College Football Betting News and Notes Saturday, October 5

College Football Betting Preview: Rutgers at SMU
By Andrew Lange
Sportsmemo.com

Rutgers at SMU
Saturday, 9 am PT
CRIS Opener: Rutgers -3
CRIS Current: Rutgers -6.5
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Rutgers -5.5
Andrew Lange's Recommendation: Rutgers

Each season I typically stumble upon two or three teams that I continually "bet on" or "bet against" regardless of matchup, situation, or number. This may last three of four weeks or the entire season depending on a number of factors – most notably whether or not I am winning. If you've followed these pages we've cashed tickets against the SMU Mustangs each of the last two weeks. There is simply not a lot of like about this squad and I once again see justification in betting against them this week.

This isn't the best of spots for Rutgers but it also isn't the worst. The Scarlet Knights come in off a bye week which should have left plenty of prep time for their AAC opener as well as next Thursday's showdown at Louisville. This is a veteran squad that has shown the ability to go out on the road and take care of business. Last season the Scarlet Knights were 5-1 in true road games including wins at Cincinnati and Arkansas. Back in Week 1 we saw them take a quality Fresno State team to overtime on the highway. Needless to say, they won't be intimidated traveling to a venue that will be lucky to feature 20,000 fans.

From a fundamental standpoint, like TCU, Rutgers has the ability to make SMU one dimensional. The Horned Frogs posted seven sacks, force five turnovers, and held the Mustangs to 16 yards rushing in last week's 48-17 win. The Scarlet Knights already have 11 sacks and rank 4th nationally in rush defense at 69.75 ypg.

Rutgers has some injury concerns and will most notably be without the services of running back Paul James (leg) who ranks fourth nationally in yards per game. However, note that James wasn't even on the two-deep entering the season so there is obviously comparable talent to fill his spot.

There are many things wrong with SMU but the most glaring is the lack of consistency at the quarterback position. Let's not forget that Garrett Gilbert played in C-USA last season – a league littered with soft defenses and he finished with a 15-15 TD-to-INT ratio and the league’s worst QB rating. And this season we've already seen multiple examples of what happens when he faces above average stop units – 108.7 QB Rating, 3 TDs, 5 INTs vs. Texas Tech, TCU, and Texas A&M. Not all the blame should be placed on Gilbert but in a competitively lined game if SMU is going to cover the number, he'll need to make key plays and avoid mistakes – two things he's unfortunately shown little no ability to do against quality competition.

Road favorite is not the ideal role for Rutgers but their profile (veteran club, ability to win on the road, stout defense, ball control offense) suggests they’ll have no trouble making like uncomfortable for SMU. The line looks headed to -7 so let's jump in at keep the SMU fade going at least one more week.

Injuries to Watch – Week 6
By Brian Edwards

Texas quarterback David Ash has been ruled ‘out’ of Thursday’s game at IowaState due to lingering concussion symptoms. Ash sustained his first concussion in a 40-21 loss at BYU in Week 2. After sitting out a loss to Ole Miss, he returned to start in a 31-21 win over Kansas St. However, Ash suffered a second head injury against the Wildcats and didn’t return in the second half. This means Case McCoy will get the starting nod for the second time this season. Ash has seven touchdown passes compared to two interceptions this season, while McCoy has one TD pass and hasn’t been intercepted. Also, Texas’s best wide receiver, Mike Davis, is ‘questionable’ against the Cylcones. Davis sprained his ankle in the loss to Ole Miss and didn’t play against Kansas St. In the first three games, Davis had 20 receptions for 223 yards and four TDs.

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen returned to the lineup in last week’s 45-33 loss to Texas A&M. Allen threw for 282 yards and three TDs against the Aggies, but he was picked off twice. The Razorbacks took the cash as 13.5-point home underdogs. Allen missed a 28-24 loss at Rutgers the previous week due to a bruised shoulder. He was considered ‘doubtful’ when I filed last week’s injury blog early Thursday, only to be upgraded to ‘probable’ Friday night. As always, make sure to check twitter (search the player in question) on Friday and/or Saturday for late-breaking injury information.

Despite missing the last three games after leaving the season opener vs. Oklahoma State with a concussion, Mississippi St. senior QB Tyler Russell is expected to start Saturday night vs. LSU. The only reason this is a bit of a surprise is because back-up Dak Prescott has been so effective. Prescott has completed 55.3 percent of his throws for 709 yards with a 3/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He has done his best work with his legs, rushing for a team-high 215 yards and five TDs while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Russell is a three-year starter who led the Bulldogs to eight wins last season with a 24/8 TD-INT ratio. Dan Mullen hasn’t been afraid to use two QBs in the past and I suspect we’ll see both Russell and Prescott against the Tigers, who are favored by 9.5 points.

Georgia sophomore RB Todd Gurley didn’t practice Monday and Tuesday because of a sprained ankle. Gurley sustained the injury in the first half of a 44-41 win over LSU and did not return. As of Wednesday, he was listed as ‘questionable’ for Saturday’s game at Tennessee. Gurley has rushed for 450 yards and five scores, averaging 6.3 YPC. If Gurley can’t go, I’m not sure bettors need to downgrade UGA much even though Gurley might be en route to earning first-team All-American honors. That’s because fellow sophomore Keith Marshall is a beast who averaged 6.5 YPC in 2012.

Northwestern star RB and special-teams dynamo Venric Mark is ‘probable’ vs. Ohio St. Mark has missed three consecutive games with a sprained ankle suffered in a 44-30 season-opening win at California. The speedster was a second-team All Big Ten selection as a RB in 2012 and earned first-team All-American honors on special teams after returning three punts for TDs.

Oregon RB De’Anthony Thomas is ‘doubtful’ at Colorado due to a sprained ankle. Even if Thomas gets better over the next few days, coach Mark Helfrich won’t play his speedster because he wants him ready for next week’s trip to Washington.

Vanderbilt might be without its best pass rusher Saturday vs. Missouri. Senior DE Walker May is ‘questionable’ after suffering a leg injury in a win over UAB.

Stanford All-American OG David Yankey returned to the team on Monday. Yankey missed last week’s win at Washington St. to be with his family following the death of his father.

South Carolina will be without three key offensive players Saturday vs. Kentucky. QB Connor Shaw is out 2-3 weeks with a shoulder sprain, while WR Shaq Roland will miss a second (and final) game due to a suspension. Also, back-up RB Brandon Wilds is out 3-4 weeks with a sprained elbow.

BYU’s Cody Hoffman was suspended for last week’s win over Middle Tennessee. Hoffman also missed a season-opening loss at Virginia with a hamstring injury. He has only played two games, hauling in 10 receptions for 171 yards, but the senior WR isn’t nearly on pace to catch 100 balls like he did last year.

Kent St. star RB Dri Archer was back in the lineup for last week’s 32-14 win at Western Michigan. Archer had missed three straight games with an ankle sprained suffered in the season opener. Without Archer, the Golden Flashes scored only 11.7 points per game. He had an instant impact with 73 rushing yards on just six carries. Archer also produced four receptions for 48 yards and one TD. Look for him to get a lot more touches this weekend vs. No. Illinois.

Miami might get WR Rashawn Scott (shoulder) back for Saturday’s home game vs. Ga. Tech. Scott hasn’t played since a Week 2 win over Florida. He is ‘questionable.’ UM quarterback Stephen Morris (ankle) and RB Duke Johnson (head) are both listed as ‘probable’ vs. the Yellow Jackets.

Ga. Tech had already lost starting safety Isaiah Johnson to a season-ending injury. The Jackets’ secondary took another hit in the loss to Va. Tech when their other starting safety Jamal Golden went down with a shoulder injury. Golden will have season-ending surgery later this week.

San Diego St. lost its best defensive player when MLB Jake Fely broke his foot in a 26-16 win at New Mexico St. Fely was scheduled to have season-ending surgery on Wednesday.

Gamblers should downgrade Louisiana-Monroe in their power rankings due to the loss of QB Kolton Browning, who was the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Year last season. Browning will miss the rest of 2013 with a torn quad muscle. He finishes his career as ULM’s all-time leading passer with 9,051 yards.

Ohio LB Keith Moore sprained his ankle on the first defensive series of the season in a loss at Louisville. He will return to the field for the first time since then Saturday at Akron. Moore was the Bobcats’ leading tackler in 2012 when he made 98 stops and recorded two sacks and a pair of interceptions.

NCAAF: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Arizona State vs. Notre Dame

Fighting Irish coming off a national runner-up campaign have fallen short of expectation this season with it's painful 3-2 start after another poor performance last week against Oklahoma Sooners which saw them on the wrong end of a 35-21 decision. Fighting Irish taking on Sun Devils in a neutral field at Cowboys Stadium things are apt to get worse. The Fighting Irish shaky defense can't stop anyone and they're facing an ASU squad racking up 44.2 PPG on 358.8 passing, 146.2 rushing yards/game. Consider ASU knowing Sun Devils are on a smart 9-2 ATS stretch as favorites, Fighting Irish enter a cash draining 3-9-1 ATS, 0-5-1 ATS in their last six non-conference games, 2-5 ATS last 7 as underdog.

Mississippi at Auburn

Both Ole Miss (3-1, 2-2 ATS) and Auburn (3-1, 2-2 ATS) look to bounce back from losses suffered last time out. The Rebels are coming off a 25-0 spanking at Alabama last week while Auburn had an open date after recording it's first loss of the campaign September 21st at LSU (35-21). Easy to overlook Ole Miss after being taken behind the woodshed. However the Rebels respond well after a 'Bama' whooping of 18 or more points, they're a perfect 3-0 ATS the next game. Rebels 7-3 ATS vs the SEC, 6-2 ATS on the road, 4-1 ATS as chalk of 4 or less are worth a second look. Ole Miss snapped a three-game slide against their SEC West rival last year pounding Auburn 41-20 as 4-point favorite.

Washington at Stanford

A pair of undefeated PAC-12 teams collide at Stanford Stadium Saturday night when Cardinals' (4-0, 2-2 ATS) host Huskies' (4-0, 3-1 ATS). Stanford lead by Kevin Hogan (832 PY, 10 TD, 3 Int) averaging 41.2 PPG with a solid defense (19.5 PPG) have a huge test ahead. Huskies can light up the score board (39.8 PPG) behind QB Keith Price (1044 PY, 9 TD, 2 Int) and it's potent run game featuring RB Bishop Sankey, who leads the nation with an average of 151.8 RYG. Huskies no slouches in the defensive department (10.5 PPG) surrender just 3.8 yards per play, third-best in the nation. When these two met last year Washington captured a 17-13 win as a 7-point home underdog marking just the first win/cover in five series attempts. Stanford has had this one circled and will be tough to topple in front of the home crowd, Cardinals have won 11 straight (5-6 ATS), 21 of 22 at Stanford Stadium (12-10 ATS). Conference contests are always the most important games of the season and doubly so for the home side. Lay the points knowing Cardinals' are 13-2-1 ATS as a favorite of eight or less, UW is 3-9 ATS on the road, 2-6 ATS away vs PAC-12 foes.

SEC News and Notes - Week 5
By Alatex Sports
Sportsmemo.com

As expected, the best game of the week last week was the shootout between LSU and Georgia, with the Bulldogs coming out on top, 44-41. Aaron Murray picked apart the young LSU defense and Georgia’s defense was able to come up with the stop they needed on LSU’s final drive to preserve the win.

The other marquee game in the conference was lopsided as the Crimson Tide shut out Ole Miss 25-0. Bama’s defense looked much better than expected against the previously potent Ole Miss defense, shutting down Bo Wallace and the Rebels. It was the first time a Hugh Freeze coached team had ever been shutout.

I thought I would change things up in this week's column and look over the current national college football stats. In doing so, we find some interesting things going on in SEC land. Consider these numbers:

Arkansas is the highest ranked SEC rushing offense at 237 ypg, which is just 21st best in the nation.

Alabama is just 70th in the nation in rushing at 162.5 ypg, ahead of only Vanderbilt in the conference.

Texas A&M and Georgia are the only SEC teams ranked in the top 29 in the nation in passing offense, with the Aggies 5th at 365 ypg and Bulldogs coming in 9th at 345 ypg. Missouri is next at 30th.

Tennessee is at the bottom of the conference and 114th nationally with just 154 ypg through the air.

Texas A&M, Georgia and Missouri are also the only SEC offenses ranked in the top 30 in the nation in total offense, ranking 4th, 6thand 7th respectively.

Mississippi State is the only SEC team in the top 20 in turnover margin as the Bulldogs are tied for 12th at +5.

South Carolina and Vanderbilt are tied for 18th in tackles for loss, the only SEC defenses in the top 20 nationally.

Alabama has just 18 tackles for loss on the year, which is just one more than Kentucky does and ranks 110th in the nation. Hardly what you would expect from the two time defending champion and current number one team in the nation. By contrast, Virginia Tech leads the nation with 44 on the year.

Kentucky has converted just 11 of 47 3rd downs this year, which is 121st in the nation, ahead of just four teams; three of which are winless.

Florida’s defense gets the highest marks of any SEC unit, as the Gators rank first in the nation in rushing defense, allowing just 53.5 ypg. Alabama is next in the conference, allowing 103.5ypg for 20th in the nation.

Florida is also the top passing defense in the conference, as the Gators are 6th in the nation at 149 ypg allowed. Believe it or not Kentucky is the only other SEC team ranked in the top 30 as the Wildcats come in 18th at 175 ypg.

Florida is 2nd overall in total defense, allowing just 202.5 ypg with no other SEC defense showing up on the list until Mississippi State at 20th with 310 ypg allowed.

Obviously the level of competition that each team has played through just five weeks of the season and the very small sample size makes this a much less than scientific study, but the numbers are still surprising for what has been the most dominant conference in the nation for years. I would have certainly expected a few more SEC teams in the top 20 of every category. It will be interesting to see if this is the year that the conference fails to produce the national champion.

College Football Betting Preview: Kansas State at Oklahoma State
By Alatex Sports
SportsMemo.com

Kansas State at Oklahoma State
Saturday, 12:30 pm PT - ESPN Game Plan
CRIS Opener: Oklahoma State -14 O/U 58
CRIS Current: Oklahoma State -14 O/U 59
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Oklahoma State -11.5
Brent Crow's Recommendation: Kansas State

Oklahoma State comes in off of a disappointing loss last week at West Virginia. The Cowboys dropped a 30-21 decision to a team that had struggled mightily and suddenly OSU does not appear to be the Big XII favorites any more. When you examine their results prior to the West Virginia loss, there was really nothing that showed why Oklahoma State was ranked 11th in the country. They were very sloppy in a 21-3 win over Mississippi State in Week 1 then beat up on cupcakes UTSA and Lamar in their next two games.

This year’s Oklahoma State team is definitely not as potent offensively as it has been in years past, which is understandable considering the skill position players they have graduated. They were an 8-5 team a year ago and returned 15 starters, but the expectations on this team may have been a little too high to begin with. They have averaged at least 44 ppg over the past three years, but only scored 21 points in each of their two games against major conference competition. The loss of leading rusher Joseph Randle has been felt, as this year’s leading rusher after four games is quarterback JW Walsh with just 234 yards. Walsh and first game starter Clint Chelf have not been able to make plays in the passing game like they did a year ago as well.

Oklahoma State does get the benefit of playing at home this week where they have won 14 of their last 15 games, including a 52-45 win over K-State here two years ago. Kansas State returned the favor with a 44-30 win in Manhattan a year ago thanks to five Oklahoma State turnovers.

Turnovers have been a problem for Kansas State this year, however, as they have committed nine and forced just four. They also have two wins over cupcakes UMass and UL-Lafayette and two losses to Texas and North Dakota State. They are clearly missing their quarterback from the past two years, Collin Klein, who accounted for 3,600 yards and 39 touchdowns for last year’s 11-2 team. Jake Waters is not a running threat like Klein was, and he is still developing as a passer. Kansas State has also not been able to get its ground game going this year, averaging just 15 8ypg, with most of that coming in their two wins.

These teams seem to be pretty similar so far despite the different preseason forecasts. Kansas State was expected to drop off a great deal from its 11 win season, mostly due to the loss of Klein, and they certainly have so far. On the other hand, Oklahoma State was expected to be much better than their 8-5 mark of a year ago, but nothing so far suggests that they will be. Defensively, Oklahoma State does have an edge and they probably have a small edge on offense as well. I am not sure that it all adds up to them being 14 points better than the Wildcats, however, even on their home field. Take the points.

College Football Betting Preview: TCU at Oklahoma
By Rob Veno
Sportsemo.com

TCU at Oklahoma
Saturday, 4 pm PT - FOX
CRIS Opener: Oklahoma -10 O/U 48
CRIS Current: Oklahoma -9.5 O/U 46.5
Rob Veno's Power Rating: TCU -11
Rob Veno's Recommendation: TCU

This would appear to be a difficult sandwich spot for Oklahoma. The Sooners are off of a convincing win and cover at Notre Dame and they have arch rival Texas on deck. Any letdown by OU against this TCU team figures to be harmful. Sooners quarterback Blake Bell has seemed to settle into the starting role quite comfortably over the last two games, directing the offense to 1,057 total yards and 79 points. Bell has sparked the passing attack by completing 73.1% of his passes (49-of-67) for 645 yards, six touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

On the ground, Oklahoma has averaged 203 yards per game on 4.72 per carry. The 86 rush attempts and 67 pass attempts show terrific play calling balance. The dual threat Bell had 22 carries for 93 yards against Tulsa and Notre Dame. Here however, the defensive challenge is significantly tougher as TCU’s speed and tackling ability are better than either of the Sooners previous pair of opponents. TCU did allow 37 points on a neutral field in their opener vs. LSU but in that game they held Zach Mettenberger to a season low 50% completions. The Horned Frogs pass rush and secondary are again combining to wreak havoc registering 15 sacks and nine interceptions through four games. TCU may be tested on the ground in this game by the physical Sooners front because their overall rush defense numbers are a bit skewed. They’ve been dominant against non-rushing teams Texas Tech and SMU but allowed 197 and 207 rushing yards to LSU and FCS Southeastern Louisiana respectively.

The offense will need to pick things up if TCU is going to have a chance to win here. Over the first third of the season, the Horned Frogs are averaging just 349.2 typg and that’s with three of their opponents possessing average to below average defenses. Oklahoma has been stellar defensively thus far and should make things tough on TCU’s ground attack. Quarterback Treyvon Boykin remains erratic throwing the football so establishing the run is crucial for TCU. The short passing game could work as a running game here for them as they try to stay ahead of the chains on first down. Turnovers and special teams are a significant piece of the Horned Frogs point production this season. They’ve already had three touchdowns from defense and kick returns and they are averaging 151.8 return yards per contest. While they were lit up for a 77 yard punt return by Tulsa’s Tre Watts, Oklahoma has allowed only 200 return yards total (including interceptions).

This is a tough spot for Oklahoma and even though they’re at home, it’s hard to imagine a fully focused effort here. In the one game they played against a team with similar defensive traits to TCU, West Virginia held Oklahoma here in Norman, to 16 points and forced four turnovers. OU is the better team on both sides of the ball in this matchup so they should win but the -10.5 just seems too big. TCU knows how to get into grind it out dogfights and they know how to cover as a true road underdog (5-1 ATS L2Y). In a game that’s likely to be close, I’ll take a small stance with TCU plus the double-digit price.

College Football Betting Preview: Arizona State vs. Notre Dame
By Brian Edwards
Sportsmemo.com

Arizona State vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, 4:30 pm PT - NBC (Arlington, Texas)
CRIS Opener: Arizona State -6.5 O/U 63
CRIS Current: Arizona State -6.5 O/U 62.5
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Notre Dame -2
Brian Edwards' Recommendation: Arizona State

Notre Dame and Arizona State will collide Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Most betting shops have tabbed the Sun Devils as 6-point favorites with a total of 62 for over/under wagers.

Gamblers can back the Fighting Irish on the money line for a +200 return (risk $100 to win $200). For first-half wagers, ASU is favored by three with a total of 31.

Arizona State (3-1 straight up, 2-2 against the spread) bounced back from a 42-28 loss at Stanford to blast USC by a 62-41 count as a 3.5-point home chalk. The 103 combined points soared over the 48.5-point total. Taylor Kelly threw for 351 yards and three TDs against the Trojans. Running back Marion Grice had a pair of touchdown catches and also rushed for a pair of scores.

For the season, Kelly has completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 1,370 yards with an 11/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Grice has scored 12 TDs with eight coming on the ground and four on catches from Kelly. ASU is 11th in the country in scoring at 44.8 ppg.

Notre Dame (3-2 SU, 0-4-1 ATS) is in the midst of a disappoint campaign to date and is in dire need of a victory in this spot. The Irish got thumped 35-21 by Oklahoma as a 3.5-point home underdog last week. The Sooners jumped all over Brian Kelly’s team in the first quarter, forcing a pair of turnovers that resulted in a 14-0 advantage in the first three minutes.

Senior quarterback Tommy Rees completed just 9-of-24 throws for 104 yards. He had a pair of TD passes but his three interceptions were costly. For the season, Rees has connected on just 53.3 percent of his passes with a 10/5 TD-INT ratio.

George Atkinson III had his best career performance against OU. Atkinson rushed for 148 yards and one TD on just 14 carries. He has rushed for a team-high 269 yards and two scores this season, averaging 7.1 YPC.

Notre Dame owns a 6-4 spread record in 10 games as an underdog during Kelly’s tenure. Since Todd Graham took over at ASU, it has covered the spread at a 9-2 rate as a favorite.

ASU lost three defensive players to season-ending injuries in the loss at Stanford, including LB Alani Latu and DE Junior Onyeali.

Notre Dame will be without sophomore LB Ben Councell for the first half after he was flagged for a targeting violation against Oklahoma. The Irish will get starting DE Sheldon Day back in the lineup after he missed the OU game with a sprained ankle. Day and WR T.J. Jones are both listed as ‘probable.’

The over is a perfect 4-0 for the Sun Devils. Notre Dame is seen the over cash at a 3-2 clip.

Top Matchups - Week 6
By Sportsbook.ag

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (5-0) at NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (4-0)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Ohio State -7.5 & 63.5
Opening Line & Total: Buckeyes -7 & 62

Only one of these two undefeated Big Ten schools will leave the field with their record unblemished Saturday night as No. 4 Ohio State is billed as a road favorite over No. 16 Northwestern.

With an undefeated 17-0 SU record under head coach Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes have been a tremendous bet lately, covering eight of their past nine decisions, including 3-1-1 ATS this season with a push last week against Wisconsin. The Wildcats are hot too though, winning seven in a row SU dating back to last season and covering in nine of their past 11 contests. Last season, the Wildcats went a remarkable 7-0 ATS at home en route to a 12-1 ATS record overall. This is their first game this season as an underdog, but since 2009, they are 16-12 ATS when receiving help from the lines. Ohio State has just been generally impressive since 2009, going 36-18 ATS. While these schools are technically conference rivals, they have not met since 2008 when the Buckeyes dismantled the Wildcats 45-10 in Evanston to easily cover a 12.5-point spread. Ohio State has covered and won SU their past four meetings against Northwestern with an average victory total of 40.3 points per game.

The good news for Ohio State is that QB Braxton Miller (knee) returned to action in last week’s victory and showed no signs of his injury, completing 17-of-25 passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns while not throwing a pick against Wisconsin. Overall, he’s completed 69.4% of his passes this year for 406 yards (8.3 YPA) while adding 165 yards on 4.1 YPC with his legs. RB Jordan Hall is part of a deep backfield, leading the unit with eight touchdowns already in 2013 on 69 carries for 427 yards. He has carried the ball only five times total in the last two games since Carlos Hyde (126 rush yds on 5.7 YPC) has returned following a suspension. Hall also has the potential to ground-and-pound all game with two games of more than 150 yards already this season. Overall, the team has 14 rushing TD, two of which are from Ezekiel Elliot (21 carries for 200 yards), who leads the crew with 9.5 YPC. However, more impressive than the Buckeyes' offense has been the defense that is stifling opponents’ rushing attacks with 2.8 YPC allowed.

Northwestern, however, also lives off the ground with three rushers of more than 200 yards. This unit is led by RB Treyvon Green, who is averaging 7.0 YPC with 58 touches for 404 yards and five touchdowns, but top RB Venric Mark (1,366 rush yds, 12 TD in 2012) is expected to return on Saturday after a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. The passing reps have gone to two people: Trevor Siemian (47-for-70, 4 TD, 2 INT) and Kain Colter, who has completed 27-of-35 passes this season for 264 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The team’s No. 1 receiver has been WR Tony Jones, who has racked up 362 yards on 24 catches for three touchdowns. The Wildcats' rushing defense has been great this season, holding foes to 3.7 YPC, though the pass defense has to improve, giving up 308 passing yards per game so far.

WASHINGTON HUSKIES (4-0) at STANFORD CARDINAL (4-0)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Stanford -9 & 53
Opening Line & Total: Cardinal -7.5 & 53

No. 15 Washington looks to continue its fast start this season when it visits No. 5 Stanford, which will be looking for some revenge after falling 17-13 to the Huskies last year.

After a disappointing 2012 season, Washington QB Keith Price is back to his 2011 form. When Price is on top of his game, he is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in all of the country. With RB Bishop Sankey ranking fifth in the country with 607 rushing yards, the Huskies have one of the most balanced offenses in the country with the ability to score on anybody. With its 31-13 victory over Arizona last week, Washington is now 4-0 ATS this season. However, the Huskies will be put to the test against the Cardinal, who have one of the best defenses in the country. After allowing Washington State to hang around for the first half in last Saturday’s game, Stanford put on an incredible defensive display, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the third quarter. As good as the defense is, it is the play of their quarterback that has Cardinal fans dreaming of a potential national title berth. In his brief career, QB Kevin Hogan has shown the ability to be a big-time college quarterback. He has won all 10 career starts (7-3 ATS), while throwing 19 touchdowns to just six interceptions so far in his career. He is very athletic, but when he scrambles, he does it more to give his wide receivers more time to get open than trying to rush downfield. This game could be decided on which quarterback plays better, which makes for an interesting game. Washington is 18-8 ATS (69%) when the total is between 49.5 and 56 points under head coach Steve Sarkisian, but Stanford is 10-0 ATS after scoring 42+ points in a game under head coach David Shaw.

After a 2011 season that saw him throw for 3,063 yards and 33 touchdowns, Washington QB Keith Price threw for only 19 TD last season, and was a big reason why the Huskies struggled. This year, he is leading an offense that ranks fifth in the country in total offense with 574 yards per game. He has tremendous arm strength, and is extremely accurate, as he is completing 72.3 percent of his passes this season. While Price didn't play very well against Stanford (19-of-37, 177 yards, 4.8 YPA, 1 TD, 1 INT; minus-14 rushing yards), RB Bishop Sankey picked up his slack in a big way. Sankey paced the Washington offense with 144 yards on 20 carries (7.2 YPC), including a 61-yard TD run on the final play of the third quarter. Washington has everything needed to become a powerhouse in the Pac-12, now it’s time for them to put it together and make it happen. The Huskies have not defeated a top-25 team on the road since 2010, when they upset USC 32-31. However, repeating that feat will be no easy task as they go up against a Stanford team that has the second longest winning streak in the country at 12 games.

When Jim Harbaugh left, it was thought that the Stanford success went with him. However, that has proven not to be the case at all, as David Shaw has taken the Cardinal program to the next level in his three years in charge. While people think of the great defense that Stanford has, the offense has an abundance of firepower as well. Junior WR Trent Montgomery is a big-time athlete that is as complete of a wide receiver as there is in the Pac-12. He is a great combination of size and speed, while also having the ability to block downfield in the running game. Speaking of the running game, senior RB Tyler Gaffney is having a huge season with 377 yards (5.2 YPC) and five touchdowns. He is looking to bounce back from a subpar showing in Pullman last week when he gained just 54 yards on 14 carries (3.9 YPC). He has helped Stanford outrush its two Pac-12 opponents this season by a wide 478 to 101 margin.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS (4-0) at FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (4-0)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Florida State -15 & 57.5
Opening Line & Total: Seminoles -16 & 57.5

No. 25 Maryland appears to be turning the corner under the watch of head coach Randy Edsall, and his team will get its first real test Saturday when they visit No. 8 Florida State and star QB Jameis Winston.

The Seminoles are coming off a tougher than expected 48-34 victory over 21.5-point underdog Boston College last Saturday, failing to cover the spread for the first time this season. However, Winston once again proved to the country that he is as good of a quarterback as there is, throwing for 330 yards and four touchdowns. Winston has talents that you can’t coach, and is a nightmare for opposing defenses to game plan for. The Terrapins right now are the surprise of the ACC. This is the first time they have been ranked in the AP Poll since the end of 2010. Their 37-0 win over West Virginia looks even more impressive after the Mountaineers defeated then No. 11 Oklahoma State last Saturday. Injuries decimated this team last season, but a healthy C.J. Brown has given Maryland a quarterback of their own that can make plays with both his arm as well as his feet. The Terrapins are a perfect 4-0 ATS this season, but this is the first time they are an underdog as they head to Tallahassee. Last season, FSU dominated this matchup, defeating Maryland 41-14 on the road, but the Terps were using linebacker Shawn Petty as their starting quarterback that day.

Brown has been quite impressive this season, throwing for 1,043 yards and seven touchdowns. He missed last season due to a knee injury, and has come back better than before. He has been helped by the emergence of sophomore WR Stefon Diggs, who has 400 receiving yards and 3 TD in just four games. He is not the biggest receiver (6-foot-0, 195 pounds), but he has the ability to get behind the secondary. If the Terrapins are going to pull off the upset, they will need Diggs to provide the team with a couple of big plays down the field. Last year he was held to three catches in the loss to FSU, but was still able to record a 25-yard reception and 23-yard run. While the Seminoles offense has been rolling this season, the Maryland defense has been very impressive as well. Through four games, the Terrapins have given up only 10.3 PPG, which ranks third in the country. Florida State has one of the best home fields in all of the country, so it is key for Maryland to get off to a fast start and not allow the crowd to get into the game.

There is no denying that Winston is a special player. However, there are many other players that are capable of big plays for the No. 4-ranked scoring offense in the country (51.0 PPG). Senior WR Kenny Shaw is emerging as the go-to guy for Winston, as Winston hit him on a 55-yard bomb at the end of the first half against Boston College. While the passing game of the Seminoles gets most of the talk, Florida State is more than capable of major success on the ground. James Wilder Jr. (5.8 YPC, 2 TD) is one of the most underrated players in all of the country. He is a physical specimen that is able to run through defenders with no problem and he piled up 52 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries (6.5 YPC) versus Maryland last year. However, it is the play of the defense that will need to step up after allowing 34 points and 397 yards against an average Boston College offense. DT Timmy Jernigan has big-time talent and can be unblockable at times, however, he must learn to bring the intensity on every single play. He will be looked upon to get pressure on C.J. Brown, and not allow him to roll out and get on the perimeter.

TCU HORNED FROGS (2-2) at OKLAHOMA SOONERS (4-0)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Oklahoma -10 & 47.5
Opening Line & Total: Sooners -10.5 & 47.5

No. 11 Oklahoma looks to continue its impressive start to the season hosting a TCU team that was supposed to be one of the best teams in the Big 12.

After losing the starting job, Sooners QB Blake Bell has gained it back and taken complete control of the position with back-to-back terrific performances against Tulsa and Notre Dame. In those games, Bell has thrown for 683 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, he was given the nickname “The Belldozer,” for his role as the Wildcat quarterback. While he is still a dangerous running threat, it is his improvement in the passing game that has the Sooners entering the national title talk. Oklahoma is 3-1 ATS this season, as it was two points shy of covering in a 16-7 victory over West Virginia. Like its opponent, TCU has had a quarterback shuffle as well this season. Despite a great performance last season, QB Trevone Boykin was expected to resume his backup role as Casey Pachall was back from his suspension. However, Pachall got hurt (forearm) early this season, putting Boykin back under center for the Horned Frogs. Boykin gives TCU a big-time playmaker at the quarterback position. Despite being just 2-2, there is still a ton of talent on this team. One of their losses was to LSU, a game in which they were down by only three points late in the fourth quarter. The Horned Frogs have had a problem playing to their potential, as they are only 1-3 ATS this season. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to get the job done, they just have to go out and do that. Oklahoma defeated TCU 24-17 in Fort Worth last season, marking the fifth time in six meetings that the road team prevailed in this series.

Besides Boykin on offense, TCU has talent at both the running back and wide receiver positions. RBs Waymon James and B.J. Catalon are both averaging over five yards per carry this season, forcing defenses to load the box. This allows WR Josh Carter to have single coverage on the outside, where he has the speed to run away from the secondary. If the rushing duo is able to establish the line of scrimmage early, then there may be some openings for Boykin to attack downfield early in the game. Boykin had a decent game versus Oklahoma last year, completing 17-of-31 passes for 231 yards (7.5 YPA), 1 TD (80 yards to Carter) and 0 INT. While there are playmakers on the offense, the Horned Frogs defense (22.8 PPG allowed, 60th in FBS) needs to raise their level of play. Head coach Gary Patterson has had some great defenses during his time at TCU, and this unit has as much talent as any of those defenses. The status for sophomore DE Devonte Fields (foot) is unknown against the Sooners, but he is the type of guy that can change a game. The defending Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year has been hampered this season by injuries and suspensions. If he is unable to go Saturday, that will make things much tougher for TCU. The secondary is one of the very best in the Big 12 with CBs Jason Verrett and Kevin White. Both of them are able to be put on an island and blanket a wide receiver in man coverage for extended periods of times. However, they will be put to the test against an explosive Oklahoma wide receiver group.

Sooners WRs Sterling Shepard and Jalen Saunders have the ability to take it to the house on any given moment. Both of them are very solid route runners that know what to do with the ball after they catch it. The Horned Frogs had no answer for Saunders last year, as he caught seven passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. RBs Brennan Clay and Damien Williams have given the Sooners the rushing attack that QB Blake Bell and the passing game need in order to keep defenses from playing two-safety-deep defenses. Williams, who totaled 154 yards and 2 TD in last year's win at TCU, may be counted upon to carry more of the load, as Clay is currently doubtful for the game after experiencing a head injury in the third quarter of last week’s game. When head coach Bob Stoops was most successful, his Sooners defense was one of the top units in all of the country, and they appear to be back to an elite level on that side of the ball this year. Entering Week 6, the Sooners have given up just 12.0 points per game, ranking sixth in the country. While TCU’s secondary may have better players, Oklahoma CB Aaron Colvin is hands down the best secondary player on either team. He has great range, and is a factor in both stopping the run as well as the pass. While a lot of Big 12 games come down to which offense scores the most, look for this game to be more of a defensive struggle.

GEORGIA BULLDOGS (3-1) at TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (3-2)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Georgia -11.5 & 65.5
Opening Line & Total: Bulldogs -11.5 & 65.5

Coming off its second win of the season against a top-10 opponent, No. 6 Georgia hits the road as double-digit favorites against Tennessee.

At 3-1 on the season, the Bulldogs suffered their only loss of the season as 1.5-point favorites in their opening game of the year to currently No. 3 Clemson, their first of three games so far this season against top-10 foes. That was their only road game so far and they are now 1-2-1 ATS and 12-17 ATS on the road since 2008. The Volunteers, meanwhile, are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS after snapping a two-game SU losing skid last week with a narrow 31-24 win over South Alabama. The Vols were 16-point favorites in that game, dropping to 1-2 ATS at home and 14-18 ATS at home since 2008. Last season when these two teams met, the Volunteers kept pace with the high-powered Georgia attack and covered the 14-point spread in a wild 51-44 loss in Athens. In the past five meetings between these two teams at Neyland Stadium, Tennessee is 3-2 SU and ATS. In those contests, the team that won the game SU also covered the spread. But the big question entering this game is the health of Bulldogs star RB Todd Gurley, who is day-to-day with a sprained ankle.

Todd Gurley was huge against the Volunteers last year, rushing for 130 yards on 24 carries with three touchdowns. Gurley has been spectacular again this year, with 450 yards on 71 carries even though he carried the ball only eight times before injuring himself in last week’s 44-41 win against LSU. The good news for Georgia is that QB Aaron Murray has the potential to put the team on his back, already throwing for 1,338 yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions through four games, completing 68.1% of his passes. He completed 19-of-25 passes for 278 yards and 2 TD last year against the Volunteers. Murray is an expert at evenly distributing the ball as six Bulldogs already have more than 100 receiving yards and four receivers have two touchdown catches. If Gurley is unable to go, RB Keith Marshall (51 carries for 213 yards) will have to pick up the slack. On the other side of the ball, Georgia’s rushing defense has been its strength, limiting opponents to 3.5 YPC. But through the air, they Bulldogs have allowed opponents to gain 277 passing YPG.

The Tennessee offense is built on the ground where it averages 215 rushing yards per game. RB Rajion Neal (468 yards, 5.9 YPC, 5 TD) leads the attack while Marlin Lane (280 yards, 6.2 YPC, 4 TD) provides an effective change of pace. Both backs have broken runs of more than 50 yards already this season while Neal carried the ball 23 times for 104 yards in last season’s meeting between the two teams. Where the Tennessee offense has been inconsistent is through the air, as QB Justin Worley is completing just 56% of his passes. He has thrown for only 725 yards through five games for eight touchdowns while getting intercepted six times. No Volunteers receiver has more than 150 receiving yards with Alton Howard leading the corps at 148 with two touchdowns on 11 receptions. The defense, meanwhile, is giving up 26.8 PPG, and allowing 4.4 YPC on the ground. The Vols have allowed 250 passing YPG, but have already forced 15 turnovers in their five games.

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

Essential Betting Tidbits for Week 6 of College Football
By Covers.com

We dug up these vital betting tidbits for some of Saturday's college football action that will help you make the right call before kickoff.

- The Air Force Falcons face the Navy Midshipmen in early action with the latter as 11.5-point home faves. The Falcons are 1-9 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

- The Florida State Seminoles ride an eight-game winnings streak against ACC opposition into Saturday's matchup with the Maryland Terrapins. The 'Noles are 15.5-point home faves.

- The Penn State Nittany Lions are one of 12 schools that have scored on 100 percent of their possessions inside the red zone.

- The aforementioned Nittany Lions travel to Indiana to face the high-octane Hoosiers. The over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings in Indiana and the total for Saturday's game is 65.5.

- Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater tossed five TDs en route to a 45-17 victory over Temple last season. Teddy and the Cards are 32-point road faves Saturday.

- The Virginia Cavaliers’ defense leads the nation with 8.5 three-and-outs per game, and Virginia has registered 3.25 sacks per contest (tied for 10th nationally). The Cavaliers are 5.5-point home faves against Ball State Saturday.

- The Buffalo Bulls are 4-0 O/U on the season. They host Eastern Michigan with a total of 54.

- The Kansas Jayhawks host the Texas Tech Red Raiders Saturday. The Raiders are 16.5-point road faves Saturday and are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings at Kansas.

- When Rutgers rushes for 150 yards or more, it is 34-8 since 2006.

- SMU is ranked 46th in the country, allowing 140 rushing yards per game. The Scarlet Knights are 4.5-point road faves at SMU Saturday.

- No. 1 Alabama faces Georgia State Saturday. The last time these two programs met was in 2010 with 'Bama prevailing 63-7 as 44-point faves. The Tide are 54.5-point home faves this time around.

- The UNC Tar Heels are at Virginia Tech where the under is 4-0 in the previous four meetings. Total for this one is 46.

- The Central Michigan Chippewas (0-4 ATS) are one of eight teams that have yet to cover a spread this season. They'll look to break that streak at Miami (Ohio) as 3-point road faves.

- Army is at Boston College Saturday with a total of 50.5. The two programs are 4-0 O/U in their last four meetings with available totals.

- The Troy Trojans are one of two programs sporting 5-0 O/U records. There is a total of 62.5 with South Alabama in town Saturday.

- Marshall is 11th in the nation converting 54 percent of its third down conversions.

- Ohio is at Akron Saturday. The Bobcats have won five straight meetings and have covered the spread in four of those five matchups. The Zips are 5-point home dogs.

- UAB's defense allows 7.7 yards per play, ranking the school third from the bottom in that category. The Blazers are 3.5-point home faves versus Florida Atlantic Saturday.

- The underdog is 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings between Western Michigan and Toledo. The Rockets are 21.5-point home faves Saturday.

- The Georgia Bulldogs are in Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers Saturday. Tennessee hasn't beaten a ranked opponent knocking off No. 21 South Carolina in 2009, and they haven't topped a top-10 team since they beat No. 10 Georgia in 2006.

- Michigan has won 17 in a row at home — the longest active streak among BCS conference schools. The Wolverines are 19-point home faves against Minnesota.

- The Over is 5-1 in the previous six matchups when Rice is at Tulsa. Saturday's total is 54.5.

- The North Texas Mean Green quarterbacks - Derek Thompson, Dajon Williams and Andrew McNulty - have combined to complete 68.9 percent of their passes. As a team, that ranks the Mean Green 12th nationally. The Mean Green are 3-point road faves at Tulane.

- The NC State Wolfpack are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games at Wake Forest. State will give it another go as 7.5-point road faves Saturday.

- The Syracuse Orange beat standout quarterbacks Geno Smith of West Virginia in 2011 and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater last year at the Carrier Dome. Saturday sees Tajh Boyd and Clemson in town favored by a pair of touchdowns.

- Bowling Green tossed a 24-0 shutout at UMass last season and covered as 19.5-point faves. This year, the Falcons are 26.5-point home faves with UMass visiting.

- The Northern Illinois Huskies have defeated Kent State in the previous six meetings are are 5-0-1 ATS in that stretch. The Huskies are 9-point road faves Saturday.

- The Miami Hurricanes are Saturday's top consensus pick at 78.23 percent as 5.5-point home faves against Georgia Tech.

- The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are 2-10-1 ATS in their last 13 home games. They are 7.5-point home dogs versus East Carolina.

- The Oklahoma State Cowboys are riding a seven game ATS winning streak at home. They are favored by 13.5 with Kansas State visiting.

- Cal is tops in the country running an average of 98 plays per game.

- The Washington State Cougars are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings at Cal. The Cougars are 1.5-point road faves.

- The lowest scoring team in the country? That would be Florida International, who is averaging a microscopic 3.3 points per game.

- Central Florida has scored 32 points or more in each of the last four games against Memphis. Total of 48 Saturday.

- Fresno State leads the series with Idaho 10-4 and won the most-recent meeting – a 48-24 victory in 2011 when Derek Carr passed for 371 yards and five touchdowns. State is a 27-point road fave Saturday.

- Twenty-six of Oregon's 31 offensive touchdowns have come on drives of fewer than two minutes.

- The Oklahoma Sooners defense is allowing just 12 points per game, which ranks them sixth nationally. The Sooners are 9.5-point home faves against TCU.

- The Under is 9-1 in the Texas State Bobcats last 10 road games. The total at Louisiana Lafayette is 55.

- The LSU Tigers are 8-1 ATS in the last nine games at Mississippi State. The Tigers are 9.5-point road faves Saturday.

- Florida Gators QB Tyler Murphy finished 15-of-18 for 156 yards, one TD and one pick in his start against Kentucky last week. It was his first start under center since the Gators lost starting QB Jeff Driskel for the season. It was also the Gators first ATS win of the season. The Gators are 13-point home faves against Arkansas Saturday.

- Cincinnati is 4-0 ATS in their last four games at South Florida. The Bearcats are 12-point road faves Saturday.

- Auburn just can't string together back-to-back ATS wins. The Tigers are 0-9 ATS in their last nine games following an ATS win. They covered as 17-point dogs against LSU in their last game and are 3-point home dogs against Ole Miss Saturday.

- The road team is 5-0 ATS in the last five games in the Rio Grande Rivalry between New Mexico and New Mexico State. The Lobos are 11-point home faves this time around.

- Arizona State quarterback Taylor Kelly has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of the Sun Devils’ first four games. The Notre Dame defense allows 230 yards passing per game and are 6-point home dogs against the Sun Devils.

- Louisiana Tech is one of five programs with an O/U record of 0-5. They have a total of 60 when they travel to UTEP Saturday.

- The over is 6-0 in the last six meetings between Kentucky and South Carolina. The total for Saturday's matchup is 54.

- Missouri and No. 1 Alabama are the only two undefeated SEC teams. The Tigers put that perfect record on the line at Vanderbilt - who is a 1-point home dog Saturday.

- The Baylor Bears lead the nation in scoring, averaging a whopping 70 points per game. The Bears host West Virginia with a total of 69.5.

- The Mountaineers have not played over the total yet this season (0-5 O/U).

- The home team is 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings between Ohio State and Northwestern. The Wildcats are 7-point home dogs Saturday.

- Stanford is 32-3 at Stanford Stadium since the final home game of 2007. The Cardinal are 7.5-point home faves against the Washington Huskies.

- The San Jose State Spartans are 14-3 ATS in their previous 17 road games. The Spartans are 5-point road faves at Hawaii Saturday night.

Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Afternoon Action
By Covers.com

Maryland Terrapins at Florida State Seminoles (-15.5, 56.5)

The Terrapins are 0-11 at Florida State and just 2-21 overall against the Seminoles, including a 41-14 setback at home last season. But after surrendering at least 40 points in three straight games to close out the 2012 campaign, Maryland remade itself into a defensive powerhouse thanks in part to the play of linebackers Marcus Whitfield and Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil.

In two games against ACC teams, Florida State QB Jameis Winston totaled 686 yards passing and eight touchdowns with just one interception. The Seminoles had three different receivers go over 90 yards in the win over Boston College and are averaging 239.5 yards on the ground to keep defenses honest.

LINE: The Noles opened as 15-point faves and have been bet up to 15.5. The total opened at 57 and is down to 56.5.

WEATHER: There is a 25 percent chance of thunderstorms and wind will blow toward the NW endzone at 6 mph.

TRENDS:

* Terrapins are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Terrapins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 meetings in Florida State.
* Seminoles are 1-4 ATS in their last five conference games.

Louisville Cardinals at Temple Owls (+32, 58)

Teddy Bridgewater looks to match last season’s performance against Temple when No. 7 Louisville opens its American Athletic Conference campaign by visiting the struggling Owls on Saturday. Bridgewater recorded a career-high five touchdown passes in a 45-17 rout of Temple in 2012 and equaled that effort against Ohio in the 2013 opener.

The Owls have lost the last three games by a total of 12 points and still kept the scoring against to an average of 26.5 overall despite giving up a lot of yardage. First-year starter Connor Reilly needs to improve his 52.5 completion percentage, but he has five players with at least 10 receptions.

LINE: The Cards opned as 33-point faves and are now 32. The total has remained at 58.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with partly cloudy skies.

TRENDS:

* Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Owls are 0-5 ATS in their last five home games.
* Over is 7-2-1 in Owls last 10 home games.

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Kansas Jayhawks (+17, 53.5)

The Red Raiders are averaging 520 yards of offense and 38.8 points a game while the defense is holding opponents to an average of 13.3 points through four games this season, tied for 10th best in the FBS.

The Jayhawks open conference play looking to snap a 21-game losing streak in the Big 12. They ended another long skid — 22 losses in a row against FBS opponents — in their previous game, beating Louisiana Tech 13-10 on Sept. 21 on Matthew Wyman's 52-yard field goal as time expired.

LINE: Tech opened at -16 and is currently -17. The total opened at 54 but is down to 53.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s and wind will blow across the field at 13 mph.

TRENDS:

* Red Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings in Kansas.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Over is 6-1 in Jayhawks last seven games following a bye week.

Illinois Fighting Illini at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-10, 59.5)

Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit's unit is performing at a record-setting clip, as the Illini's 161 points are its most ever through four games — and the record through five games is 193 in 1903. Illinois averages 478.5 yards and 40.3 points with quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (1,162 yards passing, 12 TDs, three INTs) leading the revival.

The Huskers had a week off after trouncing South Dakota State 59-20 on Sept. 21, but the extra time might not have been enough to nurse quarterback Taylor Martinez back to health. The senior is considered day-to-day with turf toe, but senior Ron Kellogg III and freshman Tommy Armstrong Jr. filled in admirably against the Jackrabbits.

LINE: The Huskers opened as 10-point home faves. The total opened at 61 and is down to 59.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-50s and wind will whip across the field at 20 mph.

TRENDS:

* Fighting Illini are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games.
* Over is 4-1-1 in Cornhuskers last six home games.
* Cornhuskers are 18-4-2 ATS in their last 24 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Georgia State Panthers at Alabama Crimson Tide (-55, 61)

Panthers senior wide receiver Albert Wilson is off to a strong start with 22 catches for 457 yards and four touchdowns, and currently leads all active FBS players in yards per catch with a 19.6 career average. Wilson also ranks fourth among active FBS players in all-purpose yards.

The Crimson Tide, who enter this game on a seven-game win streak, are a combined 26-3 against their final eight opponents in the previous five seasons, including a 63-7 win over Georgia State in 2010.

LINE: The Tide opened as 55.5-point faves and are now -55. The total opened at 59.5 and is up to 61.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with partly cloudy skies.

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 1-4 ATS in their last five vs. S-Belt.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Crimson Tide last eight home games.
* Under is 6-2 in Crimson Tide last eight vs. S-Belt.

Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers (+10, 64)

The Bulldogs have played one of the most challenging schedules in the nation thus far - facing three top-10 opponents - but have come through the brutal stretch in good shape. The offense has shined despite the stiff competition, averaging 41.2 points and 554 yards (sixth in the nation), but could be without leading rusher Todd Gurley (ankle).

Tennessee has won four straight at home, but it had plenty of trouble putting away South Alabama in a 31-24 victory last week. First-year coach Butch Jones accentuated the positive at Monday's media day - focusing on the success of the running game, the discipline in terms of penalties and the defense's penchant for forcing turnovers - but the Volunteers are still looking for a signature win.

LINE: The Bulldogs opened as 10.5-point road faves but are now -10. The total opened at 63.5 and is up to 64.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with partly cloudy skies.

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six conference games.
* Volunteers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* Over is 6-0 in Bulldogs last six games overall.

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Wolverines (-19, 50)

The Golden Gophers opened the season with four nonconference wins before falling to Iowa at home, 23-7, last week in their Big Ten opener. Minnesota, which is just 118th in the FBS in passing at 111.2 yards per game, relies heavily on a rushing attack that averages 231.8 yards per game, 23rd-best in the FBS.

No. 17 Michigan aims to move past two subpar performances when it hosts Minnesota in its Big Ten opener Saturday. After two impressive wins to open the season, the Wolverines struggled to put away Akron (28-24) and Connecticut (24-21) — a team that has since fired its coach.

LINE: Michigan opened -21 and is currently -19. The total opened at 50.

WEATHER: There is a 43 percent chance of thunderstorms.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Golden Gophers are 0-5 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Over is 9-1-1 in Wolverines last 11 games following a bye week.

Clemson Tigers at Syracuse Orange (+13.5, 64)

Tigers QB Tajh Boyd leads an offense that averages 491.8 yards and 43 points, supported by dangerous wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Boyd has thrown nine touchdown passes without an interception in four consecutive wins for the Tigers.

Syracuse has posted two straight victories going into its first-ever ACC game. The Orange beat standout quarterbacks Geno Smith of West Virginia in 2011 and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater last year at the Carrier Dome.

LINE: Clemson opened as 13.5-point road faves. The total is 64.

WEATHER: N/A

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* Orange are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 13-3 in Orange last 16 games following a bye week.

Northern Illinois Huskes at Kent State Golden Flashes (+9, 62.5)

No. 23 Northern Illinois takes its high-powered offense and undefeated record on the road once again, traveling to Kent State for its Mid-American Conference opener. The Huskies, coming off a 55-24 rout at Purdue, have a national-best 17 straight wins in conference play, with their last league loss coming in October 2011.

The Golden Flashes had a bit of their flash back last week when senior running back/receiver Dri Archer played his first full game after being slowed by an ankle injury. Archer's big-play ability showed as he had two plays of over 30 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown reception.

LINE: Kent State opened as 9.5-point home dogs and are now +9. The total opened at 62.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 18-7-2 ATS in their last 27 conference games.
* Favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* Huskies are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six meetings.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Miami Hurricanes (-5.5, 55)

Sophomore quarterback Vad Lee shined in the Yellow Jackets’ first three games – all victories – but he struggled mightily against the Virginia Tech Hokies, completing just seven passes while throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble. Georgia Tech ranks 10th nationally with 291.3 rushing yards per game.

Miami pens its conference slate against the Yellow Jackets and brings a six-game winning streak into the matchup. The Hurricanes have breezed through most of their early-season schedule - other than a five-point victory against Florida - and outscored their other three opponents 160-34.

LINE: The Canes opened as 4.5-point faves and are up to -5.5. The total opened at 55.5 and is now 55.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

TRENDS:

* Hurricanes are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 conference games.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Miami.
* Yellow Jackets are 0-4 ATS in their last four meetings.

Kansas State Wildcats at Oklahoma State Cowboys (-14, 59.5)

The Wildcats finished first in the conference in scoring and rushing defense and third in total defense last season, but rank seventh or worse in all three categories this season. All three areas figure to be tested by the Cowboys, who rank second in the league in scoring and are one of five Big 12 teams averaging at least 474 total yards.

Coming off an uncharacteristic loss in its conference opener versus West Virginia, No. 20 Oklahoma State seeks it first Big 12 victory of the season on Saturday when it hosts Kansas State. Working in the Cowboys’ favor this weekend is the fact that coach Mike Gundy’s teams have fared well in regular-season games following a loss (13-2 since the start of 2007).

LINE: The Cowboys opened as 15-point faves and are now -14. The total opened at 57.5 and is up to 59.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with wind blowing across the field at 10 mph.

TRENDS:

* Cowboys are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Under is 7-1 in Wildcats last eight road games.
* Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.

Fresno State Bulldgos at Idaho Vandals (+27, 67)

The No. 21 Bulldogs are 4-0 for their best start since the 2001 squad quarterbacked by David Carr won its first six games. Now it is senior Derek Carr as the star attraction and the younger brother of the Fresno State legend has thrown 14 touchdown passes for an offense that ranks 12th nationally by averaging 44 points per game.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Chad Chalich is showing a lot of promise as both a passer (1,111 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions) and runner (team-best 202 yards). Chalich had 424 yards of total offense -- eighth-best in program history – in the victory over Temple by throwing for 310 yards and rushing for 114.

LINE: The Bulldogs opened as 24-point road faves are are now -27. The total opened at 65 and is up to 67.

WEATHER: N/A

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 0-5 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Road team is 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Favorite is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings.

Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Evening Action
By Covers.com

Oregon Ducks at Colorado Buffaloes (+38.5, 69)

De'Anthony Thomas, the speedy Ducks junior running back who has six touchdowns while averaging eight yards per carry, is doubtful with an ankle injury. The junior was hurt on the opening kickoff of last week's 55-16 victory over California and did not return, and with No. 18 Washington up next, it would seem Oregon - a 38-point favorite - will not rush him back.

Colorado struggled to contain Oregon State's relentless passing attack in a 44-17 loss last week and is expected to have an even harder time dealing with Ducks dual-threat quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Buffaloes may have found a way to improve on their 103rd-ranked rushing attack as freshman Michael Adkins II rushed for 98 yards against Oregon State in his collegiate debut.

LINE: The Ducks opened -38 and are now -38.5. The total opened at 70 and is down to 69.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-40s with clear skies.

TRENDS:

* Ducks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.
* Buffaloes are 7-18 ATS in their last 25 games overall.
* Over is 35-17 in Ducks last 52 games overall.

Arkansas Razorbacks at Florida Gators (-11.5, 43)

Arkansas has never had much success against Florida losing eight of their nine previous matchups. Their last game was in 2009 when then-No. 1 Florida needed a field goal with nine seconds left to pull out a 23-20 win. The Razorbacks have dropped two straight after a soft opening schedule, and their powerful rushing game will get a stern test from Florida's top-ranked run defense.

The Gators enter the contest ranked second in the nation total defense but could be without star lineman Dominique Easley and cornerback Marcus Roberson, both of whom are battling knee injuries. Replacing Jeff Driskel, who broke his leg, QB Tyler Murphy completed his first 13 passes last week and finished 15-for-18 for 156 yards.

LINE: The Gators opened at -10 and are currently -11.5. The total opened at 43.

WEATHER: There is a 17 percent chance of rain in the forecast and wind will blow across the field at 6 mph.

TRENDS:

* Razorbacks are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 road games.
* Razorbacks are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings in Florida.
* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings.

TCU Horned Frogs at Oklahoma Sooners (-10, 46.5)

The TCU defense has piled up a Big 12-leading 15 sacks and has allowed 59 total rushing yards over the past two games. Sophomore quarterback Trevone Boykin has passed for 625 yards and four touchdowns and has 158 yards on the ground.

The Sooners are allowing 12 points per game – sixth-best nationally – and sophomore middle linebacker Frank Shannon (team-best 27 tackles) and Corey Nelson (21) are leading the charge. Oklahoma leads the series 8-4, including a 24-17 road victory last season.

LINE: Oklahoma opened as a 10.5-point fave and is now -10. The total is 46.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with clear skies.

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Sooners are 1-4 ATS in their last five conference games.
* Over is 7-2 in Sooners last nine conference games.

LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldgos (+9.5, 55.5)

The Tigers have recorded more than 400 yards of total offense and scored 30 or more points in each of their first five games for the first time in school history. However, Les Miles’ biggest concern entering this contest has to revolve around a defense that blew a number of coverages due to communication errors on the field and the sideline in the loss to Georgia.

The Bulldogs responded in emphatic fashion to their loss at Auburn on Sept. 14, using a 35-point second quarter to rout Troy 62-7. Mississippi State has outscored its two opponents at home (Alcorn State and Troy) by an 82-7 margin in the first half, including a 58-0 advantage in the second quarter.

LINE: LSU opened as a 10-point road dog and is now -9.5. The total opened at 54.5.

WEATHER: There is a 55 percent chance of rain in the forecast.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a bye week.
* Over is 5-0 in Tigers last five games overall.
* Tigers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine meetings in Mississippi State.

Arizona State Sun Devils vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+5.5, 62)

Junior quarterback Taylor Kelly has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of the Sun Devils’ first four games, and junior college transfer Jaelen Strong has made an immediate impact with 433 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

The Fighting Irish defense hasn’t been as impressive as last season, but linemen Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix remain among the best in the country. Linebacker Jarrett Grace has a team-high 37 tackles for Notre Dame, which could struggle to slow down an Arizona State team averaging 44.3 points per game.

LINE: The Irish opened as 5.5-point home dogs. The total opened at 62.

WEATHER: N/A

TRENDS:

* Fighting Irish are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Sun Devils last six non-conference games.
* Under is 8-2 in Fighting Irish last 10 games following a ATS loss.

Kentucky Wildcats at South Carolina Gamecocks (-21, 54)

Kentucky faces its third straight nationally ranked foe after losses to Louisville and Florida. The Wildcats have been juggling quarterback duties between Maxwell Smith and Jalen Whitlow, with both showing varying degrees of effectiveness. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops would like to go with one signal caller, but is not in a rush to make that call.

South Carolina has only one home game in October, so the No. 12 Gamecocks know they need to get a win over visiting Kentucky on Saturday to make their hopes for a Southeastern Conference Eastern Division crown easier. The Gamecocks struggled a bit against Central Florida last week, thanks in part to a shoulder injury to starting quarterback Connor Shaw, who may be back against the Wildcats.

LINE: The Gamecocks opened as 21-point home faves. The total opened at 55 and is down to 54.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with clear skies.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four conference games.
* Over is 6-0 in the last six meetings in South Carolina.
* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings.

West Virginia Mountaineers at Baylor Bears (-28, 69)

West Virginia stumbled out of the gate this season, but turned heads last week when it upset then-No. 11 Oklahoma State at home. Making his first start, Florida State transfer quarterback Clint Trickett threw for 309 yards as the Mountaineers rebounded from an ugly 37-0 loss at Maryland the week before. Trickett, however, injured his shoulder late in the game and is questionable for Saturday.

Baylor averages a gaudy 751.3 yards of offense and 69.7 points, but has played the likes of Wofford, Louisiana-Monroe and Buffalo. The Bears' defense is has allowed just 23 points thus far.

LINE: The Bears opened at -27 and are currently -28. The total opened at 68.5 and is now 69.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-70s and wind will blow across the field at 11 mph.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-0 in Mountaineers last eight games overall.
* Over is 20-5-1 in Bears last 26 conference games.
* Bears are 15-2 ATS in their last 17 home games.

Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats (+7, 61)

No. 3 Ohio State attempts to remain undefeated under second-year coach Urban Meyer and stretch the nation’s longest winning streak to 18 games. Ohio State leads the series 59-14-1 and has won the last four meetings.

The two-quarterback system of senior Kain Colter (237 rushing yards, 77.1 percent completion percentage) and junior Trevor Siemian (67.1 completion percentage for 671 yards and four touchdowns) is clicking as the Wildcats are averaging 41.3 points per game.

LINE: The Buckeyes opened as 5.5-point road faves and are now -7. The total opened at 59 and is up to 61.

WEATHER: There is a 56 percent chance of thunderstorms. Wind will blow toward the north endzone at 13 mph.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last six conference games.
* Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

Washington Huskies at Stanford Cardinal (-7.5, 52)

Huskies RB Bishop Sankey ranks first in the nation with 151.8 rushing yards per game and senior quarterback Keith Price ranks 12th in pass efficiency for the Huskies, who haven't trailed all season.

Stanford’s stellar offensive line has helped the Cardinal out rush their last two opponents – Washington State and Arizona State – by a 478-101 margin. The defense is led by linebacker Shayne Skov and linebacker Trent Murphy, who returned an interception for a touchdown last week against the Cougars.

LINE: Stanford opened as a 6.5-point fave and is now -7.5. The total opened at 52.5 and is down to 52.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with clear skies.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings.
* Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings.

ACC Report - Week 6
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

The Atlantic Coast Conference will have one heavyweight battle this weekend, and then a host of other league games which might separate the lower-tier teams from those in the upper tier. We might not be as entertained as some of the other leagues, but this weekend we will learn quite a bit about the ACC from this slate of games.

It appears that the Army-Boston College game will go on as scheduled, as there had been talk that due to the government shutdown, the Black Knights would not travel from West Point to Chestnut Hill. However, it appears that problem has been averted for now. Enjoy the weekend!

Maryland at Florida State

The Terrapins are certainly not making it easy for their ACC brethren before departing for the Big Ten next season. Maryland is 4-0, and they have been one of the most exciting teams to watch. Maryland has actually covered six straight dating back to last season, and some might be surprised to see them as a 17-point underdog heading into Tallahassee this weekend. However, Florida State QB Jameis Winston has been impressive, and the Seminoles have covered three of their four games overall. FSU is also 5-1 ATS in their past six home games. Maryland is 4-10 ATS in the past 14 ACC games, while FSU has covered just one of their past five conference tilts. FSU has dominated the series at home, covering eight of the past 10 visits by Maryland to Doak Campbell Stadium.

North Carolina at Virginia Tech

The Tar Heels were manhandled at home by East Carolina QB Shane Carden and the Pirates offense last week in Chapel Hill. The Heels have sunk to a new low after the 55-31 shellacking at the hands of ECU. It doesn't look to get any better for the Heels with a trip to Blacksburg. North Carolina is just 1-7 ATS in their past eight road games, 1-4 ATS in their past five games overall, and 2-5 ATS in their past seven ACC contests. One thing going in North Carolina's favor is the fact the road team has covered six of the past seven meetings in this series. Be careful with the total in this game, as it is rather tricky. The total is set at 46, and the 'under' has cashed in five of the past six meetings in this series, and each of the past four in Blacksburg. However, last season, UNC powered past Virginia Tech 48-34, and Carolina hasn't shown much of a defensive effort lately. This could be another high-scoring affair, going against what the trends say.

Georgia Tech at Miami, Fl.

Two of the hottest ACC teams, at least against the number, do battle in South Florida on Saturday afternoon. This one has the potential to be a very entertaining affair. The Jackets were dumped at home by a 17-10 score against Virginia Tech, but had covered their previous three games. The 'under' has cashed in three in a row for Georgia Tech. The 'over' has come in over the past two games for Miami, but they have played two bad teams in Savannah State and South Florida. Ga. Tech will be a much sterner test. Last season these teams hooked up in a 42-36 overtime thriller in Atlanta. The Jackets will look to return the favor, but are 0-4 ATS in their past four trips to Miami. One other interesting tidbit is that the Hurricanes are one of five FBS teams yet to trail in a game this season.

Clemson at Syracuse

With Clemson, the first thing to check out is the total. This week the line is set at 65. The 'over' has connected in three of their four games, and all three of their Saturday affairs, with the 'under' coming Sept. 19 in Raleigh in a Thursday game at N.C. State. The 'over' is 3-1 for Syracuse as well, including each of the past three outings. The Tigers have covered 10 of their past 14 games, and 16 of their past 21 conference tilts. They easily knocked off Wake Forest last week with video-game-like offense, winning 56-7. The Orange figure to offer a little more resistance. Syracuse has allowed just 17 points over the past two games, but that's against FCS opponent Wagner and FBS doormat Tulane. When the Orange faced Northwestern Sept. 7 in Evanston, the defense was pummeled for 48 points. Look for more of the same from Tigers QB Tajh Boyd and the Clemson offense under the roof in Syracuse.

Other Games
Ball State at Virginia (12:00pm ET)
Army at Boston College (1:00pm ET)
North Carolina State at Wake Forest (3:30pm ET)

Byes
Duke, Pittsburgh

Big Ten Report - Week 6
By ASAWins.com

Only six of the Big Ten schools were in action last weekend and two of the games were non-conference affairs. Illinois defeated Miami Ohio 50-14 in wire-to-wire fashion at home and Purdue was embarrassed at home as a 3 ½-point home underdog to Northern Illinois, 55-24. In conference play, Iowa went on the road and handed Minnesota its first loss of the season with a 23-7 victory and Ohio State held off Wisconsin 31-24, bettors seeing this result end in a push (Buckeyes -7). The total went 2-2 overall.

Ohio State (-7, 59½) at Northwestern

Ohio State starting QB Braxton Miller returned to the field with a bang Saturday night, firing four touchdown passes and completing 17-of-25. Most impressive in last week’s seven-point win over Wisconsin was the defense. The Bucks held Wisconsin's power run game to just 104 yards on 3.9 YPC (UW was averaging 349 rush yards per game prior to last week). They must now regroup after that huge win at home as they’ll face another test this week at Northwestern. The Wildcats are off of a bye week. They seemed to sleepwalk through its game against FCS Maine two weeks ago. In that game they did not resemble the same squad that dominated Cal, Syracuse, and Western Michigan the prior three games. Against Maine they were outgained and had fewer first downs. They were never in serious danger of losing the game, but it was an odd sight to see Northwestern look so mediocre. Maybe they were flat or maybe coaches were limiting the playbook as they have this big game against Ohio State on deck. Northwestern knows it must elevate its play significantly against Ohio State in what will be the most anticipated game of the Pat Fitzgerald era. Standout RB Venric Mark will return against the Buckeyes, as Northwestern will need its zone-read game to be in top form to keep pace with Ohio State on the scoreboard. Ohio State is 28-1 all-time against Northwestern. They’re 4-0 SU & ATS the last four meetings; winning by an average score of 51-9 (Northwestern hasn’t topped 10 points in any of those meetings).

Michigan (-19½, 50) vs. Minnesota

No team needed the off week more than Michigan, which had plenty to clean up following near disasters against Akron and Connecticut. Michigan won't stay perfect much longer if QB Gardner keeps turning over the ball (he leads the nation with 10 turnovers). In the last game against UConn he completed just 11-of-23 passes for 97 yards with 2 INT. The defense has been great (6th ranked rush defense, 21st in total “D”) and they’ll face a Minnesota offense coming off a dreadful performance. The Gophers managed just 165 yards, 11 first downs, and 7 points in its homecoming loss to Iowa last week. It seems like Minnesota was a product of a weak nonleague schedule, as some of the small problems that surfaced against weaker competition became big problems against Iowa. Quarterback Nelson struggled with just 135 yards (1 TD 2 INT) and he didn't get much help from the run game (30 yards on 27 carries). Backup QB Leidner provided a spark in Week 4 and coach Jerry Kill might make a switch if Nelson continues to struggle. Michigan has won five straight over Minnesota by 28 PPG (5-0 ATS) and won 58-0 the last meeting in the Big House.

Nebraska (-9½, 60½) vs. Illinois

Nebraska is fresh off of its bye week following a much needed blowout victory over FCS South Dakota State. The defense still needs a lot of improvement. This unit surrendered 465 yards and 25 first downs to the Jackrabbits two weeks ago and the sample size is large enough now to show that this defense hasn’t improved from a year ago. The Huskers rank 109th in total “D” and will now take on a surprisingly efficient Illinois offense. The Illini have been the biggest surprise in the Big Ten. They completed nonleague play at 3-1 (with the lone loss to undefeated Washington) and head to Nebraska with a lot of confidence, particularly on offense. QB Scheelhaase might be the most improved player in the nation as he has 12 TD and just 3 INT on 67% passing after amassing just 4 TD and 8 INT all of last season. He did struggle against Washington though (9-of-25 passing) and will hope to improve against another strong opponent. These two haven’t met yet as Big Ten opponents. Illinois is just 2-17 SU in Big Ten openers and 0-7 SU & 2-5 ATS the last seven games as a Big Ten road underdog. Nebraska is 11-1 SU & 9-3 ATS in its last 12 home games.

Michigan State (-1½, 38½) at Iowa

Iowa has won and covered three straight games and is riding some serious momentum. The Hawks had their third straight dominant performance against Minnesota to ruin its rival's homecoming. QB Jake Rudock has 5 TD and 1 INT over the last three games while RB Weisman gives this offense some serious balance. The defense has been the most impressive aspect of this team. This unit held Minnesota to just 165 yards and 11 first downs last week and now it ranks 6th in total defense and 18th in scoring defense. The only defense in the Big Ten that is arguably playing better will be across the field this weekend. Two weeks ago, Michigan State held ND to just 220 yards and 14 first downs and now ranks 1st in total defense, 3rd against the pass, and 2nd against the rush. This “D” is really, really good. But it won’t matter in the Big Ten race if they can’t get consistent results from its offense. This unit ranks 104th in yards per game and 73rd in points per game. Coach Dantonio spent time during the bye week trying to fix the issues, but there’s more than one week of practice away from solving the problem. MSU is favored at Kinnick Stadium this week despite the fact that the Spartans are 2-7 SU & ATS in the last nine trips. Iowa is 15-4 ATS in the last 19 meetings with MSU and the Hawks are 10-3-2 ATS in their last 15 games as a home underdog.

Penn State (-3½, 63½) at Indiana

Both squads are off of a bye week. After suffering a home defeat vs. Central Florida on September 14th, Coach Obrien had his troops ready for redemption against Kent State in their last game. Penn State shut out Kent State and held them to 190 yards and nine first downs. Offensively this was one of the first full games that QB Hackenberg really looked like a true freshman. He completed just 13-of-35 passes for 176 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. Obrien spent the bye week working with his young QB to work out the kinks and prepare for Big Ten play and the first road test of the season. On the other side this week is Indiana, off of a much-needed bye week. Indiana was abysmal in its last game loss to Missouri. The Hoosiers fell behind early and never really got things going on offense or defense. QB Sudfeld threw three interceptions and the defense allowed Mizzou to gain 623 total yards and 33 first downs. IU’s spread attack could cause some problems for the Nittany Lions, who haven’t faced an up-tempo spread team yet this year. PSU is a perfect 16-0 SU all-time against Indiana and are 4-2 ATS in the last six trips to Memorial Stadium. The Nittany Lions are 10-1 SU & 9-2 ATS in the last 11 Big Ten road games as a favorite.

Wisconsin - BYE

The Badgers remained close with the Buckeyes, but allowed too many big plays and couldn’t get their running attack going. QB Stave had a big night with 295 passing yards and 2 TD and WR Abbrederis proved he’s one of the top receiving threats in the Big Ten with 207 receiving yards despite going against one of the nation’s top CB’s. The bye week comes at a perfect time after star RB Gordon left in the 2nd half with a knee injury. Wisconsin has now lost 11 games since the start of 2011. All of those losses were by seven points or fewer (4.6 points per loss) and three were in overtime. Wisconsin will have to overcome its deficiencies in close games if it wants another shot at a Big Ten title game (and hope for a couple of OSU losses).

Purdue - BYE

The misery continues for the Boilers. They suffered their third straight defeat of the season and their only victory is an unimpressive six-point win over FCS Indiana State. Last week was an embarrassing 24-55 setback at home against Northern Illinois. It appears the era of Rob Henry at QB is officially over as Purdue will now go with freshman Danny Etling under center. Etling completed 19-of-39 passes for 241 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT against in relief duty for Henry last week. Etling was supposedly in a redshirt season before coach Hazell brought him off the bench last week. He’ll have a bye week to get more acclimated with the offense before Nebraska travels to Purdue next week for the conference home opener.

Pac-12 Report - Week 6
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

The Pac-12 has a couple of national spotlight games this weekend, including Washington-Stanford. That will be an exciting matchup, as we see how good the Huskies really are. Arizona State heads to Dallas to mix it up with Notre Dame, too, although that game has lost a little of its luster with recent losses by both teams. Still, it could be a very entertaining affair in Jerry World.

It is disappointing to see Oregon State off this weekend for a bye. They have been a bettor's friend lately, at least when it comes to the 'over', going over the total in four of their five games with QB Sean Mannion and that high powered offense. It will also be interesting to see if Cal can finally cover a spread. They're a slight dog at home to Washington State, who has covered four of its five games this season.

UCLA kicked off this week's schedule with a 34-27 win at Utah, with the total coming just 'under' 62 1/2. Four Pac-12 teams remain unbeaten, and one will fall by the wayside in Palo Alto in a battle of unbeatens.

Washington State at California

Things haven't turned around completely under Mike Leach on the Palouse, as evidenced by last weekend's drumming at the hands of visiting Stanford (in Seattle). However, the Cougars have at least been respectable in games against non-ranked opponents. Washington State is 5-1 ATS in the past six games, with that lone non-cover coming against Stanford. They are 4-1-1 ATS in the past six road games against a team with a losing home record. Washington State can go a long way toward respectability, and a potential bowl berth, with a win in Berkeley. It has been a disaster in Cal lately. They have failed to cover in the past six home games, they're 0-6 ATS in their past six conference tilts, and they're a dismal 3-14 ATS in the past 17 outings. However, freshman QB Jared Goff looks pretty impressive, and they can score points. The 'over' is 3-1 in Cal's four games this season, and Goff will be a huge factor if they win or lose this game. Lastly, Washington State is 5-1 ATS in the past six trips to Cal, and the road team has covered seven of the past nine meetings in this series.

Oregon at Colorado

Like Clemson in the ACC, the first thing to look for in upcoming Oregon games is the total. This weekend it is set around 69. Some shops you might be able to get it at 68. Oregon has just been an absolute machine, with the 'over' coming through in 25 of the past 35 Pac-12 battles, and 35 of their past 52 games overall. The 'over' is also 4-1 in their past five road outings. Oregon has killed it against the number, too, going 4-0 ATS in their past four games against teams with a winning record, 10-1 ATS in their past 11 road games, and 7-1 ATS inside the conference. They've covered 11 of their past 12 games overall. The Buffs, on the other hand, have covered just three of the past 12 home games, and seven of their past 25. Colorado is showing some signs of life after a miserable season last year, but despite the heroics of WR Paul Richardson, Colorado isn't quite ready for prime time just yet.

Arizona State at Notre Dame

AZ State enters this game as a six-point favorite, and that might raise a few eyebrows east of the Mississippi. However, the Sun Devils are good, and they can score early and often. Just ask Wisconsin. Arizona State has covered five of their past seven games, and the 'over' is a perfect 4-0 in their past four neutral-site games. The 'over' is also 23-8 in their past 31 games, and 16-5 in their past 21 games against an opponent with a winning record. For Notre Dame, they have failed miserably in bigger games. They're 0-3-1 ATS in their past four against teams with a winning mark, 0-5-1 ATS in their past six overall, and 0-5 ATS in their past five on fieldturf. Of course, AZ State is 0-4-1 ATS in their past five on fieldturf, so that's a wash. This one is offense vs. defense, and it will be interesting to see who can come out victorious.

Washington at Stanford

Is Washington all the way back to relevance on the national stage, or just a little bit of the way back? We'll know more after this weekend's trip to Palo Alto. The Cardinal, a seven-point favorite, look for revenge after being stopped 17-13 in Seattle last season in a Thursday game. If Stanford wants to avoid losing two in a row in this series, they'll need to find a way to put the clamps on RB Bishop Sankey, who has galloped for 151.8 yards per game on the ground, tops in the nation. Stanford is looking for its 13th straight win since that aforementioned setback to UW, and they have scored at least 34 points in each of their first four games this season. This one has the potential to be thrilling from an offensive perspective. Washington is just 1-7 ATS in their past eight road games against a team with a winning home mark, but they are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games overall. Stanford is 19-6-1 ATS in their past 26 conference games, and 7-2 ATS in their past nine against teams with a winning record.

Byes
Arizona, Oregon State, Southern California