Ramble On

[lostinamerica]

NCAA YTD: 14-9 (+3.65*)
NFL YTD: 7-9 (-2.91*)

Air Force(+3') over Colorado State (1*)
- - After two fine wins, AF is in off two close losses to elite conference teams . . . AF had only four days between games before facing Utah, while this time CSU has the short week off a much needed win . . . Gashing the CFU run stoppers offers the dog a favorable matchup . . . From another post, it appears that AF is 30-13 ATS the last 43 games as a dog, the dog is 10-4-1 in this series since 1990, AF is 16-4 SU and 14-5 ATS the week before Navy since 1984, and CSU is 0-8-1 (ATS?) in the last 9 conference home openers . . . Among the reasons why the CSU(-5') opening line didn't last long.
The Other Rivalry
DeBerry and Lubick


Lots of leans to sort through before the "chicken salad" is ready to serve:

Minnesota(-2')
Iowa State(+3')
Virginia Tech(-10')
Wyoming(-16')
Southern Mississippi(-7)
Oregon(-7)
Virginia(-3')
Iowa(-17')
TCU(-2')
Indiana(+18)
Boise State(-10')
Baylor(+21')
And . . . a few other possibilities . . .

GL


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Pete Fituiak @ covers.com (9.27.05):

"From all the weekday games . . . and after the Michigan ? Wisconsin game was over, and after the Oregon teams politely bowed out against USC and Arizona State, there was nothing left to watch. I was like Homer Simpson suing the all-you-can-eat fish restaurant for kicking him out before he was full. ?Does this look like a man who had all the fish he could eat??

?Mrs. Simpson, what did you do after you left the restaurant??

?We went home.?

?Mrs. Simpson, you?re under oath.?

?We drove around all night looking for another all you can eat fish restaurant.?

?And when you couldn?t find one ...??

?We went fishing.?

That was me. I kept hitting the remote looking over and over again for more football to watch. When I couldn't find one, I searched all the sports channels for a replay of a game. I needed more to complete my day. New Mexico at UTEP came close, but I still needed more. Bring back the late night Hawaii games ... Boise State - Hawaii this week should ease my pain."

 

[lostinamerica]

Minnesota(-2') over Penn State (1*)
- - Minnesota went on the road to Ann Arbor in a similar spot last year and let a big one get away. I think that pretty good Minnesota team from a year ago has built and molded well in the 12 months since, and this year I don't think they leave Happy Valley without getting the job done . . . Penn State came into the year with resolve, but from what I've seen in their four unblemished efforts to date, most recently a huge escape in their first large game of the season against an average Big Ten team, every facet of this team is still the means of a potential setback and growing pain against a better team that wants and needs this game just that little bit more.
Stampeding Gophers



Oregon(-7) over Stanford (1*)
- - I swear I watched the Ducks grow up in noteworthy fashion from a team with potential to a team with a true identity as they rallied from 17 down to 10 up against Fresno State; the Ducks caught some breaks (i.e., penalty after penalty) in that game, but it even appeared evident to the coaches on the sidelines that they had found a team. I think more was gained than given up from their effort and attitude against USC as they take to the road against a Stanford team that doesn't bring the same synergy to this spot in their season.
Challenging D-Line to go from culprit to strength
Are the schemes in place when the fundamentals improve?



Wyoming(-18) over UNLV (1*)
- - In April I was virtually certain that the Gators home opener against anyone was going to be my top play of the opening weekend, but I kept my eye on Wyoming, and in the final analysis I went with and won a $5 "action play" on Wyoming(+22'). The pieces were in place for Wyoming coming into this season, and as appeared all off-season was going to be the case, HC Joe Glenn and this veteran team are answering the bell . . . This MWC mismatch was shaping up as a play at -16', but I prefer it now at -18 . . . (wyomingnews.com 9.30.05) "UNLV starting quarterback Shane Steichen, a junior, won't play against UW Saturday because of a broken ring finger on his left, non-throwing hand. He suffered the injury last week in the Rebels' 31-24 loss at Utah State . . The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Steichen will miss four to six weeks and was set to undergo surgery Thursday . . . Junior-college transfer Jarrod Jackson will make his first-ever start and see his first-ever playing time for UNLV."


GL

 

[lostinamerica]

Adding . . .


Connecticut(-11) over Army (1*)
- - Connecticut has been awfully good to me when playing in their own neighborhood.


Iowa State(+4) over Nebraska (1*)
- - Foremost, a huge coaching advantage . . . I don't see how ISU doesn't have all the pieces and focus needed to establish an early presence and then cause fits as a live dog for the full 60 minutes of this one. It was not a great game but it was a great win for ISU at Army, and now looking for a 5th straight road win for the first time since about the 1960-1961(?) seasons, the status of RB Stevie Hicks (a native of Omaha?) is a concern, but ISU hangs tight, regardless.
Nebraska is what it is


UCLA(-21') over Washington (1*)
- - The games are only getting bigger from here.


Baylor(+23) over Texas A&M (1*)
- - A live dog (allowing 2.6ypc on defense) causes fits in covering this one, and Baylor under HC Guy Morriss have been taking that baby step; it's rarely the opponent's take on what's in store that makes for a dead dog.
Baylor QB Shawn Bell an Aggie at Heart


Michigan State(-4') over Michigan (1*)
- - I thought Michigan had No Chance to contend for the Big Ten title after the Northern Illinois game, and I don't think Michigan is headin' out to put a lickin' on anyone this week, possibly least of all a Spartans team with a lot to prove that gets precisely the team they want across the line of scrimmage.


GL