College Football Top 25 Betting Power Poll Week 5
by: Alex Smart Sports
1: Southern California Trojans (2-0 ATS, 2-0 SU) The Trojans are at the top of the AP Poll and start at the top of the power poll as well. USC has covered the spread against Virginia and Ohio State by an average of 22.8 points per game. USC is now 6-1 ATS in their L/7 games overall.
Next Up: Away @ Oregon State (-25.5)
2: Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0 ATS, 4-0 SU) HC Joe Paterno may have a real national championship contender in Happy Valley this year. PSU has faced three sub-par opponents this year, but have faced some hefty numbers on the betting line as well. They’re averaging 52.8 points per game, 3rd in the nation. The schedule gets much harder now, and begins with a game against Illinois, a team they lost 27-20 to last season.
Next Up: Home vs. Illinois (-14)
3: Vanderbilt Commodores (4-0 ATS, 4-0 SU) For a team that had an over/under of three wins on the season, Vandy’s done quite alright this year. They’re ranked in the AP Poll for the first time since 1984, and are the only team in the land that is 4-0 ATS. Not only are they a perfect 4-0 ATS and SU, but they won three of those four games as underdogs.
Next Up: Bye
4: Ball State Cardinals (3-0 ATS, 4-0 SU) There’s very little attention paid to MAC football, but bettors who’ve dug to find the Cardinals have been rewarded with a 3-0 start to the season. Not only have they been covering the spread, but they’ve been killing it. Last week against Indiana, they won by 22-points as short underdogs. They’re now 14-5 in their L/19 games overall. Loss of (Duante Love) may impact this rating next week.
Next Up: Home vs. Kent State (-17)
5: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (3-0 ATS, 3-0 SU) Tulsa has destroyed the betting line in all three of their contests this year in spite of being favored by an average of 15.2 ppg. Last week was the biggest blowout, as the Golden Hurricane took care of New Mexico 56-14 as 11-point favorites. Betting against Tulsa hasn’t been a good idea of late, as they’ve beaten the spread by at least a touchdown in each of their L/4 games.
Next Up: Home vs. Central Arkansas (No Line)
6: Tulane Green Wave (3-0 ATS, 1-2 SU) The Green Wave have very quietly put up three very impressive performances for their sports bettors to start the season. In each of their first three games, they’ve covered the spread by at least a touchdown. It could be more good news this week, as they take on SMU, a team they’ve covered the spread against six of the L/7 times.
Next Up: Home vs. SMU (-18)
7: Georgia Bulldogs (2-0-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) The Bulldogs opened up the season #1 in the AP Poll and haven’t done anything to disappoint thus far. The schedule’s been brutal, but they’ve passed their first couple stern tests with flying colors. They’re now 6-0 ATS in their L/6 games against ranked opponents and will hope to continue that streak against the #8 team in the nation this week.
Next Up: Home vs. Alabama (-7)
8: Oklahoma Sooners (2-0 ATS, 3-0 SU) The Sooners have taken care of business so far this season, racking up relatively easy victories against Cincinnati and Washington in their first two FBS games. They’ve had a bye week to rest up for TCU, a team that came into Norman and knocked the Sooners off 17-10 back in 2005. Oklahoma is 10-4 ATS its L/14 home games.
Next Up: Home vs. Texas Christian (-17.5)
9: Air Force Falcons (3-0 ATS, 2-1 SU) Though the Falcons pulled off SU upsets against both Wyoming and Houston as road underdogs in the first two weeks of September, a match against Utah was a bit too difficult last week. Though they lost 30-23, it was good enough to cover the 9.5-points and move to 3-0 ATS on the year. The Falcons are 5th in the nation on the ground, rushing for 281.8 yards per game.
Next Up: Bye
10: Texas Longhorns (3-0 ATS, 3-0 SU) If the first three games of the year are any indicator, the Longhorns are going to be very scary in Big XII play. They’ve now covered the spread as 23, 26, and 29-point favorites early this season against lesser opponents. Last week, Rice was victim for UT, as the Longhorns rolled to the 52-10 victory.
Next Up: Home vs. Arkansas (-27)
11: Oklahoma State Cowboys (2-0 ATS, 3-0 SU) The victories keep getting more impressive early in the season for the Cowboys. Last week they took care of Missouri State with ease, but they’ll return to FBS play this week when the also-unbeaten Troy Trojans pay a visit to Stillwater. Since ’03, the Cowboys are 5-2 ATS against Sun Belt teams.
Next Up: Home vs. Troy (-17)
12: Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) Sure, the Tide aren’t undefeated, but knocking off Clemson by 24 points as four-point underdogs, then blowing out the Razorbacks in Fayetteville last week deserves some recognition. They’ve got a tremendous game “Between the Hedges” this week, but are just 2-6 ATS in their L/8 SEC games.
Next Up: Away @ Georgia (+7)
13: Duke Blue Devils (2-0 ATS, 2-1 SU) It may be about a million years since Duke was ranked in any real poll, but at 2-0 ATS, they’re good enough to crack the Top-25 here. Last week, they covered the spread against Navy as favorites, the first time they had accomplished that feat since 1998.
Next Up: Home vs. Virginia (-7)
14: Texas Christian Horned Frogs (3-0 ATS, 4-0 SU) After beating SMU by 41-points last week, the Horned Frogs cracked the AP’s Top-25 for the first time this year. More importantly for football bettors, it was their third straight ATS victory of the season, and they’re now 7-1 ATS in the L/8 overall.
Next Up: Away @ Oklahoma (+17.5)
15: Brigham Young Cougars (2-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) The only memory that most people have of the Cougars this year was beating Washington on a blocked extra point. For those not paying attention, BYU has outscored their last two opponents by a combined score of 113-0. Needless to say, they’ve been a cover-machine.
Next Up: Bye
16: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-0 ATS, 3-1 SU) After back-to-back ATS victories to open up the ACC season, HC Paul Johnson continued to bring success to Atlanta by knocking off Mississippi State 38-7 as seven-point favorites. The Ramblin’ Wreck have a week off to prepare for Duke.
Next Up: Bye
17: Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) The Gophers haven’t taken on the greatest of opponents yet this year, but they’ve taken care of business in their last two betting affairs. They’ve averaged beating the spread against Bowling Green and Florida Atlantic by 28.5 ppg.
Next Up: Away @ Ohio State (+17.5)
18: Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) If not for a late backdoor TD by SMU last week, the Red Raiders would be 2-0 ATS instead of 1-0-1. QB Graham Harrell has thrown for 1,573 yards already in just four games. TT has a week off before starting Big XII play to kick off October.
Next Up: Bye
19: Troy Trojans (2-0 ATS, 2-1 SU) The Men of Troy are the last unbeaten Sun Belt team left in terms of the spread, and they’ve gotten to 2-0 against some pretty impressive competition. Last week, the Trojans marched into the Horseshoe and gave the Buckeyes all they could handle, sticking within the three tuddies.
Next Up: Away @ Oklahoma State (+17)
20: Missouri Tigers (2-1 ATS, 4-0 SU) The Tigers have the #2 offense in the nation at 53.8 points per game, and though they failed to cover the hefty 31.5-point spread against Buffalo last week, they look poised to run up the score on a lot of teams this season. Just ask Nevada and Illinois.
Next Up: Bye
21: Northern Illinois (2-0 ATS, 1-2 SU) No one asks how you cover the spread, just whether you do, and the Huskies have done just enough to keep their bettors happy. They may have lost both of their betting match-ups SU this season, but they have found a way to cover the spread in each with strong 4th quarters. Even though they have only won three games in the past two seasons, NIU has covered the spread in five straight games.
Next Up: Away @ Eastern Michigan (-6.5)
22: Miami Hurricanes (2-0 ATS, 2-1 SU) HC Randy Shannon has his job on the line this year, and the UM alumni have to be happy with the 2-0 ATS start. Last week, they blew out Texas A&M as 2.5-point road favorites. They’ve got a real shot to make some noise in the ACC Coastal division this week when they host the Tar Heels, who have covered the spread against Miami in all four of their meetings since the Canes joined the ACC.
Next Up: Home vs. North Carolina (-7.5)
23: Colorado Buffaloes (2-0 ATS, 3-0 SU) Will the real Colorado Buffaloes please stand up? A week and a half after nearly losing to Eastern Washington, the Buffs beat West Virginia 17-14 in overtime as 2.5-point underdogs. It hasn’t been pretty, but Colorado is 2-0 ATS and hopes to improve on that in their neutral site game with Florida State.
Next Up: Neutral Site vs. Florida State (+5.5)
24: Ohio Bobcats (3-1 ATS, 0-4 SU) Hey, even 0-4 teams get some love from the betting gods every now and then. The Bobcats are a hook away from being 4-0 ATS in spite of losing all four of their games straight up. Last year, HC Frank Solich’s boys were strong ATS as well. They’ve now covered the spread in six of their L/8.
Next Up: Home vs. VMI (No Line)
25: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (3-1 ATS, 2-2 SU) Southern Miss laid a giant egg against Marshall last week, losing outright as 7-point favorites. It’s hard to overlook their first three ATS victories of the season though, as the Golden Eagles took care