College Football Betting Info. Week 4

[TheGame]

College football odds: Week 4 opening line report

The Stanford Cardinal (2-0 SU, 0-2 ATS) get their first real test of the season as they host the Arizona State Sun Devils (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) in a big matchup in the Pac-12.

Sun Devils RB Marion Grice tallied four touchdowns in a 32-30 victory over No. 20 Wisconsin Saturday night.

Stanford defeated Army 34-20 in an unconvincing victory for the No. 5 team in the land, but open as a double-digit favorite against its conference foe.

Peter Korner, founder of the Nevada-based odds service The Sports Club, and his team had varying opinions on where the line should open.

"We had a low of seven and a high of 13," Korner told Covers. "I put it right in the middle at 10. Stanford didn't show very well against an easy, knock-over team but they are at home, they're ranked and we wanted to keep it at double-digits and not be too low."

Tennessee Volunteers at Florida Gators (-14)

The Florida Gators (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) and Tennessee Volunteers (2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS) will renew acquaintances in this fierce SEC rivalry.

The Gators are coming off a tough loss against in-state rivals Miami Hurricanes but a bye week will help them prepare for the Volunteers, who were hammered by the Oregon Ducks 59-14.

Korner and his team fully expect the Gators to win. It's just a question of by how much.

"All five of us were between 13.5 and 15 so we sent out 14," said Korner. "The line should hold right around there so I don't think you'll see too much up or down from the two touchdown area."

Auburn Tigers at LSU Tigers (-18)

Another battle in the SEC features the Auburn Tigers (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) traveling to Baton Rouge to face the LSU Tigers (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS).

Auburn might be 3-0 and are coming off a victory against Mississippi State, but the Tigers haven't proven anything to Korner.

"Most of the guys were between 15 and 18," he says. "I just think Auburn is a mediocre team and LSU at home is always tough. I just have to see Auburn play better than what we've seen for this to be any lower."

Clemson Tigers at NC State Wolfpack (+12)

Week 4 of the NCAA schedule opens with the Clemson Tigers (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) at the NC State Wolfpack (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS).

Clemson has looked sharp after defeating Georgia in Week 1 and thrashing South Carolina State in Week 2.

WR Charone Peake (eight receptions, 84 yards) tore his ACL during a midweek practice and is out for the rest of the season. But the Tigers boast weapons all over the field and open as double-digit favorites.

"We put it at Clemson -12," Korner states. "Gun to my head says this line goes maybe a little higher. Clemson is obviously the stronger of the two and we know when we have a standalone game like this, everyone bets favorites."

Michigan State Sparatans at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7.5)

The Irish (2-1 SU, 0-3 ATS) were not overly convincing in their 31-24 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers but will open as favorites against the Spartans (3-0 SU, 1-2 ATS).

"We were all around a touchdown and I stuck with a 7.5," says Korner. "There's nothing out there that leads me to believe that this should be higher or lower. Notre Dame was a little bit challenged this week against Purdue but they should be better prepared this time."

[TheGame]

Week 3 Rewind
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Texas A&M raced out to a 20-0 lead at Alabama last season and held on to capture a 29-24 victory. This time around Saturday in College Station, the Aggies jumped out to a 14-0 advantage. All that had happened during The Summer of Johnny was forgotten and Kyle Field was as raucous as any venue in America.

But Alabama senior quarterback A.J. McCarron had been here before. Not there at Kyle Field, literally, but in the same type of scenario. And as usual, the Mobile product delivered for the Crimson Tide.

McCarron, who now owns a 27-2 record and two national titles in 29 career starts, orchestrated four consecutive scoring drives to put his team in front 28-14 at intermission. McCarron would complete 20-of-29 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

Manziel was spectacular but his two interceptions turned the game around in ‘Bama’s favor. In fairness to Manziel, however, the first pick wasn’t on him in my opinion. With the game knotted at 14-14, Texas A&M faced a second-and-goal opportunity at the ‘Bama four.

Manziel threw a fade to the corner that was intercepted by Cyrus Jones. If you watched the replay, the A&M receiver didn’t do a very good job of fighting for position. Trailing 28-14 early in the third quarter, Manziel was intercepted by Vinnie Sunseri, who made a remarkable return of 73 yards to paydirt for his second pick-six of the season.

But the Aggies wouldn’t die. After both teams traded TDs, Manziel found Malcome Kennedy for a 12-yard scoring strike to cut the deficit to 42-28.

Alabama answered with a strong drive and appeared to be poised to score again on a second and goal from the one. But T.J. Yeldon coughed up a fumble that was recovered by the Aggies.

To be clear, Nick Saban has forgotten more about football than I’ll ever know. But a few plays later, he (or defensive coordinator Kirby Smart) made a colossal mistake. With Texas A&M facing a third and nine from its own five, Manziel noticed man coverage on his favorite target Mike Evans.

With Sunseri, ‘Bama’s All-American safety, inexplicably shading to the other side of the field, Manziel dropped back into his own end zone and let it fly. Evans, who would finish the day with seven receptions for 279 yards, ran under it and took it to the house for a 95-yard touchdown.

Four plays after Alabama was one yard away from going ahead 49-28, we had a one-possession game with more than eight minutes remaining.

When McCarron marched his offense back on the field, the urgency level wasn’t where it was in Baton Rouge last season when Alabama trailed with less than two minutes left. But Saban was ready to have a coronary if Johnny Football got the chance to go back on the field down by only seven points. McCarron and Yeldon would let it happen.

With a nine-play 60-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock and sucked the life out of Kyle Field, Alabama put the game on ice. The drive only went to third down once on the final play when McCarron found Jalston Fowler for a five-yard TD pass off a beautiful play-action fake.

For our purposes, though, the game was still a nail-biter. And Johnny Backdoors would deliver for Texas A&M backers who took the eight-point underdog. Manziel’s four-yard TD pass to Kennedy with 15 ticks remaining made it 49-42.

‘Bama would recover the onside kick and McCarron needed to take a knee just once from out of the victory formation. The 91 combined points soared ‘over’ the 63-point total. Manziel connected on 28-of-39 throws for 454 yards and five TDs. He also rushed for 98 yards on 14 carries.

Yeldon rushed for 149 yards and one TD on 25 totes. ‘Bama will host Colorado St. in Week 4 before Ole Miss comes to Tuscaloosa.

Speaking of the Rebels, they will get an open date leading into their date with the Tide. Hugh Freeze’s team improved to 3-0 (2-1 ATS) by trouncing Texas 44-23 as a 2.5-point underdog.

Jeff Scott ran for 164 yards and one TD on 19 carries and also had a 73-yard punt return for a TD. Bo Wallace threw for 177 yards and two TDs and also ran for 57 yards and one score.

UCLA fell behind 21-3 at Nebraska in the second quarter of their showdown in Lincoln. But the Bruins scored 38 unanswered points en route to collecting a 41-21 win as short underdogs. They were five-point ‘dogs early in the week but the number came down to three by late Friday afternoon. By kickoff at noon Eastern, some books had made the game a pick ‘em.

UCLA sophomore QB Brett Hundley completed 16-of-24 passes for 294 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for 61 yards. Jordon James rushed for 105 yards and one TD for the Bruins.

Former Nebraska QB Tommie Frazier, who led the Cornhuskers to the national title in 1995, was honored at the game. Frazier wasn’t happy with the team’s performance and called for changes, especially in terms of the defensive coaches.

Bo Pelini responded at his Monday presser by saying, “If that’s how he feels, we don’t need him.” When you’re on the hot seat at Nebraska, it’s probably not a good idea to take shots at one of the school’s most legendary figures.

On Monday, the Pac-12 reprimanded the officials for Saturday’s Wisconsin-Arizona St. game due to the way they mishandled the end of the game. The Sun Devils won a 32-30 decision but failed to cover the number as six-point home favorites.

Wisconsin had a golden opportunity to win outright and hook up money-line backers with a +185 payout (risk $100 to win $185). The Badgers advanced to the ASU 13 with 18 seconds remaining, but they didn’t have any timeouts left.

Therefore, it would be understandable if Gary Andersen wanted to take a shot at the end zone. In that scenario, as long as QB Joel Stave got the ball out fast and didn’t get sacked, everything would be all good. I would’ve been fine with just going ahead and kicking the field goal.

The last thing on earth you want to do is run any sort of play where the clock keeps running and you risk something crazy happening in terms of getting the ball spotted for the next play. Well, Andersen wanted to do just that. He told Stave to center the ball (Wisconsin was on the right hash for what would’ve been a 30-yard field goal) and then spike it on the next play.

There would be no next play. Stave moved to his left and took a knee and then placed the ball on the ground, hoping the referee would jump in and mark the ball quickly. The ASU players wisely jumped on the ball, acting as if they had just recovered a fumble. Chaos ensued and the refs had no sense of urgency whatsoever.

The refs got the ball marked with 1 or 2 seconds left, but it was too late for a spike to stop the clock. Yes, the refs failed to do their job properly, but it was Andersen’s mistake for giving the officials that opportunity.

I’ve always liked Andersen, but this defeat is completely on him.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

UCF’s win over Penn State at Beaver Stadium lifted it to 3-0 going into an open date that precedes a home game vs. South Carolina. Yes, the Golden Knights can get to a BCS bowl game this year. In fact, if they beat the Gamecocks and win at Louisville, don’t discount the notion that they could vault into the top 10 of the national rankings by the end of October.

Louisville remained undefeated with its 27-13 win at Kentucky as a 13-point favorite. The Cardinals had to be pleased with UCF’s win at PSU and will certainly be pulling for the Golden Knights against Steve Spurrier’s team. --Texas Tech improved to 3-0 both straight up and against the spread by capturing a 20-10 win over TCU on Thursday as a three-point home underdog. The Red Raiders host Texas St. this week. They have an excellent chance to win their first seven games before playing at Oklahoma on Oct. 26.

Texas has lost 10 of its last 21 home games.

UCLA was a great halftime bet. Trailing 21-10 at Nebraska, the Bruins were favored by three for +8 adjusted. They won by 20.

5Dimes had Akron with 110/1 odds to win outright at the Big House. The Zips nearly did just that but couldn’t punch it in inside Michigan’s five in the final seconds. The Wolverines won, 28-24, but Terry Bowden’s team easily took the cash as a 35-point underdog.

[TheGame]

Top 25 Betting Recap - Week 3
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com

Week 3 of the 2013 NCAA football betting season is in the books, and today, we're going to be taking a look at each of the Top 25 teams in the land and see how they did from an ATS perspective in this go around this past week.

(Results in parentheses represent SU Result-ATS Result)

1: Alabama (W-L vs. Texas A&M 49-42)
The Tide won last week, but they won't be happy about allowing over 500 yards and 42 points to Johnny Football whom they let in through the backdoor.

2: Oregon (W-W vs. Tennessee 59-14)
If Marcus Mariota wasn't a Heisman candidate before, he is now after throwing for 456 yards and four scores.

3: Clemson (Bye)
Up next is the dreaded "should win road game" against NC State.

4: Ohio State (W-W vs. California 52-34)
Kenny Guiton has proven to absolutely be a suitable replacement for the injured Braxton Miller.

5: Stanford (W-L vs. Army 34-20)
The Cadets ended with far more points than the Cardinal would have preferred to allow.

6: Texas A&M (L-W vs. Alabama 49-42)
A&M's National Championship hopes took a shot, but remain alive after a close loss to Bama.

7: Louisville Cardinals (W-W vs. Kentucky 27-13)
It was the first time that the Cards looked almost human this year.

8: LSU (W-L vs. Kent State 45-13)
LSU now has 37 or more scored in three straight games.

9: Georgia (Bye)
The Bulldogs earned this bye after playing Clemson and South Carolina to start off the season.

10: Florida State (W-W vs. Nevada 62-7)
You wouldn't know that FSU was losing in the second quarter. The Noles rolled off 31 unanswered in the third quarter alone.

11: Michigan (W-L vs. Akron 28-24)
First App State and now almost Akron. The Wolverines need to stop scheduling horrid opponents to come to the Big House.

12: Oklahoma State (W-W vs. Lamar 59-3)
Getting 426 yards almost seems like slacking for Okie State.

13: South Carolina (W-L vs. Vanderbilt 35-25)
The Gamecocks were up 28-0 and 35-10 and nearly were in a dog fight in the fourth.

14: Oklahoma (W-W vs. Tulsa 51-20)
Quarterback controversy is no more in Norman. This is Blake Bell's team for the foreseeable future.

15: Miami (Bye)
They're still partying in South Beach over the Canes' win two weeks ago over Florida.

16: UCLA (W-W vs. Nebraska 41-21)
After getting out to a wretched start, the Bruins rolled off 38 straight to stun the Huskers.

17: Northwestern (W-L vs. Western Michigan 38-17)
Very quietly, Northwestern is 3-0 and has scored 38+ in three games to start the campaign.

18: Florida (Bye)
If Will Muschamp loses this week to Tennessee, is he on the hot seat?

19: Washington (W-L vs. Illinois 34-24)
Keith Price threw for 342 and Bishop Sankey ran for 208, but the Huskies still couldn't cover -11 against a team that only completed 10-of-26 passes.

20: Wisconsin (L-W vs. Arizona State 32-30)
Next time, worry about spiking the ball, Joel Stave.

21: Notre Dame (W-L vs. Purdue 31-24)
Whew. Almost a second straight disaster against a Big Ten team for the Fighting Irish.

22: Baylor (Bye)
The Air Bear took the week off last week.

23: Nebraska (L-L vs. UCLA 41-21)
That 21-3 lead sure went away in a hurry. The Black Shirts have a lot of work to do in the Big Ten.

24: TCU (L-L vs. Texas Tech 20-10)
There's a real chance that TCU goes from Top 25 to not making a bowl game this year.

25: Ole Miss (W-W vs. Texas 44-23)
Think Texas has some defensive problems? Ole Miss rolled off 272 on the ground to stun Mack and the Longhorn nation.

[TheGame]

Clemson at North Carolina State

What Bettors Need to Know

Clemson Tigers at North Carolina State Wolfpack (+13.5, 66.5)

North Carolina State looks to slow down Heisman Trophy candidate Tajh Boyd on Thursday when the Wolfpack host fourth-ranked Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams. Boyd accounted for an ACC-record eight touchdowns in last season’s 62-48 victory over the Wolfpack and the senior quarterback threw for three scores and ran for two more in Clemson's season-opening 38-35 win over Georgia. The Tigers have won eight of the last nine meetings, but were upset during their last visit to Raleigh in 2011.

Clemson lost its second-leading receiver for the season when junior Charone Peake suffered a torn ACL during practice last week, but the Tigers still have plenty of weapons. Senior running back Roderick McDowell is averaging 5.8 yards per carry, and junior wide receiver Sammy Watkins had 127 yards receiving and a touchdown against Georgia. “They just score in bunches early in games and go up on people early,” said Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren. “We’ve got to do a great job of trying to stay in the game early.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: Clemson opened -14 and has been bet down under the key number to -13.5. The total opened at 65.5 and has been moved to 66.5 points.

WEATHER: Temperatures in the mid 60s and partly cloudy skies with a 2 percent chance of rain. Winds ESE at 4 mph.

ABOUT CLEMSON (2-0, 1-1 ATS): After opening its season with a 38-35 victory over Georgia, the Tigers routed South Carolina State 52-13 before its bye week. Clemson is averaging 37.7 points since offensive coordinator Chad Morris took over in 2011, and the defense has shown improvement since allowing nearly 600 total yards against the Wolfpack last season. Senior linebacker Spencer Shuey had a team-high 18 tackles against Georgia, and defensive end Vic Beasley added two sacks.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (2-0, 1-1 ATS): The Wolfpack opened with a 40-14 victory over Louisiana Tech before committing four turnovers and 10 penalties in a 23-21 win over Richmond on Sept. 7. Junior defensive end Art Norman was named the ACC defensive lineman of the week after the Richmond game, and senior linebackers Zach Gentry and Robert Caldwell will need to continue their strong play against the explosive Clemson offense. Junior quarterback Pete Thomas has three interceptions and no touchdowns since taking over for Brandon Mitchell, who injured his foot in the season opener.

TRENDS:

* Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in North Carolina State.
* Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Road team is 13-3 ATS in their last 16 meetings.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Doeren is 14-0 at home in two years at Northern Illinois and two games with the Wolfpack.

2. Nine of the last 16 games in the series have been decided by eight points or fewer.

3. Clemson has a 2-9 record in ESPN Thursday night games, but seven of the nine losses have come to Top 25 teams.

[TheGame]

No. 3 Clemson opens ACC play at NC State Thursday
by Nick Bracken

Kickoff: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Clemson -13.5, Total: 66

Two unbeaten ACC foes open their conference season on Thursday night with hopes of starting the season 3-0 when No. 3 Clemson visits North Carolina State.

The Tigers have proven themselves worthy of their high ranking with a thrilling victory over Georgia in week one. NC State is still looking for its first quality win and it will have plenty of quality to deal with on the other sideline on Thursday. The Wolfpack are hoping to have a better showing defensively than they did last year against Clemson when they allowed 62 points and 754 yards. Even with the poor defensive performance, the Wolfpack only lost by 14 (62-48) and were able to cover the 15-point spread. State has actually covered their past two meetings against the Tigers, but Clemson is 7-2 ATS (6-3 SU) in Raleigh since 1995. However, NC State is also 9-5 ATS (13-2 SU) at home over the past three seasons. The Pack may have a history of being successful at home, but September has not been their favorite month going 1-7 ATS over the past three seasons and 26-38 ATS in the season's first month since 1993. The Tigers have had terrific success against conference foes in the past three years, going 14-3 SU & 13-4 ATS. Clemson also hasn't had a problem covering on the road going 6-3 ATS in its past nine games. As double-digit favorites, the orange and purple aren't likely to lose outright, going 7-0 SU as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points in the past three seasons and a dominating 37-10 SU in this scenario since 1993.

Anything less than a National Championship will be a letdown for the super talented Clemson Tigers this season. They are led by Heisman hopeful QB Tajh Boyd who had the best game of his career in last year's meeting against the Wolfpack, piling up 426 passing yards, 103 rushing yards and scoring a conference record eight touchdowns, with five coming through the air and three on the ground. Boyd did lose one of his favorite targets to the NFL, DeAndre Hopkins, but still has one of the best pass catchers in college football with WR Sammy Watkins, who lit up the NC State secondary for 11 catches, 110 yards and a touchdown last season. Watkins has 146 yards on nine catches this year and is a threat to break the game open at any time. The Tigers would love to get their running attack going early Thursday to open up the passing game. Clemson's ground game is led by senior RB Roderick McDowell who has gained 175 yards on just 30 carries for the pass-happy Tigers.

The Wolfpack are coming off a lackluster win in which they barely edged out 23-point underdog Richmond by a 23-21 score. NC State has had quarterback issues with Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas, throwing three interceptions and no touchdowns in the first two games of this young season. Thomas also hasn't had too much help from the running game where the two leading rushers -- Matt Dayes and Tony Creecy -- are averaging just 4.1 yards a carry. State has relied on premier quarterbacks over the years with Mike Glennon and Russell Wilson but now they must hope the junior Thomas can fill these big shoes.

[TheGame]

Thursday Night Football Betting

Chiefs at Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles (-3, 50.5)

Andy Reid returns to the city where he thrived - and eventually nosedived - when he guides the Kansas City Chiefs into a Thursday night matchup with the host Philadelphia Eagles. Reid enjoyed a spectacular run during his 14-year tenure with the Eagles, bringing the team to five conference championship games and one Super Bowl appearance. Philadelphia flamed out in Reid's final two seasons, leading to his dismissal and the offseason hiring of Oregon coach Chip Kelly.

Reid has the Chiefs off to a surprising 2-0 start to match their win total from last season that locked up the No. 1 overall pick for Kansas City in the NFL Draft. Kelly, whose fast-break offense is the talk of the league after Philadelphia rolled up 63 points in splitting its first two games, said he is not concerned about the emotional impact of Reid's homecoming. “I think they’re locked in,” Kelly said. “We met and we talked about the Kansas City Chiefs, so that’s not a concern."

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NFL Network.

LINE: Eagles opened -3 and went as high as -3.5 before coming back down to a field goal. The total opened 49.5 and has been bet up to 50.5 points.

WEATHER: clear skies and temperatures in the mid 60s. Winds blowing SSW at 6 mph.

COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Chiefs (0.0) + Eagles (+1.0) + Home field (-3.0) = Eagles -2

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (2-0, 1-1 ATS): Reid was castigated during his time in Philly for a tendency to abandon the running game so quickly, and Jamaal Charles - a 1,500-yard rusher last season - is averaging 66 yards on 16 carries in each of the first two games. Charles does have 11 catches in the West Coast offense run by quarterback Alex Smith, who has been quietly efficient with four touchdowns and zero turnovers - a welcome change for a team that tied the Eagles and New York Jets for the most giveaways with 37 in 2012. Kansas City's defense has been integral to the early success, allowing 18 points and only one touchdown.

ABOUT THE EAGLES (1-1, 1-1 ATS): Kelly's rapid-fire offense has been a boon for quarterback Michael Vick, who is enjoying a renaissance after throwing for a career-high 428 yards in Sunday's 33-30 loss to San Diego. Wideout DeSean Jackson, a malcontent for most of the previous two seasons, tops the league with 297 yards receiving while running back LeSean McCoy has piled up an NFL-high 237 yards rushing. Philadelphia's defense could not slow Washington in the second half of the season opener and was carved up by San Diego's Philip Rivers in a loss that was compounded by Kelly's clock mismanagement in the final minutes.

TRENDS:

* Chiefs are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games in Week 3.
* Eagles are 6-20-1 ATS in their last 27 home games.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Chiefs last five road games.
* Over is 5-0 in Eagles last five games overall.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Chiefs and Eagles were each a league-worst minus-24 in turnover differential last season.

2. Vick is tied with Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers for the most yards (10.3) per passing attempt.

3. The Eagles have won the last three matchups, including a 34-14 home win in September 2009.

[TheGame]

Fresno State hosts Boise State Friday night
by Nick Bracken

Kickoff: Friday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Fresno State -3, Total: 68

Boise State finds itself as a rare underdog Friday in Bulldog Stadium against an uprising Fresno State team eager to end its long losing skid in this series.

Fresno State hasn't always been a household name on the football field, but was 7-1 in the Mountain West last season. However, the Broncos have dominated this series with seven straight victories (both SU and ATS) over Fresno by a combined score of 319 to 103, or an average score of 46 to 15. Since 2001, Boise is 11-1 ATS versus the Bulldogs, including 5-1 ATS at Fresno. The Bulldogs haven't fared well when being stamped as a moderate favorite, going 1-4 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points in the past five such games. Fresno might not be great when favored, but has certainly been very strong against conference opponents, going 11-4 ATS (10-5 SU) over the past three seasons. On the flip side, Boise State has built a prestige over the years and is no longer the darling underdogs as they often once were. Being the underdog has treated the Broncos well, as they are 21-11 ATS as an underdog since 1993, including 4-1 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points.

Boise State is looking to rack up some quality wins and reclaim itself in the Top 25. The Broncos have gotten better play out of their senior QB Joe Southwick recently, who is coming off an impressive effort where he completed 27-of-29 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown. Southwick struggled in an embarrassing 38-6, season-opening loss to Washington, completing 25-of-40 passes for a pedestrian 152 yards. Boise gave Air Force a dose of its own medicine last week by running all over the Falcons for 229 yards. Leading the rushing attack was Jay Ajayi, who racked up 125 yards on just 17 carries (7.4 YPC). Ajayi wasn't the only standout in last week's victory; Junior Matt Miller grabbed a whopping 10 passes for 112 yards. If Miller and Southwick can get a groove going again on Friday, it will really put the pressure on a Fresno defense that has had its problems this year, allowing 51 points against Rutgers and giving up 416 total yards to Cal Poly.

Under center for the Bulldogs is a senior with a familiar last name. Derek Carr, younger brother of the former number one draft pick, David Carr, has been terrific this year and is a big reason why Fresno has a great chance to win its conference. Carr has thrown for eight touchdowns in the young year with only one interception. Carr threw the ball a ridiculous 73 times against Rutgers week one in which he completed 52 of them for 456 yards (6.2 YPC) and also managed five scores with just one interception. Carr's favorite two targets have been sophomore Davante Adams and senior Isaiah Burse. The two wideouts have combined for 36 catches for 340 yards and 4 TD in just two games. Adams reeled in 14 catches for 148 yards and two scores in the overtime win over Rutgers to start the season.

[TheGame]

Beyond the BCS: Capping College Football's Small Conferences

Some of the best betting value in college football is hiding beyond the BCS, in the small conferences. Each week, Covers Experts’ Doc’s Sports will look at the little programs that could help you make big cash this college season.

Team to Watch: Wyoming Cowboys

This week: -3.5 at Air Force

Wyoming is off to a solid start as it heads into its Mountain West opener against Air Force. The Cowboys lost at Nebraska 37-34, then scored a pair of blowouts over Idaho and Northern Colorado. They are 3-0 against the spread so far, 6-1 ATS in their last seven overall dating back to last year, and 6-0 ATS in their last six against teams with losing records.

A losing record is exactly what Air Force has after getting clobbered 52-20 and 42-20 by Utah State and Boise State, respectively. The Falcons are 1-7 ATS in their last eight overall, 1-4 ATS in their last five conference games, and 0-4 ATS in their last four at home. They may have a tough time stopping Wyoming Saturday. Air Force is giving up 474.3 yards per contest, while the Cowboys’ offense is going for an average of 534.3 yards - including 316.3 through the air.

Team to Beware: Boise State Broncos

This week: +3 at Fresno State

This doesn’t appear to be one of the better Boise State teams. The Broncos edged Washington 28-26 in last season’s Las Vegas Bowl then got destroyed at Washington 38-6 in their 2013 opener on August 31. They are 1-5 ATS in their last six overall and 3-12 ATS in their last 15 conference games.

Senior quarterback Joe Southwick completed just 11 of 22 passes for 113 yards with one TD and one pick against Fresno State last year. Against Washington three weeks ago, he was 25 of 40 for 152 yards with no scores and one interception. The favorite is 11-0 ATS in the last 11 meetings between these two teams. Fresno State is a field-goal favorite at home Friday.

Total Team: Florida Atlantic Owls

This week: 47 vs. Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic’s offense is far from a juggernaut. It mustered only 19 total points against Miami and East Carolina, with two quarterbacks combining to throw one touchdown and three interceptions in three games. The Owls are still without the suspended Damian Fortner, who was the team’s feature running back throughout the first half of last season. Their defense, though, limited South Florida to 10 points - none in the final three quarters - last Saturday.

The under is 4-0 in FIU’s last four overall. The Owls are going up against a Middle Tennessee team that has watched the total go under in five of its last six overall and four of its last five road games.

[TheGame]

Clemson at N.C. State
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

Week 4 of the college football regular season starts off with a big ACC opener between Clemson and North Carolina State. The opening weekend win over Georgia has Clemson highly ranked in the polls and a viable threat to make a run at joining the national title conversation. Clearing the hurdles in the ACC must come first and N.C. State ended those hopes for highly regarded Florida State last season. This matchup featured 110 points last season in a 62-48 win for the Tigers and more fireworks should be expected in primetime this week.

Matchup: Clemson Tigers at N.C. State Wolfpack
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina (grass)
Date: Thursday, September 19, 2013
Time/TV: 7:30 PM ET – ESPN
Line: Clemson -14½, Over/Under 66½
Last Meeting: 2012 at Clemson, Clemson (-16½) 62-48

While Oregon and Stanford are getting more attention, the biggest threat to match up with the SEC champion in the final BCS championship game may come from the ACC. Oregon and Stanford will play in November but both teams will face several tough games in the conference season as well as a Pac-12 title game. The path in the ACC certainly looks a bit softer overall with Clemson holding its toughest ACC games against Florida State and Georgia Tech at home. The Tigers will have the rivalry game in Columbia to close the season but now sitting No. 3 in the AP poll Clemson is in a strong position. They can’t overlook an upset minded N.C. State squad with a great track record at home however.

The Wolfpack stunned then No. 3 Florida State at home last season with a 17-16 win as heavy underdogs in October last season and this should be the most prominent home game of the season for N.C. State, outside of possibly the homecoming date with nearby rival North Carolina. N.C. State is going through a coaching change with Dave Doeren taking over after two successful years at Northern Illinois and success as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin before that. Wisconsin’s 2012 offensive coordinator was hired to join Doeren at N.C. State as well when the Badgers changed coaches last winter.

Clemson has not played a meaningful game in nearly three weeks after surviving the big opener with Georgia. In that game Clemson allowed 545 yards as a defense that had issues in many games last season allowed over 11 yards per pass and over five yards per rush. Two turnovers helped the cause as Clemson came up with more big plays than Georgia to hold on for a huge win as Dabo Swinney looks to take the next step with the Tigers in his sixth season. Clemson made it to the Orange Bowl after winning the ACC two years ago but an embarrassing 70-33 loss to West Virginia in that game took away from the successful season. After losing in both big games last year in the regular season Clemson came up with a redeeming win over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and then opened this year with the big win over Georgia. Two weeks ago Clemson had little trouble pulling past South Carolina State in a blowout win that saw reserves moving into the game pretty early.

N.C. State is also 2-0 but the opening win over Louisiana Tech was not as impressive as it looked with a 40-14 win over a team that won nine games in 2012. Louisiana Tech went through major changes in the off-season and in subsequent games the Bulldogs have barely beat FCS Lamar and then lost to Tulane last week at home. Richmond may be one of the better FCS programs but N.C. State needed a late field goal to win 23-21 in the second game of the season for the Wolfpack and if the Richmond quarterback was able to pass for 300 yards against the N.C. State defense there should be serious concern heading into the matchup with Clemson.

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd deserves to be on the Heisman Trophy short-list based on his numbers the past two seasons but so far this year his numbers have not warranted that attention yet. He has thrown just over 400 yards with only three touchdowns as he played sparingly in the FCS matchup with South Carolina State. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards last season with a nearly 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio however while also netting over 500 yards gained on the ground. This national TV game without the competition of the normal busy Saturday college football could provide Boyd a perfect opportunity to make his Heisman pitch.

Clemson lost a few key players to the NFL from last season, notably Andre Ellington and DeAndre Hopkins who both made their mark in week 2 at the professional level. Senior running back Roderick McDowell has provided a solid presence on the ground and junior wide receiver Sammy Watkins is as dynamic of a playmaker as there is the ACC so there are plenty of weapons still available to the offense and the Tigers have a veteran offensive line. Just as important were losses on defense however with four of last year’s top six tacklers moving on, and this was not a great defensive team in 2012.

Mike Glennon never quite lived up to expectations as a college quarterback at N.C. State despite tremendous talent. He is now a back-up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, drafted in the third round. Glennon never had the arsenal of skill players that Boyd had however and he was asked to do a lot, ultimately providing some inconsistency. New starting quarterback Pete Thomas is a transfer from Colorado State who had mixed results in his playing time with the Rams but ultimately competed 63 percent of his passes after having great success as a freshman. In two games against marginal competition Thomas is yet to throw a touchdown pass and has three interceptions so it is unlikely that the Wolfpack will be able to keep up in a shootout.

N.C. State has rushed for over 212 yards per game so far this season with junior Tony Creecy and freshman Matt Dayes getting most of the carries so far. While last year’s leading receiver Quintin Payton is still on the team he has been overshadowed by tall freshman Marquez Valdes-Scantling and small speedster senior Rashard Smith, who each have 12 catches through two games. Five of the top six leading tacklers from last season departed for N.C. State and outside of a few veterans on the defensive line this is a very young and inexperienced defense with only three seniors on the field in most groupings. That is not a great sign in this matchup but a marginal defense that had average numbers overall last season had several strong games last season, allowing 18 or fewer points in seven of 13 games last season and Doeren is a defensive-minded coach.

Winning on the road can always be a challenge especially in a primetime Thursday night game so while Clemson does appear to have significant personnel edges, especially on offense, anything can happen in college football as we are reminded every week. Clemson’s only ACC road loss came at Florida State last season and the offense scored at least 37 points in every ACC contest but when Boyd and the Tigers visited Raleigh two years ago they lost 37-13 in one of the worst games of Boyd’s career. Last season the Clemson offense had over 750 yards in this matchup at home, but that is something could also fuel the N.C. State defense.

Last Meeting: Last season Clemson was ranked 11th in the nation when they hosted N.C. State in mid-November, a week after homecoming and a week before the big game with South Carolina. The tricky scheduling spot was evident early as Clemson trailed 24-13 into the second quarter. The Tigers got back on track quickly and with four minutes left in the third quarter Clemson led 55-24 with six consecutive touchdowns before N.C. State scored again. The Wolfpack added 10 points in the fourth quarter to steal the cover as Clemson won by 14 as a 16½-point favorite on the road. N.C. State had defeated Wake Forest in its previous game and still needed another win for bowl eligibility. They did not get it against Clemson but would in the finale but it was not enough to save Tom O’Brien’s job as he was removed before the bowl game. While this loss did not help the cause a 33-6 home loss to Virginia two weeks prior was the more damaging blow and the writing was likely on the wall in the N.C. State locker room despite the big win over Florida State early in the year. Boyd did have two interceptions in the game last season but both he and Glennon had five touchdown passes each in a game that featured 1,351 total yards.

Series History: Clemson is 22-11 S/U vs. N.C. State since 1980 but the Wolfpack have had a strong ATS edge, going 20-13 in that span including covering in the last three meetings and five of the last seven. N.C. State is 17-8 ATS as an underdog in this series including 10-2 ATS as a double-digit underdog. Clemson has won S/U in eight of the last nine meetings but they did lose badly two years ago in Raleigh as a 7-point favorite.

Line Movement: Not surprisingly the favorite and the ‘over’ have climbed with the line jumping from 14 quickly to 14½ and the total jumping to 67 before settling back to 66½ after opening at 66.

Clemson Historical Trends: Clemson is on a strong ATS run in road games going 22-15 ATS since 2005 including covering in eight of the last 11 going back to late 2010. The last three years Clemson is just 6-8 S/U on the road and they have lost S/U as a road favorite five times in the last four years. Clemson has covered in five of the last seven games as a road favorite but the Tigers are just 22-33-2 ATS as a road favorite since 1990. Clemson is 5-12-1 ATS as a double-digit road favorite since 1990 but they have covered in three of four instances under Swinney. This should be the biggest road favorite spread for Clemson since 2007 (-17½ at Duke) and regardless of location Clemson is 10-10 ATS under Swinney as a double-digit favorite, only losing S/U once (at Maryland in 2009).

N.C. State Historical Trends: If you are a believer in historical trends there is not a much better home underdog out there than N.C. State in the last three decades. Since 1980 N.C. State is 42-24-1 ATS as a home underdog, winning S/U in 26 instances. The recent numbers are even better with an 11-3-1 ATS record as a home underdog since 2008, winning S/U in nine of those 15 games. N.C. State is 13-8-1 ATS as a double-digit home underdog since 1981, going 5-2-1 since 1998 including last year’s big win over the Seminoles (+17). N.C. State is 11-7 ATS since 1997 in any venue when dogged by two touchdowns or more. Regardless of the spread N.C. State is 22-10-1 ATS at home since 2008 as Raleigh seems to provide an underrated home field edge. Coach Doeren is only in his third season as a head coach but his teams are 14-0 S/U in home games and he did win in the only instance at Northern Illinois playing as a home underdog.

[TheGame]

ACC Report - Week 4
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

Clemson at North Carolina State

As mentioned, the Tigers were treated rudely in their last visit to Raleigh. That's a rarity, however, as the Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their past six visits to Carter-Finley Stadium, and the road team is 13-3 ATS in the past 16 meetings in this series. NC State has traditionally come back strong after a bye, covering nine of their past 10 games in such situations. The Wolfpack is also 16-4-1 ATS in their past 21 home games against a team with a winning record. The total might be the most interesting play in Thursday's game. The 'over' has connected in each of Clemson's two games, while the 'under' has cashed in each of NC State's first two outings, including a 23-21 near-miss against Richmond Sept. 7. These two teams combined for 110 points in their last meetings Nov. 17, 2012, but that was when NC State had QB Mike Glennon at the controls. The quarterback play so far this season has been murky at best for the red and white.

[TheGame]

Boise State at Fresno State: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Boise State Broncos at Fresno State Bulldogs (-3.5, 68.5)

Fresno State looks to snap a seven-game losing streak to Boise State when the teams meet at Bulldog Stadium on Thursday in a key Mountain West matchup. No. 25 Fresno State is ranked for the first time since 2008 and seeking its first 3-0 start since 2004. The Bulldogs had an unexpected bye last week when flooding forced the cancellation of their game at Colorado, while Boise State has bounced back from its season-opening loss at Washington with two straight wins, including a 42-20 victory over Air Force on Saturday.

Boise State dominated the series from 2006-11, winning by an average score of 50-16 before holding on for a 20-10 victory at home last season. Thursday’s contest figures to be a shootout, with Fresno State ranked 11th in the FBS in scoring offense at 46.5 points per game and Boise State averaging 37. The game features two of the top quarterbacks on the West Coast in Fresno State’s Derek Carr and the Broncos’ Joe Southwick, who set a school accuracy record last week by completing 27-of-29 passes for 287 yards.

LINE: Fresno State opened as high as -4.5 and has been bet down to -3. Some books are seeing buyback on FSU at that key number, moving the spread to -3.5. The total has moved from 67.5 to 68.5.

WEATHER: Temperatures in mid 70s with partly cloudy skies and a 2 percent chance of rain. Winds blowing west at 5 mph.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (2-1, 1-0 Mountain West, 1-2 ATS): The Broncos’ offensive line did not allow a sack in two of their first three games, and sophomore Jay Ajayi rushed for a career-high 125 yards and four touchdowns against Air Force. At 6-3 and 222 pounds, junior wide receiver Matt Miller could be in for a big game against a Fresno State secondary that has struggled against physical receivers. The Broncos limited Air Force to 99 passing yards last week, and cornerback Bryan Douglas will need to continue his strong play against the explosive Fresno State aerial attack.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (2-0, 0-2 ATS): Carr has been as good as advertised, especially at home, where he’s thrown 31 touchdown passes against four interceptions in his last eight games. Sophomore wide receiver Davante Adams has made a TD reception in 10 straight games and senior wideout Isaiah Burse has 338 all-purpose yards in the first two games, but the Bulldogs have struggled to establish a running game. Fresno State has caused a turnover in 16 straight games, but they enter Thursday ranked 111th in the FBS in total defense.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 11-0 ATS in their last 11 meetings.
* Broncos are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 meetings.
* Broncos are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Fresno State.
* Bulldogs are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games overall. Broncos are 23-9 ATS in their last 32 road games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Bulldogs are 10-0 under head coach Tim DeRuyter when scoring 30 or more points in a game.

2. Since the 2000 season, Boise State is 94-7 (.931) in conference games - the highest winning percentage in the country during that period.

3. Fresno State has won eight straight home games with an average margin of victory of 25.9 points.

[TheGame]

NCAAF Week 4

Favorites covered the last 11 Boise-Fresno games; Broncos won/covered its last seven games with Fresno- they lost here 27-7 (+9.5) the last time they were series underdog, but won three visits since by combined score of 142-62 (47-21 average). Peterson is a ridiculous 86-7 coaching Boise, covering three of five times he was getting points- they lost 38-6 (+3) in only road game this year, at Washington- they lost 13 of 22 starters from LY's team. Fresno had unexpected week off last week because of the bad floods in Colorado; Bulldogs are 6-1 as home favorites under DeRuyter, in his second year coaching Fresno.

[TheGame]

Week 4's Top Games
By Phil Steele
ESPNInsider.com

Each week during the 2013 college football season, I will offer up my picks and scores for the biggest games in addition to a handful of other key matchups.

Week 3 is in the books and my picks went 7-2, giving me an overall record of 19-8.

While this week's slate of games looks like a bit of a letdown after last week's Alabama-Texas A&M thriller, there are some intriguing conference matchups along with some longtime nonconference rivals squaring off. I tried to find games that could offer a lot of split opinions.

No. 23 Arizona State Sun Devils at No. 5 Stanford Cardinal

This week's only game involving two ranked teams takes place in the Pac-12 as the Sun Devils, fresh off a controversial 32-30 win over then-No. 20 Wisconsin, travel to take on the defending Pac-12 champion Cardinal, who are off to a 2-0 start after last week's 34-20 win over Army.

These two conference foes have not met since 2010, but Stanford is going for three straight wins in the series for only the second time (1999-2001).

After two wins over overmatched foes in San Jose State and Army, this will be the first legitimate test for the Cardinal. Last week's relatively close game can be excused when you consider the Cardinal were traveling across the country, playing at 9 a.m. PT time. Plus, Stanford had to face Army's option offense.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan is now a perfect 7-0 as a starter, and last year had four wins over ranked teams. On the other side, prior to last week's win over the Badgers, the Sun Devils' only win in the Todd Graham era over a team with a winning record came in last year's bowl game over Navy.

This will be the best defense that the Sun Devils have faced in two years. On the other side, I look for the Cardinal's excellent offensive line to wear down a relatively undersized Arizona State front seven that allowed 231 rush yards last week.

Pick: Stanford 31, Arizona State 20

Michigan State Spartans at No. 22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

After going just 3-9 against the Spartans from 1997-2008, the Fighting Irish have now won three of the past four games over MSU, including two straight for the first time since 1993-1994. Last year's 20-3 win also ended Michigan State's 15-game home winning streak.

Last week, the Irish were in a flat spot against Purdue and found themselves down 17-10 into the fourth quarter before they scored three touchdowns in a span of 3:30 to make it 31-17. Quarterback Tommy Rees has thrown for more than 300 yards in all three games this year, but the Irish's ground game has averaged just 94 yards per game (YPG) the past two weeks. It will not get any easier for the Irish this week as they go up against a Spartans D that ranks No. 1 in the country in total defense, allowing just 177 YPG, albeit against poor competition.

On the other side, the Notre Dame defense has been a disappointment but will face a Michigan State offense that had struggled mightily prior to last week's 55-17 win over Youngstown State. After throwing four touchdown passes in Week 3, MSU quarterback Connor Cook will be making his first career road start in South Bend, where the Irish have won nine straight home games, their longest streak since 1997-1999.

Nine of the past 13 meetings between these teams have been decided by single digits, and I expect more of the same Saturday with the Irish winning their third straight.

Pick: Notre Dame 23, Michigan State 17

Auburn Tigers at No. 6 LSU Tigers

Both teams come in a perfect 3-0. Last week Auburn capped off an 88-yard drive with a touchdown pass with 10 seconds left to beat Mississippi State 24-20. Quarterback Nick Marshall continues to improve each week and connected on 6 of 8 passes on the game-winning drive. However, he will be making his first career road start in one of college football's toughest settings: a night game at Death Valley.

LSU QB Zach Mettenberger continues an impressive season to date under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. He has completed 66 percent of his passes the past two weeks (albeit against UAB and Kent State), and has a 9-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season.

While LSU does have a huge game against Georgia on deck, you have to think Auburn left it all on the table last week and will have no answer for an LSU attack that features a one-two punch at wide receiver in Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, who are averaging a combined 316 all-purpose YPG this year.

Pick: LSU 38, Auburn 21

Tennessee Volunteers at No. 19 Florida Gators

The Gators have won eight in a row in this series by an average of 16 points. Last year, Tennessee led 14-10 at halftime, but Florida, true to form in the Will Muschamp era, made adjustments at the break and outgained the Vols in yardage to the tune of 399-109 in the second half in its 37-20 win.

This year, Florida comes in off a bye after a disappointing 21-16 loss to Miami. The Gators had a 22-10 first-down advantage and 413-212 yard edge in the game, but inefficiency in the red zone was the issue as they had two turnovers and also were stopped on downs. Quarterback Jeff Driskel threw for a career-high 291 yards but now has 12 turnovers in his past seven starts. On the bright side, the Gators defense ranks among the best in the country despite returning only three starters from last year.

Tennessee comes in off its worst loss since 1910; after leading Oregon 7-0 early, it was all downhill from there in the Vols' 59-14 loss to the Ducks. Quarterback Justin Worley, despite having a 5-1 TD-INT ratio, is averaging just 124 YPG and the Vols overall are getting outgained by 49 YPG.

Look for the Gators to shut down the Volunteers offense and, as long as Florida can clean up the turnovers in the red zone on offense, it should come away with a two-touchdown win.

Pick: Florida 30, Tennessee 16

Utah State Aggies at USC Trojans

Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton deserves Heisman consideration as he is averaging 308 pass YPG to go with a 12-1 TD-INT ratio. However, he will be facing a USC defense that is allowing just 212 YPG and 10 PPG this year. Last week, the Trojans offense finally kicked into gear as quarterback Cody Kessler completed 15 of 17 passes for 237 yards. In the end, the Trojans get their second straight win before a showdown with Arizona State next week.

Pick: USC 30, Utah State 20

Arkansas Razorbacks at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Arkansas is off to a 3-0 start under new coach Bret Bielema and its offense looks much like Wisconsin's in recent years as running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins have each topped 100 yards in the first three games. While both Arkansas QB Brandon Allen and Rutgers signal-caller Gary Nova were hurt in last week's games and are questionable this week, I think the Hogs have the better supporting cast and will move to 4-0.

Pick: Arkansas 24, Rutgers 18

Kansas State Wildcats at Texas Longhorns

I had extremely high expectations for Texas this season but clearly the Horns have disappointed. They come in reeling after back-to-back losses and now face a Kansas State team that has beaten them five straight times despite the Wildcats getting outgained in all five of those games by an average of 96 yards. Sooner or later, the Horns will play up to their talent level. Plus, earlier this week Gary "the Gut" Galante went with Texas and I always stick with "the Gut."

Pick: Texas 34, Kansas State 28

Utah Utes at Brigham Young Cougars

Utah and BYU have been playing the "Holy War" since 1896, but this is just one of many longtime rivalries that looks to be going by the wayside because of conference realignment. The Utes have now beaten the Cougars three straight years; however, this year BYU has the situational edge coming off a bye week after its impressive win over Texas while Utah comes in off a tough overtime loss to Oregon State. The Cougars get revenge and bragging rights until they meet again in 2016.

Pick: BYU 34, Utah 27

[TheGame]

ACC Report - Week 4
By Joe Williams
VegasInsider.com

The Atlantic Coast Conference has just three ranked teams heading into Week 4 action, but two of those teams are ranked eighth or higher in the Associated Press Top 25.

This weekend's slate of games in the ACC do not present a whole lot of must-see TV, but there are interesting matchups nonetheless. I think I'll be taking in the Pittsburgh-Duke game live at Wallace Wade Stadium with my two boys, and the weather looks like it will be absolutely beautiful for the first ACC road game for the Panthers.

The best game on the schedule might actually be the Clemson-North Carolina State game Thursday night in Raleigh. The Tigers have had their issues against the Wolfpack in years past, dropping a 37-13 decision in their last visit to Carter-Finley Stadium back on Nov. 19, 2011 when they entered play as the No. 7 team in the land.

Clemson at North Carolina State

As mentioned, the Tigers were treated rudely in their last visit to Raleigh. That's a rarity, however, as the Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their past six visits to Carter-Finley Stadium, and the road team is 13-3 ATS in the past 16 meetings in this series. NC State has traditionally come back strong after a bye, covering nine of their past 10 games in such situations. The Wolfpack is also 16-4-1 ATS in their past 21 home games against a team with a winning record. The total might be the most interesting play in Thursday's game. The 'over' has connected in each of Clemson's two games, while the 'under' has cashed in each of NC State's first two outings, including a 23-21 near-miss against Richmond Sept. 7. These two teams combined for 110 points in their last meetings Nov. 17, 2012, but that was when NC State had QB Mike Glennon at the controls. The quarterback play so far this season has been murky at best for the red and white.

North Carolina at Georgia Tech

Vad Lee led the Ramblin' Wreck to an impressive victory last weekend in his native Durham against Duke, and now he takes aim at another Triangle school. The Jackets are an impressive 2-0 ATS this season, and 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games in the month of September. Georgia Tech has also covered each of their past six ACC games. The Jackets are also the only FBS team yet to allow a sack. The Tar Heels haven't had a ton of luck in Atlanta in recent times, covering just two of their past eight trips to Bobby Dodd Stadium, and UNC has failed to cover in each of the past four meetings. In addition, Carolina is 1-6 ATS in their past seven road games, and they are just 1-9 in their past 10 league openers dating back to 2001.

Marshall at Virginia Tech

It won't be easy for the Hokies, who narrowly escaped Greenville last weekend with a 15-10 road win at East Carolina. Meanwhile, Marshall looks to bounce back after a shocking 34-31 loss at Ohio. QB Rakeem Cato has been putting up video game-like numbers, and he has at least one touchdown pass in 21 straight games, which is the second longest active streak in FBS. Cato has jelled nicely with TE Gator Hoskins, and the Hokies will need to shut down that connection if they are to pull away. While a single-digit spread is rather attractive if you can get it, remember Virginia Tech is just 7-20-2 ATS in their past 29 games, and 2-9-2 ATS in their past 13 non-conference battles.

Pittsburgh at Duke

Things started out well for Duke, who hammered NC Central 45-0 in their opener. They then hit the road for Memphis, and pulled off an impressive 28-14 victory against the Tigers. However, they lost QB Anthony Boone (collarbone) to a broken collarbone, and for the Blue Devils, that is the kind of loss that cannot easily be overcome. As it is, Duke is 0-5 ATS in the past five conference games, and 1-4 ATS in their past five at Wallace Wade Stadium. Pitt hits the road for the first time in ACC play, and they are looking to improve on their 13-4 ATS mark over the past 17 games. The 'under' might also be a tempting play, cashing in eight of Pitt's past 10 road battles.

West Virginia at Maryland

The Mountaineers and Terrapins are frequent combatants, and it remains to be seen if their series will continue on once Maryland moves to the Big Ten. The Mountaineers have dominanted lately, covering five of the past six meetings. The road team is also 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings, while the favorite is 4-1 ATS in the past five. The recent trends for each side seem to favor Maryland, as West Virginia is 6-13 ATS in their past 19 games against ACC opponents, and 1-5 ATS in their past six neutral-site games. The Terps are 4-0 ATS in their past four non-conference games, 5-0 ATS in the past five overall, and 5-2 ATS in their past seven against a team with a winning record.

Other Games
Wake Forest at Army (12:00 p.m. ET)
Tulane at Syracuse (12:30 p.m. ET)
Virginia Military at Virginia (3:30 p.m. ET)
Bethune Cookman at Florida State (6:00pm ET)
Savannah State at Miami, Fla. (7:00pm ET)

Byes
Boston College

[TheGame]

College football betting weather report: Saturday's forecasts

Find out how weather will impact your college football bets for Saturday's matchups:

Toledo Rockets at Central Michigan Chippewas (+13, 56.5)

Temperatures will be in the high-50s but there is a 40 percent chance of rain in the forecast.

North Carolina Tar Heels at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (-6.5, 58.5)

Temperatures will be in the low-70s, but there is a 100 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

Florida A&M Rattlers at Ohio State Buckeyes (-50, OFF)

Fans should expect a 55 percent chance of rain with temperatures in the high-60s.

Marshall Thundering Herd at Virginia Tech Hokies (-10, 51.5)

Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with a 95 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

North Texas Mean Green at Georgia Bulldogs (-33.5, 67)

Fans at Sanford Stadium will see temperatures in the mid-70s, but with a 95 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

Pittsburgh Panthers at Duke Blue Devils (+3.5, 50.5)

The forecast calls for temperatures in the low-70s with a 55 percent chance of showers.

Ball State Cardinals at Eastern Michigan Eagles (+9.5, 57.5)

Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with a 30 percent chance of showers and wind blowing diagonally from north to south at 12 mph.

Northwestern State Demons at UAB Blazers (-15.5, OFF)

Fans at Legion Field face a 100 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms with temperatures in the low-70s.

Idaho State Bengals at Washington Huskies (-49.5, OFF)

Temperatures at Husky Stadium will be in the low-60s with a 60 percent chance of showers

Murray State Racers at Bowling Green Falcons (-26, OFF)

There is a 25 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms with temperatures expected to be in the mid-60s. Wind will blow diagonally from the northwest end of the field at 11 mph.

Tennessee Volunteers at Florida Gators (-15, 47)

Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 30 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

West Virginia Mountaineers at Maryland Terrapins (-5, 53)

Fans at M&T Bank Stadium face a 90 percent chance of showers with temperatures in the low-80s.

Kent State Golden Flashes at Penn State Nittany Lions (-22, 54)

There is a 100 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms at Beaver Stadium with temperatures in the low-60s and wind blowing diagonally across the field at 11 mph.

Arkansas Razorbacks at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-2.5, 44)

Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with a 30 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

VMI Keydets at Virginia Cavaliers (-44, OFF)

Fans face a 90 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms with temperatures expected to be in the low-70s.

Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at Baylor Bears (-30.5, 75)

Temperatures at Floyd Casey Stadium will be in the mid-80s with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms and wind blowing diagonally out of the northeast at 10 mph.

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Florida State Seminoles (-39.5, OFF)

The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-80s with a 60 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

Colorado State Rams at Alabama Crimson Tide (-39, 51)

Temperatures will be in the low-70s with persistent rain expected to fall throughout the game.

SMU Mustangs at Texas A&M Aggies (-28.5, 78)

Temperatures at College Station are expected to be in the mid-70s with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms tapering off throughout the night.

Arizona State Sun Devils at Stanford Cardinal (-5.5, 51.5)

There is a 40 percent chance of showers at Stanford Stadium with temperatures in the high-60s and wind blowing across the field from west to east at 10 mph.

Troy Trojans at Mississippi State Bulldogs (-13.5, 61)

Temperatures at Scott Field will be in the low-70s with a 40 percent chance of showers.

Auburn Tigers at LSU Tigers (-16.5, 55)

Fans at LSU Tiger Stadium face a 100 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms and temperatures in the mid-70s.

Michigan Wolverines at Connecticut Huskies (+18.5, 51)

There is a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms with temperatures in the low-60s and wind blowing across the width of the field at 10 mph.

Utah Utes at BYU Cougars (-6.5, 62)

Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms and wind blowing from north to south at 13 mph.

Idaho Vandals at Washington State Cougars (-31, 58.5)

Fans at Martin Stadium will be treated to temperatures in the low-50s and a 20 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms.

** Odds and weather forecast as of 7:10 p.m. ET Saturday.