THE RED SHEET
RATINGS: 89 & ABOVE: SUPERIOR PLAY
88 & BELOW: ABOVE AVERAGE PLAY
MIAMI-FLORIDA 48 - Syracuse 7 - (12:00) -- Line opened at Miami minus 19, and is now minus 20. This is obviously no knee-jerk reaction to the 'Canes' upset loss to Tennessee, as that setback came on the heels of losing the previous week at VaTech. The fact is that this Miami outfit isn't up to normal standards, offensively. But Coker has made a change at QB, as Berlin's performances of late are no longer acceptable (14 interceptions ). Crudup has thrown a pair of INTs himself, but is clicking on 68% of his tosses, & can do much more with the ball. The 'Cuse took out their frustrations on lowly Temple last week, but have been bombed in their last 2 RGs (26 & 13 pt spread losses), and have been destroyed in their last 3 shots at the 'Canes: 26-0, 59-0, & 49-7. Miami takes out its anger in romper.
RATING: MIAMI-FLORIDA 89
Louisiana State 37 - ALABAMA 13 - (7:45) -- Line opened at LSU minus 7, and is now minus 6?. The Tide nailed a much needed win last week, with the destruction of Mississippi St. However, the Bulldogs have long since thrown in the towel, & were one of the more non-competitive squads, even before Sherrill called it quits. Simply put, 'Bama's snapping of its 2-game slide was hardly unexpected. Result of that romp is a lower than expected line on this one. The Tigers of LSU hold down the #3 spot in the nation, behind mighty Oklahoma & USC, and certainly deserve that lofty ranking. No team has reached 20 pts vs the Bengals, & don't expect the Tide to change that impressive stat. 'Bama's overland game will be contained, & LSU will extract its pound of flesh for last yr'smbarrassment.
RATING: LOUISIANA STATE 89
Southern California 55 - ARIZONA 10 - (7:00) -- Line opened at USC minus 29, and is still minus 29. A year ago, these Trojans, along with Oklahoma, posted some of the most impressive statistical routs in memory. As everyone knows, the Sooners have continued that awesometrend, with eye-popping performances the norm. The Trojans, altho ranking #2 in the land, hadn't been up to '02's stat column standards. Recently, however, Troy has displayed its ferocity. Leinart has actually made a few fans forget Palmer, and is on an impressive 16 TD, 1 INT run in his last 5 contests. 'Cats' upset of Wash last week, only serves to keep Trojans fully focused, and that's exactly what 'Zona doesn't need for this.
RATING: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 88
TULSA 41 - Louisiana Tech 31 - (3:00) -- Line opened at Tulsa minus 1, and is now pick-em. One of the more unnoticedaccomplishments this collegiate football season, is the job that DaveKragthorpe has done with these Hurricanes. He inherited a squad which epitomized the word "disappointment". Tulsa posted 1-10 & 1-11 records in '01 & '02, with little hope for any meaningful change, despite returning 16 starters. But as of now, the 'Canes stand at 6-4 SU. Not only that, but are 6-2 SU since losing to powers Minnesota & Arkansas, with their only setbacks by 7 pts at Boise (15- pt cover), & by 7 pts vs Reno, in a 5 turnover effort. Tech rolled LY, but has allowed >33 pts in 5 of its last 6 outings, & pays the price.
RATING: TULSA 88
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 45 - Tulane 17 - (3:00) -- Line opened at Southern Miss minus 18, and is now minus 17. The Wave is in off returning to the winners' circle for the first time since its rout of Army on Sept 20th. In that upset, Losman tossed for 3 TDs, with Jackson filling in nicely for the injured Moore, with 183 RYs on 26 carries. However, it hasn't been the Wave's offense which has failed, but its defense, which has been handled with relative ease. That unit ranks 114th in both scoring & total defense. The Eagle are just the opposite, ranking 13th in scoring "D", & more importantly, 7th against the pass. Won't completely contain Losman, but will certainly do enough, with Eagle's "O" doing the rest.
RATING: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 88
NEW ORLEANS 33 - Atlanta 13 - (1:00) -- Line opened at New Orleans minus 8?, and is still minus 8?. This one bucks one of the most amazing stats in the history of the NFL, namely the Falcons mastery of the Saints, when in the role of road dogs. Atlanta has covered to the tune of 17-of-18 in that role. However, there is another trend that has gone generally unnoticed, & that is the fact that the outright winner of the last 71 games involving the Saints stands at an unbelievable 68-2-1 ATS, with the only misses coming by 2 & ? pt (the latter coming this season, with the Saints' 6-pt SU loss, as 6? pt dogs at Carolina). The Falcons, despite last week's glitch, are lost without Vick. Kittner was at the controls in upset of Giants, but did nothing special. Saints have too many weapons & are rested.
RATING: NEW ORLEANS 88
NEAR CHOICES (Rated 87): Missouri, Okla St, Memphis, Duke -- NFL: Titans, Bengals, Cowboys, Niners
RATINGS: 89 & ABOVE: SUPERIOR PLAY
88 & BELOW: ABOVE AVERAGE PLAY
MIAMI-FLORIDA 48 - Syracuse 7 - (12:00) -- Line opened at Miami minus 19, and is now minus 20. This is obviously no knee-jerk reaction to the 'Canes' upset loss to Tennessee, as that setback came on the heels of losing the previous week at VaTech. The fact is that this Miami outfit isn't up to normal standards, offensively. But Coker has made a change at QB, as Berlin's performances of late are no longer acceptable (14 interceptions ). Crudup has thrown a pair of INTs himself, but is clicking on 68% of his tosses, & can do much more with the ball. The 'Cuse took out their frustrations on lowly Temple last week, but have been bombed in their last 2 RGs (26 & 13 pt spread losses), and have been destroyed in their last 3 shots at the 'Canes: 26-0, 59-0, & 49-7. Miami takes out its anger in romper.
RATING: MIAMI-FLORIDA 89
Louisiana State 37 - ALABAMA 13 - (7:45) -- Line opened at LSU minus 7, and is now minus 6?. The Tide nailed a much needed win last week, with the destruction of Mississippi St. However, the Bulldogs have long since thrown in the towel, & were one of the more non-competitive squads, even before Sherrill called it quits. Simply put, 'Bama's snapping of its 2-game slide was hardly unexpected. Result of that romp is a lower than expected line on this one. The Tigers of LSU hold down the #3 spot in the nation, behind mighty Oklahoma & USC, and certainly deserve that lofty ranking. No team has reached 20 pts vs the Bengals, & don't expect the Tide to change that impressive stat. 'Bama's overland game will be contained, & LSU will extract its pound of flesh for last yr'smbarrassment.
RATING: LOUISIANA STATE 89
Southern California 55 - ARIZONA 10 - (7:00) -- Line opened at USC minus 29, and is still minus 29. A year ago, these Trojans, along with Oklahoma, posted some of the most impressive statistical routs in memory. As everyone knows, the Sooners have continued that awesometrend, with eye-popping performances the norm. The Trojans, altho ranking #2 in the land, hadn't been up to '02's stat column standards. Recently, however, Troy has displayed its ferocity. Leinart has actually made a few fans forget Palmer, and is on an impressive 16 TD, 1 INT run in his last 5 contests. 'Cats' upset of Wash last week, only serves to keep Trojans fully focused, and that's exactly what 'Zona doesn't need for this.
RATING: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 88
TULSA 41 - Louisiana Tech 31 - (3:00) -- Line opened at Tulsa minus 1, and is now pick-em. One of the more unnoticedaccomplishments this collegiate football season, is the job that DaveKragthorpe has done with these Hurricanes. He inherited a squad which epitomized the word "disappointment". Tulsa posted 1-10 & 1-11 records in '01 & '02, with little hope for any meaningful change, despite returning 16 starters. But as of now, the 'Canes stand at 6-4 SU. Not only that, but are 6-2 SU since losing to powers Minnesota & Arkansas, with their only setbacks by 7 pts at Boise (15- pt cover), & by 7 pts vs Reno, in a 5 turnover effort. Tech rolled LY, but has allowed >33 pts in 5 of its last 6 outings, & pays the price.
RATING: TULSA 88
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 45 - Tulane 17 - (3:00) -- Line opened at Southern Miss minus 18, and is now minus 17. The Wave is in off returning to the winners' circle for the first time since its rout of Army on Sept 20th. In that upset, Losman tossed for 3 TDs, with Jackson filling in nicely for the injured Moore, with 183 RYs on 26 carries. However, it hasn't been the Wave's offense which has failed, but its defense, which has been handled with relative ease. That unit ranks 114th in both scoring & total defense. The Eagle are just the opposite, ranking 13th in scoring "D", & more importantly, 7th against the pass. Won't completely contain Losman, but will certainly do enough, with Eagle's "O" doing the rest.
RATING: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 88
NEW ORLEANS 33 - Atlanta 13 - (1:00) -- Line opened at New Orleans minus 8?, and is still minus 8?. This one bucks one of the most amazing stats in the history of the NFL, namely the Falcons mastery of the Saints, when in the role of road dogs. Atlanta has covered to the tune of 17-of-18 in that role. However, there is another trend that has gone generally unnoticed, & that is the fact that the outright winner of the last 71 games involving the Saints stands at an unbelievable 68-2-1 ATS, with the only misses coming by 2 & ? pt (the latter coming this season, with the Saints' 6-pt SU loss, as 6? pt dogs at Carolina). The Falcons, despite last week's glitch, are lost without Vick. Kittner was at the controls in upset of Giants, but did nothing special. Saints have too many weapons & are rested.
RATING: NEW ORLEANS 88
NEAR CHOICES (Rated 87): Missouri, Okla St, Memphis, Duke -- NFL: Titans, Bengals, Cowboys, Niners
