NCAAF Week 9 Betting - Oregon Ducks at Arizona State Sun Devils

The Arizona State Sun Devils (2-4 SU, 1-4 ATS) need a win in the worst way. On Saturday they will endeavor to get one, as they play host to the Oregon Ducks (5-2 SU, 3-4 ATS) in NCAA football action that is set to get underway at 10 PM ET at Sun Devil Stadium (natural turf) in Tempe, AZ.

Saturday, October 25

BetUS NCAA Football Betting Odds: OREGON -4

Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* ORE has covered one of its last five games

* ORE has won six of its last eight games SU

* ORE has covered two of its last six road games

* ORE has won six of its last nine road games SU

* ORE has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total

* ASU has won and covered one of its last five games

* ASU has played four of its last five games UNDER the total

* ASU has won 16 of its last 22 home games SU

Also....

* ORE has won seven of the last ten meetings SU

* ASU has covered four of the last six meetings as the home team

It's been a pretty rough patch for Arizona State, a team that was hoping for top ten status but has fallen into a pattern that was familiar last year - flaming out against quality teams. This time ASU started its current losing atreak against a mediocre bunch from UNLV, then followed with unproductive defeats against Georgia, Cal and USC, during which time the Sun Devils have scored just 24 points. Maybe they get something of a pass, since Rudy Carpenter was out two weeks ago with a sprained ankle. But there is no run game, and that is a consistent bummer, as the Sun Devils have managed only 150 yards over the ground in this past three-week period.

One thing Oregon has not had difficulty with is moving the ball along the ground. The Ducks were stopped cold by USC, granted, but look at the other totals - 256, 408, 306, 227, 346 and 323 yards. So I wouldn't expect this team to stumble. Of course, Oregon has to run well because with all the quarterback injuries, the passing game is so inconsistent. Last time out it was Jeremiah Masoli at the helm, and he was a dreadful 5 for 19 for 42 yards. It's a good thing Masoli can run it, and he combines with LeGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson to form a dynamite backfield from that standpoint.

Dennis Erickson professes that Carpenter will be close to 100% by Saturday. But what we'd be worried about if we were backing ASU is that Carpenter's numbers have decreased in each game; from 388 yards in the opener against Northern Arizona all the way to 165 against California and 126 against USC.

Without ground support, frankly I don't know what to expect from Carpenter, or ASU. Oregon is not a bad traveler (winning six of its last nine on the road). Let's lay the points with the more reliable Ducks, the four-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA college football betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: OREGON -4 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay of http://www.ebookies.com gives it more than the old college try as a contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)