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Pac-12 Report - Week 5
September 26, 2018
By Joe Williams

2018 PAC-12 STANDINGS

NORTH DIVISION
Team SU Conference ATS Over/Under
California 3-0 0-0 1-1-1 1-2
Oregon 3-1 0-1 0-4 2-2
Oregon State 1-3 0-1 2-2 3-1
Stanford 4-0 2-0 3-1 1-3
Washington 3-1 2-0 1-3 0-4
Washington State 3-1 0-1 4-0 3-1

SOUTH DIVISION
Arizona 2-2 1-0 2-2 1-3
Arizona State 2-2 0-1 3-1 2-2
Colorado 3-0 0-0 2-1 1-2
Southern California 2-2 1-1 0-4 3-1
UCLA 0-3 0-0 1-2 2-1
Utah 2-1 0-1 1-2 2-1

UCLA at Colorado (Fri. - FOX Sports 1, 9:00 p.m. ET)
It's been a slow go in Chip Kelly's first season so far with the Bruins. QB Wilton Speight was injured in the opening game and the backup QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is making headlines because of his dad tweeting critically about the coach. It's distractions that UCLA does not need. The Bruins haven't been very good in September, even before Kelly arrived, going 2-10 ATS in their past 12 in the month. They're also just 2-6 ATS in the past eight road games and 3-8 ATS in the past 11 inside the league. Colorado hasn't been much better lately, going 1-5-1 ATS in the past seven conference tilts and 1-5-1 ATS in their past seven at Folsom Field, too. They're also a dismal 0-6 ATS in the past six after a bye week while going 5-12-1 ATS in the past 18 overall. While UCLA is 1-4 ATS in the past five against Colorado, the underdog has hit in five of the past six in this series with the underdog covering in five in a row.

Utah at Washington State (Pac-12 Network, 6:00 p.m.)
The Cougars went down to USC last Friday night and lost a thriller, so they return home looking to rebound on the Palouse. It won't be easy, as the Utes have posted strong numbers against the spread. Utah is 8-2 ATS in their past 10 road games and they're 19-7-1 ATS in the past 27 against teams with a winning record. They're also an impressive 17-4 ATS in their past 21 away from Rice-Eccles while facing a team with a winning mark at home. The Cougs haven't lost back-to-back games much since Mike Leach took over, and they've been flawless against the number at home recently. They're 7-0 ATS in the past seven at home, 4-0 ATS in their four games overall despite last week's straight-up loss, and they're 7-3 ATS in the past 10 both inside the league and against teams with a winning overall record. The under is 4-1 in Utah's past five overall, while going 18-7-1 in Wazzu's past 26 at home. However, the over has hit in six of the past seven for Washington State, and each of the past five against winning teams. The Utes have cashed in five of the previous six meetings.

Stanford at Notre Dame (NBC, 7:30 p.m.)
It's a battle of Top 10 squads as the Cardinal and Irish square off in the shadows of 'Touchdown Jesus'. Can Stanford bring it emotionally for a second straight week after a roller coaster ride last week in Eugene? That's the biggest question -- how will David Shaw's group respond after being mentally spent last week in a comeback victory?

Stanford has fared well in big games, going 6-1 ATS in their past seven against winning teams and 3-1-1 ATS in their past five away from 'The Farm' in games against schools with a winning home mark. The Irish made the change to QB Ian Book over Brandon Wimbush last week and that move by Brian Kelly immediately paid big dividends in a smashing of Wake Forest. While Notre Dame is a solid 5-1 ATS in their past six at home against teams with a winning road record, they're just 2-6 ATS in the past eight overall against winning teams and 1-4 ATS in the past five at home. The underdog has cashed in six straight in this series, with the under 7-1 in the past eight meetings overall and 4-0 in the past four in South Bend.

Brigham Young at Washington (FOX, 8:30 p.m.)
The newly minted Top 25 Cougars head to Seattle in a non-conference tilt as they look to slay another giant on the road. The Huskies opened their Pac-12 schedule with an impressive and convincing win over Arizona State last week. The line holds steady at 17 1/2 in favor of Washington, but the public seems to love the Cougars and the points in this one. Perhaps rightly so, as BYU has posted a 5-0 ATS mark in their past five on the road while going 4-1 ATS in their past previous five overall. Meanwhile, Washington is just 1-4 ATS in their past five overall, 0-4 ATS in their past four outside of the conference and 2-5 ATS in their past seven against independents. Looking to the under, that might be the play. The under is 6-0 in BYU's past six tries against Pac-12 clubs, 5-0 in their past five against winning teams and 10-3 in their past 13 on the road. Washington has hit the under in four straight and 12 of their past 16 at home aginst teams with a winning road mark.

Oregon State at Arizona State (Pac-12 Network, 10:00 p.m.)
Herm Edwards, Manny Wilkins and N'Keal Harry are in need of some home cooking after losing a second straight road game last week to take some of the shine off of the coach's hot start. Sparky is back on their home field as a three-touchdown favorite against the Beavs, who fell to Arizona at home last week. Oregon State has been terrible against the number recently, going 2-6 ATS in their past eight dating back to last season, while covering just one of the past five on the road and none of their previous five inside the league. Arizona State is 4-1 ATS in their past at home while hitting in 10 of their past 14 against the spread, including last week's loss at Washington. In this series, however, Oregon State is 5-1-1 ATS in the past seven, while the underdog is 5-2-1 ATS in the previous eight meetings and the road team is 5-2-1 ATS as well. The 'over' has cashed in seven of the past 10. The over has been the play for both sides lately, too, going 5-0 in the past five on the road for the Beavers and 7-1 in their past eight overall. The over is 4-0 in AZ State's past four against losing sides and 7-3 in their past 10 overall.

Oregon at California (FOX Sports 1, 10:30 p.m.)
Oregon looks to get back on track after a stunning blown lead and loss in overtime against Stanford, a game which the Ducks looked to have all but in the bag. The Ducks haven't been cover kings lately, going a dismal 6-14 ATS in their past 20 inside the league while hitting at an 8-22-1 ATS clip over their past 31 overall. They're also 0-4 ATS in the past four away from home and 2-5 ATS in their past seven against winning sides. Cal has performed much better against the spread, going 4-1 ATS in their past six inside the conference while going 4-1 ATS in the past five against winning teams. They're also 4-1 ATS in the past five coming off a bye. However, while the home team has cashed in eight of the past 10 in this series, the Ducks are 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings and the favorite, presumably Oregon each time, has cashed in six of the past seven, too. The 'over' is 5-2 in the past seven meetings in Berkeley.

Southern California at Arizona (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.)
The Trojans look to build upon their momentum following a rousing win against Washington State last week on Friday night. USC will look to get it right on the road, and lately that hasn't been a thing for them. They're just 11-28-1 ATS in their past 40 games on the road, while going 5-15-1 ATS in the past 21 overall. And yes, they did beat the Cougs last week, but they failed to cover. They're still 0-4-1 ATS in the past five games inside the league. Arizona got on the win wagon last week at Oregon State, but USC is a much different animal. Still, while the Wildcats are 2-5 ATS in their past seven overall, they're 4-1 ATS in the past five at home. The over is 9-3 for USC in their past 12 overall, and 6-2 in the past eight inside the league including last Friday. The over is 4-1 in Arizona's past five at home, but the under is 6-1 in the past seven meetings in Arizona. In addition, the Trojans are 4-1 ATS in the past five in this series with the underdog going 10-3 ATS across the past 13.

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Saturday's Best Bets
September 26, 2018
By BetDSI

College Football Best Bets – Week 4

After going 3-1 ATS with these best bet plays in Weeks 2 and 3 of the college football season, it was another split card with last week's selections. Wake Forest never looked good after the 1st quarter in their blowout loss to Notre Dame, while Kentucky took control of their game with Mississippi State in the 2nd half and ran away with a 21-point outright victory as 10-point home 'dogs.

It's back to the grind this week though as there are some huge games on tap for college football bettors this week. There are five matchups pitting ranked vs ranked against one another so there will be some shakeup in the Top 25 guaranteed, but with the strategy of sticking with underdogs working rather well the past few weeks, I've got two more home 'dogs that I'm backing here in Week 5.

Odds per - BetDSI.eu

Best Bet #1: Louisville +6.5

This Florida State/Louisville game is a matchup between two teams that are a combined 1-7 ATS this year, so this might not be the favorite game for many, but I don't know how you can not take the points here with the home side.

Florida State may have found their offense (a bit) in their 37-19 win over Northern Illinios a week ago, but the 75% of bettors that have already laid this number on the Seminoles may have already forgotten that the last time this team went out on the road this year it was a 30-7 loss in Syracuse. This FSU team still has a lot of issues to work through this season and I really see no reason why they should be laying this number in this spot.

Conversely, Louisville may not evoke plenty of confidence give they just got blasted 27-3 at Virginia last week, but this Cardinals team is a much better unit at home and should be able keep this game well within this number, if not win it outright. Louisville is in a bit of a rebuilding year themselves, but defensively they are much stronger than they've been in year's past. Outside of their Week 1 loss to #1 Alabama, Louisville has allowed an average of just 17 points per game and that's a number this FSU offense has struggled to even sniff against somewhat quality competition this year.

The Cardinals have also covered two straight in this ACC rivalry – including winning outright as 6-point road dogs a year ago – and with FSU on a disastrous 1-8-2 ATS run in ACC play over their last 11 tries, it's home side or bust for me here.

Odds per - BetDSI.eu

Best Bet #2: Kansas State +8.5

The Texas Longhorns have bounced back from that surprising Week 1 loss to Maryland in a big way with back-to-back wins over big time programs like USC and TCU the past few weeks. But while facing schools known for their abbreviations has given the Longhorns great success the past two weeks (2-0 SU and ATS), this week's game against Kansas State reeks of a horrible spot for the Longhorns.

First off you've got to look at this scheduling spot for Texas here. This game comes after those two big wins, the latter being against a ranked Big 12 rival, and prior to facing #6 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game next week. That's the definition of a sandwich spot for the Longhorns, and when you consider that K-State did not look great in a 36-6 loss at West Virginia a week ago, the Longhorns are probably laying at least a point or two more than they should be here.

Secondly, Texas has not fared well prior to the Red River Rivalry game the past fgew years as they are 0-5-1 ATS in this spot the last six seasons, including four outright losses in that span. Last year in this spot it took the Longhorns two OT's to dispatch of this Kansas State team (40-34 as -6 favorites), but that game was in Texas, not out on the road after a huge win over a ranked rival. The Longhorns also don't have the added benefit of getting an ATS win/push either if this goes to OT at the current number, and I do expect this game to be close throughout.

Finally, Kansas State understands that they might not be as good as they were a year ago, but HC Bill Synder always has his team prepared at home no matter the level of talent he's got on the field. The Wildcats are 5-2 ATS after scoring fewer than 20 points last time out, and they've also got a 5-1-1 ATS run following an ATS loss going here. The home side is 5-0-1 ATS the last six times these two have met, and with Texas being 2-8-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings overall, including 0-5 ATS in their last five trips to Manhattan, this is just too many points to give a feisty Kansas State program at home.

It would not shock me to see the Longhorns look like a team that's got one eye looking back at their great accomplishments the past two weeks, and the other eye looking ahead to Oklahoma. If that's the case, the Longhorns are clearly on upset alert this week as Kansas State tries to rebound from last week's blowout loss.

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Moneyline Plays - Week 5
September 27, 2018

By Kyle Markus

Moneyline Plays - Week 5

It’s easy to pick winners in college football because every week showcases huge favorites against inferior foes. But the oddsmakers make life tougher, putting in spreads and moneylines which make the decisions much tougher.

There is nothing more satisfying than picking the right underdog on the moneyline, as it can often pay off nicely. Conversely, there is nothing scarier than backing a big favorite on the moneyline and watching it deal with an upset bid.

Choosing teams on the moneyline can be a tough exercise, as it takes more money to back a favorite and more trust to choose an underdog. However, it is a good way to stack up the bankroll when things are going well. The college football season is heading into Week 5, and here are some of the best plays on the moneyline in live betting.

The Virginia Tech Hokies took a shocking loss last time out, falling to Old Dominion by a score of 49-35. They are hitting the road this week to face off against the Duke Blue Devils, a team that has been surprisingly good and has jumped into the top-25. The Hokies have been the much stronger program in recent memory and while last week was bad, an upset is possible. Virginia Tech is a good pick at +176 on the moneyline.

There is no questioning that the Utah Utes have a better team than the Washington State Cougars. However, they are matching up in Spokane, which is a notoriously tough place to play. It’s easy to look at the numbers and go with the favorite, but at +115 odds Washington State is a good bet to pull the upset on the moneyline.

The LSU Tigers are off to a great start on the season, with high-profile wins over Miami and Auburn. They are the home favorite this week against Ole Miss. While LSU might not dominate, it’s hard to fathom a loss in this one. Take the Tigers with confidence even at -440 on the moneyline.

The Penn State Nittany Lions have a tough game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, one of the best teams in the country. But Penn State is no slouch itself and has the benefit of the home field advantage. The Nittany Lions are the choice at +135 on the moneyline.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had some close wins early on but a quarterback change led to a dominant showing last week against Wake Forest. Notre Dame does not have an easy matchup this week in a faceoff against the Stanford Cardinal. While the Fighting Irish must deal with a solid foe, they are at home and have an offense that is suddenly more explosive. Notre Dame is the pick at -220 on the moneyline.

Free NCAA Football ATS Picks

The above games are all intriguing ones and there are a handful of favorites and underdogs that both have a good chance of winning. However, if you want to go big, take a look at some of the substantial underdogs in Week 5 of the college football schedule.

The BYU Cougars are traveling to face off against the No. 11 ranked Washington Huskies this weekend. BYU has been impressive on the season, with wins over Arizona and a ranked Wisconsin team as well as a close loss to California.

BYU has to overcome a talented opponent and the road location. However, the Cougars play the right type of style to keep this one close. They run the ball well and play good defense, which could be the right combination to pull off the upset. BYU is a heavy +711 underdog and is a great play to come away with the shocking win in NCAA football gambling.

NCAA Football ATS Pick: BYU Cougars to upset the Washington Huskies at +711 odds on the moneyline

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Power 5 Best Bets - Week 5
September 27, 2018
By YouWager.eu

College Football Week 5 - Power 5 Conference Best Bets

As we do every week, we are going to take a look at the college football schedule for the coming weekend and pick out the best games in each of the Power 5 conferences. We will also provide a little insight, some trends, and some picks and predictions, all with the hope of giving you the opportunity to put a little extra money in your pocket this Saturday.

Let’s get right to the best 5 games that each of the Power 5 conferences have to offer in Week 5 of the college football season. As usual, all odds, props and futures are sponsored by YouWager.eu.

ACC
Syracuse Orange at Clemson Tigers

We head into Week 5 of the season in Clemson with a QB change and a whole heap of drama. The Tigers have been adopting a bit of a 2 QB system this season, giving freshmen Trevor Lawrence some playing time alongside Kelly Bryant, the starter. The coaching staff have decided to give Lawrence the start for this one, prompting Bryant to quit the program in search of a transfer. The irony here is that Clemson lost this match-up last season after losing Bryant to injury, which makes you wonder if history will repeat. I doubt it, as I see Clemson winning this one going away.

Big 12
West Virginia Mountaineers at Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last week was a good one for the Red Raiders, as they knocked off the Oklahoma State Cowboys in a win that helped them crack the top 25. They have another tough go of it this week with the unbeaten West Virginia Mountaineers coming to town. This will be the second straight week that the Red raiders have had to face a high-powered offensive unit, and while they handled Oklahoma State quite handily in Week 4, I don’t see them doing it here. I am on the Mountaineers to win on the road.

Big Ten
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions

This is quite possibly the game of the week, and while it will not decide which team wins the division, it is certainly going to have a major impact on the final outcome. The Buckeyes have been hot since the season opener, even though they had to play the first 3 games of the year without their head coach on the sidelines. Penn State survived a Week 1 scare in OT against Appalachian State, but they have got stronger with each passing week. This should be a great one and I have the Buckeyes winning on the road.

Pac-12
Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

A pair of unbeaten teams go head to head here, with the Cardinal coming into this one on a huge wave of momentum after an unlikely comeback win over the Oregon Ducks last weekend. The Irish have been winning close ones all season long, but they finally broke that trend last week with a resounding win over Wake Forest. This is another outstanding match-up and a tough one to handicap. I am going with the road team here and taking the Cardinal to win a close one.

SEC
Ole Miss Rebels at LSU Tigers

Any team in the SEC West looking to get into the playoffs is going to need to get past Alabama first. The Auburn Tigers won the division last year, but ultimately missed out on the top 4 after losing the SEC Championship. LSU are staking their claim on the division crown by already beating Auburn this season, but they will also need a win over Ole Miss this weekend to maintain their challenge. It’s a win I think they get.

[StarDust Bum]

college football best bets aug-sept.


Date w-l-t % units record (ALL PLAYS BEST BETS AND OPINIONS )

09/22/2018 31-36-1 46.27% -43.00
09/21/2018 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
09/20/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/15/2018 35-26-1 57.38% +32.00
09/14/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/08/2018 31-37-2 45.59% -48.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/02/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/01/2018 30-22-0 57.69% +29.00
08/31/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
08/30/2018 5-3-0 62.50% +8.50
08/25/2018 4-0-0 100.00% +20.00


total..........150 - 141-0.......51.54%....-20.35


best bets................. ats ...............units................ o/u...............units...............days total

09/22/2018............15 - 12...........+9.00...............5 - 10.............-30.00............20 - 22.......-21.00
09/21/2018.............3 - 0.............+15.00..............1 - 2...............-6.00...............4 - 2.........+9.00
09/20/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................0 - 1...............-5.50...............0 - 2.........-11.00
09/15/2018.............11 - 13..........-16.50...............7 - 6..............+2.00.............18 - 19.......-14.50
09/14/2018.............1 - 0.............+5.00................1 - 0..............+5.00..............2 - 0.........+10.00
09/13/2018.............1 - 0.............+5.00................0 - 1 ..........-5.50...............1 - 1.........-0.50
09/08/2018............13 - 14...........-12.00..............12 - 5.............+32.50............25 - 19......+20.50
09/07/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................0 - 1...............-5.50...............0 - 2........-11.00
09/03/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................1 - 0...............+5.00..............1 - 1.........-0.50
09/02/2018.............1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 0...............+5.00..............2 - 0........ +10.00
09/01/2018............13 - 6.............+32.00.............5 - 2...............+14.00............18 - 8.......+46.00
08/31/2018.............1 - 3..............-11.50..............2 - 4...............-12.00..............3 - 7.........-23.50
08/30/2018.............2 - 1..............+4.50...............2 -1...............+4.50...............4 - 2.........+9.00
08/25/2018.............2 - 0..............+10.00.............2 - 0..............+10.00..............4 - 0........+20.00


total.....................63 - 52............+28.50...........39 - 33.............+13.50............102 - 85.......+42.00

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

UNC at MIA 08:00 PM

UNC +18.5

O 56.0

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No. 16 Miami gets 3 defensive TDs, rolls by Tar Heels 47-10
September 27, 2018

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Miami tied a school record with three defensive touchdowns, N'Kosi Perry threw for a score in his first start and the No. 16 Hurricanes downed North Carolina 47-10 on Thursday night.

Romeo Finley and Joe Jackson ran back interceptions for scores, Jonathan Garvin scooped up a fumble and rumbled in for another touchdown and the Hurricanes (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) wound up forcing six turnovers in all.

Perry didn't have to do much, completing eight of 12 passes for 125 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his debut as the Miami starter. Deejay Dallas rushed 11 times for 114 yards and a touchdown for the Hurricanes, whose 12th straight home regular-season win matches the school's longest in 15 years.

Chazz Surratt, making his season debut after serving a three-game suspension for selling team-issued shoes, relieved North Carolina starting quarterback Nathan Elliott early and rushed for a touchdown for the Tar Heels (1-3, 1-1). But Surratt was intercepted three times, the Tar Heels also fumbled the ball away three times and they were a combined 3 for 16 on third and fourth downs.

Miami coach Mark Richt kept everyone guessing on his decision whether to start Perry or incumbent Malik Rosier right up until kickoff. The Hurricanes didn't even list a quarterback on the starting lineups that were shown on the in-stadium video boards shortly before the game.

Perry went the whole way, sans for a last-play kneel-down by quarterback Cade Weldon - though Miami's defense was its best offense.

The three defensive touchdowns were a first for Miami since a game against West Virginia on Sept. 23, 2000. The Hurricanes became the first ACC team with three defensive scores in a game since Boston College in 2006, and are now one of two teams nationally this season to do so - along with Akron, which did it against Northwestern earlier this month.

It was Miami's first time forcing six turnovers in an ACC game since a win over North Carolina State in 2012.

THE TAKEAWAY

North Carolina: The Heels were their own worst enemies. Besides the five turnovers, they had goal-to-go situations twice and came away with a total of three points. A drive to the Miami 3 early in the game netted the field goal, and a drive to the Miami 7 in the third quarter became a third-and-goal from the 31. The result there was a missed 48-yard field goal try.

Miami: The Hurricanes' 33 first-half points were their second-most by halftime of any ACC game, but the second half looked very ugly offensively. And a major storyline during Florida State week will be the status of LB Shaquille Quarterman, who appeared to twist an ankle in the first half, returned to start the third quarter - and aggravated the injury early in the third quarter.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Miami will remain in the AP Top 25. The last time Miami was ranked going into three consecutive Octobers was from 2003 through 2005.

UP NEXT

North Carolina: Hosts Virginia Tech on Oct. 13. The Tar Heels had two weeks off because their game against UCF was cancelled because of Hurricane Florence, then played twice in five days, and now have another two-week break.

Miami: Hosts Florida State on Oct. 6. The Hurricanes snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Seminoles with a dramatic win last season - and now will try to snap a six-game home slide against their rivals. FSU last lost at Miami in 2004.

[StarDust Bum]

college football best bets aug-sept.


Date w-l-t % units record (ALL PLAYS BEST BETS AND OPINIONS )

09/27/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/22/2018 31-36-1 46.27% -43.00
09/21/2018 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
09/20/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/15/2018 35-26-1 57.38% +32.00
09/14/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/08/2018 31-37-2 45.59% -48.50
09/07/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
09/03/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
09/02/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
09/01/2018 30-22-0 57.69% +29.00
08/31/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
08/30/2018 5-3-0 62.50% +8.50
08/25/2018 4-0-0 100.00% +20.00


total..........151 - 142-0.......51.53%....-20.85


best bets................. ats ...............units................ o/u...............units...............days total

09/27/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 1.........-0.50
09/22/2018............15 - 12...........+9.00...............5 - 10.............-30.00............20 - 22.......-21.00
09/21/2018.............3 - 0.............+15.00..............1 - 2...............-6.00...............4 - 2.........+9.00
09/20/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................0 - 1...............-5.50...............0 - 2.........-11.00
09/15/2018.............11 - 13..........-16.50...............7 - 6..............+2.00.............18 - 19.......-14.50
09/14/2018.............1 - 0.............+5.00................1 - 0..............+5.00..............2 - 0.........+10.00
09/13/2018.............1 - 0.............+5.00................0 - 1 ..........-5.50...............1 - 1.........-0.50
09/08/2018............13 - 14...........-12.00..............12 - 5.............+32.50............25 - 19......+20.50
09/07/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................0 - 1...............-5.50...............0 - 2........-11.00
09/03/2018.............0 - 1..............-5.50................1 - 0...............+5.00..............1 - 1.........-0.50
09/02/2018.............1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 0...............+5.00..............2 - 0........ +10.00
09/01/2018............13 - 6.............+32.00.............5 - 2...............+14.00............18 - 8.......+46.00
08/31/2018.............1 - 3..............-11.50..............2 - 4...............-12.00..............3 - 7.........-23.50
08/30/2018.............2 - 1..............+4.50...............2 -1...............+4.50...............4 - 2.........+9.00
08/25/2018.............2 - 0..............+10.00.............2 - 0..............+10.00..............4 - 0........+20.00


total.....................63 - 53............+23.00...........40 - 33.............+18.50............103 - 86.......+41.50

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s six-pack

Before last night’s NFL game, most likely Super Bowl matchups (from 5Dimes.com):

6) Chargers-Rams- risk $100 to win $3,450

5) Chiefs-Eagles, $3,375

4) Steelers-Rams, $2,495

3) Jaguars-Rams, $1,680

2) Patriots-Rams, $1,360

1) Chiefs-Rams, $1,255

Quote of the Day
“The other side gives scholarships, too.”
Former football coach Lou Holtz to a sideline reporter, when asked why a game was closer than expected at halftime

Friday’s quiz
Before the Texas Rangers became the Texas Rangers, where did they play home games?

Thursday’s quiz
The Sun Bowl is held in El Paso, TX every December.

Wednesday’s quiz
Walter Mondale was Vice President when Jimmy Carter was President.

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

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

13) Rams 38, Vikings 31— Scouting in football is very important:

— Rams WR Cooper Kupp went to college at Eastern Washington.
— Vikings WR Adam Theilen went to college at Mankato State.

Two damn good players; teams with really good scouts found them.

12) Oklahoma Sooners had the ball for only 15:19 vs Army last week, Sooners’ lowest TOP in any game since at least 1995.

11) Cleveland Indians will end the regular season with a winning record against their division, but a losing record against everyone else; they’re first playoff team to do that since the 2009 Minnesota Twins, who got swept in the ALDS.

10) Last week, Seattle RB Chris Carson carried the ball 32 times, most by any Seahawk since Week 12 of 2006, when Shaun Alexander carried it 40 times.

9) Since Bill Lazor became the Bengals’ OC, only Tom Brady, Russell Wilson have thrown more TD passes than Cincy QB Andy Dalton.

8) Elsewhere…..Denver Broncos’ TE Jake Butt tore his ACL and is expected to miss the remainder of the season; he got hurt going thru what basically was a walk-thru. Freak injury

7) Actor John Hurt has died in 45 different movies, making him the unofficial leader in on-screen deaths.

6) This from Darren Rovell of ESPN:

20 years ago, when Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run of the year for the Cardinals, Phil Ozersky, a fan making $30,000 a year, caught the baseball. Cardinals asked him for the ball in exchange for a signed bat, ball and jersey. Ozersky said he also wants to meet McGwire. McGwire declined.

Three months later, Ozersky sold ball for $3.05M. Thats million, with an M.

5) Former NBA star Amare Stoudemire is still playing basketball, for a pro team in Israel that is also the co-owner of.

4) Rockies 5, Phillies 3— Philly went 0-8 on their road trip, their worst road trip since 1883. Thats 18-83, not 19-83.

On August 5, Phillies were 63-48 and stop the NL East after beating the Marlins; they’re 15-33 since then.

3) Thursday afternoon, in the midst of an 12-1 blowout of Tampa Bay, CC Sabathia drilled Jesus Sucre of the Rays, in retaliation for an inside pitch a Tampa pitcher had thrown earlier. Sabathia was ejected from the game, leaving him two innings short of a $500,000 innings bonus.

Will they give him the $500K for being a good teammate?

2) Miami 47, North Carolina 10— Maybe the UNC players shouldn’t sell the sneakers/gear they get for free, then they wouldn’t get suspended, then their team wouldn’t get whacked just about every week. Miami came in struggling, but had a big night here.

1) Weird stat: in the 57-year history of the Mets, Jacob deGrom may become the first Mets pitcher ever to finish the season with a 10-9 record.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Tip Sheet
Brian Edwards

**Memphis at Tulane**

-- As of Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had Memphis (3-1 straight up, 2-2 against the spread) installed as a 14-point favorite with a total of 67. The Green Wave was +420 on the money line (risk $100 to win $420).

-- Mike Norvell’s squad has beaten up on three non-conference foes at the Liberty Bowl, thumping Mercer (66-14), Georgia State (59-22) and South Alabama (52-35). The Tigers are 0-1 in AAC play, however, dropping their league opener 22-21 at Navy in Week 2.

-- Memphis didn’t have it quite as easy against the Jaguars last week, however. After taking a 21-7 lead on Brady White’s 25-yard touchdown pass to John Williams early in the second quarter, USA responded with a pair of TDs to tie the game at halftime. Norvell’s bunch pulled away in the fourth quarter behind star junior RB Darrell Henderson, a first-team All-AAC selection last year who may push for All-American honors this season. Henderson ran for 188 yards and two TDs on 22 attempts. White connected on 22-of-29 throws for 292 yards and two TDs without an interception. RB Patrick Taylor added 75 rushing yards and two scores on 17 carries, in addition to catching three balls for 22 yards. Henderson had two receptions for 34 yards, while Damonte Coxie had eight catches for 113 yards and one TD.

-- Henderson is the nation’s leader in rushing yards (709) by an 81-yard margin. He is in a second-place tie for rushing TDs (eight) and is also second in average yards per carry (12.2 YPC!). Henderson has produced those numbers despite averaging merely 14.5 attempts per game.

-- White, the grand transfer from Arizona State, has been outstanding for his new team. He has completed 72.2 percent of his passes for 1,064 yards with a stellar 12/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Coxie has been his favorite target, hauling in 23 receptions for 353 yards and four TDs. John Williams has 15 catches for 146 yards and one TD, while Henderson has six grabs for 124 yards and one TD.

-- The new fair-catch rule on kickoff returns and some shrewd coaching from opponents have really cut into Memphis star Tony Pollard’s ability to impact games through the first four. Pollard had 1,649 all-purpose yards and 10 TDs, including four TDs on KO returns, during the 2017 campaign. He’s been limited to 133 all-purpose yards and two TDs so far this year, only getting once chance to return a kick that went for negative two yards.

-- Memphis is ranked fourth in the country in total offense (593.0 yards per game), fifth in rushing yards (309.5 YPG), and 10th in scoring with its 49.5 points-per-game average. The defense is 24th in the nation in total ‘D’ (317.2 YPG) and 22nd at the defending the pass (166.2 YPG).

-- Tulane (1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS) has split a pair of home games while going 2-0 ATS. Willie Fritz is in his third season at the school. His 10-18 SU record doesn’t appear inspiring on the surface, but it says here that he’s the right man for the job and has this program on the right track. Tulane, which is 16-12 ATS on Fritz’s watch, has already lost a pair of one-possession games this season, and it lost three contests by six combined points in 2017.

-- Tulane opened the season by hooking up its backers like me in a 23-17 overtime loss to Wake Forest as a seven-point home underdog. Since then, the Green Wave has beaten Nicholls State 42-17 as a 17-point home favorite, before losing 31-24 at UAB and 49-6 at Ohio State.

-- Tulane owns a 4-2 spread record in six games as a home underdog during Fritz’s tenure. Meanwhile, Memphis has compiled a 4-3 ATS mark in seven spots as a road ‘chalk’ on Norvell’s watch.

-- Tulane senior QB Jonathan Banks has completed 49.5 percent of his passes for 792 yards with a 5/1 TD-INT ratio. Junior WR Darnell Mooney has 22 receptions for 385 yards and three TDs, while senior Terren Encalade has 15 catches for 310 yards and two TDs.

-- Junior RB Corey Dauphine, a transfer from Texas Tech, has run for 289 yards and three TDs on just 25 carries for a 11.6 YPC average. Darius Bradwell has 236 rushing yards, two rushing scores and a 5.6 YPC average.

-- Tulane’s top two TEs, Charles Jones and Kendall Ardoin, are both listed as ‘questionable’ with undisclosed injuries. Neither player was on the field at The ‘Shoe last week.

-- Tulane’s defense is ranked No. 116 in the nation in total defense (495.5 YPG), No. 120 in pass defense (304.0 YPG), No. 99 versus the run (191.5 YPG) and No. 91 in scoring ‘D’ (30.0 PPG).

-- The ‘over’ is 3-1 overall for the Tigers, but the ‘under’ cashed in their lone previous road assignment. However, we’ll note that the 22-21 loss at Navy was played in a driving rainstorm for the entire game. Memphis’s home games have gone ‘over’ by 14.5, 18 and 21 points apiece (53.5 combined pts.).

-- The ‘under’ is 3-1 overall for Tulane, 1-1 in its home outings. The Green Wave has seen its games average combined scores of 52.2 PPG.

-- Memphis has won 11 games in a row in this rivalry, going 8-2 ATS in the past 10 encounters. Nine of those 10 victories have come by double-digit margins and eight have come by 14 points or more. The ‘under’ is 6-2 in the past eight meetings.

-- As of Wednesday afternoon, the forecast at weather.com was predicting partly cloudy skies for Friday night in the Big Easy. There’s only a 10 percent chance of rain, temperatures are anticipated to be in the mid-70s and winds aren’t expected to rise over four miles per hour. The field could be a little wet, though, as the forecast Friday afternoon calls for scattered thunderstorms and a 50 percent chance of rain.

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



**UCLA at Colorado**

-- My preseason prediction called for UCLA (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) to finish in the cellar of the Pac-12 South. It wasn’t a knock on new head coach Chip Kelly, but simply an assessment of the uphill challenge he faces in turning this program around. It hasn’t been pretty to date. Kelly’s debut was a nightmare, as the Bruins lost a 26-17 decision to Cincinnati as a 14-point home favorite. Next, they got run out of Norman in a 49-21 loss at Oklahoma. Then in Week 3, Fresno State came to the Rose Bowl and dealt out a 38-14 beatdown as a 2.5-point road ‘chalk.’

-- Both teams are off open dates and have had plenty of time to prepare for each other. As of Wednesday afternoon, most books had Colorado (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) installed as a 9.5-point home favorite with a total of 60.5. The Bruins were +290 to win outright (risk $100 to win $290).

-- Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the prize of Kelly’s first recruiting class, has been thrown right into the fire and has taken his lumps early in his true freshman season. He has completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 522 yards with a 2/2 TD-INT ratio. Junior WR Theo Howard has emerged as his favorite target by making 11 receptions for 185 yards and one TD. Caleb Wilson has eight catches for 128 yards.

-- Another true freshman leads UCLA in rushing. Kazmeir Allen has a team-best 161 rushing yards and one TD on just 21 attempts for a 7.7 YPC average.

-- UCLA came into this year on a 14-24 ATS slump as a road underdog over the past decade. However, the Bruins did get the money in their lone such spot this year when they lost by 28 at OU as 31-point puppies.

-- Kelly had dynamic offenses during his four-year run at Oregon that produced an incredible 46-7 record. So far at UCLA? Not so much. The Bruins are ranked No. 119 in the nation in total offense (319.7 YPG), No. 102 in passing yards (189.0 YPG), No. 104 in rushing yards (130.7 YPG) and No. 121 in scoring with their abysmal 17.3 PPG average. UCLA’s defense hasn’t fared much better, ranking No. 116 in the country (37.7 PPG).

-- Colorado is undefeated going into its Pac-12 opener. Mike MacIntyre’s club opened the season by beating up on Colorado State by a 45-7 count as a seven-point favorite in Denver. Next, the Buffaloes went to Lincoln and captured a 33-28 win at Nebraska as three-point underdogs. In Week 3, they knocked off FCS foe New Hampshire 45-14 but failed to cover as 37.5-point home ‘chalk.’

-- Junior QB Steven Montez has connected on 73.4 percent of his passes for 855 yards with an 8/2 TD-INT ratio. Sophomore TD Laviska Shenault has 26 receptions for 455 yards and three TDs, while K.D. Nixon has 17 catches for 181 yards and one TD.

-- RB Travon McMillian, a grad transfer from Va. Tech, has made his presence known early and often. McMillian has rushed for 290 yards and three TDs while averaging 8.8 YPC. Beau Bisharat has 144 rushing yards and a 7.2 YPC average.

-- Colorado owns an 11-6 spread record in 17 games as a home favorite under MacIntyre.

-- UCLA has been victorious in six of the past seven meetings in this rivalry, including a 27-23 victory last year. However, the Buffs covered the number as 7.5-point road underdogs.

-- When these teams met at this venue on a Thursday night two years ago, star QB Josh Rosen was out with an injury. Nevertheless, I backed the Bruins as a 13-point road underdog and they covered for me in a 20-10 loss. The game was tied at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter.

-- The ‘over’ is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in UCLA’s lone road contests. The Bruins have seen their games average combined scores of 55.0 PPG.

-- The ‘under’ is 2-1 overall for the Buffs, but the ‘over’ hit in their lone home outing.

-- According to weather.com on Wednesday, the forecast for Friday night in Boulder calls for clear skies, light winds and a low temperature of 45 degrees.

-- Fox Sports 1 will provide television coverage from Folsom Field at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.


**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Northwestern RB Jeremy Larkin has been forced to retire due to a recent diagnosis of cervical stenosis, which is not a life-threatening condition but prohibits him from continuing to play football. Larkin ran for 503 yards as a freshman in ’17 while serving as the back-up to Justin Jackson, who is the all-time leading rusher in school history. Larkin had five rushing TDs and a 6.0 YPC average last season. He also caught 11 balls for 115 receiving yards. Larkin was enjoying an outstanding year to date, rushing for 346 yards and five TDs with a 4.8 YPC average through only three contests. He also had 19 receptions for 127 yards. This is a crushing blow for the Wildcats, who have lost back-to-back home games vs. Duke (21-7) and vs. Akron (39-34) since winning 31-27 at Purdue in their opener. Pat Fitzgerald’s team if off an open date and has had two weeks to prepare for Saturday’s home date with Michigan.

-- San Diego State star RB Juwan Washington is expected to miss six weeks with a fractured clavicle. Washington had run for 513 yards and five TDs with a 5.2 YPC average through four games.

-- After true freshman QB Trevor Lawrence was named Clemson’s starting QB on Monday, Dabo Swinney gave the senior signal caller Kelly Bryant the day off to absorb the decision. Then on Tuesday morning, Bryant announced that he will transfer and play his senior season elsewhere in 2019. Bryant threw for 2,802 yards with a 13/8 TD-INT ratio in ’17, helping the Tigers advance to the College Football Playoff, where they lost to Alabama in the semifinals. Bryant had completed 66.0 percent of his passes for 456 yards with a 2/1 TD-INT ratio this year. He had rushed for 144 yards and two TDs. Meanwhile, Lawrence has a 9/2 TD-INT ratio. Bryant will have plenty of suitors and be immediately eligible next year.

[StarDust Bum]

College Essentials - Week 5
Tony Mejia

September is already disappearing into the rear-view. Although conference play is in full swing there are two matchups featuring the nation's top Independents that could impact the national race. College football is definitely a sprint so let’s play along and race right into the week’s top 10 offerings.

Saturday

Ohio State at Penn State, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC: Urban Meyer and his staff have played to new QB Dwayne Haskins’ strengths, empowering their strong-armed quarterback to look downfield. Expect them to attack a Nittany Lions defense that has had their issues defending the passing game this season despite not facing an attack anywhere near as formidble as what the Buckeyes bring into Happy Valley.

Even if James Franklin watches his defense get carved up, there's no reason the Nittany Lions can't win a shootout. They've seen Miles Sanders emerge as a capable replacement for Saquon Barkley and a number of receivers have stepped up for QB Trace McSorley. Without Ohio State's top pass rusher, Nick Bosa, out until November at the earliest, its defense now has to deal with its stiffest offensive challenge of the season and looked vulnerable against Oregon State and TCU. We should see plenty of points here, which is why the books have set the total up at 70 and rising.

Stanford at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC: New QB Ian Book had a strong debut as the Fighting Irish crushed Wake Forest, executing so well that they got the Demon Deacons’ defensive coordinator fired. Brian Kelly will continue to play veteran Brandon Wimbush some and might be forced to lean on his experience at some point again here, but it appears he feels his sophomore gives the team the best chance to overcome this hurdle, which is why he chose to get him in there as a starter last week. Suspended RB Dexter Williams has returned and should also be available for a few carries if Kelly wants to add him to the mix next to Tony Jones, Jr. and Jafar Armstrong.

Coming off a miraculous comeback win at Oregon, Stanford has gotten to this point unscathed without getting a truly big game out of top running back Bryce Love. He ran for 147 or more yards in last year’s first seven games but has surpassed the 100-yard mark only once this season, breaking off 136 on USC. Love topped the 180-yard mark four times last season and had a 301-yard game this time last year (Sept. 30) at Oregon State, so he’s due to start making the impact we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. Love didn’t find the end zone but contributed 125 rushing yards and made one heck of a decoy in helping then-unproven QB K.J. Costello the opportunity to throw four touchdown passes in a 38-20 win over Notre Dame in Palo Alto. The winner here enters October looking like a strong candidate for the national semifinals.

West Virginia at Texas Tech, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2: Oklahoma looked vulnerable in nearly losing at home to Army last week, so both of these teams are undoubtedly fantasizing about a conference title. The Mountaineers haven’t been challenged since a strong defense has emerged to complement QB Will Grier's ability to put the ball wherever he wants. WR David Sills has 23 TD receptions in 15 games but he can't be keyed on due to the presence of Gary Jennings, who had nearly 100 catches last year and is the better pro prospect. Getting out of Lubbock with a win means West Virginia will be favored heavily to reach November unbeaten.

The Red Raiders not only have Patrick Mahomes making the program look good in the pros but are helping their own cause by recovering from a lopsided season-opening loss to Ole Miss. After knocking off Houston and pulling off an upset of Oklahoma State in Stillwater to open Big 12 play, Kliff Kingsbury's group is in good position to make this a special season since the schedule lends an assist with Oklahoma and Texas each coming into Lubbock in November's first two weekends. True freshman QB Alan Bowman has already broken some of Mahomes’ single-game records and has an impressive receiving corps that has improved every week. Things could get real interesting in Lubbock if the Texas Tech defense can pick up where they left off against the Cowboys last week, having pitched a second-half shutout. Tech blew a 35-17 third-quarter lead in Morgantown last season and hasn't won in this annual series since '13.

Florida at Mississippi State, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN: Dan Mullen leaving for another SEC program went over as well as a runaway bride at a wedding would, so now that he's back, they'll have to check Bulldogs fans for torces and pitchforks in addition to the cowbells they carry into the Davis Wade Stadium. Coming off a frustrating loss at Kentucky, first-year coach Joe Moorhead's honeymoon period has officially ended, and if he wants to stop sleeping on the couch, he'll need to keep Mullen from a victorious return. Excuses simply won't be allowed.

The Gators have gotten improved play from QB Feleipe Franks this season and are hoping he can follow up a brilliant outing in Knoxville with another strong effort. With most suspensioins having been served and the majority of key players healthy, the Gators are enjoying a level of depth they haven't had the luxury of putting on display all season. Mississippi State called a players-only meeting after losing in Lexington, keying on handling the emotions of this week's meeting the right way in light of all the penalties that helped trip them up last week. Look for this to be a physical game. Hopefully the stripes will let the teams play and decide this on the field.

Syracuse at Clemson, 12 p.m. ET, ABC: Trevor Lawrence officially replaced Kelly Bryant at quarterback this week since the Tigers offense has been glaringly better with him at the controls. That’s something most predicted before the season opened since it appeared inevitable, but the change is news-worthy in that it lets you know Dabo Swinney is done messing around and views this Orange invasion as a viable threat. Clemson almost lost at Texas A&M in a game where Bryant’s experience came in handy, but that safety net won't be available here with Bryant transferring out.

‘Cuse is hoping to move the ball as effectively as the Aggies did, looking to turn this into a shootout by keeping the Tigers' feared defensive line off balance by moving the pocket, getting it out quickly and mixing in QB draws. With Eric Dungey healthy enough to play, Syracuse has a playmaker who has the mobility and arm talent to make the country’s top defensive front to work for everything it gets. In case you’ve forgotten, Syracuse beat Clemson 27-24 at the Carrier Dome last season. The Orange will have to deal with the elements for the first time since the season opener at Western Michigan since they've played their last three games at the Carrier Dome, but rain in the area isn't scheduled to arrive until later in the day.

Ole Miss at LSU, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN: LSU's Tigers stepped out of the spotlight briefly last week after their huge road upset of Auburn, wearing down a pretty good Louisiana Tech squad. Now the Rebels arrive in Death Valley and present a different challenge than they’ve seen thus far given the receivers who will test Greedy Williams and the LSU secondary here. Miami had a few viable threats but top receiver Ahmmon Richards was hurt in the season opener while Auburn was hampered by the lack of a true go-to guy, but Ole Miss brings a different set of strengths to the table.

Senior QB Jordan Ta’amu looks to shake off a shoulder issue and perform more consistently than he has over the past few weeks. A.J. Brown, the leading returning WR from the Rebs’ elite group, is also expected to overcome a hamstring issue to participate. LSU hung 40 on Ole Miss in Oxford last season, so Ohio State transfer Joe Burrow could have a big day and announce his candidacy for mayor of Baton Rouge afterward. Nose tackle Benito Jones and corner Ken Webster, the Rebs' most talented defensive players, have both been upgraded to probable.

BYU at Washington, 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX: The Cougars knocked off McNeese State last week and now look to go back into giant-killer mode as they venture into Seattle. Coming off a win at Wisconsin on its last road trip, BYU can pull off an upset of Washington given how physical they can be on both sides of the ball and will look to frustrate Jake Browning into mistakes. The Huskies will need to ride electric senior RB Myles Gaskin to keep the heat off their quarterback, which could result in a lower-scoring game where the clock is constantly running.

Center Nick Harris returned for the Huskies and graded out well against Arizona State, so the Washington offensive line should be up to the challenge of banging up front with BYU. The U-Dub defense has been bolstered by the continued emergence of standout LB Ben Burr-Kirven, who has back-to-back Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors and is coming off of a 20-tackle game. Look for him to be an x-factor here.

USC at Arizona, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2: After surviving Washington State at the Coliseum, a young Trojans team faces a crossroads game against the Wildcats, who are looking for their own resurgence as they try and turn the corner in Kevin Sumlin’s first season following a road conquest at Oregon State in the Pac-12 opener. There’s still time for Khalil Tate to turn things around, especially since defenses must now key in on sophomore RB J.J. Taylor after his eye-opening 284-yard day against the Beavers. If Sumlin can snap a five-year losing streak to USC, who the 'Cats haven't beaten since Rich Rodriguez's first season, he will have some momentum to work with entering a challenging October.

USC is playing their third road game in four weeks and have largely struggled outside the L.A. Coliseum, coming in 10-12 under Clay Helton. It also works against them that their defensive depth has been compromised by injuries, which is one factor why they've only forced two turnovers through their first four games. USC caught a break that top DE Porter Gustin wasn't ejected for targeting for a second straight game against WSU, so he'll be available here from the onset. WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown (shoulder) and Velus Jones (elbow) will be out there as targets for true freshman QB J.T. Daniels.

South Carolina at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC: 'Cats RB Benny Snell is a surprise Heisman candidate now, so hopefully you took advantage of my preseason column on longshots and got in on the 300-to-1 preseason odds. The Wildcats are undefeated and nationally-ranked as they welcome in the Gamecocks, a program that’s undoubtedly higher on the football pecking order in the SEC. That perception may lead you to miss the fact that Kentucky has actually beaten South Carolina four straight times. If QB Terry Wilson can limit turnovers, a fifth consecutive win could be in the cards.

Senior LB Josh Allen has also gotten a lot of love after a dominant performance in last Saturday's upset of Mississippi State, so his ability to again be disruptive against Bentley will be as big a key for UK as Snell getting the running game going. South Carolina QB Jake Bentley struggled with turnovers in the blowout loss to Georgia and was intercepted twice despite throwing for 304 yards in the loss to Kentucky in Columbia last season. The Gamecocks are without standout DE D.J. Wonnum and will be looking to win consecutive home games for the first time under Will Muschamp, having not done so since 2013.

Utah at Washington State, 6 p.m. ET, Pac-12: Although both teams lost their Pac-12 opener, they're sound enough to put together a run and get back in contention for a conference title so long as they can pick up a win here. They're in different divisions and only one can prevail, so this one should be riveting given all the preseason aspirations on the line. The Utes come off a bye and have excelled under Kyle Whittingham with extra time to work, entering this game 20-6 in those situations. Meanwhile, Mike Leach has won three straight in the series and is looking for a 10th consecutive win in Pullman.

Temperatures could dip into the 40s and there may be some wind to deal with, so we'll get our first taste of true October football weather here. Washington State QB Gardner Minshew has thrived in taking over for record-setting passer Luke Falk, but this will be the best defense he's seen so far, superior to even last week's USC group. The Cougs will have to deal with a true dual threat in Tyler Huntley for the first time all season but catch a break in talented Utes DE Leki Fotu being unable to play until the second half after being tossed for targeting two weeks ago against Washington.

Others to watch: Oregon at Cal, Iowa State at TCU, Virginia Tech at Duke, Purdue at Nebraska, Texas at Kansas State, Michigan at Northwestern, Baylor at Oklahoma, Virginia at N.C. State, Florida Atlantic at Middle Tennessee, Pittsburgh at UCF, Florida State at Louisville, Toledo at Fresno State, Temple at Boston College.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, September 28

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MEMPHIS (3 - 1) at TULANE (1 - 3) - 9/28/2018, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 20-36 ATS (-19.6 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1992.
MEMPHIS is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points since 1992.
MEMPHIS is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1992.
TULANE is 95-126 ATS (-43.6 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
TULANE is 37-57 ATS (-25.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.

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

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UCLA (0 - 3) at COLORADO (3 - 0) - 9/28/2018, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UCLA is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 38-59 ATS (-26.9 Units) in road games in games played on a grass field since 1992.
UCLA is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in September games over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) in road games in weeks 5 through 9 since 1992.
COLORADO is 42-74 ATS (-39.4 Units) in weeks 5 through 9 since 1992.

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

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Friday, September 28

Memphis @ Tulane
Memphis
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Tulane
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing on the road against Tulane

Tulane
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tulane's last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis
Tulane is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home

California-Los Angeles @ Colorado
California-Los Angeles
California-Los Angeles is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 5 of California-Los Angeles's last 7 games on the road

Colorado
Colorado is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing California-Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games

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Friday, September 28

Memphis @ Tulane

Game 105-106
September 28, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
94.268
Tulane
76.793
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 17 1/2
73
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 13 1/2
66 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
(-13 1/2); Over

UCLA @ Colorado

Game 107-108
September 28, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
UCLA
80.219
Colorado
87.420
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 7
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
by 10
60 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
UCLA
(+7); Over

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Friday

Memphis won its last five games with Tulane, winning 24-14/38-7 in last two visits here; Tigers scored 111 points in winning their last two games, but lost 22-21 (-7) at Navy in their only road game this month. Under Norvell, Memphis is 4-3 as road favorites- since ’08, they’re 20-9 when laying double digit points. Tulane is 0-3 vs I-A teams, losing by 6-7-43 points; they lost at home in OT to Wake Forest. Under Fritz, Green Wave is 4-2 as home underdogs- they’re 9-13 in last 22 games when getting 10+ points.

UCLA is already 0-3, the QB’s father is ripping the coach; Fresno State outgained them 420-270 in the Rose Bowl last game. Bruins won four of last five games with Colorado, splitting last two visits to Boulder- Buffs won last meeting here 20-10 (-13). Since 2013, UCLA is 8-5 as a road underdog; they allowed 87 points in their last two games. Colorado gave up 329 yards in a 33-28 win at Nebraska three weeks ago; under MacIntyre, Buffs are 13-8 as favorites, 11-5 at home. Colorado had last week off; played a I-AA team week before that.

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Friday, Sept. 28

MEMPHIS at TULANE...Tigers 7-2-1 vs. spread last ten reg season games and have covered seven of last eight laying DD. Willie Fritz 5-3 last eight as dog.
Memphis, based on team trends.


UCLA at COLORADO...Bruins have now lost 12 in a row SU away from Rose Bowl, 4-8 vs. line in those. Buffs were 10-2 as Boulder chalk for Coach Mac until LY’s 1-3.
Colorado, based on team trends.

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MEM at TULN 08:00 PM
TULN +14.5
O 66.0

UCLA at COLO 09:00 PM
COLO -9.0
U 56.5

[StarDust Bum]

Tulane runs for 4 TDs; beats Memphis 40-24
September 28, 2018

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Darius Bradwell and Corey Dauphine each had two touchdowns and Tulane beat Memphis 40-24 on Friday night to snap an 11-game losing streak in the series.

The Tulane defense, allowing 491.5 yards per game, held Memphis to 277 yards - including just 51 rushing yards for the national leader Darrell Henderson. The Green Wave had eight sacks after entering with just six on the season.

Bradwell carried it 19 times for 143 yards and Dauphine added 87 yards for Tulane (2-3, 1-0 American Athletic Conference). Bradwell, a junior, had a career-high 103 yards rushing in the first half, including a 53-yard touchdown.

Dauphine and Bradwell scored on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter to make it 40-14.

Brady White threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns for Memphis (3-2, 0-2). Henderson, averaging 177.3 rushing yards per game, scored twice - including a 43- yard catch-and-run to pull Memphis within 17-14.


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Montez has 3 TDs as Buffs beat Bruins 38-16
September 28, 2018

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) Steven Montez was 22-of-26 passing for 237 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores to lead Colorado over UCLA 38-16 on Friday night.

Montez rushed for 81 yards and Laviska Shenault Jr. caught a career-best 12 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for Colorado (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12).

Joshua Kelley ran for 124 yards and Dorian Thompson-Robinson had a touchdown pass for UCLA (0-4, 0-1), which is looking for its first win in the Chip Kelly era. The Bruins have lost their first four games for the first time since 1971.

UCLA went ahead 10-7 on an 11-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Michael Ezeike and a short field goal. JJ Molson hit from 50 yards at the end of the first half, and then gave UCLA a 16-14 lead with a 40-yard field goal early in the third.

But it was all Colorado after that. Shenault, who scored the Buffaloes' first touchdown on a 57-yard reception, scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 21-16.

Travon McMillian, who had 102 yards rushing, scored from 6 yards out for a 28-16 lead and Montez put it away with a 35-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth.

THE TAKEAWAY

UCLA: The Bruins have lost 12 straight true road games and 11 conference road games. Their last road win was 17-14 at BYU on Sept. 17, 2016. The last time they won a conference road game was 17-9 at Utah on Nov. 21, 2015.

Colorado: The Buffaloes are 4-0 for the first time since 1998. They started 3-0 last season before losing seven of their last nine.

UP NEXT

UCLA hosts No. 11 Washington on Oct. 6.

Colorado will host Arizona State on Oct. 6.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s six-pack

Teams ranked #7-12 in Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s top 25 basketball teams:

12) North Carolina Tar Heels

11) Mississippi State Bulldogs

10) Michigan State Spartans

9) Oregon Ducks

8) Auburn Tigers

7) Virginia Cavaliers

Quote of the Day
“I worked out with him (Jimmy Butler) all summer so when I said what I meant, it was like a right hook, I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t know. I thought — it looked like from everything things were going good. But sometimes it’s a money aspect and fans and different players got to understand that. I understand that with being in the league for so many years, but got to try to just see what we can do. … One thing about everybody who’s here, from the coaching staff, players, everybody’s familiar with each other, we’ve been through a lot together so we just got to keep trying.”
Timberwolves’ Taj Gibson

Saturday’s quiz
Where did Jimmy Butler play his college basketball?

Friday’s quiz
Before the Texas Rangers became the Texas Rangers, they were the Washington Senators.

Thursday’s quiz
The Sun Bowl is held in El Paso, TX every December.

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Saturday’s List of 13: Trends on non-top 13 college football games

13) Army lost in OT at Oklahoma LW; they’re 9-4-1 vs spread in last 14 games as a single digit underdog. Under Monken, Cadets are 7-7-2 as road underdogs. Buffalo is 3-0-1 in last four games as a home favorite. Home side won last three series games, with all three games decided by 8 or fewer points.

12) Northern Illinois won its last six games with Eastern Michigan, last two 30-27/31-24. NIU is 10-5 as road underdogs under Carey, 0-2 this year. Since ’08, EMU is 5-12 as home favorites, 3-3 in last six. Eagles are 14-15 SU in their last 29 games, after going 7-41 from 2012-15.

11) Syracuse upset Clemson at home LY, after losing 54-0 in Death Valley two years ago; under Babers, Orange are 7-3 as road underdogs- they covered seven of last nine games when getting 20+ points. Since 2008, Tigers are 12-21 when laying 20+ points.

10) Air Force won three of last four games with Nevada, with average total in those games, 84. Wolf Pack lost 45-48 OT/48-31 in last two visits here. Nevada is 4-9 in its last 16 games as home favorites, 7-9 in last 16 games as single digit dogs. Since 2009, Falcons are 8-16 as MW home favorites.

9) Arizona State/Oregon State split last six meetings; Beavers lost 30-17/35-20 in last two trips to Tempe. Since ’12, ASU is 19-11 as home favorites; they covered only one of last five when laying 20+ points. Since 2014, OSU is 7-14-1 as road underdogs, 2-4-1 when getting 20+ points.

8) Underdogs covered five of last six Georgia-Tennessee games. Dawgs beat Tennessee 41-0 in Knoxville LY; prior to that, previous five meetings were all decided by 7 or fewer points, with average total of 67. Vols are 0-6 vs spread last six times they got 20+ points.

7) TCU won four of last five games with Iowa State, losing 14-7 (-6 in Ames LY; Cyclones are 6-4 as road underdogs under Campbell, 5-2 in last seven games as double digit dogs. TCU lost last two games to Ohio St/Texas; they’re 2-9-1 in last dozen games as home favorites.

6) Not only is Nebraska 0-3 for first time since 1945; they’re 0-9 vs spread in last nine home games; Cornhuskers won four of last five games with Purdue, winning 27-14/35-14 in last two games played here. Underdogs are 22-7 vs spread in Purdue’s last 29 road games; since 2012. Boilers are 0-3 as road favorites.

5) Louisiana Tech won three of last four games with North Texas, but Mean Green upset Tech 24-23 in Ruston LY- road teams won four of last five series games. Since 2011, UNT is 14-7 as home favorite, but only 2-5 in last seven C-USA games as a HF. Tech is 11-3 in last 14 games as a road underdog.

4) Western Kentucky won three of last four games with Marshall, but lost 30-23 (+10) in Huntington LY. Since 2014, Marshall is 8-6-1 as road favorites; they’re 6-3-1 in last 10 games as single digit dogs. Since 2009, Hilltoppers are 12-5 as home underdogs.

3) Florida Atlantic beat Middle Tennessee 38-20 LY, ending 9-game series skid; under Kiffin, FAU is 9-3 vs spread as favorites, 3-1 on road. Since ’08, Blue Raiders are 4-10 as home dogs. Owls lost last visit to Murfreesboro 77-56 two years ago.

2) Boise State won five of last six games with Wyoming, losing 30-28 (-14) in last visit to Laramie, two years ago (Josh Allen was Wyoming’s QB). Since ’08, Boise is 37-16 as a road favorite- they’re 15-19 in last 34 games when laying 10+ points.

1) Michigan beat Northwestern 38-0 at home in 2015, teams’ last meeting; Wolverines won last three visits to Evanston, by 1-8ot-18 points. Since ’13, Michigan is 5-8 as road favorites; they’re 17-18 in last 35 games as double digit favorites. Wildcats are 7-3 in last 10 games as double digit underdogs.