Broncos seek revenge in bout with Wolf Pack

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/28/2011 - Boise, ID (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Winners of 33 straight home games, the fourth- ranked Boise State Broncos try to keep that run going this weekend as they entertain the Nevada Wolf Pack in non-conference play at Bronco Stadium.

Boise State, which used to partner with Nevada in the Western Athletic Conference, is now part of the Mountain West and figures to be contending for the league title along with the TCU Horned Frogs in a couple of months. The Broncos, a stunning 70-2 at home since the start of the 2000 campaign, have won all three of their games overall this season and are riding a five-game win streak that dates back to 2010. Last Saturday night, the squad roughed up Tulsa without much of an effort in a 41-21 final.

As for the Wolf Pack, they should have registered their second straight win since suffering an ugly 69-20 loss to Oregon in the opener, but the squad couldn't hold up its end of the bargain in a 35-34 defeat at the hands of Texas Tech on the road last Saturday. This week's matchup marks the fourth and final bout on a season-opening road trip for a Nevada program that doesn't play at home in 2011 until October 8 vs. UNLV in a battle for the prestigious Fremont Cannon.

Nevada upset BSU's perfect season a year ago with a 34-31 overtime decision, but still the Broncos own a 24-13 edge over the Pack all-time. In games played at Bronco Stadium, BSU has taken 15 of the 17 meetings with Nevada over the years.

The last time these two programs played each other and were not members of the same conference was back in 1977, before they both joined the Big Sky.

Thanks to a 56-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Cody Fajardo in the third quarter the Wolf Pack enjoyed a two-touchdown advantage over Texas Tech on the road last weekend, only to see a potential victory slip through their fingers in the end. Fajardo, who finished with 139 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, matched the yardage total of Mike Ball, not to mention hitting on 4-of-6 passes for 59 yards and another score in the close call.

Starting quarterback Tyler Lantrip, who has been tasked with filling the void left by Colin Kaepernick who is now with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, converted 11-of-18 passes for 191 yards and a TD as well for Nevada but now has to wonder about his status as the full-time starter for the program.

"I'm sure it's going to be competition like anything, he's moving the ball and moving the offense and that's big, if you're getting points on the board thats huge and hes going to be there for us," Lantrip said Fajardo after the close call last weekend.

Unlike Kaepernick who led one of the most potent offenses in the nation the last few years, Lantrip is far from a running threat with just 122 yards over the course of three games. Clearly, Fajardo is much closer to the mold of a running QB that head coach Chris Ault is used to seeing directing his Pistol Offense. The experiment using both quarterbacks might not last all that long given that Lantrip, who has converted 58.1 percent of his attempts this season, has twice as many interceptions (four) as he does TD strikes thus far.

Putting the ball in the hands of Fajardo makes much more sense, seeing as how Nevada is again near the top nationally in rushing with 285.3 ypg (seventh in the FBS).

Honestly, where the Pack has to give more attention is on defense because the squad is still giving up an average of 39.3 ppg which is last in the WAC and 117th in the country this week. The lopsided defeat versus Oregon put them deep in a statistical hole for sure, but squaring off against Boise State this week probably won't help those numbers at all.

For the Broncos last week, they had an uncharacteristic start to their meeting against Tulsa in the home opener, turning the ball over on downs on their first drive down at the four-yard line of the Golden Hurricane. Luckily for BSU that miscue was not an indication of what was to come as the team scored touchdowns on the next three possessions and even managed to sit quarterback Kellen Moore for some of the third quarter and all of the final period.

"I think they are as good as any of them (Oklahoma and Oklahoma State)," Tulsa head coach Bill Blankenship said after his team lost by 20 points. "I think they are the Boise that most people think nationwide. They're not going to have as impressive of guys getting off the bus but these guys know how to play. They are very well coached and don't make mistakes and they take advantage when you make mistakes and that is what good teams do."

Moore, who should again be a central figure when it comes to talking about the Heisman Trophy, converted 23-of-29 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns, marking the 16th consecutive outing in which the signal-caller has tossed at least a pair of TDs. Aside from the misstep to begin the game last weekend, Moore has the offense operating so well that the Broncos have scored at least one touchdown in every quarter through the first three games of the season, the first time that's happened since BSU moved to a four-year institution.

Despite losing a couple of top-flight receivers from a year ago, Moore has still found the necessary outlets to get the job done and last week was no different as Tyler Shoemaker caught five balls for 102 yards and scored three touchdowns for the program. Sporting an efficiency rating of 192.55 (third in the FBS), Moore has shown rather convincingly that he can adapt to the players around him in order to put the Broncos into the win column on a consistent basis.

As is the case on offense this year, the defense for Boise State is also dealing with some new faces which is why the unit doesn't quite stand up to last year's lofty accomplishments when it was second in the nation in yards allowed (254.7 ypg) and second in points permitted (12.8 ppg). Nevertheless, BSU has held foes to just 19.0 ppg thus far in 2011 and the team's turnover margin (plus-1.33 per game) is certainly an encouraging number as well.

Mysportbook NCAA Football Betting News

<< Texas and Iowa State hook up in clash of undefeated Big 12 foes
Ames, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Big 12 Conference slate gets underway for a pair of undefeated teams this weekend, as the 17th-ranked Texas Longhorns come calling on the Iowa State Cyclones. Both teams were idle last week, giving them ample tim

<< Sixth-ranked Cardinal get back to work against Bruins
Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The UCLA Bruins will travel north this weekend for a Pac-12 battle with the sixth-ranked Stanford Cardinal, who are perfect on the year and are well rested following a bye last weekend. After struggling to get

<< Sun Devils battle Beavers in Tempe
Tempe, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In desperate need of a win, the struggling Oregon State Beavers will travel to Tempe to meet the 25th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils this weekend, in a Pac-12 battle featuring a team in turmoil against one on the

<< Kentucky faces tall task in clash with No. 1 LSU
Baton Rouge, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The newly anointed top-ranked team in the land, the LSU Tigers, will play host to the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend in an SEC affair. Nothing seemed to go right for Kentucky in last week's 48-10 beating at

<< Something has to give in clash between Baylor and Kansas State
Manhattan, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of unbeaten Big 12 Conference clubs will collide on Saturday afternoon, as the Kansas State Wildcats welcome the 15th-ranked Baylor Bears to Manhattan for the league opener. Baylor, which has started 3

Ponies and Frogs square off in Lone Star State showdown >>
Fort Worth, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Off to a 3-1 start for the first time since the 1992 campaign, the SMU Mustangs change gears this weekend as they take a break from conference play to challenge local rival and 20th-ranked TCU for the Iron Skil

Big Ten brawl features top-10 foes in Madison >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten action with conference title implications is on tap this weekend in Madison, as the seventh-ranked Wisconsin Badgers play host to the eighth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. Bo Pelini's Cornhuskers will get

Aggies and Hogs mix it up in Arlington >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas A&M Aggies of the Big 12 Conference and Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC will clash this weekend at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Texas A&M will be joining the SEC next season, so all f

Land of Lincoln battle pits Wildcats against Illini >>
Champaign, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten rivals will collide in Champaign on Saturday, as the hometown Illinois Fighting Illinois, ranked 24th in the nation, play host to the Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern opened the season with back-to

Royals, Twins conclude season at Target Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lefty Bruce Chen can equal a career-high in victories tonight when the Kansas City Royals wrap up the 2011 season in the finale of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Chen, who's played fo

Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.

Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.

Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.

NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
--------------------------------------------------

Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com