Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Friday 10/12/18
South Florida Bulls vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 9th October 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 10/09/2018
South Florida hopes to celebrate its return to the national rankings by improving to 6-0 for the second straight season when it visits Tulsa for an American Athletic Conference matchup Friday night. The 23rd-ranked Bulls registered 574 yards in the 58-42 victory at Massachusetts last weekend to remain one of 11 unbeaten teams in the nation, and they dive into the meat of the league schedule for the next seven weeks.
"The next seven games are conference games, so they all count. ... ," USF coach Charlie Strong told reporters. "We've got to be at our best and we've got to play well. We've got to play with effort, we've got to execute and we've got to come out and play with passion." Strong said the Bulls must win the battle at the line of scrimmage to allow junior running back Jordan Cronkrite to have another big game and nullify an experienced offensive line for Tulsa, which includes three seniors with 113 starts between them. The Golden Hurricane have dropped four straight games, but lost to No. 14 Texas by only seven and held a nine-point lead on Houston with 13:10 to go last Thursday before giving up the last 24 points in a 41-26 setback. "That was a pretty tough one to swallow," Freshman quarterback Seth Boomer told the Tulsa World after shining in his first career start against the Cougars. "I felt like we were the better team through three quarters, but we didn't finish the game. We're taking steps, but I'm tired of taking steps. We just have to win ball games. We're going to. I can promise that."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: USF -7.5
ABOUT USF (5-0, 1-0 AAC): Cronkrite, a transfer from Florida, has strung together three straight 100-yard rushing performances after setting a school and conference record with 302 against UMass. "You watch him play and you really see that burst. When he hits that burst, then he takes off. ... it's hard for guys to catch him," Strong told reporters of Cronkrite. "He has outstanding speed, runs behind pads, can run through tacklers, and does a really good job protecting the football." Quarterback Blake Barnett has completed 65.1 percent of his passes and boasts four receivers with at least 216 yards through the air, led by freshman Randall St. Felix (21 catches, 351 yards, touchdown) and senior Tyre McCants (26, 300, two TDs).
ABOUT TULSA (1-4, 0-2): Boomer got a chance to start with sophomore Luke Skipper (four TDs, six interceptions) injured and completed 13-of-31 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Golden Hurricane coach Philip Montgomery told reporters Boomer will be better in his second game after facing a tough Houston defense and there is a solid ground attack to depend on that features Corey Taylor II (411 yards, four TDs) and fellow sophomore Shamari Brooks (375, four TDs), but they are day-to-day with ankle injuries. Tulsa's defense is ranked 15th in the nation against the pass (173.4 yards) and junior linebacker Cooper Edmiston (team-high three interceptions, 42 tackles) has led the way.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Tulsa senior WR Justin Hobbs leads the team with 19 receptions and has 156 for 2,322 yards in his career.
2. USF's Josh Black leads the Bulls with four sacks and fellow senior LB Khalid McGee owns a team-high 45 tackles.
3. The Bulls have won both previous meetings, including 27-20 at home last season.
PREDICTION: USF 31, Tulsa 21
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San Diego State Aztecs vs. Air Force Falcons Preview and Predictions in NCAAF
NCAAF Previews 9th October 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 10/09/2018
Both the San Diego State Aztecs and Air Force Falcons are coming off big victories last weekend, and in the case of each of them, there is always the danger of some kind of let down.
Historically, the Aztecs have had some success dealing with Air Force's offensive scheme, and they have proven themselves to be equal to the task of slowing down ground attacks, as they hold a lofty place in the NCAA's statistical rankings.
These teams will meet up on Friday night at SDCCU Stadium in San Diego.
TV: CBS Sports Network, 9 PM ET. LINE: San Diego State -10
ABOUT AIR FORCE: Coming off consecutive losses to Florida Atlantic, Utah State and Nevada (which was a home game), we're not sure where the expectations really were as Air Force (2-3 SU, 3-1-1 ATS) played host to Navy in their first leg of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy series. They were slight underdogs at home and indeed spotted Navy an early touchdown. But they gave the Midshipmen nothing else the rest of the way. In what was a stunning performance in just about every phase, Air Force ran off 35 unanswered points and had 399 total yards (including 142 through the air), and took a Navy team that had been averaging 356 rushing yards and held them to 178 TOTAL yards. They got big stops from Brody Bagnall, who had 13 tackles on the afternoon. Head coach Troy Calhoun is a 1989 graduate of the academy, and he will be going after his 50th Mountain West Conference victory. The only other coach with that many is San Diego State's Rocky Long (86).
ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE: Competing on the Blue Carpet is never an easy task, but the Aztecs (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS) went up there and took control, limiting Boise State to just 229 total yards in a 19-13 victory. The Broncos have not scored so few points at home in over six years. Quarterback Ryan Agnew only had 107 passing yards, but the coaching staff did take note that he was at least trying to throw the ball downfield little more. On defense, Kyahva Tezino was all over the field, with nine tackles. Currently, he has the second-most quarterback pressures of any linebacker in the country. SDSU head coach Rocky Long always seems to have some success dealing with the Air Force option; he has beaten the Falcons eleven times, which is more than anyone else currently active. And San Diego State has seven straight victories in the ongoing series. They have won 33 consecutive games when they have held their opponents to 24 points or less. And right now they are second in the nation in Rushing Defense, allowing a shade below 62 yards per game (also just two yards per carry).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Last year's game, which took place in Colorado Springs, was delayed for an hour and 28 minutes because of bad weather, and as a result, they did not have a halftime break. San Diego State, led by future first-round draft pick Rashaad Penny, won the game 28-24.
2. Air Force, like San Diego State, is very tough against the run, ranking #13 in the nation, allowing just 104.6 yards per game.
3. Blane Morgan, the quarterback coach for San Diego State, is a 1999 graduate of Air Force and served as an assistant there for 12 seasons.
PREDICTION: San Diego State 28, Air Force 14
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Arizona Wildcats vs. Utah Utes Preview and Predictions
NCAAF Previews 9th October 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 10/09/2018
After opening Pac-12 Conference play with back-to-back losses to Washington and Washington State, Utah showed it still will be a factor in the South Division race by rebounding for an impressive 40-21 road upset of Stanford last week. Just how big a factor the Utes are will be determined by a two-game homestand that begins Friday night against Arizona.
The Wildcats (3-3, 2-1) are one of three teams ahead of Utah (3-2, 1-2) in the South Division. Another is USC (3-2, 2-1), which hosts first place Colorado (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday night and then visits Salt Lake City the following weekend. Utah also has a road date with the Buffaloes remaining on Nov. 17 so the Utes still control their own destiny when it comes to trying to earn a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Nov. 30 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. "It is a big positive that we can build off," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said of the 40-21 victory over the Cardinal. "Not only with the production but with the energy, the passion and the juice that they played with." Meanwhile, Arizona has bounced back from an 0-2 start to win three of its last four games including a 24-17 home win over Cal last Saturday.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Utah -13.5
ABOUT ARIZONA (3-3, 2-1 Pac-12): The spotlight was on quarterback Khalil Tate and his chances of winning a Heisman Trophy entering the season, but it has been the Wildcat defense, led by sophomore linebackers Colin Schooler (66 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss) and Tony Fields II (45 tackles) that has opened eyes in Kevin Sumlin's first year in Tucson. Arizona has allowed an average of 18.3 points in its first three conference games and returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the 24-17 victory over Cal. Tate, hobbled by an ankle injury and a new offense that stresses passing from the pocket, has rushed for only 109 yards and two touchdowns on 44 attempts but has thrown for 11 touchdowns while explosive sophomore tailback J.J. Taylor is averaging an even 100 yards per game and has scored four touchdowns.
ABOUT UTAH (3-2, 1-2): The Utes lead the Pac-12 in total defense (296.4 yards per game), rushing defense (75.4) and pass efficiency defense (109.22) and are second in scoring defense, allowing an average of 17.2 points per game. Sophomore cornerback Jaylon Johnson was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and leads the secondary with 20 tackles while a stout front seven is led by senior linebacker Chase Hansen (10 tackles for loss) and junior defensive end Bradlee Anae (four sacks). Junior running back Zack Moss, who rushed for 160 yards and two TDs at Stanford, and junior quarterback Tyler Huntley, who completed 17-of-21 passes for 199 yards and a TD against the Cardinal and has 10 career completions of 40-or-more yards, lead a Ute offense that ranks ninth in the Pac-12 in scoring (25.8).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Utah PK Matt Gay, the reigning Lou Groza Award winner and a consensus All-American, was the Pac-12's Special Teams Player of the Week after going 4-for-4 on field goals (49, 48, 37 and 34 yards) at Stanford
2. Arizona's defense has forced seven turnovers in its last two games after creating just one in the first four games.
3. Moss has scored a touchdown in seven straight games, dating back to the 2017 regular season finale against Colorado.
PREDICTION: Utah 34, Arizona 17
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