We have reached the fourth week of college football (including Week 0), and I hope you’ve gained some valuable information in this space.
We have a long way to go and many opportunities remain between now and early January, so let's get to it.
I’ve chosen 15 games I feel are noteworthy this week. As always, they are presented in official Nevada rotation order.
Cincinnati (-22, 52) at Miami (Ohio)
Saturday, noon ET
I opened the Bearcats -21. The wise guys laid it and I went to 22. It appears this number is trending even higher but I am going to wait to take a bet before I go to 23. This is probably a bigger game for Miami (Ohio) than it is for Cincinnati but not much buy back to speak of yet on the underdog Redhawks.
Western Kentucky at Indiana (-6.5, 60.5)
Saturday, noon ET
We opened 6 on Indiana and they bet me up to 6.5. Then they took 6.5 and I went back to 6. The wise guys came back the other way and laid me the 6 yet again, so I am at 6.5 again. I see 7s out there and it looks like this is heading upward but I am not going to move until I take another bet.
No. 1 Georgia (-25, 55.5) at South Carolina
Saturday, noon ET
I opened Georgia -24 and they laid the 24. They laid a little 24.5 and I went to 25. We have seen some takers at %plussign% 25 on South Carolina but nothing serious yet. Right now, it looks like 25 is the tipping point.
No. 6 Oklahoma (-11, 66) at Nebraska
Saturday, noon ET
This is an interesting game. Really not much movement on it. I opened the game 11 and went to 11.5. The wise guys took the 11.5, so I’m back to 11. I think a lot of people are interested in this game because it is a traditional rivalry and you’ve got the new coach with Nebraska, so we are writing a good amount of business but not much movement. I personally think it’s a big number and we have some sharp money on the dog.
Cal at Notre Dame (-11, 41)
Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET
We opened this Irish -9.5. Note that Notre Dame’s No. 1 quarterback, Tyler Buchner, is out for the season. Drew Pyne will start this game. I thought it was a pretty cheap number but sometimes it’s hard to tell with a new quarterback. So they laid me the 9.5 and the 10. After that, I went straight to 11 and I’m still seeing pretty much all Notre Dame money out there, so I have a feeling we are going to get to 11.5.
Tulane at Kansas State (-14, 47.5)
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET
Kind of a big move in this game. We opened Kansas State -16 and the wise guys walked us all the way down. They took 16, they took 15.5, and 15. When they took the 15, I moved it a full point and went to 14. We’re starting to get a little money back on Kansas State at -14 but the sharp money is definitely on Tulane.
No. 22 Penn State (-3, 49) at Auburn
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
We opened Penn State -3.5 and the wise guys took %plussign% 3.5 right away. I’m down to 3 and that is pretty much what I see everywhere. We’re starting to write good two-way business at the 3. The sharp money is definitely on the dog at 3.5 and we’re starting to see them take the 3 too, so the wise guys are on Auburn.
No. 12 BYU at No. 25 Oregon (-3.5, 58)
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
The bigger money is on Oregon at -3.5 but I have yet to move it. I think this is going to be a really strong betting game as I have good action both ways. I think 3.5 is a good number.
No. 16 NC State (-10.5, 55.5) at Texas Tech
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
Good nonconference battle here. I opened NC State -9.5 and they laid me the 9.5. Sharp money laid me the 10 and I went straight to 11. I still see 10s out there and, as I write this, I’ve decided that I am going to drop to 10.5, as we speak.
SMU at Maryland (-2.5, 72)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
OK, here’s another one with a lot of action and we are all over the place in this game. We opened at 3 and they laid me the 3. We went to 3.5 and they laid me the 3.5, so I went to 4. Then the wise guys took the 4, they took the 3.5, and then they took the 3. So we’re back at 2.5. A ton of business on this one and it really ought to be a good game. I always say there is no “Wise Guys Union,” so this is different groups of sharps with different opinions on the game betting it at different times and at different numbers.
No. 11 Michigan State at Washington (-3, 56.5)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
I opened Washington -3.5. They took the 3.5 and I went to 3. They laid back the 3 and I went back to 3.5, and then they took it again. So now I am at 3 again on Washington with excellent two-way business — and I’m a little heavy on the dog.
UTSA at No. 21 Texas (-13, 60.5)
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
This is kind of a weird game with a lot of business. We opened Texas -11. They bet the 11 and I went to 12. I went to 12.5 but that didn’t last long. I got some money at 12.5 and wound up going to 13. No buy back yet on the Roadrunners.
No. 13 Miami at No. 24 Texas A&M (-6, 44.5)
Saturday, 9 p.m. ET
I opened the game 5 and they laid me the 5. I went to 5.5 and they laid that too. I’m now at 6 and starting to write a little bit of business on the dog but not much. I’m even starting to see it go to 6.5 in the market. If they bet me I’ll move it but nothing yet.
Fresno State at No. 7 USC (-12, 73.5)
Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET
I opened 12.5. They took it and I went to 12. Now I’m writing a lot of business on USC, so I have a feeling I will be back to 12.5. Sharp money was on the dog %plussign% 12.5 but the public is pretty strong on USC. This is a 7:30 p.m. Pacific time game, so the public could overwhelm this one and we end up at 12.5 again before post time.
— One more I got a kick out of. This is Connecticut at No. 4 Michigan. Game 111-112 on the rotation. There are a number of huge point spreads this week and none of them have been touched except for this one. I opened Michigan -46 and they laid it. I’m now at -47. Crazy.
Chris Andrews is the sportsbook director at the South Point in Las Vegas and has been a Nevada bookmaker for 40 years.
