Friday, September 2nd
Indiana at Central Michigan, 7:30 EST ESPNU
Indiana - 6-1 Under last seven games with a posted total
Central Michigan - 4-12 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Arizona at Utah, 8:00 EST ESPN
Arizona - 2-7 ATS in road games
Utah - 10-0 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
** (TC) Denotes Time Change
Saturday, September 3rd
Bowling Green at Wisconsin, 12:00 EST ESPN
Bowling Green - 5-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Wisconsin - 15-5 Over as a home favorite of 7 points or less
Ohio U at Northwestern, 12:00 EST ESPNU
Ohio U - 1-5 ATS in September
Northwestern - 7-0 ATS at home with a total of 42.5 to 49 points
(TC) Western Michigan at Virginia, 6:00 EST
Western Michigan - 0-6 ATS on grass fields
Virginia - 9-3 ATS in home games
Ball State at Iowa, 12:00 EST
Ball State - 3-8 ATS in road games
Iowa - 11-1 ATS in home games
Kent State at Michigan State, 12:00 EST
Kent State - 5-1 ATS as an underdog of 10.5 to 21 points
Michigan State - 1-8 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Miami OH at Ohio State, 12:00 EST ABC
Miami OH - 14-5 ATS on grass fields
Ohio State - 2-7 ATS as a home favorite of 14.5 to 17 points
(TC) Northern Illinois at Michigan, 3:30 EST ABC
Northern Illinois - 5-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Michigan - 6-0 Over as a favorite
(TC) South Florida at Penn State, 3:30 EST ESPNU
South Florida - 11-6 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Penn State - 24-9 Under vs. non-conference opponents
Duke at East Carolina, 1:00 EST
Duke - 7-17 ATS as a favorite
East Carolina - 4-0 Under vs. ACC opponents
(TC) UAB at Tennessee, 12:30 EST
UAB - 28-14 ATS as an underdog
Tennessee - 5-13 ATS as a favorite
(TC) Rutgers at Illinois, 12:00 EST ESPN2
Rutgers - 12-4 ATS as an underdog
Illinois - 6-15 ATS last 21 lined games
Colorado State at Colorado, 3:30 EST
Colorado State - 39-23 ATS as an underdog
Colorado - 1-5 ATS as a home favorite
(TC) Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, 8:00 EST ABC
Notre Dame - 5-1 Under as a road underdog
Pittsburgh - 27-44 ATS first half of the season
Boise State at Georgia, 5:30 EST ESPN
Boise State - 14-6 ATS as an underdog
Georgia - 14-5 Under in September
Navy at Maryland, 6:00 EST
Navy - 14-5 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Maryland - 10-2 Under as a favorite
Wyoming at Florida, 6:00 EST
Wyoming - 1-11 ATS away first two weeks of the season
Florida - Urban Meyer 15-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
(TC) Washington at Air Force, 3:30 EST ABC
Washington - 6-15 ATS last 21 lined games
Air Force - 16-5 Under in September
(TC) TCU at Oklahoma, 12:00 EST ABC
TCU - 11-0 Over in September
Oklahoma - 2-11 ATS as a home favorite
(TC) Georgia Tech at Auburn, 8:45 EST ESPN
Georgia Tech - 12-4 ATS first two weeks of the season
Auburn - 6-17 ATS with a total of 42 points or less
(TC) Boston College at BYU, 3:30 EST ABC
Boston College - 7-2 ATS on grass fields
BYU - 5-1 Under in September
Texas A&M at Clemson, 8:00 EST ABC
Texas A&M - 2-8 ATS in road games
Clemson - 8-2 Over first two weeks of the season
Baylor at SMU, 8:00 EST
Baylor - 11-4 ATS on grass fields
SMU - 6-0 Under as an underdog
UCLA at San Diego State, 10:00 EST ESPN2
UCLA - 11-3 Under as a favorite
San Diego State - 18-6 Under as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points
(TC) USC at Hawaii, 7:00 EST ESPN2
USC - 8-2 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
Hawaii - 7-2 Over as an underdog
Added Games:
Arkansas State at Missouri, 12:00 EST
Arkansas State - 15-8 ATS first month of the season
Missouri - 8-2 Under as a favorite
Middle Tenn State at Alabama, 7:00 EST
Mid Tenn State - 8-2 ATS first two weeks of the season
Alabama - 5-1 Under in September
Florida Atlantic at Kansas, 7:00 EST
Florida Atlantic - 3-0 ATS on artificial turf last year
Kansas - 9-1 Over vs. non-conference opponents
LA Lafayette at Texas, 7:00 EST
LA Lafayette - 5-1 ATS first month of the season
Texas - 11-3 Over in September
(TC) Florida International at Kansas State, 2:00 EST
Florida Int - no trends available
Kansas State - 0-6 ATS vs. non-conference opponents
North Texas at LSU, 8:00 EST
North Texas - 1-7 ATS as an underdog
LSU - 6-1 ATS in September
(TC) UTEP at New Mexico State, 10:30 EST ESPNU
UTEP - 3-16 ATS away in September
New Mexico State - 11-2 ATS as a home underdog
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Foote Notes: Arizona at Utah
William Foote
The Wildcats and Utes will do battle from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for this week’s installment of Friday College Football on ESPN.
To say Arizona has been in the proverbial tank of late may be an understatement. The Desert Cats are a paltry 5-18 straight up (SU) over the past two years, including a 1-8 mark over their past nine on the road and 2-7 against the spread (ATS) in their past nine as a road underdog. Nevertheless, there are several reasons for optimism heading into 2005.
The highly-regarded Mike Stoops enters his second year at the helm in Tucson. Stoops will return 14 starters from last season’s team, including his QB and a host of talented receivers. Also, Arizona upset in-state rival ASU to close out the 2004 campaign and many believe that performance was a sign of times to come.
The question is not if Arizona will continue its improvement in 2005, but rather by how much will Stoops` team improve. Is the step up from last year to this year going to be from horrible to decent? Or is horrible to less-than-average more realistic?
On the other side of the equation is Utah, which rolls in on a spectacular 22-2 SU and 20-4 ATS run dating back to the beginning of 2002. The Utes are additionally a perfect 16-0 SU in their past 16 tilts overall during which time they have won back-to-back bowl games by a combined count of 52-7.
The news gets even worse for Arizona, as Utah boasts a staggering 9-2 ATS record its past 11 as Salt Lake City chalk, and is 10-0 ATS in its past 10 against non-conference opponents. Open and shut case for the Utes, right? Not exactly.
Utah enters the 2005 season sans its brilliant architect, Urban Meyer. Meyer opted for warmer pastures by taking the job at Florida and Kyle Whittingham is in to replace him. Among the many pressing concerns for Whittingham is finding a way to replace 12 departed starters from last year’s team.
The cupboard seems particularly bare on offense, as star QB Alex Smith, who was the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, is with the 49ers in San Francisco. Meanwhile, four of the Utes’ top five rushers from 2004 are gone, as are Utah’s top three receivers from last season. Sucking the sodium from “Great Salt Lake” may prove an easier task than the one assigned to Whittingham this year.
Oddsmakers have Utah set as a 7 1/2-point favorite.
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One sharp moves Bowling Green line
Jeff Mason
The MAC attack continues.
Sharp money is on the Bowling Green Falcons this Saturday. The line has seen the Wisconsin Badgers move from 5-point to 1 ½-point faves.
“We had one of our sharp bettors come in and bet on Bowling Green,” says Tony Williams, head oddsmaker at ******.com. “It wasn’t the amount that moved the line; it was who bet on it.
“All the sharp money so far has been on Bowling Green.”
The Falcons have been a trendy underdog pick by experts this year. Junior signal caller Omar Jacobs leads an offense that averaged 44.3 points and 506.3 yards per game.
“Every year there is one team from the MAC that just goes on a tear. This year it looks like Bowling Green,” says Williams.
Both teams were 9-3 last season. After opening 9-0, the Badgers lost their last three contests. Bowling Green was also 9-3 against the spread last season while Wisconsin was 8-4.
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Big action swings Rutgers line
Jeff Mason
Greg Schiano has been trying for four years to create a team worthy of respect.
His Rutgers Scarlet Knights appeared to have finally earned it. They`re currently set as a 1 ½-point road fave for Saturday’s game after opening as an underdog to the Illinois Fighting Illini.
“Our line opened up with Illinois [set as] 2-point favorites,” says Randy Stafford, a linesmaker with BetCRIS.com. “But we have seen a ton of action on Rutgers.”
The Scarlet Knights went 4-7 straight up and against the spread last season and have been favored on the road just once in the last 10 years - a 2003 contest against Army.
[]bMeanwhile, Ron Zook is looking to get Illinois back on the right track after the club struggled to a 4-18 record over the last two seasons.
“Ron Zook couldn’t handle the talent at Florida,” says Stafford. “This was not a good Illinois team last year. Plus, they are putting in a new [spread] offense that does not suit the talent. [/b]
“This is an experienced Rutgers team. They are returning 15 starters, and they know how to put points on the board. They have a lot of talented, athletic players – many of them from the state of Florida that is supposed to be the hotbed of football talent.”
Quarterback Ryan Hart of Coral Springs leads the Florida contingent. The senior quarterback set school passing records last season with 3,154 yards, completing about 65 percent of his attempts.
The total is set at 54.
JT
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