Plays and Takes

[lostinamerica]

NCAA YTD: 1-1 (-0.10*)


Plays:


California(-8') over Minnesota (1*)

Notre Dame(-7')(-108) over Penn State (1*)

Northern Illinois(-16')(-108) over Ohio (1*)

Tulsa(+4)(-108) over BYU (1*)

Iowa(-18')(-108) over Syracuse (1*)

LSU(-15) over Arizona (1*)


Those plays are in. Will add some takes shortly.


GL

 

[lostinamerica]

So . . .

Cal's players and coaches earn grades of F across the board and for 60 minutes last week, said meltdown under the national spotlight to boot. It's a circumstance that usually generates one of two diametrically opposed responses the following week. Notwithstanding unresolved issues at quarterback, I believe Cal is loaded with playmakers, speedy, fairly deep and fairly experienced, solidly coached if not spectacularly so, and trending to overrated and not very nasty. In the home opener and with much of the season very much on the line, something from Cal that earns a grade of less than B+ across the board would surprise me - and something less will put my wager in jeopardy against a Gopher squad with a couple of extra days to prepare. But Big Ten teams playing on the West Coast rarely offer value, and no team exemplifies a physical potential and soft tendencies much more consistently than the Gophers.

Notre Dame earned a grade of D for the first 25 or so minutes against Georgia Tech, and at least a B- for the last 35 or so minutes, and escaped from a hornet's nest with the makings of a decent identity when Brady Quinn isn't flat on his back. I look for Notre Dame to do a good job this week of forcing the issue more than their opponent, and "in this spot", I don't see a visitor with the identity of a team that's won 14 of their last 15 games and just keeps chugging along.

Northern Illinois has done nothing through a long off season to help remove the bitter taste of last year's last second loss to Akron in the MAC Championship game. Perhaps today.

More confusing takes to follow . . .

GL

 

[lostinamerica]

So . . .

From goldsheet.com

"TULSA AT BYU

Vegas has the wrong team favored. The Golden Hurricane bring back a devastating pass defense that intercepted 22 balls and allowed only nine TDs last season. Only Maryland, Georgia, Miami-FL and Auburn held teams to eight or less. BYU?s passing game will be a shell of its former self after this contest.

Tulsa handled Division 1-AA Stephen F. Austin with no problem, scoring on its first five possessions. Quarterback Paul Smith completed 16 of his 20 passes, and the defense held the Lumberjacks to 185 total yards. The Hurricane's ground attack will take center stage this Saturday, as the Cougars bring back only one starter from their front seven.

Brigham Young?s red zone offense was pathetic against Arizona. The Cougars managed only one touchdown, even though they reached the Wildcats 10-yard line five times. They also managed only five yards on seven carries in the first half.

Final score: Tulsa 27-16. "

In my opinion this is one of the sharpest lines i
have seen in quite a while.

B.Y.U. opened up -6.5 and since the line dropped
to -4 with 67% of the public on B.Y.U.

Tulsa should have no problem covering the 4.
Tulsa +4

From goldsheet.com:

"IOWA AT SYRACUSE

Syracuse couldn't take advantage of Wake Forest?s quarterback issues (WF QB Ben Mauk is out indefinitely with a broken right arm, as well as a dislocated shoulder, after diving for a fumble in the third quarter of the Demon Deacons' victory over Syracuse) and fell to the Deacons, 20-10. All in all, a pathetic performance by the Orange, as the offense mustered only 126 total yards. Syracuse finished 115th in total offense and 114th in scoring last season, and if the club continues to play the way it did vs. Wake Forest, it can expect similar rankings this season.

The Orange come home to the Carrier Dome, but they won only one game there last year, against hapless Buffalo. Quarterback Perry Patterson completed less than 50% of his passes last season and finished only 6-19 for 50 yards against the Deacons. When Iowa builds its huge lead vs. a ?Cuse defense that could even be worse than Montana?s, don't expect Patterson to launch his team back in the game.

The Hawkeyes dominated the Grizzlies and quarterback Josh Swogger. The former signal caller at Washington State was sacked three times, even though Iowa was without its top sack leader in Kenny Iwebema, who was out serving a one-game suspension. Montana scored only seven points, its lowest output against a Division 1-A opponent since 1982.

Final score: Iowa 45-7"




LSU hasn't really even played anyone and they are in a classic look ahead? . . . That's the only chance I give Arizona of not being overwhelmed or worn down or self-destructing or experiencing a similar fate on a brutal road trip, a team I see as getting too much credit for a third straight year as a program on the rise, as evidenced by perhaps the sloppiest played game on the card last week before the first home sellout in Tucson in six years.



GL