St. Joseph’s opened with an 82-73 win over Longwood and shot 44% to Longwood’s 37%. The Hawks went 22-11 last season and have 36% of those minutes and 39% of those points back. Lafayette went 11-21 and has 25% of its minutes and 24% of its points back. Butler beat Lafayette 96-60, outrebounded it 51-28 and held it to 37% shooting and 17% from three. Lafayette’s other game was a 104-67 win over King’s, a Division III opponent. A Hawks team with 36% of its minutes back faces a roster with 25% back that Butler outrebounded by 23, and the result is a win for St. Joseph’s.
Colorado State allows 42.4 points a game, the most in the FBS, and has given up 41 or more in five of its eight games. Boise State has scored 27 or more in all eight games. Against Texas State and Utah State, the two opponents both teams have played, Boise State beat Texas State 46-45 and Utah State 37-18, while Texas State beat Colorado State 66-27 and Utah State beat it 31-14. Colorado State scores 35.5 points a game, 25th-most in the FBS, and has reached 45 in three games. Boise State outscores opponents by 12.3 points a game, 33rd-best, and Colorado State is outscored by 6.9, 22nd-worst. A Boise State offense that has reached 27 every week meets a defense that has given up 41 or more five times, so Boise State comes away with the win.
Sam Houston is 1-7 and scores 18 points a game, eighth-fewest in the FBS, with 3 points in three of its last four games. Jacksonville State allows 19.9, 31st-fewest. The one opponent both teams have played is New Mexico State: Jacksonville State beat New Mexico State 24-0, and New Mexico State beat Sam Houston 30-24. Jacksonville State has won three games by 4 points or fewer, against offenses that scored 27, 26 and 24, and Sam Houston has scored 24 or fewer in all seven of its games against FBS opponents. Jacksonville State is 4-0 at home, and Sam Houston is 0-4 on the road. A defense that allows 19.9 a game meets an offense that has scored 3 points in three of its last four, and that leaves Jacksonville State on top.
Back St. Joseph’s (-1900 moneyline), plus Boise State (-700 moneyline), plus Jacksonville State (-669 moneyline) in a three-team parlay at -261.
