First Big Play!!!!!!

[jmeeks1301]

I am relatively new on this site, so many of you probably don't know me. I found this site by doing an internet search and I think it is so good, I decided to post occasionally over here. I actually moderate another forum on the internet, but I like to post a few different places and this site is loaded with information. I have made a few posts in the baseball forum, but college football is my specialty. I'm sure you guys have some great college football cappers as well and I know that I will contribute in a very good way when football starts.
I'm sure many of you know that the lines are out for the 1st week of action, so here we go with my first play:Early in the season in some of the smaller school matchups, it is much easier to get some soft lines and this is certainly a soft line. I have just bet the $500 early max on this game and will hope and pray that this line stays the same when the 1st week of action gets here! The play:

Houston Cougars-3...........5 units

This is a classic 1st week soft line that I am taking advantage of. Houston returns 16 of 22 starters and Rice returns 14 of 22 starters. Houston won last years game by the whopping score of 48-14. This year's game will be played at Rice Stadium, but do not be confused, the stadium is in the heart of Houston and will have twice as many Cougar fans at the game. Houston's sophomore QB Kevin Kolb is coming off a very solid freshman campaign where he threw for 25 td's and only 6 int's. This kid is balls. They did lose big play threat Brandon Middleton, but three of their top 4 receivers return including Junior Vincent who has lightning speed and had 60 catches last season. Houston also has one of the top tailbacks in conf USA in junior Anthony Evans who rushed for 1,149 yards last season. I look for Rice to have a solid squad, but their option attack doesn't pose a 4 quarter threat to the Cougar's defense. This year's game has the making of another blowout and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Houston win this game by 20+ points. This line is influenced by the game being played at Rice Stadium, but in actual fan attendance it won't mean anything. I absolutely love this play and just don't see Rice even being competitive. Houston wins big. I would advise everyone to get on this play early while the line is at -3, I'm sure someone will take advantage of this soft line and moved it up. I would still take this game up to 6.5 points for a big play. I normally don't play something for a big play this early, I like to get a feel for the teams, but I am from the Houston area and have followed the cougars this entire offseason. Get on this baby now!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

 

[IE]

concerns that ive read here and there:

starting receivers Brandon Middleton (now with the Dallas Cowboys) and Chad McCullar won't be around. Neither will stellar kick returner Ricky Wilson, who is ineligible along with McCullar and defensive tackle Eddie McCray.

Also, the Cougars need three new starters on the offensive line and must manufacture or nurture a middle linebacker.

 

[IE]

For the first time since 2001, the Owls have leadership, experience and depth.The Owls return 18 seniors and bring momentum into this season. Last year, Rice started 1-6 before dominating four of its last five games to finish 5-7.

During the second half of the season, the team scrapped the spread offense with which it started the year and returned to Rice's familiar triple option. The Owls averaged 47 points in victories over Nevada, SMU, Texas-El Paso and Louisiana Tech. More importantly, they gained confidence.

"There's nothing like confidence to carry over," Hatfield said. "If you have to win one game, a lot of people have their favorites, but probably from a coach's standpoint, the one you would like to win is the last one of the season. Because people remember what you do in November. They remember how you finish. And your players remember the same."

The Owls lost only four starters on offense and four on defense. Just as the players remember the Owls' strong finish, they also hope to avoid another miserable start.

Rice won't have a chance to ease into this season, which begins Sept. 5 against Houston at Reliant Stadium. The Owls host Hawaii on Sept. 18 and face Texas in Austin on Sept. 25. Each of those teams scored more than 40 points against Rice last season, while the Owls averaged only 14.

But the players aren't looking at the three-game stretch as a whole. They are focused on UH, a future C-USA foe and a crosstown rival the Owls haven't defeated since 2001. Last year, UH defeated Rice 48-14.

"We don't want to start like we did last year, because it gets everybody somber and with a broke-down attitude, where they're just like, 'Man, another season like this,' " defensive back Terry Holley said. "Nobody wants to feel like that again. You take that into the rest of the season."

The Owls haven't won a share of a conference title since 1994, one season before the Southwest Conference dissolved. They finished in a tie for second in their first two seasons in the WAC and haven't finished higher than third since.

But Hatfield is confident this season will be different. For the first time in at least four years, there is no favorite in the WAC. Boise State is expected to be strong again, but the Owls do not play the Broncos. Hawaii and Frenso State also should be contenders.

In 2001, Hatfield led the Owls to an 8-4 record, their best since 1953. The catalysts that season were Rice's 27 seniors, who had all been in the program three or four years.

Since that group graduated, the Owls have tried to rebuild and regain that invaluable asset ? experience.

"We've got to rely on having a lot of fifth-year seniors play for us," Hatfield said. "Even though there's some other guys who have played and have ability, we're really looking for people who have developed in the last two years and are at the zenith of their careers ? and not so worn out and beat up that they have nothing left.

"If we get guys who are at their zenith, who have continued to grow and are playing their best, then is when we have our chance to have our best years. And I think we have that kind of team now."
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Owls can pick up where they left off -- and plan on doing so

By the time the last game of the '03 rolled around, against LaTech at Ruston, the Rice option game was rolling like a well-oiled machine and the Young Guns in the defensive secondary had learned how to take control of a football game. Consequently, the Owls ripped away three turnovers from their opponents in the first half and scored virtually at will all day, setting an all-time school and league rushing record en route to a 49-14 victory.

After that, noboby really wanted the season to end. But end it did, and at that point left off, it turns out, is exactly where Coach Hatfield and his charges plan on starting out, this September.

"The success we had last year definitely has carried over," he said. "We?ve shown a workmanlike attitude ? and a confident attitude ? during spring practice and in the off-season program. And I really look forward to that same attitude carrying forward when we start our two-a-days here in August."

Guess somebody better alert those guys from the outre? side of South Main that they?re not going to get a forfeit, after all, as more than a few of them apparently expect, virtually, at least. Nope, the Rice Institute plans on showing up at Reliant Stadium for this year?s Sept. 5 home opener against Houston ? and they plan on showing up ready to play, Coach Hatfield said.

"This is the time of the year for every team to start thinking about developing its own identity," the head Owl noted. "That?s really what we?re thinking about right now. It?s something we?re looking forward to. We are probably as excited as we?ve ever been at Rice, since I?ve been here ? and this would be our eleventh year here ? just because we were able to finish so strong last year."

"We have 18 seniors this year. All of them will play. And that?s important to us."

 

[jmeeks1301]

IE2002.................damn bro..........that is some good info and I appreciate it, however, this game will not be close IMO! Hatfield can say whatever he wants, but I have ties to both programs and no matter who he has on his team, he still runs an out of date option attack and doesn't have a quarterback that can throw when he has too. Art Briles is a great coach and will have his troops fired up to pound the Owls. He has brought a certain confindence back to Houston and he has the whole city interested in U of H football again. I think this is blowout city. Thanks for the response and the information.

Good luck to you

 

[jpblack34]

JMeeks, you aren't Red Dog are you?

 

[jmeeks1301]

jpblack34.......................???? I don't understand

 

[jpblack34]

Nevermind bud, thought you were someone else, someone I knew that just moved to Austin from Houston. Sorry for the misunderstanding, either way, good luck and look forward to the info throughout the season. I agree, Briles is a great coach and will bring winning back to U of H.

 

[jmeeks1301]

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[jmeeks1301]

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[jmeeks1301]

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[mw]

It's tempting to play UH here, but I have a hard time betting against a team that rushed for 672 yards in its last game, which was against a team of the same caliber as UH (La Tech). Final Sagarin ratings had La Tech #86; UH #88.