Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites.
Conference championship games next week:
— Sun Belt: Western Kentucky @ Jacksonville State
— Mountain West: UNLV @ Boise State
— American: Tulane @ Army
— MAC: Miami vs Ohio (@ Detroit)
— SEC: Georgia vs Texas (@ Atlanta)
— Big 18: Penn State vs Oregon (@ Indianapolis)
— ACC: Clemson vs SMU (@ Charlotte, NC)
Quote of the Day
“It’s hard for me to say we’re not one of the 12 best teams in the country. If the committee’s job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me.”
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer
Sunday’s quiz
Miami Hurricanes lost their last five bowl games; who did they beat the last time they won a bowl?
Saturday’s quiz
USC basketball coach Eric Musselman was also head coach for the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings.
Friday’s quiz
Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley scored 3.8 ppg in his five-year NBA career; he played most of his career with the Sacramento Kings.
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Sunday’s Den: Wrapping up a sports Saturday……..
— Marshall 35, James Madison 33 OT
James Madison led this game 17-0 at halftime.
Marshall tied game on a TD with 5:04 left.
Marshall-Louisiana is the Sun Belt title game next week.
— Texas 17, Texas A&M 7
Texas outgained A&M 458-248; they led 17-0 at halftime.
A&M’s only score was a 93-yard pick-6 in third quarter.
Longhorns ran ball 50 times for 240 yards (4.8 yards/carry)
— Iowa State 29, Kansas State 21
Cyclones are 10-2, program’s first-ever 10-win season.
Teams combined to convert 7-29 third down plays.
K-State completed only 12-29 passes, was minus-2 in turnovers.
— Syracuse 42, Miami 38
10-2 Hurricanes led this game 21-0 early in second quarter.
This score means SMU-Clemson is the ACC title game next week.
— Michigan 13, Ohio State 10
Wolverines beat Ohio State for 4th year in a row.
Buckeyes were a 20-point favorite in this game.
Underdogs are 8-2 ATS in last ten series games.
— South Carolina 17, Clemson 14
QB Sellers ran 20 yards for game-winning TD with 1:08 left.
South Carolina ran ball for 267 yards (6.4 yards/carry)
Both teams finish regular season 9-3.
— Georgia 44, Georgia Tech 42 OT
Tech led 17-0 at halftime.
Dawgs scored two TD’s in last 3:39 of regulation to force OT.
Yellow Jackets outgained Georgia, 563-405.
The college overtime system is strange; liked the old format better.
— College football upsets of the week:
Michigan (+20.5) 13, Ohio State 10
Memphis (+12) 34, Tulane 24
Syracuse (+11) 42, Miami 38
Utah (+9.5) 28, Central Florida 14
Rice (+5.5) 35, South Florida 28
College basketball notes:
— Monmouth 63, Seton Hall 51
Big East teams aren’t supposed to lose to CAA teams.
Monmouth shot 10-21 on the arc, Seton Hall 5-21.
— Creighton 80, Notre Dame 76
Bluejays shot 11-24 on the arc.
Notre Dame lost its last four games; they’re 1-3 vs top 100 teams.
— San Diego State 73, Houston 70 OT
Aztecs scored 25 points in first half, 40 in second half.
Houston shot 11-24 on arc, only 12-38 inside arc.
7 of the 10 starters in this game played 36+ minutes.
— Oregon 83, Alabama 81
Ducks put in a rebound with 0:04.4 left for the win.
Oregon is 8-0; they win the Players’ Era tournament.
Barthelemy scored 22 points for Oregon; he didn’t start.
— Famous birthdays, December 1st:
Bette Midler, 79
Charlene Tilton, 66
Larry Walker, 58
Steve Walsh, 58
DeSean Jackson, 38
Dan Straily, 36
Gary Payton II, 32
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 25
— UConn 47, UMass 42
Huskies are quietly 8-4 under Jim Mora Jr, who was an NFL head coach for four years.
UMass led this game 28-27 at halftime.
UConn ran for 253 yards, outgained the Minutemen, 434-390.
— Utah 28, Central Florida 14
UCF finishes season 4-8, its worst record since 2015.
Coach Gus Malzahn is going to resign and become offensive coordinator at Florida State.
Utes’ win snaps their 7-game losing skid.
— Rice 35, South Florida 28
EJ Warner threw for 430 yards, three touchdowns.
Rice overcame 12 penalties for 93 yards; they averaged 10.2 yards/pass attempt.
Owls led 27-7 at halftime.
— NC State 35, North Carolina 30
Wolfpack scored game-winning TD with 0:25 left.
UNC had taken lead on a 47-yard TD pass with 1:51 left.
Teams converted only 5-23 third down plays.
NC State is 6-6; both teams are bowl eligible.
— Notre Dame 49, USC 35
Trojans are 6-6 this year, 8-10 in last 18 games overall.
Notre Dame had two pick-6’s in 4th quarter, 99 and 100 yards.
Notre Dame beats USC for sixth time in last seven meetings.
— Western Kentucky 19, Jacksonville State 17
WKU kicked a 50-yard field goal with 0:03 left for the win.
These teams meet again next week, in the C-USA championship game.
WKU was 7-20 on third down, Gamecocks were 2-13.