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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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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


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


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.

Big Ten Report - Week 8
By ASA

Game of the Week

Michigan State (-13.5) at Indiana – 3:30 p.m. ET

For the second straight week, Michigan State is off another win in which they allowed the inferior opponent to hang around too long. Purdue came back from three touchdowns behind to get the football with a chance to tie or win in the final minute before a pick-six clinched the 45-31 victory for MSU. Sparty had no problem moving the ball against Purdue, notching 532 total yards behind big days by QB Cook (238 pass yds, 3 TD) and RB's Langford & Hill (combined 174 rush yds, 2 TD). It was a bit concerning that the Spartans vaunted defense allowed Purdue to rush for 5.2 YPC and allowed unproven QB Appleby to complete 24-of-37 passes. If Michigan State wants a shot at the Playoff, they'll have to start winning more impressively. The Spartans' 4th ranked scoring offense should have no problem scoring points against this Indiana defense that again ranks at or near the bottom of the B1G in every major statistical category. Last week the Hoosiers allowed a struggling Iowa offense to gain 426 yards and score 45 points in the 16-point Hawkeyes win. Indiana QB Sudfeld separated his shoulder in that loss and will likely miss the remainder of the season. His replacement, Covington, is a true freshman who was recruited to play safety before being moved to the QB position just a few months ago. After replacing Sudfeld last week, Covington completed just 3-of-12 passes for 31 yards with 2 INT. Now he has the seemingly impossible task of going against this 12th ranked MSU defense in his first career start. Indiana will try to get RB Coleman - who leads the FBS in rush yards - going against this MSU run-defense that ranks 5th in rush yards allowed. Michigan State is 9-1 SU & 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings with Indiana. The Hoosiers are 6-2 ATS in the last eight home games as an underdog of 10+ points.

Ohio State (-19) vs Rutgers – 3:30 p.m. ET

OSU & Rutgers are both off of a bye week entering this weekend's matchup in Columbus. After a poor performance against Virginia Tech in which he completed 9-of-29 passes with 1 TD and 3 INT, OSU's J.T. Barrett has completed 75.2% of his passes for 303 YPG with 14 TD and just 1 INT in the last three games. He was masterful in OSU's win over Maryland, finishing 18-of-23 for 267 yards with 4 TD and 0 INT while scoring 1 rush TD for good measure. The Bucks have now scored 50+ points in three consecutive games as this young offense grows more and more comfortable in Urban Meyer's scheme. Defensively the Buckeyes young group continues to improve and they are off of a game in which they shutdown a solid Maryland offense. They allowed Maryland QB's to complete just 24-of-40 passes for 244 yards with 1 TD and 4 INT. That's a promising development after allowing 352 pass yards and 4 TD to Cincinnati in the prior game. Opponents have had a tough time rushing against this Ohio State defensive front, gaining just 61 YPG on fewer than 3.0 YPC the last three games. The Scarlet Knights are one of the biggest surprises in the B1G with a 5-1 mark at the midway point. Rutgers is off of a bye week after a nice home win over Michigan in its last game. The Scarlet Knights blocked a Michigan field goal late in the 4th quarter and were able to run out the clock for their first conference victory as a member of the B1G. It was a hard fought battle with the reeling Wolverines, but give QB Nova credit for stepping up with 404 pass yards and 3 TD when the running game was seemingly non-existent (74 yards on 2.5 YPC). Nova has been expected to shoulder the load on offense after star RB Paul James went down with a knee injury and he hasn't disappointed. Nova now has 7 TD and 1 INT in his last two games since James went out after tallying 6 TD & 6 INT through the first four games with James in the lineup. The defense will get its toughest test against OSU, but Rutgers appears to be up to the task to slow down Barrett and this pass offense. After allowing Washington State QB Halliday to have a huge day in the opener (532 pass yds, 5 TD), the Scarlet Knights have allowed just 56% completions with 1 pass TD and 3 INT in the last five games. OSU is just 1-4 ATS in the last five B1G home games as a favorite of 17 points or more. Rutgers is 19-5-1 ATS in its last 25 road games as an underdog.

Nebraska (-7) at Northwestern – 7:30 PM ET

Nebraska used the bye week to heal a number of players that were ailing after the Huskers' last game loss to Michigan State. Give Nebraska credit for not quitting against Michigan State in a game where seemingly nothing was going right for the Huskers for the better part of three quarters. Down 3-27 in the 4th quarter, Nebraska fought back and cut the deficit to 22-27 with 3:22 remaining. The Huskers were driving with under a minute remaining before an MSU INT put the game away for good. It was tough sledding all game long for star RB Ameer Abdullah, who gained just 45 rush yards on 24 carries after averaging 166 rush YPG through Nebraska's first five contests. QB Armstrong Jr. was constantly under pressure and completed just 20-of-43 passes for 273 yards with 0 TD and 2 INT. Nebraska's defense played quite well against the Spartans save the three long TD scores. MSU's QB Cook completed just 11-of-29 passes with 1 TD and 1 INT. And if you take away the two long TD runs by MSU, Nebraska allowed just 2.9 YPC to the Spartans. All in all, there are much worse ways to lose and Nebraska went into its bye week knowing it can compete with the B1G elite. This week they travel to Evanston to take on a Northwestern squad off a dispiriting loss to Minnesota. The Wildcats outgained Minnesota 393-274 and held the Gophers vaunted rushing attack to just 121 yards on 3.1 YPC, but a special teams letdown (100 yd kickoff return for TD) after tying the game at 17-17 allowed Minnesota to escape with a seven-point victory. RB Justin Jackson had a nice day with 106 rush yards, but the overall inexplosive nature of their offense prevented Northwestern from putting more than 17 points on the board despite owning the game in every aspect. Northwestern has covered all three meetings with Nebraska since the Huskers became a member of the B1G. The winning margin in those three games has been 3, 1, and 3 points. Northwestern is 0-5 ATS in the last five following a SU loss and just 3-8 ATS in the last 11 conference games. Nebraska has covered five straight road games and is 5-2 ATS in the last seven conference roadies.

Minnesota (-12.5) vs. Purdue – 12:00 p.m. ET

It wasn't pretty, but the Gophers played sound football against Northwestern and came away with the victory. Offensively the Gophers were outgained 393-274 and the rushing attack was stifled for much of the afternoon (121 yards on 3.1 YPC). QB Leidner was unspectacular but efficient as he completed 10-of-15 passes for 153 yards and rushed for two scores. The defense allowed Northwestern QB Siemian to complete 32 passes, but they went for just 269 yards and 1 TD. They also held the Wildcats' rushing attack to just 124 yards on 3.6 YPC. The defensive unit held when necessary, and Minnesota got a decisive 100-yard kickoff return from Jalen Myrick in the fourth quarter to break the 17-17 tie. Now Minnesota sits at 5-1 overall and 2-0 in conference with a shot to officially become bowl eligible with a win over Purdue on Saturday. Things appear to be trending upward for the Boilermakers. Purdue has played well over the last three games even though the results don't show up in the standings. Despite being a heavy road 'dog against MSU last week, the Boilers had a chance to tie or take the lead late in the 4th before a Spartans INT return for TD put the game away for Sparty. QB Appleby was an efficient 24-of-37 for 211 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT - his 2nd consecutive solid performance since becoming the starter. The Boilers, surprisingly, were able to churn out 129 rush yards on 5.2 YPC against this normally unyielding MSU rush defense. RB Akeem Hunt accounted for 96 rush yards on just 12 carries with 3 TD runs. Despite the loss, the Boilers have to be feeling good about the way they've played of late. Purdue has won 11 of the last 15 meetings with Minnesota, but the Gophers have won three of the last five, including a 44-28 win in Minnesota in 2012 in the latest meeting. The favorite is 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 meetings. The Gophers haven't been a double-digit favorite against a Big Ten team since 2004, and are just 3-6 ATS in the last nine as a 10+ point favorite overall. Purdue is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games following a double-digit loss at home.

Maryland (-5) vs. Iowa – 12:00 p.m. ET

Maryland had a bye week last week after running into a buzzsaw in its most recent game against OSU. The Buckeyes scored early and often and rode a 31-10 halftime lead into a 52-24 victory. Maryland QB's Brown & Rowe completed just 24-of-40 passes for 244 yards with 1 TD and 4 INT. Coach Edsall stated that there is absolutely no quarterback controversy and that CJ Brown will be the starter when Maryland returns to the field despite being replaced at halftime against OSU. It'd help whoever is under center if the Terps could get some semblance of a rushing attack. They managed just 66 rush yards on 24 carries (2.8 YPC) against the Bucks and now rank 90th nationally in rush YPG. The good news is that they've had a week off to work on that, along with solving their defensive issues (106th against the run, 99th in total defense) before hosting Iowa this weekend. Iowa came off of its own bye week to face Indiana last week, and the Hawkyes that took the field looked completely different than the version we saw over the first five weeks of the season. They were exciting and explosive on offense while scoring 45 points - 21 more than they had scored against an FBS program this season - in the 16-point victory over the Hoosiers. QB Jake Rudock looked much improved, throwing for 210 yards and two scores on 19-of-27 passing as Iowa jumped to a 21-0 lead. Playing against Indiana seemed to solve a lot of Iowa's offensive woes, as the rushing attack notched 207 yards - the first time Iowa has exceeded 175 rush yards in a game this season. It was a bit concerning that a normally stout Iowa run-defense allowed Indiana to rush for 316 yards on 8.1 YPC with three long TD runs of 83, 69, and 45 by IU's Tevin Coleman. We'll see if Iowa can carry its strong offensive performance into the next game on the road against Maryland. Iowa is 8-0 ATS in its last eight roadies, four of which came as an underdog. The Terps are just 1-5 ATS in the last six home games and 0-7 ATS following a bye week.

Wisconsin - Bye Week

The winning margin of 10 points over Illinois is a bit misleading as the Illini scored a couple of garbage touchdowns and the Badgers had a +210 yard advantage; but the Badgers had to overcome another slow start and struggled yet again to get a passing attack going. It didn't matter on Saturday as the Badgers romped for 401 rush yards on 8.5 YPC, but the Badgers will need to develop an aerial attack if they want a shot at a B1G title. Melvin Gordon had another huge day (175 rush yds, 4 TD) to continue his torried pace of 868 rush yds and 12 TD over the past four games. Defensively they allowed Illini backup QB O'Toole to see a few too many passing lanes (12-of-19 for 96 yards and 2 scores) and the rush defense allowed Illinois to rush for its 2nd highest total on the ground this season. Still, this pass defense ranks as the top unit in the B1G, allowing just 50.3% completions for 169.2 YPG with just 5 pass TD. That pass defense will get tested in upcoming games against Maryland and Rutgers.

Penn State - Bye Week

The Nittany Lions lost a second consecutive game last week against Michigan and are now reeling after a strong 4-0 start. Christian Hackenberg may have all the talent in the world, but he appears to be playing without confidence; mainly because the offensive line stinks and he has so few playmakers around him. Hackenberg has just 1 TD pass in the last four games and the Nittany Lions have limped to just 104 rush yards on 60 carries (1.7 YPC) in PSU's two consecutive losses. The defense continues to be outstanding as this unit held Michigan to just 256 total yards - including 64 rush yards on 2.1 YPC - and 12 first downs. But their defensive prowess will go unnoticed if the offense continues to underperform. Next up the Nittany Lions will host Ohio State as PSU looks to avenge last year's 49-point loss to the Buckeyes.

Michigan - Bye Week

It wasn't a convincing win over Penn State, but it was a win nonetheless, and the Wolverines will take anything they can get nowadays. The Wolves used a solid defensive performance, holding Penn State to 214 yards, 16 first downs, and just 13 points in the five-point victory. The defense will have to continue to play at an elite level because it appears this offense isn't making any strides. The Wolves managed just 256 total yards and 12 first downs. They rushed for just 64 yards on 21 carries (2.1 YPC) while QB Gardner was efficient but inexplosive (16-of-24 for 192 yards with 1 TD & 1 INT). It was a solid win at home that saved Brady Hoke's job for at least one more week, and perhaps this showing can relieve some pressure on Michigan before it travels to East Lansing for the all-important battle of Michigan with the Spartans.

Illinois - Bye Week

Credit the Illini for playing the Badgers tougher than anyone really expected, especially considering they were playing their first game without star QB Wes Lunt. Illinois jumped out to a 14-7 - before the Badgers scored the next 31 points - and then cut a 24-point deficit to just 10 in the 4th quarter. Backup QB Riley O'Toole made a few big plays (2 TD passes) and the rushing attack notched 153 yards against the Badgers. Still, despite all the "good" things that the Illini did, they were still outgained by 210 yards and allowed UW RB's Gordon & Clement to rush for 339 yards and 5 TD. This is a porous defense, and now without Lunt, the offense is really going to struggle. Their remaining schedule is against five teams with a combined record of 22-8 and they'll likely be heavy underdogs in each of those contests.