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

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Opening Line Report - Bowl Games
December 4, 2017

When the South Point posted the first College Football Playoff lines in Las Vegas on Sunday, sharp money showed up on Alabama at pick ‘em vs. Clemson in the Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN). Chris Andrews, sports book director at the South Point, was happy to take that action and moved the line to Alabama -1.

Other Vegas books opened Alabama as the slight chalk, the Westgate SuperBook hanging -1 and CG Technology going -2, and the Crimson Tide are now laying points at every shop in town.

Andrews thinks the betting market has it wrong.

“I really thought Clemson should be the favorite, but I opened pick, let them (sharp bettors) take me where they want to go, but I’m comfortable needing Clemson,” Andrews said. “If I go into the game needing them, that’s fine with me.”

There are many observers among the mainstream (non-gambling) college football punditry who questioned the Selection Committee’s decision to invite to Alabama to the playoffs, suggesting the Tide are in the final four because of reputation, not so much their 2017 resume. Andrews offered a similar notion regarding the betting line.

“This is probably one of those situations where we’re thinking of the historic Alabama rather than the current Alabama,” Andrews said. “I just think Clemson’s better than them right now.”

He added, “Alabama’s been exposed a little bit. It’s probably not Nick Saban’s best team. I predicted the Auburn win (over the Tide two weeks ago, 26-14). I just thought they weren’t that great of a team this year. They rely on (quarterback) Jalen Hurts an awful lot, their defense has clusters of injuries in linebacking, and if you look around the pros there’s tons of linebackers for Alabama, so it’s always been a key part of their defense.”

Over at CG Technology, sharp money grabbed Clemson +2, prompting a move to +1.5. But it’s likely that those early bettors were shopping for the best number, rather than expressing an opinion on the game, Jason Simbal, vice president of risk at the sports book operator, said.

Simbal, in fact, said his bookmaking team’s power ratings had Alabama a 3.5-point favorite, but that’s not a number they wanted to offer on a game certain to attract immediate high-volume action, particularly since betting opened Sunday as gamblers lined up to make their NFL wagers.

“In a normal week, where you’re not going to get a ton of attention on the game right away and nobody’s going to really bet it till the day of, you can hang 3 or 3.5 there,” Simbal said. “But in this case, it’s hard to hang that number because so many people are going to be betting this right away, fans and sharps alike, that you have to build in the perception.”

This, of course, is the third season in a row in which Alabama and Clemson will have met in the postseason. Clemson has covered the spread in the previous two meetings, winning outright 35-31 as 6.5-point dogs in last season’s championship game, and cashing as 6-point dogs in a 45-40 loss two years ago.

“I thought Alabama would be a really small favorite, but I’m hesitant to bet against Clemson in a big spot,” Simbal said. “Athletically, they have the ability to keep up with Alabama, one of the few teams that can do that, so we’ll see how they do without Deshaun Watson. If I had to bet that game I’d probably take Clemson.”

Rose Bowl - Georgia vs. Oklahoma (-1)
Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN

The early Rose Bowl betting sentiment has been on underdog Georgia, as the line opened between Oklahoma -2 and -2.5, before drifting to -1 at most shops and even to pick ‘em at MGM Resorts.

CG opened Oklahoma -2.5 but moved to -1.5 after writing a sharp money-line play on Georgia.

The most appropriate number on this game is Oklahoma -1.5, Andrews believes, although he opened -2.

“If a wiseguy bet me -2, I would have gone right to -3, and conversely, if a wiseguy bet me +2, I would have gone to 1,” Andrews said. “Just in that area off an opening number, you move things a little more quickly.” While no respected money showed up on either side, an abundance of smaller bets on the dog prompted the South Point to move to Oklahoma -1.

“We didn’t have any big bets on the dog, but it was just kind of trickling in,” Andrews said, “so it looked like at this point in time, people were either going to bet Georgia or they were going to pass.”

Simbal, though, expects most casual bettors to back Oklahoma as game day approaches.

“I think we’re going to end up needing Georgia because the public is in love with Oklahoma,” Simbal said. “(Baker) Mayfield is a pretty popular player and they’ve been so hot ever since the Iowa State loss, and in hindsight that Iowa State loss wasn’t as bad as we thought at the time.”

Here’s a peek at some other intriguing bowl matchups:

Cotton Bowl - USC vs. Ohio State (-6.5)
Dec. 29, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

There’s a consensus on the Cotton Bowl, as Ohio State -6.5 is the number being dealt throughout Las Vegas, with no action significant enough for early adjustments.

Fiesta Bowl - Washington vs. Penn State (-3)
Dec. 30, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN

Penn State’s been as high as -4.5 and as low as -2 offshore, but the line has settled at a field goal in Vegas.

Orange Bowl - Wisconsin (-6.5) vs. Miami
Dec. 30, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Respect for the Big Ten continues, with the Badgers listed as substantial favorites in what’s essentially a home game for Miami.

Outback Bowl - South Carolina vs. Michigan (-10)
Jan. 1, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2

There’s been a strong early move on Michigan, as the Wolverines opened -7 at the Wynn and have been bet to between -9.5 and -10 around town.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Central Florida vs. Auburn (-10)
Jan. 1, 12:30 p.m. , ESPN

Doubt abounds around unbeaten Central Florida as they take a major step up in class. Auburn can be found for -9.5 at some betting locales.

Citrus Bowl - LSU (-2.5) vs. Notre Dame
Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET, ABC

Wiseguys are on LSU early, driving the line at the Wynn to Tigers -2.5 after Notre Dame opened the 1-point chalk. LSU is laying as many as 3 at some shops.

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CFB notebook: Texas A&M hires Fisher away from Florida St.
December 4, 2017

Texas A&M officially confirmed the hiring of Jimbo Fisher as its head football coach with a 10-year, $75-million contract on Monday morning ahead of his introductory press conference.

Fisher, who led Florida State to a national championship in 2013, resigned on Friday from coaching the Seminoles after eight seasons to join the Aggies.

The 52-year-old Fisher was introduced by Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward during a news conference in College Station.

"I know I come in here with great expectations," Fisher said. "We're going to be driven to be the very best every day. We're going to strive for excellence every day."

Only Alabama's Nick Saban ($8.1 million average) would be higher paid than Fisher ($7.5 million average) with Clemson's Dabo Swinney ($6.75 million) close behind.

Fisher had an 83-23 with the Seminoles and won the 2013 BCS national championship with a 14-0 record, but he grew frustrated with Florida State officials over the failure to improve football facilities.

--Florida State officials planned to meet with Oregon head coach Willie Taggart about the university's job opening, according to multiple reports.

Taggart was recruiting in Arizona on Monday morning, including an in-home visit with four-star quarterback commit Tyler Shough. The 41-year-old Taggart, a Florida native, is the favorite to replace Fisher.

The Seminoles have not had a face-to-face meeting with Taggart about their vacancy but have met with his agent Jimmy Sexton. Taggart reportedly was offered a four-year, $20 million extension by Oregon over a week ago but has not signed it yet. Fisher made $5.7 million this season at Florida State.

Taggart was hired at Oregon in December 2016 and went 7-5 in his first season after the Ducks were 4-8 the year before he arrived. He replaced Mark Helfrich after spending four seasons at South Florida, where he was 24-25 record overall after going 18-7 in his final two seasons with the Bulls.

--New Arizona State football coach Herman Edwards displayed the passion for which he is known during his introductory press conference.

Arizona State made it official and hired Edwards as its 24th head coach on Sunday night. While Edwards hasn't coached since being fired by the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2008 season, the 63-year-old showed he had plenty of fire on Monday.

"Football ignites my soul," Edwards said. "It's what makes me go. This is what I do. I've done this my whole life."

Edwards has been a studio commentator for ESPN since his last coaching job with the Chiefs from 2006-08. He also was the coach of the New York Jets from 2001-05. As an NFL head coach, Edwards owns a 54-74 regular-season record. He was 39-41 with the Jets, who reached the playoffs three times in his tenure.

--Pittsburgh junior Quadree Henderson, a speedy wide receiver and kick returner, announced he will enter the NFL Draft.

Henderson was a consensus All-American as a return specialist in 2016, when he led the country with three kick returns for touchdowns and was third with a 15.8-yard punt return average.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pounder had a more difficult time making an impact in 2017, slowed early in the season by injury. He rushed for 251 yards on 36 carries and caught 17 passes for 186 yards. He scored twice on punt returns.

His seven return touchdowns -- four on kickoffs -- are a Pitt record. NFLDraftScout.com has listed Henderson as No. 10 among wide receivers in the 2019 class.

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: A quick scan thru the bowl schedule…….

13) UCF is getting ten points from Auburn in the Peach Bowl, the same stadium where Auburn just lost the SEC title game. Auburn’s coach just signed a $49M contract to stay on the Plains.

Central Florida is 12-0; two years ago, they were 0-12. Great season, but then their coach took the Nebraska job about 45 seconds after they won the AAC title game. Scott Frost and his staff will still coach their bowl game, but only because he needs the three hours of national TV exposure to remind people he is now the highly-paid coach of Nebraska.

12) Iowa State-Memphis is a good bowl between two upstart teams who had excellent seasons, and surprise!!!— neither coach has bolted yet.

Matt Campbell actually re-upped with the Cyclones, though contracts don’t always mean that much in today’s world. Mike Norvell is in his second year at Memphis; he could still wind up being a candidate at Tennessee, since just about everyone else already has been, but he also signed a contract extension this week to stay at Memphis.

11) Florida State is -15 over Southern Miss in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport; they’re hiring Willie Taggart as coach, but likely he won’t coach the bowl game. Now Derwin James, FSU’s best defensive player, has declared for the NFL Draft and is skipping the bowl game. Lay 15 points here at your own risk.

10) Holiday Bowl has long been the bowl with a tradition of wild, high-scoring games, so fitting that Mike Leach coaches there. Washington State-Michigan State is quite a contrast as far as coaches’ personality, with the offbeat Leach and the gruff Mark D’Antonio matching wits.

When he was at Texas Tech, Leach won ’04 Holiday Bowl 45-31 as an 11-point dog over Cal.

9) Normally, UAB-Ohio U wouldn’t catch my attention, but what a job UAB coach Bill Clark has done. UAB dropped football- they didn’t field a team the last two years, but due to outcry from alumni, they brought the team back this year and now they’re bowling in the Bahamas.

Meanwhile, while Nebraska fired their coach and hired Scott Frost, one of their old coaches, Frank Solich, has gone 88-67 at Ohio U— he went 58-19 as Nebraska’s coach but that wasn’t good enough. Bobcats are only 2-6 in bowls under Solich.

8) Kansas State-UCLA could be Bill Snyder’s last game as coach at K-State. Snyder is 78 and had a cancer scare last year— the job he’s done at K-State (209-110-1) is impossible to overstate.

Before he got to the Little Apple (K-State is in Manhattan, KS), the Wildcats were a joke, going 26-82-3 the previous 11 seasons— they were the welcome mat of college football. Snyder fixed all that, made them respectable, won a lot of games. Their stadium has been named after him for over a decade now.

7) There is a bowl called the “Academy Sports & Outdoors Texas Bowl”; it is played in Houston. Problem is, the Sports & Outdoor Bowl is in a domed stadium, where the Texans play.

Missouri-Texas are playing in the indoor Outdoors Bowl; Mizzou started this season 1-5 but won its last six games. Tigers fired their defensive coordinator during the 1-5 start; their OC just left for another opportunity, which could complicate their bowl preparation.

6) Fresno State went 10-28 the last three years, so they hired former Cal coach Jeff Tedford, who was Aaron Rodgers’ college coach. Fresno is 9-4 this season; they get their second trip to Hawai’i in two months when they play Houston in the Hawai’i Bowl on Christmas Eve, after a full day of NFL games. There is no NFL game that night, so hopefully this will be a fun game.

5) New Mexico State is in a bowl game for the first time since 1960— good for them!!! Aggies are playing Utah State (also the Aggies) in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson.

New Mexico State was 11-49 the last five years; great year for coach Doug Martin.

4) SMU won’t have to go too far for their bowl game; Mustangs are playing Louisiana Tech in the Frisco Bowl, being played in the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility, which is roughly 25 miles from the SMU campus.

Louisiana Tech won its last three bowls, scoring 35-47-48 points. SMU is in its first bowl in five years.

3) Since 1999, Utah is 13-1 in bowl games, 9-1 under Kyle Whittingham. Utes lost six of their last eight games this year after a 4-0 start- they head to Dallas to play West Virginia in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, played in the old Cotton Bowl stadium.

2) Boise State won six of its last eight bowl games, winning the Las Vegas Bowl three years in a row, from 2010-12; Broncos are back in Vegas this year, playing an Oregon team whose coach just jumped ship after one year, for the greener pa$ture$ of Florida $tate. Ducks lost the 2006 Las Vegas Bowl, 38-8 to BYU.

1) Marshall vs Colorado State in a bowl game in Albuquerque is a little weird; Thundering Herd won its last five bowl games- their last bowl loss was in 2004. Colorado State won 27-24 on this field October 20. Do kids get excited about going to a bowl in Albuquerque?

1a) Which raises the question I raise every year; what is the worst bowl game to go to?
— Pinstripe Bowl, played in the Bronx, where it is almost always damned cold.
— Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, where it often snows.
— Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit can’t be that much fun, but at least the game is indoors.
— Playing Navy in Annapolis probably isn’t that great a trip.

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CFB notebook: Florida State hires Oregon's Taggart
December 5, 2017

Less than a week after Jimbo Fisher resigned from Florida State to take the head coaching position at Texas A&M, the Seminoles hired former Oregon coach Willie Taggart as their new coach, the school announced on its website Tuesday.

Taggart, 41, replaced Mark Helfrich at Oregon last season and guided the Ducks to a 7-5 record and an upcoming trip to the Las Vegas Bowl to face 25th-ranked Boise State.

A Florida native, Taggart spent four seasons as the coach at South Florida from 2013-16, going 24-25, and was the coach at Western Kentucky (16-20) for three seasons prior to that.

Oregon made an attempt to retain Taggart even before the Florida State job opened up, offering a one-year extension on his contract that runs through the 2020 season to boost the value of his five-year deal to $18 million, former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy reports.

McMurphy also cited sources saying returning to his home state of Florida was a factor in Taggart's decision.

--Florida State safety Derwin James has declared for the NFL draft and will not play in the Seminoles' upcoming Independence Bowl matchup against Southern Mississippi, the redshirt sophomore announced.

James is projected as a first-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com.

--Central Florida hired Missouri offensive coordinator Josh Heupel as its head coach.

The 39-year-old Heupel, who is finishing his second season at Missouri, replaces Scott Frost at the position. Frost, a former Nebraska quarterback who coached UCF to a 12-0 record and an American Athletic Conference championship, was named the Cornhuskers' coach last weekend.

The Knights are expected to have Frost and his staff on the sideline for the team's game in the Peach Bowl against Auburn on Jan. 1.

--Rice is finalizing a deal to hire Stanford offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren as its next head coach, multiple outlets reported.

Bloomgren has coached the offensive line for the Cardinal since 2011 and been the team's offensive coordinator since 2013. Before coming to Stanford, Bloomgren, 40, spent four seasons coaching with the New York Jets.

Rice finished 1-11 overall and 1-7 in Conference USA this season.

--Memphis coach Mike Norvell agreed to a five-year, $13 million extension, the university announced.

The new deal runs through the 2022 campaign. According to USA Today, the $2.6 million average salary will make Norvell the highest-paid coach of the non-power conference programs.

Norvell, 36, is 18-7 in two seasons with the Tigers, including 10-2 this year.

--An emergency protective order was issued against Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson on Monday in Cleveland County (Okla.) District Court, accusing him of rape.

No charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning, but a hearing was scheduled for Dec. 18.

Anderson, through a statement issued by his attorney, said the allegation is "patently false."

According to The Oklahoman, the accuser, who wrote in her statement that she is "scared" for her safety because Anderson knows where she lives, is a University of Oklahoma employee.

Anderson, a redshirt sophomore, has a team-leading 960 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 15

Saturday, December 9

Army @ Navy

Game 103-104
December 9, 2017 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Army
87.012
Navy
85.643
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Army
by 1 1/2
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Navy
by 3 1/2
51
Dunkel Pick:
Army
(+3 1/2); Under




NCAAF
Long Sheet

Saturday, December 9

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ARMY (8 - 3) vs. NAVY (6 - 5) - 12/9/2017, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARMY is 16-36 ATS (-23.6 Units) when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest since 1992.
ARMY is 14-35 ATS (-24.5 Units) after a bye week since 1992.
ARMY is 83-111 ATS (-39.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1992.
NAVY is 166-123 ATS (+30.7 Units) in all games since 1992.
NAVY is 166-123 ATS (+30.7 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
NAVY is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
NAVY is 57-34 ATS (+19.6 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.
NAVY is 79-42 ATS (+32.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARMY is 2-0 against the spread versus NAVY over the last 3 seasons
NAVY is 1-1 straight up against ARMY 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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NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 15

Army is 8-3 this season, winning six of last seven games; they ended a 14-game losing streak to Navy LY, beating Middies 21-17. Underdogs covered six of last eight meetings in this great rivalry. Cadets can win the Commander-in-Chief trophy for first time in 21 years with a win here; they lost last game 52-49 to North Texas, three weeks ago. Navy lost five of its last six games after a 5-0 start; Middies are 2-3-2 vs spread as a favorite this year. Army is 3-2 as an underdog. Five of last seven Army games went over total; four of last six Navy games stayed under.




NCAAF

Week 15

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Trend Report
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Saturday, December 9

ARMY @ NAVY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Army's last 5 games when playing Navy
Army is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Navy's last 5 games when playing Army
Navy is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing Army

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Under on incredible historical hot streak in Army-Navy game

There’s only one game on the college football schedule this weekend, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity to make some cash for bettors before the start of the bowl season.

The Under is a perfect 11-0 in the last 11 matchups between Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen. The Over/Under line for this weekend’s game between the two teams opened as high as 50 offshore but has been bet down to 46 as of Tuesday.

The movement shouldn’t scare off bettors too much. The total for the annual final match of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy series has closed at a smaller number in each of the last seven years and the Under is still filling up the win column.

One explanation for the Under streak could be the play caller for the Cadets and Midshipmen in recent years. Army and Navy routinely finish near the bottom in passing attempts per game, but the two teams start treating their matchups like a forward pass is still illegal.

Army attempted an average of 9.3 passes per game in 2016 and threw just four passes against Navy. There were 14 pass attempts in last year’s game with eight of them leading to completions and three resulting in interceptions.

The game kicks off 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. More than 55 percent of contest players are picking the game to go Over the 46-point total.

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CFB notebook: Oklahoma's Mayfield wins Walter Camp award
December 7, 2017

Oklahoma senior quarterback Baker Mayfield was selected as the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Thursday.

Mayfield, the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.

The other finalists were Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson and three running backs -- Penn State's Saquon Barkley, Stanford's Bryce Love and San Diego State's Rashaad Penny. Jackson was the 2016 winner.

Mayfield has passed for 4,340 yards and 41 touchdowns while leading the Sooners (12-1) into the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma will face Georgia in a semifinal matchup.

--Tennessee hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt as its new head coach, the school confirmed.

Pruitt, 43, officially will be introduced as the Volunteers' 26th head coach on Thursday night.

"Six days ago, I mentioned several attributes that I sought to find in the next leader of our football program, and Coach Pruitt meets all criteria," new Tennessee athletic director and former coach Phillip Fulmer said in a statement. "I'm certain he appreciates the unique opportunity to lead a program of Tennessee's caliber. He's driven to win at the highest level. He will honor our university's values, operate with integrity and be a role model for our student-athletes."

Pruitt has been the defensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide for the past two seasons. Alabama is ranked first nationally in scoring defense this season and second in total defense.

--Mike Riley is back at Oregon State -- this time as an assistant head coach.

Riley's appointment was announced by new coach Jonathan Smith, who played one season (1998) under Riley and later was a graduate assistant (2003) on Riley's staff.

Riley served two stints as Oregon State's coach -- from 1997-98 and 2003-14 -- and is the school's all-time winningest coach. Riley had a 93-80 record with the Beavers before spending the past three seasons at Nebraska, where he was fired with a 19-19 record.

Smith also announced the additions of Brian Lindgren (offensive coordinator), Jim Michakczik (run game coordinator/offensive line coach) and Jake Cookus (special teams coordinator).

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Harbaugh in favor of 16-team playoffs
December 7, 2017

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh would like to see the College Football Playoff expanded to 16 teams.

''I would just analyze it in terms of every other sport whether its gymnastics, basketball, pro football, FCS football ... pick a sport and they have a playoff to get to a champion,'' Harbaugh said. ''None of them start with the last four. You have a great model with the NFL with their 12 teams and a great model in the FCS with their 16 teams and they just (increased) it to 24.''

Harbaugh was in Florida on Thursday for the Outback Bowl contract signing. Michigan will play South Carolina in the game on New Year's Day.

The current playoff format has four teams, with Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma and Alabama making up the field this year. While the Southeastern Conference has two teams in the playoff for the first time, the Big Ten and Pac-12 were shut out.

It was the second consecutive year the Big Ten champion was shut out of the playoffs. Last year, Ohio State was chosen over Penn State despite losing to the Nittany Lions during the regular season.

This year, Ohio State finished 11-2 and won the conference, but was edged out by Alabama. The Crimson Tide finished 11-1 and did not play in the SEC championship game.

Harbaugh said a 16-team playoff would make the most sense.

''Eight teams would be better than four and 12 would be better than eight,'' Harbaugh said. ''I think 16 is kind of the sweet spot.''

A 16-team playoff would force the eventual champion to play four postseason games which could add extra weeks to the season but Harbaugh said the season is already long as it is.

''The national champion now is playing 15 games, 14 games for the teams in the playoffs,'' Harbaugh said. ''They are already playing a lot of games.''

Harbaugh refused to discuss any potential interest in returning to the NFL.

''I don't get into it,'' Harbaugh said. ''I'm not talking to you about it. I'm not answering your questions about it. I'm not going to play the game.''

SAYING NO TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Outside of the occasional tweet South Carolina coach Will Muschamp has little use for social media.

When asked what good he thinks comes from social media the Gamecocks coach emphatically answered, ''nothing.''

''Unfortunately right now in our world because of social media everybody has a platform and 99 percent of the platforms aren't worth a damn,'' Muschamp added.

Muschamp said he was upset by the treatment of Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano after it was announced that he was going to become the head coach at Tennessee.

Backlash from fans on social media and campus forced Tennessee athletic director John Currie to rescind the offer to Schiano.

''It was sad and ridiculous,'' Muschamp said. ''Because (Schiano) is a heck of a football coach and by all accounts, and I don't know Greg personally, he's an outstanding person.''

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

ARMY at NAVY 03:00 PM

ARMY +3.5

O 45.0

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Army holds off Navy in the snow, 14-13
December 9, 2017

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Just when you thought Army-Navy couldn't get any more intense, it snowed.

Then 60 minutes of bruising football came down to squinting through that snow to see where a long field goal attempt would land.

Wide left. Cue the celebration for Army. The Black Knights are back.

Bennett Moehring narrowly missed a 48-yard field goal on the final play and Army held off Navy 14-13 on Saturday to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1996.

Army (9-3) earned its second straight win over Navy (6-6) following 14 straight losses in the series.

''We've got seniors in there that went 4-8 as freshmen and 2-10 as sophomores,'' Army coach Jeff Monken said. ''Now they've won 17 games in the last two years. Really an incredible change.''

After trailing most of the game, Ahmad Bradshaw pushed over the goal line on a quarterback sneak with 5:10 remaining and Blake Wilson kicked the extra point to put Army ahead.

But Navy's spectacular Malcolm Perry wasn't finished.

The quarterback, who ran for 250 yards on 30 carries and a 68-yard score in the second quarter, led Navy to the Army 31 with 3 seconds left.

Navy elected to try a field goal, and after about 10 players used their feet to clear the steady snow during a timeout, Moehring's kick was long enough but drifted barely left.

''Came up a couple of feet short,'' Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. ''This is a great rivalry. It was another classic game.''

Army cut its deficit in the series to 60-51-7 in a matchup of bowl-bound teams. The Black Knights claimed the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy thanks to an earlier victory over Air Force.

''That trophy hadn't been in our possession for 21 years,'' said Monken, in his fourth season. ''To be able to accomplish that with this team is a great source of pride.''

In a game that included only three passes - Army completed its lone toss - the Black Knights produced a 13-play, 65-yard drive to take a late lead. John Trainor tiptoed the sideline for 8 yards one play before Bradshaw's 12th touchdown of the season.

Bradshaw also scored the go-ahead touchdown in last year's victory over Navy.

''I actually don't think I would've gotten in if not for my fullback and my offensive line,'' said Bradshaw, who rushed for 94 yards on 21 carries. ''I kind of stopped, but I felt like (fullback) Andy (Davidson) picked me up and kind of walked me into the end zone.''

Navy took advantage of the ensuing kickoff going out of bounds and moved down the field. Perry dropped a shotgun snap on fourth down at the Army 37, but picked up the ball and ran for a first down. But Navy committed two false start penalties, making the final field goal attempt more difficult.

Snow started falling in the late morning on the 29-degree day. Workers used blowers to uncover the lines and hashmarks during timeouts as a light snow fell throughout.

The teams, both of whom run the triple-option, combined to complete only 59 passes all season. The snow made both coaches want to throw it even less as Navy went ahead 7-0 on Darnell Woolfolk's 3-yard run on the opening possession.

The first pass came with under 9 minutes left in the second quarter. Army completed its only pass, a 20-yard wobbler from Bradshaw to Calen Holt, midway through the third quarter.

The weather made one of sports' biggest rivalries an even more physical contest. Army's all-white uniforms - a nod to the 10th Mountain Division of World War II - served as almost camouflage in the snow.

Perry was the star through three quarters. Getting the start at quarterback ahead of Zach Abey, his long touchdown run in the second quarter was his third rushing TD of more than 65 yards this season.

Perry looked like he might have another long touchdown run, but he stumbled and fell at the Navy 11 early in the third quarter. Army senior John Voit chased him down.

''I'm not sure if I hit his foot or not,'' Voit said. ''But I think I got enough where he slipped slipped in the snow and thank God he went down down.''

Army then held Navy to a Moehring's second field goal, from 24 yards, to make it 13-7 and allow for their fourth quarter comeback.

''There was never a moment our guys doubted we were going to win the game,'' Monken said. ''When you love a group of people like I love them, I can tell when their emotions change. We never lost momentum.''

THE TAKEAWAY

Army: Monken has Army on a major upswing. This victory will do wonders for a program that had suffered through the longest losing streak by either team in this rivalry.

Navy: Perry was the fastest and most dangerous player on the field, and Niumatalolo indicated the quarterback job will be his next season. Navy outgunned Army 296-241, but were again hurt by costly penalties.

JASPER COACHES

Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper coached after missing Wednesday's practice to be with his 14-year-old son. Jarren Jasper has had medical issues as he awaits a heart transplant.

MILESTONE

Simone Askew made history when she led the Corps of Cadets in the pregame march-on. Askew is the first black woman to be first captain, the highest student position at West Point.

TRUMP & TILLERSON: A year after attending the game as president-elect, Donald Trump tweeted that he would be watching on TV. ''On behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for your sacrifice and service!'' the president wrote.

After the game, Trump tweeted: ''Great Army - Navy Game. Army wins 14 to 13 and brings home the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY! Congratulations!''

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson handled the opening coin toss.

UP NEXT

Army: Armed Forces Bowl vs. San Diego State on Dec. 23 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Navy: Military Bowl vs. Virginia on Dec. 28 in Annapolis, Maryland.

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CFB notebook: New SMU coach Dykes will coach bowl game
December 12, 2017

Sonny Dykes was introduced as SMU's new football head coach Tuesday, and he soon will be on the sideline.

Dykes, who replaces Chad Morris, who left after three seasons to become the head coach at Arkansas, will coach the Mustangs (7-5) when they play in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 20 in Frisco, Texas.

"I have to hire a football staff. Try to get three or four coaches in here with some current staff members and go win a football game," Dykes said.

Dykes will be coaching against the school that that gave him his first college head coaching job -- Louisiana Tech. Dykes went 22-15 with the Bulldogs from 2010-12 before going 19-30 in four seasons at Cal, which fired him in January.

Dykes was an offensive analyst at TCU this season.

--Fear of losing its coach to a major school helped James Madison University decide to reward coach Mike Houston with a 10-year contract extension.

School officials announced the deal through 2027 four days before the undefeated Dukes host South Dakota State in the FCS semifinals.

Houston is 27-1 in two seasons at the school and guided James Madison to the 2016 FCS national championship.

--Josh Allen doesn't want to let a lingering shoulder injury dictate his chance to play one more game with Wyoming.

The Cowboys junior quarterback would like to play in Wyoming's upcoming bowl game, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise against Central Michigan, provided his sprained right shoulder is in good enough shape.

Allen sustained the injury in Wyoming's Nov. 11 game against Air Force and missed the final two games of the regular season.

One of the top-rated quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL Draft class, Allen could simply skip the bowl game to protect his professional stock -- but he said he doesn't want to do that if he's healthy enough to play.

--Former Iowa State starting quarterback Jacob Park requested his release from the school and intends to transfer.

Cyclones coach Matt Campbell indicated the request would be honored.

Park told the Des Moines Register on Monday that his suspension for the Oklahoma game in early October was due to a failed drug test for marijuana usage. The school announced at the time that Park took an indefinite leave to "work through some personal health issues."

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Saturday's Bowl Outlook
December 12, 2017

The college bowl betting season kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 16with a five course meal of lesser known teams that you probably need help navigating. I don’t blame you – there’s a lot to track out there. Here are your quick and easy betting picks for what’s always a fun day of football.

Let’s get you off on the right foot.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (1:00 p.m. ET)
Troy Trojans -7 over North Texas Mean Green

Former conference rivals clash in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl to kick off an always exciting college bowl season. A good two-thirds of the action is leaning towards Troy simply because they’re a better football team, but this line has wobbled by a half-point since opening, and it’s been leaning in the direction of North Texas.

That’s largely due to the fact that the Mean Green have an 8-5 against the spread (ATS) record, but any predictions on this game are based on the health of Jeffery Wilson. The explosive running-back for North Texas was injured and is unlikely to play. If he does, there’s a chance that North Texas covers but Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers will play in his final game after four years as a starter so emotions will be high. By the way, Troy has one of the best defensive units at this level. They’re worth the gamble to open up your post season college football betting.

American Cure Bowl (2:30 p.m. ET)
Georgia State Panthers +6.5 over Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

You probably steered clear of these two teams all season because they’re not noteworthy and they were both obnoxiously terrible against the spread, combining for a record of 7-16 ATS. The difference is that the mojo in Georgia State is a little stronger after they put a 6-5 SU season on the board after being a veritable punching bag for much of their existence. Western Kentucky has fallen off the wagon since losing head coach Jeff Brohm to Purdue. They went 11-3 SU last season and have gone just 6-6 SU this year, with a 3-9 ATS record to boot. In short, the Hilltoppers haven’t met expectation by any stretch. It would be a miracle if they started in the American Cure Bowl.

Las Vegas Bowl (3:30 p.m. ET)
Boise State Broncos +7.5 over Oregon Ducks

People who bet on the college football post season often know that Boise State is a bit of a bowl betting darling. They’re 7-3 SU when playing in a bowl game and are coming off a brilliant MWC Championship win over Fresno State. The problem with Oregon here is that people have the misconception that they’re still “Oregon”. There is also the worry that Willie Taggart’s sudden departure to coach FSU is going to kill any momentum that the Ducks limped in to this game with. With a strong line, and Boise State boasting a lethal defensive front, it’s not illogical to think that the Ducks will get shot out of the skies in this one.

GILDAN New Mexico Bowl (4:30 p.m. ET)
Marshall Thundering Herd +6.5 over Colorado State Rams

Marshall is a program on the way back after posting a 7-5 SU regular season that included an 8-4 ATS record. A lot of that was because the defence allowed just 19.2 points all season long. Colorado State has a definitive weapon in receiver Michael Gallup, but the Rams are a perennial underachiever that never seem to get better or worse. They’re an overrated program in my opinion and have also lost three straight bowl games, two of which have come under coach Mike Bobo.

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (8:00 p.m. ET)
Arkansas State Red Wolves -3.5 over Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

There’s a lot of problems with betting on Middle Tennessee in the post season. For one, they haven’t won a bowl game in their last four tries, and have been blown out by an average of +15.8 points per game. The Red Wolves tout a ferocious front seven that is sack hungry, and their passing game ranked 6th in the nation with 341.2 yards per game. They also put up a Sun Belt leading 7-4 ATS record which is worth backing. Middle Tennessee always loves being average in these games, and that won’t get it done against a strong tier two program that is simply better on the field than their opponents.

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more tomorrow