GAMEDAY SPORTS
2* IOWA +4
ASA
9* GOY Iowa +4
Underdog
GOY Iowa
Scott Rickenbach
10* Georgia Tech / Iowa Over
Nick Parsons
Georgia Tech / Iowa Under
Tom Freese
10* Georgia Tech / Iowa Over
MR EAST
NBA TUESDAY PLAY OF THE DAY
CHICAGO @ CHARLOTTE
3 UNITS: UNDER 188
Once again the NBA hardwood features a game that comes directly from the system that has produced winners for several years. This is a system that has over 2,000 games in the database, and is based on just a single condition, and one of very few I play blindly. Any system that is based on 1 condition and can consistently spit out winners and has over 2,000 games in the database is certainly viable on the NBA hardwood. This is a system play that is on the over in this matchup.
Brandon Lang
75 DIME - IOWA HAWKEYES
25 DIME - IOWA HAWKEYES 1ST HALF PLAY
25 DIME - IOWA HAWKEYES MONEY LINE PLAY -Back on the dog.
First and foremost, when you have the defensive personnel that Iowa has and with this much time to prepare for the vaunted triple option, have to like my chances catching more than a field goal.
Last year LSU had over a month to gameplan for the Yellow Jackets option attack and held them to 3 points and this year the Georgia Bulldogs had 2 weeks and beat them.
Iowa is well coached, arguably one of the best coached team in America and when it comes to bowl games, well let's just say the proof is in the pudding.
In 2003 they were getting +3 1/2 against Florida and won outright 27-17. In '04 there were getting +6 1/2 and won outright 30-25. In 05 they were a pickem against Florida and lost 31-24. In '06 they were +9 and lost to Texas 26-24 getting the easy cover.
And finally, last year they were -3 1/2 and crushed South Carolina 31-10.
I hear all this stuff about the G'tech team speed, and how they are going to run right by Iowa and yes, I expect the Yellow Jackets to some success offensively but folks, that is not where this game is going to be won or lost for Georgia Tech. It's going to be won or lost by the Georgia Tech defense.
This isn't a very good stop unit and especially in the area of strength for Iowa, running the football.
If you are going to cover more than a field goal in college football you had better be able to stop the run and considering the fact Georgia Tech gave up 339 yards rushing to Georgia and 323 against Clemson to close out the year, I don't have the confidence they can shut down Iowa.
Allow me to put it in it's proper perspective for you:
On the road at Penn State, in front of over 100,000 people, against the 6th best run defense in the country, Iowa ran for 163 yards. Do you think for one second Georgia Tech and their 65th ranked run defense is going to shut down Iowa?
I was talking to one of the starting linebackers for Wake Forest just yesterday at my gym here in Florida, a kid who had a helluva game against Tech, a game Wake should have won and I asked him about Tech.
He ranted about their offense but he laughed about their defense and when I asked him, based on what he saw on film and what he saw in playing them, would Tech be able to stop the Iowa run game, he completely agreed with me, Tech's defense is a liability against the run.
I am talking 7 times this year teams ran for over 175 yards with 4 of them getting over 200 yards.
I don't care at what level you are handicapping a game, college or pro, if you can't stop the run you are going to have problems and as we have seen in the past with Iowa and bowl games, if you have a weakness you had better believe head coach Kirk Ferentz is going to exploit it.
The Hawkeyes are a hard team to blow out, I don't care who you are. They just don't beat themselves, play sound fundamental defense and are very well coached.
We have seen a resurgence with the Big Ten in bowl games this year as an underdog.
Wisconsin won outright as a dog, Ohio State won outright as a dog, Northwestern should have won outright as a dog and if Michigan State hadn't suspended their entire football team I believe they would have beaten Texas Tech outright as well.
The bottom line is I am going down swinging with the underdog who across the board has the better defense with time to prepare and in bowl games folks, that is a recipe for winning success.
Iowa is a top ten defense in the country. They held every BCS bowl opponent they played this year to under 15 points a game and yes, they had 8 come from behind victories to get here which does have me a bit nervous about how good they really are.
However, fact of the matter is they are here, they did figure out a way to win those games and this is a game about X's and O's, matchups across the board of Georgia Tech versus Iowa, strengths and weaknesses.
And when your weakness plays to the strength of your opponent, it's always hard to blow that team out.
As I said, Iowa is a great bowl team, you have their bowl success noted above and I can't discount this coach getting points with time to prepare against anybody. He has proven to be just that good. End of story.
I made the mistake of going against Wisconsin against a faster Miami/florida team and I paid for it dearly. I won't make that same mistake twice in a bowl season.
I am riding Iowa in the first half, Iowa plus the points for the game and I am rolling the dice with Iowa to pull off the upset in another bowl game, just like they did in 03 beating Florida, 04 beating LSU and in 06 they should have beaten Texas.
FREE SELECTION - SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS
Vegas Hotsheet
Georgia Tech
Wunderdog
5 Units Iowa +5.5
3 Units Iowa +180
Karl Garrett
20 DIMER - GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
I think a big motivating factor tonight in Miami is the fact the Yellow Jackets went into last year's Chik-Fil-A Bowl, and were handily routed by LSU, 38-3.
Tech has waited a whole year to get back to the big stage, and I do not think they will disappoint this evening. Sure the Yellow Jackets defense is likely to keep the Hawkeyes in this game, but Iowa has had some shaky, shaky moments this season, as they trailed both Northern Iowa, and Indiana into the 4th quarter on their home field, and they also barely got by Arkansas State this year.
That is not the kind of resume that is going to work against Georgia Tech, and their triple-option attack.
G-Tech is 16-7 against the spread under Paul Johnson, and they have played a pair of games since Iowa last played on November 21st.
In the end, Iowa will be a little too slow for this Tech team.
Lay the wood with Georgia Tech, as they redeem themselves from last year's bowl fiasco.
10 DIMER - NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
12-3 Irish take on the 10-3 Bulls, and while South Florida is at home for this one, I am going with the visitors, as Notre Dame has held the upper-hand in this new Big East rivaly, with the Irish winning the last pair, and 4 of the 5 overall meetings.
Notre Dame just lost at UConn by a dozen points, so you know they will be raring to get that taste out of their mouths when they step on the hardwood this evening.
South Florida has played their last 3 games away from home, and they have not played a game since December 30th. I expect the Bulls to come out a little slow in this return to their home floor, and when they get behind Notre Dame, they will not be able to claw their way back in for the comeback win.
Irish take advantage early, and hold on on the road this Tuesday night.
Take ND.
Sports Winning Picks
Georgia Tech / Iowa Under
Anthony Redd
25 Dime: IOWA
5 Dime: Notre Dame
5 Dime: Ball State
5 Dime: San Diego State
Chris Jordan
500♦ GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS
The BCS Bowl nobody is talking about, and why would anyone? The less-regarded ACC champion Yellow Jackets take on the Big 10-runner up Hawkeyes, and there doesn't seem to be any glitz, any glamour.
But if you're looking for excitement and fireworks, keep your eye on Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, a theat both on the ground and through the air.
Only six quarterbacks in the nation have a higher passer efficiency rating and only four who have run for more yards than the 6-1, 220-pound All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team choice.
Yet I still have fellow-handicappers and sports fans who reply to me with: "Who" whenever I say his name. He's virtually unknown unless you follow this religiously.
In front of a nationally televised audience, the world will have a chance to appreciate what he is all about. He loves to run, he loves to throw, he leads by example, he directs a high-powered offense the way it should be ... the guy is phenomenal.
And with that G-Tech option attack destined to get its yards, it'll be up to Iowa to limit the big plays. I trust the Jackets will be consistent in their production, but one slip up by the Hawkeyes, one wrong move, and BANG! The Jackets sting that quick.
Tech ranked second in the nation in rushing, eclipsing the 200-yard plateau on the ground in all but one game this season thanks to running back Jonathan Dwyer and Nesbitt.
On the other side of the ball, G-Tech has a stellar front line that is going to fill the A and B gaps effectively, while putting pressure on quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who is back for Iowa after missing the past three games with an ankle injury.
Stanzi hasn't played since a Nov. 7 loss to Northwestern, and with the way the Jackets bring it, that ankle will determine how close Iowa stays in this one. Stanzi has been known to flirt with disaster, committing costly mistakes with his vertical game. He struggled through a five-interception effort against Indiana and two-pick games against Iowa State, Penn State and Arkansas State.
This is an entirely different animal and this is the Orange Bowl.
I smell destruction tonight!
Georgia Tech rolls!
Fantasy Sports Gametime
1000* Play Iowa (+5.5) over Georgia Tech
Iowa has covered the spread in 11 of the last 14 games as an underdog and they have also won and covered the spread in 2 consecutive games on a neutral field. Iowa has won and covered the spread in 7 of the last 9 games after having won two of the last three games and they are only allowing an average of 12 points a game on defense in road games this season.