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Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

South Florida +3½ -110 over Army

12:00 PM EST. We have to admit, South Florida +3½ is not exactly calling our name from across the room. Army just ran for 569 yards in a 59-3 demolition of Bryant, while USF managed only 208 total yards against FIU and was actually outgained 381-208. Now the Bulls have to travel to West Point and deal with Army's triple-option offense, an attack that can make an afternoon feel like root canal without anesthesia. If you're looking for reasons to pass on South Florida, there's no shortage of them. And yet, we're taking the points.

The first thing we're throwing out is Army's 59 points and 648 yards against Bryant. The Black Knights did precisely what a good Army team should do against an opponent completely unequipped to deal with them. USF presents a much different challenge. The Bulls' offense was dreadful in its opener, but their defense wasn't. This is a rebuilt unit loaded with Power Four transfers, and USF held FIU to just 80 rushing yards. More importantly, defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge isn't walking into this assignment without a clue. His familiarity with defending this type of Army attack gives us considerably more confidence than the ugly matchup initially suggests.

There is also something naturally appealing about taking +3½ against an option team. Army wants to shorten the game, possess the football and reduce the number of possessions. That's wonderful when you're laying three touchdowns. It's considerably less attractive when you're being asked to win by more than a field goal against a defense that might be capable of making you work for every possession. One stalled drive, one penalty or one field goal instead of a touchdown becomes magnified. In a game where the clock can disappear faster than our enthusiasm for betting USF, that hook matters.

Make no mistake, this is a tough bet. USF quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. threw for only 100 yards last week and the Bulls' running game averaged just 2.8 yards per attempt. We're not pretending otherwise. But the spread is the great equalizer, and we're getting more than a field goal in a game Army is specifically built to shorten. Sometimes the right side is the one that makes you stare at the screen for five minutes before finally hitting submit. We'll take the ugly ticket, the hook and our chances that South Florida's defense keeps this one within one score.. 

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