early CHALKboard leans *opinions welcome*

[tball]

thinking somethings up w/ PENNST -7.5 @ MICH ST--obviously the half point worries--though think PSU should win--hafta take a longer look here

ND -34+ VS Syracuse I dunno how many points the irish will be up by halftime--lots i'm guessing VS one of the most disappointing teams in CFB this YR. wonder if backups can keep early cover in tact throughout

CLEMSON -1.5 VS South Carolina The addition of james davis back obviously shows the difference he brings--from last week VS NOLES. South Carolina played well against FLA--though i was blindsided by them vs ARK two weeks ago--as ARK HC Huston Nut did his best to give game away and did just that--CLEM should win here

N'WESTERN -14.5+ @ ILLINOIS This offense should feast on the overmatched Illini squad. I dont see how they dont win by 21+ easy. On concern would be that ILL offense has shown flashes of improvement--but i dont think they can keep up here with their porous DEF

BC -2.5/3 @ NCST The switch over to RYAN at QB has been long overdue. I've been touting this kid for sometime now--though o'brien had stuk with Porter until LW giving Ryan the nod--and it showed vs NC ST the difference in approaches he brings. It surely didnt hurt that it was SR night at BC and 730 nat'ly televised, though i think QB switch infused a whole new life into this BC team--both on OFF, which if continues to work like it should--leaves a good eagle DEF to get better as well.

PURDUE -12.5/13 @ INDIANA The hoosiers surprised me LW as they ionvolved a diff crop of receivers with better results as they held onto a few balls from QB powers and actually made a play @ MICH lw. Though admityedly they were overmatched and showed as MICH and Breaston pulled away playing backups whole 2ndH. Purdue has vastly improved--as they gave Penn St a decent game--and solidly beat an illinois team like they should LW. Painter has shown he's better than Kirsch--and DEF that slowed Mich St 2w ago should have no real problems here.

UNC -24+ VS Duke. North Carolina has been playing some good ball lately--specially in 1h of games as they lead a sleeping Miami team that had QB wirght doin his best jiob to throw game away--until 'canes came out in 2h and ran moss all over'em--plus big momentum changer with blocked Punt for TD helped Mia. NC rerally didnt show much Vs BC-as they only had a KO return for TD to speak of--and played a shootout with a Maryland squad that found themselves with QB hollenbach few wks ago VS FSU. Idont think Blue devils have horses to keep up in thjis one--but with spread soo high-=i'll hafta take a closer look.

any/all opinions always welcome

 

[socrstud]

The best game there in my opinion is Penn State. They have too many athletes and are going to come out to play. This Penn State team is a much different State team this year. Every team struggles which everyone is failing to consider at one point of the year. Unless your USC....Even Texas almost shit the bed against OKST. I'm thinking of putting a Grand on the money line that State wins outright. They are the better team and no one can say that they aren't.

 

[Hokie Fan]

Dint the Illini come up with a 2 spot and a 3 spot in there last 2 games??
I dont know if they were scoring in the negatives before but that doesnt sound like an improved Offense
If I am wrong I apologize in advance

 

[socrstud]

They scored that against Purde and OSU....come on Northwestern's defense is nothing like OSU....and they did put up points against Wisky, and Wisky is a better team than NorthWestern. that was the third game that you didn't mention.

 

[socrstud]

Illinois is illinois though....and Northwestern's running D is horrible.

 

[thom24ad]

I'm playing BC, Penn St and NW. Those are all solid games!

 

[BUCKY1]

how is wisky better than northwestern when northwestern beat us this year?

 

[socrstud]

Because if you look at their record you will see they have a better record and 5-3 in the conference. Here's an example of what I mean. LSU lost to Tenn but we don't go around saying Tenn is better than LSU do we?????

 

[tball]

re: better offensively: they were all but totally wiped up by WISKY inthe 1h--as badgers drove down on like 3 straight poss for scores--where one drive consisted of 11 play--all running (which in all honesty, isnt a bad idea if you have calhoun in backfield). By thought they shoulda packed that one in--but they didnt--thay fought, scored some--and covered that spread. What i guess i was trying to say--is IMO their offense is not as bad as it had been earlier in yr. From what i saw thay found a few things that worked--though, for obvious reasons not aginst vaunted Oh ST "D" or Preseason highly touted PURDUE squad--now jus hinting at what could have been


BTW, i think wisky sucks this year. They woulda covered against Penn St--if it were not for the 2 late INTs for TDs that gave Penn St cover. IMO--thay're totally one dimensional--as they cannot--in my opinion, CANNOT pass to win--ie. losing lead vs IOWA.

 

[tball]

ADDING


MIA/GT UNDER---Hester and Moss are out for Miami--and GT has been overrated all year. Ball is OK at best--the only OFFENSE thay have is RB daniels, a solid gritty back---but Off is anemic. As far as GT's D--they've been on wrong side of OFF struggles and havent really given them a chance to show their true self. Coupled with Wright at QB and Moss who practically singlehandedly brought back UM against UNC--i think this stays under--and also think MIA covers with running and Def


NAVY -28 vs TEMPLE. I liked what i saw outta NAVY VS ND--'cept for the shoddy secondary. Thay should control this game from beginning to end and cover should be well in hand by halftime


GA -27 vs Kentucky How do you not like GA to bounce back in a big way vs less than stellar Kentucky squad. Supposedly this being must win for GA ( i usually dont buy that jargon--and still dont)


now for a couple dogs--that i think WIN outright:

MICHIGAN +3 vs Ohio St. I dont really hold HENNE in high regard as QB--but he did manage enough to bring back MICH VS Penn St to get the win--and ruin then undeafeated season for Penn St. I think Mich has their DEF all set now--and really like what i see in Hart and Hardy running as well as Wideouts Manningham, Avant and Breston. Thats not to say i dont like Ginn and Holmes either, i do, but like Troy Smith less than Henne here--even though i got buried with LW pick using same thinking. Doesnt hurt that HC Carr is unbeaten vs top 1o teams at big house.

WASHINSTON +3 vs Wash St Only spots i got to see wash was gainst ND--and was thoroughly impressed with QB play--as he showed can create OFF opportunities. They had a decent group of skilled players it seemded--but was jus outclassed by ND and their "LUCK" of the irish (ie. recove AT own 1 yd line). I know WSU has OFFENSE too, as have Ncaa's leading rusher--but think huskiesbuild on what they showed against 'Zona and beat cougars by 10+ here.

*** The more i think about the Maryland/BC game--the more in love i am with BC. I think the present BC squad--constituted as it is would cover VS ANY foe if given a decent spread--either FAV or DOG. Sounds goofy to say--but figure in range of -10 to +10 would cover VS anybody--thats jus how much i think Porter was the wrong fir for this Offense and Ryan is.

back to the chalk...
Va Tech -7 vs VIRGINIA cavaliers is another overrated team jus like the yellow jackets they played LW. They jumped out to an early lead and lost it--jus like VS BC (with porter still at QB for eagles ^ see previous) Haggans is erractic at best and admittedly wont be as startled as was in carrier dome when tried best to give game away to 'cuse, now playing in front of hom crowd--though believe VT will pressure enough to take their real weapon in Lundy out of game and take over with stifling DEF and SP teams play leaing the charge. Will note that almost all trends point to Groh and VA here--as they have owned VT in past--and IMO dont believe that Marcus IS better than Michael Vick--but is capable enough to lead hokies by 14+ against VA

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

I personally would be a little concerned laying 34.5 against Cuse. I know Cuse is terrible, but Weis will take the pedal off early in the third quarter. He wants to get E. Sharpley and D. Wolke some snaps at QB.

However - Weis did show the whole team the game tape of three years ago when Cuse whopped ND in the Carrier Dome. Most of the seniors remember that game and will be looking for some payback.

I'm staying away... GL

 

[tball]

i read your post a lil earlier..

i read your post a lil earlier..

re: just this game. My bettor mind tells me that smart thing here is to stay away like you say--though my better mind sez that ND will control this game convincingly. They slept past NAVY LW annd still won handily, though didnt cover the 22.5 i was handed, but eeked out a 1h cover with late TD before half. Cuse is WAY over their heads. I dunno who that short corner that was beat on the 4th and forever pass VS USC. All i know is he's good--real good--and predict him mking plays all over including one pick here. Zibs will probably get one too--and (sp?) n-doo-kway will come up stuff the only real threat that SYR has on O in running game of Rhodes i think is his name. Cuse wont be able to muster enough heart to plug away and will hand this over to irish in easy win cover.


though 2h worries... ...but not really i guess. 43-10 wont cover, soo... 43-7 i guess. UGH--thats alotta points

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

Tball - The corner is Ambrose Wooden just think if he was healthy all year. He ran down D. Jarret that was pretty great. Zibby is an absolute stud... He will be a playmaker for the Irish the next couple of years.

ND could easily destroy this team. It all depends on how much they get up early. Weis hasnt ran up the score on anyone this year. However, the second stringers could put the Cuse team away too...