Pac-12 Report - Week 1
August 27, 2017
2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 3-9 1-8 2-10 7-5
Arizona State 5-7 2-7 6-5 7-5
California 5-7 3-6 5-7 8-4
Colorado 10-4 8-2 10-4 5-9
Oregon 4-8 2-7 2-9-1 7-5
Oregon State 4-8 3-6 9-3 5-7
Southern California 10-3 7-2 8-5 4-9
Stanford 10-3 6-3 7-6 5-8
UCLA 4-8 2-7 4-8 4-7-1
Utah 9-4 5-4 7-6 6-7
Washington 12-2 9-1 7-7 8-5-1
Washington State 8-5 7-2 6-7 7-5-1
Oregon State at Colorado State (Sat., Aug. 26 - CBS Sports Network, 2:30 p.m. ET)
The Beavers hit the road for Fort Collins to clash with the Rams in the first game on the 2017 College Football regular season schedule, and first game at CSU's brand spanking new facility. Oregon State didn't have the greatest of seasons last year, but they did finish with seven covers across their final eight outings while winning their final two games straight up. However, they were blanked in five tries on the road in 2016, going 3-2 ATS, and they're 0-13 SU/4-9 ATS across their past 13 trips since their last road win in Colorado on Oct. 4, 2014. Colorado State made a bowl appearance last season, losing 61-50 in a shootout. That was par for the course, as they scored 37 or more points in each of their final six games while covering the last seven games of the regular season, and 10 of 11. Oregon State will turn to QB Jake Luton, a JUCO transfer, to try and turn around one of the worst passing offenses among Power 5 Conference members. Final - Colorado State 58 Oregon State 27
Stanford at Rice from Sydney, Australia (Sat., Aug. 26 - ESPN, 10:00 p.m. ET)
Stanford and Rice will do battle down under, and Aussies might be treated to a beatdown. The Cardinal are favored by 31 points. It was a strange season for the Cardina. They still ended up with 10 wins, but it was disappointing by their standards. That shows how high the bar has been set in Palo Alto. They were humbled 44-6 in Washington Sept. 30, 2016, and belted 42-16 by Washington State at home. On Oct. 22, they were 4-3 SU/ATS through seven games and people wondered aloud if mediocrity was back in the Bay Area. But the Cardinal ripped off six wins, including their bowl game, to get to 10 wins. They lost Christian McCaffrey to the NFL, but they should be just fine going into 2017. Stanford is just 2-3 ATS over their past five regular season openers, and they lost straight-up at Northwestern the last time they opened somewhere outside of Palo Alto. They topped the Owls 41-17 to close the regular season last year, and the Cardinal are replacing key personnel. Will it be enough for the Owls to stay within the number? Final - Stanford 62 Rice 7
New Mexico State at Arizona State (Thurs., Aug. 31 - Pac-12 Network, 10:30 p.m. ET)
The Sun Devils open with the Aggies, who are barely an FBS team. The Aggies have posted three or fewer wins in five consecutive seasons, and they haven't had a winning campaign since the 2002 season. Arizona State isn't used to losing seasons, but that's what they experienced last year when they lost to rival Arizona in the finale to miss a bowl bid. Arizona State is favored to win by more than three touchdowns in their opener, and they're 8-1 ATS over the past nine outings. Conversely, NMSU is 9-19 ATS over the past 28 road battles. A high-scoring game could be on tap, as the 'over' is 21-5-1 in the past 27 road outings for the Aggies, and the Sun Devils hit the over in four of their past five home contests.
Colorado State at Colorado from Denver, Colo. (Fri., Sept. 1 - Pac-12 Network, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Rams will already have a game under its belt when they invade Sports Authority Field in Denver for their rivalry game with the Buffaloes. Colorado had a great season in 2016, rising back to prominence after many awful and trying seasons since joining the Pac-12. The Rams enter the season 14-4-1 ATS over their past 19 non-conference games, but they're 0-4-1 in their past five neutral-site battles. The Buffaloes are 1-3-1 ATS in their past five on a neutral-site field. Total bettors might be especially interested in this rivalry game, as the 'under' has hit in eight of the past nine games. The underdog is also 3-1-1 ATS in the past five meetings in this series.
Washington at Rutgers (Fri., Sept. 1 - FOX Sports 1, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Huskies made the four-team playoff last season, but they were bounced by a much more superior Alabama team. Washington looks to climb the mountain again, hoping to take that next step forward. They can start climbing that mountain with a convincing win against Rutgers in a cross-country trip to open the season. The Huskies waffled the Scarlet Knights by a 48-13 count to open the 2016 season, covering a 25-point number. Washington's roster is littered with stars again, and they return 13 starters. QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin are back, as is LB Azeem Victor along with the league's best front seven. That's bad news for a Rutgers team that is barely competitive against bottom-tier FBS teams.
California at North Carolina (ACC Network, 12:20 p.m. ET)
The Tar Heels open as 12 1/2-point favorite against the visiting Bears. California hasn't had a lot of luck, failing to cover over their past four road games. However, Cal has had some luck in their past non-conference tilts, covering five of the past seven. The Golden Bears have to replace QB Davis Webb, and that will be their biggest question mark. Will either Ross Bowers or Chase Forrest be ready, especially after a cross-country flight, playing on the road in hostile territory in their first-ever start? New O.C. Beau Baldwin, formerly head coach of high-flying FCS program Eastern Washington, will make this offense fun, but it might take time. UNC also must replace QB Mitch Trubisky, a big hole, as well as stud TBs Elijah Hood, T.J. Logan, WRs Bug Howard and Ryan Switzer, as well as three offensive linemen. The defense will be fine with six starters back, but there are a ton of question marks on offense.
Western Michigan at Southern California (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 5:15 p.m. ET)
The Trojans look for a quick start, and they have one of the most dangerous weapons in the country in QB Sam Darnold. It's a tough opener against a Western Michigan team which posted 13 regular-season victories before playing Wisconsin tough in the Cotton Bowl, covering in a 24-16 loss. With success of a mid-level program, losses are harder to overcome. Head coach P.J. Fleck left for Minnesota and WR Corey Davis is now playing his football for the Tennessee Titans. However, they still have a strong pass rush to give Darnold a much bigger test than some other top QBs who will be opening with cupcakes. USC opened as a 24-point favorite, and bettors are now expecting them to win by nearly four touchdowns. While USC is expected to be a playoff contender, Western Michigan is coming off a New Year's Day bowl and will not be a pushover.
Texas A&M at UCLA (Sun., Sept. 3 - FOX, 7:30 p.m. ET)
In one of the final games of the opening weekend, Texas A&M invades the Rose Bowl to battle UCLA. While a lot of the national media focuses on cross-town rival USC's QB, the Bruins have a good one of their own in Josh Rosen. He is making his way back from a shoulder injury which derailed his season early on. He is healthy, and if the team's offensive line play is better he has a chance to lead this team to big things. The Aggies have promise at QB, but it's uncertain if we'll see Jake Hubenek, Kellen Mond or Nick Starkel - or all three - in the opener. Both teams have struggled in non-conference games lately, with A&M 2-6 ATS in their past eight and UCLA 0-5 ATS in their past five outside of the conferences.
Other Games
North Dakota at Utah (Thu., Aug. 31 - Pac-12 Network, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Portland State at Oregon State (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Southern Utah at Oregon (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Montana State at Washington State (Sat., Sept. 2, FOX Sports 1, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Northern Arizona at Arizona (Sat., Sept. 2, Pac-12 Network, 11:00 p.m. ET)
August 27, 2017
2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 3-9 1-8 2-10 7-5
Arizona State 5-7 2-7 6-5 7-5
California 5-7 3-6 5-7 8-4
Colorado 10-4 8-2 10-4 5-9
Oregon 4-8 2-7 2-9-1 7-5
Oregon State 4-8 3-6 9-3 5-7
Southern California 10-3 7-2 8-5 4-9
Stanford 10-3 6-3 7-6 5-8
UCLA 4-8 2-7 4-8 4-7-1
Utah 9-4 5-4 7-6 6-7
Washington 12-2 9-1 7-7 8-5-1
Washington State 8-5 7-2 6-7 7-5-1
Oregon State at Colorado State (Sat., Aug. 26 - CBS Sports Network, 2:30 p.m. ET)
The Beavers hit the road for Fort Collins to clash with the Rams in the first game on the 2017 College Football regular season schedule, and first game at CSU's brand spanking new facility. Oregon State didn't have the greatest of seasons last year, but they did finish with seven covers across their final eight outings while winning their final two games straight up. However, they were blanked in five tries on the road in 2016, going 3-2 ATS, and they're 0-13 SU/4-9 ATS across their past 13 trips since their last road win in Colorado on Oct. 4, 2014. Colorado State made a bowl appearance last season, losing 61-50 in a shootout. That was par for the course, as they scored 37 or more points in each of their final six games while covering the last seven games of the regular season, and 10 of 11. Oregon State will turn to QB Jake Luton, a JUCO transfer, to try and turn around one of the worst passing offenses among Power 5 Conference members. Final - Colorado State 58 Oregon State 27
Stanford at Rice from Sydney, Australia (Sat., Aug. 26 - ESPN, 10:00 p.m. ET)
Stanford and Rice will do battle down under, and Aussies might be treated to a beatdown. The Cardinal are favored by 31 points. It was a strange season for the Cardina. They still ended up with 10 wins, but it was disappointing by their standards. That shows how high the bar has been set in Palo Alto. They were humbled 44-6 in Washington Sept. 30, 2016, and belted 42-16 by Washington State at home. On Oct. 22, they were 4-3 SU/ATS through seven games and people wondered aloud if mediocrity was back in the Bay Area. But the Cardinal ripped off six wins, including their bowl game, to get to 10 wins. They lost Christian McCaffrey to the NFL, but they should be just fine going into 2017. Stanford is just 2-3 ATS over their past five regular season openers, and they lost straight-up at Northwestern the last time they opened somewhere outside of Palo Alto. They topped the Owls 41-17 to close the regular season last year, and the Cardinal are replacing key personnel. Will it be enough for the Owls to stay within the number? Final - Stanford 62 Rice 7
New Mexico State at Arizona State (Thurs., Aug. 31 - Pac-12 Network, 10:30 p.m. ET)
The Sun Devils open with the Aggies, who are barely an FBS team. The Aggies have posted three or fewer wins in five consecutive seasons, and they haven't had a winning campaign since the 2002 season. Arizona State isn't used to losing seasons, but that's what they experienced last year when they lost to rival Arizona in the finale to miss a bowl bid. Arizona State is favored to win by more than three touchdowns in their opener, and they're 8-1 ATS over the past nine outings. Conversely, NMSU is 9-19 ATS over the past 28 road battles. A high-scoring game could be on tap, as the 'over' is 21-5-1 in the past 27 road outings for the Aggies, and the Sun Devils hit the over in four of their past five home contests.
Colorado State at Colorado from Denver, Colo. (Fri., Sept. 1 - Pac-12 Network, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Rams will already have a game under its belt when they invade Sports Authority Field in Denver for their rivalry game with the Buffaloes. Colorado had a great season in 2016, rising back to prominence after many awful and trying seasons since joining the Pac-12. The Rams enter the season 14-4-1 ATS over their past 19 non-conference games, but they're 0-4-1 in their past five neutral-site battles. The Buffaloes are 1-3-1 ATS in their past five on a neutral-site field. Total bettors might be especially interested in this rivalry game, as the 'under' has hit in eight of the past nine games. The underdog is also 3-1-1 ATS in the past five meetings in this series.
Washington at Rutgers (Fri., Sept. 1 - FOX Sports 1, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Huskies made the four-team playoff last season, but they were bounced by a much more superior Alabama team. Washington looks to climb the mountain again, hoping to take that next step forward. They can start climbing that mountain with a convincing win against Rutgers in a cross-country trip to open the season. The Huskies waffled the Scarlet Knights by a 48-13 count to open the 2016 season, covering a 25-point number. Washington's roster is littered with stars again, and they return 13 starters. QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin are back, as is LB Azeem Victor along with the league's best front seven. That's bad news for a Rutgers team that is barely competitive against bottom-tier FBS teams.
California at North Carolina (ACC Network, 12:20 p.m. ET)
The Tar Heels open as 12 1/2-point favorite against the visiting Bears. California hasn't had a lot of luck, failing to cover over their past four road games. However, Cal has had some luck in their past non-conference tilts, covering five of the past seven. The Golden Bears have to replace QB Davis Webb, and that will be their biggest question mark. Will either Ross Bowers or Chase Forrest be ready, especially after a cross-country flight, playing on the road in hostile territory in their first-ever start? New O.C. Beau Baldwin, formerly head coach of high-flying FCS program Eastern Washington, will make this offense fun, but it might take time. UNC also must replace QB Mitch Trubisky, a big hole, as well as stud TBs Elijah Hood, T.J. Logan, WRs Bug Howard and Ryan Switzer, as well as three offensive linemen. The defense will be fine with six starters back, but there are a ton of question marks on offense.
Western Michigan at Southern California (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 5:15 p.m. ET)
The Trojans look for a quick start, and they have one of the most dangerous weapons in the country in QB Sam Darnold. It's a tough opener against a Western Michigan team which posted 13 regular-season victories before playing Wisconsin tough in the Cotton Bowl, covering in a 24-16 loss. With success of a mid-level program, losses are harder to overcome. Head coach P.J. Fleck left for Minnesota and WR Corey Davis is now playing his football for the Tennessee Titans. However, they still have a strong pass rush to give Darnold a much bigger test than some other top QBs who will be opening with cupcakes. USC opened as a 24-point favorite, and bettors are now expecting them to win by nearly four touchdowns. While USC is expected to be a playoff contender, Western Michigan is coming off a New Year's Day bowl and will not be a pushover.
Texas A&M at UCLA (Sun., Sept. 3 - FOX, 7:30 p.m. ET)
In one of the final games of the opening weekend, Texas A&M invades the Rose Bowl to battle UCLA. While a lot of the national media focuses on cross-town rival USC's QB, the Bruins have a good one of their own in Josh Rosen. He is making his way back from a shoulder injury which derailed his season early on. He is healthy, and if the team's offensive line play is better he has a chance to lead this team to big things. The Aggies have promise at QB, but it's uncertain if we'll see Jake Hubenek, Kellen Mond or Nick Starkel - or all three - in the opener. Both teams have struggled in non-conference games lately, with A&M 2-6 ATS in their past eight and UCLA 0-5 ATS in their past five outside of the conferences.
Other Games
North Dakota at Utah (Thu., Aug. 31 - Pac-12 Network, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Portland State at Oregon State (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Southern Utah at Oregon (Sat., Sept. 2 - Pac-12 Network, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Montana State at Washington State (Sat., Sept. 2, FOX Sports 1, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Northern Arizona at Arizona (Sat., Sept. 2, Pac-12 Network, 11:00 p.m. ET)
