Tuesday 11/4/14 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Real Madrid

v

Liverpool

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ITV		2/9	13/2	12	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT REAL MADRID	RECENT FORM
HWAWAWHWAWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 1	HWAWHLHDHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Real Madrid have scored at least three goals in each of their last six matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Liverpool don’t look in the right kind of shape to produce a monster shock at Real Madrid and given their recent run of performances just avoiding a Bernabeu battering will be an achievement of sorts. Real Madrid’s forward players are all in sizzling form and the holders should triumph easily.

RECOMMENDATION: Real Madrid-Real Madrid double result
2


REFEREE: Viktor Kassai STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Arsenal

v

Anderlecht

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		4/11	17/4	9	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
HWALHDAWAWHW​ Most recent​	3 - 0	HDADHLHLAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Anderlecht have won one of their last seven matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Arsenal put in a shocking display at Anderlecht and still ran out 2-1 winners so they should have no problems landing a double over the Belgians at the Emirates. The Gunners have even managed back-to-back clean sheets and they can make it a hat-trick of shutouts against weak opposition.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsenal 2-0
1


REFEREE: Clement Turpin STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 5Nov 19:45

Man City

v

CSKA Mosc.

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		1/4	6	11	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN CITY	RECENT FORM
AWHWADALHLHW​ Most recent​	5 - 2	AWHLHWHDADHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: CSKA Moscow have scored in nine of their last 11 Champions League matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City chucked away a 2-0 advantage in Moscow to leave themselves with plenty of work to do to qualify for the knockout phase. The Premier League champions should beat CSKA Moscow but Sunday’s rare clean sheet against Manchester United may not be repeated with the Russians having plenty of attacking options.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Tasos Sidiropoulos STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 5Nov 19:45

NK Maribor

v

Chelsea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		10	5	3/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NK MARIBOR	RECENT FORM
HDAWHLALAWHL​ Most recent​	Unknown	HWAWHWADAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Chelsea are unbeaten in all competitions this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Slovenian sides have a poor record against English opponents, losing five of their seven meetings and Maribor were on the wrong end of a thumping 6-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea could be forgiven for having one eye on their clash with Liverpool on Saturday but they possess the squad depth to land a comprehensive victory.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea 2-0
1


REFEREE: Daniele Orsato STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 6Nov 18:00

Asteras T.

v

Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ITV4		10/3	14/5	3/4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ASTERAS T.	RECENT FORM
AWHWHDALAWHD​ Most recent​	Unknown	HWALHWHLHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in five of Tottenham’s seven away games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Tottenham won the reverse fixture 5-1 and should be good enough to collect another three points but their defence has been a weakness throughout the season so Spurs may not have things all their own way. Ace keeper Hugo Lloris is suspended and Asteras have scored in 13 of their 14 matches this season.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
1

​

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 6Nov 20:05

Everton

v

Lille

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ITV4		5/6	5/2	10/3	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
ADALHWADAWHD​ Most recent​	Unknown	ADALHLHDALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Lille have won one of their last ten matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Even by the powder-puff standards of Ligue 1, Lille have been lacking attacking punch in recent months, scoring only four goals in their last nine matches. Everton were comfortable enough in the goalless draw two weeks ago and should win, while also making it four clean sheets in five fixtures.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton 2-0
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Grand Salami - November

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.


NHL GRAND SALAMI

Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result

11/1 12 64 54 UNDER
11/2 7 36.5 39 OVER
11/3 1 5 7 OVER

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (7-2) at Jets (6-5)

Date: November 04, 2014 8:00 PM EDT

The Winnipeg Jets have only needed to score once to win back-to-back games. Another 1-0 victory would make them the first team to do that for three straight games in over 77 years.

The Jets will likely have Ondrej Pavelec back in net as they go for the franchise record for consecutive shutouts Tuesday night against the visiting Nashville Predators.

Winnipeg (6-5-1) has followed a 2-5 stretch by playing brilliant defensively during a 4-0-1 surge. The Jets have totaled only seven goals in those five games, but have allowed six, with just one coming in the past three contests.

Michael Frolik scored 20 seconds into the opening period and Michael Hutchinson made it hold up with 33 saves in Sunday's 1-0 win over Chicago to conclude a 3-0-1 trip. That came a day after Pavelec stopped 38 shots and turned aside two of three shootout attempts in a 1-0 road victory over the New York Rangers.

"We've really jelled together as a team on the road," said Hutchinson, who earned his first career shutout. "I think it shows on the ice.

"We're really committed to team defense. It's unfortunate we haven't scored a lot of goals, but we're still able to get points, which is the main thing."

The back-to-back shutouts are the first for the Jets since October 2006 when they were the Atlanta Thrashers. It is the third time it has happened in franchise history.

The last team to record three straight 1-0 victories was Boston from March 10-17, 1936.

Pavelec, though, has just two shutouts over the past three seasons, though one of them was a 41-save performance in a 5-0 home win over Nashville (7-2-2) on Nov. 8. He was on the opposite side Oct. 17, stopping 25 shots in a 2-0 defeat at MTS Centre.

He enters this matchup with a 1.19 goals-against average during a 3-0-1 stretch.

Pavelec and the Jets will be tested by Filip Forsberg, who leads the Predators and all rookies with 11 points.

The 20-year-old right wing, who totaled six points in 18 games over the past two seasons, is coming off a career-high three-point effort in Sunday's 3-1 win at Vancouver.

"He's getting better every night," said James Neal, who assisted on both of the Swede's goals. "I was in the same position he was, so it's fun to help him, and he's been good. He had a great night. He shoots the puck well and he's just going to keep getting better."

Forsberg is also deflecting recognition as an early favorite for the Calder Trophy, an award never won by a Predator.

"It's nothing I really pay attention to. It's more you guys (media) reminding me of it," Forsberg said. "If I can contribute to the team in the points department, I am more than happy to do that."

Neal is also making contributions offensively, leading the team with seven goals. He has 11 goals in his past 12 games against the Jets/Thrashers franchise, tallying one on an assist from Forsberg on Oct. 17.

Like Winnipeg, Nashville is also stingy defensively, yielding 1.91 goals per game to rank among the league leaders.

Pekka Rinne is partly responsible with a 1.87 GAA and a 7-2-1 record, including last month's 31-save shutout at Winnipeg. He's 5-0 with a 1.99 GAA in five lifetime starts against the Jets/Thrashers.

"I think our key is the defense," Rinne told the team's official website. "It's our core and the backbone of this team."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Oilers D Ference suspended
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference was suspended three games without pay Monday for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Zack Kassian.

The incident occurred at 14:03 of the second period Saturday night in Vancouver. Ference was assessed a minor penalty for illegal check to the head. Kassian was not injured on the play.

Ference is considered a repeat offender -- the third of his career -- under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Based on his average annual salary, he will forfeit $118,902.45. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.



---The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled center Sam Carrick and defenseman Stuart Percy from the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.

Carrick, 22, was reassigned to the Marlies after making his NHL debut on Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Stouffville, Ontario, native has recorded one assist and 13 penalty minutes in seven regular-season games with the Marlies so far this season. Carrick has registered 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 88 career AHL games.

Percy, 21, has played in seven games with the Maple Leafs this season, registering three assists and two penalty minutes.

---The New Jersey Devils recalled right winger Steve Bernier and assigned left winger Reid Boucher to Albany of the AHL.

Goaltender Scott Clemmensen was expected to be placed on waivers and assigned to Albany if he clears.



---Anaheim Ducks right winger Corey Perry, Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin were named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the month of October on Monday.

Perry led the League with 10 goals in 12 games, helping the Ducks (9-3-0, 18 points) finish October with the top record in the NHL.

Crosby, with seven goals and eight assists), tied for the league lead with 15 points in nine October games to lift the Penguins (6-2-1, 13 points) to the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Seguin, with seven goals and eight assists, shared the league lead with 15 points to power the Stars to a 4-2-4 record (12 points) in their 10 October games.

The NHL also announced that Los Angeles Kings left winger Tanner Pearson, who led all rookies with seven goals and nine points in 11 games, was named Rookie of the Month for October.



---The Dallas Stars reassigned defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.

Jokipakka, 23, made his NHL debut with Dallas on Oct. 24 at New Jersey and has skated in three games, registering two shots.

A seventh-round pick in 2011, Prior had appeared in three games this season for Texas, scoring on a power-play goal.



---The Columbus Blue Jackets activated left wing Boone Jenner off injured reserve, recalled defenseman Frederic St. Denis from the Springfield Falcons and placed center Artem Anisimov and defenseman Cody Goloubef on IR.

Jenner, 21, will make his season debut after suffering a broken hand in practice on Sept. 27. He was the Blue Jackets' first pick in the 2011 draft.

Anisimov was placed on IR retroactive to Oct. 28 and is day-to-day. He suffered an upper body injury against Ottawa on Oct. 28.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Under bettors feasting on Predators games
Andrew Avery

The Nashville Predators have been one of the surprises of the early NHL season, sitting first in the Central Division with 16 points through 11 games.

Even more impressive is the fact that they've used dynamite goaltending from Pekka Rinne to be the best Under bet in the league. The Preds begin the week with a 2-9 Over/Under record and oddsmakers have started to hang some 5's for their total lines.

Nashville continues it's road trip in Canada with a visit to the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday. The Preds have played at Edmonton, at Calgary and at Vancouver so far and are 1-2 O/U on the trip.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Preview: Suns (2-1) at Lakers (0-4)

Date: November 04, 2014 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to their worst start since moving to the West Coast, and they're inching toward an unwanted franchise record.

It's a losing streak the Phoenix Suns have already contributed to, and they'll get a chance to become repeat offenders Tuesday night in a visit to Staples Center.

After Saturday's 127-104 loss at Golden State, the Lakers are 0-4 for the first time since starting 0-7 in 1957-58 as the Minneapolis Lakers. That team finished 19-53 for the lowest winning percentage (.264) in franchise history.

Kobe Bryant, shooting 41.2 percent with an NBA-worst plus-minus average of minus-19.0, wasn't terribly pessimistic following the loss.

"Just stay the course," said Bryant, who shot 12 of 28 and had 28 points. "We still have a lot of room for improvement, but we're moving in the right direction."

Center Jordan Hill has taken on more of the offensive load with back-to-back 23-point efforts on 69.0 percent shooting. The uptick comes after going 4 for 14 for 13 points through two games, including a six-point performance in Wednesday's 119-99 loss in Phoenix.

Hill has been held to 6.8 points on 40.0 percent shooting in his last four games against the Suns.

"Kobe can't do it by himself all the time," Hill told the team's official website. "So we need some guys to step it up offensively and defensively. I'm one of the guys, so I'm just gonna go out there and let (shots) go."

Los Angeles' notable newcomers aren't doing a whole lot to help. Jeremy Lin is shooting 34.5 percent and went 0 for 6 with six points and five turnovers against the Warriors.

Carlos Boozer's struggles continued with nine points and four rebounds. He's shooting 37.5 percent in the last three games, including a four-point effort with eight turnovers against the Suns.

The Lakers' losses have come by an average of 17.0 points, and they're allowing a league-high 118.0 points per game.

Phoenix (2-1) narrowly bettered those averages in the season-opening win over the Lakers. It's since beaten San Antonio 94-89 at home and lost 118-91 in Utah on Saturday.

The loss was a particularly big reality check for the guard trio of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas with each scoring 10 points on a combined 11-for-35 shooting (31.4 percent).

Thomas is averaging a team-best 18.7 points after moving from Sacramento in July. It has all come in a reserve role, and his 38.1 points per 48 minutes is among the best in the league.

"We've got a lot of things we can do," coach Jeff Hornacek told the team's official website. "If somebody's not playing well, we'll give someone else a shot. Sometimes you've just got to understand maybe it's not their night and they play less minutes. Some nights they're rolling and we play them more."

Thomas scored 23 points against the Lakers and is averaging 18.0 on 53.9 percent shooting in his last six games against them.

Bryant had his top offensive game thus far against the Suns, going 11 of 25 from the floor for 31 points.

The Suns have won five of the last six in the series but only twice in the past 15 meetings in Los Angeles, including the 2010 Western Conference finals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Kobe: "I don't think about departing L.A."
Stephen Campbell

With the Los Angeles Lakers getting off to an 0-4 start to the season, any uncertainty surrounding seasoned veteran Kobe Bryant's status with the team was squashed by the Black Mamba himself on Sunday, per Yahoo! Sports.

"I'm extremely loyal to the Lakers," Bryant said. "You can't just enjoy the successful times and then run away from the bad ones. No, I don't even think about [departing]. I'm a Laker."

The Lakers, normally a perennial powerhouse, have looked lost so far in the 2014-15 campaign. Los Angeles' start is their worst out of the gate since the 1957-58 season.

On Monday, the Westgate LV SuperBook released its updated NBA Championship odds with the Lakers coming in at 500-1. The purple and gold seek their first victory Tuesday at home against the Phoenix Suns.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thunder future odds drop after losing Westbrook
Andrew Caley

The Oklahoma City Thunder thought they could withstand the loss of reigning MVP Kevin Durant for several weeks, because they still had Russell Westbrook. But not anymore and their odds to win the NBA championship have taken a big hit.

Even with Durant expected to miss four-to-six weeks, the Thunder were still one of the favorites to win it all at 0-2, according to the Westgate LV Superbook. But now with Westbrook gone for roughly a month, the Thunder's odds have dropped to 9/1.

Despite their slow start Cleveland are still the favorites at 5/2, with San Antonio close behind at 3/1.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Lookin' Ahead to Week 11
By Brian Edwards

There are four monster Week 11 games looming next weekend, with all of them impacting the race to garner invites to the inaugural College Football Playoff. Sportsbook.ag already has lines on these contests, so bettors get down on these games right now.

Check out College Football Odds for Week 11 through Week 15

Alabama at LSU

Let's start with Alabama at LSU in Baton Rouge. The offshore shop has 'Bama installed as a 7.5-point road favorite. After easily getting ahead of the number in a Week 9 win at Tennessee, the Crimson Tide allowed the Volunteers to rally and take the cash as 20-point home underdogs in a 34-20 loss.

Nick Saban's team has struggled badly in road 'chalk' roles recently, limping to a 1-7 spread record in its last eight such spots. Alabama is 0-3 versus the number in three road assignments this year, failing to cover at Ole Miss, at Arkansas and at Tennessee.

LSU has lost three in a row to 'Bama, including last year's 38-17 setback in Tuscaloosa in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated. The Tide covered the spread as an 11-point home favorite.

When these teams collided in Baton Rouge in 2012 with first place in the SEC West at stake, 'Bama won a 21-17 decision thanks to a clutch drive in the final two minutes. With less than a minute remaining on third down inside LSU territory, A.J. McCarron hit T.J. Yeldon on a screen pass with LSU blitzing and the then-freshman running back took it to the house for the game-winning score. The Tigers took the money, however, as 8.5-point underdogs.

With last week's 10-7 win over Ole Miss as a three-point home underdog, LSU improved to 7-2 both straight up and against the spread. The Tigers have won three straight and four of its last five both SU and ATS. During Les Miles's 10-year tenure, they are now 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS as home 'dogs.

Both teams have an open date to get ready for Saturday's prime-time matchup under the lights at Tiger Stadium.

Ohio State at Michigan State

Sportsbook has Michigan State listed as a 3.5-point home favorite vs. Ohio State. The Spartans have won six in a row, while going 4-2 ATS, since suffering their only loss at Oregon back in Week 2. They have an open date to prep for the Buckeyes after spanking in-state rival Michigan by a 35-11 count in East Lansing.

With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers into the Big Ten, these teams reside in the same division (East) unlike last season. They collided in the Big Ten Championship Game last season, with Mark Dantonio's team handing Ohio St. its first loss of the Urban Meyer Era. Michigan St. won 34-24 as a five-point underdog.

In 2012, Ohio St. escaped Spartan Stadium with a 17-16 victory as a 2.5-point road underdog. That same season, the Buckeyes won 21-14 at Wisconsin as 2.5-point puppies. Those are the only two previous occasions in which Meyer's squad has been an underdog on his watch.

Michigan St. is 4-1 ATS as a home 'chalk' this year. The lone non-cover came in a 27-22 win over Nebraska when the Cornhuskers rallied from a 27-3 deficit in the final stanza to post the backdoor cover catching 6.5 points.

While Michigan St. has an open date this weekend, Ohio St. falls into a look-ahead situation at home vs. Illinois.

Baylor at Oklahoma

Sportsbook has Oklahoma favored by three vs. Baylor for their showdown in Norman. Both schools had open dates this past weekend and are back on the field Saturday. The Bears host Kansas and the Sooners venture to Ames for a battle against Iowa St.

Bob Stoops's squad will be in revenge mode after getting smashed 41-16 as a 16.5-point road underdog in Waco last year. Baylor has won two of the last three head-to-head meetings, covering the spread in all three of those contests.

OU, which has lost two of its last three games, is in the rare role of spoiler here. The Sooners saw its hopes of going to the College Football Playoff almost certainly dashed in their 31-30 home loss to Kansas St. on Oct. 18.

Baylor remains in the mix but undoubtedly has to win out. To do so, Art Briles's team will have to win in Norman for the first time ever.

Baylor hasn't been an underdog in 21 consecutive games if we can count this week's 'chalk' spot vs. KU. The Bears were last 'dogs in the 2012 Holiday Bowl when they crushed UCLA, 49-26. They are 7-1 ATS with four outright victories in their last eight games as 'dogs.

Notre Dame at Arizona State

Sportsbook has Arizona State tabbed as a two-point home favorite vs. Notre Dame. The Sun Devils will be looking to avenge a 37-34 loss to the Fighting Irish at Jerry World in Arlington last season.

Todd Graham's team has three remaining games against one-loss schools and controls its destiny to get to the Pac-12 Championship Game. In other words, ASU will find itself in the College Football Playoff if it wins the rest of its games.

The same can be said for Brian Kelly's team, which closes the regular season at Southern Cal. It also hosts Louisville in South Bend in a game that will become bigger if U of L can upset unbeaten Florida St. on Thursday night.

Notre Dame owns a 6-2 spread record in eight games as a road 'dog during Kelly's tenure. Meanwhile, ASU is 9-5 ATS as a home favorite on Graham's watch.

ASU has a huge game in Tempe this weekend against Utah, while Notre Dame is in Landover to face Navy.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College Betting Recap - Week 10
By Daniel Dobish
VegasInsider.com

Overall Notes

College Football Week 10 Results

Wager Favorites-Underdogs

Straight Up 41-13
Against the Spread 34-19-1
Wager Home-Away
Straight Up 24-29
Against the Spread 21-31-1
Wager Totals (O/U)
Over-Under 23-29-1


The largest underdog to cash
Wyoming (+15, ML +500) at Fresno State, 45-10

The largest favorite to cash
Baylor (-34.5) vs Kansas, 60-14

Top 25 Notes
-- Mississippi fell for the second straight week, and it was another heartbreaker that came down to the end, losing 35-31. Ole Miss opened the season 6-0-1 ATS through the first seven games, but they're 0-2 SU/ATS over the past two weeks. The 'over' also hit for the first time since Sept. 13 for the Rebs, mainly due to a defensive breakdown. Ole Miss had allowed an average of just 10.5 points per game (PPG) through their first eight games, and more than 15 points just twice.

-- Ole Miss was just one of two Top 10 teams to lose straight up. At least Ole Miss lost to a fellow Top 5 teams. Georgia is searching for answers after leaving Jacksonville with a 38-20 loss despite being a double-digit favorite. Florida picked up a much-needed win.

-- East Carolina stumbled hard at Temple, making several costly mistakes. The Pirates actually outgained the Owls 432-135 in total yards, but five lost fumbles was the key stat. After starting out 4-0 ATS, the Pirates are now 0-4 ATS over the past four outings.

-- Notre Dame and Navy hooked up in Landover, Md. for a 49-39 barn burner. The Irish allowed a total of 60 points through the first five games, but they have given up at least 31 points in each of the past three, giving up an average of 37.7 points per outing.

-- The game of the day might have been in Morgantown, as Texas Christian just edged West Virginia 31-30 in a battle between two hot teams. While the Horned Frogs won, they failed to cover for the first time in eight tries this season.

Big Five Conference Report (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC)

-- The ACC might not like it, but Florida State is the banner carrier. If they lose, the league has no shot at a spot in the four-game playoff. The Seminoles started very slow at Louisville Thursday, but came back to not only win, but cover, too. That's a rarity, as the Seminoles were 1-6 ATS coming in. ... N.C. State picked up its first conference win of the season, and first since 2012, winning at Syracuse. While wins might be sparse, the Wolfpack is 5-2 ATS over the past seven. ... Georgia Tech roughed up Virginia 35-10. The Ramblin' Wreck is now 4-1-1 ATS in past six meetings with the Hoos. ... Duke outlasted Pittsburgh for a 51-48 double-overtime win. The Blue Devils lost to the Panthers 58-55 last season, meaning the teams have each scored 106 points against each other in the past two meetings.

-- Things were less chaotic in the Big 12, with the favorite going 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS, with the Horned Frogs as the lone non-cover. ... Kansas State was a two-touchdown favorite, and they took advantage of Oklahoma State playing without its leading rusher. K-State is now 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. ... Baylor covered the biggest number of the day (-34.5) in a 60-14 win over Kansas. The Bears have hit the 60-point mark in four of their eight games, and they have 40 or more points in six of their eight outings.

-- Ohio State wasn't looking ahead to its huge battle at Michigan State next week. They humped up on Illinois 55-14, easily covering as a four-touchdown favorite. The Illini were unable to carry over momentum after its win against Minnesota last weekend. The Buckeyes have won six in a row, and they're 5-1 ATS since their loss to Virginia Tech Sept. 6. The 'over' has cashed in seven straight for OSU. ... Michigan might not be having its best season, but they're still not down far enough to lose to Indiana. The Wolverines have beaten the Hoosiers 19 straight times.

-- The late-night Pac-12 game is never dull. Utah misfired on a field goal in overtime, and Arizona State took advantage, winning 19-16. The Sun Devils claimed first place in the Pac-12 South Division as a result. ... UCLA posted a 17-7 win over Arizona, and the most shocking part of the result might be that the total was set at 71.5, but only 24 total points were scored. ... Many might have missed it, but California earned a road win and cover at Oregon State. Cal's win ended a 1-6 ATS run at Oregon State, and the favorite has cashed in each of the past four meetings.

-- Texas A&M stepped out of conference, and they played without QB Kenny Hill who was suspended for two games. They barely held off Louisiana-Monroe as a 32-point favorite, looking uninspired in a 21-16 win. The Aggies haven't covered in five games dating back to Sept. 20. ... Top-ranked Mississippi State held on for a hard-fought 17-10 win at home against Arkansas, failing to cover back-to-back games for the first time this season. ... Vanderbilt suddenly finds itself as a cover king. They started out 0-3 ATS this season, but have covered five of their past six after topping Old Dominion 42-28.

Mid-Major Report

-- In Conference USA play, Rice won 31-17 at Florida International, staying hot. Not only have the Owls won five in a row, but they have covered in each outing. The over has cashed in three straight for Rice, and five of the past six. ... Louisiana Tech shellacked Western Kentucky by a 59-10 count. The Bulldogs improved to 7-2 ATS this season.

-- There were just two games in the Mid-American Conference this week, as the league has two games scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, and another two set for Wednesday, Nov. 5. ... Western Michigan routed Miami-Ohio 41-10, covering for the eighth consecutive game. ... Central Michigan won 38-7 at Eastern Michigan. The Chips have now covered in four of the past five, and the 'under' is also 4-1 in their past five games.

-- The Mountain West had one of the biggest shockers of the day. Wyoming rolled into Fresno State as a 15-point underdog and they blasted the Bulldogs 45-17. And this game was also a bad beat, too. (see below) ... Utah State hammered Hawaii 35-14, as the Warriors have now lost three straight games, including back-to-back games in the islands. Hawaii started out 3-0 ATS, but they're 1-4-1 ATS over the past six.

-- After a week off, New Mexico State resumed Sun Belt action. They fell to Texas State 37-29, but the 'over' hit for the Aggies again. The over is 7-1 in the past eight for NMSU. ... Louisiana-Lafayette has won four in a row, and they have covered three straight after its 19-9 win over South Alabama. ... Georgia Southern won 42-10 over Troy Thursday, picking up their sixth consecutive victory. They're ineligible for a bowl as they transition to FBS. But they are not taking their foot off the gas peddle, and they have now covered eight of their nine games this season.

Bad Beats

-- 'Under' bettors (58) were feeling good through three quarters in Wyoming-Fresno State, as there were just 31 total points, including a scoreless third quarter. However, the two sides combined for 31 points in the fourth quarter to just push the total over, including a Fresno State score with just 1:25 left.

-- Idaho ticket holders couldn't believe it. The Vandals were getting 15 points, and were down just 30-28 with 7:41 to go. But Arkansas State scored a pair of rushing touchdowns with 76 seconds, turning a potential Idaho cover and possible straight-up win into an ATS loss.

-- Purdue appeared to be in line for a cover as a three-touchdown dog, down 28-14 to Nebraska. However, the Huskers found the end zone with 2:00 left to turn Purdue cover tickets into either a loss or push depending on your shop. Either way, it stung quite a bit.

-- If you had Utah on the moneyline, ouch. They went overtime with Arizona State, and had the ball first in OT. The kicker for the Utes misfired on his first try, but a timeout called before the attempt gave him a second shot. He misfired again, giving the Sun Devils the ball. They converted a field goal and turned a potential straight-up win for Utah into a losing ticket.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

4th Quarter Covers - Week 10
By Joe Nelson

Glancing at the scoreboard won’t tell you the whole story in most games. Here are the games that went down to the wire relative to the spread in the fourth quarter last week in the tenth college football weekend and the first weekend of October. Each week there are several teams that cover despite not necessarily deserving it, as well as other teams that played much better than the final score shows, get the details in this weekly column.

Florida State (-3½) 42, Louisville 31: A season-changing upset appeared on the way as Louisville stormed out to a 21-0 lead against last year’s national champions in the second quarter. Momentum did start to shift with a fumble recovery touchdown for the Seminoles just before halftime. Louisville got a stop and then went right down the field on its opening possession in the second half, but wound up settling for a short field goal. Florida State would then answer with a 68-yard pass play to get within 10 points. The Seminoles were within three points just minutes later after Dalvin Cook broke a 40-yard run and early in the fourth quarter, Florida State not only had the lead but they had passed the short road favorite spread that had dropped all week. Louisville had some fight left putting together a 77-yard drive to take the lead back with nine minutes to go, but the Seminoles added two late touchdowns with great field position playing a role after a short punt and after Louisville had to go for it on fourth down trailing late in the game.

Duke (+3) 51, Pittsburgh 48: For a second straight season, Pittsburgh and Duke played a wild high-scoring game. Duke did lead by three entering the fourth quarter, but the game was quickly tied but only for seconds as DeVon Edwards returned the next kickoff 99 yards for a Blue Devils touchdown. Pittsburgh was able to tie the game with just over five minutes to go and the Panthers got the ball back with a chance to go for the win. A great drive brought Pittsburgh down to the eight-yard line with the game-winning kick seemingly a formality, but Panthers kicker Chris Blewitt missed from 26 yards. Both teams struck for touchdowns with relative ease in the first overtime and in round two, Blewitt redeemed himself with a make from 43 yards to put the Panthers up. The exhausted defense could not hold as four rushes later, Duke was in the end zone for the win.

Maryland (+3) 20, Penn State 19: Penn State led 16-7 heading into the fourth quarter as the Maryland offense sputtered for a second straight game. The Terrapins took advantage of field position to get back in the game, however, connecting on a short field goal and then getting the ball back right away as Penn State fumbled on the kickoff. Just a few minutes into the fourth quarter, it was Maryland holding a 17-16 lead. After trading punts, Penn State took the lead back with a long field goal, but after another swap of punts including a short kick from the Lions, Maryland was able to secure the game- winner.

Auburn (+1) 35, Mississippi 31: The final margin in this game matched the final margin entering the fourth quarter, but not without great drama in the final minutes of one of the biggest games of the week. Ole Miss took a three-point lead less than a minute into the fourth quarter, but Auburn quickly answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive. On its next drive, the Rebels appeared poised to get back on top, but quarterback Bo Wallace fumbled inside the Auburn 10-yard line. After forcing the Tigers to punt, Mississippi had another great opportunity, but a fumble by receiver Laquon Treadwell right near the goal line saved Auburn again after the initial touchdown ruling was overturned on review.

Missouri (-7½) 20, Kentucky 10: Missouri was in control against Kentucky with a 20-3 lead more than halfway through the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats managed to get within 10 with just over three minutes to go. A backdoor cover looked probable for the Wildcats as they recovered the on-side kick and then with the help of a personal foul penalty, they were in field goal range. In a highly questionable coaching move, Mark Stoops opted to go for it on fourth down from the Missouri 21-yard line rather than kicking a field goal, down two scores with less than two minutes to go in the game. Kentucky still had three timeouts and the Wildcats actually did get the ball back and moved into Missouri territory again in the final seconds, but the scenario was much different still down two scores without what would have been a spread-stealing field goal.

Tennessee (+6) 45, South Carolina 42: South Carolina trailed 21-14 at halftime, but with three consecutive touchdowns, it was the Gamecocks in control up 35-21 early in the fourth quarter. Tennessee found the end zone with just over six minutes to go, but it appeared for naught as South Carolina quickly struck back, breaking a 70-yard run for a touchdown to put the lead back to 14 points with less than five minutes on the clock. It took a 10-play drive, but Tennessee managed to score with less than two minutes to go to keep hope alive but the on-side kick attempt failed. The Volunteers still had all three timeouts and they were able to force a punt though they were left with 85 yards to go. Joshua Dobbs led the two-minute drill brilliantly to force overtime with just 11 seconds to go. Tennessee went first in overtime and managed only a field goal, but South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson was sacked on back-to-back plays as the Gamecocks had to try a desperation 58-yard field goal to tie and fell short.

Oregon (-7) 45, Stanford 16: This huge Pac-12 North game featured a rather misleading final as Stanford was on the doorstep to score a touchdown late in the third quarter to get within four points. They instead had to settle for a 25-yard field goal to get within eight, still giving the underdog the cover on a spread that most of the week was higher than eight, opening all the way at 11½. Oregon completed a touchdown drive with three seconds left in the third quarter to go up by 15 and then taking advantage of short fields after a turnover and a poor punt, the Ducks added two more touchdowns in the final frame as the Ducks had only modest yardage edges in the game.

Louisiana (-7) 19, South Alabama 9: South Alabama led this game 9-6 at halftime and it was a tie game at 9-9 heading into the fourth quarter after the Ragin’ Cajuns settled for a second straight short field goal. Another short kick in the fourth put Louisiana up by three, but South Alabama appeared poised to at least tie the game, sitting with first and goal from the Louisiana 4-yard line. A fumble halted that scoring opportunity and Louisiana put together a 91-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to put the home favorite past the spread.

Vanderbilt (-7) 42, Old Dominion 28: Entering the fourth quarter, this game sat right on the closing spread with Vanderbilt leading 28-21, but the line was above a touchdown most of the week. The Commodores connected on a 50-yard pass play early in the fourth quarter and then Old Dominion’s opportunity to answer ended with an incompletion going for it on fourth down inside Vanderbilt territory. Both teams added late touchdowns as the home favorite held on.

California (+3½) 45, Oregon State 31: The Bears led 27-10 in the third quarter, but late drama has been the norm in California games this season. Oregon State would score three straight touchdowns to take a 31-27 lead early in the fourth quarter to take the lead while actually climbing past the closing spread. The Bears answered and then got an interception to take over the game, eventually pulling away for a 14-point victory as the Beavers failed to score on two late fourth quarter drives into California territory.

UCLA (-6½) 17, Arizona 7: UCLA led 17-7 through three quarters in a key Pac-12 South clash that was stunningly low scoring. The first three drives for Arizona in the fourth quarter were all three-and-outs, but after a UCLA fumble, the Wildcats seemed to have some momentum for a late rally. Arizona would drive all the way down to the UCLA 5-yard line with a touchdown potentially spoiling the favorite cover in the final seconds, but Anu Solomon was sacked on third-and-goal and the Wildcats went for the field goal down two scores. The kick was blocked to preserve a 10-point win for the Bruins.

Colorado State (-6) 38, San Jose State 31: The now 8-1 Rams were in a tie game late in the third quarter before completing a 15-play drive to lead by seven, just past the road favorite spread. San Jose State quickly answered to tie the game again, but the Rams seemingly pulled away with a 38-24 lead with just five minutes to go. San Jose State would score a touchdown late to get back within seven but the Rams held on.

Arizona State (-6½) 19, Utah 16: The Sun Devils led 13-6 at halftime, but Utah took the lead in the third quarter, up 16-13. The first half of the fourth quarter featured both offenses being shut down but Arizona State managed to hit a couple big plays to get into the red zone. They could not find the end zone, settling for a short field goal to tie the game. Both teams got to midfield in the final minutes, but overtime was needed. Those on the Sun Devils needed Arizona State to somehow get seven going first in overtime, but it was the Utes opening the extra session and missing a short field goal. That allowed Arizona State to conservatively set up the game-winner.

UTEP (-8) 35, Southern Miss 14: The Miners are not often this big of a favorite, but the Miners were up by 14 late in the third quarter looking to add more points. Southern Miss would block the field goal attempt and score a touchdown after a 78-yard return, a score that put the Golden Eagles in position to cover. The favor was returned two-fold in the fourth quarter with UTEP scoring on an interception return and a fumble return to create a 21-point final margin.

New Mexico (+1½) 31, UNLV 28: The Lobos had a 17-0 lead in this game, but by the end of the third quarter, UNLV had scored 21 straight points to lead by four as a slight home favorite. Both teams scored early in the fourth quarter, but New Mexico posted seven more points with just over a minute to go to complete a 15 play drive. UNLV had a long field goal attempt at the end of the game to force overtime, but it missed.

Nevada (-2) 30, San Diego State 14: The Aztecs led 14-13 entering the fourth quarter in this game before Nevada put together another good fortune fourth quarter to pull out another late win. Nevada pulled away with 17 points in the fourth quarter as the San Diego State offense faltered to create a misleading final in game that had nearly identical yardage numbers but a big turnover edge for the host.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Top 25 Betting Recap - Week 10
By Mike Rose

Week 10 of the 2014 NCAA football betting season is in the books, and today, we're going to be taking a look at each of the Top 25 teams in the rankings and see how they did from an ATS perspective in this go around this past week.

(Results in parentheses represent SU Result-ATS Result)

1: Mississippi State (W-L vs. Arkansas 17-10)
The Dogs really had to fight to stay undefeated this week, and they look like they are about set to run out of magic.

2: Florida State (W-W vs. Louisville 42-31)
The Seminoles found themselves out of more trouble this week, coming back from down three TDs to beat the Cards.

3: Auburn (W-W vs. Ole Miss 35-31)
The Tigers are now owners of the two best road wins in the land this year at Kansas State and Ole Miss.

4: Ole Miss (L-L vs. Auburn 35-31)
It will be interesting to see whether Ole Miss has any shot of getting back into the playoff mix now. Probably not.

5: Oregon (W-W vs. Stanford 45-16)
Marcus Mariota has finally broken the hex and found a way to beat Stanford.

6: Alabama (Bye)

7: TCU (W-L vs. West Virginia 31-30)
Forcing five turnovers and kicking a field goal at the gun is all that kept TCU's playoff hopes alive.

8: Michigan State (Bye)

9: Kansas State (W-W vs. Oklahoma State 48-14)
All of a sudden, if the Wildcats win next week in Fort Worth, they can run away from the Big XII.

10: Notre Dame (W-L vs. Navy 49-39)
That's three straight games in which the Notre Dame defense has really struggled badly.

11: Georgia (L-L vs. Florida 38-20)
Mark Richt went from having his team on the verge of the playoffs to being on the verge of being out of a job.

12: Arizona (L-L vs. UCLA 17-7)
The farce known as Arizona is said and done with after the Wildcats were smacked at the Rose Bowl.

13: Baylor (W-W vs. Kansas 60-14)
Baylor is the forgotten team in the Big XII this year, but it is going to need some help to win the conference from here.

14: Arizona State (W-L vs. Utah 19-16)
The Sun Devils were able to crack the code of the Utes in close games.

15: Nebraska (W-P vs. Purdue 35-14)
Ameer Abdullah was hurt against Purdue, and that might be the end of Nebraska's season.

16: Ohio State (W-W vs. Illinois 55-14)
JT Barrett could make himself a legit Heisman contender if he can beat MSU next week.

17: Utah (L-W vs. Arizona State 19-16)
That's five straight games decided by six points or fewer for the Utes, who are 3-2 in those games.

18: Oklahoma (W-W vs. Iowa State 59-14)
Three men had over 100 rushing yards and four had at least 76 yards on the ground for the Sooners.

19: LSU (Bye)

20: West Virginia (L-W vs. TCU 31-30)
Clint Trickett picked a bad time to have the worst game of his season.

21: Clemson (Bye)

22: UCLA (W-W vs. Arizona 17-7)
Brett Hundley hasn't been spectacular, but he has been making the plays he has had to make to win games.

23: East Carolina (L-L vs. Temple 20-10)
It's doubtful that East Carolina will be the representative of the "Group of Five" this year in the New Year's Six bowls after losing to Temple.

24: Duke (W-W vs. Pittsburgh 51-48)
Duke took every shot that Pitt could throw at it on Saturday, yet it still won in OT to keep its ACC Coastal Division title dreams alive.

25: Louisville (L-L vs. Florida State 42-31)
The Cards should have at least covered against FSU, but they will rue the day they blew that three-TD lead against the defending champs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF opening line report: Alabama opens as 6-point road faves vs. LSU
By COLIN KELLY

Alabama, where Nick Saban coaches, hopes to keep its college football playoff hopes right on track. Louisiana State, where Saban once coached, would love to send the Crimson Tide right off the rails.

That matchup is the biggest of Week 11, as teams gear up for the final mad dash to the end of college football’s regular season.

The Crimson Tide sit at 7-1 SU and are coming off a bye after dropping Tennessee 34-20, but they fell short as a massive 20-point road favorite. In fact, ‘Bama is just 2-6 ATS, tied with a host of other teams for the third-worst spread-covering record in the nation.

Meanwhile, LSU is 7-2 SU and ATS and also coming off a bye after knocking off previously unbeaten Mississippi 10-7 as a 4-point home underdog. The Tigers have won and cashed three in a row since getting trounced 41-7 at Auburn as a 7-point pup.

“The bye came at a really good time for the Tigers, emotionally and physically. They’ve got renewed confidence after beating Ole Miss, which was a sloppy win,” said John Lester. “We’ll keep an eye on (Alabama running back) T.J. Yeldon’s status (foot injury) as the week progresses and we expect he’ll be fine, but there’s rarely a shortage of talent in ‘Bama’s backfield. No question the Tide should be favorites here.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Arizona State Sun Devils (-1.5)

Notre Dame (7-1 SU, 5-3 ATS) still harbors playoff hopes, but it can’t afford to lose another game, and even then will need a lot of help in the way of losses from higher-ranked teams. On Saturday, the Fighting Irish blew a 28-7 lead at Navy, ultimately having to rally for a 49-39 victory as a 14-point road chalk.

Likewise, ASU (7-1 SU, 4-4 ATS) has only one blemish on its record as it tries to claim the Pac-10 title. The Sun Devils fended off Utah 19-16 in overtime Saturday, falling short as 6.5-point home faves.

“The Irish have a chance to impress the playoff committee here, but I’m not confident they can get it done,” Lester said. “Navy's triple-option wears opponents out, and it did last week, so you have to wonder if there’ll be a defensive hangover. ASU’s protection along the line is certainly a concern. The Sun Devils will need to keep this contest low-scoring.”

Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans (-3.5)

Michigan State (7-1 SU, 5-3 ATS) is definitely in the thick of the four-team playoff chase, coming off a 35-11 spanking of instate rival Michigan as a 17-point home chalk, then getting a bye this past weekend.

Ohio State (6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS) is coming off a 55-14 win over Illinois and looking to play spoiler while shoring up its Big 10 title hopes. The Buckeyes barely held off Penn State in their last outing, winning 31-24 in overtime while failing to cover as a 14-point road fave.

“The postseason implications are huge, and we’ll have a ton of action on this marquee matchup,” Lester said. “There was no look-ahead for the Buckeyes last week, and they appear to be focused and prepared for this one. However, with the extra time and the home-field advantage, I like the Spartans to win again.”

Oregon Ducks at Utah Utes (+9.5)

Marcus Mariota and Oregon (8-1 SU, 5-4 ATS) aim to stay on track in the Pac-12 and in the national playoff picture. The Ducks come in off a 45-16 throttling of Stanford as a 7-point home favorite, their fourth straight win and cover since a stunning home upset loss to Arizona.

Utah has been an upstart this season and one of the best teams in the nation at the betting window, going 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS. On Saturday night, the Utes couldn’t get the win, but did get the cover in a 19-16 overtime loss at Arizona State as 6.5-point pups.

“Oregon passed the smell test against a very good Stanford defense, and they’ll have to do the same here because the Utes can certainly get after the quarterback,” Lester said. “Utah will aim to shorten this game. There’s no pressure on the home team here, they’ll be loose, and I expect they’ll have some wise-guy support. They’ve been fantastic against the number this year.”