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Friday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet
Arkansas Razorbacks at LSU Tigers (-24.5, 54)
One bright spot for the Razorbacks in this rough season has been the pass rush. Arkansas’ 25 sacks are good for third in the SEC, and Chris Smith ranks second in the conference with 8.5 sacks. Pressuring LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger into potential turnover situations might be the only chance Arkansas has against the Tigers, who gashed the Texas A&M Aggies for 324 rushing yards last week.
At 2,926 yards for the season,Mettenberger will become the third quarterback in school history to throw from 3,000 yards, barring an injury, but much of that success came early in the season. In LSU’s last five games, Mettenberger has seven touchdowns against five interceptions after racking up a 15-to-3 ratio in the Tigers’ first six contests. Jarvis Landry leads a talented receiving corps with 67 catches for 1,059 yards.
LINE: The Tigers are listed as 24 1/2-point favorites, with the over/under holding steady at 54.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with sunny skies.
TRENDS:
* Razorbacks are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games vs. teams with winning records.
* Tigers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings at LSU.
Fresno State Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans (+7, 71)
No. 13 Fresno State looks to complete an undefeated and untied regular season for the third time in school history when it visits San Jose State in its regular-season finale Friday. The Bulldogs have already wrapped up the West Division title in the Mountain West Conference and will play in the league championship game on Dec. 7. To finish perfect, Fresno State will have to defeat its longest-running rival, as the Spartans and Bulldogs have played 76 previous times.
A week after giving up 478 yards and 58 points in a loss to Navy, the San Jose State defense is feeling confident about going up against Fresno State's high-powered offense. Why? Because the Bulldogs are a passing team, something the Spartans are used to facing, as opposed to the run-oriented Midshipmen, who had 432 of their yards on the ground.
LINE: The Bulldogs opened at -9, but have been bet down to -7. The over/under is holding at 71.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 road games.
* Spartans are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. teams with winning records.
* Favorite is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.
Oregon State Beavers at Oregon Ducks (-21.5, 68.5)
Brandin Cooks is one of the offensive headliners for Oregon State, already possessing the school's single-season record with 110 receptions, just eight shy of the Pac-12 record set last season by Marqise Lee of USC. Of course, behind any record-setting receiver there is a big-time quarterback, and Sean Mannion has been terrific in 2013, completing 66 percent of his passes for 4,089 yards with 34 touchdowns.
The Ducks were ranked No. 2 in the BCS prior to their loss to the Cardinal and following last week's defeat, Oregon will sit back and watch as Stanford and Arizona State play for the league title next weekend. Mariota (3,127 passing yards, 529 rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns) suffered a head injury last week but passed the concussion protocol and expects to play against the Beavers.
LINE: Oregon is a 21 1/2-point fave after opening -21. The over/under is up one point to 68 1/2.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with mostly cloudy skies.
TRENDS:
* Beavers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss.
* Ducks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games on fieldturf.
* Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.
South Florida Bulls at UCF Knights (-27, 50)
The Bulls have faced two ranked teams this season, losing to Miami and Louisville by a combined margin of 83-24. South Florida dropped a 16-6 defeat to Southern Methodist last week despite holding the Mustangs to a season-low 229 passing yards - one week after limiting Memphis to just 59 passing yards. Senior wideout Andre Davis ranks fifth all-time at South Florida in both career receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,441).
The Knights are 5-1 this season in games decided by seven points or less, although last week's 49-17 rout of Rutgers featured no such drama. Blake Bortles threw for 335 yards and recorded a touchdown through the air and another on the ground, while Storm Johnson had two rushing scores. In addition to its dynamic offense, Central Florida has committed the ninth-fewest turnovers in the country.
LINE: UCF is a 27-point fave, up one point from a -26 open. The over/under is up a half-point to 50.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing across the length of the field at 8 mph.
TRENDS:
* Bulls are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a SU win.
* Knights are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Over is 7-2 in UCF's last nine games vs. teams with losing records. -
Inside the stats: Northwestern, Utah leaking oil
By MARC LAWRENCE
Each week we take a look inside the numbers, from both a statistical and a pointspread aspect, on the college football and NFL cards.
Here are this week’s findings. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Elevator Up Elevator Down
Season-ending finales in college football take on added significance for teams sitting on the bubble.
In this case, the ‘bubble’ is beneath any team currently one-game under .500 playing in its final game of the regular season. A win today puts them at .500, a loss sends them home a loser for the year. And in many cases these days, a .500 record is often rewarded with a post-season bowl bid.
According to our well-oiled database, these one-game under .500 teams stand a good chance of becoming a .500 team in these season-enders when they find themselves favored in a conference game, and conversely, a lousy chance if they are installed as an underdog in a conference game.
That’s because one-game under .500 conference favorites in season finales are 32-12 SU and 29-15 ATS. This week’s prospective favorites include: Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic and Troy.
Better yet, when favored against an opponent they defeated in a most recent meeting, they zoom to 20-4 SU and 18-5 ATS. Central Michigan will be out to clip the EMU Eagles’ wings this week.
On the flip side, one-game under .500 conference underdogs in season finales are just 17-59-1 SU and 30-44-3 ATS. This week’s dogs with a toothless bite are: La-Monroe, Mississippi State, San Jose State, Syracuse and Wyoming.
Put these same puppies up against a greater than .700 foe and they turn terribly tame, going 4-21 SU and 6-17-2 ATS. Worse, they pee all over the place at 0-16 SU and 1-13-2 ATS as dogs of more than 7 points when facing these same greater-than .700 conference opponents in these games. Both Louisiana-Monroe and San Jose State figure to be in need of potty-training this weekend.
So when choosing to ride any of these one-game under .500 teams in these pivotal contests this week, your success depends on selecting the right door when hopping aboard.
Your ride awaits.
Leaking Oil
Football teams who have been out gained in each of their last three games are considered to be ‘leaking oil’ when installed as favorites in this condition.
These ‘leaking oil’ favorites now stand at 22-27 ATS overall this season, including 17-19 in CFB and 5-8 in the NFL.
According to our Midweek Alert football newsletter this week’s plays would be against Houston, Northwestern, Ohio University, Tennessee, UAB and Utah on the college gridiron, along with Dallas and the NY Jets in the NFL.
Over Achievers
Our NFL Totals Tipsheet keeps tabs throughout the season on Over/Under scoring tendencies in the NFL. And as reported in this column, the success of OVERS has been outstanding in non-conference games.
A 1-1 split last week moves the record on these, these non-conference games (AFC vs. NFC) to 39-13 OVER on season, including a jaw-dropping 17-3 OVER the last six weeks.
This week’s OVER achievers would be the Oakland-Dallas game on Thursday and Atlanta-Buffalo matchup on Sunday.
Stat Of The Week
The underdog in Arizona Wildcats’ games is 24-2 ATS during the regular season from Game Ten out.Comment
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NCAAF weather report: Black Friday's forecast
Find out how the weather will impact your NCAAF bets on Black Friday:
Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-2, 47.5)
- Temperatures will be in the mid 30s and the will be a 11 mph wind blowing towards the North endzone.
Bowling Green Falcons at Buffalo Bulls (+2, 51)
- There is a 47 percent chance of snow with temperatures in the mid 20s.
FIU Golden Panthers at Florida Atlantic Owls (-27.5, 42)
- There is a 10 percent chance of rain with temperatures in the mid 70s. There will be a 15 mph wind blowing across the field.
Miami Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Panthers (+2.5, 56)
- Temperatures will be in the low 30s with an 11 percent chance of rain.
Washington State Cougars at Washington Huskies (-16.5, 65.5)
- There is a 42 percent chance of rain with temperatures in the high 40s.
South Florida Bulls at UCF Knights (-27, 50)
- There is a 10 percent chance of rain with a 7 mph wind blowing towards the South endzone.Comment
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Black Friday betting: Best deals in sports wagering
All the best buys with none of the waiting in line. How can you beat that?
While intrepid shoppers brave the elements for whatever bargains they can find on the day after Thanksgiving, bettors will also be seeking out the best deals available. Fortunately, there are plenty of hot-ticket items to choose from in the wagering world, as a handful of teams continue to reward bettors by providing maximum value on a consistent basis.
Here's a list of the top six hot buys heading into Black Friday:
NBA
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia may have been exposed as an overachiever following its shocking 3-0 start to the season, but those Sixers are still piling up the points. The 76ers enter Friday night's action second in the Eastern Conference at 103.1 points per game - and combined with their league-worst defense (109.1 points against), they've been the early-season "over" darlings, compiling an 11-5-0 O/U mark. Even with numbers adjusted to account for Philadelphia's surprisingly potent offense - and truly dreadful defense - the 76ers should remain a popular "over" play.
Phoenix Suns
The rebuilding Suns were expected to be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. Through the opening month of the season, they've managed to not only avoid the cellar, but remain a .500 team. This has made them a strong ATS play, entering Friday with an 11-3-1 mark. Even more unexpected than the strong start is how the Suns have done it - primarily through a solid defense allowing the 11th-fewest points per game in the league (98.8). If they can stay healthy, bettors should expect the wins to continue.
NFL
Houston Texans
Betting against Houston has been the deal of the century this season. No team has been worse ATS than the Texans, who have dropped nine straight games while generally looking like a team overloaded on turkey and stuffing. The defense, riddled with key injuries, looks a step behind against opposing pass attacks while the offense hasn't been in sync all season. That, along with a season-ending injury to workhorse running back Arian Foster, has led to an abysmal 2-9-0 mark ATS - and isn't likely to get any better, with games against New England and Denver coming up in the next month.
Minnesota Vikings
Two teams find themselves 9-2-0 in O/U so far this season. The first won't surprise anyone - it's the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos, who remain on pace to approach the single-season points record. The second is far more unexpected; the Vikings have the second-worst SU record in the NFC, but have been on the high end of the scoreboard more often than not. Yet, unlike the Broncos, the Minnesota offense deserves little credit for this trend. No one expected the Vikings' once-vaunted defense to allow a league-worst 346 points through the first 11 games of the year.
NCAAB
CSU Northridge Matadors
There's a lot to like about CSU Northridge - the nickname (everyone loves matadors), the location (San Fernando Valley represent) and the always-popular Botanic Garden, which is home to more than 1,200 plant species. But what will strike bettors' collective fancies the most is the Matadors' 0-6-0 ATS record through the first two weeks of the NCAA hoops season. CSU Northridge has had an underwhelming start, with all four of its losses coming by double digits and its two victories coming by a combined total of four points.
NCAAF
Eastern Michigan Eagles
Rare is the team that provides lock-caliber value on a weekly basis in two categories, which is what makes the Eagles the ultimate Black Friday find. Eastern Michigan has had a truly terrible season - going 2-9 both SU and ATS - but has been a source of great entertainment for fans and bettors alike with a stunning 10-1 mark O/U. Surrendering more than 50 points in six of the previous eight games certainly helps - and even though the Eagles average fewer than 20 points per game, they managed to score enough in their two victories to send those "over", as well. Double value alert!Comment
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Black Friday's one-stop spot betting cheat sheet
Shopping isn't for everyone - and neither is standing in line for hours for the chance to buy an XBox One. Fortunately, Black Friday isn't just a bonanza for bargain seekers - it's also chock full of betting action across the NBA, NHL and college sports ranks.
Here's a look at the marquee games set for Black Friday:
NBA
Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder (-7, 203.5)
Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 29 points and eight assists and was 6-of-10 from 3-point range in Wednesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Curry recently missed two games due to a concussion and has yet to go on a sustained scoring binge despite averaging 20.5 points. Golden State C Andrew Bogut has recorded double digits on the boards in each of his last six games.
Oklahoma City received a huge effort from backup guard Reggie Jackson in Wednesday's gritty victory over the Spurs. Jackson matched his career high with 23 points and was 10-of-14 from the field on a night when star guard Russell Westbrook tallied a season-low six points on 2-of-16 shooting. Westbrook scored a season-best 31 points in a Nov. 14 loss to Golden State.
LINE: The Thunder are installed as seven-point faves, with the over/under dropping a half-point to 203 1/2.
TRENDS:
* Warriors are 14-6-2 ATS in their last 22 games vs. teams with winning SU records.
* Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last six games.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Oklahoma City.
New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers (OFF)
The Philadelphia 76ers stunned the basketball world on draft night by trading All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans. Holiday makes his return to Philadelphia on Friday as the Pelicans and 76ers square off for the second time in two weeks. The first matchup was heavily one-sided, as New Orleans coasted to a 135-98 home victory behind Anthony Davis' 13 points, nine rebounds and nine blocks.
In addition to Holiday, Pelicans starting center Jason Smith (10.8 ppg) is another former Sixer who was traded to New Orleans. Holiday had 17 points and Smith added 14 in Tuesday's one-point loss to Golden State — the Pelicans' second straight defeat following a three-game winning streak. Eric Gordon's decisive 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer against the Warriors.
LINE: There are no odds posted yet for this game.
TRENDS:
* Pelicans are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games playing on two days' rest.
* 76ers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 Friday games.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
NHL
Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (+118, 5.5)
The already-thin blue line suffered another setback with the loss of Paul Martin, who will be out 4-6 weeks with a broken leg. Former first-round pick Simon Despres moved into the lineup on the blue line. Recent callups Jayson Megna, Andrew Ebbett and Chris Conner played up front in the come-from-behind 6-5 shootout victory over Toronto on Wednesday. Sidney Crosby has totaled eight points in the last six games and boasts 33 overall.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said there are no concerns with goalie Ben Bishop, who took a puck off his hand at the morning skate on Wednesday and backed up Anders Lindback. Versatile forward Tom Pyatt and top-four defenseman Radko Gudas could be back soon, but left wing Ryan Malone was placed on the injured list with a lower-body injury. Lightning D Victor Hedman boasts four points in the last two games.
LINE: Pittsburgh is a -118 favorite with the over/under holding at 5 1/2.
TRENDS:
* Penguins are 1-5 in their last six road games.
* Lightning are 8-2 in their last 10 games after allowing fewer than two goals in their previous contest.
* Over is 7-0 in the last seven meetings.
St. Louis Blues at San Jose Sharks (-114, 5.5)
St. Louis extended its winning streak to five contests with a 4-1 triumph at Colorado on Wednesday. Alex Steen tied Washington's Alex Ovechkin for the goal-scoring lead with his 20th of the season and captain David Backes recorded a tally and an assist as the Blues improved to 10-1-1 over their last 12 games. Steen needed just 24 games to reach the 20-goal plateau for the third time in his career.
San Jose began its string of home games with regulation victories over Tampa Bay and New Jersey before outlasting Los Angeles in a shootout on Wednesday. Captain Joe Thornton, who also scored in second period, netted the decisive goal in the eighth round of the bonus format as the Sharks posted their sixth win in seven overall games. San Jose is 1-for-16 on the power play over its last five games.
LINE: The Sharks are listed as a -114 fave - down from a -118 open - with the over/under set at 5 1/2.
TRENDS:
* Blues are 4-0 in their last four games vs. teams with winning records.
* Sharks are 4-1 in their last five games vs. Western Conference foes.
* Blues are 5-0 in the last five meetings in San Jose.
NCAAF
Fresno State Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans (+7, 71)
No. 13 Fresno State looks to complete an undefeated and untied regular season for the third time in school history when it visits San Jose State in its regular-season finale Friday. The Bulldogs have already wrapped up the West Division title in the Mountain West Conference and will play in the league championship game on Dec. 7. To finish perfect, Fresno State will have to defeat its longest-running rival, as the Spartans and Bulldogs have played 76 previous times.
A week after giving up 478 yards and 58 points in a loss to Navy, the San Jose State defense is feeling confident about going up against Fresno State's high-powered offense. Why? Because the Bulldogs are a passing team, something the Spartans are used to facing, as opposed to the run-oriented Midshipmen, who had 432 of their yards on the ground.
LINE: The Bulldogs opened at -9, but have been bet down to -7. The over/under is holding at 71.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies.
TRENDS:
* Bulldogs are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 road games.
* Spartans are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. teams with winning records.
* Favorite is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings.
Oregon State Beavers at Oregon Ducks (-21.5, 68.5)
Brandin Cooks is one of the offensive headliners for Oregon State, already possessing the school's single-season record with 110 receptions, just eight shy of the Pac-12 record set last season by Marqise Lee of USC. Of course, behind any record-setting receiver there is a big-time quarterback, and Sean Mannion has been terrific in 2013, completing 66 percent of his passes for 4,089 yards with 34 touchdowns.
The Ducks were ranked No. 2 in the BCS prior to their loss to the Cardinal and following last week's defeat, Oregon will sit back and watch as Stanford and Arizona State play for the league title next weekend. Mariota (3,127 passing yards, 529 rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns) suffered a head injury last week but passed the concussion protocol and expects to play against the Beavers.
LINE: Oregon is a 21 1/2-point fave after opening -21. The over/under is up one point to 68 1/2.
WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with mostly cloudy skies.
TRENDS:
* Beavers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss.
* Ducks are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games on fieldturf.
* Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.
NCAAB
Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers at Michigan State Spartans (-25)
No. 1 Michigan State looks to strengthen its hold atop the rankings when the Spartans host Mount St. Mary's on Friday. For Michigan State, which boasts three players averaging more than 15 points, the Mountaineers offer a break in tough competition before facing No. 16 North Carolina on Dec. 4. Gary Harris leads the Spartans with 17.7 points despite shooting just 26.5 percent from 3-point range.
Adreian Payne adds 17.2 points and eight rebounds while Keith Appling averages 16.8 points and a team-high 5.7 assists. As a team, Michigan State ranks second in the nation with 21 assists per game. The Mountaineers, who have won back-to-back games after dropping their first five, are led by Julian Norfleet, who scores 18.7 points per game.
LINE: The Spartans come in as a 25-point favorite.
TRENDS:
* Mountaineers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games.
* Spartans are 2-7-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win.
* Over is 4-1 in Michigan State's last five non-conference games.
Duke Blue Devils vs. Arizona Wildcats (+1.5)
Blue Devils freshman Jabari Parker leads the team with 23.6 points and 8.7 rebounds after matching his career high with 27 points on Wednesday. Parker is the first freshman since Kevin Durant (2006-07) to score at least 20 points in his first seven collegiate games. Rodney Hood adds 19.9 points but was held to eight points because of foul trouble Wednesday.
Nick Johnson leads Arizona with 17.3 points and 6-9 freshman Aaron Gordon adds 12.5 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds. The Wildcats, who are playing Duke for the first time since knocking off the Blue Devils in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen, had 10 turnovers and zero assists in the first half of the semifinal win against Drexel before turning around the offense.
LINE: The Blue Devils come in as a slight 1 1/2-point favorite.
TRENDS:
* Blue Devils are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games vs. Pac-12 foes.
* Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss.
* Under is 11-3-1 in Arizona's last 15 neutral-site games.Comment
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Oregon State at Oregon: What bettors need to know
Oregon State Beavers at Oregon Ducks (-21.5, 68.5)
A month ago, Oregon was on a path toward the BCS title game, but now the Ducks are simply on a path to redemption. Following a crushing defeat against Stanford on Nov. 7 and last week's stunning blowout at Arizona, No. 12 Oregon returns home looking to take out some anger against rival Oregon State in the Civil War game Friday. The Ducks appear to be catching the Beavers at the right time as Oregon State has dropped four straight games, including a 69-27 pounding against Washington last week.
The Beavers' rushing defense could be the key this weekend as they allowed 530 yards on the ground against the Huskies. The Ducks, while led by Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Mariota at quarterback, also possess a strong rushing attack that ranks 10th in the country at 277.9 yards per contest. Oregon wideout Keanon Lowe knows that sulking is not an option at this point, saying, "It's the Civil War. We all know what the Civil War is and what that means. So we have no time to dwell on (our recent losses)."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1.
LINE: The line opened at -22 and has been bet down to -21.5. The total opened at 67.5 and has been bet up to 68.5.
WEATHER: It will be mostly cloudy with temperatures in the mid 40s.
BOUT OREGON STATE (6-5, 5-6 ATS): Brandin Cooks is one of the offensive headliners for Oregon State, already possessing the school's single-season
record with 110 receptions, just eight shy of the Pac-12 record set last season by Marqise Lee of USC. Of course, behind any record-setting receiver there is a big-time quarterback, and Sean Mannion has been terrific in 2013, completing 66 percent of his passes for 4,089 yards with 34 touchdowns. However, the Oregon State defense has allowed 37.5 points on average during its four-game slide and gave up 692 total yards to the Huskies last weekend.
ABOUT OREGON (9-2, 7-4 ATS): The Ducks were ranked No. 2 in the BCS prior to their loss to the Cardinal and following last week's defeat, Oregon will sit
back and watch as Stanford and Arizona State play for the league title next weekend. Mariota (3,127 passing yards, 529 rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns) suffered a head injury last week but passed the concussion protocol and expects to play against the Beavers. Still, that could mean a heavier workload for De'Anthony Thomas, who racked up 227 all-purpose yards on 27 touches against Arizona.
TRENDS:
* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Oregon.
* Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.
* Oregon State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last five meetings.
* Road team is 6-0-1 ATS in its last seven meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Prior to throwing an interception on the Ducks' first play against Arizona, Mariota had gone 353 straight passes without a pick.
2. Oregon has won five straight in the series.
3. Oregon State has six wins, but the Beavers are not guaranteed a bowl game, as the Pac-12 has seven bowl agreements but nine teams already bowl eligible.Comment
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Arkansas at LSU: What bettors need to know
Arkansas Razorbacks at Louisiana State Tigers (-24.5, 54)
No. 15 LSU is hoping to stay hot after its biggest win of the season when it hosts Arkansas on Friday afternoon in the Battle for the Golden Boot. The Tigers are coming off a 34-10 drubbing of Texas A&M last week in which its much maligned defense held the Aggies and Johnny Manziel to a 299 yards and 10 points, both lows in two years under Kevin Sumlin. LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who has been inconsistent over the past few weeks, didn’t have to do much as the Tigers gashed the Aggies for 324 rushing yards.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is trying to avoid becoming the first coach in school history to suffer a nine-game losing streak. The Razorbacks have struggled to score, averaging just 20.1 points per game (110th nationally) and to move the ball through the air at 145.8 yards per game (115th nationally). Unless Arkansas’ running game can carry them, the Razorbacks are staring at a third straight loss in the series.
TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: The line has held steady at -24.5. The total opened at 54.5 and has move down slightly to 54.
WEATHER: It will be clear with temperatures in the mid 50s.
ABOUT ARKANSAS (3-8, 3-8 ATS): One bright spot for the Razorbacks in this rough season has been the pass rush. Arkansas’ 25 sacks are good for third in
the SEC, and Chris Smith ranks second in the conference with 8.5 sacks. Pressuring Mettenberger into potential turnover situations might be the only chance Arkansas has against the Tigers.
ABOUT LSU (8-3, 5-5-1 ATS): At 2,926 yards for the season, Mettenberger will become the third quarterback in school history to throw from 3,000 yards, barring an injury, but much of that success came early in the season. In LSU’s last five games, Mettenberger has seven touchdowns against five interceptions after racking up a 15-to-3 ratio in the Tigers’ first six contests. With one of the nation’s top receiving corps in Jarvis Landry (67 catches, 1,059 yards) and Odell Beckham Jr. (56 catches 1,101 yards), the game against Arkansas could provide Mettenberger a chance to regain his early-season form.
TRENDS:
* Arkansas is 5-1 ATS in its last six meetings.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Louisiana State.
* Home team is 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. LSU leads the nation in third-down percentage at 58.6 percent.
2. Arkansas is looking to avoid its first winless season in conference play since joining the SEC.
3. The Golden Boot is a 24-karat gold trophy molded into the shape of the states of Louisiana and Arkansas.Comment
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Betting NCAAF teams facing disappointing finishes
For a handful of NCAA teams, the end of the season can't get here quickly enough.
While the top programs head into their respective finales looking to fine-tune for bowl season, several teams with high expectations will be headed home early. Others will wind up playing in a bowl game - but it won't carry nearly the same prestige as the game they were hoping for.
Here are four teams with little to play for as they wrap up their seasons:
TCU Horned Frogs (4-7, 2-6 Big 12)
This week: vs. Baylor Bears (9-1, 6-1)
Just two seasons removed from a third consecutive Mountain West championship, the Horned Frogs' fall from grace is nearly complete. Faced with needing back-to-back home wins over Texas and West Virginia to bolster their bowl chances, they proceeded to lose them both - allowing 60 points in the process - and saw their final chance at bowl eligibility vaporized with last week's 33-31 loss at Kansas State. But TCU still has something to play for - a win over Baylor would send the Bears plummeting down the rankings and drop them into a less desirable bowl game.
TCU is an 11.5-point underdog for Saturday afternoon's tilt with Baylor.
Florida Gators (4-7, 3-5 SEC)
This week: vs. Florida State Seminoles (11-0, 8-0)
The Gainesville faithful couldn't have seen this disaster of a season coming, particularly after the Gators opened with four wins in their first five games. Since then, Florida has dropped six-straight contests - including its first-ever defeat against an FCS opponent - and will finish with a losing record for the first time in 35 years. Last week's stunning 26-20 loss to Georgia Southern halted Florida's bowl streak at 22 seasons. The Gators won't need much prodding to get up for their season finale - a showdown with the rival Seminoles, who can clinch a spot in the National Championship with a win.
Florida is a 27.5-point underdog versus visiting Florida State.
Oregon Ducks (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12)
This week: vs. Oregon State Beavers (6-5, 4-4)
Both teams belong on this list, but the Ducks' precipitous drop from second to 13th in the BCS standings is easily the more egregious development. Oregon was on track for a possible spot in the National Championship three weeks ago, but dropped a six-point decision to Stanford and was blown out 42-16 in Arizona two weeks later. The second defeat cost the Ducks an at-large BCS berth, leaving it to settle for what will likely be an appearance in the Alamo Bowl. Oregon State is also struggling, having dropped four in a row to land in one of the lesser bowl games.
Oregon is a 21.5-point favorite for Friday's home game against Oregon State.
Georgia Bulldogs (7-4, 5-3 SEC)
This week: at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-4, 5-3 ACC)
The Bulldogs came into the year as a prohibitive favorite to contend for a BCS berth - even picking up a first-place vote in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. But an early four-game winning streak gave way to consecutive losses to Missouri and Vanderbilt, and a 43-38 defeat at the hands of the Auburn Tigers dropped the Bulldogs out of contention for the conference championship. Losing senior quarterback Aaron Murray to a torn ACL in last week's 59-17 drubbing of Kentucky was a tragically fitting final straw for a team that saw more than its share of bad luck this year.
Georgia is a 3.5-point favorite against host Georgia Tech.Comment
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J.Clifton
CFB
BOWLING GREEN - 1 1/2
MIAMI - 3
FRESNO STATE - 8
TROY - 7
EAST CAR/MARSHALL - OVER 64 /12Comment
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INSIDE THE PRESSBOX / PHIL STEELE
BEST BETS
#314 Nebraska
#338 Pittsburgh "Upset Pow"Comment
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Todays Best Bets
4* - [314] Nebraska -2 -130 vs Iowa
3* - [339] Washington State +17 -115 vs Washington UComment
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LA Syndicate
(CFB)
Fresno State & Over
Oregon & Under
Houston
WashingtonComment
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Chicago Syndicate
(CFB)
Nebraska (ML)
LSU
Florida Atlantic
PittsburghComment
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red sheet 89* ( 19-7 ) :
89* fresno stateComment
Comment