NCAA Football Betting – Indiana Hoosiers at Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-1 SU, 3-1 ATS) will try to rebound from their first loss of the season when they play host to the Indiana Hoosiers (2-2 SU, 1-2 ATS) in a Big Ten game in NCAA college football action that is slated for a Noon ET kickoff at the Metrodome (artificial turf) in Minneapolis.
BetUS NCAA Football Betting Odds: MINNESOTA -7
Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* IND has covered one of its last five road games
* IND has lost four of its last five road games SU
* IND has played four of its last six road games OVER the total
* MINN has won four of its last five games SU
* MINN has lost 11 of its last 15 games SU
* MINN has covered six of the last nine meetings
* MINN has won five of the last seven meetings SU
You have to admire the balance of the Indiana offense, which has produced 205 passing yards and 249 rushing yards per contest. In a sense, it reflects what happened in last year’s encounter with the Gophers, as the Hoosiers piled up 228 rushing and 235 passing. But the air attack has not achieved as well as Kelvin Lewis (4 TDs, 4 INTs) would have liked it to. Part of it is that Lewis hasn’t found a “go-to” guy down the field, the way lanky James Hardy (now with Buffalo) was able to provide last year.
You know what? The defense is balanced as well, as the Hoosiers have yielded 960 yards in the last two games – 460 on the ground and 500 through the air, not to mention 84 points. We’re also not all that pleased with the way Indiana has traveled, as they have failed to cover in their last four road trips. Minnesota has gotten surprising quarterback play (at least surprising to some) out of Adam Weber (70%, 8 TDs, 2 INTs). Duane Bennett is lost for the season, but the Gophers have found freshmen in DeLeon Eskridge (280 yards, 4.3 ypc) and Shady Salamon (5 ypc) to pick up the slack.
Indiana has some injury problems right now. Chris Phillips, a starting cornerback, is out for the year, and both safeties are banged up. The wide receiver position has been hit badly enough that Lewis may actually have to see some action there, with Ben Chappell taking snaps and throwing to him.
We’re somewhat encouraged by the improvement in Minnesota’s attitude, and we think they’re capable of carrying this number against a limping, sieve-like Indiana team right now. So we’ll lay the points with the Gophers, the seven-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college football betting odds.
