According to Vegas, if MSU and FSU were to meet on a neutral field [Archive]

Bigedawg

10-21-2014, 01:40 PM

Sorry if the format is out of whack. Here is the link as well:

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11738128/mississippi-state-bulldogs-hangs-top-spot-our-college-football-vegas-rankings-college-football

Mississippi State remains ahead of strong competition from the SEC.
The College Football Vegas Rankings are here, and there is a trend of conference domination.

The SEC owns the top three teams and five of the top 10. The Pac-12, on the other hand, is creeping up on the SEC with seven teams in the top 25 as potentially the deepest conference in football.

For the first time this season, Mississippi State and Mississippi own the first two spots in the College Football Vegas Rankings without any ties. If the Bulldogs can beat Kentucky and Ole Miss can beat LSU in Death Valley on Saturday -- both are favored -- the top two likely won't change going into next week.

The CFB Vegas Rankings are the composite power ratings of a panel of professional handicappers and college football statisticians, including fellow Insider Phil Steele, Brian Edwards and Bruce Marshall of The Gold Sheet. The ratings are intended to weigh the relative strength of the teams if they met on a neutral field and to be compared to the point spread on a given game.

For example, if Mississippi State and Florida State were to play on a neutral field this week, the Bulldogs would be considered a 2-point favorite by our ratings.

Here's a look at the 25 best teams in college football according to Las Vegas.

College Football Vegas Rankings
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs (Power Rating: 49)

Mississippi State stays No. 1 in the College Football Vegas Rankings from last week. The Bulldogs are 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS with Kentucky up this week.

Previous Rating: 49.5

2. Ole Miss Rebels (48.5)

Of the four remaining unbeaten teams in college football, Mississippi is the only one that has not suffered an ATS loss yet. The Rebels are a road favorite in LSU this week.

Previous Rating: 48

3. Alabama Crimson Tide (48)

With Alabama at No. 3, the SEC dominates the top three teams in the College Football Vegas Rankings. After its loss to Ole Miss, Alabama may have found its way back into the College Football Playoff race, but the Tide are struggling ATS this year with a 2-5 record.

Previous Rating: 45.5

4. Florida State Seminoles (47)

Florida State is just 1-6 ATS this season; it started 5-2 ATS last year. The Seminoles join UCLA, Wisconsin and South Carolina as notable teams with one ATS win this year.

Previous Rating: 48

5. Oregon Ducks (46.5)

Going back to last season, Oregon is 4-8 ATS since its Week 10 bye. Expectations for the Ducks are teetering in Vegas as they are close to a three-touchdown road favorite in Cal this week.

Previous Rating: 45

6. Auburn Tigers (45.5)

So far this year, Auburn has had two real different seasons. The Tigers started the year 2-0 SU/ATS with both games over the total. Since then, they are 3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS with all four games under the total.

Previous Rating: 46

T-7. Georgia Bulldogs (45)

Georgia is off this week before it faces Florida in Jacksonville for the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia is in first place in the SEC East and is already bowl eligible.

Previous Rating: 44

T-7. TCU Horned Frogs (45)

TCU joins Mississippi as the only two teams this season without an ATS loss. The Horned Frogs have Texas Tech at home this week as a favorite of over three touchdowns.

Previous Rating: 43.5

T-9. Michigan State Spartans (44)

Since their loss to Oregon in Week 2, the Spartans have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 257-98. Michigan State plays in-state rival Michigan this week as a 17-point favorite. This is the largest spread for Michigan State against Michigan in the last 25 years.

Previous Rating: 43

T-9. Ohio State Buckeyes (44)

Like Michigan State, Ohio State has been dominant since its only loss of the season. The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 224-69 since, covering four games.

Previous Rating: 42.5

T-11. Baylor Bears (41.5)

After cruising through six games, Baylor hit its first blip in the season last week to West Virginia. Baylor has been listed as the favorite in 20 consecutive games entering this week and is 17-3 SU and 13-6-1 ATS.

Previous Rating: 46

T-11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (41.5)

After their close loss on a late controversial call against Florida State, Notre Dame is off this week before facing Navy next week. Notre Dame fell to No. 7 in the Associated Press poll, below three one-loss teams.

Previous Rating: 41

T-11. Kansas State Wildcats (41.5)

Since opening up the season 0-2 ATS, Kansas State has covered four straight games and is right outside the top 10 in the AP poll. The Wildcats are a 10-point favorite at home against Texas this week.

Previous Rating: 39.5

14. Oklahoma Sooners (40.5)

Oklahoma has failed to cover the spread in its last three games. It did the same thing in Weeks 6 through 8 last year, finishing 5-1 ATS. Oklahoma is off this week before a road games in Ames against Iowa State.

Previous Rating: 39.5

T-15. Nebraska Cornhuskers (39.5)

The Cornhuskers aren't just performing SU this season; they are 6-1 ATS as well. They are 4-0 ATS vs. Power 5 teams with a spread differential of 5.1 points per game.

Previous Rating: 39

T-15. LSU Tigers (39.5)

Expectations are an interesting part of college football. LSU is 6-2 SU and ATS this season, but many people look at the Tigers' season so far as a disappointment. LSU is a home underdog to Mississippi this week; the Tigers have not been an underdog in Death Valley since Week 10 of 2012 against Alabama.

Previous Rating: 37

T-15. USC Trojans (39.5)

The spread this week for USC vs. Utah is fluctuating back and forth between both teams being listed as the favorite. USC is 4-1 in Pac-12 play, with its lone conference loss coming to Arizona State.

Previous Rating: 40

T-18. Arizona Wildcats (37)

Arizona closed as a home underdog against USC two weeks ago, which was surprising considering that USC was unranked and Arizona was the No. 10 team in the country. The Wildcats are a road favorite this week in Pullman against Washington State.

Previous Rating: 37.5

T-18. Arizona State Sun Devils (37)

Arizona and Arizona State are tied for 18th with similar records. Arizona is 5-1 SU and 2-4 ATS, while Arizona State is 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS. Since getting handled by UCLA, the Sun Devils are 2-0 SU and ATS with impressive wins against USC and Stanford.

Previous Rating: N/A

T-20. Utah Utes (36.5)

Utah faces USC this week. The Utes are 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS against the Trojans since becoming a member of the Pac-12. Utah played USC in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2001, which was the last time the Utes beat the Trojans.

Previous Rating: 36

T-20. UCLA Bruins (36.5)

Behind Brett Hundley, UCLA had lofty preseason expectations. Not only have the Bruins lost two games this season, but their 1-6 ATS record is the worst in the Pac-12. UCLA is around a two-touchdown road favorite against Colorado this week.

Previous Rating: 37

T-22. Clemson Tigers (36)

Since losing to Florida State without Jameis Winston, Clemson is 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS, putting it just behind the Seminoles in the Atlantic Division. Clemson is a two-touchdown home favorite against Syracuse this week.

Previous Rating: 38.5

T-22. West Virginia Mountaineers (36)

West Virginia beat Baylor as an 8-point underdog last week to put it in the College Football Vegas Rankings. It was the Mountaineers' largest point-spread upset since beating TCU as a 12-point underdog last season. West Virginia looks to avoid a letdown like it had last year, losing its next three games after beating TCU.

Previous Rating: N/A

24. Stanford Cardinal (35.5)

With Stanford staying in the College Football Vegas Rankings after its loss to Arizona State last week, the Pac-12 has seven of the top 25 teams in these rankings. Stanford is almost a two-touchdown favorite against Oregon State this week.

Previous Rating: 40

25. Marshall Thundering Herd (35)

Finally, Marshall finds its way into the Vegas Rankings with a 7-0 SU and 5-1 ATS record this season. One reason the Herd are getting more attention is QB Rakeem Cato, who has thrown a touchdown pass in a record 39 consecutive games.