Caught Looking
Just because it?s the first week of the season doesn?t mean there are teams that won?t be looking ahead to what awaits them. While that won?t make some fans too happy, it makes gamblers damn near giddy at the prospect of starting their year off right.
So which openers give us a chance to lay down with the underdogs? Let?s take a look at a trio of games that fall under this category.
Buckeye Bump?
Ohio State is considered once again to be among the class of the Big Ten. It?s hard not to believe the same when looking at the rest of the league. But the Buckeyes could have their hands full this season as they face Navy as 22 ?-point home favorites and a total of 47 this Saturday at noon EDT.
I know that a lot of people will say that there isn?t a reason to be afraid of the Midshipmen since they?re returning only four starters from last season. Navy seems to just reload its triple-option offense on a regular basis. In 2008, they had just five starters back from the following year on offense. All the Middies did last year was lead the nation with 292.4 rushing yards per game.
Navy?s preferred method of attack will no doubt disrupt the Buckeyes? defense. The Bucks? have a talented defensive unit, but they are starting some new faces in the linebacker role. It also doesn?t help that OSU hasn?t faced a triple-option attack in quite some time.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Buckeyes will have an eye towards next week?s showdown with Southern California. Ohio State was humiliated 35-3 as a 10 ?-point road pups out west last year.
The stats would suggest that OSU is a safe play here as they?re 5-0 straight up and against the spread in its last five home openers. However, this team went 1-5 ATS at Ohio Stadium last year.
Speed Bump for the Bruins?
Rick Neuheisel?s 4-8 first year at UCLA wasn?t exactly what everyone in Westwood was hoping for, but it is a start nonetheless. The betting shops are expecting a nice start for the Bruins in 2009 by making them 19-point home favorites against San Diego State with a total of 51 ?.
It isn?t hard to understand the sportsbook?s line of thinking here. This is a Pac-10 school under a coach that has done well in the past against a team that hasn?t won six games since 2003. Also, The Bruins have won and covered the number in the last eight head-to-head matchups.
What people shouldn?t forget about is that UCLA has to make a trip to Knoxville next week to face Layne Kiffin?s Volunteers. Not an easy task to take on.
Something else to wrap your head around is the fact that Neuheisel stinks as a favorite. Over his stays at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, Neuheisel is 55-12 SU. However, he is just 19-46 ATS in those same matchups.
No Luck for the Irish?
Things have been pretty lackluster for the Golden Domers over the last two years under Charlie Weis. Look at how Notre Dame celebrated winning the Hawaii Bowl last December as proof of how the bar is starting to get lower. But there is reason to be optimistic in South Bend this fall as the Irish return nine starters on their offense.
The sportsbooks are anticipating a good start for the Fighting Irish as well in making them 14-point home faves against Nevada with a total of 61. And you might be able to get that line at 15 in some betting shops now.
What is surprising is how everyone is hitting up the Irish for this game. The Wolf Pack aren?t exactly a bunch drunken fools on the field. This club is one of the trendy picks to challenge Boise State in the WAC this year. Nevada?s quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, is the reining conference offensive player of the year with 2,849 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just seven picks.
Notre Dame also has its annual showdown with the Wolverines the following Saturday. I?ll grant you that this showdown doesn?t have the same sheen as it once did, but it?s still a major rivalry for both programs.
If you?re looking for hard numbers to consider when wanting to fade the Domers, then consider this: The Fighting Irish are just 5-3 SU and 2-6 ATS in their last eight season openers.
Just because it?s the first week of the season doesn?t mean there are teams that won?t be looking ahead to what awaits them. While that won?t make some fans too happy, it makes gamblers damn near giddy at the prospect of starting their year off right.
So which openers give us a chance to lay down with the underdogs? Let?s take a look at a trio of games that fall under this category.
Buckeye Bump?
Ohio State is considered once again to be among the class of the Big Ten. It?s hard not to believe the same when looking at the rest of the league. But the Buckeyes could have their hands full this season as they face Navy as 22 ?-point home favorites and a total of 47 this Saturday at noon EDT.
I know that a lot of people will say that there isn?t a reason to be afraid of the Midshipmen since they?re returning only four starters from last season. Navy seems to just reload its triple-option offense on a regular basis. In 2008, they had just five starters back from the following year on offense. All the Middies did last year was lead the nation with 292.4 rushing yards per game.
Navy?s preferred method of attack will no doubt disrupt the Buckeyes? defense. The Bucks? have a talented defensive unit, but they are starting some new faces in the linebacker role. It also doesn?t help that OSU hasn?t faced a triple-option attack in quite some time.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Buckeyes will have an eye towards next week?s showdown with Southern California. Ohio State was humiliated 35-3 as a 10 ?-point road pups out west last year.
The stats would suggest that OSU is a safe play here as they?re 5-0 straight up and against the spread in its last five home openers. However, this team went 1-5 ATS at Ohio Stadium last year.
Speed Bump for the Bruins?
Rick Neuheisel?s 4-8 first year at UCLA wasn?t exactly what everyone in Westwood was hoping for, but it is a start nonetheless. The betting shops are expecting a nice start for the Bruins in 2009 by making them 19-point home favorites against San Diego State with a total of 51 ?.
It isn?t hard to understand the sportsbook?s line of thinking here. This is a Pac-10 school under a coach that has done well in the past against a team that hasn?t won six games since 2003. Also, The Bruins have won and covered the number in the last eight head-to-head matchups.
What people shouldn?t forget about is that UCLA has to make a trip to Knoxville next week to face Layne Kiffin?s Volunteers. Not an easy task to take on.
Something else to wrap your head around is the fact that Neuheisel stinks as a favorite. Over his stays at Colorado, Washington and UCLA, Neuheisel is 55-12 SU. However, he is just 19-46 ATS in those same matchups.
No Luck for the Irish?
Things have been pretty lackluster for the Golden Domers over the last two years under Charlie Weis. Look at how Notre Dame celebrated winning the Hawaii Bowl last December as proof of how the bar is starting to get lower. But there is reason to be optimistic in South Bend this fall as the Irish return nine starters on their offense.
The sportsbooks are anticipating a good start for the Fighting Irish as well in making them 14-point home faves against Nevada with a total of 61. And you might be able to get that line at 15 in some betting shops now.
What is surprising is how everyone is hitting up the Irish for this game. The Wolf Pack aren?t exactly a bunch drunken fools on the field. This club is one of the trendy picks to challenge Boise State in the WAC this year. Nevada?s quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, is the reining conference offensive player of the year with 2,849 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just seven picks.
Notre Dame also has its annual showdown with the Wolverines the following Saturday. I?ll grant you that this showdown doesn?t have the same sheen as it once did, but it?s still a major rivalry for both programs.
If you?re looking for hard numbers to consider when wanting to fade the Domers, then consider this: The Fighting Irish are just 5-3 SU and 2-6 ATS in their last eight season openers.
Last edited:
