The Bum's College Football Week # 8 Rated Plays, Trends, News Etc. !!

[StarDust Bum]

RECORD GOING INTO TUESDAY GAMES : ( 10/20/15)


CFB: 13 - 18 SATURDAY DAY/NIGHT


*****............................... 3 - 0
double play.........................2 - 6
triple play...........................6 - 5
blow out.............................1 - 2
gom....................................0 - 1
god.....................................0 - 1
gow....................................1 - 1
goy.....................................0 - 1
upset..................................0 - 1


COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD:


single play:.......................................29 - 25 - 1
double play:......................................42 - 48
triple play:........................................33 - 26
blow out:..........................................16 - 15
gow:.............................................. . ..2 - 1
gom:.............................................. . .0 - 1
goy............................................... .. ..0 - 1
upsets............................................ ....0 - 3
game of the day..................................1 - 2

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

UL Lafayette - 8:00 PM ET Arkansas State -6.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Arkansas State - Under 57.5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

RECORD GOING INTO THURSDAY GAMES : ( 10/22/15)


CFB: 1 - 1 TUESDAY NIGHT


*****............................... 0 - 1
double play.........................0 - 0
triple play...........................1 - 0
blow out.............................0 - 0
gom....................................0 - 0
god.....................................0 - 0
gow....................................0 - 0
goy.....................................0 - 0
upset..................................0 - 0


COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD:


single play:.......................................29 - 26 - 1
double play:......................................42 - 48
triple play:........................................34 - 26
blow out:..........................................16 - 15
gow:.............................................. . ..2 - 1
gom:.............................................. . .0 - 1
goy............................................... .. ..0 - 1
upsets............................................ ....0 - 3
game of the day..................................1 - 2

[StarDust Bum]

Tech Trends - Week 8

THURSDAY, OCT. 22

Matchup Skinny Edge

GEORGIA SOUTHERN at APP STATE
GS 10-6 vs. line since last season and did beat App 34-14 LY. Mounties only 3-5 vs. line at Boone since LY (1-1 TY).
Slight to GS, based on team trends.

TEMPLE at EAST CAROLINA
Temple on 8-3 spread run since late LY. Owls 14-5 vs. spread last 19 on road. Pirates 2-0 as dog in 2015.
Temple, based on team trends.

CAL at UCLA
Bruins have lost two straight, 0-2-1 vs. line at Rose Bowl TY, 2-7-1 last 10 vs. number at Pasadena. Sonny Dykes 7-2 as dog since LY.
Cal, based on team trends.


FRIDAY, OCT. 23

Matchup Skinny Edge

MEMPHIS at TULSA
Tigers 6-2-2 vs. line last 10 away from Liberty Bowl.
Slight to Memphis, based on team trends.

UTAH STATE at SAN DIEGO STATE
First time these two have met in a long while. Rocky Long 2-0-1 last three as home dog, and has covered four straight and five of last six at Qualcomm vs. MW foes. Utags 7-1 as road chalk for Matt Wells since 2013.
Slight to SDSU, based on team trends.

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, OCT. 24

Matchup Skinny Edge

EASTERN MICHIGAN at NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Creighton 7-11-1 vs. line since arriving at EMU LY. NIU has covered 5 of last 6 TY though only 5-8 vs. line at DeKalb since 2013, 8-8 as DD chalk that span.
Slight to NIU, based on team trends.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN at BALL STATE
CMU 6-0-1 vs. line TY and is 12-3-1 last 16 on board. Lembo, however, is 4-0 SU vs. CMU and Ball has won last 5 SU vs. Chips. Lembo 3-5 as Muncie dog since arriving in 2011.
CMU, based on recent trends.

TOLEDO at UMASS (at Foxborough)
Rockets are 5-0-1 vs. line TY, 8-0-2 last ten on board. Mass 6-2 vs. line as host (Gillette, where this one is played, and McGuirk since LY.
Slight to Toledo, based on team trends.

OHIO at BUFFALO
Solich 5-2 vs. line TY, though only 1-1 as road chalk. Solich 2-1 vs. line away TY after 4-12-1 spread mark as visitor previous three years. Bulls 9-6 vs. spread last 15 at UB Stadium.
Slight to Ohio, based on recent trends.

PITT at SYRACUSE
Narduzzi 4-1 vs. line last five TY as the road team has covered all six Pitt games to date (Panthers 4-0 vs. line away). Pitt has covered last six in series.
Pitt, based on team trends.

INDIANA at MICHIGAN STATE
MSU 1-6 vs. line TY. Last IU SU win in series 2006, five straight Spartans SU wins since. Dantonio 8-16 last 24 as East Lansing chalk. Hoosiers just 5-10 last 15 as road dog.
Slight to IU, based on recent MSU spread woes.

CLEMSON at MIAMI-FLA
Dabo 6-1-1 vs. line last eight on board. But he is 0-4 as visiting chalk since LY. Al Golden was 1-6 as dog past two years before recent cover vs. FSU.
Slight to Clemson, based on team trends.

NC STATE at WAKE FOREST
After seven straight covers dating to late 2014, NCS has lost and failed to cover last two. Home team has won and covered last eight in series. Pack has covered last three as road chalk after dropping previous seven in role. Deacs 7-3-1 last 11 as home dog.
Slight to Wake, based on team and series home trends.

MISSOURI at VANDERBILT
Dores 9-5-1 last 15 on board. Derek Mason 7-3 last ten as dog. Pinkel 0-1 as road chalk TY but was 5-0 in role previous two seasons.
Vandy, based on team trends.

MIAMI-OHIO at WESTERN MICHIGAN
After 5-1 as road dog LY, Miami 1-3 in role thus far in 2015. Which makes RedHawks 8-15-1 vs. line in role since 2012. WMU 14-5 vs. line since 2014, 4-0 laying DD.
WMU, based on team trends.

TULANE at NAVY
Mids have now covered last five at Annapolis. Also 4-0 as chalk TY. Wave 6-12 last 18 on board.
Navy, based on team trends.

WYOMING at BOISE STATE
Bohl surprising 3-0 vs. line away TY as Cowboys have covered four of last five. Also 5-1 last six as road dog. Boise has won last five years vs. Wyo by 22 or more, 4-1 vs. line in those games.
Wyo, based on team trends.

FRESNO STATE at AIR FORCE
DeRuyter 2-5 vs. line TY, 2-6 last eight, 13-21-1 last 35 on board. FSU 0-3 as DD dog TY, 2-6 last 8 in role. Force 6-2 last 8 vs. line at home.
Air Force, based on team trends.

NORTH TEXAS at MARSHALL
UNT broke 6-game spread skid with backdoor cover vs. WKU. Mean Green 0-9 as road dog since LY (0-3 TY)! Herd 12-4-1 as home chalk since 2013 (3-1 TY).
Marshall, based on team trends.

UTAH at SOUTHERN CAL
Utes 8-1 vs. spread last nine away from home. Whittingham 7-2 last nine as dog. Trojans no covers last two at Coliseum.
Utah, based on team trends.

WASHINGTON at STANFORD
Hot Tree has won and covered five straight and Shaw is 9-3 vs. line last 12 on Farm. Huskies, however, have covered last 3 in series.
Slight to Stanford, based on recent trends.

TENNESSEE at ALABAMA
Nick had covered four straight vs. Vols prior to LY. Butch Jones 3-1 as dog since LY. Nick no covers first four at home TY and just 1-6 last seven vs. spread at Tuscaloosa.
UT, based on recent trends.

KANSAS STATE at TEXAS
Bill Snyder has won and covered four of last five vs. Texas since 2010. Horns 2-4-1 last seven as home dog, Snyder 15-5 vs. spread last 20 as visitor.
KSU, based on team and series trends.

TEXAS A&M at OLE MISS
Hugh Freeze has covered four of last five at Oxford. He's also covered last three vs. A&M. Ags 3-6 vs. spread as visitor since 2013, 4-6 last ten as dog.
Ole Miss, based on team trends.

VIRGINIA at NORTH CAROLINA
Five straight wins and covers in series for UNC. Fedora 5-2 vs. line last seven at Chapel Hill. Though Mike London is 7-3-1 last 11 as dog.
UNC, based on series trends.

NORTHWESTERN at NEBRASKA
Mike Riley 5-14 last 19 on board at OSU and Nebraska. Cats have covered 3 of last 4 years vs. Huskers with the loss LY. Huskers 1-6 vs. spread last 7 at Lincoln.
Northwestern, based on recent trends.

WISCONSIN at ILLINOIS
Cubit 4-2 vs. line with Illini, which is 8-4 vs. spread last 12 in reg. season. Illini 8-3 last 11 as Champaign-Urbana dog. Badgers covering every-other-week for Chryst.
Slight to Illini, based on team trends.

DUKE at VIRGINIA TECH
Beamer 10-18-1 vs. spread last 29 at Blacksburg. Duke 11-3-1 vs. line away from Durham since 2013.
Duke, based on team trends.

UL-MONROE at IDAHO
Vandals 5-13 vs. spread last 18 at Kibbie Dome. Road team 13-4 vs. line in Idaho games since LY.
ULM, based on road-in-Idaho trends.

HOUSTON at UCF
O'Leary 0-8 SU, 1-7 vs. line last 8 since late 2014. Though UCF has won last 2 SU vs. UH. Cougs 23-10-1 vs. line since end of 2012, and 13-0-1 vs. spread last 13 as visitor.
UH, based on team trends.

COLORADO at OREGON STATE
Buffs no covers last five as visitor. Beavs 3-7 last 10 as home chalk (1-1 TY) but just 3-15 vs. spread since 2014.
CU, based on recent OSU woes.

IOWA STATE at BAYLOR
ISU 4-13-1 as DD dog since 2012. Baylor 18-7-1 as DD chalk since 2013, and 10-2 last 12 laying 30 or more. Though Briles only 1-1-1 vs. line last three vs. ISU.
Baylor, based on team trends.

PENN STATE vs. MARYLAND (at Baltimore)
The return of Mike Locksley as head coach! With Lobos, he was 2-26 SU and 9-19 vs. line from 2009-11 (fired after four in 2011). Assuming Terps home here, no covers last three as home dog. James Franklin 0-6 vs. line as visitor with Nittany Lions.
Penn State, based on team trends.

ARMY at RICE
All of a sudden, Army can't lose vs. number on road, covering last three as visitor after extended road slump. But Rice battered West Point 41-21 LY and is 10-3 its last 13 as home chalk. Bailiff on 30-16-1 spread run for Owls.
Rice, based on team trends.

SOUTHERN MISS at CHARLOTTE
Golden Eagles 6-1 vs. line this season, 49ers 1-3 last four vs. spread.
USM, based on team trends.

BOSTON COLLEGE at LOUISVILLE
Ugh! Rugged BC has covered four straight as road dog and Addazio 17-12 last 29 on board. Cards 5-9 last 14 as Papa John's chalk.
BC, based on team trends.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE at LA TECH
Skip 3-4 vs. line TY but 14-7 vs. spread since 2014. Also 4-1 vs. spread last five at Ruston. Stockstill no covers last three TY after opening 4-0 vs. line.
La Tech, based on team trends.

UCONN at CINCINNATI
UConn 5-14 vs. line since LY (3-4 TY). Cincy has won and covered last four meetings but is 1-4-1 last six as home chalk (Paul Brown and Nippert).
Slight to Uconn, based on recent trends.

SMU at SOUTH FLORIDA
Chad Morris is 4-2 vs. line with SMU though recent efforts not overwhelming. USF 5-1 vs. line TY and 2-0 as home chalk.
USF, based on recent trends.

OLD DOMINION at FIU
ODU no covers first six TY and 2-12 last 14 on board. FIU 14-6 last 20 overall and covers last 3 as home chalk.
FIU, based on team trends.

KENTUCKY at MISSISSIPPI STATE
Dan Mullen is 4-1-1 vs. line against UK since 2009 and 7-1 vs. spread last 8 SEC home games. Mark Stoops has covered last two as road dog.
Slight to MSU, based on team and series trends.

AUBURN at ARKANSAS
Malzahn is 2-0 SU and vs. line against Bielema, Auburn did break 10-game spread skid with win at UK. Bielema 7-1 vs. spread last 8 at Fayetteville.
Arkansas, based on team trends.

TEXAS TECH at OKLAHOMA
Kingsbury 5-1 last six as dog. Tech's last SU win vs. Stoops was in 2011.
Texas Tech, based on team trends.

KANSAS at OKLAHOMA STATE
Jayhawks 2-7-1 vs. spread last 10 on road. KU has covered 2 of last 3 in series, however, and OSU just 1-4 vs. spread last five at Stillwater.
Slight to OSU, based on team trends.

FLORIDA STATE at GEORGIA TECH
Rematch of LY's ACC title game that was part of GT's nine-game cover streak. Since then however Jackets have dropped last 5 SU and vs. line. Jimbo just 6-15 his last 21 on board. Paul Johnson still 6-2 last 9 as dog.
Slight to GT, based on team trends.

OHIO STATE at RUTGERS
Urban just 2-5 last seven as visiting chalk. Rutgers 11-5 last 16 as dog.
Slight to Rutgers, based on team trends.

WESTERN KENTUCKY at LSU
Tops 7-2-1 vs. line last ten in regular season. Les Miles 5-10 last 15 laying DD, no covers last three vs. non-SEC.
WKU, based on team trends.

FAU at UTEP
Miners 1-5 vs. line TY, 1-7-1 last 9 on board. FAU 5-2 vs. line last seven away, 17-3 last 20 vs. spread on road!
FAU, based on team trends.

TROY at NEW MEXICO STATE
NMSU 6-12-1 vs. line last 19 in Las Cruces. Ags 2-6-1 vs. number last nine games with single-digit spreads. Troy has covered 3 of last 4 on road.
Slight to Troy, based on NMSU woes.

NEW MEXICO at SAN JOSE STATE
Lobos 7-2-1 last 10 vs. spread on road.
Slight to UNM, based on team trends.

HAWAII at NEVADA
Norm Chow 0-3 SU and vs. line vs. Wolf Pack since 2012. Pack 4-0 SU last four in series.
Nevada, based on series trends.

WASHINGTON STATE at ARIZONA
Leach 3-0 as road dog TY and 10-2 in role since 2013.
WSU, based on team trends.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Top Action
October 20, 2015


TEMPLE OWLS (6-0) at EAST CAROLINA PIRATES (4-3)
Dowdy-Ficken Stadium - Greenville, NC
Kickoff: Thursday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: East Carolina -3, Total: 53.5

No. 22 Temple aims for the best start in school history when it visits a dangerous East Carolina team on Thursday night.

The Owls (4-2 ATS) are 6-0 SU for the first time since 1974 and are ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1979. After a close call at UMass on Sept. 19 (25-23 win as a 13.5-point favorite), Temple has crushed its past three opponents by a combined score of 116 to 29. The Pirates (4-3 ATS) have won three of their past four contests and barely missed securing a fourth straight ATS victory last week with a 30-17 win over 14-point underdog Tulsa.

These American Athletic Conference schools have met just once since 1996, which was a 20-10 Temple home win last season, its first victory over a ranked opponent since 1998. Then-No. 21 East Carolina compiled 30 first downs, but was done in by five lost fumbles and 12 penalties for 120 yards. Nearly all of the betting trends in this rematch point to the Owls, including college football home teams with a winning record being 14-44 ATS in the past five seasons where the line is +3 to -3 after the first month of the season and Ruffin McNeil's awful 5-17 ATS mark versus winning teams as the Pirates head coach.

For those bettors not convinced the Owls will remain unbeaten, the wager could be for the Over, as East Carolina is 10-0 Over when the line is +3 to -3, and 23-8 Over in the second half of the year under McNeil. Both teams have players with questionable designations as RB Jager Gardner (shoulder) and S Will Hayes (hamstring) may not play for the Owls, and WR DaQuan Barnes (hip), OL Dontae Levingston (shoulder), DE Mike Myers (hip) and DB Corey Seargent (undisclsosed) may be sidelined for the Pirates.

Temple is known for a suffocating defense, but the offense has also thrived this season with 33.7 PPG on 350 total YPG. The team has held the ball for an average of 34:07 per game thanks to a balanced attack that has 188 passing YPG (7.1 YPA) and 162 rushing YPG (162 YPG). Junior RB Jahad Thomas has 756 rushing yards (5.2 YPC) and 10 touchdowns this season, and is coming off a season-high 199 yards and 3 TD versus Central Florida. He also has 15 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown, and is looking to redeem himself after a poor performance versus East Carolina last season when he carried the ball 14 times for 28 yards.

Junior QB P.J. Walker also played poorly in the 2014 meeting when he completed 7-of-19 passes for 70 yards (3.7 YPA) while running for only eight yards on 11 carries. Walker has had a quality 2015 season though with 1,063 passing yards (7.0 YPA) on 61% completions, 8 TD and 3 INT. He has taken only eight sacks total in six games and will continue to frequently target top WR Robby Anderson (23 rec, 262 yds, 4 TD) who has three touchdown grabs in three October games.

The big reason Temple remains unbeaten is its defense that is limiting opponents to a mere 14.7 PPG and 296 total YPG. The run-stop unit has given up only 92 YPG on 3.0 YPC while the passing defense is allowing 204 YPG (5.6 YPA) on 50% completions. Even though the yardage total has ballooned to 450 YPG in three road games, eight forced turnovers in those three contests has kept teams to 17.3 PPG. With the Pirates coughing up multi-turnovers in five of the past six games, turnovers could once again be the determining factor in this matchup, just like last season.

East Carolina started the year slowly on offense, but has ripped off four straight 30-point games where it has averaged 38.0 PPG and 466 total YPG. For the season, the team is gaining a pedestrian 149 rushing YPG on 4.2 YPC and a hefty 286 passing YPG on 7.7 YPA and 71% completions. Junior QB Blake Kemp has completed at least 63% of his throws in all seven games this season, totaling 1,556 yards (7.2 YPA), 10 TD and 6 INT. But even though he has 325+ passing yards on three different occasions, he also has less than 125 passing yards in three other contests.

Five Pirates have multiple touchdown catches this season and four have more than 250 receiving yards, led by junior WR Isaiah Jones (51 rec, 595 yds, 3 TD). Jones has double-digit receptions in three games this season, but has yet to reach 80 receiving yards in any of his three home tilts. Senior RB Chris Hairston has done a nice job of keeping the ground game relevant over the past three games with 250 yards on 51 carries (4.9 YPC) and 2 TD. Hairston was also the best offensive player on the rainy field in Philadelphia last year when he ran for 153 yards (7.3 YPC) against Temple, but he did have one of his team's five lost fumbles.

The ECU defense hasn't been great this season in allowing 29.9 PPG and 426 total YPG. Neither the rushing defense (186 YPG, 4.1 YPC) nor the passing defense (240 YPG, 7.8 YPA) has offered much resistance. But the defense has done a decent job of forcing turnovers with four games of two takeaways this season.

CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (5-1) at UCLA BRUINS (4-2)
Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA
Kickoff: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: UCLA -3, Total: 65.5

No. 20 California looks to stay in contention for the Pac-12 conference crown when it visits slumping UCLA on Thursday night.

The Golden Bears lost their first game of the season last week (30-24 at Utah), but are 2-1 in Pac-12 play and still have a shot to win the North division with only Stanford (4-0 in Pac-12) to catch. The Bruins have dropped two straight conference games to Arizona State and Stanford by a combined score of 94 to 58, and cannot afford any more losses if they want to overtake Utah for the Pac-12 South title. California is 4-2 ATS overall and 2-1 ATS on the road this season, while UCLA is 2-3-1 ATS overall, including a winless 0-2-1 ATS at home.

All eight matchups in this series from 2006 to 2013 were decided by at least nine points with an average margin of 20.1 PPG, but last year's game was a 36-34 nail-biter road win for the Bruins. The Golden Bears have two big trends in their favor with a 7-0 ATS mark as a road underdog in the past two seasons and their opponent's 0-6 ATS record in October games in this same timeframe. But UCLA is 12-3 ATS at home in projected shootouts (63+ total) since 1992 and Sonny Dykes is 4-12 ATS after an SU loss as Cal's head coach.

While Dykes will field a full and healthy roster on Thursday, the Bruins lost two players to season-ending injuries last week -- WR Tyler Scott (knee) and OT Simon Goines (undisclosed) -- while OL Conor McDermott (knee) is doubtful and RB Nate Starks (head) and LB Deon Hollins (knee) are both questionable.

California has averaged a hefty 40.2 PPG and 518 total YPG this season, but scored a season-low 24 points at Utah last week thanks in large part to six turnovers. Five of those were interceptions thrown by star QB Jared Goff, who had tossed only four picks combined in his first five games of 2015. Goff has totaled 1,970 passing yards (328 YPG) and 17 touchdowns this year with at least 2 TD in all six games and 300+ passing yards in five contests. Goff kept his team in the game versus UCLA last year with 303 passing yards and 2 TD.

The top receiver in that narrow loss was WR Kenny Lawler, who gained 88 yards and touchdown on just three receptions. Lawler is in the midst of a monster junior season in which he has 465 receiving yards and 8 TD, including three multi-touchdown efforts. Although the Bears prefer to air it out, they have also shown the ability to run the football with 182 YPG on 4.5 YPC. The running back combination of 170-pound speedy RB Khalfani Muhammad (374 rush yds, 8.7 YPC, 1 TD) and 230-pound bruising RB Vic Enwere (290 rush yds, 4.6 YPC, 5 TD) has been difficult for opponents to handle.

Defensively, Cal hasn't been terrible in giving up 24.5 PPG and 395 total YPG. The run-stop unit has allowed a pedestrian 158 YPG on 4.1 YPC, but opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 236 YPG (7.2 YPA) on 58% completions. The Golden Bears have done a wonderful job in forcing mistakes though, racking up 21 takeaways through six contests. With the Bruins having three multi-turnovers games already this season, this could be a major problem on Thursday.

Despite the miscues, UCLA is still averaging a hefty 34.8 PPG and 463 total YPG on 6.2 yards per play. This is even more impressive when you consider its 25:57 time of possession overall and 22:27 at home. The Bruins have been efficient with 196 rushing YPG on 5.2 YPC and 266 passing YPG on 7.2 YPA. Junior RB Paul Perkins, who has 681 rushing yards (6.0 YPC) and eight touchdowns, leads the way on the ground. Perkins ripped off his third 100-yard effort last week at Stanford, needing only 14 carries to pick up 104 yards (7.4 YPC) and a touchdown. He had an outstanding game at Cal last season too with 169 total yards (94 rushing, 75 receiving) and caught two touchdowns.

Freshman QB Josh Rosen (1,569 pass yds, 7.5 YPA, 12 TD, 7 INT) continues to improve and has thrown for at least 280 yards in each of the past three games, totaling 7 TD and only 3 INT. He loves targeting both senior WR Jordan Payton (486 rec yds, 4 TD) and junior WR Thomas Duarte (348 rec yds, 5 TD) who each had 47 receiving yards in the win at Berkeley last year.

The UCLA defense is giving up 27.7 PPG on 392 total YPG, but those numbers have jumped to a brutal 41.3 PPG and 458 total YPG in conference play. The run-stop unit is mostly to blame having been gashed for 216 YPG on 4.8 YPC while the passing defense is allowing only 176 YPG on 5.5 YPA and 53% completions. UCLA has helped itself greatly by forcing at least one turnover in all six games, totaling nine takeaways.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Tip Sheet
October 20, 2015

The Thursday night schedule in college football features three games this week with important closely-lined matchups in the Sun Belt, AAC, and Pac-12. A lot is at stake in the conference races in these Thursday night games that will feature six quality teams with a combined record of 29-8.

Match-up: Georgia Southern Eagles at Appalachian State Mountaineers
Venue: Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina
Time/TV: Thursday, October 22, 7:30 PM ET – ESPNU
Line: Appalachian State -6, Over/Under 63
Last Meeting: 2014, at Georgia Southern (-19½) 34, Appalachian State 14

Both Georgia Southern and Appalachian State had quick success joining the FBS level last season. Willie Fritz took over the Georgia Southern program last season after Jeff Monken left to take the Army head coaching position and right out of gate the Eagles looked like they belonged, giving NC State and Georgia Tech tough games in non-conference action. The Eagles wound up 9-3 on the season with a perfect 8-0 record in the Sun Belt, but the team was not eligible for the postseason.

Appalachian State did not appear quite ready to for the jump in competition with losses in five of the first six games, including losing by 20 at Georgia Southern in the first Sun Belt game for both teams. In the second half of the season, the Mountaineers rattled off six consecutive wins posting big numbers in the process as well and the Mountaineers opened the 2015 season as the favorites in the Sun Belt.

Georgia Southern lost badly in its opening game against West Virginia, but quarterback Kevin Ellison was suspended for the first two weeks. The Week 2 win over Western Michigan looks pretty impressive at this point in the season although the four wins since that game have not come against quality competition. After being shutout in the opening week, the Eagles have scored at least 43 points in all five games and Georgia Southern is the #1 rushing team in the nation with 399 yards per game.

Appalachian State also took a lopsided non-conference loss, losing 41-10 at Clemson but the statistics were respectable in that game. The 5-1 start has not featured stiff competition either, but three of the wins have come on the road for the Mountaineers. The Appalachian State defense is allowing fewer than 12 points per game and the Mountaineers are 17th nationally in total offense and 15th in scoring offense.

Some players to keep an eye on are Georgia Southern running back Matt Breida who has rushed for 875 yards this season on an incredible 10.3 yards per carry. Appalachian State running back Marcus Cox has impressed as well with 687 yards on 5.9 yards per carry with both players coming off over 1,400-yard seasons last year. Georgia Southern safety Antonio Glover and Appalachian State corner Latrell Gibbs are both among the national leaders with five interceptions each with Gibbs returning two picks for touchdowns.

Match-up: Temple Owls at East Carolina Pirates
Venue: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina
Time/TV: Thursday, October 22, 7:00 PM ET – ESPN2
Line: East Carolina -3, Over/Under 53
Last Meeting: 2014, at Temple (+10) 20, East Carolina 10

The American Athletic Conference has been an afterthought in the national picture, but the conference is starting to build its reputation with a group of former Big East squads and some promising newcomers. Three AAC teams currently sit in the AP top 25 with undefeated 6-0 records and the league can collectively boast about non-conference wins over Miami, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Louisville, and Ole Miss.

The AAC is split into two divisions this season and there will be a championship game in December after three teams split the conference title last season at 7-1. In the East division, the top contenders appear to be Temple and East Carolina and this Thursday night matchup will likely play a big role in that race. Temple is 3-0 in league play and the Owls already have a win over the preseason division favorite Cincinnati. Temple will have a tough crossover game with Memphis in November, as there is not a great margin for error and this head-to-head battle will determine the tiebreaker in most scenarios. East Carolina lost at Navy for its lone miss in conference play, but a win this week would put the Pirates in the driver’s seat and the home finale with Cincinnati will be the toughest remaining test.

With wins over Penn State and Cincinnati in the first two weeks, Temple made national headlines, but the schedule has been very weak since and the Owls have had some inconsistent performances, including nearly losing to Massachusetts. The Owls have a veteran defense that is allowing fewer than 15 points per game, but the offensive numbers are marginal although running back Jahad Thomas already has 756 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Junior quarterback P.J. Walker is a third year starter and he has transformed into a pure pocket passer after being much more of a runner early in his career. Walker has only topped 200 yards passing once this season as this is a team that leans on the running game and defense.

East Carolina is just 4-3, but the schedule has been difficult with losses against Florida, Navy, and BYU, all of which were on the road. Projected starting quarterback Kurt Benkert was injured just before the season started, but Blake Kemp has done a capable job leading the offense with 71 percent completions and over 1,500 yards passing. He does have six interceptions but also 10 touchdown passes. The Pirates are starting to more consistently use two quarterbacks as James Summers played a lot of snaps last week and he provides a significant rushing presence that will be a change of pace and a challenge for the Temple defense.

Match-up: California Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins
Venue: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
Time/TV: Thursday, October 22, 9:00 PM ET – ESPN
Line: UCLA -3, Over/Under 67½
Last Meeting: 2014, UCLA (-7) 36, at California 34

A few weeks ago, UCLA was the #7 ranked team in the nation and considered a national playoff contender. The Bruins have now lost back-to-back games by lopsided margins and the defense has been crippled with injuries. At 1-2 in league play, UCLA is staring up at Utah who is 3-0 in conference play and the Bruins will head to Salt Lake City in November and then close the season across town at USC as there are still tough games ahead.

California already has as many wins last season with a 5-0 start that turned to 5-1 losing at Utah in the last game for the Bears. It seems likely that California will make its first bowl appearance since 2011 and the first under Sony Dykes who is in his third season in Berkeley. The second half schedule features five very difficult games as the home game with Oregon State looks like possibly the only game in which the Bears will be favored.

These teams played at a similar juncture last season as it was a very entertaining game with Cal erasing a 24-14 deficit in the second half and UCLA kicking a field goal in the final minutes to go ahead while Cal quarterback Jared Goff was intercepted near the end zone to end the game after the Bears moved near field goal range. Goff and current Packers reserve Brett Hundley both threw for over 300 yards in that game with UCLA also doing great damage on the ground, but needing to overcome a 3-1 turnover deficit.

Freshman quarterback Josh Rosen had a very impressive start to the season for UCLA, but he now has seven interceptions with some shaky performances in the two defeats. Running back Paul Perkins has done his part with nearly 700 yards rushing on 6.0 yards per carry. UCLA has faced a very difficult schedule overall and the next several weeks should provide an opportunity for the Bruins to rebuild their record as they will be favored each of the next four games although playing as just a slight favorite this week.

The non-conference win at Texas was big for the California program and taking care of business in tight games with wins over Washington and Washington State to start the Pac-12 season were critical to getting the Bears back to respectability following a 1-11 season in 2013. Beating one of the Pac-12 powers on the road would be a huge step and this has to be viewed as one of the biggest games of the season for the Bears. USC and Oregon are next on the schedule as the Bears could be in a delicate position as a four-game slide to wipe away the strong start is certainly a realistic possibility.

Goff is emerging as a NFL prospect in his junior season, completing 67 percent of his passes while almost eclipsing 2,000 yards already this season. Goff has 17 touchdowns, but also nine interceptions as he is asked to carry a heavy load for the offense, averaging nearly 40 throws per game. Kenny Lawler has 34 receptions and eight touchdowns as the junior has been the favorite target.

Both teams have fairly average defensive numbers with the schedule for UCLA certainly rating as a tougher overall slate at this point. California has actually won S/U in four of the past seven meetings and nine of the last 16 meetings, covering as well in five of the last seven. California has only won one of the last seven meetings at the Rose Bowl, going 1-5-1 ATS in that span since 2001 including losing by 27 two years ago.

[StarDust Bum]

Ohio State will start JT Barrett at QB
October 20, 2015

The starting quarterback job at Ohio State is J.T. Barrett's now. Though maybe FOR now is more appropriate.

The never-ending story of this college football season entered a new chapter Tuesday. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer announced that Barrett would replace Cardale Jones as the starter when No. 1 Ohio State plays at Rutgers on Saturday.

This was no unexpected plot twist. The move seemed inevitable after Barrett accounted for four touchdowns in relief of Jones against Penn State on Saturday.

Conceivably, Barrett could take the job and run with it and the quarterback questions will end in Columbus. But as Meyer said after the 38-10 victory against the Nittany Lions: Whatever it takes to win.

''Cardale is going to be a very active part, too,'' Meyer said Tuesday during the Big Ten coaches' conference call. ''Hopefully, we'll keep him very much involved. So, it was a difficult decision. But red-zone production and third-down production were the two areas that made the difference. (Barrett) earned that with the way he played Saturday.''

Barrett helped the Buckeyes break out of a red-zone funk, guiding the offense from inside the 20 into the end zone six times in six trips two weeks ago against Maryland. The trend continued against Penn State. Barrett ran for two touchdowns and threw two more in six red-zone trips for the Buckeyes. The other resulted in a field goal.

The Buckeyes (7-0) are 81st in the nation in converting third downs into first downs at 37.5 percent. They are 72nd in converting red-zone trips into touchdowns at 60.7 percent (17 for 28), and most of those TDs have come with Barrett on the field.

The way the Ohio State offense is built this season Barrett seems the better fit. He is nifty runner and quick decision-maker in the zone-read option. He ran for 102 yards on 11 carries against Penn State, neutralizing a good pass rush that was giving Jones problems.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Jones has one of the strongest arms in college football, but the Buckeyes have not been able to use it to exploit defenses down the field. Last season, when Jones took over in the postseason, field-stretching receiver Devin Smith became a force. Theses Buckeyes don't have that kind of vertical threat.

''I have two great guys that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I'm just trying to do the right thing,'' Meyer said.

Barrett lost a closely watched quarterback competition to Jones that started not long after the Buckeyes won the national championship in January. Jones started the last three games of Ohio State's title run, beating Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, after Barrett was brilliant in the regular season. Barrett accounted for a Big Ten-record 45 touchdowns and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Braxton Miller, a two-time Big Ten player of the year, also figured to be in the mix at quarterback if his surgically repaired shoulder allowed. He dropped out of the race in July to become a receiver.

Not until the Buckeyes offense took the field for the first time this season on the Labor Day night at Virginia Tech did the quarterbacks know who would start. Jones was the man, but he never took firm hold of the job.

He has seven touchdowns passes against five interceptions and ranks 48th in the nation with a passer rating of 141.23. He threw for just 84 yards in last week's win over Penn State and was replaced by Barrett for good after two series in the third quarter.

Jones also was benched in the second half of the Northern Illinois game, but Barrett wasn't particularly effective, either, and Jones continued to start.

Against Maryland two weeks ago, Jones played the big part of the field and Barrett entered when the Buckeyes reached the red zone. Barrett ran for three touchdowns in that game.

A two-quarterback system, like the one Meyer used to win a national title at Florida in 2006 with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, seemed to be emerging. Not quite, though at this point it seems reasonable to expect anything from Meyer. If Barrett struggles or Jones is a better matchup in a particular spot, Meyer seems more than willing to switch things up again.

There have been no signs that this game of quarterback roulette is causing problems. Tackle Taylor Decker said as much before Meyer made his decision public.

''It's not creating a divide in the locker room, which would be a downfall if that were to happen,'' he said.

It's hard to be unhappy when undefeated.

[StarDust Bum]

Stanford's offense hitting on all cylinders
October 20, 2015

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) The same Stanford team that couldn't score to start the season now can't be stopped.

Led by the efficient play from senior quarterback Kevin Hogan, the game-breaking ability from running back Christian McCaffrey and the Cardinal's usual strong offensive line play, No. 10 Stanford has bounced back from a rough start to the season to move into contention for the College Football Playoff at the midpoint.

For a change, a team that dominated with defense in recent years is doing it with a high-powered offense instead. The Cardinal (5-1, 4-0 Pac-12) are averaging 45 points and 492.8 yards per game during their current five-game winning streak for the most productive offensive stretch since Andrew Luck's final season back in 2011.

Few saw that kind of stretch coming when the Cardinal were kept out of the end zone in a 16-6 loss at Northwestern to open the season.

''A lot of teams fold after a loss like that first game and a lot of people were against us and we remember that,'' McCaffrey said. ''That's something that we hold dear to our hearts. So it continued to push us and it will continue to push us because you can't forget where you come from. So, it's definitely a big part of our team.''

It all changed with a flea-flicker from Hogan to Michael Rector in the second quarter of a 31-7 victory over Central Florida in the second game of the season. After scoring no touchdowns on their first 15 full drives of the season, the Cardinal reached the end zone on 30 of their next 49 full drives starting with that play.

McCaffrey has rushed for 720 yards and five touchdowns the past four games and leads the nation with 253 all-purpose yards per game. Hogan has 12 TD passes and is averaging 11.3 yards per attempt the past five games with only two interceptions.

''Just execution,'' Hogan said for the reason for the turnaround. ''We're converting third downs, moving the chains and just big play opportunities. You see Christian have big kickoff returns to set up short drives and then just taking advantage of what's there. We feel like we have a lot of explosive players, so just getting them the ball and letting them do their thing.''

This stretch has included four straight conference wins that have put Stanford at the top of the race in the North and in contention for a playoff berth if the Cardinal keep winning, starting with Saturday's home game against Washington.

Stanford does not have a road game remaining against a team with a winning record, with the toughest tests likely coming in the final two weeks at home against No. 20 California and No. 11 Notre Dame. Then comes the conference championship game with a possible meeting with No. 3 Utah.

Coach David Shaw credits the turnaround to the Cardinal just staying the course and not panicking following the slow start. In an era of spread offenses and fast-paced, no-huddle attacks, Stanford keeps doing things in a more traditional way with power running, multiple tight ends and taking deep shots off of play action.

''We have won a lot of football games here playing the right way, playing smart football, playing good football, and it's hard for the outside world to understand it,'' Shaw said. ''Sometimes you don't play well.''

They have done that consistently under Shaw and former coach Jim Harbaugh. Only four Power Five teams have more wins the past seven seasons than Stanford's 67 victories: Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Florida State.

''We said, we know what we're doing, we trust our scheme, we trust our guys, we just went back to playing football and having fun doing it,'' Shaw said. ''I commend the guys for having the maturity.''

[StarDust Bum]

Oddsmakers spill on what goes into the NFL Week 7 opening odds

Dez Bryant could return to action for the Dallas Cowboys versus the New York Giants, who could be between 4.5 and 6-point favorites Sunday.

In Week 1 of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys rallied to edge the visiting New York Giants 27-26 on a touchdown in the waning seconds. But Dallas lost superstar wideout Dez Bryant to a broken foot during that game.

And in Week 2, Cowboys QB Tony Romo broke his collarbone in a 20-10 victory at Philadelphia. Dallas (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS) hasn’t won since, dropping three in a row SU and ATS, including a 30-6 shellacking at home at the hands of the New England Patriots as an 8-point underdog on Oct. 11.

But the Cowboys had their bye last week to recover from the wipeout, and though it’ll still be a few weeks until Romo returns, they might have Bryant back for a key Week 7 road game against the Giants.

New York (3-2 SU and ATS) got out of the gate slow, blowing that opener at Dallas, followed by a home loss to Atlanta. But the Giants then won three in a row, and they’ll wrap up Week 7 in the NFL when they travel to Philadelphia for the Monday night game.

With that game still pending, so is the opening line. But John Lester, senior lines manager for Bookmaker.eu, said all things being equal, the Giants will be a 6-point favorite.

“There are plenty of new working pieces for the Cowboys coming off the bye, and it will be interesting to see if Dez Bryant is able to get back on the field,” Lester said. “The Giants are the best team in this subpar division right now, and if there aren’t any significant injuries Monday night, we will open them around 6-point chalk. This will be a massive handle for us, given the marquee teams and being one of only two late-afternoon games.”

Dallas will have Matt Cassel at quarterback in an effort to end its slide.

“The Cowboys will try someone new behind center this week,” said John Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas. Avello thinks the number may start a little lower. “I’ll try to take a stab at making a line on this one and start the bidding at Giants -4.5.”

New York Jets at New England Patriots (-10)

As midseason approaches, the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots look like a good bet to get back to the Super Bowl. In the Sunday night game, New England (5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS) held off Indianapolis 34-27, but fell short as an 8-point road fave.

The Jets (4-1 SU and ATS), under new head coach Todd Bowles, are off to a solid start as well. On Sunday, New York coasted past Washington 34-20 laying 7.5 points at home.

“Can anybody knock off the mighty Pats?” Avello said. “The Jets will give it a shot as they are off to their best start since 2010.”

Again, early-bird bettors had to wait for the line, but Lester expected the Pats to be a healthy favorite. And they are, opening as 10-point home favorites in Week 7.

“If the Patriots play the part and stay healthy Sunday night, then we’ll look to make them at least touchdown favorites,” he said. “This will really be the first defense the Pats have seen that is capable of limiting their offense. It could be a big statement game for Todd Bowles and the surprising Jets. I expect to see a lot of sharp money on New York.”

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (+4)

The two-time defending NFC champion Seahawks have been well off their game far this season, but they had similar struggles early last year, then made it all the way back to the Super Bowl before losing to New England. Seattle (2-4 SU, 1-4-1 ATS), laying seven points at home against Carolina Sunday, blew a sizable lead for the second straight week, letting a 20-7 advantage slip away in a 27-23 loss.

San Francisco (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS) is also having its struggles, looking nothing like the team that reached three straight NFC Championship games from 2011 to 20113 and the Super Bowl in 2012. On Sunday, the Niners regained a little ground, topping Baltimore 25-20 as 2.5-point home underdogs.

“This is a division rivalry that’s lost a lot of luster in less than a year,” Lester said. “Seattle is certainly feeling the pressure, and it’s safe to call this a must-win situation for that squad. Of course, the Niners have showed some life the last couple of weeks, as the play from Colin Kaepernick has been much improved. I expect them to be very motivated as well. Early money came in on the road chalk, but I anticipate equal action for this matchup.

Said Avello, “Seattle finds itself tied with the 49ers in the NFC West cellar. They're 0-3 on the road and not playing much better at home. The 49ers are a mess, but have looked much better the past two weeks. But that's not saying much.”

Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-7)

Baltimore (1-5 SU, 0-5-1 ATS) is having a very un-Ravens type of season, and it won’t get any easier as the Ravens play in the Pacific time zone for the second straight week. On Sunday at San Francisco, Baltimore fell 25-20 as a 2.5-point road chalk.

Arizona (4-2 SU and ATS), which won by double digits while cashing in its first three games, is just 1-2 SU and ATS since then. The Cards couldn’t get their offense going Sunday as a 5.5-point road favorite against Pittsburgh, losing outright 25-13.

“Although all their games have been very close, the Ravens find themselves almost out of contention for any chance of a playoff spot, and we're only in October,” Avello said. “The Cardinals are back home, where they clearly play their best football.”

Lester pulled no punches in describing Baltimore.

“This is the worst Ravens team we’ve seen since John Harbaugh took over nearly a decade ago,” he said. “The offense is severely lacking playmakers, and the line is awful, which makes Joe Flacco look terrible. He’s the only reason they can keep games competitive. Arizona looked flat in a tough spot (at Pittsburgh), but I expect a very good effort here at home under the prime-time lights on Monday night.”

[StarDust Bum]

Don't miss your window to get the best of these NFL Week 7 odds

With the Seattle Seahawks facing three straight losses, expect their odds against the 49ers to move before kickoff Thursday.

Spread to bet now

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (+4.5)

The Seahawks have now lost back-to-back games for the second time this season and at 2-4 they really have to start winning division games. They did get off to a similar (3-3) start last season, and had to go belly button to the wall in the late going to win the NFC West.

A division loss on the road this Thursday will make a second straight climb all the more difficult, even in the weak NFC West. Over the last two years, Seattle has seemed to win the vast majority of games that it has absolutely needed (last February’s Super Bowl notwithstanding), and the Seahawks are once again in the same spot. This line will only move in Seattle’s direction, so money now makes sense if you are on the defending NFC champs.

Spread to wait on

Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-7.5)

Early money is down in Arizona on this one as the Ravens’ 0-5-1 record ATS has given Baltimore backers plenty of reason to not put their hands back on that stove. The Ravens have fallen all the way to 25th in the league in overall defense, and the offense has still not completely recovered from that 19-13 loss to Denver in the opener.

Now the Ravens – who lost at San Francisco Sunday – face the prospect of another near-cross country fight to take on a Cardinals team that feels it can win the NFC West and make an elongated playoff run. Not likely the spread moves in this one, but there could be variation from the standard dime line over the course of the week.

Total to watch

Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans (47.5)

So, the Falcons offense comes completely unhinged at New Orleans, held to seven points over three and a half quarters by a Saints team that was dead last in the league in total defense. Were the Falcons overrated? Football bettors should find out for sure Sunday at Tennessee, where the Titans have an excellent defense but hardly anything (1-4 SU) to show for it.

This will be Tennessee’s fourth straight home game (with a bye week, five straight weeks without traveling), and it should be ready to make life hard for Atlanta for the second straight week. It’s hard to see a lot of points on the board in this one as Titans make adjustments following a poor effort against Miami.

[StarDust Bum]

NFL
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 22

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEATTLE (2 - 4) at SAN FRANCISCO (2 - 4) - 10/22/2015, 8:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 29-58 ATS (-34.8 Units) in October games since 1992.
SEATTLE is 38-62 ATS (-30.2 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 5-0 against the spread versus SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 4-1 straight up against SAN FRANCISCO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, October 25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BUFFALO (3 - 3) vs. JACKSONVILLE (1 - 5) - 10/25/2015, 9:30 AM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 1-0 against the spread versus JACKSONVILLE over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 1-0 straight up against JACKSONVILLE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLEVELAND (2 - 4) at ST LOUIS (2 - 3) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 145-183 ATS (-56.3 Units) in all games since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 145-183 ATS (-56.3 Units) in all lined games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PITTSBURGH (4 - 2) at KANSAS CITY (1 - 5) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-0 against the spread versus KANSAS CITY over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 1-0 straight up against KANSAS CITY over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON (2 - 4) at MIAMI (2 - 3) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY JETS (4 - 1) at NEW ENGLAND (5 - 0) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ENGLAND is 169-129 ATS (+27.1 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
NEW ENGLAND is 107-76 ATS (+23.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
NY JETS are 49-29 ATS (+17.1 Units) in road games versus division opponents since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY JETS is 4-0 against the spread versus NEW ENGLAND over the last 3 seasons
NEW ENGLAND is 3-1 straight up against NY JETS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (3 - 2) at DETROIT (1 - 5) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) in home games revenging a loss against opponent since 1992.
MINNESOTA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in October games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in weeks 5 through 9 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-2 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 3-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLANTA (5 - 1) at TENNESSEE (1 - 4) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE is 43-24 ATS (+16.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1992.
TENNESSEE is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in October games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) after 2 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
TENNESSEE is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in weeks 5 through 9 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA BAY (2 - 3) at WASHINGTON (2 - 4) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 54-85 ATS (-39.5 Units) as a favorite since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 76-105 ATS (-39.5 Units) in home games since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 76-105 ATS (-39.5 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 76-105 ATS (-39.5 Units) in home games in games played on a grass field since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 52-75 ATS (-30.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW ORLEANS (2 - 4) at INDIANAPOLIS (3 - 3) - 10/25/2015, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANAPOLIS is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANAPOLIS is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OAKLAND (2 - 3) at SAN DIEGO (2 - 4) - 10/25/2015, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 121-155 ATS (-49.5 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
OAKLAND is 33-72 ATS (-46.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1992.
SAN DIEGO is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) versus division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-1 against the spread versus SAN DIEGO over the last 3 seasons
SAN DIEGO is 3-1 straight up against OAKLAND over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DALLAS (2 - 3) at NY GIANTS (3 - 3) - 10/25/2015, 4:25 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 3-2 against the spread versus NY GIANTS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 5-0 straight up against NY GIANTS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHILADELPHIA (3 - 3) at CAROLINA (5 - 0) - 10/25/2015, 8:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 1-0 against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 1-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, October 26

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BALTIMORE (1 - 5) at ARIZONA (4 - 2) - 10/26/2015, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

[StarDust Bum]

NFL
Short Sheet

Week 7

Thursday - Oct, 22

Seattle at San Francisco, 8:25 ET
Seattle: 0-6 ATS in road games off 1 or more straight overs
San Francisco: 8-2 ATS after having lost 2 out of their last 3 games


Sunday - Oct, 25

Buffalo at Jacksonville, 9:30 AM ET
Buffalo: 8-1 UNDER after 1 or more consecutive losses
Jacksonville: 1-9 ATS off 1 or more straight overs

Cleveland at St Louis, 1:00 ET
Cleveland: 9-1 ATS after 1 or more consecutive losses
St Louis: 39-62 ATS after scoring 14 points or less last game

Pittsburgh at Kansas City, 1:00 ET
Pittsburgh: 6-1 ATS off a upset win as an underdog
Kansas City: 20-28 ATS after allowing 99 or less rush yards in 2 straight games

Houston at Miami, 1:00 ET
Houston: 17-9 ATS off 3 or more consecutive overs
Miami: 4-14 ATS off a upset win by 14 points or more as an underdog

NY Jets at New England, 1:00 ET
New York: 5-18 ATS after gaining 6.5 or more yards/play in previous game
New England: 6-0 ATS after allowing 400 or more total yards in previous game

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:00 ET
Minnesota: 11-2 ATS off 1 or more consecutive unders
Detroit: 8-20 ATS after gaining 7 or more yards/play in previous game

Atlanta at Tennessee, 1:00 ET
Atlanta: 31-11 OVER off a road loss against a division rival
Tennessee: 0-8 ATS off a home loss

Tampa Bay at Washington, 1:00 ET
Tampa Bay: 30-13 ATS after scoring 30 points or more last game
Washington: 25-44 ATS at home where the total is between 42.5 and 49

New Orleans at Indianapolis, 1:00 ET
New Orleans: 62-36 OVER off a home win
Indianapolis: 11-3 ATS at home where the total is greater than or equal to 45.5

Oakland at San Diego, 4:05 ET
Oakland: 121-155 ATS in games played on a grass field
San Diego: 18-7 ATS off a cover where the team lost as an underdog

Dallas at NY Giants, 4:25 ET
Dallas: 11-2 ATS in road games after a loss by 21 or more points
New York: 0-6 ATS off a road blowout loss by 14 points or more

Philadelphia at Carolina, 8:30 ET
Philadelphia: 16-6 UNDER after gaining 150 or more rush yards in 2 games
Carolina: 14-3 ATS after playing their last game on the road
nfl football betting online bovada


Monday - Oct, 26

Baltimore at Arizona, 8:30 ET
Baltimore: 22-10 UNDER after gaining 300 or more passing yards in last game
Arizona: 8-0 ATS off a non-conference game

[StarDust Bum]

NFL

Week 7

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, October 22

8:25 PM
SEATTLE vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Seattle is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
Seattle is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
San Francisco is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle


Sunday, October 25

9:30 AM
BUFFALO vs. JACKSONVILLE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Buffalo's last 7 games when playing Jacksonville
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Buffalo's last 22 games
Jacksonville is 8-15-2 ATS in its last 25 games
Jacksonville is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

1:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. INDIANAPOLIS
New Orleans is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Indianapolis
New Orleans is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Indianapolis is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing New Orleans
Indianapolis is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing New Orleans

1:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ST. LOUIS
Cleveland is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
Cleveland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games
St. Louis is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

1:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. WASHINGTON
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games on the road
Washington is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games
Washington is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games

1:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. KANSAS CITY
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

1:00 PM
NY JETS vs. NEW ENGLAND
NY Jets are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
NY Jets are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
New England is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New England's last 6 games when playing at home against NY Jets

1:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. MIAMI
Houston is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Houston
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

1:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. TENNESSEE
Atlanta is 1-3-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Tennessee
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing Tennessee
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tennessee's last 9 games when playing Atlanta
Tennessee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta

1:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DETROIT
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Minnesota is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games at home
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home

4:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. SAN DIEGO
Oakland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Diego is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Diego's last 9 games at home

4:25 PM
DALLAS vs. NY GIANTS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 8 games when playing on the road against NY Giants
Dallas is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Giants
NY Giants are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Giants last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. CAROLINA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games on the road
Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Carolina's last 8 games at home


Monday, October 26

8:30 PM
BALTIMORE vs. ARIZONA
Baltimore is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Baltimore is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NFL

Wednesday, October 21


Roethlisberger to practice, Steelers prepare Jones to start

Landry Jones is preparing to start for the Pittsburgh Steelers but will do so in the shadow of the team's franchise quarterback.

Ben Roethlisberger plans to wrap his injured knee and participate fully in Wednesday's practice. Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Jones is preparing to start.

"He's the one that's healthy," Tomlin said.

Roethlisberger is recovering from a sprained medial collateral ligament and bone bruise. If he practices without limitations and is cleared medically, Tomlin would not stand in the way of his return.

Backup quarterback Mike Vick started in Roethlisberger's absence but he left the Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Jones, who led four second-half scoring drives to help the Steelers win.

. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, when Roethlisberger was suspended for four games by the NFL, the Steelers are 7-4 with a slew of backups, including Vick.


Bills QB Taylor aiming to return Sunday

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is pushing to start Sunday's game when the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars square off in London.

Taylor missed the Bills' loss last week with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

"My body feels good," Taylor said Tuesday in London at a team public relations function. "I'm looking forward to getting back out there practicing."

Taylor was injured Week 5 in a win over the Tennessee Titans. He said the injury has "progressed each and every day."

The Bills began last week's game without Taylor (knee), running back Karlos Williams (concussion), and wide receiver Percy Harvin (hip). During the game they lost wide receiver Sammy Watkins (ankle), who had just returned from a two-game absence, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (ribs), and offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson (concussion). On defense, tackle Kyle Williams (knee) went down in the fourth quarter, joining safety Aaron Williams (neck), who is on short-term injured reserve.

"It hurts," said wide receiver Robert Woods. "That's a lot of weapons who went down."

Although it's early, it looks as if Watkins, Harvin and Kyle Williams will definitely be absent for the game in London against Jacksonville. Goodwin was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.


Bills WR Harvin not in London for 'personal reasons'

The Buffalo Bills traveled to London for this week's game without wide receiver Percy Harvin because of "personal issues."

Harvin was out of the Bills' lineup last week with a hip injury and isn't expected to be available Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"He's pretty much excused for personal reasons, so I'll just leave it at that," coach Rex Ryan said Wednesday in Hertfordshire, England, declining to say how much time Harvin might miss.

Ryan said Harvin's situation isn't related to the hip.

"No, I think right now this is a personal thing right now," Ryan said. "That's where it is. ... We know he was battling the hip and things but this is a personal issue."

Running back Karlos Williams and right tackle Seantrel Henderson are both dealing with concussions and didn't make the trip, along with defensive tackle Kyle Williams after he suffered a knee injury during the 34-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.