NSA
20* Alabama -14.5
10* Georgia Tech +7.5
10* USC -31.5
10* Kansas @ Missouri OVER 69
10* Florida @ Florida St OVER 55
10* Denver -4
10* Massachusetts +1.5
Scott Spreitzer
2008 CFB POWER PLAY GAME OF THE YEAR! *6-1, 86% Run!
I'm laying the points with Cincinnati on Saturday
The Bearcats have settled on a QB and they now have positioned themselves for a BCS berth. After trying just about everyone with eligibility under center, HC Brian Kelly has found his on-field leader in Tony Pike. The Bearcats were actually forced to try several different QBs, mainly due to injuries. Pike, a junior is playing with a broken forearm (non throwing arm) and had a monster game in last week's win over Pittsburgh. Pike completed 26 of 32 passes for 309 yards with three TDs and no inteceptions. Making him even more dangerous is the fact that he can move. Pike ran the ball nine times last week for 33 yards. Not mind-blowing yardage, but he escapes closing pockets and can throw accurately on the run or pull the ball down and gain a few yards rather than taking too many sacks. Pike is connecting on 63% of his passes this season with a healthy, 15-to-4, TD-to-INT ratio. That's great news for Cinci backers because the Syracuse defense has been horrible away from home, for the most part. The Orange have allowed their five hosts to connect on 67% of their passes with 12 TDs and just 3 interceptions. Teams who have tried to run the ball on the 'Cuse have done so without much resistance. Yes, Notre Dame had some curious play-calling and blew a 23-10 lead last week, but Syracuse's other four road opponents ran the ball for an average of 232.8 yards per game at 5.9 yards per carry. Can't stop the run...can't stop the pass! And, the Orange are coming off of one of their biggest wins ever, certainly of the Greg Robinson-era. It was announced last week that Robinson would not be back next season and his team performed to the highest of their emotional and physical abilities to get the late win in South Bend. After celebrating like they had just won a championship, it's going to be tough for this poorly coached, bad football team to bounce back against the Bearcats. Cinci is playing for that BCS berth mentioned above, and they have the best coach in the conference on their sideline to keep them focused. The Bearcat defense has been outstanding all season. Tossing out their first two games against Eastern Kentucky (40-7 win) and Oklahoma (52-26 loss), Cinci has allowed an average of just 310.1 total yards per game at just 4.38 yards per play! They're allowing just 101.1 rushing yards per game at 3 yards per carry, and the Bearcats have 25 sacks and 11 INTs, while allowing just nine passing TDs in nine games! Cincinnati will be playing without CB Mickens for the final two games of the regular season, but no big deal here. They played without him last week and handled Pitt. As far as the "techs" are concerned, the Bearcats are a perfect 6-0 ATS in November under HC Brian Kelly. They're also a perfect 6-0 ATS in home games in the second half of the season the last two years with the current regime calling the shots, going 11-3 ATS at home overall. Meanwhile, Syracuse is 4-25 SU as a dog, covering just 11 of 29. The team is now 10-36 SU under Robinson overall, including just THREE S/U wins in conference play and a 6-17 ATS Big East record. Syracuse had "their game" last week and won for their departing coach. Cinci needs to keep focused to wrap up a BCS berth. Advantage situation. Advantage coaching. Advantage talent. Look for Cincinnati to squeeze the Orange. I'm laying the points with the Bearcats on Saturday, my CFB Power Play GOY.
CKO
11* ALABAMA over Auburn
Late Score Forecast:
*ALABAMA 34 - Auburn 6
It’s been a while since Bama has had the resources to take out its frustrations on Iron Bowl rival Auburn, which
has won last six meetings. For the first time in nearly a decade, however, Tide enters annual grudge match holding most of the cards. Nick Saban’s top-ranked, unbeaten crew has made a point of “taking names” this campaign, recording 3-0 spread mark in revenge games. And Saban’s “D” makes another success quite likely, as suffocating Bama stop unit (allowing just 12.5 ppg and 2.8 ypc) figures to overwhelm disjointed Tiger “O” that has struggled to locate any continuity TY following disastrous experiment with spread formation (and o.c. Franklin’s midseason dismissal). No such confusion with balanced Tide attack, piloted expertly by sr. QB Wilson (just 5 picks). And rivalry or not, can’t hesitate to buck Auburn bunch that’s covered only 2 of 10 on board in ‘08.
Jeff Benton
20 Dime: GEORGIA TECH (plus the points vs. Georgia)
10 Dime: SOUTH CAROLINA (vs. Clemson)
10 Dime: MISSOURI (minus the points vs. Kansas)
Georgia Tech
Ten days ago, Georgia Tech gashed one of the best defenses in the nation (Miami, Fla.) for 472 rushing yards in a 41-23 rout. Today, the Yellow Jackets face a Georgia defense that has given up 167.4 rushing yards (not to mention nearly 24 points) in its last five games, including 33.3 points and 178.3 rushing yards in its last three … and Georgia Tech is catching well over a touchdown? Against its biggest in-state rival? This makes no sense to me at all!
It makes even less sense when you consider that Georgia Tech is 8-3 SU and 7-2-1 ATS on the season, with only one of its defeats (28-7 at North Carolina) coming by more than a touchdown. Granted, the ACC is down this year compared with the SEC, but with the way the Yellow Jackets run the football (270 rush yards per game) and play defense (16.7 points, 296.7 total yards per game allowed), there’s no doubt in my mind they can cover this pointspread … if not win outright.
Georgia, which barely beat lowly Auburn in its last game two weeks ago (17-13 as a nine-point road favorite), has been dreadful against the spread, going 3-7-1 ATS on the season and 1-6 ATS in its last seven, including three straight non-covers at home. Also, the Bulldogs’ last two wins were each four-point victories.
The road team is 8-1-1 ATS the last 10 years in this rivalry, and the one push came in the Yellow Jackets’ last trip to Georgia when they blew a 12-0 first-half lead and lost 15-12 as a three-point underdog.
Throw in the fact that first-year Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson is 13-3 ATS in his last 16 games as an underdog going back to 2003 and his days at Navy, and I’ll gladly take the generous points with confidence!
South Carolina
Think the Ol’ Ball Coach and his Gamecocks are still fuming over that debacle at Florida two weeks ago? Think they’d like to take some frustrations out on archrival Clemson, which has struggled to score points pretty much all season and which knocked South Carolina out of a bowl last year? The answers to those questions are “yes” and “yes”!
After holding its first 10 opponents to 24 points or less and an average of just 15.6 points per game, South Carolina became the latest defense to get run over by the Gators in an ugly 56-6 loss. This week, though, the Gamecocks’ solid defense catches a break, as Clemson has scored 17 points or fewer in four of its last seven games – and that’s in the weak ACC. Last week against Virginia, the Tigers managed just 13 points, and they also scored just 17 against both Maryland and Georgia Tech and only seven against Wake Forest. And if you discount a 27-point effort at Florida State (Clemson got a garbage touchdown late), the only Division I-A teams the Tigers put points up against was Duke (31), North Carolina State (27) and Boston College (27).
True, Clemson’s defense (21 points or less allowed in nine of 11 games) has made up for the offense’s deficiencies. However, prior to the Florida disaster, Steve Spurrier’s offense had been clicking in putting up 23 points or more in six of its previous seven games (all six were victories). Also, the Tigers have just four wins against Division I competition, but two of those opponents (N.C. State and Duke) aren’t exactly powerhouses. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are 7-4 on the season with three of the losses – including a 14-7 defeat to Georgia – were by exactly seven points, meaning South Carolina has been in every game this year except for the last one.
Finally, as if they needed added motivation against a hated rival, the Gamecocks have some. Last year, Clemson kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to steal a 23-21 win on South Carolina’s home field to knock the ‘Cocks out of a bowl. Well, today, it’s the Tigers who need a win to go bowling, and you know South Carolina would love nothing more than to return the favor. They’ll do it as the road team wins for the fourth straight year in this rivalry.
Missouri
You could argue that there’s no motivation for Missouri to cover this massive spread, seeing as the Tigers have already clinched the Big 12 North title and a berth in next week’s much-anticipated conference championship game. Except for the fact that they’re playing their biggest rival in Kansas. For that reason alone, there’s little doubt that given the opportunity to pour it on, Missouri will do just that.
Well, considering the poor state of Kansas’ defense, I see no reason why the Tigers won’t find the end zone early and often. The Jayhawks, who have lost four of their last five games, have given up 33 points or more six times in their last nine contests. And against the four prolific offenses that Kansas has faced – Texas, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Oklahoma – it has given up a total of 178 points, or 44.5 points per contest! Obviously, with Chase Daniel running the show, Missouri’s offense definitely falls under the “prolific” category. The Tigers are averaging 45.7 points and 512.3 total yards, and they’ve scored at least 31 points in all but one game this year.
Additionally, during its current four-game winning streak, Missouri has outscored its opponents 182-72, or an average margin of victory of 28 points per game, and the Tigers have outgained those four opponents by a total of 532 yards!
Yes, Kansas can score points, too, but against the three best teams they’ve faced this year (Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma), the Jayhawks averaged just 19.7 points. And Missouri’s defense comes into this one having allowed an average of 18 ppg during its four-game winning streak and the Tigers have held six of their last 10 opponents to 21 points or fewer. Missouri has won and covered the last two meetings against Kansas, and with this game being played on a neutral field in Kansas City, it’s interesting to note that the Tigers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 away from home. Lay the big price, as Missouri rolls by at least three TDs.
Iron Horse
Rivalry 10* GOY
Florida Gators
Big Al
4* Oklahoma State +7.5
3* Rice +3
3* Florida International +4
3* Cincy -21.5
3* Kansas +16
1* USC -32
JEFFERSONSPORTS
MARYLAND +7 -120
I like this game. Maryland is a really good team off of bad performances. They should bounce back well here. Also we have a very avg. Boston College offense that must now start their freshman backup QB since Crane is out. We also have some matchups that we really like. Too many points. We have some good psychological edges, good matchups, against public. --Take Maryland.
CINCINATTI -21 -120
ATS LOCK Club FB
7 units Tenn -3.5
6 units Oregon St -3
5 units Memphis -14
5 units Maryland +6.5
Youngstown Connection
High Noon
South Carolina +1
Hammer Play
Memphis -14
False Favorite
Rice +3
Marc Lawrence
4* South Carolina
FatJack
Vandy +4
Kansas +15
Viriginia Over 39
Maryland +6.5
Alabama -14.5
Oklahoma -7
Ron Raymond
5* Georgia Tech / Georgia Under 49.5
Bob Balfe
College Football
North Carolina/Duke Over 44
For the first time in many years we cant say that we are looking forward to just the basketball matchup between both schools. Duke really turned the page this year and are no longer the laughing stock of college football. UNC has great athletes and themselves had a good year. Duke will not be playing in a bowl game so this is it today. UNC can lock up a decent bowl game if they get to 8 wins on the year. Look for the athletic ability for both teams to shine today. This should be a back and forth shootout. Take the Over.
Tennessee -4 over Kentucky
The Vols were picked on by the media all year which lead to coach Fulmers departure. This will be his last home game and he has done a lot for this program and his players have his respect. Tennessee still has the athletic ability to beat a lot of good football teams. This year they were plagued by turnovers. Look for the Vols to send their coach out in style today. Take Tennessee.
Baylor +22 over Texas Tech
The pressure of winning might catch up with Tech today. This football team needs a lot of help from their competition for things to work out for them in a title game. Baylor is much like Duke as they have turned the corner. Baylor has a decent running QB who will control the clock when they have the ball. I do not think Baylor can win outright, but they should keep it close.
NBA Basketball
TWolves +4.5 over Nuggets
NCAA Basketball
Detroit +2.5 over St. Louis
Savannah Sports
4 units Georgia Tech +7.5
Teddy Covers
20* Big Ticket Memphis -14
Baylor +21.5
Utah State -5.5
Kentucky +4
South Carolina +1