I usually try to stay away from big favorites in September because some coaches will slow down the pace, cut back on the playbook, and even call for a running clock when they have a big lead.
Indiana's head coach is not one of those coaches.
Charlotte vs. Indiana (noon ET, Big Ten Network)
Kurt Cignetti has a message for the Big Ten: “You gotta take Indiana seriously.”
Coach Cignetti, who was leading lowly Western Illinois University 42-3, didn't call the game off.
He scored 35 points in the second half to lead the team to a 77-3 victory.
And the Hoosiers moved up a division and went on to battle UCLA, welcoming the Bruins to the Big Ten with a 42-13 landslide victory.
Now Charlotte is marching into Bloomington and the 49ers are leaking oil, to say the least.
Their offense barely functioned with Max Brown as their QB1, but the former Florida Gators player will miss this game.
That's bad news for a Charlotte offense that ranks in the bottom 10 in rushing and quarterback protection.
Last week, Charlotte needed a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback to beat FCS Gardner-Webb by one point.
The 49ers won by making big plays, which is their only strength on offense.
The problem Saturday is that Indiana is one of the best teams in the country at limiting chunk plays of 20+ yards.
The Hoosiers have allowed just five plays of 20 yards or more this season and rank third nationally in total defense.
If Indiana's defense can contain third-string quarterback Trexler Ivey, Indiana would need to score more than 40 points to comfortably cover that figure.
I have unwavering confidence that Curtis “Maple Missile” Rourke can get it done.
Canadian imports are thriving under Signetti's system.
In his past two games, Luke has completed 40 of 50 attempts for 575 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
Luke will pick apart this defense from a clean pocket.
The 49ers rank 111th in pass rush (PFF) and blitz on 38% of defensive snaps to make up for a lackluster line.
That's where Indiana will hurt the 49ers the most.
If those blitzes aren't successful, Indiana's passing attack, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation in success rate, will make them pay.
Cignetti is 17-10 against the spread as an FBS head coach and seems motivated to win on the road, and while I wouldn't put IU ahead of the pack, I do expect the Hoosiers to go as high as -31.
recommendation: Indiana -28.5.
Gen. Rice (noon ET, CBSSN)
The public generally avoids allocating points to military academies, but this figure started at 2 and was then raised to 6.5.
There are two reasons for this:
First, Army has been on a roll this season, riding a six-game winning streak into Saturday.
The Cadets are third in rushing percentage and are dominating opponents with 390 yards per game on the ground (first).
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There are also some situational angles to consider.
First, Rice hasn't run a triple-option offense in five years.
Army attackman Cody Worley adds elements of pistol and shotgun to the traditional triple option, providing additional challenges for opponents.
Rice has already struggled to stop the run, ranking 115th in defensive blocking percentage and 127th in rushing EPA.
The second situational perspective is that the Army has just finished a walkover.
Since taking the top football job at West Point, Jeff Monken has been a safe bet when the team has the advantage of rest.
Monken is 25-16 ATS in these scenarios.
recommendation: Army-7.
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Mike Calabrese is a New York Post handicapper who specializes in college sports. His betting advice often revolves around situational aspects such as travel, rest and elevation gain.
