Two Mountain West teams that made bowls last season but are off to shaky starts this season will look to right the ship in Week 7 of College Football action on Saturday night. Things are looking a little rosier for the Nevada Wolfpack who sit at 3-3 coming in this one and are halfway to bowl eligibility. Their opponents in this one are in much worse shape. The San Jose Spartans are just 1-5 and face an uphill climb if they want to get back to the postseason.
This matchup in Week 7 will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Spartan Stadium. This game will be broadcast on CBSS.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
San Jose State -1
Nevada +1
Odds Analysis
Nevada may be 3-3 SU but sit at a lowly 1-5 ATS with the one win being a home tilt against Buffalo. The Wolfpack are 3-0 at home this season, but 0-3 when they have to travel and five of their six games have finished under the betting total.
It’s been a rough start for San Jose State. The Spartans were shellacked in their first three against FBS-level competition and are sitting at 1-4 ATS with the lone cover coming against New Mexico. Although the offense has failed to deliver scoring 17 points or less in four of their five FBS games, the over has hit three times in five games thanks to some lackluster defensive efforts.
Match-up to Watch
These are two of the most porous run defenses in the country and it will be interesting to see how each side tries to exploit their opponent. San Jose State has allowed 5.63 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns on the ground this season. Even though the Spartans have played some passing offenses, the run defense has been bad enough that most teams are looking at that as the first option in how to move the ball on them now.
Nevada has had just as much trouble shutting down opponents’ running games. The Wolfpack have allowed 5.7 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns this season and teams have been able to pass against them as well. If Nevada hopes to get its first road win, the defense has to be stingier.
Last Year’s Meeting
When these teams met last season, it was a back-and-forth affair that ended up going to overtime. Although Tyler Ervin was one of the top running backs in college football last year, the Wolfpack were able to keep him bottled up, holding him to under 4 yards a carry.
Instead it was Kenny Potter who had a great game, accounting for 299 yards and three touchdowns for San Jose State as it pushed Nevada to the brink. However, Nevada prevailed in the end thanks to some gutsy decision making, the Wolfpack went 5-5 on fourth down conversion attempts. It was a pretty even game throughout though and either side could have emerged victorious.
Free ATS Pick
Last year’s script looks to be the case again this season with virtually a pick ‘em spread. Neither of these teams have inspired much confidence as Nevada has yet to play a team with a winning record this season, its two wins coming against teams ranked in the bottom 20 of S&P+ Ratings, and San Jose State has yet to muster a win.
When in doubt, go with the home team. San Jose State plays in a stadium that can get loud because of the surrounding acoustics and Nevada has shown an ability to win on the road. The Wolfpack have lost all three of their road games by double digits including a three-touchdown loss to Hawaii. The crowd will be a factor and the Spartans will get a win.
College Football Odds: Spartans 27, Wolfpack 24
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!
