College Football Betting News and Notes Week 13

Betting Recap - Week 12
By Daniel Dobish
VegasInsider.com

College Football Week 12 Results

Favorites-Underdogs
Straight Up 47-19
Against the Spread 32-34
Home-Away
Straight Up 40-26
Against the Spread 33-33
Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 28-37-1

The largest underdogs to win straight up

Kansas (+23.5, ML +1075) vs. Texas, 24-21 (OT)
Houston (+17, ML +650) vs. Louisville, 36-10
Florida (+13.5, ML +400) at Louisiana State, 16-10
Oregon (+13, ML +350) at Utah, 30-28
Arkansas State (+10, ML +350) at Troy, 35-3

The largest favorites to cover

Auburn (-54) vs. Alabama A&M, 55-0
Western Michigan (-35) vs. Buffalo, 38-0
Brigham Young (-28) vs. Massachusetts, 51-9
Wisconsin (-27.5) at Purdue, 49-20
North Carolina (-23.5) vs. The Citadel, 41-7

Top 25 Notes

Florida played Louisiana State after their originally scheduled game Oct. 8 was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. Since LSU would have closed the 2016 season with three straight road games, it appears they insisted on the game being moved to Baton Rouge while changing the 2017 game to Gainesville. The Gators, perhaps playing with a chip on their shoulder and feeling a bit disrespected, held on a goal-line stand late to earn a hard-fought 16-10 win as the third-largest underdog to win outright. The Gators improved to 3-1-1 ATS over their past four, and the 'under' is 4-0 in their previous four. ... Oklahoma State rolled to a 31-6 win at Texas Christian, winning for the seventh straight game while improving to 5-2 ATS during the span. ... Western Michigan continued to row that boat to a potential New Year's Day bowl game. They started slow against Buffalo, but scored double-digit points in the final three quarters for a 38-0 win as 35-point favorites. The Broncos are 11-0 SU heading into the season finale against Toledo. WMU has alternated covers and non-covers over their past seven.

Wisconsin continues to tick off wins and covers. They throttled Purdue at Ross-Ade by a 49-20 count, picking up their third consecutive cover. They improved to 3-1 ATS in games this season as more than a three-touchdown favorite. They'll wrap up the season against Minnesota while battling for Paul Bunyan's Ax. The Gophers covered Saturday, but have yet to cover back-to-back games all season. Remember that next week.

Texas A&M didn't seem to have a lot of fight in an uninspiring 23-10 over Texas-San Antonio in College Station. After opening the season 4-0 SU/ATS, the Aggies are just 4-3 SU and 0-7 ATS over their past seven games heading into their Thanksgiving Day showdown against LSU.

Southern California is a team no one wants to see right now. They ran roughshod over Washington last week in Seattle, and treated rival UCLA rather rudely in the Rose Bowl, easily covering a 13-point number in their 36-14 victory. USC has rattled off seven stragiht victories, and they're 6-1 ATS during the span, including five straight covers. The 'under' is also a perfect 7-0 during the span heading into next weekend's rivalry game with Notre Dame.

Big Five Conference Report

Boston College isn't going quietly into the night, pounding Connecticut 30-0 for their fifth victory of the season. They can become bowl eligible with a win at Wake Forest next Saturday. The last time the Eagles ventured into the Tar Heel State they came away with a 21-14 win at North Carolina State Oct. 29. ... Speaking of the Demon Deacons, they fell 35-13 at home against Clemson. The Deacs have covered three in a row, and five of the past six. ... N.C. State recorded its fourth straight 'under' result, and sixth in the past seven outings. They'll square off with North Carolina in Chapel Hill Friday. The Heels are 4-1 ATS over their past five outings.

Michigan posted a 20-10 win over Indiana with backup QB John O'Korn at the helm. They overcame the loss of Wilton Speight last week, and a dusting of snow at the Big House. The Wolverines slipped to 1-4 ATS over their past five games heading into their rivalry game in Columbus next week. ... Ohio State hosts 'That School Up North' in the Horseshoe next week, and they'll need to play much better than they did against Michigan State. The Buckeyes were sleepwalking through a 17-16 win in East Lansing, slipping to 2-5 ATS over their past seven outings. Perhaps they were looking ahead, but they almost were dealt an embarrassing and playoff-derailing upset.

Kansas likely hammered the final nail in Texas head coach Charlie Strong's coffin, topping the visiting Longhorns 24-21 in overtime. The Jayhawks snapped a 19-game losing streak in league games and 23-game skid against FBS opponents. It was their first win over Texas since 1938. ... Oklahoma doubled up West Virginia in a testy game at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown in the snow. The Sooners have posted 34 or more points in eight straight games since their setback against Ohio State Sept. 17. The Sooners have covered three of their past four games heading into Bedlam next weekend.

Washington rebounded with a 44-18 victory over visiting Arizona State, although the Sun Devils were able to hang on for the cover. The Huskies head to the Apple Cup rivalry against Washington State having covered just once in the past five games. ... Speaking of the Cougars, they had their eight-game winning streak snapped at Colorado, who covered for the 10th time in 11 games heading into their series final against Utah. ... As far as the Utes are concerned, they'll be coming to Boulder looking to bounce back after a stunning loss against Oregon. The Utes had covered three in a row, and six of the past eight, but were beaten in the closing seconds on an amazing TD in the back corner of the end zone.

Missouri and Tennessee combined for 100 total points, as the Volunteers smoked the Tigers 63-37. They were likely taking out a little frustration after the Gators won at LSU to clinch the SEC East, leaving Tennessee out of the mix. ... Kentucky fell behind 13-0 to FCS Austin Peay at Commonwealth Stadiuim, but rattled off 49 unanswered points for the victory. After a five-game cover streak the Wildcats are 1-2 SU/ATS over their past three.

Mid-Major Report

Houston shook up the College Football Playoff picture with a 36-10 pounding of Louisville Thursday night as 17-point underdogs. It was even more stunning considering the fact the Cougars entered 0-5 ATS in their past five outings. ... Memphis routed Cincinnati 34-7 in a road game Friday, and they'll host the Cougars in the season finale Friday night. The Tigers have dropped their past two at home, and they're 0-3 ATS in their past three at home. ... Tulsa hit the road for a 35-20 victory against UCF. The Golden Hurricane have covered six straight games heading into Friday's season finale against the Bearcats.

OId Dominion rolled up a 42-24 road victory at Florida Atlantic for their fourth straight win and cover, improving to 7-1 SU/ATS over the past eight outings. They'll host Florida International in their season finale next Saturday. ... FIU won't be a pushover for that game against ODU. The Golden Panthers topped Marshall 31-14 and they have now covered each of hteir past three games. ... Rice has won back-to-back games for the first time this season while improving to 4-2-1 ATS over the past seven. They'll step out of conference for a road game at Stanford in the regular season finale for both sides.

Ohio slipped up 27-20 Tuesday night at Central Michigan, failing to nail down a spot in the MAC Championship Game. They have been a friend to bettors at the window, however, as the 'under' is 9-0-1 in their past 10 games heading into their Tuesday night season finale against Akron. ... Bowling Green earned a 42-7 win against Kent State, as the Falcons look to finish on a high note and build toward next year. The Falcons are 4-2 ATS in their past six games after opening 0-5 ATS, and they'll face Buffalo in their finale Friday. The Bulls are 0-3 ATS in their past three, and 3-8 ATS overall.

Wyoming rebounded nicely after last week's disappointment at UNLV, nipping San Diego State 34-33 as 9 1/2-point underdogs. The Cowboys improved to 6-1 ATS over the past seven, and the 'over' is also 6-1 during the seven-game span. ... San Jose State fell 41-38 against Air Force, but they showed tremendous fight as 11 1/2-point 'dogs. The Spartans are just 3-8 SU overall, but they have covered three in a row and five of the past seven. ... Colorado State stayed hot against the number with a 49-31 win against New Mexico, covering for the sixth straight game and ninth time in the past 10.

Appalachian State posted a 42-17 win, but Louisiana-Monroe hung on for the cover. The Mountaineers are 0-3 ATS over their past three, and 0-4 ATS in their past four as favorites of 19 or more points. ... Arkansas State continued their postseason push with a resounding 35-3 win at Troy Thursday night. The Red Wolves opened the season 0-4 SU/ATS, but they are now 6-0 SU/ATS over their past six with two left to go.

Bad Beats

'Under' (63.5) bettors suffered a tough loss Friday night in UNLV-Boise State. With 1:41 to go the Runnin' Rebels posted a touchdown and two-point conversion to push the total well over.

There were a total of just 42 points halfway through the fourth quarter in KansasState-Baylor with a total of 59. However, the Bears struck with 7:28 to go, K-State answered with a TD at 5:30 to go and the Wildcats found the end zone again with 3:08 to go to push the total 'over' the finish line. Tough one for 'under' bettors.

'Over' (66) bettors felt confident with 56 total points heading into the fourth quarter of the FSU-Syracuse game. However, the Seminoles could muster only a field goal, and the Orange were blanked, as 'under' bettors certainly appreciated the defense.

'Under' (54) bettors also felt pretty good in UMass-BYU, sitting at 50 points with 5:30 to play. However, BYU struck for 10 points in the final 5:22.

Plenty of 'under' (59) bettors who wagered early in the week were fine in Arizona-Oregon State, but those who bet Saturday saw a win turn into a push with 90 seconds remaining. The Beavers scored on a 10-yard pass to push their lead to 42-17, crushing those with late under tickets.

Opening Line Report - Week 13
By Marcus DiNitto
VegasInsider.com

Neither Michigan nor Ohio State has much momentum coming into Saturday’s Big Ten clash, but John Avello, executive director of race and sport at the Wynn Las Vegas, isn’t giving a lot of weight to what he calls “lethargic” performances last week by the Wolverines and Buckeyes.

Michigan beat Indiana 20-10, while Ohio State survived at Michigan State, 17-16.

“I’m going to throw out those games for both teams,” Avello said. “They were looking ahead. The look-ahead doesn’t always work, but this week it did. And there were moves on both dogs in those games, reflecting that they may play that way, and they did.”

Michigan’s current situation may be cause for greater concern for bettors. The uninspiring effort against Indiana followed the Wolverines’ first loss of the season, 14-13 at Iowa two weeks ago. Starting quarterback Wilton Speight was injured in the loss, and backup John O’Korn was unimpressive against the Hoosiers. On Monday, Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh said Speight’s health is improving but that he’s still considered day-to-day.

Avello suspects Speight will play against Ohio State and priced the game accordingly. Avello usually waits to post a game if there is uncertainty about a quarterback’s status, but he wanted to get this game on his board and made Ohio State the 6-point favorite.

“I put it up thinking he is going to play and that there’s going to be Ohio State money,” Avello said. “That’s kind of what my feeling was and I ended up using the 6. I was thinking lower late last week, but after looking at the performance of Michigan more so than Ohio State, I took it up a little bit.”

Opinions about how big a dropoff there is form Speight to O’Korn vary among oddsmakers.

“I think it means a lot to them. It’s really important to have that kid back,” said Avello, who sees the line getting to 7 or 7.5 should Speight be ruled out.

Over at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, though, Ed Salmons isn’t sure there’s much of difference between the two signal callers.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal the way Michigan plays,” he said. “It’s not like (Speight) is a great passer.”

No matter who is under center, Salmons has a feeling about the style of play Michigan will try to employ.

“I’m sure Michigan’s goal is to muck this game up the way Michigan State did last year when they went up to Ohio State,” he said. “Ohio State essentially played to Michigan State’s tempo. (The Spartans) went up there with a backup quarterback and tried to play real conservative and run the ball and shorten the game, and Ohio State played the same way – and Michigan State got lucky and won the game (17-14). I’m sure that’s exactly what Michigan is going to try to do. Ohio State should not get caught in the trap.”

Nick Bogdanovich, director of trading at William Hill U.S., sees it similarly.

“It’s going to be brutally physical, and I think it’s going to be very low scoring, depending on weather,” he said.

About 18 hours after wagering opened at his shop, Avello said he booked more action on Ohio State than Michigan: “Nothing overwhelming, but mostly Ohio State money.”

CG Technology vice president of risk Jason Simbal said his book opened Ohio State -7 and moved to -6.5 after taking a sharp bet on the dog.

Nebraska at Iowa (-2.5)

Friday’s Big Ten West battle drew more action than any other Week 13 college football game at CG on Sunday, which opened Iowa -2.5 and moved to -3 after sharp action on the home favorite Hawkeyes, Simbal said. The Wynn opened 2.5 on Sunday and moved to -3 Monday.

Nebraska’s top two QBs, Ryker Fyfe and Tommy Armstrong, are both dealing with injuries, and it’s uncertain who will start for the Cornhuskers on Friday.

Auburn at Alabama (-17.5)

CG opened Alabama -18.5 on Sunday and moved to -20 after a bettor laid the points, before reopening at the market price of 17.5 on Monday. The Wynn hung 17 and moved to 17.5 about an hour after wagering opened. While there are 18.5s available for dog bettors, Avello doesn’t see this line running too much higher.

If Bogdanovich was on the other side of the counter, he’d be giving serious consideration to Auburn plus the points.

“If Auburn is healthy enough, they can pull it off,” Bogdanovich said. “I don’t think Alabama’s invincible like everybody else. ... I think the dog’s the play”

Florida at Florida State (-7)

Florida is coming off an upset win at LSU and faces Alabama next week in the SEC championship game. Is it possible for a rivalry game to be a look-ahead spot also?

The look-ahead mentality could play into Florida’s mindset, Salmons said, but he added, “They have no chance against Alabama, so maybe this is a game they’ll play hard. Their defense can keep them in the game. It’s a top-five defense in the country, and Florida State’s nothing to write home about.”

While the line was bet down at CG from Florida State -8 to -7 on Sunday, William Hill opened the game 6.5.

Utah at Colorado (-10.5)

With a win here, Colorado is in the Pac-12 championship game. If the Buffs lose, USC gets in. Bettors tend to back teams with this sort of motivation.

“Players will like to bet Colorado in this spot,” Avello said. “I don’t know how much Utah money there’s going to be.”

While win-and-they’re-in is one reason this number opened in double digits, more important is the way these two teams have been playing in recent weeks.

“The Utah team is not playing that well,” Avello said. “UCLA with a second-string quarterback was going up and down the field at will (against them). This team was always built on defense. If you go back and look at the team last year, they kept their opponents’ scores down quite a bit. They can’t do that this year. It looks like offenses can really rule them, and Colorado has one of the most prolific offenses in football. They have no problem moving the football every week. … They can score when they need to.”

The Westgate’s Salmons added of Utah’s 30-28 loss at home to Oregon this past Saturday, “You can line up 11 high school kids against Oregon and score 30 points. For Utah to not score, I don’t know what they were doing in that game. That’s embarrassing.”

Washington (-5.5) at Washington State

The Wynn opened Washington -5 and moved to -5.5 on Monday, but most shops are dealing 6s.

Bogdanovich’s outlook on the game may entice underdog bettors.

“I think it’s going to be a wild-and-woolly affair, and whoever has the ball last may win,” he said.

Virginia at Virginia Tech (-17.5)

Virginia Tech clinches a spot in the ACC title game with a win, and Virginia has two wins all season, yet early money was on the dog, pushing the Wynn’s opening number from 19.5 to 17.5.

Avello wasn’t necessarily surprised. Virginia hasn’t been winning games, but they’ve performed relatively well against solid competition like Pitt, North Carolina, Louisville and Miami.

“They’re playing better even though they’re not showing the reward of the W,” Avello said.

Also, while the Cavaliers have lost to the Hokies 12-straight years, the last four meetings have been close, Virginia Tech winning by margins of 3, 4, 10 and 3.

Bettors taking the points are looking for a closer-than-expected rivalry game.

“This is all about tradition and history,” Avello said of the early move.

Early line moves

These Week 13 games have seen the point spread move at least two points in the favorite’s direction in the first 23 hours of wagering at the Wynn.

Buffalo vs. Bowling Green
Opening line: BGSU -10.5
After 23 hours: BGSU -13.5

Arkansas vs. Missouri
Opening line: Arkansas -7
After 23 hours: Arkansas -9.5

Cincinnati vs. Tulsa
Opening line: Tulsa -18.5
After 23 hours: Tulsa -22

Texas Tech vs. Baylor (neutral)
Opening line: Baylor -3
After 23 hours: Baylor -5

East Carolina vs. Temple
Opening line: Temple -18.5
After 23 hours: Temple -20.5

Purdue vs. Indiana
Opening line: Indiana -15.5
After 23 hours: Indiana -20

Kansas vs. Kansas State
Opening line: Kansas State -24.5
After 23 hours: Kansas State -27

So. Alabama vs. Idaho
Opening line: Idaho -3.5
After 23 hours: Idaho -5.5

Wyoming vs. New Mexico
Opening line: Wyoming -1
After 23 hours: Wyoming -3

These Week 13 games have seen the point spread move at least two points in the underdog’s direction in the first 23 hours of wagering at the Wynn.

UCLA vs. Cal
Opening line: Cal +6
After 23 hours: Cal +3

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
Opening line: Vandy +10.5
After 23 hours: Vandy +8.5

Michigan at Ohio State
By ASAWins.com

Michigan at Ohio State

Opening Line – Ohio State -7, Total of 48

Current Line – Ohio State -6.5, Total of 45.5

SERIES HISTORY

Ohio State has won 10 of the last 11 in this heated rivalry. Michigan last beat OSU back in 2011 and their last win at the Horseshoe was way back in 2000. The Buckeyes have won 8 of the last 9 here at home in this series dating back to 1998. Six of those eight wins have come by double digits. The Wolverines own the series edge with a 58-47-6 mark.

LAST WEEK

Ohio State – The Buckeyes traveled to Michigan State and escaped with a 17-16 win. The conditions were less than ideal with strong winds and cold temps. Because of the windy conditions, both teams relied heavily on the run with 80 combined rushing attempts for the game. The two combined to complete only 18 total passes the entire contest. Michigan State scored just 20 seconds into the game to take a quick 7-0 lead on two play drive that accounted for 75 of their 334 total yards. The two teams went on to score just 24 points the final 59:40 of the game.

Ohio State took their first lead of the game 17-10 on a TD with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter. The Spartans scored a TD with 4:40 remaining in the game to seemingly tie the game at 17 apiece. However rather than kick the extra point, MSU decided to go for two to try and take the lead but failed. Sparty did have one final chance as they took over at their own 20 yard line with 2:00 minutes remaining but a Tyler O’Connor interception ended their final drive of the game. The tight final score was indicative of how the game played out as both teams ended the came close to even in first downs, total yardage, and time of possession.

Michigan - The Wolverines played their final home tilt of the season vs an improved Indiana team last Saturday in a snowstorm. The Wolverines squeaked out a 20-10 win to improve to 10-1 on the season. Starting QB Wilton Speight was sidelined for Michigan and his replacement John O’Korn struggled. He completed only 7 passes for just 59 yards which was Michigan’s lowest passing total in a game since 2001. The weather conditions were poor with snow and wind so Harbaugh decided to rely almost exclusively on the running game rolling up 225 yards on 50 rushing attempts.

Indiana actually led 7-3 at half but Michigan “exploded” for 17 points in the third quarter to take a 20-10 lead heading into the final stanza. Indiana was unable to mount any type of a threat in the 4th quarter as the teams went scoreless. The Michigan defense continued to dominate as they have all season allowing IU to cross midfield only TWICE the entire game, both of which led to the Hoosiers only points of the game (a TD and a FG).

THE GAME

This is the most anticipated match up in this series since these two meet in 2006 when these two were ranked #1 and #2 in the country. These two teams are currently ranked #2 (OSU) and #3 (Michigan) in the College Football Playoff poll. If Michigan wins, they will play in the Big Ten Championship game the following Saturday. If Ohio State wins, they need Penn State to lose at home vs Michigan State to make it to the Big Ten title game. The winner is pretty much assured a spot in College Football’s Final Four.

Most people obviously feel these are the two top teams in the Big Ten and the stats bear that out. The Wolverines and Buckeyes rank either first or second in the conference in total offense, total defense, scoring offense, scoring defense, rush offense, pass defense, and yardage differential. On a national scale the teams stack up very evenly as well. OSU is #5 in scoring offense, Michigan is #11. The Wolverines are #1 in scoring defense and the Buckeyes are #3. As you can expect, these coaches and teams will be pulling out all the stops on Saturday.

Michigan All American DB Jabril Peppers said this week that, “Everything is coming out of the bag this weekend,” which isn’t a huge surprise. Both teams will see formations on each side of the ball they haven’t seen this season. Trick plays should be abundant.

Michigan has NOT ruled out Speight for this game. It was reported last week that he would be out for the season with a collarbone injury but that was never confirmed. Speight actually suited up and threw passes in warm ups but never took a snap last week vs Indiana. We wouldn’t rule out that this is simply window dressing by Harbaugh and company to keep Urban Meyer guessing. You get the point. We should be in for a barnburner on Saturday.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Ohio State has covered 7 of the last 9 in this series. At home, the Buckeyes are 12-5 ATS dating back to 1982. Last time OSU was favored by less than a TD at home vs anyone was back in 2012 and that just happened to be vs this Michigan team when OSU was a 4 point favorite and win 26-21. Going all the way back to the 1992 season, Ohio State is 21-10 ATS overall as a home favorite of a TD or less.

This is the first time Michigan has been an underdog this season. The last 11 times they’ve been a dog in this series, they’ve lost all 11 games outright (3-8 ATS). The last 22 times Michigan has been a road underdog overall (not just vs OSU) they are 3-19 SU (8-14 ATS).

The winner of this match up has scored at least 30 points in 8 of the last 12 meetings. From 1980 to 1999, this was a “slobber-knocker”, defensive series with only 3 games out of 20 topping 50 total points. Their average total points scored from 1980-1999 was just 37. From 2000-2015 these two have topped 50 points eight times. The average total points scored during that span was 53.

ACC Report - Week 13
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

North Carolina State at North Carolina

The Wolfpack and Tar Heels do battle at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill Friday afternoon. It's an important game, too, as Carolina is looking to secure a spot in the ACC Championship Game, but they need a little help. N.C. State would not only like to derail those hopes, but they're also in need of a win if they want to become bowl eligible. The Wolfpack are just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 against teams with a winning record, and 1-4 ATS in their past five road games against a team with a winning home record. UNC has covered four of the past five overall and they're 5-2 ATS in their past seven in the month of November. The underdog has cashed in 13 of the past 18 meetings in this series. If you're interested in totals, the under is 4-0 in the past four overall and 4-0 in the past four ACC games. The under is 6-1 in the past seven for UNC, 4-0 in their past four against teams with a losing record and 5-1 in their past six league games.

Georgia Tech at Georgia

The Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs are each 7-4 heading into their rivalry game in Athens. The Jackets have struggled against the number lately, going 6-2 ATS in their past eight non-conference games, but just 6-13-1 ATS in the past 20 games overall. They're also 2-6-1 ATS in their past nine road games, and 4-10 ATS in their past 14 against a team with a winning record. UGA is 4-9 ATS in their past 13 home games, but they're 4-1 ATS in their past five against a team with a winning record and 5-1 ATS in their past six league outings. The road team is 14-2-1 ATS in the past 17 meetings in this rivalry, and the Jackets are 4-1-1 ATS in their past six trips to Athens. The under is 4-1 in the past five in this series.

Kentucky at Louisville

The Wildcats roll into this rivalry game with covers in six of their past eight outings, although they're just 10-22 ATS in their past 32 games away from Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington. The Wildcats haven't had a ton of luck outside of the conference, going 0-4 ATS in their past four outside of the SEC while going 3-12 ATS in their past 15 in the month of November. Louisville needs to regroup after their disappointing non-conference loss against Houston. They're still 4-1-1 ATS in their past six non-conference games and 7-2 ATS in their past nine against the SEC. However, the Cards are 1-6 ATS in their past seven home games against a team with a winning road record. In this series the road team is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings, with the Wildcats 1-4 ATS in the past five. The over is 3-1-1 in the past five.

Virginia at Virginia Tech

The Cavaliers of UVA have long since lost out on bowl eligibility, but Saturday's game at Virginia Tech is their bowl game. They can spoil the chances of their biggest rivalry in Blacksburg. Va. Tech is looking to secure a spot in the ACC Championship Game with a victory. The Cavaliers are 18 1/2-point underdogs as of Wednesday morning. The Cavs are 6-2-2 ATS in their past 10 road games, but just 1-5 ATS in the past six non-conference battles, 1-5 ATS in their past six against teams with a winning record and 1-5 ATS in their past six overall. Virginia Tech isn't much better, going 7-15-1 ATS in their past 23 against a team with a losing record, 4-1 ATS in their past five conference tilts and 4-11-1 ATS in their past 16 home outings against a team with a losing road mark. The underdog has cashed in four straigth in this series, but the Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their past seven trips to Blacksburg. The under is 6-1 in the past seven at Lane Stadium, and 5-1 in the past six meetings overall.

Syracuse at Pittsburgh

The Orange head to the Steel City in the latest installment of their rivalry. When these teams weren't in the ACC, they used to meet in the Big East. Syracuse has covered just twice in the past seven conference games, 2-5 ATS in their past seven overall and 2-5 ATS in their past seven against teams with a winning record. Pitt has covered four of the past five conference battles and four of their past five overall, but they're just 3-10 ATS in their past 13 home games. The Panthers are also 1-5 ATS in their past six home games against a team with a losing road record. The Orange are just 1-5-1 ATS in their past seven meetings, and 1-5 ATS in their past six trips to Pittsburgh while the home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the past five. The under has cashed in each of the past four in this series.

Boston College at Wake Forest

The Eagles head to the Triad looking to qualify for a bowl with a sixth victory. Wake Forest has already secured bowl eligibility, but they can pick up a seventh win and improve their bowl standing. As it stands right now the Demon Deacons could be headed to El Paso for the Sun Bowl against a Pac-12 representative. The Eagles are just 1-8-1 ATS in their past 10 conference teams, and 1-4 ATS in their past five against a team with a winning record. However, B.C. is 5-1 ATS in their past six away from home against a team with a winning home record. Wake has covered in five straight league games, while going 5-1 ATS in their past six games overall. They're also 11-5 ATS in their past 16 against teams with a losing overall mark. The biggest winner at the betting window has been those taking the 'under' when these sides get together. The under is 6-0 in the past six in the series, and 5-1 in the past six in Winston-Salem.

Duke at Miami-Florida

Duke's outstanding run of bowl games will come to an end this season, as they're just 4-7 and a two-touchdown underdog in Miami Saturday afternoon. The Hurricanes have had a tale of three seasons, going 4-0 SU/ATS to start the season, 0-4 SU/ATS from Week 6 through, then 3-0 SU/ATS in their past three outings. Duke might not have ticked off many wins this season, but they have hung around. They're 5-1 ATS in their past six overall, 4-1 ATS in their past five league games and 10-4 ATS in their past 14 on the road. Miami has covered four of their past five games against Duke, however, while the 'over' is also 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series.

South Carolina at Clemson

The Gamecocks have been a thorn in the side of their rivals from the upstate, and they have covered six of the past seven meetings in this series. However, the home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five, including last season when the Gamecocks gave the Tigers a huge scare in Columbia, losing 37-32 as three-touchdown 'dogs. In the last meeting at Clemson, the Tigers won 35-17 Nov. 29, 2014 as 3 1/2-point favorites. South Carolina is 4-1-1 ATS in the past six against teams with a winning record, and they're 7-1 ATS in their past eight against ACC foes. Clemson has posted a 4-0 ATS in their past four home games against a team with a winning road record, but they're just 1-4 ATS in their past five overall and 0-4 ATS against teams with a winning record.

Florida at Florida State

The Gators head to Tallahassee and they're underdogs by a touchdown as of Wednesday morning. The road team has covered in each of the past five meetings in this series, although the favorite is 14-4 ATS in the past 18 meetings in this Sunshine State rivalry. Florida is 3-1-1 ATS in their past five games, and they're 11-4 ATS in their past 15 road games. However, they're 0-6 ATS in their past six outside of the conference. Florida State is 4-1 ATS in their past five non-conference tilts, and 11-5 ATS in the past 16 games overall while going 7-3 ATS in their past 10 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. The total for this game sits at 45, and the 'under' might be a popular play. The 'under' has cashed in four straight for the Gators, and each of their past four road games, too. The under is also 17-4 in their past 21 against ACC teams and 4-1 in their past five non-conference tilts. For the Seminoles, the under is 19-7 in their past 26 against the SEC and 5-2 in their past seven overall. In this series, the under is 8-2 in the past 10 meetings in Tally, and 16-5 in the past 21 meetings in this series.

Big 12 Report - Week 13
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Texas Christian at Texas

Someone is going to become bowl eligible with a win, and someone is going to be super disappointed with a loss. TCU has struggled against the number lately, covering just once in their past six games while going 1-6 ATS in their past seven conference battles. TCU is also 0-5 ATS in their past five against teams with a losing record. For Texas, they're coming off an embarrassing loss at Kansas last week which might have been the final straw for the administration at Texas as far as the Charlie Strong era is concerned. A loss at home and no bowl game would likely cinch the end. Texas has been a disaster on the road, but they're 4-1 SU/ATS in five games in Austin this season. Total bettors might like the 'under' in this one. The 'under' is 4-1 in TCU's past five overall, 4-1 in their past five road games and 5-2 in their past seven against teams with a losing overall record. The 'under' has hit in six straight for Texas, 24 of their past 33 confernce tilts and the 'under' is 35-17-3 in their past 53 at home.

Baylor at Texas Tech

Baylor lost their starting QB Seth Russell to a gruesome injury Nov. 5 against TCU, the second game in a four-game losing streak. After starting out 6-0 SU, the Bears have droped four in a row and they haven't covered in any of the outings, either. Overall Baylor is just 2-8 ATS. Texas Tech is in the midst of a three-game skid, and they have dropped six of the past seven to fall out of contention for a bowl game. However, the Red Raiders are 3-2 ATS and 6-3 ATS in the past nine. The Red Raiders are 3-3 SU/4-2 ATS in six games at home. The Bears are 1-6 ATS in their past seven against teams with a losing record, while Texas Tech is 8-3 ATS in their past 11 conference games. The favorite has hit in five of the past six in this series, while the 'over' has connected in all six of these outings.

Kansas at Kansas State

The Battle of the Sunflower State takes place at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, and the Wildcats are favored by 27 points (as of Wednesday morning) to maintain their dominance in the series. The Jayhawks topped Texas last week in overtime, giving them a feel-good story after a dismal season. However, they're still just 10-30-1 ATS in their past 41 road games, 7-23 ATS in their past 30 road outings against a team with a winning home record. The Wildcats have posted a 44-21-1 ATS mark in their past 66 conference tilts, including 17-4 ATS in the past 21 meetings. The favorite has cashed in 18 of the past 21 in this series, and K-State is 9-1 ATS in the past 10 home games against their rivals. The over has hit in five of the past six in this rivalry.

West Virginia at Iowa State

The Mountaineers are licking their wounds after taking a beating from the Sooners at home last week in the snow. They look to rebound in Ames against an Iowa State team which has won just three times, but a Cylclones team which is 3-1 ATS in the past four and 7-2 ATS over their past nine outings. I-State has covered five in a row at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, and they're 6-2 ATS in their past eight conference games. The 'under' is 6-2 in West Virginia's past eight road games, and 23-9 in their past 32 games overall. For the Cyclones, the 'over' is 4-1 in their past five home games and 7-2 in their past nine games overall and 9-3 in the past 12 conference tilts.

Teams on a Bye: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Pac-12 Report - Week 13
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Washington at Washington State

It's time for the Apple Cup, and the Pac-12 North Division title remains on the line despite Washington State's slip-up at Colorado. In fact, with a Cougars win, and a Colorado win in their game, those two sides could potentially meet in a rematch in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Huskies have struggled against the number lately, going 1-4 ATS in their past five games overall and 1-4 ATS in their past five conference games. Washington State failed to cover last week, but they're 9-2 ATS in their past 11 home games, 9-2 ATS in their past 11 against a team with a winning record while going 15-6 ATS in their past 21 games overall. The Huskies have dominated the Apple Cup recently, at least against the number, as Washington is 6-2 ATS in their past eight trips to the Palouse and 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The favorite is also 5-2 ATS in the past seven in this series.

Arizona State at Arizona

Arizona State becomes bowl eligible with a victory in Friday's game in Tucson, and they're a field goal favorite as of Wednesday morning. AZ State has struggled against the number against good teams, but they're 7-3 ATS in their past 10 games against teams with a losing record. However, they're 1-4 ATS in their past five road outings. The Wildcats have shown well on Fridays, going 8-2 ATS in their past 10 appearances. However, they're just 7-19 ATS in the past 26 overall and 1-5 ATS in the past six at home. The Wildcats have failed to cover their past seven conference battles and 0-4 ATS in their past four against teams with a losing record. Arizona State is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings and 7-3 ATS in their past 10 trips down Interstate 10. The 'over' has hit in each of the past four in this series.

Notre Dame at Southern California

Notre Dame has no chance at a bowl with seven losses, so their final game at USC serves as their bowl game. The Trojans are 17 1/2-point favorites as of Wednesday morning, and a team no one wants to face right now. Interim coach Clay Helton has turned this team into a fighting machine, winning each of their past five games by 13 or more points, including a win at Washington to potentially derail their playoff hopes. The Trojans are 5-0 ATS in their past five games and the 'under' has cashed in seven straight for USC. The Fighting Irish might be struggling, but they're 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings against the Trojans. However, they are 2-5 ATS in the past seven trips to Southern California. The favorite is also 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings in this series.

Oregon at Oregon State

For the first time in years, the Civil War means something to the people of Oregon, but has very few ramifications outside of the state. However, both teams are coming off impressive wins, as the Ducks went down to Salt Lake City and pulled off a dramatic last-second victory against Utah. Oregon State thumped Arizona 42-17 last weekend, and they have covered six of their past seven games heading into this rivalry game. The Ducks have covered five straight meetings in Corvallis, and the road team is 9-1-1 ATS in the past 11 meetings in this series. The 'over' has hit in 12 of the past 14 in this series, while the 'over' is 5-2 in the past seven at Reser Stadium.

UCLA at California

UCLA and Cal will both wrap their seasons up Saturday, as both teams enter play at 4-7 and are coming off setbacks against their biggest rival. Both teams have struggled mightily against the number, as the Bruins are 4-9 ATS in their past 13 games overall and 2-5 ATS in the past seven away from the Rose Bowl. Cal is just 10-22 ATS in their past 32 home games, 0-4 ATS in their past four league games and 0-5 ATS in their past five games in the month of November. The 'under' is 5-1 in the past six meetings between these teams. The home team is 12-3-1 ATS in the past 16 meetings in this Golden State rivalry, while the underdog is 13-6-1 ATS in the past 20 meetings. The Bruins are 0-4 ATS in their past four trips to Berkeley.

Utah at Colorado

The Utes look to rebound after a shocking loss to Oregon in the final moments last weekend. That loss set up what amounts to a play-in game for the Pac-12 Championship Game, as the winner takes the South Division title and sets up a battle against the winner of the Apple Cup. Colorado punished Washington State last week to improve to 10-1 ATS in 11 games. The Utes are 13-3 ATS in their past 16 road games against a team with a winning home record, and 12-5 ATS in their past 17 road outings overall. They're 14-6 ATS in the past 20 against teams with a winning record, too. The Buffs are 14-3 ATS in the past 17 meetings overall, 6-1 ATS in the past seven home games and 7-0 ATS in the past seven against teams with a winning overall record. The Utes are 0-5 ATS in the past five meetings in this series. Colorado is a 10-point favorite as of Wednesday morning.

Rice at Stanford

Stanford has eight victories, but they have no chance at the Pac-12 Championship Game. They look to take out a season's worth of frustration against a non-conference opponent from Rice. The Owls have earned two of their three victories in the past two weekends, winning at Charlotte and at home against Texas-El Paso. The Owls are 4-2-1 ATS in the past seven overall while the 'over' is 4-1 in the past five for Rice and 6-2 in the past eight. For Stanford, they started off 3-0 SU/ATS in their first three games. They were humbled 44-6 at Washington Sept. 30, and that touched off a 1-3 SU/ATS stretch through the end of October. However, over the past four games the Cardinal have resembled the team we have come to expect. They're 4-0 SU/3-1 ATS while winning all for games by 11 or more points.

NCAAB Week 13

Nebraska has injury ?’s at QB, check status on Armstrong. Home teams lost last four Nebraska-Iowa games; Cornhuskers won 37-34/13-7 in last two visits here. Underdogs covered four of last six series games. Huskers are 2-2 on road, losing at Wisconsin/Ohio St in last two; they’re 1-1 as home underdogs. Iowa lost three of last four home games, with win over Michigan, loss to I-AA North Dakota State; Hawkeyes are 1-2 as home favorites. Big 14 home favorites are 12-15 vs spread. Eight of last nine Nebraska games, three of last four Iowa games stayed under total.

Home side won last two Arkansas-Missouri games; Razorbacks lost 21-14 in last visit here in ’14. Favorites won three of last four series games. Arkansas allowed 139 points in three road games, losing 56-3 at Auburn, winning 41-38 in OT at TCU; they’re 0-4 vs spread in game following their last four wins. Missouri won/covered once in last seven games; they lost 63-37 at Tennessee last week. Tigers are 2-3 in I-A home games, 1-5 vs spread as an underdog this year- they allowed 287+ passing yards in five of last seven games. SEC home underdogs are 13-7 vs spread.

TCU crushed Texas 50-7/48-10 last two years; this is Longhorns’ last game and Strong’s last game as Texas HC- am guessing Longhorn players will try hard to send him out a winner. TCU is 5-5, still needs a win to be bowl eligible; they’re 3-1 on road, with loss 34-10 at West Virginia but also a shaky 24-23 win at lowly Kansas, which beat Texas LW. Horned Frogs won 43-10/20-13 in last two visits here. Texas is 2-5 this season games decided by 7 or less points. Big X home favorites are 10-11 vs spread. Under is 4-1 in last five TCU games, 5-0-1 in last six Texas tilts.

Air Force upset Boise State 28-14/37-30 last two years; underdogs covered last four series games. Broncos lost 28-14 in last visit here, two years ago. Falcons won last four games, are 8-3, winning last two 49-46/41-38; they’re 3-1 at home with an OT loss to Hawai’i. AF covered its only game as an underdog this year. Boise is 1-5 vs spread in its last six games but 3-1-1 as a road underdog this year, with only SU road loss 30-28 at Wyoming. Mountain West home underdogs are 12-6 vs spread. Over is 6-1 in last seven Air Force games, 3-0 in last three Boise games.

Washington is 4-0 on road, 2-2 as road favorites, scoring 50.5 pts/game in wins by 7-49-7-39 points; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five games, with home loss to USC in there. Huskies won six of last seven games with Washington State, winning last three (45-10/31-13 last two years); favorites covered five of last seven series games. Washington is 6-3 in last nine visits to Pullman, 6-2 vs spread in last eight. Wazzu had 8-game win streak snapped at Colorado LW; they’re 3-1 vs spread as an underdog this year. Pac-12 home underdogs are 9-10 vs spread. Over is 6-2 in last eight games for both teams.

Wisconsin won its last 12 games with Minnesota (4-5 vs spread in last nine), winning last six by 10+ points. Badgers have 233+ RY in six of last seven meetings. Gophers lost last nine trips to Madison, but covered three of last four. Gophers are 2-2 on road this year, losing by 3 at Penn State, 7 at Nebraska; they’re 1-1-1 as an underdog this year. Wisconsin won last five games, is 7-1 vs spread in last eight, winning 48-3/49-20 last two weeks- they’re 2-2 as home favorites this season. Big 14 home favorites are 12-15 vs spread. Under is 6-3 in last nine games for both sides.

Georgia is 13-2 in its last 15 games with Georgia Tech, winning six of last seven, covering four of last five. Tech split its last four visits between hedges; they’re 4-1-1 vs spread in last six visits here. Dawgs won last three games, are 2-2 at home, 0-2 as home favorites, with wins by 7-14 points- they lost at home to Tennessee/Vandy. Tech is 6-1 if it scores 30+ points, 1-3 if it doesn’t; they’re 2-3 as an underdog. SEC non-conference home favorites are 10-15 vs spread; Georgia held 9 of 11 opponents under 30. ACC road underdogs are 5-3. Under is 4-1 in last five Georgia games, 2-5 in Tech’s last seven.

Alabama covered five of last six games, winning last three by combined score of 92-6; Crimson Tide is 3-1-1 as home favorites, winning I-A home games by average score of 38-7. Bama won six of last eight Iron Bowls, covering four of last five; Tide won 55-44/29-13 in last two meetings. Tigers lost three of last four visits here, with losses by 11-49-36 points. Auburn’s losses this year are by 6-13-6 points; they’re 2-0 as an underdog- they’re 2-1 on road, with wins at Mississippi schools, the loss 13-7 at Georgia. SEC home favorites are 16-9 vs spread. Under is 3-1 in last four Alabama games, 3-0 in Auburn’s last three.

California lost its last four games, allowing 52.3 pts/game; Golden Bears are 2-5 vs spread as an underdog this year, 1-2 at home. UCLA lost four of last five games; they’re 2-4 as a favorite this year. Bruins are 1-4 on road this year, with only win by FG at BYU- they won their last three games with Cal, by 16-2-27 points. Bruins lost seven of last eight visits to Berkeley, are 1-9 vs spread in last 10 visits there. Last three years, UCLA gained 488-567-573 yards against the Golden Bears. Pac-12 home underdogs are 9-10 vs spread. Over is 8-3 in Cal games this year; four of last six UCLA games stayed under.

Oregon won its last three games with Oregon State, covering four of last six; they won last four visits to Corvallis, all by 17+ points. Ducks gained 565+ TY in last five series games, but Oregon isn’t as good this year, losing seven of nine games while allowing 35+ points eight times. Ducks are 1-4 on road, allowing 42.2 pts/game; they’re 1-3 vs spread as a favorite this year. Beavers lost five of last six games but covered six of last seven; they’re 2-3 at home, 2-0 vs spread in games with a single digit pointspread. Pac-12 home underdogs are 9-10 vs spread. Over is 6-2 in last eight Oregon games, 3-2 in Beavers’ home games.

Colorado needs win here to clinch Pac-12 South and spot in title game next week; they’ve lost last four games with Utah, in series where underdogs covered last five meetings. Utah won last two visits here, 38-34/42-35. Buffs won last five games, four by 10+ points; they’re 4-1 vs spread as a favorite. Utah lost two of last three games but won their last three road games; Utes are 2-1 as an underdog this year; their losses are by 5-7-2 points. Pac-12 home favorites are 17-12 vs spread this year. Over is 6-3 in last nine Utah games, 2-5 in last seven Colorado games.

Tennessee is 1-2 on road with all three games decided by 7 or less points; Vols are 3-5 vs spread as a favorite this year. Tennessee is 16-3 in last 19 games with Vanderbilt, winning 53-28/24-17 last two years; underdogs are 6-3 vs spread in last nine series games. Vols won last seven visits here (3-3 vs spread in last six). Commodores need win to become bowl eligible; they’re 2-2 in I-A home games, losing to South Carolina by 3, Florida by 7. SEC home underdogs are 13-7 vs spread. Over is 6-2 in last eight Tennessee games, 2-5 in last seven Vandy games.

Ohio State won its last four games but struggled mightily in snow at Michigan State LW, winning 17-16. OSU is 11-1 in last 12 games with Michigan, winning last four; they’re 3-4 vs spread in last seven series games. Wolverines lost last seven visits here (2-5 vs spread). Buckeyes are 4-2 as a home favorite this year, with three of four Big 14 home wins by 21+ points. Michigan has been a double digit favorite in every game this season; they’re 0-1 as an underdog under Harbaugh. Wolverines are 2-1 on road this year, losing 14-13 at Iowa in last road game couple weeks ago. Four of last five Ohio State games stayed under total

Armadillosports.com

Apple Cup Preview
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

The Apple Cup will determine the Pac-12 North on Friday afternoon when Washington State takes on Washington at Martin Stadium in Pullman. The winner will meet either Colorado or Southern Cal in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

As of Thursday night, most books had Washington (10-1 straight up, 5-6 against the spread) installed as a six-point road favorite with a total of 63.5.

In his third season at UW, Chris Petersen’s team has enjoyed a breakout campaign and finds itself in excellent position to garner a berth in the College Football Playoffs with two more wins. Washington responded from its lone loss of the season by bouncing back to beat Arizona St. last week. The 44-18 win wasn’t quite enough for UW backers, as the Sun Devils cashed tickets as 27-point road underdogs.

Jake Browning completed 27-of-44 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns, but he was intercepted twice. Myles Gaskin rushed for 127 yards and one TD on 16 attempts, while Dante Pettis hauled in seven receptions for 105 yards and one TD. John Ross added 12 catches for 95 yards.

Washington saw its unbeaten record disappear on Nov. 12 when Southern Cal came into Husky Stadium and won a 26-13 decision as a 10-point road underdog. The Trojans led 17-6 at intermission and put the game away with two fourth-quarter plays – an eight-yard TD pass from Sam Darnold to Daniel Imatorbhebhe with 13:33 remaining and a safety with 58 ticks left when a strong rush forced Browning to step out of the back of the end zone.

Washington was limited to 27 rushing yards on 17 carries for an abysmal 0.6 yards-per-carry average. Browning threw a pair of interceptions, while Gaskin was held to a season-low 51 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Washington has played a weak schedule, especially compared to its counterparts in terms of CFP picture. The Huskies’ lone wins of note came vs. Stanford (44-6), at Oregon (70-21) and at Utah (31-24).

Browning, a true sophomore, has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 2,870 yards with a 37/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Gaskin has rushed for 1,130 yards and nine TDs with a 6.2 YPC average.

Ross is Browning’s favorite target, hauling in 64 receptions for 991 yards and 15 TDs. Pettis has 46 catches for 701 yards and 12 TDs.

UW ranks fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 44.7 PPG. The Huskies’ defense is 12th in scoring, allowing 17.9 PPG.

UW’s stop unit has lost three starters in recent weeks. Junior MLB Azeem Victor (leg) and senior DE Joe Mathis (foot) went down with season-ending injuries, while junior DB Darren Gardenhire opted to leave the team. Victor, who had a team-high 95 tackles in 2015, had a team-best 67 tackles this year to go with three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one pass broken up.

Mathis had recorded 25 tackles, five sacks, 7.5 TFL’s and one PBU. Gardenhire had produced 13 tackles, one sack, 1.5 TFL’s, one interception, one forced fumble, one QB hurry and a pair of passes broken up.

Washington State (8-3 SU, 6-5 ATS) saw its eight-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in Boulder, where Colorado rallied past the Cougars for a 38-24 win as a six-point home favorite. Mike Leach’s team had three different leads, going up 24-21 on a seven-yard TD pass from Luke Falk to John Thompson with 3:18 left in the third quarter.

However, CU went back in front on an 11-yard TD run by Sefo Liufau with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Buffs scored the last 17 points to secure the win both SU and ATS, while the 62 points elevated ‘over’ the 60-point tally on Phillip Lindsay’s 11-yard TD run with 4:18 left.

Falk threw for 325 yards and three TDs, but he was intercepted once. Falk had a 17/1 TD-INT ratio in the four previous games. For the season, he has a stellar 36/7 TD-INT ratio and for his career, Falk has 74 TD passes compared to merely 15 picks.

Jamal Morrow rushed for 86 yards on seven carries against CU. He also had two catches for 48 yards and one TD. Gabe Marks had six receptions for 46 yards.

Marks, a senior WR who is a two-time All-Pac 12 selection, has 74 receptions for 755 yards and 12 TDs. River Cracaft, who went down with a season-ending injury two weeks ago, had 53 catches for 701 yards and five TDs. Tavares Martin Jr. has 57 grabs for 671 yards and seven TDs.

Morrow has run for a team-high 543 yards and four TDs while averaging 6.6 YPC. Gerard Wicks has rushed for 441 yards and 11 TDs with a 5.7 YPC average. Morrow has 43 receptions for 464 yards and five TDs.

Washington St. is ranked 10th in the country in total offense and scoring (42.5 PPG). The Cougars are second in passing, averaging 380.0 yards per game.

During Petersen’s three-year tenure, Washington owns a 5-3 spread record in eight games as a road favorite. Meanwhile, Washington St. has a 5-6 ATS mark in 11 games as a home ‘dog on Leach’s watch.

The ‘over’ is 7-4 overall for Washington State, 3-3 in its home games. The ‘over’ has hit at a 6-2 clip in the Cougars’ last eight games. They have seen their 11 games average combined scores of 68.0 points per game.

The ‘over’ is 8-3 overall for UW, 4-0 in its road assignments. The ‘over’ began the season going 8-1 for the Huskies, but they’ve seen the ‘under’ cash in back-to-back contests. They have seen their games average combined scores of 62.6 PPG.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports 1.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

The ‘under’ has cashed in six straight games for Syracuse and is 9-2 overall for the season. On the flip side, Pittsburgh has seen the ‘over’ hit in 10 consecutive games with each contest combining for a minimum of 71 points. The total for ‘Cuse at Pitt on Saturday is 68 points.

Chip Brown of HornsDigest.com reported Thursday night that Houston head coach Tom Herman was nearing an agreement with LSU to become its next head coach. However, I found the report to be extremely premature regardless as to whether or not what was reported was true or not. That’s because Herman won’t be signing any deal with LSU until finding out if Texas is going to fire Charlie Strong after the Longhorns face TCU on Friday. If Strong is a goner as expected, then a bidding war between LSU and Texas will ensue. I may be wrong, but I doubt Herman to LSU is going down on Friday or Saturday – if it happens at all.

Another story to look for Friday is the potential dismissal of Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M. For the third straight season, the Aggies have completely fallen apart down the stretch. This year’s 6-0 start turned into a four-game losing streak in SEC play to close the regular season, including Thursday night’s 54-39 loss to LSU.

LSU’s Derrius Guice now owns two of the school’s top three rushing performances in school history. All three of those performances went down this season. Guice broke the record Leonard Fournette set in a home win over Ole Miss by rushing for 285 yards and four TDs on 37 carries. However, we should note that Fournette needed only 16 attempts to rush for 284 yards and three scores against the Rebels.

According to multiple reports, LSU gauged FSU coach Jimbo Fisher’s interest in its job before moving on to Herman. Fisher was apparently asking for a king’s ransom (10 years at $6.5 million per year, according to ESPN) and will be staying at FSU, although I don’t dismiss the potential that LSU will come back at Fisher if it strikes out on Herman. I don’t believe there’s a Plan C for the Tigers other than Ed Orgeron, who is 5-2 since taking over for Les Miles.

If Sumlin is pink-slipped, will A&M become a player in the Herman Sweepstakes? Possibly. I have no idea what the ‘right fit’ is for a cat like Lane Kiffin, but he’s another name to watch in this Coaching Carousel. And if Orgeron isn’t retained at LSU, you can bet he’ll join Kiffin’s staff at whatever destination that might be as his recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.

The ‘under’ is on a 6-1 run for North Carolina, which is a 10.5-point home favorite vs. N.C. State at noon Eastern on Friday. The Tar Heels are 4-1 ATS in five games as double-digit favorites this season. The ‘under’ has cashed in four straight and six of the last seven for the Wolfpack. The total was 62 early Friday morning.

Friday's NCAAF Game of the Day: Washington at Washington State
By Covers.com

(No. 5) Washington at (No. 23) Washington State (6, 64)

It has been a long time since the Apple Cup packed such importance and No. 5 Washington and No. 23 Washington State square off in a duel for the Pac-12 North Division crown when they meet on Friday in Pullman. The last time the two rivals were both ranked when they met was in 2001 - a 26-14 win for the Huskies - and visiting Washington's national championship hopes hang in the balance as well as attempting to secure a spot in the Pac-12 title game.

The Huskies are thriving in Chris Petersen's third season at the helm and the coach expects his team to handle the ferocious atmosphere on game day. "I just think they've really been invested this whole year, every game, and I think that's what you've kind of seen, but it'll be exciting," Petersen said during a press conference. "They get the rivalry. They get that we're playing a heck of a team in a really hostile situation." The Cougars had an eight-game winning streak halted with a 38-24 road loss to Colorado on Saturday and are itching for the opportunity to rebound with a huge victory. "This is a feeling we haven't had in a while, and we don't want it again," senior defensive back Parker Henry said. "We've got no choice but to flush it."

LINE HISTORY: The Huskies opened as 5.5-point road favorites, that spread was bet up early in the week to 6.5, the line faded down to 6 and has held firm. The total hit the board at 66 and has yet to move. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

WASHINGTON - WR Brayden Lenius (questionable, undisclosed)

WASHINGTON STATE - LB Isaac Dotson (questionable, undisclosed)

WEATHER REPORT: The playing conditions at Martin Stadium are expected to be rainy. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-40’s with winds coming out of the Southeast at 9 mph.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Despite a strong season by both teams, going a combined 18-4 SU, these squads are just 11-11 ATS overall. These two teams are a combined 15-7 to the Over this season as both offenses have been strong. The Huskies are averaging 50.5 points and 571 total yards per game (8.3 yppl) on the road, while the Cougars are averaging 50.2 points and 550 total yards per game (6.6 yppl) at home this season." - Covers Expert Steve Merril.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (10-1 SU, 5-6 ATS, 8-3 O/U): Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning fueled the Huskies' rise with his superb play that includes a school-record 37 touchdown passes to go with 2,870 yards and only seven interceptions. Two junior big-play wideouts have certainly aided his production as both John Ross (64 receptions for 991 yards and 15 touchdowns) and Dante Pettis (46 for 701, 12 scores) are enjoying solid campaigns, as is sophomore running back Myles Gaskin (1,130 yards, nine touchdowns). The defense has lost key players in linebackers Azeem Victor (67 tackles) and Joe Mathis (five sacks) with season-ending injuries while junior inside linebacker Keishawn Bierria leads the nation with five fumble recoveries.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (8-3 SU, 6-5 ATS, 7-4 O/U): Junior quarterback Luke Falk is enjoying his own splendid season with 35 touchdowns passes (three off the school record he set last season) and he ranks third nationally with 3,935 passing yards. Senior receiver Gabe Marks (74 catches, 12 touchdowns) became the 13th player in FBS history to top 300 career receptions - he stands at 301 - and his 36 career touchdown catches are five shy of the Pac-12 record held by USC's Dwayne Jarrett (2004-06). Senior free safety Shalom Luani has a team-best four interceptions and junior middle linebacker Peyton Pelluer has a team-leading 80 tackles for a defense allowing 25.5 points per game.

TRENDS:

* Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
* Cougars are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.
* Cougars are 9-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 8-2 in Huskies last 10 conference games.
* Over is 4-1 in Cougars last 5 games overall.

CONSENSUS: 59 percent of are taking the road favorite while 70 percent favor the over in this battle of top 25 teams.

Week 13 Picks and Predictions
By Joe Fortenbaugh
Covers.com

There’s a damn good reason why the Michigan-Ohio State total dropped from its opening price of 51.5 to 45.5 in such a short amount of time.

Sure, the cold temperatures (high of 45 degrees) and nine mile-per-hour winds may have something to do with the line movement, but this year’s installment of “The Game” features two of the country’s elite defenses, as Michigan enters the season finale ranked first in the country in both scoring defense (10.9 pts/gm) and total defense (246.0 yds/gm) while Ohio State ranks third in scoring defense (13.0 pts/gm) and fourth in total defense (280.0 yds/gm).

Additionally, you have to consider both game flow and situational analysis when analyzing the Michigan-Ohio State total. For starters, both programs are vying for a spot in college football’s four-team playoff, so don’t be surprised if the Wolverines and Buckeyes institute a cautious approach early in the game as they feel one another out. Think of this as a highly anticipated title fight between two skilled tacticians who use the early rounds as an opportunity to scout the opposition.

Granted, all relevant trends for this game point to an over, as Michigan has seen the over hit in six of its last seven road games and 12 of its last 15 outings following a win, while the over has cashed in four of Ohio State’s last five home dates.

But I believe those trends will prove meaningless come Saturday afternoon in Columbus.

Pick: UNDER 45.5

East Carolina Pirates at Temple Owls

Spread: Temple -20.5

Don’t look now, but the Owls are riding a five-game winning streak that has featured an average margin of victory of 18.0 points per game thanks to a stellar defensive unit that is surrendering an average of just 278.0 total yards (third in NCAA) and 18.5 total points per game (14th in NCAA) this season.

As it that wasn’t enough of a selling point, Matt Rhule’s upstart Temple program has covered the number in each of its last ten outings and is now 20-6 ATS over its last 26 games overall.

2016 hasn’t been kind to the Pirates of East Carolina, who have been shellacked by 21 or more points in each of their last three outings (at Tulsa, vs. SMU, vs. Navy) while failing to cover the number in eight of their last nine starts. Further, with just three total wins on the season, East Carolina is set to miss out on bowl season for the second straight year, so don’t be surprised if the Pirates have already checked out the remainder of their season.

Be advised that East Carolina is just 9-23 ATS over its last 32 games overall and 4-19 ATS over its last 23 conference showdowns, while Temple is a solid 5-0 ATS over its last five home dates and 23-8 ATS over its last 31 conference matchups.

Pick: Temple -20.5

Tennessee Volunteers at Vanderbilt Commodores

Spread: Tennessee -7.5

This game comes down to one critical factor: Motivation.

As it pertains to Tennessee, how much motivation will Butch Jones and company have to show up 100 percent prepared and ready to execute now that the Florida Gators have locked up the SEC East title?

In regards to Vanderbilt, Saturday evening marks the Commodores’ final opportunity to earn a bowl berth via a sixth victory, so expect a performance reminiscent of last week’s 38-17 upset win over Mississippi as 9.5-point underdogs when Vandy was in a similar must-win situation.

Be advised that Tennessee is just 7-21-1 ATS over its last 29 games following an ATS win while Vanderbilt is 14-6 ATS over its last 20 games played in the month of November. Additionally, take note that the home team is 4-1 ATS over the last five games played between these two programs.

Pick: Vanderbilt +7.5

Utah State Aggies at BYU Cougars

Spread: BYU -18

This in-state rivalry has “Blowout” written all over it thanks to a variety of reasons. For starters, BYU has emerged victorious in six of its last seven outings and has been on cruise control during the month of November with wins over Cincinnati (20-3), Southern Utah (37-7) and Massachusetts (51-9), which moved the Cougars to 8-3 ATS on the season.

On the flip side, Utah State has dropped four straight contests and seven of its last eight matchups overall while failing to cover the number in each of its last six outings. To make matters worse for Aggies fans, Utah State’s five-year bowl streak has come to an end this season, so you can’t help but wonder how much gas this program has remaining in the tank with one final game left to play.

From a trends perspective, note that Utah State is just 1-7 ATS over its last eight road dates and 3-13 ATS over its last 16 games overall, while BYU is 8-3 ATS over its last 11 games overall and 10-4 ATS over its last 14 home games.

Pick: BYU -18

Last week: 1-3 ATS
Season: 26-22 ATS (.541)

NCAAF: Streak, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com

Auburn at Alabama

Another big Rivalry week showdown features the Auburn Tigers (8-3 SU/ATS) visiting Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0, 8-3 ATS) in the Iron Bowl. Defense the moniker for Crimson Tide allowing a lowly 11.4 points/game on 253.1 total yards along with an unstoppable offense lead by QB Jalen Hurts tossing 2139 passing yards, 18 TD while gridding out 803 rushing yards, 11 TD will be difficult to beat in confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Tide are on a 26-1 stretch in front of the friendly crowd. However, 'Bama' facing another bulky line (-18) this week you do bet Nick Saban's troops at some risk. Tide struggled against the betting line in those twenty-seven home games posting a vig-losing 13-13-1 record against the betting line. That said, Alabama has had the edge last five encounters with Auburn going 4-1 SU/ATS, including a 29-13 road win last year handing Tigers 14.5 points of offense.

Michigan at Ohio State

A huge rivalry week showdown takes place at 'The Horseshoe' when Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1, 6-5 ATS) plays host to Big 10 rival Michigan Wolverines (10-1, 5-6 ATS). Both squads enter off lack-luster performances. The Buckeyes barely survided at Michigan State last week walking off 17-16 winners falling well short at the betting window as 20-point road favorites. Meanwhile, Wolverines are off a ho-hum 20-10 win against Indiana and like Buckeyes did not cover the 24.0 point spot handed Hoosiers.

According to Sports Interaction the Buckeyes' are handing Wolverines -6.5 points of offense. With good reason, the last time Michigan beat the Buckeyes was 2011 at Michigan Stadium and with last years 42-13 spanking in Ann Arbor the Wolverines hit the field 1-11 last twelve meetings vs their bitter rival (3-9 ATS). Do note, wins have been hard to come by for Michigan in Columbus, the Wolverines have lost seven straight at this venue (2-5 ATS) and are 1-7 dating back to 2000 with a 3-5 record against the betting line.

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

It's rivalry week in the college football landscape and with a schedule full slate of intriguing games, it can be tough to navigate for bettors. So we bring you our Top 25 betting cheat sheet to handicap the best games of the day.

Kentucky at No.11 Louisville (-26, 74)

* Stephen Johnson was unable to practice all of last week and is supposed to be available only in an emergency situation due to a leg injury, but coach Mark Stoops made the move to his junior quarterback to spark the Wildcats' dramatic offensive flurry. Benjamin Snell Jr., who holds the school record for rushing yards by a freshman with 1,006 after running for 152 last weekend, and sophomore Stanley Williams (1,072) lead the SEC's third-ranked rushing offense and are the first pair of 1,000-yard rushers in school history. Snell also holds the program's freshman record with 12 rushing touchdowns and needs one more to match the most by a Wildcat since Artose Pinner in 2002.

* In addition to the penalties and sacks they allowed against Houston, the Cardinals' FBS-best offense turned in their worst scoring output since a 14-7 loss to North Carolina in 2011 and a season-low 312 total yards overall. Heisman Trophy frontrunner Lamar Jackson predictably suffered as a result of all the pressure he faced, as the sophomore quarterback managed a season-low 33 yards on 25 carries after rushing for 338 yards combined in his previous two contests. Senior tight end Cole Hikutini was one of Louisville's bright spots against the Cougars, scoring for the third straight game and fourth time in five contests to take the team lead with seven receiving touchdowns.

LINE HISTORY: Louisville opened as 23.5-point home favorites and the line rose throughout the week to sit at the current number of -26. The total opened at 75 and came down a full point to 74. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
* Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points.
* Over is 10-1 in Wildcats last 11 non-conference games.
* Road team is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings.

Notre Dame at No.12 Southern California (-17.5, 56.5)

* Kizer has been depending on sophomore Equanimeous St. Brown to make the big catches and he's handled that role well, especially considering he caught one pass all of last season. St. Brown, a Southern California native, has caught 51 passes for 867 yards and eight touchdowns, and his role has expanded even more recently as second-leading receiver Torii Hunter Jr has missed the last two games with a knee injury. Kevin Stepherson has also had a solid freshman year for the Fighting Irish, and C.J. Sanders is another young receiver from the Los Angeles area who could be pumped for a big game in front of friends and family.

* Davis missed three games with an ankle injury and wasn't much of a factor in the first game back, but against UCLA last weekend he looked more like the runner who produced back-to-back 100-yard efforts midway through the season against Utah and Arizona State. Having a healthy Davis to compliment Jones only forces defense to gamble more, opening up lanes and creases on play-action and limiting pressure when Darnold does drop straight back in the pocket. Davis suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Fighting Irish as a freshman in 2013, came back with 81 rushing yards and a touchdown as a sophomore and another 52 last season on seven carries.

LINE HISTORY: The Trojans opened the week as 17-point home favorites and the spread was bumped up to 17.5 midweek. The total opened at 57.5 and went up to 58 before fading to 56 late in the week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Fighting Irish are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Trojans are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Trojans are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
* Under is 7-0 in Trojans last 7 games overall.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

Michigan State at No. 7 Penn State (-12.5, 54.5)

* Scott ran for a career-high 160 yards on 19 carries and added 76 more on receptions against the Buckeyes last week, and the sophomore has 935 yards and a 5.6 average this season. After rushing for 336 yards and two touchdowns on 73 carries in the first six games, Scott has rushed for 599 yards and four TDs on 95 carries in his last five games. Due to a combination of youth and injuries, Michigan State has had a different starting lineup in every game this season, but the defense held the Buckeyes to season lows in points (17), total offense (310 yards) and passing (86 yards) last week.

* First-year offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead has the offense humming, averaging 39.7 points during the Nittany Lions’ seven-game winning streak, as quarterback Trace McSorley (2,600 yards passing, 359 yards rushing, 23 total TDs, five interceptions) is on track to break Penn State's record for total offense in a season. Barkley continues to lead the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,205), all-purpose yards (1,538) and touchdowns (14), and the sophomore has rushed for 825 yards and a 6.3 average in his last six games. Tight end Mike Gesicki set a program record for receptions in a season by a tight end, hauling in five at Rutgers to bring his season total to 42.

LINE HISTORY: The Nittany Lions opened the betting week as 12.5- home favorites, were bet up to 13 by midweek, and faded down to 12 by Friday morning. The total opened at 54.5 and has been bet up a full point to 55.5 View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Spartans are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
* Nittany Lions are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
* Nittany Lions are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Favorite is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
* Over is 13-3-1 in the last 17 meetings.

Minnesota at No. 6 Wisconsin (-14.5, 44)

* Quarterback Mitch Leidner threw four touchdowns with no interceptions against Indiana State on Sept. 10 but has thrown two touchdowns with eight interceptions since that outing. Last weekend, Leidner was held under 200 yards passing for the fifth time in his last six games, but the Golden Gophers defense recorded seven sacks in a 29-12 win over Northwestern. Shannon Brooks registered 73 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards, while Drew Wolitarsky caught a TD pass, giving him four of the team's seven scoring receptions.

* The Badgers have allowed 13.4 points per game this season - fifth best in the nation - and have given up more than 20 points only once. Moreover, two of their three highest-scoring games of the season have come in their last two affairs - a 48-3 rout of Illinois and a 49-20 victory against Purdue. Corey Clement and Bradrick Shaw combined for 35 carries for 180 yards and three touchdowns against the Boilermakers, while Bart Houston and Alex Hornibrook were a collective 12-of-15 for 191 yards with two scores.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened with the Badgers 14-point home favorites and the line was bumped up to 14.5. The total opened at 44 and hasn’t moved all week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Golden Gophers are 5-0-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Over is 5-1 in Golden Gophers last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 8-0 in the last 8 meetings in Wisconsin.
* Over is 14-2 in the last 16 meetings.

No. 25 Navy at Southern Methodist (7, 68)

* Worth had six rushing TDs in the first five games of the season but has 16 in the last five, during which he has averaged 157.2 yards on the ground. His nine pass completions over the past two weeks have gone for 224 yards as senior Jamir Tillman (four catches, 122 yards in the two games) has been a big-play option. Shawn White chipped in 150 rushing yards and three TDs against East Carolina as the nation's third-ranked rushing outfit recorded 480.

* The Mustangs amassed 578 total yards and possessed the ball for more than 36 minutes against USF, but three turnovers - two on interceptions thrown by Ben Hicks - hurt the cause. Hicks has been intercepted an AAC-high 13 times, although nine came in the first five games. Sophomore Braeden West rumbled for 120 yards in the loss to USF and needs 12 more to reach 1,000 for the season.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened with the Midshipmen as 7-point road favorites and has held all week. The total opened at 69.5 and has inched down to 60. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Midshipmen are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Mustangs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up loss.
* Over is 4-0 in Midshipmen last 4 games following a straight up win.
* Midshipmen are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
* Midshipmen are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Southern Methodist.

No.18 West Virginia at Iowa State (7, 58)

* Quarterback Skyler Howard is completing 63 percent of his passes for 2,753 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and also has rushed for 326 yards and eight more scores. Junior wide receiver Shelton Gibson, who has caught 37 passes for 766 yards and six touchdowns, leads the Big 12 in yards per reception, averaging 20.7 yards per catch while junior running back Justin Crawford is closing on 1,000 yards rushing with 930 yards on just 122 carries -- a glossy 7.6 yards per carry. Senior linebacker Justin Arndt, who has a team high 63 tackles, including three sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss, and senior cornerback Rasul Douglas, who ranks second in the nation with seven interceptions, lead the Mountaineers' defense.

* The Cyclones set all-time school records for points against a conference opponent (66), margin of victory against a league foe (56), points in a quarter (31) and fell just three points short of most points in a half (48) with 45 in the first 30 minutes in the win over Texas Tech last Saturday. It was the best game this season for Iowa State's two quarterbacks as Jacob Park threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, while Joel Lanning ran for 171 yards and five scores. Wide receiver Allen Lazard leads the team in receptions (65), receiving yards (915) and touchdown receptions (7) while the defense, which is allowing an average of 25.2 points over the last five games, is led by defensive back Kamari Cotton-Moya who returned a Patrick Mahomes pass 48 yards for a touchdown last week, Iowa State's first pick-six since the 2012 Liberty Bowl.

LINE HISTORY: West Virginia opened as 7.5-point road favorite and, despite the spread going as high as 8 at one point on Tuesday, they before fading to 7. The total opened at 57.5 and has been bet up to 58. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Mountaineers are 13-2 ATS in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Cyclones are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.
* Over is 4-1 in Mountaineers last 5 games on grass.
* Over is 9-1-1 in Cyclones last 11 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 4-1 in Cyclones last 5 home games.

No.22 Utah at No.9 Colorado (-10, 53.5)

* The Utes would’ve also been in the thick of the South title talk this week, but last Saturday’s last-second upset loss to visiting Oregon knocked Utah out of the running. The Utes, though, feature the Pac-12’s second-best rushing attack (213.4 yards per game) behind senior running back Joe Williams who has rolled up 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns in five games since “un-retiring” in mid-October. Defensively, the Utes are allowing 23.6 points and 387.3 yards per game and are led by likely conference defensive player of the year Hunter Dimick, a havoc-wreaking senior end who leads the Pac-12 in sacks (14) and tackles for loss (19.5).

* The Buffaloes have won five straight games, which is the program’s longest winning streak since 2002, and are 5-0 at home for the first time since 1994 – their last perfect season at Folsom Field. A good deal of the credit belongs to senior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who last Saturday threw for 345 yards and rushed for a career-high 108 yards and three TDs in a 38-24 win over visiting Washington State to earn Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week is Colorado reserve safety Nick Fisher, who had six solo tackles, including four on third or fourth down, and one pass defensed last week for a unit which leads the conference in total defense (322.4 yards allowed per game) and pass defense (190.4 yards).

LINE HISTORY: Utah opened as 10-point road dogs, that number briefly rose to 10.5 then settled back at 10. The total opened at 53.5 and hasn’t moved all week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Buffaloes are 7-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Buffaloes are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS win.
* Over is 4-1 in Utes last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 6-0 in Buffaloes last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

South Carolina at No.4 Clemson (-24, 50)

* The Gamecocks have made huge strides defensively in coach Will Muschamp’s first year and are especially tough against the pass. The offense has turned around since freshmen Jake Bentley and Rico Dowdle moved into the starting lineup, and the latter racked up 226 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in last week’s 44-31 win over Western Carolina. Bentley has not thrown a touchdown pass in the last two games, but he has six scoring tosses and just one interception in five contests since taking over as signal-caller.

* After a sluggish start to the season, the Tigers’ offense has topped 450 total yards in seven straight games. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is dangerous running or passing, and Wayne Gallman broke out of a prolonged slump with 161 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in last week’s 35-13 win at Wake Forest. Clemson ranks among the nation’s best in numerous defensive categories but has shown a weakness against strong running teams, although it was dominant in holding Wake Forest to 197 total yards a week ago.

LINE HISTORY: The Tigers opened the week as huge 23.5-point home favorites and rose up to 24 midweek and held. The over opened at 50 and has held all week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Gamecocks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
* Tigers are 0-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 5-0 in Gamecocks last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 5-1 in Tigers last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Gamecocks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.

No. 17 Tennessee at Vanderbilt (7.5, 54)

* The Volunteers’ hopes of a division title or reaching the playoffs expired during a three-game losing streak to end October, but Tennessee has outscored opponents 167-73 during the past three games. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs leads the SEC in passing touchdowns (24) and points responsible for (204), passing for six touchdowns and rushing for four in the past two weeks. Defensive end Derek Barnett has 11 sacks this season and 31 for his career, one away from matching Reggie White’s school career record.

* The Commodores sat at 2-4 before upsetting Georgia on the road, starting a stretch during which Vanderbilt won three of five, nearly sprung a huge upset at Auburn and routed Ole Miss last week. Running back Ralph Webb is fourth in the SEC in rushing (1,058 yards) and needs 27 yards Saturday to break Zac Stacy’s career school record. Linebacker Zach Cunningham is one of the better defenders in the nation, leading the SEC with 109 tackles and is the first Vanderbilt player since 2000 to record 100-plus tackles in consecutive seasons.

LINE HISTORY: Tennessee opened as 8-point road favorites and throughout the week that spread was reduced to 7.5. The total opened at 54 and jumped full point to 55. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Volunteers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Commodores are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* Over is 5-0 in Volunteers last 5 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 7-1 in Volunteers last 8 conference games.
* Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Rice at No. 24 Stanford (-35, 54.5)

* Redshirt freshman Jackson Tyner is set to make his first career start at quarterback in place of senior Tyler Stehling, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in last Saturday’s 44-24 win over UTEP. Tyner threw for 196 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Miners and will likely share time Saturday with fellow freshman J.T. Granato. Linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee has 104 tackles to lead the Owls, who opened the season with six straight losses but have won their last two over Charlotte and UTEP.

* McCaffrey has sparked the team’s turnaround, but junior quarterback Keller Chryst has also played well with 456 yards passing and five touchdowns in the past two weeks. Chryst took over for struggling senior Ryan Burns four games ago and has established a solid connection with sophomore receiver JJ Arecega-Whiteside, who has eight catches for 213 yards and a score over the last two games. Defensive end Solomon Thomas has a team-high 50 tackles to lead a unit that allows 20.5 points per game and has been especially tough in the red zone.

LINE HISTORY: The Cardinals opened as massive 35-point home favorites over the visiting Owls and by Friday that spread was up to 36. The total opened at 54.5 and hasn’t moved all week. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
* Cardinal are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Over is 8-1 in Owls last 9 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 4-1 in Cardinal last 5 home games.

No. 15 Florida at No. 14 Florida State (-7.5, 45.5)

* Appleby, who is 3-1 as a starter replacing injured Luke Del Rio, has completed 61.8 percent of his passes and was solid the past two games with 345 yards and three touchdown strikes. Sophomore Jordan Scarlett has been a key for the Gators’ offense, rushing for at least 93 yards in four of the last five games and pushing his season total to 725 with six TDs. Florida will likely be without important starters on defense again, including linebackers Jarrad Davis (ankle) and Alex Anzalone (arm), and safety Marcus Maye (arm) – the team’s top three tacklers.

* The Seminoles have been better defensively as the season has gone on, allowing 41 points combined in three consecutive victories, and Cook has rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of the last eight games to become the school’s all-time leading rusher. “This guy is the most explosive player in college football,” Florida coach Jim McElwain told reporters. “. … He’s going to play at the next level for a long time.” Francois needs 10 yards passing to reach 3,000 and has completed 60.8 percent of his passes with 17 touchdown strikes and just five interceptions.

LINE HISTORY: The Seminoles opened the betting week as 6.5-point home favorites over their state rival and by Thursday that number was up to -7.5. The total opened at 45 and has been bumped up to 45.5. View complete line history here.

TRENDS:

* Gators are 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games on grass.
* Seminoles are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games in November.
* Under is 8-0 in Gators last 8 games in November.
* Under is 10-2 in Seminoles last 12 games in November.
* Road team is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

NCAAF Game of the Day: Auburn at Alabama
By Covers.com

No. 13 Auburn Tigers at No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-17.5, 47)

Top-ranked Alabama looks to complete an undefeated regular season and move closer to capturing the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings when it hosts bitter rival Auburn on Saturday in an SEC contest. The Crimson Tide have been a dominant squad throughout the entire season while the No. 16 Tigers may have leading rusher Kamryn Pettway back after he missed the last two games with a leg injury.

While Pettway, a junior, appears ready for the Iron Bowl, the status of sophomore quarterback Sean White (shoulder) remains in doubt and it could be senior Jeremy Johnson behind center for Auburn. "Sean White is our quarterback," Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said on a conference call. "But he has to be healthy enough to run the whole offense and needs to be healthy enough to protect himself." That certainly sounds like a good idea against an Alabama defense that ranks second nationally in total defense (252.6 yards per game) and with 40 sacks, and will be extra pumped up to see its fierce rival. "I think this is one of the greatest rivalry games in the country," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a press conference. "I know it means a lot to a lot of people in this state as well as nationally. For the competitors in the game, they probably enjoy this competition, this kind of rivalry as much as any game that they play."

LINE HISTORY: The Crimson Tide opened as 18-point home favorites and that number has been brought down to 17 and has remained there since midweek. The total hit the board as 47 and hasn’t moved all week. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Auburn - DB Joshua Holsey (questionable, ankle), WR Stanton Truitt (questionable, ankle), QB Sean White (questionable, shoulder), OL Prince Michael Sammons (questionable, foot), LB Tre’ Williams (probable, undisclosed), DB Carlton Davis (probable, undisclosed), FB Kamryn Pittway (probable, leg), FB Chandler Cox (probable, leg)

Alabama - OL Korren Kirven (probable, shoulder), RB Bo Scarbrough (probable, knee), OL Cam Robinson (probable, shoulder)

WEATHER REPORT: The forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Temperatures will be in the mid 60’s with winds from the north west ranging from 7-12 mph.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: One of college football’s fiercest rivalries continues Saturday when Alabama hosts Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Win or lose, the Tide is guaranteed a spot in the SEC championship game next week, while the Tigers enter looking to avenge losses the last two seasons in this series. Expect a competitive contest from Auburn as they have out-yarded opponents 188 YPG since October, while Gus Malzahn is 17-7 SU in his career when playing off a win of 7 or more points - with none of the seven losses by more than 16 points - Covers Expert - Marc Lawrence.

ABOUT AUBURN (8-3 SU, 8-3 ATS, 4-7 O/U): Having Pettway (1,106 rushing yards) back to team with sophomore Kerryon Johnson (823) gives the Tigers the arsenal to test Alabama's top-rated run defense that allows only 68.9 yards per game. White avoids mistakes with only three interceptions while passing for 1,644 yards and nine touchdowns, while Jeremy Johnson hasn't played much this season with 25 passing attempts - one being his 20th career touchdown throw. Auburn ranks seventh in scoring defense (14.3 points per game) and 18th in total defense (334.5), and the unit is receiving stellar play from junior outside linebacker Carl Lawson (team-best nine sacks) and senior cornerback Joshua Holsey (team-high three interceptions).

ABOUT ALABAMA (11-0 SU, 8-3 ATS, 5-6 O/U): The defense has been stellar and ranks second in scoring defense (11.4) with senior defensive end Jonathan Allen (seven sacks) rated a sure top-five pick in the next NFL draft. Senior outside linebacker Tim Williams leads the unit with eight sacks, senior outside linebacker Ryan Anderson has 14 1/2 tackles for losses and sophomore strong safety Minkah Fitzpatrick owns a team-best four interceptions. Alabama averages 40.3 points per game behind freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has accounted for 30 touchdowns (19 passing, 11 rushing) and thrown for 2,168 yards and added 803 on the ground.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Crimson Tide are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Crimson Tide are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in November.
* Under is 9-2 in Tigers last 11 conference games.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 60 percent are taking the road dog while 57 percent favor the over in this battle of SEC rivals.

NCAAF Game of the Day: Michigan at Ohio State
By Covers.com

No. 3 Michigan Wolverines at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-6.5, 45.5)

Second-ranked Ohio State hosts No. 4 Michigan on Saturday with major playoff implications on the line in the 113th edition of the storied rivalry. The Buckeyes have dominated the series over the last decade, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings, including seven straight games in Columbus, and can send a clear message to the College Football Playoff committee by beating their bitter rival for the fifth straight time overall.

Ohio State has the most difficult path to the Big Ten championship game out of the three remaining teams in contention, as the Buckeyes must beat the Wolverines and hope No. 7 Penn State falls to Michigan State, but they could still earn a berth in the CFP for the second time in three years with another win against Michigan. The Wolverines are in control of their own destiny and could claim the Big Ten East title by earning their first win in Columbus since a 38-26 victory on Nov. 18, 2000. Michigan's quarterback situation is still murky as starter Wilton Speight, who missed the 20-10 win against Indiana with a shoulder injury, and John O'Korn have split the first-team reps in practice this week. O'Korn struggled mightily in his first career start for Michigan last weekend but the Wolverines boast one of the top defenses in the country and defensive coordinator Don Brown - who has a stellar track record of stopping spread running attacks - hopes to put the clamps on an Ohio State offense that has scored 42 points in each of the last three games in the series.

LINE HISTORY: Ohio State opened as 7-point home favorites and that number dropped on the first day of betting to 6.5 and has been holding there since. The total hit the board at 47.5 and has been bet down to two full points to 45.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Michigan - QB Wilton Speight (questionable, collarbone), K Quinn Nordin (questionable, leg), WR Jack Wangler (out indefinitely, suspension), LB Jared Wangler (out indefinitely, suspension)

Ohio State - WR Dontre Wilson (probable, undisclosed), OL Kevin Feder (questionable, foot), DL Tracy Sprinkle (questionable, leg), DT Malik Barrow (questionable, illness), WR Corey Smith (questionable, undisclosed)

WEATHER REPORT: The playing conditions at Ohio Stadium are expected to be favorable, with partly cloudy skies expected and temperatures in the low 40s at kickoff. Winds will blow out of the west.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: The end of the Big 10 regular season will conclude Saturday with the matchup of match ups. Second ranked Ohio State will host third-ranked Michigan in a high-stakes BCS deciding affair. Which team will dictate the first-half to apply pressure to the opposing offense? - Covers Expert Zack Cimini

ABOUT MICHIGAN (10-1 SU, 5-6 ATS, 7-4 O/U): O'Korn, who made 16 starts with Houston before transferring to Ann Arbor after his sophomore season, finished 7-of-16 for 59 yards against Indiana, which was the lowest passing output by a Michigan quarterback since 2001. De'Veon Smith was named the Big Ten's co-offensive Player of the Week after racking up a career-high 158 yards to go along with two touchdowns on Senior Day, and the Warren, Ohio native hopes to duplicate the performance in his home state. "This is my last regular-season game and my last game against Ohio State so I'm going to leave it all on the field," Smith told reporters. "There's a lot more at stake and you have to ramp it up."

ABOUT OHIO STATE (10-1 SU, 6-5 ATS, 5-6 O/U): Mike Weber, who was once committed to the Wolverines before choosing the Buckeyes on signing day, ran for 111 yards in the 17-16 win against Michigan State to become the third freshman in program history to rush for 1,000 yards. Quarterback J.T. Barrett was held to 86 passing yards against the Spartans but added 105 on the ground for his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. Senior center Pat Elflein was named a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman, while Cameron Johnston was picked as one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, given to the top punter in college football.

TRENDS:

Wolverines are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.

Over is 8-1 in Wolverines last 9 games following a ATS loss.

Over is 17-4 in Buckeyes last 21 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.

Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 59 percent are taking the road pup while the over in this battle of top 25 teams is split 50/50.