The Bum's 2016 College Football Best Bets,Trends,Stat, News !!

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 Capsules
September 1, 2016

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Jalen Hurd recovered quarterback Joshua Dobbs' overtime fumble in the end zone and No. 9 Tennessee overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to escape with a 20-13 victory over Appalachian State on Thursday night.

Tennessee faced third-and-goal from the 2 when Dobbs ran to his right and lost control of the ball as he tried to stretch his arms across the goal line. Hurd won the scramble for the loose ball in the end zone to give the Volunteers their only lead of the night.

Micah Abernathy ended the game by breaking up a pass into the end zone on fourth-and-5 from the 20.

Tennessee's comeback prevented Appalachian State from producing another shocker nine years to the day after the Mountaineers stunned No. 5 Michigan in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.

The Vols tied it on Dobbs' 67-yard touchdown pass to Josh Malone with 10:30 left in regulation.

Appalachian State's Michael Rubino, who earlier missed an extra point, was wide right on a 42-yard field goal with 5:24 left after Jaquil Capel's 57-yard punt return gave Appalachian State the ball at the 28.

Tennessee entered the season with its highest ranking since 2006 after winning its final six games last year, but the Volunteers looked nothing like a Top 10 team Thursday. The Volunteers committed two turnovers and lost linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin to a targeting penalty in the first half as Appalachian State built a 13-3 lead.

NO. 19 LOUISVILLE 70, CHARLOTTE 14

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Lamar Jackson accounted for a school-record eight touchdowns and 405 offensive yards by halftime to help Louisville dismantle Charlotte.

Jackson broke Chris Redman's 1998 record for combined rushing and passing TDs and tied Redman's mark for passing TDs. He exited without taking a snap in the second half.

Jackson completed 17 of 23 passes for 286 yards and six touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 119 yards and two scores, the first a 36-yard run on Louisville's opening drive.

Louisville gained 663 yards overall.

[StarDust Bum]

FCS Top 25 roundup
September 1, 2016

(STATS) - Being snubbed from the FCS playoff field last season is no longer such a big concern for the University of North Dakota.

Getting a playoff resume going this year is now the issue following the No. 19 Fighting Hawks' 13-9 loss at Stony Brook in the season opener for both teams Thursday night.

The Big Sky squad next faces an even more difficult assignment - a Sept. 10 visit to Mid-American Conference power Bowling Green.

Winning with defense and special teams is often UND's forte, but Stony Brook (1-0) likes the same formula. The CAA Football team erased a 9-7 deficit when Gavin Heslop blocked a Austin Dussold punt attempt and Kye Morgan picked up the ball at UND's 7-yard line and raced into the end zone with 8:52 to play.

"I thought our guys played hard, but we never got anything going offensively and when you give up a special teams touchdown, that makes it hard to win," UND coach Bubba Schweigert said. "I thought our defense came up with a lot stops tonight, but give Stony Brook credit - that was a physical football game and a tough one to lose."

The two teams combined for only 398 yards (Stony Brook 221, UND 177). Safety Cole Reyes was UND's defensive standout, scoring on a safety in the third quarter and totaling two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

The game was tied 7-7 at halftime after both teams scored touchdowns in the second quarter. UND's John Santiago scored on a 16-yard run and Stony Brook's Cal Daniels recovered teammate Jordan Gowins' fumble which bounced into the Fighting Hawks' end zone.

The intersectional matchup was the return trip of Stony Brook's visit to UND in 2014 - a 13-3 UND win which had only one offensive touchdown.

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STATS FCS TOP 25=

ALL TIMES ET

THURSDAY, SEPT. 1

No. 3 Jacksonville State (1-0) 31, North Alabama (0-1) 12

Jacksonville State quarterback Eli Jenkins picked up where he left off in earning first-team All-America honors for the FCS runner-up last season. The senior gained 331 total yards, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown and passing for 230 yards.

Auburn transfer Roc Thomas carried the ball 20 times for 71 yards and three touchdowns. He also had four receptions for 53 yards.

The Gamecocks gained 502 offensive yards, but committed 12 penalties for 106 yards.

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No. 6 Chattanooga (1-0) 66, Shorter (0-1) 0

New starting quarterback Alejandro Bennifield was lifted from the game in the second quarter, but not before he threw touchdowns to four different receivers while Chattanooga built a 45-0 halftime lead. The junior finished 8 of 11 for 135 yards with an interception.

Backup quarterback Tyler Roberson totaled three touchdowns - two runs and a 9-yard reception from Bennifield.

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North Carolina State (1-0) 48, No. 9 William & Mary (0-1) 14

The visiting Tribe allowed 21 unanswered points in the second quarter while falling behind 28-7 at halftime. N.C. State finished with 521 offensive yards.

Tribe quarterback Steve Cluley passed for only 99 yards with two interceptions, but he accounted for both touchdowns on a 10-yard run and a 16-yard pass to DeVonte Dedmon.

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No. 15 The Citadel (1-0, 1-0 Southern) 24, Mercer (0-1, 0-1) 23

The Citadel has beaten Mercer in three straight seasons by a combined five points. The difference in this year's Southern Conference opener was Middle Tennessee State graduate transfer Cody Clark's 35-yard field goal with 2:20 left.

The Bulldogs, playing on the road without suspended quarterback Dominique Allen, scored on their first three possessions, including Tyler Renew (27 carries, 146 yards) going 70 yards on the game's second play, for a 21-3 lead in the first quarter. But a pair of touchdown runs by quarterback John Russ helped Mercer to 20 unanswered points and a 23-21 lead.

Clark's winning field goal capped a 15-play drive for the defending co-SoCon champion, whose new coach, Brent Thompson, won his debut.

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No. 20 Western Illinois (1-0) 38, Eastern Illinois (0-1) 21

Charlie Fisher won his Western Illinois coaching debut on the road as sophomore Steve McShane rushed for 207 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yarder, on 28 carries.

Quarterback Mitch Kimble's 323 passing yards and three total touchdowns weren't enough for Eastern Illinois as third-year coach Kim Dameron fell to 0-9 in non-conference games.

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FRIDAY, SEPT. 2=

No. 21 Colgate (0-0) at Syracuse (0-0), 7 p.m.

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 3=

Kentucky State (0-0) at No. 7 Charleston Southern (0-0), 11:45 a.m.

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No. 23 Villanova (0-0) at Pittsburgh (0-0), 1:30 p.m.

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No. 4 Richmond (0-0) at Virginia (0-0), 3:30 p.m.

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Central Washington (0-0) at No. 17 Portland State (0-0), 5:30 p.m.

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Morehead State (0-0) at No. 12 James Madison (0-0), 6 p.m.

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St. Augustine's (0-0) at No. 25 North Carolina A&T (0-0), 6 p.m.

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Valparaiso (0-0) at No. 10 Illinois State (0-0), 7 p.m.

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Tarleton State (0-0) at No. 11 McNeese (0-0), 7 p.m.

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Oklahoma Panhandle State (0-0) at No. 2 Sam Houston State (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 24 Towson (0-0) at South Florida (0-0), 7 p.m.

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No. 5 Northern Iowa (0-0) at Iowa State (0-0), 8 p.m.

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No. 16 Coastal Carolina (0-0) at Lamar (0-0), 8 p.m.

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No. 8 South Dakota State (0-0) at TCU (0-0), 8 p.m.

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No. 14 Eastern Washington (0-0) at Washington State (0-0), 8 p.m.

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No. 22 New Hampshire (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0), 8:30 p.m.

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Saint Francis (0-0) at No. 13 Montana (0-0), 9 p.m.

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No. 18 Northern Arizona (0-0) at Arizona State (0-0), 10:45 p.m.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Tip Sheet
August 30, 2016


**Colorado State vs. Colorado**

-- This in-state rivalry will be renewed at Sports Authority Field in Denver on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. As of Tuesday, most books had Colorado listed as an eight-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 57 points. The Rams were +260 on the money line (risk $100 to win $260). For first-half wagers, CU was favored by 4.5 points with a total of 28.5.

-- Colorado finished the 2015 campaign with a 4-9 straight-up record and a 7-5-1 against-the-spread ledger. The Buffaloes return 18 total starters, nine on each side of the ball. They lost five one-possession games last year.

-- Mike MacIntyre’s owns a 10-27 record during his three-year tenure at CU. For our purposes, however, Colorado has posted a 20-16-1 spread record in those 37 contests.

-- When a team finishes five games below .500, you would think it would have a far uglier number than the -261 CU had for total yardage last year. In a 35-31 loss at UCLA that saw the Buffaloes easily take the cash as 23-point underdogs, they had a +154 advantage (554-400) in total offense. They were also +69 in yardage in a 28-20 loss at Hawaii. If MacIntyre is going to see a fourth season in Boulder, his squad has to do a better job of finding ways to win the close games.

-- Colorado senior QB Sefo Liufau is a four-year starter with 29 starts to his credit. He completed 62.0 percent of his passes last year for 2,418 yards with a 9/6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Liufau also had five rushing scores in ’15. As a sophomore in ’14, Liufau connected on 65.3 percent of his throws for 3,200 yards with a 28/15 TD-INT ratio. He also had a pair of receptions for 24 yards and one TD. Liufau enters the year with 7,397 career passing yards, trailing the school’s all-time leader Cody Hawkins by only 334 yards. He has a 49/29 career TD-INT ratio.

-- Liufau won’t have his favorite target around anymore, however. Nelson Spruce, who is CU’s all-time leader with 3,347 career receiving yards, graduated and appears poised to make the Los Angeles Rams’ roster after inexplicably going undrafted. Nevertheless, the top seven pass catchers beyond Spruce from ’15 are back in the mix. This group includes junior Shay Fields, who has 1,084 receiving yards and 20 starts under his belt after a pair of seasons.

-- CU also brings back leading rusher Phillip Lindsay, who ran for 653 yards and six TDs while averaging 4.7 yards per carry as a sophomore last year.

-- CU had a respectable defense in ’15, giving up an average of 27.5 points per game. The Buffs return their top four tacklers and six of their top seven.

-- Since 2007 when these Rocky Mountain adversaries began meeting annually in Denver, Colorado has won six of eight games, including a 27-24 overtime triumph last season as a three-point favorite. The Buffaloes had to rally from a 14-0 first-half deficit. They blocked CSU’s 27-yard field goal to set up their game-winning FG in the extra session.

-- Jim McElwain led Colorado State to back-to-back bowl games and a 10-3 record in ’14. He parlayed that success into scoring an SEC gig at the University of Florida. CSU ventured to SEC country to find his replacement, plucking long-time Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo away from UGA. Bobo led his first team in Ft. Collins to a 7-6 SU record and a 6-6-1 ATS mark.

-- Colorado State limped to a 2-4 start last season, but it won four in a row to close the regular season and clinch a third consecutive postseason bid. The Rams lost three one-possession games, including a 23-20 loss at Minnesota in overtime. They dropped a 28-23 decision to Nevada at the Arizona Bowl.

-- CSU returns six starters on offense and four on defense. However, it will have to cope with the loss of the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Rashard Higgins had 75 receptions for 1,062 yards and eight TDs in Bobo’s offense. That allowed Higgins to finish with 3,649 career receiving yards.

-- Junior QB Nick Stevens thrived in Bobo’s attack. He started all 13 games as a sophomore, connecting on 60.8 percent of his passes for 2,679 yards with a 21/12 TD-INT ratio. Stevens also had three rushing scores. He would like to cut down on the picks, but those were solid numbers for a first-year starter in a new offense. Stevens not only lost the services of Higgins, but all four of his top pass catchers departed.

-- Junior RB Dalyn Dawkins, a transfer from Purdue, rushed for a team-high 867 yards and two TDs while averaging 5.1 YPC during his first year at CSU. Dawkins splits carries with Izzy Matthews, who rushed for 590 yards and five TDs while averaging 6.1 YPC as a true freshman in ’15.

**Kansas State at Stanford**

-- As of Tuesday, most betting shops had Stanford installed as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5 for ‘over/under’ wagers. The Wildcats were listed at +500 on the money line (risk $100 to win $500). For first-half bets, the Cardinal was favored by nine with a total of 24.5 points.

-- Stanford compiled a 12-2 SU record and a 10-4 against-the-spread mark last season. It marked the fourth time in David Shaw’s five seasons as head coach that the Cardinal produced 11 wins or more. Shaw’s sixth team brings back five starters on offense and six on defense.

-- Stanford star RB Christian McCaffrey is back for his junior campaign after setting an NCAA record with 3,864 all-purpose yards last season. He scored 15 TDs (eight rushing, five receiving and one apiece on kick and punt returns). McCaffrey garnered first-team All-American honors by rushing for 2,019 yards while averaging 6.0 YPC. He led the Cardinal in receptions (45) and receiving yards (645) as well.

-- Stanford junior Ryan Burns has been named the starting QB. He has appeared in six career games, throwing just one pass that he completed for 13 yards. Burns has rushed seven times for 21 yards. Shaw has indicated that sophomore signal caller Keller Chryst will also see playing time. As a freshman, Chryst completed 5-of-9 throws for 59 yards and one TD without an interception.

-- According to Monday’s edition of the San Jose Mercury News, McCaffrey’s back-up Bryce Love is “unlikely” to play Friday due to a lower-body injury sustained at some point in camp. Love rushed for 240 yards and two TDs on 29 carries (7.8 YPC) last year. He also had 15 receptions for 250 yards and one TD.

-- Stanford’s defense gave up 22.6 points per game in ’15. This unit is led by sophomore Solomon Thomas and junior LB Peter Kalambayi. Thomas enjoyed a banner freshman campaign, recording 39 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and six QB hurries. Kalambayi had 52 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, three passes broken up and five QB hurries last year.

-- Stanford owns an 18-14 spread record as a home favorite during Shaw’s five-year tenure, going 11-5 ATS in its last 16 such spots.

-- Kansas State started 3-0 last season but saw two of its quarterbacks go down with season-ending injuries in the first two weeks. This left the job to Joe Hubener, who started 11 games. He completed only 47.6 percent of his passes for 1,837 yards with a 9/10 TD-INT ratio. Hubener rushed for 807 yards before subtracting sack yardage, finding paydirt a team-high 13 times.

-- Kansas State finished ’15 with a 6-7 record both SU and ATS after getting thumped 45-23 by Arkansas at the Liberty Bowl as a 13-point underdog. It was the first losing season since Bill Snyder resumed his head-coaching duties in 2009. The Wildcats dropped three one-possession games against ranked opponents, including a pair of losses to second-ranked foes. TCU rallied for a 52-45 win in Manhattan and Baylor won a 31-24 decision at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

-- Kansas State returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. RB Charles Jones was last season’s leading rusher (696 yards) when he ran for five TDs and averaged 4.9 YPC. Deante Burton is back after leading the team with 38 receptions for 510 yards and four TDs.

-- Snyder named junior QB Jesse Ertz as his starter on Monday. Ertz started the opener vs. South Dakota last year, only to go down with a season-ending injury on his third play. He completed his only pass for a five-yard gain. In 2014, Ertz played in four games, rushing for 46 yards on seven carries.

-- VegasInsider.com handicapper KellyInVegas has a play on this game. When I asked Kelly about the QB situation at K-State, she said, “Many people around the program feel like Ertz is potentially one of the best combinations of a runner and accurate passer that Snyder has ever had, but that’s obviously based on practice performances. The coaching staff is eager to see him react in live-game situations. Ertz is a natural leader that his teammates love. And if you know Snyder, he loves it too.” You can get signed up for KellyInVegas’s season package here. Also, check out Kelly’s page on VI as she’ll be posting college football picks throughout the weekend.

-- Kansas State’s ’15 defense was the worst of Snyder’s second tour of duty, surrendering 31.5 PPG. On the bright side, the top five tacklers are back in the mix. Junior LB Elijah Lee is the leader of this unit. He earned second-team All Big 12 honors last season by recording a team-best 80 tackles to go with five sacks and three interceptions.

-- Since 2010, K-State has been a money-making machine in road underdog spots, producing a stellar 13-5 ATS record. Going back to 2011, the Wildcats have posted a 6-2 spread ledger with a pair of outright victories (at Miami in ’11 & at Oklahoma in ’12) in eight games as double-digit ‘dogs.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- In one of the more under-the-radar matchups of Week 1, Arkansas State will host Toledo at Centennial Bank Stadium on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU. The Rockets and Red Wolves are two of the nation’s best mid-major programs out of the MAC and Sun Belt, respectively. As of Tuesday, most spots had Arkansas State installed as a 3.5-point home favorite with a total of 64.5 points. The Rockets have won at least nine games in four of the last five years, including a 10-2 SU record and a 9-3 spread mark in ’15. They spent five weeks in the national rankings, winning 16-12 at Arkansas as 21.5-point underdogs one week before defeating Iowa State at home in double overtime. Toledo capped the season by beating No. 24 Temple by a 32-17 count as a 2.5-point ‘dog at the Boca Raton Bowl. Jason Candle is replacing former head coach Matt Campbell, who left to take the Iowa State job. The Rockets bring back seven starters on offense and four on defense. They have star players like RBs Kareem Hunt and Terry Swanson along with WRs Corey Jones and Cody Thompson.

-- Arkansas State has been to five consecutive bowl games. Blake Anderson’s team went 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS last season, losing 37-7 at Toledo. The Red Wolves also lost at USC (55-6) vs. Missouri (27-20) and vs. Louisiana Tech (47-28) at the New Orleans Bowl. They return six starters on offense and seven on defense. Also, Arkansas St. adds several impact transfers, including DT Dee Liner (Alabama), WR Kendall Sanders (Texas), QB Chad Voytik (Pittsburgh), QB Justice Hansen (Oklahoma) and WR/special-teams dynamo Cameron Echols-Luper (TCU).

-- There are two more games on Friday’s card: Ball State at Georgia State (-3.5) and Army at Temple (-16.5).

-- Florida star WR and special-teams ace Antonio Callaway has been cleared to play in Saturday’s home opener vs. UMass.

-- New Georgia head coach Kirby Smart clearly mastered the art of dealing with the media during his near-decade-long stretch at Alabama under Nick Saban. He hasn’t budged an inch on questions about who will be his starting QB against North Carolina on Saturday at the Georgia Dome. However, by all indications, it appears that true freshman Jacob Eason is going to get the nod ahead of senior Greyson Lambert. Star RB Nick Chubb, who suffered a major knee injury at Tennessee in early October last season, is ready to make his return and Smart said “he won’t be on a pitch count.” In other words, Chubb is ready to carry a heavy load for the Bulldogs.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF
Long Sheet

Week 1

Friday, September 2

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BALL ST (3 - 9) at GEORGIA ST (6 - 7) - 9/2/2016, 12:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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ARMY (2 - 10) at TEMPLE (10 - 4) - 9/2/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARMY is 71-100 ATS (-39.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1992.

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

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COLORADO ST (7 - 6) vs. COLORADO (4 - 9) - 9/2/2016, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO ST is 1-0 against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 1-1 straight up against COLORADO ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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KANSAS ST (6 - 7) at STANFORD (12 - 2) - 9/2/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
STANFORD is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points over the last 3 seasons.
STANFORD is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.

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

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TOLEDO (10 - 2) at ARKANSAS ST (9 - 4) - 9/2/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS ST is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in home games in September games since 1992.
TOLEDO is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TOLEDO is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TOLEDO is 2-0 against the spread versus ARKANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
TOLEDO is 2-0 straight up against ARKANSAS ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NCAAF

Week 1


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Trend Report
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Friday, September 2

TBA
BALL STATE vs. GEORGIA STATE
Ball State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Ball State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Georgia State's last 5 games
Georgia State is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games

6:00 PM
MISS VALLEY ST vs. EASTERN MICHIGAN
No trends available
Eastern Michigan is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Eastern Michigan is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
ARMY vs. TEMPLE
Army is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Army is 6-17 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
Temple is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Army
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Temple's last 7 games when playing Army

7:00 PM
ALBANY, N.Y vs. BUFFALO
No trends available
Buffalo is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Buffalo is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
COLGATE vs. SYRACUSE
Colgate is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Colgate is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Syracuse's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Syracuse's last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
FURMAN vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Furman is 1-15 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Furman is 1-15 SU in its last 16 games
Michigan State is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
NORTHWESTERN STATE vs. BAYLOR
Northwestern State is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Northwestern State's last 6 games
Baylor is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
Baylor is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games

8:00 PM
COLORADO STATE vs. COLORADO
Colorado State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Colorado State's last 8 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Colorado State
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
KANSAS STATE vs. STANFORD
Kansas State is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Kansas State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Stanford's last 7 games at home
Stanford is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games

9:00 PM
TOLEDO vs. ARKANSAS STATE
Toledo is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toledo's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arkansas State's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arkansas State's last 5 games at home

9:30 PM
CAL POLY vs. NEVADA
Cal Poly is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Cal Poly is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Nevada's last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Nevada's last 10 games

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NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 1


Friday, September 2

Ball State @ Georgia State

Game 145-146
September 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ball State
74.107
Georgia State
73.089
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Ball State
by 1
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia State
by 3 1/2
53
Dunkel Pick:
Ball State
(+3 1/2); Under

Army @ Temple

Game 147-148
September 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Army
71.246
Temple
93.667
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Temple
by 22 1/2
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Temple
by 16 1/2
45 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(-16 1/2); Over

Colorado State @ Colorado

Game 149-150
September 2, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado State
80.207
Colorado
84.623
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 4
58
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
by 8 1/2
54 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado State
(+8 1/2); Over

Kansas State @ Stanford

Game 151-152
September 2, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas State
92.480
Stanford
104.361
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Stanford
by 12
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Stanford
by 16
50
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas State
(+16); Over

Toledo @ Arkansas St

Game 179-180
September 2, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toledo
80.996
Arkansas St
87.053
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arkansas St
by 6
70
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arkansas St
by 3
64 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arkansas St
(-3); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 1

Top 14 games of the weekend

Colorado/Colorado State split last four meetings (dogs 3-0-1 vs spread); this game is at neutral Denver site. Buffs have 18 starters back and senior QB who has 29 starts- they’re 6-2 as favorites under MacIntyre. State has only 10 starters back; their junior QB has 13 starts. Rams are 6-5 as underdogs last three years.

Missouri has new coach, soph QB, only one starter back on OL after 5-7 year- they were 1-4 vs spread on road LY. Tigers are 12-5 as road dogs since 2011. West Virginia has senior QB with 15 starts but lost 7 starters on defense; WV is 9-15 as home favorite under Holgorsen. Last five years, Big X teams are 4-2 vs spread when favored against an SEC team; they’ve been underdog in 12 of 20 meetings, with two pick ’ems.

Southern Miss’ new OC Dawson was Kentucky’s OC LY, which can’t hurt. USM has senior QB with 30 starts, 3 senior starters on OL, but their head coach bolted for OC job in NFL. Kentucky has SEC opener with Florida next; they’ve got 4 starters back on OL, but soph QB with only 2 starts. Wildcats are 7-3 as home favorites under Stoops, 7-4-1 in last 12 non-SEC games. C-USA are 14-12 as dogs vs SEC squads the last five years.

Clemson beat Auburn 38-24/26-19 in games played in 2011-12; Clemson coach Swinney is an Alabama grad- his team has junior QB with 20 starts, but only 7 starters back on defense- they’re 2-6 as road favorites last two years. Auburn is unsure of its starting QB; they’re 9-6 in last 15 games as a home dog, but 2-8 in last 10 non-SEC games. Last 5 years, ACC teams are 8-6 vs spread when favored over an SEC squad- they were underdog in 31 of 45 meetings (19-26 vs spread, favorites 28-17).

Pac 12-SEC teams don’t meet often; last five years, SEC teams are 6-1 vs Pac-12 squads, 3-0 vs spread if number was single digits. A&M’s new QB is former Sooner Knight (15 starts); Aggies are 6-12 as home favorites last 3 years- they’ve got 13 starters back, only 2 on OL. UCLA lost 7 starters on offense; they’ve got soph QB (13 starts), are 13-11 vs spread under Mora, 5-4 as road dogs- they do have 9 starters back on defense.

Last 5 years, SEC teams are 18-8 SU vs Big 14 teams, 13-8-1 vs spread when favored. Since ’08, LSU is just 15-22 vs spread outside SEC; they’re 9-6-1 as favorite last 2 years. Tigers have 17 starters back but can QB make defenses respect their passing game, opening up ground attack for Fournette? Last 6 years, Badgers are 6-2 as underdogs; last 3 years, they are 10-5 outside Big 14. This game is at Lambeau Field, not in Madison.

Georgia has new coach (why?); they’re 12-9-1 vs spread outside SEC, 18-22 in last 40 games as favorite. Dawgs have 14 starters back, 8 on offense; will new coach play vet (12 starts) QB or frosh Eason? North Carolina has 7 starters back on both sides of ball; they’re 4-7 as road dogs under Fedora. UNC QB Trubisky was 40-47/555 LY, impressive, but this is his first college start. SEC teams are 20-11 vs spread when favored vs ACC squads.

Last 3 years, Houston is 8-0-1 vs spread as an underdog; they’re 29-11 SU, beating ACC teams in last 2 bowls. Cougars have senior QB (25 starts) but only 11 starters back from LY (no senior starters on OL). Oklahoma has senior QB (20 starts), 13 starters back; Sooners are 13-7 vs spread outside Big X last 5 years, 17-11 as favorites last 3 years. Oklahoma has frosh, 4 sophs starting on OL; three of them started LY.

USC has 10 starters back on offense, but new starter is QB; since 2012, Trojans are 3-8 vs spread as underdogs. USC lost 6 starters on defense, but does have whole OL back. Alabama lost 11 starters, has new QB; they’re 8-13 vs spread in last 21 non-SEC games. Last 8 years, they’re 20-12 as road favorites. Last 5 years, SEC teams are 6-1 SU vs Pac-12 squads, 3-0 vs spread if number was single digits.

BYU/Arizona both have 15 starters back, both have vet QBs (BYU’s has 19 starts, Arizona’s 25). BYU lost bowl games to Pac-12 squads 2 of last 3 years; they’ve got 15 starters back, are 4-8 vs spread on road last 3 years. (this game is in Cardinals’ dome, not Tucson, but will be ‘zona crowd). Arizona is 5-9 under RichRod in games where spread was less than 6 points; they’re 14-15 as faves under this coach. New coach for BYU; Mendenhall was at BYU for 11 years.

Texas is 11-14 under Strong, 3-7-1 vs spread as dogs; they lost 38-3 (+9) LY in South Bend, outgained 527-163- they moved former QB Heard (10 starts) to WR, haven’t decided between Buechele/Swoopes as their QB. Longhorns have 14 starters back, 3 on OL. Notre Dame is just 5-9 as road favorite under Kelly; they lost 13 starters, have just 27 returning starts on OL, but they do have quality depth at QB.

Florida State QB Maguire (foot) is out here; redshirt freshman Francois is likely starter here. Seminoles have 16 starters back, with 10 back on offense- they’re 36-28-1 as favorites under Fisher. Ole Miss is 14-5-1 vs spread in last 20 non-SEC games, 11-4 in last 15 tries as an underdog, 6-1 in neutral field games; Rebels lost 6 starters on both sides of ball- their senior QB has 13 starts.

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College football Week 1 opening line report: It's finally here!

Mississippi has been on the rise the past few years under Hugh Freeze, going 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS in a 2015 campaign capped by a 48-20 shellacking of Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl.

It’s finally here. The first full week of the 2016 college football season. Sure, California and Hawaii kicked off the season last week in Australia, but that was a stale appetizer compared with the five-star full-course meal coming up in the next few days.We talk about the opening lines on four key games with John Lester, senior lines manager for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.

No. 3 Oklahoma (-10) vs. No. 13 Houston

This is a huge season opener for both teams, as a loss would immediately have them on the outside looking in for the College Football Playoff at the end of the year. It’s technically a neutral-site contest, since it’s not at the Cougars’ TDECU Stadium, but it’s still in Houston at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Texans.

The Sooners are coming off an excellent 11-2 SU season (9-4 ATS) in which they reached the playoffs, losing to Clemson 37-17 as a 3.5-point favorite in the Orange Bowl, which served as one of the semifinals. Oklahoma made it that far on the strength of a 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS run to cap the regular season.

Houston was in potential playoff consideration, too, getting out of the gate 10-0 SU before stubbing its toe at Connecticut. Still, the Cougars finished 13-1 SU (9-4 ATS), capped by a 38-24 victory over Florida State as a 7.5-point underdog in the Peach Bowl.

“This is possibly the opening week matchup I’m looking forward to the most,” Lester said of Saturday’s noon Eastern contest. “It’s really a boom-or-bust game for both teams. If Houston can somehow pull off the upset, then the College Football Playoff mid-major talk won’t cease until season’s end.”

Bookmaker opened the Sooners at -10 back in early June and moved to -10.5 earlier this month, but it reverted to 10 on Aug. 19 and has since remained there.

“We haven’t moved off the opener except for a half-point twice in almost three months, so we feel confident this number will attract fairly even action.”

No. 17 Southern California vs. No. 1 Alabama (-10.5)

Two storied programs highlight the first full Saturday of the season, playing on a neutral field at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Top-ranked Alabama is coming off its fourth national title in the last seven years, blasting Michigan State 38-0 laying 10 points in the playoff semifinals, then edging Clemson 45-40 as a 6-point fave in an exhilarating championship game.

That capped a 14-1 SU, 8-7 ATS season in which the Crimson Tide won their last 12 games.

Southern Cal is coming off another bumpy season that included a coaching change from Steve Sarkisian to Clay Helton, as the Trojans went 8-6 SU, 6-8 ATS. But USC is ranked in the top 20 to start the season, so clearly there’s some optimism in Helton’s first full year at the helm.

“This is another matchup that will garner a huge handle at our shop,” Lester said of the 8 p.m. Eastern kickoff. “Sharp bettors haven’t seemed too interested in this one, as the half-point movement is mostly due to square support on the defending champs. My guess is we’ll see this line continue to creep up as we get closer to kickoff.”

No. 9 Notre Dame (-3) at Texas

It’s a Sunday evening showdown of traditional college football powers deep in the heart of Texas, where Notre Dame will look to put behind it the arrests of several players in two separate incidents earlier this month. The Fighting Irish were in the hunt for one of the four playoff spots last year before a 38-36 loss at Stanford catching 4 points in the regular-season finale.

Notre Dame then got blitzed by Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, losing 44-28 as a 4.5-point pup to complete a 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS season.

Meanwhile, Texas hasn’t sniffed national championship contention since losing the title game to Alabama after the 2009 regular season. Last year, the Longhorns went 5-7 SU and ATS, though they capped the season with a 23-17 upset of host Baylor as a 21-point underdog.

“Our business couldn’t ask for a better Week 1 Sunday night matchup, as bankrolls are full and we have two teams with massive followings,” Lester said of the 7:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff. “In the first week of June, we opened this game at Irish -4.5, and early, sharp action came in on Texas. Earlier this month, the line moved as high as -5, but during the past week, more Longhorn money from smart players pushed it down to a field goal.”

No. 12 Mississippi vs. No. 4 Florida State (-4)

A Monday night contest caps the first full week of college football, with an 8 p.m. Eastern kickoff.

Florida State has consistently been in the national championship chase lately, winning it all in the 2013 season and making the first-ever playoff in 2014 – where it lost to Oregon in one semifinal – before dropping off just a bit last year. The Seminoles went 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS in 2015, including a 38-24 loss to Houston as a 7.5-point chalk in the Peach Bowl.

Mississippi has been on the rise the past few years under Hugh Freeze, going 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS in a 2015 campaign capped by a 48-20 shellacking of Oklahoma State laying 7.5 points in the Sugar Bowl.

“It’s been a roller coaster of line movement for this Monday night matchup,” Lester said. “For the first month and a half, the money was heavy on Florida State, sending the spread to as high as -6.5. Once it hit that peak, we started seeing some sharper money on Ole Miss. The number dropped to -3.5 a couple of weeks ago. We’ve seen both sides of the betting spectrum.”

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NCAAF
Short Sheet

Week 1


Fri - Sept, 2

Ball State at Georgia State, 7:00 ET
Ball St: 15-4 ATS as a road underdog of 7 points or less
Georgia St: 3-8 ATS in dome games

Army at Temple, 7:00 ET
Army: 7-17 ATS in the first two weeks of the season
Temple: 4-2 ATS in the first month of the season

Colorado State at Colorado, 8:00 ET
Colorado St: 5-9 ATS against Pac Twelve conference opponents
Colorado: 11-7 ATS as a neutral field favorite

Kansas State at Stanford, 9:00 ET
Kansas St: 1-3 ATS in the first two weeks of the season
Stanford: 8-0 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points

Toledo at Arkansas State, 9:00 ET
Toledo: 4-6 ATS as a road underdog of 3 points or less
Arkansas St: 13-5 ATS as a favorite

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WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

O/U Picks 1-1-0 50.00% -50

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MAC power Bowling Green will try to 'shock' Buckeyes
September 2, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bowling Green will be a four-touchdown underdog coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but new Falcons coach Mike Jinks said he welcomes the chance to ''shock the world.''

If Jinks' squad can knock off the mighty Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium, it would be a monumental inaugural win for him as a college coach. A Texas Tech assistant for three seasons after a long career in Texas high school football, the 44-year-old Jinks took the helm at Bowling Green this season after Dino Babers was hired away by Syracuse.

Returning fewer than half the starters from a team that went 10-4 and won the Mid-American Conference crown last year, the Falcons have their work cut out for them. They have new starters at quarterback and tailback, a rebuilt defensive line and must compensate for the loss of two of the three best receivers from last year.

Anything can happen, right?

''I've been an underdog my whole life,'' Jinks said. ''I kind of excel in those situations.''

So does Bowling Green, it seems. The Falcons shocked two Big 10 teams last season on the road, Maryland and Purdue, and stayed competitive against Tennessee in the season opener. In 2014, they beat Indiana 45-42 at home.

''These are the games we ought to want to be in,'' Jinks said. ''These are the opportunities that don't come too often. There are 128 FBS schools in the country, and we're playing at probably one of the top five venues of all time. Not everybody gets those chances throughout a college career, so it's a trend that we hope to continue in years to come.''

Bowling Green will take home a guaranteed payout of $975,000 for the trip to Ohio Stadium.

Some other things to know as the Falcons try to pull off the upset in Columbus:

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

There may be as many questions about No. 6 ranked Ohio State as Bowling Green this season. The Buckeyes have the least experienced team in the nation, losing 16 starters from last year. They have new starters at tailback and wide receiver, and throughout the defense.

''I know what we're walking into, but you don't know what this '16 Ohio State team going to be, and you don't know what this '16 Bowling Green team is going to be,'' Jinks said. ''That's the exciting part of it.''

DON'T DISCOUNT THE UNDERDOGS

Ohio State players say they've learned not to look past any team. The Buckeyes needed a pick-six from linebacker Darron Lee to bail out its struggling offense and squeak by MAC power Northern Illinois 20-13 in what was intended to be a tune-up game early last season.

''Scrappy. Very, very scrappy,'' offensive guard Billy Price said of BG. ''NIU was a very good opponent. We expect the same thing. We cannot take an opponent lightly no matter what conference, whatever team it is. We're going in there respecting them just as much as we did Alabama or just as much as Oregon.''

Said linebacker Chris Worley: ''A team like Bowling Green, you can never overlook them. They're going to come here ready to play, and we know that. The team that plays the hardest will win.''

SHADES OF 2014?

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said this year's teams reminds him of the 2014 team in terms of starting so many talented but still untested players. That team ended up winning the national championship.

''(It's) very similar,'' he said. ''And I'm real excited about them. I'm trying to hold down the excitement because I really am. I can't wait to watch them to play. This has been a good camp. Good people to work with.''

The biggest unknown, he said, is how the young players will react to being in the stadium with 100,000 of their closest, noisiest friends.

BARRETT READY TO ROLL

Meyer said quarterback J.T. Barrett, who entered a training camp for the first time as the undisputed starting quarterback, is playing as well as he ever has.

''He's on top of his game, I'm proud to say,'' Meyer said. ''He's a very good player, a very good leader. He's driving the car and he's never had that this time of year. The first time he got a start, he certainly wasn't driving the car. He was in the front seat somewhere, but he wasn't driving it. Now it's his, and he's really doing a nice job.''

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Conner, Panthers expect emotional opener vs. Villanova
September 2, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) The jitters will be there. After what Pittsburgh running back James Conner has been through over the last 12 months, how could they not?

So forgive the 2014 ACC Player of the Year if he takes a moment before running out of the tunnel and onto the Heinz Field turf on Saturday when the Panthers host Villanova in the 2016 opener. A knee injury that derailed his junior season and a cancer diagnosis that threatened to derail his promising career has a way of putting things in perspective.

''I'm just going to embrace it all,'' Conner said. ''I know we will have a great audience. It will be a memorable day. My doctor will be in the building, along with some of the nurses. My family and friends will be there, along with my friends from Erie, so it's just going to be a great day.''

Yet Conner also understands the jitters will fade. They always do. Once he takes a handoff from Nate Peterman it will back to business as usual: trying to help the Panthers take another step forward one punishing yard at a time.

''I'm excited to make my return,'' he said. ''I take every game the same. There's a job that needs to be done.''

One Pitt and second-year coach Pat Narduzzi believe is far from finished even after a promising 8-5 season in 2015, one the Panthers gamely soldiered through even with Conner watching from the sideline for all but the first two quarters of the opener against Youngstown State.

Narduzzi has a better feel for the program now, one that is trying to embrace its history while forging ahead at the same time. The Pitt script logo - a symbol of the Panthers' glory years four decades go - is back in full effect, joined by a variety of uniform options that seem to be de rigueur in college football these days.

Of course, the plan is to have plenty of substance to go with all that style, with Conner leading the way. Some things to look for as the Panthers begin a season with lofty expectations, against a team hoping to make a statement of its own:

CLOSE CALLS: Narduzzi's tenure began with a shaky 45-37 win over Youngstown State last September, a game that remained in doubt until the fourth quarter. The memory remains fresh, so don't expect Pitt to peek around the corner at a long-awaited visit from Penn State on Sept. 10. That's probably wise against Villanova, a longtime FCS power who is hardly a pushover. The Wildcats have been a tough out against FBS schools in each of the last three openers, all losses by 10 points or less.

SAYING GOODBYE: The 2016 season will be the 32nd and final year for Villanova coach Andy Talley, whose 249 career wins are the most by an active coach at FBS or FCS level. Talley, who led the Wildcats to the 2009 national title, will hand the program over to assistant Mark Ferrante. An upset over the Panthers would be a pretty sweet way to begin Talley's send-off.

PLENTY OF HELP: While Narduzzi said there are no limitations on Conner - who underwent six months of chemotherapy to combat lymphoma diagnosed last Thanksgiving - Pitt's depth at running back means Conner won't have to carry the load alone. Qadree Ollison was the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 while filling in for Conner and Chris James provides a speedy yin to the powerful yang provided by Conner and Ollison.

NATE THE GREAT? The Panthers entered 2015 with Chad Voytik at quarterback before Nate Peterman quickly took over the job. There is no drama this time around. Peterman is firmly entrenched as the starter, though he'll also be working with an inexperienced group after Tyler Boyd took his school-record 254 receptions to the NFL. Senior Dontez Ford is the only returning wide receiver with more than 12 career catches.

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On Spurrier's day, No. 25 Florida expects better offense
September 2, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Amid all the pomp and circumstance of renaming Florida Field after Steve Spurrier, the most fitting way to honor him would be on the scoreboard Saturday.

Maybe the 25th-ranked Gators should try to ''hang half a hundred'' on UMass.

That was one of Spurrier's most memorable quotes during his dozen years in Gainesville. It came after Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Georgia 52-17 in Athens in 1995. It also was something the Gators did with regularity during Spurrier's tenure.

And after the way Florida ended last season - scoring just two offensive touchdowns in the final three games - players and coaches probably could use a little confidence-booster to start 2016.

''Pretty miserable, wasn't it?'' Florida coach Jim McElwain recalled. ''You had to sit through it, too. I'm sorry. ... I'm still hurting. That's all I can say. That was miserable. I'll leave it at that. And I'm sorry you had to go through it, too.''

The Gators ranked 112th in total offense in 2015, ahead of only Vanderbilt and Missouri in the SEC. They struggled to run the ball consistently and were close to inept in the passing game. The line was a problem - Florida gave up a nation-leading 45 sacks - and quarterback play was an even bigger issue.

McElwain has vowed to be ''dramatically better'' on offense in his second season.

His first chance to prove it comes in the opener against the Minutemen, who are entering their first season as an independent after going 8-40 in four years since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Gators will give journeyman Luke Del Rio his first collegiate start after he transferred from Alabama and then Oregon State in search of playing time. Del Rio beat out graduate transfer Austin Appleby and two freshmen.

Del Rio, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, helplessly watched Florida stumble down the stretch.

''Anytime you finish 0-3, it's the worst taste in your mouth,'' said Del Rio, the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio. ''Some teams might get hot and they lose a bowl game. `OK, we finished 5-1.' But 0-3, that's tough to swallow.''

Spurrier only had one three-game losing streak (1999) during his Florida coaching career.

Leading the Gators to six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship, Spurrier helped put the program on the college football map for good. He already has a Heisman Trophy statue from his playing days at Florida and has his name in the school's exclusive ring of honor.

On Saturday, the Gators will officially unveil Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. It's better known as The Swamp, the nickname Spurrier gave it and a place the current team would like to see scoring ''half a hundred'' become more normal than notable again.

''I hope they put some winning turf in there or something,'' McElwain joked. ''I've got to ask our grounds guy. But no, I think that's something special, and obviously for (Spurrier), I think what a fitting tribute. To have him back and be a part of that is something that's pretty neat.''

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Here are some other things to know as Florida and UMass begin the season:

STREAKING GATORS: Florida has won 26 consecutive season openers, the longest streak in the country. The Gators are likely to extend it against UMass, but making it 28 in a row should be more challenging considering they open the 2017 season against Michigan in Arlington, Texas.

FLORIDA SUSPENSIONS: McElwain suspended five players for the opener, including one senior he declined to name. The others are cornerback Jalen Tabor, tight end C'yontai Lewis and receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Rick Wells. Tabor and Lewis were suspended one game for fighting in practice. Cleveland and Wells were suspended for firing BB guns in a residence hall in July.

GAME-CHANGER? Florida could potentially go from having one of the worst kicking situations in the country to one of the best. Eddy Pineiro will make his collegiate debut and should get considerable attention. A high school soccer player who has never kicked in a game, Pineiro drew interest from Alabama and Florida while making 70-yard-plus kicks and posting them on YouTube.

RARE TRIP: The Minutemen last visited the Sunshine State on Dec. 12, 1964, when they lost to East Carolina 14-13 in the Tangerine Bowl. UMass is 1-1 all-time against teams from Florida.

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Georgia begins Kirby Smart era against rising Tar Heels
September 2, 2016

ATLANTA (AP) Tired of sending countless players to the NFL but going a decade since its last Southeastern Conference championship, Georgia decided that a change in leadership was needed to get to the next level.

Exit Mark Richt.

Enter Kirby Smart.

The longtime Alabama defensive coordinator, who knows a thing or two about championships working for Nick Saban, will take the sideline as a head coach for the first time when the No. 18 Bulldogs open the season Saturday against No. 22 North Carolina in Atlanta at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

Smart downplayed his debut and wants his players to treat it as just another game.

Good luck with that.

It's the first since 2001 that Georgia will be led by a new head coach.

''This is like kind of anti-climactic for me,'' Smart insisted. ''My focus has been on this team, getting this team better. There are a lot of things I can't control outside that, that have nothing to do with the outcome of the game.''

North Carolina is coming off an 11-win season, its most victories since 1997 and matching the school record.

Coach Larry Fedora realizes the significance of building on that success with a victory over the Bulldogs.

''It's a big game,'' he said. ''It's against a great opponent who has a great tradition. They are well known. It is a good measuring stick for where we are with this program right now.''

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Some things to watch for Saturday at the Georgia Dome:

CHUBB'S RETURN: After a horrific knee injury midway through last season, star running back Nick Chubb made a faster-than-expected recovery for the Bulldogs. He's fully cleared for the opener and Smart said there are no limitations on how many carries Chubb might get. It will be intriguing to see if he's still the same dynamic back he was before the injury. Chubb was a Heisman-touted player who had tied Herschel Walker's school record with 13 straight 100-yard games before he went down. Sony Michel and freshman Elijah Holyfield are both nursing injuries, so Chubb figures to get plenty of carries in his first game back - especially against a North Carolina defense that ranked 121st nationally (247.4 yards per game) and surrendered nearly 1,000 yards on the ground in its last two games against high-powered offenses.

SIGNATURE WIN: Despite last year's success, which include an appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, North Carolina is still seeking the sort of victory that will stamp Fedora's program as a true national powerhouse. North Carolina hasn't beaten an SEC school since a victory over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to end the 2010 season. Beating Georgia would show North Carolina might be capable of challenging the ACC dominance of Clemson and Florida State.

EASON WATCH: Less than 72 hours before kickoff, Georgia finally confirmed that fifth-year senior Greyson Lambert remains the starting quarterback. He started 12 games a year ago and set a school record for lowest interception percentage (two picks in 256 passes). But it seems just a matter of time before the Bulldogs turn to Jacob Eason, a touted freshman who is clearly the quarterback of the future. Smart said the depth chart will remain a work in progress. ''It's never over,'' he said. ''It's continuous, just like who the right corner is. If he doesn't play good, then we have to change it.''

HOLLINS OUT: North Carolina will have to play the first half without one of its top deep threats and special team players. Receiver Mack Hollins must sit out the first two quarters after receiving a targeting penalty in a bowl loss to end last season. Hollins not only plays on four special-team units, he had 30 catches for 745 yards and eight touchdowns - leading the national with 24.8 yards per reception. Smart calls Hollins a ''dominant feature player.''

EXPLOSIVE HEELS: North Carolina set school records by averaging 40.7 points and 486.9 yards per game. The Tar Heels were especially dynamic during a two-game November run, piling on 125 points in routs of Duke and Miami. Running back Elijah Hood, an All-ACC pick last season with 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns, looks forward to matching up with Chubb. ''You definitely feel the competition,'' Hood said. ''You just want to show who you are.'' Georgia figures to have its hands full containing North Carolina, especially with four new starters at linebacker.

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Watson, No. 2 Clemson open in SEC country against Auburn
September 2, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Deshaun Watson and Clemson pick up where they left off last season - sort of.

The second-ranked Tigers open against another Southeastern Conference team from the state of Alabama, visiting Auburn Saturday night hoping to resume their pursuit of a national title and, perhaps, a Heisman Trophy for Watson.

They finished an otherwise unblemished season with a 45-40 loss to Alabama in the national championship game. Watson was at his playmaking best in racking up nearly 500 total yards against one of the nation's top defenses.

The task now will be to beat an Auburn team seeking redemption after a disappointing season.

''It's a big challenge out of the gate for us,'' Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

Not so big as the one Swinney's Tigers faced to finish off last season. Auburn opens picked to finish sixth in the Southeastern Conference Western Division after flopping last season amid much higher expectations.

Auburn also lost its top three rushers from last season to a dismissal, a transfer and an early entry into the NFL draft. The receivers are mostly unknown, and Sean White won a renewed quarterback battle after throwing one touchdown pass in five starts last season.

It makes for a tough opening challenge for coach Gus Malzahn's team. Swinney points out that openers carry a certain amount of mystery for both sides.

''There are a lot of unknowns,'' he said. ''They have players we don't know a lot about, and we have players they don't know a lot about. You don't ever really know until you see a team for two or three games.''

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Here are some things to watch in the Clemson-Auburn matchup:

WATSON'S ENCORE? Watson enters the season among the favorites to win the Heisman after a third-place finish. His 478-yard performance passing and rushing in the title game was nearly enough to pull off the win. ''Their quarterback is one of the best players in college football, if not the best player,'' Malzahn said.

AND AUBURN? White beat out Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer John Franklin III to emerge as the starter. Of the three, Franklin is the biggest rushing threat and could potentially play in a Wildcat role though Malzahn has been mum on the pecking order behind White. White has impressed Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables. ''He's a quality, quality player,'' Venables said. ''He beat out Deshaun at the Elite 11 for top quarterback. He's got that `it.' He's a very good leader, all the qualities that you love. The intangibles, his toughness, his confidence, he makes everybody around him better.''

SEEING STEELE: Swinney will face one of his former defensive coordinators in Kevin Steele, now leading Auburn's defense. Steele spent three seasons under Swinney and helped the Tigers to the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference title. But soon after Clemson was embarrassed 70-33 by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, Swinney fired Steele and replaced him with Venables. Steele skipped his normal session with reporters this week.

TAILBACK COMPARISONS: Wayne Gallman is coming off a school record-setting season, 1,500-yard season for Clemson. Auburn is high on Kerryon Johnson but he had only 52 carries as a freshman, vaulting to the starting spot when Jovon Robinson was kicked off the team in preseason camp.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Auburn has struggled defensively in recent seasons but Steele's side of the ball might be the team's strength. Veteran defenders Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and Johnathan Ford are all back and joined by Illinois graduate transfer T.J. Neal at linebacker.

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CFB POWER LINES

7:00 pm 9/2/2016
(147) ARMY @(148) TEMPLE
Play Line: TEMPLE -15
BTB PowerLine: TEMPLE -23
Edge On: TEMPLE 8

9:00 pm 9/2/2016
(151) KANSAS ST @(152) STANFORD
Play Line: STANFORD -12.5
BTB PowerLine: STANFORD -22
Edge On: STANFORD 9.5

9:00 pm 9/2/2016
(179) TOLEDO @(180) ARKANSAS ST
Play Line: TOLEDO 4
BTB PowerLine: TOLEDO -6
Edge On: TOLEDO 10

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CFB ACTION TRENDS

CFB ATS

9:00 pm 9/2/2016
(151) KANSAS ST @(152) STANFORD
Play ON STANFORD against the spread in All games as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points.
The record is 8 Wins and 0 Losses for the last three seasons (+8 units)
BET NOW!

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CFB MONEYLINE

7:00 pm 9/2/2016
(147) ARMY @(148) TEMPLE
Play AGAINST ARMY using the money line in All games in September games.
The record is 2 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (-16.25 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 9/2/2016
(147) ARMY @(148) TEMPLE
Play AGAINST ARMY using the money line in Road games in September games.
The record is 6 Wins and 21 Losses since 1992 (-23.8 units)
BET NOW!

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CFB HALFTIME OVER


9:00 pm 9/2/2016
(179) TOLEDO @(180) ARKANSAS ST
Play OVER ARKANSAS ST on the first half total in All games in games played on turf.
The record is 9 Overs and 1 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)
BET NOW!

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CFB OVERS

9:00 pm 9/2/2016
(179) TOLEDO @(180) ARKANSAS ST
Play OVER ARKANSAS ST on the total in All games as a favorite.
The record is 7 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+7 units)
BET NOW!