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[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 4

Saturday, September 24


San Jose St @ Iowa State

Game 329-330
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Jose St
82.363
Iowa State
83.968
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa State
by 1 1/2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa State
by 7
55
Dunkel Pick:
San Jose St
(+7); Under

Wake Forest @ Indiana

Game 327-328
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wake Forest
85.121
Indiana
89.527
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 4 1/2
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 8
47 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wake Forest
(+8); Over

Iowa @ Rutgers

Game 325-326
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Iowa
97.835
Rutgers
77.256
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa
by 20 1/2
51
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa
by 13
55 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa
(-13); Under

Penn State @ Michigan

Game 323-324
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Penn State
87.512
Michigan
109.715
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan
by 22 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan
by 18 1/2
60
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan
(-18 1/2); Under

Syracuse @ Connecticut

Game 321-322
September 24, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Syracuse
76.570
Connecticut
82.755
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Connecticut
by 6
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Connecticut
by 3
57
Dunkel Pick:
Connecticut
(-3); Under

East Carolina @ Virginia Tech

Game 319-320
September 24, 2016 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
East Carolina
89.879
Virginia Tech
97.037
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia Tech
by 7
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia Tech
by 11
56
Dunkel Pick:
East Carolina
(+11); Over

Army @ Buffalo

Game 317-318
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Army
87.870
Buffalo
61.307
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Army
by 26 1/2
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Army
by 14
50
Dunkel Pick:
Army
(-14); Over

Central Florida @ FIU

Game 315-316
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Central Florida
70.379
FIU
72.481
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
FIU
by 2
43
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Central Florida
by 7
52 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
FIU
(+7); Under

Ball State @ Florida Atlantic

Game 313-314
September 24, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ball State
75.037
Florida Atlantic
76.008
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida Atlantic
by 1
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ball State
by 3 1/2
50
Dunkel Pick:
Florida Atlantic
(+3 1/2); Under

Central Michigan @ Virginia

Game 311-312
September 24, 2016 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Central Michigan
92.569
Virginia
80.473
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Central Michigan
by 12
58
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Central Michigan
by 3 1/2
49 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Central Michigan
(-3 1/2); Over

Vanderbilt @ Western Kentucky

Game 359-360
September 24, 2016 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vanderbilt
82.885
Western Kentucky
86.969
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Western Kentucky
by 4
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Western Kentucky
by 7 1/2
52 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Vanderbilt
(+7 1/2); Over

New Mexico St @ Troy

Game 357-358
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Mexico St
61.978
Troy
84.380
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Troy
by 22 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Troy
by 20
67 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Troy
(-20); Under

Duke @ Notre Dame

Game 355-356
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Duke
70.226
Notre Dame
99.340
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Notre Dame
by 29
66
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Notre Dame
by 20 1/2
60
Dunkel Pick:
Notre Dame
(-20 1/2); Over

Kent State @ Alabama

Game 353-354
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kent State
69.502
Alabama
109.875
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Alabama
by 40 1/2
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Alabama
by 44
50
Dunkel Pick:
Kent State
(+44); Over

Louisville @ Marshall

Game 351-352
September 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Louisville
101.986
Marshall
80.501
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Louisville
by 21 1/2
78
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Louisville
by 26
73 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Marshall
(+26); Over

Oklahoma State @ Baylor

Game 349-350
September 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma State
97.275
Baylor
103.819
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baylor
by 6 1/2
79
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
by 9 1/2
74
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma State
(+9 1/2); Over

Southern Miss @ UTEP

Game 347-348
September 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Southern Miss
80.285
UTEP
63.176
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Southern Miss
by 17
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Southern Miss
by 10
61
Dunkel Pick:
Southern Miss
(-10); Under

Pittsburgh @ North Carolina

Game 345-346
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
95.870
North Carolina
100.250
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 4 1/2
76
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 7 1/2
68
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(+7 1/2); Over

Charlotte @ Temple

Game 343-344
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
52.074
Temple
84.507
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Temple
by 32 1/2
45 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Temple
by 27
53 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(-27); Under

Georgia Southern @ Western Michigan

Game 341-342
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia Southern
87.956
Western Michigan
90.778
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Western Michigan
by 3
68
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Western Michigan
by 7
54
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia Southern
(+7); Over

Appalachian St @ Akron

Game 339-340
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Appalachian St
88.623
Akron
80.169
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Appalachian St
by 8 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Appalachian St
by 5 1/2
59
Dunkel Pick:
Appalachian St
(-5 1/2); Under

North Texas @ Rice

Game 337-338
September 24, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
North Texas
62.769
Rice
71.973
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Rice
by 9
43
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Rice
by 7
51 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Rice
(-7); Under

Brigham Young @ West Virginia

Game 335-336
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brigham Young
94.912
West Virginia
97.379
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
West Virginia
by 2 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
West Virginia
by 7 1/2
50 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Brigham Young
(+7 1/2); Over

Colorado State @ Minnesota

Game 333-334
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado State
74.251
Minnesota
92.458
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 18
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 16
56
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-16); Under

Mississippi St @ Massachusetts

Game 331-332
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Mississippi St
92.052
Massachusetts
74.030
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Mississippi St
by 18
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Mississippi St
by 22 1/2
44 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Massachusetts
(+22 1/2); Over

Nebraska @ Northwestern

Game 389-390
September 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nebraska
97.749
Northwestern
88.644
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Nebraska
by 9
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nebraska
by 7
48
Dunkel Pick:
Nebraska
(-7); Over

Florida State @ South Florida

Game 387-388
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida State
94.281
South Florida
99.057
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Florida
by 5
67
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida State
by 7
61
Dunkel Pick:
South Florida
(+7); Over

Bowling Green @ Memphis

Game 385-386
September 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Bowling Green
76.442
Memphis
90.827
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 14 1/2
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 16 1/2
69
Dunkel Pick:
Bowling Green
(+16 1/2); Under

Florida @ Tennessee

Game 383-384
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
98.440
Tennessee
103.335
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tennessee
by 5
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tennessee
by 7
43 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
(+7); Over

South Carolina @ Kentucky

Game 381-382
September 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Carolina
86.993
Kentucky
80.203
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Carolina
by 7
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kentucky
by 3
57
Dunkel Pick:
South Carolina
(+3); Under

TX-San Antonio @ Old Dominion

Game 379-380
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
TX-San Antonio
65.732
Old Dominion
70.551
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Old Dominion
by 5
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Old Dominion
by 3 1/2
52 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Old Dominion
(-3 1/2); Over

Louisiana Tech @ Middle Tennessee St

Game 377-378
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Louisiana Tech
86.940
Middle Tennessee
88.333
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Middle Tennessee
by 1 1/2
75
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Middle Tennessee
by 6
68
Dunkel Pick:
Louisiana Tech
(+6); Over

Miami of Ohio @ Cincinnati

Game 375-376
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami of Ohio
68.381
Cincinnati
92.235
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 24
62
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
by 17 1/2
55
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(-17 1/2); Over

Georgia @ Mississippi

Game 373-374
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Georgia
91.693
Mississippi
102.639
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Mississippi
by 11
66
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Mississippi
by 7
59 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Mississippi
(-7); Over

Washington @ Arizona

Game 371-372
September 24, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
100.951
Arizona
93.903
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 7
73
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 9 1/2
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+9 1/2); N/A

Colorado @ Oregon

Game 369-370
September 24, 2016 @ 5:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado
87.426
Oregon
101.584
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oregon
by 14
74
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oregon
by 10
68 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oregon
(-10); Over

LA-Lafayette @ Tulane

Game 367-368
September 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA-Lafayette
72.590
Tulane
79.933
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulane
by 7 1/2
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulane
by 5
47
Dunkel Pick:
Tulane
(-5); Under

Nevada @ Purdue

Game 365-366
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nevada
79.112
Purdue
80.325
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Purdue
by 1
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Purdue
by 6
58 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Nevada
(+6); Under

Arkansas @ Texas A&M

Game 363-364
September 24, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas
104.704
Texas A&M
103.308
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arkansas
by 1 1/2
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas A&M
by 6 1/2
49
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas
(+6 1/2); Over

Wisconsin @ Michigan State

Game 361-362
September 24, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wisconsin
95.766
Michigan State
103.019
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan State
by 7 1/2
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Michigan State
by 5
43
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan State
(-5); Over

Missouri St @ Kansas State

Game 419-420
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Missouri St
50.923
Kansas State
103.038
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas State
by 52
63
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas State
by 44
57
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas State
(-44); Over

Nicholls St @ South Alabama

Game 417-418
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nicholls St
59.098
South Alabama
76.519
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
South Alabama
by 17 1/2
60
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
South Alabama
by 15
55
Dunkel Pick:
South Alabama
(-15); Over

Central Arkansas @ Arkansas St

Game 415-416
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Central Arkansas
61.978
Arkansas St
74.882
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arkansas St
by 13
69
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arkansas St
by 16
63
Dunkel Pick:
Central Arkansas
(+16); Over

Delaware St @ Missouri

Game 413-414
September 24, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Delaware St
31.512
Missouri
93.760
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Missouri
by 62
67
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Missouri
by 50
60
Dunkel Pick:
Missouri
(-50); Over

Western Illinois @ Northern Illinois

Game 411-412
September 24, 2016 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Western Illinois
71.167
Northern Illinois
76.009
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Northern Illinois
by 1
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Northern Illinois
by 7
60
Dunkel Pick:
Western Illinois
(+7); Over

Gardner-Webb @ Ohio

Game 409-410
September 24, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Gardner-Webb
53.692
Ohio
80.172
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ohio
by 26 1/2
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ohio
by 30
48
Dunkel Pick:
Gardner-Webb
(+30); Over

Wagner @ Boston College

Game 407-408
September 24, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wagner
33.157
Boston College
80.609
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston College
by 47 1/2
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston College
by 39
45
Dunkel Pick:
Boston College
(-39); Over

Tulsa @ Fresno State

Game 405-406
September 24, 2016 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tulsa
83.009
Fresno State
71.531
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulsa
by 11 1/2
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulsa
by 14 1/2
66 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Fresno State
(+14 1/2); Under

Stanford @ UCLA

Game 403-404
September 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Stanford
107.754
UCLA
100.307
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Stanford
by 7 1/2
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Stanford
by 3
46 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Stanford
(-3); Over

California @ Arizona State

Game 401-402
September 24, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
California
90.249
Arizona State
97.308
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona State
by 7
77
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona State
by 3 1/2
82 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona State
(-3 1/2); Under

Idaho @ UNLV

Game 399-400
September 24, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Idaho
64.268
UNLV
74.665
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
UNLV
by 10 1/2
57
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UNLV
by 14 1/2
62
Dunkel Pick:
Idaho
(+14 1/2); Under

Air Force @ Utah State

Game 397-398
September 24, 2016 @ 10:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Air Force
90.557
Utah State
84.550
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Air Force
by 6
59
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Air Force
by 3
53
Dunkel Pick:
Air Force
(-3); Over

Boise State @ Oregon State

Game 395-396
September 24, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boise State
99.512
Oregon State
81.823
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boise State
by 17 1/2
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boise State
by 13
59 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boise State
(-13); Over

LSU @ Auburn

Game 393-394
September 24, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LSU
99.126
Auburn
102.328
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Auburn
by 3
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LSU
by 3 1/2
45 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Auburn
(+3 1/2); Over

Houston @ Texas State

Game 391-392
September 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
109.044
Texas State
69.494
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 39 1/2
55
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 34 1/2
65
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-34 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF


Friday, September 23


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAAF Game of the Day: USC at Utah
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings between USC and Utah. The Utes are currently 3-pt home faves.


USC Trojans at Utah Utes (-3, 46.5)


USC is off to its worst start since 2001 and its upcoming schedule won't get any easier as the Trojans travel to face No. 23 Utah in a Pac-12 game Friday night. USC is coming off a 27-10 loss Saturday at No. 6 Stanford, which dropped its record to 1-2 for the first time since Pete Carroll's first season with the Trojans 15 years ago, and coach Clay Helton responded by replacing starting quarterback Max Browne, a junior, with freshman Sam Darnold.


The Utes won't have any pity for USC after the Trojans upset them 42-24 last season when they came to Los Angeles ranked No. 7, spoiling a 6-0 start. That game was the debut of Helton, who was made the permanent coach later in the season but has gone 1-4 since. Utah is led by quarterback Troy Williams, an L.A.-area product who is coming off a 20-for-28 performance last weekend against San Jose State, finishing with 257 yards and a touchdown. The Utes didn't throw a touchdown pass until their third game last season, but already have four in 2016 - all to senior wide receiver Tim Patrick.


TV: 9 p.m. ET., FOX Sports 1.


LINE HISTORY: Utah opened this game favored by a point and a half, but bettors have moved that number all the way to Utes -3. The total opened at 46.5 and has yet to move off of that number. Check out the complete line history here.


INJURY REPORT:


USC - CB J. Plattenburg (probable Friday, concussion), TE T. Petite (probable Friday, thigh), DT M. Dorton (questionable Friday, hip), TE T. McNamara (questionable Friday, foot), C K. Rodgers (questionable Friday, hamstring), DT N. Jefferson (questionable Friday, shoulder), QB M. Fink (questionable Friday, ankle), LB Q. Powell (questionable friday, illness).


Utah- DB D. Hatfield (questionable Friday, leg), T S. Tevi (questionable Friday, back), DE K. Fitts (out Friday, foot).


WEATHER REPORT: It could be a messy night in Salt Lake City. There is a 100 perent of rain at kickoff with temperatures in the high 40's. There will also be a six to seven mile per hour wind blowing towards the northeast corner of the stadium.


WHAT SHARPS SAY: "USC returned 10 offensive starters this season. The only offensive starter they lost from last year's squad was QB Cody Kessler who threw for 3,536 yards with a 29/7 touchdown/interception ratio. It turns out that one lost starter was tough to replace as the Trojans passing game has struggled this season, averaging just 5.6 yards per pass (versus opponents that have allowed 6.6 ypp). USC will now be facing a strong Utah pass defense that has allowed just 4.9 yards per pass this season (versus opponent that average 5.6 ypp)."


WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We had Utah as a -1.5 point favorite earlier this week and it has been bet all the way to Utah -3.5 with over 70 percent of the action on Utah to cover."


ABOUT USC (1-2, 1-2 ATS, 1-2 O/U): Adoree' Jackson is one of the most versatile and entertaining players in Division I and may need to take over this game to get the Trojans back on track. He's a three-year starter at cornerback and also plays wide receiver and returns punt and kickoffs, putting him in the rare position of scoring touchdowns on a reception, interception return, punt and kickoff return during his career. Jackson, who limited Alabama sophomore wide receiver Calvin Ridley to two catches for nine yards in the season opener earlier this month, figures to draw the task of covering Patrick.


ABOUT UTAH (3-0, 1-2 ATS, 1-2 O/U): The Utes delivered 10 sacks against San Jose and look to get after Darnold against one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country. Hunter Dimick leads the way with three sacks for Utah and brings plenty of experience, starting 23 games in his college career. Kylie Fitts was expected to be a key part of the defensive line, but suffered a season-ending injury two weeks ago, increasing the role of Filipo Mokofisi, who move from defensive tackle to Fitts' former spot at defensive end last week and produced two sacks.


TRENDS:


* Home team is 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Utah is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a ATS win.
* Under is 9-3 in USC's last 12 road games.
* Under is 5-1 in Utah's last six home games.


CONSENSUS: Bettors are strongly behind the home team in this Pac-12 showdown, with 67 percetn of wagers backing Utah. As for the total, bettors are siding with over, with 59 percent of wagers on it.

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CFB BEST BETS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WYO at EMU 07:30 PM

EMU +5.0

U 61.5

TCU at SMU 08:00 PM

TCU -21.5

U 68.5

USC at UTAH 09:00 PM

USC +2.5

O 45.0

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Hill tosses 2 2nd-half TDs, TCU pulls away from SMU 33-3
September 23, 2016

DALLAS (AP) John Diarse was on his hands and knees in the end zone, trying to catch his breath after the TCU receiver took a hard hit that led to a targeting ejection for SMU safety Darrion Millines.

The junior transfer from LSU was just telling himself to breathe. Once he took care of that, Diarse hooked up with quarterback Kenny Hill on the play that triggered a runaway for the Horned Frogs.

Hill threw for 452 yards and two second-half touchdowns, including a 75-yarder to Diarse on the first play after halftime, and TCU pulled away from the Mustangs 33-3 on Friday night.

Diarse's catch-and-run score on a quick slant came after Millines delivered the second-quarter hit in the end zone after Anthony Rhone's interception in front of him.

Athletic trainers and coach Gary Patterson came out to check on him, but Diarse said he just had the wind knocked out of him.

''We always talk about if you get hit, it's about how you get back up and how you finish,'' Diarse said. ''That was my whole mindset for the rest of the game, finish, finish, finish, make up for it.''

Diarse came back later in the second quarter to catch a 23-yard pass on the drive to a field goal that put TCU ahead for good in a fifth straight victory over the Mustangs and the 15th win in the past 17 meetings between the crosstown rivals.

It was the second straight week for a career high in yards receiving for the 6-foot-1, 209-pound Diarse, who had 139 yards on six catches.

''A lot of guys would have taken that hit in the end zone, they'd have been out for the ballgame,'' Patterson said. ''The thing about John is he gives you a big body. He's a wide receiver, but he's kind of like a tight end body.''

SMU (2-2) played a touchdown-free first half against a high-scoring Big 12 team for the second time this season, trailing 6-3 at the half following a 6-6 halftime tie against No. 16 Baylor in Waco two weeks ago. The Bears went on to a 40-13 win.

The Horned Frogs (3-1) scored touchdowns on their first two possessions after halftime, the second on Hill's perfect fade pass to Jaelan Austin from the 2 for a 20-3 lead. The second score came on a 12-play drive after the quick strike to Diarse.

''Immediately it energizes everybody,'' Hill, who was 31 of 45 passing, said of the long touchdown. ''On the sideline, it was kind of dead. Everybody was in it, but it was kinda dead and we hit that play and everybody just sparked up.''

TCU kicked four field goals, two each from Brandon Hatfield and Ryan Graf, who just cleared the crossbar on a career-long 46-yarder.

THE TAKEAWAY

TCU: The Horned Frogs, who opened the season at No. 13, were less than impressive in all three nonconference games. After leading by just four points early in the fourth quarter of a 59-41 victory against lower-division South Dakota State in the opener, TCU trailed by 13 points in the fourth quarter of a double-overtime loss to Arkansas. Even with a 21-point home win over Iowa State in the Big 12 opener, the Frogs look vulnerable with tougher league foes awaiting.

SMU: The Mustangs don't have much to show for another strong first-half performance against a Big 12 team, instead seeing their losing streak against that conference reach 23 games dating to a victory over Kansas in the 2000 opener. But SMU figures to be much more competitive in the American Athletic Conference a year after going 1-7 in league play and giving up 51 points per game in the losses.

UP NEXT

TCU: The Horned Frogs return to Big 12 play against No. 25 Oklahoma at home next Saturday. TCU entered the weekend as the only 1-0 team in conference play.

SMU: The Mustangs open American Athletic Conference play at Temple next Saturday, the first of consecutive league games on the road.

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Eastern Michigan beats Wyoming 27-24 amid protest
September 23, 2016

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) Protesters gathered near an end zone and marched on the field after Eastern Michigan's 27-24 victory over Wyoming on Friday night, three days after racial graffiti was found spray painted on a campus building.

The students sat peacefully and talked to EMU President James Smith late in the third quarter. They moved outside the end zone area in the closing moments before walking onto the field chanting, ''No justice! No peace!'' A Wyoming player joined them for a few moments.

The national anthem was played early while the teams were off the field, with the university citing safety and security concerns.

The graffiti was found Tuesday and included the letters ''KKK'' and a racial epithet. School officials say another racial slur was found Wednesday in a stairwell. Authorities also are investigating after an SUV pushed through a crowd protesting the graffiti Tuesday.

Eastern Michigan (3-1) rallied to win, taking the lead on Ian Eriksen's 15-yard run with 1:35 left.

Brogan Robach, last year's starting quarterback, guided the winning four-play, 47-yard drive in his first action after being suspended for the start of the season. Eriksen, who had 120 yards on 27 carries, scored untouched on a draw play .

Wyoming (2-2) held the lead most of the game, opening the scoring when Marcus Epps intercepted Todd Porter's pass and returned it 66 yards midway through the first quarter. The Cowboys took a 24-20 lead with 12:45 to go when Logan Wilson returned Porter's interception 27 yards.

''The secondary is playing more explosive,'' Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said. ''It is very encouraging to see their play develop.''

After the Cowboys built a 17-3 lead, the Eagles, off to their best start since going 3-1 in 1995, tied it at 17 by the half. Breck Turner went 50 yards for his first career score, and Porter found John Niupalau for a 7-yard score 18 seconds before intermission.

Jeremiah Harris blocked a Wyoming field goal attempt in the final minute of the third quarter.

''It was a hard fought game and we knew we were evenly matched,'' Bohl said, ''We had good things happen, but had also had some things happen that need to be corrected.''

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Williams leads No. 24 Utah to 31-27 rally over USC
September 23, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Troy Williams threw for 270 yards and two touchdown and ran for another score in No. 24 Utah's 31-27 comeback victory over Southern California on Friday night.

The Utes came back in a spectacular fashion with Tim Patrick catching an 18-yard touchdown pass at the pylon with 16 seconds remaining to cap a 15-play, 93-yard drive. Williams had his third 100-yard receiving game of the season.

The Trojans controlled most of the game and had a 27-17 fourth-quarter lead, but Utah (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) scored 14 straight points. USC fell to 1-3 for the first time since 2001.

Utah attempted to control the game on the ground early against the No. 98 run defense in the country, but USC tightened up and forced the Utes to win through the air.

USC's Sam Darnold threw for 253 yards and ran for a touchdown in his first career start after replacing Sam Browne.

THE TAKEAWAY

USC: The Trojans are in serious trouble. There were already whispers that coach Clay Helton was on the hot seat, but blowing a 10-point lead in the final quarter may solidify that. Darnold was an upgrade, but USC is now 0-2 in conference.

UTAH: Friday was the first true test for the Utes and they passed - barely. The run game started hot with 132 yards in the first half, but faded fast and continued to have ball control issues with two fumbles. The defense allowed the most yards it has all season (466), but bowed up in the fourth quarter when the team absolutely needed it.

UP NEXT

USC: The Trojans return home to host Arizona State (3-0, 0-0) in a Pac-12 South showdown October 1.

UTAH: The Utes travel to face California (2-1, 0-0) in Pac-12 action on October 1.

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FRIDAY'S NIGHT RESULTS: 5 - 1

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 88-77-5 53.33% +1650

O/U Picks 30-35-1 46.15% -4250

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Saturday's SEC Action
September 23, 2016


**Florida at Tennessee**

-- Another critical SEC East showdown between Florida and Tennessee will be one of the highlights of a Saturday card in late September once again. The Volunteers will be looking to snap an 11-game losing streak against the Gators, who have dominated the series since the early 1990s. As of early Friday morning, most betting shops had Tennessee (3-0 straight up, 1-2 against the spread) listed as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 43 points. UF was available on the money line for a sweet +200 return (risk $100 to win $200). For first-half wagers, UT was a 3.5-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 21.5.

-- Florida (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) won’t have starting quarterback Luke Del Rio for this trip to Neyland Stadium. Del Rio suffered a sprained MCL in last week’s 32-0 win over North Texas. The sophomore will be out for 2-3 weeks but could return for an Oct. 8 home date vs. LSU. Del Rio had completed 62-of-101 passes (61%) for 762 yards with a 6/2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Austin Appleby will get his 12th career start and Jim McElwain has implied that both true freshmen QBs will be ready to play. Appleby spent parts of the 2014 and 2015 seasons as Purdue’s starter, lending credence to the notion that his mediocre numbers aren’t necessarily a reflection of how well he’ll play with much more talent around him at UF. Appleby threw for 2,767 yards with a 19/19 TD-INT ratio for the Boilermakers.

-- I went to the spring game and came away extremely impressed with Kyle Trask, the two-star recruit out of Texas. Listed at 6’4” and 230 pounds, Trask stands tall in the pocket, has a rocket for an arm and moves well. If a true freshman sees action, I think it’ll be Trask ahead of Wakulla High School product Feleipe Franks, a four-star recruit. Franks was intercepted three times during the Orange and Blue Game. Trask didn’t start his senior season after getting injured before the season opener. His high school coach didn’t want to mess with team chemistry when Trask returned because the starter, who signed with Houston, was playing well. But Trask is the real deal and gamblers shouldn’t be surprised if he gets on the field Saturday in Knoxville.

-- McElwain has utilized a rotation of four different RBs in juco transfer Mark Thompson, true freshman Lamical Perine and sophomores Jordan Scarlett and Jordan Cronkrite. Scarlett has rushed 33 times for 175 yards and two TDs, while Thompson has produced 166 yards and two TDs on 32 carries. Perine has the best yards-per-carry average of the bunch (5.5 YPC), turning 29 attempts into 161 yards and one score. He also has a pair of catches for 65 yards and one TD. Cronkrite has 80 rushing yards and one TD on 17 totes.

-- Florida sophomore WR Antonio Callaway will return to the lineup after resting a quad injury in the win over the Mean Green. In UF’s first two games, Callaway had 13 receptions for 201 yards and two TDs. The word out of Gainesville is that Callaway would’ve played this past weekend if Tennessee had been the opponent. The hero of last year’s UT game has 290 all-purpose yards on 21 touches. Callaway is a problem for the Vols, who won’t have their best cover corner to defend him. Senior CB Cam Sutton broke a bone in his ankle during the first half of Saturday’s 28-19 win over Ohio. Sutton, a second-team All-American as a punt returner last year, is out for what Butch Jones said is an “extended period of time.”

-- Florida leads the nation in total defense through three games, giving up only 129.7 yards per contest. This unit is led by a pair of All-American candidates in LB Jarrad Davis and safety Marcus Maye, who has 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one pass broken up and one interception. Davis has a team-best 18 stops, two sacks, two TFL’s, one pass broken up and one QB hurry. Junior LB Alex Anzalone has spent most of his time at UF sidelined by injuries, but he’s healthy now and displaying the talent that made him a five-star recruit. Anzalone has 14 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2.5 TFL’s, one PBU and one QB hurry.

-- Tennessee received a ton of preseason hype but has yet to live up to that billing. In its season opener at home against Appalachian St. from out of the Sun Belt Conference, Jones’s squad trailed 13-3 at halftime. The Vols were fortunate to force overtime since the Mountaineers missed an extra point in the first half and had a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter sail wide right. On its first possession of the extra session on third and goal, senior QB Josh Dobbs scrambled to his right and jumped in the air in an attempt to score. As he tried to reach the ball toward the plane of the end zone, he was stuck by an App. St. defender and fumbled into the end zone. Once again, fortune was on UT’s side as junior RB Jalen Hurd recovered the ball for a TD. When UT batted away a fourth down pass into the end zone moments later, it escaped with a 20-13 non-covering win as a 21.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Hurd rushed for 110 yards and one TD on 28 attempts, while Jeff Malone had two receptions for 85 yards, including a critical 67-yard TD catch to tie the game with 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

-- In Week 2, Tennessee fell behind 14-0 to Virginia Tech in the opening quarter of the ‘Battle at Bristol’ in front of the largest crowd in NCAA history. This time, however, UT responded with authority and scored 24 unanswered points to take a 24-14 advantage to intermission. The Vols would eventually capture a 45-24 triumph as 11-point favorites. The 69 combined points soared ‘over’ the 52.5-point total. Dobbs threw three TD passes and rushed 14 times for 106 yards and two more scores. Hurd rushed for 99 yards on 22 carries, while Malone had a pair of receptions for 46 yards and one TD.

-- UT was in a vintage sandwich spot last weekend with UF on deck following the huge event at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Ohio Bobcats came to Knoxville as 27-point underdogs and easily covered the number. In fact, UT was locked into a one-possession game in the fourth quarter until Dobbs found Malone for a 20-yard scoring strike to extend the lead to 28-19, which was the eventual final. The Vols never trailed but they never led by more than nine points, either. The 47 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 57.5-point tally. Dobbs completed 19-of-27 passes for 203 yards and two TDs with one interception. He also rushed for 59 yards and one TD on 14 totes. Malone had five grabs for 69 yards and a pair of TDs.

-- For the season, Dobbs has connected on 45-of-75 throws (60%) for 486 yards with a 6/3 TD-INT ratio. He has rushed for 161 yards and three TDs on 37 carries for a 4.4 YPC average. Hurd has rushed for a team-best 270 yards and two TDs while averaging 4.2 YPC. Malone has team-highs in catches (9), receiving yards (196) and TD grabs (4).

-- Not only will UT be without Sutton vs. UF, but it will also be missing starting sophomore Darrin Kirkland, who had 66 tackles, three sacks, three TFL’s, one interception and five QB hurries as freshman in 2015. Two other key players, OL Chance Hall (knee) and DE LaTroy Lewis (ankle), are listed as ‘questionable.’ On the bright side, All-SEC LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder) is ‘probable’ after leaving the Ohio game without returning.

-- Tennessee has failed to cover the spread in a pair of home ‘chalk’ situations this year and has limped to an abysmal 7-16 ATS record in its last 23 such spots. On the flip side, the Gators own a 6-2-1 spread record with four outright victories in their last nine games as road underdogs.

-- This is the first time these teams have both been ranked since the 2006 meeting when true freshman QB Tim Tebow battled his way to a crucial first down on a 4th-and-inches play that was the catalyst during the game-winning drive in a 21-20 UF win at Neyland.

-- UF is 6-2-1 ATS in the last eight games against Tennessee. The Gators took the cash as one-point home ‘dogs in last year’s 28-27 win at The Swamp. UT led 26-14 after Hurd scored on a 10-yard TD scamper with 10:19 remaining. However, Jones inexplicably elected to go for the extra point rather than a two-point conversion. The unfathomable decision would end up costing his team. With 4:09 left, the Gators cut the deficit to 27-21 on a five-yard TD pass from Will Grier to Brandon Powell. After getting a stop, UF faced a 4th-and-14 play from its own 37 with just over 90 seconds to play. Grier found Callaway for the first-down yardage, but then the true freshman decided to get greedy. He backtracked and ran to the sidelines where he turned the corner and beat the UT secondary to the end zone. UT’s 55-yard FG attempt as time expired was wide right. It was the second straight season UF rallied from a two-possession deficit in the fourth quarter to beat UT. The Gators trailed 9-0 in 2014 until the defense and a few plays from true freshman QB Treon Harris sparked them to a 10-9 come-from-behind victory.

-- The ‘over’ has cashed at a 5-1 clip in the last six head-to-head meetings between these schools.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

**LSU at Auburn**

-- You talk about a pair of head coaches in dire need of a victory! Man, my Auburn neighbor was at Jordan-Hare this past Saturday and explained how the boo-birds were out in force for Gus Malzahn and his pedestrian offense for basically the entire game. In my SEC preview back in July, I laid out my case for Auburn to go ‘under’ its win total of seven. I certainly don’t wish a pink slip on anyone, including Malzahn, but I explained how there was really no way around it if AU struggled to get a bowl bid this year. If AU can’t get it done on Saturday night vs. LSU, the ‘under’ and Malzahn’s eventual dismissal will appear to be a foregone conclusion. First of all, everyone with a clue realizes that Auburn pulls the trigger on a coaching change in football quicker than any other school in the nation. Secondly, look at what’s left on the schedule. Remember, Auburn hasn’t gone on the road yet. After hosting ULM next weekend, AU goes to Starkville where a Mississippi St. team will be waiting for it after enjoying an open date. There are road dates remaining in Oxford, Athens and Tuscaloosa, not to mention a home game vs. still-unbeaten Arkansas. And hey, don’t sleep on Vandy, which comes to The Plains with two weeks to prepare on Nov. 5 when Malzahn’s troops will be off a game at Ole Miss with at Georgia on deck. With all that said, if Auburn can find a path to victory vs. LSU, it goes to Starkville with a 3-2 record. With a win over Dan Mullen’s club, it would improve to 4-2 and have two weeks to prep for a home game against the Razorbacks. This is life for an SEC coach on the hot seat these days.

-- LSU’s Les Miles is in a similar boat as Malzahn. He was nearly dismissed last year and came under heavy scrutiny yet again following a 16-14 season-opening loss to Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The criticism was similar to what Miles has faced regularly for years: vanilla offensive play-calling and ineffective QB play. The Badgers won outright as 12.5-point underdogs thanks to a defense that forced three turnovers and limited the Tigers to only 257 yards of total offense. Brandon Harris was intercepted twice and threw for only 131 yards.

-- When Harris struggled early in a Week 2 home game vs. Jacksonville State, he was yanked in favor of Purdue transfer Danny Etling, who helped his team to a 34-13 non-covering win as a 28-point home ‘chalk.’ Etling’s numbers weren’t great, but the offense functioned better with him under center. He completed 6-of-14 passes for 100 yards with one TD and one interception. He also ran for a score. Fournette left the game early with a mild ankle sprain, so Derrius Guice stepped in and rushed for 155 yards and one TD on 19 totes.

-- In its SEC opener at Tiger Stadium last weekend, LSU held off a furious late fourth-quarter rally from Mississippi St. to preserve a 23-20 win. However, the Bulldogs’ 17-0 run in the second half resulted in a backdoor cover as 13-point underdogs. The 43 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 47-point total. LSU raced out to a 20-0 lead before both teams traded field goal late in the second quarter to make it 23-3 at halftime. Etling connected on 19-of-30 attempts for 215 yards and one TD without an interception. Fournette rushed for 147 yards and a pair of scored on 28 carries.

-- LSU has a pair of starting offensive linemen listed as ‘questionable’ at Auburn. OT Toby Weathersby (ankle) and OG Josh Boutte (knee) both left the win over MSU with injuries.

-- As of early Friday, most books had LSU (2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS) listed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 45.5 points. Malzahn’s team was +145 on the money line, while the Bayou Bengals were favored by two and the total was 23 for first-half bets.

-- Auburn (1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS) took the cash as a 7.5-point home underdog in its 19-13 season-opening loss to Clemson. Kevin Steele’s defense kept AU in the game the whole way by forcing a pair of turnovers and limiting Clemson to 399 yards of total offense. However, Malzahn used three different QBs and the offense could muster only 262 total yards. Auburn was an atrocious 3-for-17 on third down.

-- In Week 2, Auburn covered the number again in a 51-14 win over Arkansas State as a 20.5-point home favorite. The offense came alive with 706 yards against the Red Wolves. Sean White went the distance and completed 17-of-23 throws for 244 yards and three TDs without an interception. Kamryn Pettway produced 152 rushing yards on 15 carries, while Kerryon Johnson ran for 124 yards and two TDs on 18 attempts. Tony Stevens hauled in four receptions for 75 yards, including TD grabs from eight and 24 yards out.

-- Auburn limped its way through last week’s SEC opener, a 29-16 home loss to Texas A&M as a one-point favorite. The Tigers were favored by 3.5 or four for most of the week, but a surge of action on the Aggies had the number moving south all of Saturday afternoon. The 45 combined points dropped ‘under’ the 55.5-point tally. White completed 18-of-27 passes but for just 126 yards. He was pulled in the second half in favor of juco transfer John Franklin III, who connected on 4-of-8 throws for only 37 yards. Franklin, who is a dynamic runner, had 47 rushing yards on nine attempts. Pettway ran for 123 yards and one TD on 20 carries.

-- LSU is mired in a 3-8 ATS slump in its last 11 games as a road favorite.

-- Auburn owns a 3-2 spread record with a pair of outright victories in five games as a home underdog during Malzahn’s tenure.

-- LSU has beaten Auburn in seven of the last nine head-to-head meetings, but Auburn is 5-4 ATS during this span. The Tigers won a 45-21 decision as six-point home favorites last season when Leonard Fournette exploded for 228 rushing yards and three TDs on 19 carries. The 66 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 50-point total.

-- ESPN will provide the broadcast at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Before we delve into any other SEC nuggets, let’s just take a moment to recognize last week’s Ole Miss-Alabama barn burner in Oxford. What a wild-as-hell football game! The Rebels raced out to a 24-3 lead thanks to a 44-yard scoop and score from John Youngblood with 2:47 to play in the second quarter. However, Alabama struck back fast with a six-yard TD run from Calvin Ridley just 37 seconds later. Then with 1:05 left until halftime, Eddie Jackson returned an Ole Miss punt 85 yards for a TD to trim the deficit to seven at intermission. Another defensive score pulled Alabama even in the third quarter before both teams traded field goals. The Crimson Tide went ahead for good on a Bo Scarbrough one-yard plunge into the end zone with 16 ticks left in the third quarter. Nick Saban’s bunch would go ahead 48-30 on a Jonathan Allen 75-yard pick-six with 5:28 remaining. Game, set, match, right? Wrong. Chad Kelly found Damore’ea Stringfellow for a five-yard scoring strike with 2:59 left. Eight seconds later after an onside kick, Kelly found A.J. Brown for a 37-yard TD pass. With three timeouts left, Ole Miss didn’t even have to attempt another onside kick, but it was unable to stop Alabama and get the ball back (even though it had a great chance when Alabama fumbled, only to recover its own mishap).

-- How easy did Ole Miss and Mississippi State make those successful onside kicks look late in the fourth quarter last week? And then how about the super-quick TDs to follow? Hell, both teams scored so fast they didn’t even need to attempt a second onside kick. We should also acknowledge that both onside kicks led to backdoor covers for the Rebels and Bulldogs.

-- Sportsbook.ag updated its odds to win the SEC earlier this week. I’m not sure how Texas A&M has much longer odds than LSU, Tennessee and Georgia. Likewise, I’m stunned that UF’s odds are so much longer compared to UT and UGA. In other words, I believe A&M and UF have the best value. Here are those odds:

Alabama +110 ‘chalk’ (risk $100 to win $110)
LSU +325
Georgia +750
Texas A&M 10/1
Florida 15/1
Ole Miss 20/1
Arkansas 25/1
Auburn 40/1
Missouri 250/1
Mississippi St. 300/1
Vanderbilt 300/1
South Carolina 300/1
Kentucky 500/1

-- As of early Friday, most books had Ole Miss listed as a seven-point home favorite vs. Georgia. The total was 62, while the Dawgs were +240 on the money line (risk $100 to win $240). Where is the Rebels’ psyche after losing a pair of games in which it led by margins of 22 and 21 points in the first half? Who knows? To any notion that fatigue could be a factor for the Rebels, I would throw that out the window because UGA has played three consecutive close games. The Bulldogs rallied to top UNC in the opener at the Ga. Dome in Atlanta. Next, it narrowly escaped with a 26-24 home win over Nicholls, an FCS school. Then at Missouri last week, Kirby Smart’s club captured a 28-27 win thanks to a 20-yard TD pass from true freshman QB Jacob Eason to Isaiah McKenzie on a 4th-and-10 play with 1:29 remaining. Eason finished with 308 passing yards and three TDs compared to only one interception.

-- Kelly, the Rebels’ senior signal caller, has a 10/3 TD-INT ratio. He leads the SEC in QB rating (164.2) and is second in passing yards (953).

-- As of early Friday morning, most spots had Texas A&M (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) installed as a six-point favorite with a total of 49. The Razorbacks were +195 on the money line. The Aggies have collected wins vs. UCLA (31-24 in OT), vs. Prairie View (67-0) and at Auburn (29-16). Kevin Sumlin’s squad has won four in a row over the Hogs, including back-to-back victories in overtime.

-- Arkansas (3-0 SU, 2-1) has a 3-0-1 spread record with a pair of outright victories in four games played at a neutral venue since Bret Bielema took over in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks routed Texas State by a 42-3 count as 28-point home favorites last week. They had to rally in the fourth quarter to a 21-20 home win over La. Tech and a 40-37 overtime win at TCU in Week 2.

-- Arkansas has to be pleased with the play of new starting QB Austin Allen, who is filling the large shoes left behind by his older brother. Brandon was a three-year starter who is currently on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster. Austin has been sharp in his first three career starts, connecting on 53-of-79 throws (67.1%) for 655 yards with a 7/2 TD-INT ratio. He probably has the nation’s most underrated group of WRs led by Keon Hatcher and Drew Morgan. Hatcher has 11 receptions for 204 yards and two TDs, while Morgan has 15 catches for 168 yards and one TD. TE Jeremy Sprinkle, who is also replacing a stud in San Diego Chargers TE Hunter Henry, has nine receptions for 97 yards and three TDs, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter against Louisiana Tech in the opener.

-- Missouri QB Drew Lock is tops in the SEC in passing yards with 1,106. The Tigers, who covered the number as seven-point home ‘dogs in the loss to UGA, host Delaware St. this weekend and have a trip to LSU on deck.

-- Vandy junior RB Ralph Webb leads the SEC with 377 rushing yards. The Commodores, who are 1-2 following a 38-7 loss at Ga. Tech last week, are 7.5-point ‘dogs Saturday at Western Ky. They’ll be looking to avenge a 14-12 home loss in the season opener last year. Vandy is 6-5 ATS as a road ‘dog on Derek Mason’s watch.

-- Kentucky and South Carolina are poised to collide in Lexington at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on the SEC Network. The Wildcats were favored by 2.5 early Friday morning, while the total was at 59. The ‘over’ has cashed at a 3-0 clip for UK, while the Gamecocks have watched the ‘under’ go 3-0.

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Improved South Florida excited to face No. 13 Florida State
September 23, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) South Florida's Willie Taggart rejects the notion that facing Florida State is his team's biggest challenge of the season.

The fourth-year coach understands what upsetting the 13th-ranked Seminoles could mean for the national perception of his program, however he insists the Bulls are approaching the Saturday matchup as they do every game on their schedule.

''When things were tough and it was hard to win around here, you had to find ways to motivate your guys to go out and try to win a game,'' against tradition-rich opponents such as Florida State, said Taggart, who has resurrected a program that fell on hard times after climbing as high as No. 2 in the country in 2007.

''With our team now, I don't think we have to do those things. Our guys understand what it takes to win ball games.''

Nevertheless, beating the Seminoles (2-1) on national television could go a long way toward catapulting the high-scoring Bulls (3-0) toward a spot in the Top 25 for the first time under Taggart.

Florida State is coming off a 63-20 loss to Louisville, which cost it the No. 2 ranking and perhaps any realistic shot the three-time national champions have of winding up in this season's college football playoff.

South Florida, meanwhile, is off to its best start since 2011 and has won 10 of 12 games since last year's 1-3 start that included a 34-14 loss to Florida State in Tallahassee.

''Only lost, what, two games since we played them? They're very good,'' Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said. '' Physical up front. Inside guys. Big, strong. ... We recruited a lot of their guys. Dynamic. Playmakers. ... They're a good team.''

Taggart expects FSU to rebound from the most lopsided loss in school history with a solid performance.

''Everybody had them rated No. 2 for a reason,'' the South Florida coach said, adding the Bulls are aren't looking to take a page out of Louisville's playbook to upend the Seminoles, who have not lost consecutive games since 2011, when they dropped three straight to Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest.

''I think that's exactly how you get yourself beat, trying to do like someone else. We're not going to try to be like Louisville. We're going to try to be better at what we do,'' Taggart said. ''We still feel like we haven't played our best ball. It'll be a great time to do it.''

Some things to know about the Seminoles and Bulls, who are meeting the fourth time. FSU leads the series 2-1.

CLOSING IN: South Florida RB Marlon Mack is 137 yards shy of becoming the Bulls' career rushing leader. He led the American Athletic Conference in rushing the past two seasons and is averaging 9.6 yards per carry after gaining 115 yards on nine attempts and scoring two touchdowns in last week's 45-20 win at Syracuse.

TIME TO COOK: Seminoles RB Dalvin Cook ran for a career-best 266 yards and had three TDs in last year's game. In the first three games this season he has only 226 yards, two touchdowns and only one carry over 20 yards. Coach Jimbo Fisher says there is nothing wrong with Cook, but the junior can put those doubts partially to rest with a big game against the Bulls.

REVVED UP: South Florida's so-called ''Gulf Coast Offense'' has been virtually unstoppable since hitting its stride late last season. The Bulls have averaged 532.1 yards and 48.1 points over their last seven games. They're averaging 49.7 points through three games this year, with QB Quinton Flowers and WR Rodney Adams joining Mack as playmakers Florida State must be concerned with.

CAN FRANCOIS REBOUND? Florida State QB Deondre Francois looked like a freshman last week with his decision making. He has done a nice job not locking into one receiver but has already been hit 17 times the first three games. Some of that is due to the offensive line but others can be attributed to holding on to the ball too long. Francois must be quicker in his second and third reads or just get rid of the ball.

INJURY BUG: The Seminoles will be without LB Josh Sweat for a couple weeks after the sophomore had knee surgery. Freshman Brian Burns, who had two sacks and three tackles for loss two weeks ago against Charleston Southern, will move into the starting lineup. The defense is already struggling with safety Derwin James (knee) out, will Sweat's absence also affect them as they have struggled against the run?

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Spartans, Badgers set for early Big Ten showdown
September 23, 2016

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Michigan State-Wisconsin rivalry was just getting good when the matchup disappeared from the Big Ten schedule for a bit.

In 2011, the Spartans beat the Badgers on a Hail Mary on the final play, but Wisconsin won a thrilling rematch in the Big Ten championship game. Michigan State beat the Badgers in overtime in 2012, but the teams haven't faced each other since.

The eighth-ranked Spartans finally renew their series with 11th-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday - their first meeting in East Lansing since that Hail Mary. Both teams already have notable wins this season - Michigan State over Notre Dame and Wisconsin over LSU.

''Wisconsin is a lot like us in a lot of ways - big game against LSU. We've had very exciting games with them,'' Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. ''Both programs have been very successful I think in the last number of years.''

Forget Michigan, Nebraska and even Ohio State. Over the past six seasons, it's been Michigan State and Wisconsin that have won most of the Big Ten titles in football. The Spartans and Badgers each have three conference championships since 2010, the year they both tied for the title.

Ohio State's Big Ten title in 2014 was the only time in that six-year span that neither Michigan State nor Wisconsin won at least a share of the championship.

No matter who wins Saturday, this year's Big Ten race is just getting started. The Badgers (3-0) are beginning a brutal five-game stretch that includes games against Michigan State (2-0), Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Nebraska.

''We did a great job of putting ourselves in this position, handling our business,'' Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli said. ''This is why you play here, you want to play in these games against great opponents from here on out really. Just embrace it, enjoy it.''

Here are a few things to watch when the Spartans host the Badgers:

QB DECISION: Alex Hornibrook will start for Wisconsin at quarterback after Bart Houston started the first three games. Hornibrook, a redshirt freshman, helped jump-start the offense in the second half last week in a 23-17 win over Georgia State. He relieved Houston midway through the third quarter and led three scoring drives.

SHAKY SECONDARIES: Wisconsin's front seven leads one of the nation's top defenses, with LBs T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel powering the pass rush off the edge. But keep an eye on the secondary, which is adjusting to the loss of CB Natrell Jamerson to a leg injury.

Michigan State has issues of its own in the secondary after Notre Dame had success throwing deep in last weekend's game.

ON THE GROUND: Wisconsin RBs Corey Clement (left ankle) and Taiwan Deal (right ankle) are listed as questionable for Saturday's game. Clement missed last week's win after getting hurt in Week 2 against Akron.

The Spartans rolled up 260 yards rushing last weekend behind LJ Scott and Gerald Holmes.

DEPTH: Michigan State LB Jon Reschke had a forced fumble and an interception against Notre Dame. His emergence has made it easier for the Spartans to bring LB Ed Davis back slowly. Davis missed all of last season with a knee injury, and it wasn't until earlier this month that the NCAA granted him an extra year of eligibility for 2016.

HONORING SADLER: Mike Sadler, the former Michigan State punter who died in a car crash in late July, is part of an eight-member class entering the school's athletics Hall of Fame this year. The incoming class will be recognized during Saturday's game.

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Cal and Arizona State expected to put on offensive show
September 23, 2016

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Sonny Dykes brought an offense with him to California that rolls up yards and points in bunches.

On Saturday, the Bears will face another light-up-the-scoreboard team in Arizona State, setting up the kind of game fans love.

The coaches, not so much.

''I'd love to win one 3-2 if I could,'' Dykes said. ''If it's 70-63, that's not as much fun probably in some ways, but we'll take that one as well. I guess it's all in your perspective. Fans would probably have more fun at the 70-63 game, where coaches might have more fun at the 3-2 game.''

The Bears (2-1) are rolling to start the season, averaging 47 points while ranking second nationally in passing offense (453 yards per game) and third in total offense (580.3). Quarterback Davis Webb has been a more-than-able replacement for Jared Goff after transferring from Texas Tech, entering Saturday's game with 1,359 yards and 13 touchdowns passing.

Arizona State (3-0) has been shaky on defense, allowing 55 points and 540 yards passing in its win against Texas Tech alone, so Webb and the Bears could have another big game.

But the Sun Devils also have a similarly explosive offense, capable of keeping up with nearly anyone.

Arizona State scored 68 points to outlast the Red Raiders and enters Saturday ninth nationally with 48 points per game. The Sun Devils play fast and will likely have it in an even higher gear in opening Pac-12 play at home.

''We know that we are going to be up against one of the top offenses in the country and our guys are going to get ready for the challenge,'' Graham said.

A few more things to look for when Arizona State hosts Cal on Saturday night:

WILKINS' RIDE: Manny Wilkins won a tight battle to be Arizona State's starting quarterback. He's handled the role well. The dual-threat sophomore has been adept at orchestrating the Sun Devils' offense

FINDING HANSEN: Webb has quickly found chemistry with receiver Chad Hansen. The Cal junior leads the nation in receptions (40) and receiving yards (546), while tying for the lead with five touchdown catches. A big receiver at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Hansen is a load for any defensive back trying to cover him and is not afraid of trash talk, mocking a Texas defensive back with a ''Hook `em Horns'' sign after scoring what ended up being the decisive touchdown against Texas last weekend.

NUMBERS: Cal is playing at Arizona State for the first time since 2007. ... A win would give Arizona State its first 4-0 start since 2007 and just its fifth since 1976. ... The Bears allow 39.7 points per game, 117th in the FBS. ... The Sun Devils have 13 rushing TDs this season after having 19 in all of 2015. Kalen Ballage had seven of those in one game on his way to the NCAA record of eight overall TDs against Texas Tech.

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Syracuse travels to meet former Big East rival UConn
September 23, 2016

STORRS, Conn. (AP) Former Big East foes UConn and Syracuse meet Saturday for the first time since 2012.

And while a matchup of the two national basketball powers once elicited excitement on campus no matter the sport, it's being treated this week as just another non-conference game.

''Is it really still a rivalry?'' asked UConn coach Bob Diaco, who is in his third year in Storrs. ''You guys have a much better perspective of that than I do here. I think it's an exciting matchup of local-like teams and universities.''

It's also a matchup of vastly contrasting styles.

UConn (2-1) is a methodical team that runs about 66 plays a game and puts up an average of 330 yards of offense. It wants to win games by controlling field position and time of possession. It is built, Diaco said, to keep games close. The Huskies' three games this season have been decided by a total of 10 points.

Syracuse (1-2), under first-year-coach Dino Babers, runs the fastest-paced offense in college football, with an average of 93 snaps and 505 yards offense. They ran a school-record 105 plays a week ago.

''It's like defending two games,'' Diaco said.

The Orange, who will be playing their first road game this season, are trying to bounce back from back-to-back double-digit losses Louisville (62-28) and South Florida (45-20).

''As we grow together, we'll get better and better at it,'' said Babers.

Here are some other things to watch for as UConn hosts Syracuse:

DOG TIRED

Diaco said he's concerned that Syracuse's hurry-up tempo could be dangerous if he is unable to get fatigued defenders off the field. He said there is nothing he can do tactically to slow down the pace of the game and would never coach a player to fake an injury just to stop play. But he said exhaustion is a real possibility if his team is unable to substitute. Mikal Myers, UConn's 325-pound defensive tackle, said he and his teammates feel they are physically ready for the challenge. Strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis ''kills us all summer, so hopefully in translates to the game on Saturday,'' he said.

RECEIVERS

The game features two of the nation's top wide receivers. Syracuse's Amba Etta-Tawo , a graduate transfer from Maryland, has 28 catches for 436 yards and three touchdowns. He leads the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranks third nationally in receiving yards per game (145.3), and his 9.3 receptions per game are tied for fourth in the Football Bowl Subdivision. UConn's Noel Thomas has 26 catches (seventh nationally) for 277 yards. No other Husky receiver has more than seven catches.

BABERS-QUARTERBACK SUCCESS

Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey is has already thrown for 960 yards this season. He's hoping to follow in the footsteps of other signal callers who have done well in Babers' high-octane offense. One of those guys is Jimmy Garoppolo. The New England Patriots quarterback played under Babers at Eastern Illinois, where he threw for 8,873 yards and 84 touchdowns over two seasons.

GOING FOR IT

Syracuse has attempted to convert nine fourth downs already this season and has been successful five times. The Orange have punted the ball 19 times. UConn is 3 for 3 in fourth-down conversion attempts.

SERIES

UConn has won six of the nine meetings between the programs, which all occurred between 2004 and 2012, when both were members of the Big East. The Orange beat the Huskies 40-10 in their last game, which was played at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has never beaten the Huskies in Connecticut.

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Rutgers needs better start against Iowa
September 23, 2016

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) If Rutgers is going to have any chance in its Big Ten Conference opener against Iowa, it can't afford another bad start.

The Scarlet Knights fell behind Washington 24-0, trailed Howard by two touchdowns and New Mexico by 21 points - all in the first quarter.

Rutgers (2-1) was able to overcome the deficits in the last two games, but it won't be so easy if Iowa (2-1) comes ready to play on Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium after its loss to North Dakota State, the winner of the last five FCS national titles.

''We've got to start games better.'' Rutgers coach Chris Ash said. ''There is no magic formula for that. We're not going to go out and do any extra stretches or jumping jacks or whatever to get ready for a game. We have a process that I think is one that will lead us to being successful.''

Halfback Robert Martin said the players realize the competition is going to pick up.

''We're about to get in to Big Ten play and we're about to be playing some real good teams and we would rather start ahead than start behind,'' he said.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said his team made too many mistakes in losing to a good team.

''You've got to move on at some point, and in sports and football, that starts Monday morning,'' Ferentz said. ''You've got to push through it and start your preparation for the next team because we're all on the clock.''

IOWA UNRANKED

The Hawkeyes were ranked No. 13 before the loss knocked them out of the rankings. Iowa got back into the Top 25 for the first time in five years last season and it was ranked as high as No. 3 last season after a 12-0 start. A loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship game and loss to Stanford in the Rose Bowl dropped the Hawkeyes to No 9 at the end the season.

FAMILIAR FACES

Rutgers defensive coordinator Jay Niemann has two sons that play at Iowa, Ben and Nick.

''I love my sons,'' Niemann said. ''I'd take a bullet for either one of them, but football - when it's time to go play they got to do their thing and I got to do mine. For 60 minutes we'll be foes but then after that we'll be family again.''

Rutgers offensive line coach AJ Blazek played for Ferentz at Iowa and started his coaching career there as a student and then graduate assistant coach.

''When he first showed first up as a recruit, he had an Arizona baseball cap on. I didn't think that was real smart. And I'm pretty sure he had cowboy boots on, too, like we would never look at his shoes to figure out that he's really not 6-foot-4, one of those deals,'' Ferentz said. ''You've got to give him credit for trying.''

OFFENSE LINE INJURIES

The Hawkeyes were without starting guard Sean Welsh and center James Daniels - two of their best lineman against NDSU. Iowa was limited to 34 yards on 25 carries last weekend. Ferentz expects them back.

MORE BIG TEN PLAY

As the teams enter their Big Ten schedules, they will be playing nine conference games for the first time in league history. With an East and West Division, each school plays all the teams in their division and three teams from the other.

FIRST TIME'S A CHARM

This is the first game between Rutgers and Iowa as the Scarlet Knights enter their third year in the Big Ten. Rutgers (East Division) is 0-4 against teams from the West Division, where Iowa plays.

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Gophers back to host Colorado State
September 23, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota is back from an earlier-than-usual bye week, aiming to keep the passing attack on a productive track.

After feasting on FCS foe Indiana State, Mitch Leidner and the Gophers had extra rest for their final nonconference game against Colorado State. Under new offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, with a fully healthy left foot that hampered him for much of last season, Leidner has begun to look and feel like a fifth-year senior quarterback ought to.

''I'm on a really good page with the receivers as well as the running backs and everybody on the offensive side of the football,'' Leidner said. ''We're a tight-knit group, and we really practice and work hard.''

The Gophers (2-0) will again be without tight end Brandon Lingen and wide receiver Rashad Still again on Saturday against the Rams (2-1) because of injuries, but freshman Tyler Johnson and junior Brian Smith have been helpful down-field complements to Drew Wolitarsky.

Wolitarsky, who has 12 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, has emerged as the go-to wide receiver the Gophers and Leidner need. The senior connection was in midseason form two weeks ago against Indiana State .

''I'm seeing a different Mitch off the field and on the field as well,'' Wolitarsky said. ''The work this guy has put in is amazing and is definitely something I look up to and I know a lot of guys look up to.''

Here are some key things to know about the game:

THE REMATCH

The Gophers used three field goals by Ryan Santoso, including an 18-yarder in overtime to beat the Rams in Fort Collins, Colorado last year. That snapped a program-record 10-game home winning streak for the Rams.

The Rams returned 13 starters from a 7-6 team that finished 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference and lost to Nevada in the Arizona Bowl in coach Mike Bobo's first season. This will be Colorado State's first trip to a Big Ten stadium since playing at the Metrodome in 2005, a 56-24 victory by Minnesota.

CLIMBING THE HILL

CSU True freshman Collin Hill, in his first career start, completed 21 of 27 passes for 315 yards and four scores plus a 51-yard touchhown run in a win over FCS opponent Northern Colorado . Fourth-year junior Nick Stevens started the opener, a 44-7 loss to Colorado, but fifth-year senior Faton Bauta took over in the second half. Bauta, a graduate transfer from Georgia, took snaps the following week in a victory over UTSA, until Hill entered in the fourth quarter.

''There was a confidence level going up, like, `OK, we're going to be able to complete some passes,''' Bobo said, adding: ''We said there's going to be some growing pains, but we thought the upside was too promising.''

THREE-WAY THREAT

Shannon Brooks has been cleared to return from a broken foot, giving the Gophers their leading rusher from last season to join Rodney Smith and Kobe McCrary in a deep backfield. Smith and McCrary combined for 387 yards and five touchdowns rushing over the first two games.

''We've got ways to get at least two of them on the field at the same time,'' coach Tracy Claeys said. ''You always want your best people on the field all the time.''

FRONT LINES

The Gophers, given a boost by two junior-college transfers in the starting lineup in right guard Vincent Calhoun and left tackle Garrison Wright and the arrival of new offensive line coach Bart Miller, have not allowed a sack yet. The Rams, who have switched their base defense to a 3-4 alignment, lost their entire starting defensive line from last season to graduation.

''It's one of those games you've got dig your cleats in the turf,'' Bobo said.

CALL THE CARPENTER

Santoso, a junior, preferred to switch to punter this season. He's averaging 41.9 yards per attempt. Sophomore Emmit Carpenter has taken over as the kicker, and he hasn't missed yet on 10 extra points and four field goals.

''He's just building confidence in himself to go out there and just be automatic every time,'' linebacker Jack Lynn said. ''So we're 100 percent confident in his capabilities.''

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V-Tech looks to end recent woes vs. ECU
September 23, 2016

Virginia Tech's most lopsided victory in several years might have given the Hokies a bit of a swagger heading into this week, but then came some cautionary words about their not-so-stellar recent past against East Carolina.

The Pirates (2-1) of the American Athletic Conference have won two straight against the Hokies, and six in a row against Atlantic Coast Conference competition. That's more than enough to get the Hokies' attention.

''We're about to face a great team,'' Hokies linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. ''I think it starts with us. We have to prepare this week, come out to practice each and every day, prepare like a team, prepare to go get a win.''

The Hokies beat Boston College 49-0 last week , and first-year Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said it's not necessary to remind his players about the challenge the Pirates present because of the last two seasons. Ending the skid won't be easy, even at home.

The Hokies have won just three of their last 10 home games against Power Five conference programs.

''This is a program with great tradition that has won a lot of games,'' he said of the Pirates. ''They have very good football players. When you watch them play, they're athletic. Defensively they're moving all over the place.''

The Pirates had 519 yards last week in their 20-15 loss at South Carolina .

East Carolina also has a first-year coach in Scottie Montgomery, but he spent the last three years as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Duke, and the Blue Devils won two of three against the Hokies.

He'll arrive with limited history against Fuente, but plenty against defensive coordinator Bud Foster.

''There is no one, as a coordinator, who has challenged us as much as he has,'' Montgomery said, adding that a veteran secondary seems to key this year's team. ''This is a football team that can cover your receivers.''

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Some other things to look for when East Carolina visits Virginia Tech:

WHERE'S ZAY? ECU's Zay Jones last week had 22 receptions for 190 yards against the Gamecocks. That left him one catch short of the FBS record for receptions in a game. He has 39 catches for 443 yards in three games, and just one touchdown this season, but has managed five touchdown receptions in each of his first three seasons and will present a challenge for the Hokies' secondary.

EVANS' PROGRESS: QB Jerod Evans fumbled three times and had a snap go over his head for another turnovers in the Hokies' first two games, and threw his first interception last week on a ball that Isaiah Ford juggled into the arms of a defender. But Evans has also thrown for 10 touchdowns, with six different players on the receiving end.

RED ZONE: Both teams have had ball security issues in the red zone. The Hokies had three turnovers inside the opposing 10 yard-line in their first two games, and the Pirates had four inside the South Carolina 20 last week. Those plays can be deflating for the team preparing to score, but invigorating for the team that took it away.

IGNORING HISTORY: The Hokies have not been very good at home against top flight competition in recent seasons, losing nine of their last 12 against East Carolina and Power Five conference teams. A poor start can silence the crowd quickly, so they either need to start strong or play with resolve if the early going isn't promising.

STAMINA IN THE SUN: Both coaches come into games hoping to run a fast-paced offense with a lot of plays. The Pirates had 91 snaps from scrimmage at South Carolina last week, and the Hokies had 77 against the Eagles.