Rivalries Rough for Ranked Teams: 

We had 13 games featuring Top 25 teams Saturday. Yet only one of those baker's dozen featured two ranked squads squaring off against each other.

To a degree, that worked out OK for the ranked units, who went 8-5 straight-up (SU). At the betting window, however, they did the exact opposite, going 5-8 against the spread (ATS). And Top 25 teams playing in rivalry games had a particularly rough day.

No. 11 Oklahoma State wasn't even favored at unranked Oklahoma in the Bedlam game, and by the end of that contest, you could see why. The Sooners went off as a 7.5-point chalk and hammered the Cowboys 27-0.

But Okie State wasn't the highest-ranked team to tumble. No. 7 Georgia Tech was giving 8.5 points at home against Georgia, and the Yellow Jackets never led in a 30-24 upset loss.

No. 15 Clemson, who meets G-Tech in the ACC Title Game next weekend, was favored by 3 points at in-state rival South Carolina. But the Tigers had nothing for the Gamecocks, losing 34-17.

No. 20 Mississippi was a 7.5-point chalk at Mississippi State in their annual Egg Bowl battle, but the Rebels ended up laying an egg in a 41-27 loss.

Finally, No. 23 North Carolina (-6.5) tumbled to North Carolina State 28-27 as the underdog improved to 10-2 ATS in the last dozen showdowns with nine yes, nine outright upsets along the way.

 Double-Digit Chalks Doubly Good: 

Five Top 25 teams went off as double-digit favorites Saturday, and all five teams won SU. Furthermore, four of them doubled their pleasure by also covering the heavy number.

The one team that couldn't beat the oddsmakers? Texas Christian. But seriously, when you go off as a 44.5-point favorite, even covering against a squad as dismal as New Mexico can be a challenge. TCU posted a 51-10 blowout, all but cementing a BCS bowl berth --- but they were 4 points short of an ATS victory.

No. 1 Florida punished visiting Florida State 37-10, narrowly cashing as a 25.5-point chalk; No. 14 Virginia Tech (-15) ripped Virginia 42-13; No. 24 USC (-13) routed UCLA 28-7; and No. 25 Houston fried Rice by an astounding 73-14 final, leading 59-0 at halftime and covering the number twice over as a 29.5-point favorite.

Where was that offensive firepower when I backed the Cougars a few weeks back against Tulsa and they failed to cover in a one-point victory laying 2.5?

 NFL Two-Minute Drill: 

We'll wrap up the weekend with a big batch of trends from today's 12-game NFL slate:

The undefeated Colts have cashed in their last five roadies, but they are just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 AFC South affairs, with Houston up today.

The Texans are on a 1-3-1 ATS skid at home, but have gone 5-0-1 ATS in their last six against winning teams.

The over has hit in eight of the last nine clashes between the Colts and Texans.

The Bengals, hosting the Browns, are on ATS surges of 9-4 overall, 5-1 in division play and 18-8-1 in November.

Cleveland is on spread-covering slides of 4-11-1 overall, 4-9-1 getting points and 2-6-1 against winning teams.

The SU winner is 8-1-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings between the Eagles and Redskins, heading into today's tilt in Philly.

Philadelphia is on ATS upswings of 5-1 as a home chalk and 5-1 against losing teams.

Washington is 5-11-2 ATS in its last 18 games.

The Dolphins have covered in six straight division games and six straight division roadies, yet they are 7-23 ATS in their last 30 games as a chalk, with Buffalo up next.

The Bills are 1-8 ATS in their last nine home starts, and 0-3 SU and ATS in Miami's last three visits to town.

The Seahawks, at St. Louis, are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 as a division favorite, but they've failed to cash in their last six on the road.

The Rams are 1-19 SU in their last 20 games (9-11 ATS) and are on an 8-18 ATS purge at home, but they've gone 4-1 ATS in their last five games.

The Falcons are on positive pointspread streaks of 9-3 at home (4-0 last four) and 11-1 after a SU loss, with Tampa in town today.

The Bucs are 1-13 SU in their last 13 outings, and they are on a 3-9 ATS slide.

The freefalling Jets, entertaining Carolina, are 1-6 SU and ATS in their last seven games, and they've cashed in just two of their last eight at home.

The Panthers are on ATS declines of 4-9 as a road pup and 3-6 as a non-division road dog.

San Francisco is on spread-covering streaks of 9-3-3 overall, 6-1-2 against winning teams and 6-2-1 in November, as it preps to host Jacksonville.

The Jags winners of three in a row straight-up, are stuck in ATS ruts of 1-5 overall, 0-5 against losing teams and 3-9 after a SU win.

The Chargers have cashed in four of their last five starts and are 23-10-4 ATS in their last 37 AFC West contests, with the Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium today.

Kansas City has covered in three straight and is on a 5-1 ATS run overall, playing as an underdog in all six games.

The host is 7-2 ATS in the last nine clashes between the Bears and Vikings, with Minnesota sporting the home jerseys today.

Chicago is on ATS purges of 1-5 overall, 1-6 in roadies and 1-8 as an underdog.

Arizona, traveling to Tennessee, is on pointspread rolls of 11-4 overall, 5-1 on the road and 7-0 catching points.

The Titans have won and covered in four straight games and are on further ATS upticks of 8-4 at home, 5-0 in November and 19-7 against the NFC.

The Steelers are on ATS dives of 3-8 overall and 1-6 on the highway, heading into Baltimore.

The Ravens carry positive ATS streaks of 17-7 overall, 10-4 at home and 6-1 after a SU loss.

The SU winner is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings between Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and the Ravens are on a 4-1 ATS run at home against the Steelers.

• Al DeMarco, General Manager of VegasAdvisors.com and the featured handicapping analyst on Comcast Sports TV in New York and Chicago, is a 25-year veteran of the handicapping industry. Get his daily advice and betting strategies at  VegasAdvisors.com

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