We’ve all seen them, those ridiculously large college football point spreads. Perhaps USC will be favored at 36 over a team joke. OR Florida is favored by 29 over Florida A&M. These games jump off the page immediately just because of the size of the spin.

And yes, they almost make you laugh because they are a joke, but what about betting on these games where the spreads can sometimes reach 40 points or more? Should you try playing a game with such a wide spread?

The short answer is no, but there are several reasons for this. First of all, when you talk about spreads this size, you’re also talking about some REALLY bad teams. And we’ve all been there, but nobody likes having to support a terrible team. Another sack allowed, another turnover, another missed tackle, it’s like the movie ‘Groundhog Day,’ mistake after mistake.

That’s one of the reasons you won’t see such big spreads on my system.

Another problem is that there is no real previous to follow. How can you determine if the team taking the beating will keep working, playing hard until the last shot is fired and trying to get the score that the number does?

Now, with the BCS involved, some schools will show no mercy because they are trying to get those almighty points in the polls. You’d think that would increase even more later in the season, right? Well, even that theory is not a lock based on past performances.

And that is my final point and probably the most important. Statistical evidence does not support taking any side in these lopsided games. Looking at the data, we were only able to find one instance where teams covered with a winning percentage greater than 53%. With a break-even point of 52.7%, that’s not enough to inspire confidence.

My advice: stay away from the giant NCAA point spread!