NCAA Week 6 Betting – Texas A&M at Oklahoma State
The Aggies of Texas A&M (2-2 SU, 1-3 ATS) are going through some problems right now. They will try to rectify some of those on Saturday when they take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) in a Big 12 hookup that is scheduled to kick off at 7:05 PM ET at Boone Pickens Stadium (artificial turf) in Stillwater, OK.
Saturday, October 4
BetUS NCAA Betting Odds: OKLAHOMA STATE -25
Here are some of the NCAA football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* A&M has covered one of its last five games
* A&M has lost six of its last nine games SU
* A&M has covered eight of its last 12 road games
* A&M Has lost five of its last seven road games SU
* A&M has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total
* OSU has won its last five games SU
* OSU has won four of its last five home games SU
Also….
* A&M has won ten of the last 12 meetings SU
* Four of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total
* A&M has covered four of the last six meetings as the road team
* A&M has won five of the last six meetings SU as the road team
Jerrod Johnson will get the start at quarterback for the Aggies in this one, in place of Stephen McGee, who is out with a shoulder injury. Johnson is nursing a sore shoulder as well, but the 6’6″ junior offers some hope in that he has already tossed seven TD passes in 61 throws, including three each against New Mexico and Miami. He was limited to throwing short passes against Army, a game in which the Aggies barely escaped with a 21-17 win. I guess the short passing game is just fine with coach Mike Sherman, but Sherman may have been mishandling the running game. Jorvorskie Lane, the big back who can really soften up an opposing defensive line, is being used as a blocking back to the extent he is used at all, and Mike Goodson isn’t even averaging four yards a carry.
We thought Troy might have been able to trade points for a while with Oklahoma State last week, but obviously that was not the case. Zac Robinson, a 71% passer, was 16 for 21 against the Trojans, spearheading an attack that produced 612 total yards.
You don’t get very far when you’re allowing 228 yards a game and over five yards a carry, as the Aggies are. And that is especially the case when OSU ranks #1 in rushing offense, with THREE backs with over 250 yards, including national leader Kendall Hunter (618 yards, 6.8 ypc). In the last three games, 1187 yards on the ground – they have the potential to play keepaway with the Aggies all day long. Don’t underestimate the possible impact of OSU’s special teams either.
Yet with all this, we worry about the Cowboys’ ability to cover this big number. Washington State, a non-entity offensively, managed to stay “wthin” 26 points, and Houston, which gave up 699 yards, lost by “just” 19. Yes, there is a revenge motive for OSU, as A&M has won the last two by a single point – Cowboys blew an 18-point lead last year – but the Aggies do get up for this matchup. And if Johnson not banged up too badly, he can produce enough for a “back door” cover. We’ll grab 25 points with Texas A&M, the favorite in the BetUS NCAA college football betting odds.
