Junior DB Pinkard to miss rest of season with knee injury
ESPN.com
USC defensive back Josh Pinkard will miss the season with a torn ligament in his left knee, the school said Tuesday.
Pinkard's injury will require surgery. Pinkard suffered a right knee injury last season.
Pinkard, a junior, had emerged as a starting cornerback after playing safety last season.
Pinkard plans to petition for a sixth season and if granted would have two years to play.
Lessons learned in Week 2
Coal and football. That’s state Governor Joe Manchin’s list of “everything that’s good about West Virginia”.
His comment during the Mountaineers’ visit to Marshall recalls The Wedding Crashers and the main idiot’s sycophant buddy: “Yeah! Crab cakes and football … that’s what Maryland does!”
By some providence, the two states claiming football as their specialty meet in this week’s Thursday night game on ESPN. Now we can decide once and for all who rules the realm of natural resources: coal or crabs. I can’t support a parasitic bottom-feeder, so my money’s on coal.
On to my notes on schools’ performances in Week 2 games, with an eye on Week 3 betting.
Boston College Eagles
BC has won and covered both games at home this season, but both were a struggle. Now they’re traveling to Atlanta and Matt Ryan faces the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ massive blitz. The Eagles’ running backs won’t pile yards on Tech like they did against N.C. State, so it’s on the offensive line to give Ryan time this Saturday. On defense, the weakened line could get exploited.
Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati beat favored Oregon State by 31 points, but questions remain about the Bearcats’ offense. The unit benefited from defensive and special teams turnovers against Oregon State, much the same way they did in last year’s win over the Miami Redhawks, who the Bearcats visit in Week 3. Cincy couldn’t run the ball last Thursday and while Ben Mauk limited turnovers, his arm strength doesn’t inspire confidence.
Florida State Seminoles
The 34 ½-point spread was ridiculous and the Seminoles’ first half was horrible. Florida State’s poor start to the season, however, should give the school some rare value in the weeks ahead. FSU had a 31-3 stretch against the UAB Blazers at one point on Saturday and Drew Weatherford impressed in the second half. Here’s hoping the Seminoles’ D can reduce its penalties and running back Antone Smith’s head is OK.
Georgia Bulldogs
Watching Matthew Stafford overthrow a receiver is like watching a Reggie Jackson swinging strikeout – it hurts the team but is still a pretty thing to watch. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, the incompletions were rampant on Saturday. Georgia has to hone its offense against Western Carolina before its trip to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 22 if the Bulldogs are to avoid another upset loss.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Sixty-nine points and not a single passing touchdown? Georgia Tech should’ve beaten Notre Dame by more than 30 points in Week 1 but lacked a red-zone target, as they did once again against Samford. Now the Jackets are about to play a school with an actual defense. The receivers need to step up if Tech’s going to make a run at the ACC Coastal crown.
Miami Hurricanes
The final score was hideous, but the Hurricanes have a pair of excellent running back in Javarris James and Graig Cooper. Their ugly stats from Saturday belie their active feet and some nice runs that were negated by penalties. I’m expecting huge numbers from them against Florida International this week no matter who starts at quarterback, as long as Miami doesn’t get sucked into another helmet-swinging brawl.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
I’m still waiting for Sam Keller to impress me and the fact that he wears a Rob Johnson-like head wrap and lists Top Gun as his favorite movie isn’t helping. Keller was supposed to be a strength this year, as were the Nebraska linebackers. Neither showed up on Saturday against Wake Forest. Here’s hoping Nebraska was guilty of a look-ahead letdown, or else USC could do some major damage in Lincoln this Saturday.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Tom O’Brien and Dana Bible must be losing their minds after having Matt Ryan at quarterback last year but Harrison Beck in 2007. The O-line and weakened backfield won’t let the Pack run the ball as planned over the summer, and for as much chutzpah as Beck has, he proved on Saturday that he’s a turnover waiting to happen. NC State will upset a team or two, but I’m staying away from this wild card.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The good news is that Jimmy Clausen played largely mistake-free football in his first college start. That was partially due to Notre Dame’s conservative play-calling but also due to Clausen having a mind for the game. The Irish will eventually do well with him as a starter. The bad news is that the offense hasn’t scored a touchdown in two games. Public faves Notre Dame are a stay-away.
Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners started the year as a top-10 team with a big question at quarterback. Who’s asking questions now? Sam Bradford has the touch and the receivers to top Colt McCoy’s numbers as a redshirt freshman last year. Oklahoma has yet to face a team with a decent passing game, though, so the Sept. 21 game against Tulsa could be even more interesting than expected.
Oregon Ducks
What’s the difference between the combo of Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart and the Mountaineers’ Pat White and Steve Slaton? Oregon’s backfield duo might be a hair slower but is also way bigger and might be just as potent in 2007 as the West Virginian pair. They exploited an overrated Michigan defense, sure, but Dixon showed an impressive touch on deep balls.
Oregon State Beavers
The Beavers have a week to lick their wounds against Idaho State. The O-line obviously has to get it together, but Mike Riley must’ve known this game was a write-off when Alexis Serna missed a makeable field goal. There should have been a flag on the muffed Sammie Stroughter return and that turnover cemented the result. Oregon State’s defense is fast and this team is far better than Thursday’s score suggests.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The Big Ten could be theirs for the taking, it seems, after less-than-impressive starts from Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. Quarterback Anthony Morelli worries me, though. How many times can you hear the word “potential’ before you get fed up with waiting for results? Penn State could have (and should have) beaten the Irish by five touchdowns on Saturday but barely covered the 17 ½-point spread.
South Carolina Gamecocks
My God, it’s difficult to like Steve Spurrier, but it’s easy to admire his play-calling after watching the Gamecocks’ relatively trouble-free win in Athens. South Carolina’s defense was really impressive, which bodes well for its Sept. 22 trip to LSU when sportsbooks give the Cocks a bucket of points.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Brett Hodges’ second pass was brutal but he was in control after that and would’ve had more impressive numbers if it weren’t for a Kevin Marion fumble on the one-yard line and a drop on another bomb. The Deacons’ play-calling was fantastic on Saturday and another reminder of why they’re such a great bet as an underdog. They’ll be a heavy favorite this week against Army, though, a less attractive role for Wake.
West Virginia Mountaineers
As soon as Pat White led the opening second-half drive I suspected West Virginia could cover at -24 despite the deadlock at the time. They did, which underlines how potent this offense is, especially with Darius Reynaud and Noel Devine sure to get more touches as the season goes on. Maryland awaits this Thursday – the Terps are untested this year and I like the Mountaineers on whatever the halftime line is.
Covers.com
COLLEGE FB "LOOKING FOR AN ANGLE"
by Gary Olshan
West Virginia at MARYLAND (Thursday)...Very special game for WV’s Heisman candidate RB Slaton, who was offered a scholarship by Maryland but then changed its mind. Slaton made Terps pay for their unwise decision, when he scampered for 203 yds. in 23 carries & 2 TDs in 45-24 Mountie romp LY. Maryland just 3-3 as home dog L5Ys, while WV is 13-3 as away chalk over same period.
Tcu at AIR FORCE (Friday)...TCU’s 38-14 series victory in ‘06 was more one-sided than final, with AF scoring final 2 TDs vs. Horned Frog reserves in 4th Q. TCU defense held Falcons to season-low 98 YR. AF just 1-5 as home dog since ‘02 (under predecessor DeBerry), while TCU 18-8 vs. spread since ‘05.
Temple at CONNECTICUT...UConn has generally been profitable favorite, going 18-7-1 in role since 2002 (1-0 TY), while Temple jsut 4-9 as DD away dog since ‘05.
Fresno State at OREGON...Free-fallin’ FSU is 2-14-1 vs. spread since 50-42 loss at Southern Cal in late ‘05, while Oregon is 10-4 as DD chalk at Auzten Stadium since ‘02. Before going into a funk later in 2006, Duck QB Dixon had one of his best games in Sept. meeting vs. Bulldogs, hitting 23 of 36 for 240 yds.
Louisville at KENTUCKY...Rising Kentucky has something to prove following 59-28 slamming at rival L’ville LY. Cards led 31-0 late in 1st H before Cats converted their 2nd FD of game. UK must do better job in "pits" after being outrushed 363-22. Brooks’ squad is 9-3-1 vs. spread last 13 at Commonwealth Stadium.
Florida International at MIAMI-FLORIDA...Expect additional security for this rematch following major brawl that erupted with many players getting ejected (and later suspended) in 35-0 Miami romp LY.
Akron at INDIANA...IU, which is 4-0 as home chalk since ‘04, has also captured 18 straight SU vs. MAC foes.
Duke at NORTHWESTERN...This series resuming following 4-year hiatus, but NW had 5 won straight (4-1 vs. spread) vs. Duke from 1999-2003.
Eastern Michigan at NORTHERN ILLINOIS...No place like road in this series, as visitor has covered 6 straight.
Western Michigan at MISSOURI...Mizzou is a profitable 10-4-1 as DD chalk in Columbia since ‘02. And Tigers well-focused with lower-echelon Illinois State tuneup on deck.
Ole Miss at VANDERBILT...Before deceiving 17-10 Ole Miss victory LY, Rebels had failed to cover previous 5 in series. ‘Dores significantly outgained Ole Miss 400-179 despite losing QB Nickson in 2nd Q, but couldn’t overcome 5 TOs & 2 missed FGs. Vandy just 2-7 as home chalk since 2002.
Ohio at VIRGINIA TECH...Ohio just 2-8 as DD road dog since ‘04, and VT is 4-2 vs. spread last 6 following SU loss since 2004.
goldsheet.com
Look Aheads and Let Downs
VegasInsider.com
We learned a lot about some teams last week in college football. We found out that Michigan really does stink, the Hokies aren’t ready for primetime and Steve Spurrier still hasn’t lost three straight matches to Georgia. There are a few squads that are primed to either be looking ahead, bouncing back or are ready to suffer a letdown. Let’s look at who meets those criteria.
Looking past the Sun Belt…
Texas A&M may have taken Fresno State lightly in its triple-overtime 47-45 win last Saturday, but a win is a win no matter how you slice it. Now the Aggies must avoid the dreaded “look ahead” spot this weekend when Louisiana-Monroe comes to College Station as a 24-point road ‘dog.
A few things come into play here that makes betting A&M an iffy proposition. First, A&M could be undervaluing its second consecutive opponent as it looks toward a huge road contest against the Hurricanes on Sept. 20. While the Aggies are 3-0 straight up against teams from the Sun Belt Conference, they’re just 1-2 against the spread.
Given how well ULM has been running the ball this year (212 yards against Tulsa, 271 yards against Clemson), the possibility of a close score is pretty good.
Another team that may not have its priorities in order this week are the Tigers as they host Middle Tennessee State. And not because they made the obliterated the Hokies either, but rather opening the SEC season against the surprising Gamecocks. LSU is currently listed as a huge 41-point home “chalk.” However, the Blue Raiders could give them a little more of a challenge than expected.
The Tigers have been lights-out in their first two games, outscoring Mississippi State and Virginia Tech 93-7. Still, those two schools have offenses that are very much in doubt. Middle Tennessee State, on the other hand, just put up 42 points on the No. 9 Cardinals. I’m not saying the Blue Raiders are going to win this game, but they can certainly play decent enough to cover as big road ‘dogs.
The big comeback…
So much for another mid-major crashing the BCS party this season now that TCU took one on the chin in its 34-13 road defeat to the Longhorns in Austin last Saturday. Now the Horned Frogs will try to wash away the bad taste of that last game with a Mountain West tilt at the Air Force Academy as nine-point road favorites. This shouldn’t be that big a problem for Gary Patterson’s team as they are 4-0 straight up and against the spread since 1989 against the Falcons.
Virginia Tech heads back to square one in Blacksburg. The Hokies just got their collective asses handed to them in a then No. 2 vs. No. 9 showdown with LSU. And VT dropped the game as a 12-point road underdog, 48-7.
Frank Beamer has decided that he wants a fresh start at quarterback, so he’s starting freshman Tyrod Taylor under center against Ohio, who the Hokies are listed as 20-point home favorites. This isn’t such a bad decision as former signal caller Sean Glennon has not been able to throw or run with the ball effectively in two straight starts. Add in that Taylor will be going up against a Bobcat defense that just gave up 277 rushing yards to Louisiana-Lafayette. Maybe covering a huge spread like this isn’t so far fetched.
Get up for the letdown…
The Longhorns only played one solid half of football last week, but it was enough to lay waste to any dreams TCU might have had of splashing onto the national scene. Now Texas is primed for a potential let down this week in the town that Mickey Mouse helped build when it faces Central Florida as a 19 ½-poin road “chalk.” The Knights already have an upset win under their belt when they beat NC State on the road as eight-point road canines, 25-23. Now, UCF has 17 returning starters that can make things interesting against a Longhorns’ squad that hasn’t put together a full 60-minute performance.
Will Central Florida win this game? Probably not, but it can definitely sneak within the 19 ½-point line. That is a real possibility considering that Texas is 11-0 SU, but just 6-5 ATS since Mack Brown took over in 1998.
Texas player arrested on drug charges
September 13, 2007
AUSTIN (AP) -Texas senior safety Tyrell Gatewood remained in jail Thursday after his arrest on drug charges, the fifth arrest of a Longhorns player since June.
Freshman defensive back Ben Wells, 18, who was riding with Gatewood when he was pulled over late Wednesday, was given a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia and released.
Gatewood, 22, was charged with two counts of possession of a dangerous drug. It was his second drug-related arrest in a year, although misdemeanor possession charges were dropped after his arrest last September. He was suspended for a game.
Texas athletic officials planned to release a statement later Thursday.
Gatewood and Wells were pulled over by a Travis County sheriff's deputy for failing to signal a turn. Smelling marijuana, the deputy searched the vehicle and found pot, Xanax and a baby bottle full of codeine cough syrup, said Travis County sheriff's spokesman Roger Wade.
Bond was set for Gatewood at $2,500 for each count. Gatewood also was being held on an arrest warrant from Dallas County on a reckless driving charge from March. Bond for that charge was set at $500.
Linebacker Sergio Kindle and defensive end Henry Melton, both arrested on drunken driving charges during the summer, are serving three-game suspensions that will end after Saturday's game at Central Florida.
Freshman linebacker Dre Jones was suspended indefinitely last month after being charged with aggravated robbery. Former safety Robert Joseph was charged in the same incident. Joseph had already left the team after being arrested in a separate incident earlier in the summer.
College Football Power Rankings: The Ferringo 15
by Robert Ferringo
Polls and rankings can be a gambler's best friend when it comes to wagering on large groups of vicious and volatile college students, the type that paint their faces, don high density polyurethane shells, and assemble each week to thrash each other on the gridiron. Polls and rankings set the general consensus on how strong a certain team is, regardless of Truth, and that makes them a tool for exploiting a misinformed betting public.
But this ranking system is going to work a little differently. We have enough rampant conjecture across the nation in regards to college football so I have set out to provide my faithful readers with some info that should enrich their gambling lives. The result: the Ferringo 15.
The Ferringo 15 is my Profit-Power Rankings, a ladder or hierarchy based on which teams are the most profitable on the field. I'm not trying to give you some other convoluted, random, speculative power rankings based on my own biases. So instead of Ohio State moving up or down the polls on the basis of how badly they blew out Northwestern the previous Saturday I'm going to rank each team based on past, present, and projected future achievement against the spread.
Below I've listed teams that have been and hopefully will continue to be the most profitable teams for bettors this season. It's still early in the season so there will likely be a lot of fluctuation from week to week. But after we've had some time to get the lay of the land these rankings will be buttressed by solid, visceral performance.
Last week was a banner one for the Ferringo 15, as schools playing in lined games went an outstanding 8-3 against the number. I think it's going to be tough for some clubs to maintain their perch on this list because of their big wins (Oregon and Oklahoma come to mind) but until then they are still among the most profitable teams we'll see this season. So without further ado, here is our Week 3 version of the Ferringo 15:
1) South Florida (1-0 Against the Spread) - The upsets are not going to stop at Auburn for the Bulls. They were Everyone's Sleeper at the start of the season and they've proven why. Now they get a week underground to prep for North Carolina and if they're anything less than a double-digit favorite I'll be all over them.
2) Purdue (1-0 ATS) - Curtis Painter is running point for Purdue and has led an offense averaging 52 points per game this season. The Boilers are three-touchdown favorites this week, and if they can cover that number heading into Big 10 play I'll be very impressed.
3) Memphis (1-0) - Unfortunately, the Tigers play a non-lined game against Jacksonville State this weekend. As long as they don't do anything stupid - like orchestrate a 40-point blowout - then we could still have some very solid dog value going into a key home opener with Central Florida.
4) Iowa (2-0) - Perhaps more than any other game, I'm most irritated that I didn't go big on the Hawkeyes over the Orange last weekend. Iowa's front four may be the best in the conference and Albert Young is a stud. However, beware this weekend's rivalry game with Iowa State. The following Saturday they are at Wisconsin in a huge Big Ten matchup.
5) South Carolina (1-1) - I knew that The Ol' Ball Coach would reward me for leaving the Gamecocks in the Ferringo 15 despite an opening ATS loss. Blake Mitchell can be shaky at times, but we could get another golden opportunity to cash in on SC if they're two-touchdown dogs in the Bayou on Sept. 22.
6) Anyone Playing Notre Dame (2-0) - Mike Hart guaranteed victory. But can Michigan cover? It's going to be extremely difficult behind a freshman quarterback, even if they are playing at home yet again. Michigan hosts Penn State the following week and it will be tough not to look ahead now that they know that a Big 10 title is the only thing that could vindicate this team.
7) Oklahoma (2-0) - Wow. That's all I can say about their manhandling of Miami. Look, I know the Hurricanes are a joke. They have been for years. But the way in which the Sooners dismantled Miami sent a strong message that this team is not messing around. I think if they can beat Miami by 38 they can top most inflated numbers. Bob Stoops hasn't exactly been one to call of the dogs in his career.
8) Washington (2-0) - Jack Locker has proven himself to be more than legit, and now the Huskies are back on the map. We should have sniffed out their big win against Boise State (which was ripe to be faded) but I wanted to see one more performance before I jumped on the bandwagon. I'm riding shotgun now, and the fact that they are still home dogs against Ohio State says one thing to me - Value.
9) UCLA (2-0) - It was a tight one, but the Bruins managed to cover last weekend against a scrappy BYU team after blowing a 20-3 lead. The Bruins' pass defense is very bothersome - especially because it means they may let teams in the back door when they're shackled with big spreads.
10) Georgia Tech (2-0) - Tech had to drop this week because, judging by their line against Boston College, they appear to be getting overrated. I think that this is not going to be the last time these two run into one another, if you know what I mean.
11) Boston College (2-0) - The Eagles have come right out of the gate firing, taking down the defending conference champions and then earning an ATS win in a grudge match against their former coach. But the road doesn't get any easier, and the Eagles are facing a team that they are 1-4 SU against recently.
12) Oregon (2-0) - I said back in July that they were going to demolish the Wolverines - and they did just that. But now it's time to see if success will go to their heads as the expectations rise or if they will raise their level of play to championship caliber. They have a pair of winnable games coming up before a showdown with Cal. I would almost like to see the Ducks stumble so we can collect against the Bears.
13) New Mexico State (0-1) - Close, but no cigar for our former No. 1. The Aggies are 5-15 as a favorite, which they have been posted as this week, but I'm leaving them in the 15 for the same reason I left South Carolina in last week: potential. I think NMSU can be a fly in the ointment in the conference and they graded out too high in the preseason for me to dump them now.
14) Missouri (2-0) - Chase Daniels is my homeboy, and we are now 2-0 backing him with free plays this season. Good times. Is the defense good enough to win the Big 12 Title? Hell no. But with three straight home games on the horizon I think we can ride the Tigers offense a little longer.
15) UNLV (2-0) - I was there in person for their near miss against Wisconsin this weekend and I was very impressed with their team speed. This isn't a good team by any stretch of the imagination, and I think they're primed for a big-time fall this weekend against Hawaii, but the Rebels have gotten it done to this point so we'll show some love.
Others receiving votes: TCU (1-1), Central Florida (1-0), Cincinnati (1-0), Michigan State (1-1), UTEP (2-0), Miami, OH (2-0), Arizona State (2-0), LSU (2-0), Kansas State (1-1), Illinois (0-1)
Dropped out: Hawaii (0-1)
docsports.com
Notre Dame Backup QB Jones Doesn't Make Trip To Michigan
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -Demetrius Jones, the Notre Dame quarterback who lost the starting position after a poor performance in the opener, didn't travel with the team Friday to Michigan for the game against the Wolverines on Saturday.
"At 2:30 today, while boarding the bus to Michigan, I was notified that Demetrius Jones had decided not to make the trip," coach Charlie Weis said in a statement released Friday. "I have not spoken to Demetrius and can only say that he missed the team bus. Any additional comment would be without all the facts."
Jones, a sophomore from Chicago, started the opener against Georgia Tech, but was pulled in the second quarter after fumbling the ball away twice. He was 1-of-3 passing for 4 yards and ran for 28 yards on 12 carries. He didn't play in the loss against Penn State last week.
Neither Jones nor Evan Sharpley, who was the No. 2 quarterback against Georgia Tech, have talked to the media since that opening game. Freshman Jimmy Clausen started against Penn State and is scheduled to start against the Wolverines.
Weis had said he might consider using Jones when the Irish (0-2) play at Michigan (0-2). Jones was the No. 3 quarterback last season and ran the scout team.
Saturday Morning Scoop
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Updating a previous report, The Chicago Tribune is indicating quarterback Demetrius Jones could transfer to - Northern Illinois, Tennessee or Northwestern.
Arkansas Razorbacks
ESPN.com is reporting the Razorbacks are not counting on receiver Marcus Monk to play this week against Alabama.
Florida Gators
Sportsline.com is reporting receiver Andre Caldwell is out for Saturday's game against Tennessee with a sprained MCL.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer has named true freshman Tyrod Taylor his starting quarterback for this week's matchup against Ohio.
San Jose State Spartans
The Mercury News is reporting running back Yonus Davis is out on Saturday.
San Jose State Spartans
The Mercury News is reporting quarterback Adam Tafralis is expected to play this Saturday against Stanford.
Vanderbilt
The Tennessean is reporting the Commodores expect to have quarterback Chris Nickson back under center for today's game against Ole Miss.
Pittsburgh
Panthers head coach Dave Wannstedt has indicated running back LeSean McCoy is expected to start on Saturday for the match-up against Michigan State.
Utah
The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting receiver Brent Casteel will miss the rest of the 2007 season with a torn ACL.
Clemson Tigers
The Sporting News is reporting while Cullen Harper has played well as the starting quarterback, the Tigers coaching staff would like to find more ways to get Willy Korn on the field.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Sun Devils head coach Dennis Erickson has indicated running back Ryan Torain is a game-time decision for Saturday's contest against San Diego State.
Where the action is: Saturday's college line moves
COVERS.com
Buffalo at Penn State – spread moved from -34 ½ to -32 ½
Apparently bettors were impressed by what they saw in Buffalo’s 42-7 trouncing of Temple last week as 3 1/2–point underdogs. This game was bet down by as many as two points at some sportsbooks yesterday and the total has also moved from 48 to 50 points.
Penn State has covered both spreads in its first two games this year which were against Florida International and Notre Dame. The offense is clicking with over 400 yards per game and the defense is as stingy as ever with just five points and 129 yards against per game.
Still, the Nits have said this week they are wary of an upset and are showing respect for the Bulls – partly because of the points they put up last week and partly because every team in the top 25 is now fearful of an upset following the Appalachian State shocker.
Notre Dame vs. Michigan - spread moved from -7 ½ to -9 ½
The Irish are getting even less respect than fellow 0-2 squad Michigan. The line moved to as high as -9 ½ overnight after sitting at just -7 ½ early Friday.
Notre Dame has yet to score an offensive touchdown this season and the Irish are the worst rushing team in the nation with negative ground yardage through two games. Both teams are starting freshman QBs today, yet the total has remained steady at 44 points.
Army at Wake Forest – total moved from 42 to 44
This one is a bit of a surprise considering Army’s anemic offense that is averaging only 259 yards and 14 points per game despite facing Akron and Division I-AA's Rhode Island so far.
Sophomore quarterback Carson Williams is making his first start for Army after going 0-4 in starts last year. Senior QB David Pevoto is hobbled by an ankle injury.
Army’s game plan is to try to run the ball as much as possible and keep Wake’s defense on the field. Wake has yet to show the offensive prowess it had last season but it’s faced two tough opponents so far (BC and Nebraska) and QB Riley Skinner is out with a separated shoulder. Sophomore Brett Hodges makes his second straight start in his place.
This line opened with the Demon Deacons at -21 ½ but moved to -19 through the week.
UCLA at Utah – line moved from +15 to +16
Originally this line opened with the Utes as 13-point underdogs but bettors have steadily jumped on the Bruins throughout the week and moved the line another point Saturday to 16 points.
UCLA is coming off a pair of convincing straight up and against the spread victories over Stanford and Mountain Coast Conference foe BYU. Utah, meanwhile, is 0-2 straight up and against the number and has had trouble getting the offense going.
Starting QB Brian Johnson was injured in the season opener against Oregon State and he’s expected to be out with a concussion until at least October. The Utes have scored just 19 points through two games compared to UCLA’s 72 points.
Louisville at Kentucky – line moved from +6 ½ to +5
This rivalry didn’t used to be much just a few short years ago. Kentucky’s improved program and the play of quarterback Andre’ Woodson has changed all that in a hurry and the public has noticed.
National media hype this week suggested this game is going to be a tight shootout and the public is listening. This game was bet down to Kentucky +5 late Friday after reading figures like this one: Woodson carries a streak of 213 straight passes without an interception.
Louisville has won the last four meetings straight up and the Cats are hungry to turn that trend around.
Hawaii at UNLV – total moved from 64 to 67
Same old story for Hawaii over/unders – oddsmakers just can’t seem to set them high enough. This line opened at around 62 early in the week before bettors pounced and have been elevating it ever since.
The reason is that the Warriors own the No. 2 offense in the nation with 585 yards per game and they are the best passing unit with 544 yards per game. The ‘over’ also went 9-4 in Hawaii games last year even though betting patterns routinely followed similar scenarios to the one we’re seeing this week.
Hawaii is at the end of a grueling 12-day road trip right now that included an unexpectedly close 45-44 overtime win over Louisiana Tech. A story in the New York Times today documented how the team is struggling with all kinds of challenges like the time change, insomnia, school work and no perdiems for the players.
Week 3 letdown and look-ahead candidates
Covers.com
We all have our peaks and valleys. Even the most speed-addled trucker has to crash at some point.
Bettors know this as well as anyone. One day we’re cleaning up, making all the right plays, feeling like a genius and thinking about how we’re going to spend all our new-found wealth. The next day we go heavy on Maryland +16 ½ and TCU -8 and we’re right back where we started.
What’s that? You didn’t make those bets? Sorry, I guess I’m just typing my Friday morning thoughts for all to read.
In any case, football teams aren’t any different when it comes to streaks. They’ll outperform expectations some weeks, while stinking up the joint the next. Fortunately, bettors can look at a school’s schedule and have an idea of when those peaks and valleys might occur.
Some of this week’s leading candidates for an off week appear below. I’ve already met opposition in the Covers.com newsroom with my selections. However, since I’m the one writing this piece, they can all go to hell.
Boston College Eagles (+6 ½ at Georgia Tech)
The Eagles couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, beating the defending ACC champs in the opener and former head coach Tom O’Brien in Week 2. BC covered the spread as a home favorite in both games.
But Boston College plays in Atlanta this week and the Eagles were 1-5 against the spread (ATS) last year in games away from Chestnut Hill. The Yellow Jackets are easily the strongest team Boston College has faced this season.
Furthermore, the Eagles let both Wake Forest (368 yards of total offense) and N.C. State (407) move the ball at Alumni Field. Though Boston College benefited from 10 interceptions over its first two games, the school can’t count on Georgia Tech turning the ball over nearly as often as the Deacons and Wolfpack.
Cincinnati Bearcats (-7 ½ at Miami, Ohio)
Cincinnati proved a lot last Thursday when it trounced the favored Beavers on national TV, 34-3. The Bearcats can’t count on the national spotlight again until their trip to Rutgers on Oct. 6. In the meantime, the Battle for the Victory Bell is the nation’s oldest non-conference rivalry and the biggest non-conference game on the Redhawks’ schedule.
Cincinnati is favored on the road this weekend despite dropping a 44-16 decision when the Bearcats last visited Ohio. Head coach Brian Kelly openly mused this week how his team might be better served by ending the home-and-home format of the series now that Cincinnati is a BCS big boy.
Though Cincinnati won and covered the spread during last year’s game as an 11-point home favorite, 24-10, the offense didn’t exactly light it up. Miami has covered the spread in both its games this year and will be pumped for Saturday’s game at Yager Stadium.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+6 ½ hosting BYU)
Tulsa had a bye last weekend, so the school has had two full weeks to prepare for this matchup with the Cougars. But Tulsa hosts an even bigger school next week, a game that has the city more excited than the matchup at hand.
The mighty Sooners visit Tulsa next week in a rare Friday night game that should cause all social activity in Oklahoma to grind to a halt for a solid three hours. Hurricane players insist they’re not looking past BYU, but Nebraska’s iffy performance in Wake Forest last week with USC looming on the horizon confirms that bettors can be burned by schools looking ahead to the biggest games on their schedule.
BYU is stinging from last week’s loss at UCLA. The Cougars beat Tulsa last year, 49-24, when they ran for 227 yards and four touchdowns against the Hurricane’s 3-3-5 defensive formation.
Notre Dame QB Jones to transfer
September 15th, 2007
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Notre Dame quarterback Demetrius Jones has transferred to Northern Illinois, the Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.
Jones, a sophomore, did not make the trip with the Fighting Irish to Michigan on Friday, and is on Saturday's players' pass list for Northern Illinois' game against Eastern Michigan, according to the Tribune. Jones started the season opener against Georgia Tech, but was pulled during Notre Dame's 33-3 loss to the Yellow Jackets, and freshman Jimmy Clausen has taken over the starting job.