College football is underway in 2020, and it's unlike any season we have had before. One thing is familiar: "Stanford Steve" Coughlin and Chris "The Bear" Fallica breaking down games as only they can, offering their top bets, nuggets and totals worth wagering on.
Here is your guide to Week 5 of the season with the two college football analysts.
Records
Stanford Steve (1-2 last week, 5-5 overall)
The Bear (1-1, 4-7)
The plays
No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies at No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (-17, 51.5)
Stanford Steve: We're gonna take Bama until they cover.
Pick: Alabama -17 (Alabama 41, Texas A&M 20)
No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (-21.5, 54) at Kansas Jayhawks
Stanford Steve: All I needed to see this week was a report that Spencer Sanders practiced in Stillwater. We'll stay laying the points vs. the Jayhawks. I'll take the Pokes
Pick: Oklahoma State -21.5 (Oklahoma State 45, Kansas 14)
No. 25 Memphis Tigers (-3, 74.5) at SMU Mustangs
Stanford Steve: In a matchup of two QBs that I don't think get enough attention -- the Mustangs' Shane Buechele (3,900-plus yards passing last year) and the Tigers' Brady White (7,500 career yards passing) -- I think the points will be plentiful. But I do like the spot for the Mustangs here. They went to Memphis and played a great game last year as College GameDay made their first trip to Beale Street. I love the skill talent on SMU more here. I'll take the points.
Pick: SMU +3 (SMU 48, Memphis 42)
Baylor Bears (-3, 53.5) at West Virginia Mountaineers
The Bear: The Mountaineers came away from Stillwater with a loss, but they shouldn't feel too discouraged. If anything, they should feel frustrated, angry and motivated. They gave up one TD on a 66-yard run. The other scores came on a scoop-and-score and a late TD with about a minute to go. WVU outgained Oklahoma State but hurt itself with that costly turnover, 12 penalties and by going a combined 6-for-18 on third and fourth down. Two red zone trips resulted in 26- and 30-yard field goals.
Meanwhile, Baylor predictably won big over Kansas, but a dive inside the box score reveals two return TDs, a safety and a garbage time TD with 4:00 to play. The Bears gained just 352 yards and could have been holding stuff back vs. an overmatched opponent and bit a little off given the chaotic start to the season, but I was surprised to see the Bears favored on the road. A home team getting points -- what's better than that?
Pick: West Virginia +3
The Bear's 10-point, 3-team teaser of the week
North Carolina -4
Pitt -4
Auburn-Georgia under 54.5
The Bear's money line parlay of the week
Seven-team favorite ML parlay. Based on current odds, $100 returns $94.21.
Cincinnati -1800
Florida -1000
North Carolina -500
Pitt -600
Clemson -4500
UCF -1600
Alabama -1000
Bear Bytes
Trap game for Mississippi State?
• In the past 10 years, seven SEC teams have won a game outright as a 14-point dog, as Mississippi State did last week at LSU. Those previous seven teams are 1-6 both SU and ATS the following week. Mississippi State is an 18-point favorite at home against Arkansas.
No home cooking for West Virginia
• The Mountaineers have covered only once in their past eight games as a home underdog. That was a 44-27 win over NC State last year as a 7-point 'dog. They are 3-point underdogs this week at home against Baylor.
Iowa State has it covered vs. Oklahoma
• Under Matt Campbell, the Cyclones have covered all four games against Oklahoma, each as a double-digit underdog. On average, the Cyclones have been a 21-point 'dog and have one win and have covered by an average of 17.1 PPG in those four games. Saturday's game is the first time since 2002 that Iowa State is not a double-digit underdog vs. Oklahoma (-7). Iowa State vs. Oklahoma under Campbell:
2019: 14.5-point underdog, lost by 1
2018: 17.5-point underdog, lost by 10
2017: 30.5-point underdog, won by 7
2016: 20-point underdog, lost by 10
• Under Campbell, Iowa State is 20-8 ATS as an underdog with seven outright wins. That includes a 10-2 ATS mark as a home underdog with five straight covers. Iowa State's past five games as a home underdog:
2019 vs. Iowa: 1.5-point underdog, lost by 1
2018 vs. West Virginia: 4.5-point underdog, won by 16
2018 vs. Oklahoma: 17.5-point underdog, lost by 10
2017 vs. Oklahoma State: 8-point underdog, lost by 7
2017 vs. TCU: 7-point underdog, won by 7
• Oklahoma has failed to cover eight of its past nine and 10 of its past 12 games. Coincidentally, last year after OU lost as a 23.5-point favorite against Kansas State, the following week the Sooners survived 42-41 vs. Iowa State as a 14.5-point favorite.
Tight one between TCU and Texas?
• TCU has won and covered five of the past six vs Texas. The Longhorns are 4-10 ATS in their past 14 Big 12 games as a favorite and just 1-5 ATS in their past six as a double-digit favorite in conference play (they are a 12-point favorite Saturday). Four of those six games were decided by seven points or fewer.
• Texas' past six games as double-digit favorites vs. Big 12 opponent:
2020: -17.5 at Texas Tech, won by 7
2019: -21 vs. Kansas, won by 2
2019: -10.5 at West Virginia, won by 11
2018: -15 at Kansas, won by 7
2018: -14 vs. Baylor, won by 6
2017: -32 vs. Kansas, won by 15
Kansas State in a good spot
• Last year after beating Oklahoma as a 23.5-point favorite, the Wildcats beat Kansas 38-10 as a 4.5-point favorite. K-State is a 2.5-point favorite over Texas Tech this week after beating then-No. 3 OU last week 38-35.
Upset alert for Alabama?
• No. 2 Alabama is a 17-point favorite over No. 13 Texas A&M. There have been 31 home games where a top-15 matchup produced a spread greater than 16 points. Three teams have pulled upsets: Stanford in 2012 as a 20.5-point underdog to Oregon, Tennessee in 2001 as a 17.5-point underdog to Florida, and Auburn in 1994 as a 17-point 'dog to Florida. For reference, in 2012, No. 15 Texas A&M was a 13.5-point 'dog at No. 1 Alabama when Johnny Manziel & Co. pulled the upset.
No. 7 Auburn visits No. 4 Georgia
• This is the first time Georgia is a single-digit favorite at home since 2017 when the Bulldogs were -2.5 vs Mississippi State.
• Georgia is 9-3 ATS in its past 12 games vs. top-10 opponents. All four games against top-10 opponents last year went under the total.
• Underdogs have covered 13 of the past 18 regular-season meetings between top-7 teams with five outright wins.
North Carolina a rare big road favorite
• The Tar Heels are a 14-point road favorite at Boston College. The Tar Heels haven't been this big a road favorite in an ACC game since 1997 when they won 40-14 at Maryland as a 23.5-point favorite.
Edge to the underdog?
• Underdogs in the Virginia Tech-Duke have won five of the past seven meetings outright and have covered six of the past seven. Last year, Duke won 45-10 at Virginia Tech as a 2.5-point underdog, and in 2018, Virginia Tech won 31-14 at Duke as a 6.5-point underdog. Duke is favored by 10.5 on Saturday.
Academies struggle in favorite role
• Underdogs have covered 10 of the past 11 meetings between two service academies. Navy snapped a 10-game cover streak by the underdog with a 31-7 win over Army last year as an 11.5-point favorite. Navy is a 6.5-point favorite at Air Force.
NC State brutal of late ATS as a 'dog
• NC State is 1-9 ATS in its past 10 games as an underdog. Eight of those losses came by at least 14 points, and six came by at least 21 points. The Wolfpack are 14-point underdogs at No. 24 Pitt.
Random thoughts
I want to play Iowa State but right now I'm not fully there... Why do I get the feeling Texas A&M and Georgia will play much better this week after sleepwalking past overmatched opponents in the opener?... Might Boston College's win over Duke be more about bad Duke than good BC after seeing the Eagles nearly get clipped by North Texas last week?