COLLEGE RATING 5 HITS WITH 56-3 ROUT RATING 5 KEYS ARE 10-5 FOR 67% ON THE SEASON

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1 THE GREEN SHEET Volume XXVI Issue 13 October 24, 2016 $10.00 COLLEGE RATING 5 HITS WITH 56-3 ROUT RATING 5 KEYS ARE 10-5 FOR 67% ON THE SEASON 4th Quarter Covers NCAA WEEK 8! California (+3) 52, Oregon 49: The Bears were a -3 favorite much of the week before the line fell to near-even and then eventually shifted to the Ducks being favored by the Friday night kickoff. It didn t look like it would matter early as the Bears had a edge early in the third quarter but Oregon scored three consecutive touchdowns to take a lead early in the fourth quarter. Cal answered with a touchdown and a two-point conversion just after the 10-minute mark to lead by seven before the teams exchanged punts. On its next possession the Ducks needed only three plays to find the end zone to tie the game. Cal burned the final three minutes of the clock and lined up for a game winning field goal attempt but the 41-yard try missed and overtime was needed to keep all potential outcomes alive, including a record high total that closed at 90 and was only six points short in regulation. Not unexpectedly both offenses scored touchdowns with relative ease in the first session but California had to settle for a field goal after a pair of penalties pushed a 1st-and-goal from the 3-yard line backwards to a much less favorable distance. It wound up being enough as the Bears sealed another win with its defense getting an interception, though for many the game was a push. Oklahoma State (-24) 44, Kansas 20: The Cowboys opened as a 25-point road favorite but the line quickly dipped to as low as -22½ during the week before closing right at -24. Those on the underdog were in great shape early as Kansas led as halftime approached before an Oklahoma State touchdown put the Cowboys in front by four. It was still a four-point game late in the third quarter but turnovers handed the Cowboys 10 points on drives of one and eight yards to take a edge heading into the fourth quarter. In the final 10 minutes Oklahoma State added 10 more points for a 24-point margin with five minutes to go. Kansas took its final drive to midfield and for the game wound up just 28 yards short of Oklahoma State in production but the Cowboys escaped with a win or a push for many that gave the big number. Wisconsin (-4) 17, Iowa 9: The Badgers led by just one at the half but pulled ahead with a 14-6 edge heading into the fourth quarter. The Badgers missed two field goals in the game but after an Iowa missed field goal Wisconsin successfully added three points with just 1:24 remaining for a 17-6 edge. Iowa would make things a bit interesting late however with a 77-yard kickoff return to put the Hawkeyes in the red zone late with a touchdown and a two-point conversion able to earn a backdoor cover. With under a minute to go Iowa was ruled to have scored a touchdown on a Noah Fant catch but after review the pass was ruled incomplete and Iowa settled for a field goal and then failed on its on-side kick attempt as Wisconsin held on. Toledo (-10) 31, Central Michigan 17: After just three points in the first half Toledo moved to a 17-0 advantage but Central Michigan climbed back into the game with 10 points in the final seven minutes of the third quarter. The Rockets scored twice in a row early in the fourth quarter to move ahead to seal the game but Central Michigan climbed back with just over four minutes to go. Toledo picked up a pair of first downs on its final drive to burn the remaining clock. Appalachian State (-21) 37, Idaho 19: The three-touchdown favorite had a slow start, leading just 10-6 at the break but with the help of a pick-6 and a pair of short field goals the edge was 23-6 late in the third quarter before Idaho added its own short field goal. Idaho had another field goal in the fourth quarter but it was sandwiched in between Appalachian State touchdowns as the Mountaineers had a advantage with just over four minutes to go to slip past the number. It took 15 plays but on 4th-and-6 with just a few seconds on the clock Idaho hit an eight-yard touchdown to score the underdog cover. South Carolina (-20) 34, Massachusetts 28: South Carolina held a 20-point lead halfway through the third quarter with a edge over Massachusetts. The Gamecocks were done scoring for the day however and the Minutemen added two fourth quarter touchdowns to secure the heavy underdog cover. Alabama (-18) 33, Texas A&M 14: This hyped SEC West matchup lived up to the billing early as Texas A&M held a edge early in the second half. Alabama answered with a 14-play touchdown drive and then a few minutes later got a big play on defense as they have done all season, returning a fumble 30 yards for a touchdown to lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Tide added another touchdown early in the final frame to slip past the elevated spread and the Aggies were stopped on downs on two late drives, including reaching the Alabama 25-yard line late in the game but coming up empty. Louisiana Tech (-18½) 44, Florida International 24: The production was close to even in this Conference USA matchup but Louisiana Tech led at the half and heading into the fourth quarter. The Panthers closed to within 13 with a touchdown drive with just over six minutes to go but the Bulldogs sealed the cover by returning the kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Florida International failed on 4th down from the Louisiana Tech 32-yard line to end the underdog cover threat. Get the rest at This version of the Green Sheet is prepared exclusively for Between the Lines... The Top 10 of the college football polls features four teams with rather hollow resumes at this point and all of those squads will be severely tested on the road this week. Washington plays at Utah, Nebraska plays at Wisconsin, Baylor plays at Texas, and West Virginia plays at Oklahoma State. While none of those victories would cement that team s status as a top 10 contender, it might start to erase the pretender suspicion that is still lurking behind all of those squads with perfect starts but not much weight behind the records in terms of quality wins. West Virginia and Baylor will eventually meet in Big XII play but not until December 3 and the conference would love to see both teams still undefeated so that game can serve as a de-facto championship game on a weekend where the other four major conferences will have actual championship games. Both teams have numerous hurdles as the teams have 7.7% and 3.6% shots to finish 12-0 according to FPI with West Virginia actually the stronger candidate for perfection, which makes sense as they get to host both Oklahoma and Baylor. The Big Ten was the victim of last week s biggest upset as Ohio State fell at Penn State thanks to a blocked field goal return touchdown. Wisconsin may have done the heavy lifting for the Lions pushing the Buckeyes to the limit the previous week as Ohio State s college football playoff odds took a big hit. Penn State has five games to go but they could be a major wrench in the Big Ten picture as winning out to finish 8-1 in Big Ten play is a real possibility. Michigan is carrying the national hopes for the conference but if Michigan is upset perhaps at Michigan State or at Iowa, and then the Wolverines also lose in Columbus, it would be Penn State playing on December 3 with the conference almost assured to be left out of the College Football Playoff. That is unless somehow Nebraska runs the table with FPI calling a 13-0 Huskers run a 0.1% probability as it would be a major surprise if the Huskers don t lose the next two games. This week s game between Washington and Utah is not only a potential Pac- 12 championship preview game but it also will determine who will be the lone remaining College Football Playoff hope for the conference. Every other team in the Pac-12 has at least two losses and while the victor of this week s big game winning out is a steep long shot to run the table, the conference will at least continue to have a team in the conversation. 7-1 Utah doesn t feel like they are in that conversation but a win this week would change that though odds are they would need to beat the Huskies twice in addition to beating Oregon and winning at Arizona State and at Colorado to complete a 12-1 campaign that still wouldn t be a lock for the College Football Playoff. Perhaps for lack of other storylines in the SEC but Alabama s November schedule that looked like an automatic 4-0 run a few weeks ago now looks a bit more threatening with LSU building a lot of momentum now 3-0 under Ed Orgeron and Auburn coming off a very impressive win and displaying a defense and running game that could pose a threat in the Iron Bowl. Both of those teams have just one SEC loss at this point so those games could wind up deciding the division title, though Alabama will likely still have a path to get into the College Football Playoff as a one-loss team that doesn t win the SEC West or play in the SEC Championship. One of the biggest games of the college football season was supposed to be this week as the Clemson/Florida State game was expected to decide the ACC Atlantic and determine a clear College Football Playoff team. Clemson can still be that team but they need to lose twice in the final four ACC games to surrender the division title as a loss in Tallahassee isn t likely to doom Clemson and the ACC. Doomsday for the conference will be if Clemson loses the ACC Championship game and then the committee is left with a Tigers team off a bad loss or a Louisville team that Clemson beat, with neither likely being the easier choice. Best of luck and onto this week s slate UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION, REPRODUCTION, TRANSFER, OR PUBLIC POSTING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. VIOLATORS WILL FACE AN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF THEIR SUBSCRIPTION.

2 COLLEGE KEY SELECTIONS ********************************************************************** RATING 5 WASHINGTON (-10) over Utah RATING 4 TULSA (+7) over Memphis RATING 3 CINCINNATI (+7½) over Temple RATING 2 EASTERN MICHIGAN (-7) over Miami, OH RATING 2 GEORGIA STATE (+3½) over South Alabama RATING 1 ARKANSAS STATE (-19) over UL-Monroe RATING 1 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (+17½) over MTSU ********************************************************************** ALL TIMES ARE LISTED IN CENTRAL TIME AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE Home teams listed in CAPS, all lines are obviously subject to change THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016 TOLEDO (-16½) Ohio 6:30 PM These MAC mainstays haven t met since 2010 with Toledo winning all nine meetings since The Rockets haven t been dominant the past two weeks but they are 3-0 in league play and still on track for a showdown with Western Michigan for the division title at the end of the season. Ohio is certainly a prime contender in the lesser MAC East with the Bobcats narrowly holding on last Saturday. This is a second straight road game on a short week but Ohio hasn t lost by double-digits all season. Toledo s efficient pass attack should have opportunities in this matchup but Ohio has been stingy vs. the run this season and this spread could be inflated. TOLEDO BY 13 Akron (-16) BUFFALO 6:30 PM The Zips can clinch bowl eligibility for the second straight season with one more win but Akron is also a chief contender in the MAC East. Akron was blown out in its toughest MAC test as the three wins have come vs. teams that are 8-16 overall. The Bulls have been a big disappointment this season at 1-6 after a promising 5-7 campaign in Lance Leipold s first season. The host has won five in a row in this series and with two marginal defensive teams facing off the clear edge for offense is with the road favorite. Akron is facing a second straight road game on a short week and the Zips have not been dominant in three wins vs. the bottom of the MAC. AKRON BY 10 Virginia Tech (-3½) PITTSBURGH The Hokies face a second straight Thursday night time slot after besting Miami last week and the winner of this game will remain a contender in the ACC Coastal. Pittsburgh has had extra time to prepare for this marquee home game riding three straight wins. Most Panthers games have been wild high scoring games that have come down to the wire and Pittsburgh has won the past two seasons in this series in one-score games. The Hokies have far superior defensive numbers but Pittsburgh is one of the better rushing teams in the ACC, posting 5.1 yards per rush and nearly 240 yards per game as Virginia Tech s stout run defense will be tested. The Hokies look likely to be shaded off last week s primetime win and Pittsburgh should be well prepared for this opportunity with a great track record at home and could be an attractive underdog by kickoff vs. the popular Hokies. PITTSBURGH BY 3 Appalachian State (-4½) GEORGIA SOUTHERN 6:30 PM The Mountaineers are getting the job done at 5-2 but with a modest point differential though with only 22 points allowed in a 3-0 Sun Belt start. Georgia Southern is still a contender in the Sun Belt at 3-1 as these recent entrants have quickly risen to the top of the conference as former Southern Conference foes at the FCS level. The host has won the past three meetings in lopsided results and the numbers are pretty close to even this season. Georgia Southern hasn t played a home game since September 17 as this will be a highly anticipated game but the Eagles have been out-gained in each of the past four games and the season totals are skewed by posting 605 yards in a 54-0 win over FCS Savannah State. Marcus Cox could return to spark the Mountaineers to a key SBC win. APP STATE BY 7 USC (-14½) California 9:30 PM The Bears have allowed 170 points in four Pac-12 games but they have managed to get big plays on defense for wins in two of those contests. Another primetime Friday night matchup is ahead this week, but this time on the road vs. a rested USC team that has some momentum with three straight wins. USC could still be a threat in the Pac-12 South despite two early conference losses and the defensive numbers paint a clear edge for the Trojans who are 3-0 at the Coliseum this season. California has lost in all three road games this season including losses to Arizona State and Oregon State squads that look bound for the conference basement. Cal s last win in this series came in 2003 when Aaron Rodgers was benched in the second half as that season s original starter Reggie Robertson rallied the Bears for an overtime win in Berkeley, the only loss of the season for a Rose Bowl championship Trojans team that finished #1 in the AP poll but was left out of the BCS Championship game. USC is in a favorable situation to deliver a strong performance Thursday night. USC BY 17 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016 SOUTH FLORIDA (NL) Navy A Bulls team with one of the top rushing attacks in the nation was stymied last week in a stunning loss to Temple to surrender the AAC East lead. The Bulls led that game late in the third quarter and star QB Quinton Flowers got injured in the second half but Temple out-rushing USF was a shocking result. The run defense will face another big test this week hosting AAC West leader Navy who averages 293 yards per game on the ground. Navy won last season in Annapolis limiting South Florida to 62 rushing yards but it was a one-point game late. Coming off back-to-back mammoth wins, a suspect Navy defense could be vulnerable with Navy also posting just 35 points combined over two road games this season. USF BY 10 San Diego State (-6½) UTAH STATE A competitive Utah State team had a terrible result in San Diego last season with a result but the Aggies are in a desperate spot at 3-4 on the season after several narrow defeats. San Diego State is 6-1 with convincing wins in league play but with an offense that hasn t consistently produced. The Aztecs will be a risk for a few flat spots as they will be favored in every remaining game and could have the West division locked up in a few weeks with limited competition on that side of the MWC. After one of the team s best performances of the season in primetime last week, this might be a tougher challenge in a cold weather night game at altitude. The Aggies are a better team than the 1-3 league mark represents. SDSU BY 3 Air Force (-12) FRESNO STATE 9:30 PM A 4-0 start for Air Force has surprisingly dissolved as impressive wins over Navy and Utah State have been washed away with losses the past three games vs. less than top competition. The past two defeats have come at home and last week the Falcons out-rushed Hawai i but wound up losing in overtime where the inability to pass can stand out more. 1-7 Fresno State is having a very rough season but in four of the last five weeks the Bulldogs have competed reasonably well vs. quality competition. Air Force should have some serious edges in this matchup and firing its coach with the team on a short week looks tough for Fresno. AIR FORCE BY 17 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2016 EASTERN MICHIGAN (-7) Miami, OH Getting to bowl eligibility will be a big accomplishment for Eastern Michigan who currently is a game short of the mark. In recent weeks the Eagles have given MAC contenders Toledo and Western Michigan tough games and September wins over Charlotte and Wyoming are looking better and better. After a competitive 0-6 start Miami has won back-to-back games and the Redhawks have been a formidable defensive team. Miami is very limited on offense however and after losing four games while out-gaining their foe early in the season the Redhawks have been out-gained in both wins the past two weeks. Miami has won eight in a row in this series but this looks like a great opportunity for the Eagles at home. EASTERN MICHIGAN BY 17 EAST CAROLINA (-7) Connecticut These teams sit at the bottom of the AAC East and this contest could feel like a postseason elimination game with both teams already at five losses. The Pirates are -12 in net turnovers this season which has cost the team in several competitive performances as the ECU offense has posted 514 yards per game. Connecticut suffered a tough homecoming loss last week as the Huskies appear to be in the midst of a step-back season though bowl hopes are not completely dashed yet. Connecticut won last season at home but the pass defense numbers for the Huskies look concerning in this matchup as the Pirates could produce if they take care of the ball. ECU BY 6 TEXAS A&M (-42½) New Mexico State 6:30 PM Texas A&M should be able to post big numbers in this matchup but it will be tough to match the intensity of last week s commendable showing in the big game with #1 Alabama. Texas A&M took its first loss but this remains a high quality team that is much less of risk for a late season slides that have plagued the team the past few seasons. This is an awkward non-conference game vs. an up-tempo New Mexico State team that is 2-5 but with some potential. NMS scored 42 points vs. Kentucky and beat New Mexico this season but often is fighting a negative turnover battle. This is a less than ideal spot for Texas A&M, who has only averaged 36 points per game despite a reputation as a big-time offense. TEXAS A&M BY 35 Middle Tennessee State (-17½) FLORIDA INTL Four teams have just one conference loss in the C-USA East as this game is surprisingly important in the standings despite the 3-5 overall mark for FIU. The Panthers saw a three-game win streak end last week but this is a team that can compete and MTSU will enter in a second straight road game coming off a huge marquee win over Missouri. The Blue Raiders have allowed 204 points in seven games this season as both offenses should have reasonable opportunities this week. FIU has covered the past two seasons in this series including an outright underdog win in the last home meeting in 2014 and this looks like a dangerous spot for the Blue Raiders who seem likely to be involved in another back-and-forth shootout. MTSU BY 9

3 Western Kentucky (-21) FLORIDA ATLANTIC Florida Atlantic may be 1-6 but the Owls have lost by 4, 2, 5, and 6 in the past four games. Off last week this will be a big opportunity to host last season s conference champion. Western Kentucky has played in several tight games this season but last week the Hilltoppers delivered a blowout win reminiscent of last season s mostly dominant results. The Owls have covered in the past three meetings in this series including holding WKU to just 35 points last season, its lowest score in nine conference games. Both teams have been miserable against the number this season and the Hilltoppers aren t likely to repeat last week s blowout. WKU BY 20 TEMPLE (-7½) Cincinnati The Owls will be favored in the four remaining games as a second straight division title looks very possible after a huge Friday night win last week over South Florida. Cincinnati has been a huge disappointment but the Bearcats were back in the win column last week and last season out-gained Temple despite taking a home loss. Temple is 7-0 ATS since losing its opening game but the team also hasn t had a break and for most of the season the offense hasn t looked nearly as good as it did last week. Cincinnati still has potential in the passing attack and a win last week could provide a bit of a spark for a team with some talent. CINCY BY 6 WAKE FOREST (-6½) Army Great first months had both of these programs in bowl droughts looking at the postseason but neither is there yet with some recent setbacks. Army has out-gained every foe this season but they have lost three of the last four games with a few big turnover deficits. Wake Forest was off last week after giving Florida State a firm battle and the wins over Duke, Indiana, and Syracuse are holding up as decent quality showings. Statistically Army appears to have big edges but the Knights have also faced one of the nation s weakest slates and the opening week win over Temple is looking like more of a fluke at this point. Wake Forest is 9-0 S/U in this series since 1990 but the wins the past two years have been by just three points. Army s rushing attack makes the Knights an attractive underdog. WAKE BY 4 Minnesota (NL) ILLINOIS Minnesota wasn t too impressive last week in needing a last minute field goal to beat Rutgers at home but at 5-2 the Gophers are headed for a decent season and they had fourth quarter leads in both losses as they aren t far away from being 7-0, with the OT loss at Penn State looking even more impressive this week. Illinois was out-gained by 65 yards in its more convincing 24-7 win over Rutgers and while the Illini have covered in three of the last four games they haven t been terribly competitive, albeit through a rather difficult schedule at this point. Minnesota won last season despite more production for the Illini and despite the inverse records these teams aren t all that far apart. ILLINOIS BY 3 TCU (-8) Texas Tech Texas Tech put up ridiculous numbers last week but still lost hosting Oklahoma in a marquee matchup. The Red Raiders have allowed 158 points in the past three games and five times this season the defense has surrendered 44 or more points. TCU has been a huge disappointment as the 2-2 Big XII mark features only narrow wins over Iowa State and Kansas. Last week in a big opportunity vs. West Virginia the Frogs scored just 10 points but in comparing the recent performances vs. the Mountaineers, TCU s showing on the road was certainly more respectable than Texas Tech s home loss in mid-october. TCU put up 82 the last time they hosted this matchup but last season s game was a shootout with a escape for the Frogs in Lubbock. Laying points with either defense looks like a big risk the rest of the way this season as another shootout is possible. TCU BY 7 OKLAHOMA (-40½) Kansas The Sooners are 4-0 in Big XII play and still feel like a threat to win out, though after allowing over 850 yards last week it is hard to imagine the team holding up. Kansas has put some pressure on TCU and Oklahoma State in recent home defeats as the Jayhawks have certainly been a bit more competitive this season despite what could be another winless Big XII campaign. The last trip to Norman featured a 44-7 defeat however. Oklahoma hits a lull in the schedule the next two weeks before hosting Baylor but the defensive numbers should provide Bob Stoops plenty of bulletin board material for a better effort this week. OU BY 42 Penn State (-11½) PURDUE Credit Penn State for making the most of its opportunity as they caught Ohio State in a grueling scheduling spot and hung around long enough to make one big play for a season-changing upset. At 3-1 the Lions are a threat to win out and could be involved in potential Big Ten East tiebreaker if Michigan suffers a defeat. Penn State has won by slim margins three times this season and certainly this is a dangerous emotional spot. Purdue has played competitively the past three weeks with close yardage totals with Iowa and Nebraska in defeat and the Boilermakers have some statistical edges on offense in this matchup. Purdue has not been a successful home underdog in recent years but Penn State lost both of its road games outright and was frankly lucky to win last week with a big yardage deficit while coming off a bye week while OSU had an exhausting game with Wisconsin. PSU BY 9 INDIANA (-5) Maryland The Hoosiers looked like a Big Ten sleeper after knocking off Michigan State but three defeats in a row later and Indiana is looking like a long shot to make a bowl game. The defeats have been competitive games but Indiana has been out-gained in all four Big Ten contests. Maryland must now avoid a letdown after beating the Spartans, winning in a game that was tied late with the return of Perry Hills certainly helping the offense. The numbers are similar for these teams on both sides of the ball and the road team has won in lopsided results the past two seasons in this series. This looks like a do-or-die game for the Hoosiers to get back on track. INDIANA BY 7 Louisville (-28½) VIRGINIA After a loss an underwhelming win Louisville got back on track last week to re-ignite conversations about its candidacy as a playoff contender. Ultimately the path isn t there for the Cardinals barring a Clemson collapse but Lamar Jackson is the clear Heisman leader and the team will likely hope to create headlines with big numbers. Virginia will be a home underdog for the third straight week after coming up short the past two weeks. The Cavaliers beat Louisville at home two years ago but the home underdog spread will be quite a bit higher this season. A shaky Virginia defense will likely have its hands full with a Louisville offense posting 8.0 yards per play on average but the Cardinals will be at risk to overvalued weekly, with last week s blowout the first ATS win for the team since the big win over FSU. LOUISVILLE BY 27 SOUTH ALABAMA (-3½) Georgia State 4:00 PM These teams have combined to go just 1-6 in Sun Belt play but the losses have been in close games. Georgia State has faced two of the top teams in the league and while South Alabama is 0-4 in league play, wins over Mississippi State and San Diego State are impressive. The pass-first Georgia State offense should have opportunities in this matchup and ultimately another narrow defeat seems like the most likely scenario for the Jaguars, following last week s tough loss in primetime vs. Troy, a game where South Alabama had some big breaks for the early lead. GEORGIA ST BY 7 CENTRAL MICHIGAN (-14½) Kent State 2:00 PM The Chippewas have faced the three teams they wound up tied with in the MAC West in the past month and they wound up losing two of the three contests. At 4-4 Central Michigan has a good chance to win out to return to the postseason for the third straight year but a stingy Kent State defense will be a threat if there is any lapse in energy in less prominent matchup. Kent State is 1-3 in MAC play but all four losses have come by exactly four points as despite the record Kent State has a positive point differential in league play compared to a -44 mark for Central Michigan. CM BY 7 Clemson (-4) FLORIDA STATE The Tigers can lose this game and still control the ACC picture but looking to return to College Football Playoff makes this still a critically important game and clearly the last major hurdle on the schedule. Clemson has had some close calls this season and the host has won eight of the last nine meetings between these Atlantic rivals. Florida State hasn t had the season the team envisioned but both losses came to quality teams and offense has been incredibly productive. Florida State has allowed big numbers on defense but in the past two games the Seminoles allowed just 25 points vs. winning ACC teams. The Tigers hope to have Wayne Gallman returning to the backfield which will be critical with Florida State s vulnerability against the run but both passing games are likely to be limited in this matchup. Clemson has numbers that are every bit as good as last season s team through a formidable schedule that features two high end wins and off a shaky showing vs. NC State the Tigers should get the job done this week. CLEMSON BY 7 Kansas State (-7) IOWA STATE The Wildcats have played nothing but prominent Big XII games in October and after last week s big win over Texas this could be a dangerous spot on the schedule. Iowa State is 1-6 but they have been a pest in Big XII games with narrow defeats vs. Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Cyclones have had two weeks to prepare for this game and the last home game was the defeat vs. Baylor in a game ISU led most of the way. The statistics show a pretty even matchup between these teams despite the contrasting records this season and in most recent seasons. There aren t many negative records on Bill Snyder s resume but the Wildcats are just as a road favorite going back to 2004, though Snyder wasn t there for all of those. K-ST BY 3 NC STATE (-14½) Boston College 11:30 AM After the near-miss at Clemson two weeks ago, NC State looked out of gas last week in a lopsided loss at Louisville. That defeat skews the numbers on a pretty solid defense while good defensive numbers on the season for Boston College look suspicious considering how badly the team has been out-gained in some of the losses. Boston College has won two of the last three meetings between these teams but the Eagles have played four straight at home as this will be the first road game since mid-september and a favorable bounce-back situation for the Wolfpack who have won and covered in all four Raleigh games. Both defenses have been very tough to run against with NC State s statistical profile a little inflated from the monsoon conditions in the Notre Dame win but Boston College is completing just 49 percent of its passes this season. NC STATE BY 17

4 West Virginia (-4) OKLAHOMA STATE West Virginia is starting to earn some believers with a 6-0 start with convincing wins the past two weeks over Texas Tech and TCU. The Mountaineers are playing great defense in a conference that hasn t had much success on that side of the ball, allowing just 5.1 yards per play. There are some heavyweight matchups ahead however and this will be another difficult road game. Oklahoma State was much less convincing than the final at Kansas last week and this is a team that has been fortunate in all three conference wins, though the Cowboys also played Baylor quite tough in its only Big XII loss. The Cowboys have a productive offense but not a successful rushing attack as the balance of West Virginia will be tough to match. Overtime was needed last season as Oklahoma State won in Morgantown but West Virginia won the previous two meetings including a win in Stillwater two years ago. WV BY 7 Miami, FL (-1½) NOTRE DAME Miami hasn t defeated Notre Dame since 1989 and this week s matchup won t have quite the stakes most expected with both teams in tough spirals. Miami has gone from 4-0 to 4-3 including a lopsided loss at Virginia Tech last week in a key ACC Coastal game. Notre Dame was off last week but turmoil is high in a 2-5 campaign. Statistically Miami certainly looks superior but while Notre Dame has played a tough overall schedule with no real cupcakes, Miami inflated its numbers early in the year and the Hurricanes have been out-gained in all four ACC games. The Irish are still a potent offensive team few teams needed a bye week like this program did last week as a sharper performance should be expected. NOTRE DAME BY 4 Baylor (-3) TEXAS Another trying season in Austin is underway but the Longhorns are 3-0 at home and Texas beat Baylor last season as a 21-point underdog. The Bears are an enigma at this point, undefeated but through an embarrassingly weak schedule and with close calls vs. a pair of marginal Big XII squads. Texas has four losses already this season but three of the four came in one-score games on the road. Texas still has a schedule that could allow for a run to the postseason but a signature win like this could go a long ways towards showing some progress in what has been a difficult Charlie Strong era so far with back-to-back losing seasons and a 3-4 mark at this point. Baylor s strong statistics are pretty meaningless at this point and this is a team that went through a major offseason transition and hasn t been tested with serious pressure on in too many big spots year. TEXAS BY 3 MEMPHIS (-7) Tulsa Memphis put up 66 on Tulsa last season with over 700 yards of offense but this year s team hasn t been as impressive, now having lost four in a row ATS and soundly out-classed last week in a big conference test vs. Navy. Tulsa has mostly played in tight games with two overtime wins already this season as well as the down-to-the-wire loss against Houston, which isn t worth as much weight this week. These teams appear to have similar numbers but Tulsa seems to be climbing while Memphis looks poised for a second half slide though the winner of this game will already reach a sixth win for a solid showing in the AAC. TULSA BY 7 TULANE (-2½) Smu 3:00 PM SMU has shown clear signs of progress and the Mustangs were way ahead of schedule last week with a win over then #11 Houston. The Cougars may have been an overrated team but it was still a great performance, bouncing back from a tough overtime defeat. SMU won hosting Tulane this season and winning the road will be a new challenge for the Mustangs, especially after the biggest win for the program in some time. Tulane had impressive defensive numbers until last week s disastrous showing at Tulsa. The Wave still look like the better overall defense in this matchup and Tulane has a chance to be a home underdog with a rushing edge. TULANE BY 6 Washington State (-13½) OREGON STATE 9:45 PM The Cougars have won five in a row since a 0-2 start although the wins the past two weeks haven t been in convincing performances. Washington State has out-gained every FBS foe it has faced by at least 55 yards however with an improved defense to go along with the great passing game. Oregon State has covered in the past three Pac-12 games and both home performances were one-score defeats as the Beavers will continue to be an upset threat. Washington State has featured a strong run defense but that is partially a factor of playing with some big leads as the Beavers should be an underdog threat with a potential edge on the ground. WSU BY 9 Stanford (-6) ARIZONA 4:30 PM A bowl bid certainly isn t a sure thing for 4-3 Stanford, a Pac-12 favorite that still has three conference road games to go. Stanford has been out-gained in four straight games in a 1-3 run while being out-rushed in all three losses, stunning considering the ground edges the Cardinal had last season. Arizona has had two weeks to prepare for this home test in what has been a difficult injury-plagued season in Tucson. Arizona is the only team to really test Washington this season and the recent home underdog record is quite strong for the Wildcats. An offense that has 44 points the last four games is hard to trust as a road favorite vs. a rested team that could be closer to full strength for the first time in a while. STANFORD BY 3 OHIO STATE (-23) Northwestern After being upset by Michigan State last season the Buckeyes responded with a rout at Michigan but this matchup isn t likely to bring that same focus coming off the stunning defeat at Penn State. Ohio State has won and covered in five straight meetings though these teams haven t met since After a slow start Northwestern has three mildly impressive wins in a row and a good run defense will hope to provide an opportunity for the heavy road underdog in this matchup. Ohio State s previous two Big Ten wins came by just 21 and 7 as this is a young team that will face its biggest challenge this week trying to rebound after a season-changing loss. OSU BY 17 WISCONSIN (-8) Nebraska The Badgers survived a tricky road game at Iowa last week, posting clear edges but unable to pull away. Nebraska hasn t exactly dominated in a 7-0 start but the Huskers are finishing games and this week Nebraska is in position to take control of the Big Ten West. Wisconsin knows Nebraska is in Columbus next week as a path to the top is still realistic. Nebraska has only one win in five meetings of this recent series with the two trips to Madison both resulting in blowout losses. A massive edge on defense stands out statistically for Wisconsin and considering the contrasting schedules and some recent returners from injury Wisconsin should have the advantage. Nebraska s best wins of the season came narrowly over Northwestern and Indiana as this team deserves skepticism. WISCONSIN BY 13 SOUTHERN MISS (-14½) Marshall Marshall won last season but that wound up as the only regular season conference defeat for the Golden Eagles. This year s team could have the potential for another great late season run with this homecoming date coming off a bye week and back-to-back defeats. A Marshall program with a lot of success in the last decade is just 2-5, hitting a low point with a home loss to Charlotte last week. Marshall has faced a tough schedule but there isn t much to like about the numbers for a team in a severe season of decline. In two road games this season Marshall has allowed 81 points as the Golden Eagles could pull away. SOUTHERN MISS BY 20 GEORGIA TECH (-7½) Duke Both of these teams were off last week, riding consecutive covers into a matchup Duke has won the past two seasons outright as an underdog. The defensive numbers look even but Duke s low output game in the hurricane vs. Army skews the numbers a bit. Georgia Tech is a formidable rushing team per usual but the Duke rush defense has been solid and the effort containing Louisville two weeks ago was an impressive showing in defeat. Duke remains a promising road underdog under David Cutcliffe and having a little extra prep time is always helpful vs. the option. GT BY 6 Florida (-6½) Georgia At EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida Georgia may have needed the off week following losing three of four games and a neutral site might be welcome after back-to-back losses in Athens. The statistics paint a sharp edge for Florida defensively but the offense has had limitations. Florida has won the past two seasons in this series but the Gators haven t been this big of a favorite since Florida has some tough games ahead but the Gators do control their destiny in the SEC East as the only squad with still just one loss. Georgia has out-rushed all seven opponents this season despite taking three defeats and the statistics showed a much better showing for Georgia in common matchups with Tennessee and Vanderbilt as the underdog with great potential on the ground may be worth a look even with growing pains this season for the Bulldogs. GEORGIA BY 3 Auburn (-3) MISSISSIPPI 6:15 PM Forgotten about after a pair of early season losses Auburn turned in a statement win last week with a 56-3 rout of Arkansas. Auburn has won four in a row and keep in mind the losses were in close games with Clemson and Texas A&M squads that are a combined Mississippi was tied with LSU at halftime last week but the Rebels allowed three big runs and the offense was stuffed in the second half as Ole Miss is just 3-4. The schedule has been a monster and the Rebels gave Alabama its toughest test this season as this is a team capable of beating anyone despite the disappointing overall season. Auburn s defense is greatly improved but last season the Rebels had 558 yards in a win at Auburn and the only home loss for Ole Miss came by five points while out-gaining Alabama. Things went a little too well for Auburn last week and the price will reflect it. OLE MISS BY 3 Tennessee (-13) SOUTH CAROLINA 6:15 PM The Volunteers are on a two-game slide but Tennessee figures to be a solid favorite in every remaining game and certainly is still a viable contender in the SEC East. This has been a very tight series with each of the last four meetings decided by three or fewer points with the Volunteers taking all three meetings since Butch Jones arrived in Knoxville, though well short of covering last season. The Gamecocks are just 1-4 in SEC play but they have been formidable defensively with 28 points allowed last week being the season high as covering a double-digit spread won t be easy against this team. Tennessee has had two weeks to regroup but the Volunteers seem to play to the level of competition as long as they can with some close calls before waking up in the 4th quarter. TENNESSEE BY 10

5 HOUSTON (-9½) Central Florida Houston s prospects as a playoff crasher was a fun story but the Cougars now are a long shot to even win the AAC West after a lopsided loss to SMU last week. Central Florida has postseason aspirations coming off a winless season. Houston won last season in Orlando as this should be a motivated underdog while Houston will be reeling emotionally as its season has dissolved. The Knights have turned in strong defensive performances allowing 4.7 yards per play this season and with an overtime defeat and another one-point defeat UCF isn t far from having an even better season. Getting out-gained by just 116 yards at Michigan also looks pretty respectable at this point. HOUSTON BY 3 LOUISIANA TECH (-28) Rice Rice allowed 44 points to FCS Prairie View but the Owls got into the win column for the first time this season. There have been some close calls along the way but Rice has allowed 7.3 yards per play for some of the worst defensive numbers in the nation. An explosive Louisiana Tech offense should have plenty of opportunities as the Bulldogs have scored 42 points per game in a 5-3 start to the season, riding a four-game winning streak. Louisiana Tech has won in blowouts the past two seasons in this matchup but after back-to-back road wins a flat showing for the heavy home favorite wouldn t be a shock. Ultimately the Rice defense isn t worth relying on for a narrow cover possibility on a heavily inflated number. LA TECH BY 31 Boise State (-13½) WYOMING This game was expected to be a serious hurdle but Boise State s quest for a perfect season will be tested this week in a tough venue vs. a vastly improved Wyoming team. Following a 2-10 season in 2015, Wyoming is a win shy of postseason eligibility riding three straight wins in Mountain West play to currently share the division lead with the Broncos. Wyoming is rushing for 227 yards per game making for an attractive home underdog trait but Boise State has great numbers on both sides of the ball, and impressive found a way to win last week despite a 5-0 turnover deficit. Boise State has been a far better ATS road team in recent years, not facing the overvalued numbers on the home turf. This is a heavily discounted price from last season or even where the line would have been in September. BOISE BY 17 TEXAS SAN ANTONIO (-3½) North Texas With back-to-back wins North Texas is a surprise 4-3 team with a path to the postseason. Last week s upset at Army featured some great fortune however getting 7 turnovers handed over. Texas San Antonio feel short hosting UTEP last week in a OT finish. Last season North Texas won in this matchup, the only win of the entire season for the Mean Green, but the Roadrunners had an over 100 yard advantage. All three meetings the past three seasons have been single-score games but a Mean Green squad with some positive momentum has an ugly road track record in recent years facing a second straight trip after a big win. UTSA BY 6 MISSOURI (-4½) Kentucky Kentucky is one of only a handful of teams in the nation that has not had a positive turnover differential game all season. With one of the worst turnover margins in the nation the Wildcats still have a winning record and for the moment are the second place team in the SEC East at 3-2. Last week s wild win for the Wildcats was a critical game in the postseason hopes for the program but looking at the schedule ahead, this game is no less important as the Wildcats will be a solid underdog in three of the four remaining games. Missouri s bowl hopes are even slimmer with the Tigers 2-5. Missouri lost badly in three of four games vs. major conference powers but in the other three games the Tigers have scored 185 points as the offense has some potential. A Kentucky team known for disappointment might waste last week s big win with a poor showing this week. MISSOURI BY 10 ARKANSAS STATE (-19) UL-Monroe Arkansas has won 11 Sun Belt games in a row going back to 2014 as despite the 2-4 overall record the Red Wolves haven t been ruled out of the conference race though with still six games to go as one of the few teams in the nation that is only halfway through the regular season schedule. Last season ASU won in this matchup on the road with convincing yardage totals but also a big turnover advantage. UL-Monroe is just 2-5 but two Sun Belt losses came by a combined total of five points. This will be a second straight road game after a blowout at New Mexico last week and an Arkansas State program with a long break after its homecoming win could stay sharp on a second half surge. ASU BY 27 Old Dominion (-5) UTEP Old Dominion is one of just five teams nationally without a minus turnover margin game this season. That didn t matter last week as the Monarchs were crushed in a big opportunity at Western Kentucky to snap a three-game winning streak and a perfect start in C-USA play. None of the wins for the Monarchs are against a decent team but the schedule isn t all that demanding and winning four of five down the stretch looks very possible for a team that looks likely to earn its first ever bowl bid after falling just short the past two years. UTEP snapped a five-game slide last week and the 2-5 Miners will also be a candidate for some wins down the stretch as most of the toughest games are already out of the way. ODU BY 7 Michigan (-21½) MICHIGAN STATE Last season Michigan State stole a win in this series in one of the most incredible final plays in recent memory en route to a Big Ten title. Ohio State s loss last week has Michigan in the driver s seat in the Big Ten East but three difficult road games remain, although the trip to East Lansing looks much less threatening than expected with MSU 0-4 in Big Ten play and riding a five-game slide. Michigan State has a fantastic home underdog track record and the Spartans are 7-1 S/U and 8-0 ATS in this series since 2008 with this the biggest underdog spread perhaps ever in this series with the closest comparison being MSU +27½ in 1992 in a loss in Ann Arbor. Michigan State hasn t been a home underdog of more than +7½ in 10 years but Michigan has certainly lived up to the hype as a dominant team this season, although with only one road game played this season. Expect a still solid Spartans defense to keep MSU somewhat close. MICHIGAN BY 20 Washington (-10) UTAH It is hard to be critical of 7-0 Washington but of the top 10 squads in the polls this team has the least weight on its resume. Washington s big wins over Stanford and Oregon don t look too important anymore and the close call at Arizona vs. back-up QB is even more puzzling. The Huskies have been handed by far the best turnover margin in the nation and the offensive statistics are a bit underwhelming considering how embarrassingly weak the schedule has been. Five pretty tough games remain as the Huskies will be on upset watch the rest of the season and this is a dangerous spot. Utah leads the Pac-12 South, mainly with defense but last week the Utes won a shootout with UCLA on the road. Any statistical edges present for UW should be taken with caution as remember this team only out-gained Rutgers by 76 yards and Arizona by 37 yards. Utah hasn t overwhelmed in the numbers either and off back-to-back narrow road wins the Utes are in a less than ideal spot. Next week may be the fade spot for the Huskies. UW BY 24 OREGON (-7½) Arizona State 9:45 PM Both of these severely disappointing teams have been creamed statistically in Pac-12 play but while ASU has managed two wins Oregon is 0-4 in Pac-12 despite having eight conference losses the past seven years combined. This matchup went to 3OT last season in Tempe and a similar high scoring result seems likely with a pair of defenses allowing 6.2 and 6.4 yards per play. A massive edge on the ground looks likely for Oregon and the three road games for the Sun Devils have not gone well with only a narrow comeback win at Texas San Antonio plus losses by 24 and 21 in Pac-12 road games. The Ducks have lost both home games in league play but the three-point loss to Colorado looks pretty respectable and Washington may just be the great team out West this season. OREGON BY 10 Unlv (-3) SAN JOSE STATE 9:30 PM Coming off a competitive showing with San Diego State and a big win at Hawai i, last week s lopsided home loss for UNLV shows the program still has a ways to go despite some encouraging signs the past two seasons under Tony Sanchez. Bowl hopes are mostly dashed at 3-5 with the Rebels still playing Wyoming and Boise State as this is clearly a must-win game. While San Jose State is never in the spotlight the Spartans looked promising with 15 starters back after being a bowl winner last season. At 2-6 it has been a lost season though 2-2 at home this season with a win over Nevada in the last home test. SJSU has won the past three meetings including an overtime win in Las Vegas last season. SJSU BY 3 New Mexico (-2) HAWAI I 11:00 PM At 4-4 Hawai i has been a pleasant surprise in the MWC with last week s win at Air Force the season highlight. 4-4 looks likely to turn to 4-7 with three really tough games in a row the next three weeks however. New Mexico won by just a single-point last season and the success against Air Force presents some promise for Hawai i vs. another top rushing attack. The 4-3 Lobos need seven wins to make a bowl game this season as this is a critical game as the final three games of the season are challenging. Ultimately New Mexico has regressed this season and the best two wins this season came by very slim margins at home as the road favorite looks risky this week. HAWAI I BY 4 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016 NORTHERN ILLINOIS (NL) Bowling Green This rematch of last season MAC Championship isn t quite the alluring matchup this season. The Huskies have some momentum but if Bowling Green takes care of the ball they are a road dog threat. NIU BY 10 Western Michigan (NL) BALL STATE The Broncos have three games as a heavy favorite before the finale with Toledo with this the most dangerous spot vs. a solid Ball State team. This will be closer than last season s 54-7 rout. WESTERN MICHIGAN BY 17 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016 Toledo (NL) AKRON 6:30 PM The Rockets are on pace for a MAC West showdown with WMU at the end of the year for the division title but this is a potential spot to get tripped up. Akron looks like the top MAC East team though both teams will be on a short week after playing important games on Thursday night. TOLEDO BY 7

6 NFL KEY SELECTIONS ********************************************************************** RATING 5 ATLANTA (-3) over Green Bay RATING 4 INDIANAPOLIS (+2½) over Kansas City RATING 3 OAKLAND (+1) over Tampa Bay RATING 2 CINCINNATI (-3) over Washington RATING 1 CAROLINA (-2½) over Arizona ********************************************************************** ALL TIMES ARE LISTED IN CENTRAL TIME AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE Home teams listed in CAPS, all lines are obviously subject to change WEEK 6 BYES: Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, NY Giants, Pittsburgh, San Francisco THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016 TENNESSEE (-3½) Jacksonville (45½) 7:25 PM The Titans are -5 in non-offensive touchdowns this season as it is somewhat impressive that Tennessee is 3-4, but last week s home loss was a great missed opportunity. Jacksonville is just 2-4 in what feels like a critical season for the coaching staff and perhaps former #1 pick Blake Bortles who currently rates 27th in the league in total QBR. Jacksonville has had recent success in this series and the Jaguars have the fourth best yards per play defense in the entire NFL but the offense has been very disappointing. The short week has favored the hosts this season this with Thursday night hosts 5-2 S/U and ATS this season and the host has won all four meetings S/U the past two years. Jacksonville has just two road wins since 14. TITANS BY 6 Cincinnati (-3) Washington (46½) 8:30 AM At Wembley Stadium in London, England It has been a tough start to the season but the 2015 AFC North champions are up to 3-4 and just a game behind Pittsburgh. This looks like a critical game for two playoff hopefuls in opposite conferences with Washington missing a big opportunity with a blown late lead last week in Detroit. These teams have similar statistics on both sides of the ball with great offensive numbers and shaky defensive results but more weight should go to the numbers for the Bengals who have faced a far tougher overall schedule as all four losses came against division leaders with three of those four on the road. Washington is an alluring underdog with great numbers plus the points the past two seasons but the Bengals look like the stronger team overall playing at a critical juncture in the season. BENGALS BY 7 ATLANTA (-3) Green Bay (52½) The Falcons led most of the way vs. the Chargers last week before falling in overtime for the second straight deflating loss. Once 4-1 the Falcons still lead the NFC South but at just 4-3 with another tough home matchup this week. Green Bay turned in a convincing final score last week but they led a now 1-6 Bears team with a 3rd-string quarterback by just three points in the fourth quarter. Green Bay rates a little stronger than Atlanta on defense but the Falcons remain the top offense in the NFL by a wide margin while Green Bay is 25th in the NFL in yards per play. Green Bay will be a popular underdog but the Packers have not done well as an underdog in recent years though they have won the past four meetings in this series. FALCONS BY 10 HOUSTON (NL) Detroit Detroit has been out-gained in each of the past three games on a long home stand but the Lions have won all three games and now sit as a surprise playoff contender in the NFC. Matthew Stafford has delivered tremendous results since the OC switch last season but the Lions rate as the third worst defensive team in the NFL and a team that still has an ugly track record on the road. Houston has been one of the league s worst offensive teams however and the Texans will be on a short week after Monday s emotionally charged trip to Denver. Regardless of that result Houston will still be the AFC South leader heading into Week 8 but likely with a solidly negative point differential through a marginal overall schedule. LIONS BY 1 Seattle (-3) NEW ORLEANS (47½) The Seahawks have to be thrilled to have emerged with a tie Sunday night at Arizona as Seattle was dominated statistically. Seattle has a solid cushion in the NFC West race but now faces a second straight road game with the defense in line to be severely tested this week. New Orleans remains an elite offensive team and the defense has shown mild improvement as the team soundly out-gained Kansas City last week on the road in a narrow loss but suffered a costly pick-6 that changed the outcome. SEAHAWKS BY 1 New England (-6) BUFFALO (47½) This line is shaded almost a touchdown to New England but it makes sense with the success of the Patriots and the team coming off losing 16-0 vs. the Bills in Week 4. Tom Brady didn t play in that game but the Patriots will be a substantially higher favorite in Buffalo than they were at home. Last week s 3-point loss for the Bills could come back to haunt a team likely destined to be on the playoff bubble. The statistics don t quite add up for the Bills who padded the numbers vs. the 49ers and New England hasn t been swept in this series since the last season Buffalo made the playoffs in 99. PATS BY 9 NY Jets (NL) CLEVELAND The Browns have used six quarterbacks this season and Kevin Hogan is expected to be the fourth different starter for the team in just the eighth game of the season. Hogan was drafted by the Chiefs but didn t make the team and he wound up rushing for over 100 yards last week but also having a pair of interceptions relieving Cody Kessler last week. The Jets got back in the column as Ryan Fitzpatrick proved more adept coming off the bench but the win was keyed by great defensive numbers from a squad that has mostly disappointed on that side of the ball. Having faced the toughest schedule in the league and holding the league s worst turnover margin the Jets are a prime candidate for a good mid-season run. JETS BY 7 TAMPA BAY (-1) OAKLAND (49) The Raiders have not out-gained an opponent this season but they are 5-2 and Derek Carr is looking like the clear star of a once highly touted 2014 quarterback draft class. The Raiders have some of the worst defensive numbers in the league but are finding ways to win and now are 4-0 in road games on the season. Oakland will stay in Florida after winning at Jacksonville last week and Tampa Bay s home track record is just as ugly as the formerly miserable road trends for the Raiders. The Buccaneers are a well below average team on both sides of the ball and the current win streak is against teams that are a combined RAIDERS BY 4 Kansas City (-2½) INDIANAPOLIS (49½) Both of these teams were a bit fortunate to win last week, boosted by defensive scores in games that went down to the wire. After a slow start the Chiefs have beaten two great offensive teams the past two weeks but this is a below average statistical team on both sides of the ball. The Colts are 3-4 through one of the weakest schedules in the league but six of the seven Indianapolis games have been one-score contests decided by eight or fewer points. Indianapolis does own a phenomenal home underdog track record and could be worth a look if this line gets back to +3. COLTS BY 4 DENVER (NL) San Diego 3:05 PM Monday s result will influence the number but on a short week the Broncos may be an inflated favorite given the revenge storyline after the recent Week 6 Thursday night loss to the Chargers. San Diego was the clear superior squad in that game but it was the first game back for Trevor Siemian and it showed. The road underdog track record for San Diego remains amazing with a comeback win at Atlanta last week, overcoming two costly turnovers with a fumble TD allowed and an interception in the end zone taking points off the board. San Diego is an above average team on both sides of the ball and a team and a team that only plays close games. BRONCOS BY 3 CAROLINA (-2½) Arizona (48) 3:25 PM The oddsmakers are being stubborn with 1-5 Carolina but there is certainly reason to expect a good performance from the Panthers in the same venue where they crushed Arizona in the NFC Championship last year. Arizona certainly rates as the stronger team, particularly on defense but coming off last week s Sunday night tie this might not be a great spot to travel across the country against a reeling team that had a bye week to regroup. Three Carolina losses came by three or fewer points and the five defeats are vs. teams that are a combined while Arizona has no wins vs. winning teams on the season despite the high expectations. PANTHERS BY 6 DALLAS (-4½) Philadelphia (43½) 7:30 PM For the second straight week the Eagles totaled only 239 yards for ugly performances that have grounded the great first month momentum in the rookie season for Carson Wentz. The Eagles managed to win last week in a sloppy eight-turnover game as they knocked off the league s last undefeated team. This rivalry matchup will be for the NFC East lead at the moment as 5-1 Dallas is rested and rookie Dak Prescott is the #1 Total QBR player in the league through six games, not the #2 draft pick Wentz who rates 29th only ahead of Ryan Tannehill and Case Keenum. Philadelphia has the far superior defense but the Eagles haven t been great against the run allowing 4.5 yards per rush and Dallas has gained 5.6 yards per rush over the past three games. Philadelphia has had success in Dallas and home games haven t gone well for the Cowboys but this is a cheap price on a team that in many ways looks like the NFC s best, though it is actually the Eagles with the top scoring differential in the conference. COWBOYS BY 7 MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 Minnesota (NL) CHICAGO 7:30 PM It isn t clear who will be playing quarterback for the Bears this week but it won t be Brian Hoyer who was very successful in a short stint before getting injured early in last week s game with the Packers. Chicago rates as a far better statistical team than the 1-6 record suggests, actually a top 11 team in yards per play on both sides of the ball. The Bears aren t in a great spot to get things turned around however and while Minnesota has won S/U in just two of the last 15 trips to Soldier Field this looks like a season for a breakthrough for the Vikings with a road favorite spread that might not be all that high given Minnesota s limited offensive potential. Mike Zimmer has a lot of fantastic records to his name but the Vikings are 10-1 ATS following a S/U loss since late October of VIKINGS BY 9

7 Matchup Line Final FD Rushing Passing TO Matchup Line Final FD Rushing Passing TO Miami, FL Oregon State Virginia Tech Washington Troy Miami, OH South Alabama Bowling Green PK BYU Mississippi State Boise State Kentucky South Florida UTEP Temple Texas San Antonio Oregon Old Dominion California Western Kentucky San Jose State Texas San Diego State Kansas State North Texas Colorado Army Stanford Eastern Michigan Michigan State Western Michigan Maryland Syracuse Mid Tenn State Boston College Missouri Rutgers Georgia Southern Minnesota New Mexico State East Carolina Utah Cincinnati UCLA TCU Mississippi West Virginia LSU Indiana Arkansas Northwestern Auburn Purdue Ohio State Nebraska Penn State Oklahoma State Texas A&M Kansas Alabama Wisconsin Colorado State Iowa UNLV North Carolina Fresno State Virginia Utah State NC State TN-Martin Louisville Georgia State Central Michigan Prairie View Toledo Rice Akron Tennessee State Ball State Vanderbilt Louisiana Tech JETS Florida Intl CARDINALS Hawai'i BEARS Air Force PACKERS UL-Lafayette GIANTS Texas State RAMS Idaho VIKINGS Appalachian State EAGLES Massachusetts SAINTS South Carolina CHIEFS Charlotte REDSKINS Marshall LIONS UL-Monroe BROWNS New Mexico BENGALS Buffalo BILLS Northern Illinois DOLPHINS Central Florida RAIDERS Connecticut JAGUARS Ohio COLTS Kent State TITANS Washington State RAVENS Arizona State JETS Oklahoma CHARGERS Texas Tech FALCONS Illinois BUCCANEERS Michigan ERS Houston PATRIOTS SMU STEELERS Memphis SEAHAWKS Navy CARDINALS Wyoming TEXANS Nevada BRONCOS Tulane Tulsa JOE NELSON PICKS IN NFL, NCAA FOOTBALL, & MLB ACTION Available daily at NBA ACTION ALSO STARTS SOON! FREE FireFan APP This new phone App will change the way you watch sports! Pre-Register now at Enter nelly when you register and get a $20 Nelly s Sportsline Credit bonus! TURNOVER WATCH: NCAA: WASHINGTON +14 WESTERN MICHIGAN +12 BYU +11 COLORADO +10 OHIO STATE +9 TULANE FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL -8 KENTUCKY -9 EAST CAROLINA -12 KANSAS -13 BOWLING GREEN -16 NFL: (Monday Pending) MINNESOTA +11 BUFFALO +8 OAKLAND +8 KANSAS CITY JACKSONVILLE -7 NY GIANTS -7 CAROLINA -8 NY JETS -10 Non-Offensive TD Margin This includes scores on interceptions, fumbles, kick return, and punt return/block touchdowns. NCAA: ALABAMA +11 AKRON +4 HOUSTON +4 WESTERN MICHIGAN HAWAI I -4 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL -5 UL-MONROE -5 NFL: (Monday Pending) BUFFALO +3 KANSAS CITY +3 MINNESOTA NEW ORLEANS -3 NY JETS -3 TENNESSEE -5 NCAA 4th Quarter Covers: OKLAHOMA STATE (-24) led just late in the 3Q but scored the final 20 including a TD at 5:04 as most left with a push vs. Kansas at WISCONSIN (-4) had a 17-6 edge but Iowa was in the end zone in the final minute with a pending 2-point conversion to steal the cover. On replay review the score was taken away and Iowa settled for a late FG for 17-9 final. TOLEDO (-10) scored just three points in the 1st half before taking a 17-0 lead but it was heading into the 4Q.Toledo had a pair of TDs early in the 4Q to pull away IDAHO (+21) hung around most of the game but fell behind at 4:14 in the 4Q. The Vandals scored on 4th down with :04 to go to earn an underdog cover with a final. ALABAMA (-18) trailed by one into the 2nd half but promptly emerged with a edge after a defensive score. With a 4Q TD Alabama ended up 19 for a win for most with A&M stopped on its last drive at the 25. LOUISIANA TECH (-18½) led by just 13 with about 6:00 to go but had a 92-yard KO return TD to go up by 20 past the spread. FIU reached the 32- yard line but failed on 4th down. ARIZONA STATE (+7½) trailed by 16 early in the 4Q but turned in a punt return TD and a 2-point conversion to get within eight. A late FG stole the cover for the Sun Devils. TEXAS TECH (+16) trailed by 14 twice in the 4Q with the line at or below 14 much of the week. A late score made it a moot point as the Red Raiders got a deserved cover with 734 pass yards.