6* - Florida Atlantic (+5.5)
2* - Florida Atlantic ML (+180)
I am taking a flyer tonight on the Owls of Florida Atlantic. This team has opened their inaugural year in Division 1A by scheduling the likes of Kansas, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Louisiana-Monroe and Louisville. Last time I checked, four out of those five teams are in BCS conferences and played in bowl games last year so it is little wonder that the Owls are now 0-5 on the season and only averaging 12 points per game. The good news is that the team has played against some pretty good competition and QB Danny Embrick has still thrown for 850 yards and six touchdowns in those games despite, being clearly outclassed by superior players on the other side of the ball. In the Kansas game, he passed for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
The Ragin Cajuns of ULaLa on the other hand have played badly against much weaker competition and while they were certainly brave to schedule Texas in their opener, they were annihilated 60-3 but rewarded with a big payday. In their next two games, Eastern Michigan and Northwestern State (of Louisiana) did not provide the tune-up the Cajuns needed going into conference play as evidenced by their 24-21 loss to Central Florida last week. Yes, that is the same Central Florida team that had won only once in their previous 18 games. In most of that game, ULaLa was without QB Jerry Babb who is also the second leading ball carrier on the team. Guess what, he?s not playing tonight either. Backup QB Michael Desormeaux managed only 119 passing yards against Central Florida who had previously allowed an average of 266 yards to the other quarterbacks they have faced, including 368 yards to lowly Marshall. That?s not good news for ULaLa as FAU held Oklahoma State to 94 yards passing and no team has passed for more than Louisville?s 282 yards, which was the Cardinals? lowest total of the year.
2* - Florida Atlantic ML (+180)
I am taking a flyer tonight on the Owls of Florida Atlantic. This team has opened their inaugural year in Division 1A by scheduling the likes of Kansas, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Louisiana-Monroe and Louisville. Last time I checked, four out of those five teams are in BCS conferences and played in bowl games last year so it is little wonder that the Owls are now 0-5 on the season and only averaging 12 points per game. The good news is that the team has played against some pretty good competition and QB Danny Embrick has still thrown for 850 yards and six touchdowns in those games despite, being clearly outclassed by superior players on the other side of the ball. In the Kansas game, he passed for 299 yards and three touchdowns.
The Ragin Cajuns of ULaLa on the other hand have played badly against much weaker competition and while they were certainly brave to schedule Texas in their opener, they were annihilated 60-3 but rewarded with a big payday. In their next two games, Eastern Michigan and Northwestern State (of Louisiana) did not provide the tune-up the Cajuns needed going into conference play as evidenced by their 24-21 loss to Central Florida last week. Yes, that is the same Central Florida team that had won only once in their previous 18 games. In most of that game, ULaLa was without QB Jerry Babb who is also the second leading ball carrier on the team. Guess what, he?s not playing tonight either. Backup QB Michael Desormeaux managed only 119 passing yards against Central Florida who had previously allowed an average of 266 yards to the other quarterbacks they have faced, including 368 yards to lowly Marshall. That?s not good news for ULaLa as FAU held Oklahoma State to 94 yards passing and no team has passed for more than Louisville?s 282 yards, which was the Cardinals? lowest total of the year.
