Hey everyone.
Here’s the Week 8 Boxscore and Wagering review.
FBS vs FBS games only.
Let’s go!
Boxscore review:
ACC
SMU 35, Clemson 24 The Mustangs were in control for most of the game, but Clemson made things interesting midway through the fourth quarter. SMU held a 429–352 edge in total yardage and got a gutsy performance from QB Kevin Jennings. Clemson played with backup QB Christopher Vizzina, who looked solid — throwing for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Louisville 24, Miami 21 The Cards jumped out to a 14–0 lead and held on for a big win. Nothing fluky about it — even though Miami QB Carson Beck kept throwing interceptions, LUA-VUH didn’t let Miami do anything on the ground, outrushing the Canes 119–63. Louisville finished +3 in turnover margin and won the yardage battle 367-334.
Georgia Tech 27, Duke 18 Georgia Tech hung around like they always do, helped by a 95-yard fumble return touchdown, and then pulled away in the fourth quarter. Duke held a 441–376 edge in total yardage and controlled the ball for 33 minutes, but once again, Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets delivered. Georgia Tech now controls its own destiny in the ACC (7–0, 4–0) as we approach press time.
Stanford 20, Florida State 13 Florida State is taking PURE FILTH to a new level — that’s four straight losses, and this one was extra painful. The Seminoles were stopped just short of the goal line on the final play of the game. The final score is a bit misleading, as FSU held a 444–293 edge in total yardage. But they were sloppy all night, committing 13 penalties. Backup QB Kevin Sperry led the final drive and came up just half a yard short.
California 21, North Carolina 18 The MOBSTERS bet UNC like they knew the final score — and they got the money. UNC nearly pulled off the straight-up win but fumbled at the goal line (of course they did) in the final five minutes. Cal held a narrow 294–287 edge in total yardage and benefited from a +3 turnover margin.
Pittsburgh 30, Syracuse 13 Pitt continues to roll under new starting QB Mason Heintschel. The Panthers held a 260–212 edge in total yardage and capitalized on a +2 turnover margin. It was a strong defensive effort from the Orange, but their offense was stuck in the mud.
Virginia 22, Washington State 20 Virginia moves to 6–1, but Washington State gave another solid Power Four program a big scare. It was tied 20–20 late before Virginia pulled out the win with a safety — college football, bay-bee. Washington State held a 326–301 edge in total yardage and controlled the ball for 34 minutes, but they lost the turnover battle (-2) and gave up the devastating safety in the final minutes.
UConn 38, Boston College 23 Yes, guy — big win for the FIGHTING JIM MORAs. Boston College led 20–17 at the half, but it was all Huskies after the break. UConn held a 455–395 edge in total yardage, and neither team committed a turnover. Legit win, yo. Boston College has now dropped six straight and is officially a DEAD TEAM WALKING.
American
UAB 31, Memphis 24 WHOA, NELLIE! The WAGON known as the Memphis Tigers became another victim of the NEW COACH phenomenon. UAB looked to have the game locked up but had to survive a furious late rally from Memphis. The Tigers had first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with under a minute to play but were stopped cold by the BRICK WALL known as the UAB stop unit. The Blazers held a 470–362 edge in total yardage and dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 35 minutes.
North Texas 55, UTSA 17 The Roadrunners looked good up 7–0 — and then GLUG GLUG GLUG, the game went down the tubes. It was an excellent bounceback performance from North Texas. The Mean Green dominated with a 584–329 edge in total yardage, ripping UTSA for 270 yards on the ground and 314 through the air. They also finished +3 in turnover margin.
Tulane 24, Army 17 Disappointing result for Army, who led 17–10 late in the fourth quarter. Tulane tied the game with two minutes left, and it looked destined for overtime — until it wasn’t. Tulane held a 402–358 edge in total yardage and made the most of their limited possessions. Army executed a solid game plan and controlled the ball for 39 minutes, but ultimately came up short.
USF 48, FAU 13 Another fantastic performance from the Bulls — even if it came against FAU. South Florida dominated with a 522–312 edge in total yardage and cruised to a convincing win. Now they head into a YUUUGE matchup at Memphis next week with serious momentum.
East Carolina 41, Tulsa 27 Tulsa cut the lead to 31–24 early in the fourth quarter, but then the ARRRRR Pirates tacked on 10 points to stretch it to 41–24 — giving -16.5/-17 backers a sigh of relief. That is, until Tulsa booted a meaningless field goal with under two minutes just so they could lose by 14 and sneak in the cover. Nasty BACK DOOR ACTION. East Carolina dominated with a 568–398 yard edge and remains alive in the American Conference hunt.
Temple 49, Charlotte 14 Let them COOK, bay-bee. Temple moves to 4–3 with a blowout win. The final was a bit misleading as Temple had a slight 384-357 yard edge. They won the two middle quarters 42-CACK!
Big 12
TCU 42, Baylor 36 Baylor was chasing all game and simply ran out of time — in a contest delayed due to lightning strikes somewhere in Peru. You can never be too safe. The Bears actually held a 439–427 edge in total yardage but were undone by a -3 turnover margin. TCU made the most of their chances and held on for the win.
BYU 24, Utah 21 The Cougars JUST WIN, BABY — now tied with Cincinnati (!) atop the Big 12 standings. Utah briefly led in the fourth quarter, but BYU responded with a pair of touchdowns to snatch the win. SIMPLE JACK “Analytics” struck again, costing Utah dearly. Three times they went for it in field goal range and failed to convert. “ANALYTICS,” bay-bee. Safe and Effective. Utah held a 470–368 edge in total yardage but finished -2 in turnover margin and earned the SIMPLE JACK COACHING AWARD by a clear margin. Now they’re staring down a potential invite to the Sketchy Taco Truck Bowl against Temple.
Arizona State 26, Texas Tech 22 What a game! Arizona State controlled things nearly wire to wire, leading 19–7 with under five minutes to play — but then looked cooked when Texas Tech rattled off two quick touchdowns to take a 22–19 lead. The Sun Devils responded with a clutch TD drive to retake the lead and had to survive a last-second Hail Mary to seal the win. They held a 394–276 edge in total yardage and got starting QB Sam Leavitt back, who absolutely delivered despite not being 100%.
Cincinnati 49, Oklahoma State 17 Another ugly outing from Oklahoma State. The final score is a bit misleading — Cincinnati held just a 427–377 edge in total yardage and had the ball for only 23 minutes. The Bearcats were buoyed by a 100-yard interception return touchdown and finished +2 in turnover margin, turning key moments into a blowout win.
Houston 31, Arizona 28 Yes, guy — Houston moves to 6–1 after edging Arizona on a last-play field goal. The Cougars had a 28–14 lead entering the final frame, but Arizona battled back gamely. Houston held a narrow 396–381 edge in total yardage. Arizona QB Noah Fifita was nearly flawless, going 24-of-26 for 269 yards and 2 TDs — but the Wildcats still couldn’t GIT R DONE.
UCF 45, West Virginia 13 The Knights led just 14–7 at halftime but absolutely buried the Mountaineers in the second half. UCF racked up a 578–210 edge in total yardage. Starting QB Tayven Jackson was back in action and gave the offense a major boost.
Big Ten
Iowa 25, Penn State 24 Good road effort from the Nittany Lions with a new starting QB and head coach, but they were gashed for too many big plays on the ground. Iowa held a 313–266 edge in total yardage, including a 245–173 advantage on the ground. Penn State went a combined 8-of-20 on third and fourth down, while Iowa was 4-of-10. And yes — more coaching idiocy, courtesy of “Analytics.” That can mean only one thing, yo:
It’s time for our weekly visit to SHAWSHANK PRISON, where we find out which bettors took a makeshift knife, or a “shiv” to the kidneys. This week features another special edition, and this time we celebrate those taking it SHOWER SHIV STYLE on a first half wager.
The Setup Penn State leads 7–3 with under two minutes left in the half. Iowa ML and -2 first half backers are already writing their eulogies. But wait — interception! Then touchdown Iowa! It’s 10–7 with a minute left. Penn State punts. Iowa bettors are suddenly geniuses. First-half wagers are the future. What could possibly go wrong?
The Twist Iowa’s driving. 35 seconds left. Surely they’ll kneel it out. Nope — they push to the Penn State 48. Six seconds left. Worst case? Hail Mary gets knocked down. Iowa bettors cash. But no… they line up for a 66-yard field goal. Because “Analytics,” baby.
The Shiv The kick is blocked. Penn State scoops it. Runs it back. Touchdown. 14–10 Penn State at the half. Iowa first-half backers get the full SHOWER SHIV treatment. Sharp Penn State first half bettors knew it was a LOCK.
Bonus Carnage Iowa -3 full game backers — including our LEAN CLUB — escaped the shower but got taken out in the wood shop by a rusty TABLE SAW. Why? Because Iowa chased points with a failed two-point conversion in the third quarter… and that forced them to try again later. Both attempts failed.
Ohio State 34, Wisconsin 0 Another dominating performance from the Buckeyes, who completely smothered Wisconsin from start to finish. Ohio State racked up a 491–144 edge in total yardage and held the Badgers to just nine first downs.
Oregon 56, Rutgers 10 WOWEE, WOW. Oregon exploded out of the gates, leading 42–3 at halftime and cruising the rest of the way — even without scoring in the fourth quarter. The Ducks piled up an impossibly impossible 750 yards of offense, while Rutgers managed just 202.
Michigan 24, Washington 7 The Huskies hung tough, tied 7–7 near the end of the third quarter — but then Michigan booked a pick-six, and it was lights out from there. The Wolverines held a 417–249 edge in total yardage, and QB Bryce Underwood continues to improve week by week.
Indiana 38, Michigan State 13 Michigan State led 10–7 early, but the Hoosiers flipped the switch and never looked back. Indiana rolled up a 464–367 edge in total yardage. One potential item of worry: Michigan St QBs were 30/38 for 293 yards and a TD.
Notre Dame 34, USC 24 Monster game from the Notre Dame ground attack, which shredded USC’s defense for 306 rushing yards at a blistering 7.0 yards per carry. The Irish held a 442–396 edge in total yardage, dominated the rushing battle 306–68, and finished +2 in turnover margin. The game was looking to fly over the total with ease but only seven points were scored in 4th quarter. That was an OUCHIE for ‘over’ bettors.
Minnesota 24, Nebraska 6 Best game of the year from the Gophers, who dominated on both sides of the ball. Getting RB Darius Taylor back to 100% made a huge difference — he racked up 148 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota held a 339–213 edge in total yardage and absolutely feasted on defense, racking up nine (!) sacks in a suffocating performance.
UCLA 20, Maryland 17 Hard-fought battle from start to finish. Maryland tied the game at 17–17 with just 40 seconds left, but in true college football fashion, UCLA found a way — drilling a last-second field goal to seal the win. The Bruins held a 414–337 edge in total yardage. QB Nico Iamaleava appeared to injure his knee but still led the game-winning drive.
Northwestern 19, Purdue 0 A scrappy, hard-nosed performance from Northwestern, who pitched a shutout against a solid Purdue offense. The Wildcats held a 364–305 edge in total yardage and dominated on the ground, outrushing BOILER UP 232–87.
Conference USA
Liberty 30, New Mexico State 27 YIKES. Liberty looked in control with a 20–6 lead, but New Mexico State stormed back to take a 27–20 lead in the fourth quarter. The Flames responded with a clutch touchdown drive, scoring the game-winner with just 36 seconds left — but still had to survive a late FG attempt to hang on. New Mexico State actually held a 388–293 edge in total yardage and won the rushing battle 146–114.
FIU 25, Western Kentucky 6 WOWEE WOW. The Panthers SHOCK THE WORLD with a convincing road win over Western Kentucky, who had no answer for FIU’s relentless ground attack. FIU rolled up a 453–341 edge in total yardage and racked up 249 rushing yards at a bruising 6.4 yards per carry.
Jacksonville State 38, Delaware 25 Tough loss for the Blue Hens, who outgained Jacksonville State 456–388 and lit it up through the air with 422 passing yards. But the stat sheet didn’t tell the whole story. Delaware finished -2 in turnover margin and couldn’t stop the run, allowing the Gamecocks to roll for 255 rushing yards at 5.1 yards per carry.
UTEP 35, Sam Houston 17 MINER NATION finally gets it done. It was a tight contest deep into the second half, but UTEP pulled away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Miners held a narrow 411–398 edge in total yardage, and the final score was a bit misleading.
MAC
Central Michigan 27, Bowling Green 6 FIRE UP, CHIPS! A solid road win for Central Michigan, though the final score was a bit misleading. Bowling Green actually held a 310–276 edge in total yardage but couldn’t overcome a barrage of mistakes. The Falcons were flagged 15 times and finished -2 in turnover margin.
Miami Ohio 44, Eastern Michigan 30 The RedHawks stay undefeated in MAC play. Miami Ohio held a 454–369 edge in total yardage and absolutely owned the chains — converting a combined 12-of-16 on third and fourth down. That efficiency allowed them to control the clock for a staggering 42 minutes.
Toledo 45, Kent 10 Yawn. Toledo is great against the scrubs of the MAC. Kent led 7–0 early and then it was all Rockets. 552–224 yard advantage.
Buffalo 28, UMass 21 What the What? Buffalo had trouble with UMass much like they did earlier in the year with Kent St. QB Ta’Quan Roberson threw for over 400 yards. 475–306 yard edge for the Bulls, who were (-1) in turnover margin and flagged 11 times.
Ball State 42, Akron 28 Close game until the 4th quarter when Ball State put it away with a pair of touchdowns. Akron held a 419–374 yard advantage but went just 2/12 on 3rd down and were outrushed 216–128.
Ohio 48, Northern Illinois 21 Ohio jumped out to a 14–CACK lead after the first quarter and were never threatened. 538–293 yard edge for Ohio, who racked up a juicy 333 yards on the ground.
Mountain West
Boise State 56, UNLV 31 Impressive win for Boise St as they only had a 28–24 lead at the break but stormed away in the 2nd half. 558–476 yard edge for Boise St and they had 294 rushing yards (8.9 YPC) and 264 yards through the air. 200-yard rushing game for Broncos’ RB Dylan Riley.
Utah State 30, San Jose State 25 Nice bounceback win for the Aggies after getting crushed by Hawaii last week. It could’ve gone either way though, as San Jose St had a 534–461 yard edge and were 9/17 on 3rd down.
Air Force 24, Wyoming 21 The Falcons finally win a close game! NASTY BACK DOOR ACTION for Lean Club and Air Force -4.5 backers as Wyoming scored a TD with a minute left. But to be fair, it was an evenly played game — Wyoming had a 409–363 yard advantage but were (-2) in turnover margin.
Hawaii 31, Colorado State 19 Hawaii is going to a bowl game! They controlled this game from the jump and held a dominant 435–261 yard advantage, maintaining possession for 35 minutes.
New Mexico 24, Nevada 22 Good battle from Nevada and true freshman QB Carter Jones, but they were stopped on downs late in the game looking for the go-ahead score. 348–257 yard edge for New Mexico, who now have four wins and a shot to get to a bowl game.
SEC
Texas A&M 45, Arkansas 42 The Aggies move to 7–0 and win an entertaining shootout. Texas A&M -7.5 backers took it VIKING GULAG STYLE as the Razorbacks scored a TD with 10 seconds left. 527–497 yard edge for WOO PIG and they were competitive with mighty Texas A&M the entire way.
Georgia 43, Ole Miss 35 Wildly entertaining game with two of the best QBs in college football doing some fine work. Georgia’s QB Gunner Stockton was an animal (26/31, 289, 4 TD, rush TD) and the Rebels’ star QB Trinidad Chambliss was great in a tough road spot (263, TD; 42 rush, 2 TD). Ole Miss scored TDs on their first five (!) drives. Georgia outscored Ole Miss 17–CACK in the final frame to strike the comeback win. 510-351 yard edge for mighty Georgia.
Alabama 37, Tennessee 20 ROLL TIDE, buh buh. A 99-yard pick six at the end of the first killed any chance Tennessee had to win that game. Note that the stats were fairly even — Tennessee had a 401–373 yard advantage and won the rushing battle 142–120. Each team had one turnover, but the pick six was a killer.
Vanderbilt 31, LSU 24 The Commodores take down mighty LSU for the first time since the invention of the steam engine and they’re clearly in the mix for a CFP berth. 399–325 yard edge for Vanderbilt, who was 8/16 combined on 3rd and 4th down and held the ball for 36 minutes.
Oklahoma 26, South Carolina 7 Not that it mattered, but more insane play calling from the COCKS — hard to tell if it’s “analytics” or just blatant stupidity. Dominant defensive performance from the Sooners, who had a 319–224 yard edge. The COCKS rushed for 50 yards on the first drive (and of course came up empty thanks to safe and effective “analytics”), and then booked a mere FOUR yards on the ground the rest of the way.
Missouri 23, Auburn 17 (2OT) Big win for MIZZOU and Auburn loses their 4th straight game. HC Hugh Freeze is being given a blindfold and cigarette as we approach press time. Double-OT thriller and Missouri wins the battle of the Tigers. 357-343 yard edge for Auburn and they were +1 in turnover margin.
Texas 16, Kentucky 13 (OT) Texas escapes with their lives, yo. Kentucky sent the game to OT with a last-second FG, but Texas came up with a YUUUGE goal line stand in the extra frame. Your boy Arch Manning struggled at QB for Texas, going 12/27 for 112 yards.
Florida 23, Mississippi State 21 CHOMP CHOMP. Florida looked to have the game iced at 23–14, and then Mississippi State got into FG range down 23–21 late. Of course, why not throw a pass — interception. Game over. Start the cars. Thanks for coming. 468–452 yard edge for Miss State, who were 9/17 combined on 3rd and 4th down. Florida was 4/11.
Sun Belt
Arkansas State 15, South Alabama 14 WHOA, NELLIE. Arkansas State with a ROAD win? They pulled it off with a last-second FG after trailing 14–3 heading into the final frame. The Red Wolves held a 367–293 yard advantage, while South Alabama was flagged 14 times and dropped to 1–6.
Troy 37, ULM 14 The Trojans just keep rolling — that’s four wins in a row, yo. Misleading final though, as ULM actually had a 326–314 yard advantage but were (-4) (!) in turnover margin, which proved costly.
Coastal Carolina 45, Appalachian State 37 What the what? The Chanticleers have turned into a mini JUGGERNAUT and found a way to score 45 points. They ripped apart App State on the ground for 246 yards and have found an identity under new starting QB Samari Collier. Both teams finished with 410 yards and one turnover.
James Madison 63, Old Dominion 27 Imagine. Defense and running the ball still matters. Wild first half — JMU led 28–27 at the break — and then they destroyed the Monarchs to the tune of 35–CACK in the 2nd half. The Dukes dominated with a 624–285 yard edge and won the rushing battle 311–76.
Marshall 40, Texas State 37 (2OT) A wild one. Marshall took the lead with a minute left, but Texas State tied it on a last-second 50-yard FG. The Herd pulled it out in double OT, handing Texas State their third straight Fun Belt loss. Despite putting up 558 yards to Marshall’s 466, Texas State turned it over three times and went 0/3 on 4th down.
Southern Miss 22, Louisiana 10 Stout defensive game from Southern Miss, who move to 3–0 in the BELT. The Golden Eagles held a 370–352 yard edge but lost the rushing battle 217–133.
Georgia Southern 41, Georgia State 24 Very competitive game into the 4th quarter, but the Eagles exploded for 21 points to bag the win and cover. Misleading final, as the Panthers actually won the yardage battle 444–420 but were penalized 15 (!) times and couldn’t sustain their effort for four quarters.
Betting review
Big plays
Georgia -7 (W)
Missouri ML -122 (W)
Leans (small plays)
3-4. A couple of tough losses, but we were fortunate that Texas St went to OT which allowed the ‘over’ to hit.
Same-Game-Parlay
Nothing this week.
ML Underdogs
BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE.
4/5 winners. Multiple winning 3X TICKEE TICKEES and a nice 4X parlay TICKEE TICKEE.
Season Win Total Club
San Diego St is home. North Texas is one win away after beating UTSA. Pitt is playing good football. Air Force got a badly needed win. MTSU needs to pick it up in the 2nd half of the season.
Futures Club
Alabama is looking good in the SEC and continues to look like a title contender. Texas A&M is undefeated in SEC play. James Madison won a big game and look live in the Sun Belt. Navy gets back on the field this week. Utah’s Big 12 hopes took a nosedive after losing to the red hot BYU Cougars.
We’ll see you next time for some Week 9 action!