Tweet
NCAAF Opening Line Report: A Big Ten showdown highlights the Week 4 betting board
"We’ll hold off on posting a line until we have more information about the health of Corey Clement. It’s a different offense without him."
A Big Ten showdown highlights a solid Week 4 of the college football season. We talk about the opening lines for four key matchups with John Lester, senior lines manager for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.
No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers at No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (no line)
These two unbeaten teams are prepping for a Big Ten battle in East Lansing. The Spartans (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) raced out to a 36-7 lead at Notre Dame on Saturday and held on for the 36-28 upset as 7.5-point underdogs.
Wisconsin (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) passed a stern test against Louisiana State at Lambeau Field in Week 1, notching a 16-14 upset catching 12.5 points. The Badgers then routed Akron in Week 2, but had their hands full Saturday in a 23-17 home win over Georgia State as a huge 35.5-point fave.
“We’ll hold off on posting a line until we have more information about the health of Corey Clement,” Lester said of the Badgers running back who sat out Saturday with an ankle injury. “It’s a different offense without him. These are two teams with very similar styles, which makes it feel like it could be a grind-it-out game.”
The Badgers and Spartans haven’t met since the 2012 season.
No. 6 Stanford Cardinal at UCLA Bruins (+2)
Stanford is out of the gate with a 2-0 SU and ATS mark, though both those victories came at home. On Saturday, Christian McCaffery and Co. posted a 27-10 victory over Southern California as a 7.5-point favorite.
UCLA (2-1 SU) already has three games in the books but has yet to cover the spread. The Bruins bested BYU 17-14 Saturday, falling just short as 3.5-point road chalk.
“The days of Stanford sneaking up on people are long gone,” Lester said. “The talk is all Christian McCaffrey, but the defense has been better than the offense up to this point. UCLA has been anything but impressive, but this is a good spot for them. Still, I fully expect the spread to quickly move in favor of Stanford.”
The Cardinal have won the last eight in this Pac-12 rivalry, going 7-1 ATS, including a 56-35 home win last year giving 6.5.
No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs at No. 21 Mississippi Rebels (-7)
The Kirby Smart era is off to a good start for Georgia in the SU win column, if not at the betting window. The Bulldogs are 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS, including a 28-27 victory over Missouri on Saturday laying 7 points on the road.
Mississippi (1-2 SU and ATS) could easily be 3-0, but can’t find a way to hold huge leads. The Rebels had Florida State in a 28-6 hole in Week 1, but lost 45-34 as a 4-point neutral-site pup. Ole Miss whacked Wofford in Week 2, then had No. 1 Alabama on the ropes Saturday with a 24-3 lead. But the Rebels gave it all back and then some, losing 48-43 while cashing as a 10-point home ‘dog.
Still, Mississippi opened a touchdown favorite at Bookmaker.eu.
“You have to wonder how much get-up the Rebels have left in the tank after two mentally tough losses,” Lester said. “That said, Georgia hasn’t really looked dialed in with the new coaching regime, and this is a chance for Ole Miss to get going in the right direction. Talent and experience is enough to give the home team a full touchdown.”
No. 3 Clemson Tigers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+9.5)
Clemson (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS), which lost to Alabama in the national title game last year, opens ACC play following a 59-0 shellacking of FCS foe South Carolina State, cashing as a monster 53.5-point home favorite. Georgia Tech (3-0 SU, 1-0-1 ATS) comes in off a 38-7 rout of Vanderbilt giving 6.5 points at home.
Clemson has won three of the last four SU and ATS in this rivalry, including a 43-24 victory laying 7.5 at home last season.
“This is certainly an opponent Clemson can’t look past, with the big game against Louisville on deck,” Lester said. “It’s always difficult to prepare for the triple-option attack, but the Tigers basically had an off week to do just that last week.”
"We’ll hold off on posting a line until we have more information about the health of Corey Clement. It’s a different offense without him."
A Big Ten showdown highlights a solid Week 4 of the college football season. We talk about the opening lines for four key matchups with John Lester, senior lines manager for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.
No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers at No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (no line)
These two unbeaten teams are prepping for a Big Ten battle in East Lansing. The Spartans (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) raced out to a 36-7 lead at Notre Dame on Saturday and held on for the 36-28 upset as 7.5-point underdogs.
Wisconsin (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) passed a stern test against Louisiana State at Lambeau Field in Week 1, notching a 16-14 upset catching 12.5 points. The Badgers then routed Akron in Week 2, but had their hands full Saturday in a 23-17 home win over Georgia State as a huge 35.5-point fave.
“We’ll hold off on posting a line until we have more information about the health of Corey Clement,” Lester said of the Badgers running back who sat out Saturday with an ankle injury. “It’s a different offense without him. These are two teams with very similar styles, which makes it feel like it could be a grind-it-out game.”
The Badgers and Spartans haven’t met since the 2012 season.
No. 6 Stanford Cardinal at UCLA Bruins (+2)
Stanford is out of the gate with a 2-0 SU and ATS mark, though both those victories came at home. On Saturday, Christian McCaffery and Co. posted a 27-10 victory over Southern California as a 7.5-point favorite.
UCLA (2-1 SU) already has three games in the books but has yet to cover the spread. The Bruins bested BYU 17-14 Saturday, falling just short as 3.5-point road chalk.
“The days of Stanford sneaking up on people are long gone,” Lester said. “The talk is all Christian McCaffrey, but the defense has been better than the offense up to this point. UCLA has been anything but impressive, but this is a good spot for them. Still, I fully expect the spread to quickly move in favor of Stanford.”
The Cardinal have won the last eight in this Pac-12 rivalry, going 7-1 ATS, including a 56-35 home win last year giving 6.5.
No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs at No. 21 Mississippi Rebels (-7)
The Kirby Smart era is off to a good start for Georgia in the SU win column, if not at the betting window. The Bulldogs are 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS, including a 28-27 victory over Missouri on Saturday laying 7 points on the road.
Mississippi (1-2 SU and ATS) could easily be 3-0, but can’t find a way to hold huge leads. The Rebels had Florida State in a 28-6 hole in Week 1, but lost 45-34 as a 4-point neutral-site pup. Ole Miss whacked Wofford in Week 2, then had No. 1 Alabama on the ropes Saturday with a 24-3 lead. But the Rebels gave it all back and then some, losing 48-43 while cashing as a 10-point home ‘dog.
Still, Mississippi opened a touchdown favorite at Bookmaker.eu.
“You have to wonder how much get-up the Rebels have left in the tank after two mentally tough losses,” Lester said. “That said, Georgia hasn’t really looked dialed in with the new coaching regime, and this is a chance for Ole Miss to get going in the right direction. Talent and experience is enough to give the home team a full touchdown.”
No. 3 Clemson Tigers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+9.5)
Clemson (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS), which lost to Alabama in the national title game last year, opens ACC play following a 59-0 shellacking of FCS foe South Carolina State, cashing as a monster 53.5-point home favorite. Georgia Tech (3-0 SU, 1-0-1 ATS) comes in off a 38-7 rout of Vanderbilt giving 6.5 points at home.
Clemson has won three of the last four SU and ATS in this rivalry, including a 43-24 victory laying 7.5 at home last season.
“This is certainly an opponent Clemson can’t look past, with the big game against Louisville on deck,” Lester said. “It’s always difficult to prepare for the triple-option attack, but the Tigers basically had an off week to do just that last week.”
Comment