Week 8 Rewind
By Brian Edwards
It wasn’t the third Saturday in October, but it certainly felt like old times with Alabama and Tennessee banging heads in a grinder game that went to the wire in Week 8. The Crimson Tide survived thanks to a pair of field-goal blocks to end both halves by All-American defensive tackle Terrance Cody.
Nick Saban’s team remained undefeated with the 12-10 win, but the Vols hooked up their backers in every way you can imagine. They covered the spread as 14-point underdogs for the game. In addition, UT was the winner on wagers for both the first half and second half.
In the first half, ‘Bama went off as a 7½-point ‘chalk’ and led by just a 9-3 score at intermission. Leading by six at halftime, most books made the Tide a seven-point favorite for the second half, equating to a minus-13 spread for the game.
Again, all UT bets were winners. The 22 combined points easily stayed ‘under’ the 42-point total.
Lane Kiffin got another moral victory, something he blatantly appeared to be satisfied with for the first 57 minutes of the game. Despite a passive-aggressive approach to his two-minute offense at the end of both halves, the Vols pulled to within 12-10 when Jonathan Crompton found Gerald Jones for an 11-yard scoring strike with 2:24 left in the final stanza.
Moments later, Tennessee executed an onside kick to perfection. From there, Kiffin appeared to be satisfied with setting up his kicker for a long field-goal attempt. There was zero urgency after Crompton hit Luke Stocker for 23 yards down to the ‘Bama 27-yard line with 55 ticks left.
The obvious call at that point was to spike the ball and give yourself a second-and-10 situation with 52-53 seconds remaining. Instead, UT took its time and called a running play up the middle in which Montario Hardesty was stuffed for no gain. Yet again, the Vols were in no hurry and actually seemed to be milking the clock before a Crompton incompletion.
This left Jeremy Lincoln with a 44-yard FG attempt for the win that Cody didn’t let happen. Therefore, ‘Bama remained unbeaten going into its bye week, while Kiffin kept his mojo, albeit in a defeatist manner seemingly geared to luring recruits to Knoxville thanks to impressive L’s.
Whatever. Before Kiffin came along, I had never heard of an impressive loss. He seems to be mastering them.
On a much more serious note, less than a week after one of its team leaders and best players was murdered, Connecticut went to Morgantown hoping to honor Jasper Howard with an upset win at West Virginia as a 7½-point underdog. The Huskies nearly pulled it off.
However, Noel Devine scored on a 56-yard touchdown run in the sixth lead change of the game late in the fourth quarter, lifting the Mountaineers to a 28-24 victory. Nevertheless, UConn backers cashed tickets.
Ga. Tech stayed hot with its fifth consecutive win both SU and ATS, cooling off Virginia in the process. The Yellow Jackets spanked the Cavs by a 34-9 count as six-point road favorites, improving to 7-1 in Paul Johnson’s second season on The Flats.
Don’t dismiss Ga. Tech as a sleeper squad to perhaps get to Pasadena. The Jackets will most likely be favored in their four remaining games (at Vandy, vs. Wake Forest, at Duke and vs. Georgia) and they have an open date before facing arch-rival UGA.
In perhaps the biggest stunner of the day, Iowa St. captured a 9-7 win at Nebraska as a 20 ½-point underdog. Another upset, though one of lesser magnitude, went down in South Florida.
That’s where Miami was booted from national-title contention when Clemson collected a 40-37 win in overtime as a four-point road underdog. After UM made a field goal on its first possession of the extra session, Clemson QB Kyle Parker hit Jacoby Ford on 3rd and 11 for a 26-yard TD pass in walk-off fashion.
USC is still in the national-title hunt, but it never threatened to cover the number in Saturday's 42-36 win over Oregon St. as a 20 1/2-point home favorite. Allen Bradford ran for a caree-high 147 yards and a pair of TDs, while Damian Williams scored on a 63-yard punt return.
Florida finally ended its losing streak in Starkville that dated back to 1985. With that said, it was easy pickins' for gamblers by backing Mississippi St. as a 23-point home underdog. The Gators won a 29-19 decision despite a pair of pick-sixes from QB Tim Tebow. The 48 combined points stayed 'under' the 50-point total.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
What idiot was at the VI Handicapping Seminar back in August saying that Illinois quarterback Juice Williams was poised for an outstanding senior season? Oh, that was me. Yikes!
Central Michigan is now 7-1 SU and 6-1 ATS after winning 24-10 at Bowling Green as a 9 ½-point road favorite. The Chippewas, whose lone loss came in their season opener at Arizona by a 19-6 score, could be live ‘dogs at Boston College next week. Remember, CMU beat Michigan St. 29-27 in East Lansing back in Week 2.
No Tony Pike? No problem. Cincinnati was without its leader Saturday but it didn't matter, as the Bearcats took care of business by blasting Louisville 41-10 as 18-point home favorites. Now we'll find out if my prediction -- that Steve Kragthorpe will be the first head coach fired after getting spanked at Cincy prior to the 'Ville's open date -- from back in August comes true.
South Carolina improved to 6-2 with a 14-10 home win over Vanderbilt, but the Gamecocks failed to cover as 13 1/2-point favorites. Stephen Garcia connected on 22-of-33 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Next up for Carolina is a trip to Neyland Stadium to face Tennessee.
VI's Dave Cokin is absolutely killing the books in college football this year. After going 4-0 on Saturday, his season record is 26-9 for an incredible 74.3 winning percentage and more than 16 units of profit. Cokin chimes in with several blog installments each week, so be sure to look for his free pointers.
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