Kansas and Nebraska combined for a 21-4 record ATS last season but look for underrated Texas Tech to reward bettors this year. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with 2007 records, returning starters (RS)—-including kickers--and returning lettermen (RL) in parentheses:
NORTH DIVISION
MISSOURI (12-2 SU, 10-3 ATS, 14 RS, 37 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 52-45
ATS: 50-41-1
HF: 18-13
HD: 7-6
AF: 6-9-1
AD: 11-11
Sportsbook Buster: The Tigers are 10-2 ATS the last three years versus non-conference opponents.
Sports Betting Angle: Missouri has covered five of its last six openers and beaten the spread against Illinois, its opener this season, in six of the last seven meetings.
NEBRASKA (5-7 SU, 3-9 ATS, 11 RS, 51 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 65-36
ATS: 46-50-1
HF: 22-22
HD: 5-3
AF: 12-11-1
AD: 4-10
Sportsbook Buster: The Cornhuskers are just 4-10 as an away underdog the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: The host in the Missouri series has covered six straight games.
KANSAS (12-1 SU, 11-1 ATS, 15 RS, 42 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 44-51
ATS: 44-44
HF: 15-8
HD: 8-14
AF: 5-2
AD: 14-17
Sportsbook Buster: The Jayhawks are 20-10 as a favorite since 2000 but only 22-31 as an underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: Kansas has covered four straight games against Nebraska.
KANSAS STATE (5-7 SU, 6-5 ATS, 12 RS, 44 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 60-41
ATS: 50-43-1
HF: 24-16
HD: 6-3
AF: 9-12
AD: 9-6
Sportsbook Buster: The Wildcats are 30-19 ATS at home the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: KSU is 18-3 ATS in the first of back-to-back conference home games.
COLORADO (6-7 SU, 6-7 ATS, 14 RS, 41 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 50-51
ATS: 49-51
HF: 15-15
HD: 7-8
AF: 8-7
AD: 12-12
Sportsbook Buster: The Buffaloes are just 4-32 ATS when they lose SU.
Sports Betting Angle: Colorado has lost five of last six pointspread decisions with Texas.
IOWA STATE (3-9 SU, 6-5 ATS, 14 RS, 27 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 46-52
ATS: 46-44-1
HF: 13-8
HD: 10-14
AF: 5-4
AD: 14-17
Sportsbook Buster: Since 2000, the Cyclones are 13-8 as home favorites.
Sports Betting Angle: Iowa has covered nine of its last 10 versus Iowa, including five straight in Iowa City.
SOUTH DIVISION
OKLAHOMA (11-3 SU, 7-7 ATS, 13 RS, 42 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 90-17
ATS: 53-50-4
HF: 25-24-1
HD: 1-0
AF: 9-15-2
AD: 5-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Sooners are just 9-15-2 as a road college football betting favorite the past eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Oklahoma has covered five of its last six games at Baylor.
TEXAS TECH (9-4 SU, 6-6 ATS, 18 RS, 61 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 65-37
ATS: 51-45-1
HF: 23-13-1
HD: 4-4
AF: 10-11
AD: 11-12
Sportsbook Buster: The Red Raiders are 23-12-1 as home favorites the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Texas Tech has covered 12 of its last 14 games against Texas A&M.
TEXAS (10-3 SU, 6-6-1 ATS, 11 RS, 47 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 85-17
ATS: 54-45-2
HF: 27-19
HD: 0-0
AF: 16-16-2
AD: 4-0
Sportsbook Buster: The Longhorns are 13-2 ATS in their last home game of the season.
Sports Betting Angle: Texas is 1-7 ATS the week before playing Rice.
OKLAHOMA STATE (7-6 SU, 6-5-1 ATS, 13 RS, 34 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 49-48
ATS: 43-44-3
HF: 12-8
HD: 12-9-2
AF: 8-4
AD: 9-21
Sportsbook Buster: Since the start of the 2000 season, the Cowboys are just 9-21 as an away college football betting underdog.
Sports Betting Angle: Oklahoma State has covered seven of its last nine games, including four straight at home, against Baylor.
TEXAS A&M (7-6 SU, 5-7 ATS, 8 RS, 45 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 53-44
ATS: 40-51-2
HF: 17-15
HD: 8-5-2
AF: 6-9
AD: 7-17
Sportsbook Buster: The Aggies are a miserable 13-26 ATS on the road the past eight years.
Sports Betting Angle: The host in the Oklahoma series is 12-2 ATS.
BAYLOR (3-9 SU, 4-7 ATS, 15 RS, 49 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2007)
SU: 26-66
ATS: 34-49-1
HF: 5-3
HD: 11-22-1
AF: 4-0
AD: 13-24
Sportsbook Buster: The Bears are a terrible 24-46-1 as underdogs the last eight seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Remarkably, over the past eight seasons, Baylor is 12-8 ATS versus non-conference opponents.
Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog
This is the third installment of an 11-part preview series.
Next: College Football Betting: Analyzing the ACC