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

[StarDust Bum]

Late Afternoon Games:

SOCAR at NCST 03:00 PM

O 53.0

NEV at NW 03:30 PM

NW -24.0

O 60.5

FLA at MICH 03:30 PM

FLA +5.0

UTEP at OKLA 03:30 PM

OKLA -43.0

TEM at ND 03:30 PM

TEM +18.5

TROY at BSU 03:45 PM

BSU -10.5

O 60.5

EWU at TTU 04:00 PM

TTU -10.0

UK at SOMIS 04:00 PM

O 57.0

STON at USF 04:00 PM

USF -35.0

WMU at USC 05:15 PM

U 59.0

APP at UGA 06:15 PM

APP +12.5

M-OH at MRSH 06:30 PM

O 48.0

[StarDust Bum]

Evening Selections:

ALA at FSU 08:00 PM

FSU +7.5

O 51.0

VAN at MTU 08:00 PM

O 57.5

ARST at NEB 08:00 PM

NEB -14.5

SUU at ORE 08:15 PM

ORE -36.0

LSU at BYU 09:30 PM

BYU +14.0

U 48.0

IW at FRES 10:00 PM

FRES -32.5

MTST at WSU 10:30 PM

WSU -41.0

NAU at ARIZ 11:00 PM

NAU +24.5

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's Tip Sheet
September 2, 2017

Bettors have a pair of solid non-conference games lined up on Sunday night. Let’s take an in-depth look at both contests to help you out on deciding who you want support at the window.

**Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia**

-- These former Big East rivals will square of in Landover, MD, where the Redskins call home in NFL action. FedEx Field is located 214 miles away from Morgantown and 285 miles from Blacksburg. These schools haven’t met since 2005. Virginia Tech has a 9-3 record in this rivalry.

-- As of Saturday afternoon, most betting shops had Virginia Tech installed as a four or 4.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5. The Mountaineers were available on the money line for a +175 return (risk $100 to win $175).

-- Virginia Tech went to the ACC Championship Game in its first season under Justin Fuente, coming up on the short end of a 42-35 decision against eventual national champ, Clemson. The Hokies took the cash as 10.5-point underdogs, however. Also, they overcame a 24-0 halftime deficit to rally past Arkansas for a 35-24 win as seven-point ‘chalk’ at the Belk Bowl.

-- Fuente’s first team finished 10-4 straight up and 8-6 against the spread. The negative was losing twice as a double-digit favorite at Syracuse (31-17) and vs. Ga. Tech (30-20) but after four consecutive seasons of winning eight games or fewer, the vibe out of Blacksburg was all positive going into the offseason.

-- Virginia Tech returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. Josh Jackson, a redshirt freshman, has won the starting QB job and will replace Jerod Evans. Jackson will rely heavily on senior wide receiver Cam Phillips, who had 76 receptions for 983 yards and five touchdowns last year. Junior Travon McMillian will get the bulk of the carries after rushing for 671 yards and seven TDs in 2016. McMillian averaged 4.6 yards per carry.

-- Virginia Tech has one of the top defensive coordinators in all of college football in Bud Foster. His unit gave up 22.8 points per game last season. This group has 11 of its top 14 tacklers back, including junior outside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who was a third-team All-American selection in ’16. Edmunds produced 106 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, nine QB hurries, three passes broken up, one forced fumble and one interception. Senior MLB Andrew Motuapuaka recorded 114 tackles, 3.5 TFL’s, two sacks, five QB hurries, four passes broken and three interceptions.

--West Virginia is off its best season since joining the Big 12 in 2012. Dana Holgorsen’s squad went 10-3 SU and 5-8 ATS, but it lost a 31-14 decision to Miami as a 2.5-point underdog at the Russell Athletic Bowl. Holgorsen has taken WVU to five bowl games in six years, going 2-3 in those postseason appearances. This was Holgorsen’s second year with a double-digit win total (10-3 in ’11), but the Mountaineers hadn’t won more than eight games in their first four years of Big 12 play. Holgorsen is now 46-31 at WVU, going 4-4 in eight neutral-site games with a 2-6 spread record.

-- This game will mark the return of former Florida QB Will Grier, who led the Gators out to a 6-0 start in ’15 before being issued a one-year suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. After the end of the season, Grier decided to transfer to WVU and had to sit out ’16 per transfer rules. He has two years of eligibility remaining. As a redshirt freshman ’15 with UF, Grier completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,204 yards with a 10/3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also rushed for 116 yards and two scores.

-- WVU brings back only eight of 22 starters, five on offense and merely three on defense. Senior RB Justin Crawford returns after rushing for 1,184 yards and four TDs with a 7.3 YPC average. Sophomore Kennedy McKoy started a pair of games at RB as a true freshman, producing 472 rushing yards and four TDs while averaging 6.5 YPC.

-- WVU lost its top two pass catchers, but senior Ka’Raun White appears poised to have a breakout year. White had 48 catches for 583 yards and five TDs last season. Junior Jovon Durante had 35 catches for 331 yards and two TDs, but he elected to transfer Florida Atlantic a few weeks ago. Marcus Simms, a sophomore WR who had six catches for 95 yards and one TD in 10 games as a freshman, is currently suspended.

-- WVU lost four of its top five tacklers from the best defense of Holgorsen’s tenure. That unit allowed 24.0 PPG. One of the three returning starters is out indefinitely with a knee injury. That would be sophomore LB David Long, who recorded 65 tackles, two sacks, 2.5 TFL’s and two QB hurries last season. WVU’s defensive leader is senior LB Al-Rasheed Benton, who had 80 tackles, three QB hurries, one TFL and one interception in ’16. Senior LB Kyzir White had 58 tackles, three sacks, four TFL’s, five PBU and one QB hurry.

-- ABC will have the telecast at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

**Texas A&M at UCLA**

-- As of Saturday afternoon, most spots had UCLA listed as a four-point favorite with a total of 57. The Aggies were +160 on the money line.

-- When these teams met in College Station in last season’s opener, UCLA trailed 24-9 with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But the Bruins scored on back-to-back drives and after Josh Rosen threw a 62-yard TD pass to Kenneth Walker, his two-point conversion pass to Austin Roberts knotted the score. In overtime, Texas A&M got a one-yard TD run from Trevor Knight and then got a stop to capture a 31-24 win. The Aggies covered the number as four-point home favorites, while ‘under’ backers took a tough-luck push when the 55 combined points hit right on the total.

-- Rosen threw for 343 yards and one TD in the losing effort at A&M, but he was intercepted three times. UCLA had a 468-442 advantage in total offense. RB Soso Jamabo rushed for a team-high 91 yards on 23 carries. For the Aggies, Trayveon Williams ran for 94 yards on 15 totes, while Christian Kirk had 107 all-purpose yards on 11 touches.

-- This is a crucial season for Texas A&M sixth-year head coach Kevin Sumlin, who has seen his last three teams get off to hot starts only to collapse down the stretch. The end result has been three straight 8-5 campaigns after his tenure started with an 11-2 record in ’12 and a 9-4 ledger in ’13. Sumlin owns a 44-21 record at A&M and a 79-38 career record that includes his time at Houston.

-- Texas A&M won its first six games last season and had a 14-13 lead in the third quarter at top-ranked Alabama. However, the Crimson Tide scored 20 unanswered points en route to a 33-14 victory. The Aggies would lose five of their last seven contests, including their last four SEC games. They lost at Mississippi St. and vs. Ole Miss (against a starting QB taking his first-ever collegiate snaps) as double-digit favorites. Also, A&M dropped a 33-28 decision to Kansas St. at the Texas Bowl.

-- Texas A&M returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. Williams enjoyed a banner freshman campaign, rushing for a team-best 1,057 yards and eight TDs while averaging 6.8 YPC. Keith Ford also ran for 669 yards and six TDs, averaging 5.3 YPC, so the Aggies are set in the backfield with a pair of quality players. They lost three excellent WRs in Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones. However, Christian Kirk is back after garnering first-team All-American honors for his special-teams play. Kirk had 83 catches for 928 yards and nine TDs and also scored three times on punt returns.

-- Texas A&M lost its top two tacklers and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft in Myles Garrett. Nevertheless, John Chavis’s unit will be a solid group in ’17. Senior DBs Armani Watts and Donovan Wilson are All-SEC candidates. Wilson tallied 59 tackles, 4.5 TFL’s, two QB hurries, two PBU, one interception and one sack in ’16, while Watts produced 56 tackles, one sack, five TFL’s, three PBU, two interceptions and one QB hurry.

-- Sumlin has named redshirt freshman Nick Starkel as his starting QB. He’ll be making his first career start on the road, which is typically a difficult task.

-- Texas A&M senior starting cornerback Nick Harvey is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Harvey recorded f66 tackles, one interception and 10 PBU last season.

-- UCLA won at least eight games in each of Jim Mora Jr.’s first four seasons, but it limped to a 4-8 record last year after losing Rosen to a season-ending shoulder injury. Before going down in the sixth game, Rosen completed 59.3 percent of his throws with a 10/5 TD-INT ratio. He also had a pair of rushing TDs. As a true freshman in ’15, Rosen started all 13 games and connected on 60.0 percent of his passes for 3,668 yards with a 23/11 TD-INT ratio.

-- UCLA lost four one-possession games last season. The Bruins won at BYU and at home over UNLV, Arizona and Oregon St. They bring back nine starters on offense and six on defense.

-- UCLA returns its top-five rushers and its top two WRs, but the ground game was a joke last season. Jamabo rushed for a team-high 321 yards and three TDs, but he averaged just 3.9 YPC. In fact, the Bruins top three rushers each averaged 3.9 YPC or fewer. WR Darren Andrews is off a 55-catch campaign that netted 709 receiving yards and four TD grabs. Jordan Lasley had 41 receptions for 620 yards and five TDs.

-- UCLA’s defense allowed 27.5 PPG in ’16. This unit will be led by senior LB Kenny Young, a second-team All Pac-12 pick last year when he had 90 tackles, five sacks, 3.5 TFL’s, two PBU and one interception.

-- UCLA owns an 11-13 spread record in 24 games as a ,home favorite on Mora’s watch. The Bruins are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 such spots.

-- Texas A&M has compiled a 4-7 spread record as a road underdog during Sumlin’s tenure.

-- Kickoff on FOX is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s six-pack

— Undrafted rookie Cooper Rush won the backup QB job in Dallas.

— Patriots traded #3 QB Jacoby Brissett to the Colts for WR Phillip Dorsett, who was their first round draft pick in 2015.

— JJ Watt’s tremendous fundraising efforts have now raised over $17M.

— Marlins 7, Phillies 4— Giancarlo Stanton hit his 52nd home run.

— Miguel Cabrera’s suspension was reduced to six games; it started Saturday.

— Get well soon to Tigers DH Victor Martinez, who will undergo cardiac ablation surgery to fix a recurring heartbeat issue.

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

13) Alabama 24, Florida State 7— Horrific night for the Seminoles; QB Francois looks like he suffered a serious knee injury late in the game- they have no experience behind him.

FSU’s special teams imploded late in the third quarter, allowing a blocked punt, then fumbling the ensuing kickoff after an Alabama FG.

12) Maryland 51, Texas 41— Longhorns scored TD’s on defense, on a blocked FG and on a punt return, but STILL LOST BY 10 POINTS!!!! Texas was favored by 18.5. Oy.

Maryland also scored a TD on a blocked FG; they ran ball for 263 yards, threw it for 219 and their backup QB played the whole 4th quarter. Great win for the Terrapins.

11) USC 49, Western Michigan 31— Amazingly misleading final score; game was tied 14-14 at the half, was 28-28 with 7:30 left in 4th quarter. It was 35-31 with 4:00 left, but Trojans scored two TD’s in last 3:49 and won their opener, gaining 521 total yards.

USC has a backup long snapper named Jake Olsen who has been blind since he was 12 years old. He came in and made a perfect snap on a USC PAT late in the game. Good for him.

10) Oklahoma State 59, Tulsa 24— Cowboys averaged over 10 yards a play, but Tulsa converted 16-26 on third down, ran 98 plays, which is a huge red flag for an OSU defense that has to try and stop Big X offenses down the road.

9) Michigan 33, Florida 17— Gators’ defense had two pick-6’s in a 1:29 span early in 2nd quarter, but those were Gators’ only two TD’s of the game. Young Wolverines made two FG’s of 50+ yards and added a defensive TD late in the game. Florida had ten kids suspended for this game; for their sake, hope those ten kids are mostly on offense.

8) James Madison 34, East Carolina 14— Not only did the Pirates lose at home to a I-AA team, JMU was a 2.5-point road favorite. Not often a I-AA team is a road favorite at a I-A opponent.

7) There have already been 45 games this year where a I-A team played a I-AA team. Lot of schools treat these I-AA games are dress rehearsals for their conference games, an “exhibition” game with regular season prices, where you can work some of the kinks out. Not sure how much they help, especially if you lose, like ECU, Georgia State, UNLV and Baylor did.

6) Liberty 48, Baylor 45— Speaking of which, Matt Rhule’s debut in Waco didn’t go very well.

Howard 43, UNLV 40– Caylin Newton is Cam Newton’s brother; he threw for 140 yards, ran for 190 more, as Howard upset the Runnin’ Rebels.

Missouri 72, Missouri State 43— This game was 48-35 at the half. when you give up 35 points in a half to any team, especially a I-AA team, you have defensive issues.

Mizzou gained 815 yards, threw for 521, but they’re an SEC team and if you’re going to win SEC games, you damn sure better have a solid defense.

5) California 35, North Carolina 30— Golden Bears (+12.5) come east and post the upset, with soph QB Bowers throwing for 363 yards and four TD’s, including passes of 54, 67 yards.

4) Illinois 24, Ball State 21— Cardinals outgained the Illini 375-216 but couldn’t give the MAC an upset win. Illinois scored the winning TD with 2:06 left, then Ball State missed a 54-yard FG at the end. Cardinals were 12-21 on third down.

3) Nebraska 43, Arkansas State 36— Red Wolves have only 2 returning starts on their offensive line this year- that almost never happens!!! Despite being so young up front, junior QB named Hansen threw for 415 yards and three TD’s. Cornhuskers led 41-26 with 10:00 left, but when the game ended, Arkansas State had the ball on the Nebraska 10-yard line.

2) Louisville 35, Purdue 28— Lot tougher than expected. Cardinals committed 16 penalties for 110 yards, offsetting the 524 yards they gained from scrimmage.

1) Iowa 24, Wyoming 3— Hawkeyes held Cowboys’ QB Josh Allen without a TD, in a game where total offense was only 263-233 in good weather. Iowa’s offense has lot of work to do.

Flashback to 2003: Iowa (-10) beat Miami OH 21-3 in both team’s opener. Miami came to Iowa City with a highly-touted veteran QB, but also failed to score a touchdown that day.

Before you write off Josh Allen, remember that Miami’s QB that day was Ben Roethlisberger.

[StarDust Bum]

FCS Team of the Week: Howard's upset historic
September 3, 2017

(STATS) - It wasn't the biggest win of Mike London's coaching career, but Howard's 43-40 stunner at UNLV on Saturday night was the unlikeliest.

In London's first game guiding Howard, the 45-point underdog Bison posted the biggest point-spread upset in college football history.

"It's all relative," said London, who won the 2008 FCS national title at Richmond and then coached Virginia. "I've been at a place where we beat Miami and Florida State in the same year, and it hadn't been done. A place like Howard that's looking for redemption in its program ... a big win on the road against a team like this is a great win for the program, particular for the players and the football alum that have experienced some success and those that want to experience success."

Howard has posted only one winning record in the last 15 seasons and finished 2-9 last year, but the struggling MEAC program's outlook is much different under London. When even a credible loss against an FBS opponent probably might have sufficed to open the new era, the Bison caught UNLV napping, especially on true freshman quarterback Caylin Newton.

The brother of Carolina Panthers signal caller Cam Newton accounted for 330 total yards, including 190 on 21 carries, three total touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. His 4-yard TD run with 7:34 left put Howard ahead for good.

Senior running back Anthony Philyaw, the MEAC's preseason offensive player of the year, finished with 133 yards from scrimmage and scored two straight touchdowns after UNLV had surged ahead 33-21 in the third quarter with 24 straight points. Leland Lassiter recorded a team-high 11 tackles.

"I'm extremely proud of this team," London said, "to come on the road, play a (FCS) opponent, time difference. Just so proud of the effort, the tremendous effort, the culmination of this day led up from the early workouts to so many things. I give a lot of credit to the players and the coaches that put the game plans together. We're so happy for the outcome."

Can the FCS Team of the Week make it two straight against the FBS? Next Saturday, they travel to Kent State, which lost to MEAC member North Carolina A&T last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Tennessee's Jones feeling heat going into opener vs Ga Tech
September 3, 2017

ATLANTA (AP) Butch Jones is feeling the heat on Rocky Top.

Heading into his fifth season as Tennessee's coach, Jones desperately needs a breakout performance to show he's got the Volunteers on the right track.

A loss to Georgia Tech in Monday's prime-time opener at $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be a huge step in the wrong direction.

''It's a great opportunity for our football team, for our football program, to go to Atlanta and play against a very, very good football team in a great environment, a great new stadium,'' Jones said, trying to keep things positive.

While only the first game in a very long season, this will surely set the tone for both programs.

Georgia Tech wants to build on a strong finish to 2016 with another victory over a Southeastern Conference team. The Yellow Jackets went 3-0 a year ago against the SEC, including season-ending victories over Georgia and Kentucky.

''It's a huge deal,'' said Parker Braun, an offensive guard for the Atlantic Coast Conference school. ''It's another good opportunity to play an SEC team. We don't get very many opportunities to do that, so when we do play a team from the SEC, it's important to show what we can do on our side.''

Jones has done his best to shield Tennessee's players from the chatter outside the program, which hasn't won a conference title since its national championship-winning season in 1998.

''All of us want to win,'' tight end Ethan Wolf said. ''We don't feel pressure that we have to go out and win for whoever. It's all about us and it's all about the work that we put in and how much we love to play this game. The pressure is not really as heavy as you'd think.''

The game was shrouded in mystery at the most prominent position on the field.

Both teams had to replace experienced quarterbacks - Joshua Dobbs at Tennessee, Justin Thomas at Georgia Tech.

Neither coach had named a starter.

''I want them competing,'' said Jones, who will go with either little-used junior Quinten Dormady or redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano. ''They may compete all the way through pregame warmups. I think that's healthy.''

Four quarterbacks were listed as possible starters for the Yellow Jackets, though it seemed likely either Matthew Jordan or TaQuon Marshall would get the nod. Redshirt freshmen Lucas Johnson and Jay Jones were also competing for playing time.

''It will be one of those four guys,'' coach Paul Johnson said coyly. ''I promise.''

---

Some things to watch for when the Vols take on the Yellow Jackets in the second Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game of the Labor Day weekend:

DEFENSIVE WOES: Tennessee gave up far too many long runs down the stretch, which doesn't bode well facing Georgia Tech's challenging offense. The Yellow Jackets ranked 10th nationally a year ago with an average of 258.1 yards per game on the ground. It is imperative that the Vols stay in their gaps and don't bite on the option fakes that allow the run-oriented scheme to break long plays. Not as big of a concern for Tennessee is having nobody on the roster with more 2 1/2 sacks a year ago. Georgia Tech averaged only 12.3 passes per game last season.

MISSING IN ACTION: Dedrick Mills, who was Georgia Tech's leading rusher and MVP of the TaxSlayer Bowl, was kicked off the team a couple of weeks ago for violating athletic department rules. He'll be replaced by KirVonte Benson, who has never run the ball in a college game. Tennessee has its own worries. Offensive lineman Chance Hall went down with a season-ending knee injury, starting left tackle Drew Richmond was suspended for the opener, and linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. won't play because of a knee injury.

GETTING THEIR KICKS: Georgia Tech is one of only six FBS programs without a single player who has attempted a field goal or punt at the college level. Freshman Pressley Harvin III won the punting job, but Johnson has not announced who would handle the kicking duties: freshman Brenton King or sophomore Shawn Davis. Tennessee is in good shape at punter with Trevor Daniel, but its kicking situation was also up in the air with incumbent Aaron Medley facing a strong challenge from freshman Brent Cimaglia.

VOLS ON THE BALL: Tennessee's new quarterback will have a couple of impressive weapons at his disposal. John Kelly rushed for 630 yards last season, including 515 over his final six games. Jauan Jennings had 40 receptions and seven TDs, including a Hail Mary touchdown reception as time expired to beat Georgia.

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Georgia Tech campus is less than 2 miles from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, so it would be logical to assume this is essentially a home game for the Yellow Jackets. But Tennessee has a much larger fan base, so there will definitely be plenty of orange in the sellout crowd of more than 70,000. For sure, this will have the feel of a true neutral-site game. There is plenty of historical significance, as well. Once bitter rivals in the SEC, this will be first meeting between the schools since 1987.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, September 3

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W VIRGINIA (10 - 3) vs. VIRGINIA TECH (10 - 4) - 9/3/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W VIRGINIA is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) against ACC opponents since 1992.
W VIRGINIA is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) in games played on a neutral field since 1992.

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

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TEXAS A&M (8 - 5) at UCLA (4 - 8) - 9/3/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS A&M is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points since 1992.
TEXAS A&M is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1992.
UCLA is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS A&M is 1-0 against the spread versus UCLA over the last 3 seasons
TEXAS A&M is 1-0 straight up against UCLA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, September 3

12:00 AM
WESTERN CAROLINA vs. HAWAII
Western Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Western Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Hawaii is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Hawaii's last 6 games

7:30 PM
WEST VIRGINIA vs. VIRGINIA TECH
West Virginia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Virginia Tech
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of West Virginia's last 5 games when playing Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Virginia Tech is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing West Virginia

7:30 PM
TEXAS A&M vs. UCLA
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Texas A&M's last 18 games
Texas A&M is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of UCLA's last 7 games
UCLA is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

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College football

Sunday/Monday’s games

Virginia Tech has a new QB; their offensive line has 72 returning starts. Since 2011, Hokies are just 19-34-1 vs spread when favored. Since ’10, they’re 13-20-1 in non-ACC games. Tech has only 5 starters back on offense. West Virginia lost 8 starters on defense, 6 on offense; since ’12, they’re 7-12 vs spread outside the Big X. WVU is 7-9 vs spread in last 16 games when getting points. Mountaineers’ OL has only 46 returning starts. ACC-Big X don’t meet often; last five years, ACC teams are 6-5 vs spread when facing a Big X squad.

Pac-12-SEC games don’t happen much; since 2011, SEC teams are 7-3 vs spread when they play a Pac-12 opponent. Under Sumlin, Texas A&M is 12-13 vs spread out of conference; since 2013, they’re 3-7 vs spread when getting points. Aggies lost 6 starters on offense; they’ve got a new QB, their OL has only 48 returning starts. UCLA has 9 starters back on offense; their OL has 85 returning starts. Since 2014, Bruins are 5-10 vs spread as a favorite; they’re 1-8-1 vs spread in last 10 non-conference games.

Prepping for the option can be tough, but Tennessee has had more time, seeing as this is their opener. Vols’ offensive line has 111 returning starts, #2 experienced OL in country. Tennessee is 13-16 vs spread when favored under Jones- they’ve got 7 starters back on both sides of ball. Georgia Tech has 8 starters back on both sides, but has a new QB; Jackets are 9-5 vs spread in last 14 non-league games, 9-11 in last 20 games when getting points. Last two years, ACC teams are 14-9 vs spread when facing SEC opponents.

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

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

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

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

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

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No. 22 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. No. 21 Virginia Tech Hokies (-4, 51.5)

* The Mountaineers called a run on nearly 57 percent of their plays last season, but that should shrink with the addition of former Florida Gators quarterback Will Grier. That said, West Virginia will still lean on a run game that ranked 25th in the nation in yards per game (227.8) and 28th in yards per carry (5.2).

* The Hokies boasted a top-30 scoring offense last season (34.9 points per game) but are replacing quarterback Jerod Evans (3,552 passing yards, 846 rushing yards, 41 total TDs) with redshirt freshman Josh Jackson. The Hokies allowed foes to convert on third down just 28.6 percent of the time (fifth-best nationally).

LINE HISTORY: Oddmakers think this will be one of the closest games this weekend opening with the Hokies favored by a field goal. They have since been bet up one point to the current number of Virginia Tech -4. The under has seen some action here, with the number hitting the board around 54.5, it is currently down to 51.5.

TRENDS:

* West Virginia is 0-4 ATS in its last four neutral site games.
* Virginia Tech is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Over is 4-1 in West Virginia's last five neutral site games.
* Over is 13-3 in Virginia Tech's last 16 non-conference games.

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NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 1

Sunday, September 3

West Virginia @ Virginia Tech

Game 209-210
September 3, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
West Virginia
94.093
Virginia Tech
101.543
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Virginia Tech
by 7 1/2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Virginia Tech
by 4
52
Dunkel Pick:
Virginia Tech
(-4); Under

Texas A&M @ UCLA

Game 211-212
September 3, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas A&M
90.835
UCLA
95.953
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
UCLA
by 5
64
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UCLA
by 3
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
UCLA
(-3); Over


Monday, September 4

Tennessee @ Georgia Tech

Game 213-214
September 4, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tennessee
95.646
Georgia Tech
95.107
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Tech
Even
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tennessee
by 3
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia Tech
(+3); Under

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NCAAF

Sunday, September 3

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Sunday's NCAAF Game of the Day: West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
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West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (-4, 51.5)

No. 20 West Virginia and 22nd-ranked Virginia Tech each will break in a talented new quarterback when they renew their rivalry by meeting for the first time in 12 years in the season opener on Sunday at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Will Grier, who went 6-0 at Florida in 2015 before testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs and being suspended, gets the call for West Virginia and redshirt freshman Josh Jackson starts for the Hokies.

Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen told ESPN.com that his job will be to keep the eager Grier calm and relaxed while he lets the game come to him, saying "He’s not going to be able to make up for a year and a half in one game.” Grier won’t have to do it all himself as West Virginia boasts a deep group of running backs that is led by Justin Crawford, who is the leading rusher among those returning in the Big 12 (1,184 yards). Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente told reporters Jackson has been incredibly consistent and has a great demeanor as he starts his first game in place of Jerod Evans, who left early for the NFL. “I’m very comfortable with the offense,” Jackson, a dual-threat signal-caller from Ann Arbor, Mich. told reporters. “I don’t think we’re going to dial anything back.”

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

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Hokies as 4-point favorites and that line quickly grew as high as 5, before fading back to the opening number. The total hit the betting board at 55.5 and has been bet down 4.5-points to an even 51.

WEATHER REPORT: Weather conditions should be perfect for football with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70’s at kickoff.

INJURY REPORT:

West Virginia - QB Will Grier (Probable, Suspension), S Dravon Askew-Henry (Probable, Knee), WR Marcus Simms (Eligibility, Suspension), LS David Long Jr. (Early October, Knee)

Virginia Tech - CB Brandon Facyson (Probable, Wrist), WR Caleb Farley (Out For Season, Knee)

WEST VIRGINIA (2016: 10-3 SU, 5-8 ATS, 5-8 O/U): Holgorsen told reporters he likes where his team is, and the seventh-year coach must be especially pleased with the Mountaineers’ depth at running back as sophomores Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway also will play big roles. Grier, who averaged 277 yards through the air in beating Tennessee and Ole Miss back-to-back two years ago, has a strong top target in senior receiver Ka’Raun White (48 catches, 583 yards last year). Senior linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton (80 tackles in 2016) leads the defense along with defensive backs Dravon Askew-Henry and senior Kyzir White.

VIRGINIA TECH (2016: 10-4 SU, 8-6 ATS, 8-6 O/U): The Hokies hope to give Jackson time to develop with strong work from a defense that is led by linebackers Andrew Motuapuaka (senior) and Tremaine Edmunds (junior), who combined for 220 tackles last year, and a solid secondary paced by junior Adonis Alexander. Jackson’s most-experienced target is senior Cam Phillips, who has recorded 165 receptions for 2,063 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career, and senior guard Wyatt Teller anchors the line. Travon McMillian has accumulated 1,713 rushing yards over the last two years and could be pushed by fellow junior Steven Peoples and sophomore Deshawn McClease.

TRENDS (Dating back to last season):

* Mountaineers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.

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

* Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 neutral site games.

* Over is 5-1-1 in Hokies last 7 neutral site games.

* Over is 13-3 in Hokies last 16 non-conference games.

* Mountaineers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Virginia Tech.

CONSENSUS: The underdog Mountaineers are getting 61 percent of the money line action from users and the Over is picking up 69 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

CFB Aug/Sept Best Bets: ( All Best Bets Based On 5 Units Per Play )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

09/02/2017 11-21-0 34.38% -60.50

09/01/2017 6-3-0 66.67% +13.50

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

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

Totals:............31 - 33........48.43%....-26.50





SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WVU at VT 07:30 PM

VT -4.5

U 53.0

TAM at UCLA 07:30 PM

TAM +4.5

O 59.0

[StarDust Bum]

Va. Tech beats West Virginia, 31-24
September 3, 2017

LANDOVER, Maryland (AP) Josh Jackson passed for 235 yards, ran for 101 and accounted for two touchdowns in his first start for Virginia Tech, and the No. 21 Hokies made a last-second stand to beat No. 22 West Virginia 31-24 on Sunday night.

The 52nd meeting between the Appalachian region rivals was the first since 2005. It ended up being a classic at FedEx Field, which turned into Lane Stadium northeast at the end. Hokies fans screamed along to ''Enter Sandman'' after Virginia Tech held the Mountaineers out of the end zone on two last plays from the 15.

After 11 years, the Hokies get to bring the Black Diamond Trophy back to Blacksburg.

Jackson, the redshirt freshman who won a three-way competition for the job, was up and down with his passing, but showed off some nifty moves running in the opener for both teams. His 46-yard keeper up the middle set up Travon McMillian's 3-yard touchdown run that put Virginia Tech up 31-24 with 6:30 left.

West Virginia's new quarterback looked good, too. Florida transfer Will Grier, who left Gainesville after being suspended by the NCAA for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs in 2015, pass for 371 yards and three touchdowns.

Usually reliable Virginia Tech kicker Joey Slye missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt with 1:55 that gave the Mountaineers a chance.

Grier slinged and scrambled West Virginia down to the Virginia Tech 15, but his second-to-last pass into the end zone under pressure was a little behind David Sills and it went through the receiver's arms. Grier's last throw sailed high and away, but a couple of penalties on the West Virginia offensive line made it moot.

THE TAKEAWAY

West Virginia: Along with breaking in Grier, West Virginia is looking to find him some reliable targets from an inexperienced bunch. Former quarterback prodigy David Sills (nine catches, 94 yards and two touchdowns) and Jennings (13 for 189 and a touchdown) looked good against a Virginia Tech secondary that ranks among the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies are going with a committee of running backs and 190-pound sophomore Deshawn McClease made a case to be in the mix along with Steve Peoples and Travon McMillian. McClease slipped three tackles on the way to a 12-yard touchdown run to make it 17-10 for Virginia Tech in the third quarter. He finished 51 yards on eight carries.

UP NEXT

West Virginia: The Mountaineers return home to take on East Carolina in Morgantown.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies face FCS opponent Delaware next week before traveling to East Carolina on Sept. 16.

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UCLA stuns Texas A&M, 45-44
September 3, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) Josh Rosen faked a spike and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lasley with 43 seconds remaining and UCLA overcame a 34-point deficit to stun Texas A&M 45-44 on Sunday night.

Rosen was 35 of 59 for 491 yards and four touchdowns, and Jalen Starks and Soso Jamabo had touchdown runs for the Bruins in the opener for both teams. They overcame a deficit of more than 20 points for the first time since the 2005 Sun Bowl against Northwestern.

Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond was stopped short of the first-down marker on a scramble with 20 seconds left to close out the biggest FBS comeback since 2006.

UCLA scored on five straight possessions after trailing 44-10 with 4:08 to play in the third quarter. Rosen threw touchdown passes of 9 and 42 yards to Darren Andrews before finding Theo Howard for a 16-yard score on a broken play with 3:08 remaining.

UCLA got the ball back with 2:39 to go and drove 51 yards in seven plays, including an 11-yard throw and catch to tight end Caleb Wilson. Rosen capped the remarkable comeback with a fade to the far corner of the end zone after faking the spike to freeze Texas A&M's defense. JJ Molson kicked the winning extra point.

Wilson had 15 receptions for 203 yards, and Andrews had 12 catches for 147 yards.

Trayveon Williams rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns, and Keith Ford added 114 yards rushing and three touchdowns for Texas A&M. The Aggies lost for only the second time in six openers under coach Kevin Sumlin.

Rosen spent much of the game under constant pressure from Texas A&M for the second straight season until mounting the stunning comeback. After being sacked five times last season in a 31-24 overtime loss at College Station, Rosen was dropped three times and lost two fumbles in his return after missing the final six games last year with a shoulder injury.

Texas A&M had largely dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball before melting down, rushing for 382 yards and limiting UCLA to 70 yards on the ground. Williams had a 72-yard run where he bounced outside and raced down the UCLA sideline, which set up a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Ford, and the sophomore added a 61-yard scoring run late in the first half.

Redshirt freshman Nick Starkel got the start at quarterback for Texas A&M, and completed his first three throws during an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown run by Ford.

The touted freshman Mond entered the game on the sixth possession for Texas A&M and played the entire second half after Starkel suffered an apparent left foot injury. Starkel returned to the sideline on crutches with his foot in a walking boot.

Mond was 3 of 17 for 27 yards and rushed for 55 yards on 15 carries, and Starkel was 6 of 13 for 62 yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas A&M: Sumlin's hot seat gets hotter. Plenty has been made of late-season implosions over the previous three years, but this game summed up those failures in 60 horrifying minutes

UCLA: Rosen can roll. When they finally turned loose their star quarterback, the Bruins looked nothing like the inept offense that did practically nothing for most of the game. UCLA has plenty to work on, but Rosen is more than capable of taking them back to a winning record and more.

UP NEXT

Texas A&M: The Aggies return home to host Nicholls State on Saturday

UCLA: The Bruins host Hawaii on Saturday, as the Rainbow Warriors seek their first 3-0 start since 2007.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday’s six-pack

Since 1980, the 10 largest pointspread upsets in college football history:

+43— Howard over UNLV, 9-2-17

+39— Stanford over USC, 10-6-07

+36.5— Texas State over Houston, 9-1-12

+36— Syracuse over Louisville, 9-22-07

+36— UTEP over BYU, 10-26-85

+36— Temple over Virginia Tech, 10-17-98

+35.5— Central Michigan over Western Michigan, 11-11-00

+35— Oregon State over Washington 10-19-85

+33— Appalachian State over Michigan, 9-1-07

+33— Liberty over Baylor, 9-2-17

— Florida State QB Deondre Francois is out for the year after his knee injury Saturday nite.

— UCLA 45, Texas A&M 44— Aggies led 44-10 in 3rd quarter. Really, they did.

— Virginia Tech 31, West Virginia 24— WVU was on the Tech 10-yard line when game ended.

— USA 81, Argentina 76— Americans were down 20 in third quarter. Jeff Van Gundy’s team comes home with the gold medal from the AmeriCup tournament— a great road win.

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Monday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….

13) If you have season tickets for an NFL team, you buy 10 games at regular season prices; the obvious problem is this: 2 of those 10 games are exhibition games.

NFL should reduce the price of those two unwatchable preseason games to $25, which would allow people who don’t normally go to exhibition games to go. At some point, the owners have to stop sucking every last dollar from the consumer. Its not good business. Greed isn’t good.

12) 37 Buccaneers sat out their exhibition game Thursday night; assuming all of those guys are making the squad, that means only 16 players who will be Bucs in Week 1 played vs Washington.

11) NFL owners get stadiums built for them; they’re rich people with a sense of entitlement that is out of control. At some point, NFL owners need to give something back to their communities.

10) Seahawks acquired defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson from the Jets on Friday. In return, Seattle sent WR Jermaine Kearse and a 2018 2nd-round draft pick to New Jersey.

9) A professional golfer named Kelly Kraft (#64 in FedEx Cup standings) made a 12 on the par-5 second hole Friday, shot a 44 on the front nine, then withdrew with a foot injury. Oy.

8) Nigel Williams-Goss transferred from Washington to Gonzaga, sat out 2015-16, then helped the Zags make the Final Four last year. He skipped his senior year at Gonzaga, was drafted in the second round by Utah, but instead of getting a two-way contract with Utah, he is off to Serbia to play ball for $130,000 this season. Curious decision.

7) 49ers cut QB Matt Barkley, who figures to get picked up by someone (Buffalo??). Browns cut Brock Osweiler, who still banks $16M from Cleveland— Osweiler is headed back to Denver with a hefty bank account, but with very little success on the field.

6) Baseball players who are September 1st call-ups making minimum MLB salary ($535,000 a year) will earn $90,628 for the rest of the season.

5) Was reading where Justin Verlander approved his trade to Houston one minute before the trade deadline. Supposedly there was a chance he would be traded to the Cubs, but that fell thru.

4) UL-Lafayette 51, SE Louisiana 48— Ragin’ Cajuns ran two kicks back for TD’s; Lions ran a punt back for a score. With 0:42 left, SE Louisiana scored a TD to make score 49-48- they went for two points and the win, but their QB fumbled and ULL ran it back for two points of their own. Game was 35-35 at halftime.

3) Cleveland Browns’ three QB’s (Kizer-Kessler-Hogan) have a total of zero NFL wins to their credit. Browns are paying Brock Osweiler $15M+ to be a backup in Denver.

Dolphins signed K Cody Parkey, which means RPI alum Andrew Franks is out of a job, at least for now.

2) Indians 11, Tigers 1— Cleveland has won 11 games in a row.

1) Jets, Jaguars, Browns picked up five guys each off the waiver wire; Ram picked up three, the Colts four. Most of the better teams didn’t add anyone— you can get a little bit of a feel of who the better teams are by seeing which teams add which players.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, September 4

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TENNESSEE (9 - 4) vs. GEORGIA TECH (9 - 4) - 9/4/2017, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

Monday, September 4

8:00 PM
TENNESSEE vs. GEORGIA TECH
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games
Tennessee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Georgia Tech is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Georgia Tech's last 9 games


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Monday, September 4

Tennessee @ Georgia Tech

Game 213-214
September 4, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tennessee
95.646
Georgia Tech
95.107
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Tech
Even
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tennessee
by 3
56 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Georgia Tech
(+3); Under

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NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 1

Prepping for the option can be tough, but Tennessee has had more time, seeing as this is their opener. Vols’ offensive line has 111 returning starts, #2 experienced OL in country. Tennessee is 13-16 vs spread when favored under Jones- they’ve got 7 starters back on both sides of ball. Georgia Tech has 8 starters back on both sides, but has a new QB; Jackets are 9-5 vs spread in last 14 non-league games, 9-11 in last 20 games when getting points. Last two years, ACC teams are 14-9 vs spread when facing SEC opponents.

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Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech
September 3, 2017

Butch Jones’s fifth season as the head coach at the University of Tennessee is a critical one for the program and his tenure at the school. Jones has posted back-to-back nine-win seasons, but he’s been unable to win the SEC East during a four-year window that can be dubbed as the Dark Ages for the division.

Tennessee finished 9-4 straight up and 5-7-1 against the spread last year, failing to win the East despite its nearly unquestioned status as the preseason favorite. As I’ve repeatedly said and written in recent months, UT’s 2016 campaign can be looked at two different ways.

On one end, the Volunteers’ 2-4 finish in their last six SEC games can partly be blamed on a wild rash of injuries that kept key players on the sidelines. There was also the double-overtime loss at Texas A&M that could’ve gone either way.

Viewed from a different angle, you could say Tennessee was lucky to have won at Georgia on a Hail Mary pass on the game’s final play. There was also the win vs. Florida thanks to a comeback from a 21-0 deficit late in the second quarter. In addition, UT captured a fortunate overtime victory vs. Appalachian State. The Mountaineers led by double digits at intermission and would’ve won in regulation if not for a missed extra point and a field goal.

Whatever the case, those in the media – and there are plenty of them – who think Jones’s job security is on solid footing are downright delusional. Jones owns a 30-21 record at UT, but he’s 14-18 in SEC play. On his watch, the Vols are winless in 11 games against Top-10 opponents and they’ve limped to a 6-15 mark versus Top-25 foes. Making matters worse, he’s already lost to Vanderbilt twice and is 0-4 against Will Muschamp.

It isn’t just the results on the field that have aggravated the rabid UT fan base. Jones maddeningly leaned on all sorts of excuses early in his tenure, constantly creating a narrative about how young and inexperienced his team was. Before his team’s road openers in his first three years, he would literally conduct interviews by explaining the stats -- percentages and all – about how many of his players would be getting on an airplane for the first time in their lives.

There was also his infamous ‘Champions of Life’ quote and his early exit from the postgame interview (before nearly all of the press core had arrived) following last year’s loss at Vandy. And now here we are on the eve of the 2017 opener with Jones seizing an opportunity to throw out a built-in excuse yet again.

“They already have an advantage on us because we were told they were inside the dome practicing with full pads for a two-hour practice (Tuesday),” Jones told the Associated Press.

Really, Butch? With his team poised to take on Georgia Tech at the brand-new Merceds-Benz Dome in Atlanta on Monday night, he’s worrying about the Yellow Jackets being able to practice at the venue? Unbelievable.

As of early Sunday night, most betting shops had Tennessee installed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. The Yellow Jackets were available on the money line for a +145 return (risk $100 to win $145).

Tennessee returns 14 of 22 starters, seven on each side of the ball. But the Vols lost their three best playmakers in quarterback Josh Dobbs, running back Alvin Kamara and WR Josh Malone. They’ve also lost a pair of starters to season-ending injuries already.

Junior OT Chance Hall and junior LB Darrin Kirkland have gone down with knee injuries. Hall had started 13 games in the last two seasons. Kirkland will especially be missed this week against Paul Johnson’s run-oriented offense. Kirkland has 17 career starts to his credit. Despite missing five games with an ankle injury last year, he recorded 45 tackles, four tackles for a loss and one sack.

Junior QB Quinten Dormady is poised to make his first career start for UT. The former four-star recruit has appeared in 11 career games, but only in mop-up duty. Dormady completed 11-of-17 passes (64.7%) last year for 148 yards. He threw for 209 yards as a freshman with one TD pass and zero interceptions.

Dormady’s favorite target will be Jauan Jennings, a junior who has started 15 career games. Jennings had 40 receptions for 580 yards and seven TDs in 2016. Senior TE Ethan Wolf has made 35 career starts. He had 21 catches for 239 yards and two TDs last season. Josh Smith, who had 13 grabs for 97 yards and one TD in ’16, is listed as ‘questionable’ due to a collarbone injury.

UT’s defense gave up 28.8 points per game in ’16. This unit has its top five tacklers back and will need to be vastly improved for the Vols to hang around in the SEC East race. Senior safety Todd Kelly had a team-high 71 tackles and two interceptions in ’16.

Georgia Tech brings back 16 of 22 starters from a 9-4 team that beat Kentucky 33-18 as a 3.5-point ‘chalk’ in the TaxSlayer Bowl. The Yellow Jackets went 3-0 against SEC foes, beating Georgia and Vanderbilt as well. They closed the ’16 campaign with four consecutive victories, including a 30-20 win at Virginia Tech as 14-point underdogs.

Johnson will turn to junior Matthew Jordan as his new starting QB. Jordan appeared in nine games last year, starting in the win at Virginia Tech. He ran for 121 yards and two TDs against the Hokies. For the season, Jordan rushed for 243 yards and six TDs while averaging 3.7 yards per carry. He completed 3-of-9 passes for 111 yards with one TD and one interception.

Johnson dismissed last year’s leading rusher from the team a few weeks ago. Dedric Mills rushed for 771 yards and 12 TDs with a 5.1 YPC average as a freshman, but he won’t be around for his sophomore season. Look for Clinton Lynch and Qua Searcy to get the most touches out of the backfield. Lynch ran for 415 yards and two TDs with an 11.2 YPC average in ’16, while Searcy had 273 rushing yards and two scores. Lynch also had 16 receptions for 490 yards and six TDs.

Georgia Tech’s defense gave up 24.5 PPG last year and brings back eight starters. Senior safety Corey Griffin registered 82 tackles, four TFL’s, one sack, three passes broken up and two interceptions.

These schools haven’t met since 1987 when the Yellow Jackets won a 29-15 decision.

Even though the game is being played in Atlanta, gamblers shouldn’t look at this as a road game for the Vols. They’ll probably have just as many fans in attendance as the Yellow Jackets.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

[StarDust Bum]

CFB Aug/Sept Best Bets: ( All Best Bets Based On 5 Units Per Play )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

09/03/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

09/02/2017 11-21-0 34.38% -60.50

09/01/2017 6-3-0 66.67% +13.50

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

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

Totals:............34 - 34........50.00%....-17.00

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAF

Monday, September 4

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Monday's NCAAF Game of the Day: Tennessee vs Georgia Tech
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Tennessee Volunteers vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+3.5, 55.5)

Tennessee and Georgia Tech will meet in brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for Monday’s season opener, but who will line up at quarterback for both teams remains unknown - at least publicly. Tennessee coach Butch Jones and Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson have not announced who will start under center, as the No. 24 Volunteers and Georgia Tech begin their campaigns looking to replace long-time starting quarterbacks.

The Volunteers have junior Quinten Dormady, a backup the last two years, and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano battling to replace Joshua Dobbs. “We have a pretty good idea who the quarterback will be for us, and we have a pretty good idea who the quarterback will be for them as well,” Jones told reporters this week. The Yellow Jackets most likely will go with junior Matthew Jordan, who played at times while former starter Justin Thomas was injured last season, but could go with junior TaQuon Marshall or a pair of redshirt freshmen. “We may play all four in the first game,” Johnson told reporters. “Who knows?”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Tenessee opened as 6-point favorites but Georgia Tech money has pushed that number down to 3.5. The total hit the betting boards at 61 and has dropped down to 55.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Tennessee - WR J. Smith (Probable, Shoulder), DB S. Wiggins (Questionable, Hip), DL S. Tuttle (Questionable, Knee), LB D. Kirkland Jr. (Out For Season, Knee), OL D. Richmond (Elig Sept 9, Suspension), WR J. Jones (Out For Season, Knee), OL C. Hall (Out For Season, Knee).

Georgia Tech - RB C. Lynch (Questionable, Undisclosed), LB D. Curry (Out, Lower Body), OL A. Marshall (Out, Lower Body).

WEATHER REPORT: Dome. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will, eventually be a retractable roofed stadium but the roof opening mechanism will not be ready until later in the year.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (2016: 9-4 SU, 6-7 ATS, 9-4 O/U): The Volunteers look to replace most of their offensive firepower from last season, but return running back John Kelly (630 yards rushing in 2016) and receiver Jauan Jennings (seven receiving touchdowns). Dormady played in four games last season, completing 11-of-17 passes for 148 yards. Defensively, Tennessee brings back its top four linebackers from a season ago and an experienced secondary.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (2016: 9-4 SU, 7-4-1 ATS, 6-5-1 O/U): The Yellow Jackets will deploy the triple-option offense, but lost leading rusher Dedrick Mills after he was dismissed from the program in August for violating team rules. Jordan directed an upset at Virginia Tech last season and rushed for six touchdowns in nine games, attempting just nine passes on the season, but does have experienced running backs in Clinton Lynch (905 all-purpose yards) and J.J Green. Georgia Tech brings back five defensive backs who combined for eight interceptions a season ago.

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games.
* Yellow Jackets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. SEC.
* Over is 8-0 in Volunteers last 8 neutral site games.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Yellow Jackets last 5 games in September.

CONSENSUS: The Volunteers are picking up 57 percent of the action from users and the Over is picking up 61 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Best Bet
September 4, 2017

Monday College Football Best Bet (ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech

The final game of the first week of full college football action kicks off tonight as the NCAA likes to try and grab that MNF audience a week before the NFL season starts.

It's a great move for college football as more eyes will definitely be on this stand alone game, and in turn, more betting action will surely follow. Tonight's game is another primetime showdown between the SEC and ACC, and although a Tennessee/Georgia Tech tilt doesn't have anywhere near the potential impact on the college football landscape that Alabama/Florida State did on Saturday night, the overall betting handle could be very similar.

It's another season of high expectations for a Tennessee program that's failed to live up to them in recent years, and coming out of the gate to face Georgia Tech's triple-option attack is a unique challenge in Week 1.

Sportsbetting.ag Odds: Tennessee (-3.5); Total set at 55.5

Tennessee enters 2017 with the 25th ranking in the AP poll but they've been in a similar position in year's past and can never seem to do much better than a marginal Bowl appearance in late-December. Last year it was three weeks of consecutive losses (Texas A&M, Alabama, South Carolina) in early October that derailed their campaign, and sadly for Volunteers fans that's a familiar refrain over the years.

This program can never seem to put it all together for 12+ weeks and I've got a tough time believing 2017 will be any different. They've got to go to Alabama this year for a game in late-October, and games against Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and LSU won't be easy either.

But this opener will be nothing like any of those as they'll be dealing with Georgia Tech's triple-option and there have been many a good program that fall victim to the Yellow Jackets unique style of play.

The biggest advantage triple-option programs generally have is the notion that they are extremely proficient at what they do, and opponents aren't that familiar with it because it's quite rare. Unless you are a school that sees Georgia Tech on a yearly basis, or a service academy rival (Air Force, Army, Navy), the triple-option can throw a defense for a loop and a SU loss that schools never thought was coming gets put in the standings.

However, that advantage usually works it's best for teams like Georgia Tech in any week but Week 1, simply because there just isn't enough time in a single week for opponents to sufficiently prepare for the triple-option. It's such a one-off thing that coaches have a tough time getting their players to understand the gap integrity and responsibilities each player has on every play, and when there are holes left, you'd better believe strong triple-option teams will exploit them.

All of those concerns don't particularly apply to Tennessee tonight as they've had all summer to work on stopping the triple-option attack and that should work decidedly in their favor tonight. Yes, there will be some miscues that Georgia Tech will take advantage of, but all in all, this Tennessee team has much more talent on the field from top to bottom on both sides of the ball, and should easily come out on top should they execute.

The biggest advantage Georgia Tech typically has is rendered obsolete in Week 1, and the Volunteers know that with the schedule they've got this year, they've got to come out of the gates hot. The neutral site negates any other potential advantage Georgia Tech would have as the home side, and Tennessee's 6-0 ATS run at neutral sites suggests we will see the good Tennessee Volunteers program show up.

Just like Saturday's SEC/ACC game played at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the favorite will come away with the SU and ATS victory and allow the SEC to proclaim dominance over the ACC Conference – at least for now.

Odds per - Sportsbetting.ag

Best Bet: Tennessee -3.5

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TENN at GT 08:00 PM

GT +3.0

U 55.5



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NCAAF Opening Line Report: Huge rematch from last season highlights Week 2

“Everyone knows exactly what happened in this game last year, and I don’t know if anyone is expecting anything different.”

No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-5.5)

Ohio State (1-0 SU and ATS), coming off a season in which it reached the College Football Playoff semifinals, was sluggish out of the gate in Week 1 at Indiana, trailing 21-20 late in the third quarter. However, the Buckeyes didn’t allow a score the rest of the way and scored the final 29 points in a 49-21 victory as a 20-point favorite Thursday.

Oklahoma (1-0 SU and ATS) didn’t have nearly that kind of trouble with nonconference foe Texas-El Paso, rumbling 56-7 Saturday as a massive 43-point home favorite. But playing in The Horseshoe won’t be nearly as comfortable, as the Sooners try to avenge a 45-24 loss to Ohio State as a 2-point home underdog in Week 3 last year.

“Everyone knows exactly what happened in this game last year, and I don’t know if anyone is expecting anything different,” Cooley said. “The Buckeyes found their offensive rhythm in the second half of their opener, and it’s easy to say the Indiana defense is comparable, if not better, than Oklahoma’s. This number will probably head north quickly.”

Cooley was spot-on, as less than an hour after Bookmaker.eu’s opening line posted Sunday evening, the Buckeyes were bet up to -7.5.

No. 13 Auburn Tigers at No. 5 Clemson Tigers (-6)

Defending national champion Clemson (1-0 SU and ATS) no longer has Deshaun Watson at quarterback, but it hardly mattered in its Week 1 tuneup game for this ACC-SEC clash. Kelly Bryant threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and ran for another 77 yards and a score as Clemson crushed Kent State 56-3 laying 38 points at home Saturday.

Auburn (1-0 SU, 0-0-1 ATS) likewise had no problem with Georgia Southern in a 41-7 Saturday stomp, though it settled for a push as a 34-point home fave. Auburn and Clemson have met four times in the last seven seasons, with Clemson taking the last three SU, including a 19-13 road win giving 7.5 points last year.

“Is this the year Auburn snaps the streak? Tough to say, but one thing that seems to be certain is that we won’t see a shootout,” Cooley said. “This has been a tightly contested game over the last five years or so, and these rivalries always seem to play out like that. Pro bettors might find some value with Auburn here.”

No. 15 Georgia Bulldogs at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (no line)

Georgia opened the season with a victory, but it came at a cost. Starting quarterback Jacob Eason suffered a sprained knee in the first quarter against Appalachian State on Saturday. The Bulldogs (1-0 SU and ATS) went on to win 31-10 as a 12.5-point home chalk, but Cooley held off on posting a line for Georgia-Notre Dame until it’s clear whether Eason or freshman Jake Fromm will be the starter.

Notre Dame (1-0 SU and ATS) is coming off a 49-16 rout of Temple as a 19-point favorite. The Irish are looking to put behind them a dismal 4-8 SU and ATS season.

“We’re anticipating Eason will be out for this one, but we’ll wait to hang a line just to be sure,” Cooley said. “If he’s out, the freshman will have his hands full at South Bend. That injury obviously will be built into the line, as will the public’s propensity to back Notre Dame.”

No. 14 Stanford Cardinal at No. 4 Southern California Trojans (-5.5)

Star QB Sam Darnold and Southern Cal (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) got all they could handle from Western Michigan until well into the fourth quarter Saturday. The Trojans needed two touchdowns in the span of 36 seconds – the second one on an interception return with 3:13 remaining – to pull away for a 49-31 victory as a hefty 28-point home favorite.

Stanford (1-0 SU and ATS) comes in off a week of rest, after roasting Rice 62-7 laying 29.5 points on Aug. 26. The Cardinal probably needed the break, as it was the ultimate neutral-site game, played in Sydney, Australia.

“You get the feeling that this ballyhooed USC squad is due for an early upset,” Cooley said. “USC didn’t look great against the run, and the power-run game is what the Cardinals hang their hat on. Stanford has owned this rivalry of late, and this could be another notch in the series win column.”

The Cardinal won and cashed the last three meetings with the Trojans, including a 27-10 home victory last year as a 7.5-point fave. That said, shortly after Bookmaker.eu installed USC a 5.5-point chalk Sunday night, the Trojans were bet up to 6.5.