An injury explains betting tilt

Gamers have to look deep inside the college football schedule to find one of the most lopsided wagered games of the weekend, which features Central Michigan (4-4) at Kent State (3-5).

This Mid-American Conference showdown has the Chippewas as 2 1/2 -point favorites over the Golden Flashes, who have lost three consecutive games.

According to Sportsbook.com’s betting trend, Central Michigan has attracted 94% of the bets against the spread this week, while theSpread. com’s NCAA betting chart has the Chippewas picking up 89% of the action.

The reason for the strong support? A key injury, of course.

Kent State lost starting quarterback Julian Edelman for the rest of the season when he broke his right arm in the final minutes of last week’s 31-20 loss to Bowling Green. In Edelman’s place, the Golden Flashes will turn to freshman Giorgio Morgan, who was scheduled to redshirt this season.

As a reward for his first start, Morgan takes over a struggling team against Central Michigan, which at 3-0 is the only undefeated team in MAC play.

Another under-the-radar game getting one-sided attention is today’s matchup between Idaho (1-7) and Nevada (3-4). The Wolf Pack, which has lost two of its last three games, is a 17 1/2 -point favorite at home and has attracted 89% of the bets against the spread, according to theSpread.com.

The Vandals, who played USC tough early in the season, have lost six games in a row and have failed to cover against the spread in five consecutive games.

Pro football

After going all week without a line on the San Diego-Houston game, Las Vegas oddsmakers didn’t need much time to place the Chargers as the favorite once a decision was made Friday not to move Sunday’s game because of wildfires.

San Diego, which has won two games in a row, is listed as a 9 1/2 -point favorite over the Texans, who have lost two games in a row.

If the game had been moved and played in Los Angeles, Arizona or Texas -- as Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested earlier in the week -- Mike Seba, senior oddsmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, told Covers.com that the Chargers would have had a home-field advantage worth only 1 or 1 1/2 points to the line.

Hockey

As the NHL season heads into its second month, three teams have emerged as leaders against the spread.

Carolina (which is in first place in the Southeast Division) started out 8-2 against the spread; surprise teams Boston and Columbus (early contenders in the Northeast and Central Divisions) opened 7-2 against the spread.

Two teams off to decent starts (Minnesota at 7-1-2 and Pittsburgh at 5-4) have struggled against the spread. The Wild began the season 3-7 against the spread, and the Penguins were 2-7.

lonnie.white@latimes.com