NCAAF Week 11 Betting - Maryland Terrapins at Virginia Tech Hokies

The Maryland Terrapins (6-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) are drawing a bead on a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. On Thursday night they hope to take a step toward that as they visit the Virginia Tech Hokies (5-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) in NCAA college football action that is set to get underway at 7:30 PM ET at Lane Stadium (natural turf) in Blacksburg, VA.

Thursday, November 6

BetUS NCAA Football Odds: VIRGINIA TECH -2.5, Total 42.5

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

* MD has covered four of its last six games

* MD has won five of its last six games SU

* MD is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 road games

* MD has lost five of its last seven road games SU

* MD has played its last five road games UNDER the total

* VT has covered two of its last six games

* VT has won 15 of its last 20 games SU

* VT has won 13 of its last 15 home games SU

Virginia Tech's quarterback situation has been in doubt. Starter Tyrod Taylor and backup Sean Glennon both have ankle injuries, and that left Cory Holt (3 of 6, 28 yards) to perform what would have amounted to mop-up duty against Florida State last time out, except that the Hokies were still in the game. So we're watching the medical report. Both Taylor and Glennon are questionable, and tight end Greg Boone could actually be a backup QB here.

The Hokies' offense has been snoozing the last couple of games, gaining just 240 yards against Boston College and 243 against Florida State. A month ago against Western Kentucky, a provisional Division I team, they could not crack the 300-yard mark. There are problems, without a doubt. And opponents have had to gain 19 yards for every point they score against the Terps, so regardless of who is in the VT lineup at quarterback, and how healthy he is, the sledding will be rough indeed. The Hokies don't need very much help to be one-dimensional (only 120 passing yards a game), and so either Taylor had better be in there and very elusive, or running back Darren Evans (no 100-yard games yet) is going to have to do some damage against a Maryland stop unit that can hold its own against the run (yielding 3.7 yards a carry).

We do know that Virginia Tech can stiffen up against the run (3.4 ypc allowed), and that is something Maryland is going to have to do to move the ball. Da'Rel Scott had 320 yards in his first two games, then didn't have a 100-yard game until his last outing (163 vs. N.C. State). Chris Turner (59%, 1428 yards) has thrown just one interception in his last four games, and we're waiting for Darrius Heyward-Bey to have another game like he did against Wake Forest (11 catches, 101 yards).

Virginia Tech's special teams aren't as imposing as they used to be, not when they are ranked 113th in net punting and 80th in kickoff returns. The Terps actually come up much bigger in both departments.

Maryland has had some spectacular highs and lows. The Terrapins lost to Middle Tennessee State and were shut out by Virginia (31-0), but they shut out Wake Forest, and beat Clemson and California. What does this tell us? Well, maybe that they are capable of an awful effort, but quite possibly that they have gotten "up" for the better opponents. Don't disqualify that it can happen here. We'll take Maryland, the 2.5-point underdog in the BetUS NCAA college football sports betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: MARYLAND +2.5 ***

(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)