College Football Betting News and Notes Saturday, September 7

College Football Betting Preview: Cincinnati at Illinois
By Andrew Lange
Sportsmemo.com

Cincinnati at Illinois
Saturday, 9 am PT - ESPN2
CRIS Opener: Cincinnati -7.5 O/U 54
CRIS Current: Cincinnati -7.5 O/U 54.5
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Cincinnati -13
Andrew Lange's Recommendation: Cincinnati

The word is clearly out that Illinois is not to be respected at all this season. Last week we saw the Illini open -24 vs. Southern Illinois and close -17. They were in control for much of the game but SIU was able to punch in a score in the fourth quarter and U of I slipped by with a 42-34 win. And that margin was how it looked in the box score – Illinois with slight edges in first downs and total yardage.

This week, the Illini take a big step up in class as they play host to Cincinnati. The Bearcats weren't particularly sharp last week against Purdue but still rolled to a 42-7 victory. Keep in mind that from a power rating standpoint, some would argue that Purdue is stronger that Illinois. But even if you consider them on equal footing and account for the change in venue, Cincinnati has some value at this current number.

When laying points on the road I’m looking for teams that obviously have the ability to win by margin and that travel to a venue that doesn’t hold much of a home field advantage. I think we get that here. Last year nine of Cinci’s 10 wins combing by double-digits while Illinois suffered blowout losses to Louisiana Tech, Penn State, Indiana, and a 14-point loss to Minnesota.

I spoke last month about the downward trajectory of the Illinois program and head coach Tim Beckman and his staff being in over their heads at this level. Unfortunately, the entire betting markets are aware of those deficiencies hence the price tag. And while it can take a few weeks for the markets to adjust to bad football teams, those who are already established as "bad" such as Illinois are placed in pointspread purgatory meaning they are “bet against” until they prove otherwise. At the current number I see no reason to rush to the window to bet Cincinnati. CRIS is showing -7.5 and there is enough contrarian opinions that we could see a -7 or two pop up before game day. That being said, Cincinnati has more than enough ability to go on the road and cash this ticket at anything less than -10.

College Football Betting Preview: Oregon at Virginia
By Brian Edwards
Sportsmemo.com

Oregon at Virginia
Saturday, 12:30 pm PT - ESPN2
CRIS Opener: Oregon -22.5 O/U 59
CRIS Current: Oregon -21.5 O/U 61
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Oregon -22
Brian Edwards' Recommendation: Oregon

Oregon ventured to the Eastern Time Zone back in Week 2 of the 2010 campaign. On that night, the Ducks trounced Tennessee 48-13 as an 11.5-point road favorite. They will be hoping for a similar result Saturday at Virginia in the first meeting between the two schools.

As of Wednesday, most books had Oregon installed as a 22-point favorite with a total of 60.5 or 61. Gamblers can take the Cavaliers to win outright for a +900 return (risk $100 to win $900).

Oregon has covered the spread in eight consecutive games as a road favorite. The Ducks opened 2013 with a 66-3 win over Nicholls State last Saturday as 59-point home chalk. The 69 combined points slipped over the 66.5-point total thanks to a touchdown with 3:45 remaining.

Marcus Mariota threw for 234 yards and one TD without committing a turnover. The sophomore signal caller also rushed for 113 yards and a pair of scores on just five carries. De’Anthony Thomas rushed for 128 yards and two TDs.

Kevin Parks scored on a 13-yard TD run with 2:36 remaining to lift Virginia to a 19-16 win over BYU as a 2.5-point home underdog in its season opener last week. The Cavs lost the turnover battle (2-1), were outgained 362-223 in total offense, and yet somehow they found a way to get into the win column.

That’s a good thing for fourth-year head coach Mike London, who can’t afford another season like 2012 when UVA limped to a 4-8 straight-up record (2-8-2 ATS). Before the spread cover against the Cougars, the Cavs had gone 0-7-3 ATS in their 10 previous home games.

Despite the win over BYU, quarterback play still appears to be an issue. The new starter, third-year sophomore David Watford, completed 18-of-32 passes for 114 yards with one TD and one interception. Watford was hesitant to look down the field and that might have been a good thing against BYU, but UVA is going to need more offense if it wants to keep pace with Oregon’s high-octane offense.

Note that UVA will be without starting guard Sean Cascarano, but both teams are otherwise injury-free.

Virginia owns a 3-6 spread record as a home underdog on London’s watch. Dating back to 2004, the Cavs have won five of six non-conference home games against BCS foes. The lone defeat came in blowout fashion when Southern Cal came to Charlottesville and dealt out a 52-7 shellacking as a 19.5-point road favorite.

I don’t like to eat more than three touchdowns worth of road chalk, especially when a team has to travel across the country. However, this smells like a blowout to me. Unless UVA can create turnovers galore, I just don’t see it having enough offensive firepower to stay within reach. I’ll call it Oregon by a 48-16 count.

NCAAF: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com

Ohio State (-27.5) vs. San Diego State

Ohio State opened the 2013 college football season with three-unanswered scores against Buffalo and appeared to be on their way to a route in week one before things fell apart. Braxton Miller was dealing with leg cramps, the Buckeyes' offense stumbled, and the defense failed to hold its own for four quarters in an eventual 40-20 win. It was enough to move on to week two with BCS Championship hopes intact, but head coach Urban Meyer was not happy with his team's level of play and has asked them to raise the bar in week two. It should help that San Diego State is in town following a blowout loss to Eastern Illinois, which was one of the biggest shocks of the opening week. Ohio State should be better in week two, and the Aztecs won't be able to put up 20 points the way Buffalo did.

South Carolina (+3.5) @ Georgia

All of the talk about Aaron Murray's inability to win the big one seemed a little too much in the offseason, but after another tough loss at Clemson last week the critics are only getting louder. Georgia opened as a 5-point favorite ahead of its date with South Carolina this week, but that number is already down to 3.5 and likely won't move from there as the bookies don't want to get burned on both sides. The Gamecocks torched North Carolina both on the ground and through the air in a week one win, and should have no problem covering in a game they could very well end up winning straight up.

Michigan (-3) vs. Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish were absolutely bullied in last year's BCS Championship game against Alabama, and this year's team isn't expected to be nearly as good. Michigan is coming off a dominant win over Central Michigan in which it put up a ridiculous 59 points, and will have the home advantage over a Notre Dame team that failed to cover against Temple in week one. The Fighting Irish offense isn't good enough to come out on top in shootouts, and the Notre Dame defense isn't nearly good enough to completely slow down the Michigan offense on the road this weekend.

NCAAF: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com

Buffalo @ Baylor Over 66

When Baylor and West Virginia clashed a year ago the line was monstrous, but by the end of the first quarter it was already on pace to obliterate the total. The Bears' offense has the potential to be just as explosive this year, and it matches up well against a Buffalo defense that just gave up 40 points against an Ohio State team that had a starting quarterback who was dealing with an injury for most of the game. Baylor will put up some big offensive numbers in this game as a 27.5 point favorite, and the Bulls' offense is good enough to put up at least a couple of scores to help push this number over the total. It may seem high at first glance, but both of these teams can score and the defenses aren't good enough to prevent them from doing exactly that.

San Diego State @ Ohio State Over 54

The Buckeyes scored 40 points in a win over Buffalo with Braxton Miller dealing with leg cramps and the offense lacking that crisp flare that is has developed under head coach Urban Meyer. Meyer wasn't pleased with his team's performance, and has asked for them to be much more efficient this week with Miller back at 100-percent. The offense should have no problem topping last week's 40-point performance against a San Diego State team that gave up 40 points in a blowout loss against the Eastern Illinois Panthers, and if the Aztecs manage to score even a single touchdown then this game should go over the total.

San Jose State @ Stanford Over 48.5

This Stanford defense is one of the best in the country, and it should give the offense plenty of chances to score in this game. The Cardinal will force turnovers and set up excellent field position time and again, so this game could get out of hand early on. That should leave enough time for the Spartans to put up a couple of scores against the second defensive unit late in order to help push the number over the total, which isn't that high to begin with thanks to the emphasis being put on the Stanford first-team defense being able to shut things down from the outset.

Saturday's Top 13 Games

Florida-Miami haven’t met since ’08; Gators haven’t played ‘canes here since ’03. Both teams won fairly handily last week, Miami outgained FAU 503-250, led 20-3 at half; Gators outgained Toledo 415-205, led 17-3 at half, but neither covered as big favorites. Since 2007, Florida is 12-4 as road favorite; they’re 27-12 vs spread in last 39 non-league games (1-4 last five). Miami is 8-3-1 as underdog under Golden; over last decade, they’re 5-2 as home dogs. Both teams have veteran QBs and experience OLs.

Temple lost 28-6 at Notre Dame last week because their kicker is awful; they left 10+ points on field when game was close; total yardage in game was 543-362. Owl QB Reilly is pretty good. Houston-Temple are league rivals who haven’t met since ’89 because AAC is new league. Since ’08, Cougars are 6-14 as road favorites- they’ve got veteran QB (9 starts) and four starters back on OL- they whacked outmanned Southern 62-13 last week (627-372 TY, 27-6 at half). Temple is just 5-6 vs spread as a dog since Golden left for Miami, but Owls are 13-7-1 in last 21 tries as a home dog.

In his three years at Texas Tech, Tuberville was 6-1-1 vs spread as a road favorite; his Cincinnati team is 8-5 as road faves since ’09, 9-4 in last 13 non-league games. Cincy has all five starters back on OL, including three seniors. Since ’06, Illinois is 7-5 as home dog; they’re 9-6 in last 15 non-league games. Illini also has experienced OL but no seniors start there. Bearcats (-10.5) crushed Purdue of Big Dozen 42-7 last week, running ball for 221 yards, passing for 204, good balance. Illini beat I-AA Southern Illinois 42-34, giving up 341 passing yards, not a good sign.

LY, West Virginia gained 778 yards vs Oklahoma, and lost 50-49, in an amazingly odd game in which WVU ran ball for 458 yards and lost, which almost never happens, except maybe to a service academy. Austin/Bailey/Jones are all in NFL now; Mountaineers struggled to beat I-AA Wm & Mary 24-17 last week (trailed 17-7 at half); since ’05, they’re 9-3 as road underdogs (3-1 under Holgorsen). Since ’06, Sooners are 26-15-1 as home favorites; they threw for 554 yards in this game LY. OU outgained ULM 429-166 last week, but completed only 14 of 33 passes.

South Carolina beat Georgia last three years, after losing seven of previous eight meetings; they’ve won two of last three visits between hedges, with underdogs 3-0-1 vs spread in Carolina’s last four visits here. Dawgs outgained Clemson 545-467 last week, but botched tying 25-yard FG late in third quarter and lost by 3; Georgia has only three starters back on defense- they’re 11-7 as home favorites since ’10, but since ’04, they’re 10-16 in game following a loss. Gamecocks are 14-9-1 as road dogs under Spurrier, 21-16-2 overall as dogs in his tenure. Both teams have veteran QBs and experienced OLs. SEC opener for both.

Duke (-23) beat Memphis 38-19 LY, outgaining Tigers 500-152 despite a -4 turnover ratio. Blue Devils are football road favorite for first time since 2005; they’re 8-3-1 vs spread as favorites under Cutcliffe, though and 11-7 in last 18 non-ACC games. Duke has four starters back on very experienced OL (118 starts) with an inexperienced QB. Memphis was 3-1 as home dogs in Fuente’s (former Oklahoma QB) first year as HC; they had been 4-11 as home dogs from ’09-’11. Tigers didn’t play last week, so that helps Duke, which got to work some kinks out in 45-0 win over I-AA chump. Memphis has a senior QB (12 starts) and 54 starts back on OL.

Northwestern (-1) won wild 42-41 game in Carrier Dome LY, despite being outgained 596-337. Wildcats were 5-0 as home favorites LY, after being 6-17 in that role from ’03-’11. Fitzgerald’s team lost its QB early last week at Cal, scored two defensive TDs in second half and left Bay Area with 44-30 win (-6). Cal’s hurry-up offense gained 558 yards despite Wildcats faking injuries to slow it down. Syracuse (+7.5) lost 23-17 to Penn State in Swamp, getting outgained 353-260; game was 6-3 at half- SU is 14-7-1 vs spread in last 22 non-league games. Neither team is experienced on OL or at QB, but Wildcats’ program has more continuity, with Marrone gone to NFL.

Notes on rest of Saturday's games.

-- Favorites are 23-12 vs spread in Kentucky’s last 35 games; Wildcats were 7-3 as home favorite under Phillips, but got off to bad start in Stoops era, losing to Western Kentucky on neutral field.
– Michigan State failed to cover last seven games as a home favorite, is 7-9 vs spread in last 16 non-league games, but South Florida lost 53-21 last week to I-AA McNeese State; hard to endorse either side.
-- Oklahoma State was 0-3 as home favorite LY, after being 18-5 from ’03-’11; Cowboys covered nine of last 13 non-league games.
– Ohio U is 4-7 in last 11 tries as home favorite; they’re on short week after getting roughed up by Louisville Sunday. North Texas passed for 404 yards in 40-6 (-16) win over Idaho last week.

– North Carolina is 9-5 vs spread as home favorite last two years; since ’05, Middle Tennessee is 11-15 as a road underdog. Both teams have senior QBs.
– San Diego State lost 40-19 at home to I-AA Eastern Illinois last week. Oy. Ohio State is 6-9 in last 15 games as home favorite, 3-7 in last ten non-league games.
– Utah State outgained rival Utah 487-450 last week, but lost tough 30-26 game, while Air force ran option for 409 yards in easy win over I-AA Colgate. First Mountain West game for Aggies.
– Since 2007, Tulane is 2-10 vs spread when favored at home; Green Wave better not look ahead to TV date with Louisiana Tech in next game.

– Virginia beat BYU 19-16 in monsoon last week, despite punting 13 times. Oregon makes long trip east- they’re 7-0 as road favorites last two years.
– Nebraska covered seven of last nine games as a home favorite, but only four of last 11 non-league games. Huskers allowed 35 first downs in 37-34 win over Wyoming last week, 33 of them on either 1st or 2nd down- they lost seven defensive starters from LY.
– Since ’05, Missouri is 22-11 vs spread in non-league games. Toledo was outgained 415-205 in 24-6 (+23) loss at Florida last week; Rockets covered seven of last eight games as a road underdog.
– Colorado State is on short week after 41-27 loss to Colorado in Denver Sunday; State was outgained 509-295. Since ’10, Tulsa is 11-6 as a home favorite; they got crushed 34-7 at Bowling Green Thursday, giving up 233 rushing yards.

– Ball State won last two meetings with Army 48-21/30-22, after losing previous two games with Cadets; Cardinals are 4-1 as home favorites under Lembo. Army is 1-6 as road dogs last two years.
– Eastern Michigan was outgained 384-380 by I-AA Howard last week. Penn State turned ball over four times last week, throwing for 296 yards, running for just 57 in 23-17 neutral field win over Syracuse, in frosh QB Hackenburg’s first college game.
– Baylor is 11-6 as home favorite under Briles; they don’t leave Waco until Oct 12. Buffalo covered four of last five games as a road underdog. – Since start of 2011, Western Kentucky is 12-0 vs spread away from home. Tennessee has 128 starts back on offensive line, one of most experienced in country; they were 1-5 as home favorite LY, after being 17-9-1 from ’07-’11.

– Kansas State lost at home to I-AA North Dakota State last week; Wildcats have only two starters back on defense from LY. ULL was outgained 522-274 in 34-14 (+10.5) loss at Arkansas.
– Oregon State lost 49-46 at home to I-AA Eastern Washington last week; since ’09, Beavers are 5-9 as home favorites (4-1 LY). Hawai’I (+24) lost 30-13 at home to USC last week, covering on last-minute TD pass (364-231 TY).
– Minnesota scored TDs on kick return, blocked FG and on defense in 51-23 (-13.5) home win over UNLV last week; Gophers are 12-7 vs spread in last 19 games as road favorites. New Mexico State was onluy down 14-7 at Texas at half last week, lost 56-7 (+43).

– Wyoming lost 37-34 at Nebraska last week but had 35 first downs, most ever vs Husker team; Cowboys outgained Huskers 602-503 despite being just 2-9 on third downs. Idaho (+16) lost 40-7 at North Texas, giving up 404 passing yards.
– Home side won five of last six New Mexico-UTEP games; Lobos lost last three visits here, by 4-8-3 points. Miners didn’t play last week, while New Mexico lost at home to Texas State, completing just 6-17 passes and getting shut out in second half.
– UNLV has nine starters back on both sides of ball but gave up three TDs on offense/special teams last week in 51-23 loss (+13.5) at Minnesota. Since 2008, Arizona is 2-8-1 vs spread as a road favorite.

Armadillosports.com

College Football Gambling Preview: Florida at Miami
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com

Florida at Miami (FL)
Saturday, 9 am PT - ESPN
CRIS Opener: Florida -3 O/U 50.5
CRIS Current: Florida -3 O/U 48
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Florida -6
Teddy Covers' Recommendation: Under

The Florida vs. Miami rivalry isn’t much of a rivalry these days. The two teams haven’t played since 2008, and have no scheduled meetings following Saturday’s clash at the Orange Bowl in Miami. When they played in ’08, Urban Meyer was at the height of his career with Florida, and the game was no contest: a 26-3 Gators win, with Miami held to just 140 yards of total offense. That being said, Miami was a 24-point underdog at the closing number, and Hurricane backers got the money when they lost by only 23.

Florida’s defense may be every bit as good this year. They completely stifled a pretty good Toledo offense last week, holding the Rockets to 12 first downs, 205 total yards and two field goals for the game. The Gators were playing without suspended defenders LB Antonio Morrison, DT Darious Cummings and CB Loucheiz Purifoy in that contest, all of whom are expected to suit up this week.

That could be bad news for a Miami offense that did not look sharp in their home opener against Florida Atlantic last weekend. The Hurricanes ran the ball effectively all evening, but senior QB Stephen Morris wasn’t clicking with his receivers, a modest 15-of-27 for 160 yards with one TD and one interception. Head coach Al Golden: “We have to throw and catch better. We weren't as sharp as we need to be and that's it. No excuses. We protected well, except for one time, but other than that we have to throw and catch the ball better. We have to be more precise in our routes.”

The Gators have plenty of offensive concerns of their own. When Florida last won the national title following the 2008 season, their offense averaged more than 43 points per game. In Will Muschamp’s first two years as Florida’s head coach, the Gators averaged under 27 points per game in both seasons. Last week against Toledo, the offense continually sputtered: four three-and-outs and two potential scoring drives stopped in the red zone.

Florida’s biggest offensive problem has been their lack of explosive playmakers – this team simply isn’t scoring many quick strike touchdowns these days. They didn’t have a single 30+ yard play against a MAC defense last week, executing long, plodding drives instead of short, explosive ones. RB Matt Jones is back from his one game suspension this week, but the real culprit here is the Jeff Driskel led passing game.

Driskel was the #1 rated QB recruit in the country when he arrived in Gainesville, but in a year and a half as the starter, he’s yet to live up to those enormous expectations. The numbers don’t lie. He started 12 games as a sophomore last year, but finished the season with only 12 TD passes and 1,600 passing yards, bottom tier numbers. It’s surely worth noting that Driskel struggled repeatedly on the highway last year, reaching 200 passing yards and throwing for more than one TD only once in their six games outside of the Swamp.

Yes, there is plenty of skill position talent on the field, but neither offense can be described as explosive these days, and both defenses have every bit as much size and speed as their counterparts on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Expect a relatively plodding, hard hitting low scoring affair that stays Under the total.

CFB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Oregon at Virginia

Ducks ranked in the top three in scoring offense for three years in-a-row had little trouble dismantling Nicholls State in the opener racking up 772 total yards split between 272 passing (2TD), 500 rushing yards (7TD) in it's 66-3 victory. Meanwhile, Virginia knocked off Brigham Young by a 19-16 score behind 114 passing (1TD), 109 rushing yards (1TD). Although, Virginia defense held it's own vs BYU's up-tempo style, the Cavaliers face an uphill battle this week against Ducks quicker-paced high-powered offense. Playing away from home is a difficult proposition for most teams and covering an even greater task. However, Ducks simply have more strength, resources than Cavaliers and should improve the current 8-1 SU/ATS overall stretch, 9-0 SU/ATS streak away from Autzen Stadium while Virginia adds to the 1-7-1 ATS slide at Scott Stadium, 2-8 ATS skid vs non-conference foes.

Texas at Brigham Young

Longhorns doing a number on New Mexico State racking up a massive 715 total yards in a 56-7 rout covering the whopping 44.5 point spot take the up-tempo offense to Provo Utah where they'll clash with BYU Cougars off a 19-16 season opening loss at Virginia as a 2.5-point chalk. There are some favorable sports handicapping trends to back BYU in this matchup. The Cougars are on a 7-0 ATS stretch as an underdog, 4-1 ATS vs Big 12. However, QB Taysom Hill struggling without Cody Hoffman last week and with the WR ‘questionable’ for Saturday Cougars could be in dangerous betting territory as Horns are 4-1 ATS as a visiting favorite, 7-2 ATS out of conference the past two seasons.

Notre Dame at Michigan

Wolverines amassing 463 total yards in routing Central Michigan 59-9 in the opener have moved to 15-0 at home under head coach Brady Hoke with a sparkling 10-5 mark at the betting window. Meanwhile, Fighting Irish put aside their embarrassing loss to Alabama in the National Championship game racking up 543 total yards in it's 28-6 opening win over Owls. The scoring barrage Wolverines displayed this past week will be tough to repeat with defense a big part in Fighting Irish's recent success. However, Wolverines impressive straight-up home record looks safe as they're on a 3-0 SU streak at home vs Fighting Irish, 6-1 SU stretch the past seven encounters in Ann Arbor. From a college football betting perspective things aren't so safe for Michigan. The Wolverines are just 2-6 ATS as home chalks of 4 or less, 2-5 ATS after pilling up 45 or more points the previous game and 0-5-1 ATS when held under 25 points/game a situation that is not out of the question with this Irish squad. A final few betting nuggets to consider, Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS taking 4 or less on the road, 4-3 ATS vs Wolverines in Ann Arbor.

South Carolina at Georgia
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Bulldogs
Venue: Sanford Stadium (Grass)
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2013
Time/TV: 4:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Line: Georgia -3 1/2, Over/Under 56
Last Meeting: 2012, South Carolina 35 vs. Georgia 7

Coming off a 38-35 loss at Clemson, Georgia (0-1 straight up, 0-1 against the spread) returns home Saturday with hopes of avoiding the script of its 2011 campaign. Two years ago, UGA opened the season with a loss to Boise State and then fell to 0-2 when Melvin Ingram led South Carolina to a 45-42 win between the hedges.

March Richt’s team opened as a four-point favorite Sunday night, but the number was three by early Monday morning. The line remained at three until Thursday when most spots move to 3.5, while others were reluctant to come off the key number and simply added more juice (-115 or -120) for those looking to support the Bulldogs.

As of early Monday morning, UGA was favored by 3.5 with a total of 56. Gamblers can take Steve Spurrier’s team to win outright for a +145 return (risk $100 to win $145). The Dawgs are 2.5-point favorites for first-half wagers with a total of 28.

South Carolina (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) has won three in a row over Georgia, including a 35-7 beatdown in Columbia last season. The Gamecocks raced out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and it was over that quickly and easily. Only a short touchdown run for UGA with 1:55 remaining prevented it from taking cream-cheese treatment.

Connor Shaw threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another. Ace Sanders had a punt return for a TD and Marcus Lattimore also got into the end zone.

UGA quarterback Aaron Murray wasn’t allowed to get into any sort of rhythm thanks to ruthless South Carolina pass rush led by Jadeveon Clowney. Murray completed only 11-of-31 passes for 109 yards and one interception. The senior signal caller now owns a 1-10 record in 11 career games against opponents ranked in the Top 15.

South Carolina opened last Thursday with a 27-10 win over North Carolina as an 11-point home favorite. The Gamecock had to mount a goal-line stand in the waning moments to preserve the cover for their backers. They had raced out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead behind a TD pass apiece for Shaw and Dylan Thompson.

Shaw improved to 18-3 in 21 career starts. Spurrier’s offense produced 406 yards of total offense while limiting the Tar Heels to 293 yards. Remember, Larry Fedora’s team averaged more than 40 points per game in 2012 and has a veteran QB in Bryn Renner, who had a 28/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season.

Nevertheless, UNC’s lone TD drive needed a bogus facemask penalty on a third-down stop to be kept alive. The 37 combined points fell ‘under’ the 56-point total.

We knew UGA’s offense would be well ahead of its defense in the early going of 2013. That was indeed the case in last week’s loss, which was extra sour since leading returning receiver Malcolm Mitchell suffered a season-ending knee injury during an end-zone celebration.

On the bride side for Georgia, sophomore RB Todd Gurley ran like a beast. Gurley rushed for 154 yards and two TDs on just 12 carries. He was slowed by a quad injury but is ‘probable’ and will start Saturday.

Since 2004, Georgia has compiled a 22-27-1 spread record as a home favorite. Meanwhile, South Carolina owns a 14-9-1 ATS mark during Spurrier’s nine-year tenure.

South Carolina starting TE Rory Anderson has been upgraded to ‘probable’ after missing the season opener with a hamstring strain. Senior WR Bruce Ellington played a little bit against UNC, but he had missed more than two weeks of practice due to a hamstring. During his call-in show this week, Spurrier declared Ellington was ‘back to 100 percent.’

ESPN will provide the telecast at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Sportsbook.ag has updated its odds to win the SEC. Alabama is the -130 ‘chalk,’ followed by Georgia (+450), Texas A&M (+600), South Carolina (+600), Florida (10/1), LSU (10/1) and Ole Miss (25/1).

The offshore website has ‘Bama as the +250 favorite to win the BCS Championship. The next-shortest odds belong to Ohio St. (5/1), Oregon (8/1), Texas A&M (12/1), FSU (12/1), Texas (15/1), Stanford (18/1), Clemson (18/1) and South Carolina (20/1).

Sportsbook.ag currently has Alabama as a seven-point favorite for next Saturday’s showdown at Texas A&M. Other lines in the website’s Games of the Year section include Georgia -3 vs. LSU, Clemson -1 vs. FSU, Georgia -2 vs. Florida, Oregon -3 at Stanford, ‘Bama -11 vs. LSU and ‘Bama -21 at Auburn.

Tennessee is 5-9 ATS in its last 14 games as a double-digit favorite. The Vols will be in that role Saturday when they’re favored by 13.5 or 14 over Bobby Petrino’s Western Kentucky squad. The Hilltoppers own a 10-1 spread record in their last 11 games as road underdogs.

Northwestern QB/WR Kain Colter has been upgraded to ‘probable’ for his team’s home opener vs. Syracuse. Even with Colter and star RB Venric Mark missing most of the game, the Wildcats were able to win 44-30 at Cal last week.

UNLV has only won six times in 39 games during Bobby Hauck’s tenure. However, the Rebels have thrived as home underdogs with an outstanding 10-3-1 ATS mark. UNLV is a 10.5-point home ‘dog Saturday night vs. Arizona at Sam Boyd Stadium.

San Jose St. is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games as a road underdog. The Spartans, who lost a 20-17 heartbreaker at Stanford last season, are catching 25.5 Saturday night in Palo Alto. Stanford star LB Shayne Skov will be ‘out’ due to a one-game suspension.

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Afternoon Action
By Covers.com

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Wisconsin Badgers (-45)

If first-year head coach Gary Andersen can keep the Wisconsin defense performing on par with its running game, then Saturday's non-conference game against visiting Tennessee Tech could be just the latest in a long line of victories for the nation's 21st-ranked team. The Badgers ran for 393 yards last week in a 45-0 rout over Massachusetts, but more importantly, their new 3-4 defense shut out the Minutemen while holding them to 3.6 yards per play. "If I could characterize it in one word, it would be solid," defensive end Ethan Hemer said. "Guys made plays, caused turnovers. It was overall a pretty solid performance."

Tennessee Tech had an impressive showing of its own by posting a 63-7 victory over Cumberland of the NAIA. The margin of victory was its largest in a season opener. Sophomore Ladarius Vanlier had back-to-back touchdowns of more than 50 yards and quarterback Darian Stone passed for two scores and ran for two more while leading the offense to 505 total yards.

Key betting stat: Badgers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.

Southeastern Louisiana Lions at TCU Horned Frogs (-43)

Senior quarterback Casey Pachall will remain Texas Christian's starting quarterback despite a late-game switch in last week's loss to Louisiana State. Sophomore Trevone Boykin, who started nine games last year after Pachall left for an impatient rehab facility, could play wide receiver when the No. 24 Horned Frogs host Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday. "If anything we need to get the ball to (Boykin)," coach Gary Patterson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Sunday. "He played well as a wide receiver."

The Lions had a record day behind former Oregon quarterback Bryan Bennett but will have their hands full against a Horned Frogs' defense that has allowed 17 or fewer points eight times during an 11-game win streak in home openers. Patterson wouldn't divulge the availability for sophomore defensive lineman Devonte Fields, who was given a two-game suspension in May for breaking team rules. Fields is listed atop the team's depth chart and coaches are worried about the possibility of injury for next week's game against Texas Tech, but a decision will come from Patterson and TCU chancellor Victor Boschini.

Key betting stat: Horned Frogs are 0-5 ATS in their last five home games.

Florida Gators at Miami Hurricanes (+3, 48)

The state of Florida has produced some of the most bitter rivalries of the last generation in college football, and No. 9 Florida and No. 24 Miami are gearing up for another chapter on Saturday. The Hurricanes will host the Gators in what could be the last meeting for the foreseeable future, as Florida will lose a non-conference game in a proposed expansion to a nine-game SEC schedule. Miami and the Gators will both be putting strong defenses on display.

The Hurricanes are having a harder time finding their way into the top half of the Top-25 than in-state rivals Florida and Florida State, but showed plenty of promise in a Week 1 drubbing of Florida Atlantic. Miami sophomore running back Duke Johnson shouldered most of the offensive load and will be attacking a Florida defense that surrendered only 50 yards on the ground in its opening win over Toledo. Johnson racked up 186 yards despite sitting out most of the second half.

Key betting stat: Gators are 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners (+26, 59.5)

It certainly did not take long for J.W. Walsh to earn the respect of Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. After coming off the bench in the Cowboys’ season opener, Walsh will start at quarterback in Saturday’s game at UTSA. Gundy said earlier this week that Walsh, a sophomore, would likely play the entire game, leaving fifth-year senior Clint Chelf on the bench for 14th-ranked Oklahoma State.

Chelf played the first two series last week against Mississippi State before Gundy switched to Walsh, who completed 18-of-27 passes for 135 yards. Walsh also ran for 125 yards and a score, while Jeremy Smith added 102 rushing yards and a pair of TDs in the 21-3 victory. The Cowboys’ defense bottled up the Bulldogs and will look to do the same against the Roadrunners, who scored 21 unanswered points to win at New Mexico last week 21-13.

Key betting stat: Under is 21-7-1 in Cowboys' last 29 road games.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Louisville Cardinals (-41)

No. 8 Louisville looks feed off the momentum of its explosive season-opening victory as it hosts Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater became the first Player of the Week in American Athletic Conference history, rolling up 355 yards and tying a career high with five touchdown passes in the Cardinals' 49-7 trouncing of Ohio. Louisville coach Charlie Strong's first collegiate win came against the Colonels in 2010.

Eastern Kentucky entered the season following an 8-3 finish in 2012, tying for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with Tennessee-Martin. The Colonels cruised to a 38-6 win over Robert Morris last week in the debut for 11 starters. Quarterback Jared McClain, who was taking over for Eastern Kentucky's all-time passing leader T.J. Pryor, passed for two scores and ran for two more in the victory.

Key betting stat: Cardinals are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.

South Carolina State Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers (-52.5)

Seven days after posting one of its biggest victories in recent memory, Clemson hopes to avoid a letdown against visiting South Carolina State on Saturday. The Tigers moved up to fifth in the national poll after edging previously No. 5 Georgia 38-35 in a Week 1 thriller. Tajh Boyd threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores in a win that “turned a lot of heads in college football,” according to the senior quarterback.

As Boyd continues his early-season push for Heisman Trophy consideration, the matchup with FCS foe South Carolina State presents an opportunity to rack up some impressive stats. The Bulldogs faced two FBS programs in 2012, losing to Arizona and Texas A&M by a combined margin of 126-14. In their 2013 season opener, South Carolina State held a slim halftime lead before falling to Coastal Carolina 27-20.

Key betting stat: Over is 7-1 in Tigers last 8 games in September.

San Diego State Aztecs at Ohio State Buckeyes (-27.5, 56)

Second-ranked Ohio State looks to stretch the nation’s longest winning streak to 14 games when it hosts San Diego State on Saturday. The Buckeyes defeated Buffalo 40-20 in their season-opening game and will have junior All-American cornerback Bradley Roby back from a one-game suspension due to a disorderly-conduct incident. San Diego State has just one victory in 32 road contests against ranked teams, and that victory occurred last season when the Aztecs won 21-19 at Boise State.

San Diego State got off to a poor start as it committed five turnovers and was drubbed at home 40-19 by FCS school Eastern Illinois. Buckeyes junior quarterback Braxton Miller, who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season, passed for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 77 yards against Buffalo. Miller has 2,063 career rushing yards and needs 18 more to surpass Cornelius Greene (1973-75) as the most prolific running quarterback in Ohio State history.

Key betting stat: Aztecs are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.

Oregon Ducks at Virginia Cavaliers (+22.5, 61)

No. 3 Oregon takes its high-powered offense on the road to Virginia on Saturday, the farthest east the Ducks have played since a 1977 trip to Georgia. The Ducks, who have never played an ACC team during the regular season, own the nation's longest road win streak at 15 games. The Ducks had eight touchdown drives last less than two minutes and racked up a school-record 772 yards against Nicholls State last week in Mark Helfrich's debut as head coach.

The Cavaliers got a taste of an up-tempo offense last week as BYU gained 362 yards on 93 plays. Oregon and BYU each averaged 16.7 seconds per play last Saturday, but the Ducks' speed still is unlike anything first-year Virginia defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta has seen. "The plays are similar, everybody runs the similar plays ... out of the spread offense," Tenuta said during this week's conference call. "There's a lot of similarities based on that aspect, but as far as the speed factor is concerned, in the last few years, no."

Key betting stat: Cavaliers are 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine home games.

South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Bulldogs (-3, 56)

Sixth-ranked South Carolina opens its SEC schedule Saturday with an opportunity to take a big step toward winning the East Division title as it visits No. 12 Georgia. Junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney struggled throughout the Gamecocks' season-opening 27-10 victory over North Carolina due to a stomach virus, looking nothing like the player who won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2012. South Carolina displayed a balanced offensive approach in scoring the game’s first 17 points and will look to continue that trend this week.

Georgia’s defense struggled in a 38-35 loss at Clemson, allowing 13 plays of at least 10 yards. The bad news was not limited to that side of the ball - junior wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee celebrating the Bulldogs’ first touchdown and will miss the rest of the season. Two areas of focus for Georgia this week will be better results on third down (4-for-14 in the opener) and playing smarter (nine penalties for 84 yards).

Key betting stat: Road team is 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight meetings.

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Evening Action
By Covers.com

Syracuse Orange at Northwestern Wildcats (-17, 53)

Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian was the hero for Northwestern against Syracuse last season, and he may get a chance to squeeze the Orange again this weekend. In Northwestern’s 2012 season opener, Siemian came on for an injured Kain Colter and threw the game-winning touchdown pass with 44 seconds left, lifting his team to a 42-41 victory over the Orange. With Colter banged up again, Siemian could get the start for the No. 20 Wildcats on Saturday in their home opener versus Syracuse.

Northwestern is coming off a 44-30 victory at California in which the offense piled up 508 yards despite Colter suffering a concussion on the opening drive. Siemian came on to pass for 276 yards and a touchdown, while the Northwestern defense also made some big plays, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns by junior linebacker Collin Ellis. Syracuse fell to Penn State 23-17 last week in the debut of senior quarterback Drew Allen, a transfer from Oklahoma who was 16-of-37 for 189 yards and two interceptions against the Nittany Lions.

Key betting stat: Wildcats are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games.

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-28, 59.5)

Nebraska survived a scare from Wyoming in its season opener but should be able to celebrate a larger margin of victory when it hosts Southern Mississippi on Saturday. The No. 19 Cornhuskers allowed a stunning 602 yards in a 37-34 victory over Wyoming and strive for a much better performance against the Golden Eagles, who possess the nation’s longest losing streak at 13 consecutive games. Southern Miss lost 22-15 to Texas State in Todd Monken’s debut as coach.

The Golden Eagles outgained FCS school Texas State 400-207 but sabotaged themselves with six turnovers – four fumbles, two interceptions. Nebraska’s yardage allowed was its second-most ever in a victory (610 versus Ball State in 2007) as a young unit took its lumps against Wyoming and allowed eight plays of 20 or more yards. Senior quarterback Taylor Martinez bruised his left shoulder during the contest and is expected to be fully ready by kickoff.

Key betting stat: Golden Eagles are 0-4 ATS in their last four vs. Big Ten.

Texas Longhorns at BYU Cougars (+7, 57.5)

No. 16 Texas set a school mark for total offense in its opener and now faces a tough defensive squad when it visits Brigham Young on Saturday. The Longhorns rolled up 715 yards in a 56-7 rout of New Mexico State and had four scoring plays of 50 or more yards for the first time in program history. Brigham Young finished third in total defense last season and allowed 223 yards and forced 13 punts in a season-opening 19-16 loss to Virginia.

The Cougars hope to have senior receiver Cody Hoffman on the field after he missed the opener with a hamstring injury. Hoffman had eight 100-yard receiving games last season and ranks third in BYU history in receiving touchdowns (28), fourth in career receptions (203) and fifth in receiving yardage (2,718). Texas has won 13 consecutive non-conference road games and is attempting to get back into the national championship discussion this season after going 22-16 over the last three years.

Key betting stat: Longhorns are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games.

UAB Blazers at LSU Tigers (-34.5, 60.5)

No. 11 LSU will look to carry forward the offensive fortitude it displayed in last week’s season-opening 37-27 victory over TCU, but as the Tigers host UAB on Saturday, there will be a focus on eliminating the mistakes that kept the opener close. The Tigers gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown, set up another TCU score with a fumble at their 6-yard line and kept a drive alive with a roughing the passer penalty. “If we improve on our tackling, we minimize some of the penalties, we don’t turn the ball over, it could have been a much different game,” LSU coach Les Miles told reporters Tuesday.

The Tigers figure to have an easier time with a UAB squad that allowed 497 yards and blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in a 34-31 overtime loss to Troy in its season opener. The Blazers allowed 319 yards passing as Troy quarterback Corey Robinson set a NCAA record by completing 93.8 percent of his passes (30-for-32). LSU senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger passed for 251 yards and a touchdown against TCU in Cam Cameron’s first game as offensive coordinator, and the Tigers’ defense surrendered only 259 yards.

Key betting stat: Over is 7-3 in Tigers' last 10 non-conference games.

West Virginia Mountaineers at Oklahoma Sooners (-21, 57.5)

No. 15 Oklahoma and visiting West Virginia enter Saturday's Big 12 opener after debuting new quarterbacks and improved defenses in season-opening wins last week. The Sooners, who posted their first shutout since 2010, pointed to a 2012 meeting with the Mountaineers as one of their defensive low points. "Between that night (a 50-49 road win) and what happened in the bowl game (a 41-13 loss to Texas A&M), it obviously convinced us that we needed to adjust our defense," defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said at Monday's press conference. "(We had to) be more flexible and more diverse and put more pressure on the quarterback."

West Virginia posted a second-half shutout in a rally against William & Mary after an inexperienced defense settled down. Junior quarterback Paul Millard has been tabbed the starter for the Mountaineers for the second straight week but junior backup Clint Trickett could figure in the offense attack. Oklahoma redshirt freshman Trevor Knight showed off more of his running ability than his arm in his debut.

Key betting stat: Mountaineers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games overall.

Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies (-37.5)

One week before its highly anticipated showdown with No. 1-ranked Alabama, seventh-ranked Texas A&M welcomes FCS opponent Sam Houston State to Kyle Field on Saturday. All eyes figure to be on Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who tossed three touchdown passes in the second half of the Aggies’ 52-31 win over Rice last Saturday. The sophomore quarterback was also benched late in the game after drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting.

Manziel’s antics overshadowed the Aggies’ season-opening win, which featured a shaky performance by the defensive unit. With five defensive starters suspended, Texas A&M allowed a surprising 509 yards of total offense against Rice. Two of the suspended players are due back against Southland Conference opponent Sam Houston State, which extended its home win streak to 15 games with a 74-0 victory over Houston Baptist last Saturday.

Key betting stat: Under is 8-2 in Aggies last 10 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines (-3.5, 50)

Notre Dame hasn't won at Michigan's "Big House" since 2005, a fact the 13th-ranked Fighting Irish need to remedy Saturday to keep their hopes of getting back to the national championship game alive. The 17th-ranked Wolverines seek their 400th victory at Michigan Stadium - and their 16th straight under coach Brady Hoke. Michigan has won six of its last seven home games versus Notre Dame, including three straight - one shy of its longest home win streak in the series.

The Wolverines hold a 23-16-1 edge in the series between the teams with the two best winning percentages in college football history. But the Irish defense dominated last year's matchup, intercepting Denard Robinson five times in a 13-6 victory. That sort of defensive performance would be even more impressive against this Michigan team, which rolled up 463 yards in a 59-9 win over Central Michigan last week.

Key betting stat: Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.

Washington State Cougars at USC Trojans (-15.5, 53.5)

No. 22 USC hopes explosive tailback Silas Redd will be ready when it begins Pac-12 Conference play against visiting Washington State on Saturday. Redd missed last week's game at Hawaii, further hampering an offense in flux. The Trojans still haven't decided on a starting quarterback for Saturday with Max Wittek and Cody Kessler still battling for Matt Barkley's old job.

The Cougars opened the season with a hard-fought 31-24 loss at Auburn last week. Washington State surrendered a kickoff return for a touchdown and had its comeback hopes ended when Connor Halliday was picked off in the end zone with five minutes left. Washington State has lost 20 straight games to ranked opponents and hasn't beaten USC since 2002.

Key betting stat: Over is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.

San Jose State Spartans at Stanford Cardinal (-25, 48.5)

Stanford enters its season opener Saturday against visiting San Jose State as a heavy favorite, but the Spartans are very capable of making things interesting. San Jose State has won eight straight and 12 of its last 13 games, including a 24-0 win over Sacramento State in Week 1. The Spartans are unlikely to be overlooked by the fourth-ranked Cardinal, who won their fifth straight game in the series last season by a narrow 20-17 margin.

San Jose State’s upset hopes are fueled by senior quarterback David Fales, who is 12-2 as a starter and ended last season as the nation's most accurate passer. He’ll be tested by a Stanford defense that led the country in sacks last season and returns eight starters, including linebackers Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy. The Spartans’ running game could struggle without starting tailback Tyler Ervin, who hasn’t practiced since leaving last Thursday's game with a right foot injury.

Key betting stat: Spartans are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 meetings.

Where The Action Is: Saturday's NCAAF Line Moves
By Jason Logan
Covers.com

Books and bettors are both getting a grip on the college football season, which means plenty of line movement in Week 2 of the season. We talk to sportsbooks about the biggest adjustments to the odds heading into the weekend:

South Florida Bulls at Michigan State Spartans – Open: -24.5, Move: -23

Michigan State is still ironing out the wrinkles and has some health issues heading into Week 2, which has trimmed this spread a touch.

“Doubtfuls for Michigan State have seen this line creep down, but still obviously strong to the Spartans,” Aron Black of Bet365.com tells Covers. “Money is still coming on them at the adjusted line.”

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas-San Antonio Road Runners – Open: +31.5, Move: 26.5

The Cowboys took a while to get going against Mississippi State in Week 1 but found their high-scoring form in the second half. Some markets opened this one way too high and since the adjustment, the majority of money is on OSU and could take this spread back up.

“Heavy action on Cowboys,” says Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag. “On Friday, we moved OSU to -28 with 85 percent of cash on Oklahoma State.”

Toledo Rockets at Missouri Tigers – Open: -14.5, Move: -17.5, Move: -17

The Rockets are known for giving BCS programs a run for their money. This line jumped as many as three points, thanks to sharp money on Missouri, before bettors came back on Toledo, which is garnering 66 percent of the handle.

“Sharps are doing what sharps do in Week 2: touching double-digit dogs and smaller-market games,” says an oddsmaker with BetDSI.com.

Cincinnati Bearcats at Illinois Fighting Illini – Open: +12, Move: +7.5

The Bearcats beat up on Big Ten foe Purdue in Week 1 and opened as hefty favorites versus Illinois. However, early money made it clear the Illini have plenty of fight in them this weekend.

“Smart money says the opener gave too much to Cincy on the road,” says Black. “Although the line has gone to the Illini, the money is coming in now on the smaller spread on Cincinnati.”

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Tennessee Volunteers – Open: -9.5, Move: -13.5

Bettors expect a letdown from WKU after upsetting Kentucky in Week 1. Action has also bumped the total for this game from 55 to 58 points.

“Both sharp and public money is backing the Over Western Kentucky- Tennessee total, shooting from 55 to 58 with no buy back,” says BetDSI.com.

Oregon Ducks at Virginia Cavaliers – Open: +25.5, Move: +23.5, Move: 24.5

Some markets dropped the original line but most books opened Oregon -23 and have taken nothing but Ducks action, with sharp money getting a deal with Oregon on the road against a weaker ACC opponent.

“Ninety percent of money is on the Ducks,” says Perry. “This will be one of the five biggest decisions for the shop.”

Arkansas State Red Wolves at Auburn Tigers – Open: -13, Move: -10.5

Not everyone is buying into Auburn after its opening win over Washington State. The Tigers take on a dangerous Red Wolves squad, which has drawn the majority of spread bets and all the SU money, dropping from +390 to +330.

“Too much respect to Auburn with the early line,” says Black. “There has to be some respect given to a (ASU) team that went for 509 yards rushing last week.”

Idaho Vandals at Wyoming Cowboys – Open: -21.5, Move: -30, Move: -28.5

This line has moved as much as a full touchdown at some books while others opened Wyoming -27.5 and took sharp action on the home side, which pumped the line to -30. Wiseguys bought back the Vandals and has the line at -28.5 at most shops.

San Jose State Spartans and Stanford Cardinal – Open: -22, Move: -25.5

Stanford makes its debut against a familiar foe in SJSU. The Cardinal are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Spartans, but just escaped with a 20-17 win as 25.5-point favorites last fall. While the spread has climbed at most shops, Sportsbook.com is taking big money on San Jose State.

“Sharp money on San Jose State moved the line from Stanford -27.5 to -26,” says Perry. “About 72 percent of cash is on San Jose State.”

Sam Houston State Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies - Open: -46.5, Move: -37

This game stinks of lookahead for the Aggies, with Alabama waiting on next week’s schedule. Johnny Manziel was the brunt of media criticism all week after his antics during the limited performance versus Rice in Week 1. A dark cloud resounds over this BCS-versus-FCS matchup and bettors have moved this line nearly 10 points since post.

Essential Betting Tidbits For Week 2 of College Football
By Covers.com

Below is a list of at least one betting tidbit for a plethora of matchups featuring two FBS schools on Saturday.

-Miami-Ohio gave up 374 yards in the second half last week to Marshall while only gaining 55 on offense. +17 at Kentucky this week.

-Penn State's offense managed just 57 yards rushing last week. Not much help for freshman QB Chistian Hackenburg. -24 vs. Eastern Michigan this week.

-Temple starting Quarterback Connor Reilly is expected to play but is nursing a sprained ankle. He led the owls in rushing yards last week at Notre Dame with 65. +3 vs. Houston.

-Kent State has covered the spread in the last four meetings with Bowling Green. +7 home dogs on Saturday.

-FCS McNeese State obliterated South Florida 53-21 last week. Bulls were 20.5-point faves. They are 23-point underdogs this week at Sparty, a swing of 43.5 points in spreads from Week 1 to 2.

-Michigan State wide receivers had six drops in Week 1 - a problem carried over from last season - as the offense struggled against Western Michigan.

-Oklahoma State opened as a 31.5-point road favorite at Texas Sam Antonio State and sharp action moved the line down as low as 26.5 by Friday afternoon.

-Cincinnati opened as a 12-point road favorite at Illinois and sharp action bet the line down to 7.5. Cincy has covered four in a rown and seven of eight going back to last season.

-The Gators have failed to cover in their last six games as favorites going back to last season. -3 on the road at Miami.

-Miami has scored at least 30 points in its last five games going back to last season.

-Big line moves in the Western Kentucky-Tennessee matchup. Line bet up to 13.5 from 9.5 and total bet up to 58 from 55.5.

-Middle Tennessee QB Logan Kilgore has a shoulder injury but is expected to play at North Carolina. All the early money us on the Blue Raiders though, moving the line from 21.5 to 17.5.

--Ball State started four new starters on the offensive line last week and gave up three sacks. -8 vs. Army.

-Mizzou has been bet up from -14.5 to -17 vs. Toledo. The Tigers have an off week next week before traveling to Indiana.

-Toledo's last seven games have played under the total. Missouri's last four have played over.

-Buffalo-Baylor is the highest total on the board of FBS matchups at 69 (dude).

-San Diego State lost to FCS Eastern Illinois last week at home as 14-point faves. A lot of sharp action came in on a quality Eastern Illinois team last week though so consider that for this week's game. Aztecs getting 28 points at Ohio State.

-Oregon gained 772 yards (500 on the ground) last week vs. FCS Nicholls State. -23 at Virginia.

-Air Force crushed Colgate by a score of 38-13 last week, but the Falcons lost Junior QB Kale Pearson to an ACL injury. Sophomore Jaleel Awini will start. +9.5 as the Falcons host Utah State Saturday.

-The under is 4-0 in the South Alabama Jaguars last four non-conference games. Total of 49 as the Jags are on the road to face Tulane.

-Wyoming racked up 602 yards of offense in Nebraska one week ago while Idaho surrendered 591 - 404 of which came through the air - in a loss to North Texas. The Cowboys are 28-point home faves.

-The Gamecocks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six meetings with Georgia. The Bulldogs are 3.5-point faves.

-Memphis had a bye week to open the season the team has used that week off to better prepare for the Duke Blue Devils. Memphis are 4-point home dogs.

-Northwestern QB Kain Colter was injured last week versus Cal and is probable Saturday. But backup QB Trevor Siemian led Northwestern to a victory over Syracuse in the 2012 season opener. Northwestern is a 16.5-point home favorite against Syracuse Saturday.

-Navy tore up Indiana's defense last year to the tune of 257 rushing yards. The Midshipmen are 12.5-point road dogs at Indiana Saturday.

-Nebraska gave up five touchdowns against Wyoming one week ago. Nebraska's defense was on the field for a total of 6 minutes and 41 seconds for those five TD drives. The Huskers are 28-point home faves against Southern Miss.

-The Kansas State Wildcats are 0-4 ATS in their last four games versus opponents from the Sun Belt Conference. They are 10.5-point faves against UL Monroe Saturday.

-Tulsa only picked up 51 rushing yards in the opener, ranking them 110th in the Nation. Tulsa is a 10.5-point home fave against Colorado State.

Game of the Day: Notre Dame at Michigan
By Covers.com

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines (-4, 50)

Notre Dame hasn't won at Michigan's "Big House" since 2005, a fact the 13th-ranked Fighting Irish need to remedy Saturday to keep their hopes of getting back to the national championship game alive. The 17th-ranked Wolverines seek their 400th victory at Michigan Stadium - and their 16th straight under coach Brady Hoke. Michigan has won six of its last seven home games versus Notre Dame, including three straight - one shy of its longest home win streak in the series.

The Wolverines hold a 23-16-1 edge in the series between the teams with the two best winning percentages in college football history. But the Irish defense dominated last year's matchup, intercepting Denard Robinson five times in a 13-6 victory. That sort of defensive performance would be even more impressive against this Michigan team, which rolled up 463 yards in a 59-9 win over Central Michigan last week.

LINE: Michigan opened at -3.5 and has been bet up to -4.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-70s and there is a 29 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast. Wind will blow toward the north end zone of the Big House at 4 mph.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-0): The Irish faced some turmoil in the offseason, most notably losing quarterback Everett Golson when he was suspended from the school for the fall semester. Tommy Rees stepped in under center and was effective in last week's 24-6 win against Temple, going 16-for-23 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. The defense, dominant during the undefeated regular season a year ago, picked up where it left off but will have its hands full with a Michigan team loaded with talent at the skill positions.

ABOUT MICHIGAN (1-0): The Wolverines' offense flourished last week under quarterback Devin Gardner, who was 10-of-15 for 162 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 52 yards and two scores. Gardner has accounted for at least two touchdowns in six straight games. The defense had a strong showing, as well, holding Central Michigan to 210 total yards and forcing two turnovers as the Wolverines aim for a third consecutive season ranking in the top 20 in the nation in total defense.

TRENDS:

* The Fighting Irish are 4-1 ATS in their last five versus the Big Ten.
* The over is 4-0 in the Wolverines' last four home games.
* The home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* The underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Notre Dame is 11-0 when it does not commit a turnover under coach Brian Kelly, whose five-year contract extension was announced Saturday.

2. Michigan K Brendan Gibbons has made a school record-tying 14 consecutive field goals dating to last season.

3. Eighteen of the past 28 meetings have been decided by seven points or fewer.

Line Moves - Week 2
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

When it comes to offering the first available line in college football, The Wynn in Las Vegas is the clear-cut leader amongst other betting shops in the desert. Every Sunday during the college football season, the sportsbook sends out opening numbers around 6:00 p.m. ET for the upcoming week.

It’s well known that serious bettors wait for an opportunity to take advantage of mistakes they believe the Wynn has made on Sunday and attack with limit wagers. If the book is too long on a particular game, the odds are adjusted accordingly, which happens often. The line moves aren’t always right and some industry experts will tell you that some of the moves are decoys or false, but that’s for us to find out as the season progresses.

Each Friday throughout the college football season, we’ll inform you of all line moves of "Four Points" or more off the opening line and recap the results in the following installment.

Week 2 Lines Moves

Favorites

Ohio State vs. San Diego State
Open Buckeyes -24
Friday: Buckeyes -28

Northwestern vs. Syracuse
Open Wildcats -9½
Friday: Wildcats -16½

Indiana vs. Navy
Open Hoosiers -4
Friday: Hoosiers -12½

Missouri vs. Toledo
Open: Tigers -12½
Friday: Tigers -17

Auburn vs. Arkansas State
Open: Tigers -4
Friday: Tigers -11

Bowling Green at Kent State
Open: Falcons -2½
Friday: Falcons -7

Wyoming vs. Idaho
Open: Cowboys -22
Friday: Cowboys -28

Stanford vs. San Jose State
Open: Cardinal -18½
Friday: Cardinal -25½

Underdogs

Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) vs. Oklahoma State
Open: Roadrunners +31½
Friday: Roadrunners +27

Illinois vs. Cincinnati
Open: Fighting Illini +16
Friday: Fighting Illini +8

Louisiana-Lafayette at Kansas State
Open: Ragin’ Cajuns +16
Friday: Ragin’ Cajuns +10½

New Mexico State vs. Minnesota
Open: Aggies +21
Friday: Aggies +15½

UNLV vs. Arizona
Open: Rebels +17½
Friday: Rebels +11

Week 2 Total Moves

While the Wynn in Las Vegas is the top outfit to follow when it comes to college football sides, a major offshore outfit, CRIS, has the best pulse on totals. This week, CRIS sent out its totals on Monday while most other legit books opened a couple days later. Similar to the above sides, we’ll inform you of all total moves of "Three Points" of more off the opening line on Friday.

South Alabama at Tulane
Open: 53
Friday: 49½

Duke at Memphis
Open: 50
Friday: 53½

Navy at Indiana
Open 64
Friday: 68

Texas at BYU
Open: 54½
Friday: 58

Army at Ball State
Open: 59½
Friday: 62½

Buffalo at Baylor
Open: 64
Friday: 68½

Western Kentucky at Tennessee
Open: 54
Friday: 58

Idaho at Wyoming
Open: 61
Friday: 65½