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CFL Betting Recap - Week 16
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites went 4-0 straight up in Week 16
-- Favorites went 3-1 ATS in Week 16
-- Home teams posted a 4-0 SU record in Week 16
-- Home teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 16
-- The over/under went 2-2 in Week 16

Team Betting Notes

-- Another week, another loss for Winnipeg (6-9). They're now 1-8 SU and 2-7 ATS over the past nine games after starting out 5-1 SU/ATS and actually sharing first place in the West Division at one point.

-- BCLions (8-7) got back on track with a 41-3 pasting of expansion Ottawa (2-12). The big trend for BC lately is the 'under', which has cashed in seven of the past eight games, and is 12-3 overall.

-- Edmonton (10-5) rebounded with a win over the Blue Bombers, and they have now covered five straight games after starting out 5-5 ATS in the first 10 games.

-- After starting the season 1-7 SU/2-6 ATS, Montreal (6-8) is suddenly on a roll. They have won five out of the past six, going 5-1 ATS during the span.

-- Saskatchewan (9-6) was smashed for the third straight games. They have now failed to cover in five straight games.

-- Toronto (6-8) has rattled off three straight wins to get into the thick of the East Division race. However, they have failed to cover back-to-back games since their cover Sept. 19 at BC. The 'over' has cashed in four straight for the Argos.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 17
By David Schwab

Toronto outlasted Hamilton 34-33 as a four-point home favorite to kickoff Week 16 in the CFL with the total going OVER the 52-point closing line, but lopsided blowouts were the story in the rest of the games.

British Columbia rolled to a 41-3 victory over Ottawa this past Saturday as a 10-point home favorite with the total just staying UNDER the 45-point betting line.

The Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday featured two Monday games starting with Montreal’s 40-9 rout of Saskatchewan as a three-point favorite at home. The total in that contest went OVER the 46-point line. Monday’s other game saw Edmonton roll to a 41-9 victory against Winnipeg as a nine-point home favorite. The total in that game stayed just UNDER the 50 ½-point closing line.

Friday, Oct. 17

Ottawa (2-12 SU, 5-9 ATS) at Hamilton (6-8 SU, 6-8 ATS)

Point-spread: Hamilton -13
Total: 45

Game Overview

Ottawa’s 42-point outburst in a Week 15 victory against Winnipeg was apparently just an illusion as last week’s three points against BC was the sixth time the RedBlacks failed to score more than 10 points in their last eight games. They are still 3-2 against the spread in their last five games.

The Tiger-Cats now find themselves in a three-way tie with Montreal and Toronto for first place in the East Division race after their four-game straight-up winning streak was snapped. Quarterback Zach Collaros continues to light things up with 302 yards passing and 65 yards on the ground in last week’s loss to the Argonauts.

Betting Trends

Hamilton won the first meeting this season 33-23 as a seven-point home favorite. The total in that game went OVER the 47-point closing line. Ottawa is 1-6 ATS this season on the road, but Hamilton is just 2-5 ATS as a favorite.

Saturday, Oct. 18

Montreal (6-8 SU, 7-7 ATS) at Toronto (6-8 SU, 6-8 ATS)

Point-spread: Toronto -4
Total: 52

Game Overview

The Alouettes extended their current winning streak to three games both SU and ATS with last week’s victory and they are now 5-1 both ways in their last six games. The once anemic Montreal offense has averaged 26.7 points per game during this six-game run. Jonathan Crompton threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Roughriders.

Toronto appears poised to make a run at a second-straight East title with three-straight wins as well. This run followed a four-game SU skid and over the course of the seven games the Argonauts have also gone 3-4 ATS. The total has gone OVER in their last four games with the offense putting-up at least 33 points in each of those outings.

Betting Trends

Montreal is 2-4 ATS in its last six games against Toronto overall, but it remains a perfect 5-0 ATS in its last five road games against the Argonauts. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 10 meetings.

Calgary (12-2 SU, 10-4 ATS) at Winnipeg (6-9 SU, 7-8 ATS)

Point-spread: Calgary -9
Total: 49

Game Overview

Calgary was able to clinch a playoff spot while on a bye this week, but it realizes a win this Saturday would go a long way towards clinching the West Division title. The Stampeders remain the most consistent team in the CFL with an offense that is averaging 28 points a game complementing a defense that is ranked first in the league in average points allowed (18.8).

The Blue Bombers are in a complete nose dive with a SU six-game losing streak and a costly 1-5 mark ATS during this slide. Their defense has now allowed 30 points or more in four of those losses and the offense has all but ground to a halt with an average of just 12.3 points over their last four games.

Betting Trends

The Stampeders have won the last five meetings SU, but it is just 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight games played in Winnipeg. The total has gone OVER in five of the last six meetings at Investors Group Field.

Sunday, Oct. 19

Edmonton (10-5 SU, 10-5 ATS) at Saskatchewan (9-6 SU, 6-9 ATS)

Point-spread: Edmonton -3 ½
Total: 48 ½

Game Overview

Edmonton assured itself a spot in the postseason with last week’s win, but it still has its sights set on the West Division title after posting three SU wins in its last five games. Anyone betting on the Eskimos over the past month or so have been rewarded with a 5-0 mark ATS. Slotback Adarius Bowman is having a season for the ages with 101 receptions for 1,241 yards and six touchdowns.

The loss of quarterback Darian Durant continues to plague the Roughriders, who have now dropped four of their last five games SU. Despite this slide, they have also clinched a playoff spot as a potential crossover team given the poor overall records in the East. Saskatchewan has been a drain on the bankroll during this slide with a 0-5 record ATS.

Betting Trends

The Eskimos have lost 13 of its last 18 road games SU against Saskatchewan in this West Division rivalry, but they have covered ATS in six of the last seven meetings overall. The total has gone OVER in 11 of their last 15 road games against the Roughriders.

CFL Week 17 Betting Preview and Trends
By Mike Pickett

The battle for top spot in the East remains tight heading into Week 17 of the season with each of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts, and Montreal Alouettes having designs on first place in the division with just four weeks left in the season.

Ottawa at Hamilton

Last 10 Meetings: Hamilton 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS | OU 1-0

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be looking for another win and cover against the expansion Ottawa RedBlacks as those two Eastern teams meet for the second time this season on Friday night. The Tiger-Cats got past the RedBlacks by a score of 33-23 as a 6.5-point home favorite in their first meeting on July 26, turning in an OVER result for totals bettors. The Tiger-Cats continue to battle for top spot in the Eastern standings, while the RedBlacks head into the matchup a CFL-worst 2-12 SU and 5-9 ATS.

Montreal at Toronto

Last 10 Meetings: Toronto 5-5 SU, 6-4 ATS | OU 1-9

The OVER has only paid out once in the last 10 games between the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes as those teams hit the gridiron together on Saturday afternoon. The Argonauts blasted the Alouettes in their first meeting of the season back on August 1, winning 31-5 as a 2-point road underdog in a game that fell UNDER the posted total of 50.5 points. The Argos and Als split their four meetings last season 2-2 both SU and ATS.

Calgary at Winnipeg

Last 10 Meetings: Winnipeg 1-9 SU, 4-4-2 ATS | OU 6-4

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be looking to snap a nine-game SU losing streak against the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday night as those Western teams meet for the first time this season. Winnipeg last beat Calgary SU back in 2009, going 0-2 both SU and ATS in their two matchups last season. Calgary also swept Winnipeg both SU and ATS in their two games in 2012, with the OVER paying out for totals bettors in three of their past five matchups.

Edmonton at Saskatchewan

Last 10 Meetings: Saskatchewan 4-6 SU, 3-7 ATS | OU 5-5

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are winless ATS in their last four games against the Edmonton Eskimos are those Western teams close out Week 17 of the CFL season on Sunday afternoon this week. The Eskimos blanked the Roughriders 24-0 as a 5.5-point home favorite on the CFL betting lines in their first meeting of the season on September 26 in an UNDER result for totals bettors. The Roughriders have only managed to pay out once in their last seven games against the Eskimos dating back to the 2012 season.

CFL

OTTAWA (2 - 12) at HAMILTON (6 - 8) - 10/17/2014, 7:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 1-0 against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 1-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


MONTREAL (6 - 8) at TORONTO (6 - 8) - 10/18/2014, 4:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-4 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-4 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
8 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


CALGARY (12 - 2) at WINNIPEG (6 - 9) - 10/18/2014, 7:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-0 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


EDMONTON (10 - 5) at SASKATCHEWAN (9 - 6) - 10/19/2014, 4:00 PM

There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 6-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-4 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

CFL

Trends

OTTAWA vs. HAMILTON
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Hamilton
Ottawa is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Hamilton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Hamilton is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa

MONTREAL vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Montreal's last 18 games
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

CALGARY vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Calgary is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

EDMONTON vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Edmonton is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Edmonton's last 15 games when playing on the road against Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Saskatchewan is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Edmonton

StatFox Super Situations

CFL | MONTREAL at TORONTO
Play Against - Home favorites of 3.5 to 10 points (TORONTO) off a home win over a division rival
49-15 since 1997. ( 76.6% | 32.5 units )
2-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 2.0 units )

CFL | CALGARY at WINNIPEG
Play On - Home teams vs. the money line (WINNIPEG) after 5 or more consecutive straight up losses, team with a losing record in the second half of the season
26-14 since 1997. ( 65.0% | 0.0 units )
1-2 this year. ( 33.3% | 0.0 units )

CFL | CALGARY at WINNIPEG
Play Against - Any team vs the the 1rst half line (CALGARY) after covering the spread in 4 or 5 out of their last 6 games, with a winning record in the second half of the season
44-16 over the last 5 seasons. ( 73.3% | 26.4 units )
6-2 this year. ( 75.0% | 3.8 units )

College Betting Recap - Week 7
By Daniel Dobish

Overall Notes

College Football Week 7 Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs

Straight Up 42-12
Against the Spread 25-29

Wager Home-Away

Straight Up 30-24
Against the Spread 25-29

Wager Totals (O/U)

Over-Under 27-25-1


The largest underdog to cash
Eastern Michigan (+14.5, ML +500) vs Buffalo, 37-27

The largest favorite to cash
Tennessee (-25) vs Chattanooga, 45-10

Top 25 Notes
-- The upset bug took the weekend off after a tumultuous week for high ranked teams in the previous Saturday. Top 10 teams went 9-1 straight-up (SU) and 3-7 against the spread (ATS). Only Auburn fell, and that's because they were matched up against Mississippi State.

-- Oregon fell out of the Top 10 with their setback against Arizona last weekend, but they got back on track with a 42-30 win at UCLA.

-- Alabama just narrowly averted its second straight loss, hanging onto a 14-13 win at Arkansas. The Hogs were able to score against the Tide for the first time since 2011.

-- Oklahoma State is well down the rankings, but their only loss of the season is to top-ranked Florida State in their opening game in Arlington. The Cowboys likely won't shoot up the rankings after looking rather sluggish at Kansas. The Cowboys won, but didn't come close to covering.

-- Notre Dame was in a defensive slugfest last weekend with Stanford, but this week was a track meet with North Carolina. The Irish were unable to cover for just the second time in six games. As a double-digit home favorite, the Irish are just 1-2 ATS.

-- Overall in the Top 25, ranked teams were 14-7 SU and 6-15 ATS, with five games featuring ranked teams facing each other.

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

-- In the ACC, Florida State looked like a top-ranked team for the second straight game, having no trouble with an inferior opponent at Syracuse, 38-20. Of course, the Orange were able to score a touchdown with 10:37 left in regulation to grab a cover. ... UNC covered for the first time in six tries in South Bend Saturday. The Tar Heels have given up 27 or more points in each of their six games this season, and 50 or more points in three of their past four. ... Miami-Florida got back on track with a 55-34 win and cover over Cincinnati. The Hurricanes are 4-0 SU/3-1 ATS, including three straight covers, at home.

-- One of the best games of the day took place in Waco in Big 12 action, especially if you like offense. Texas Christian piled up 58 points in regulation - and lost. Baylor trailed 58-37 with 11:38 left, but the Bears hit a field goal at the buzzer to stun the Horned Frogs. ... Kansas has dropped three straight, but they are 3-1 ATS in the past four outings. The 'under' has also cashed in five straight for the Jayhawks. ... Texas slipped to 2-4 SU with a narrow 31-26 loss to Oklahoma in the Red River rivalry game, but they covered for the third time in four outings.

-- Minnesota won and covered against Northwestern in an early-afternoon game, winning 24-17. The Gophers have won and covered three straight, and their only setback this season came at TCU back on Sept. 13. ... Iowa posted a season-high 45 points in their win over Indiana. After starting out 0-3 ATS, the Hawkeyes have covered three in a row. ... Wisconsin won for the fourth time in five games, but the Badgers have failed to cover in three straight, and they're just 1-5 ATS on the season.

-- It was a light slate in the Pac-12, with Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon State and Utah getting the week off. ... Washington brought California down to Earth quite a bit with a 31-7 win in Berkeley. It was quite amazing since Cal had scored 60 points last week in a win at Washington State. ... Southern California outlasted Arizona 28-26 in an amazing game in Tucson (see Bad Beats below).

There were no hiccups from the Magnolia State teams in SEC play. After huge wins a week ago, Mississippi and Mississippi State were impressive again versus big-time SEC West foes. Ole Miss pounded A&M 35-20 in front of the 12th man, and the Bulldogs fileted the Tigers 38-23, likely staking claim to the No. 1 spot in the rankings for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs have covered four straight, and they're 5-1 ATS this season. The Rebels, also 6-0 SU, improved to 5-0-1 ATS on the season. ... Louisiana State won 30-27 at Florida on a 50-plus field goal in the waning seconds. LSU is 25-1 SU under Les Miles following a loss.

Mid-Major Report

It was a topsy-turvy day in the Mid-American Conference. Eastern Michigan scored the biggest upset of the week with a 37-27 win over Buffalo. The Eagles are just 2-4 SU, but they have covered three of the past four. ... Massachusetts snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 40-17 win at Kent State. While the Minutemen have struggled straight-up, they are 5-1 ATS over the past six games. ... Toledo lost on the road to Iowa State, and the Rockets are just 1-5 ATS over the past six.

--Georgia Southern was back to its covering ways, taking down Idaho as a 21.5-point favorite. The Eagles are now 6-1 ATS in seven games this season. ... For the sixth straight game, New Mexico State saw the cover hit. They travel to the Kibbie Dome in Idaho next week. The Vandals have seen the over go 4-1-1 in six games this season.

-- In Mountain West play, Colorado State won for the fourth straight games, and they are also 4-0 ATS during the span while the under has cashed in three in a row. ... Air Force was buried 34-16 at Utah State. The under hit for the third straight game for the Falcons, and the under is 5-1 in six games this season. ... New Mexico lost Friday to San Diego State, and the Lobos are just 1-5 ATS this season.

Bad Beats

If you had the 'over' (54.5) in the Boston College-North Carolina State game, you were loving the 14-14 score at the end of the first quarter. However, the rains came after halftime, and there was a lightning delay. That caused the scoring to grind to a halt, and there were just nine total points in the second half on the soggy turf.

-- If you had Arizona on the moneyline, it was a tough loss. The Wildcats scratched back from 15 down to close to 28-26. After a successful onside kick, Arizona drove down for a very makeable field goal. However, a successful kick didn't count because USC called timeout first to ice the kicker. It actually worked, as the attempt from 36 yards was well wide right, and the Trojans held on while Wildcats' moneyline bettors shook their head.

-- Also in the Pac-12 Friday, Washington State looked to be in line for a cover. However, some late offensive struggles gave Stanford the ball back. Rather than sitting on the lead, the Cardinal poked in a touchdown with 98 seconds left to kill Cougar side bettors.

-- Total bettors in UMass-Kent State were either happy or destroyed by a pick-six by the Minutemen with 2:03 left. Under bettors likely had to settle for a push.

Top 25 Betting Recap - Week 7
By Mike Rose

Week 7 of the 2014 NCAA football betting season is in the books, and today, we're going to be taking a look at each of the Top 25 teams in the rankings and see how they did from an ATS perspective in this go around this past week.

(Results in parentheses represent SU Result-ATS Result)

1) Florida State (W-L vs. Syracuse 38-20)
The Noles never broke a sweat against Syracuse, but they were never good enough to cover either.

2) Auburn (L-L vs. Mississippi State 38-23)
Home field advantage is really going to be key in the SEC West this year, and Auburn fell victim to all of the cowbells in Starkville.

3) Baylor (W-L vs. TCU 61-58)
The Bears rallied with 24 straight in the fourth to take down TCU and live to fight another day on Survival Saturday.

4) Ole Miss (W-W vs. Texas A&M 35-20)
All of the hype is around MSU, but Ole Miss legitimately has a claim to No. 1 as well after putting forth a dominating performance on the road in College Station a week after upsetting annual powerhouse Alabama.

5) Notre Dame (W-L vs. North Carolina 50-43)
Up Next) A date with the defending champs. Notre Dame's defense looked like it was already looking ahead to Jameis Winston and the gang in Tallahassee before dealing with UNC.

6) Mississippi State (W-W vs. Auburn 38-23)
Dan Mullen has brought the Bulldogs all the way up to the No. 1 team in the land.

7) Alabama (W-L vs. Arkansas 14-13)
The Tide look like anything but a legit playoff team right now. They were lucky to escape Fayetteville with their playoff hopes still intact.

8) Michigan State (W-L vs. Purdue 45-31)
A late pick six was all that made this game look more respectable than it really was for Sparty.

9) Oklahoma (W-L vs. Texas 31-26)
The Sooners went 1-for-11 on third downs and were outgained by 250 yards in the Red River Rivalry, but they lived to tell about it.

10) Georgia (W-W vs. Missouri 34-0)
No Todd Gurley? No problems for the Bulldogs. Likely the most impressive win of the Richt era.

11) Oregon (W-W vs. UCLA 42-30)
There are still really big problems along the offensive line for the Ducks, who are barely skating by.

12) TCU (L-L vs. Baylor 61-58)
The Horned Frogs will rue the day that they let one get away in Waco.

13) Arizona (L-L vs. USC 28-26)
We knew that the Wildcats were always fools' gold. There's a reason the oddsmakers opened them up as dogs against an unranked USC team at home.

14) Texas A&M (L-L vs. Ole Miss 35-20)
Kiss A&M's chances of playing in the first playoff goodbye after a second straight loss to a Mississippi school.

15) Ohio State (Bye)

16) Kansas State (Bye)

17) UCLA (L-L vs. UCLA 42-30)
The Bruins had fighting on their bench between coaches, and that's not something you see every day.

18) Oklahoma State (W-L vs. Kansas 27-20)
The Pokes were on high upset alert most of the day before squeaking out a win in Lawrence.

19) East Carolina (W-L vs. South Florida 28-17)
It took 30 minutes for the Pirates to wake up, but they finally downed a bad USF team.

20) Arizona State (Bye)

21) Nebraska (Bye)

22) Stanford (W-W vs. Washington State 34-17)
A week after Connor Halliday broke the NCAA record for passing yards in a game, he had zip going against the Cardinal.

23) Georgia Tech (L-L vs. Duke 31-25)
The Ramblin' Wreck lost to Duke for the first time in a decade and a half on Saturday.

24) Missouri (L-L vs. Georgia 34-0)
Maty Mauk and the Mizzou offense were just downright embarrassing on Saturday.


25) Clemson (W-L vs. Louisville 23-17)
The win meant nothing. Deshaun Watson's broken hand meant everything. The freshman phenom will now be out for at least a month with this injury.

NCAAF opening line report: Hard to trust Notre Dame vs. Florida State
By COLIN KELLY

Yes, we’re heading into Week 8 of the 2014 college football season. But this week, we’re gonna party like its 1993.

Notre Dame at Florida State (-12.5)

Back then, unbeaten and top-ranked Florida State faced unbeaten and second-ranked Notre Dame in a late-season battle that the host fighting Irish won, 31-24. Notre Dame faltered a week later, though, losing to Boston College, while the Seminoles rebounded and ultimately won the national title.

Twenty-one years later, both are unbeaten again, and defending national champion Florida State will get to host Notre Dame this Saturday. The winner keeps alive hopes to reach the four-team playoff, and the loser is on the outside looking in. The No. 2 ‘Noles (6-0 SU) have been awful against the number, at 1-5 ATS, failing to cover as 23-point chalks in a 38-20 win at Syracuse last weekend. The fifth-ranked Irish (6-0 SU, 4-2 ATS) struggled Saturday, holding on for a 50-43 win over North Carolina as a 16.5-point favorite.

John Lester, is wary of both sides – but more so Notre Dame.

“We still haven’t seen that convincing, marquee win from Florida State. Perhaps they’ve just been going through the motions,” Lester said. “This could be the week, as Notre Dame isn’t nearly as deep from a talent perspective. The Irish always have their supporters, but they’re tough to trust right now, from a sharp standpoint.”

Texas A&M Aggies at Alabama Crimson Tide (-12.5)

Another week, another key clash in the Southeastern Conference, which continues to eat its own – with the exception of Mississippi State and Mississippi, whom A&M has lost to over the past two weekends to soil its season. On Saturday, the Aggies got drubbed at home by Ole Miss 35-20 as a 2.5-point fave.

Alabama bounced back from its loss at Mississippi by narrowly outlasting Arkansas 14-13, falling well short as a 9-point road chalk.

“Going back to last week, I called for the Aggies to get upset at home (by Mississippi,)” Lester said. “The Johnny Manziel hype is over; this is a bad defense with a decent offense. The Tide is poised for a breakout game, and this should be it. The Alabama offense will find its footing here.”

Kansas State Wildcats at Oklahoma Sooners (-9.5)

Oklahoma (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) has proven vulnerable the past two weekends, losing outright 37-33 at Texas Christian laying 3.5 points, then struggling to hold off overmatched Texas in a 31-26 win as a 16.5-point fave in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl. Kansas State (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS, coming off a bye, suffered its only loss against Auburn (20-14 catching 7 points at home last month). The Wildcats have cashed their last three in a row, most recently a 45-13 beatdown of Texas Tech giving 14 points at home.

“Is the blueprint out on Oklahoma?” Lester said. “Granted, it’s seen two very sound defenses recently, but Kansas State brings another one to the table, and Bill Snyder does a fine job getting his kids ready with extra preparation. The Wildcats aren’t the sexy team in this matchup, but I bet they keep it very close.”

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Christian Horned Frogs (-9.5)

TCU (4-1 SU) is the only team in the nation with a perfect ATS mark, cashing in all five of its games – though Mississippi and Virginia are both 5-0-1. After upending Oklahoma 37-33 getting 3.5 points two weekends ago, the Horned Frogs blew a big lead and lost a shootout at No. 3 Baylor 61-58, but covered as a 7-point underdog.

Since losing its season opener at home to Florida State, Oklahoma State (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) has peeled off five consecutive SU wins. But the Cowboys have alternated ATS wins and losses all season, winning 27-20 at Kansas on Saturday, well short of covering as 19.5-point chalks.

“You always know what you’re going to get with Gary Patterson’s (TCU) squads – sound defense and sound special teams,” Lester said. “But the offense goes as the quarterback goes, and Trevone Boykin is erratic. This is the Cowboys’ first test since their opener against Florida State, so we will certainly see what they’re made of.”

Bad Company - Week 8
By Kevin Rogers

As conference season continues to roll on, the pointspreads aren’t as heavy as they were during non-league play. There are still plenty of awful teams out there looking to get through a miserable season and gives bettors a chance to fade them. We’ll start this week’s action inside the ACC with a team that has lost 11 consecutive conference games and is receiving plenty of points on the road.

N.C. State (+17) at Louisville – 3:30 PM EST

The wheels have officially fallen off the Wolfpack wagon as N.C. State coach Dave Doeren suspended seven players for Saturday’s game at Louisville for a BB gun incident. The Wolfpack has shot themselves in the foot plenty of times this season, including blowing a 24-7 lead to top-ranked Florida State before allowing 49 points in the final three quarters. N.C. State hasn’t won a conference game under Doeren, while posting an 0-11 SU and 3-8 ATS record inside the ACC since the start of last season.

The Wolfpack travels to Louisville, as the Cardinals fell to 2-2 in ACC play after a 23-17 defeat at Clemson as 8 ½-point underdogs. Louisville’s defense has been solid all season long, not allowing more than 23 points in any of its seven games, while cashing the ‘under’ six times. In Bobby Petrino’s last 20 games as a home favorite at Louisville, the Cardinals have covered 17 times, including a 2-1 ATS record this season.

Cincinnati (-14) vs. SMU – 3:30 PM EST

Looking at this matchup, some would ask if the wrong team to fade is listed with SMU owning an 0-5 record. The Mustangs have been abysmal offensively this season, but showed some signs of life in a 45-24 setback at East Carolina two weeks ago to cover as a hefty 40-point underdog. The 24-point output by SMU doubled the amount of points it scored in the previous four games combined. Going back to the negatives with the Mustangs, this team has allowed at least 43 points in all five losses, while their only cover of the season came against ECU.

Cincinnati’s defense has been shredded all season, allowing 146 points in its past three defeats, including giving up 55 points in last week’s loss at Miami. The Bearcats have been outgained on the ground by at least 200 yards in the previous three games, while allowing 335 yards to the Hurricanes last week. From a pointspread standpoint, UC hasn’t covered in the past four contests, including an 0-2 SU/ATS record on the road. Cincinnati beat SMU last season at home, 38-35, but didn’t cash as seven-point favorites.

Ball State (+9 ½) at Central Michigan – 3:30 PM EST

Ball State dominated Colgate in its season opener, but the Cardinals haven’t won since, dropping five straight games. The Cards did cash as double-digit underdogs at Iowa and Toledo, but have allowed 75 points in the past two losses to Army and Western Michigan. Ball State’s defense is giving up nearly 200 yards a game on the ground, as this team has gone backwards since going 7-1 in MAC play last season.

Central Michigan has bounced back since a three-game losing streak following a 2-0 start, beating Ohio and Northern Illinois in the past two weeks. In those victories, the Chippewas rushed for 234 and 283 yards, which could spell major problems for Ball State’s anemic run defense. Central Michigan has plenty to play for against Ball State, considering the Cardinals have won four straight meetings in the series.

Kent (+5) vs. Army – 3:30 PM EST

The Golden Flashes are winless through six games, while not eclipsing the 17-point mark in any contest this season. Kent has been outgained in each loss, as the Golden Flashes were destroyed by previously winless UMass last week, 40-17 as three-point favorites. The lone game that Kent actually cashed came as 26-point underdogs at Northern Illinois in a 17-14 setback, while dropping 14 of its past 17 games dating back to last season.

Army has won just once in the past five games since a season-opening victory over Buffalo, while losing outright as a road favorite at Yale and Wake Forest. This seems like each team is fade material in this matchup, but the Black Knights are 2-0 against MAC opponents, beating Ball State and Buffalo, but each victory came at home. Army has dropped 18 straight road games with its last victory in a true away contest coming in 2010 at Kent State, so tread lightly here.

Georgia State (+17 ½) at South Alabama – 7:30 PM EST

This Sun Belt matchup won’t get a lot of attention on Saturday, as Georgia State has dropped five consecutive games. The Panthers have given up at least 34 points in all six contests, while coming off a 52-10 home defeat to Arkansas State last week. However, Georgia State has covered each of its two road games at Washington (+34 ½) and Louisiana-Lafayette (+16), while going 6-1 ATS in the away underdog role since the start of last season.

South Alabama returns home off back-to-back road victories at Idaho and Appalachian State, but the Jaguars scored a combined nine points in home losses to Georgia Southern and Mississippi State. The Jaguars have performed well since the end of last season in the favorite role, posting a 6-0 SU/ATS record.

Tech Trends - Week 8
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday, October 16

Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

VIRGINIA TECH at PITT...
Beamer was 0-6 as visiting chalk past two seasons before win in role at UNC, and VPI has covered first two on road in 2014. Home team has won and covered last two meetings.

Slight to Pitt, based on team trends.


UTAH at OREGON STATE...
OSU has won and covered past two years vs. Utes, though it was wild 51-48 OT win LY. Riley only 4-7 last 11 as chalk, Utah 4-1 vs. line TY.

Utah, based on recent trends.



Friday, October 17

Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

FRESNO STATE at BOISE STATE...
TBoise 7-1 SU and vs. line last 8 vs. Fresno. Chalk is 6-1 vs. line in Fresno games TY, Bulldogs no covers last four as dog.

Boise State, based on series trends.


TEMPLE at HOUSTON...
Owls 12-6 vs. line for Matt Rhule, now 7-0 vs. line away during that span.

Temple, based on team trends.



Saturday, October 18

Matchup Skinny Tech Trend

MARSHALL at FIU...
Herd has now covered five straight and two straight as visiting chalk after 1-6 mark prior seven in role. Improving FIU has covered 6 of last seven TY.

Slight to FIU, based on team trends.


SYRACUSE at WAKE FOREST...
Cuse 2-4 vs. line last six TY. Also 0-2 as chalk TY but 5-2 last seven in role.

Slight to Wake, based on Cuse shortcomings.


MIAMI-OHIO at NORTHERN ILLINOIS...
NIU no covers last three TY after 8-2 previous ten vs. spread in reg. season. RedHawks have covered 2 of 3 on road TY for new HC Chuck Martin, but were 2-11 in role previous two seasons.

Slight to Miami, based on recent trends.


AKRON at OHIO...
Solich 5-1 vs. line last six in series, but Bobcats only 1-5 vs. line last six TY and 3-9 last 12 on board since mid 2013.

Slight to Akron, based on recent trends.


PURDUE at MINNESOTA...
Gophers 8-3 vs. line as host since LY. Kill also 10-4 last 14 as chalk. Improved Purdue has covered 4 of last 5 TY and 7-3 last 10 as road doggie.

Slight to Minnesota, based on recent trends.


IOWA at MARYLAND...
The road team is 5-1 vs. line in Iowa games this season (Hawks 2-0 vs. line away). Ferentz has now covered eight straight away from Iowa City. Terps 2-5 vs. line last 7 at home.

Iowa, based on team trends.


BAYLOR at WEST VIRGINIA...
Briles 2-1 as road chalk TY but was 1-7 in previous eight in role entering 2014.

WVU, based on extended trends.


VIRGINIA at DUKE...
Duke 13-4 vs. spread as host since 2012. Cutcliffe has also won and covered last two and five of six vs. Cavs since arriving at Durham in 2008. Cavs are 5-1 vs. line TY, however.

Duke, based on series trends.


GEORGIA TECH at NORTH CAROLINA...
Tech 3-0-1 as road chalk since 2012; UNC 1-5 vs. line TY. Paul Johnson 5-0 SU, 4-0-1 vs. line against Heels since 2009.

GT, based on series and recent trends.


NC STATE at LOUISVILLE...
Pack 2-7-1 as road dog since 2011.

'Ville, based on team trends.


EASTERN MICHIGAN at UMASS...
Mass now has SU win and has covered 5 of last 6. EMU 8-21-1 vs. line since 2012.

UMass, based on team trends.


WESTERN MICHIGAN at BOWLING GREEN...
Spread revelation WMU is spotless 6-0 vs. line this season!

WMU, based on recent trends.


BALL STATE at CENTRAL MICHIGAN...
Cards are rather startling 39-15-1 vs. line as visitor since 2006 (2-1 TY).

Ball State, based on team trends.


GEORGIA vs. ARKANSAS (at Little Rock)...
Bielema has covered five straight TY and is 6-2 last 8 on board. Richt only 1-5 as chalk away from Athens since LY.

Arkansas, based on team trends.


SAN JOSE STATE at WYOMING...
SJSU no covers last three on road, but if Wyo chalk note is 10-5 last 15 as road dog. Pokes 4-7 as Laramie chalk since 2012.

Slight to SJSU, based on extended trends.


NEW MEXICO at AIR FORCE...
Davie has covered last two years vs. Force and beat Falcs SU LY. Davie 5-2 last seven as road dog. Falco 3-0 SU and vs. line as host TY.

Slight to UNM, based on recent trends.


SOUTH FLORIDA at TULSA...
Golden Hurricane 5-13 SU and vs. line last 18 on board. Tulsa 2-7 SU and vs. line as host since LY. Shocker trend...
USF 5-1 vs. line on road since LY!

USF, based on team trends.


UTSA at LA TECH...
Coker no covers last four this season. Skip 5-1 vs. spread TY in big rebound for Tech.

La Tech, based on recent trends.


SOUTHERN MISS at NORTH TEXAS...
UNT down TY but 7-2 last nine as home chalk. USM improved from wretched recent form but still just 2-3-1 vs. line TY and only 8-21-1 vs. line since 2012.

UNT, based on team trends.


CINCINNATI at SMU...
Ponies 1-4 vs. line but did get cover in last game against ECU. Tuberville no covers last four TY and just 1-3 as road chalk since LY.

Slight to Cincy, based on recent SMU woes.


APP STATE at TROY...
App 1-3-1 vs. line in debut year (0-2-1 away), cover vs. Campbell Camels. But Troy 10-23 last 33 as chalk.

App State, based on Troy negatives.


NEVADA at BYU...
Cougs just 3-8 last 11 on board. Pack has covered 4 of last 5 away from Reno.

Nevada, based on team trends.


ARMY at KENT STATE...
Kent only 1-5 vs. line TY and 1-7 vs. spread at Dix Stadium since LY. But Army no covers first three away TY and no covers last 13 as visitor (did cover neutral LY vs. La Tech).

Army, based on Kent home negatives.


STANFORD at ARIZONA STATE...
Tree won and covered vs. ASU twice LY, but no covers first two away TY and just 2-6 last 8 as chalk away from Palo Alto. ASU no covers last three at Tempe.

Slight to ASU, based on team trends.


WASHINGTON at OREGON...
Ducks have won and covered last 10 vs. Huskies. But Chris Petersen was 2-0 SU and vs. line vs. Ducks while at Boise, and Oregon now 2-10 vs. points last 12 reg.-season games. Huskies 5-1 as home dog since 2012.

UW, based on recent trends.


UCLA at CAL...
Bruins 1-5 vs. line in 2014, Cal 4-1 vs. spread. Bruins have lost last 7 SU trips to Berkeley, 1-6 vs. line in those games.

Cal, based on team and series trends.


UAB at MTSU...
Blazers 2-0 as road dog TY for new HC Clark, but MTSU 6-3 vs. spread last nine at Murfreesboro.

UAB, based on recent trends.


RUTGERS at OHIO STATE...
Urban Meyer 4-1 vs. line this season. 'Gers 9-3 as visiting dog since 2011 (2-0 TY).

'Gers, based on road dog mark.


TEXAS A&M at ALABAMA...
Ags have covered both vs. Bama since joining SEC and won at Tuscaloosa in 2012. But A&M only 7-13 vs. spread since 2013 and no covers last 3 as road dog. Nick 7-3 last 10 as home chalk.

Bama, based on recent trends.


COLORADO at SOUTHERN CAL...
Trojans 12-7 as Coliseum chalk since 2011 (2-1 TY for Sark). But Buffs 6-3 vs. line last nine for Mike M and have covered 3 of last 4 as Pac-12 road dog.

Slight to CU, based on team trends.


MICHIGAN STATE at INDIANA...
Dantonio 9-2 as visiting chalk since 2010. But home team has covered last three in series.

Slight to MSU, based on road chalk marks.


CLEMSON at BOSTON COLLEGE...
Dabo 5-2 as visiting chalk since 2012. BC 11-5 vs. spread as host since 2012 (2-2 TY).

BC, based on extended trends.


KANSAS STATE at OKLAHOMA...
Visiting team has covered all four meetings since Bill Snyder returned to K-State sideline in 2009. Snyder 10-1 as visiting dog since 2010.

K-State, based on team trends.


NEW MEXICO STATE at IDAHO...
NMSU has covered last four meetings. Vandals 2-10 vs. spread last 12 at Kibbie (0-2 TY).

NMSU. based on series and team trends.


GEORGIA STATE at SOUTH ALABAMA...
Road team 5-0 vs. line in USA games this season. Though Jags 11-5 vs. line last 16 overall since early 2013. GSU 11-2 last 13 as DD dog.

Slight to GSU, based on team trends.


WESTERN KENTUCKY at FLORIDA ATLANTIC...
Owls 5-1 vs. line last six at Boca Raton. WKU just 3-6 vs. spread last nine away.

Slight to FAU, based on team trends.


UTAH STATE at COLORADO STATE...
CSU on 18-5 spread uptick since late 2012, though did lose 13-0 and no cover at USU last November. Rams 9-2 last 11 vs. spread at Fort Collins.

CSU, based on team trends.


TENNESSEE at OLE MISS...
Butch 2-4 as road dog since LY (1-1 TY), just 4-7 overall vs. line last 11 since mid 2013. Hugh Freeze 6-0 SU and vs. line TY, now 32-11 vs. spread since 2011 at Ark State & Ole Miss.

Ole Miss, based on Hugh Freeze marks.


IOWA STATE at TEXAS...
Texas 12-22 vs. spread at Austin since 2009 (1-2 TY). ISU 10-7-1 as road dog since 2011.

ISU, based on team trends.


MISSOURI at FLORIDA...
Muschamp no covers last 2 vs. Mizzou and 6-16-1 overall vs. spread last 23 on board. Pinkel seven straight covers away from home!

Mizzou, based on team trends.


KANSAS at TEXAS TECH...
Red Raiders 2-9 vs. line last 11 reg.-season vs. spread. Also 1-5 last six as Lubbock chalk for Kingsbury. KU 2-0 vs. line for Bowen!

KU, based on Texas Tech spread woes.


OKLAHOMA STATE at TCU...
Gundy 5-2 as dog since 2011. Pokes have also won and covered last two years vs. TCU. But Frogs hopping in 2014 at 4-0 SU and vs. line, far cry from 8-16-1 spread mark previous two years.

Slight to OSU, based on team and series trends.


TULANE at UCF...
Wave 0-3 vs. points away TY. UCF 18-9 last 27 as home chalk.

UCF, based on team trends.


NEBRASKA at NORTHWESTERN...
Pat Fitz now 2-1 vs. line last 3 after 1-12 spread run...
which was preceded by 13-1 spread run! Heartbreak Hail Mary loss for Cats vs. Huskers LY. Fitz has covered all three vs. Bo Pelini since 2011. Pelini 5-1 vs. line TY after late backdoor at MSU, and 6-1 vs. line away from Lincoln since LY.

Northwestern, based on series trends.


KENTUCKY at LSU...
Cats 5-1 SU and vs. line for Stoops as they close in on bowl. UK 6-1 last 7 vs. line since late LY.

UK, based on team trends.


NOTRE DAME at FLORIDA STATE...
Golson 10-5-1 vs. line his last 16 reg.-season games. Brian Kelly 8-6 as dog with Irish. Jimbo 1-6 last 7 vs. line since late LY.

Notre Dame, based on tam trends.


HAWAII at SAN DIEGO STATE...
Home team 6-0 vs. line in Hawaii games TY (Chow 0-2 away). Aztecs have won and covered last two years vs. UH but took OT LY.

Slight to SDSU, based on series and team trends.

Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh
By Joe Nelson

The ACC Coastal may be one of the weaker major conference divisions in the nation, but it has been very competitive the last two years and at this point all seven teams are still legitimately in the running. Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech open the college football weekend Thursday night and the winner of this game will emerge as a serious threat to win the division at 2-1 as both teams have relatively favorable conference schedules.

Match-up: Virginia Tech Hokies at Pittsburgh Panthers
Venue: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2014
Time/TV: 7:00 PM ET – ESPN
Line: Virginia Tech -1
Last Meeting: 2013, Virginia Tech (-7) 19-9 at Virginia Tech

Pittsburgh upset Virginia Tech in 2012, the last time the Hokies visited Heinz Field, winning in a 35-17 rout with lopsided yardage as a 10-point underdog after starting the season 0-2. Last season in Blacksburg, it was a different story in a defensive grind as Virginia Tech won 19-9, with the only Pittsburgh touchdown coming with just two minutes left in the game. The Panthers, then with NFL draft pick Tom Savage at quarterback, managed just 210 total yards.

Both teams did very little on the ground in last season’s meeting and run defense has been a strong suit for both teams this season. Pittsburgh is allowing just 3.6 yards per rush while Virginia Tech surrenders only 3.4 yards per rush. That matchup appears to be the key for this game as Pittsburgh rushes for 244 yards per game on 5.3 yards per carry. As usual, Virginia Tech features a strong secondary and is a tough team to pass against. The Hokies have held opposing quarterbacks to less than 45 percent completions this season.

While Logan Thomas was always frustrating as quarterback for Virginia Tech with a tendency to turn the ball over, that problem has not been resolved with junior Michael Brewer leading the team this season. Brewer has 10 touchdown passes while passing for over 1,400 yards in six games, but he has 11 interceptions including at least one in every single game. The passing game has been limited for Pittsburgh under sophomore quarterback Chad Voytik, who has thrown an interception in all five FBS games as well this season.

This is the third season at Pittsburgh for Paul Chryst after being the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin for a number of years. The Panthers have wound up in bowl games each of the last two seasons, going 6-6 in both regular season campaigns as the team is yet to break through with a great season and that does not appear to be happening in 2014. After a 3-0 start including a road win in the ACC opener, Pittsburgh has now lost three straight games. Falling in a close game with Iowa in which the Panthers had a big yardage edge was perhaps forgivable, but in the last two games, Pittsburgh has lost at home against Akron while scoring just 10 points and then lost 24-19 at Virginia in a game that was not as close as the final score.

For Virginia Tech, a season that started with great promise has also soured in what is the 28th season for Frank Beamer on the sidelines. The Hokies scored a sizable upset at highly ranked Ohio State in the second week of the season, but then lost back-to-back home games against East Carolina and Georgia Tech. The Hokies appear to be back on track with consecutive wins, but it has been a while since Beamer has produced a team that has stayed nationally relevant for a full season.

Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech are both 1-1 in ACC play, so while discussion of making the national final four is out, both teams are alive and well in a wide open ACC Coastal division. Virginia is the only team in the division without a loss at this point in the season and it has been a division won with multiple losses each of the last two seasons. North Carolina was actually the favorite to win the division in August and they are the only team in the division without a win in what should truly be a wide open multi-team race that could come down to tiebreakers between multiple 5-3 teams as it did in 2012.

The Pittsburgh season will be defined in the next three games with challenging games in three straight home dates, hosting Georgia Tech and Duke in the following two games. A three-game win streak to cancel out the three-game losing streak that the Panthers are currently on would put Pittsburgh in the Coastal division driver’s seat. Next on the schedule for Virginia Tech is a prominent game with Miami and the schedule does line up well for Virginia Tech relative to its Coastal peers, drawing Boston College and Wake Forest in the two Atlantic games, avoiding Florida State, Clemson, and Louisville.

At this point in the season, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh have nearly identical scoring figures with both teams posting 183 points and Pittsburgh actually allowing five fewer points through six games. The schedule for Virginia Tech rates slightly more difficult, however, with the high quality road win in Columbus. This may be a more critical game for the Pittsburgh season, needing to stop the slide and get some confidence back and a high profile home win in primetime would be just what the team needs. Virginia Tech has been one of the most consistently successful programs in the nation the last two decades and the Hokies have posted plenty of big primetime wins over the years.

Virginia Tech Historical Trends: The Hokies are 0-5 ATS at Pittsburgh since 1997 and 1-6 ATS in the series in any venue since 1999, losing four of the last five meetings S/U going back to 2001. Virginia Tech is 1-6 ATS as a road favorite since 2012 after going 21-7 ATS as a road favorite from 2004 to 2011.

Pittsburgh Historical Trends: The Panthers are 23-16 ATS as a home underdog since 1996, but just 25-29-1 ATS at home overall since 2006. Pittsburgh is just 3-6-1 ATS at home since the start of last season.

NCAAF Line Watch: Bettors should jump on Tennessee now
By STEVE MERRIL

Each week during the college football season, Steve Merril looks at the NCAAF odds and tells you which spread to bet now, which one to bet later, and which total to watch as the week plays out.

Spread to bet now

Tennessee Volunteers (+17) at Mississippi Rebels

Mississippi opened as 17-point favorites over Tennessee, and some books are already down to 16.5 on this game. I expect this line to drop throughout the week, especially since Mississippi is off back-to-back big wins.

Tennessee is one of the most improved teams in the country, and the Vols are still flying well under the radar. They’ve been competitive against a brutal schedule, and even though Mississippi is one of the best teams in the nation, bettors should play this game now and take the best of the number.


Spread to wait on

West Virginia Mountaineers (+8.5) vs. Baylor Bears

This line came out with Baylor as a 9.5-point road favorite at West Virginia, and early money quickly came in on the underdog, dropping the favorite down to -7.5. Subsequent money has come in on Baylor pushing the line back up to 8.5 at most sportsbooks.

Baylor is a high-scoring public team, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see this line go up higher closer to kick off. The Bears are off a big comeback home win over TCU, and this is a tough spot on the road at a much-improved West Virginia team. Wait and take the Mountaineers at a better line closer to Saturday.


Total to watch

UCLA at California

UCLA and California have payed little defense this season. The Bruins have allowed 27, 30, and 42 points in their three conference games. The Golden Bears have allowed 49, 56, 59, and 31 points in their four conference games. Combined, the UCLA and California defenses are allowing 42 points per game in conference play.

Both teams also possess potent offenses. Overall, UCLA is averaging 35 points per game while California is averaging 42.8 points per game. The Bruins and Golden Bears are both coming in off losses while playing lackluster offense, so this game provides both teams the perfect opportunity to explode and score a bunch of points. If this total comes out lower than 70, the value will be on the Over.

Mid-Major Money: Big profits from NCAAF small conferences
By DOC'S SPORTS

Some of the best betting value in college football is hiding beyond the BCS, in the small conferences. Each week, Doc’s Sports will look at the little programs that could help you make big cash this college season.

Team to watch: Boise State Broncos (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS)

This week: -17 vs. Fresno State

Their most recent game on Oct. 4 saw the Broncos post a season-high 51 points in a win at Nevada as Grant Hedrick threw for 346 yards and Jay Ajayi rushed for 116 of his 152 yards in the second half.

Boise State also welcomed the return of cornerback Cleshawn Page, who had missed three games (knee). Page played sparingly in the first half as a backup but was in there full time in the second. It will not hurt Page or any other Bronco that the team is coming off a bye week.

“I think it came at a really good time,” Hedrick assured, “to get guys rested up a little bit. We (can) kind of focus back on the fundamentals of the game and catch our breath.”

Meanwhile, Fresno State gave up more than 50 points in its first three games and allowed 30 last week during a loss to UNLV as a 10-point favorite. Don’t be fooled by the Bulldogs’ defensive performance against San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey on Oct. 3 (season-low 3.9 yards per carry on 24 attempts). The Aztecs started a true freshman at quarterback and—very much unlike Boise State—had no semblance of a passing game to keep the defense honest.


Team to beware: Appalachian State Mountaineers (1-5 SU, 1-5 ATS)

This week: +7 at Troy

A few weeks ago, head coach Scott Satterfield started picking up the pace right away in practices and jumping straight into game situations. His hope was to end a trend of slow starts. It has not worked. Appalachian State fell behind South Alabama 20-0 midway through the second quarter of a blowout loss Oct. 4 and it trailed Liberty 14-7 after one quarter last weekend en route to a 55-48 overtime heartbreaker.

Troy, on the other hand, appears to be playing inspired football in the wake of head coach Larry Blakeney’s announcement last Monday that he will retire at the end of this season. The Trojans responded by winning their first game of 2014, 41-24 over New Mexico State.

App State is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games and 0-4 ATS in its last four overall. Troy is 4-0 ATS in its last four against the Sun Belt.


Total team: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (4-3 SU, 5-1-1 O/U)

This week: vs. UAB

Middle Tennessee has made 32 trips to the red zone this season and has scored on 29 of those occasions—including 21 touchdowns. That’s part of the reason why the over is 6-1 ATS in the Blue Raiders’ last seven home games.

UAB’s defense is made to go over the total. It gives up plenty of points (an average of 31.3 in its last three outings), but it has also been known to make the big play. The unit scored a whopping three touchdowns in last weekend’s win over North Texas, two on interceptions and one after a fumble recovery.

The over is 7-0 in the Blazers’ last seven Conference USA games and 5-0 in their last five on the road.

Virginia Tech to be without Williams
Justin Hartling

Virginia Tech will be down one of their key offensive pieces as the team announced Marshawn Williams will not play Thursday.

Despite a bye last week, Williams was unable to fully heal after spraining his ankle against UNC almost two weeks ago. The freshman back had 333 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the season.

Over the past two weeks the Hokies have lost their leaders in rushing yards with Williams, Shai McKenzie and Trey Edmunds going down.

Utes not covering against Oregon State
Justin Hartling

Utah and Oregon State are set to clash in the battle of the 4-1 teams, but the Utes have been a poor play against the spread in recent history. In the last five games between the Utes and Beavers, Utah is 1-4 ATS.

In those five games Utah was favored three times (1-2 ATS) and the dogs twice (0-2 ATS).

The Utes are currently -2.5 road faves.

ACC Report - Week 8
By Joe Williams

The Atlantic Coast Conference has a pretty exciting slate of games on tap for this weekend. It all kicks off with Thursday night action, and an important game for Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. Both teams can ill-afford a second conference loss, especially the Panthers. The Clemson-Boston College game will also be intriguing for various reasons, and the Georgia Tech-North Carolina game should be exciting if you enjoy offense. The weekend wraps up with a marquee national game, as heavyweights Notre Dame and Florida State try to knock each other out of the playoff picture.

2014 ACC STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

Boston College 4-2 1-1 4-2 2-3-1
Clemson 4-2 3-1 4-2 3-3
Duke 5-1 1-1 3-2-1 1-4
Florida State 6-0 4-0 1-5 3-3
Georgia Tech 5-1 2-1 3-3 3-3
Louisville 5-2 3-2 5-2 1-6
Miami (Fla.) 4-3 1-2 3-4 3-4
North Carolina 2-4 0-3 1-5 2-3
North Carolina State 4-3 0-3 3-4 3-4
Pittsburgh 3-3 1-1 2-3-1 2-3-1
Syracuse 2-4 0-2 2-4 2-3-1
Virginia 4-2 2-0 5-0-1 3-3
Virginia Tech 4-2 1-1 3-3 2-3
Wake Forest 2-4 0-2 3-3 1-5


Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh (Thurs. - ESPN, 7:30p.m. ET)

The Hokies hit the road for the Steel City trying to make the public happy. It appears Virginia Tech is being backed nearly two-to-one as a road underdog. However, they're just 4-11 ATS in their past 15 road games, and 2-5 ATS in their past seven ACC contests. However, they usually do save their best for Thursday night, as Frank Beamer's bunch is 20-8 ATS in their past 28 Thursday night games. Pitt hasn't been much better lately. After a 3-0 start to the season, they have dropped three in a row, and they're 0-3-1 ATS over the past four. However, the Panthers are 9-1 ATS in their past 10 home games against a team with a winning road record. In this series, the home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings, with the Hokies going 1-6 ATS in the past seven, and 0-5 ATS in their past five trips to Pittsburgh.


Syracuse at Wake Forest (ESPN3, 12:00 p.m. ET)
If you're a fan of offense, you probably won't want to tune into this game. The under is 3-1-1 in the past five games for Syracuse, and the under is 20-6 in the past 26 for Wake Forest. In addition, the under is 21-8 for the Demon Deacons in their past 29 ACC contests, and 7-1 in their past eight home games. The Syracuse offense, which wasn't that great to start, has been in a bit of disarray with QB Terrel Hunt (leg) going down to a fractured leg. They have scored 20 or fewer points in four straight games (all losses), and they're just 1-3 ATS during that span. Wake hasn't been much better, winning just once in the past four, but they are 3-1 ATS during the stretch.

Virginia at Duke (ESPN3, 12:30 p.m.)
I am personally looking forward to this game, mainly because I'll be in attendance. The Cavaliers hit the road for just the second time this season, and first time since Sept. 20, a loss at Brigham Young. UVA have been cover kings this season, going 5-0-1 ATS officially, and 6-0 ATS at certain shops. Meanwhile, just when you thought Duke was about to revert back to its 'old' form, they end a 10-year losing streak against Georgia Tech on the road last week. Following a setback in Miami, the Blue Devils were in a tough spot, but they came away with a 31-25 road win against the Ramblin' Wreck to keep themselves very much front and center in the Coastal Division. Duke is 3-1 ATS over the past four games, and the under has the same 3-1 record over the stretch. UVA is 3-0-1 ATS over the past four ACC games, and 5-0-1 ATS in the past six against a team with a winning record, while going 5-2 ATS in the past seven road contests. However, in the month of October, UVA is just 1-5-2 ATS in the past eight. Duke is 7-1 ATS in the past eight against winning teams, and 16-4-1 ATS in the past 21 in October. They're also 11-3-1 ATS in the past 15 overall, and 15-5-1 ATS in the past 21 at home.

North Carolina State at Louisville (ESPN3, 3:30 p.m.)
Things have gone south in a hurry in Raleigh. After a 4-0 start, and a close loss against then top-ranked Florida State, the Wolfpack laid an egg at Clemson, and then were routed in a soggy game at home against Boston College last week. N.C. State is 3-9 ATS in the past 12, 1-6 ATS in the past seven conference games, and 2-6 ATS in the past eight agaisnt winning teams. Louisville is 4-0 ATS in the past four against a team with a winning mark, and 7-2 ATS in the past nine overall. They're also 16-5 ATS in their past 21 games stretching back to the AAC/Big East. The Cardinals are favored by two touchdowns in this game, and Louisville is 2-1 ATS as a double-digit favorite or more this season.

Clemson at Boston College (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.)
The Clemson offense had been on a roll since QB Deshaun Watson (finger) took the reins, but he suffered a small broken bone in his throwing hand last week against Louisville. He needed surgery to have four screws put into his finger, and he will be sidelined up to a month. The team turns back to senior QB Cole Stoudt to run things. In three games Stoudt has finished, the Tigers are just 1-2 ATS. BC was impressive in a 30-14 win at N.C. State last weekend, and they're now 7-3 ATS in their past 10 conference tilts, and 7-3 ATS in the past 10 against teams with a winning record. Keep in mind that BC is also 10-4 ATS in their past 14 home games, including 5-0 ATS in their past five at home gainst a team with a winning road record. The Eagles are a five-point dog at home Saturday, but it looks like a nearly 60-40 split backing Clemson.

Georgia Tech at North Carolina (ESPNU, 7:00 p.m.)
Georgia Tech looks to get back on track after its first setback of the season, and what better team to face than UNC and its leaky defense. Opponents have hung 50 or more points on the Tar Heels in three of the past four games, and they have given up at least 27 points in all six games this season. While UNC has dropped four in a row, the offense did come alive for 43 points at Notre Dame last weekend for their first cover in six tries this season. Georgia Tech has scored at least 25 points in all six games this year, although the under has cashed in three consecutive games.

Notre Dame at Florida State (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)
The game everyone is looking forward to this weekend will be in Tallahassee, when the Irish and Seminoles renew acquaintances. Notre Dame might have been looking ahead last week, as they barely dispatched a poor UNC team, 50-43. Meanwhile, FSU hit the road for Syracuse, and won by 18. However, they failed to cover for the fifth time in six games. They're just 1-4 ATS this season as a double-digit favorite, and they're just 1-2 ATS in three home games overall. The Irish are 5-0 ATS in their past five against a team with a winning home record, and 3-1-1 ATS in their past five following up an ATS loss. The 'Noles have managed a 1-6 ATS mark in their past seven overall, but they are 5-2 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record.

Pac-12 Report - Week 8
By Joe Williams

The Pac-12 had much better results after a black eye two weeks ago, as Oregon, Stanford and USC each returned to the winner's circle. Washington has also come out of nowhere and is front and center in the Pac-12 race, thumping California and dropping them down a few pegs last weekend on their home turf. We'll really get an idea of who the contenders and pretenders are after this weekend's slate of games.

2014 PAC-12 STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

Arizona 5-1 2-1 2-4 2-4
Arizona State 4-1 2-1 2-3 3-2
California 4-2 2-2 4-2 4-2
Colorado 2-4 0-3 3-3 3-3
Oregon 5-1 2-1 2-4 2-3-1
Oregon State 4-1 1-1 2-3 2-3
Southern California 4-2 3-1 4-2 3-3
Stanford 4-2 2-1 3-3 0-5
UCLA 4-2 1-2 1-5 2-3-1
Utah 4-1 1-1 4-1 2-3
Washington 5-1 1-1 3-3 1-5
Washington State 2-5 1-3 3-4 3-4


Utah at Oregon State (Thurs. - Pac-12 Network, 10:00 p.m. ET)

The Utes carry a Top 20 rankings into Corvallis Thursday night, but the team is still working to improve. QB Kendal Thompson is expected to make his first career start Thursday, replacing the ineffective Travis Wilson. It was Thompson who came on and led the Utes to a shocking road win at UCLA last time out. Oregon State won its last game in Colorado Oct. 4, rebounding for a setback at USC in which the Beavers were trashed 35-10. Utah is 4-0 ATS in the past four against teams with a winning overall record, and 4-1 ATS in the past five. However, they're just 4-10 ATS in the past 14 conference games. Oregon State is just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 at Reser Stadium, and 2-5 ATS in their past seven home games against a team with a winning road record. However, they are an impressive 16-5 ATS in the past 21 games following a bye.


UCLA at California (ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 p.m. ET)
UCLA hits the road for Berkeley looking to stop a two-game losing streak. Cal crashed back to Earth in a big way last week, getting humbled by Washington by a 31-7 score. The Golden Bears started out 3-0 ATS, but they're just 1-2 ATS over the past three. Conversely, the Bruins have managed just one cover in six tries this season. California is just 4-12 ATS in the past 16 against a team with a winning overall record, and 4-14 ATS in the past 18 conference games. The home team has managed to cover four straight in this series, and the Bruins are just 2-6 ATS in their past eight trips to Berkeley. Currently, UCLA finds itself as a touchdown favorite on the road. The underdog is also 12-5-1 ATS in the past 18 meetings in the series.

Colorado at Southern California (Pac-12 Network, 6:00 p.m.)
The Buffaloes of Colorado might be regretting their decision to join the Pac-12, at least on the football side of things. They haven't been much of a factor, and are again winless in three games to start this season in conference play. However, on a positive note, Colorado has covered three of its past four games. USC has alternated wins and losses over the past four games, and alternated covers, too. At home this season they are 2-1 SU/ATS. Over the past 11 Pac-12 conference games, the Trojans have pulled off covers in eight games, and they're 6-2 ATS in their past eight at the Coliseum.

Washington at Oregon (FOX Sports 1, 8:00 p.m.)
It seems like Washington has come out of nowhere, rolling out to a 5-1 record overall. They face their biggest test at Oregon Saturday in a game which could really re-establish the program as a national contender. The Huskies smashed Cal 31-7 last week on the road, and they have covered each of their two conference games this season while the 'under' has hit in four straight, and five of six this season. Oregon restored order last week at UCLA, winning and covering after their shocking loss to Arizona Oct. 2. The Ducks are still just 3-8 ATS in the past 11, however, and 1-5 ATS in their past six home games. Autzen Stadium has been a house of horrors for U-Dub, however, as the Huskies are 0-5-1 ATS in their past six trips to Eugene. Overall, Washington is just 1-9-1 ATS in the past 11 against Oregon.
Stanford at Arizona State (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
This Pac-12 tilt will be one of the most interesting of the weekend. Neither team can afford a second loss in Pac-12 play, if they wish to remain in the hunt for a berth in the conference title game. Stanford was impressive last time out against Washington State, winning 34-17, barely covering for some, pushing for others. Their defense continues to be suffocating, posting a fifth straight under. In fact, the Cardinal have allowed 17 or fewer points in each of their six games this season. AZ State has gotten solid play from backup QB Mike Bercovici over the past couple of games, as he subs for the injured QB Taylor Kelly. Arizona State has scored 38 or more points in four wins this season. In this series, Stanford is 3-0-1 ATS in the past four meetings, and the favorite is 5-1-1 ATS in the past seven in this series. The home team has managed a solid 9-3-1 ATS in the past 13 meetings, while the under is 5-2 in the past seven battles.