Big 12 Report – Week 1

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

Florida Atlantic at Oklahoma (FOX, 12:00 p.m.)
The Lane Train rolls into Norman looking to shock the world and put FAU further on the map. While hope might spring eternal in Boca Raton, Fla., as the team is favored to win Conference USA for a second consecutive season while doing it with a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in RB Devin Singletary, the Sooners are not North Texas. Or Akron. Vegas understands it all, as Oklahoma is favored by three touchdowns. FAU also enters this game with only one win in school history against a Power 5 team, and that came back on Sept. 15, 2007 in a victory against Minnesota in front of 10,759 fans in what is now Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. While the Owls are 26-12 ATS in their past 38 road games, they're 0-8 ATS in the past eight against Big 12 clubs. Oklahoma has covered four of their past five out of conference, 11-2 ATS in the past 13 at home and 5-2 ATS in their past seven vs. C-USA schools. As far as the total, the over is 4-1 in FAU's past five on the road, but 4-1 in their past five non-conference tilts. The over is 5-2 in Oklahoma's past seven outside of the Big 12.

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md. (FOX Sports 1, 12:00 p.m.)
Texas and Maryland met in Austin last season and the Terrapins stunned the Longhorns by a 51-41 count, and there was doom and gloom surrounding head coahc Tom Herman for the first month of the season before getting on track. After failing to cover, or even win, as 18-point favorites, Texas rattled off a 6-0-1 ATS run. Maryland won their first two games of the season, averaging 57.0 points per game (PPG). It was all downhill from there, as they ended up 4-8 SU and 5-7 ATS. Texas has fared well in neutral-site battles, going 4-0 ATS in their past four. However, while they're 6-2 ATS in their past eight non-conference games, and 5-2 ATS in the past seven in September, the Longhorns are a dismal 0-4 ATS in their past four against the Big Ten. The Terps have managed a poor 1-4 ATS mark across the past five neutral-site battles, and they finished 2-6 ATS in the final eight of 2017. The under is 12-1 in the past 13 games on grass for Texas, and 4-1 in their past five neutral-site affairs, but the over is 4-0 in Maryland's past four neutral-site contests and 7-2 in their final nine of 2017.

Mississippi vs. Texas Tech at Houston, Tex. (ESPN, 12:00 p.m.)
In another neutral-site battle, it's SEC vs. Big 12 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Ole Miss opened as a one-point favorite, but Texas Tech is now up to being a favorite by 2 1/2 points as of Wednesday morning. The Rebels haven't had a lot of success in recent seasons outside of the conference, going 1-4 ATS in the past five. However, the Rebels are an impressive 7-2-1 ATS in the past 10 neutral-site battles. The Red Raiders have posted a 4-1 ATS mark in their past five non-conference affairs, while posting a 20-6-1 ATS mark in their past 27 battles in the month of September. The under has also hit in four of the past five for the Rebels on a neutral-site field, but the over is 5-1 in their past six non-conference battles. The over has cashed in 16 of the past 21 neutral-site games for Texas Tech while going 20-9 in the past 29 outside of the Big 12.

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C. (CBS, 3:30 p.m.)
The Volunteers and Mountaineers will tangle at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, and it will be a mixed crowd. Knoxville is a rather quick jaunt on I-40 and down I-77, while Morgantown is just a handful of hours to the north via I-79 and I-77, and the 600 toll booths on the West Virginia Turnpike. There has been a lot of gamesmanship by the head coaches as far as the depth chart is concerned heading into this game. Head coach Dana Holgorsen looks to build on a seven-win campaign against a Vols squad which lost a school-record eight games in 2017. There is hope with QB Jarrett Guarantano, who went 4-2 as a started down the stretch. Speaking of QBs, Will Grier is an early Heisman hopeful for Holgorsen's bunch, and the Mountaineers have four offensive line starters back to protect him. The good news for Tennessee is that they have won nine consecutive season openers. The bad news is they are 6-34 across their past 40 against ranked teams since the start of the 2010 season. Tennessee enters with a 6-1 ATS mark over their past seven neutral-site battles, while West Virginia is just 3-13 ATS in the past 16 neutral-site tilts and 2-5 ATS in the past seven out of conference.

Other Games
Missouri State at Oklahoma State (Thu. - FOX Sports 1, 8:00 p.m.)
Southern at Texas Christian (No national TV - 12:00 p.m.)
Nicholls at Kansas (ESPN+, 7:00 p.m.)
South Dakota at Kansas State (ESPN3, 7:00 p.m.)
Abilene Christian at Baylor (No national TV - 8:00 p.m.)
South Dakota State at Iowa State (No national TV - 8:00 p.m.)

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