College Football Betting Power Rankings/Ratings: Week Eight

Alex Smart: College Football Betting Power Rankings/Ratings Week Eight

Article courtesy of Alex Smart, an Award-Winning Professional Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football this Saturday, be sure to Buy Alex’s Expert Football Picks and Guarantee a Win!

1. Texas Longhorns (6-0 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 4)

Without a doubt, the Longhorns are the top team in the nation in the eyes of football bettors. Last Saturday, Texas came from behind with a huge 25-7 rally to end the game against their rivals from Oklahoma. Their 45-35 victory extended their cover streak to seven games. In that span, they’ve now beaten the spread by a commanding 13.6 points per game.

Next Up: Home vs. Missouri (-6.5)

2. Ball State Cardinals (6-0 ATS, 7-0 SU) (LW: 2)

It wasn’t the greatest effort of the season for the Cardinals, but their college football betting fans won’t mind the fact that they only took out the Hilltoppers 24-7 as 16.5-point favorites. They’re off this week but will continue their hunt to bust the BCS in two weeks against Eastern Michigan.

Next Up: Bye

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 5)

The Cowboys came up with arguably the most impressive victory of the weekend when they knocked off the No. 3 team in the country in Columbia. They’re 7-2 ATS in the L/9 meetings with Baylor, who visits Stillwater next weekend.

Next Up: Home vs. Baylor (-17.5)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (4-1 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 1)

Someone had to lose the “Red River Rivalry,” but the former No. 1 team in the land came up on the short end against Texas 45-35. The Big 12 schedule doesn’t get much easier next week for the Sooners, as Kansas is 20-6 ATS in their L/26 games overall and will have upset on their minds in Norman.

Next Up: Home vs. Kansas (-18)

5. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-1 ATS, 6-1 SU) (LW: 11)

The Gophers took down their sixth victory of the season last weekend in upset fashion, taking care of the Fighting Illini 27-20 as double-digit underdogs, making them bowl eligible already in '08. They’ve now covered the spread in four straight home games.

Next Up: Bye

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-1 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 3)

The Commodores had their chances to win in Starkville last weekend but came up on the short end of the stick 17-14 in a horrendous offensive performance. The tests start to get much tougher for Vandy, as they have to play “Between the Hedges” next weekend. Georgia should have revenge on their minds, as Vanderbilt beat them 24-22 in Athens in their last meeting.

Next Up: Away @ Georgia (+15.5)

7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-0 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 7)

Georgia Tech might be one of the four teams that are still unbeaten ATS, but coming within a missed field goal of going to overtime with Gardner-Webb is a bit much for sports gamblers to digest. The Ramblin’ Wreck returns to ACC play this week against Clemson, a team that has covered the spread against them in seven of their L/10 meetings.

Next Up: Away @ Clemson (-1)

8: Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1-1 ATS, 7-0 SU) (LW: 14)

Wisconsin might be a dominant team in Camp Randall, but the Nittany Lions would have none of it last weekend, crushing the Badgers 48-7. In their four covers this year, Penn State has beaten the spread by a whopping average of 19.5 points.

Next Up: Home vs. Michigan (-23)

9. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-1 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 6)

Tulsa’s offense had another impressive game this week, rolling up 602 yards against SMU, but the defense let them down, allowing the Mustangs to put up 469 of their own. They won 37-31 but didn’t come anywhere near covering the 24-point spread. Expect another shootout this week: When the Golden Hurricane and UTEP met last year, the teams reached 97 points.

Next Up: Home vs. UTEP (-17.5)

10. Northern Illinois Huskies (4-1 ATS, 3-3 SU) (LW: 8)

The Huskies had plenty of chances against the RedHawks but couldn’t ever squeak in front of the 11-point spread the oddsmakers stuck them with. Toledo might be 8-1 ATS in their L/9 meetings with NIU, but they’re just 8-20 ATS in their L/28 games, so it could be another good week for Huskies bettors.

Next Up: Home vs. Toledo (-7)

11. Duke Blue Devils (3-1 ATS, 3-2 SU) (LW: 13)

The Blue Devils jump up a couple spots in the poll due to the carnage around them. They can take one step closer to bowl eligibility by taking out the Canes at home, a team that they have covered in each of the L/2 seasons by an average of 13 points per game.

Next Up: Home vs. Miami (+5.5)

12. Air Force Falcons (4-1 ATS, 4-2 SU) (LW: 17)

Air Force moved to 11-2 ATS in their L/13 games with a huge 28-0 second half to beat the Aztecs by 25. The exact opposite can be said about their next opponent, UNLV, who is just 2-6-1 ATS in their L/9 overall.

Next Up: Away @ UNLV (-5.5)

13. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (5-1 ATS, 3-3 SU) (LW: 19)

The Cajuns broke a streak of eight straight ATS defeats to North Texas by obliterating them 59-30. That makes five straight covers by at least a touchdown for ULL, who will be looking to avenge their 52-21 defeat to Arkansas State in 2007 this week.

Next Up: Home vs. Arkansas State (-4)

14. Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1-1 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 10)

The Red Raiders survived a huge scare against Nebraska, winning 37-31 in overtime, and should get a reprieve this week when they host Texas A&M, who has dropped four straight ATS decisions.

Next Up: Away @ Texas A&M (-20.5)

15. Florida International Golden Panthers (5-1 ATS, 3-3 SU) (LW: 20)

It wasn’t quite to the magnitude of their recent games, but the Golden Panthers handled MTSU 31-21 as 2.5-point favorites over the weekend. They’ve covered two of their L/3 against Troy as they pay a visit to the Trojans this week.

Next Up: Away @ Troy (+8)

16. Southern California Trojans (3-2 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: 9)

It wasn’t the fault of the USC defense that the Trojans couldn’t cover the 29-point spread against Arizona State. They won 28-0 and now get the pleasure of taking on Wazzu next week, a team that has only gotten outscored by an average of 47.5 points per game in Pac-10 play.

Next Up: Away @ Washington State (-42)

17. San Jose State Spartans (4-1 ATS, 4-2 SU) (LW: NR)

San Jose State has come a long way since almost losing to UC-Davis in their first game. They’ve now covered four out of five games and could make it five out of six this week if the betting trends continue. They’ve covered New Mexico State in eight of their L/10 match-ups.

Next Up: Away @ New Mexico State (-3)

18. Boise State Broncos (3-1 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: NR)

Boise State enters the poll for the first time this season after covering Southern Miss with ease. Their 24-7 victory as 10-point favorites marked the third straight cover for the Broncos. They’ve dominated their “Smurf Turf” of late, going 38-16-1 ATS in their L/55 home games.

Next Up: Home vs. Hawaii (-25)

19. Missouri Tigers (3-2 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 12)

Missouri took a huge step in the wrong direction by dropping a surprising decision to Oklahoma State in Columbia. In the blink of an eye, the Tigers could be out of the national title chase entirely, as they travel to No. 1 Texas next week, a team that whupped them 51-20 in their last meeting in 2005.

Next Up: Away @ Texas (+6.5)

20. Troy Trojans (3-1 ATS, 3-2 SU) (LW: NR)

Troy’s loss to Oklahoma State is starting a look a lot more tolerable by the week. Last weekend, they knocked off FAU 30-17 on Tuesday Night Football and improved to 16-5 ATS in their L/21 games. They return to a traditional Saturday game this weekend against FIU.

Next Up: Home vs. Florida International (-8)

21. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-2 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 21)

Alabama enjoyed watching the rest of the Top Five struggle mightily this week as they sat home on bye week. An Ole Miss team that already has covers in Wake Forest and Florida this year comes to town next, though, so expect to see the Tide on upset alert.

Next Up: Home vs. Mississippi (-13.5)

22. California Golden Bears (4-1 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: 23)

Cal was off last weekend but will be looking to jump up in the polls when they travel to Arizona. The Golden Bears are 4-1 both SU and ATS in their L/5 against the Wildcats.

Next Up: Away @ Arizona (-1.5)

23. Texas Christian Horned Frogs (4-2 ATS, 6-1 SU) (LW: 15)

The Horned Frogs had a terrible time against Colorado State over the weekend, only managing to beat the Rams 13-7 even though they were 15.5-point favorites. The No. 1 defense in the land has a huge showdown this week coming up with No. 9 BYU.

Next Up: Home vs. BYU (+3)

24. Florida Gators (4-2 ATS, 6-1 SU) (LW: NR)

The Gators rolled past LSU 51-21 on Saturday night as 6.5-point favorites, moving them back into the Top 10 in the AP Poll and into the Top 25 for football bettors as well. Aside from the loss to Ole Miss a few weeks ago, the Gators have pounded their SEC opponents by a combined score of 129-34 this year.

Next Up: Bye

25. Temple Owls (5-2 ATS, 2-5 SU) (LW: 22)

Early bettors on the Owls may have picked up a victory this weekend, but they came up narrowly short of the 7.5-point spread when they lost 24-14 to Central Michigan over the weekend. Temple is on bye this week, and that’s fantastic news for an offense that ranks 116th in the nation.

Next Up: Bye

Dropped Out: North Carolina (16), Georgia (18), Iowa State (24), Arizona (25)