Let's Play Two on the Thursday Gridiron

Coach Dan Hawkins was able to keep the wolves at bay, at least for one game after 24-0 shutout of Wyoming in last contest. Colorado (1-2 SU & ATS) made changes and played the right opponent in convincing victory. The Buffalos went back to basics, running the ball effectively and altering the defensive schemes that caused less confusion, which was frequently seen, especially in the secondary in losses to Colorado State and Toledo. The challenge becomes much steeper starting with West Virginia, who runs multiple attack, which flustered Colorado defenses to begin with. The Buffs are 5-13 ATS in non-conference matchups against BCS teams.

A familiar pattern is developing with West Virginia (2-1, 1-1 ATS) football under coach Bill Stewart. Except for East Carolina contest last season, the Mountaineers have been in position for victory, in the other four losses since Stewart has taken over in Morgantown. In the recent defeat at Auburn, West Virginia had over 500 total yards of offense and out-gained the Tigers by more than 100 yards, yet committed six turnovers and failed to win or cover in 41-30 defeat. The weaponry is in place with RB Noel Devine and WR Jock Sanders, it’s just quarterback Jarrett Brown who has to make smarter decisions and not throw into traffic. The Mountaineers are a mere 6-10-1 ATS as home favorites of late.

Bookmaker.com has West Virginia as 17-point favorites with a total of 54.5. This doesn’t necessarily place the Mountaineers in perfect position, since they are 4-9 ATS against teams with losing records. However, Colorado should be trusted like Bernie Madoff, with a 2-11 ATS mark as a road underdog.

Colorado won last year in Boulder 17-14 in overtime as three-point favorites and is 9-2 ATS on the road against teams off a SU and ATS loss with a winning percentage of .600 or higher. If the ‘Teers don’t turn the ball over, they should corral the Buffalos, being eminently more talented. Over the last four seasons, West Virginia is 7-1 ATS on home turf facing non-conference foes.

ESPN has the Big 12-Big East battle at 7:45 Eastern.

Not the only game in town

Southern Mississippi (3-1, 1-2 ATS) gave Kansas all they could handle at home before falling 35-28 as 11.5-point road underdogs. The Golden Eagles could well be without running back Damion Fletcher in this Conference USA contest, who is questionable with a groin injury he suffered against the Jayhawks. Quarterback Austin Davis picked up the slack last week, as the offense total 331 yards passing. Southern Miss runs a diversified passing attack, with five different receivers have caught at least 10 passes this season. The Golden Eagles are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games.

After routing Rice 44-24 in season opener, UAB (1-3, SU & ATS) has gone backwards swiftly. Losses to SMU, Troy and Texas A&M have the Blazers trying to regroup. It’s been a collective effort according to coach Neil Callaway, with the offense not in sync and the defense a sieve. UAB surrendered 544 yards to the Aggies, including 236 yards on the ground and they are 5-11 ATS after allowing more than 200 yards rushing.

Southern Miss is a 10-point favorite with a total of 59 and they have outscored UAB 107-21 the last two years. The Blazers should be motivated after the Golden Eagles hung 70 points on them last season and they are 11-4-2 ATS as C-USA home underdogs.

Southern Miss is 6-1 ATS vs. UAB and is 3-0 ATS in Birmingham. This game will likely be decided on the ground. UAB has the No. 1 rushing offense in C-USA with 230.5 yards per game and the Golden Eagles are No. 1 against the run, surrendering just 64.2 yards per contest. CBS College Sports has the broadcast at 8 Eastern.

Memphis and Pac-10 in Focus for Bettor's Tonight

The thought of Arizona State and Washington playing for first place in the Pac-10 with less than two weeks to go in the regular season is as preposterous as Rush Limbaugh liking something the Democrats do. While that will never happen, the Sun Devils and Huskies have a key contest in Seattle that will weigh heavily on the outcome of Pac-10 title. Memphis’ string of C-USA wins only seems like the Harlem Globetrotters winning streak, and they hope not to have water thrown on them by Alabama-Birmingham, who will be trying to end the streak.

Memphis at UAB

Over the last several seasons, Memphis basketball has been known for ultra-talented athletes that can run and score points in bunches. This year’s team may lack the primordial skills of coach John Calipari’s previous teams, yet this squad is proving to be every bit a challenge to beat as his other clubs. The Tigers (24-3, 16-9-1 ATS) are holding opponents to under 38 percent shooting and have held nine different teams to 52 or fewer points this season, in spite of uptempo style. Memphis is 20-10 ATS after nine or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons (7-2 this year). The Tigers stupefying 54-game C-USA winning streak could again be tested at a place where they almost succumbed last year.

UAB (19-8, 12-13-1 ATS) is a dangerous team; they don’t make many mistakes and have known quantities that make winning plays. Robert Vaden has an all-round game, Paul Delaney III is among the conference leaders in shooting percentage from the guard spot and Lawrence Kinnard has been in the top three in C-USA all season in rebounding. The Blazers are 12-0 at home (6-5 ATS) and will want to finish what they started last year, blowing a late lead to lose to Memphis 79-78.

Bookmaker.com has Memphis as 4.5-point favorites and they are 7-1 ATS versus teams with winning records. UAB has lost six straight (1-4-1 ATS) to Memphis, however the home team 6-1 ATS in last seven meetings.

ESPN will have this C-USA conflict at 9 Eastern.

Arizona State at Washington

If the Sun Devils are in an important contest late in the season, most fans and alumni would assume it is baseball game. But coach Herb Sendik grew tired of being unappreciated in the ACC by his former employer and instead has taken over a sleepy basketball program that couldn’t draw many more than 200 students to come watch a game unless their rival Arizona was on the other bench. That has all changed with Arizona State (21-5, 14-8 ATS) nationally ranked and bidding for a Pac-10 title.

Since joining the conference 30 years ago, the Sun Devils have seldom contended for league honors, let alone win a Pac-10 basketball title. Yet seldom have they had a player of sophomore James Harden’s ability. The team is a classic Sendik assembly job, not appearing to work cohesively until they hit the floor. ASU is 7-2-1 ATS facing teams with winning home records.

Washington (20-7, 16-8-1 ATS) is just as unlikely to be in first place this late in the season with a chance to be outright Pac-10 champs. The Huskies were co-champs a couple of times in the mid-1980’s, otherwise the only basketball regular season championship was during the Eisenhower administration (1953), when the league was known as the Pacific Coast Conference.

Senior leadership or experienced upperclassmen is often why ordinary teams exceed expectations and Washington has a pair of hard to beat in bruising Jon Brockman and guard Justin Dentmon. These two warriors have been through it all in Seattle and are relishing their senior seasons with the help of a youngster, freshman Isaiah Thomas who added the extra dimension. The Huskies are 14-1 and 9-4 at home and will have raucous crowd at the venerable B.O.A. Arena, the old Hec Edmonson Pavilion.

Washington is 11-4 in the Pac-10 and is two-point favorite over Arizona State, who is 10-4 in conference and 6-2 SU and ATS in true road games. The Huskies won the earlier meeting in Tempe 84-71 as six point road dogs.

FSN has the tip at 8 Pacific, with the road team 6-1 against the spread.