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College Football Spread: West Virginia at Rutgers

Written December 2, 2009 by Hector Garza

Take advantage of Sportsbook 50% signup BONUS and check out more winning college football picks. In a Big East that will be won by either Cincinnati or Pittsburgh, two other conference teams get ready to face off for bragging rights and a potential 10 win season. Rutgers and West Virginia are both sporting 8-3 records and are coming off league wins. The Mountaineers will be traveling this week after pulling off the upset in a 19-16 win against the Panthers. Meanwhile the Scarlet Knights, after a surprising loss to Syracuse, bounced back by beating Louisville and are looking to end their 15 game losing streak to WVU. Gametime is set for noon et this Saturday and the Mountaineers are a 1.5 point favorite according to our NCAA football betting lines.

When RB Noel Devine runs for 90 or more yards, WVU is undefeated in conference play. The star back is a big reason for the 185.5. ypg average on the ground, and through eleven games has accounted for eleven scores and 112 ypg. QB Jarrett Brown is the team’s second leading rusher, chipping in another 5 scores and 387 yards. He’s also done what’s been expected of him in the passing game, throwing for over 2000 yards, eleven td’s and a 64.7% completion percentage. Seven different receivers have over ten receptions, making it hard for defenses to focus on one player. While he’s done well spreading the ball around, he’s also been susceptible to turnovers, throwing eight interceptions on the year. The defense has been doing their part, allowing only 123.3 ypg rushing and holding Pitt to one td last week. The secondary is also a force to be reckoned with, as they’ve amassed 15 interceptions.

While Rutgers offense hasn’t put up as many points as this week’s opponents, they have multiple big play threats. Freshman QB Tom Savage has thrown 11 td’s to 4 int’s and 1764 yards. A contributing factor to his 54.5% completion percentage is that he’s been under a lot of pressure in the pocket. In the ten games he’s started, he’s been sacked 30 times, and WVU will no doubt be bringing the heat. RB Joe Martinek leads the backfield with 874 yards and nine scores, while the best big play threat is found in receiver Tim Brown. He currently tops all others in the Big East with his 1051 yards on 51 receptions for eight td’s. Another emerging threat is WR Mohamed Sanu. With his 41 catches and 437 yards, he’s the next best receiver, but is also proving his mettle running the football. Last week in the wildcat formation he ran for 148 yards and two scores, and head coach Greg Schiano is looking to get him more involved. The Scarlet Knights have posted two shutouts, and have done an effective job of limiting opponents in rushing yards. Last week they held Louisville to a season low 48 yards on 27 attempts. Against the pass they have been more susceptible, and will need to improve on the 254 yards they gave up to the Cardinals.

For more more expert football picks, look no further than Betfirms. Both teams are playing for a potential berth in the Gator Bowl, and West Virginia decisively leads the overall series 30-4-2. These teams are much more evenly matched than in previous years, as evidenced by the 1.5 point spread. Rutgers defense has the slight edge but will have their hands full with a strong ground game. WVU’s offense has proven itself the more productive of the two. I give the nod to Rutgers playing at home in what looks to be a closely played game. If you’re interested in learning more about college football betting, Betfirms has all you need.