Root
Chairman - Maryland
Millionaire - Utah
Northcoast
2* Clev -3
Marquee
Utah +1.5
Top Opinions
TCU/Utah Under 43
Den/Cle Over 46
Reg Opinions
V Tech -3
Mar/VT Under 41.5
Cash & Profit
TCU (POD)
Cleveland
Bob Akmens
Clevland -3
Virginia Tech -3
Ottowa -135
San Jose/ St Louis Under 5.0
JEFFERSONSPORTS
NCAA FB
TCU -1.5
NHL
OTTAWA -135
ATLANTA -140
John Fina
3 units Maryland/Virginia Tech Over 40.5
3 units TCU -1.5
1 unit 2-Team NCAA Football Parlay
Maryland/Virginia Tech Over 40.5
TCU -1.5
Bryan Leonard
4* TV Game of the Month
We have said all along that the Horned Frogs are the best team in the Mountain West Conference and Vegas agrees making them a 2 point road favorite at undefeated Utah. The only blemish for TCU was a 35-10 loss at Oklahoma. The Sooners were looking to avenge their last home loss which came in 2005 when this same TCU program beat Oklahoma 17-10 on the road. Even in defeat the Horned Frogs were only outgained 435-314 but a 4-0 turnover disadvantage took them completely out of their game. TCU's most impressive victory this season was a 32-7 beat down of previous unbeaten BYU. They also took care of Stanford 31-14 winning the yardage battle 378-193. The TCU defense has held eight different opponents to their season low yardage, the most of any FBS squad. They also rank as the second best defense in the country right behind USC. They have held 7 of their 10 opponents this season to under 10 points. Simply put this offense is amazing and we can't see the Utes putting many points on the board. Utah is a perfect 9-0 on the season with their most impressive victories being a 31-28 home victory over Oregon State and a 25-23 win at Michigan. They were outgained in the win over the Beavers 405-337 and lowly Toledo also beat Michigan on the road. So despite the lofty ranking and the undefeated record Utah has done nothing to deserve all this credit. Much has been made about Utah beating TCU the last two seasons but this is a far better Horned Frogs team. Head coach Gary Patterson talked about that in his weekly press conference saying that the last time his team faced Utah QB Andy Dalton was a very raw and inexperienced player. Now he is a confident leader who has improved immensely from a season ago. In that game Utah won 27-20 and they had a plus three turnover advantage. Considering that TCU has only turned the ball over 11 times in 10 games we don't see that being a problem in this game. TCU has the better depth which is big at this time of season. Patterson said that every time his team has gotten a big lead this season he has rested his starters and that has helped his team stay relatively injury free. The second string defense played a great deal last week against UNLV and they still held the solid Rebel offense to 14 points and 175 total yards. TCU has allowed more than 14 points once all season, to Oklahoma one of the best offenses in the country. Utah is solid offensively but we can't expect more than 17 points from the host here. Look for the superior defense of the Horned Frogs to be the difference as TCU wins a low scoring physical game. PLAY TCU
Trace Adams
1500* - Utah Utes, 500* - Denver-Cleveland OVER
Talk about a huge clash this Thursday night! Here you have TCU coming in with just 1 loss on the season, while Utah is still unbeaten, and BCS dreaming.
The Utes saw Ball State torch Northern Illinois last night, and while Utah is facing a much stiffer test than the Cardinals did last night, Utah has had TCU's number of late, winning outright in the last pair of meetings, and losing by just 3 back in 2005 to the Frogs.
No doubt TCU's defense has been tighter than a virgin on prom night, but this is a very tough spot for the Horned Frogs who played on the road (in a romp at UNLV), last Saturday, and now must travel to play in altitude for their second straight roadie off short rest.
The Frogs are just 2-5 straight up their last 7 Thursday nighters - although they did crush BYU 32-7 on Thursday night a few weeks ago - while Utah is 15-3 straight up in the month of November their last 18.
Not crazy about laying the small road wood with TCU tonight, as Utah has been a home dog only twice since Kyle Whittingham has been the coach, and they are a perfect 2-0 both straight up, and against the spread.
1500♦ - Utah Utes
In the NFL, I am looking for the points to pile up in Cleveland tonight.
True, Brady Quinn is getting his first start for the Browns, but the Denver defense is one injured bunch, and they have been giving up points at an alarming clip. The Broncos are allowing an average of almost 30 points per game over their last 7 games!
Meanwhile, Cleveland was up 27-13 on Sunday at home against Baltimore, and allowed 24 unanswered as they lost 37-27. Cleveland's defense had actually looked solid prior to the Ravnes uprising, as they hadn't allowed over 17 in any of their previous 4 contests. I have a feeling the defense is going to get gouged here.
The Broncos are currently on a 9-3-1 OVER clip their last 13 on the road, and I don't see that trend revealing an UNDER to us in this one tonight.
The offenses dictate tonight, as Denver and Cleveland put some big numbers up on the Browns Stadium scoreboard tonight.
500♦ - Denver-Cleveland OVER
ASA
3-Star Cleveland Browns (-3) over Denver Broncos
I have been fading Denver as of late and actually had them as my “sell” team in my weekly “NFL – Buy or Sell?” article a few weeks ago. This team is horrible on defense. If that is the case, which it is, you better be able to score a bunch of points or else you are not going to win games. Simple as that. Early in the season it looked like this team was going to be a juggernaut on offense. They ripped of 41, 39 & 34 points in their first three games. Do realize since that, the Broncos have not even broken 20 points? That’s right, in their last five games Denver’s highest point total has been 19. In those five games this once feared offense has averaged 15 PPG. Not good when your defense is bad. Over those same five games the Bronco stop unit has allowed nearly 28 PPG on average. The Broncos have won just one of their last five games which is bad. The worse part it, three of those five games have been at home. It was their time to make some headway and make a run in the poor AFC West. Now they make the long trip to Cleveland for a Thursday night game and this team flat out stinks on the road. They have played just three road games all season and after their win at putrid Oakland to open the season, they have been demolished in their other two road games. That includes a 33-19 loss @ Kansas City who has just one win on the year and that game was it. Their most recent road game was vs. New England a few weeks ago where they were embarrassed 41-7. That was a Patriot team that has average only 18 PPG on the year if you take out that Denver win. It’s a Patriot team that’s highest point total besides that 41-point blasting of the Broncos is just 23 points. That’s how bad Denver’s defense is. They rank 26th or worse in each major defensive category (YPG allowed, passing yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and PPG allowed). Cleveland is making a change at QB on Thursday which many times re-energizes a team. We see that as the case here. Brady Quinn steps under center replacing a struggling Derek Anderson. The last straw was on Sunday when the Browns were driving for the tying (FG) or winning (TD) score against Baltimore. With under 3:00 minutes remaining in the game, Anderson threw an interception near mid-field that was returned for a TD ending the game. This team had been playing much better leading up to their Baltimore loss winning three of their last four games including a 35-14 shellacking of the NY Giants who many consider the best team in the NFL. A huge home game and national TV appearance here for the 3-5 Browns. They face a “defenseless” team that hasn’t been scoring points. It all adds up to an easy win for the home team.
ATS FINANCIAL
3 units Broncos/Browns Under
Robert Ferringo
1-Unit Play. Take Maryland +3 over Virginia Tech
Sports Firm
Texas Christian Horned Frogs at Utah Utes
Play Under 43
Christian Horned Frogs at Utah Utes
Play Utah
Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic
Play Under 192
Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic
Play 76ers
Oscarxena Sports
Virginia Tech -3 (2 Unit Play)
Philadelphia +5 (2 Unit Play)
Tampa Bay +1.68 (2 Unit Play)
Scott Rickenbach
Cleveland
Ryan "Huge" Campbell
Utah +2