NCAAF: FLORIDA BIG CHALK OVER SOUTH CAROLINA
It’s always big news when former Florida coach Steve Spurrier returns to Gainesville, but it’s even more so this week.
The Gators are ranked 4th in the BCS Standings and they don’t want their season ruined by Spurrier and South Carolina when they host them as 21-point favorites. This is just one of the Week 12 early lines you can find at Sportsbook.com so check out all the odds and get your bets in before the lines move.
Florida has three regular season games left before they meet Alabama in the SEC title game. If the Gators win out, they will likely be in the national title game.
South Carolina has moved up to #25 in the BCS after winning six of their last seven games. They covered the first two meetings against Florida with Spurrier at the helm (winning one) but were blown out last year 51-31. It doesn’t get much easier against a Gators team that is 5-0 straight up and ATS since October.
Top-ranked Alabama is coming off an emotional overtime win at LSU, as coach Nick Saban almost saw his season ruined by his old club. Now, the Tide has to refocus their energy quickly as they try to cover a 19-point spread at home over Mississippi State. Note that MSU has beaten Alabama the last two years straight-up as underdogs.
Texas Tech remains #2 in the country after a very convincing 56-20 win over Okalahoma State. The Red Raiders have a bye-week before facing BCS #5 Oklahoma on November 22nd in the latest ‘Game of the Year’. The Sooners also have a bye week as they begin their preparation early.
Texas is ranked #3 in the BCS after Penn State bit the dust at Iowa, and they need to make a statement at Kansas at 13-point favorites. Note that Texas is 0-3 against the spread the last three weeks while Kansas is 1-2 ATS.
USC is ranked 6th in the BCS but it looks like they could find themselves on the outside looking in at a national title berth even if they win their last three games. The Trojans are 22 ½-point road chalk and they’ve alternated covers and non-covers for the last eight games. If this trend holds true, they will cover the spread against Stanford.
The Florida State Seminoles are tied in the ACC Atlantic division with Wake Forest, and Maryland is just a half-game behind. Florida State hosts Boston College in a night game on ABC. BC has only covered one game in the conference out of five, and they hope to have better luck this week as seven-point underdogs.
The Thursday night game is a good one with Virginia Tech (+4) playing at Miami with both teams tied with North Carolina atop the ACC Coastal division. The Hurricanes are coming on strong down the stretch with four straight wins and three straight ATS.
