Alex Smart College Football Power Poll Week 7

1: Oklahoma Sooners (4-0 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 1) The Sooners hold the top spot in this week’s Power Poll after throttling Baylor 49-17 as 24-point favorites. Oklahoma has outscored their opponents by an average of 35.8 ppg this year, but will get their first real test this week against Texas, a team that has covered the spread against them in each of the L/3 seasons.

Next Up: Neutral Site vs. Texas (-7)

2: Ball State Cardinals (5-0 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 2) Once again, Cardinals bettors had a nice, easy time cashing a ticket, blanking Toledo 31-0 as seven-point favorites. They’ve started to garner some national attention, coming in at #25 in this week’s AP Poll. Ball State is now 17-5 in their L/22 road games and 26-10 in their L/36 overall.

Next Up: Away @ Western Kentucky (-17.5)

3: Vanderbilt Commodores (5-0 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 3) Considering that oddsmakers set their over/under win total for the season at just three wins, the Commodores have been a smashing success so far in ’08. The #13 team in the land knocked off Auburn 14-13 as short underdogs over the weekend, and now have their sights set on Mississippi State, a team that is 5-1 ATS against them since 1988.

Next Up: Away @ Mississippi State (-1.5)

4: Texas Longhorns (5-0 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 6) If anyone was thinking that Texas would be in a look-ahead spot to their showdown with OU this coming week, they were sorely mistaken. The Longhorns knocked off the Buffs by 24 as 12-point favorites, and have now covered the spread in six straight games by an average of 13.1 ppg.

Next Up: Neutral Site vs. Oklahoma (+7)

5: Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 5) This week’s betting victory for the Cowboys wasn’t nearly as impressive as the others this season, but they got the job done, avoiding the backdoor against Texas A&M by holding on to a 56-28 win as 26-point favorites. This week’s opponent, Missouri, has owned Okie State of late, going 7-2 ATS since ’94.

Next Up: Away @ Missouri (+13.5)

6: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4-0 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 8) There was no stopping the Tulsa offense last Saturday, as they rolled up 63 points and 577 yards against the hapless Rice Owls. They won by five touchdowns, easily covering the 16.5-point spread. Tulsa has reached at least 45 points in every game this season, a streak that probably will continue when they take on SMU this weekend.

Next Up: Away @ SMU (-24)

7: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-0 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: 11) HC Paul Johnson has the Ramblin’ Wreck rolling through the ACC, easily taking care of previously unbeaten ATS Duke 27-0 as two touchdown favorites. They’ve got a game against FCS Gardner-Webb this weekend, which should move GT one win closer towards bowl eligibility.

Next Up: Home vs. Gardner-Webb (No Line)

8: Northern Illinois Huskies (4-0 ATS, 2-3 SU) (LW: 13) The MAC moves its second team into the Top-10 when Northern Illinois joins the party. The Huskies had several chances to knock off the Vols SU, but had absolutely no trouble covering the 16.5-point spread, losing 13-9. Miami (OH) is up next, a team that is just 1-7 ATS in their L/8 games.

Next Up: Home vs. Miami (OH) (-10.5)

9: Southern California Trojans (3-1 ATS, 3-1 SU) (LW: 10) After one quarter, it appeared as though USC was headed towards another disappointing game for their bettors, but they rallied, scoring 41 unanswered points to knock off the Ducks 44-10 at the Coliseum last Saturday. The Sun Devils come to Southern Cal next week, and they’re just 1-8 in their L/9 overall.

Next Up: Home vs. Arizona State (-25.5)

10: Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0-1 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 17) Texas Tech made a massive statement against Kansas State this weekend, beating the Wildcats in Manhattan 58-28 as 7-point favorites. The Air Raid hosts Nebraska next, who is just 1-7 in their L/8 overall and 2-10 ATS against their L/10 teams with winning records.

Next Up: Home vs. Nebraska (-18.5)

11: Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-1 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 16) It wasn’t the prettiest of games for the Gophers this weekend, but their college football bettors won’t mind, as they knocked off the Hoosiers 16-7 as touchdown favorites. Now they take on Illinois, a team they are 5-2 ATS against since 1999.

Next Up: Away @ Illinois (+11.5)

12: Missouri Tigers (3-1 ATS, 5-0 SU) (LW: 19) The Chase Daniel Heisman Trophy campaign is in full force. He threw another three TDs against Nebraska, en route to their 52-17 victory as 10-point favorites. They’ve got another chance to move up against unbeaten Okie State this weekend.

Next Up: Home vs. Oklahoma State (-13.5)

13: Duke Blue Devils (3-1 ATS, 3-2 SU) (LW: 4) The Dookies snapped back into reality this weekend when they traveled to Georgia Tech. They lost to the Jackets 27-0. Now HC David Cutcliffe has two weeks to prepare for the Canes.

Next Up: Bye

14: Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1-1 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 12) Two weeks ago, Penn State bettors got a bit unlucky against Illinois, but they got the favorite back this week against Purdue. It appeared as though the Boilermakers were set to hit the backdoor, scoring a late TD, but they couldn’t convert the PAT, securing a push against the 14-point spread. The Nittany Lions head to Camp Randall this week, a place where the Badgers are 17-8 ATS in their L/25 games.

Next Up: Away @ Wisconsin (-4)

15: Texas Christian Horned Frogs (4-1 ATS, 5-1 SU) (LW: 20) TCU’s winning ways for football bettors continued last Saturday when they knocked off the Aztecs 41-7, easily covering the 25-point spread. They’ve covered four straight against Colorado State, their next opponent.

Next Up: Away @ Colorado State (-13)

16: North Carolina Tar Heels (3-1 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: 22) North Carolina might’ve been an unranked team and laying a touchdown to a ranked team, but it was no problem for football bettors backing the Tar Heels. They knocked off the Huskies 38-12 and moved into the AP Top-25 as their reward.

Next Up: Home vs. Notre Dame (-7)

17: Air Force Falcons (3-1 ATS, 3-2 SU) (LW: 9) The Falcons opened up their annual games against the other armed services in horrible fashion, losing as favorites to Navy by a touchdown. Air Force is still 10-2 ATS in their L/12 games.

Next Up: Away @ San Diego State (-8.5)

18: Georgia Bulldogs (2-1-1 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: 18) The Bulldogs were off last week. The Volunteers come to town this week, and they’re just 1-4 ATS this season.

Next Up: Home vs. Tennessee (-13)

19: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (4-1 ATS, 2-3 SU) (LW: 25) ULL was dominant from the get-go against their rivals from Louisiana-Monroe. They Ragin’ Cajuns ran for 556 yards, and held off a late charge by ULM to win 44-35 and cover the short spread. They play North Texas next week, which has covered the last eight meetings against the Cajuns.

Next Up: Away @ North Texas (-23.5)

20: Florida International Golden Panthers (4-1 ATS, 2-3 SU) (LW: NR) The Golden Panthers have been one of the most impressive teams over the past three weeks. They beat North Texas 42-10 as 5-point favorites, and have now beaten the spread the past three weeks by an average of a whopping 28.7 ppg!

Next Up: Home vs. Middle Tennessee State (+2.5)

21: Alabama Crimson Tide (4-2 ATS, 6-0 SU) (LW: 7) It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to college football bettors that the Tide sort of sleepwalked through their game with Kentucky. They knocked off the Wildcats 17-14 to keep their undefeated season alive, but never had a chance of covering the 15.5-point spread.

Next Up: Bye

22: Temple Owls (5-1 ATS, 2-4 SU) (LW: NR) The Owls have been a ridiculous pain for anyone trying to bet against them this season. They broke a 4-game SU losing streak to Miami (OH) this week, but did notch their fifth cover of the season. They head to Central Michigan next week, a team that is 12-2-1 in their L/15 home games.

Next Up: Away @ Central Michigan (+10.5)

23: California Golden Bears (4-1 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: NR) If not for a dud of a road trip to Maryland, Cal would be one of the best teams in the nation for both bettors and the pollsters. They got it done by the hook last Saturday, knocking off the Sun Devils 24-14 as 9.5-point favorites. HC Jeff Tedford has a bye week to decide whether he’s going to go with Nate Longshore or Kevin Riley under center.

Next Up: Bye

24: Iowa State Cyclones (3-1 ATS, 2-3 SU) (LW: NR) Iowa State had the Kansas Jayhawks dead to rights after leading 21-0 at halftime. KU destroyed the Cyclones in the 2nd half though, but it was no worry to Iowa State bettors. They covered the 11-points with ease, and now head to Baylor to do battle with the Bears. They’re just 3-7 ATS in their L/10 road games, though.

Next Up: Away @ Baylor (+4)

25: Arizona Wildcats (4-1 ATS, 4-1 SU) (LW: NR) There are only two teams that are still undefeated in Pac-10 play, and one of them happens to be the Wildcats. Last week they throttled Washington 48-14 as 24-point favorites. In their four covers this season, Arizona is averaging beating the spread by 18 ppg.

Next Up: Away @ Stanford (-6)

Dropped Out: Brigham Young (14), Tulane (15), Ohio (21), Southern Mississippi (23), Mississippi (24)