NCAAF Trends and Indexes - Week 6 (Wednesday, October 5 - Saturday, October 8)

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 6


Saturday’s best 13 games
Maryland-Penn State split pair of one-point decisions last two years; Terrapins scored 40.3 pts/game in winning first three I-A games, but they step up in class here, against PSU squad that needed OT to beat Minnesota LW. Maryland is 5-8 in last 13 games with spread of 3 or less points. Under Franklin, Nittany Lions are 2-2-1 in such games. Terms ran for 295 yards/game last three weeks; they had 400 YR in LW’s Big 14 opener vs Purdue. PSU allowed 554 rushing yards in its last two games, vs Michigan/Minnesota. Terms are 15-9 vs spread in last 24 road games.

Iowa lost two of last three games and win was 14-7 at Rutgers, hardly impressive; they also lost to I-AA North Dakota State. Hawkeyes had been 9-0 as a road favorite last 4+ years before not covering at Rutgers. Favorites covered last four Iowa-Minnesota games; Hawkeyes are 11-4 in last 15 series games, but are 2-4 in last visits here, winning 23-7/55-0- they survived wild 40-35 (-9.5) home win vs Minnesota LY. Gophers lost in OT at Penn State LW; total yardage was 471-469; they’re 5-2 in last seven games as a home underdog, 2-4 in last six games with spread of 3 or less points.

Virginia Tech is 9-3 in last 12 games with North Carolina, 4-3 in last seven; Hokies won five of last six visits to Chapel Hill- favorites covered four of last five series games at UNC. Tar Heels won last two games by total of 3 points; they’ve got to come back to earth after huge win LW at Florida State, making 54-yard FG on last play. UNC has allowed 31.8 pts/game vs I-A foes this year. Tech is 8-6-1 in its last 15 games with spread of 3 or less points; this is Hokies’ first true road game- they lost 45-24 to Tennessee on neutral field at Bristol. Tech is 5-2 in its last seven games as a road dog. UNC is 3-6 in its last nine games with spread of 3 or less points.

NC State/Notre Dame haven’t met since a bowl game 14 years ago. Fighting Irish are 2-3, giving up 33+ points, 489+ TY in four of five games- they lost 50-47 in OT at Texas, in only true road game this year. ND is 6-9 vs spread in last 15 true road games. Wolfpack scored 34 pts/game in its three I-A games but step up in class here; State is 2-6 as home dog under Doeren- they threw for 639 yards in last two games. Notre Dame is 4-2 in last six games with spread of 3 or less points; State is 3-7 in its last ten. ACC underdogs are 6-4 vs spread out of conference this season.

Texas allowed 788 PY, 99 points in losing last two games; at disappointing 2-2, only team they held under 47 points this season is UTEP. Oklahoma allowed 91 points in splitting last two games- they beat TCU 52-46 LW, giving up 449 PY. Underdogs are 5-3-1 vs spread in last nine Oklahoma-Texas games (3-0 last three years); Texas won two of last three years, despite being 12+-point dogs in all three games— Sooners averaged only 157.7 PY in those games. Longhorns are 8-4-1 in last 13 games as a double digit dog. Oklahoma is 14-17 in last 31 games as a double digit favorite.

Florida State’s defense is sub-par this year, giving up 42.3 pts/game vs I-A opponents. Losing on last-second 54-yard FG wrecked their season, tough bounce back here in rivalry game with an unbeaten Miami team. Underdogs are 12-3 vs spread in last 15 FSU-Miami games. Florida State won its last six games with Miami, with three of last five by 5 or less points; FSU won its last five visits here- they’ve won SU last four times they were a series underdog. Hurricanes won their I-A games by 28-35-14 points; they’re 12-3-2 in last 17 games with spread of 3 or less points. Seminoles are 7-2 under Fisher when spread is 3 or less points.

Road team won last four UCLA-Arizona State games; Bruins won 62-27/45-43 in last two visits to Tempe. UCLA covered four of last five as a series favorite, but allowed 448+ TY in its last six games vs ASU. Bruins allowed 449 rushing yards last two weeks, vs Stanford/Arizona; they’re 8-5-1 as road favorites under Mora, 0-0-1 this year, winning 17-14 at BYU after losing at Texas A&M in OT. Sun Devils allowed 1,160 TY last two games; four of their five opponents threw ball for 366+ yards; they’re 5-11 as underdogs under Graham, 1-3 at home. Pac-12 home teams are 10-2 vs spread in conference games, 3-1 if an underdog.

Home side won six of last seven Georgia-South Carolina games; Dawgs lost last three visits here, by 3-28-11 points. Favorites are 4-1-1 vs spread in series. Georgia allowed 79 points in losing last two games; they got their hearts torn out on last-play Hail Mary by Tennessee LW. Dawgs are giving up 32.5 pts/game vs I-A foes- they’re 5-7 in last 12 games as a road favorite. Carolina lost three of last four games; they allowed 432 rushing yards in last two games. SC has been held to 14 or less points in four of five games this year. Since 2009, Gamecocks are 7-1 as a home underdog.

Tennessee pulled rabbits out of a hat the last two weeks, scoring on Hail Mary to win LW after rallying from down 21-3 at half to beat Florida the week before; they play Alabama next week, better not look past this game. Vols are 4-5 as road underdogs under Jones; LW was their first true road game this year. Texas A&M is 5-0 with three wins away from home and an OT win over UCLA here, their only home game vs I-A foe; Aggies are 10-14 as home favorites under Sumlin, 1-0 this year- they’ve run ball for 254 yards/game vs I-A opponents this year. Teams last met in 2004.

Oregon lost its last three games, allowing 256 rushing yards, 42.3 pts/game; locusts will start circling over coach Helfrich with another loss here, vs Washington team Ducks have beaten 12 times in row, 11 by 17+ points (11-1 vs spread). Oregon is +10 in turnovers in last five series games. Huskies lost last six visits to Eugene (0-6 vs spread), but are 3-2 as road favorites under Petersen; they needed OT to win 35-28 at Arizona (-13) in only road game this season. Washington held Stanford to 216 TY in impressive 44-6 win last Friday. Oregon is a home underdog for first time in seven years; they allowed 1,244 TY in last two games.

Colorado is having a breakthrough season, off to a 4-1 start with win at Oregon; Buffs scored 88 points in last two games with a backup QB- they’ve run ball for 506 yards in last two games, are 4-0 vs spread this season. 5-2 in last seven games as a road underdog. USC is just 2-3, but won/covered its two home games, 45-7 over Utah State, 41-20 over ASU; they’re 10-5 in last 15 games as home favorite. Trojans won their last five games with Colorado (3-2 vs spread), scoring 44.4 pts/game; Buffs lost 50-6/56-28 in their last two visits here. Home favorites are 7-1 vs spread in Pac-12 conference games this season.

LSU-Florida was postponed because of the hurricane in the Sunshine State.

Alabama is 5-0 this season with four one-sided wins; they won 48-43 at Ole Miss in only true road game, rallying back from being down double digits in first half. Crimson Tide won its last nine games with Arkansas, winning by 1-13 points last two years; Bama is 5-3 vs spread in last eight series meetings, 4-0 SU in last four visits here, winning by 1-52-4-35 points- they’re 2-4 as a favorite in Arkansas. Razorbacks got waxed by Texas A&M two weeks ago, after winning tight games with La Tech/TCU to open season; Hogs are 4-4 as home dogs under Bielema. Arkansas allowed 34.3 pts/game in three games that weren’t against stiffs.

Washington State gave up 76 points in losing its first two games this year (ran ball 45 times for 137 yards), then ran ball for 75 times for 528 yards in last two games and won them, upsetting Oregon LW. Coogs are 13-3 vs spread in last 16 games as a road underdog. Stanford won its last eight games with Wazzu (5-3 vs spread); they’re +8 in turnovers in last four series games. Cardinal played USC-UCLA-Washington last three weekends; they got crushed by U-Dub last week, losing 44-6. Stanford is 12-6 in its last 18 games as a home favorite, 1-1 this season. Even in their three wins this year, Cardinal scored only 25 mpg, all against good teams, though.

[Udog]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds: Week 6

Sixth-ranked Washington has experienced nothing but trouble with Oregon for most of this century and attempts to halt a 12-game losing streak in the series.

We're on to Week 6 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.

Texas Longhorns vs No. 22 Oklahoma Sooners (-11.5, 73)

* After the Longhorns gave up 49 points against Oklahoma State last week -- the third time in four games that the Longhorns have surrendered 47 or more points this season -- Strong decided to demote defensive coordinator Vance Bedford and will take over control of the defense. The offense, under first-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, has been clicking, averaging 41.2 points and is led by running back D’Onta Foreman, who is second in the nation with his average of 145.3 rushing yards per game, and the quarterback duo of freshman Shane Buechele and senior Tyrone Swoopes, who have combined for 14 total touchdowns. Linebacker Anthony Wheeler leads the team in tackles (31) while five players are tied for the team lead in sacks with two including linebacker Breckyn Hager who is also tied for second on the team in tackles with 23.

*The Sooners bounced back from an embarrassing 45-24 loss to Ohio State to edge TCU, 52-46, last Saturday. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting a year ago, led the way, completing 23-of-30 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns and also rushing for 55 yards and two more TDs. Joe Mixon (105 yards, 1 TD) and Samaje Perine (98 yards, 2 TDs) paced a strong ground game in the win over the Horned Frogs while linebackers Jordan Evans (10 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss) and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (6 tackles, 2 sacks) led the way defensively.

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma opened as 10-point home favorites and the line rose throughout the week to sit at the current number of -11.5. The total opened at 74 and came down a full point to 73 by Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Longhorns are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
* Sooners are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games.
* Under is 8-1 in Longhorns last 9 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in Sooners last 4 neutral site games.
* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Oklahoma.

No. 5 Houston Cougars at Navy Midshipmen (+17, 50.5)

* The Cougars have held seven straight opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing and are allowing 42 rushing yards and 11.2 points. Ward (1,325 passing yards with eight TDs and 178 rushing yards with five TDs in four games) has plenty of options in the passing game with four Cougars - led by Linell Bonner's 33 catches for 439 yards - with at least 19 receptions. Duke Catalon (225 rushing yards in three games) is expected to return for the Cougars, who have outscored their opponents 221-56 during their win streak to start the season.

* Quarterback Will Worth (527 passing yards with one TD and 173 rushing yards with five TDs) led Navy to two comeback wins after taking over for injured Tago Smith in the opener. Fullback Chris High leads the Midshipmen with 295 rushing yards, but Navy was held to 57 on the ground in last week's loss to Air Force. Micah Thomas has 32 tackles and two pass breakups to lead a defense that allows 20.5 points and 377.2 yards.

LINE HISTORY: Houston opened as big 18-point road favorites and the line was quickly adjusted down slightly to 17 - where it has remained all week. The total hit the board at 53 and took a sharp drop down to 50.5 late in the week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Cougars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Midshipmen are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 home games.
* Under is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Over is 6-1 in Midshipmen last 7 games on fieldturf.

No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies (-7, 57)

* The Vols’ status as a comeback team hit a crescendo with last week’s miraculous 34-31 win at Georgia, as Jauan Jennings pulled down a 43-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired to keep Tennessee undefeated. The offense has been able to come up with big plays when needed, with quarterback Joshua Dobbs accounting for 18 touchdowns (13 passing, five rushing). While far from dominant, Tennessee’s defense has forced 10 turnovers - including two or more in three of its five contests - but again will be without injured linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder) and Darrin Kirkland Jr. (ankle).

* The Aggies boast the SEC’s most efficient offense, averaging a league-best 521 total yards per game with quarterback Trevor Knight leading the charge. Knight and freshman running back Trayveon Williams guide a running game that averages 258.6 yards and has gained at least 200 in every contest this season. The Aggies' defense has been disruptive in opponents’ backfields, leading the nation with 50 tackles for losses – 17 more than any other team in the SEC – as star defensive end Myles Garrett has accounted for five along with three sacks.

LINE HISTORY: The Aggies opened as 6.5-point favorites and the spread was quickly bumped up to -7 - where it has remained all week. The total opened at 56, went as low as 54.5 on Wednesday, and then rose back up to 57 by Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Aggies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Volunteers last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 8-1-1 in Aggies last 10 games overall.

Virginia Tech Hokies at No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels (-1.5, 58)

* The Hokies start a critical stretch to their season with four of the next five on the road, but they appear to be improving in all phases since the loss to Tennessee. Evans has passed for 907 yards while running for another 209 and has a prime target to look for in junior Isaiah Ford, who boasts 24 receptions and 376 yards to go along with four touchdowns. The defense came up with six sacks last time out in a 54-17 win over East Carolina and the Hokies have forced 30 opponent drives to go three-and-out (or less) this season.

* Trubisky has completed 76 percent of his passes to lead the nation while tossing 13 touchdowns and avoiding an interception for his last 240 attempts, dating back to 2014. One of the advantages the junior has is a stable of experienced receivers, led by senior Ryan Switzer (47 catches, 587 yards). If Virginia Tech can limit the Tar Heels’ passing game, there is still a ground attack for them to turn to with junior Elijah Hood (338 yards, four TDs) and senior T.J. Logan (258, five rushing TDs, two receiving scores).

LINE HISTORY: The Tar Heels opened as 3-point home favorites and by Friday afternoon that line was all of the way down to -1.5. The total started the week at 62 and dropped steadily all week to sit at 58. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Hokies are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Tar Heels are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in October.
* Under is 12-3-1 in Hokies last 16 games in October.
* Over is 8-1 in Tar Heels last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.

Indiana Hoosiers at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-28, 59)

* The Hoosiers have received superb play from Ricky Jones, who has 13 catches for 332 yards and a score over the last two weeks. Richard Lagow recovered from a five-interception effort against Wake Forest to play better against the Spartans, while relying on Devine Redding (19 carries, 100 yards), who has reached the century mark in three of the four games this year. Linebackers Tegray Scales and Marcus Oliver combined for 20 tackles against Michigan State and need to be on top of their game against a Buckeyes squad averaging 52.3 points over its last six outings.

* Even though the Buckeyes return only six starters from last season, one of them is quarterback J.T. Barrett, who became the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes (59) last week in a 58-0 rout of Rutgers. Barrett has 14 TD passes, three TD runs and only two interceptions this season, while his top three running backs are all averaging at least 7.2 yards per carry. On the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes allowed 33 passing yards last week, did not yield a rushing touchdown for the fourth straight game, and improved their season turnover margin to plus-8.

LINE HISTORY: Oihio State opened the betting week as massive 31-point home faves and that spread was bet down a bit throughout the week - the current number is -28. The total began at 61.5 and has fallen down to 59 by Friday afternoon. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Hoosiers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
* Buckeyes are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Hoosiers last 5 road games.
* Under is 12-3 in Buckeyes last 15 games on fieldturf.

No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes at Southern California Trojans (-4.5, 63.5)

* Despite their newfound success, the Buffaloes are dealing with a quarterback dilemma as redshirt freshman backup Steven Montez has rolled up 789 yards of total offense and accounted for seven touchdowns the last two weeks in place of Sefo Liufau, the senior who’s been sidelined with an ankle sprain suffered Sept. 17 against Michigan. Liufau, though, has steadily been ramping up his practice workload, and MacIntyre said he expects it to come down to a game-time decision Saturday. Not to be overlooked, though, is Colorado’s marked defensive improvement as the Buffaloes lead the conference in total (290.4 yards allowed per game) and passing defense (150.4 yards) on the strength of an experienced secondary featuring safety Tedric Thompson (team-most seven passes defended, two interceptions).

* The Trojans have had their own freshman step up at quarterback the last two weeks in Sam Darnold, who’s 41-of-59 passing for 605 yards and three TDs while adding a pair of rushing scores. Darnold, who replaced junior Max Browne after three games, has gotten wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster back involved after a sluggish start, and the two connected seven times for 123 yards and three TDs against Arizona State. The Trojans also stepped it up defensively against the Sun Devils, allowing only 75 rushing yards on 33 attempts and keeping the visitors out of the end zone for the game’s first 51 minutes.

LINE HISTORY: USC opened the betting week at -4.5, were bet up to -5.5 by midweek, and returned to the opening number of -4.5 by Friday afternoon. The total opened at 60.5 and rose sharply to sit at 63.5 by the end of the week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Buffaloes are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Trojans are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Under is 5-1 in Buffaloes last 6 conference games.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

Northern Illinois Huskies at No. 25 Western Michigan Broncos (-20, 66)

* Senior quarterback Anthony Maddie made his first start a winning one, completing 26-of-41 passes for 298 yards with two touchdowns and an interception versus Ball State after getting the job when No. 1 Drew Hare injured his hamstring and No. 2 Ryan Graham was ineffective. Senior wide receiver Kenny Golladay caught 13 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns last week and is among the national leaders in receiving TDs (tied for fourth with six), overall TDs (tied for fifth with eight), receiving yards (ninth with 556) and receptions per game (10th, 7.4). Senior linebacker Sean Folliard was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after recording 17 tackles (11 solo) versus Ball State and leads the Huskies with 22 solo tackles.

* The Broncos are the only team in the nation without a turnover and the ball protection starts with senior quarterback Zach Terrell, who completes 69.7 percent of his 119 passes (12 touchdowns) for 212.6 yards per game. Senior wide receiver Corey Davis, the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week after recording 72 yards and two touchdowns versus Central Michigan, is tied with Greg Jennings for most receiving TDs in school history with 39 and is the all-time MAC receiving yards leader with 4,252. Junior linebacker Robert Spillane paces the team with 43 tackles and 25 solo while sophomore defensive lineman Eric Assoua and senior defensive end Keion Adams share the sack lead with 3.5 apiece after combining for three of Western Michigan's eight last week.

LINE HISTORY: Western Michigan opened as 18.5-point home favorites and by the end of the week that line was bet all of that way up to -20. The total began at 63.5 and rose sharply up to 66. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
* Broncos are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Under is 7-1 in Huskies last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 6-0 in Broncos last 6 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Huskies are 15-3-1 ATS in their last 19 meetings.

No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks (+14, 49)

* Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts (989 passing yards, seven touchdowns) is fully entrenched as the starter and that led to the recent transfer announcement from redshirt freshman Blake Barnett, who opened the season as the Crimson Tide starter. Sophomore receiver Calvin Ridley is performing well with 31 receptions for 398 yards and three touchdowns and junior wideout ArDarius Stewart could return after missing two straight games due to a knee injury. Senior defensive end Jonathan Allen has been superb with four sacks on a star-studded defense that includes senior safety Eddie Jackson (nine career interceptions) and senior weak-side linebacker Reuben Foster (team-best 35 tackles).

* Junior quarterback Austin Allen has played solid football while passing for 1,232 yards and 12 touchdowns against two interceptions. Sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III has 559 yards and four touchdowns and junior wideout Jared Cornelius (14 receptions, 262 yards) has provided a boost with back-to-back 100-yard receiving outings. Sophomore weak-side linebacker Dre Greenlaw (35 tackles) and senior middle linebacker Brooks Ellis (34 tackles) lead the defense and senior defensive end Deatrich Wise has recorded three sacks.

LINE HISTORY: The Alabama Crimson Tide opened as 13.5-point road favorites and throughout the week that line was bumped up to 14. The total hit the board at 50.5 and by Friday afternoon it was down to 49. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 8-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Razorbacks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 8-0 in Crimson Tide last 8 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
* Over is 5-1 in Razorbacks last 6 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.

No. 4 Michigan Wolverines at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+29.5, 53)

* Left tackle Grant Newsome suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Badgers and was replaced by Juwan Bushell-Beatty, who is likely to get the start on Saturday. Kenny Allen, who made 18-of-22 field goals last year, missed two more attempts to bring his season total to 4-of-8 - prompting Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh to declare there will be a "kicking competition in practice" this week. Dark-horse Heisman candidate Jabrill Peppers, who led Paramus Catholic High School to two state championships, will play in New Jersey for the first time after missing Michigan's trip to Piscataway with a leg injury in 2014.

* Chris Laviano continues to struggle as he was limited to 3-of-12 passing for 33 yards while backup quarterback Tylin Odin misfired on all four of his pass attempts in the loss to Ohio State. Tyreek Maddox-Williams led the Scarlet Knights' defense with a career-high 11 tackles while Kiy Hester and Deonte Roberts added 10 tackles apiece against the Buckeyes. Cornerback Ross Douglas, who graduated from Michigan in the summer and transferred to Rutgers with two years of eligibility remaining, returned last week after missing two games with a leg injury and hopes to make some plays against his former team.

LINE HISTORY: Michigan opened the week as 26-point road dogs. It appears that opening number wasn't high enough for Wolverines backers and the line was steadily bumped up all week to sit at 29.5 on Friday afternoon. The total opened at 54 and dropped a full point to sit at 53. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Wolverines are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Scarlet Knights are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
* Over is 12-1 in Wolverines last 13 games overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Scarlet Knights last 7 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

No. 6 Washington Huskies at Oregon Ducks (+9, 68.5)

* Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning has been superb and ranks third in the nation with 17 touchdown passes while completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 1,114 yards. The productive skill players include two productive tailbacks in sophomore Myles Gaskin (402 yards) and junior Lavon Coleman (335 yards, 8.2 average) and two solid receivers in junior John Ross (21 receptions for 277 yards and six touchdowns) and sophomore Chico McClatcher (16 catches for 313 yards and four scores). The Huskies have racked up 21 sacks with senior outside linebackers Psalm Wooching (4 1/2) and Joe Mathis (four) at the front of the charge and also lead the nation in fumble recoveries (11) and takeaways (15).

* The Ducks are considering switching quarterbacks with Justin Herbert replacing senior Dakota Prukop, and such a move would make Herbert the first true freshman to start at the position for Oregon since future NFL quarterback Chris Miller in 1983. The timing of the possible move seems odd with Oregon averaging 40 points behind Prukop (1,173 yards, eight touchdowns) and junior running back Royce Freeman (463 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) and about to face the nation's sixth-ranked squad. The defense is allowing 36.2 points and 490.4 yards per game and was punished for 280 rushing yards by typically pass-happy Washington State in the latest defeat.

LINE HISTORY: Washington opened as 8-point road favorites and by Monday that line was bumped up to 9. The adjusted point spread of 9 held steady all week. The total opened at 69.5 and came down a full point to 68.5. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games on fieldturf.
* Ducks are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Over is 7-1 in Huskies last 8 games overall.
* Over is 5-0 in Ducks last 5 conference games.
* Favorite is 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.

No. 21 Florida State Seminoles at No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (-3, 64.5)

* The Seminoles have plenty of offensive firepower led by Cook, who has rushed for 407 yards in the last two games, and red-shirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois (264.7 yards per game), who has exhibited poise and the ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. His targets include Cook (19 receptions, 15.1 yards per catch) out of the backfield and speedy wide receivers Jesus Wilson (22, 15.5) and Travis Rudolph (17, 14.3). The top performers for the struggling defense, which sorely has missed defensive back Derwin James (torn meniscus), have been linebacker Matthew Thomas (30 tackles) and defensive ends DeMarcus Walker (6.5 sacks) and Brian Burns (four).

* While Kaaya - who recorded 405 yards passing in last year's loss to the Seminoles - remains the key to Miami's offense, coach Mark Richt is employing a more balanced approach this season (241.8 yards passing, 232.5 rushing) that has left opposing defenses guessing. Running backs Mark Walton (445 yards, 7.1 yards per carry versus 3.5 in 2015) and backup Joe Yearby (323, 7.3 versus 4.9) also have benefited from an improved offensive line. Although the defense gave up more rushing yards last week against Georgia Tech (267) than it had allowed in its first three games combined, it held the Yellow Jackets to three third-down conversions on 12 attempts and produced two touchdowns as freshman linebackers Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney returned fumbles for scores.

LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as 2-point home favorites over their in-state rivals from Florida State. The spread was bumped up to -3 almost immediately and has held steady all week. The total opened at 65 and on Friday afternoon was sitting at 64.5. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Hurricanes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Seminoles last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Underdog is 14-3 ATS in their last 17 meetings.

Arizona Wildcats at No. 24 Utah Utes (-9.5, 53)

* Rodriguez won’t announce his starting quarterback until game-time as injuries have sidelined starter Anu Solomon (knee) and backup Brandon Dawkins (ribs) in recent weeks and forced Rodriguez to burn the redshirt off highly touted true freshman Khalil Tate in last week’s loss to the Bruins in the Rose Bowl. Things aren’t much better at running back where starter Nick Wilson is battling a high ankle sprain and things got so dire that slot receiver Tyrell Johnson moved to running back last week and led the team with 77 yards on 16 carries. The defense has also been ravaged by injuries – Rodriguez says there are 28 players, including 18 starters on his injury list this week – and is led by sophomore safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, who has a team-high 27 tackles and two interceptions.

* The Utes definitely miss two-time All-Pac-12 running back Devontae Booker and have not had a 100-yard rusher yet in the first five games of the season. True freshman Zack Moss is averaging 77.2 yards per game and splits time with sophomore Armand Shyne who is averaging 68 yards per game while junior quarterback Troy Williams is averaging 268 yards per game passing and has six completions of 40 yards or longer. The defense, a Whittingham trademark, ranks second in the Pac-12 against the run (117.4 yards per game) and is led by junior defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei, considered a likely first round NFL Draft pick next spring, and end Hunter Dimick, who has a team-best five sacks.

LINE HISTORY: Utah opened the betting week as 9.5-point home favorites and, despite a brief wobble up to -10, on Friday afternoon the spread was still at that opening number. The total hit the board at 53 and hasn't moved all week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Utes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 9-0 in Wildcats last 9 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Under is 6-1 in Utes last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

Washington State Cougars at No. 15 Stanford Cardinal (-7, 58.5)

* The Cougars are more balanced than ever but still rely heavily on quarterback Luke Falk, who ranks fourth nationally in passing at 373.8 yards per game and was 36-of-48 passing for 371 yards without an interception against Oregon. The running game has been bolstered by the development of offensive linemen Riley Sorenson, Eduardo Middleton, Cole Madison, Andre Dillard and Cody O’Connell, a first-year starter. Senior wide receiver Gabe Marks had a touchdown reception in last season’s 30-28 loss to the Cardinal and ranks sixth nationally with nine catches per game.

* Junior running back Christian McCaffrey looks to regain his standing in the Heisman Trophy race after recording a season-low 12 carries for 49 yards last week against the Huskies. Quarterback Ryan Burns struggled last week under constant pressure and needs more support from wide receivers Trent Irwin and Michael Rector along with tight end Dalton Schultz, who has just six receptions this season. In addition to its two starting cornerbacks, the team’s lengthy injury list includes right tackle Casey Tucker, wide receiver Francis Owusu and fullback Daniel Marx.

LINE HISTORY: Stanford opened the betting week as 8.5-point home favorites and by Friday afternoon that line was all of the way down to -7. The total opened at 57 and was bumped up to 58.5 late in the week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Cougars are 8-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Cardinal are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 4-0 in Cougars last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 4-1 in Cardinal last 5 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.

[Udog]

NCAAF

Saturday, October 8

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Saturday's college football game of the day: Florida State at Miami
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Miami's youthful defense has far-exceeded expectations, ranking seventh in total defense (253.3 yards) and No. 2 in scoring defense (9.3 points).

Florida State Seminoles at Miami Hurricanes (-3, 64.5)

With the roles reversed from recent meetings, 10th-ranked Miami (Fla.) hosts No. 21 Florida State while favored to end a six-game losing streak against its instate ACC rival. While the Seminoles, ranked No. 4 in the preseason, already have seen their national title hopes crushed, the unbeaten Hurricanes have outscored their foes 108-44 but have yet to face a team nearly as talented as Jimbo Fisher's squad.

The Seminoles, who lost 37-35 to North Carolina last Saturday on a 54-yard field goal on the final play after rallying from a 21-0 deficit, have allowed 135 points in their last three games and rank 94th in FBS in total defense (438.4 yards per game). To be fair, while the defense clearly hasn't come close to performing to the program's usual lofty standards, FSU already has faced three of the nation's best quarterbacks - Mississippi's Chad Kelly, Heisman Trophy hopeful Lamar Jackson of Louisville and North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky - and will be tested again by Miami junior Brad Kaaya. "Just thinking about Miami winning irks my nerves," FSU star running back Dalvin Cook, who hails from Miami, told reporters. "Going down and playing them, Kaaya is a special talent, he's been having a great year and we must contain him." Miami's youthful defense has far-exceeded expectations, ranking seventh in total defense (253.3 yards) and No. 2 in scoring defense (9.3 points), but the Hurricanes' three FBS wins have come against teams ranked between 89th and 118th in total offense.

TV: 8 p.m., ABC.

LINE HISTORY: Miami opened as 2-point home favorites over their in-state rivals from Florida State. The spread was bumped up to -3 almost immediately and has held steady all week. The total opened at 65 and on Friday afternoon was sitting at 64.5. View complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Florida State - OL C. Martinez (Ques Sat, knee), DT D. Taylor II (Ques Sat, shoulder), OL D. Kelly (Ques Sat, knee), WR K. Gavin (Ques Sat, toe), DB L. Taylor (Ques Sat, quadricep), RB J. Vickers (Ques Sat, concussion), WR J. Harrison (Out Indefinitely, suspension)DB D. James (Late oct, knee).

Miami - DL S. Patchan (Ques Sat, knee), QB T. Beirne (Ques Sat, personal), WR S. Bruce (Out For Season, leg), LB J. Gordinier (Out For Season, knee).

WEATHER: This game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Hurricane Matthew will have blown through the area an begun it's potential loop back for a second pass by Saturday evening. Conditions for Florida St. vs Miami will be partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 80's. There is just a 10 percent chance of rain and winds will be light.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (3-2 SU, 2-2 ATS, 3-1 O/U): The Seminoles have plenty of offensive firepower led by Cook, who has rushed for 407 yards in the last two games, and red-shirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois (264.7 yards per game), who has exhibited poise and the ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. His targets include Cook (19 receptions, 15.1 yards per catch) out of the backfield and speedy wide receivers Jesus Wilson (22, 15.5) and Travis Rudolph (17, 14.3). The top performers for the struggling defense, which sorely has missed defensive back Derwin James (torn meniscus), have been linebacker Matthew Thomas (30 tackles) and defensive ends DeMarcus Walker (6.5 sacks) and Brian Burns (four).

ABOUT MIAMI (4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS, 3-1 O/U): While Kaaya - who recorded 405 yards passing in last year's loss to the Seminoles - remains the key to Miami's offense, coach Mark Richt is employing a more balanced approach this season (241.8 yards passing, 232.5 rushing) that has left opposing defenses guessing. Running backs Mark Walton (445 yards, 7.1 yards per carry versus 3.5 in 2015) and backup Joe Yearby (323, 7.3 versus 4.9) also have benefited from an improved offensive line. Although the defense gave up more rushing yards last week against Georgia Tech (267) than it had allowed in its first three games combined, it held the Yellow Jackets to three third-down conversions on 12 attempts and produced two touchdowns as freshman linebackers Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney returned fumbles for scores.

TRENDS:

* Seminoles are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
* Hurricanes are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on grass.
* Under is 7-1 in Seminoles last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.
* Underdog is 14-3 ATS in their last 17 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The Miami Hurricanes are picking up 55 percent of the spread picks made by bettors and Over is grabbing 54 percent of the totals wagers.


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[Udog]

The massive public love affair with unbeaten Michigan continues in Week 6

"We’re just buried with public money on Michigan. Rutgers got destroyed by Ohio State, and bettors assume Michigan can do the same.”

College football’s 2016 season is approaching the midway point, with Week 6 games on tap this week. Several matchups have seen significant line movement heading into Saturday’s kickoffs. We talk about where the action is with Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US, and Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology in Las Vegas.

No. 6 Washington Huskies at Oregon Ducks – Open: +7.5; Move: +10; Move: +9

Washington appears to be the real deal heading into Eugene this week. The Huskies (5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS) steamrolled Stanford 44-6 in Week 5 as a 3.5-point home fave, while Oregon (2-3, 0-4-1 ATS) lost at Washington State 51-33 laying 2.5 points.

“Washington looking great, and on the contrary, Oregon not looking so great,” Simbal said. “This game opened Washington -7.5, it’s ballooned all the way up to 10.”

Late Friday afternoon, there was finally some buyback on the Ducks, bringing the line down to 9 at CG sportsbooks, including The Cosmopolitan, M and the Venetian. It’s still surprising, though, as Washington has lost 12 in a row to Oregon, with the Ducks an impressive 11-0-1 ATS in that stretch.

William Hill opened Washington -8 and is now at 9.5

“That’s our biggest decision so far. A ton of big square play on Washington,” Bogdanovich said. “The public is on that side and will continue to be. We’re loaded on that game.”

Maryland Terrapins at Penn State Nittany Lions – Open: +1; Move: +3

The surprising Terrapins (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) put their unbeaten mark on the line this week, coming off a 50-7 whipping of Purdue as an 11-point home favorite. Penn State (3-2 SU, 1-3-1 ATS) needed overtime at home last week to edge Minnesota 29-26 laying 3 points.

Some spots that opened this line early had Penn State as much as 3-point chalk to start, but that number raced toward Maryland from there. Even William Hill, which opened the Terps -1, is now at Maryland -3.

“There’s definitely money on Maryland, though I’m not sure whether it’s professional or square,” Bogdanovich said. “But Maryland is playing better. At Penn State, the natives are getting restless. Their coach, James Franklin, is feeling it a little bit.

“It’s weird to see Maryland a road favorite, but that’s just current form.”

Indiana Hoosiers at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes – Open: -29.5; Move: -28

The Buckeyes are 4-0 SU and ATS, winning by at least 21 points all four times out this season. Last week, Ohio State rocked Rutgers 58-0 as a massive 39-point home favorite. Indiana (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) is coming off a surprising 24-21 overtime win against Michigan State as a 5-point home pup.

Between that upset and Ohio State perhaps looking ahead to its game at Wisconsin, bettors seem to see a little value with the Hoosiers.

“I believe there are some sharps on Indiana. I’ve seen some numbers lower than ours,” Bogdanovich said. “Indiana has covered five in a row against Ohio State.”

No. 4 Michigan Wolverines at Rutgers Scarlet Knights – Open: +27; Move: 28; Move: 29.5

The betting public loves Michigan this year and is undaunted by huge point spreads in favor of the Wolverines (5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS). Last week, Jim Harbaugh’s troops held off Wisconsin 14-7 as an 11.5 point home favorite, while Rutgers was shut out 58-0 catching 39 points at Ohio State.

“Money pouring in on Michigan, just like it has been all season,” Simbal said. “They’ve been the most popular team all year, besides Ohio State, which is no surprise.”

Bogdanovich installed Michigan as 26-point chalk and moved to 30 by Friday evening.

“It’s the same thing as with Washington. We’re just buried with public money on Michigan,” he said. “Rutgers got destroyed by Ohio State, and bettors assume Michigan can do the same.”

East Carolina Pirates at South Florida Bulls – Open: -20; Move: -17.5; Move: -16

South Florida (4-1 SU and ATS) is coming off a 45-20 victory over Cincinnati as an 8-point road chalk and has scored at least 45 points in all four of its wins this year. East Carolina (2-3 SU and ATS) is on a three-game SU and ATS slide. The Pirates were 3-point home faves to Central Florida last week and got smoked 47-29, and quarterback Philip Nelson was hurt in the game.

But it appears Nelson will play this week, which helped reel the line back down.

“A combination of money and information,” Bogdanovich said in explaining the movement at William Hill books. “The ECU quarterback is gonna play, he’s good to go, so the number has dropped.”

Fresno State Bulldogs at Nevada Wolf Pack – Open: -9.5; Move: -7.5

Neither team has looked impressive this season, but bettors apparently felt the 9.5 opener was a bit too much to lay with Nevada. The Wolf Pack (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS) lost at Hawaii 38-17 giving 3 points last week, while the Bulldogs (1-4 SU, 2-2 ATS) lost to UNLV 45-10 catching 10 points on the road.

“It’s definitely professionals on Fresno State, for sure,” Bogdanovich said.

Other games that have seen sizable moves at Wynn Las Vegas, which posts college lines each Sunday, earlier than most Las Vegas books:

• Oklahoma opened a 9.5-point favorite against Texas in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl, and the Sooners were bet up to as high as 12.5 before falling back to 12 Friday night.
• Auburn is now a 3-point road chalk at Mississippi State, after opening at +1.
• In a game that could still be threatened by Hurricane Matthew, Notre Dame opened a 3.5-point fave at North Carolina State, but the line moved all the way to Wolfpack -2.5 before bouncing back a bit to N.C. State -1.5.
• Wyoming was a 13-point home pup to Air Force to start the week, and within three hours, that number was bet down to 10.5. It was at 11 on Friday night.

[Udog]

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a college football Saturday

13) Washington 70, Oregon 21— Huskies had lost 12 in row in this bitter rivalry, going 1-11 vs spread, but Ducks are lousy this year and U-Dub went out of their way to exact some revenge for those previous beatings. Starting QB Browning threw a 45-yard TD pass in the 4th quarter, when the score was 56-21. Oregon has lost four in a row; their coach has to be in very hot water.

12) Oklahoma 45, Texas 40— Sooners gained 672 yards, scoring 45 points in a game when they turned ball over four times (-2). Texas coach Strong called the defenses today, which helped in first half (14 -13 Sooners) but Longhorns reverted to normal form in second half. Have to think Texas will reach out to Houston coach Tom Herman in December.

11) Texas A&M 45, Tennessee 38 OT— I’ve never seen a team turn the ball over six times and win, but Tennessee got to OT with six TO’s; their 7th ended the game. With 8:00 left in third quarter, A&M led 28-7, but gritty Vols fought back and forced overtime, where they fell just short. Aggies are 6-0 for first time since 1994; they won their two I-A home games in OT.

10) Purdue 34, Illinois 31 OT— Good day for icing kickers; A&M’s kicker missed at the end of regulation when Tennessee coach Butch Jones iced him. In this game, Darrell Hazell used three timeouts in a row to ice the Illinois kicker on his game-winning try, and it worked as the Boilers prevailed later on in OT, winning a game where they allowed 315 rushing yards.

9) Navy 46, Houston 40— Middies ended Houston’s longshot hopes of a national title; with so many big-money programs struggling, Cougars coach Herman will likely bolt to one of those schools after this season, so curious to see how Houston does rest of way in a pretty good AAC.

8) Biggest Upset of Day (by pointspread); Tex-San Antonio 55, Southern Mississippi 32— Roadrunners won as a 17-point home underdog. UTSA ran ball for 339 yards.

7) Pitt 37, Georgia Tech 34— Most fun play of the day; Pitt’s QB rolls out to the right, throws a lateral/screen pass back to the left to #70 (an offensive lineman), who has an escort to the end zone for an easy TD. Football coaches work very long hours and drink a lot of Red Bull- that play had to be designed very late at night.

6) Oklahoma State 38, Iowa State 31— Cyclones have their hearts torn out for second week in row; they led 31-14 with 3:00 left in third quarter, but just like last week, they let it slip away late in a game where total yardage was 459-448. Iowa State is much-improved.

The field at Oklahoma State is so close to the bleachers in the corners of the field, really too close. Someone’s gonna get hurt, running OB at full speed with very little room to stop.

5) NC State 10, Notre Dame 3— In 1979, Tampa Bay beat the Chiefs 3-0 in a deluge on the last day of the season to win their division; this game reminded me of that, played in a quagmire with heavy rains. Total yardage was 198-113 NC State; the two FGs that were made in this game looked like me hitting a 5-iron— no bueno. Very tough weather conditions and Notre Dame is now 2-4.

4) TCU 24, Kansas 23— Jayhawks led 23-14 after third quarter; TCU kicked FG to win it with 1:21 left, avoiding a catastrophic loss. Kansas outgained them by 104 yards in a sloppy game where both teams had four turnovers. Huge sigh of relief from Fort Worth after this game.

3) Michigan 78, Rutgers 0— A long time ago, Florida State crushed some feeble opponent and coach Bobby Bowden said, “it is not my job to hold the score down, it is their job”, pointing to the other locker room. Total yardage in this game was 600-39. The Scarlet Knights have a lot of work to do, just to make their games competitive/watchable.

Hard to believe these teams are in the same league, right? Why did the Big 14 choose Rutgers over UConn? At least the Huskies are strong in basketball.

2) Florida State 20, Miami 19— Another great game is a series filled with them. Miami converted a 4th-down play to score TD in last 2:00, but PAT was blocked— that kicker had made 72 PATs in a row. Showtime is getting great theater for its Tuesday night reality show on the Seminoles. These two teams won’t be losing much the rest of the way.

1– Cubs 5, Giants 2— Chicago-Toronto-Cleveland all lead their best-of-5 series, 2-0.

Of the 72 previous teams to go up 2-0 in a best-of-5 series, 43 of them won the series 3-0. Only nine of the 72 teams wound up losing the series.

[Udog]

NCAAF opening line report: Top teams face tough tests in Week 7

Ohio State (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) has been scoring points in buckets this season, but fell off that pace just slightly in Week 6.

The two teams considered the top national championship contenders are both laying double digits in Week 7 of the college football season - and against respectable teams, no less. Covers talks about the opening lines with John Lester, senior lines manager for offshore sportsbook Bookmaker.eu.

Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers (+10)

Ohio State (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) has been scoring points in buckets this season, but fell off that pace just slightly in Week 6. The Buckeyes beat Indiana 38-17 as massive 28-point favorites in failing to cover for the first time this year.

Wisconsin got a much-needed bye after back-to-back trips to the state of Michigan led to the lone blemish on its record. The Badgers (4-1 SU and ATS) hammered Michigan State 30-6 as a 3.5-point underdog in Week 4, but ran out of gas a week later in Ann Arbor in a 14-7 loss to Michigan. But they still cashed as 11.5-point ‘dogs.

Lester sees this as potentially a good spot for the Badgers.

“ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ is there, coming off an idle week, an underrated and boring offense. This has all the makings of an upset,” Lester said. “We’ll expect most of the public money on Ohio State, while this is a good spot for sharp ‘dog players and the Badgers.”

Alabama Crimson Tide at Tennessee Volunteers (+10.5)

The Crimson Tide (6-0 SU, 4-2 ATS) had no problem covering a big number against a ranked team on the road in Week 6. Alabama rolled past No. 17 Arkansas 49-30 laying 14.5 points to remain perfect as it works to defend its national title.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s penchant for good fortune finally came to an end at Texas A&M. The Vols (5-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) rallied from a two-touchdown deficit in the waning minutes to tie the game at 35, but lost 45-38 in overtime getting 7.5 points.

“Alabama may really expose an overrated Tennessee squad in this matchup,” Lester said. “Everything the Vols do well, the Tide defend better against. We were high on the ‘Bama line last week, and they covered. They get the public support, so we’re high again here.”

North Carolina Tar Heels at Miami Hurricanes (-7)

Miami (4-1 SU and ATS) had its perfect record spoiled on Saturday, losing 20-19 to Florida State as a 1.5-point home chalk. North Carolina (4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS) had its four-game SU streak end, tumbling 34-3 as a 3-point home pup to Virginia Tech.

“Even though the Hurricanes lost this week, they actually made a good impression in our eyes,” Lester said, while noting Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc on the Tar Heels’ game. “The conditions certainly didn’t help, but the Tar Heels’ offense looked out of sync without starting running back Elijah Hood, and Miami already has a defense that can make you one-dimensional.”

Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-2.5)

Two teams who had high rankings and high promise are now trying to hold on halfway into the 2016 season. Stanford (3-2 SU and ATS) must have still been hung over from its 44-6 loss at Washington in Week 5, because the Cardinal followed with a shocking 42-16 home loss to Washington State as 7.5-point chalk.

And at 2-4 SU and ATS, Notre Dame is circling the drain. The Irish couldn’t overcome North Carolina State nor the lousy hurricane-spawned weather Saturday, losing 10-3 as 2.5-point road ‘dogs.

“This game has certainly lost some luster, given the state of the two teams, but any time Notre Dame is playing, we’ll see a good bit of action,” Lester said.
“Stanford isn’t where it’s been in the past, but it is still a quality team capable of beating the Irish, who seem to be in complete discord.”