By Marc Lawrence
And then there were six. Undefeated college football teams that is, all of who are in action this week. And as you might expect, all heavily favored to remain unbeaten.
Here are the teams currently ranked in the Top 25 of the current USA Today/Coaches Poll. Listed below as stats, fact and trends surrounding this week's football card. Home team in CAPS. All results are ATS - Against The Spread - unless noted otherwise...
Thursday, November 12th
(24) South Florida at RUTGERS
Bulls: 5-1 off SU dog win... 5-2 w/ rest... 0-4 Thursdays... 1-6 Game Nine... 1-4 A w/ conf rev... 49-16 home loss last year to Knights was worst of season for USF and worst ever in Big East competition
Knights: 7-1 H w/ rest... 4-1 vs conf rev... 0-7 pick/favs 4 < pts... 4-9 H off SU dog win... 2-5 favs off road dog win
Friday, November 13th
West Virginia at (5) CINCINNATI
Mountaineers: SERIES: Visitor 5-0-2... 6-0 as conf dogs 6 > pts... 0-4 w/ conf rev... 1-6 weekdays... 1-3-1 Game Nine... 1-3 after Louisville
Bearcats: 6-0 weekdays... 4-0-1 Game Ten... 5-2 in 2nd of 3+ HG... 10-4 conf favs 14 < pts... undefeated favorites of more than 8 points, off four SU and ATS wins in last four games, are 16-29 ATS
Saturday, November 14th
(1) Florida at SO CAROLINA
Gators: 7-2 DD favs vs conf rev... 1-4 Game Ten away... 1-4 vs conf before non-conf HG... 3-7 conf RF's 14 > pts
Gamecocks: SERIES: Host 5-2... 4-1 as DD HD's... 2-5 H off BB RG... 3-7 w/ conf rev... Spurrier: 27-20 SU vs undefeated opp / 9-3 as dog 13 or more points
(2) Texas at BAYLOR
Longhorns: SERIES: 4-1 L5 A... *14-3 vs conf of non-conf SU win 14 > pts... 4-1 bef Kansas... 7-2-1 Game Ten... 1-4 conf RF's 20 > pts... have held five of last six, including each of last three, opponents to season low yards
Bears: 5-1 bef Texas A&M... 4-1 dogs > 17 pts w/ conf rev... 5-2 HD's 21 > pts... 1-12 Game Ten... need wins in two of last three to become bowl eligible
(3) Alabama at MISSISSIPPI STATE
Crimson Tide: SERIES: Visitor 6-2... 6-1 RF's vs conf rev... 10-2 A off 3+ HG... 1-3-1 Game Ten... 4-10 aft LSU... lined teams after facing LSU are 25-26 SU and 20-30-1 ATS in their next game (4-4 SU and 2-6 ATS this season). When facing a rested opponent in these games they are 2-7 SU and ATS.
Bulldogs: 5-1 H w/ rest... 4-1 as DD HD's... 8-3 off conf dog win... Mullen: 3-0 vs opp off back-to-back wins
(14)Utah at (4) TCU
Utes: SERIES: 5-1 SU forever (loss by three pts) / 3-0 L3... 5-0 conf dogs vs rev... 10-1 dogs 7 > pts (16-3 dogs if .750 or greater vs .600 or greater)... 9-1 after New Mexico
Horned Frogs: 4-0 before Wyoming... 4-1 w/ conf rev... 2-6 off SU road win 21 > pts... undefeated favorites off a SU and ATS win are 3-15 ATS versus a winning team off a win that was undefeated during the regular season last year
Idaho at (6) BOISE STATE
Vandals: 4-1 dogs 28 > pts... 0-7 A off BB HG... 0-5 LRG... 0-5 before Utah St... 0-3 after Fresno St... after 7-0 ATS start Spuds are 0-3 ATS last three games
Broncos: SERIES: 3-0 L3 H... 4-0 off Friday gm... 6-1-1 conf favs 28 > pts... 5-2 before Utah St
(7) Georgia Tech at DUKE
Yellow Jackets: SERIES: 4-0 L4... 5-1 RF's 6 > pts... 4-1 LRG... 2-6 Game Eleven favs... 2-6 favs 13 < pts vs conf rev... win here clinches berth in ACC title game
Blue Devils: 4-1-1 dogs of BB RG... 1-4 before Mia-Fla... 1-3 Game Ten... 5-15-1 L21 HD's, including 2-10 off SU and ATS loss
(13) Iowa at (8) OHIO STATE
Hawkeyes: 6-1 LRG... 5-2 after Northwestern... 0-3 Game Eleven... have held five foes to season low yards, including last three in a row
Buckeyes: SERIES: 7-1 L8 / 5-0 H... 11-0 after Penn St... 3-7 before Michigan... held last two foes to season low yards
Notre Dame at (9) PITTSBURGH
Fighting Irish: SERIES: 4-1 L5 A / dog 4-0 SU and ATS L4... 11-1 RD's 8 < pts... 5-2 vs Big East... 0-5 after Navy... 5-1 ITS last six games
Panthers: 5-1 after Syracuse... 5-1 in 3rd straight HG... 0-3 before WVA... 2-6 HF's < 8 pts... Wannstedt: 1-6 HF vs .666 or greater opp
Stanford at (10) USC
Cardinal: ERIES: 4-1 L5 / 4-1 L5 A... *4-1 conf dogs 14 > pts... 7-2 w/ conf rev... 1-7 A in between HG... 2-10 away off SU dog win
Trojans: 10-1 HF's 15 < pts... 7-1 before UCLA... 4-1 in 1st of 3+ HG... 1-3 off BB RG... Trojans have been favored more than 20 points in this series last six meetings
Louisiana Tech at (11) LSU
Bulldogs: 0-3-1 in 1st of BB RG... 1-10 non-conf RD's 21 > pts... 1-4 off weekday gm... 1-4 before Fresno St
Tigers: SERIES: 2-0 L2... 11-3 non-conf HF's 20 > pts... 1-8 Game Ten home... 2-6 after Alabama
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(12) Houston at CENTRAL FLORIDA
Cougars: allowed season high - or 2nd high - yards in five of last six games
Knights: SERIES: host 2-0 SU and ATS... own 114 yards the better defense
(15) Miami Fla at NORTH CAROLINA
Hurricanes: 1-7 as conf RF's 7 < Pts... 2-6 A off DD conf home win... 2-5 Game Ten... revenge from 4-pt home loss last year
Tar Heels: 10-1 as conf HD's... 1-5-1 vs conf rev... 4-10 in 2nd BB HG... No. 5 overall defense in land allows 250 YPG... loss of star RB Shaun Draughn for season to shoulder injury
Arizona State at (16) OREGON
Sun Devils: 7-2 in 1st of BB RG... 1-4 after USC... 2-5 as DD conf RD's... 2-5 before UCLA
Ducks: SERIES: 4-0 L4... 7-1 conf HF's 15 > pts... 4-1 after Stanford... 9-3 H vs conf rev... 4-10 fav off SU fav loss... 0-4 Game Ten
Indiana at (17) PENN STATE
Hoosiers: 4-0 aft Wisconsin... 1-11 LRG... 1-6 Game Eleven... 2-9 A w/ conf rev... 3-7 conf dogs 20 > pts... Hoosiers needs wins in each of final two games to go bowling (home vs Purdue next week... surrendered season high - or 2nd high - yardage in five of last six games
Nittany Lions: SERIES: 5-2 L7... 7-1 before Mich St... 6-1 Game Eleven... 18-2 SU and 15-5 ATS LHG vs con opp... LHG... 2-5 after Ohio St
Texas Tech at (18) OKLAHOMA STATE
Red Raiders: SERIES: 7-0-1 when OSU off win / 6-2-1 L9... 5-2 after Kansas... 5-2 Game Ten... 0-5 SU and ATS LRG... 1-4 A w/ rest... 1-4 conf RD's 8 < pts
Cowboys SERIES: 2-0 L2 H... 6-0 Game Ten favs... 4-1 H vs rested opp... 1-4 before Colorado... 6-2 SU and ATS home off previous home loss
(19) Arizona at CALIFORNIA
Wildcats: revenge game with Oregon on deck... own better offense and better defense
Golden Bears: SERIES: 3-0 L3 H... revenge from SU RF loss last season
(21) Virginia Tech at MARYLAND
Hokies: SERIES: 4-0 SU and ATS L4... 6-1 as DD RF's... 6-1 off weekday gm... 4-1 after E Carolina... 3-1 in 2nd of BB RG... 2-7 vs conf rev... Hokies 0-3-1 away from Blacksburg this season
Terrapins: 15-3-1 off back-to-back losses, including 6-0 ATS at home... 4-1 off BB RG... 4-1 before Fla St... 6-2 H w/ conf rev... 2-6 as DD conf HD's
(22) BYU at NEW MEXICO
Cougars: SERIES: 3-0 A / 13-3 SU S/1993 with no wins by more than 25 points... 1-8 RF's before Falcons
Lobos: 11-1 dog w/revenge vs opp off back-to-back wins... 0-4 SU and ATS H this season
(25) Auburn at GEORGIA
Tigers: double-deuce offense (230 yards rushing and 220 yards passing)
Bulldogs:1-9 L10 as reg season favs
Be sure not to miss an of Marc's Pregame Pros picks this weekend!