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

[StarDust Bum]

NFL ATS

NFL > (463) ATLANTA@ (464) TENNESSEE | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST TENNESSEE against the spread when playing with 6 or less days rest
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.2 units)

NFL > (469) OAKLAND@ (470) SAN DIEGO | 2015-10-25 16:05:00 - 2015-10-25 16:05:00
Play AGAINST OAKLAND against the spread when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 33 Wins and 72 Losses for the since 1992 (-46.2 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NFL MONEYLINE

NFL > (473) PHILADELPHIA@ (474) CAROLINA | 2015-10-25 20:30:00 - 2015-10-25 20:30:00
Play ON PHILADELPHIA using money line when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest
The record is 21 Wins and 5 Losses for the since 1992 (+19.65 units)

NFL > (459) NY JETS@ (460) NEW ENGLAND | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play ON NEW ENGLAND using money line as a favorite of -160 to -475
The record is 19 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.2 units)

NFL > (467) NEW ORLEANS@ (468) INDIANAPOLIS | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using money line in games played on turf
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.1 units)

NFL > (463) ATLANTA@ (464) TENNESSEE | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST TENNESSEE using money line in home lined games
The record is 4 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.15 units)

NFL > (469) OAKLAND@ (470) SAN DIEGO | 2015-10-25 16:05:00 - 2015-10-25 16:05:00
Play AGAINST OAKLAND using money line when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 37 Wins and 69 Losses for the since 1992 (-58.15 units)

NFL > (465) TAMPA BAY@ (466) WASHINGTON | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON using money line when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 58 Wins and 73 Losses for the since 1992 (-69.65 units)

NFL > (457) HOUSTON@ (458) MIAMI | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using money line in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points
The record is 6 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.2 units)

NFL > (455) PITTSBURGH@ (456) KANSAS CITY | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play ON PITTSBURGH using money line in October games
The record is 64 Wins and 26 Losses for the since 1992 (+33.85 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NFL FIRST HALF

NFL > (465) TAMPA BAY@ (466) WASHINGTON | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON ?>in the first half after 2 or more consecutive losses
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (-8.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NFL TOTALS

NFL > (471) DALLAS@ (472) NY GIANTS | 2015-10-25 16:25:00 - 2015-10-25 16:25:00
Play UNDER NY GIANTS on the total against conference opponents
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.8 units)

NFL > (303) SEATTLE@ (304) SAN FRANCISCO | 2015-10-22 20:25:00 - 2015-10-22 20:25:00
Play UNDER SAN FRANCISCO on the total when playing on a Thursday
The record is 0 Overs and 8 Unders for the since 1992 (+8 units)

NFL > (463) ATLANTA@ (464) TENNESSEE | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play OVER ATLANTA on the total as a road favorite of 2 to 3.5 points vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 15 Overs and 3 Unders for the since 1992 (+11.7 units)

NFL > (473) PHILADELPHIA@ (474) CAROLINA | 2015-10-25 20:30:00 - 2015-10-25 20:30:00
Play UNDER PHILADELPHIA on the total when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the since 1992 (+14.4 units)

NFL > (461) MINNESOTA@ (462) DETROIT | 2015-10-25 13:00:00 - 2015-10-25 13:00:00
Play UNDER DETROIT on the total in games where the 1rst half line is +1.5 to -1.5
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CFB ATS

CFB > (343) NORTH TEXAS@ (344) MARSHALL | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play AGAINST NORTH TEXAS against the spread in road lined games
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-9.9 units)

CFB > (387) OLD DOMINION@ (388) FLA INTERNATIONAL | 2015-10-24 18:00:00 - 2015-10-24 18:00:00
Play AGAINST OLD DOMINION against the spread in games played on turf
The record is 2 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (-13.4 units)

CFB > (369) IOWA ST@ (370) BAYLOR | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play ON BAYLOR against the spread in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 70
The record is 13 Wins and 1 Losses for the since 1992 (+11.9 units)

CFB > (335) MIAMI OHIO@ (336) W MICHIGAN | 2015-10-24 14:00:00 - 2015-10-24 14:00:00
Play ON W MICHIGAN against the spread when playing with 6 or less days rest
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+9.9 units)

CFB > (317) C MICHIGAN@ (318) BALL ST | 2015-10-24 15:00:00 - 2015-10-24 15:00:00
Play ON C MICHIGAN against the spread in all games
The record is 7 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+7 units)

CFB > (403) FLA ATLANTIC@ (404) UTEP | 2015-10-24 19:00:00 - 2015-10-24 19:00:00
Play AGAINST UTEP against the spread as an underdog
The record is 4 Wins and 17 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.7 units)

CFB > (305) GA SOUTHERN@ (306) APPALACHIAN ST | 2015-10-22 19:30:00 - 2015-10-22 19:30:00
Play ON GA SOUTHERN against the spread when playing with 6 or less days rest
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the since 1992 (+9.9 units)

CFB > (327) INDIANA@ (328) MICHIGAN ST | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA against the spread as a road underdog of 14.5 to 17 points
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the since 1992 (-11.1 units)

CFB > (373) ARMY@ (374) RICE | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play ON RICE against the spread when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 12 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+9.8 units)

CFB > (367) COLORADO@ (368) OREGON ST | 2015-10-24 22:30:00 - 2015-10-24 22:30:00
Play AGAINST COLORADO against the spread in October games
The record is 30 Wins and 65 Losses for the since 1992 (-41.5 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CFB MONEYLINE

CFB > (317) C MICHIGAN@ (318) BALL ST | 2015-10-24 15:00:00 - 2015-10-24 15:00:00
Play AGAINST BALL ST using money line in weeks 5 through 9
The record is 10 Wins and 21 Losses for the since 1992 (-29.9 units)

CFB > (381) CONNECTICUT@ (382) CINCINNATI | 2015-10-24 16:30:00 - 2015-10-24 16:30:00
Play AGAINST CONNECTICUT using money line in October games
The record is 3 Wins and 20 Losses for the since 1992 (-20.2 units)

CFB > (399) OHIO ST@ (400) RUTGERS | 2015-10-24 20:00:00 - 2015-10-24 20:00:00
Play ON OHIO ST using money line in games played on turf
The record is 53 Wins and 12 Losses for the since 1992 (+38.75 units)

CFB > (329) CLEMSON@ (330) MIAMI | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play ON CLEMSON using money line as a favorite vs. the money line
The record is 16 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+14.7 units)

CFB > (305) GA SOUTHERN@ (306) APPALACHIAN ST | 2015-10-22 19:30:00 - 2015-10-22 19:30:00
Play ON APPALACHIAN ST using money line against conference opponents
The record is 8 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)

CFB > (391) AUBURN@ (392) ARKANSAS | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play AGAINST ARKANSAS using money line after a bye week
The record is 5 Wins and 14 Losses for the since 1992 (-20.8 units)

CFB > (345) UTAH@ (346) USC | 2015-10-24 19:30:00 - 2015-10-24 19:30:00
Play AGAINST USC using money line in October games
The record is 2 Wins and 4 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.75 units)

CFB > (315) E MICHIGAN@ (316) N ILLINOIS | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play ON N ILLINOIS using money line in October games
The record is 23 Wins and 4 Losses for the since 1992 (+19.25 units)

CFB > (327) INDIANA@ (328) MICHIGAN ST | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play ON MICHIGAN ST using money line when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 12 Wins and 2 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.35 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CFB FIRST HALF

CFB > (377) BOSTON COLLEGE@ (378) LOUISVILLE | 2015-10-24 12:30:00 - 2015-10-24 12:30:00
Play ON LOUISVILLE ?>in the first half after playing a conference game
The record is 10 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+10 units)

CFB > (361) DUKE@ (362) VIRGINIA TECH | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play ON DUKE ?>in the first half versus the first half line in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

CFB > (335) MIAMI OHIO@ (336) W MICHIGAN | 2015-10-24 14:00:00 - 2015-10-24 14:00:00
Play ON W MICHIGAN ?>in the first half when playing with 6 or less days rest
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+9.9 units)

CFB > (395) KANSAS@ (396) OKLAHOMA ST | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play AGAINST KANSAS ?>in the first half when playing on a Saturday
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.8 units)

CFB > (367) COLORADO@ (368) OREGON ST | 2015-10-24 22:30:00 - 2015-10-24 22:30:00
Play AGAINST OREGON ST ?>in the first half off a loss against a conference rival
The record is 0 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-8.8 units)

CFB > (391) AUBURN@ (392) ARKANSAS | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play ON ARKANSAS ?>in the first half versus the first half line in all games
The record is 15 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)

CFB > (401) W KENTUCKY@ (402) LSU | 2015-10-24 19:00:00 - 2015-10-24 19:00:00
Play ON W KENTUCKY ?>in the first half versus the first half line in all games
The record is 15 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CFB TOTALS

CFB > (369) IOWA ST@ (370) BAYLOR | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Play OVER BAYLOR on the total versus the first half line in all games
The record is 15 Overs and 2 Unders for the last two seasons (+12.8 units)

CFB > (313) UTAH ST@ (314) SAN DIEGO ST | 2015-10-23 22:30:00 - 2015-10-23 22:30:00
Play UNDER SAN DIEGO ST on the total in all games
The record is 3 Overs and 17 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.7 units)

CFB > (371) PENN ST@ (372) MARYLAND | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play UNDER PENN ST on the total versus the first half line in all games
The record is 3 Overs and 17 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.7 units)

CFB > (315) E MICHIGAN@ (316) N ILLINOIS | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play OVER E MICHIGAN on the total after playing a conference game
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+9 units)

CFB > (361) DUKE@ (362) VIRGINIA TECH | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Play UNDER VIRGINIA TECH on the total in October games
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last three seasons (+9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

CFB TOP POWERLINES

CFB > (309) CALIFORNIA @ (310) UCLA | 2015-10-22 21:00:00 - 2015-10-22 21:00:00
Line: UCLA-3 BTB PowerLine: UCLA-9
Edge On: UCLA (6)

CFB > (311) MEMPHIS @ (312) TULSA | 2015-10-23 20:00:00 - 2015-10-23 20:00:00
Line: MEMPHIS BTB PowerLine: MEMPHIS17
Edge On: MEMPHIS (6.5)

CFB > (351) KANSAS ST @ (352) TEXAS | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Line: KANSAS ST BTB PowerLine: KANSAS ST4
Edge On: KANSAS ST (8)

CFB > (365) HOUSTON @ (366) UCF | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Line: UCF21.5 BTB PowerLine: UCF13
Edge On: UCF (8.5)

CFB > (357) NORTHWESTERN @ (358) NEBRASKA | 2015-10-24 12:00:00 - 2015-10-24 12:00:00
Line: NEBRASKA-7.5 BTB PowerLine: NEBRASKA-15
Edge On: NEBRASKA (7.5)

CFB > (319) TOLEDO @ (320) MASSACHUSETTS | 2015-10-24 15:00:00 - 2015-10-24 15:00:00
Line: TOLEDO BTB PowerLine: TOLEDO21
Edge On: TOLEDO (7)

CFB > (327) INDIANA @ (328) MICHIGAN ST | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Line: MICHIGAN ST-16 BTB PowerLine: MICHIGAN ST-25
Edge On: MICHIGAN ST (9)

CFB > (349) TENNESSEE @ (350) ALABAMA | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Line: ALABAMA-15 BTB PowerLine: ALABAMA-22
Edge On: ALABAMA (7)

CFB > (315) E MICHIGAN @ (316) N ILLINOIS | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Line: N ILLINOIS-28 BTB PowerLine: N ILLINOIS-34
Edge On: N ILLINOIS (6)

CFB > (379) MIDDLE TENN ST @ (380) LOUISIANA TECH | 2015-10-24 15:30:00 - 2015-10-24 15:30:00
Line: LOUISIANA TECH-7 BTB PowerLine: LOUISIANA TECH-13
Edge On: LOUISIANA TECH (6)

CFB > (383) SMU @ (384) S FLORIDA | 2015-10-24 16:00:00 - 2015-10-24 16:00:00
Line: S FLORIDA-11 BTB PowerLine: S FLORIDA-18
Edge On: S FLORIDA (7)

CFB > (377) BOSTON COLLEGE @ (378) LOUISVILLE | 2015-10-24 19:00:00 - 2015-10-24 19:00:00
Line: LOUISVILLE-7.5 BTB PowerLine: LOUISVILLE-8
Edge On: LOUISVILLE (0.5)

CFB > (389) KENTUCKY @ (390) MISSISSIPPI ST | 2015-10-24 19:30:00 - 2015-10-24 19:30:00
Line: MISSISSIPPI ST-11 BTB PowerLine: MISSISSIPPI ST-21
Edge On: MISSISSIPPI ST (10)

CFB > (339) WYOMING @ (340) BOISE ST | 2015-10-24 22:15:00 - 2015-10-24 22:15:00
Line: BOISE ST-33 BTB PowerLine: BOISE ST-40
Edge On: BOISE ST (7)

[Dr. Bubba]

Thanks agin, Bum! One bad beat last week if you got it in late was GeorgiaSouthern -30.5 (i got it both at 29.5 and 30.5, so for me a wash) , stinkin' ass Aggies nmst backdoored it late

[StarDust Bum]

Yep......had a back door kill my GOY with Clemson................some had 16.5 were luck....some had 17.....for the push and some had 17.5.................owell that's the way it goes.....

[StarDust Bum]

Memphis at Tulsa
October 21, 2015

**Memphis at Tulsa**

-- Memphis (6-0 straight up, 3-2-1 against the spread) is coming off one of the biggest wins in school history after knocking off Ole Miss on Saturday at the Liberty Bowl. The Tigers remained unbeaten with a 37-24 win over the Rebels as 10.5-point home underdogs. Paxton Lynch completed 39-of-53 passes for 384 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony Miller had 10 receptions for 132 yards and one TD, while Mose Frazier hauled in eight catches for 83 yards and one TD. Dion Witty and Arthur Maulet collected interceptions off of Chad Kelly.

-- Lynch is enjoying a sensational season, throwing for 305 yards or more in five consecutive games. The 6-7, 245-pound senior has connected on 71.4 percent of his passes for 1,919 yards with a 13/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

--Memphis is fifth in the nation in total offense and ninth in passing. The Tigers aren’t one-dimensional, however, rushing for nearly 200 yards per game (196.0 to be exact). Five different players have rushed for more than 100 yards this year led by Jarvis Cooper, a sophomore RB who has run for a team-high 320 yards and four TD while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Junior RB Sam Craft has rushed for 219 yards and five TDs.

-- Coming off the huge win over an SEC team and a regional rival (Ole Miss is 45 minutes from Memphis) that has thrust it into the national spotlight, Memphis enters a classic letdown spot for Friday’s AAC showdown. The short week of preparation and road assignment make this an especially tough spot for the Tigers, who now have to be considered a potential darkhorse to get to the College Football Playoff. Now obviously, Justin Fuente’s team will have to handle its business and get some help for that notion to become a reality. But make no mistake, it’s a possibility. For starters, Memphis will need Ole Miss to play outstanding football down the stretch. In fact, it probably needs the Rebels to win the SEC West, but that’s exactly what will happen if they run the table. Also, the Tigers want Bowling Green to keep playing good football and a win or two from Kansas would help the cause, too. Remember, Memphis won 55-23 and 44-41 at KU and Bowling Green in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. There are still two games against ranked and unbeaten foes remaining with road games at Houston and Temple next month. Also, the Tigers face a 4-1 Navy squad in two weeks, so there are quality wins remaining on the schedule.

-- Tulsa (3-3 SU, 3-2-1 ATS) has lost three of its last four games, including Saturday’s 30-17 loss at East Carolina as a 14-point underdog. This was a wild affair for our purposes. ECU went ahead of the number for the first time when it took a 17-0 lead with 5:50 left in the second quarter. With 1:13 left until halftime, the Pirates tacked on a field goal for a 20-0 advantage at intermission. Tulsa finally got on the board thanks to a Zack Langer one-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. With 7:12 remaining, Redford Jones’s 21-yard field goal put Golden Hurricanes supporters back in front (23-10). When ECU’s James Summers scored on a six-yard TD run with 1:24 left, gamblers on the Pirates appeared to be in business. However, Dane Evans hit Keyarris Garrett with a 47-yard scoring strike with 30 ticks remaining, and Jones’s successful PAT gave Tulsa backers the backdoor cover.

-- Tulsa produced more yardage than ECU by a wide margin (463-382), but a pair of turnovers and three failed fourth-down attempts were a killer. Evans threw for 288 yards and one TD, while Langer rushed for 76 yards and one TD on 18 carries. Josh Atkinson had eight receptions for 136 yards.

-- Evans has completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 2,127 yards with an 11/4 TD-INT ratio. His favorite target is Garrett, who has 45 receptions for 698 yards and two TDs. Atkinson has 36 catches for 576 yards and two TDs, while Langer has rushed for a team-best 596 yards and 11 TDs.

-- Tulsa junior WR Keevan Lucas was lost to a season-ending knee injury in a 38-24 home loss to Houston on Oct. 3. Lucas, who had 26 receptions for 409 yards and a team-high five TDs in the first four games, was a first-team All-AAC selection last year when he had 101 catches for 1,219 yards and 11 TDs. Blake Belcher, a starting offensive tackle, was also lost for the season to a knee injury two weeks ago. RB D’Angelo Brewer, who has run for 362 yards and one TD while averaging 5.7 yards per carry, missed the loss at ECU with an undisclosed injury and was listed as ‘questionable’ for Memphis as of early Wednesday afternoon.

-- Memphis has been a road ‘chalk’ seven times on Fuente’s watch, compiling a 4-3-1 spread record.

-- Tulsa owns a 3-1 ATS record in four games as an underdog this year. However, the Golden Hurricane failed to cover in its lone home ‘dog spot this year. Going back to 2010, it is an abysmal 2-6 ATS in the last eight situations as a home puppy.

-- Dating back to last season, Memphis has won 13 consecutive games.

-- As of early Wednesday afternoon, most books had Memphis listed as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 77. Tulsa was +330 on the money line (risk $100 to win $330).

-- The ‘over’ is 4-2 overall for Memphis, 2-1 in its three previous road assignments. After the ‘over’ cashed in the Tigers’ first four games, but the ‘under’ has been a winner in back-to-back contests. They have seen their games average a combined score of 72.3 points per game.

-- After cashing in three straight games, the ‘under’ is 4-2 overall for Tulsa, 2-1 in its home outings. The Golden Hurricane has seen its games produce average combined scores of 68.2 PPG.

-- ESPN will have the broadcast Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- There’s also a late-night game Friday to get gamblers warmed up for the weekend. Like Memphis, Utah St. is off a huge win and in a letdown scenario at San Diego State. These Mountain West Conference rivals will collide at 10:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2. As of early Wednesday, most spots had the Aggies listed as five-point road favorites with a total of 44. Matt Wells’s team crushed Boise St. by a 52-26 count as a 7.5-point home underdog. Utah State created eight turnovers and a 90-yard pick-six by Marwin Evans gave it a 45-10 halftime lead over BSU. Kent Myers threw three TD passes without an interception and also scored on a 39-yard TD scamper.

-- The ‘over’ has hit in four straight games for Utah State.

-- The Westgate SuperBook updates its lines for Games of the Year earlier this week. Ohio State is now a 2.5-point favorite at Michigan in the regular-season finale for both teams.

-- Bovada sent out a tweet earlier this week showing a 12-game parlay from one of its players that netted more than $12,000 with just $10 at risk. Guess who the player had in the parlay? Michigan St. on the money line.

-- Best ATS records: Central Michigan 7-0, Toledo 5-0-1, Notre Dame 6-1, So. Miss 6-1, Stanford 5-1.

-- Worst ATS records: Old Dominion 0-6, UCF 1-6, Michigan State 1-6. UCF and Sparty collected their first spread covers in Week 7.

[StarDust Bum]

Temple looks for 1st 7-0 start vs. ECU
October 21, 2015

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) No. 22 Temple doesn't have much time to savor its first national ranking in 35 years.

The Owls (6-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) play their first game as a ranked team since 1979 on Thursday night when they visit East Carolina (4-3, 2-1).

In a half-season already full of milestones, Temple is chasing one more - the first 7-0 start in the history of the once-woebegone program.

''I'm really pleased with our progress, pleased to be where we are and we know it's going to be an unbelievable battle in a really hostile environment on a short week,'' coach Matt Rhule said.

The Owls are acting like they've been here before - even though they haven't, not since the '79 team cracked the Top 25 on its way to the Garden State Bowl.

Quarterback P.J. Walker said it has been ''business as usual.''

''When you've got the guys in the upper class that are not even thinking about all the things in terms of all the success that we had ... everybody's just like, `All right, we're cool, we won that game, let's get to the next game,'' he said. ''I think the young guys are starting to figure it out.''

Maybe that's because they know firsthand just how quickly a team can tumble back into the relative obscurity of not being ranked anymore.

A year ago, East Carolina surged into the polls after a pair of impressive nonconference wins - only to fall out, never to reappear, after losing a road game in league play.

That opponent? Temple.

Yet Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill is downplaying the revenge angle.

''It wasn't luck'' that Temple won last year, he said. ''I talk about getting better. Let's play our best game our next game, but play our best game our last game of the year. Temple has a great team and proposes a great opportunity, but a challenge for us. I talk more about preparation. That's how I'm built and that's what I believe in.''

---

Some things to know about the Temple-East Carolina game:

OLD SCHOOL OWLS:

Temple is winning games on the strength of a ball-control offense and some tough defense. Jahad Thomas leads the American with an average of 126 yards, and scored three touchdowns in last week's win over Central Florida. The Owls have the league's best D, allowing averages of 14.7 points and 295 total yards while intercepting 11 passes.

A GAME OF QUARTERS:

Temple has had only two scoreless quarters all season, and the Owls have outscored their opponents 75-9 in their third quarters. They haven't allowed a second-half touchdown since Sept. 19.

ECU'S TWO QBS:

The Pirates list co-starters at quarterback in Blake Kemp and transfer James Summers. Kemp throws for 222 yards per game while Summers burst onto the scene by rushing for 169 yards and two TDs in a win over Virginia Tech. McNeill says he is pleased with how both have handled the situation, calling it ''really unique.''

KEY STAT:

East Carolina has lost 14 straight games when scoring 20 or fewer points, a streak that started before McNeill arrived in 2010. The Owls have only allowed two opponents to reach the 20-point mark and the last three teams they've faced have combined for just 29 points.

BEATING THE TOP 25:

East Carolina has beaten the last two ranked teams it has faced - both Virginia Tech and North Carolina in 2014 - but this is just the third Top 25 conference opponent it has faced in more than a decade. When the Pirates were in Conference USA, they beat No. 18 Houston in 2009 but lost to No. 24 Southern Mississippi in 2011.

[StarDust Bum]

Baylor, TCU, Ok. State head of class
October 21, 2015

Second-ranked Baylor and fourth-ranked TCU have reached the midpoint in the Big 12 Conference with perfect grades in the form of undefeated records.

While the Bears and Horned Frogs are again at the head of the class, as expected after sharing the title last season, 14th-ranked Oklahoma State also has no check marks in the loss column. And No. 17 Oklahoma quickly corrected its unexpected setback with a 55-0 win over Kansas State, the largest shutout in any Big 12 Conference game since 2008.

Their worst loss in 25 years left the Wildcats 0-3 in the Big 12, along with West Virginia and Kansas.

Here are progress reports for every Big 12 team going into the second half of the regular season, when Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU all go head-to-head in November:

TCU (7-0, 4-0 Big 12):

Playing three of their first four league games on the road, the Frogs survived. Aaron Green had a diving fourth-down TD catch in the final minute at Texas Tech, and they overcame an 18-point halftime deficit at K-State. Heisman contenders Trevone Boykin and Josh Doctson still have to cross the Red River twice to play the Oklahoma teams, but host Baylor the day after Thanksgiving.

BAYLOR (6-0, 3-0):

Again the nation's best offense, Baylor has scored at least 55 points in every game playing one of the softest power-five conference schedules. It builds up to a three-week November stretch when the Bears host Oklahoma, before going to Oklahoma State and TCU. Seth Russell has an FBS-best 27 touchdown passes and Corey Coleman has already set a single-season Baylor record with 16 TD catches.

OKLAHOMA STATE (6-0, 3-0):

The Cowboys still have their stiffest tests ahead of them, though TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma all play in Stillwater. They were undefeated as expected against a weak non-conference schedule, but their three Big 12 wins have been by a combined 12 points.

OKLAHOMA (5-1, 2-1):

Former Texas Tech quarterback transfer Baker Mayfield and new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley have been a good mix for Oklahoma, along with the emergence of some other receivers to help Sterling Shepard. Cornerbacks Zack Sanchez, the established standout, and rising star Jordan Thomas each have three interceptions. The only loss was to Texas.

TEXAS TECH (5-2, 2-2):

After opening Big 12 play with losses to TCU and Baylor, Texas Tech has since matched its conference win total from a year ago and surpassed its 2014 overall win total. The Red Raiders, who play their first 11 games without a break, still face five teams that beat them last season.

IOWA STATE (2-4, 1-2):

The Cyclones are exactly where most expected them to be, which is bad news for embattled coach Paul Rhoads. Unlike 2014, Iowa State has won a Big 12 game. But since winning their league opener over Kansas, the Cyclones have losses by 35 and 24 points, and now go to Baylor. Iowa State's last winning season was 2009, Rhoads' first in Ames.

TEXAS (2-4, 1-2):

Second-year coach Charlie Strong's team had an enjoyable visit to the State Fair of Texas with a win over Oklahoma before last week's open date. While maybe a program-turning victory, the last Big 12 team to play in a national championship game (six seasons ago) still has a lot of work to do to avoid consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1988-89.

KANSAS STATE (3-3, 0-3):

Before that lopsided loss at home, the Wildcats had blown halftime leads in back-to-back losses - after winning 49 consecutive games when ahead at the break. A three-week stretch really hard to explain for coach Bill Snyder and his team. K-State won four in a row after their 0-3 league start two years ago.

WEST VIRGINIA (3-3, 0-3):

After winning all its non-conference games, West Virginia has lost three consecutive games against ranked Big 12 teams - and headed to fourth-ranked TCU after an open date this weekend. Quarterback Skyler Howard has eight turnovers in Big 12 play.

KANSAS (0-6, 0-3):

A young team with a first-year coach going through the expected growing pains. After giving Texas Tech a late scare, the Jayhawks play three of their next four games on the road. The home game is against Oklahoma, who has beaten them 10 consecutive times.

[StarDust Bum]

SEC depth a question at midway point
October 21, 2015

Halfway through the regular season, a dirty little secret is becoming more obvious to college football fans.

The proud Southeastern Conference doesn't look quite as formidable this fall.

There are still some good teams and talented players: No. 5 LSU and its Heisman Trophy candidate - running back Leonard Fournette, top the list. No. 8 Alabama has its own big back in Derrick Henry and has bounced back after a surprising loss to Mississippi in September.

But the depth around the conference appears to be lacking. The SEC has just five nationally ranked teams after a peak of 10 earlier in the season.

Preseason darling Auburn has been disappointing and Arkansas lost to Toledo. Missouri - the two-time defending Eastern Division champion - is 1-3 in conference play and struggling to score points. Georgia and Ole Miss looked like early contenders, but the Bulldogs have lost two of their past three games and the Rebels were thumped by Memphis on Saturday.

South Carolina has struggled so much that coach Steve Spurrier resigned, Tennessee and Kentucky are inconsistent, Mississippi State is uninspiring and Vanderbilt continues to bumble along in the Eastern Division basement.

Not that anyone in the league is panicking.

''We've got a long way to go, especially with the playoff system,'' Alabama quarterback Jake Coker said. ''Everybody's still alive.''

Maybe not everybody, but Alabama and LSU certainly look like teams that could make some postseason noise. Which one could be decided after they meet on Nov. 7.

It remains to be seen if any other late challengers emerge.

The only team that's legitimately been a pleasant surprise is No. 13 Florida, which lost for the first time on Saturday against LSU but still has a great shot at winning the East. No. 15 Texas A&M is also coming off its first loss - against Alabama - but has big games against Ole Miss and LSU remaining.

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Here are some of the highlights and lowlights from the first half of the season:

BEST PLAYER:

Fournette. This one really isn't close. Fournette has been unstoppable, featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and is probably the Heisman Trophy front-runner. He has rushed for 1,202 yards when nobody else in FBS has reached 1,000. He's also second nationally in scoring with 14 touchdowns - two more than Vanderbilt and Missouri have scored, respectively. Runner up: Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett, one of the nation's best pass rushers.

BEST TEAM: LSU.

The Tigers haven't played the most imposing schedule but are coming off a 35-28 win over Florida and are the only remaining unbeaten team in the SEC. The matter should be settled more definitively on Nov. 7 when LSU and the Tide clash at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Runner up: Alabama, which has romped through the past four games since losing to Mississippi.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT:

Auburn. The Tigers opened the season ranked No. 6 and a popular pick to win the SEC. They've looked like anything but contenders this season. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson came in widely mentioned in the Heisman conversation but was benched after dreadful early performances. Runner up: Georgia, which has blown a big lead against Tennessee and been throttled by Alabama after being ranked in the top 10.

BIGGEST MYSTERY:

Ole Miss. The Rebels were once ranked as high as No. 3 after beating the Tide. Since then the Rebels have been routed by Florida and lost to Memphis. Runner up: Arkansas. Once a Top 25 team, the Razorbacks appeared poised for a breakthrough season under coach Bret Bielema. Instead, they have lost four of their last five games.

BIGGEST BLOW:

Georgia losing RB Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury. Chubb had been almost a surefire 100-yard runner every Saturday and was averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Runners up: D'haquille Williams/Laremy Tunsil. Auburn booted its talented receiver from the team after multiple suspensions. Tunsil is returning against Texas A&M after serving a seven-game NCAA suspension for receiving illegal benefits.