Cnotes 2016 College Football Best Bets,Trends,Stat, News !!

[CNOTES]

No. 1 Alabama's 'machine' faces Saban alma mater Kent State
September 23, 2016


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Kent State coach Paul Haynes has been on the other side of these powerhouse-versus-underdog games.


The former Ohio State assistant is bringing his team in to face No. 1 Alabama on Saturday as the David in this battle with a college football Goliath. He isn't banking on catching Nick Saban's team unprepared even for a game against a six-touchdown underdog while coming off an emotional win over No. 23 Mississippi.


''As a coach you worry about these as far as preparation,'' Haynes said. ''I think that's what (Saban) has mastered. I think that's what he does the best of anyone in the country, that it doesn't matter who they play, they're never out of the game and they always prepare a certain way. They don't have choices. He doesn't give them a lot of choices. This is the way they do it, and that's why the machine keeps rolling the way it is.''


This game with Kent State (1-2) might be viewed as a respite for the Crimson Tide (3-0) after that 48-43 win over the Rebels, but it's got a special element for Saban. He's a 1973 Kent State graduate who played on the Golden Flashes' only conference champion as a senior.


Tide players insist they're not relaxing for this game, and not just because it's the head coach's alma mater.


''There are no down shifts,'' Tide linebacker Ryan Anderson said. ''We're going to practice this week like we're preparing for the national championship. That's the only way we're going to get better as a team. You can't down shift and then pick it back up. You just can't do it.''


---


Some other things to know about this game:


WAXING NOSTALGIC: Saban said it's been awhile since he's been able to visit Kent State, but he speaks fondly of his time there, especially that championship season. Coach Don James talked a reluctant Saban into working as a graduate assistant, starting a coaching career that's led to five national championships so far. At the time, he wasn't sure he wanted to coach or go to graduate school. ''There's a lot of things that impacted my life in a very positive way because of the people and the relationships that were developed there,'' Saban said.


INJURED RECEIVERS: Alabama receivers ArDarius Stewart and Robert Foster are both questionable for the game with knee injuries. Stewart, who was hurt in the Ole Miss game, is one of the SEC's top receivers with 13 catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns. Foster, a former starter, was injured in practice Tuesday.


SABAN VISIT: Saban took some time out to chat with a fellow Kent State alum when Haynes visited one spring five or six years ago, even delaying a staff meeting to continue the talk. Then at Ohio State, Haynes was visiting the Tide's then-director of football operations Todd Alles when Saban walked in and said he had some time to talk. ''So we went in his office and probably met for about an hour one on one and just talked DB stuff and defensive philosophy-type stuff,'' Haynes said. ''They had a staff meeting so coaches started coming in and he kind of held off the staff meeting and everybody was kind of looking at me like, `Who is this dude?'''


TOP DEFENDERS: Alabama's not the only team with star defenders. Kent State safety Nate Holley's 15.7 tackles per game ranks second nationally and he's tops in solo tackles averaging nine a game. Defensive end Terence Waugh's five sacks are tied for second in the nation.


YOUNG QBS: Tide freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to start for the third straight game, though Saban hasn't made any kind of announcement on the topic. Kent State starts a redshirt freshman QB in Mylik Mitchell. Both have thrown only one interception so far.

 

[CNOTES]

Tar Heels host Panthers in key ACC tilt
September 23, 2016


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina improved enough defensively last season to edge Pittsburgh on the way to winning an Atlantic Coast Conference division championship.


Roughly a year later, it's unclear if the Tar Heels are capable of doing it again.


The teams that finished 1-2 atop the Coastal Division meet in their league openers Saturday, with the Tar Heels facing the familiar challenge of trying to hold up physically against the Panthers' pounding ground game. But unlike last year - when the Tar Heels' defense went from awful to adequate - that unit doesn't enter the game with many positives.


They're coming off a performance coordinator Gene Chizik described as ''soft.''


''Soft defense is a choice, and that's the choice we made,'' Chizik said. ''We've got to improve this week or this game could get ugly.''


UNC (2-1) ranks 106th nationally against the run (226.7) and allows 28 points per game. That includes last weekend's 56-28 win against James Madison in which the Championship Subdivision team scored touchdowns on its first three drives, while both Chizik and head coach Larry Fedora later noted they didn't remember the Tar Heels making a good defensive play until the second quarter.


Pitt (2-1) is ranked 21st nationally in rushing (239 yards per game), with tailback James Conner cracking the 100-yard mark in each of the past two games. Two years ago, Pitt ran for 305 yards at UNC - Conner had 220 yards and four touchdowns - but the Tar Heels held Pitt to 153 in last year's 26-19 road win while Conner was out recovering from a knee injury and being treated for lymphoma.


Pitt has its own defensive concerns after allowing 640 yards in a loss at Oklahoma State.


''After a loss last week, I think we respond well to adversity,'' Panthers defensive end Ejuan Price said, ''and we're not thinking so much about redemption but about getting on the track.''


---


Some other things to know about Saturday's Pittsburgh-North Carolina matchup:


TRUBISKY'S ROLL: UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky enters with momentum. He completed 24 of 27 passes for a career-high 432 yards last week. That included setting a single-game program record by completing his last 18 passes. He enters this one with a program-record 156 throws without an interception. And he's coming off a game when he finally connected on the deep ball.


PITT'S PASS DEFENSE: The Panthers were especially vulnerable to the pass last week, surrendering 541 yards through the air - including a national-best 296 yards receiving by James Washington. So how will Pitt handle UNC's attack if Trubisky is connecting with deep threat Mack Hollins or receiver Ryan Switzer? ''Fundamentally you have to play with good technique,'' Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. ''That's what we try to play at every position on the field. You better play good technique when you're playing against great wide receivers.''


PETERMAN PROGRESSING: Narduzzi is quick to defend quarterback Nate Peterman, who passed for a season-high 237 yards against Oklahoma State with a touchdown and an interception while completing less than 50 percent of his passes (14 of 29). Narduzzi said Peterman has played ''above average the last two weeks,'' adding: ''If he continues to do that, we will be fine.''


DEFENSIVE HEALTH: UNC has been shorthanded on the defensive line, but could be close to full strength. Two-year starter Dajaun Drennon practiced fully this week after missing the first three games with an undisclosed injury and could play, while junior tackle Naz Jones is listed atop the depth chart after missing last week with an apparent concussion.


FRIENDLY RIVALS: Conner and Switzer have struck up a friendship over the years, with Switzer even paying tribute to Conner last fall after the 2014 ACC player was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma by writing #ConnerStrong on his cleats before the 2015 ACC title game.


That friendship takes a breather as Conner and the Panthers try to snap a three-game series skid. ''He's one of my better friends,'' Conner said of Switzer, ''but I know he wants to take some kicks back on us.''

 

[CNOTES]

Duke, Notre Dame looking for answers
September 23, 2016


SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Duke and Notre Dame are looking to stop being consistently inconsistent.


The Fighting Irish and Blue Devils are off to 1-2 starts. The Irish fell behind by double digits in losses to Texas and Michigan State and rallied in both games but couldn't pull out victories. Coach Brian Kelly blames a lack of urgency for Notre Dame's uneven play.


''We do some really good things, and then we do some really sloppy things. To be the kind of football team we want to be, we have to eliminate that,'' he said.


Duke coach David Cutcliffe is looking for more consistency offensively and cutting down on turnovers with 10 so far, second most among FBS schools.


''If we can accomplish those two things, we have a chance of having a really good offensive football team,'' he said.


Quarterback Daniel Jones said the Blue Devils need to execute better.


''It doesn't really matter who the opponent is or kind of what they're doing. It's about us executing every single play and raising our level of consistency,'' he said.


Defensively, the Blue Devils gave up seven passes that produced 245 yards in a 24-13 loss to Northwestern last week. Cutcliffe said those few plays have overshadowed better defensive play.


''We're playing better defense and people that don't know us might look at me like I have three heads,'' he said.


Other things to watch for when Duke plays at Notre Dame:


KICKS OFF


Duke's kickers are struggling. AJ Reed has missed all three field goals he's tried and also has missed a point-after attempt. Punter Austin Parker has twice fumbled snaps, including one against Northwestern with the score tied 7-7 and he was tackled on the 44-yard line. Northwestern scored on the next play. Cutcliffe said he's trying not to make an issue of either.


''As soon as you make it a huge issue, then you have people trembling,'' he said.


THIRTY SOMETHING


The 36 points scored by Michigan State last week were the fewest allowed by the Irish against Power Five conference opponents in four games dating back to last season. Overall, the Irish have given up 30 or more points in six of its past eight games against Power Five teams.


WELCOME BACK


Cutcliffe worked briefly at Notre Dame during Charlie Weis' first season in 2005, but resigned about five months later because he hadn't fully recovered from triple bypass surgery. Cutcliffe said he was involved mainly in recruiting. He was asked this week about how fervent the Irish fan base is. He told reporters it might be a better question for athletic director Kevin White, who was athletic director at Notre Dame from 2000-08.


''I have one response: Not a chance,'' White said.


Cutcliffe said he has great respect for Notre Dame and said the pressure to perform at any traditional football power is intense. He said fans expect teams to be ''near perfect.''


''The pace Alabama's been on over the last few years has put the onus on all (the) elite 10-15 teams,'' he said.


SACK DISCREPANCY


Duke is tied for third in the nation with 14 sacks while the Irish are tied for last with none. DeVon Edwards, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound safety, has three of Duke's sacks. Cutcliffe describes Edwards as ''unbelievably strong.''


''So when he does get his hands on the quarterback, they're going down,'' he said.


CLEARED TO PLAY


Kelly said the school has held disciplinary hearings for four players who were arrested in August on misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession along with safety Max Redfield, who was dismissed from the team. He said starting linebacker Te'von Coney and three reserves - running back Dexter Williams, wide receiver Kevin Stepherson and cornerback Ashton White - all remain eligible to play.

 

[CNOTES]

Ohio State says circus catch 'no big deal'
September 23, 2016


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Noah Brown's circus TD catch against Oklahoma last Saturday was replayed over and over and retweeted for days, but his Ohio State teammates weren't as impressed as everyone else. They've seen it all before.


Brown, a wide receiver who'd caught one pass at Ohio State prior to this season, had four touchdown receptions in the Buckeyes' 45-24 victory over the Sooners. But the one everyone is still talking about happened at the end of the first half when Brown grabbed a J.T. Barrett pass and hugged the ball against the back of defensive back Michiah Quick as they fell out of bounds.


A great catch? Sure, said Barrett, but not a huge deal. The quarterback has been raving about Brown's suction-cup hands for months already.


''I guess that's the funny thing, we see him practice so it's almost like it's no big deal,'' Barrett said. ''And then it happens in a game, when everybody else sees it in the country and it's blown up like that, I guess we forget that not everybody has seen that.''


Brown, a 6-foot-2 New Jersey native, saw limited playing time as a freshman in the 2014 national championship season and was expected to play a huge role last year before breaking a leg during fall training camp. This year, he's second on the team with nine catches for 134 yards, and he leads the way with five touchdowns.


But the catch with Quick draped all over him in a nationally televised Saturday night game suddenly put him on college football's radar.


''Any time J.T. puts the ball in the air he's putting trust in me, and I try to come down with the ball for him,'' Brown said. ''I have to have my quarterback's back. It felt good to make that play and put some points on the board for us.''


Like Barrett, coach Urban Meyer said he already knew what Brown could do. And he also knows that Brown is still recovering from the broken leg that sidelined him all of last season.


''He's still not at the top end of speed,'' Meyer said. ''He still not quite 100 percent, which shows you just how good he can become. We all know he has the ability, but I'd say the quality of competition he did it against is always a little shocking when you have that kind of night.''


WORKING ON THE LITTLE THINGS


Ohio State players said they are using the off week to work on their mistakes and try to improve before embarking on the grueling nine-game Big Ten schedule beginning Oct. 1. Ohio State is No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll .


Barrett said he's working on communicating better with receivers who had trouble getting lined up in time at various points during the Oklahoma game, leading to forced time outs and a delay-of-game penalty. Also he's striving to get the ball out of his hands quicker and trust his playmakers.


''Everybody is looking for ways to get better,'' said H-back Curtis Samuel, who leads the team in receiving yards and is second in rushing behind tailback Mike Weber. ''Nobody is satisfied with where they're at. Everybody is just looking to push each other and get each other to that point where they can really explode and really show their talents.''

HUG A BIG GUY


Barrett said he didn't even want to think about what would happen if an Ohio State player dropped the ball right before crossing the goal line. There has been an epidemic the last couple of weekends of players nonchalantly letting go of the ball a stride before crossing the plane.


''I can only imagine what that day would be like for that man, the rest of the year, from coach Meyer,'' Barrett said with a grin. ''I couldn't tell you how awful that might be.''


Replays showed Oklahoma's Joe Mixon dropping the ball early on a 97-yard kick return, but the officials didn't catch it. The gaffe has already cost Clemson and California touchdowns this season.


The Buckeyes even have a rule about it.


''We always make sure we keep the ball high and tight,'' Samuel said. ''That's coach Meyer, keep the ball high and tight. After you score, give the ball to the official and go hug a big guy. That's what we do.''

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds: Week 4


Stanford hit the betting board as 3-point road favorites for its game Saturday night vs UCLA and the line has not budged all week.


We're on to Week 4 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.


Kent State Golden Flashes at No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-44, 50)


* The Golden Flashes are allowing 320 yards per game and have two highly productive defensive players in senior safety Nate Holley and senior defensive end Terence Waugh. Holley (47 tackles) ranks second in the nation with 15.7 stops per contest while Waugh has eight tackles for loss and ranks second in the nation with five sacks. Redshirt freshman quarterback Mylik Mitchell has passed for 353 yards and five touchdowns against one interception while freshman Justin Rankin leads the squad with 178 rushing yards.


* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts proved he was ready for the big stage with 304 yards of total offense (158 passing, 146 rushing) while rallying the Crimson Tide from a 21-point deficit versus Ole Miss. Hurts has thrown four touchdown passes against one interception while receiving offensive support from sophomore running back Damien Harris (327 yards) and sophomore receiver Calvin Ridley (19 catches for 219 yards). Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen has a team-best three sacks (and 21 for his career) and returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown against Ole Miss, while senior safety Eddie Jackson (nine career interceptions) and senior linebacker Reuben Foster (team-high 22 tackles) are also playing superbly.

LINE HISTORY: Alabama opened this one as big home favorites at -43 and they have been bet even higher - currently sitting at -44. The total opened at 52 and has come down a couple of points throughout the week to its current number of 50. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:


* Golden Flashes are 1-6 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Crimson Tide are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
* Under is 8-1-1 in Golden Flashes last 10 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
* Under is 4-1 in Crimson Tide last 5 games following a ATS loss.

No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs at No. 21 Mississippi Rebels (-7, 62)


* The Bulldogs were torched for 376 passing yards last week and face another high-powered passing offense this week, but jump-starting a struggling running game is just as important heading into Saturday. Nick Chubb ranks 13th nationally at 121.7 yards per game but only rushed for 63 yards against Missouri. Eason completed 29-of-55 passes and fired three touchdowns, the most attempts by a Georgia quarterback in 16 years, and receiver Isaiah McKenzie – who caught the game winner – leads the Bulldogs with 18 catches for 305 yards and four scores.


* Quarterback Chip Kelly has plenty of targets, as seven players have caught a touchdown pass through three games and Engram leads the team with 20 receptions and 302 receiving yards. While Kelly has averaged 318 passing yards per contest and threw for a career-high 421 last week, he also has six turnovers. Junior defensive end Marquis Haynes recorded his 19th career sack against Alabama, but the Rebels are 104th nationally in third-down defense and have surrendered 72 first downs in three games.


LINE HISTORY: The line for this one opened with Ole Miss as 7.5-point favorites. The line came down a little bit throughout the week, hitting its lowest number of -6.5 on Thursday morning. However, by Thursday evening the line returned to the key number of -7. The total hit the board at 60.5 and steadily increased until settling at the current number of 62. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Rebels are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Under is 9-1 in Bulldogs last 10 games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Rebels last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.


No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+13.5, 56.5)


* Beathard (seven TD passes, one interception) struggled with a shoulder injury last week after getting hit hard several times, but is expected to healthy enough to try and improve on his 15-3 record as a starter. Running backs LeShun Daniels Jr. and New Jersey native Akrum Wadley, who have both scored three times on the ground, hope to rebound after a rough week and receiver Matt VandeBerg (15 catches, 267 yards, three TDs) looks to continue a strong start. Coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters the defense must improve after surrendering 239 rushing yards last week.


* Laviano has thrown for four touchdowns and been intercepted just once in the last two games and has produced 457 yards through the air overall. Grant is averaging 9.5 yards per carry with three scores and junior running back Robert Martin boasts a team-high 252 yards rushing – 169 in the 37-28 win over New Mexico last week. Grant also has 15 receptions to lead the team while sophomore Jawuan Harris is making an impact with 140 yards on five catches and two touchdowns for an offense that totaled 89 points the last two games.


LINE HISTORY: The Iowa Hawkeyes opened the betting week as 14-point road dogs. As the week went on their number dropped - getting as low as 12.5 at one point - but eventually came back up to settle at 13.5. The total opened at 55.5 and came up a full point to the current number of 56.5. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Hawkeyes are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 road games.
* Scarlet Knights are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in Hawkeyes last 7 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Over is 8-2 in Scarlet Knights last 10 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.


No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers at No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (-4, 42)


* Wisconsin is unbeaten and averaging more than 30 points, but the Badgers are still very concerned about their play in the red zone this season. Chryst’s squad is 91st in the nation in touchdowns scored per red-zone trip at 53.3 percent (8-for-15), so the head coach was understandably perturbed when asked about it in the week before the matchup with the Spartans. Last year, the team scored a touchdown on 64.8 percent of its trips into the red zone, a percentage the Badgers will need to get much closer to if they hope to contend in the Big Ten West.


* A big question for Michigan State entering the season was the play at quarterback, with Tyler O’Connor taking the reins of the defending league champion’s offense. But two games in, and O’Connor has shown poise, even on the road in front of a raucous crowd in South Bend, Ind., and his numbers have been solid (431 yards, five TDs, two interceptions). With the Spartans’ running game getting in gear and O’Connor having targets like R.J. Shelton and emerging freshman Donnie Corley to throw to, the quarterback could end up being one of coach Mark Dantonio’s smallest worries going forward.

LINE HISTORY: Michigan State opened the betting week as 6-point favorites for their big matchup with Wisconsin. The betting public has been pushing the Badgers and by Friday afternoon has taken the line all of the way down to -4. The total opened at 43.5 and has dropped down to 42. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:


* Badgers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Spartans are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games in September.
* Under is 5-1 in Badgers last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings.


No. 14 Florida State Seminoles at South Florida Bulls (+5, 61)


* Junior running back Dalvin Cook came into the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate, but has not been as dominant as expected with 228 yards rushing in three games. Freshman quarterback Deondre Francois has thrown for 782 yards and six scores in the early going and has solid veteran receiving threats in Travis Rudolph (15 catches, 219 yards, three TDs) and Jesus “Bobo” Wilson (14, 186). The underachieving defense is without one of its top performers as safety Derwin James is lost for five to seven weeks after knee surgery.


* The Bulls showed character last week by digging out of an early 17-0 hole with a big day from Adams, who ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass. Flowers has been outstanding the last two weeks while completing 33-for-57 passes for five TDs and no interceptions, and has run for 150 yards in three games. Mack returned last week after missing a game with concussion symptoms to rush for 115 yards with a pair of touchdowns, and leads a ground attack averaging 247 yards (5.9 per attempt) with 10 total TDs from four different players.


LINE HISTORY: Florida State opened the betting week as 6-point road favorites against their in-state rivals from South Florida. The point spread was quickly bumped up to 7 but money flowed in fast on the home dogs, forcing the spread down to its current number of 5. The total opened at 61 and hasn't moved all week. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Seminoles are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
* Bulls are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 home games.
* Under is 5-1 in Seminoles last 6 road games.
* Over is 5-0 in Bulls last 5 home games.

No. 16 Florida Gators at No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers (-6.5, 43)


* Loaded with talent and depth, Florida leads the nation in fewest points allowed (4.7 per game), total defense (129.7 yards) and is second in rushing defense (38.3 yards). Led by linemen Caleb Brantley and Jordan Sherit, linebackers Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis and a secondary that includes preseason All-American Teez Tabor, the Gators set a school record by holding North Texas to 53 yards of total offense as they tuned up for the Vols. Florida had four running backs - Jordan Scarlett, Mark Thompson, Lamical Perine and Jordan Cronkrite - score against North Texas, and with the change at quarterback, coach Jim McElwain will likely lean on the ground game, which produced 255 yards against the Mean Green and is averaging 202 yards.


* The Vols are just 101st nationally in total offense (351 yards per game) but led by the elusive Dobbs, who rushed for 136 yards against the Gators last season, they are capable of quick-strike touchdowns -- their scoring drives have averaged only 2 minutes. Junior running back Jalen Hurd, who rushed for 106 yards in Tennessee's 45-24 comeback win over Virginia Tech, and junior wide receiver Josh Malone (21.8 yards per catch) are the other offensive playmakers. The defense, which recovered five fumbles including a school-record three by free safety Micah Abernathy to key the rally against the Hokies, will be without star cornerback Cameron Sutton (broken ankle), but standout linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder ailment) is excepted to be available.


LINE HISTORY: Everybody's favorite college football team right now seems to be the Tennessee Vols. They opened as 8-point home favorites over Florida but the point spread took a sharp turn down to -6.5 at the beginning of the week and hasn't come back up as of Friday afternoon. The total opened at 43.5 and was dropped a half point to 43. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:


* Gators are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Volunteers are 5-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 7-1 in Gators last 8 games on grass.
* Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.


Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 5 Michigan Wolverines (-18.5, 56.5)


* Super sophomore Saquon Barkley rushed for 68 yards and a score in the victory against Temple to give him six touchdowns in his first three games, which is the most for a Penn State player since 1971. Nyeem Wartman-Wright will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter against Temple, leaving an already-thin linebacking corps without many viable options. Jason Cabinda hasn't played since suffering a thumb injury in Week 1 while Brandon Bell missed the win over Temple with a lower-body injury and both linebackers could miss the trip to Ann Arbor.


* Jabrill Peppers was named the co-Walter Camp FBS Player of the Week after registering 204 all-purpose yards, including a 54-yard punt return touchdown, nine tackles and a sack in the win against Colorado. Wilton Speight struggled in his first real test of the season as he was limited to 229 yards on 16-of-30 passing and failed to complete any deep throws against a talented Buffaloes secondary. Harbaugh is "hopeful" that All-American cornerback Jourdan Lewis is ready to return after missing the last three games with a muscle strain while defensive end Taco Charlton could also be back after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener.

LINE HISTORY: Michigan opened as 16.5-point favorites and the spread skyrocketed up as high as -19 early in the week. Since that initial boost, the line has simply waivered between -19 and -18.5 (which is the current number as of Friday afternoon). The total hit the betting board at 58.5 and, after an initial bump to 60, has steadily fallen to the current number of 56.5. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Nittany Lions are 3-13-2 ATS in their last 18 road games.
* Wolverines are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 6-1 in Nittany Lions last 7 games overall.
* Over is 11-0 in Wolverines last 11 games overall.


No. 17 Louisiana State Tigers at Auburn Tigers (+3.5, 44)


* Fournette ran for 228 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-21 win against Auburn last season and is coming off a 147-yard, two-touchdown effort versus Mississippi State. Etling, who was making his first start for LSU after transferring from Purdue, said, "I continue to get more and more comfortable with the first team guys" after going 19-of-30 for 215 yards. Etling hopes to have his offensive line intact this week after four linemen limped off against the Bulldogs, forcing a variety of movement across the unit, including Ethan Pocic moving from center to tackle.


* The Tigers' lone win is a rout over Arkansas State, although they lost by six against Clemson in their opener and fell in a hard-fought contest against Texas A&M last weekend. Sean White managed the game for Auburn while his teammates combined for 238 rushing yards on 46 carries. Kamryn Pettway has run for 152 and 123 yards in the last two weeks, respectively, earning high praise from wideout Ryan Davis, who called him "the perfect back that you would want."


LINE HISTORY: LSU opened the betting week as 2.5-point favorites over their fellow SEC West Tigers and throughout the week the line has been bumped up a couple of times to sit at it's current position of 3.5. The total opened at 45, went up as high as 46, and has come back down late in the week to the current total of 44. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* LSU Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in September.
* Auburn Tigers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Under is 7-1 in LSU's last 8 games overall.
* Under is 9-2-1 in Auburn's last 12 home games.


No. 1 Houston Cougars at Texas State Bobcats (+34.5, 63)


* Ward (657 passing yards and three TDS, 74 rushing yards and two TDs) threw for 326 yards and accounted for three scores against Cincinnati after missing the week before with a shoulder injury. Linell Bonner (15 catches, 228 yards) and Steven Dunbar (11 catches, 150 yards) lead the receiving corps but haven't found the end zone. Senior linebacker Steven Taylor leads the country with 5.5 sacks and had one of the Cougars' two fourth-quarter interceptions returned for a score last week.


* Senior quarterback Tyler Jones (501 yards, four TDs, three interceptions) is third in school history in career TD passes (48) and total offense (8,082). Running back Stedman Mayberry has nine catches for 60 yards, joining Eric Luna (11 catches, 99 yards, TD) and Elijah King (eight catches, 129 yards, two TDs) as Jones' favorite targets. Junior-college transfer Gabe Loyd has 18 tackles after recording eight tackles at Arkansas.


LINE HISTORY: The heavily hyped Houston Cougers opened as 34.5-point road favorites for this matchup with the Texas State Bobcats and the line hasn't moved all week. The total opened at 63 and has taken a sharp jump up to 65. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Cougars are 22-4-1 ATS in their last 27 road games.
* Bobcats are 0-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 7-1 in Cougars last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-0 in Bobcats last 4 home games.


Oklahoma State Cowboys at No. 15 Baylor Bears (-9, 73.5)


* The Cowboys bounced back from the Central Michigan fiasco -- the officials incorrectly gave the Chippewas an extra play after the Cowboys had seemingly won the game with a pass out of bounds to run out the clock that was ruled intentional grounding -- to defeat Pittsburgh 45-38 last Saturday. Quarterback Mason Rudolph led the way, completing 26-of-46 passes for a school-record 540 yards and two touchdowns while wide receiver James Washington caught nine passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns, including a 91-yarder on the very first play of the game. Linebacker Jordan Burton leads the defense with 20 tackles while defensive ends Cole Walterscheid and Jarrell Owens top the Cowboys with two sacks each and corner Ramon Richards has a team-best two interceptions.


* The Bears have failed to score in the first quarter of each of their last two games, a minor catastrophe for a team that has led the NCAA in total and scoring offense each of the last three years. Quarterback Seth Russell, who sat out the end of the 2015 season with a neck injury, has been inconsistent at times but still has completed 62-of-105 passes for 761 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions while three running backs -- Shock Linwood, Terence Williams and JaMycal Hasty -- are averaging at least 71 yards rushing per game. Acting head coach Jim Grobe switched to a 3-4 defense this season, and it has paid off with impressive results so far as Baylor is allowing only 249.3 yards per game which ranks seventh nationally.


LINE HISTORY: The home team Baylor Bears opened as 10-point favorites at the beginning of the betting week and by Wednesday the spread was all of the way down to -7.5. Since hitting that low point of -7.5 the faves have rebounded slightly to settle at the current number of -9. The total hit the board at 74.5, peaked at 76 on Wednesday, and dropped way down to 73.5 during the second half of the week. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Bears are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-0 in Cowboys last 6 conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Bears last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.


No. 20 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Northwestern Wildcats (+9, 47.5)


* Senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. embodied the resolve of the team last weekend, scoring the game-winning 34-yard touchdown with 2 1/2 minutes remaining despite fighting through severe leg cramps for most of the second half. Jordan Westerkamp, whose 47-yard Hail Mary catch as time expired in 2013 gave the Cornhuskers a 27-24 win over Northwestern, is coming off the first two multiple-touchdown games of his career and ranks third in school history with a catch in 29 consecutive games. Nebraska has yielded only two TD passes through three games after surrendering 25 in 13 contests a season ago and ended the Ducks' FBS record-setting streak of 82 straight games with at least one passing score.


* Sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson, who ran for a personal-best 126 yards in last year's 30-28 victory, erupted for a career-high 320 passing yards against Duke and ranks second in the Big Ten in passing yards (707) but is completing only 49 percent of his passes. Although junior running back Justin Jackson is tied for second in the conference with 260 yards on the ground, five other Wildcats have combined to run for only 35, leading to a conference-worst 98.3-yard average. Given those struggles, the Cornhuskers' primary focus on defense figures to be senior receiver Austin Carr, who leads the Big Ten with 283 yards receiving and is tied for first with 18 catches.


LINE HISTORY: Nebraska opened as 6.5-point road favorites at the beginning of the week and by Friday afternoon that line had been bet all of the way up to its current number of 9. The total opened at 48 and dropped slightly to 47.5 by the end of the week. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Cornhuskers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games on grass.
* Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in Cornhuskers last 5 games on grass.
* Under is 6-1 in Wildcats last 7 games overall.


No. 4 Louisville Cardinals at Marshall Thundering Herd (+27, 74.5)


* Jackson, who is only the second player in school history to score four rushing touchdowns in consecutive games (Fred Koster, 1926), ranks second in the nation in rushing (464 yards) and spearheads an offense that has run for at least 250 yards in five straight contests for the first time in school history. Junior running back Brandon Radcliff is averaging 11 yards per carry - better than Jackson's 9.5 - and a significant part of the reason why the Cardinals lead FBS in rushing touchdowns (16), yards per carry (8.2) and most runs of at least 20 yards (14). Louisville is tied for fifth in the country with 13 sacks and has collected at least four sacks in four consecutive contests for the first time since 2000.


* Despite piling up 560 yards, 31 first downs and holding a 13 1/2-minute advantage in time of possession, the Thundering Herd lost convincingly against Akron after allowing three return touchdowns (fumble, interception, blocked punt), committing four turnovers and drawing 17 penalties for 180 yards. Sophomore quarterback Chase Litton ranks sixth in FBS with 361 passing yards per game, keying an attack that sits 12th in the country in total offense (545 yards) and sixth in scoring (50 points per game). Tight end Ryan Yurachek added five catches for 65 scoreless yards in the loss to the Zips, ending the nation's longest active streak of games with at least one touchdown at six.


LINE HISTORY: Louisville opened as 24-point road favorites and the line quickly spiked to 26. From there the point spread wobbled between 24.5 and 27 all week long and currently sits at 27 on Friday afternoon. The total opened at 74.5 and took a slight drop to 73.5 in the middle of the week before settling back to the opening number on Thursday morning. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Cardinals are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Thundering Herd are 15-2-1 ATS in their last 18 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 7-1 in Cardinals last 8 games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Thundering Herd last 8 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.


No. 6 Stanford Cardinal at UCLA Bruins (+3, 46.5)


* Senior quarterback Ryan Burns has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for the Cardinal, who are seeking their ninth straight win over the Bruins. Stanford’s running attack features McCaffrey along with backup Bryce Love, who gained 51 yards on 11 carries in his season debut last week. Safety Zach Hoffpauir has recorded a team-high 11 tackles to lead the defense, which allowed Rosen to throw for 325 yards and three touchdowns last October but could receive a boost Saturday with the anticipated return of Harrison Phillips after the nose tackle missed last week’s game due to a knee injury.


* Rosen posted his eighth career 300-yard passing performance last Saturday against BYU while completing passes to 12 different receivers - including Darren Andrews, who led the Bruins with four catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. UCLA’s deep collection of running backs includes Nate Starks, Bolu Olorunfunmi and leading rusher Soso Jamabo, who did not suit up for last week’s game for an undisclosed reason but is expected to play Saturday. The defense matches up well against the Cardinal up front, with Eddie Vanderdoes and Eli Ankou along with linebacker Jayon Brown, who ranks among the league’s leading tacklers at 7.7 per game.


LINE HISTORY: Stanford hit the betting board as 3-point road favorites and the line has not budged all week. The total opened at 47.5 and dropped a full point to 46.5 on Tuesday morning. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Cardinal are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
* Bruins are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
* Over is 9-2 in Cardinal last 11 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Cardinal are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings.


No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks vs No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies (-6, 49)


* First-year starter Austin Allen has quickly established himself as a solid quarterback for the Razorbacks and passed for a career-high 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Texas State after totaling four scores (three passing, one rushing) the previous week. Allen is getting plenty of support from the ground game and sophomore Rawleigh Williams III, who has rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns. Defensive ends Jeremiah Ledbetter and Deatrich Wise Jr. recorded at least a half-sack in each of the first three games to lead the defensive line.


* The Aggies are breaking in their own first-year starter at quarterback in Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight, who has yet to complete 60 percent of his passes in a game and went 20-of-40 at Auburn without an interception. Knight is also helping out with 151 yards and three TDs on the ground but the star of the rushing attack is freshman Trayveon Williams, who needed only eight attempts to churn out 127 yards and a TD last week. Star defensive lineman Myles Garrett got off to a bit of a slow start in the first two games but recorded a pair of sacks at Auburn to lead the defense.


LINE HISTORY: The Aggies opened as 6-point favorites and the line has been up and down all week - ranging between -6.5 and -5. As of Friday afternoon the line had settled back to the opening number of -6. The total kicked off the betting week at 50.5 and currently sits at 49. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Razorbacks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 5-1 in Razorbacks last 6 games in September.
* Under is 7-0-1 in Aggies last 8 games overall.


No. 9 Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats (+14, 58)


* Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning has passed for 744 yards and 12 touchdowns against one interception and his nine scoring passes over the past two games are the most in back-to-back games in school history. The Huskies are still waiting for sophomore tailback Myles Gaskin (217 yards, two touchdowns) to increase his production after last season's 1,302-yard campaign, while big-play junior receiver John Ross has 13 receptions for 167 yards and four touchdowns. Washington has been flirting with using standout junior safety Budda Baker on offense but he remains the top player on a defense that is receiving strong play from junior linebacker Azeem Victor (team-best 21 tackles) and sophomore tackle Greg Gaines (team-best 4 1/2 tackles for loss).


* Sophomore Brandon Dawkins, who has passed for two touchdowns and rushed for five, will make his third consecutive start if Solomon isn't cleared to return. The Wildcats are also short-handed at running back with junior Nick Wilson (257 yards, three touchdowns) highly questionable due to an ankle injury, and that would leave freshman J.J. Taylor (168 yards versus Hawaii last Saturday) and junior kick returner Tyrell Johnson - being converted from slot receiver to tailback this week - as the main ball carriers. Standout junior linebacker DeAndre' Miller (four tackles for loss) is questionable with a foot injury while sophomore free safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and senior linebacker Paul Magloire Jr. (team-best 20 tackles) are also playing well.


LINE HISTORY: The much-hyped Washington Huskies opened this matchup as 11-point road favorites and the public quickly jumped all over the No. 9 team in the nation. The point spread moved from 11 to 12 to 13 to the current number of 14. The total hit the board at 58 and hasn't moved as of Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.


TRENDS:


* Huskies are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Huskies last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Home team is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings.

 

[CNOTES]

Plenty of betting action and line moves on Saturday's college football slate


“There’s been money for Wisconsin, and I can’t blame them. Michigan State is coming off a monster win. It could be a letdown spot.”


Week 4 of the college football season features several games that have seen significant line moves, including some of Saturday’s bigger matchups. We talk about where the action is with Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US in Las Vegas.


No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers at No. 8 Michigan State Spartans – Open: -6.5; Move: -4


An early-season matchup of Big Ten unbeatens is among the noon Eastern kickoffs. Wisconsin (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) is coming off a very lackluster 23-17 home win over Georgia State as a massive 35.5-point favorite, but the Badgers opened the year with a big 16-14 upset of Louisiana State as a 12.5-point underdog at Lambeau Field.


Michigan State (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) bolted out to a 36-7 lead at Notre Dame last week and held on for a 36-28 upset as a 7.5-point ‘dog.


“This is one of the better games of the day, for sure, a huge Big Ten game,” Bogdanovich said Friday afternoon. “There’s been money for Wisconsin, and I can’t blame them. Michigan State is coming off a monster win. It could be a letdown spot.”


Bogdanovich noted the line movement stemmed mostly from sharp action on the Badgers.

No. 4 Louisville Cardinals at Marshall Thundering Herd – Open: +24.5; Move: +26.5


Quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals are all the rage after a 3-0 SU and ATS start in which they’re averaging 65 points per game. That includes last week’s shocking 63-20 beatdown of then No. 2 Florida State as a 2-point home chalk.


So even though Marshall (1-1 SU and ATS) has only two outright losses over the past two-plus seasons at home – one of them being last week’s blowout upset, 65-38 at the hands of 17.5-point ‘dog Akron – this game has a huge number that continues to rise.


“We’ll probably go even higher,” Bogdanovich said of the line on today’s 8 p.m. Eastern game. “Louisville is the darling right now, scoring 70 points every game. I wouldn’t be surprised if we go up to 28. That’s a big public game. It’ll be one of our bigger decisions tomorrow.”

No. 16 Florida Gators at No. 12 Tennessee Volunteers – Open: -6.5; Move: -5


Both these teams are 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS heading into a key SEC East showdown at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Tennessee held off Ohio last week 27-19, far short of cashing as 27-point home chalk, while Florida blanked North Texas 32-0, just short of the 32.5-point spread.


“It just looked like there should be some money for the ‘dog,” said Bogdanovich, noting it was definitely sharp money that lowered the number. “Florida hasn’t given up anything (14 points in three games), and Tennessee has been overpriced. It’s not a shock to see that line come down.”


Syracuse Orange at Connecticut Huskies – Open: -3.5; Move: -5.5, -3.5


UConn (2-1 SU and ATS) has played a trio of tight games, edging Virginia last week 13-10 on a late field goal to push as a 3-point home fave. Conversely, Syracuse (1-2 SU and ATS) enters off back-to-back blowout losses, including 45-20 to South Florida catching 12.5 points at home last week.


Bogdanovich noted the line has bounced around a lot on this 1 p.m. Eastern matchup.


“We opened UConn -3.5, then went as high as 5.5, now we’re down to -3,” he said. “There’s been a double-move on that game, and I think there’s still some movement to come. I don’t know which side the wiseguys are on. But sometimes, there are multiple sharp people out there who end up on different sides.”


Mississippi State Bulldogs at Massachusetts Minutemen – Open: +23.5; Move: +21.5


The Bulldogs (1-2 SU and ATS) gave LSU all it could handle last week before losing 23-20 as a 13-point road pup. The Minutemen (1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS) nabbed their first win last week, 21-13 getting 1 point at home against Florida International, and bettors seem to like UMass in the 3:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff.


“There has been money on the ‘dog,” Bogdanovich said. “Some sharp group likes the ‘dog in that one.”


No. 9 Washington Huskies at Arizona Wildcats – Open: +11; Move: +14


Washington (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) has posted three blowout victories, albeit not against quality competition, while Arizona (2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS) is dealing with quarterback injuries. Starter Anu Solomon suffered a knee injury in a Week 1 loss at BYU and didn’t start as the Wildcats won the past two weeks behind Brandon Dawkins, including Saturday’s 47-28 win over Hawaii laying 23.5 points at home.


“Arizona’s got a quarterback situation, so a lot of that movement had to do with information,” Bogdanovich said of 10:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff. “They’re doing a lot of two-stepping down there.”


Other Saturday games seeing significant line movement, based on odds from Wynn Las Vegas, which posts college lines each Sunday, earlier than most Las Vegas books:


• Virginia Tech opened as 9.5-point chalk hosting East Carolina and is now up to 12.5 points.
• No. 5 Michigan went as high as a 19-point home favorite vs. Penn State, after opening at 15.5. The Wolverines are now at -18.
• West Virginia has moved from a 3.5- to a 7-point fave at home against Brigham Young.
• No. 13 Texas A&M opened as a 3-point home favorite and has been bet up to 6 against No. 18 Arkansas.
• Western Michigan is now a 7-point home chalk against Georgia Southern, after opening at -4.
• Nebraska was installed as a 6.5-point fave at Northwestern and is now up to 8.5.

 

[CNOTES]

CFB BEST BETS:


WLT PCT UNITS


ATS Picks 88-77-5 53.33% +1650

O/U Picks 30-35-1 46.15% -4250




SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


IOWA at RUTG 12:00 PM


IOWA -14.0


FSU at USF 12:00 PM


USF +5.0


NEV at PUR 12:00 PM

NEV +5.5


O 60.0


SJSU at ISU 12:00 PM


ISU -6.5


O 54.0


CSU at MINN 12:00 PM


CSU +17.0


WIS at MSU 12:00 PM


MSU -3.5


O 40.5


UGA at MISS 12:00 PM


MISS -7.0

KENT at ALA 12:00 PM


KENT +44.0


U 50.0


CHAR at TEM 12:00 PM


TEM -27.0


ECU at VT 12:30 PM


ECU +12.5


CMU at UVA 12:30 PM


CMU -3.5


SYR at CONN 01:00 PM

SYR +3.0

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAF


Saturday, September 24


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday's NCAAF Game of the Day: Oklahoma State at Baylor
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Baylor quarterback Seth Russell has been inconsistent at times but still has completed 62-of-105 passes for 761 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.


Baylor will be looking to start 4-0 for a program-record fourth straight year when it hosts Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday night. The 15th-ranked Bears will also be looking to extend a 11-game September winning streak which dates back to 2012.


Baylor is the lone remaining undefeated team in the Big 12 thanks in part to what most would argue was the conference's softest non-conference schedule starting with a 55-7 win over Northwestern State, a FCS school, followed by back-to-back blowouts over SMU (40-13) and Rice (38-10). Now the Bears host an Oklahoma State squad that is one controversial Hail Mary throw at the end of a 30-27 loss to Central Michigan away from entering the game undefeated itself. "The best measuring stick is going to be on the field," Baylor wide receiver Lynx Hawthorne told the Waco Tribune when the topic of the Bears' weak non-conference schedule was brought up. "We'll hopefully come together and put some points on the board and get our first conference win."


TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox.


LINE HISTORY: The home team Baylor Bears opened as 10-point favorites at the beginning of the betting week and by Wednesday the spread was all of the way down to -7.5. Since hitting that low point of -7.5 the faves have rebounded slightly to settle at the current number of -9. The total hit the board at 74.5, peaked at 76 on Wednesday, and dropped way down to 73.5 during the second half of the week. Check out the complete line history here.


INJURY REPORT:


Oklahoma State - .DE J. Brailford (Questionable Saturday, leg), RB C. Carson (Out Indefinitely, hand), WR M. Ateman (Out Indefinitely, foot).


Baylor - .WR P. Stricklin (Questionable Saturday, shoulder), CB R. Reid (Questionable Saturday, ankle), S O. Stewart (Questionable Saturday, ribs), RB J. Jefferson (Out For Season, personal), DT B. Bonds (Out Indefinitely, knee).


WEATHER REPORT: .There is a 25 percent chance of some thunderstorms developing in the Waco area during this game at McLane Stadium. The temperatures at game time will be in the 90's and humidity levels will be up around 70 percent.


ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (2-1, 2-1 ATS, 2-1 O/U): The Cowboys bounced back from the Central Michigan fiasco -- the officials incorrectly gave the Chippewas an extra play after the Cowboys had seemingly won the game with a pass out of bounds to run out the clock that was ruled intentional grounding -- to defeat Pittsburgh 45-38 last Saturday. Quarterback Mason Rudolph led the way, completing 26-of-46 passes for a school-record 540 yards and two touchdowns while wide receiver James Washington caught nine passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns, including a 91-yarder on the very first play of the game. Linebacker Jordan Burton leads the defense with 20 tackles while defensive ends Cole Walterscheid and Jarrell Owens top the Cowboys with two sacks each and corner Ramon Richards has a team-best two interceptions.


ABOUT BAYLOR (3-0, 0-3 ATS, 0-3 O/U): The Bears have failed to score in the first quarter of each of their last two games, a minor catastrophe for a team that has led the NCAA in total and scoring offense each of the last three years. Quarterback Seth Russell, who sat out the end of the 2015 season with a neck injury, has been inconsistent at times but still has completed 62-of-105 passes for 761 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions while three running backs -- Shock Linwood, Terence Williams and JaMycal Hasty -- are averaging at least 71 yards rushing per game. Acting head coach Jim Grobe switched to a 3-4 defense this season, and it has paid off with impressive results so far as Baylor is allowing only 249.3 yards per game which ranks seventh nationally.


TRENDS:


* Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Bears are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 6-0 in Cowboys last 6 conference games.
* Under is 7-1 in Bears last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Cowboys are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings.


CONSENSUS: The Oklahoma State Cowboys are being favored by the public with 56 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing 64 percent of the wagers.

 

[CNOTES]

NOON GAMES




WVU at BYU 03:30 PM


WVU -7.0


M-OH at CIN 03:30 PM


M-OH +14.0


PITT at UNC 03:30 PM


UNC -7.0


WAKE at IND 03:30 PM


WAKE +7.0


PSU at MICH 03:30 PM


MICH -16.5


U 55.5


FLA at TENN 03:30 PM


TENN -5.5


MSST at MASS 03:30 PM

MSST -22.5


APP at AKR 03:30 PM


AKR +5.0


O 55.0

 

[CNOTES]

TLSA at FRES 04:30 PM

FRES +14.5


O 66.0


VAN at WKU 04:30 PM

WKU -8.0


O 49.5


COLO at ORE 05:30 PM


COLO +10.0


UNT at RICE 06:00 PM


RICE -7.0


LSU at AUB 06:00 PM


AUB +3.5


BALL at FAU 06:00 PM


FAU +3.0



GOOD LUCK.....SEE YOU LATER FOR EVENING SELECTIONS.

 

[CNOTES]

CFB EVENING GAMES:




LT at MTU 07:00 PM


LT +4.5


O 70.0


HOU at TXST 07:00 PM


HOU -31.0


O 63.5


ARMY at BUFF 07:00 PM

ARMY -13.0


GASO at WMU 07:00 PM


GASO +8.0


NEB at NW 07:30 PM


NW +9.5

SOCAR at UK 07:30 PM


SOCAR +2.5


OKST at BAY 07:30 PM

O 73.5

 

[CNOTES]

LATE GAMES:




LOU at MRSH 08:00 PM


MRSH +31.0 ( GAME OF THE MONTH )


SOMIS at UTEP 08:00 PM


UTEP +13.5


ULL at TULN 08:00 PM

TULN -3.0


BGSU at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -17.5


STAN at UCLA 08:00 PM



IDHO at UNLV 09:00 PM


IDHO +14.5


O 61.5


ARK at TAM 09:00 PM

ARK +7.0


CAL at ASU 10:00 PM


CAL +3.5


O 84.5


AFA at USU 10:15 PM


USU +5.5


WASH at ARIZ 10:30 PM

ARIZ +15.0

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday's Best
September 24, 2016


STARS


-Dalvin Cook, Florida State, rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two TDs, helping the 13th-ranked Seminoles rout previously unbeaten South Florida 55-35.


-Jerry Louie-McGee, Montana, had a school-record 21 catches for 155 yards and two TDs in a 42-41 loss to Cal Poly.


-Amba Etta-Tawo, Syracuse, caught 12 passes for a school-record 270 yards and two TDs to help the Orange beat UConn 31-24.


-Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee, accounted for five second-half TDs and 399 yards overall, helping the No. 14 Vols overcome a 21-point deficit to beat No. 19 Florida 38-28.


-Jeremy McNichols, Boise, State, ran for 208 yards and scored four TDs in the Bronco's 38-24 win over Oregon State.


-Drew Lock, Missouri, threw for 402 yards and a school record-tying five TD passes in a 79-0 rout of Delaware State.


- Nick Shafnisky, Lehigh, threw for 461 yards and four TDs in a 42-28 win over Princeton.


-Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, threw for career highs of 453 yards and five TDs to lift the Tar Heels to a 37-36 victory over Pittsburgh.


---


STREAK-STOPPING VOL


Tennessee delivered the comeback this time, taking out 11 years' worth of frustration on Florida in the process.


Joshua Dobbs accounted for five second-half touchdowns and No. 14 Tennessee erased a 21-point deficit to beat No. 19 Florida 38-28 and end their 11-game losing streak in the annual series.


It is Tennessee's first win Florida since 2004. The Volunteers had lost to Florida by one point each of the last two years despite leading in the fourth quarter of both games.


Florida was so confident it would continue the streak that Gators cornerback Quincy Wilson boldly said this week that ''nobody has ever seen a duck pull a truck. Florida Gators are going to win, simple as that.''


Tennessee silenced the Gators by reeling off 38 consecutive points.


---


GROUNDED WOLVERINES


Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight took a beating last week against Colorado. This week, he spent most of the day standing back and watching his teammates do all the work.


De'Veon Smith led an overwhelming ground game with 107 yards rushing and a touchdown and Karan Higdon ran for two scores and No. 4 Michigan routed Penn State 49-10 in both teams' Big Ten opener.


Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) finished with 326 yards rushing and scored six of its seven touchdowns on the ground. Five different backs scored on the ground.


---

NUMBERS


15-Straight losses to FBS teams by Western Illinois before upsetting Northern Illinois 28-23.


31-Deficit by Tulsa before rallying for a 48-41 victory over Fresno State, the largest comeback in school history.


37-Years since Chattanooga opened a season 4-0 before this year .


47-Completions by Montana's Brady Gustafson in a 42-41 loss to Cal Poly, breaking the school record.


79-Points in Missouri's shutout of Delaware State, beating the school record by 10 points.


100-Career victories by Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall and Wake Forest's Dave Clawson .

 

[CNOTES]

Top 25 Capsules
September 25, 2016


EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Leo Musso returned a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and No. 11 Wisconsin turned its early showdown with No. 8 Michigan State into a rout, beating the Spartans 30-6 on Saturday.


Redshirt freshman Alex Hornibrook threw for 195 yards and a touchdown in his first start for Wisconsin, outplaying fifth-year senior Tyler O'Connor, his Michigan State counterpart. The Badgers (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) were the better team in the first half and outscored the Spartans 17-0 in the third quarter.


Michigan State (2-1, 0-1) was down 13-6 early in the third and had the ball in Wisconsin territory when LJ Scott's fumble bounced to Musso in the secondary. O'Connor was the only player with a decent shot at him on the return, and Musso spun past the quarterback and went all the way to the end zone.


O'Connor finished 18 of 38 for 224 yards with three interceptions.


Corey Clement ran for two touchdowns for Wisconsin.


NO. 7 STANFORD 22, UCLA 13


PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - J.J. Arcega-Whiteside caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Burns with 24 seconds left, and No. 7 Stanford rallied on its final drive for its ninth consecutive victory over UCLA.


Christian McCaffrey rushed for 138 yards for the Cardinal (3-0, 2-0 Pac-12), who haven't lost to their downstate rivals since 2008.


After struggling on offense for 3 1/2 quarters at the Rose Bowl, Stanford put together a 70-yard winning drive capped by Burns' fade to Arcega-Whiteside, who got one foot inbounds on an acrobatic play. Solomon Thomas then returned Josh Rosen's fumble 42 yards for a touchdown on the game's final play.


Rosen passed for 248 yards for the Bruins (2-2, 0-1). UCLA's defense faltered late after severely limiting the Cardinal and McCaffrey, who had his 14th consecutive 100-yard rushing game, for most of the night at the Rose Bowl.


NO. 1 ALABAMA 48, KENT STATE 0


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Jalen Hurts ran and threw for touchdowns and tailback sub Joshua Jacobs scored his first two career touchdowns for Alabama.


The Crimson Tide (4-0) dominated coach Nick Saban's alma mater from the start while scoring on a kickoff return and even a short touchdown throw to freshman linebacker Mack Wilson. Starting tailback Damien Harris went down on the opening drive with a sprained right ankle and didn't return.


Harris was hardly needed in this game, when No. 2 quarterback Blake Barnett played much of the way and the emerging freshman Jacobs ran for 97 yards. It amounted to a respite for the Tide against Kent State (1-3) after a bruising 48-43 comeback victory over No. 23 Mississippi.


Hurts was 16 of 24 for 164 yards and ran for 54 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown dash on the opening drive. He found Wilson, who lines up at fullback in goal line situations, for a 1-yard third-quarter score that was supposed to go to tight end O.J. Howard.


NO. 3 LOUISVILLE 59, MARSHALL 28


HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes and ran for two more scores for Louisville.


The sophomore completed 24 of 44 passes for a career-high 417 yards against a Marshall secondary whose most experienced player had five starts. Jackson also ran for 62 yards.


Louisville (4-0) didn't slow down against a nonconference opponent on the road a week after beating Florida State 63-20 at home.


The Cardinals raced to a 35-7 halftime lead and cruised in the second half to break a four-game losing streak to the Thundering Herd. Jackson's scoring passes covered 71, 8, 30, 8 and 51 yards.


Marshall (1-2) was limited to 207 yards of offense.


NO. 4 MICHIGAN 49, PENN STATE 10


ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - De'Veon Smith led an overwhelming ground game with 107 yards rushing and a touchdown and Karan Higdon ran for two scores for Michigan in the Big Ten opener for both teams.


The Wolverines (4-0) had six touchdowns on the ground and finished with 326 yards rushing. Wilton Speight threw one touchdown pass. Penn State (2-2) has lost three straight to the Wolverines.


Jabrill Peppers gave the fans an early thrill by returning Penn State's first punt to the 9, although a bench-interference penalty moved the ball to the Nittany Lions 24. Seven plays later, Khalid Hill dove in on 4th-and-goal from the 1. The Wolverines also scored touchdowns on their next two drives. Penn State finally got a couple stops, but the Wolverines took a 28-0 halftime lead on Higdon's 2-yard run.


NO. 6 HOUSTON 64, TEXAS STATE 3


SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) - D'Eriq King caught a touchdown pass, threw one and returned a kickoff for another score in Houston's blowout victory.


King, a freshman recruited to play quarterback, is playing at wide receiver while Greg Ward Jr. directs the offense. Ward passed for two touchdowns and ran for one before leaving the game after playing one series in the third quarter. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 289 yards.


King made a mistake by calling for a fair catch on the Houston 5 during a first-quarter Texas State punt. He soon compensated for that, however, catching a short pass from Ward on a bubble screen and taking it in for a touchdown from 48 yards out. Early in the second quarter, King took a handoff from Ward and threw a high pass to the end zone that Steven Dunbar pulled in for a 15-yard touchdown.


King began the second half by returning the kickoff 99 yards for another touchdown.


Houston (4-0) gained 563 yards and limited Texas State (1-2) to 142.


NO. 10 TEXAS A&M 45, NO. 17 ARKANSAS 24


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Trevor Knight had two long touchdowns runs for Texas A&M before halftime and threw a 92-yard pass to Josh Reynolds right after Arkansas was stopped three times from the 1.


Reynolds caught the ball in stride just short of midfield, and quickly shed defensive back DJ Dean on his way to the end zone to break a 17-all tie and put the Aggies (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) ahead to stay. Texas A&M has won five straight against the Razorbacks (3-1, 0-1), all since joining the SEC.


The long catch-and-run by Reynolds came two plays after Keon Hatcher was tackled for a 5-yard loss on fourth down, ending a 19-play drive for the Razorbacks that took 10 minutes after Texas A&M had fumbled from the Arkansas 2.


NO. 23 MISSISSIPPI 45, NO. 12 GEORGIA 14


OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Chad Kelly threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to help Mississippi break a 10-game losing streak in the series dating to 1996.


The Rebels (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) dominated every phase, building a lead of 31-0 by halftime and 45-0 by midway through the third quarter.


Georgia (3-1, 1-1) lost for the first time under new coach Kirby Smart and looked overmatched. To make matters worse, star running back Nick Chubb injured an ankle in the second quarter and didn't return.


It was an impressive win for the Rebels, who finally built a big lead they didn't give away. Ole Miss led Florida State by 22 points and Alabama by 21 this season before losing both games.


Kelly was 18 of 24 and had a 41-yard touchdown run through the middle of the defense.


NO. 9 WASHINGTON 35, ARIZONA 28


TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Jake Browning hit Dante Pettis on a 4-yard touchdown in overtime, Lavon Coleman ran for 181 yards and Washington held off Arizona in both teams' Pac-12 opener.


Pettis made a tough grab in traffic on the first possession of overtime and Washington's defense forced a turnover on downs to eke out the victory.


The Huskies (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) had a hard time shaking Arizona (2-2, 0-1 Pac-12), which was down to its fourth-string running back after J.J. Taylor left in the third quarter with a left ankle injury.


Brandon Dawkins kept the Wildcats in it, dazzling with 176 yards and two touchdowns rushing, 167 yards and another score passing. He escaped what appeared to be a sack to hit Shun Brown on a 54-yard pass , then hit Josh Kern on a 3-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 28.


Coleman kept the Huskies moving with Browning limited to passes underneath and scored on a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Browning finished 14 of 21 for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

NO. 13 FLORIDA STATE 55, SOUTH FLORIDA 35


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two touchdowns and Florida State rebounded from the most lopsided loss in school history to beat South Florida.


Cook scored on a 75-yard run on the Seminoles' first play from scrimmage, an immediate response to USF starting the game with Quinton Flowers and Rodney Adams teaming on an 84-yard catch-and-run for a 7-0 lead. The 213-pound junior's rushing total on 28 carries topped his previous best of 266 yards against South Florida last year.


Florida State (3-1) bounced back from being trounced 63-20 by Louisville, a road shellacking that dropped the Seminoles 11 spots in the AP Top 25 from No. 2. South Florida (3-1) is off to its fastest start since 2011, however the Bulls were no match for a talented bunch that began the season with expectations of contending for its second national title in four years.


NO. 14 TENNESSEE 38, NO. 19 FLORIDA 28


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Joshua Dobbs accounted for five second-half touchdowns and Tennessee overcame a 21-point deficit to beat Florida and end an 11-game losing streak in the series.


Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) beat Florida (3-1, 1-1) for the first time since a 30-28 victory in 2004. The Volunteers lost by a single point each of the last two years.


This time, Tennessee delivered the comeback by scoring 38 consecutive points.


Dobbs threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth score - all in the second half. He was 16 of 32 for 319 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Dobbs also ran for 80 yards and a touchdown.


NO. 16 BAYLOR 35, OKLAHOMA STATE 24


WACO, Texas (AP) - Seth Russell threw four touchdown passes, including an 89-yarder to Chris Platt for the go-ahead score in the third quarter, and Baylor beat Oklahoma State in the weather-delayed Big 12 opener for both teams.


The game was stopped by lightning for about 1 1/2 hours after the Bears scored on the opening series.


Ishmael Zamora had career highs of 175 yards receiving and two touchdowns on eight catches in his season debut for the Bears after a three-game suspension over a video of him whipping his dog that surfaced during the summer. Platt also had two TDs. Baylor earned its fourth consecutive 4-0 start in its first big test after a light nonconference schedule.


The Cowboys (2-2) lost three fumbles, including the second by Justice Hill after he picked up a first down at the Baylor 2 with Oklahoma State trailing 28-24 with 9 minutes remaining. Hill, who had 122 yards rushing, was originally ruled down, but the call was overturned on review.


AUBURN 18, NO. 18 LSU 13


AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Daniel Carlson kicked six field goals and Auburn beat LSU after officials ruled Danny Etling's apparent last-gasp scoring pass came after time expired.


Etling rolled to his right and found D.J. Shark on a 15-yard pass, setting off a celebration by LSU players. Officials ruled time expired before Etling took the snap.


The celebration shifted to the Auburn sideline when officials announced the decisive ruling.


It was an important win for Auburn (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) and coach Gus Malzahn, who faced increased criticism following losses to Top 25 opponents Clemson and Texas A&M.


An illegal shift penalty against LSU (2-2, 1-1) left the Tigers with a fourth-down play from the 15 with 5 seconds remaining, setting up the final-play drama.


LSU star running back Leonard Fournette had 16 carries for 101 yards.


NO. 20 NEBRASKA 24, NORTHWESTERN 13


EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw for 246 yards and ran for a career-high 132 to lead Nebraska past Northwestern in the Big Ten opener for both teams.


The Cornhuskers (4-0) remained unbeaten coming off a tight win over Oregon that vaulted them into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since December 2014.


They lost two fumbles near the Northwestern goal line in the first half, but scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to stretch their lead from three to 11.


The Wildcats (1-3) matched their loss total from last year when they went 10-3.

 

[CNOTES]

CFB BEST BETS:


09/24/2016 25-28-2 47.17% -2900

WLT Pct Units


ATS Picks 105-101-6 50.97% -3050


O/U Picks 38-39-2 49.35% -2450

 

[CNOTES]

LSU fires Les Miles, Cam Cameron
September 25, 2016


Two people familiar with the decision say LSU has fired head football coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and promoted defensive line coach Ed Orgeron to interim head coach.


The people spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made.


Miles' firing, reported first by The Advocate of Baton Rouge, comes one day after No. 18 LSU (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) lost 18-13 at Auburn.


Miles went 114-34 at LSU, the second-most victories in school history. He coached the Tigers to a national title in the 2007 season.


But LSU has not been a late-season contender for a national championship in the past four seasons and started slower than its experience-laden squad was expected to this season.

 

[CNOTES]

Orgeron: Coaching LSU 'a dream'
September 26, 2016


BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) As much as Ed Orgeron might have preferred a different route to the top coaching job at LSU, the Louisiana native was never going to be able to hide his enthusiasm for his new opportunity - and didn't try.


''It's a great day in my life, I promise you that,'' Orgeron said, calling it ''a dream, obviously'' to be the Tigers' head coach. ''It's a well-respected position that I'm holding right now and I hold it in high esteem. And I understand the expectations at LSU and I fully, fully intend to meet all of those expectations.''


The 55-year-old Orgeron, who was formally introduced as Les Miles' interim replacement on Monday, said he has no idea whether he'll have the job past this season and isn't saying whether he sees his opportunity as an audition to remain for the longer term.


''Take the future aside. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen. Let the chips fall where they may,'' Orgeron said, adding that his sole focus was on his players' success. ''All I want to do is see them win. I want to them happy, and whatever happens after that is going to be fine.''


Orgeron said he's tapped current assistant Steve Ensminger, a former LSU quarterback, to replace offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who was fired on Sunday along with Miles.


Orgeron noted that he had also elevated defensive coordinator Dave Aranda to associated head coach. As for Orgeron's old position as defensive line coach, he's adding a new, but familiar face to the staff in Pete Jenkins, who is now 75 and has had two previous stints as a defensive assistant at LSU, starting in 1980. Orgeron said Jenkins would be his ''mentor and my right-hand man.''


''We're going to flip the script,'' Orgeron said. ''We're going to do things different, we're going to do things that I've done in the past to re-energize this team.''


The decision to fire Miles, who was 114-34 in 11-plus seasons, stemmed largely from stagnation that has plagued the offense in big games in recent seasons, particularly because of an anemic passing game.


Orgeron said the offense will be ''tweaked'' to feature more spread formations. He did not say whether he'd re-open the starting quarterback job, which has been held by both Brandin Harris and Danny Etling this season already. But he did say, ''I'm still a pro-style guy,'' which could lend itself more to the pocket-passing skills of Etling.


Known by players as ''Coach O,'' Orgeron was born in the bayou country southwest of New Orleans, in the town of Larose, close to where former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert grew up.


Orgeron, a defensive lineman in his playing days, and Hebert were teammates at South Lafourche High School and in college at Northwestern State.


Orgeron was a head coach once before in the SEC with Mississippi, but never had a winning record there and was fired after three seasons. He fared better as interim head coach at Southern California in 2013, going 6-2 in place of Lane Kiffin, who'd been fired that season.


Orgeron also had a brief stint as an NFL assistant in 2008 with the New Orleans Saints, serving as a defensive line coach. He then left the Saints to become the defensive coach and recruiting coordinator for Tennessee, under Kiffin, in 2009.


LSU's first game under Orgeron is Saturday in Tiger Stadium against Missouri.

 

[CNOTES]

4th Quarter Covers - Week 4
September 25, 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 fourth 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.

TCU (-22) 33, SMU 3: This local rivalry game featured just three field goals in the first half as TCU held just a 6-3 lead as a heavy road favorite. In the third quarter the Horned Frogs hit a few big plays but were still short of the spread with a 20-3 edge. A field goal early in the final frame got TCU closer with a 23-3 edge and then with fewer than seven minutes remaining the Frogs added another three-pointer to lead 26-3. SMU threatened on its next possession but an interception gave TCU the ball back and the game was put away a few plays later with a touchdown strike to hit the 33-3 final advantage.

Utah (-3) 31, USC 27: Looking to avoid a 1-3 start to the season USC led most of Friday’s Pac-12 tilt including holding a 24-10 lead as an underdog late in the third quarter. Utah completed an 85-yard drive recovering its own fumble in the end zone late in the third quarter to get within seven but early in the final frame the Trojans hit a field goal to build a comfortable 10-point lead. Utah would answer with a five minute drive to get within three points but USC moved into Utah territory on its next possession. Clay Helton faced a big decision opting to punt on 4th-and-3 with just over five minutes to go just outside of field goal range. The move looked successful with Utah pinned at the 7-yard line but Troy Williams engineered one of the drives of the season with a 15-play effort that featured two 4th down conversions and put the Utah in the end zone with just 16 seconds on the clock, getting the win and narrow cover in the process.

Virginia (+5) 49, Central Michigan 35: Virginia took command with a 28-0 lead not even 20 minutes into this game with the Cavaliers seeking their first win under Bronco Mendenhall. Central Michigan chipped away to cut the margin in half by halftime and a defensive touchdown put the Chippewas within seven through three quarters. On the first play of the fourth quarter Central Michigan tied the game at 28-28 giving the slight road favorite hope for a miracle comeback win. Virginia hit an 82-yard pass play to go back in front however and then completed two more scoring drives later in the final frame to take control, eventually winning by 14.

Ball State (-3½) 31, Florida Atlantic 27: Florida Atlantic led by seven well into the third quarter before Ball State hit a 29-yard passing touchdown to tie the game. Early in the fourth quarter the underdog Owls hit a 41-yard field goal to lead by three but in the final two minutes Ball State completed a 70-yard drive to go up by four, just past the closing spread.

West Virginia (-9) 35, BYU 32: The spread on this game jumped before game time as West Virginia was a favorite of below a touchdown most of the week for this game at FedEx Field. The Mountaineers led by nine heading into the fourth quarter and made it a 35-19 edge early in the final frame. BYU rallied with back-to-back touchdowns to close within three before turnovers ended the next three drives with a BYU interception handed back on a fumble a few plays later and a late 66-yard drive from BYU ending with an interception at the goal line.

Baylor (-6½) 35, Oklahoma State 24: The favored Bears saw this line drop all week even slipping below seven Saturday. The Bears struck early but the saw the game delayed nearly two hours with lightning. Both offenses were a bit out of sync from there with the Bears holding a seven-point edge at the half but Oklahoma State had closed to within four points late in the third quarter. Both coaching staffs got aggressive in the 16 minutes as late in the third quarter Baylor went for it on 4th-and-short from their own 24-yard line. The move backfired but Oklahoma State didn’t take advantage, going for it and coming up short on 4th-and-2 from the Baylor 4-yard line instead of kicking a field goal to get within a point. Getting the ball back the Cowboys had a productive drive but after a 38-yard run into the red zone Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill fumbled on the next play just before he went into the end zone. Taking over at their own 1-yard line the Bears went 99 yards to go up by 11 and past the favorite spread. The next Cowboy possession ended with an interception and Oklahoma State ran out of time on its final drive despite getting inside the 20-yard line as Baylor escaped with a rather fortunate favorite cover.

Louisville (-31) 59, Marshall 28: This game ended at the closing line but the heavily favored Cardinals were favored by fewer than 31 points all week before a climb on game day. It looked like the number wouldn’t matter as after a slow start Louisville pulled away in the middle quarters and led 52-7 heading into the final quarter. Marshall scored two touchdowns in 15 seconds of game clock with the help of a fumble return before the teams traded touchdowns in the final minutes. Louisville ended the game at the Marshall 7-yard line to leave the margin right at 31.

Purdue (-3½) 24, Nevada 14: The Boilermakers trailed 14-3 early before climbing within four just before halftime. In the third quarter a short scoring drive put Purdue up by three but it took until the final two minutes of the game for the Boilermakers to get past the favorite spread. With 1:17 left on the clock a 51-yard pass play put Purdue up by 10 as the Boilermakers got the win and cover despite a 4-0 turnover deficit.

Tulane (-3) 41, UL-Lafayette 39: Tulane took a 16-9 lead into the fourth quarter, scoring the first touchdown of the game late in the third quarter. With about six minutes to go the Ragin’ Cajuns were able to tie the game and overtime was needed after neither team mounted a final threat. Few overtime games end with a two-point margin but this low scoring game wound up with a misleading shootout final score as both teams scored touchdowns in the first and second extra sessions. In the third session UL-Lafayette settled for a short field goal as Tulane backers had hopes for a closing line push but the Wave went backwards and needed a difficult 48-yard kick to extend the game. The spread on the game was closer to -5 most of the week and a favorite cover look possible as Tulane went first in the fourth overtime and scored a touchdown with a successful two-point conversion. The underdog Cajuns spoiled that chance quickly with a 2nd down touchdown but a failed conversion ended the game.

Middle Tennessee State (-4½) 38, Louisiana Tech 34: Getting a favorite cover seemed impossible for the Blue Raiders with a 27-7 deficit halfway through the third quarter but this Conference USA clash turned sharply as Middle Tennessee State trimmed the deficit to 10 points by the start of the fourth quarter. While the line was above -4½ most of the week it did fall to -4 Saturday before climbing back to -4½ by kickoff and with a pair of scores early in the fourth quarter the Blue Raiders held a four-point lead. Louisiana Tech answered to take the lead back but the Blue Raiders would return the favor to steal a wild comeback win 38-34, holding on four plays from inside their own 10-yard line in the final two minutes. Most on the underdog Bulldogs still covered but it was a drastic turn of events in Murfreesboro.

Kentucky (-2) 17, South Carolina 10: The outright winner was going to cover in most scenarios in this matchup at the bottom of the SEC East. Through three quarters a low scoring affair was knotted at 10-10. Kentucky had an 11-play drive to take a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Both teams traded punts from there and South Carolina was in the unenviable position of needing to go for it on 4th-and-17 just inside of Kentucky territory, predictably failing with a sack to essentially end the game.

Tennessee (-4½) 38, Florida 28: The Gators opened up a 21-0 early edge in the big SEC East clash and still held a 21-3 edge at the half. While the Gators still led 21-17 entering the fourth quarter the wheels were falling off with momentum shifting to the hosts and Tennessee would score three touchdowns in the span of just over four minutes of game clock in the fourth quarter to completely flip the outcome and pull past a favorite spread that dropped all week. Florida would climb within 10 late but the Volunteers came away with a big win in a tale of two halves.

Auburn (+3) 18, LSU 13: 24 of the 31 points in this game were scored on field goals and an Auburn 3-point kick with under three minutes to go in the game appeared to seal the win up 18-13 after LSU had a 13-12 edge entering the fourth quarter. LSU had one final play from the Auburn 10 yard line as the clock was ticking and Danny Etling appeared to connect with Travin Dural in the end zone for the go-ahead score. LSU would have gone for two up by one and a successful conversion would have meant a cover or push for many on LSU. In a shocking turn of events however replay review ruled that LSU didn’t get the play off in time and the game ended with Auburn on top.

Boise State (-17) 38, Oregon State 24: The Broncos held a 31-7 lead at the half but the cover proved in play late as Oregon State scored all 10 points in the third quarter to climb within 14 and just within the underdog spread. With just over three minutes to go it appeared the road favorite cover would work out with a fumble return touchdown to lead by 21 but on the ensuing kickoff Victor Bolden took it 99 yards to the house for Oregon State and 14 points was the closing margin as the underdog Beavers held on to the cover for most though some early week Boise State backers may have gotten in at -13½.

Air Force (-5½) 27, Utah State 20: Air Force took advantage of a turnover just before halftime to take a 17-10 lead. In the third quarter both teams had long drives that ended with no points including Utah State coming up empty after an 85-yard drive but the Aggies added a field goal in the fourth quarter to close within four points, and just enough for an underdog cover. The Aggies held on defense and got the ball back but a fumble handed Air Force a 13-yard field and the Falcons took advantage to take an 11-point lead. Utah State desperately went for it on 4th down in their own territory with about five minutes to go and came up empty as Air Force added another three points and a late Utah State touchdown wasn’t quite enough for the underdog Aggies despite a severe yardage edge in this Mountain West opener.

Arizona State (-4) 51, California 41: An expected late night shootout in the Pac-12 took some time to materialize as Cal led 14-3 late in the second quarter before a flurry of points just before the half made it 24-10. California still led by seven entering the fourth quarter and Arizona State didn’t tie the game until about six minutes to go at 34-34. A field goal gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game with just over three minutes to go, though they still sat short of the favorite spread. Disaster struck the Bears, allowing an interception return touchdown that put Arizona State up by 10. The Bears would answer with a touchdown in the final minute of the game to seemingly hold the underdog cover but the on-side kick attempt was returned 42 yards for a touchdown as Arizona State escaped in a wild finish.

Stanford (-3) 22, UCLA 13: Stanford trailed nearly the entire way against UCLA, netting only field goals with a 13-9 deficit well into the fourth quarter. Stanford found the end zone for the first time in the game with a great catch to complete a 10-play drive with only 24 seconds remaining on the clock. That put the Cardinal even with the common number of -3 though for a while Saturday morning -2½ became available. UCLA made a threat in the remaining seconds as a pass got the Bruins to midfield and then just missed another completion that could have set-up a field goal. On the final play Josh Rosen was sacked and a fumble was picked up and returned for an unnecessary score with no time on the clock, giving an incredibly lucky clear cover to Stanford.

 

[CNOTES]

Betting Recap - Week 4
September 25, 2016




Overall Notes


COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 4 RESULTS


WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 41-14
Against the Spread 26-27-1

WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 30-25
Against the Spread 26-27-1


WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 28-24


The largest underdogs to win straight up


Duke (+21, ML +800) at Notre Dame, 38-35
Idaho (+14.5, ML +475) at UNLV, 33-30 OT
Colorado (+13.5, ML +425) at Oregon, 41-38
Buffalo (+13.5, ML +450) vs. Army, 23-20 OT


The largest favorites to cover


Missouri (-48) vs. Delaware State, 79-0
Alabama (-42.5) vs. Kent State, 48-0
Houston (-31) at Texas State, 64-3


Top 25 Notes


-- Clemson kicked off the week with a 26-7 road win at Georgia Tech Thursday night for the second straight cover after opening 0-2 ATS in their first two outings. The Tigers defense is on a roll, allowing a total of seven points in the past two games. The 'under' is now a perfect 4-0 for Clemson on the season. ... We've seen this before. Mississippi builds a huge lead to start in a high-profile game. However, this time the story was different, as the Rebels didn't fritter away that big lead. They jumped out to a 31-0 halftime lead over Georgia and kept their foot on the gas this time around. After big leads to FSU and 'Bama, the Rebels weren't going to do it this time around, winning 45-14. ... It was a battle of Top 10 teams between Michigan State and Wisconsin, but only one team showed up. The Badgers rolled to their second high-profile win of the season, topping Sparty 30-6. The Badgers are 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS. Wisconsin's defense is allowed 11.8 points per game (PPG), as the 'under' is 3-1.


-- Tennessee finally snapped their losing skid against rival Florida, although it didn't start out looking that way. The Gators entered with an 11-game winning streak in this series, and jumped out to a 21-3 lead at the half. However, the second half it was all Vols, outscoring the Gators 35-7 en route to a big win and a cover, which didn't look possible early on.


-- Louisiana State headed for the Plains to take on Auburn. The home team won without scoring a touchdown for the first time since Sept. 13, 2008 when the Tigers topped Mississippi State 3-2. LSU also lost Heisman hopeful Leonard Fournette to an ankle injury, although he was able to appear later in the final drive, mostly as a decoy. LSU appeared to have a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone for a miraculous win, but after further review the Tigers were unable to get the play off before the play clock hit :00, and after LSU celebrated, it was time for Auburn and its fans to celebrate in an unlikely and amazing finish.


-- Michigan rolled to a 49-10 win over Penn State in their conference opener. The Wolverines improved to 3-1 ATS, while the 'over' is now a perfect 4-0. Next up for the Wolverines is the biggest test to date, as Wisconsin pays a visit to the Big House next Saturday.


Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)


-- Virginia Tech told East Carolina enough is enough, snapping the six-game win streak by the Pirates against the ACC. The Hokies built a 38-0 lead at halftime and never looked back, rolling to a 54-17 win. Since Va. Tech was crushed at Bristol Motor Speedway by Tennessee, the Hokies covered for a second straight game. The 'over' is 3-0 in the past three for the Gobblers. ... Duke picked up an unbelievable road victory at Notre Dame for what head coach David Cutcliffe called the biggest win in school history. The Blue Devils snapped a two-game skid and non-cover streak, and have renewed hope heading into their next home game against Virginia next Saturday. The Cavaliers won their first of the season, topping Central Michigan. The Cavs are also 2-0-1 ATS over their past three.


-- Nebraska earned a hard-fought 24-13 road win at Northwestern to move to 4-0 SU and 3-0-1 ATS overall. The 'under' result was the third in four outings for the 'Huskes heading into next weekend's game against Ilinois. ... While Minnesota failed to cover for the second time in three games, but they pushed aside Colorado State to run their record to 3-0 SU. The Gophers will travel to Happy Valley next weekend trying to stay unbeaten against a Nittany Lions team which is 2-2 SU/1-3 ATS. ... The 'over' is 4-0 in Penn State's four games, and they have allowed at least 27 points in each of the past three, giving up 39.3 PPG during the span.


-- Baylor improved to 4-0 and posted their first cover of the season in an impressive 35-24 win over Oklahoma State. While their 1-3 ATS mark is surprising, it's nothing compared to the fact the 'under' is now 4-0 in four games for the Bears. ... Iowa State posted a 44-10 victory against San Jose State to get off the schneid and win for the first time in four tries. The Cyclones also covered the second straight outing. ... West Virginia managed a 35-32 win over Brigham Young at FedEx Field. While the Mountaineers are 3-0 SU, they slipped to 1-2 ATS.


-- Arizona forced overtime in their game against Washington, but the Wildcats were unable to pull off the monumental upset. The Wildcats were able to earn the easy cover, their first in four tries. The 'over' hit for the third time in four gams for 'Zona, and their late TD led to a bad beat (see below). ... Colorado earned a huge win at Oregon to improve to 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS, and the 'over' has hit in each of the past three. In their three victories Colorado is averaging 47.0 PPG. ... Stanford posted a 22-13 win at UCLA, 22-13, as the Cardinal improved to 3-0 SU/ATS. While Christian McCaffrey gets all of the headlines, it is their defense which has been impressive in wins over K-State, USC and UCLA. They are allowing just 12.0 PPG against three top-notch opponents, and now they'll head to Seattle for a Pac-12 showdown at Washington next Friday.


-- Kentucky earned its second straight win, topping South Carolina 17-10 in a defensive slog. It was the first cover of the season for the Wildcats, who also snapped a three-game 'over' streak. Kentucky had allowed at least 42 points in their first three games, but obviously found their stride on defense in this one. ... Alabama absolutely trucked an undermanned and overwhelmed Kent State squad, 48-0. 'Over' bettors weren't happy with the second half (see below), but the Tide were able to improve to 3-1 ATS, and 3-0 ATS in non-conference games. ... Vanderbilt might want to consider a move to Confernece USA. They topped Western Kentucky 31-30 in OT. They're now 2-0 SU/ATS against teams from Conference USA, and 0-2 SU/ATS against Power 5 teams.

Mid-Major Report

-- South Florida crashed back to Earth in a 55-35 setback against Florida State at the Ray Jay. The loss snapped a 3-0 SU start, and was also the first non-cover for the Bulls. The 'over' is now 3-1 for USF, thanks mostly due to their offense. They have scored 35 or more points in each of their four outings this season, but they hadn't allowed more than 20 points in a single game until the 'Noles blew them up for 55. ... Cincinnati bounced back with a 27-20 win over rival Miami-Ohio, although the Bearcats continue to win ugly. They're 3-1 SU, but just 1-3 ATS with the 'under' 3-1 in their games so far. ... Houston routed Texas State to stay unbeaten at 4-0 while improving to 3-1 ATS. Surprisingly, it was the first 'over' result in four games for the Cougars.


-- In Conference USA it was North Texas posting a 42-35 overtime win at Rice. While it was the first win for the Mean Green against an FBS team this season, they have now covered three in a row. ... Southern Mississippi got untracked with a 34-7 victory at Texas-El Paso, moving to 2-0 SU/ATS on the road this season. The Golden Eagles will host Rice next Saturday in Hattiesburg. ... Old Dominion picked up the home win against Texas-San Antonio, improving to 2-0 SU/ATS at home in two tries. Their offense is averaging 43.5 PPG at home and just 14.5 PPG on the road in two games each. The 'over' is 2-0 at home for ODU, and 3-1 in four games overall.


-- It was ugly week for the Mid-American Conference, with the MAC going 5-6 SU/ATS. Central Michigan and Kent State lost to Power 5 teams which is excusable. However, the loss by Bowling Green at Memphis was a black eye for the conference. It isn't so much that they lost, but how they lost. The Falcons were bombed 77-3 at the Liberty Bowl, slipping to 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS, and it is the second time they've allowed 77 this season. In three games vs. FBS teams they have allowed an average of 65.0 PPG per contest. ... Buffalo scored an impressive win for the conference, topping previously unbeaten Army by a 23-20 score in overtime as 13-point underdogs. The Bulls entered 0-2 SU/ATS.


-- Not a good week for the Mountain West, as only Air Force and BoiseState were able to score victories. ... Fresno State nearly joined the party, blowing out to a 31-0 lead over the Golden Hurricane of Tulsa. However, the Bulldogs choke was of epic proportions, allowing Tulsa to come all the way back, force overtime and then steal one in The Valley, 48-41. It was the first cover for the Bulldogs, but this loss will be a hard one to overcome. If you had the Bulldogs +500 on the moneyline, don't drink too much tonight, OK?

-- Idaho might not be your first thought when thinking of the Sun Belt, but they did the conference proud with a win over UNLV, adding to the MWC's nightmare. The Vandals won outright as 14.5-point underdogs, covering for the first time in four tries. ... South Alabama almost shamed the Belt with a lost to FCS foe Nicholls State, a team who nearly knocked off Georgia earlier inthe season. However, the Jaguars escaped with a 41-40 OT. They're still 0-3 ATS since winning at Mississippi State in their opener.

Bad Beats


-- It was a double bad beat in Chapel Hill Saturday afternoon. Moneyline bettors of Pittsburgh felt the sting, as well as 'under' bettors, when North Carolina struck with :02 left in regulation to pick up the 37-36 victory. The TD was a crushing blow to moneyline bettors of the Panthers, who just missed out on a +240 payday. It was also a back-breaker for 'under' (66.5), who looked like they had a win in the bag until the final play.


-- If you had the 'under' in the game between Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane, condolences are in order. The total was 46.5, with the Ragin' Cajuns scoring the game-tying TD with 5:55 to play in regulation to make it 16-16. After the dust cleared after 4 OTs, there was a total of 80 points on the board.


-- 'Under' (56) were hoping Michigan would just rag the clock for a 42-10 win, but the Wolverines struck paydirt with 2:04 left in regulation to push the game to the 'over' side.


-- Southern California side bettors are still sick about the comeback by Utah (-3) in Salt Lake City Friday night. The Utes struck for the game-winning touchdown with :16 left in regulation, posting a 31-27 win and cover.


-- Boise State (-16.5) looked to have the cover at Oregon State, scoring a touchdown with 3:33 left in regulation to take a 38-17 lead. However, on the ensuing kickoff the Beavers had a 99-yard kickoff return for touchdown to grab the cover back for good. What a swing of emotions.


-- 'Over' bettors (61) probably felt like they were on their way to an easy win in UGA-Ole Miss, as the Rebels held a 45-7 lead after three quarters. Midway through the final quarter the Dawgs struck for a touchdown, but there were no scores for the final 7:38.


-- Houston scored an unnecessary touchdown with 3:26 remaining in regulation to take a 64-3 lead at Texas State. It was meaningless unless you had an 'under' (63.5) ticket in your hand.


-- Louisville held a 59-21 lead late in the fourth quarter at Marshall, but the Herd struck with 2:41 remaining to pull within 31. For bettors who got in on the Cardinals early in the week, the late touchdown wasn't damaging. But for those who bet late and were laying 31, it turned an easy win into a push.


-- In that Idaho-UNLV game, the Vandalas booted a 55-yard field goal with 5:09 left in regulation to force OT, tied 27-27. Not what 'under' (61.5) bettors wanted to see. UNLV opened with a field goal, and the Vandals finished with a touchdown for a total of 63 and a late-game bad beat Vegas style.


-- In that Washington-Arizona game, the total was 58.5. With :17 left in regulation the Wildcats picked up a touchdown to tie the Huskies 28-28 and force overtime, killing the 'under' in the process.

 

[CNOTES]

Opening Line Report - Week 5
September 26, 2016


The opening line of next Saturday night’s major ACC clash suggests oddsmakers have Louisville rated higher than Clemson, a team whose only loss over the last two seasons is against Alabama in last season’s national championship. The Tigers opened -2.5 at the Wynn on Sunday, a number that factors in the Death Valley home-field advantage, which means that on a neutral field, the Cardinals would be favored.


There’s another reason the line opened where it did: bookmakers’ anticipation of bets coming in on Louisville.


"I opened (at Clemson -2.5) because I knew I was going to get Louisville money," said John Avello, vice president of race and sports at the Wynn. "I didn’t want to open it too high because I knew the Louisville backers would be there."


Sure enough, as we were talking at around noon ET on Monday, the Wynn wrote another max bet on Louisville and moved the line from 2 to 1.5. A few hours later, the game was a pick ‘em.


Public bettors "like the flashy stuff. They see Louisville scoring 70 points every game," said Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons. "They saw them just kill Florida State, and in their mind, Florida State is this great team. You can still be fooled by results at this stage of the year. The big question is, ‘is Florida State that good?’ I’m not so sure they are."


Avello and Salmons used the identical phrase to describe the public’s feelings about the high-flying Cardinals. The public is "in love with Louisville right now," both bookmakers said.


So in love with them, in fact, that they’re ready to back them against a team that has won 18 straight games at home, its last loss at Memorial Stadium coming in October 2013 against Florida State. Also, kickoff next Saturday is at 8:00 p.m. ET, giving the home crowd plenty of time to fuel up for the rowdiness. The fact that the game is at night is worth as much as a point to the spread, according to Avello.


"If they go and win this game, that tells me they’re for real," Avello said of Louisville.


The books will likely need Clemson, and in a big way.


"I think there’s going to be an avalanche of public money on Louisville," Salmons said. "I would be shocked if that wasn’t a huge decision."


Stanford at Washington (-3), Friday, 9 p.m. ET


Wiseguys have been laying bigger numbers with Washington here in Games of the Year wagering at the Westgate SuperBook.


"They laid me 4.5 two weeks ago, and they laid me 5.5 last week," said Salmons, who sees this as a difficult spot for Stanford because the Cardinal are playing their second consecutive tough conference road game (they won at UCLA 22-13 last week), and they’re doing it on short rest.


While Salmons envisions this line closing around 4.5, Avello offered a different perspective.


"They really have played no one," Avello said of Washington. "Rutgers, Idaho, Portland State and an Arizona team without their starting quarterback, and they were life-and-death to win that in overtime. I’m not sure how much of a favorite they’re supposed to be over (Stanford). I do respect (Washington coach) Chris Petersen. He’s certainly taken that team in the right direction, but they’re unproven."


Avello added, "Stanford is sound defensively. They’ve played three pretty decent teams (Kansas State USC, UCLA ) and kind of shut them all down. I would expect to see (sharp) money on the dog here at +3."


Indeed, some shops were dealing 2.5 on Monday.


Wisconsin at Michigan (-10.5), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET


The Wynn opened Michigan -9.5, was bet to -10.5 later Sunday night, moved to -10 before the night was over, only to return to -10.5 on Monday. That is the number on most Las Vegas oddsboards as of this writing.


Again, Salmons and Avello have different opinions on which way this line will go, which may be attributable to their opinions about the Badgers.


"I think they’re pretty good, I really do," Avello said. "They’re the surprise team of the year. To shut down Michigan State that way, and I don’t care what you say about LSU, LSU is always a good team...And don’t discount the Akron team they manhandled. Akron’s not a bad team, and they took them apart. This team is really good."


To Salmons, though, Wisconsin’s wins over LSU and Michigan State have become less impressive as the season has progressed.


"Michigan looks like the same kind of team as Wisconsin except they have better athletes and they have more polish to them. They’re just better," he said.


Salmons added, "I think the game is priced right. If anything, I can see it moving up and going off at maybe 11."


Asked if he believes bettors will take the double digits, though, Avello said, "I think anybody who watches college football closely might."


Tennessee (-3.5) at Georgia, Saturday 3:30 p.m. ET


After its remarkable come-from-behind win against Florida, Tennessee finds itself laying points on the road at Georgia, who the Vols haven’t beaten in Athens since 2004 (the Vols are 0-4 at Georgia in that span). The line opened 4, but was bet down to 3.5.


Georgia’s horrific performance at Ole Miss last week, as well as the injury sustained by running back Nck Chubb, are factors in that line.


Avello’s been impressed by Tennessee so far and says the Vols are deserving of road favorite status. "They’re 4-0, and those wins are pretty good wins," he said.


Salmons suggested the betting market is overreacting to last week’s results.


"If this game was put up last week, Georgia would be the favorite," Salmons said.


LSU (-13.5) at Missouri, 7:30 p.m. ET


A few hours before Avello posted his numbers, news broke that Les Miles was out as head coach of LSU and that he’s being replaced on an interim basis by Ed Orgeron. Did the coaching change factor into Avello’s opening line of LSU -14.5?


"A little bit," he said. "I guess I would have opened it up maybe half a point higher, that’s all."


Avello added of LSU under Orgeron, "They’re not going to skip a beat here. Offensively, they’re going to open it up more. The problem is they don’t have a good quarterback, and that’s always a problem for these college teams."


Early line moves


Here are games that saw a spread swing of 2 points or more in the favorite’s direction during the first 23 hours of wagering at the Wynn:


N. Illinois at Ball State
After 23 hours: Ball State -2
After 23 hours: Ball State -4


Akron at Kent State
After 23 hours: Akron -4.5
After 23 hours: Akron -7


Rice at Southern Miss
After 23 hours: Southern Miss -21
After 23 hours: Southern Miss -24


Oklahoma at TCU
After 23 hours: Oklahoma -1
After 23 hours: Oklahoma -3.5


Utah State at Boise State
After 23 hours: Boise State -18.5
After 23 hours: Boise State -20.5


Here are games that saw a spread swing of 2 points or more in the underdog’s direction in the first 23 hours of wagering at the Wynn:


Buffalo at Boston College
After 23 hours: BC -19.5
After 23 hours: BC -17.5


Kanas State at West Virginia
After 23 hours: WVU -5.5
After 23 hours: WVU -3


Virginia at Duke
After 23 hours: Duke -6
After 23 hours: Duke -3.5


Louisville at Clemson
After 23 hours: Clemson -2.5
After 23 hours: pick ‘em


UL-Monroe at Auburn
After 23 hours: Auburn -35
After 23 hours: Auburn -33