We’ve all seen it time and time again. A ranked team an underdog to an unranked team, usually on the road. It isn't actually this way, but it feels like at least 90 percent of the time, the favored unranked team ends up on top, sometimes by a really comfortable margin.
Clearly, live bettors should know that the Arizona State Sun Devils are on "upset alert" even though they are underdogs against the Texas A&M Aggies in Houston on Saturday night.
WHEN THE TEXAS A&M AGGIES HAVE THE BALL
Kyle Allen is going to be a stud for the Aggies. He might not quite be Johnny Manziel, but the talent is there for him to do some special things now as a sophomore after just breaking the ice in 2014.
The concern from a live betting standpoint is that A&M isn't going to be that balanced. Kevin Sumlin's teams usually are more pass-oriented anyway, but there has to be a semblance of balance here with Tra Carson and Brandon Williams at the tailback spots. Keep in mind too, that the Aggies have lost two left tackles to the Top 10 in the NFL Draft over the course of the last three seasons, and their offensive line really hurt last year as a result, allowing 27 sacks.
The battle in the A&M passing game is going to be key. Statistically speaking, the Sun Devils weren't great last year in the secondary, allowing teams to throw for an average of 261.8 yards per game and to amass a QB rating of 131.6, both numbers in the bottom third of America. We do have to remember though, that the Pac-12 schedule lends itself to a lot of great quarterbacks, and the fact that ASU only allowed 19 total touchdown passes for the season was a win in our book.
This secondary is back intact from last year, and that could give the relatively inexperienced Allen some troubles. Live bettors should be very aware that one mistake could sway the tide of this game dramatically.
WHEN THE ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS HAVE THE BALL
We're going to see right away whether the signing of John Chavis from LSU is going to make the Aggies any better defensively or not. They were terrible last season, allowing 36.6 points per game, but live bettors should expect better this year.
Arizona State's offense though, is quite good. Mike Bercovici is now the main man on campus, and he should be able to shine as long as he once again takes good care of the football as we suspect he will.
Just keep in mind that Jaelen Strong is no longer here at ASU to stretch the field, so huge plays could be fewer and farther between. That's a good sign for live bettors who might be taking the rogue pick here of the under, something which is especially notable considering the fact that the total in this game has already jumped four points from 66 up to 70.
TREND TO TRACK
The Aggies might have taken some strides last year with Allen at quarterback, but they didn't end the season on a high note for bettors at all. They went just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games of the season, something which has to be concerning for sure. Live bettors though, should rest easy knowing that the oddsmakers are still in love with Texas A&M in this game in spite of that fact and the fact that they are the unranked of the two teams in this game.
The college football betting lines and props for this clash were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Texas A&M Aggies were laying -3 points, while the total first appeared at 70. Live wagering during commercials offers adjusted moneylines, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The duel between the Texas A&M Aggies and Arizona State Sun Devils will go down Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
