College Football Betting Info. Week 3

[TheGame]

College Football Odds

Week 3 Opening Line Report

The centerpiece of Week 3 of the NCAA football season is easily the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) at the Texas A&M Aggies (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS).

Peter Korner, founder of Nevada-based odds consultants The Sports Club, thinks Nick Saban and 'Bama will be more prepared this season.

"Knowing Alabama and knowing Saban, and this being a return matchup for them, I think they're going to be a bit more ready than Texas A&M," says Korner .

Aggies' QB Johnny Manziel put up big stats against Sam Houston State in Week 2 with 403 yards and three TDs through the air and 36 yards rushing with one TD. The Aggies racked up 65 points in the rout, but should, perhaps, be alarmed with their defense. The Bearkats put up 28 points in the game, led by a stellar display from running back Timothy Flanders who tallied 170 yards on 19 carries and a pair of TDs.

'Bama, on the other hand, is coming off a bye week and defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 35-10 in their Week 1 opener. Saban and the Crimson Tide will be out for revenge after their 29-24 defeat to A&M one season ago.

"This was one of our toughest ones and will be a fun game to watch," says Korner. "We had a low of +3 and a high of +10.5 so we set the line at +7.5. I think Alabama is going to be a bit more ready for this one."

Here’s a look at a few other interesting games on the horizon, with help from Mr. Korner:

UCLA Bruins at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-4.5)

The Bruins (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) are another team coming off a bye week after a big 58-20 victory over Nevada in Week 1. Sophomore QB Brett Hundley was sharp going 22-for-33 for 274 yards passing and running for 63 yards - including a 37 yard TD scamper in the first quarter.

The Cornhuskers (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) throttled Southern Miss 56-13 in Week 2 after escaping with a 37-34 victory over Wyoming in Week 1.

"Nebraska always seems to be a betting favorite and we had anything from -3.5 to -7 and I put it at -4.5," says Korner. "It's going to be a very tight game and UCLA definitely has the tools to win this one straight up."

Tennessee Volunteers at Oregon Ducks (-28)

Chip Kelly may have left for the NFL, but the Oregon Ducks' (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) offense keeps on rolling. The Ducks are averaging 62.5 points per game through their first two matchups and are second in the country averaging 425 rushing yards per game.

The Volunteers (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) have gotten themselves off to a nice start, crushing the likes of Austin Peay and Western Kentucky. This will be their first real test however, and traveling up the Pacific northwest to face the Oregon attack is a tough task.

"We had this anywhere from -26 to -31 and I put it -28. I like this even higher," says Korner. "Oregon will do whatever they do and it will be fourth quarter time where it will probably be right around there and it will be up to Oregon whether they want to bomb them out or just coast."

Washington Huskies at Illinois Fighting Illini (+10)

The Washington Huskies (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) had a wonderful Week 1 victory over Boise State and had a week off to enjoy it. The Huskies should be very well prepared to go into Chicago's Soldier Field and attempt to knock off another big program.

A tough Week 1 victory over Southern Illinois was softened by a big win over Cincinnati in Week 2 and the Illini (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) will look to continue rolling in Week 3. They boast the 10th most passing yards per game (363.5) but Washington's defense stymied a potent Boise State team in Week 1.

"We had +7 to +10 here so I kept it on the topside at -10 with Washington," said Korner. "Illinois just isn't all that good."

[TheGame]

College Football Betting News and Notes - Week 2
By Andrew Lange
Sportsmemo.com

Another week void of any significant upsets. Washington State beat USC as over a two-touchdown underdog while Navy dispatched of Indiana as a double-digit underdog. Needless to say, most rec bettors who like to four- and five-team moneyline parlay big favorites have yet to hit many road blocks.

With most offshore books now offering lines on FBS vs. FCS games bettors will have another crack at betting against Ron Turner and his Florida International squad. Yes, the Panthers played two teams in Maryland and UCF that they probably would have lost to any other season, but it was the way that FIU lost (43-10, 38-0) that has them vying with Idaho and New Mexico State for the label of Worst Team in the Country. Don't sleep on this week's opponent Bethune-Cookman who last season rushed for 233 yards on Miami and hung tough for the first half. The year before that B-C outgained the Canes 422-335.

After a dismal showing in its opener at Virginia, BYU wasn't on the radar of many bettors. Meanwhile, a lot of folks were drinking the Texas kool-aid after they dismantled woeful New Mexico State. And for a sophisticated as the betting markets are portrayed at times, there is no question that early in the season, there is a lot of overreaction. Texas opened -4.5 at BYU and was as high as -7.5 at some shops by close. But once the two teams stepped out onto the field, it was quickly apparent who the better squad was. BYU racked up 679 yards on a whopping 99 plays – putting on a clinic for Mack Brown on how to run an up-tempo offense. Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill's 229 yard performance on the ground gives him nearly as many rushing yards (630) as passing yards (729) for his young career. Also note that Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was fired on Sunday.

McNeese State rolled up 244 passing yards on 9.8 yppp in its Week 1 butt kicking of South Florida. Following that game, you couldn’t help but think Week 2 was the perfect opportunity for USF's opponent, Michigan State, to finally rack up some big yards through the air. Instead it was more ineptitude from the Spartans as Andrew Maxwell and his two back-ups combined for 94 yards! The Spartans won 21-6 thanks to two defensive touchdowns. If MSU is going to make a change at QB, now is the week to do it with a home game vs. Youngstown before traveling to Notre Dame.

A lot of chatter about the December 5 showdown at Cincinnati providing Louisville with an opportunity to pick up a marquee win. But with Cincinnati's embarrassing loss at Illinois, the Cardinals' shot at the title game – should they remain undefeated (a big if) – looks grim. As for Cinci, they obviously lost Munchie Legaux for the rest of the season. No question Legaux can make plays but Brendon Kay has been with the program for five years and has shown enough that there may even be an increase in production – there certainly will be from a pass completion standpoint. And I give credit to Illinois who looked creative on offense and aggressive on defense. It was U of I's most impressive win since beating UCLA on a New Year's Eve bowl two years ago. The betting markets however aren't sold on the Illini's 2-0 start. Washington opened -7.5 but was bet up to -10.5/-11 for Saturday's game in Chicago.

I didn't see the game but read a ton of Tweets about Houston’s ineptitude in the red zone against Temple. According to the stats, the Cougars had drives of 62, 67, 23, 76, 72, -19, 53, 6, 36, 15, 87, -31, and 12. It wasn't until their last drive (of 12 yards) that they put six on the board. The other drives resulted in punts, field goals, missed field goals, and fumbles. Classic case of the scoreboard reading a competitive game but the box score (UH 524 yards, 32 first downs; Temple 300 yards, 19 first downs) telling a completely different story.

What a difference a year makes. Last season the West Virginia-Oklahoma game had a total of 73 and the Sooners held on for a 50-49 win. Saturday's matchup closed 53.5 and under bettors didn't have to sweat as OU won 16-7.

By now you've finished laughing at Western Kentucky's seven turnover performance against Tennessee. But note that WKU had more first downs (21-20), more yards (393-382) and were outgained 5.6 ypp to 6.0 ypp. Obviously the Vols would have put up better numbers if not for the slew of short fields but play that game 10 times and Western hangs more often than not.

Arkansas State was penalized 15 yards at the start of the game AND at the start of the second for essentially trying to wear the same color uniform as Auburn. War Eagle rolled 38-9 but it was another game where the box score tells a different story. ASU has more first down (24-23); Auburn had slightly more yards (468-422); third downs were practically even (ASU 8-18, Auburn 7-14); turnovers were even at one apiece; and both teams punted four times.

I give credit to Washington State for grinding out Saturday's 10-7 win at USC but I certainly am not going to upgrade the Cougars' power rating – they played just as bad as USC. Instead, we need to downgrade USC's dramatically. The signs were there in Week 1's win at Hawaii but no one had any idea it was this bad. We'll start first with Lane Kiffin's play calling. Kiffin knows his players better than we do but USC played the entire game as if they were up 40 just trying to milk the clock. He has absolutely zero faith in either Cody Kessler or Max Wittek and it was painful to watch how hard Kifffin tried to get Marquis Lee involved in the offense. All told the Trojans managed only 3.1 yards per play and had one first down via the pass. How about USC's last seven games against BCS conference competition dating back to last year: 10-7 loss vs. Washington State, 21-7 loss vs. Georgia Tech, 22-13 loss vs. Notre Dame, 38-28 loss vs. UCLA, 38-17 win vs. Arizona State, 62-51 loss vs. Oregon, and 39-36 loss vs. Arizona. That's 1-6 SU/ATS!

Checking back in win Arkansas who needed a 14-point fourth quarter to get past Samford, 31-22. The Razorbacks ran the ball 53 times to only 17 pass attempts. That's 104 rushing attempts in two games.

And how about SMU needing FG, FG, TD (with 35 seconds left) to beat Montana State 31-10? Up next? A bye week before traveling to Texas A&M.

[TheGame]

College Football Week In Review: Seats of Mack Brown, Lane Kiffin getting warmer
By: Brian Edwards
Sportingnews.com

One week after dropping a heartbreaker at Clemson, Georgia bounced back to beat South Carolina, 41-30, as a 3.5-point home favorite. The Bulldogs ended a three-game losing streak against the Gamecocks, who got stopped on downs at UGA’s 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter and also lost a fumble inside of UGA’s 25 in the third quarter.

UGA senior quarterback Aaron Murray finally delivered against a top-10 opponent. Murray threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns without committing a turnover.

The 71 combined points soared OVER the 56-point total. The OVER is now 2-0 in Georgia games this season.

Miami took advantage of five Florida turnovers, including three inside the red zone, to capture a 21-16 victory as a 3-point home underdog. The Hurricanes improved to 4-0 ATS as home dogs during Al Golden’s tenure.

The Gators dominated every stat except for the two that matter most, turnovers and points. UM committed only one turnover, a Stephen Morris interception, but the Hurricane defense picked him up by intercepting Jeff Driskel in the red zone for a second time. In addition to the three red-zone turnovers, UF was also stopped on downs at the Miami 17.

Florida’s defense allowed only 10 first downs and 212 yards of total offense by the ‘Canes, who gave up 413 yards to the Gators. Nevertheless, Morris’s two first-quarter TD passes and a late TD run from Duke Johnson was enough for the win, thanks to a defense that did an incredible job of making crucial plays.

Both schools saw the UNDER cash easily for a second straight week.

Devin Gardner wore No. 98 in honor of Michigan legendary QB Tom Harmon in Saturday night’s showdown vs. Notre Dame. With the exception of one knucklehead interception, Gardner enjoyed an incredible performance in leading his team into the win column, 41-30.

Brady Hoke’s team covered the number as a 5-point home favorite. Gardner threw for 294 yards and four TDs, including three scoring strikes to Jeremy Gallon. Gardner also ran for 82 yards and one score, while Gallon finished with eight receptions for 184 yards.

Mack Brown’s hot seat at Texas reached a boiling temperature late Saturday night in Provo, where BYU gashed the Longhorns for 549 rushing yards en route to a 40-21 win as a seven-point home underdog.

BYU’s Taysom Hill provided 388 of his team’s 679 yards of offense. The sophomore signal caller rushed for 259 yards and three TDs on just 17 carries.

Since winning its first 13 games in 2009, Texas has just a 23-18 straight-up record. Brown fired defensive coordinator Manny Diaz on Sunday, replacing him with veteran Greg Robinson. Diaz was obviously struggling, but Robinson’s defenses at Michigan under Rich Rodriguez, not to mention those at Syracuse during a disastrous head-coaching tenure, were absolutely atrocious.

Brown isn’t the only coach feeling the heat this morning. Southern Cal’s Lane Kiffin is in big trouble after the Trojans lost to Washington State, 10-7, as 16-point home ‘chalk.’ The Cougars limited USC to only 193 yards of total offense.

Oregon produced its ninth straight cover as a road favorite by destroying Virginia, 59-10, as a 26.5-point ‘chalk’ in Charlottesville. Marcus Mariota threw for 199 yards and two TDs without committing a turnover. He also ran for 122 yards on just four carries, including a 71-yard TD scamper on the opening drive.

Quick hitters

Washington State is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine games as a double-digit underdog.

Western Kentucky was more mistake-prone than Florida in Week 2. The Hilltoppers had 236 yards of total offense, compared to only 86 for Tennessee, at halftime Saturday in Knoxville. But the Volunteers led 31-17 at intermission after forcing five turnovers from Bobby Petrino’s offense in a six-play stretch. The Vols, who travel to Eugene to face Oregon this week, pulled away in the second half for a 52-20 win as 13-point home favorites.

After missing the season-opening loss at Virginia due to a hamstring injury, BYU senior WR Cody Hoffman returned against Texas and caught a pair of balls for 68 yards.

Texas QB David Ash is ‘questionable’ for Saturday vs. Ole Miss after sustaining a head injury that forced him out of the loss to BYU. WR Daje Johnson is a also question mark due to an ankle injury. Ash has six TD passes compared to two interceptions in 2013.

Ole Miss will be looking to avenge an embarrassing 66-31 home loss to Texas last season. However, the Rebels will be without their best defensive player (Denzel Nkemdiche) and best offensive lineman (Aaron Morris). They own a 5-1 record ATS in six road games on Hugh Freeze’s watch.

Since 2008, Alabama owns a 15-6 spread record in 21 games as a road ‘chalk.’ As of early Monday afternoon, the Crimson Tide are favored by between 7.5 and 9 at Texas A&M. As Larry Hartstein reported earlier, the Wynn took a couple of $2,000 bets on Alabama laying the books opening number of 7.5.

Duke was a road favorite for the first time since 2005 Saturday at Memphis. Despite the unfamiliar role, the Blue Devils took the cash in a 28-14 win as 4-point ‘chalk.’ However, starting QB Anthony Boone suffered a broken collarbone and is out indefinitely. Fortunately for David Cutcliffe, back-up QB Brandon Connette has seen plenty of playing time as a part-time ‘Wildcat QB,’ tight end and running back.

Cincinnati QB Munchie Legaux is ‘out’ for the season after suffering a severe knee injury in Saturday’s blowout loss at Illinois. Legaux started the first two games for the Bearcats, throwing two TDs compared to three interceptions.

Heisman watch

Las Vegas sports books are not allowed to take bets on the Heisman Trophy. But here are mock odds on the top 5 candidates.

1) Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater is my 5-to-1 co-favorite to win the Heisman Trophy going into Week 3. Bridgewater has completed 46-of-60 passes (76.7 percent) for 752 yards with a 9/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. With a cupcake schedule, Bridgewater is going to continue to produce monster numbers.

2. FSU’s Jameis Winston is my 5-to-1 co-favorite, even though he had an open date in Week 2. Like Bridgewater, the redshirt freshman QB won’t be facing a quality defense anytime soon (Nevada, Bethune-Cookman and Boston College are on deck). Winston enjoyed a sparkling debut in a blowout win at Pitt, connecting on 25 of 27 throws for 356 yards and four TDs without an interception.

3. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota (6-to-1) is averaging 26.1 yards per rush. He has produced six TDs (three apiece passing and rushing) and 668 yards (433 passing and 235 rushing).

4. UCLA QB Brett Hundley (8-to-1) is going to announce his candidacy by lighting up Nebraska’s defense in Week 3.

5. Clemson QB Tajh Boyd (9-to-1) will stay in the hunt as long as the Tigers remain undefeated.

Others to watch: Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel (10/1), Oregon RB De’Anthony Thomas (12/1), Baylor RB Lache Seastrunk (15/1), Michigan QB Devin Gardner (15/1) and UGA’s Aaron Murray and Todd Gurley (both 20/1).

Early lean

Texas A&M +8 vs. Alabama. I made the Crimson Tide a 3.5-point road favorite. There are certainly concerns galore about Texas A&M’s defense, but this unit has been without a slew of starters that’ll be back this week after serving suspensions.

The Aggies have also been 100 percent vanilla scheme-wise in their first two games. And remember, there are issues on Alabama’s offensive line after generating only 206 yard of total offense vs. Va. Tech. We know how explosive Kevin Sumlin’s offense is with several extremely talented running backs, in addition to the nation’s best QB/WR combo in Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans.

I’m all about the Aggies as home underdogs of more than a touchdown.

[TheGame]

Tulane at Louisiana Tech
By Sean Murphy
Sportpic.com

Last Saturday, a moneyline play on underdog South Alabama over Tulane fell just short of making my college football handicapping card last week.

Of course, the Jaguars went on to defeat the Green Wave 41-39 at the Superdome. That result has only served to create value with Tulane this Thursday night, as the Green Wave travels to Ruston to take on an in-state rival, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Tech is currently a -7.5 favorite, with a total of 57.

I don't think there's any question that Tulane is headed in the right direction as a football program, even if it is likely to take a while to get where it wants to be.

For now, the Green Wave has tremendous talent at all three skill positions on offense with QB Nick Montana (yes, son of Joe), RB Orleans Darkwa, and WR Ryan Grant. Tulane also has an athletic, opportunistic defense that did a nice job rebounding after a miserable start against South Alabama last Saturday.

The common line of thinking here is that Tulane is taking a major step up in class after losing to South Alabama. However, the fact is, that isn’t really the case since the Bulldogs are in a rebuilding phase under new head coach Skip Holtz.

In Week 1, Louisiana Tech was throttled 40-14 at North Carolina State, before bouncing back with a ho-hum 27-14 win over Lamar at home last Saturday.

It's worth noting that the Bulldogs lost their best offensive player, RB Kenneth Dixon, to a knee injury in that contest, and he remains questionable to play on Thursday. Even if he is able to play, it's unlikely he'll be running at 100 percent.

The Bulldogs had to undergo wholesale changes on both sides of the football following a fantastic 2012 season that saw them rip through virtually every opposing defense they faced. It's a brave new world here in 2013, though, and I'm expecting some more growing pains along the way.

Ruston is still an awfully tough place to play, so I'm not ready to step out with a moneyline play on the Green Wave here - although I did consider it briefly. Look for a 60-minute battle in this Conference USA opener, with the Bulldogs having a tough time pulling away for good. Take Tulane plus the points.

[TheGame]

College Football Week 3

Texas Tech (-1.5) beat TCU 56-53 LY, despite being outgained by 127 yards, primarily because of +3 turnover ratio. Red Raiders passed for 910 yards on 106 passes in first two games- they're 7-3 as home dogs since '06. TCU is down to one quality QB with Pachall (arm) out for eight weeks; Horned Frogs allowed 404 rushing yards first two games, including 207 to SE Louisiana- they're 1-4 as road faves last 2+ years. Neither team has much experience on OL; Tech has new coach, new QB, five new starters on OL.

Tulane (-6.5) lost at home to I-A newbie South Alabama last week, after being outgained by I-AA Jackson State week before. Since 2010, Green Wave is 9-7-1 as road underdogs; Tech lost 15 of 22 starters from LY; they're 4-6 as home favorites last 3+ years, but with a new coach, new QB and five new starters on OL, hard to endorse laying poiints. Since '07, Skip Holtz is 10-18 vs spread as a home fave, at ECU/USF. These teams haven't met since '98.

Arkansas State beat Troy last two years, with two different coaches; its 4th coach in four years for ASU now- they got drilled 38-9 by Malzahn and Auburn last week, outgained only 468-422. Red Wolves are 10-4 vs spread as home favorites since '10- they beat Troy the last two seasons, 41-34/45-14 Trojans' QB Robinson has more career starts (38) than his whole starting OL combined; he's completed 58-64 passes in first two games, rallying his team back from down 17-7 at half to beat UAB in OT in opener. Troy is 13-11-1 vs spread in last 25 games as a road dog.

[TheGame]

TCU (1 - 1) at TEXAS TECH (2 - 0) - 9/12/2013, 7:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS TECH is 68-42 ATS (+21.8 Units) in home games since 1992.
TEXAS TECH is 68-42 ATS (+21.8 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
TEXAS TECH is 94-66 ATS (+21.4 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS TECH is 1-0 against the spread versus TCU over the last 3 seasons
TEXAS TECH is 1-0 straight up against TCU over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


TULANE (1 - 1) at LOUISIANA TECH (1 - 1) - 9/12/2013, 7:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
TULANE is 72-102 ATS (-40.2 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
LOUISIANA TECH is 18-33 ATS (-18.3 Units) in games played on turf since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

TROY (2 - 0) at ARKANSAS ST (1 - 1) - 9/12/2013, 7:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS ST is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ARKANSAS ST is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
ARKANSAS ST is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARKANSAS ST is 2-0 against the spread versus TROY over the last 3 seasons
ARKANSAS ST is 2-0 straight up against TROY over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


TCU vs. TEXAS TECH
TCU is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of TCU's last 6 games
Texas Tech is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Texas Tech is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games

TROY vs. ARKANSAS STATE
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Troy's last 9 games
Troy is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Arkansas State is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Arkansas State is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Troy

TULANE vs. LOUISIANA TECH
Tulane is 3-21 SU in its last 24 games
Tulane is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Louisiana Tech is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Louisiana Tech is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home


TCU at Texas Tech
TCU: 1-8 ATS after scoring 37 points or more
Texas Tech: 24-11 ATS in BB home matchup

Tulane at Louisiana Tech
Tulane: 1-15 ATS after a loss by 3 or less point
Louisiana Tech: 16-10 ATS in all games

Troy at Arkansas State
Troy: 1-5 ATS off a home win
Arkansas State: 20-8 ATS in all games

[TheGame]

Air Force's ground-attack heads to Boise Friday
by Nick Bracken

Kickoff: Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: Boise State -23.5, Total: 57.5

Air Force will head to the blue turf on Friday to face heavily favored Boise State.

While Air Force is coming off a dreadful 32-point loss to MWC foe Utah State, Boise State is coming off a 63-14 rebound win after a very disappointing loss to Washington in the season opener. The Falcons (0-2 ATS) look to keep their ground-and-pound running game going Friday. Air Force averages just 90 yards passing a game compared to 285 yards on the ground, which is good for 18th in the country. The Broncos have showed porous run defense (208 YPG), which must change in order to stop the relentless Air Force ground game. Boise and Air Force have only met once in the past 20 years in 2011 when the Broncos ousted the Falcons 37-26 in a much closer game than people expected. Air Force used its run game to keep it close by rushing for 264 yards and dominated the time of possession, with more than 36 minutes to less than 24 for the Broncos. Air Force will have to put last weeks' blowout loss behind them, which they have not been good at in the past, with a miserable 1-13 ATS mark coming off a loss of 21+ points to a conference rival. Air Force overall is just 3-12 ATS over the past two years. Since Chris Petersen has taken over the Broncos, they have become a perennial powerhouse and are a very profitable 51-37 ATS overall, including 26-14 ATS in the first half of the season.

Air Force junior Jonathan Lee has been dynamic, rushing for 149 yards on just 18 carries for the year. Alongside Lee is Broam Hart who has 125 yards of his own on 25 carries. Regardless of the run game, the Falcons will have no shot Friday if they don't show up defensively like last week against Utah State when they allowed 577 total yards and 52 points. The famous blue turf also may be a problem for the Falcons on Friday. You would think Air Force's ground game would flourish on turf, but the Falcons are just 4-10 ATS when playing on the foreign substance. Air Force hasn't always been known to get off to great starts either, going 2-6 ATS in September.

The Broncos come into Friday night still trying to forget about their upset loss to Washington in the season opener. In that defeat to the Huskies, Boise State was completely dominated, allowing a total of 592 yards and letting Washington convert 11-of-15 third downs. Senior QB Joe Southwick played very well last week, tossing five touchdowns with no picks. He didn't fare as well against the much tougher Huskies defense, which he did not find the end zone against, but did find the opposing team once. Jay Ajayi will look to make Southwick's life easier by getting an effective run game going. Ajayi has averaged just 4.6 yards a carry this year, which has been disappointing, compared to his 6.7 YPC average last year. Boise State, once the Gonzaga of college football, has become a household name with big expectations. This has brought on large point spreads, which the Broncos have been bad at covering. Boise is 1-6 ATS in the past seven games when the spread is 21.5 to 30 points. The well-known blue turf hasn't been as kind as expected ATS either. The Broncos are just 4-10 ATS in home games since the start of 2011.

[TheGame]

Alabama at Texas A&M

What Bettors Need to Know

Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies (+7.5, 60)

The two-time defending national champions take on the Heisman Trophy quarterback who nearly derailed their title defense a year ago when top-ranked Alabama travels to No. 6 Texas A&M for a Southeastern Conference showdown Saturday afternoon. Star quarterback Johnny Manziel and the Aggies put their nation-best eight-game winning streak on the line against Alabama's vaunted defense in one of the most-anticipated matchups of the season. Last year in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Manziel's Heisman campaign hit high gear when he orchestrated a 29-24 upset of the undefeated Crimson Tide.

Coach Nick Saban has had two weeks to prepare for Manziel and the Aggies' high-powered offense, as the Crimson Tide had a week off following a 35-10 win over Virginia Tech in the opener. Alabama hasn't lost a road or neutral-site game since Nov. 6, 2010, a span of 15 games - the longest active streak in the nation. It's the first trip to College Station, Texas, for the Crimson Tide since a 30-10 victory in 1988.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

WEATHER: Temperatures in the low 90s with partly cloudy skies and a 10 percent chance of rain. Winds blowing ENE at 6 mph.

LINE: Alabama opened as a 6-point favorite and was bet up as high as -9.5 before coming down to -7.5. Total opened at 56 and was bet up as high as 63 before coming down to 60 points.

ABOUT ALABAMA (1-0, 1-0 ATS): The Crimson Tide were dominant on defense and special teams against the Hokies but experienced the growing pains associated with an inexperienced offensive line. Three of Alabama's five touchdowns in the opener were produced by the defense and special teams, and Christion Jones accounted for three of the scores with a 74-yard punt return, a 93-yard kickoff return and a 39-yard touchdown catch. The non-traditional scores helped mask a lackluster offensive effort, as Alabama managed only 206 total yards.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (2-0, 1-1 ATS): Coach Kevin Sumlin's team continues to put up huge offensive numbers, averaging 58.5 points and 600 yards through two games, but the defense has been susceptible even against inferior opponents. After being suspended for the first half of the opener against Rice, Manziel came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes, and he rolled up 462 total yards and four scores (three passing) last week against Sam Houston State. The Aggies might need more eye-popping numbers from Manziel this week, as the defense has surrendered 29.5 points and 449.5 yards per contest.

TRENDS:

* Crimson Tide are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 road games.
* Aggies are 4-0 ATS in their last four conference games.
* Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 32-17 SU and ATS in revenge spots during his college career – including 11-0 SU and 8-3 ATS when favored by more than seven points.
* Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin is 0-6 ATS in his career against .666 or greater foes with revenge.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Since the start of the 2008 season, Alabama is 41-0 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponent and 51-0 when rushing for at least 140 yards.

2. Texas A&M is 1-4 all-time at home against top-ranked teams. Alabama is the first No. 1 team to visit College Station since the Aggies upset Oklahoma 30-26 in 2002.

3. The Aggies have surpassed 400 total yards in 14 consecutive games. Alabama has not allowed an opponent to reach 400 yards since Texas A&M did so last season.

[TheGame]

Where the action Is

Books brace for Texas A&M money

Alabama isn’t the only group waiting to sink its teeth into Texas A&M this weekend.

College football bettors have been counting down the days to this SEC showdown ever since Johnny Manziel and the Aggies spoiled the Crimson Tide’s undefeated season with a 29-24 win in Bryant-Denny Stadium last November.

This spread was up as early as June when the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas opened Texas A&M as a 6-point home underdog. The LVH Superbook posted a similar line in July, tacking on a half-point hook.

With kickoff only days away, and a summer full of drama for “Johnny Football” in the past, sportsbooks are currently dealing Alabama as a 7.5-point road favorite. We talk to oddsmakers to see how the betting action has been so far, and where they expect the line to move before the 3:30 p.m. ET start.

Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies – Open: +6, Move: +9.5, Move: +7.5

This line jumped significantly before the season started with rumors that Manziel could be suspended for his role in an autograph scandal, in which he was allegedly paid for signing memorabilia during last year’s BCS Championship weekend.

The spread, which was pulled from the board at many books, went up as high as Alabama -9.5 before the NCAA served up a slap on the wrist and only suspended the reigning Heisman winner for the first half of Texas A&M’s opener versus Rice. Since then, nerves have calmed and money has moved this back down around a touchdown.

The Crimson Tide are still the more popular pick among bettors, with about 67 percent of the total handle on the defending national champs. Since moving down, most books have drawn pretty solid two-way money but know the majority of the action will come Friday and Saturday.

“It’s a bit back and forth on juice, but the number is steady,” says Aron Black of Bet365. “So far we are just shy of 3-to-1 Alabama ATS money to Texas A&M. Bama will be a banker for the parlays and some heavy-hit singles, but I expect to see some dog money on Texas A&M straight up Saturday.”

The Aggies are currently +240 moneyline underdogs after opening as high as +270 with Alabama coming back as a -300 road favorite to win SU.

The total opened at 54.5 at the Golden Nugget in June and has since climbed as high as 63 points before being bet down over the past week. Action on the under has driven the number to 60.5, with Alabama’s defense expected to prevail over the Aggies' high-flying offense.

Last year’s game played under the 54.5-point total. Texas A&M has topped the number in its first two games of the season while Alabama pushed with the 45-point total in its opener against Virginia Tech.

[TheGame]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet

Afternoon Action

We give a quick look at all of Saturday's Top 25 afternoon betting action from Week 3 of the college football schedule:

Louisville Cardinals at Kentucky Wildcats (+13.5, 59.5)

Teddy Bridgewater looks to build on his early-season productivity when No. 7 Louisville visits in-state rival Kentucky on Saturday. The junior quarterback passed for 752 yards and nine touchdowns in the Cardinals’ first two victories and completed 19-of-21 passes in Louisville’s win over Kentucky last season. The Wildcats are transitioning under first-year coach Mark Stoops and the offense rolled up 675 yards in last Saturday’s 41-7 rout of Miami (Ohio).

Kentucky had 413 passing yards and 262 on the ground against Miami in the second game under new offensive coordinator Neal Brown to rack up the third-most yards in program history. The Wildcats rotated sophomore quarterbacks Maxwell Smith and Jalen Whitlow in the first two games and now face a rugged Louisville defense that allowed just seven points in each of two victories. The explosive Cardinals rank fifth in passing offense (406.5), tied for 16th in scoring offense (46.5 points) and 18th in total offense (545.0).

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with clear skies over Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington.

LINE: Louisville opened as 11.5-point road faves and is as high -14 at some books. The total is 59.5.

TRENDS:
* The road team is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* The over is 7-3 in Cardinals last 10 road games.
* The Wildcats are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win.

Akron Zips at Michigan Wolverines (-37, 56.5)

The last time Michigan secured a home victory against Notre Dame, it struggled initially against a downtrodden Mid-American Conference opponent before recovering en route to a 6-0 start. The 12th-ranked Wolverines look to avoid another early letdown Saturday when they host Akron. Michigan, which defeated the Fighting Irish 41-30 in its last home game between the two longtime rivals, followed up a dramatic victory against Notre Dame in 2011 with a sloppy 31-3 win over Eastern Michigan.

While Eastern Michigan went on to finish 6-6 that year for its only non-losing season since 1995, the Zips - who are coming off a 1-11 campaign - don’t appear to be a team capable of trading blows with the Wolverines. Akron, which is in its second season under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, has dropped 27 consecutive road contests. The Zips have won only one game in each of the previous three seasons and are coming off a 35-33 home win over James Madison last Saturday.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with clear skies. There is a small five percent chance of rain in the forecast.

LINE: Michigan opened as 36.5-point home faves and is now -37. The total is 56.5.

TRENDS:
* The Wolverines are 6-1 ATS in their last seven versus the MAC.
* The Zips are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* The under is 8-1 in the Zips last nine games overall.

UCLA Bruins at Nebraska Cornhuskers (-4.5, 70)

UCLA will be playing with heavy hearts this week following the death of walk-on wide receiver Nick Pasquale, who was hit by a car while walking in his hometown on Sunday. The 17th-ranked Bruins attempt to put that pain behind them when they visit No. 15 Nebraska on Saturday. UCLA had extra time to prepare after an opening destruction of Nevada on Aug. 31 and a bye week.

The Cornhuskers are searching for revenge against the Bruins, who rolled up 653 total yards in a 36-30 home win over Nebraska last season. That marked the second-most yards ever allowed by a Cornhuskers defense, and the loss threw an early wrench into their BCS bowl plans. UCLA used that triumph as a springboard to a strong campaign and hopes to turn the same trick in 2013.

WEATHER: Temperatures in Lincoln will be in the high-60s with a 24 percent chance of thunderstorms. Wind will blow from the south at 12 mph toward the north end zone.

LINE: Nebraska opened as a 4.5-point favorite. The total is 70.

TRENDS:
* The Bruins are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a ATS win.
* The over is 4-0 in the Bruins' last four road games.
* The Cornhuskers are 17-4-2 ATS in their last 23 home games versus a team with a winning road record.

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Oklahoma Sooners (-24, 51)

Quarterback Blake Bell will make his first career start when No. 13 Oklahoma hosts in-state foe Tulsa on Saturday. Starter Trevor Knight suffered a bruised right knee late in the first half of the Sooners' 16-7 victory over West Virginia last week and left the game after three quarters in favor of Bell with Oklahoma ahead 13-7. Knight is expected to miss up to two weeks, but could miss only one game as the Sooners are off next week prior to their showdown at No. 21 Notre Dame on Sept. 28.

It may not matter who plays quarterback for Oklahoma as its defense has yielded seven points in two games - the fewest allowed by an FBS school that has faced two FBS teams. The Golden Hurricane, voted to win the Conference USA West Division in the preseason poll, were headed for an 0-2 start before rallying from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Colorado State 30-27 last week. Julius Caesar (Trey) Watts III, son of former Sooners star quarterback and U.S. Congressman J.C. Watts, is responsible for 251 of Tulsa's 700 yards and should attract the majority of Oklahoma's attention.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow across the field from the east at 6 mph.

LINE: The Sooners opened as 24.5-point home faves at most books and are currently -24. The total opened at 49 and is up to 51.

TRENDS:
* The Golden Hurricane are 1-6 ATS in their last seven versus the Big 12.
* The Sooners are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.
* The favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.

Stanford Cardinal at Army Black Knights (+28.5, 51)

Fourth-ranked Stanford looks to extend its winning streak to 10 games when it travels to Army on Saturday in the first meeting between the schools since 1979. The Cardinal picked up where they left off in 2012 by trouncing San Jose State last weekend 34-13. It gave coach David Shaw a 24-4 mark since taking over at Stanford, including wins in his first three season openers, making Shaw the first Cardinal coach to do that in almost 80 years.

It has been nearly 41 seasons since Army knocked off a ranked opponent and almost 51 years since the Black Knights hosted a team ranked in the top five nationally. Army enters on a sour note after suffering a 40-14 loss at Ball State last weekend. The Black Knights turned the ball over three times and gave up 325 passing yards.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies before clearing up later in the game. Wind will blow from the NW at 6 mph.

LINE: Army opened as 28.5-point home dogs. The total opened at 52 and has moved down to 51.

TRENDS:
* The Cardinal are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 non-conference games.
* The Black Knights are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 home games versus a team with a winning road record.
* The under is 6-1 in Black Knights last seven games overall.

Nevada Wolf Pack at Florida State Seminoles (-33.5, 65.5)

One game into his much-anticipated college career and the bar has already been set impossibly high for Jameis Winston, who will look to build on a scintillating debut when No. 9 Florida State hosts Nevada on Saturday. Winston shattered the school's single-game completion percentage and posted an FBS-best passer rating of 252.2 as the Seminoles dismantled Pittsburgh on Sept. 2. Florida State has an extra week to prepare, but it is 1-2 coming off a bye the last three seasons.

Nevada, the alma mater of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, will be playing a ranked team on the road for the second time in three weeks after getting overwhelmed by UCLA 58-20 in the season opener. The Wolf Pack could be forced to play without dual-threat QB Cody Fajardo, who suffered a sprained right knee in last week's 36-7 victory over UC Davis. Fajardo is listed as day-to-day for Nevada, which went 5-1 on the road last season.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 41 percent chance of thunderstorms in Tallahassee.

LINE: The Seminoles opened as 32-point home faves and are currently -33.5. The total is 65.5.

TRENDS:
* The Wolf Pack are 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win.
* The Seminoles are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win.
* The under is 12-2 in Seminoles last 14 non-conference games.

Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies (+7.5, 60)

The two-time defending national champions take on the Heisman Trophy quarterback who nearly derailed their title defense a year ago when top-ranked Alabama travels to No. 6 Texas A&M for a Southeastern Conference showdown Saturday afternoon. Star quarterback Johnny Manziel and the Aggies put their nation-best eight-game winning streak on the line against Alabama's vaunted defense in one of the most-anticipated matchups of the season. Last year in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Manziel's Heisman campaign hit high gear when he orchestrated a 29-24 upset of the undefeated Crimson Tide.

Coach Nick Saban has had two weeks to prepare for Manziel and the Aggies' high-powered offense, as the Crimson Tide had a week off following a 35-10 win over Virginia Tech in the opener. Alabama hasn't lost a road or neutral-site game since Nov. 6, 2010, a span of 15 games - the longest active streak in the nation. It's the first trip to College Station, Texas, for the Crimson Tide since a 30-10 victory in 1988.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-90s with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Wind will blow across the field at 6 mph.

LINE: Most books opened with the Crimson Tide as 7.5-point road faves. The total opened at 62 and has come down to 60.

TRENDS:
* Crimson Tide are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 road games.
* The Aggies are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win.
* The over is 4-1 in the Aggies last five home games.

Tennessee Volunteers at Oregon Ducks (-27.5, 71)

It’s safe to say the transition from Chip Kelly to Mark Helfrich has been seamless as No. 2 Oregon hosts Tennessee on Saturday in the third game of the post-Kelly era. The high-flying offense hasn’t missed a beat by scoring an average of 62.5 points (third nationally) and ranking second in total offense (664.5) and second in rushing offense (425.0). Tennessee has allowed just 20 points in two games, ranks 29th in total defense (302.0) and has forced nine turnovers.

The Volunteers’ gaudy defensive statistics will be tested by the high-powered Ducks as the first two opponents – Austin Peay and Western Kentucky – lacked the weapons Oregon possesses. First-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones said his team needs to prevent the quick long-yardage scores the Ducks are known for and make them drive the field for points. Oregon is averaging a stellar 9.5 yards per play after opening the Helfrich era with routs over Nicholls State (66-3) and Virgina (59-10).

WEATHER: Skies will be clear and temperatures will be in the high-70s at Autzen Stadium.

LINE: Oregon opened as a 27-point home fave and has been bet up to -27.5. Most books opened to total at 70 and it is currently 71.

TRENDS:
* The Volunteers are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS win.
* The Ducks are 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
* The over is 26-8-1 in the Ducks last 35 home games.

[TheGame]

Saturday's NCAAF Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet

Evening Action

Check out quick-hitting betting notes for Saturday's evening college football Week 3 action:

Washington Huskies at Illinois Fighting Illini (+9.5, 62.5)

*Game to be played at Soldier Field in Chicago.

No. 23 Washington seeks to prove its season-opening thrashing of Boise State wasn’t a fluke and Illinois looks to start 3-0 for only the second time in 12 seasons when the teams meet Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Huskies shot into the national rankings after their convincing 38-6 win in their opener but went 3-10 away from Seattle over the previous two seasons. Illinois is playing at Soldier Field for only the second time.

The Fighting Illini brought in former Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit to revamp the offense, and the results were favorable in victories over Southern Illinois and Cincinnati. Illinois is averaging 43.5 points and 493 yards and has posted 17 plays of 20-plus yards after having just 34 last season. The Huskies will have All-American tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (69 receptions, 850 yards in 2012) back on the field after he was suspended for the Boise State game due to an offseason DUI charge.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with sunny skies over Chicago's Soldier Field.

LINE: Washington opened as a 10-point road favorite and is currently -9.5. The total is 62.5.

TRENDS:
* Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Fighting Illini are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games.
* The over is 4-0 in Fighting Illini last 4 non-conference games.

Vanderbilt Commodores at South Carolina Gamecocks (-13.5, 51)

Vanderbilt is trying to climb into the upper echelon of the Southern Conference's Eastern Division while No. 14 South Carolina is trying to stay there. The Commodores enter Saturday's road game with 14 straight losses to division powers Florida, Georgia and South Carolina and 14 consecutive losses to ranked opponents. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier expressed concerns about his defense - which has been strong against Vanderbilt recently - after a dismal showing in a 41-30 loss to Georgia.

"There's nothing embarrassing about losing as long as you play smart and play with a lot of effort," Spurrier told the media Tuesday. "We didn't do those two things." The Gamecocks' defensive frustrations were evident on the sideline during that loss when two assistant coaches got into an argument and after the game when junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney complained about how he was used. "Very frustrating," Clowney told ESPN after the Georgia game. "I told the coaches you got to put me somewhere else - in the middle if you want to - somewhere I can make some plays (to) help my team get in position to win. But (Georgia) took me right out of the game."

WEATHER: Skies will be partly cloudy to start and should clear up by the second half and temperatures will be in the low-70s.

LINE: Most books opened with the Gamecocks as 13.5-point home favorites. The total is currently 51.

TRENDS:
* The Gamecocks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* The under is 5-1 in the Commodores last six games in September.
* The under is 5-0-1 in the last six meetings.

Ohio State Buckeyes at California Golden Bears (+15.5, 65)

Heisman Trophy candidate Braxton Miller is expected to be available Saturday when Ohio State looks to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 15 games against California. The junior quarterback exited last week’s 42-7 victory over San Diego State in the first quarter with a sprained left knee, but he’s hoping to return against a California team that tested Ohio State in Columbus last season before falling 35-28. If Miller isn’t cleared to play, senior Kenny Guiton will get the start.

The Golden Bears followed their season-opening loss to Northwestern with an uninspiring 37-30 win over FCS opponent Portland State last week. Ohio State allowed a season-high 512 yards against California in last year’s matchup, and the Golden Bears’ offense is even more explosive this season under new coach Sonny Dykes. California’s running attack has struggled early, but freshman quarterback Jared Goff has been a revelation with 930 passing yards in his first two games.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the high-60s and skies will be clear in Berkeley. Wind will blow from SW at 11 mph across the field.

LINE: Cal opened as a 14.5-point home dog and that line is currently +15.5. The total is currently 65.

TRENDS:
* The Buckeyes are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 versus the Pac-12.
* The Golden Bears are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* The over is 5-0 in the Golden Bears last five versus the Big Ten.

Kent State Golden Flashes at Louisiana State Tigers (-37, 55)

The Golden Flashes averaged 33.1 points in 2012 en route to an 11-3 record and were led by a dominant rushing attack that piled up an average of more than 225 yards. That ground game has yet to find its footing in 2013 without starter Dri Archer, who was hurt three carries into the season opener against Liberty and is day-to-day with an ankle injury. Archer piled up 1990 yards from scrimmage in 2012 and averaged nine yards per carry.

The Tigers opened things up in the passing game under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and quarterback Zach Mettenberger. The senior set a school record with five touchdown passes in a 56-17 demolition of Alabama-Birmingham last week thanks in part to a strong connection with junior wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Beckham is averaging 251.5 all-purpose yards and had 331 last week - the eighth-best mark in SEC history.

WEATHER: There is a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast for Baton Rouge. Skies will be cloudy and temperatures will be in the mid-80s.

LINE: The Tigers opened as 37.5-point home faves and have moved to -37. The total is 55.

TRENDS:
* The Golden Flashes are 0-4 ATS in their last four versus the SEC.
* The over is 5-1 in Tigers last six home games.
* The over is 4-1 in Golden Flashes last five games in September.

Lamar Cardinals at Oklahoma State Cowboys (-46, 61.5)

Oklahoma State will try to return to making news on the field Saturday when the No. 11 Cowboys host Lamar in their home opener. Oklahoma State is the subject of an ongoing series in Sports Illustrated that alleges numerous NCAA violations from 2001-11, including payments to players. “We're all committed to playing by the rules and doing things the right way,” said athletic director Mike Holder, adding that “for people to say that is not what's happening is very disturbing.”

Lamar WR Jordan Edwards has stepped up with seven catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns through the first two games, giving quarterback Caleb Berry two deep threats against Oklahoma State. Size could be a problem on defense, however, as Lamar's leading tackler is 5-8, 175-pound defensive back Tyrus McGlothen.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the high-70s. Wind will blow from SE across the field at 6 mph.

LINE: Oklahoma State opened as a 46.6-point favorite and is currently -46. The total opened at 60.5 and is up to 61.5.

Mississippi Rebels at Texas Longhorns (-3, 65.5)

Mississippi will try to avenge an embarrassing loss from last season when the 25th-ranked Rebels visit reeling Texas on Saturday. Texas whipped Ole Miss 66-31 on the Rebels' home field last year, but the Longhorns enter this contest in disarray. Texas gave up 550 rushing yards in a 40-21 loss at Brigham Young last week, prompting coach Mack Brown to replace defensive coordinator Manny Diaz with Greg Robinson. Starting QB David Ash (head) did not practice Tuesday and the Longhorns could call on backup Case McCoy get the start.

The Rebels will pose a stiff test for Robinson as they are averaging 35 points behind quarterback Bo Wallace (471 passing yards, 2 TDs) and running back Jeff Scott (10.4 yards per carry). This is Ole Miss’ first trip to Austin since 1925 and it marks the start of a three-game road swing, with visits to Alabama and Auburn next. With a win over Texas, Ole Miss will improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1989.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-90s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from the east across the field at 6 mph.
LINE: The Longhorns opened as 2.5-point home favorites and have since been bet up to -3. The total is 65.5.

TRENDS:
* The Rebels are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS in their last five non-conference games.
* The over is 4-0 in Longhorns last four games overall.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purdue Boilermakers (+20.5, 49)

This year's Notre Dame defense isn't as good as the one that propelled the Fighting Irish into last year's BCS National Championship game. But the 41-30 loss at Michigan won't force Irish coach Brian Kelly to make drastic changes before the No. 21 Irish travel to Purdue on Saturday. "We're not a finished product," Kelly said during an early-week press conference. "We got some work to do."

The Boilermakers are ranked 116th out of 123 FBS teams in total offense (255 yards) and tied for 113th in points (13.5) and have just four scores (two touchdowns and two field goals) in seven red-zone trips. Purdue lost junior safety Landon Feichter to a broken leg and sophomore Anthony Brown will likely take his place. The Boilermakers' schedule doesn't get any easier with three ranked teams in the next five games (No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 15 Nebraska and No. 3 Ohio State) after Notre Dame.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for clear skies and temperatures in the low-60s.

LINE: Notre Dame opened as a 20.5-point road fave. The total opened at 50 and has moved to 49.

TRENDS:
* The Boilermakers are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.
* The under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings.
* The Fighting Irish are 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings in Purdue.

Western Michigan Broncos at Northwestern Wildcats (-30.5, 59)

No. 16 Northwestern goes for its 15th straight non-conference home win when it hosts Western Michigan on Saturday in the teams’ first-ever meeting. The Wildcats averaged 46 points and 544.5 total yards in beating California and Syracuse with quarterbacks Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian both playing at a high level. Kolter, who suffered a concussion in the opener, is listed as questionable but expected to suit up again like he did last week.

The Broncos are staggering after a 27-23 home loss to FCS opponent Nicholls State. First-year coach P.J. Fleck knew he was in for a rebuilding job as the team returned just 10 starters, two on offense. Senior quarterback Tyler Van Tubbergen has thrown four interceptions without a touchdown pass.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with wind blowing from the south towards the north endzone at 6 mph.

LINE: The Wildcats opened as 31.5-point home favorites and are currently -30.5. The total opened at 59.5 and has since moved to 59.

TRENDS:
* The Broncos are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 versus the Big Ten.
* The Wildcats are 9-0 ATS in their last nine home games.
* The under is 4-0 in the Broncos last four games overall.

Wisconsin Badgers at Arizona State Sun Devils (-5.5, 54.5)

Arizona State will host its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday. The Badgers are coming off two blowout road victories against Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech and are preparing for their first true test of the season in the Sun Devils. Arizona State lost a heartbreaker to then-ranked No. 11 Wisconsin in 2010 - the last time these teams met - after a blocked extra point resulted in a 20-19 win at Camp Randall Stadium.

Defense will play a pivotal role in this matchup as the teams rank first and second nationally in yards allowed with Wisconsin giving up just 162.5 and Arizona State only 167. The Sun Devils will need that second-ranked defense to stop a trio of running backs in James White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement, who have rushed for more than 100 yards apiece in each of the last two games for the Badgers. Saturday's matchup will also feature two quarterbacks that have thrown for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns in Arizona State junior Taylor Kelly and Wisconsin sophomore Joel Stave.

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the mid-90s with clear skies. Wind will blow from the west across the field at 5 mph.

LINE: The Sun Devils opened as 5.5-poin home faves. The total opened at 52.5 and has moved to 54.5.

TRENDS:
* Sun Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Badgers are 1-4 ATS in their last five versus the Pac-12.
* The over is 11-4 in the Sun Devils last 15 home games.

[TheGame]

Essential Betting Tidbits for Week 3 of College Football
By Covers.com

We dug up these vital betting tidbits for Saturday's early college football action that will help you make the right call before kickoff.

Some big line moves for the 12 p.m. ET games as of late Friday morning: Tulsa-Oklahoma -27 to -24.5, Stanford-Army +27.5 to +30, UCLA -Nebraska -7.5 to -3.5, Georgia State-West Virginia -37 to -40, Louisville-Kentucky +10 to +14, Akron-Michigan -35.5 to 37.

More special teams gaffes from Tulsa last week. Fumble on a punt return, two missed field goals from short range (a problem going back to last season), and a punt return TD against. This has become a key betting factor for Tulsa games. +24.5 at Oklahoma.

Virginia Tech easily beat FCS Western Carolina last week but QB Logan Thomas had 5 pass progression errors in the game. Not good considering Thomas, who loves to run, has had his had his running plays limited this season. -7.5 at ECU

Blake Bell will start at QB in place of the injured Trevor Knight. This could actually be a good thing for the Sooners after Knight struggled with passing accuracy against West Virginia (10-of-20).

The average weight of Stanford's offensive line outweighs Army's defensive line by 70 pounds. The defensive line outweighs the Black Knights' O-line by 40 pounds on average. Stanford +30 at Army.

Stanford has 25 straight games with at least one takeway, longest streak in the nation.

Keep in mind it could feel like 9 a.m. (Pacific Time) to the Cardinal when they play Army Saturday at noon ET at West Point.

Seven players on Nebraska's front seven have made their college debuts over the past two weeks. They're in tough against a UCLA team that put up 653 yards on the Huskers last year. Nebraska -3.5

UCLA has the No. 3 offense in the country so far with 647 yards per game.

Kentucky freshman wide receiver Ryan Timmons told Kentucky.com he expects a high-scoring game against Louisville on Saturday. The total was at 60 late Friday afternoon.

Brady Hoke has doughnuts coming for the first 5,000 students to go to the game vs. Akron on Saturday. He calls noon games "doughnut games" because he used to buy a doughnut before he played football at that time as a youth player. He says the Wolverines love these games. Michigan is -37.

Bowling Green is one of 18 FBS teams who have started the year at 2-0 ATS. +3 at Indiana.

You might want to look at first half wagers for Oregon this season. "Oregon has an FBS-high 60 TD drives that lasted 2 minutes or less since the start of last season. 40 of those 60 came in the first half" according to ESPN's stats & info.

[TheGame]

Line Moves - Week 3
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

Week 2 Recap

Favorites: 5-3
Underdogs: 2-3
Totals: 3-5

Week 3 Line Moves

Last week, we used opening numbers from The Wynn in Las Vegas because they were the first sportsbook to release. This past Sunday, the oddsmakers at the offshore sportsbook CRIS decided to test their skills by releasing opening numbers for Week 3 at 12: 30 p.m. ET, perhaps to catch some bettors off-guard. Below are all of the major moves of "Four Points" or more off the opening line from CRIS.

Favorites

Louisville at Kentucky
Open: Cardinals -7
Friday: Cardinals -13 ½

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Oregon vs. Tennessee
Open: Ducks -20
Friday: Ducks -27 1/2

Northern Illinois at Idaho
Open: Huskies -24
Friday: Huskies -28 1/2

Middle Tennessee State vs. Memphis
Open: Blue Raiders -3 1/2
Friday: Blue Raiders -7 1/2

Rice vs. Kansas
Open: Pick ‘em
Friday: Owls -6

Toledo vs. Eastern Washington (Extra Games)
Open: Rockets - 3
Friday: Rockets - 7 1/2

Underdogs

Eastern Michigan at Rutgers
Open: Eagles +34
Friday: Eagles +28

Boston College at USC
Open: Eagles +17 1/2
Friday: Eagles +13 1/2

Tulsa at Oklahoma
Open: Golden Hurricane +28
Friday: Golden Hurricane +24

Western Michigan at Northwestern
Open: Broncos +35
Friday: Broncos +30

Central Michigan at UNLV
Open: Chippewas +16
Friday: Chippewas +7 1/2

Week 3 Total Moves

CRIS opened their ‘over/under’ numbers on Monday afternoon. Below are all of the total moves of “Three Points” or more off the opening line.

Louisville at Kentucky
Open: 56 1/2
Friday: 59 1/2

Louisiana-Monroe at Wake Forest
Open: 53 1/2
Friday: 50 1/2

Ohio State at California
Open: 61
Friday: 65 ½

Note – This game opened Wednesday due to the status of Ohio State QB Braxton Miller, who is now listed as ‘probable’ for Saturday.

Central Michigan at UNLV
Open: 58
Friday: 54

[TheGame]

Alabama at Texas A&M
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies
Venue: Kyle Field in College Station, Texas (Grass)
Date: Saturday, September 14, 2013
Time/TV: 3:30 pm. ET - CBS
Line: Alabama -8, Over/Under 61
Last Meeting: 2012, Texas A&M (+13.5) 29-24 at Alabama

The moment Alabama fans have been waiting for since Johnny Freakin’ Football conquered Bryant-Denny Stadium last season has finally arrived. The Crimson Tide will take on Texas A&M in College Station at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday afternoon.

As of late Friday afternoon, most books had Alabama (1-0 straight up, 1-0 against the spread) listed as an eight-point favorite with the total in the 60-61 range. Gamblers can back the Aggies to win outright for a +250 return (risk $100 to win $250). For first-half wagers, ‘Bama is favored by 4.5 with a total of 31.

The line opened at 7.5 at most spots on Sunday afternoon. However, that number quickly shot up to nine and even as high as 9.5 Sunday night. By Monday, though, it was back down to eight. On Tuesday, some betting shops moved to 7.5 before the number settled at eight where it has remained for most of the last 48 hours.

Nick Saban’s team won its season opener over Va. Tech by a 35-10 score at the Ga. Dome in Week 1. The Tide took the cash as a 21-point favorite, while the 45 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 45.5-point total.

Alabama only generated 206 yards of total offense against the Hokies, who finished with 212 yards. Saban’s bunch got a pair of special-teams touchdowns and a pick-six from safety Vinnie Sunseri. Christion Jones scored three TDs with a punt return, a kick return and a 38-yard TD reception from A.J. McCarron.

But the ‘Bama faithful wasn’t happy with the offense’s lackluster effort. The o-line wasn’t able to open holes for T.J. Yeldon and didn’t provide McCarron with the time needed to throw the ball. Saban had an open date to fix the issues.

Texas A&M (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) had to go without starting QB Johnny Manziel in the first half of its opener against Rice. The Aggies went to intermission with a 28-21 advantage before last year’s Heisman winner took the field.

Kevin Sumlin’s team would eventually collect a 52-31 win over Owls, but it failed to cover the number as a 28-point home favorite. The 83 combined points sailed ‘over’ the 69-point total.

Manziel completed 6-of-8 passes for 94 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Mike Evans had six receptions for 84 yards and a pair of TDs, while Tra Carson ran for two TDs.

In Week 2 against Sam Houston St. at Kyle Field, Texas A&M cruised to a 65-28 victory as a 35-point home ‘chalk.’ The 93 combined points soared ‘over’ the 75.5-point tally.

Manziel threw for 403 yards and three TDs and also had a rushing score. Ben Malena rushed for a team-high 91 yards and one TD on just 10 carries, while Evans made seven catches for 155 yards.

When these teams met in Tuscaloosa last year, Texas A&M raced out to a 20-0 lead and held on to capture a 29-24 win as a 13.5-point underdog. The 53 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 54.5-point total.

Manziel connected on 24-of-31 throws for 253 yards and two TDs without an interception. He also rushed for 92 yards on 18 totes. McCarron was intercepted only three times in the entire 2012 campaign, but two of those picks were made by the Aggies, including the game-clincher on fourth and goal in the final minute.

As a road favorite during Saban’s seven-year tenure, Alabama has compiled a 16-8 spread record. The Aggies have only been home underdog once on Sumlin’s watch, losing 20-17 to Florida as one-point ‘dogs in last year’s season opener.

Alabama starting senior DE Ed Stinson has an ankle sprain and is listed as ‘questionable.’ Stinson had three sacks and five QB hurries last year.

For Texas A&M, starting junior safety Floyd Raven is ‘out’ with a collarbone injuries. Each defender of the six that were suspended for the opener or the first two games will be in uniform for the Aggies.

CBS will provide television coverage.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

The ‘under’ is 5-0-1 in the last six head-to-head meetings between South Carolina and Vanderilt. The Gamecocks and Commodores have a total of 50.5 points for their SEC East showdown Saturday night in Columbia.

South Carolina owns a 23-15 spread record in 38 games as a home favorite during Steve Spurrier’s tenure. The Gamecocks are favored by 14 over Vandy.

Since 2005, Oregon owns a 30-16-2 spread record in 48 games as a home favorite. The Ducks are 28-point home ‘chalk’ Saturday afternoon vs. Tennessee. The Vols are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as road underdogs.

Tennessee starting DT Mo Couch didn’t make the trip to Eugene. Couch was ruled ineligible by the school after a Yahoo! report named him as one of five SEC players who recently received extra benefits from an agent.

Sportsbook.ag updated its Games of the Year this week. A few important ones include Clemson -1 vs. FSU, Georgia -4 vs. Florida, Oregon -6 at Stanford Alabama -11.5 vs. LSU and Florida pick ‘em vs. FSU.

As of Friday afternoon, it appears as if Ohio St. QB Braxton Miller (knee) will play at California, while Texas QB David Ash (head) will not play vs. Ole Miss.

[TheGame]

College Football Betting Preview: Ole Miss at Texas
By Alatex Sports
Sportsmemo.com

Mississippi at Texas
Saturday, 5 pm PT
CRIS Opener: Texas -3.5 O/U 65
CRIS Current: Texas -2.5 O/U 64.5
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Texas -1
Brent Crow's Recommendation: Mississippi

Much has been made of the firing of Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and the hiring of Greg Robinson to fill his post. Obviously, Mack Brown has a problem with his defense and the hiring of Robinson, who we last saw having terrible results as Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Rich Rodriguez, isn’t likely to fix things. Texas allowed 29.2 ppg last year, giving up 404 yards per game, which was an increase of 7 ppg and 98 ypg over 2011. After BYU ran through them for 559 yards on the ground last week, the decision was made to fire Diaz and hire Robinson, who has supposedly been watching video of the Horns from his home in Los Angeles.

Robinson will have all of three practices to get the Horns defense ready for the wide open attack of Ole Miss. I am not sure three weeks or three months under Robinson would be enough to get the job done, as he basically had one good year as a DC at Texas in 2004 and has had no success as a head coach or DC since then. I don’t expect Texas to be as bad this week as they were last week, but they aren’t going to correct all of their flaws either.

Ole Miss presents an even bigger challenge than BYU did based on their personnel. Quarterback Bo Wallace is a much better passer than BYU’s Taysom Hill, and he can also run it as well. Running back Jeff Scott has averaged 10 yards per carry through the first two games to lead the Rebels and they have three solid receivers in Evan Engram, Donte Moncrief and Laquon Treadwell.

Wallace has been solid in the first game and a half that he has played, tossing for 471 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The Rebels faced Texas early last year and took a 66-31 loss at home, but were able to move the ball well enough to gain 399 yards. It was really just the beginning of the Rebels’ offensive success and even though it is early in the season again this year, they are a much better offensive team in year two with Wallace at QB and Hugh Freeze as the head coach and play caller.

Texas may not be limited to just problems on the defense as starting quarterback David Ash is very questionable with concussion symptoms. If Ash can’t go, senior backup Case McCoy will get the start and a true freshman will be his backup. In addition, top playmaker Daje Johnson twisted his ankle on the third play of the game against BYU after scoring two touchdowns in the opener against New Mexico State. Johnson will not play this week and is out indefinitely. McCoy has played off and on for four years at Texas, and has never been good enough to hold the starting job.

So far, Texas has played one good half of football on offense – the second half of its opener against New Mexico State. With Johnson and possibly Ash out, the prognosis doesn’t look good for the offense this week.

Ole Miss is a completely different team than they were last year when Texas steamrolled them in Oxford. They grew up a lot throughout the season and just about everyone returned for this season. Big plays by the Texas offense killed them in last year’s blowout, but this year it should be the Rebels making the big plays.