College Football Betting News and Notes Week 5

News and Notes Part 2
By Phil Steele

Auburn HC Chizik talked about a sense of urgency to get better but had a poor 1H vs a Florida Atl team that came in avg 98 ypg. The first play of the game Auburn was int’d and FAU got a FG. Later, FAU’s woeful offense went 51/13pl for a 43 yd FG to get within 10-6 after Auburn had scored on 60 and 46 yd drives for a TD and FG. AU punted their next 2 drives then on 4&2 were SOD at the FAU41 and only led 10-6 at the half. AU threatened to blow it open in the 3Q as they got a 25 yd IR TD then after FAU was SOD at the AU34, 5pl later AU got a 51 yd screen pass to McCalebb for a TD, 24-6. FAU was int’d and ret’d to the 19 but AU settled for a 31 yd FG then AU went 41/11pl and settled for a 37 yd FG and led 30-6 after 3Q’s. FAU amazingly drove 78/11pl to get a TD and 2 pt conversion with 9:26 left on what would be their very first TD of the entire season, 30-14 and Aub missed a 47 yd FG on their next drive.

UTEP came into the USF game a banged up team missing their starting QB Lamaison as well as SAF Nixon and DL Reed. They actually played closer than the final would indicate. USF got a 71 yd Daniels TD run, the 4th longest in USF’s brief school history but UTEP hung with them and only trailed 31-17 at the half despite missing a 32 yd FG. After 3Q’s it was just 38-24. UTEP had the ball down 2 scores when they were int’d at the USF40 with 9:44 left. USF went 60/8pl and got an 18 yd TD pass then on the next play got a 30 yd IR TD to blow it open 52-24. UTEP got 3 FD’s to the USF38 but on 4&21 fired incomplete.

Northern Illinois scored on all six 1H poss settling for a 22 and 44 yd FG and getting TD’s on the rest. Cal Poly punted on their first 3 poss but missed a 33 yd FG and trailed 34-7 at the half with NI having a 364-122 yd edge. CP scored a TD and FG on their first 2 drives of the 3Q to get within 34-17 and got a TD with 10:10 left to pull within 40-24. NI went 80/6pl for a TD with 6:58 left. After CP was SOD and NI fumbled, CP went 69/14pl getting a TD with :37 left for the final score.

Colorado St trailed 14-3 vs Utah St but rallied back to 14-13. They fumbled at their own 27 setting up a Utah St TD, 21-13. CSU opted to punt on 4&30 with 2:06 left as they had all 3 time-outs remaining and USt fumbled the punt at their own 15. CSU got the tying TD with :42 left and the 2 pt conversion. Each team scored TD’s on the first 2 poss. Utah St opted to go for the win and RB Turbin was stopped on the left sideline 3 yards short of the EZ and CSU got the outright upset win.

Oregon/Arizona was an interesting game as in the 1H the Ducks jumped out to a 35-3 lead and even though they had scoring drives of 80/8pl, 72/10pl and 80/8pl, those 3 drives ate up just 2:42, 2:19 and 2:06 TOP. It appeared over at 35-3 with 2:38 left in the half but Arizona drove 81/7pl for a TD with 1:04 left. Arizona then opened the 3Q with a 74/12pl and 65/9pl drives for TD’s and shockingly it was 35-24 (5:43 3Q). The Ducks went 75/8pl for a TD and Arizona converted on 4&1 and 4&6 on a 38/13pl drive but on 4&gl from the 6 were sacked back at the 22. The Ducks went 78/5pl for a TD with 9:55 left, 49-24 .Arizona got a TD to get back within 49-31 with 6:29 left but UO rec’d the onside kick and drove 43/7pl for a the clinching TD with 1:45 left, 56-31.

Portland St played TCU a lot closer than the final score would indicate. Portland St took their opening drive 71/14pl but settled for a 22 yd FG. TCU got a 35 yd FG and the game was tied 3-3 when TCU too over with 4:22 left in the half. Six plays later TCU got a 66 yd TD pass with 1:55 left. TCU then got a 26 yd IR TD off backup QB Hubel and after a 42 yd PR got a 10 yd TD pass to Dawson for 3 TD’s in 1:18 and a 24-3 lead. They got a 65 yd TD run by James to open the 3Q. They went 66/11pl for a 24 yd FG and then on 4&2 opted to go for it and the pass was tipped over the middle but instead of being int’d, Dawson caught it and took it the 73 yards for the TD, 41-3. PSU after a 15 yd punt went 13 yds for a 42 yd FG, 41-6 (12:40) but TCU got an 82 yd KR TD then a 43 yd PR set up a 40/4pl TD drive with 7:51 left. PSU went 87 yards on a 15 play drive getting a garbage TD with 1:39 left.

Florida punted on their first 2 poss but then Kentucky fumbled with 8:18 left in the 1Q which opened the floodgates. UF has now outscored UK 94-3 in the 1Q of their last 4 games. They got a 45 yd TD pass on the first play after the fumble. UF went 43/4pl for a TD then after an int went 28/2pl for a TD to lead 21-0. UK went 69/11pl for a 24 yd FG to make it 21-3 at the end of the 1Q. UK fumbled and UF ret’d it 2 yards for a TD early 2Q. UF went 60/12pl for a 45 yd FG. UF fumbled on their own 26 and UK got a TD 2pl later, 31-10 (1:18 2Q). Driskell was int’d at the UK10 on the last play of the half. UF in the 3Q got an 84 yd TD run by Demps, their longest run for a TD since Emmitt Smith had a 96 yarder vs Mississippi St in 1988. UK was int’d and ret’d 30 yard to their 45 and UF got a 27 yd FG 11pl later. UK’s last 4 poss were all SOD’s at the UF44, 39, 32 and own 31 and UF got a 60 yd TD run on the next play after 1 of them. UF did have a 522-299 yd edge.

Arkansas St got the benefit of playing a Central Arkansas team without their starting QB Nathan Dick who was injured the previous week. CA’s backup QB Wynrick Smothers did a decent job hitting 16-31-224 and even guided a 72/12pl drive for a TD on their 2nd poss to lead 7-3. Two poss later they drove 65/11pl but settled for a 22 yd FG to trail 13-10. ASU led 19-10 at the half with a 266-190 yd edge. ASU went 83/10pl for a TD, 31/7 for a 21 yd FG and 53/6pl for a TD to open the 3Q, 36-10 (3:36). Smothers hit a 53 yd TD pass, 36-17 and ASU scored on their next 2 poss with a TD and FG then added a 31 yd IR TD.

Minnesota lost again to an FCS team and it was their 3rd loss in 5 years. They key play of the game happened just before the half. North Dakota St did have a 207-181 yd edge at the half and led 21-14. Minnesota tried a Hail Mary pass on 4&8 on the final play of the half and it was not only int’d at the NDS18 but Heagle ret’d it 30 yards and as he was going down he latteralled to M. Williams who took it the final 52 yards for a TD and shockingly NDS led 28-14 at the half. NDS opened the 3Q with a 55/12pl drive to lead 31-14 but UM battled back with 53/10pl and 46/10pl drives for a TD and FG. UM alternated QB’s Shortell and Gray all game, 31-24. NDS missed a 35 yd FG with 2:58 left leaving UM in the game but Shortell on 2&10 was int’d and ret’d 40 yds for a TD with 2:36 left to seal it, 37-24.

The Kent St/South Alabama game can be interrupted one of 2 ways. KSU led 33-0 in the 3Q before SAU battled back for the closer than expected 33-25 final. In the 1H KSU was far from dominating using a short field for most scores. KSU started at the 50 and went 3 &out but roughing the P gave them a FD on their 2nd poss. They would go 50/12pl for a TD. After a 21-yd PR, they got a 39 yd FG on a 7 yd drive, after an int they drove 42/7pl for a TD and their longest drive was a 51/11pl drive for a 35 yd FG, 19-0 and after an int they got a 28/1pl TD run, 26-0 at the half. SAU fumbled to open the 3Q at their own 11 and KSU got a TD 2pl later. SAU then rallied with a 60/5pl drive for a TD. After recovering a fumble they went 34/8pl for a 25 yd FG and SAU got a 71/5pl drive. The key was a 61 yd pass to the 10 and on 4&gl from the 9 a 9 yd TD pulled them within 33-17. SAU went 67/11pl but was SOD at the KSU5 then went 47/3pl and got a 2 yd TD run with 6:04 left, 33-25. SAU was int’d at their own 48 with 2:53 left but got it back once more at their 20. They got to midfield and on the final play gained 34 yds down to the KSU23 but ran out of time.

UNLV was a big underdog last week vs Hawaii and won outright by 20. This time they were a big favorite over Southern Utah and played much better than the final score would indicate as they gave up 3 IR TD’s. In the 1H UNLV had a 197-105 yd edge but the key play was a 35 yd IR TD by SUU with 11:11 left in the 2Q and they trailed 10-7 with UNLV’s only TD coming on a 23 yd pass off a fake FG. UNLV did get a 45 yd FG with :10 left in the half to tie it at 10. On the first play of the 3Q they were int’d and ret’d 22 yds for a TD and SUU then went 83/7pl and 55/13pl for a TD and FG to lead 27-10. UNLV fumbled and SUU went 31/5pl for a TD then 3pl later got a 74 yd IR TD (3rd) 41-10. UNLV would be SOD at the SUU23 and got a TD with :25 left and UNLV had 21-16 FD and 402-256 yd edges.

Even though Wyoming’s stadium has an official seating of 29,200 32,617 crammed the stadium with a good portion wearing Nebraska red. The Huskers had a big game vs Wisconsin on deck and were far from dominant early punting on 3 of their first 4 poss. They opened up a 14-0 lead when WY got a 48 yd TD pass with 3:37 left in the half, 14-7. NU missed a 50 yd FG on the final play of the half and only had a 205-170 yd edge. The Huskers got a big KR to open the 3Q and went 41/4pl for a TD then after Wyoming was SOD at the 50, Nebraska added a 20 yd FG 5pl later, 24-7. NU fumbled at the WY47 but WY missed a 32 yd FG. NU went 80/10pl for a TD with 13:55 left to go up by 24. WY went 80/14pl and on 4&6 got a 10 yd TD pass with 8:13 left to close it to 17. NU went 80/11pl and got a 1 yd D run with 3:57 left. Two plays later they got an int at the WY40. NU got a 22 yd run to the 17, an 11 yd run to the 2 but then took a knee on the final 2 plays.

Hawaii absolutely throttled UC Davis coming off an embarrassing loss to UNLV. In the 1H UH had a 21-1 FD and 486-51 yd edge. They scored 7 TD on 7 poss and QB Moniz tied an NCAA record by throwing for 7 TD’s in the 1H tying Florida’s Terry Dean (1984) Florida’s Doug Johnson (1997) and San Diego St’s Dennis Shaw (1969) for the record. Graves QB’d 3 drives in the 2H leading 1 TD drive, Austin came in for a series where they fumbled and even 4th string QB Shutter came in for the final series which they had a 1st & gl at the 2 and took a knee 3x.

South Carolina was somewhat fortunate to win the game by 18 points vs Vanderbilt and it was almost all due to their defense. Vandy had 5 FD’s and their 77 yards was the fewest SC had allowed in a game since holding Wake Forest to 66 back in 1987. SC had a 17-5 FD and 367 yards but QB Garcia had 4 int’s and all 3 TD’s were on the fortunate side. SC was int’d at the VU7 then SOD at their own 40 but VU punted each time. SC was int’d at their own 45 and ret’d 23 yds and VU got a 33 yd FG to lead 3-0. SC was int’d at the VU36 but VU was sacked and fumbled. Allen scooped it up and returned it then fumbled and Ingram fell on it for the TD, 7-3. VU was int’d at the SC23 and 2 poss later SC got a 16 yd PR. SC was at their own 48 when they threw a little bubble screen to Lattimore which he took 52 yds for a TD with just :13 left in the half and stunningly SC led 14-3. In the 3Q SC faced a 3&21. Garcia threw a Hail Mary which bounced off the rec and the ball bounced into the trailers hands (Sanders) for a 51 yd gain. On the next play Lattimore got a 22 yd TD run and SC got its 3rd fortunate TD, 21-3. SC did go 27/7pl and missed a 46 yd FG then got to the VU9 and was int’d in the EZ They brought in backup QB Shaw and ran 6 of his first 8 plays but were SOD at the VU35 with 7:20 left.

In the 1H North Texas had a 371-161 yd edge but had a 25 yd FG blk’d, fumbled at the IU31, fumbled at the IU42 and did not score until the final 3 drives of the half when they went 91/3pl, 57/8pl and 68/8pl for TD’s to lead 21-0 with IU missing a 49 yd FG. NT got an int to open the 3Q and drove 4 yds for a 40 yd FG, 24-0. Six punts. IU went 61/13pl but was SOD at the NT23 but got a 31 yd IR by Murphy with 11:04 then recovered the onside kick. They got 1 FD and punted and NT went 3 & out and Kiel came in at QB. IU went 67/6pl with a 44 yd TD pass. NT recovered the onside kick and punted. IU13 got a 4&18 PI FD then a 67 yd TD with 1:05 left but NT rec’d the onside kick.

Oklahoma had not trailed at home in 20 straight games (not since 2007).

USC played Arizona St a lot closer than the final would indicate. In the 1H USC had 4 drives inside the ASU25. They settled for 3 short FG’s and were int’d at the 16. ASU got a 70 yd TD run, a 51/8pl TD drive then after a 36 yd IR drove 48/8pl for a TD and led 21-9 at the half with only a 220-166 yd edge. USC went 65/6pl and 80/9pl for TD’s to open the 3Q to take the lead, 22-21. ASU went 76/8pl for a TD. USC fumbled at the ASU25 then went on a 73/11pl drive. Poised to take the lead on 3&5, Barkley was sk’d and fumbled at the ASU18 with 10:21 left. ASU went 82/11pl for a TD then on the next play, got a 41 yd IR TD to blow it open, 43-22. USC was SOD at their own 30 with 4:58 left.

FIU lost starting QB Wesley Carroll in the 1Q to injury (1-3-8). FIU had scored a TD on their first poss going 67/4pl for a TD. A punt pinned FIU at the 1 and holding in the EZ gave UL as safety mid1Q and UL added a 48 yd FG after the free kick then after a 14 yd PR to the FIU30, added a 39 yd FG to take an 8-7 lead. They got a 4&1, 41 yd TD pass with :50 left in the half to lead 15-7 but FIU got a 69 yd KR and 11 yd TD run to pull within 15-14 at the half. UL did have a 208-117 yd edge. The teams scored TD’s on the first 3 poss of the 3Q with UL getting 2 of them to lead 29-21. After 2 punts, FIU went on a 93/13pl drive but settled for a 20 yd FG to pull within 29-24 and UL got a 46 yd TD pass to go up 36-24. FIU got a TD with 6:51 left to pull within 5 but was SOD at its own 41 with 3:49 left and their final drive started at their own 5 with 2:50 left and they got to the 50 but on 3&21, backups QB Jake Medlock who hit 17-27-216 was int’d on a deep pass at the UL17.

It was an interesting game with LSU and W Virginia as WV QB Geno Smith set school records for passing yards (463) attempts (65) and completions (38). LSU’s P Brad Wing pinned WV 6 times inside their 15 including 3 inside the 5. LSU benefitted from a 4-0 TO edge. WV got off a 14 yd punt and LSU went 58/8pl for a TD. WV fumbled at the 50 and was int’d at the LSU41 and LSU went 50/7pl for a TD, 13-0. WV went on a 73/12pl drive for a TD to get back to 13-7 but LSU got a 52 yd TD pass with 6:57 left in the half. WV had the ball in the final minute of the half and on 3&19 opted to go for it instead of running out the clock. Smith’s pass was tipped and int’d by Mathieu who returned it 19 yards to the 1. LSU got a gift TD 2pl later with :26 left in the half to go up 27-7. At the half WV did have a 241-204 yd edge. WV scored two 3Q TD’s to pull within 27-21 and the crowd was excited by Claiborne ret’d the ensuing KO 99 yds for a TD. WV was SOD at the LSU43, fumbled at the LSU45 and the Tigers went 57/9pl, 55/8pl for a pair of TD’s to turn it into a blowout and impressed the pollsters to move to #1 in the AP Poll.

Games to Watch - Week 5
By Brian Edwards

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas

This is the third game of a 10-year contract for these team to meet in Arlington. Why, you ask? Well, for starters, Jerry Jones is Arkansas' most famous alum and the school's biggest alumni base outside of the state is in Dallas. The Hogs have won the first two games by scores of 47-19 as 1½-point favorites in 2009 and 24-17 as five-point 'chalk' last year. As of Tuesday, most books had the Aggies installed as three-point favorites with a total of 62½. Mike Sherman's squad is hoping to bounce back from a 30-29 home loss to Oklahoma St. last week, as A&M allowed a 20-3 advantage at intermission to get away. Arkansas is also in bounce-back mode after suffering its first loss of the year at Alabama by a 38-14 count. On the injury front, the Razorbacks lost junior DE Tenarius Wright to a broken arm (4-6 weeks), but they might get back senior DE Jake Bequette, who has missed back-to-back games with a hamstring injury. Both teams have quality QBs and their play could very well be the difference in the game. Texas A&M senior Ryan Tannehill has a 6/4 TD-INT ratio, while Arkansas junior Tyler Wilson has seven TD passes compared to just three picks. The Hogs are 11-9 in 20 games as underdogs on Bobby Petrino's watch. As for A&M, it owns a 9-7 spread record as a home favorite under Sherman (1-2 ATS this season).

Clemson vs. Virginia Tech

Clemson (4-0 straight up, 3-1 against the spread) is set to go on the road for the first time this year after collecting four straight win at home. The Tigers ended Auburn's 17-game winning streak in Week 3 and then took command of the ACC Atlantic with last week's 35-30 triumph over FSU as 2½-point favorites. Sammy Watkins, a true freshman wide receiver, is a candidate for ACC Player of the Year honors after snaring eight receptions for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Seminoles. Tajh Boyd, a sophomore QB, is playing like a seasoned veteran with 13 TD passes compared to only two interceptions. Frank Beamer's team is off to a 4-0 start but it has failed to cover the number in three consecutive games. QB Logan Thomas, who has a 4/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, is 'probable' with a sore shoulder. Dating back to 1998, the Hokies have won five in a row over Clemson both SU and ATS. The 'under' is on a 9-2 run in Va. Tech's last 11 games, but the 'over' is on a 5-0 surge for Clemson. As of Tuesday, most books were listing the Hokies as seven-point favorites with a total of 49. Gamblers can take Clemson on the money line for a plus-240 return (risk $100 to win $240).

Michigan State vs. Ohio State

Michigan State at Ohio State - As of Tuesday, most books had Ohio St. (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 44. The Buckeyes have won seven in a row over the Spartans, going 5-1-1 ATS in the process. They won a 45-7 decision as 3½-point road favorites in East Lansing last year. Michigan St. (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) responded to its first loss (31-13 at Notre Dame in Week 3) by hammering Central Michigan 45-7 last Saturday. Le'Veon Bell ran for three TDs and the MSU defense limited CMU to merely 112 yards of total offense. During Mark Dantonio's tenure at MSU, the Spartans are 5-5 ATS as road underdogs. Both Big Ten rivals have seen the 'under' go 3-1 this year. Dating back to last season, the Buckeyes have watched the 'under' cash at a lucrative 6-1 clip.

Baylor vs. Kansas State

Baylor at Kansas State - Baylor (3-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) will bring its Heisman Trophy candidate and an unbeaten record to Manhattan this Saturday for a key Big 12 matchup. Robert Griffin III is enjoying an amazing year to date, throwing for 962 yards and rushing for 167 yards. The junior signal caller has completed 85.4 percent of his passes with 13 TD passes without an interception. Griffin also has one rushing TD. He has more TD passes than incomplete passes. His favorite target is Kendall Wright, who has 31 catches for 420 yards and four TD grabs. Wright also has a TD pass. However, the Bears still leave a lot to be desired on the other side of the ball, giving up 48 points to TCU and 31 to Rice. Kansas St. (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) is coming off a huge win, going to Miami and emerging with a 28-24 win as a 12½-point underdog. K-St. is 5-2 both SU and ATS in its last seven games against Baylor, but the Bears won a 47-42 shoot-out last year in Waco. The 'over' has been a big money maker for both programs recently. The 'over' is on a 9-2 run in Baylor's last 11 outings, while the 'over' is 9-3 in the Wildcats' last 12 contests. On Tuesday, most books had Baylor favored by 3½ with a total of 63½.

Texas vs. Iowa State

Texas at Iowa State - Texas (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) had an open date following its 49-20 blowout win at UCLA that exacted a nice measure of revenge. The Longhorns finally got their offense going thanks to two TD passes from Case McCoy and a pair of TD runs from Foswhitt Whittaker. Texas freshman RB Malcolm Brown rushed 22 times for 110 yards and a score. Iowa St. (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) also enjoyed an open date after winning 24-20 at UConn. The Cyclones beat arch-rival Iowa 44-41 the previous week in a thrilling triple-overtime slugfest. As of Tuesday, most books had Texas favored by 9 1/2 with a total of 48. The 'under' is 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings between these Big 12 adversaries. Also, the 'under' is 2-1 for both teams through three games this season.

Auburn vs. South Carolina

Auburn at South Carolina - This is a double-revenge game for the 4-0 Gamecocks, who let a double-digit lead get away in a 35-27 loss at Auburn last year. Then in the SEC Championship Game, the Tigers thumped South Carolina by a 56-17 count. But Auburn no longer has QB Cam Newton or DT Nick Fairley and that's why it was a 10-point underdog as of Tuesday. Steve Spurrier yanked QB Stephen Garcia in the fourth quarter of last year's loss on The Plains after he committed a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers. Might Garcia take the same treatment this week? He's off an awful four-interception performance in last week's 21-3 home win over Vandy. As of Tuesday, most books had South Carolina listed as a 10-point favorite with a total of 59½. Gamblers should check the status of AU tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, who missed last week's 30-14 win over FAU with an ankle injury.

College Notebook
By Bruce Marshall

Arizona State...Injuries have been piling up since the beginning of fall camp for the ASU defense, with starting DE Junior Onyeali (knee) the latest to miss action, although the Sun Devil "D" bucked up and forced four TOs in Saturday's rousing 43-22 win over Southern Cal, ASU's first over the Trojans since 1999.

Arizona... Things have gone pear-shaped in Tucson, as the Wildcats lost their eighth straight to a BCS foe last Saturday when Oregon romped 56-31. Of course UA has been in tough the past few weeks (Stanford, Oklahoma State, and Oregon), but the Cats are losing in the same manner, failing to generate much of an infantry diversion, held under 100 YR each of the past three games and unable to complement QB Nick Foles. Some desert observers believe backup Matt Scott, a better runner, might even be more effective than Foles, although HC Mike Stoops would like to redshirt Scott if possible and have him available for one more season at the helm in 2012.

Arkansas State... RS frosh RB Frankie Jackson, Red Wolves top rusher, left early in last week's game vs. Central Arkansas with a knee problem. His absence did not slow ASU in its 53-24 win over the Bears, with the Red Wolves gaining 646 total years. All-name backup RB Sirgregory Thornton chipped in with 120 YR and do-everything QB Ryan Aplin added another 87 YR in ASU's 398-yard ground assault vs. UCA.

Colorado... The Buffs aren't running the ball too well and continuing injuries on the OL aren't helping, with C Ryan Miller and LT Jack Harris both KO'd by ankle injuries for last week's game at Ohio State.

Duke... RB Desmond Scott, the leading returning Blue Devil rusher with 511 YR in 2010, missed his third straight game with a leg injury. But Duke hardly missed him last Saturday vs. Tulane, dominating the Green Wave and scoring on its first eight possessions en route to a 48-27 win. The Devils amassed 166 YR (very good for them) in the rout.

Florida International... Golden Panthers were dealt a blow when QB Wesley Carroll had to leave last Saturday's game vs. UL-Lafayette with an ankle injury. RS frosh backup Jake Medlock was not too bad in relief, completing 17 of 27 passes for 224 yards, but also tossed a key pick in the final moments of 36-31 upset loss.

Florida State...Starting QB EJ Manuel missed last week’s game at Clemson with a shoulder injury suffered the week before vs. Oklahoma. The ‘Noles lost little in translation to RS frosh backup Clint Trickett, who completed 24 of 38 passes for 336 yards and 3 TDs, although it wasn't enough to prevent a 35-30 loss at Death Valley. FSU also gained only 31 YR vs. the Tigers.

Fresno State... Bulldog OL took some attrition last week at the Kibbbie Dome vs. Idaho when LG Matt Hunt and C Richard Helepiko both went down with ankle injuries. It didn't hurt the offense much vs. the Vandals as FSU scored 48 points and gained 519 yards, but both would be welcomed back for this week's revenge match vs. SEC Ole Miss is they could regain their fitness.

Hawaii... Slotback Jeremiah Ostrowski, who caught 19 passes in the first two games, remains sidelined with a foot injury. Note that QB Bryant Moniz hardly missed Ostrowski last week when tossing 7 TDP in the first half of an eventual 56-14 win over UC Davis.

Kentucky... HC Joker Phillips might be shortening the leash on QB Morgan Newton, completing only 52.6% of his passes while throwing 6 picks and just 5 TDs. Joker had seen enough last week vs. Florida and yanked Newton in the second half of the 48-10 blowout loss to Florida in favor of 6'4 true frosh Maxwell Smith, a California product. No word yet on what Joker might do for this week's game at high-flying LSU.

Louisville...HC Charlie Strong says that the starting QB job will return to junior Will Stein, perhaps as early as this week vs. Marshall, as he recovers from a sprained AC joint in his shoulder. Some Big East sources thought Strong might make the switch to athletic frosh Teddy Bridgewater, who came off the bench and played with his advertised flair in leading the Cards to a 24-17 win at Lexington on Sept. 17.

Memphis... Things are going from bad to worse for the Tigers, 42-0 losers to visiting SMU last week at the Liberty Bowl. Coach Larry Porter's most-explosive runner, Jerrell Rhodes, remains out with a knee injury, and he's now joined in the infirmary by top WR Marcus Rucker, whose 17 catches were by far and away the most on this year's Tiger team through three weeks but KO'd with a knee injury against the Ponies. The previous week, the beleaguered Porter had dismissed d.c. Jay Hopson and replaced him with defensive assistants Mike DuBose (former Bama HC) and Galen Scott, who both planned to "simply" the schemes for the stop unit. It didn't look like it did much good in last week's lopsided loss to the Mustangs.

Ole Miss... The natives are restless in Oxford, with a group of disgruntled Rebel backers taking out full-page ads in six papers in Memphis and Mississippi, expressing their displeasure at HC Houston Nutt. AD Pete Boone is also on record as saying he wants his team to display more "fire" after the recent loss at Vanderbilt. We're not sure he saw much in last week's 27-13 loss to visiting Georgia, a game in which Nutt alternated QBs Zack Stoudt and RS juco Randall Mackey, who fired the TD pass in Ole Miss' only offensive TD from scrimmage vs. the Bulldogs (the other score was on a punt return). Stoudt's recent stats tell the story, as he's completed just 20 of 49 passes with 6 picks over the last two games. SEC sources believe Nutt might simply opt to go with Mackey for this week's game at Fresno State.

North Carolina State... The Wolfpack has been struggling an things are not getting better with injuries piling up defensively. Hardest hit is the front seven, the line in particular, where DE Jeff Rieskamp (shoulder) and DT Brian Slay (ankle) were knocked out for the Kentucky game, joining another starter, MLB Terrell Manning (knee), on the sidelines during last week's 44-14 beating absorbed at Cincy. Each is likely to return within the next two weeks, however.

Nebraska... Star DT Jared Crick, who had started 31 straight games, traveled with the team but did not suit up last week at Wyoming due to an undisclosed injury. Check status for this week's Big Ten showdown at Wisconsin.

Nevada... The Wolf Pack Pistol uncovered a new component in last week's heartbreaking 35-34 loss at Texas Tech. But the defeat was not to be blamed on RS frosh CB Cody Fajardo, who provided a nice change-of-pace from starter Tyler Lantrip when running for 139 yards and passing for 59 more (and a TD) last Saturday at Lubbock. Look for HC Chris Ault to use Fajardo more as the season progresses.

New Mexico... After Saturday's 48-45 OT loss to FCS Sam Houston State, Lobo AD Paul Krebs canned HC Mike Locksley, whose 2+ year record in Albuquerque was 2-26. Also contributing to the ouster was the DWI arrest of a 19-year-old friend of the family who was driving a car registered to Locksley. That was the final straw for Krebs, who had negotiated a reduced buyout deal with the embattled Locksley in the offseason. "I didn't see any good ending to this story," said Krebs, who named d.c. George Barlow as the interim coach for the rest of the campaign. UNM's next game is the in-state battle hosting New Mexico State on Saturday night.

New Mexico State... QB Andrew Manley, who led the Aggies' surprise win at Minnesota Sept. 10, has been lost for the season with an ACL injury. Backup Matt Christian is no greenhorn, however, having started eight games LY. Christian was at the helm last Saturday at San Jose State and completed 16 of 27 passes, although SJSU broke its 13-game win streak at the expense of the Aggies, 34-24.

North Carolina... WE Eric Highsmith, the Heels' second leading receiver with 11 catches, was out of last Saturday's game at Georgia Tech with ankle problems.

Northwestern... QB Dan Persa, recovered from an Achilles tendon injury, is slated to get his first start of the season on Saturday at Illinois.

Ohio... Sr. RB Donte Harden, the leading Bobcat rusher with 214 yards thru the first three weeks, was out of last Saturday's loss at Rutgers due to a groin strain.

Oregon State... WR James Rodgers returned to the lineup for the first time in almost a year for last week's game vs. UCLA. Rodgers, who severely injured his knee in last year's wild win at Arizona, was back on the field vs. the Bruins, but RS frosh RN Andrew Agnew, who gained 223 YR in the opener vs. Sac State, remains out with a strained hamstring. The Beavers are struggling on both sides of the ball, however, including the DL, where both DT Castro Masaniai and DE Dominic Glover are dealing with suspensions.

Stanford... The Cardinal has been hit with a few injuries of note in the past week, with star LB Shayne Skov now done for the season with a knee injury, while WR Chris Owusu (shoulder) and TE Coby Fleener (concussion) are questionable for the game vs. UCLA this week.

TCU... Leading returning Frog rusher Ed Wesley missed his third straight game with shoulder issues last week vs. Portland State. But fear not, as the Frogs have rushed for at least 200 yards in each game of Wesley's absence, with Waymon Jones slamming for 136 yards in Wesley's place in Saturday's 55-13 romp past the Big Sky rep Vikings.

Texas... Junior QB Garrett Gilbert has been ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury, although he had already lost the starting job to RS soph Case McCoy.

Toledo... RB Adonis Thomas, leading Rocket rusher with 227 YR and 6.1 ypc, was KO'd early last Saturday at Syracuse with an arm injury.

Tulane... Leading returning receiver Ryan Grant remains out with a strained groin, and his absence might be starting to negatively impact QB Ryan Griffin, who completed no more than three passes to any pass catcher in last Saturday's 48-27 loss at Duke.

Tulsa... QB G.J. Kinne made a quick recovery from the knee injury he suffered the previous week at Oklahoma State, and was back in the Tulsa lineup for last week's 41-21 loss at Boise State.

UAB...QB Bryan Ellis suffered what appeared to be a serious head or back injury last Saturday at ECU, having to be carted off the Ficklen Stadium pitch on a flat board. Backup Jonathan Perry, a product of Baltimore Dunbar High, relieved Ellis and completed 9 of 16 passes in the process, although it wasn't enough in a 28-23 loss to the Pirates. Perry would seem likely to get the call for this week's game at Troy.

UCLA... HC Rick Neuheisel made the switch at QB prior to last week's game at Oregon State, benching oft-injured starter Kevin Prince in favor of longtime caddy Richard Brehaut, who had nonetheless started eight games over the past season-plus. Brehaut was serviceable at Corvallis vs. the Beavers, but hardly spectacular when completing only 7 passes in the 27-19 win. Some Westwood observers believe it's only a matter of time before Neuhseisel turns the offense over to true frosh Brett Hundley, a ballyhooed recruit from the Phoenix area who has been recuperating from a non-football knee injury suffered in the summer.

UTEP... With starting QB Nick Lamaison still out with a shoulder injury for last week's game at South Florida, HC Mike Price opted to start soph Carson Meger instead of RS frosh Jay Hall, who completed only 9 of 28 passes the previous week at NM State. Meger, the third Miner QB to start a game this season (and it's only September!), fared decently when completing 26 of 40 passes for 240 yards and 2 TDs, although his three picks proved costly in a 52-24 defeat at the hands of the Bulls.

Vanderbilt... The anemic Dore offense could only generate 77 yards in last Saturday's 21-3 loss to South Carolina. Starting QB Larry Smith was nicked in the second half with a minor knee injury and relinquished snaps to RS juco Jordan Rodgers, younger brother of Packer QB Aaron Rodgers, who was slightly more effective than Smith in the 18point loss. Smith completed 13 of 17 passes during his stint, but they only measured a collective 50 yards in an incredible display of "dinksmanship." Some Nashville sources expect Rodgers to supplant Smith as the starter in the near future.

Pac 12 Notebook
By Matt Fargo

Week Four Rewind

The Pac 12 was filled with a mix of blowouts and exciting games this past weekend.

Oregon took care of Arizona by 25 points but give the Wildcats credit for not giving up. Trailing 35-3, Arizona cut the deficit to 11 points the third quarter before the Ducks pulled away. Anyone that watched the game saw a very undisciplined Wildcats team and one that could not tackle as they allowed 415 yards rushing on 47 carries (8.8 YPC).

USC outgained Arizona State 402-392 but a minus-4 margin in turnovers did the Trojans in. They trailed 21-9 at halftime but took the lead in the third quarter by a point before the Sun Devils scored the final 22 points to run away with it. USC didn't help itself by committing 10 penalties while going a paltry 1-9 on third down.

Washington and UCLA won their respective games by eight points.

UCLA nearly blew a 21-3 lead against Oregon State but it was able to hold on and save head coach Rick Neuheisel's job for at least one more week. Had the Bruins lost, he may have lost his job that night. The Beavers won the yardage battle 375-357 but they failed on two fourth down conversions in the fourth quarter at the UCLA 34 and 22-yard line.

The Huskies jumped ahead 21-10 but they could not hold their lead either as California stormed back to take the lead. Washington scored the game's final 10 points including a 70-yard touchdown pass with 12:13 left. The Golden Bears had a chance to tie and send the game into overtime but were stopped at the two-yard line with 21 seconds remaining.

In the only non-conference game, Colorado was no match for Ohio State, losing 37-17. The Buffaloes were outgained by only 22 total yards but 125 of their yards came in garbage time. Eight of Colorado's 12 drives consisted of three plays or fewer while the defense allowed just one three and out, the Buckeyes first possession of the game.

Heisman Hopeful Again?

No we are not talking about Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck who was off this past weekend. We are referring to Oregon running back LaMichael James who pretty much dropped out of the Heisman race after two games but has since reinserted himself.

After totaling 121 yards rushing against LSU and Nevada, James broke out with 204 yards on 12 carries against Missouri State. While that may not seem overly impressive since it was against a FCS school, he followed that up 288 yards on 23 carries against Arizona.

That impressive total was a school record and on the season, James is rushing for an unheard of 9.4 yards per carry.

"Defensively, we’re just not playing anywhere close to good enough to win against a good football team," Arizona head coach Mike Stoops said. "We can’t commit any more guys to the line of scrimmage and stop the run. I don’t know what else to say." That is not exactly confidence building coach speak.

Oregon is off this week.

Quarterback Conference

While the Pac 12 has the fifth fewest ranked teams of the six BCS conferences, one thing it does possess is a slew of solid quarterbacks.

Eight conference quarterbacks are ranked among the top 40 in the nation in passing efficiency. You would think Andrew Luck is leading the way but it is two quarterbacks from The Evergreen State.

Washington State's Marshall Lobbestael, who took over as the starter after Jeff Tuel was hurt, is sixth in the country as he has thrown for 959 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 62.4 percent of his passes.

Meanwhile Washington's Keith Price is not far behind at ninth as he has thrown for 983 yards on 67 percent completions to go along with 14 touchdowns and three picks. He is tied with Matt Schilz of Bowling Green for best in the nation with those 14 scoring strikes.

Good quarterbacking usually leads to a lot of offense and as a conference, the ‘over’ is now a profitable 17-12 on the season.

Game of the Week

Washington at Utah. It may not seem like game of the week material and quite frankly, it really isn't. However it is the only game in the Pac 12 this week that features two teams above .500. It is safe to say that ESPN's College Gameday will not be making the trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium.

However, this is Utah's first ever Pac 12 home game and a win here will setup a showdown with Arizona St. next week. The winner of that game will have the upper hand in the Pac 12 South.

Big Ten Betting News and Notes

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin showdown

When was the last time that a mega-battle with serious national implications was played in the Big Ten and didn’t feature Michigan or Ohio State? It happens occasionally, but almost never with stakes this high.

This is No. 7 hosting No. 8 in the Big Ten debut of the Huskers, and the winner will be very well positioned early in conference play.

What makes this one so compelling is that both teams are obviously very good, but both have serious concerns as well. Wisconsin has looked great, but it have played an impossibly soft schedule, so bettors really have no idea of how good the Badgers - or their new QB Russell Wilson - really are.

Nebraska has played a slightly more respectable schedule (left home at least) but has an always-volatile QB scenario and a defensive front seven that is far from confidence-inspiring.

Wisconsin is favored by 10 points in early betting action.

Jerry Kill a concern. Again

For the second straight week Minnesota’s coach is in the hospital after issues with seizures. He suffered this one at home on Sunday and checked into the Mayo Clinic to deal with it. It appears quite unlikely that he will be on the sidelines when his squad opens Big Ten play at Michigan Saturday.

Unfortunately, that’s far from the biggest concern the Gophers have right now. They somehow managed to not just lose but get beaten up by North Dakota State at home last week. They are just not a good team right now, despite almost upsetting USC in the opening week, and they have real issues at quarterback.

If the Kill issues linger then they are going to have trouble recruiting to fill the many holes they have. It’s not a good time to be a Gopher fan. Michigan is favored by 19.5 Saturday.

Indiana’s ugly loss

The Gophers can rest easy on one count: They weren’t the only team to suffer a horrific loss that humiliated their team and their conference Saturday. Indiana lost at North Texas - the same team that had lost their first three games by a combined 130-39.

Kevin Wilson was a good and potentially great hire for Indiana, but this loss shows just how much work he has ahead of him. Penn State is favored by 16.5 points at Indiana Saturday.

Ohio State passing

It might be time to panic in Columbus. Sure, Braxton Miller is a freshman who has a run-first mentality, but it’s still horrifying how bad this team is at passing.

In Miami, Miller and Bauserman combined to go 4 of 18 for 35 yards. Against a really terrible Colorado team, Miller was 5 of 13 for 83 yards. It’s not just bad luck, it’s a lack of execution across the board.

This has to be the least intimidating that the Buckeyes have been entering conference play. They are favored by a field goal at home against Michigan State.

Penn State suddenly injury ravaged

The good news for the Nittany Lions is that their QB issues are no longer their biggest concern. It’s not because they are resolved, though, Matt McGloin looked more than competent last week. It’s because the defense was crushed by injuries in a meaningless game, and suddenly PSU’s strength is now a weakness.

Linebacker Michael Mauti tore his ACL and is out for the year. Corner D’Anton Lynn suffered neck and spinal injuries and is out indefinitely. They are arguably the two best defensive players on the team and it could be a big blow to the confidence of this squad.

College Football Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Week 5
By Adam Thompson

South Florida Bulls at Pittsburgh Panthers (2.5, 52.5)

Why South Florida will cover: The Bulls won at Notre Dame and have dominated the rest of their competition, going 3-1 ATSwith the lone miss being a 28-point win versus a 30-point spread. USF is one the nation’s top passing teams (294 ypg, 23rd) while Pitt is 115th against the pass.

Why Pittsburgh will cover: Pitt has struggled late in games. If it can straighten out that trend, a win is very attainable, especially at home. The Panthers come to play against top competition; they’re 5-1 ATS in their last six against teams with a winning record.

Points: Both teams are 2-2 on the over and the total is about where it should be.

Texas A&M Aggies at Arkansas Razorbacks (3, 62.5)

Why Texas A&M will cover: The Aggies want to bounce back from the heartbreaking home loss to Oklahoma State, and no better way than to show up a future SEC rival. Arkansas has faced one tough team this year and got blown out, although it was at Alabama.

Why Arkansas will cover: The Razorbacks also have something to prove to themselves, especially on offense. When clicking, it can overwhelm opponents.

Points: Both offense are top 20 in passing and both defenses have struggled against it, especially Texas A&M. Points will be easy to come by, though the under has hit more often when Texas A&M faces the SEC and when Arkansas takes on the Big 12.

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Michigan Wolverines (-20.5, 54)

Why Minnesota will cover: The Gophers are 0-2 ATS in games they were the favorite, but 2-0 ATS in the underdog role. They’ve been strong against the run, which may help against electric Michigan QB Denard Robinson. Minnesota is 6-1 ATS in its last seven road games.

Why Michigan will cover: Nobody’s truly stopped Robinson yet. Eventually, he’ll break lose. The Wolverines are simply a much better team. Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill is questionable after suffering another seizure last weekend.

Points: Neither team lights up the scoreboard, but the Wolverines have the potential to do so on this day.

Northwestern Wildcats at Illinois Fighting Illini (-8, 50)

Why Northwestern will cover: Illinois had to rally in the fourth quarter for home wins over Arizona State and Eastern Michigan. Northwestern’s run game can grind out wins, and it is 11-2 in its last 13 as road dogs.

Why Illinois will cover: Illinois runs the ball and stops the run for success. Northwestern can run the ball, but has not stopped the run yet.

Points: Both teams’ defenses have slowed the competition, helped by dominant run attacks on offense. Points may be at a premium.

Kentucky Wildcats at LSU Tigers (-29.5, 45.5)

Why Kentucky will cover: LSU is ranked just 80th in pass defense. One missed tackle, and a UK receiver could be gone. That’s a big spread, despite UK’s miserable effort vs. Florida last week (L, 48-10).

Why LSU will cover: UK’s offense has scored over 20 points just once in four games. How is it going to do anything against this defense? While overshadowed by the awesome defense, LSU does average 38.8 ppg - 18th best in the nation.

Points: UK is going to struggle to put points on the board. LSU’s defense may have to help to hit the over.

Nevada Wolf Pack at Boise State Broncos (-27.5, 62.5)

Why Nevada will cover: If Nevada’s defense can keep it close in the first half, the offense can grind out and avoid a blowout. The team is 5-1 ATS in its last six as an underdog.

Why Boise State will cover: Nevada’s defense struggled against Oregon’s similar high-octane offense (69 pts), and its run-first offense isn’t geared toward a comeback. Once the Broncos get ahead, they’ll pour it on.

Points: Both defenses have struggled, which suggests a shootout. Boise State will certainly do its part.

Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes (-3, 44)

Why Michigan State will cover: The Spartans have the nation’s top-ranked defense, allowing just 172 yards, 101 pass yards and 11 points per game. The door could be open for an upset at the end of a low-scoring game.

Why Ohio State will cover: The Buckeyes seemingly got back on track by throttling Colorado last week. MSU has played one decent opponent this year, Notre Dame, and got trounced 31-13. The Buckeyes are 17-4 ATS in their last 21 home games.

Points: The under is 3-1 for both teams this season and points could be very tough to come by once again.

Bowling Green Falcons at West Virginia Mountaineers (-20.5, 60.5)

Why Bowling Green will cover: The Falcons haven’t faced such stiff competition, but they’ve been impressive so far. BGU is 3-1 ATS, while WVU is just 1-3. An improved offense can keep them in the game.

Why West Virginia will cover: The Mountaineers hung with LSU before faltering late thanks in part to self-inflicted wounds. BGU is less likely to take advantage of those mistakes than LSU.

Points: The over is 3-1 in both teams’ games.

Baylor Bears at Kansas State Wildcats (3.5, 63.5)

Why Baylor will cover: BU’s offense has been unstoppable, averaging 51.3 ppg (third) and 594 ypg (second). K-State may not know what hit it by halftime.

Why Kansas State will cover: Confidence must be sky-high after leaving Miami with a 28-24 win. KSU’s defense has been tough to break through, ranking in the top 25 in every major category. The Wildcats have won two close games and want to prove last week wasn’t a fluke.

Points: These two teams combined for 89 points in last season’s meeting, and both teams have been hitting the over this season. Fireworks are expected.

Auburn Tigers at South Carolina Gamecocks (-10.5, 59.5)

Why Auburn will cover: South Carolina is 4-0, but has been on the brink several times. Auburn can grind it out and, at the least, keep it close until the finish.

Why South Carolina will cover: The Gamecocks, at home, won’t give the Tigers a break. The Gamecocks’ pass defense (13th) keeps teams down, while USC’s offense could impose its will on Auburn’s shaky defense.

Points: Both teams have shown the ability to score points. The over has been consistent for the Gamecocks.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at North Carolina State Wolfpack (9.5, 65)

Why Georgia Tech will cover: Georgia Tech’s offense ranks tops in the nation in points (53.2 ppg), tops in yards (630.5) and is No. 2 in rushing (398.8), and N.C. State’s defense ranks in the bottom half nationally in all those categories. GT is 4-0 ATS, N.C. State is 0-4 ATS.

Why North Carolina State will cover: The Wolfpack average 279 pass ypg and are at home. Cut down on the turnovers that have sabotaged the team, and a close game is very possible.

Points: The over is 4-0 for Tech. N.C. State must find a way to keep up.

SMU Mustangs at TCU Horned Frogs (-11.5, 56.5)

Why SMU will cover: SMU throws for 321 ypg - 18th in the nation. TCU is ranked 87th in pass defense, keeping open the chance for a close game. The Mustangs’ defense has actually been its strength, especially against the run (ninth).

Why TCU will cover: The Horned Frogs average 219 yards passing and 219 yards rushing. Try and stop that. Nobody has yet.

Points: The over is 4-0 in TCU’s games, but the under is 3-1 in SMU games.

Clemson Tigers at Virginia Tech Hokies (-7, 49)

Why Clemson will cover: The Tigers are 3-1 ATS, and that includes wins over Auburn and Florida State. Virginia Tech is 1-3 ATS, and that includes no wins of note. Clemson’s offense has lit teams up, especially the pass game (318 ypg).

Why Virginia Tech will cover: Nobody’s done much of anything against the Hokies’ defense, which ranks No. 2 against the rush, No. 4 in yards allowed and No. 6 in points allowed. VT is great at running the ball, which is Clemson’s chief area of concern.

Points: The under is 7-1 in Clemson’s last eight ACC games, and 9-2 in Tech’s last 11 overall. VT’s defense is going to put up a tough fight for Clemson’s offense.

Ball State Cardinals at Oklahoma Sooners (-37.5, 60)

Why Ball State will cover: The Cardinals have beaten Indiana, Army and Buffalo. They have confidence and that’s a big spread. OU’s been susceptible against the pass.

Why Oklahoma will cover: OU is not Indiana, Army or Buffalo. Ball State’s defense is shoddy against the run, so once the Sooners get up big, it’s only going to get worse. The Sooners are 6-2 ATS in its last eight overall and eight at home.

Points: The over has hit in OU’s last game and BSU’s last two.

Texas Longhorns at Iowa State Cyclones (9.5, 48)

Why Texas will cover: The Longhorns changed QBs and became an offensive juggernaut, rushing for 280 and throwing for 200-plus in a 49-20 win at UCLA. Texas is eager to show it’s still a Big 12 bully and get some revenge for a shocking loss to the Cyclones last year.

Why Iowa State will cover: ISU is 2-1 ATS, including SU wins as an underdog over Iowa and UConn. The Cyclones aren’t great in any statistical category, but aren’t terrible, either.

Points: The under is 1-2 for both teams so far, part of a larger under trend for both teams.

Alabama Crimson Tide at Florida Gators (3.5, 44.5)

Why Alabama will cover: The Tide has run roughshod over everyone, and that includes an Arkansas squad similar to Florida. While Alabama was expected to be this good, Florida has seemingly overachieved. UF is 2-5-1 in its last eight vs. teams with a winning record. Bama is 7-1-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.

Why Florida will cover: The offense ranks 15th in scoring, and the defense is second in points allowed. The Gators don’t lose primetime games in The Swamp. They have something to prove.

Points: Both defenses have been stellar and both teams have trended toward the under.

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wisconsin Badgers (-9, 56.5)

Why Nebraska will cover: The Huskers have had this game circled on their calendars since February. While they’ve been largely unimpressive in a 4-0 start, that’s a big spread for the nation’s eighth-ranked team, especially one with an offense that could break out at any moment. NU is 6-2 in its last eight road games and 5-0 ATS in its last five as an underdog.

Why Wisconsin will cover: Nobody has figured out a way to stop an offense that averages 286 yds passing and 246 yds rushing per game, and Nebraska’s defense has been shaky against far worse competition. NU is 1-3 ATS, UW is 3-0-1. The Badgers remain the best bet in the game, 10-0-1 ATS in its last 11.

Points: Both teams can score 40-plus in a hurry.

UCLA Bruins at Stanford Cardinal (-20.5, 54)

Why UCLA will cover: Stanford has given up passing yards, which bodes well for a Bruins team that will likely be throwing more than usual.

Why Stanford will cover: UCLA likes to run the ball and Stanford’s defense is the best in the nation at stopping it. Stanford is 3-0 ATS so far, while UCLA is 1-3 and 2-9 in its last 11 conference games.

Points: Stanford can score with the best of them, and UCLA will spend much of the night trying to catch up, which could make for a high-scoring contest.

ACC Betting News and Notes
By Marc Lawrence

Marc Lawrence takes a long look at the ACC and gives you the best betting notes heading into Week 5 of the college football season:

Game of the Week

Virginia Tech and Clemson enter Saturday’s game 4-0. However, Virginia Tech has yet to play a team from a BCS conference, and Clemson will be on the road for the first time.

“We’ll practice this week with some noise to try to get them ready for their first road game in a very tough environment,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told reporters.

Clemson was 1-5 away from home last year.

"I think our schedule has helped us," Swinney said. "It's refocused us, we haven’t had a chance to think about the last game."

Swinney went on to say his defense will focus on stopping the run at Virginia Tech or it will be "a long night". Swinney praised the experienced Tech offensive line and notes RB David Wilson is averaging 130 rushing yards per game.

Hokies’ coach Frank Beamer said Clemson freshman sensation WR Sammy Watkins reminds him of a "bigger Percy Harvin."

Watkins’ impact has led to the departure of WR Bryce McNeal, a four-star recruit who has opted to transfer out due to lack of playing time.

Nothing could be finer

North Carolina looks to regroup following last week’s war with powerful Georgia Tech - a game in which the Tar Heels held the Yellow Jackets to a season-low 496 yards of offense in a 35-28 loss.

North Carolina DE Quinton Coples said he’s looking forward to facing East Carolina’s spread offense this week after facing Tech's option and proclivity for cut blocks last week.

“That offense wears and tears you down,” Coples said of Tech. “We probably won’t see another team like that.”

FYI: Teams are 34-56 SU and 53-33 ATS in games after going head-to-head with a Paul Johnson squad.

Injury bug

Georgia Tech leads the nation in total offense (630.5 ypg), scoring (53.2 ppg) and passing efficiency (283.6). They rank second in rushing (398.8 ypg).

Not good news for a N.C. State squad that is decimated by injuries on the defensive line and ranks 81st in scoring defense (28.0 ppg) and 93rd in total defense (408.3 ypg).

Meanwhile, LB Audie Cole said he’s not panicking about the banged-up defense that has been without three starters.

“We’re starting to get people back and come together,” Cole told the media. “We’ve just got to limit our mistakes. We’re not a bad defense, even though we’ve given up a lot of numbers. I don’t think it’s bad talent. We just have to clean things up during the game.”

Jackets’ coach Paul Johnson is fearful of Wolfpack QB Mike Glennon, who ranks third in the ACC with 270 passing yards per game.

“He’s clearly not as mobile as (former QB) Russell Wilson, but he’s a very talented kid. A big, tall kid who can really sling the ball.”

Defensive coordinator Al Groh said no ACC QB has a stronger arm than Glennon.

Georgia Tech rose to No. 21 this week in both the AP and Coaches Polls and is 4-0 for the first time since 1990, when it won the UPI national championship. Colorado was the AP champion that season.

From the database

• ACC this season: 12-20-2 ATS in all lined games, including 7-15 ATS outside the conference and 2-10-1 ATS away.

• ACC Coaches: Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson is 39-14-1 ATS versus an opponent off a loss, including 21-5 ATS away… NC State’s Tom O’Brien is 16-5 ATS in games off a loss versus an opponent off back-to-back wins… Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer is 5-3 SU and 6-2 ATS versus Clemson, including 6-0 ATS the last six games… Wake Forest’s Jim Grobe is 0-4 SU and ATS the last four meetings against Boston College.

• STAT OF THE WEEK: The ACC is 22-2 SU versus the Sun Belt Conference, having been favored by 7.5 or more points in each contest.

Teddy's SEC Notes & Quotes
By Ted Sevransky

Crouching Tigers

The SEC has won five consecutive national titles, the undisputed ‘best conference’ in college football. And while Alabama entered the 2011 season as the team to beat in the SEC, don’t sleep on the LSU Tigers. How good is LSU this year? Just ask Dan Mullen, Mississippi State head coach, after the Bayou Bengals went into Starkville last week and put a beatdown on his Bulldogs. Earlier in the week, Mullen joked that LSU had enough talent to “win the NFC East.” After the game against LSU, he wasn’t joking any more: “(We) just played the best team in the nation.”

LSU’s defense has carried the team through the first three weeks of the season. The Tigers forced four turnovers and shut down Oregon’s potent spread offense in their opener. Over the past two weeks, LSU hasn’t allowed either opponent to reach the end zone, giving up only three field goals in 120 minutes of football. Against Mississippi State last week, eight different defenders had at least one tackle for loss – they spent the entire night in the Bulldogs backfield, notching 15 TFL’s for the game.

The key to the Tigers title chances this year will be the play of senior quarterback Jarrett Lee filling in adequately for the suspended Jordan Jefferson. Lee’s been extremely pedestrian, throwing short, high percentage passes to his speedy receivers. The LSU offense has yet to gain more than 400 yards in a game. But Lee has avoided the mistakes that plagued his first stint as the starter back in 2008 throwing only one interception in 59 attempts this season.

Head coach Les Miles made it clear that LSU has no plans for an explosive downfield passing game any time soon. “I think we throw the football better than we did and I think we have pieces of the offense that are not necessarily visible. At this point, we are kind of playing to the strengths of the defense.”

LSU’s undisciplined play has been maddening for bettors who have tried to support them in conference play in recent years, and last week’s game in Starkville was no exception. In one third quarter stretch, the Tigers committed five penalties and a turnover, giving Mississippi State new life. They’ll need to avoid those type of mistakes this Saturday when they travel to Morgantown for Saturday Night’s TV (ABC, 5:00 Vegas Time) showdown with West Virginia. LSU is currently about a six point favorite with the total set at 49.5.

Vandy’s Dandy

Something very unique happened in Nashville this past Saturday. Vanderbilt, a perennial SEC doormat, spent most of the second half killing clock in a blowout win over a conference foe. I’ve got meticulous records that date back to my first football season in Las Vegas in 1998. During that 14 year span, the Commodores had exactly one SEC win by more than two touchdowns. That win came in 2004 against a Mississippi State team that finished the season with a 3-8 record. They did not have a single SEC win by more than three touchdowns….until this past Saturday. Now 3-0 SU, and 3-0 ATS, James Franklin’s first year as Vandy’s new head coach is already a major success!

Cornerback Trey Wilson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, picking off two passes against the Rebels, returning one for his second defensive touchdown of the year. Sophomore Wesley Johnson was switched from left tackle to center this past offseason. That move paid off when he won the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week award for his performance against Ole Miss. And Vandy -- laughingstock Vandy – got Top 25 votes this week in both the AP and USA Today polls.

From all indications, Vanderbilt is a confident, focused team as they prepare for their road opener at South Carolina this coming Saturday. Senior QB Larry Smith: “We’re just focused on Vanderbilt football. We can’t really worry about the outside things right now. We’re taking it one game at a time and one play at a time.”

Coach Franklin: “I’ve been telling them since we arrived at camp that this was going to happen and how we were going to handle success….. Obviously being on the road is going to create some issues. We’re going to have the South Carolina fight song at practice playing extremely loud. We’re going to have crowd noise going as loud as we possibly can.”

The Commodores lead the SEC with ten interceptions and have forced 12 turnovers through three games. Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop has been extremely aggressive with his blitz packages, wreaking havoc in opposing backfields. But Vandy’s own offense has committed three turnovers in each of the last two games, a problem they’ll need to correct if they hope to pull off the upset against the Gamecocks on Saturday – something they’ve done twice in the last four years. The Commodores are currently about a 16 point underdog at South Carolina (4:00 Vegas Time on ESPN2) with the total set at 50.

SEC Notes & Quotes: Auburn @ South Carolina
By Ted Sevransky

South Carolina won and covered against Vanderbilt on national TV last Saturday, but the Gamecocks offensive woes show no signs of abating. Don’t be fooled for a moment by South Carolina’s point totals this year, averaging more than 36 points per game. Steve Spurrier’s squad has made a living off of defensive and special teams scores, scoring a whopping seven non-offensive touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks offense ranks behind the likes of Army, Indiana and Duke, #67 among the 120 FBS teams.

Spurrier was not amused by South Carolina’s lack of production against Vandy last weekend. Much maligned senior QB Stephen Garcia threw four interceptions. Star running back Marcus Lattimore was held under 100 yards. Big play wideout Alshon Jeffery caught only two passes for 34 yards. Spurrier: “I apologize to Gamecock fans for such a putrid offensive performance.”

The Gamecocks two biggest plays against Vandy were a screen pass that broke for a long gainer and a downfield bomb that bounced off a defender’s hands into the waiting arms of tiny 5-7 WR Ace Sanders. Spurrier: “I guess those were our two big plays of the night. A screen pass and a jump ball. I guess that’s the way it goes.”

Garcia was benched in the fourth quarter, replaced by backup Connor Shaw. At that point the game was basically out of reach – South Carolina’s defense held the Commodores to five first downs and 77 total yards. Garcia: “A win is a win. If we would have lost, hell yeah, it would have been frustrating….. I hope this is the last week we play like this offensively. I don’t think we can survive playing like this.”

Spurrier hinted that Garcia could get benched again, at any time: “We’ll put whoever out there we can to help us win the game.”

Vandy head coach James Franklin was impressed by the quality of the Gamecocks defense. “We got manhandled up front. Their athleticism up front was obvious. We struggled with that all night.” The Gamecocks recovered two fumbles and sacked Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks six times. Spurrier: “We just played solid, sound defense, put the guys in position and let them play. They played well and tackled well.”

South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram has three defensive touchdowns this season – the same number of TD’s as Garcia has thrown through four games! Ingram also had a pair of sacks; a pass breakup and an eight yard tackle for loss against the Commodores. Ingram’s counterpart on the other side, super-frosh Jadeveon Clowney forced both fumbles in that game.

South Carolina’s offense could be poised for a breakout game this week against Auburn’s suspect stop unit. At home against Florida Atlantic last Saturday, the Tigers struggled to get stops – the same Florida Atlantic team that was held to a single first down at Michigan State in their previous outing. The Owls drove into Auburn territory five times in the game, and were only outgained by eight yards, despite the obvious ‘Sun Belt vs. SEC’ size and speed edges for Gene Chizik’s 31 point home favorites.

Despite his penchant for ‘coach-speak’, Chizik was very obvious in his press conference this week that he’s worried about the Tigers upcoming schedule and that fan /bettor expectations should be relatively low. After South Carolina this weekend, Auburn faces three more Top 20 teams in a row: at Arkansas, home to Florida and at LSU.

Chizik: “It’s going to be an extremely tall order. We are going to go and play this SEC schedule like we do every year. We are going to try to get better every day and every week, and we are going to go in there and have great challenges but embrace those challenges and again try to improve.”

He continued: “We still have a long season left. We’re only a third of the way through it, so I don’t think that we’ve encountered all of the things that we’re going to encounter, and I think that you see young guys grow as different circumstances unfold. We’re still very premature in the year in my opinion.”

Cornerback Jermaine Whitehead, talking about the challenges ahead: “I’d kind of like to prove myself, and I hope our team’s like that. We’ve got a big task that’s going to take some diligence and hard work.”

Auburn’s offense hasn’t clicked in the last six quarters – shut down by Clemson in the second half, then inefficient against outmanned FAU last week. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn: “We’ve got to find a way to get out of (the rut). We’re a rhythm offense. When we’re in a rhythm we’re pretty good, and when we’re not, we’re not very good.”

Auburn QB Barrett Trotter hasn’t exactly filled Cam Newton’s big shoes through his first four games as the starter, and he sounded a tad bit worried about the South Carolina defense he’ll be facing on Saturday. “They’re obviously going to be big, fast, strong, all the characteristics of the SEC. We’ve got to get ready. We’ve got to prepare for them because they’re going to kick us in the mouth if we don’t.”

South Carolina is currently about a ten point home favorite over Auburn for Saturday’s showdown (12:30 PM Vegas time). The total is set at 59.5.

Big 12 Betting News and Notes
By Nick Parsons

The next Jim Thorpe?

The Heisman campaign for Landry Jones and Brandon Weedon got a big push with their wins last weekend. The next few games will prove whether not Robert Griffin III, who is at +1800 to win the Trophy, should be placed into the same category.

Griffin has helped the Bears average 51.3 points per game, with 962 yards passing and 13 touchdowns - all without a single interception. At 70 for 82 in completions, he has thrown for more touchdowns than incomplete passes.

The next month will be a true test with three of Baylor’s four games on the road. This Saturday they head to the Little Apple to take on Kansas State as -3.5 favorites. The Wildcats have the No. 6 defense in the nation allowing just 246.3 yards per game and are 3-0 lifetime against Baylor at home.

But KSU head coach Bill Snyder is well aware of threat from Griffin stating, “He’s Jim Thorpe all over again but with a heck of a lot more speed.”

Rock Chalk Air Raid

Texas Tech travels to Kansas this week in what many predict will be an offensive showdown. Texas Tech is known for its Air Raid offense, which Tommy Tuberville has continued under his tenure, while all three Kansas games have gone over the total. Both teams are tied for fifth in plays per game at 81.5, which justifies the opening total of 68 points.

The fact that Kansas gave up 66 points against Georgia Tech, also has bettors thinking that this could be a breakout game for Texas Tech. However, look for KU to slow down the pace of the game. In that 66-24 loss to Georgia Tech, the game was actually competitive in the first half.

Unfortunately it was a 28-point third quarter that took Kansas out of its rhythm. Jayhawks head coach Turner Gill understands the limitations of his defense and knows that the key to victory here may be in lowering that plays per game rate to prevent an Air Raid outburst

Test of strength

Iowa State’s QB Steel Jantz has led the team to a 3-0 record, all in dramatic fashion. However, with the Longhorns visiting, Ames’s new superhero faces his toughest test. After squeaking out a win over BYU, the Longhorns look like the program of old, earning a 49-20 win at UCLA.

This game is a proving ground not only for Jantz, but for Texas sophomore QB Case McCoy as well. Colt’s little brother seems to have turned around Texas’s fortunes going 12 for 15 for 168 yards and throwing two touchdowns last week.

"He has obviously got the intangibles, just like his brother," Longhorns head coach Mack Brown stated earlier this week. The comparisons to Colt will be inevitable and will only magnify if the Longhorns win and head into the Red River Shootout undefeated. Texas favored by 9.5 points

NCAAF Week 5

Saturday's best games

Underdogs are 9-2-1 vs spread in last dozen Air Force-Navy games, as Falcons lost last three visits here, by 3-11-3 points. Air Force beat the Middies 14-6 (-9.5) at home LY, their first series win in last eight tries, running ball for 292 yards. Air Force hasn't beaten a I-A team yet, while Navy (+17.5) lost 24-21 at South Carolina two weeks ago, converting 9 of 14 on third down and running ball for 274 yards. Navy is 7-14-1 in its last 22 games as a home fave. Air Force is 12-10-1 as a road dog.

Favorites are 5-2 in Northwestern's last seven visits to Illinois, with the Wildcats winning three of last four; Illini are 5-3 vs spread in last eight as a series favorite, 2-2 here. Since 2008, Illinois is 5-7-1 as a home favorite. Wildcats covered eight of last ten games as a road underdog- they're 1-1 on road this season, winning 24-17 (+3) at Boston College, losing 21-14 (-8) at Army two weeks ago. Illinois is 4-0 but hasn't played anyone of note; they trailed Western Michigan at half last week, won 23-20 (-13).

Underdogs covered six of last seven Georgia Tech-NC State games, with Tech winning last three visits to Raleigh, by 8-10-7 points. Tech covered one of last four as a series favorite- they're 4-0 this year, scoring 50 ppg in three games vs I-A opponents. NC State beat Tech two of last three years after losing previous five meetings, but Wolfpack lost both games vs I-A foes, 34-27 (-2.5) at Wake Forest, 44-14 (+7.5) last Thursday at Cincinnati. Tech has 1,298 rushing yards in its last three games.

Ohio State won its last seven games vs Michigan State, with six of seven wins by 10+ points; Spartans lost lost last four visits here by an average score of 30-20. Favorites covered six of last eight in series, but Spartans are 3-2 vs spread in last five visits here. Buckeyes completed 11 of 34 passes in last two games; since 2004, they're 30-17 as a home fave, 1-2 so far this season. MSU covered twice in last seven games as road dog, losing 31-13 (+5) at Notre Dame in only road game this year.

Florida is home dog for first time since 2003. Alabama won 31-6/32-13 in last two games vs Gators; last six series games were decided by 11+ points. This is Tide's first visit to Swamp since '06; they're 9-4 in last 13 games as road favorite, winning 27-11 (-10) in only road game this year, at Penn State. Florida covered seven of last ten games as a dog. Alabama outscored first four opponents 76-22 in second half. Dogs are 4-3-1 vs spread in last eight series games.

Arkansas beat old SWC/future SEC rival Texas A&M 24-17/47-19 last couple years; Razorbacks are 10-7-1 vs spread in game following last 18 losses- they got drilled at Alabama last week. Aggies covered six of last eight as a road favorite, are coming off home loss to Oklahoma State in a game A&M led 20-3 at half- they're 6-10 coming off a loss. Arkansas is 11-8 as a dog under Petrino. Hogs are minus-2 in turnovers in each of its last three games, all of which went over the total.

Utah's first Pac-10 home game is against Washington squad that got beat 51-38 (+17) at Nebraska in its only road game this year. Huskies are 3-1 after beating Cal at home last week- they scored 40-38-31 points in last three games. Since 2006, Utes are 13-9-2 as home favorite, 25-15-1 in conference play; they had last week off after crushing rival BYU 54-10 two weeks ago. Since '07, Huskies are 6-13 as road underdogs. Utes have +9 turnover margin, recovering eight opponent fumbles last two games.

Baylor QB's have thrown 14 TD passes, 13 IPs, but things figure to get tougher in Little Apple vs Kansas State squad that won in rainy Miami last week. Bears lost last three visits here by average score of 46-10, but those games were before Baylor had Briles/Griffin combo. Baylor scored 50-56 in its games vs I-A foes; over last decade, they're 5-0 as a favorite on road. K-State outrushed Miami 265-139 in rain last week, stopping 'canes on goal line in last 1:00. Wildcats are 3-7 in last 10 as home dog.

Mississippi State lost 27-24/47-0 in last two visits to Georgia; MSU is 4-8 in last dozen games as road underdog- they beat Louisiana Tech last week in OT, after consecutive losses to Auburn/LSU, so they're trying to find their way. Georgia outrushed Ole Miss 207-34 last week- since 2003, Dawgs are 15-22-1 as home favorites. Since 2008, State is 7-10 vs spread coming off a win- they were outscored 23-12 in second half of last two games. Georgia's losses are Boise/South Carolina, top 25 clubs.

Auburn won last five games vs South Carolina by average score of 37-15, covering four of five games, winning last three here by 39-7-17 points, but Auburn's defense is lame, allowing 41 of 69 conversions on 3rd down (59.4%)- they gave up 624 yards in 38-24 loss at Clemson, only road tilt of year so far. Tigers are 2-6 in last eight games as road dog. Gamecocks have been tested in tight wins over Georgia (45-42), Navy (24-21); they are 12-9 vs spread in last 21 games as a home favorite.

Clemson beat Auburn/Florida State at home last two weeks, now goes to Blacksburg for first time since '06 to play Virginia Tech squad that beat them five games in row, all by 17+ points. Hard to tell much about Tech squad that allowed 9 ppg to three cupcakes, outscoring them 24-3 in 2nd half. Hokies are 8-5 in last 13 games as home favorite. First away game for Clemson team that covered four of last five as road underdog. Tigers lost last two visits to Lane Stadium 24-7 (-5) in '06, 31-11 (+12) in '99

First game in new league for Nebraska; over last decade, they're just 6-11 as road underdog, but 2-1 under Pelini. Cornhuskers allowed average of 157.7 rushing yards, 27 ppg in last three games, but they also ran ball for 861 yards in those games. Wisconsin won its four games by average of 39-9, but none of those teams are any good. Badgers have senior QB in Wilson, who transferred in from NC State; they're 23-15-1 in their last 39 games as a home favorite, 16-12 under Beilema. Huskers completed only 32 of 63 passes in last three games. Badgers have more balance.

Fresno State went to Oxford LY and got crushed 55-38 (+2), giving up 425 rushing yards to Ole Miss, but the '11 Rebels are struggling with the ball, scoring 11 ppg, running for just 61 ypg in losing all three games vs I-A competition. Since 2006, Fresno is mystifying 3-14-1 vs spread as home favorite; they've allowed 34 ppg in 1-2 start vs I-A teams, but all three of those games were on road. Ole Miss is 6-2 as road unerdog with Nutt as coach, but they lost only '11 road game, 30-7 at Vanderbilt.

Las Vegas Money Moves
By Micah Roberts

I called MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood Thursday evening to discuss his big games for Saturday and he begins by talking about the I-25 rivalry and the Maloof Trophy. I had no idea what he was talking about and asked him to come again.

“What, you don’t want to talk about the big game between my alma matter, New Mexico State, and New Mexico,” Rood said with a chuckle. “We‘ve seen New Mexico (+1) money come in as people think the new coach and attitude of the team will be changed. Anything has to be an improvement from a coach who guided the Lobos to a 2-26 record during his regime.”

The big games I was looking for information on were Alabama visiting the swamp in Florida and Nebraska traveling to Wisconsin for an intriguing Big 10 battle. The pair not only has national championship implications, but also major public appeal as they'll be the two primetime games featured on ABC and CBS.

We get to see Nebraska in their first Big 10 contest on the road playing in a sea of red, while also seeing if Florida is truly as good as they have looked so far. The Gators are 3-0-1 against the spread going against an Alabama squad that has dominated every team placed in front of them, which is why they are a strong 3½-point favorite on the road this week.

“They (sharp money) snapped up the 4½ right away on Florida and pushed us down, but all the small money has been on Alabama,” said Rood. “We’re already pretty long on parlay money with Alabama and it’s only going to multiply on game day“

“Our day is ultimately going to come down to the results of the two big public sides of Alabama and Stanford and you’d think one of these weeks we’d find some luck on these late games,” Rood said half-jokingly. “It seems like we lose every big college football game played on national television. From 4:00 p.m. (PT) on, we have been getting killed.”

Stanford has been a public favorite each week and has covered all three of its games. They'll try to knock off UCLA this week as a 21-point favorite Saturday night.

Nebraska has only covered one of its four games while Wisconsin has gone 3-1 ATS, but a lot of bettors have the feeling that Wisconsin laying 9½-points might be cheap.

“We opened the Badgers minus -9½ and they (sharp money) bet it to 10, but then we immediately got Huskers money at 10,” said Rood. “We’ve been kind of bouncing around back and forth and are currently at 10. This is one of those night games we have had trouble with, but we’ve had balanced action, so we’re just hoping it doesn’t land 10.”

The home field advantage plays a key role in why the spread is so highly with two highly ranked teams against each other, but Rood thinks Nebraska may have some trouble.

“The speed of the Wisconsin defense should be able to keep Taylor Martinez from hitting the edges strong. I think we’ll see Nebraska having some difficulties in this one.”

Line Moves of the Week:

Illinois opened as a 6½-point home favorites at the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book and has been pushed all the way to -9½ against Northwestern. Most other books around town have Illinois -10.

Boston College opened as a 1½-point favorite at the Wynn for their home game against Wake Forest. The line went the other way with Wake being the favorite and since reaching 2½ points. The game is now a PICK giving the Wynn crew a pat on the back for having the right number according to the Sharps.

Rutgers opened -1 at the Wynn for its road game at Syracuse, but action quickly moved the Orangemen to 3-point favorites. The line has since dropped to Syracuse -1½.

The Wynn opened Georgia Tech surprisingly low at -6 and it rose to -11 for its road game at N.C. State. The Hilton currently has Tech a 10-point favorite.

One of the Wynn’s biggest disparities from their opener to where it’s currently at now is Connecticut, who opened as an 8-point home favorite against Western Michigan. The Huskies are only -2½ now.

The Wynn opened Hawaii as a 2½-point favorite at Louisiana Tech and now Tech is showing up -4½ at the Hilton.

Middle Tennessee State had a great game last week at Troy and many may have inflated its numbers too high for its home game against Memphis. The Wynn opened MTSU -18½, what appears to be a proper number, but it’s now showing -23½ at the Hilton after they opened their numbers on Monday at -21.

The Wynn opens their numbers every Sunday at 3:00 p.m. PT, the first betting shop in the world. They have a lot of different opinions from what the market prices end up being. After studying their ratings the first few weeks, they appear to be right on the money with the bulk of the moves as they have come back to their original number.

Alabama at Florida: What Bettors Need to Know

THE STORY: The next two weeks will go a long way toward determining the relative success of Will Muschamp's first season as Florida coach - and the pecking order atop the Southeastern Conference. The 12th-ranked Gators face the first of back-to-back games against national title contenders as No. 2 Alabama travels to Gainesville, Fla. Both teams average more than 450 yards per game of total offense, but both also rank in the top five in the nation in total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense. Alabama leads the series 22-14, but one of those wins from 2005 was vacated.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE MOVES: Alabama opened as high as a 5-point road favorite, but money on the home side moved the spread as low as a field goal before buyback on the Crimson Tide pushed the line back to -4. As for the total, the number posted at 45 and has been bet down to 44.5.

ABOUT ALABAMA (4-0, 1-0 SEC, 3-1 ATS): The Crimson Tide already have two wins against ranked opponents, including a road win at Penn State. The defense flexed its muscles in a 38-14 victory against Arkansas last week as the nation's No. 3 defense (184 yards allowed per game) shut down the Razorbacks' high-powered offense. Junior running back Trent Richardson continues to anchor the offense, earning SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 126 yards and catching three passes for 85 yards and a touchdown against North Texas. Richardson has more than 100 yards rushing in three consecutive games.

ABOUT FLORIDA (4-0, 2-0 SEC, 3-0-1 ATS): The Gators are off to a 4-0 start for the third consecutive season after a 48-10 victory at Kentucky, but they have yet to face a ranked opponent. The duo of Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps has rolled up big rushing numbers (731 yards, six touchdowns) through four games, but the Gators haven't faced a run defense such as Alabama's, which ranks third in the nation with 45.8 rushing yards allowed per game. The Gators also have a steady foot to count on as kicker Caleb Sturgis is 11-for-11 on field goals this season and has made 13 consecutive field-goal attempts dating back to last season.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. In Saban's 58-game tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide have allowed less than 300 yards of total offense 33 times. Alabama has held opponents to 10 points or less 26 times under Saban.

2. Muschamp, who coached on Saban's staff at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins, is the sixth Florida coach to begin his career with the Gators with four straight wins. Only three of those coaches also have won their fifth game (Steve Spurrier, 1990; Charles Bachman, 1928; Galen Hall, 1984).

3. Alabama is 19-2 in September under Saban, including 16-0 since 2008.

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine meetings.
* Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
* Underdog is 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine meetings.

PREDICTION: Alabama 28, Florida 20 - Florida's offense has been explosive against lesser opponents, but the Gators won't be able to break as many big plays against Alabama's stiff defense.

Game of the day: Nebraska at Wisconsin

THE STORY: The Big Ten opener between No. 8 Nebraska and No. 7 Wisconsin could be a possible preview of the inaugural conference championship game in December. The unbeaten Huskers are playing their first league game since joining the Big Ten and will be up against a Badgers squad that has won its four games by a combined 194-34. Wisconsin, led by all-everything quarterback Russell Wilson, has scored at least 35 points in each game. This matchup is the first between a pair of Top 10 teams in Madison since 1962.

TV: ABC 8 p.m. ET

LINE MOVES: Wisconsin opened as a 9.5-point home favorite and was bet down to -9 before buyback on the Badgers brough the spread to -10. The total opened at 57 and has been bet down to 56.5 points.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten): Nebraska, the Big Ten’s top rushing team, eclipsed the 300-yard mark for the second consecutive game in its 38-14 victory over Wyoming last week. But this will be the Huskers’ first real test of the season, and a win would go a long way toward helping them re-establish some big-game credibility. The Huskers lost two games against ranked opponents late in 2010 - against No. 18 Texas A&M and No. 10 Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game - before falling to Washington 19-7 in the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska has scored 30 or more points in all four of its games. Nebraska leads the all-time series 3-2, but the teams haven’t met since 1974, when Wisconsin won 21-20.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (4-0, 0-0): The Badgers were ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll and have moved up at least one spot in the rankings each week except this one. A win over Nebraska, however, would likely put them in the top five for the first time since being ranked fourth prior to last year’s Rose Bowl loss to TCU. Wisconsin ranks eighth in total offense (532.3 yards per game), sixth in points (48.5) and seventh in total defense (246.5), but has done it against four teams that are a combined 5-10 this season. The Badgers have won 12 straight home games and haven’t lost at Camp Randall Stadium since a 20-10 setback against Iowa in 2009.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The last time Wisconsin faced a ranked opponent at home was last season against top-ranked Ohio State. The Badgers defeated the Buckeyes 31-18.

2. Wisconsin has won 11 straight regular season games, its longest streak since winning 13 in a row in coach Bret Bielema’s first two seasons in 2006 and 2007.

3. Nebraska has won 34 of 36 conference-opening games since 1975.

TRENDS:

* Cornhuskers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as underdogs.
* Badgers are 7-0-1 ATS in their last eight games as favorites.
* Under is 8-3 in Cornhuskers last 11 games as road underdogs.
* Over is 6-2 in Badgers last eight games as home favorites.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 34, Nebraska 27 - The Huskers will provide Wisconsin with its biggest challenge, but the Badgers’ balanced offensive attack should do just enough to get the win.