Your input again is appreciated!!
A few top games of interest as the first rankings come out for Final 4 Championships.
First game up: Florida St @ Louisville. No official line out just yet, QB situation pending for UL, but my gut has been to take Louisville SU this week as I feel they will beat FSU and break that winning streak with the "D" that UL has and it's a home game. FSU on the rd this year has not covered and who have they beat on the road? Oklahoma St on a neutral surface? Probably the best tested game. Won @ NC ST? WOW, that's ugly and lastly Syracuse? Ok. UL's offense should have their top WR back, Parker but their key to winning the game will be their "D". FSU has Virginia @ home next week so no look ahead, Jameis will be focused on UL, but UL will be focused and blitz on him as much as possible. I see a 7 pt line in this one, FSU -7, but I really like UL in Thursday ESPN!!
Notre Dame @ Navy, neutral site game in Landover, Maryland? Might as well be a home game for Naval academy, should be some points in this one and ND will probably be favored by 10 or more, last year they were favored by 16 1/2 and failed to cover in a win of 38-34.
ECU @ Temple? This smells ambush in Philly. ECU has only 1 loss and needs to win out. ECU has not played well after they beat V Tech and now that win looks bad because VT really sucks!! Temple isn't playing well at all either since their big win at Vandy of the SEC! ECU should be favored by 8 1/2. I would not be surprised if the Owls upset the Pirates in Philly.
Auburn @ Ole Miss, this will be the biggest game talked about all week. Ole Miss had a shot to kick a FG or get closer for a game tying FG vs LSU on the road, and threw a bomb that fell short into the LSU DBs arms. Auburn had a hard fought, back and forth game vs S Carolina, but Auburn's offense folks is much better than LSU's offense. IF LSU didn't turn the ball over 2 times going into scoring drivers vs Ole Miss, that 10-7 score could have been much like 20 or 24 to 7, LSU. Auburn goes into Oxford and the "BIG GAME OF THE YEAR LINES" had Mississippi as a 2 1/2 pt fav before last nights game, probably this evening, that line will come out as a PK or -2 1/2 for Auburn. Ole Miss is in prime shape to turn that loss vs LSU around, especially at home, but their offense has to play better, because their "D" was on the field a long time vs LSU and Auburn can wear them down even better than LSU did. Auburn won LY 30-22 at home as a 2 pt fav.
Arkansas @ Mississippi St - State will likely still be #1 and be in the top 2 in the new Polls that come out for the Final 4 projections. Kentucky gave MSU all they could handle and if not for the crafty bowling ball RB for MSU giving the Wildcats bumps and bruises on his turnaround running plays, and likely he'll do the same thing vs the Hogs front 7. Hogs off big blowout win vs UAB? UAB had some issues vs Arkansas and that game was nothing compared to what MSU will have in store in their own backyard in Stark-Vegas! MSU won 24-17 LY @ Fayetteville and this line will probably be -17 1/2 MSU. They could roll through the Hogs!
Stanford @ Oregon - Ducks with only 1 loss, to Arizona, Stanford off big easy win at home vs Beavers, Ducks off easy road win @ Cal. Last year Stanford beat the Ducks 26-20 @ Stanford, Ducks were 10 pt favs, this time they should be around the same -10 at home but this score could get ugly, if USC could beat Stanford @ Stanford, Ducks could win ugly at home. I don't see Cardinal "D" keeping pace with the Ducks offense that's getting better each week since AZ game.
Oklahoma St @ Kansas St - Wildcats another 1 loss team will get some recognition, mainly because of their play vs Auburn and how they went into Oklahoma and won. They shutout Texas easily at home 23-0 on Saturday and the Cowboys are not good this year, tiz why I picked them to go under 7 1/2 wins which looks good for me right now! K State lost LY to OK ST 33-29 and will be in revenge mode, they should be at least 8 pt favorites in this tilt.
TCU @ WV - TCU another 1 loss team goes on the rd after putting up 82 pts? WOW!! Boykin getting more press for Heisman and he had a career day on Saturday vs TT with 7 TD passes. WV off 3 tough games L3 weeks but you know what folks? They won all 3! Will they be exhausted when they go back home from Stillwater to play TCU at home? Probably a lil, but being at home can cure all ills and this game will come down to an offensive battle. TCU lost at home 30-27 LY as 10 1/2 pt favorites and this line for this game should be a pick 'em, similar to USC @ Utah. Very tough game but better arsenal for TCU offensive skill players and opportunistic "D" for horned frogs. Will be a classic game to watch for sure.
Illinois @ Ohio St - Buckeyes another 1 loss team, but that 1 loss really hurts them in the polls cuz it was to VT!! Illini off big upset win vs Minnesota, but don't let that fool yaz. Buckeyes had a tough fought battle over Penn St, a game in which they should have rolled Penn St but didn't, going into OT. Barrett showed he was human, throwing a pick 6 vs the Nittany Lions and if he plays like that vs Illini, Illini could upset the Buckeyes! It hasn't happened in a long time and Buckeyes probably will be 21 pt favs at home. Ohio St has Michigan St on deck!
GL!
A few top games of interest as the first rankings come out for Final 4 Championships.
First game up: Florida St @ Louisville. No official line out just yet, QB situation pending for UL, but my gut has been to take Louisville SU this week as I feel they will beat FSU and break that winning streak with the "D" that UL has and it's a home game. FSU on the rd this year has not covered and who have they beat on the road? Oklahoma St on a neutral surface? Probably the best tested game. Won @ NC ST? WOW, that's ugly and lastly Syracuse? Ok. UL's offense should have their top WR back, Parker but their key to winning the game will be their "D". FSU has Virginia @ home next week so no look ahead, Jameis will be focused on UL, but UL will be focused and blitz on him as much as possible. I see a 7 pt line in this one, FSU -7, but I really like UL in Thursday ESPN!!
Notre Dame @ Navy, neutral site game in Landover, Maryland? Might as well be a home game for Naval academy, should be some points in this one and ND will probably be favored by 10 or more, last year they were favored by 16 1/2 and failed to cover in a win of 38-34.
ECU @ Temple? This smells ambush in Philly. ECU has only 1 loss and needs to win out. ECU has not played well after they beat V Tech and now that win looks bad because VT really sucks!! Temple isn't playing well at all either since their big win at Vandy of the SEC! ECU should be favored by 8 1/2. I would not be surprised if the Owls upset the Pirates in Philly.
Auburn @ Ole Miss, this will be the biggest game talked about all week. Ole Miss had a shot to kick a FG or get closer for a game tying FG vs LSU on the road, and threw a bomb that fell short into the LSU DBs arms. Auburn had a hard fought, back and forth game vs S Carolina, but Auburn's offense folks is much better than LSU's offense. IF LSU didn't turn the ball over 2 times going into scoring drivers vs Ole Miss, that 10-7 score could have been much like 20 or 24 to 7, LSU. Auburn goes into Oxford and the "BIG GAME OF THE YEAR LINES" had Mississippi as a 2 1/2 pt fav before last nights game, probably this evening, that line will come out as a PK or -2 1/2 for Auburn. Ole Miss is in prime shape to turn that loss vs LSU around, especially at home, but their offense has to play better, because their "D" was on the field a long time vs LSU and Auburn can wear them down even better than LSU did. Auburn won LY 30-22 at home as a 2 pt fav.
Arkansas @ Mississippi St - State will likely still be #1 and be in the top 2 in the new Polls that come out for the Final 4 projections. Kentucky gave MSU all they could handle and if not for the crafty bowling ball RB for MSU giving the Wildcats bumps and bruises on his turnaround running plays, and likely he'll do the same thing vs the Hogs front 7. Hogs off big blowout win vs UAB? UAB had some issues vs Arkansas and that game was nothing compared to what MSU will have in store in their own backyard in Stark-Vegas! MSU won 24-17 LY @ Fayetteville and this line will probably be -17 1/2 MSU. They could roll through the Hogs!
Stanford @ Oregon - Ducks with only 1 loss, to Arizona, Stanford off big easy win at home vs Beavers, Ducks off easy road win @ Cal. Last year Stanford beat the Ducks 26-20 @ Stanford, Ducks were 10 pt favs, this time they should be around the same -10 at home but this score could get ugly, if USC could beat Stanford @ Stanford, Ducks could win ugly at home. I don't see Cardinal "D" keeping pace with the Ducks offense that's getting better each week since AZ game.
Oklahoma St @ Kansas St - Wildcats another 1 loss team will get some recognition, mainly because of their play vs Auburn and how they went into Oklahoma and won. They shutout Texas easily at home 23-0 on Saturday and the Cowboys are not good this year, tiz why I picked them to go under 7 1/2 wins which looks good for me right now! K State lost LY to OK ST 33-29 and will be in revenge mode, they should be at least 8 pt favorites in this tilt.
TCU @ WV - TCU another 1 loss team goes on the rd after putting up 82 pts? WOW!! Boykin getting more press for Heisman and he had a career day on Saturday vs TT with 7 TD passes. WV off 3 tough games L3 weeks but you know what folks? They won all 3! Will they be exhausted when they go back home from Stillwater to play TCU at home? Probably a lil, but being at home can cure all ills and this game will come down to an offensive battle. TCU lost at home 30-27 LY as 10 1/2 pt favorites and this line for this game should be a pick 'em, similar to USC @ Utah. Very tough game but better arsenal for TCU offensive skill players and opportunistic "D" for horned frogs. Will be a classic game to watch for sure.
Illinois @ Ohio St - Buckeyes another 1 loss team, but that 1 loss really hurts them in the polls cuz it was to VT!! Illini off big upset win vs Minnesota, but don't let that fool yaz. Buckeyes had a tough fought battle over Penn St, a game in which they should have rolled Penn St but didn't, going into OT. Barrett showed he was human, throwing a pick 6 vs the Nittany Lions and if he plays like that vs Illini, Illini could upset the Buckeyes! It hasn't happened in a long time and Buckeyes probably will be 21 pt favs at home. Ohio St has Michigan St on deck!
GL!
