Cnotes 2018 College Football Thru The Bowl Games News- Trends-Stats-Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

*TRIPLE TROUBLE FOR SMU*

Navy's triple option has confounded a fair number of opposing defenses – but to Southern Methodist, it has been downright nasty. The Mustangs look to figure out how to slow down the galloping Midshipmen as the teams meet Saturday in Dallas. SMU has allowed a whopping 173 points in its last three games against Navy, who have won eight consecutive meetings between the teams and have covered in five straight. Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry is the one to watch; he had 282 yards on the ground and four TDs against SMU last season, and already has six scores on the ground through three games in 2018.

SMU is a 6.5-point underdog in this one, but the more interesting number is the total, which has plummeted from a 66 opener all the way down to 60.5 in some spots. The teams have gone over in each of their past three meetings, averaging a combined 86 points in those outings.


*WKU TURNS TO SHANLEY*

After impressing in relief last week, quarterback Davis Shanley will make his first collegiate start Saturday as Western Kentucky visits Ball State. Shanley looked good in last Saturday's 20-17 loss at Louisville, completing 22 of 33 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score as WKU nearly pulled off the upset. Regular starter Drew Eckels is unavailable after taking big hits in each of the Hilltoppers' first two games of the season. Steven Duncan, who was replaced by Shanley after just two series against the Cardinals, is listed second on this week's depth chart.

While the odds for this one have held steady at Ball State -3, the total has risen from 52 to 55. Shanley's presence not only puts the over in play (the Hilltoppers are 7-3 O/U in their past 10), it also enhances WKU's chances of winning outright (+125) and going over its team total, which sits at 25.5.


*BRO, DO YOU EVEN KICK?*

Looking for the least involved players in collegiate football through three weeks? It has to be the Boston College placekickers. Colton Lichtenberg and John Tessitore have played the role of cheerleaders for the first 180 minutes of Eagles football, as BC has put up a stunning 23 touchdowns without even one field goal through the first three games (Tessitore has at least been able to kick extra points, and he's 20-for-23 there.) The Eagles are expected to put up another bushel of points Saturday against Purdue, which has surrendered 10 touchdowns and seven field goals (30.3 ppg) in its first three games.

Can Purdue succeed where the others have failed? It might be worth investing to find out, as bettors are getting +350 on Boston College's first score coming via field goal (a touchdown is worth -550 if you'd rather play it safe.)


*DRIVE EXTENSION MATTERS*

If Mississippi State and Kentucky keep doing what they've done so well in the early going, we could see plenty of long drives when these teams face off Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington. The Bulldogs have been one of the best third-down teams in the nation so far, converting 22 of 36 opportunities for a 61.1-percent success rate – second only to Central Florida. The Wildcats aren't far behind, having gone 22-of-38 on third down for a 57.9-percent success rate. Not surprisingly, both teams rank above the Division I average in time of possession per game.

The total for this one has shifted from 54 to 56 – but longer drives on both sides would ultimately mean fewer overall possessions, which would almost certainly result in fewer points. Betters should consider both the full-time and first-half Unders (28), which are paying out at -110.


*CHANGES COMING TO NOTRE DAME?*

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish might have a new man under center for Saturday's encounter with host Wake Forest. ESPN is reporting that the Irish are prepared to go with redshirt sophomore Ian Book as the starting quarterback against the Demon Deacons; he would replace Brandon Wimbush, who has completed just over 55 percent of his passes with one touchdown and four interceptions on the season. The Irish have succeeded despite Wimbush's struggles, but their three wins have come by a combined 20 points and they fell well short of covering in each of their previous two victories.

The Irish are a one-touchdown road favorite against Wake Forest but given how Book fared in his Citrus Bowl stint vs. LSU last season (14-for-19, 164 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT), Notre Dame might see a little more action than normal. That said, the team total of 34.5 seems high given that the Irish have averaged just 23.3 points through their first three games.

[StarDust Bum]

*TRIPLE TROUBLE FOR SMU*

Navy's triple option has confounded a fair number of opposing defenses – but to Southern Methodist, it has been downright nasty. The Mustangs look to figure out how to slow down the galloping Midshipmen as the teams meet Saturday in Dallas. SMU has allowed a whopping 173 points in its last three games against Navy, who have won eight consecutive meetings between the teams and have covered in five straight. Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry is the one to watch; he had 282 yards on the ground and four TDs against SMU last season, and already has six scores on the ground through three games in 2018.

SMU is a 6.5-point underdog in this one, but the more interesting number is the total, which has plummeted from a 66 opener all the way down to 60.5 in some spots. The teams have gone over in each of their past three meetings, averaging a combined 86 points in those outings.


*WKU TURNS TO SHANLEY*

After impressing in relief last week, quarterback Davis Shanley will make his first collegiate start Saturday as Western Kentucky visits Ball State. Shanley looked good in last Saturday's 20-17 loss at Louisville, completing 22 of 33 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score as WKU nearly pulled off the upset. Regular starter Drew Eckels is unavailable after taking big hits in each of the Hilltoppers' first two games of the season. Steven Duncan, who was replaced by Shanley after just two series against the Cardinals, is listed second on this week's depth chart.

While the odds for this one have held steady at Ball State -3, the total has risen from 52 to 55. Shanley's presence not only puts the over in play (the Hilltoppers are 7-3 O/U in their past 10), it also enhances WKU's chances of winning outright (+125) and going over its team total, which sits at 25.5.


*BRO, DO YOU EVEN KICK?*

Looking for the least involved players in collegiate football through three weeks? It has to be the Boston College placekickers. Colton Lichtenberg and John Tessitore have played the role of cheerleaders for the first 180 minutes of Eagles football, as BC has put up a stunning 23 touchdowns without even one field goal through the first three games (Tessitore has at least been able to kick extra points, and he's 20-for-23 there.) The Eagles are expected to put up another bushel of points Saturday against Purdue, which has surrendered 10 touchdowns and seven field goals (30.3 ppg) in its first three games.

Can Purdue succeed where the others have failed? It might be worth investing to find out, as bettors are getting +350 on Boston College's first score coming via field goal (a touchdown is worth -550 if you'd rather play it safe.)


*DRIVE EXTENSION MATTERS*

If Mississippi State and Kentucky keep doing what they've done so well in the early going, we could see plenty of long drives when these teams face off Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington. The Bulldogs have been one of the best third-down teams in the nation so far, converting 22 of 36 opportunities for a 61.1-percent success rate – second only to Central Florida. The Wildcats aren't far behind, having gone 22-of-38 on third down for a 57.9-percent success rate. Not surprisingly, both teams rank above the Division I average in time of possession per game.

The total for this one has shifted from 54 to 56 – but longer drives on both sides would ultimately mean fewer overall possessions, which would almost certainly result in fewer points. Betters should consider both the full-time and first-half Unders (28), which are paying out at -110.


*CHANGES COMING TO NOTRE DAME?*

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish might have a new man under center for Saturday's encounter with host Wake Forest. ESPN is reporting that the Irish are prepared to go with redshirt sophomore Ian Book as the starting quarterback against the Demon Deacons; he would replace Brandon Wimbush, who has completed just over 55 percent of his passes with one touchdown and four interceptions on the season. The Irish have succeeded despite Wimbush's struggles, but their three wins have come by a combined 20 points and they fell well short of covering in each of their previous two victories.

The Irish are a one-touchdown road favorite against Wake Forest but given how Book fared in his Citrus Bowl stint vs. LSU last season (14-for-19, 164 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT), Notre Dame might see a little more action than normal. That said, the team total of 34.5 seems high given that the Irish have averaged just 23.3 points through their first three games.

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College Essentials - Week 4
September 22, 2018
By Tony Mejia

The major upsets we hadn’t seen through the first two weekends in September arrived minutes apart last Saturday, decided by 42-yard field goals on the final play. LSU’s Cole Tracy made his, knocking off Auburn. The Big Ten’s top kicker, Wisconsin’s Rafael Gaglianone, misfired on his attempt, failing to force overtime as the Badgers fell victim at home to 23.5-point underdog BYU.

Both can still get back in the national title picture since they’ve lost early enough to recover. The Tigers can skyrocket up the rankings in November but would have to win at Georgia and Alabama. The Badgers play at Michigan and Penn State in addition to a Big Ten Championship date with the East champ if they hold serve as the West favorite.

This coming week features a number of excellent SEC matchups, but Saturday’s best game will supply the Pac-12’s top national title contender. Here are the games to watch.

Saturday

Stanford at Oregon, 8 p.m. ET, ABC: This one may come down to the wire since the books appear undecided, favoring the Ducks at home by 1.5/2 points when this line was unveiled before swinging in the Cardinal’s direction. Stanford RB Bryce Love sat out last week’s win against UC-Davis in order to ensure he’d be fresh and ready for this one, while the Ducks went through the motions against San Jose State, failing to cover a spread of over 40 points after taking an early lead.

ESPN’s popular College Gameday program will originate from Eugene, where the home team will look to complete a return to relevance following a few down seasons. In QB Justin Herbert, Oregon has perhaps the best QB prospect in college football, so this might end up as his national coming out party since the Stanford secondary is about to be tested in a way it hasn’t been in impressive wins over San Diego State and USC. New Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal will be at the helm for the biggest game of his career, which means David Shaw and his staff could give the Cardinal an edge given their experience. On the road, that can’t hurt. Oregon looks like it will be closer to full strength with WR Brenden Schooler likely to return from concussion protocol and kicker Adam Stack returning from a leg issue. Stanford must overcome the loss of starting outside linebacker Casey Toohill, who will miss about a month due to a broken arm and will be replaced by redshirt sophomore Jordan Fox. Love, however, has been declared “100 percent.” Rain in expected throughout the day but isn’t likely to be a factor come kickoff.

Georgia at Missouri, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN: Although Kentucky has emerged as a factor, these teams were expected to be the SEC East’s beasts when the season began and have lived up to billing. Although the Tigers frustrated backers last week by squeaking out a win at Purdue on a field goal when they could’ve punched in a touchdown that would’ve secured a cover, QB Drew Lock has his team unbeaten and is putting up big numbers despite the fact last year’s offensive coordinator, Josh Heupel, replaced Scott Frost at UCF. Mizzou has flourished despite the change and looks to test a Dawgs secondary that had their way with South Carolina’s Jake Bentley in the team’s first true test. With a No. 1 WR in Emanuel Hall, a strong slot threat in Johnathan Johnson and an x-factor at tight end in Albert Okwuegbunam, Lock has options to test Georgia with. Hall, who aggravated a groin injury at Purdue but should be fine here, leads the SEC in yards per route run (5.97). Left tackle Yasir Durant (ankle) and corner DeMarkus Acy (concussion) are likely to play.

Georgia won last year’s meeting by scoring 26 consecutive points to snap a 21-21 tie and raked up almost 700 yards in Athens. Missouri has only beaten Georgia once in eight career meetings and surrendered a ridiculous 572 passing yards against Boilermakers QB David Blough, the second largest total in Big Ten history. It is hoping to hold its own against UGa’s Jake Fromm and will have to deal with top Dawgs WR Terry Godwin, who is working through a shin contusion. Left tackle Andrew Thomas (ankle) is also a go.

Wisconsin at Iowa, 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX: Some of the shine wore off this matchup as a result of the Badgers going down against BYU, but this is still the Big Ten opener for both West Division powers and the winner will be in the driver’s seat to wind up playing in the conference title game. The Hawkeyes have been remarkably stingy this season, ranking among the national leaders in many defensive categories while not allowing only three touchdowns scored in garbage time with the game already decided in the fourth quarter through the first three games. Over the course of the first three quarters of their first three games, Iowa has surrendered just three points.

The Badgers haven’t been terribly productive but will try and make things happen by pounding Iowa with their Jonathan Taylor-led rushing attack. Last year’s game produced a 38-14 Wisconsin blowout for its fifth series win in six tries. Iowa was held to season lows in rushing yards, passing yards and first downs, producing only 66 yards of total offense despite coming off a 55-24 upset of Ohio State. Iowa hasn’t scored an offensive touchdown in the series since 2015 but faces a defense that isn’t as deep as usual due to a number of injuries, suspensions and even a few defections. LB Andrew Van Ginkel missed last week’s game against BYU and may not play in Iowa City, though he did travel.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. ET, FS1: After an impressive win over Boise State, the Cowboys will look to pull off a fourth straight home conquest in their Big 12 opener. These games against the Red Raiders are typically shootouts, having produced at least 72 points in every meeting since 2011. Oklahoma State prevailed each time and will look to continue its dominance by securing a 10th straight win, extending a series record. Patrick Mahomes couldn’t beat Mason Rudolph despite playing games that finished with scores of 70-53 and 45-44, so Mike Gundy has to feel good about his chances of getting the better of young Alan Bowman, who broke Mahomes’ Big 12 single-game freshman passing record with 605 yards and five TDs in beating Houston last week. He connected with Antoine Weasley for 261 of the yards and withstood an Ed Oliver-led pass rush to post prolific numbers, but will have to prove he can get it done on the road now. He should have Travis Bruffy and Madison Akamnonu, the starters alongside the left side of his o-line, available after getting banged up last week. RB Da’Leon Ward remains out, so look for more work from Ta’Zahwn Henry. Safety Jah’Shawn Johnson is still not 100 percent back from a shoulder injury that renders him a game-time decision.

OSU’s Taylor Cornelius had his finest outing last week despite not having eye-popping numbers, coming into his own for the Cowboys by showing off his leadership skills, sacrificing his body and leading his team in carries against the Broncos. Texas Tech has really struggled giving up big plays against Ole Miss and Houston, so this is a great spot to see if Tyron Johnson can get going since he’s largely struggled. Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner and Jalen McCleskey will also have to step up if they’re going to keep the workload for star RB Justice Hill down where they want it this early in the season.

Texas A&M at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS: The Crimson Tide obliterated Ole Miss in Oxford, cruising 62-7. Nick Saban’s team has now defeated Louisville, Arkansas State and the Rebels by a combined total of 170-28, dominating games from start to finish to cover large spreads rather easily. Tua Tagovailoa has toyed with defenses to live up to the hype as preseason Heisman favorite despite not having officially been awarded the starting job before the early numbers were announced. A defense that had to replace a number of current pros has excelled, but this next challenge features an Aggies squad coached by the very competent Jimbo Fisher, who just arrived in College Station but already put together one of the season’s most memorable performances in a near-upset of Clemson that featured the emergence of QB Kellen Mond. Considering Ole Miss has elite talent at receiver, QB Jordan Ta’amu completing only seven passes out of 22 against the Tide defense last week provides a reminder of just how miserable the they can make life for opposing quarterbacks. Mond’s ability to make plays with his legs and his experience against Clemson could serve the Aggies well in Tuscaloosa.

A&M was a two-point conversion away of tying Clemson in the final minute and could’ve stunned the country had it recovered a last-ditch onside kick. Alabama lost at home to Texas A&M in 2012 against Johnny Manziel but have since won five straight in the series and are heavily favored to come through once again. The Aggies have to establish the run with Trayveon Williams, who leads the SEC with 133 rushing yards per game, good for sixth in the country. If they can hang around like they did against the Tigers, the Ags can hope game pressure helps lead to some mistakes. It probably wouldn’t hurt if this game gets sloppy due to weather, perhaps slowing up the suddenly machine-like Tide offense, but early reports of thunderstorms potentially wreaking havoc here appear to be inaccurate since the weather is now expected to be clear.

Arizona State at Washington, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN: The Sun Devils suffered their first loss of the Herm Edwards era after losing at San Diego State and have no time to dwell on the defeat with arguably their toughest remaining game. Although they still have to go to USC, Oregon and into Tucson for this year’s Territorial Cup, venturing into Seattle on the heels of physical games against Michigan State and the Aztecs is a daunting chore. To make matters worse, rain could factor in since it’s all they’ve seen since touching down at Sea-Tac.

The Huskies took a hit with Auburn faltering at home against LSU, so their Week 1 loss to the Tigers won’t be looked at the way they hoped it would. On the bright side, next week’s opponent won at Wisconsin, so hosting BYU in their lone remaining non-conference game should aid the cause. This first league home game comes against an ASU squad they’ve struggled against over the last decade, losing 10 of 11 matchups. The lone win came in the last meeting at Husky Stadium back in ’16, but Jake Browning has seemingly regressed and success in this one will likely hinge more one whether the Myles Gaskin-led ground game can take advantage of the Sun Devils’ run defense the way San Diego State did, imposing their will by racking up 311 rushing yards. Safety Dasmond Tautalatasi was definitely missed last week and is considered a game-time decision. Arizona State also made a switch along the offensive line according to The Athletic, inserting Zach Robertson at left tackle and moving Casey Tucker to guard. Browning was sacked five times in last year’s 13-7 loss.

TCU at Texas, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX: These teams were each playing nationally televised games at the same time last week, winding up with different results. Although the Longhorns ran away from USC and the Horned Frogs blew a second-half lead to Ohio State, TCU was more impressive, hanging with a national title contender as opposed to beating up on a perennial power going through a rebuilding year. That’s why It’s not really surprising to see the visitors favored in Austin, especially since they’ve won five of six since joining the Big 12. Everyone knows Texas didn’t want another little brother in the pool, so Gary Patterson takes great pleasure in how he’s been able to impact the balance of power in-state as he approaches completing a second decade. Tom Herman is just getting to work on trying to bring the ‘Horns back and comes off one of his most important wins since taking over the program.

Sam Ehlinger threw for a pair of scores and ran for another as his grip on the starting job continues to strengthen, but he's nowhere near as dynamic as TCU counterpart Shawn Robinson. Texas RB Keaontay Ingram missed last week's game with a heel injury and will be a game-time decision, so Cal transfer Tre Watson and Daniel Young will continue to split the bulk of the carries. Darius Anderson broke off a 93-yard TD run against Ohio State and looks like he's picking up his level to become among the country's top backs. Texas came out of the USC game far more banged up than the Frogs did after facing the Buckeyes and won't have LB Malcolm Roach (foot) for the next six weeks. Center Zach Shackleford remains out.

Mississippi State at Kentucky, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2: One of these SEC teams is getting to 4-0 and both have big games next week, so the winner here will have an elevated national profile entering the final weekend of September. The Wildcats didn’t cover due to a late cosmetic score from Murray State, but they didn’t let the upset of Florida interfere with their preparation. It now remains to be seen whether the ‘Cats can handle another of the big boys as they open a crucial two-game home stretch against Mississippi State and South Carolina. Both games are winnable, but Kentucky must now deal with expectations in addition to teams no longer looking past them. A national ranking awaits if they pull off a victory here.

The Bulldogs have beaten UK in eight of their nine meetings as SEC members, suffering a 40-38 loss in Lexington the last time they came into town. QB Nick Fitzgerald will be playing his third game since returning from a one-game suspension and has helped MSU beat Kansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette by a combined margin of 87-10. They’ve covered in every game but may struggle to do so on the road without standout safety Jamal Peters, who is considered doubtful with a knee injury.

Others to watch: Clemson at Georgia Tech, Nebraska at Michigan, Notre Dame at Wake Forest, Boston College at Purdue, Minnesota at Maryland, Louisville at Virginia, Kansas State at West Virginia, South Carolina at Vanderbilt, Florida at Tennessee, Army at Oklahoma, Michigan State at Indiana, N.C. State at Marshall

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Sharp bettors like Stanford's odds in college football Week 4 battle vs. Oregon
Patrick Everson

Star running back Bryce Love took last week off to recover from an undisclosed injury, but he'll be back for Stanford tonight at Oregon, and bettors have moved the Cardinal to 2.5-point road chalk.

Week 4 of the college football season has plenty of intriguing games for bettors, even if only two contests pit top-25 foes against each other. We check in on the action and odds movement for several Saturday matchups, with insights from John Murray, sportsbook manager at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook; Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading for William Hill US; and Scott Shelton, sportsbook supervisor at The Mirage on the Vegas Strip.


No. 7 Stanford Cardinal at No. 19 Oregon Ducks – Open: +1; Move: +1.5; Move: +2; Move: +2.5

Stanford gave Heisman Trophy prospect Bryce Love a breather last week as he recuperated from an undisclosed injury, but he’ll be in the lineup for this 8 p.m. ET Pac-12 clash. The Cardinal (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) certainly didn’t need Love against UC Davis, winning 30-10 as a 31-point home favorite.

Oregon is still looking to cash for the first time this season, but has an unblemished on-the-field record. The Ducks (3-0 SU, 0-3 ATS) have had three cakewalk opponents, including San Jose State last week, when they won 35-22 as a massive 42.5-point faves.

“I’ve seen sharp money on Stanford, and it’s pushed that number up from -1 to -2.5,” Murray said of activity at the Superbook.

William Hill US, with more than 100 shops across Nevada and a pair of books in New Jersey, also opened Stanford -1 and moved to -2.5.

“We’ll definitely need Oregon,” Bogdanovich said. “We’ve got lots of Northern Nevada money on Stanford.”


No. 17 Texas Christian Horned Frogs at Texas Longhorns – Open: +3; Move: None

Texas Christian looks to bounce back in this Big 12 battle at 4:30 p.m. ET, after giving Ohio State a pretty good test in Week 3. The Horned Frogs (2-1 SU and ATS) actually led well into the third quarter, but couldn’t make it stand in a 40-28 setback as a 12.5-point pup at AT&T Stadium.

Texas has a pair of wins since its season-opening loss to Maryland at FedExField. The Longhorns (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) had no trouble with Southern California last week, rolling 37-14 as a 3-point home chalk.

“All the money is for TCU,” Bogdanovich said. “We haven’t moved off 3, but we definitely need Texas.”

The Superbook moved off 3 early in the week, to 3.5, but only for a few hours.

“I’ve seen sharp play on both sides of this, but I trust the group on Texas more,” Murray said. “We are still dealing it at TCU -3.”


No. 22 Texas A&M Aggies at No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide – Open: -27; Move: -26; Move: -26.5; Move: -26

Defending national champion Alabama just mows down opponents and covers big spreads this season. In Week 3, the Crimson Tide (3-0 SU and ATS) boatraced Mississippi 62-7 as a 22.5 point road favorite.

Texas A&M is facing its second top-five opponent in three weeks, with a big Week 2 rally against Clemson coming up just short in a 28-26 loss as a 12-point home pup. Last week, the Aggies (2-1 SU, 3-0 ATS) dumped Louisiana-Monroe 48-10 laying 12 points at home.

“We took a sharp bet on A&M +27. That’s a group I really respect on that that side,” Murray said of activity on the 3:30 p.m. ET tilt. “But I’m sure we will still need the Aggies in a big way.”

William Hill US opened ‘Bama -26 and reached 27 before peeling back to 26.5.

“Sharps are on the ‘dog, public on the favorite,” Bogdanovich said. “We’ll probably need A&M, but I don’t think it’ll be a big decision.”


No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wake Forest Demon Deacons – Open: +7.5; Move: +7

Notre Dame has been in a trio of one-score-games and come out on top each time. The Fighting Irish (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) went off as 14-point home faves against Vanderbilt and held on for a 22-17 victory last weekend.

Wake Forest got out of the gate 2-0 SU, but couldn’t keep it going in Week 3 against a significant step up in competition. The Demon Deacons (2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS) led Boston College at times, but fell 41-34 as 6.5-point home pups.

“It’s pretty good two-way action,” Shelton said of wagering at The Mirage and other MGM books. “We had some sharp play on Wake Forest on Friday – a sharp player took Wake on the moneyline, and we also had sharp money at +7 flat, so now were at Notre Dame -7 (even).”

At William Hill US, the Irish opened -8.5 and were down to 7 by Thursday night for this noon ET kickoff.

“Sharps are definitely on Wake,” Bogdanovich said.


No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs at Missouri Tigers – Open: +13.5; Move: +14; Move: +15; Move: +14.5; Move: +14; Move: +14.5; Move: +13.5; Move: +14; Move: +14.5

Georgia has gone beyond 40 points in all three of its outings so far, cashing in the last two, including a 41-17 road rout of South Carolina giving 8.5 points in Week 2. Last week, the Bulldogs (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) dropped Middle Tennessee 49-7 as a hefty 34.5-point chalk.

Missouri is also off to a 3-0 SU start (2-1 ATS), cashing in easy victories over Tennessee-Martin and Wyoming in Weeks 1 and 2, before a much tougher Week 3 challenge. The Tigers were laying 5 points at Purdue and got a field goal as time expired to squeak out a 40-37 win.

“We’ve got big bettors on opposite sides of this game,” Shelton said. “One bettor came in from out of town and played low six figures on Georgia, and also on Tennessee (vs. Florida). And a high-end player we respect played a similar amount on Missouri early in the week.”

At William Hill US, the number has bounced between 14 and 14.5, sticking at the higher number the past three days for a noon ET contest.

“It’s all Georgia, and 95 percent public money,” Bogdanovich said. “That’ll be a big decision.”

In other noteworthy games on the Saturday docket:

• Pittsburgh at North Carolina, 12:20 p.m. ET: The Panthers opened -4 and were down to -3 by Thursday, when things began to balance out. “We’re dead even to it, but sharps are on the ‘dog,” Bogdanovich said.

• Kansas at Baylor, 3:30 p.m. ET: The Bears opened -7.5, reached 8.5, then went back to 7.5. “We got a sizable six-figure wager on Baylor,” Shelton said. “We’re at 7.5, but only because we got some buyback. We’re still gonna need Kansas.”

• Florida at Tennessee, 7 p.m. ET: As Shelton noted above, MGM books took a six-figure wager on the Volunteers. That helped take Tennessee from +5 to +4.

• Arizona at Oregon State, 4 p.m. ET: MGM books opened the Wildcats -7, dipped to 6, then got back to 7. “We got a significant wager on Arizona,” Shelton said.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

KENT at MISS 12:00 PM
KENT +28.5
O 75.5

BC at PUR 12:00 PM
PUR +6.5
O 62.0

UGA at MIZZ 12:00 PM
UGA -14.5
U 66.5

BUFF at RUTG 12:00 PM
BUFF -6.5
U 53.5

MINN at MD 12:00 PM
MINN +2.5

AKR at ISU 12:00 PM
ISU -20.0

ND at WAKE 12:00 PM
WAKE +6.5
O 59.0

NEB at MICH 12:00 PM
MICH -18.0

NEV at TOL 12:00 PM
TOL -10.5

NAVY at SMU 12:00 PM
SMU +6.5

OHIO at CIN 12:00 PM
O 56.5

PITT at UNC 12:20 PM
UNC +3.5

LOU at UVA 12:30 PM
UVA -4.5
U 51.0

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LATER GAMES :


WMU at GSU 02:00 PM
GSU +7.5
O 61.0

WKU at BALL 03:00 PM
O 53.0

M-OH at BGSU 03:00 PM
BGSU +6.5

KSU at WVU 03:30 PM
WVU -16.0
O 60.5

TULN at OSU 03:30 PM
OSU -37.5

TAM at ALA 03:30 PM
ALA -26.0
O 58.0

FIU at MIA 03:30 PM
FIU +26.5

KU at BAY 03:30 PM
O 55.5

NIU at FSU 03:30 PM
NIU +10.0

CLEM at GT 03:30 PM
GT +16.0

VT at ODU 03:30 PM
VT -27.5

CHAR at MASS 03:30 PM
O 59.0


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


CONN at SYR 04:00 PM
SYR -30.0

ARIZ at ORST 04:00 PM
ORST +4.5

SOCAR at VAN 04:00 PM
VAN +2.0

TCU at TEX 04:30 PM
TEX +3.0

UNT at LIB 06:00 PM
UNT -10.5
O 69.0

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EVENING BEST BETS:

LT at LSU 07:00 PM
LT +19.5

RICE at SOMIS 07:00 PM
RICE +14.0

NCST at MRSH
MRSH +6.0

UNLV at ARST 07:00 PM
UNLV +8.0
O 66.5

FLA at TENN
FLA -3.5
U 46.0

MSST at UK
UK +9.5
O 56.0

CC at ULL 07:00 PM
CC +3.0

TROY at ULM 07:00 PM
ULM +4.5

ARMY at OKLA
ARMY +30.0

TTU at OKST 07:00 PM
TTU +14.5
O 76.0

TXST at UTSA 07:00 PM
O 49.0

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LATE EVENING GAMES:


NMSU at UTEP 07:30 PM
NMSU -4.5

MSU at IND 07:30 PM
IND +5.5

ARK at AUB 07:30 PM
U 57.5

ECU at USF 08:00 PM
USF -20.5

USA at MEM 08:00 PM
USA +31.5
O 66.0

STAN at ORE 08:00 PM
ORE +2.5
U 59.0

WIS at IOWA 08:35 PM
IOWA +3.0
U 43.5

AFA at USU 10:30 PM
USU -10.0

EMU at SDSU 10:30 PM
EMU +13.0

ASU at WASH 10:30 PM
WASH -17.5
U 53.0

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Saturday's best
September 22, 2018
By The Associated Press

STARS

-Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama, passed for 387 yards and four TDs and ran for another score to lead the No. 1 Crimson Tide to a 45-23 rout of No. 22 Texas A&M.

-Will Grier, West Virginia, threw five TD passes for the fifth time in his career and the No. 12 Mountaineers shook off a sloppy start to drill Kansas State 35-6.

-J.J. Taylor, Arizona, rushed for a Reser Stadium-record 284 yards and two TDs as the Wildcats ran wild over Oregon State 35-14.

-Ian Book, Notre Dame, rushed for three TDs and threw for two more in his first start of the season, leading the No. 8 Fighting Irish past Wake Forest 56-27.

-Jordan Ta'amu, Ole Miss, threw for 442 yards and two TDs and ran for another score to lead the Rebels over Kent State 38-17.

-Price Wilson, Bryant, threw for 359 yards and four TDs in a 49-46 win over Robert Morris.

-Dalton Sneed, Montana State, ran for 206 yards and three TDs and threw a go-ahead scoring pass to Matt Rensvold in a 41-34 win over Sacramento State.

-Tyree Adams, Western Carolina, accounted for 346 yards and four TDs in a 52-50 victory over VMI.

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MEYER'S RETURN

Ohio State gift-wrapped a blowout for Urban Meyer in his return to the sideline, making sure the coach didn't have to get too stressed or too mad at anybody and didn't have to make any monumental decisions.

The No. 4 Buckeyes played like, well, like they played while Meyer was watching the first three games on TV while serving a suspension. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins continued to throw touchdown passes at a furious rate, and Ohio State routed outmanned Tulane 49-6 on Saturday.

Meyer didn't seem too up or too down on the sideline, but may be more animated next week when Ohio State travels to play No. 10 Penn State in the annual ''white out'' game at Beaver Stadium that ended in an upset by the Nittany Lions two seasons ago.

Meyer didn't reveal much about his feelings after Saturday's game, but said the most emotional moment was between the third and fourth quarters when the marching band played ''Hang on Sloopy,'' a longtime tradition at Ohio Stadium.

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WOLVERINES ROLL HUSKERS

Michigan was very motivated to beat Nebraska, using Scott Frost's words against him.

Karan Higdon ran for 136 yards and a touchdown in the first half to help the 19th-ranked Wolverines build a huge lead and they coasted to a 56-10 victory.

In Frost's last visit to the Big House two years ago, he said Central Florida ''outhit'' Michigan in a 51-14 loss.

The Wolverines didn't forget the words and moved Nebraska around on offense, clearing huge holes for the running game and giving Shea Patterson plenty of time to throw. On defense, the Wolverines hit hard early and often perhaps in part because defensive coordinator Don Brown told them what Frost said after his last visit.

The Wolverines led 20-0 after the first quarter and 39-0 at halftime.

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NUMBERS

5-Career defensive TDs by James Madison's Jimmy Moreland after returning an interception 56 yards for a score against William & Mary.

65-Years since Duke started consecutive seasons 4-0 before this season.

67-Years since Stetson last started a season 3-0 before this year.

70-Points by Kennesaw State in a win over Clark Atlanta to set a school record for points the second straight week.

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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%....-20.00


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

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Betting Recap - Week 4
September 23, 2018
By Joe Williams

Overall Notes

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 4 RESULTS

WAGER Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 52-9
Against the Spread 34-27

WAGER Home-Away
Straight Up 41-20
Against the Spread 25-36

WAGER Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 32-29

The largest underdogs to win straight up
Old Dominion (+28.5, ML +2000) vs. Virginia Tech, 49-35
Texas Tech (+14.5, ML +500) at Oklahoma State,
Kentucky (+10, ML +300) vs. Mississippi State, 28-7

The largest favorites to cover
Houston (-55.5) vs. Texas Southern, 70-14
Appalachian State (-44) vs. Gardner-Webb, 72-7
Ohio State (-38) vs. Tulane, 49-6
Auburn (-29.5) vs. Arkansas, 34-3

Top 25 Notes

-- The best game of the day took place in Eugene, as Stanford and Oregon played a classic. The Ducks built a 24-7 lead at halftime, but the second half was all Cardinal. Oregon had the ball in the red zone late in the third quarter, trying to make it 31-7. Instead, Joey Alfieri scooped up a fumble and returned it 80 yards for a momentum-changing TD, slicing Oregon's lead to 24-14. Another quick TD near the end of the third made it 24-21. Ducks' moneyline bettors knew it was coming, as the Cardinals posted a field goal at :00 in regulation to force OT. That was also good for a bad beat on the total (see below). The Cardinal finished off the overtime with a TD, winning 38-31 for a miracle cover, too.

-- Ohio State got Urban Meyer back on the sidelines after his three-game suspension, and it was like he never left. They whipped up on Tulane, 49-6. The Buckeyes moved to 3-1 ATS, including 3-0 ATS at the Horseshoe. The most notable part of this game might have been a bad beat involving the total. Again, see below.

-- Virginia Tech rolled into the Hampton Roads looking to squash winless Old Dominion, a side which entered 0-3 SU/ATS. The Hokies tied the game late, making it 35-35, but the Monarchs picked up a pair of touchdowns late to spring the huge upset, the first win over a Power 5 team in school history.

-- West Virginia had two weeks off to prepare for Kansas State after having last week's road trip to N.C. State canceled due to Hurricane Florence. They looked rested, as they humbled K-State by a 35-6 score in Morgantown. The Mountaineers improved to 3-0 SU/ATS.

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

-- North Carolina surprised Pittsburgh 38-35 in Chapel Hill, as the two-week break from Hurricane Florence did them some good. The Panthers slipped to 2-2 SU/1-3 ATS. ... Virginia posted an impressive 27-3 win at home against Louisville, improving to 3-1 SU/4-0 ATS. ... N.C. State took care of Marshall by a 37-20 count, covering a six-point number on the road. The Wolfpack are now 3-0 SU/2-1 ATS, and they were another team looking well prepared after a week off thanks to the hurricane.

-- Michigan roughed up Nebraska 56-10 in the Big House, dropping the Cornhuskers to 0-3 for the first time since 1945. The honeymoon might be over for Scott Frost at his alma mater. As far as the Wolverines are concerned, they're now 3-0/2-1 ATS in their three games since being dropped by Notre Dame in their opener. ... Meanwhile, Michigan State cooled off Indiana at 'The Rock' by a 35-21 score, covering for the first time in three games this season. ... For anyone expecting Rutgers to be better this season...nah. Tgey were roughed up by Buffalo 42-13, falling to 0-3 SU/ATS over the past three.

-- Iowa State handed Akron its first loss of the season, 26-13. However, the Zips were able to cover a 19 1/2-point number, moving to 2-0 ATS in their two games against FBS schools. The Cyclones slipped to 1-2 ATS in their three games to date. ... TCU dropped their second straight outing, falling to Texas for the first time in four years. The 'Horns have won three in a row, and covered each of their past two, both at home. ... It was exactly 11 years to the day since Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy's "I'm a man...I'm 40" rant, and the opponent that day was Texas Tech. The two sides played again, and the Red Raiders were able to come away with a much-needed 41-17 win in Stillwater, winning and covering for the third straight after getting whipped in their opener.

-- Washington held off a spirited charge from Arizona State, winning 27-20. The Sun Devils easily covered the 18-point number, moving to 9-0 ATS in their past nine trips to Seattle and 16-2-2 ATS in the past 20 meetings in this series overall. ... On Friday night it was USC earning a feel-good win at home against Washington State, 39-36, although the Cougars were able to hang on for the cover. While the Trojans squared their record at 2-2 SU, they slipped to 0-4 ATS.

-- Tennessee was horrific in their rivalry game against Florida, falling in front of the restless natives at Neyland Stadium by a 47-21 count as the Gators were able to take care of the 'over' (46.5) themselves. ... Auburn showed why they were favorites by 29 1/2 over Arkansas, as the Razorbacks really are that bad. The Hogs have dropped three in a row, slipping to 1-3 SU/0-3-1 ATS. The 'under' has also cashed in three in a row for Arkansas. ... Kentucky picked up a 28-7 win against No. 14 Mississippi State, improving to 4-0 SU/2-2 ATS. The Wildcats have scored 27 or more points in all four games this season. Might Kentucky football be headed for a ranking for the first time since 2007?

Mid-Major Report

-- UCF beat down visiting Florida Atlantic on Friday by a 56-36 score, easily covering by pulling away in the second half. The Owls slipped to 2-2 SU and 0-4 ATS so far. ... Connecticut was tripped up 51-21 in Syracuse, dropping the Huskies to 1-3 SU/0-3-1 ATS. The 'under' result against the Orange was the first of the season for UConn after three straight overs. ... East Carolina picked up its second consecutive cover, playing South Florida tough in a 20-13 loss in Tampa.

-- Louisiana Tech gave LSU all they could handle, slicing the lead of the Tigers to 24-21 in the fourth quarter before the home team pulled away to win by 17. The Bulldogs have now hit the 'over' in each of their three games this season. ... Western Kentucky surprised Ball State by a 28-20 score for their first win of the season. They improved to 3-1 ATS, however, with the 'under' also 3-1 through four outings. ... Florida International slipped to 2-2 SU with a loss at Miami-Florida, but the Golden Panthers improved to 4-0 ATS.

-- Eastern Michigan played their hearts out, but they fell at San Diego State in overtime by a 23-20 count. The Eagles improved to 3-1 ATS, however. ... For Ball State, while they lost, they have been helpful at the betting window to total bettors. The 'under' is now 4-0. ... Speaking of totals, Ohio has hit the 'over' in all three of their contests so far.

-- Utah State rolled past Air Force 42-32 to improve to 4-0 ATS overall on the season. The 'over' is also 4-0 for the Aggies. ... Colorado State continues to baffle, as they fell at home to FCS Illinois State to slip to 1-4 SU/ATS. The 'under' is also 4-1 overall for the Rams. ... The Aztecs squeaked out the win over EMU in overtime, but they slipped to 1-3 ATS overall on the season. The 'under' is also 3-1 for San Diego State so far.

-- Appalachian State has posted a perfect 3-0 ATS mark so far through three outings. ... South Alabama took it on the chin to slip to 1-3 SU/2-1-1 ATS. The Jaguars have been a favorite for total bettors, however, as the 'over' is now a perfect 4-0 for USA. ... Troy hung on for a 35-27 victory at Louisiana-Monroe, earning the road cover. The Trojans led 35-7 at halftime, but gave side bettors a little heart failure by getting outscored 20-0 in the second half.

Bad Beats

-- The Buckeyes were winning 43-7 in the fourth quarter, failing to cover a 36 1/2-point number. They turned it over on downs deep in Green Wave territory midway through the final quarter, and it appeared favorite bettors were going to lose. However it was Tulane bettors taking it in the shorts, as the Buckeyes scored with 1:01 remaining to flip the line in favor of the favorites.

-- Oregon side bettors and moneyline bettors were feeling good about themselves for a good chunk of regulation. Stanford stormed back and forced OT, booting a field goal with :00 left in regulation. That changed the total from a push (59) to an over. Then the Cardinal scored a TD in the extra session for the miracle cover.

-- Cincinnati fell behind 21-0 against Ohio, and moneyline bettors for the Bobcats were feeling good. However, the Bearcats took their first lead with 3:24 to go in regulation to dash the dreams of ML bettors for OU.

-- Miami (Ohio)-Bowling Green had a total of (54.5), and the Falcons scored a TD with 5:34 to go to cut the Redhawks' lead to 31-10. 'Under' bettors appeared to be in good shape still, but BSU scored again with 4:13 to go, then Miami scored with :34 left to push it over. With no time left in regulation, the Falcons added a TD for good measure, scoring 27 points total in the final 5:34.

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4th Quarter Covers - Week 4
September 23, 2018
By Joe Nelson

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 fourth big college football weekend. 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.

Penn State (-27) 63, Illinois 24: Illinois led 24-21 in the second half looking safe as a nearly four-touchdown home underdog Friday night. The Lions wound score 42 unanswered points including two touchdowns to earn the favorite cover in the final five minutes of the game for an improbable cover and another misleading final score in a Penn State game this season. Penn State has now scored 91 points after the start of the fourth quarter in four games this season.

Western Kentucky (+3) 28, Ball State 20: For a second straight season, Ball State had a cruel finish in this matchup as they lost a lead in the final two minutes last season and led 20-14 with five minutes to go on Saturday. Western Kentucky put together two touchdown drives in-between a Cardinals punt to win by eight as a slight underdog on the road, led by Steven Duncan who replaced Davis Shanley at quarterback.

Syracuse (-30) 51, Connecticut 21: This spread opened at -27½ and climbed all the was to -31 before settling back at -30. The favorite cover didn’t look likely with a 31-14 halftime edge but Syracuse got a punt return touchdown in the third quarter and approached the spread with a 41-14 advantage through three quarters. Connecticut struck for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to close to within 20, but Syracuse answered quickly and then added a field goal following a fumble to lead by exactly 30. The Huskies looked like a great threat to get back within the number reaching the Syracuse 16-yard-line, but an interception near the end zone ended a late threat and a push was the closing line result.

Miami, FL (-25½) 31, Florida International 17: The Hurricanes dominated this game and led 24-0 at halftime with FIU held to only 25 yards. The Hurricanes got past the spread with a 31-0 lead in the third quarter but an interception from N’Kosi Perry halted the momentum, with Perry inserted into the game early relieving Malik Rosier. The Hurricanes got the ball back quickly and reached the red zone early in the fourth quarter, but Perry took a sack with Miami going for it on 4th-and-goal. Perhaps offended by that decision the Panthers had a spark, going 85 yards for their first score of the game with a touchdown near the seven-minute mark that was enough to shift the spread result. FIU snagged a fumble a few plays later to add a field goal and then posted another touchdown after an on-side kick recovery for a very misleading 14-point final margin.

Florida State (-10) 37, Northern Illinois 19: The spread on this game jumped around significantly hitting -12 on Friday before dipping as low as -9½ briefly, settling at -10. That was the exact margin heading into the fourth quarter after Seminoles connected on a 78-yard pass play. The Huskies didn’t take long to answer but for the second straight time failed on a two-point conversion, trailing by 11. Those that had the Huskies weren’t necessarily deserving of a win as NIU was +4 in turnovers and soundly out-gained but the Huskies took a late sack going for it on 4th-and-long from their own 35. With 12 seconds remaining Florida State rushed in for a touchdown to pad the final margin and make it a clear Seminoles win and cover.

Ohio State (-38) 49, Tulane 6: The Buckeyes led 42-6 at the half, well on their way but not quite past the massive home favorite spread in Urban Meyer’s return. A scoreless third quarter featured five consecutive punts before Ohio State failed going for it on a 4th-and-2 play but Tulane likewise failed going for it on its own fourth down in Ohio State territory a few minutes later. With just over a minute on the clock, Ohio State broke the scoring drought with a favorite cover saving touchdown for a 43-point win.

Toledo (-11½) 63, Nevada 44: Scoring on a blocked punt return and a kickoff return, Toledo led most of the way but Nevada didn’t go away, cutting the margin to four points in the third quarter. Toledo scored late in the third to lead by 11 and then extended that lead to 56-38 early in the fourth. Nevada would answer but failed going for two to leave the margin at 12 for a big distinction but it didn’t matter as Mitchell Guadagni broke a 34-yard touchdown scamper a few plays later for a 19-point edge. Nevada was intercepted and then stopped on downs near midfield in two late possessions to fall short of the spread.

SMU (+6) 31, Navy 30: SMU led 23-14 early in the fourth quarter taking advantage of a short field after a fumble. The extra-point was blocked and was returned the other way however as Navy was back within seven. Navy tied the game with about six minutes remaining and overtime was needed. Navy went first and did what it needed to do over nine plays to get seven points, sitting past the road favorite spread momentarily. SMU took seven plays to answer including a fourth down conversion. Sonny Dykes rolled the dice and went for two and it worked for the upset, with those on the home underdog cheering the decision to avoid a second overtime session.

Georgia (-14) 43, Missouri 29: The Bulldogs scored on a fumble return and a blocked punt return in the first half and didn’t have an offensive touchdown until the third quarter, leading 27-7. Missouri was productive in this game and was within 11 by the start of the fourth quarter. Both teams scored touchdowns early in the fourth before Missouri missed a field goal. Missouri failed on downs in its own territory with about five minutes remaining and the next attempt for a field goal was good for Georgia for a 14-point final margin, even with the common spread though the highly ranked Bulldogs were priced at -14½ at times.

Stanford (-3½) 38, Oregon 31: Oregon was in complete control with a 24-7 halftime edge and briefly appeared to go up 30-7 late in the third quarter before a controversial replay overturn. Oregon still had 1st-and-goal at the 1, but fumbled and lost nine yards and two plays later a high snap was returned 80 yards for a Stanford touchdown. The Cardinal cut the margin to three just ahead of the end of the quarter and had the ball down to the Oregon 30-yard-line early in the fourth quarter, failing going for it on 4th-and-1. Oregon delivered on a 4th-and-1 of its own with about five minutes remaining and got a touchdown on the next play to lead by 10. Stanford answered with a three-play touchdown drive and Oregon looked capable of running out most of the clock with a new set of downs and 1:35 remaining with Stanford down to one timeout. Instead the Ducks fumbled reaching for a game-sealing 1st down on a second down run in the final minute and Stanford managed to get a tying field goal as time expired. In overtime, the Cardinal got a deflected pass touchdown while Oregon wound up intercepted on 4th-and-goal for a stunning turn of events with Stanford getting the road favorite cover despite not leading at any point in regulation.

Auburn (-29½) 34, Arkansas 3: This wasn’t quite the SEC blowout that the final score and narrow cover for Auburn might suggest as Auburn finished with just 225 total yards in the game, but was consistently in great field position thanks to turnovers and special teams success. Auburn led by 24-3 heading into the fourth quarter despite only 161 yards of offense. The Tigers added 10 points in the final nine minutes of the game including a late field goal that narrowly earned the favorite cover.

Troy (-4) 35, UL-Monroe 27: The Trojans had a 35-7 halftime edge but things got tight late as the Warhawks scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to climb within eight. After punting on its first four second half possessions, Troy managed to get in field goal range but missed as UL-Monroe had the ball back with just over two minutes remaining. The Warhawks reached the 11-yard line with a new set of downs and still nearly a minute remaining but an interception ended the comeback bid.

North Texas (-11½) 47, Liberty 7: This game featured a rather misleading final score as Liberty had a new set of downs near midfield down 21-7 well into the third quarter before a lengthy lightning delay. It was a different game after the break as Liberty missed a field goal on that promising drive and then saw North Texas add four late touchdowns to win by 40 despite relatively close production numbers.

Alabama (-23½) 45, Texas A&M 23: Alabama was tested a bit in this game but still led by 29 heading into the fourth quarter. Halfway through the final frame the Aggies spoiled the favorite cover with an 88-yard touchdown drive that would conclude the scoring in the game.

Wisconsin (-3) 28, Iowa 17: Iowa had control of this game most of the way but caught a tough break with the foot of a blocking Iowa player contacting the ball on a punt leading to a short Wisconsin touchdown. The Hawkeyes answered to lead by three through a series of punts before Wisconsin completed an 88-yard drive to take the lead inside the final minute, slipping just past the spread 21-17. Iowa was intercepted on a deflected pass on its last effort and with 22 seconds remaining the Badgers broke a run for another score to make for a misleading final result, pushing the low total just ‘over’ in the process as well.

New Mexico State (-5½) 27, UTEP 20: The winless Aggies got two big breaks with a blocked punt return and a fumble return touchdown yet still led by just four late in the fourth quarter. With just over three minutes remaining a 22-yard field goal sealed the narrow road favorite cover in this ugly battle out west.

Utah State (-9½) 42, Air Force 32: The Aggies took control in the middle of this game with four consecutive touchdowns surrounding halftime, leading 35-14 before Air Force came up with a late third quarter field goal. The Falcons made it a game with a pair of touchdowns in 13 seconds of game clock, the second of which came on a fumble return. Up three Utah State got a late 70 yard run from Gerold Bright to put the margin at 10, right near the number which reached -11 but dropped in the hours before kickoff of this late night Mountain West game. The Falcons were in position to make the pricing a moot point reaching the Utah State 16-yard-line late in the game before failing on downs.

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STAT WATCH: OU linebacker sets FBS record with 28 tackles
September 24, 2018
By The Associated Press

Kenneth Murray went into Oklahoma's game against Army with the goal of breaking the school record for tackles. The sophomore linebacker ended up setting the Football Bowl Subdivision mark.

Murray made 28 stops in the Sooners' 28-21 overtime win over the Black Knights on Saturday. That broke the record shared by three players.

Curtis Bolton, Murray's buddy and fellow OU linebacker, finished with a career-high 23 tackles.

Both had plenty of opportunities against a triple-option offense designed to dominate time of possession. Army held the ball for 44 minutes, 41 seconds and got off 87 offensive plays to the Sooners' 40.

Murray made a then-career-high 10 tackles against Iowa State on Sept. 15 before setting his sights on the OU record of 24 tackles by linebacker Carl McAdams against Navy in 1965.

''I told probably 10 of my teammates that I was going to break it this week,'' Murray said. ''I told them, I was praying to God about it. Me and Buzzy (Curtis Bolton) are always competing, trying to see who's going to make the most plays.''

200 CLUB

Arizona's J.J. Taylor ran for a national season-high 284 yards on 27 carries against Oregon State. The only other 200-yard game over the weekend was by Penn State's Miles Sanders, who went for 200 on 22 runs against Illinois.

There have been 12 200-yard performances this season.

CATCHING ON

Dillon Mitchell of Oregon and Kaleb Fossum of Nevada matched the national season high for receptions with 14 apiece.

Mitchell was targeted 17 times, and he amassed 239 yards on his 14 catches against Stanford, the most by a Pac-12 player since Washington State's Vince Mayle had 252 yards against Arizona State in 2014. Fossum amassed a career-high 150 yards on his 14 receptions.

SACK 'EM UP

Central Michigan defensive lineman Mike Danna had his first four sacks of the season against Maine to match the national season high. Boston College's Wyatt Ray also had a four-sack game, against Wake Forest on Sept. 13.

New Mexico State had eight sacks against UTEP, second most in the Bowl Subdivision this season.

RUN, RUN, RUN

Air Force set the national season high for rushes when it ran on 86 of its 107 plays against Utah State. It was the most since the Falcons ran 91 times against Nevada last season.

Army and Navy each ran 78 times in their games, tying for second most this season.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Ten of Alabama's 34 scoring drives have lasted less than a minute, with nine of them resulting in touchdowns.

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College Rewind - Week 4
September 24, 2018

By Kyle Markus

NCAA Football - Week 4 Betting Recap

The college football season is in full swing, and Week 4 of course had its fair share of favorites covering, underdogs covering as well as upsets on the moneyline. NCAA football can be an unpredictable sport with teams that look overmanned finding a way to come away with victories. Here is a look at some of the more notable results from this past week of games.

One of the craziest games of the week was the matchup between the Oregon Ducks and Stanford Cardinal. Oregon was leading the entire game and seemed to have the game in hand with under a minute remaining. However, a fumble gave Stanford new life and the Cardinal forced overtime. Stanford came away with a 38-31 win to get the unlikely cover. The Cardinal was -3 and didn’t deserve to cover but it happened.

Kentucky keeps on coming away with wins in game which the oddsmakers at BookMaker.eu don’t think much of its chances. The Wildcats cruised past Mississippi State in their most recent game by a score of 28-7 and after a hot start to the season they might start seeing some respect from the oddsmakers.

The Alabama Crimson Tide was a huge home favorite against Texas A&M even though the Aggies came in nationally ranked. Alabama was in control throughout the second half but Texas A&M was able to slip out of there with a cover as 24.5-point underdogs with a 45-23 loss.

The Oklahoma Sooners seemed to have an easy game lined up against Army, but Army hung around the entire way. Oklahoma almost suffered a really bad loss but was able to escape with a 28-21 win. Needless to say, it was an easy cover for Army.

An overtime game helped the “over” hit in the matchup between SMU and Navy. There were only 46 points through regulation and the total was set at 58 points, but both teams scored touchdowns in the extra sessions and SMU scored a two-point conversion for a 31-30 win and for the “over” to come away with the unlikely win.

Virginia Tech was a strong favorite against Old Dominion but this might have been the most surprising result of the week. Old Dominion didn’t just cover but came away with the 49-35 victory behind a standout performance from little-known quarterback Blake LaRussa. That was a huge payoff on the moneyline if anyone dared bet it.

The Hokies were ranked heading into that matchup and Oklahoma State was also ranked and the favorite heading into its Saturday game against Texas Tech. The competition was tougher so it wasn’t exactly the equivalent to losing to Old Dominion, but the Cowboys still took one on the chin in a 41-17 loss. Texas Tech covered and was another good choice on the moneyline by pulling the upset.

Wisconsin was a three-point favorite against Iowa and needed a strong fourth quarter but was able to cover with a 28-17 final in live betting.

One of the most accurate spreads in Week 4 was the one the oddsmakers pegged for the Georgia matchup against Missouri. The Bulldogs were listed as 14.5-point favorites and ended up capturing a 43-29 victory as the Tigers eked out the cover.

Overall, the ranked teams did a pretty nice job covering the spread this week, which isn’t always easy because they usually have to give so many points. One team that was unable to was the Washington Huskies, who only beat Arizona State by a touchdown at home when the spread pegged them the 17-point favorite.

We will do it all once again next week. Look for the results within the results. For instance, Oregon’s late-game collapse isn’t predictive and bettors should feel good about the Ducks’ chances moving forward. The spreads for Week 5 will be out soon in college football gambling.

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Games to Watch - Week 5
September 24, 2018
By YouWager.eu

College Football Week 5: Games to Watch

The first month of the college football season is officially now in the books and we have already seen a number of surprises.

Outside of the top 4, it seems as though the rest of the Top 25 is in a constant state of flux. Chances are we will see some changes again after the Week 5 games are played, especially since we are going to see a lot of ranked teams go head to head this coming weekend.

There are a lot of great games to choose from in the Week 5 college football schedule, but we have narrowed it down to four games that we consider to be must watch.

Let’s get right to the action, with predictions for each of the games, as well, all odds, props and futures for each game sponsored by YouWager.eu.

Oregon Ducks at California Golden Bears

One of the biggest questions waiting to be answered this week is how the Oregon Ducks are going to bounce back after gassing a huge lead to Stanford in Week 4. They are now behind the 8-ball in PAC-12 play, but they need to get right back on the horse with another conference game this Saturday, with this one being a road trip to face the undefeated California Golden Bears. It’s more than fair to suggest that another loss here for the Ducks would all but end their chances of becoming the PAC-12 champions, so all the pressure is on them heading into this huge game.

West Virginia Mountaineers at Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Mountaineers shook off some rust after missing a week due to weather and came out with another win in Week 4. The offense there is really starting to click now, and it looks as though the defense is starting to play at a higher level than usual. The Mountaineers D is going to need to be at its very best tis weekend when they go on the road to face the explosive Texas Tech Red Raiders who come into this one on the heels of a massive win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. These are two very good offensive outfits here, so it may come down to whichever defense rises up this Saturday.

Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions

There are no two ways about it, this is the biggest game on the Week 5 college football schedule. Both teams are coming into this one with an unbeaten record, with the winner of this game instantly taking control of the Big Ten East Division. The Buckeyes made a smooth transition with the return of coach Urban Meyer to the sidelines in Week 4, while Penn State laid down another big win over the weekend. These two teams are on fire right now, but something is going to have to give this coming Saturday. We are sure that this game is going to get a ton of betting money between now and kick-off.

Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Fighting Irish

If the Ohio State/Penn State game is the headliner in Week 5, then this one might well fall into the co-headliner category. This is another one that is going to have a huge impact on the playoff hopes of both teams after all is said and done. The Cardinal are sure to be riding a real high after an improbable comeback against the Oregon Ducks in Week 4, while the Irish finally came away with a comfortable in after opening the season with a trio of close victories. The Irish might have the home field advantage here, but don’t count out this very good Cardinal team.