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

[StarDust Bum]

CFB Ocotber's Best Bets & Opinions ( All Best Bets Based On 5 Units Per Play )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/20/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
10/19/2017 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
10/14/2017 36-24-0 60.00% +48.00
10/13/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
10/12/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/11/2017 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
10/07/2017 19-32-1 36.73% -80.50
10/06/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
10/05/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/04/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Total..............66 - 68........49.25%%.....- 18.50


Best Bets:*****
Best Bets :........................ATS............TOTALS.... .............O/U................TOTALS

10/20/2017......................2 - 0............+10.00..................1 - 2.................-6.00
10/19/2017......................1 - 1.............-0.50....................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/14/2017.....................16- 9.............+30.50.................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/13/2017......................2 - 0.............+10.00.................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/11/2017......................0 - 1..............-5.50...................0 - 1.................-5.50
10/07/2017.....................11 - 15..........- 27.50..................0 - 3................-16.50
10/06/2017......................2 - 1.............+1.75...................3 - 1................+9.50
10/05/2017......................1 - 0.............+5.00...................1 - 0................+5.00
10/04/2017......................0 - 1..............-5.50...................1 - 0................+5.00

Totals..........................37 - 28............+18.25..................9 - 10.................-10.00

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Week 8 NCAAF Top 25 betting cheat sheet and odds

No. 2 Penn State begins the most difficult portion of its schedule Saturday night when it hosts a Michigan team looking to prove it belongs among the Big Ten elites.

Maryland Terrapins at (5) Wisconsin Badgers (-24.5, 50.5)

* Third-string quarterback Max Bortenschlager has completed 48.7 percent of his passes for 425 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in three games as starter. Maryland has converted 29.5 percent of third-down situations, 122nd in the nation.

* Badgers QB Alex Hornibrook has three passing touchdowns and five interceptions over his last three games. Only TCU and Oklahoma State have converted third downs at a better rate than Wisconsin (54.1 percent).

LINE HISTORY: The Big Ten West-leading Badgers opened as 24-point home chalk and has been bumped up to 24.5. The total opened at 52.5 and has been bet down to 50.5.

TRENDS:

* Terrapins are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.

* Over is 6-1 in Terrapins last 7 games overall.

* Over is 6-1 in Badgers last 7 conference games.

(11) Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Longhorns (+7, 65)

* The Sooners are the only Division I team averaging more than 400 passing yards per game; since 2011, only Washington State (2014) and Texas Tech (2016) have achieved the feat. The Oklahoma State defense has held FBS foes to 4.8 yards per play.

* The Longhorns have converted just 74.1 percent of their red-zone drives into points, ranking 110th in the nation in that category. Texas is one of three Division I schools to have scored four defensive touchdowns to date.

LINE HISTORY: The Longhorns hit the board as seven-point home dogs at most books and briefly went up as high as 7.5 before returning to the opening number. The total hit the betting board at 65.5 and has been bet down to an even 65.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in Cowboys last 6 road games.

* Under is 6-0 in Longhorns last 6 games following a straight up loss.

* Cowboys are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Texas.

* Road team is 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

North Carolina Tar Heels at (14) Virginia Tech Hokies (-21, 51.5)

* The Tar Heels have made good on just 29.5 percent of their third-down chances, better than only five other Division I schools. North Carolina QBs Chazz Surratt and Brandon Harris have combined to throw nine interceptions, 13th-most nationally.

* Opposing FBS quarterbacks have completed just 46.3 percent of their passes against the Hokies' vaunted defense - the second-best rate in the country. Virginia Tech has controlled the football 57.3 percent of the time, good for eighth in Division !.

LINE HISTORY: Virginia Tech opened as massive 22-point home faves for this ACC showdown and at most books the number has been dropped to 21. The total hit the betting board at 51.5 and has yet to move off the opening number.

TRENDS:

* Tar Heels are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 conference games.

* Under is 8-0 in Tar Heels last 8 games in October.

* Under is 13-3 in Hokies last 16 games following a bye week.

* Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Virginia Tech.

* Tar Heels are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

Tennessee Volunteers at (1) Alabama Crimson Tide (-36, 51)

* The Volunteers allow an average of 242.8 rushing yards per game - eighth-most in Division I - but have surrendered just 12 rushing scores through six games. Tennessee RB John Kelly has two scores in five games since his four-TD season opener.

* FBS opponents are averaging a paltry 0.154 points per play against the Crimson Tide, the second-lowest scoring rate in the country. Alabama is also one of only six schools to have thrown no more than one interception so far this season.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers installed Bama as 34-point home chalk but bettors have pushed the line up as high as 36 at some shops. The total opened at 50.5 and is up slightly to 51.

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

* Over is 9-2 in Volunteers last 11 vs. a team with a winning record.

* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Indiana Hoosiers at (19) Michigan State Spartans (-6.5, 46)

* The Hoosiers rank inside the top-30 nationally in penalties per game (5.2) while drawing more than eight flags per contest from their opponents. Indiana's 4.7 yards-per-play average in FBS games ranks 110th in Division I.

* The Spartans have surrendered just six sacks for a loss of 26 yards through their first six games. QB Brian Lewerke has just 214 total passing yards with one touchdown and an interception over his last two outings.

LINE HISTORY: The Spartans opened as 7.5-point home faves and money quickly came in on the Hoosiers driving that line as low as -6, but since the line has come back up to MSU -6.5. The total hit the board at 44.5 and was bet up as high as 46.5, before settling at an even 46.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Michigan State.

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

* Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

* Hoosiers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Michigan State.

(20) Central Florida Knights at Navy Midshipman (+7.5, 65)

* The Knights average an NCAA-best 50.4 points per game; no team has finished the year with an average above 50 since 2013. UCF is one of only three Division I teams averaging at least 10 penalty flags per game.

* Seven different players have recorded at least one rushing score for the Midshipmen. Navy has converted 39 of 80 third-down opportunities in 2017, good for a 48.8-percent success rate that ranks 10th nationally.

LINE HISTORY: The Knights hit the betting board as 6.5 road chalk and bettors pushed that line as high as 8 before it faded back to 7.5. The total opened at 66 and remained there most of the week before dropping to 65 Thursday afternoon.

TRENDS:

* Knights are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

* Under is 6-1 in Knights last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.

* Under is 4-1 in Knights last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

* Under is 4-1 in Midshipmen last 5 conference games.

Syracuse Orangeman at (7) Miami Hurricanes (-17, 59.5)

* Opponents are a stunning 22-for-92 on third downs against the Orange; only Michigan and Georgia Tech have lower opponent success rates. QB Eric Dungey has accounted for 20 touchdowns, nine of those coming over his last three games.

* The Hurricanes have scored points on 21 of their 22 red-zone opportunities, the seventh-best success rate in the nation. The Miami defense averages 3.4 sacks per contest, fifth-most in Division I.

LINE HISTORY: Most oddsmakers opened with the U as 14.5 home faves and public money came in on the home team pushing that number as high as 17, where it currently sits. The total started out at 57.5 and has also been driven up settling at 59.5.

TRENDS:

* Hurricanes are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.

* Under is 9-1 in Orange last 10 conference games.

* Under is 5-1 in Hurricanes last 6 games overall.

* Favorite is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

(9) Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas State Wildcats (+14, 54)

* Sooners QB Baker Mayfield has thrown for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns in five of six games this season and has tossed for multiple TDs in 20 straight games overall. Oklahoma has allowed opponents to score points on 95 percent of red-zone visits.

* The Wildcats are one of eight Division I teams to convert fewer than 30 percent of their third-down opportunities (29.6). The Kansas State defense averages 1.5 sacks through six games, ranking just inside the top-100 in Division I.

LINE HISTORY: The Sooners opened as 12.5 road chalk and that number wasn’t high enough for bettors as the line was quickly raised to 14, where it has remained since Tuesday. The total opened at 59 briefly inched up to 60 and since then money has been coming in on the under, dropping the total to 54.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

* Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Kansas State.

* Sooners are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings in Kansas State.

* Road team is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.

(13) South Florida Bulls at Tulane Green Wave (+11.5, 54)

* The Bulls have scored 30+ points in 23 consecutive games, the nation's longest streak since 1936. South Florida ranks first in Division I in interceptions (15), second in turnovers forced (18) and third in run defense (77.8 yards per game).

* The Green Wave have rushed for 100 or more yards in 21 straight contests, and have accumulated 190 or more yards on the ground in all six games this season. Tulane has lost just four turnovers, fifth-fewest in the nation.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened Tulane as 11.5-point home dogs, that number briefly rose to 12.5 before returning to the opening number and has remained there. The total opened at 54 and has yet to move.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

* Green Wave are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

* Under is 5-1 in Green Wave last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.

(25) Louisiana State Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels (+7, 59.5)

* Tigers QB Danny Etling has exceeded 200 passing yards in a game twice this season after doing it seven times in 2016. The LSU defense has forced six turnovers on the season, ranking outside the top 100 nationally.

* The Rebels have turned red-zone visits into points at a 91.8-percent clip, good for 22nd in the country. QB Shea Patterson has thrown for six TDs and zero interceptions in his past two games after being picked off six times in his previous three games.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers hit the board as 7-point road faves and the number dipped to 6.5 early in the week before bouncing back up to 7, where it sits. The total hit the boards at 59.5 and has remained there all week.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

* Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings.

* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

(15) Michigan Wolverines at (2) Penn State Nittany Lions (-9.5, 44)

* The Wolverines have been the stingiest team in the nation when it comes to third-down conversions, limiting opponents to a 20.2-percent success rate. Michigan also ranks ninth in the country in red-zone scoring success rate at 94.4 percent.

* The Nittany Lions are the only team in Division I allowing fewer than 10 points per game. Penn State ranks second in the nation in both total turnover margin (plus-12) and turnover margin per contest (plus-2.0).

LINE HISTORY: The undefeated Nittany Lions opened as 9.5 home chalk against their Big 10 rivals, money on the home team pushed the line briefly to double digits before it returned to the opening number. The total opened at 42 and within hours was bet up to 44.5, it has since faded back to 43.5 as of Friday afternoon.

TRENDS:

* Nittany Lions are 13-1-2 ATS in their last 16 games overall.

* Over is 9-2 in Wolverines last 11 road games.

* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

* Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

(10) USC Trojans at (16) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3, 65.5)

* Trojans QB Sam Darnold has thrown for three or more touchdowns in four of his previous five games. Opponents have converted red-zone opportunities into points against the Trojans just 64 percent of the time, the sixth-best rate in Division I.

* The Fighting Irish rank second in the nation in yards per carry (6.9), while four different players have four or more rushing scores. FBS opponents have been flagged an average of 8.7 times against Notre Dame, the fifth-highest rate in the country.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Irish as 4-point home faves, money has been coming in on the Trojans all week and the line dropped to a field goal. The total hit the board at 60 and the over was pounded up as high as 66, before fading to 65.5, where it currently sits.

TRENDS:

* Trojans are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

* Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

(21) Auburn Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks (+15.5, 52.5)

* The Tigers are one of only 20 teams in the nation to have thrown two or fewer interceptions on the season. Auburn ranks 11th in penalties per game (4.3) and 16th in penalty yards per contest (39.3).

* Freshman QB Cole Kelley could make his second straight start with Austin Allen's status up in the air; Allen is nursing a shoulder injury that could sideline him another couple of weeks. The Razorbacks have surrendered 18 sacks in six games.

LINE HISTORY: The Razorbacks opened with some books at 13 and money coming in on the visiting Tigers has pushed the line up to 15.5. The total started out around 54.5 and has been bet down as low as 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-0 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.

* Razorbacks are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.

* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

(23) West Virginia Mountaineers at Baylor Bears (+9, 67)

* Opponents have converted 77.8 percent of fourth-down plays against the Mountaineers; only six teams have fared worse. The West Virginia defense has generated just seven sacks on the season.

* The Bears are one of only six Division I teams surrendering more than 500 total yards on the season. WRs Denzel Mims (seven) and Chris Platt (five) have accounted for all 12 of Baylor's receiving touchdowns to date.

LINE HISTORY: Baylor opened as high as 10.5 home dogs but the line has come down as low as +8.5 at some shops. Most books have the line at 9. The first book to open the total set it at 72.5, money on the under has driven that number as low as 67.

TRENDS:

* Mountaineers are 14-2 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

* Bears are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

* Over is 6-0 in Mountaineers last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.

Kansas Jayhawks at (4) TCU Horned Frogs (-39, 59.5)

* The Jayhawks are one of only two NCAA teams surrendering an average of six or more touchdowns per game. QB Peyton Bender has thrown at least one interception in all six games, and has just four TD passes over his previous five contests.

* The Horned Frogs own the nation's best third-down conversion rate at 56.7 percent. Eighteen different TCU players have caught at least one pass this season, while 10 players have accounted for the team's 13 touchdown receptions.

LINE HISTORY: The Horned Frogs opened as massive 37.5-home chalk and that wasn’t high enough as bettors pushed the line as high as 39 at some books. After opening as high as 60.5, the total is available at most books at 59.5.

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 0-11 ATS in their last 11 home games.

* Underdog is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Colorado Buffaloes at (18) Washington State Cougars (-10, 52.5)

* Buffaloes RB Phillip Lindsay has at least one rushing score in each of his first seven games, and has reached the end zone five times over his previous two outings. Colorado ranks tied for 30th in red-zone conversion rate at 88.9 percent.

* The Cougars have attempted a Division I-high 364 passes and rank third in passing yards per game (380.9). Only three teams have turned the ball over more often than Washington State, which has 16 turnovers through seven outings.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Cougars as high as 10.5-point home faves against their PAC-12 rivals and has been bet down as low as 9.5, with most books having the game at -10. The total opened at 56.5 and has been bet down to 52.5.

TRENDS:

* Buffaloes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 conference games.

* Under is 6-1 in Buffaloes last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.

* Under is 5-0-1 in Cougars last 6 games following a straight up loss.

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF

Saturday, October 21

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCAAF Game of the Day: Michigan at Penn State
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Nittany Lions have won 14 straight regular-season games since a 49-10 loss to the Wolverines at Ann Arbor last season. This year Penn State is a 9.5-point fave.

Michigan Wolverines at Penn State Nittany Lions (-9.5, 43)

No. 2 Penn State begins the most difficult portion of its schedule Saturday night when it hosts a Michigan team looking to prove it belongs among the Big Ten elites. The 15th-ranked Wolverines are enduring a sluggish stretch that includes a home loss to Michigan State and an overtime win against East Division doormat Indiana, and they hope to hang around against a dominant Nittany Lions crew that's coming off a bye week.

"We're 11-point underdogs. I think we've only been beaten (by that many) in the (coach Jim Harbaugh) era one time," Michigan senior defensive lineman Chase Winovich told reporters. "It's just something we have to prove to ourselves and to the world. And for the season, it's tough to win the Big Ten with two losses." Penn State is coming off back-to-back routs of Indiana and Northwestern, but faces a daunting three-week run that also includes visits to No. 6 Ohio State and No. 19 Michigan State. The Nittany Lions have won 14 straight regular-season games since a 49-10 loss at Ann Arbor a year ago in which the Wolverines posted a 515-191 advantage in total yards - including 326-70 on the ground. "Yeah, was that loss a factor in what happened after that loss and how we moved forward, how we approached it? Yeah," Penn State coach James Franklin told reporters. "But I would say every win before, our current win streak, was a factor. Every loss was a factor. We learn, we grow."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.

LINE HISTORY: The Nittany Lions opened this Big Ten matchup as 10-point home chalk at most shops and they've been bet down slightly to -9.5. The total hit the board at 42 and was bet down to 41 and then as high as 45. It's been mostly Under money since then, with the total currently at 43.

INJURY REPORT:

Michigan - TE N. Eubanks (Questionable Saturday, head), DL L. Vilain (Questionable Saturday, lower body), WR O. Martin (Questionable Saturday, upper body), WR N. Schoenle (Questionable Saturday, foot), DL R. Gary (Questionable Saturday, arm), QB W. Speight (Out indefinitely, back), WR T. Black (Out indefintiely, foot), OL G. Newsome (Out indefinitely, knee), D. Jeter (Out for season, lower body).

Penn State - OL A. Nelson (Questionable Saturday, undisclosed), DE T. Brown (Out for season, knee), CB J. Reid (Out for season, knee).

ABOUT MICHIGAN (5-1, 2-3-1 ATS, 2-3-1 O/U): The Wolverines rank 11th in the Big Ten in passing offense and senior John O'Korn has struggled since taking over the starting job from the injured Wilton Speight. "I need to pick it up. There's no way around it," O'Korn - who has zero touchdowns, three interceptions and a completion percentage of 47.3 over the last two weeks - told reporters. Michigan's top three rushers - Ty Isaac, Karan Higdon and Chris Evans - combined for 211 yards and four TDs in last year's rout of Penn State.

ABOUT PENN STATE (6-0, 4-1-1 ATS, 1-5 O/U): Stars like running back Saquon Barkley (Big Ten-leading 1,302 all-purpose yards) and quarterback Trace McSorley (Big Ten-leading 266.2 passing yards per game) get most of the headlines, but the Nittany Lions' defense is gaining more credit with every week and tops the country with an average of nine points allowed. "I think a lot of it is experience," Franklin said of his defense. "They always had the raw material to work with in terms of intelligence and body time and quickness and strength and power and explosion, things like that. But they played a lot of reps. With reps comes experience, and with experience comes confidence. That's kind of where we're at." Linebacker Jason Cabinda leads the way with 40 tackles and defensive end Shaka Toney has three of the team's 17 sacks and two of its nine forced fumbles.

TRENDS:

* Penn State is 13-1-2 ATS in its last 16 games overall.
* Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 9-2 in Michigan's last 11 road games.
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Penn State.

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TLSA at CONN 12:00 PM
CONN +3.5
O 77.0

ISU at TTU 12:00 PM
ISU +7.0 *****

PUR at RUTG 12:00 PM
PUR -9.5

MD at WIS 12:00 PM
O 50.5 *****

AKR at TOL 12:00 PM
O 59.0

IOWA at NW 12:00 PM
IOWA +3.0

TEM at ARMY 12:00 PM
ARMY -7.5 *****

OKST at TEX 12:00 PM
TEX +7.0 *****

IDHO at MIZZ 12:00 PM
MIZZ -14.5

LOU at FSU 12:00 PM
LOU +6.5 *****

PITT at DUKE 12:20 PM
PITT +8.0

BC at UVA 12:30 PM
BC +7.0 *****

[StarDust Bum]

Afternoon games

WMU at EMU 02:00 PM
EMU +2.5

NIU at BGSU 02:00 PM
NIU -14.0*****

KENT at OHIO 02:00 PM
O 47.0

TROY at GSU 02:00 PM
GSU +9.5 *****

BUFF at M-OH 02:30 PM
M-OH -3.0

CMU at BALL 03:00 PM
BALL +3.0

ILL at MINN 03:30 PM
MINN -13.5

UCF at NAVY 03:30 PM
UCF -7.5 *****

ASU at UTAH 03:30 PM
UTAH -10.0 *****

SYR at MIA 03:30 PM
SYR +17.5

IND at MSU 03:30 PM
IND +6.5
U 47.5 *****

TENN at ALA 03:30 PM
TENN +36.5

CCAR at APP 03:30 PM
APP -23.5

UNC at VT 03:30 PM
UNC +20.0 *****
O 52.5

GASO at MASS 03:30 PM
MASS -7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Late Afternoon Games:

UK at MSST 04:00 PM
UK +12.0

SMU at CIN 04:00 PM
CIN +6.0 *****

OKLA at KSU 04:00 PM
OKLA -14.0 *****

ORE at UCLA 04:00 PM
UCLA -6.0 *****

ULM at USA 05:00 PM
USA -4.5

UNT at FAU 05:00 PM
UNT +3.5

USU at UNLV 06:00 PM
UNLV -3.5 *****

UAB at CHAR 06:30 PM
CHAR +7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Evening Best Bets:

BYU at ECU 07:00 PM
ECU +6.0
O 56.5 *****

SOMIS at LT 07:00 PM
SOMIS -1.0

USF at TULN 07:00 PM
TULN +11.0 *****

RICE at UTSA 07:00 PM
UTSA -20.0

LSU at MISS 07:15 PM
MISS +6.5 *****

MICH at PSU 07:30 PM
PSU -7.5 *****

USC at ND 07:30 PM
ND -4.0

WAKE at GT 07:30 PM
GT -4.0 *****

AUB at ARK 07:30 PM
AUB -15.5 *****

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

WVU at BAY 08:00 PM
BAY +10.0 *****

KU at TCU 08:00 PM
KU +37.5

ARIZ at CAL 08:00 PM
CAL +3.5 *****

WYO at BSU 10:15 PM
WYO +14.5
O 45.0

FRES at SDSU 10:30 PM
FRES +7.5 *****
U 51.0 *****

COLO at WSU 10:45 PM
WSU -10.0

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 roundup: No. 1 Alabama rolls past Tennessee
October 21, 2017

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Heisman Trophy candidate Saquon Barkley scored three touchdowns as No. 2 Penn State routed No. 19 Michigan 42-13 on Saturday night.

Barkley scored on runs of 69 and 15 yards in the first quarter, and a 42-yard reception from Trace McSorley with 13:11 left in the game.

The national leader in all-purpose yards per game when play began (217.0), Barkley finished with 176 yards -- 108 yards on 15 rushes, 53 on three receptions and a 15-yard kickoff return.

McSorley, who ran 11 times for 76 yards and three touchdowns, clicked on 17 of 26 passes for 282 yards and the score to Barkley. He was also intercepted once.

Playing before a Beaver Stadium-record crowd of 110,823, the Lions (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) piled up a 506-269 yardage advantage despite facing a team that began the night allowing an FBS-best 223.8 yards a game.

Michigan fell to 5-2, 2-2 in the Big Ten.

No. 1 Alabama 45, Tennessee 7

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama recorded nearly 500 more yards than the Volunteers and extended its winning streak over Tennessee to 11 straight games.

The Crimson Tide's stingy defense allowed only 108 total yards and held redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, making his second career start, to 44 yards on 9-of-16 passing. He was intercepted once as Alabama held Tennessee's offense scoreless.

The Crimson Tide's balanced offense rolled to 604 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground.

Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) led 21-0 at halftime as the Volunteers (3-4, 0-4) remained winless in conference play.

No. 4 TCU 43, Kansas 0

Quarterback Kenny Hill threw for five touchdowns and 278 yards as the Horned Frog shut out overmatched Kansas in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hill completed 19 of 26 passes for the Horned Frogs (7-0, 4-0 Big 12), while the Jayhawks (1-6, 0-4) never came close to scoring in suffering their 44th straight road loss, dating back to 2009.

They started the fourth quarter with minus-6 yards of offense and needed a late surge to finish with 21 total yards. Kansas picked up four first downs for the night, two via penalty.

The game was played with a mostly continuous running clock for the last 12 minutes in order to finish it before a cell of severe thunderstorms hit the area.

No. 5 Wisconsin 38, Maryland 13

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin freshman running back Jonathan Taylor rushed 22 times for 126 yards and one touchdown and also had a 24-yard reception as the Badgers (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) earned their best start since a 7-0 mark in 2004.

Taylor has 144 carries for 1,012 yards and 11 touchdowns, tying the FBS freshman record for fewest games to reach the 1,000-yard milestone. He joined Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, Adrian Peterson, Jamario Thomas and P.J. Hill as freshmen to hit the 1,000-yard mark in seven games. Maryland drops to 3-4, 1-3.

No. 8 Miami 27, Syracuse 19

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their 11th straight game, beating the Orange (4-4, 2-2), who had upset Clemson last week.

An 85-yard touchdown drive that started with less than five minutes remaining clinched the win for Miami.

Quarterback Malik Rosier passed for 344 yards and two touchdowns, and Miami's defense intercepted Orange quarterback Eric Dungey four times.

No. 9 Oklahoma 42, Kansas State 35

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Rodney Anderson scored on a 22-yard touchdown run with seven seconds left to give the Sooners (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) the victory.

Oklahoma rallied from a 21-7 deficit to capture the win over the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3).

Kansas State tied the score 35-35 when Alex Delton threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Zuber with 2:25 remaining.

But Baker Mayfield led the Sooners on a 76-yard march to win the game.

No. 10 Oklahoma State 13, Texas 10 (OT)

AUSTIN, Texas -- Oklahoma State safety Ramon Richards intercepted a pass from Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger in the end zone in overtime to provide the Cowboys with the win.

Oklahoma State (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) took the lead in overtime with a 34-yard field goal by Matt Ammendola, who missed from 29 yards late in regulation. Texas (3-4, 2-2), in field goal range to tie the game at the Cowboys' 6, got greedy as Ehlinger tried to lob a pass to Jerrod Heard that was intercepted, ending the game.

No. 13 Notre Dame 49, No. 11 USC 14

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Running back Josh Adams and quarterback Brandon Wimbush led another impressive Notre Dame rushing attack in the rout of USC.

Adams (19 carries, 191 yards) and Wimbush (14 carries, 106 yards) combined for five touchdowns. It marked the fourth time this season Notre Dame has had multiple players rush for at least 100 yards.

Notre Dame (6-1) gashed USC (6-2) for 377 yards on the ground, well above the Trojans' defensive average of 146.7 rushing yards allowed entering the game. The Fighting Irish outgained USC 497-336.

USC quarterback Sam Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 229 yards, two touchdowns and one interception before giving way to reserve Matt Fink for much of the fourth quarter.

No. 14 Virginia Tech 59, North Carolina 7

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech set school records for points and margin of victory in an ACC game while becoming bowl eligible for the 25th straight season.

The Hokies (6-1, 2-1 ACC) scored on offense, defense and special teams while dispatching the Tar Heels (1-7, 0-5) for the 11th time in 14 meetings as ACC opponents.

Virginia Tech forced three turnovers, recorded six sacks and had 13 tackles for loss.

No. 16 South Florida 34, Tulane 28

NEW ORLEANS -- Quarterback Quinton Flowers accounted for 265 yards from scrimmage, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as South Florida held off a 21-point Tulane second-half rally.

USF (7-0, 4-0 AAC) is off to its best start in school history and extended the nation's longest active winning streak to 12 games.

The Bulls scored at least 30 points for an FBS-record 24th consecutive game, surpassing the 23-game streak posted by Chip Kelly's Oregon teams in 2011-12.

Flowers threw for 127 yards, completing 10-of-24 passes, and ran for 138 yards on 13 carries.

No. 18 Michigan State 17, Indiana 9

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The Spartans (6-1, 5-0 Big Ten) trailed most of the game but scored two touchdowns over the final 5:59 to earn the win and reclaim the Old Brass Spittoon.

Indiana (3-4, 0-4) led 9-3 entering the fourth quarter but has now lost to four ranked teams in conference play.

Michigan State finally found the end zone with 5:59 remaining on a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Lewerke to wide receiver Felton Davis to put the Spartans ahead 10-9.

No. 20 Central Florida 31, Navy 21

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Adrian Killins Jr. ran 15 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns, and McKenzie Milton threw for one score in the Knights' victory.

The Knights (6-0, 4-0 AAC), who were 0-12 in 2015, are off to the best start in school history. Navy had won 17 games in a row at home.

Navy (5-2, 3-2) was led by quarterback Zach Abey, who ran 25 times for 126 yards. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in eight straight games, a school record. But Abey was shaken up on a run with 11:16 left in the third quarter. He left the game and didn't return.

No. 21 Auburn 52, Arkansas 20

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Junior running backs Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson rushed for a combined 153 yards and four touchdowns as Auburn bounced back from a disappointing road loss last week at LSU.

Auburn piled up 629 yards of total offense and scored touchdowns on five of its seven second-half possessions to break the game open after leading 17-6 at halftime.

Pettway rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers.

Arkansas quarterback Cole Kelley, a redshirt freshman who made his second consecutive of start of injured senior Austin Allen, completed 15 of 26 passes for 163 yards. Kelley was sacked six times and fumbled the ball away twice.

No. 23 West Virginia 38, Baylor 36

WACO, Texas -- West Virginia let a 25-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter, but still won.

Quarterback Will Grier passed for 375 yards and five touchdowns and the Mountaineers came up with a crucial late defensive play.

Baylor backup quarterback Charlie Brewer passed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, all in the fourth quarter. He hit running back Trestan Ebner for a 9-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left, bringing the Bears (0-7, 0-4 Big 12) within a two-point conversion.

But West Virginia linebacker Xavier Preston sacked Brewer on the two-point attempt, preserving the win for West Virginia (5-2, 3-1).

No. 24 LSU 40, Mississippi 24

LSU running back Derrius Guice rushed for 276 yards on 22 carries to lead the Tigers to victory in Oxford, Miss.

Guice holds the school record with 285 yards, achieved last year against Texas A&M. He is the first running back in SEC history to rush for more than 250 yards in at least three games.

It was a sweet win for LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who was the Rebels coach from 2005 to 2007.

LSU (6-2, 3-1 SEC) has won three consecutive games since losing its homecoming contest to Troy on Sept. 30.

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Saturday's best
October 21, 2017

STARS

-Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma, threw for 410 yards and accounted for four TDs to help the No. 9 Sooners rally for a wild 42-35 victory over Kansas State.

-Derrius Guice, LSU, ran for 276 yards and a TD to lead the No. 24 Tigers over Mississippi 40-24.

-Kenny Hill, TCU, matched his career high with five TD passes and threw for 278 yards in three quarters of the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs' 43-0 victory over Kansas.

-Darrin Hall, Pittsburgh, rushed for career highs of 254 yards and three TDs, including the go-ahead 4-yard score with 10:48 to play, to help the Panthers upset Duke 24-17.

-Drew Lock, Missouri, threw for 467 yards and six TDs in the Tigers' 68-21 win over Idaho.

-Logan Woodside, Toledo, threw for 304 yards and five TDs in a 48-21 victory over Akron.

-Anthony Lawrence, San Diego, threw a career-high six TD passes in a 63-10 win over Jacksonville.

-Jeremi Briscoe, Sam Houston State, threw for 371 yards and had four TD passes in the first half in a 63-27 victory over Lamar.

-James Robinson, Illinois State, ran for a career-high 193 yards and two TDs in a 37-21 win over South Dakota.

-Lorenzo Lee Nunez, Southeastern Louisiana, accounted for four TDs before sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a 56-21 win over Abilene Christian.

-TaQuon Marshall, Georgia Tech, ran for 163 yards and two long TDs, including a 70-yarder with 1:57 remaining that clinched a 38-24 victory over Wake Forest.

-Taylor Lamb, Appalachian State, set the school career record for touchdown passes and threw for 427 yards to help the Mountaineers beat Coastal Carolina 37-29.

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IRISH CRUSH TROJANS

Notre Dame turned its annual rivalry game with Southern California into a laugher.

Brandon Wimbush passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more, Josh Adams added three touchdown runs and No. 13 Notre Dame took advantage of three turnovers by No. 11 USC to win 49-14.

The Fighting Irish turned all three USC turnovers into touchdowns, giving them their first victory against USC when the Trojans were ranked since a 38-10 victory in 1995. The turnovers came on a fumble and interception by Sam Darnold and a dropped punt by Jack Jones as Notre Dame posted a surprisingly easy victory in this long and storied series that dates to 1926, opening up a 28-0 lead at the half.

Adams had an 84-yard touchdown run and finished with 191 yards on 19 carries. Wimbush ran for 106 yards on 14 carries as the Irish amassed 377 yards on the ground.

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TIDE ROLL IN SECOND HALF

Alabama went into halftime up by three touchdowns and not particularly happy.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide was in a better mood after finishing off a 45-7 victory over Tennessee, setting off the rivalry's traditional lighting of celebratory cigars throughout Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Bo Scarbrough had two fourth-down touchdown runs and Alabama improved to 11-0 in the Third Saturday in October game under coach Nick Saban. Being up ''only'' 21-0 at halftime didn't cost the Tide.

The stat sheet indicated it was more of a wire-to-wire domination. Alabama outgained Tennessee 604-108 in total yards even with reserves manning the offensive backfield most of the second half.

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NUMBERS

21-Straight completions to start the game by Princeton's Chad Kanoff in a 52-17 win over Harvard.

22-Players in FBS history with 5,000 career yards rushing after Oregon's Royce Freeman eclipsed the mark.

44-Straight true road losses by Kansas, matching an 81-year NCAA record set by Western State of Colorado.

83-Years since Columbia last won seven straight games before this season.

600-Wins as a program by Bucknell .

804-Yards by Florida Atlantic in a 69-31 downing of North Texas, breaking the Conference-USA record .

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MONTANA TECH SCORES 93

Jed Fike rushed for 250 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries in the first half alone, and NAIA's Montana Tech had 932 total yards in a 93-19 victory over Montana State-Northern.

The total yards easily topped Montana Tech's record of 679, also against MSU-Northern on Oct. 22, 2016. The Orediggers' previous scoring high was 64 points against Rocky Mountain in 1981. Montana Tech's 13 touchdowns also set a school mark, previously at nine TDs in 2016.

The Orediggers jumped out to a 66-0 lead by halftime. Fike had scores of 7, 37, 52, and 68 yards.

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CFB Ocotber's Best Bets & Opinions ( All Best Bets Based On 5 Units Per Play )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/21/2017 34-22-0 60.71% +49.00
10/20/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
10/19/2017 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
10/14/2017 36-24-0 60.00% +48.00
10/13/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
10/12/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/11/2017 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
10/07/2017 19-32-1 36.73% -80.50
10/06/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50
10/05/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
10/04/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Total..............66 - 68........49.25%%.....- 18.50


Best Bets:*****
Best Bets :........................ATS............TOTALS.... .............O/U................TOTALS

10/21/2017.....................15 - 7............+36.50................3 - 1.................+9.50
10/20/2017......................2 - 0............+10.00..................1 - 2.................-6.00
10/19/2017......................1 - 1.............-0.50....................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/14/2017.....................16- 9.............+30.50.................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/13/2017......................2 - 0.............+10.00.................1 - 1.................-0.50
10/11/2017......................0 - 1..............-5.50...................0 - 1.................-5.50
10/07/2017.....................11 - 15..........- 27.50..................0 - 3................-16.50
10/06/2017......................2 - 1.............+1.75...................3 - 1................+9.50
10/05/2017......................1 - 0.............+5.00...................1 - 0................+5.00
10/04/2017......................0 - 1..............-5.50...................1 - 0................+5.00

Totals..........................52 - 35............+54.75..................12 - 11..............-0.50

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Monday’s List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Sunday

Titans 12, Browns 9 OT— Not a great week for offense; seven teams failed to score an offensive TD, five others scored only one TD on offense. Total yardage in this game: 284-269 Browns, but they threw three INTs and Kizer was benched again, this time for Cody Kessler. At one point, Cleveland declined a face mask penalty on the Titans, leaving Tennessee with a 4th-and-1, but then the Browns jumped offside, which led to a Titan FG, which was the margin of victory.

Memo to the Ivy League nitwit who runs the Browns: Draft a bleeping quarterback!!!!

Jaguars 27, Colts 0— Total yardage was 518-232 Jaguars- they were -2 in turnovers and still jogged to an easy win, running ball for 188 yards. Colts have been outscored 134-44 in second half of game; now that Andrew Luck has had a setback and may not return this year, hard to imagine Chuck Pagano won’t get fired. Jaguars averaged 11.8 yards per pass attempt.

Steelers 29, Bengals 14— Game was 14-14 with 7:12 left in the half; from that point on, Steelers had ball seven times, kicked five FGs and won going away. Pittsburgh ran a really cool fake punt, snapping ball to the up-back, who passed the ball to the gunner on the right sideline— never saw that play before. Steelers scored only 38 points on their last 11 red zone drives, a red flag. Cincy is 1-6 vs spread in last seven games as a road underdog.

Vikings 24, Ravens 16—- Baltimore lost 4 of its last 5 games after a 2-0 start; they scored total of five TDs on 56 drives in those games. Stuff I read on the Internet this week from knowledgeable NFL writers blamed the Raven WR’s, not Flacco— I blame whoever hired Marty Mornhinweg as offensive coordinator— the guy is awful. Vikings are now 15-5 as a home favorite under Zimmer. Will Vikings turn to Teddy Bridgewater or stick with Case Keenum at QB?

Dolphins 31, Jets 28— Second week in row Jets had 14-point lead but lost; second week in a row Dolphins trailed by 14+ points but won. Cutler got hurt; backup QB Matt Moore was 13-21/188 and led Miami to a comeback win. Jets’ QB McCown threw an awful INT with 0:39 left, giving Dolphins the ball on the Jets’ 27- they kicked winning FG with 0:22 left, ending a 6-game skid against their AFC East rivals.

Bills 30, Buccaneers 27— Buffalo blew 17-6 3rd quarter lead, but recovered a fumble on the Bucs’ 33-yard line with 2:20 left- they kicked winning FG with 0:14 left. Winston threw for 378 yards but Tampa Bay turned ball over three times— Buffalo is +10 in turnovers this season and is 4-2. Rookie TE Howard has 6 catches for 98 yards on 6 targets for Tampa Bay

Bears 17, Panthers 3— One of strangest boxscores I’ve ever seen; rookie safety Eddie Jackson became first player ever to score two defensive TDs of 75+ yards in a game, scoring on a fumble return and an INT return off a tipped ball. Chicago then sat on the lead; Trubisky was 2-5/94 yards passing the first half, threw only 7 passes in whole game. Total yardage was 293-153 Carolina; Bears had only five first downs the whole game, but won by two TD’s. Go figure.

Saints 26, Packers 17— Line moved roughly nine points because of Rodgers’ injury; Hundley was 12-25/87 passing in his first NFL start. Brees was picked off on his first two drives, but Saints scored two TD’s, two FG’s on their last four drives. Packers ran 21 play for 65 yards and only 3 points in second half. New Orleans scored 13 TD’s on their last 43 drives.

Rams 33, Cardinals 0— Arizona missed a short FG on first drive, things got much worse from there; Carson Palmer broke his left arm, could be out for year. Stanton/Gabbert are Arizona’s backup QB’s.

One of the unexpected perks of writing in this space every day is the chance to meet some great people. Made couple of new friends from Canada this weekend; they stopped in Albany on their way to Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Had a meal and lot of fun conversation— I’ve made new friends in Indiana, New Jersey, Las Vegas and now Canada from this site. Good stuff.

Cowboys 40, 49ers 10— Dallas ran ball for 265 yards, had 14-yard edge in field position, as they pounded the 49ers coming off their bye. Third straight game Cowboys scored 30+ points; they recovered three SF fumbles, are now 8-3 vs spread in last 11 games as a road favorite.

49ers are 0-7, but 5-2 vs spread; they’ve got a rookie QB starting now, were outgained 501-290 in this game- four of their last five games went over the total.

Seahawks 24, Giants 7— Seattle had 11-yard edge in field position, held Giants to 46 yards on ground in game Big Blue led 7-3 at the half. Giants’ only TD drive was 17 yards after a turnover; they missed a 47-yard FG when Seahawks led 10-7.

Seahawks’ offensive players were screaming at each other on sideline in first half; Doug Baldwin pushed an assistant coach who tried to intervene, but all of that was probably forgotten when a trick play resulted in a 38-yard TD pass that put Seattle up 17-7 with 9:34 left to play.

Chargers 21, Broncos 0— Chargers won their third game in a row after an 0-4 start; they ran a punt back for a TD for their first score, then had three takeaways in a game where total yardage was 251-242, Denver. Broncos are 0-2 on road, scoring one TD on 23 drives in games against Bills/Chargers; this was only Bolts’ third win in last 14 games against Denver.

Patriots 23, Falcons 7— Atlanta had ball in red zone four times, scored only once, on a TD that made score 23-7 with 4:09 left- they had a short FG blocked, clanked a shorter FG off upright. Falcons lost their last three games after a 3-0 start; luckily for them, there had been only one divisional game played in NFC South so far, so the division race is still up for grabs.

This turned into a fog game in second half, as if the Falcons playing under the cloud of last year’s Super Bowl wasn’t bad enough.

[StarDust Bum]

Betting Recap - Week 8
October 22, 2017

Overall Notes

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 8 RESULTS

WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 42-14
Against the Spread 28-28

WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 32-36
Against the Spread 33-23

WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 30-26

The largest underdogs to win straight up
Arizona State (+10, ML +300) at Utah, 30-10
Charlotte (+9.5, ML +300) vs. Alabama-Birmingham, 25-24 (OT)
Rutgers (+9.5, ML +280) vs. Purdue, 14-12
Pittsburgh (+9, ML +280) at Duke, 24-17
Boston College (+7, ML +220) at Virginia, 41-10
Iowa State (+6.5, ML +210) at Texas Tech, 31-13
Louisville (+6.5, ML +210) at Florida State, 31-28

The largest favorites to cover
Texas Christian (-37) vs. Kansas, 43-0
Alabama (-36.5) vs. Tennessee, 45-7
Wisconsin (-24) vs. Maryland, 38-13
Virginia Tech (-20) vs. North Carolina, 59-7
Auburn (-17) at Arkansas, 52-20
Ohio (-17) vs. Kent State, 48-3
Toledo (-15.5) vs. Akron, 48-21

Top 25 Notes

-- Wisconsin continues to fly a little bit under the radar, but they're 7-0 SU and a Top 5 team. They have alternated covers and non-covers in each outing this season. They picked up a 38-13 win against Maryland at home, their first cover over the past four games at Camp Randall. ... Notre Dame abused Southern California in South Bend in the shadows of 'Touchdown Jesus', winning 49-14 as four-point favorites. It was a battle of one-loss teams, and some tabbed the game as a playoff elimination game, with USC now having two losses and no chance at the four-team tournament. ... Texas Christian topped Kansas 43-0 as 37-point favorites, as the Horned Frogs were the largest favorite on the board to cover. For the first time this season they have covered in consecutive games.

-- Alabama remains the class of the country, rolling past another SEC foe. This time it was Tennessee taking the punch from the Tide, 45-7. The Tide slapped the brakes on an 0-2 ATS skid while improving to 2-3 ATS in five games at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The 'over' is 3-1 in Alabama's past four at home.

-- Michigan State topped Indiana by a 17-9 score, as the Spartans are proving that they're back. That's four in a row for Sparty, as they improved to 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS. They'll look to keep it going against Northwestern next week in a road game. The Wildcats picked up a big win against Iowa 17-10 in OT, moving to 4-3 SU/ATS. The Wildcats are now 4-1 ATS over their past five outings.

-- UCF posted their first 6-0 start in school history, topping Navy by a 31-21 score. The only thing that didn't go right was the Knights pushed on a 10-point line at most shops, their first non-cover of the season. UCF is now 5-0-1 ATS in six outings.

-- Miami-Florida earned another close win, topping giant killer Syracuse by a 27-19 count as 17 1/2-point favorites. After opening the season 3-1 ATS, the Hurricanes are 0-2 ATS over the past two outings while winning their past three games by an average of 4.3 PPG. The 'under' has connected in four in a row for Miami. Next up is a trip to North Carolina, and they'll be heavy favorites.

Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)

-- Boston College continues their bounce back season, as they rolled to a 41-10 win at Virginia for their second straight road victory. The Eagles have covered in five straight outings, too. ... Virginia Tech blasted UNC by a 59-7 count, as the Hokies are now 4-3 ATS. It was their first covered inside the conference in three tries. ... UNC slipped to 1-7 SU/ATS, as the injuries have been brutal for coach Larry Fedora's side. ... It's been a tale of two seasons for Duke, as they started 4-0 SU/ATS, but they have now gone 0-4 SU/0-3-1 ATS over the past four outings.

-- Rutgers surprised Purdue 14-12, winning their second consecutive game. Don't look now, but the Scarlet Knights are now 4-1 ATS over their past five outings. ... The Hawkeyes have dropped three of their past four, starting with their close call loss at home Sept. 23 against Penn State. Iowa is now just 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS in three games away from Iowa City this weekend. ... Speaking of Penn State, they completely dismantled Michigan by a 45-14 score. The Nittany Lions are now an impressive 5-1-1 ATS in seven outings this season.

-- Texas picked up another cover against favored Oklahoma State, but they came up short again. This time, they fell 13-10 to the Cowboys in overtime. Since their non-cover in Week 1, the Longhorns are 5-0-1 ATS over the past six outings, but they have just three wins in seven outings straight-up. The 'under' is 5-1 over the past six for Texas, too. ... Oklahoma held on for a 42-35 win at Kansas State, but they failed to cover for the fourth consecutive game. The 'over' is 4-1 in the past five for the Sooners. ... Baylor rallied for 23 points in the fourth quarter, losing 38-36 against West Virginia. The Bears picked up the backdoor cover, moving to 3-1 ATS over the past four.

-- Arizona State posted a 30-10 win at Utah for their second straight win outright as a double-digit underdog. They have covered four in a row, and the 'under' is now 6-1 for the Sun Devils overall. ... The talk about Oregon being back was a little premature, as they have now dropped three in a row. UCLA beat them 31-14, as the Ducks are now 0-3 SU/ATS over the past three outings. They have had a power outage on offense, too, averaging just 10.3 PPG. As such, the 'under' is 3-0 over the past three outings.

-- Mississippi State swatted Kentucky 45-7, winning for the second straight outing. The Bulldogs are 5-2 SU/ATS in seven games overall with the 'under' cashing in five of their seven. The 'under' has cashed in five of seven for Kentucky, too. ... Louisiana State has been on fire since their wake-up call loss to Troy on Sept. 30, winning three in a row. They rolled past Mississippi 40-24, covering in consecutive games for the first time this season. ... Missouri posted a 68-21 win over Idaho for their third consecutive cover and fourth straight 'over' result. The Tigers have yielded at least 21 points in all seven of their games this season.

Mid-Major Report

-- South Florida picked up the 34-28 win at Tulane, but it was their first non-cover in five games dating back to Sept. 2. (see bad beats below) ... East Carolina posted a 33-17 win against Brigham Young, their first victory since Sept. 24, and first overall at home this season. The Pirates entered 1-6 ATS in the first seven outings. ... Connecticut topped Tulsa 20-14, as the Huskies have won consecutive games for the first time this season. After opening 0-5 ATS in the first five outings, UConn is 2-0 ATS over the past two.

-- Florida Atlantic scored on their first 11 possessions, running past North Texas 69-31. Lane Kiffin's bunch improved to 4-3 SU, including 3-0 in Conference USA, and they have covered five of their past six. ... Texas-San Antonio won 20-7 over Rice for their first victory since Sept. 23. They have failed to cover in three in a row. ... The resurgence continues for Southern Mississippi, as they won at Louisiana Tech 34-27 in overtime. The Golden Eagles have won and covered three in a row, and USM is an impressive 6-1 ATS overall.

-- Toledo rolled past Akron 48-21 for their third consecutive win. It's also the first time the Rockets have covered in back-to-back games this season. Their only loss is a 52-30 setback at Miami-Florida, a game they were leading at halftime. ... Northern Illinois spanked Bowling Green 48-17, winning for the third straight week. However, after a 4-0 ATS start they're just 1-2 ATS over the past three outings. ... Kent State lost 48-3 at Ohio, their fifth game in eight outings with three or fewer points.

-- Wyoming hung on for the cover at Boise State, but they lost 24-14 as 15 1/2-point underdogs. After opening 0-3 ATS, the Cowboys are a perfect 4-0 ATS over the past four outings. ... Fresno State has rattled off victories in four in a row, and they're now an impressive 6-0-1 ATS through seven games this season. ... New Mexico made side bettors very happy on Friday night against Colorado State, unless of course you were holding a ticket with the Rams laying the 9 1/2. (see bad beats below)

Bad Beats

-- USF entered the fourth quarter leading 34-14 as 10-point favorites at Tulane, but the Green Wave outscored them 14-0. Dontrell Hilliard was the culprit, ripping off a 24-yard touchdown reception with 7:40 to go, and a 16-yard touchdown run with 2:45 left for the backdoor cover.

-- UNM scored with :24 left in regulation for the backdoor cover, spoiling what would have been a nice cover for Rams bettors. Truthfully, the Lobos were covered all night until 5:05 to go in the game. So Colorado State bettors can't be too upset with the result.

-- West Virginia entered the fourth quarter with a 38-13 lead as a 10 1/2-point favorite, but they completed punched themselves in the bag, getting outscored 23-0 in the final 14:31 of regulation. Baylor attempted a two-point conversion with :17 left in regulation, trying to tie the game and force overtime. Regardless, that touchdown pushed the total 'over' at all shops, if it wasn't already over with 6:07 to go. It was a tough result after things looked positive through 45 minutes.

-- It's not quite a bad beat, but 'over' (49) bettors felt like things were in pretty good shape in Marshall-Middle Tennessee, with the Thundering Herd up 31-10 at halftime. There were just seven total points in the second half and the 'under' cashed by one. Ouch.

[StarDust Bum]

4th Quarter Covers - Week 8
October 22, 2017

Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are some of the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the eighth big college football weekend between Oct. 19-21.

Each week there are several teams that cover despite not necessarily deserving it, as well as other teams that played much better than the final score shows.

Memphis (+1) 42, Houston 38: Houston led 17-0 at halftime and still clung to a 31-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter despite allowing a kickoff return touchdown. The Tigers scored first in the fourth quarter to trail by only three, even with the opening spread on the game though the line quickly fell to -2½ for the home favorite before closing at just -1. Houston answered with a 13-play 81-yard touchdown drive to go back up by 10 with fewer than seven minutes remaining. Memphis delivered a pair of touchdown drives in the final minutes surrounding a Houston 3-and-out and took the lead with a minute and a half remaining. The final two possessions for Houston ended in turnovers as Memphis escaped with a road win and cover.

Western Kentucky (-7) 35, Old Dominion 31: The Hilltoppers led by seven at the half but an energized Old Dominion squad rallied with 17 points in the third quarter to lead by 10 as an underdog with a line as high as +10 early in the week before closing at +7. In the span of less than two minutes in the middle of the fourth quarter Western Kentucky had a pair of touchdown strikes in between a Monarchs interception to suddenly lead 35-31. With still more than seven minutes remaining the favorite cover was back on the table as a possibility. That cause got even more life with an Old Dominion fumble in Western Kentucky territory as the Monarchs went for it on 4th-and-short. The Hilltoppers played conservatively and got the game clock into the final minute before punting and Old Dominion was intercepted with no return on the final play as the Monarchs still held the cover in a demoralizing loss.

Air Force (-6) 45, Nevada 42: Air Force wound up posting nearly 600 yards in this game but they led by just seven through three quarters, even with the common spread during the week though the Falcons opened and closed just below that key number. Nevada tied the game with 11:39 remaining and touchdowns were exchanged between these Mountain West foes to keep the game tied past the four-minute mark. Air Force converted a pair of big third down plays to sustain a drive into scoring territory but those looking for a spread-saving touchdown were denied as the Falcons were pushed back with a personal foul penalty and settled for running out the clock and kicking a game-winning field goal.

Colorado State (-10) 27, New Mexico 24: The Rams moved from an opening favorite price of -6½ all the way up to -10 by kickoff late Friday night. Down by 11 at halftime New Mexico struck for a quick two-play touchdown drive midway through the third quarter to trail by four. Colorado State connected for a field goal early in the fourth quarter and then taking advantage of the only turnover in the game the Rams went up by 10 with a second field goal with about five minutes remaining. New Mexico converted a 4th-and-15 near midfield and then reached 1st-and-goal from the Colorado State four-yard-line just past the two-minute mark. Three penalties, a recovered fumble, and a near interception followed and New Mexico faced 2nd-and-goal from the 31-yard-line. Freshman quarterback Tevaka Tuioti got almost half of the yardage back with a near-sack scramble and then on 4th down connected for a jump ball touchdown with 24 seconds remaining to put the Lobos inside the underdog spread. New Mexico actually recovered the onside kick as well but took a sack on the game’s final play.

Northwestern (-2½) 17, Iowa 10: Northwestern didn’t score in the first half but the Wildcats managed to tie the game halfway through the third quarter and then took a 10-7 lead with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Iowa threw an interception on its next possession but Northwestern failed to capitalize, failing going for it on 4th down rather than attempting a long field goal. Iowa managed to tie the game with a field goal at the 1:30 mark, a kick pushed back to 48 yards after a false start. In overtime Northwestern went first and Clayton Thorson delivered a touchdown, while Iowa was unable to pick up a first down as the Wildcats got the win and cover in a key Big Ten West game.

SMU (-6) 31, Cincinnati 28: The Mustangs trailed most of the first half but wound up going up by one by halftime. The third quarter featured missed opportunities on both sides and with just over six minutes remaining in the game SMU delivered a 25-yard touchdown strike to lead 28-20. The Bearcats would answer with a 21-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-3 and Hayden Moore hit Devin Gray again for the two-point-conversion as well to tie the game with just over two minutes remaining. In overtime SMU incredibly converted a 4th-and-26 play but wound up still settling for a field goal to the chagrin of those laying points with the Mustangs. On a 3rd down play for Cincinnati Moore was intercepted as SMU sealed the narrow road win but fell short of the spread.

Western Michigan (-1½) 20, Eastern Michigan 17: The Broncos opened at -4 but -3 was the common number most of the week before sliding on game day. Western Michigan led by three at halftime but the game was tied early in the third quarter and then again early in the fourth quarter. Western Michigan had a fumble and a missed field goal late in the fourth quarter to keep the game tied 17-17. The Broncos went first in overtime and reached the 5-yard-line quickly before stalling, settling for a 21-yard field goal. That handed Eastern Michigan a golden opportunity to beat their rival and they wound up with 2nd-and-goal from the 2-yard-line. The Eagles went backwards and then tragically missed a 24-yard kick to lose rather than force a second overtime in a difficult finish for the team and those with underdog tickets.

Michigan State (-6½) 17, Indiana 9: A week after Michigan State backers suffered a tough backdoor cover at their expense the Spartans turned in an improbable cover in a tight Big Ten clash. Indiana’s defense played outstanding but the offense only mustered field goals as the Hoosiers led 9-3 well into the fourth quarter. A pass interference call helped the cause and Michigan State converted a big 4th-and-3 play and eventually wound up in the end zone with six minutes remaining to lead 10-9. Indiana was forced to punt and just past the two minute mark L.J. Scott broke an 18-yard touchdown run that put the Spartans up by eight, just past the home favorite spread for the win and cover.

Pittsburgh (+9½) 24, Duke 17: Duke was up 17-7 with just seconds remaining in the third quarter before Darrin Hall broke a 92-yard touchdown run for the Panthers. Hall scored again in the fourth as Pittsburgh took over in the final frame as two late productive drives for Duke ended in a missed field goal and an interception.

Wisconsin (-24) 38, Maryland 13: The Badgers led 28-3 early in the fourth quarter but Maryland added the next 10 points to make the favorite cover unlikely with a 15-point edge heading into the fourth quarter. With nine minutes remaining Wisconsin completed a touchdown drive to put the game away but they were short of the spread up by 22. In the final minutes the Badgers were running out the clock before a spread result deciding 3rd-and-3 play with just over a minute to go. If Wisconsin netted the first down they would take a knee but Bradrick Shaw was stopped just short and Wisconsin kicked a short field goal for a 25-point final margin, with the total just eclipsed with the late kick as well.

Central Florida (-10½) 31, Navy 21: Perfect on the season UCF opened at -6½ but the line reached -9½ and eventually -10½. The Knights were tested with a 14-14 tie early in the second half before a 79-yard run put UCF up by seven. A field goal made it a 10-point margin heading into the fourth quarter but Navy delivered a touchdown drive to climb to within three early in the fourth. The Knights became a real upset threat getting the ball back with an interception but they fumbled a few plays later. UCF found the end zone with 3:30 remaining to go back up by 10 and Navy’s final two possessions ended on downs and with an interception.

Minnesota (-14) 24, Illinois 17: Up 10-7 through three quarters the favorite cover looked very unlikely but the Gophers nearly stole a second straight fortunate late cover with the common line at -13½ on this game. Illinois tied the game with 10 minutes remaining but Minnesota put together a long scoring drive and then seconds later delivered a defensive score to suddenly lead by 14. It wound up not mattering as Illinois would hit the end zone with 23 seconds left to secure the underdog cover.

Alabama (-37) 45, Tennessee 7: Tennessee delivered a 97-yard interception return touchdown in the third quarter that looked like it would be enough for the heavy underdog cover. Alabama still led by 28 through three quarters and added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter from backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. With less than five minutes remaining the Tide hit on a 60-yard pass play to finish the game up by 38 for a narrow cover on the huge favorite price.

Georgia Tech (-3) 38, Wake Forest 24: This game featured one of the biggest line moves of the week with the Yellow Jackets opening at -8½ and sliding down all the way to just -3 by kickoff. The move looked appropriate early as Wake Forest took a 21-10 lead with a minute remaining in the first half. Georgia Tech managed a long field goal before the break and then broke a 49-yard run for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter but the Yellow Jackets failed going for two and the tie, trailing 21-19. The Demon Deacons surrendered another long run late in the third quarter to fall behind 25-24 heading into the fourth quarter, though still within the underdog spread. In somewhat bizarre fashion Wake Forest would go for it on 4th-and-short in Georgia Tech territory on each of the next three possessions, failing all three times and watching Georgia Tech deliver two fourth quarter touchdown drives to lead 38-24. Wake Forest was again deep in Georgia Tech territory in the final two minutes with a chance to save the cover for the early week backers but an interception ended the threat as the Yellow Jackets delivered a big ACC wins to erase the memories of the close loss from the previous week.

South Florida (-10) 34, Tulane 28: The road favorite spread in this game fell throughout the week but the Bulls managed to lead 20-7 at halftime despite fairly even production. South Florida pulled away in the third quarter taking a 34-7 advantage but an interception sparked a Tulane comeback. After a Wave touchdown South Florida missed a field goal and Tulane had climbed back to within 13 halfway through the fourth quarter. South Florida missed another field goal and Tulane’s rushing attack took just five plays to go 71 yards for the backdoor cover touchdown. Nearly three minutes still remained but Tulane went for the onside kick and failed, handing South Florida great field position. The Bulls would reach the Tulane 9-yard line before taking a knee as the underdog held on late with the comeback cover.

Southern Miss (+1) 34, Louisiana Tech 27: Louisiana Tech led 17-16 heading into the fourth quarter and added a field goal to lead by four. As has been the case in most Louisiana Tech games this season the fourth quarter would feature great drama. Southern Miss reached 1st-and-goal from the Louisiana Tech 5-yard-line but fumbled. The Bulldogs went 96 yards in just over two minutes to seemingly seal the win, up 11 with just over four minutes remaining. The Golden Eagles converted a fourth down in their own territory and eventually hit a 49-yard field goal to sit down eight with 1:23 on the clock. Southern Miss successfully picked up the onside kick but got pushed back with a 15-yard penalty after the play. Two big runs put the Golden Eagles in range for a shot at the end zone, aided by a personal foul penalty on Louisiana Tech. With 31 seconds remaining Keon Howard delivered a 22-yard touchdown pass and the Golden Eagles successfully tied the game with the two-point-conversion. Louisiana Tech attempted a 64-yard field goal as time expired but overtime was necessary. In the first session both teams came up empty with interceptions Southern Miss only needed one play in the second session to go up by seven with another touchdown catch for Korey Robertson. A sack proved too much to overcome for Louisiana Tech, eventually failing on 4th-and-24 as the Golden Eagles stole a big road win in Conference USA.

Arizona (-5½) 45, California 44: The line on this game shifted dramatically as Arizona opened at +1½ before a full seven-point swing by kickoff. The Wildcats led 21-7 at halftime but California had the game knotted at 28-28 by the 10 minute mark of the fourth quarter. Matching field goals kept the game tied but Arizona still had nearly two minutes of clock to work with. The Wildcats crossed midfield but eventually the threat ended with an interception. Both teams delivered touchdowns in the first overtime. Arizona delivered seven in the second session and California quickly answered. Justin Wilcox rolled the dice going for two and the win but the Bears were stopped as Arizona held on for a narrow Pac-12 win, though most on the Wildcats were still spread losers.

West Virginia (-12½) 38, Baylor 36: West Virginia pulled away in the third quarter in Waco turning an 11-point halftime lead into a 25-point advantage up 38-13. Baylor hit a big pass play touchdown and then after an onside kick delivered a big run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to get back within the closing spread trailing 38-27 though many were able to lay just -9 on the Mountaineers earlier in the week. West Virginia was held to a 3-and-out and Baylor was within a single score after a field goal near the six-minute mark. The Mountaineers were only able to move the chains once as the Bears got the ball back with still four minutes to play, though needing to go 86 yards. Charlie Brewer converted a big fourth down play in Baylor territory and with 17 seconds remaining the Bears struck for a touchdown, but couldn’t come up with the tying conversion to extend the game.

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CFB notebook: School's out for Summers
October 22, 2017

Halfway through the 2017 season, Georgia Southern is looking for a new football coach after firing Tyson Summers on Sunday.

The Eagles fell to 0-6 -- their worst start since 1981 -- after a 55-20 loss to Massachusetts on Saturday. UMass had not won a game this season before rolling past Georgia Southern.

Chad Lunsford, a longtime assistant at Georgia Southern, will take over as interim coach. The Eagles' next game is Saturday at Troy in a Sun Belt Conference matchup.

Summers had a 5-13 record at the school, which is located in Statesboro, Ga. He was in the second year of a four-year contract that paid him $500,000 annually.

--Michigan dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time in two years, while Notre Dame jumped into the top 10 for the first time this season in the Associated Press college football poll.

No major upsets shook up college football this weekend, as the top eight teams remain unchanged from last week. The Fighting Irish are ninth after routing USC on Saturday.

Alabama, which beat Tennessee 45-7, remains a unanimous No. 1 in this week's media poll. This is the 98th time Alabama is ranked No. 1, tying Notre Dame at No. 3 on the all-time list.

--Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson will miss the rest of the season with a torn knee ligament.

An MRI exam revealed a torn posterior cruciate ligament in Patterson's right knee.

Patterson, a sophomore, suffered the injury during the Rebels' 40-24 loss to No. 24 LSU on Saturday night in Oxford, Miss. He left the game after a second-quarter interception and checked into the medical tent before going to the locker room.

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Michigan drops out of AP poll
October 22, 2017

Michigan dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time in two years, while Notre Dame jumped into the top 10 for the first time this season in the Associated Press college football poll released Sunday.

No major upsets shook up college football this weekend, as the top eight teams remain unchanged from last week.

Alabama, which beat Tennessee 45-7, remains a unanimous No. 1 in this week's media poll. This is the 98th time Alabama is ranked No. 1, tying Notre Dame at No. 3 on the all-time list.

The Crimson Tide are idle this week, then face No. 23 LSU on Nov. 4.

Penn State, which defeated Michigan 42-13, is No. 2. Michigan, which was 19th last week, is out of the Top 25 for the first time since Sept. 20, 2015.

Georgia is No. 3 followed by No. 4 TCU and No. 5 Wisconsin. Ohio State, which had a bye, is the highest-ranked one-loss team at No. 6 and hosts Penn State on Saturday.

Notre Dame rose four spots to No. 9 after beating USC 49-14. The Trojans slipped to No. 21.

The Irish were 10th to start 2016, but they finished 4-8 last year. Notre Dame was unranked in this year's preseason poll.

Iowa State moved into the rankings at No. 25. The Cyclones (5-2) are ranked for the first time since September 2005.