Lines on College Football – Maryland Faces Double-Digit Spread

The improved Maryland Terrapins face a tough double-digit wagering spread in the lines on college football betting sportsbook this Saturday, Sept. 25th, when they take on the Florida International Golden Panthers.

The Terps were one of the worst teams not only in the ACC but also in all of college football in 2009.

They’ve obviously improved big time in 2010 with a huge victory over the highly-regarded Navy Midshipmen to open the season and then a 62 to 3 beat down of Morgan State.

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Maryland lost their last game 31 to 17 to West Virginia but West Virginia is a Top 25 ranked team.

The Terps don’t face a Top 25 ranked team on Saturday, but they’re going to have to be ready in order to cover the spread because the betting lines on college football has pegged them as a 12 point fave versus the Golden Panthers.

Florida International Golden Panthers vs. Maryland Terrapins

Where: Byrd Stadium, College Park, Maryland

When: September 25th, 2010 at 12:00 pm EST

TV: ESPNU

NCAAF Betting Lines

Florida International Golden Panthers +12 -110

Maryland Terrapins -12 -110

According to the lines on college football trends, Maryland should cover the spread ATS in this game.

• The Maryland Terrapins are 4 and 1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
• The Maryland Terrapins are 8 and 2 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
• The Florida International Golden Panthers are 2 and 5 ATS in their last 7 road games versus a team with a winning record.
• The Florida International Golden Panthers are 0 and 4 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating less than 275 total yards in their previous game.

The Maryland Terrapins appear to be a decent football team. Beating Navy at 6 ½ lines on college football odds was huge for them because Navy is considered to be a very good team. The victory against Morgan State was to be expected but playing West Virginia tough was impressive as well.

A lot of football handicappers are picking West Virginia ATS as 9-point dogs versus LSU this Saturday. The fact that Maryland kept the game fairly close, under 20 points, means that the Terps are a decent team if not exactly good.

But this is the first time that they are favored to beat another decent team. Florida International is 2 and 0 ATS after losing 14 to 19 to Rutgers as 14 ½ point dogs and losing 20 to 27 versus Texas A&M as 28 ½ point dogs. The Golden Panthers have held their own against two teams that are supposedly better than Maryland and they’ve done it impressively.

Keeping the game close against Texas A&M in College Station is not an easy thing to do for any underdog, much less a lines on college football 28 ½ point dog, but that’s what Florida International did. The Golden Panthers probably should have beaten Texas A&M outright. If the Aggies hadn’t produced a 40-yard TD run with less than 4 ½ minutes remaining, who knows how the game may have ended?

In any case, Maryland Terrapins is in uncharted territory here. Being favored by close to 40 points versus Morgan State, a sub-division team, is one thing. Being favored over a Florida International squad that has already proven its ability to play with the big boys is quite another.

I have to back Florida International in this game. The Golden Panthers are on the cusp of a victory and Maryland, no matter how well they played versus West Virginia in their last, might be overrated a bit in this situation.

The lines on college football for this game totally discounts Florida International’s overall ability to keep games close. I’m hoping to take advantage of that.

NCAAF Betting Pick: Florida International Golden Panthers +12 -110

Check out all of the lines on college football games for this Saturday, click here!