Football Betting: NFL/NCAAF Weekend Top Game Preview and Analysis
by Bodog Sportsbook | Oct 15 2009
Every dog has his day - at least in the FBS. The
college football betting trends going into Week 7 show the underdogs at 170-153-3, just enough to pay for the vigorish and make a profit at 52.6 percent. Over in the pros, it's the favorites getting off to a fast start at 42-33-1 (56 percent) heading into Week 6 of the NFL season. Suffice to say the bad teams are really, really bad this year.
We've got one of the league's sitting ducks in our crosshairs for this weekend's betting preview. But there's nothing but pure beef in two of the hottest college rivalry games of the season. All times are Eastern; for the latest lines, be sure to check out Bodog Sports.
Saturday: No. 20 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas (12:00 p.m., ABC)
The Red River Rivalry (né Shootout) started in 1900, seven years before Oklahoma was even a state. The Longhorns are 58-40-5 SU since then; they've also covered the last four meetings, and they're 4-point favorites (-105) for Saturday. QB Sam Bradford appears healthy for the Sooners (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) after making his return from a shoulder injury in last week's win over Baylor. Texas (5-0 SU, 1-4 ATS) slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the polls after struggling to beat Colorado last week. Both offenses are operating at less than an elite level, but the ‘Horns have one of the best defenses in the league and superior special teams as well. We've got live online football betting loaded up for every play at the Cotton Bowl.
Saturday: No. 6 USC at No. 25 Notre Dame (3:30 p.m., NBC)
We'll also have live betting up and running for this must-see game in South Bend, where the Fighting Irish (4-1 SU, 1-4 ATS) find themselves getting 10 points at –115 vig against the Trojans (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS). USC has owned this rivalry of late at 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS. The Trojans defense is tops in the FBS according to efficiency, while the Irish and their Heisman candidate Jimmy Clausen (12 TDs, two INTs) are No. 2 in offense. The rest of the game favors USC on paper, but the Trojans are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as road faves.
Sunday: N.Y. Giants at New Orleans (1:00 p.m., FOX)
The best matchup on Sunday's board has the undefeated Giants (5-0 SU, 4-0-1 ATS) taking on the undefeated Saints (4-0 SU and ATS) at the Superdome. New Orleans is coming off the bye week and laying three points (-120) with a total of 47.5. The Giants played last week, but QB Eli Manning was able to rest his sore heel for the second half of a 44-7 blowout of the Oakland Raiders (+15.5). Manning and Drew Brees were the starting QBs when the clubs last met in 2006, with New Orleans prevailing 30-7 as 3-point road dogs.
Sunday: Tennessee at New England (4:15 p.m., CBS)
The Titans might have to change their name to the Titanics. They're 0-5 (1-4 ATS) and in big danger of hitting 0-6 after they play the Patriots (3-2 SU, 2-3 ATS) in Foxborough. New England lost in overtime last week at Denver (+3), but the Broncos have proven themselves to be a quality team. The Pats are still good enough and popular enough to be laying 9.5 points (–105) at home with a total of 43.5. Neither team's defense is as good as year's past, especially Tennessee's at No. 23 in the league efficiency rankings.
Sunday: Chicago at Atlanta (8:20 p.m., NBC)
The Sunday Night Football matchup isn't as marquee as we're used to, but these are two solid teams with plenty of upside. The Bears (3-1 SU and ATS) have won three in a row since falling flat on their face against Green Bay in Week 1. The Falcons (3-1 SU and ATS) came back strong from their loss to the Patriots, flattening San Francisco (–1) 45-10 last week. The Falcons are 3.5-point home faves (+105) with a total of 45.5; they won last year's meeting 22-20 as 2-point puppies, also at home, when Kyle Orton was still Chicago's quarterback. Jay Cutler has seven TD throws and one INT over the past three weeks.
For all the latest
NFL lines, check out the Bodog
Sportsbook!
