College football Week 11 is here, and I couldn’t be more pumped.
This means the next few days will be exciting for fans who love football and for bettors looking for fun ways to wager a few bucks.
I’ve already given you my best bets for Week 11 games, but now it’s time to have a little fun with my “Bear Bytes.”
These little “bytes,” as I call them, are just nuggets that give you some entertaining talking points to pull from as you watch the football festivities with friends and family or banter with your coworkers at the water cooler. Here are the biggest nuggets that stuck out to me while doing my research.
(All times ET)
SATURDAY, NOV. 9
No. 2 Georgia @ No. 16 Ole Miss (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Georgia has won 52 straight games against teams not named Alabama dating back to a 2020 loss to Florida. The Bulldogs have also won 18 straight games against ranked opponents not named Alabama, dating back to the same 2020 matchup with Florida. Ole Miss leads the nation with 41 sacks.
No. 17 Iowa State @ Kansas (3:30 p.m., FS1)
Iowa State has won each of its last four games as a road favorite by an average of 19 points per game, allowing 16, 0, 13 and 18 points in those four games.
Michigan @ No. 8 Indiana (3:30 p.m., CBS)
This is the first time ever that Michigan has been a double-digit underdog in consecutive games. Indiana ranks second nationally, averaging 3.91 points per drive. Michigan is 108th at 1.78.
No. 23 Clemson @ Virginia Tech (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Virginia Tech has forced a national-high five red zone turnovers.
Kennesaw State @ UTEP (4 p.m., ESPN+)
Kennesaw State (1-7) at UTEP (1-8) is the first meeting of a team 1-7 or worse with a team 1-8 or worse since 2021, and that was back when 1-10 New Mexico beat 1-10 Massachusetts. These two teams account for the lowest two TD percentage per drive rates in the country (UTEP 13.2%, Kennesaw State 11.1%).
No. 21 Colorado @ Texas Tech (4 p.m, FOX and FOX Sports app)
Under Deion Sanders, Colorado has been favored eight times. The Buffaloes have won seven of those games, including both times that they were road favorites.
Temple @ Tulane (4 p.m., ESPNU)
Tulane leads the nation with nine non-offensive touchdowns and a +72 points off TO margin.
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (4:15 p.m., SEC Network)
Vanderbilt is 6-0 against the spread (ATS) with four outright wins this season as an underdog. Three of those outright wins have come as a double-digit ‘dog.
Mississippi State @ No. 7 Tennessee (7 p.m., ESPN)
Teams have overlooked Mississippi State all season — and for good reason— as the Bulldogs are 2-7 on the year. But we’ve seen this scenario a few times this season when Jeff Lebby’s squad is taking on a powerhouse the week before a big game. In Week 8, Texas A&M came to Starkville as a 21.5-point favorite and only won by 10 points. The Aggies faced LSU in their next outing. The week before that, Mississippi State took on Georgia as a 34.5-point underdogs and only lost by 10 in that game, too. Kirby Smart’s team had Texas the week after. So in Week 11, Tennessee takes on Mississippi State this week in Knoxville as 24-point favorites and has a massive matchup with Georgia next week. Sensing a theme here?
Oklahoma State @ TCU (7 p.m., FS1)
Oklahoma State allows 14.8 yards per completion, second worst in the nation.
Florida State @ No. 10 Notre Dame (7:30 p.m., NBC)
This is the fourth time in the last 10 games that Florida State is an underdog of 14 points or more (40% of games). In the previous 574 games from 1978-2023, the Noles were a ‘dog of 14 points or more 13 times (2.3% of games).
No. 11 Alabama @ No. 14 LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC)
This is the first time since 1999 that neither Nick Saban nor Les Miles is on the sidelines for an Alabama-LSU game. It’s also the first time since 2006 neither Alabama nor LSU is ranked in the top 10 at game time. In its last 10 games as a home underdog of less than 14 points, LSU has won eight of them. Only Colorado State (five) has committed more red zone turnovers than Alabama’s four.
No. 11 BYU @ Utah (10:15 p.m., ESPN)
There have been 282 games since 1978 where a team that’s 8-0 or better faced a team without a winning record. It’s just the 10th time that the 8-0 team is favored by less than a touchdown. The previous nine such teams went 6-3 (2-3 since 2012). Each of the last six games was either decided by one score or a loss for the undefeated team.
Big 12 Upside Down
Utah, Kansas, Arizona and Oklahoma State occupied four of the top five spots in the preseason Big 12 Media poll (Kansas State being the other team). Those four teams are a combined 3-19 in Big 12 play (12-22 overall). Arizona State, which was picked last, is 6-2 (3-2). BYU was picked 13th of the 16 teams and is 8-0.
Great Records, Still a lot to Prove?
Miami has only one win over a team currently ranked and has played in three, one-score games in its last five outings. Indiana has no such wins and may not have a win against a team with a single point in the AP Poll when the regular season is over. The same goes for Colorado and Penn State. Texas has one win over a team currently ranked, and that’s over Vanderbilt. Are these teams really that good, or are these just a bunch of records built up on hollow wins? We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.
Ranked Matchups
Favorites have won 18 of the 26 ranked matchups this year.
Power Four W-L Records vs Other Power Four Conferences
SEC 10-5; ACC 8-9; Big Ten 6-7; Big 12 5-8
Chris “The Bear” Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an “occasional” wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He’s a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, “The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!” Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica.
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