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[Cnotes53]

Notes on football teams in the SEC:

— Alabama
Last five years, Alabama is 37-26 (58.7%) against spread.
New QB Simpson threw only 25 passes as the backup LY.
Had only 25 sacks last year, their fewest since 2013.

— Arkansas
Arkansas has only 3 starters back on offense, 3 more on defense.
Hogs gained 459.5 yards/game last year, #10 in country.
Arkansas allowed 246.9 passing yards/game (#110)

— Auburn
Auburn scored only 19.1 ppg in its SEC games (2-6) last year
Tigers had a minus-9 turnover ratio (#119)
Auburn was 1-3 LY in games decided by 7 or fewer points.

— Florida
Six starters back on offense, seven on defense, a lot for an SEC team.
Gators have four starters back on the offensive line.
Florida was helped last year by its +6 turnover ratio (#35)

— Georgia
Last two years, Dawgs are only 9-17 ATS
Georgia has only seven of 22 starters back from LY.
Dawgs ran ball for only 124.4 yards/game LY, #102 in country.

— Kentucky
Wildcats have only 3 starters back on offense, 4 on defense.
Kentucky missed a bowl LY for first time in nine years.
Wildcats threw ball for only 184.8 yards/game LY (#112)

— LSU
Only six of 22 starters are back, only one on offensive line.
Gave up 364.4 yards/game LY, #61 in country. Mediocre.
QB Nussmeier is in his 5th year; his dad is the Saints’ offensive coordinator. .

— Ole Miss
Lane Kiffin has a 44-18 record in five years with the Rebels.
Ole Miss has only five of 22 starters back this year.
Rebels scored 38.6 ppg LY, #3 in country.

— Mississippi State
Bulldogs were 2-10 LY, including a 41-17 home loss to Toledo.
Miss State allowed 216.9 rushing yards/game (#129)
Bulldogs have only three starters back on defense.

— Missouri
Tigers have 7 starters back on defense, only 4 on offense.
Mizzou allowed only 317.5 yards/game LY, #17 in country.
Tigers don’t play a road game until October 18, at Auburn.

— Oklahoma
Sooners have a new OC, who is 29; he brought the QB from Wazzu with him.
Oklahoma gained only 331 yards/game LY, #113 in country.
Oklahoma has only three starters back on offense.

— South Carolina
Gamecocks allowed only 18.1 ppg LY, #12 in country.
South Carolina has a new punter, kicker, long snapper, holder for kicks.
Gamecocks haven’t won a league title since they won the ACC in 1969.

— Tennessee
New QB Aguilar is a transfer from Appalachian State, via UCLA.
Aguilar threw for 6,700+ yards, 56 TD’s in two years at App State.
Vols have 7 starters back from a defense that allowed 16.1 ppg LY (#7 in country)

— Texas
Only 3 starters back on offense; Arch Manning is the new QB.
Texas ranked 71st in country in rushing yards LY; they’ve got 4 new starters on OL
First 4 weeks in October; three road games, and the Oklahoma game in Dallas.

— Texas A&M
Have six starters back on offense, seven on defense.
Aggies ran ball for 195.5 yards/game LY (#26); they’ve got 4 starters back on OL
A&M lost four of last four games LY, after a 7-1 start.

— Vanderbilt
Last year’s 7-6 season was their best since 2013.
Vandy brought in six transfers who play on OL, to protect QB Pavia.
Someone offered Pavia $4M to bolt to their school; he declined the offer.

 

[Cnotes53]

Notes for Big X football teams:

Arizona
Wildcats have had only one winning season the last seven years.
Arizona won four of its last five bowl games SU

Arizona State
Coach Dillingham is 7-1 ATS as a favorite.
Since 2017, Sun Devils are 41-27 ATS in league games, 9-16-1 in non-league games.

Baylor
Last four years, Bears are 10-6-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Baylor has 73 starts back on offensive line, which is good- they were 8-5 last year, only their second winning season the last five years.

Brigham Young
Coach Sitake is 17-9 ATS as a road underdog.
Coach Sitake is 27-35 as a favorite.

Central Florida
Since 2019, Knights are 7-16 ATS as a road favorite.
Coach Frost is 12-6 ATS as a road underdog. He is back at UCF this year after he had previously coach the Knights in 2016-17.

Cincinnati
Last two years, Bearcats are 8-16 SU; their last bowl win was in 2019.
Coach Satterfield is 17-9 ATS as a road favorite.

Colorado
Under Coach Sanders, Colorado is 9-3 ATS as an underdog.
Last two years, Buffaloes were +21 in turnovers.

Houston
Coach Fritz is 44-27 ATS as a favorite.
Last three years, Houston was 9-16-1 in conference games.

Iowa State
Coach Campbell is 25-14-2 ATS as an underdog.
Since 2015, Cyclones are 35-17-1 ATS coming off a loss.

Kansas
Last two years, Jayhawks are 8-3 ATS as an underdog.
Kansas won 4 of its last 5 bowl games, scoring 42 ppg, but only two of those five bowls have been played since 2008.

K-State
Coach Klieman is 25-13 ATS in home games.
Since 2016, Wildcats are 27-13 ATS coming off a loss.

Oklahoma State
Cowboys were 3-9 LY, missing a bowl for first time in 19 years.
OSU is 8-3 ATS last 11 games as a home dog, 24-9 ATS in last 33 non-league games.

TCU
Since 2018, Horned Frogs are 5-11-1 as a road underdog.
TCU has 3 starters/93 starts back on OL; they were 9-4 LY, despite a -6 turnover ratio.

Texas Tech
Last four years, Red Raiders are 16-6 ATS coming off a loss
Coach McGuire is 9-6-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Tech has 136 starts back on the offensive line; very experienced.

Utah
Coach Whittingham is 39-26 ATS as an underdog.
Utes lost their last five bowl games; they were favored in three of the five games.

West Virginia
Coach Rodriguez is 20-31 ATS as a road underdog.
Last five years, Mountaineers are 13-4 ATS as a home favorite.

 

[Cnotes53]

Trends for SEC football teams​

SEC football notes:

— Alabama
Since 2020, they’re 22-9-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Last seven years, Crimson Tide is +57 in turnovers.

— Arkansas
Pittman is 19-11 ATS as an underdog.
Razorbacks are 8-14-1 ATS last 23 games as a favorite.

— Auburn
Since 2015, Tigers are 21-30-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Auburn lost its last four bowl games (favored in 3 of the 4)

— Florida
Napier is 12-18-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Napier is 23-10-1 ATS as an underdog.

— Georgia
Last four years, Dawgs were 8-16-1 ATS as home favorites.
Georgia is 4-11-1 ATS in last sixteen non-conference games.

— Kentucky
Last four years, Wildcats are minus-22 in turnovers.
Since 2019, Kentucky is 17-10-1 ATS as an underdog.

— LSU
Under Kelly, LSU is 14-6 ATS at home.
Tigers won five of last six bowl games, scoring 44.5 ppg.

— Ole Miss
Last two years, Rebels were 21-5 SU (+21 turnovers)
Under Kiffin, Ole Miss is 10-5-1 as a road favorite.

— Miss State
Last two years, Bulldogs are 7-17 SU
Since 2019, MSU is 2-13-1 ATS as a home underdog.
Underdogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five bowl games.

— Missouri
Last two years, Tigers were 21-8 SU (+18 turnovers)
Last three years, Mizzou is 10-4 ATS on the road.

— Oklahoma
Last four years, Sooners are 3-10-1 ATS as road favorites.
Last three years, Oklahoma is 10-15-1 ATS in conference games.

— South Carolina
Coach Beamer is 14-6 ATS as a favorite.
Underdogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five bowl games.

— Tennesssee
Since 2020, Tennessee is 4-14 ATS as an underdog.
Under Heupel, Vols are 15-8 ATS as a home favorite.

— Texas
Since 2016, Longhorns are 23-12-1 ATS in non-league games.
Coach Sarkisian is 10-18 ATS as a road underdog.

— Texas A&M
Coach Elko is 9-6 ATS as a home favorite, 2-6 as a road favorite.
Aggies are 3-10-2 ATS in their last fifteen road games.

— Vanderbilt
Since 2020, Vandy is 15-8 ATS as a road underdog.
Commodores are 11-27 ATS in their last 38 home games.

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s Den: Trends for teams in the Big Ten Conference​

Trends for football teams in the Big Ten (Big 18) Conference:

— Illinois
Since 2017, they’re 9-16-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, they’re 26-35 ATS coming off a loss.
In his career, Bielema is 27-17-1 ATS as a road underdog.

— Indiana
Cignetti is 23-8 ATS as a favorite.
Indiana was 11-2 SU last year, +15 in turnovers.
From 2021-23, Indiana was 9-27, minus-22 in turnovers.

— Iowa
Since 2014, Hawkeyes are 21-8-1 ATS as a road favorite.
In his career, Ferentz is 18-13-2 ATS as a home underdog.

— Maryland
Since 2017, Terrapins are 17-7 ATS in non-conference games.
In his career, Locksley is 11-22 ATS as a road underdog.

— Michigan
Michigan was 8-5 SU last year (40-3 SU from 2021-23)
Wolverines are 7-11-2 ATS in last 20 games as a home favorite.
Since 2019, Michigan is 31-20-3 ATS in conference games.

— Michigan State
Last three years, Spartans went 5-7/4-8/5-7 (minus-18 in turnovers)
In his career, Jonathan Smith is 16-9 ATS as a road underdog.

— Minnesota
In his career, Fleck is 25-14-1 ATS as a road underdog.
Gophers won/covered their last five bowl games.

— Nebraska
Ruhle is 34-19-1 ATS as an underdog, 13-7 as a home dog, 11-5 as a road favorite.
Since 2015, Nebraska is 25-37-3 ATS at home.

— Northwestern
Since 2021, Wildcats are 2-8 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, Wildcats are 23-14 ATS as a road underdog.
Northwestern won its last five bowl games (was underdog in 3 of the 5)

— Ohio State
Ryan Day is 26-16 ATS as a home favorite.
In their last 131 games, Buckeyes are 2-1 ATS as an underdog.
Former NFL coach Matt Patricia is Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator.

— Oregon
Last three years, Oregon is 26-15 ATS.
Ducks are 9-3 ATS as a road favorite in conference games.
Oregon is 14-4 ATS as a single digit favorite in conference games.

— Penn State
Last three years, PSU is 34-8 SU (+11/+16/+11 in turnovers)
Since 2021, Penn State is 16-8-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Overall, Nittany Lions are 27-11-1 ATS in last 39 games as a favorite.

— Purdue
Last three years, Purdue was 2-15 ATS at home.
Since 2016, Purdue is 5-16 ATS as a home favorite.
In his career, new coach Odom is 20-13 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2020, Boilermakers are 14-28 ATS in conference games.

— Rutgers
Since 2021, Scarlet Knights are 12-3 ATS in non-conference games.
In his career, Schiano is 36-22-3 ATS as a road underdog.

— USC
In his career, Riley is 29-19 ATS as a home favorite, 9-21-1 as a road favorite.
Since 2021, Trojans are 14-23 ATS in conference games.

— UCLA
Since 2015, Bruins are 14-27 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, Bruins are 10-20-1 ATS in non-conference games.
UCLA lost three of last four bowl games, giving up 37.8 ppg.

— Washington
Since 2018, Washington is 22-38 ATS in conference games.
Since 2015, Huskies are 8-14 ATS as an underdog.
Since 2017, under is 24-11 in Washington’s away games.

— Wisconsin
Since 2018, Wisconsin is 16-24 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, Badgers are 23-11 ATS as a road favorite.

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday’s Den: Trends for Mountain West football teams……..​

Air Force
Falcons are 14-7-1 ATS last 22 games as a road underdog.
Since 2015, Air Force is 16-26-1 ATS in games coming off a loss.
Air Force won/covered its last five bowl games.

Boise State
Since 2019, Boise State is 41-24-2 ATS in Mountain West games.
Broncos are 13-6 ATS in last 19 games as a home favorite.
Boise State is 9-4-1 ATS in last 14 games as a road underdog.

Colorado State
Last year was Rams’ first winning season since 2017.
Last three years, Colorado State is 4-10 ATS in non-conference games.
Rams are 0-5 SU/ATS in their last five bowl games.

Fresno State
Since 2016, Bulldogs are 8-1-1 ATS as a home underdog.
Since 2017, Fresno is 21-13-1 ATS in non-conference games.
New coach went 60-11 at I-AA North Dakota State, winning two national titles.

Hawaii
Since 2015, Rainbows are 9-21-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Hawaii is 17-28 ATS in its last 45 road games.
Last three years, Rainbows are 14-8-1 ATS in conference games.

Nevada
Last three years, Wolf Pack was 2-21 SU/8-14-1 ATS in conference games.
Nevada is 3-2 SU in last five bowls (underdog in 4 of 5, pick ‘em in the 5th)
Since 2016, Wolf Pack is 17-23-1 ATS in games coming off a win.

UNLV
Last two years, Rebels were 9-5/11-3 SU; from 2015-22, they were 27-63.
In his career, Dan Mullen is 49-34-1 ATS at home.
Last three years, UNLV is 13-2 ATS in non-conference games.

New Mexico
Lobos have had eight consecutive losing seasons.
New Mexico is 9-21-2 ATS in its last 32 conference games.
Lobos haven’t been to a bowl game since 2016.
Last time they went to a bowl outside of New Mexico? 2004.

San Diego State
Last four years, Aztecs are 4-11 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, Aztecs are 16-10-1 ATS as a road favorite.
Since 2015, San Diego State is 26-17-1 ATS as an underdog.

San Jose State
Last two years, San Jose State is 8-4 ATS as a favorite.
Spartans lost their last four bowls; they were favored in all four.
In his career, coach Niumatalolo is 34-20 ATS as a road dog.

Utah State
Last three years, Aggies went 6-7/6-7/4-8 SU.
Since 2016, Utah State is 20-8-1 ATS as a home favorite.
In his career, coach Mendenhall is 57-37-1 ATS in non-conference games.

Wyoming
Cowboys were 3-9 LY, just their second losing season in eight years.
Since 2016, Wyoming is 19-7 ATS as a home underdog.
Since 2016, Cowboys are 29-18-1 ATS in games coming off a loss.

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday’s Den: Trends for ACC football teams…….

Trends for ACC football teams…….

Boston College
Bill O’Brien is 30-20 ATS as a college coach.
Since 2017, Eagles are 17-7-1 ATS as a home underdog.
Boston College is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 non-conference games.

Cal (why is Cal in the ATLANTIC Coast Conference?!?!?!)
As a head coach, Wilcox is 32-16 ATS as an underdog.
As a head coach, Wilcox is 15-23-1 ATS as a favorite.
Since 2017, Golden Bears are 13-6 ATS as a home underdog.
Last three years, Cal is 8-4 ATS in non-conference games.

Clemson
Clemson has a senior QB who has already started 28 games.
Last four years, Tigers are 11-14 ATS as a home favorite.
Clemson is 7-2 ATS in last nine games coming off a loss.

Duke
Last three years, Duke was 9-4/8-5/9-4 SU
Last three years, Duke is 15-9 ATS in ACC games.
Blue Devils are 11-3 ATS in last 14 games as an underdog.
Duke is 12-17 ATS in its last 29 games as a favorite.

Florida State
Seminoles finished under .500 five of last seven years.
FSU is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games coming off a loss.
As a head coach, Norvell is 16-8 ATS as a road favorite.
As a head coach, Norvell is 5-13-2 ATS as a road underdog.

Georgia Tech
Since 2018, Tech is 7-14-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2015, Tech is 3-10 ATS as a road favorite.
Under Key, Tech is 12-5 ATS as an underdog.
Under Key, Tech is 14-9 ATS in ACC games.

Louisville
Louisville has a veteran offensive line (203 career starts)
Senior QB Moss started 10 games at USC.
Last five years, Louisville is 18-7 ATS as a home favorite.
Last three years, Cardinals are 1-7 ATS as a road favorite.

Miami
Since 2017, Miami is 27-39 ATS in conference games.
In his career, Cristobal is 18-32-2 ATS as a home favorite.
Miami lost its last five bowl games (favored in 3 of 5 games)
Since 2017, Miami is 22-36 ATS in games coming off a loss.

North Carolina
Bill Belichick is the new coach; not sure how much these trends mean.
Tar Heels have a veteran offensive line (155 career starts)
Last three years, Carolina is 6-12 ATS as a home favorite.
Tar Heels lost their last five bowl games, giving up 32.8 ppg.

NC State
Last five years, Wolfpack is 7-2 ATS as a home underdog.
Last three years, State is 4-10 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2019, State is 16-27 ATS in games coming off a win.
Wolfpack lost their last four bowls, three of them by 5 or fewer points.

Pittsburgh
In his career, Narduzzi is 18-25-3 ATS as a home favorite.
In his career, Narduzzi is 15-4 ATS as a road favorite.
Panthers are 1-9 ATS last ten games as a road underdog.
Pitt has a veteran offensive line (78 career starts)

SMU
Last two years, Mustangs went 11-3/11-3.
Since 2015, SMU is 28-14 ATS as a home favorite.
Since 2020, Mustangs are 3-8 ATS as a road underdog.
SMU lost its last four bowls (favored in 3 of the 4)

Stanford (why is Stanford in the ATLANTIC Coast Conference?!?!?!)
Stanford fired their coach for bullying last March
Former NFL coach Frank Reich is the interim coach for this year.
Last four years, Cardinal went 3-9 every year (minus-29 in turnovers)
Since 2020, Stanford is 0-6 ATS as a home favorite.

Syracuse
Syracuse was 10-3 last year, their best season since 2018.
Orangemen are 7-2 ATS last nine games as a road favorite.
Last three years, Syracuse is 3-8 ATS as a road underdog.
Last four years, Syracuse is 7-4 ATS as a home favorite.

Virginia
Last three years, Cavaliers are 15-8 ATS as an underdog.
Since 2020, Virginia is 26-15 ATS in ACC games.
Since 2020, Virginia is 14-6 ATS in games coming off a win.
Last four years, Cavaliers are minus-23 in turnovers.

Virginia Tech
Last two years, Tech is 11-5 ATS in ACC games, 3-7 out of conference.
Hokies lost four of last five bowls, giving up 34 ppg.
Tech hired West Virginia’s OL coach; he brought three linemen with him.
Hokies have a senior QB who has started 20 games.

Wake Forest
Wake has a new head coach, who brought in a top 25 transfer class.
Deacons have 86 returning starts on the offensive line.
Since 2017, Wake is 19-14 ATS as a home favorite.
Wake’s QB has already spent time at Auburn, South Carolina.

 

[Cnotes53]

Sunday’s Den: Notes for MAC football teams​

Notes for MAC football teams:

— Akron
Akron has had seven consecutive losing seasons.
Under Moorhead, Akron is 7-3 ATS as a home underdog.
Since 2015, Akron is 12-26 ATS in non-conference games.
Since 2017, Zips are 4-9-3 ATS as a home favorite.

— Ball State
Cardinals have had one winning season in the last 10 years.
New HC was an NAIA head coach.
Last three years, Ball State is 15-9 ATS in MAC games.
Ball State is 1-8 SU all-time in bowl games (1-4 ATS last five)

— Bowling Green
Former NFL star Eddie George is new coach (Tennessee State NC 2021-24)
Jeff Fisher’s son Brandon is the Falcons’ defensive coordinator.
Last four years, Bowling Green was 13-5-1 ATS as a road underdog.
Falcons lost their last four bowls, giving up 37.5 ppg.

— Buffalo
Bulls were 9-4 LY, their first winning season since 2020.
In his career, Lembo is 8-3 ATS as a road favorite.
Since 2021, Buffalo is 4-9 ATS as a home favorite.
Bulls won their last four bowl games.

— Central Michigan
Last 3 years, Chippewas were 13-23; the new HC was an NAIA head coach. Last 3 years, Chippewas were minus-42 in turnovers.
Since 2019, CMU is 8-1 ATS as a home underdog.
Last four years, Chippewas are 8-15-1 ATS coming off a loss.

— Eastern Michigan
Under coach Creighton, Eagles are 11-20 ATS as a home favorite.
Under Creighton, Eagles are 35-18-1 ATS as a road underdog.
Last three years, EMU is 12-7 ATS in games coming off a win.
Eagles are 1-4 SU/3-2 ATS in their last five bowls.

— Kent State
Kent State went 1-23 the last two years; the new HC was OC last year.
Since 2020, Golden Flashes are 5-18-2 ATS as a road underdog.
Last three years, Kent State is 5-17-2 ATS in MAC games.
Last three years, Kent State was 2-5 ATS as a home favorite.

— UMass
Minutemen join MAC this year after struggling as an independent.
Last 10 years, UMass is 21-91 SU (21-27 ATS last four years)
Since 2019, UMass is 0-7 ATS as a home favorite.
Last two years, Minutemen were 8-4 ATS as a road underdog.

— Miami
Last two years, Redhawks were 20-8 SU/19-9 ATS
Last two years, Miami was 12-3 ATS as a favorite.
Since 2015, Redhawks are 33-20 ATS coming off a loss.
Miami is 2-3 SU/5-0 ATS in its last five bowls.

— Northern Illinois
In his career, Hammock is 8-24 ATS as a favorite.
In his career, Hammock is 17-5 ATS as a road underdog.
Last three years, Huskies are 8-16 ATS in MAC games.
Since 2018 though, NIU is 15-8 as an underdog in MAC games.

— Ohio U
Bobcats were 31-10 the last three years; the coach bolted to Charlotte.
Last three years, Ohio U is 13-5 ATS at home.
Last four years, Bobcats are 24-10 ATS in MAC games.
Ohio U is 5-0 SU/4-1 ATS in its last five bowls.

— Toledo
Last three years, Rockets are 3-11 ATS as a road favorite.
Since 2019, Toledo is 30-18 SU/20-28 ATS in MAC games.
Underdogs covered Toledo’s last five bowls (1-4 SU/3-2 ATS)
Rockets’ last three bowl games were decided by 2-1-2 points.

— Western Michigan
Last three years, Broncos were 5-7/4-8/6-7 SU.
Last three years, Broncos were +8/+4/+4 in turnovers; unusual.
Under Taylor, WMU is 6-0 ATS as a home favorite, 4-9 as an underdog.
Broncos are 1-8 ATS in last nine games vs Big 18 opponents.

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday’s 6-pack:
Colleges with the most Pro Football Hall of Famers:
14— USC
11— Miami
11— Notre Dame
10— Pittsburgh
9— Michigan
9— Ohio State

Quote of the Day
“There’s times guys have left here that we really wanted. We just couldn’t make it work. But I can tell you, I’m hopeful when we’re sitting here at next year’s training camp that James Cook is out there practicing and still representing the red, white and blue.”
Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane

Monday’s quiz
In the movie Little Big League, when a 12-year old kid inherits the Minnesota Twins from his late grandfather, what well-known actor played the grandfather?

Sunday’s quiz
The first time the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl (2000 season), Trent Dilfer was their QB.

Saturday’s quiz
Brandon Marshall holds the Chicago Bears’ record for most receiving yards (1,508) in a season

*********************************************************

Monday’s Den: Wrapping up a summer weekend……..​

— Cubs 5, Orioles 3
Justin Turner hit his first-ever walk-off home run to end the game.
Three oldest major leaguers to hit their first-ever walk-off homer:
41 years, 278 days- Murray Dickinson, 1958
40 years, 253 days- Justin Turner, Sunday
40 years, 4 days- Rick Dempsey, 1989

— Pirates 9, Rockies 5
Leadoff hitter Spencer Horwitz homered twice, drove in six runs.
Saturday, leadoff hitter Liover Peguero hit three homers, drove in five runs for Pittsburgh, making the Pirates the first time in the last 100 years to get 5+ RBI from leadoff hitters in consecutive games.
Shohei Ohtani had 12 RBI in consecutive games while he was batting leadoff last year, but he had 10 RBI in one game, two in the other game.

— Giants 12, Mets 4
Rafael Devers homered, had four RBI.
In their last 44 games, Mets’ starting pitchers have thrown only 9.2 innings in the 6th inning; relievers have thrown 34.1 of the 44 innings in the 6th inning.

— Braves 4, Reds 2
They sold 91,032 tickets for the Braves-Reds ballgame at the Bristol Raceway in Tennessee; game was suspended by rain in the first inning Saturday night- they finished Sunday, with Eli White hitting two home runs for the Braves.
Hurston Waldrep pitched 5.2 innings in relief for Atlanta; he was with his AAA team Saturday night, but drove 250 miles, joined the Braves Sunday morning, was one of the game’s stars.

— In his Hall of Fame career, the late Ryne Sandberg played in 10 playoff games; he had a hit in all 10 games, making him the only player since 1903 to play in 10+ playoff games, and to get a hit in all of them.

— Saturday night in Anaheim, White Sox won 1-0, with C Kyle Teel driving in the game’s only run. Angels had only one hit against Aaron Civale and the Chicago bullpen.

Teel is the first catcher since Buster Posey in 2014 to catch a one-hitter (or no-hitter) and also drive in all the runs in that game.
— Players who have a home run in every inning (and in extra innings) this season:
Riley Greene, Tigers
Nick Kurtz, A’s
James Wood, Nationals

— Famous birthdays, August 4th:
Billy Bob Thornton, 70
Michael Holton, 64
Roger Clemens, 63
John Farrell, 63
BJ Surhoff, 61
Meghan Markle, 44
Jason Adam, 34
Kevin Newman, 32
Brady Singer, 29

— Ben Cherington is in his sixth year as GM of the Pittsburgh Pirates; he previously worked for Blue Jays, Red Sox. He is really book-smart; his grandfather won a Pulitzer Prize.
In Cherington’s tenure in Pittsburgh, he’s acquired a top 30 prospect from the Bronx baseball team via trade ten times. Here’s a list of the names; how is he doing?

Roansy Contreras
Rafael Flores (just got called up to AAA)
Miguel Yajure
Canaan Smith-Njigba
Edgleen Perez
Keiner Delgado
Brian Sanchez
Hoy Park
Maikol Escotto
Diego Castillo

So far, not so good.

— Earlier this year, Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in the first inning of a game, but also gave up a home run in the first inning, as a pitcher; he is the first pitcher to do that since the Phillies’ Randy Lerch in 1979.

— How times have changed; from April-July 1977, Angels’ P Frank Tanana threw 14 consecutive complete games, and two of those games went to extra innings. Angels were 9-5 in those games.
Last season, the entire season, there were a total of 28 complete games in the major leagues.

— Red Sox 7, Astros 3
Red Sox have won 20 of their last 24 home games.
First loss since May 2nd for Framber Valdez, a span of 14 starts.

— Dodgers 3, Rays 0
Game was scoreless after five innings.
Dodgers scored in 6th inning, ending an 18-inning scoreless streak.
Yamamoto got 17 outs on 88 pitches- he is 10-7, 2.51 this year.

— Brewers 14, Nationals 3
Brice Turang hit two home runs, drove in four runs.
Brewers were 6-0 vs Washington this season, scoring 60 runs.
Milwaukee leads the NL Central by two games.

— Phillies 2, Tigers 0
Cristopher Sanchez threw 7 shutout IP, on only 84 pitches.
Kyle Schwarber hit his 38th homer of the season.

If the baseball playoffs started today (they do not):
AL: Blue Jays, Tigers, Astros. Wild Cards: Red Sox, New York, Mariners
NL: Phillies, Brewers, Dodgers. Wild Cards: Cubs, Mets, Padres

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday’s Den: Trends for Big 18 football teams and other stuff……​

Trends for Big 18 football teams:

— Illinois
Under Bret Bielema, Illini is 15-4 ATS in road games.

— Indiana
In four years as a I-A coach, Curt Cignetti is 23-8 ATS as a favorite.

— Iowa
Since 2015, Hawkeyes are 19-8-1 ATS as a road favorite. Iowa’s new QB this season started 55 games at I-AA South Dakota State.

— Maryland
In his career, Mike Locksley is 10-17 ATS as a home favorite, 11-22 as a road underdog.

— Michigan
Last three years, Wolverines are 7-11-1 ATS as a home favorite, 6-3 as a road favorite

— Michigan State
Last three years, Spartans are 9-16-2 ATS in conference games.

— Minnesota
Since 2019, Golden Gophers are 5-0 SU/4-1 ATS in bowl games.

— Nebraska
In nine years as a college coach, Matt Rhule is 34-19-1 ATS as an underdog.

— Northwestern
Since 2018, Wildcats are 5-14-1 ATS as a home favorite.

— Ohio State
Buckeyes won/covered last four bowl games, with all four wins by 14+ points.

— Oregon
Under Dan Lanning, Ducks are 21-11 ATS as a favorite.

— Penn State
Last four years, Nittany Lions are 28-11-1 ATS as a favorite.

— Purdue
Since 2018, Boilermakers are 5-16 ATS as a home favorite.

— Rutgers
Scarlet Knights are 12-6 ATS last 18 games as a home favorite, 14-6-2 last 22 games as a road dog.

— USC
In eight years as a college coach, Lincoln Riley is 9-21-1 ATS as a road favorite.

— UCLA
Since 2015, Bruins are 14-27 ATS as a home favorite.

— Washington
Since 2018, Huskies are 22-38 ATS in conference games..

— Wisconsin
Since 2015, Badgers are 23-11 ATS as a road favorite.

 

[Cnotes53]

Monday’s 6-pack:
Last six years, Washington Commanders’ passing leader:
2024— Jayden Daniels, 3,568 yards
2023— Sam Howell, 3,946
2022— Taylor Heinicke, 1,859
2021— Taylor Heinicke, 3,419
2020— Alex Smith, 1,582
2019— Case Keenum, 1,707

Quote of the Day
“I need to get the football team in here, talk to the players, those types of things. We’re working towards, obviously, Week 1, that’s part of what this week is about, getting our football team ready. So, we’ll make all those type of determinations in the next couple of days.”
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski

Monday’s quiz
In the football movie The Replacements, what was the name of the team that Gene Hackman coached and Keanu Reeves played QB for?

Sunday’s quiz
Jake Plummer holds the Denver Broncos’ all-time record for most passing yards in a game; he threw for 499 yards in a 2004 loss to Atlanta.

Saturday’s quiz
Giants’ QB Russell Wilson played college football for NC State, Wisconsin.

***********************************************

Monday’s Den: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….​

— Reds 3, Brewers 2 (10)
Game was scoreless after six innings.
William Contreras put Milwaukee ahead with a 9th inning HR.
Reds tied it in 9th inning; Austin Hays had the walk-off single.
Loss ends Milwaukee’s 14-game win streak; they trailed in 8 of 14 games.

— Mets 7, Mariners 3
Mark Vientos hit a 3-run HR as the Mets won the Little League classic.
Tough night for George Kirby, who gave up 7 runs in 4.2 IP.
Mariners trail Houston by 1.5 games in the AL West

— AL Wild Card race:
Wild Cards: Red Sox, Mariners, New York
3.5 games behind- Cleveland
4- Kansas City
5.5- Texas
6.5- Tampa Bay
7- LA Angels

— NL Wild Card race:
Wild Cards: Cubs, Padres, Mets
1.5 games behind- Cincinnati
5.5- St Louis
6- San Francisco
6.5- Arizona
7- Marlins

— Marlins 5, Red Sox 3
Jakob Marsee hit a 2-run HR in the 9th for the comeback win.
Red Sox led 3-1 after seven innings.
Boston/Seattle are tied for the AL’s top Wild Card slot.

— Washington Nationals DFA’d 1B Nathaniel Lowe, who hit .216 in 119 games for them, and the Red Sox scooped him up to play 1B in Boston. Lowe has hit at least .262 the last four years, helping Texas win a World Series two years ago.

— Dodgers 5, Padres 4
Dodgers sweep San Diego, lead the NL West by two games.

— Famous birthdays, August 18th:
Robert Redford, 89
Greg Pruitt, 74
Bruce Benedict, 70
Denis Leary, 68
Lafayette Lever, 65
Jim Les, 62
Edward Norton, 56
Christian Slater, 56
Jeremy Shockey, 45
Dan Orlovsky, 42
Austin Hedges, 33
Seiya Suzuki, 31

— Bears 38, Bills 0- Chicago played their starters, Buffalo didn’t, but this was one of the worst NFL games I’ve ever seen, totally uncompetitive. I get that this was Caleb Williams’ first game action under Ben Johnson, but the Bills’ subs made backup QB Tyson Bagent look like the second coming of Dan Marino.
Total yardage: 528-180. I’m guessing the Bills won’t have a preseason game on national TV for a few years.

— Jaguars 17, Saints 17- Third tie game this preseason; they don’t play overtime in exhibition games. Jacksonville led this one 17-3 at halftime.
Spencer Rattler was 18-24/199 passing in the second half; it is unclear who the Saints are going to start at QB, Rattler or 26-year old rookie Tyler Shough.

— Indianapolis Colts haven’t won their season opener since 2013; they tied their Week 1 game in 2022 (as a 7-point favorite) but the last ten years, Colts are 2-8 ATS in Week 1.

— Last two years, Pittsburgh Steelers were 10-7/10-7, but didn’t win a playoff game; you’d think they’d get more out of two seasons where their turnover ratios were +16/+10, which are really good. They’ve upgraded at QB to Aaron Rodgers from Russell Wilson/Justin Fields and they play the Jets, Rodgers’ old team, in Week 1, so this should be interesting.
Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2017.

— Steelers’ OC Arthur Smith used to be the head coach in Atlanta; he went 7-10 in all three years with the Falcons. Atlanta lost the Super Bowl in 2016, blowing a 28-3 lead; they went 10-6 the next year, and haven’t had a winning season since then.
Maybe it wasn’t Dan Quinn’s fault after all; Atlanta fired Quinn during the 2020 pandemic year; he wound up as head coach in Washington LY and led the Commanders to a 12-5 season, their first winning season in nine years. Pretty good coach.

— In college football, Tennessee Vols named transfer Joey Aguilar their new starting QB; he had transferred from Appalachian State to UCLA, but when Vols’ QB Nico Iamaleava bolted to the Bruins, Aguilar saw the handwriting on the wall, and took Iamaleava’s spot in Knoxville.

— Kent State went 1-23 SU the last two years, going a dismal 4-16-2 ATS as an underdog; the interim coach this year was an All-American I-AA QB at Fordham and was OC at Kent State last year.

— Western Michigan has had three straight losing seasons, despite having a +16 turnover ratio in those years; last two years, Broncos were 6-1 ATS as a home favorite, but 4-9 as an underdog.

— Mid-American Conference has six new football coaches this fall; UMass is new to the league, and Northern Illinois is on its way out, headed to the Mountain West, for football only.

 

[Goldylock$]

when will dunkel index release for 8/30 games?

 

[Udog]

WEEK 0
NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 0

Saturday, August 23

 

[Udog]

NCAAF
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 0

Saturday’s games
Kansas State (-3.5) vs Iowa State (@ Ireland)
Kansas State
K-State was 29-12 SU last three years, 2-1 in bowls.
K-State has 5 starters back on offense, 5 on defense.
Wildcats have 43 returning starts on OL- they’re mostly transfers.
Junior QB Johnson threw for 2,712 yards (25 TDs, 10 INTs) LY.

Last two years, Wildcats are 1-7 ATS as a favorite away from home.
Under Klieman, K-State is 24-18 ATS as a favorite.
Under Klieman, Wildcats are 33-22 ATS in Big X games.
Junior QB Bwcht has 27 career starts,

Iowa State
Iowa State was 11-3 LY, won their first bowl since 2020.
Cyclones have 7 starters back on offense, 6 on defense.
Cyclones have 105 returning starts on offensive line.
Soph QB Becht started 13 games last season.

In his career, Campbell is 36-19-2 ATS as an underdog.
Under Campbell, ISU is 25-14-2 ATS as an underdog.
Last 2 years, Cyclones are 11-8 ATS in Big X games.

Iowa State is 4-1 SU/5-0 ATS in last five meetings.
Underdogs are 9-2 ATS in last eleven series games.
This game is at a neutral site (Ireland)

Fresno State @ Kansas (-12)
Fresno State
Fresno was 6-7 LY, its first losing season since 2019.
FSU’s new coach won two I-AA national titles at North Dakota State.
Bulldogs have 5 starters back on offense, 4 on defense.
Fresno has 50 starts returning on offensive line.
EJ Warner (Kurt’s son) is the new QB; he has 31 career starts (Temple/Rice)

Fresno is 15-7-1 ATS in its last 23 games as an underdog.
Bulldogs are 12-9 ATS in their last 21 non-conference tilts.
Bulldogs covered their last five games vs Power-4 teams.

Kansas
Kansas was 5-7 LY; they’ve had one winning season since 2015
Jayhawks have 5 starters back on offense, 5 on defense.
Kansas has 82 returning starts on offensive line.
Senior QB Daniels started 12 games last year.

In his career, Leipold is 20-11-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Under Leipold, Kansas is 7-5 ATS as a home favorite.
Kansas is 7-4 ATS in its last 11 non-conference games.

These teams haven’t met in the last five years.

Sam Houston State @ Western Kentucky (-10.5)
Sam Houston State
Bearkats went 10-3 LY; their coach bolted to Temple.
New head coach has been an offensive coordinator in his career
Sam Houston has 5 starters back on offense, 3 on defense
Bearkats have 65 starts back on offensive line.
Senior QB Watson had 12 starts LY; he won a JC national title in ’23.

Last three years, Sam Houston is 7-4 ATS as a road underdog.
Last two years, Bearkats are 7-9 ATS in conference games.

Western Kentucky
WKU was 8-6 LY, its fourth straight winning season
Hilltoppers have 2 starters back on offense, 4 on defense
WKU has 58 starts back on offensive line- lot of transfers.
Senior QB McIvor (20 starts) comes in with his OC from I-AA Abilene Christian.

Since 2021, Hilltoppers are 12-9 ATS as a home favorite.
Last two years, WKU was 7-10 ATS in conference games.

WKU beat Sam Houston last two years, 28-23/31-14.
Underdogs covered both of those games.

 

[Udog]

NCAAF

Week 0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, August 23

Iowa State VS Kansas State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iowa State's last 6 games.
Iowa State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
Iowa State is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games against Kansas State.
Iowa State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games against Kansas State.
Kansas State is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas State's last 9 games.
Kansas State is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas State's last 6 games against Iowa State.

Idaho State VS UNLV
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Idaho State's last 7 games.
Idaho State is 0-10 SU in its last 10 games.
Idaho State is 0-11 SU in its last 11 games on the road.
Idaho State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games against an opponent in the Mountain West conference.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nevada-Las Vegas' last 7 games.
Nevada-Las Vegas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Nevada-Las Vegas' last 7 games at home.
Nevada-Las Vegas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games against an opponent in the Big Sky conference.

Fresno State VS Kansas
Fresno State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
Fresno State is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road.
Fresno State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games against an opponent in the Big 12 conference.
Fresno State is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games played in August.
Kansas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas' last 9 games.
Kansas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games.
Kansas is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home.

Sam Houston State VS WKU
Sam Houston State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sam Houston State's last 7 games.
Sam Houston State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games.
Sam Houston State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road.
Western Kentucky is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Western Kentucky's last 7 games.
Western Kentucky is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Western Kentucky's last 7 games at home.

Stanford VS Hawaii
Stanford is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games.
Stanford is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games.
Stanford is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road.
Stanford is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games against an opponent in the Mountain West conference.
Hawaii is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hawaii's last 5 games.
Hawaii is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home.
Hawaii is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games played in August.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Cnotes53]

Desert phoenix: Armed with a blue-chip roster, a refreshed Dan Mullen aims to make noise at UNLV​

After a stint in broadcasting, former Florida coach is enjoying the process more this time around​

LAS VEGAS — Dan Mullen emerges from a darkened meeting room after reviewing film from a hot practice in July, feeling invigorated and refreshed. The UNLV head coach walks down a long hallway, cracking jokes and laughing with staffers. He's not in a rush. He doesn't have a series of meetings on his calendar or a slew of events to attend, unlike when he was a head coach in the SEC.

Four years after his career at Florida ended, Mullen is back in his element. The internal pressure to win is still there, but the outside roar that constantly surrounded him in the SEC seems like white noise out here in the desert of Las Vegas.

"There are 15 fan bases at the end of the year that expected to win the SEC championship that didn't," Mullen summarizes.

UNLV expects to win, yes, especially after reaching the Mountain West Championship Game in back-to-back seasons under Barry Odom. But the scrutiny on the program and its staff is nowhere near the nuclear levels at a place like Florida or even Mississippi State.

"Since that day (I took the UNLV job), I've been happy. I don't have one regret," Mullen tells CBS Sports. "Not one day I don't have a huge smile on my face."

Mullen has spent the better part of the last four years in television studios and press boxes as an analyst for ESPN's college football broadcasts. As he covered games, he watched the sport he loves transform into a semi-professional league, with agents negotiating contracts for players and constant roster turnover in the transfer portal. Every week, he spoke to former coaching colleagues and realized they most were exhausted, nearing their breaking point as they dealt with immense changes and new stresses associated with their jobs.

Sometimes, they would ask Mullen if he wanted to trade places: him on the sidelines, them in a cushy chair watching games in an air-conditioned TV studio.

Just when I thought I was out... ​

What pulled Mullen back into the never-ending rate race? A pair of events with former players late in 2024.

A 10-year reunion of his 2014 team at Mississippi State, the program's first to be ranked No. 1 in the College Football Playoff -- and for four consecutive weeks, no less -- tugged at his heart. Later, he attended the induction of former Utah quarterback Alex Smith into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.

"When you have wives coming up saying you've made such an impact on my husband, it hits a note with you," Mullen said.

While Mullen was in Las Vegas to watch his former quarterback be enshrined as a legend, he got a phone call from Harper. Odom had just left for Purdue, and athletics director Erick Harper needed a new coach to build upon UNLV's first double-digit win total in 40 years. Mullen and Harper had met previously at a golf event at the nearby Southern Highlands Golf Club, and stayed in touch.

"He went to my short list fairly quickly because I saw him in a non-coaching capacity, which is always important to me," Harper said.

It didn't take long for Mullen to accept Harper's job offer.

"In the past, I would tell myself to find some reasons why I should do this," Mullen said. "For UNLV, I was trying to find reasons not to. The second I have to try to find a reason why I should be excited about this job, I don't need it. This hit a lot of things."

A desert phoenix ​

Not long ago, UNLV football was practically left for dead, buried in the Mojave Desert sand. The program went a decade without a winning record before Odom arrived in 2023. Despite those struggles, the university invested heavily, unveiling a $35 million football complex in 2020 with amenities more often seen at a power conference program than a Group of Six school.

UNLV's athletic director Erick Harper played linebacker on Bill Snyder's early Kansas State teams. There, he helped transform the Wildcats from "Futility U" into a Big 8 and Big 12 power in the early 1990s.

"I'm not saying that UNLV was sitting in a place of Futility U, but we were sitting in a space where in college football nobody was taking us seriously," Harper said. "I want everybody to understand that college football at UNLV is extremely important. It's a driver for the institution. There are a lot of eyeballs squarely on UNLV right now."

Indeed, UNLV has become a player on the West Coast. It was a key piece in the recent conference realignment shuffle as the Pac-12 and Mountain West battled for territory. UNLV ultimately stayed with the Mountain West, which offered significant financial incentives, including an eight-figure lump-sum payment.

At the same time, UNLV has sold itself as a beacon of NIL opportunities in Las Vegas, where sports and entertainment intersect and billions of dollars flow. The pitch has worked. It lured Mullen back into coaching and helped him rebuild a depleted roster.

"The game has changed quite a bit and seeing it from afar made it a lot easier," Mullen said. "If I stayed in coaching, I don't know if I'd be able to handle where I'm at right now. The changes would have been a lot harder. To see all the different changes from afar for three years certainly made it easier to reset who you are."

Power Four talent​

When Odom departed, so did most of his players -- either through graduation or the transfer portal. UNLV returns only two starters this fall, the fewest in the FBS.

Mullen was prepared for the exodus. His three years as an ESPN analyst gave him time to study rosters across the sport and identify portal targets quickly.

This past winter, UNLV didn't just dip into the transfer portal; it raided it like a Vegas high roller on a hot streak. By summer, the Rebels had signed 33 players with Power Four experience -- a haul unheard of for a Group of Six program. That influx pushed the roster to 37 former Power Four players, more than double the next closest Mountain West school.

And these weren't just castoffs. Sixteen were former four- or five-star recruits, names familiar to recruiting junkies from signing-day spectacles in the SEC and Big Ten. Suddenly, UNLV's roster didn't look like a mid-major struggling to keep up.

The list includes Michigan quarterback Alex Orji, TCU receiver JoJo Earle, Pitt/Florida defensive end Chief Borders, Arizona linebacker Justin Flowe and Georgia safety Jake Pope.

Twenty-one newcomers hail from the Big Ten and SEC. Four played for Mullen at Florida.

"You can't take everybody that is a 'Last Chance U' guy," Mullen said. "You can't have a roster where everybody hasn't played much. You have to get the right combination. … The first question I ask guys is, 'Why?' Why did you get in the portal? I want to know your 'why' to see how you fit, not just as a talented player, but how your personality fits within our program."

That's the challenge: building chemistry among players who may have already been on three or four different campuses.

"Everybody's gonna have their own opinion, but at the end of the day, it's your name that's on the back of the jersey," said Borders, who made three stops in the Power Four. "You've got to find the best situation that's for you."

Proving it on the field
Talent alone doesn't guarantee success. Coaches know teams without cohesion can unravel quickly. UNLV's first test comes immediately: the Rebels open Saturday in Week 0 against FCS Idaho State.

"One reason or another, you're here. I don't know how or why, whatever, but you're here," defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. "I don't care if you played at LSU, Texas or Alabama. You're here now. You're an UNLV Rebel. I'm going to go based on what I see on the field here. I know some of you guys are 5-star guys, but all I know is you're here and this is a chance for you to prove to people, who maybe didn't think you belonged at those places, that it's your time to come together and get this thing done."

Mullen made his reputation as a developer of talent. At Mississippi State, he turned overlooked prospects into household names. He converted Chris Relf, a quarterback more suited to play tight end, into a nine-win starter with 2,400 total yards in 2010. He coached Fletcher Cox, Chris Jones and Dak Prescott, fueling eight straight bowl games and a 2014 run to No. 1 in the country.

"Back in those days, we developed players. Three years down the road, that group would be special. That doesn't exist anymore, and you have to come to grips with that," Mullen said. "How we built the program at Mississippi State doesn't exist in college football anymore. It just doesn't, and it's hard, so you have to evolve. It still doesn't mean you can't develop in your own way. You take that enjoyment in developing kids, but it's just going to be in a shorter window and an accelerated pattern."

Mullen has embraced change. He is still intense and speaks at a blistering pace, but in Las Vegas he appears more relaxed. After all, in the SEC, it just means more … pressure.

"I loved the fan base and everything that happened, but once you start tasting some filet mignon, that hamburger steak doesn't taste as good anymore," he said.

Mullen burst out of the gates at Florida with two top-10 finishes and a 29-6 start, the best 35-game record in program history. But a 2-9 stretch against power opponents and a perceived dip in recruiting led to his firing before the end of Year 4.

Simply put, in a power conference, life comes at you fast.

Mullen points to the roller coaster Ohio State coach Ryan Day rode in 2024. Armed with a $25 million roster, the Buckeyes were labeled championship-or-bust. When they lost to rival Michigan in the regular season finale, fans issued death threats and the Day family hired around-the-clock security. Two months later, Day hoisted the national championship trophy.

"Go put a smile on your face, let's go have a drink, enjoy it for five minutes and go celebrate. Take the family to Hawaii. Enjoy it," Mullen said. "It's hard to do. Having been out a couple years, I'm going to make sure I enjoy doing this. Now, trust me, you've seen me: on game day, I'll bite your head off. That part of me is not going to change, but I'm going to try to enjoy the whole process."

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, August 23​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
ISU at KSU	12:00 PM	ISU +3.5 O 51.0	+500 +500
FRES at KU	06:30 PM	KU -13.5 U 50.0	+500 +500
SHSU at WKU	07:00 PM	SHSU +10.0 O 61.5	+500 +500
STAN at HAW	07:30 PM	HAW -2.5 U 50.5	+500 +500

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday’s 6-pack:
— Arizona 6, Reds 5 (11)- Mets lead Cincinnati by 1.5 games for last Wild Card slot.
— Mets 12, Braves 7- Juan Soto went 3-4 with a homer, four RBI
— Padres 2, Dodgers 1- Teams are tied atop NL West, with 33 games left.
— Cubs 3, Angels 2- Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a game-winning homer.
— Nationals 5, Phillies 4- Washington scored two runs in ninth inning.
— Brewers 5, Giants 4- William Contreras hit a walk-off homer.

Quote of the Day
“I told the line, ‘Don’t you ever let that happen again.’ I said, ‘We gotta protect each other. You guys are the policemen out there on the field. You’re the big brothers out there. You protect everybody, from DK [Metcalf] to me to whoever’s in there at quarterback, whoever’s in their at running back. I don’t care if it’s preseason practice, whatever, you gotta protect them.’”
Aaron Rodgers, scolding the Steelers’ offensive line

Saturday’s quiz
Patrick Mahomes has been a starting QB in the NFL for seven years; how many playoff games has he won?

Friday’s quiz
QB Peyton Manning was first pick in the 1998 NFL Draft; Ryan Leaf was the 2nd pick.

Thursday’s quiz
Brady Quinn is the all-time leader in passing yards for Notre Dame football.

************************************************

Saturday’s Den: Trends for every major league team…….​

Trends for major league teams
(thru Friday’s games)

— Arizona (63-66)
Arizona won six of its last seven home games.
Diamondbacks are 17-24 in one-run games.
Arizona scored in first inning in 12 of last 15 home games.
Arizona is 14-27 in last 41 games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— Braves (58-70)
Braves are 10-3 in their last 13 games.
Atlanta is 32-32 at home, 26-38 on the road.
Braves are 20-16 vs NL East rivals, 38-54 vs everyone else.
Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.

— Cubs (74-55)
Chicago is 6-2 in its last eight games.
Cubs are seven games behind Milwaukee in NL Central.
Under is 18-2-1 in their last 21 games.
Cubs are 57-37 vs righty starters, 17-18 vs lefties.

— Reds (67-62)
Cincinnati is 15-12 in its last 27 games.
Reds are 49-43 vs righty starters, 18-19 vs lefties.
Under is 11-4-1 in their last 16 road games.
Reds scored in first inning in 10 of last 19 home games.

— Rockies (37-92)
Colorado is 7-4 in its last eleven games.
Over is 8-5 in Rockies’ last 13 road games.
Rockies are 5-30 vs lefty starters, 32-62 vs righties.
Colorado hasn’t scored a first inning run in its last 25 road games.

— Dodgers (73-56)
Dodgers are 15-17 since All-Star break.
LA/San Diego are tied for first in NL West.
Dodgers are 54-38 vs righty starters, 19-18 vs lefties.

Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.
— Marlins (60-68)
Marlins are 5-12 in their last 17 games.
Miami is 29-34 at home, 31-34 on the road.
Under is 14-7 in Marlins’ last 21 road games.
Last three weeks, Marlins are 1-4 in games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— Brewers (81-48)
Brewers are 32-7 in their last 39 games.
Milwaukee is 43-20 at home, 38-28 on the road.
Over is 11-4-1 in their last sixteen home games.
Milwaukee leads the Cubs by 7 games in the NL Central.

— Mets (68-60)
Mets are 6-16 in their last 22 games, 4-2 in last six.
Mets are 41-24 at home, 27-36 on the road.
Over is 8-2-2 in their last 12 games.
Mets trail Philly by six games in NL East.
Mets leads the Reds by 1.5 games for last NL Wild Card slot.

— Phillies (74-54)
Phillies are 12-6 in their last 18 games.
Phillies are 57-34 vs righty starters, 17-20 vs lefties.
Over is 4-0-1 in their last five games.
Phillies lead the Mets by six games in NL East.

— Pirates (55-74)
Pirates won three of their last four games.
Pittsburgh is 37-30 at home, 18-44 on the road.
Under is 8-4-3 in their last 15 games.
Pirates are 17-11 in last 28 games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— St Louis (64-66)
St Louis is 3-7 in its last ten games.
Cardinals are 16-6 in home series openers.
St Louis is 35-30 at home, 29-36 on the road.
Under is 11-4-1 in their last sixteen home games.

— Padres (73-56)
San Diego won 15 of its last 19 home games.
Padres are 42-21 at home, 31-35 on the road.
Padres are 51-36 vs righty starters, 22-20 vs lefties.
San Diego is 23-17 vs NL West rivals, 50-39 vs everyone else.

— Giants (61-68)
Giants are 9-25 in their last 34 games, 2-15 in last 17 at home.
Giants are 48-45 vs righty pitchers, 13-23 vs lefties.
Over is 14-7-2 in their last 23 road games.
SF lost 10 of last 12 games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— Washington (53-75)
Nationals are 6-3 in their last nine games.
Washington is 11-24 in its last 35 home games.
Over is 5-2-4 in their last 11 games.
Washington is 22-10 last 32 games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

Famous birthdays, August 23rd:
Barbara Eden, 94
Richard Sanders, 85
Shelley Long, 76
Mike Boddicker, 68
Julio Franco, 67
Mark Ingram, 60
Mark Bellhorn, 51
Scott Caan, 49
Rex Grossman, 45
Miles Mikolas, 37
Mike Yastrzemski, 35
Tyler Glasnow, 32

— Orioles (59-69)
Baltimore won six of its last nine games.
Over is 4-1 in their last five games.
Orioles are 30-32 at home, 29-37 on the road.
Orioles are 19-16 vs AL East rivals, 40-53 vs everyone else.

— Red Sox (70-59)
Red Sox are 5-7 in their last 12 games.
Boston is 1-8 in extra-inning road games.
Over is 11-5 in their last 16 games.
Right now, Red Sox hold the 1st AL Wild Card slot.

— White Sox (45-83)
Chicago lost 14 of its last 17 games.
White Sox are 26-37 at home, 19-46 on the road.
Over is 3-1 in their last four games.
Chicago is 32-65 vs righty starters, 13-18 vs lefties.

— Cleveland (64-63)
Cleveland is 1-6 in its last seven games.
Guardians are 4 games out of the last Wild Card slot.
Guardians are 49-41 vs righty starters, 15-22 vs lefties.
Over is 14-6 in their last 20 home games.

— Detroit (77-53)
Detroit is 17-7 in its last 24 games.
Tigers are 25-13 vs its AL Central rivals, lead division by 10.5 games.
Detroit is 18-4 in home series openers.
Under is 13-7 in their last 20 road games.

— Houston (71-58)
Astros are 12-15 in their last 27 games overall
Astros are 6-13 in their last 19 home games.
Astros lead Seattle by 2.5 games in AL West.
Over is 11-4-1 in their last 16 games.

— Royals (66-63)
Royals are 10-5 in their last fifteen games.
Kansas City is 51-54 vs righty starters, 15-9 vs lefties.
Over is 11-7 in Royals’ last 18 games.
Royals scored in first inning in 10 of last 14 home games.

— Angels (61-67)
Angels lost 11 of their last 15 road games.
Halos are 7.5 games out of last Wild Card slot.
Angels are 50-55 vs righty starters, 11-12 vs lefties.
Angels are 30-17 in games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— Twins (59-69)
Twins lost 8 of their last 12 games.
Minnesota is 33-31 at home, 26-38 on the road.
Over is 5-1 in their last six games.
Twins haven’t scored in first inning in their last eight games.

— New York (69-59)
New York is 9-5 in its last 14 games.
Over is 5-1 in their last six games.
New York is 56-46 vs righty starters, 13-13 vs lefties.
Right now, New York has the #2 Wild Card slot in AL.

— A’s (59-71)
A’s are 26-21 in their last 47 games.
Under is 6-3 in their last nine road games.
A’s are 14-18 in one-run games, 7-4 in extra innings.
Last 10 weeks, A’s are 8-3 in games where winning run scored from 7th inning on..

— Seattle (69-60)
Mariners lost five of their last six games.
Seattle is 23-8 in its last 31 home games.
Over is 5-2 in their last seven games.
Right now, Mariners hold the #3 Wild Card in AL, by three games.

— Tampa Bay (62-67)
Tampa Bay is 15-31 in its last 46 games.
Rays are 33-33 at home, 29-34 on the road.
Tampa Bay is 7 games out of the last Wild Card slot.
Rays are 5-10 in last 15 games where winning run scored from 7th inning on.

— Texas (64-66)
Rangers lost 11 of their last 15 games.
Texas is 53-44 vs righty starters, 11-22 vs lefties
Rangers are 38-26 at home, 26-40 on road.
Texas is 5.5 games out of the AL’s last Wild Card slot.

— Toronto (75-54)
Blue Jays are 12-8 in their last 20 games overall.
Blue Jays won 17 of their last 22 home games.
Over is 8-5-1 in their last 14 home games.
Toronto leads Red Sox by five games in AL East.

 

[Udog]

NCAAF
Weather Report

Saturday, August 23

 

[Udog]

NCAAF
Dunkel

Week 0

FCS

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR IDAHO STATE AT UNLV
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 4:00 PM ET
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho State 51.939; UNLV 89.058
Dunkel Line & Total: UNLV by 37; 59
Vegas Line & Total: UNLV by 30; 66
Dunkel Pick: UNLV (-30); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR INCARNATE WORD AT NICHOLLS STATE
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Dunkel Ratings: Incarnate Word 68.045; Nicholls State 51.384
Dunkel Line & Total: Incarnate Word by 16 1/2; 45 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Incarnate Word by 13 1/2; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Incarnate Word (-13 1/2); Under

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR TARLETON STATE AT PORTLAND STATE
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 4:30 PM ET
Dunkel Ratings: Tarleton State 65.169; Portland State 62.647
Dunkel Line & Total: Tarleton State by 2 1/2; 63 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Tarleton State by 17 1/2; 60 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland State (+17 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR UC-DAVIS VS MERCER
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Davis 72.711; Mercer 71.765
Dunkel Line & Total: UC-Davis by 1; 59
Vegas Line & Total: UC-Davis by 3 1/2; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mercer (+3 1/2); Over

DUNKEL INDEX PREDICTION FOR NC CENTRAL VS SOUTHERN
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Dunkel Ratings: NC Central 55.414; Southern 52.456
Dunkel Line & Total: NC Central by 3; 45
Vegas Line & Total: NC Central by 9 1/2; 49 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Southern (+9 1/2); Under

 

[Cnotes53]

Saturday, August 23​

Game	Time(ET)	Pick	Units
ISU at KSU	12:00 PM	ISU +3.5 O 51.0	+500 +500
FRES at KU	06:30 PM	KU -13.5 U 50.0	+500 +500
SHSU at WKU	07:00 PM	SHSU +10.0 O 61.5	+500 +500
STAN at HAW	07:30 PM	HAW -2.5 U 50.5	+500 +500