Rocketman Sports
Florida Atlantic @ Arkansas State
Play: 2* Florida Atlantic +4
Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game. Owls are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. Owls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a SU win. Owls are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games on grass. Owls are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in November. Owls are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 conference games. Owls are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall. Red Wolves are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games in November. Red Wolves are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games on grass. Red Wolves are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. Red Wolves are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games. Red Wolves are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game. Red Wolves are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. Red Wolves are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games. Red Wolves are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a SU loss. Red Wolves are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a bye week. Red Wolves are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall. Red Wolves are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss. We'll play Florida Atlantic for 2 units today!
Joe Gaffney
Pittsburgh U vs. Cincinnati U
Play: Pittsburgh +6
The schedule sets up nicely for the rush-heavy Wannstedts, who had a bye last week and can rest up and devote some extra time to Cincinnati’s so-so spread attack, which has had its ups and downs this season and which may revert back to Dustin Grutza at quarterback, who started the season and had been followed by three other quarterbacks before he came full circle and got back behind center after halftime of last week’s second-half comeback win. Sensational defense, good coaching, talented offensive skill players and a nice offensive scheme have kept the Bearcats a float, but don't be surprises if the PANTHERS pull the upset. Take the pts.
Team Who2beton
The West Virginia Mountaineers began this season with high hopes, but they are just 1-2 on the road this year and we feel they will have their hands full when they visit the Louisville Cardinals.
Sure the Mounties had a bye week after getting upset here at home by Cincinnati two weeks ago, but they have already lost on the road to a couple of mediocre teams in Colorado and East Carolina. West Virginia is a one-dimensional running team, but the problem here is that the Cardinals are allowing just 95.5 rushing yards per game on 3.2 yards per rush.
Moreover, Louisville has been even more stingy against the run at home, allowing 75.4 rushing yards on a miniscule 2.7 yards per rush in this stadium. We look for them to have success in slowing the Mountaineers powerful running attack down here, basically daring Pat White to beat them with his arm.
That makes for a terrible matchup for West Virginia, as they do not want to get involved in a shootout with a Cardinals team that averaged 28.3 points on a balanced 189.9 rushing yards and 207.1 passing yards here at home.
We think that balance is the key here, as we give Louisville an excellent chance at puling the outright upset here.
Pick: Louisville +7
ROCKBOXSPORTS.COM
FOUR STARS: MISSISSIPPI +4
Rebels are improving fast under coach Houston Nutt. They are 6-4 and could easily be 8-2 after throwing away two games early against lesser teams. LSU looked uninterested last week against Troy. While the Tigers have to be disappointed with where their season is heading, Ole Miss is ecstatic to be bowl eligible and smelling a shot at a trip to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl with a win here. Nutt's bunch has already won in The Swamp this season so they won't be fearing a trip to Baton Rouge. They're primed for another breakthrough with an outright win against an LSU team that is talented but seriously lacking at QB.
FOUR STARS: FLORIDA ATLANTIC+4
Howard Schnellenberger's Owls were written off after a 1-5 start, but those early struggles came against a brutal schedule (Texas, Michigan State, Minnesota, all on the road). All of a sudden, that Sun Belt schedule seems like a piece of cake. FAU is riding a four game winning streak and getting better every week. They're the best team in the conference and will prove it with an outright win here.
THREE STARS: WAKE FOREST -2.5
BC feeds off of turnovers, but a disciplined Wake Forest squad won't oblige them this week. BC comes in off a big win at FSU on national TV. Wake comes in off of a bad loss at NC State. We think the Deacs turn the tables and spring a trap here.
THREE STARS: ARIZONA -2.5
Wildcats have been rolling on offense and they're much tougher at home. We respect Oregon State but don't think they're Rose Bowl material. Aside from the USC ambush in Corvallis, who have they really beaten? They lost at Stanford, lost at Utah and have piled up wins against UCLA, Washington, Washington State, ASU (barely) and Cal at home. Maybe they are the best in the Pac-10, but we're not sold just yet. Arizona gets the win here.
THREE STARS: STANFORD/CAL UNDER 51
Both teams want to run the ball and have limited QB's who struggle to stretch the field. Cal's struggling offensive line will have to deal with Stanford's aggressive defense while Cal's outstanding linebackers have what it takes to keep the Cardinal from running wild on the ground.
TWO STARS: NEVADA +7
Wolf Pack has been stewing for a year over last year's 69-67 4OT loss to Boise. Now they've got their shot in front of a home crowd that will likely treat this one as the closest thing to a Super Bowl in Reno, Nevada. The Pack won't be intimidated by the Broncos, having faced the likes of Texas Tech and Missouri early on this season. Meanwhile, Boise's only impressive win came at Oregon. Nevada keeps this one close and takes a shot at ruining Boise's BCS bid.
TWO STARS: WYOMING +2
Cowboys should give an emotional performance in support of coach Joe Glenn who very likely won't be returning next season.
TWO STARS: PURDUE/INDIANA OVER 53.5
Both teams are getting healthy on offense just in time for the rivalry game. Indiana has the talent to put up points offensively. Their defense is much more questionable. With Purdue QB Curtis Painter primed for a big game, this one has the makings of a shootout.
ONE STAR PLAYS: OHIO STATE -20.5; INDIANA +11; PENN STATE -15.5; UTAH -7; TEXAS TECH +7
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Kelso's pick for Saturday 200 unit
2008 PERSONAL BEST FOOTBALL CLUB
Saturday, November 22, 2008
College Conference Blowout of the Year200UNLV (-10) over San Diego St
8:00 PM -- Qualcomm Stadium
UNLV by 45-50
Comments: This game is one of those rare occasions in college football where one team grades out in more than 40 of the 47 step-by-step elements I use in my team-vs.-team analysis. In this case, UNLV grades out on top in 46 categories and thus has better than a 95% chance to cover the number. This is not to suggest UNLV is an outstanding football team but merely to note how absolutely dreadful is San Diego State (1-10), a team that has lost to I-AA Cal Poly, 29-27, and has beaten only 2-9 Idaho, 45-17. UNLV grades out on top at all the skill positions, with the over-all ability of its offense, with its defense and with its special teams. While standing just 5-6, UNLV is playing its best football right now and comes into this game off back-to-back wins over New Mexico and Wyoming. San Diego State lost to New Mexico, 70-7, and to Wyoming, 35-10. Now factor into the equation a UNLV win makes the Rebels bowl eligible for the first time since 2000, a year in which they upset Arkansas, 31-14, in the Las Vegas Bowl. If ever a game had blowout written all over it because of the grading differential and the incentive factor, it is this one.
Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
Bob Balfe
Tennessee +3 over Vandy
Vandy started off the year 5-0, but most of it was due to a poor schedule and gift turnovers. Tennessee was just the opposite. The Vols would fumble at the worst times and seemed to be doomed in the turnover department. This is coach Fulmers last season and this team has looked horrible on offense, but Vandy's offense has not been much better. Tennessee still has more talent up and down the lineup. Vandy has not played too well at home and this looks like a huge trap game for the public. Take Tennessee.
Wunderdog
Vancouver at Pittsburgh
Pick: Pittsburgh -140
The Canucks have posted back-to back road wins, but will be tested today against a red-hot Penguins team that is clicking on all cylinders of the game. The only blemish on the Penguins' mark over the last eight games is a shootout loss to Minnesota as they have otherwise played through November without a stumble. This will be the Canucks third road game in four days, and this is an early start on top of it. It may be too much to ask of Vancouver against a very hot and also very good Penguins team. I'll take Pittsburgh here.
Milwaukee at Charlotte
Pick: Milwaukee +2.5
Charlotte has assembled some talented young players, but they are not a good team yet and have a bigger obstacle as they try to learn a brand new system under new head coach Larry Brown. There is and will be growing pains here. The Bobcats have managed to put just three in the win column. The Bucks are improved simply because they are healthy. They finished 3-21 last year with a myriad of injuries playing a large factor. The Bucks aren't ready to compete with the top teams yet, but what they have been able to do is beat the sub-.500 teams where they have won their last three. They certainly smell the scent of a winnable game here and the Bucks have been getting it done, so I'll back them in this one, especially as a dog.
John Fina
Selection: Rice -9.5
Reason: Put us down on Rice -9.5 for our Free College Football Selection on Saturday. Today Marshall will be on the road as they take on Rice. We will lay the points with Rice! This is a Western Division Conference USA game in which Rice will be hosting Marshall. Marshall is a struggling team this year that is approaching this matchup with 5 losses in the last 6 games. Their last game was an abysmal defeat of 30-14 at the hands of the Central Florida Knights. The Thundering Herd is 3-3 in the league but has a big problem on the road; outside of home territory the Herd is 1-4. Rice on the other hand, is coming into this one after four straight wins. Against the Army Black Knights, which was their last game, the Owls pounded them 38-31. In the West Division, Rice is tied 5-1 with the Golden Hurricanes and the Cougars; they will finish their regular season against Houston once again next week. Rice and Marshall have met only once before and that was last year. That first matchup saw the Owls defeated 34-21. The Owl passing attack is no joke, its actually one of the best in the country. Through the air, Rice averages 322.6 yards per game with 34 of 51 TDs coming by way of the pass. Quarterback Chase Clement is excellent, having completed 67% of throws for 3,116 yards with 32 TDs and only 6 interceptions this season. Tight end James Casey has caught 32 receptions for 1,007 yards and 9 scores, and wide receiver Jarett Dillard has 69 receptions for 1,093 yards and 17 scores for this season. Winning by 7 points over the Black Knights, Rice gained a total of 517 yards against the opposition. In that victory, Clement threw for 384 yards and 3 TDs while running for 87 yards and a TD. While Dillard only caught 4 passes, he finished the game with 144 yards and 2 scores. Rice’s defense is pretty bad, but so is Marshall’s. The Owl passing attack will carry them through well enough as they will totally trample that weak Herd defense. Lay the points! Take Rice -9.5!