NCAA YTD: 22-21 (-2.13*)
NFL YTD: 13-14 (-4.21*)
NFLX: 2-0 (+2.00*)
Minnesota(-1) over Iowa (1*)
- - As for a rivalry, ?Who hates Iowa? We hate Iowa!?, the Gopher fans like to chant, in football, basketball and women?s volleyball, even when they are playing someone else . . . While every Hawkeye fan is wondering why Iowa is continually losing the physical and mental battle on both the DL and OL, I?m not yet convinced the Hawkeyes are a hopeless bunch in discombobulated and dispirited disarray. But until Iowa shows on the field that they are getting things right, you have to like this spot for a hungry Minnesota regime at least 52.4% of the time . . . And FWIW, I was at Kinnick last week and Northwestern definitely impressed as a disciplined and capable team to keep an eye on in the weeks ahead, and I was ready to like their chances this week, but they have a bye, and instead I?ll be liking them as double digit dogs at Michigan State next week.
Colorado(+6) over USC (1*)
- - Each week there is nothing to dissuade me from becoming more invested in the belief Colorado is a special team having a special season. Right now I know they will be carrying my cash most every week while they are being severely overlooked on their chances of chasing down the crown against the always yo-yo behaving teams of the Pac 12 South, and while I also know Colorado will certainly have to absorb and withstand some blows along the way, I?m equally certain USC will have to absorb some serious blows in this 60 minute fight.
Michigan(-30) over Rutgers (1*)
- - A good time to venture on the road under Harbaugh for the first time in Week 6 IMO is after thoroughly outplaying a stern Wisconsin team but only escaping by 14-7. A good place to venture to is Rutgers which has no chance of keeping up if the Maize and Blue give a snarling effort.
Texas A&M(-7) over Tennessee (1*)
- - I was very surprised back when A&M was favored by 6' at a neutral site over an Arkansas team I really like. Then I did some investigating, and I learned the story was the Arkansas OL was somewhat suspect against the Big Boys playing at an elite level up front on defense for A&M. I then let A&M carry my cash, and the final result after a 60 minute pitched battle was a 21 point spanking . . . This week it?s a Tennessee team with questions about the play of their OL, coming off hugely emotional back-to-back comebacks, with a defense missing probably 3 of their 4 best defenders facing a physical and dynamic spread offense, getting the 12th Man at Kyle Field to boot. I just believe all the evidence shows Kevin Sumlin is further along than Butch Jones with the task of having his charges and staff be a scary SEC contender, and that?s where my money is again this week.
Maryland(-3) over Penn State (1*)
- - I somewhat nailed my Penn State play last week when I believed it was somewhat of a desperate spot for the James Franklin regime. This week I just have to wonder how much they have left in the tank to put down what should be the hungrier team in Maryland . . . One of many games this week, NCAA and NFL, in which I?ve watched the lines move against me all week on games I knew which side I liked, but I just didn?t have time until after midnight last night to work on any write-ups for posting my plays, although I did get my NFL plays in and posted on Monday. (BTW, I?ve got Minnesota(+2) over Iowa, I?m just not posting it, and I?m now looking for a chance to middle from Cincinnati(Pk) to (-2') over Dallas.)
Washington(-9') over Oregon (1*)
- - The direction of Oregon makes Iowa look stable, and rival Washington has to have this game circled for some payback after 12 straight defeats, so I?d rate them as multiple notches hungrier than Minnesota.
- - Probably the only significant write-ups for today, but probably not the only plays.
GL
