Penn State -6

The Penn State Nittany Lions haven’t been particularly impressive in recent weeks, which is probably why we are able to grab them here at a relatively short price. Penn State is taking a major step down in class by playing Indiana this week, and that should be just what the doctor ordered.

Penn State’s defense has been the most consistent in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions can be beaten through the air, but their run defense is tremendous. Penn State is giving up just 77.1 yards per game on the ground this year. That makes them the number one rushing defense in the country. Why does that matter so much in this game? Because that’s the only thing Indiana can do right now.

Indiana’s Tevin Coleman is a very good running back, but he is going to find it tough going this weekend against the Nittany Lions defensive front. Indiana is playing with their third string quarterback, and he hasn’t been able to throw it on anyone. Penn State knows the run is coming, and they are going to shut down the Hoosiers running back.

Penn State’s offense isn’t terrific, but they are good enough to score on an Indiana defense that is the worst in the Big Ten. Indiana also doesn’t have much of a home field advantage like most of the Big Ten does. The road favorite is the play.

Take Penn State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday NCAAF 7* ATS Play

Minnesota pk

The Minnesota Golden Gophers host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday afternoon in Week 11 of the college football season. The Gophers are coming off a 28-24 loss to Illinois, while the Hawkeyes beat up on Northwestern their last time out, 48-7.

The Gophers have enjoyed a fine season this year, and that’s in large part thanks to the play of standout running back David Cobb. Cobb ranks sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game at 141.4, churning out at least 180 yards in four of eight games on the season.

As for Iowa, the Hawkeyes lean heavily on their passing game, which is of course led by quarterback Jake Rudock. That unit will be in tough against a Golden Gophers secondary that is second in the Big Ten in interceptions. The Golden Gophers look ready to bounce back in this one on their home turf where they are 5-0 this season.

Minnesota is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 conference games.

Take Minnesota.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Memphis -7

The Temple Owls host the Memphis Tigers on Friday night. Temple is coming off a 20-10 upset of East Carolina, while Memphis beat Tulsa a week ago, 40-20. Temple made a lot of noise last weekend when they turned the AAC on its head with a win over East Carolina. That win is all the public is choosing to look at, which allows us to get in at a very favorable line in this one.

The Owls may have come up with a victory last weekend, but the rain and sloppy play by the Pirates had more to do with the outcome of that game than anything Temple did. East Carolina fumbled the ball away five times in a game they otherwise dominated, outgaining Temple 428 to 135.

Meanwhile, Memphis has been dominating opponents themselves. Outside of a dud against Houston an understandable loss at Ole Miss, and a competitive game at UCLA, Memphis has beaten up on its opponents, winning its other five games by an average margin of 33.4 points. With Temple in a terrible letdown spot, they’re in for trouble on Friday night.

The Tigers are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 games in the month of November.

Take Memphis.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Ball State +3.5

Ball State enters this contest with a 3-5 record, which doesn't look so hot compared to NIU's 6-2 mark, but there's much less of a discrepancy between these two teams than you would be led to believe.

The Cardinals are playing good football, but continue to be valued at the team that struggled to start the season. Ball State's offense has played significantly better in back-to-back victories over Central Mich and Akron, and this team is still motivated to play with an outside chance of catching Toledo in the standings. The Cardinals also rank fourth in the nation in turnover margin, which is a very important factor to us when backing the underdog.

As for the Huskies, this is not the same NIU team from years past that was steamrolling MAC foes. Northern Illinois also has a huge game on deck with Toledo next week, and we wouldn't be surprised if they're caught look past what they believe is an inferior opponent. We feel as though an upset is looming on Wednesday night.

Take Ball State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Arizona State -6

Arizona State & Utah is being billed as one of the marquee matchups of Week 10, but we don't think this will live up to the hype at all.

The Utes have benefited from some extreme luck this season. Utah has won four of their last five games despite being outgained in every single one of those contests. The Utes now enter this contest off of an upset over USC, and we see them falling flat big time here. Utah has a bad habit of falling behind early and that's simply not a recipe for success on the road against a complete football team.

The Sun Devils get better every week. Quarterback Taylor Kelly now has a game under his belt and should get better on a week-to-week basis. Arizona State has more firepower on offense, and their defense has been smothering in recent weeks. The Sun Devils have surrendered just 20 points in their last two contests, and they catch a big break as the Utes have lost WR Dres Anderson for the season with a knee injury. We see the Devils building up an early margin and riding their stout defense to a double-digit victory.

Take Arizona State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Navy +14

The Navy Midshipmen host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday in Week 10 of the college football season.

For Notre Dame, they've had trouble building up margins of late, getting involved in some tight affairs. The Irish's last three games have been decided by a total of 14 points. That's right in line with the matchup these two teams had a year ago, when Notre Dame eked out a 38-34 win over the Midshipmen. Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds accounted for four touchdowns in that game, one through the air and three on the ground.

Reynolds missed some time due to injury, but he came back with a vengeance last weekend against San Jose State, rushing for a career-high 251 yards and adding three rushing touchdowns in a 41-31 win. The nation's second-ranked rushing attack churned out 423 yards on the ground against the Spartans. Navy figures to get its yards on the ground again in this one.

Navy is 5-0 ATS in its last five games after scoring more than 40 points in its previous game.

Take Navy.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Arkansas +10.5

The Razorbacks have lost 16 straight games to SEC opponents, but to say they've been competitive would be an understatement. Even though Mississippi State is the #1 team in the nation in the polls, there's actually not much separating these two teams.

It's no secret that the Razorbacks have a strong ground game, but they should be also be able to throw the ball on a Bulldogs defense that has been less than stellar in pass defense. Kentucky's Patrick Towles three for over 400 yards against Mississippi State a week ago, making him the fourth quarterback to surpass 300+ yards against the Bulldogs this season. Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen is playing well, having thrown six touchdowns over the past two games, and maintaining a solid completion rate of over 60% in that span.

Mississippi State will try to run the ball on Arkansas, but that's easier said than done. The Razorbacks nearly upset the Crimson Tide a few weeks ago because of the success that they had shutting down the Alabama running game. The Bulldogs have been bullying opposing teams, but that's not going to happen against Arkansas. At the end of the day, this is a winnable game for the Razorbacks, a team that is very hungry for a win in SEC play. We'll gladly take the points.

The Razorbacks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games and 17-8 in their last 25 games following a win of 20+ points.

Take Arkansas.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Kentucky +8.5

The Kentucky Wildcats have been humbled a bit in the last couple weeks. After an amazing start, the Wildcats have been beaten by LSU in Baton Rouge and then beaten by a couple touchdowns last week by the top ranked team in the nation.

Kentucky is still a much improved team over what they have been in the past. The Wildcats defense is no longer a laughing stock, rather they have actually been very good against most opponents. Offensively, Kentucky is starting to recruit much more talented guys who can create some big plays. Overall, Mark Stoops is doing a tremendous job with this program.

Missouri has been a major disappointment this year. The Tigers struggled to put away Vanderbilt at home last week. Missouri’s offense has been just awful all year. Maty Mauk looked good last season, but with far less weapons this year he has been wildly inconsistent. The Tigers have virtually no passing game now.

Kentucky should force Mauk to beat them with his arm, and I don’t think he can do it. Kentucky nearly won in the Swamp earlier this year, and they covered the spread easily there. The Wildcats should cover the spread, and an outright win shouldn’t come as a big surprise either.

Take Kentucky.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

9* NCAAF ATS Play

Boston College +3.5

The Boston College Eagles have played far better than expectations thus far this season. Virginia Tech beat Ohio State in Columbus in week two, and then they haven’t done anything positive ever since.

Boston College is playing extremely hard for Coach Steve Addazio. Addazio is a defensive-minded coach, and despite not having a terribly talented roster, Boston College is playing well on defense this year. They do a nice job of staying in their lanes and not making mistakes.

Virginia Tech is one of the most injured teams in the nation. The Hokies injury list has nearly 20 players on it this week. That list includes Luther Maddy, who was the team’s best defensive player. He is now out for the season, and the team missed him badly last week against Miami. The Hurricanes rushing attack was dominant in that game. In fact, Virginia Tech allowed more rushing yards in that game than any other game in the history of the program.

Virginia Tech’s defense is injured badly, and the offense has been a massive disappointment. Michael Brewer was supposed to be the answer at quarterback, and instead he has just been a turnover machine. The Hokies have no passing game, and the running game is nothing better than mediocre.

Boston College should create some problems for the Hokies injury-riddled defense with their running game.  Tyler Murphy has been a terrific pickup for the Eagles offense. Grab the points on the underdog.

Take Boston College.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 8* NCAAF ATS Play

Tulsa +24.5

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane aren’t a particularly good team, but they shouldn’t be this big of an underdog in this game. Memphis was a 23 point favorite last week on the road against a hapless SMU team. Memphis is now favored by more than that against Tulsa.

Memphis is a quality team, but they aren’t really the type of team I would want to trust too often laying a big number. The Tigers don’t have a good home field advantage, and they aren’t used to being this kind of a large favorite.

Tulsa has the fast-paced offense that can move it through the air that you want for the possibility of a backdoor cover. That’s certainly a possibility in a game like this one. Memphis isn’t one to stomp down the gas and win huge, so they are more likely to slow down and just run the clock late. All the while, Tulsa will continue fighting.

Memphis has much bigger games on the horizon in Conference USA, and there’s no need for them to win this game big. Tulsa isn’t a good team, but they aren’t a total doormat either. It’s not a pretty pick, but I do think the underdog is the way to go.

Take Tulsa.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Friday 7* NCAAF ATS Play

Louisville +4.5

The Louisville Cardinals host the Florida State Seminoles on Thursday evening in Week 10 of the college football season.

Florida State simply isn't the team we saw dominate its schedule en route to a national championship a year ago. This year, the team's flaws have been on full display, though they've yet to run into an opponent capable of exploiting those issues. That figures to change Thursday night. The Seminoles have been ultra-reliant on the play of quarterback Jameis Winston this season, and he's come through for them with flying colors time and time again. For his career, Winston is 20-0 as a starter, and has been the catalyst in helping the team to a 23-game winning streak - the longest active streak in the nation.

On Thursday, Winston will meet his toughest test yet. A year ago, each of Florida State's opponents finished the season outside the top 25 in defensive efficiency on passing plays. This season, every opponent Winston has faced currently ranks outside the top 40. Louisville will be a different animal entirely for Winston and the Seminoles, as the Cardinals lead the nation in defensive efficiency on passing plays. Additionally, from a pure betting perspective, Florida State has been a team to avoid all season. Since 2000, national champions have gone 115-62-5 ATS in the year in which they won their national championship. The following year, defending national champions have gone 76-90-2 ATS.

Florida State is 1-6 ATS this season.

Take Louisville.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Ohio State -13.5

The Ohio State Buckeyes aren’t the same team they were several weeks ago. It truly is amazing what Urban Meyer is doing with this young talented team. J.T. Barrett looked bad against Virginia Tech several weeks ago, but he looks amazing of late.

The Buckeyes have scored 50 points in four straight contests. Ohio State’s uptempo offense is loaded with talented players at the skill positions and the offensive line is coming together very well. The Buckeyes can beat you by running it or throwing it.

Penn State’s defense has some pretty decent numbers, but I think it’s been because of the lack of quality offenses they have faced. The Nittany Lions defensive statistics are going to look a whole lot worse on Sunday morning than they do right now.  Look for the Buckeyes balanced attack to do a lot of damage here.

What about the Penn State offense? Christian Hackenburg isn’t going to have time to throw in this game. The Nittany Lions primary weakness is their offensive line. Ohio State’s strength is their defensive line. Guys like Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett are going to be all over Hackenburg in this one.

Penn State wants a big win here, but they are badly outclassed. The Buckeyes need style points. They’ll run it up.

Take Ohio State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* RARE Top NCAAF ATS Play

Kentucky +15.5

The Kentucky Wildcats host the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. Kentucky is coming off a 41-3 loss to LSU, while Mississippi State took down Auburn prior to its bye week, winning 38-23.

The Bulldogs are surely flying high after taking down some of the toughest teams in not only the SEC, but the country prior to their bye week. They’ve had a week off now to enjoy their accomplishments and it would be shocking if they didn’t come out flat in this one. Head coach Dan Mullen did a great job of getting his team up for that tough stretch of SEC West opponents, but now he has the difficult task of getting his boys up for a game in Lexington.

Kentucky may be coming off a blowout loss, but they have taken countless strides in the right directions this season, and head coach Mark Stoops deserves a ton of credit for that. The team may have been guilty of looking ahead last week, knowing that the top-ranked team in the country was coming to town next, and now it’s time for them to make good on that.

Kentucky is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games.

Take Kentucky.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Marshall -28

The Marshall Thundering Herd are 9-0-1 ATS in their last 10 home games. Marshall is so much better than the rest of Conference USA that they will have a very hard time losing a game. They aren’t going to lose at home, and this game isn’t going to be close.

Rakeem Cato is the leader of a tremendous Marshall offense that will move the ball at will against a Florida Atlantic defense that is one of the worst in the nation statistically. Cato is the perfect quarterback for the type of offense that Marshall runs. He gets rid of the ball quickly and distributes it evenly to his wideouts. He is also backed by an underrated running game.

Speaking of underrated things about this Marshall team, the defense is very good too. While the offense gets most of the credit (and they deserve it), this defense is solid. Marshall’s defense was a real problem a couple years ago, and they had to win shootouts then, but that’s no longer the case.

Florida Atlantic hasn’t covered a spread away from home this year, and they shouldn’t cover this one either. Marshall will jump out to a big lead right away in this one and coast to victory.

Take Marshall.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NCAAF ATS Play

Miami Ohio -6.5

The Miami University Redhawks host the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday afternoon.

It’s not often that we see a spread this large in favor of a team that sits at 1-7, but consider that an indicator of how awful Kent State has been this season. The Golden Flashes have had to play without star running back Trayion Durham, and the results have been atrocious. The team is averaging only 15.7 points per game on just 301.9 yards of offense.

That’s going to be a problem as the Redhawks figure to score in this one against a Golden Flashes defense that doesn’t offer a lot skill wise. Miami quarterback Andrew Hendrix, a former Notre Dame recruit, has stepped up his game in a big way of late as he continues to get more and more comfortable within the team’s offense. He threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team with 72 rushing yards and an additional three rushing scores last weekend. It’s that kind of production that will help the team build a margin in this one.

Kent State is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games.

Take Miami.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Texas +10

The Kansas State Wildcats host the Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon.

Despite a rough outing in their last game in which the unit allowed 524 yards to Iowa State, the Texas defense still ranks 10th in the nation in yards allowed per play at 4.5, and are tied for the Big 12 lead in sacks and interceptions. Now they get a Kansas State team that comes to town after a big win over Oklahoma in Norman and figures to be in for a letdown.

While the Texas offense continues to struggle when it comes to moving the ball through the air, that unit has been helped out by the team’s rushing attack, which has really stepped up in recent weeks. The Longhorns are averaging 176.3 rushing yards per game over their last three games. Texas has established new season highs in total offense in back-to-back weeks. The Longhorns have scored 74 points over the last two games after scoring 64 in their previous four contests.

The underdog is 7-2 ATS in the last nine meetings between these programs.

Take Texas.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Nebraska -20

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights were exposed as pretenders last week by the Ohio State Buckeyes. While Nebraska doesn’t have quite the level of talent that Ohio State does, the Cornhuskers do have an even better rushing attack. Rutgers couldn’t slow down Ohio State on the ground, and I don’t see them slowing down Nebraska.

Ameer Abdullah is an absolute monster in the backfield for the Cornhuskers. He might be the best active running back in the nation now with Todd Gurley suspended for the current time. Abdullah is the ultimate bruiser who just gets better as the game goes along.

Rutgers doesn’t have the front seven to stop him over the course of four quarters.

Rutgers’ quarterback Gary Nova has been a turnover machine in the past. While he has done better so far this year, I’m not sure he has totally fixed those problems. Nebraska’s secondary is good, and these are guys who are aggressive in going after the football. Look for Nova to make some key mistakes in this game.

Rutgers is getting a rude awakening now that they are playing the top teams in their new conference. After getting run down by Ohio State last week, the Scarlet Knights are in no shape to compete against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers roll.

Take Nebraska.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NCAAF ATS Play

California +18

The California Golden Bears host the Oregon Ducks in a Pac-12 clash on Friday night.

Oregon had a chance to make a run at the top spot in the country after beating Michigan State, but they’ve instead fallen off some since then. The Ducks have had a hard time pulling away from opponents this season, yet even still they’re asked to beat a sneaky good Bears team by three scores. Considering the trouble they’ve had with Pac-12 opponents this season, particularly on the road, it’s tough to understand what the oddsmakers see here.

The Ducks’ defense hasn’t travelled well, surrendering 30.5 points per game, and the Bears are certainly no pushover on offense. They have scored at least 50 points three times this season. Cal quarterback Jared Goff owns the second-best passer rating in the Pac-12, throwing 24 touchdowns versus only four interceptions for the season, and has eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark in five straight games. If nothing else, that will keep the possibility of a backdoor cover alive all night.

Oregon is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games against Pac-12 opponents.

Take California.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

South Alabama -13.5

The South Alabama Jaguars are one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference.  At times this year they have looked like the very best team in the conference.  What makes them unique from the average Sun Belt team? They play some solid defense.

The Sun Belt is loaded with bad teams that can’t play any defense. Most games in this conference are high scoring and the team that has the ball last wins. South Alabama does things differently. The Jaguars run the football and win with their defense.

Troy used to be the best program in the Sun Belt, but the Trojans have fallen on hard times. Troy was obliterated 53-14 last week on their home field by a poor Appalachian State team. Larry Blakeney is resigning as of the end of this season, and it appears this team has given up on him.

Troy’s defense is one of the worst in the nation, and the Trojans offense turns it over far too much. South Alabama is a disciplined team, and they are coming off a bad showing where they needed a late comeback to beat lowly Georgia State. The Jaguars come out focused in this rare national television appearance for them. 

Take South Alabama.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Friday 8* NCAAF ATS Selection

Notre Dame +12

The second-ranked Florida State Seminoles host the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday in Week 8 of the college football season.

Both of these teams are overranked in this one, but one has actually been playing like a top-10 team, while the other has been coasting on the back of past accomplishments. The Seminoles haven’t done much to impress this season, failing to build margins against far inferior competition, covering the spread only once in six games this season. Their running game hasn’t been the same, and off-field distractions have clearly gotten to Jameis Winston, whose receiving corps has taken a big hit since last January.

On the other side, the Irish have been heavily reliant on the play of Everett Golson, but he’s come up big for them time and time again. The team has also gotten solid play out of its defense. The unit ranks eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 17.2 points per game. Playing in front of a national audience in the weekend’s marquee matchup, expect the Irish to bring their A-game and keep this one competitive right down to the closing gun.

The Irish are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against opponents with a winning record.

Take Notre Dame.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Ohio State -19

The Ohio State Buckeyes host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday in Week 8 of the college football season.

Everyone was quick to write-off the Buckeyes when Braxton Miller went down, but the team has quietly shown that it remains in the hunt for a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff even without him. In fact, the team’s early season loss to Virginia Tech may have been the best possible outcome for the team as it’s taken the national spotlight off of them for the time being. Following that loss, the team went on to outscore its next three opponents by a combined 168-52, good for an average margin of victory of 38.7 points. In fact, they would have covered this number against each of those opponents, including a far superior Cincinnati squad.

Now they get Rutgers at home. Urban Meyer has made minced meat of coaches he’s facing for the first time, so Kyle Flood will have a lot to learn on Saturday. The Buckeye’s offense has put up 44.6 points per game, good for the fifth-best mark in the nation. That will help them build a nice healthy margin against the inferior Knights.

The Buckeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a bye.

Take Ohio State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Central Michigan –8

The Central Michigan Chippewas may be the best team in the MAC. Central Michigan has two stars on the offensive end in Titus Davis and Thomas Rawls. Davis was injured early in the year and missed a lot of time. Rawls was suspended for a couple key games too.

With both Davis and Rawls in the lineup, Central Michigan has been tremendous. The Chippewas dominated Northern Illinois on the road last week to win a key MAC contest. The line here is likely a bit lower because people are worried about a letdown from Central Michigan, but I like the fact that this is a veteran team with lofty aspirations. I don’t see them taking their foot off the gas pedal this weekend.

Ball State was a good team last year, and they are still getting some respect from the oddsmakers because of what they did last year. I respect their coach, but he doesn’t have enough talent to work with this year. The Cardinals have a ridiculously bad defense, and I expect Central Michigan to move the ball with ease.

The Ball State offense isn’t good enough to keep up with Central Michigan. Ball State is likely to be out of this one early on, and with a line like this one it’s a big selection.

Take Central Michigan.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 9* Play (10* Play if you get -7.5)

Akron –2.5    

The Akron Zips will be without starting quarterback Kyle Pohl for this Saturday’s game at Ohio. That has moved this line down considerably from what it otherwise would have been. It’s given us an opportunity to take the road team in this contest.

Ohio is also without their starting quarterback. Derrius Vick will miss this game and Sprague will be the starter. Ohio could only muster 13 points against a horrible Bowling Green defense last week, and Akron’s defense has been great all year. The Zips picked up a road win at Pittsburgh earlier this year by holding the Panthers to only 10 points.

It’s also important to note that Akron’s backup quarterback Tommy Woodson has been getting some playing time already this year. He has gotten into the game several times, and he has had a lot of reps in practice. He isn’t a bad player, and I think the oddsmakers have overadjusted this line.

Akron also has some major revenge on their minds in this game. The Zips lost 43-3 last year against Ohio thanks to some costly turnovers and generally ugly play. Akron is loads better than they were this time a year ago, while the Bobcats are much worse. The Zips are hungry to get Ohio back, and this is a great opportunity for them.

Take Akron.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

7* Play

Kansas State +7.5

The 11th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners host the 15th-ranked Kansas State Wildcatson Saturday.

Oklahoma’s win over Texas looks good enough on paper, even if they only managed a five-point margin of victory. Upon closer inspection, the Sooners struggled mightily against a Longhorns squad that hasn’t fared all that well this season. Oklahoma managed only 11 first down and 232 yards of offense in that game. In fact, the Sooners were able to muster only one first down in the entire first half.

Now they get a Kansas State team that is flying under the national radar but still playing great football. Quarterback Jake Waters is playing like the second coming of Collin Klein, and the team’s defense has stifled even some of the top offenses in the nation, even limiting Auburn to a season-low 20 points. In fact, that loss to Auburn is the lone blemish on Kansas State’s record. Getting better than a touchdown against an Oklahoma squad that has stumbled of late and has struggled to build margins all season long, the Wildcats head out on the road looking like they’re ready to pull off an upset.

Kansas State is 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven meetings between these teams in Norman.

Take Kansas State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play.

USF –1

The South Florida Bulls and Tulsa Golden Hurricane meet this weekend in Tulsa. Neither of these teams are very good, but what I like about USF is the schedule they have played. USF has tested themselves in a big way during the non-conference slate, and that should start to pay off now in conference play against weaker teams.

USF played Wisconsin and Maryland very tough this year, and those are two pretty good teams. Tulsa hasn’t played anyone any good this year, and their only win was a overtime home win over lowly Tulane. Tulsa was awfully fortunate to even win that game.

Tulsa was a good team a couple years ago, but they aren’t what they used to be. They have a poor quarterback in Dane Evans. Evans throws far too many picks, and he doesn’t have the arm to throw it deep with any consistency. USF will be able to sit on the short throws and running game of Tulsa.

The Golden Hurricane defense is among the worst in the nation, while USF is solid on the defensive end. USF is getting back their best wide receiver this weekend, and that gives us another reason to trust them to be better this week. USF is moving in the right direction, while Tulsa is in for a long season.

Take USF.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

9* Play

Utah -2.5

At first glance, you may be wondering what business the Utes have being favored on the road at Oregon State, but we believe this is a great matchup for them.

This is a Utah team that travels well. The Utes knocked off Michigan 26-10 as a three point dog three weeks back, and then pulled a massive upset of UCLA in their last contest. Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion has regressed heavily from a season ago, and now has to take on a Utah defense that excels at getting after the quarterback. The Utes defense has forced a whopping eight turnovers in their last three games, and has registered 28 sacks in just five games this season.

Utah's offense has also looked solid this season, eclipsing 26 points in every contest this year. Led behind quarterback Kendal Thompson, who poses a dual threat for opposing defense, the Utes have been able to find success with their run-option offense. The Beavers have surrendered 30+ points in back-to-back contests, and have given up 100 yards on the ground to every single opponent this season. Utah should be able to move the ball fairly consistently here.

The Utes are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games after a bye week and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games against a team with a winning record. The Beavers are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games.

Take Utah.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Pitt -1

We're fully aware of how poorly Pitt has played in recent weeks, but we think this could be their coming out party tonight.

The Panthers have lost three straight games, failing to eclipse 20 points in any of those contests. It's easy to focus on their offensive issues and forget that this is a stout defensive squad as well. Pitt is surrendering just 19 points per game on the season, and now face a Virginia Tech team offense that frankly wasn't impressive at all against North Carolina last time out. The Hokies accumulated just 357 total yards against the Tar Heels; a far cry from the insane amounts of yardage that other teams have been picking up against North Carolina.

Pitt may have fallen 24-19 to Virginia last week, but we like what we saw out of the Panthers last week. The Cavaliers are no slouch at all, as evidenced by the fact that they're less than field goal underdogs at Duke this week. The Panthers can move the ball on the ground with their big running back James Conner, have a strong defense, and will have the luxury of playing in front of a raucous Thursday night crowd at Heinz Field with revenge on their minds, after a 19-9 loss at Virginia Tech a year ago.

The Hokies have failed to cover the spread in five straight trips to Pittsburgh, which includes a 35-17 loss a couple of years ago.

Take Pitt.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play 

USC -2.5

The Arizona Wildcats host the USC Trojans on Saturday in Week 7 of the college football season.

Arizona is a team that somehow climbed their way well into the AP rankings this past week, and it has this line all out of whack. The Wildcats were able to catch Oregon off guard last week, but now they’re the ones with the targets on their back, and they catch a motivated USC squad that is coming off a surprise loss of their own as they weren’t able to hold off an Arizona State team in desperate need of a win.Arizona’s spot in the national rankings is largely a byproduct of winning a big game in front of a national audience, but had the rest of their games been so closely scrutinized, they wouldn’t have even cracked the top 25.

Arizona got by a rising but still middling Texas-San Antonio squad by only three points, a bad Nevada team by seven points, and then they needed a Hail Mary to escape in a home game against Cal. In fact, they didn’t cover the spread in a single game for the entire month of December, and their cover against Oregon was their first since their season opener. That’s not a recipe for success, which is why we’ll be running, not walking, to the windows to put in our plays for this one before the oddsmakers get to their senses.USC is 5-0 ATS in its last five games coming off a loss.

Take USC.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Texas A&M -2

The Texas A&M Aggies host the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday in an SEC clash as part of Week 7 of the college football season.

A week ago, the Aggies were painfully over-ranked at No. 6 in the AP poll, and the team fell on the road against an underrated Mississippi State squad. Now it seems the team has been written off altogether as they are getting little respect on their home turf, playing a team that comes in riding a wave of emotion.

As for Ole Miss, they're coming off one of the biggest wins the program has enjoyed in years, and that figures to mean a letdown come Saturday when they head out onto the road and into the unfriendly confines of College Station.

In each of the last two years, Kevin Sumlin's Texas A&M squad has gone on the road and downed Ole Miss in Oxford, scoring 30, and 41 points in those two wins respectively. With the venue shifting over to College Station, those national rankings go right out the window, and there will be another shift of power in the SEC.

The Aggies are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games following a loss.

Take Texas A&M.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

East Carolina -15.5

The East Carolina Pirates played an ugly game last week against SMU. While East Carolina beat SMU 45-24, they were favored by 40.5 points so they clearly played a disappointing game. It was quite obvious from last week’s showing that East Carolina wasn’t prepared to play against a terrible SMU team.

I think that poor showing by East Carolina ended being a very good thing for the team, especially when it pertains to this game. Ruffin McNeill now has tons of ammunition to get his team ready to go for this week’s game against South Florida. East Carolina should be far more focused in this game than they would have been, and that makes this a much better looking selection.

South Florida has a strong front seven, but the Bulls secondary is questionable at best. The Bulls secondary hasn’t been tested by many teams yet, but they’ll be tested in a big way by Shane Carden and the Pirates pass heavy offense.

East Carolina is a much better team than South Florida. The Bulls don’t have the type of offense that can keep up with East Carolina if the Pirates are ready to play. East Carolina playing poorly last week makes them show up ready to play here.

Take East Carolina.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

9* CFB ATS Play

Central Michigan +9 

The Northern Illinois Huskies aren’t the same team they have been in recent years. In the past few years they have had Chandler Harnish and Jordan Lynch quarterbacking the team. Neither of those guys are around this year, and Northern Illinois is struggling to even find an acceptable replacement at quarterback.

We are nearly halfway through the season, but Northern Illinois hasn’t settled on a quarterback. That is never a good sign. The Huskies are totally reliant on being able to run the football, and they don’t even have a quarterback who is a good runner like they have had in the past. While Stingily is a solid running back, Central Michigan should be geared up for him here.

The Chippewas played short-handed much of the year with Titus Davis and Thomas Rawls missing action. Davis is the best wide receiver in the MAC, and he is one of the best in the nation. Rawls has been putting up massive numbers at the running back spot, and he transferred over to CMU from Michigan, so you know he has the talent.

Central Michigan actually has far more weapons than does Northern Illinois. Why is Northern Illinois such a big favorite? It’s all in the name. Northern Illinois is getting far too much credit for what they have done in the past.

Take Central Michigan.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

7* NCAAF ATS Play

Duke +3.5

There aren't many people looking to step in front of Georgia Tech's 5-0 start right now, but we think this team is way overvalued and that this situation sets up very favorable for Duke.

The common thought process believes that because Georgia Tech beat Miami, and Miami beat Duke, this should be an easy win for the Yellow Jackets. But styles make matchups, and the Blue Devils match up well here. Georgia Tech's offense lives and dies with their triple-option rushing attack, but we don't envision much success this week. Duke already boasts a stellar defense, limiting opponents to just 13.6 points per game and 367.6 yards per game this season. The Blue Devils have had two full weeks to prepare for this option, and we like their chances of shutting it down.

As for the Duke offense, we're not that concerned about their poor showing against Miami. This is still a team that can score in bunches, having topped the 34 point mark in every one of their games this season prior to the loss to the Hurricanes. Quarterback Anthony Boone is also a good protector of the football, having tossed only three interceptions in five games this season. With the Blue Devils' defense keeping the Yellow Jackets' offense in check, look for Duke to score enough points to come out on top here.

The Blue Devils are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss. The Yellow Jackets are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games against a team with a winning record.

Take Duke.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

New Mexico +5

The New Mexico Lobos have a difficult offense to stop. Coach Bob Davie has done a nice job putting in a unique offense which is a nice blend of a triple option attack as well as a pistol/spread type offense that runs it almost every time from the shotgun.

Because the Lobos offense is so unique, it is tough for opposing coordinators to prepare for. New Mexico has Cole Gautsche back, and they got much better quarterback play last week in their surprising 21-9 win at UTSA. If they keep getting that kind of quarterback play, this team could surprise a lot of people this year.

San Diego State quarterback Quinn Kaehler is out with an injury right now and so is star receiver Ezell Ruffin. The Aztecs are short on weapons offensively to start with, and without these two guys they are in real trouble on this side of the ball. Rocky Long is a quality coach, but his Aztecs team is missing some key pieces.

San Diego State at full strength might deserve to be this kind of a favorite at New Mexico, but not San Diego State in its current form. This is a nice price on the home underdog.

Take New Mexico.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

8* CFB ATS Play

California +3.5

We're often looking to exploit overreactions to recent performances, and that's precisely what we'll do here as we've been gifted with a very generous line on the Bears. Washington State has looked solid in the past couple of weeks, nearly upsetting No. 2 Oregon and rallying for a win on the road at Utah last weekend. But this is still a team with many flaws.

The Cougars are producing plenty of yards through the air. Connor Halliday has thrown for over 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns, which is mighty impressive, but their incessant need to air it out also makes them susceptible to turnovers. Halliday has thrown seven picks on the season. California also likes to throw the ball but they're not even close to the Cougars in terms of pass attempts. Washington State has thrown the ball a whopping 301 times this season, while no other team in the nation has topped 250 pass attempts.

Cal will also have some revenge on their minds after losing 44-22 against Wzzou a year ago. That final score was also extremely misleading as the Golden Bears actually outgained the Cougars in that contest. Cal QB Jared Goff has also improved a lot since last season, where he was thrust into the fire as a freshman. Goff's 17:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio is one of the better ratios in the country.

The road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

Take California.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

San Jose State -10

The San Jose State Spartans have played a tough schedule this year. San Jose State was beaten up by Minnesota and Auburn, and they lost a tough game last weekend against a solid Nevada team. You better believe the Spartans are excited to step down in level of competition this week as they take on UNLV.

The UNLV Rebels had a rare winning season last year as Coach Hauck’s team made it to a bowl game. This year’s team isn’t even close to as talented. Caleb Herring meant everything to this offense last year, and with Blake Decker under center instead of Herring, the Rebels are just a disaster on this side of the ball.

The problems are even worse on defense for the Rebels. UNLV wasn’t very good defensively last year, but they were able to outscore teams. This year they aren’t good enough to outscore many teams. The defense is giving up big numbers every single week, and San Jose State moved the ball at will against UNLV last year.

This is a great opportunity for San Jose State to start feeling better about themselves again. After several tough weeks against high quality teams, the Spartans will bounce back with a big win over the lowly Rebels.

Take San Jose State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 9* NCAAF ATS Play

Virginia -5

The Virginia Cavaliers are a much better team in 2014 than almost anyone expected them to be. Pittsburgh looked good early in the season, but they have been exposed in their last couple games. While many believe the Panthers will bounce back here, I don’t see it that way.

Pittsburgh has a good running back in James Conner, and a terrific wide receiver in Tyler Boyd. The problem for the Panthers is those guys are their only playmakers. Quarterback Chad Voytik just isn’t good enough to win games for this team if they can’t run the ball effectively.

Pitt’s inability to win without running the ball down the opposition’s throat is precisely the problem with their chances against Virginia here. The Cavaliers have an excellent front seven that has stuffed the run well all season long. It’s highly unlikely that Pittsburgh will just be able to line up and run the ball at will.

Virginia’s defense was solid last year, but their offense was terrible. This year the Cavs offense is much better than it was last season. The Cavs have gotten solid quarterback play, and they run the football well. Virginia is a much more balanced offense than Pittsburgh.

Virginia has the better balanced offense as well as the stronger defense. The Cavaliers win this one comfortably.

Take Virginia.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

RARE 10* Top Play ATS Selection

Stanford -1

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the Stanford Cardinals on Saturday in Week 6 of the college football season.

The Irish are 15-1 in their last 16 home games, but it's not often they bring in a team with the level of talent that the Cardinal offer. The Stanford defense has been terrific thus far, even posting a pair of shutout victories, allowing all of 26 points through their first four games. That's going to post a major problem for a Notre Dame offense that is ultra-reliant on quarterback Everett Golson. The Cardinal have done a great job of pressuring opposing quarterbacks, with 10 different players on the roster recording a sack.

Golson has looked the part of a Heisman caliber quarterback thus far, but he came crashing back down to Earth a week ago, throwing his first two interceptions of the season against a pedestrian Syracuse offense. Now he'll be taking a major step up in class against a Stanford's defense which currently ranks tops in the nation. That unit has helped Stanford to wins in four of its last five meetings with Notre Dame, with the lone loss coming in the Irish's undefeated 2012 regular season.

As for Notre Dame's vaunted defense, Stanford didn't meet much resistance against that unit in last year's meeting, churning out 261 yards on the ground.

The Cardinal are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 road games.

Take Stanford.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Central Michigan -4

The Central Michigan Chippewas are a much different team when playing on their home field. The Ohio Bobcats have struggled to match up with the Chippewas for several seasons, and this year’s Ohio team is the weakest it has been in several years.

Central Michigan has star running back Thomas Rawls and star wide receiver Titus Davis both back now, and with those guys playing their offense is much more dangerous. The Bobcats defense is decent, but I do expect Central Michigan to be able to bust a few big plays throughout the course of this game.

Ohio’s offense was excellent a couple of years ago, but their playmakers are now gone. Derrius Vick is their starting quarterback, but he is dinged up and might not be able to play in this contest. If Vick does play he’ll be less than 100%. If he doesn’t play, the Bobcats don’t have a good second option at quarterback.

Central Michigan is underrated by the oddsmakers right now because of their poor play in a couple games earlier this year. With their top playmakers back in the fold, this Central Michigan team should make some noise in the MAC. Lay the short price here on the home team.

Take Central Michigan.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 7* NCAAF ATS Play

Mississippi State -1.5

With so many college football games per week, oddsmakers are bound to make a mistake every once a while, and we think they've hung a terrible number here. 

Texas A&M took down Arkansas 35-28 in overtime last week, but we were not too impressed with that performance. The Aggies barely outgained an inferior squad at home, and probably would have lost that game if it weren't for a big fourth quarter collapse by the Razorbacks. A&M dominated South Carolina on the road back in Week 1, but that win looks less and less impressive with each passing week, as the Gamecocks lost outright to Missouri this week, a week after putting in a poor performance against Vanderbilt. All in all, we feel as though this Aggies squad is extremely overvalued.

Texas A&M's two victories over other SEC foes have seen them run the ball fairly well, but that will be nearly impossible against a stout Bulldogs defense. South Carolina has limited opponents to just 2.4 yards per carry this season, and shut down LSU's ground game in their last contest.

The spot also strongly favors Mississippi State, as they've had two weeks to prepare for this game. We would ordinarily fear a Bulldogs letdown after their win over LSU, but with two weeks in between, that should be a non-issue. The Aggies, meanwhile, are playing their third consecutive road game, and this one comes at an early start time. That is simply not a good spot for even the best of teams.

The Aggies are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a win. The Bulldogs are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 conference games, 8-1 ATS in their last 9 overall, and 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games against a team with a winning road record.

Take Mississippi State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* TOP PLAY

Fresno State -3

The Bulldogs looked awful in their first three games of the season, and that has allowed for us to grab a very favorable line with the better squad in this matchup. Fresno State surrendered 166 points to USC, Utah, and Nebraska in their first three contests, but it's important to note that those are all quality teams; vastly superior to San Diego State.

Since then, the Bulldogs have reeled off back-to-back wins including an impressive 35-24 victory at New Mexico last Friday. Having played on Friday, the Bulldogs have an extra day of preparation for this contest and are also gained some familiarity with playing on a weeknight. 

San Diego State's stock is probably higher than it should be thanks to a tightly contested loss at North Carolina three weeks ago, but as we've seen in recent weeks, the Tar Heels aren't very good. Last week, the Aztecs took down a UNLV squad that had the longest injury report that we've ever seen for a college football game. Needless to say, we weren't all that impressed. The Aztecs are 0-2 on the road this season and will be hard pressed to find that win without starting QB Quinn Kaehler, who is doubtful with a should injury. Backup QB Nick Bawden has been highly touted in the press, but this is a tough stage for a frosh backup. We'll grab the short price with the home team.

The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games. 

Take Fresno State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Iowa State +23

It's not easy to bet against this Baylor squad right now, but our thoughts are that they are extremely overvalued heading into this week.

There's no doubt that the Bears are a strong team and that they have the ability to light up anyone on any given day, but let's not overreact to their insanely easy schedule to start the season. Baylor has had one of the easiest schedules in the nation, so it's no wonder they've been able to win each of their games by a minimum of 42 points.

Now we catch Baylor in a tough scheduling spot. They're better than Iowa State and will look past them with next week's big showdown with Texas looming large. This is a Bears squad that did not return a lot of last year's players but is still being valued that way. To make matters worse, Iowa State has big time revenge on their mind after being destroyed 71-7 by Baylor just a season ago. This Cyclones squad is no pushover either; giving Kansas State some major problems in Week 2 and winning on the road at Iowa a week ago.

The Cyclones are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 September games. The home team is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 meetings between these two teams.

Take Iowa State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Indiana -4

Maryland went out on the road and beat Syracuse 34-20 last week, but that final score is extremely deceiving. The Pins were outgained by 220 total yards and frankly, didn't deserve to win that game. Maryland's defense is a complete train wreck and they've now given up 59 first downs and nearly 1,300 total yards in their past two games.

This is Maryland's debut in the Big Ten and they'll find it difficult to keep up with a very physical Indiana squad. We give the Hoosiers a pass for their loss to Bowling Green a couple of weeks ago as they were in a clear look ahead situation. We think the Hoosiers are closer to the team that upset Missouri a week ago, and while we're always hesitant to play teams off of an upset, we'll make an exception in this case.

Indiana has a major edge in the trenches in this one and we haven't seen anything to indicate that they won't be able to get their running game going. That spells trouble for a Maryland squad that could be looking ahead to a big home contest against Ohio State next weekend.

The Terrapins are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games following a win. The Hoosiers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Take Indiana.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Virginia Tech -20.5

The Virginia Tech Hokies went to Columbus and upset the Ohio State Buckeyes earlier this year. Virginia Tech was immediately considered a major contender and one of the most surprising teams of the year. Since then, Virginia Tech has lost home games to both East Carolina and Georgia Tech.

The Hokies likely had a bit of a hangover from their Ohio State win in that East Carolina game, and they really had no business losing to Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets took advantage of some ugly turnovers by Virginia Tech in that one.

While people were likely too high on Virginia Tech at one time, I believe they are now too low on the Hokies. They won’t be playing a team like Georgia Tech or East Carolina this weekend. Instead, they’ll be playing the lowly Western Michigan Broncos. Western Michigan is one of the worst teams in the MAC.

The Broncos haven’t played anyone good all year, while Virginia Tech has had a very difficult schedule to this point in the season. Western Michigan allowed 43 points against Purdue, and the Boilermakers offense is no good.

Virginia Tech will be ready for this one, and we’re getting a good price here based on the Hokies recent struggles.

Take Virginia Tech.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 9* NCAAF ATS Play

Northwestern +10.5

The Penn State Nittany Lions are unbeaten, but are they really as good as some people are making them out to be right now? I’m confident the answer is no. Penn State has yet to beat a good team this season. There has been talk around State College of running the table, and that is just ridiculous. This team is going to lose several games.

Northwestern has started the season out playing some ugly football. The Wildcats do matchup well with Penn State though. Pat Fitzgerald is a quality coach and he knows the Penn State front seven is the strength of their defense.

The Wildcats will be airing it out in this one. The Nittany Lions secondary isn’t very good. Northwestern should be able to move it through the air in this one. Defensively, Northwestern has improved in their last couple games.

 Penn State has a good quarterback in Christian Hackenberg, but he doesn’t have enough play makers around him. Penn State was extremely fortunate to get out of Rutgers with a win in their last game, and time should show that Rutgers isn’t a good team.

Perception has driven this line too far in the direction of the Nittany Lions. The underdog is the play here.

Take Northwestern.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 7* NCAAF ATS Play

Iowa -9

The Iowa Hawkeyes may not be a particularly good team this year, but they are far better than the Purdue Boilermakers. Iowa actually found an offensive spark last week when backup quarterback C.J. Beathard led the team to an upset win at Pittsburgh.

The Hawkeyes now have another option in the offense, and that’s something that has been missing. The biggest key for me though in this game is the difference between these two teams in the trenches. Iowa’s offensive front is going to absolutely dominate this game.

The Hawkeyes are good at opening up holes in the running game, and the Purdue defensive line is easily the worst in the Big Ten. Purdue’s offensive line is a total disaster, and the Boilermakers won’t be able to run the ball against this strong Iowa front seven on defense.

Purdue is the worst team in the Big Ten, and it isn’t even close. Some money has come in on the Boilermakers at home in this one, and that has given us a much better price than I thought we’d be able to get. Iowa should be a two touchdown favorite here, so getting less than 10 is a gift.

Take Iowa.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 8* NCAAF ATS Play

Miami FL +8

Perception of these two teams could hardly be further from reality. Nebraska is off to a 3-0 start, but how much can we really take away from three wins against FAU, McNeese State, and Fresno State? Not much, as those teams are a combined 1-7 SU thus far. In fact, the Huskers' inability to put away McNeese State actually leads us to believe that this squad is quite overvalued headed into this week. Nebraska lost three times on their home field a year ago, and it's not difficult to foresee them losing here.

Meanwhile, Miami is a lot stronger than most give them credit for being. The Hurricanes won nine games a year ago, but many remember their struggles down the stretch. What most people forget is that the Hurricanes lost WR Phillip Dorsett and RB Duke Johnson late in the season; two of their biggest weapons of offense. Any team is going to struggle when they're void of talent offensively, and that was the case with Miami. Both are fully healthy this year though and give Miami a puncher's chance to pull off the outright upset on Saturday.

One matchup we particularly like in this contest is Miami's rush defense against the Huskers' running game. Nebraska's bread and butter is pounding the rock, but the Hurricanes have a very stingy front seven. Miami has given up just 2.0 yards per carry this season and have all the tools to shut down the Huskers' ground attack.

Don't fear a letdown from Miami. The Hurricanes are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a win of 20+ points. The Huskers are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

Take Miami.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Indiana +14

Indiana certainly won't be a popular pick this weekend. The Hoosiers don't have many trends in their favor and now battle a Missouri team that has been a covering machine in the past couple of years. We're looking to capitalize on public perceptions of these teams following two very different performances last week.

The Hoosiers are coming off of a disappointing loss as a 7-point favorite last week, but let's not read too much into that matchup. Bowling Green was looking for revenge after being crushed 42-10 a year ago, and the Hoosiers should have won that game if it weren't for Tevin Coleman's fumble at the Bowling Green 12 late in the game. The Hoosiers defense was poor all around, but we believe that Indiana may have been looking ahead to this big matchup this week.

On the other side of things, Mizzou crushed UCF 38-10, but that final score is not indicative of how the contest played out. The Knights shot themselves in the foot with four turnovers but actually picked up more first downs and held the ball longer than the Tigers. Missouri is only outgaining opponents by 48 yards per game this season and that's a major red flag for us. 

With Missouri facing a huge revenge game at South Carolina next week, we wouldn't be surprised if they underrate this Hoosiers' squad. 

Take Indiana.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

6* Play

Navy -6

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights had Penn State on the ropes last week. They let them off. Gary Nova threw five interceptions as Rutgers blew an amazing opportunity to pick up their first Big Ten win. Instead, they were left to wonder “what if” all week long.

Navy is a very dangerous team to be facing when you are coming off one of those games where you are looking back instead of forward. Navy’s triple option attack is very different than anything else this Rutgers defense will see all year.

The strength of this Rutgers team is generally their front seven, but we’ve seen in the past that strong front seven’s don’t always shut down the option attack like many expect. This is an assignment based scheme, and aggressive defenses often pay the price.

Navy has two very good quarterbacks, and they are stocked full of all kinds of solid running backs. This is a well-coached team that is the most talented they have been in many years.

Rutgers is walking into a very dangerous situation here. The Scarlet Knights aren’t likely to be over last week’s loss, and Navy is going to pounce on the chance to beat a Big Ten opponent. (7* If -6.5)

Take Navy.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

Saturday 8* NCAAF ATS Play

Georgia Tech +8

We were rather unimpressed with Georgia Tech's 42-38 victory over Georgia Southern last weekend, but that poor performance allows us to grab a very favorable line this week. The Yellow Jackets are not as poor as they looked last week, and still enter this week's contest having won their first three games of the season.

All the talk heading into this week is how well Virginia Tech usually fares against the Jackets' rushing attack, but we're not interested in past years. It's always difficult to prepare for the option in just one week, especially now that Georgia Tech actually has a decent quarterback in Justin Thomas. The Hokies are also the favorites in this contest, meaning that they have to score enough points to win and cover, which we don't see happening.

Virginia Tech has only scored 37 points combined in their last two meetings with Georgia Tech; an early indication that the Hokies may have trouble covering the number here. They've managed just 602 total yards in those two contests, and judging by their performance against East Carolina last week, points could once again be at a premium.

The underdog is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between these two squads, including four outright upsets. The Hokies have been very poor against the spread, covering just 13 of their last 42 games overall, including just 1 of their last 5 conference games.

Take Georgia Tech.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Boston College +17

The Boston College Eagles host the USC Trojans on Saturday in the second week of the college football season.

The Eagles are simply getting too many points in this one, particularly after all points of the match are factored in. USC comes to town riding high off a win over Stanford, but they are in for a major letdown now, particularly with a bye week on deck. Additionally, USC may have emerged victorious, but they had a ton of trouble moving the ball on the road against a tough defense last week, and they'll find themselves right back in a hostile environment against a good defense in this one, which will pose problems, particularly with the team playing their second road game in a row.

The Boston College offense has also functioned better than we've come to expect in recent years, as quarterback Tyler Murphy has done plenty of damage with his feet. When he takes to the air, big wide receiver Dan Crimmins, who stands 6-foot-5 will pose a matchup nightmare for the Trojans secondary, though the team won't need to score many points to cover this spread.

The Eagles are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home games.

Take Boston College.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

South Carolina +7

The South Carolina Gamecocks host the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon in the second week of the college football season.

The Bulldogs head out to Columbia as the favorites, but they've had a ton of trouble there in recent seasons. Georgia hasn't scored more than 20 points at Williams-Brice Stadium in 20 years, spanning nine games. Things won't be easy on them Saturday when they get a South Carolina team desperate for a win after a rough start to the season.

All eyes will be on Georgia star running back Todd Gurley, but South Carolina counters with a star running back of their own in Mike Davis. The difference in this game is going to come down to the defenses. While Georgia has plenty of talent on offense, that isn't matched by their defensive unit, so expect Steve Spurrier's methodical offense to pick that unit apart, particularly given how effective quarterback Dylan Thompson has been this season.

As for Georgia, their offensive struggles in Columbia have been well documented, and we've yet to see how quarterback Hutson Mason can handle pressure, as the team held a comfortable lead the entire second half against Clemson. Going into a hostile environment will be a whole different ball game.

Georgia is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 road games.

Take South Carolina.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Air Force -11.5

The Air Force Falcons had a rough season last year, but I see a much improved Falcons team in 2014. Air Force has a good coach in Troy Calhoun, and they have a much more veteran team than they have had in a long time. They are a team I believe everyone should keep an eye on to surprise in 2014.

The Georgia State Panthers won on a last second field goal over Abilene Christian in their season opener. While it was nice for the team to get a win, the fact that it took a last second field goal to win by a point over Abilene Christian speaks volumes.

Georgia State’s defense was gashed incessantly by a bad New Mexico State offense last week. This will be the first decent offense that Georgia State has faced all year, and I don’t expect the results to be pretty.

Air Force’s triple option is tough for a good defense to stop, and for a bad defense with a major weakness in the front seven it is almost impossible. Georgia State’s defense is going to get winded in this game. Look for Air Force to rack up some big yardage totals in this game and win big over an extremely weak opponent.

Take Air Force.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 9* NCAAF ATS Play

Georgia Southern +17

The Georgia Southern Eagles are a much more veteran team than they were last year, and last year’s team went into the Swap and beat the Florida Gators. It was a down year for the Gators, but still for a team like Georgia Southern to win on the road in a place like the Swamp was extremely impressive.

Most impressive about that win was the Eagles ability to run the football on a very strong front seven. Georgia Southern runs an option style offense just like Georgia Tech, and that works to their advantage on the defensive side.

Typically, you see lower scoring games when it is two triple option attacks up against each other. The defense is familiar with the play, so it is often less effective. This makes the underdog a much more intriguing bet, because in a low scoring contest 17 points is a lot to be laying.

Georgia Tech hasn’t proven they are a power in the past couple years, and Georgia Southern is going to walk into this game with a lot of confidence. Remember, Georgia Southern nearly knocked off NC State in Raleigh earlier this year (losing 24-23). The Eagles are a strong play in this situation.

Take Georgia Southern.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 9* NCAAF ATS Play

Maryland -13.5

This game has all the makings of a huge mismatch. Simply put, USF is a bad football squad. While the Bulls got it done against Western Carolina last week, it was far from impressive, as their defense allowed a whopping 454 yards and 27 first downs. This defense simply has no chance against a Maryland squad that put up 52 on James Madison in Week 1.

To make matters worse for the Bulls, they're stuck playing at Raymond James Stadium where they have virtually no home field advantage. There is clearly some home edge factored into the point spread here but we don't believe USF has any edge whatsoever.

Maryland went out on the road late last season and trounced N.C. State 41-21 as a short 3-point favorite and pulled off an outright upset of Virginia Tech 27-24 as a hefty 15-point dog. This is a team capable of putting in a strong effort on the road, and with the significant mismatch in talent here, we don't foresee any issues on Saturday.

Don't expect a letdown from Maryland here either. The Terrapins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a win of 20+ points. Meanwhile, the Bulls are an awful 5-21-1 ATS in their last 27 home games and a pathetic 5-20-1 in their last 26 non-conference games.

Take Maryland.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Utah -11.5

This matchup has all the makings of a blowout as the Utes simply have too much firepower for a weak Fresno State squad. The Bulldogs were in a very favorable spot against USC last week, looking for revenge after getting beat down by the Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl last year, but they were trounced from start to finish.

Fresno State has learned that life without Derek Carr is not going to be fun. Their quarterbacks combined for just 160 yards, 0 TDs, and 4 INTs last week. To make matters worse, they now have to play the second of back-to-back road games and have to do it in a tough, elevated environment that is not very forgiving.

The Utes destruction of Idaho State last week doesn't really tell us much, but this is more of a play against a bad Bulldogs squad anyways. Fresno State gave up over 700 yards last week, and there's not much of a chance that they can correct that porous defense in just one week's time. The Bulldgos are 6-21-2 in their last 29 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.

The Bulldogs also don't handle adversity very well, as they're a measly 14-37-2 in their last 53 games following a straight up loss. Meanwhile, the Utes are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games and 17-7 ATS in their last 24 games against a team with a losing record.

Take Utah.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

New Mexico State pk

The Georgia State Panthers host the New Mexico State Aggies on Saturday in the second week of college football action.

Both teams won over lesser opponents in their opener, but there is no reason for these teams to be considered equal entering this contest. Georgia State eked out a win on a last-minute field goal in their opener, despite playing down in competition against an FCS opponent. The Panthers are just one season removed from playing in the FCS themselves, and they don’t quite measure up to the conference competition themselves.

As for New Mexico State, they’re heading in the right direction, and while they didn’t win a lot of games last season, they have a far more favourable schedule this season. The team churned out 197 yards on the ground in their opening win over Cal Poly. Facing a porous Georgia State defense will lead to another big day.

The Aggies are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall, and they are 6-2 ATS in their last eight conference games.

Take New Mexico State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

South Alabama -3

The South Alabama Jaguars have a great coach in Joey Jones. He has helped this program go from one that wasn’t even an FBS program to a real contender in the Sun Belt Conference in very little time. South Alabama has a lot of talent at the skill positions, and this is a team that could make some noise in 2014.

Kent State is in a really difficult position. A starting lineman from the team tragically passed away right before the start of the season. That’s something that is very understandably hard to deal with as a team. On the field, the team looked very poor in their opening game against a mediocre Ohio Bobcats team.

The biggest problem for Kent State is they don’t have a running game right now. Trayion Durham and Dri Archer were a nice one-two punch the last couple years for the Golden Flashes, but Archer is in the NFL now and Durham is injured.

If Kent State can’t run it, they aren’t going to be able to score much at all. Reardon isn’t the type of quarterback that will put up big statistics through the air. South Alabama has the edge here.

Take South Alabama.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 8* NCAAF Play

Mississippi State -27.5

The Mississippi State Bulldogs won 49-0 in their season opener over Southern Miss. UAB is on a very similar talent level as Southern Miss. Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs have a nice history of taking care of non-conference opponents, and I believe this year’s team will be the best Mullen has had at Mississippi State.

UAB is probably thought of a little bit higher than they should be because of their big win last week at home over Troy. While it was a nice win, I’m not sure anything they did against Troy translates into this game. Needless to say, there is a whole different level of athletes on the field when you play Mississippi State. This is one of those cases where UAB beating up on a poor opponent last game gives us line value here.

Mississippi State has a future star in Dak Prescott at the quarterback spot, and he has a bunch of very good wide receivers on the outside too. The Bulldogs have typically been a little bit offensively challenged, but that shouldn’t be the case this season. I’m excited to see how they can do with a little more on the offensive end.

This is a mismatch all the way around, and we’re getting lots of line value.

Take Mississippi State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 8* NCAAF Play

Army -3

The Army Black Knights are on an upward trajectory. This is a program that appears ready to make the leap to bowl eligibility this season. If you look at the types of runners they have in their backfield, it is going to be really hard for anyone to stop them.

In Baggett, Dixon, Santiago, and quarterback AJ Schurr the team has four excellent runners. Army isn’t going to throw it very often, but they’ll be able to run it even when teams are expecting it. Remember, defending the triple option is something that teams rarely have to do, and that makes it very difficult to stop.

Buffalo had a great season last year, but the Bulls aren’t the same team this year. They lost what might have been the two best players in the history of their school. Khalil Mack, who was a top five NFL Draft pick, was the heart and soul of this defense. Without him, they won’t be the same. Branden Oliver was the main man at running back.

The Bulls are likely to slide back down into mediocrity now. Last week’s game vs. Duquesne certainly was a worrisome sign for Buffalo Bulls backers. Buffalo only beat Duquesne 38-28, and the defense was torched. Look for Army to gain the advantage early and run it well all day.

Take Army.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 9* NCAAF Play

Boston College +5

Pitt is coming off a 62-0 destruction of lowly Delaware and that allows us to grab the Golden Eagles at a favorable price here. The Panthers outgained Delaware 501-57 with an insane 409-26 edge in rushing yards, but this game is absolutely meaningless in terms of providing any insight into Friday's outcome.

On the other hand, we view Boston College's 30-7 beatdown of UMass as an impressive victory. The Golden Eagles were 17-point favorites in the contest, but they're notorious for laying eggs on the road, and they did the exact opposite. BC outgained UMass by over 300 total yards, and held the ball for a whopping 42 minutes. It's almost important to note that they held the Minutemen to a measly 2.5 yards per carry.

If the Eagles can take care of business on the road, we sure as hell like their chances at home where they've covered their last five home games by a combined 50.5 points. Pittsburgh is also in a very unfavorable spot, having given up less than 20 points in their last game. They're 0-4 in their last 4 games after allowing less than 20 in a game.

The Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 conference games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games. The Panthers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS win.

Take Boston College.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

UTSA +7.5

We backed UTSA last week in their upset victory over Houston and we're going right back to the well on Thursday night. We pegged the Roadrunners as a BET ON team to start the season and we will continue to do so until the market catches up.

The Roadrunners returned 20 starters to their lineup this season and that's clearly paid dividends in the early going. UTSA's defense limited Houston to just 208 yards of total offense. Obviously stopping Arizona will be a much tougher task than stopping Houston, especially after the Wildcats put up over 700 yards against UNLV last week, but we think UTSA is up to the task.

The Roadrunners traveled to Arizona last season and weren't treated too kindly, getting pounded 38-13 by the hosts. This is a game that they've had circled on their calendars for some time as they look to extract a measure of revenge. Arizona allowed 371 yards of offense to a weak UNLV squad last week, so there's definitely hope for UTSA in this one.

The Wildcats are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a win of 20+ points. The Roadrunners are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 non-conference games.

Take UTSA.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Utah State Aggies +6.5

The Tennessee Volunteers host the Utah State Aggies on Sunday night in the opening game of the regular season for both sides.

One of these teams comes from a second-rate conference, and one of these teams come from the highly-praised SEC, and it seems that is all that oddsmakers took into account when setting the number for this game. The Volunteers haven’t been able to keep pace with college football’s top programs, winning only the easy games on their schedule with few exceptions in recent years, and this hardly classifies as an easy game.

It seems bettors have forgotten that the Aggies get back quarterback and top offensive weapon Chuckie Keeton. He’s back now, and it’s hard to imagine the team not going on a strong run to begin this season with a favorable schedule. This is a team that will be looking at double-digit wins if they stay healthy, so an opening game against a rebuilding Tennessee program is hardly a game in which they should be getting nearly a full touchdown.

The Aggies are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games, while the Volunteers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.

Take Utah State.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Florida State -18

The Florida State Seminoles covered all the big numbers the oddsmakers put on them last year. The oddsmakers just couldn’t catch up to how great this team truly was. I believe they are still having trouble with it based on the line in this contest.

Florida State returns most of their key players, and the Seminoles recruiting classes have been absolutely tremendous of late, so the spots where they lost players will be just fine. Winston leads the way and the defense is going to be dominating once again.

On the other hand, Oklahoma State returns a grand total of 8 starters from last year. The Cowboys are in for a long season. While Mike Gundy’s teams have pulled many upsets in recent years, this Oklahoma State team just doesn’t have the talent to do it.

Oklahoma State will be very weak in the secondary, and Winston and the Seminoles receivers should exploit that weakness right away. Offensively, Oklahoma State has an inconsistent quarterback in JW Walsh, and I look for him to make some key mistakes that lead to points for the Florida State defense.

Oklahoma State isn’t the same team they have been, and Florida State is out to prove that they are the same team they were last year. It won’t be close.

Take Florida State

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 9* Play on Florida State -18

Ohio Bobcats +3

The Kent State Golden Flashes host the Ohio Bobcats on Thursday evening in the opening game of the regular season for both sides.

The home side is giving away points in this one, but it has little to do with the roster and everything to do with the fact that they get the game at home. Ohio figures to be a contender in the MAC East this season, and an opening day game against Kent State is just a stepping stone to bigger and better things for them.

As for Kent State, the team came crashing down to Earth a year ago after an impressive 2012 campaign. The Golden Flashes had plenty of trouble moving the football, and will now have to operate without top offensive weapon Dri Archer, who has moved on to the NFL. This is a team that will struggle to get to .500 this season, yet the memories of 2012 have bettors thinking they’re something they’re not, and that gives us a prime opportunity to fade before the public catches up.

The road team is 11-3 ATS in the last 14 meetings between these teams, and the Golden Flashes are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six home games.

Take Ohio.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Georgia Bulldogs -7.5

Last year, Clemson beat Georgia 38-35 in the season opener for both teams. Clemson had a veteran team full of guys who knew all the systems very well. Things are very different this season. Clemson is without quarterback Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins, and those are huge losses for this offense.

While Georgia lost Aaron Murray as well, the fact that Hutson Mason got playing time late last year is very beneficial to this year’s offense for the Bulldogs. It doesn’t hurt to have a backfield surrounding you of superstars like Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall either. Those guys are elite, and if they can stay healthy Georgia should be able to run the football against everyone on their schedule.

Clemson’s Cole Stoudt isn’t going to be able to make this offense run right away, especially since he lacks the play makers that Mason has around him at Georgia. While the Georgia defense gave up a lot of yards and points last year, this Bulldogs defense is much more experienced and I expect some significant improvement under new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt.

Georgia has revenge on their minds from last year, and they are in a great position to deliver it. Georgia makes a statement here.

Take Georgia

Good Luck, Razor Ray

Saturday 8* Play on Georgia -7.5

UTSA +10.5

We have our eyes on the UTSA Roadrunners as a big play on team this season, and we love catching a favorable line tonight. UTSA got shellacked by Houston last season, but a closer look at that game reveals that the Roadrunners actually outgained the Cougars. That result and a combination of other factors allows us to grab a line that simply shouldn't exist.

UTSA returns a whopping 20 starters to their lineup this season. The Roadrunners showed some drastic improvement down the stretch last year, winning five straight games to close out the season and limiting opponents to just 13ppg in that span. There are 38 seniors on this UTSA squad; all of whom will remember the beatdown they suffered against Houston last season.

On the other side of things, Houston doesn't impress us at all. Their defense has allowed over 450 yards per game in the last two seasons under head coach Tony Levine, and we expect them to be just as bad on the defensive side of the ball once again. Many are concerned about the quarterback situation for UTSA, but we were never high on Eric Souza, whose 12:11 TD to INT ratio was hardly impressive last season.

The Roadrunners are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games and 7-1 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games. 

Take UTSA.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Temple +14

The Temple Owls showed a ton of improvement down the stretch last year. Temple started going in the right direction as soon as PJ Walker was inserted as the team’s starting quarterback. Walker threw for 20 touchdowns and just eight picks in his freshman season. Temple covered the number in seven of their final eight games last year.

I expect Walker and the rest of the offense to be much better in a second year in Coach Matt Rhule’s system. Walker showed good he can be in his freshman season, but I expect more consistency from him this year. The Owls are opening up the passing game now, and we’ll see big numbers for Walker.

Vanderbilt has had a couple great seasons the last two years. Unfortunately for them, James Franklin is now the head coach at Penn State, and the Commodores are left to rebuild. Vanderbilt returns only four starters on defense, and that is a unit that has helped them win a bunch of close games the last couple years.

Jordan Matthews was the playmaker on offense for the Commodores, and he’s no longer here. Vanderbilt isn’t the type of team that can put up a bunch of offense against a decent team, so I don’t understand them getting this much respect.

Take Temple

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play