The Bum's 2015 College Football All You Need To Know- Trends, Picks, News Etc.

[StarDust Bum]

EVENING SELECTIONS:


Marshall - 7:00 PM ET Ohio +3 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Ohio -

North Texas - 7:00 PM ET Southern Methodist -6.5 500
Southern Methodist -

Memphis - 7:00 PM ET Memphis -12.5 500 BLOW OUT
Kansas -

Missouri - 7:00 PM ET Missouri -10 500
Arkansas State -

East Carolina - 7:00 PM ET Florida -20.5 500
Florida -

Ball State - 7:00 PM ET Texas A&M -31 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Texas A&M
-
Arizona - 7:00 PM ET Arizona -9.5 500 *****
Nevada -

Kentucky - 7:30 PM ET Kentucky +7 500 *****
South Carolina -

Temple - 8:00 PM ET Temple +6 500 *****
Cincinnati -

Tulsa - 8:00 PM ET New Mexico -6 500
New Mexico -

Georgia State - 8:00 PM ET Georgia State +4.5 500
New Mexico State -

Florida International - 8:00 PM ET Florida International +7.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Indiana -

South Alabama - 8:00 PM ET Nebraska -27 500
Nebraska -

Rice - 8:00 PM ET Rice +14.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Texas -

Oregon - 8:00 PM ET Michigan State -5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Michigan State -

Idaho - 8:00 PM ET Southern California -44.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Southern California -

Louisiana State - 9:15 PM ET Louisiana State -3.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Mississippi State -

San Jose State - 10:15 PM ET San Jose State +5 500
Air Force -

Boise State - 10:15 PM ET Brigham Young +3 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Brigham Young -

Central Florida - 10:30 PM ET Stanford -20 500 *****
Stanford -

UCLA - 10:30 PM ET UNLV +32 500
UNLV

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RECAPPING FRIDAY'S - SATURDAY'S ACTION 09/10/15 :

CFB: 3 - 1 -0 FRIDAY
CFB: 20 - 10 SATURDAY


COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD:

single play:.......................................11 - 13 - 1
double play:......................................15 - 12
triple play:........................................10 - 6
blow out:..........................................4 - 3
gow:.............................................. . ..0 - 0
gom:.............................................. . .0 - 0
goy............................................... . ..0 - 0

[StarDust Bum]

Betting Recap - Week 2

September 13, 2015


Overall Notes

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2 RESULTS

Wager Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 62-13
Against the Spread 42-33

Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 54-21
Against the Spread 42-33

Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 25-25-1

The largest underdog to win straight up
Toledo (+21.5, ML +925) at Arkansas, 16-12

The largest favorite to cover
Texas Christian (-45) vs. Stephen F. Austin, 70-7

Top 25 Notes

-- Nine Top 10 teams won, with only Oregon slipping up because they were facing a fellow Top 10 team in Michigan State. Top 10 teams managed to go just 3-7 ATS, with Auburn having perhaps the most shocking result. FCS Jacksonville State took the Tigers to overtime because the No. 6 team escaped with a 27-20 victory. Jack State nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets is the history of college football, entering as a 40-point underdog. ... Arkansas wasn't as fortunate to escape, as 22 1/2-point underdog Toledo pulled off the shocker against the Razorbacks. ... Notre Dame needed some late heroics to stun Virginia in Charlottesville. With :12 left, backup QB DeShone Kizer hit William Fuller on a 39-yard Hail Mary play to kill moneyline bettors of the Cavaliers. The Irish lost Heisman candidate QB Malik Zaire to a fractured ankle, and he is expected to be done for the regular season with a chance at a return for a bowl game. ... For the second straight week, Southern California steamrolled their opponent - this time Idaho. The Trojans roughed up the Vandals 59-9, and have now outscored their opponents 114-15, going 2-0 SU/ATS in the process.

-- Louisiana State had their first game against FCS McNeese State postponed last weekend, so they were a bit of a question mark heading into their game against Mississippi State. They passed their first test with flying colors, winning 21-19 in Starkville to quiet the cowbells in the end.

-- Mississippi also covered for a second straight week, as they pounded Fresno State by a 73-21 count in Oxford. Ole Miss is averaging a gaudy 74.5 points per game, going 2-0 SU/ATS to date. The offensive fireworks are likely to slow next Saturday in an SEC West showdown at Alabama.

-- Another team having no trouble on offense is Georgia Tech. They rolled Tulane 65-10 as a 32 1/2-point favorite, and the Ramblin' Wreck is averaging 67.0 points per game through two showings while going 2-0 SU/ATS. They will also have their most stern test to date next Saturday when they head to South Bend to take on the Irish.

-- Top-ranked Ohio State was a little sluggish in its home opener against Hawaii, failing to cover a 41-point number. However, the defense did pitch a shutout in the 38-0 victory. The next two weekends feature visits from MAC schools Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, so the cakewalk looks to continue well into October before things pick up with the conference schedule.

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

-- The Atlantic Coast Conference got off to a quick start with Miami-Florida covering Friday night at Florida Atlantic after a sluggish start. ... Speaking of sluggish, Florida State was a little rusty initially against South Florida, probably thanks to an 11:30 am ET kickoff. However, after a 7-7 halftime score, it was all FSU in the second half when they outscored the Bulls 27-7. Still, it was a non-cover for FSU, as they slip to 1-1 ATS, and 4-12 ATS over their past 16 games overall. ... Syracuse lost QB Terrel Hunt to a season-ending Achilles' injury in Week 1, but they ran away from Wake Forest in the second half to open the ACC schedule 1-0. The Orange are now 2-0 SU/ATS with Central Michigan paying a visit next weekend. ... It wasn't a great game for Louisville, as they dropped to 0-2 SU/1-1 ATS with a 34-31 loss at home to Houston. It doesn't figure to get much better with Clemson paying a visit Thursday, giving the Cards only a few days to regroup.

-- Illinois picked up a 44-0 win over FCS Western Illinois, as Wes Lunt and company are off to a good start. The Illini have outscored the opposition 96-3 so far this season, good for a 2-0 SU/ATS mark. The Illini head to North Carolina next Saturday trying to hand UNC its first non-cover. ... Indiana hasn't looked great, but they are 2-0 SU after a 36-22 win against Florida International. That's two overs for the Hoosiers, who are averaging 42.0 points per game while allowing 34.5 points per game. They welcome high-powered Western Kentucky to 'The Rock' next Saturday in what should be a track meet. ... Michigan picked up the first win of the Jim Harbaugh era with a 35-7 win over Oregon State. The Wolverines have allowed just 15.5 points per game for a pair of unders in their first two.

-- Baylor got off to a slow start against FCS Lamar, actually trailing the 57-point underdogs by a 14-13 score at one point midway through the second quarter. But in true Bears fashion, they quickly pieced things together and ended up throttling the Cardinals 66-31. The Bears are averaging 61.0 points per game, while allowing 26.0 points per game. Needless to say, the over is 2-0 for Baylor so far. ... Texas rebounded with a 42-28 win over Rice in an old Southwest Conference rivalry revival, but the Longhorns killed bettors in the fourth quarter (see bad beats below). ... Something is not quite right with Oklahoma State. While they moved to 2-0 SU, and a win is a win, they struggled with FCS Central Arkansas and are now 0-2 ATS. ... Kansas is one of the worst teams in the nation, getting humbled at home by Kansas. The Jayhawks are 0-2 SU/ATS, and will trry to right the ship at Rutgers in two weeks after a bye.

-- Colorado rebounded after their Week 1 loss in the islands, throttling Massachusetts by a 48-14 count. The Buffs easily covered an 11 1/2-point number to even up at 1-1 SU/ATS. ... Washington State went cross-country and picked up a late win at Rutgers, 37-34, to rebound after a shocking 24-17 loss at home to FCS Portland State. If anything, the Cougs are fun to watch. ... Arizona also looked much better in their game at Nevada, winning and covering Nevada after a shaky opening performance against UTSA. ... Stanford also rebounded nicely after their ugly Week 1 loss at Northwestern, pasting visiting UCF by a 31-7 score. ... Arizona State continues to have more questions than answers, struggling against the triple-option of FCS Cal Poly. It was actually tied 21-21 into the fourth quarter before the Sun Devils pulled away from the Mustangs for an unsatisfying 35-21 win.

-- The SEC had a black eye with Arkansas, and Tennessee lost the marquee game against Oklahoma. And remember Auburn's near-nightmare. It wasn't all bad, though. Georgia continues to look solid, and Alabama is a machine. But how about Kentucky, improving to 2-0 with a road win at South Carolina. The Wildcats are now 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS, but they need to work on keeping a lead. Perhaps the Wildcats are used to being in the situation, but they have been outscored 41-18 in the second half this season.

Mid-Major Report

-- Conference USA had a so-so weekend. Charlotte surprisingly moved to 2-0 SU/ATS with a 34-10 win over FCS Presbyterian. However, it wasn't a very good showing for Texas-San Antonio at home against Kansas State and a former walk-on QB subbing for their regular signal caller. UTSA fell to 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS. ... Southern Mississippi is a team which has looked much, much better. They held their own against Mississippi State last weekend with a cover, and they moved to 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS with a 52-6 stomping of FCS Austin Peay. ... Western Kentucky got on track with their offense after a shaky 14-12 win at Vanderbilt in their opener. The 'Toppers are now 2-0 SU/ATS after their 41-38 win over Louisiana Tech. Chad Morris is making a difference at Southern Methodist, too, as they posted a 31-13 win over North Texas. The Mustangs are 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS on the young season. It will be interesting to see if they can slow down TCU next weekend.

-- The MAC held their heads high with Toledo stunning Arkansas, and Bowling Green running away from Maryland by a 48-27 count. ... Buffalo wasn't able to surprise Penn State, but they did pick up their second cover in as many weeks. Next up is a road trip to Florida Atlantic of C-USA. ... Eastern Michigan went out to Laramie and spanked Wyoming as 13-point underdogs, winning 48-29. The Eagles are now 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS with a date with Ball State looming in the MAC opener next Saturday. ... Ohio is also 2-0 SU/ATS after a rather easy win over former MAC member, and current C-USA team Marshall. ... Central Michigan is also 2-0 ATS through the first two weekends. Ball State, BGSU, EMU and WMU have watched the over hit in each of their first two games. ... Kent State hit the over for the second time in two games, too, and had a female kick an extra point through in their win over FCS Delaware State.

-- Air Force pulled away from San Jose State for the win and cover, moving to 2-0 SU/ATS. .. Hawaii also held on for the cover, their second in as many weeks, after an odyssey to Columbus. .. Boise State, Nevada, San Diego State and Wyoming have each slipped to 0-2 ATS through their first two games. ... Not one team in the Mountain West has had the over hit in each of their first two games, as defense has ruled the day. The under has hit in the first two games for Hawaii, SDSU and Utah State so far.

Bad Beats

-- In the bad beat department, Boston College was a 44-point favorite over FCS Howard. They ran out to a 41-0 lead after one quarter, and 62-0 at half. The third and fourth quarters were shortened to 10 minutes a piece, and 55 minutes is official for action, so the game was graded as a 'no play' despite the utter domination by BC.

-- Brigham Young was at it again. Boise State held a 24-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter in Provo. Not only did BYU kill side bettors for the Broncos, but they scored a Hail Mary touchdown to take a 28-24 lead with :45 left in regulation, and then added a pick-six with :30 left to absolutely stun 'under' (56.5) bettors.

-- Texas held a 42-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter against Rice as 14 1/2-point favorites. However, the Owls outscored the Longhorns 14-0 in the fourth quarter for the backdoor cover at most shops.

-- Michigan State side bettors were feeling good until Oregon struck for a touchdown with 3:25 to go in regulation, changing the result from a Sparty cover to a Ducks road cover in the final minutes of regulation.

-- 'Under' (66.5) were hoping USC would call off the dogs in the fourth quarter, but they scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to push the total over in their 59-9 win over hapless Idaho.

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College FB Week 2 Recap

It's Mark Morrison week. Sing it loud. Get it stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Return of the MAC!

The league that's eternally stuck in the Big Ten's shadow had a huge Saturday. Mid-American Conference favorites Toledo and Bowling Green registered eye-opening road upsets at Arkansas and Maryland. Although Jacksonville State taking Auburn to OT is definitely in the running as the week's most surprising result, the Falcons scoring 42 second-half points to throttle the Terps takes only a backseat to what the MAC East frontrunner accomplished in Little Rock.

Archives (2015)8-17-20158-24-2015SEC takes hit after rankings record
Toledo defeated Arkansas 16-12, surviving the absence of its top two running backs, including the MAC's top returning rusher, Kareem Hunt, who was suspended for the team's first two games.

Despite throwing for 412 yards, Hogs QB Brandon Allen was a disaster in the red zone. Arkansas went 1-for-5 on scoring opportunities inside the Rockets 20 and became the first FBS team since 2000 to amass over 500 yards with only one turnover or fewer and be limited to just 12 points. Allen had multiple chances to win the game on the final drive but missed reads and throws to help aid the day's biggest upset.

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema lamented an inability to run the ball as well as they normally do and promised to take look at the red zone package, citing its ineptitude. The Razorbacks have now lost five of their last six in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium, which is something to keep in mind next year since they're contractually obligated to play there at least once per season until 2018.

Auburn was headed to a home setback against 41-point underdog Jacksonville State out of the FCS, but took advantage of ultra conservative playcalling after fumbling inside three minutes down 20-13. QB Jeremy Johnson turned the ball over twice and continued to struggle, but made plays when he needed to and received a vote of confidence from head coach Gus Malzahn post-game. Just the fact he needed one tells you how well Johnson's season has gone in spite of a 2-0 start. Count on Auburn being an underdog at LSU in next Saturday's battle of Tigers.

Of the 10 SEC teams that were ranked in this past week's AP Top 25, seven were out of the West division. Besides Auburn and Arkansas, LSU held off Mississippi State while Alabama failed to cover against Mississippi State. Only Ole Miss and Texas A&M were impressive in covering sizeable spreads against inferior competition, while the Crimson Tide frustratingly failed to cover a spread of 34/35. Backup QB Cooper Bateman, who is likely to be the 'Bama starter at some point this season, threw a pick-six inside the Blue Raiders 10-yard-line with a 37-3 lead and 7:40 to go.

The SEC East contenders all failed to cover. Georgia was locked into a much tighter game with Vanderbilt than expected, while Missouri and Florida each struggled with teams from outside the power-5. The Gators angered new head coach Jim McElwain with their lack of attention to detail in a 31-24 win over ECU. Mizzou's Maty Mauk is struggling to develop a rapport with his new weapons, entering halftime down 17-10 at Arkansas State before rallying for a 27-20 win. Offensive continuity will remain an issue the Tigers can continue to work on at home against UConn next week.

Tennessee blew a 17-0 lead for the first time in Neyland Stadium history, allowing SEC-hating Bob Stoops to have the last laugh by departing Knoxville with a hard-fought OT victory. Even though he struggled for three quarters, the decision to hire offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, switch to the spread and hand the reins of the offense to Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield certainly paid off for Stoops' Sooners in an immense victory for the Big 12.

While the nation's top conference took a step back, the Big Ten rose to the challenge in Week 2. The Michigan schools swept the Oregon schools, Minnesota went into Colorado State and survived in OT and Iowa went scored 21 unanswered second-half points to beat in-state rival Cyclones in Ames. Only Maryland and Rutgers, the conference's most recent additions, faltered. In spite of those setbacks, return men William Likely and Janerion Grant got loose again. Likely smashed the Big Ten record for punt return yardage last week and took a TD back on Bowling Green. Grant accumulated 337 all-purpose yards in returning a kickoff and a punt back for scores in a fourth quarter that featured five lead changes in the final 12:44.

That wild contest cracked our top three below, but the week's best game doubled as the one that should have the most impact on the national race. New Oregon QB Vernon Adams Jr. introduced himself to the country with a strong performance against an imposing Spartans defense, making clutch throws and proving he can more than hang at this level. The Ducks also got an electric game from Bralon Addison, who has returned from a torn ACL and nearly helped pull the upset with his 138 receiving yards and 81-yard punt return to knot the score at 14 in the third quarter. Marcus Mariota may be playing on Sundays now, but that's a really strong Oregon team that Michigan State held serve against.

It's already starting to feel like we're on a collision course for Nov. 21 when the Buckeyes host the Spartans for the Big Ten's East Division title, but Urban Meyer has to guard against complacency until we get there. Cardale Jones came up with just 111 yds passing as the Buckeyes proved they're so good that they can beat another FBS squad 38-0 and still look undeniably flat. Ezekiel Elliott said they were unprepared and played sloppy. “We weren’t ready,” said the Heisman frontrunner, who did his part with three TDs. The Buckeyes went from 10.2 yards per play against Va Tech to 4.4 vs. Hawai’i. It was 17-0 in the 4th quarter. The game was never out of that control, but it certainly wasn't a championship effort.

Notre Dame losing QB Malik Zaire to a fractured ankle provided the day's worst moment, especially since he looked capable of crashing the Heisman race. The Fighting Irish did get a notable contribution from backup DeShone Kizer, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound redshirt freshman and former top recruit. Kizer went 8-for-12 on the road against Virginia, throwing for 92 yards and two scores despite coming in with one career pass attempt.

UCLA's Jim Mora won’t be called out below in our worst coaching jobs portion because his Bruins squashed UNLV, but he definitely made the stupidest decision of Week 2. For some strange reason, UCLA was not only running plays, but running the hurry-up offense in the closing stages of its 37-3 win in Vegas. Curious became unfortunate when offensive lineman Tevita Halalilo ended up needing to be carted off the field due to a serious-looking leg injury.

Other tidbits that stood out on Saturday include Temple ascending to the favorite's throne in the American Athletic by going into Cincinnati and coming up with an impressive win as a 7-point underdog. Memphis will have something to say in that league too. The Tigers passed the collection plate in piling up 651 yards in a 55-23 win at Kansas. Nine different players caught passes. Five rushed for touchdowns. Baylor’s Corey Coleman scored a school-record four touchdowns on just six receptions, totaling 182 yards in a 66-31 win over Lamar. Patrick Mahomes II, son of the former major league pitcher and current Texas Tech QB, threw for 361 yards and four scores, looking like the real deal in a 69-20 win over UTEP. We'll see just how ready for primetime the sophomore is as the Red Raiders visit Arkansas next week.

NCAA Football Week 2 recap snapshot
Best games: 1. Michigan State 31 Oregon 28, 2. Oklahoma 31 Tennessee 24 (2OT), 3.Washington State 37 Rutgers 34

Best players: 1. Dalvin Cook, FSU: 30-266 yds 3 TD, 2. Matt Johnson, Bowling Green: 36-55 491 yds 6 TDs, 3. Leonard Fournette, LSU: 28-159 yds 3 TD

Best plays: 1. Notre Dame's 39-yd GW TD pass: Kiser to Will Fuller with 12 seconds left to erase 27-26 Virginia lead, 2. BYU's GW TD pass on 4th & 7 from the 35 vs. Boise State: Tanner Mangum to Mitchell Jeurgens 3. Cook’s video game-like 74-yd TD run to open the scoring against South Florida .

Best coaching jobs: 1. Don't lose sight of what a great job Notre Dame's Brian Kelly did in keeping his team focused despite the loss of its leader. That Virginia game should've gotten away from the Irish, but they executed when they had to. Expect ND to grow from the experience. 2. The Sooners rally from 17-0 down was a testament to Stoops' ability to keep his team united as their resiliency ultimately made the difference at Tennessee. 3. Iowa displayed great fortitude in overcoming a costly fumble and surging ahead of rival Iowa State in the final minutes. Kirk Ferentz kept his Hawkeyes together in Ames, rallying from a deficit at the break by winning the second half 21-0.

Worst coaching jobs: 1. Malzahn's Auburn Tigers nearly lost to Jacksonville State at home. Dreadful. 2. Bielema abandoned his team's identity against Toledo and paid dearly for it. The Razorbacks ran just 31 times for 103 yards. 3. Tulane head coach Curtis Johnson is in his fourth season and should be above taking 65-10 spankings like the one the Green Wave took in Atlanta against Georgia Tech. His team has now been outscored 102-17 through two games.

Steam plays: It was a great week for sharps, who took points with the likes of Vanderbilt, Eastern Michigan, Georgia Southern and mighty Jacksonville State. They laid the big number with TCU, Louisiana-Monroe, Northwestern and Illinois too. They had a big day.

Close calls and bad beats: Despite leading from start to finish, Les Miles' conservative nature shone through in letting down LSU backers in Starkville. A 21-6 lead evaporated for the Tigers, who closed as 3.5-point favorites, but they held on when Dak Prescott's pass for a game-tying two-point conversion fell harmlessly to the ground. Fournette and Darrel Williams put the game away on the ground but they never again got into scoring range. Totals players sweated out the end of Penn State-Buffalo, as the Bulls needed one more touchdown to deliver the over, marching to the Nittany Lions 33-yard-line before faltering. Penn State won 27-14.

Despite a scoreless second quarter leaving Florida up just 10-7 on East Carolina, the over of 53.5 came through thanks to 38 second-half points. Blake Kemp found Bryce Williams with 3:04 left to cut the Gators lead to 31-24.

Late pick-sixes changed the outcome of a couple of contests, with none more painful than what under bettors experienced in BYU-Boise State. Following the fourth down conversion that gave the Cougs the lead, Broncos QB Ryan Finley was picked off by Kai Nacua, who raced 50 yards to make it 35-24, eclipsing the total of 56.5 that looked safe with just 45 seconds to go.

Northern Illinois (-28.5) covered against Murray State in a game they actually trailed in the first quarter and led by only 21 in entering the final minutes.They got a field goal and a 42-yard interception return for touchdown from K.D. Humphries with :58 left to get to 57-26, netting the cover.

Boston College led Howard 62-0 at halftime, easily covering the 44-point spread, but the mismatch created a situation where the teams agreed to play just a 20-minute second half (two 10:00 quarters). Because of this, the team's didn't reach the mandatory 55:00 mark for action, voiding all full game bets. The Eagles won 76-0.

Key injuries: Notre Dame QB Malik Zaire (Fractured ankle, OFY), Tennessee LB Curt Maggitt (Hip, out indefinitely), Michigan CB Jourdan Lewis (Concussion, undetermined), Arkansas WR Keon Hatcher (Foot, Out 6 weeks), Florida Atlantic QB Jaquez Johnson (Ankle, questionable),UCF QB Justin Holman (Hand, Out indefinitely), South Carolina QB Connor Mitch (Shoulder, Out indefinitely), Missouri RB Russell Hansbrough (Ankle, doubtful), Arkansas WR Eric Hawkins (Head, undetermined), UTEP RB Aaron Jones (Ankle, undetermined), Air Force QB Nate Romine (Knee, undetermined), Wyoming QB Cameron Coffman (Knee, Undetermined), Wyoming QB Josh Allen (Shoulder, Out 6-8 weeks) Ohio U. QB Derrius Vick (Elbow, undetermined), Arkansas State QB Fredi Knighten (Groin, undetermined), Minnesota TE/HB Brandon Lingen (Concussion, undetermined), Colorado St. WR Rashard Higgins (Ankle, questionable), Penn St. LT Andrew Nelson (Ankle, undetermined), WKU RB Leon Allen (Knee, OFY), Utah QB Travis Wilson (Shoulder, Likely out 1 week).

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NCAAF Opening Line Report: 'Bama opens as 6.5-point faves vs. Ole Miss

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, installed the Tide as 6.5-point favorites.

Week 3 of the college football season is usually dotted with some less-than-stellar nonconference matchups. But the mighty Southeastern Conference is getting right down to brass tacks with two big games among ranked teams, highlighted by perennial national title contender Alabama hosting Mississippi.

Both teams come in 2-0 SU, with the Crimson Tide (1-1 ATS) opening with a solid 35-17 neutral-site win over Wisconsin as a 12.5-point favorite, then taking a less impressive 37-10 home win laying 34.5 points against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mississippi (2-0 ATS) has cracked 70 points in both its games, steamrolling Tennessee-Martin 76-3 giving 39 points in its opener and whipping Fresno State 73-21 Saturday as a 31.5-point fave. But the trek to Tuscaloosa will be the Rebels’ first road game, and ‘Bama – which made it to the national semifinals last year before losing to Ohio State – would surely like to avenge its lone regular-season loss of 2014, a 23-17 setback as a 5.5-point chalk at Mississippi.

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, installed the Tide as 6.5-point favorites.

“Ole Miss has scored 149 points to go along with 1,260 total yards in two weeks, with junior college transfer quarterback Chad Kelly lighting it up,” Avello said. “Alabama coach Nick Saban, on the other hand, has been experimenting with two QBs, trying to find the correct formula. Can Mississippi continue their offensive ways at ‘Bama?”

Auburn at Louisiana State (-6.5)

It’s another top-25 standoff among SEC teams, but Auburn will certainly have its doubters after its latest performance. The Tigers (2-0 SU, 0-2 ATS) were whopping 44-point home favorites against Jacksonville State, but needed overtime to eke out a 27-20 victory.

LSU had its season opener against McNeese State canceled due to foul weather, so the Tigers’ first game came Saturday night at Mississippi State – yet another ranked SEC team – and they held on for a 21-19 victory, failing to cover as a 3-point favorite.

“Auburn was very fortunate to come away with a ‘W.’ The Tigers were totally outplayed by Jacksonville State,” Avello said. “Auburn coach Gus Malzahn will make this a very difficult week of practice, and I expect a better effort in this important SEC matchup. I can’t make too drastic of a change in my power ratings.”

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame (-2.5)

The Fighting Irish (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) haven’t dined on cupcakes the first two weeks, so it would seem that they’d be well prepared to host the Yellow Jackets. After ripping Texas 38-3 as an 8.5-point home chalk in its opener, Notre Dame bested Virginia 34-27 Saturday, though it failed to cash giving 13.5 points on the road.

But Notre Dame lost starting running back Tarean Folston with a torn ACL against Texas, then lost starting QB Malik Zaire for the year due to a broken ankle against Virginia.

Tech has rung up a ton of points in its 2-0 SU and ATS start, but both games were at home against much lesser competition. The Jackets drilled Alcorn State 69-6 as a 41-point favorite and Tulane 65-10 laying 32.5 points.

“The Irish lose Zaire this week and Folston last week. On a positive note, redshirt freshman QB DeShone Kiser looked pretty good, especially on the last drive to secure the victory over Virginia,” Avello said. “Georgia Tech appears to be an offensive powerhouse, so this line is tight.”

Stanford at Southern Cal (-8)

The Trojans have hammered both their opponents so far, hanging up a 50-plus spot both times. On Saturday, as an overwhelming 44.5-point chalk against Idaho, USC rumbled to a 59-9 victory, moving to 2-0 SU and ATS.

Stanford (1-1 SU and ATS) stumbled at Northwestern in its opener, losing 16-6 as 10-point chalk, but bounced back Saturday with a 31-7 home win over Central Florida giving 20 points.

“The Trojans belted the Sun Belt Conference two weeks in a row, but now get into the meat of their schedule,” Avello said. “Even though Stanford has looked lethargic on offense, the final outcome of this matchup over the past five years has been no more than 7 or 8 points.”

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SEC, Auburn tumble in AP poll

September 13, 2015

Three Southeastern Conference teams fell out of the AP Top 25 and Auburn dropped 12 spots Sunday after the league that set a record for most teams in the college football rankings last week had a rough weekend.

Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi State all dropped out after losses Saturday. The Tigers needed overtime to beat Jacksonville State of the FCS and slipped from No. 6 to No. 18.

The SEC was down to seven ranked teams, still the most of any conference.

Ohio State remains No. 1, but the Buckeyes are no longer unanimous. No. 4 Michigan State received two first-place votes from the media panel after beating Oregon 31-28. Alabama remains No. 2. TCU is 3.

No. 19 BYU jumped into the rankings after beating Boise State and knocking out the Broncos. The Cougars were ranked for four weeks early last season before star QB Taysom Hill was injured. Hill went down again in the season opener at Nebraska, but Tanner Mangum has led BYU to two straight victories with late long touchdown pass.

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POLL POINTS

UP AND DOWN

- Oklahoma moved up three spots to No. 16 after coming from 17-0 down to win at Tennessee, 31-24 in double overtime.

- Oregon dropped five spots to No. 12 after its loss at Michigan State.

IN

Also, moving into the rankings this week were No. 23 Northwestern, No. 24 Wisconsin and No. 25 Oklahoma State.

- The Wildcats are ranked for the first time since October 2013.

- The Badgers moved back in after a 58-0 victory against Miami, Ohio. They fell out after the first week of the regular season, when they lost to Alabama.

- The Cowboys are back in the rankings for the first time since falling out last October.

CONFERENCE CALL

Breakdown of ranked teams by conference

SEC - 7

Pac-12 - 5

Big 12 - 4

Big Ten 4

ACC - 3

Independent - 2

RANKED VS. RANKED

No. 15 Mississippi at No. 2 Alabama. The Rebels beat the Crimson Tide in Oxford, Mississippi, last season

No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets and quarterback Justin Thomas have put up more than 60 points in each of their first two games. The Irish will find out of DeShone Kizer can follow up his amazing debut off the bench as the starting replacement for injured quarterback Malik Zaire.

No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU. The Tigers from Alabama get one more chance to prove they belong in the rankings.

No. 19 BYU at No. 10 UCLA. The comeback Cougars continue college football's toughest September schedule.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Oklahoma State got very little support as No. 25 with only 48 points. Not far behind in others receiving votes were Temple (38) and West Virginia (37).

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Georgia Tech prepares for Top 25 showdown with Notre Dame

September 14, 2015

ATLANTA (AP) Now that all the fun and games are over, Georgia Tech is about to begin its real season with a matchup at No. 8 Notre Dame.

And while the 14th-ranked Yellow Jackets have been rolling, they aren't likely to score their usual 67 points against the Irish.

That's why head coach Paul Johnson sees this as a potential trap game of an odd sort. He is not concerned about players taking the Irish (2-0) lightly, but taking themselves too seriously after blowing out Alcorn State (69-6) and Tulane (65-10).

''Certainly, it's a huge step up in competition,'' Johnson said. ''It's really a tough place to play. They have a great home-field advantage, a lot of tradition, and some really good football players.

''You're never as good or bad as it seems. There's a middle ground, and it's my job to point that out to our guys. Sometimes, when everybody is telling you you're all this and the cat's meow, that's a trap and you better not fall into it.''

Georgia Tech's offense has been purring, scoring 19 touchdowns already. But the Yellow Jackets (2-0) have not been battle tested this season.

They know they can count on junior quarterback Justin Thomas, who has run the spread option exquisitely in playing time limited by back-to-back blowouts. The Yellow Jackets also have an experienced offensive line and eight starters back on defense, but Johnson has plenty to learn about his team.

Even after 13 different players carried the ball against Tulane and several dozen players have seen action, Georgia Tech has not faced adversity or played a road game.

Conversely, Notre Dame had to rally to win 34-27 at Virginia Saturday on DeShone Kizer's 39-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with 12 seconds left.

Kizer replaced starting quarterback Malik Zaire, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the game, and starting tailback Tarean Folston was lost to a knee injury a week earlier against Texas.

Thomas sees the potential for mistakes, but the quarterback is fine with the Yellow Jackets' ''preseason'' schedule.

''I remember my first (road game) because it wasn't the best one I've played in; it was Tulane,'' he said of a game the Yellow Jackets trailed three time last season before winning. ''You're going to have some adversity, especially being young, and you just have to play through it.

''The last two games, we didn't have much, (but) . . . I think the games were exactly what we needed. They gave the guys confidence.''

Johnson will get plenty of chances to evaluate his squad. Tech follows Notre Dame with eight straight ACC games - including Oct. 10 at No. 11 Clemson and Oct. 24 against No. 9 Florida State - and then No. 7 Georgia on Nov. 28.

Notre Dame will be quite a first road trip for a relatively young Georgia Tech squad.

''Even last week, when it was another home game, I had the same jitters,'' said Marcus Marshall. ''Definitely, going to Notre Dame with all that tradition, there will be some nervousness. I pretty much just grind through it.''

Johnson is counting on upperclassmen to set the pace.

''We'll have probably 30 or 40 guys who haven't traveled before so it will be interesting to see how they react,'' Johnson said. ''You hope they don't get big-eyed. I'm pretty confident . . . but you never know until you see it.''

Johnson has had success against Notre Dame. In 2007, his final season as head coach at Navy, the Midshipmen beat Notre Dame 46-44 in triple overtime to snap a 43-game losing streak to the Irish - the longest in college football history.

Georgia Tech also won at Notre Dame that season, 33-3, in Chan Gailey's final campaign as the Yellow Jackets' head coach. The Irish lead the series 27-6-1.

But this Notre Dame team is a whole lot better than in 2007, when the Irish went 3-9 under Charlie Weis.

Kizer will work behind a veteran line, and Fuller already has 12 receptions for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Last season, he caught 76 passes for 1,094 yards and tied the school record with touchdowns.

Johnson also suggested that junior Jaylon Smith might be the best linebacker his team has faced in years, and the Irish have considerable size and depth.

''They always have good players,'' Johnson said. ''It's going to be a step up. We've just got to do our thing. It's as much about us as about who we play. We've got to be dialed in . . . It ought to be fun. (Players) ought to embrace it.''

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Virginia looks to move past 'devastating' loss to Notre Dame

September 14, 2015

Two days after a loss that Mike London described as ''devastating,'' the coach said Virginia's players have two possible ways to respond: Dwell over what might have been or pick themselves up and move on.

The Cavaliers led No. 8 Notre Dame 27-26 in the final minute Saturday. Virginia fans were poised to rush the field in celebration of a signature victory for the struggling program. Then Fighting Irish backup quarterback DeShone Kizer hit a wide open Will Fuller with a 39-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left.

Notre Dame 34, Virginia 27.

''You can wallow in self-pity of what might have happened, what could have happened, or you can say, `That's happened, now how do you embrace the next challenge?' For us the next challenge is the next game,'' London said.

The Cavaliers (0-2) host William & Mary of the Championship Subdivision on Saturday looking for their first win of the season. It's the second of three consecutive home games, with Boise State coming in the following week.

Virginia crushed the Tribe 40-3 in its last visit, in 2011, but lost to them 26-14 in 2009.

But London believes there are plenty of positives to take from the 34-16 Week 1 loss to UCLA and the Notre Dame game.

Quarterback Matt Johns (26-38, 289 yards, 2 TDs) and wide receiver Canaan Severin (11 catches, 153 yards) both had career days against the Irish. The defense also stopped Notre Dame on all 10 of its third down plays, although the Fighting Irish were 2 for 3 on fourth down, with one conversion coming on the winning drive.

Still, accepting the Notre Dame loss is difficult for the Cavaliers.

''It's hard, but you have to stay positive,'' Johns said after the game.

Some players said during the preseason that in previous years, when Virginia's season started going south, some players became more concerned with their future prospects for the NFL than in turning the Cavaliers around. Their mantra for this season has centered around finishing games.

They were tied with Duke in the fourth quarter last year and led North Carolina and Virginia Tech in the fourth quarter, but lost all three games, squashing what could have been an 8-4 season.

They don't want to avoid the what-ifs this season after the two early losses.

''If you don't finish and play four quarters all the way to the last minute, you see things that can happen against you,'' London said. ''If you can turn that into a positive, ... you have an outcome where everybody's happy about it.''

London also remains cognizant that he's the face they look to for signals.

''There's got to be a model, hopefully, to the players of resiliency,'' London said, aware that he may be, in his sixth season, in a win-or-else situation after his teams have gone 11-25 over the last three seasons. ''I believe I'm a resilient guy. I understand the importance of this season and what's going on.

''If I don't model that to these guys, I don't know who will. We embrace the next challenge. The next challenge is William & Mary.''

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Sun Devils hoping to kick into next gear

September 14, 2015

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Arizona State faced an SEC opponent in its first game and lost. The Sun Devils faced an FCS opponent in their second game and won.

In neither game did they play particularly well.

With less than two weeks until the start of the Pac-12 season, it's time for the Sun Devils to turn things around.

''We've done some good things to this point, but we need to hit good strides and not just play well here and there,'' coach Todd Graham said Monday.

Before the season, Graham called this year's team the best he's had in the desert. The Sun Devils were ranked 15th in The Associated Press Top 25 and were a trendy pick to play in the second College Football Playoff.

Through two games, they have yet to come close to those expectations.

Arizona State opened with a 38-17 loss to Texas A&M that featured a sputtering start on offense and a disastrous day on special teams.

The Sun Devils cleaned up some of their mistakes in Saturday's 35-21 win over Cal Poly, but it wasn't the dominating performance everyone expected.

Though the offense put up big numbers - five touchdowns, 531 total yards - it had numerous miscues, including a pair of crucial turnovers. Despite spending a week of preparing for Cal Poly's triple option, the defense had a hard time getting its assignments right, particularly on the Mustangs' dive option up the middle.

''Are we playing our best football? No. We have things we need to get better at,'' Graham said. ''I tell you this: It (the Cal Poly game) could have been a lot worse. We could have lost. I'll take a win and move on.''

One of the biggest concerns has been turnovers.

Graham proclaimed ball security as priority No. 1 when he first got the job and Arizona State's coaches harp on it constantly, starting every practice with drills to emphasize holding onto the ball.

The Sun Devils have been one of the nation's best at taking care of the ball, too, ranking seventh nationally with a turnover margin of plus-15 last season and sixth in 2013 with 14 turnovers gained.

So far this year, they've put the ball on the ground and in the other team's hands too much.

Arizona State had five fumbles in the opener, losing two, and lost one of its three fumbles against Cal Poly. The fumble on Saturday turned out to be crucial; Cal Poly snatched momentum heading into halftime by driving for a touchdown after tight end Kody Kohl lost the ball trying to gain extra yards.

Mike Bercovici also threw an interception in the end zone and Arizona State's returners bobbled a couple of punts, though the Sun Devils managed to recover both.

''That's something that has got to be an emphasis,'' Graham said. ''Nothing is more important.''

Arizona State also has yet to rev up its high-octane offense. The Sun Devils have played fast at times, though have yet to really get their quick-hitting attack in full gear.

Some of it is getting the new players up to game speed. There also have been injuries that have slowed the Sun Devils down, particularly to running back Kalen Ballage and along the offensive line. A failure to get quick first downs also has contributed.

Arizona State uses its fast tempo to set up explosive plays and those long gainers have been rare through the first two games, something it knows needs to change.

''Our preparation changed a little,'' Bercovici said. ''Today we had a big emphasis on moving the ball quick. It really is a mindset.''

Arizona State's defensive was solid against Texas A&M except for a few breakdowns that led to long touchdowns, but that group struggled against Cal Poly's triple option.

Stopping the option is predicated on players sticking to their assignments, which Arizona State's coaches preached all week in practice. Once the game started, some of the Sun Devils forgot their assignments and just charged up the field, leading to big gains right up the gut of their defense. Cal Poly ran for 284 yards.

''We did a really, really poor job,'' Graham said. ''We were basically just running up the field, doing a little freelancing and we can't do that, particularly against a triple option team.''

The Sun Devils better get it figured out quick. Their next opponent, New Mexico, also runs the triple option.

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No. 13 LSU pleased by pass rush, prepares for No. 18 Auburn

September 14, 2015

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) LSU's hard-charging pass rushers are eager to see what they can do against a first-year starting quarterback.

If the 13th-ranked Tigers' performance against Mississippi State star Dak Prescott last weekend is any indication, Auburn's Jeremy Johnson could see his composure tested substantially more than it was in a pair close victories over Louisville and Jacksonville State.

''We were pretty happy with the pass rush,'' said junior LSU defensive lineman Lewis Neal, who in his first career start recorded one of LSU's three sacks of Prescott on Saturday night. ''But we missed a lot of sacks. We could have had seven or eight. There were more opportunities for us. We'll come out ten times better in the second game.''

While Prescott ultimately amassed 335 yards passing in Mississippi State's 21-19 loss to LSU, he needed 52 attempts to reach that figure in a performance that relatively one-dimensional for the usually dynamic quarterback.

Prescott, who was limited to nine yards on seven running plays, struggled to move the offense with anything other than short passes.

His performance this season stood in sharp contrast to the tear he was on in Tiger Stadium a year ago, when the Bulldogs beat LSU 34-29. In that game, Prescott touched the ball 46 times and gained 373 yards - 268 passing and 105 rushing. This time, Prescott had 16 more touches (62) and 57 fewer yards (316).

LSU head coach Les Miles was quick to boast that his new defensive coordinator, Kevin Steele, held Prescott to a career-low rushing total.

''He completed some passes, but our guys in the secondary kept everybody in front of them,'' Miles said.

Prescott had virtually no time to look deep down field. He had just one completion of more than 20 yards, which was a good sign for the Tigers' defensive front four.

A year ago, Tigers defensive linemen had 10 sacks and 20 quarterback-hurries in 13 games. In addition to their three sacks last Saturday along, they were credited with hurrying Prescott into incompletions six times.

Freshman defensive end Arden Key and sophomore defensive tackle Davon Godchaux each joined Neal in recording a sack apiece. Neal and Key both were credited with two quarterback-hurries. End Tashawn Bower and tackle Christian LaCouture each recorded one quarterback-hurry.

The expectations for the LSU defensive line have been elevated since the hiring of new assistant coach Ed Orgeron, whose reputation was built on his ability to develop college defensive linemen. One game into his time at LSU, the Tigers pass rush is on track to get better results.

''Coach `O' gives us more freedom,'' said Bower, who also made his first career start last Saturday. ''During the week, we have a real good tempo. He is a great teacher. He teaches (each player) differently because he knows people learn differently.''

Key used his speed to sack Prescott from behind on just the second play of his college career.

''Arden is my little brother,'' Neal said. ''I just love the way he plays. He listens all the time to what everybody says. Arden will continue to make the big play.''

Now comes LSU's first home game against Auburn, which whipped LSU 41-7 last season with then-quarterback Nick Marshall passing for more than 200 yards and running for more than 100 yards.

Johnson is more of a pocket passer, and has struggled in his first two games with five interceptions.

''Coach `O' expects us to get a pass rush all the time,'' said LaCouture, the most experienced of LSU's defensive linemen. ''We may not get there every time, but we must rattle the quarterback. We have to close the pocket and make the quarterback uncomfortable.''

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Illini defense riding high with North Carolina test ahead

September 14, 2015

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) For much of the past three seasons, defense was almost a dirty word at Illinois. The Illini were at the back of the Big Ten in almost every category.

Two games is a small sample, but so far this season Illinois has given up just a field goal and picked off five passes - close to the seven they intercepted all of last season.

Illini coaches and players said Monday they aren't kidding themselves. Saturday's road trip to North Carolina (1-1) will be a test of a different sort than Kent State or Football Championship Subdivision school Western Illinois.

''This week here, it's going to be tested because it's been fairly easy the first two games,'' interim Illinois coach Bill Cubit said. ''It hasn't been easy to accomplish, but nothing's really gone against us.''

Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora said he's been impressed by Illinois' defensive performance.

''Defensively they haven't given up a touchdown this year,'' he said Monday. ''So they're going to come in here sky high and feeling good about themselves, as they should.''

A look at the details behind Illinois' eight quarters of near-scoreless defensive football offers a long list of superlatives:

- No Big Ten team has allowed fewer points over the first two weeks. Northwestern is the only team that's close, giving up six points in wins over Stanford and another FCS school, Eastern Illinois.

- The five Illinois interceptions are just two short of last season's seven (which was 11th in the 14-team Big Ten). And six turnovers put the Illini almost a third of the way to last season's total of 19 (eighth in the conference).

- Red zone defense may be the most telling - the Illini haven't had to play much of it. Kent State moved the ball to the Illinois 5-yard line late in the second quarter before settling for a field goal attempt that Illinois blocked.

- Illinois' first two opponents have averaged 193 yards of offense a game. That's second in the Big Ten for a defense that last season was dead last at 456 a game. And the Illini have been tough to run on so far, giving up 78.5 yards a game. Last season, they were last in the conference at 239.2 yards a game.

Illinois added Mike Phair as a co-defensive coordinator alongside Tim Banks in the offseason, and defensive players including defensive end Jihad Ward talked over the summer about a change in approach, playing more aggressive and thinking less.

Linebacker T.J. Neal said Monday that he and others are taking that simpler approach to the game, but he insisted that as far as scheme goes, this season's team isn't very different than last season's.

''It's the same stuff coach Banks has been doing the past three or four years,'' he said.

Cubit said Monday that the pair of relatively easy wins has allowed his defense to use its bench, getting many starters off the field early to avoid injuries and fatigue. But it also means that Illinois' defense hasn't had to stay on the field for an extended run of fast-paced plays like North Carolina is likely to throw at the Illini.

''Really, our (starting) defense hasn't played a whole game,'' he said. ''This week they played like a little more than a half.''

Neal believes Illinois is ready for the step up in pace and competition.

''The first two games were great, but I think this one will let everyone know the Fighting Illini's not playing this year.

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Fisher pleased with Golson in No. 9 Florida State's offense

September 14, 2015

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida State's Everett Golson is where coach Jimbo Fisher thought the quarterback would be at this point in the season.

Sure, two games is a small sample size, but the coach is pleased with Golson's progress as the ninth-ranked Seminoles are set to begin Atlantic Coast Conference play on Friday night at Boston College.

''I think he feels good about it. I think he understands things,'' Fisher said Monday during his weekly press conference. ''We just got to continue to get all the little details of things and the nuances of it.''

In wins over Texas State and South Florida, Golson has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers are similar to what he did in his first two starts at Notre Dame last year (64.9 completion percentage, 521 yards and five touchdowns). Golson is also doing a nice job of spreading the ball around, especially in the opener when he completed passes to nine players.

One of the bigger questions about Golson was whether he could respond to adversity. He provided some clues to that last Saturday against USF. After going 1 for 9 for 6 yards in the first half, Golson went 13 for 17 for 157 yards and a touchdown in the second half as the Seminoles pulled away for a 34-14 victory.

Even in a bad first half, where Golson was hampered by a couple drops by receivers, he still did the little things. Dalvin Cook's 74-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the byproduct of Golson checking out of the original play, which was a screen pass.

Florida State was a strong second-half team last season. That trend is continuing this year as they have scored on all 11 with nine being directed by Golson.

''I think it's both his maturity, being able to relax at halftime, go back to his fundamentals, make good reads, and make quick passes,'' Fisher said. ''From the first half to second Everett looked like two different people.''

Golson has faced Boston College once, but that was in 2012 when he was a redshirt freshman at Notre Dame. The Eagles, who have allowed only three points in wins over Maine and Howard, The Seminoles have won the last five meetings against Boston College, but needed a Roberto Aguayo field goal with three seconds left last season to hold off the Eagles 20-17.

Boston College coach Steve Addazio, who has seen his share of Florida State quarterbacks over the years when he was on Urban Meyer's staff at Florida, sees no drop-off at the position after Jameis Winston left for the NFL and was drafted first by Tampa Bay.

Said Addazio of Golson: ''He's a talented guy. They lost a great quarterback and they're replacing him with a guy who's also a talented quarterback.''

The biggest thing Fisher and the offense is looking for this week is being able to recognize things quicker along with maybe a quicker start in the passing game.

With the game on Friday, Florida State will leave on Wednesday night. Fisher sees leaving two days prior to the game as a benefit not only physically but academically.

''We found out, by going that way, our rest and bodies, and it's actually helped us in school as far as our assignments with tutors and bringing all the academic folks with us,'' the coach said.

While Golson has found some success in his Florida State debut, Winston struggled in his NFL opener with Tampa Bay. Winston had two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Buccaneer's 42-14 loss to Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans.

Fisher isn't overly concerned.

''He had some good moments and tough moments,'' Fisher added. ''He threw a couple of touchdowns, I believe, and a couple of mistakes. They got to keep getting better, and he will.''

Fisher also hopes Golson continues to get better.

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Arkansas searching for answers to struggling rushing attack

September 14, 2015

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Bret Bielema has made a career out of coaching teams that have the ability to run the ball effectively, even against opponents who know what is coming.

After a stunning 16-12 loss to Toledo that marked the second consecutive game with a lackluster rushing attack, the Arkansas coach hopes to kick start his Razorbacks this week against Texas Tech.

Arkansas (1-1) averaged 218 rushing yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry last season, and it was the only major college football program to produce a pair of 1,000-yard running backs in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins.

With Williams out for likely the entire season, and a reshuffled offensive line struggling to find its chemistry, the Razorbacks enter the game against the Red Raiders (2-0) 11th in the Southeastern Conference with an average of 142.5 yards rushing per game.

They are also gaining only 4.4 yards per carry, a stark drop when considering their first two opponents came from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference - not the mighty Southeastern Conference defenses coming up following this weekend.

''We definitely have got to be able to run the football,'' Bielema said. ''That's an emphasis in our program that has got to come to light more than at any time ever before.''

Arkansas' run struggles began in a season-opening win over UTEP, though the final numbers - 182 yards rushing on 34 carries - appeared acceptable at first glance. However, 70 of those yards came on Collins' draw on the final play of the first half, against a sagging Miners' defense eager to avoid giving up a touchdown.

Without the Collins run, the Razorbacks had a more pedestrian 112 yards rushing on 33 carries in that game - a line that was similar to the 103 yards rushing on 31 carries they had against Toledo.

Collins finished with 54 yards on 20 carries against the Rockets, who Arkansas center Mitch Smothers said followed UTEP's strategy of moving their defensive line in an attempt to confuse Arkansas and clog the middle of the field.

''We're not going to let one game define this whole season,'' Smothers said. ''We've still got a lot of football left to play, and we're definitely going to work on (running the ball).''

Williams rushed for 1,190 yards last season for the Razorbacks, including 145 with four touchdowns in a 49-28 win over Texas Tech, but his loss isn't the only change in the running game.

Arkansas returned four of five starters on the offensive line entering the season, but it did so with junior Denver Kirkland moving from guard to left tackle and former left tackle Dan Skipper - who also played guard last season - taking over on the right side.

Bielema dismissed any questions about the line's chemistry following the moves, saying left guard Sebastian Tretola and right guard Frank Ragnow have continued to play well through the first two weeks with the rest of the group.

However, he was adamant the entirety of Arkansas' offense must improve running the ball this week and as it prepares to open SEC play with three straight road games.

''I do know this, we had our five best players on the field, there isn't any doubt about that,'' Bielema said about the offensive line following the Toledo loss. ''But we've got to get our five players playing better.''

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No. 12 Oregon evaluates, moves on from Michigan State loss

September 14, 2015

In the wake of a loss at Michigan State, Oregon is plowing ahead.

''You learn from it, you take inventory of it, you write it down, you don't turn the page yet, you read the page,'' coach Mark Helfrich said. ''You ****** it, you fix it and maybe you burn it. And you move forward.''

Oregon dropped from No. 7 to No. 12 in the AP Top 25 following the 31-28 loss to the now-fourth-ranked Spartans on Saturday.

The Ducks (1-1) rallied late with Vernon Adams' 15-yard touchdown pass to Byron Marshall with 3:25 remaining, but then Michigan State's stout defense held. Oregon drove to the Spartans' 33 on its next drive, but Adams overthrew Marshall, then was sacked for a loss of 10. His pass on fourth-and-16 was incomplete.

Helfrich said the difference was in the details.

''That's obviously the difficult part of playing a game like that on the road and in that environment,'' Helfrich said Sunday. ''Every single excruciating detail - in your mind - is the difference in the game.''

There were lingering questions following the game about quarterback Vernon Adams' index finger, which was apparently injured in the season opener. Oregon does not discuss injuries as a policy.

Adams, who threw with gloves on, examined the finger at times during the game and afterward it was taped when he spoke to reporters. He finished with 309 yards passing and the late touchdown to Marshall.

''Anything we say of that nature is an excuse and we don't really get into that realm,'' Helfrich said. ''All I can say for him is that he's gutting it out just like a lot of guys are gutting other things out.''

Adams, who transferred from Eastern Washington for his final season of eligibility, is still learning Oregon's speedy spread offense, Helfrich added.

Oregon has shown in the recent past that one loss won't make or break its season. The Ducks were ranked No. 2 last season when unranked Arizona swept into Eugene and scored four second-half touchdowns for a 31-24 upset.

Oregon regrouped after that loss - which also dropped the Ducks to No. 12 in the rankings - and marched on to victories in the next nine games, including the 59-20 Rose Bowl victory over Florida State in college football's first playoffs.

''There's a bunch of guys that were in the same locker room and we just talked about how that galvanized us last year, and there's absolutely zero reason why that can't happen again,'' Helfrich said.

Receiver Bralon Addison, who was named the Pac-12's special teams player of the week on Monday, pointed to last season's title game.

''It's early, really early. Two teams that played in the national championship last year both had one loss so you know it's a long season. You know teams are going to fight still,'' Addison said. ''Of course, we're not proud of this loss, but there are a lot of things that we can learn from this game.''

Next up for the Ducks is Georgia State (1-1), which is riding high following its 34-32 victory on the road over New Mexico State. It was the Panthers' first win in the Sun Belt Conference since joining in 2013.

Ducks receiver Charles Nelson was already moving on to that one.

''A lot of things we can work on in practice. That's what practice is for, we're going to get back at it on Monday,'' he said following the game. ''I feel like we came out and did what we had to do, but (we had) a couple errors here and there. We can fix that.''

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4th Quarter Covers - Week 2

September 15, 2015

Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are some of the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the second weekend of college football. 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.

Miami, FL (-17½) 44, Florida Atlantic 20: The heavy underdog looked promising most of the way and with a field goal with less than 25 minutes remaining in the game making a 20-20 tie, a major upset looked possible. The Hurricanes put together a few quick scoring drives and the field position for Miami remained strong in the game with five turnovers for the Owls, who also had injuries to their starting quarterback and running back. By the end of the third quarter, Miami led 37-20 and in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes added another touchdown to get past the spread, getting ‘over’ the total as well.

Penn State (-16½) 27, Buffalo 14: The line on this game fell throughout the week and with Penn State up just 13-7 through three quarters, the underdog Bulls were in a great position to cover. The Penn State offense had an underwhelming performance, but the Lions put together their best drives of the day with two touchdowns in a three-minute span early in the fourth quarter to open up a 20-point lead. Buffalo eventually answered with an 82-yard touchdown drive, scoring with less than five minutes in the game to seal the underdog cover. Penn State had great field position after recovering the onside kick attempt, but they failed to add points.

Connecticut (-6½) 22, Army 17: After falling behind early in the game, Connecticut pulled away from Army in the middle of the game with 19 straight points, leading 22-10 with just over five minutes to go. Army does not pass often, but they hit a 71-yard pass play less than a minute later to put the Knights within the spread.

LSU (-3) 21, Mississippi State 19: LSU scored in the third quarter to take a 21-6 lead, but Mississippi State rallied in the fourth as a touchdown with four minutes to go put the Bulldogs down two and lining up for a two-point conversion to tie the game. That attempt failed but it was enough earn the underdog cover and the Bulldogs got the ball back and had a game-winning 52-year field goal attempt misfire as well as LSU escaped another wild finish.

Kansas State (-14) 30, Texas San Antonio 3: Despite a spread that opened as high as -20, Kansas State led just 7-3 at the half. The Wildcats bogged down in the red zone in the third quarter settling for two short field goals to take a 10-point lead into the final frame. In the fourth, the Wildcats put up 17 more points to pull past the spread as the defense delivered a dominant performance.

Syracuse (-4½) 30, Wake Forest 17: Wake Forest led 17-13 at the half and trailed just 20-17 into the fourth quarter despite allowing an interception return touchdown. In the fourth, the Orange pushed the lead to 13 points and a late Wake Forest drive into Syracuse territory ended in an interception.

Michigan (-13) 35, Oregon State 7: This spread was over two touchdowns most of the week before a sharp drop Saturday morning and heading into the fourth quarter the margin was just 13 points despite a dominant defensive showing from the Wolverines. Michigan added two touchdowns in the final frame to make the score more in line with the production for the day.

Georgia (-18) 31, Vanderbilt 14: While the spread on this game was close to 21 at times during the week, the 24-6 lead for the Bulldogs was right near the opening and closing numbers. Vanderbilt scored a touchdown with a successful two-point conversion with just over four minutes to go and a late pick-six for the Bulldogs was not enough to get back over the number in a game that was very even statistically.

BYU (+2) 35, Boise State 24: The Broncos have been dominant through three quarters in both games this season only to turn in disastrous fourth quarters. Boise State held on to win in the opener, but was not so fortunate this week as BYU erased a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, taking the lead and the cover with a long touchdown pass with less than a minute to go. Down four, Boise State had an opportunity, but an interception was returned for a touchdown to put the game away for the Cougars. BYU scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter despite drives totaling just 76 yards.

Notre Dame (-14) 34, Virginia 27: Notre Dame led 26-14 heading into the fourth quarter which would have been enough against a spread that hovered between 10 and 11½ most of the week before a late climb. Virginia put together two long fourth quarter touchdown drives to stunningly take the lead in the final two minutes, but the Irish were able answer with a touchdown with 12 seconds to go from back-up quarterback DeShone Kizer.

Iowa (-3½) 31, Iowa State 17: This rivalry game lived up to its billing tied 17-17 entering the fourth quarter. That score held until just over two minutes remained in the game as Iowa cashed in to take a seven-point lead, getting past the favorite spread for the first time in the game. An interception just a few played later sealed the fate for the Cyclones as Iowa put up another seven points to create a misleading final score.

Alabama (-34½) 37, Middle Tennessee State 10: Alabama pulled away late in the second quarter and by the start of the fourth quarter, the Tide led by 34, right even with where the spread was much of the week. Alabama really did not shift to a conservative approach in the fourth as Cooper Batemen was still passing frequently, but an interception inside the Middle Tennessee State 10-yard line was returned 77 yards and the Blue Raiders cashed in for their lone touchdown with about six minutes to go to seal the underdog cover.

Air Force (-4) 37, San Jose State 16: Air Force only led by one point entering the fourth quarter, but the Falcons surged past the small favorite spread in the final frame, putting up three rushing touchdowns. The Spartans were hurt by two late interceptions and Air Force wound up with a big yardage edge.

Pittsburgh (-12½) 24, Akron 7: After a marginal opening week performance on defense, the Panthers had one of the best defensive showings of the weekend allowing just 110 yards against Akron. It was just a 10-7 lead at the half and Pittsburgh was still short of the spread until getting a touchdown with less than three minutes to go in the game, although Akron punted on all of its second half possessions.

Bowling Green (+7) 48, Maryland 27: Bowling Green trailed Maryland by seven well into the third quarter, but the Falcons tied the game and never looked back, scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take over the game. Maryland had interceptions on each of its final three drives to put the Falcons into several favorable situations, but with nearly 700 yards, the Falcons clearly had a strong performance.

SMU (-6) 31, North Texas 13: The spread climbed on SMU throughout the week despite the Mustangs winning just once last season. North Texas led 13-10 entering the fourth quarter, but SMU would answer with a touchdown early in the fourth to lead by four. The Mustangs would add two more late touchdowns taking advantage of a key fumble to equal last season’s win count already and deliver the home favorite cover.

Washington State (+4½) 37, Rutgers 34: Washington State led by eight heading into what became a wild fourth quarter. Rutgers tied the game just seconds into the final frame and then took the lead on a kickoff return touchdown following a Washington State field goal. The four-point edge was past the common spread on this game, but the Cougars would answer. With less than two minutes to go, Rutgers returned a punt for a touchdown to take the lead by four points again, but Washington State managed to 90 yards, completing the drive with a game-winning score with just 13 seconds on the clock.

Oklahoma (-2½) 31, Tennessee 24: The Volunteers opened up a 17-0 lead early in this game, but they would not score again in regulation. Oklahoma trailed by 14 heading into the fourth quarter, but managed to force overtime in the final minute. Both teams scored seven in session one and the Sooners delivered going first in the second overtime and then got the stop it needed for the win and cover.

Texas (-14½) 42, Rice 28: The statistics were puzzling in this game as Rice had the ball for over 44 minutes and had nearly 200 more yards than Texas. The Owls trailed 21-0 just minutes into the game and trailed 42-14 heading into the fourth quarter with turnovers playing a big role. Rice cut that margin to just 21 points with less than seven minutes to go and another touchdown with less than a minute to go gave Rice the late cover.

Michigan State (-4½) 31, Oregon 28: Michigan State led by 10 entering the fourth quarter in Saturday night’s big game and the after trading scores early in the fourth the Spartans still led by 10 late in the game. Oregon fought back and completed an 80-yard drive with just over three minutes to go to get within the underdog spread and the Ducks had the ball back in Michigan State territory late before the Spartans made the stops to hold on.

Indiana (-9) 36, Florida International 22: The Hoosiers trailed by three early in the fourth quarter with Florida International looking for a second straight significant upset. Indiana tied the game and then went up by seven on a short field goal after a costly fumble for the Panthers. A seven-point lead was not going to be enough for a cover and the Panthers were on the doorstep looking to tie the game when Jameel Cook returned an interception 96 yards to put Indiana up 14 for the final margin.

USC (-44½) 59, Idaho 9: Idaho scored in the third quarter to trim the deficit to just 29 points making the heavy underdog cover likely for the Vandals. USC kept throwing and led by 43 heading into the fourth quarter. Idaho never threatened to add points in the final frame and another USC touchdown gave the Trojans another ATS win as well.

Stanford (-20½) 31, Central Florida 7: Stanford was in control, but the Cardinal only led by 17 entering the fourth quarter. Stanford scored twice in the fourth to move up by 31 points, enough of a margin to survive a late Central Florida touchdown that spoiled the shutout.