College Football Betting News and Notes Friday, October 24

Pac-12 Report - Week 9
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Oregon at California

The scoreboad operator at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley is already limbering up, doing finger exercises to get ready for Friday's potential track meet. The last time Oregon QB Marcus Mariota played at Cal he went for a career-high six touchdown passes. The Golden Bears have QB Jared Goff, who has the second-highest QB rating in the conference behind the Heisman Trophy candidate Mariota. The Ducks are favored by 18 points for Friday's late-night battle. They have been strong on the road against the number, going 14-4 ATS in their past 18 road games, and 10-2 ATS in their past 12 road games against a team with a winning home record. For what it's worth, Oregon has failed to cover its past four appearances on Fridays. Cal heads into this one 5-2 ATS in the past seven overall, but just 5-12 ATS in their past 17 against a team with a winning record, and 3-11 ATS in their past 14 at home. In this series, the Ducks are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings, but the home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six. The under might be more attractive, cashing in six of the past seven meetings in the series. The under is also 5-0-1 in Oregon's past six on the road, and 3-1-1 in their past five overall. For Cal, the under is 12-3-1 in their past 16 games in the month of October.

BYU vs. Boise State Betting Preview and Pick
By: Michael Robinson
Sportingnews.com

Reeling BYU looks to stop a three-game losing streak when it visits Boise State on Friday night (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Week 9 of the college football season. The Cougars are also trying to snap an ATS slide, losers of five in a row against the number.

The Line: Boise State -7, Total: 59

Line movement: The Wynn opened Boise State at -6 on Sunday and moved steadily up the ladder to -7.5 by midweek, when most shops were at the key number 7. For updated spreads and totals from around Las Vegas, visit our live odds page.

Trends that matter: BYU is 0-5 ATS in its last five games after starting 2-0 ATS. The OVER is 4-0 in BYU’s last four games after the UNDER started 2-0-1.

Boise State is 8-17 ATS in its last 25 home games and 18-3 SU in its last 21 home games.The OVER is 4-2 in Boise State's last six games.

This is the third year in a row these teams have met, with the home team winning the previous two meetings but BYU covering the spread both times. Both games stayed UNDER -- in fact, the 2012 meeting finished Boise State 7, BYU 6.

Lifer after Hill: BYU (4-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) is trying to figure out how to win after losing quarterback Taysom Hill (leg) for the season against Utah State on Oct. 3. The last two games were tough losses at UCF (31-24 OT as 2.5-point dogs) and home to Nevada (42-35 as 10-point favorites), blowing two-touchdown leads in the second half of each.

Senior quarterback Christian Stewart had a great line last game against Nevada (408 yards, four touchdowns and no picks), but his yards per attempt was just 6.5 and he had two crucial fumbles in the fourth quarter.

Star running back Jamaal Williams (399 yards, 5.2 ypc) didn’t play last game after getting hurt in the first series at UCF. He is questionable this week, and his return would really take some pressure off the inexperienced Stewart.

Hedrick the key this week: Boise State (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) is going in the opposite direction of BYU, beating Nevada (51-46 as 3.5-point road favorites) and Fresno State (37-27 as 18-point favorites) the last two games in MWC play. Both were without key receiver Matt Miller (461 yards), who is out for the year as well.

Senior quarterback Grant Hedrick completed 77 percent of his throws the last two games, even without Miller. He is second nationally overall at 71.9 percent. Jay Ajayi (867 yards, 5.0 ypc) is one of the most underrated running backs in the country.

BYU’s defense is an impressive fifth nationally against the run (97 YPG), while just 117th (290.6 YPG) against the pass. Hedrick will need to be accurate once again and spread the ball around.

Injuries that matter: BYU’s Williams (ankle) is questionable. Linebacker Alani Fua (ankle), safety Craig Bills (concussion) and offensive lineman Brayden Kearsley (ankle) are all questionable as well.

Weather: There is a very small chance of rain with temperatures starting in the low 60s and moving down to the high 50s. Visit Weather Underground for the latest forecast.

The Linemakers lean: From a value perspective, BYU getting a touchdown-plus looks like a take. Our power ratings suggest the spread here should be closer to a field goal. But because the Cougars have been heading in the wrong direction since losing their star QB, we'll recommend just a small play on the dog.

Oregon vs. California Betting Preview and Pick
By: Ryan Mercier
Sportingnews.com

LAS VEGAS – One team is fighting for a bowl bid, while the other is still in the national title hunt. Cal is a three-loss team that could slip out of bowl contention if it’s not careful. Oregon has put together two wins in a row after suffering its first blemish against Arizona. Friday night Pac-12 action will see these two squads battle it out (10:00 p.m., Fox Sports 1).

The Line: Oregon -18.5, Total: 78

Line movement: At The Wynn, this line has been on a roller coaster. Oregon opened -18.5 on Sunday, fell to -17 later in day, before shooting to as high as -19. For updated spreads and totals from around Las Vegas, visit our live odds page .

Trends that matter: Oregon is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 road games, 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games as a road favorite, but just 2-6 ATS in its last eight conference games. The UNDER is 5-0-1 in Oregon's last six road games

Cal is 5-14 in its last 19 conference games, 3-11 ATS in its last 14 home games, but 5-2 ATS in its last seven games overall.

The UNDER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings. Oregon is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

Rolls Royce: Three weeks ago, Oregon faced defeat for the first time in 2014 and for bettors, the Ducks were just 1-4 ATS. Not only has Oregon won two in a row since that point, but both contests were covers against the spread.

Against Washington a week ago, the Ducks covered as a 3-touchdown favorite in a game where freshman running back Royce Freeman went bananas. The shiny new toy of Oregon ran for 169 yards and a whopping four touchdowns against the Huskies.

In fact, Freeman has been on top of his game for two weeks in a row now after rushing for 121 yards and two scores against UCLA.

He is a very nice piece to go along with the outstanding quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota has still not thrown an interception this year and has 19 touchdown passes. On that note, Freeman has a perfect throwing mark on the year as well after throwing a touchdown pass himself to Mariota against Arizona.

With two wins and covers in a row, and having already suffered one loss, this could really be a sprint to the finish for the Ducks. Their toughest matchup remaining will be hosting Stanford next week, and the Cardinal are going through some issues right now.

A year ago, Oregon covered at home against Cal as a 38.5-point favorite and the total fell UNDER 81.

Remaining golden: While Cal's coaches and players are certainly unhappy losing by two points at the expense of a fourth quarter field goal by UCLA, Bear bettors moved to 5-2 against the spread this year.

Cal was a total mess a season ago. Head coach Sonny Dykes and company had just one victory and two covers. Through seven games in 2014, the Golden Bears have a winning record and have been in every game, minus a blowout at home to Washington.

Their peak of going OVER the total ended with the mind-blowing score of 60-59 over Washington State. That marked four straight where Cal went OVER but the last two weeks have both gone UNDER. The Bears offense seems to have slowed down a bit and Oregon may be able to build on that defensively. Cal did score 34 points last week, but UCLA committed three turnovers and the Bears were outgained by 200 yards.

Injuries that matter: Cal is suddenly banged up. Linebacker Brennan Scarlett (knee), offensive lineman Chris Borrayo (head), wide receiver Chris Harper (head) are all questionable for Friday. Wide receiver and kick returner Trevor Davis (head) is doubtful.

Weather: Temperatures are expected to be around 71 degrees and there is a chance of rain. Visit Weather Underground for the latest forecast.

The Linemakers lean: Oregon will score at will on Friday night, and has covered bigger spreads than this three times in row against Cal. We see them scoring in the 50s and running away from Cal here. The trends support our play on the Ducks. We'll also go OVER this rather large total. Cal doesn't run the ball much, so the clock will keep stopping and Oregon could benefit from short fields. Oregon and OVER are the plays.

Boise State hosts BYU
By Sportsbook.ag

BYU COUGARS (4-3) at BOISE STATE BRONCOS (5-2)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Boise State -7, Total: 59

BYU attempts to end a three-game losing skid when it travels to the blue turf of Boise State on Friday night.

The Cougars started out the year with some impressive play, winning their first four games SU (2-2 ATS), but have since gone 0-3 (both SU and ATS) while losing by an average of 9.7 PPG. They had been double-digit favorites in two of those losses, including against Nevada last week when they hosted the Wolf Pack as 10-point favorites and absorbed a 42-35 loss while being outscored 22-7 in the final quarter. BYU outgained its opponent 601-411 in the defeat, but had three turnovers which proved to be its downfall. The Cougars have now turned the ball over nine times during their three-game losing skid.

Boise State has been favored in all but one contest this year and is 4-3 ATS while defeating its opponents by an average of 14.0 PPG in its wins. Last week, the Broncos were big 18-point favorites when they hosted Fresno State and came away with a 37-27 victory as they totaled 492 yards of offense, including 264 rushing yards.

These programs have split their past two meetings, with BYU going 2-0 ATS. This includes winning last season when they met in Utah by a score of 37-20 as 5.5-point favorites after building a large 24-3 halftime lead and throwing for 339 yards while forcing four turnovers.

Trends show that the Cougars are 30-16 ATS (65%) in road games after outgaining their opponent by 175+ total yards in their previous game since 1992, while Boise State is 15-2 ATS (88%) after gaining 450+ total yards in four consecutive contests over the same timeframe.

BYU has plenty of injuries to worry about in this one, as QB Taysom Hill (leg) is out for the season while HBs Jamaal Williams (ankle), Algernon Brown (ankle), Adam Hine (ankle) and LB Alani Fua (ankle) are all questionable.

For the Broncos, leading WR Matt Miller (Ankle) is out for the year and will certainly be missed in the passing game.

Despite the current losing streak, BYU has been able to put up some solid offense numbers this season. The team has thrown for 244 YPG while getting 208 YPG on the ground (33rd in FBS) and has scored 32.7 PPG. The absence of Taysom Hill has opened the door for QB Christian Stewart (733 pass yards, 7 TD, 4 INT) and while he has done fairly well, his team is 0-3 with him as the starter. In the loss against Nevada, Stewart threw for 408 yards on 39-of-63 passing (61.9%) while having 4 TD and 0 INT.

Hill was also the team’s leading rusher and the offense may be without leading HB Jamaal Williams (399 rush yards, 3 TD) as well, so HB Paul Lasike (180 rush yards, 1 TD) will be expected to carry the running duties after getting double-digit attempts in each of the past two games. WR Mitch Matthews (457 rec yards, 5 TD) leads this team with 43 receptions, while WR Jordan Leslie (430 rec yards, 1 TD) has provided some big plays with 13.0 yards per catch on 33 grabs.

The defense has struggled while allowing 26.1 PPG and 388 total YPG to their opponents, as LB Alani Fua (30 tackles, 3 sacks) and DB Craig Bills (39 tackles, 1 INT) have led this side of the ball. If Fua can't play on Friday, the Cougars could be in for a long night.

Boise State has been one of the better offenses in the nation while gaining 452.1 YPG of total offense (39th in FBS) with 291 of those yards coming from the passing game and has scored 32.0 PPG (54th in nation). QB Grant Hedrick (1,831 pass yards, 8 TD, 10 INT) had eight of his 10 interceptions in just two contests (0-2) this year while having a 7:2 TD/INT ratio in his other five games and eclipsing 340 passing yards twice. He is a dual-threat also as he has run for 260 yards on 86 attempts (3.0 YPC) while getting into the end zone twice. HB Jay Ajayi (867 rush yards, 10 TD) ranks 12th in the nation in rushing yards while being one of 12 backs who has double-digit scores.

He has compiled at least 150 yards in 4-of-7 games this year while also recording 35 receptions for 317 yards (9.1 avg) and 2 TD. With the loss of WR Matt Miller, WR Shane Williams-Rhodes (343 rec yards, 3 TD) and freshman TE Jake Roh (243 rec yards, 1 TD) will need to step up.

On the defensive side of things, the Broncos have allowed a poor 27.1 PPG to their opponents behind the play of LB Tanner Vallejo (47 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and the DB combo of Donte Deayon (22 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD) and Darian Thompson (26 tackles, 4 INT).

OREGON DUCKS (6-1) at CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (4-3)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Oregon -17.5, Total: 78.5

No. 6 Oregon is back in playoff contention, and will look for a third straight win on Friday night with a visit to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

Since losing to Arizona to start the month, the Ducks (3-4 ATS) have responded by winning their past two games by 18.5 PPG. The Golden Bears (5-2 ATS) are coming off a tough 36-34 loss to UCLA last weekend. In that game, California had its chances to pull off the upset, but surrendered 567 yards in the loss. Oregon has one of the elite scoring teams in the country at 43.6 PPG, and the Bears have struggled against teams that can score.

California is 6-17 ATS in the past three seasons when giving up at least 28 points. On the other hand, Oregon has shown the ability to be successful on the road, going 10-2 ATS in the same time period when scoring 28 points. Last season, the Ducks were able to build a 27-point lead after the first quarter en route to the 55-16 victory against California.

The weather played a big role in the game, as the two teams combined for seven turnovers, while also totaling 20 penalties.

With Oregon has no major injuries to be concerned with, California lost a pair of defensive backs with season-ending knee injuries last week (Griffin Piatt and Joel Willis) and have three offensive players questionable for this matchup (WR Chris Harper, WR Trevor Davis and OL Chris Borrayo).

The Ducks have bounced back nicely from that loss to Arizona, and the team once again has one of the best offenses in the country. QB Marcus Mariota (1,957 pass yards, 289 rush yards, 24 total TD) is the leader on an offense that ranks sixth in FBS scoring (43.6 PPG), 15th in passing (309.7 YPG) and 32nd in rushing (217.3 YPG). What makes Mariota so impressive is not only does he make the big play, but he also does a tremendous job of limiting the mistakes, as he has thrown zero interceptions all season.

The ground game got things going last week against Washington, rushing for 218 yards. RB Royce Freeman (114 carries, 636 yards, 11 TD) is a load at 230 pounds, but he also has the speed that makes him one of the toughest runners to stop in the country. Unlike the past few seasons, Freeman gives the Ducks a guy that can run up the middle and get the tough yards. RBs Thomas Tyner (66 carries, 279 yards, 1 TD) and Byron Marshall (677 total yards, 9.9 yards per touch, 9 TD) are the home-run threats at the running back position. WR Devon Allen (23 catches, 440 yards, 6 TD) is a track star on the outside, giving the Ducks an elite playmaker at the receiver position.

TE Pharaoh Brown (18 catches, 314 yards, 3 TD) is a big threat for Mariota, and is especially dangerous in the red zone. The Oregon offense has shown that it is going to be able to score with most teams, but the defense still needs to step forward. The unit currently ranks 48th in the nation in points allowed (23.7 PPG) and has given up 448 total YPG, including 526 total YPG in two road contests. But the Ducks still have the playmakers to be a solid defense.

LB Derrick Malone (44 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 QBH) is the leading tackler on the team. DB Troy Hill (29 tackles, 8 PD, 2 TFL) has been a great player in the secondary, while fellow DB Erick Dargan (42 tackles, 4 INT, 2.5 TFL) is the playmaker in a unit that will face an explosive Cal offense.

The Bears offense is one of the best in the country, ranking 3rd in passing (372.1 YPG), and 10th in scoring (41.6 PPG), but is ranked only 108th in rushing (124.4 YPG). QB Jared Goff (2,482 pass yards, 24 TD, 4 INT) is only a sophomore, but has shown he can throw the ball as well as any quarterback. At running back, Daniel Lasco (102 carries, 523 yards, 6 TD) does a good job of forcing defenses to respect the ground game, which obviously helps Goff and the passing game.

Goff does a nice job of spreading the ball out to all his receivers, as seven players have at least 15 catches. WRs Bryce Treggs (33 catches, 401 yards, 5 TD) and Kenny Lawler (28 catches, 387 yards, 6 TD) are the two guys that Goff goes to the most. This unit could be down a receiver, as WR Chris Harper (25 catches, 334 yards, 4 TD) may miss the game due to an injury. The offense of the Bears has the opportunity to score some points, but the defense will have to be ready to try and slow down the Ducks.

The defense has struggled all season, allowing 38.4 PPG (120th in nation) and 525 total YPG. CB Cameron Walker (36.5 tackles, 5 PD, 1 INT) is the leader on this defense, but the star of this unit is S Griffin Piatt (32.5 tackles, 9 PD, 3 INT). Piatt has a knack for the ball, and gives the Golden Bears a true playmaker on defense.

Check out more College Football Odds and Props at Sportsbook.ag!

Game of the Day: Oregon vs. California
By Covers.com

Oregon Ducks at California Golden Bears (+17.5, 79)

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota threw a career-high six touchdown passes at California two years ago and the Heisman Trophy candidate will return to California's Memorial Stadium for the first time since that performance when the No. 7 Ducks face the Golden Bears in a Pac-12 game Friday night. Mariota will also attempt to remain error free in the interception department as he has thrown 238 consecutive passes without being picked off, a streak that dates back to last season. The streak is the second longest in conference history behind the 353 Mariota made without an interception during his first two years.

California also has a gifted signal caller in Jared Goff, who owns the second-best quarterback rating in the Pac-12 behind Mariota and has thrown 24 touchdown passes against four interceptions while eclipsing the 300-yard barrier in five straight games. Bryce Treggs and Kenny Lawler continue to be solid options for Goff at the wide receiver position, but Stephen Anderson appears to be gaining favor as well, catching at least four passes in each of the last four games. Mariota will likely continue looking in the direction of wide receiver Devon Allen, the NCAA defending champion in the 110 hurdles who has six touchdown receptions.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened at Cal +17 before money came in forcing a slight jump to +17.5. The total has seen a slight change as well, opening at 79.5 before dropping to 79.

INJURY REPORT: Oregon - WR Keanon Lowe (Ques-Hamstring) Cal - WR Trevor Davis (Out-Head)

WEATHER FORECAST: Clear skies and mild temperatures are expected for the game. At kickoff the temperature will be 71°F but will quickly drop to 60°F by the fourth quarter.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Cal had 56 yards on 31 rushes last week and 64 yards on 33 carries the week before. Conversely, Oregon leads the Pac-12 with 217.3 rushing yards per game. The game opened Ore -17 and currently stands -17.5. Looks to be a very boring game and the public has not gotten involved as of yet. Oregon will have a walk over in this game and can prob name their own score." - Scott Kaminsky from TheGreek.com

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Ducks have rounded back into the playoff contenders they were expected to be with the return of two injured starting offensive linemen, making QB Marcus Mariota much more dangerous. Although they’ve been outgained in each of their last five games, the Bears numbers are up across the board this year as opposed to last. The question is whether Oregon puts together the complete game they are capable of, or if they get caught napping in a nasty Stanford look ahead revenger up next." - Covers Expert Marc Lawrence

ABOUT OREGON (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12): The Ducks and Golden Bears have played the same two teams in their last two games. Oregon beat a solid UCLA squad by 12 and followed up with a 35-point victory last weekend against Washington, while Cal lost to the Huskies by 24 and was edged by two points last weekend against the Bruins. Oregon running back Royce Freeman continues to dominate, rushing for at least 100 yards in the last two games, owning 11 touchdowns and sitting within 76 rushing yards of breaking the freshman program for a season.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA (4-3, 2-3): The Golden Bears will definitely need to improve on defense if they expect to keep up with the Ducks. California enters the game giving up an average of 38.4 points, which ranks 117th out of the 125 FBS teams. One of the bright spots was safety Griffin Piatt, the team’s leading tackler who also has a team-high three interceptions, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Washington.

TRENDS:

*Ducks are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following a ATS win.
*Under is 7-3-1 in Golden Bears last 11 games following a S.U. loss.
*Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
*Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 55.3 percent of Covers users are taking the Ducks -17.5 with 53.5 percent of the community taking the over.

Friday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

BYU at Boise State

As of Thursday afternoon, most betting shops had Boise State (5-2 straight up, 4-3 against the spread) installed as a seven-point favorite with a total of 58. Gamblers can take the Cougars on the money line for a +240 return (risk $100 to win $240).

BYU (4-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) has lost three in a row, including a pair of gut-wrenching defeats in the last two weeks. On Oct. 9 at Central Florida, Bronco Mendenhall's team lost a 31-24 decision in overtime. Then last week in Provo, the Cougars allowed three separate double-digit leads to get away in a 42-35 loss to Nevada. They enjoyed a 28-13 advantage at halftime, only to lose outright as 10-point home favorites.

In his second start since replacing the injured Taysom Hill, Christian Stewart played his best game against the Wolf Pack. Stewart completed 39-of-63 passes for 408 yards and four TDs without an interception. Mitch Mathews hauled in 16 catches for 182 yards and a pair of TDs.

BYU has failed to cover the spread in five straight games.

BYU will welcome two of its best players back into the starting lineup this week. Jamaal Williams didn't play against Nevada and left the UCF game after his first carry due to a sprained ankle. Williams has been upgraded to 'probable' this week, however. The junior RB has only played in four games (we won't count his one carry for one yard in Orlando), rushing for 396 yards and three TDs while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Senior safety Craig Bills, the team's leading returning tackler from 2013, is also ready to go after suffering a concussion at UCF and missing the loss to Nevada. It's a good thing that Williams is returning because two back-up RBs are unlikely to play on the smurf turf. Adam Hine, who has 55 rushing yards on 19 carries, is listed as 'doubtful,' while Algernon Brown is out with an ankle injury. Brown has rushed 30 times for 158 yards and has also caught 11 balls for 101 yards. WR Devon Blackmon is also 'doubtful.' Blackmon, the juco transfer who began his career at Oregon, has been an immense disappointment. He has just three receptions for 58 yards.

Boise St. beat Fresno St. by a 37-27 count last Friday, but it never threatened to cover the number as a 17.5-point home favorite. Jay Ajayi ran for 158 yards and two TDs on 30 carries and also had four receptions for 37 yards. QB Grant Hedrick threw for 190 yards and one TD without being intercepted. He also rushed 15 times for 56 yards.

Ajayi has rushed for 867 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 5.0 YPC. He has gone for 150 yards or more four times, including a season-high 219-yard effort in a 37-24 home win over Colorado St. Ajayi also has 35 catches for 317 yards and a pair of TDs.

Hedrick has a great completion percentage (71.9%), but he has been turnover prone with a mediocre 8/11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Hedrick has 1,831 passing yards, in addition to 260 rushing yards for two scores.

BYU has the nation's fifth-ranked run defense, limiting opponents to 97.1 yards rushing per game. -- The 'over' is 5-2 overall for BYU, cashing in four consecutive games. The Cougars have seen the 'over' go 2-1 in their three road assignments.

The 'over' is 4-3 overall for BSU, 2-1 in its home games.

When these schools met last year, BYU collected a 37-20 win as a 6.5-point home favorite. In the last encounter on the blue carpet, BSU won by a 7-6 count thanks to a defensive stop on a two-point conversion attempt by the Cougars after scoring with 3:37 remaining. The Broncos failed to cover as six-point home 'chalk' because they came up empty on five fourth-down conversion attempts inside of BYU territory.

ESPN will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

Oregon at California

This game will be played in Santa Clara, which is 51 miles south of Berkeley. As of Thursday afternoon, most books had Oregon (6-1 SU, 3-4 ATS) listed as an 18-point favorite with a total of 79.5. Bettors can back the Bears to win outright for a +700 payout (risk $100 to win $700).

California (4-3 SU, 5-2 ATS) has dropped back-to-back games after winning four of its first five. Sonny Dykes's squad dropped a 36-34 decision to UCLA last week, but it did hook up its gambling supporters as a 6.5-point home underdog. The 70 combined points stayed 'under' the 72.5-point total.

In the loss to the Bruins, Cal QB Jared Goff was intercepted by Marcus Rios in the final minute. UCLA had taken the lead on a short field goal with 3:40 remaining. Goff threw for 303 yards and a pair of TDs and the last-minute pick was his only one of the day.

Goff has connected on 64.8 percent of his passes for 2,482 yards with a 24/4 TD-INT ratio. The true sophomore is second in the Pac-12 and sixth in the nation in passing yards.

Cal WR Trevor Davis suffered a head/neck injury in the loss to UCLA and is 'out' vs. Oregon. Davis has made 21 receptions for 360 yards and four TDs.

Cal compiled an abysmal 1-5 spread record as a home underdog in Dykes's first year in 2013. The spread cover vs. UCLA last week was the first home 'dog spot of this season.

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is enjoying a spectacular season. He has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 1,957 yards and 19 TDs without an interception. Mariota also has 289 rushing yards and five TDs, in addition to catching a 26-yard TD pass. He completed 24-of-33 throws for 336 yards and two TDs in last week's 45-20 win over Washington. The Ducks took the cash as 21-point favorites.

Royce Freeman rushed for a season-high 169 yards and four TDs on 29 carries against the Huskies. For the season, Freeman has rushed for a team-best 636 yards and 11 TDs while averaging 5.6 YPC.

According to Friday's edition of The Oregonian, WR Keanon Lowe remains 'questionable' this week with a hamstring injury. Lowe suffered the injury two weeks ago in a win at UCLA. He has 17 receptions for 266 yards and four TDs.

Oregon owns a 4-3 spread record in seven games as a road favorite on Mark Helfrich's watch. The Ducks failed to cover in a 38-31 win at Washington St. on Sept. 20, but they did take the money in a 42-30 win at UCLA.

Oregon has won five in a row over Cal in this rivalry, going 4-1 ATS. The 'under' is on a 6-1 roll in the last seven head-to-head meetings between these schools. When they squared off in Eugene last year, Oregon captured a 55-16 win as a 38.5-point home 'chalk.' Mariota threw a pair of TD passes and ran for another score.

The 'over' is 4-3 overall for the Bears, 2-2 in their home games. The 'over' had hit in four consecutive games for Cal until the 'under' appeared in its last two outings. This is the highest total Cal has seen all year, with the previous high (72.5) coming last week vs. UCLA.

Totals have been an overall split (3-3-1) for the Ducks, who have seen the 'under' go 1-0-1 in their two road assignments. This is Oregon's second-highest tally of the season. When the Ducks lost 31-24 to Arizona at home, the 55 combined points dipped way 'under' the 81.5-point tally.

Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1.

NCAAF Week 9

Troy is 1-6 after 53-14 home loss last week; longtime coach Blakeney is on his way out after 24 years. Trojans are 1-2 as road dogs; four of their six losses are by 17+ points. Troy beat South Alabama 34-33/31-10 last two years; USA had 630 TY in LY's loss. Favorites covered five of six Jaguar games; USA is 3-1 as favorite this year, winning by 10-24-26-3 points. Sun Belt home favorites are 6-9 vs spread in conference play.

South Florida had scored 17 or less points five games in row before they rallied from 27-7 halftime deficit to win 38-30 at Tulsa last week. USF is 6-1 as road dogs under Taggart, 2-0 this year. Cincinnati had allowed an average of 48.3 ppg in losing previous three games before 41-3 win last week at SMU. Underdogs covered seven of last nine USF games, three of last five here. AAC home favorites are 4-7 vs spread in conference play.

Home side won last two BYU-Boise games; Cougars lost 7-6 in last visit here, thanks to -5 turnover ratio. BYU lost QB Hill for year; they've lost last three games, allowing 36 ppg, with two of those three at home. BYU is 6-2 in last eight games as a road dog. Mountain West non-conference favorites are 3-4 vs spread, 2-2 at home. Boise State scored 88 points in winning its last two games- they're 2-1 as home favorites this season.

Oregon won last five games with Cal, covering last three (average score of 53-16 in last three); Ducks scored 87 points in winning their last two games- they're 1-1 as road favorites, winning by 7/12 at Wazzu/UCLA while allowing 30.5 ppg. This game is at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, where 49ers play; Cal territory, but not in Berkeley. Four of last five Cal games were decided by 4 or less points, but Bears allowed 46.2 ppg in those five games- they're 4-0 as an underdog this season.

Armadillosports.com