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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's NCAAF action report: Week 12 has seen plenty of line movement
By PATRICK EVERSON

Week 12 of the college football season brings with it a host of games that have seen line movement throughout the week. We talk about where the action is with Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US in Nevada, and Matthew Holt, COO of analytics for CG Technology in Las Vegas.


No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 14 West Virginia – Open: +4.5; Move: +3; Move: +3.5

Since a bumpy start of 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS, Oklahoma has ripped off seven consecutive victories, all in Big 12 play to stand unbeaten in conference action. The Sooners (8-2 SU, 4-6 ATS) are coming off a 45-24 victory over Baylor as a healthy 17.5-point home favorite.

West Virginia has just one blemish on its record, a loss at Oklahoma State last month, and would be in prime position to win the conference title with a victory in this 8 p.m. Eastern contest. The Mountaineers (8-1 SU, 4-5 ATS) edged Texas 24-20 last week as a 1-point road chalk.

“The public has been all over Oklahoma, as expected here, with that high-powered offense,” Holt said. “But the sharps have actually been all over the home underdog, the West Virginia Mountaineers, dropping that line all the way below 4.”

The line opened at Sooners -4.5 on Sunday, dropped to 3 on Monday and stayed there until Thursday afternoon, when it ticked back up to 3.5 at CG sportsbooks, including at The Cosmopolitan, M and the Venetian.

“This is gonna be a pros vs. Joes game, as the public loves that Oklahoma offense, the sharps love that West Virginia defense,” Holt said.

At William Hill, the line was posted Monday at Oklahoma -3 and mirrored CG in moving up to 3.5 on Thursday.

“All the money so far is on Oklahoma,” Bogdanovich said. “The Sooners have been playing good ball lately, so that’s not a surprise. Even this deep into the season, I don’t know how good the Mountaineers are. Obviously, the bettors are on Oklahoma. I know we’re gonna need West Virginia.”

No. 13 Southern California Trojans at UCLA Bruins – Open: +10.5; Move: +13

USC is on a six-game tear in the Pac-12, punctuated by a huge road upset last week. The Trojans (7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS) went to Seattle and knocked off previously unbeaten Washington 26-13 catching 10 points.

UCLA, which lost quarterback Josh Rosen to a season-ending shoulder injury last month, halted a four-game SU skid last week. The Bruins (4-6 SU and ATS) handled Oregon State 38-24 as an 11.5-point home fave.

“Southern Cal is coming off beating Washington handily up at Washington, and UCLA is without its star quarterback,” Bogdanovich said of this 10:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff. “It’s a rivalry game, so sometimes you’ve gotta take that into consideration. Will USC have a letdown? I doubt it, because it’s the big rival, crosstown rival.”

Of the 2.5-point jump in the line, Bogdanovich said, “It’s probably a combination of sharp and public money. We’re gonna need UCLA big, for sure.”

No. 22 Washington State Cougars at No. 12 Colorado Buffaloes – Open: -4.5; Move: -3.5; Move: -4.5; Move: -6

Washington State is the only team in the Pac-12 without a conference loss, at 7-0 SU. That includes a 56-21 home wipeout of California last week giving 17 points, as the Cougars moved to 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS with their eighth consecutive victory.

Colorado is arguably one of the biggest surprises in college football this season and has been a boon for bettors with a best-in-the-nation 9-1 ATS mark. The Buffaloes (8-2 SU) have won four in a row since a setback at USC, trouncing Arizona 49-24 last week as a 17.5-point road favorite.

“A lot on the line here,” Holt said. “Washington State undefeated in the Pac-12, and they have become a public darling with that offense this year. (This game) opened Colorado -4.5, public money actually drove that line as low as 3.5, but we’ve seen the sharps here on the home favorite, driving that line back up to 4.5 (Thursday). A lot of respect for the Colorado Buffaloes this year by the sharp players, and the public loves that high-powered offense of Washington State.”

More money hit Colorado on Friday, bumping that line all the way up to 6 at CG, with a price of -115. William Hill shops opened Colorado -3.5 and have also gone to 6 for this 3:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff.
“This is one of the better games of the week,” Bogdanovich said. “All the money is on Colorado so far. Probably a combination of sharp and public action.”

San Diego State Aztecs at Wyoming Cowboys – Open: +7.5; Move: +9.5

Somehow, Mountain West Conference leader San Diego State enters this game unranked, despite a solid 9-1 SU mark (6-3-1 ATS). The Aztecs have won six straight, cashing in five of those contests, including a 46-16 win at Nevada last week as a hefty 21.5-point fave.

Wyoming (7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS) saw its five-game winning streak come crashing down at the hands of UNLV last week. Tied at 52 after regulation, the Cowboys lost 69-66 in triple overtime laying 7.5 points on the road.

“San Diego State has been dominating the league, and Wyoming just gave up 69 points to UNLV,” Bogdanovich said. “The public for sure is on the Aztecs, and wiseguys may have gotten there as well.”

The two teams kick off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans – Open: +22; Move: +23; Move: +21.5

In the wake of Michigan’s loss at Iowa last week, Ohio State is firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation heading into this noon Eastern Big 10 contest. The Buckeyes (9-1 SU, 6-4 ATS) posted a 62-3 victory for the second straight week, this time against Maryland as a 28-point road favorite.

Michigan State (3-7 SU and ATS) is playing out the string at this point. The Spartans snapped a season-killing seven-game losing streak with a 49-0 win over Rutgers giving 17 points at home last week.

“This is a big spot for Ohio State. (The Buckeyes) need to win out, win out impressively,” Holt said. “The sharps are actually on the home underdog here, not surprisingly, because it’s a lookahead spot for Ohio State, with the big game against Michigan coming up. That tends to be a natural spot where sharps like to take the home underdog, especially catching more than three touchdowns.

“This is another one, we’re seeing the public heavily on the No. 2-ranked team in the country, but the sharps all over the home ‘dog in the lookahead spot.”

Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Wolverines – Open: -26; Move: -23.5; Move: 24; Move: 25

Michigan was part of the trifecta of top-five takedowns last week, joining Clemson and Washington as stunning losers. The Wolverines (9-1 SU, 5-5 ATS) tumbled at Iowa 14-13 as a 24-point road fave. Meanwhile, Indiana (5-5 SU, 4-6 ATS) lost to Penn State 45-31 getting 6.5 points at home.
Michigan QB Wilson Speight (collarbone) is out at least this week.

“That line move is more on information,” Bogdanovich said. “Even though the backup (John O’Korn) is decent, it dropped a couple points.”

The usual weekly onslaught of Michigan money may have been stemmed by the upset loss.
“They burned a lot of money last week at Iowa,” Bogdanovich said of Wolverines backers. “I don’t think it will be an avalanche this week.”

That said, some Wolverines cash pushed the number up to 25 Friday.

The game is slated for a 3:30 p.m. Eastern start.

Oregon Ducks at Utah Utes – Open: -12.5; Move: -14.5; Move: 14

Utah (8-2 SU, 6-4 ATS) still has a shot to win the Pac-12 South and reach the conference championship game. The Utes rolled past Arizona State 49-26 as a 4-point road fave in the Week 11 Thursday night game. Oregon (3-7 SU, 1-8-1 ATS) took yet another double-digit beating last week, falling to Stanford 52-27 catching 3 points at home.

“All the money has been on Utah so far,” Bogdanovich said of action for this 2 p.m. Eastern kick. “It’s a combination of sharp and public money.”

Other games that have seen sizable moves at Wynn Las Vegas, which posts college lines each Sunday, earlier than most Las Vegas books:

• Louisiana State is laying 14.5 at home to Florida in a game rescheduled and moved from Gainesville to Baton Rouge, due to Hurricane Matthew. The Tigers opened as 11-point chalk.
• Boston College is up to an 8.5-point home favorite against Connecticut, after opening at 6.5.
• Texas-El Paso opened -1.5 at Rice, was bet up to 2.5, but has since flipped to a 1-point underdog.
• Georgia was bet up to a 23-point home fave against Louisiana-Lafayette, after opening at 20.5.
• New Mexico State has gone from a 7-point favorite to -9.5 at home against Texas State.
• Oregon State started as an 8.5-point home chalk against Arizona, but Wildcats backers have brought that number down to 6.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Big Ten Report - Week 12
By ASA

2016 BIG 10 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Illinois 3-7 2-5 5-5 5-5
Indiana 5-5 3-4 4-6 6-6
Iowa 6-4 4-3 4-6 4-6
Maryland 5-5 2-5 3-7 4-6
Michigan 9-1 6-1 5-5 7-3
Michigan State 3-7 1-6 3-7 4-6
Minnesota 7-3 4-3 3-5-2 5-5
Nebraska 8-2 5-2 5-3-2 2-8
Northwestern 5-5 4-3 6-4 3-7
Ohio State 9-1 6-1 6-4 5-5
Penn State 8-2 6-1 6-3-1 8-2
Purdue 3-7 1-6 4-6 8-2
Rutgers 2-8 0-7 4-6 6-4
Wisconsin 8-2 5-2 8-2 3-7

Ohio State (-21.5) at Michigan State – (ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Michigan State – Who would have guessed that MSU would pick up their FIRST Big Ten win on November 12th? Not us. Sparty moved to 1-6 in Big Ten play with a 49-0 whitewashing of Rutgers. The Spartan defense looks like they might be kicking it up a notch at the end of the season. We’ve grown accustomed to good defense when discussing the Green & White and last week they held Rutgers scoreless on just 149 total yards. A week earlier they stopped Illinois for 305 yards but MSU lost that. Those two games are a huge improvement after they gave up an average of 425 YPG over their first five Big Ten games.

The Scarlet Knights had 13 offensive possessions in the game and 12 of those went for 18 yards or less. They allowed Rutgers to cross midfield only twice the entire game. Star DL McDowell was injured and sat out the game forcing head coach Mark Dantonio to start two freshman defensive lineman for the first time in their careers. Offensively much maligned senior QB Tyler O’Connor had only 10 completions but 3 of those were for TD’s all in the first half. He didn’t need to complete many passes as the Spartans dominated the ground game with 277 yards, their season high, on 50 carries.

Ohio State – The Buckeyes won their second consecutive game by the exact same score of 62-3. Two weeks ago they whipped Nebraska by that margin and last Saturday Maryland was on the receiving end. After going 3 straight games without reaching 30 points in regulation (Wisconsin, Penn State, & Northwestern) they have exploded for 124 points in the last two games on almost 1,100 total yards. Over that two game span OSU is +47 in first downs (what?) and +791 in total yardage. Dominating to say the least. QB J.T. Barrett has been fantastic in the last two games completing 44 of his 65 pass attempts for 543 yards and 6 TD’s (no interceptions).

Last year in a home loss to Michigan State, Barrett had one of the worst games in his career completing just 9 passes for only 46 yards. The Buckeyes were held to just 132 total yards in last year’s 17-14 loss. Interestingly, Ohio State was a 14.5 point favorite at home last year and now they are -21.5 on the road this season. Despite the disparity in the two teams records, the Buckeyes will be motivated here due to last year’s results. We’ve been told many of the OSU players have been waiting patiently for this rematch.

Last Year - Michigan State (+14.5) upset the Buckeyes on the road last year 17-14 with backup QB Tyler O’Connor at the helm. That won catapulted MSU to the Big Ten Championship and eventually College Football’s Final 4.

Inside the Numbers - The road team has won 5 of the last 6 meetings in this Big Ten series. The underdog has covered 6 of the last 7. The dog has also claimed outright wins in each of the last 5 meetings in this match up. This is just the third time that MSU has been a home dog of more than 20 points since the 1980 season. They are 2-0 ATS in that spot including a cover in a 9-point loss at home vs Michigan this season as a 24 point underdog.

Iowa (-10) at Illinois – (Big Ten, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Illinois – The Illini should get a boost offensively this week with starting QB Wes Lunt ready to go. His last start was back on October 8th at Purdue. Lunt was injured in the 2nd quarter of that game and was inserted in the 2nd half last week for his first game action in over 30 days. He came in for Jeff George Jr who continues to struggle. George threw 4 interceptions in the first half last week at Wisconsin, a 48-3 loss. He led Illinois on 7 offensive possessions in the first half turning the ball over in 4 of them. He ended the game with one more completion (5) than interception (4).

Lunt took over in the 2nd half and while he didn’t really do anything (2 for 8 passing) he did get some reps which should help prepare him for this week. He didn’t have a chance to do much as Illinois ran only 15 plays in the entire 2nd half. That’s because Wisconsin dominated the ball rushing for 363 yards on 64 attempts and held a 42:00 to 18:00 time of possession edge. It was the second straight game the Illini defense was on the field for more than 40:00 minutes and they were gassed late in the Wisconsin game. That definitely should have a negative effect this week if Iowa is able to control the ground game.

Iowa – In what has been a very disappointing year for Iowa, the Hawkeyes were able to create a highlight moment last week in a season devoid of them. They were just 1-3 at home coming into last week’s game facing a Michigan team that was undefeated and favored by 20+ points. The last time Iowa was a home underdog of that magnitude was back in 1999. They pulled the upset kicking a field goal as time expired to win 14-13 moving them to 6-4 which makes them bowl eligible. It was their third straight win over Michigan in Iowa City. The defense was the big surprise. We knew they would struggle on offense against a great Wolverine defense. Iowa had just 230 yards of total offense and after kicking a FG on the opening drive of the 2nd half, never crossed midfield again until 1:16 remaining in the game.

The Iowa defense was the big surprise. After allowing 600 yards and 41 points a week earlier at PSU, the Hawkeye defense stifled a very good Michigan offense holding them to 13 points and just 201 total yards. Coming into the game they had allowed each of their previous three opponents to reach at least 423 yards with two of them topping 500. It was impossible to foresee this defense slowing down a Michigan offense that was averaging 521 YPG in conference play. Now they have to avoid the proverbial “letdown” traveling to Illinois coming off their big Michigan win with a home finale vs Nebraska on deck.

Last Year - Iowa topped Illinois 29-20 at home last season. They failed to cover the 10.5 point spread however. They Hawkeyes are favored by basically the same number at Illinois this season.

Inside the Numbers - Iowa has won 10 of the last 13 in this series. This is just the third time since 1980 that Iowa has been a double digit favorite at Illinois (1-2 ATS). This has been a low scoring series as of late. Since 2000 these two have met 9 times and the average combined score in those game has been 39 points with the highest output during that stretch being 51.

Maryland at Nebraska (-14.5) – (ESPNNews, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Nebraska – The Huskers bounced back with a nice 24-17 win over Minnesota after back to back road losses at Wisconsin and at Ohio State. QB Tommy Armstrong didn’t practice the entire week and finally cleared concussion protocol on the morning of the game so he was able to start and played well with 217 yards passing, 61 yards rushing, and 3 TD’s. With the game tied at 17 in the 4th quarter, Armstrong led Nebraska on a 91 yard go-ahead TD drive to put them up 7. With Minnesota driving late for a potential tying TD, the Nebraska defense made a key interception inside the 5-yard line for the game clincher. The defense played very well shutting down Minnesota’s running game to just 2.5 YPC on 34 attempts. After scoring 17 in the opening 30 minutes, the Husker defense held Minnesota scoreless in the 2nd half and held the Gophers to under 100 yards after the break.

Back to Armstrong…Different week, different ailing body parts for Armstrong who is again questionable this week after injuring his hamstring AND ankle in last week’s game. Word is he was limping very badly early in the week and back up QB Ryker Fyfe is getting the first team snaps. However, it’s Senior Day and Armstrong’s last home game so if he can find a way to play on Saturday he will. If Nebraska wins out and Wisconsin loses one of their final two games, the Huskers will be in the Big 10 Championship game so still a lot for them to play for.

Maryland – What once looked like a promising season for Maryland and new head coach DJ Durkin has gone south in a hurry. Coming into Big Ten play, the Terps were only three wins away from bowl eligibility and the way they were playing that looked like a lock. After last week’s embarrassing home performance vs Ohio State, a 62-3 loss, Maryland needs to win one of their final two games to get to six wins. The Terps are coming of back to back huge losses to Michigan & Ohio State in which they were outscored by a combined 121-6 and outgained by a combined 697 yards! They got behind quickly in each of those games trailing Michigan 35-0 at half and Ohio State 45-3 at the break.

In those two losses, the Terp defense allowed Michigan & Ohio State to score TD’s on 11 of their 14 combined first half drives. Maryland heads into this Saturday’s game at Nebraska as a bruised and battered squad. Durkin suspended three players just before kickoff last week due to a violation of the athlete code of conduct. That included RB Lorenzo Harrison who had rushed for over 600 yards on the season. Then QB Perry Hills was injured (shoulder) on the 2nd series of the game and didn’t return. It was the fourth time this season Hills has been knocked out of a game due to injury. He may not play this week. Durkin will see what his team is made of as they try and rebound from their two worst losses they’ve ever had in Big Ten play coming in back to back weeks.

Last Year - These two have not met since Maryland joined the Big Ten a few years ago.

Inside the Numbers - The Terps have covered 8 straight games following a loss at home by 10 poitns or more. Maryland is 0-3 ATS their last 3 games. The last time the Terps failed to cover four games in a row was back in 2011. Nebraska has lost and failed to cover each of their last 3 home finales.

Wisconsin (-27.5) at Purdue – (ABC, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Purdue – The Boilers officially eliminated themselves from bowl contention last Saturday with a 45-17 loss at home to Northwestern. That dropped Purdue to 3-7 on the year. PU jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead at home last week but then were outscored 45-7 the rest of the way. It continued a Purdue trend which we brought up in last week’s edition. They continue to play teams tight in the 1st half only to be demolished in the 2nd half. They trailed NW just 14-10 at half last week. In the last four games, Purdue has outscored their opponents 69-64 in the 1st half and they’ve gone on to lose the 2nd half of those four games by a combined score of 109-17!

The defense continues to be absolutely shredded on a weekly basis. They rank dead last in the Big Ten (conference games only) in total defense allowing 500 YPG and in scoring defense giving up 44 PPG. They have allowed at least 30 points in every Big Ten game except one and they’ve given up at least 44 points in 5 of their 7 conference tilts. The Boilers played last week without their two best defenders – Jake Repogle and Ja’Whaun Bentley – and they may not be ready again this week. It was Purdue’s 15th consecutive loss in the month of November.

Wisconsin – We keep waiting for this Wisconsin team to have a “letdown” type game and they just continue to play well. Last Saturday was a perfect scenario for potential flat game for the Badgers as they were hosting an overmatched Illinois team after playing a brutal stretch of games vs Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Northwestern. All the Badgers did was come out and dominate 48-3 rushing for 363 yards while holding the Illini to 201 total yards. They were averaging just 18 PPG over their previous five games, albeit vs much better defenses, before busting out for almost 50 points last week.

Head coach Paul Chryst continued his “musical QB’s” playing both Hornibrook and Houston for the 5th straight game although it really didn’t matter who lined up under center in this one. The QB’s combined to attempt just 13 passes but handed the ball off 64 times. After keeping Illinois out of the endzone the Badgers have given up just 8 TD’s in their 7 Big Ten games. If you take out their games vs Michigan and Ohio State they have allowed only 3 TD’s vs their other five conference opponents.

Last Year - Wisconsin beat Purdue last year 24-7 in Madison. The Badgers had 418 total yards to just 191 for the Boilermakers.

Inside the Numbers - Wisconsin has beaten Purdue 10 straight times (9-1 ATS in those games). This spread sits at Wisky -27.5 which is the highest number in any of the last 10 years. The closest margin of victory for Wisconsin vs Purdue over the last 8 years was last year when the Badgers won by “just” 17. Purdue has won only 3 of their last 24 Big Ten home games.

Indiana at Michigan (-23.5) – (ESPN, 3:30 p.m. ET)

Michigan – This line opened in the range of -26 all the way up to -28 at some spots. It dropped to -23.5 at most spots after the announcement that Michigan QB Wilton Speight would most likely be out for at least the remainder of the regular season due to a collarbone injury. Next in line for the Wolverines looks to be junior John O’Korn who transferred from Houston after losing his starting job to Greg Ward. He has appeared in eight games and gone 13 of 18 for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns as the team's primary backup quarterback.

As you are now well aware, Michigan was beaten at Iowa 14-13 last week as a 20 point favorite. A struggling Hawkeye defense held the Wolverines a full 319 yards below their season average! Michigan came into the game thinking they could run all over an Iowa defense that allowed 359 yards on the ground a week earlier at PSU. That wasn’t the case last Saturday as Michigan rushed for only 98 yards on just 2.8 YPC. The defense again played well enough to win holding Iowa to only 230 yards on 3.9 YPP. Even with the loss, Michigan came out at #3 in this week’s College FB poll which pretty much indicates if they win out, including the Big Ten Championship game, they are basically a shoe in for the College Football Playoff.

Indiana – Indiana is still battling to get to that 6th win for bowl eligibility and they have to win one of their last two games to do it. Last week they lost at home to a red hot Penn State team 45-31. It was a disastrous start for IU who punted on their first two possessions and then fumbled on three of their next four. Even with that the game was tied at 14 at halftime. It could be argued that IU actually outplayed Penn State as the Hoosiers had more yards, more first downs, and were better on 3rd down (8 of 17). Two keys to the loss were Indiana’s 5 turnovers and the fact their defense allowed a number of big plays - nine plays of 20+ yards.

Not only did those turnovers were lead to PSU points (14 points off turnovers) but the ones that didn’t came in Lion territory which prevented IU from potentially putting a bigger number on the board. The Hoosiers turned the ball over on the Penn State 24, 39, and 50 yard lines and were shut out on downs at the Nittany Lion 1 yard line. Defensively they held Penn State to just 77 yards rushing on 45 attempts (only 1.7 YPC). That was very impressive vs an offense the rolled up 257 & 359 yards rushing their previous two games. Michigan struggled to get any running game going last week which might be a glimmer of hope for this Indiana team.

Last Year - Last year we saw a lot of offense in this match up. Michigan won at Indiana in OT by a final score of 48-41. Both teams topped 500 yards of total offense.

Inside the Numbers - This series has been about as one sided as they come. Since 1980, Michigan is 27-1 SU in this series (17-11 ATS). Indiana has been an underdog in EVERY ONE of those 28 match ups, including going off as a double digit dog in 22 of those games. The Wolverines are 14-6 ATS (70%) coming off a SU loss dating back to the 2011 season.

Northwestern (-1) at Minnesota – (Big Ten, 3:30 p.m. ET)

Minnesota – After a 24-17 loss at Nebraska last Saturday, the Gophers no longer control their own destiny in the Big Ten West. Wisconsin is now the only team that holds that distinction. The Minnesota offense struggled in the loss tallying only 265 total yards. They jumped out of the gate with 17 first half points but kept off the scoreboard after the break. The Gophs are now 4-3 in the Big Ten and 7-3 overall. A close look at their overall results reveals they don’t have an impressive win but also don’t have a bad loss. Their four conference wins have come against Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Illinois who have a combined 5-23 Big Ten record. If you throw out their win against FCS Indiana State, their other two wins came against Colorado State & Oregon State, both one possession games at home.

The fact is, they haven’t beaten a team that currently has a winning record and if you throw in their wins over OSU & CSU, the seven teams they’ve beaten have a combined record of 12-36. It also has to be said that their losses have all been very close with margins of 3 (vs PSU), 7 (vs Iowa), and 7 (vs Nebraska). While their wins aren’t impressive, the Gophers aren’t that far from being unbeaten. This will be Minnesota’s final home game before traveling to Wisconsin the last week of the regular season.

Northwestern – The Cats were in a battle at halftime last week at Purdue leading just 14-10. Going into halftime last week, Northwestern has only scored 21 points over their last 6 quarters combined. They broke out in a big way after halftime against a terrible Purdue defense tallying 31 points in the final 30 minutes. The Wildcat offense scored TD’s on their first four possessions of the 2nd half, kicked a FG on their fifth possessions, and were stopped on downs at the Purdue 1 yard line on their 6th and final possession of after the break. QB Clayton Thorson continued his big season throwing for a career high 352 yards vs the Boilers. This week he faces a Minnesota defense that has allowed more TD passes than any other team in the Big Ten (20) and currently ranks 12th in the league (all games included) allowing 231 YPG passing. Last Saturday’s win moved NW to within one game of bowl eligibility with a 5-5 record. That goal didn’t seem very reasonable early in the season when they lost 3 of their first 4 games including home setbacks to Illinois State and Western Michigan. After traveling to Minnesota this weekend the Cats host Illinois next week to close out the regular season.

Last Year - Northwestern (-4.5) pitched a 27-0 shutout at home last year holding Minnesota to only 173 total yards.

Inside the Numbers - Minnesota is 7-1 ATS their last 8 games following an outright loss. Northwestern was a road favorite last week at Purdue and covered easily. That means since 1980 the Cats are 25-8 SU as a road favorite (20-13 ATS). Throw out their game vs FCS Indiana State and the Gophs are 0-5 ATS at home this year failing to cover those games by a combined 42 points or 8 PPG.

Penn State (-28) at Rutgers – (Big Ten, 8:00 p.m. ET)

Rutgers – Just when it looked like Rutgers might be “sort of” turning the corner, they were destroyed at Michigan State 49-0. The Knights had played two tight games vs Indiana and Minnesota the previous two weeks before the Spartans crushed them to pick up their first Big Ten win. An offense that looked like it was at least getting close to respectable under new starting QB Rescigno was simply terrible last week. Rescigno completed only 6 passes the entire game and the running game was held to just 3 YPC. Rutgers was forced to punt on 9 of their 13 offensive possessions, 2 ended in turnovers, and the other 2 the Knights had the ball as time ran out in the first half and at the end of the game.

They have now lost seven consecutive games and the offense during that stretch has been shutout three times and scored just 7 points twice. The defense hasn’t been much better allowing at least 33 points in 5 of those 7 including giving up 49 or more three times during that span. You can bet that the Rutgers defense, which ranks 124th nationally vs the run, will get a heavy dose of the PSU ground game here after the Nits rushed for only 77 yards last week at Indiana.

Penn State – Well it’s now official, win their final two games vs Rutgers and Michigan State and the Nittany Lions will win at least a share of the Big Ten East title. They will go to the Big Ten Championship game if they win out and Michigan loses at Ohio State to close out the regular season. Michigan made this all possible by losing at Iowa last Saturday. The Penn State offense is on a ridiculous roll right now. If you subtract their game vs Michigan in which they scored just 10 points, Penn State is averaging 40 PPG in their other six Big Ten games. Over the last three games alone they have put up 148 points. The offense has been extremely efficient scoring points on 23 of their last 36 offensive possessions minus drives that ended in a turnover. They’ve now won six games in a row and scored 30 TD’s during that stretch! Fifteen different players have scored TD’s this year for PSU. Now facing a Rutgers defense that has allowed 33 or more points in 5 of the last 6 games, we can expect another big showing from the Penn State offense.

Last Year - Penn State has won both games in this series since Rutgers joined the Big Ten. Two years ago it was a tight 13-10 win on the road and last year an easy 28-3 win in Happy Valley.

Inside the Numbers - PSU has now covered 5 consecutive games covering 4 of those 5 games by at least 20 points! These two teams have met 16 times since 1982 and Penn State has won 15 of those games. All but 3 of those 15 wins came by at least 10 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College football four-point stance: Week 12 pointspread picks and predictions
By PATRICK EVERSON

A cursory glance of the Oklahoma resume would have you thinking the 8-2 Sooners were one of the country’s top powerhouse programs. After all, Bob Stoops’ troop is riding a seven-game winning streak and boasts a quarterback in Baker Mayfield who has completed greater than 70.0 percent of his passes in six of his last seven starts.

Don’t be fooled.

Yes, Oklahoma has put together a respectable 2016 campaign, but the Sooners have spent their last four games squeaking by a 4-6 Texas Tech squad, hammering a laughable Kansas program, winning, but failing to cover, against a 2-8 Iowa State team and busting up on a Baylor club that officially checked out on the season after dropping a heartbreaker at Texas on October 29.

On the other side of the field resides a West Virginia team that is feeling precisely no love despite an 8-1 record and a Big 12 defense that is surrendering an average of just 20 points and 409 total yards per conference showdown in 2016. Those aren’t the types of numbers that would warrant a contract extension for a head coach in the NFC West, but are nothing short of remarkable considering the level of defensive aptitude that permeates the Big 12 conference.

From a trends perspective, take note that Oklahoma is 1-4 ATS over its last five road dates and 0-5 ATS over its last five matchups following an ATS win, while West Virginia has covered the number in four of its last five November games.

Pick: West Virginia +3.5

Northwestern Wildcats at Minnesota Golden Gophers

When: Saturday, November 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Spread: Northwestern -1.5

Don’t let Northwestern’s 5-5 record trick you because the Wildcats are a sound football team that has covered the number in five of its last six outings. Case in point: Of those five losses sustained by Pat Fitzgerald’s crew so far this season, one was a four-point defeat at Ohio State and two came within the first two outings of the year when this offense was nowhere near the level it has been playing at in recent weeks.

Minnesota’s four-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt last Saturday night at Nebraska when the Gophers were outcoached and outscored 14-0 in the second half en route to a 24-17 defeat. But look closely at that aforementioned four-game winning streak and you’ll notice that Minnesota’s opposition was as weak as imaginable, with Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Purdue combining to produce a record of just 13-27 so far in 2016.

Back to Northwestern, be advised that the Wildcats are averaging an explosive 41.8 points per game over their last four road trips and are 6-0 ATS over their last six road dates. Additionally, the road team in this series is 15-4 ATS over the last 19 meetings between these two programs.

Pick: Northwestern -1.5

Oregon Ducks at Utah Utes

When: Saturday, November 19 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Spread: Utah -14

Last Saturday’s 52-27 home pummeling suffered at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal guarantees that Oregon will win no more than five games in 2016, meaning the Ducks will miss out on a bowl game for the first time since 2004. So what are the odds Mark Helfrich’s squad, which is now 1-10-1 ATS over its last 12 games overall, even bothers to show up for this conference showdown?

The key to Utah’s success on Saturday resides in the talent of standout running back Joe Williams, who is averaging a ridiculous 7.0 yards per carry this season while notching at least 170 rushing yards in each of his last four starts. Williams should have no problem whatsoever slicing and dicing an Oregon defense that has surrendered 552 rushing yards over its last two outings.

Take note that Utah is 4-1 ATS over its last five Pac-12 matchups and 6-1 ATS over its last seven games after scoring more than 40 points the previous week, while Oregon is 1-7 ATS over its last eight Pac-12 encounters and 1-5-1 ATS over its last seven games against teams with a winning record.

Pick: Utah -14

Mississippi Rebels at Vanderbilt Commodores

When: Saturday, November 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Spread: Mississippi -10

The loss of standout quarterback Chad Kelly to an ACL injury against Georgia Southern on November 5 didn’t paralyze the Rebels one bit, as freshman signal-caller Shea Patterson completed 25 of 42 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 upset win at Texas A&M last Saturday. So the Rebels should be cooking with gas heading into a relatively casual matchup with 4-6 Vanderbilt, right?

If that’s what you’re thinking, then we advise you consider pumping the breaks just a bit.

For starters, true freshman quarterbacks can be highly inconsistent (see: Shane Buechele) and it’s likely that this line is a bit inflated based on Patterson’s performance last weekend. Second, Vanderbilt has just two games remaining on the schedule and both need to come up roses if the Commodores want to sneak their way into bowl eligibility.

Perhaps more importantly, take note that Ole Miss is a horrific 1-11 ATS over its last 12 games as road chalk when coming off a win.

Pick: Vanderbilt +10

Last week: 0-4 ATS
Season: 25-19 ATS (56.8%)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College football four-point stance: Week 12 pointspread picks and predictions
By PATRICK EVERSON

A cursory glance of the Oklahoma resume would have you thinking the 8-2 Sooners were one of the country’s top powerhouse programs. After all, Bob Stoops’ troop is riding a seven-game winning streak and boasts a quarterback in Baker Mayfield who has completed greater than 70.0 percent of his passes in six of his last seven starts.

Don’t be fooled.

Yes, Oklahoma has put together a respectable 2016 campaign, but the Sooners have spent their last four games squeaking by a 4-6 Texas Tech squad, hammering a laughable Kansas program, winning, but failing to cover, against a 2-8 Iowa State team and busting up on a Baylor club that officially checked out on the season after dropping a heartbreaker at Texas on October 29.

On the other side of the field resides a West Virginia team that is feeling precisely no love despite an 8-1 record and a Big 12 defense that is surrendering an average of just 20 points and 409 total yards per conference showdown in 2016. Those aren’t the types of numbers that would warrant a contract extension for a head coach in the NFC West, but are nothing short of remarkable considering the level of defensive aptitude that permeates the Big 12 conference.

From a trends perspective, take note that Oklahoma is 1-4 ATS over its last five road dates and 0-5 ATS over its last five matchups following an ATS win, while West Virginia has covered the number in four of its last five November games.

Pick: West Virginia +3.5

Northwestern Wildcats at Minnesota Golden Gophers

When: Saturday, November 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Spread: Northwestern -1.5

Don’t let Northwestern’s 5-5 record trick you because the Wildcats are a sound football team that has covered the number in five of its last six outings. Case in point: Of those five losses sustained by Pat Fitzgerald’s crew so far this season, one was a four-point defeat at Ohio State and two came within the first two outings of the year when this offense was nowhere near the level it has been playing at in recent weeks.

Minnesota’s four-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt last Saturday night at Nebraska when the Gophers were outcoached and outscored 14-0 in the second half en route to a 24-17 defeat. But look closely at that aforementioned four-game winning streak and you’ll notice that Minnesota’s opposition was as weak as imaginable, with Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Purdue combining to produce a record of just 13-27 so far in 2016.

Back to Northwestern, be advised that the Wildcats are averaging an explosive 41.8 points per game over their last four road trips and are 6-0 ATS over their last six road dates. Additionally, the road team in this series is 15-4 ATS over the last 19 meetings between these two programs.

Pick: Northwestern -1.5

Oregon Ducks at Utah Utes

When: Saturday, November 19 at 2:00 p.m. ET
Spread: Utah -14

Last Saturday’s 52-27 home pummeling suffered at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal guarantees that Oregon will win no more than five games in 2016, meaning the Ducks will miss out on a bowl game for the first time since 2004. So what are the odds Mark Helfrich’s squad, which is now 1-10-1 ATS over its last 12 games overall, even bothers to show up for this conference showdown?

The key to Utah’s success on Saturday resides in the talent of standout running back Joe Williams, who is averaging a ridiculous 7.0 yards per carry this season while notching at least 170 rushing yards in each of his last four starts. Williams should have no problem whatsoever slicing and dicing an Oregon defense that has surrendered 552 rushing yards over its last two outings.

Take note that Utah is 4-1 ATS over its last five Pac-12 matchups and 6-1 ATS over its last seven games after scoring more than 40 points the previous week, while Oregon is 1-7 ATS over its last eight Pac-12 encounters and 1-5-1 ATS over its last seven games against teams with a winning record.

Pick: Utah -14

Mississippi Rebels at Vanderbilt Commodores

When: Saturday, November 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET
Spread: Mississippi -10

The loss of standout quarterback Chad Kelly to an ACL injury against Georgia Southern on November 5 didn’t paralyze the Rebels one bit, as freshman signal-caller Shea Patterson completed 25 of 42 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-28 upset win at Texas A&M last Saturday. So the Rebels should be cooking with gas heading into a relatively casual matchup with 4-6 Vanderbilt, right?

If that’s what you’re thinking, then we advise you consider pumping the breaks just a bit.

For starters, true freshman quarterbacks can be highly inconsistent (see: Shane Buechele) and it’s likely that this line is a bit inflated based on Patterson’s performance last weekend. Second, Vanderbilt has just two games remaining on the schedule and both need to come up roses if the Commodores want to sneak their way into bowl eligibility.

Perhaps more importantly, take note that Ole Miss is a horrific 1-11 ATS over its last 12 games as road chalk when coming off a win.

Pick: Vanderbilt +10

Last week: 0-4 ATS
Season: 25-19 ATS (56.8%)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Big-12 Showdown'

Oklahoma Sooners at West Virginia Mountaineers November 19, 8:00 EST

The Sooners (8-2 SU, 4-6 ATS) have ripped off seven consecutive victories (4-3 ATS), including a 45-24 rout of Baylor at home Saturday giving 17.5 points. Sooners no slouches on the offensive end are racking up 44.2 points/game on 557.5 total yards. But, the defense despite a solid effort this past weekend is a work in progress as the unit is allowing 30.8 points/game on 429.5 total yards.

Mountaineers (8-1, 4-5 ATS) holding off Longhorn 24-20 as a 1-point road favorite Saturday are ridding a two game win streak (1-1 ATS). Mountaineers head into the showdown putting up 32.2 points/game while churning out 496.6 total yards. Defense a moniker for Mountaineers the unit is allowing a Big-12 best 20.6 points/game on 409.8 total yards.

The schools have met four times since Mountaineers joined the Big 12 in 2012 with Sooners winning all four matchups (2-2 ATS) including a 45-33 win/cover last trip into Morgantown. According to opening odds the Sooners are handing Mountaineers 3 points of offense.

Winning on the road is always a challenge, winning on the road against a conference rival an even bigger challenge. However, Sooners are 6-1 ATS as road chalk of 4.5 or less, have a 16-2 SU stretch in unfriendly territory with a profitable 12-6 record against the betting line including 9-5 ATS as road chalk. Sooners are also 7-4 ATS last eleven away vs a conference opponent. On the other side, Mountaineers haven't consistently covered the spread at home vs a Big-12 rival posting an 8-13 record including 4-3 ATS in an underdog roll. Given the numbers above the lean is Sooners.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pac-12 Report - Week 12
By Joe Williams

2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
Arizona 2-8 0-7 1-9 6-4
Arizona State 5-5 2-5 5-5 6-4
California 4-6 2-5 4-6 7-3
Colorado 8-2 6-1 9-1 4-6
Oregon 3-7 1-6 1-8-1 7-3
Oregon State 2-8 1-6 7-3 5-5
Southern California 7-3 6-2 6-4 2-8
Stanford 7-3 5-3 6-4 3-7
UCLA 4-6 2-5 4-6 4-5-1
Utah 8-2 5-2 6-4 6-4
Washington 9-1 6-1 5-5 8-2
Washington State 8-2 7-0 6-4 6-4

Oregon at Utah (Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m. ET)
Oregon is no longer eligible for a bowl, but they still remain a danger for Utah, especially due to their high-octane offense. Oregon has rolled up 32 or more points in seven of the past eight games. Their problem hasn't been on offense, but it's their inability to stop people on defense. Oregon has allowed 35 or more points in eight of their 10 outings, and they're just 1-8-1 ATS overall. For Utah, they have covered three in a row, and six of their past eight. They emasculated Oregon last season 62-20 in Eugene, and they're hoping to do the same this season. Utah is a 12-point favorite as of Wednesday morning. The 'over' cashed in that game for Utah, and the over is 3-0 in their past three and the over is 6-2 in their past eight outings while going 9-1 in Oregon's past 10 league games and 6-1 in their past seven overall.

Washington State at Colorado (FOX, 3:30 p.m.)
Thanks to Washington's loss last week against USC, the Washington State Cougars ascended to the top of the North Division standings. The Cougars still have the Huskies on the schedule in the Apple Cup, their annual rivalry, but they certainly cannot look past the 10th-ranked Buffaloes in Boulder this weekend. Colorado is a 4-point favorite as of Wednesday morning. The Buffaloes are an impressive 9-1 ATS in 10 games this season. Washington State is 9-1 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning overall record, and 15-5 ATS in 20 games overall dating back to last season. They're also 7-3 ATS in their past 10 away from the Palouse. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings in this series, and the road team is 5-1 ATS in the past six battles.

Stanford at California (Pac-12 Network, 5:30 p.m. ET)
It's time for the 118th installment of the 'Big Game', and everyone remembers in 1982 when the Stanford band came on the field during 'The Play'. That won't be a problem in Berkeley this season, as the Stanford band has had a travel ban all season and they are not allowed to travel across the bay for this rivalry game. Stanford's offense will be there, however, and they got well last week at Oregon in a 52-27 victory. After struggling through mid-October, the Cardinal have come alive over the past three games averaging 37.3 points per game (PPG). The 'over' for Stanford last week was their first since Oct. 8, a span of five games. Cal is on a three-game slide and they need to win this week and never week against UCLA to qualify for a bowl game. Cal is 1-4 ATS in their past five games, but they are 3-1 ATS in four home games.

Arizona State at Washington (FOX, 7:30 p.m.)
The Huskies look to bounce back after last weekend's setback against USC, and Washington is expected to recover since they're installed as 26 1/2-point favorites as of Wednesday morning. AZ State is on quite the slide, opening the season 5-1 SU, but they have dropped four in a row and need a win this week or next week at rival Arizona to become bowl eligible. The Sun Devils are 1-3 ATS in their past four games, and 0-4 ATS in four road games this season. Washington is also 1-3 ATS in their past four games overall, and last weekend's loss was the first 'under' after a run of six straight 'over' results. The over is 8-2 in 10 games overall for U-Dub. The over has cashed in three in a row for the Sun Devils, thanks mostly to their flagging defense which has allowed an average of 46.7 PPG in the past three outings.

Southern California at UCLA (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
Years ago the battle of Los Angeles used to be a highly anticipated rivalry game on the national level. Whether it is USC or UCLA not playing at a top level, this game has taken a backseat to some of the other rivalries on the college football schedule. But this is a very heated game on the gridiron, regardless of records, as all of these kids have a deep knowledge of each other from playing against each other, sometimes growing up together, etc. It sounds rather cliche', but you really do need to toss out the record in games like this. Clay Helton lead the Trojans to a giant road win at Washington last weekend, shaking up the CFP, and they are installed as a 10 1/2-point favorite for this one. USC is 4-0 ATS in their past four conference games, but 2-6 ATS in their past eight on the road. Of course, last weekend's game was in Seattle, so that trend proved meaningless. The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five in this series, and the Trojans are 1-5 ATS in their past six trips to the Rose Bowl. Can they prove that trend meaningless, too?

Arizona at Oregon State (Pac-12 Network, 10:30 p.m.)
Two cellar-dwelling 2-8 clubs take the field at Reser Stadium in Corvallis Saturday night. While Arizona has been in the tank, Oregon State has actually been pretty competitive and a strong play at the betting window. Arizona heads into this game 3-13 ATS in their past 16 dating back to last season, 0-6 ATS in their past six conference games and 0-6 ATS in their past six road games. Oregon State is 4-0 ATS in their past four at home, 5-1 ATS in their past six conference tilts and 5-1 ATS in their past six games overall. The 'over' has been the overwhelming trend for both sides lately, going 5-1 in Arizona's past six road games and 7-2 in their past nine conference battles. The over is 7-3 in Oregon State's past 10 league outings and 5-2 in their past seven aganst teams with a losing record. The over is 4-1 in the past five meetings in Corvallis, and 4-1 in the past five in this series. The Wildcats are 2-6 ATS in their past eight trips to Corvallis while the Wildcats are just 3-12 ATS in the past 15 meetings overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Football Predictions: Week 12 Opening Line Report and Picks
by Alan Matthews

Well, that was interesting! Week 11 around college football looked like it should go chalk for all the top national championship contenders. Alabama, the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, did its job as a 28.5-point home favorite against Mississippi State, blowing out the Bulldogs 51-3.

But all heck broke lose behind the Tide. No. 2 Clemson was a 21.5-point favorite at home against Pittsburgh and was shocked 43-42. It you have seen the Tigers play this year, you know they have played with fire a few times. It finally caught up with them. Deshaun Watson threw for an ACC-record 580 yards to go with three scores but he was picked off three times. Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt made a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to win it. He was in position for that kick because Pitt stopped Wayne Gallman a yard short on third and fourth downs to take over near midfield with 58 seconds left. Clemson dropped to No. 5 in the new AP poll and probably will be at that spot in the new CFP Top 25 on Tuesday night.

The big question is where will Louisville be? The Cards are No. 3 in the AP Top 25 but were No. 6 in the latest CFP Top 25. I don't know how the committee could rank Louisville over Clemson since the Tigers won the head-to-head matchup and will play in the conference title game with a victory at Wake Forest this week.

CFP No. 3 Michigan was upset at No. 14 Iowa on Saturday, losing 14-13 as a 24-point favorite. I was all over taking those points because it was only Michigan's second game outside its own state all season - and the offense looked completely different with just 201 yards. The Wolverines are No. 4 in the new AP poll and I think they are fine for the playoff a long as they win out because they would still get such a major boost with a victory in two weeks at Ohio State, which is the No. 2 team in the new AP poll.

By the way, should Ohio State beat Michigan now and Penn State win out, the Nittany Lions would play in the Big Ten title game as the East's winner. How about that! Could the committee somehow include Penn State in the final Top 4 over Ohio State? The Lions do have that head-to-head win but were crushed by Michigan. What if Wisconsin beats Penn State in the Big Ten title game but has losses on its resume to Michigan and Ohio State?

Finally, CFP No. 4 Washington dropped to No. 7 in the AP poll following a 26-13 home loss to No. 20 USC. That game wasn't even that close as the surging Trojans were clearly the better team. But I think Washington is still fine for the playoff as long as it wins out. It might see USC again in the Pac-12 title game. It was the first time since Oct. 19, 1985, that the Nos. 2-4 teams in the AP poll all lost on the same day. Rather ironically, one of those teams back then losing was No. 2 Michigan at No. 1 Iowa in a game that Wolverines head coach was the quarterback for UM.

Here are a few Week 12 opening lines that caught my eye. Rankings from the last College Football Top 25 (which will change Tuesday) and games Saturday unless noted. There are a lot of potential "trap" games this week with several powers facing cupcakes ahead of a big season finale rivalry game.

No. 6 Louisville at Houston (+14), Thursday: It's the final true road game of the season for Louisville and the Cardinals aren't going to get much of a bounce by beating Houston because the Cougars have struggled since being ranked as high as No. 6. Spectacular QB matchup here between lock Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson of Louisville and Houston's Greg Ward Jr., who is a very similar player. That's if Ward plays. He surely will, but Ward has been dealing with a shoulder injury all season and aggravated it in Saturday's win over Tulane. There's no way the senior misses his final home game, also likely the final home game as Houston coach for Tom Herman, who seems likely to be at either Texas or LSU next year. UH has won 14 straight at home, the second-longest home winning streak in the nation behind Navy. It's the first time Houston will host a Top 5 team - and Louisville certainly will move up in the CFP Top 25 - since 1983. Ward outplayed Jackson last year in a 34-31 win at Louisville, but Jackson wasn't even the Cardinals' full-time starter yet. The pick: Houston (but Louisville wins).

Indiana at No. 3 Michigan (-26): This is one of those trap games I was talking, although Indiana isn't that bad this season. The Wolverines could be caught looking ahead to the Ohio State game and now come reports that starting QB Wilton Speight has been lost for the rest of the season to a broken collarbone suffered against Iowa in his non-throwing shoulder. Speight has completed 160 of 257 passes (62.3 percent) for 2,156 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He might be able to return for a bowl game. Houston transfer John O’Korn would take over. He has played a bit this year and is 13 of 18 for 114 yards and two touchdowns. A lot of people thought he would win the starting job in fall camp. Harbaugh isn't confirming anything yet, not I would expect him to. The pick: Indiana to cover.

Florida at No. 24 LSU (-14): This game was originally scheduled for Oct. 8 in Gainesville but postponed due to Hurricane Matthew and then moved to Baton Rouge for this week after the ADs of both schools couldn't agree on playing at UF at some point this season. Now LSU will have to visit the Gators the next two years. Alabama already has clinched the SEC West title. If Florida beats LSU, the Gators (who might be without starting QB Luke Del Rio for the second week in a row) will repeat as East Division champion. But if UF loses and Tennessee beats Missouri and Vanderbilt to close out the season, the Volunteers will win the East for the first time since 2007 because UT beat Florida earlier this season in a huge comeback. The Tigers are in good shape to claim a Sugar Bowl bid should they complete the regular season with wins against Florida and Texas A&M. This will be LSU running back Leonard Fournette's final home game as he's going pro. The pick: UF covers but LSU wins.

No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 16 West Virginia (+3): All that chaos on Saturday certainly improved the Big 12's chances of sneaking a team in the playoff, although it's still a long shot. The Sooners are the only Big 12 team without a conference loss. Oklahoma State and West Virginia each have one. WVU would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker to the Cowboys but should win its final two games after this one at Iowa State and vs. Baylor, which has lost starting QB Seth Russell for the season. Oklahoma has just the Bedlam game on Dec. 3 against the Pokes remaining in the regular season. OSU visits TCU this week. WVU has won eight straight at home but hasn't beaten Oklahoma since joining the Big 12. The Sooners also have won 14 straight Big 12 games, the longest in the conference since Texas won 20 straight from 2004 to 2006. The pick: Oklahoma.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Florida at LSU
By Brian Edwards

Florida (7-2 straight up, 3-5-1 against the spread) can lock up a second straight SEC East title with a victory on Saturday, but that task at Tiger Stadium will be a tall one with six starters out with injuries. The Gators are set to face LSU in Baton Rouge for a second straight year after the Oct. 8 meeting in Gainesville was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew.

As of Friday afternoon, most betting shops had LSU installed as a 14.5-point home favorite with a total of 38.5. Gamblers can back the Gators on the money line for a monster +475 payout (risk $100 to win $475).

This is just the second time UF has ben a double-digit underdog since Jim McElwain took over. Florida took the cash in that lone instance, a 29-15 loss to Alabama as a 17.5-point underdog at last year’s SEC Championship Game.

LSU (6-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) is off its best performance of the season in Fayetteville, where it took Arkansas behind the woodshed in a 38-10 beatdown as a nine-point road ‘chalk.’ Derrius Guice erupted for a career-best 252 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He was given extra touches when Leonard Fournette re-aggravated the ankle injury that prompted him to miss three games earlier in the year.

Nevertheless, Fournette still ran for 98 yards and three TDs on 17 attempts. He also had a pair of catches for 44 yards. For the season, Fournette has rushed for 803 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Guice has rushed for a team-best 881 yards and nine TDs, averaging an eye-opening 8.7 YPC on 101 attempts.

This game will feature a pair of former Purdue QBs. LSU’s Danny Etling once lost his job as Purdue’s starting QB to his counterpart on Saturday, UF’s Austin Appleby. Etling has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 1,378 yards with a 7/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

He has a pair of future NFL WRs in Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural. Neither wideout gets enough touches, nor did Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham when they were in Baton Rouge. The stats don’t do either player justice, as both have 28 catches apiece. Dupre has a team-high 365 receiving yards and two TDs, while Dural has 280 receiving yards and one TD.

LSU ranks 13th in the nation in total defense and sixth in scoring, allowing only 13.9 points per game. This unit has held five of its last six foes to 10 points or fewer. This group is led by senior LB Kendell Beckwith, who has a team-best 90 tackles to go with six tackles for loss, one sack, one QB hurry and four passes broken up.

The secondary features a pair of All-American candidates in junior safety Jamal Adams and senior CB Tre’Davious White. Adams has recorded 60 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, 4.5 TFL’s, one forced fumble, one QB hurry and three PBU, while White has 26 tackles, two interceptions, one pick-six, one fumble recovery, three TFL’s, 0.5 sacks and six PBU.

Florida bounced back from a 31-10 loss at Arkansas by knocking off South Carolina 20-7 as a 13-point home favorite. With the exception of two plays, both turnovers, Appleby looked extremely sharp in his third start of the season against the Gamecocks, who brought a three-game winning streak to The Swamp.

Appleby completed 17-of-21 passes for 201 yards and two TDs. He was intercepted once and fumbled the QB-center exchange when the Gators were at USC’s two. Appleby did the same thing on a second-and-goal play when UF was one yard away from getting ahead of the number at Vanderbilt. The Gators had a 13-6 advantage on the Commodores with less than three remaining when they were laying 10 points.

Unlike Luke Del Rio, who will miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury, Appleby can make plays with his legs. He rushed for 34 yards on six attempts against USC. Jordan Scarlett finished with a career-best 134 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Antonio Callaway had four receptions for 48 yards, while WR Ahmad Fullwood had two catches for 48 yards and one TD on his Senior Day. Callaway had 100 yards on four punt returns despite getting one for a TD called back on a shaky flag.

For the year, Appleby has connected on 65.6 percent of his throws for 671 yards with a 5/2 TD-INT ratio. Callaway has 35 receptions for 533 yards, while Brandon Powell has 30 catches for 291 yards and two TDs.

Scarlett has rushed for a team-high 617 yards and six TDs while averaging 5.2 YPC. True freshman Lamical Perine has emerged as the back-up to Scarlett. Perine has rushed for 347 yards and one TD with a 4.9 YPC average. He also has six catches for 103 yards and one TD.

UF’s stop unit is ranked third in the nation in total defense and pass defense. The Gators are fifth in scoring (13.3 PPG) and 11th against the run. However, they will be without four starters at LSU, including their top three tacklers.

Senior LB Jarrad Davis, junior LB Alex Anzalone, senior safety Marcus Maye and senior DE Bryan Cox Jr. are ‘out.’ Anzalone and Maye are done for the season, while Davis (ankle) and Cox (leg) hope to return in the regular-season finale at Florida St.

Davis has 56 tackles, six TFL’s, two sacks, five QB hurries and four PBU, while Anzalone has tallied 53 tackles, four TFL’s, three sacks, six QB hurries and two PBU. Maye has produced 50 tackles, six PBU, one sack, 1.5 TFL’s and one interception.

Kylan Johnson, a redshirt freshman LB, made his first career start vs. South Carolina and responded well. Johnson had seven tackles and one TFL. Also, true freshman LB David Reese had 11 tackles against the Gamecocks.

Florida has been a road underdog just twice on Jim McElwain’s watch, going 0-1-1 ATS. The Gators dropped a 38-28 decision at Tennessee as five-point ‘dogs earlier this year. Also, they lost 35-28 at LSU as seven-point ‘dogs last season.

UF has been a ‘dog or 6.5 points or more three times under McElwain, compiling a 2-0-1 spread record.

I was at Tiger Stadium for last year’s encounter. With the game knotted at 28-28 midway through the fourth quarter, Les Miles called a successful trick play against Florida for the umpteenth time in a row in his 11th meeting against them. It worked – yet again – when the holder lateraled to kicker Trent Domingue who scored on a 16-yard TD run.

Fournette ran for 180 yards and two TDs on 31 carries, while Dupre had four receptions for 115 yards and two TDs. Dural had five catches for 65 yards.

Callaway had three catches for 100 yards and tied the game late in the third quarter with a 72-yard punt return for a TD.

The ‘under’ is 6-3 overall for the Gators, 2-1 in their three previous road assignments. They have seen their games average combined scores of 39.6 points per game.

The ‘under’ has been a steady money maker for LSU, cashing at a 6-1-2 overall clip. The ‘under’ is 4-0-2 in the Tigers’ six home games.

The ‘over’ has hit in back-to-back meetings between these schools and is 6-3 in the last nine UF-LSU encounters.

LSU has won three in a row over UF both SU and ATS. The Gators haven’t tasted victory over the Tigers since a 14-6 win at The Swamp in 2012.

The SEC Network will provide the broadcast at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Even if UF loses in Red Stick, Tennessee must win Saturday’s home game (and next week’s game at Vandy) vs. Missouri to keep alive its hopes to go to Atlanta for the first time since 2007. CBS will have television coverage from Neyland Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Most spots have the Vols favored by 16.5 point with a total of 68.

-- Ole Miss (5-5 SU, 4-6 ATS) garnered a season-salvaging 29-28 win at Texas A&M last Saturday night. The Rebels, who have been on the wrong end of tight games galore all year, trailed at intermission for the first time all season. However, true freshman QB Shea Patterson, who was making his collegiate debut, rallied his team by throwing a pair of TD passes in the fourth quarter before leading a drive into field-goal range for Gary Wunderlich’s 39-yard game winner with 37 ticks remaining. Patterson threw for 338 yards and rushed for 64 in front of more than 104,000 hostile fans in College Station. Ole Miss will face Vanderbilt in Nashville as a 9.5-point road ‘chalk.’

-- The ‘under’ has cashed in all six of Vandy’s SEC games this year. Each of those contests had 43 points or fewer. The Commodores are 4-0 ATS when catching 9.5 points or more this year. They haven’t lost any SEC games by a double-digit margin. When listed as a home underdog on Derek Mason’s watch, the ‘Dores own a 6-3 spread record.

-- Alabama will take on Chattanooga as a heavy favorite, but the line wasn’t out as of late Friday afternoon. It will certainly be north of 35 when it comes out Friday night or early Saturday morning. Therefore, we should note that the Crimson Tide is an abysmal 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games as a favorite of 35 points or more.

-- Texas A&M is a 27.5-point home favorite vs. UTSA. The Aggies have failed to cover the number in six straight games. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners are 3-1 ATS in four games as double-digit underdogs and the lone non-cover was a brutal bad beat to La. Tech last week. UTSA has won outright as a double-digit ‘dog at Middle Tennessee (45-25) and vs. So. Miss (55-32).

-- Arkansas is a short underdog at Mississippi St. The Hogs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as a road ‘dog. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are 20-13 ATS as home favorites on Dan Mullen’s watch.

-- Kentucky will become bowl eligible with a victory over winless Austin Peay. The Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last seven outings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds: Week 12

We're on to Week 12 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.

No.11 Oklahoma State at Texas Christian (-4.5, 70)

* Junior quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrived with 3,384 yards and 24 touchdowns and has been intercepted just four times in 357 attempts. Junior receiver James Washington has a stellar 20.2 average while catching 56 passes for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns, and freshman Justice Hill paces the ground game with 789 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, senior free safety Jordan Sterns has recorded a team-best 68 tackles and is tied with junior cornerback Ramon Richards for the team lead with three interceptions, while junior defensive tackle Vincent Taylor has a team-high 5 1/2 sacks.

* Coach Gary Patterson considers running back Kyle Hicks to be the team's best player and the junior made Patterson look good by rushing for a career-best 192 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Baylor. Hicks has rushed for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns (12 rushing) and figures to get a lot of work down the stretch due to the way junior quarterback Kenny Hill (2,694 yards and 14 touchdowns against 10 interceptions) has regressed since topping 400 yards in three of the first five games. Senior middle linebacker Travin Howard (team-best 100 tackles) has reached double digits in tackles in six consecutive games while junior safety Nick Orr has four of TCU's seven interceptions.

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma State opened as 4-point road favorites and the line crept up to 4.5 Monday morning. The total opened at 70.5 and has yet to move.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Horned Frogs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 11-2 in Cowboys last 13 conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in Horned Frogs last 7 games on grass.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

No. 2 Ohio State at Michigan State (21.5, 52)

* The Buckeyes are second in the nation in scoring (46.5) and third in scoring defense (12.7) and their whole arsenal was on display against Maryland. J.T. Barrett accounted for four touchdowns, Curtis Samuel found the end zone three times and Mike Weber was merely an afterthought with 93 yards on 12 carries. Defensively, the Buckeyes allowed just 43 yards on 40 rushing attempts and gave up only 4.9 yards per pass attempt as they won by at least 21 points for the seventh time this season.

* The Spartans have split their last six meetings with the Buckeyes, but this is not a typical season for Michigan State. The Spartans won for the first time since Week 2 when they rolled past Rutgers 49-0 last weekend, a victory fueled by three first-half touchdown passes by Tyler O'Connor and a combined 174 rushing yards and three rushing TDs by LJ Scott and Madre London. Scott likely will be the focus of the Buckeyes' defensive scheme as he has run for 120-plus yards in three of the last four games and also is averaging nearly 5.8 yards per carry over that stretch.

LINE HISTORY: The Buckeyes opened as 21.5-point road favorites and were still at -21.5 number on Friday morning. The total opened at 53.5 and has dropped a full point to 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Buckeyes are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Over is 7-1 in Buckeyes last 8 games on grass.
* Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Over is 5-1 in Spartans last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Maryland at No. 18 Nebraska (-13.5, Off)

* The Terrapins are one of three teams in the conference with a pair of players with at least 630 yards rushing, including sophomore Ty Johnson (656) and Lorenzo Harrison (633), who became the first player in school history to rush for a touchdown in each of his first four games earlier in the season. However, Harrison was one of three freshmen (along with backup linebacker Antoine Brooks and backup wide receiver DJ Turner) suspended indefinitely by Durkin on Monday for violating the school's student-athlete code of conduct. Senior quarterback Perry Hills leads the conference in completion percentage (66.7), although his status for this game is in question due to injuries to both shoulders.

* Armstrong completed a career-high (as a starter) 70.4 percent of his passes, totaled 278 yards and accounted for all three touchdowns against Minnesota to give him 90 scores for his career, matching former Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch for the most in program history. Senior Jordan Westerkamp (team-high marks of 391 receiving yards and four receiving scores) has 13 receptions in three games since returning from a shoulder injury and can tie former Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers' school mark with a catch in 37 straight games if he can manage at least one reception in each of the team's final three games. Junior safety Kieron Williams sealed the game last week with a late red-zone interception and has picked off five passes this season, tied for the fifth-best total in FBS.

LINE HISTORY: The Cornhuskers opened the week as 14.5-home favorites and by Friday morning that line dropped to 13.5. The total is currently off the board.

TRENDS:

* Terrapins are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Terrapins are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in Cornhuskers last 4 home games.
* Under is 7-1 in Cornhuskers last 8 games overall.

No. 7 Wisconsin at Purdue (28, 48)

* Of the four Big Ten teams in the top eight of the CFP rankings, Wisconsin in the only one in the West Division and as such already has a clear path to the Big Ten title game if it can make it past Purdue and Minnesota. The Badgers survived three straight tight games before finally putting their best offensive conference game together behind 363 rushing yards against Illinois. Corey Clement led the way with 123 yards and three touchdowns and went over 100 for the fourth time in the last five games.

* The Boilermakers were only down 14-10 at halftime last week before surrendering 31 points after the break in another blowout loss which dropped the team to 119th out of 128 FBS teams in scoring defense (38.4 points). Purdue surrenders an average of 248.8 yards on the ground after allowing Northwestern to rumble for 253 last week, putting more pressure on quarterback David Blough and the offense. Blough owns 16 interceptions this season and was picked off three times last week before being replaced by freshman Elijah Sindelar, who went 8-of-15 for 80 yards and an interception.

LINE HISTORY: Wisconsin opened as 27.5-point road favorites and held for until Friday morning and got bumped up to 28. The total opened at 49.5 and has been bet down to 48 by Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Badgers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Boilermakers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 9-1 in Boilermakers last 10 home games.
* Over is 4-1 in Badgers last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Badgers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

Texas-San Antonio at No. 25 Texas A&M (-27.5, 57.5)

* The Roadrunners squandered their chance to win the Conference-USA West Division with the loss at first-place Louisiana Tech and now sit two games behind. Quarterback Dalton Sturm did not complete 55 percent of his passes in any of the last four games and was limited to 12-of-22 for 100 yards and no touchdowns last week. Graduate transfer Jared Johnson came on in relief and threw a pair of touchdown passes with one interception.

* Hubenak threw for more than 200 yards in each of the last two games but is not the same kind of running threat as Knight, changing what the Aggies do on offense. "Different guy," Sumlin told reporters of Hubenak. "Not a 4.5 (40-yard dash) guy like Trevor. And he's built little bit differently than Trevor, taking hits and such. Put it that way. Not saying he's not strong, just built differently." Senior Josh Reynolds was Hubenak's favorite receiver last week and finished with four catches for 70 yards and a score - his fifth straight game with a TD catch.

LINE HISTORY: The Aggies opened as massive 26.5-point home favorites and was bet up a full point to 27.5. The total opened at 57.5 and dropped a half point to 57.

TRENDS:

* Roadrunners are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Aggies are 1-12 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss.
* Aggies are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Roadrunners last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in Aggies last 4 games following a straight up loss.

No. 23 Florida at No.16 Louisiana State (-14.5, 39.5)

* The Gators will likely be missing their three leading tacklers Saturday – linebackers Jarrad Davis (ankle) and Alex Anzalone (arm), along with safety Marcus Maye (arm). More is needed from the offense and quarterback Austin Appleby was outstanding in place of Luke Del Rio (shoulder, knee) last week against South Carolina, completing 17-of-21 for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Antonio Callaway (35 catches, 533 yards) is the top target for Appleby and Jordan Scarlett (617 yards, six TDs) has emerged as the top option on the ground.

* Guice has gained 8.7 yards per carry for a total of 881 with nine touchdowns and the injury-plagued Fournette has run for almost seven per attempt with 803 overall and eight scores. Quarterback Danny Etling went 10-for-16 through the air for 157 yards last week and has completed 58.8 percent of his passes while junior Malachi Dupre is the top receiver with 28 catches for 365 yards. Linebacker Kendell Beckwith has a team-leading 90 tackles for the Tigers, who have allowed a national-least 10 touchdowns overall and just 20 points in the first quarter.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers opened as 14-point home favorites and briefly dropped to 13.5 before rising to 14.5. The total opened at 37.5 and has been bet up two point to 39.5.

TRENDS:

* Gators are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games in November.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Gators last 7 games in November.
* Under is 6-1-2 in Tigers last 9 games overall.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Oregon at No. 12 Utah (-14, 70.5)

* Whittingham is right, though to be concerned about the Ducks’ offense, which ranks third in the conference at 39.7 points per game and owns the FBS’ longest current streak of 40 games with 20 or more points. Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert has started the last five games – throwing for 1,362 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in that span – and his favorite target of late has been 6-foot-6 senior tight end Pharaoh Brown, who has totaled 18 receptions, 252 yards and three TDs over his last three outings. Linebacker Troy Dye is one of five true FBS freshmen leading his team in tackles (8.2 per game), but the defense has been blistered for an average of 45 points and 562.3 yards per outing to rank among the bottom three nationally in both categories.

* Junior quarterback Troy Williams ranks fifth in the Pac-12 with 237.1 yards of total offense per game, but the big story for the Utes’ offense has been senior running back Joe Williams, who has rushed for 864 yards and eight TDs over the last four games since coming out of a four-week, early-season “retirement” in mid-October. Wide receivers Tim Patrick and Raelon Singleton are Troy Williams’ top targets as they’ve combined for 55 receptions, 971 yards and nine scoring grabs. Defensively, Utah is one of the conference’s better units, allowing 23 points and 368.5 yards per game, and is coming off a monster outing last week, recording a school-record 22 tackles for loss – including five sacks for defensive end Hunter Dimick – in a 49-26 win at Arizona State.

LINE HISTORY: The Utes opened as 12-point home favorites and that line jumped up to 14 mid-week. The total opened at 70.5 and hasn’t moved as of Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 conference games.
* Utes are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Over is 10-1-1 in Ducks last 12 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Over is 4-1 in Utes last 5 games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Indiana at No. 3 Michigan (-24, 51)

* Devine Redding ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State for his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, and eighth of his career. Richard Lagow finished 23-of-40 for 292 yards and two touchdowns to move into fifth place on the Hoosiers' single-season passing yards list with 2,866. Safety Tony Fields had a game to remember, recording a career-high eight solo tackles to go along with an interception as Indiana matched a school record with 16 tackles for loss to give it 44 TFLs over its last four outings.

* Speight had his worst game of the season as he was limited to 11-of-26 passing for 103 yards and missed countless deep balls to open receivers before falling hard on his shoulder on the Wolverines' final possession. O'Korn - who has passed for 114 yards and two touchdowns in spot duty this season - threw for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns en route to American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors at Houston in 2013 before losing the starting job to Greg Ward Jr. during his sophomore campaign. Linebacker Devin Bush was ejected for targeting against the Hawkeyes but will play on Saturday since the infraction took place in the first half.

LINE HISTORY: The Wolverines opened as 25.5-point home favorites and that line was quickly bet up one point to 26.5 before dropping as low as 23 and settling at 24 as of Friday morning. The total opened at 53.5 and has been fading all week settling at 51 when this cheat sheet was created.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 8-0 in Wolverines last 8 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 15-3 in Wolverines last 18 games overall.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Buffalo at No. 21 Western Michigan (-35, 57.5)

* The Bulls have given up at least 31 points in seven of 10 games and the 24 points they produced last week was second-most behind the 41-20 victory over Akron on Oct. 27. Freshman quarterback Tyree Jackson has thrown for 1,772 yards with nine touchdown strikes and nine interceptions while rushing for 399 – second only to senior running back Jordan Johnson (884 yards, five TDs). Senior tight end Mason Schreck is the top target for Jackson with 50 receptions for 559 yards and four touchdowns.

* Davis, an NFL prospect, was held to one catch last week but still moved within 192 of setting the all-time FBS record for career receiving yards -- currently held by Trevor Insley of Nevada (5,005). Terrell, also in his final college season, has been as efficient as any quarterback in the country by completing 70.3 percent of his passes with 23 TD strikes and one interception. Junior Jarvion Franklin leads the way with 1,152 yards rushing – 134 last week – and senior Fabian Johnson stepped up with a season-high 125 last week.

LINE HISTORY: The Broncos opened as 34.5 and has been bet up half point to 35. The total opened at 58.5 and has been bet down to 57.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Broncos are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Broncos last 5 home games.
* Road team is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
* Bulls are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

No. 17 Florida State at Syracuse (21, 63.5)

* The Seminoles have won four of their last five games with only a three-point loss against Clemson standing in their way of a five-game winning streak heading into this weekend. Dalvin Cook ran for 108 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles, giving him six rushing TDs in his last three games, not to mention at least 100 yards rushing in six of his last seven outings. Deondre Francois passed for three touchdowns and did not throw an interception for the fifth time in his last seven contests.

* The Orange have lost eight of the nine all-time meetings between the teams and appear unlikely to improve that mark unless their offense can wake up. In Dungey's place, Zack Mahoney threw for only 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Wolfpack, while the Orange rushing attack mustered a total of 28 yards on 28 carries. Linebacker Parris Bennett already has surpassed 100 tackles on the season following an 11-tackle performance last week, making him the first Syracuse player to eclipse the century mark since 2010.

LINE HISTORY: The Seminoles opened the betting week as 20.5-point road favorites and inched up a half point to 21. The total hit the board at 60.5 and bettors figured that wasn’t enough and have pushed that number up to 63.5.

TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in November.
* Under is 14-3 in Seminoles last 17 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 5-0 in Orange last 5 games overall.
* Home team is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Missouri at No.19 Tennessee (-16, 67)

* The Tigers boasted a prolific passing attack early in the season behind sophomore quarterback Drew Lock, but they have been more balanced of late with the emergence of freshman running back Damarea Crockett. Crockett is averaging 118.4 rushing yards over the past five games and rushed for 154 yards in last week’s win. The defense has improved since head coach Barry Odom resumed play-calling duties, especially when it comes to stopping the run, which was a huge concern during a five-game losing streak.

* The Vols’ hopes are pinned firmly to quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who is responsible for more points (174) than any player in the SEC with 21 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores. Dobbs is the team’s leading rusher (470 yards) and put up 147 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as the Vols rolled up a season-high 376 yards rushing against Kentucky. The defense consistently has stopped the pass but has been gashed on the ground at times, allowing 350 or more rushing yards three times — including a season-high 443 last week.

LINE HISTORY: The Volunteers opened as 14.5-point home favorites and that line has risen two point to 16.5. The total opened at 66.5 and has been inching up all week and sits at 68 when this sheet was created.

TRENDS

* Tigers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Volunteers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 6-1 in Volunteers last 7 conference games.
* Over is 4-0 in Volunteers last 4 games following a straight up win.

No. 22 Washington State at No.10 Colorado (-4.5, 60.5)

* During their eight-game run, the Cougars have averaged 46.6 points per outing and their average margin of victory has been 25.8. It starts with junior quarterback Luke Falk who is tops nationally in completion percentage at 73.9, second in passing yards with 3,610 and is tied for fifth with 33 passing touchdowns, but he’ll be without second-leading receiver River Cracraft (53 catches-701 yards-five TDs) as the slot wideout after he suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the third quarter of last Saturday’s 56-21 win at California. Defensive end Hercules Mata’afa (11 tackles for loss) leads a defense which has been the conference’s best against the run at 116.9 yards allowed per game and ranks sixth in the league with 24.3 points surrendered per outing.

* Quarterback Sefo Liufau did match his single-game season high last week with three TD passes in a 49-24 win at Arizona, but the senior also has had more miscues of late, throwing all three of his interceptions this season in the last two games. Liufau is surrounded by a talented cast headed by tailback Phillip Lindsay (third in the Pac-12 with 93.7 rushing yards per game) and speedy wideout Shay Fields (third in the conference with 71 receiving yards per outing). Defensively, outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert (nine sacks, 11 tackles for losses) and a talented secondary star for a unit which leads the conference in scoring defense (17.9 points allowed), total defense (308.4 yards) and passing defense (176.9 yards).

LINE HISTORY: The Buffaloes opened as 3.5-point home favorites and has risen one point to 4.5. The total opened at 60 and went up as high as 61.5 before fading to 61.

TRENDS

* Cougars are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 road games.
* Under is 5-0 in Buffaloes last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
* Road team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

No. 24 Stanford at California (10.5, 64.5)

* The Cardinal averaged 20 points a game before erupting for 540 yards of total offense against the Ducks thanks to Chryst’s breakout performance and the duo of McCaffrey and Bryce Love, who have combined for 752 yards rushing in the past three games. Look for another balanced attack in the Big Game against a Cal defense that ranks second-to-last in the FBS against the run, allowing 283.4 yards per game. The Bears boast a strong offense capable of explosive plays but will have to contend with a stellar Stanford frontline led by Solomon Thomas, who has a team-high 46 tackles and seven sacks.

* Quarterback Davis Webb is second in the conference in passing yards (360.1) and total offense (350.2) with 33 touchdown passes, but the Bears lack a solid running game and struggled in the red zone in last week’s 56-21 loss at Washington State. The receiving corps includes junior Chad Hansen, who leads the league in receiving with 75 catches for 979 yards and nine touchdowns, along with impressive freshmen Melquise Stovall and Demetris Robinson. The porous defense has allowed an average of 52.6 points over the last five games with several walk-ons pressed into starting duty following a rash of injuries.

LINE HISTORY: The Cardinals opened the week as 11.5-road favorites and that line dropped to 10.5 on Monday and has remained there all week. The total opened at 63 before quickly jumping to 65 than fading to 64 as of Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Cardinal are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Cardinal are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Under is 24-6-1 in Cardinal last 31 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
* Cardinal are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in California.

No. 4 Clemson at Wake Forest (22.5, 47)

* The Tigers have dodged bullets all season but couldn’t avoid the upset last week despite an ACC-record 580 passing yards and three touchdowns from Deshaun Watson. The offense faltered in the fourth quarter, though, as Watson threw an interception that set up a touchdown to pull the Panthers within 42-40 and star running back Wayne Gallman was unable to convert on fourth down to seal the win. The Tigers’ defense has been dominant at times but gave up 464 total yards last week, including a season-high 308 passing yards.

* The Demon Deacons lean on a strong defense and lead the ACC and rank ninth nationally with a plus-nine turnover margin. They limited Louisville star quarterback Lamar Jackson to 298 total yards — 139 below his season average entering the game — and will need a similar performance to slow down Watson. The offense has not come along as quickly as the defense, as quarterback John Wolford has more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five) and the ground game has been inconsistent.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers opened the week as 21.5-point road favorites and the line rose throughout the week to sit at the current number of 22.5. The total opened at 47 and snuck up to 47.5 before settling back at 47.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Demon Deacons are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
* Under is 4-1 in Demon Deacons last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Wake Forest.

Chattanooga at No.1 Alabama (Off,Off)

* The Mocs lost 52-13 against Florida State last season in their most-recent contest against a major program. Junior quarterback Alejandro Bennifield has fared well against FCS competition and has passed for 2,067 yards and 23 touchdown passes while being intercepted just seven times. Senior defensive end Keionta Davis has eight sacks and ranks second in school history with 28 1/2 and the NFL prospect leads a defensive unit allowing 16.9 points and 276.3 yards per game.

* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has exceeded all expectations while passing for 2,003 yards and 15 touchdowns and running for 735 yards and 11 scores. Sophomore running back Damien Harris holds the team rushing lead with 759 yards but has reached the end zone just once as Hurts has thrived when the Crimson Tide get in scoring range. Alabama ranks second in scoring defense (12.2) and total defense (259.5) and leads the nation in rushing defense (68.8) and has received terrific efforts from senior defensive end Jonathan Allen (seven sacks), senior outside linebacker Tim Williams (team-best eight sacks) and senior outside linebacker Ryan Anderson (team-best 14 1/2 tackles for losses).

LINE HISTORY: The lines for this game are currently off the board.

TRENDS:

No trends available

Alabama A&M at No. 9 Auburn (Off,Off)

* Alabama A&M may be coming off its most rousing win of the season, rallying from a 17-0 first-half deficit to hold a seven-point lead in the closing minute against Jackson State. A fumble by the TIgers into the end zone was recovered by Dylan Hamilton, giving the Bulldogs the narrow victory in which they racked up 433 total yards of offense. Alabama A&M will need to have a running attack like it had against Jackson State, when the team rushed for 290 yards and held the ball for 34:57, to have a chance to slow down Auburn this week.

* The Tigers' coaching staff had no idea White had aggravated his shoulder injury against Georgia because he didn't tell them it happened and no one noticed him favoring the arm in the third quarter. They know now though, and White could likely sit out against Alabama A&M to get himself ready for the Iron Bowl a week later. That means either John Franklin III or Jeremy Johnson would start in White's place, with Franklin the likely replacement with 94 passing yards and 319 rushing yards this season.

LINE HISTORY: The lines for this game are currently off the board.

TRENDS:

No trends available

Arizona State at No. 6 Washington (-27, 64.5)

* A bright spot for the Sun Devils continues to be freshman wide receiver N'Keal Harry, who pocketed his first 100-yard receiving game last weekend. Harry finished with a season-high eight catches for 114 yards and also took a lateral pass and turned it into a remarkable 31-yard touchdown run in which he weaved and juked his way through a half dozen defenders. Washington's injuries on defense might hurt them most in the passing game and particularly when Harry's the target.

* The Huskies have one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12 in John Ross, who comes in leading the conference in touchdown receptions (15) and second in receiving yards (896). He's been at his best of late as well, combining for 14 catches for 362 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games and there's no reason to believe he'll slow down against the Sun Devils. Dante Pettis, the other fleet-footed wide receiver for the Huskies, is probably looking to bounce back from a sub-par game against USC in which he caught two passes for 22 yards, a week after snaring three touchdowns against California.

LINE HISTORY: The Huskies opened as 25-point favorites and the line has been steadily moving up all week landing at 27 when this cheat sheet was made. The total started the week at 64.5 and went up half point Thursday before fading back to 64.5 Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Sun Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 6-1 in Sun Devils last 7 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 4-1 in Sun Devils last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Sun Devils are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Washington.
* Favorite is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 14 West Virginia (3.5, 66.5)

* With Mixon (937 yards, six touchdowns) and Perine (575, eight) in and out of the lineup, senior wide receiver and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Dede Westbrook has been a constant with 68 catches for 1,254 yards and 14 TDs - all tops in the Big 12. Mayfield is also putting together an extraordinary season with a 72 percent completion rate - second in the nation - and 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Senior linebacker Jordan Evans recorded nine tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups against Baylor, becoming the first Sooner to record two interceptions and two sacks in a game.

* The Mountaineers put their eight-game home winning streak in the hands of senior quarterback Skyler Howard, who completes 64.5 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while recording a team-high six rushing TDs. Two of his favorite targets are senior wide receiver Daikiel Shorts (14.8 yards per 51 receptions, four touchdowns) and junior wide receiver Shelton Gibson, who averages 20 yards per 35 receptions with six scores. Senior cornerback Rasul Douglas is tied for second in the nation with six interceptions and tied for 21st with 12 passes defended.

LINE HISTORY: The Sooners opened as 3-point road favorites and throughout the week was up and down before settling at 3.5. The total opened at 67 and has been bet down half a point to 66.5.

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
* Under is 4-1 in Sooners last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 8-2 in Mountaineers last 10 games in November.

No. 8 Penn State at Rutgers (28, 57)

* McSorley threw for 332 yards – his third 300-yard day of the season - and two TDs and added a third score on the ground against the Hoosiers, and his 15.9 yards per completion is tops in FBS. Barkley leads the Big Ten in rushing (111.3 per game), all-purpose yards (142.1) and total touchdowns (15), and his 13 rushing TDs are the most for a Nittany Lion since Larry Johnson had 20 in 2002. The Lions' much-improved defense surrendered 454 yards to Indiana, but recovered five fumbles, including a nine-yard scoop-and-score by defensive end Torrence Brown.

* It’s been a tough season for Ash, whose troops have been outscored 290-73 in conference contests, including a combined 185-0 by Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. Giovanni Rescigno (52.8 completion percentage, five TDs, five interceptions), who has started the last three games over Chris Laviano (48.3, five TDs, two interceptions), was 6-of-16 for 40 yards and two interceptions against the Spartans. Sophomore linebacker Deonte Roberts picked up a career-high 17 tackles last week and ranks eighth in the conference with 9.1 tackles per Big Ten game.

LINE HISTORY: The Nittany Lions opened as massive 27-point road favorites and that wasn’t enough as the line has been bumped up to 28. The total opened at 57.5 and that line has been faded down one point to 56.5.

TRENDS:

* Nittany Lions are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 conference games.
* Nittany Lions are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 8-2 in Nittany Lions last 10 games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Scarlet Knights last 5 games following a ATS loss.

No. 13 Southern California at UCLA (13.5, 52.5)

* The offensive highlights by the Trojans have definitely out-shined what the defense has accomplished, and no aspect has been more impressive lately than the USC run defense, which has surrendered a combined 102 yards on 57 carries in the last two games. Porter Gustin had two sacks against Washington and the sophomore defensive end continues to be a rising force for the Trojans, and sophomore defensive tackle Rasheem Green contributed a sack and broke up two passes. Another area where USC should have the advantage over the Bruins are specials teams, as the Trojans lead the conference in punt return average and kickoff coverage.

* The Bruins have had a 1,000-yard rusher three of the last four seasons, but may not have a 500-yard rusher in 2016. Soso Jamabo leads the team with 308 rushing yards on 79 carries, but has been handed the ball less than 10 times in six of the last seven games. Bolu Olorunfunmi has 254 yards on the season, and might have the best shot at 500 yards, considering he's coming off his best performance of the season, rushing for 65 yards on eight carries, but even he took a backseat last weekend to Jalen Sparks, who received 10 carries but only turned those into 24 yards.

LINE HISTORY: The Trojans opened as 10.5-road favorites against their crosstown rival and that line has been steadily rising all week resting at 13.5 Friday morning. The total opened at 52 and has been bumped half point to 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Trojans are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Under is 6-0 in Trojans last 6 games overall.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Bruins last 8 games in November.
* Under is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in UCLA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds: Week 12

We're on to Week 12 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.

No.11 Oklahoma State at Texas Christian (-4.5, 70)

* Junior quarterback Mason Rudolph has thrived with 3,384 yards and 24 touchdowns and has been intercepted just four times in 357 attempts. Junior receiver James Washington has a stellar 20.2 average while catching 56 passes for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns, and freshman Justice Hill paces the ground game with 789 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, senior free safety Jordan Sterns has recorded a team-best 68 tackles and is tied with junior cornerback Ramon Richards for the team lead with three interceptions, while junior defensive tackle Vincent Taylor has a team-high 5 1/2 sacks.

* Coach Gary Patterson considers running back Kyle Hicks to be the team's best player and the junior made Patterson look good by rushing for a career-best 192 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Baylor. Hicks has rushed for 789 yards and 14 touchdowns (12 rushing) and figures to get a lot of work down the stretch due to the way junior quarterback Kenny Hill (2,694 yards and 14 touchdowns against 10 interceptions) has regressed since topping 400 yards in three of the first five games. Senior middle linebacker Travin Howard (team-best 100 tackles) has reached double digits in tackles in six consecutive games while junior safety Nick Orr has four of TCU's seven interceptions.

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma State opened as 4-point road favorites and the line crept up to 4.5 Monday morning. The total opened at 70.5 and has yet to move.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Horned Frogs are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 11-2 in Cowboys last 13 conference games.
* Over is 6-1 in Horned Frogs last 7 games on grass.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

No. 2 Ohio State at Michigan State (21.5, 52)

* The Buckeyes are second in the nation in scoring (46.5) and third in scoring defense (12.7) and their whole arsenal was on display against Maryland. J.T. Barrett accounted for four touchdowns, Curtis Samuel found the end zone three times and Mike Weber was merely an afterthought with 93 yards on 12 carries. Defensively, the Buckeyes allowed just 43 yards on 40 rushing attempts and gave up only 4.9 yards per pass attempt as they won by at least 21 points for the seventh time this season.

* The Spartans have split their last six meetings with the Buckeyes, but this is not a typical season for Michigan State. The Spartans won for the first time since Week 2 when they rolled past Rutgers 49-0 last weekend, a victory fueled by three first-half touchdown passes by Tyler O'Connor and a combined 174 rushing yards and three rushing TDs by LJ Scott and Madre London. Scott likely will be the focus of the Buckeyes' defensive scheme as he has run for 120-plus yards in three of the last four games and also is averaging nearly 5.8 yards per carry over that stretch.

LINE HISTORY: The Buckeyes opened as 21.5-point road favorites and were still at -21.5 number on Friday morning. The total opened at 53.5 and has dropped a full point to 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Buckeyes are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Over is 7-1 in Buckeyes last 8 games on grass.
* Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Over is 5-1 in Spartans last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Maryland at No. 18 Nebraska (-13.5, Off)

* The Terrapins are one of three teams in the conference with a pair of players with at least 630 yards rushing, including sophomore Ty Johnson (656) and Lorenzo Harrison (633), who became the first player in school history to rush for a touchdown in each of his first four games earlier in the season. However, Harrison was one of three freshmen (along with backup linebacker Antoine Brooks and backup wide receiver DJ Turner) suspended indefinitely by Durkin on Monday for violating the school's student-athlete code of conduct. Senior quarterback Perry Hills leads the conference in completion percentage (66.7), although his status for this game is in question due to injuries to both shoulders.

* Armstrong completed a career-high (as a starter) 70.4 percent of his passes, totaled 278 yards and accounted for all three touchdowns against Minnesota to give him 90 scores for his career, matching former Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch for the most in program history. Senior Jordan Westerkamp (team-high marks of 391 receiving yards and four receiving scores) has 13 receptions in three games since returning from a shoulder injury and can tie former Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers' school mark with a catch in 37 straight games if he can manage at least one reception in each of the team's final three games. Junior safety Kieron Williams sealed the game last week with a late red-zone interception and has picked off five passes this season, tied for the fifth-best total in FBS.

LINE HISTORY: The Cornhuskers opened the week as 14.5-home favorites and by Friday morning that line dropped to 13.5. The total is currently off the board.

TRENDS:

* Terrapins are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Terrapins are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in Cornhuskers last 4 home games.
* Under is 7-1 in Cornhuskers last 8 games overall.

No. 7 Wisconsin at Purdue (28, 48)

* Of the four Big Ten teams in the top eight of the CFP rankings, Wisconsin in the only one in the West Division and as such already has a clear path to the Big Ten title game if it can make it past Purdue and Minnesota. The Badgers survived three straight tight games before finally putting their best offensive conference game together behind 363 rushing yards against Illinois. Corey Clement led the way with 123 yards and three touchdowns and went over 100 for the fourth time in the last five games.

* The Boilermakers were only down 14-10 at halftime last week before surrendering 31 points after the break in another blowout loss which dropped the team to 119th out of 128 FBS teams in scoring defense (38.4 points). Purdue surrenders an average of 248.8 yards on the ground after allowing Northwestern to rumble for 253 last week, putting more pressure on quarterback David Blough and the offense. Blough owns 16 interceptions this season and was picked off three times last week before being replaced by freshman Elijah Sindelar, who went 8-of-15 for 80 yards and an interception.

LINE HISTORY: Wisconsin opened as 27.5-point road favorites and held for until Friday morning and got bumped up to 28. The total opened at 49.5 and has been bet down to 48 by Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Badgers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Boilermakers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 9-1 in Boilermakers last 10 home games.
* Over is 4-1 in Badgers last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Badgers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

Texas-San Antonio at No. 25 Texas A&M (-27.5, 57.5)

* The Roadrunners squandered their chance to win the Conference-USA West Division with the loss at first-place Louisiana Tech and now sit two games behind. Quarterback Dalton Sturm did not complete 55 percent of his passes in any of the last four games and was limited to 12-of-22 for 100 yards and no touchdowns last week. Graduate transfer Jared Johnson came on in relief and threw a pair of touchdown passes with one interception.

* Hubenak threw for more than 200 yards in each of the last two games but is not the same kind of running threat as Knight, changing what the Aggies do on offense. "Different guy," Sumlin told reporters of Hubenak. "Not a 4.5 (40-yard dash) guy like Trevor. And he's built little bit differently than Trevor, taking hits and such. Put it that way. Not saying he's not strong, just built differently." Senior Josh Reynolds was Hubenak's favorite receiver last week and finished with four catches for 70 yards and a score - his fifth straight game with a TD catch.

LINE HISTORY: The Aggies opened as massive 26.5-point home favorites and was bet up a full point to 27.5. The total opened at 57.5 and dropped a half point to 57.

TRENDS:

* Roadrunners are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Aggies are 1-12 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss.
* Aggies are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Roadrunners last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in Aggies last 4 games following a straight up loss.

No. 23 Florida at No.16 Louisiana State (-14.5, 39.5)

* The Gators will likely be missing their three leading tacklers Saturday – linebackers Jarrad Davis (ankle) and Alex Anzalone (arm), along with safety Marcus Maye (arm). More is needed from the offense and quarterback Austin Appleby was outstanding in place of Luke Del Rio (shoulder, knee) last week against South Carolina, completing 17-of-21 for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Antonio Callaway (35 catches, 533 yards) is the top target for Appleby and Jordan Scarlett (617 yards, six TDs) has emerged as the top option on the ground.

* Guice has gained 8.7 yards per carry for a total of 881 with nine touchdowns and the injury-plagued Fournette has run for almost seven per attempt with 803 overall and eight scores. Quarterback Danny Etling went 10-for-16 through the air for 157 yards last week and has completed 58.8 percent of his passes while junior Malachi Dupre is the top receiver with 28 catches for 365 yards. Linebacker Kendell Beckwith has a team-leading 90 tackles for the Tigers, who have allowed a national-least 10 touchdowns overall and just 20 points in the first quarter.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers opened as 14-point home favorites and briefly dropped to 13.5 before rising to 14.5. The total opened at 37.5 and has been bet up two point to 39.5.

TRENDS:

* Gators are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games in November.
* Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Gators last 7 games in November.
* Under is 6-1-2 in Tigers last 9 games overall.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Oregon at No. 12 Utah (-14, 70.5)

* Whittingham is right, though to be concerned about the Ducks’ offense, which ranks third in the conference at 39.7 points per game and owns the FBS’ longest current streak of 40 games with 20 or more points. Freshman quarterback Justin Herbert has started the last five games – throwing for 1,362 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in that span – and his favorite target of late has been 6-foot-6 senior tight end Pharaoh Brown, who has totaled 18 receptions, 252 yards and three TDs over his last three outings. Linebacker Troy Dye is one of five true FBS freshmen leading his team in tackles (8.2 per game), but the defense has been blistered for an average of 45 points and 562.3 yards per outing to rank among the bottom three nationally in both categories.

* Junior quarterback Troy Williams ranks fifth in the Pac-12 with 237.1 yards of total offense per game, but the big story for the Utes’ offense has been senior running back Joe Williams, who has rushed for 864 yards and eight TDs over the last four games since coming out of a four-week, early-season “retirement” in mid-October. Wide receivers Tim Patrick and Raelon Singleton are Troy Williams’ top targets as they’ve combined for 55 receptions, 971 yards and nine scoring grabs. Defensively, Utah is one of the conference’s better units, allowing 23 points and 368.5 yards per game, and is coming off a monster outing last week, recording a school-record 22 tackles for loss – including five sacks for defensive end Hunter Dimick – in a 49-26 win at Arizona State.

LINE HISTORY: The Utes opened as 12-point home favorites and that line jumped up to 14 mid-week. The total opened at 70.5 and hasn’t moved as of Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 conference games.
* Utes are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Over is 10-1-1 in Ducks last 12 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Over is 4-1 in Utes last 5 games overall.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Indiana at No. 3 Michigan (-24, 51)

* Devine Redding ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State for his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, and eighth of his career. Richard Lagow finished 23-of-40 for 292 yards and two touchdowns to move into fifth place on the Hoosiers' single-season passing yards list with 2,866. Safety Tony Fields had a game to remember, recording a career-high eight solo tackles to go along with an interception as Indiana matched a school record with 16 tackles for loss to give it 44 TFLs over its last four outings.

* Speight had his worst game of the season as he was limited to 11-of-26 passing for 103 yards and missed countless deep balls to open receivers before falling hard on his shoulder on the Wolverines' final possession. O'Korn - who has passed for 114 yards and two touchdowns in spot duty this season - threw for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns en route to American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors at Houston in 2013 before losing the starting job to Greg Ward Jr. during his sophomore campaign. Linebacker Devin Bush was ejected for targeting against the Hawkeyes but will play on Saturday since the infraction took place in the first half.

LINE HISTORY: The Wolverines opened as 25.5-point home favorites and that line was quickly bet up one point to 26.5 before dropping as low as 23 and settling at 24 as of Friday morning. The total opened at 53.5 and has been fading all week settling at 51 when this cheat sheet was created.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 8-0 in Wolverines last 8 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 15-3 in Wolverines last 18 games overall.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Buffalo at No. 21 Western Michigan (-35, 57.5)

* The Bulls have given up at least 31 points in seven of 10 games and the 24 points they produced last week was second-most behind the 41-20 victory over Akron on Oct. 27. Freshman quarterback Tyree Jackson has thrown for 1,772 yards with nine touchdown strikes and nine interceptions while rushing for 399 – second only to senior running back Jordan Johnson (884 yards, five TDs). Senior tight end Mason Schreck is the top target for Jackson with 50 receptions for 559 yards and four touchdowns.

* Davis, an NFL prospect, was held to one catch last week but still moved within 192 of setting the all-time FBS record for career receiving yards -- currently held by Trevor Insley of Nevada (5,005). Terrell, also in his final college season, has been as efficient as any quarterback in the country by completing 70.3 percent of his passes with 23 TD strikes and one interception. Junior Jarvion Franklin leads the way with 1,152 yards rushing – 134 last week – and senior Fabian Johnson stepped up with a season-high 125 last week.

LINE HISTORY: The Broncos opened as 34.5 and has been bet up half point to 35. The total opened at 58.5 and has been bet down to 57.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Broncos are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Broncos last 5 home games.
* Road team is 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
* Bulls are 4-16-1 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

No. 17 Florida State at Syracuse (21, 63.5)

* The Seminoles have won four of their last five games with only a three-point loss against Clemson standing in their way of a five-game winning streak heading into this weekend. Dalvin Cook ran for 108 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles, giving him six rushing TDs in his last three games, not to mention at least 100 yards rushing in six of his last seven outings. Deondre Francois passed for three touchdowns and did not throw an interception for the fifth time in his last seven contests.

* The Orange have lost eight of the nine all-time meetings between the teams and appear unlikely to improve that mark unless their offense can wake up. In Dungey's place, Zack Mahoney threw for only 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Wolfpack, while the Orange rushing attack mustered a total of 28 yards on 28 carries. Linebacker Parris Bennett already has surpassed 100 tackles on the season following an 11-tackle performance last week, making him the first Syracuse player to eclipse the century mark since 2010.

LINE HISTORY: The Seminoles opened the betting week as 20.5-point road favorites and inched up a half point to 21. The total hit the board at 60.5 and bettors figured that wasn’t enough and have pushed that number up to 63.5.

TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in November.
* Under is 14-3 in Seminoles last 17 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 5-0 in Orange last 5 games overall.
* Home team is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Missouri at No.19 Tennessee (-16, 67)

* The Tigers boasted a prolific passing attack early in the season behind sophomore quarterback Drew Lock, but they have been more balanced of late with the emergence of freshman running back Damarea Crockett. Crockett is averaging 118.4 rushing yards over the past five games and rushed for 154 yards in last week’s win. The defense has improved since head coach Barry Odom resumed play-calling duties, especially when it comes to stopping the run, which was a huge concern during a five-game losing streak.

* The Vols’ hopes are pinned firmly to quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who is responsible for more points (174) than any player in the SEC with 21 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores. Dobbs is the team’s leading rusher (470 yards) and put up 147 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as the Vols rolled up a season-high 376 yards rushing against Kentucky. The defense consistently has stopped the pass but has been gashed on the ground at times, allowing 350 or more rushing yards three times — including a season-high 443 last week.

LINE HISTORY: The Volunteers opened as 14.5-point home favorites and that line has risen two point to 16.5. The total opened at 66.5 and has been inching up all week and sits at 68 when this sheet was created.

TRENDS

* Tigers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
* Volunteers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 6-1 in Volunteers last 7 conference games.
* Over is 4-0 in Volunteers last 4 games following a straight up win.

No. 22 Washington State at No.10 Colorado (-4.5, 60.5)

* During their eight-game run, the Cougars have averaged 46.6 points per outing and their average margin of victory has been 25.8. It starts with junior quarterback Luke Falk who is tops nationally in completion percentage at 73.9, second in passing yards with 3,610 and is tied for fifth with 33 passing touchdowns, but he’ll be without second-leading receiver River Cracraft (53 catches-701 yards-five TDs) as the slot wideout after he suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the third quarter of last Saturday’s 56-21 win at California. Defensive end Hercules Mata’afa (11 tackles for loss) leads a defense which has been the conference’s best against the run at 116.9 yards allowed per game and ranks sixth in the league with 24.3 points surrendered per outing.

* Quarterback Sefo Liufau did match his single-game season high last week with three TD passes in a 49-24 win at Arizona, but the senior also has had more miscues of late, throwing all three of his interceptions this season in the last two games. Liufau is surrounded by a talented cast headed by tailback Phillip Lindsay (third in the Pac-12 with 93.7 rushing yards per game) and speedy wideout Shay Fields (third in the conference with 71 receiving yards per outing). Defensively, outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert (nine sacks, 11 tackles for losses) and a talented secondary star for a unit which leads the conference in scoring defense (17.9 points allowed), total defense (308.4 yards) and passing defense (176.9 yards).

LINE HISTORY: The Buffaloes opened as 3.5-point home favorites and has risen one point to 4.5. The total opened at 60 and went up as high as 61.5 before fading to 61.

TRENDS

* Cougars are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 road games.
* Under is 5-0 in Buffaloes last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
* Road team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

No. 24 Stanford at California (10.5, 64.5)

* The Cardinal averaged 20 points a game before erupting for 540 yards of total offense against the Ducks thanks to Chryst’s breakout performance and the duo of McCaffrey and Bryce Love, who have combined for 752 yards rushing in the past three games. Look for another balanced attack in the Big Game against a Cal defense that ranks second-to-last in the FBS against the run, allowing 283.4 yards per game. The Bears boast a strong offense capable of explosive plays but will have to contend with a stellar Stanford frontline led by Solomon Thomas, who has a team-high 46 tackles and seven sacks.

* Quarterback Davis Webb is second in the conference in passing yards (360.1) and total offense (350.2) with 33 touchdown passes, but the Bears lack a solid running game and struggled in the red zone in last week’s 56-21 loss at Washington State. The receiving corps includes junior Chad Hansen, who leads the league in receiving with 75 catches for 979 yards and nine touchdowns, along with impressive freshmen Melquise Stovall and Demetris Robinson. The porous defense has allowed an average of 52.6 points over the last five games with several walk-ons pressed into starting duty following a rash of injuries.

LINE HISTORY: The Cardinals opened the week as 11.5-road favorites and that line dropped to 10.5 on Monday and has remained there all week. The total opened at 63 before quickly jumping to 65 than fading to 64 as of Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Cardinal are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Cardinal are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Under is 24-6-1 in Cardinal last 31 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
* Cardinal are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in California.

No. 4 Clemson at Wake Forest (22.5, 47)

* The Tigers have dodged bullets all season but couldn’t avoid the upset last week despite an ACC-record 580 passing yards and three touchdowns from Deshaun Watson. The offense faltered in the fourth quarter, though, as Watson threw an interception that set up a touchdown to pull the Panthers within 42-40 and star running back Wayne Gallman was unable to convert on fourth down to seal the win. The Tigers’ defense has been dominant at times but gave up 464 total yards last week, including a season-high 308 passing yards.

* The Demon Deacons lean on a strong defense and lead the ACC and rank ninth nationally with a plus-nine turnover margin. They limited Louisville star quarterback Lamar Jackson to 298 total yards — 139 below his season average entering the game — and will need a similar performance to slow down Watson. The offense has not come along as quickly as the defense, as quarterback John Wolford has more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five) and the ground game has been inconsistent.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers opened the week as 21.5-point road favorites and the line rose throughout the week to sit at the current number of 22.5. The total opened at 47 and snuck up to 47.5 before settling back at 47.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Demon Deacons are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
* Under is 4-1 in Demon Deacons last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Wake Forest.

Chattanooga at No.1 Alabama (Off,Off)

* The Mocs lost 52-13 against Florida State last season in their most-recent contest against a major program. Junior quarterback Alejandro Bennifield has fared well against FCS competition and has passed for 2,067 yards and 23 touchdown passes while being intercepted just seven times. Senior defensive end Keionta Davis has eight sacks and ranks second in school history with 28 1/2 and the NFL prospect leads a defensive unit allowing 16.9 points and 276.3 yards per game.

* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has exceeded all expectations while passing for 2,003 yards and 15 touchdowns and running for 735 yards and 11 scores. Sophomore running back Damien Harris holds the team rushing lead with 759 yards but has reached the end zone just once as Hurts has thrived when the Crimson Tide get in scoring range. Alabama ranks second in scoring defense (12.2) and total defense (259.5) and leads the nation in rushing defense (68.8) and has received terrific efforts from senior defensive end Jonathan Allen (seven sacks), senior outside linebacker Tim Williams (team-best eight sacks) and senior outside linebacker Ryan Anderson (team-best 14 1/2 tackles for losses).

LINE HISTORY: The lines for this game are currently off the board.

TRENDS:

No trends available

Alabama A&M at No. 9 Auburn (Off,Off)

* Alabama A&M may be coming off its most rousing win of the season, rallying from a 17-0 first-half deficit to hold a seven-point lead in the closing minute against Jackson State. A fumble by the TIgers into the end zone was recovered by Dylan Hamilton, giving the Bulldogs the narrow victory in which they racked up 433 total yards of offense. Alabama A&M will need to have a running attack like it had against Jackson State, when the team rushed for 290 yards and held the ball for 34:57, to have a chance to slow down Auburn this week.

* The Tigers' coaching staff had no idea White had aggravated his shoulder injury against Georgia because he didn't tell them it happened and no one noticed him favoring the arm in the third quarter. They know now though, and White could likely sit out against Alabama A&M to get himself ready for the Iron Bowl a week later. That means either John Franklin III or Jeremy Johnson would start in White's place, with Franklin the likely replacement with 94 passing yards and 319 rushing yards this season.

LINE HISTORY: The lines for this game are currently off the board.

TRENDS:

No trends available

Arizona State at No. 6 Washington (-27, 64.5)

* A bright spot for the Sun Devils continues to be freshman wide receiver N'Keal Harry, who pocketed his first 100-yard receiving game last weekend. Harry finished with a season-high eight catches for 114 yards and also took a lateral pass and turned it into a remarkable 31-yard touchdown run in which he weaved and juked his way through a half dozen defenders. Washington's injuries on defense might hurt them most in the passing game and particularly when Harry's the target.

* The Huskies have one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12 in John Ross, who comes in leading the conference in touchdown receptions (15) and second in receiving yards (896). He's been at his best of late as well, combining for 14 catches for 362 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games and there's no reason to believe he'll slow down against the Sun Devils. Dante Pettis, the other fleet-footed wide receiver for the Huskies, is probably looking to bounce back from a sub-par game against USC in which he caught two passes for 22 yards, a week after snaring three touchdowns against California.

LINE HISTORY: The Huskies opened as 25-point favorites and the line has been steadily moving up all week landing at 27 when this cheat sheet was made. The total started the week at 64.5 and went up half point Thursday before fading back to 64.5 Friday morning.

TRENDS:

* Sun Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 6-1 in Sun Devils last 7 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
* Over is 4-1 in Sun Devils last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Sun Devils are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Washington.
* Favorite is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 14 West Virginia (3.5, 66.5)

* With Mixon (937 yards, six touchdowns) and Perine (575, eight) in and out of the lineup, senior wide receiver and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Dede Westbrook has been a constant with 68 catches for 1,254 yards and 14 TDs - all tops in the Big 12. Mayfield is also putting together an extraordinary season with a 72 percent completion rate - second in the nation - and 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Senior linebacker Jordan Evans recorded nine tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups against Baylor, becoming the first Sooner to record two interceptions and two sacks in a game.

* The Mountaineers put their eight-game home winning streak in the hands of senior quarterback Skyler Howard, who completes 64.5 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while recording a team-high six rushing TDs. Two of his favorite targets are senior wide receiver Daikiel Shorts (14.8 yards per 51 receptions, four touchdowns) and junior wide receiver Shelton Gibson, who averages 20 yards per 35 receptions with six scores. Senior cornerback Rasul Douglas is tied for second in the nation with six interceptions and tied for 21st with 12 passes defended.

LINE HISTORY: The Sooners opened as 3-point road favorites and throughout the week was up and down before settling at 3.5. The total opened at 67 and has been bet down half a point to 66.5.

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in November.
* Under is 4-1 in Sooners last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1 in Mountaineers last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 8-2 in Mountaineers last 10 games in November.

No. 8 Penn State at Rutgers (28, 57)

* McSorley threw for 332 yards – his third 300-yard day of the season - and two TDs and added a third score on the ground against the Hoosiers, and his 15.9 yards per completion is tops in FBS. Barkley leads the Big Ten in rushing (111.3 per game), all-purpose yards (142.1) and total touchdowns (15), and his 13 rushing TDs are the most for a Nittany Lion since Larry Johnson had 20 in 2002. The Lions' much-improved defense surrendered 454 yards to Indiana, but recovered five fumbles, including a nine-yard scoop-and-score by defensive end Torrence Brown.

* It’s been a tough season for Ash, whose troops have been outscored 290-73 in conference contests, including a combined 185-0 by Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. Giovanni Rescigno (52.8 completion percentage, five TDs, five interceptions), who has started the last three games over Chris Laviano (48.3, five TDs, two interceptions), was 6-of-16 for 40 yards and two interceptions against the Spartans. Sophomore linebacker Deonte Roberts picked up a career-high 17 tackles last week and ranks eighth in the conference with 9.1 tackles per Big Ten game.

LINE HISTORY: The Nittany Lions opened as massive 27-point road favorites and that wasn’t enough as the line has been bumped up to 28. The total opened at 57.5 and that line has been faded down one point to 56.5.

TRENDS:

* Nittany Lions are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 conference games.
* Nittany Lions are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 8-2 in Nittany Lions last 10 games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Scarlet Knights last 5 games following a ATS loss.

No. 13 Southern California at UCLA (13.5, 52.5)

* The offensive highlights by the Trojans have definitely out-shined what the defense has accomplished, and no aspect has been more impressive lately than the USC run defense, which has surrendered a combined 102 yards on 57 carries in the last two games. Porter Gustin had two sacks against Washington and the sophomore defensive end continues to be a rising force for the Trojans, and sophomore defensive tackle Rasheem Green contributed a sack and broke up two passes. Another area where USC should have the advantage over the Bruins are specials teams, as the Trojans lead the conference in punt return average and kickoff coverage.

* The Bruins have had a 1,000-yard rusher three of the last four seasons, but may not have a 500-yard rusher in 2016. Soso Jamabo leads the team with 308 rushing yards on 79 carries, but has been handed the ball less than 10 times in six of the last seven games. Bolu Olorunfunmi has 254 yards on the season, and might have the best shot at 500 yards, considering he's coming off his best performance of the season, rushing for 65 yards on eight carries, but even he took a backseat last weekend to Jalen Sparks, who received 10 carries but only turned those into 24 yards.

LINE HISTORY: The Trojans opened as 10.5-road favorites against their crosstown rival and that line has been steadily rising all week resting at 13.5 Friday morning. The total opened at 52 and has been bumped half point to 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Trojans are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Under is 6-0 in Trojans last 6 games overall.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Bruins last 8 games in November.
* Under is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in UCLA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wisconsin Badgers (8-2) at Purdue Boilermakers (3-7)

Date: November 19, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

The concept is simple enough, but the task is far from easy as No. 6 Wisconsin continues pursuit of a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth when it visits Purdue on Saturday (noon ET, ABC) in West Lafayette, Ind.

The Badgers (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten) are No. 7 in the CFP rankings, but the first step is winning the conference's West Division title. They would do so with victories over the Boilermakers on Saturday and Minnesota on Nov. 26.

Next would be the Big Ten championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis and a matchup with Michigan (No. 2 in the CFP rankings), Ohio State (No. 3) or Penn State (No. 8). The CFP committee would be hard-pressed to leave out an 11-2 Wisconsin team, especially if it were to atone for one of its regular-season losses to the Wolverines or Buckeyes and own a seven-game winning streak at that point.

The Badgers benefited from Clemson, Michigan and Washington -- then the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 teams in the CFP rankings -- losing last week, but Wisconsin senior running back Dare Ogunbowale said: "Even if those teams won, we know that if we take care of what we have to take care of, we can be in a good situation.

"We've been doing a good job and coach (Paul) Chryst has been doing a good job of making sure that we stay focused week to week and being in the moment and not worrying about the past or the future."

The task at hand Saturday is facing the Boilermakers, and the Badgers are heavily favored to defeat them for the 11th consecutive time.

Purdue (3-7, 1-6) absorbed its fifth straight loss last week -- a 45-17 thrashing by Northwestern -- and is 0-4 since interim coach Gerad Parker took over for Darrell Hazell, who was fired Oct. 16 after a 49-35 loss to Iowa.

Wisconsin appears to have a decided edge in the running game. The Boilermakers own the second-worst rush defense in the Big Ten, while the Badgers gained a season-high 363 yards on the ground in a 48-3 victory over Illinois last week.

Leading the way for Wisconsin was senior Corey Clement (928 yards, 10 touchdowns this season), who rushed for 123 yards and three scores. Ogunbowale added 103 yards.

Freshman Alex Hornibrook (seven touchdowns, seven interceptions) and senior Bart Houston (four, three) share the duties at quarterback and aren't asked to do much since Wisconsin's winning formula is dominated by running the ball and defense.

The Badgers own the No. 5 rushing defense in the nation and also possess ballhawks in junior safety D'Cota Dixon (team-high four interceptions) and senior safety Leo Musso, who recorded two of Wisconsin's four interceptions last week. Musso and junior cornerback Derrick Tindal each have three picks on the season.

"Leo's meant a tremendous amount to this defense," Badgers senior linebacker Vince Biegel said. "He's a great leader both on and off the field. He's a good person. He's a leader in the defensive back room, and it's nice as a defensive player, as a front seven guy, to have a guy like that behind you to have your back."

Tindal and senior cornerback Sojourn Shelton have 13 passes defended apiece, tied for 11th in the country.

"Teams that turn the ball over or get turnovers have a lot to do with the win and loss outcomes," Shelton said. "Our whole thing in our room is just being stingy. If you give us a chance, we're going to run with it."

Sophomore quarterback David Blough (21 touchdowns, 16 interceptions) needs 79 yards to record the 12th 3,000-yard season in Purdue history. His favorite target is senior wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey, who averages 19.4 yards per 37 receptions with seven touchdowns.

Parker, who was elevated from wide receivers coach, vows to turn things around after the Boilermakers allowed 151 points in their past three games -- 97 after intermission.

"We certainly are not excited or happy with the results of the second half again," Parker said after the Northwestern game. "Right now that is on my watch, and I know the fans are not excited about it. Nobody will take it more personal than I will.

"This is not what the Purdue football program should be, and we certainly have not gotten it done in our own stadium. It's something that will continue to be addressed by me, and we will find ways to finish this thing out."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF Game of the Day: Oklahoma at West Virginia

No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 14 West Virginia Mountaineers (+3.5, 66.5)

The Big 12 hasn't earned must respect from the College Football Playoff committee and rightfully so with Oklahoma losing two of its first three games and Baylor dropping three straight after a 6-0 start. But with a sudden shortage of undefeated and one-loss teams, the winner of Saturday's Big 12 showdown in West Virginia between the No. 8 Sooners and No. 9 Mountaineers could vault itself into the CFP conversation while gaining the inside track to the conference title.

Red-hot Oklahoma, which has won eight straight games, moved up two spots in the CFP rankings to No. 9 while West Virginia is up to 14th. "We're in control of our own destiny right now, and, like I said, it's on to the next one," Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters. "But it's really exciting to go to Morgantown." Oklahoma, which has won all four meetings since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 in 2012, is at full strength as running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine played together for the first time in four games last week and each rushed for 100 yards in a 45-24 victory over Baylor. West Virginia bounced back from its only blemish of the season - a 37-20 loss at Oklahoma State on Oct. 29 - with a pair of victories, including 24-20 at Texas last week.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC.

LINE HISTORY: The Sooners opened as 3-point road favorites and that number has dropped as low as 2.5, before rising to 3.5 and has been sitting there since Thursday. The total hit the board as 67 and has been bet down to 66.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Oklahoma - DT Matthew Romar (questionable, leg), LB Kapri Doucet (questionable, suspension), RB Devin Montgomery (questionable, head)

West Virginia - DL Noble Nwachukwu (probable, leg), DL Xavier Pegues (questionable, shoulder), CB Antonio Crawford (questionable, undisclosed)

WEATHER REPORT: There is a 60 percent chance of light showers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Temperatures will be in the high 30’s with gusty winds from the west ranging from 10-20 mph.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "This game is a matchup of strength vs. strength. West Virginia is the better defensive team as a home underdog in this game, but Oklahoma has a substantial offensive edge. The Mountaineers are allowing just 20.6 points per game on 5.3 yards per play (versus opponents that average 32.4 ppg and 6.0 yppl). They will now be facing a strong Oklahoma offense that averages 44.2 points per game on 7.6 yards per play this season (versus opponents that allow 29.9 ppg and 5.7 yppl)." - Steve Merril

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (8-2 SU, 4-6 ATS, 5-5 O/U): With Mixon (937 yards, six touchdowns) and Perine (575, eight) in and out of the lineup, senior wide receiver and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Dede Westbrook has been a constant with 68 catches for 1,254 yards and 14 TDs - all tops in the Big 12. Mayfield is also putting together an extraordinary season with a 72 percent completion rate - second in the nation - and 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Senior linebacker Jordan Evans recorded nine tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups against Baylor, becoming the first Sooner to record two interceptions and two sacks in a game.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (8-1 SU, 4-5 ATS, 3-6 O/U): The Mountaineers put their eight-game home winning streak in the hands of senior quarterback Skyler Howard, who completes 64.5 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions while recording a team-high six rushing TDs. Two of his favorite targets are senior wide receiver Daikiel Shorts (14.8 yards per 51 receptions, four touchdowns) and junior wide receiver Shelton Gibson, who averages 20 yards per 35 receptions with six scores. Senior cornerback Rasul Douglas is tied for second in the nation with six interceptions and tied for 21st with 12 passes defended.

TRENDS:

* Sooners are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
* Sooners are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 4-1 in Sooners last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 9-1 in Mountaineers last 10 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 8-2 in Mountaineers last 10 games in November.

CONSENSUS: 57 percent are taking the road favorite while 67 percent favor the over in this battle of top 25 teams.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (5-5) at Texas A&M Aggies (7-3)

Date: November 19, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

Texas A&M, which only two weeks ago held the coveted No. 4 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, will try to bounce back from back-to-back upset losses when it hosts Texas-San Antonio in a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon (noon ET, ESPNU) at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

The No. 23 Aggies (7-3, 4-3 SEC West) have struggled in November under head coach Kevin Sumlin, who is now squarely on the hot seat after losing at unranked Mississippi State 35-28 and blowing a 15-point lead in the final 15 minutes last week in a 29-28 home loss to Ole Miss 29-28.

"That was one of the toughest losses I've ever been around," Aggies defensive coordinator John Chavis said Tuesday.

Not only have Texas A&M's CFP chances evaporated, the chances of even playing in a major bowl game is now in serious jeopardy.

The Aggies lost starting quarterback Trevor Knight (shoulder) for the season against the Bulldogs and play-making free safety Armani Watts against the Rebels. And star defensive end Myles Garrett, considered the potential No. 1 overall pick in next spring's NFL draft, also has been slowed by leg and ankle injuries. He had just one tackle against Ole Miss but is expected to play Saturday.

"There's nobody in this building that are happy about the last two weeks," Sumlin said in his weekly Tuesday press conference. "There's no way you can be. Those are two games we wanted to win, two games -- where we were headed and what was at stake -- were big games."

Texas A&M is now just 4-8 in its last 12 games in November with three of the wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Western Carolina and Vanderbilt. But the Aggies still have a chance to gain momentum going into the off-season and even finish with a 10-3 record if they can win their final three games (counting the bowl).

First up is an interesting contest against a UTSA program on the rise on Saturday in College Station, Texas. A win over the Roadrunners would give Texas A&M some much needed confidence heading into the regular-season finale at home versus LSU.

"When it's all said and done, depending on what happens in these next two games, says a lot about where this team is going to be," Sumlin said.

UTSA is finishing up a three-game road trip that started with a 45-25 win over Middle Tennessee and included a 63-35 loss at Louisiana Tech in a Conference USA West Division showdown for first place.

The Roadrunners have never defeated a nationally ranked team in five tries, the most recent a 69-14 loss at No. 25 Oklahoma State last season. UTSA did give a respectable Pac-12 opponent, Arizona State, a tussle earlier this season at home before losing 32-28.

"Those guys have gotten loose last couple of games." Sumlin said. "Gone for quite a bit of yardage. Can really, really run."

UTSA averages 170.4 yards rushing per game, which ranks 71st nationally. Sophomore Jalen Rhodes (70.9) and senior Jarveon Williams (67.5) have each scored eight touchdowns and combine for an average of 138.4 yards per game on the ground.

Junior quarterback Jake Hubenak had a decent outing in his first full game as the starter for Texas A&M against Ole Miss. He completed 16 of 27 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns and one interception and hit Christian Kirk for a 69-yard gain to set up the Aggies' first touchdown. Hubenka also threw TD passes of 1 yard to Speedy Noil and 13 yards to Josh Reynolds. However, other than the long pass to Kirk, he managed only 144 passing yards, less than six yards per attempt.

Without Knight's presence as a running threat, Texas A&M didn't establish a strong running game against Mississippi, finishing the day with 129 rushing yards. Running back Trayveon Willliams led the Aggies with 72 yards and now needs 124 yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

"Injuries are not excuse in this league at this point in year," Sumlin said. "Got to be more creative with what we're doing. Last game, without the presence of Trevor, we were getting a different defense, where maybe we have to block everybody instead of reading one or two guys. It changes some things schematically but we still have to be who we are. Haven't been that team last few games."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oklahoma State Cowboys (8-2) at TCU Horned Frogs (5-4)

Date: November 19, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

Thirteenth-ranked Oklahoma State controls its own destiny heading into their final two games of Big 12 Conference play. But the road to a Big 12 championship still has two potentially very big potholes to navigate starting with Saturday afternoon's contest at well-rested TCU (Noon ET, Fox Sports 1).

Get past Gary Patterson's Horned Frogs, who have had two weeks to prepare after delivering a 62-22 spanking of Baylor in Waco, and the Cowboys (8-2, 6-1 Big 12) could play for all the marbles against Bedlam rival Oklahoma (8-2, 7-0) on Dec. 3 in Norman provided the Sooners defeat West Virginia on Saturday.

Not bad for a team that was pretty much written off following a 2-2 start that included a very controversial 30-27 home loss to Central Michigan on Sept. 10 and a 35-24 defeat at Baylor to open Big 12 play.

Oklahoma State has rattled off six consecutive victories since, including a 43-37 upset of No. 10 West Virginia on Oct. 29. The Cowboys come into this one off a wild 45-44 home victory over Texas Tech last week.

"Each week I talk to them about the importance of focus, and fortunately, we've had big wins, and whether you have a big win or you have a loss you're not happy with, you have to re-focus on Sunday," OklahomaState coach Mike Gundy said. "We're not good enough to even look past tomorrow's practice, and TCU, in my opinion, is a considerably different team than they were even three weeks ago."

The Horned Frogs (5-4, 3-3), who were a combined 23-3 over the past two seasons, are attempting to become bowl-eligible and must win one of their final three games to do so. After hosting the Cowboys, Gary Patterson's squad plays at Texas (5-5) and ends the season with a home game against Kansas State (5-4).

"We're excited about the challenges," junior weak safety Nick Orr told reporters. "We know we've got some tough teams in the next three games and we're trying to become bowl-eligible. We know it's going to be a tough task, but I feel like we can get it done."

Although one victory makes TCU bowl-eligible, the Horned Frogs need two wins to assure a winning campaign. TCU has experienced only one losing season over the past 11 years -- that coming in 2013 in its second season in the Big 12.

The Horned Frogs are coming off a bye and that qualifies as good timing for junior running back Kyle Hicks.

Hicks injured his left ankle against Texas Tech on Oct. 29 and played the following Saturday against Baylor despite not practicing all week due to soreness. He sure wasn't affected on game day as he rushed for a career-high 192 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-22 trouncing of the Bears.

The week off gave Hicks a chance to heal up and coach Gary Patterson said Monday that Hicks is running at "full speed."

Having Hicks healthy down the stretch is crucial for the Horned Frogs as he leads the squad with 789 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns (12 rushing, two receiving). He also is tied for the team lead with 33 receptions.

Hicks presents an entirely defensive challenge for the Cowboys than they faced last week in edging pass-happy Texas Tech.

While the 45-44 victory did not reflect a great defensive performance, the Red Raiders were limited to a pedestrian (for them) 389 total yards as the Cowboys removed a down lineman and lined up in a 3-3-5 scheme. The change confused Tech into three three-and-outs to begin the game.

"It got us a few series," said defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer, "then after that it's just great players making great plays."

Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was still magnificent at times throwing for 344 yards but had just one connection for 30-plus yards.

Among those who surfaced as playmakers for the Cowboys were sophomore linebacker Justin Phillips, who started in place of injured Chad Whitener and led Oklahoma State in tackles, and cornerback A.J. Green, a freshman pressed into fourth-quarter duty.

All but two of the wins the Cowboys have recorded during current six-game streak were by single digits.

"No fear, no frustration and no fatigue is what we talk about," Gundy said. "Truthfully I talk to the players about the core values and the accountability we have in our program. I wish I could give you the Xs and Os, or say that I could give a Vince Lombardi pregame and halftime speech. I think it's the overall concept of our program."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indiana Hoosiers (5-5) at Michigan Wolverines (9-1)

Date: November 19, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

One report claims Wilton Speight broke his left collarbone and is done for the season.

Another states the Michigan sophomore quarterback is week-to-week.

As for coach Jim Harbaugh, he says his star signal caller is questionable when the No. 4 Wolverines host Indiana in Big Ten play on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Speight suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of last Saturday's 14-13 loss to Iowa. News of the injury began circulating on Monday, but Harbaugh declined to confirm the seriousness of the injury or discuss any other details related to Speight.

Harbaugh was a little more forthcoming Tuesday during a Big Ten teleconference, but he still refused to confirm whether the collarbone is broken.

"I never really get into that talk; I'm not a doctor," Harbaugh said. "I'd hate to be the third person talking about these things. He remains questionable for Saturday and we'll reevaluate after that."

Speight isn't practicing this week and all indications point to junior John O'Korn drawing the start against the Hoosiers (5-5, 3-4).

O'Korn has previous starting experience at Houston and waged a tight battle for Michigan's starting job before being beaten out by Speight during fall camp.

O'Korn passed for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions as a freshman in 2013. He lost the starting gig at Houston the following season when he passed for 951 yards and six touchdowns against eight interceptions.

He sat out last season as a transfer and has served in the mop-up role this season. O'Korn has completed 13 of 18 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, but the offensive players have seen enough of him in practice sessions to feel he will be more than a capable fill-in.

"If John's number is called, we're fully confident in him; we've seen what he can do since he got here," senior tight end Jake Butt said. "He's been a hard worker, a great note taker, a great leader and he's got everything you need to get the job done."

O'Korn also will be stepping into a must-win situation. The Wolverines (9-1, 6-1) have no margin for error after the loss to Iowa.

After the Indiana contest, Michigan will face what is basically an elimination game in terms of the national championship picture when it plays Ohio State.

"All we can do is control the future, and so that's the only thing we're focused on," senior safety Dymonte Thomas told reporters. "It allows us to see how strong we really are. This allows us to see how we're going to bounce back and respond.

"Every team is going to face adversity throughout the season. So, the best teams are the ones who can overcome adversity."

Indiana certainly doesn't have the greatest timing to have to visit Ann Arbor one week after Michigan's pivotal loss.

Making matters worse: The Hoosiers have lost 20 straight games against the Wolverines. In fact, Indiana has won just once (in 1987) in the past 36 meetings.

"We've got a great challenge, great opportunity," Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said. "I know the kids are looking forward to it. It will be a big week as we move into this one."

The Hoosiers had a chance at an upset last Saturday against No. 10 Penn State but let a 10-point, third-quarter lead get away and allowed 31 points in the final 16-plus minutes to fall 45-31.

Junior running back Devine Redding rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns while notching his fifth 100-yard outing of the season. Redding has 901 yards and five scores.

Junior quarterback Richard Lagow has been turnover-prone, with 13 interceptions, while passing for 2,866 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Defensively, the Hoosiers allow 28.4 points per game. Junior middle linebacker Tegray Scales has a team-leading 94 tackles and is tied with sophomore defensive end Nile Sykes for the team lead with four sacks.

The Wolverines continue to lead the nation in scoring defense (11 points per game), total defense (244.7 yards per game) and passing defense (131.6). Michigan is also sturdy against the run, ranking 13th nationally (113.1).

Sophomore outside linebacker Jabrill Peppers has spurred the season-long domination and has a team-best 14 tackles for loss. Cornerback Channing Stribling has a team-leading four interceptions.

Michigan will be looking to bounce back from the Iowa loss, but the Hoosiers feel they are in a similar predicament after missing out on the upset against Penn State.

"We get another shot to go up north and play another, great Top 10 team," senior guard Jacob Bailey said. "We have a chance to redeem ourselves. We have a second chance, and those do not come around often in life."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Florida State Seminoles (7-3) at Syracuse Orange (4-6)

Date: November 19, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher's week started with some good news.

Both defensive end DeMarcus Walker and quarterback Deondre Francois are expected to be in action when the Seminoles play at Syracuse on Saturday. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Carrier Dome with the game featured in a split telecast between ABC and ESPN2.

Walker leads the No. 17 Seminoles (7-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) with 11 sacks, an average of 1.1 per game that ranks in a tie for third in the country. He was seen wearing a protective boot near the end of last week's win over Boston College, but he is expected to play against the unranked Orange (4-6, 2-4 ACC).

Francois, who is passing for 267.5 yards a game, sat out the fourth quarter to protect a shoulder injury, but Fisher said the redshirt freshman could have played if needed. Obviously, he wasn't needed over the final 15 minutes of the 45-7 rout of the Eagles.

But tempering the good news: Defensive back Derwin James has finally been ruled out for the rest of the season. He hasn't played since injuring his knee in the second game of the season.

Fisher also noted one other lineup change for this week. Junior Rich Leonard, who started the first four games, will be back at right tackle after sophomore Brock Ruble, who started the past six outings, sustained a groin injury against Boston College.

"Once he got going in the game, he picked up two or three really nice twists," Fisher said of Leonard. "Played physical. Did a nice job."

The injury report on the other side isn't as optimistic.

Orange quarterback Eric Dungey, who sat out last week's loss to North Carolina State after sustaining an injury to his head or upper body against Clemson a week earlier, is considered doubtful. Coach Dino Babers seems to be taking things in stride.

"As a football coach and as a football player, that stuff happens all the time," Babers said. "Guys get hurt. That's what makes our game so unpredictable, and it's also the thing that makes our game so cool. ... You do get an opportunity to hit a star."

He compared that to basketball with "untouchable" superstars such as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

"In basketball, you don't get to touch Michael Jordan or you get in trouble," he said. "You get in trouble if you touch Magic. In football, you get to touch them as long as you play within the rules.

"As a football player, guys get hurt and guys come back, and we embrace the ideal of finding a way to find the next man to step up."

In this instance, that would be Zack Mahoney. The junior didn't put up big numbers last week against N.C. State -- he completed 14 of 25 passes for 190 yards, a little over 100 yards fewer than Dungey is averaging a game -- but he wasn't helped by an anemic running game that produced just 28 yards.

"It's not Zack's job to play like Eric, although if he wants to, I'm all for it," Babers said. "What we expect is for the other 21 guys to elevate their game so that Zack can play under control and we still have an opportunity to win."

Mahoney did show the ability to throw the ball down the field but will have to rely on the offensive line to give him time to do so if he does start. That is no easy task. The Seminoles have 33 sacks for the year.

"We would all love to have Eric, but the next guy has to step up, and that's exactly what Zack did (Saturday)," Syracuse running back Dontae Strickland said. "He did what he had to do, and offensively we didn't put up the numbers we usually do, but it's different with a different team captain on the field. But we'll come back next week, so we just have to improve."

One thing to watch for: Florida State running back Dalvin Cook goes into the game needing just 19 yards to become the program's all-time leading rusher. The junior has run for 1,242 yards this year, giving him 1,941 for his career. Warrick Dunn is the all-time leader with 1,959 yards from 1993-96.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Washington State Cougars (8-2) at Colorado Buffaloes (8-2)

Date: November 19, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

When Washington State plays at Colorado on Saturday, it will be battle of Pac-12 division leaders.

Nobody saw that coming.

The 12th-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Pac-12) are the most surprising team in the country, considering they were picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South in a vote of league media and had only five conference victories in their first five seasons in the league.

Washington State (8-2, 7-0) opened the season with a home loss to lower-division Eastern Washington and a defeat at Boise State. The Cougars have since ripped off eight consecutive victories -- their longest streak since 1930 and the second-longest streak in the nation behind Alabama (22).

Two years ago, Colorado and Washington State finished last in their respective divisions. Now, this game -- kicking off at 3:30 p.m. ET from Boulder, Colo. (Fox TV) -- is the biggest in the Pac-12.

"Isn't that great," said Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre.

"It is exciting for both teams. It is exciting for Washington State and Mike Leach and it is exciting for the University of Colorado and our staff. I am so excited for our fans. This is a special time in Colorado football."

Colorado is one game up in the loss column on USC and Utah, the only other teams that can win the South.

The Buffaloes likely have to win their final two games against ranked opponents to take the title and advance to the conference championship game. The Buffs finish the regular season at home against No. 11 Utah.

Washington State's division-tile hopes will likely come down to next week's Apple Cup game against seventh-ranked Washington, which is one game back of the Cougars. WSU will have to navigate its tough final two regular-season games without senior wide receiver River Cracraft.

His college career is over after he tore his left ACL in last week's 56-21 win over California. He and fellow senior Gabe Marks are the only duo in Pac-12 history to each have 200 career catches at the same time.

"He's a great player," coach Mike Leach said of Cracraft. "He contributed early in his career, which I thought was impressive."

Washington State junior quarterback Luke Falk is second nationally with 361.0 passing yards per game, directing Leach's Air Raid attack. Falk last week set a school record with his 23rd career 300-yard game.

Marks set the Pac-12 career receptions record last week; he has 295.

Colorado counters with the best pass defense in the Pac-12, allowing 176.9 yards per game through the air. Opponents are completing just 50.9 percent of their passes, the best mark in the conference.

But this WSU team also has balance, able to run the ball when the opportunity presents itself. Behind Gerard Wicks (career-high 128 yards) and James Williams (80 yards), the Cougars ran for 254 yards on 31 carries last week against Cal, their highest total in Leach's five seasons as head coach.

"It helps a lot," Marks said of the run game.

"I don't like to admit it sometimes, because the run game affects my life. But it has affected my life in a good way now. Back in the day, we'd just run it and nothing would get done, and it was like don't run it. Just throw me the ball. ...

"Balance is good. We've got some good balance right now."

Colorado is solid and balanced, too.

Senior Sefo Liufau, who set a school record last week with his 36th career start at quarterback, rarely makes a killer mistake. He recently had a streak of 152 passes without an interception.

The Buffs can run the ball (204.7 yards per game) behind tailback Phillip Lindsay. They can stop the run (131.5 yards per game).

They have forced a turnover in a national-best 23 consecutive games and are tied for 18th in turnover margin at 0.7 per game.

Bottom line: They Buffs don't beat themselves. Their only losses this season came at Michigan (they were leading when Liufau left with an injury) and at USC.

And, so, Saturday will mark the biggest home game of Colorado's tenure in the Pac-12.

"Giving people something to believe in has always been a part of this season," wide receiver Shay Fields said on the team's website. "Folsom the last couple of years hasn't been that packed. But since we won those first three, the fans have been outstanding. They've gotten the feeling that CU is back and that's exciting."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maryland Terrapins (5-5) at Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2)

Date: November 19, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

The Maryland Terrapins and Nebraska Cornhuskers have something in common, but it's not something either team wants to remember.

Two weeks ago, Ohio State took the Cornhuskers to the woodshed on national TV and won 62-3. Last week, it was the Terrapins' turn to be shelled by the Buckeyes, and by the exact 62-3 score.

Nebraska (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten), which was ranked No. 10 at the time and currently sit at No. 19, has had a week to recover and did so on the arm and legs of senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. in a 24-17 win over Minnesota in Lincoln, Neb.

Maryland (5-5, 2-5) will have to put last week's loss in the deep recesses of its collective memory pretty quickly when it heads to Lincoln on Saturday for a noon game at venerable Memorial Stadium, where the crazed-Husker Nation has sold out 353 straight games dating to when JFK was president (Nov. 2, 1962).

Maryland has lost five of its last six games and the Terrapins need one more victory to become bowl eligible. With their final regular season game against lowly Rutgers next week, Maryland does have some room for error, but not much.

"There's a lot to play for our guys in this season," first year Maryland head coach DJ Durkin said. "We've had some really good moments in this season. There have been some great things that have gone on. ... We just have to focus back in on what we've done to be successful and how we've done it. I think our guys will do that."

The Cornhuskers also have had some really good moments in Mike Riley's second season in Lincoln. After going 6-7 in his first season, the Cornhuskers won their first seven games before losing to Wisconsin in overtime and then came the Buckeyes.

And the one thing that Riley has learned it's the Cornhuskers go as their senior quarterback goes. And on Saturday, Armstrong will play before the home crowd for the final time on Senior Day -- if he's healthy.

For the second straight week, Armstrong is more than a little dinged up with an ankle and hamstring injuries.

"I think his ankle is OK," Reilly said Monday. "If it was his ankle, we wouldn't have to worry about him in the next game. The hamstring is one of those mysterious things depending on really how it feels and then if indeed he could practice as we go through the week, how it lasts. He's limping pretty heavily."

Armstrong was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his gutty performance against the Golden Gophers. Coming off the Ohio State game where he was knocked out and sent to the hospital, his status against Minnesota was uncertain.

But play he did, to the tune of 278 yards of total offense. He threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns and his 13-yard scamper with 7:17 remaining was the difference. With that last score, Armstrong moved into a tie with Eric Crouch for the most total touchdowns (90) in school history.

"Can I imagine him not playing? I don't want to," Riley said. "It's Senior Day. All those parts. He's had a terrific career here at Nebraska. (But) part of this thing is biology, and the hamstring is a hard one."

If Armstrong can't go, senior Ryker Fyfe will get the call. Fyfe has completed 7 of 24 passes this year for 93 yards.

If Armstrong is able to play, he will have plenty of company on Senior Day as 27 others will be playing their final home game. Also being honored will be punter Sam Foltz, who was killed in a car crash before the season started. Foltz's family will be recognized in pregame activities.

Without Armstrong, the Cornhuskers' task becomes much more challenging.

Maryland is dealing with its own quarterback question as senior starting quarterback Perry Hills' status for this weekend unclear.

Hills injured his right shoulder in a 59-3 loss to Michigan and then last week injured his left shoulder and went to the sideline in the first quarter.

"Credit to him and his toughness. He's a fighter," Durkin said. "There are a lot of guys that probably wouldn't have even been back in there at this point. Our offense runs a lot better when Perry's in there. When he's been healthy our offense has been pretty effective. Even last week, it didn't equate to points, but we moved the ball really well when he was in the game."

The Terrapins' running attack has drawn Riley's attention and while the Blackshirts defense has played well in every game but the Ohio State game, Maryland's offense will test Nebraska.

Ty Johnson leads Maryland with 656 yards on the ground in 77 carries, an 8.5 per carry average, and four touchdowns. Lorenzo Harrison is close behind with 633 yards on 88 carries (7.2 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

"We are playing a Maryland team that runs a spread offense, a lot of zone read stuff. They're the third-ranked running team in the conference," Riley said, adding the defense is particularly wary of wide receivers Levern Jacobs and DJ Moore.

Nebraska safety Kieron Williams said that the success the defense had against Minnesota hopefully will carry over to the Maryland game. The Golden Gophers, who had hopes of winning the Big Ten West Division, were held to 265 total yards of offense. Nebraska shut down the run game, holding Minnesota to 85 yards on 34 carries (2.5 per attempt).

"We're going to just try to look at Maryland now and see which ways they try to attack us. I think our coaches did a great job game-planning last week, which put us in the right positions to be able to make those plays and to hold them to that amount of rushing yards."

Nebraska has a chance to finish the season undefeated at home for only the second time in the past 15 years. A victory against the Terrapins would give Nebraska its 50th nine-win season in school history and probably ensure a Jan. 1 bowl game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Buffalo Bulls (2-8) at Western Michigan Broncos (10-0)

Date: November 19, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

Zach Terrell is enjoying the perks of being the quarterback of an undefeated college football team.

Terrell walked into a graduate-level class at Western Michigan and was greeted by a throng of supporters.

"Grown men and women gave me a standing ovation," he said. "Not that I'm deserving, but that was just like, 'Wow!' We've got vice presidents and people in major organizations clapping for a 22-year-old kid that has never worked a day in his life. That was pretty special."

The 14th-ranked Broncos (10-0 overall, 6-0 Mid-American Conference), one of two remaining unbeaten FBS teams, will try to keep their fans happy when they host Buffalo (2-8, 1-5) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU). As an added treat, ESPN's College Gameday show will hold its broadcast at the Kalamazoo, Mich., campus, a rarity for a Mid-American Conference program.

"We don't take that lightly," Terrell said. "We're proud to have them here. For us football players, it's a dream come true. I know it was on my bucket list to go to a College Gameday. Well, College Gameday came to me."

Terrell has entered the Heisman Trophy discussion with his 23-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and his 70.3 percent completion rate. But the Broncos needed to rely on their ground game in sloppy conditions in their 37-21 Election Night victory over Kent State.

Jarvion Franklin carried 31 times for 134 yards and a touchdown, while Fabian Johnson rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries and another score as Western Michigan rallied from an early 14-0 deficit.

The Broncos also have another quality running back in Jamauri Bogan, who missed the Kent State game with an injury but has 589 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

"They've got a lot of backs that are playing well," Buffalo coach Lance Leipold said. "Each one has a little bit different in their game. Franklin's a great package of speed and power, a bigger back. Bogan has excellent speed, and they make great decisions. They see something, it's one cut and get up the field and make things happen."

The Bulls are coming off a 35-24 loss to Miami of Ohio. Quarterback Tyree Jackson suffered a right leg injury in that game and Leipold said Jackson is questionable to play on Saturday. If he can't go, Grant Rohach will get the start.

Leipold expects his team to be fired up, no matter who is behind the center.

"We're disappointed how things have gone to this point," he said. "I think it's an outstanding opportunity to play an undefeated team and all the things that are happening there. It's a monumental kind of task but one we should embrace. It's one that we need to embrace and soak up as much as we can as we try to put ourselves in that position."

The Broncos finish their regular season against Toledo, the second-place team in the MAC West Division. But Terrell knows the Bulls could be dangerous if his team looks ahead to that showdown.

"We were in that position a few years ago," he said. "They have nothing to lose. They're going to come out and give us everything they've got."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1) at Michigan State Spartans (3-7)

Date: November 19, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

Ohio State could wind up ranked No. 2 in the country at the end of the season and not make its conference championship game.

The Buckeyes lost control of their destiny last Saturday not because of what they did on the field in their second consecutive 62-3 victory but as a result of Michigan's loss at Iowa.

The Wolverines' first setback this season pushed them into a three-way tie with Ohio State and Penn State atop the Big Ten East Division.

What the season comes down to is this: If the Buckeyes win their final two games, against Michigan State on Saturday (noon ET, ESPN) and Michigan the following week, they'll need the Nittany Lions to lose one of their final two games against Rutgers and Michigan State to secure a spot in Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game.

If Michigan had remained undefeated entering its annual showdown with Ohio State and then lost to the Buckeyes, it would have created a three-way tie atop the standings, assuming Penn State wins out. The tiebreaker scenario in that case would have favored Ohio State.

Michigan, meanwhile, still controls its fate. Penn State, by virtue of an upset of Ohio State, has the next-best chance of going to Indianapolis.

So, for the second straight year, Ohio State could ultimately end up being the best team in the Big Ten at the end of the season and not make the conference title game.

The question then becomes: Would a one-loss Ohio State team that didn't win its conference championship still land one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff?

"I see it like this: If we win out all our games, Big Ten championship or not, you're not going to put us in?" Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett asked. "Like you're going to leave Ohio State out? That doesn't make sense to me."

The answers will be provided in the next three weeks. In the meantime, all the Buckeyes (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) can do is prepare for Saturday's visit to East Lansing to take on the struggling Spartans (3-7, 1-6), who entered the week as 24-point underdogs.

"November's here and we have a big one coming," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.

Entering the season, Saturday's matchup against Michigan State was one of the games circled on the calendar as a potential blockbuster. But the Spartans, after winning the Big Ten championship a year ago, limp into the game with just one conference win, which finally came last Saturday when they ended a seven-game losing streak with a 49-0 victory over Rutgers.

"We've come to play every single football game, so it's unfortunate where we're at," said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, a former Ohio State assistant. "But you can't look past it. You can't look backward here; you have to look to the future. Ohio State is a big game for us, for this program, and always has been. A lot of guys from Ohio, so it's a special game in that respect."

All that's left for Michigan State now is the chance to impact the Big Ten East race in their final two games against Big Ten East co-leaders Ohio State and Penn State. A win Saturday would be a stunner, but the Spartans weren't expected to win last year in Columbus.

"We have reasons to play, even if it's in a spoiler fashion," Dantonio said. "There are possibilities as we go forward. And I think that as we look at who we're playing -- two very good football teams, two Top 10 football teams -- we've got our work cut out for us as we always do. But we've got every reason to play."

Ohio State shouldn't have any problems getting hyped for this one, knowing what's at stake as far as their championship hopes. The Buckeyes undoubtedly will also remember the pain of their only loss last year, when Michigan State spoiled a perfect season with an upset on the last play of the game in the rain in Columbus.

As the Buckeyes left the field last Saturday in College Park, Md., hours before Michigan stumbled at Iowa, they were feeling good about their performance against Maryland and thinking about avenging the 2015 loss to Michigan State.

"There's a little bit of human element that comes into the game, especially with them ruining senior night for us last year and ruining the season we were supposed to have last year," Ohio State guard Billy Price said. "It's in the back of your head, absolutely."

Ohio State appears to have ironed out issues on offense since the Oct. 22 loss at Penn State, outscoring Nebraska and Maryland 124-3 in the last two games.

There's more of a concerted effort to get the ball in H-back Curtis Samuel's hands. He has game-breaking talent -- he is the only FBS player with at least 600 yards rushing (637) and receiving (750), and he has 13 touchdowns (seven rushing, six receiving).

"He just knows how to make a play," Buckeyes cornerback Marshon Lattimore said. "He knows how to go out there and do what he has to do to put us in a position to win. I love when he touches the ball."