 24 Utah moved to 3-0 after beating San Jose Stater 34-17 on the road.
OUT
- Iowa's loss to North Dakota State cost the Hawkeyes a place in the rankings.
- Notre Dame is out for the first time since the second half of the 2014 season.
- Oregon essentially gave its spot to Nebraska.
CONFERENCE CALL
SEC - 8
Big Ten - 5
ACC - 4
Big 12 - 3
Pac-12 - 3
American - 1
Mountain West - 1
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State. The Badgers sleep-walked through a victory against Georgia State before starting a daunting stretch that includes back-to-back games against the Spartans and No. 4 Michigan.
No. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee. The Gators have won 11 straight meetings, but won't have quarterback Luke Del Rio (knee).
No. 12 Georgia at No. 23 Mississippi. The Bulldogs have found their quarterback of the future and present in Jacob Eason.
No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 17 Arkansas at Arlington, Texas. The Aggies and Razorbacks went to overtime last season.
