2011 SUN BELT AND INDEPENDENTS COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

Just five of the Sun Belt Conference's nine teams have pointspread records dating back 11 years so there's not a great statistical data base for bettors. Among independents, only Navy has been a winning play against the spread (ATS) since 2000. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with 2010 records, returning starters (RS) - including kickers - and returning lettermen (RL) in parentheses:

 

SUN BELT CONFERENCE

TROY (8-5 SU, 5-8 ATS, 14 RS, 47 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  78-55

ATS: 57-49-2

HF:  16-14

HD:   4-2

AF:  11-12

AD:  25-19-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Trojans have covered five in a row versus Middle Tennessee State.

Sports Betting Angle: Troy has covered four straight the week before playing Louisiana-Lafayette.

Bets and Pieces: The Trojans have covered five of its last six against Louisiana-Lafayette.

 

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (7-6 SU, 7-6 ATS, 15 RS, 49 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  31-74

ATS: 36-38

HF:   5-8

HD:   9-6

AF:   5-2

AD:  16-19

Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Panthers are 5-2 as road favorites since coming on the board seven years ago.

Sports Betting Angle: Florida International has covered its last four games versus North Texas.

Bets and Pieces: FIU has covered four straight games against Troy.

 

ARKANSAS STATE (4-8 SU, 7-5 ATS, 14 RS, 55 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  48-82

ATS: 53-66-1

HF:  13-15

HD:  12-8

AF:   2-10

AD:  25-32-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Red Wolves are 2-10 as road favorites the last 11 seasons.

Sports Betting Angle: Arkansas State has covered seven of its last eight games as a home underdog versus a non-conference foe.

Bets and Pieces: The Red Wolves have covered three of their last four games versus Florida-Atlantic.

 

LOUISIANA-MONROE (5-7 SU, 6-5 ATS, 19 RS, 48 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  42-86

ATS: 59-56

HF:   7-12

HD:  13-10

AF:   5-1

AD:  34-33

Sportsbook Buster: The Warhawks are 7-12 as home favorites since 2000.

Sports Betting Angle: Louisiana-Monroe has covered five straight games against FIU.

Bets and Pieces: The Warhawks have covered four consecutive visits to Florida-Atlantic.

 

MIDDLE TENNESSEE (6-7 SU, 4-8 ATS, 10 RS, 50 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  64-67

ATS: 65-59

HF:  22-19

HD:   3-5

AF:  13-12

AD:  24-22

Sportsbook Buster: The Blue Raiders are 7-0 ATS coming off a SU underdog victory.

Sports Betting Angle: Middle Tennessee State has covered five straight at home versus Arkansas State.

Bets and Pieces: The Blue Raiders have covered four of their last five against North Texas.

 

NORTH TEXAS (3-9 SU, 6-6 ATS, 13 RS, 52 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  45-87

ATS: 61-68

HF:  13-11

HD:  13-16

AF:   7-6

AD:  27-31

Sportsbook Buster: The Mean Green is 1-10 its last 11 games as a favorite.

Sports Betting Angle: North Texas is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Bets and Pieces: The Mean Green has covered three straight versus Western Kentucky.

 

WESTERN KENTUCKY (2-10 SU, 6-5-1 ATS, 17 RS, 43 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  72-63

ATS: 15-17-1

HF:   0-3

HD:   5-6

AF:   0-0

AD:  10-8-1

Sportsbook Buster: Since joining the betting board four years ago, the Hilltoppers are 6-0 ATS coming off back-to-back SU losses.

Sports Betting Angle: Western Kentucky is 5-1 as an underdog of more than 17 points.

Bets and Pieces: The Hilltoppers still are looking for their first cover as a home favorite.

 

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (3-9 SU, 7-5 ATS, 12 RS, 41 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  45-83

ATS: 57-58-3

HF:   9-12-2

HD:  11-14-1

AF:   6-7

AD:  31-25

Sportsbook Buster: The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-1 as conference underdogs of more than 11 points.

Sports Betting Angle: Louisiana-Lafayette has covered six of its last seven encounters with Florida International.

Bets and Pieces: The Ragin' Cajuns have covered three straight both La.-Monroe and Arkansas State.

 

FLORIDA ATLANTIC (4-8 SU, 3-9 ATS, 12 RS, 30 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  55-62

ATS: 33-45-1

HF:   3-12

HD:   6-5

AF:   5-2

AD:  14-25-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Owls are 14-25-1 as away underdogs since 2004, their first year on the board.

Sports Betting Angle: Florida Atlantic has covered five straight games against FIU.

Bets and Pieces: The Owls are only 3-12 as a home favorite.

 

INDEPENDENTS

NOTRE DAME (8-5 SU, 6-4-3 ATS, 16 RS, 49 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  78-57

ATS: 64-67-4

HF:  18-31-3

HD:  10-8

AF:  10-7-1

AD:  20-14

Sportsbook Buster: The Fighting Irish are only 18-31-3 as home favorites the last 11 years.

Sports Betting Angle: Notre Dame is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games against Pittsburgh.

Bets and Pieces: The Irish have lost four straight to the spread the week before playing Navy.

 

BYU (7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS, 19 RS, 63 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  88-50

ATS: 67-67-1

HF:  27-25

HD:   5-6

AF:  16-19

AD:  15-13-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Cougars have covered seven straight in the first of back-to-back road games.

Sports Betting Angle: BYU has covered four in a row the week before playing Utah.

Bets and Pieces: The Cougars have failed to cover six straight in the second game of back-to-back road contests.

 

NAVY (9-4 SU, 7-5 ATS, 11 RS, 39 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  73-63

ATS: 68-57-1

HF:   12-20-1

HD:   8-8-1

AF:   7-8

AD:  26-11

Sportsbook Buster: The Midshipmen are 26-11 as road underdogs the past 11 seasons.

Sports Betting Angle: Navy has covered eight straight games against Air Force.

Bets and Pieces: Since 2000, the Middies are 12-20-1 as home favorites.

 

ARMY (7-6 SU, 6-6 ATS, 11 RS, 44 RL)

By the Numbers (2000-2010)

SU:  32-98

ATS: 51-70-2

HF:   5-7

HD:  12-28-1

AF:   0-4

AD:  28-22-1

Sportsbook Buster: The Black Knights are just 17-35-1 ATS at home the past 11 seasons.

Sports Betting Angle: Army is 12-1 ATS in the first of back-to-back road games.

Bets and Pieces: The Black Knights are 4-1 ATS after being shut out the previous week.

 

 

Legend:

SU  = Straight Up                                                          

ATS = Against the Spread                                  

HF  = Home Favorite

HD  = Home Underdog

AF  = Away Favorite

AD  = Away Underdog

 

This is the last installment of an 11-part college football preview series for the 2011 season.

 

 

 

This article was written by Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is host to one of the top online sportsbooks offering college football betting and sports betting on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and all other major sports. The Greek is a must have sports betting and entertainment portal with one of the largest wagering menus available online. Article reproductions must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com