The Bum's College Football Week # 7 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

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South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier retiring, effective immediately

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier told his players and coaches Monday night that he is retiring immediately, sources told ESPN.com, and the plan is for somebody else to coach the team the rest of the season.

Spurrier's retirement was first reported by SI.com.

An interim coach will be named Wednesday, sources said.

Spurrier, the Gamecocks' all-time winningest coach, also informed South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner of his decision to step down, sources said. This came after the Gamecocks lost their fourth straight SEC game Saturday to LSU.

Spurrier, 70, was close to stepping down at the end of last season after the Gamecocks dipped to 7-6 on the heels of three straight 11-win seasons and three straight top-10 finishes nationally, but he elected to return. The Gamecocks have lost eight of their past nine SEC games dating to last season.

They are 2-4 overall this season and 0-4 in the SEC, sitting seventh in the SEC East.

One possibility to coach out the rest of the season for the Gamecocks is current defensive coordinator Jon Hoke, who is in his first season with the Gamecocks.

Spurrier, fed up with the age questions and critics suggesting that his best coaching days were behind him, went on the offensive before the season.

"We were 11-2 and ranked fourth in the country this time a year ago, and nobody said a damn word about my age," Spurrier said. "Now, a year later, I'm suddenly too old, and we're on our way down.

"I just want our fans to know that we're going to have a good team and recognize that it's our enemies saying these things about Spurrier being washed up and we're not going to be heard from again. Gamecocks out there need to know that I'm going to be here five or six more years, and away we go."

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Tuesday's Top Action
October 12, 2015


ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES (2-3) at SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS (3-2)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Arkansas State -6

Two teams trying to remain unbeaten in the Sun Belt will collide on Tuesday night when Arkansas State visits South Alabama.

Both schools opened conference play on Oct. 3 with victories, as the Red Wolves knocked off 22-point underdog Idaho 49-35 while the Jaguars pulled off the 24-18 upset at 6-point favorite Troy. Arkansas State is 2-3 ATS this season, and has been trounced in both road games, 55-6 at USC and 37-7 at Toledo. South Alabama (3-2 ATS) was pummeled in its last home game on Sept. 26, falling 63-13 to NC State, but opened the season with a 33-7 win over Gardner-Webb in Mobile, AL.

These schools are meeting for the fourth straight season with the Red Wolves winning all three previous contests (2-1 ATS), including 45-10 last year and 17-16 when the Jaguars hosted in 2013. Both teams are staring at some negative trends for Tuesday, as Arkansas State is 0-13 ATS after gaining 300+ rushing yards in its previous game since 1992, and 21-39 ATS off a home win in that same timeframe. But South Alabama is 6-14 ATS at home under head coach Joey Jones, including 2-6 ATS as a home underdog.

After missing three games, the Red Wolves expect to get starting QB Fredi Knighten (groin) back for Tuesday. The only new injury for either team is Knighten's teammate OL Daniel Keith, who is doubtful with an ankle injury.

Arkansas State's offense has been strong this season with 30.4 PPG on 394 total YPG, and these numbers have increased to 42.0 PPG and 451 total YPG over the past three contests. The team has done this through great balance with 193 rushing YPG on 4.4 YPC and 202 passing YPG on 6.6 YPA.

Senior RB Michael Gordon is coming off a monster performance against Idaho where he ran for 221 yards on 26 carries (8.5 YPC) and three touchdowns. Gordon was also effective in last year's romp over South Alabama with 77 rushing yards (3.7 YPC) and a touchdown.

Senior QB Fredi Knighten was the best player on the field in that 2014 meeting with 266 total yards (186 passing, 80 rushing) and 3 total TD. His return will be key for this team moving forward, as his statistics this year are so bad (19-of-46, 41% completions, 183 yds, 4.0 YPA, 2 TD, 3 INT) because they were against Power 5 opponents USC and Missouri. Another senior, WR JD McKissic, is the third-most important part of this offense with a team-high 27 catches, including at least four receptions in each game.

Defensively, this unit has surrendered 32.2 PPG on 391 total YPG, and these numbers have ballooned to 46.0 PPG and 493 total YPG on the road. The biggest deficiency has been stopping the run (170 YPG on 4.8 YPC), as the Wolves' 221 passing YPG allowed is on just 53% completions and 5.7 YPA. They have also done a great job of forcing mistakes with 10 turnovers in the past four contests, including three last week. This trend could continue against a Jaguars team with 11 giveaways, including 3 TO in three different games so far.

South Alabama turnovers have limited the offense to 22.6 PPG and 375 total YPG this year. Time of possession is a subpar 27:59 average with the ground game churning out only 138 YPG on 3.8 YPC. But sophomore RB Xavier Johnson has been outstanding versus non-Power 5 opponents with 46 carries for 354 yards (7.7 YPC) and 4 TD in three such games. Johnson carried the football just seven times for 28 yards in last year's loss at Arkansas State.

QB Cody Clements (52% completions, 1,131 pass yds, 7 TD, 6 INT) has eclipsed 200 passing yards in four straight contests but the senior has not completed more than 58% of his passes in any game so far. He has relied mostly on two targets, with junior TE Gerald Everett (23 rec, 350 yds, 5 TD) and junior WR Josh Magee (13 rec, 326 yds) combining for 57% of the South Alabama receiving yards this season. No other receiver even has 100 yards in 2015.

On defense, the Jaguars have allowed 32.6 PPG on 405 total YPG, and have been especially weak in stopping the run (205 YPG on 5.1 YPC). Defending the pass hasn't been much better though with opponents completing 58% of their throws for 200 YPG (6.7 YPA). But after forcing only two turnovers in a three-game stretch, South Alabama recorded three takeaways in their upset at Troy last week.

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Cue the carousel, coaching changes come early

Spurrier never intended for it to end like this, but the alternative is coaching the season out, losing to Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers in the final game and failing to make a bowl for only the second time since he arrived (2007) at South Carolina. His final game ended up being a 21-point road loss at LSU that was moved from Columbia to Baton Rouge due to flooding. Because they were displaced and the preparation was so off, Spurrier's Gamecocks really had no chance. To make matters worse, true freshman Lorenzo Nunez, by far the team's top QB, sat with a sprained throwing shoulder. Former walk-on Perry Orth ends up being Spurrier's last starting quarterback, a far cry from Danny Wuerffel, Shane Matthews or even Stephen Garcia or Connor Shaw.

Now it sounds like Nunez will also miss this weekend's home game against Vanderbilt, which means South Carolina could lose outright to the only SEC team on its remaining schedule that it can realistically beat. Spurrier wanted no part of that.

The Gamecocks have already been outscored 147-76 in four conference losses and still face trips to Texas A&M and Tennessee in addition to a home date with Florida. Spurrier is cutting his losses, sparing himself the indignity of potentially losing to Vandy, an opponent he's beaten six straight times. He won't have to watch Kevin Sumlin run up the score on him in Texas or fall victim to a Tennessee program he once terrorized and trash talked.

Spurrier is giving up his front row seat to watching the much improved Gators ride into town with a new head coach now walking in his former footsteps. He won't have to see Swinney, who he had beaten five straight times prior to last year's loss, get in one last lick. This is walking away for pride's sake, and it wouldn't be like the Spurrier we've come to know to let his shield of bravado be melted away by being foolishly prideful and sticking around. Why give any of his rivals the satisfaction? .

He saw Bobby Bowden pushed out at FSU. His old punching bag Philip Fulmer at Tennessee was ran out of town too. Here, he's the one stepping down, doing it so abruptly that it gave the college football world whiplash. Who can get away with pulling something like this? Kansas State's Bill Snyder and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer lead a very short list.

The iconic Spurrier managed to get the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore to play at South Carolina. Although it's been a down year, he'll leave his successor some talent in the cupboard and a program that's in a better place than it was when he inherited it. He won 86 games in 10-plus years and had consecutive 11-win seasons from '11-'13, making the Gamecocks relevant. As he steps down, only Bear Bryant has won more SEC games. As strange as it sounds,Spurrier can quit with his head held high.

You'll definitely hear critics pipe up over the next few days and accuse Spurrier of bailing on South Carolina when it needs him most, but contrast his departure with the dismissal of Steve Sarkisian at USC, Randy Edsall at Maryland and Dan McCarney at North Texas. Spurrier got unprecedented results and hung around for over a full decade. Edsall underachieved drastically. Sarkisian did less with more talent and departs as perhaps the most wasteful coach in USC history. That he leaves in disgrace due to a drinking problem serves to mask what an awful job he did in every area but recruiting.

McCarney's record at UNT in Denton was 0-5 this season. His Mean Green was outscored 246-74 following a 66-7 loss to FCS member Portland State that spelled the end of his tenure. Edsall was embarrassed by his AD and left hung out to dry after a 2-4 start. Never mind that he put together back-to-back winning seasons that ended in bowl losses. He played scapegoat and sacrificial lamb too perfectly. Same goes with Sark. USC AD Pat Haden wouldn't have had as easy a time firing a coach who didn't come up short on the field. Instead, patience and compassion went out the window.

In the business of college football, loyalty is often imaginary. Winning is all that matters. You're only as good as your last success. Spurrier knew there wouldn't be many good times ahead and cut his losses instead. His body of work trumps all else, including an unceremonious exit. The farewell tour wasn't necessary. Thanks for the memories, Coach.

NCAA Football Week 6 recap snapshot

Best games:

1. TCU 52 Kansas State 45, 2. Tennessee 38 Georgia 31, 3. Utah 30 Cal 24

Best players:

1. Luke Falk, Washington St.: 50-74 505 yds 5 TDs at Oregon, 2. Trevone Boykin, TCU: 20-30 301 yds 2 TD, 11-124 rushing yds, 2 TD vs. Texas, 3. Josh Dobbs 25-42 312 yds 3 TD, 118 rushing yds, 2 TD vs Georgia.

Best plays:

1. TCU WR Josh Doctson caught a 55-yd TD pass from Boykin with 1:10 left to snap a 45-45 tie in Manhattan. 2. Utah stops Cal QB Jared Goff on 4th and 5 from the 21-yard-line to remain unbeaten when Boobie Hobbs made a great play to break up a would-be first down. The Utes secondary dominated with five interceptions. 3. FSU's Dalvin Cook made it clear that he was 100 percent, running 72 yards to open the scoring against rival Miami, part of a 222-yard rushing night in a 29-24 win

Best coaching jobs:

1. Coming off an embarrassing loss to TCU, Texas head coach Charlie Strong got his Longhorns to regroup and deliver their best performance of the season in a shocking upset of Oklahoma. 2. With a 38-0 rout of Northwestern, head coach Jim Harbaugh registered his third consecutive shutout and provided an eye-opening win over the undefeated Wildcats in Ann Arbor. 3. Although the Ducks look like a shell of themselves, going into Eugene and emerging with a win the way Washington State's Mike Leach managed in a 45-38 comeback OT win at Autzen Stadium is a terrific victory.

Worst coaching jobs:

1. As stated above, North Texas' McCarney lost 66-7 at home to Portland State in a result that can only mean one thing -- his team quit on him. 2. UCF's George O'Leary remained winless despite getting starting QB Justin Holman back, falling 40-13 at home to UConn. Considering he let UConn head coach Bob Diaco become the subject of national ridicule by claiming no knowledge of the silly CIvil Conflict rivalry the new Huskies coach wanted him to embrace, it serves O'Leary right that he got embarrassed at home. Expect him to step down at season's end. 3. Fresno State's Tim DeRuyter saw his team outscored 49-7 over the last three quarters in a 56-14 loss to a Utah State squad forced to play backup Kent Myers for the injured Chuckie Keeton..

Close calls and bad beats: This one hurt. Central Michigan and Western Michigan put on a great show in Kalamazoo, but I was on the Broncos side against the Chippewas and tasted a nasty beat. Laying 5, Western was up all afternoon and led 31-19 entering the 4th, but allowed the Chips to claw back into it. Leading 41-39 as they looked to run out the clock, WMU got inside the 10-yard line and passed on a field goal on 4th and 3, going for the game-clinching first down. Top WR Corey Davis made a great grab at the goal line to get the first down, but was clearly down short of breaking the plane. With the first down secured, the Broncos just took knees to run out the clock on a 41-39 win. It was definitely a cover that got away.

Pitt was laying somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-9 at home against Virginia and dominated the first quarter, leading 17-3. It was the type of game where it looked like they could and should go up double-digits and maintain a firm grip on the cover, but ended up winning just 26-19.

Wisconsin and Nebraska played a teeter-totter game that could've gone either way and featured multiple lead changes inside the final five minutes as the cursed 'Huskers lost for the third time this season on the game's final play. Kicker Rafael Gaglianone, who had missed a 39-yarder with 1:26 left. Nebraska failed to get a first down, the Badgers utilized their timeouts correctly and Gaglianone came through from 46 yards. Wisconsin was favored anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 and won 23-21. Money line works best for small road favorites.

Oklahoma State's OT win at West Virginia, Notre Dame laying two TDs against Navy, BYU -9.5 against ECU and Florida State laying 6-ish against Miami all came down to the final few minutes as drama ruled Saturday night. TCU nearly got a backdoor cover they had no business flirting with on Kansas State, but went into victory formation after recovering a Wildcats fumble inside the 5-yard line.

The cover that you're telling your friends about for weeks came thanks to Troy, which was getting 30/31 at Mississippi State and trailed 45-14 in a game where they were down 38-0 at the half. The Bulldogs clearly took their foot off the gas, but still had Troy beat until the Trojans sent out kicker Jed Solomon to make a 21-yard field goal with just 27 seconds to go, covering the spread (45-17) and aggravating all chalk-eaters.

Key injuries:

Georgia RB Nick Chubb (Knee, OFY), USC C Max Tuerk (Knee, OFY), UCLA WR/S Mossi Johnson (Knee/OFY), Wisconsin Austin Traylor (Arm, Out 4-8 weeks)

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Week 7 Notebook
October 13, 2015


Monday provided perhaps the wildest day of news in recent college football history when three bombshell stories rocked the campuses in Gainesville, Columbia (S.C.) and Los Angeles.

In terms of this season, the biggest story is the 365-day suspension of Florida quarterback Will Grier, who has led the Gators to a shocking 6-0 start as a redshirt freshman.

Grier has been suspended for taking an over-the-counter supplement that's banned by the NCAA. The substance is not considered a steroid, just a performance-enhancing drug. The suspension will extend into next season and Grier won't be able to play in UF's first six games of 2016.

Treon Harris will take over as the starting QB. Harris, a true sophomore from Miami, has a 5-2 record in seven career starts. He could easily be 7-0 if not for a pair of special-teams blunders in last year's overtime loss to South Carolina and a pick-six at FSU that wasn't Harris's fault.

Harris isn't the pure passer that Grier is, but he throws a good long ball and can make plays with his legs. He also has plenty of experience. For his career, Harris has an 11/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and three rushing scores.

Harris has appeared in three games this season, completing 19-of-27 passes (70.4%) for 269 yards and two TDs without an interception. He has rushed 10 times for 63 yards.

Grier had connected on 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,204 yards with a 10/3 TD-INT ratio. He had also run for a pair of scores.

Florida had the look of a serious national-title contender with Grier. Will the Gators resemble that team with Harris steering the ship? Only time will tell.

Harris won't be intimidated by Tiger Stadium. As a true freshman, he was the catalyst in a 10-9 come-from-behind win at Tennessee. Harris has also started in Tallahassee against FSU and in Jacksonville vs. Georgia.

Before news of the suspension broke, LSU had been installed as a six-point favorite after opening at five. Many books still have the game off the board, but The Wynn adjusted LSU to a seven-point 'chalk.' Most offshores had UF as a 7.5-point underdog late Monday night.

A few hours after Steve Sarkisian was fired at Southern Cal, the other USC on the East coast saw its Ball Coach retire effective immediately. On the one hand, it's surprising that Steve Spurrier would quit in the middle of the season.

Then again, Stephen Orr Spurrier has insisted for more than a decade that he wouldn't hang around if his ball plays quit working. He's always said he would get out of the way and let a younger guy give it a shot.

When he stepped down at Florida, fans were extremely disappointed with an 11-2 season and a blowout win in the Orange Bowl. In recent weeks at South Carolina, a portion of the South Carolina fanbase had grown disgruntled.

The Gamecocks had never won 11 games in a season in more than 100 years of fielding a football team. On The HBC's watch, they won 11 three consecutive times from 2011-2013.

In 2014, however, South Carolina went 7-6 after losing three games in which it led by double-digit margins in the fourth quarter. When the Gamecocks lost by 32 at Georgia a week after falling at home to Kentucky, it became apparent that Spurrier's window to win a championship at South Carolina had expired.

He gave it hell, though. South Carolina won the SEC East in 2010 and nearly won the division in 2013. During two seasons in which the Gamecocks lost Marcus Lattimore to season-ending knee injuries, Spurrier led them to a 9-1 record without the star running back.

Spurrier retires with a 228-89-2 overall record in three career stops at Duke, Florida and South Carolina. He won seven SEC's during his 12-year tenure at UF and took South Carolina to nine bowl games in his first 10 years. Spurrier won the national title at UF when the Gators smashed arch-rival FSU by a 52-20 count at the Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 2 of 1997.

During his run at Florida, Spurrier went 11-1 against Georgia and 8-4 against Tennessee. During his time at South Carolina, he beat Clemson five times in a row by double-digit margins. It is only the five-game winning streak the Gamecocks own over Clemson in history of the bitter rivalry. His greatest accomplishment may have been winning the ACC at Duke in 1989.

The initial news about Sarkisian broke on Sunday when he was forced to take an indefinite leave of absence. The Southern Cal coach had reportedly showed up at work Sunday morning under the influence of alcohol.

Southern Cal AD Pat Haden made the decision to fire Sarkisian official Monday afternoon. Sarkisian is the second head coach who worked under Pete Carroll during his dynastic run with the Trojans to be fired by Haden, who should also be on the hot seat if he isn't.

Sarkisian went 12-6 at USC.

Southern Cal plays at Notre Dame this weekend. Clay Helton will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. He held the same post after Ed Orgeron left at the end of the 2013 regular season, leading the Trojans to a 45-20 win over Fresno State at the Las Vegas Bowl.

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Firing, suspension, retirement rock college football
October 13, 2015

The news read: USC coach Steve...

Not many could have expected what came next on one of college football's most stunning - and unbelievable - days off the field.

The storied USC program on the West coast fired its troubled second-year coach Steve Sarkisian. Later Monday, Steve Spurrier told the players at the USC program on the East coast that the Head Ball Coach was done, effective immediately.

The seismic shocks began with Florida quarterback Will Grier's one-year suspension by the NCAA for using performance-enhancing drugs. With Grier behind center, the Gators had vaulted into the top 10 and looked like title contenders once again after a 6-0 start.

A short time later, Southern Cal announced it had fired Sarkisian one day after ordering him to take a leave of absence. Sarkisian was hired a year ago to revive the Trojans. Instead, he showed up at practice Sunday in what athletic director Pat Haden determined was no condition to coach.

Spurrier capped off the day when the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback for the Gators, who had led his alma mater to SEC supremacy with six titles and a national title from 1990-2001, decided it was time to shut it down, a person close to the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the school has not announced Spurrier's decision.

Any one of the developments would have rocked the college football world, but here's a look at all three and what's next:

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STARTED AT FLORIDA:

Grier started things off in Gainesville when Florida announced their starting quarterback would miss the rest of this year and half of next after he violated the NCAA's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Grier apologized over and over, tearing up until first-year coach Jim McElwain came over to hug him. ''I did not check with the medical staff before taking it,'' Grier said. The school plans to appeal the suspension. For now, sophomore Treon Harris will make his first start since the season opener.

AT SOUTHERN CAL:

Sarkisian was the second bombshell to drop. He was on notice for an incident this summer when he showed up at a pep rally, appearing to be intoxicated while giving a speech. Sarkisian promised not to drink again during the season, but his unsteady appearance on Sunday led to Haden dismissing the coach he hired less than two years ago. The Trojans have put the program in the hands of offensive coordinator Clay Helton, who has been appointed interim coach.

AT SOUTH CAROLINA:

Spurrier was the nightcap. It was no secret he wasn't happy losing, but his midseason resignation was unexpected. Spurrier told fans on his call-in show just two weeks ago that he had much more in the tank and wasn't near leaving the Gamecocks. An 0-4 start in the SEC apparently changed his mind. Spurrier is expected to make the news official on Tuesday and leave struggling South Carolina in the hands of one of his assistants.

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Mississippi's Tunsil gets suspended
October 12, 2015

Mississippi starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil will miss the Rebels' game Saturday against Memphis in addition to the six games he has already sat out after the NCAA ruled he received several improper benefits.

Among the benefits the NCAA says Tunsil received were three loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment, a four-month interest-free promissory note on a $3,000 down payment when purchasing a used vehicle and an airline ticket.

Ole Miss also said the NCAA determined Tunsil ''was not completely forthcoming when initially questioned by NCAA investigators regarding the loaner vehicles. He later corrected his account and since apologized.''

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Tunsil - a junior who has started most of the past two seasons - will be eligible to return after his seven-game suspension on Oct. 24 against Texas A&M.

''I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made and want to thank everyone for their continued support,'' Tunsil said in a statement released by the university. ''I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and the entire Ole Miss family for how my choices affected our program. This was a learning experience, and I'm looking forward to being back on the field with my team and redeeming myself. ''

Ole Miss announced during the summer that it was working with the NCAA because of allegations that Tunsil had received improper benefits and had illegal contact with agents.

The 13th-ranked Rebels (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) have had to juggle their offensive line in Tunsil's absence, moving starting right tackle Fahn Cooper to left tackle and then inserting redshirt freshman Sean Rawlings into the starting lineup at right tackle.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said in a statement that ''We have been supportive of Laremy throughout this process, and we are thankful he can return to competition starting with the Texas A&M game.''

Along with the seven-game suspension, the NCAA also ordered Tunsil to pay the value of the extra benefits to charity, do community service and make the vehicle down payment.

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Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six of this weekend's more interesting college football games.........

-- UCLA @ Stanford (-6.5)-- Interesting Pac-12 game Thursday night.

-- Alabama (-5) @ Texas A&M-- Crimson Tide just keeps on winning.

-- Nebraska @ Minnesota (-1.5)-- Cornhuskers play lot of close games.

-- USC @ Notre Dame (-6)-- Hope coach Sarkisian gets the help he needs.

-- Michigan State @ Michigan (-7)-- Three straight shutouts for Wolverines.

-- Ole Miss (-10.5) @ Memphis-- Regional rivalry; Tigers haven't lost yet.

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Pac-12 South still has plenty of questions to answer
October 13, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) The Pac-12 North appears to be down to a two-team race. Stanford has yet to lose in conference and California is a game behind, though Washington may make a push before season's end.

The Pac-12 South has two teams in similar positions atop the standings, though that race just feels a lot more convoluted after a series of surprising outcomes and a new team atop the division.

To sort some of it out, here's a rundown of the teams in the South and where they stand:

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UTAH

Record: 5-0, 2-0.

Outlook: Picked to finish fifth in the division, the Utes have made a surprising run into national relevance. Utah beat Michigan in coach Jim Harbaugh's debut in its opener, a game that looks better each week as the No. 12 Wolverines climb up the polls, and made a huge impression by blowing out Oregon at home. The Utes are up to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and received 16 first-place votes, second to top-ranked Ohio State's 27. Utah has a huge game this weekend against Arizona State, the team directly behind it in the standings.

What's left: Arizona State, at USC, Oregon State, at Washington, at Arizona, UCLA, Colorado.

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ARIZONA STATE

Record: 4-2, 2-1.

Outlook: The Sun Devils appeared to be in the fail-to-live-up-to-expectations category after opening with a loss to Texas A&M, getting two mediocre victories, then being blown out at home by USC. The Sun Devils righted themselves with a road victory over then-No.7 UCLA and were dominant against Colorado last week. Arizona State is starting to play its best football of the season and looking more like the team coach Todd Graham said is the best he's had. A win over Utah this weekend would be a huge boost toward the Sun Devils' goal of winning the South.

What's left: At Utah, Oregon, at Washington State, Washington, Arizona, at California.

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UCLA

Record: 4-1, 1-1

Outlook: The Bruins looked like the team to beat in the South after knocking off a tough BYU team in its final nonconference game, then blowing out Arizona on the road to open Pac-12 play. The victory in the desert vaulted the Bruins to No. 7 in the AP Top 25, but they dropped after losing to Arizona State by 15 on Oct. 3. UCLA still is a dangerous, talented team, so don't be surprised if it makes a run at the division title.

What's left: At Stanford, California, Colorado, at Oregon State, Washington State at Utah, at USC.

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ARIZONA

Record: 4-2, 1-2.

Outlook: The Wildcats roared through their soft nonconference schedule before falling flat to open the Pac-12 season. Arizona was blown out at home by UCLA, then by Stanford on the road. Arizona got back to high-scoring ways in a rout over Oregon State, but may have the toughest road of any team in the South since it has to play 12 straight games without a bye week.

What's left: At Colorado, Washington State, at Washington, at USC, Utah, at Arizona State.

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Record: 3-2, 1-2.

Outlook: The Trojans appeared to be in trouble after losses to Stanford and Washington, and now the bottom could fall out with the firing of coach Steve Sarkisian. The troubled coach was fired Monday after being put on leave the day before when he showed up to school in no condition to lead practice. The Trojans could rally around interim coach Clay Helton, but it's a heavy load to carry when a coach is fired midseason.

What's left: At Notre Dame, Utah, at California, Arizona, at Colorado, at Oregon, UCLA.

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COLORADO

Record: 3-3, 0-2

Outlook: For all the progress the Buffaloes have made - their three wins already surpass last season's total - they still struggle in Pac-12 games. A 15-point loss to Arizona State was Colorado's 11th straight in conference and 13th straight on the road in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes could be turning a corner in their third season under coach Mike MacIntyre, but a Pac-12 South title won't be in the cards this season.

What's left: Arizona, at Oregon State, at UCLA, Stanford, USC, at Washington State, at Utah.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Arkansas State - 8:00 PM ET South Alabama +3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

South Alabama - Over 58.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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RECORD GOING INTO THURSDAY GAMES : ( 10/15/15)

CFB: 1 - 1 TUESDAY NIGHT

*****............................... 0 - 0
double play.........................1 - 0
triple play...........................0 - 1
blow out.............................0 - 0



COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD:

single play:.......................................25 - 25 - 1
double play:......................................39 - 37
triple play:........................................26 - 18
blow out:..........................................14 - 12
gow:.............................................. . ..1 - 0
gom:.............................................. . .0 - 0
goy............................................... .. ..0 - 0
upsets............................................ ....0 - 1
game of the day..................................1 - 1

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Big Ten Report - Week 7
October 13, 2015


Iowa (6-0) at Northwestern (5-1) - ESPN2/ABC, 12:00 p.m.
Current Line: Hawkeyes (-2)
Opening Line: Hawkeyes (Pick-em)

This was an interesting opening line and an even more intriguing initial line move. We thought NW would come out as a small favorite here despite their poor performance last week. The line was released at pick-em and the first move pushed it all the way to Iowa -3 which in our opinion is a ridiculous line. Let’s not forget just two weeks ago, Iowa was +7 at Wisconsin, a team we have rated just barely above Northwestern. It has come back some and we expect it to push closer to even by the end of the week. Iowa is banged up coming out of their 29-20 home win vs Illinois last week. Both starting offensive tackles are injured and not on the depth chart for this week’s game. On top of that, the Hawks #1 defensive lineman Drew Ott was injured last week and is out for the year. NW starting CB Harris will be out this week but that’s about it for the Cats.

Northwestern was dominated by Michigan last week but the score was still a bit deceiving as the Wolves returned the opening kick for a TD and had a pick-six. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has already stated this week that his team will (or at least should) have some extra motivation this week because of last week’s poor performance + Iowa beat them 48-7 last year + the Hawks are in 1st place in the Big Ten West. The Hawks ran the ball very well last week putting up 278 yards on the ground vs the Illini. They’ll need another good effort on the ground as QB Beathard has completed only 46% of his passes with just 2 TD’s in his first 2 Big Ten games. The host has won 5 straight in this series both SU & ATS.

Purdue (1-5) at Wisconsin (3-2) - BTN, 12:00 p.m.
Current Line: Badgers (-24)
Opening Line: Badgers (-20)

Another weird line move in our opinion. This line opened -20 and was pushed to -24 in favor of the Badgers. We expect that was set up to take the higher number later in the week and it will come down. Purdue was just +22 at Michigan State a few weeks ago (and almost won) and MSU, who is over rated by most, is still rated higher than Wisky on our board and everyone else’s. Minnesota, who is rated very close to Wisconsin in our ratings, was laying 3.5 points at Purdue last week so again we’re surprised by this current number. Wisconsin is off a huge, must win game at Nebraska kicking a FG at the horn to win 23-21. They have to have some type of a letdown playing a 1-5 Purdue team. The Boilers could have a better record as they’ve had a number of close calls that could have gone either way (Michigan State, Marshall, and Bowling Green). Last week’s 41-13 loss vs Minnesota was a bit deceiving. It was a 10-6 game in the 2nd half. The Gophs had a pick-six and while 400 total yards of offense was good for Minnesota, that normally doesn’t equate to 41 points.

Injury-wise, the Boilermakers are a bit banged up and LB and Wisconsin might be without starting center Voltz and starting RB Deal. Because if their injuries at RB and a green OL, the Badgers are only averaging 164 YPG rushing (66th nationally) after averaging 331 YPG on the ground last year (4th in the nation). Same with scoring as the Badgers average 26 PPG this season (68th nationally) after putting up 34 PPG last year (26th in the country). Defensively, Wisconsin has allowed only 4 offensive TD’s since their season opener with Alabama. This series has been dominated by Wisconsin covering 9 in a row. Since 1980, there has been only one time that a team in this series has been favored by more than this current number of -24.

Nebraska (2-4) at Minnesota (4-2) - ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.
Current Line: Gophers (-2)
Opening Line: (Pick-em)

Poor Nebraska. Last week’s 23-21 loss at home to Wisconsin was basically the 4th time this year they’ve lost on the last play of the game – give or take a few seconds on a few of those losses. They have to be taxed mentally after that stretch. Now there are some rumblings that a few seniors on the team are still very loyal to former coach Bo Pelini and that might be causing some problems. A few of those players have been tweeting out “pro” Pelini stuff over the last few weeks which can be a distraction. The good this is, Nebraska has been very competitive. Their 4 last second losses have come against very good competition for the most part (Wisconsin, BYU, Miami FL, and Illinois). Despite their 2-4 record they are +6 YPG and +0.2 YPP on the season. It will be very interesting to see how they respond this weekend at Minnesota. The Gophs looked as though their offense finally “broke out” last weekend at Purdue scoring 41 points. However, they did so on “just” 400 yards which is a nice output but doesn’t normally lead to that many points on the scoreboard. The Gophs passing game is very sketchy. They put up 41 points last week despite throwing for only 82 yards. Teams have been able to exploit Nebraska’s pass defense which ranks 127th (out of 128) nationally but we’re not sure Minnesota can take advantage of that.

Before last week’s big win at Purdue, the Gophers previous 3 wins came by a combined 9 points over Ohio, Kent, and Colorado State. Injury-wise Minnesota hopes to get 2 senior DB starters back on the field (Travis & Boddy-Calhoun) after missing time. Nebraska got a little healthier on the DL where they were really hurting as Valentine returned. After getting destroyed in the first 2 games of this Big Ten series losing 41-14 in 2011 & 38-14 in 2012, Minnesota has bounced back and won each of the last 2 years. Last year the Gophs won 28-24 in Lincoln and in 2013 they won 34-23 here in Minneapolis. This game really depends on how Nebraska reacts to their tough losses this year. We know Minnesota will show up but will Nebraska? We’ll see.

Michigan State (6-0) at Michigan (5-1) - ESPN, 3:30 p.m.
Current Line: Wolverines (-8)
Opening Line: Wolverines (-6)

This advanced line was available just a few weeks ago at pick-em. Now Michigan is -8 as of Wednesday A.M. That is a massive difference in the span of just a few weeks. Is it warranted? Possibly. MSU continues to be vastly over rated in our eyes. While they are 6-0 SU they are one of just two teams in the nation along with UCF that are 0-6 ATS. Sparty has played two of the Big Ten’s worst thus far and neither were great outings as they topped Purdue by a field goal and beat Rutgers last week by a TD. MSU is just +25 YPG despite their 6-0 record. Compare that to Michigan who is +210 YPG on the season and you can see why this line has been adjusted to where it is. The Spartans defense was talked about as being great entering the season yet they stand at “just” 47th nationally allowing 347 YPG.

Meanwhile, Michigan has pitched 3 consecutive shutouts and they rank #1 in the nation allowing only 181 YPG. Michigan’s defense has allowed only 4 offensive TD’s in 6 games this year. We know Harbaugh has really stressed winning this match up. This game and obviously Ohio State where the two games he really put a huge emphasis one prior to and during this season. MSU has rolled recently in this series winning 6 of the last 7 meetings (MSU has won 7 straight ATS) with Michigan’s only win during that stretch coming at home in 2012 by just 2 points. Last year, Michigan had just 186 total yards (MSU had 446 yards) in their 35-11 loss in East Lansing.

Rutgers (2-3) at Indiana (4-2) - BTN, 3:30 p.m.
Current Line: (N/A)
Opening Line: (N/A)

Still no line on this game as of early Wednesday. Indiana has two very important offensive players questionable here as starting QB Sudfeld and RB Howard both sat out last week’s loss at Penn State. Not only that back up QB Diamont has a shoulder issue and might not play. If the two top QB’s aren’t ready by Saturday, the Hoosiers will look to freshman Danny Cameron under center. Cameron picked up his first action of the season last week going 6 of 16 for 65 yards and an interception vs PSU. IU’s defense continues to be shredded on a weekly basis. They allowed a poor PSU offense to rack up 420 yards (100 yards over their average) and 29 points last week. It was the Nits 2nd highest scoring output of the season. With key players out, the Hoosiers were bad on offense scoring just 7 points on a paltry 3.5 YPP. The IU offense has been held to single digits twice since the start of last year, both vs Penn State.

Rutgers gave MSU a tough battle before falling at home 31-24 last week. Sparty scored a TD with just 43 seconds left to get the win. Two key Rutgers components returned last week – one was head coach Kyle Flood who was back for suspension and the other was WR Carroo who was reinstated to the team when assault charges against him were dropped last week. Carroo had an immediate impact with 134 yards receiving and 3 TD’s. While IU has a winning record and Rutgers a losing, the stats tell us differently. Through 6 games Indiana is actually -34 YPG and -1.0 YPP. Rutgers is +8 YPG and dead even on a YPP basis. This is obviously a game to stay away from for now with too many unknowns on the injury front.

Penn State (5-1) at Ohio State (6-0) - ABC, 8:00 p.m.
Current Line: Buckeyes (-17)
Opening Line: Buckeyes (-17.5)

The Buckeyes continue to underachieve having not covered a game since their opener vs Virginia Tech. They are -55 points overall this year when it comes to their spread numbers. Yet they have still outgained every opponent by at least 113 yards this year. They have outgained their 6 opponents by just under 1,000 yards so it’s not as if they are playing terrible. Just not up to expectations. They really should have destroyed a poor Maryland team that was reeling coming in getting outscored 73-6 in their previous 2 games. Not only that, their head coach Randy Edsall was rumored to be on the chopping block coming in and has since been fired. Even with that Maryland had the game tied at 21 midway through the third quarter before falling 49-28. Urban Meyer took a different approach with his QB’s last week and we look for him to stick to it for now. Cardale Jones remained the starter but because he has struggled at times getting his team in the endzone, Meyer decided to bring in back up JT Barrett every time the Bucks reached the redzone. It worked as OSU scored TD’s all 6 times they got inside the 20 yard line.

Penn State leaves Happy Valley for the first time since September 5th. It’s the first time the Nits have had to leave the state of Pennsylvania this season. They are 5-1 but all 5 wins have come at home and against the likes of Buffalo, Rutgers, San Diego State, Army, and Indiana (without their starting QB or RB). We’ll find a lot out about PSU this week and if their 5-1 mark is at least “semi” legit. PSU was a 14-point dog at home in this meeting a year ago and gave OSU a run losing by a TD in overtime. Being an underdog of this magnitude (+17 or higher) is very rare for Penn State as it’s happened only 4 times since 1980. Ohio State has won 5 of the last 6 in series with all wins coming by at least a TD.

[StarDust Bum]

Tech Trends - Week 7
October 13, 2015

THURSDAY, OCT. 15
Matchup Skinny Tech Edge

AUBURN at KENTUCKY
Malzahn one of all-time streakiest spread coaches, now no covers last 10 or 14 of last 16 since mid 2014. One cover last 8 away and that one was the Ole Miss miracle LY. Stoops 1-2 as home chalk TY after 5-1 mark in role previous two years.
Kentucky, based on recent Auburn woes.

WESTERN KENTUCKY at NORTH TEXAS
UNT 0-5 SU and vs. line TY, 2-11 last 13 on board. Tops 7-1-1 vs. spread last nine in regular season.
WKU, based on team trends.

UCLA at STANFORD
Series has been Tree-oriented lately, as Stanford has won seven straight meetings, covering six. Mora 5-2 as visiting dog since arriving at UCLA, both losses at Stanford (plus a cover in 2012 Pac-12 title game). Stanford on 7-1 spread uptick since late 2014.
Stanford, based on series trends

FRIDAY, OCT. 16
Matchup Skinny Tech Edge

CINCINNATI at BYU
Cougs 2-6 as home chalk since LY (hard-to-believe cover vs. UConn included). Cincy 9-2 vs. spread last 11 as visitor.
Tuberville, based on team trends.

HOUSTON at TULANE
Cougs have covered 12 straight as visitor! Wave 0-5 as home dog since LY.
Houston, based on team trends.

BOISE STATE at UTAH STATE
Boise handy wins last two vs. USU. Matt Wells 4-7 as dog with Utags. Broncs have covered last four TY, 29-12 last 41 as visiting chalk since mid 2007.
Boise, based on team and series trends.

UNLV at FRESNO STATE
Rebs 2-0 vs. points away, now covered five straight as visitor and 10-3 last 13 vs. line as visitor. Fresno 1-6 last seven on board, 12-21-1 last 34 on board.
UNLV, based on team trends.


SATURDAY, OCT. 17

Matchup Skinny Tech Edge

EASTERN MICHIGAN at TOLEDO
Toledo 7-0-1 vs. line last eight since last 2014. Rockets have covered 7 of last 8 vs. EMU and have scored 50 or more in last four. Though Eagles have covered three straight on road.
Toledo, based on team trends.

UCF at TEMPLE
UCF 0-7 SU and vs. line since late TY. Temple on 8-2 spread run since last 2014.
Temple, based on recent trends.

BUFFALO at CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CMU sparkling 6-0-1 vs. line last seven since late 2014, though Leipold 4-1 vs. line for UB and 2-0 away. Chips 1-3-1 last five as Mt. Pleasant chalk.
Slight to Buffalo, based on team trends.

MARSHALL at FAU
FAU no covers last five at Boca Raton, though Partridge 6-3 as dog, and Owls 20-7 last 27 as dog. Also covers last two years vs. Herd. Doc Holliday 6-11-1 as visiting chalk since 2010.
FAU, based on team and series trends.

SOUTH FLORIDA at UCONN
Huskies 2-8 vs. line last 10 at home. If chalk note 0-10 mark in role since early 2012. Taggart 4-1 vs. line TY, 7-3 as road dog since 2013, 14-3 in role at WKU and USF since 2011. Bulls have won SU last three in series, and last five "under" in series.
USF and "under," based on team and series trends.

NEW MEXICO STATE at GEORGIA SOUTHERN
NMSU 1-7 vs. line last eight as road dog. GSU has covered four straight since opening loss at WVU, now 5-2 vs. line at Statesboro since LY.
GSU, based on team trends.

FIU at MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Ron Turner 12-6 vs. line since LY, 5-3 as road dog.
FIU, based on team trends.

GEORGIA STATE at BALL STATE
GS on 7-3 spread run last ten as road dog. Lembo no covers last five as home chalk, 2-9 vs. spread last 11 at Muncie.
G-State, based on team trends.

BOSTON COLLEGE at CLEMSON
Addazio 6-3 last nine as dog. Eagles 4-0 as visiting dog since LY. Dabo 1-5 last six as ACC chalk.
BC, based on team trends.

SYRACUSE at VIRGINIA
London was 2-8-1 as home chalk 2011-13 before 3-1 mark in role LY, but 0-1 in role TY.
Slight to Cuse, based on team trends.

PURDUE at WISCONSIN
Badgers have won and covered 9 straight vs. Purdue since 2004 (teams didn't meet in 2007-08). Paul Chryst just 13-18 last 31 on board at Pitt & Wiscy. Boilers 5-1 last six as DD dog.
Slight to Wisconsin, based on series trends.

IOWA at NORTHWESTERN
Iowa has won and covered last two and 3 of last 4 vs. Cats. Ferentz 10-2 vs. spread as visitor since 2013 and if favored note has covered last six as road chalk. NU 6-12 last 18 vs. spread at Evanston.
Iowa, based on team trends.

WAKE FOREST at NORTH CAROLINA
Fedora only 2-7 last nine as DD chalk. Heels have won last four SU (3-1 vs. line) in 2015.
Wake, based on team trends.

TEXAS TECH at KANSAS
KU 1-6 vs. line last since last LY. Texas Tech has covered last three visits to Lawrence. Red Raiders 8-1 as visiting chalk since 2011.
Texas Tech, based on team trends.

NEVADA at WYOMING
Wyo no covers last seven at Laramie for Bohl. Pack 7-1 vs. spread last eight as visitor.
Nevada, based on team trends.

LA TECH at MISSISSIPPI STATE
Skip Holtz 6-1 as road dog since LY, also 7-1 last 8 vs. line against non-CUSA. Dan Mullen 15-7-1 last 23 vs. line since late 2013, but just 4-5-1 last ten laying DD.
La Tech, based on Skip trends.

KENT STATE at UMASS
Kent State surprising 10-2 last 11 vs. line as MAC visitor (6-1 for Paul Haynes since 2013). But Mass 6-1 vs. spread last seven as host and won big at Kent State last year.
Slight to Mass, based on team trends.

WESTERN MICHIGAN at OHIO
Solich 5-1 vs. line TY. Also covered 5 of last 6 at Peden Stadium. But WMU 14-4 vs. spread last 18 on board, and 9-4 since 2013 as road dog.
Slight to WMU, based on team trends.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS at MIAMI-OHIO
NIU 12-3 vs. spread last 15 as visitor. Also 8-3 last 11 as visiting chalk (though 0-1 in role TY).
NIU, based on team trends.

AIR FORCE at COLORADO STATE
AFA 8-1 SU last nine in series. Though Rams 10-5 vs. spread last 15 at Fort Collins and Force 3-8 last 11 vs. spread as visitor (1-1 TY).
Air Force, based on series trends.

ALABAMA at TEXAS A&M
Nick 2-0 vs. line away and 0-4 vs. spread at home thus far in 2015. Tide had been just 2-7 vs. line last nine as visitor entering this season. Ags only 5-6 as dog for Sumlin and were rolled 59-0 by Tide LY. Sumlin 2-1 vs. line at home TY but just 4-8 vs. number last 12 as host.
Slight to Bama, based on team trends.

FLORIDA at LSU
Les Miles 4-1 SU and vs. line last five vs. crossover SEC foe Gators. But Jim McElwain 5-1 vs. line TY, 26-9 his last 35 vs. spread with CSU & Gators.
Florida, based on team trends.

NEBRASKA at MINNESOTA
Mike Riley 2-4 vs. line TY, 4-14 since LY including OSU. Though Huskers 7-2 vs. spread last nine as visitor. If dog note Gophers 11-5 last 16 in role.
Slight to Minnesota, based on team trends.

MISSOURI at GEORGIA
Pinkel 1-5 vs. line in 2015. Mizzou was 5-0 as road dog past two years before losing at Ky. Road team has won and covered all three meetings since 2012. Richt 4-8 last 12 as DD chalk.
Slight to Mizzou, based on team trends.

OKLAHOMA at KANSAS STATE
Bill Snyder 25-12 as dog since returning to K-State in 2009. Cats 6-1 last seven as home dog. Stoops 8-5 last 13 as visiting chalk.
KSU, based on Bill Snyder dog trends.

PITTSBURGH at GEORGIA TECH
GT has dropped last four SU and vs. spread. Paul Johnson has won and covered last two years vs. Pitt, however. Narduzzi has covered three straight on road.
Pitt, based on recent trends.

VIRGINIA TECH at MIAMI-FLORIDA
Beamer 4-1 as visiting dog past two years. Al Golden only 11-12 last 12 as chalk, 13-18 last 31 overall vs. line.
Slight to VT, based on team trends.

MICHIGAN STATE at MICHIGAN
Dantonio 0-6 vs. line TY. Though MSU is 6-1 SU and 7-0 vs. line last seven in series, and 10-1 last 11 as dog. Harbaugh has covered last three this season.
Slight to MSU, based on extended trends.

WEST VIRGINIA at BAYLOR
Revenge for Art Briles after losing at WVU LY. Briles 4-2 vs. line last six in revenge. Baylor 12-3 as Waco chalk since 2013. Also 16-7-1 laying DD since 2013.
Baylor, based on team trends.

RUTGERS at INDIANA
Hoosiers 8-3 last 11 vs. line, also 5-1 last six vs. points as host. Rutgers 11-6 as road dog since 2011.
Slight to IU, based on recent trends.

IDAHO at TROY
Vandals 7-1 as road dog since last season, four straight covers on Sun Belt road.
Idaho, based on team trends.

TULSA at EAST CAROLINA
Tulsa has covered first two on road. ECU 4-8 as chalk since last season (3-4 at home).
Tulsa, based on team trends.

UTSA at SOUTHERN MISS
USM now 5-1 vs. line after loss at Marshall. Golden Eagles 3-0 vs. line at home this season. Coker has covered last three in 2015.
Slight to USM, based on team trends.

APP STATE at ULM
ULM just 1-3-1 last five as home dog. App 8-3 last 11 on board.
Slight to App State, based on team trends.

CHARLOTTE at OLD DOMINION
ODU 0-5 vs. line TY, now 2-11 last 13 on board, 1-8 vs. spread at Norfolk since LY.
Slight to Charlotte, based on ODU woes.

VANDERBILT at SOUTH CAROLINA
Vandy 9-4-1 vs. spread last 14 on board, 7-1 vs. spread last 8 as visitor (all as dog). Dores have covered last three vs. Gamecocks. SC 2-6 last 8 as home chalk.
Vandy, based on team trends.

OREGON STATE at WASHINGTON STATE
Road team has covered in all five WSU games to date. Cougs 1-4 last five as home chalk. But Beavs 3-14 last 17 on board since 2014.
Slight to WSU, based on recent OSU woes.

ARIZONA STATE at UTAH
Utes just 1-5 vs. line last six as Pac-12 host. Utes 0-4 SU vs. ASU since entering Pac-12 but have covered last two in very close losses.
ASU, based on series trends.

ARIZONA at COLORADO
Cats have won last 3 vs. CU, 2-1 vs. line, closest margin 18. Buffs 8-3 vs. line last 11 at Boulder.
Slight to UA, based on series trends.

AKRON at BOWLING GREEN
BG won and covered past three years vs. Zips. Though BG only 2-4 as Doyt-Perry chalk since LY.
BG, based on series trends.

TCU at IOWA STATE
Frogs just 1-5 vs. line last six as visitor and Cyclones have won and covered first two at home TY.
ISU, based on team trends.

LOUISVILLE at FLORIDA STATE
Jimbo on 5-15 spread skid. Also just 2-8 last ten as home chalk. Petrino has covered last seven in reg season away from Papa John's.
Louisville, based on team trends.

USC at NOTRE DAME
Trojans 2-5 vs. line last seven away from Coliseum. ND has won and covered 3 of last 5 in series after losing 8 in a row SU to Trojans. Irish 4-0 vs. line at home TY.
ND, based on recent trends.

OLE MISS at MEMPHIS
Tigers 3-0-1 last four as dog for Fuente. Memphis also 9-0-2 vs. spread last 11 vs. non-conference foes! Hugh Freeze just 2-5 last seven as road chalk.
Memphis, based on team trends.

PENN STATE at OHIO STATE
Nittany Lions 0-5 vs. spread as visitor for James Franklin. Bucks however no covers last five this season and no covers last six at big horseshoe.
Slight to PSU, based on recent trends.

HAWAII at NEW MEXICO
Norm Chow scoreless in three on road TY and Hawaii 5-12 vs. line last 17 on board. Bob Davie 8-4-1 last 13 as chalk.
New Mexico, based on team trends.

SAN DIEGO STATE at SAN JOSE STATE
Rocky Long 2-0 SU and vs. line against Caragher. Aztecs 9-3 vs. spread last 11 on MW road; SJSU 6-1 last seven as chalk.
Slight to SDSU, based on team trends.

OREGON at WASHINGTON
No Huskies series wins since 2003, eleven straight losses since, also 0-11 vs. line against Ducks that span! Though Petersen is rallying the troops and has covered 7 of last 8 reg season games dating to late 2014.
Slight to Oregon, based on series trends.

[StarDust Bum]

SBPI Rankings - Week 7
October 13, 2015


Here is the second College Football SportsBoss Power Index (SBPI) installment of the 2015 season.

Quarterly Rankings

Without further ado here are the Top 25 rankings through action on Saturday October 10.

The columns OFF/DEF/TOTAL represent where each team statistically ranks across 128 teams in the FBS; we also include the AP Poll, USA Today Poll, ESPN’s FPI & Sagarin’s rankings which can all be used as a solid comparison tool followed by each team’s SOS adjusted RATING and RANK:

TOP 25 RATINGS

Category Raw Unit Ratings Rankings Adjusted Numbers

Team Off Def Total AP USAT FPI SAG Rating Rank

Clemson 24 9 3 5 6 10 5 272.2 1

Alabama 43 5 7 10 9 3 1 267.6 2

Stanford 5 35 7 15 16 14 7 264.3 3

Florida 49 7 12 8 11 13 9 254.7 4

Iowa 22 17 4 17 17 41 26 252.2 5

West Virginia 19 19 5 - 38 22 27 249.0 6

Boise State 24 3 2 21 20 17 11 247.9 7

Notre Dame 7 41 14 14 13 8 12 247.0 8

TCU 2 46 6 3 3 2 4 246.4 9

Michigan 84 1 20 12 14 15 3 237.9 10

Georgia 29 26 16 30 28 12 19 232.7 11

California 16 40 22 23 23 25 23 232.6 12

Arkansas 16 79 41 - - 24 38 231.0 13

Florida State 15 26 10 11 8 19 17 230.7 14

Pittsburgh 82 4 24 - - 47 41 229.9 15

USC 20 48 30 33 35 5 6 229.1 16

Texas A&M 10 52 26 9 10 6 13 227.7 17

Georgia Tech 35 51 37 - - 23 32 227.2 18

Utah 20 65 35 4 7 20 8 226.8 19

Wisconsin 57 7 14 - 31 30 22 225.0 20

LSU 39 29 24 6 5 7 16 224.6 21

Oklahoma State 49 25 27 16 15 21 18 220.1 22

Virginia Tech 57 33 35 - - 32 44 211.6 23

Tennessee 32 72 49 - 42 16 24 211.1 24

Ohio State 53 21 22 1 1 9 14 209.2 25

Breakdown of Top 25 by conference:


AAC: 0

ACC: 5

B10: 4

B12: 3

CUSA: 0

IND: 1

MAC: 0

MWC: 1

P12: 4

SEC: 7

SUN: 0

Here are additional teams of note that did not make the Breakdown of SBPI Top 25 but were ranked inside the Top 25 of at least one of the other four sources I use for comparative purposes:

#26 Duke (#25 AP, #24 USAT)

#28 Washington (#20 SAG)

#29 Ole Miss (#13 AP, #12 USAT, #4 FPI, #10 SAG)

#30 UCLA (#18 AP, #18 USAT, #18 FPI, #21 SAG)

#31 Northwestern (#20 AP, #21 USAT)

#33 Oklahoma (#19 AP, #19 USAT, #11 FPI, #15 SAG)

#35 Michigan State (#7 AP, #4 USAT)

#36 Baylor (#2 AP, #2 USAT, #1 FPI, #2 SAG)

#40 Houston (#24 AP)

#46 Memphis (#22 USAT)

#51 Kansas State (#25 SAG)

#56 Toledo (#22 AP, #25 USAT)

Let’s take a look at the relationship between SBPI & record in matrix form (there is a 71% correlation between SBPI ranking & wins):

TOP 25 RATINGS

Record Top 25 Top 36 Top 50

6-0 5 6 6

5-0 5 6 9

5-1 5 8 9

4-1 2 5 5

4-2 2 4 6

3-2 2 3 5

3-3 2 2 3

2-3 - - 3

2-4 2 2 4

So of the Top 25 SBPI teams 10 are undefeated, 15 have at worst one loss & just 2 are under .500 (Arkansas & Georgia Tech); those two teams have played the 2nd & 7th toughest schedules in the country, respectively, which boosts their rating – if we remove SOS & simply judge strength on performance Arkansas is 41st & Georgia Tech is 37th (3rd numerical column in first matrix).

Of the SBPI Top 50 almost half (24) of the group has a record of 6-0, 5-0 or 5-1 while 29 of the 50 have 0 or 1 losses.

The SBPI, and looking at it in this sort of breakdown, can add value by seeing which teams have suffered perhaps from “bad luck” so far (playing better football than their record indicates), or teams that may have been “lucky” this year (rating lower on the SBPI scale than their record suggests).

Here are the five lowest rated SBPI teams that have a winning record:

#110 South Alabama 3-2

#97 Marshall 5-1

#96 Tulsa 3-2

#95 Washington State 3-2

#91 Georgia Southern 4-1

Strength of each conference taking average RATING of ALL TEAMS:

SEC: 81.46

ACC: 80.16

IND: 80.09

P12: 79.68

B10: 78.22

B12: 77.32

AAC: 72.74

MWC: 71.42

MAC: 71.37

CUSA: 67.68

SUN: 64.39

[StarDust Bum]

Kelly tells No. 14 Irish not to expect USC to be in disarray
October 13, 2015

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told his players not to expect a team in disarray when the 14th-ranked Fighting Irish face rival Southern California playing under interim coach Clay Helton on Saturday.

''Teams come together under those circumstances and they're going to play their very best,'' Kelly said Tuesday. ''It's a rivalry game for them as well. It's a chance for them to respond. You look at the way Texas responded this past weekend with a lot of media scrutiny. I expect USC to respond the same way.''

The firing of coach Steve Sarkisian on Monday means the Trojans enter the game with their fourth coach in four seasons. Lane Kiffin was coach in 2012 when the top-ranked Irish won 22-13. Notre Dame beat USC and interim-coach Ed Orgeron 14-10 in the second game after Kiffin was fired in 2013. Sarkisian guided the Trojans to a 49-14 victory last season.

A week ago, both teams were ranked and the game looked as though it would be a resume-building victory for the winner trying to make a case for a College Football Playoffs berth.

USC's 17-12 loss to Washington on Thursday in a game where the Trojans were favored by more than two touchdowns ended that. It will now be the ninth straight year the game won't pit two ranked teams.

That's quite a change from when the rivalry's heyday in the `60s and `70s when the winner won six AP national titles, with Notre Dame winning in 1966, '73 and '74. The Trojans won in 1962, '67 and `72. USC won two more titles in voting by the coaches in 1974 and 1978.

Still, Kelly believes a win over the unranked Trojans (3-2) would provide a boost for the Irish (5-1).

''I still think when you talk about beating USC it still carries a lot of weight because people know the talent they have on that football team,'' he said.

The Trojans embarrassed the Irish last season when Cody Kessler threw for six touchdown passes in a 49-14 victory. Kelly last year called the loss a red letter day for Notre Dame, saying ''We got our butts beat and it wasn't as close as the score.''

Kelly said Tuesday it's not something he will bring up this week because the Irish players know ''that standard of play is not acceptable.''

Kelly, who has never faced a ranked USC team as Notre Dame coach, said the game is just as important as always for those involved.

''There's a special feeling playing USC. I know that that still resonates with our players and coaches,'' he said. ''Look, whether it's a rivalry that goes back with implications to the national championship or not, for us in the short term, we got beat up pretty good against them last year. For our football team, we certainly want to show ourselves a lot better than we did last year.''

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Dantonio, Spartans must now deal with resurgent Michigan
October 13, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) From the moment Jim Harbaugh took over as Michigan's coach in December, this scenario was coming: At some point, the Wolverines would become a major threat to Michigan State's recent dominance of their in-state rivalry.

It just wasn't supposed to happen this quickly.

''I think every football team that goes out there, I don't care where they're at, they expect to win,'' Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. ''The expectations are high at Michigan State, the expectations are high down the road.''

With Michigan beginning to meet expectations again, the pressure is actually on Dantonio and the Spartans. This was supposed to be Michigan State's year - a chance for this perpetually overlooked program to make a run at a national title while Harbaugh began the difficult challenge of restoring Michigan to its place among Big Ten title contenders.

Except the Wolverines have accelerated that process to the tune of three consecutive shutouts, and 12th-ranked Michigan is actually favored by about a touchdown at home against the seventh-ranked Spartans on Saturday.

So the national title talk in East Lansing can wait. This week is about something far more visceral - trying to hold off a resurgent Michigan team that already looks like a potential powerhouse after only half a season under Harbaugh.

''It's kind of crazy in this state,'' Michigan State linebacker Riley Bullough said. ''You literally identify yourself as part of the blue and maize or the green and white. That's your identity, that's your everything.''

It's hard to overstate how much it's meant to the Spartans to have finally taken control of a rivalry that Michigan used to dominate. Michigan State has gleefully won six of the last seven meetings, and Dantonio has built the Spartans into one of the top teams in the country. The Wolverines? They were floundering under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke.

As expected, Harbaugh's arrival has boosted Michigan, and the obvious question now is whether these two teams will continue trading periods of dominance or if they can both field consistently excellent teams at the same time.

''What are you asking? Can we coexist?'' Dantonio said when this topic came up Tuesday. ''I think both teams can have good football teams, if that's what you're asking. It's been done before, and both teams have gone to big bowls in the past, at the same time, and things of that nature.''

Both programs have reasons to be optimistic about the future, but it would be difficult for the Spartans (6-0) to accept losing to Michigan this year, given everything that's at stake and how overmatched the Wolverines were just a season ago. Michigan State beat Michigan 35-11 last year, and in 2013, the Spartans won while holding the Wolverines to minus-48 yards rushing.

Now it's Michigan (5-1) that has been so impressive of late that its season-opening loss to Utah is easy to forget. The Wolverines have held their last three opponents - Northwestern, Maryland and BYU- scoreless.

''For them to pitch three straight shutouts, that's hard to do in college football, doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter who you are playing,'' Spartans quarterback Connor Cook said. ''We're looking forward to going into there and playing against a defense like that, because you want to play against the best.''

Motivation is never a problem for Michigan State in this game. Whether it was a dismissive comment by Michigan running back Mike Hart in 2007 or the Wolverines planting a tent stake in the field before last year's matchup, the Spartans are always quick to seize on any perceived slight from their longtime rivals.

''Really doesn't take much to have a chip on our shoulder,'' Cook said. ''Doesn't matter if we're the favorite, if we're the underdog, if we're favored by three touchdowns or we're underestimated by three touchdowns.''

Now the Spartans actually are listed as the underdogs, during a season in which they were expected to keep the Wolverines at arm's length. Michigan State has been beset by injuries on both sides of the ball, and the Spartans have struggled to beat Big Ten afterthoughts like Purdue and Rutgers.

Another win over Michigan would make a lot of those concerns go away. Dantonio needs one victory to reach 100 in his head coaching career at Cincinnati and Michigan State, but right now that milestone is one of the last things on his mind.

''Getting one means something this week,'' he said. ''That's all.''