The Bum's 2017 College Football Picks-Trends-News Etc. !

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Thursday's Best Bet
August 31, 2017

Thursday College Football Best Bet

#2 Ohio State vs. Indiana

HeritageSports.eu Odds: Ohio State (-21); Total set at 57

After watching teams from the other Power 5 conferences improve and/or test their stock right out of the gates in Week 1 of the season, the Big 10 decided to follow suit and give their schools the same opportunity. So while there still will be a few “cupcake” games for Big 10 programs in the following weeks, we've got plenty of the schools in the conference testing themselves against the likes of the Florida's and Texas' of the world here in Week 1.

But what may be the most intriguing matchup featuring Big 10 schools is the conference game they've got here with Ohio State in Indiana to take on the Hoosiers. Coming right out of the gate with a conference game is a big opportunity for both of these schools to get a leg up on their competition, but with Ohio State ranked #2 in the preseason polls, an Indiana win could come back to bite the entire conference in the ass.

Do the Hoosiers have what it takes to shock the college football landscape on opening night, of will Urban Meyer's Buckeyes squad put the rest of the college football world on notice?

If you don't take significant risks you aren't going to score significant rewards, and a year after having three teams hovering around the CFB playoff picture – and all three teams with strong cases for inclusion – the Big 10 decided to step up their scheduling this year and further up their profile with these tremendous Week 1 matchups.

Opening up the year with a conference game is going to feel a bit different for these players early on this evening, but as three-touchdown road favorites, Ohio State sees it as a tremendous opportunity to further their goal of getting back to the CFB playoff after last year's embarrassing 31-0 loss to Clemson in the semi-finals.

Yet, what makes tonight's Ohio State/Indiana conference tilt even more intriguing is the fact that new Ohio State offensive co-ordinator Kevin Wilson was fired from his head coaching position at Indiana last year. Wilson is known for his offensive mind as he loves to air the ball down the field, and his success offensively with Indiana over the past few years is a big reason why he found this OC position so quickly.

There is no doubt that Wilson is licking his chops at the potential for a little personal revenge tonight being on Ohio State's sideline, but Indiana also knows his “system” inside and out having practised against it for the past five years. That familiarity – for both sides – gives this game that little bit of extra edge, and from a football fan standpoint, it's an exciting battle to watch.

However, from a betting standpoint, the battle between Wilson and his new Ohio State offense against his old program is part of a situation that sets up well for plays on both the side and total. The other big part of that scenario is the fact that Ohio State has a huge game against #7 ranked Oklahoma next week and you know that Meyer and the Buckeyes aren't interested in putting too much of their stuff on film in one week if they don't have too.

That means that Ohio State may be looking to go into Indiana tonight, dominate early, establish a big lead, and then bleed the clock down and get the W. A game script like that is ripe for a backdoor cover from the Hoosiers who still have an explosive offense – at least on paper – and for as much as Wilson would love to stick it to his old program, Indiana would love to stick it to Wilson and his new program just as much.

The Hoosiers know they are the big underdogs here, but with all the excitement surrounding their first game, it being against the hated Buckeyes etc etc, they know they've got nothing to really lose here. Letting it all hang out against a top-ranked team in the nation would be a great start to 2017 for the Hoosiers, win or lose SU, and giving them three TD's here is too many points to pass up.

Finally, regarding the total, the fact that we've got co-ordinators/programs who are very familiar with one another, and a top team looking to stay as “basic” as possible to win and move on to a big game a week from now definitely lends itself to an 'under' wager.

Wilson's offensive system is known for lighting up scoreboards, but this is still the first week with it in Ohio State and there are sure to be some bumps along the way tonight. Indiana's offense won't be as feared without Wilson calling the shots, and as heavy home dogs, the Hoosiers won't be shy about keeping the ball on the ground and bleeding as much clock as they can to shorten the game.

There is no question that Ohio State will likely be a much more prolific and explosive offensive team this year, that should cash plenty of 'overs' but give Wilson and company a few weeks to work out all the kinks before you really start relying on Ohio State to cash those 'over' tickets.

HeritageSports.eu Best Bet: Indiana +21

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NCAAF's biggest betting mismatches: Week 1

Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying betting mismatches on the college football slate, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.

Florida State Seminoles vs Alabama Crimson Tide (-7, 49.5)

Seminoles' unimpressive TO margin vs. Crimson Tide's ball-hawking prowess

There is no bigger game on the opening-week calendar than Saturday's tilt between the No. 3 Seminoles and the top-ranked Crimson Tide at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And while the game is expected to be a tightly-contested affair - at least, relative to the rest of Alabama's schedule - both teams have advantages they will look to exploit in the season opener. One of the biggest ones, based on last year's performances, could put Florida State in a bad position this weekend.

The Seminoles were merely ordinary at taking care of the football last season, averaging 1.7 turnovers for and 1.6 turnovers against for a net differential of +0.1 - good for 51st in Division I. Florida State was even worse at taking care of the football late in the campaign, recording a net turnover differential of -4 over its last three games of the season. And while those miscues didn't prevent the Seminoles from an Orange Bowl victory, the story could be much different against the relentless Crimson Tide.

Alabama's regular-season turnover differential was elite - at 1.9 turnovers forced and 1.3 turnovers allowed, the Crimson Tide's +0.6 differential ranked 19th nationwide - but it was down the stretch when the Crimson Tide really flexed their muscles. 'Bama was sensational at ball control over the final three games of last season, forcing eight turnovers while committing zero. And if the turnover battle skews that way on Saturday night, the Crimson Tide should cruise.

Florida Gators vs Michigan Wolverines (-3.5, 45)

Gators' road third-down woes vs. Wolverines' stout D

Oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring defensive showdown at AT&T Stadium this weekend in college football's other marquee matchup between the 16th-ranked Gators and No. 9 Wolverines. Florida's offense is in flux - surprise, surprise - and with question marks at quarterback and on the offensive line, there's no telling how well the Gators will be able to move the ball. If last season is any indication, Florida's punter might see a lot of screen time Saturday.

The Gators have struggled to find consistency at quarterback since Tim Tebow became a pro; four different quarterbacks have at least 100 pass attempts in two years with Jim McElwain at the helm. Florida's offensive struggles last season were summarized in how poorly the team performed on third down, converting at a pedestrian 41.7-percent clip. That rate drops even lower if you only count road games, with Florida making good on just 33.6 percent of third downs away from Gainesville.

That won't play well at all against Michigan. The Wolverines are set to build upon last year's promising start to the season - and atone for last year's crushing loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl. The Wolverines were the stingiest team in the nation last year when it came to third-down conversion, allowing opponents to make good at an absurd 21 percent clip.

LSU Tigers at BYU Cougars (+14.5, 47.5)

Tigers' red-zone struggles vs. Cougars' downfield dominance

Coming off a solid showing in SEC play and a decisive win over Louisville in the Citrus Bowl, LSU opens its 2017 campaign as more than a two-touchdown favorite over a BYU team that kicked off its season last weekend with a one-sided victory over Portland State. Yet, while the Cougars aren't expected to put up much of a fight, they do own a decided advantage in red-zone play based on last year's results - and that could keep things closer than fans and oddsmakers expect.

The Tigers were slightly below average last season when it came to converting trips inside the opposition's 20-yard line into touchdowns or field goals, scoring points on five out of every six visits in games against fellow FBS opponents. It was a slight decrease from the 84.8-percent conversion rate LSU posted a season earlier. The 13th-ranked Tigers averaged 27.8 points per game last season, and will need to be sharper in the red zone if they hope to finish among the leaders in that category.

Perhaps LSU can learn a thing or two from its weekend opponent. The Cougars were one of the best teams in the country last season at turning red-zone trips into digits on the scoreboard, converting at a 95.9-percent rate; only Florida State was better. That is nothing new for BYU, which converted at a 93.6-percent clip in 2015. The Cougars are also elite at preventing red-zone scores, limiting teams to a 73.5-percent success rate - the eighth-best mark in Division I.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs Virginia Tech Hokies (-4, 51.5)

Mountaineers' ordinary pass protection vs. Hokies' sack-happy home D

This hotly anticipated matchup features two teams ranked in the top 25 who haven't faced each other in 12 years - and much of the focus will be on new Mountaineers' quarterback Will Grier, who last played with the Florida Gators in 2015. Grier looked good in Gainesville, but he had better hope his offensive line is better than it was last year. The Hokies boasted one of the best defenses in the nation in 2016.

The Mountaineers were an average pass-protection unit last season, ranking 63rd out of 128 qualifying teams in sacks allowed per game (2.1) in games against other FBS foes. They were worse down the stretch, giving up eight sacks over their final three games of the season - and now have to deal with the loss of All-American center Tyler Orlosky to the NFL. Grier will need to work fast or risk winding up on his back more than a couple of times Sunday night.

The Hokies defense will be licking its chops after putting together one of the most dominant showings in the nation last season. With a secondary ranked in the top five in Division I coming into the season, the Hokies are in great position to make life miserable for Grier and the rest of the West Virginia passing game.

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NCAAF

Thursday, August 31

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Thursday's NCAAF Game of the Day: Ohio State at Indiana
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Ohio State Buckeyes at Indiana Hoosiers (+21, 57)

Ohio State goes into another season with high expectations and will be tested right out of the gate on the road, as the second-ranked Buckeyes visit Indiana on Thursday for an early Big Ten matchup. J.T. Barrett returns at quarterback for Ohio State with Heisman Trophy aspirations after completing 61.5 percent of his passes, throwing for 24 touchdowns and running for nine scores last season.

“His accuracy and just his energy level now are incredible,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer told reporters of Barrett. “He’s providing that energy for everybody. He’s always done that, but … he’s got complete ownership of everything going on in that offense.” Tom Allen, who begins his first full season as coach at Indiana, hopes to end Ohio State’s 22-game winning streak in the series on the way to leading the Hoosiers to their third straight Bowl appearance. Indiana has the benefit of a productive senior quarterback in Richard Lagow (3,362 passing yards in 2016) and an All-American caliber senior linebacker in Tegray Scales (33.5 career tackles for loss). The Hoosiers will have to contain a talented Buckeyes offense that will be led by first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, who was fired as Indiana’s coach in December after going 26-47 over six years in Bloomington.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: The Buckeyes opened as 20.5-point favorites and by Wednesday evening that number was bumped slightly to 21. The total hit the betting boards at 53 and has been bet way up to 57.

INJURY REPORT:

Ohio State - WR T. Grimes (Probable, Knee), RB M. Weber (Probable, Hamstring), TE M. Baugh (Probable, Toe), QB J. Burrow (Out Indefinitely, Hand), TE A. Alexander (Out For Season, Knee), DT M. Hill (Out Indefinitely, Suspension).

Indiana - WR S. Cobbs Jr. (Questionable, Possible Suspension), DB B. Fitzgerald (Out For Season, Eligibility), DL N. Sykes (Out For Season, Undisclosed).

WEATHER REPORT: Weather condition should be pretty good for football with cloudy skies and temperatures in the low-70's to upper-60's.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (2016: 11-2 SU, 6-7 ATS, 6-7 O/U): Barrett rushed for 100 yards three times while throwing just seven interceptions last year, but he will have to be even better with the departure of his top three receivers from 2016. Parris Campbell could step up to a key swing role on offense and the Buckeyes will depend a lot on sophomore running back Mike Weber (1,096 yards, nine TDs), who is expected to play after being slowed by a hamstring injury in the preseason. Three high draft picks from the secondary must be replaced on a defense that is led by lineman Tyquan Lewis (eight sacks last year) as Ohio State opens the season against a Big Ten team for the first time since 1975.

ABOUT INDIANA (2016: 6-7 SU, 6-7 ATS, 4-9 O/U): Allen will be looking for more efficiency from Lagow, who completed 57.8 percent of his passes in 2016 and had 19 touchdown tosses but also threw 17 interceptions - four in his last two games. The Hoosiers do not have a running back returning that gained at least 250 yards, although they have a talented receiving corps that is led by junior Nick Westbrook (54 catches, 995 yards, six TDs in 2016). The status of junior Simmie Cobbs, who missed most of last season with an injury after registering 1,035 yards on 60 catches in 2015, is uncertain for the opener after he was arrested last month.

TRENDS:

* Buckeyes are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
* Hoosiers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.
* Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games on fieldturf.
* Under is 7-3 in Hoosiers last 10 games overall.
* Underdog is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The road chalk Buckeyes are picking up 62 percent of the action from Covers users and the Over is picking up 67 percent of the totals wagers.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 31

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

FIU at UCF 06:00 PM

UCF -17.0

O 56.0

BUFF at MINN 07:00 PM

BUFF +24.0

O 50.0

TLSA at OKST 07:30 PM

OKST -17.5

U 69.5

UND at UTAH 07:30 PM

UTAH -20.5

OSU at IND 08:00 PM

IND +20.5

O 56.0

ULM at MEM 09:00 PM

ULM +25.0

O 63.0

NMSU at ASU 10:30 PM

NMSU +22.5

O 70.0

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Henderson, Memphis run past Louisiana Monroe 37-29
August 31, 2017

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Darrell Henderson rushed for 169 yards and two long touchdowns, and Tony Pollard returned a kickoff 99 yards to lead Memphis to a 37-29 win over Louisiana Monroe in the season opener on Thursday night.

Henderson, who had just 12 carries, scored from 55 and 63 yards. Patrick Taylor had a 66-yard touchdown and finished with 131 yards on 15 carries. Both backs were at 106 yards at halftime, the first time either sophomore has topped 100 yards.

Henderson, Taylor and quarterback Riley Ferguson had rushing touchdowns for a 20-7 halftime lead before Pollard opened the second half with his school record third kickoff return. It was the second-longest in school history after his 100-yarder last year.

Memphis finished with 416 total yards, 319 on the ground but just 72 in the second half.

Warhawks quarterbacks Caleb Evans and Garrett Smith each threw for a late fourth-quarter touchdown but after each one, Memphis recovered the onside kick to run time off the clock and squelch the comeback.

Memphis picked up its fourth straight season-opening win on the ninth birthday of the Bengal Tiger mascot Tom III.

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No. 2 Ohio State pulls away to beat Indiana 49-21
August 31, 2017

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) J.K. Dobbins wanted to give his fans back in Texas something to cheer about.

His Ohio State teammates and Buckeyes fans jumped right on board.

The freshman broke a 15-year-old school record by rushing for 181 yards in his college debut, J.T. Barrett threw three touchdown passes and No. 2 Ohio State managed to pull away in the second half for a 49-21 victory over Indiana on Thursday night.

''I'm probably the only good thing going on in my town right now, so I just thought of it as bringing my city up,'' Dobbins said after spending the past week watching the flooding in the Houston area. ''That's why I came out and played hard like that.''

This was more than just a coming-out party.

Dobbins carried 29 times and broke Maurice Clarett's previous debut mark of 175 yards set in 2002. Afterward, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer even compared Dobbins to former Ohio State star Ezekiel Elliott.

That's a pretty good start for the guy who missed all but one play last season at LaGrange High school and started in place of Mike Weber, the Buckeyes' top runner in 2016, who sat out with a hamstring injury.

''Not surprised at all,'' Meyer said. ''I had kind of tempered my emotions with you guys early on, but we've seen that since spring practice.''

Dobbins didn't just put up numbers.

His long runs in the second quarter finally got the slow-starting Buckeyes moving and his ability to sustain those runs in the second half helped Ohio State score the last 28 points to put away their 23rd consecutive win in the series.

He also ruined Indiana's big plans for what had been billed as the biggest opener in school history - a nationally televised game with ESPN's ''College GameDay'' crew in town.

The Hoosiers controlled most of the first half and led 21-20 late in the third quarter. But they couldn't finish the upset in Tom Allen's first home game as the Hoosiers head coach.

''The bottom line is that for 2 1/2 quarters, we went toe-to-toe with them,'' Allen said. ''We were leading and weren't able to finish, so that's on me. We can talk about breaking through and I'm not going to quit talking about it because breaking through is not one game.'''

Barrett overcame a slow start to finish 20 of 35 for 304 yards. He added 61 yards rushing and another score to move within two touchdowns of matching Drew Brees' Big Ten career record for total touchdowns (106).

But Ohio State didn't reach the end zone until Antonio Williams' 1-yard plunge with 5:17 left in the first half and couldn't retake the lead until Barrett's 2-yard scoring run midway through the third quarter. Parris Campbell's 74-yard TD reception form Barrett made it 27-21 and, thanks to Dobbins, the Buckeyes never trailed again.

''I kind of knew I was going to do what I did,'' Dobbins said.

Indiana quarterback Richard Lagow was 40 of 65 with 410 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also broke Ben Chappell's school record for pass attempts of 64 set in 2010 against Michigan, and finished with the school's second-highest completions total in one game.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: The Buckeyes avoided a double dose of danger - winning a rare conference opener in Week 1 and getting a road win, too.

Indiana: No, the Hoosiers didn't end the losing streak. But it wasn't a total loss. They sold out Memorial Stadium and were competitive on an entertaining night.

KEY NUMBERS

Ohio State: Meyer is 16-0 all-time in season openers. The Buckeyes finished with 596 total yards, 292 on the ground, and forced three turnovers. Campbell had six catches for 136 yards.

Indiana: The biggest problem was rushing, where the Hoosiers had 27 carries for 17 yards. Receiver Simmi Cobbs Jr. had a career-high 11 catches for 149 yards and one TD. Luke Timian had 10 receptions for 72 yards.

CORSO HOISTED

ESPN broadcaster Lee Corso got a lift, literally, from his former players after receiving Indiana's Bill Orwig Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the university by a non-alum.

After a video played and he was presented with a plaque, the players gathered round and hoisted him on their shoulders. Corso coached the Hoosiers from 1973-82 and led the Hoosiers to their first bowl win - 38-37 over No. 9 Brigham Young in the 1979 Holiday Bowl. He was inducted into school's Hall of Fame in 2010.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: Heads home Sept. 9 for an even tougher matchup against No. 7 Oklahoma.

Indiana: Travels to Virginia on Sept. 9.

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Rudolph leads Okie State past Tulsa
August 31, 2017

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Mason Rudolph launched his Heisman campaign with a nearly flawless performance.

The senior quarterback passed for 303 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score to help 10th-ranked Oklahoma State beat Tulsa 59-24 on Thursday night. He was 20 of 24 with no interceptions.

''We knew we had a good game plan going in,'' Rudolph said. ''They brought a lot of pressure, and I think we combated it well.''

Rudolph joined Brandon Weeden as the only Cowboys quarterbacks to surpass 9,000 yards in career passing.

Preseason AP All-American James Washington caught six passes for 145 yards, including touchdown receptions of 77 and 40 yards.

Justice Hill ran for 132 yards and a touchdown, J.D. King had 95 yards and a score and LD Brown added 92 and a touchdown for the Cowboys, who are in the preseason Top 10 for the third time in school history.

''We have a long ways to go, but we had a good start,'' Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said.

Oklahoma State led 21-0 at the end of the first quarter and 38-17 at halftime. The Cowboys gained 640 total yards.

''Scoring early, scoring often is something we haven't done in the past,'' Rudolph said. ''We would kind of sputter in the first quarter. I was happy with the way we jumped on them quick, I don't think it could have started any better.''

Tulsa's Chad President got the start over Luke Skipper and passed for 178 yards and ran for 69. Corey Taylor II ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns. D'Angelo Brewer, who ran for more than 1,400 yards last season, finished with 33 yards on 22 carries.

Tulsa gained 432 total yards, but much of that damage came in the second half and didn't lead to points.

''I'm proud of our guys continuing to fight and grind,'' Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said. ''You know, we're young, but that's not an excuse. We've got to step up and be ready to play. We'll go back and look at this tape and get an opportunity to correct those mistakes.''

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TAKEAWAYS

TULSA: The Golden Hurricane are down several notches from the squad that went 10-3 last season and beat Central Michigan 55-10 in the Miami Beach Bowl. Neither quarterback is ready to replace Dane Evans, but President showed good pocket presence and created problems with his speed.

OKLAHOMA STATE:

The Cowboys, wary of home upsets after last year's stunning loss to Central Michigan, were never in danger in this one. Oklahoma State rushed for 332 yards on 37 carries to balance its dynamic passing attack.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Cowboys did nothing to hurt their standing. They were a solid favorite, and they handled business against an overmatched opponent.

OOPS MOMENT

Early in the second quarter, Oklahoma State's Jalen McCleskey fielded a punt inside the Cowboys' 10-yard line. Rob Riederer forced him to fumble, and Adam Higuera recovered in the end zone for Tulsa's first touchdown.

''McCleskey knows better than that,'' Gundy said. ''His ball security was absolutely terrible, and that's something that we'll continue to work on.''

NITPICKING

Rudolph made one mistake, and it was costly. Tulsa's Kolton Shindelar hit him and he fumbled at the 50-yard line. Petera Wilson, Jr., recovered and ran it back 26 yards. Tulsa got a field goal out of it.

''He has to stay in his world,'' Gundy said. ''That's not in his world. Just play in your world and throw the ball away. We have three more downs with seven good receivers.''

GREAT AWARENESS

In the third quarter, President fumbled and Oklahoma State's Kenneth Edison-McGruder ran it back 82 yards for a touchdown. It was the fourth-longest fumble return in school history.

MILESTONE

Washington surpassed 3,000 career yards receiving. He now has 3,068 and remains in fourth place on the school list behind Rashaun Woods, Justin Blackmon and Hart Lee Dykes.

UP NEXT

TULSA: The Golden Hurricane host Louisiana on Sept. 9.

OKLAHOMA ST: The Cowboys play at South Alabama on Sept. 8. Oklahoma State will play its first Saturday game in Week 3 at Pittsburgh.

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Minnesota wins, but Buffalo cashes
August 31, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) P.J. Fleck led his players in a pregame sprint out of the tunnel , with a vintage late-summer evening sky framing his first game as Minnesota's coach.

The Gophers started fast, too, with Tyler Johnson's 61-yard reception from Conor Rhoda - one of two first-quarter touchdowns.

The rest of the game was a slow drag to the finish, which was just fine with Fleck.

Johnson had 141 yards on six catches, all in the first half to match his 2016 season total, and the Gophers grinded out a 17-7 victory over Buffalo in the season opener and Fleck's debut on Thursday night.

''You better always appreciate a win,'' Fleck said, ''no matter how you get it.''

Rhoda started the game and went 12 for 21 for 176 yards, but he threw an interception in the end zone in the second quarter. Croft rushed six times for 32 yards and completed 7 of 11 passes for 63 yards. Neither quarterback stood out from the other in spring or fall practice. The tandem will remain in place for now.

''How they managed and ran the game, I was proud of them,'' said Fleck, who vowed not to make emotional decisions about who was in or out and stick to the prescribed plan for splitting playing time between the two.

Emmit Carpenter missed two of his three field-goal tries for the Gophers, but Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks were able to find enough running room to wear down the Bulls and run out the clock. Brooks scored on a short run near the end of the first quarter.

''It was really just a stalemate up front,'' Croft said.

JOHNSON EMERGES

After playing quarterback at Minneapolis North High School, Johnson switched to wide receiver as a freshman and showed some flashes of promise. Fleck and wide receivers coach Matt Simon have raved about his progress this year.

''The kid comes to play when the lights are on,'' Rhoda said.

BULLISH

Anthony Johnson gave the Gophers secondary trouble with 11 grabs for 140 yards, including a 50-yard completion that set up his 16-yard touchdown catch from Tyree Jackson on the next play for the Bulls to tie the game late in the first quarter.

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Jackson finished 22 for 42 for 211 yards and one interception. Khalil Hodge had 20 tackles, the most by a Buffalo player in nine years. The Bulls dropped to 0-8 in their history against Big Ten teams.

''We're all upset in the locker room,'' Jackson said. ''We didn't come here to show up and play against Minnesota. We came here to win.''

WINFIELD SHINES

The Gophers have relied heavily on their defense this decade, and that could be the case again this year despite the departure of several starters. The Gophers forced eight punts and held the Bulls to 51 yards on 22 rushes, with seven tackles, a sack, a blocked field goal and two pass breakups by safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

''Gosh, is he special,'' Fleck said.

FOR STARTERS

Fleck became the first Gophers head coach to win his first game with the program since John Gutekunst beat Bowling Green on Sept. 13, 1986. Jim Wacker (1992), Glen Mason (1997), Tim Brewster (2007), Jeff Horton (2010 interim), Jerry Kill (2011) and Tracy Claeys (2015 interim) all lost.

THE TAKEAWAY

Buffalo: After finishing 2-10 in coach Lance Leipold's second season with a freshman quarterback in Jackson, the Bulls are bound to be better this year. For a team that has produced only two winning seasons in 18 years at the FBS level, a competitive display like this can't be discounted.

''We took a big step forward as a program in what we're hoping to develop, as far as playing with a relentless type of attitude,'' Leipold said.

Minnesota: The Gophers just needed to win this game and get it out of the way, to reduce the pressure on their inexperienced quarterbacks and make sure Fleck wasn't embarrassed with a loss against a lower-tier opponent in his Big Ten debut . Starting with the blocking up front, the offense has a lot of work to do.

UP NEXT

Buffalo: The Bulls play at Army next weekend. The Black Knights are coming off an 8-5 season, their first winning record since 2010.

Minnesota: The Gophers ought to have a tougher time next weekend in their first visit to Oregon State in program history. The Beavers are 11-25 over the last three years but they played a competitive game in Minnesota last season, losing 30-23.

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Huntley leads Utah to 37-16 win over North Dakota
August 31, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Zack Moss has seen this before.

The sophomore running back started in the Utah backfield alongside sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley, his Hallandale (Fla.) high school teammate, and the pair shined in the Utes' season opener on Thursday night.

Huntley threw for 227 yards, rushed for 70 and accounted for three touchdowns as the Utes overwhelmed FCS North Dakota 37-16.

''It was great, bringing back some memories,'' Moss said. ''We've been doing it since high school, so it was kind of familiar to me.''

Utah debuted its new fast-paced, pass-first, spread offense with first-year offensive coordinator Troy Taylor and the difference was apparent from the start.

''Oh no, no nerves,'' Huntley said with a smile. ''We all just had to adjust at the beginning and then we started playing from there.

''During practice (Darren Carrington and I) had a lot of plays set up where we were connecting together. We just came out and performed today.''

Huntley had his mistakes with some bad decisions and some errant throws, but he repeatedly made plays with his arms and legs and posted career-highs in passing and rushing yards. Moss finished with a career-high 128 yards rushing and a touchdown on 22 carries. Oregon transfer Darren Carrington had 10 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown.

''I liked the play-calling,'' Whittingham said. ''Thought the play selection was very good, was very balanced. That's Troy's deal. He's a guy that's going to take what the defense gives him. Our O-line pushed them around a bit in the run game.''

The Utes scheme is designed to throw early and often, but Taylor has insisted the run game will be a big component. Utah ran for 272 yards.

North Dakota quarterback Keaton Studsrud threw for 175 yards and a touchdown. The run game was bottled up for 51 yards.

''One thing I ask our team to do is play hard for 60 minutes and I think our guys did that tonight,'' North Dakota coach Bubba Schweigert said. ''We can execute better. On the defensive side, we obviously had a tough matchup with Carrington. He hurt us.

''We always want to tackle better. ... Then, offensively, we wanted to run the ball with more consistency, but we knew that would be a challenge coming into the game.''

TAKEAWAYS

NORTH DAKOTA: The Fighting Hawks simply didn't have the speed or the size to really threaten Utah, but they were hung around into the fourth quarter when they trailed by just 11 in the final 15 minutes. Coaches should be pleased with the overall effort against a more talented and deeper team.

''You got to be mentally sound when you're going up against guys like that, being bigger and faster,'' Studsrud said. ''You've got to out-execute them.''

''It was tough. They've got those guys up front that are (going to be) playing in the NFL on Sundays.''

UTAH: Gone was the grind-it-out rushing attack that has been a staple of 13-year coach Kyle Whittingham as the Utes were in three- and four-receiver sets much of the game. Taylor picked Huntley to start his first game and direct the scheme over returning senior starter and two-time captain Troy Williams due to the sophomore's dual-threat ability - which was on display. There remains plenty of room to grow as several would-be touchdown drives stalled and turned into field goals.

''It showcases, not just me very well,'' Carrington said about the offense. ''With Zack and Tyler, it's just too many weapons. All the defenses are going to have to pick their poison on which one to stop.''

INJURY UPDATE

Utah running back Armand Shyne was seen on the sideline with a cast covering his left forearm and wrist. Whittingham announced during camp that Shyne was out for a significant amount of time with an undisclosed injury. The junior was in competition to be the starter before the injury.

Chase Hansen started at strong safety and played throughout the game despite being a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury. The Utes do not typically announce injury details unless it is season ending.

SLOPPY

Utah had the 12th most penalty yards in school history with 139 yards on 11 flags.

HURRY UP

The Pac-12 has instituted a test program during nonconference games to help speed up the game. Thursday's game implemented three of four of those measures. There were reduced breaks in between the first and second quarters and the third and fourth quarters. The game featured adjusted commercial breaks aimed at reducing four minutes of time. Kickoff was mandated to be one minute after the scheduled start of the game. The final measure is to reduce halftime from 20 minutes to 15 minutes, but both teams must agree. Utah officials said North Dakota did not agree to that adjustment.

UP NEXT

North Dakota returns to FCS action when it hosts Missouri State on Sept. 9.

Utah travels to face rival BYU on Sept. 9. The Utes have won six straight against the Cougars.

[StarDust Bum]

CFB Aug/Sept Best Bets:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/31/2017 9-4-0 69.23% +23.00

08/26/2017 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50

Totals:..............14 - 9........60.86%....+20.50

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s six-pack

— Celtics sent Cleveland a 2nd-round pick in 2020 to complete the Kyrie Irving trade, so that is official now.

— All nine hitters who started for the Texas Rangers Wednesday night have 15+ homers.

— Brandon Phillips banked a $500K bonus when he got traded to the Angels last night.

— Angels moved Cameron Maybin to Houston today, then acquired Justin Upton from Detroit, before acquiring Phillips.

— Florida Gators have 10 players suspended for its football season opener against Michigan that is being played in Dallas Saturday afternoon.

— Ironic that Matt Harvey is pitching for the Mets in Houston Saturday, after Hurricane Harvey devastated Harris County and much of the gulf coast this week.

*************************

Friday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here……..

13) JJ Watt is a great American; his fundraising efforts for the people in Houston have gone over the $13M mark. He is setting an example for other public figures on how to deal with a tragedy.

12) There are many images from Texas that are very sad, but the clip on the Interweb of the man playing the piano in his flooded home is just unspeakably sad. It is on CNN’s website and other places. You wonder how long it’ll take for these people’s lives to return to some kind of normalcy.

11) Astros acquired Justin Verlander from Detroit last night for three minor leaguers. Houston desperately needed a top-flight starting pitcher.

10) Ohio State 49, Indiana 21- Hoosiers led 21-20 in third quarter, before reality set in.

Indiana fired Lee Corso as its football coach after the 1982 season; last night was the first time since then that coach Corso saw the Hoosiers play in person.

9) Milwaukee’s Keon Broxton made a game-ending, HR-robbing catch over the CF fence to end the Brewers’ 6-5 win over St Louis Wednesday. If Milwaukee makes the playoffs, that catch is going to be a big reason why.

7) Joey Votto recently walked eight times in two games, making him only the second player since 1984 to do that— Bryce Harper is the other.

6) San Jose State basketball transfer Brandon Clarke (17 pts, 8 reb/game LY) bolts to Gonzaga, because nowaways, thats where all the transfers on the west coast go. Gonzaga or Nevada.

5) White Sox traded P Miguel Gonzalez to Texas last night.

4) Blue Jays 11, Orioles 8— Kendrys Morales hit three homers for Toronto.

3) I’m surprised/disappointed that Jeff Fisher hasn’t surfaced as a TV analyst. He doesn’t need the money but would be curious to hear what he has to say.

2) There are already 1,855 entries to this year’s SuperContest at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas; the previous record for entries was 1,854, set last year. Deadline is September 9, so it is likely that first place this season will be over $1M.

1) RIP to coach Rollie Massimino 82, who won the last college basketball game played without a shot clock, Villanova’s upset of Georgetown in the 1985 national title game.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, September 1

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CHARLOTTE (4 - 8) at E MICHIGAN (7 - 6) - 9/1/2017, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E MICHIGAN is 22-40 ATS (-22.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1992.

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

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WASHINGTON (12 - 2) at RUTGERS (2 - 10) - 9/1/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RUTGERS is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) as an underdog of 21.5 to 31 points since 1992.

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

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NAVY (9 - 5) at FLA ATLANTIC (3 - 9) - 9/1/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NAVY is 160-119 ATS (+29.1 Units) in all games since 1992.
NAVY is 160-119 ATS (+29.1 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
NAVY is 77-39 ATS (+34.1 Units) in road games since 1992.
NAVY is 77-39 ATS (+34.1 Units) in road lined games since 1992.
NAVY is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) against Conference USA opponents since 1992.
NAVY is 71-40 ATS (+27.0 Units) in road games in games played on a grass field since 1992.
NAVY is 77-42 ATS (+30.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1992.
FLA ATLANTIC is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLA ATLANTIC is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
FLA ATLANTIC is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
FLA ATLANTIC is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
FLA ATLANTIC is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

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

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UTAH ST (3 - 9) at WISCONSIN (11 - 3) - 9/1/2017, 9:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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BOSTON COLLEGE (7 - 6) at N ILLINOIS (5 - 7) - 9/1/2017, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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COLORADO ST (7 - 6) vs. COLORADO (10 - 4) - 9/1/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.

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

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Friday, September 1

6:00 PM
FORDHAM vs. ARMY
Fordham is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
Fordham is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Army is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Army is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home

6:30 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. EASTERN MICHIGAN
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 7 games
Charlotte is 6-13-3 ATS in its last 22 games
Eastern Michigan is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Eastern Michigan's last 11 games

7:00 PM
CEN. CONNECTICUT ST vs. SYRACUSE
No trends available
Syracuse is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Syracuse's last 7 games

8:00 PM
COLORADO STATE vs. COLORADO
Colorado State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Colorado State's last 9 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Colorado's last 10 games
Colorado is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
NAVY vs. FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Navy's last 10 games
Navy is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Florida Atlantic is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Florida Atlantic's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. RUTGERS
Washington is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games
Rutgers is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Rutgers is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games at home

9:00 PM
UTAH STATE vs. WISCONSIN
Utah State is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Utah State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Wisconsin's last 5 games
Wisconsin is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

9:30 PM
BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Boston College is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Boston College is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Northern Illinois's last 5 games at home
Northern Illinois is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

************************

Friday

Eastern Michigan was 7-6 LY, after being 7-41 the previous four years; Eagles have a senior QB with 23 starts but its whole OL has only 26 starts returning. Since 2007, EMU is 3-10 vs spread as a home favorite- they’ve got 16 starters back overall. Charlotte is 5-6-1 as a road underdog, 2-5 in last seven non-league games. 49ers have a junior QB with seven starts, an OL with 47 returning starts. Charlotte has 12 starters back overall. Last two years, MAC teams are 10-3-1 vs spread when facing teams from C-USA.

Washington is +35 in turnovers in its last 41 games; their OL has 97 returning starts- since 2014, they’re 6-3 as a road favorite. Huskies have a junior QB with 26 starts. Washington does not have a Pac-12 game for three weeks. Rutgers is 4-6 vs spread in its last ten games as a home underdog; their OL has 42 returning starts. Scarlet Knights have two QB’s with some experience to choose from. Since 2013, Big 14 teams are 15-10-1 vs spread when playing Pac-12 teams.

Lane Kiffin makes his Florida Atlantic home debut against 15-point road favorite Navy, which is 5-1 vs spread in last six games as a road favorite. Middies have only 4 starters back on offense, 8 on defense; their junior QB has two career starts. FAU has 17 starters back; their OL has 83 returning starts, Owls covered once in their last seven games as a home underdog. Kendall Briles is FAU’s offensive coordinator; Owls are going to throw the ball a lot.

Wisconsin has a soph QB (9 starts) but has an experienced OL with 4 starters back (90 career starts). Since 2014, Badgers are 8-10-1 vs spread as a home favorite- they’ve got 15 starters back overall. Utah State has only 10 starters back but their senior QB has 25 career starts. Aggies are 5-9 vs spread as road underdogs under Wells. USU has only ten starters back, five on both sides of the ball. Let four years, Big 14 teams are 12-9 vs spread when playing a team from the Mountain West.

**************************

Friday, September 1

Charlotte @ Eastern Michigan

Game 141-142
September 1, 2017 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
68.201
Eastern Michigan
73.041
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Eastern Michigan
by 5
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Eastern Michigan
by 14
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(+14); Over

Washington @ Rutgers

Game 143-144
September 1, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
106.396
Rutgers
79.883
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 26 1/2
47
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 28
52
Dunkel Pick:
Rutgers
(+28); Under

Navy @ Florida Atlantic

Game 145-146
September 1, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Navy
89.194
Florida Atlantic
63.131
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Navy
by 26
75
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Navy
by 10
68
Dunkel Pick:
Navy
(-10); Over

Utah State @ Wisconsin

Game 147-148
September 1, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah State
73.777
Wisconsin
108.475
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wisconsin
by 34 1/2
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Wisconsin
by 27
52
Dunkel Pick:
Wisconsin
(-27); Under

Boston College @ Northern Illinois

Game 149-150
September 1, 2017 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston College
87.312
Northern Illinois
78.900
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston College
by 8 1/2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston College
by 3
52
Dunkel Pick:
Boston College
(-3); Under

Colorado State @ Colorado

Game 151-152
September 1, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado State
90.352
Colorado
102.676
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 12 1/2
69
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
by 5
66
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-5); Over

Fordham @ Army

Game 233-234
September 1, 2017 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Fordham
63.604
Army
81.374
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Army
by 18
54
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Army
by 14
63
Dunkel Pick:
Army
(-14); Under

Central Connecticut @ Syracuse

Game 235-236
September 1, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Central Connectic
42.568
Syracuse
81.423
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Syracuse
by 39
59
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Syracuse
by 41
62 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Central Connectic
(+41); Under

[StarDust Bum]

RILEY RESET: Huskers' fresh start begins with Arkansas St.
September 1, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Even though Mike Riley is beginning his third year at Nebraska, there's a sense around the program that 2017 represents a new start.

Riley finally has the pro-style quarterback he prefers in Tanner Lee . He has a new defense, with first-year coordinator Bob Diaco switching from the 4-3 to 3-4 base alignment. Besides Diaco, there are two other new assistants.

What haven't changed are the expectations. Riley won six games in 2015 and nine last season, and he knows backsliding in the quest to overtake Wisconsin in the Big Ten West would test the fan base's patience.

''There are a lot of new things on the horizon,'' Riley said. ''We are excited and optimistic and feel good about all the preparation, and now we have to go out and prove it week by week.''

The Cornhuskers open Saturday night against Arkansas State, which has won two straight Sun Belt Conference titles and is the only FBS program with five league championships over the last six years. The Red Wolves bounced back from an 0-4 start to win eight of their last nine, including a Cure Bowl victory over UCF. They bring back Sun Belt defensive player of the year Ja'Von Rolland-Jones and quarterback Justice Hansen among nine starters.

''They are pretty dynamic on offense, their quarterback is really talented,'' nose tackle Mick Stoltenberg said. ''Their offensive line is rebuilt but we've heard good things about them. It's definitely not someone we are going to overlook.''

Nebraska has won 19 straight night games at Memorial Stadium and come in as a 16-point favorite.

''There's a reason why they have those (point) spreads. That's someone's opinion,'' said Trooper Taylor, Arkansas State's assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach. ''You still have to play the game... You've seen their size on defense, on offense, in the line position. You'll be wondering why we came out of the tunnel, because they're huge. But we look forward to the challenge.''

Some things to watch in the third meeting of the teams since 2009:

TOUGH AT HOME

Nebraska was one of five FBS teams to go 7-0 or better at home last season, and its seven-game home win streak is tied for fifth nationally. The Huskers have won 30 of 31 season openers, the only loss coming to BYU on a last-play Hail Mary in 2015.

THESE GUYS CAN CATCH

Stanley Morgan Jr. and De'Mornay Pierson-El are the Huskers' top returning receivers. Tight end Tyler Hoppes and slot receiver JD Spielman are new names to know. Hoppes transferred from Division II Wayne State in northeast Nebraska and originally was a defensive end for the Huskers. Mostly a special teams player in 2016, he blossomed in the spring and became one of Lee's favorite targets. Spielman redshirted last season and established himself as a scout-team playmaker as a receiver and return man.

SACK MAN

Arkansas State's Rolland-Jones, who lines up as the weakside defensive end, has a Sun Belt-record 30.5 career sacks and is within 13.5 of tying the FBS record held by Terrell Suggs of Arizona State (2000-02). Rolland-Jones and Chris Odom, now with the Atlanta Falcons, were a formidable pass-rush duo last year, combining for 25.5 sacks.

''I want my senior year to be just like his or better,'' Rolland-Jones said. ''I think I exceeded what I thought my career would be. I didn't think I was going to get all these records.''

GOING FOR 3 IN A ROW

Nebraska won the two previous meetings with the Red Wolves. The Huskers never trailed in the first two games, winning 38-9 in 2009 and 42-13 in 2012.

RALLYING AROUND COACH'S WIFE

Red Wolves coach Blake Anderson tweeted Thursday that his wife, Wendy, is cancer-free. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer in April and had surgery in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday.

Taylor had asked for players and staff members to stop what they were doing at 12:30 that afternoon to say a prayer for the Andersons. A school spokesman said Wendy hoped to make the trip to Lincoln.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Tip Sheet
August 29, 2017

There are six lined games set for Friday of Week 1 in college football. Washington begins its quest to get back to the College Football Playoff by heading across the country into New Jersey. Wisconsin is at home looking to avoid an upset bid from Utah State that nearly resulted in a shocking loss at Camp Randall five years ago.

We’ll tackle those two games before touching on the others in Bonus Nuggets.

**Washington at Rutgers**

-- As of Tuesday, most betting shops had Washington installed as a 27.5-point road favorite with a total of 52 for ‘over/under’ wagers. The Huskies opened as 31-point ‘chalk’ at most books in late June, but the number was heavily adjusted Monday morning.

-- When these schools met last season in the opener at Husky Stadium, Washington raced out to a 48-3 third-quarter lead en route to a 48-13 spread-covering victory as a 25-point home ‘chalk.’ The 61 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 56-point total thanks to RU’s 10-yard TD run from Janarion Grant with 5:53 remaining. The Scarlet Knights committed three turnovers and allowed the Huskies to score a pair of touchdowns on special teams. UW’s Jake Browning completed 18-of-27 throws for 287 yards and three TDs with one interception. Dante Pettis had a 68-yard punt return for a score. Grant had nine catches for 56 yards in the losing effort. He combined for 160 all-purpose yards on 18 total touches.

-- Washington went 12-2 straight up and 7-7 against the spread last season. The Huskies made the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history, losing 24-7 to Alabama in the semifinals as 14-point underdogs at the Ga. Dome in Atlanta. They beat four ranked teams, including a 41-10 win as 7.5-point ‘chalk’ over Colorado at the Pac-12 Championship Game. Chris Petersen’s only other defeat came at home to Southern Cal by a 26-13 count. UW had notable scalps vs. Stanford (44-6), at Utah (31-24) and at Washington State (45-17).

-- Washington returns seven starters on offense and six on defense. With the exception of leading receiver John Ross, Petersen’s squad brings back all of its skill players on offense. Browning, a junior who has already started 26 games and garnered fourth-team All-American honors in 2016, completed 62.1 percent of his passes last year for 3,430 yards with a 43/9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Pettis also returns after hauling in 53 receptions for 822 yards and 15 TDs. Junior RB Myles Gaskin earned first-team All Pac-12 honors by rushing for 1,373 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Gaskin also had 19 catches for 137 yards and one TD. Senior RB Lavon Coleman provided excellent depth, rushing for 852 yards and seven TDs with a 7.5 YPC average.

-- Washington’s defense gave up merely 17.7 points per game in 2016. This unit is led by two senior linebackers in Keishawn Bierria and Azeem Victor and a pair of junior defensive tackles, Greg Gaines and Vita Vea. There’s also a true sophomore safety in Taylor Rapp, who was a second-team Freshman All-American after recording 53 tackles and four interceptions. Bierria had 70 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two passes broken up, while Victor produced 67 tackles and three TFL’s. Vea had 39 tackles, five sacks, 1.5 TFL’s, two PBU and two QB hurries, and Gaines tallied 35 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 4.5 TFL’s.

-- UW announced Monday a one-game suspension for Victor and a two-game suspension for reserve CB Austin Joyner, who had 10 tackles and one interception in 12 games as a freshman last year. Also, starting sophomore LB D.J. Beavers is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Beavers started four games in ’16, contributing 40 tackles, 0.5 TFL’s, one interception and one PBU.

-- Washington owns a 6-3 spread record in nine games as a road favorite during Petersen’s first three years at the school. The Huskies are just 2-3 versus the number in five games as double-digit road ‘chalk’ under Petersen. This is their biggest road favorite spot since Petersen took over.

-- Rutgers limped to a 2-10 SU record and a 4-8 ATS mark in its first season under head coach Chris Ash, who came to RU after two seasons of serving as co-DC at Ohio State under Urban Meyer. The Scarlet Knights got their only wins of ’16 at home over Howard (52-14) and New Mexico (37-28). They finished the year on a nine-game losing streak, dropping six of those nine (and seven total) by double-digit margins, including losses of 58-0 at Ohio State, 78-0 vs. Michigan, 49-0 at Michigan State and 39-0 vs. Penn State. RU was -2,010 net yards for the season with a minus-five turnover margin.

-- Rutgers brings back six starters on offense and eight on defense. The new starting QB is Kyle Bolin, a grad transfer from Louisville who was stuck on the bench behind last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson. In three years at U of L that included six starts under center, Bolin completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,104 yards with a 13/10 TD-INT ratio.

-- Grant is RU’s best player who went down with a season-ending injury in the fourth game last year. He is a three-time All-Big Ten selection as a return specialist. Before getting injured in ’16, he had already produced 20 catches for 210 yards. Also, Grant had rushed for 138 yards and three TDs on just 16 attempts for an 8.6 YPC average. He also had two TDs on special teams.

-- When Bolin isn’t targeting Grant, his next-favorite target will be sophomore Jawuan Harris, who had a team-high 39 receptions for 481 yards and three TDs in ’16. RU also returns its leading rusher in senior Robert Martin, who had 625 yards for two TDs with a 5.2 YPC average.

-- After RU’s offense averaged an abysmal 15.7 PPG last season, Ash hired former Minnesota and No. Illinois head coach Jerry Kill as his new offensive coordinator. This is the eighth different OC at RU in eight years.

-- RU’s defense surrendered 37.5 PPG in ’16. This unit brings back its top two tacklers, junior LB Trevor Morris (102, 1 sack) and junior LB Deonte Roberts (95, 1 INT).

-- Fox Sports 1 will provide the telecast at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Utah State at Wisconsin**

-- As of Tuesday, most books had Wisconsin favored by 27.5 points with a total of 52. The Aggies were 35/1 on the money line at 5Dimes.eu (risk $100 to win $3,500).

-- Wisconsin finished ’16 with an 11-3 SU record and a stellar 10-3-1 ATS mark. The Badgers’ losses came against teams that were ranked second, fourth and eighth in the nation at the time. They covered the spread in losses at Michigan (14-7 as 10.5-point underdogs) and vs. Ohio State (30-23 in overtime as 10.5-point ‘dogs), and the other defeat came to Penn State (38-31) at the Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin had three victories over top-10 teams at the time they played, winning 30-6 at eighth-ranked Michigan State in Week 4. The Badgers also knocked off fifth-ranked LSU (16-14) in the season opener at Lambeau Field and beat seventh-ranked Nebraska 23-17 in overtime.

-- Wisconsin won a 24-16 decision over previously-undefeated and 12th-ranked Western Michigan at the Cotton Bowl, hooking up its backers as a 7.5-point favorite.

-- Paul Chryst’s team is 21-6 SU and 17-9-1 ATS since he took over for Gary Andersen in 2015. He was Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator from 2005-11 when the school set offensive records galore. Chryst was the head coach at Pitt from 2012-14, taking the Panthers to three bowl games while going 19-19.

-- Wisconsin owns a 5-4-1 spread record with one outright loss in nine games as a double-digit home favorite during Chryst’s tenure.

-- Wisconsin already lost All-American candidate Jack Cichy to a season-ending ACL tear a few weeks ago. In seven games before getting injured last season, Cichy had 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5.5 TFL’s, two PBU and three QB hurries. Now sophomore LB Zack Baun (foot) is out for the season. Baun had 15 tackles and 3.5 TFL’s last year. Reserve RB Taiwan Deal is out indefinitely with an ankle injury. Deal rushed 32 times for 164 yards last year, averaging 5.1 YPC.

-- Wisconsin returns eight starters on offense and six on defense. The defense gave up merely 15.6 PPG and had 34 sacks. This unit was led by rising junior LB T.J. Edwards, who produced 89 tackles, three sacks, 5.5 TFL’s, three interceptions, three QB hurries, two PBU and one forced fumble despite missing the first two games of the year. Senior safety D’Cota Dixon is another standout player, registering 60 tackles, four interceptions, four QB hurries, four PBU, one sack, 1.5 TFL’s, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in ’16.

-- As a redshirt freshman last year, Alex Hornibrook started nine games at QB. The southpaw completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 1,262 yards with a 9/7 TD-INT ratio. The Badgers are hoping he can make a big jump in improvement in ’17. Hornibrook will have his two favorite targets back, senior WR Jazz Peavy and senior TE Troy Fumagalli, a second-team All Big-Ten pick last season. Peavy had 43 receptions for 635 yards and five TDs, while Fumagalli hauled in 47 catches for 580 yards and two TDs.

-- Utah State missed out on the postseason last season for the first time since 2010. The Aggies finished a second straight campaign with a losing record after winning 19 games in the first two years of Matt Wells’s tenure. They went 4-8 ATS in ’16, going 1-3 ATS in four outings as road underdogs. Utah State is 5-9 versus the number in 14 games as a road ‘dog on Wells’s watch.

-- Utah State brings back 10 of 22 starters, five on each side of the ball. The Aggies went winless in six road assignments last season, limping to an atrocious 1-5 spread record.

-- Utah State led 14-3 at intermission in its last trip to Camp Randall in 2012. However, when the Aggies missed a short field goal on the game’s final play, Wisconsin won a 16-14 decision despite never threatening to cover as a 14-point home favorite. During that banner campaign, Utah State finished 11-2 with its lone defeats coming at Wisconsin and at BYU by a 6-3 score.

-- Utah State senior QB Kent Myers has started 25 career games. He has a 31/14 TD-INT ratio in those three seasons, but he only had 10 TD passes and eight interceptions during 12 starts in 2016. Myers completed a career-low 58.0 percent of his passes for 2,389 yards. Myers rushed for 449 yards and six TDs last season. Myers has his favorite target back in the mix. Ron’quavion Tarver had 46 catches for 602 yards and three TDs. Tonny Lindsey also returns after rushing for a team-best 763 yards and six TDs with a 5.2 YPC average.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- The Lane Kiffin Era in Boca Raton will get started Friday night when Florida Atlantic plays host to Navy at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU. As of Tuesday, most spots had the Midshipmen listed as a 10.5-point road ‘chalk’ with a total of 68.5 points. The Owls were +300 on the money line (risk $100 to win $300). Ken Niumatalolo’s squad went 9-5 both SU and ATS last year, ending the season on a three-game losing streak, including a 48-45 loss to La. Tech at the Armed Forces Bowl. The Middies took the cash, however, as seven-point underdogs against the Bulldogs. Navy brings back four starters on offense and eight on defense. FAU went 3-9 SU and 3-8-1 ATS in ’16. The Owls return nine starters on offense and eight on defense. WR Kalib Woods “is not on our football team,” according to recent remarks from Kiffin. Woods was arrested for his part in a fight during the summer and charged with two felony battery counts, though his lawyers have made a motion to have the charges dismissed. Woods led FAU with 68 catches for 934 yards and one TD in ’16.

-- Colorado and Colorado State will square off in Denver at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on the Pac-12 Network. According to recent reports, this rivalry will move back to being play on campus rather than in the Mile High City after this encounter. One reason for this is CSU’s new stadium that opened last Saturday with the Rams thumping Oregon State by a 58-27 count as 3.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 85 combined points soared ‘over’ the 60-point total. Nick Stevens threw for 334 yards and three TDs compared to just one interception. Michael Gallup had 11 receptions for 134 yards, while Tre Thomas had a 44-yard pick-six as one of five turnovers forced by the CSU defense. CSU has lost back-to-back games to Colorado and three of the last four, including a 44-6 beatdown in ’16. Mike MacIntyre’s squad is coming off a breakout campaign, as it won the Pac-12 South and finished with a 10-4 record. The Buffaloes return nine starters on offense and three on defense. As of Tuesday, most spots had the Buffaloes favored by 5.5 points with a total of 66. The Rams were +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).

-- Eastern Michigan is a 14-point home favorite vs. Charlotte for Friday’s 6:30 p.m. Eastern kick of a non-televised affair. The total is 57 points, while the 49ers are +450 to win outright.

-- As of Tuesday, Boston College was favored by three (with some extra -115 or -120 juice) or 3.5 for its opener at Northern Illinois. The total was in the 51-52 range. These schools met at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill in ’15, with BC capturing a 17-14 victory. However, the Huskies covered the number as five-point road underdogs. BC went 7-6 both SU and ATS last season and returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense. Keep an eye on the Eagles’ senior DE Harold Landry, a fourth-team All-American last year when he had 51 tackles, 16 sacks, 5.5 TFL’s, seven forced fumbles, seven QB hurries, four PBU and one interception. The Eagles are 3-4 ATS as road favorites during Steve Addazio’s tenure. NIU won at least 11 games in five consecutive seasons from 2010-14, but it has gone 8-6 and 5-7 over the last two campaigns. The Huskies, who are 0-2 ATS as home ‘dogs on Rod Carey’s watch, bring back five starters on offense and seven on defense. They lost four one-possession games in ’16. This game will kick at 9:30 p.m. Eastern on the CBS Sports College Network.

-- Baylor starting safeties Davion Hall and Henry Black have been injured since the start of training camp. Now sophomore CB Grayland Arnold is out for 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery Sunday on his broken arm. In addition, senior DB Travon Blanchard has transferred to Texas A&M-Commerce and will play right away. In fact, he practiced with the FCS Lions this past Friday and will play this week vs. North Alabama. Blanchard was a second-team All Big-12 selection last year when he recorded 73 tackles, 7.5 TFL’s, 1.5 sacks, five PBU, one interception and one QB hurry. And finally, RB Terrence Williams is out indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. Williams rushed for 1,048 yards and 11 TDs in ’16, averaging 5.7 YPC. Fortunately for the Bears, they open with cupcake home games vs. Liberty and UTSA.

[StarDust Bum]

CFB Aug/Sept Best Bets:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

08/31/2017 9-4-0 69.23% +23.00

08/26/2017 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50

Totals:..............14 - 9........60.86%....+20.50


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CHAR at EMU 06:30 PM

CHAR +14.0

U 59.5

WASH at RUTG 08:00 PM

RUTG +27.0

U 52.5

CSU at COLO 08:00 PM

CSU +3.5

NAVY at FAU 08:00 PM

NAVY -10.0

U 66.5

USU at WIS 09:00 PM

USU +27.5

BC at NIU 09:30 PM

NIU +4.0

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF

Friday, September 1

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Friday's NCAAF Game of the Day: Colorado State at Colorado
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Colorado State Rams at Colorado Buffaloes (-3.5, 66.5)

Fresh off one of the more surprising turnarounds of 2016, Colorado kicks off a new season Friday in its annual Rocky Mountain Showdown contest against Colorado State in Denver. The Rams, meanwhile, don’t look to be the 44-7 pushover they were a year ago in this matchup, having opened their season with a 58-27 thumping of the Pac-12’s Oregon State in Fort Collins on Saturday.

The Buffaloes jumped from 4-9 in 2015 to 10-4 a season ago, going 8-1 in conference play en route to the Pac-12 South Division title. The season, dubbed by the program as “The Rise,” didn’t exactly have a storybook ending, though, as Colorado was crushed by Washington 41-10 in the conference championship game and routed by Oklahoma State 38-8 in the Alamo Bowl. Entering 2017, the Buffaloes are predicted to finish fourth in South by conference media members, and coach Mike MacIntyre - winner of several 2016 national coach-of-the-year honors - says it’s on his team to quiet the "one-season wonder" chatter. “We have a lot to prove,” MacIntyre said last month during his Pac-12 Media Days news conference. “We’re still a team that people don’t believe in, and we’d like for people to believe in us. The only way you do that is put back-to-back (strong seasons) together, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network.

LINE HISTORY: Colorado opened as eight-point favorites and that number has been bet way down to -3.5. The total hit the betting boards at 66.5 and has yet to move.

INJURY REPORT:

Colorado State - OL Ben Knox (Doubtful, undisclosed), LB Deonte Clyburn (Out For Season, Calf), WR E.J. Scott (Out For Season, Knee), S Braylin Scott (Out Indefinitely, Personal)

Colorado - RB Kyle Evans (Probable, Hip), RB Donovan Lee (Out Indefinitely, Leg), WR Jaylon Jackson (Out For Season, Ankle), DB Anthony Julmisse (Out Indefinitely, Suspension)

ABOUT COLORADO (2016: 2016: 10-4 SU, 10-4 ATS, 5-9 O/U): Sophomore quarterback Steven Montez has the difficult task of replacing the school's all-time passing yards leader, Sefo Liufau, after throwing for 1,017 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions in 10 games (three starts) last season. He’ll have plenty of help with the Buffaloes returning their top four wide receivers, four starting offensive linemen and second-team All-Pac 12 tailback Phillip Lindsay, but there are questions on defense as Colorado must replace eight starters, including a trio of NFL draft picks in the secondary.

ABOUT COLORADO STATE (2016: 7-6 SU, 6-6-1 ATS, 7-6 O/U): The Rams opened their new and sold-out on-campus stadium in style Saturday, outscoring the visiting Beavers 34-7 in the second half. Quarterback Nick Stevens threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, the ground game produced 191 yards and three TDs and the defense forced five turnovers, which directly led to 27 of the Rams’ 57 points. Wide receiver Michael Gallup got a good start after his preseason All-Mountain West Conference First Team recognition, hauling in 11 passes for 134 yards to post his sixth straight 100-yard receiving performance dating to last season.

TRENDS:

* Rams are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.

* Under is 4-0 in Rams last 4 games in September.

* Under is 8-2 in Buffaloes last 10 games overall.

* Under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The home chalk Buffaloes are picking up 61 percent of the action from Covers users and the Over is picking up 62 percent of the totals wagers.