College Football Betting Previews
College Football Betting Previews
We are getting down to the nitty-gritty of the college football season, with everything on the line. Here is preview the top college football games, along with the betting odds of each matchup.
(139) DUKE at (318) WAKE FOREST (+5.5, 49.5) ESPN2 12:00 E
In a college football season loaded with surprises, seeing Duke leading the ACC Coastal Division with a chance to be champions with two more wins is dumbfounding. The Blue Devils harassed the Hurricanes in their 48-30 triumph and are riding a six-game winning streak, with five consecutive covers. Give head coach David Cutcliffe all the credit for taking the forlorn program to incomprehensible heights. Duke is 8-2 ATS this season and will be a road favorite for just the third time in the past 13 seasons.
For the first time, there is pressure on Duke making a trip to Wake Forest.
After a 2-3 start, everything was setting up for another forgettable football season at Wake Forest, until they defeated N.C. State and Maryland. This turned out to be a mirage; as the Demon Deacons have dropped three in a row since. Coach Jim Grobe might need the upset to continue future employment in the ACC. Wake is 20-12-1 as home underdog since 2001.
(163) ARIZONA STATE at (164) UCLA (+2.5, 61) FOX 7:00 E
It’s been several years since both these Pac-12 schools were playing meaningful football games in late November with something on the line. Historically, these two football programs have often left their fans wanting for more. But not this season, as Arizona State and UCLA are 8-2 and control their destiny to be Pac-12 South champions.
The Sun Devils are thought by oddsmakers to be the stronger team, which is why they opened as road favorites, yet history finds them 11-24 ATS in road games versus teams outscoring opponents by 10 or more points per game on the season.
Since losing at Stanford and Oregon, UCLA has put together three noteworthy victories and believes its defense can slow quarterback Taylor Kelly and the Sun Devils and manufacture the Rose Bowl upset. The Bruins will have to value the possession of the pigskin and over the last 21 years, they have been money as a home underdog with a 27-12 spread record. UCLA has won and covered the past two meetings as the underdog.
(169) TEXAS A&M at (170) LSU (-4.5, 70) CBS 3:30 E
Though the season has not gone as planned for LSU, they still have goals. The Tigers (7-3 SU) are tied with Boise State with 13 consecutive seasons with at least eight wins, the longest such streak in the nation. A victory against the Aggies would extend the streak to 14. The Tigers’ bowl destination and the opportunity to win 10 if they run the table are still motivating factors. But will this be enough after consecutive SEC losses to Ole Miss and Alabama. LSU is 11-30 ATS at home the last month of the season.
The quarterback duel between Johnny Manziel and Zack Mettenberger should be a good one. Texas A&M should be able to move the ball against a LSU defense which is not up to their usual standards. A huge concern is the Aggies 107th ranked defense, which will face no less than four skill position players which will be on NFL rosters from the Tigers offense. The Aggies are 7-0 (4-3 ATS) on the road with Manziel and LSU’s home win percentage is more than 16 percent lower during the day compared to at night.
(183) BAYLOR at (184) OKLAHOMA STATE (+9.5, 78) ABC 8:00 E
After 12 weeks, these are the two best teams in the Big 12. The most obvious aspect of these squads is the offense; both prolific in nature, with Baylor breaking new ground in averaging 61.2 points a game. Nevertheless, neither team is as highly ranked without its defense. Most people would have no idea Baylor is fourth in the country in yards per play allowed (4.2) and Oklahoma State is ninth at 4.7.
The Bears might have the best vertical passing game in the history of college football with quarterback Bryce Petty at the controls, under the guidance and genius of head coach Art Briles. Baylor is almost a 10-point betting choice and is 25-9 ATS as favorites.
Nonetheless, it would foolish to short sell Oklahoma State, who has won six straight (5-1 ATS) and is forcing better than three turnovers in this stretch. This might be a different Baylor team but the Cowboys are 9-0 and 8-1 ATS as Stillwater hosts against the Bears in the past 16 seasons.
(203) MISSOURI at (204) OLE MISS (+2.5, 57) ESPN 7:45 E
Missouri knows what it has to do, win twice and they advance to the SEC championship game. On the surface this sounds simple until realizing they face a Mississippi squad which is playing back to preseason expectations, riding a four-game winning streak. Reports have Missouri returning to James Franklin at quarterback, but he hasn’t played in five weeks and is bound to be rusty. If Franklin were to start poorly and say Mizzou was up by 14 points, would coach Gary Pinkel make the change to effective replacement Maty Mauk? Mizzou is 8-2 ATS this season and 19-9 ATS in road games off a win by 10 points or more after a conference victory.
For Ole Miss, there is no shame in losing to Alabama, Auburn and Texas A&M in consecutive weeks. But with their upset of LSU, the Rebels are relishing the opportunity to step back in the national spotlight against one of the nation’s elite teams. Mississippi averages almost 500 yards a game to go along with 34.5 points a game and how they handle the Tigers ferocious pass rushers will answer half the equation. Also, besides Missouri being able to light the scoreboard for 41.3 points a contest, they have tall starting receivers (6’4 or more) who can all run and have good hands. The Rebels are 10-2 ATS at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium after a home game.
