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Preview Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Saturday, September 10, 2016 4:00 PM

Bombers, Riders clash in annual Banjo Bowl

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are hot right now.

Mike O’Shea’s football team has won five games in a row entering Saturday’s Banjo Bowl rematch with its prairie rival, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Where the Bombers once sat anchored at the bottom of their division with a 1-4 record, they’ve now surged to 6-4 and currently sit in third in the tough West Division. What’s transpired in Winnipeg has been nothing short of a 180-degree turnaround.

Speaking of 180-degree turnarounds, that’s what the province of Saskatchewan will be hoping for in the second half of the 2016 season. At 1-9, the Riders are the worst team in the league on both offence (195 points for, 9th) and defence (347 points against, 9th).

Winnipeg took last week’s Labour Day Classic in Regina, 28-25, snapping an 11-year drought in Riderville and more importantly inching to within a game of the BC Lions for second in the West.

While last week’s loss to Winnipeg at home was a disappointing one, there were positives to be taken from it for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fan base.

Darian Durant threw for a season-high 399 passing yards, receiver Caleb Holley emerged as a legitimate threat downfield and the Rider defence held an opponent under 30 points for just the second time since Week 5.

That said, Durant also threw two key interceptions and the Rider defence was unable to stop Winnipeg on its game-winning field goal drive — due in large part to a pass interference penalty on Justin Cox.

“We have to look at what we can do to extend drives, not give up big plays (and) not take penalties at inopportune times,” Riders head coach Chris Jones told Riderville.com. “Those are the things that lose you football games.

“One thing about us is we’re never going to quit; nobody wants it more for these young guys in our locker room than me and my coaching staff.”

Thus, despite not having found themselves in the win column since mid-July, the Riders are heading to Winnipeg with their eyes on a W they see as attainable.

“We’re looking at it as a game we’re trying to go in and win,” said quarterback Darian Durant. “We feel like we let an opportunity slip by with the game (here) last week (and) want to try to correct our mistakes and come out on top (Saturday).”

While Saskatchewan sits a minimum of four wins from the playoff conversation in the West, linebacker Greg Jones insists heads remain high inside the Rider locker room.

“I feel like we still have a chance to get back in; (it’s) that light in the tunnel situation,” explained the Michigan alum. “We feel like we can get back in it; you can’t win by being negative and having our heads down. It is what it is, but we’re going to keep chugging.”

One of the keys to Saskatchewan’s improved passing game has been slotback Naaman Roosevelt. The Buffalo native has racked up 272 receiving yards in the Riders’ past two outings, but hasn’t found the end zone since a Week 5 win against Ottawa.

The Rider defence will have to improve its ability to crash the pocket and foster quarterback pressure to have success in Winnipeg on Saturday and beyond; Saskatchewan’s 14 sacks are the fewest in the league by some distance, and that lack of D-Line production has contributed to the team’s league-low mark of three interceptions.

For the Bombers, it doesn’t seem that long ago certain analysts around the league were questioning head coach Mike O’Shea’s future in Winnipeg.

Sparked by a Week 6 switch under centre to Matt Nichols, the Bombers have improved in all phases and become one of the best all-around teams in the league.

With five straight wins under their blue belts, the Bombers aren’t taking the Riders lightly entering Saturday’s grudge match.

“This team that we’re playing this week felt like they could’ve had the win (last week),” quarterback Matt Nichols told BlueBombers.com. “They’re a very good football team; they had multiple chances to beat Edmonton, could’ve beat Calgary…they’re a good team that hasn’t come away with the close ones.

“We’ll have to be much better than last week to win.”

As for facing an opponent twice in a row, Nichols stresses the importance of trying to pick up any small advantage.

“You’re obviously very familiar with the opponent (at this point), but at the same time you watch your film and are (still) trying to pick up things,” said the Eastern Washington alum. “You never know what to expect — I’ve been a part of a lot of back-to-backs where one game, you’ll get a certain coverage, and the next week they’ll do something different.”

Winnipeg will be bolstered by a sell-out crowd at Investors Group Field this weekend.

“When this place is rocking, it’s tough to be an offence,” chuckled former Rider and current Bomber Weston Dressler. “The communication factor makes it harder (but) they’ve got some vets on that offence that have been through it and experienced it.”

One of the driving forces behind Winnipeg’s five-game winning streak has been national running back Andrew Harris. The Winnipeg native leads the CFL in carries (143) and rush yards (655), and sits tied with Calgary’s Jerome Messam in 20-plus-yard runs (3).

“He leads by example,” said Coach O’Shea. “I think there’s a lot of things you can talk about Andrew in that regard; he knows the playbook inside-out, helps his teammates, recognizes situations where they need help on the field.”

Jamaal Westerman’s been one of the most-disruptive presences on Winnipeg’s defence this season; the Brooklyn native has recorded 23 tackles and a team-high five sacks, while consistently creating inside pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Winnipeg tackle-leader Ian Wild is obviously another key figure within coordinator Richie Hall’s defensive unit. Wild is on pace to shatter his previous career-high in tackles, 83 in 2014, and sits fourth in the league with 60 entering Week 12.

CFL Betting Recap - Week 11
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites went 5-0 SU in Week 11
-- Favorites went 4-1 ATS in Week 11
-- Road teams posted a 3-2 SU record in Week 11
-- Home teams posted a 3-2 ATS record in Week 11
-- The 'Over' went 3-2 in Week 11

Team Betting Notes

-- Toronto (4-6) continued their slide, dropping a pair of games in the past week. They lost Wednesday at home against the BC Lions (7-3), and then they fell 49-36 down the QEW in Hamilton (5-5). The Argonauts have dropped four in a row after a 4-2 start, and they have also failed to cover in each of the outings.

-- BC narrowly covered their road outing in Toronto Wednesday, improving to 8-2 ATS in 10 outings this season. After the low-scoring 16-13 victory, the 'under' has connected in three in a row for the Lions.

-- The Tiger Cats are a hard team to figure. They topped Toronto, but have won back-to-back games just once this season. That doesn't bode well for the second half of the home-and-home Sunday in Toronto.

-- Winnipeg (6-4) continued their upward ascent with a 28-25 road win at Saskatchewan (1-9). The Blue Bombers have won five in a row, although Sunday's three-point win marked the first time they haven't covered during the win streak. The 'over' was the third straight for the Blue Bombers. They have scored 28 or more points in each of the five victories.

-- The Roughriders have been improving, averaging 25.0 points per game over the past two, both covers. It is the first time all season Saskatchewan has covered back-to-back games this season. The 'over' has connected in three in a row for the Roughriders heading into the second half of the home-and-home with the Bombers Saturday night.

-- Calgary (8-1-1) won for the seventh consecutive game, topping Edmonton (5-5) by a 45-24 score in the latest installment of the Battle for Alberta. The Stampeders have covered in each of the past five games, and they're an impressive 8-2 ATS in 10 games this season. Their 'over' result was the first in five games for the Stamps.

-- The 'over' has connected in three in a row for the Eskimos heading into Saturday's rematch in Edmonton.

CFL Betting Notes - Week 12
By David Schwab

The Toronto Argonauts pulled double duty in Week 11 of the CFL season with two games in six days. They got off to a rough start last Wednesday with 16-13 loss to British Columbia at home as 2 ½-point underdogs. Last Thursday night, Ottawa got past Montreal 19-14 while covering as a 2 ½-point favorite on the road.

In Sunday’s CFL action, Winnipeg kept its current winning streak alive by squeezing past Saskatchewan 28-25, but it could not cover against the spread as a four-point road favorite. In the first of two games on Monday’s Labor Day Holiday, Calgary ran past Edmonton 45-24 as a 6 ½-point home favorite followed by Hamilton’s 49-36 victory against Toronto as a 10-point favorite at home. Here is a look at this week’s lineup of games.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-9 SU, 4-6 ATS) vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-4 SU, 5-4-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -7 ½
Total: 52 ½

Game Overview

You got to give credit to the Roughriders for keeping their last two games close enough to cover in light of such a dismal season overall, but with just one win in 10 games they are now officially riding out the string in these next eight contests. Darian Durant continues to put up some big numbers with 399 yards passing and a completion rate of 76.6 percent on 47 passing attempts in the first game of this home-and-home, but Saskatchewan’s defense continues to show why it is the worst in the league in points allowed (347).

The Blue Bombers’ SU winning streak has reached five games and this last win was the first time they closed as actual favorites. Matt Nichols has made his way into the discussion for this season’s CFL Most Outstanding Player with how well he has thrown the ball during this current run. He went 27-for-39 in last week’s game against the Roughriders for 341 yards and a score.

Betting Trends

With last week’s win, the Blue Bombers have now won three of the last four meetings SU with the series tied 2-2 ATS. The total has gone OVER in five of the last six meetings.

Calgary Stampeders (8-1-1 SU, 8-2 ATS) vs. Edmonton Eskimos (5-5 SU, 3-6-1)
Point-spread: Calgary – 2 ½
Total: 55

Game Overview

Calgary can really take a big step towards the West Division title with a sweep in this home-and-home matchup. The Stampers’ current SU winning streak now stands at seven games and they have covered ATS in their last five games on the strength of a combined margin of victory of 82 points. Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 380 yards and two scores and Jerome Messam added 110 yards and two more scores on the ground in last week’s win.

The Eskimos took a big step backwards with last week’s loss after stringing together a trio of SU wins in their previous three games. Mike Reilly still leads the CFL in total passing yards with 3,315 and he also leads the way in touchdown throws with 17. Most of Edmonton’s problems this season have been on the other side of the ball with a defense that is allowing an average of 29.2 points a game.

Betting Trends

Calgary beat Edmonton SU for the first time in the past four matchups with last week’s win and it is now 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings. The total has now gone OVER in four of the last seven games between these two division rivals.

Preview Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Saturday, September 10, 2016 4:00 PM

Bombers, Riders clash in annual Banjo Bowl

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are hot right now.

Mike O’Shea’s football team has won five games in a row entering Saturday’s Banjo Bowl rematch with its prairie rival, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Where the Bombers once sat anchored at the bottom of their division with a 1-4 record, they’ve now surged to 6-4 and currently sit in third in the tough West Division. What’s transpired in Winnipeg has been nothing short of a 180-degree turnaround.

Speaking of 180-degree turnarounds, that’s what the province of Saskatchewan will be hoping for in the second half of the 2016 season. At 1-9, the Riders are the worst team in the league on both offence (195 points for, 9th) and defence (347 points against, 9th).

Winnipeg took last week’s Labour Day Classic in Regina, 28-25, snapping an 11-year drought in Riderville and more importantly inching to within a game of the BC Lions for second in the West.

While last week’s loss to Winnipeg at home was a disappointing one, there were positives to be taken from it for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fan base.

Darian Durant threw for a season-high 399 passing yards, receiver Caleb Holley emerged as a legitimate threat downfield and the Rider defence held an opponent under 30 points for just the second time since Week 5.

That said, Durant also threw two key interceptions and the Rider defence was unable to stop Winnipeg on its game-winning field goal drive — due in large part to a pass interference penalty on Justin Cox.

“We have to look at what we can do to extend drives, not give up big plays (and) not take penalties at inopportune times,” Riders head coach Chris Jones told Riderville.com. “Those are the things that lose you football games.

“One thing about us is we’re never going to quit; nobody wants it more for these young guys in our locker room than me and my coaching staff.”

Thus, despite not having found themselves in the win column since mid-July, the Riders are heading to Winnipeg with their eyes on a W they see as attainable.

“We’re looking at it as a game we’re trying to go in and win,” said quarterback Darian Durant. “We feel like we let an opportunity slip by with the game (here) last week (and) want to try to correct our mistakes and come out on top (Saturday).”

While Saskatchewan sits a minimum of four wins from the playoff conversation in the West, linebacker Greg Jones insists heads remain high inside the Rider locker room.

“I feel like we still have a chance to get back in; (it’s) that light in the tunnel situation,” explained the Michigan alum. “We feel like we can get back in it; you can’t win by being negative and having our heads down. It is what it is, but we’re going to keep chugging.”

One of the keys to Saskatchewan’s improved passing game has been slotback Naaman Roosevelt. The Buffalo native has racked up 272 receiving yards in the Riders’ past two outings, but hasn’t found the end zone since a Week 5 win against Ottawa.

The Rider defence will have to improve its ability to crash the pocket and foster quarterback pressure to have success in Winnipeg on Saturday and beyond; Saskatchewan’s 14 sacks are the fewest in the league by some distance, and that lack of D-Line production has contributed to the team’s league-low mark of three interceptions.

For the Bombers, it doesn’t seem that long ago certain analysts around the league were questioning head coach Mike O’Shea’s future in Winnipeg.

Sparked by a Week 6 switch under centre to Matt Nichols, the Bombers have improved in all phases and become one of the best all-around teams in the league.

With five straight wins under their blue belts, the Bombers aren’t taking the Riders lightly entering Saturday’s grudge match.

“This team that we’re playing this week felt like they could’ve had the win (last week),” quarterback Matt Nichols told BlueBombers.com. “They’re a very good football team; they had multiple chances to beat Edmonton, could’ve beat Calgary…they’re a good team that hasn’t come away with the close ones.

“We’ll have to be much better than last week to win.”

As for facing an opponent twice in a row, Nichols stresses the importance of trying to pick up any small advantage.

“You’re obviously very familiar with the opponent (at this point), but at the same time you watch your film and are (still) trying to pick up things,” said the Eastern Washington alum. “You never know what to expect — I’ve been a part of a lot of back-to-backs where one game, you’ll get a certain coverage, and the next week they’ll do something different.”

Winnipeg will be bolstered by a sell-out crowd at Investors Group Field this weekend.

“When this place is rocking, it’s tough to be an offence,” chuckled former Rider and current Bomber Weston Dressler. “The communication factor makes it harder (but) they’ve got some vets on that offence that have been through it and experienced it.”

One of the driving forces behind Winnipeg’s five-game winning streak has been national running back Andrew Harris. The Winnipeg native leads the CFL in carries (143) and rush yards (655), and sits tied with Calgary’s Jerome Messam in 20-plus-yard runs (3).

“He leads by example,” said Coach O’Shea. “I think there’s a lot of things you can talk about Andrew in that regard; he knows the playbook inside-out, helps his teammates, recognizes situations where they need help on the field.”

Jamaal Westerman’s been one of the most-disruptive presences on Winnipeg’s defence this season; the Brooklyn native has recorded 23 tackles and a team-high five sacks, while consistently creating inside pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Winnipeg tackle-leader Ian Wild is obviously another key figure within coordinator Richie Hall’s defensive unit. Wild is on pace to shatter his previous career-high in tackles, 83 in 2014, and sits fourth in the league with 60 entering Week 12.

Preview Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Eskimos
Saturday, September 10, 2016 7:00 PM

Classic rematch

After a convincing Labour Day victory over their provincial counterparts, the Calgary Stampeders will once again square off with the Edmonton Eskimos, this time on Saturday evening from the Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. The game gets going at 7 p.m. EDT.

With an unmatched overall record of 8-1-1 entering Week 12, the Stamps also own a 3-1-1 mark on the road. In total, Calgary has prevailed on seven straight occasions by an average of 14.6 points.

As for their repeat opponent, the Esks sit at 5-5 with three wins in six tries at home.

The Red and White took care of the Green and Gold at McMahon Stadium on Monday by a score of 45-24. The 21-point triumph featured four offensive touchdowns, two interceptions and one special-teams major by Roy Finch. Edmonton did not help their cause by committing over 100 yards in penalties while Calgary’s successful outing featured a quarterback sack from four different defenders.

This weekend’s affair offers the Stamps the possibility of claiming their ninth sweep in 27 Labour Day series with the Eskimos since 1989. Before dropping the annual rematch last year, the Stampeders had not lost the second half of the consecutive clashes since 2006.

Kicker Rene Paredes is slated to appear in his 100th career game. The undrafted veteran and ex-Concordia Stinger has made 31 field goals in a row, the longest single-season streak in league history. Paredes now sits just nine back of breaking his own record of 39, a total that was split between the 2012 and 2013 campaigns.

Calgary sits No. 1 in the CFL with a mere 209 points allowed. Edmonton slots in at No. 8 having conceded 292 points.

Although the Stampeders top pass-catcher – Marquay McDaniel – is in 10th position league-wide with 706 yards, Calgary has excelled at involving a long list of targets. The Stamps are the only team with seven receivers who have already tallied at least 200 receiving yards on the season. As well, each of those players has registered a catch of at least 30 yards.

A roster change for this week will see Dexter Janke and Kamar Jorden added to the 46-man roster with Frank Beltre and Quinn Smith out of commission.

Key Matchup

Quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell and Mike Reilly have posted more completions than any other signal-callers, but both pivots must continue to remain wary of their opposing secondary. Ciante Evans and Jamar Wall of the Stampeders have teamed up for 19 pass knockdowns in 2016, and the Eskimos Pat Watkins is not far behind with seven of his own.

Week 12 CFL games

Saskatchewan (1-9) @ Winnipeg (6-4)– Bombers kicked FG with 0:02 left, won 28-25 in Regina LW, third win in last four series games. Five of last six series games went over total. Roughriders lost last six games, are 0-5 on road (2-3 as road dog, over 3-2), allowing 40.2 ppg. Winnipeg won its last five games after a 1-4 start; they’re 1-3 at home, 0-1 as home favorites- under is 3-0-1 in their home games this year, 9-1-2 in their last 12. Riders are 4-14-1 vs spread in their last 19 road games.

Calgary (8-1-1) @ Edmonton (5-5)– Stampeders won their last seven games since a tie in Ottawa; they’re 3-1-1 on road, with only loss by 2 in Vancouver. Eskimos lost 45-24 in Calgary LW, its first loss in last four series games- they are 3-13 in last 16 games with its rival. Edmonton’s 15-11 win here LY was its first in last eight visits.*Under is 7-4 in last 11 series games. Eskimos are 3-3 at home this year despite being favored in all six games; over is 8-3 in Edmonton’s last 11 home games, 4-2 this season.

Hamilton (5-5) @ Toronto (4-6)– TiCats (-9) beat Toronto 49-36 LW, after trailing 30-17 at the half; Hamilton outscored Argos 18-0 in 4th quarter (Toronto was playing for 2nd time in five days). TiCats won last six series games, winning 35-29/42-20 in last two trips to Toronto. Under is 7-4 in last 11 series games. Argonauts lost last four games after a 4-2 start; they’re 1-5 at home (over 4-2) with only win over Montreal. Hamilton lost its last three road games, allowing 38 ppg; they’re 3-3 as a favorite this year, 2-0 as a road favorite.

— Underdogs*25-16-1, home teams 14-29-2 vs spread…….Over: 21-22-2

— Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers*(-7.5, 52.5)*
— Calgary Stampeders (-2.5, 53.5) @ Edmonton Eskimos*
— Hamilton Tiger Cats (-4, 56) @ Toronto Argonauts

StatFox Super Situations

CFL*|*HAMILTON*at*TORONTO
Play On - Home underdogs or pick (TORONTO) after 1 or more consecutive losses against the spread, with a winning percentage of between 40-49% in the second half of the season
22-3*since 1997.**(*88.0%*|*18.7 units*)

CFL*|*SASKATCHEWAN*at*WINNIPEG
Play On - Any team vs the money line (SASKATCHEWAN) after 6 or more consecutive straight up losses, in weeks 10 through 15
21-12*since 1997.**(*63.6%*|*0.0 units*)

CFL*|*SASKATCHEWAN*at*WINNIPEG
Play Against - Any team vs the the 1rst half line (WINNIPEG) after 5 or more consecutive straight up wins, with a winning record on the season playing a losing team
40-9*since 1997.**(*81.6%*|*30.1 units*)

Opening Line Report - Week 2
By Marcus DiNitto

Analyzing the Bounce-back Factor

After a thrilling opening weekend of college football, replete with marque matchups, major upsets and fantastic finishes, Week 2 doesn’t offer much of an encore. Mismatches abound, and there are a gulf-like point spreads to be found all over the betting board.

The biggest number on the card is Oklahoma laying about 45 points to Louisiana-Monroe. The Sooners, of course, were knocked from their No. 3 national ranking via a 33-23 loss to Houston to get the upset train started.

Notre Dame, UCLA and LSU also face severely overmatched opponents in Week 2 after losing unexpectedly in their season openers.

Handicappers who prescribe to the bounce-back theory better be prepared to pay a premium on these teams. The fact that they’re coming off a loss and in desperate need of a win to avoid going 0-2 and watching their national championship hopes obliterated is factored into the betting lines, said John Avello, vice president of race and sports at The Wynn.

"What I see this week is rebounding," Avello said. "I think you’ll see some teams this week that maybe played a quality team last week and had trouble but will expect to bounce back this week."

The bounce-back factor is indeed built into Avello’s numbers, the first posted each week in Las Vegas on college football.

"It’s in my LSU number, it’s in my Notre Dame number, it’s in my UCLA number," Avello said.

Futures Adjustments

In no sport is a season-opening loss more damaging to a team’s national title chances than college football. With a second loss, it becomes very difficult to make a case for an invitation to the four-team playoff.

There have been significant adjustments, therefore, to the futures odds of LSU (8/1 to 15/1) Oklahoma (12/1 to 20/1), Notre Dame (20/1 to 30/1) and UCL A (60/1 to 100/1) at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

LSU is an interesting case. Playing in the SEC, there are scenarios by which a two-loss Tigers team can get into the playoffs.

To SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons, though, nearly doubling LSU’s futures price was less about these viable scenarios and more about how LSU looked against the Badgers.

"LSU took on a ton of future book money – the most money of any team," Salmons said. "They were talkin’ em up like they’re an NFL team, but you watch them, and it’s the same old LSU offense . They just run the ball, they have no quarterback, they play football like it’s 1965.

"It’s hard to believe that team could beat Alabama, playing that kind of style. That’s not the kind of team that beats Alabama. Playing slow, running the ball and all that."

Salmons added, "Realistically, they probably should be a little bit higher (than 15/1). The Wisconsin game is not the game you’d figure they’d lose."

Early Week 2 Line Moves

Here are spreads that moved 2 points or more in the favorite’s direction in the first 24 hours of wagering at The Wynn.

Penn State at Pittsburgh
Opening line: Pitt -4
After 24 hours: Pitt -6

Bookmaker’s take: "Interesting game. It used to be a huge rivalry, and they haven’t played in 16 years," said Salmons. "Penn State has a good chance to beat Pittsburgh. Penn State is being underrated right now."

Tulsa at Ohio State
Opening line: Ohio State -27
After 24 hours: Ohio State -29

UT-San Antonio at Colorado State
Opening line: Colorado State -9.5
After 24 hours: Colorado State -11.5

Idaho at Washington
Opening line: Washington -35
After 24 hours: Washington -37

Middle Tennessee State at Vanderbilt
Opening line: Vanderbilt -3
After 24 hours: Vanderbilt -5.5

Washington State at Boise State
Opening line: Boise State -9.5
After 24 hours: Boise State -12.5

Here are spreads that moved 2 points or more in the underdog’s direction in the first 24 hours of wagering at The Wynn.

Arkansas at TCU
Opening line: TCU -9.5
After 24 hours: TCU -7.5

Central Florida at Michigan
Opening line: Michigan -38
After 24 hours: Michigan -35

UConn at Navy
Opening line: Navy -8
After 24 hours: Navy -5

BYU at Utah
Opening line: Utah -5
After 24 hours: Utah -3

Bookmaker’s take: "BYU owes Utah from (last season’s Las Vegas Bowl), when they were down 35-0 in the first quarter," Salmons said. The Cougars scored 28 straight after that but came up short in the 35-28 loss.

Texas Tech at Arizona State
Opening line: Arizona State -5.5
After 24 hours: Arizona State -3

Bookmaker’s take: Salmons agrees with this move on the Red Raiders. "I think Texas Tech can beat Arizona State," he said.

Why wiseguys are timing these college football bets perfectly in Week 2
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

Cincinnati Bearcats (-6.5) at Purdue Boilermakers

This line opened -6 and quickly move to -6.5 at all sportsbooks. Cincinnati backers will look to play this game now before it hits the key number of seven, while Purdue supporters will likely sit and wait.

Cincinnati is in its fourth season under head coach Tommy Tuberville and should contend for an American Athletic Conference title. The offense is young, but is experienced at quarterback and the Bearcats will be motivated after a lackluster 28-7 win versus Tennessee Monroe last week. The strength of this team is a veteran defense that returns eight starters this season.

Purdue's defense wasn’t impressive last week, allowing Eastern Kentucky to score 24 points and gain 398 total yards. The Boilermakers are just 3-30 SU versus FBS opponents under head coach Darrell Hazell, compared to 4-0 versus FCS opponents.

Spread to wait on

Ohio Bobcats (+3) at Kansas Jayhawks

Money quickly came in on Kansas in this game, moving the Jayhawks from 2- point underdogs to 3-point favorites. Based on last week's results, the betting public will probably push this line higher above the key number of three.

Kansas snapped its 15-game losing streak last week with a win over FCS Rhode Island and also got head coach David Beaty his first win after going 0-12 SU last year. However, Kansas is still a team that has gone 3-9 SU or worse in each of its past six seasons. They will now be facing an Ohio team that is expected to contend for the Mid-American Conference title this season.

Ohio will be in a foul mood after losing in triple-overtime as a 17.5-point home favorite versus Texas State last week. The Bobcats failed to convert a two-point conversion in the third overtime session. Ohio held a 630-546 total yards edge in the game, including a 250-106 rushing advantage.

Total to watch

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Arizona State Sun Devils (79)

The highest Over/Under line this week opened at 80 and was quickly bet down to 79 total points.

Texas Tech was an explosive offense last season, averaging 45.1 points per game and they scored 69 points last week on 758 total yards in their season debut versus Stephen F. Austin. The question for Texas Tech is a defense that allowed 43.6 points per game last season.

Arizona State is a young offense that returns just four starters this season. The Sun Devils did score 44 points on 456 yards last week versus FCS Northern Arizona, but they will now be stepping up in class versus a high-octane Big 12 opponent this week.

Big 12 Report - Week 2
By Joe Williams

2016 BIG 12 STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

Baylor 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1
Iowa State 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1
Kansas 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Kansas State 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1
Oklahoma 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1
Oklahoma State 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Texas 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Texas Christian 1-0 0-0 0-1 1-0
Texas Tech 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
West Virginia 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1


Central Michigan at Oklahoma State (FOX Sports 1, 12:00 p.m. ET)
Central Michigan opened as a 19-point favorite, and the line quickly moved to 21. Oklahoma State side bettors were apparently not impressed by CMU's 49-3 win and cover against Presbyterian last weekend. The Cowboys also pasted an FCS school, walking over Southeast Louisiana by a 61-7 count at Boone Pickens Stadium. These sides met last season in Mount Pleasant, and the Cowboys came away with a 24-13 victory. The Chippewas are 11-4 ATS in their past 15 games overall, and 9-2 ATS in their past 11 road outings. They're also 6-1 ATS in their past seven non-conference tilts. The Cowboys covered last week at home, but were 3-4 ATS in seven home outings last season.

Youngstown State at West Virginia (NO TV, 2:00 p.m.)
Youngstown State heads down to Morgantown for a pay day, while the Mountaineers look to build upon their 26-11 opening game win against Missouri. The Penguins of YSU racked up 610 yards of offense in their 45-10 win against Duquesne, but West Virginia and their team speed will be a whole different animal. The Mountaineers enter 7-0 SU against FCS foes over the past six seasons, but they're just 2-5 ATS during that span.

Ohio U. at Kansas (FOX Sports Net, 2:30 p.m. ET)
Ohio was stunned at home against Texas State, falling in 3OT by a 56-54 count despite entering their game as a 17-point favorite. Kansas, a team which was winless in 12 games a year ago, already has a mark in the win column after rolling up a 55-6 win against FCS Rhode Island. The Jayhawks were also 3-9 ATS last season, but they covered against the Rams to get off on the right foot. The Jayhawks opened as a two-point underdog, but are now a three-point favorite as of Wednesday morning. Despite last weekend's shocking loss at home, the Bobcats are 7-1 ATS in their past eight non-conference games, and 6-1 ATS in their past seven in September. Kansas is 4-0-1 ATS in their past five againt the MAC, but 3-10-1 ATS in their past 14 non-conference tilts and 2-6 ATS in their past eight at home.

Southern Methodist at Baylor (FOX Sports 1, 3:30 p.m. ET)
SMU opened their season with a 34-21 road win at North Texas, covering as a touchdown favorite. Baylor kicked off a new era with a 55-7 win and non-cover against FCS Northwestern State. The Bears still have plenty of offense despite a regime change, but the Mustangs aren't too shabby on offense, either. The Bears are holding steady as a 32-point favorite. They won last season's meeting by a 56-21 score Sept. 4, 2015, but SMU hung on for a cover as a 36-point underdog at home. SMU is 4-1 ATS in their past five non-conference games, but just 7-19-1 ATS in their past 27 against the Big 12. Baylor is 9-4 ATS in their past 13 non-conference battles and 6-2-1 ATS in their past nine in the month of September.

Arkansas at Texas Christian (ESPN, 7:00 p.m.)
The Razorbacks and Horned Frogs each struggled at times last week and are lucky to each have a 1-0 record. Arkansas barely scraped by Louisiana Tech at home, 21-20, while TCU allowed FCS South Dakota State to roll up 41 points and 461 total yards, including 333 through the air. The Horned Frogs enter as a 7 1/2-point favorite, looking to improve on their 14-3 ATS mark over the past 17 home games. TCU is also 7-3 ATS in their past 10 non-conference games, and 16-5 ATS in their past 21 games on grass. The Razorbacks are 1-4 ATS in their past five non-conference tilts, and 0-4 ATS in their past four in September. However, they are 7-1 ATS in their past eight against the Big 12 while going 14-6 ATS in their past 20 against teams with a winning overall record.

Texas El-Paso at Texas (Longhorn Network, 7:00 p.m.)
The eyes of Texas were certainly smiling following a thrilling overtime win against Notre Dame Sunday night, vaulting the Longhorns into the Top 25 for the first time during the Charlie Strong era. It will be interesting to see how Texas handles success against a lesser opponent. Will there be a huge dropoff in intensity with a non-marquee opponent, or will Texas remain focused and continue to build? UTEP enters as a four-touchdown underdog despite winning and covering in their opener against New Mexico State last week. The Miners are 6-1 ATS in their past seven overall dating back to last season, but just 2-5 ATS in their past seven non-conference games and 4-11 ATS in their past 15 tries against the Big 12. Texas is 10-4 ATS in their past 14 against Conference USA teams, and 4-1 ATS in their past five home outings.

Louisiana-Monroe at Oklahoma (NO TV, 7:00 p.m.)
The WarHawks hit the road for Norman and they will find a very ornery Oklahoma team which was taken down by a powerful Houston squad. ULM won and covered against FCS Southern, 38-21, but facing the Sooners will be a much more daunting task. Vegas expects this game to be a big-time rout, as Oklahoma is installed as a 46-point favorite. ULM is 4-0-1 ATS in their past five non-conference games, while Oklahoma is 4-0 ATS in their past four against the Sun Belt Conference and 7-2 ATS in their past nine in the month of September. The total is set at 65, and the 'under' might be the play. The under is 4-1 in ULM's past five against non-conference opponents, and the under is 6-1 in Oklahoma's past seven outside the Big 12.

Iowa State at Iowa (Big Ten, 7:00 p.m.)
Iowa State laid an egg in their opener, falling to FCS Northern Iowa by a 25-20 count. Iowa barely missed covering in a 45-21 win against Miami-Ohio, but their offense was impressive with 212 rushing yards and 404 total yards of output. The Cyclones enter Iowa City 14-5 ATS in their past 19 tries against the Big Ten, but just 2-5-1 ATS in their past eight road games. Still, Iowa State has dominated this series in recent years, at least against the number, going 8-1 ATS in their past nine trips to Iowa City while going 13-5 ATS in the past 18 meetings overall. The road team is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings in this rivalry, which means the 15-point number might be a bit much for Iowa to cover. The under is 5-0 in the past five meetings in Iowa City, and 8-2-1 in the past 11 meetings overall in this series.

Texas Tech at Arizona State (FOX Sports 1, 10:00 p.m.)
Texas Tech hits the road for Tempe looking to run its record to 2-0. The offense was in top form with a 69-17 win against Stephen F. Austin, covering a 37 1/2-point spread. Arizona State also faced an FCS foe, winning and covering against Northern Arizona in a 44-13 rout. The Red Raiders are 5-0-1 ATS in their past six games in the month of September, and they're 3-1-1 ATS in their past five non-conference battles. The Sun Devils are 4-0 ATS in their past four home games dating back to last season, but their cover against NAU was their first in the past seven tries in the month of September. Trends point to the 'over' in this late-night tilt for Texas Tech, as the over is 11-4 in Texas Tech's past 15 games and 16-7 in their past 23 non-conference tilts. However the 'under' is 4-1 in AZ State's past five non-conference games, and 5-0 in the past five games in the month of September.

Pac-12 Report - Week 2
By Joe Williams

2016 PAC-12 STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

Arizona 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1
Arizona State 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
California 1-0 0-0 0-1 1-0
Colorado 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
Oregon 1-0 0-0 0-1 1-0
Oregon State 0-1 0-0 1-0 0-1
Southern California 0-1 0-0 0-1 1-0
Stanford 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-1
UCLA 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-0-1
Utah 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1
Washington 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0
Washington State 0-1 0-0 0-1 1-0

Utah State at Southern California (Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m. ET)
USC was embarrassed 52-6 by Alabama in Arlington, Tex. last weekend, and now they return home to face Utah State. They barely got by the Aggies the last time these sides faced each other, winning 17-14 in the Coliseum back on Sept. 21, 2013. Utah State did a little embarrassing of their own, outclassing FCS Weber State by a 45-6 count. They enter as a 16 1/2-point underdog at USC, and the public is jumping on the Trojans and banking on them being extremely angry and to come out with a purpose. The Aggies are 2-5 ATS in their past seven games in the month of September, and 1-4 ATS in their past five road outings. USC is 28-11 ATS in their past 39 games following a straight-up loss, and they're 8-1 ATS in their past nine after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.

Brigham Young at Utah (FOX, 7:30 p.m. ET)
BYU scratched out a hard-fought 18-16 win against Arizona last weekend, now they set their sights on another Pac-12 foe. The Cougars are 1-5 ATS in their past six trips to Rice-Eccles in Salt Lake City, and they're 0-4 ATS in their past four meetings against the rival Utes. The underdog has cashed in five of the past six meetings in this series. Utah was rather lackluster on offense in their opener against FCS Southern Utah, but they pitched a shutout in the 24-0 win. The Utes enter as 3 1/2-point favorites, and the total is set at 45 1/2 points. Based on the defensive effort of both sides, and struggles on offense, the 'under' might be a popular play.

UNLV at UCLA (Pac-12 Network, 8:00 p.m.)
UNLV scorched FCS Jackson State by a 63-13 count, covering a 40-point number while nearly taking care of the 63 1/2-point total themselves. UCLA looks to pick itself off the mat after a disappointing 31-24 overtime loss at Texas A&M. They fought back to force OT, but could not get over the hump. The total of 55 also pushed in their road opener. UNLV is 5-1 ATS in their past six non-conference battles, but they're 0-4-1 ATS in their past five tries against the Pac-12. For UCLA, they're 12-3 ATS in their past 15 games against Mountain West foes and 6-2 ATS in their past eight games following a non-cover. The 'over' is 14-3 in UNLV's past 17 games, and 4-1 in their past five against the Pac-12. The under is 5-1 in UCLA's past six at home, and 3-1-1 in their past five non-conference battles.

Texas Tech at Arizona State (FOX Sports 1, 10:00 p.m.)
Texas Tech hits the road for Tempe looking to run its record to 2-0. The offense was in top form with a 69-17 win against Stephen F. Austin, covering a 37 1/2-point spread. Arizona State also faced an FCS foe, winning and covering against Northern Arizona in a 44-13 rout. The Red Raiders are 5-0-1 ATS in their past six games in the month of September, and they're 3-1-1 ATS in their past five non-conference battles. The Sun Devils are 4-0 ATS in their past four home games dating back to last season, but their cover against NAU was their first in the past seven tries in the month of September. Trends point to the 'over' in this late-night tilt for Texas Tech, as the over is 11-4 in Texas Tech's past 15 games and 16-7 in their past 23 non-conference tilts. However the 'under' is 4-1 in AZ State's past five non-conference games, and 5-0 in the past five games in the month of September.

Washington State at Boise State (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.)
Washington State was tripped up in their opener by an FCS club for the second consecutive season. Like last season, they hit the road looking for redemption. They rebounded last season at Rutgers by a 37-34 count after falling to Portland State, but this season the task is much more daunting with a trip to the Smurf Turf on the agenda. The Cougs are 4-0 ATS in their past four after a straight-up loss, and they're 7-0 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record. However, Washington State is also 0-4-1 ATS in their past five tries against Mountain West opponents. Boise State rolled up an impressive 45-10 win at Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend, and return home where they have been hard to beat. The Broncos are 4-0 ATS in their past four non-conference games, and 8-3 ATS in their past 11 games in the month of September.

California at San Diego State (CBSSN, 10:30 p.m.)
Cal opened with a 51-31 win down under in Australia against Hawaii back on Aug. 26, and they have had two weeks to get acclimated following the long road trip. They polished off San Diego State 35-7 last Sept. 12, and look for a repeat performance. The Aztecs picked up a 31-0 victory against a solid FCS club from New Hampshire last weekend, and they'll lean upon RB Donnel Pumphrey to try and push aside the Pac-12 visitor. San Diego State is a 7 1/2-point favorite at most shops. Cal hasn't had a lot of luck on the road in past seasons, and they're just 1-4 ATS in their past five dating back to last year. San Diego State is 8-1-2 ATS in their past 11 overall, and 3-1-2 ATS in their past six at home. However, they are just 4-12 ATS in their past 16 against the Pac-12, 1-7-1 ATS in their past nine non-conference tilts and 0-6-1 ATS in their past seven in the month of September.

Virginia at Oregon (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
On the surface this one has the makings of being really ugly, really quickly. Virginia has quarterback uncertainty after an ugly blowout loss at home to FCS Richmond. Oregon opened with a 53-28 win against FCS UC-Davis, but never came close to covering a 48-point number. The Ducks spanked the Cavaliers 59-10 in the most recent meeting Sept. 7, 2013, but that was also with Marcus Mariota, De'Anthony Thomas and a much better offense. The cupboard is definitely not bare in Eugene with Royce Freeman toting the rock and Dakota Prukop slinging it to a bevy of talented young receivers. If the Cavaliers struggled with Richmond's offense, Oregon's multi-talented offense will really give them fits. Jet lag also won't do the Cavs any favors. It might not be 59-10 again, but it could come close.

Other Games
Idaho at Washington (Pac-12 Network, 2:00 p.m.)
Idaho State at Colorado (NO TV, 5:30 p.m.)
Grambling State at Arizona (Pac-12 Network, 10:45 p.m.)

Other Games -- NOTES
Idaho barely scraped by with a win over FCS Montana State last weekend, 20-17. They meet Washington for the first time in nearly seven years, losing 42-23 last time the two faced each other. The Vandals are 1-7 ATS in their past eight in September, and 5-16-1 ATS in their past 22 aginst teams with a winning overall record. The Huskies are 5-0 ATS in their past five non-confernce games, 5-1 ATS in their past six in September and 4-0 ATS in their past four overall. ... Colorado roughed up rival Colorado State last week, now face FCS Idaho State. After a stunning loss to Sacramento State Sept. 8, 2012, the Buffaloes are 3-0 SU/2-1 ATS in their past three against FCS squads. ... Arizona opened with an 18-16 setback to BYU, now they get a presumed breather against FCS Grambling State. The Wildcats are 6-0 in their past six against FCS opponents, covering each of the past five dating back to Sept. 12, 2009.

ACC Report - Week 2
By Joe Williams

2016 ACC STANDINGS

Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under

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


Louisville at Syracuse (Fri. - ESPN2, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The Cardinals look to build upon their 70-14 spanking of Charlotte in the opener. QB Lamar Jackson figured in on eight touchdowns, including six TD strikes, in only one half of work to set conference and school records. The Orange also had a solid performance, opening with a 33-7 win over Colgate, an upper-echelon FCS squad to make head coach Dino Babers successful in his Syracuse debut. Head coach Bobby Petrino has never lost in five tries against the Orange, and Louisville is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. However, the Orange enter as more than a two-touchdown underdog, and the 'dog is 8-3 ATS in the past 11 meetings between these sides.

North Carolina State at East Carolina (ESPNU, 12:00 p.m. ET)
The Wolfpack head to the Coastal Plain to battle the Pirates, who plan to offer their in-state rivals 'No Quarter'. Both sides were successful a week ago, as N.C. State won and covered against FCS William & Mary while East Carolina powered past FCS Western Carolina in a 52-7 laugher. The last time these teams met it was East Carolina scoring an important 42-28 win back on Nov. 23, 2013. The Pirates typically get up for games against ACC foes, playing at their best. East Carolina has rattled off five straight wins against ACC opponents, and they have covered in six in row against opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference, including four straight-up wins as an underdog.

Penn State at Pittsburgh (ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET)
Keystone State rivals Penn State and Pitt meet for the first time since Sept. 16, 2000. It is a much anticipated game for both sides, and a very important game for recruiting purposes, too. The Panthers are favored by six points despite the fact they were rather mediocre in a 28-7 win against FCS Villanova. Penn State failed to cover a 24-point number last week, but they were still rather impressive in a 33-13 victory against Kent State of the MAC. The Nittany Lions have struggled againts the number on the road in recent seasons, going 2-13-2 ATS in their past 17 away from Happy Valley while going 1-5 ATS in their past six non-conference tilts. The Panthers haven't lit the world afire, either, going 2-8 ATS in their past 10 non-conference battles and 1-7 ATS in their past eight at home. As mentioned, these sides haven't met since 2000. Historically, it is the underdog shining, going 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings, but a few of these players were also just learning how to walk and use the toilet the last time these schools played, so that trend is rather meaningless today.

Wake Forest at Duke (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.)
Wake Forest and Duke took very different paths to victory last weekend. The Demon Deacons managed a 7-3 win against Tulane in their home opener, exhibiting outstanding defense and the same problems on offense as last season. In the Bull City Classic last week against N.C. Central, Duke had no issues on offense, piling up 535 total yards, including 308 rushing yards. The sledding will be much tougher this week against a stout Wake defense. The Blue Devils are 7-3 ATS in their past 10 home games against a team with a winning road record, and 24-11-1 ATS in their past 36 games overall. Duke has owned this season recently, with the favorite 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings and Wake Forest 0-5 ATS in their past five against Duke.

Florida Atlantic at Miami-Florida (ACC Network, 6:00 p.m.)
Miami is back home at Hard Rock Stadium against another in-state team. They humbled Florida A&M by a 70-3 count last week, while FAU struggled to put away FCS Southern Illinois in their home opener in Boca Raton, 38-30. These two sides met last season, and the Owls hung tough at home into the second half before the Hurricanes pulled away with a solid rushing attack, winning 44-20. Vegas expects a similar result this season, with Miami up to a 24-point favorite. The Owls are 7-2 ATS in their past nine against a team with a winning record, and 13-3 ATS in their past 16 on the road against a team with a winning home record. Miami is just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 against Conference USA opponents, but 4-1 ATS in their past five games in the month of September.

North Carolina at Illinois (Big Ten, 7:30 p.m.)
The Tar Heels opened the season with a 33-24 setback in Atlanta against Georgia last weekend, hanging tough into the fourth quarterback before Heisman Trophy candidate RB Nick Chubb took his team on his back. The Illini picked up a 52-3 victory against FCS Murray State, barely breaking a sweat and easily covering a 33-point number. These two sides met each other in Chapel Hill, and it was the Tar Heels coming away with a 48-14 victory as just a touchdown favorite. UNC opened as a 10-point favorite, but it is down to single digits at most shops. UNC is 3-8 ATS in their past 11 non-conference games, and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 in September. Illinois is 6-16 ATS in their past 22 following a cover in the previous game.

Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee - from Bristol Motor Speedway (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)
The Hokies and Volunteers are set to meet at Bristol Motor Speedway, and a new college football attendance record is expected with a potential crowd of 150,000. Thunder Valley will definitely live up to its name, but the venue will not be the only interesting thing. Tennessee barely edged Appalachian State in its home opener, escaping with a 20-13 overtime victory in front of a very nervous crowd at Neyland Stadium. Virginia Tech had a much easier time in a 36-13 win over FCS Liberty, but never really threatened to cover the 31 1/2-point number. This line opened as low as Tennesse -9, and has been bet up to as much as Tennessee -11 1/2. Tennessee is 4-0 ATS in their past four neutral-site battles, while Virginia Tech is 2-6-1 ATS in their past nine in neutral-site venues. The Hokies are also 5-15-1 ATS in their past 21 in September, and 7-17-2 ATS in their past 26 non-conference tilts.

Virginia at Oregon (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.)
On the surface this one has the makings of being really ugly, really quickly. Virginia has quarterback uncertainty after an ugly blowout loss at home to FCS Richmond. Oregon opened with a 53-28 win against FCS UC-Davis, but never came close to covering a 48-point number. The Ducks spanked the Cavaliers 59-10 in the most recent meeting Sept. 7, 2013, but that was also with Marcus Mariota, De'Anthony Thomas and a much better offense. The cupboard is definitely not bare in Eugene with Royce Freeman toting the rock and Dakota Prukop slinging it to a bevy of talented young receivers. If the Cavaliers struggled with Richmond's offense, Oregon's multi-talented offense will really give them fits. Jet lag also won't do the Cavs any favors. It might not be 59-10 again, but it could come close.

Other Games
Boston College at Massachusetts (ESPN3, 12:00 p.m.)
Charleston Southern at Florida State (ACC Network, 12:30 p.m.)
Troy at Clemson (ACC Network, 12:30 p.m.)
Mercer at Georgia Tech (ACC Network, 3:00 p.m.)

Other Games -- NOTES
BC enters their game with UMass as a 17-point favorite. They're 11-27 ATS in their past 38 against teams with a losing record. UMass played Florida tough in The Swamp last week, losing 24-7. UMass is 7-3 ATS in their past 10 in September. ... Clemson returns home to face Troy after a road win at Auburn. They're more than a five-touchdown favorite against the Trojans. The Tigers covered their home opener against Wofford last year as a 34-point favorite, and they're 5-0 SU/4-1 ATS in their past five home openers, including a 43-19 win and cover against Troy Sept. 3, 2011. ... FSU will face FCS Charleston Southern. While the 'Noles are 6-0 SU in their past six against FCS teams since Sept. 10, 2011, they're 2-3 ATS, including a win and non-cover against the Buccaneers in 2011. ... Georgia Tech is back from Ireland with a win, and now they return home to face FCS Mercer in their home opener. Ga. Tech is 7-0 SU and 5-2 ATS in their past seven against FCS foes.

Reacting (not overreacting) is valuable advice heading into college football Week 2
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

Full disclosure: I’m as guilty as the next person of repeatedly violating the piece of advice that I’m about to impart upon you. It’s completely within the boundaries of fair play to say that I’m utilizing this week’s lede to serve a dual purpose: a selfish reminder to myself as well as a public service announcement to you, our loyal readers.

Do not, under any circumstances whatsoever, overreact to what you saw transpire during college football’s opening weekend.

That’s not to say that the 50-47 upset Charlie Strong’s Texas Longhorns put on Notre Dame Saturday night is completely without any substantive or predictive value. If nothing else, Texas emphatically demonstrated that they are more than worthy of a position within the Associated Press Top-25. But to go from unranked the previous week to No. 11 this week based on a 3-point home victory? That may fall within the constructs of a slight overreaction, even if the opponent was Brian Kelly’s Fighting Irish.

You could express a similar sentiment in regards to LSU’s fall from No. 5 to No. 21 based on its 16-14 defeat at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday at Lambeau Field. Perhaps the Tigers and their utter disgrace of an aerial attack aren’t worthy of top-5 consideration, but do you really feel that running back Leonard Fournette and the LSU defense are worse than 20 other programs in America?

Which brings us back to our initial point: There’s reacting, and then there’s overreacting. Do not allow yourself to succumb to the hypnotizing effects emitted from the latter.

Fun fact: Speaking of LSU and it’s anemic passing game - did you know that since 2009, Army, Navy, Air Force and New Mexico are the only schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision to throw for fewer yards than LSU?

Unreal.

But I digress from my original point of emphasis, which was to make sure we don’t put too much weight upon the results that came across the wire last weekend.

“We made a few changes. Houston is a mover, for example,” Jay Rood, Vice President of Race & Sports for MGM International told us when asked how the first week of the college football season affected his power rankings. “However, we aren’t willing to overreact, as many of the big-name teams that lost last weekend are more than capable of getting back into the championship picture rather quickly with the right win coupled with some losses sustained by their competitors.”

This brings us to the crown jewel of college football’s opening weekend, which was a highly touted showdown between two historic programs-turned-Game of Thrones-style bludgeoning as the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide annihilated No. 20 USC 52-6 in front of 81,000+ sets of wide eyes and dropped jaws. The victory moved Nick Saban to a perfect 10-0 lifetime in Week 1 as the head coach at Alabama, while the loss sustained by the Trojans served as the program’s most lopsided defeat in more than 50 years.

In the aftermath, Alabama moved from a 25.5-point favorite for Saturday’s home opener against Western Kentucky to a current position of -29, while the Men of Troy were bet from -16.5 to -16 for their Week 2 matchup with Utah State.

Once again, don’t overreact. Especially when it comes to Alabama.

Why? Let’s begin with the fact that after establishing itself as the country’s preeminent powerhouse, the Crimson Tide have nothing significant left to prove this weekend against Western Kentucky. Additionally, take a close look at the Alabama schedule and you’ll notice a road date against an Ole Miss team, that has defeated the Tide in each of the last two seasons, looms large just seven days after the Western Kentucky encounter. So it’s not outside the realm of possibility to assume offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will execute a relatively vanilla game plan against the Hilltoppers in order to keep Mississippi off balance heading into their marquee SEC West showdown.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so try this one on for size: Did you know that Alabama is 0-8 against the spread over its last eight non-conference matchups when favored by 24 or more points? Not only that, but the Tide have a history of taking their foot off the gas pedal the week after winning a marquee showdown. Always circled as the biggest game of the regular season, Alabama is 4-0 straight-up over the last four years against hated rival LSU. But in the week after those four victories, the Tide have gone just 3-1 straight-up and 1-3 against the spread.

React to what you watched last weekend because you are human. Avoid overreacting to what you watched last weekend because you’re trying to make money.

SHARP MONEY VS. PUBLIC MONEY: BEHIND THE COUNTER

Each and every week during the 2016 college football season, this column will speak with a Las Vegas bookmaker in an effort to bring you the most important betting information possible regarding the upcoming weekend’s schedule.

This week we speak with Jay Rood, who currently has the pleasure of serving as the Vice President of Race & Sports for MGM Resorts International.

Biggest adjustments to championship odds following Week 1: “We cut Alabama down to 6/5 in a hurry, but have not taken any sharp action on the Crimson Tide in the wake of that move.”

Week 2 sharp action: “The sharps have been betting Texas Tech (+4 at Arizona State), New Mexico (-11 at New Mexico State) and Alabama (opened -25.5 vs. Western Kentucky.”

Week 2 public action: “Two teams stand out above all else here, and those are Michigan (-35.5 vs. Central Florida) and Alabama (now -29.5 vs. Western Kentucky).”

Which teams do you feel are currently overvalued in the betting market: “Houston, Clemson and TCU.”

Which teams do you feel are currently undervalued in the betting market: “South Carolina and Tennessee.”

TREND OF THE WEEK

Behind a staggering 329 rushing yards spread out across eight different ball carriers, the Army Black Knights upset the Temple Owls 28-13 in Philadelphia last Saturday despite entering the game as 14.5-point underdogs.

But beware of those aforementioned Week 1 overreactions, because recent history does not bode well for Army. Since 2010, the Black Knights are an unbelievable 0-18 straight-up and 4-14 against the spread when coming off a win.

Army is currently listed as a 10-point favorite for Saturday’s home showdown against the Rice Owls.

BIGGEST LINE MOVES OF THE WEEK

Ohio Bobcats (-2 to +3) at Kansas Jayhawks: Kansas snapped a 15-game losing streak with last weekend’s 55-6 destruction of Rhode Island, but the Jayhawks haven’t notched back-to-back victories since 2011. Be weary of the Bobcats in this spot, as MAC schools are just 5-18 ATS over their last 23 outings when coming off a loss to face a Big 12 opponent.

South Florida Bulls (-11 to -15) vs. Northern Illinois Huskies: Northern Illinois has failed to cover the spread in four straight games and is just 3-10 ATS over its last 13 games played on a grass surface, while head coach Willie Taggart has something special cooking at South Florida, as the Bulls are 8-1-1 ATS over their last ten contests played on a grass surface.

Alabama Crimson Tide (-25.5 to -29) vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Be very careful with the Tide in this one because Ole Miss is on deck and Bama is 0-8 ATS over its last eight non-conference matchups as a favorite of 24 or more points. Also, be advised that Western Kentucky is 16-5 ATS over its last 21 games after allowing fewer than 20 points in the previous contest.

Miami Hurricanes (-21.5 to -25) vs. Florida Atlantic Owls: Mark Richt’s Miami debut went swimmingly thanks to a casual 70-3 rout of Florida A&M last Saturday. Those who weren’t hot on the Hurricanes entering 2016 are now jumping on board. Give the former Georgia boss three years and Miami will once again be a championship contender.

Duke Blue Devils (-7 to -4.5) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Interesting line move when you consider the fact that Duke has covered the number in five straight bouts with the Demon Deacons. Something stinks here.

HEISMAN TROPHY WATCH

Odds courtesy of the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. Opening odds listed in parenthesis.

Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson: 5/1 (5/1)
Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford: 5/1 (7/1)
J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State: 6/1 (12/1)
Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: 7/1 (6/1)
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: 10/1 (10/1)
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia: 12/1 (12/1)
DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame: 12/1 (30/1)
Damien Harris, RB, Alabama: 12/1 (25/1)
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech: 20/1 (30/1)
Greg Ward, Jr., QB, Houston: 20/1 (50/1)
Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma: 25/1 (10/1)
Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: 25/1 (15/1)
Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama: 30/1 (30/1)
Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon: 30/1 (20/1)
Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss: 40/1 (12/1)
Seth Russell, QB, Baylor: 40/1 (12/1)
Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama: 40/1 (20/1)
Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami: 40/1 (40/1)
Dakota Prukop, QB, Oregon: 40/1 (40/1)
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville: 40/1 (100/1)
Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma: 60/1 (20/1)
Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin: 60/1 (50/1)
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State: 60/1 (50/1)
Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan: 60/1 (50/1)
Luke Falk, QB, Washington State: 80/1 (40/1)
Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee: 80/1 (40/1)
Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: 80/1 (80/1)
Josh Dobbs, QB, Tennessee: 100/1 (30/1)
Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina: 100/1 (50/1)
Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M: 100/1 (80/1)
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC: 100/1 (80/1)
Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: 100/1 (100/1)
James Connor, RB, Pittsburgh: 100/1 (100/1)
Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida: 300/1 (100/1)
Taysom Hill, QB, BYU: 300/1 (100/1)