Football Betting – Football.us – NFL and College Football scores, fantasy rankings, betting lines, games and ranking and schedule news https://football.us Everything about Football plus Stats, Articles and Sports Betting Odds Fri, 15 Jan 2016 18:56:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Divisional Playoff Football Games and Match-ups https://football.us/playoffs/divisional-playoff-football-games-match-ups/ https://football.us/playoffs/divisional-playoff-football-games-match-ups/#respond Fri, 15 Jan 2016 18:55:35 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=839 2016 football playoffs

Four football teams were able to make it past the Wild Card weekend, but now move on to face some heavy competition during the Divisional playoffs being played this weekend. The games will be close, as each team has their strengths, whether it is a great offense or defense in their favor. Check out the match-ups between the eight teams and see which ones you would pick to win.

Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots

It is going to be a great game, but it could work out in favor of the Chiefs, as the Patriots will be playing with a few injured players that are key to their success. Quarterback Tom Brady will be playing with a high-ankle sprain, and wide receiver Julian Edelman with a broken foot, and with a few other unhealthy players. However, the Chiefs will also have a few missing players including, WR Jeremy Maclin and RB Spencer Ware due to ankle injuries. The Patriots are still the favorites to win, but with the Chiefs winning 11 consecutive games, they will be out for blood.

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

This would be a tough match-up for any team, as the Packers face off against the top favorite in the NFL, the Cardinals. The main reason is that during the regular season they proved they were Super Bowl material, and leading the league in offense, and having the fifth best defense doesn’t hurt either. Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense needs to play their best if they hope to score against the Cardinals.

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers

A battle between giants will be played, as both the Seahawks and Panthers have a mighty lineup. Seahawks have: Thomas Rawls, Marshawn Lynch, and Russell Wilson at the front, while the Panthers come in with Jonathan Stewart and their amazing all-rounder, Cam Newton. Each team have impressive defenses, but in the end, whichever team has more possession will end up winning this game. In that respect, the Seahawks are at a disadvantage with the amount of turnovers they manage to win. The Panthers go into this game with a +20 turnover ratio, making them a force to reckon with.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos

The game no one wants to talk about. The Steelers have had an up-and-down season, and with their performance last week, they need to get their act together or this will be as far as they get this season. The Broncos started out the season with a punch, but performance steadily decreased near the end. So, it will be anyone’s best guess as to who will win this game. The Steelers battered offense or the Broncos somewhat reliable defense. Let’s hope Peyton Manning doesn’t choke and end the football season in defeat.

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Week 9 Football Picks; Rams Over Vikings https://football.us/nfl/week-9-football-picks-rams-over-vikings/ https://football.us/nfl/week-9-football-picks-rams-over-vikings/#respond Thu, 05 Nov 2015 20:37:25 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=828 Football picks for Week 9

As the Week 9 football games approach, we always come up with our own predictions of which teams will win, and sometimes they coincide with the odds at the sportsbooks, but there are times when against all odds, the underdog could very well win; or at least in some cases, beat the spread. This week there are some good heads-up matches that could help determine which team could make it to the playoffs. Let’s take a look at the matchups, along with the experts picks.

Game NFL.com Expert: Kevin Patra Nate Silver’s ELO
Browns at Bengals Bengals Bengals (89%)
Dolphins at Bills Bills Bills (61%)
Raiders at Steelers Steelers Steelers (72%)
Titans at Saints Saints Saints (82%)
Jaguars at Jets Jets Jets (77%)
Redskins at Patriots Patriots Patriots (93%)
Rams at Vikings Rams Vikings (66%)
Packers at Panthers Packers Panthers (55%)
Falcons at 49ers Falcons Falcons (51%)
Giants at Buccaneers Giants Giants (59%)
Broncos at Colts Broncos Broncos (68%)
Eagles at Cowboys Eagles Cowboys (54%)
Bears at Chargers Chargers Chargers (68%)

This is taking a look at personal and sport related experience versus a calculated formula, we can see that the majority they both agree on which team has the best chances of winning the game, but there are a few where the experience believes that a team can win, despite what the stats and numbers indicate. The game that most experts believe is in favor of the underdog, the St. Louis Rams will beat favorites Minnesota Vikings, while on the road.

Both of these teams are very similar, as they each have impressive defenses, ranking Rams (6th) and Vikings (7th) in the League, and both depend heavily on their rush offense. The reason why the experts believe the Rams have good chances of winning this game is due to the fact that their defense has held their opponents to ZERO touchdowns for the last two games, where they were able to get two much needed victories. Unless it is a supercharged offense, they have been able to keep the score low, and that is what will give them their fifth win of the season.

There will be plenty of close football games this week, but this game in particular may give the underdog Rams their chance to advance and hopefully make it to the playoffs.

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NFL Week 7 Top Three Picks https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-7-top-three-picks/ https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-7-top-three-picks/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2015 18:28:34 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=790 NFL Week 7 Top Three Picks

The first six weeks of the 2015 NFL regular season are in the books and after stumbling a bit with my top picks for Football.US over the past two weeks, I fully expect to get back on track in Week 7 after digging deep into all of Sunday’s matchups. The following are my top three NFL picks based on betting odds from BetOnline.

Sunday, Oct. 25

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (UNDER 44.5)

The 3-2 Vikings have been top money makers this season with a 4-1 record against the spread and solid return on the total line with four of five games staying UNDER. I really like the trend on the total line to hold up behind an offense that is only managing 19.2 points a game coupled with a defense that is holding teams to just 16.6 points.

The Lions finally got off the schneid last week following a five-game losing streak to start the season. Even though they managed to put 37 points on the board in that overtime win against Chicago, this offense has also struggled to put points on the board all season long with an average of just 20 a game. Heading into this NFC North showdown, the total has stayed UNDER in six of the last eight meetings in Detroit and it is staying UNDER again this Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5) at Washington Redskins

Tampa Bay is hardly a threat to catch the front-runners in the NFC South at 2-3 on the year, but coming off a bye, its prospect to even its record with a win this Sunday looks pretty good. If rookie quarterback Jameis Winston can manage the game and avoid any costly turnovers, the Buccaneers should be able to run the ball up and down the field with Doug Martin carrying the load.

The one concern for 2-4 Washington in this game is a run defense that is ranked 23rd in the league in yards allowed. The bigger concern could be an offense that is now ranked 17th in rushing yards per game after getting completely ground to a halt in its last few outings. It will be hard to turn to quarterback Kirk Cousins and a passing offense that is 23rd in yards per game (230.7) to try and fill the void on an offense that is averaging 19.5 points a game. It probably will not be pretty, but I am taking the Bucs and the 3.5 points in this one.

Atlanta Falcons (-3.5) at Tennessee Titans

Atlanta’s five-game winning streak to start the season came to an end with last Thursday’s 31-21 loss to rival New Orleans as a 3.5-point road favorite, but it should be a whole other story this Sunday on the road as once again a 3.5-point favorite. The Falcons’ offense has almost been unstoppable behind Julio Jones catching the ball and Devonta Freeman running it.

Tennessee has lost four-straight following an opening day win against Tampa Bay and things appear to be getting worse with each and every setback. Last Sunday, the Titans got pushed around in a 38-10 loss to Miami as 2.5-point favorites at home and they may have to turn to Zach Mettenberger to try and end the skid if rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota cannot go. To me it does not really matter who is under center for Tennessee since it will be next to impossible for this offense to keep pace on the scoreboard with Atlanta in this matchup.

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Top Three College Football Week 8 Betting Predictions https://football.us/football-betting/top-three-college-football-week-8-betting-predictions/ https://football.us/football-betting/top-three-college-football-week-8-betting-predictions/#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2015 16:19:45 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=788 Top Three College Football Week 8 Betting Predictions

The college football season has been an up and down ride with my top picks for Football.US, but I am riding a perfect 3-0 mark in last Saturday’s picks and my confidence level in this week’s top plays is running high.
The following is a look at week’s top three games along with free picks based on the betting odds from 5Dimes.

Saturday, Oct. 24

Virginia Cavaliers at North Carolina Tar Heels (-15)

Virginia will have a tough road to hoe in this Saturday’s border war given its past trends and current form heading into this ACC clash. The Cavaliers are just 2-4 against the spread in their last six road games and this season they are just 2-4 both straight-up and against the spread in their first six games.

Not only are the Tar Heels riding a SU five-game winning streak (4-1 ATS), they appear to be getting better and better with each passing week. They hammered Wake Forest 50-14 this past Saturday as 17-point home favorites to raise their scoring average on the year to 40 points a game. Couple this with a defense that is ranked 18th in the nation in points allowed (17.3) and it is hard to see Virginia keeping this game closer than 15 points.

Connecticut Huskies at Cincinnati Bearcats (-13)

Connecticut’s promising 2-0 start has become a faded memory with just one SU win in its last five games. This past Saturday, the Huskies lost to South Florida 28-20 as one-point home favorites to fall to 1-3 ATS in their last four games. They have remained fairly solid on defense during this slide, but their offense is ranked near the bottom of Division IA in scoring with an average of 19 points a game.

It has been an up and down ride for the 3-3 Bearcats, but they still have one of the more potent passing games in the country this season behind backup quarterback Hayden Moore. He has thrown for 1,280 yards and seven touchdowns in relief of an injured Gunner Kiel. Cincinnati also has the ability to put points on the board with an average of 36 points a game. It is a perfect 5-0 SU against the Huskies at home and look for that streak to continue while covering the 13-point spread.

Florida State Seminoles (-5.5) at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The Seminoles are off to a SU 6-0 start following last week’s 41-21 clubbing of Louisville as 6.5-point home favorites. That was one of my top picks in Week 7 and I am going to ride the hot hand in this game as well. Much has been made of Florida State’s high-powered offense with Everett Golson under center, but its defense is holding opposing teams to just 15.2 points a game.

Georgia Tech was expected to compete for the ACC’s Coastal Division title, but in the midst of a five-game slide both SU and ATS, the Yellow Jackets will struggle just to qualify for a bowl. It would be hard to fault the offense for this unexpected downturn with a rushing attack that is churning-out an average of 285.7 yards and scoring 37 points a game. The problem has been inconsistencies on the other side of the ball. I do not see things changing this Saturday night in another loss both SU and ATS.

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NFL Week 6 Top Three Picks https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-6-top-three-picks/ https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-6-top-three-picks/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2015 15:06:54 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=785 NFL Week 6 Top Three Picks

With five weeks of NFL picks under my belt, the overall record dipped into the red with last week’s 1-2 record. I fully expect to get back on track with this week’s top plays and after digging deep into all the matchups on this Sunday’s NFL slate, the following are my top three picks for Week 5 of the NFL season based on betting odds from BetOnline.

Sunday, Oct. 18

Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers (OVER 44)

The Oddsmakers are teasing us with such a low total line given that Arizona is ranked first in the NFL in scoring with 38 points a game. The Cardinals have almost reached this total on their own in three of its first five games including last Sunday’s 42-17 victory against Detroit. Pittsburgh’s potent offense is missing a big piece of the puzzle with Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup, but with Michael Vick at the helm it was able to steal a 24-20 victory at San Diego this past Monday night.

The total has gone OVER in all five of Arizona’s games this season and it has gone OVER in four of its last six games on the road. Call me crazy for taking the bait, but I am going with the OVER in this game as well.

Carolina Panthers (+7) at Seattle Seahawks

The Panthers may not be getting the respect they deserve as one of six undefeated teams left in the NFL, but this is still a solid team on both sides of the ball. Carolina is ranked fourth in the league in rushing and its defense is ranked sixth in rushing yards allowed. Seattle is still trying to figure out how it blew a 17-point fourth quarter lead in a 27-24 loss to Cincinnati last Sunday and I think that the impact of that epic fail is going to spill over into this week’s game.

Carolina comes into the NFC tilt with a 3-1 record against the spread this season and it is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five games on the road. The Seahawks’ fabled home field advantage has not been good to bettors lately with a 1-3-1 record ATS in their last five home games. I am taking the seven points in this one as the Panthers earn some well-deserved respect this Sunday.

New England Patriots (-7.5) at Indianapolis Colts

The last time these two teams met was in the 2014 AFC Championship and all anyone can remember from that game was an issue with the air pressure in some of the footballs. I remember New England rolling to a 45-7 victory on its way to another Super Bowl title. The Patriots’ current form at 4-0 has it ranked as one of the top two teams in the league, while the 3-2 Colts are lucky to even be above .500. Andrew Luck should return to the lineup at quarterback, but Indy’s current problems run much deeper than that.

New England has won the last five meetings against the Colts SU and it is 4-1 ATS. You cannot help but get the feeling that the Patriots will be looking to make another statement on Sunday night after winning their first four games by a combined 73 points.

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College Football Week 7 Betting Odds, Trends & Predictions https://football.us/football-betting/college-football-week-7-betting-odds-trends-predictions/ https://football.us/football-betting/college-football-week-7-betting-odds-trends-predictions/#respond Mon, 12 Oct 2015 14:00:56 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=774 College Football Week 6 Betting Odds, Trends & Predictions

The college football season presses on with a number of interesting matchups on this Saturday’s slate. The following is a quick look at my top three picks for the day based on betting odds from BetOnline.

Saturday, Oct. 17

Louisville Cardinals at Florida State Seminoles (-6.5)

Louisville has bounced back from a 0-3 straight-up start with back-to-back victories against Samford and North Carolina State, but I am still not sold on the idea that it can keep things all that close against Florida State following last week’s bye. There are still a number of question marks with an offense that is ranked 71st in the nation in passing yards and 78th running the ball.

The Seminoles have been a tough bet with a 2-3 record against the spread to go along with their perfect 5-0 SU start, but they continue to separate themselves as one of the top teams in the ACC this season. Florida State has a solid arm in quarterback Everett Golson and Dalvin Cook ran for 222 yards on 22 carries in this past Saturday’s 29-24 victory against Miami as a 6.5-point home favorite. Look for the Seminoles keep things rolling by covering this time around against Louisville.

Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes (-7)

Virginia Tech was able to snap a two-game skid with a 28-13 win against North Carolina State last Friday to even its record on the year to 3-3 both SU and ATS. Despite the convincing win, I am not convinced this Hokies’ offense will be able to hang with Miami in this matchup. It is averaging just 378.5 yards a game with 206.5 yards passing and another 172 yards a game on the ground.

The Hurricanes’ loss to Florida State was their second in a row after getting beat by Cincinnati 34-23 on Oct. 1 as 7.5-point road favorites. However, they now return home for this ACC tilt with a SU 15-3 record at home over their last 18 games. Miami is ranked 18th in the nation in passing yards behind quarterback Brad Kaaya. He has already thrown for 1,499 yards and eight touchdowns and I see him primed for another big day in a win against the Hokies that covers the seven points.

Florida Gators at LSU Tigers (-6.5)

Florida continues to rise in the national rankings behind a SU 6-0 start and it has been good to bettors with a 5-1 record ATS. My concern in this matchup is the simple fact that the Gators have yet to be really tested by a true quality team. The lack of a potent running game poses an even greater concern in this particular matchup as I do not see Florida quarterback Will Grier beating LSU through the air.

LSU may have caught a break with a shift in venues against South Carolina in last Saturday’s 45-24 win as a 20.5-point home favorite, but the Tigers have pretty much taken care of business no matter where they play this year. Led by Heisman front-runner Leonard Fournette with 1,022 rushing yards on 119 carries, they are currently ranked third in the nation in rushing yards per game with 346.4. Look another heavy dose of Fournette this Saturday as the Tigers win and cover the 6.5 points.

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NFL Week 5 Top Three Picks https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-5-top-three-picks/ https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-5-top-three-picks/#respond Wed, 07 Oct 2015 16:19:04 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=767 NFL Week 5 Top Three Picks

Things quickly went south with last week’s top three picks to turn a winning record on the year into a losing one at 5-7, but I remain confident that I can get back on track with this Sunday’s top three plays. I have once again broken down all the matchups on this Sunday’s NFL slate to come up with my top picks for Week 5 of the NFL season using betting odds from BetOnline.

Sunday, Oct. 11

Buffalo Bills (-2.5) at Tennessee Titans

The 2-2 Bills come into this matchup with 5-2 record against the spread in their last seven road games and they are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Buffalo does now how to put points on the board with an average of 27.5 a game. Tennessee is coming off an early bye week following a 1-2 SU (2-1 ATS) and going back over its last 15 games at home it is just 2-12-1 ATS at home.

The Titans have also done a good job putting points on the board, but the concern in this matchup is a defense that is ranked 22nd in the NFL in points allowed. Stick with the Bills to cover in this one.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+2.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Both of these teams are off to predictable 1-3 SU starts, but I think the upside for the Jaguars right now is a bit higher. Blake Bortles continues to progress at quarterback and Jacksonville’s running game has gotten a boost from rookie TJ Yeldon. Jameis Winston has taken over the reins as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback, but this rookie has proven to be a work in progress through his first four NFL starts with six touchdown throws against seven interceptions.

The Jaguars have covered ATS in five of their last seven games, while Tampa Bay is just 2-9 ATS in its last 11 home games. I am taking Jacksonville and the points in a very tight matchup.

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (+4.5)

Denver is off to a perfect 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) behind the strength of its defense, while the Raiders have battled their way to a 2-2 start both SU and ATS with second-year vet Derek Carr throwing the ball to rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper. This exciting duo has breathed some new life into a franchise that has been starved for a winner for quite a long time now.

The Broncos have dominated this AFC West matchup for the past several seasons, but I am going way out on a limb this week by taking Oakland as my “upset special” with a stunning SU win against their division rivals.

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College Football Betting Odds, Trends & Top Three Picks for Week 5 https://football.us/college/college-football-betting-odds-trends-top-three-picks-for-week-5-2/ https://football.us/college/college-football-betting-odds-trends-top-three-picks-for-week-5-2/#respond Mon, 05 Oct 2015 11:53:48 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=755 College Football Betting Odds, Trends & Top Three Picks for Week 5

I brought an even 6-6 record into Week 5 with my top college football picks, but with a 1-2 mark in last Saturday’s games I dipped into the red for the year. With the help of 5Dimes’ posted college football betting odds, I am determined to get back in black this Saturday with the following three picks for Football.US.

LSU (-12) at South Carolina

The No. 7 Tigers continue to move up in the rankings with a 4-0 straight-up start that already includes victories against Mississippi State and Auburn in the SEC. LSU has been riding the back of Heisman front runner Leonard Fournette. He has already rushed for 864 yards and 11 touchdowns on 99 carries and you can expect another heavy workload in this Saturday’s game.
South Carolina is 2-3 SU on the year and still looking for its first win this season in conference play following losses to Kentucky, Georgia and Missouri. It also failed to cover against the spread in all three games. The Gamecocks are only averaging 20 points a game behind an offense that is ranked 110th in the country in average passing yards (163.2). They have done a decent job running the ball this season behind quarterback Lorenzo Nunez, but that is not going to get it done against LSU.

Georgia (-3) at Tennessee

The Bulldogs were thoroughly beaten in every phase of the game this past Saturday in a 38-10 loss to Alabama as one-point favorites at home. Georgia may have been a bit overrated all along, but you get the feeling that it is going to take out its frustrations on someone following such a poor performance and the Volunteers just so happen to be next up on the list.
Tennessee finds itself in a very tough position to try and turn its season around after posting losses to Florida and Arkansas in its first two conference games. The Volunteers closed as six-point home favorites against the Razorbacks this past Saturday, but they came up short in a 24-20 loss. This is another team that was probably a bit overrated at first and this will become even more obvious this Saturday against the Bulldogs.

Wisconsin (+1.5) at Nebraska

The Badgers took a big step backwards this past Saturday in pursuit of another Big Ten West Division title with a 10-6 loss to Iowa as five-point home favorites in their conference opener. This Saturday’s game now dials-up the pressure to help keep those dreams alive. The one constant with Wisconsin is a stout defense that is ranked fourth in the nation in points allowed (9.6) led by linebacker Joe Schobert.

Nebraska continues to struggle out of the gate with a 2-3 start both SU and ATS. The Cornhuskers opened play in the Big Ten this past Saturday with a 14-13 loss to Illinois as three-point road favorites. This was a matchup they should have won, but poor clock management and shaky defense down the stretch cost them the game. Look for this loss to linger into this week’s contest as Nebraska loses another game as a favorite.

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NFL Week 4 Top Three Picks https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-4-top-three-picks/ https://football.us/nfl/nfl-week-4-top-three-picks/#respond Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:52:30 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=744 NFL Week 4 Top Three Football Picks

I ended-up on the wrong end in two of my top three picks for the second week in a row, but I am still above .500 on the year at 5-4. Looking to get back to my winning ways, I have broken down all the matchups on this Sunday’s NFL slate to come up with three of my top plays for Week 4 of the season using NFL betting odds from BetOnline.

Sunday, Oct. 4

New York Giants at Buffalo Bills (OVER 46.5)

The Giants are off to a 1-2 start, but the one constant in all three games as been the ability to move the ball downfield and put points on the board. It has been New York’s inability to hold onto fourth quarter leads that has hurt the cause.

Buffalo has had no issue scoring with the third-highest points per game average in the NFL (33.3), but it has suffered some breakdowns on defense as well in its 2-1 start.

The total has gone OVER in two of the first three games for both of these teams and I really like the chance that it goes OVER again in this matchup.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) at Washington Redskins

Philadelphia bounced-back from two ugly losses to start the season with a 24-17 win last Sunday against the New York Jets as a three-point road underdog. Led by a new-found running game and special teams, Chip Kelly’s new-look Eagles appear to be poised to take another step forward this week.

After two strong efforts running the ball and playing defense, the Redskins took a big step backwards last week in a 32-21 loss to the New York Giants as three-point road underdogs. The expectation bar for Washington was set pretty low this season and last week’s effort is reason why.

The Eagles have the clear betting edge in this matchup against their NFC East rivals with a straight-up 6-3 record in the last nine meetings and a 4-2 record against the spread. Lay the three points and take Philly to cover.

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals (-6.5)

It has been hit or miss for the Rams in their 1-2 start, but the one thing that is being very apparent in the early part of this season is an offense that is having some serious issues moving the ball downfield. Through its first three games, St. Louis is ranked last in the NFL in total yards and 28th in scoring.

Arizona could be the most balanced team in the NFL right now with an offense that is ranked first in the NFL in average points scored (42) and third in points allowed (16.3). This has led to a perfect 3-0 start both SU and ATS in which the Cardinals have outscored their opponents by a combined 77 points.

Head-to-head in this NFC West clash, Arizona is 6-2 both SU and ATS in the last eight meetings and given its current form look for this trend to hold true this time around as well.

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College Football Betting Odds, Trends & Top Three Picks for Week 5 https://football.us/college/college-football-betting-odds-trends-top-three-picks-for-week-5/ https://football.us/college/college-football-betting-odds-trends-top-three-picks-for-week-5/#respond Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:58:46 +0000 http://www.football.us/?p=739 College Football Betting Odds, Trends & Top Three Picks for Week 5

BYU did not do me any favors as one of last week’s picks in a 31-0 loss to Michigan as a 4.5-point road underdog, but with the right call in my other two games I got back to .500 on the year at 6-6. With the help of 5Dimes’ posted college football betting odds, I have zeroed-in on my top three picks for Football.US for this Saturday’s college football slate.

Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech (-5.5)

The Panthers are coming off a bye following a 2-1 start both straight-up and against the spread. They struggled to get by Youngstown State in their season opener and their last time out on Sept. 19 they lost to Iowa 27-24 as four-point road underdogs. Pittsburgh has had its issues moving the ball through the air behind quarterback Nate Peterman and it is currently ranked 104th in the nation in average passing yards per game.

Virginia Tech fell to 2-2 (SU and ATS) with a stunning 35-28 loss to East Carolina this past Saturday as a 10-point road favorite. The reason I like them in this situation is the way this team has been able to bounce back from a bad loss. The Hokies have a solid running game behind Travon McMillian and quarterback Brenden Motely has thrown for 770 yards and six touchdowns in three games. Take Virginia Tech to once again bounce-back at home to cover the 5.5 points.

Minnesota at Northwestern (-6)

Minnesota survived a major scare this past Saturday in a last-minute 27-24 home victory over Ohio University as a 7.5-point favorite. The Golden Gophers will open play in the Big Ten with a 3-1 SU mark in nonconference play, but they are just 1-3 ATS this year. It also does not help that they are just 8-15 SU in their last 23 road games.

The Wildcats have failed to cover in their last five home games against Minnesota, but this time around is going to be different behind a team that has jumped-out to a 4-0 SU start while going 3-1 ATS. Northwestern has already beaten Stanford and Duke as underdogs and its defense is now ranked third in the nation in points allowed (8.8).

West Virginia (+7) at Oklahoma

The Mountaineers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games after scoring more than 40 in their previous outing, which should be considered a good sign following this past Saturday’s 45-6 victory against Maryland as 17-point home favorites. They are now 3-0 SU on the year with a 2-1 record ATS.

The Sooners are also off to a 3-0 SU start while going 2-1 ATS after beating Tulsa 52-38 as 31.5-point favorites at home on Sept. 19. They come into this Big 12 tilt with a 4-8 record ATS in their last 12 games and they are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games at home. There is no doubt that Oklahoma can put some points on the board behind a potent passing game, but its defense has been suspect at times in the early going. Take the Mountaineers to keep this game closer than the seven-point spread.

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