College Football Betting Info. Week 15

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UCF (8 - 3) at E CAROLINA (8 - 3) - 12/4/2014, 7:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
UCF is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing on a Thursday over the last 3 seasons.

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


CENTRAL FLORIDA vs. EAST CAROLINA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Central Florida's last 6 games on the road
Central Florida is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
East Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Central Florida
East Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

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Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

Championship Game Notes
VegasInsider.com

Week 15 of the college football season will be highlighted with seven championship games on tap. The action starts Friday with the MAC and Pac-12 title games and concludes Saturday with five more championships.

MAC Championship

Northern Illinois (10-2 SU, 6-6 ATS) vs. Bowling Green (7-5 SU, 4-7-1 ATS)
Date: Friday, Dec. 5 (ESPN2, 7:00 p.m.)
Venue: Ford Field
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Odds: NIU opened as a three-point favorite.

Betting Notes and Trends

Friday’s matchup will be 18th MAC Championship. This will be the fifth straight year that Northern Illinois will be making an appearance in the title game. The Huskies have gone 2-2 the last four seasons.

These teams met in last year’s MAC Championship Game and Bowling Green cruised to a 47-27 victory over NIU as a three-point underdog. This was the Falcons second appearance in the championship and first win.

Including last year’s result, the underdog has covered five of the last six encounters.

Bowling Green has gone 3-3 on the road this season while Northern Illinois went 5-1 as a visitor.

Preseason Future Odds to win the MAC
Northern Illinois 5/2
Bowling Green 5/4

Pac 12 Championship

Arizona (10-2 SU, 5-7 ATS) vs. Oregon (11-1 SU, 8-4 ATS)
Date: Friday, Dec. 5 (FOX, 9:00 p.m.)
Venue: Levi's Stadium
Location: Santa Clara, California

Odds: Oregon opened as a 13 ½-point favorite.

Betting Notes and Trends

This will be the fourth Pac-12 Championship Game. Prior to this year, the venue would be chosen based on the home team with the better record.

The favorite has gone 2-1 straight up in the first three meetings but 0-3 against the spread. The ‘over’ is 2-1.

The Pac-12 North has won the first three championships.

Oregon played in the inaugural title game in 2011 and defeated UCLA 49-31 as 31-point home favorites.

Arizona defeated Oregon 31-21 as 21 ½-point road underdogs in early October, which was the second straight victory for the Wildcats over the Ducks. The ‘under’ cashed in both games.

Oregon has gone 5-0 (4-1 ATS) on the road this season, which includes a 59-41 win over California from Levi’s Stadium, the venue for Friday.

The Wildcats went 4-1 on the road, the lone loss taking place on Nov. 1 at UCLA, 17-7.

Preseason Future Odds to win the Pac-12
Oregon 5/7
Arizona 30/1

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

N ILLINOIS (10 - 2) vs. BOWLING GREEN (7 - 5) - 12/5/2014, 7:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
BOWLING GREEN is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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


ARIZONA (10 - 2) vs. OREGON (11 - 1) - 12/5/2014, 9:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 72-107 ATS (-45.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1992.
OREGON is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) after playing a conference game this season.
OREGON is 51-32 ATS (+15.8 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
OREGON is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) off a win against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-1 against the spread versus OREGON over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 2-1 straight up against OREGON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


NORTHERN ILLINOIS vs. BOWLING GREEN
Northern Illinois is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Northern Illinois's last 6 games when playing Bowling Green
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Bowling Green's last 6 games when playing Northern Illinois
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Bowling Green's last 7 games

ARIZONA vs. OREGON
Arizona is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing Oregon
Arizona is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oregon's last 6 games
Oregon is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

SMU at Connecticut, 12:00 ET
SMU: 17-32 ATS after scoring 9 points or less last game
Connecticut: 13-2 ATS in home games off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference rival


Iowa State at TCU, 12:00 ET
Iowa St: 13-27 ATS in road games after allowing 37 points or more last game
TCU: 33-16 ATS in home games after allowing 14 points or less last game


Temple at Tulane, 7:30 ET
Temple: 6-1 ATS as a road favorite of 3.5 to 7 points
Tulane: 1-6 ATS after gaining 40 or less rushing yards last game


Houston at Cincinnati, 12:00 ET
Houston: 7-1 ATS as a road underdog
Cincinnati: 6-1 UNDER against conference opponents


Kansas State at Baylor, 3:30 ET
Kansas St: 19-5 ATS after playing a conference game
Baylor: 27-12 OVER after gaining 450 or more total yards in 2 consecutive games


Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, 3:30 ET
Oklahoma State: 1-5 ATS as a road underdog of 17.5 to 21 points
Oklahoma: 13-3 OVER after having won 2 out of their last 3 games


Louisiana Tech at Marshall, 12:00 ET
Louisiana Tech: 7-21 ATS off a blowout win by 21 points or more over a conference rival
Marshall: 9-2 ATS as a home favorite


Missouri at Alabama, 4:00 ET
Missouri: 3-10 ATS in December games
Alabama: 27-13 ATS off 2 consecutive home wins


Florida State at Georgia Tech, 8:00 ET
Florida St: 14-5 UNDER as a neutral field favorite
Georgia Tech: 12-3 ATS after playing their last game on the road


Wisconsin at Ohio State, 8:15 ET
Wisconsin: 6-0 ATS after 2 consecutive games where they forced 1 or less turnovers
Ohio State: 0-6 ATS after scoring 35 points or more in a win over a conference rival


Fresno State at Boise State, 10:10 ET
Fresno St: 16-10 OVER off 2 or more consecutive unders
Boise St: 59-32 ATS after playing 2 straight conference games

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

12:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. CINCINNATI
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Houston's last 16 games
Cincinnati is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games at home
Cincinnati is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston


12:00 PM
SOUTHERN METHODIST vs. CONNECTICUT
Southern Methodist is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Southern Methodist's last 10 games
Connecticut is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Connecticut is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games at home


12:00 PM
LOUISIANA TECH vs. MARSHALL
Louisiana Tech is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Louisiana Tech is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Marshall is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games at home
Marshall is 9-2-1 ATS in its last 12 games at home


12:00 PM
IOWA STATE vs. TCU
Iowa State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Iowa State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing TCU
TCU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
TCU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


3:30 PM
OKLAHOMA STATE vs. OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma State is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Oklahoma
Oklahoma State is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Oklahoma
Oklahoma is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Oklahoma is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma State


4:00 PM
MISSOURI vs. ALABAMA
Missouri is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Missouri's last 10 games
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Alabama is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games


7:30 PM
TEMPLE vs. TULANE
Temple is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Temple's last 6 games
Tulane is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Tulane is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games


7:45 PM
KANSAS STATE vs. BAYLOR
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas State's last 7 games on the road
Kansas State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baylor is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Kansas State


8:00 PM
FLORIDA STATE vs. GEORGIA TECH
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida State's last 6 games when playing Georgia Tech
Florida State is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Georgia Tech
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Georgia Tech's last 9 games
Georgia Tech is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games


8:17 PM
WISCONSIN vs. OHIO STATE
Wisconsin is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
Wisconsin is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Ohio State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Wisconsin
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Ohio State's last 11 games


10:00 PM
FRESNO STATE vs. BOISE STATE
Fresno State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boise State
Fresno State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Boise State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boise State's last 6 games at home
Boise State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Fresno State

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

Championship Game Notes
VegasInsider.com

CUSA Championship

Louisiana Tech (8-4 SU, 8-3 ATS) vs. Marshall (11-1 SU, 8-4 ATS)
Venue: Joan Edwards Stadium
Location: Huntington, West Virginia

Odds: Marshall opened as a 14-point favorite and dropped to 13 ½ quickly.

Betting Notes and Trends

This will be the 10th Conference USA Championship Game. Underdogs have gone 5-4 against the spread. Total bettors have seen the ‘over/under’ go 4-4-1
Marshall will be playing in the title game for the second straight season. Last year, the Thundering Herd lost to Rice 41-24 as a 6 ½-point underdog.
This will be the first encounter between the two schools.
Louisiana Tech has gone 4-3 on the road this season, with two of the setbacks coming in non-conference games to Oklahoma (48-16) and Auburn (45-17).
Marshall went 5-1 SU at home this season. The loss occurred last Friday as the Thundering Herd were knocked off by Western Kentucky 67-66 as 23 ½-point home favorites.

Preseason Future Odds to win the CUSA
Marshall 1/6
Rice 40/1

SEC Championship

Alabama (11-1 SU, 4-8 ATS) vs. Missouri (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS)
Venue: Georgia Dome
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Odds: Alabama opened as a 10 ½-point favorite and the number quickly jumped to 13.

Betting Notes and Trends

Saturday’s matchup will be the 23rd SEC Championship Game. Since its inception in 1992, underdogs have gone 11-10-1 against the spread.
Total players have watched the ‘over’ cash in the last five championship games. The ‘over’ is 13-9 in the 22 title matchups.
The SEC West has won five straight matchups and four of those victories were by double digits.
Alabama has won two championships during the recent span and four overall.
Missouri played in last year’s title game and lose to Auburn 59-42 as a 2 ½-point favorite.
These teams met in 2012 and Alabama ripped Missouri 42-10 as a 21-point home favorite.
The Crimson Tide have gone 3-1 on the road and the three wins came by 1, 14 and 7 points. The Tigers were 5-0 both SU and ATS as visitors this season.

Preseason Future Odds to win the SEC
Alabama 5/4
Missouri 30/1

ACC Championship

Florida State (12-0 SU, 3-9 ATS) vs. Georgia Tech (10-2 SU, 5-1 ATS)
Venue: Bank of America Stadium
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Odds: Florida State opened as a 5 ½-point favorite and the number was bet down to 4.

Betting Notes and Trends

This will be the 10th installment of the ACC Championship. Favorites have gone 5-4 SU and 4-5 ATS. The ‘under’ has gone 5-4.
Florida State has had four appearances in the title game and it owns a 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS record.
Georgia Tech has played in the ACC Championship three times, coming up short twice.
These teams met in the 2012 installment and Florida State captured a 21-15 decision but Georgia Tech covered as a 14-point underdog.
The Seminoles have gone 5-0 (2-3 ATS) on the road. The Yellow Jackets have produced a 5-1 road record both SU and ATS. The lone loss came to Duke, 31-25.

Preseason Future Odds to win the ACC
Florida State 1/4
Georgia Tech 30/1

Big 10 Championship

Ohio State (11-1 SU, 7-5 ATS) vs. Wisconsin (10-2 SU, 7-5 ATS)
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Odds: Wisconsin opened as a four-point favorite.

Betting Notes and Trends

The underdog has covered (1-2 SU) all of the first three Big Ten Championship games. The ‘over’ has cashed in all three matchups as well.
Wisconsin has gone 2-0 in both of its Big Ten title game appearances while Ohio State is 0-1.
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett (ankle) was lost in last week’s win over Michigan and has been ruled ‘out’ for the season.
The Badgers have gone 3-2 on the road this season, losses coming to Northwestern and LSU. Ohio State was 5-0 on the road.
Ohio State has won four of the past five meetings against Wisconsin, which includes a 31-21 win last season from Columbus as a seven-point favorite.

Preseason Future Odds to win the Big 10
Ohio State 5/4
Wisconsin 3/1

Mountain West Championship

Fresno State (6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS) vs. Boise State (10-2 SU, 7-5 ATS)
Venue: Albertsons Stadium
Location: Boise Idaho

Odds: Boise State opened as a 17-point favorite.

Betting Notes and Trends

In last year’s inaugural Mountain West Championship game, Fresno State defeated Utah State 24-17 at home.
Boise State defeated Fresno State 37-27 on Oct. 17 but failed to cover as an 18-point home favorite.
Including the aforementioned result, the Broncos have won eight of the last nine encounters against the Bulldogs.
Fresno State has gone 2-4 on the road this season, while Boise State has produced a perfect 6-0 record at home.

Preseason Future Odds to win the MWC
Boise State 7/5
Fresno State 3/1

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

Big Ten Championship Preview
By ASAWins.com

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
Time/TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Line: Wisconsin -4, Total 53

The Big Ten Championship game takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday with Ohio State representing the East and Wisconsin representing the West.

The dynamic of this matchup completely changed with the injury to Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett. With Barrett under center, OSU would have likely been a 3-5 point favorite in this game.

Instead, Wisconsin heads into the weekend as a four-point favorite. The dynamic of the matchup may have changed, but the stakes are still just as high for the Buckeyes, who could potentially move into the CFB Playoff top four with a win over the Badgers.

OSU’s Barrett, a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, broke his ankle in last week’s win over Michigan. Only a handful of quarterbacks were having better campaigns than Barrett, who tallied 2,834 passing yards and 34 pass TD’s & 938 rush yards and 11 TD’s this season.

He’ll give way to third-string QB Cardale Jones, who has shown flashes of brilliance in limited playing time. Jones – a 6’5” 230 LB sophomore – has completed 11-of-19 passes for 121 yards with 2 TD and 0 INT in two years at OSU. He’s a proven running threat as well as he has tallied 334 rush yards on 43 attempts with 1 TD in his two-year career.

Still, most of those stats came in mop-up duty in OSU blowout wins, and it’ll be a completely different atmosphere in Indianapolis on Saturday. He’ll also be taking on a Wisconsin defense that ranks 2nd nationally in total YPG allowed, 2nd in pass YPG allowed, 8th in rush YPG allowed, and 4th in PPG allowed.

No opponent has topped 28 points against the Badgers this season (LSU & Illinois each scored 28 points) while six have been held to fewer than 20 points. The Bucks have scored fewer than 31 points just once this season and that was the 21-35 loss to Virginia Tech on September 6th.

Wisconsin has held opposing rushing attacks to just 103.8 YPG on 3.0 YPC with just three individuals exceeding 100 rush yards. The pass defense has been even better, holding opposing quarterbacks to just 46.4% completions with 10 TD and 6 INT.

They do a great job of getting after the quarterback (35 sacks) and stalling drives (13.3 first downs per game allowed – 1st in the B1G).

OSU’s defense has been tested already with some of the running backs & offensive lines that it has faced throughout B1G play. Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford, Minnesota’s David Cobb, and Indiana’s Tevin Coleman – three of the top RB’s in the nation – all had success against this Ohio State defense. Those three combined for 510 rush yards (170 rush YPG) on 7.1 YPC with 9 touchdowns.

The silver lining in that stat is that despite the success those three had on the ground, OSU won all three of those games by 11.3 PPG. Those previous struggles could be a significant issue with Melvin Gordon on deck this weekend. No opponent, aside from FCS Western Illinois, has had success slowing Gordon. He leads the nation with 2,260 rush yards on nearly 8.0 yards per carry with 29 total touchdowns. He seems to have gotten stronger as the season has progressed as he has tallied at least 200 rushing yards in three of the last four games.

Neither team has a huge situational edge here as Wisconsin has been to Indy twice (’11 & ’12) while Ohio State was here last year. Wisconsin is 2-0 SU, beating Michigan State in 2011 and Nebraska in 2012 while Ohio State lost the B1G Championship to Michigan State last year, 24-34.

OSU has won seven of the last 10 against Wisconsin, but is just 5-4-1 ATS in those games with just +3.4 the average margin (six of 10 games decided by seven points or fewer).

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

MAC Championship Preview
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

The MAC Championship matchup is the same as last season despite some major changes for both programs this season as Bowling Green and Northern Illinois will meet Friday night in Detroit. Bowling Green beat Northern Illinois last season to cost the Huskies a possible BCS bowl spot, but neither squad is as decorated this season. Here is a preview of the big game to close an exciting season in the conference.

Match-up: Bowling Green Falcons at Northern Illinois Huskies
Venue: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
Date: Friday, December 5, 2014
Time/TV: 7:00 PM ET – ESPN2
Line: Northern Illinois -6½, Over/Under 59
Last Meeting: 2013, Bowling Green (+3) 47-27

This is the fifth straight MAC Championship game for Northern Illinois and a chance to avenge last season’s loss to Bowling Green in the title game. The Huskies were 12-0 at this point last season with potentially a BCS bowl spot on the line heading into this game as a slight favorite. Bowling Green took control early with a 17-7 first quarter lead and the Huskies never got closer than four points in a 47-27 rout for the Falcons with 574 yards posted. Northern Illinois wound up in the Poinsettia Bowl where they lost to Utah State, while Bowling Green fell to Pittsburgh in the Little Caesar’s Bowl.

Bowling Green entered the season again as the favorites in the MAC East, but the program has gone through some major changes. After five solid seasons, Dave Clawson left Bowling Green to take over at Wake Forest. Dino Babers was hired to take over after two successful seasons at the FCS level at Eastern Illinois, while working his way up as a position coach at several prominent programs, notably at UCLA and Baylor. Babers brings an up-tempo pace to the offense and after a disastrous debut with a 59-31 loss to Western Kentucky, the Falcons posted a nice season at 7-5.

Bowling Green suffered a big blow early in the season as starting quarterback Matt Johnson was injured in that opener, but the Falcons still picked up a nice win over Indiana in non-conference play and wound up winning every game against the MAC East. The East was by far the weaker of the two MAC divisions this season with Bowling Green the only team to emerge with a winning record and the Falcons went 0-3 vs. the MAC West, though Northern Illinois was not on the schedule. Bowling Green limps into this game with back-to-back losses to close the season, but this is a difficult team to match up with as sophomore quarterback James Knapke had a number of strong performances and the offense has great rush/pass balance while scoring nearly 31 points per game.

Bowling Green has struggled defensively, allowing more points and yards than produced on the season and surrendering 6.1 yards per play. The run defense will be tested against the Huskies and compared with last season, Bowling Green is 198 points worse in scoring differential in conference games as last year’s squad was a truly dominant unit, especially on defense by MAC standards. The same type of decline can be seen for Northern Illinois as while the coaching staff remained, losing Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Lynch was difficult and the Huskies were not nearly as impressive as past seasons despite another strong record. The Huskies were 142 points worse in MAC point differential compared with last season as both of these teams failed to match the success from 2013 despite doing enough to return to this title game.

Northern Illinois remains a viable rushing team, averaging 49 attempts and 246 yards per game on the ground. Sophomore Drew Hare leads the offense at quarterback and with a 15/1 touchdown to interception ratio as he has been efficient while avoiding big mistakes. Hare is not as central to the offense as Lynch was, though still rushing for nearly 800 yards this season to lead the team on the ground. Northern Illinois was actually out-rushed in three MAC games this season and despite a few early fumbles last week, the Huskies turned the ball over rarely this season, featuring one of the lowest turnover rates in the nation.

Northern Illinois is riding a six-game win streak, but there have been some narrow escapes with none of the wins coming by more than 14 points. Last week’s win at Western Michigan featured six turnovers to help the Huskies back into the title game and this will technically be a third straight away game for the Huskies. The Huskies only out-scored foes by six points per game this season in a 10-2 campaign and they were not often the most impressive team in a loaded MAC West division with four teams that each would be favored over Bowling Green in this game, counting Western Michigan, Toledo, and Central Michigan in addition to the Huskies. It is worth noting that the underdog has actually covered in each of the last four MAC championship games.

Last season’s win was the first since 2003 for Bowling Green in this series though they have covered in four of seven meetings since 1998. Bowling Green has been on a great run in the underdog role going 52-39-2 ATS since 1998 when getting points. The Falcons covered in two of three games this season as an underdog and four of the last five instances going back to last season. Northern Illinois is just 3-11-1 ATS in neutral site games since 2005 and the Huskies have failed to cover in five of six games as a favorite since October, despite a 29-21-3 ATS run as a favorite since 2010. The Huskies are 20-12 ATS since 1999 as a favorite of fewer than seven points.

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

Pac-12 Championship Preview
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Match-up: Arizona Wildcats vs. Oregon Ducks
Venue: Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
Date: Friday, December 5, 2014
Time/TV: 9:00 PM ET – FOX
Line: Oregon -14½, Over/Under 73½

Oregon will have revenge on its mind at Friday's Pac-12 Championship Game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The Ducks suffered their lone loss of the season to Arizona in Eugene on Oct. 2, but they'll have a shot at redemption against the Wildcats with the league title and a berth in the College Football Playoff on the line.

Rich Rodriguez's squad is also in the hunt for a CFP invite, but it needs a victory and a little help. If seventh-ranked Arizona knocks off the second-ranked Ducks, it needs two other teams in front of it to lose. If Wisconsin beats Ohio St. and Kansas St. tops Baylor, the Wildcats are probably in business. They would have two losses like Wisconsin and Kansas St., but their two victories over Oregon would trump the resumes of the Badgers and Bill Snyder's team.

There's also the possibility of Alabama and/or FSU losing, but it's debatable whether or not the committee would choose Arizona over either of those schools that are currently ranked first and fourth, respectively.

As of early Thursday afternoon, most betting shops had Oregon (11-1 straight up, 8-4 against the spread) installed as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 73. Gamblers can back the Wildcats on the money line for a +450 payout (risk $100 to win $450).

For first-half wagers, the Ducks are favored by 7.5 with a total of 37.

The line opened at 13.5 this past Sunday. However, it moved to 14 and then 14.5 late Tuesday afternoon. As for the total, it started at 70 at a few offshores, but most Vegas shops opened at 72.

Mark Helfrich's squad has won seven in a row both SU and ATS, winning every game by 12 points or more. Oregon is off of last week's Civil War victory over Oregon St. by a 47-19 count as a 20.5-point road favorite.

Marcus Mariota produced another brilliant performance against the Beavers. The junior QB completed 19-of-25 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Mariota also rushed for 39 yards and a pair of scores. Royce Freeman rushed for 135 yards on 22 carries and also had a pair of catches for 19 yards and one TD. Byron Marshall had a team-high six receptions for 131 yards and one TD, in addition to 34 rushing yards on just two totes.

Mariota has had an amazing season that'll almost certainly result in his name being called as the Heisman Trophy winner next week. He has completed 68.6 percent of his throws for 3,470 passing yards, with a remarkable 36/2 TD-INT ratio. Mariota has also run for 636 yards and 11 TDs.

Freeman rushed for a team-high 1,185 yards and 16 TDs while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Marshall hauled in a team-best 56 receptions for 791 yards and five TDs.

Arizona (10-2 SU, 5-7 ATS) has been an underdog three times this season, compiling a 2-1 record both SU and ATS. The Wildcats won outright at Oregon and at Utah, but they dropped a 17-7 decision at UCLA as 6.5-point underdogs. I was on 'Zona that night and it would've covered if not for missing a short field goal and having another short attempt blocked in the second half.

R-Rod's team clinched the Pac-12 South by beating Arizona St. and getting an assist from Stanford in its 31-10 win at UCLA. Arizona downed the Sun Devils 42-35 as a two-point home favorite. Nick Wilson was the catalyst with 178 rushing yards and three TDs on 24 carries. Anu Solomon connected on 15-of-21 passes for 208 yards and two TDs without an interception.

Samajie Grant had four catches for 91 yards and two TDs, but he was cited for a DUI later in the weekend. There are conflicting reports on his availability for Friday night. The story earlier in the week was that he wouldn't start, but other publications have indicated that Grant won't play at all.

Solomon has shined under center as a redshirt freshman. He has 3,424 passing yards with a 27/7 TD-INT ratio. Cayleb Jones has been his favorite target, making 63 catches for 831 yards and eight TDs. Wilson has rushed for 1,263 yards and 15 TDs, averaging 6.2 YPC.

Oregon has been a double-digit favorite nine times this year, going 5-4 versus the number.

When these schools met at Autzen Stadium on a Thursday night in early October, Arizona captured a 31-24 win as an enormous 21.5-point road underdog. The 55 combined points easily stayed 'under' the 81.5-point total.

Terris Jones-Grisby rushed for 115 yards and his one-yard TD plunge with 2:54 remaining put Arizona in front to stay. He also had four receptions for 95 yards. Wilson, a true freshman, rushed 13 times for 92 yards and two TDs. He also had a 34-yard TD reception. Solomon threw for 287 yards.

Mariota threw for 276 yards and two TDs without an interception. He also had a 26-yard TD catch from Royce Freeman on a trick play. Freeman rushed for 85 yards on 19 carries.

After Jones-Grisby's TD run put Arizona ahead at crunch time, Mariota drove the Ducks into UA territory in hopes of a tying score. However, he was sacked and stripped by Scooby Wright III and the Wildcats recovered to secure the victory.

Wright was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year earlier this week. The sophomore linebacker finished the regular season with 139 tackles, 27 tackles behind the line and six forced fumbles.

Arizona has won back-to-back meetings against Oregon. In 2013, the Wildcats spanked the Ducks 42-16 as 20.5-point home underdogs. The 'under' has been a winner in three consecutive head-to-head encounters.

The 'over' is 6-5-1 overall for Oregon, but it has seen back-to-back 'unders.' The Ducks' games have had average combined scores of 69.2 points per game.

The 'under' is 8-4 overall for Arizona, cashing in four of its last five games. The Wildcats' games have had average combined scores of 62.2 PPG.

Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on FOX.

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

MAC Championship Preview
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

The MAC Championship matchup is the same as last season despite some major changes for both programs this season as Bowling Green and Northern Illinois will meet Friday night in Detroit. Bowling Green beat Northern Illinois last season to cost the Huskies a possible BCS bowl spot, but neither squad is as decorated this season. Here is a preview of the big game to close an exciting season in the conference.

Match-up: Bowling Green Falcons at Northern Illinois Huskies
Venue: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
Date: Friday, December 5, 2014
Time/TV: 7:00 PM ET – ESPN2
Line: Northern Illinois -6½, Over/Under 59
Last Meeting: 2013, Bowling Green (+3) 47-27

This is the fifth straight MAC Championship game for Northern Illinois and a chance to avenge last season’s loss to Bowling Green in the title game. The Huskies were 12-0 at this point last season with potentially a BCS bowl spot on the line heading into this game as a slight favorite. Bowling Green took control early with a 17-7 first quarter lead and the Huskies never got closer than four points in a 47-27 rout for the Falcons with 574 yards posted. Northern Illinois wound up in the Poinsettia Bowl where they lost to Utah State, while Bowling Green fell to Pittsburgh in the Little Caesar’s Bowl.

Bowling Green entered the season again as the favorites in the MAC East, but the program has gone through some major changes. After five solid seasons, Dave Clawson left Bowling Green to take over at Wake Forest. Dino Babers was hired to take over after two successful seasons at the FCS level at Eastern Illinois, while working his way up as a position coach at several prominent programs, notably at UCLA and Baylor. Babers brings an up-tempo pace to the offense and after a disastrous debut with a 59-31 loss to Western Kentucky, the Falcons posted a nice season at 7-5.

Bowling Green suffered a big blow early in the season as starting quarterback Matt Johnson was injured in that opener, but the Falcons still picked up a nice win over Indiana in non-conference play and wound up winning every game against the MAC East. The East was by far the weaker of the two MAC divisions this season with Bowling Green the only team to emerge with a winning record and the Falcons went 0-3 vs. the MAC West, though Northern Illinois was not on the schedule. Bowling Green limps into this game with back-to-back losses to close the season, but this is a difficult team to match up with as sophomore quarterback James Knapke had a number of strong performances and the offense has great rush/pass balance while scoring nearly 31 points per game.

Bowling Green has struggled defensively, allowing more points and yards than produced on the season and surrendering 6.1 yards per play. The run defense will be tested against the Huskies and compared with last season, Bowling Green is 198 points worse in scoring differential in conference games as last year’s squad was a truly dominant unit, especially on defense by MAC standards. The same type of decline can be seen for Northern Illinois as while the coaching staff remained, losing Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Lynch was difficult and the Huskies were not nearly as impressive as past seasons despite another strong record. The Huskies were 142 points worse in MAC point differential compared with last season as both of these teams failed to match the success from 2013 despite doing enough to return to this title game.

Northern Illinois remains a viable rushing team, averaging 49 attempts and 246 yards per game on the ground. Sophomore Drew Hare leads the offense at quarterback and with a 15/1 touchdown to interception ratio as he has been efficient while avoiding big mistakes. Hare is not as central to the offense as Lynch was, though still rushing for nearly 800 yards this season to lead the team on the ground. Northern Illinois was actually out-rushed in three MAC games this season and despite a few early fumbles last week, the Huskies turned the ball over rarely this season, featuring one of the lowest turnover rates in the nation.

Northern Illinois is riding a six-game win streak, but there have been some narrow escapes with none of the wins coming by more than 14 points. Last week’s win at Western Michigan featured six turnovers to help the Huskies back into the title game and this will technically be a third straight away game for the Huskies. The Huskies only out-scored foes by six points per game this season in a 10-2 campaign and they were not often the most impressive team in a loaded MAC West division with four teams that each would be favored over Bowling Green in this game, counting Western Michigan, Toledo, and Central Michigan in addition to the Huskies. It is worth noting that the underdog has actually covered in each of the last four MAC championship games.

Last season’s win was the first since 2003 for Bowling Green in this series though they have covered in four of seven meetings since 1998. Bowling Green has been on a great run in the underdog role going 52-39-2 ATS since 1998 when getting points. The Falcons covered in two of three games this season as an underdog and four of the last five instances going back to last season. Northern Illinois is just 3-11-1 ATS in neutral site games since 2005 and the Huskies have failed to cover in five of six games as a favorite since October, despite a 29-21-3 ATS run as a favorite since 2010. The Huskies are 20-12 ATS since 1999 as a favorite of fewer than seven points.

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

College Football Top 25 Betting Cheat Sheet: Week 15
By Covers.com

It's Championship Week in college football with more than conference bragging rights on the line for many teams. The College Football Playoffs will be decided as well as numerous other big bowl bids. We break down all the need-to-know facts and figures for Saturday's Top 25 contests:

Iowa State Cyclones at (4) TCU Horned Frogs (-33.5)

Sam Richardson has been carrying the Cyclones offense this season. Aside from ranking in the Top 10 in Cyclones history for most single-season passing stats, the junior QB is also only the fourth signal caller in team history to have more than 100 yards rushing in a season.

TCU’s 21 points per game improvement this season is on pace to break the Big 12 record of 19.1 set by Oklahoma in 1999 (35.8; 16.7, 1998) and would be the largest improvement by any team since Northwestern went up 24.0 points between 1999-00.

Trends:

Cyclones are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Horned Frogs are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Over is 8-2 in Horned Frogs last 10 conference games.

Oklahoma State Cowboys at (16) Oklahoma Sooners (-20)

Non-offensive touchdowns have been a regular part of the Oklahoma State attack in recent years, as the Cowboys have 29 non-offensive scores since the start of the 2010 season - a mark that ranks second in the nation during that span.

Since QB Trevor Knight's injury, the Sooners' rushing attack has become the centerpiece of the team. In the past two games without Knight, Oklahoma has rushed for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Trends:

Cowboys are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 meetings.
Over is 11-3-1 in Sooners last 15 games overall.
Cowboys are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Oklahoma.

(1) Alabama Crimson Tide vs. (13) Missouri Tigers (+14.5)

Since the start of the 2009 season, no defense has allowed fewer touchdowns than the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s defense has surrendered just 113 touchdowns over the last 78 games. That is 36 fewer than the second most in the nation (LSU with 149).

A key to Missouri's success in 2014 has been its continued success away from home, as the Tigers went a perfect 5-0 on the road this year. Mizzou has now won 11 straight road games, including last season's bowl game, and is also a perfect 11-0 ATS in those contests.

Trends:

Tigers are 13-3 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 10-1-1 in Crimson Tide last 12 neutral site games.
Under is 6-0 in Tigers last 6 games on fieldturf.

(9) Kansas State Wildcats at (5) Baylor Bears

There's little doubt that if Kansas State is in the lead come halftime, it will be difficult for Baylor to beat them. The Wildcats have won 47 straight games when leading at halftime, which is the second longest streak in the FBS.

Baylor's fast starts have caused a lot of problems for their opposition this season. The Bears have outscored their opponents 323-117 in the first half of games this season, which gives them an average lead of 18.8 points going into halftime.

Trends:

Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Underdog is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

(2) FSU Seminoles vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+4.5)

Much has been made of the Seminoles' tight games this season, which have been epitomized lately. In its last six games, FSU has won by an average of six points per game while winning by four or less three times. The Noles were favorites in each of those games, giving an average of just under 10 points, and went just 2-4 ATS.

Georgia Tech’s 123 points off turnovers are the fourth-most in FBS this season. The Yellow Jackets' seven red-zone takeaways are also good for second in the FBS.

Trends:

*Seminoles are 0-3-2 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
*Yellow Jackets are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
*Under is 11-1 in Seminoles last 12 games on grass.

(11) Wisconsin Badgers vs. (6) Ohio State Buckeyes (+4)

Though the numbers don't necessarily lend themselves to RB Melvin Gordon being overworked, it still worries coach Andersen. " It is definitely in my mind and concerning. This last stretch was unbelievable physical." Gordon has carried the ball 283 times - fifth most in the country - for a FBS-best 2,260 yards.

It may be an uphill battle for the Buckeyes without stud QB J.T. Barrett, who was lost for the season last week. Sophomore Cardale Jones will be getting his first career start in a hostile environment Saturday. Jones' has a career stat line of 121 yards passing with two touchdowns through the air.

Trends:

Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Badgers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings.
Over is 12-1 in Buckeyes last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.

Fresno State Bulldogs at (22) Boise State Broncos (-21)

Defense has played a large part for the three game winning streak of Fresno State. The Bulldogs are allowing 15 less points and 117 less yards in their past three compared to their first nine.

Boise State posted a perfect November for the first time since 2009, thanks largely to its disciplined play. The Broncos were averaging 7.8 penalties per game through their first eight games, but cut that number to 4.8 last month.

Trends:

Favorite is 11-2 ATS in their last 13 meetings.
Bulldogs are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
Over is 7-0 in Broncos last 7 games overall.

[TheGame]

Re: College Football Betting Info. Week 15

SEC Championship Preview
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Missouri Tigers
Venue: Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA
Date: Saturday, December 6, 2014
Time/TV: 4:00 p.m. ET – CBS
Line: Oregon -14½, Over/Under 49

Missouri returns to Atlanta as the SEC East champ for the second time in its three seasons in the league. This time around, the Tigers will face Alabama and they're hoping for a better result compared to last year's 59-42 loss to Auburn at the Ga. Dome.

Oddsmakers don't see that happening, however.

As of Friday afternoon, most books had Alabama (11-1 straight up, 4-8 against the spread) listed as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5. Gamblers can take the Tigers to win outright for a +500 return (risk $100 to win $450).

Since losing 34-0 at home to Georgia on Oct. 11, Missouri (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) has won six in a row and has hooked up its betting supporters at a 5-1 ATS clip. The Tigers clinched the SEC East last Friday by rallying in the fourth quarter to a capture a 21-14 win over Arkansas as two-point home underdogs.

Marcus Murphy scored on a 12-yard touchdown run with 4:38 remaining to provide the winning points. Murphy found paydirt but both scoring drives in the fourth quarter were about QB Maty Mauk and RB Russell Hansbrough, who finished with 91 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Mauk threw for 265 yards, including a four-yard TD pass to Jimmie Hunt and a three-yard scoring strike to Bud Sasser on the two-point conversion. The Tigers, who cut their deficit to eight when place-kicker Andrew Baggett nailed a 50-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, pulled even at 14-14 with the Mauk-to-Sasser conversion.

After a brutal slump in October, Mauk has regained his confidence. In the last five games, the sophomore signal caller has an 8/2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Alabama went into the Iron Bowl knowing it was destined for Atlanta thanks to Ole Miss's slight upset win over Mississippi St. earlier last Saturday. But there was still plenty on the line, including the hope of going to the first College Football Playoff.

Nick Saban's team raced out to a 14-3 lead and it looked as if this could be a laugher. However, Gus Malzahn's bunch wasn't about to fold. Auburn took its second lead when Nick Marshall found Sammie Coates for a 68-yard scoring strike to give it a 23-21 advantage. It was the second time Marshall had hooked up with Coates for a go-ahead score, doing so for a 16-14 advantage early in the second quarter.

The 68-yard TD pass came with 51 seconds remaining in the first half. Moments later, Auburn intercepted Blake Sims and had a golden opportunity to get more points before intermission. The Tigers did just that with a 20-yard field goal for a 26-21 halftime lead.

Marshall, who finished with 456 passing yards, threw his third TD to Quan Bray to put AU up 33-21 early in the third quarter. After 'Bama answered 39-yard TD pass from Sims to Amari Cooper, Auburn countered with another Daniel Carlson FG for a 36-27 advantage with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

But from there, it all Alabama. On the first play of the Tide's next drive, Sims hit Cooper for a 75-yard bomb. They would take the lead for good early in the four quarter on an 11-yard TD run by Sims, who threw for 312 yards and four TDs. Another fourth-quarter TD pass to DeAndrew White provided 'Bama with a 12-point cushion and Derrick Henry put the game on ice with a 25-yard scoring scamper.

Auburn got a garbage TD with 20 ticks left to make the final score, 55-44. The Tide took the cash as a 10.5-point home favorite and the 'over' was an easy winner.

Cooper cemented an invite the Heisman ceremony in New York City next weekend by torching Auburn with 13 receptions for 224 yards and three TDs. For the season, Cooper has 103 catches for 1,573 yards and 14 TDs. Sims has a 23/7 TD-INT ratio.

Alabama has been a double-digit 'chalk' nine times this year, limping to a 3-5-1 spread record.

Missouri has won outright in eight of its last nine games from the underdog role. In six such spots this year, the Tigers went 5-1 both SU and ATS.

The 'under' is 7-4-1 overall for Missouri, going 7-2-1 in its last 10 games. The Tigers' games have averaged a combined score of 48.2 points per game.

The 'under' is 6-5 overall for 'Bama, going 5-2 in its last seven games with a total. It has seen its games play to an average combined score of 53.6 PPG.

CBS will have the telecast at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.