Northwestern vs. Texas Tech kick off the 2011 football betting season in the Dallas Football Classic played at the Cotton Bowl. Texas Tech is laying nine points with a total of 60.5. In addition to the 2011 bowl betting podcast, OffshoreInsiders.com has the official betting preview.

Northwestern is 7-5 straight up, but just 3-9 against the spread, going over 7-of-11 this season. Texas Tech is 7-5 outright, but 5-6 where it really counts.

The Wildcats are much more successful passing than running. They get just 3.5 yards per rush to squads usually permitting 4.1, 8.2 passing yards per attempt to defenses that allow an average of 7.5 and 5.5 yards per play to 5.6.

Northwestern allows 5.1 yards per rush to teams normally getting 4.2, but they are better at stopping the pass allowing 6.7 yards per pass to teams that usually get 7.0. Overall they permit 5.9 yards per play to 5.5.

Texas Tech gets 4.1 yards per rush to squads usually permitting 4.3, but just 6.7 yards per pass to 7.1 and 5.6 yards per play to 5.6.

Defensively, they are permitting 4.1 yards per rush to squads that normally accumulate 4,1, 7.5 yards per pass to 7.1 and 5.9 yards per play to 5.6.

Spread betting trends (all records are against the spread): Northwestern has dropped 7-of-8 overall. But they are 21-6 as an underdog of 3.5-10.0, 17-5 after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game. On the other hand, they are 1-8 following a SU loss of more than 20 points and 0-6 after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.

Texas Tech is 1-6 off spread win.

Over/under trends: Wildcats have gone over 6-1 as an underdog, but under 10-2 after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game.

Texas Tech has gone under 6-0 off spread win.

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