-
River City Sports Syndicate
CFL
Toledo Rockets at Missouri Tigers
Saturday 3:30 PM – Memorial Stadium
Current Line – Missouri (-17)
Missouri HC Gary Pinkel will face his former school Saturday when Toledo comes calling. The Tigers are fresh off a 58-14 drubbing of Murray State while the Rockets made a respectable showing of themselves in Gainesville in a 24-6 loss to the Gators. Missouri looks to be one of the most improved teams in the SEC and are led by QB James Franklin. There should be a lot of points scored here and I think that Toledo will find it much easier to move the ball against the Missouri defense than the Gators. Toledo is a pretty good football team and Missouri is going to get their best shot on Saturday. We also expect Toledo Senior QB Terrance Owens to settle down and play much better this week. Missouri wins the game, but Toledo keeps it within two touchdowns. The Sharps say…
2 UNITS ON….TOLEDO ROCKETS
-
BeatYourBookie
SATURDAY
10* Play Miami +3 over Florida (NCAA TOP PLAY)
12:00 PM EST
Miami is 8-0 ATS when the line posted is between +3 to -3
Miami is 3-0 ATS when playing as a home underdog the last two seasons
10* Play Oregon -21.5 over Virginia (NCAA TOP PLAY)
3:30 PM EST
Oregon is 7-0 ATS when playing as a favorite
Oregon is 8-0 ATS in road games the last two seasons
10* Play South Carolina +3.5 over Georgia (NCAA TOP PLAY)
4:30 PM EST
Georgia is 1-4 ATS when playing in the 1st two weeks of the season
Georgia is 1-6 ATS coming off a road game when both teams scored 31 points or more
10* Play Michigan -3.5 over Notre Dame (NCAA TOP PLAY)
8:00 PM EST
Michigan is 5-1 ATS after allowing 100 or less rushing yards in their last game
Michigan is 5-1 ATS at home when the total posted is between 49.5 and 56 points
10* Play UNLV +10 over Arizona (NCAA TOP PLAY)
10:00 PM EST
Arizona is 1-6 ATS coming off an UNDER the total in their last game
Arizona is 2-8 ATS in road games when playing as a favorite of 7.5 to 14 points
-
Northcoast (correction on earlier post)
Early Bird Play-Ball St
-
Wunderdog Sports Free Pick
Game: Buffalo at Baylor (Saturday 9/07 3:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: Baylor -27 (-105) at 5Dimes
Buffalo was able to generate more than expected against Ohio State last week. But, the Buckeyes showed a lot of the same a year ago vs. bad teams. They beat Indiana by just 3 as a 19-point favorite, struggled to a 29-15 win over UAB as a 35.5-point favorite, and needed OT vs. Purdue as a 17-point favorite. So, I'm not putting a lot into that game. The Baylor offense is a system, and Bryce Petty will put up big numbers for the Bears. Baylor went for nearly 700 yards last week, and have shown a penchant to do that to lesser skilled teams, so a repeat is not out of the question at home vs. Buffalo. This is not the type of versatile offense that the Bulls are accustomed to seeing in the MAC. The one exception may be Northern Illinois, who beat them by 42 points last year. This is where Baylor is different than Ohio State, as the Bears are 14-3 ATS when playing a team with a losing record. They are also 12-2 ATS the past couple of seasons at home. Under Art Briles, Baylor is 18-8 ATS as a favorite. Play this one on Baylor.
-
STAR SPORTS INVESTING
Michigan
Arkansas St.
Ball St.
UTEP
San Jose St.
-
Jimmy Boyd
5* (NCAAF) Notre Dame/Michigan UNDER 51
3* (NCAAF) Ball St -7.5
3* (NCAAF) Oregon -22.5
3* (NCAAF) Navy/Ohio OVER 68.5
3* (NCAAF) UTEP -6
-
Jason Sharpe
Utah St. -9.5
Arizona -10.5
Over 57.5 Texas-BYU
UNC -18
PSU -24
Georgia -3
-
Northcoast
Underdog Play - UNLV
Economy Club - Tulane
Big Dog - Air Force
-
Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet: Evening action
Check out quick-hitting betting notes for Saturday's evening college football Week 2 action:
Syracuse Orange at Northwestern Wildcats (-17, 53)
Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian was the hero for Northwestern against Syracuse last season, and he may get a chance to squeeze the Orange again this weekend. In Northwestern’s 2012 season opener, Siemian came on for an injured Kain Colter and threw the game-winning touchdown pass with 44 seconds left, lifting his team to a 42-41 victory over the Orange. With Colter banged up again, Siemian could get the start for the No. 20 Wildcats on Saturday in their home opener versus Syracuse.
Northwestern is coming off a 44-30 victory at California in which the offense piled up 508 yards despite Colter suffering a concussion on the opening drive. Siemian came on to pass for 276 yards and a touchdown, while the Northwestern defense also made some big plays, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns by junior linebacker Collin Ellis. Syracuse fell to Penn State 23-17 last week in the debut of senior quarterback Drew Allen, a transfer from Oklahoma who was 16-of-37 for 189 yards and two interceptions against the Nittany Lions.
Key betting stat: Wildcats are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games.
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-28, 59.5)
Nebraska survived a scare from Wyoming in its season opener but should be able to celebrate a larger margin of victory when it hosts Southern Mississippi on Saturday. The No. 19 Cornhuskers allowed a stunning 602 yards in a 37-34 victory over Wyoming and strive for a much better performance against the Golden Eagles, who possess the nation’s longest losing streak at 13 consecutive games. Southern Miss lost 22-15 to Texas State in Todd Monken’s debut as coach.
The Golden Eagles outgained FCS school Texas State 400-207 but sabotaged themselves with six turnovers – four fumbles, two interceptions. Nebraska’s yardage allowed was its second-most ever in a victory (610 versus Ball State in 2007) as a young unit took its lumps against Wyoming and allowed eight plays of 20 or more yards. Senior quarterback Taylor Martinez bruised his left shoulder during the contest and is expected to be fully ready by kickoff.
Key betting stat: Golden Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Big Ten.
Texas Longhorns at BYU Cougars (+7, 57.5)
No. 16 Texas set a school mark for total offense in its opener and now faces a tough defensive squad when it visits Brigham Young on Saturday. The Longhorns rolled up 715 yards in a 56-7 rout of New Mexico State and had four scoring plays of 50 or more yards for the first time in program history. Brigham Young finished third in total defense last season and allowed 223 yards and forced 13 punts in a season-opening 19-16 loss to Virginia.
The Cougars hope to have senior receiver Cody Hoffman on the field after he missed the opener with a hamstring injury. Hoffman had eight 100-yard receiving games last season and ranks third in BYU history in receiving touchdowns (28), fourth in career receptions (203) and fifth in receiving yardage (2,718). Texas has won 13 consecutive non-conference road games and is attempting to get back into the national championship discussion this season after going 22-16 over the last three years.
Key betting stat: Longhorns are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games.
UAB Blazers at LSU Tigers (-34.5, 60.5)
No. 11 LSU will look to carry forward the offensive fortitude it displayed in last week’s season-opening 37-27 victory over TCU, but as the Tigers host UAB on Saturday, there will be a focus on eliminating the mistakes that kept the opener close. The Tigers gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown, set up another TCU score with a fumble at their 6-yard line and kept a drive alive with a roughing the passer penalty. “If we improve on our tackling, we minimize some of the penalties, we don’t turn the ball over, it could have been a much different game,” LSU coach Les Miles told reporters Tuesday.
The Tigers figure to have an easier time with a UAB squad that allowed 497 yards and blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in a 34-31 overtime loss to Troy in its season opener. The Blazers allowed 319 yards passing as Troy quarterback Corey Robinson set a NCAA record by completing 93.8 percent of his passes (30-for-32). LSU senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger passed for 251 yards and a touchdown against TCU in Cam Cameron’s first game as offensive coordinator, and the Tigers’ defense surrendered only 259 yards.
Key betting stat: Over is 7-3 in Tigers' last 10 non-conference games.
West Virginia Mountaineers at Oklahoma Sooners (-21, 57.5)
No. 15 Oklahoma and visiting West Virginia enter Saturday's Big 12 opener after debuting new quarterbacks and improved defenses in season-opening wins last week. The Sooners, who posted their first shutout since 2010, pointed to a 2012 meeting with the Mountaineers as one of their defensive low points. "Between that night (a 50-49 road win) and what happened in the bowl game (a 41-13 loss to Texas A&M), it obviously convinced us that we needed to adjust our defense," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said at Monday's press conference. "(We had to) be more flexible and more diverse and put more pressure on the quarterback."
West Virginia posted a second-half shutout in a rally against William & Mary after an inexperienced defense settled down. Junior quarterback Paul Millard has been tabbed the starter for the Mountaineers for the second straight week but junior backup Clint Trickett could figure in the offense attack. Oklahoma redshirt freshman Trevor Knight showed off more of his running ability than his arm in his debut.
Key betting stat: Mountaineers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies (-37.5)
One week before its highly anticipated showdown with No. 1-ranked Alabama, seventh-ranked Texas A&M welcomes FCS opponent Sam Houston State to Kyle Field on Saturday. All eyes figure to be on Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who tossed three touchdown passes in the second half of the Aggies’ 52-31 win over Rice last Saturday. The sophomore quarterback was also benched late in the game after drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting.
Manziel’s antics overshadowed the Aggies’ season-opening win, which featured a shaky performance by the defensive unit. With five defensive starters suspended, Texas A&M allowed a surprising 509 yards of total offense against Rice. Two of the suspended players are due back against Southland Conference opponent Sam Houston State, which extended its home win streak to 15 games with a 74-0 victory over Houston Baptist last Saturday.
Key betting stat: Under is 8-2 in Aggies last 10 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines (-3.5, 50)
Notre Dame hasn't won at Michigan's "Big House" since 2005, a fact the 13th-ranked Fighting Irish need to remedy Saturday to keep their hopes of getting back to the national championship game alive. The 17th-ranked Wolverines seek their 400th victory at Michigan Stadium - and their 16th straight under coach Brady Hoke. Michigan has won six of its last seven home games versus Notre Dame, including three straight - one shy of its longest home win streak in the series.
The Wolverines hold a 23-16-1 edge in the series between the teams with the two best winning percentages in college football history. But the Irish defense dominated last year's matchup, intercepting Denard Robinson five times in a 13-6 victory. That sort of defensive performance would be even more impressive against this Michigan team, which rolled up 463 yards in a 59-9 win over Central Michigan last week.
Key betting stat: Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
Washington State Cougars at USC Trojans (-15.5, 53.5)
No. 22 USC hopes explosive tailback Silas Redd will be ready when it begins Pac-12 Conference play against visiting Washington State on Saturday. Redd missed last week's game at Hawaii, further hampering an offense in flux. The Trojans still haven't decided on a starting quarterback for Saturday with Max Wittek and Cody Kessler still battling for Matt Barkley's old job.
The Cougars opened the season with a hard-fought 31-24 loss at Auburn last week. Washington State surrendered a kickoff return for a touchdown and had its comeback hopes ended when Connor Halliday was picked off in the end zone with five minutes left. Washington State has lost 20 straight games to ranked opponents and hasn't beaten USC since 2002.
Key betting stat: Over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.
San Jose State Spartans at Stanford Cardinal (-25, 48.5)
Stanford enters its season opener Saturday against visiting San Jose State as a heavy favorite, but the Spartans are very capable of making things interesting. San Jose State has won eight straight and 12 of its last 13 games, including a 24-0 win over Sacramento State in Week 1. The Spartans are unlikely to be overlooked by the fourth-ranked Cardinal, who won their fifth straight game in the series last season by a narrow 20-17 margin.
San Jose State’s upset hopes are fueled by senior quarterback David Fales, who is 12-2 as a starter and ended last season as the nation's most accurate passer. He’ll be tested by a Stanford defense that led the country in sacks last season and returns eight starters, including linebackers Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy. The Spartans’ running game could struggle without starting tailback Tyler Ervin, who hasn’t practiced since leaving last Thursday's game with a right foot injury.
Key betting stat: Spartans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
-
Goodfella
333 Oregon -21.5 (-110) Bookmaker.com vs 334 Virginia
Analysis:
"CFB Non-Conf GOM" 3* on OREGON DUCKS -21.5
-
OCAL SPORTS:
(3) Navy +12.5
(3) K State -10 -120
(3) CIn @ Ill Over 54.5
-
College football betting weather report: Saturday's forecasts
Find out how weather will impact your college football bets for Saturday's matchups:
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Wisconsin Badgers (-45, 58.5)
The forecast in Madison is calling for temperatures in the high-70s and there is also a 42 percent chance of thunderstorms.
Bowling Green Falcons at Kent State Golden Flashes (+6.5, 44.5)
Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with a small 22 percent chance of rain in the forecast for Dix Stadium.
South Florida Bulls at Michigan State Spartans (-23, 43.5)
Rain looms in the forecast for this game in East Lansing as there is a 30 percent chance of showers in the forecast.
Florida Gators at Miami Hurricanes (+3, 48)
Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast.
South Carolina State Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers (-52.5, 58.5)
The forecast is calling for temperatures in the mid-80s with an outside possibility of rain at 20 percent.
Weber State Wildcats at Utah Utes (-23, 48.5)
There is a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast for Salt Lake City with wind blowing across the field at 8 mph.
New Hampshire Wildcats at Central Michigan Chippewas (-3, 62)
Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast.
Utah State Aggies at Air Force Falcons (+9.5, 59)
Temperatures will be in the low-80s but rain could threaten with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Wind will blow at 10 mph towards the north end zone of Falcon Stadium.
Idaho Vandals at Wyoming Cowboys (-28, 65.5)
Forecasts in Laramie are calling for temperatures in the low-80s with a 37 percent chance of thunderstorms.
Syracuse Orange at Northwestern Wildcats (-17, 53)
Temperatures will be in the low-80s and forecasts are calling for a 21 percent chance of thunderstorms.
James Madison Dukes at Akron Zips (-3, 52.5)
Temperatures will be in the high-70s in Akron, but the threat of thunderstorms exists as the game progresses with a 22 percent chance.
Texas Longhorns at BYU Cougars (+7, 57.5)
Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with wind blowing across the field at 6 mph. There is a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast.
Prairie View A&M Panthers at Texas State Bobcats (-31, 55.5)
A 20 percent chance of thunderstorms looms early in this game, but should subside as the game progresses. Temperatures will be in the low-90s.
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at Texas Tech Red Raiders (-38, 74)
Temperatures will be in the high-80s with winds blowing towards the north end zone at 8 mph.
Nicholls State Colonels at Western Michigan Broncos (-28.5, 53.5)
There is a 20 percent chance of rain in the forecast for Nazareth. Temperatures will be in the low-80s.
UAB Blazers at LSU Tigers (-34.5, 62)
A 20 percent chance of rain could hit early in the game, but the threat will disappear as the game progresses.
Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies (-36.5, 69)
Temperatures will be in the low-90s with a 20 percent chance of rain looming around kickoff.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines (-4, 50)
This chapter in the rivalry could be wet one as there is a 29 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast at the Big House. Temperatures will be in the mid-70s.
-
Where the action is: Saturday's NCAAF line moves
By JASON LOGAN
Books and bettors are both getting a grip on the college football season, which means plenty of line movement in Week 2 of the season. We talk to sportsbooks about the biggest adjustments to the odds heading into the weekend:
South Florida Bulls at Michigan State Spartans – Open: -24.5, Move: -23
Michigan State is still ironing out the wrinkles and has some health issues heading into Week 2, which has trimmed this spread a touch.
“Doubtfuls for Michigan State have seen this line creep down, but still obviously strong to the Spartans,” Aron Black of Bet365.com tells Covers. “Money is still coming on them at the adjusted line.”
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas-San Antonio Road Runners – Open: +31.5, Move: 26.5
The Cowboys took a while to get going against Mississippi State in Week 1 but found their high-scoring form in the second half. Some markets opened this one way too high and since the adjustment, the majority of money is on OSU and could take this spread back up.
“Heavy action on Cowboys,” says Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag. “On Friday, we moved OSU to -28 with 85 percent of cash on Oklahoma State.”
Toledo Rockets at Missouri Tigers – Open: -14.5, Move: -17.5, Move: -17
The Rockets are known for giving BCS programs a run for their money. This line jumped as many as three points, thanks to sharp money on Missouri, before bettors came back on Toledo, which is garnering 66 percent of the handle.
“Sharps are doing what sharps do in Week 2: touching double-digit dogs and smaller-market games,” says an oddsmaker with BetDSI.com.
Cincinnati Bearcats at Illinois Fighting Illini – Open: +12, Move: +7.5
The Bearcats beat up on Big Ten foe Purdue in Week 1 and opened as hefty favorites versus Illinois. However, early money made it clear the Illini have plenty of fight in them this weekend.
“Smart money says the opener gave too much to Cincy on the road,” says Black. “Although the line has gone to the Illini, the money is coming in now on the smaller spread on Cincinnati.”
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Tennessee Volunteers – Open: -9.5, Move: -13.5
Bettors expect a letdown from WKU after upsetting Kentucky in Week 1. Action has also bumped the total for this game from 55 to 58 points.
“Both sharp and public money is backing the Over Western Kentucky- Tennessee total, shooting from 55 to 58 with no buy back,” says BetDSI.com.
Oregon Ducks at Virginia Cavaliers – Open: +25.5, Move: +23.5, Move: 24.5
Some markets dropped the original line but most books opened Oregon -23 and have taken nothing but Ducks action, with sharp money getting a deal with Oregon on the road against a weaker ACC opponent.
“Ninety percent of money is on the Ducks,” says Perry. “This will be one of the five biggest decisions for the shop.”
Arkansas State Red Wolves at Auburn Tigers – Open: -13, Move: -10.5
Not everyone is buying into Auburn after its opening win over Washington State. The Tigers take on a dangerous Red Wolves squad, which has drawn the majority of spread bets and all the SU money, dropping from +390 to +330.
“Too much respect to Auburn with the early line,” says Black. “There has to be some respect given to a (ASU) team that went for 509 yards rushing last week.”
Idaho Vandals at Wyoming Cowboys – Open: -21.5, Move: -30, Move: -28.5
This line has moved as much as a full touchdown at some books while others opened Wyoming -27.5 and took sharp action on the home side, which pumped the line to -30. Wiseguys bought back the Vandals and has the line at -28.5 at most shops.
San Jose State Spartans and Stanford Cardinal – Open: -22, Move: -25.5
Stanford makes its debut against a familiar foe in SJSU. The Cardinal are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Spartans, but just escaped with a 20-17 win as 25.5-point favorites last fall. While the spread has climbed at most shops, Sportsbook.com is taking big money on San Jose State.
“Sharp money on San Jose State moved the line from Stanford -27.5 to -26,” says Perry. “About 72 percent of cash is on San Jose State.”
Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies - Open: -46.5, Move: -37
This game stinks of lookahead for the Aggies, with Alabama waiting on next week’s schedule. Johnny Manziel was the brunt of media criticism all week after his antics during the limited performance versus Rice in Week 1. A dark cloud resounds over this BCS-versus-FCS matchup and bettors have moved this line nearly 10 points since post.
-
joe gavazzi
5* miami fla
4*illinois
-
SBP 3.0 NCAAF Saturday
Saturday 9/7
12 PM
308. Kentucky -16.5* (mostly -17s but system recommends buying a half point) A Bet
3:30 PM
348. Missouri* Best Available -16.5*
7:30 PM
Arkansas St. +11* (mostly 10.5s but system recommends buying a half point)
Rest of Games
335. Duke -4
363. UL Lafayette +10.5
317. North Texas St. +4
344. BYU +7
365. Notre Dame +4
-
bookieshunter
3* utah st -8.5
3* texas 6.5
2* cincinnati -7.5
2* miami (FL) +3
1* ball st -7
1* michigan -3.5
1* miami (ohio) +17.5
-
DAVE PRICE
Ohio- 4 TOP PLAY
-
Essential betting tidbits for Week 2 of college football
Below is a list of at least one betting tidbit for a plethora of matchups featuring two FBS schools on Saturday.
-Miami-Ohio gave up 374 yards in the second half last week to Marshall while only gaining 55 on offense. +17 at Kentucky this week.
-Penn State's offense managed just 57 yards rushing last week. Not much help for freshman QB Chistian Hackenburg. -24 vs. Eastern Michigan this week.
-Temple starting Quarterback Connor Reilly is expected to play but is nursing a sprained ankle. He led the owls in rushing yards last week at Notre Dame with 65. +3 vs. Houston.
-Kent State has covered the spread in the last four meetings with Bowling Green. +7 home dogs on Saturday.
-FCS McNeese State obliterated South Florida 53-21 last week. Bulls were 20.5-point faves. They are 23-point underdogs this week at Sparty, a swing of 43.5 points in spreads from Week 1 to 2.
-Michigan State wide receivers had six drops in Week 1 - a problem carried over from last season - as the offense struggled against Western Michigan.
-Oklahoma State opened as a 31.5-point road favorite at Texas Sam Antonio State and sharp action moved the line down as low as 26.5 by Friday afternoon.
-Cincinnati opened as a 12-point road favorite at Illinois and sharp action bet the line down to 7.5. Cincy has covered four in a rown and seven of eight going back to last season.
-The Gators have failed to cover in their last six games as favorites going back to last season. -3 on the road at Miami.
-Miami has scored at least 30 points in its last five games going back to last season.
-Big line moves in the Western Kentucky-Tennessee matchup. Line bet up to 13.5 from 9.5 and total bet up to 58 from 55.5.
-Middle Tennessee QB Logan Kilgore has a shoulder injury but is expected to play at North Carolina. All the early money us on the Blue Raiders though, moving the line from 21.5 to 17.5.
--Ball State started four new starters on the offensive line last week and gave up three sacks. -8 vs. Army.
-Mizzou has been bet up from -14.5 to -17 vs. Toledo. The Tigers have an off week next week before traveling to Indiana.
-Toledo's last seven games have played under the total. Missouri's last four have played over.
-Buffalo-Baylor is the highest total on the board of FBS matchups at 69 (dude).
-San Diego State lost to FCS Eastern Illinois last week at home as 14-point faves. A lot of sharp action came in on a quality Eastern Illinois team last week though so consider that for this week's game. Aztecs getting 28 points at Ohio State.
-Oregon gained 772 yards (500 on the ground) last week vs. FCS Nicholls State. -23 at Virginia.
-Air Force crushed Colgate by a score of 38-13 last week, but the Falcons lost Junior QB Kale Pearson to an ACL injury. Sophomore Jaleel Awini will start. +9.5 as the Falcons host Utah State Saturday.
-The under is 4-0 in the South Alabama Jaguars last four non-conference games. Total of 49 as the Jags are on the road to face Tulane.
-Wyoming racked up 602 yards of offense in Nebraska one week ago while Idaho surrendered 591 - 404 of which came through the air - in a loss to North Texas. The Cowboys are 28-point home faves.
-The Gamecocks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six meetings with Georgia. The Bulldogs are 3.5-point faves.
-Memphis had a bye week to open the season the team has used that week off to better prepare for the Duke Blue Devils. Memphis are 4-point home dogs.
-Northwestern QB Kain Colter was injured last week versus Cal and is probable Saturday. But backup QB Trevor Siemian led Northwestern to a victory over Syracuse in the 2012 season opener. Northwestern is a 16.5-point home favorite against Syracuse Saturday.
-Navy tore up Indiana's defense last year to the tune of 257 rushing yards. The Midshipmen are 12.5-point road dogs at Indiana Saturday.
-Nebraska gave up five touchdowns against Wyoming one week ago. Nebraska's defense was on the field for a total of 6 minutes and 41 seconds for those five TD drives. The Huskers are 28-point home faves against Southern Miss.
-The Kansas State Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four games versus opponents from the Sun Belt Conference. They are 10.5-point faves against UL Monroe Saturday.
-Tulsa only picked up 51 rushing yards in the opener, ranking them 110th in the Nation. Tulsa is a 10.5-point home fave against Colorado State.
-
Game of the Day: Notre Dame at Michigan
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines (-4, 50)
Notre Dame hasn't won at Michigan's "Big House" since 2005, a fact the 13th-ranked Fighting Irish need to remedy Saturday to keep their hopes of getting back to the national championship game alive. The 17th-ranked Wolverines seek their 400th victory at Michigan Stadium - and their 16th straight under coach Brady Hoke. Michigan has won six of its last seven home games versus Notre Dame, including three straight - one shy of its longest home win streak in the series.
The Wolverines hold a 23-16-1 edge in the series between the teams with the two best winning percentages in college football history. But the Irish defense dominated last year's matchup, intercepting Denard Robinson five times in a 13-6 victory. That sort of defensive performance would be even more impressive against this Michigan team, which rolled up 463 yards in a 59-9 win over Central Michigan last week.
TV: 8:12 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Michigan opened at -3.5 and has been bet up to -4.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-70s and there is a 29 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast. Wind will blow toward the north end zone of the Big House at 4 mph.
ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-0): The Irish faced some turmoil in the offseason, most notably losing quarterback Everett Golson when he was suspended from the school for the fall semester. Tommy Rees stepped in under center and was effective in last week's 24-6 win against Temple, going 16-for-23 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. The defense, dominant during the undefeated regular season a year ago, picked up where it left off but will have its hands full with a Michigan team loaded with talent at the skill positions.
ABOUT MICHIGAN (1-0): The Wolverines' offense flourished last week under quarterback Devin Gardner, who was 10-of-15 for 162 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 52 yards and two scores. Gardner has accounted for at least two touchdowns in six straight games. The defense had a strong showing, as well, holding Central Michigan to 210 total yards and forcing two turnovers as the Wolverines aim for a third consecutive season ranking in the top 20 in the nation in total defense.
TRENDS:
* The Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS in their last five versus the Big Ten.
* The over is 4-0 in the Wolverines' last four home games.
* The home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* The underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Notre Dame is 11-0 when it does not commit a turnover under coach Brian Kelly, whose five-year contract extension was announced Saturday.
2. Michigan K Brendan Gibbons has made a school record-tying 14 consecutive field goals dating to last season.
3. Eighteen of the past 28 meetings have been decided by seven points or fewer.
-
Lions at Tiger-Cats: What bettors need to know
BC Lions at Hamilton Tiger-Cats (-1.5, 54)
The BC Lions stayed perfect at home when they defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week. On Saturday, the Lions will try for a rare road win when they visit the Tiger-Cats in Guelph, Ont. BC quarterback Travis Lulay carried the offense against Hamilton with his first 300-yard passing game since 2012 and will need to continue that production until running back Andrew Harris - limited to 113 rushing yards over the last three games - can regain his early season form.
Hamilton continued its recent strong run of play in Friday’s 29-26 defeat as quarterback Henry Burris added to his league-leading passing yards total by tossing for another 352. The Tiger-Cats’ biggest issue was their slow start as they failed to record a first down until the second quarter. Hamilton has looked even better at home, including a 37-14 rout of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 9, as it grows more comfortable playing at Alumni Stadium.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN
ABOUT THE LIONS (6-3): Harris is fourth in the league with 572 rushing yards. Linebacker Adam Bighill leads the defense with 43 tackles despite missing time with a sprained ankle. Linebacker Solomon Elimimian has 42 tackles to go with two interceptions, while Bighill also has three sacks to lead a strong BC defense. Defensive ends Khreem Smith and Brandon Jordan each have four sacks. Lulay’s favorite target is wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux, who has caught 30 passes for a team-leading 614 yards and four touchdowns.
ABOUT THE TIGER-CATS (4-5): Burris has thrown for 632 yards to wide receiver Greg Ellingson, 583 to Bakari Grant and 394 to Samuel Giguere. Andy Fantuz, who missed significant time due to injury, has 320 receiving yards. Running back C.J Gable has 306 yards on the season after battling injuries early on. Hamilton’s defense is led by defensive lineman Brandon Boudreaux, who has four sacks. The Tiger-Cats have made only four interceptions, but their run defense has improved - they have not surrendered more than 100 rushing yards in a game since a Week 5 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders
TRENDS:
* Lions are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Tiger-Cats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Saturday games.
* Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Hamilton.
* Lions are 1-6 ATS in their last seven meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Hamilton is 1-4 against West Division opponents. The Lions are 1-3 on the road.
2. Lions veteran K Paul McCallum completed a pass for 12 yards on a fake punt in Week 9.
3. The Tiger-Cats will wear uniforms commemorating the Hamilton Flying Wildcats, a football team formed in 1941. The Flying Wildcats won the Grey Cup in 1943 and merged with the defunct Hamilton Tigers in 1950 to form the Tiger-Cats.
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Reply With Quote