HalfBets
Marlins +180 (7*)
Twins +115 (7*)
Yankees ev (8*) Best Bet
2 team parlay for 1.5* pays 4.3*
Nats RL +105
Boston RL -105
Al DeMarco
5 Dime - Tulsa
This is Tulsa's fourth road game in five weeks to open the season. The Golden Hurricane easily covered the first two, beating Tulane 37-13 laying 14 1/2 points, and rolling over New Mexico 44-10 as a 16 1/2-point chalk. The third game resulted in a blowout 45-0 loss in Norman against Oklahoma. But rather than dwell on that setback, Tulsa kicked off the home portion of its schedule last Saturday with a 56-3 pasting of Division 1-AA member Sam Houston State.
Last year the Golden Hurricane stopped Rice 63-28 at home in a contest where they were ahead by just seven points at halftime. But this year's edition of the Owls is much weaker and inexperienced than the 2008 crew. They're coming off a 36-17 home loss to Vanderbilt in which the Commodores amassed nearly 500 yards of total offense, including 216 on the ground. Rice is dead last in the country when it comes to total yards allowed per game with an average yield of 447 yards, and ranked 120th in the nation with an average yield of 44 points an outing. One of the team's biggest deficiencies is its non-existent pass rush, which has accounted for just five sacks in four games.
Rice enters this game with injury problems on offense. Quarterback Nick Fanuzzi missed the Vandy game with a sprained shoulder and might not play versus Tulsa. Neither senior J.T. Shepherd (6-for-14, 58 yards) or redshirt freshman Ryan Lewis (6-for-18, 64 yards) proved to be an adequate back-up against the Commodores last Saturday. And with one starting offensive lineman out and another whose availability is in doubt, the Owls might struggle moving the ball against a Hurricane defense that's held each opponent - with the exception of Oklahoma - to 13-or-less points a game.
Tulsa is on a 9-3 ATS run as a double-digit favorite, including a 2-0 mark this year with both victories coming on the road. Finishing first in Conference USA play is the team's goal this season, and with a bye coming up next before its big game with Boise State on October 14, the Golden Hurricane should be focused at the task at hand
Tim Trushel
Dodgers Under
David Malinsky
4* New Mexico st/SD State Under
4* Arkansas