Luckett's Locks: Betting trends to know for the 2021 college football season

It’s so close we can almost taste it. Now is the time to find some betting trends.

The college football season has arrived and that means Luckett’s Locks are here to help guide all of KSR’s readers through the next four months.

Picks will be given out weekly. There will be highs and lows. Our top-10 season total plays are currently floating around the world wide web. Our best bets for Week Zero will be dropping on 11 Personnel on Friday before the official picks column next week.

I'm doing it again. We went 9-1 in 2019 on our season win totals and are looking for a repeat performance in 2021. Luckett's Locks will be back at KSR this season with weekly CFB ATS picks but get your future plays in first. Football is coming. pic.twitter.com/NCsDlcPTNL

— Adam Luckett (@AdamLuckettKSR) August 24, 2021

Before we arrive at that point, we will give out some free intel to our loyal readers. After spending months scouring over information, here are the top trends KSR and Luckett’s Locks will be monitoring throughout the 2021 college football season.

Eastern Michigan dominates on the road

Can you have college football gambling content without touching on some MACtion? Chris Creighton has done a terrific job at Eastern Michigan leading the Eagles to a 27-30 mark over the last five seasons at one of the toughest jobs in college football. The Eagles have a tremendous brand.

Chris Creighton just beat a Big Ten team on the road and did it while wearing this shirt, someone from a Power 5 school hire this man. pic.twitter.com/MobMhdExPQ

— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) September 14, 2019

2020 Toilet Bowl Champs! #atleastwedidntfinishdeadlast pic.twitter.com/w9siaIOyvV

— Chris Creighton (@Coach_Creighton) February 21, 2020

In that five-year run, EMU is 19-3 against the spread (ATS) as a road dog. This is currently the top trend in college football.

Coach O howls

Ed Orgeron is walking into a major 2021 season and the opening contest against UCLA feels like a tricky sport with the Tigers currently only laying four points on the road. However, LSU is much better as an underdog under Coach O.

Since he took over, the Tigers are 7-0 ATS as a road dog with five straight-up wins. Take the points with the Bayou Bengals playing away from Tiger Stadium.

Pesky Northwestern

Speaking of being good on the road, Pat Fitzgerald continues to win a ton of close games at Northwestern and the Wildcats are fresh off a division title and a top-10 finish last season. As always, Northwestern can be a cover machine.

The Wildcats are 12-2 as a road dog in the last five seasons. Back them on the road in the Big Ten.

Fade Louisville

Under Scott Satterfield, the Cardinals have quietly been pretty good at Cardinal Stadium. UofL is 6-2 ATS as a home favorite over the last two seasons, but the Cards struggle on the road.

Louisville is 4-11-1 ATS on the road under both Satterfield and Bobby Petrino since 2015. This is a program that has struggled to reach expectations away from the friendly confines that Tom Jurich built after the hot start in their first year in the ACC.

Cal doesn’t love Berkeley

Despite some ugly offensive numbers, Justin Wilcox has done a fine job at California. The former defensive coordinator at Boise State, Tennessee, Washington, USC, and Wisconsin is 21-21 with the Golden Bears over four seasons. However, Cal is awful at home.

Under Wilcox, the Bears are just 1-7-1 ATS at home but are 11-4 ATS as a road dog. Be selective when rolling with this Pac-12 North program.

Utes are college football’s best bet

When in doubt, back Kyle Whittingham. The 61-year-old is entering his 18th season as the head coach at Utah and has been a part of the program since 1995. Under his watch, the Utes have become one of the most consistent programs in the Pac-12. The Pac-12 South school is also good against the number.

Utah is 14-4 ATS as a home favorite since 2017. The Utes are 12-2 ATS as a road dog since 2014. There is value to be found in Salt Lake City.

BYU travels

Speaking of teams from Utah, BYU also has a very positive trend. The Cougars are 20-6 ATS over the last decade as a road dog. As the program rebuilds off of a historic 2020 campaign, that scenario should occur often this fall for Kalani Sitake’s team.

Poor UConn

The Huskies have dropped out of a conference in football and officially enter the Independent life after the entire program opted out of the 2020 season. Unfortunately, there has been not much to cheer about at Rentschler Field.

UConn is 0-13 ATS as a home favorite since 2013 and 2-19 ATS this decade. This scenario may not occur this year, but if it does everyone should pounce on it.

Willie Fritz, Tulane protect home field

If Tulane is hosting someone at Yulman Stadium, the spread should always jump off the page. Under Willie Fritz at home, the Green Wave are 15-3 ATS (8-1 home favorite, 7-2 home dog). This is about as good of a trend as you can ask for.

Tulane catching nearly four touchdowns against Oklahoma next week will certainly be a number we re-visit on Luckett’s Locks.

Buffalo’s House

Speaking of protecting the residence, Buffalo does that as well as anyone. The Bulls are on a 22-6-1 ATS run against the number at home. UB is 12-3-1 ATS as a home favorite and 10-3 ATS as a home dog.

There is a new regime in town with Maurice Linguist taking over for Lance Liepold, but this trend is hard to ignore.

Chase Hawaii

The Rainbow Warriors play some late games. This can be considered the chasing window by some. Luckily, there is a trend worth knowing if that window presents itself.

Hawaii is currently 5-18-1 ATS as a home favorite. Something to keep in mind when the After Dark window arrives.

Notable Other Trends

• Texas A&M is 6-0 ATS as a road favorite under Jimbo Fisher
• Ohio State is 6-1 ATS as a road favorite under Ryan Day
• Indiana is 9-1 ATS as a home favorite and 7-3 ATS as a road dog under Tom Allen
• Purdue is 7-1 ATS as a road dog under Jeff Brohm
• Kansas State is 13-4 ATS as a home dog since 2013
• Boston College is 13-4-1 ATS as a road dog since 2013
• Virginia Tech is 5-12 ATS as a road favorite under Justin Fuente
• Oregon State is on an 11-3 ATS run as a road dog
• Air Force is 11-4-1 ATS as a road dog
• New Mexico is 3-14 ATS as a home favorite
• Georgia Southern is 10-3 ATS as a home favorite under Chad Lunsford
• WKU is 10-4-1 ATS as a road dog
• Charlotte is 9-3 ATS as a home dog
• Rice is 1-7-1 ATS as a home favorite
• Central Michigan is on an 11-4 ATS run against the MAC
• Akron is 6-25 ATS as a home dog
• Bowling Green is 0-9 ATS as an away dog under Scot Loeffler

Please bet responsibly.