Starting quarterbacks return to the league’s top six teams so “over” may be the right play in MWC games this season. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with 2007 records, returning starters (RS)—-including kickers--and returning lettermen (RL) in parentheses:
UTAH (9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS, 14 RS, 55 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 63-33
ATS: 50-40-1
HF: 20-20-1
HD: 4-0
AF: 14-14
AD: 11-5
Sportsbook Buster: The Utes are 15-5 ATS the last eight seasons as underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: Utah has covered 12 of its last 13 games in the role of a conference road dog of more than three points.
BYU (11-2 SU, 6-6 ATS, 12 RS, 50 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 60-39
ATS: 49-47-1
HF: 21-18
HD: 3-4
AF: 10-13
AD: 13-9-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Cougars are 11-1 as conference road dogs if they lost their last encounter with that team.
Sports Betting Angle: BYU has covered six of its last seven games with San Diego State.
TCU (8-5 SU, 6-6-1 ATS, 15 RS, 47 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 72-26
ATS: 49-43-4
HF: 23-15
HD: 5-1
AF: 9-16-2
AD: 8-9-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Horned Frogs are 28-16 ATS at home but 17-25-3 ATS on the road the last eight years.
Sports Betting Angle: TCU has covered four in a row against Colorado State.
NEW MEXICO (9-4 SU, 5-7 ATS, 10 RS, 40 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 54-45
ATS: 50-42-2
HF: 15-13
HD: 9-7-1
AF: 5-7
AD: 21-12-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Lobos are 21-12-1 as road underdogs the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: New Mexico is a combined 12-0 ATS in its last dozen trips to Colorado State (5-0), UNLV (4-0) and BYU (3-0).
UNLV (2-10 SU, 5-7 ATS, 14 RS, 53 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 31-63
ATS: 39-52-1
HF: 6-15
HD: 13-8
AF: 5-6
AD: 14-23-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Rebels are just 6-15 as a home favorite since 2000.
Sports Betting Angle: UNLV has covered five of its last six visits to BYU.
WYOMING (5-7 SU, 2-9-1 ATS, 14 RS, 45 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 31-62
ATS: 40-47-2
HF: 7-10-1
HD: 13-9-1
AF: 2-4
AD: 17-23
Sportsbook Buster: The Cowboys are 19-27 ATS on the road the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: The host in the Wyoming–Utah series (it’s Wyoming this year) has covered seven straight games.
AIR FORCE (9-4 SU, 9-3 ATS, 8 RS, 23 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 52-44
ATS: 47-44
HF: 16-16
HD: 5-6
AF: 7-9
AD: 16-11
Sportsbook Buster: The Falcons are 6-1 as conference home underdogs of more than two points.
Sports Betting Angle: Air Force has covered five of its last six against both UNLV and Army.
SAN DIEGO STATE (4-8 SU, 6-5 ATS, 11 RS, 42 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 32-62
ATS: 41-45-2
HF: 8-6
HD: 10-15
AF: 0-4-1
AD: 23-19-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Aztecs are a combined 15-2 ATS versus UNLV (5-1), San Jose State (4-1), Colorado State (3-0) and Wyoming (3-0).
Sports Betting Angle: San Diego State is 8-2 as a non-conference underdog of more than 14 points.
COLORADO STATE (3-9 SU, 5-6 ATS, 12 RS, 34 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 51-47
ATS: 43-50
HF: 13-18
HD: 3-4
AF: 5-11
AD: 15-11
Sportsbook Buster: The Rams are 18-29 as favorites over the past eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Colorado State is a combined 6-2 ATS in its last eight games against Colorado (3-1) and UNLV (3-1).
Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog
This is the ninth installment of an 11-part preview series.
Next: College Football Betting: Analyzing the Mid-American Conference.
