Vegas Play of the Day: Connecticut at South Florida

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Sept. 19, 2014 | 12:20 p.m.

It’s not the best Friday night football offering this week with two mid-major opponents not expected to go far meeting on ESPN.

The Play of the Day, which uses odds from the South Point and a starting $10,000 bankroll, will dive in anyway.

Connecticut plus-2.5 at South Florida: $330 to win $300

One 1-2 team has gotten gifted with lucky breaks in every game but still looked pitiful. The other has seen the opposite with terrible luck but, for the most part, has played well.

Boil it all down, and one team playing Friday night is better than the other. And it’s not the one favored.

It took late scores by both BYU and Boise State, arguably two of the top 25 teams in the nation, to cover against Connecticut. South Florida, on the other hand, never had a prayer against lowly North Carolina State last week in losing 49-17 at home.

It followed a week where the Bulls were gifted with six turnovers by the Maryland Terrapins at home and still couldn’t win. That’s contributed to South Florida having one of the best turnover margins, plus-6, in the nation to one of the worst, minus-3, for Connecticut.

The statistic could flip at any moment, and if it’s tonight, look for the Huskies to pour it on the Bulls. Both offenses could use some work, but Connecticut’s edge on defense should be the difference.

Standings: Bern (46-37-1, $12,731), Keefer (42-43, $10,581), Brewer (36-45-3, $4,125)

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.