The Bum's College Footall Best Bets For August-Sept Conference Recaps, Trends, Stats!

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NCAAF

Sunday, August 31


Volunteers struggling outside of conference

The Tennessee Volunteers open their 2014 campaign versus Utah State Sunday evening, but are just 1-6 against the spread in their last seven non-conference games.

The Vols closed last season as a very cold bet as well, posting a 1-4 ATS record in their last five games of the season.

Tennessee opened as 6.5-point faves in Las Vegas earlier this month, but with kickoff just hours away, they are now down to -5.


Early college football betting trend

With the majority of the first weekend of college football in the books there was one interesting betting trend that emerged at the early start of this season.

It was home underdogs that come through for bettors Saturday, going 8-3 against the spread, hitting just over 72 percent to start the season.

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College Betting Recap - Week 1

August 31, 2014


College Football Week 1 Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs

Straight Up 67-14

Against the Spread 38-42-1


Wager Home-Away

Straight Up 64-17

Against the Spread 41-39-1

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 20-23

The largest underdog to cash
Texas-El Paso (+10, ML +320) at New Mexico, 31-24

The largest favorite to cash
Stanford (-42.5) vs UC Davis, 45-0

Top 25 Notes
-- Eight of nine Top 10 teams won straight up, with South Carolina as the lone Top 10 team to face a setback. Top 10 teams also struggled against the spread, covering just three of nine games. Auburn, Michigan State and Ohio State were the three teams to not only win, but cover.

-- UCLA won 28-20 on the road, but looked ugly in doing so at Virginia, failing to cover as a 19-point road favorite.

-- Ohio State pulled away late to cover as 13 1/2-point favorites against Navy, 34-17.

-- No. 1 Florida State had its hands full in its 37-31 win against Oklahoma State, who was a solid 18-point underdog to cover.

-- Georgia erased a 21-14 deficit against Clemson, rattling off 31 unanswered points to easily win and cover at home at a nine-point favorite, 45-21.

-- Washington opened the Chris Petersen era with close shave win in Hawaii, 17-16. The Huskies were favored by 17 1/2 points, but they failed to even score that many.

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

-- The Big Ten went 12-2 SU, and had a good weekend against the number, too. The Big Ten went 9-5 ATS in the opening weekend.

-- It was a high-scoring opening weekend for the SEC, with the 'over' going 9-3 (through Saturday)

-- In the SEC, the game between Idaho and Florida was terminated after a lengthy lightning delay. This game may or may not be rescheduled.

-- The ACC went 9-3 SU, with Clemson, Virginia and Wake Forest as the losing squads. The ACC collectively went 4-7-1 ATS, too.

-- The Big 12 went 5-3 SU (through Saturday), with a 4-4 ATS mark. The 'over' also connected in six of eight games.

Mid-Major Report

-- The Mid-American Conference saw some low-scoring results, with the 'under' going 7-5. The MAC was also just 5-8 ATS.

-- In the Mountain West, the 'under' went 9-2 (through Saturday)

-- Sun Belt teams were a perfect 6-0 SU at home, including Thursday's opening night win and cover for Louisiana-Monroe over Wake Forest (17-10).

-- Conference USA teams were just 7-6 SU and ATS, and they had the only FBS team to lose straight-up to an FCS foe. Florida International was actually a 2 1/2-point home dog to Bethune-Cookman, who won 14-12 in Miami.

-- Georgia Southern played its first official game as a member of FBS, and nearly pulled off the upset as a 22-point underdog at North Carolina State. The Golden Eagles fell just short, 24-23, in Raleigh.

Bad Beats

-- UCF-Penn State had just 13 points at halftime, but saw 37 combined points to push the total 'over' (44).

-- From Thursday night, Tulane (+6.5) never trailed in regulation or the first overtime, but allowed a touchdown in double-overtime and then failed to score, turning what looked like a sure cover into a loss.

-- With :37 left, Louisiana Tech struck for a touchdown to cut Oklahoma's lead to 48-16, earning the backdoor cover as a 34-point underdog.

-- Wisconsin entered the fourth quarter with a 24-13 lead, but LSU outscored the Badgers 15-0 to not only win and cover, but also push the total 'over' (49.5).

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Sunday, August 31

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Utah State 0 0th Utah State +3.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Tennessee 0 Over 51 500


Southern Methodist - 7:30 PM ET Baylor -33.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Baylor - Under 75 500

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Sunday's Rated Games:

*****-------------------------------o - 0

Double Plays--------------------------0 - 1

Triple Plays---------------------------1 - 0

LIGHTS OUT.....................................0 - 0

Overall Rated Plays

10 - 8......................................*****

4 - 3.....................................DOUBLE PLAY

4 - 3 ....................................TRIPLE PLAY

2 - 1 ....................................LIGHTS OUT

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NCAAF

Monday, September 1

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Game of the Day: Miami at Louisville
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Miami Hurricanes at Louisville Cardinals (-3.5, 54)

Louisville begins the second Bobby Petrino era - and its inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference - when Miami (Fla.) pays a visit on Monday night in a rematch of last season's Russell Athletic Bowl. Petrino, who coached the Cardinals from 2003-06, returned to Louisville after Charlie Strong became the head coach at Texas. However, the excitement surrounding Petrino's return was tempered somewhat by the loss of star wideout DeVante Parker, who broke his foot in practice Aug. 22 and will miss up to eight weeks.

"We're fortunate that we have a lot of experienced players," Petrino said after losing Parker, who had 55 catches for 885 yards and a school-record 12 touchdowns last season. "You're never going to replace a guy like DeVante with just one guy. You've got to do it collectively with all the weapons that we have, stepping up and making more plays." Perhaps nobody will be more affected by the Parker injury than sophomore quarterback Will Gardner, who was just named Louisville's starter last week. Miami has a challenging quarterback situation of its own as freshman Brad Kaaya takes over behind center with starter Ryan Williams sidelined with a torn ACL.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: The Cardinals opened as 2.5-point favorites and have been bet up slightly now sitting at -3.5. The total has risen slightly from 53.5 to 54.

INJURY REPORT: Miami: QB Kevin Olsen - out (suspension). Louisville: RB Michael Dyer - questionable (quadriceps)

WEATHER REPORT: There will be a nine mile per hour wind blowing towards the north end zone at Cardinal Stadium. There will also be a 20 percent chance of rain and a chance of thunderstorms.

ABOUT MIAMI (2013: 9-4, 5-8 ATS): While all eyes will be on Kaaya, the bulk of Hurricanes' heavy lifting on offense will likely be handled by junior running back Duke Johnson, who ranked third in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (174.1) before breaking his ankle in early November. “We have the potential to be great," Johnson said, “but what I’m hoping for is to finally win the Coastal Division and the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. If I need to carry the load then I will, no problem. But I believe I have enough weapons around me to where I don’t have to." Among the weapons that surround Johnson is wideout Stacy Coley, who led the team with seven receiving touchdowns as a freshman in 2013.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (2013: 12-1, 6-7 ATS): The Cardinals, who are beginning play in their third conference in as many years, are coming off a season in which they only suffered one defeat - a three-point loss to Central Florida in mid-October - and closed the campaign by routing the Hurricanes, 36-9. Star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is now with the Minnesota Vikings, leaving Petrino to put his faith in Gardner, who was impressive in limited action last season (8-of-12, 112 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions). On defense, Louisville has to replace seven starters but does return its two starting cornerbacks in upperclassmen Charles Gaines and Terell Floyd.

TRENDS:

* Hurricanes are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall.
* Cardinals are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 conference games.
* Over is 4-0 in the Hurricanes last four conference games.
* Under is 5-1 in the Cardinals last six games overall.

CONSENSUS: The consensus is close in this matchup with just over 51 percent of wagers on the Hurricanes at +3.5. The consensus is very slightly favoring the over 54.

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NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 1

Monday's game
Louisville (-5) whipped Miami 36-9 in bowl game LY, outgaining them 554-174, Hurricanes struggled to come up with QB this year; a freshman beat out BYU/Kansas transfer Heaps for #1 job. Miami is 6-5-1 in last 12 games as road dogs; they've got three starters back on OL. Petrino is back as Louisville HC; Cardinals have four starters back on OL (total of 121 career starts) but a new QB- they went 15-29 vs spread at home in post-Petrino era. Now that he is back, will they dominate at home again? Louisville was +28 in turnovers last two years.

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Week One Review: Sumlin makes the difference at Texas A&M

College football is mostly about two things. Quarterbacks. And the Southeastern Conference.

Nowhere did those two themes intersect better than in the first game of the season -- Texas A&M at South Carolina.

College football moved on from the Johnny Manziel era, leaving his every off-field move and on-field gesture as a concern for the NFL. But he still had the gravitational pull of a black hole in the offseason, pulling every question about Texas A&M into this singularity: How could the Aggies possibly replace Johnny Football and still be relevant?

It was the wrong question.

Give Manziel his due, but the immediate success of Texas A&M in the SEC had less to do with his improvisational skills and more to do with the man in charge of it all -- coach Kevin Sumlin. The question should have been: Have SEC foes figured out how to stop Sumlin?

Lesson No. 1 from the opening weekend of college football: Never doubt Sumlin's scheme.

He created a just-add-water Heisman candidate in sophomore Kenny Hill, who completed 44 of 60 passes for 511 yards, breaking the school single-game passing record of Johnny ... uh, what was that guy's name again?

Hill also threw for three touchdowns as he and the Aggies carved up the No. 9 Gamecocks 52-28.

Now, the opening weekend of the season always comes with a caveat -- avoid drawing too many conclusions based off one game. But the first impression screams that A&M's impressive performance wasn't a fluke.

Hill showed poise in the face of South Carolina's blitz. He is working behind an experienced offensive line, led by the team's next first-round left tackle -- Cedric Ogbuehi. Hill worked fast in the hurry-up offense and got the ball out quickly to an array of talented wideouts, including senior Malcome Kennedy and fab freshmen Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil. What we're saying is that the first-game numbers are sustainable.

Get used to the Aggies being back in the discussion in the wild SEC West and beyond. Their next four games are against Lamar, Rice, at SMU, and Arkansas. A&M should be 5-0 heading into an Oct. 4 game at Mississippi State, which is most definitely a team you don't want to sleep on.

Until then, just don't call the new quarterback Kenny Football. Perhaps Heis-Ken will do.

Five things we learned in week one

1. This is a corollary to the Kevin Sumlin clause: Never, ever, underestimate a Rich Rodriguez offense. He lost All-American running back Ka'Deem Carey and quarterback B.J. Denker, returning a Pac-12-low 23.6 percent of his offense. In Arizona's first game, a 58-13 win over UNLV, the Wildcats rolled up a school-record 787 total yards, 425 coming off the arm of redshirt freshman Anu Solomon. This Thursday's game at UTSA, which opened with a 27-7 win at Houston, could be better than you think.

2. Oklahoma State's defensive front is not good, it's great. Going against Florida State's best-in-the-nation offensive line, the Cowboys allowed just 106 rushing yards and had five tackles for loss, including two sacks from emerging sophomore star lineman Emmanuel Ogbah. After its close-call loss to No. 1 Florida State, young Oklahoma State has time to build before taking on a back-loaded schedule.

3. UCLA's 2014 potential problem is its 2013 Achilles' heel. Playing without two injured starters on the offensive line, the Bruins scored only one offensive touchdown in a 28-20 win at Virginia. The Cavs overwhelmed UCLA with their blitzes, coming up with 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks. Good news: UCLA might get back center Jake Brendel (knee) and left tackle Simon Goines (ankle) very soon. "I know that there is going to be a lot of concern about our offensive line, and it's warranted at this point," coach Jim Mora said. "Those of us that know we have a good group know that we just need to play better."

4. Senior quarterback Blake Sims got more than a courtesy start at Alabama. Everyone expected Florida State transfer Jacob Coker to win the job, but Sims' four years in the system trumped Coker's three months on campus. Sims was 24-for-33 for 250 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception, in a 33-23 win over West Virginia. It was a respectable effort that should earn encores in the next two games against weaklings Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss.

5. It's going to be a wild ride in 2014. OK, we already knew that. But when the two teams most favored to get to the first title game of the College Football Playoff era -- Florida State and Alabama -- each struggle in openers against unranked opponents ... it's a clear sign that crazy twists and turns, and breathtaking freefalls, await.

Five important returns

1. Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson. Returning from academic exile, Golson looked as good as the new FieldTurf in Notre Dame Stadium, passing for 295 yards and running for 41. He had two long on-the-mark touchdown passes that each traveled about 60 yards in the air. It's in the DNA of coach Brian Kelly to fling the ball all over the yard, and Golson's arm and experience give him a chance to get back to those roots.

2. Texas quarterback David Ash. Last season's concussion problems, followed by a spring foot injury, put Ash on the long road back. If the Longhorns are to have any success in coach Charlie Strong's debut, Ash has to stay healthy and be effective. He was sporadic in a 38-7 win over North Texas, completing 19 of 34 passes for 190 yards, and taking a couple of big hits that had Burnt Orange Nation holding its breath. Honorable mention: Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks, coming off an Achilles injury, made his first career interception. He is the glue guy of the defense.

3. Arizona receiver Austin Hill. The senior, who missed all of last season because of an ACL injury, came back in style with a 92-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on the first play of the second half against UNLV. He stiff-armed a defender after the catch to gain the separation he needed to race in untouched the rest of the way. Hill leads one of the deepest groups of receivers in the country.

4. Maryland receivers Stefon Diggs/Deon Long. The Terps should have one of the best receiving corps in the conference -- that's now the Big Ten, remember -- led by Diggs and Long, who returned to the starting lineup in a rout of James Madison after rehabbing together from broken legs suffered at midseason last year. Diggs had five catches for 53 yards and returned a kickoff 59 yards. Long made two catches for 48 yards, including a 41-yard score.

5. Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. Fired as USC's head coach during last season, Kiffin was back on the sideline, calling plays under the watchful eye of Nick Saban. The Tide gained 538 yards against West Virginia, which is good, but Bama can do better. Alabama must stop embracing the "Dinosaur Age" of offense -- Saban's words -- and use more of the fast-paced, no-huddle attack that sparked the Tide late in the second half and helped get quarterback Blake Sims in rhythm.

Five players to watch

1. Georgia running back Todd Gurley. The junior had 198 yards rushing and a 100-yard kickoff return in a win over 12th-ranked Clemson. He'll end the two-year drought of no running back in the first round of the NFL Draft.

2. Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg. The sophomore threw for 454 yards and directed the game-winning drive that ended in a field goal in a 26-24 win over UCF in Dublin. Your No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft ...

3. Michigan receiver Devin Funchess. Now wearing Michigan's famed No. 1 jersey and no longer mis-labeled as a tight end, Funchess (6-5, 230) is still a matchup nightmare. He caught seven passes for 95 yards and three scores vs. Appalachian State.

4. BYU quarterback Taysom Hill. He ran for 1,344 yards last season, the question being whether he could improve his 53.9 completion percentage. Well, he was 28-for-36 in the opening win over UConn. This week: At Texas.

5. Oklahoma State all-purpose back Tyreek Hill. It took one game to make the junior college transfer the nation's most exhilarating player. The fastest man in college football posted 278 all-purpose yards, and his value as a decoy made the Cowboys' offense all the more unpredictable.

Five best Week 2 games

1. Michigan State at Oregon, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET., FOX. Thanks to its backfield depth, Oregon moved Byron Marshall to an all-purpose role in the opener, and he responded with 89 yards rushing and 138 yards on eight receptions over South Dakota. His versatility is worth watching against the Spartans' stout defense in a game with major College Football Playoff implications.

2. USC at Stanford, USC at Stanford, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. Steve Sarkisian's new-to-USC up-tempo offense was an instant success, with the Trojans running a school-record 105 plays en route to 701 yards in a laugher against Fresno State. Stanford yawns. If the Cardinal can handle Oregon's attack, it won't be awed by USC's.

3. Michigan at Notre Dame, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET., NBC. A night game in South Bend wraps up this historic series until at least 2020 -- probably much longer, given the rhetoric on both sides. Enjoy while you can.

4. Virginia Tech at Ohio State, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. The Buckeyes could end up being just fine with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett at quarterback, although his inexperience and shaky play from the offensive line led to conservative play-calling against Navy. A fast, physical Hokies defense, led by defensive tackle Luther Maddy, cornerback Kendall Fuller and safety Kyshoen Jarrett, will require more creativity from Urban Meyer.

5. East Carolina at South Carolina, Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. The Gamecocks have to show resiliency after the humbling loss to A&M, while the Pirates are looking for big-bowl legitimacy, fueled by the prolific pass-catch combo of Shane Carden and Justin Hardy.


Senior Analyst Rob Rang's five takeaways on how prospects performed in their season openers. Players listed chronologically by game time this week, including position, school, year (Height, weight and current NFLDraftScout.com overall rating and by position).

1. QB Jameis Winston, Florida State (6-4, 235, #6/#2)

Winston's stats in Saturday night's victory over Oklahoma State included two interceptions, but that doesn't tell the full story. Both picks were thrown into single coverage, with defenders making spectacular plays on the ball. While Winston did stare down his targets, he generally makes excellent decisions with the ball and did so throughout this game, peppering the Cowboys with well-thrown short and intermediate routes and driving strikes down the alleys. He showed good touch on traditional deep balls, including a pair of 50-plus-yard completions in the first half.

2. WR Kevin White, West Virginia (6-3, 209, #296/#36)

White matched Alabama's preseason All-American Amari Cooper catch for catch, showing impressive hand-eye coordination and leaping ability to haul in several contested throws. The 6-foot-3, 209 pound White possesses a legitimate NFL frame with broad shoulders and good overall musculature. White used his size to overpower defenders on occasion, breaking tackles to gain yardage after the catch. He also showed agility and strength to gain a free release, smooth acceleration to push corners deep and the burst out of his breaks to gain separation.

3. QB Brett Hundley, UCLA (6-3, 227, #19/#3))

Hundley was held without a touchdown pass against Virginia. He did score on a six-yard scamper and completed 20 of 33 passes for 242 yards and showed composure down the stretch, rifling deep passes to the sidelines. And when protected, Hundley generally threw the ball well. He showed improved poise in the pocket from a year ago, scanning the field and occasionally stepping up in the pocket before delivering confident passes. He failed to look off defenders, at times, which contributed to three of his passes being deflected at the line of scrimmage.

4. RB Paul James, Rutgers (6-0, 210, #16 RB in 2016)

James, a 6-foot, 210-pound junior, routinely ran through arm tackles in Rutgers' victory over Washington State in Seattle, showing impressive leg drive, forward lean and enough burst to gain yardage in chunks. He lowers his shoulders on contact and spins off hits, keeping his feet moving and eyes searching for daylight. He showed better acceleration than his frame would indicate, breaking free for a 56-yard gain.

5. LT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M (6-5, 300, #3/#1)

A boisterous crowd at South Carolina on Thursday seemed to contribute to Ogbuehi getting an occasional late start. Rather than panic and lunge at his opponent, Ogbuehi showed off his rare skill set, accelerating while turning his shoulders to remain square to the pass rusher before extending his vine-like arms to latch on. Ogbuehi's agility and reach make him reliable in pass protection. He also showed quickness and agility in the running game and drove his assignment off the ball to clear the lane for A&M's first touchdown of the season, a 1-yard plunge off left tackle by Tra Carson.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, September 1

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 8:00 PM ET Miami +3.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Louisville - Over 54 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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Miami, Fl. at Louisville

August 31, 2014


Matchup: Miami, Fl. at Louisville
Venue: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
Date: Monday, Sept. 1, 2014
Time/TV: 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Louisville -3.5, Over/Under 54
Last Meeting: Dec. 28, 2013, Louisville (-5.5) 36 vs. Miami, Fl. 9

Miami will be looking to avenge an embarrassing postseason loss to Louisville when these schools square off Monday night at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. As of early Saturday afternoon, most betting shops had U of L installed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 54. Some books had the Cardinals at minus three with a -120 price.

Bobby Petrino's team is -170 on the money line, while gamblers can take the Hurricanes to win outright for a +150 return (risk $100 to win $150).

Since leaving Louisville after going 41-9 in four seasons from 2003-2006, Petrino has left a pair of jobs under sketchy circumstances. First, while he was at U of L, he flirted with schools like Ole Miss, LSU, Notre Dame and others, not to mention the Oakland Raiders. Shortly after signing a 10-year contract with U of L, he bolted for the Atlanta Falcons.

But within months of his hiring, Michael Vick became immersed in an ugly dog-fighting scandal that led to a two-year prison sentence. Petrino took the job to coach Vick but instead of buckling down and going to work (after all, he was getting paid $5 million per year!), he reacted angrily and distanced himself from his players with his mercurial behavior. In the end, Petrino bolted with three games left in the season to take the Arkansas job, leaving owner Arthur Blank fuming because he went on national television 24 hours earlier and spoke highly of Petrino, who had assured Blank there was nothing to the Arkansas rumors before a Falcons loss on Monday Night Football.

Twenty-four hours after the MNF loss, Petrino was calling the Hogs in Fayetteville live on Sports Center.

Petrino coached his ass off at Arkansas, winning 10 games in his final season. The losses came at LSU and at Alabama, who both had to come to Fayetteville in 2012 when expectations were through the roof based on the return of QB Tyler Wilson and RB Knile Davis.

But during spring practice, a wreck on a Harley Davison motorcycle prompted one of the most scandalous one-week investigation in the history of sports in the state of Arkansas. Petrino initially told AD Jeff Long that he was alone when he crashed. A subsequent investigation revealed that Petrino was with a young co-ed who recently graduated after a volleyball career for the Razorbacks.

Additionally, she had just been given a job within the Arkansas football program ahead of more than 150 other applicants. Petrino also gave her a $20,000 signing bonus out of his own pocket, which was obviously a major breach of school rules.

Since Petrino originally lied to Long about being solo for the motorcycle wreck, in addition to hiring his mistress, the well-respected AD was left with a tough decision. But in the end, despite Petrino's success on the field, it was a no-brainer for Long to send BP packing.

Petrino spent a year away from football repairing his marriage and attempting to make things right with his family. Then Western Kentucky hired him for the 2013 campaign and he led it to an 8-4 record. The Hilltoppers actually made cash in this scenario, as the contract was built to protect the school if BP left after just one season.

Louisville had a strong four-year run under Charlie Strong, who turned down several jobs in 2013, including a lucrative offer from Tennessee, but couldn't pass on the chance to replace Mack Brown at Texas. The Cardinals went 12-1 straight up and 5-7-1 against the spread last year, smashing Miami by a 36-9 count as five-point favorites at the Russell Athletic Bowl.

But U of L lost its leader in Teddy Bridgewater, who started at QB for three seasons and finished as the school's third all-time leading passer. He went to the Minnesota Vikings in the first round, as did DE Calvin Pryor. Petrino inherits a squad returning seven starters on offense but just four on defense.

Louisville's 2013 'D' surrendered just 12.2 points per game. Former Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham signed a lucrative four-year contract (guaranteed!) to become the Cards' DC. However, and nobody should be stunned by this, a recent report from SI.com revealed that Grantham and Petrino are having issues galore, including multiple shouting matches in front of the rest of the staff.

Will Gardner saw limited duty behind Bridgewater as a redshirt freshman, completing 8-of-12 passes for 112 yards and two TDs without being intercepted. He has a pair of outstanding RBs to lean on in Dominique Brown and Michael Dyer. Brown rushed for a team-best 825 yards and eight TDs last year while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The Cards also have Michael Dyer, the MVP of Auburn's BCS Championship Game win over Oregon four years ago. But Dyer struggled with injuries last year and his status for Monday night is in question due to another injury.

U of L will be without its best offensive weapon in wide receiver DeVante Parker, who broke his foot last weekend and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. Parker had 55 catches for 885 yards and 12 TDs in 2013.

Miami started 2013 with seven consecutive wins, only to drop three in a row by double-digit margins once star RB Duke Johnson was lost to a season-ending injury. After getting spanked by U of L in the postseason, Al Golden's squad finished 9-4 SU and 5-8 ATS.

The Hurricanes return seven starters on offense and seven on defense. However, starting safety Rayshawn Jenkins, who had 46 tackles and three interceptions in 2013, is out for the season due to back surgery. Also, UM's top two quarterbacks, Ryan Williams and Kevin Olsen, won't play against the Cardinals.

Williams is still recovering from a torn ACL last year but could be ready in a few weeks. Olsen is serving a one-game suspension. Therefore, true freshman Brad Kaaya will get the starting nod under center.

The good news is that Johnson is healthy again. Despite playing only seven games, Johnson still garnered first-team All-ACC honors with 920 rushing yards and six TDs. He averaged 6.1 YPC and has take-it-the-house speed on any given carry.

As a road underdog, UM owns a 5-4-1 spread record as a road underdog during Golden's tenure.

This key ACC showdown will kick Monday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Rated Games:

*****-------------------------------o - 0

Double Plays--------------------------1 - 1

Triple Plays---------------------------0 - 0

LIGHTS OUT.....................................0 - 0

Overall Rated Plays

10 - 8......................................*****

4 - 5.....................................DOUBLE PLAY

4 - 3 ....................................TRIPLE PLAY

2 - 1 ....................................LIGHTS OUT

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Correction on Totals:

Monday's Rated Games:

*****-------------------------------o - 0

Double Plays--------------------------0 - 2

Triple Plays---------------------------0 - 0

LIGHTS OUT.....................................0 - 0

Overall Rated Plays

10 - 8......................................*****

4 - 5.....................................DOUBLE PLAY

4 - 3 ....................................TRIPLE PLAY

2 - 1 ....................................LIGHTS OUT

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4th Quarter Covers - Week 1

September 1, 2014


Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in opening college football weekend. Each week there are several teams that cover despite not necessarily deserving it, as well as other teams that played much better than the final score shows, get the details in this weekly column.

UL-Monroe (-1½) 17, Wake Forest 10: Despite posting fewer than 100 yards in the game, Wake Forest led 10-0 at the half Thursday night in a game that featured a big line move with the Demon Deacons initially a four-point favorite. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Warhawks had the game tied, capitalizing on a turnover with a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown. On its second drive of the fourth quarter, Louisiana-Monroe delivered a 12-play drive for the go-ahead score with just over three minutes left on the clock. UL-Monroe out-gained Wake Forest 352-94 in the game as the Warhawks were impressive on defense in the opening win but the game wound up being down to the wire.

Tulsa (-5) 38, Tulane 31: This American Athletic Conference opener featured Tulane leading the entire way, but a wild finish flipped the result. Tulsa got within one with a short field goal about halfway through the fourth quarter, but Tulane shortly thereafter connected on a 60-yard pass play for a touchdown to put the Wave up 28-20 with under seven minutes left on the clock. Tulsa would march down the field to answer, connecting for the score on a fourth down play and the successful two-point conversion incredibly tied the game with less than three minutes on the clock. It looked all for naught as on first down deep in its own its territory, Tulane running back Sherman Badie broke loose with a 73 yard run to inside the Tulsa 10. Tulane would end up settling for a short field goal try, and Andrew DiRocco would miss left from just 21 yards, a kick that would have at the very least sealed an underdog cover. Both teams had the ball again in the final two minutes, but both drives stalled midfield and overtime was needed. In the first session, both teams hit short field goals but Tulsa found the end zone going first in the second session. Tulane quarterback Tanner Lee was then intercepted on 2nd down to end the game, giving Tulsa the win and a miraculous favorite cover on opening night.

Mississippi (-10) 35, Boise State 13: The start of the season did not look pretty in this national TV game as both teams struggled with penalties and turnovers in the first half. By the start of the fourth quarter, Mississippi led just 7-6 as both teams squandered scoring chances with interceptions. While Boise State did a great job stopping the run, the Mississippi passing attack found some openings in the fourth quarter, scoring three touchdowns in less than five minutes of game clock, including a 76-yard play to put the Rebels comfortably ahead 28-6. Boise State would answer with a scoring drive to get back within 15, but after failing to recover the onside kick, Mississippi was able to punch in another touchdown to put the game away. The yardage was fairly close in this game with the underdog Broncos holding a big edge on the ground. The final score was certainly a bit misleading in what was a sloppy opening effort for both teams.

Rutgers (+7½) 41, Washington State 38: Rutgers stormed out to an early lead in this game, but Washington State would rally to take the lead three different times in the second half, though the Cougars never actually got past the favorite spread at any point. Washington State led by seven entering the fourth quarter to put fear into those on the underdog that felt good about a win with the hot start from the Knights. Rutgers would answer with back-to-back scoring drives in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter to lead 34-31, but it took less than three minutes for Washington State to get the lead back, up 38-34 with just over eight minutes to go. On the next Rutgers possession, the Knights were stuffed deep in their own zone and forced to punt, seemingly giving the quick striking Washington State offense a chance to score and subsequently pull past the spread, but the punt returner muffed the catch and Rutgers recovered at midfield. Rutgers was able to move down the field for the go-ahead scored with just over three minutes to go in the game, all but locking up the underdog cover. Washington State ran seven plays on its final possession, but they could not convert and Rutgers scored a nice upset win in its debut representing the Big Ten.

BYU (-14½) 35, Connecticut 10: BYU took control of this game early, but the favorite cover was in serious jeopardy late in the game. Down by 18, Connecticut went all the way down to the BYU 10-yard line but the Huskies came up short going for it on 4th down with just over six minutes to go. BYU would answer with a touchdown to put the game away as another Connecticut drive deep into BYU territory late in the game would also prove fruitless.

Colorado State (+2½) 31, Colorado 17: The Buffaloes led 10-0 into the second quarter in this Rocky Mountain rivalry game and scoring first in the second half put the Buffaloes back up by 10 at 17-7. A strong kickoff return put the Rams in good position and they answered with a touchdown drive but Colorado still led by three, just covering the narrow favorite spread entering the fourth quarter. Shortly into the final frame, Colorado State took its first lead and then the Rams stepped up on defense, holding Colorado scoreless in the fourth quarter to pull away with a minor upset win.

Ohio State (-13) 34, Navy 17: The spread on this big opening game was a roller coaster, opening at -17 then dropping significantly with Braxton Miller’s injury. The spread climbed nearly all the way back up before falling again on game day. For most of the game, the underdog was in prime position with Navy actually leading deep into the third quarter. Ohio State led by six entering the final frame, but a Navy field goal cut the margin to just three points, seemingly securing the cover for the underdog. It was not to be, however, as Ohio State delivered two long scoring drives to close out the game with the ATS win sealing touchdown with just over two minutes to go as Navy backers took a very tough defeat.

Boston College (-17) 30, Massachusetts 7: The Eagles led just 20-7 entering the fourth quarter after the Minutemen connected on a 77-yard pass play for their only score of the day. Boston College would pull past the spread with 10 points in the fourth quarter in a game the Eagles had over 500 yards in despite modest scoring.

Auburn (-17) 45, Arkansas 21: As a heavy underdog, Arkansas played a great first half sitting tied with the defending SEC champions at 21-21 at the break. After an Auburn touchdown, disaster struck for the Razorbacks with an interception returned for a touchdown late in the third quarter putting the Tigers up by 14. Storms were threatening in the fourth quarter and those on the underdog got a big stop with Arkansas holding Auburn to a field goal with less than 10 minutes left in the game to keep the margin at 17 points. A nearly hour and a half delay ensued with lightning in the area, putting Arkansas in an impossible situation to come back and finish the game knowing they had little chance to win. Auburn added a late touchdown to give the heavy favorite a very fortunate cover.

Georgia (-9½) 45, Clemson 21: This big primetime matchup featured Clemson dominating the yardage in the first half, but Georgia managing to match the Tigers at 21-21 with the help of short field drives and a kickoff return touchdown. After the high scoring first half, the third quarter featured only three points as the severe late line move on this game appeared to be wrong. Georgia would bowl over the Clemson defense in the fourth quarter, however, breaking long runs and scoring three touchdowns in a four-minute span to pull away, producing a misleading final score and misleading yardage totals in the box score.

Oklahoma (-34) 48, Louisiana Tech 16: Oklahoma was one of the biggest favorites of the weekend as far as FBS matchups, but the spread dropped four points throughout the week. The Sooners dominated the game and led 41-3 entering the fourth quarter, but the underdog Bulldogs would get two touchdowns in the fourth quarter against an uninterested Sooners defense, the second of which came with just 37 seconds left in the game for a spread spoiling backdoor cover.

LSU (-3½) 28, Wisconsin 24: The spread in the big Saturday night game bounced around between 3½ and 5, making for contrasting results for everyone involved depending on the timing with the closing number falling back to just 3½. Wisconsin was in control early with a 10-point lead at the half, growing to 11-points heading into the fourth quarter. Those on the underdog certainly had growing concern as injuries had decimated a Badgers defense that played well in the first half and the Wisconsin offense was really struggling. As often has been the case with LSU, the Tigers managed to pull ahead with a 28-24 edge in the fourth quarter. Wisconsin seemingly had it last possession deep in its own zone with less than two minutes to go as those on the Badgers +4 or greater held their breath. Gary Andersen oddly opted to punt despite the minimal chance that his team could get the ball back, but the move probably saved LSU from scoring again and earning a clear favorite cover at any number.

[StarDust Bum]

Arizona at Texas-San Antonio
September 1, 2014
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

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Editor's Note: Joe Nelson's college football selections can be purchased at VegasInsider.com this season. Click to win!

College football is back as this week’s Thursday night matchup is much more intriguing after the Week 1 results than it was when the schedule was released. Arizona will face its first road game in a rematch of one last season’s non-conference games while Texas-San Antonio will look for another major upset after a big win last Friday in Houston. Here is a look at both teams playing Thursday night in college football.

Match-up: Arizona Wildcats at Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners
Venue: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas (field turf)
Date: Thursday, September 4, 2014
Time/TV: 8:00 PM ET – FOX Sports 1
Line: Arizona -7
Last Meeting: 2013, Arizona (-24½) 38-13

Texas-San Antonio has played just one season as a full FBS member and this 2014 season will be the first year that the Roadrunners will be bowl eligible as they were not eligible in last season’s 7-5 campaign. Expect Texas-San Antonio to be in the postseason this year and while Marshall is getting a lot of press as the team to beat in Conference USA, the Roadrunners could be the top team in the West side of the conference. The Roadrunners made a big opening statement with a 27-7 win at Houston last Friday, spoiling the opening of the new stadium for the Cougars and grabbing perhaps the biggest win in the history of the program.

That win avenged a 59-28 loss from last season for Texas-San Antonio and less than a week later the Roadrunners will get another shot in a revenge game, hosting an Arizona team that beat them 38-13 last season. This is a veteran Roadrunners team that returned nearly every important player from last season’s very competitive squad and is coached by Larry Coker, who led Miami to a national championship in 2001. Last season, the Roadrunners hosted Oklahoma State in a big non-conference home date, this year they will hope for better results in the marquee home game of the season at the Alamodome.

Last season, Arizona only had a small yardage edge against Texas-San Antonio, but while Arizona capitalized on its opportunities, the Roadrunners left Arizona territory empty on a few possessions to fall behind 24-6 at the half. Arizona had a modest yardage total of only 422 yards in the game, well below the season average for the Wildcats. Even with a lot of new personnel, the Wildcats posted nearly 800 yards last week to crush UNLV and it will be a difficult task for the Roadrunners defensively this week.

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Arizona hosted UNLV last Friday night and it was a dominant result with a 58-13 win. Freshman quarterback Anu Solomon threw for four touchdowns in a mild surprise as the starter this season ahead of senior Jesse Scroggins. The Wildcats ran for 7.4 yards per carry as replacing Ka’Deem Carey was not a problem in game 1. UNLV actually had solid production with decent drives in the first half of the game as an Arizona defense that allowed over 400 yards per game last season still looks vulnerable and the competition will get tougher moving forward. This is an extremely athletic Wildcats team that may be the most talented that Rich Rodriguez has had in three years in Tucson, though the team has limited game experience overall.

Texas-San Antonio certainly had some great fortune in the upset on Friday night as a game that most expected would be an offensive showcase featured ugly results for both offenses. The Roadrunners punted on six of their first seven drives with a total of 22 net yards gained as they failed to pull away despite getting four first half turnovers from Houston. Texas-San Antonio managed to score a touchdown in the final minute of the first half in what was a huge score that changed the complexion of the game. Houston was held to negative rushing yards but six turnovers were clearly pivotal as Houston sophomore quarterback John O’Korn had four interceptions and a nightmare game overall leading the Cougars on offense. Houston had to abandon the running game early after falling behind so the Texas-San Antonio run defense may not be as stout as it looked in the box score.

Senior quarterback Tucker Carter did not have to do a lot leading the Texas-San Antonio offense as he passed for just 121 yards with very few downfield throws, averaging just over five yards per pass attempt. The Roadrunners only rushed for just 2.9 yards per carry as once the team built a lead it took a very conservative approach. This was not a great passing team last season and it will be interesting to see if they are able to keep up with an Arizona offense that will likely put up a much better offensive showing. The Texas-San Antonio defense will get a much tougher test this week unless they can create more turnovers against a young quarterback in his first road game.

This will be a big test for Texas-San Antonio to see if they can handle some success and some national attention as this Thursday night game should have a bit more national intrigue after last week’s results. The spread obviously has changed dramatically as the Roadrunners are not nearly the underdog they were last season. Texas-San Antonio narrowly missed covering against Arizona last season but there is an over 17-point adjustment this season with the venue shift. While Arizona is a more prominent program than Houston, this matchup might not bring the same focus for a roster filled with mainly Texas kids, going against a bigger in-state school last week. This also might have been a better upset opportunity for Texas-San Antonio had they lost last week as now Arizona will be well aware of what the Roadrunners can do.

For both teams this is a big opportunity to get a quality non-conference win over a team that will likely be in the postseason. Arizona is just 4-6 S/U in road games under Rodriguez although Texas-San Antonio was just 3-3 S/U in the dome last season. While the NFL matchup will certainly get more viewers by a mile Thursday night, this is a better matchup than it might sound to the casual college football fan and this game will be worth turning to during the breaks.

Line Movement: The early line opened at -8 before dipping to just -7 early this week.

Last Meeting: This game occurred in the third week of last season and it was a tough follow-up game for Texas-San Antonio coming off hosting Oklahoma State in one of the biggest home dates in the history of the program. Arizona led 38-6 in the fourth quarter before Texas-San Antonio got a late score to make the final score more respectable. Arizona had just a 422-379 yardage edge, posting 264 yards on the ground playing with a lead. Texas-San Antonio passed for 277 yards playing from behind most of the game to boost the yardage numbers.

Series History: This is just the second meeting, with Arizona winning and covering last season 38-13 at home.

Arizona Historical Trends: The Wildcats have not posted strong historical numbers in the road favorite role, going just 23-34 ATS as a road favorite since 1980, including going 4-10 ATS as a road favorite since 2008. Should this line climb, Arizona is just 8-19 ATS as road favorite of 10 or more points since 1982. Arizona is just 4-6 S/U & ATS in road games under Rodriguez, going just 2-4 ATS last season. Arizona is also just 17-28 ATS as a favorite of seven or more since 1999.

Texas-San Antonio Historical Trends: The Roadrunners only have ATS numbers for the past two seasons vs. FBS competition. Texas-San Antonio is 4-5 ATS at home and 2-3 ATS as a home underdog since 2012 as the road ATS numbers have been much more promising for the Roadrunners. Texas-San Antonio is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games as an underdog including last week’s win.

[StarDust Bum]

Texas QB Ash to miss BYU game

September 1, 2014


AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas quarterback David Ash, who missed most of last season with concussion symptoms, will not play this week against BYU after getting headaches and feeling dizzy in the hours following the Longhorns' season-opening win over North Texas.

Ash took several hard hits to the head in the 38-7 win, but head coach Charlie Strong said Monday that Ash showed no symptoms during the game. Ash called staff to report his symptoms about 90 minutes after the game ended, and the medical staff brought him in for evaluation.

''It shows his toughness. I know how important this football team is to him,'' Strong said.

Strong would not speculate whether Ash, who has 22 career starts, could or should try to play again. Ash had insisted that despite from questions from his family, he never seriously considered quitting.

''That's a decision his family is going to have to make,'' Strong said, noting that Ash would have to be cleared by doctors before he can return.

''You have to be concerned, any time you have that number of concussions. We will never jeopardize a young man's health for the sake of this football team. That will always be the case,'' Strong said.

Ash had been cleared by team doctors to return this season and told reporters in training camp about taking that first hit: ''Bring it on.''

Strong said Ash noted to staff a blow he took on Texas' second drive of the game, when he bent low to recover a fumble and a defender crashed into the crown of his helmet.

Ash later ran for a touchdown and passed for another, but also took several more hits to the head, most notably when his helmet twice bounced off the turf after a sack and on his touchdown run.

Strong said he didn't watch Ash on the sideline after the first hit and again noted that Ash reported no immediate problems to medical staff.

''If it was an issue, I think he would have said it himself. He didn't say anything about it,'' Strong said. ''Even I said to him, `Hey how's it going?' He said, `I'm feeling good. I really like it, I'm really into it.'''

Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks, who missed much of the last two seasons with injuries, said Ash has to be frustrated by his recurring concussions.

''He's got to be wondering why him?'' Hicks said.

Sophomore Tyrone Swoopes will start for Texas (1-0) against the Cougars (1-0) with freshman Jerrod Heard as the backup. Strong also announced that senior center Dominic Espinosa will miss the rest of the season after breaking a bone in his right ankle.

Swoopes, a sophomore, was 5 of 13 passing for 26 yards last season.

''We have a football team, and we have to go play ... It's not all about one person. Some other guys have to step up,'' Strong said. ''Adversity is going to hit.''


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Oklahoma defense in midseason form

September 1, 2014



NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma's defense was in midseason form in the opener against Louisiana Tech.

The Sooners shut down Louisiana Tech for much of a 48-16 win on Saturday night. Oklahoma held the Bulldogs to just 245 yards, including 54 yards rushing on 29 attempts.

Oklahoma's starters were especially dominant. The Sooners led 31-0 before the Bulldogs scored their first points on a field goal with only seconds left in the first half. The Sooners expect their defense to be better than the unit that led the Big 12 in total defense last year.

Oklahoma's defensive swagger could be tested Saturday at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane defeated Tulane 38-31 in double overtime in their opener Thursday. Quarterback Dane Evans passed for 438 yards, and Tulsa rolled up 592 yards total.


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Saban: Tide's QB competition continues

September 1, 2014



TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama quarterback competition continues, even though the opener was all Blake Sims.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday that the battle for the No. 1 spot remains open between first-game starter Sims and Jake Coker, who mostly watched the second-ranked Alabama's 33-23 win over West Virginia from the sidelines. Expect Coker to get his first significant action Saturday against Florida Atlantic.

''I still don't hesitate to say that there's a quarterback competition,'' Saban said. ''In some way, we'll probably try to play both quarterbacks in this game. I don't know how and when I figure it out I'm probably not going to tell '' the media.

''And I don't know that it's that important, to be honest with you,'' Saban added.

It's an issue that's impossible to ignore, though.

Sims received decent reviews from his first game as a starter. He completed 24 of 33 passes for 250 yards with one interception on an ill-advised downfield throw and had time management issues that forced a couple of second-quarter timeouts.

''Those types of things are the game management issues that we have to improve on,'' Saban said.

Sims got back on track when the Tide went no-huddle for a while and also ran for 42 yards. His numbers could have been better but a wide-open Christion Jones dropped a deep ball downfield that should have been a touchdown.

Coker, a Florida State transfer, was frequently shown on TV cameras watching. He only got in the game to run out the clock on a 33-23 victory and didn't attempt a pass. Some observers, who had presumed that Coker would win the job after backing up Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, might have thought it would be the other way around but he's had limited time to master the offense.

''He didn't complain,'' Tide fullback Jalston Fowler said. ''Just kept a straight face and kept moving.''

There were other issues for Alabama in the opener, including a secondary that was burned for 365 yards, but the burning topic has been the quarterbacks. With Alabama set to face a 40-point underdog, this might be the ideal team for both to get their shots.

Then comes Southern Miss, another team that oddsmakers won't give much of a chance, before the Tide opens Southeastern Conference play against Florida.

Fowler said he has only one reaction to fans who want the inside scoop on the quarterback situation.

''It's not a distraction to me,'' he said. ''I just listen to them talking and just walk away and laugh. We can win with either one of them.''

Whoever's at quarterback will be without one of his top targets.

Saban said wide receiver DeAndrew White is likely out two weeks with a right shoulder injury, leaving him possibly back for the Florida game. Safety Jarrick Williams could miss at least four weeks with a fractured bone in his foot.

Saban said he wasn't even aware Williams was hurt until after the game.

''He actually finished the game,'' he said. ''They put a screw in it (Sunday) and he'll be four weeks for sure and then we'll have to see where he goes from there.''


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Aggies' Hill gets Heisman bets

August 31, 2014

The college football season is underway and one of the most popular prop wagers at Sportsbook.ag is focused on the Heisman Trophy race.

Last year, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston came out of nowhere in Week 1 with a monster performance on Labor Day. The signal caller increased his production as the season progressed and he claimed the 2013 Heisman Trophy.

Winston opened as the top betting choice (5/1) to repeat at Sportsbook.ag and he remains a 4/1 favorite as of Sunday. After watching the first weekend, it appears that bettors believe he will be challenged to win back-to-back Heisman trophies.

The biggest move at Sportsbook.ag was on Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill, who helped the Aggies dice up No. 9 South Carolina 52-28 on Thursday. Hill finished the game 44-of-60 for 511 yards and three touchdowns.

Prior to the season, Hill wasn’t listed in the Heisman futures. After Thursday’s performance, Sportsbook.ag opened the gunslinger at 20/1 odds and that number has now dropped to 10/1.

Even though quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy 12 of the past 13 years, some bettors are buying stock into a pair of running backs, Georgia’s Todd Gurley (7/1) and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (12/1).

All of the updated odds from Sportsbook.ag are listed below.

Odds to win 2014 Heisman Trophy

Jameis Winston (Florida St) 5/1
Marcus Mariota (Oregon) 11/2
Todd Gurley (Georgia) 7/1
Brett Hundley (UCLA) 10/1
Bryce Petty (Baylor) 10/1
Kenny Hill (Texas A&M) 10/1
Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) 12/1
TJ Yeldon (Alabama) 12/1
Myles Jack (UCLA) 15/1
Nick Marshall (Auburn) 16/1
Trevor Knight (Oklahoma) 16/1
Everett Golson (Notre Dame) 22/1
Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska) 25/1
Christian Hackenberg (Penn St) 25/1
Cody Kessler (USC) 30/1
Rashad Greene (Florida State) 30/1
Connor Cook (Michigan State) 35/1
Derrick Henry (Alabama) 35/1
Karlos Williams (Florida St) 35/1
Leonard Fournette (LSU) 35/1
Duke Johnson (Miami) 38/1
Cameron Artis Payne (Auburn) 40/1
Sean Mannion (Oregon State) 40/1
Dak Prescott (Mississippi State) 50/1
Thomas Tyner (Oregon) 50/1
Javorius Allen (USC) 60/1
Rakeem Cato (Marshall) 60/1
Mike Davis (South Carolina) 75/1
Taylor Kelly (Arizona State) 75/1
Taysom Hill (BYU) 75/1
JW Walsh (Oklahoma St) 100/1
Jake Waters (Kansas St) 100/1

How to read the Odds:
Ex. Bet $100 on Jameis Winston (5/1) to win $500
Ex. Bet $100 on Marcus Mariota (11/2) to win $550
Ex. Bet $100 on Todd Gurley (7/1) to win $700

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BC platoon replaces Heisman finalist

September 1, 2014


BOSTON (AP) - Boston College doesn't have one player who can replace Heisman Trophy finalist Andre Williams, so the Eagles are trying to do the job with three or four.

BC coach Steve Addazio is platooning three running backs in 2014, one year after Williams' record-setting season. And that's not even counting quarterback Tyler Murphy, who was the leading rusher in BC's season-opening victory over UMass on Saturday.

''We're rolling three (running backs). I don't even know who it is back there half the time,'' offensive lineman Aaron Kramer said Monday. ''No matter who it is at the running back, we know that we can be successful.''

Williams emerged as BC's primary rusher in 2013, when he averaged 175 rushing yards per game and became the 16th player in FBS history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Then he left for the NFL, where he was a fourth-round draft pick of the New York Giants.

Without him, BC opened with a 30-7 victory over UMass in which the Eagles ran 61 times for 338 yards.

''We needed to be a collective effort. And in that game it was true,'' Addazio said. ''We're always going to be a heavy run team; let's face it.''

In the place of Williams, who ran for 2,177 yards last year and was the Doak Walker Award winner, the Eagles have sophomore Myles Willis, who ran 16 times for 57 yards and also returned kicks for a total of 113 all-purpose yards in the opener. Tyler Rouse carried the ball 19 times for 87 yards, and Murphy had 118 yards on 13 carries, including a 1-yard naked bootleg for a touchdown.

Three other players also carried the ball for the Eagles.

''We're not just one back anymore,'' Willis said. ''All of us are coming, and the quarterback's running, too.''

Murphy completed 17 of 24 passes for 173 yards in his first game at BC since transferring from Florida. Although Addazio said he would prefer to mix more passes into the game plan, the imbalance was due in part to it being Murphy's first game, in part because the Eagles took an early lead against overmatched UMass and in part because the running game was working.

''In a perfect world, you'd like to have more balance,'' Addazio said. ''Will we be able to have our way with everybody in the conference running the football? No. We'd like to get more balance. We'd like to grow in certain areas. But I don't look for style points. I don't look for stats, but to win.''

Addazio said that because he isn't relying on one back, it creates more variety in the offense. While Williams was a power, straight-ahead back who would make tacklers miss, BC's new ball carriers have different qualities they can bring to the job - like the sweeps run by receiver Sherman Allston for a total of 30 yards.

''We're ahead of where we were a year ago - schematically, running the football,'' Addazio said. ''We don't have that one power back yet. But I'm pretty pleased with that piece.''

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF line watch: Irish backers best to wait until late

Each week during the college football season, we look 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

Fresno State Bulldogs at Utah Utes (-10.5)

Utah is currently a 10.5-point home favorite and I expect the money to come in on the Utes in this game. Utah cruised to an easy 56-14 home win over FCS Idaho State in its season opener. The Utes have a lot of momentum for this game and since they have a bye on deck, we can expect a prime effort in Week 2.

Fresno State was completely out-classed in their 52-13 loss to USC last week. It’s clear that the Bulldogs are not the same team that went 11-2 last season. Now they must play their second consecutive game on the road after taking a physical beating. This line will only go up, so lay the points with Utah now.


Spread to wait on

Michigan Wolverines at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-4.5)

Michigan and Notre Dame both won by impressive margins last week. The Wolverines beat Appalachian State 52-14 while the Fighting Irish beat Rice 48-17. The early money has come in on Michigan as the Wolverines are down to +4.5 after opening as +5.5 road underdogs. I expect continued line movement downward as the power ratings make this game right around a field goal spread.

Notre Dame is a much better team this season with the return of quarterback Everett Golson. The QB situation in South Bend was a mess last year, but with stability the Irish can run a balanced offense. Michigan has been stale over the last two years and this year doesn’t look any different. I expect the public to be on the underdog, so playing the Irish closer to kick off is the way to go.


Total to watch

Michigan State Spartans at Oregon Ducks (56)

This game is a contrast in styles. Michigan State wins with defense and it plays ball control with its ability to run the ball consistently. Oregon wants to play as fast as possible, wearing down its opponent’s defense.

The early projected lines in Las Vegas have this total pegged at 56 points. Oregon is currently a 13-point favorite, so an opening number in the high 50s makes sense. Michigan State’s highest posted total last season was 54 points with 12 of its 14 games set at 48.5 or less.