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**StarDust Bum** · 09-09-2016, 02:31 PM

PREVIEW

LIONS, ALS GEAR UP FOR FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

VANCOUVER — The BC Lions return home this week to face the Montreal Alouettes after going a perfect two-for-two on their extended road trip through Ontario.

The Leos bounced back from a demoralizing Week 9 home loss to the first-place Calgary Stampeders with a pair of hard-fought wins against the Ottawa REDBLACKS — 29-23 in Week 10 — and Toronto Argonauts, 16-13, last week.

For the Montreal Alouettes, Thursday night’s visitors, the last three weeks have been the exact opposite; the Als demolished Ottawa on the road, 43-19, in Week 9, but have suffered a pair of deflating losses in the two weeks since.

At 7-3, the Lions will feel they’re well-positioned to make a second-half run for the West Division title against Calgary, while the 3-7 Als have to sort out their offensive issues if they’re to remain relevant in the ultra-competitive East Division.

Desperate for an offensive spark, the Montreal Alouettes are turning to Rakeem Cato under centre for the first time since Week 4. Cato, a Marshall alum, went 18-of-25 for 203 yards in his one and only start this season, a 31-7 loss to Hamilton.

“We made an organizational decision (on) several things; it’s not just a quarterback change, we need to see what we have for the future at that position,” Als head coach and general manager Jim Popp told MontrealAlouettes.com. “When, outside of two games, you’re averaging 15.1 points a game — about 12 points below the league average — we’re not doing well enough. We’ve got to find other ways to see if (we can) spark anything.”

The Als’ offence will hope for a boost from wide receiver Duron Carter, who was suspended for the team’s defeat last week against Ottawa for an incident earlier in the season.

“If you’re winning or in first place, you usually don’t touch your roster,” furthered Popp. “If you’re not, you’re behind and not generating enough points, eventually you’ve got to start looking at some other options.”

The Montreal skipper noted that the shift to Cato was not a straight knock on the 37 year-old Kevin Glenn, who’d tossed six interceptions in the Alouettes’ last two losses.

“This is nothing that’s directed right at Kevin Glenn,” insisted Popp. “He’s not the only one (where) we’re making a change, but this is a move for the future in that we’re trying to see what we have while trying to win games.”

The Als have been one of the league’s best defences through 11 weeks, surrendering just 237 points — the third-lowest mark in the league and best in the East.

One of the keys to Montreal’s defensive success, along with its balanced defensive line, has been the strong play of defensive back Jovon Johnson; the Iowa product who has posted a career-high five sacks this season.

“It feels good to get to the quarterback and put pressure on the QB,” said Johnson, known largely for his ball-hawking prowess as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers throughout the 2009-11 seasons. “Whatever helps the team, I’m all for it.”

As for the challenge posed by BC’s balanced attack, Johnson believes the key to stopping the Leos lies in shutting down three major players.

“Their offence is good across the board, but we know who their big-play guys are: Chris Rainey, Bryan Burnham and Emmanuel Arceneaux,” said the Montreal DB. “If we can limit those guys, keep them contained, we’ll be okay.”

The BC Lions gutted out a pair of tough road victories in Weeks 10 and 11 and return home to BC Place with both confidence and the knowledge that no game can be taken lightly in today’s CFL.

“We’re looking forward to playing at home, (and) obviously getting back on the winning ways on the road has been good for the football club,” Lions head coach Wally Buono told BCLions.com. “It’s going to be a very tough game; the Alouettes are always noted for their great defence and it’s no different this year.”

Buono sees the Als as a team that could be sparked by the insertion of Cato under centre and understands the importance of picking up wins against the league’s struggling teams to maintain pace with the best in the West.

“The quarterback is the single most important player on the team,” explained Buono. “Cato is accurate, he throws the ball (and) has the ability to make defences pay with his legs — a play that’s four seconds turns into eight seconds.”

Leos quarterback Jonathon Jennings stresses that, while BC recorded two strong road wins, the team has to find a way between now and the end of the season to make its home at BC Place a fortress.

“It’s nice to know you can win in hostile environments, but we have to continue to get better at home,” said the BC pivot. “2-2 is not great. It’s not terrible, but we want to be better and get the fans involved and excited about Vancouver football.”

Excitement hasn’t been hard to find on the Lions’ roster thus far in 2016. Linebackers Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill have registered the second- and third-most tackles in the league respectively, while Alex Bazzie has posted a league-high nine sacks. Return man Chris Rainey has electrified with a pair of return touchdowns, and BC’s offence has shown flair both in the air and on the ground at points during the first half.

By the Numbers

23% – Red zone conversion rate against Montreal’s defence; the Als are the stoutest red zone defence in the league.

26-9 – BC’s lead in the all-time series between the Lions and Als in Vancouver. Home field advantage?

50.6 – BC kicker Richie Leone’s current average yardage on a punt, tied with Jon Ryan’s all-time CFL record.

74 – League-leading tackles recorded by Montreal linebacker Bear Woods.

The Skinny

The Lions will look to fortify their home turf on Friday night against an Als team that has struggled to put points on the board for the vast majority of 2016.

If BC can get its ground game going against Montreal’s strong front seven, Jim Popp’s team could be in for a Pacific-coast beating.

If Rakeem Cato can prove his mettle as a starting quarterback and be the dual threat many have expected him to be, the Als may be in with a fighting chance against a BC team still trying to find its identity at home.

With the likes of Chris Rainey and Stefan Lofan running the return game for the Lions and Als respectively, don’t discount the impact special teams might have on Friday night in Vancouver either.

Kickoff is slated for 10:00 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca Game Tracker.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 04:15 AM

Saturday's Tip Sheet
September 9, 2016

**Kentucky at Florida**

-- As of Friday morning, most betting shops had Florida (1-0 straight up, 0-1 against the spread) listed as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 49 points. The Wildcats were +550 on the money line (risk $100 to win $550). For first-half bets, UF was favored by 9.5 points with a total of 26.

-- Florida hold the NCAA’s longest active winning streak over another team with its 29 consecutive wins over Kentucky, breaking the mark held by Penn St. over Temple until the Owls snapped that 31-game losing streak last season. The Wildcats haven’t beaten UF since 1986 and haven’t won in Gainesville since 1979. Twenty-one of the 29 UF wins have come by double-digit margins. Also, the Gators have covered the spread at an 8-1 ATS clip in the last nine games against the Wildcats.

-- With that said, Mark Stoops has had UK close to breaking this dubious record in back-to-back seasons. Two years ago in Gainesville, UF captured a 36-30 win in triple overtime as an 18-point home ‘chalk.’ The Gators caught a monster break in the first extra session, completing a TD pass on fourth down when it appeared clear that the play should’ve been whistled for a delay of game penalty. Then in Lexington last season, the UF defense had to make several stops in the fourth quarter to hold on for a 14-9 victory as a 3.5-point road favorite.

-- Stoops came into the fourth season of his tenure at UK with a 12-24 record. After a 2-10 campaign to begin his reign, the ‘Cats raced out to a 5-1 start in Year 2, only to lose their last six regular-season games. Then in 2015, they started 4-1 but slumped late to finish 5-7 again. Kentucky had an early double-digit lead at home against Louisville in last year’s regular-season finale, only to eventually lose by a 38-24 count. Stoops’s record fell to 12-25 after losing last week’s opener at home to Southern Miss, further warming the seat upon which he sits as head coach at UK.

-- It certainly didn’t help Stoops’s cause that his team jumped out to a 35-10 lead late in the first half against the Golden Eagles. Drew Barker, the third-year sophomore QB making his third career start, got off to a smoking start. Barker was a four-star recruit and considered the prize of Stoops’s second recruiting haul that earned national Top-25 honors. Barker had four TD passes in the first half vs. Southern Miss, including three in the first quarter, but So. Miss got a big boost before halftime with a 71-yard TD pass from Nick Mullens to Isaiah Jones with 26 seconds left in the second quarter. This would ignite 34 unanswered points and lead to a 44-35 win by the Golden Eagles as 3.5-point underdogs. The line had dipped from UK -7 down to -3.5 in the 24 hours leading up to kickoff.

-- Barker finished the night by completing 15-of-24 passes for 323 yards with a 4/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Garrett Johnson hauled in six receptions for 143 yards and two TDs, while Stanley ‘Boom’ Williams rushed 13 times for 94 yards.

-- UK’s defense couldn’t stop the run, allowing Southern Miss RB Ito Smith to rush for 173 yards and one TD on 36 carries. The Golden Eagles finished with 296 rushing yards.

-- Kentucky owns a 5-8 spread record as a road underdog on Stoops’s watch. Meanwhile, UF is 1-4 ATS as a home favorite since Jim McElwain took over before last season.

-- Kentucky WR Dorian Baker is ‘questionable’ at UF with a hamstring injury. Baker had 55 receptions for 608 yards and three TDs last year.

-- Florida had an inauspicious debut as well, albeit one in which it did emerge victorious. However, there wasn’t a whole lot for the Gators to feel good about in a 24-7 win over Massachusetts as a 34.5-point home favorite. McElwain’s squad had to win the fourth quarter 14-0 to put the game on ice. The 31 combined points never threatened the 51.5-point total, easily staying ‘under.’ Making matters worse, juco transfer WR Dre Massey was injured in the first quarter and is ‘out’ for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

-- On the bright side, UF didn’t have star junior cornerback Teez Tabor, who was a third-team All-American selection last year when he had 40 tackles, one sack, three TFL’s, 14 passes broken up, four interceptions and a pair of pick-sixes. Tabor was serving a one-game suspension along with back-up TE C’yontai Lewis for getting into a fight at practice in late August. Both players are set to return vs. UF. Also, WR C.J. Worton has been upgraded to ‘probable’ after missing the opener with a sprained ankle. Worton, who had a TD catch in last year’s 29-15 loss to Alabama at the SEC Championship Game, had a big offseason and is expected to make major contributions this year, especially now that Massey is out of the mix.

-- UF had a 363-187 advantage over the Minutemen in total offense. Luke Del Rio was sharp with 29 completions in 44 attempts for 256 yards and two TDs without an interception. Del Rio had a 12-yard TD pass to Antonio Callaway and a 26-yard scoring strike to Brandon Powell. Callaway had eight catches for 72 yards, while Powell had seven receptions for 73 yards. Jordan Scarlett rushed 13 times for a team-high 70 yards.

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

**Arkansas at Texas Christian**

-- As of early Friday, most spots had TCU (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) listed as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 58.5 points. The Razorbacks were +250 on the money line (risk $100 to win $250). For first-half plays, the Horned Frogs were favored by four with a total of 29.5.

-- Arkansas (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) went down in Week 2 at home against Toledo last year, and it nearly found itself the victim of another upset at home in last week’s opener against Skip Holtz’s La. Tech squad from out of Conference USA. Bret Bielema’s squad captured a 21-20 win thanks to a four-yard TD pass from Austin Allen to Jeremy Sprinkle on a fourth-and-goal play with 6:37 remaining. In Allen’s first career start, the junior QB who is the younger brother of Brandon, who had a 30/8 TD-INT ratio for the Hogs last year, completed 20-of-29 throws for 191 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Keon Hatcher, the team’s leading receiver in 2014 who was off to a great start in ’15 before going down with a season-ending knee injury in the loss to Toledo, made a successful return by catching six balls for 86 yards. Drew Morgan had five receptions for 47 yards, while Rawleigh Williams had 24 carries for 96 yards and one TD.

-- TCU started the season with a 59-41 win over South Dakota St. as a 34.5-point home favorite. We should note that South Dakota St. is currently ranked No. 12 in the FCS Top 25 after being tabbed at No. 14 in the preseason poll. These teams were tied at 24-24 at halftime. The game featured five lead changes and two ties. When TCU went ahead 45-31, the Jackrabbits answered with 10 straight points to pull within four with 11:57 remaining. Only then did the Horned Frogs put the game away with a pair of TD drives.

-- TCU produced 35 first downs and 662 yards of total offense vs. SD St., but it gave up 461 yards and was minus one in the turnover department. The Frogs also had 12 penalties for 125 yards.

--Kenny Hill, TCU’s starting QB after sitting out last year following his transfer from Texas A&M, connected on 33-of-49 passes for 439 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Hill, who was the favorite in terms of odds at offshore books to win the Heisman Trophy late in September of 2014, also had seven rushes for 45 yards and three TDs. RB Kyle Hicks had 15 carries for a team-best 59 rushing yards and two TDs. WR Taj Williams, a juco transfer, had 11 receptions for 158 yards and one TD. KaVontae Turpin, the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in ’15, had an 81-yard punt return for a TD. Also, Turpin had seven catches for 62 yards and a 33-yard gain on his only rushing attempt.

-- TCU finished ’15 with an 11-2 record after going 12-1 in ’14. The Frogs returned three starters on offense and eight on defense.

-- Arkansas has lost five consecutive road openers and 10 of its last 12.

-- During Bielema’s first three seasons at the helm, Arkansas has compiled a 7-4 spread record as a road underdog. In fact, the Hogs went 4-0 ATS in such spots last year and have covered the number in five straight as road puppies.

-- Since 2006, TCU owns a 33-21-1 spread record as a home favorite. The Frogs are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as home ‘chalk.’

-- Arkansas lost junior DB Kevin Richardson to a season-ending injury to his pectoral muscle last week. Richardson had 44 tackles, one interception and two passes broken up last year.

-- These schools haven’t met since their rivalry days in the Southwest Conference which ended in 1991.

-- ESPN will have the telecast at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee**

-- This SEC/ACC showdown will take place at Bristol Motor Speedway, which is located exactly halfway between the two campuses. The game has been dubbed the “Battle at Bristol,” which is expected to draw a record crowd of more than 150,000 fans. The NCAA single-game attendance record is 115,109 at The Big House in 2013 for Michigan vs. Notre Dame.

-- As of early Friday, most shops had Tennessee (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) installed as an 11-point favorite with a total of 54 points. The Hokies were available to win outright for a +350 return (risk $100 to win $350). For first-half wagers, UT was favored by 6.5 points with a total of 28.

-- Butch Jones’s team was extremely fortunate to emerge from last Thursday’s home game vs. Appalachian State unscathed. Tennessee trailed the Mountaineers 13-3 at halftime and were only able to force overtime because Appalachian St. missed an extra point in the first half and failed to convert a crucial 42-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter. The Volunteers eventually won a 20-13 decision in overtime, but they never threatened to cover the number as 21.5-point home favorites. The 33 combined points easily remained ‘under’ the 58-point total.

-- Trailing 13-6 with less than 11 minutes remaining in the final stanza, UT quarterback Josh Dobbs found Josh Malone for a 67-yard scoring strike to tie the game. Then on the first possession of overtime on third and goal, Dobbs dove for the end zone and attempted to reach the ball toward the plane of the goal line. However, he was hammered by an Appalachian State defender to knock the ball loose. The ensuing scramble for the ball in the end zone was recovered by star RB Jalen Hurd for a TD. Then on fourth and five, a pass to the end zone by the Mountaineers was broken up to preserve the victory for UT.

-- Dobbs struggled last week, connecting on just 16-of-29 throws for 192 yards with one TD and one interception. He was unable to make plays with his feet like he normally does, rushing nine times for negative four yards. Hurd ran for 110 yards and one TD on 28 carries.

-- Tennessee’s Cam Sutton is one of the SEC’s best cover corners and one of the country’s top punt returners. However, his three punt returns last week netted zero yards and one lost fumble that set the Mountaineers up with a short field that led to a TD and 7-0 deficit for the Vols. Sutton made up for it, though, by getting his first interception of the season off of Taylor Lamb.

-- UT went 9-4 SU and 8-5 ATS in ’15, finishing the season with six straight wins. With the return of nine starters on offense and eight on defense, this squad received a ton of hype coming into the season. Obviously, the Vols didn’t respond well in their opener.

-- Virginia Tech reached great heights during the Frank Beamer Era, but the legendary coach decided to retire after four subpar campaigns. To be clear, the Hokies didn’t hit rock bottom by any means. They still went to the postseason the last four years, winning three bowl games, but the standard double-digit win totals were gone with 8-5 in ’13 serving as the best record.

-- With Beamer out, Virginia Tech made an excellent hire by signing Justin Fuente, who turned a moribund Memphis program into a winner fast. After going 4-8 and 3-9 in his first two seasons, Fuente led the Tigers to a 10-3 record in 2014. Then last season, they went 9-3 with Fuente during the regular season, reaching as high as No. 15 in the national rankings after an 8-0 start that included a 37-24 home win over 13th-ranked Ole Miss.

-- Virgnia Tech beat Liberty by a 36-13 count in its opener last week at home, but it was nowhere close to covering the 32-point spread. The 49 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 58-point tally. The Hokies actually trailed 13-10 late in the second quarter after Liberty took the lead thanks to a 71-yard fumble return for a TD.

-- Junior QB Jerod Evans, a juco transfer, had a stellar debut. Evans completed 20-of-32 passes for 221 yards and four TDs without an interception. He also rushed for a team-high 46 yards on just five carries. Junior WR Isaiah Ford, a first-team All-ACC selection last season, had 11 receptions for 117 yards and one TD. Bucky Hodges, second-team All-ACC selection as a sophomore TE in ’15, had three catches for 42 yards and two TDs.

-- Virginia Tech returned eight starters on offense and seven on defense from last year’s 7-6 team that beat Tulsa 55-52 at the Independence Bowl.

-- These schools haven’t met since the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl when Beamer’s Hokies blasted UT in its last game with Lane Kiffin as head coach, 37-14. Virginia Tech easily took the cash as a 5.5-point ‘chalk.’

-- Since 2011, Virgnia Tech has only been a double-digit underdog four times, going 2-2 ATS with one outright win (35-21 at Ohio St. in Week 2 of 2014).

-- Tennessee owns a 7-7 spread record as a double-digit ‘chalk’ on Jones’s watch.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 04:18 AM

Saturday's Underdog Bets
September 8, 2016

Finding big underdogs across the college football board is very easy, but while there are multiple teams getting 20+ points, especially in the opening month, nearly all of those teams have a very slim chance of winning the game outright. It's the other sizable underdogs that are somewhere in the +4 to +14 range that bettors can be more willing to bet on the ML and I've got two of those teams to keep an eye on this week.

Underdog #1: Illinois (+9); ML (+270)

New Illinois head coach Lovie Smith comes over from the NFL and had his team cruising against an overmatched Murray State team a week ago. Illinois won that game 52-3 as 33-point favorites and held them to an abysmal -10 yards on the ground. That game was a great tune up for this week's contest against North Carolina as the Tar Heels are a much better program and based on the spread alone the Illini will be in tough

But while Illinois is beaming with confidence right now, the same can't be said for UNC as they lost 33-24 to Georgia in Week 1 and could still be experiencing a bit of a hangover after making it to the ACC Championship game a year ago. In the end the Tar Heels will be just fine, but an 0-2 SU start is a very real possibility here despite the fact that UNC crushed Illinois 48-14 a year ago.

That blowout loss fuels plenty of fire for that Illini program who went through that beating in 2015, and now that they get the return match at home, they are expecting very different results. Illinois is also on a 3-0 SU run at home after a home win and getting them at nearly 3-1 here could turn out to be a huge payoff.

Underdog #2: California (+7); ML (+255)

Cal is another team that's getting better than +250 to win outright this week and the Golden Bears are in a solid spot. They've essentially had two weeks to prepare for this game after their opener was played in Australia at the end of August, and they did demolish San Diego State 35-7 a year ago. Obviously things are quite a bit different for Cal this time around without QB Jared Goff, but the offense showed no signs of significant regression against Hawaii in the opener and should find some success again this week.

Now, it's understandable to look at the revenge angle in San Diego State's favor after last year's loss and disagree with this play, but this is also a huge step up in class for the Aztecs after they beat FCS New Hampshire last week. The holdovers from last year's team have no doubt been looking ahead to this rematch with Cal, but essentially getting their opponent off a bye week does the Aztecs no favors. The entire Cal coaching staff likely watched that New Hampshire game live from start to finish and have a thorough understanding of what they've got to do to be successful this week.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 04:20 AM

Maryland overwhelms Florida Int'l, 41-14
September 9, 2016

MIAMI (AP) A combination of execution and fun has helped Maryland open the season with two convincing wins.

But the combination of Perry Hills to DJ Moore hasn't hurt either.

Hills threw for three touchdowns, two to Moore, to lead Maryland to a 41-14 win over Florida International on Friday night.

Hills completed 13-of-18 passes for 210 yards in three quarters. He connected with Moore for a 45-yard touchdown pass and Derrick Hayward for a 9-yard score in the second quarter to give Maryland a 31-7 advantage at halftime. Lorenzo Harrison scored on a 40-yard run for the Terrapins' fourth touchdown of the first half.

''We're doing an unbelievable job of executing,'' Hills said. ''We all came out here and had a good time. That's the final point - to come out here and have fun.''

Moore finished with six receptions and 147 yards for Maryland (2-0).

''We watched on film (FIU cornerbacks) were going to play soft often so that was something we were going to attack,'' Moore said.

First-year Maryland head coach DJ Durkin rested Hills after his third touchdown pass - a 40-yard catch and run by Moore with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter.

''Just pleased the way we came out and played,'' Durkin said. ''I thought our guys prepared really well, traveled really well. That was a big thing for us coming and how we were going to go through it as a team.

''It's not easy getting road wins in college football. The way our guys responded, I'm really excited for them.''

The Terrapins never trailed after taking a 10-0 lead on Adam Greene's 23-yard field and Jermaine Carter's 15-yard interception return in the first quarter.

Carter's interception was the third interception return for FIU quarterback Alex McGough.

''I'm proud of this football team; I love this football team,'' FIU head coach Ron Turner said. ''I'm disappointed for them more because we battled and we did a lot of good things defensively and I think they wore our defense down.''

Alex Gardner rushed for 109 yards and scored on a four-yard run in the second quarter for the Panthers (0-2).

''We should be putting out more points as an offense because we're experienced so it's frustrating,'' Gardner said. ''But the great thing about sports is that we get another chance.''

The Terrapins are now 5-0 in their all-time series against the Panthers.

THE TAKEAWAY

MARYLAND: The passing connection usually is Hills to Moore but the combination switched roles on a reverse play in the first quarter, when Moore completed a 21-yard pass to Hills that led to Greene's field goal. ''That was fun, I almost lost the ball for a second in the lights, first career catch,'' Hills said.

FIU: McGough limped off the field after attempting to tackle Carter during his interception. Red-shirt freshman Maurice Alexander replaced McGough for the next three series. Although McGough returned with 56 seconds remaining in the first half, Alexander played the entire second half. Turner said McGough experienced stiffness in his lower back and he sat him out the rest of the game as a precaution.

UP NEXT

MARYLAND: It's back to the Sunshine State next weekend for the Terrapins, who play at Central Florida on Sept. 17 in the final tune-up before opening their Big Ten schedule at home against Purdue on Oct. 1.

FIU: The Panthers return to UMass for a second consecutive year, going to Amherst on Sept. 17.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 04:23 AM

Jackson leads Louisville over 'Cuse, 62-28
September 9, 2016

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) After falling behind early, Syracuse was trying to rally in the third quarter against No. 13 Louisville and the Carrier Dome crowd was alive as the Cardinals faced a third-and-18.

Lamar Jackson then did what he does best.

The Cardinals' elusive sophomore quarterback ripped off a 33-yard run to again stun the Orange on a night of big plays. Louisville didn't extend its lead, but in the end it didn't matter.

Jackson ran for four touchdowns and threw for another, and the Cardinals routed Syracuse 62-28 on Friday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.

''He had a great game,'' Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. ''What I was most pleased with was how well he prepared for the game. He worked extremely hard all week. He did a great job executing. He threw the ball around and ran real well. He did a great job of everything we asked him to do.''

Jackson, the national offensive player of the week for his performance in the opener against Charlotte, a 70-14 victory, picked up right where he left off. He hit a wide-open James Quick for a 72-yard score on the game's first play from scrimmage to put the Orange defense on its heels, and it stayed there during a first-quarter blitz by Jackson and company.

The elusive Jackson followed with a dazzling 72-yard touchdown run and also hit Jaylen Smith for 61 yards and Jamari Staples for 55 in the opening spree.

''I'm not sure anybody could catch him,'' Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. ''You get mad because they couldn't catch the guy. He's the fastest guy on the football field. He got into space. I saw him outrun contain with three guys who were exactly where they were supposed to be. He should have got tackled for a 2-yard loss and he runs all the way to the other sideline and steps out of bounds.''

Jackson, who was rarely pressured by a Syracuse defense that was content to lay back, also scored on runs of seven, 72 and 13 yards to give Louisville a 28-7 lead after one quarter. He had 108 yards rushing and 207 yards passing as the Cardinals (2-0) outgained the Orange 352-98 in the period, then tacked on a 9-yard scoring run in the second for a 35-7 lead. That was one for the highlight reels, with Jackson displaying hurdler-like ability with a leap over a Syracuse defender at the goal line.

''I had to take flight, score and get into the end zone,'' Jackson said. ''I think I did something like that in high school. I feel like I can score (on any play). I feel I can get my team in the end zone on any play.''

Jackson finished with 199 yards rushing on 21 carries and was 20 for 39 for 411 yards with one interception as the Cardinals set a school record and came within 13 yards of the ACC record with 845 yards offensively. It was the most ever allowed by Syracuse, eclipsing the mark of 654 by West Virginia in 1993.

Eric Dungey was 25 for 51 yards for 255 yards passing and scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter for the Orange.

Syracuse (1-1) tried to claw its way back into it with a pair of scores late in the second, both by wideout Amba Etta-Tawo in the final three minutes of the period.

In the opener against Charlotte, Jackson accounted for eight touchdowns and 405 yards in the first half, then sat the second. No breather on this hot night inside the Carrier Dome.

The Cardinals moved up six spots in the AP poll after their lopsided victory over Charlotte. Jackson accounted for a stunning 405 yards and eight touchdowns, six passing in the first half of that game. Another jump is on the way next week.

THE TAKEAWAY

LOUISVILLE: The Cardinals proved the opening week was no fluke. They're for real, and as long as Jackson stays healthy the Atlantic Division of the ACC promises to be more interesting. Jackson's only concern on offense might be his receivers, who had six drops in the first half and more in the second.

STAT LINE: Louisville averaged 10.4 yards per play.

HE SAID IT: ''I did good, I guess, but I still have some improvement. I threw a lot of bad balls. Lot of bad reads, but I think I did all right.'' - Louisville quarterback Jackson.

SYRACUSE: The defense wasn't tested in the opener against FCS Colgate. It was by the Cardinals, early and often. The Orange has a lot of work ahead on both sides of the ball, but showed some grit by not caving under the early barrage. The up-tempo offense of Babers gained 426 yards and ran 93 plays and the Orange have found a go-to guy in Etta-Tawo, who has 19 catches for 314 yards in two games. The Orange also could use some semblance of a run game after gaining just 104 yards on 39 carries, it second straight subpar performance.

UP NEXT

LOUISVILLE: The Cardinals get their first true test of the young season when they host No. 3 Florida State on Sept. 17.

SYRACUSE: The Orange host South Florida on Sept. 17, their third straight home game.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 12:24 PM

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds

Derrick Henry is off to the NFL, but the Crimson Tide appear to have another superb back in sophomore Damien Harris, who rushed for 138 yards on nine carries against USC.

We're on to Week 2 of the college football season and the full slate of games can be tough to navigate for bettors. So we bring you our Top 25 betting cheat sheet to handicap the best games of the day.

Central Florida Knights at No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (-35.5, 52.5)

* Justin Holman struggled with his accuracy as he went 14-of-28 for 193 yards but threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in the win against South Carolina State. Tre'Qaun Smith caught four passes for 65 yards and a touchdown while Matthew Wright matched a single-game school record with four field goals. "I am excited to see how good they can get if they keep on working," Frost told reporters. "I don't want our kids to be afraid to play anybody and I think our guys are ready to go up there and look that challenge in the face and take swings at them."

* Wilton Speight, who emerged as the winner in the quarterback battle with John O'Korn, bounced back from an interception on his first throw to finish 10-of-13 for 145 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. Linebacker Mike McCray was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after registering nine tackles, including 3.5 for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in his first game after missing last season with a shoulder injury. Chris Evans enjoyed a sparkling debut as he rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns to become the third player in school history to run for more than 100 yards in his first game, and was one of 18 true freshmen who played against Hawaii.

LINE HISTORY:

Michigan opened as 34.5-point favorites and that line was bet up to 35.5 almost immediately. On Wednesday some money came back on Central Florida and the line came back to 35, but that was short-lived and the point spread currently sits at -35.5.

The total hit the board at 56 and has gradually been coming down in half point increments all week. The total currently sits at 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Knights are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
* Wolverines are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 5-1 in Knights last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 9-0 in Wolverines last 9 games overall.

Central Michigan Chippewas at No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (-21, 61)

* The Chippewas gave the Cowboys a scare in a 24-13 home loss in last year's season opener and will test the middle of the defense with their rushing attack. Jahray Hayes, who did not get a carry in last year's meeting, ran for three touchdowns against Presbyterian to highlight 255 yards on the ground for Central Michigan. "It’s about us, not about who we’re playing,” Chippewas coach John Bonamego told the school's website. “It’s about how we prepare, the physicality, the intensity, effort and discipline we bring to the game each week. It sounds cliche, but the opponent doesn’t really matter."

* The Cowboys are featuring their rushing attack as well and four different players scored on the ground in the opener. "The players need a lot of credit for their work ethic and their intensity," Yurcich told reporters of the group of rushers. "They all ran very hard. They ran tough with the ball and secured the ball. So time is going to tell. We'll see at practice and take it one day at a time. Surely we'd like have a couple of guys emerge, but this is a good problem to have." Quarterback Mason Rudolph, who threw for 266 yards and a score in the win at Central Michigan last year, was solid with a pair of TD passes in the opener.

LINE HISTORY:

The Cowboys opened as 19-point favorites before the point spread quickly jumped to -20.5 on Sunday evening. Throughout the week the line wavered slightly before settling down at the current number of -21.

The total opened at 61.5 and fell a full point to 60.5 on Tuesday before being bet back up a half point to the current total of 61.

TRENDS:

* Chippewas are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Chippewas last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 7-1 in Cowboys last 8 games overall.

Troy Trojans at No. 2 Clemson Tigers (-36, 63)

* The Trojans amassed 706 total yards last week – the third-highest total in school history – but the opposition will be much stiffer this time. Star running back Jordan Chunn did much of the damage, rolling up 161 yards on only 13 carries, and quarterback Brandon Silvers was 20-of-27 for 229 yards and two touchdowns. The Trojans were in the backfield all day against the Governors – nine different players recorded tackles for losses – but they’ll have a tougher time controlling the line of scrimmage against the Tigers.

* The Tigers figure to have one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses with Heisman Trophy candidate Deshaun Watson returning along with a strong supporting cast. Wayne Gallman, who set a single-season school record with 1,527 rushing yards last season, ran for 123 against Auburn while receiver Mike Williams made nine catches for 174 yards in his first action since the initial game of the 2015 campaign. The Tigers ranked sixth in total defense (308.8 yards per game) last year and picked up where they left off against Auburn, allowing 262 total yards with three takeaways.

LINE HISTORY:

Clemson opened as big 36-point favorites at home against the over-matched Troy Trojans. The public, however, felt this line was a little bit too chunky and bet the underdog - forcing the books to drop their number to the current position of -34.5.

The total hit the board at 63.5 and has dropped slightly to 63.

TRENDS:

* Trojans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
* Tigers are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 8-2 in Trojans last 10 games on grass.
* Over is 5-0 in Tigers last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane at No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (-28.5, 73.5)

* D'Angelo Brewer rushed for a career-high 164 yards and three touchdowns last week in Tulsa's resounding victory. The Golden Hurricane defense allowed a total of 287 yards and forced three turnovers, including a pair of defensive scores. Of the matchup with Ohio State, senior wideout Keevan Lucas said: “We’re not going to take anyone lightly or bow down to anybody just because of who they are. We like playing in those big games because we like to have a challenge."

* Barrett posted a career-high 349 passing yards in Week 1, while Curtis Samuel also set a personal best with 177 receiving yards to go along with 84 rushing yards as part of a three-touchdown performance. All in all, it was a solid debut for a Buckeyes' roster that returns only three starters on each side of the ball - the fewest total returning starters (six) among all FBS programs. Mike Weber ran for 136 yards in his collegiate debut but could be challenged by a Tulsa defense that yielded 1.7 yards per rush in its opener.

LINE HISTORY:

The point spread for this one opened with the Buckeyes pegged as 28-point favorites. The line wavered all week between -28 and -29 before settling right in the middle at -28.5 by Thursday.

The total opened at 72.5 and was as high as 74 by mid-week. On Thursday afternoon the total nuzzled down the it's current number of 73.5.

TRENDS:

* Golden Hurricane are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.
* Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Over is 10-1 in Golden Hurricane last 11 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

Southern Methodist Mustangs at No. 19 Baylor Bears (-32, 76)

* The big question for the Mustangs is whether Davis, who was 8-of-17 for 155 yards in the opener before leaving with a knee injury, will be ready to play. Morris said Davis will be a game-time decision with freshman Ben Hicks, who was 5-of-9 for 88 yards and a touchdown off the bench, the likely replacement if Davis can't go. Corner Horace Richardson (two interceptions) and defensive end Justin Lawler (3.5 sacks) both had big games defensively for the Mustangs in the opener.

* The Bears' first team offense piled up 340 yards and scored on all seven of its possessions (5 TDs, 2 field goals) in less than a half of action in the opener. Quarterback Seth Russell improved to 9-0 as a starter and completed 14-of-20 passes for 163 yards and four touchdowns before departing while running back Shock Linwood rushed for 97 yards on just nine carries. Returning all-Big 12 linebacker Taylor Young led the Bears on defense with six tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and a sack while defensive end K.J. Smith added three tackles, including two for loss, and a sack.

LINE HISTORY:

The point spread for this contest opened with Baylor as 32-point favorites at home and the total opened at 76. As of Friday afternoon, neither number has moved.

TRENDS:

* Mustangs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
* Bears are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 5-1 in Mustangs last 6 vs. Big 12.
* Over is 17-4 in Bears last 21 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Nevada Wolf Pack at No. 21 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-28, 61)

* The Wolf Pack needed overtime to escape FCS opponent Cal Poly and its triple-option offense in a 30-27 triumph in Week 1. "We have a lot to teach and there’s a lot we have to improve on before next week," Nevada coach Brian Polian told reporters after the win. "But we found a way to win the game. That’s all that matters." The Wolf Pack got a big performance from running back James Butler - 123 yards and two touchdowns - in the victory and figure to test the Irish run defense.

* The Fighting Irish went into the season with a quarterback controversy between DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire, and Kizer stood the tallest with the two each logging playing time in the opener. Kizer threw five touchdown passes and ran for another score while Zaire was limited to 23 yards on 2-of-5 passes, and Kelly seems on the verge of naming a No. 1 quarterback moving forward. "We plan on having two really good quarterbacks the rest of the year," Kelly told reporters. "I haven't sat down and talked with either one of them, so before we do that we don't have any plans to make any decisions."

LINE HISTORY:

The point spread for this one opened at Notre Dame -28 for their first home game of the season and the line has yet to move off that number. The total hit the board at 60.5, went up slightly to 61, and returned back to the original number of 60.5 on Friday afternoon.

TRENDS:

* Wolf Pack are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 road games.
* Fighting Irish are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Under is 9-2 in Wolf Pack last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.
* Over is 7-0 in Fighting Irish last 7 games following a straight up loss.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-28.5, 62)

* Junior Mike White, a transfer from South Florida, enjoyed a dynamic debut by passing for 517 yards and three touchdowns against Rice to become just the third quarterback in school history to throw for more than 500 yards. Senior receivers Nicholas Norris (seven receptions, 147 yards, two touchdowns) and Taywan Taylor (five catches, 165 yards) both had huge openers while senior running back Anthony Wales rushed for two scores. Junior linebacker T.J. McCollum stood out with 12 tackles and a forced fumble in the opener while redshirt freshman AJ Jackson and junior DeAndre Simmons each had an interception.

* Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is off to the NFL, but the Crimson Tide appear to have another superb bell cow back in sophomore Damien Harris, who rushed for 138 yards on nine carries against USC. Harris, a former five-star recruit, had just 157 yards while Henry was running wild last season but broke off runs of 46 and 73 yards while averaging 15.3 yards per carry versus the Trojans. Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen, who registered 12 sacks last season, was the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after posting two sacks and helping the defense limit USC to 194 yards.

LINE HISTORY:

The point spread for this one opened at 26.5, and after Alabama's very impressive 52-6 Week 1 victory over USC the public jumped all over the Tide and rode the line all the way up to -29.5 by mid-week. The public then came to their senses a little bit and the line came crept back down to its current status of -28.

The total opened at 58.5 and gradually rose in 1/2 point increments to 62.5.

TRENDS:

* Hilltoppers are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Crimson Tide are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 vs. CUSA.
* Over is 8-1-1 in Hilltoppers last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 6-0 in Crimson Tide last 6 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

Kentucky Wildcats at No. 25 Florida Gators (-16.5, 49.5)

* The offense showed what it is capable in the first half with Barker, wide receiver Garrett "Juice" Johnson (six receptions, 143 yards, two touchdowns for the game) and running back Stanley "Boom" Williams (13 carries, 94 yards) keying an attack that produced six plays of more than 30 yards including touchdown passes of 74 yards to Jeff Badet and 43 yards to Johnson. Kentucky's defense also started fast behind cornerback J.D. Harmon (two interceptions) and linebacker Jordan Jones (13 solo tackles), but gave up seven scores in the final eight possessions while the offense stalled and turned the ball over twice. Stoops said the defense obviously needs to play better, but also pointed out that Kentucky's quick scoring drives and the offense's second-half woes (two first downs) contributed to the defense wearing down.

* Del Rio, who showed the ability to escape pressure in the pocket, didn't take long to show good chemistry with receivers with Powell (seven receptions, 73 yards) and explosive sophomore Antonio Callaway (eight receptions, 72 yards, one touchdown). While running back Jordan Scarlett had a solid game (13 carries, 70 yards), the offensive line struggled to consistently open up holes for the ground game with Florida managing only 107 yards rushing. Led by linebackers Jarrad Davis (nine tackles) and Alex Anzalone (six tackles, one sack), the defense was dominant as expected while perhaps the most positive development was the kicking of sophomore Eddy Pineiro, who made field goals of 40, 49 and 48 yards without a miss.

LINE HISTORY:

Florida opened the betting for this one as 16.5-point favorites. The line went up a half point to -17 on Wednesday but some Kentucky action drove the line down to its current position of -16 by Thursday night.

The total opened at 47.5 and the public hit the Over so hard that the books moved the number up a full two points to sit at 49.5.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
* Gators are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Wildcats last 7 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Under is 6-0 in Gators last 6 games on grass.
* Favorite is 8-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings.

Akron Zips at No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers (-23.5, 47.5)

* The Zips rode a 407-yard, six-touchdown passing performance from junior quarterback Tommy Woodson, who connected 10 times for 196 yards and two scores to Jerome Lane. Warren Ball, an Ohio State transfer, led the ground game with 110 yards and one touchdown. The Mid-American Conference program, led by former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, is a concern for Chryst, who told reporters: "They’ll spread you out. Their quarterback has got a really strong arm but is also a good runner. I think their running back is a really good running back. They got some receivers that can run and got size. I think it’s going to stress us differently than last week where they’ll spread us out and we gotta play good assignment football. There’s times where you’ll be in one-on-one situations - we gotta make plays when we do."

* Fifth-year quarterback Bart Houston was 19-of-31 for 205 yards in his first start, of which Chryst said: "I think that the one area that we talked about is how do you play the game. There’s that fine line. It’s not so much the science of quarterback but kind of the art of quarterbacking and situational awareness. I think that’s where he can grow, not just on the two picks, but other situations where he can progress. I loved the way he competed and responded when things didn’t go well." Houston found tight end Troy Fumagalli seven times for 100 yards and running back Corey Clement ran a career-high 21 times for 86 yards. Kicker Rafael Gaglianone nailed a 47-yard field goal that was the fourth game-winner of his career.

LINE HISTORY:

Wisconsin hit the board for this contest as 25.5-point favorites before gradually being bet down all week long to their current point spread of -23.5. The total for this one opened at 45 and, after initially dropping to 43.5, skyrocketed all the way up to the current total of 47.5.

TRENDS:

* Zips are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Badgers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. MAC.
* Under is 9-1 in Zips last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 7-1 in Badgers last 8 home games.

Idaho Vandals at No. 11 Washington Huskies (-37.5, 60)

* Junior quarterback Matt Linehan, the son of Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, was a shaky 8-of-22 passing for 128 yards and one interception in the opener after passing for 2,972 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Junior Aaron Duckworth is the new feature back and rushed for two scores while posting a career-high 108 yards on 14 carries, as the Vandals totaled 225 on the ground versus Montana State. Sophomore linebacker Tony Lashley (nine tackles) and senior defensive end Tueni Lupeamanu (eight stops, three for losses) had strong opening performances and senior safety Russell Siavii recorded an interception.

* Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning got off to a good start by hitting 18-of-27 attempts for 287 yards and three touchdowns against Rutgers. Sophomore tailback Myles Gaskin had just 57 yards in the opener after rushing for 1,302 yards last season, eighth-most in school history, while versatile 5-foot-7 sophomore receiver Chico McClatcher caught a 43-yard scoring pass to compliment Ross' long scores. Junior linebacker Keishawn Bierria (12 tackles, one forced fumble) and junior linebacker Azeem Victor (11 tackles) had strong opening performances, but junior cornerback Budda Baker is considered the unit's top player.

LINE HISTORY:

Washington began the betting action for this matchup as 36.5-point favorites. On Wednesday afternoon the line was bumped up to -37 and on Friday morning Washington went up another point to -37.5.

The total was steady at 60 all week until Friday evening when it made a slight uptick to 60.5.

TRENDS:

* Vandals are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games in September.
* Huskies are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 6-0 in Vandals last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Huskies last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.

Texas El Paso Miners at No. 20 Texas Longhorns (-30, 59)

* Aaron Jones ran for 249 yards and two scores against New Mexico State to compliment Zack Greenlee's three passing scores. The Miners are 0-15 all-time against Big 12 opponents since 1996, including a pair of losses to the Longhorns. “I’ll be honest, we’ll probably have to play a perfect game for us to beat this team," UTEP coach Sean Kugler told reporters of Texas. "I’m not saying that it can’t be done. I know our kids are going to go out and give their all. I love the way our kids compete."

* The Longhorns had three legitimate quarterback prospects on the roster before Jerrod Heard offered to play wide receiver, and the sophomore is already making an impact on the outside. Heard made a pair of catches against Notre Dame, including a key 68-yard grab, and totaled 73 yards. "That guy is really athletic and he's really honed in, he's really focused, motivated, and determined about being a really good receiver," Gilbert told reporters of Heard. "So he's jumped in wholeheartedly with that and what he wanted to do and what we've asked him to do."

LINE HISTORY:

The public is in love with Texas at the moment after their big win over Notre Dame in Week 1. The Longhorns opened as 28-point favorites but the line quicky rose and by Thursday morning they were sitting at the current number -30.

The total opened at 58.5 and went up a full point to 59.5 by Wednesday morning. But Under bettors drove the number back down to 58.5 on Friday, which is where it currently sits.

TRENDS:

* Miners are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games on fieldturf.
* Longhorns are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Under is 11-1-1 in Miners last 13 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 7-0 in Longhorns last 7 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.

UL Monroe Warhawks at No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners (-46.5, 65.5)

* Quarterback Garrett Smith became the first Warhawk to rush for 150 yards since 2011 and the first ULM signal-caller to top 200 yards passing since Nov. 29, 2014. Fellow sophomore Ben Luckett also ran for 110 yards versus Southern to give the Warhawks their first pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game since 2009. The team combined for three scores on the ground after tallying only seven all of last season. ULM also experienced much more success on third and fourth down in the opener, going 11-for-17 and 1-for-1, respectively, after ranking 123rd and 85th in those categories in 2015.

* The Sooners, who averaged 222 yards rushing last season, managed only 70 on 26 carries versus the Cougars, although two-time 1,000-yard rusher Samaje Perine was limited in the second half with a shoulder injury after taking a big hit in the second quarter. Backfield mate Joe Mixon contributed 181 total yards - including a team-high 40 rushing - and took his first reception of the season for 60 yards, giving him a FBS-best three such plays by a running back over the last two seasons. Despite playing in only 14 games as a Sooner, quarterback Baker Mayfield is already tied for fourth in 300-yard passing games with seven after throwing for 323 in the opener.

LINE HISTORY:

The Duck Dynasty gang would not be impressed as the Oklahoma Sooners opened as 44-point favorites over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. Throughout the week this line rose steadily to its current point spread of -46.5.

The total opened at 65 and rose slightly to 65.5 on Thursday afternoon.

TRENDS:

* Warhawks are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Sooners are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 5-1 in Warhawks last 6 games in September.
* Over is 8-1 in Sooners last 9 games following a straight up loss.

Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 12 Texas Christian Horned Frogs (-7, 58.5)

* The Razorbacks needed a 77-yard fourth-quarter touchdown drive to pull out a 21-20 victory over Louisiana Tech in their opener on Saturday. Austin Allen, younger brother of three-year starting QB Brandon Allen, completed 20-of-29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns in his first college start, including a four-yarder to tight end Jeremy Sprinkle with 6:37 remaining for the game-winner but was also intercepted twice and sacked four times. The Hogs' normally potent ground game managed just 106 yards with Rawleigh Williams III garnering 96 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown.

* Hill's 439 passing yards ranked seventh best in TCU history -- not a bad way to start -- and he teamed up with wide receiver Taj Williams, a junior-college transfer, 11 times for 158 yards and touchdown. Kyle Hicks led the ground game with 15 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns as the Horned Frogs piled up 662 total yards and 35 first downs. TCU coach Gary Patterson took the blame for a shockingly inept defensive effort that gave up 461 yards and 41 points, saying "Hopefully, we'll do a lot better job as a coaching staff of getting them put in position against Arkansas. ... If not, they'll have 1,000 yards and 1,000 points."

LINE HISTORY:

The point spread for this matchup opened with TCU pegged as 7-5-point favorites. The line held tight all week until Friday when it started moving around like an untied balloon. The spread started the day by dropping to -7 and then dropped even further to -6.5 before regaining a half point on Friday evening to settle at -7.

The total opened at 60 and steadily dropped all week until eventually settling at 57.5.

TRENDS:

* Razorbacks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. Big 12.
* Horned Frogs are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 home games.
* Under is 7-1 in Razorbacks last 8 road games.
* Over is 4-0 in Horned Frogs last 4 games in September.

Iowa State Cyclones at No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes (-15, 51.5)

* Junior quarterback Joel Lanning threw for 256 yards and three scores last week, but had two interceptions and the Cyclones fumbled twice while committing nine penalties. Lazard was outstanding against Northern Iowa with six receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown and has caught a pass in a school-record 24 straight contests. Iowa State managed just 51 yards rushing on 25 carries last week and the return of offensive tackle Julian Good-Jones from a one-game suspension should help an unsettled group of lineman.

* Coach Kirk Ferentz, who signed a contract extension through 2025 on Tuesday, would accept the 7.3 yards per carry the Hawkeyes produced last week with Wadley leading the way and senior LeShun Daniels Jr. contributing 83 yards and a pair of TDs on the ground. Beathard completed 13-of-20 passes for 192 yards and a score in an efficient performance while senior Matt VandeBerg caught four balls for 99 of them. With standout linebacker Josey Jewell ejected early in the first quarter for a targeting hit, Iowa gave up 404 total yards against Miami.

LINE HISTORY:

Iowa opened as 15-point favorites and the line has held on that number all week. The total opened at 51 and stayed steady all week as well, until ticking up a half point to 51.5 on Friday afternoon.

TRENDS:

* Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Hawkeyes are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
* Under is 10-2 in Cyclones last 12 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 7-1 in Hawkeyes last 8 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Iowa.
* Cyclones are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings in Iowa.

No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers vs Virginia Tech Hokies (+11, 53.5)

* The Volunteers, who have won seven straight games - their longest streak since 2001 - dropped four spots in the USA Today coaches poll after their lackluster performance against Appalachian State that produced only 319 yards of offense. Running back Jalen Hurd accounted for 110 of the 127 rushing yards - nearly 100 fewer than Tennessee's average in 2015 - and is sure to attraction plenty of attention from Virginia Tech's opportunistic defense. Dobbs, who is one of two quarterbacks in a Power Five conference that passed for 2,000 yards and rushed for 600 last season (Clemson's Deshaun Watson), threw for 192 versus Appalachian State but was credited with minus-4 yards rushing on nine carries that included a pair of sacks.

* Defensive coordinator Bud Foster's unit was in mid-season form against Liberty with three interceptions and a fumble recovery as cornerback Greg Stroman led the way with two picks and a pass breakup. Quarterback Jerod Evans must take care of the ball better after accounting for two of the Hokies' four lost fumbles versus Liberty, but he offset those miscues by going 20-of-32 for 221 yards and four touchdowns. One of Evans' top targets is junior tight end Bucky Hodges, who caught two touchdown passes last week after recording six as a sophomore and seven as a freshman.

LINE HISTORY:

Tennessee opened as 10.5-point favorites for the "Battle at Bristol". The point spread was structured like a hill for the week as it rose up to 11, then 11.5, then back down to 11, until finally settling in at 10.5 on Friday evening.

The total opened at 52 before quickly rising to 54.5 on Tuesday. On Thursday the total was bumped up to 55 before the public had enough and started betting the Under - forcing the books to move their total back down to 53.

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* Hokies are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Over is 6-0 in Volunteers last 6 neutral site games.
* Over is 7-1 in Hokies last 8 non-conference games.

Virginia Cavaliers at No. 23 Oregon Ducks (-24, 70.5)

* Benkert won the job over the summer and seemed to establish an instant connection with sophomore wideout Olamide Zaccheaus. After sitting out the first half of the Richmond loss due to suspension for a team violation, the Philadelphia native hauled in five passes for 75 yards and a score. Running back Taquan Mizzell had just seven yards on seven carries but made four catches and now has at least one reception in 34 games, the longest active streak in the country for a running back and one that started in Virginia's 59-10 loss to Oregon at home on Sept. 7, 2013.

* Prukop hit Darren Carrington II seven times for 117 yards and a score and also found Charles Nelson four times, part of a very busy day for the junior return specialist. Nelson finished the day with 288 all-purpose yards and had five touches for at least 30, but he also had a pair of fumbles - one on a punt return and another on a kickoff return - that gave him some room for improvement. "I'm trying to work harder this week on the basics, the little things — catching the ball and holding on to the ball," Nelson told reporters this week. "Overall I thought it was a good game for everybody. A lot of things to clean up, and that's what this week's for."

LINE HISTORY:

The Ducks opened as 23.5-point favorites but the public starting betting the line up starting on Monday. The spread got as high as -24.5 by mid-week but settled back down to the opening number of -23.5 by Friday evening.

The total opened at 70.5 and hasn't moved at all throughout the week.

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Ducks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games in September.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Cavaliers last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 16-4-1 in Ducks last 21 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

NOTE: No. 7 Houston hosts Lamar, No. 9 Georgia hosts Nicholls State, No. 24 Texas A&M hosts Prairie View A&M, No. 3 Florida State hosts Charleston Southern, No. 18 Mississippi hosts Wofford and No. 22 Louisiana State hosts Jacksonville State, none of which currently have lines posted.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 12:29 PM

CFB BEST BETS:

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 42-28-2 60.00% +5600

O/U Picks 10-10-0 50.00% -500

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PSU at PITT 12:00 PM

U 47.5

CMU at OKST 12:00 PM

CMU +20.0

BC at MASS 12:00 PM

O 38.5

CIN at PUR 12:00 PM

CIN -5.0

O 59.0

WYO at NEB 12:00 PM

NEB -24.5

UCF at MICH 12:00 PM

MICH -35.5

NCST at ECU 12:00 PM

ECU +5.5

O 57.0

TROY at CLEM 12:30 PM

CLEM -34.5

GSU at AFA 02:00 PM

O 52.5

USU at USC 02:00 PM

USU +16.0

OHIO at KU 02:30 PM

OHIO +2.5

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 12:34 PM

WAKE at DUKE 03:30 PM

WAKE +7.0

AKR at WIS 03:30 PM

O 46.5

CONN at NAVY 03:30 PM

U 44.0

WKU at ALA 03:30 PM

ALA -28.0

U 62.5

ODU at APP 03:30 PM

APP -21.0

SMU at BAY 03:30 PM

O 76.0

TLSA at OSU 03:30 PM

OSU -28.0

UK at FLA 03:30 PM

UK +14.0

NEV at ND 03:30 PM

ND -28.0

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 12:41 PM

5 Things For Week 2 of the college football season
September 10, 2016

Week two of the college football season is quite a letdown after a loaded first weekend. Still, there are plenty of things to keep an eye on.

BEST GAME

Arkansas at No. 15 TCU. Not a lot from which to choose on the menu this week, but the Horned Frogs are considered a Big 12 contender and the Razorbacks aspire to push Alabama in the SEC West.

Neither team looked capable of those lofty goals last week. Arkansas had a one-point victory against Louisiana Tech and TCU got into a scorefest with FCS South Dakota State before pulling away in the fourth quarter. Maybe both were looking ahead?

The style matchup could provide some intrigue. Bret Bielema's Hogs, ideally, like to ground-and-pound. Gary Patterson's Frogs play fast and like to go deep.

Subplot: The SEC got knocked around a little in week one. This is its best shot this week to get some bragging rights back.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

11 - The second-longest winning streak in the country belongs to San Diego State. The Aztec's streak is also the second-longest in school history. They won 21 in a row under the great Don Coryell from 1968-70. San Diego State faces California on Saturday and the Aztecs are seven-point favorites against the Pac-12 team.

14 - Number of tackles for loss allowed by Auburn, most in the nation. The Tigers play coach Gus Malzahn's old team, Arkansas State. The Red Wolves had six tackles for loss in a loss to Toledo last week.

16 - Number of years it has been since Penn State and Pitt played. The Nittany Lions and Panthers renew a rivalry on Saturday in Pittsburgh that many Penn State supporters seem to view as more of a nuisance than an obligation.

16.7 - Average yards per pass attempt for Western Kentucky QB Mike White, best in the nation by more than three years. The Hilltoppers play No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.

OFF THE RADAR

New Mexico State hosts New Mexico in the 106th edition of the Rio Grande rivalry. The Lobos have won four straight after the Aggies had taken three straight. Overall, New Mexico holds a 70-31-5 lead.

COACH IN NEED OF A WIN

Kentucky's Mark Stoops started an important season with a deflating loss to Southern Mississippi last week. The Wildcats led by 25 in the first half and lost 44-35 at home. Now they visit Florida, trying to snap a 29-game losing streak to the Gators.

It is the longest current losing streak (or winning streak, depending on your perspective) in an uninterrupted series and the fourth longest such streak in major college football history.

Stoops has had three losing season at Kentucky so simply getting to six wins and bowl eligibility would be a step forward. It's going to be much tougher to get there now, though a $12 million buyout likely increases his security in Lexington.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 01:04 PM

LATE DAY GAMES

MTU at VAN 04:00 PM

O 48.0

UTSA at CSU 04:00 PM

CSU -8.0

WOF at MISS 04:00 PM

MISS -43.0

BALL at IND 04:00 PM

BALL +17.0

IDHO at WASH 05:00 PM

O 61.0

FAU at MIA 06:00 PM

MIA -25.5

**StarDust Bum** · 09-10-2016, 07:04 PM

Night Games:

NCAT at KENT 06:00 PM

KENT -12.5

UTEP at TEX 07:00 PM

UTEP +31.0

NIU at USF 07:00 PM

NIU +14.0

O 56.0

ARK at TCU 07:00 PM

TCU -10.5

O 57.5

ULM at OKLA 07:00 PM

U 63.0

SOCAR at MSST 07:00 PM

SOCAR +7.5

U 48.0

GASO at USA 07:00 PM

GASO -13.5

SCST at LT 07:00 PM

LT -34.5

EMU at MIZZ 07:30 PM

EMU +23.0

BYU at UTAH 07:30 PM

UTAH -3.0

U 43.5

ISU at IOWA 07:30 PM

IOWA -15.5

ARST at AUB 07:30 PM

AUB -21.0

U 51.0

UNC at ILL 07:30 PM

UNC -7.0

UNM at NMSU 08:00 PM

UNM -13.0

UNLV at UCLA 08:00 PM

UNLV +27.0

TENN at VT 08:00 PM

TENN -11.0

TTU at ASU 10:00 PM

TTU +1.0

O 79.0

WSU at BSU 10:15 PM

BSU -13.5

UVA at ORE 10:30 PM

UVA +23.5

CAL at SDSU 10:30 PM

SDSU -6.5

**StarDust Bum** · 09-11-2016, 04:40 AM

Top 25 Capsules
September 11, 2016

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) A mistake by the officials that extended the game when it should have been over allowed Central Michigan to score the winning touchdown on a desperation pass and lateral for an astonishing 30-27 upset of No. 22 Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Oklahoma State tried to kill the final 4 seconds by throwing the ball away on fourth down, but the Cowboys were penalized for intentional grounding, which is a loss of down penalty. Rules state that the game cannot end on an accepted live-ball penalty, referee Tim O'Dey of the Mid-American Conference, CMU's league, said.

''There's an exception to the rule that says if enforcement of the foul involves a loss of down, then that brings the game to an end,'' O'Dey told a pool reporter after the game.''

O'Dey said after conferring with NCAA rules committee secretary Rogers Redding after the game, the crew determined the ''extension should not have happened.''

But the final result stood. Article 3b of the NCAA rulebook states: When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final.

Corey Willis scored the winning touchdown after grabbing a lateral from Jesse Kroll at the 12. Cooper Rush lofted the pass that hit Kroll just inside the 10. As Kroll was being taken down, he pitched it back to Willis, who cut across the field and barely managed to score while being dragged down.

Oklahoma State (1-1) thought it had won when Mason Rudolph threw the ball away on fourth down as the clock expired, but after the officials conferred, they assessed an intentional grounding penalty and gave Central Michigan (2-0) another play.

ARKANSAS 41, NO. 15 TCU 38, 2OT

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Austin Allen ran 5 yards for the winning score in the second overtime, and Arkansas pulled out a wild victory over TCU.

Allen led the Razorbacks (2-0) to the tying score in the final 2 minutes of regulation, throwing a touchdown pass to Keon Hatcher and then catching the tying 2-point conversion from Hatcher with 1:03 left.

The Horned Frogs (1-1) rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter to take a 28-20 lead, but couldn't hang on as their 14-game home winning streak ended in the first meeting of these former Southwest Conference rivals since 1991. That was the year before Arkansas started play in the SEC.

Allen threw three touchdowns passes, including a 19-yarder to Jeremy Sprinkle to start overtime.

TCU's Kenny Hill threw for 377 yards and an overtime TD to Taj Williams and also had 93 yards rushing and two scores. But he couldn't get the Horned Frogs in the end zone in the second OT, and they settled for Ryan Graf's 37-yard field goal.

NO. 9 GEORGIA 26, NICHOLLS 24

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Georgia scored two quick-strike touchdowns - one on offense, one on defense - in a span of about two minutes after Nicholls took a third-quarter lead.

Georgia (2-0) opened the game with a fast touchdown drive capped by Nick Chubb's 6-yard run and appeared headed for the easy win over the FCS Colonels in Kirby Smart's home debut as coach.

Smart called the sloppy win disappointing.

Nicholls (0-1) led 14-13 midway through the third after freshman quarterback Chase Fourcade, a surprise starter, threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jarrell Rogers.

Georgia freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, also making his first start, threw a 66-yard scoring pass to Isaiah McKenzie less than a minute later. The Bulldogs' rally continued on Lorenzo Carter's 24-yard fumble return for a score. A fumbled punt return by McKenzie inside the Georgia 10 set up a late Nicholls touchdown on Fourcade's 6-yard pass to C.J. Bates, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to two points.

Eason completed 11 of 20 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Greyson Lambert took over late in the game.

NO. 1 ALABAMA 38, WESTERN KENTUCKY 10

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Freshman Jalen Hurts passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start to lead Alabama past Western Kentucky.

Hurts likely nailed down the quarterback job with a 23-of-36 passing performance. The Crimson Tide (2-0) piled it on with big plays from the defense and receivers Calvin Ridley and ArDarius Stewart.

Hurts is the first true freshman quarterback to start at Alabama since Vince Sutton started four games in 1984. He also had two likely touchdowns dropped. Blake Barnett got the nod in the opener against Southern California and completed 2 of 6 passes for 64 yards in this one.

Western Kentucky (1-1) was outgained 475-239 in total yards against a defense that has allowed 16 points in the first two games. Ridley had nine catches for 129 yards, Stewart five for 90.

NO. 2 CLEMSON 30, TROY 24

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes and Clemson avoided a host of mistakes - including an embarrassing early celebration punt-return gaffe by Ray-Ray McCloud that cost the Tigers a touchdown - to hold off pesky Troy.

The Tigers (2-0) were out of synch on offense and could not break away from the Trojans (1-1) until the fourth quarter. Watson hit beefy defensive lineman Christian Wilkins for a 1-yard score in Clemson's jumbo goal line package, then connected with Deon Cain on a 23-yard pass for a 27-10 lead.

Troy rallied with two touchdowns in the last five minutes, the second one with 44 seconds to go. But Cain grabbed the on-side kick attempt and Clemson ran out the clock.

The Tigers couldn't get out of their own way much against Troy - most notably on McCloud's 75-yard punt return right before halftime where he apparently was so excited, he flipped the ball away before crossing into the end zone to start the celebration. Troy recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE 52, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 8

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Deondre Francois threw three touchdown passes and Dalvin Cook ran for two more score in Florida State's victory over depleted Charleston Southern.

Florida State (2-0) led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter. It scored on the first three drives and Bobo Wilson had an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Francois completed 10 of his first 12 passes, including two for touchdowns to Travis Rudolph.

Francois, a redshirt freshman, was 25 of 32 for 262 yards and an interception. Rudolph had seven receptions for 105 yards. Cook had 83 yards on 11 carries, including a 37-yard TD run in the third.

FCS Charleston Southern (1-2) was without 14 players - 10 starters - serving one-game suspensions for violating NCAA rules by using financial aid meant for books to purchase other items.

NO. 4 OHIO STATE 48, TULSA 3

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio State overcame a sluggish offensive start, a lightning delay and a driving rainstorm in the second half to beat Tulsa.

After piling up a school-record 776 yards of offense last week against Bowling Green, Ohio State (2-0) didn't score an offensive touchdown against Tulsa (1-1) until quarterback J.T. Barrett ran in from 16 yards with 9:42 left in the third quarter. Tailback Mike Weber, Barrett and back Curtis Samuel added scoring runs later in the second half to put the game out of reach.

Ohio State's defense stepped in the first half as its offense floundered. The Buckeyes intercepted four of quarterback Dane Evans' passes, including pick-sixes by safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Marshon Lattimore late in the first half.

Barrett was 14 for 22 for 149 yards and no touchdowns.

NO. 5 MICHIGAN 51, UCF 14

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Wilton Speight threw two of his four touchdown passes to Jake Butt, and Khalid Hill ran for two scores in Michigan's victory over Central Florida.

The Wolverines (2-0) have won their first two games by a combined total of 97 points.

The Knights (1-1) got off to a relatively good start before getting blown out. They ran for a first down on the first snap and forced Michigan to punt after its first three plays.

Butt's second TD reception early in the second quarter gave Michigan a 31-0 lead.

Hill, a 6-foot, 2, 263-pound fullback, plunged into the end zone for his second score early in the third to pad the Wolverines' lead to 41-7.

NO. 6 HOUSTON 42, LAMAR 0

HOUSTON (AP) - Houston easily overcame the absence of injured quarterback Greg Ward Jr. and a 3 1/2-hour lightning delay to rout Lamar.

With Ward on the sideline nursing an injured right shoulder, backup Kyle Postma ran 39 yards for a score in the first quarter in a game that lasted 6 hours, 18 minutes.

The Cougars (2-0) had three players top 100 yards rushing for the first time since 1971, and piled up 381 yards on the ground. Kevrin Justice had 111 yards and two touchdowns, freshman Mulbah Car added 109 yards and a score in his debut, and Postma scrambled for a career-high 106 yards with two TDs.

Dark clouds descended on the stadium soon after Postma's score, and a lightning strike forced the game to be suspended at 11:36 a.m. with 3:13 left in the first quarter. FCS Lamar is 0-2.

NO. 8 WASHINGTON 59, IDAHO 14

SEATTLE (AP) - Jake Browning matched Washington's school record with five touchdown passes - two each to Dante Pettis and John Ross - and finished with 294 yards in the Huskies' victory over Idaho.

Browning has helped Washington (2-0) to its highest ranking since 2001. After throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns last week against Rutgers, Browning was nearly flawless against Idaho.

Following a fumble on the opening kickoff by Lloyd Hightower that was recovered by Washington, Browning threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Pettis on his first attempt of the game. He completed 13 consecutive passes at one point as the Huskies marched through the Vandals en route to a 35-0 halftime advantage. Browning joined Keith Price (2012), Jake Locker (2010) and Chris Rowland (1973) as the only Huskies to throw five touchdown passes in a game.

Idaho is 1-1.

NO. 10 WISCONSIN 54, AKRON 10

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Corey Clement ran for two scores before leaving with an injury, Jazz Peavy had two touchdown catches and Wisconsin stuffed Akron's spread offense.

The Badgers (2-0) didn't slack off in their 2016 debut at Camp Randall Stadium, a week after outmuscling SEC power LSU 16-14 in the opener.

Bart Houston threw for 231 yards, showing chemistry with Peavy against the porous Zips (1-1). Peavy finished with seven catches for 100 yards. Wisconsin's defense had a safety, and the secondary accounted for two second-quarter turnovers. The Badgers led 30-10 at halftime.

Clement senior rushed for 111 yards before departing with a left leg injury suffered on the last of his 21 carries, late in the second.

NO. 11 TEXAS 41, UTEP 7

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele passed for 244 yards and four touchdowns and Texas backed up its first national ranking since 2013 with a victory over UTEP.

Buechele also showed some skills running the zone read option, giving the Longhorns (2-0) another wrinkle in their new offense. Buechele threw touchdown passes of 29 and 7 yards to Jerrod Heard, who started at quarterback most of 2015 but moved to wide receiver this season. He also connected with Dorian Leonard for a 46-yard score in the third quarter that made it 34-7.

The Longhorns avoided a big letdown after their 50-47 overtime victory over Notre Dame that eased some of the pressure off coach Charlie Strong after two losing seasons.

Aaron Jones ran for 123 yards and a 51-yard touchdown for UTEP (1-1).

NO. 14 OKLAHOMA 59, LOUISIANA-MONROE 17

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Baker Mayfield passed for 244 yards and three touchdowns in a half of work and Oklahoma beat Louisiana-Monroe in a warmup for its showdown with Ohio State.

Joe Mixon rushed for 117 yards, and Samaje Perine ran for two touchdowns. The Sooners (1-1) outgained the Warhawks (1-1) 640 yards to 350.

Oklahoma lost its opener to Houston and dropped from third to 14th in the AP poll, but its home matchup with fourth-ranked Ohio State next week offers Oklahoma a chance to return to its place among the nation's top teams.

Garrett Smith passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns for Louisiana-Monroe. R.J. Turner caught seven passes for 135 yards.

NO. 16 IOWA 42, IOWA STATE 3

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - C.J. Beathard threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa throttled Iowa State for its biggest win over the rival Cyclones in 18 seasons under coach Kirk Ferentz.

LeShun Daniels rushed for 112 yards and a TD to help the Hawkeyes (2-0) beat Iowa State in consecutive seasons for the first time in six years.

Beathard put the game out of reach with the three TD passes in the first half - including a brilliant 12-yard toss to a heavily defended Matt VandeBerg. VandeBerg finished with 129 yards receiving, and Allen Lazard caught seven passes for 111 yards.

Joel Lanning was 8 of 20 for 86 yards and an interception for Iowa State (0-2).

NO. 17 TENNESSEE 45, VIRGINIA TECH 24

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - Joshua Dobbs threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores and Tennessee overcame an early 14-point deficit to beat Virginia Tech in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The crowd total shattered the previous NCAA record of 115,109 who attended a Michigan victory over Notre Dame at Michigan Stadium in 2013

Dobbs rushed for 106 yards on 14 carries for Tennessee (2-0). He was 10 of 19 for 91 yards and threw touchdown passes to Jauan Jennings, Josh Malone and Alvin Kamara.

Tennessee's Micah Abernathy set a school single-game record with three fumble recoveries. Virginia Tech (1-1) ended up losing five fumbles, and three of those turnovers resulted in Tennessee touchdowns.

Jalen Hurd ran for 99 yards on 22 carries. Virginia Tech's Travon McMillian rushed 14 times for 127 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown.

NO. 18 NOTRE DAME 39, NEVADA 10

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - DeShone Kizer threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, Josh Adams rushed for 106 yards and Notre Dame's defense rebounded from a disappointing performance a week ago.

After being held scoreless in the first quarter by Nevada (1-1), the Irish (1-1) took control with a 25-point second quarter - the most points in the quarter for Notre Dame since scoring 28 points against Pittsburgh in Charlie Weis' debut as coach in 2005. Kizer was 15 of 18 for 156 yards with one interception and Equanimeous St. Brown led Irish receivers with six catches for 85 yards with Torii Hunter Jr. out with a concussion sustained against Texas.

Malik Zaire, who lost the quarterback competition with Kizer, entered late in the third quarter and completed 4 of 9 passes for 49 yards.

NO. 19 MISSISSIPPI 38, WOFFORD 13

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Chad Kelly threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns to lead Mississippi.

Ole Miss (1-1) played just five days after losing to Florida State 45-34 on Monday night. The Rebels didn't appear tired, though, scoring on all four of their first-half drives to take a 24-3 halftime lead.

Kelly completed short touchdown throws in the first half to Markell Pack, D.K. Metcalf and Quincy Adeboyejo, and Gary Wunderlich made a 40-yard field goal as the Rebels methodically moved the ball against overmatched Wofford of the Football Championship Subdivision level.

It was an efficient, mistake-free performance from Kelly, who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the Florida State loss. He completed 20 of 27 passes against Wofford.

NO. 20 TEXAS A&M 67, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 0

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (AP) - Trevor Knight threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in Texas A&M's romp over Prairie View.

Knight was 21 of 37 and threw touchdowns of 8 yards to Speedy Noil and 34 and 64 yards to Christian Kirk in the second quarter to help the Aggies (2-0) build a 38-0 halftime lead. Knight also rushed for a game-high 78 yards on seven carries in just over a half of play.

The Aggies extended their home nonconference winning streak to 23 games. Texas A&M outgained the FCS Panthers (1-1) 672-205 in its largest shutout since beaying Missouri 73-0 in 1993.

NO. 23 BAYLOR 40, SMU 13

WACO, Texas (AP) - Seth Russell threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score, and Baylor recovered from a slow start to rout SMU.

Russell and the Bears (2-0) struggled offensively in the first half and had to settle for a 6-6 tie at intermission, but broke through with a 20-point third quarter on their way to a 13th straight victory over their former Southwest Conference rival.

Baylor missed on several deep shots in the first half, but Blake Lynch capped its opening march after halftime by breaking free in the right seam for a 31-yard touchdown reception from Russell, who added a 19-yard scoring burst on a scramble on the Bears' next possession. Russell was 26 of 47 with two interceptions. Orion Stewart intercepted two passes for Baylor. The first was in the end zone to stop a promising SMU (1-1) threat, and he returned the second 33 yards for a TD to make it 26-6.

NO. 24 OREGON 44, VIRGINIA 26

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Dakota Prukop threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, Royce Freeman ran for 207 yards and two scores, and Oregon beat Virginia.

Olympic hurdler Devon Allen caught four passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, which he celebrated by pretending to clear hurdles in the end zone, and the Ducks got their second win to start the season before next Saturday's game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium.

Oregon was coming off a 53-28 victory over UC Davis in its opener, Prukop's debut. The graduate transfer showed creativity in the first half against Virginia, escaping from the Ducks' own 1-yard line with a 9-yard run and a pitch to Dwayne Stanford, who scampered 14 yards to get the ball out to the 24.

On the same drive, Prukop hit Allen with a 55-yard pass and the Ducks went on to score on a 2-yard pass to Stanford for a 20-6 lead. Prukop found Allen with a 77-yard pass for a touchdown in the third quarter that put the Ducks up 37-13.

Albert Reid rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown for Virginia (1-1). The Cavaliers fell 37-20 to Richmond in the team's opener last weekend, spoiling Bronco Mendenhall's debut as coach.

NO. 25 MIAMI 38, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 10

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - Mark Walton ran for 155 yards and four touchdowns, and Miami shook off a slow start to beat Florida Atlantic.

Mark Richt improved to 2-0 at Miami, becoming the 10th coach to win his first two games on the Hurricane sideline.

Walton scored on runs of 7, 3, 16 and 30 yards. He became the sixth Miami runner to run for at least four TDs in a game, and has seven in two games against FAU (1-1).

Joe Yearby ran for 121 yards and a score and Brad Kaaya completed 17 of 31 passes for 191 yards for the Hurricanes, getting picked off twice. Still, Miami set a school record with 108 points in the season's first two games, breaking the previous mark of 104 set in 1998 and matched in 2002

**StarDust Bum** · 09-11-2016, 04:42 AM

Saturday's Best
September 11, 2016

STARS

-Kalen Ballage, Arizona State, tied an NCAA record by scoring eight TDs and had 185 all-purpose yards, helping Arizona State outlast Texas Tech 68-55.

-Skyler Howard, West Virginia, tied a career high with five TD passes and threw for 389 yards to lead the Mountaineers to a 38-21 win over Youngstown State.

-Jake Browning, Washington, matched a school record with five TD passes and finished with 294 yards in the No. 8 Huskies' 59-14 victory over Idaho.

-Drew Lock, Missouri, tied a school record with five TD passes and threw for 450 yards to lead the Tigers past Eastern Michigan 61-21.

-Trevor Knight, Texas A&M, threw for 344 yards and three TDs and ran for another score in a 67-0 rout of Prairie View A&M.

-Mark Walton, Miami, rushed for 155 yards and four TDs, helping the No. 25 Hurricanes shake off a slow start to beat Florida Atlantic 38-10 .

-Tommy Armstrong Jr., Nebraska, passed for 377 yards and three TDs to help the Cornhuskers beat Wyoming 52-17.

-Chase Litton, Marshall, threw for 309 yards with six first-half TD passes in a 62-0 rout of Morgan State.

-Mitch Leidner, Minnesota, threw for 295 yards and four TDs as the Gophers rolled to a 58-28 win over Indiana State.

-Kenny Potter, San Jose State, threw three TD passes and ran for two more scores in a 66-35 win over Portland State.

-Quinton Flowers, South Florida, threw for 350 yards and four TDs in a 48-17 rout of Northern Illinois.

-Shane Buechele, Texas, passed for 244 yards and TDs touchdowns and the No. 11 Longhorns rolled to a 41-7 victory over UTEP.

-Gage Gubrud, Eastern Washington, threw for 450 yards and four scores in a 50-44 overtime loss to North Dakota State.

-Kyle Sloter, Northern Colorado, threw for 408 yards and six TDs in a 55-52 win at Abilene Christian.

-Alejandro Bennifield, Chattanooga, threw for 279 yards and four TDs and ran for another score in a 34-0 win over Presbyterian College.

---

OFFICIATING GAFFE

One of the oddest endings imaginable left Oklahoma State stunned and Central Michigan celebrating.

A misinterpreted rule extended the game when it should have been over, allowing the Chippewas to score a wild winning touchdown on a Hail Mary and lateral that covered half the field for an astonishing 30-27 upset of No. 22 Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State tried to kill the final 4 seconds of the game by throwing the ball away on fourth down, but the Cowboys were penalized for intentional grounding, which is a loss of down penalty. Rules state that the game cannot end on an accepted live-ball penalty, referee Tim O'Dey of the Mid-American Conference, CMU's league, said.

O'Dey said after conferring with NCAA rules committee secretary Rogers Redding after the game, the crew determined the ''extension should not have happened.''

Article 3b of the NCAA rulebook states: When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final.

---

EARLY FLIP

Clemson receiver Ray-Ray McCloud had a clear path to the end zone as he sought to give the sluggish second-ranked Tigers the jump start they sorely needed against Troy.

But he dropped the ball in a premature TD celebration .

McCloud nonchalantly released the football just before crossing the goal line to wipe out his 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. Troy recovered it in the end zone for a touchback.

McCloud sat nervously on the bench before officials overturned the play.

Clemson still won the game 30-24.

---

NUMBERS

30-Straight wins by Florida over Kentucky after a 45-7 victory.

38-Points scored by Fordham in the first quarter of its 83-21 rout of Division II-Elizabeth City.

42-Years since Houston had three players eclipse 100 yards rushing. Kevrin Justice had 111 yards, Mulbah Car 109 and Kyle Postma 106 in a 42-0 win over Lamar.

59-Years since Cincinnati had beaten a Big Ten team before the Bearcats dominated Purdue 38-20.

---

RECORD CROWD

The ''Battle at Bristol'' between No. 17 Tennessee and Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway drew an NCAA single-game record crowd of 156,990.

The speedway was temporarily converted into a football stadium to accommodate this game.

The previous NCAA record was 115,109 for Michigan's 2013 victory over Notre Dame at Michigan Stadium. Also, 120,000 to 123,000 fans are believed to have attended Notre Dame's 1927 victory over Southern California at Chicago's Soldier Field, though the paid attendance for that game was only 99,573.

The NFL regular-season attendance record is 105,121 for a New York Giants victory at Dallas in 2009. A 1994 preseason game between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium drew 112,376 fans.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-11-2016, 04:46 AM

UPDATE CFB BEST BETS:

YESTERDAYS ACTION: ATS........20 - 16 - 1........... O/U...........11 - 8 - 0

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 62-44-3 58.49% +6800

O/U Picks 21-18-0 53.85% +600

**StarDust Bum** · 09-11-2016, 04:51 AM

FCS Top 25: Top-ranked Bison win OT classic
September 11, 2016

(STATS) - Potential changes in how the FCS playoff field is selected may decrease the number of rematches this year.

But everybody will probably wish for a rematch between top-ranked North Dakota State and No. 8 Eastern Washington after the five-time reigning FCS champion Bison won a 50-44 overtime classic over the Eagles at the Fargodome on Saturday.

NDSU safety Tre Dempsey intercepted Eastern Washington quarterback Gage Gubrud on the second play of overtime to set up Lance Dunn's 25-yard touchdown run around the left end on the Bison's first play of their possession.

"That's a great team that we just played," NDSU coach Chris Klieman said. "I'm so proud of our guys for staying the course. We knew it was going to be a back-and-forth game. And ultimately we got the stop we needed on defense - what a great play by Tre - and then I think we finally wore 'em down with the power play."

NDSU (2-0) has won both of its home games in overtime after having never previously gone to the extra time at the Fargodome since the NCAA instituted overtime in 1996. The win also was the Bison's 44th straight at home against a non-conference opponent.

The Missouri Valley Conference power was seeking a little revenge for the only previous meeting between the two teams - Eastern Washington's 38-31 OT win in the 2010 FCS playoff quarterfinals. That is the only loss in the Bison's FCS playoff history, and after EWU went on to win the FCS title that season, they have won the last five championships.

The rematch six years later was worth the wait. Eastern Washington (1-1) played the second half and overtime without injured All-America wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who left with a right shoulder sprain after catching two first-half touchdowns. They gave him 61 TDs for his career, setting the Division I record.

But Gubrud kept pressure on NDSU's young secondary, turning to wide receivers Stu Stiles and Kendrick Bourne as he threw for 450 yards and four touchdowns.

The visitors from the Big Sky Conference trailed by double digits four times - 21-7, 28-17, 35-24 and 41-31 - and never led until the freshman Tamarick Pierce plowed in from 1 yard out for a 44-41 advantage with 4:32 left.

The Bison responded with a 15-play, 71-yard scoring drive, which Cam Pedersen capped with a 28-yard, game-tying field goal with 42 seconds remaining.

Eastern Washington had a chance to win in regulation, but Jordan Dascalo missed badly on a 49-yard field goal with six seconds remaining.

"Anytime you just play against great competition and against great players, it helps you as you go further in your season," EWU coach Beau Baldwin said. "That's especially true with our non-conference schedule heading into our conference schedule, which is always tough. We can take a lot from this, and we will."

The two teams racked up 1,093 yards of offense (EWU 556; NDSU 537). Gubrud added 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground while Stiles (eight receptions, 169 yards, one touchdown) and Bourne (eight receptions, 133 yards) were his favorite targets. NDSU quarterback Easton Stick, now 10-0 as a starter, passed for a career-high 257 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 60 yards and a score, while Dunn had 14 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

"I was really pleased with Lance and how hard he ran the football," Klieman said, "how he hit the holes, playing with a lot of confidence, and it showed on that last run."

All-America linebacker Nick DeLuca, who suffered a right shoulder separation in the season opener against Charleston Southern, returned to the NDSU lineup to post a team-high 14 tackles and 40-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The schedules stay tough for both teams next Saturday. NDSU will try to extend a five-game winning streak against FBS opponents when it plays at Big Ten power Iowa. EWU, which defeated Washington State a week ago, will play its home opener against Northern Iowa, another FCS Top 10 team.

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STATS FCS TOP 25=

No. 2 Richmond (2-0) 34, Norfolk State (1-1) 0

Richmond limited Norfolk State to 122 yards while posting the shutout.

Kyle Lauletta was 15 of 27 for 216 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. David Jones scored on a 68-yard punt return.

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No. 14 Montana (2-0) 20, No. 3 Northern Iowa (1-1) 14

Montana won the second-biggest Big Sky-Missouri Valley matchup of the day, building a 20-7 lead and holding on to improve to 6-0 all-time versus UNH..

Jerry Louie-McGhee scored on an 81-yard punt return as the Grizzlies struggled to only 206 yards on offense. Tyvis Smith rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown for UNI, which had beaten Big 12 member Iowa State last weekend.

UNI's Karter Schult tied the school record with 5.5 tackles for loss.

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LSU (1-1) 34, No. 5 Jacksonville State (1-1) 13

Jacksonville State quarterback Eli Jenkins passed for 248 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 82 yards in the loss. Since 2014, the Gamecocks have only lost in the regular season to FBS opponents (three times).

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No. 6 Chattanooga (2-0) 34, Presbyterian (0-2) 0

Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield had five total touchdowns to fuel Chattanooga. He completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 279 yards and four touchdowns and scored once on the ground.

Xavier Borishade caught three of the touchdown passes for 65, 35 and 68 yards, totaling 168 yards.

The Mocs enjoyed a 496-196 advantage in yards.

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Florida State (2-0) 52, No. 7 Charleston Southern (1-2) 8

Playing without 14 players, including 10 starters, Charleston Southern didn't mount any challenge against the nation's No. 3-ranked FBS team. The Buccaneers fell to 0-18 all-time against FBS opponents.

The defending Big South Conference champs have suspended 32 players for one game each for violating NCAA rules by using financial aid meant for books to purchase other items at the school's bookstore. The suspended starters on Saturday included the top two running backs, four offensive linemen and the two safeties.

With quarterback Kyle Copeland lost to a season-ending knee injury, London Johnson made the start. He was ineffective before Robert Mitchell came on to go 7 of 20 for 142 yards with a 57-yard touchdown pass to Kameron Brown in the second quarter.

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No. 9 South Dakota State (1-1) 56, Drake (0-2) 28

South Dakota State's new Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium opened to an easy Jackrabitts win before 15,171. Quarterback Taryn Christion accounted for five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing). He was 24 of 28 for 228 yards.

All three of wide receiver Jake Wieneke's receptions went for short touchdowns.

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No. 10 Illinois State (2-0) 9, Northwestern (0-2) 7

Having missed on a field goal and an extra point earlier in the game, Sean Slattery kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired and Illinois State notched a big road win.

The Redbirds led 6-0 at halftime on George Moreira's 6-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the first half and it held up until Northwestern went ahead with 9:10 to play.

Jake Kolbe completed 30 of 41 passes for 287 yards with two interceptions. All-America wide receiver Anthony Warrum caught nine passes for 116 yards.

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UL-Lafayette (1-1) 30, No. 11 McNeese (1-1) 22

Once bitter rivals, McNeese lost to UL-Lafayette in the first meeting since 2007. The Cowboys held the ball for nearly 37 minutes despite falling.

Dylan Long scored on a pair of short runs and Ryan Ross had 118 yards on 21 carries.

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No. 12 James Madison (2-0) 56, Central Connecticut State (0-2) 21

JMU cruised for the second straight week as quarterback Bryan Schor threw for three touchdowns and running backs Cardon Johnson (121 yards) and Khalid Abdullah both had two scores.

The schedule gets tougher next Saturday as the Dukes visit North Carolina.

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No. 13 William & Mary (1-1) 24, Hampton (0-2) 14

DeVonte Dedmon caught one of Steve Cluley's two touchdown passes, totaling seven receptions for 168 yards.

Corey Parker and Isaiah Laster both had interceptions in the win.

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No. 15 The Citadel (2-0, 2-0 Southern) 19, Furman (0-2, 0-1) 14

The Citadel won another Southern Conference game as Dominique Allen scored on a 1-yard plunge with 2:13 left in the game. Jordan Black ran for the Bulldogs' other two touchdowns.

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San Jose State (1-1) 66, No. 16 Portland State (1-1) 35

Portland State self-destructed with six turnovers and San Jose State rolled up 409 rushing yards.

The Vikings' Paris Penn carried the ball 14 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. Despite struggling at quarterback, Alex Kuresa scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Josh Kraght.

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No. 17 Coastal Carolina (2-0) 49, Florida A&M (0-2) 10

De'Angelo Henderson rushed for three touchdowns to set the Division I record with a TD in 28 straight games. He finished with 128 yards on 13 carries.

Quarterback Josh Stilley also accounted for three TDs as Coastal Carolina continued to maul MEAC competition, improving to 22-1 all-time.

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No. 18 Western Illinois (2-0) 34, No. 19 Northern Arizona (0-2) 20

Steve McShane's 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter broke a 13-13 tie and Western Illinois went on to win its Top 25 matchup. McShane finished with 155 yards on 24 carries, also scoring on a 4-yard run.

Sean McGuire passed for 336 yards and two touchdowns, dueling with fellow Northern Arizona sophomore Case Cookus, who was 26 of 33 for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Lance Lenoir had a career-high 231 receiving yards for WIU.

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West Virginia (2-0) 38, No. 20 Youngstown State (1-1) 21

The game was tied 14-14 before West Virginia scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. Skyler Howard threw five touchdown passes for the Mountaineers.

YSU quarterback Ricky Davis and wide receiver Alvin Bailey connected for a 74-yard touchdown pass.

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No. 22 Villanova (1-1) 26, Lehigh (0-2) 21

Javon White scored on a 2-yard run with 4:20 left as Villanova erased a 21-20 deficit. The senior finished with 155 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

Zack Bednarczyk and Aaron Forbes added 92 and 87 yards, respectively, as the Wildcats totaled 396 yards on the ground.

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No. 23 North Carolina A&T (2-0) 39, Kent State (0-2) 36, 4 OTs

Kent State went ahead 36-33 on Shane Hynes' 42-yard field goal in the fourth overtime, but Oluwafemi Bamiro and Denzel Keyes connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass to lift N.C. A&T to its first win over an FBS opponent.

Running back Tarik Cohen rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown and had nine receptions for 128 yards.

The game was tied 17-17 after four quarters.

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No. 24 New Hampshire (1-1) 39, Holy Cross (1-1) 28

Dalton Crossan rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns and finished with 262 all-purpose yards in New Hampshire's inaugural game before 13,242 at Wildcat Stadium.

UNH overcame the passing of Holy Cross senior Peter Pujals, who was 42 of 64 for 427 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.

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Bowling Green (1-1) 27, No. 25 North Dakota (0-2) 26

North Dakota pulled within 27-26 on Keaton Studsrud's 3-yard touchdown pass to Stetson Carr with 13 seconds remaining. The Fighting Hawks went for the 2-point conversion and the win, but Studsrud's pass to Carr in the corner of the end zone skipped off the receiver's fingertips.

John Santiago carried the ball 18 times for 119 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

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