Courtesy of Armadillo Sports:
*Featured Games*
-Michigan covered just four of last 17 non-league games; they're 10-18 as home favorite since 2004 and are coming off LY's 3-9 nightmare season, in addition to last week's issue about them violating workout limitations. Wolverines have whole OL back but are expected to play three QBs in this game. Western Michigan has a senior QBs with 30 career starts.
-UConn, Ohio U both have inexperienced QBs and three starters back on OL. Huskies covered eight of last 11 as road favorite, are 32-18 against spread since '02. Bobcats covered six of last nine as home dog, are 5-0-1 vs spread in non-MAC games last two years. Underdogs are 16-6 vs the spread in UConn road games since 2004.
-Notre Dame is 7-13 vs spread as home favorite under Weis; they've got Michigan next, but Nevada is dangerous foe, with a mobile QB who has 26 career starts. Wolf Pack is 5-4 vs spread in last nine games as dog on road. Irish have four starters and eight of top 10 OL guys back; their QB has 22 starts, but weight of expectations is very heacy on this team.
-Oklahoma State lost 35-14 at Georgia in '07 (+6.5), but OSU is 16-6 in last 22 tries as home favorite, 8-3 vs spread in last 11 non-Big 12 games. Georgia won 30 of its last 34 road games (10-2 vs ranked foes)- they are 7-2 vs spread as road dog under Richt, and will try to run ball behind OL with all five starters back (99 returning starts). Biggest problem for UGa is they have an inexperienced, albeit senior QB.
-Oklahoma is 20-8 vs spread in last 28 tries as a favorite; this game in on "neutral" field at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, which will be loaded with Sooner red. BYU has senior QB with 26 career starts, but only one OL starter back. Sooners also lost four starters on OL; their junior QB has 28 starts and a Heisman Trophy. BYU 2-6 in last eight non-league tilts.
-Missouri suffered severe graduation losses, has new QB, and three sophs starting on OL; they've beaten rival Illinois last four years (favorite 4-0 vs spread), scoring 92 points in last two meetings. Illini are 1-9 vs spread in last ten non-league games, 0-7 on neutral fields, but they have a senior QB with 22 career starts and seven other starters back on offense.
-Wake Forest hammered Baylor 41-13 in Waco LY, outgaining Bears by 130 yards with a +3 turnover ratio; Deacons have all five starters back on OL, with four senior starters and a senior QB with 36 career starts, but they're just 8-18 vs spread as home favorite under Grobe. Baylor has eight of top 10 back on OL and a terrific soph QB- they're 10-6 against spread in their last 16 non-league games.
-Syracuse starting QB Paulus is back in his hometown after playing last four years for Duke's basketball team; he was once highly regarded as a QB prospect. Orange covered three of its last 12 home games. Gophers have a very good QB, nine starters back on offense, eight on defense- they're 11-5 against the spread in last 16 games as road favorite.
-Alabama has nine starters back on defense but only four on offense; they are breaking in new QB; Tide was 7-3 as favorite LY after being 5-17 in that role the previous three seasons. Virginia Tech has 90 returning starts on OL (three starters back) and mobile junior QB with 15 career starts. Hokies are just 3-8-1 vs spread in last twelve non-ACC games.
-Texas-El Paso (+3) lost 42-17 in Buffalo LY, getting outrushed 253-67, but Bulls graduated their QB and three starters on OL, accounting for 96 starts- they're 14-5 as a road underdog under Gill. Miners have nine of top 10 linemen back from LY (96 starts back) and a mobile QB with 24 career starts. UTEP covered just four of its last fourteen as home fave.
-LSU covered 17 of last 25 non-SEC games; long road trip for them, but Washington went winless LY, has new coach, 18 starters back, terrific QB who was one of many injured Huskies LY. Tigers are just 4-8-1 vs spread in last 13 road games, but they've got an experienced OL with 79 starts back, protecting young QB (3rd start). Washington is 9-14 vs the spread in its last 23 games as a home underdog.
*Other Games*
-Navy covered 19 of its last 26 as a road underdog. Ohio State plays USC next week; they're 4-6-1 in last 11 tries as double digit favorite.-Penn State covered 10 of last 13 as double digit favorite., but all five of their OL starters from LY are gone. Akron is 6-8-1 as a road dog.
-Kentucky covered six of its last eight non-league games. Miami, O. is 7-5 vs spread in its last 12 games as a road dog- they've got new coach.
-Army (-1) beat Eastern Michigan 17-13 LY, running ball for 341 yds. EMU has senior QB with 34 career starts. Army is 16-12 as road dog.
-Wisconsin has new QB and no senior starters on OL; they're 8-6 as a home fave under Bielema. No. Illinois is 15-9 in last 24 tries as road dog.
-Two new coaches in Toledo-Purdue game; Rockets have a senior QB with 27 career starts and OL with 96 starts back. Purdue is 5-3 as home favorite the last two seasons.
-Stanford won three of last four visits to Washington State; they ran ball for 344 yards in 58-0 win vs Wazzu LY. Coogs are 10-7 in last 17 tries as home underdog.
-Auburn covered eight of last 24 when favored, seven of 18 non-SEC games. Louisiana Tech is 5-22 vs spread in its last 27 games as road dog.
-Texas A&M (-3) won 28-22 at New Mexico LY, Lobos outrushed the Aggies 216-92. A&M covered just eight of last 26 non-Big 12 contests. New Mexico is 18-11 vs spread in last 29 games as road dog.
-Idaho won four of last five vs New Mexico State; average total in their last two visits here is 75.5. Underdogs are 28-16 vs spread in NM State's home games this decade.
-Cal (-14) got behind quickly, lost 35-27 at Maryland LY; Cal is 12-6 vs spread in last 18 games as home favorite. Terps lost 116 starts from LY's OL, so they're very young up front.
-USC has had lot of injuries this summer; they're 27-14 as a home fave, 24-8 in non-league games. San Jose State is 8-13 as road dog. Trojans are off to Ohio State next week, so definite look-ahead chance here.
-Arizona was 4-1 as home favorite LY, after covering three of previous 17; they have two 3-year starters on OL, but a new QB. Central Mich. has a terrific senior QB with 26 career starts; they're 10-8 as road dog.
-UCLA covered 14 of last 20 as home favorite; they won last couple games vs San Diego State, 33-10/44-21. Aztecs have new coach; they're 13-18 as a road underdog since 2003.
-Florida Atlantic has senior QB (17 starts) three senior starters on OL, but only three starters back on defense. Nebraska is 11-15 vs spread in last 26 games as a home favorite.
-Middle Tennessee has nine coaches with some tie to Clemson, so big game for their staff; Blue Raiders has 10 starters back on offense, but an inexperienced QB (9th start). Clemson is 5-7 as double digit favorite.
-Texas covered 16 of last 24 as home favorite; their QB has made 39 starts, their OL 91 starts. UL-Monroe is 16-8 last 24 tries as road dog.
-Tennessee has UCLA/Florida up next, first game for a new coaching staff with lot of pressure on it- they covered one of last four when fave of 10+ points. Western Kentucky is breaking in a new QB.