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[CNOTES]

Preview: Sky (18-12) at Liberty (21-8)


Date: September 03, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

With the New York Liberty boasting the WNBA's best defense and the Chicago Sky touting its highest-scoring offense, Thursday night's matchup figures to be a tightly contested matchup.


It may not live up to that billing if the Sky are still without their top two scorers, however.


The Liberty (21-8) limit opponents to 70.2 points per game, and have won nine of 11. Tuesday's 80-75 overtime victory against Atlanta brought them within two wins of clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference and one shy of matching the single-season franchise record from 2010.


"It's definitely in our minds that we want to get the No. 1 seed," said Tina Charles, who is averaging a team-high 17.8 points.


Chicago is averaging 82.5 points, but the club was kept in check in an 84-63 loss at New York on Aug. 11, putting the Liberty in position to sweep the four-game season series. Elena Delle Donne, whose 23.9 points per game lead the league, did not play due to a sprained ankle.


Delle Donne returned for the next four games but has missed the last two with a foot injury and her status is uncertain.


Cappie Pondexter is Chicago's second-leading scorer with 15.0 points per game and scored a team-high 23 in that loss at Madison Square Garden, but she sat out Sunday's 72-68 loss to Connecticut after suffering a concussion in a 98-96 win at Atlanta on Saturday. She's being evaluated based on the league's concussion protocol.


The Sky (18-12) are tied with Indiana for second in the East but hold the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series 4-0 with three victories coming by 23-plus points. Catching New York for first place is far-fetched, though, as they must win out while the Liberty would have to lose their remaining games.


Chicago blew a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Courtney Vandersloot led the team with 18 points without Delle Donne and Pondexter.


While the Sky's offense could be limited, Sugar Rodgers may have broken out of her slump for the Liberty. She matched a career high with 23 points against the Dream - two fewer than she had totaled over her previous six contests. Rodgers, who was 5 of 12 from 3-point range, hadn't scored in double figures since a 10-point performance at Phoenix on July 18.


"I knew something was coming, I just had to be patient," she said.


Epiphanny Prince could also be in for a big night considering she had a season-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting in a 77-63 win at Chicago on Aug. 7.


The Liberty, who had dropped six straight home meetings prior to last month's victory, have won eight of their last nine at Madison Square Garden.



WNBA HEAD TO HEAD


Aug 11, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI 63 Under: 147
NEW « 84 Cover: 14.5
Tools: Recaps


Aug 7, 2015 Score ATS Results
NEW « 77 Cover: 18.5
CHI 63 Under: 140
Tools: Recaps


Jun 30, 2015 Score ATS Results
NEW « 89 Cover: 13.5
CHI 81 Over: 170
Tools: Recaps


Jul 31, 2014 Score ATS Results
NEW 74 Over: 161
CHI « 87 Cover: 9.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 27, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 73 Cover: 2
NEW 69 Under: 142
Tools: Recaps


Jun 18, 2014 Score ATS Results
NEW 100 Over: 205
CHI « 105 Cover: 3.5
Tools: Recaps


May 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 79 Cover: 19.5
NEW 65 Under: 144
Tools: Recaps

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Shock (15-14) at Storm (9-20)


Date: September 03, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

A long homestand has helped keep the Seattle Storm in the Western Conference playoff race.


The Storm look to cap the six-game KeyArena stretch with a season-high third straight win Thursday night against the surging Tulsa Shock.


Seattle (9-20) is 3-2 on the homestand and coming off Sunday's confidence-building 69-59 victory over East contender Washington. The Storm trailed by 10 midway through the third quarter before holding the Mystics scoreless for more than nine minutes during a 19-0 run.


"We got more aggressive," guard Jewell Loyd told the Storm's official website. "We made plays for each other and our defense was on point. We knew we had to step it up a notch, get in a good rhythm, defensive rhythm and that's what we did."


Loyd scored 18 points and set a club record by going 14 of 14 from the foul line.


The Storm trail Los Angeles by 2 1/2 games for the West's final postseason spot with five remaining and face a difficult stretch. After Thursday's visit from the playoff-bound Shock, Seattle travels to Chicago before a home-and-home series with West-leading Minnesota.


Seattle does have recent history on its side Thursday, as the home team has won the series' last eight meetings and the Shock are 2-10 at KeyArena since moving to Tulsa in 2010. The Storm avenged two previous losses to the Shock with a 74-69 home victory June 30, when Tulsa lost star guard Skylar Diggins to a season-ending ACL tear.


Diggins' injury triggered a 2-13 stretch that included a 10-game losing streak July 15-Aug. 4. The Shock (15-14) have since bounced back to win five straight and secured their first playoff berth since 2009 with Sunday's 76-70 victory over Indiana.


"It means a lot," coach Fred Williams said. "For the city of Tulsa, I told them we were going to do big things here and I thought this was one of the biggest days for our franchise and our organization here and for our fans. They deserve this."


Odyssey Sims scored a season-high 30 points and Karima Christmas added 18 to help Tulsa overcome a shin injury to Riquna Williams in the second quarter. Williams, who had 23 points June 30 and is averaging 15.6 this season, is uncertain for Thursday.


The Storm will play for a third straight game without center Ramu Tokashiki, currently competing for Japan in the FIBA Asia Championship. The rookie totaled 33 points on 16-of-25 shooting in the last two matchups with Tulsa.



WNBA HEAD TO HEAD


Jun 30, 2015 Score ATS Results
TUL 69 Under: 143
SEA « 74 Cover: 7.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 28, 2015 Score ATS Results
SEA 89 Cover: 8
TUL « 93 Over: 182
Tools: Recaps


Jun 9, 2015 Score ATS Results
SEA 45 Under: 116
TUL « 71 Cover: 20
Tools: Recaps


Aug 10, 2014 Score ATS Results
TUL 68 Under: 142
SEA « 74 Cover: 2.5
Tools: Recaps


Jul 29, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 74 Over: 154
TUL « 80 Cover: 1.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 15, 2014 Score ATS Results
SEA 79 Cover: 0.5
TUL « 85 Over: 164
Tools: Recaps


Jun 1, 2014 Score ATS Results
TUL 60 Cover: 1.5
SEA « 62 Under: 122
Tools: Recaps

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mystics (16-13) at Sparks (12-18)


Date: September 03, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Though both the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks are closing in on postseason berths, only one's playing like a playoff-caliber team.


The slumping Mystics continue what's been a difficult trip on Thursday night against a Sparks team rejuvenated by Candice Parker's return.


These teams have veered off in opposite directions over the past two weeks, with the Sparks winning four of five and the Mystics losing four of five. Despite those struggles, Washington (16-13) needs to win only one of its remaining five games to secure a playoff spot.


Poor shooting has plagued the Mystics, especially on this trip. After being held scoreless for over nine minutes in the second half of Sunday's 69-59 loss at Seattle, Washington shot 31.1 percent and managed seven points in the third quarter in Wednesday's 73-53 defeat to Phoenix.


Top scorers Ivory Latta and Stefanie Dolson have both been off during the trek. Latta is 7 of 21 since netting a season high-tying 24 points in Friday's home win over the Mercury, while Dolson has just nine points on 4 of 15 shooting in the two losses.


A back injury that will sideline point guard Kara Lawson for a fourth straight game also has compounded matters.


The Mystics had been 8-1 against the Western Conference prior to the recent losses. They had little trouble generating offense in an 84-80 win over Los Angeles on June 23, receiving 20 points each from Emma Meesseman and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt.


That loss was part of a 3-13 start that placed the Sparks (12-18) at the bottom of the Western Conference. They've gone 9-5 since Parker returned in late July to vault into fourth place, 2 1/2 games ahead of Seattle.


Parker is averaging 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds and Jantel Lavender is averaging 17.2 during the 4-1 stretch, highlighted by a season-high 24 in Sunday's 60-52 win over San Antonio.


The Sparks are just 3-7 against the East and have lost three straight to Washington, which swept last year's series by following a triple-overtime win with a 79-75 decision at the Staples Center in July.




WNBA HEAD TO HEAD


Jun 23, 2015 Score ATS Results
LOS 80 Cover: 7
WAS « 84 Over: 164
Tools: Recaps


Jul 17, 2014 Score ATS Results
WAS « 79 Cover: 11.5
LOS 75 Under: 154
Tools: Recaps


Jun 1, 2014 Score ATS Results
LOS 84 Over: 176
WAS « 92 Cover: 13
Tools: Recaps

 

[CNOTES]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


New York Liberty 21 8 0.724 0 11-3 10-5 12-6 8-2 W-3


Chicago Sky 18 12 0.600 3 11-4 7-8 13-7 6-4 L-1


Indiana Fever 18 12 0.600 3 10-6 8-6 11-8 7-3 W-1


Washington Mystics 16 13 0.552 5 10-5 6-8 8-10 4-6 L-2


Connecticut Sun 13 18 0.419 9 7-9 6-9 5-15 2-8 L-1


Atlanta Dream 12 18 0.400 9 7-7 5-11 8-11 5-5 L-2



WESTERN CONFERENCE


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Minnesota Lynx 20 10 0.667 0 11-3 9-7 15-5 5-5 W-1


Phoenix Mercury 18 13 0.581 2 12-4 6-9 13-6 4-6 W-1


Tulsa Shock 15 14 0.517 4 10-5 5-9 8-10 5-5 W-5


Los Angeles Sparks 12 18 0.400 8 7-8 5-10 9-11 6-4 W-1


Seattle Storm 9 20 0.310 10 7-7 2-13 7-11 4-6 W-2


San Antonio Stars 7 23 0.233 13 7-8 0-15 5-14 1-9 L-7



Updated Thu Sep 3 10:37 AM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

ACC Report - Week 1


September 3, 2015

2014 ACC STANDINGS


Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under


Boston College 7-6 4-4 8-5 5-7-1


Clemson 10-3 6-2 6-7 4-9


Duke 9-4 5-3 8-4-1 4-8


Florida State 13-1 8-0 3-11 6-8


Georgia Tech 11-3 6-2 10-4 8-6


Louisville 9-4 5-3 7-6 5-7-1


Miami (Fla.) 6-7 3-5 5-8 4-9


North Carolina 6-7 4-4 5-8 5-7


North Carolina State 8-5 3-5 8-5 6-6-1


Pittsburgh 6-7 4-4 5-7-1 7-5-1


Syracuse 3-9 1-7 4-8 2-9-1


Virginia 5-7 3-5 7-4-1 4-8


Virginia Tech 7-6 3-5 6-7 5-7


Wake Forest 3-9 1-7 4-8 2-9-1


North Carolina at South Carolina (in Charlotte) (Thursday - ESPN, 6:00 p.m. ET)


The wait is over, and the battle of the Carolinas will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte early Thursday night. South Carolina has had a little more success in recent seasons, but they have a bunch of relative unknowns heading into the 2015 season. In fact, on offense the 'Cocks are returning a total of just four starters, while eight starters are back on defense. It will be interesting to see if South Carolina's unproven offensive attack can take advantage of a North Carolina defense which was putrid in 2014. The Tar Heels have all of the key components on offense back for another turn, including QB Marquise Williams and WRs Quinshad Davis and Ryan Switzer. UNC is 1-4 ATS in their past five non-conference games, while South Carolina is 5-1 ATS in their past six against ACC foes.


Duke at Tulane (Thursday - CBS Sports Network, 9:30 p.m. ET)


Duke rolls into this season looking for its third straight trip to a bowl game. It will be interesting to see if the Blue Devils can reload, something that seemed unthinkable just a few seasons ago. QB Thomas Sirk takes over under center full-time. In a part-time roll, he shined, including 94 rushing yards and a touchdown in last season's win over Tulane. For the Green Wave, they have plenty of offensive talent returning, including Rob Kelley who missed the 2014 season due to suspension. Duke enters this game with 10 straight victories against non-conference opponents, including a 47-13 win Sept. 20, 2014 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The Blue Devils are 5-1-1 ATS in their past seven non-conference games, and 19-7-1 ATS in their past 27 overall. Tulane is 11-5 ATS in the past 16 at home, although they're 0-4 ATS in their past four against ACC teams and 3-8 ATS in their past 11 in the month of September.


Virginia at UCLA (FOX, 3:30p.m. ET)


UVA heads out for the coast looking to take down UCLA and repay them for a home loss at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville last fall. This Bruins team has a much different makeup, including under center, where true freshman Josh Rosen starts at quarterback, replacing the departed Brett Hundley. Virginia also lost its top two rushers, but top-flight recruit Taquan Mizzell takes over and will get first crack. Dependable QB Matt Johns is back and looking to get the Cavaliers over the hump. He performed well in a 28-20 loss to the Bruins Aug. 30, 2014. UVA is 4-0 ATS in their past four non-conference games, and the over is 6-1 in their past seven against non-conference foes. The under went 4-1-1 in six home games for UCLA last season.


Louisville vs. Auburn (in Atlanta) (CBS, 3:30 p.m. ET)


The Cardinals and Tigers do battle in Georgia, and it will likely be a pro-Auburn crowd. That will help spur on QB Jeremy Johnson, who takes over under center with QB Nick Marshall having moved on. While Auburn has a fairly green QB going, that's nothing compared to Louisville, which lists four potential starters for Saturday. It's a bit of gamesmanship from head coach Bobby Petrino, who has already settled on a starter. Will Gardner and Reggie Bonnafon have the most experience at QB for the Cards. Auburn has several new starters on offense, including RB Roc Thomas, and two fullbacks who have zero games experience. It could mean a fairly sloppy start for both sides, making the total difficult to forecast. Struggling offenses could mean few points, but costly turnovers could mean plenty of points.


Ohio State at Virginia Tech (Monday - ESPN, 8:00 p.m.)


The defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes roll into Blacksburg looking to avenge its only loss of the season, a stunning early-season 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech Sept. 6, 2014. The Buckeyes were obviously a much more complete team down the stretch and into the four-team playoff than that early-September club. RB Ezekiel Elliott was a stud, and is a Heisman Trophy candidate, while former QB Braxton Miller looks to shore up an inexperienced wide receiver corps. The quarterbacks Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett are both back and likely to each see action against the Hokies. The defending champs are a two-touchdown favorite. Ohio State is 36-15-1 ATS in their past 52 road games, while the Va. Tech is 5-13-2 ATS in their past 20 non-conference games and 2-5 ATS in their past seven in Blacksburg. The over was the dominant trend down the stretch for both sides, going 21-6 in the past 27 for Ohio State and 5-1 in Va. Tech's past six non-conference games.


Other ACC teams in action


Elon at Wake Forest (THU - ESPN3, 7:00 p.m.)


Alcorn State at Georgia Tech (THU - ESPN3, 7:30 p.m.)


Rhode Island at Syracuse (FRI - ESPN3, 7:00 p.m.)


Wofford at Clemson (SAT - ESPN3, 12:30 p.m.)


Maine at Boston College (SAT - ESPN3, 1:00 p.m.)


Youngstown State at Pitt (SAT - ESPN3, 1:00 p.m.)


Bethune-Cookman at Miami (SAT - ESPN3, 6:00 p.m.)


Troy at North Carolina State (SAT - ESPN3, 6:00 p.m.)


Texas State at Florida State (SAT - ESPNews, 8:00 p.m.)

 

[CNOTES]

Ohio State-Virginia Tech matchup highlights ACC's Week 1


September 3, 2015


A look at things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the opening week of the season:


GAME OF THE WEEK:


No. 1 Ohio State at Virginia Tech. This marks the first time the reigning national champion opens on the road since USC visited Hawaii to open the 2005 season and only the third time in 20 seasons, according to STATS. Throw in the fact that the Hokies handed the Buckeyes their only loss last season - a curious result since Virginia Tech finished 7-6 - and this Labor Day tilt has plenty of national interest. ''The whole country will be watching,'' Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. ''People will have an opinion of Virginia Tech after that game, so we're going to determine whether it's a good opinion or not.''


BEST MATCHUP:


Louisville's defense vs. No. 6 Auburn's ground game. The Cardinals' defense, which lost half its starters, must try to slow the Southeastern Conference favorite in Atlanta on Saturday. Louisville had the nation's No. 6 total defense last year (309.5 yards), while the Tigers must replace SEC top rusher Cameron Artis-Payne in a ground attack that ranked 13th nationally.


INSIDE THE NUMBERS:


ACC player of the year James Conner is back at Pittsburgh and ready to put up more impressive numbers. The junior ranked among the nation's rushing leaders with 1,765 yards and an ACC-record 26 touchdowns. He enters Saturday's game against Youngstown State already ranked 10th in program history in rushing yards (2,564).


LONG SHOT:


Virginia travels to No. 13 UCLA on Saturday as a roughly 20-point underdog. The Cavaliers can at least take some hope from last year's season-opening meeting. Virginia hung around with then-No. 7 UCLA at home before falling 28-20. The trick now is trying to play tough again after traveling to the West Coast.


PLAYER TO WATCH:


North Carolina State's Matt Dayes. With top rusher Shadrach Thornton suspended for two games, the junior running back will start Saturday against Troy. He's in an offense that averaged 204.5 yards rushing last year in the program's best total since 1992. Dayes thrived once before when Thornton was suspended in 2013, running for 84 yards and three touchdowns in his college debut against Louisiana Tech.

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday's Top Action


September 3, 2015




LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (0-0) vs. AUBURN TIGERS (0-0)
Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
Kickoff: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Auburn -10.5, Total: 56


No. 6 Auburn looks to kick off its season on the right foot when it travels to Atlanta Saturday to face Louisville.


The Cardinals have piled up 32 wins over the past three seasons, going 9-4 SU (7-6 ATS) last year. They have also been a great bet away from home this decade at 23-9 ATS (72%) since the 2010 season. Head coach Bobby Petrino has yet to name a starter between junior QB Will Gardner and sophomore QB Reggie Bonnafon, but what is known for Louisville is that RB Brandon Radcliff will be the focal point of the offense. The Tigers followed up their national championship appearance in 2013 with five straight wins to begin the 2014 campaign. But the team was only 3-5 SU (1-7 ATS) after that quick start to finish with just eight wins.


Do-it-all QB Nick Marshall is gone, but the Auburn coaches know that QB Jeremy Johnson is a better pure passer and should keep the passing attack lethal. Bettors should note that excellent rushing teams (5.25+ yards per carry last year) are 40-14 ATS (74%) over the past 10 seasons when favored between 10.5 and 21 points, which obviously favors Auburn. But if Louisville's offense can put up 28 points against a rebuilt defense, the team is 98-47 ATS (68%) when scoring 28 in a game since 1992. With Tigers star WR D'haquille Williams (ankle) upgraded to probable, both programs have relatively healthy rosters to begin the season.


Whoever is eventually named the starter between QB Will Gardner (1,669 pass yds, 7.6 YPA, 12 TD, 3 INT) and QB Reggie Bonnafon (864 pass yds, 7.2 YPA, 5 TD, 4 INT) will not have much experience to work with, as five of the top six receivers from last year are gone. The best remaining options are junior WR James Quick (566 rec yds, 3 TD) and UAB transfer WR Jamari Staples (648 rec yds, 5 TD in two seasons). Junior RB Brandon Radcliff (737 rush yds, 5.1 YPC, 12 rush TD) is the clear focal point of the offense and he should greatly improve the team's subpar 143 rushing YPG (92nd in nation) on 3.6 yards per carry from a year ago.


The defense departed with seven starters, but returning DE Sheldon Rankins (9 sacks, 54 tackles, 14.5 TFL) is a monster up front, and a pair of sure tacklers remain with ILBs Keith Kelsey (87 tackles) and James Burgess (71 tackles). The team's biggest question mark is in the secondary that lost all four starters on a unit that led the nation with 26 interceptions, including 14 by Gerod Hollimon. Louisville hopes Georgia transfer S Josh Harvey-Clemons (65 tackles, 3 FR in 2013) is even better than advertised.


Nick Marshall left this Auburn offense that averaged 35.5 PPG (25th in nation) and 485 total YPG (16th in FBS), but QB Jeremy Johnson (858 pass yds, 9 TD, 2 INT career) is a better passer than Marshall in the spread offense. He stands tall at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, and has been extremely accurate in his collegiate career with a 73% completion rate. Auburn's ground game chewed up 256 YPG (13th in nation) last year, but lost its top three rushers. Expect a committee approach with sophomore RB Roc Thomas (214 rush yds, 5.0 YPC, 2 TD) as the most experienced back on the roster.


The below-average defense (399 YPG allowed, 64th in nation) brought in new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and provided him with eight returning starters to work with. That includes talented DT Montravius Adams (43 tackles, 8 TFL), tackling machine LB Cassanova McKinzy (91 tackles, 11 TFL) and star CB Jonathan Jones (6 INT).Muschamp's biggest worry is a thin pass rush that recorded only 1.62 sacks per game in 2014 (95th in FBS).


ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (0-0) vs. TEXAS A&M AGGIES (0-0)
NRG Stadium - Houston, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Texas A&M -3, Total: 67


No. 15 Arizona State opens the 2015 campaign on Saturday night in Houston with a tough test versus a Texas A&M team that will have plenty of fans in the seats.


The Sun Devils won 10 games for the second consecutive year, going 10-3 SU (6-7 ATS) and rolling up 41.0 PPG in the final three contests. Although top QB Taylor Kelly and No. 1 WR Jaelen Strong are both gone, Arizona State does return 16 starters to help with the maturation of strong-armed senior QB Mike Bercovici. With Houston being a short two-hour drive from College Station, this is a virtual home game for Texas A&M, but the Sun Devils were 5-2 SU (3-4) ATS in non-road games last year.


The Aggies posted their fifth straight winning season in 2014, going 8-5 SU (5-8 ATS), but they closed the campaign with five losses in the final eight games, losing those five contests by an average of 20.8 PPG. The Texas A&M defense surrendered 517 total YPG in its final three games. Sophomore QB Kyle Allen beat out highly-recruited freshman Kyler Murray for the much-publicized starting job. Allen will be asked to throw early and often in a pass-heavy offense that rolled up 37.4 PPG and 507 total YPG in non-home games last season, going 5-2 SU (4-3 ATS).


While the Aggies are virtually injury-free, the Sun Devils are riddled with ailments, especially among pass catchers, as WR Cameron Smith (knee) is out, WR Jalen Harvey (collarbone) is doubtful and TE Grant Martinez (ankle) is questionable for Saturday. LB Laiu Moeakiola (foot) and OL Sam Jones (knee) are also questionable to suit up for Arizona State.


ASU's stacked backfield will allow former RB D.J. Foster (1,081 rush yds, 9 TD; 688 rec yds, 3 TD) to now wreak havoc as a slot receiver catching passes from senior QB Mike Bercovici (1,445 pass yds, 7.8 YPA, 12 TD, 4 INT). Bercovici will also rely heavily on seldom-used WRs Gary Chambers (204 rec yds, 2 TD) and Fred Gammage (127 rec yds, 1 TD). The ground game expects to improve its middling 169 rushing YPG (56th in nation) from a year ago, as sophomore RB Demario Richard (478 rush yds, 5.7 YPC, 4 TD) has a punishing running style. Foster will still take some handoffs as a change of pace.


ASU lost its two best defensive players (DE Marcus Hardison and S Damarious Randall) from a unit that surrendered 27.9 PPG (74th in FBS) and 417 total YPG (81st in nation). However, the cupboard is not bare with returning LBs Antonio Longino (94 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and Salamo Fiso (83 tackles, 11 TFL), as well as CBs Kweishi Brown (3 INT, 9 PD, 46 tackles) and Lloyd Carrington (6 PD, 58 tackles).


Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen (1,322 pass yds, 6.9 YPA, 16 TD, 7 INT) played very well as a freshman, and will continue his progression by targeting top WR Josh Reynolds (842 rec yds, 16.2 avg, 13 TD), as well as sophomore WR Speedy Noil (583 rec yds, 5 TD) and junior WR Ricky Seals-Jones (465 rec yds, 4 TD). The ground game was subpar last season with 150 YPG (82nd in nation), and was a big reason the team held the football for a mere 26:15 (4th-fewest in FBS). Senior RB Tra Carson (581 rush yds, 4.7 YPC, 5 TD) is the lead back with his 235-pound frame, and explosive sophomore RB James White (7.0 YPC) complements him nicely.


New defensive coordinator John Chavis, who comes from LSU, inherits a unit with plenty of upside, but they have to make more plays after a season of only 13 takeaways (119th in FBS). The lack of turnovers allowed teams to run up 451 total YPG (102nd in nation), including 216 YPG (109th in FBS) on the ground. DT Alonzo Williams (57 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and LB Shaan Washington (64 tackles) are the leaders in the front seven. They will do their best to help a poor passing defense that recorded only five interceptions (119th FBS) and surrendered 235 YPG (80th in nation) last season.


WISCONSIN BADGERS (0-0) vs. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (0-0)
AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX
Kickoff: Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Alabama -10, Total: 53.5


A pair of top-20 programs open their 2015 season on Saturday night when No. 20 Wisconsin and No. 3 Alabama collide in Arlington, TX.


The Badgers are coming off their third 11-win season in the past five years, going 11-3 SU, but only 6-8 ATS. While they return 13 starters for new head coach Paul Chryst, only five are on an offense that no longer has RB Melvin Gordon. He was a big reason why the team ran for 320 yards per game (3rd in nation), but backup RB Corey Clement was just 51 yards shy of the century mark last year. Wisconsin was a respectable 4-3 SU (3-4 ATS) in road/neutral games last year, but averaged only 24.1 PPG away from Camp Randall.


The Crimson Tide were 12-2 SU last year, but fell short of their national championship quest and posted a weak 5-8-1 ATS mark, including 2-5 ATS in non-home games. Seven offensive starters from last year are gone, including the top three players in WR Amari Cooper, RB T.J. Yeldon and QB Blake Sims. New QB Jacob Coker, a Florida State transfer, still has plenty of depth to work with though. He'll also be helped out by Alabama's elite defense (18.4 PPG, 6th in nation) providing great field position for this offense.


There are no recent meetings between these schools and no significant injuries for either program as well. Although the Tide are a dismal 4-10 ATS in non-conference games in the past three seasons, their head coach Nick Saban is 113-83 ATS when playing on a Saturday as a college head coach.


New head coach Paul Chryst is not expected to hand the ball off 647 times like the Badgers did last year (13th-most in FBS), but he inherits a team that led the nation with 6.9 yards per carry. Junior RB Corey Clement (949 rush yds, 9 TD) rumbled for 6.5 YPC and ran for at least 100 yards in four of seven games in which he had 10+ carries. Chryst wants more balance this year, and new offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph -- formerly the Pittsburgh OC -- will implore senior QB Joel Stave (1,350 pass yds, 6.6 YPA, 9 TD, 10 INT) to not force the issue. The 6-foot-5 Stave tossed six interceptions in his final two games, the first of which was a 59-0 humiliating loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game. WR Alex Erickson (772 rec yds, 3 TD) is the clear No. 1 receiver, but will need help from another wideout or two to keep the double teams away.


The Wisconsin defense was outstanding last year in allowing just 294 total YPG (4th in FBS) and 20.8 PPG (17th in nation). The unit should remain top-notch with eight returning starters that include LB Vince Biegel (7.5 sacks, 16.5 TFL, 56 tackles, 2 FF), LB Joe Schobert (3 sacks, 13.5 TFL, 69 tackles) and S Michael Caputo (106 tackles, 6 PBU). The defensive line is the weak spot of the team, but big things are expected out of DE Chikwe Obasih (1.5 sacks) in his sophomore season.


Even without superstar WR Amari Cooper, senior QB Jake Coker (403 pass yds, 6.8 YPA, 4 TD, 0 INT) should be able to keep the Alabama passing offense just as potent as it was last year (278 YPG, 28th in FBS). Coker will get plenty of protection from an elite offensive line to throw to green-but-talented sophomore WRs ArDarius Stewart (149 rec yds) and Robert Foster (44 rec yds), as well as five-star freshman recruit Calvin Ridley. The Crimson Tide didn't run the ball as well as they would have liked last year (207 YPG, 35th in FBS), but RB Derrick Henry (990 rush yds, 5.8 YPC, 11 TD) is a 6-foot-3, 240-pound mountain of a man that will make this offense thrive as the lead back.


The nation's 12th-ranked defense returns seven starters, including superstars NT A’Shawn Robinson (49 tackles, 11 TFL) and ILB Reggie Ragland (95 tackles, 10.5 TFL) up front. The secondary underachieved last year in allowing 226 passing YPG (58th in FBS), but the unit has great depth at the cornerback position, including playmaking CB Eddie Jackson (6 PBU, 2 FF), who can also play safety.

 

[CNOTES]

Coach Ferentz overhauls Hawkeyes


September 2, 2015


IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) It all seemed so very unlike Kirk Ferentz.


There was the 60-year-old Iowa coach, whose approach to football has often been mocked for being too old-fashioned, teasing new ''blackout'' uniforms in front of his Hawkeyes as a song by rapper Rick Ross played in the background.


A fashion show during fall camp?


That would seem to be the last thing the Ferentz of old would ever allow.


''We had some sharp young guys think about some stuff and come up with some ideas and did a little unveiling with our players. It was well-received,'' Ferentz said.


Ferentz couldn't help himself from chuckling that he found it ''amazing'' that anyone would be so interested in new uniforms. Still, it was a sign that Ferentz is trying to adapt to changing times after winning just 34 games in the last five seasons.


''It's a new era, right? New millennium and all that stuff,'' said Ferentz, who will open his 17th season at Iowa on Saturday against Illinois State.


And instead of the new coach many fans were hoping for, Iowa has apparently gotten a new Ferentz.


Ferentz, the nation's second-longest tenured coach, has spent the last eight months overhauling the program. It began in January, when Ferentz seemingly acceded to the howls of a frustrated fan base by elevating backup quarterback C.J. Beathard over two-year starter Jake Rudock.


The move came just a week after Tennessee blew Iowa out in a bowl game and was announced in a depth chart released to the media, a first for Ferentz for that time of year.


It was costly, too. Rudock responded by transferring to Michigan.


It was around that time that players and staff members finally moved into the Hansen Football Performance Center, a 76,000-square foot building that, paired with a new indoor field, is as modern as any football facility in the country.


Ferentz and his staff took advantage of the new digs by snagging way more early commitments than they have in the past. The Hawkeyes currently have their best-ranked recruiting class in about a decade as a result.


Ferentz, who visited with a number of schools in the offseason for new ideas, also switched Iowa's practices from the afternoon to the morning. The move has been met with wide approval by the players, who've said they've felt fresher as a result of the switch.


''You're always looking to get better and always looking for better ways to do things. The world of recruiting has changed dramatically. I think we've picked up the pace a little bit. You have to because it's a national trend, and then this facility has made a big difference,'' Ferentz said.


But it's not as though Ferentz has made all these changes in a vacuum.


Unlike contemporaries like Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Georgia's Mark Richt, Ferentz doesn't have a ranked team that appears poised to compete for a playoff spot.


Ticket sales have also plummeted in recent years for the Hawkeyes. After years of sellouts, they could have as many as 12,000 empty seats for Saturday's opener.


And even though the $13 million buyout Ferentz would be owed if Iowa fired him before the season starts apparently makes him safe, change could be on the horizon for the entire athletic department.


Longtime university President Sally Mason retired on Aug. 1 - coincidentally the day Ferentz turned 60. Her replacement could be named as early as this week.


Whoever takes over will surely take a long look at the athletic department and director Gary Barta, who's come under heavy criticism of late.


An internal e-mail from head track coach Layne Anderson obtained by The Associated Press alleges that athletic department administrators ordered a female to be hired over male candidates for an assistant coaching job regardless of qualifications. The Education Department is also investigating gender bias complaints against Barta over his firing of field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and other female head coaches.


But Barta's decision in 2010 to sign Ferentz to what amounted to a lifetime contract - highlighted by that Ferentz-friendly buyout - has been the move that fans have been harping on as Iowa's fortunes took a downturn.


So even though alternate uniforms, fancy facilities and more aggressive recruiting have been trends for years around the country, it's symbolic that Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have joined in.


The game has undergone a revolution since Ferentz took over in 1999, and he finally appears ready to accept it.


''He knows that we have to adapt to the current situation,'' Iowa running back LeShun Daniels Jr. said. ''I never thought we'd do blackout uniforms and stuff like that. I guess he's sort of changing in his ways.''

 

[CNOTES]

NCAAF


Short Sheet


Week 1




Thursday, September 3


South Carolina vs North Carolina, 6:00 PM EST
S. Carolina: 7-0 UNDER in road games when playing on a Thursday
North Carolina: 1-9 ATS in the first half of the season


Florida International at UCF, 6:00 EST
FLA International: 1-9 ATS when they gain less than 250 total yards
UCF: 9-0 ATS when they allow less than 250 total yards


Oklahoma St. at Central Michigan, 7:00 EST
Oklahoma St: 70-19 OVER when they allow 28 or more points
Central Michigan: 18-34 ATS when they commit 2 turnovers


Michigan at Utah, 8:30 EST
Michigan: 21-8 OVER when they rush for 4 to 4.5 yards per attempt
Utah: 3-0 ATS versus MICHIGAN since 1992


TCU at Minnesota, 9:00 EST
TCU: 11-2 ATS when they score 28 or more points
Minnesota: 4-15 ATS when they're outgained by opponents by 1.5 to 2 yards/play


Duke at Tulane, 9:30 EST
Duke: 20-7 ATS in all games
Tulane: 1-9 ATS against ACC opponents


Ohio U. at Idaho, 9:00 EST
Ohio U: 11-1 UNDER in the first half of the season
Idaho: 24-48 ATS in home games


UTSA at Arizona, 10:00 EST
UTSA: 17-6 UNDER in games played on turf
Arizona: 49-82 ATS as a favorite


Colorado at Hawaii, 11:59 EST
Colorado: 54-79 ATS in the first half of the season
Hawaii: 19-8 ATS in the first two weeks of the season


Western Kentucky at Vanderbilt, 8:00 EST
W. Kentucky: 6-0 OVER in the first month of the season
Vanderbilt: 28-14 UNDER in September games




Friday, September 4


Baylor at SMU, 7:00 EST
Baylor: 6-0 ATS in the first month of the season
SMU: 0-8 ATS in non-conference games


Charlotte at Georgia ST, 3:30 EST
Charlotte: N/A
Georgia ST: 6-0 OVER in home games in the first half of the season


Michigan ST at Western Kentucky, 7:00 EST
Michigan ST: 18-8 ATS in all games
Western Kentucky: 6-17 ATS as a home underdog


Kent State at Illinois, 9:00 EST
Kent State: 3-0 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points last 3 seasons
Illinois: 2-7 ATS vs Mac opponents


Washington at Boise ST, 10:15 EST
Washington: 9-2 UNDER in games played on turf
Boise ST: 99-67 ATS as a favorite




Saturday September 5


Old Dominion at Eastern Michigan, 3:00 EST
Old Dominion: 8-1 OVER in road games
E. Michigan: 13-26 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points


New Mexico ST at Florida, 7:30 EST
New Mexico ST: 82-111 ATS in all lined games
Florida: 7-3 OVER as a home favorite


Penn State at Temple, 3:30 EST
Penn ST: 0-6 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points
Temple: 9-1 ATS when the total is 42 or less


Florida Atlantic at Tulsa, 3:30 EST
Florida Atlantic: 11-3 ATS as an underdog
Tulsa: 0-8 ATS in non-conference games


Virginia at UCLA, 3:30 EST
Virginia: 2-5 when the total is between 49.5 and 56
UCLA: 50-31 ATS in September games


Stanford at Northwestern, 12:00 EST
Stanford: 3-1 as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points
Northwestern: 3-11 ATS in home lined games


Louisville vs Auburn, 3:30 EST
Louisville: 17-7 UNDER in all games
Auburn: 10-2 UNDER against ACC opponents


Arizona ST vs Texas A&M, 7:00 EST
Arizona ST: 134-128 ATS in all lined games
Texas A&M: 16-33 ATS (-20.3 Units) in road games in the first half of the season


BYU at Nebraska, 3:30 EST
BYU: 8-19 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 63
Nebraska: 9-2 OVER in all games over


Troy at NC State, 6:00 EST
Troy: 11-13 ATS in all lined games
NC State: 45-26 UNDER as a favorite


UNLV at Northern Illinois, 7:30 EST
UNLV: 12-25 ATS in road games in non-conference games
Northern Illinois: 78-55 UNDER in all lined games


Akron at Oklahoma, 7:00 EST
Akron: 6-0 UNDER as a road underdog
Oklahoma: 12-10 ATS as a favorite of 31 or more points


Bowling Green vs Tennessee, 4:00 EST
Bowling Green: 18-8 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points
Tennessee: 29-39 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points


LA Monroe at Georgia, 12:00 EST
LA Monroe: 12-27 ATS as a road underdog of 21.5 or more points
Georgia: 9-1 OVER as a favorite of 31 or more points


LA Lafayette at Kentucky, 7:00 EST
LA Lafayette: 35-18 OVER (+15.2 Units) in the first half of the season
Kentucky: 5-1 OVER as a home favorite


Utep at Arkansas, 3:30 EST
UTEP: 4-13 ATS as an underdog
Arkansas: 9-2 ATS when playing on a Saturday


Georgia Southern at West Virginia, 7:30 EST
Georgia Southern: 6-1 ATS as a road underdog
West Virginia: 1-5 ATS as a road favorite


Texas at Notre Dame, 7:30 EST
Texas: 10-2 UNDER as an underdog
Notre Dame: 46-68 ATS as a home favorite


Texas ST vs Florida State, 8:00 EST
Texas ST: 6-0 ATS in road lined games
Florida State: 3-11 ATS in all lined games


Wisconsin vs Alabama, 8:00 EST
Wisconsin: 75-57 ATS in the first half of the season
Alabama: 22-26 ATS when the total is between 49.5 and 56


Mississippi ST at Southern Miss
Mississippi ST: 13-8 ATS in games played on turf
Southern Miss: 4-13 ATS in home games in games played on turf


Arkansas ST at USC, 11:00 EST
Arkansas ST: 90-79 ATS when playing on a Saturday
USC: 61-69 ATS in the first half of the season




Sunday September 6


Purdue at Marshall, 3:00 EST
Purdue: 21-29 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points
Marshall: 5-1 OVER when the total is between 56.5 and 63




Monday September 7


Ohio State at Virginia Tech, 8:00 EST
Ohio State: 12-3 OVER in all lined games
Virginia Tech: 10-2 ATS as a home underdog

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Dunkel

Week 11

BC Lions @ Montreal

Game 291-292
September 3, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
BC Lions
106.988
Montreal
121.378
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 14 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
by 5
47
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-5); Over

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan

Game 293-294
September 6, 2015 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
102.428
Saskatchewan
111.040
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Saskatchewan
by 8 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Saskatchewan
by 3 1/2
52
Dunkel Pick:
Saskatchewan
(-3 1/2); Under

Toronto @ Hamilton

Game 295-296
September 7, 2015 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
116.873
Hamilton
121.364
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Hamilton
by 4 1/2
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Hamilton
by 7 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+7 1/2); Under

Edmonton @ Calgary

Game 297-298
September 7, 2015 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Edmonton
120.959
Calgary
117.320
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Edmonton
by 3 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
by 5 1/2
49 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Edmonton
(+5 1/2); Over

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Long Sheet

Thursday, September 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BRITISH COLUMBIA (3 - 5) at MONTREAL (4 - 5) - 9/3/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 51-27 ATS (+21.3 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.
MONTREAL is 49-79 ATS (-37.9 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 4-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, September 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNIPEG (3 - 6) at SASKATCHEWAN (0 - 9) - 9/6/2015, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) in road games in September games since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in weeks 10 through 15 over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) in home games in September games since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 107-74 ATS (+25.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-3 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-2 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, September 7

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TORONTO (6 - 3) at HAMILTON (6 - 3) - 9/7/2015, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games in September games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 6-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 5-3 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDMONTON (6 - 3) at CALGARY (7 - 2) - 9/7/2015, 4:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-1 against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[CNOTES]

CFL

Week 9

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, September 3

7:30 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. MONTREAL
British Columbia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
British Columbia is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
Montreal is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal's last 7 games at home


Sunday, September 6

4:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Winnipeg is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg


Monday, September 7

1:00 PM
TORONTO vs. HAMILTON
Toronto is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
Hamilton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Hamilton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

4:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. CALGARY
Edmonton is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Calgary
Calgary is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton

 

[CNOTES]

CFL


Thursday, September 3




Lions struggling ATS on the road this year


The BC Lions head into the Week 11 schedule with a 1-3 record against the spread in their four road games this season and have gone just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven road games dating back to last season.


The Lions will visit the Montreal Alouettes Thursday evening and are currently tabbed as 5-point road underdogs for the meeting.


BC is coming off a bye week but lost to the Als in Week 9 by a score of 23-13 and closed as 3-point faves.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up


Thursday, September 3




British Columbia (3-5) @ Montreal (4-5)-- Alouettes (+3) upset Lions 23-13 out west two weeks ago, their first win in last five visits to Vancouver; Als had 411-249 edge in yardage. Lions had last week off after their fourth loss in last five games, while Montreal (+10) upset TigerCats in Hamilton last week. Montreal won three of last four series games, winning the last five played here, last two by 24-9/50-17 scores. BC is 1-3 on road, losing by 11-10-30, with only win at winless Saskatchewan. Montreal is 2-2 at home, 1-1 as a home favorite; eight of their nine games stayed under total.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL


Thursday, September 3




Blue Bombers trade for Eskimos QB Nichols


The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have acquired veteran quarterback Matt Nichols from the Edmonton Eskimos Wednesday for a conditional draft pick in the 2017 CFL draft.


Nichols went 5-2 with 1,488 passing yards eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions when stepping in for injured QB Mike Reilly, but with the emergence of young James Franklin, Nichols became expendable.


Nichols also fills a need for the sputtering Blue Bombers, who have dropped three straight games since losing starter Drew Willy to a knee injury.


The Blue Bombers are currently 3.5-point road dogs for Sunday's matchup with rival Saskatchewan.

 

[CNOTES]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 11


September 1, 2015


The second half of the 2015 CFL regular season starts this week and it features a special Labor Day double header as the official push towards the Grey Cup Playoffs gets underway.


The first half of the season closed things out with Montreal’s stunning 26-23 upset of Hamilton last Thursday as a heavy 11 ½-point road underdog. Edmonton improved to 6-3 straight-up with its 38-15 victory against Toronto on Friday as a seven-point home favorite.


Saturday’s CFL action saw Calgary hammer Winnipeg 36-8 as a six-point road favorite and Week 10 wrapped-up on Sunday with Ottawa keeping Saskatchewan winless on the season with a 35-13 victory as a three-point favorite at home.


Thursday, Sept. 3


British Columbia (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (4-5 SU, 5-3-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -5
Total: 47 ½


Game Overview


British Columbia returns to action this week after its bye and it will be looking to snap a two-game skid both straight-up and against the spread. The Lions have actually failed to cover in four of its last five games behind a porous defense that has allowed an average of 30.2 points during this same stretch. The total has gone OVER in three of the five games.


The Alouettes are right back in the hunt in the East Division following last Thursday’s upset of the first-place Tiger-Cats. Quarterback Rakeem Cato was knocked out of the game on a hard hit in the third quarter and he was replaced by Tanner Marsh, who has also been limited this season with a knee injury. Marsh completed 11-of-18 passes for 99 yards and he added 18 yards and a score on the ground.


Betting Trends


BC has failed to cover in its last four road games against Montreal and the total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings overall. These two met on Aug. 20 with the Alouettes coming away with a 23-13 victory as three-point road underdogs.


Sunday, Sept. 6


Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-5 SU, 3-4-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-9 SU, 2-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -3 ½
Total: 52


Game Overview


Winnipeg’s lopsided loss to Calgary last week was its third straight both SU and ATS after a 3-3 SU (3-2-1 ATS) start. With Drew Willy still out of the lineup due to injury, the Blue Bombers turned to Robert Marve as their quarterback. He went on to complete 12-of-20 passes against the Stampeders for 94 yards. He was also picked-off twice in that game.


The Roughriders are still looking for their first SU win of the year in the first of this home-and-home series against West Division rival Winnipeg. In the loss to Ottawa they turned to Tino Sunseri at quarterback for an ineffective Brett Smith to try and add a spark. Sunseri did go on to complete 12-of-18 passes for 165 yards, but he could not get his team into the end zone.


Betting Trends


The Blue Bombers have a slight 3-2 edge ATS in the last five meetings including a 30-26 victory as six-point road underdogs to start this season. The total has gone OVER in the last three games between these two.


Monday, Sept. 7


Toronto Argonauts (6-3 SU, 5-4 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-3 SU, 7-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -7
Total: 54 ½


Game Overview


Last Friday’s loss was the first time that Toronto failed to cover in its last five road games, but it comes into this matchup with a 1-6 record ATS in its last seven East Division games. The Argonauts generated less than 250 yards of total offense against Edmonton last week including just 40 yards on the ground. They are still tied for third in the CFL in scoring with an average of 26.4 points a game.


Hamilton’s stunning loss last week snapped a five-game winning streak both SU and ATS. The total has now stayed UNDER in five of its last seven games. This was another team that had issues moving the ball on the ground its last time out with a total of just 29 rushing yards against Montreal. Zach Collaros did complete 20-of-27 attempts for 293 yards in the loss.


Betting Trends


The Tiger-Cats come into the first game of this home-and-home series with a 6-1 record ATS in the last seven meetings. In early August they hammered Toronto 34-18 as 3 ½-point favorites at home. The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last seven meetings.


Edmonton Eskimos (6-3 SU, 6-3 ATS) vs. Calgary Stampeders (7-2 SU, 2-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -5 ½
Total: 49 ½


Game Overview


Edmonton got a big effort from quarterback James Franklin in its win against Toronto. He completed 29-of-38 attempts for 335 yards and a score and he also led the team in rushing with 51 yards and a touchdown on four carries. The Eskimos are now averaging 26.4 points a game on offense while holding opposing teams to just 18.3 points, which is tops in the league.


The Stampeders come into this home-and-home series with a SU four-game winning streak, but last Saturday’s win was just the second time they have covered a spread this year in nine-straight games closing as favorites. Bo Levi Mitchell also had a big day throwing the ball with 314 yards passing and two touchdowns while completing 73 percent of his 26 attempts.


Betting Trends


This will be the first meeting this season between these two division rivals and Calgary comes in with a perfect 6-0 record ATS in the last six games. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five games played in Calgary.

 

[CNOTES]

2015 Regular Season Standings



West Division

GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV STREAK


Calgary 9 7 2 0 14 255 190 5 - 0 - 0 2 - 2 - 0 3 - 0 - 0 W4


Edmonton 9 6 3 0 12 238 165 4 - 1 - 0 2 - 2 - 0 2 - 1 - 0 W1


BC 8 3 5 0 6 179 234 2 - 2 - 0 1 - 3 - 0 3 - 1 - 0 L2


Winnipeg 9 3 6 0 6 168 273 2 - 3 - 0 1 - 3 - 0 2 - 3 - 0 L3

Saskatchewan 9 0 9 0 0 218 294 0 - 5 - 0 0 - 4 - 0 0 - 5 - 0 L9



East Division

GP W L T PTS F A HOME AWAY DIV STREAK


Hamilton 9 6 3 0 12 315 182 3 - 1 - 0 3 - 2 - 0 1 - 2 - 0 L1


Toronto 9 6 3 0 12 238 245 3 - 0 - 0 3 - 3 - 0 1 - 1 - 0 L1


Ottawa 9 5 4 0 10 193 241 4 - 1 - 0 1 - 3 - 0 2 - 1 - 0 W1


Montreal 9 4 5 0 8 191 171 2 - 2 - 0 2 - 3 - 0 2 - 2 - 0 W2

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack


Some of the more intriguing baseball free agents this winter.....


-- Yoenis Cespedes-- Has been on four teams in 13 months; who is going to pay him?


-- Edwin Encarnacion-- Putting up tremendous numbers this season.


-- Ben Zobrist-- Versatile player has done well with Kansas City.


-- Jason Heyward-- At age 26, much younger than most on this list.


-- Johnny Cueto-- If I'm him, I dash back to the NL where there is no DH.


-- Zach Greinke-- $$$$$$$$....the noise you hear is a slot machine emptying.




**********


Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.........


13) College football starts tonight; check out our college football page for info on every game. Some trends and other knowledge and selectons, though we don't have any picks for tonight's games. NFL teams play exhibition games, college teams don't, so hard to know what to expect tongiht. It'll be fun to find out, though.


12) Thank God I don't root for the Redskins; what a mess their offseason has been. How they are not on Hard Knocks is beyond me- it would be high comedy. Now the GM's wife accused a female reporter of trading sex for inside info and there are lot of people on social media who don't think she is making it up. Oy.


11) In his first at-bat in his last eight games, Andrew McCutchen is 6-6 with two walks, not a bad way to start each game.


10) San Diego Padres fired manager Bud Black with a 32-33 record; they are 32-35 with the new manager, Pat Murphy. Same players, basically same results.


9) Miguel Sano is fueling Minnesota's playoff drive; he has 15 HRs in 179 ABs, has a .405 OB%, a .296 batting average. Very good young hitter.


8) It is funny to me that a lot of major league pitchers do not like people to throw the ceremonial first pitch from the dirt part of the mound. Ron Darling has talked about this on Mets broadcasts; he feels the mound "is my office" he doesn't want amateurs throwing on it. I've heard other ex-big leaguers say the same thing.


St John's basketball coach Chris Mullin threw the first pitch last night and he threw a pretty good pitch. From the rubber.


7) School has started in the Albany area, first time that I remember school starting before Labor Day, though I'm not 100% sure on that. Have fun in school, kids!!!!


6) Colorado Rockies had their southern California scout on TV last night; he guessed that he puts 30-35,000 miles on his car every year, just driving to amateur baseball games and games in SoCal are closer together than in many places. Scouting is a hard job, an unglamorous job, but it is the lifeline of the sport.


5) Milwaukee Brewers rookie Zach Davies made his MLB debut last night; he is 6-0, 155 pounds and looks like a 12-year old on the field. Davies was a 26th-round draft pick, not high at all, but he turned down a scholarship to Arizona State to play pro ball and last night it paid off. Most kids in his spot take the scholarship.


4) This is September baseball: with major league call-ups, Angels' AAA team started an infield Tuesday where three of the four players were playing that position for the first time as a pro. Don't see that very much.


3) Steelers play New England a week from tonight in a game that counts, but neither side knows which QB will play for the Patriots. Has to be as unsettling for Pittsburgh as for the hosts-- well maybe not, but this will be very odd if Garoppolo starts.


2) I don't want you betting on NFL exhibition games, but if you must, here is some knowledge that might help some. This week's games are useless, they're cash grabs for the owners, ripping the fans off. Results mean nothing.


1) Lets say the Colts go 12-4 this year but lose their first playoff game; coach Chuck Pagano is a free agent and has a terrific record. If the Colts don't hurry to re-sign him, he would be out of work for less than an hour. To me, Indianapolis is taking an unnecessary risk in letting Pagano coach as a lame duck.

 

[CNOTES]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities


Calgary has dominated its Alberta rival in their annual back-to-back set, startng with the Labor Day Classic, going 11-1 SU and 9-3 ATS since 2009.


Lookahead spot


The Houston Cougars are one of the many teams ushering in a new era by swapping out head coaches, dropping Tony Levine back in December and hiring former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman. The Cougars are hoping to get back to their high-scoring ways, but with the season opener less than a week away they are still on the fence about who will be their starting quarterback.


Herman will use Week 1’s matchup with FCS Tennessee Tech as a tuneup game before clashing with AAC heavyweight Louisville in Week 2. Oddsmakers have Houston as a monstrous 37-point favorite against the Golden Eagles, and with the Cougars ironing out the wrinkles and planning ahead for the Cardinals, we see a potential letdown spot, especially when laying that many points.


Letdown spot


The Boston Red Sox have very little to play for in September. Boston is at the bottom of the American League East and has burned through almost 13 units on the year. The Red Sox, however, will take pleasure in the little things, like spoiling the New York Yankees' postseason push.


These classic rivals opened a three-game set Monday, with Boston taking a 4-3 win. They host the Pinstripes two more times – Tuesday and Wednesday – before making and huge switch in gears and intensity when the lowly Philadelphia Phillies come to Fenway for a weekend interleague set. Boston is ripe for a letdown following the Yankees with the basement-dwelling Phillies on deck Friday.


Schedule spot


When you only have a handful of teams in the league, you’re bound to come across some funny schedule quirks. That’s the case in the CFL this week, with the Labor Day long weekend featuring the all-Alberta showdown between the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium Monday afternoon.


These heated rivals do it all again five days later when the Stamps come to Commonwealth Stadium to play the Eskies Saturday. This back-to-back schedule set is the norm for Calgary and Edmonton, as has become the Stampeders’ dominance over the Eskimos during this two-game span. Calgary is 11-1 SU and 9-3 ATS in the Labor Day Classic and following meeting the next week since 2009.

 

[CNOTES]

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3


Game Score Status Pick Amount


Chi. White Sox - 1:10 PM ET Minnesota -115 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Minnesota - Over 8 500 DOUBLE PLAY