NCAAFB Betting News and Trends For Friday 8/31/18

Utah State Aggies vs Michigan State Spartans Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 28th August 2018 by Gracenote

No. 12 Michigan State enters this season with hopes of contending for a Big Ten title and possibly a national championship, but will have to prove it on the field starting with a home game versus Utah State on Friday night. Coach Mark Dantonio returns 19 of 22 starters from last season's 10-3 campaign including junior quarterback Brian Lewerke, who threw for 2,793 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2017.

The Spartans' offense features a number of playmakers, led by senior running back LJ Scott (898 yards, eight touchdowns on the ground in 2017) and senior receiver Felton Davis III (55 catches, 776 yards, nine touchdowns last season). Defensively, Michigan State may be even better, having allowed only 20 points per game in 2017 and returning nearly every starter. Junior linebacker Joe Bachie is the leader for Dantonio's defense, having paced the Spartans in tackles (100) and forced fumbles (two), and earning team MVP honors a season ago. The Aggies return 18 starters and could provide some troubles if the Michigan State offense isn't sharp, having ranked tied for sixth in the nation in 2017 with 29 forced turnovers.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Michigan State -23.5

ABOUT UTAH STATE (2017: 6-7): The Aggies' quarterback duties are sophomore Jordan Love's this season, after he displaced then-senior Kent Myers partway through the 2017 campaign, finishing with 1,631 yards and eight touchdowns through the air. Love has had an offseason to better learn coach Matt Wells' system, and he'll have plenty of experienced targets to look for in the passing game. The biggest question is how well the Aggies can protect the passer - something the team has struggled with over the past few years - though Love is nimble on his feet and has shown the ability to pick up yards on the ground when he needs.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (2017: 10-3): Despite his team-high rushing yards in 2017, Scott - and many around the team - viewed his junior season as a disappointment, considering he rushed for 96 more yards on 17 fewer carries as a sophomore. The Spartans juggled three running backs in 2017 but this season, Scott should get the bulk of the carries and is hoping to avoid the fumble troubles that plagued him as a junior. Having a more experienced Lewerke under center will make defenses have to respect the Spartans' passing game more, so Scott may be able to find more holes and finally get his first collegiate 1,000-yard rushing campaign.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Lewerke became the first quarterback in school history to throw for more than 2,500 yards and rush for more than 500 (559) in 2017.

2. The Spartans have won 19 straight home openers and are 10-1 under Dantonio in season-opening contests.

3. Michigan State's defense ranked No. 2 in FBS in rushing defense in 2017, allowing 95.3 yards per contest.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 42, Utah State 17

Syracuse Orange vs Western Michigan Broncos Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 28th August 2018 by Gracenote

With 15 total victories in the last four seasons, Syracuse is counting on veteran quarterback Eric Dungey to lead a renaissance. Dungey and the Orange visit Western Michigan on Friday in the season opener for both teams.

Dungey is back for his senior season but no longer has star wideouts Steve Ishmael and Ervin Phillips, who combined for 194 catches and 2,251 yards last season. Dungey once again missed some time due to injury but still threw for 2,495 yards and ran for a team-high 595, accounting for 23 total touchdowns. "I'm really trying to make the most of this last season. I'm trying to leave a legacy," said Dungey, who was challenged by redshirt freshman quarterback Tommy DeVito in the offseason. Western Michigan lost four of six to close its 2017 campaign en route to a 6-6 record as injuries took their toll on the Broncos' depth.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Syracuse -5.5

ABOUT SYRACUSE (2017: 4-8): Dungey averages 296.6 total yards per game for his career, fourth in ACC history behind NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson and Jameis Winston, but the Orange likely will be more of a running team in 2018. Syracuse returns 94 percent of its rushing yards from a season ago with junior Moe Neal (488 rushing yards) and senior Dontae Strickland (482) joining Dungy in the backfield. Defense likely will be the bigger issue for Syracuse after the team gave up 64, 56 and 42 points in its final three games of 2017.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (2017: 6-6): Injuries were a major issue for the Broncos in 2017, as they suffered 21 season-ending injuries, including quarterback Jon Wassink's broken collarbone that ended his campaign after eight games. The versatile junior caught two touchdown passes last season to go with 14 touchdown passes and three rushing scores, although he'll have to shoulder a heavy load. Jarvion Franklin, the school's all-time leading rusher, will be replaced primarily by senior Jamauri Bogan, who ranks among the school's all-time leaders in rushing yards (eighth with 2,563) and rushing TDs (fourth with 27).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Western Michigan coach Tim Lester served on the Syracuse coaching staff from 2013-15.

2. Broncos CB Juwan Dowels is a graduate transfer from Syracuse who played in 24 games for the Orange.

3. Syracuse has won four straight season openers.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 33, Western Michigan 31

Colorado Buffaloes vs Colorado State Rams Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 27th August 2018 by Gracenote

Colorado was unable to follow up on its surprising run to the Pac-12 South division title in 2016, tumbling to the basement a year ago as part of a disappointing campaign that did not include a bowl game. Now, the Buffaloes are looking to bounce back as they kick off the new season Friday night against rival Colorado State at Broncos Stadium in Denver.

Colorado's 5-7 record in 2017 marked the program's 11th losing season in the last 12 and the fourth in five years under coach Mike MacIntyre, who is 12-33 in league play since coming to Boulder from San Jose State. The Buffaloes must rebuild after losing 12 starters, including running back Phillip Lindsay, the program's all-purpose yards leader, and a talented trio of wide receivers. "Yeah, it's a lot more fun to be in first place than down where we were (in 2017)," MacIntyre told reporters in July during his Pac-12 media days news conference. "... We lost a lot of good players (from) the year before and so we had some guys out there who were a little bit newer. We didn't quite make enough situational plays in some games." Colorado State has its own questions to answer following a disappointing 43-34 season-opening home loss Saturday to Hawaii, which entered the game as a two-touchdown underdog.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Colorado -7.5

ABOUT COLORADO (2017: 5-7): The Buffaloes will at least have an experienced starter returning under center in junior Steven Montez, who threw for 2,975 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and is second among the Pac-12 returning total-offense leaders at 276.1 yards per game. Only three other offensive starters are back, though, and none of them are wide receivers Bryce Bobo, Shay Fields or Devin Ross - who combined for 151 catches, 1,824 yards and 11 TDs a season ago. The defensive picture is brighter for Colorado with its top three tacklers returning in linebackers Drew Lewis and Rick Gamboa and safety Evan Worthington.

ABOUT COLORADO STATE (0-1): A dearth of defense was the primary issue in the Rams' loss Saturday as Hawaii jumped out to a 37-7 lead and finished with 617 yards of total offense, including 514 and five total TDs from quarterback Cole McDonald. New starting quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels, a graduate transfer from Washington, nearly rallied the Rams - completing 34-of-50 passes for 537 yards and five TDs. Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo called offensive plays from the coaches box after returning to practice late last week following a 10-day stay in the hospital while dealing with peripheral neuropathy.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Colorado owns a 65-22-2 advantage in the Rocky Mountain Showdown series, including 17-3 and 44-7 wins the last two seasons.

2. Worthington was an All-Pac 12 honorable mention selection in 2017 and is the latest standout in the Colorado secondary, which has produced a quartet of top four-round NFL Draft picks in the last two drafts.

3. Colorado State enters the season with a run of five straight bowl appearances and is looking to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2013.

PREDICTION: Colorado 34, Colorado State 16

San Diego State Aztecs vs Stanford Cardinal Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 27th August 2018 by Gracenote
3-4 minutes

Most fans expected Stanford running back Bryce Love to be in the NFL this week, but instead the scholar-athlete will be in the lineup Friday when the 13th-ranked Cardinal hosts San Diego State in the season opener for both teams. Love returns for his senior season after leading all Power 5 running backs last year in yards rushing (2,118), yards per carry (8.1) and 100-yard games (12).

Stanford won the Pac-12 North for the fourth time in the past six seasons last year and returns 18 starters, including Love, the Heisman Trophy runner-up who finished with 19 touchdowns and had 13 rushes of at least 50 yards. "I've never seen anything like what Bryce did last year," coach David Shaw told reporters. "We don't want to take it for granted. We try not to, but you end up doing it. At some point in the game, he's going to leave everybody behind and we line up for a PAT." The loaded Cardinal offense also features their top four receivers from last year and junior quarterback K.J. Costello, who took over as the starter midway through last season. Stanford is looking to avenge last year's 20-17 loss to San Diego State, which has relied on its stellar running game to go 32-9 over the past three seasons.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Stanford -14.5

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (2017: 10-3): The Aztecs have had back-to-back 2,000-yard rushers in D.J. Pumphrey and Rashaad Penny and could extend the streak with Juwan Washington, who will receive a heavy workload after rushing for 759 yards seven touchdowns last season. Senior quarterback Christian Chapman returns behind a strong offensive line for the Aztecs, who were picked to finish second in the West Division of the Mountain West. San Diego State ranked 21st nationally in scoring defense last season and returns a strong secondary led by safety Tariq Thompson, who finished with five interceptions.

ABOUT STANFORD (2017: 9-5): The Cardinal was picked to finish second in the North Division of the Pac-12 behind Washington but could surprise if they're able to answer questions on the defensive line, where sophomore Jovan Swann is hoping to build on a strong performance in the Pac-12 championship game. Costello has plenty of weapons on offense with receivers JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Trenton Irwin and tight ends Kaden Smith and Colby Parkinson primed for big seasons. Stanford has allowed only nine sacks over the past 10 games and will be strong up front again with tackle Walker Little and guard Nate Herbig leading the way.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stanford has won its last 10 home openers, including last season's 58-34 victory over UCLA.

2. San Diego State has won three consecutive games against Pac-12 teams, beating California (2016), winning at Arizona State (2017) and downing Stanford (2017).

3. Stanford is 14-0 at home under Shaw against non-conference opponents.

PREDICTION: Stanford 31, San Diego State 17

Army Black Knights vs Duke Blue Devils Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 28th August 2018 by Gracenote

Duke looks to build off a strong finish to last season with an experienced group on both sides of the ball when it hosts Army on Friday night to open the 2018 campaign. The Blue Devils lost six straight contests in the middle of 2017, including a 21-16 setback at Army, but averaged 36.7 points in three consecutive wins that culminated with a victory over Northern Illinois in the Quick Lane Bowl.

Junior quarterback Daniel Jones threw six touchdown passes and ran for three more in the final three games for Duke last season and leads the offense while preseason All-American cornerback Mark Gilbert keys a well-seasoned defense that will take on Army's triple-option attack. The Black Knights rushed for 226 yards against the Blue Devils in last year's win, but they must introduce a new quarterback with standout Ahmad Bradshaw (1,746 yards on the ground in 2017) gone. Army won eight of the last nine games a year ago, including the Armed Forces Bowl, and won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1996. The Black Knights, who went 18-8 in the last two seasons after winning 14 combined in the previous five years, still should be able to move the ball on the ground with a stable of productive and experienced running backs while they search for more consistency on defense.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Duke -13.5

ABOUT ARMY (2017: 10-3): Junior Kelvin Hopkins Jr. from Charlotte, N.C., who ran seven times for 40 yards and passed for 76 more last year, will get the first chance of filling Bradshaw's shoes at quarterback and he can rely on veteran running backs. Seniors Darnell Woolfolk (812 yards rushing, 14 TDs last year) and Andy Davidson (627, five), along with junior Kell Walker (629, six), all have loads of experience to carry the load while Hopkins settles in. The Black Knights' defense gave up at least 28 points in three of its last six games last season and will be led by talented senior linebacker James Nachtigal, who finished with 103 tackles and five sacks in 2017.

ABOUT DUKE (2017: 7-6): Jones will have to improve on his efficiency after throwing 30 touchdown passes while getting intercepted 20 times in his career and completing just 56.7 percent of his attempts in 2017. Jones has plenty of experienced targets with seniors T.J. Rahming (65 catches, 795 yards in 2017), Johnathan Lloyd (39, 367) and Chris Taylor (25, 332), and a group of impressive freshmen who will get chances. Gilbert had six interceptions last year while junior linebacker Joe Giles-Harris (125 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and senior linebacker Ben Humphreys also return for a defense which allowed 20.4 points per game in the last seven of 2017.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Sophomore RB Brittain Brown (701 yards, seven TDs) is the top rusher returning for the Blue Devils.

2. Woolfolk, Davidson and Walker have combined for 48 career TDs on the ground and each ran for 100 yards in a game twice last year.

3. Rahming is fifth all time at Duke in receptions (178) and ninth in receiving yards (2,108), but has just five career TDs.

PREDICTION: Duke 31, Army 14

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Wisconsin Badgers Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 28th August 2018 by Gracenote

Seventh-ranked Wisconsin looks to live up to its lofty ranking when it kicks off the new season at home against Western Kentucky on Friday. The Badgers went unbeaten in the regular season en route to their third Big Ten West Division title in the last four years before falling to Ohio State in the conference championship game, and the Badgers hope to build on their record-breaking 13-win season by earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

Wisconsin returns several key players on offense, including Heisman Trophy candidate Jonathan Taylor, who set an NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,977 yards. Quarterback Alex Hornibrook is back after throwing 25 touchdowns passes, but the lefthander will be without two major weapons. Junior Quintez Cephus, who was the team's top returning receiver, was suspended indefinitely after he was charged with two counts of sexual assault while Danny Davis will sit out the first two games for his role in the alleged incidents. Wisconsin has won 22 consecutive home openers and can extend its non-conference winning streak at Camp Randall to 40 games with another victory. Western Kentucky is coming off its first losing season since 2010 and hopes to earn the biggest win of Mike Sanford Jr.'s two-season tenure by knocking off a Big Ten opponent for the first time in school history after losing its previous seven meetings.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Wisconsin -36

ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY (2017: 6-7): Senior quarterback Drew Eckels will replace Mike White, who threw for 4,177 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. Eckels hopes to prove the critics wrong after the Hilltoppers were picked to finish fifth in Conference USA's East Division. Senior D'Andre Ferby is the favorite to start at running back after rushing for a team-high 373 yards in 2017, but there are four other players vying for playing time in a crowded backfield. "I think that all five guys are going to play against Wisconsin," Sanford told reporters. "We've had opportunities in scrimmages to see who ran the best and that was going to decide the starter but all five of them have done really good things."

ABOUT WISCONSIN (2017: 13-1): Taylor racked up ten 100-yard games to go along with 13 touchdowns in his record-breaking freshman campaign and is poised for another big year with all five starters returning on the offensive line, including All-Americans Beau Benzschawel, Michael Deiter and David Edwards. A.J. Taylor, who caught 31 passes for 475 yards and five touchdowns last season, and Kendric Pryor will be counted on to fill the void left by Cephus and Davis. "It's something we can't control and everybody's accepted it and we're moving forward trying to get better every day," linebacker and team captain T.J. Edwards told reporters. "Those two guys have done a lot in the past but we have a game on Friday and that's our main focus."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wisconsin has won 10 or more games in four straight seasons.

2. Hornibrook is 20-3 as a starter.

3. The Badgers are 85-10 at home since the start of the 2004 season.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 41, Western Kentucky 13

College Essentials - Week 1
Tony Mejia

The first weekend of the college football season featured only two games where FBS teams squared off against one another and produced an upset right out of the gate.

Hawai’I had a great weekend, capturing the Little League World Series less than 24 hours after its largest university held off 17-point favorite Colorado State to start 1-0 in Mountain West play. Wyoming won its first game post-Josh Allen thanks to an impressive defensive effort in a 29-7 victory at New Mexico State.

We’re now off and running with every other team set to debut in games scheduled daily beginning Thursday.

Here’s a look at the games I’m most excited about between Friday and Monday, a top ten that you can’t miss and should be wagering on if so inclined.

Friday, Aug. 31

Western Kentucky at Wisconsin (-37.5/52.5), 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN: The Badgers nearly ran the table last season, losing in the Big Ten Championship when they failed to get one last scoring drive against Ohio State. With Jonathan Taylor back to run behind a loaded offensive line, hopes are high in Madison. The Hilltoppers lost five of six to end Mike Sanford’s first season with a thud, losing to Georgia State in the Care Bowl. They’ll play five running backs and are breaking in a new starting quarterback in senior Drew Eckels, so keep that in mind if you’re tempted to take the points. The Badgers will begin answering the question of whether they have the firepower at receiver with Quintez Cephus and Danny Davis both suspended.

San Diego State at Stanford (-14.5/49), 9:00 p.m. ET, FS1: After a tough loss at USC last September, the Cardinal dropped out of the national title conversation by losing at the Aztecs as an eight-point favorite. SDSU’s star running back Rashaad Penny is now with the Seahawks but there are high hopes that Juwan Washington can follow adequately in his footsteps. He hasn’t even been practicing due to the risk of injury, so Stanford will have to deal with a fresh back. Counterpart Bryce Love should already be playing in the pros, so we’ll see if his gamble to stay in school pays off beyond getting a degree in human biology to realize his other dream of becoming a pediatrician. Special kid. The Aztecs will have a strong plan in pace with Rocky Long having so many defensive starters back, so it will be on K.J. Costello to ensure the Stanford passing game takes advantage after failing to capitalize on the room to succeed Love’s presence provides.
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