Cnotes 2019-2020 College Football Trends-News-Notes-Best Bets & Opinions !

[StarDust Bum]

USC at Colorado
October 22, 2019
By Matt Blunt

USC at Colorado
Venue/Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
Time/TV: Friday, Oct. 25 (ESPN2, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Line: USC -13.5, Total 62

Recent Meetings:
2018: USC (-7) 31 vs. Colorado 20, Under 57.5
2017: USC (-14) 38 at Colorado 24, Over 61.5
2016: USC (-5) 21 vs. Colorado 17, Under 62.5

After Friday nights in September were often highlighted by Pac-12 action, this week the conference gets to stand alone in the spotlight as the USC Trojans travel to Colorado to take on a beleaguered Buffaloes team that hopes a return to home soil will return the fight in the squad. Colorado's been outscored 86-10 in their last two games – road losses to Oregon and Washington State – and are catching double digits for the third straight week with USC in town.

There weren't many positives to take from those two defeats if you're Colorado, but the good news is that at home this year they own a 2-2 SU record with the two defeats coming either in OT or by just five points. That suggests that they may actually be able to hang around with this USC team on Friday night – especially if the home field support can be loud, boisterous and prove to be a factor.

The question you've got to ask yourself when breaking down this game is if that indeed will be the case for Colorado in this spot, as situationally there are a few things working in their favor. That number is quite hefty for a Trojans team to cover away from home when it comes down to it.

So after last week's best bets split the board, let's dive into this contest to see if we can find a winner for another edition of “Pac-12 After Dark.”

From a USC perspective, it's hard to look much better then they did last week in their thorough beating of Arizona (41-14) to easily cover the 10 points they were giving up. The final box score in terms of yardage numbers may not suggest the game was as big of a blowout as the final score does – thanks to numerous turnovers from Arizona – but the game was never in question after the first half was finished, and it was a nice way for the Trojans to bounce back after tough losses to Washington and Notre Dame prior.

Yet, it's extremely hard to look that good two weeks in a row if you are the Trojans, especially when you are out on the road again where you are 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS this year. Road struggles can be the norm when you've got talented young guy(s) starting at QB, and until the Trojans prove they can go out and be as successful as they are at home, laying this kind of chalk is hard to stomach. And that's before we even get into the potential look-ahead angle that the Trojans could be facing here with a home game against Oregon – the highest ranked Pac-12 team – on deck.

Passing on laying the chalk with USC doesn't necessarily mean I'm grabbing the points with Colorado here either.

Sure, Colorado's got the benefit of being at home where they've played much better football all year, could catch a napping USC team looking past them and the like. But the Buffaloes have given up at least 30 points in all seven of their games this year, and that number has risen to 40+ the past two weeks. Even with a double digit underdog, you do want to have some inkling that they could potentially win the game outright, and giving up 30+ every week definitely makes that hard. Situationally, it does make sense to take the points with Colorado, but passing on the side is ultimately where I fall.

Instead, it's that idea that you can pencil in 30+ points for a Colorado opponent that I'm looking to take advantage of with the total, as it's not like USC isn't capable of doing that as it is. USC averages 30.7 points per game on the year already, and barring numerous turnovers themselves, should be able to be the third straight Colorado opponent to at least threaten that 40-point number.

At the same time, USC on the road has given up 30, 28, and 30 points in their three losses, so we should expect Colorado's offense to find success as well. The Buffaloes are a better team at home in the sense that the offense does move the ball, scoring 52, 34, 23, and 30 points in their four home games already this year. That's good for an average of 34.75 points per home game, and while the Trojans are the best team they've faced in this spot, asking them to put up 25+ isn't unreasonable either. I mean, all we've got to see in that case is both teams play to their averages based on the setting – USC on the road, Colorado at home – and this number should get surpassed.

USC's 0-5 O/U run isn't going to last forever, and neither is the 0-2 O/U run for Colorado given that their opponents did all that they were supposed to for 'over' bettors in those two performances. The Buffaloes are 3-1 O/U at home this year as it is, and two of the three 'unders' USC has cashed away from home were a simple FG away from having a different result.

This is a game where those things should find a way to happen, as it was just two years ago that we had a near identical side and total for USC's last trip to Colorado. That game saw the Trojans close as -14 road favorites with a total of 61.5, and the 38-24 final score came about with the two teams combining for more than 1000 yards of total offense. That kind of yardage should be put up again in this year's meeting, as 62 or more points is going to be the final result here.

Best Bet: Over 62

YTD Record: 3-6 ATS

[StarDust Bum]

Undefeated Clemson not bothered by slide
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Clemson keeps winning but has dropped from first to fourth in the poll. Its coaches and players don't seem bothered in the least.

''We think it's cute,'' safety K'Von Wallace said.

The defending national champions are 7-0 and 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference. They started the season at No. 1 and are riding a program-best 22-game winning streak.

But a too-close-for-comfort 21-20 win at North Carolina on Sept. 28 began a slide from the top that has them No. 4 this week behind Alabama, LSU and Ohio State.

Following the North Carolina escape, the Tigers roared back with wins over Florida State (45-14) and Louisville (45-10) the last two weeks. Still, that didn't stop the slippage in the Top 25.

Co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott says the joke around the team is that if Clemson continues to win at this rate ''we'll be out of the top 10 by December.''

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has never been about rankings or records until the end - when he wants the Tigers in the final four for the College Football Playoffs. He was not particularly excited in August when the Tigers earned the preseason No. 1 spot for the first time.

He won't lose much sleep as long as Clemson keeps improving.

''Everybody can have any opinions they want,'' he said. ''It doesn't matter. What matters is us closing out October in a strong way. We want to win this division and win this league. What happens after that, hopefully, we'll be positioned well.''

Clemson returns home this week for a game with Boston College (4-3, 2-2) on Saturday night.

The Tigers have made their share of mistakes - quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw two first-half interceptions before leading Clemson's blowout - but except for the scare at North Carolina they have recovered in time to win handily.

Lawrence doesn't worry about the rankings or analysts' critiques of his delivery, technique and decision making.

''I think I do a good job keeping all the outside noise outside,'' said Lawrence, who has thrown eight interceptions this year, double his total from all of 2018.

Swinney said the scrutiny can be wearying, and does not give the full picture.

''Trevor Lawrence throws two interceptions and that's all you see on ESPN,'' he said ''You don't see 20 of 29, nine straight completions. And all that.''

Clemson football under Swinney has routinely been a slow simmer , gradually learning from mid-season mistakes and playing its best at the end. The Tigers started 9-0 in 2016 before a mid-November loss to Pitt looked as if like it might harm their playoff chances. Instead, they won three straight to capture the ACC title and earn a two seed from the CFP committee.

Clemson then defeated Ohio State and Alabama for its first national crown in 35 years. The Tigers were two seeds in the playoff last year, too, on the way to their latest title.

''What we know is that we've been here before,'' Scott said. ''We trust our plan. We trust our preparation in that if we just stay focused and locked in and keep two hands on the wheel'' success will follow.

It's not easy for everyone to stay level-headed, though.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said his grade-school daughter, Lainey, was downright angry Clemson was no longer No. 1.

''She just figured out that LSU and Ohio State'' moved past Clemson, Venables said. ''So now I'm going to have to talk her off the cliff. She was literally so mad.''

Wallace, the senior safety, thinks the team will continue to get better, and he's confident about the path to the playoffs.

''One thing they can't do is when we go undefeated,'' he said. ''They can't leave us out of the playoffs.''

[StarDust Bum]

No. 19 Michigan relegated to playing for pride this season
October 21, 2019
By The Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) No. 19 Michigan seems to be relegated to playing just for pride this season.

The Wolverines (5-2, 3-2 Big Ten) were handed a second loss at Penn State, leaving them on the brink of being eliminated from the Big Ten race just past the halfway mark of the regular season.

Michigan went into the season hoping to end its 15-year conference championship drought, the longest in school history, and to perhaps contend for a national championship.

With five scheduled games left to play, those goals appear to be out of reach.

Captain Ben Bredeson, though, insisted there's plenty to play for this season.

''You can't let two losses tank your season,'' the standout offensive guard said Monday.

The Wolverines will have a chance to earn a measure of respect, and perhaps improve their postseason positioning, if they can beat No. 8 Notre Dame (5-1) on Saturday night at the Big House.

''This isn't our last game of the year,'' defensive tackle Carlo Kemp said. ''This isn't, `All right. we're done. Let's start packing up and we'll get ready for next season.'

''We have top 10 matchups coming up. And, the big thing is we have one this Saturday and we have another opportunity on the national stage.''

Michigan also has games remaining against Michigan State and No. 3 Ohio State next month at home.

''We've got three of the most important rivalries coming up,'' Kemp said. ''We got Notre Dame, Michigan State and the game at the end of the year. Those are the games you play for, those are the teams you want to play.''

Michigan was a play - and an extra point - away from pulling into a 28-all tie with the Nittany Lions on Saturday night late in the fourth quarter after falling behind by three touchdowns midway through the second quarter.

Shea Patterson found Ronnie Bell in the end zone on fourth down and the receiver, who has had a breakout season, and put a pass on his hands and he dropped the football.

Bell was in tears on the field, but that didn't get him sympathy from all fans.

A Michigan graduate, Connor Grady, sent Bell an email imploring him to quit the team and the sport.

Coach Jim Harbaugh defended Bell, saying he would take as many players like him as possible, and lashed out at the fan.

''I'm sure Connor Grady got drunk as heck Saturday night,'' Harbaugh said. ''Probably talking to his friend, took to email and probably wrote a bunch of stuff that I'm sure the next day he was like, `Why the heck did I do that. I'm an idiot.' I'm sure he felt pretty bad about it.''

Given a chance to respond on Monday, Grady lamented what he wrote to Bell.

''I would like to state for the record that I wish to apologize to Mr. Bell and any other members of the Michigan community who were rightly offended by my thoughtless message to Mr. Bell,'' Grady wrote in an email to The Associated Press. ''I have privately apologized to Mr. Bell, and I have also apologized publicly to the Bell family.

''I am a proud Michigan alumnus and a passionate fan who has supported the team for years. However, my conduct was not acceptable under any circumstances, and I make no excuses for my behavior. I am deeply sorry to have brought shame and embarrassment to the Michigan community, and I hope that the community can forgive me for such unbecoming behavior.''

[StarDust Bum]

Ehlinger will have to carry Texas offense
October 21, 2019
By The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) After escaping what would have been a crushing home loss to Kansas, Texas and coach Tom Herman face a stark reality: The Longhorns will go only as far as quarterback Sam Ehlinger's broad shoulders can carry them.

The Longhorns defense simply can't stop anybody.

The Jayhawks were the latest team to shred an inexperienced and injured Texas defense. Kansas scored 24 points in the fourth quarter before Ehlinger bailed Texas out with a late drive for Cameron Dicker's field goal on the final play to pull out a 50-48 victory .

While Ehlinger continues on pace to smash Texas passing records this season, the defense could rank among the worst in school history. And when an offense has to top 48 points in order to beat Kansas, which changed offensive coordinators midseason and is winless in the Big 12, the rest of the Texas schedule looks like a weekly tossup as the Longhorns fight to get a rematch with No. 5 Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game.

''None of us is satisfied that defensive performance,'' Herman said Monday. ''Everybody associated with that side of the ball (defense), players, coaches, leaders, we all get it ... We're committed to figuring it out. We can, and we will.''

Texas can't cover, stop the run or get to the quarterback.

Texas ranks last in pass defense and almost last in total defense in the Big 12 . It was easy to excuse the dubious marks when it was No. 2 LSU and Oklahoma putting up big yards. But last week it was Kansas quarterback Carter Stanley throwing four touchdown passes and running back Pooka Williams rolling up 190 yards rushing.

The Longhorns have allowed three 100-yard rushers the last two weeks and can't pressure the quarterback without a blitz. The defensive line has only two sacks this season.

In the secondary, injuries to starters have made a huge impact. Last season's all-Big 12 safety, Caden Sterns, hasn't played in five games and other key starters have missed time or played hurt.

Herman brushed off injury concerns early in the season when he noted defensive back was one of the deepest positions on the roster. Gaping holes in the secondary against Oklahoma and Kansas finally raised alarms with a trip to TCU coming up Saturday.

Herman has not publicly criticized the game plans and plays called by defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who is paid more than $1.7 million per year.

''Guys that have been here 2-3 years should be able to play man-to-man coverage ... Coaches need to uphold our end of the bargain in terms of the techniques and the players need to uphold their end by employing those techniques on game day,'' Herman said.

''I'm never going to say its personnel. We're going to have really good players at the University of Texas,'' Herman said.

Texas still has Ehlinger leading an offense averaging 41 points per game. While Kansas was moving the ball up and down the field, so were the Longhorns, who had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver.

Texas outgained Kansas 638-569 with most of the 69-yard difference coming on the final drive to the winning field goal.

Ehlinger has thrown four touchdowns four times this season and his 2,057 yards passing has him chasing Colt McCoy's single-season school record of 3,859 set in 2008.

But Ehlinger also threw a fourth-quarter interception that Kansas turned into a touchdown. He made up for it with six completions on Texas' final drive - he also ran for a first down - for Dicker's game winner.

The chain of events was a perfect example of how Ehlinger goes, so goes Texas.

''At the end of the year, this one (win) is going to count just the same as all the other ones doe,'' Herman said. They don't count them any different. But we expect to play much, much better, especially defensively.''

[StarDust Bum]

Iowa gets new life in Big Ten West race
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Nowhere did Wisconsin's stunning loss at Illinois reverberate more than in Iowa City. The upset gave the 20th-ranked Hawkeyes new life in the Big Ten West.

In recent weeks, Iowa hasn't looked like a team that is ready to seize such an opportunity.

The Hawkeyes (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) snapped a two-game skid with a lackluster 26-20 win over Purdue last week, moving within a game of the Badgers in the division. Iowa is two games behind Minnesota (7-0, 4-0).

Iowa now has a clear path to the Big Ten title game.

If the Hawkeyes win out - a stretch that would include a road win at No. 13 Wisconsin and a home win over the 17th-ranked Gophers - and Minnesota stumbles once more, they'll make it to Indianapolis.

Iowa will need to start playing much better, starting Saturday at Northwestern (1-5, 0-4), to even entertain the idea of reaching the championship game.

The Hawkeyes will be without receiver Brandon Smith, who coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday will be out 3-5 weeks with an undisclosed right leg injury.

''It reminds us that every week is important. You can't overlook any team,'' Iowa linebacker Djimon Colbert said of Wisconsin's defeat. ''The West is open now, so we've got to come out each week and focus on that week individually. And hopefully that should lead us to Indy at the end of the road.''

The Hawkeyes' defense has been impeccable through seven games, ranking fifth in scoring defense (11.6 points per game) and 10th in total defense (275 yards a game). Iowa has been consistent as well. Purdue was the first team to score 20 on the Hawkeyes.

Iowa's offense has been all over the map though and losing Smith won't help matters.

Smith, Iowa's leading receiver with 33 catches for 407 yards and four touchdowns, tumbled to the turf after catching his career-high ninth pass against Purdue.

Smith had to be helped off the field by linemen Tristan Wirfs and Alaric Jackson, and he hobbled to the locker room on crutches.

''It's taking one of better threats off the field,'' Ferentz said. ''You just make adjustments and keep playing.''

The Hawkeyes running attack struggled again against the Boilermakers, rushing for just 102 yards on 33 tries. But junior back Mekhi Sargent did provide a glimmer of hope late in the fourth quarter.

Nursing a six-point lead, Sargent reeled off runs of 21 and 14 yards on back-to-back plays for the game-winning touchdown.

''It's a 60 minute game. You've got to bring your horses the whole time,'' Sargent said. ''We just wanted to finish strong.''

If Iowa can find more consistency on offense, a season-ending winning streak is possible.

The Hawkeyes beat No. 23 Iowa State on the road and its losses, to No. 6 Michigan and No. 19 Penn State, came by just 12 combined points.

Iowa also has three road games left, but its defense should give it a chance away from Iowa City.

''It was kind of crazy to see that,'' Stone said. ''Even for us, it really doesn't matter that Wisconsin lost. We know we have to go through them to get the West. Even Minnesota, they're still undefeated. So, we don't want to look ahead, but we know we have to go through those teams.''

[StarDust Bum]

It's Auburn's turn to face Burrow, LSU
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Jeremiah Dinson didn't bother reviewing film of Joe Burrow and LSU's offense against Auburn last season because ''he's a totally different quarterback.''

Now, the challenge for Dinson and No. 9 Auburn in Baton Rouge on Saturday will be contending with the 2019 edition of Burrow and No. 2 LSU's much more explosive offense. It's no small task, of course.

''I knew he could always throw the ball,'' Dinson, Auburn's safety and leading tackler, said Tuesday. ''But it's crazy, man, that they look like a totally different offense.''

Burrow is leading the nation with 29 touchdown passes and his 2,484 yards passing ranks second.

An Auburn defense led by Dinson and linemen Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson is the latest to try to slow him. Auburn has banked heavily on a defense that hasn't allowed more than 24 points in a game while freshman quarterback Bo Nix has gained experience and the offense dealt with injuries to receiver Anthony Schwartz and tailback JaTarvious Whitlow.

Of course, 24 points has been less than a half's work for Burrow and LSU this season. This LSU offense is averaging 52.5 points and 561 yards a game.

Burrow was solid against Auburn last season, if not spectacular. He passed for 249 yards while completing less than half his attempts, with LSU winning 22-21 on Cole Tracy's field goal as time expired.

While that performance wasn't necessarily a harbinger that Burrow would emerge as a Heisman Trophy contender a year later, his clutch play in a hostile environment did show mettle and poise.

''Joe is cool as a cucumber,'' LSU coach Ed Orgeron said after the game. ''He's not going to falter under pressure and he's going to make the right decisions.''

Now, Burrow faces a defense whose weakest link has been the secondary. Auburn ranks 68th nationally in yards passing allowed per game (224.7).

Auburn intercepted only one pass in its first seven games but had two picks in a 51-10 win over Arkansas.

Auburn held Oregon's Justin Herbert to a respectable 242 yards but allowed 335 yards passing to Texas A&M's Kellen Mond, with a sizable chunk coming during a fourth-quarter comeback that fell short.

Davidson is hardly lacking confidence in Auburn's defense, but he doesn't downplay the task, either.

''It's a big challenge, I can say that,'' Davidson said. ''I'll take my guys over anybody because I know we put in the work beside each other every day. But that's a great football team. That's a great football team. They're going to be a test, a big test. A great offense vs. a great defense. You never know who's going to come out on top of that.''

Auburn's two biggest stars have been Brown and Davidson, both recruited by Orgeron. They're part of a defensive front the LSU coach says is the best ''we have seen so far.''

Brown has three sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Orgeron predicts he'll likely be a top-five NFL draft pick and called the 6-foot-5, 318-pounder a ''mountain of a man.''

LSU offensive tackle Austin Deculus likes the challenge of facing Brown & Co.

''Everybody in the movies wants to slay the dragon,'' Deculus said. ''In that sense he's the big guy. He's the one with a target on his back. You want to beat the best guy.''

Davidson has emerged as one of the SEC's top pass rushers with 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Both have forced two fumbles.

''You look at a guy like Derrick Brown, who is that big and physical,'' Orgeron said. ''Nobody that we've faced so far has been that big and physical. He's very, very disruptive. He's hard to match one-on-one. You have to double-team him.

''Marlon Davidson is good pass-rusher. These guys get most of their rushes with a four-man rush.''

With LSU's explosive offense, that could be a key.

[StarDust Bum]

Dantonio says Spartans must plant 'foot in the ground'
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Mark Dantonio and Michigan State have one more chance for a win during a tough midseason stretch that has raised questions about the state of the program.

''Coming off the Wisconsin game, we've got to plant our foot in the ground and drive forward. I think that's what you have to do,'' Dantonio said. ''Disappointing in how we played up there, the outcome and everything that was going on with that. We've got to figure it out and reset and move forward, and I think we're capable of that.''

That comment was about as close as Dantonio came to a rallying cry during his weekly news conference Tuesday. For the most part, the Michigan State coach's session with reporters felt routine even though the team is coming off an absolute drubbing.

The Spartans lost 38-0 to Wisconsin two weekends ago, and that came after a 34-10 defeat at the hands of Ohio State. The team has clearly slipped in recent seasons, and now it's becoming harder to envision a major turnaround this year.

Earlier this season, Dantonio called out his team publicly after a substandard offensive performance. He didn't do that Tuesday, perhaps realizing that such a move can only work so many times.

''I know everybody hates to hear me say it but I'm going to stay positive with our guys and believe in them,'' Dantonio said in response to a question about dropped passes. ''I think that's the best thing that I can do.''

Since winning the Big Ten in 2015, Michigan State is 15-16 in conference play. Dantonio shook up his offensive staff this past offseason, but he did so by changing roles instead of bringing in new people. The Spartans seemed to be making progress when they scored 71 points over two games against Northwestern and Indiana, but the losses to Ohio State and Wisconsin suggested that there's a big gap between Michigan State and the league's top teams.

This weekend, the Spartans (4-3, 2-2) host No. 6 Penn State (7-0, 4-0), a team Michigan State beat last season.

''Young people have always been resilient - and they believe very strongly in themselves. I didn't sense any kind of - certainly there's disappointment, but people get up off the ground quick around here, and that's what you have to do,'' Dantonio said. ''If you're going to succeed in the next step, then you'd better get your mind right and get back up.''

The offensive struggles are nothing new for the Spartans, but even their normally stingy defense has had trouble. Michigan State has allowed at least 30 points in three straight games.

''We've just got to get back to who we are - a fast, physical defense,'' defensive lineman Kenny Willekes said. ''Fly around, and have fun out there.''

Last week, Michigan State confirmed three more players had entered the transfer portal, following a few others who had done so earlier in the season. The players in question weren't necessarily playing huge roles, but their decisions added to a sense of gloom.

''It's one of those things that I think is probably here to stay, and you have to deal with it as a head football coach and as a staff,'' Dantonio said. ''You really have to look at recruiting and say, OK, you have a guy that's responsible for the portal. I think that today when I looked at it, there were 344 names in there. So that's a lot of people. Where are all those people going to go? I'm not quite sure.

''As I said earlier, do the best I can and take the high road in this capacity. I appreciate what those guys did for us when they were Spartans.''

Dantonio said he will keep moving forward amid any attrition, and he clearly expects the players to do the same.

''You've got to first and foremost have that mentality that you've got to step forward and so that's what we've tried to do here,'' Dantonio said. ''We've maintained a positive approach and we're trying to fix the things that we can fix and change the things we cannot.''

[StarDust Bum]

No. 23 Iowa State on a roll heading to Oklahoma State
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) Iowa State's young offensive players are growing up and it shows in the area that matters most.

The Cyclones are winning.

Iowa State, newly ensconced at No. 23 in the Top 25, takes a three-game winning streak into Saturday's home game with Oklahoma State, helped by an offense that is running much smoother than it did early in the season.

The Cyclones (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) have averaged 40.3 points and 456 yards over the last three games. In their two losses, to Iowa and Baylor, they averaged just 19 points and scored only 13 points in regulation in a triple overtime victory over Northern Iowa in the season opener.

So what changed?

''I don't know if there's one specific thing,'' offensive tackle Bryce Meeker said Tuesday. ''I think we knew that things were going to start clicking, we just didn't know when. I think by putting all our heads down and continuing to work, it just started to click for us.''

Coach Matt Campbell expected some early struggles because of the team's youth at the skill positions. Quarterback Brock Purdy and starting tight end Charlie Kolar are sophomores. Two sophomores and a freshman are among the top wide receivers. Breece Hall has solidified what had been an unsettled situation at running back, but he's a true freshman.

There was never any doubt about their talent. They just needed some experience to figure things out, Campbell said.

''As much as you say, boy, they're ready to go in fall camp, until you step out under the lights, until you go through failures, the ebbs and flows of the game, and have the ability to respond to that - that's part of the growing process,'' he said. ''I do think that's part of the offense's growing process a little bit, finding out who, what, how and really building from there. And I think that group's done a really nice job of building as this season's gone on.''

The turnaround actually started in the Cyclones' last loss, 23-21 at Baylor. Trailing 20-0 after three quarters, Iowa State ripped off three touchdowns in an 11-minute span to take the lead, but could not stop a Baylor drive that led to the game-winning field goal.

Since then, Iowa State has put up point totals of 49, 38 and 24 in beating TCU, West Virginia and Texas Tech, all by double figures.

''Honestly, coach got on us that we've got to get off to a start from the get-go,'' Purdy said. ''It can't be late in the second half. I felt like the first couple of games in the season we were waiting and waiting rather than, boom, attack from the beginning. I just feel like our mindset switched in the last couple of games on getting off to a good start.''

Iowa State has trailed only once in the last three games, falling behind West Virginia 7-0 before storming back to win 38-14.

''I think we had it inside of us the whole time,'' Meeker said. ''I just think we had to combine everything that we knew and continue to work. We knew we had to change something and we did.''

Hall's emergence certainly has helped. After carrying only 18 times in the first four games, he ran for 132 yards and three touchdowns at West Virginia and was even better last week at Texas Tech, amassing 183 yards on just 19 carries and adding 73 yards receiving. He broke a 75-yard touchdown run in that game, the longest by an Iowa State player since 2015.

Purdy leads the Big 12 in passing yards and is second in passing efficiency, sophomore Tarique Milton is fifth in receiving yards and Kolar is tied for eighth nationally in receiving yards by a tight end.

''It will be fascinating to see where this group can be by the time the season ends,'' Campbell said. ''Can it make that couple of huge strides it will have to if we're going to be the best team we can be down the stretch run?''

[StarDust Bum]

Edwards exceeds expectations, Kelly disappoints in 2nd year
October 22, 2019
By The Associated Press

When Chip Kelly and Herm Edwards were hired, many praised UCLA for being able to beat Florida for Kelly's services and criticized Arizona State for hiring a former NFL coach who had not been on the sidelines since 2008.

Nearly two years later those perceptions have changed. Edwards has the Sun Devils on the cusp of bowl eligibility for the second straight season while Kelly and the Bruins have sunk to the lower tiers of the Pac-12.

Going into Saturday's game at the Rose Bowl, Edwards has the second-best record of the conference's five second-year coaches while Kelly is tied for the worst mark. Oregon's Mario Cristobal is at the top of the heap, though, with the Ducks leading the North Division.

With the second half of the season getting ready to start, here is a look at how the second-year conference coaches are faring:

Mario Cristobal (Oregon, 15-6)

Cristobal's success in recruiting was a big reason he was promoted when Willie Taggart left after one season for Florida State, but he is also beginning to show that he can be successful in big games.

The Ducks were 2-3 in conference road games last season but rallied for a 35-31 win at Washington last Saturday to take control of the North. No. 11 Oregon (6-1, 4-0 Pac-12) - which has the likely conference Offensive Player of the Year in QB Justin Herbert - hosts Washington State on Saturday and still has key road games against USC (Nov. 2) and Arizona State (Nov. 16).

Cristobal likes how his team has played in difficult situations.

''The harder it gets, the better we play,'' he said after the Washington win, ''It has taken a lot to get to this point but our discipline has to carry over.''

---

Herm Edwards (Arizona State, 12-8)

The 24th-ranked Sun Devils showed their youth in a 21-3 loss at No. 12 Utah .

For as well as Arizona State has played this season, the Sun Devils have done it starting five true freshmen (fourth-highest in the country). Jaylen Daniels completed only four of 18 passes for 28 yards and was held to eight yards rushing. Freshmen have been responsible for three-fourths of their offensive yards (second-most in the nation).

Edwards is pleased his team has established ''competitive consistency,'' meaning they have had the chance to win the game in the second half each week. Now he wants to see how his team handles adversity.

''We're in our second year, make no mistake, we haven't had a lot of potholes yet,'' he said. ''Utah hit us in the mouth and beat us up. Now we're going to find out a lot about ourselves and where this team is at.''

---

Kevin Sumlin (Arizona, 9-10)

Sumlin has not had the same early success that he had at Texas A&M or Houston. Some of it can be attributed to injuries, but quarterback Khalil Tate has not played consistently at the level he did two years ago.

''We want to win now. Everyone wants it right now including me. The two ways to get better in my opinion are recruiting and player development,'' he said. ''We've increased our depth, which has reaped some dividends early this year, especially on the defensive line.''

The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2) have dropped two straight going into Saturday's game at Stanford.

---

Oregon State's Jonathan Smith (5-14)

Smith is the only one who has not been a head coach at another school, but he has brought hope and optimism to his alma mater. Last Saturday's 21-17 win at California marks the first time since 2013 the Beavers have won two straight conference road games.

The Beavers (3-4, 2-2) have a bye week before traveling to Arizona on Nov. 2. Oregon State still has games against Washington and Oregon, which makes its chances of winning three of its last five to get bowl eligibly unlikely but there is still an outside shot of another win or two.

''It's satisfying for sure. These guys are working hard, and they're trusting us and trusting the process,'' Smith said.

---

Chip Kelly (UCLA, 5-14)

Last Thursday's 34-16 win at Stanford was the most complete game the Bruins have played this season. It also slightly turned down Kelly's hot seat.

UCLA (2-5, 2-2) has the second-highest percentage of freshmen on its roster in the nation (52.8%), but no one expected Kelly to get off to the worst start by a Bruins coach since Harry Trotter went 2-13-1 from 1920-22.

Kelly has been consistent in asking for patience, but with a $20.3 million contract and declining attendance at the Rose Bowl, many are getting frustrated. Kelly has a $9 million buyout, though.

''I think every day we are working to improve, that is part of developing a young team,'' he said. ''You have to develop them over time. When you see flashes with young teams how does it become second nature?''

[StarDust Bum]

Week 9 Upset Alerts
October 23, 2019
By Matt Blunt

Considering last week's college football landscape was shaken up with numerous big upsets across the land, going 1-1-1 ATS with my three selections and having no outright winners is actually pretty disappointing. Had you waited until later in the week and caught one of those +6.5's that were hung on Maryland for awhile, you could have been 2-1 ATS, but the Terrapins did enough to earn a push in their six-point loss to Indiana there.

And when there were a couple of +20 and greater underdogs to win their games outright (Illinois, Vanderbilt), backing a Nevada team that looked like they wanted to part of dealing with the cold weather at night in Utah was the biggest disappointment. The Wolf Pack were just a backdoor score away from getting inside the number for most of that game, but quitting early in the 4th quarter slammed that backdoor shut rather early as they allowed Utah State to pull away.

The lone win on the week came courtesy of New Mexico as they had little trouble staying within the number against an offensively challenge Wyoming squad. In hindsight, that lofty spread of nearly 20 points with a team that struggles to score like the Cowboys reminds me a lot of what Buffalo Bills backers had to deal with this week laying -17 against the Dolphins. Sometimes teams just aren't capable enough offensively to cover big numbers and that proved to be the case in both of those situations.

It's on to this week's selections though, and all of them have a common thread. That is, while the validity of getting caught in “look ahead” games can be up for debate in terms of how important those spots may be before the game, after the fact, it's hard to deny that some teams that slip up did indeed get caught looking past a certain opponent and ahead to a better one.

And while I am on the side that suggests look ahead games/spots do exist, I am more of the mindset that when teams do get caught in those spots, they are the teams you want to back when said look ahead game finally arrives. The logic there is that the team's focus has already been on that foe for awhile, there is likely value in the market backing them when coming off a disappointing performance, and the majority of the market only looks to fade these squads because of that recent SU and/or ATS blunder.

With that in mind, here are the three teams that I believe fit that line of thought in varying degrees, as hopefully at least one of them can pull off the outright upset as well.
Upset Alert #1: Underdogs in the +1 to + 9 range
YTD: 1-7 SU; 5-2-1 ATS

Miami (+5.5) vs Pittsburgh
This is probably the game where it wouldn't take much convincing to suggest that the Hurricanes aren't a program that “looks ahead” to Pittsburgh, because I'm not completely sure they did either. But the Miami/Pitt rivalry has taken on more of a big-game feel in recent years, ever since Pitt managed to knock off this Hurricanes program in late-2017 to give the Hurricanes their first loss on the year, knock them out of the CFP Playoff conversation, and ultimately ruin what was a great campaign for Miami up until that point.

Furthermore, I don't think you can deny that the Hurricanes took Georgia Tech rather lightly last week as a near 20-point home favorite. Miami couldn't get anything done in the second half of that game, continually shot themselves in the foot with missed opportunities everywhere (missed FG, unable to keep drives extended, fumbled in end zone for a Georgia Tech TD) and just never came close to sniffing an ATS win. Granted, the 2019 version of Miami may not be a good team in general, but the ACC Coastal division is still a wide open race for the most part, and even at 1-3 SU in the conference, the Hurricanes still have plenty in front of them to make the most of this 2019 season.

Pitt is one of those teams the Hurricanes will have to go through to get there, and with Pittsburgh's stock value in the market basically increasing every week since they held tough against what now appears to be a great Penn State team, the Panthers are a great 'sell high' team now. Since that seven-point loss to Penn State, Pitt has gone on to end UCF's near 30-game regular season win streak, had a lazy win against FCS Delaware, and went out on the road and knocked off Duke and Syracuse in successive weeks. Everyone loves a winner and Pitt's 5-1 ATS run (5-1 SU) coming into this week's game is something many would prefer to get behind relative to what they've seen from Miami of late.

However, these two teams do have one common foe on their resumes already – both hosted Virginia this year – and Pitt went into that game as 2.5-point underdogs while Miami was laying that number against the Cavaliers. Yes, the timing of playing Virginia does matter in terms of context given that Pitt opened their season against Virginia, but the Panthers got smoked by 16 points on their home field in that game, while Miami got a late score to win by eight a couple of weeks ago. That only adds to the notion that Miami's a great “buy low” team in this spot, and buying low (Miami) and selling high (Pittsburgh) are great betting situations to get behind.
Upset Alert #2: Underdogs in the +10 to +19 range
YTD: 1-7 SU; 2-6 ATS

Wisconsin (+14.5) vs Ohio State
If you've read these pieces from the start of the college football season, you'll know that a few of the losses that have piled up have come courtesy of fading Ohio State at big numbers. But after a couple of weeks in a row of avoiding Buckeyes games completely, I'm taking another crack at seeing Ohio State's 6-0 ATS run come to an end with Wisconsin coming to town.

Wisconsin was on the wrong end of the “upset of the week” last week, as their trip to Illinois last Saturday ended up with the Badgers – as a 30-point road favorite – losing to a team that's coached by Santa Claus. The loss made all the highlight shows, humiliating Wisconsin over and over again with how poorly they played in that game. That kind of embarrassment is something I don't mind seeing at all in terms of wanting to back the team the following outing, because as I touched on with Miami, the stock price in Wisconsin dropped dramatically after last week.

And while nobody outside of that Wisconsin locker room knows for sure if they were looking past Illinois and ahead to this Ohio State game, it's pretty easy to assume that was the case given the line (-30) and results (SU loss) of that game.

Now that look ahead game with Ohio State has arrived, and I fully expect this Wisconsin team – that owns four shutout wins already this year – to be at their best on both sides of the ball and give this Ohio State team all they can handle. Even with last week's embarrassing loss, Wisconsin is the most complete team on both sides of the ball that Ohio State has faced so far this season, and quite frankly this is too many points to give them in this role.

It's understandable that oddsmakers had to put out a number like this after the Illinois loss, but had Wisconsin won that game by 30 as expected, what do you think this spread vs Ohio State would actually look like? I'd venture a guess it would be in the single digits, and this just presents the ultimate buy low opportunity that there is. As a bettor you can't last past failures betting against a particular team stop you from betting against them again in the future – it's always better to bet numbers not teams – and while Ohio State has knocked the bankroll down numerous times this season, I do think we get some of that back with Bucky Badger on Saturday.
Upset Alert #3: Underdogs in the +20 and above range
YTD: 2-6 ATS

California (+21.5) vs Utah
California is still in the youthful changes of changing the culture and turning that football program around under HC Justin Wilcox, and they might not be considered “good enough” yet to really look past one foe and ahead to another. Wilcox has built this team to be a stout defensive squad that can hang around against more talented teams with that unit, and hopefully that's what they can do this week when they travel to Utah.

Given that the Golden Bears fell flat as -10 favorites at home vs Oregon State last week – losing outright 21-17 – I do think there was some inkling of them taking the Beavers lightly and looking ahead to this game vs a ranked Utah team. That, and that Oregon State game was sandwiched between facing Oregon and Utah on the road, and if you want your program to take the next step in development, showing up and showing out against quality foes like that is a must. California were able to give Oregon all they could handle from a defensive standpoint in the 17-7 Ducks win – covering the number as +21.5 underdogs – and this game vs Utah should play out to a similar tune.

Utah prefers to play defensive slugfests as it is, and while they have gone 3-0 ATS in their last three by holding their foes to 13 or fewer points, the defenses that Washington State, Oregon State, and Arizona State have don't compare at all to what California brings to the table. This game has a sub-40 total as it is (37.5), so points will be at a premium, and like I mentioned at the open, sometimes when games are lined that way – like Wyoming/New Mexico last week or Miami/Buffalo in the NFL – it's really hard not to like the points given that it's simply too big of a number for the favorite to cover.

Even something like a 28-7 Utah win gets us an ATS win by the hook with California here, and given the notion that this should be a strong bounce back spot for California as it is, along with Utah having a road trip to Washington on deck, grab the points here.

[StarDust Bum]

Duke-UNC matchup headlines Week 9 in ACC
October 23, 2019
By The Associated Press

Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 9:

GAME OF THE WEEK

Duke at North Carolina. The ACC's highest-profile basketball rivalry takes center stage in football with significant ramifications in the cloudy Coastal Division. The Blue Devils (4-3, 2-2) and the Tar Heels (3-4, 2-2) are both in the mix behind division leaders Virginia and Pittsburgh with the loser seemingly playing itself out of the race. Duke has won three straight in the series, a run that coincided with current New York Giants QB Daniel Jones' time as the starter, and is looking for its first four-game winning streak against North Carolina since the 1950s.

BEST MATCHUP

Virginia defense vs. Louisville offense. The Cavaliers' defense has kept them in control of the Coastal Division race, ranking second in the conference in each of the four main stat categories and holding five of the seven opponents to 17 or fewer points. They'll face a test from a big-play Louisville offense under new coach Scott Satterfield. The Cardinals averaged 490.5 total yards through six games before they were held to 263 yards by No. 4 Clemson, and they lead the league with 23 plays of 30 or more yards and 15 that have gone for 40-plus yards. Virginia has allowed an ACC-fewest three 40-yard plays on the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

An argument could be made that the ACC is the most competitive of the power conferences. The average margin of victory in league games is 13.9 points - the closest of any of the five major conferences - and more than half of the 27 ACC games played so far have been decided by eight or fewer points. Eight of them have been decided by a field goal or less, the most of any major conference.

LONG SHOT

Perhaps Syracuse can find a way to keep it close as a 10+-point underdog against Florida State. It's been a disappointing year for the Orange (3-4, 0-3), who started the season in the national rankings but now find themselves as the only ACC team without a conference victory. The Seminoles are dealing with even more injuries - WR Ontaria Wilson (shoulder) is the latest to go down - heading into this matchup of desperate Atlantic Division teams. Florida State has played four one-score games, going 1-3 in them.

IMPACT PLAYER

North Carolina QB Sam Howell has been tough to stop during his freshman season with the Tar Heels. Howell matched a school record with five touchdown passes in last week's six-overtime loss to Virginia Tech, and has reached the 300-yard mark in three of his last four games. Next up is a Duke team that has held six straight opponents to fewer than 270 yards passing.


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


Tar Heels' freshman Sam Howell moving to top of ACC's QBs
October 23, 2019
By The Associated Press

Sam Howell has moved well past freshman-level studies at North Carolina.

He is playing his way to the top of the class of Atlantic Coast Conference's quarterbacks.

Howell leads the ACC with 20 touchdown passes after tying the North Carolina record with five in last week's 43-41, six-overtime loss to Virginia Tech. He passed for 348 yards with no interceptions and was named the conference's top quarterback of the week for the third time this season.

For North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo, it's more proof that Howell is no ordinary first-year quarterback. He said Howell is ''beyond the 101 stage'' of lessons.

''I mean, Sam, he studies the game, he cares, he's passionate about it,'' Longo said Monday. ''That's all part of what makes him as good as he is right now, and we still have things we need to get better at. But I really like where the process is and I like the fact that he accepts just about every challenge I give him.''

Howell was a unanimous selection for the ACC's top freshman of the first half of the season in balloting by The Associated Press writers covering the conference. It was the only unanimous vote of nine categories.

He has set a school record for touchdown passes by a freshman while throwing only three interceptions. He is a key to coach Mack Brown's rebuilding effort at North Carolina (3-4, 2-2 ACC) entering Saturday's game against Duke (4-3, 2-2).

In addition to Howell's sweep of the top freshman vote, here are some of the ACC's best - and worst - of the season so far in voting by AP writers:

COACH OF THE FIRST HALF

Dave Clawson, Wake Forest. Clawson's Demon Deacons, picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic, are 6-1 overall, 2-1 in the ACC and ranked No. 25. Also receiving votes: Scott Satterfield, Louisville; Dabo Swinney, Clemson.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE FIRST HALF

Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest. Newman leads the league in passing efficiency and his average of 295.3 yards passing per game. Also receiving votes: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson; AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College; Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest; Howell.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE FIRST HALF

Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson. Simmons, a junior, leads the Tigers with 5 1/2 sacks and 49 tackles. He ranks among the league's top six leaders in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. Also receiving votes: Rayshard Ashby, LB, Virginia Tech; Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh.

MOST SURPRISING TEAM

Coming off a 2-10 season, Louisville (4-3, 2-2) edged Wake Forest as the biggest surprise of the first half. Led by first-year coach Satterfield, the former Appalachian State coach, Louisville took wins over Boston College and Wake Forest in consecutive weeks. Also receiving votes: Wake Forest, North Carolina, Pittsburgh.

MOST SURPRISING PLAYER

Surratt. A dominant season for the third-year sophomore continued when he had seven catches for 170 yards in a 22-20 win over Florida State last week. He already has four games with at least 150 yards this season and leads the league in most receiving statistics, including nine scoring catches. Also receiving votes: Howell, Newman.

MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM

Syracuse (3-4, 0-3) is the only team without an ACC win. This follows a 10-win season in 2018. Coach Dino Babers is encouraged the Orange have been close in most games. He said there could be lineup changes in this week's game against Florida State. Also receiving votes: Miami.

HOTTEST SEAT

Willie Taggart, Florida State. The loss to Wake Forest last week left the Seminoles (3-4, 2-3) with losing records overall and in the conference for the second straight season. He is 8-11 in two seasons at Florida State. Also receiving votes: Steve Addazio, Boston College.

BIGGEST INJURY

Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia. Hall led the nation in 22 pass breakups last season. He was a preseason year and a midseason All-America pick this season despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury in a loss at Miami on Oct. 11. Also receiving votes: Anthony Brown, QB, Boston College.

[StarDust Bum]

SMU heads to Houston as G5 leader
October 23, 2019
By The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) Sonny Dykes knows No. 16 SMU just needs to keep winning games. He is not really concerned right now about the Mustangs being the highest-ranked Group of Five team and what that could eventually mean if they stay that way.

''I don't know that we understand any of that right now,'' Dykes said. ''I think the thing with us ... we talked about this at length with our guys. Everybody will kick us to the curb pretty fast.''

SMU (7-0, 3-0 American Athletic), off to its best start since the Pony Express days in 1982 before the NCAA death penalty, plays at Houston (3-4, 1-2) on Thursday night in a matchup of coaches who have known each other for a long time.

After that, the Mustangs then go to Memphis on Nov. 2, which will be their last game before the first College Football Playoff rankings come out. Those rankings determine who plays for the national championship, and also sets the matchups for the New Year's Six games - the highest-ranked team outside the Power Five conferences will play in the Cotton Bowl this season.

''There's a higher standard that what we have to play to, and when you're not in a Power Five conference, that's part of it. We understand that,'' Dykes said. ''We're in a daily fight for respect, and at the same time we've got to deserve it, and we have to play at a really high level. We know that.''

With former Texas quarterback Shane Buechele, the Mustangs have scored at least 41 points in their last games. He is coming off a career-high 457 yards passing with six touchdowns in a win over Temple.

Houston is 2-1 since standout dual-threat quarterback D'Eriq King and receiver Keith Corbin decided after the fourth game that they were redshirting the remainder of this season to save a year of eligibility.

Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune has been dealing with a pulled hamstring for almost a month and could be ready to play on the short week after not playing in a win at UConn when freshman Logan Holgorsen, the son of coach Dana Holgorsen, was the starter.

Tune got hurt Sept. 28 against North Texas in his first start and was still limited against No. 18 Cincinnati despite an open date before that game.

''I feel good about it. I think everybody that understands that he came back after having a bye week. He had time to be able to recover. Then he played against Cincinnati,'' Dana Holgorsen said. ''A week later, we probably could've played him, but it was going to be a recurring thing every single week.''

ON THE SAME STAFF

Holgorsen is in his first year as Houston's head coach after eight seasons at West Virginia, while former California and Louisiana Tech coach Dykes is in his second season at SMU. The two were on Texas Tech's staff together for head coach Mike Leach from 2000-06, a stretch when the Red Raiders won 56 games and went to a bowl game each of those seven seasons.

FORMER HORNS

Houston running back Kyle Porter and Buechele spent three seasons together at Texas and are have having success with their new teams. Buechele has thrown for 2,122 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Porter is Houston's leading rusher with 448 yards and has scored three touchdowns.

''He went to Texas and played early, you could tell he was one of those guys who had been in the system like we all tried to run,'' Holgorsen said of Buechele. ''I knew as soon as it was announced that he was going to SMU that it could be the difference in SMU's season. He is playing really well, he is accurate and he understands the game.''

RANKED ON THE ROAD

Houston will be looking to return the favor to a ranked Mustangs team playing on the road. The last two times the Cougars played at SMU, they were ranked and lost - 45-31 last year, after a 38-16 setback in 2016 that knocked then-No. 11 Houston all the way out of the poll.

BIG D JERSEYS

The Mustangs will wear their Dallas-themed jerseys for the nationally televised game, a nod to the city and those who suffered losses after storms ripped through the Dallas area Sunday night. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson reached out to SMU President R. Gerald Turner about the possibility. The ''Dallas'' script across the front of the jersey pays homage to SMU alum and AFL founder Lamar Hunt and the Dallas Texans.

[StarDust Bum]

by: Monty Andrews


DEVITO BACK IN CHARGE

Tommy DeVito has been listed as the starting quarterback for Syracuse's Saturday encounter with Florida State, though you could hardly blame the guy for wanting a breather.

DeVito was knocked out of last Friday's home loss to the Pittsburgh Panthers in the third quarter after taking repeated hard hits. he was sacked nine times in all in that defeat, bringing the Orange's season total to a whopping 35 sacks – easily the most in the country. Clayton Welsh will be on standby if any further damage is done to DeVito, who has thrown for 1,635 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

The Seminoles come in having recorded just two total sacks in their past three games, but they had six versus Louisville on September 21, and this Syracuse offensive line is even worse. We like the home team to cover as a double-digit favorite.


HUNTLEY NOT DONE YET

Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley might not play this weekend against visiting California, but he hasn't been lost for the season. Huntley took some punishing hits in last week's win over Arizona State and is dealing with an upper-body injury that was first thought to be season ending.

But Huntley will reportedly return at some point this season and, though there was some question over his available for this weekend, Huntley told reporters he plans on facing the Golden Bears. Huntley has been sensational so far this season with 1,564 passing yards and nine touchdown passes against just one interception.

Huntley might be at full strength this weekend but there's a good chance he won't be, and it's hard to see him leading Utah to 30-plus points against a Cal team that hasn't allowed that many in a game all season. We favor the Under on Utah's team total.


MORE HELP FOR JOE?

Joe Burrow's Heisman Trophy candidacy has a full head of steam and the LSU quarterback might be in for another boost this weekend.

Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. is hoping to return versus Auburn Saturday for his first game action since suffering a foot injury in the Tigers' September 21 victory over Vanderbilt. And while the Tigers' offense hasn't missed a beat in Marshall's absence – averaging an incredible 50.1 points per game on the season – the return of Marshall should make things even tougher on opposing defenses. Marshall has 20 receptions for 304 yards and six touchdowns on the year.

Marshall's comeback should solidify Burrow as the man to beat in the Heisman race, but it does put a damper on the props for the Tigers' two other marquee receivers. This might be a good weekend to fade both Justin Jefferson and JaMarr Chase on their respective yardage props, particularly against a challenging Tigers defense.


WELCOME BACK!

The Maryland Terrapins will be undoubtedly thrilled to have running back Anthony McFarland Jr. at full strength for Saturday's encounter with host Minnesota.

McFarland missed last week's loss to Indiana and played just four snaps the week before in a defeat at Purdue after suffering an ankle injury. However, head coach Mike Locksley says he expects the redshirt sophomore to be back in action against the Golden Gophers. McFarland is having a terrific season with the Terrapins, rushing for 340 yards and seven touchdowns (on 5.2 yards per carry) while adding nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Maryland is 2-1 SU and ATS in three games this season in which McFarland has rushed for 75-plus yards and while the Gophers have a stout defense, the Terrapins should do enough on offense to cover as 17-point underdogs.

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SMU at HOU 07:30 PM

HOU +13.5******

U 65.5*****

[StarDust Bum]

Buechele, Jones lead No. 16 SMU past Houston, 34-31
October 24, 2019

HOUSTON (AP) Shane Buechele threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns, Xavier Jones ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns and No. 16 SMU held off Houston 34-31 on Thursday night.

Buechele was 20 of 38. James Proche caught seven passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and Kylen Grayson had six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown for SMU (8-0, 4-0 American).

Jones had a career-long 62-yard rushing touchdown with 10:41 left in the second quarter and added a 2-yard scoring run 47 seconds into the second half after SMU forced a Houston fumble and Richard McBryde recovered it.

Houston's Clayton Tune finished 18 of 35 for a career-high 407 yards and two touchdowns. Mulbah Car rushed for 136 yards on 18 carries. Marquez Stevenson had five catches for 211 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score.

Bryson Smith added a 1-yard TD run to start the second quarter.

Houston (3-5, 1-3) outgained SMU, 510-385 yards.

Houston closed to 34-31 on a 96-yard touchdown pass from Tune to Stevenson and added a 2-point conversion with 4:47 left. After Houston forced an SMU punt, the Mustangs forced a turnover on downs at the Houston 45. Houston forced another SMU punt, but Tune was sacked at midfield to end the game.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

SMU should maintain its position in the poll following the win over Houston.

ROBINSON EJECTED FOR TARGETING

SMU's Delano Robinson was ejected for targeting late in the first quarter after hitting Christian Trahan after Trahan missed Tune's pass. Robinson was called for unnecessary roughness with targeting and the play was confirmed after review.

THE TAKEAWAY

SMU: SMU kept its hopes of playing in a New Years' Six bowl alive. The Mustangs took advantage of Houston's three turnovers, converting them into 14 points. SMU had seven sacks for 51 yards and 13 tackles for loss.

Houston: The Cougars played well defensively, but committed three turnovers and 11 penalties for 129 yards. Houston had 22 first downs and had the ball for almost 32 minutes, but also had issues holding on to the ball, with five fumbles, losing the ball twice.

UP NEXT

SMU: At Memphis on Nov. 2.

Houston: At UCF on Nov. 2,