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

[StarDust Bum]

CONN at SMU 04:00 PM

SMU -17.0 *****

U 75.5

TXST at WYO 04:00 PM

TXST +16.5

IOWA at MSU 04:00 PM

IOWA +3.5 *****

ASU at STAN 04:00 PM

STAN -17.0 *****

O 60.0

EMU at UK 04:00 PM

UK -14.0

M-OH at ND 05:00 PM

M-OH +20.0 *****

MSST at AUB 06:00 PM

AUB -7.5 *****

AKR at BGSU 06:00 PM

U 57.0

[StarDust Bum]

Joe Tiller, Purdue's winningest football coach, dies at 74
September 30, 2017

Joe Tiller, the winningest football coach in Purdue history, has died at 74.

The school says he died Saturday in Buffalo, Wyoming. The Harness Funeral Home says he died at home of natural causes.

Tiller coached the Boilermakers from 1997 to 2008 and had a record of 87-62 record. He led the previously downtrodden program to 10 bowl games, including the 2001 Rose Bowl. He coached NFL quarterbacks Drew Brees, Kyle Orton and Curtis Painter.

Tiller overtook Jack Mollenkopf for most wins by a Purdue football coach with his 85th victory, a 32-25 decision over Central Michigan in 2008.

Tiller coached for six years at Wyoming before joining Purdue. In 1996, he led the Cowboys to a 10-2 record, the Western Athletic Conference championship game and a No. 22 ranking.

[StarDust Bum]

No. 21 Florida loses QB Del Rio to left shoulder injury
September 30, 2017

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio has left Saturday's game against Vanderbilt with a left shoulder injury.

Making his first start of the season for the 21st-ranked Gators, Del Rio was slow to get up after rolling out of the pocket, completing a pass to Brandon Powell and getting knocked down. Del Rio was favoring his left shoulder as he walked off the field and trainers looked at him on the bench. He then headed to the locker room for most tests.

The son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio started six games last year before sustaining a season-ending injury to his right shoulder. Del Rio also partly tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He had surgery on both shoulders after the season.

Feleipe Franks, who started Florida's first three games of the season and was benched in two of them, replaced Del Rio in the second quarter.

[StarDust Bum]

MRSH at CIN 07:00 PM

MRSH +3.5 *****

USA at LT 07:00 PM

LT -11.5 *****

MEM at UCF 07:00 PM

UCF -5.5 *****

UNT at SOMIS 07:00 PM

SOMIS -7.5

AFA at UNM 07:00 PM

UNM +3.0 *****

TROY at LSU 07:00 PM

TROY +20.5 *****

MTU at FAU 07:00 PM

U 60.0

CHAR at FIU 07:00 PM

FIU -9.5

CCAR at ULM 07:00 PM

O 54.0 *****

BALL at WMU 07:00 PM

U 54.0

OSU at RUTG 07:30 PM

RUTG +28.0 *****

SOCAR at TAM 07:30 PM

TAM -7.0 *****

[StarDust Bum]

WASH at ORST 08:00 PM

U 59.5

OKST at TTU 08:00 PM

TTU +10.0 *****

CLEM at VT 08:00 PM

CLEM -7.0 *****

MISS at ALA 09:00 PM

MISS +28.5 *****

NEV at FRES 10:00 PM

FRES -9.5 *****

SJSU at UNLV 10:30 PM

O 63.5

NIU at SDSU 10:30 PM

NIU +9.0

CAL at ORE 10:30 PM

CAL +16.0 *****

COLO at UCLA 10:30 PM

COLO +7.5 *****

CSU at HAW 11:59 PM

CSU -6.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

09/30/2017 29-19-3 61.70% +40.50

09/29/2017 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00

09/28/2017 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00

09/24/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00

09/23/2017 31-33-1 48.44% -26.50

09/22/2017 4-0-0 100.00% +20.00

09/21/2017 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00

09/16/2017 20-26-3 43.48% -43.00

09/15/2017 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50

09/14/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

09/09/2017 19-21-3 47.50% -20.50

09/08/2017 4-0-0 100.00% +20.00

09/07/2017 0-1-0 0.00% -5.50

09/04/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

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:.......154 - 145 - 9.....51.50%....-27.50


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

09/30/2017..................18 - 7.............+ 51.50................1 - 1................-0.50

09/29/2017....................1 - 0.............+ 5.00..................2 - 2...............- 1.00

09/28/2017....................0 - 1..............- 5.50..................0 - 0 ...............00.00

09/24/2017....................1 - 0..............+ 5.00.................1 - 0...............+ 5.00

09/23/2017....................9 - 16 - 1.......- 35.00.................2 - 7..............- 28.50

09/22/2017....................2 - 0..............+10.00.................2 - 0..............+10.00

09/21/2017....................1 - 0..............+ 5.00..................1 - 0..............+ 5.00

09/16/2017....................7 - 9 - 1.........- 14.50.................3 - 6...............-12.50

09/15/2017....................2 - 0..............+10.00.................1 - 2...............- 6.00

Totals:........................41 -33 - 2...........+30.50...............13 - 18.............- 25.50

[StarDust Bum]

Betting Recap - Week 5
October 1, 2017

Overall Notes

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 5 RESULTS

WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 47-7
Against the Spread 31-23

WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 34-20
Against the Spread 26-28

WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 26-27-1

The largest underdogs to win straight up
Troy (+20.5, ML +1000) at Louisiana State, 24-21
Maryland (+13.5, ML +425) at Minnesota, 31-24
North Texas (+8, ML +260) at Southern Mississippi, 43-28
Washington State (+5, ML +170) vs. Southern California, 30-27

The largest favorites to cover
Alabama (-30) vs. Mississippi, 66-3
Ohio State (-28.5) at Rutgers, 56-0
Washington (-27.5) at Oregon State, 42-7
South Florida (-22.5) at East Carolina, 61-31
Notre Dame (-21) vs. Miami-Ohio, 52-17

Top 25 Notes

-- Clemson is the No. 2 team in the land, and they became the first team to ever beat three opponents ranked Top 15 or higher before Oct. 1. The Tigers looked like the more experienced team in their 31-17 road victory at Virginia Tech, and their defense might one of the most dominant in the nation. The Tigers are now 4-1 ATS, including 2-0 ATS on the road, and they're allowing just 10.8 PPG through five outings. ... Alabama rolled past Mississippi in one of the most dominating performances of the weekend, 66-3. In two games against the SEC, the Crimson Tide have outscored their opponents 125-3. The 'over' is a perfect 3-0 over the past three outings for the Tide. ... The weekend kicked off with Washington State topping Southern California on the Palouse. After opening 2-0 SU, but 0-2 ATS, the Cougs have covered three in a row.

-- Miami-Florida pounded Duke 31-6 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, handing the Blue Devils their first loss and non-cover in five games. The Hurricanes moved to 3-0 SU/2-1 ATS, including covers in each of their games against FBS foes this season. Up next for the Canes is their annual Sunshine State rivalry game at Florida State.

-- Auburn spanked Mississipp State by a 49-10 count, as it was a bad day all around for all of the powers in the Magnolia State. Hey, at least Last Chance U, East Mississippi CC, rolled to a 45-7 win this week over Mississippi Delta CC. Like their Yellowhammer State rivals from Tuscaloosa, the Tigers are 2-0 SU/ATS in the SEC, averaging 50.0 PPG while allowing just 12.0 PPG.

-- Penn State continues to get amazing performances from Heisman hopeful RB Saquon Barkley, and they ended up rolling Indiana by a 45-14 score. The Nittany Lions running back might get all the attention, but the defense is allowing just 9.4 PPG through five outings, with the 'under' going 4-1 so far.

-- Georgia certainly looked impressive, as they trucked Tennessee 41-0 in Knoxville, turning up the temperature on Butch Jones' hot seat. The Bulldogs are now 4-1 ATS through five outings, and the 'under' has connected in each of their five games to date. UGA is allowing just 9.2 PPG so far.

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

-- Florida State picked up its first win at Wake Forest, 26-19. The offense is slowly, but surely, getting better with a true freshman under center. The Noles are still 0-2-1 ATS through three games, and the 'under' has connected in each outing. ... Georgia Tech rolled North Carolina 33-7, as the Tar Heels slipped to 1-4 SU/ATS. ... North Carolina State held off a late charge from Syracuse, winning 33-25. The Wolfpack are 4-0 SU over the past four outings, but just 1-4 ATS on the season.

-- Michigan State isn't quite all the way back, but they took a big step forward in a 17-10 win over Iowa. The Spartans improved to 3-1 SU/ATS heading into their rivalry game next week in the Big House. ... Wisconsin knocked off Northwestern 33-24, as a late charge pushed the 'over' (51) past the line. The Wildcats also outscored the Badgers 14-2 in the final 4:46 to score the backdoor cover. ... Maryland picked up an impressive 31-24 road win at Minnesota. The Terrapins are now 3-1 SU/ATS overall, and 2-0 SU/ATS in two games on the road. The Terps are averaging 41.0 PPG on the road.

-- It was a light schedule in the Big 12, with just three total games. Kansas State held on for a 33-20 win over winless Baylor, but they took their foot off the gas in the second half and allowed the Bears back into the game. While Baylor is 0-5 SU, they have at least covered in each of the past two. ... Oklahoma State bounced back to top Texas Tech by a 41-34 count, but it was the second straight non-cover for the Cowboys.

-- UCLA rebounded with a 27-23 victory against Colorado, but they slipped to 0-3 ATS over the past three, and 1-4 ATS overall this season. The 'under' result was their first in five outings, too. ... Oregon turned in a dominant performance against California, rebounding after their loss last week at Arizona State. ... moving to 4-0 SU/ATS. The 'under' also hit for the third time thisseason. ... Washington humbled Oregon State 42-7, as they have quietly moved to 5-0 SU. It doesn't seem like many are paying much mind to the Huskies, who are averaging 39.5 PPG in their two conference tilts while covering both. They're also allowing just 8.5 PPG in two Pac-12 battles.

-- Florida pushed aside Vanderbilt, but lost QB Luke Del Rio to a broken collarbone. Bettors were likely breaking things, too (see bad beats below). ... Texas A&M outscored South Carolina 14-0 in the fourth quarter, as the Aggies rallied for a 24-17 victory. The Aggies have won four in a row since their stunning collapse against UCLA in the opener.

Mid-Major Report

-- UCF is an impressive 3-0 SU/ATS after thumping Memphis, 40-13. The Golden Knights have won each of their games by at least 27 points, going 3-0 ATS so far. ... South Florida rolled past struggling East Carolina, 61-31. The Bulls are now 5-0 SU, and they have covered three in a row. USF's average margin of victory is 30.0 PPG during the three-game cover streak. The Pirates are 1-4 SU/ATS, including 0-3 SU/ATS at home. The Pirates have lost each of their three home games by at least 20 points, with the 'over' hitting in each of their past four.

-- Florida Atlantic picked up an impressive 38-20 victory over Middle Tennesseee, 38-20. The Owls have covered three of their past four, with the 'under' going 4-1 through five games. ... Rice was pummeled at Pittsburgh, 42-10, falling to 1-4 SU/ATS. The Owls have dropped three in a row, and they're averaging just 6.7 PPG during the span. ... North Texas scored an impressive 43-28 victory at Southern Mississippi, moving to 2-0 in the C-USA West Division.

-- Ohio and Massachusetts combined for the highest-scoring game in Week 5, totaling 108 points. The Bobcats came away with the 58-50 victory, as they have now won and covered three in a row, and four of their five overall. ... Buffalo avenged a home loss last season against Kent State, 27-13. The total on this game was a bad beat (see below), as well as bad beat info on the Akron-Bowling Green total. As far as the result, the Falcons slipped to 0-5 SU/ATS. ... Northern Illinois went to San Diego State and battled hard. The Aztecs held on for the 34-28 win, but the Huskies were able to improve to 5-0 ATS.

-- Utah State polished off Brigham Young on Friday night, 40-24. The Aggies have covered in back-to-back games for the first time this season. The 'over' is a perfect 5-0 for USU, too. ... Colorado State went out to the islands and maintained their composure and focus, topping Hawaii 51-21 in perhaps their most complete game of the season. CSU has covered in back-to-back outings, both on the road. ... San Jose State was dumped at UNLV, 41-13. After covering in their first two, the Spartans are a dismal 0-4 ATS in their past four outings.

Bad Beats

-- 'Over' bettors (40.5) were feeling great in the Buffalo-Kent State game, as there were 33 points on the board by halftime. The Bulls punched in a touchdown with 4:59 to go in the third quarter, but that was it. The fourth quarter was scoreless, including Buffalo's decision not to kick a field with less than two minutes to go on fourth down deep in KSU territory.

-- Akron-BGSU (58) had a total of 33 points on the board at halftime, too, and 50 points by the end of three quarters. However, defense reigned supreme in the final quarter, with only a pick-six by the Zips at 8:59 serving as the only scoring.

-- In the Vandy-Florida game, Commodores side bettors felt like they were going to score a backdoor cover with 3:14 to go in regulation, down 31-24 with a nine-point spread. However, Malik Davis ripped off a 39-yard total run after the onside kick, pushing Florida's lead to 38-24. Davis was actually chewed out by his coach for not going down and ending the game, technically giving Vandy a chance to do something. But the 'Dores couldn't come through the backdoor for bettors.

-- Clemson and Virginia Tech (48.5) was never really going over, but it was close. The Hokies scored with 1:32 to cut Clemson's lead to 31-17, giving 'over' bettors hope. The Tigers recovered the onside kick, and used a young quarterback in the game later rather than kneeling it out. Clemson threatened to move it into the red zone in the final ticks, but they came up just short, as did 'over' bettors.

[StarDust Bum]

CFB notebook: USC plummets in Top 25 poll
October 1, 2017

The top four teams remain the same in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday but last week's No. 5 team plummeted.

Southern California fell from fifth to 14th, stemming from Friday's 30-27 loss to Washington State. The defeat halted the Trojans' 13-game winning streak. USC's loss opened the door for Georgia to move up two spots to No. 5. The Bulldogs routed Tennessee 41-0 on Saturday.

Alabama remained atop the poll, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma and Penn State. The Crimson Tide slipped from 52 first-place votes last week to 44 despite demolishing Mississippi 66-3. Clemson received the other 17 first-place votes.

Washington State moved up five spots to No. 11 after its victory over USC. The outcome marked the Cougars' first win over a Top 10 team since 2003. Washington State's 5-0 start is also its best since winning its first seven games in 2001.

--Oregon sophomore quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a broken left collarbone in Saturday night's 42-24 victory over California, according to The Oregonian.

The injury to Herbert's non-throwing shoulder could possibly be season-ending though Oregon coach Willie Taggart told reporters after the game that he did not have an update on Taggart's status and that he needed to talk with doctors.

Herbert and running back Royce Freeman both left the game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on the same drive in the first quarter. Freeman also appeared to suffer a shoulder injury.

--UTEP coach Sean Kugler, whose team is off to a 0-5 start, announced his resignation in his fifth season after his hiring in 2013.

Kugler's resignation is the first coaching change involving FBS schools this season. A successor has not been named. The school indicated an announcement will be made Monday.

Kugler, 51, was 18-36 as UTEP's coach. He was 9-20 since 2014, when he coached the Miners to a 7-6 record and a New Mexico Bowl appearance. Among Kugler's coaching stops were NFL stints with the Detroit Lions (2001-05), Buffalo Bills (2007-09) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-12).

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STAT WATCH: Stanford's Love season's 1st 1,000-yard rusher
October 2, 2017

Stanford's Bryce Love is the first 1,000-yard rusher in the Bowl Subdivision, crossing the threshold with the nation's top performance of the season.

Love ran for a school-record 301 yards on 25 carries against Arizona State on Saturday and has 1,088 through five games. It was the first 300-yard game this season. Last year there were four.

Love's FBS-leading average of 217.6 yards per game is 53 more than that of San Diego State's Rashaad Penny. With seven games left, Love would need to average just over 133 yards to break Christian McCaffrey's school season record of 2,019.

The junior is averaging 11.1 yards per attempt and has had at least one touchdown run of 50 yards or longer in each game, including TD bursts of 61 and 59 yards in the 34-24 win over the Sun Devils.

Love will be challenged this week at Utah. The Utes rank first in the Pac-12 and 10th in the nation in rushing defense (87 ypg).

Other notable statistical feats:

---

3 PICKS, 2 SIXES

Utah State's Jalen Davis intercepted three passes against BYU and returned two of them for touchdowns. The three interceptions tied a Mountain West record and the two pick-sixes were a school record. Davis' picks were among seven takeaways by the Aggies, and they have 11 in two games. Davis and Boston College's Lukas Denis share the national lead with five interceptions.

RECEIVING RECORD

Syracuse's Ervin Philips set an Atlantic Coast Conference record with 17 receptions in the Orange's loss to North Carolina State. He also had a career-high 188 yards receiving. Philips had 14 catches against Colgate last year, which at the time equaled Art Monk's record from 1977. Philips' 178 catches rank second on Syracuse's all-time chart, 23 behind Alec Lemon (2009-12).

LONG RUN

UCF's Adrian Killins, Jr. set the American Athletic Conference record for longest run from scrimmage when he broke a 96-yarder for a touchdown against Memphis. It was the second-longest play from scrimmage this season, behind Abdul Adams' 99-yard run for Oklahoma against Baylor on Sept. 23.

THROWIN' ROSEN

UCLA's Josh Rosen leads the country in passing yards (427 per game) and touchdown passes (17). Texas Tech's Nic Shimonek is second in passing yards (394.5), and Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph and Washington State's Luke Falk are tied for second in TD passes (16).

Mississippi's Shea Patterson, who was throwing for 427 yards a game through last week, saw his average drop to 361.5 after Alabama limited him to 165 yards through the air on Saturday.

Fourteen quarterbacks are passing for 300 yards or more per game.

SCORING SURGE CONTINUES

The FBS team scoring average is 30.2 points per game through the first month. That's slightly ahead of the average for the full season in 2016, when team scoring hit 30 points for the first time.

[StarDust Bum]

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

Aug/SeptTotals:.......154 - 145 - 9.....51.50%....-27.50

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

Aug/Sept Totals:...........41 -33 - 2...........+30.50...............13 - 18.............- 25.50

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

[StarDust Bum]

4th Quarter Covers - Week 5
October 2, 2017

Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are some of the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the fifth big college football weekend to close September.

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

Pittsburgh (-20) 42, Rice 10: Taking some frustration out after a disappointing start to the season Pittsburgh opened up a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and made it 28-0 at halftime. Rice regrouped in the second half with defensive stops and two scoring drives to pull within the spread through three quarters, trailing 28-10. The Panthers would prevail however scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter while Rice had a pair of fourth quarter interceptions in Pittsburgh territory.

South Florida (-21½) 61, East Carolina 31: A three-touchdown underdog that scores in the 30s has to feel pretty good about its chances to cover and early on East Carolina traded punches with the undefeated Bulls, trailing just 31-24 at halftime even with allowing a long interception return touchdown. Deep into the third quarter it was still a seven-point game but South Florida scored 17 points in about five minutes of game clock with the second two scores coming on drives of just seven and 33 yards. The Bulls added another late score to make for a rather misleading 30-point final margin and road favorite cover.

NC State (-14) 33, Syracuse 25: In what some figured could be a letdown game NC State took control early against Syracuse with a 26-7 edge at halftime. The Orange picked up 10 points in the third quarter however to get back in the game before NC State completed a 10-play touchdown drive with about 10 minutes to go, sitting just past the favorite spread with a 16-point lead. Syracuse opted to go for it on 4th-and-10 from the NC State 15 and failed but pinned deep the Wolfpack were forced to punt and a strong return set-up the Orange for a 33-yard touchdown drive to climb within the spread with just fewer than five minutes remaining. The Orange got the two-conversion to make it a one-score game but the on-side kick failed and NC State was able to move the chains enough to run out the clock.

Houston (-10½) 20, Temple 13: The Cougars led 20-0 early in the third quarter but Temple proved resilient. The Owls added a field goal and then got a big defensive stop to force a punt, eventually delivering an 85-yard touchdown drive to close to within 10 points and just within the underdog spread early in the fourth quarter. Temple added another field goal and eventually had the ball back near midfield but the final two Temple drives ended on downs and then with a late interception.

Florida State (-7½) 26, Wake Forest 19: The Seminoles lost on the opening and closing number but much of the week -7 was the price. At no point in the game until the final minute did Florida State lead by seven however as many on the underdog Demon Deacons left with a tough-luck push with Wake Forest looking like the superior squad most of the way. Wake Forest led 19-16 early in the fourth quarter before Florida State managed a tying field goal.

A marginal Wake Forest punt with the Demon Deacons pinned deep gave the Seminoles great field position heading into the final minute and on 1st down the James Blackman hit Auden Tate for a 40-yard touchdown. Wake Forest made things interesting late reaching the Florida State 38-yard-line in the final seconds but Florida State escaped and a missed extra-point for Wake Forest in the second quarter wound up proving to be an important play relative to the number as well.

Wisconsin (-16) 33, Northwestern 24: The Badgers were short of the spread up 21-10 through three quarters, recovering from a sloppy first half. The Badgers added a field goal in the third quarter and then returned an interception for a touchdown to suddenly slip past the favorite spread with a 31-10 advantage. Wisconsin’s defense let up in the final minutes as the Wildcats put together back-to-back touchdown drives and actually had the ball back down just seven in the final minute. The Wildcats wound up being caught with a sack in the end zone for a safety that effectively ended the game but the late charge was enough for the underdog cover.

Navy (-7½) 31, Tulsa 21: The home underdog Hurricane took a 14-0 lead after the first quarter but Navy took over from there, getting back in front 17-14 late in the third quarter and getting past the spread early in the fourth quarter, eventually scoring 31 consecutive points. Tulsa would finally answer with seven minutes to go to get back within 10 but the road favorite cover held as Navy stopped Tulsa on fourth down in Navy territory late in the game.

SMU (-17) 49, Connecticut 28: The Huskies connected for a 59-yard pass play with a successful two-point conversion to tie this game early in the fourth quarter. SMU fended off the upset threat and wound up with a very fortunate cover scoring three touchdowns in the final twelve minutes with the cover clinching score following Connecticut going for it on 4th-and-9 from its own 29-yard-line. SMU scored one play later and then Connecticut fumbled on its kickoff return to spoil any chance of getting back within the number.

Arkansas (-18) 42, New Mexico State 24: The Razorbacks led 21-0 in the second quarter but New Mexico State climbed back in the game. The Aggies were down just 11 early in the third quarter, sitting in position to cover on a spread that opened at +16½ but reached as high as +19½ much of the week before settling at +18. Things fell apart after a great drive to start the second half however as Arkansas scored back-to-back touchdowns surrounding a New Mexico State fumble, leading by 25 at the start of the final quarter. New Mexico State scored with relative ease to cut the margin to exactly 18 points again and ultimately waved the white flag with a pair of late punts.

UL-Monroe (-8½) 51, Coastal Carolina 43: The Warhawks were opening line and closing line losers last week but -7 was a common number on this game Saturday afternoon. It didn’t appear that the number would matter as UL-Monore went up by 15 in the third quarter but Coastal Carolina scored early in the fourth, though failing going for two, to trial by nine. That score held for more than 12 minutes but the Chanticleers delivered another touchdown drive with just over three minutes remaining to cut the margin to just two points.

The defense forced a punt but only 20 seconds remained when Coastal Carolina got the ball back on its own 33-yard-line. After a pair of incomplete passes one play remained and lateral attempts turned to a fumble which the Warhawks returned for a touchdown. With time expired the extra-point try was unnecessary for an eight-point final margin and a number of close call wagers that shifted on that final play.

Louisiana Tech (-11½) 34, South Alabama 16: A week after Louisiana Tech had its lead erased in the fourth quarter the Bulldogs managed to pull away in the fourth quarter this week. Through three quarters the double-digit favorite led by just one at 17-16 but Louisiana Tech doubled its score in the final frame including scoring 10 points in the final five minutes to slip past the favorite spread with the decisive touchdown following the Jaguars going for it on 4th down deep in their own territory.

Oregon (-17) 45, California 24: The Ducks jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter but California’s defense adjusted and kept the Bears in the game, eventually getting back within a single-score with about 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, down 24-17. After climbing back into the game the Bears allowed a 68-yard touchdown run to take away any momentum the underdog had gained and the only California turnover of the game followed with a fumble a few plays later, setting up an 18-yard touchdown drive to put Oregon up by 21.

California answered to get within the late week spread trailing 38-24 with fewer than five minutes remaining. The Bears forced a punt on defense but California was forced to go for it on 4th-and-10 from its own 23-yard line. They failed and Oregon added the cover-stealing touchdown with just over two minutes remaining. The Ducks finished the game without Justin Herbert who broke his collarbone and will be out for several weeks.

[StarDust Bum]

I had a call that will take me away for a few days on a family emergency.....I will try to do my best to keep you all up to date as much as i can..........Good Luck All !

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

— To football/TV guys: Please show number of plays run instead of time of possession– that is the better stat.

— NFL reduced Chicago LB Danny Trevathan’s suspension from 2 games to 1, for his hit on a Packers’ WR last Thursday.

— Indy QB Andrew Luck is back at practice with the Colts this week; not full-tilt, but his return to game action might not be too far away.

— Big 14 hasn’t won a national title in basketball since Michigan State in 2000.

— Buffalo Sabres signed star Jack Eichel to an 8-year, $80M contract extension.

— NBA All-Star Game this winter will have teams chosen by the two players who get the most votes. NFL tried that with the Pro Bowl; it didn’t go well.

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Wednesday’s List of 13: Mid-week musings……

13) I’ll apologize up front if the first part of today’s Den is preachy or overly political, but I’m pretty sad about all the shootings in our country recently. This shouldn’t be happening.
The 2nd Amendment was written in 1791, 226 years ago. Bicycles hadn’t been invented yet, so some of the laws passed then are obsolete now.

Our gun laws are outdated; we need to ban automatic weapons and assault rifles and any guns that are only useful in wars. 58 people died for no reason Sunday night; little kids died a few years ago in a school shooting. This isn’t acceptable.

If you’re a hunter, you’re not killing a deer or a rabbit with a freakin’ assault rifle- they are used by people who are involved in a war. They should be illegal in our country.

12) The National Rifle Association (NRA) is really powerful; they’ve got lot of politicians in their pockets, which is why our gun laws are stupid.
At some point when the mourning is over in Las Vegas, our politicians have to do their jobs and put a lid on the horrible weapons that are killing our own citizens. Please?!?!?!?

11) It takes onions to be a policeman or a fireman, seriously. You have to have a lot of guts to to walk into the line of fire when everyone else is running away from it, so credit to the police in Las Vegas who saved a lot of people Sunday night.

No one is perfect; not all cops are perfect, but dammit, they do a hell of a job protecting us and deserve our thanks. So….thank you!!!

10) Something I learned this week; When you donate blood, it expires after 42 days. So many people donated blood in Las Vegas this week, but six weeks from now, they’re going to need more. Giving blood doesn’t cost us anything and it is badly needed, so we should do that.
On to some of the fun things in life…….

9) Los Angeles Rams are first NFL team since the 1954 Giants to lead the NFL in scoring thru four games, when they finished last in scoring the year before.

8) JD Martinez is the first big leaguer since Johnny Bench in 1970 to hit 45+ homers in a season and not get hit by a pitch that season.

7) Detroit Lions are +9 in turnovers already, with 11 takeaways in four games; thats a lot.

6) San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard will sit out the whole preseason as he recovers from a quad injury. Regular season starts in two weeks.

5) NFL stashes a lot of its less attractive games in Weeks 5-7, during the baseball playoffs. Wth 256 games in an NFL season, they’re all not great games. How they make the schedule is a very interesting subject- their marquee games are in primetime or later on in the season.

4) Kermit Davis is the basketball coach at Middle Tennessee State, a very good mid-major team but not like they’re Gonzaga or VCU. Coach Davis makes $750,000 a year— that surprised me. MTSU must have some very well-heeled boosters who love basketball.

3) I enjoyed watching the Miami Marlins this season; with Stanton-Ozuna-Urena on my fantasy team, I watched just about all their games. Not the best team, but they seemed like a bunch of good guys who genuinely like each other and enjoyed playing ball together. Was fun to see.

2) One thing about baseball on TV; if you want to learn about your team, watch the first game of a series, with the OTHER TEAM’s ANNOUNCERS. TV/radio people talk before each series, to clue each other in on their teams, so all the broadcasts are more informed.

If Team B’s announcers say something that is critical of a player on Team A, chances are 95% it came from one of Team A’s announcers. Team B’s TV guys are slow to criticize the home team, but not so much when it comes to criticizing Team A and as a viewer, you can learn that way.

1) Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry both signed 5-year, $205M contracts; with an 82-game regular season, that means those two are both making $500,000 a game!!!!

[StarDust Bum]

Louisville at N.C. State
October 3, 2017


The ACC was on center stage last weekend with Clemson holding off Virginia Tech in a possible preview of December’s championship game. The Tigers lead the pack, but*N.C. Stateand*Louisville*are formidable threats in the Atlantic division as well. The Wolfpack will get a shot at Clemson in November with the Cardinals already losing in their opportunity to take out the champions. This week’s Thursday night game will determine whether or not N.C. State could emerge as a serious contender in the division race in what looks like a breakthrough season in Raleigh.

Matchup: Louisville Cardinals at N.C. State Wolfpack
Venue: At Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina
Time/TV: Thursday, Oct. 5, 8:00 PM ET ESPN
Line: Louisville -3½, Over/Under 65½
Last Meeting: 2016, at Louisville (-18½) 54, N.C. State 13

Louisville has been in the sports news cycle a lot in the last week, but the football program hasn’t been a part of that, quietly getting back-to-back blowout wins at home following the lopsided loss to Clemson in mid-September. While the Cardinals will need a lot of help to get back in the ACC Atlantic race, they could still surpass last season’s great success and reach a major bowl game for the first time since the 2012 Sugar Bowl win.

While Louisville reached as high as #3 in the national polls for three different weeks in the 2016-17 season, the final season tally was just 9-4. Despite featuring the Heisman Trophy winner, the Cardinals closed the season with losses against Houston, Kentucky, and then had a very poor showing in the Citrus Bowl with a 29-9 loss to LSU.

Louisville went 7-1 in ACC play last season and October will feature three difficult road games with games at Florida State and Wake Forest to close the month after next week’s homecoming game with Boston College. The Cardinals have decent wins over Purdue and North Carolina on the resume, but didn’t pass the eye-test in a 47-21 loss hosting Clemson, unable to match the very competitive game Louisville had with the eventual national champions last season.

Lamar Jackson has a chance to be a repeat Heisman winner as he has thrown for 13 touchdowns while rushing for another five after combining to score 51 touchdowns last season. His completion rate in the passing game and his yards per attempt are both up dramatically compared with his numbers last season and he is also rushing at 6.1 yards per carry to even best last season’s pace. Jaylen Smith is one of the top receivers in the ACC with 22 catches already this season and the Cardinals are likely to top last season’s passing numbers as they could be involved in some high scoring shootouts as they were in the first two weeks with Purdue and North Carolina.

The Louisville defense has similar numbers to last season on the surface allowing 24.6 points per game and 318 yards per game for an almost identical pace. The Cardinals have been excellent against the run under Bobby Petrino, allowing 3.3 yards per rush or less in each of the last three seasons, including surrendering just 3.1 yards per rush last season and so far in 2017. The problem is those numbers feature the blowout wins the past two weeks vs. Kent State and FCS Murray State, and seven Power Five foes remain on the schedule as the defensive figures are likely to climb upward by season’s end.

It was a bit odd watching Sunday Night NFL football last week and seeing Jacoby Brissett and Russell Wilson face off as opposing quarterbacks, both who recently played the bulk of their college snaps at N.C. State. Despite having two NFL quarterbacks in the last decade, N.C. State has a nine-win 2010 season as its high watermark. In his fifth season in Raleigh, Dave Doeren certainly was a candidate to be on the hot seat despite three straight bowl appearances as the program has failed to take the next step.

Many hyped the Wolfpack this summer as a serious threat for a breakthrough season with 17 starters back, an experienced quarterback, and a favorable schedule ahead. N.C. State promptly lost the opener to South Carolina, admittedly with some tough breaks as the Wolfpack had a 504-246 edge in total yards despite the 35-28 loss in Charlotte. N.C. State has rebounded with four straight wins, including an upset at Florida State but the season still hangs in the balance.

This game is followed by road games at Pittsburgh and at Notre Dame before an ambitious homecoming date with Clemson in early November. If N.C. State wins out, they’ll climb on the national radar as a New Year’s Day bowl candidate, but they are likely be dogged in three of the next four games counting this week and could wind up 5-4 heading into the final three contests, heading towards another uninspiring spot in a minor bowl game.

Boise State transfer quarterback Ryan Finley has great numbers in his second season with N.C. State, completing nearly 72 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns against no interceptions. Junior Nyheim Hines has led the team in rushing with more than 400 yards while Jaylen Samuels has 43 catches already, third nationally, though mostly in short gains.

N.C. State has allowed over 23 points per game this season including a FCS win over Furman as the defense has marginal numbers, allowing 370 yards per game for a slight decline compared with the past two seasons. The Wolfpack are 14th nationally in allowing just 2.9 yards per rush as they look likely to dare Jackson to beat them through the air. That was what happened last season and the Heisman winner had one his biggest passing games of the season with 355 yards.

Big plays could decide this game as there has been a non-offensive score in every Louisville game with the Cardinals scoring two but allowing three in five games. Allowing an opening kickoff return touchdown doomed N.C. State in the opening loss as well. N.C. State is +6 in turnovers this season while Louisville is -2 and one big play could be the difference in this closely-lined division battle.

Last Season: N.C. State started 4-1 last season with an upset loss at East Carolina, but picked up a notable win over Notre Dame. In mid-October, they took undefeated and #3 ranked Clemson to overtime, losing 24-17 and then had to go to Louisville for a second straight major road test. Louisville was up 17-0 in the first quarter and 44-0 by halftime in a complete blowout. N.C. State scored twice in the third quarter to save some face, but the game was never in doubt. The 2015 meeting in Raleigh featured a 20-13 win for Louisville with modest production on both sides.

Historical Trends:

--*Louisville*is 3-0 S/U (2-1 ATS) the past three years in this series as ACC foes.

-- These teams previously met in bowl action in 2011 with*N.C. State*winning 31-24 in the Belk Bowl.

-- Since Petrino’s return to*Louisville*in 2014 the Cardinals are 12-6 S/U and 10-7-1 ATS on the road, going 7-5-1 ATS as a road favorite.

--*N.C. State*is 41-28-1 ATS as a home underdog going back to 1984 but that track record hasn’t held up under Doeren.

-- Since taking over in 2013,*N.C. State*is 0-10 S/U and 3-7 ATS in the home underdog role.

--*N.C. State*has actually lost S/U in at least three home games in each of the previous four seasons to add to the frustration of the fan base, with Doeren now 17-14 S/U and 13-18 ATS at Carter-Finley Stadium.

--*N.C. State*has gone 11-14 ATS as an underdog in any venue since 2013 though the two biggest outright upsets have occurred in the last two opportunities, beating North Carolina (+9½) in Chapel Hill last November and beating Florida State (+11) in Tallahassee two weeks ago.

--*Louisville*is just 15-17-1 ATS when favored since 2014 including going 3-8-1 ATS in the last 12 instances, suffering two upset losses.

[StarDust Bum]

No. 24 NC State hosts No. 17 Louisville in key ACC matchup
October 4, 2017

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) It took North Carolina State just one clunker of an opening-game performance to lose some of the hype as a dark horse in the Atlantic Coast Conference title chase.

That's a lesson that stays with the No. 24 Wolfpack now that Dave Doeren's team has its first national ranking in seven years entering Thursday night's visit from No. 17 Louisville.

''If we lose,'' senior Jaylen Samuels said of N.C. State's return to this week's AP Top 25 , ''we'll be right out of it.''

N.C. State (4-1, 2-0 ACC) has shaken off that season-opening loss to South Carolina, a game that saw the Wolfpack post more than double the number of yards and plays of the Gamecocks but lost 35-28 . There have been four straight wins since, including a get-over-the-hump win at Florida State for possibly the biggest win of Doeren's five-season tenure.

The Wolfpack started the season with more outside expectations than usual thanks to a veteran roster and depth built over years under Doeren. Now N.C. State - ranked for the first time since the final poll of 2010 - gets a shot at another Atlantic Division power in the Cardinals (4-1, 1-1), led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.

''Really we're just keeping everything inside the football facility,'' junior running back Nyheim Hines said. ''We're not trying to listen to what outside people say because after South Carolina, people were falling off the bandwagon. Now they're maybe back on it.''

The Cardinals are already in a hole in the division after a home loss to reigning national champion Clemson . A loss at N.C. State would all but end the Cardinals' hopes of making up ground on the Tigers and earning a trip to the ACC title game.

''They all run to the ball,'' Jackson said, ''they're all-out competing and they've been good so far this year.''

Louisville has spent the past two games since the Clemson loss earning lopsided wins against Kent State and Murray State by a combined margin of 97-13.

---

Some other things to know about Thursday night's Louisville-N.C. State game:

LIGHT-DUTY LAMAR: Louisville QB Lamar Jackson has played just five quarters over the past two weeks but has made the most of them. The junior has passed for 548 yards, rushed for 134 on 15 carries and combined for seven touchdowns. He threw a couple of interceptions against Kent State but feels like he corrected flaws while giving his body a chance to recharge. Asked about the benefits, he said, ''Just keeping my body fresh and keeping me focused with a big game coming up this week.''

CONTAINING JACKSON: N.C. State's stout defensive line, led by preseason AP all-American Bradley Chubb on the end, will have to keep Jackson from getting loose to make plays with his feet. ''We can't let him out of the pocket,'' Chubb said. ''All four of us have to do our job and collapse the pocket.''

STEPPING UP: Cardinals receiving leader Jaylen Smith will miss a third straight game with a wrist injury, creating another opportunity for others to fill the void. Five receivers have at least 100 yards, led by redshirt freshman Dez Fitzpatrick (280 yards, 6 TDs) and Seth Dawkins.

LAST YEAR'S ROMP: N.C. State nearly upset eventual national champion Clemson on the road last year, but Kyle Bambard missed a 33-yard field goal for the win at the end of regulation in an overtime loss. That game threw the Wolfpack in a midseason tailspin, which included a 54-13 loss at Louisville last year for a team that played close in nearly all its losses. ''We've tried to wipe it out, but it's been circled on a lot of people's calendars probably in the locker room,'' N.C. State's Nyheim Hines said. ''It was really embarrassing.''

BOTH RANKED: Louisville's visit to N.C. State will mark the first game between two ranked teams in the Wolfpack's Carter-Finley Stadium since 2000. In that game, Florida State won 58-14 when longtime Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was an N.C. State freshman starter.