First and Ten

[lostinamerica]

"INFORMATION and ANGLES and MONEY MANAGEMENT are my refrain." ~ lostinamerica


Illinois(-6')(-115) over Missouri (2*)
- - Illinois has not lacked in demonstrating their explosiveness and intensity in their last two bitter losses in this underrated border rivalry. HC Zook has deserved any grief he?s gotten for the week-to-week shortcomings of his regimes in Florida and Champaign, but it?s hard to deny the Illini are recruiting well all over the country, and are a veteran team with loads of talent and depth on any given Saturday. With the luxury of a whole off-season of disappointment to incorporate this game in their goals and scheming, and guaranteed the fast track and emotional pitch of the dome, the big plays and big stops and tone of this game all flow advantageously in favor of one frustrated and focused side this time . . . The second unit is from using Illinois(-7) as my $50 free play at Bet First Class.


GL

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2008 NCAA Regular Season: 42-52 (-11.95*)
2008-2009 NCAA Bowls: 12-9 (+2.25*)

2008 NFL Regular Season: 32-25 (+5.80*)
2008-2009 NFL Playoffs: 6-5 (+0.55*)

The one difference with my record keeping this year is that over the course of a typical NFL and NCAA season, I generally have 15-30 plays that I really like a lot more than my garden variety plays. I?ll track those separately as ?Top Plays?, and Illinois(-6')(-115) is the first "Top Play".

 

[lostinamerica]

California(-20') over Maryland (1*)
- - The matchups and intangibles spell: ?See ya . . . See ya . . . Wouldn?t wanna be ya.?

UTEP(-9) over Buffalo (1*)
- - Turner Gill?s magical squad was great for me last year, including when I opposed them. More magic is not the formula that I see as the story line for their next engagement 8 months removed.

Stanford(-17) over Washington State (1*)
- - Washington State is still a mess, and Stanford is on the rise and gets dealt an attention grabbing conference lid lifter.

Baylor(+3)(-125) over Wake Forest (1*)
- - Both a huge game and a tough task for the nascent visitor that last year was was pointspread gold in the role of tough luck loser. Now feeding off their sensational but still humble QB, a live dog is the opening act in September.

GL

 

[lostinamerica]

NCAA Overall YTD: 3-2 (-0.30*)
NCAA Top Plays YTD: 0-1 (-2.30*)


Ron Zook showing his true colors was embarrassing. What bothered more was the feeling of leaving some easy money on the table with Northern Iowa(+25'), Notre Dame(-14) and Cincinnati (+4'). But as June, July and August rolled along and I wasn''t even starting my homework, I knew I wouldn't be prepared to step out with confidence, and opted to let my money management instincts reign me in.


Penn State(-28') over Syracuse (1*)
- - Paper thin Cuse invades Happy Valley minus all the emotional capital expended in the story lines of last week. Complacency and crap is not in the Penn State DNA these days, so when the floodgates open, I'm at a loss to see anything good on the visitor's sidelines.

East Carolina(+6') over West Virginia (1*)
- - HC Holtz has a program that relishes every chance to play hard in just this kind of situation.

Air Force/Minnesota(Ov49)
- - The Academy will do its part under the off Broadway spotlight IF the Gophers are not as bad as they just might be when thrust onto such a stage.


GL