Hey alll.....still shocked we Rocket backers cashed that ticket last night.....lets keep the good times rolling today in what is a great day for college football.....are any ranked teams playing each other this afternoon? Today will be fun, and revealing....ok, onto picks for the ealy games:
BYU +7: BC is a tough place play and the Cougars a middle of the pack MWC team of late is stepping up in competition against the Eagles, a middle of the pack ACC team. Last year, BC whipped BYU in Provo by a resounding 20-3 score. But it is that result that has had the Cougars circled on our card since we first saw the schedule. One of my favorite trends is the fact that BYU is 19-4-1 ATS on road, with revenge from a defeat the season before. I plucked this one out from a magazine about four years ago, and i have played everytime since and its been a profitable 7-2. It hit for a 2-0 record last year as BYU revenged a home defeat by upsetting New Mexico as a 7-point dog and thumping UNLV as 12-point chalk. The above overall record covers the last 11 seasons and has provided seven winning records, two .500 records and two seasons where no plays came across the board. It will come up two other times this year when BYU travels to TCU later this month and Utah to close the season. Basically BYU has proven that if you go into their house and beat them, they will make you pay the next year in your own building. BC also carries some avererage home numbers going just 10-11 ATS at home the last four years a record partly saddled by the Eagles 8-15-1 ATS at home vs. non conference teams.
Pitt -2.5: From what i have seen, i think Pittsburgh wins this on their home field. It wont be the blowout like the Virginia game was, but i like them to get by this short number. The Panthers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine as home favorites, 5-1 with Wannstedt. Michigan State has failed to cover in each of the last six seasons in their game before playing Notre Dame and they have the Irish next week in a prime time home game. With Wanny and John L, this game will have plenty of head scratching moments, but will also be exciting as Stanton-Palko is a great QB duel. I am riding Pitts recent history at home combined with MSU's penchant for looking ahead to the Irish.
Iowa -13: Everyone on this site is likely aware of the amazing home numbers put forth by Iowa under Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes are 25-5-1 ATS at home since the beginning of the 2001 season and 17-3 ATS as double digit favorites in the Ferentz era. Iowa State has been the kyyptonite for the Hawks, however, even at home as ISU has covered at Kinnick Stadium in each of their two visits, including once as a double digit favorite. So everything has its exception, but i am blatantly ignoring that and the overall series history. I have been betting on Iowa in all their home games for several seasons now, and i am doing the same again. Why hurt myself with analysis? So, i am laying the big number here, expect Tate to come back and make a Heisman statement and see the Hawks winning big here. I see Iowa putting up some big offensive numbers in this game. Toledo moved the ball all day on ISU and we saw last nigt just how shoddy the Rockets offense is.
So, my picks for the early games are BYU, Pittsburgh and Iowa....any thoughts? It'll be a great day of football and good luck to everybody and their picks!
BYU +7: BC is a tough place play and the Cougars a middle of the pack MWC team of late is stepping up in competition against the Eagles, a middle of the pack ACC team. Last year, BC whipped BYU in Provo by a resounding 20-3 score. But it is that result that has had the Cougars circled on our card since we first saw the schedule. One of my favorite trends is the fact that BYU is 19-4-1 ATS on road, with revenge from a defeat the season before. I plucked this one out from a magazine about four years ago, and i have played everytime since and its been a profitable 7-2. It hit for a 2-0 record last year as BYU revenged a home defeat by upsetting New Mexico as a 7-point dog and thumping UNLV as 12-point chalk. The above overall record covers the last 11 seasons and has provided seven winning records, two .500 records and two seasons where no plays came across the board. It will come up two other times this year when BYU travels to TCU later this month and Utah to close the season. Basically BYU has proven that if you go into their house and beat them, they will make you pay the next year in your own building. BC also carries some avererage home numbers going just 10-11 ATS at home the last four years a record partly saddled by the Eagles 8-15-1 ATS at home vs. non conference teams.
Pitt -2.5: From what i have seen, i think Pittsburgh wins this on their home field. It wont be the blowout like the Virginia game was, but i like them to get by this short number. The Panthers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine as home favorites, 5-1 with Wannstedt. Michigan State has failed to cover in each of the last six seasons in their game before playing Notre Dame and they have the Irish next week in a prime time home game. With Wanny and John L, this game will have plenty of head scratching moments, but will also be exciting as Stanton-Palko is a great QB duel. I am riding Pitts recent history at home combined with MSU's penchant for looking ahead to the Irish.
Iowa -13: Everyone on this site is likely aware of the amazing home numbers put forth by Iowa under Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes are 25-5-1 ATS at home since the beginning of the 2001 season and 17-3 ATS as double digit favorites in the Ferentz era. Iowa State has been the kyyptonite for the Hawks, however, even at home as ISU has covered at Kinnick Stadium in each of their two visits, including once as a double digit favorite. So everything has its exception, but i am blatantly ignoring that and the overall series history. I have been betting on Iowa in all their home games for several seasons now, and i am doing the same again. Why hurt myself with analysis? So, i am laying the big number here, expect Tate to come back and make a Heisman statement and see the Hawks winning big here. I see Iowa putting up some big offensive numbers in this game. Toledo moved the ball all day on ISU and we saw last nigt just how shoddy the Rockets offense is.
So, my picks for the early games are BYU, Pittsburgh and Iowa....any thoughts? It'll be a great day of football and good luck to everybody and their picks!
