Week 10 was one of the most highly anticipated college football cards of the 2018 season thus far and with plenty of good reason. Headlined by the Alabama Crimson Tide meeting the LSU Tigers on CBS in prime time there were a host of top matchups of highly ranked teams. As a matter of fact, Week 10 was tabbed “Statement Saturday.” And while statements were definitely made it was not the type of competitive thrilling weekend that fans and gamblers were expecting. That being said pretenders and contenders each discovered a statement of separation with some harsh reality checks being delivered.
Dogs and Hosts in the Red
Underdogs got the money in just 28 of 63 Week 10 matchups while home teams paid out in only 25 games for the week. It was a break-even week for totals with 31 games going over and 31 going under.
Big Dogs with Bite
There were some big underdogs that perhaps should have been favored in retrospect. The SMU Mustangs beat the Houston Cougars 45-31 at 14-point dogs while the Duke Blue Devils upset the overrated Miami Hurricanes 20-12 as 9.5-point pups. The Fighting Illini of Illinois rowed the boat on the Minnesota Golden Gophers 55-31 as 9.5-point home dogs while the Arizona State Sun Devils Hermed Up with a 38-20 payout over the Utah Utes as an 8.5-point home dog.
Laying the Lumber
Three big favorites covered with ease last week. The Clemson Tigers emasculated Bobby Petrino and the Louisville Cardinals 77-16 as 38.5-point home chalks while the Fresno State Bulldogs continue to impress with Jeff Tedford after a 48-3 blowout of the UNLV Rebels as 27-point favorites. And the resurgent Mississippi State Bulldogs powered to a 45-3 payout over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs as 23-point home favorites.
Tide Rolls
Early on the Alabama Crimson Tide did struggle against the LSU Tigers defense and the frenzied Tiger Stadium crowd. But eventually the Tide’s superior depth and offense prevailed in a 29-0 win. LSU’s playoff chances ended with the loss while Tua Tagovailoa enhanced his Heisman Trophy credentials.
Maize and Blue Revenge Tour Continues
The Michigan Wolverines eviscerated the Penn State Nittany Lions 42-7 in a game that was even less close than the score. Michigan has made no secrets about this season being a quest for revenge. So far, the Michigan State Spartans and Penn State have paid the full price for beating Michigan last year. All that remains is the regular season finale at the Ohio State Buckeyes. Oh, and a potential playoff game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish!
Dirty Dana Brasses Up
The West Virginia Mountaineers scored a thrilling 42-41 win at the Texas Longhorns in which Mounties coach Dana Holgorsen called for a successful two-point conversion at game’s end. West Virginia quarterback Will Grier got the game winner with a quarterback sweep. The game exposed Texas as a pretender with much yet to achieve. Gamblers that had Texas plus the point were left heartsick.
Sooner Schooner Escapes the Masked Raider
The Oklahoma Sooners left the hostile environment Jones AT&T Stadium with a 51-46 win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders although they failed to cover as 14-point chalks. The Red Raiders have yet to field a respectable defense in Kliff Kingsbury’s six seasons and it cost them again.
A Hat Trick of a Bad Beat
The Auburn Tigers were trailing the Texas A&M Aggies 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter before rallying for a 28-24 win with 1:41 to play. The Tigers covered the spread by half a point while also taking the money line and sending the game over the total by a half a point. Texas A&M turnovers and failure to finish on defense ruined the day for Aggie backers. And for Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn it was a much needed second straight win that followed two consecutive defeats. While Malzahn will be derided for a lucky win he still gets the last laugh.
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!
