The Bum's 2015 College Conference Preview News,Notes,All You Need To Know !

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AFC West NFL betting preview: Broncos favored in competitive division

Does Peyton Manning have enough left to lead the Broncos to another AFC West title? Are the young Raiders ready to make the leap to division contender are they not quite there yet?

AAA Sports takes a look at the competitive AFC West and makes his projections on each team's season win total.

Denver Broncos (2014: 12-4 SU, 8-8 ATS)

Odds to win AFC: 11-2
Season win total: 10

Why to bet the Broncos: Everyone in the NFL knows that this is Peyton Manning’s last roundup, and the good news is that Manning enters the season a lot healthier than he ended the last one. The better news is that with the Broncos moving to a more run-oriented offense, Manning might be able to channel late-career John Elway and may not have to carry the horses on his back for 16+ games.

Why not to bet the Broncos: New coach Gary Kubiak is under intense pressure to get this team to the Super Bowl, and the fact is that there are fewer top-quality players around this time. Among the missing are TE Julius Thomas, who fled in a contract spat; and O-lineman Ryan Clady, who will miss 2015 as he rehabs from ACL surgery.

Season win total pick: Under 10


Kansas City Chiefs (2014: 9-7 SU, 10-6 ATS)

Odds to win AFC: 15-1
Season win total: 8.5

Why to bet the Chiefs: All the elements appear in place. Alex Smith has become one of the league’s most accurate passers. Justin Houston (22 sacks last year) anchors a better-than-average defense. Wideout Jeremy Maclin strengthens the passing game. And Jamaal Charles is back.

Why not to bet the Chiefs: They just can’t seem to get over the Peyton Manning (KC is 1-13 against him) roadblock. And a brutal schedule includes a trip to Green Bay and only seven home games due to a London obligation. Hard to see KC making up a three-game deficit and making a legit run at the division title.

Season win total pick: Under 8.5


Oakland Raiders (2014: 3-13 SU, 8-8 ATS)

Odds to win AFC: 55-1
Over/under total: 5.5

Why to bet the Raiders: New season, new coach, new hope in Oakland, where Jack Del Rio is the latest to take a crack at cleaning up the squalor that this franchise has become. QB Derek Carr will have a pair of solid wideouts in vet Michael Crabtree and rookie Amari Cooper, and Latavius Murray should be among the better RBs in the AFC.

Why not to be the Raiders: The offensive line has to do a better job in the running game; that failure led to the worst offense in the league last season. Oakland has not had a winning season since it went to the Super Bowl in 2002, and it’s always sketchy betting on a streak like that to end.

Season win total pick: Over 5.5


San Diego Chargers (2014: 9-7 SU, 7-9 ATS)

Odds to win AFC: 25-1
Over/under total: 8

Why to bet the Chargers: The O-line was a major concern last season, but appears to have been patched nicely and should give 10-year veteran Philip Rivers the protection he needs to put up solid numbers. All the key pieces return, along with a few new toys for Rivers.

Why not to be the Chargers: San Diego has missed the playoffs four of the last five years, and didn’t appear to make much of an effort last season. Also, there will be uncertainty all year as the front office ponders a 2016 move to Los Angeles.

Season win total pick: Under 8

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Win Total Top Bets - Big 10 East

August 24, 2015


Big 10 West Handicap

Indiana Hoosiers – UNDER 6

The Hoosiers won only 4 games last season and that was with Tevin Coleman in the backfield rushing for over 2,000 yards. Coleman has moved onto the NFL and we just don’t see IU getting over 6 wins this year. Jordan Howard transferred in from UAB and will be moving into Coleman’s spot. While Howard had a very good year for the Blazers last season, he’s no Tevin Coleman. In Big Ten play last year the Hoosiers were outscored by an average of 17 PPG and outgained by an average of 127 YPG. They won a grand total of ONE league game and that was a tight one in the season ender vs Purdue. The defense has been bad for years (given up 32+ PPG in all of Wilson’s 4 seasons) and we don’t look for a huge jump this year. IU is in the tougher Big Ten East and must face Ohio St, Michigan St, Michigan, and Penn St this season. Once they hit conference play, the only game they will be definitely favored in will be at home vs Rutgers. They could be getting points in every other Big Ten game. Even if they win all 4 of their non-conference games, they’d still have to go 3-5 in the Big Ten to push this over the total. Head coach Kevin Wilson will be starting his 5th year at the helm and he has won a TOTAL of 14 games in his first four years. Do you really think he’ll magically get to 7 wins this year? We don’t and we’re grabbing the UNDER.

Maryland Terrapins – UNDER 4.5

The Terps won more than we expected last year getting to 7-5 in the regular season. However, they were outgained by an average of almost 100 YPG on the season and their point differential was -22 on the year. They finished 11th in the Big Ten in offensive YPG and 10th in the league in YPG defense. In other words, they probably didn’t deserve a winning record. This year they are massively depleted on both sides of the ball. Their offense loses starting QB Brown and their two playmaking WR’s Diggs & Long who combined for almost 1,400 yards receiving last year. The Terps return only 40% of their total yards and just 45% of their total tackles ranking them in the bottom 18 in both categories. Their 34 returning lettermen are the fewest of any team from a Power 5 conference. On top of all that, they have a brutal schedule this year. We rank it as the tough slate in the Big Ten. Once they get through their first three games (Richmond, Bowling Green, & USF) they hit the gantlet of opponents facing West Virginia, Michigan, Ohio St, Penn St, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan St in order. Thus, there is a very good chance they start the Big Ten with an 0-6 record. Last year this team played above their heads and we see a big drop this year after losing too much key talent. This number is low but we think the UNDER is worth a look.

Michigan Wolverines – OVER 7.5

Much of the hoopla regarding this year’s Michigan team revolves around new head coach Jim Harbaugh and deservedly so. Harbaugh has a track record of turning teams around quickly and he already has a lot to work with at Michigan. The Wolves bring back 15 starters and 50 lettermen from last year’s 5-7 team. They should be strong on both lines of scrimmage which is always a key. Despite their losing record, this team outgained opponents by an average of 333 to 311 last year. So the defense was stout and will be again, while the offense had some problems. Many of the offenses deficiencies last year were directly the result of poor QB play. Neither Devin Gardner nor Shane Morris got the job done on a consistent basis. This year the Wolves should be much better at that spot with Iowa transfer Jake Rudock taking over. Rudock started 25 career games for the Hawkeyes and threw for nearly 5,000 yards in his Iowa career. Harbaugh does well with QB’s and we look for Rudock to have a big season. If Michigan can pull the upset in game one at Utah (Wolves are +3.5) they could easily be 6-0 when they host Michigan State on October 17th. They get to host the two toughest teams on their slate (MSU & OSU) and they have road games at Maryland, at Minnesota, at Indiana, and at Penn St. We think this one will be tight but we’ll call for Michigan to go 8-4 this year topping this total.

Michigan State Spartans – OVER 9.5

This Spartan team is loaded again in 2015. They return 51 lettermen from a team that went 11-2 last year including QB Cook and two very good lines of scrimmage (both offensive and defensive). Their only two losses last year were to Oregon & Ohio State, both of whom made the College Football “Final 4”. Sparty should be favored in every game but one this season and that is at Ohio State. They host Oregon in week 2 and we project MSU as a small chalk. Most of their other games should be easy wins as we project them as double digit favorites in 8 of their 12 games. Much has been made about OSU’s National Championship run last year but let’s not forget that Michigan State had a better YPG differential in conference play at +191 to the Buckeyes +151. Mark Dantonio has this program rolling with 10+ regular season wins in 4 of the last 5 seasons. This will be one of his best team’s yet and we see them getting to at least 10 if not 11 wins. We like the OVER here with an MSU team that is sort of flying under the radar due to Ohio State’s presence in the conference.

Ohio State Buckeyes – OVER 11

Hard to believe that Urban Meyer has NOT lost a Big Ten regular season game in his 3 years at OSU. Not one slip up in league play. With this number set at 11, they obviously have to sweep the board during the regular season to hit the OVER. We think they can do that but it won’t be easy. However, we think it’s very unlikely they lose 2 games this season so at worst we’re projecting a push if you have 11 to work with. The Bucks are obviously loaded and off a National Championship run which probably brings them into this season a bit over valued. If the lines were set today, they would be at least a TD favorite in every game. They have 3 of the best QB’s in the nation on the same team. That could potentially be a problem if the 2 that don’t get the majority of the reps are not accepting to that fact. They have a great RB returning with Elliott and he will run behind a top notch OL. The defense wasn’t dominant last year allowing 22 PPG but they don’t need to be with an offense we project to score 45+ PPG this season. The only challenging games we see for OSU would be at Virginia Tech, at home vs Michigan State and at Michigan. Meyer is 38-3 in his 3 years at Ohio State giving him an average of 1 loss per year. We think that would be the max again this year and we’ll take the OVER and possibly look at a push at worst.

Penn State Nittany Lions – OVER 7.5

Beyond Ohio State’s fantastic 3, Penn State’s QB Hackenberg is the next in the conference in terms of talent. Many have him as a top 10 pick in the NFL draft when he decides to come out. His numbers were not impressive last year especially the 15 interceptions (just 12 TD’s). The problem was, his offensive line was very raw. They struggled to protect him. This year they return 4 of 5 up front so that should do wonders for Hackenberg as we look for him to be very impressive. He returns his top 2 receivers and top RB. PSU needs to drastically improve on that side of the ball as they averaged just 14 PPG in Big Ten play. We think they will. Defensively they were very good last year allowing only 279 YPG. They will be stout on that side of the ball again. The early schedule sets up nicely for them in 2015. The Lions could easily run out to a 6-0 record before facing Ohio State. They face both OSU and MSU on the road this year which will almost assuredly be losses. However if they start 6-0 as we think they will, they’ll need just 2 more wins from a group of Maryland, Illinois, Northwestern, & Michigan to get over this number. We’ll call for second year coach James Franklin to push this team to an 8-4 regular season mark.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights – UNDER 5

How this team finished 8-5 and beat North Carolina in a bowl game last year is beyond us. They were outgained by an average of 53 YPG last year. In Big Ten play they were even worse getting outscored by an average of 14 PPG and outyarded by an average of 115 PPG. Only Indiana & Illinois were outgained by more YPG in conference play. They only outgained 4 of their 12 opponents last year. Even Howard put up 30 more yards in their loss at Rutgers. After that deceivingly solid season, the Knights lose more lettermen and more starters than any other team in the Big Ten. The big loss on offense is QB Nova who threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 22 TD’s last year. His replacement looks like it will be Chris Laviano who has completed just 39% of his 28 career pass attempts. Defensively they allowed 443 YPG a year ago and lost 5 of their top 7 tacklers. Already playing in the very tough Big Ten East, Rutgers draws both Wisconsin & Nebraska from the West. They lost to those two teams by a combined score of 79-24 a year ago. Throw in games vs Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and Michigan and we see them really struggling in league play. This team was over rated last year in our opinion and that will show this season. If they’re lucky, they might get to 5 wins but we doubt it.

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Win Total Top Bets

August 25, 2015


Illinois Fighting Illini – OVER 3.5

The Illini came up with 6 wins a year ago and we see no reason why they won’t get to at least 4 this season. Nobody in the Big Ten returns more starters than the Illini (15) and they bring back their QB Lunt which is key. He transferred to Illinois after starting at Oklahoma State as a true frosh. Lunt threw for 1700 yards and threw 14 TD’s to just 3 picks last year. He’ll work behind a solid offensive line with his top RB and top 4 pass catchers all coming back. The defense was a sore spot for this team a year ago. Only 3 teams (Youngstown St, Minnesota, and Penn St) failed to score at least 30 points on this porous Illini defense. They do have over 71% of their tackles returning from last year and have added a co-defensive coordinator (Mike Phair) with lots of NFL experience so they are hoping for an improvement. The key for us is the early season schedule. We expect home wins over Kent, Western Illinois, and Middle Tennessee State which would almost put them at this total before we hit October. If that happens they need one Big Ten win to put them OVER this number.

Iowa Hawkeyes – UNDER 7.5

With this number set at 7.5, Iowa is a very tough call for us this year. This is a team that finished 7-5 in last year’s regular season but did not beat a single team that ended the year with a winning record. We actually think Iowa will drop off a bit this year, however their schedule is very weak. Their toughest non-conference game is at home vs Pitt which will not be easy. They should be heavily favored in the others. They draw Indiana & Maryland from the Big Ten East which are two of the three worst teams in that half of the division. They host Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, and Purdue in league play which is a fairly easy slate. The problem is they only return 12 starters and just 40 lettermen (2nd fewest in the Big Ten). They also lose much of their offensive production having to replace 60% of their offensive yardage from a year ago. The Hawks have topped 7.5 wins only once in the last 5 years and they might be hard pressed to do it this year. We’re not sure about this one but if we had to lean one way, we’d probably take the UNDER.

Minnesota Golden Gophers – OVER 5.5

Another tough call for us in the Big Ten. We expect Minny to drop off this year, however the number has been adjusted for just that. After winning 8 games last season, the oddsmakers have set this year’s win total at just 5.5. We think they’ve gone just a bit too low and we lean ever so slightly to the OVER. Jerry Kill has proven he is a very good coach guiding the Gophs very quietly to back to back 8 win seasons. Looking at the numbers they were a bit fortunate as they were outgained by their opponents both seasons (-11 YPG last year & -30 YPG in 2013). Last year, with the Big Ten West on the line, they actually led Wisconsin on the road in the 2nd half of the season finale before falling 34-24. They lose RB Cobb (1,600 yards rushing) but return their QB Leidner. Because they lose Cobb, in order to really be a threat this year they HAVE to improve their passing attack (just 142 YPG passing last year). They again draw Michigan & Ohio State in their cross-over games which is obviously tough. Their season opener at home vs TCU will be a very difficult win. After that they play Colorado St, Kent, Ohio, Northwestern, & Purdue so conceivably they could start the season 5-1. They hit a tough slate down the stretch but if they can get the wins we project in their first 6 games, they’d only need one more win. We lean ever so slightly to the OVER here.

Nebraska Cornhuskers – OVER 8

We’re not overly high on the Huskers this year as they transition to a new coach (Mike Riley). That being said they do have a lot of experience coming back (60 lettermen) and their Big Ten slate isn’t all that daunting. While we’re not supremely confident in this prediction, we do think there is a better chance this team wins 9 rather than 7, although 8 is probably dead on. RB Abdullah is a huge loss and we’re not so sure current QB Armstrong fits Riley’s offensive scheme all that well. Defensively they were porous at times last year (see Wisconsin’s 627 total yards) and they actually lose 4 of their top 5 tacklers. All of this may make you wonder why we like the OVER (again, not a strong opinion). Well Nebraska’s schedule sets up pretty nicely. They will definitely be favored in 3 of their 4 Big Ten road games as they get Illinois, Purdue, and Rutgers away from home. If they can get a win vs either Wisconsin (at home), Miami FL (on the road), or Minnesota (on the road) that should propel them to 9 wins. The Huskers have won 8 or more regular season games in 7 consecutive seasons and while we think 8 is the correct number this year, we recommend OVER if you’re interested in play it.

Northwestern Wildcats – UNDER 6.5

We think the Cats will be a better football team in 2015, the problem is, they have a tough schedule so it may not look much better in that respect. Last year they finished 5-7 overall and missed a bowl game for the 2nd straight season. This year we’ll call for Northwestern to finish 6-6 and squeak back into a minor bowl game. Nobody in the Big Ten brings back more lettermen than the Cats at 62. They should be very solid and experienced on both lines of scrimmage which is often an overlooked key to the success of a football team. Their QB situation will be up in the air with last year’s starter Trevor Siemian moving on. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as Siemian had a poor year which was one of the main reasons the Cats struggled. It looks like freshman Clayton Thorson is leading the QB battle and it’s really tough to project how he will perform. The Wildcats were all over the board last year beating the likes of Wisconsin, Notre Dame, and Penn State yet getting whipped by Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. As we stated their schedule is tough. They will be an underdog in 2 of their 4 non-conference games vs Stanford and at Duke. Their Big Ten road games are at Michigan, at Nebraska, and at Wisconsin, all likely losses. They don’t have a cakewalk at home either with games against Penn St, Iowa, and Minnesota. They could actually be underdogs in any or all of those games depending on how things take shape earlier in the season. When all is said and done we think 6 wins for Northwestern holding them just UNDER this posted total.

Purdue Boilermakers – UNDER 4

We actually have Purdue slated for 4 wins this year which is dead on with this win total. However, we feel they will have a very hard time getting to 5 wins so we’ll take a shot with the UNDER here. Hard to believe, but the Boilers are just 1-15 in Big Ten play the last two seasons. That one win was at Illinois last year. The remainder of their Big Ten games were losses by margins of 14, 14, 1, 21, 18, 24, and 7 points. As you can see they were not competitive in most. They have only 4 total wins the last 2 seasons (Indiana State, Western Michigan, Southern Illinois, and Illinois). They did improve on both sides of the ball last year after a horrendous 1-11 mark in 2013. However, we don’t trust their QB play enough to think they will pull any upsets this year. Last year’s starter at the beginning of the season, Danny Etling, has transferred to LSU. His replacement, Austin Appleby, completed just 52% of his passes and had more int’s than TD’s. Appleby isn’t even slated to start this year, it’s freshman David Blough. They also lose their workhorse on offense, RB Hunt, who put up over 1,000 yards a year ago. Defensively this team has allowed 31+ points in 3 straight seasons and we don’t see much changing this season. Their road slate is tough including games at Michigan State & at Wisconsin. We don’t foresee this team winning a road game – they are 1-8 SU on the road the last 2 years. They have a few winnable (and also losable) games at home this year with Bowling Green, Illinois, and Indiana. The only slam dunk for this team is probably their home opener vs Indiana State. Another poor season is on the horizon for Purdue.

Wisconsin Badgers – OVER 10

The Badgers only return 11 starters and they are working with a new coaching staff with Paul Chryst coming over from Pitt. We’re always a little leery of team’s first year with a new coach however Chryst was Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator before he left for Pittsburgh so there is some familiarity there. He kept DC Aranda on board which is a big + as Wisky allowed only 294 yards per game last year. They should again be very good on that side of the ball. QB Joel Stave returns and he has been very inconsistent although he is starting for the 3rd straight year. We look for Chryst, who is a very good QB coach, to have a big influence on Stave and we look for a much better season from that spot. The OL might be down a bit but will still be solid. RB Clement will be among the best in the country. One of the reasons will lean OVER here is Wisconsin’s schedule is ridiculously easy. We have them projected as double digit favorites in 8, possibly 9, of their 12 games. They will be an underdog vs Alabama to open the season but they could be favored in all others. Their games at Nebraska and at Minnesota are the only other possibilities. Their only losses last year were vs LSU by 4 points (Wisc led 17-7 at half) and 20-14 vs Northwestern (Wisc was -4 turnovers). They have some momentum after beating Auburn in the Cap One Bowl and we think they have a much better chance of getting to 11 wins than dropping to 9 wins.

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Week 1 Betting Moves

August 25, 2015

Auburn vs. Louisville (Georgia Dome in Atlanta)

The Westgate opened Auburn as a 10.5-point favorite. The betting shop shifted to -11 on August 6 before adjusting to 11.5 on August 8. However, the line moved back to 11 on August 22 and was back at 10.5 by August 23. The total is 58.5 at most offshore books.

U of L head coach Bobby Petrino was once the offensive coordinator at Auburn. Then a few years later during his first stint as HC for the Cardinals, he notoriously conducted a secret meeting with the Auburn AD to discuss his pal Tommy Tuberville's job. Tuberville ended up keeping his job, the AD lost his and Chapter 1 of Petrino's storied history of being a terrible human being was written.

Ohio State at Virginia Tech

Back in early June before any Vegas shops had numbers posted, 5Dimes had Ohio State as a 20.5-point road favorite. The Westgate opened the Buckeyes as 13-point 'chalk.' However, when the suspensions of four players including All-American LB Joey Bosa were announced on July 30, the number was adjusted to 10.

The line would bounce around from 10 to 11 for a week, only to climb up to 11.5 at the Westgate on August 19. The Wynn settled at -12 on the same day. The total is in the 54-55 range at offshore books.

Georgia Southern at West Virginia

The Westgate opened West Virginia at -18. Five days later, it moved to 18.5 but on August 8, the number was moved a whole point to -17.5. Then on August 19, Georgia Southern announced a two-game suspension for starting QB Kevin Ellison, who rushed for 1,096 yards and 12 TDs when the Eagles went 9-3 last season.

The Ellison news prompted the Westgate to move WVU to -20. Since then, nearly every book has settled at -19.5. Since 2011, Georgia Southern owns a 5-0 spread record in double-digit road 'dog situations.

Stanford at Northwestern

The Westgate had Stanford at -11.5 to open on July 25. The number moved to 12 on August 6 before going to 12.5 two days later. The total (45) is the second-lowest on the Week 1 board behind only Penn State vs. Temple (39).

Duke at Tulane

The Westgate opened Duke at -9 on July 25. Then on August 6, the Blue Devils moved to 9.5 and went up to the key number of 10 on August 11. By August 17, however, the Westgate adjusted back down to 9.5.

As for the Wynn, it opened David Cutcliffe's squad as a 10-point 'chalk' on August 1. Seventeen days later, the book abruptly adjusted Duke down to -9 before going back up to 9.5 on August 19.

Several offshores have had the total posted, with it wavering in the 47-48 range.

Baylor at Southern Methodist

The Westgate opened Baylor as an enormous 33.5-point favorite for its trip to SMU. The number has been steadily climbing since then, moving to 34 on July 30, then to 34.5 on August 6, before settling at 35 on August 19.

On August 24, several spots including the Wynn and the Westgate adjusted the Bears to 35.5-point 'chalk.' They smashed the Mustangs by a 45-0 count as 34-point home favorites in last year's opener.

**B.E.'s Bonus Nuggets**

-- As always, be aware that any team on the board might have some last-minute suspensions before their respective openers. Coaches are often coy about one-game suspensions that are usually based upon positive tests for weed during the offseason.

-- For those handicapping Nebraska's opener against BYU, keep in mind that both teams are dealing with personnel issues galore. BYU star RB Jamaal Williams has left the team and expected starting TE Steven Richards went down with a season-ending injury earlier this week. Most important, the Cougars are going to have "10ish" players suspended against the Cornhuskers due to the brawl at the conclusion of last year's bowl game against Memphis. Also, Nebraska has suspended five players for the game. The players haven't been named but according to a report out of Lincoln, only one is a starter and he's a defensive player. Finally, Nebraska WR and special-teams ace De'Mornay Pierson-El could miss the next eight weeks with a foot injury. Pierson-El had 23 receptions for 321 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman last year. Also, he had three punt returns for TDs and averaged 17.5 yards per return.

-- Vanderbilt lost its second offensive starter for the season last Thursday when offensive tackle Andrew Jelks went down with a knee injury. Jelks, a junior, started 22 games in 2013 and 2014. The Commodores already lost WR C.J. Duncan, who had 28 receptions for 441 yards and four TDs as a true freshman last year.

-- Wake Forest junior WR Jared Crump is done for the year after shredding his ACL. Crump had 32 catches for 339 yards and one TD in 2014.

-- Oklahoma named Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield its Week 1 starter on Monday. Bob Stoops' hire of former East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is going to work wonders for the Sooners' offense.

-- Florida has suspended three players for its opener against New Mexico State. WR Latroy Pittman, DE Alex McCalister and safety Marcus Maye won't dress out against the Aggies. McCalister was second on the team in sacks last year with six. The Gators are 36.5-point home favorites.

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Illinois fires football coach Beckman

August 28, 2015

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Illinois abruptly fired coach Tim Beckman one week before the start of the season Friday after an investigation of player mistreatment allegations revealed he had meddled in medical issues and inappropriately treated athletes who remained on scholarship after leaving the team.

With three of his programs under scrutiny, athletic director Mike Thomas said the timing was unfortunate but ''it was in the best interests of student-athletes to act now.'' Thomas said the final report of the investigation would not be completed and publicly released until during the season.

Illinois said Beckman will not receive $3.1 million remaining on the final two years of his original five-year contract or the $743,000 buyout.

Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, who was head coach at Western Michigan from 2005-12, has been named interim coach. The Illini face Kent State at home Sept. 4 to start the season.

Beckman was 12-25 at Illinois, improving the team's record each season. The Illini went 6-7 last year and reached the Heart of Dallas Bowl. He did not immediately respond to a phone message left by The Associated Press.

Citing the investigation being handled by a law firm, Thomas said he learned of efforts to deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured injured players to avoid or postpone treatment and continue playing. In some instances, he said, athletes were treated inappropriately with respect to whether they could remain on scholarship during the spring semester of their senior year if they weren't on the team.

Former starting lineman Simon Cvijanovic complained first on Twitter on May 9 and in subsequent interviews that Beckman and his staff had tried to shame him into playing hurt, and had misled him about medical procedures following a knee injury.

''All I can say right now is I think it's a step in the right direction,'' he told the AP by phone after learning Beckman had been fired. ''It seems like there's more than just Beckman that needs to be held accountable.''

A number of former and present players have supported Beckman, saying they were never mistreated or saw any reason for concern.

"Will always have the utmost respect for Coach Beckman for giving me an opportunity that no one else did,'' receiver Mike Dudek posted on Twitter.

The football accusations were just the first to be raised by former Illini athletes this year.

Seven former women's basketball players sued the university last month amid claims that coach Matt Bollant and some staff used race to divide the team and force out unwanted players. Former assistant coach Mike Divilbiss left the school after the initial allegations surfaced earlier, in the spring. Bollant and current staff members have denied the allegations.

And former women's soccer player Casey Conine sued the school in June, claiming she had been improperly cleared to play after a concussion. The lawsuits are ongoing.

Thomas said the review being done by the Franczek Radelet law firm is ongoing. He said the firm has interviewed more than 90 individuals and reviewed 200,000 documents, along with a large volume of practice and game video from Beckman's three years in Champaign.

Beckman is a former Ohio State assistant who was Toledo head coach for three years before replacing Ron Zook at Illinois. He went 2-10 in his first season and 0-8 in the Big Ten. The Illini improved on the field, winning four games in Year 2 and getting bowl-eligible last year by beating Northwestern in the final game of the season. They lost the Heart of Dallas Bowl to Louisiana Tech.

Beyond just wins and losses, though, Beckman had several public missteps.

He was criticized for going to State College, Pennsylvania, to try to recruit Penn State players after the Nittany Lions were sanctioned by the NCAA for the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Later, he was spotted by television cameras during one game using smokeless tobacco on the sideline, a violation of NCAA rules.

Beckman is not the first coach to be fired for player mistreatment. Rutgers fired basketball coach Mike Rice after video became public of him screaming obscenities, pushing and throwing basketballs at players. Texas Tech fired Mike Leach in 2009 amid accusations he mistreated a player suffering a concussion. Leach later filed suit.

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Oregon gives Adams the early nod at QB

August 28, 2015

Senior transfer Vernon Adams is listed atop Oregon's depth chart at quarterback heading into the first week of the season.

Adams, an FCS All-American, just joined the No. 7 Ducks two weeks ago after passing the final math class he needed to graduate from Eastern Washington.

On the depth chart released Friday, Adams was listed above Jeff Lockie, who was Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota's backup last season.

The Ducks ended fall camp with a scrimmage Thursday. The opener against Eastern Washington is set for Sept 5 at Autzen Stadium.

Adams, a two-time Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year, threw for 10,438 yards and 110 touchdowns in three seasons for the Eagles.

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UCLA frosh QB Rosen praises Neuheisel

August 28, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA coach Jim Mora could see quarterback Jerry Neuheisel eventually becoming the Bruins' head coach, the same position held by his father, Rick, until Mora succeeded him four seasons ago.

The younger Neuheisel's coaching pedigree is already on display, although it played a role in keeping the redshirt junior from taking the first snap in No. 13 UCLA's season opener against Virginia.

Freshman Josh Rosen credits Neuheisel with helping bring him up to speed and ultimately getting the starting nod for the Bruins.

''He's a big part of the reason why I won the job, because he is such a selfless guy and has the team's best interest in mind, not just his own,'' Rosen said.

Rosen will now try to become the first true freshman to lead his team to a national championship after starting in the opener. Jamelle Holieway won a title for Oklahoma in 1985, but he only became the starter after Troy Aikman was injured in the fourth game of the season.

The recent track record of opening-day true freshmen starters in the Pac-12 has been mixed. Matt Barkley went 9-3 during Pete Carroll's final season at Southern California in 2009, missing one game due to injury, while Jared Goff went 1-11 in Sonny Dykes' first season at California two years ago.

Even Rosen isn't sure how steep the learning curve will really be.

''I haven't done it yet,'' Rosen said. ''I haven't played a game.''

What he has done is bring a strong work ethic and unflinching air to spring practice, summer workouts and two weeks of fall camp at Cal State San Bernardino.

When asked about an end-of-practice tirade against him from Mora last week, Rosen shrugged it off, saying it happens all the time in all levels of football. He doesn't think Mora's talk would have been noticed if the loudspeakers that blast music during workouts had been turned on.

The Bruins already have noticed that Rosen's approach to the game is unusual for an 18-year-old.

''He's very professional,'' outside linebacker Aaron Wallace said. ''You don't see a lot of that in freshmen. But he has come in and treated every day like he was going to be the starter.''

That demeanor might have been off-putting to some veterans, but Rosen understands the difference between confidence and arrogance.

''I like to think I can dance that line pretty well,'' Rosen said. ''If you're not a confident guy, you are not going to perform well on the field. I've been confident I'm capable of leading this team since Day 1. That's how you have to feel. That's what a competitor does. That's why I am playing for UCLA.''

The competition between Rosen and Neuheisel could be simplified down to talent versus experience.

Rosen, the consensus top quarterback recruit in the 2015 recruiting cycle, displayed superior physical tools and potential ever since he enrolled in classes last winter. Neuheisel, the upperclassman, had three years' worth of understanding of coordinator Noel Mazzone's up-tempo spread offense.

As Rosen got more comfortable in the system, which he said is similar to what he ran in high school, Mora felt comfortable enough to name him the starter Wednesday.

''He said he just had a gut feeling, and as a player you got to respect it,'' Neuheisel said of Mora's decision. ''You don't have to agree with it but you have to respect it. What the head coach wants the head coach gets.''

That will include Neuheisel helping communicate to Rosen how to identify and attack pass defenses. That is the biggest adjustment for a quarterback moving from high school to college, and Neuheisel said he would be in Rosen's ear relaying the finer points of those coverages.

''They can't get rid of me around here. You start to pick up on a few things,'' Neuheisel said.

Neuheisel also knows that his dad lost his starting job before regaining it midway through the 1983 season, leading UCLA to a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl win. It gives him the inspiration to keep fighting on, while his appreciation for UCLA will keep him continuing to coach up Rosen.

''As a quarterback, whether it is the first game or you're playing SC, all you want is a chance,'' Neuheisel said. ''I'm going to keep working, make sure that I can be the best quarterback I can be, help Josh be the best he can be, and come out every Saturday with a win.''

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Ohio football team gets live tiger mascot

August 28, 2015

MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) A high school football team that has had a live tiger cub at games for decades started the season with its traditional mascot on hand, even though the district hasn't proved to the state that the mascot's display would meet stricter rules for possessing exotic animals.

Boosters for Massillon's Washington High School displayed a cub at Thursday's game against Perry, wheeling the white and orange cage across the end zone before kickoff, The (Massillon) Independent (http://bit.ly/1Enxzng ) reported. Club president Matt Keller wouldn't say where the animal came from, who paid for its appearance or whether it was a donation, and he told the newspaper it would be premature to assume the tiger will be at future games.

''It's one tradition we were able to continue, even if just for one game,'' Keller said.

Boosters typically lease a cub called Obie each year as the mascot, and a limited exemption for the school was included when Ohio tightened regulations on ownership of exotic animals. That law was enacted after a suicidal man released dozens of bears, tigers and other creatures that authorities ended up killing out of fear for public safety.

The school was asked to attest that the Massillon cubs wouldn't have contact with the public, would live at an accredited facility when they've outgrown their job as mascots and would be cared for throughout their lives. The Ohio Department of Agriculture, which oversees permits for dangerous wild animals, received the no-contact affidavit from Massillon schools Superintendent Richard Goodright before Thursday's game but has not been given the other requested documentation, spokeswoman Erica Hawkins told The Associated Press on Friday.

Hawkins said the department will seek more information about where the tiger came from and is kept, and whether its use is covered under the state law and the Massillon exemption. She said the department wasn't given official confirmation that there would be an Obie this year.

Obie's appearance energized fans in attendance for the Tigers' 41-37 victory.

''We're really glad he's here. He's been around forever,'' Kimberly Brown, a Massillon fan from Wayne County, told the newspaper. ''For people that live and breathe football, he's a huge deal.''

Massillon school board member Mary Strukel called it an ''emotional thing.''

''It's a shame we're being made to pay for mistakes of others in the state,'' she said.

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Win Total Top Bets - ACC Atlantic

August 29, 2015


Boston College Eagles – OVER 5.5 Wins

Head coach Steve Addazio has BC moving in the right direction. After back to back bowl appearances we think they have a great shot at another, thus we lean to the OVER 5.5 wins here. They finished 7-6 last year and three of those losses came by 4 points or less, including tight setbacks to Florida State & Clemson. The running game should be solid if the new offensive line comes together. The defense, which ranked 2nd nationally against the run, returns 5 of their front 7. The Eagles play only 4 true road games and their non-conference slate includes Maine, Howard, and Northern Illinois.

Clemson Tigers – OVER 8.5 Wins

The Tigers have won 10 games or more in 4 straight seasons. We think they have a great chance to reach that level again in 2015 and with this number set fairly low at 8.5, we like the OVER. QB Deshaun Watson should be back to full strength after starting just 5 games last year due to injury (knee & finger). He has a great arsenal of weapons and the offense should be very good. Defensively the Tigers ranked #1 in the nation last year allowing only 260 YPG. They lose a lot in the front 7, however the secondary should be among the best in the ACC. The Tigers get FSU at home and their they have a great shot at winning their roadies at NC State, at Syracuse, at Miami FL.

Florida State Seminoles – OVER 9.5 Wins

This total is set a bit low in our opinion. FSU has topped this total in 4 of their last 5 seasons and they only time they didn’t their record was 9-4 missing this year’s total by just one win. Many feel the offense will fall off with Jameis Winston moving onto the NFL. Let’s not forget that former Notre Dame QB, Everett Golson has transferred in and will almost assuredly be the starter. He was 12-1 in his 13 starts for the Irish with his only loss coming in the National Championship game. The Noles defense should be loaded again with NFL talent all over the field. The schedule isn’t bad with 7 home games. They haven’t lost a home game in 2 years so we expect them to run the table at Doak Campbell Stadium. Just a few road wins gets them over this number.

Louisville Cardinals – UNDER 7.5 Wins

The Cards finished 5-3 in their first year in the ACC a year ago. We expect a step back this year and U of L simply lost too many good players in our opinion. They only have 9 total starters returning and had a whopping 10 players drafted off last year’s team. The Birds struggled at the QB position last year and they were very unsettled at that spot coming out of spring ball. They lost 5 of their top 6 pass catchers and the offensive line is very inexperienced with only 19 career starts among the entire group. The defense was great last year but with only 4 starters back, we expect a drop off. Half of their games are on the road or in “neutral” situations. Two of the Cards first three games are against Auburn & Clemson so they may get off to a slow start and set the tone for a “slower” type season.

NC State Wolfpack – OVER 7.5 Wins

Tough call for us on this one but we’ll lean slightly to the OVER. Offensively the Pack averaged 30 PPG last year on 409 total yards per game. They should be able to match or even improve that this season. They return QB Brissett, their top 3 rushers, and 5 of their top 7 pass catchers. The offensive line will start 4 seniors as well. Defensively this team was all over the map last year. They held WF, Syracuse, and UNC to 17 points or less last year but every other ACC team scored at least 30 on them. The bring back 8 starters on that side of the ball and 4 of their top 5 tacklers return. If they are just “OK” on that side of the ball, the offense should do enough to get 8 wins. NC State should get off to a fast start as they open with Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion, and South Alabama. They should start 4-0 and then they’ll need a .500 ACC mark to get to 8 wins. Again, we think the NCST’s wins land right around this number, probably 7 or 8 and we’ll lean to 8 and the OVER.

Syracuse Orange – UNDER 4.5 Wins

This is another tough call for us but we’ll slightly lean UNDER 4.5 wins. The Orange offense was abysmal last year scoring only 17 PPG. They really struggle down the stretch scoring only 47 total points over their last 5 games. However, some of that was due to back luck as the Cuse had a number of key injuries. That included starting QB Hunt who played in only the first 5 games of the season before being lost of the season. The defense was very good last season allowing only 349 YPG. We don’t expect a repeat with just 3 starters back on that side of the ball and the loss of their top 5 tacklers. We are a bit on edge taking the UNDER here because their schedule starts with Rhode Island, Wake Forest, and Central Michigan so it’s conceivable they could be 3-0 heading to their game vs LSU on September 26th. However, once October hits the Cuse has just 3 home games the remainder of the season. Their schedule is tough and with a lack of offense and a defense that should fall off, we are looking at a 4 win season for them (they were 3-9 last year). A very slight lean to the UNDER.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons – UNDER 3.5 Wins

This is a tough call but we’ll push slightly to the UNDER. Wake finished 3-9 a year ago and while they should be improved as a whole, their record may not show it. This team was horrendous offensively a year ago. They averaged only 14 PPG on 216 total yards per game. They could not run the ball at all (40 YPG rushing). Two of their three wins last year came by 3 point margins. Their lone “easy” win was against Gardner Webb, a 23-7 final. Every loss but two came by double digits. Dave Clawson is a solid coach in our opinion, however he had almost nothing to work with when he took over. This is still a very young team with only 6 seniors on their entire team. We think Wake will get better under Clawson, but it will take at least another year. We’ll call for another 3-9 campaign and take the UNDER here.

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Florida State undecided on quarterback

August 29, 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida State has completed preseason drills without coach Jimbo Fisher naming a starting quarterback.

Fisher says Saturday he will handle the quarterback situation when he is ready. He says he knows exactly what he is going to do.

The No. 10 Seminoles open next Saturday against Texas State.

The competition for the starting job is between Notre Dame graduate transfer Everett Golson and junior Sean Maguire.

Golson was listed third on the preseason depth chart. During practices the past two weeks, Golson and Maguire have been splitting the reps with the first team.

Two years ago, Fisher named Jameis Winston the starter 10 days before the opener. Winston went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2013. He was the first overall pick by Tampa Bay in the NFL Draft in April.