CFB WEEK 3 INFO

[Lumi]

Betting on College Football Coaches


For those that love to wager on college football, it comes in handy to know certain tendencies of the head coach. Though virtually every coach could care less about the point spread on any game they are involved in coaching, word will filter down thru various channels that high-profile alumni with large banking accounts wouldn?t mind the home team covering a spread against a particular opponent. Though no head coach will worry about such a trivial matter consciously leading into a contest, given the right set of circumstances late in a contest with his team comfortably ahead, but not covering the spread, he might be inclined to run up the score.

Though there is no way to prove a coaches motive, in 1995, coach Tom Osborne of Nebraska had the No.1 team in the country heading into last regular season game against Oklahoma at Lincoln. The Cornhuskers were monstrous 34-point favorites and basically was toying with the Sooners, leading 30-0 late in the game. In the final drive, Nebraska went for a first down THREE times on fourth down and eventually scored a touchdown to cover the spread, with 37-0 shutout. If I hadn?t seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it.

Another example was last season when Florida hosted Miami in Gainesville. The Gators were 23-point favorites against the Hurricanes and that night despite dominating the action, led just 23-3 in the final minutes. Urban Meyer could have easily run out the clock deep in Miami territory, but instead had Tim Tebow throw two passes towards end zone before settling for field goal and a Push.

Most bettors might know about the head coach where they live, or even the coaches within the conference. Only a select few would be able to recall all the different variables from all the head coaches in the FBS.

Here is a breakdown of the top coaches in several areas based on latest runs. (Coaches only at present school)

Coaches with best home ATS records-

Troy Calhoun ? Air Force -8-2
Chris Ault -Nevada ? 19-7
Kirk Ferentz ? Iowa ? 39-22
Garry Patterson ? TCU ? 36-19
Al Groh - Virginia- 31-18

Notes- Randy Edsall of Connecticut deserves to be mentioned with 26-16 ATS at Rentschler Stadium. Miami?s Randy Shannon has made the Hurricanes at Play Against team in their new home with 3-9 ATS mark. Bob Stoops might have a harder time keeping up with 35-25 ATS record in Norman without Sam Bradford at quarterback for unknown period of time. Charley Weis has making up to do to Irish bettors with 11-16 ATS mark.

Coaches with best road ATS records-

Turner Gill ?Buffalo- 17-6
Tom O?Brien ? N.C. State ? 8-3
Mark Dantonio ? Mich. State 8-4
Charlie Weatherbie ?UL- Monroe ? 26-16
Jim Grobe ? Wake Forest? 28-19

Notes-In years past, Mark Richt of Georgia would have been on this list, however 3-5-1 spread record of late drops him to still solid 31-22-1 ATS mark. Mark Snyder is in trouble in his fifth season at Marshall and for good reason with 3-22 and 6-17 ATS record. As good as Chris Ault is at home, he is a dismal 14-22 ATS after being spanked by Notre Dame earlier. Mike Sanford of UNLV is looking to finish .500 or better in Sin City and in order to so he needs the Rebels to be better than 0-7 ATS against .500 or less teams.

Coaches with best favorite ATS records-

Troy Calhoun ? Air Force -9-2
Mark Mangino ?Kansas -25-9
Mike Gundy ?Okla. State ? 15-7
Chris Ault- Nevada ? 21-12
Steve Spurrier ? South Carolina -14-7

Notes-Considering the number of large figures Florida has to overcome; Urban Meyer?s 27-18 ATS record is fairly impressive. Though Wake Forest is great play as underdog, they are 19-28 ATS as chalk. On a similar note, Vanderbilt has is off first bowl game in 27 years, yet flounders as favorite with 6-13 ATS record. The price isn?t right on Mike Price from UTEP, sporting unflattering 10-19 against the spread record in this role.

Coaches with best underdog ATS records-

Skip Holtz ? ECU- 20-7
Butch Davis ? UNC ? 8-3
Tom O?Brien ? N.C. State ? 14-6
Turner Gill ?Buffalo- 20-10
Mack Brown ? Texas ? 10-5

Notes- Skip Holtz learned from his father about being able to succeed as underdog. The same cannot be said about Ohio State?s Jim Tressel who is pedestrian 9-8 versus the oddsmaker. Mentioned Wake?s coach Grobe above, 31-17 ATS will swell any bankroll when the Demon Deacons are catching points. Two shockers from the desert. Mike Stoops? Wildcats are 20-14 ATS receiving points, while Arizona State?s Dennis Erickson is 1-7 ATS.

Best coaches Off a SU Win, ATS records-

Troy Calhoun ? Air Force -13-5
Turner Gill ?Buffalo- 11-4
Tom O?Brien ? N.C. State ? 8-3
Mark Mangino- Kansas ? 27-12
Dick Tomey ? S.J. State -12-6

Notes- Rick Brooks of Kentucky has had success in Lexington and his squads follow up success with 18-10 ATS performance. With Missouri greatly improved the last few years, it easy to forget Gary Pinkel is 24-27 ATS after a W. Kyle Whittingham?s perfect season helped raise Utah to 20-12 ATS with victory after victory. Though Pat Fitzgerald is well liked in the Windy City, he?s detested by Northwestern backers with 4-13 ATS record after the ?Cats have conquered opponent.

Best coaches Off a SU Loss, ATS records-

Pete Carroll ? USC -10-3
Tom O?Brien ? N.C. State ? 8-3
Mike Leach ? Texas Tech -21-10
Bobby Bowden ?Florida State- 43-23
Randy Edsall? UConn ? 28-15

Notes- Any sports bettor should have made a large chunk of money following the exploits of the Top Five in this category. The same cannot be said of Idaho?s Robb Akey who is 4-13 ATS following a loss. Dan Hawkins is losing support by the minute in Boulder and 7-14 ATS record isn?t making matters better. What about blustery Fresno State head coach Pat Hill, who loves the big moment, but is 19-33 ATS off a loss.

 

[Lumi]

UCLA to start freshman QB against Kansas State

UCLA to start freshman QB against Kansas State

UCLA to start freshman QB against Kansas State
The Bruins are starting a freshman under center against Kansas State even though they have senior Kevin Craft, who started 12 games last season, ready and available.

Coach Rick Neuheisel had to make a QB shuffle after starter Kevin Prince broke his jar in Saturday?s win at Tennessee. Prince, who is expected to miss four weeks, guided the Bruins to a 2-0 start while completing 29 of 52 pass attempts for 277 yards and two touchdowns.

Brehaut?s college experience is limited to UCLA?s Week 1 win over San Diego State. He went two for two on pass attempts for 39 yards. Craft has yet to take a snap this season and while he is the backup for this week?s game, team reporters indicate that offensive coordinator Norm Chow would prefer to avoid a job sharing strategy at the quarterback position.

?Regardless of who is back there, as long as they don?t give up the ball we should be fine,? UCLA linebacker Reggie Carter told the Los Angeles Times. ?We?re not going to let teams score too many points.?

The Bruins have allowed 29 points combined in their first two games this season. They are 2-0 straight up and against the spread.

Oddsmakers have them as 12-point home favorites against the Wildcats, who lost to UL Lafayette last weekend despite being 6.5-point faves.

 

[Lumi]

LVSC Rankings - Week 3

LVSC Rankings - Week 3

LVSC Rankings - Week 3


For the second consecutive week, another Big 12 contender fell and this one definitely hurt the conference as a whole. Oklahoma State was fresh off an impressive 24-10 victory against then No. 13 Georgia in Week 1 and all the talk in Stillwater was about the Cowboys? defense that only surrendered 257 yards.
One week later, the so-called improved OSU defense was torched early and often as Houston captured a 45-35 victory as a 16 ?-point road underdog. Quarterback Case Keenum led a Houston attack that totaled 512 yards on offense and they had two turnovers in Cowboys? territory to boot. Is Keenum and company a mid-major program to watch this year?




handicapper believes so. ?The Cougars were impressive in picking up 21 points on the road in the fourth against Oklahoma State ? especially after giving up three touchdowns in the previous quarter. Now Houston catches Texas Tech in two weeks at home in two weeks, effectively eliminating a let down spot. And they make a road trip to Mississippi State, which is a winnable game. If they can win both of those games, then Houston has a real chance of running the table,? said Hall.

The AP poll and its writers are drinking the Houston kool-aid as well, ranking the school 21st in this week?s poll. It was a very solid win for the Cougars and for Conference USA as a whole, but don?t expect this team to get any respect soon when it comes to the point-spread.

The oddsmakers at Las Vegas Sports Consultants, the company that provides the majority of lines to casinos in Nevada, haven?t been made believers in Houston yet. The school isn?t listed in this week?s Top 30, but the Cougars are mentioned in the Next 10. A win over another Big 12 power, Texas Tech (26), will certainly help head coach Kevin Sumlin in all of the polls.

Despite the Cowboys? loss, the Big 12 still has six teams ranked in the Top 30, which is the most amongst all 11 conferences. The SEC and ACC have five a piece, while the Pac 10 has four.

Second-ranked Southern Cal?s 18-15 victory over Ohio State (8) helped the team inch closer to Florida (1), who coasted past Troy 56-6 last Saturday.

The Big 10 (3) and Big East (2) only make up five of the 30 teams in this week?s LVSC rankings and that number might not increase anytime soon. Even Michigan?s thrilling 38-34 win at home against Notre Dame didn?t help the conference. The Wolverines aren?t on the oddsmakers? radar these days and the Irish (11) were only dropped a couple notches. It seems that we?ll find out in a few more weeks if Michigan is for real or not, when it begins a two-game road trip to Michigan State and Iowa.

Below is a complete breakdown of this week?s LVSC rankings.

Las Vegas Sports Consultants - Week 3 Rankings
Rank Team Rating 2008 Rank
1 Florida 122.5 1
2 Southern Cal 120.7 2
3 Texas 117.7 3
4 Alabama 112.5 4
5 California 111.7 7
6 Penn State 111.3 5
7 Mississippi 110.9 6
8 Oklahoma 110.4 10
8 Ohio State 110.4 8
10 Texas Christian 109.9 11
11 Notre Dame 109.4 9
12 Brigham Young 109.3 14
13 Nebraska 108.6 13
14 Boise State 108.1 16
14 Oklahoma State 108.1 12
16 LSU 107.6 14
17 Iowa 107.3 17
18 Clemson 106.3 19
19 Virginia Tech 105.9 22
19 Kansas 105.9 25
19 Georgia Tech 105.9 22
22 Oregon 105.8 18
23 Miami 105.7 20
24 Georgia 105.6 21
25 Cincinnati 105.0 25
26 Texas Tech 104.9 28
27 South Florida 104.8 27
28 Utah 104.6 28
29 Arizona 104.3 NR
29 North Carolina 104.3 29
Dropped out of Top 30: Missouri (29) & Michigan State (29).
Next 10: UCLA, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, West Virginia, Boston College, Stanford, Houston & Michigan State.

 

[Lumi]

Games to Watch - Week 3

Games to Watch - Week 3

Games to Watch - Week 3

Even though there are only two games that feature ranked teams going head-to-head, the entire slate has some intriguing matchups that could be telling toward the entire year for some teams.

Let's take a quick look at 11 contests for this weekend that are worth watching.

Week 3

Thursday - Georgia Tech at Miami, Fl. (ESPN, 7:45 p.m.)

Gamblers get a tricky one to handicap in South Florida on Thursday when the Yellow Jackets and Hurricanes collide. Miami (1-0 straight up, 1-0 against the spread) hasn't played since its 38-34 thrilling upset against Florida State on Labor Day, plus Georgia Tech (2-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) has had extra time to prepare as well after defeating Clemson 30-27 last Thursday. The Hurricanes (+6) cashed outright against the 'Noles, while the Yellow Jackets failed to cover as four-point home favorites. G-Tech has won and covered four in a row against Miami, including a 41-23 romp last year in Atlanta. A lot of people wrote Randy Shannon and the 'Canes off after looking at their early schedule but another big win here would silence those critics. Even though the Jackets have the higher ranking, Miami is laying four points at most outlets. Total players should note that the last two games played between these two in South Florida have gone 'under' the total.

Friday - Boise State at Fresno State (ESPN, 9:00 p.m.)

Do we have an upset special on tap this Friday? Pat Hill and Fresno State (1-1 SU, 1-0 ATS) certainly hope so but it will take a monumental effort on Friday against Boise State (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS). Most pundits believe this will probably be the last test for BSU and if they can leave here with a win, then a BCS bowl berth seems inevitable. The Bulldogs looked good last week in their 34-31 loss to Wisconsin except for a few big plays given up on defense. Boise State has owned this series recently, going 7-1 both SU and ATS in the last eight. Even though Boise State ripped Fresno 61-10 last year, the Broncos only led 13-10 at the half before erupting for 48 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes. BSU head coach Chris Peterson has gone 7-7 ATS as a road favorite, and that includes a 4-1 mark last year.

 

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Saturday - California at Minnesota (ESPN, 12:00 p.m.)



Is California (2-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) a title contender? Better yet, would you consider the Pac 10 soft if you took out USC? No, yes. Those are my answers and until somebody proves me wrong, I'm not sold on anybody in the conference until they take the crown from Pete Carroll and Troy. The Golden Bears do have some talent, especially RB Jahvid Best. However, we'll find out how good he is real soon considering the schedule Cal faces. After this game, the Golden Bears square off against Oregon, USC and UCLA. Head coach Jeff Tedford has had success in his tenure against the Big 10, going 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS, which includes a 42-17 win over Minnesota in 2006. The Big 10 had two chances last week to gain some respect against the Pac 10 but both Purdue and Ohio State came up short. Can Minnesota (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) step up this weekend? They'll need to pick up the rush defense, which gave up 261 yards in last week's 20-13 victory against Air Force. The new stadium was rocking for the Gophers last week and could help in this spot, especially as a live 'dog. Who will be Golden this week, the Bears or Gophers?




Saturday - Michigan State at Notre Dame (NBC, 3:30 p.m.)



Two schools that are probably still kicking themselves after last week's outcomes are definitely Michigan State (1-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) and Notre Dame (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS). The Spartans fell to Central Michigan 29-27 at home as 14 ?-point favorites, while the Irish couldn't hold on to a late lead in their 38-34 setback to Michigan. After watching Michigan State play, it's fair to say that the better team won last Saturday in CMU. However, Notre Dame moved the ball up and down on Michigan for 490 yards and cost itself throughout the contest. The Spartans used two quarterbacks last week and it definitely messed up the team chemistry. The only thing that disturbed me about ND is that they should pound RB Armando Allen (139 yards) more. Revenge is definitely on the mind of Charlie Weis and the Irish, since Michigan State has won and covered the last two meetings by double digits. The 'over' has gone 4-1 in the last five games.




Saturday - Utah at Oregon (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.)



What happens when an unranked team is favored over a ranked team? If you've betting on college sports, then you should know the answer. Oregon (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) hasn't looked great by any means this year but is No. 18 Utah (2-0 SU, 0-2 ATS) the real deal? Last year's Sugar Bowl win over Alabama and the Utes' unbeaten 13-0 season has helped their reputation heading into 2009. Sloppy wins over Utah State (35-17) and San Jose State (24-14) to start the year have been unimpressive and could make the faithful in Salt Lake City worry. Back-to-back road trips are tough for any team and even though the Utes have fared well against the Pac 10 at home, they've been humbled in their last two road games against Pac 10 foes. This game is a possible look-ahead for Oregon, who has a conference home opener against California (see above) next Saturday. If Utah escapes Eugene with a win, the next six games appear to be very winnable with exception to a road battle against UNLV.




Saturday - Nebraska at Virginia Tech (ABC-Regional, 3:30 p.m.)



After watching Oklahoma and Oklahoma State fall from the pedestal in consecutive weeks, Nebraska (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) has a chance to put the Big 12 back on the map with a non-conference victory at Virginia Tech (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) this Saturday. The Cornhuskers have looked solid against a pair of Sun Belt schools, outscoring them 87-12 in the first two weeks. The Hokies bounced back from their opening Week 1 loss to Alabama (34-24) with a 52-10 thrashing of Marshall last Saturday. Last year, QB Tyrod Taylor totaled 258 offensive yards as V-Tech earned a 35-30 win at Nebraska. Despite the loss, the Cornhuskers have gone 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS in their last four games against the ACC. Frank Beamer's team has always been a tough out in Blacksburg, especially against non-conference foes (10-0 run). Even though this one of the two matchups between ranked schools this week, V-Tech could be looking ahead to an ACC showdown against Miami, Fl. next week.




Saturday - Tulsa at Oklahoma (FSN, 3:30 p.m.)



Is Landry Jones the answer in Norman? The freshman quarterback tossed for 286 yards and three scores in Oklahoma's (2-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) 64-0 victory over Idaho State last Saturday. Still, most aren't forgetting the loss of QB Sam Bradford or the 14-13 upset to BYU but the win did give the team much needed confidence. The Sooners' defense only gave up 44 yards, which is what they could give up on one play this Saturday when Tulsa (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) comes to town. The Golden Hurricane offense has posted 44 and 37 in their first two games and both efforts were on the road too. Three straight road games are tough for any school, and that's what Tulsa faces this weekend. Oklahoma has won four straight (3-1 ATS) in this series but the point-spread (15.5) on this week's matchup is the lowest number in the last five. That certainly says something about Tulsa, or perhaps it tells us how the oddsmakers feel about Bob Stoops' banged-up crew.




Saturday - Tennessee at Florida (CBS, 3:30 p.m.)



All the hoopla surrounding Tennessee (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) and its hiring of head coach Lane Kiffin will come to a head on Saturday when the team travels to Gainesville against No. 1 Florida (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS). If you take away the trash talking and bulletin board material, this game looks lopsided and the oddsmakers agree. The Volunteers came back to earth last Saturday as they lost to UCLA 19-15 at home, burning up the betting public's bankroll. While UT was falling, Florida was flying albeit against Troy (56-3). The Gators started slow but finished strong and totaled 663 yards on offense, plus the defense only gave up 139 yards. Urban Meyer hasn't lost to Tennessee since he joined Florida, going 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS. Two of the three have come by double digits, including a 59-20 win from Gainesville in 2007. Most are expecting the Gators to eclipse that number this Saturday.




Saturday - Cincinnati at Oregon State (FSN, 6:45 p.m.)



Why is Cincinnati (2-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) only catching a point in Corvallis on Saturday? It tells me a lot because I would expect Oregon State (2-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) to be tabbed at least a three-point favorite at home. The books know something here and right now they believe the Bearcats and QB Tony Pike (77%, 591 yards, 6 TDs) are a team to be reckoned with even though they did beat up Rutgers and SE Missouri State. The Beavers haven't looked sharp early and were fortunate to beat UNLV (23-21) last Saturday but they did so without starting QB Lyle Moevao, who is 'questionable' again this week. Cross-country trips are tough on any school, but Brian Kelly's team has gone 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS in previous encounters to the West Coast the past two years against San Diego State (52-23) and Hawaii (29-24). In 2007, Cincy pasted Oregon State 34-3 at home with the help of seven turnovers by the Beavers. Don't be surprised to see the 'Cats close as favorites here.




Saturday - Florida State at Brigham Young (Versus, 7:00 p.m.)



The road to the BCS for Brigham Young (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) continues this weekend at home when Florida State (1-1 SU, 0-2 ATS) visits Provo. The Cougars will be playing their first game at home after defeating Oklahoma (14-13) in Dallas and Tulane (54-3) in the Big Easy. QB Max Hall (638 yards, 71.4%) is having a great year and the Cougars' scheme could have the overzealous FSU defense. The Seminoles only gave up nine points last week, but unfortunately the offense didn't show up in a 19-9 win over Jacksonville State. Bobby Bowden's team had a serious chance to lose this game and if the ball bounces the other way, the Seminoles could easily be 0-2. Gamblers should be aware that this will be FSU's third football game played in the last 12 days, which is tough to ask anybody to do. It seems like an impossible trip for the Seminoles on Saturday, especially when you factor in the travel, altitude and visiting crowd. Then you look at the opponent in BYU, who has gone 18-0 SU and 12-6 ATS in the last three years at home. The line opened at seven but I expect it to jump and jump high. The only thing that may irk some on this matchup is that DirecTV users won't be able to watch it since its being played on Versus, which could be a good thing for FSU backers.




Saturday - Texas Tech at Texas (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)


I heard WR Michael Crabtree is coming back for this one?that's a joke folks, and so is he. The malcontent helped Texas Tech (2-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) edge Texas 39-33 last year in Lubbock by catching the game-winning TD with one tick left on the clock. The loss for the Longhorns eliminated their chances to win the Big 12 and possibly the national title too. To say that Texas (2-0 SU, 0-2 ATS) has had this game circled for a long time is an understatement and most would expect Mack Brown to have his squad focused. The Longhorns have outscored their first two opponents 100-30, while the Red Raiders have put up 93 and only allowed 23 points in their two wins. T-Tech QB Taylor Potts (861 yards, 9 TDs) seems to have a good grip on Mike Leach's offense in Lubbock but back-to-back road games against Texas this week and Houston the following weekend are tough tests. Six of the last seven in this series have gone 'over' the total.

 

[Hard Times]

illuminati

illuminati

Now that's some good info,THANKS !!

 

[Lumi]

NCAA Football Game Picks (DUNKEL INDEX)

NCAA Football Game Picks (DUNKEL INDEX)

NCAA Football Game Picks
Georgia Tech at Miami (FL)
The Yellow Jackets look to build on their 8-2 ATS record in their last 10 games as a road underdog between 3 1/2 and 10 points. Georgia Tech is the pick (+5) according to Dunkel, which has the Hurricanes favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+5). Here are Thursday's and Friday's picks. Note: I will post all of this week's picks later today.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST (9/16)
Game 101-102: Georgia Tech at Miami (FL)
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 92.709; Miami (FL) 93.473
Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 1; 52
Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 5; 54
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+5); Under

OTHER MAJOR GAMES:
Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST (9/16)
Howard at Florida A&M
Dunkel Ratings: Howard 35.363; Florida A&M 58.471
Dunkel Line: Florida A&M by 23

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST (9/16)
Game 103-104: Boise State at Fresno State
Dunkel Ratings: Boise State 100.200; Fresno State 94.488
Dunkel Line: Boise State by 6; 56 1/2
Vegas Line: Boise State by 7 1/2; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Fresno State (+7 1/2); Over

 

[Lumi]

Visions of BCS danced in their heads

Visions of BCS danced in their heads

Visions of BCS danced in their heads


The world nearly came to a standstill in July when it was revealed that Florida?s Tim Tebow was not a unanimous selection in coaches? voting for the preseason All-Southeastern Conference team.

South Carolina?s Steve Spurrier eventually ?fessed up, saying he was the only coach who didn?t vote for Tebow, but the message was clear: The 2009 season belongs to Tebow and anyone questioning this shall be condemned to eternal damnation. Just ask Spurrier, who had to face the wrath of the Gator Nation.

But when Tebow announced in late July that he was a 22-year-old virgin saving himself for marriage, a spiritual tone cloaked the season. Good things happen to those who believe and a scrappy bunch of kids on the Brigham Young team are ready to follow Tebow to the promised land in Pasadena and a spot opposite the Gators in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Don?t bet against it.

Brigham Young plays six of its last 10 games at home, including the three toughest ones: Saturday against Florida State, Oct. 24 against Texas Christian and Nov. 28 against rival Utah. The rest of the Cougars? schedule consists of the Wyomings and San Diego States of the world.

The first BCS standings won?t be released until next month, but an undefeated BYU will likely fall somewhere between Nos. 5-10. This essentially will allow the Cougars to be drafting for much of the season while the big boys crash into each other. As the theory goes, teams ahead of BYU will lose and the Cougars will inch their way up, eventually snaring one of the top two spots needed for a berth to the BCS title game.

Don?t think for a second that BYU hasn?t considered the possibilities. That?s why Saturday?s game against Florida State, one of the highest-profile opponents to ever play in LaVell Edwards Stadium, is so huge. The Cougars are 7-point favorites.

It?s pressure, but BYU?s roster is full of mature players who can handle it. Thirty-six Cougar players are married, and many of these men have completed Mormon missionaries abroad.

Critics say BYU has an advantage with so many players leaving for two-year missionaries that don?t count against their eligibility. When they return, the players are often more physically developed and mentally stronger. This allows the Cougars to field a team full of players who are 22, 23, 24 and sometimes 25 years old against opponents with a roster of 19-22 year olds.

Unfair? Perhaps, but if you?re wagering on the Cougars, it?s an edge to consider, especially Saturday.

--

Chris Petersen has been nothing short of remarkable at Boise State. He has a 37-4 record since taking over for Dan Hawkins after the 2005 season. Of his four losses, only one ? a 39-27 setback in 2007 at Hawaii ? has come in Western Athletic Conference play.

On Friday night, the Broncos are on the road to play league rival Fresno State. Boise State is a 7-point favorite.

Much like BYU, the Broncos have only a handful of hurdles to clear if they hope to complete an undefeated regular season for a possible berth to a BCS game. After Friday, there?s an Oct. 14 trip to Tulsa that will be dangerous, and a Nov. 6 game at Louisiana Tech could be troublesome. Otherwise, it should be clear sailing.

Fresno State?s Pat Hill, whose team is coming off a heartbreaking two-overtime loss at Wisconsin, lives for games like this. The Bulldogs are imploring fans to wear white to help wipe out Boise State.

?We?re looking forward to coming down that ramp to a sea of white taking over Bulldog Stadium,? Hill said. ?It will be a great atmosphere for college football.?

Hill has had no success beating Petersen. He?s 0-3, with the Broncos outscoring the Bulldogs 140-52.

He?s likely to strike out again on Friday. Boise State, in a tough environment, should pull away late and cover the number.

 

[Lumi]

Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Is there any value left in BYU or Houston?

Both Cougars have caught the public?s eye by taking care of top-five BCS opponents early in the season.

BYU, of course, knocked out Heisman trophy winner Sam Bradford before knocking Oklahoma off its lofty No. 3 perch.

Houston exposed No. 5 Oklahoma State last week in Stillwater.

Neither team will be sneaking up on anyone anytime soon and will likely be taxed with inflated lines due to their newly-acquired media darling status.

Any line value BYU and Houston had certainly will be squeezed by oddsmakers, at least until the hype of their upsets wear down. The Mormon Cougars opened as 7-point home favorites against Florida State. (If that?s inflated, it sure does seem low, especially noting the Seminoles? struggles against Jacksonville State.)

The Houston Cougars get a week off to let their upset of Oklahoma State go to their heads, before hosting another Big 12 opponent in Texas Tech. It will be very interesting to see what the line looks like for the Cougars game against a Texas Tech team coming off this week?s meeting with Texas. If the Longhorns hammer Texas Tech, would Houston possibly be favored?

Right now, there is plenty of overconfidence flowing at Houston and BYU. It?s only human nature, after all. Non-BCS schools that aren?t used to experiencing BCS-sized success often struggle to handle it. They also struggle to cover the big numbers they?ll be laying in the weeks following their upset.

For example, in 2005, TCU opened the season by stunning Adrian Peterson and seventh-ranked Oklahoma in Norman. The Horned Frogs promptly lost to SMU the next week as 14-point favorites.

Last year, East Carolina pulled of pair of upsets to start the season. First, the Pirates beat No. 17 Virginia Tech. They followed that up with a 24-3 trouncing of No. 8 West Virginia.

East Carolina was favored in its next seven games and went 1-6 against the spread during that stretch.

The fairy tale doesn?t always end poorly for teams that pull off major upsets early in the season. The same 2005 TCU team rebounded from its loss to SMU to finish 11-1, including an impressive 7-1 ATS in conference play.

So are this year?s BYU and Houston teams more like the 2005 Horned Frogs or the 2008 Pirates, who finished 5-9 against the number?

Kevin Sumlin?s Cougars have a much easier road ahead than Bronco Mendehall?s Cougars.

Houston hasn?t received nearly as much love from the polls as BYU, which entered the Top 10 this week. Houston just crept into the Top 25 at No. 22.

But looking at the two teams on paper, it?s hard to pinpoint the reasoning behind why BYU is considered to be a vastly superior team than Houston.

Both teams returned approximately 12 starters. Both feature star quarterbacks. BYU has 13th-year senior Max Hall. Houston is led by Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Case Keenum.

Obviously, BYU has experienced more recent success, having won its last three bowl games. But past success will only get you so far in college football.

Plus, in last season?s Armed Forces Bowl, Houston defeated an Air Force team that led BYU at half last year.

Yet, BYU started the season ranked, while Houston received a lousy two votes.

The discrepancy is a head-scratcher, but also suggests that, as we move into conference play, bettors can expect to find more value betting on the Cougars from Texas than the Cougars from Utah.

 

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Top 5 NCAAF Trends

Top 5 NCAAF Trends

Top 5 NCAAF Trends
KANS DUKE
DUKE are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games in September.
TENN
FLA FLA are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
UTAH
ORE Over is 8-0-1 in ORE last 9 games following a ATS loss.
RICE
OKLST Over is 8-0 in RICE last 8 games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
FSU
BYU Under is 8-0 in BYU last 8 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.

 

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CFB Early Respite Systems

CFB Early Respite Systems

CFB Early Respite Systems

In the majority of cases, rest is considered advantageous for most college football teams, especially late in the season. An extra blow not only helps heal tired bodies but also gives coaches a chance to better study an opponent?s game film in greater detail. However, rested teams during the opening month of the season tend to develop dichotic personalities.

RESTED TEAMS OFF A SEASON OPENING LOSS TEND TO STRUGGLE
A week of rest right out of the box in a new season, however, can either help or hinder a team depending on their previous effort and venue. In college football, teams in Game 2, playing off a LOSS with a week of rest, are just 54-68 ATS, including 26-41 ATS when on the road. This week we find Florida Atlantic, Nevada, Temple and Utah State (all away) in this not-so-desirable role.

RESTED TEAMS OFF A SEASON OPENING WIN TEND TO PERFORM WELL
On the other side of the coin, college football teams in Game Two, playing off a WIN with a week of rest, are 112-80-4 ATS, with Arkansas, Arizona State, Baylor, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami Fla and Texas A&M are in this role this week. Note: Kentucky and Louisville play one another this week.

When playing foes with wobbly defenses (allow 27 or more PPG on the season), these rested winners improve to 35-12 ATS. Arkansas, Arizona State and Texas A&M all fit the bill on Saturday. That?s this week?s wake-up call. You know what to do...

 

[Lumi]

News and Notes - Week 3

News and Notes - Week 3

News and Notes - Week 3
September 16, 2009
Week 3

News and Notes

It was a tough loss for Clemson vs Georgia Tech. The announcers on ESPN talked about an unstoppable GT offense as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead after 1Q. That unstoppable offense had a total of 1 FD in earning those 21 pts. They got an 82 yd TD run, an 85 yd PR when CU's K faked a FG and punted instead. Later with GT facing a 4th & 13, it looked like they would try a FG but their K threw for a TD and they led 21-0. After GT took a 24-0 lead, CU dominated. They had a 319-91 yd edge from the 10:29 point of the 2Q to the 11:33 of the 3Q and led 27-24. After GT got a 34 yd FG, CU had a 38 yd pass to the 16 wiped out by a very questionable hold and punted and GT got the game winning FG with :51 left...

Penn St led Syracuse 28-0 when they brought in backup QB Newsome in with 5:43 left and had the ball at their own 32. Newsome, on 2nd down fmbl and SU recovered it back at the 16 and got a TD pass on the next play to make it 28-7. PSU ended the game at the SU 11...

Northwestern had a commanding 21-0 lead early 2Q vs E Michigan after a 70 yd IR TD. NW fumbled at their own 12 late 2Q to set up EM for a 33 yd FG. Each team went on a long drive to open the 3Q with EM getting a TD but NW settling for a 20 yd FG. NW fumbled a punt at their 36 setting up EM TD and then up 24-17 was int at the 6 with 7:04 left. EM then drove 79/9pl for the tying TD. NU got to the EM25 but after a hold and pass interference they faced a 1&35 but on 3&17 banged home a 49 yd FG for the win...

Florida actually punted twice and fumbled twice on their first 5 series vs Troy but after the Trojans lined up for a 37 yd FG and dropped the snap the rest of the game was all Gators as they scored TD's on 6 of their next 7 poss with the other ending at the end of the half at the Troy. Tebow left this one with 6:44 left in the 3Q...



Pitt's offense was good as they finished with 381 yards, but not 54 points good. Pitt got a 1pl, 23 yd TD pass after Buffalo fumbled a KO and had a 14 yd TD drive after rec a fmbl. In the 2H they got a 50 yd FR TD then an 85 yd TD run. Their final TD came after a 15 yd IR on a 2 yd drive. Surprisingly, UB amassed 510 yards in the game...

Indiana had a 249-96 yd edge in the 1H but W Michigan battled back and trailing 23-17 drove 72/11pl and got a 1st & gl at the 5 but fmbl'd and Indy ret'd it to the 24 with 1:20 left. After Indy took an intentional safety 23), WM got to the 29 on a hook-n-ladder play that had an illegal forward pass...

BC almost got their 2nd straight shutout. BC led 34-0 when Kent St took over with 8:06 left. At that point KSU had just 114 yds offense but they went 65/13pl and got a 4 yd TD pass with 2:03 left...

There were major questions about Nebraska's inexperience at QB heading into the year but Zac Lee has answered them. Against Arkansas St last week he hit 27-35-340 yd and 4 TD's...

Two weeks ago VT had just 155 yards total offense vs Alabama but they surpassed that in the 1Q vs Marshall. At the half VT had a 345-139 yd edge and they had two 100 yard rushers for the first time since 2005 with true frosh David Wilson rushing for 165 and rFr Ryan Williams rushing for 164...

Louisiana Tech opened with a 74/10pl TD drive and 4pl later got an 85 yd PR TD by Phillip Livas and led 14-0. LT would have just 96 for the rest of the game combined and Navy led 18-14 at the half with a 189-116 yd edge and got ahead of the spread with 10:31 left with a TD and added another with 5:50 left and ended the game at the LT 22 yd line with a 393-167 yd edge...

Georgia/South Carolina were both off low scoring games and playing in a low scoring series. In fact, the winner of their series had not topped 20 pts in 7 of the last 8 years. Amazingly the two teams combined for 78 points. UGA did lead big, 38-23 but SC rallied to pull within 1 after a 35 yd IR early 4Q but the xp was blk'd so UGA led by 1. UGA got a 42 yd FG then SC got to the UGA7 but their pass into the EZ was batted into the air and incomplete...

The stunning part of the Texas/Wyoming game was that WY blk'd a punt for a TD with 1:32 left in the half and led 10-6. UT went 70/6pl for a TD with :24 left in the half and had a 237-99 yd edge as they led 13-10 and scored TD's on 3 of their four 2H poss. WY gained 57 yds on the final drive of the game while trailing 41-10...

SMU led UAB 28-7 at the half and nearly blew the lead. UAB got an 80 yd WR reverse for a TD and a 30 yd FR TD after an int but they had an xp blk'd and at the end of the game, trailing by 2, had their 2 pt stuffed with :13 left...

An interesting fact is that it took over 6Q's for WKU to finally force a punt. After not having forced one vs Tenn or in the 1H vs USF with 8:11 left in the 3Q, USF got an incomplete pass on 3rd & 4 and punted. WKU actually trailed 21-13 after 3Q's but then gave up TD's on USF's first two 4Q drives in their 22 pt loss...

Kansas dominated UTEP last week as they had 26-7 FD and 576-208 yd edges but did only lead 3-0 after 1Q before rallying to an easy 34-7 win. On the last play of the game, Kan did get a 55 yd run by backup QB Pick down to the 10...

The Pac 10 was 3-16 when travelling to SEC schools since 1980 but UCLA managed to pull the upset in Knoxville. The game was tied at 10 at half and UCLA got 3 short drives for 3 FG's to lead 19-10. UT went on 17 and 13pl drives but settled for a 28 yd FG and was SOD at the 2 and their final drive was SOD on 4th & 7 at their own 41...

Hawaii won a road game over a team from a BCS conf for the first time in 7 tries. While the FD were even (22) UH had a 626-403 yd edge and led 35-0 in the 2Q vs Washington St. WSU did have 5 TO's in the 1H...

USC got their 10th straight win over a Big Ten team and Ohio St dropped its 6th in a row vs a Top 5 team but the Bucks played an excellent game. USC needed a TD with 1:05 left to pull out the win and their final drive included conversions of 3rd & 9, 4th & 1 and 4th & 1. At the end of the 1Q OSU had a 138-6 yd edge, was tied at 7 and the rest of the game USC had a 307-127 yd edge...

Tough loss last week if you had Stanford +3. SU dominated the 1H and should have been up by more as they had a 274-146 yd edge. Wake Forest rallied and was setting up for the game winning FG which would have given them the Push. They went for it on 3rd & gl at the 1 with :02 left and QB Skinner was ruled in the EZ for a TD although replay looked like he was short. The FG would not have been a gimme as WF K Popham was struggling to get his xp over the crossbar...

Wisconsin had 40 players sick with the flu during the week and almost were upset by Fresno St. Kevin Goessling who had 3 crucial missed FG's last year vs UW, hit a game tying 40 yarder with :20 left to force OT but an int on the first play in the 2OT set up UW for the win. FSU appeared on their way to the upset but leading 21-17 when Goessling missed a 45 yd FG and UW got a 72 yd TD run by Clay. FSU's previous 2 drives ended with an int at the 36 and an int at the 24 and FSU did have 24-19 FD and 468-413 yd edges...

CMU had a 195-159 yd edge at the half vs Michigan St and finished with 418-316 yd and 27-17 FD edges. The Chips got the apparent tying TD with :32 left but went for 2 and was ruled OOB. They then rec the onside kick and missed the game winning 47 yd FG but offsides gave them another shot and a 42 yd'r squeezed inside the upright for their 2nd straight upset of a Big Ten team...

UNLV appeared on their way to the outright upset leading Oregon St 21-20 but the Beavers got a 33 yd FG with :07 left to escape with the win...

San Jose St was tied with Utah 7-7 in the 4Q but then a short pass went 51 yd for a TD to Brooks. The Utes, leading 21-14 added a 25 yd FG with :13 left to keep alive the nation's longest winning streak...

Purdue outplayed Oregon for most of the game and finished with 451-356 yd and 24-17 FD edges but a failed 2 pt conv to end the game and had them fall 2 points short. PU RB Ralph Bolden, who had 234 yds in the opener, rushed for 123 on 29 carries. Without RB Blount, UO's leading rusher was QB Masoli (84) while LaMichael James had 56 yards on 9 carries...

Kansas St led Louisiana 15-14 and UL had just 2 FD the entire 2H but QB Masson completed 4 passes for 30 yds on the final drive and UL got a 48 yd FG with :32 left to pull out the upset...

After looking so impressive in the opener, Missouri's 27 points were the fewest in a victory since 2005 after trailing Bowling Green 20-6 midway thru the 3Q. Surprisingly vs a BG D that lost all 4 DL starters from LY, Missouri had their first scoreless 1Q at home since 2004 but managed to win.

FCS MATCHUPS

Russell Wilson bounced back from a tough effort vs S Carolina throwing 4 TD passes and hitting 15 of 21 for 228 yds vs overmatched Murray St. NCSt had 133 yd vs SC but put up 484...

Maryland led James Madison 21-6 in the 2Q but JMU scored 22 straight points to lead 28-21in the 4Q. MD tied it with 9:51 left and then in OT, JMU missed a 41 yd FG and MD nailed a 26 yarder for the win. JMU had a 268-123 rushing edge despite MD having a 19-12 FD edge...

Arizona won their 4th straight game for the first time since 2000 but only led N Arizona 14-10 in the 2Q. For the 2nd straight week, UA had a dominating stat edge but it didn't show on the scoreboard as the Wildcats outgained NA 559-216 but only won by 17. NA, trailing 34-10, got a garbage TD late 4Q...

ULM outrushed Texas Southern 345-6 in their 58-0 win...

N Illinois actually had a 3 game losing streak vs W Illinois dating back to 1996 but rolled to a 41-7 win. NI only had a 20-16 FD edge but did have a 395-223 yd edge...

Ball St lost the majority of their O-line, their star QB and their coach and continued to struggle. MiQuale Lewis, their lone returning star, had just 21 yards on 14 carries vs New Hampshire and BS had just 9 FD's in the 23-16 upset loss...

San Diego St led Southern Utah 35-9 in the 4Q before giving up a couple of late scores...

New Mexico St led Priarie View 21-3 in the 4Q but gave up a TD with 6:03 left and another with 3:01 left and only won by 3, 21-18...

One of my favorite theories is the Injury System which says teams give a fired up effort one week after losing a star player. Such was the case for Oklahoma. One week after losing QB Bradford and TE Gresham the D held Idaho St to 6 FD and 57 total yds. OU rolled up 29 FD and 566 yds and new QB Landry Jones hit 18 of 32 for 286 in their 64-0 win.

STADIUM DEBUTS

Minnesota got a win in their new home stadium but Air Force did have 24-14 FD and 386-326 yd edges. The Flyboys were SOD on 4th & 1 at the UM9 early 3Q but still led 10-3 after 3Q's. UM would drive for a TD then Nate Tripplett who had 17 tackles, got a 52 yd FR TD and the Gophers went on to a 20-13 win...

Akron won their first game in their new stadium 41-0 over overmatched Morgan St. It was AU's first shutout since 1992 and the Zips had 23-3 FD and 436-127 yd edges.

POINTS LEFT OFF THE BOARD

LSU had a little trouble in the redzone vs Vanderbilt as they settled for FG's of 27, 22 and 25 yards. They ended the game at the VU17. LSU had 22-12 FD and 326-210 yd edges but only won by 14.

SHORT WEEK HANGOVER

There were 8 teams that played last Sunday and Monday. Two had byes and 5 of the teams that did play, struggled...

Weber St had a 25-12 FD edge vs Colorado St and 316-306 yd edge. They missed an xp in the 2Q which didn't seem crucial at the time, but proved to be. WS led 20-17 at the half and 23-17 after 3Q's. WS had the ball, up by 6 and was int at the 26 and Colorado St drove 56/4pl for a TD with 8:31 left for the lead. WS went 70/17pl but on 3rd & 8 fmbl'd the snap and CSU rec at their 10 with :42 left to escape...

Rutgers had 4 TD's in the 1H but just one of a drive of more than 2pl. The Knights led 52-7 at the half vs overmatched Howard with a 341-161 yd edge but in the 2H with their backups in, managed just a 30 yd FG and a missed 30 yd FG...

Granted, Jacksonville St's QB is ex-LSU Tiger Ryan Perrilloux (PS#1) but Florida St trailed JSt 9-7 in the 4Q and after taking a 12-9 lead, needed a 33 yd FR TD to pull out a 19-9 win. FSU has not lost to an FCS school since 1969 but clearly showed a hangover after playing on Monday...

Cincinnati was the only team that did not suffer a hangover as they overwhelmed SE Missouri St. The Bearcats offense piled up 578 yds in a 70-3 win despite playing on just 4 days rest...

Memphis, after playing on Sunday, had to travel to face a fired up Middle Tenn team and MTSt had an 18-13 FD edge and 436-219 yd edge in their dominating 31-14 win. The game was actually 31-7 before MEM punched in a TD with 1:47 left.

TRUE FROSH QB? NO PROBLEM!

There were some big penalties and replays that hurt the Irish. Notre Dame moved the ball at will in the 1H with a 302-167 yd edge but only led 20-17. They missed a 28 yd FG on their opening drive and then had a 41 yd TD pass called back when replay showed the rec stepped out at the 22 and they settled for a 34 yd FG. Leading 17-14 the Irish got a FD to the 9 but it was wiped out by an illegal shift and they settled for a 42 yd FG and only led 20-17 at the half. ND fmbl at their own 26 setting up a Michigan TD and then the Irish had a 71 yd pass to the UM10 wiped out by a hold. UM got a TD on 4th & 3 when true frosh QB Forcier raced 31 yds up the middle for a TD. The Irish got 2 TD's making one 2 pt conversion and missing another and leading 34-31. ND forced a punt with 3:07 left but Clausen fired a deep pass and then with WR Floyd inj, their backup WR took the wrong turn and another pass fell incomplete leaving UM with 2 time-outs and 2:13 left. Forcier took them 57/9pl a TD with :11 left for the win. True frosh Forcier was indeed impressive hitting 23-33-240 yd and rushing for 70.

SITUATIONAL EDGES / LETDOWN LOOKAHEAD

BYU was in a tremendous flat spot last week coming off their big upset of Oklahoma and had everyone talking about National Championship hopes with Florida St on deck. It showed early as they led Tulane just 3-0 after 1Q and it was 6-3 with 6:03 left in the 2Q. BYU woke up and scored TD's on 7 of their next 8 poss and in the blink of an eye led 54-3 with 8:15 to go in the game and they took a knee on their final series. BYU finished with 35-9 FD and 527-162 yd edges...

Houston got their first win over a Top 5 team since they upset #3 Texas in 1984. UH has now won 3 in a row vs ranked foes after beating #23 EC and #24 Tulsa last year. Oklahoma St was coming off of their biggest opening win in program history after beating Georgia and appearing in the Top 5 for the first time since 1985. UH only led 10-7 when they got a TD with 1:37 left in the half then rec a surprise onside kick and went 62/6pl for a TD to lead 24-7 at the half with a 322-194 yd edge. OSU would get 2 long drives and an 80 yd PR and took the lead late 3Q (28-24) and led 35-31 with 11:22 left. UH had a 4th & gl from the 7 batted in air but it was caught for a TD. Later, trailing by 10, OSU had a 4th & gl from the 8 batted in the air and it fell harmlessly and the Cougars pulled the upset by 10 as a Big Dog POW outright upset winner...

Alabama was off their statistically dominating win over Virg Tech and only led FIU 20-14 at half and 26-13 after 3Q's. Bama did finish with a 26-13 FD edge and 516-214 yd edge and finished the game at the FIU15...

Boise St showed no letdown or lookahead coming off of their big win over Oregon on Thurs with a huge game vs Fresno St on Friday night on deck. They usually do not show any flat spots on the blue turf however as LW's 48-0 shutout of Miami, Oh proved...

Tulsa was off a conf road win over Tulane and had a big game vs Oklahoma on deck and it did not matter. Tulsa rolled up 489-181 yd and 22-6 FD edges in their 44-10 win over New Mexico.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Connecticut had a 129-65 yd edge at the half vs N Carolina. They led 10-0 after 3Q's but did lose starting QB Fazer to injury. NC went 78/13pl for a 22 yd FG with 10:56 left then went 76/13pl to get the tying TD with 2:36 left. UC had the ball at their 21 when a sk forced a 3rd & 23 from their 8 and they got a 22 yd pass but holding in the EZ was called and NC got the game winning safety. UC rec'd the onside free kick but only got to midfield...

With Juice Williams inj'd Eddie McGee QB'd vs Illinois St and hit 13-17-164 yd while rushing for 49 in a lackluster 45-17 win. Illinois also sat out MLB Martez Wilson, WR Benn and had 3 other suspended starters...

N Texas appeared on their way to a win over Ohio but QB Riley Dodge was inj'd and Nathan Tune hit just 9 of 15 for 69 yds with an int. A 69 yd IR TD gave Ohio a 20-17 lead and NT got to the 1 but settled for an 18 yd FG. The Mean Green lost in OT when OU went for 2 pt in the 2OT and converted. Despite the final being 31-30, OU had just 232 yds offense and NT just 301.

MISLEADING FINAL SCORES AND BACKDOOR/FRONTDOOR COVERS

TCU was in complete control vs Virginia allowing just 5 FD's and 63 yds offense when they kicked the FG with 4:38 left to lead 30-0. UVA on 3rd & 10 got a 56 yd TD pass and then after a 35 yd PR got a 26/1pl TD pass to stunningly score 14 points and on their final 3 poss, they gained 106 yards...

Idaho did go on drives of 9, 10 and 8 plays in the 1H vs Washington but settled for 44, 28 and 34 yd FG's while UW went on 14, 9 and 9pl drives but got TD's each time. UW led 21-6 at the half with only a 246-221 yd edge. A 55 yd IR set up a UW 21 yd TD drive in the 3Q. UW led 35-9 but Idaho made it 35-16 after 3Q's. UW got ahead of the spread with a TD with 9:17 left, 42-16. UW punted with 4:31 left and UI was pinned at its 9 and went 91/9pl and got a 7 yd TD run by Woolridge with :13 left for the backdoor cover...

The Duke/Army game was a misleading final. Both offenses struggled and both teams ended the game led by their backup QB's. After 3Q's Duke led 14-13 thanks to a 19 yd TD drive after a fumble. Duke got a 72 yd TD drive early 3Q for a 21-13 lead. On 4th & 10 with just 1:48 left in the game Army QB Williams was int'd and ret'd 51 yd for a TD. On the next play, Duke added a 33 yd IR TD off of Williams with 1:32 left and Army then went 82/11pl and got a garbage TD on the last play of the game for 3 TD's in the last 1:48...

California was not as dominant as their final vs E Washington. At the half EW had a 193-192 yd edge but Cal had scoring drives of 35, 3 (after 45 yd FR) and 38 yds (after EW SOD at their 38). Cal scored on their last 3 poss of the game incl taking over with 4:34 left and driving 74/9pl with their 3rd string QB for a TD with :18 left...

Last week Southern Miss had a 23-11 FD edge and 409-94 yd edge but only led 20-13 with 12:18 left. They got a TD with 1:53 left but fmbl'd a punt early 4Q and UCF got a 50 yd FG to pull within 7. SM had a 66 yd TD pass called back and punted with 7:27 left and they went 49/9pl for a TD and then went for 2 pts and the ATS push but were stuffed and UCF ret'd the ensuing KO 85 yd for a TD with 1:22 for the 26-19 final...

WV dominated E Carolina more than the 35-20 score would indicate. They had 25-13 FD and 509-237 yd edges even ending the game at the EC11. Two of EC scores were set up by fumbled punts as EC rec'd one with :51 left 1H and got a TD with :11 left and prior to that rec one at the WV6 and settled for a 23 yd FG. EC also had 26 yd TD drive after a 38 yd PR. WV was int at the 5 and then WV QB Brown, who had a career high 24-31-334 yds, missed a man open in the EZ on 3rd & 3.

THREE INTERCEPTIONS AGAIN

Last week we noted that there were 3 players that each recorded 3 int during the week. Iowa's Tyler Sash tied a school record making 3 of Iowa's 5 int vs Iowa St. Iowa dropped out of the Top 25 after a close win over N Iowa the previous week and had 24-15 FD and 426-303 yd edges. Iowa had not won at Iowa St since 2003 but rolled to a 35-3 win.

 

[Lumi]

Saturday's Heroes Tackle The Spread

Saturday's Heroes Tackle The Spread

Saturday's Heroes Tackle The Spread

 

[Lumi]

Picks at the wire: Week 3

Picks at the wire: Week 3

Picks at the wire: Week 3

Week 2 was the sort of efficient set of picks you come to expect early in the season.

Collect on the anticipated blowouts (even if they weren't blowouts --- ahem, Florida State and to a lesser extent Maryland), figure out the toss-up games and wind up with an 10-0 record to pad the overall mark.

Let's see if that can happen again. All games Saturday unless otherwise noted:

* Georgia Tech at Miami (Thursday, 7:30, ESPN): Yellow Jackets 34-27. The ACC has done very well with its prime-time league games so far, and this one could be just as good as the high-profile conference openers both of these teams won. It's difficult to forget just how silly the Yellow Jackets made the Hurricanes look last year. That is a major, major issue. Miami has closed the gap some, but not enough to earn Coastal Division front-runner status.

* Boston College at Clemson (Noon, Raycom): Tigers 24-13. The Eagles' defense has looked great and its offense efficient in their first two games. Those games were also against Northeastern and Kent State. Clemson is much better, and there's a good chance we see exactly what a lot of folks suspect BC will be about this year: Solid defense, one-dimensional offense. That won't cut it in Death Valley.

* Duke at Kansas (Noon, Versus): Jayhawks 45-20. Yes, Todd Reesing is still in school. Yes, he still slings it all over the field. Yes, Duke is overmatched in this one. No reason to overthink this game.

* East Carolina at North Carolina (Noon, ESPN2): Tar Heels 21-20. It's still sort of befuddling why the Tar Heels are ranked, but at the same time it wouldn't be much of a shock if they somehow got to 6-0 this season. That will require two very good weeks in succession, starting with this visit from the Pirates. East Carolina has a surprising victory in them, and it didn't come last week at West Virginia. It very well might happen at Kenan Stadium on Saturday.

* Nebraska at Virginia Tech (3:30, ABC regional/ESPN2): Hokies 24-17. Remember, Tyrod Taylor played pretty well against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln last year. In a rare display of offensive virility, Virginia Tech tossed up 35 points in that game. Even better, the Hokies are coming off a 600+-yard performance against Marshall. Virginia Tech should win this one in Blacksburg --- and give the ACC its best nonconference victory to date (passing defeats of Connecticut, Middle Tennessee and Stanford).

* Middle Tennessee at Maryland (3:30): Terrapins 31-30. Maryland just isn't going to be on the right side of a blowout victory this season. OK, maybe once, because you never say never. But comfortable wins aren't going to be this team's thing, and the Terps need to demonstrate they can hold someone to less than five touchdowns before predicting them to surrender less than 20 points. The Blue Raiders could easily topple the Terps for the second straight year.

* Virginia at Southern Mississippi (3:30, CBS College Sports): Golden Eagles 27-10. This decade, the following schools have lost in Hattiesburg: Oklahoma State, Illinois, N.C. State and East Carolina. Granted, some of those were particularly bad teams. Of course, Virginia is particularly bad, too. The complaints will grow louder on the Central Virginian Plain by the end of the weekend/

* Gardner-Webb at N.C. State (6): Wolfpack 51-6. Not much to see here.

* Elon at Wake Forest (6:30): Demon Deacons 24-14. This will be tighter than anticipated. The Phoenix are a reputatable program from the former Division I-AA, and Wake Forest doesn't seem to be quite as good as in recent seasons.

* Florida State at Brigham Young (7, Versus): Cougars 20-13. It would seem a visit to Y Mountain is more unpleasant now than at any point in the last decade or so. Brigham Young already has a neutral-field upset of Oklahoma and a road rout of Tulane. If the Cougars get this one, then the BCS talk can begin in earnest --- even if it does come against a Seminoles outfit that barely defeated Jacksonville State last week.

Last week's record: 10-0 (1-0 conference games)
Season record: 17-4 (2-0 conference)
Preseason picks record: 17-4 (2-0 conference)
Preseason picks changed for this week: Florida State-BYU

--- Patrick Stevens

 

[Lumi]

Texas-Texas Tech rematch comes early

Texas-Texas Tech rematch comes early

Texas-Texas Tech rematch comes early


IT WAS THE most significant regular-season game of 2008.
Texas Tech 39, Texas 33, on prime-time TV in early November in a matchup of unbeatens, on an improbable, 28-yard touchdown pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree with 1 second showing. It kept Texas, which had defeated three Top 11 opponents in a row before that, from making it to the Big 12 title game and, in all probability, the BCS final, as well.

The teams meet up again this Saturday at UT, where Tech hasn't won since 1997. Both are 2-0, having played nobody. But UT is ranked No. 2. Tech was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 South.

The Longhorns had won the previous five meetings. This game historically is played in late October or early November, but ABC came up with enough cash to make a scheduling change make sense. It was the network's highest-rated game last season, and fourth-highest ever.

UT coach Mack Brown has seen enough of Crabtree's catch, which only figures to get replayed a zillion times this week.

"If it's on [ESPN] Classic, I won't turn it on," he said. "You can't ... wallow in it."

Still, it's hard to forget. That loss also might have cost Colt McCoy the Heisman Trophy.

"I've never been a revenge-type guy," Brown said. "It's one of the greatest plays that's ever happened. I was just in shock. They got us."

Tech coach Mike Leach has never been one to mince his sarcasm. "I can imagine Texas has their focus on all the ranked opponents that they're going to play down the road," he tried to sell. "So, I imagine we're going to be another game for them."

Or maybe not.


Trivial pursuit
The last time Houston defeated a Top 5 team was Nov. 10, 1984 (29-15 at No. 3 Texas). Who was its quarterback that season? Hint: He led the team in total offense 4 consecutive years. See Answer man.


Proceed with caution
The consensus in the Daily News Pick the Winners is 5-25. Not easy to do. The two-time defending champ is 10-20. Good thing it's for comic relief.


Answer man
Gerald Landry, who was then a sophomore. He still ranks sixth on the school's total offense list.


Can't we get along?
At his introductory news conference last December, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said he was "looking forward to ... singing 'Rocky Top' all night long after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast." Shockingly, his words became the theme of the Gators' offseason workouts.

Two months later, after national signing day, he accused Florida's Urban Meyer of recruiting violations. The NCAA and Southeastern Conference disagreed. Kiffin, after being reprimanded, apologized. Meyer acknowledged the comments got his attention.

At UF's media day in August, offensive lineman Matt Patchan called Kiffin a "bozo."

The Volunteers, coming off a home loss to UCLA, now must visit The Swamp to take on the top-ranked reigning champs.

"To me, that's all over with," said Meyer, who has a solid relationship with Kiffin's father, Monte Kiffin, UT's new defensive coordinator. "It was a long time ago."

Perhaps not long enough.

The Gators have won the last four meetings. Last year, it was 30-6. In 2007, the last time they played in Gainesville, it was 59-20.


Say what?
>First-year Washington coach Steve Sarkisian, longtime Southern California assistant, on the Huskies - who haven't beaten a Division I-A team in 22 months - hosting USC: "I think our biggest fear is that we build this thing up to be too much for us. [Then] there could be repercussions if it doesn't go the way we want or if it does go the way we want."


Be careful out there
David Wood, head coach of Division III Widener, tore his right Achilles' tendon after last week's last-second win at Curry, during the postgame scrum of a celebration. He'll make the trip to Ithaca Saturday and run things from the press box. On Tuesday, he'll have surgery.


Spotlight on ... Villanova at Penn
Villanova and Penn have played seven times in the last decade, including each of the last 5 years. The Wildcats have won every time, though three of the last four did come down to the final snap.

They'll meet once again Saturday night at Franklin Field. For the second straight September, this will be Penn's opener. And once more, the Wildcats (2-0), who are ranked second in Division I-AA, already have two games behind them.

"I wouldn't want to be in [their] position," said 'Nova coach Andy Talley, who thinks his team is overrated at the moment.

Whatever. It probably doesn't matter to the Quakers.

"The good news is, we're finally playing ... " Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "There's a little bit of an X-factor at work. We'll have lots of answers at about 9:30. But we'll have lots of questions at 7. What happens in between is a guess at this point.

"I don't think we're intimidated by them, which is half the battle. If you go in afraid, then you really have problems. They've been really good games, which is a testament to our kids. They understand what they're getting themselves into. If they're not going 100 miles an hour, it could get ugly real quick. But no one's left the stadium early.

"When you're the underdog, you try to keep it close until the fourth quarter and try to capitalize on something, make it interesting. I'm not worried about [our veterans]. But we're playing some young kids. They're not going up against Ivy League kids. They're getting thrown right in against [Colonial Athletic Association] kids. It's a little different athlete. It'll be a very, very quick learning curve."


Sidelines
MAC me up:

* Toledo kicker Andrew Weber, a walk-on, shot a two-page photo spread for the "Up Front" section of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. He is a photojournalism major.

He was at the Rockets' 54-38 win over Colorado on Friday night, then worked as a photo stringer on Saturday night at the game between No. 3 Southern California and No. 8 Ohio State in Columbus.

* Another East Division team has lost its running back for the season. First it was Buffalo and James Starks (shoulder surgery). Now it's Eugene Jarvis, of Kent State, with a kidney injury.

* Ball State, coming off a near-magical season, has lost at home to North Texas and New Hampshire. This week, the Cards go to Army, which has won at Eastern Michigan and fell at home to Duke.

COUCH POTATO GUIDE:

Tonight

7:30: Georgia Tech at Miami, ESPN

Tomorrow

9: Boise State at Fresno State, ESPN

Saturday

Noon: Delaware State at Delaware, Channel 12

Noon: Ohio State at Toledo, Channel 17

Noon: North Texas at Alabama, CN

Noon: California at Virginia, ESPN

Noon: East Carolina vs. North Carolina, ESPN2

Noon: Louisville vs. Kentucky, ESPNU

Noon: Temple at Penn State, Big Ten; alternate cable channels will air Wofford at Wisconsin, Northern Illinois at Purdue, Eastern Michigan at Michigan

Noon: Duke at Kansas, Versus

3:30: Tennessee at Florida, Channel 3

3:30: USC at Washington, Channel 6

3:30: Michigan State at Notre Dame, Channel 10

3:30: Utah at Oregon, ESPN

3:30: Arizona at Iowa, ESPN2

3:30: Indiana at Akron, ESPNU

3:30: Tulsa at Oklahoma, CN

3:30: Rhode Island at Massachusetts, CSN

7: Villanova at Penn, CN

7: Louisiana-Lafayette at LSU, ESPNU

7: Florida State at BYU, Versus

7:30: Southeast Louisiana at Mississippi, CSN

7:45: Georgia at Arkansas, ESPN

7:45: West Virginia at Auburn, ESPN2

8: Texas Tech at Texas, Channel 6

10:30: Kansas State at UCLA, joined in progress, CSN

 

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Villanova at Penn preview

Villanova at Penn preview

Villanova at Penn preview


7 p.m. Saturday, Franklin Field
TV: Comcast Network.

Radio: ESPN (950-AM) and WFIL (560-AM).

Records: Villanova 2-0, Penn 0-0.

History: Villanova leads the series, 8-5.

Villanova update: The Wildcats are ranked No. 2 in I-AA, having beaten Temple (27-24) and Lehigh (38-17) ... They're plus-5 in turnover margin ... 'Cats would be No. 1 had Delaware converted a late field goal against Richmond.

Penn update: The Quakers were picked to finish second in the Ivy League ... They have 15 starters back, as well as both kickers ... QB Keiffer Garton plays a lot like Nova's Chris Whitney, which is a good thing ... If it comes down to a kick, you want Andrew Samson on your side. He was 16-for-19 a year ago ... Quakers have never beaten a Top 10 team.

 

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Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Beyond the BCS: Hunting for Cougars

Is there any value left in BYU or Houston?

Both Cougars have caught the public?s eye by taking care of top-five BCS opponents early in the season.

BYU, of course, knocked out Heisman trophy winner Sam Bradford before knocking Oklahoma off its lofty No. 3 perch.

Houston exposed No. 5 Oklahoma State last week in Stillwater.

Neither team will be sneaking up on anyone anytime soon and will likely be taxed with inflated lines due to their newly-acquired media darling status.

Any line value BYU and Houston had certainly will be squeezed by oddsmakers, at least until the hype of their upsets wear down. The Mormon Cougars opened as 7-point home favorites against Florida State. (If that?s inflated, it sure does seem low, especially noting the Seminoles? struggles against Jacksonville State.)

The Houston Cougars get a week off to let their upset of Oklahoma State go to their heads, before hosting another Big 12 opponent in Texas Tech. It will be very interesting to see what the line looks like for the Cougars game against a Texas Tech team coming off this week?s meeting with Texas. If the Longhorns hammer Texas Tech, would Houston possibly be favored?

Right now, there is plenty of overconfidence flowing at Houston and BYU. It?s only human nature, after all. Non-BCS schools that aren?t used to experiencing BCS-sized success often struggle to handle it. They also struggle to cover the big numbers they?ll be laying in the weeks following their upset.

For example, in 2005, TCU opened the season by stunning Adrian Peterson and seventh-ranked Oklahoma in Norman. The Horned Frogs promptly lost to SMU the next week as 14-point favorites.

Last year, East Carolina pulled of pair of upsets to start the season. First, the Pirates beat No. 17 Virginia Tech. They followed that up with a 24-3 trouncing of No. 8 West Virginia.

East Carolina was favored in its next seven games and went 1-6 against the spread during that stretch.

The fairy tale doesn?t always end poorly for teams that pull off major upsets early in the season. The same 2005 TCU team rebounded from its loss to SMU to finish 11-1, including an impressive 7-1 ATS in conference play.

So are this year?s BYU and Houston teams more like the 2005 Horned Frogs or the 2008 Pirates, who finished 5-9 against the number?

Kevin Sumlin?s Cougars have a much easier road ahead than Bronco Mendehall?s Cougars.

Houston hasn?t received nearly as much love from the polls as BYU, which entered the Top 10 this week. Houston just crept into the Top 25 at No. 22.

But looking at the two teams on paper, it?s hard to pinpoint the reasoning behind why BYU is considered to be a vastly superior team than Houston.

Both teams returned approximately 12 starters. Both feature star quarterbacks. BYU has 13th-year senior Max Hall. Houston is led by Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year Case Keenum.

Obviously, BYU has experienced more recent success, having won its last three bowl games. But past success will only get you so far in college football.

Plus, in last season?s Armed Forces Bowl, Houston defeated an Air Force team that led BYU at half last year.

Yet, BYU started the season ranked, while Houston received a lousy two votes.

The discrepancy is a head-scratcher, but also suggests that, as we move into conference play, bettors can expect to find more value betting on the Cougars from Texas than the Cougars from Utah.

 

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College Cram Session: Behind big-game lines

College Cram Session: Behind big-game lines

College Cram Session: Behind big-game lines


Knowing a huge volume of action was headed his way, Jay Rood, Race and Sports Director for the MGM Mirage, remained patient with the USC-Ohio State line.

Some books had been offering up the Trojans as 4.5-point favorites for a couple weeks. But the number quickly got bet up to seven.

That?s what Rood opened with Monday, USC -7, and he still received three times the amount of action on the Trojans than the Buckeyes.

?I?m just not comfortable [putting up early lines], knowing the size of wagers that will be coming in,? said Rood. ?From a volume standpoint, that game was bet almost like a bowl game, a significantly bet game.?

Big games like USC-Ohio State are always the most difficult for oddsmakers and book managers. They have a pretty solid idea which side the public is going to pound. It was obvious to everyone that USC was going to be the public play. But books have to be cautious of allowing the public to bet lines over one of the key thresholds (3, 7, 10, 14, etc.). That?s when the wise guys jump in and pound the other side.

Rood never budged the number off of seven, despite continuing to receive heavy USC action. He adjusted the vig slightly, making the Trojan backers pay -120 to get USC at -7. But even then, Buckeye bets were few and far between.

?You get to a critical mass point, where you can?t move (the line),? explained Rood. ?Because now you?re opening yourself to too much exposure to go to that 7.5. If we would have gone to 7.5, then that Ohio State money probably would have showed up.

?I wasn?t willing to risk the side to offset what we already had,? he added. ?It?s a long season. I?ll take my lumps on a game like that and live to fight another day.?

Randy Stafford, oddsmaker for BetCris.com, says games involving the perennial public favorites, USC, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas for example, are especially hard.

?Like Florida, can you make them too high?? Stafford said. ?But if you do, there are plenty of wise guys who know what to do.

?The Texas Tech-Texas game is a good example this week,? he added. ?Texas opened as like a 16.5-point favorite. That?s a big number, but it?s already up to over 17. By the time the game goes, I think you?ll have all the wise guys playing the dog and all the suckers with the favorite.?

Odds/Ends

Odd: That the Kansas State-UCLA line didn?t budge after the Bruins announced that they?d be starting a backup redshirt freshman quarterback and suspended four players, including a starting cornerback. The Bruins opened as 12-point favorites and remained there as of Wednesday afternoon. Could that line have been a little low to begin with?

End: Of the season for Kent State?s top offensive player, senior running back Eugene Jarvis. He needed just 563 yards to become the school?s all-time leading rusher, but suffered a kidney injury against Boston College last week. This is a huge loss for the already anemic Golden Flashes? offense. Kent State is a 3-point home dog against Iowa State Saturday.

Odd: Seeing SMU as a 7-point road favorite over a BCS team. Clearly, Washington State is thought to be the worst BCS team in the nation by oddsmakers.

End: Of the theory that favorites roll in the first two weeks. Underdogs are 54-47 against the number, heading into Thursday?s action.

Odd: That BYU opened as only a 7-point home favorite over a Florida State team that struggled to beat I-AA Jacksonville State.

End: Of the over. The under has hit in 59 percent of non-overtime games so far this year.

How the early money is doing

We?re tracking big early line moves this season to pinpoint what most experts say is sharp money.

Season: Sharps 1, Books 5.
Last week: Sharps 1, Books 2.

--Open: Bowling Green at Missouri (-16). Wednesday line: -19. Final score: Missouri 27, Bowling Green 20.
--Open: Kansas (-10) at UTEP. Wednesday line: -13. Final score: Kansas 24, UTEP 7
--Open: Vanderbilt at LSU (-12). Wednesday line: -14.5. Final score: LSU 23, Vanderbilt 9.

This week

--Open: Boise State(-10) at Fresno State. Wednesday line: -7.
--Open: USC (-23) at Washington. Wednesday line: -20
--Open: Louisville at Kentucky (-10) Wednesday line: -14

Covers Community Q&A with badlands

Q: It seems like a lot of the more popular handicappers here on Covers have gotten off to slow starts. Have you noticed anything different about the beginning of this college football season compared to last in terms of tighter or more confusing lines?

A: The lines have not been more confusing, in my opinion. The biggest thing about college is there is no pre-season, so what you know about a team can become irrelevant when they are playing with rust the first week or two.

Q: How long have you been handicapping?

A: About 12 years.

Q: I think it?s an absolute necessity to shop for the best lines available. How many sports book options do you have?

A: I have three options. I agree it?s best to shop and wait for the best line. I post my plays but many times, I?m playing with a different line come game time.

Q: Give us three games that jumped out at you immediately when the lines were released.

A: I like Arkansas -1. (Georgia just doesn?t look good). West Virginia +7 (Not buying into Auburn yet), BYU -7 ( This one could get real ugly, in my opinion, like BYU destroying UCLA at home last year.)

Q: Credibility check: What kind of car do you drive?

A: I drive a 2005 Cherokee.

Payneful Picks (from a guy who drives an Oldsmobile Alero)

Last week: 2-3. Season: 2-5.

Kansas State at UCLA (-12)
Pick: UCLA

Air Force (-17) at New Mexico
Pick: Air Force

Boston College at Clemson (-7)
Pick: Clemson

Ball State at Army (-7, buying 1/2)
Pick: Army

 

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NCAAF betting's notable quotes

NCAAF betting's notable quotes

NCAAF betting's notable quotes

Sports bettors hear a million quotes from players and coaches a week. Some of those quotes are just fluff. Others are mere posturing before the big game. But sometimes, a quote can give you insight into how a game will play out.

Check out what notable quotables are catching the ears of Las Vegas wise guys heading into Week 3 of the college football schedule.

Gopher?s House

Minnesota opened up their new $300 million TCF Bank Stadium with a 20-13 victory against Air Force last Saturday, using a fourth-quarter fumble return to provide the margin of victory. The Gophers? open air facility is their first on-campus stadium since 1980 and the move from the Metrodome is expected to increase Minnesota?s home-field edge significantly.

?(It?s a) phenomenal atmosphere for college football,? Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun told the media about the new venue. ?They've got something here that's pretty darn neat and really special. I think it's evident they've got a place where they can build something down the road and be a top-20 program.?

Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster echoed those sentiments.

?This place was magic tonight. We knew that it was our night and it was our house,? he told reporters after last week?s opener.

Gophers junior quarterback Adam Weber was pretty enthusiastic about the field as well.

?You try to make it like any other game, but it's a whole different era now for our program and out team. It sends shivers down your back,? Weber said of his new digs.

Minnesota will face a much tougher test at their new field this weekend. The Gophers are 14-point underdogs to No. 8 Cal Saturday, with the game kicking off at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. Last year, Cal headed east to Maryland as a two-touchdown road favorite for a 9 a.m. PT kickoff and lost the game outright.

Hungry Cougars

Brigham Young has been as impressive as any team this side of Florida through their first two games of the season.

First, the Cougars upset No. 2 Oklahoma as 3-touchdown underdogs. Then, in an obvious flat spot last week, BYU didn?t let down a bit in their 54-3 annihilation at Tulane. The Cougars never punted in that contest, a truly impressive showing as they continue their quest to become the next mid-major BCS buster.

Senior quarterback Max Hall was very pleased with their showing.

?It shows we are going to come out every week hungry to play and eager to play because we love the game and love to win,? he told the press.

Tulane head coach Bob Toledo walked away very impressed with BYU?s physicality.

"Well, you get worn down. They wear you down. They're bigger, they're more physical. They just keep executing and making first downs and scoring and they keep you off the field,? Toledo said of the BYU stop unit.

Don?t sleep on the BYU defense, which has held the first two opponents to just 16 points and 427 yards combined. Defensive end Jan Jorgensen isn?t worried about the supposed lack of team speed.

?Our defense may not be as quick as some of the other defenses, but we play physical and we will hit you,? he told reporters.

BYU faces a much tougher test this weekend, installed as a 7.5 point home favorite against Florida State.

Sleepwalking Tide

Alabama has not been a very good early season non-conference bully in Nick Saban?s first two years on the job. Last year, the Tide couldn?t get going following their big opening day blowout over Clemson. They never even sniffed a pointspread cover as 29-point chalk against Tulane the following week, winning 20-6.

We saw a very similar story from Alabama this year. Following its opening-day beat down over Virginia Tech, Alabama returned home to face Florida International. Once again, the Tide spent most of the game sleepwalking against a team they knew they could beat. The Tide actually trailed at home midway through the second quarter before scoring 27 unanswered points to come away with the victory, but not the ATS cover.

?The focus in games like this is to improve,? Saban said of his team?s efforts. ?They took it right to us. I don't think our guys came out with the kind of energy and enthusiasm and intensity that we need to set the tone.?

Second half bettors should take note of this bet, from Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy.

?Teams try to hang with us as long as they can. We wear them down in the fourth quarter,? McElroy noted.

Alabama is a huge favorite again this week against another weak non-conference foe, installed as a 38-point home favorite against North Texas Saturday.

Happy Huskers

Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini called his defense ?soft? after a season-opening win over Florida Atlantic. Even after a win and cover against another second-tier Sun Belt foe, beating Arkansas State last week, Pelini still wasn?t pleased with his team?s defensive mentality as they travel to Blacksburg for a revenge game against Virginia Tech Saturday.

Pelini said there were too many missed tackles and busted assignments, allowing eight plays of 15 yards or longer to the Red Wolves.

?It's Week 2, and there's not a football team out there that's a 'Steel Curtain' with Super Bowl-champion execution in Week 2,? Pelini told the media. ?That's why you practice. I expect our team to be fully prepared to go on the road and meet the challenge ahead.?

The Huskers coaching staff appear to be very pleased with their new starting quarterback Zac Lee as he prepares for his first career road start.

?He's playing at a high level,? Pelini said of Lee. ?Other than the quarterback being new, we do have experience and some guys who have played some games. Our offense has been playing well, and I expect that to continue. I like what I've seen from that group.?

Nebraska?s offensive coordinator Shawn Watson echoed those sentiments.

?Zac was lights out. What I like about him the most is he's so doggone efficient. He doesn't get rattled about anything. He can throw it, run it. I've really grown to trust him,? he told the press.

Nebraska is a 5point underdog at Virginia Tech in Saturday?s national TV tilt, with the total set at 51. Last year, Virginia Tech led from start to finish in Lincoln, coming away with a 35-30 upset win as a 7-point road underdog.

Marching Army

While fellow service academies Navy and Air Force have been competitive in the modern era, combining for seven bowl bids in the last five years, Army remains a laggard program.

Entering 2009, Army has gone 30-108 since its last bowl season in 1996, winning four games or less for the past dozen years. First year head coach Rich Ellerson enjoyed great success at the FCS level, and he?s poised to return the Black Knights back to prominence.

Army lost at home to Duke 35-19 last Saturday, but the final score wasn?t indicative of how tight the game actually was. Army backup quarterback Carson Williams threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in a span of 17 seconds in the final two minutes of the game, turning a tight contest into a misleading final score.

Ellerson was not looking for excuses following the game, nor was he content with their losing effort.

?We want to grow fast. We aren't going to accept or make excuses about how young we are or how inexperienced we are,? said Ellerson. ?We expect to be right. We expect to be full speed. We expect to be as precise as we need to be in a game like that. That is what it called for.?

Army linebacker Stephen Anderson also spoke about the Black Knights new resolve.

?You take away those two interceptions, it's 21-19 and we're going for two to tie the game,? he told reporters. ?It's a game of inches, and we fell a little short. We know what it feels like to be on the other side, but that's not going to keep us from fighting back.?

The Black Knights outgained Duke, 385 yards to 236. Duke head coach David Cutcliffe was very impressed with their defense.

?Give Army some credit -- pretty nasty scheme defensively,? he said.

Army is a 7.5-point home favorite against Ball State this Saturday.

 

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College professors say it takes about two weeks to know which students will pass thei

College professors say it takes about two weeks to know which students will pass thei

College professors say it takes about two weeks to know which students will pass their course and which ones are doomed to a life of pumping gas.

The same goes for college football bettors.

While the season is just two weeks old, gamblers are already seeing tell-tale signs from some of college football's top programs. Some of these signs are good. And some of these signs fall into the same category as ?severe tire damage? and ?dry county?.

Here are a few programs poised to be at the top of the betting class and some who are dropping out after the first semester.

Pittsburgh Panthers

The Big East isn't getting much love this season. But if you need one reason to watch the conference, look no further than Dion Lewis. The slick freshman running back is third in the nation in rushing, totaling 319 yards and is averaging over seven yards per carry.

He's found the end zone four times on the ground with an additional 56 yards and a score coming through the air. Lewis has sparked the Panthers offense in the first two games of the season, which is averaging 46 points on over 385 yards. Pitt is a 7-point favorite hosting an overvalued Navy team this Saturday.

LSU Tigers

Blame it on the rain. Hey, it worked for Milli Vanilli. Unfortunately, that excuse doesn't fly in the SEC. Louisiana State put up another sub-par performance against Vanderbilt this weekend, downing the Commodores in a 23-9 contest that was much closer than the final score indicates.

Purple and gold faithful are pointing to the game-time monsoon for the lack of pop from the No. 7 team in the country. Unless the rain smeared the playbook ink or shorted out the headsets, that's no excuse for poor play calling. LSU was inside the red zone five times Saturday and settled for field goals on three of those drives. Tough break for those who had LSU -14.5.

Houston Cougars

I feel like a cast member of The Hills following my latest man crush ? or should I say crushes. My college football heart is torn in two: One side loves Michigan QB and future Heisman winner Tate Forcier. The other wants to take Houston QB Case Keenum to the prom.

While Forcier's work against the Irish was awesome, Keenum and the Cougars' high-wire act just beat Oklahoma State at its own game. When a C-USA program can outscore the nation's most talented offense, you can't help but fall head over heels for them. Houston has the week off before facing another prolific Big 12 offense in Texas Tech. That bye week will allow the buzz around Houston to cool and bettors should get a fair spread against the Red Raiders.

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Lions face another 29.5-point spread against Temple this weekend. While the PSU defense has lived up to the billing, the offense is looking nowhere near BCS caliber. Penn State's rushing attack tallied only 78 yards against Syracuse Saturday and is currently dead last in the Big Ten with just 214 total yards.

The Nittany Lions were constantly stuffed by the Orange front seven on third and short. Penn State is actually minus 11 yards on seven third-down rushing attempts this season. Running back Evan Royster, who rushed for over 1,200 yards and 12 scores in 2008, has been more effective as a wide receiver. He's averaging almost 17 yards per catch, compared to his feeble 3.92 yards per carry.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

I'm ready to crown the Huskers Big 12 North champs ? giving them the prestigious honor of losing to Texas in the conference title game. Nebraska has covered two 20-plus spreads to start the year and is now tagged as a 3.5-point road underdog heading into Virginia Tech Saturday.

While the Hokies have a dangerous talent in QB Tyrod Taylor, the Cornhuskers have a game-breaker of their own in receiver Niles Paul. The junior caught six balls for 69 yards and a score against Arkansas State while also adding a 30-yard reverse which ended in a touchdown. On top of that, Paul has 102 kick return yards in the first two games. Virginia Tech is known for breaking off big plays, but is also susceptible to them.

Utah Utes

It's not Utah's fault the team can't cover a spread. The 2009 Utes have had inflated lines hung on their opening game due to the program's success last year. That No. 16 spot in the Top 25 doesn't help either. Neither do injuries to major contributors ? especially with a shamed Oregon program looking for redemption this weekend.

Utah is a 4-point road dog in Eugene and may not have its most explosive weapon. Star running back Matt Asiata left Saturday's win over San Jose State with a shoulder injury and is listed as questionable versus the Ducks. Asiata has 250 yards and three scores on the ground this season and leaves junior quarterback Terrance Cain to run the show.

Cain is still settling into the massive shoes left empty by Brian Johnson and his offensive line could have a hole in it if LT Caleb Schlauderaff's nagging knee injury keeps him out of action. Oregon has a very active pass rush and scored two defensive touchdowns in a win over Purdue last weekend.