This is the first of just three more weeks of the college football regular season. The Army-Navy game is a stand-alone game on Saturday Dec. 10, and then bowl season gets under way less than a week later on Friday, Dec. 16.
The College Football Playoff Rankings are now, in order from top to bottom: Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and TCU. Tennessee is 5th and Oregon is 6th. My personal power ratings stack up as Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan and Texas.
There hasn’t been a ton of movement on many of the top games this Saturday, but I’m also going to include a few games that were released as my “Games of The Year” that I put up at SouthPoint over the summer. I have noted some of the original lines and original action in those games. As always, we present the card in official Nevada rotation order.
No. 15 North Carolina at Wake Forest (-4, 77)
A very good game here with a lot of implications and this one actually does have quite a bit of movement – especially on the total. We opened the game 5, they took the 5 and I went to 4. They took the 4 and we went to 3.5. They laid back the 3.5 and we are back to 4 on the game. A ton of movement on the total. We opened 74.5. They bet me Over 74.5, Over 75 and back Under 75.5. Then back Over 75 again, Over 76 and then they bet me Under 77 for a pretty big bet. I am leaving it at 77 because I have a ton of business on this total, more so than any other game, and 77 looks to be a good number. All sharp action both ways on the total. This was one of my Games of The Year, too. I opened it pick-’em over the summer and they bet me Wake Forest all the way to -4. They laid the 1, the 2, the 3 and I closed it Wake Forest -4.
No. 25 Florida State (-7, 51) at Syracuse
We opened Florida State -6.5 and they laid it. I went to 7 and am not getting any business at the 7. Nothing on the total either.
Oklahoma (-8, 68) at West Virginia
We opened 8 and have good two-way business but nothing to force any movement. Nothing on this total either.
South Carolina at Florida (-8, 59)
This is actually a very good game. South Carolina is coming on a little bit but this is another one. I opened 8, good two-way business but no movement on the side and no movement on the total.
Kansas at Texas Tech (-3.5, 64)
I opened the game Texas Tech -4. They took the 4 and I’m at 3.5. They also played Kansas on the money line. They took +155 and so now I am at -165/+145. Definitely sharp money on Kansas. We opened the total 64 and haven’t moved it. Good play both ways but haven’t moved it.
Appalachian State (-1, 47.5) at Marshall
I opened Appalachian State -1 and we are still at 1. No movement, but decent play on this game. Nothing on this total.
No. 22 Central Florida at No. 16 Tulane (-1.5, 54.5)
This is another really good game. We opened Tulane -2. They took the 2 and at the 1.5 I’m writing pretty good business both ways. No action on the total.
Purdue at No. 21 Illinois (-6.5, 44.5)
I’ve got good business in this game but it’s all at 6.5, so no movement at all. Good action both ways but no wise guy action to make me move it – and nothing on the total.
No. 23 Kansas State at Baylor (-2.5, 52.5)
We’ve got some play here. I opened Baylor -3. They took Kansas State plus the 3, so now I’m at 2.5. The total opened 53.5, they bet me Under and I’m at 52.5.
No. 24 Washington at No. 6 Oregon (-13, 72.5)
This was one of my Games of The Year. Over the summer, I opened Oregon -13. They took the 13 and they took +12. Now, this week, this is another one that I have a lot of great business. I opened Oregon -13.5, they took it and I went to 13. They laid it back, so now I’m back to 13.5. A lot of good business both ways. We opened the total 72.5. I’m still at 72.5 but again, good play on the 72.5 both ways.
No. 4 TCU at No. 18 Texas (-7, 65)
This is a really good game and another great one business-wise. We opened 7. It’s probably my biggest ticket count of all the games but it’s all two-way action, so we haven’t moved off of the 7. I do have a lot of money line play, too. I opened Texas -240. They laid me -240, they laid me -250. Then they took +230 on TCU and now I’m at -255/+215 on the money line. No total action here.
No. 10 Alabama (-12, 64.5) at No. 11 Mississippi
Alabama has not been so good as a big favorite. We opened 12 and they’re taking it, but I haven’t moved it yet. Really all recreational play. This was a Game of The Year, too. I opened Bama -10 and they climbed the ladder all the way up to 15 in this game. They laid 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5 and 13, and then I went to 15 and that finally stopped ’em. I opened this total 64.5 and have a little bit of money on the Over but not worth moving yet.
No. 7 LSU (-3.5, 62) at Arkansas
Big betting game here. A lot of tickets on this game. We opened LSU -3 and they laid it. We’re at 3.5 and they’re starting to take the 3.5. The first move was sharp, not as much thereafter. I opened the total 63, they bet me Under, and I’m at 62. They’re betting me back Over, but I haven’t moved off of the 62 yet.
Chris Andrews is the Sportsbook Director at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, a member of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame, and has been a Nevada bookmaker for over 40 years.