NCAAF News and Notes Saturday 10/24

CFB Streaks & Notes!
By SportsPic

Texas A&M at Texas Tech

Fresh off a 31-10 road spanking of Nebraska the Red Raiders (5-2, 4-2 ATS) appear primed to hand Aggies a good old beatin'. Red Raiders have won twelve straight in Lubbock including four this season averaging a whopping 51.8 points/game on 557.8 total yards. Aggies off a 62-14 defeat at Kansas State will be hard pressed avoiding it's first four game slide since the 2005 campaign. Aggies have not enjoyed success in Lubbock going 0-7 both SU & ATS since '95. Slumping Aggies 2-6 ATS taking 20 or more points are 0-4-1 ATS L5 vs Big-12 foes losing by an average 30.2 PPG.

Georgia Tech at Virginia

Yellow Jackets (6-1, 4-2 ATS) behind it's run-oriented spread offense ran for 309 yards, four touchdowns in defeating Virginia Tech 28-23 marking it's fourth straight victory and sixth on the season. Yellow Jackets leading the nation with 1,917 rushing yards will be tested. Cavaliers (3-3, 4-1 ATS) on a 3-0 run of it's own have held foes to an average of 82.3 rushing yards during its win streak. Cavaliers have owned the Yellow Jackets lately winning five of the last six meetings (5-1 ATS) and have won the last seven (6-1 ATS) in it's own back yard. Cavaliers 5.5 point underdogs should get plenty of action, they're 9-3 ATS as home underdogs of 3.5 to 7 and 6-3 against-the-number the past nine in conference play. Total players need to keep in mind Cavaliers are 8-1 'Under' L9 in conference action, Yellow Jackets are 5-1 'Under' it's last five away vs the ACC.

Oregon Ducks at Washington Huskies

Ducks winners of five straight and playing lights-out defense over the past three allowing a miniscule 19 points on an average 108.7 passing, 83.0 rushing yards per game should remain undefeated in Pac-10 play. Washington has impressed this season and is a solid 3-1 at home however Ducks have won each of the last five meetings averaging over 41 points per game covering each of the wins. Keep in mind Ducks have had two weeks to prepare and they're a perfect 5-0 ATS with two weeks rest along with a cash stuffing 6-2 ATS mark in October games. Huskies, meanwhile are 3-10 ATS taking double digits, 2-12 ATS in Pac-10

Games to Watch - Week 8
By Chris David

Unlike last weekend, this week's slate doesn't feature that one game that you can't miss. If you're a gambler looking to get down on some competitive matchups, then take a look at the seven highlighted tilts below.

South Florida at Pittsburgh

Don't look now folks but head coach Dave Wannstedt and Pittsburgh (6-1 straight up, 4-2 against the spread) have quietly jumped into the top spot of the Big East standings. The lone loss, which could've been a win, came at N.C. State (38-31) on Sept. 26. Toss away that game and Pitt might be garnering more respect. This weekend, the Panthers welcome South Florida (5-1 SU, 2-2 ATS), who will be trying to rebound after losing to Cincinnati 34-17 last Thursday. The all-time series between the Bulls and Panthers is tied at 3-3 but the visitor has won and covered the last two meetings. Totals players should note that Pittsburgh has watched the 'under' go 4-1 and USF has one of the best defenses (13.5 PPG, 286 YPG) in the country.

Boston College at Notre Dame

Two Catholic schools battle on the gridiron Saturday when Boston College (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) clashes with Notre Dame (4-2 SU, 2-4 ATS) from South Bend. The all-time series between the two schools is all square at 9-9 after BC blanked ND 17-0 at home last year, its sixth straight win in the series. The Eagles haven’t fared well on the road in 2009, going 0-2 and getting outscored 73-21. Notre Dame is coming off an emotional 34-27 loss to USC last Saturday, which dropped its home mark to 3-1. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen (1,804 yards, 14 TDs) has been brilliant this year and wide out Golden Tate (41 catches, 6 TDs) has had way against every secondary. Even though the Irish have lost two games by a combined 11 points, the defense continues to be a major issue. The unit is giving up 419.5 YPG and only one opponent has been held under 20 points. The ‘over’ has been winning tickets for both Boston College (4-1) and Notre Dame (4-2) this season.

Clemson at Miami, Fl.

Miami, Florida (5-1 SU, 4-1 ATS) continued its return to the glory days last weekend by cruising past Central Florida 27-7 in Orlando. The Hurricanes still have six games left to play but the team has a good shot to run the table and play in the ACC Championship with some help. Standing in their way this weekend is a Clemson (3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS) squad that has been tough to gauge. The Tigers dominated Wake Forest 38-3 last Saturday after getting upset 24-21 in Maryland two weeks prior. Clemson has three losses by a combined 10 points and two of them came to ranked opponents in Georgia Tech (30-27) and TCU (14-10). Miami sits in the ninth spot in the latest AP Poll and it could be the best offense the Tigers face all year. QB Jacory Harris (1,518 yards, 11 TDs) is complemented by a nice receiving corps, plus the ground game has been steady too. Harris will get tested this week against a fast Clemson defense that is known to apply pressure and create turnovers (10 INTs). Miami won the last battle (36-30) against Clemson in 2005, which was a triple-overtime thriller in South Carolina. The ‘under’ has gone 4-1 for both the Hurricanes and Tigers this season.

Oklahoma at Kansas

Oklahoma (3-3 SU, 1-3 ATS) is easily the best three-loss team in the country and arguably still a top-10 team, considering the trio of setbacks were by a combined five points and all were played at venues outside of Norman. The Sooners can try to bounce back from last week’s loss to Texas (16-13) this weekend when it visits Kansas (5-1 SU, 2-3 ATS), who just got suffered its first defeat of the season last Saturday at Colorado, 34-30. The Jayhawks’ offense (38.8 PPG, 503 YPG) has been clicking on all cylinders behind QB Todd Reesing and a pair of skilled running backs. Despite the impressive numbers, KU hasn’t seen a defense comparable to Oklahoma’s unit (9.7 PPG, 258.2 YPG). The Sooners’ offense (31.3 PPG) won’t have QB Sam Bradford or RB Demarco Murray for this matchup due to injuries. Oklahoma stopped Kansas 45-31 last year at home but failed to cover as a 19-point favorite. Total players should note that the Sooners have watched all of their games go ‘under’ while the ‘over’ has been perfect in every Kansas tilt.

Penn State at Michigan

Michigan (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) hasn't won a big conference game under head coach Rich Rodriguez since he arrived in Ann Arbor. This week, he's got a shot to do so when Penn State (6-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) visits. Last year, the Nittany Lions blasted the Wolverines 46-17 as 24 ½-point home favorites, which snapped a nine-game losing streak in the series. Penn State is only favored by 4 ½-points this year and gamblers have been burned by Joe Paterno's team all season. The Wolverines do have two losses to their ledger but they came by a combined eight points. Close games have been a consistent pattern between these schools at the Big House, with the last three decided by 5, 2 and 3. Michigan is 2-1 both SU and ATS as a home underdog Rodriguez.

TCU at BYU

Will this be the last test for TCU (6-0 SU, 3-2 ATS)? It appears that only BYU (6-1 SU, 3-3 ATS) stand its way with maybe exception to a home game against Utah in three weeks. The Horned Frogs and head coach Gary Patterson have been gaining attention lately, deservingly too. TCU is one of seven programs that remain unbeaten and the defense (13.7 PPG, 238 YPG) is nasty. BYU has a solid offense (38.6 PPG) but its defense (22.7 PPG) has been suspect this year, evidenced in last week's victory over San Diego State (38-28). TCU humbled BYU last year 32-7 in Fort Worth as a two-point favorite. The Frogs are laying a little less than a field goal this week which could have some people smelling an upset in Provo.

Texas at Missouri

Texas (6-0 SU, 1-4 ATS) was almost tripped up last week but luckily survived a 16-13 victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The Longhorns have no time to rest this week as they head to Columbia for a primetime showdown against Missouri (4-2 SU, 2-3 ATS). Gary Pinkel and the Tiger weren’t expected to be a serious contender this year after losing key players to the NFL. However, Missouri silenced the critics with an early 4-0 start but has since dropped back-to-back games to ranked teams. The Longhorns will be the third straight ranked opponent and the pundits could be right about Mizzou with another setback. Quarterback Colt McCoy (7 Ints) catches all the press in Austin but he hasn’t a Heisman Trophy campaign by any stretch. Rather, it’s the Texas defense (246 YPG, 14.7 PPG) that has been outstanding, especially against the run (36 YPG). After averaging 36.8 PPG in the first four games, the Tigers and QB Blaine Gabbert have put up a total of 29 in the last two. Both Texas (3-1) and Missouri (4-0) have been on the right side of the ‘under’ this season. Laying points with Mack Brown hasn’t been profitable this year but Texas has won 14 of 15 against Missouri, including a 56-31 rout last year in the Lone Star State.

vegasinsider.com

College Football Top 25 Cheat Sheet: Week 8
By MATT SEVERANCE

No. 1 Florida at Mississippi State (+23, 48.5)

Urban Meyer admits his team is “pressing” with all the high expectations. But it feels like UF got that one scare out of its system last week. Meyer has changed the team’s hand signals this week (with more changes very possible) against former long-time assistant Dan Mullen.

Believe it or not, the Bulldogs have won four in a row against the Gators in Starkville. And they have former UF offensive coordinator Mullen as their head coach, so he should know what’s coming from Tim Tebow and Co. as well as how to attack the defense.

Tennessee at No. 2 Alabama (-14, 42.5)

The Vols had a week off following their best effort of the season, a 45-19 win over Georgia. The Vols rank third in the SEC in rushing defense and will focus nearly everything on Mark Ingram.

Alabama has won three of the last four meetings and the last two haven’t been close. The Tide have not allowed a touchdown in the past eight quarters and have 10 picks this year, while UT’s Jonathan Crompton has thrown nine.

No. 3 Texas at Missouri (+12.5, 50.5)

Texas has won 16 of 21 all-time meetings and five in a row. The Horns rank No. 1 in the nation against the rush, allowing just 35.8 yards a game. And Missouri has struggled to run the ball.

Mizzou could catch Texas looking ahead to next week’s big game against Oklahoma State. Plus Horns QB Colt McCoy could still be bothered by the thumb he injured last week.

Oregon State at No. 4 Southern Cal (-20.5, 50)

The Beavers have won two of the past three against Pete Carroll’s Trojans. OSU has also won its past seven games when coming off a bye week.

Those two Beaver upsets came in Oregon, as USC has won 21 straight against Oregon State at home. OSU is near the bottom of the country in sacks allowed, while USC leads the nation in sacks.

No. 5 Boise State at Hawaii (+24.5, 57.5)

Boise State should be able to run the ball at will against a defense that has allowed a total of 629 rushing yards the past two weeks.

Hawaii is trying to avoid its first five-game skid in 11 years. The Rainbows are just 2-11 all-time against top-10 teams. But a trip to Hawaii can always be distracting to other teams, and Boise hasn’t looked great the past few weeks.

Louisville at No. 6 Cincinnati (-18, 53)

The Cards’ best shot at covering or even an upset comes courtesy an injury to Bearcats starting QB Tony Pike. He’s questionable after having arm surgery this week. UL has won five of the past six in the series.

Cincinnati has won eight straight home games, while the Cardinals have lost seven conference games in a row. The Bearcats’ defense, which leads the nation in tackles for loss and is second in sacks, should dominate.

No. 7 TCU at No. 16 BYU (+2.5, 50)

Interestingly, this is the first time these two have met with both ranked in both major polls. TCU is fourth in the nation in total defense, but its past two road games have been won by a combined total of just seven points.

BYU is one of the nation’s best home teams, notwithstanding that FSU loss this year. Since TCU beat BYU in Provo in 2005, the Cougars are 20-2 at home and have won 13 straight home conference games.

No. 8 Iowa at Michigan State (-1, 42.5)

No respect for the Hawkeyes, as they are the only ranked underdogs facing an unranked team on the board. It’s the second year in a row they visit East Lansing, losing 16-13 last year. Iowa has never started a season 8-0.

The Spartans run defense has clamped down in the three-game winning streak, but Iowa also will be the first power running team that MSU has faced since losing to Wisconsin. Sparty hasn’t lost to Iowa at home since 1995.

Clemson at No. 9 Miami (-4.5, 43.5)

History says this will be close, since the last two meetings were decided in OT. Not sure that’s too relevant, considering these two haven’t played since 2005. The Tigers rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense, total defense and sacks.

The Canes are expecting back star safety Randy Phillips after he missed the past three games. A big concern for UM against a Clemson defense that brings pressure is that QB Jacory Harris has been sacked 12 times in the past three games.

Auburn at No. 10 LSU (-7.5, 50)

Auburn has to get QB Chris Todd back on track, or this could be a rout. But AU still should have the better offense in this game, as LSU is No. 112 in the country on that side of the ball.

The home Tigers had a week off to prepare for the Auburn spread offense, which has struggled the past two games as it is. LSU has won two in a row and three of four in this series.

No. 11 Penn State at Michigan (+4.5, 48)

The Nittany Lions snapped a nine-game losing streak in this series with a 29-point home win last year. But they haven’t won in Ann Arbor since 1996.

Wolverines QB Tate Forcier, who almost went to Penn State, is finally healthy again. UM is the Big Ten's top scoring team (37.3 ppg) and rushing offense (235 ypg).

No. 12 Oklahoma State at Baylor (+9.5, 53)

No Dez Bryant again for the Cowboys and it’s likely Kendall Hunter also remains out, although he has been medically cleared. OSU is 12-1 in this series since joining the Big 12.

The Bears haven’t beaten a ranked team in five years (19 losses in row) and their defense has allowed 1,046 yards the past two weeks to Oklahoma and Iowa State - two offenses that are not as good as OSU’s. But the Cowboys might be peeking at next week’s game with Texas.

No. 13 Georgia Tech at Virginia (+5.5, 46.5)

Quarterback Josh Nesbitt has been the biggest reason for Georgia Tech’s recent move up the polls. During the past two games combined, he has rushed for 262 yards and six touchdowns. The Jackets have the best third-down percentage in the ACC.

No one mentions it, but it’s Virginia which technically leads the ACC Coastal. The Cavs, who upset the Jackets last year, aren’t turning the ball over in their three-game win streak. And UVA hasn’t lost at home in this series since 1990.

No. 14 Oregon at Washington (+10, 52.5)

Trap game for the Ducks with USC up next? It appears starting QB Jeremiah Masoli, who was hurt Oct. 3 against Washington State, will start Saturday. OU had an extra week to prepare for this one and has won five straight over the Huskies, outscoring them 209-85.

The Huskies have lost three of four as the offense has struggled. But they have won three in a row at home, beating good teams in Idaho, USC and Arizona.

Minnesota at No. 17 Ohio State (-16.5, 44)

The Gophers offense looked horrific last week, rushing for 36 yards in being shut out by Penn State. And the Ohio State unit is also one of the best in the country, especially against the run. The Gophers have never beaten OSU coach Jim Tressel.

Buckeyes QB Terrelle Pryor, who turned the ball over four times last week at Purdue, seems to be going backward, with even Tressel saying his job was safe this week. Pryor is ninth in the Big Ten in pass efficiency. But OSU hasn’t lost consecutive conference games since 2004.

SMU at No. 18 Houston (-16.5, 58.5)

The Mustangs can and will throw it as much as Houston. They have to, considering they rank No. 112 in rushing offense. But SMU’s defense is fourth in the nation in takeaways, so that could keep the game close.

The Cougars’ top-ranked offense might not need to punt once against an SMU defense that has been torched this season (102nd in scoring). Look for the over here, as the teams combined for 82 points last year in a Houston six-point win.

South Florida at No. 19 Pittsburgh (-6.5, 48.5)

The Bulls are 3-0 on the road this season, already upsetting one ranked foe in FSU. USF beat Pitt last year in Tampa, but this series is 3-3 all-time. The past two years, South Florida went into a funk following its first loss, which is the case here.

Pitt RB Dion Lewis is one of the top freshman in the country, ranking third in rushing. But USF ranks 18th in total defense. The Panthers are trying to go 7-1 for the first time since 1982.

Air Force at No. 20 Utah (-9.5, 40.5)

Here’s all you need to know about how one-dimensional Air Force is: The Falcons had 267 yards rushing on 69 attempts and just 2 yards on 1-of-5 passing in last week’s win against Wyoming. AFA does lead the nation in turnover margin.

Utah is great against the pass but OK against the run, allowing 130.2 yards per game. In last year’s 30-23 win, the Utes held Air Force to 53 yards rushing and didn't allow a run of more than eight yards.

Oklahoma at No. 21 Kansas (7.5, 54.5)

Obviously no Sam Bradford this week for the Sooners, as his collegiate career may be over. The Sooners have won five in a row in this series as the visit Lawrence for the first time since 2001. OU beat KU 45-31 last year.

Kansas hasn’t been good at home against ranked teams under Mark Mangino, winning just two of seven. But the Jayhawks are 27-4 at home in the past five years overall and their offense has scored at least 30 points in the past eight games overall.

Connecticut at No. 22 West Virginia (-7.5, 47)

The Huskies will be playing with heavy hearts in the wake of cornerback Jasper Howard’s stabbing death last weekend. They will wear a JH patch the rest of the year. Even the Mountaineers will wear Howard’s No. 6 on their helmets. WVU is the only Big East team that UConn has never beaten.

WVU has won all five meetings in this series and has outscored the Huskies 101-34 in the past two. WVU QB Jarrett Brown will be a game-time call after suffering a concussion last week.

Vanderbilt at No. 23 South Carolina (-12.5, 38.5)

Vandy is one of the most offensively challenged teams in the nation, having failed to score more than 13 points in any of its five losses. And starting left tackle Thomas Welch will be out this week.

USC leads the series 14-4 but lost in Nashville last season. Leading WR Moe Brown will miss this game with a concussion, but second-leading rusher Jarvis Giles is back from suspension.

Texas A&M at No. 24 Texas Tech (-21.5, 70.5)

The Aggies have lost four in a row in this series and haven’t won in Lubbock since 1993. An unranked A&M team has never defeated a ranked Tech team.

The Red Raiders turn back to QB Taylor Potts, the nation’s leading passer earlier this season, after Steven Sheffield, who had wrested the starting job away, was hurt in last week’s win vs. Nebraska.

Arkansas at No. 25 Mississippi (-6.5, 53.5)

Is there such a thing as a letdown after a big loss? That’s what might be facing the Hogs after they outplayed Florida last week but came up short. Star RB Michael Smith will likely be a game-time decision.

The Rebs have lost four of five in this series (two in a row at home) but did win last year in Fayetteville. The Rebel defense ranks fourth in the nation in pass defense efficiency and eighth in pass defense.

Make-Or-Break
By SportsPic

Two nationally ranked teams meet when TCU Horned Frogs visit Provo to take on BYU Cougars. The Frogs (6-0, 3-3 ATS) one of seven remaining undefeated teams in the country aim to establish their dominance in the Mountain West Conference with a win over Cougars (6-1, 4-3 ATS). Frogs no slouch on the offensive side guided by QB Andy Dalton (1,223 PY, 8 TD's) put up 33.8 PPG on 431.0 total yards. However, defense is the name of the game for the Frogs surrendering 13.7 PPG behind a 4th ranked unit allowing 238.0 total yards split between 156.8 passing, 81.2 rushing yards/game. Cougars lead by QB Max Hall record 38.6 PPG on 305.7 passing, 163.4 rushing yards per contest with their only setback being a 54-28 loss to Florida State right here in Mormon territory. On the other side of the ball Cougars are nowhere near Frogs giving up 22.7 points per game on 238.6 passing, 99.4 rushing yards. The squads have split the past four meetings but it is well to note in last year's matchup TCU dominated BYU 32-7 holding Cougars to just 274 passing, 23 rushing yards as Frogs defense sacked QB Max Hall six times forcing four turnovers. Spread-wise, TCU enters a profitable 12-4 ATS as favorites of four or less, 13-6-1 ATS last twenty in conference play including 4-5-2 ATS on the highway. BYU hasn't cash a ticket in six attempts at home (0-6 ATS) and are just 8-10 against-the-number the past eighteen lined home games. BYU has struggled cashing within conference going 2-8 last ten and 8-12 ATS last twenty. Sportsbooks have installed BYU 2.5 point home dogs a situation Cougars have experienced just three times at home the past six seasons (1-2 ATS).

College Football Cheat Sheet
By Marc Lawrence

The BCS Polls are out and with it the controversy begins. Who is the best team in the land? Will a non-BCS team crash the party and earn of BCS bowl bid? Answers to these questions and more follow as the 2nd half of the season unfolds.

Meanwhile, let's examine teams currently ranked in the Top 25 of the current USA Today/Coaches Poll. Listed below as stats, fact and trends surrounding this week's football card. Home team in CAPS. All results are ATS - Against The Spread - unless noted otherwise...

Saturday, October 24th

(1) Florida at MISSISSIPPI STATE

Gators: 1-5-1 off SU W but ATS L... 1-4 favs 24 pts off SU W

Bulldogs: SERIES: 5-1 L6 / 4-0 SU and ATS L4H... 4-0 dogs off non-conf RG... Bulldog head coach Dan Mullen former Gator OC... last Gator win here in 1985

Tennessee at (2) ALABAMA

Volunteers: SERIES: 7-1 L8 A... 5-0 as DD conf dogs... 7-1 A w/ conf rev

Crimson Tide: 2-8 conf favs 17 > pts vs rev... 2-5 H before Lsu... look for low-scoring affair in this matchup of No. 1 vs No. 13 defenses in the land

(3) Texas at MISSOURI

Longhorns: 10-0 Game Seven... 9-1 at Oklahoma... allowed 29 rushing yards last four games... off ?inside-out' victory (won the game; lost the stats)

Tigers: SERIES: Host 6-2... 5-1 H Game Seven... 4-0 SU home of previous home loss... off ?inside-out' loss (lost the game; won the stats

Oregon State at (4) USC

Beavers: 0-4 after Stanford... stunned Trojans 27-21 as 24-point HD's LY - USC's only loss season... Beavers 1-17 ATS in SU losses against avenging foes

Trojans: SERIES: 3-0 L3H... 9-2 DD favs w/ conf rev... 4-1 bef Oregon... 0-5 after Notre... Trojans were slighted in current BCS Poll (No. 7) and will be out to avenge only loss of the season last year in shocking loss at OSU

(5) Boise State at HAWAII

Broncos: 5-0 Saturday off Weekday gm... 6-1 before San Jose St... 6-1-1 off SU W but ATS L... 8-2-1 in 2nd of BB RG... 7-2 Game Seven

Warriors: SERIES: 4-0 L4... 4-1 vs conf opp off weekday gm... 4-1 w/ conf rev... 1-4 as DD HD's

Louisville at (6) CINCINNATI

Cardinals: SERIES: 8-3 L11 / 5-0 L5 A... 3-0 Game Seven dogs

Bearcats: SERIES: host is 1-7 L8 games... 1-4 H Game Seven... 1-4 conf favs 13 > pts... No. 5 in current BSC Polls

(7) Tcu at (16) BYU

Horned Frogs: 1-4 conf RF's 9 < pts... 3-9 A vs conf rev... allowed season low yard against 3 of 6 foes this season

Cougars: 20-1 SU home last 3-plus seasons (13-0 vs con)... 3-0 after SD State... 9-3 w/ conf rev... gained season high yards on 4 of 7 foes this season

(8) Iowa at MICHIGAN STATE

Hawkeyes: SERIES: 6-1 L7... 9-2 in 2nd of BB RG... 4-1 A w/ conf rev... 8-2 RF's 4 < pts

Spartans: 6-2 H vs conf rev...Dantonio: 10-3-1 as dogs 7 or less points

Clemson at (9) MIAMI FLA

Tigers: SERIES: 2-0 L2... 6-1 A after Wake... 4-1 dogs vs .800 > conf opp

Hurricanes: 1-4 Game Seven... 1-4 H off non-conf road W... Shannon: 3-10 con fav, including 0-5 vs .500 or less opp... BCS No. 10 ranked team

Auburn at (10) LSU

Tigers: SERIES: 3-1 L4... 5-0 after Kentucky... 8-2 before Mississippi

Bengals: 0-12 conf HF 25 < pts... 1-6 after hosting Florida... 1-6 in 2nd of BB HG... 1-4-1 w/ rest... Miles: 1-13-1 con HF w/Tigers

(11) Penn State at MICHIGAN

Nittany SERIES: 0-5 SU last 5 here... Lions: 0-5 vs opp w/ rev off SU W... 3-9 vs conf rev... Lion 0-6 off shutout win vs con opp

Wolverines: SERIES: 9-1 SU and 7-3 L10 games (lost, 46-17 last season)... 3-0 dogs off DD SU non-conf W... 5-1 Game Eight... both of the Wolves losses this year have been on the road (4-0 SU at home)

(12) Oklahoma State at BAYLOR

Cowboys: SERIES: 3-0 L3... 7-1 as double-digit conf favs... 8-2-1 conf RF's 3 > pts

Bears: Not the same team with out star QB Robert Griffin (0-3 In The Stats since season ending knee injury)... 1-7 in 1st of BB HG... 3-8 H w/ conf rev... 3-7 Game Seven

(13) Georgia Tech at VIRGINIA

Yellow Jackets: 5-0 A w/ conf rev... 7-1-1 Game Eight... 5-1 favs 7 < pts... Ugly Stat of the Week: teams who upset Virginia Tech are 1-12 ATS as favorites vs. 333 or greater opp next game

Cavaliers: SERIES: 5-0 L5 / 5-0 H... 11-2 HD's 7 < pts... 4-1 H Game Seven... 5-2 H vs conf rev... Groh: 14-6 HD... Cavs have upset Jackets each L2Y

(14) Oregon at WASHINGTON

Ducks: SERIES: 5-0 SU and ATS L5 - every win 20 or more points... 4-0 before Usc... 7-1 w/ rest

Huskies: 0-5 aft Ariz St... 1-8 before Ucla... 1-7 dogs 5 > pts w/ conf rev... 1-6 Game Eight... 0-6 In The Stats last six games

SMU at (18) HOUSTON

Mustangs: SERIES: 4-1 L5 / 3-0 L3 here... dog is 5-0 in Mustangs games this season

Cougars: 5-16-1 as double-digit HF's

South Florida at (19) PITTSBURGH

Bulls: USF has started the last three seasons 5-0, only to finish up 6-9 SU out

Panthers: Wannstedt: 1-6 HF vs. greater than .600 opp tempers enthusiasm

Air Force at (20) UTAH

Falcons: SERIES: 4-1 L5 / 6-0 L6 A... 6-0 after Wyoming

Utes: 5-1 H vs conf rev... after last year's 13-0 SU and 8-4 ATS performance, Utes are 2-4 ATS this season

Oklahoma at (21) KANSAS

Sooners: SERIES: 3-1 L4 / 5-0 SU this decade - every win 14 or more points... 4-1 A after Texas... 7-2 vs conf rev... Stoops: 16-4 SU if team W-L record is .500 even

Jayhawks: 5-0 aft Colorado... 6-1 before Texas Tech... 8-1 w/ conf rev

Connecticut at (22) WEST VIRGINIA

Huskies: Edsall: 5-1 dog of 10 or less vs. greater than .800 opp... tragic loss of CB Jasper Howard should prove to be a motivating factor for the Huskies

Mountaineers: SERIES: 5-0 SU and ATS - every win double-digits

Vanderbilt at (23) SOUTH CAROLINA

Commodores: Series: Visitor 4-1-1... *9-1 conf RD's 9 > pts... Game Eight road dogs off three losses are 68-115-4 ATS

Gamecocks: 12-1 double-digit HF's vs opp off a double-digit loss... revenge from 7-point loss as 9.5-point RF last year in which SC won the stats by 110 yards

Texas A&M at (24) TEXAS TECH

Aggies: RD's off SU road favorite loss are 14-7-1 ATS versus foe off SU underdog wins... no love lost here between these two coaches after Leach took a stab at Aggies in their handling of last year's QB Stephen McGee

Red Raiders: SERIES: 7-0 L7 here... from the DATABASE: 20-plus point HF's are 18-3 ATS if they were a double-digit dog in their last game

Arkansas at (25) MISSISSIPPI

Razorbacks: SERIES: 5-0 L5... 1-5 after Gators

Rebels: 8-2 after score 35 or more points... with both teams having non-con opp up next look for them to bring everything they have

Other ranked teams:

(15) Virginia Tech off this week.

Saturday's Top Games
By SPORTSBETTING.COM

So the first BCS standings of 2009 have been released and to no one’s surprise, the Florida Gators—+125 to win this season’s BCS championship at most online sportsbooks—are Kings of the college football hill followed by the Alabama Crimson Tide in the two-spot.

Strangely enough though, Florida dropped to No. 2, trumped by ‘Bama in the Associated Press poll but football fans in “The Swamp” probably don’t care, as their team is tops in the more prestigious poll.

Florida’s first game as the top BCS team is on the road against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and it is a big 22.5-point road fave and with a Total of 48.5.

The Gators will be looking to maintain No. 1 and this Saturday’s game will mark the fifth-straight week when they’ve been favored by double-digits.

The defending BCS champs have been a college football machine rattling off 16 consecutive straight up wins in a row. For sports bettors, when betting against the spread, in their last 14 games in which a betting line has been posted, the Gators sport an 11-2-1 ATS mark – not too shabby at all.

In Florida’s last 11 games when favored by more than 8-points, they have also been impressive, going 8-2-1 against the spread.

After last week’s scare for Florida, this might be a spot where they look to really trounce an opponent.

Talking to online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com about this game, they said the Gators are currently seeing about 70% of all the action wagered on the matchup.

Alabama vs. Tennessee

The AP’s No.1 team and the BCS’ No. 2 will host the Tennessee Volunteers and are favored by 14.5-points with an Over/Under of 43—‘Bama is listed at +250 to win the national championship this year.

Despite being favored by over two TDs, Alabama hasn’t been nearly as dominant against Tennessee; the Vols are 10-4 SU vs. the Tide but not such a good bet ATS, going 7-6-1 in those same games.

Tennessee has been very solid in its last nine games when listed at more than +8, going 7-1-1 ATS.

In the Volunteers’ last seven games in Alabama, they have gone 5-2 SU and 5-1-1 ATS.

Those are a few strong head-to-head trends, but remember, trends are only a small part of the handicapping process.

So far, the favorite is getting a small nod, with 56% of all the early betting action coming in on the Crimson Tide.

Clemson at Miami

A dark horse in the race for the BCS championship is the Miami Hurricanes.

It’s been a while since The U” has been mentioned as a National contender, but with a current overall record of 5-1 (2-1 in the ACC) and a 10th-place ranking in the BCS, it’s not out of the realm that Miami finds a way into the BCS title game—they are a +2500 longshot to win the national title.

Unlike Florida and Alabama, the ‘Canes are favored by single-digits this week; they are 5-point home faves for a game against the Clemson Tigers with a 44 Total.

Clemson’s last 13 games against conference rivals have produced 3 Overs and 10 Unders and they have gone 6-2 ATS in their last eight ACC matchups.

Miami has been hot in their last nine home games, going 7-2 SU and in their last 18 home games with a posted Total, have 4 Overs and 14 Unders, including five-straight Unders in a row.

The Tigers have been very effective when ‘dogged by 6-points or less, going 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games with the betting line in that range.

Afternoon Showdowns
By Judd Hall

Saturday’s afternoon card gives us a pair of tilts that at one time looked like they would be played with more on the line. Still, these matches give us a chance to see who will keep their hopes alive at winning a conference title.

Oklahoma at Kansas – 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC

Of all the games on the board, this one had the makings of a possible Big XII title game precursor. That was before the Sooners lost a close one against Texas in the Red River Rivalry and the Jayhawks took a nap in Colorado. Oklahoma’s (3-3 straight up, 1-3-1 against the spread) setback wasn’t that big of a surprise, but Kansas’ loss to the Buffs was a classic case of the look-ahead trap.

Most sportsbooks have posted Oklahoma as a 7 ½-point road favorite with a total of 54 ½. Bettors can take a shot with Kansas to win outright for a nice return of plus-250 (risk $100 to win $250).

If there is any certainty for the Sooners this week, it’s that they’ll be without Sam Bradford from here on out. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner went down with another shoulder injury in the first quarter of last week’s game against Texas. That means we’re going to get a lot more familiar with Landry Jones under center. Jones had a decent outing in relief of Bradford, completing 24 of his 43 pass attempts for 250 yards and one score. Jones hasn’t helped out gamblers so far, going 1-1 ATS in his two starts.

The loss of Bradford is much more noticeable in the line coming out of the betting shops. Randy Scott, sportsbook manager for betED, relayed that Oklahoma would have been between a 17-point and 20 ½-point road “chalk” had he played.

At least Jones will have Ryan Broyles on the field as a target. Broyles didn’t play the whole game, being substituted by Brandon Caleb last weekend. Yet the Sooners’ top receiver made two catches for 33 yards and the lone aerial touchdown they scored against Texas in a 16-13 setback.

Kansas appeared to have the makings of a great darkhorse for the Big XII North title and maybe even a national title game as they opened the year with five straight wins. Yet we should have seen the fall to Colorado coming in the two games prior for the Jayhawks. The Fighting Manginos failed to cover the spread in wins over Southern Mississippi (-12 ½) and Iowa State (-19).

The Jayhawks will have their top gunslinger on the field this week with Todd Reesing. KU’s signal caller leads the Big XII passing yards per game (330.0) and passing efficiency (152.6). Reesing has passed for over 400 yards in each of his last two starts though. It will be interesting to see if he light up the Sooners like similar numbers since they give up 189.8 YPG this season through the air.

This series has recently been one-sided in terms of bragging rights with Oklahoma going 7-3 SU. However, Kansas has been the better option for gamblers as they’ve gone 6-4 ATS.

The Sooners are 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS when playing in games as road faves after facing Texas. The ‘under’ has hit in all three of those matches since 2001.

Penn State at Michigan – 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC

Do you think Joe Paterno was going to let another loss to Iowa to bring his Nittany Lions down for the year? Hell no. Penn State (6-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) has responded to that setback with three straight wins by a combined score of 107-20.

Look no further than the man under center for a reason why Penn State is back on track. Daryll Clark went 12 for 32 for 198 passing yards with one touchdown and three picks against Iowa. Since that loss, Clark has completed 67 percent of his passes for 696 yards with four scores and one interception.

It also doesn’t hurt that JoePa has another stellar defense at his disposal. The Nittany Lions are ranked fifth in the country in total defense by allowing only 238.9 YPG. They’re also holding teams to just a 32 percent success rate on third down conversions this season.

Michigan (5-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) may have played a bully against Delaware State, but it doesn’t hide the fact that they have lost two straight games in Big Ten play. Tate Forcier remains the starter for the Wolverines. Yet there has to be concern that he’s completing only 49 percent of his passes in those two defeats for 317 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. And Denard Robinson has been more of a running threat (273) than he is throwing the ball (172).

Most sportsbooks have installed the Nittany Lions as 4 ½-point road favorites with a total of 47 ½. You can wager for Michigan to win the game outright at plus-165 (risk $100 to win $165).

Last year, Penn State was able to beat the Wolverines as a 24 ½-point home “chalk” 46-17, thanks to a second half surge. Michigan still holds a 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS mark in the last 10 head-to-head meetings.

Despite the series stats, the Nittany Lions would appear to be a solid wager. Michigan is 5-2 SU, but 0-6-1 ATS when playing at home after covering as a road favorite in its last game that was on the board.

vegasinsider.com

SEC Game of the Week
By AllStar.com

Auburn (5-2) At #9 LSU (5-1)

Before the season began, many college football fans and experts picked LSU as a possible National Championship contender. But after a disappointing loss to Florida, the Tigers must realize by now that they aren’t yet ready to wear the King’s crown.

Head Coach Les Miles knows what it takes to win a National Championship and must understand by now, that you can’t win too many games against quality opponents when you can’t move the ball into the end zone.

LSU (5-1, 3-1) is coming off a bye week, following a 13-3 loss to BCS number one ranked Florida on Oct. 10. The Tiger offense struggled against the defense, being held to their fewest points since a 7-3 loss to Auburn in 2006 while their 162 total offensive yards were their fewest since managing 149 in a loss to Arkansas in 2000.

Les Miles has had two weeks to re-group and get LSU ready for the SEC stretch run of the schedule. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson was the focal point in the LSU loss two weeks ago. Jefferson was just 11 of 17 for 96 yards and one interception, converting a season-low five passing first downs. Jefferson hasn’t thrown a touchdown in the last two games. Another issue for Jordan has been the lack of support from the Tigers’ offensive line. Jordan has been sacked 11 times in the last two games.

Despite Jefferson’s struggles to put points on the board, Les Miles said he wasn’t planning on benching the sophomore in favor of Jarrett Lee, who was the Tigers starter last season before losing the job to Jefferson late in the year.

“I like the development of the quarterback who’s currently starting,” Miles said.

“At times, our passing game is very efficient,” he added. “The quarterback gets real comfortable with those throws and wants to stay there. But, we have to throw the ball more downfield.”

As everyone knows, the way to take pressure off a young quarterback is to establish a quality running-game. Miles will be looking to get the running game backs back against Auburn. The Tigers were held to 66 yards on the ground by the Gators, with leading rusher Charles Scott managing just 53 yards on 13 carries.

“We just need to execute better,” Miles said. “We have to run the ball more efficiently. If we do that, everything opens up.”

The Tigers are averaging 23.0 points per game this season, 91st in the nation. They averaged 38.6 points in 2007 when they won the national championship, which was 11th-best in the nation.

LSU knows they will have to play better against a quality Auburn opponent. While its offense is struggling, LSU expects another tight contest with the Tigers (5-2, 2-2). The last five meetings have been decided by a combined 19 points, with LSU winning three of five, including the last two. Last season, each team was ranked in the top 10 but was able to win 26-21.

“The traditions between these two teams are steep,” Miles said. “They are two of the more successful teams in our conference, teams that are used to playing in tight games and this will be another great Saturday night in Tiger Stadium if history repeats itself.”

The Auburn Tigers are looking for revenge this Saturday but most importantly a step in the right direction under new head coach Gene Chizik. The Tigers got off to a good start this season under Chizik, but have lost their last two, including a 21-14 home loss to Kentucky on Saturday.

Auburn averaged 45.3 points in its first four games, but has been held to 21.0 in the last three. Most of the blame for Auburn’s offensive struggles have fallen on the shoulders of quarterback Chris Todd. Todd threw 11 touchdowns in the first four games, averaging 254 yards passing, but has thrown for only one score in the last three games, averaging 143.7 yards.

Todd struggled last season as well under then head coach Tommy Tubberville. Todd was benched after six games in part due to a sore shoulder, but also because of ineffectiveness. His current backup - Kodi Burns - is also behind him in the depth chart this year, although Chizik said there’s no quarterback controversy.

“I think you always need to prepare and play every day like you’re competing for your job,” he said. “I think that makes you better. I think you always need to play like that. I think if you ever get comfortable and feel good about your position, that’s not a good thing. I think you always need to compete and find ways to make yourself better every week.”

Despite his problems the last two weeks, Todd still is fourth in the SEC in passing yards (1,443) and is third in pass efficiency.

“There’s a lot of issues in there, and we really feel very strongly that we’re going to get that rectified,” Chizik said. “But it has been off the last two weeks.”

BETTING TRENDS

LSU
Tigers are 3-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
LSU Tigers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite of 3.5-10.0.
LSU Tigers - Under is 6-1 in Tigers last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.

AUBURN
Auburn Tigers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
Auburn Tigers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Auburn Tigers are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games overall.

HEAD TO HEAD
Under is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.
Auburn has lost in their last four trips to LSU, with its most recent victory there coming in 1999.

Volunteers visit Tide
By AllStar.com

The tide continues to roll for Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson. In fact in some polls Alabama is ranked as high as number one. Though Alabama is ranked number one in the Associated Press poll, the Crimson Tide is ranked number two, behind Florida in the BCS standings.

After beating No. 22 South Carolina 20-6 last Saturday, Alabama (7-0, 4-0) passed the Florida Gators to claim the top spot in the AP poll for the first time since November 30, 2008.

Alabama has been led by a variety of talented players on both sides of the ball this season but much of the credit on the offensive side of the ball belongs to RB Mark Ingram. Ingram has become the face of the 2009 Alabama team and at the same time has become a Heisman Trophy candidate.

The sophomore piled up 246 yards in the win over the Gamecocks to register the third-best rushing performance in school history and set a career high for the second time in as many weeks.

“Mark did as fine a job today as anybody I’ve ever been around, and that includes Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown and some really good ones,” Coach Nick Saban said. “He was fantastic.”

Last week against South Carolina, Ingram scored the game’s only offensive touchdown. He gained 172 yards at Mississippi on Oct. 10th, pushing his rushing average to 129.3 yards, fourth best in the SEC. Ingram’s numbers in a tough SEC have given him hopes of holding the Heisman come December.

“He’s just as good as anyone in the country,” quarterback Greg McElroy said. “I wouldn’t trade him for anyone.”

The Tide won’t face the Gators unless they meet in the SEC championship game Dec. 5 in Atlanta. Alabama has to like its chances of making it to the Georgia Dome thanks to Ingram’s recent success.

For Ingram and Alabama to reach their goals, the Crimson Tide will have to take care of business against unranked Tennessee. Last year against the Volunteers Ingram was held to a career-low 1 yard on four carries last season against Tennessee (3-3, 1-2).

Despite Ingram’s struggles, the Tide beat the Volunteers 29-9 in Knoxville. Alabama has outscored Tennessee 70-26 to go 2-0 in the series under Saban after losing 10 of the previous 12 meetings.

The Crimson Tide are seeking their first three-game win streak over the Volunteers since winning seven in a row from 1986-92.

The Tide’s defense has been the talk of this powerhouse. Alabama’s ‘D’ gives up the second-fewest scrimmage yards at 228.7 and the fourth-fewest points per game at 11.6. They also lead the SEC with 21 sacks and 10 interceptions. The Crimson Tide hasn’t allowed a touchdown since the fourth quarter of a 38-20 win at Kentucky on Oct. 3.

This Saturday the Crimson Tide will face a Tennessee team that’s well-rested and desperately needs this win. Not only for this year’s overall record but in the race for the top recruits the high school area between the two states.

Lane Kiffin’s Tennessee team is coming off a big 45-19 lopsided win over Georgia. Quarterback Jonathan Crompton led the way by completing 20 of 27 passes for a career-high 310 yards and four touchdowns. The Volunteers finished with 472 yards, their highest total since they put up 657 in a season-opening win over Western Kentucky.

In the past three games, Crompton has averaged 264 yards with eight TDs and two interceptions after averaging 93 yards with no touchdowns and five picks in consecutive defeats to the Bruins and Gators.

“That’s winning football,” Kiffin said. “It’s good to see him making good decisions. We just have to make plays for him.”

The other offensive player the Tide defense will have to contain is senior running back Montario Hardesty, who has run for a touchdown in each game this season and totaled 694 yards. Hardesty ranks 12th in the FBS and fourth in the SEC with 112.0 yards per game.

While coaches are known for throwing out compliments before games, Lane Kiffin agrees with the AP Poll. “I think one poll got it right,” said Kiffin, who has antagonized the Gators several times since taking over at Tennessee in the offseason. “If you watch football and pay attention, I don’t think there’s any doubt who the No. 1 team is. Alabama has a great team - very well-coached, extremely talented, great special teams, great on offense, great on defense.”

NOTES:

ALABAMA lead the all-time series 46-38-7.
TENNESSEE is 2-7 all-time against No. 1 teams.

BETTING TRENDS:

Volunteers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or greater.
Volunteers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Under is 6-1 in Crimson Tide last 7 conference games.
Under is 7-2 in Crimson Tide last 9 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.

HEAD TO HEAD:
Volunteers are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Alabama.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Alabama.
Underdog is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Top 25 College Football Match Ups Week #8
By: Freddy Willis

#19 Ohio State vs. Minnesota (Ohio State -18) (Texas -3.5)

Minnesota will come to Ohio State a week after the Buckeyes were upset by Purdue last week. Everyone will be looking to see what Terrelle Pryor can do to get this team back on track. Under coach Jim Tressel, Ohio State is 6-0 all time vs. Minnesota and they have not lost back to back games in the Big Ten in five years. Look for Ohio State to win this game, but it should be closer than many think.

#20 Pittsburgh vs. South Florida (Pitt -6.5)

Anyone know the last time Pitt were 7-1 in their first 8 games? It was when Dan marino was behind center. A win over South Florida on Saturday will put this team at 7-1. The story here has been freshmen sensation Dion Lewis for Pitt. The freshmen is third in the country in rushing, but will face a defense that ranks 18th in total defense.

#12 Georgia Tech @. Virginia (Georgia Tech -4)

Georgia Tech looked impressive against a top 5 ranked team in Virginia Tech last week as they won as underdogs. This week they will visit Virginia, who have very quietly put together three straight wins after opening their season 0-3. Al Groh has this team playing hard at the right time.

#23 West Virginia vs. Connecticut (West Virginia -7.5)

If you are one that believes in emotional victories well the Huskies will be playing for their fallen junior cornerback, Jasper Howard. Howard was killed just hours after Uconn played Louisville at a party on campus where he was stabbed late last Sunday morning. Connecticut should be up for this one and play physical defense like they normally do expect a low scoring game.

#15 Oklahoma State @ Baylor (Oklahoma State -10.5)

Oklahoma State will try to go 3-0 in conference play when they visit a fellow Big 12 opponent in Baylor. Despite missing some of their top players in Dez White and Kendal Hunter, Oklahoma State is still averaging over 5 TD's a game. Baylor now has lost to 19 straight opponents that have been ranked dating back to 2004. The Cowboy also own the all time series 15-12 and are 12-1 in the last 13 meetings.

#13 Penn State @ Michigan (Penn State -5)

With the exception of last season which was a down year for Michigan you don't often see the Wolverines as dogs in the big house. However, Michigan will be nearly a TD under dog to the Nittany Lions. Michigan will try to continue it's dominance at home against Penn State where they have won every game since 1996. Penn State has won 3 straight games since losing to Iowa and seem to be back on top.

#11 Oregon @ Washington (Oregon -7)

Washington has not beaten Oregon since 2003 in Washington. It has been smooth cruising for Oregon since their loss to Boise State as they have had little trouble in the Pac-10 winning all three by a combined score of 118-19 including and old fashion beat down to California 42-3. Watch out as Seattle is a tough place to play and Jake Locker is now the #1 touted QB in the nation. Just ask USC if it's easy to play here.

#2 Alabama vs. Tennessee (Alabama -14.5)

Mark Ingram has been spectacular at running back and is the early favorite to win the Heisman trophy. Alabama will host Tennessee off the bye. Ingram had troubles running against the Vols last year as he only got the ball 4 times and rushed for 1 yard. I expect Alabama to win, but Lane Kiffin is getting no respect here coming off a bye I think this one stays closer than many anticipate.

#5 Cincinnati vs. Louisville (Cincinnati -17.5)

Tony Pike injured his wrist again and it's a huge loss for them. However, they have been here before losing a few QB's last year including Pike. The Bearcats will find someone that can step in and Louisville has been terrible this season take a huge step back. Cincinnati has won 8 straight home games and should win this one.

#25 Kansas vs. Oklahoma (Oklahoma -8)

Once again, Oklahoma will have to win without Sam Bradford as he is likely done for the season as he opts for shoulder surgery. Kansas although in the Top 25 while Oklahoma is not will be under dogs at home against a very good Oklahoma defense. It will be Landry Jones stepping in for Bradford who is more than capable of getting the job done.

#10 Miami vs. Clemson (Miami -7)

Miami has not played a game in the ACC in almost a month and they will return when they take on an athletic Clemson team. Clemson coming off a huge win at the hands of Wake Forest 38-3 and will try to stay in this game against the ranked Hurricanes. Clemson ranks 11th in the country in total defense and this game should be a very close and entertaining game.

#18 Utah vs. Air Force (Utah -9.5)

Utah will enjoy three straight home games and continue to be a ranked team out of a smaller conference. They will host Air Force and the key will be to stop the running game. Air Force actually owns the series 14-11 and always seem to play Utah well.

#6 Iowa @ Michigan State (Iowa -2)

This may be the game of the year for Iowa because if they win this and win out including against Ohio State they could be heading to the National Championship. Beating the Spartans on their home turf won't be easy despite Iowa leading the series 20-18-2. This will be the most challenging defense by far that Michigan State will face all year, but Iowa has lost 4 straight in East Lansing.

#24 South Carolina vs.Vanderbilt (South Carolina -11.5)

Vanderbilt has beaten South Carolina two straight years, but this is a very different team in my opinion. The Gamecocks are very sounds defensively as they hung in their and covered their spread against Alabama last week. Look or the Gamecocks to get this won at home as they have won 14 of their last 18 games in this series.

#17 Houston vs. SMU (Houston -16.5)

Houston has some ground to make up and it's all because of the loss against UTEP, who now has the tie breaker in Conference USA over both Tulsa and Houston. SMU has been impressive this year as well but they will face Houston a team that leads the nation in total offense and passing. The Mustangs can throw the ball too, but I fear they will not be able to keep up in this one.

#8 TCU @ BYU (TCU -1)

Last season TCU dealt BYU its first loss, knocking it out as a potential BCS-buster. BYU could get sweet revenge at home this year if they return the favor to an undefeated Horned Frogs team. TCU ranked fourth in total defense will face BYU who has a solid offense and ranked 6th in the nation in scoring behind Max Hall. The Cougars will be looking to return the favor this year when the Horned Frogs travel to Provo. TCU, ranked fourth in total defense, faces a BYU squad ranked sixth in scoring. BYU leads the all-time series 5-3.

#1 Florida @ Mississippi State (Florida -23)

Interesting line here considering Miss State played a very close game at home against LSU, and Florida has not been its usual self in terms of blowing opponents out. They are coming off close wins against LSU and Arkansas. Is this the game Florida gets back to their high scoring offense?

#9 LSU vs. Auburn (LSU -7.5)

Auburn has not been the same since they were ranked after a 5-0 start and lost my 20 points to Arkansas as favorites. LSU looks to get back on track after its first loss of the season as they will host Auburn a team that is struggling. The problem with LSU is it's offense which is ranked 112th in the country. Auburn who is averaging 35 points a game will be able to score some should be a fun SEC match up.

#3 Texas @ Missouri (Texas -12)

Texas who opened as -14.5 favorites have moved down to just under 2 TD at -12. Texas caught a break last week in my opinion when Bradford went down in the game as they were dominated on defense. Oklahoma had this game, but their struggles to move the ball is what lost it for them. Careful here I fear Vegas is just begging you to take Texas and I would not considering the struggles this team has had this year. Do you feel comfortable laying the points on a team that trailed midway through the third quarter one game ago to Colorado?

#7 USC vs. Oregon State (USC -21)

A near total melt down for USC last week in the 4th quarter for USC in what looked like a game that was just over Notre Dame pulled their way back and had a couple of chances in the red zone to score a TD to tie the game, but could not pull it off. Oregon State is no stranger to giving USC troubles if you remember them knocking them off last year and ruining USC's national title hopes. This year they will visit USC as USC seeks revenge.

#4 Boise State @ Hawaii (Boise State -24.5)

Boise State just keeps on winning and now they head for a vacation when they visit Hawaii as 24 point favorites. Earlier in the year this match up looked like an interesting battle between Hawaii the original BCS buster and Boise State now the perennial power out of the WAC. However, Hawaii lost it's QB Greg Alexander and seem to not be able to recover.

Make-Or-Break
By SportsPic

Two nationally ranked teams meet when TCU Horned Frogs visit Provo to take on BYU Cougars. The Frogs (6-0, 3-3 ATS) one of seven remaining undefeated teams in the country aim to establish their dominance in the Mountain West Conference with a win over Cougars (6-1, 4-3 ATS). Frogs no slouch on the offensive side guided by QB Andy Dalton (1,223 PY, 8 TD's) put up 33.8 PPG on 431.0 total yards. However, defense is the name of the game for the Frogs surrendering 13.7 PPG behind a 4th ranked unit allowing 238.0 total yards split between 156.8 passing, 81.2 rushing yards/game. Cougars lead by QB Max Hall record 38.6 PPG on 305.7 passing, 163.4 rushing yards per contest with their only setback being a 54-28 loss to Florida State right here in Mormon territory. On the other side of the ball Cougars are nowhere near Frogs giving up 22.7 points per game on 238.6 passing, 99.4 rushing yards. The squads have split the past four meetings but it is well to note in last year's matchup TCU dominated BYU 32-7 holding Cougars to just 274 passing, 23 rushing yards as Frogs defense sacked QB Max Hall six times forcing four turnovers. Spread-wise, TCU enters a profitable 12-4 ATS as favorites of four or less, 13-6-1 ATS last twenty in conference play including 4-5-2 ATS on the highway. BYU hasn't cash a ticket in six attempts at home (0-6 ATS) and are just 8-10 against-the-number the past eighteen lined home games. BYU has struggled cashing within conference going 2-8 last ten and 8-12 ATS last twenty. Sportsbooks have installed BYU 2.5 point home dogs a situation Cougars have experienced just three times at home the past six seasons (1-2 ATS).

TCU Horned Frogs vs. BYU Cougars
By Who2BetOn

The gloves will be off in Provo for tonight’s battle of MWC rivals between the TCU Horned Frogs and BYU Cougars.

Mountain West CFB betting gets the primetime Saturday night slot on Versus when the 10th ranked TCU Horned Frogs (6-0, 3-3 ATS) invade Lavell Edwards Stadium to crack skulls with the 16th ranked BYU Cougars (6-1, 4-3 ATS). TCU stormed past a feisty group of CSU Rams by a 44-6 final tally last week en route to covering the lofty 23-point spread, while the Cougars got a stiffer test than oddsmakers originally thought winning at San Diego State 38-28 as 17-point road favorites.

TCU currently sits as 2.5-point road favorites with a game ‘total’ set at 50 for this evening’s contest. Both spread and total can be wagered upon at JustBet Sportsbook right now!

Last week’s home effort couldn’t have come at a better time for the Horned Frogs. The offense flexed its muscles in a big way racking up a total of 499 overall yards, and the 44 points posted was its highest mark against an FBS opponent this season. QB Andy Dalton completed 15 of 23 passes for 211 yards and a pair of TDs from 47 and 39-yards out. A total of 14 Horned Frogs got carries to amass a total of 275 rushing yards and three TDs. CSU had no answer, and TCU made it pay in a big way. Defensively, the Horned Frogs were just as impressive limiting a CSU offense that was averaging close to 350 yards combined to a measly 182 yards with only 70 yards coming on the ground. They allowed only 10 1st downs and limited them to a 2-of-13 effort on 3rd down. TCU currently ranks 4th in the nation allowing a paltry 238 YPG with 81.2 YPG coming on the ground (#8) and 156.8 YPG through the air (#9).

BYU played as good a game as it could offensively by not turning the ball over and winning the time of possession battle by close to 18 minutes, but the defense had problems getting a handle on the SDST Aztecs passing game. That was the sole reason it failed to cover the lofty double-digit spread as the Aztecs connected on TD passes of 7, 36, and 6-yards. Still, BYU outgained the Aztecs 512-342 and QB Max Hall had one of his better games of the season completing 69% of his passes for 346 yards and three TDs without an INT. He was rewarded with MWC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the effort. He now hasn’t thrown a pick in each of his L/2 games, and it’s important for him to come into this game confident against the TCU defense that picked him off twice last season. Hall’s been fantastic of late, but he’ll have to be even better tonight with the winner of this game in line for a BCS Bowl birth.

TCU beat up on BYU last season as two-point home chalks (32-7). The win put an end to the Cougars perfect mark and nixed any BCS dreams the program had. The Horned Frogs are 1-5 ATS their L/6 road games against a +.500 opponent, but a $$$-making 6-1 ATS their L/7 as a favorite in the 0.5 to 3-point range. The over’s cashed in 3 of the L/4 meetings.

(11) Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-2 ATS) at Virginia (3-3, 4-1 ATS)

The top two teams in the ACC’s Coastal Division square off at Scott Stadium, where Georgia Tech shoots for its fifth straight victory while the Cavaliers look to extend their three-game winning streak.

The Yellow Jackets outlasted fourth-ranked Virginia Tech last Saturday 28-23 as a 3½-point home underdog, improving to 4-0 SU and ATS in four games since losing 33-17 at Miami on Sept. 17. Georgia Tech (4-1, 3-2 ATS in the ACC) has won its last two games by five points each, and the Jackets rank second the nation in rushing, averaging 281.6 yards per game on the ground (5.2 per carry) with 22 rushing touchdowns. Last week against the Hokies, Georgia Tech had a 309-175 edge on the ground.

Virginia (2-0 SU and ATS in the ACC) stunned Georgia Tech 24-17 as a 14-point road underdog in the final weekend of October last year, then went on to lose seven straight games (2-4 ATS in lined contests), including the first three of this season. However, the Cavaliers have since ripped off three consecutive SU and ATS victories over North Carolina (16-3 as a 12-point road underdog), Indiana (47-7 as a seven-point home chalk) and Maryland (20-9 as a 3½-point road favorite). Last week against Maryland, Virginia had just nine first downs, 201 total yards and 63 rushing yards, but the defense forced four turnovers, returning one for a touchdown, as the Cavs overcame a 9-3 second-half deficit.

Not only did the Cavaliers score the road upset over then-No. 21 Georgia Tech last year, but they’ve owned this rivalry recently, winning two straight overall and five of the last six, all SU and ATS. Virginia is also 5-0 SU and ATS in the last five meetings at Scott Stadium, and the home team is 9-2 SU and ATS in the last 11, with the winner covering the spread in all 11 contests. Finally, the favorite has cashed in five of the last seven series clashes.

The winner is 15-2-1 ATS in Georgia Tech’s last 18 lined games and 14-2 ATS in Virginia’s last 16.

In addition to cashing in four straight games overall, the Yellow Jackets are on pointspread surges of 12-5 overall under second-year coach Paul Johnson, 8-2 on the road, 6-1-1 in October, 7-3 as a favorite and 4-1 after a spread-cover. Virginia sports nothing but positive ATS runs, including 4-0 overall, 4-0 against winning teams, 7-3 as an underdog, 16-5 as a home pup, 10-2 as a home ‘dog of 3½ to 10 points and 7-0 in October. In fact, the Cavaliers have won 12 of their last 13 SU in October.

The under is on runs of 9-4 for Georgia Tech in ACC action, 19-6-2 for Georgia Tech in October, 34-16-3 for Virginia in conference play and 4-1 for Virginia in October. The under is also 4-1 in the last five Yellow Jackets-Cavaliers battles, but four of the last five in Charlottesville have gone over the total.

ATS ADVANTAGE: VIRGINIA and UNDER

Clemson (3-3, 4-2 ATS) at (8) Miami, Fla. (5-1, 4-1 ATS)

Miami goes after its fourth straight win and cover when it hosts the Tigers, who arrive at LandShark Stadium for a key ACC battle fresh off their best performance of the season.

Clemson put the skids on a two-game SU and ATS slide last Saturday as it came off a bye week and destroyed Wake Forest 38-3 as a 7½-point home favorite. The Tigers (2-2, 3-1 ATS in the ACC) have one of the top defenses in the nation, giving up just 15.9 points, 270.2 total yards and 147.8 passing yards per contest, figures that rank 17th, 11th and 7th among Division I-A squads.

The Hurricanes routed Central Florida 27-7 as a 12-point home favorite last week, improving to 3-0 SU and ATS since an embarrassing 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech on Sept. 26. Miami (2-1 SU and ATS in the ACC) has averaged 33.4 points in its five wins while allowing just 15 ppg in the last four victories. However, QB Jacory Harris (65 percent completions, 253 ypg, 11 TDs, 7 INTs) has come back to earth a bit after a hot start.

These teams have met just twice since Miami joined the ACC – in 2004 and 2005 – and the visitor won both games in overtime. Clemson cashed as an underdog in each contest, winning 24-17 as a 16½-point road ‘dog and falling 36-30 as a seven-point home pup in triple-OT.

The SU winner has cashed in 14 of the Tigers’ last 15 outings and 13 of Miami’s last 16.

Clemson has failed to cover in seven of its last 10 after a SU win, but otherwise Dabo Swinney’s squad is on ATS runs of 7-3 overall, 5-1 in ACC play, 17-5 as an underdog, 7-1 as a road ‘dog and 8-1 when catching between 3½ and 10 points.

Miami is 5-1 ATS in lined action dating to last year’s bowl game against Cal and 5-0 ATS in its last five October contests, but the ‘Canes are also in pointspread slumps of 8-19-1 in conference action, 7-20-1 as a favorite, 10-31-1 as a home chalk and 1-9 when laying between 3½ and 10 points. They’re 2-0 ATS at home this year after going 1-8 ATS in their previous nine in South Beach.

The over is 5-2 in the Tigers’ last seven as an underdog (4-0 last four as a road pup), but aside from that, they carry “under” trends of 4-0 overall, 5-1 in conference and 7-3 after a SU win. Meanwhile, Miami is on “under” runs of 4-0 overall, 35-15-1 at home, 37-17 as a chalk, 20-6 as a home favorite and 6-1 after a SU win.

ATS ADVANTAGE: CLEMSON and UNDER

South Florida (5-1, 2-2 ATS) at (20) Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-2 ATS)

South Florida looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it travels north to Heinz Field for a Big East battle against the Panthers, who are riding a three-game winning streak.

The Bulls jumped out to a 7-3 lead against No. 8 Cincinnati last Thursday, but got steamrolled from there and lost 34-17 as a two-point home underdog to end a six-game winning streak that dated to last year’s bowl victory over Memphis. South Florida (1-1 SU and ATS in the Big East) surrendered a season-high in points, total yards (401) and rushing yards (189) after yielding averages of 9.4 points and 263 total yards (104.8 rushing ypg) during its 5-0 start.

Pitt (3-0 SU and ATS in the Big East) went to Rutgers last Friday and dumped the Scarlet Knights 24-17, cashing as a six-point road favorite as they finished with a 376-286 edge in total offense, including 223-38 on the ground. Since suffering their first loss of the season – 38-31 at North Carolina State as a one-point favorite – the Panthers are 3-0 (2-1 ATS), averaging 27.7 points and 423 total yards per game (202 rushing ypg) while giving up 16 points and 298 yards per outing (81.7 rushing ypg).

These teams have split six meetings this decade both SU and ATS, with the winner covering the spread in all six games. Last year, Pitt went to South Florida and beat the then-10th-ranked Bulls 26-21 as a 13½-point road underdog, avenging a 48-37 home loss to the Bulls in 2007, when USF got three second-half touchdowns off of turnovers to win easily as a nine-point road favorite.

The SU winner is 11-2 ATS in South Florida’s last 13 lined games and 14-1 ATS in Pitt’s last 15.

QB Bill Stull is having an outstanding senior season at Pitt, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,409 yards with 14 TDs and just three INTs. South Florida freshman QB B.J. Daniels is completing just 53.4 percent of his passes for 810 yards, seven TDs and four INTs in four games since replacing senior Matt Grothe (season-ending knee injury). However, the versatile Daniels has 365 yards and four TDs on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards per rush.

Despite getting upended last week by Cincinnati, the Bulls are still on ATS runs of 5-2 overall, 5-1 as an underdog, 5-0 when catching between 3½ and 10 points and 4-0 as a road pup, but they’re 3-10 ATS in their last 13 against winning teams and 2-6 ATS in their past eight October contests. Pitt has cashed in four of its last five Big East games, five of seven as a favorite and 13 of 17 in October, but Dave Wannstedt’s squad is also in ATS funks of 5-12 at home and 2-8 as a home chalk.

For South Florida, the under is on streaks of 5-1 on the road, 7-2 as an underdog, 7-1 as a road pup and 6-1 against winning teams. Pitt also carries a slew of “under” trends, including 4-1 overall (all as a favorite), 4-0 at home, 5-0 in Big East action and 6-2 in October.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

Boston College (5-2, 4-2 ATS) at Notre Dame (4-2, 2-4 ATS)

Notre Dame will try to bounce back from last week’s tough loss to USC while at the same time end a six-game losing streak to Boston College when it welcomes the Eagles to South Bend, Ind.

Boston College rebounded from an ugly 48-14 loss at Virginia Tech with a 52-20 rout of North Carolina State, easily covering as a two-point home favorite. After getting out-yarded by margins of 199, 98, 12 and 278 in four straight games, the Eagles finally dominated on the stat sheet against N.C. State, ending with 480 total yards (293 rushing) and giving up 394 (79 rushing). RB Montel Harris set school records with 264 rushing yards and five TDs, and B.C. also won the turnover battle, 3-0.

Notre Dame played its fifth consecutive last-minute thriller last Saturday against USC, but this time the Irish came up short 34-27, falling for the eighth straight time to the Trojans despite covering as a 10-point home underdog. Notre Dame trailed 34-14 early in the fourth quarter before rallying for a pair of touchdowns, and the Irish got inside the 10-yard line in the final seconds but couldn’t punch in the tying score. Charlie Weiss’ squad got outgained 501-367 in seeing its four-game winning streak end.

Since a season-opening 35-0 rout of Nevada, Notre Dame has played five games decided by 4, 3, 3, 7 (in overtime) and 7 points.

Boston College blanked the Irish 17-0 as a 3½-point home favorite last year – the first shutout in the history of the series – improving to 6-0 against the Irish (3-3 ATS) since 2001, including three straight wins in South Bend. Notre Dame had a 292-246 yardage edge in last year’s defeat, but QB Jimmy Clausen was picked off four times, with one returned for a score. Prior to last season, the underdog had cashed in five consecutive series meetings and seven of the previous eight.

The SU winner has covered the spread in 14 consecutive Boston College games, but the loser has cashed in four straight Notre Dame contests after the SU winner had gone 13-1 ATS in the Irish’s previous 14.

The Eagles have won an NCAA best 23 consecutive non-conference games SU, but they’ve lost four in a row on the road both SU and ATS and failed to cover in five of seven as a road ‘dog and nine of 11 after an ATS win. On the bright side, Boston College is 4-1 ATS in its last five non-conference outings and 12-3 ATS in its last 15 as a pup of 3½ to 10 points. Notre Dame snapped a four-game ATS slide (all as a favorite) with last week’s spread-cover against USC and is now 20-7 ATS in its last 27 in October. However, the underdog has covered in each of the Irish’s last five games.

The over is on runs of 4-0 for B.C. overall, 6-0 for B.C. in October, 7-3 for B.C. after a SU win, 4-1 for B.C. against winning teams, 4-1 for the Irish overall, 7-1-1 for the Irish in South Bend and 5-1-1 for the Irish as a home favorite. However, the under is 6-1 in the Eagles’ last seven non-conference games and 7-1 in Notre Dame’s last eight against the ACC, and five of the last seven in this rivalry have stayed low.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE

Tennessee (3-3 SU and ATS) at (1) Alabama (7-0, 5-2 ATS)

The Crimson Tide take the field as the top-ranked team in the nation for the first time this season as they host SEC rival Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

The Volunteers (1-2, 2-1 ATS in the SEC) took last week off after posting their most impressive win of the season, a 45-19 beat-down of Georgia as a one-point home underdog. Tennessee’s dormant offense awoke in a big way, producing 472 yards, while the defense limited the Bulldogs to 241. Much-maligned Vols QB Jonathan Crompton erupted with a 20-for-27, 310-yard, four-TD performance, and the defense contributed an interception return for a touchdown.

Alabama leapfrogged SEC foe Florida in the media poll after outlasting South Carolina 20-6 a week ago, though the Crimson Tide came up short as an 18-point home favorite, ending a 4-0 ATS run. Alabama (4-0, 3-1 ATS in the SEC) out-yarded the Gamecocks 356-278, but much of that damage was done on the ground (264 rushing yards, 6.9 yards per carry), as Tide QB Greg McElroy (10-for-20, 92 yards, no TDs, two INTs) had his worst game of the season. Nick Saban’s squad has won 19 consecutive regular-season games, the last eight by double digits.

Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in scoring defense (11.6 ppg), second in total defense (228.7 ypg), 13th in passing defense (163.4 ypg) and third in rushing defense (65.4 ypg). The Tide have surrendered just seven touchdowns in seven games and have held all but one of their last five opponents to seven points or less. At the same time, the offense has produced 20 points or more in every game this season.

Alabama went to Knoxville last year and crushed Tennessee 29-9 as a five-point road favorite, after rolling 41-17 as a one-point home ‘dog in 2007. The Crimson Tide are 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings (3-2 SU). Also, prior to last year, the host had won four in a row in this rivalry, but the visitor is now 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings, with Tennessee going 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven trips to Tuscaloosa (4-2 SU in the last six).

Even though the Crimson Tide failed to cover in last week’s victory over South Carolina, the SU winner is still 12-2 ATS in Alabama’s last 14 games. The winner has also cashed in 10 of Tennessee’s last 12.

Tennessee is just 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight games after a spread-cover and 0-4 ATS in its last four games after a victory of more than 20 points. However, Lane Kiffin’s team is on positive pointspread rolls of 4-1 in SEC play, 4-1 on the road, 5-1-1 as a road pup and 6-0 when catching more than 10 points (all on the road).

Alabama is now 10-21-1 ATS in its last 32 games as a home chalk, but otherwise the Tide are on ATS rolls of 10-2 in the regular season, 7-2 in conference action and 6-2 as a double-digit favorite.

For Tennessee, the under is on runs of 19-6-1 overall, 5-0 on the road, 18-7-1 against SEC opponents, 6-1 in October, 8-1 as a ‘dog, 6-0 as a road pup and 13-3-1 against winning teams. Alabama’s “under” streaks include 6-1 in SEC play, 5-1 in October, 10-4 after a SU win and 31-11-1 as a favorite of more than 10 points. Finally, four of the last five meetings in this rivalry have stayed low.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

(13) Penn State (6-1, 2-4 ATS) at Michigan (5-2, 4-2 ATS)

Michigan will try to snap a two-game Big Ten losing skid while continuing its dominance of Penn State when the Nittany Lions come calling to the Big House in Ann Arbor.

Since a stunning 21-10 loss to Iowa as a 9½-point home favorite on Sept. 26, Penn State has bounced back with three straight double-digit wins over Illinois (35-17 as a 7½-point road chalk), Eastern Illinois (52-3 in a non-lined home game) and Minnesota (20-0 as a 17-point home favorite). In the three victories, the Nittany Lions (2-1 SU and ATS in the Big Ten) have rolled up 510 total ypg (266.7 rushing ypg, 6.7 rushing yards per carry) and surrendered just 245.7 total ypg (75.3 rushing ypg, 2.7 ypc).

The Wolverines started the season 4-0 (3-1 ATS), then suffered consecutive close road losses to Michigan State (26-20 in overtime as a four-point ‘dog) and Iowa (30-28 as a 9½-point pup). Michigan (1-2 SU and ATS in the Big Ten) did regain some confidence last week with a 63-6 rout of Division I-AA Delaware State in a non-lined home game, piling up 727 total yards (461 rushing) while permitting 216 (65 rushing).

Penn State finally got over on Michigan last year, overcoming a 17-7 second-quarter deficit by scoring 39 unanswered points en route to a 46-17 rout as a 24½-point home favorite. That ended the Lions’ nine-game losing skid (2-7 ATS) to the Wolverines, the longest such losing streak for coach Joe Paterno against any one opponent. In its last five trips to Ann Arbor, Penn State has averaged just 18 ppg in going 0-5 SU and 2-3 ATS.

The Nittany Lions are on ATS runs of 5-0-1 in October, 5-1-1 on artificial turf, 5-2-1 on the road and 5-1-1 as a road chalk. Michigan is on pointspread upticks of 3-1 at home and 9-3 as an underdog of 3½ to 10 points, but the Wolverines have failed to cover in eight of their last 10 at home, five of their last six in October and six of their last eight after a SU victory.

The under is 5-1 in Penn State’s last six lined games overall (all as a favorite), but the over is 4-1 in its last five road games. The Wolverines are on “over” runs of 4-1 overall, 3-0 at home, 8-2 as an underdog, 8-3 in Big Ten play and 7-2 after a SU win.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE

(25) Oklahoma (3-3, 1-3-1 ATS) at (24) Kansas (5-1, 2-3 ATS)

With its national championship and Big 12 title hopes now history, the Sooners begin the process of playing out the string when they visit Big 12 foe Kansas, which is coming off its first defeat of the season.

Oklahoma (1-1, 0-1-1 ATS in the Big 12) lost star quarterback Sam Bradford to another shoulder injury in the first quarter last week against third-ranked Texas yet still managed to hang around the entire game before eventually losing 16-13 and pushing as a three-point underdog. Landry Jones came off the bench to replace Bradford and went 24-for-43 for 250 yards with a touchdown, but he threw two costly interceptions, including one in the waning moments that killed the Sooners’ final drive. Oklahoma had minus-16 yards rushing while the defense surrendered 142 yards on the ground.

Kansas (1-1, 0-2 ATS) took a seven-game winning streak into last week’s Big 12 battle at Colorado but fell behind 27-10 in the third quarter before mounting a comeback that came up just short, losing 34-30 as a 9½-point road favorite. The Jayhawks outgained Colorado 423-322, but like the Sooners against Texas, Kansas was dominated on the ground, getting out-rushed 147 to minus-8.

The Sooners are 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS in five meetings with Kansas this decade, including last year’s 45-31 home victory with the teams combining for 1,165 yards. The Jayhawks did get a meaningless touchdown with 58 seconds left to cover as a 19-point road underdog, ending an 0-3 ATS drought in this rivalry.

The SU winner is 16-2-1 ATS in the Sooners’ last 19 games and 9-2 ATS in the Jayhawks’ last 11.

Jones, who will take over for Bradford today, has started four games and played off the bench in two others, completing 59 percent of his throws for 1,111 yards with 11 TDs and five INTs. By comparison, Kansas senior Todd Reesing has passed for 1,979 yards (67.1 percent) with a 15-4 TD-to-INT ratio.

Oklahoma is still on ATS runs of 6-1-1 on the road, 6-1-1 in Big 12 action, 6-1 on artificial turf and 7-3 as a road favorite, but the Sooners are 1-4 ATS in their last five lined contests, 2-5 ATS in their last seven when laying between 3½ and 10 points and 1-4-1 ATS in their last six in October. The Jayhawks have failed to cover in three straight overall and four of five in conference play, but they’re still on pointspread rolls of 24-10 overall, 13-6 at home, 5-2 as a home ‘dog and 14-5 on turf.

The Sooners have stayed under the total in seven straight games, but the over is 9-2 in their last 11 conference games and 5-2 in their last seven on the road. Kansas carries “over” trends of 4-0 overall, 4-0 at home, 4-0 in October, 7-1 in conference action and 5-1 as a ‘dog.

ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER

(3) Texas (6-0, 1-4-1 ATS) at Missouri (4-2, 3-3 ATS)

Fresh off a narrow Red River Rivalry victory over Oklahoma, Texas now takes a 10-game winning streak to Columbia, Mo., for a Big 12 clash with the slumping Tigers at Faurot Field.

The Longhorns outlasted Oklahoma 16-13 as a three-point favorite in Dallas, surviving despite another subpar game from QB Colt McCoy (21-for-39, 127 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). However, the defense continued to shine, forcing five turnovers and limiting Oklahoma to minus-16 rushing yards on 22 carries. Texas leads the nation in rushing defense at 37.5 ypg (1.3 per carry) and has yielded just one rushing touchdown. Mack Brown’s stop unit is also 15th in scoring defense (14.7 ppg) and sixth in total defense (247.7 ypg).

Not only have the Longhorns won 10 in a row, but they’re 24-2 SU in their last 26 games, including 7-2 SU in true road games.

Missouri ended last year with an Alamo Bowl victory over Northwestern, then started of 2009 with four consecutive non-conference wins. However, the Tigers have come back to earth the last two weeks in Big 12 play, losing 27-12 to Nebraska as a 3½-point home underdog on Oct. 8 and 33-17 at Oklahoma State as a seven-point road pup last week. Mizzou had a 393-351 edge in total offense, but lost the turnover battle 4-0, with QB Blaine Gabbert throwing three interceptions. Gabbert had 11 TD passes and no interceptions in non-conference play, but he’s got one TD and five picks the last two weeks.

Texas is 14-1 SU in the last 15 meetings with Missouri, winning all give games this decade (4-1 ATS) by an average of 23.4 ppg. Last year, the Longhorns raced out to a 35-0 lead and rolled 56-31 as a 3½-point home favorite.

The Longhorns are in pointspread droughts of 3-9 overall (1-5-1 last seven, all as a favorite), 1-4 on the highway, 1-4 as a double-digit chalk and 0-3-1 against winning teams. Missouri also carries several negative ATS trends, including 0-5 at home, 0-4 in Big 12 play, 1-5 as an underdog, 0-6 versus winning opponents and 1-4 in October.

The over is 16-6-1 in Texas’ last 23 road games, but otherwise the ‘Horns are on “under” streaks of 4-1 overall, 5-0 in conference, 5-0 against teams with a winning record and 7-1 after a SU win. Likewise, the Tigers are on “under” rolls of 6-0 overall in lined action, 7-1 at home, 4-0 against winning teams and 5-2 as an underdog. However, the past three meetings in this series have flown over the total, with combined totals of 71 and 87 the last two years.

ATS ADVANTAGE: TEXAS and UNDER

(10) TCU (6-0, 3-2 ATS) at (16) BYU (6-1, 4-3 ATS)

The Mountain West’s game of the year comes from Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah, where TCU looks to keep in its BCS Bowl hopes alive with a victory over BYU, which is seeking its 13th consecutive conference home win.

The Horned Frogs (2-0, 1-1 ATS in the Mountain West) hammered Colorado State 44-6 as a 22-point home favorite last Saturday, erasing a 6-0 first-half deficit by scoring 44 unanswered points in running their winning streak to nine in a row while ending a two-game ATS hiccup. QB Andy Dalton passed for 211 yards and two TDs as TCU had a 499-182 yardage advantage (275-70 rushing).

TCU has surrendered 17 points or less in 13 consecutive Division I-A games and 17 of 18 since the start of the 2008 season. Take away a 35-10 loss at Oklahoma last year, and the Frogs have given up just 23 touchdowns since the beginning of 2008, going 17-2 SU (11-6 ATS in lined action). Moreover, TCU has yielded 10 points or less nine times during this 17-game stretch.

BYU (3-0, 2-1 ATS in the Mountain West) survived a scare at lowly San Diego State last week, rolling up 512 total yards en route to a 38-28 victory, but failing to cover as a 17-point road favorite. The Cougars have won four in a row, but have alternated spread-covers in their last six outings. Against SDSU, quarterback Max Hall went 27-for-39 for 346 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He’s got a 5-0 TD-to-INT ratio in his last two games after tossing a combined 10 picks in BYU’s first five contests.

Since mustering just two touchdowns in a season-opening 14-13 upset of Oklahoma, BYU has scored 28 points or more in six straight games (42.7 ppg), tallying 35 or more each time out during its four-game win streak.

The Cougars will be looking for payback tonight, as they were the team that was 6-0 and ranked in the Top 15 last year when they went to TCU and got blitzed 32-7 as a 1½-point road underdog, their worst loss since 2005. The Horned Frogs jumped out to a 26-0 lead and finished with advantages of 29-19 in first downs, 410-297 in total yards and 240-23 in rushing yards. The TCU defense also forced four turnovers, with Hall tossing two picks while going just 22-for-42 for 274 yards and no TDs for BYU, which had entered that contest with a 16-game winning streak.

These teams have split four meetings since TCU joined the Mountain West in 2005, with the Frogs going 3-1 ATS and the underdog also going 3-1 ATS. Two of those meetings came in Provo, with BYU winning 27-22 as a seven-point favorite in 2007 after the Frogs won 51-50 in overtime as a three-point pup in 2005.

TCU’s sensational defense ranks in the top 10 in points allowed (13.7 ppg, 10th), total yards allowed (238 ypg, 4th), rushing yards allowed (81.2, 8th), rushing TDs allowed (3, tied for 3rd), passing yards (156.8, 9th) and opponents’ completion percentage (45.3, 2nd). On the other hand, BYU rates sixth nationally in scoring offense (38.6 ppg), seventh in total offense (469.4 ypg), 11th in passing offense (306 ypg) and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns (17). Finally, the Cougars 70.1 completion percentage is tops in the nation.

Both offenses are piloted by outstanding quarterbacks. Dalton is completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 203.8 ypg with eight TDs and three INTs, and the versatile junior also has 228 rushing yards but no rushing TDs after finding the end zone 13 times the last two years on the ground. Hall, a senior, connects at a 69.4 percent rate for 2,069 yards (295.5 per game) with 16 TDs and 10 INTs.

The Horned Frogs are on pointspread surges of 15-6 in conference play, 27-13 as a favorite and 6-1 when laying three points or less. BYU is 5-2 ATS in its last seven versus opponents with a winning record, but is otherwise in ATS ruts of 1-5 at home, 3-7 against Mountain West opponents, 1-7 in October, 3-9 after a SU win and 1-4 as a home underdog of a field goal or less.

Not surprisingly, defensive-oriented TCU is on “under” runs of 3-1 overall, 4-1 on the road, 5-1-2 in October and 16-5-2 versus winning teams, while the Cougars sport “over” streaks of 5-1 overall, 5-0 in conference play and 1-6 against winning teams. However, BYU has stayed low in four straight as a home ‘dog. Finally, last year’s meeting at TCU stayed under the total, ending a three-year “over” stretch in this rivalry.

ATS ADVANTAGE: TCU

(7) Iowa (7-0, 4-2 ATS) at Michigan State (4-3, 3-3 ATS)

The Hawkeyes try to keep their perfect season intact when they make the trek to Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., for a Big Ten showdown with Michigan State.

After surviving a 17-16 scare from Northern Iowa in the opener this season, Iowa has scored 20 points or more in each of the last six (4-2 ATS), including last week when they went to Madison, Wisc., and rallied past the Badgers 20-10 as a two-point road ‘dog. The Hawkeyes are 3-0 SU and ATS on the road this season, including an upset of then-fifth-ranked Penn State 21-10 as a 9½-point underdog on Sept. 26.

Iowa has won 11 straight overall (7-3 ATS), and a victory today would give the school its longest winning streak to open a season in the 120-year history of the institution. The Hawkeyes are plus-11 in turnovers this season and their 22 takeaways rank second in the nation, and they’ve yielded 18 points or less in six of their seven games.

Michigan State has rattled off three straight Big Ten wins (2-1 ATS) after losing three of its first four to open the season. The key to the Spartans’ recent success has been the pass rush, racking up 12 sacks in the last three games. They scored a 24-14 home win over Northwestern a week ago, but came up short as a 14-point favorite.

Iowa is 6-1 ATS in the last seven series meetings, including 3-0 ATS in the last three, though Michigan State prevailed last year 16-13 as a six-point home favorite. Despite the nail-biter in 2008, the host has won nine straight in this rivalry by an average of 15 points per game, and the home team is also 4-1 ATS in the last five overall. Additionally, the underdog has a 15-4-1 ATS edge in this rivalry.

The Hawkeyes arrive in East Lansing on ATS runs of 5-0 on the road, 7-3 in Big Ten action, 5-2 in October, 8-1 against winning teams and 7-1 as an underdog. Meanwhile, the Spartans are 8-1 ATS in their last nine after a non-cover, but otherwise are on pointspread slides of 1-5 against winning teams, 2-5 at home and 5-12-1 when hosting Big Ten opponents in East Lansing.

Iowa is on several “under” streaks, including 20-9-1 overall, 21-5-1 on the highway, 10-2-1 as an underdog, 11-5 against winning teams, 19-7-1 as a road ‘dog and 14-5-2 after a straight-up win. Michigan State has stayed below the posted number in eight of its last 10 at home, five of six as a favorite and five of seven Big Ten battles. However, the “over” has been the play in four of the last six clashes in this series.

ATS ADVANTAGE: IOWA and UNDER

Auburn (5-2, 4-3 ATS) at (9) LSU (5-1, 2-4 ATS)

LSU will try to get back on the winning track after suffering its first loss of the season two weeks ago when it hosts Auburn at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., in a key SEC West matchup.

LSU was off last week after losing 13-3 to top-ranked on Oct. 10, coming up just short of covering as a 9½-point underdog. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for LSU (3-3 ATS) as the offense managed just 162 total yards against the Gators’ defense, the lowest yardage output for LSU since 2000. QB Jordan Jefferson was just 11-for-17 for 96 yards with an interception against Florida, the second straight game the sophomore has failed to toss a scoring strike, and he’s been sacked 11 times in the last two games.

LSU’s offense is putting up just 23 ppg, far less than its 38.6 ppg in 2007 when it won the national championship. The ground game managed just 66 yards against Florida, and that came on the heels of a 30-yard rushing performance at Mississippi State on Sept. 26.

Auburn’s season began on a positive note with five straight wins (4-1 ATS) but it has come back to earth the last two weeks, losing 44-23 at Arkansas as a 1½-point road favorite on Oct. 10 and a 21-14 to Kentucky as a 13½-point home favorite last weekend. QB Chris Todd threw 11 TD strikes and averaged 254 passing yards per game in the first four games, but he’s thrown just one TD pass and averaged 143.7 ypg in the last three contests.

Auburn has lost its last four trips to Baton Rouge, as the home team is on an 8-1 SU and 5-3-1 ATS tear in this rivalry dating back to 2000. Auburn holds a 6-3-1 ATS edge in the last 10 meetings (3-1 ATS last four), and the last five battles have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Auburn is on negative ATS streaks of 5-12 overall, 3-9 in SEC games, 1-6 on the road, 1-6 in October and 0-6 following a straight-up loss. LSU is now 2-13 ATS in its last 15 home games overall and has failed to cover in 12 consecutive SEC contests at Tiger Stadium. LSU is on additional ATS slides of 8-20-1 overall, 3-12 in regular-season games, 8-22-1 in SEC play, 2-6 in October, 3-7 against winning teams and 0-5 after a non-cover.

The “over” has been the play for Auburn in five of the last seven overall, but the “under” is on runs of 6-2 on the road, 15-6 in SEC matchups, 20-7 as an underdog and 4-1 as a road ‘dog. LSU has topped the total in 13 of 19 SEC games and four of five after a bye week, but it is on “under” streaks of 4-1 overall, 4-0 at home and 4-0 following a non-cover.

ATS ADVANTAGE: LSU

Oregon State (4-2, 2-3 ATS) at (4) USC (5-1, 2-4 ATS)

Coming off a bye week, Oregon State will try to make it three wins in the last four years against Pac-10 rival USC when the Beavers visit the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Beavers have won two of the last three against USC, however both have come in Corvallis and surround a 24-3 home win for the Trojans in 2007, with USC cashing as a 15½-point favorite. The home team has won nine of the last 10 meetings in this rivalry (8-2 ATS, including six straight covers). Last year, the Beavers stunned the No. 1-ranked Trojans 27-21 on a Thursday night, cashing as a 24-point home ‘dog. USC is 5-2 ATS in the last seven clashes in Los Angeles.

Oregon State RB Jacquizz Rodgers, who rushed for 186 yards and two scores on 37 carries in last year’s upset of USC, rattled off career-highs of 189 yards and four TDs in the Beavers’ 38-28 win over Stanford on Oct. 10. Rodgers is second in the Pac-10 with 116.2 rushing yards per game and second in the nation with 13 rushing scores.

Rodgers could find the going tough against the Trojans, who rank fifth in the nation in scoring defense (11.7 ppg), fourth in rushing defense (67.7 ypg) and third in yards-per-carry (2.1).

Freshman QB Matt Barkley had a career-high 380 passing yards with two TDs and one INT last Saturday in South Bend, Ind., to lead USC to a thrilling 34-27 victory. However, the Trojans failed to cover as a 10-point road favorite as they blew a 34-14 fourth-quarter lead. Notre Dame had a chance to force overtime, driving to the 4-yard-line in the final seconds, but three straight passes fell incomplete.

Oregon State is on several positive ATS streaks, including 11-4 overall, 9-4 on the road, 8-2 in Pac-10 play, 34-16-1 in October, 45-18 after an ATS win and 11-4 as an underdog. USC is on ATS slides of 1-4 overall, 3-7 in regular-season games and 6-17-1 as double-digit favorite in Pac-10 play. However, the Trojans are on positive pointspread surges of 35-17 at home, 7-3 as a home favorite, 5-0 at home against teams with a winning record and 9-3 following a non-cover.

The Beavers have stayed below the posted total in five straight road games, but soared over the number in five of seven after a spread-cover and five of six as a road ‘dog of 10½ points or more. USC is on a plethora of “under” streaks, including 21-8-1 overall, 17-5-1 at home, 25-10-1 as a favorite, 33-16-2 in conference action, 8-2 in October and 23-9-1 on grass. Finally, the “under” is on a 5-2 tear in this rivalry.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

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