Hello everyone, and welcome on into the Betting Pros College Football look Ahead Show four Week seven. We're already halfway through the college football season here and I'm Tom Biolan. As always, I'm joined by none other than the God of Thunder himself, Thornstrom, because we are going to be taking a look at his look aheadlines and where he is thinking for some of the biggest games on this week's college football slate. Or I want to extend my
condolences as the show begins here. We were all pulling for Kansas there at the end. They kept it close, ended up with the push against the spread. But you know that's little condolence for for what happened this week against TCU.
Yeah, it's October ninth, and this is the first show that we've done together. We're either Kansas or Syracuse has a loss, so I mean that's a huge win I suppose, and it was a valiant effort for Kansas, so I definitely can't be disappointed at all. And it's good to be with you, Thomas.
That bean kid, I'll tell you he looked good. I credit Kansas for not turtling when they went to their backup quarterback. They stayed aggressive and he made a lot of the plays he needed to.
It's a great point that kid can play. And we'll get to this when we talk about Kansas Oklahoma. But you can't downgrade Kansas a lot if their starting quarterback is out because Jason Bean is a player. That kid can absolutely play.
Well, let's get right in with that game, because Kansas is taking on Oklahoma this week. They are seven point dogs in Oklahoma, and I mean, you know, can't Oklahoma got absolutely bush whacked by Texas this week. Can Kansas do it?
Well? Yeah, I mean yes, They're a live dog. Absolutely. The enormous part of this handicap has to do with the quarterback statuses on both sides. Obviously, is Dylan Gabriel going to play on the Oklahoma Homa side? Is Jalen Dan Only Daniel's going to play on the Kansas side with Gabriel. There's been the thing about Oklahoma used to have the two week mandatory sit out for the concussions
if it was a confirmed concussion diagnosis. I actually don't know under the Venables regime if that's still in place. If it is, like you know, I didn't stay in a holiday express last night. But I'm pretty sure that the Gabriel has a confirmed concussion diagnosis, so you would think that that would mean that he would have to sit out, But again I'm not sure if that protocol is still in place under Venables, so stay tuned on
that one. And then with Daniels, he suffered the injury in their last game when against CCU when he was scrambling around at the right around the sideline and he takes a sack and his right shoulder was driven into the ground, which typically is a pretty ominous injury. Jason Bean, like I was just mentioning, came in and played absolutely awesome. Was dropping dimes everywhere. And that was a case who started earlier in his career at North Texas and was
also a track star as a prep in Texas. Not only does he have a good arm, he is also an awesome athlete. Like I was sort of teasing earlier when we did the intros, I don't think you downgrade Kansas a whole heck of a lot if Daniels is out, if Gabriel is out, like as we've seen, you downgrade Oklahoma quite a bit. Like you downgrade Oklahoma a touchdown or more of if Gabriel is out, if Daniels is out, maybe a point on the Kansas side. So you have to watch that that very closely, just in a vacuum.
My line on that game is Oklahoma minus six point four live right now it's Oklahoma minus seven, So you know, I'm pretty close to the Vegas line, just showing that the smallest amount of value on Kansas. But again, you got to watch that very closely. Another thing I'll say is Oklahoma. I mentioned this last week in some of the episodes that we did, they have perilous depth issues at linebacker. Right now they are down to four active,
healthy scholarship linebackers. That's another thing you have to watch very closely. Regardless of what Kansas is quarterback situation, whether it's gonna be Bean or Daniels, Kansas does all the motion stuff, gets people out moving around motion and and then moves the quarterbacks out, uh, you know on the bootlegs and stuff like that. Uh. They put the opposing linebackers into conflict on every single play and and and
and venables. Uh. Going back to his Clemsed days, ask so much of his linebackers the responsibility because he does all these replacer, uh concepts where in terms of the blitzing and the coverage where where he'll blitz and then he has, uh, you know, ask a different defender to replace that person in in in the the alignment, which again, you know, it asks a lot of the linebackers because you have to, you know, do different things. You have
to put on different hats. Not only are your linebacker and a different play you might ask to be a rusher, you might ask to be you know, you know, have have safety responsibility.
There's a lot of different roles that have to go on here for these linebackers, and they haven't shown so far that they've been able to handle it. How much longer do you think Venables really has especially if Kansas pulls it off and manages to win this game, especially with Jason Bean at quarterback that's own foreign conference play for Oklahoma. I can't imagine Venables is going to be the most popular guy in town much longer.
Yeah. Well, I mean he's he's I mean, he's gonna make it at least through the end of next year. I mean, just because he's he's new, you're gonna give him a little bit of leash. But this is not a good start for Brent Vannaballs, you know, and like when Lincoln left and you hired Venables, there's all the Oklahoma fans being like, oh, you know, who cares that Lincoln left? You know, we upgraded a coach, and those folks are very quiet right now. This has been an
absolutely horrible start for Venables. I would argue right now that Oklahoma might be the second worst team in the Big Twelve, and it I mean, they are moving in on being the worst team in the Big twelve. I think the worst team in the Big Twelve right now is West Virginia and it is becoming arguable between them and West Virginia. Without Dylan Gabriel, Oklahoma probably is the worst team in the Big twelve. This again, the status of Dylan Gabriel is absolutely crucial for this game. If
Dylan Gabriel doesn't play, Kansas is gonna beat Oklahoma. I'm just telling you right now, So you need to watch that status very very closely. Getting the seven points, I mean, like again, watch it closely. You might just want to take it, like, you know, if you can see that out there in the marketplace, because Kansas is live even playing Gabriel, But like, if Gabriel's out that it's a gift getting seven points with Kansas.
Yeah, yeah, I'm tempted to take that line now and then hope because would you say that this line with Gabriel playing should be around seven?
Yes, absolutely, so it's a fair line. Yeah.
So then for me right now, I'm looking to take Kansas and get some action on this game early and then I mean, you don't want to hope that someone's injured, obviously, and these are college kids, we want them to be okay. But if you're gonna take the Kansas, this is probably the best time that you're gonna want to do it. But how about Penn State versus Michigan. It's gonna be a classic Big ten battle here. I personally think Penn
State's a little bit overrated. I don't trust this team ever, and that's probably jading my bias a little bit here. But Michigan is getting just seven points in this game in the Big House, that line feels wrong to me.
Yeah, I mean it feels a little bit short to me too. It was funny. I was watching the Viking game earlier with the Michigan alum and he had asked me what I thought that spread would be, and I was higher when I guessed it, then then it turned out to be So I'm definitely with you on that. Michigan has impressed me quite a bit this year, and and Penn State they've just been you know, they've they've
you know, it's just been kind of man. I mean, like the last and they are coming off of a buy so maybe you know, like there's an idea that they're going to come in rest it or whatever. But like the last time that we saw them, they were beating Northwestern by ten points at home, you know, sort of a thing that the offense isn't terribly explosive, they
can't take the top off of the defense. The rushing attack has gotten marginally better, the running back room has gotten marginally better, the offensive line has gotten marginally better. But it doesn't neither of them scare you, you know, I mean, because I mean where they were coming from was all really really bad. It's just not a team that that terrifies me. And and Michigan is still a playoff contender. So yeah, I mean for me, that play be Michigan or nothing.
Who do you trust over Michigan or Ohio State. I mean, I know it's the classic rivalry there, but is Michigan really at that same level.
Michigan's not at Ohio State's level. For if it was that game on a neutral for me, it would depend on what the line is. But it's not to the degree where I would disqualify Michigan. They're still both at the near levels where they were at recently. And obviously we saw what I mean like, it's how would I put it? Michigan still has the puncher's chance and last time Hassan Haskins knocked out Ohio State, so it's it's it's still that sort of situation where you absolutely wouldn't
discount Michigan and Michigan State. Michigan could absolutely still win.
How about Auburn versus Ole Miss? Here should be an interesting game? Be his Ole Miss is at least the ninth ranked team in the nation right now. Be interesting is not quite the word because Auburn's disappointed this year. But should All Miss be a sixteen point favorite in this SEC showdown?
Yeah, I think that's fair. My line on it is Old Miss minus fifteen, uh and you know, and it being up to six, I think that's a fair tax because of the the Brian Harson thing. You know, every single week, I'm waiting for Auburn to quit on him, and for Auburn then to to fire Brian Harson and and and we'll see when that ends up happening. But
I do think it's fair. And and mister b you know that they've looked pretty good, you know, and you know, you know last week, uh they you know, early on Vanderbilt was playing with him, but then uh, ole Miss turned it on at the end, and then Lane Kiffin the the very humorous thing at the end of that game of very clearly overtly going for the cover and then getting it. Uh you know, I I think I would lean towards ole Miss in that game. And I definitely would not be back in Auburn anytime soon.
Now, how about let's talk about him. We already talked about Oklahoma, but Texas now takes on Iowa State here as fourteen point favorites for the question that we all want to know, is Texas back?
Texas? Texas getting closer and closer to being back for sure, But like last week, you know, I think that in the court of public opinion, they're they're probably going to be inflated a bit because of last week's result. Oklahoma obviously is way down and circumstantially they cut Oklahoma in an all time spot last week without Gabriel, with where the linebacker spot is, and and and some of the
different positions. Like I was I was mentioning before, but you know, they got Texas had gotten back Quinn Viewers, and they were back at full strength. But this Texas team is really good. It's the best incarnation of Texas that we've seen for the past few years. This Texas team is good. Is it back to the you know, the to the degree that it's a playoff contender? I'm not sure about that, but they are pretty good. Quinn Ewers is for real and b Jon Robinson is the
best running back in America. So like, you do have that stuff, and they can play defense as well, like we saw that against Alabama. I'm not gonna say we saw that against Oklahoma because I don't think that Oklahoma offense run by Davis Bevel and whatnot. I don't think they could have scored on u Ellman Roe. But you know, they're back to a reasonable degree. Iowa State they're going to require Texas to play a different kind of a game. Iowa State, They're going they drag every team out into
deep waters. They don't want to play a football game. They want to do a rock fight every every different team that they play, it's a rock fight. Iowa, Iowa plays rock fights with everybody. So but Kansas State was a rock fight every single you know team. So so they're not going to do a shootout with Texas. If Texas thinks they're going to do a shootout with Iowa State, they're gonna be sadly mistaken. This is this is gonna be a low scoring kind of a game, a methodical game.
I would be looking more at the under I think, than than the side of this one. And I think probably Iowa State is more of a live dog than this line is going to be, indicating my numbers would are more bullish on Texas than I would be personally, just because I respect Iowa State more of what I think the game script and the game flow of this
game could be. I think Iowa State has a shot to ambush Texas in this game, particularly for Texas coming off of that exhilarating win over Oklahoma and a week of Texas is back, people pumping their tires off of just annihilating Oklahoma.
Yeah, you're gonna start feeling that hype now, and that's when you can really start a team. And iwa was State like they've done it before. They they've gone into people's houses and been a cyclone before and taking out some of these teams. I think this could be another spot. What do you think?
I think so? Yeah, I mean this is this is the classic Texas letdown spot. It's the classic Iowa State ambush spot. Just sort of the confluence of both lining up. I like, for me, like I think I would be looking to maybe nibble on the Iowa State both the spread and maybe even the money line. I mean, I feel like people are gonna be betting on Texas all week, so I don't even think you need to bet on
Iowa State early. The line's uh Texas mind is fourteen, but like, like I feel like this thing's probably gonna toggle up over that. So you know, for me, I'm gonna be waiting until it gets to fourteen and a half before you know, I look to fire the bullet. But That's what I'm gonna be looking for in that one.
Now, let's talk about some really big games this week, and you know, it doesn't get bigger than this one. Eighteen versus fifteen, you know what I'm talking about. Here, we got syracusan and SEE State going at it in the Loud House, the JMA Wireless Dole, as it has always been known. Where are you going in this one? Because right now Syracuse favored by four and a half
over NC State. I was not expecting this. I feel like there's a lot being considered with the fact that Syracuse had that incredible win over Wagner, which isn't something to often say about an opponent of that caliber. But anytime that you get the other team to say, hey, can we shot the quarters to ten minutes for the
second half, you're doing something right. But NC State, even coming off that that loss to Clemson and then that game against Florida State that didn't quite go how they wanted it to, they're still a good team.
Yeah. Well, I feel like people are gonna look at this and you know, like when when they're looking down the betting card and they're they're gonna see Syracuse favored by you know, four or whatever against NC State an NT State team that's coming off of Syracuse favored by four and a half, and NC State team, a five and one NC State team coming off of a two point win over Florida State, and they're gonna be scratching their heads, like Syracuse favor by four and a half
over NC State. The context that people need to keep in mind not necessarily the Syracuse win over Wagner, but you know, but maybe maybe a little bit. But it's it's more the Devin Leary injured injury for for NC State. In an addition to that, NC State's wide receiver, to Carter, he got injured in the game against Florida State, and and NC State's running back got injured in that game. So NC State is dealing with with several injuries right now.
We're recording this on Sunday night. We'll have to see NC State's injury report in the coming days to see who's in who's out. But that's a team that's dealing with a rash of injuries right now. Want to see on Saturday, like what team they end up trotting out, but that could be a seriously under manned team heading into Syracuse. Syracuse is coming off of a bye. They're in the Wagner game, so basically two buys, so they are fresh as a daisy going up against a team
that is badly beat up and seriously decimated. So it's you're looking at it. You know what was that book tail of two city sort of a thing? Syracuse is in a very very advantageous situation to remain undefeated, which which explains everything you need to know about that line. If both of these teams were at full strength on a neutral field, this line might be totally flipped. But
that is not what this scenario is. It's Syracuse at home in the situation that we discussed, and the line is what it is.
Well, Thor, I'm excited, I'm scared. I'm probably not gonna bet this game because I've already got too much riding on it from an emotional standpoint, But oh man, this would be a sweet one to see. Now. I hate to bring it back up here, but we had to talk about TCU because they're gonna be an interesting one against Oklahoma State. Here they're laying three and a half at home, but Oklahoma State has been good so far
this season. Where are you going in this one? Are you riding with the horn Frogs, or are you thinking that Oklahoma State's gonna get them in this spot after that big game that they just had.
Yeah, you wonder in this one is is TCU? Like when is TCU gonna? Is TCU gonna have a letdown spot? Right? Like? Like TCU just keeps the bar keeps raising for them. It was a team over the summer that I was harping on over and over again that I was extremely high on, and they keep even going over my bar. But again, like is there a letdown spot coming for them? Like last week they go into Lawrence, they they on college game Day, they beat an undefeated team on the road.
You know, now they're coming back home. But like you know, you know a lot of times you'd be like, is this gonna be a letdown spot after you just went in that electric atmosphere? But like you know, I mean, like they haven't had a letdown spot. Yeah, they've had other big wins you know this year and and and haven't had it yet. And then meanwhile for Olklahoma State, I mean they've also been a team that that has had several big wins this year and they've just kept
the momentum going. So so it's it's it's it's another one of these two teams that have just kept building and building and building. Oklahoma State for me, is sort of the opposite tc For me, Uh, TCU is a team that I've been higher on than the market throughout Oklahoma State, I've been wrong about the entire time. So I've been you know, I'm pumping my own tires about my TCU. Take. I got to go to the opposite. I've been wrong about Oklahoma State. Like I thought Oklahoma State
was was was not going to be. I thought they were gonna be way down this year because they had lost so many guys on defense, and I and and I didn't trust Spencer Petross so last year that they were you know, totally led by the foot of their their dominant defense, and they had lost Malcolm Rodriguez and all these different guys on their defense, and I didn't I didn't think that spent Petross could do it. And Spencer Petross has gotten way better. Like like I'm I'm
shocked when I watch Spencer Petross this year. He has actually become like a solid singular quarterback. And and this year that they don't have like Jalen Warren, for instance, on offense, like to you know, to give all the usage to and Spencer Spencer Sanders is doing it. He hadn't even had like uh bray like that, like uh the receiver been been injured and stuff like that, and and and Sanders still doing it. And the defense been a little bit better than than I've thought it was
gonna be. And that's a credit to the coaching staff as well. This one is tough for me because my line is is is pretty close. I actually give the the the slight line value to Oklahoma State, at least where the line is right now. My line in this game is TCU minus one point nine. It's it's a game that I'm gonna be digging into this week, you know, and and and try to gauge short of where both teams heads. A rat but a very interesting game on Saturday afternoon in the Big twelve.
Now, a game that I want to talk about next. It's not two ranked teams, but certainly two brand names here in Florida versus LSU Florida. They're not doing too badly here. They lost to Kentucky and Eastern Washington. Not Eastern Washington. I'm looking at the wrong game. They lost to Kentucky and Tennessee, they beat Eastern Washington, and they're coming off the win against Missou this week here and
going up against LSU and this one. This a couple of years ago, you'd be talking about a potential one to two matchup right here in this game, they're gay, They're laying two and a half points against the Tigers in this spot. And is Florida still good despite the fact that they're obviously not ranked at this point. They've had those two top twenty five losses. They did beat Utah in the first week. What's your opinion on this Gators team.
I'm fading Florida. This is one where I'm sitting dead red on LSU. I think the line is, well, I'll just put it this way. My numbers favorite LSU, and I think in the marketplace, LSU might be favored right now had last week, had the result not been what it was with LSU. They ended up getting smoke lash last week, and it is what it is. I think Tennessee spanked him at home the LSU last forty to thirteen. But I still think that LSU is a solid team
and Florida's result wasn't much more impressive. They barely got by Missouri at home. I don't like that Florida team. I don't most people watch Anthony Richardson in that opener put on the Superman Cape against Utah. He's reverted back to you know what he was previously for the you know ever since then, basically of just being the super duper inconsistent player that has placement issues, decision making issues, I mean like pocket awareness issues that the whole gamut.
He certainly you know, still has the ceiling and everything like that. He certainly flashes, but like again, you still have the vacillation with him. I just don't trust that team. I don't And with LSU, I trust them marginally more, I guess is the way that I would say that I like them a bit more and I think that they match up better in this game, and so I'm gonna take LSU in that one, even though that they're on the road. You know.
Speaking of another team that might be a tad overrated, I'm just surprised. James Madison is the first season at this level and they're already ranked twenty fifth in the nation. That seems just a tad insane to me, they're going up against Georgia Southern is ten and a half point road favorites here. Do you think this line is what it should be or are people just buying into the hype of this team that is, I mean, it's a great story, but are they actually good enough to be a top twenty five team?
That line's didn't played it. My line on that game is James Madison minus seven point two. Georgia Southern's legit, uh, which is crazy for me to say in the first year of of Clay held and they're taking over that triple option roster, but they can actually play. And and speaking to that for a second, they're Chorgia Southern is throwing the ball even more than Mississippi State is, which which is just bizarre. And they're they're they're they're doing
it just as well. But that's that's a story for another time. James Madison is is good. They're really good. They've they've they played awesome and they've played way better than than I than I thought they would. But again, like I think the market now is is taking it a bit too far. And and I think you know, for the sports books, at a certain point you have to start uh uh charging the tax on them because the sportsbooks are starting to get nicked on James Madison.
So you have to you have to start incentivizing people to bet on the other side because you've lost money in some of the recent weeks on the James Madison thing because they're covering every week. So again you have to push people to the other side. I mean, this happens when you have a team that's covering every single week.
But I think that's what explains the discrepancy here. But objectively, you're getting about three points of line value if you want to bet on Georgia Southern for me, that would be the side at be on.
Okay, yeah, I feel like you're completely spot on there with the fact that when you have a team covered by this much, the books are going to go, Okay, we need to we need to reevaluate a little bit and start shading this a little bit the other way because, like you said, they want to get money on the other side. Here. Now, this next game up, we've got Clemson at four now in the rankings, going up against Florida State, who of course is fallen out after that
loss to NC State. Here this number right now is going to be four points in favor of the Tigers. Florida State. Florida State, can they do it?
Probably? Probably not. My line on this game is is Clemson minded six? But at least you give you give Florida State the puncher's chance. We'll have to see. On Brian bresays uh status Clemson stud defensive lineman. He missed another game this past Saturday. Uh, he missed the Boston College game. He's now missed two straight games with his his non football medical. Uh. If you he's a big deal for them. They Clemson has had the upfront injuries.
I think Xavier Thomas came back for Clemson on on Saturday, but they Clemson has had the shuttlings in their front seven that they've had all these different injuries. But that's something to keep an eye on. Brian Brees is one of the he might be the best defensive tackle on America, but if not, he's one of the three or four best. So his injury status is certainly something to keep an eye on, especially against his Florida State team that runs
the ball so well. I mean Mike Norve going back several you know, going back to his Memphis days teams are you know, one of the best rushing coaches in the nation. But speaking to that, the running back for them Ward got injured in the last game, So that's another status thing that you're going to have to keep an eye on in this one. But I think I would lean Clemson in this one. Florida State did not look very good in their last one against NC State,
and then we talked about NC State before. NC State had suffered all of those injuries in that game. And that's an NC State team that looked terrible the week before against Clemson. They had lost by ten in that game, but they NC State had scored the garbage touchdown at the very end, so really it's more like a seventeen point loss and you're like, well, you know that's it
was to Clemson. But I can bake in the context the Clemson was basically playing with their second string defense in that game because they Clemson had ruled out all of these defenders, Like you can go back and look at the you know, like who they played in that game. They'd ruled out all these different starters in that game. So so NC State was basically playing against it you know, a lot, a lot of these second stringers or whatever.
Not an impressive performance by NC State. And and then you know, Florida State then loses to NC State when NC State was you know, had lost you know, Leary and the running back and then the wide receiver two and with down some of these other guys whatever. I think, you know, Clemson, especially if if you know now now they are they have way, they're way healthier than they were back then. I and and now Florida State might be without their running back. I like Clemson in that one.
Now, Kentucky, I mean, we've already talked about a couple of them. It's the basketball blue bloods playing football and playing it well right now. A couple of weeks ago, we were talking about how, oh, look at all these teams Duke, UCLA, Kentucky four, and oh Syracuse obviously, but no one was giving him any credit. But I'm not bitter or anything about that. Now, all of a sudden, Kentucky two straight losses here to Ole miss and the
game Cocks. They go to play Mississippi State now in a battle of twenty two versus sixteen to Kentucky still even be ranked at twenty second after two straight losses like this, and should they be getting six points or should they be getting more at home against Mississippi State in the spot.
Well, it's all of those questions are dependent on is we'll leave it as we will leave us healthy or not? Right like, cause if we'll leave us, if we'll leave us plays we can sell Carolina. They beat South Carolina and then those are all mute. And then if he plays again, you know, against Missippi State, it's it's a different story. And his status, It's like all all that stuff is dependent on that, right, Like if he plays in this game, like I'm taking the what is it
that the six points? But if he doesn't play, I'm laying for sure with Mississippi State, Like Mississippi State is going to beat the heck out of Kentucky if it's that kid Sharona or whoever that Kentucky was playing, will leave us. The difference between will leave us and the backup of Kentucky it's worth double It's legitimately where double
dated points that the backup of Kentucky stinks. And they you know, they were, I mean, like Chris Rodriguez, he was doing his best out there, you know, I mean, like he ran for against South Carolina ran for like one hundred and twenty yards or one hundred and twenty five years. He was still grinding it out, but there was absolutely no threat of the pass. And South Carolina a team that has had terrible trend play on both sides of the ball, they were They still controlled that
game that like the entire way on the road. And Missippi State is a far so period team to South Carolina. So I mean again, this game is highly dependent on will Leavis's status. That's the thing that people need to monitor. If you think that will Leaves is not going to play in this game, you need to bet on miss You need to lay the points and take the value before that that's announced. But if you think that the
leave is gonna play, absolutely take the points. Well, there's still value because when when the news comes out about that, there's gonna be line movement. So if you get information beforehand, take the value now.
Thor you know what my favorite bet of the week is, that's out USC versus Utah. Should Utah win this game, I will bet you any amount of money. Then we will hear the pundits on TV going on a number twenty Utah upsets number seven USC. What a game, blah blah blah. They're gonna call it a big upset, but it's not because Utah is laying four points against the Trojans here. And yeah, the Trojans, they are seventh in the nation right now.
But you look at their.
Schedule, Rice, Stanford, Fresno State, barely squeak by Oregon State, then you had the big win over Arizona State, and then of course they go out they beat Washington State last week third well yesterday, thirty to fourteen. But now they go to play the Utes, and the Utes are laying four in this one as the twentieth ranked team in the nation. I guarantee you if they win this game, they're gonna be calling an upset when it is not. But do you think that the Utes can pull this
one out? Is this line where it should be?
I yeah, I mean they certainly can. They're a team that the profiles decently well against USC. The way that Whittingham has always constituted his defense, it was a direct response to spread offenses. And you know, I mean obviously that's what Lincoln runs. Does that mean that they're going to be, you know, not necessarily but like and then also on offense, they run the the physical doubt hill running game and uh, we'll see how how us he's you know, new Look defense, how it deals with that.
I would have been concerned if tav On Thomas, the Utah running the you know, the the big physical downhill running back of Utah, if he wasn't playing in this game. But even though he was questionable, and even up to kickoff, there was these questions, Uh, when they were playing U C l A on Saturday, is tab On Thomas going to play? Which I didn't even know that he you know, he was, he was questionable before that game, but then he ended up playing, so you know, I guess that
he's you know, he's fine. So he is going to pose a problem for for U S defense. Utah is going to ride him. Uh there, So I mean, does Utah absolutely they got a shot. This is it's you know, there's the the UFC saying of styles make fights. This is a fascinating stylistic fight. You have the the you know, the the the the the burly brawler type in in Utah against your more stylish kind of fighter in in
in Usc. This is for me that this is a handicap I'm gonna get into all week because I don't I don't think this is one you gotta bet early in the week right now that there's no value on this line at all. My adjusted number on this one right now is Utah minus four point three line right now in the market is Utah minus four. It's it's right there. So but yeah, it's it's one to dig
in for the week. But yeah, I mean, either of these two teams could could win, and it's again, uh, totally opposite strategies, and it's gonna be one of those two opposing forces, uh locking horns on Saturday.
Now, the last game that we want to talk about here, the biggest one of the week, well second biggest mind syracusancy State. But you know who's counting Alabama against Tennessee. I haven't seen the balls ranked sixth in a long time, my friend, But here we are in this one, and Bama did not look great last week, and they dropped all the way down to three. They're getting, they're getting, They're laying seven and a half points going into Tennessee here.
I mean it's three versus six. But is Tennessee really all that good? Is Tennessee living up to the hype here this season? For you? Are they where they should be? They've got the wins over Ball State, pitt Akron, Florida, and LSU, neither of which are now ranked. I don't know. This resume isn't jumping off the page to me? Should they be six there? Should they be getting more than seven and a half against Bama?
Tennessee's good. Tennessee's good for sure. The the win against LSU, you know in Baton rouge by was it twenty seven? That was the one for me? That was like the way like the alarm bell one of like this team is legit. The game against Alabama. You know, we talked about a couple of games this week where it comes down to a player status. This is probably the biggest one.
Yeah, yeah Young?
Is Bryce Young gonna play if if this whole game comes down to that, if Tennessee gets Jalen Milrow, uh, I might even favorite Tennessee like ol right right, but if they're playing Bryce Young, this line should be Alabama by double digits. And and and what I think that Vegas has done with this line, It's essentially split the baby, right, like you know, installing Alabama as seven and a half
point favorites at Tennessee. Right if if if if they if Alabama comes out and says Bryce Young playing, I think you're gonna see this line tick up to Alabama minus ten and a half or eleven, maybe even a little bit above real quick. But if he's ruled out, it gonna drop real quick. So I mean, like, that's what I think has happened here is is you're dropping it right in the middle until we see Nick Saban ain't gonna tell anybody. He played some games with Jimbo
last week, which I loved with just chef's kiss. He didn't say anything all week, and then game time was just absolutely fabulous. Didn't say anything. I didn't. I didn't think there was any chance that that Bryce Young was gonna play. He has an ac joint sprain of his throwing shoulder. Quin Hears has an ac joint sprain of his non throwing shoulder, and he's out for three weeks. So it's like they're no shot to Bryce Young gonna
play the next week. And then they announced Bryce Young as the starter on the PA system thirty minutes before at the game, I get in all these text messages and I'm like, no way, no way, no way, and and you know it's crazy. And then of course Milroe then you know, actually trots out with the starters like when you know they take their first snap. Just epic trolling by by Nick Saban. But we'll see in this one. We we don't know, we we we have we have
absolutely no idea. And ac joint spring is not something that categorically takes you out. It's a pain threshold injury that you theoretically can play through, uh through a combination of again pain tolerance dash uh taking uh one of them shots, you know, sort of a thing. It's it's both your biology and then also you know if if you take something that can mitigate the pain, et cetera, it's it's we'll see, you know, I mean, he got
what five more six more days to see. But whether Bryce Young is playing is going to go a long way towards towards this handicap and also the result of the game. But right now, with where that line is, it is very clear that the sports books are splitting the baby. You need to monitor Bryce young status. But right now, with where that is, this is a very fair line that has been put out there.
That play called by Jimbo Fisher at the end of the game final plays one of the worst things. They didn't even to the episode.
So dumb. So you have a shot, You have a shot, man, yet you didn't take it. Yeah, you you actually had a shot to win that game. You actually had a shot. And yeah. Oh man, yeah, I mean I'm not an a and M fan. I don't care.
Yeah, it's always nice to see Bamba go down.
Well yeah, I mean, I mean, I don't care either way. But but it's like, uh, just for the sport of football. You're like, man, I mean, why aren't you trying to win? Man, Like, don't you at least put the ball in the end zone at least give yourself the best shot of it. Like it's it's just one of those where you're just like frustrated for fairness.
You know, it was more frustrating than the Thursday Night Football Russell Wilson absolutely horrible fourth down play on the goal line there. But it is what it is, and we're onto the next week here and that is going to do it for us, ladies and gentlemen. Those the biggest games of the week thor thank you so much
for your thoughts as always. Of course, if people want to find you and what you're doing around the internet and what you're doing for college football for Betting Pros for the rest of the week, they can head onto your Twitter at thor ku you're gonna be posting there all the time. One of the best cats. Seriously, guys, give him a follow. You don't want to miss it. And of course this Wednesday night, the podcast is gonna drop with you and Scott Bogman, where you guys are
detailing the weekend ahead. We got a more clear picture of the lines at this point. And of course Saturday morning, right and early seven am Pacific time ten am Eastern, you guys are breaking down the day's slate of games, making sure that everybody has exactly what they need to
get through the weekend ahead. It was another great show this week with Mike Farrell and you can look forward to another one next week on the Betting Pros YouTube page, and don't forget to follow Betting Pros at Betting Pros on Twitter and thor Thanks again so much for being with us here, guys. Best of luck this week and let's catch some tickets.
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