OTHER GAMES
Louisville at S MISSISSIPPI - Each team had a bye just two weeks ago and
should be rested despite the short week. QB Dave Ragone has 233 ypg (54%)
and a solid 17-6 ratio and faces SM DB’s that are #2 in our pass efficiency
D ratings allowing 162 ypg (45%) and a super 1-14 ratio. RB Derrick Nix has
869 yds (6.1) and he should return here after missing LW. UL has one of the
NCAA’s finest special teams units at #5 and they have blocked eight punts.
This is an important game for each teams’ bowl hopes and positioning. This
is the Thursday Night ESPN Play and is available on Phil Steele’s Private
Play Hotline. Call 1-900-903-9467 or log onto www.ncsports.com and go to
the NCstore after 5:00 pm EST on gameday for the Thursday Night Play which
is 9-3 this year!!
BOSTON COLLEGE 38 Syracuse 24 - The fav is 15-3 ATS the L/18 series
meetings. LY Syr ran 87 plays to BC’s 55 and won 38-28 as 3’ pt HF’s. BC is
glad to be playing at home for the 1st time in a month. Syr is off a huge
home upset of VT in OT and has a bye on deck. BC is 13-7 as a HF under
O’Brien while Syr is 6-16 as an AD under Pasqualoni. After a shocking 1-6
start to the season, the Orangemen have won 3 straight and need to win the
L/2 vs BC & Miami to avoid their first losing season since 1986. BC has a
huge edge on defense with our #29 ranked unit (Syr #94). They have allowed
250 ypg rush (4.9) the L/5 games after losing their top 2 DL to inj. The
starters on the Eagles’ rebuilt DL only avg 6-3 268, and must face Syr’s
huge OL which avgs 6-4 304. The Eagles were flat LW at Morgantown following
their big emotional upset of ND and remain winless in the BE (0-4 SU). BC
QB Brian St Pierre is avg 222 ypg (59%) with a 12-12 ratio. BC RB Derrick
Knight has 918 yds (5.1). Syr QB Troy Nunes is avg 240 ypg (62%) with a 5-3
ratio the L/3 games. Syr RB Walter Reyes has 930 yds (6.1). Their defense
has gotten a lot tougher vs the run since the DL returned to health
allowing just 60 ypg rushing the L/3 weeks. LW’s results give us some line
value and the letdown factor favors BC this week.
Maryland 24 CLEMSON 17 - Clemson had won 13 of the L/14 in this series
outscoring MD 214-56. LY, in front of a rare sellout crowd, Friedgen
trounced the Tigers 37-20 in his 1st try as HC. If you go back to his days
as the OC for GT “The Fridge” has won 5 straight SU vs CU. The home team is
now 9-3-1 ATS the L/13 in this series. MD has gone 4-0 ATS as AD’s under
“The Fridge” and LW, vs NCSt, was the 1st game they won but did not cover
under him (16-1). CU is 4-8-1 ATS as HF’s. LW, in front of 52,915 (4th
largest crowd), MD overcame a 14 pt 2H deficit. Clemson leads the ACC in
int’s (16) & pass D, but rank 7th in rush def as they are giving up 154 ypg
(3.7). MD ranks #7 nationally in scoring defense (15.1 ppg) & have only
allowed 8 passing TD’s. RB Bruce Perry returned LW & ran for 23 yds (10
att). His replacement Chris Downs has 894 yds (6.3). The Terps have the
edge on offense (#29 vs #59). The teams are about even on def (MD #34, Clem
#37). CU became bowl eligible for the 4th time in 4 seasons under Tommy
Bowden. QB Charlie Whitehurst has avg 347 ypg in 2 starts for CU. The Terps
have been much more impressive as of late and have a large enough talent
edge to grab the road win.
GEORGIA TECH 30 Duke 17 - The home team is 5-1 ATS. LY the game was played
in a steady rain and it was close at half, 17-10, but GT had a 17 pt 3Q to
open things up in their 37-10 win as 24’ pt favs. GT is 4-0 ATS off of its
L/4 losses to the Noles and, vs two ranked teams the L/2 weeks, had a 45-28
FD edge showing they are finding capable replacements for their injured
stars. They are just 3-9 ATS in their home finales. Duke is off a bye week
and they have now lost an ACC record 23 games in a row but led Clemson
24-10 in the 4Q. They lead the ACC in rush defense (118.4 ypg, 25 sks), but
they do rank last in the league in pass defense (259 ypg). QB Adam Smith
avg 171 ypg (58%) with a 10-7 ratio. RB Alex Wade has 780 yds (4.8) & Chris
Douglas has been a solid compliment with 521 yds (4.8). GT QB AJ Suggs avg
184 ypg (58%) with a 10-10 ratio. GT has a large defense edge (#15 vs #77)
but Duke has a huge situational edge off a bye with GT off two supreme
efforts as DD dogs and now in the role of large favorite. Duke did almost
upset NCSt in their last road trip and keep it close here.
Purdue 27 MICHIGAN ST 24 - The Spartans played their 1st game under OC
Morris Watts LW after HC Williams was fired. He met with 45 of the Spartans
to address why they had not been playing as a team. They did play up to
their ability LW in their 56-21 win albeit vs depth shy Indiana. Purdue HAS
to be the best 4-6 team in the country as they have lost those 6 games by a
total of 26 pts. The home team has gone 12-3-1 ATS in the L/16 meetings.
Joe Tiller is 4-1 SU in this series including LY’s 24-14 win in which the
Spartans were forced to start then 3rd string QB Damon Dowdell due to
injuries. Dowdell hit 24 of 45 for 304 yds and 2 TD’s but 6 MSU turnovers
were their downfall. The last time Purdue visited East Lansing, Drew Brees
& Co were pummeled 30-10 as MSU easily won as the Underdog Play of the
Week. MSU is playing their home finale & is a perfect 11-0 ATS (9-2 SU) on
senior day. They are 2-9 ATS as a HF the L/2Y. Since taking over for Jeff
Smoker, Dowdell has thrown for an avg of 181 ypg (55%) with a 6-1 ratio.
Purdue QB Brandon Kirsch played LW with a broken hand and is more mobile
than Kyle Orton who has thrown 7 of his 9 int’s in their L/4 games. Both
played vs OSU LW. Purdue holds the off (#19 vs #49) and def (#26 vs #64)
ranking edges. This is tough to call as Purdue has played well all year
without getting any breaks while MSU has rarely played to its potential.
It’s tough to go vs either of these teams and both need to win or their
bowl hopes are gone.
Iowa 34 MINNESOTA 17 - After Iowa beat Michigan, Hawkeye fans bought more
than 5,000 tickets to this one. Iowa dominated the Battle for Floyd of
Rosedale, a bronze pig, LY 42-24 breaking the Gophers’ 3 game SU winning
streak in this series. Iowa has played their 12 game schedule without a bye
so fatigue could be a factor for them (Minny had a bye 3 weeks ago). This
is Minny’s home finale and they are 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in those. The Hawks
have had landing problems on artificial turf as they have been outscored
304-106 in their L/8 on carpet. UI is 8-3 ATS on the Big 10 road the L/3Y.
Minny has come crashing back to reality after their 7-1 start as they have
been beaten by OSU 34-3 & Mich 41-24. Their offense moves by ground and is
avg 234 ypg (5.0) led by RB’s Terry Jackson’s 1169 yds (6.0) & Thomas
Tapeh’s 756 yds (5.3). QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq is also a running threat but
has avg 148 ypg passing (52%). Iowa is led by the NCAA’s most efficient
passer QB Brad Banks who has thrown for 206 ypg (61%) with an outstanding
23-4 ratio. The run game is led by RB Fred Russell who has 1025 yds rush
(5.3). The Hawkeyes defense will be a stout test to the Gophers running
game as they have only allowed an avg of 67 yds rush (2.2) this year. Iowa
also has a large athletic OL taking on a small defensive front for Minny
which has yielded some big rush totals vs similar lines.
CINCINNATI 34 Houston 27 - LY was a thriller as UH led 28-17 in the 4Q
before Cincy came back to win 29-28 as a 10’ pt AF. The Bearcats are off a
Thursday Night upset of Louisville and lookahead may be a factor here as
they have a trip to Hawaii on deck. UH is off of a heartbreaking 54-48 loss
as a 1 pt fav vs E Carolina where they allowed 17 4Q points before a losing
in triple OT. UC QB Gino Guidugli is avg 254 ypg (55%) with an 11-13 ratio
and he will be taking on the UH DB’s that have allowed 273 ypg and a 19-8
ratio, including 366 ypg in their L/4. UC rates a huge edge on D with our
#30 unit (UH #94) and they are allowing just 307 ypg total D. They have
allowed just 216 ypg total D in their L/4 games (all in CUSA play) after
allowing 381 ypg in their first 5 games. UH is led by RB Joffrey Reynolds
who has 1261 (5.6). QB Nick Eddy has been very solid in his 5 starts with
236 ypg. They do have the NCAA’s biggest OL at 328 per man and they will
have an 81 lbs per man advantage here. They have allowed just 13 sacks.
Both of these teams are 4-5 SU and fighting for a bowl berth. UH is an ever
improving team and should take this to the wire.
AKRON 37 Buffalo 13 - Akron won 41-14 as a 5 pt AF LY. Akron is 7-3 SU &
ATS the last 10 lined home finales since ‘90. LW the Zips were leading Ohio
10-0 before self destructing. They had 4 turnovers and a blocked FG, which
allowed Ohio to score 27 unanswered points. QB Charlie Frye is avg 250 ypg
(66%) with a 13-9 ratio. While Akron has just one more win than Buffalo
they are the stronger team and they prove it in their home finale.
C MICHIGAN 24 Ball St 21 - LY CM had 533-492 yard and 27-19 FD edges but
lost 38-34 covering as an 11’ pt AD. CM is 5-0 ATS vs Ball St since ‘97.
Ball St is coming off a bye which is huge late in the year while CM is
playing for the 6th straight week. CMU is 6-9 ATS as a home favorite since
‘95 including 0-3 since ‘99. Ball St has won 3 straight ATS. LW CM trailed
Toledo 44-3. A week after gaining a MAC record 377 yds, CM RB Robbie Mixon
was held to just 35 yds. Ball St is led by QB Andy Roesch who, in his 4
starts, is avg 176 ypg (53%) with an 8-4 ratio. RB Marcus Merriweather has
1178 yds (4.9). These are two underrated teams. CM has slight edges on both
offense and defense and are at home but Ball St plays well at the end of
the year and are off a bye.
N Illinois 41 E MICHIGAN 17 - LY NI led 40-3 with 3:34 left in the 3Q.
They won easily 40-17 but failed to cover as a 24 pt HF. NI has won 7
straight ATS. They are coming off a win over a ranked and undefeated BG
team LW. RB Michael Turner returned and had 192 yds vs BG. NI has a HUGE
game vs Toledo next week for the MAC West Title so this is a sandwich game.
EM has some weapons like QB Troy Edwards (226 ypg, 57%) and RB Ime Akpan
with 1113 yds (4.9). If NI was focused they could win this by 49 or more,
but they may rest some starters although they did have a bye 2 weeks ago.
This is EM’s home finale but they lost to a much weaker CM by 26 in their
last HG.
Toledo 24 W MICHIGAN 20 - LY UT won 41-35 but WM blocked a punt with 1:58
left in the game and recovered it for a TD and the backdoor cover. WM was
without their QB Jeff Welsh in the 2H of that game. The last game played at
WM was in 2000 when WM upset UT 21-14 as a 2 pt HD. That game cost UT a
perfect season, the trip to the MAC Championship and a possible bowl bid.
UT is 10-2 SU & 8-4 ATS in the series. WM is a surprising 0-4 ATS at home
this year including just getting by EM with a last second FG to pull out
the 33-31 victory (-25’) LW. This is WM’s home finale. If UT wins out they
will repeat as MAC West Champs. UT is without their top ground gainer RB
William Bratton who is out for the regular season. QB Brian Jones has 233
ypg (71%!!) and a 13-4 ratio. WM’s leading rusher Philip Reed was not a
100% last week and had just 44 yds. WM has used 2 QB’s this year and they
are avg 271 ypg (52%) with a 16-16 ratio. WM did stay within 4 of NI, 3 of
BG, 4 of Purdue and 4 of UCF this year.
KENTUCKY 40 Vanderbilt 23 - UK is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS the L/6 vs VU. LY,
Woody Widenhofer announced his resignation during the week, but VU didn’t
respond, losing 56-30 as 1 pt HF’s. UK snapped a 15 game SEC losing streak,
and Jared Lorenzen threw for a career high 453 yards. This is UK’s home
finale and they almost upset Tenn in LY’s. UK has a big edge in spec teams
with our #12 ranked unit featuring KR/PR Derek Abney who has 5 returns for
TD’s this year and P Glenn Pakulak who has a 45.2 avg (39.3 net). UK can
clinch a winning season here and erase some of the misery of LW’s shocking
last second loss to LSU. VU has lost 14 consecutive SEC games, but their
last SEC win was vs UK in 2000. UK Lorenzen leads the SEC in pass eff and
is avg 208 ypg (57%) with a 24-3 ratio. RB Artose Pinner leads the SEC with
1139 yds (4.7). VU held UF scoreless in the 2H LW despite a banged up
secondary and covered easily as 21’ pt dogs. VU ranks #110 in our pass eff
def rankings allowing 237 ypg (65%) with an 11-4 ratio. The only plus for
UK is they won’t be celebrating LW’s upset this week and should take this
game seriously.
TEXAS A&M 37 Missouri 23 - A&M faces the challenge this week of focusing on
this game after their first-ever win over the country’s top ranked team as
Phil Steele’s 41st Outright Upset as the Big Dog Play of the Week. MU is
5-10 ATS as an AD. Their lone cover in that role this year came in a very
misleading final 2 weeks ago vs ISU where they were outgained 602-365. MU’s
fabulous frosh Brad Smith needs just 95 yds rush to become the 2nd player
in NCAA history to throw for 2000 yds & run for 1000 in one season. MU
leads the NCAA with just 9 TO’s lost this year & MO has our #24 offense.
The D is #79 in our rankings & is allowing 536 ypg on the road this year.
A&M upset OU despite playing without their top rusher (Derek Farmer), their
top receiver (Jamaar Taylor), their top OL (Andre Brooks) & with true frosh
PS#3QB Reggie McNeal throwing for 4 TD’s on an OU defense that had given up
just 3 TD passes this year. The Wrecking Crew has become more of a bend but
don’t break D lately due to inj’s and depth problems. S Jaxson Appel missed
the OU game & star DE Ty Warren didn’t play in the 2H LW due to a
reoccurring ankle inj. They still rank as our #16 D overall allowing 3.3
ypc rushing with 34 sks. MO was outplayed by much more than the final
indicated LW again and the Aggies get the win even in a letdown spot.
Oklahoma 36 BAYLOR 0 - The Bears surprisingly took advantage of an
inexperienced OU O-line & QB to sack Jason White 7 times as OU failed to
cover the large 35’ pt spread 33-17 in LY’s matchup the week prior to
hosting Nebraska. Two years ago OU destroyed BU 56-7 in Waco in a game in
which OU’s starters sat out the entire 2H and they still had a 516-94 yard
edge. OU is off of their upset trip to Kyle Field and has Tech and the
Bedlam Battle vs OSU on deck. Baylor is 6-24-1 ATS as a home dog since ‘90.
They have been outscored 222-21 in their L/5 games and have been shutout 4
times this year. This is Baylor’s home finale for an outgoing coach that is
well liked by the team and OU is coming in with unbeaten letdown. OU fell
to tie for #4 in the AP Poll and #6 in the coaches poll while vanquished
rival Texas is #3 and #4 respectively.
Oklahoma St 38 KANSAS 13 - OSU needs to win this in order to inch closer to
their first bowl bid since 1997. Even though this is Mangino’s first
matchup against OSU as a HC he was OU’s OC/running game coordinator the
L/2Y and no team shut down his offense like the Cowboys did. The ‘Boys held
OU to just 12.5 ppg, 77.5 rushing ypg & 187 passing ypg in 2000-’01. KU is
6-26-1 ATS in November the L/11Y showing the depth & conditioning have been
a problem. OSU’s DB’s struggled with injuries LW as against TT they had 3
go down to injury. The OSU offense features WR Rashaun Woods who has 72
rec’s (13.9). RB Tatum Bell has shaken off injury to rush for 490 yds (6.1)
in the L/3. The Jayhawks lost their 2nd QB (Jonas Weathersby) to a serious
knee injury vs Nebraska LW & were forced to play rFr Brian Luke who came
off the disabled list himself just 3 weeks ago. Scout team QB Greg Heaggans
finished the Neb game. Star QB Bill Whittemore was THE offense before his
knee injury vs Missouri. He has practiced the last 2 weeks & Mangino said
it remains a possibility for him to play in this one. The KU defense has
been pushed around on the line of scrimmage this year & is allowing 266 ypg
rushing (5.8) which ranks #115 in the NCAA. Mangino has played a lot of
younger players the last few weeks building for next season. OSU’s 0-4 SU
road record & bowl desire won’t allow the Cowboys to overlook these wounded
birds.
E Carolina 30 UAB 24 - These two have met twice recently and UAB pulled
outright upsets as DD dogs in both ‘99 & ‘00. UAB is 5-0-1 ATS as a conf
HD. EC is on the road for the third time in four weeks and UAB had a bye
just two weeks ago. The Blazers hosted Southern Miss LW and were outgained
by a 324-226 yard margin. EC was at Houston and scored 17 4Q points to
force OT before winning 54-48 in the third OT. UAB QB Darrell Hackney is
3-2 SU as the starter (2-2-1 ATS). He has 166 ypg (51%) and an 11-4 ratio.
EC rates the edge on offense at #63 (UAB #103). QB Paul Troth is coming off
of his best career game LW with 369 yds (67%) and 3 TD’s. Although LW was a
draining OT game, the win may spark a late 2H resurgence by the Pirates.
Colorado St 34 SAN DIEGO ST 17 - CSU is 15-3 ATS after a bye showing that
when given time HC Lubick prepares his team well. The road team is 6-1 ATS
in the L/7 in this series. SDS is just 3-7 ATS in their L/10 home finales.
LY SDS was off a pair of games vs Pac 10 foes and they pulled the upset
winning 14-7 as a 6’ pt AD. They actually controlled the game more than the
final indicated as they had a 370-212 yard edge. SDS is just 6-12 ATS in
their L/18 as a HD. CSU has the momentum & remaining slate to contend for
their first unbeaten conference season in school history. Cecil “The
Diesel” Sapp ran for 132 yds vs AF and has 1,222 (4.6). CSU avg 4.7 ypg &
the OL has only allowed 2 sks. SDS has been eliminated from post season
eligibility with their loss LW as N Mex, who delivered a 3* Late Phone
Winner for us. QB Adam Hall is avg 313 ypg (59.7%) with a 16-9 ratio. WR’s
JR Tolver has 87 catches (14.7) & Kassim Osgood has 81 (14.0). Lubick is
dynamite in the 2H of the year and is already 3-0 ATS this year.
Utah 30 WYOMING 20 - Utah is 7-2 ATS in the L/9 with shutouts in each of
the L/2Y in this series where our Late Phones have done very well. In 1993
we used Wyoming -2 at home as our September 5* and they rolled to a 28-12
win. In ‘98 & ‘99 we won with 4*’s. LY Utah won 35-0 as a 17’ pt HF with a
465-150 yard edge while outFD’ing the Cowboys 19-8. LY Utah’s D held UW QB
Casey Bramlet to a season low 80 yards passing and they did not cross
midfield until mid-4Q. WY has earned some of the leagues respect with their
improved team, defeating AF & leading LW vs BYU 31-28 with 9:10 left.
Bramlet is avg 272.6 ypg (60.5%) with a 21-13 ratio. Utah finally played up
to their talent LW and may finish the year strong.
UNLV 28 Air Force 27 - The Falcons lead the all-time series 4-3 SU but UNLV
is 4-1 ATS in the L/5 meetings and they have outscored AF 68-23 the L/2Y.
The home team is 5-1 ATS the L/6Y. AF is off a road game at arch rival
Army. UNLV is in their home finale. LY UNLV won 34-10 as a 2’ pt AD in a
misleading final as the yards were about even and AF had a 22-16 FD edge.
The Falcons lead the nation in rush offense (299.5 ypg). QB Chance Harridge
is throwing the ball more & now avg 74 ypg with 7-3 ratio. The Rebels must
win this one & defeat Colorado St next week to become bowl eligible. UNLV
QB Jason Thomas is avg 177 ypg (49%) with a 7-6 ratio & has rushed for 457
yds (4.0). UNLV has fared well vs the run as they are only allowing 131 ypg
& rank #39 in the nation. UNLV won at AF LY and is capable of winning at
home.
New Mexico 23 BYU 20 - BYU is an impressive 20-1 SU with the rare loss in
this series coming 5 years ago. LY the Cougars narrowly escaped in
Albuquerque as they won just 24-20 as a 14 pt AF. They were outgained and
outFD’d by the Lobos and BYU was without star RB Luke Staley. Twice NM had
1st & goal inside the BYU 10 but had to settle for FG’s and the Cougar D
also had an int in their own territory and another late to seal the
victory. They took the lead late when QB Brandon Doman converted a 4th & 12
and then hit a TD pass. NM’s blitzing, gambling defense held Crowton’s
offense to its 2nd lowest offensive output during the regular season LY
(365 yards) and now take on a frosh QB. LW the Aztecs came into the game
avg 334 ypg passing and NM held them to just 153 yds. RB Dontrell Moore,
who took over for the inj’d Quincy Wright, has rushed for 667 total yds
(4.5). QB Casey Kelly is avg 136 ypg (58%) with an 8-4 ratio. QB Matt
Berry, for BYU, threw for a career high 360 yds LW & is avg 178 ypg (64%)
with a 7-7 ratio. NM has the solid rush attack and has 239 ypg rush and 4.5
ypc the L/4 games and that gives them an edge in case of inclement weather
and the offense is more effective with QB Kelly back as well.
BOISE ST 52 Louisiana Tech 17 - The home team is 3-0 ATS in the L/3
meetings. LY this contest was a battle for first place in the WAC between
two teams with 1 conf loss each and LT won 48-42 as a 1’ pt HD to deliver a
winner as a 4* Late Phone Selection. BSU is much tougher at home (15-5 ATS
as a HF). They are 6-0 ATS in WAC play this year, while LT is also perfect
at 0-6 both SU & ATS on the road this season. LT did play on this field LY
in their bowl loss to Clemson. BSU felt as though they were deserving of
the bowl bid so this is a rare revenge situation for the Broncos. BSU has
faced two of the WAC’s toughest here at home already in Hawaii and Fresno
and they won both of those big. They are #1 in the WAC in total defense and
#1 in the NCAA in scoring offense. They are winning in WAC play by an avg
margin of 55-16. We can’t buck these Broncos.
RUTGERS 17 Temple 16 - Temple is 4-1 SU and ATS the L/5 years vs Rutgers.
The home team has covered 5 of the L/6 meetings. This series is rarely
close with the average final being 39-12 over the L/11 years. Temple has
dominated the L/3 years winning by an avg of 44.6-15.6 but is still the
team being kicked out of the Big East. This is also getting to be more and
more of a rivalry as these schools are only 67 miles apart, and even though
Temple only had a 16-13 FD edge LY, they won 30-5 as 12 pt HF’s. RU is just
2-15 their L/17 games following a bye but a late season bye is a big edge
vs a team playing its 4th road game in 5 weeks. The Knights are 4-1 ATS in
home finales the L/5. Temple is 3-6 as an AF since 1991. They rank #51 in
our total def rankings allowing only 119 ypg rush (3.1), but they have
struggled vs the pass ranking #98 in our pass eff def rankings. RU only has
our #115 ranked off. Both teams are off near-upsets vs ranked teams as RU
gave it their all at home vs Mia but allowed 28 points in the 4Q for a
misleading 42-17 loss, and Temple outgained Pitt 341-211 with a 21-13 FD
advantage in a 29-22 loss. RU true frosh QB Ryan Hart started his first
game 2 weeks ago vs Miami and has thrown for 110 yds (31%) with an 0-2
ratio since burning his RS in the 8th game. RU QB Ryan Cubit missed the
last game with an elbow inj and could earn the start here. Temple lost
their outside chance for a bowl trip with LW’s loss at Pitt, and since that
has been the Owls’ goal the L/2 years, they have to be extremely
disappointed. Temple’s D is the best unit on the field (#51) but RU
outplayed both Tenn and Miami for over 5Q’s and are capable.
Tennessee 23 MISS ST 16 - MSU is 5-3 the L/8 as a HD with 4 outright upsets
including a win over Florida in 2000, but are 0-2 this year with misleading
losses to Aub & Kentucky in which they had the edge in FD’s 35-33, but were
outscored 87-38 as a result of TO’s and spec tms miscues. Both teams have
been plagued by inj’s and TO’s this year. UT lost QB Casey Clausen for the
2H LW. UT’s top receiver TE Jason Witten is ?, MLB Robert Peace is out for
the year with a broken foot, and starting CB Willie Miles is ? with a head
inj. Fulmer said that UT has had more starters miss games this year than
he’s had in his 9 years combined. PS#6 true frosh QB James Banks could
start this week. One bright spot for UT is the return of RB Cedric Houston
who has avg 110 ypg (5.0) the L/2 weeks. Tenn has our #11 ranked defense vs
Miss St’s #74 ranked off. MSU faced Bama’s #6 ranked defense LW and held
their own in the 1H before Bama clamped down in the 2H. MSU QB Kevin Fant
has avg 230 ypg (53%) with an 8-8 ratio despite inferior ground support as
MSU is only avg 123 ypg (3.4) rush this year. However, true frosh RB
Jerious Norwood (PS#6) has avg 88 ypg (8.0) the L/3 games. UT needs this
game for their bowl qualifying 6th win, and MSU needs this game to avoid a
7th loss which would eliminate them from a possible bowl bid. Call our Full
Service Line this week to get an update on UT’s injuries.
TULANE 44 Army 17 - In this short series the home team is a perfect 6-0
ATS. The Green Wave are just 3-12 ATS their L/15 vs service academies but
do not have to switch up their defense to face Army’s attack like they have
in the past. QB JP Losman threw for 384 yards at Army LY. TU is 14-7-1 ATS
as a home fav. They are 12-5-2 ATS at home vs CUSA foes while the Cadets
are 1-5 ATS in CUSA play on the road and have dropped their L/2 here by
scores of 41-0 and 48-28. Army hosted Air Force and lost 49-30 as a 17’ pt
HD. The game was actually closer than the final indicated. The loss
extended the nation’s longest losing streak to 9 games. Tulane does rate
HUGE edges on both defense and special teams. Losman is avg 189 ypg (58%)
and a solid 18-8 ratio. RB Mewelde Moore has 831 yds (4.0) and is also the
top receiver. Army saw the healthy return of starting QB Reggie Nevels LW.
Nevels had 120 yds (50%) and adds mobility and stability to a unit that has
used 6 QB’s. Army has been outscored by an avg of 53-22 on the road. Tulane
is 6-4 SU and in need of a victory to improve their bowl positioning.
FLORIDA ST 49 N Carolina 6 - We have noted often in these pages about the
overuse of “revenge” in many matchups. That is NOT the case here. FSU had
held NC to 14 pts or less for 6 straight years and had dominated NC until
LY when the Tar Heels destroyed FSU 41-9 holding the Noles to 224 total yds
of offense. We had NC as our Underdog Play of the Week in Power Sweep and a
3* Late Phone Selection in that game and they covered by 49 pts! The 32 pt
loss was the largest since Auburn beat FSU 59-27 in 1985. The Noles did get
revenge vs the Tigers in ‘87 with a 34-6 rout. Prior to LY the last ACC
team to beat FSU was NCSt 24-7 in ‘98 and the Noles came back to win 42-11
as 28 pt favs in ‘99. FSU wraps up the ACC Title with a win here (hold
tiebreaker vs MD). FSU QB Adrian McPherson is avg 140 ypg (54.3%) with an
8-1 ratio. RB Greg Jones is out for the season, but Nick Maddox has avg 122
ypg (6.0) the L/2 wks. NC has been outscored 169-25 in the past 14Q’s. The
Tar Heels finished 0-6 at Kenan Stadium. NC’s OL continues to struggle as
they have given up 39 sks & are only gaining 2.8 ypc rushing. Their defense
has been woeful. FSU has won many games for us & continued with a 4* Key
Selection Winner on these pages LW.
Alabama 24 LSU 14 - The visitor is 13-3 ATS the L/16 series meetings, and
has won 8 of the L/11 SU in this series by an avg of 14.8 ppg. In 2000, the
Tide lost SU in Tiger Stadium for the first time in 31 years, but we won
with our Top Weekly College Play on Bama +3. LY was a record breaking day
for LSU and the visitors dominated even more than the final indicated with
a 30-18 FD edge and a 601-383 yardage edge in a 35-21 win as 5 pt AD. LY we
had a 3* College Totals Club Winner on the Over, but this year the defenses
have actually been dominating with LSU ranked #10 and Bama #6 in our
defensive rankings. Bama’s defense held Miss St to 70 yds and 5 FD’s in the
2H LW, and the Tide leads the SEC in sacks with 33. Bama is 2-10 ATS the
week before playing rival Aub. LSU is 2-1 as a HD under Saban, and 4-0 ATS
at home overall this year. The Tide is 3-0-1 ATS on the road overall this
year including almost upsetting Oklahoma, and dominating Arkansas & Tenn.
LSU pulled off a Hail Mary with no time left LW at Kentucky. Bama is #8 in
our off rankings. LSU has struggled on offense with our #82 ranked unit.
LSU QB Marcus Randall has avg 175 ypg (47%) with a 3-4 ratio in the L/3
games since becoming the starter. The Tide’s aggressive, sack-happy defense
must be licking their chops. The Tigers have won 8 in a row SU at home. LSU
is 4-1 SU vs ranked opps at home under Saban but the Tide is the stronger
team and the visitor dominates this series.
KANSAS ST 30 Nebraska 16 - Nebraska is 1-8 SU vs ranked teams on the road
under Solich. After trailing 14-13 at the half NU controlled the 2H in LY’s
31-21 non-covering home win. KSU has won the L/meetings in Manhattan which
are their only SU wins in this series since 1968. In 1999 we used our 5*
College Play of the Year on NU and they easily covered the 9’ pt spread
41-15 at home. It will be interesting to see if KSU’s Lynch Mob defense (#4
in our rankings) can stop the Huskers as they have given up an avg of 39.6
ppg to the Big Red’s option under Snyder, holding NU under 28 pts just once
(17 in ‘94) in 13 meetings. KSU is allowing 11.4 ppg, 73 ypg rushing (2.1!)
& has 29 sks this year. KSU has been favored just once vs the Huskers (in
‘98) and won SU 40-30 in front of the Purple Faithful but didn’t cover as
11 pt favs. They are 43-17-2 as a HF since 1990. NU has become familiar
with being an underdogs this is their 4th time getting points this year
(2-1 ATS & 1-2 SU). Prior to 2002, NU had been posted as a dog just 4
times, including LY’s Rose Bowl, since ‘94 (3-1 ATS & 2-2 SU). HC McCarney
called KSU the best team ISU has faced all year (and remember that ISU has
played Oklahoma, Texas & Florida St). TB Darren Sproles tied a KSU record
with six 100 yd rushing games in a row vs ISU. NU QB Jammal Lord holds a
team record for QB rushing yds in a season with 1229 yds (6.4). The
Blackshirt defense has allowed over 100 yds rushing just once in the L/5 &
has allowed 121 ypg (3.3) this year. The front has struggled without star
DE Chris Kelsay who remains out with injury & is ? for this one. For just
the second time in this series’ long history KSU is unquestionably the
stronger team on both sides of the ball. Snyder & company make the Huskers
pay for past poundings.
MICHIGAN 30 Wisconsin 20 - Poor special teams play cost UW LY’s game as
they had 2 punts blocked yet still were tied at 17 when a UM punt bounced
off a Badger upman allowing Mich to recover. The Wolves kicked a 31 yd FG
with :14 left & ended UW’s post season chances. UM is 15-3 SU but only 8-10
ATS the L/18 in this series. Alvarez’s squad has gone 2-7 SU but 6-3 ATS vs
the Blue. The Wolves have eeked out 5 wins in a row with the L/3 coming by
a margin of 5 or less. Prior to LY when UW had a 292-163 yard edge at home,
Mich had controlled the line with a 422-246 avg yd edge in the previous 4
SU wins. UM has the huge finale with unbeaten OSU on deck and are 2-6 ATS
their L/ 8 prior to playing the Bucks. UM is 6-3 ATS their L/9 as a Big 10
home fav (used to be horrible HF). UW is 6-2 ATS as an underdog on the road
since ‘99 with 4 outright upsets. UW has had a disappointing season on
offense as they’ve allowed a Big 10 high 41 sks & now take on a Mich front
that has 32 sks. Injuries have been a problem for UM as they lost their 3rd
LB to injury for the season (Zach Kaufman) LW. The secondary has also been
banged up as three S’s have all missed time recently. UM’s defense is #12
in our rankings allowing 108 ypg (3.1) rushing. After a 5-0 start UW has
stumbled down the stretch losing 5 of 6 to put a once shoo-in bowl bid in
jeopardy. UW RB Anthony Davis sat out LW. He was replaced in the lineup by
true frosh Dwayne Smith who had 122 yds. QB Brooks Bollinger suffered his
2nd concussion in 3 weeks vs Iowa. Jim Sorgi hit 13-23 for 162 yds vs the
Illini. The UW defense hasn’t allowed a rushing TD in 5 games but the
secondary is allowing 263 ypg (62%) with a 15-6 ratio in the same stretch.
CALIFORNIA 34 Arizona 13 - The underdog is 13-1 ATS and Cal is 6-1 ATS with
LY’s 38-24 win by Arizona being the only loss for either during that time.
LY in front of only 26,222 fans (stadium capacity 75,028!!) Cat QB Jason
Johnson threw for a career best 315 yds and led them on 82, 41, 74 & 71 yd
drives to lead 28-3 at half. Cal started Fr QB Reggie Robertson who was 5
of 14 for 61 yds. Cal is a poor HF going 4-12 ATS since 95. UA is a solid
8-3 ATS on the Pac 10 road the L/3Y (1-2 TY). Cal has appealed their bowl
suspension and are awaiting those results. QB Kyle Boller has flourished in
Tedford’s system throwing for 233 ypg (54%) with a 24-7 ratio after years
of underachieving. Arizona is avg a pathetic 47 ypg rush (1.6). QB Johnson
has thrown for 257 ypg (57%) while running for his life as UA has allowed
44 sacks. The Cats have been one of the most injured plagued teams of the
season. Cal does have their annual “Big Game” on deck with Stanford but we
see them having enough firepower to outscore a UA team that has only scored
a total of 29 pts in their last 4 games but Cal is off a very misleading
final.
AUBURN 23 Georgia 22 - This is the oldest rivalry in the SEC. The visitor
is a surprising 8-1-1 SU & 7-3 ATS the L/10 in this series. Aub normally
catches Georgia the week after the Bulldogs play Florida which isn’t the
case this year. In 2000, Aub pulled out a 29-26 win as 2’ pt HF’s for the
first SU win by the home team in this series since 1991. LY Aub RB Carnell
Williams broke Bo Jackson’s school record (see Past History). The Tigers
are 1-7 ATS in their home finale. Georgia has suffered some inj problems
the last few weeks with the top 3 WR’s all missing time (Fred Gibson out 2
games but ret’d LW, Gary out for the season prior to Florida, and now the
Dawgs will be without top WR Edwards for 3-6 weeks with a separated
shoulder). LB Boss Bailey also left the game LW with a knee inj. UGA QB
David Greene has avg 216 ypg (57%) with a 19-6 ratio. UGA RB Musa Smith has
862 yds (4.7). Aub is #20 in our rankings led by QB Jason Campbell who has
avg 134 ypg (62%) with a 4-0 ratio as the starter. Aub should be
well-rested as the starters sat out the 2H LW in their 52-14 win over UL
Monroe. Georgia needs to win this game to clinch a spot in the SEC
Championship game, but Auburn is still in the West race and their D-line
has played much better the last 3 weeks since they regained health. Auburn
pulls a shocker.
USC 30 Arizona St 23 - The fav has covered 6 of the L/8 and LY the Trojans
took advantage of ASU’s QB Jeff Krohn being inj early with his backup Matt
Cooper hitting only 9-17 for 117 yds with 3 int’s. USC won 48-17 and
outgained ASU 413-297. USC is 4-3 SU but 1-6 ATS their L/7 HC games. USC is
5-14 ATS the L/4Y as a HF (2-2 TY). The Sun Devils have their big rivalry
with Arizona on deck and have lost the L/4 prior both SU & ATS by an avg of
22 pts prior to UA. They are 3-6-1 ATS as AD’s the L/3Y USC has both UCLA
and ND on deck. The Trojans hold advantages on both sides of the ball (#4
vs #23 off & #5 vs #43 def). ASU has the spec teams adv (#30 vs #65). The
Sun Devils play better at home and while their defense allows an avg of 353
ypg overall the avg is 433 ypg on the road. While both teams' running games
have struggled, their passing games have soared with USC QB Carson Palmer
(305 ypg, 63%, 22-8 ratio) and ASU QB Andrew Walter (332, 58%, 25-10).
Walter has thrown for over 400 yds in 4 of their last 7 games. ASU is off a
major misleading final vs Cal and had a 27-19 FD edge at Wash St and can
keep it close if the linesmaker is generous enough.
FLORIDA 30 S Carolina 13 - S Car is 0-10 SU, but 5-5 ATS vs Florida since
1992. The visitor has covered 5 of the L/7 meetings. UF has outscored S Car
by an avg of 41-16 over that period with the avg line being SC +21.5. LY
was all Florida as the Gators didn’t even punt all game. UF won 54-17 as 12
pt road favs. UF is 1-5 ATS as a HF this year. UF may have overlooked
Vanderbilt LW after a big win vs Georgia. UF QB Rex Grossman has avg 255
ypg (57%) with a 15-16 ratio. SC's offense has been inconsistent under QB
Corey Jenkins who has avg 133 ypg (56%) with a 7-10 ratio. Top WR Ryan
Brewer has missed the L/2 games, and several other WR’s have been banged up
which has led to the team avg just 87 ypg pass the L/3 with all of the QB’s
combining for a 1-8 ratio. Florida has outplayed most foes this year but
are just 3-7 ATS under Zook.
Oregon St 30 STANFORD 16 - The Beavers are 9-3-1 ATS vs the Cardinal
including 5-0 ATS the last 5 meetings. OSU won the last meeting in 2000 in
Corvallis 38-6 outgaining Stanford 471-333. OSU has instate rival Oregon on
deck but have not had lookahead problems going 7-2 ATS the L/9Y before that
meeting. Stan has struggled trying to pick up Teevens' Fun & Gun offense.
LW in the 1H of their game vs USC QB Kyle Matter comp all 14 of his passes
and yet SU was behind 21-10 on the scoreboard. Oregon St holds all the
ranking adv (#39 vs #63 off, #13 vs #56 def & #36 vs #114 spec tms). As we
expected QB Derek Anderson had yet another tough day vs Wash throwing 5
int’s, 2 of which were ret’d for TD’s as the Huskies won as our 5H College
Play of the Year LW (Why was OSU favored?). Anderson has a 4-10 ratio in
Pac 10 play. The Beavers do have a top running game led by RB Steven
Jackson who leads the Pac 10 with 1,273 rush yds and a defense that is only
allowing 292 ypg TY. In 2 other games vs lighter opp (Temple & Arizona)
Oregon St won 35-3 & 38-3 so Erickson doesn’t mind putting it to another
team. The Beavers need this one to ensure a winning season.
Smu 24 UTEP 16 - SMU leads the all-time series 7-2 SU and the home team has
covered each of the last 3 meetings. The Mustangs had a bye LW. The Miners
have covered just two of their L/7 home finales. LY SMU won and covered
winning 40-14 as a 10 pt HF as they had a 19-7 FD edge and outgained the
Miners by a 426-182 yard margin. SMU is rarely an AF but they have covered
4 of their L/6 in this role. UTEP is 2-7 SU but their avg loss has been by
37.9 pts. SMU QB Richard Bartel has 241 ypg (61%) and a 5-6 ratio in his
three starts. They are avg 81 ypg more total offense and 7.4 ppg more with
him at the controls. RB Keylon Kincade has 1086 yds (3.8) and leads the
NCAA in rush attempts. UTEP has been injury plagued as they are now down to
their #4 QB. The UTEP QB’s have combined for 155 ypg (43%) with a 9-21
ratio. UTEP HC Nord has talked in recent weeks about next year, while SMU
HC Bennett is talking about getting the right personnel in place to win now.
Kent St at UCF - This is the 3rd road game in 4 weeks for Kent (1-4 ATS on
the road). UCF has the edge of being a warm weather team vs a cold weather
team in Nov. UCF does have a big game at Miami, Oh next week and is still
mathematically alive in the MAC East race. Kent’s QB Josh Cribbs was
knocked out of the game LW (call a Full Service Line for his status).
Without him, Kent managed only 3 garbage TD’s all in the 4Q after UConn was
up 56-0. UCF is coming off a come-from-behind win over Buffalo scoring the
final 31 pts to win 45-21 as an 18 pt AF. UCF’s QB Ryan Schneider is avg
311 ypg (62%) with a 22-12 ratio. If Cribbs is out, UCF rolls but if Cribbs
is 100% healthy Kent could be worth a look if the price is high enough.
COLORADO 30 Iowa St 23 - CU stampeded ISU in Ames LY 40-27 as a 4’ road fav
winning a 4* Late Phone Selection for us in the process. That game served
as payback for a 35-27 ISU win in 2000 that ended a CU 16 game series
winning streak. CU has a bye next week before the finale vs NU and they are
10-4 ATS in home finales. CU can clinch the Big 12 North Title with a win
over the Cyclones. CU outlasted MU in OT LW while ISU was blasted by a KSU
defense that forced Seneca Wallace into 5 TO’s. CU has the nation’s leading
rusher in Chris Brown who has 1617 yds (6.5). QB Robert Hodge threw for
over 200 yds LW for the 2nd time this year & is avg 163 ypg (55%) with a
9-5 ratio since Craig Ochs left the team. The Buffs' pass defense is
greatly improved from LY as they’re allowing 208 ypg (56%) with a 9-12
ratio to rank #21 in our pass eff defense rankings. With this game ISU now
finishes perhaps the nation’s toughest stretch as they’ve played 4 Top 20
opponents on the road in the L/5 weeks. Wallace has gone from Heisman
contender to pretender hitting for just 144 ypg (38%) with a 1-7 ratio vs
OU, UT & KSU’s nasty defenses. The ISU defense has also faded down the
stretch as they’ve allowed 393 ypg with 4.1 ypc rushing & 69% completions
since their historic win over Nebraska. Both teams were much more dominant
vs Missouri than the finals indicated but CU reserves its place in the
Title Game.
FRESNO ST 34 Nevada 24 - FSU is 3-0 both SU and ATS the L/3Y UN is on the
road for the third time in four weeks. FSU is a solid 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in
their final home game. FSU has won the L/2 in this series by a combined
119-35 margin. In the last meeting here in 2000 we used a 4* Key Selection
on these pages on FSU vs a very young Nevada team (FSU won 58-21 -24’) in a
game FSU led 51-7. LY they dominated again winning 61-14 as a 19’ pt AF.
Fresno always has an edge playing in front of the “Red Wave” but they are
0-3-1 ATS as a HF in 2002. The Bulldogs should be fresher here as they just
had a bye two weeks ago. NU QB Zack Threadgill has 303 ypg (63%) with a
24-14 ratio. They avg 459 ypg total offense. The NU defense surrenders 421
ypg total defense, but they have allowed just 360 ypg in their L/4. Fresno
rFr QB Paul Pinegar has struggled as of late but has 207 ypg (58%) and a
solid 15-9 ratio, numbers very comparable to David Carr’s first year as a
starter.
NAVY 34 Connecticut 31 - UConn is 0-5 SU vs Navy, but the last meeting
between these teams was in 1979. Navy has lost 13 in a row SU at home being
outscored by 21 ppg in that span, and this is the last chance for a home
win this year. Navy led the Irish by 8 late in the 4Q LW before ND scored
15 pts to pull it out. Navy’s starting QB, Craig Candeto, was inj’d on the
game’s 5th play, but Aaron Polanco performed admirably. UConn blasted Kent
St in their final home game ever at Memorial Stadium scoring the most
points in 50 years at the stadium and delivering a 3* Small College Winner
for us. QB Dan Orlovsky has avg 198 (59%) with a 13-9 ratio. RB Terry
Caulley has 899 yds (5.8). UConn stayed within 8 of BC, and only lost to
Vandy by 4, but they are off a satisfying romp, and Navy is desperate for a
home win.
ARKANSAS 35 Louisiana-Lft 0 - UA is 5-1 SU, but 2-4 ATS in Nov non-conf
games since '92. They are 4-1 ATS as a fav of 20+ pts since '99. They come
into this one in an SEC sandwich and were in the same situation 2 wks ago
vs Troy St and won 23-0 but did not cover as 24 pt favs. UA gets it done on
the ground avg 242 ypg rush led by RB Fred Talley’s 779 yds (6.4 ypc). QB
Matt Jones has thrown for 120 ypg (53%) and chipped in 419 net yds rush
(4.9). ULL QB Eric Rekieta got his first start LW for an inj’d Jon Van
Cleave and was 25 of 33 for 256 yds with a 1-1 ratio. UA has our #20 rated
defense and have recorded back-to-back shutout wins. ULL figures to be much
more excited here and the Hogs have two SEC games in 13 days after this but
the Hogs’ talent edge is huge. Also UA's offense needs some confidence
boosting and ULL’s #91 D could be the right antidote. ULL was already shut
out by both LSU and NT losing by a combined 75-0.
TROY ST 27 Utah St 20 - This will be only the second lined home game in
TSU’s 2 year Div IA history. They won LY’s season finale 18-16 over N Texas
but failed to cover as a 6 pt HF. USU is coming off their home finale win
(our Top Small College Play of the Week Winner) vs New Mexico St 32-30 as a
3 pt HD. It is a long trip for the Aggies and they go from the cold, high
altitude of Utah to the deep south. This is TSU’s home and season finale.
TSU’s QB Hansell Bearden is struggling avg just 130 ypg (44%) with a poor
6-15 ratio. The Aggies are led by QB Jose Fuentes who is avg 285 ypg (54%)
with a 15-12 ratio. TSU excels on defense with our #42 ranked unit (held
Arkansas to just 6 FD’s), while USU is #116. USU is 0-4 SU & ATS this year
on the road and LW barely got past a NMS team that had NOTHING to play for.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE 41 UL Monroe 17 - MT is coming off a bye which is a big
edge late in the year. ULM did hand N Texas their lone conf loss LY and are
7-3 ATS in SBC play. This is the final of 3 straight road games for ULM.
Both teams are out of the SBC race so this one is for pride. ULM is being
led by the surprising true frosh QB Steven Jyles. In his 7 starts this year
he is avg 241 ypg (53%) with an 8-6 ratio. MT has had QB injuries and
actually had RB Reshard Lee (a HS QB) run the offense in the 2H vs NMS 2
weeks ago (check the status of QB Andrico Hines on a Full Service Line). MT
was the SBC favorite at the start of the year and should use the final 3
games to regain momentum for next season and should be much healthier off
the bye.
N TEXAS 17 New Mexico St 14 - This game will decide the winner of the SBC.
LY NT won 22-20 as a 9 pt AD. NMS QB KC Enzminger was playing injured and
threw 3 int’s including one in the endzone on a 1st & goal from the 3. NT
went on a 51 yd drive with 1:11 left and after an int was overruled by a
roughing the passer penalty, they scored the winning TD with :18 left. The
Eagles are 5-2 ATS as a HF since ‘96. The Aggies have the offensive
advantage (#80 vs #108). NT has our #15 rated D while NMS comes in at #87.
The Mean Green have outscored their SBC opponents this year 91-12 with 2
shutouts. NMS had nothing to play for LW and probably snuck in some prep
time for this. While they have now lost 5 straight ATS, they are back in
their preferred underdog role here.
IDAHO 34 Arkansas St 20 - Idaho outgained N Texas 208-43 in the 1H but
missed 2 FG’s, and never threatened again until late in the 4Q. This is
ASU’s season finale, their 13th straight game. They lost to ULL LW 13-10 as
a 4 pt AD after leading 10-0 in the 1Q but had just 8 FD’s in that game and
allowed 24!! QB Elliot Jacobs is avg 132 ypg (53%) with a 7-6 ratio. RB
Danny Smith has 1184 yds (5.5). Idaho is led by Brian Lindgren who is avg
276 ypg (63%) with a 19-10 ratio. ASU’s DB’s are a patchwork with many
players playing both CB and S due to injuries. Idaho is a much stronger
team in the Kibbie Dome.
S FLORIDA 37 Bowling Green 27 - SF beat NI at home 37-6 as a 7 pt HF
earlier this year. In the Bulls’ short 2 yrs in IA ball they are an
impressive 12-0 SU & 6-1 ATS at home. They led Memphis 28-7 at the half but
did not cover LW. This is the final game in a 3 game homestand for the
Bulls and their home finale while BG is wrapping up a 3 game road trip. SF
does rate the edge of being a warm weather team in November vs a cold
weather group. NI was the 1st team with a winning record that BG has faced
this year and SF will be the second. SF does have a game against CUSA foe
Houston next, and they have put special emphasis on conf games this year.
There is talk of a possible at large bowl bid for the Bulls so a win over a
team that was ranked LW would benefit their chances. QB Marquel Blackwell
who is avg 229 ypg (57%) and has an outstanding 15-3 ratio. The Falcons are
led by QB Josh Harris who is avg 219 ypg (57%) with a 16-8 ratio. All 4
teams that had their unbeaten streaks end two weeks ago suffered unbeaten
letdown and lost either SU or ATS LW. The situation greatly favors SF.
W Virginia at VIRGINIA TECH - This game is being played on Wed November
20th on espn2. VT is 5-1 SU & ATS the L/6 meetings in Blacksburg. The
favorite has covered 7 of the L/8. Both teams did not play on the 16th, so
they have each had additional time to prepare for this game. WV is on a
roll winning the L/5 games ATS while VT has lost 5 in a row ATS & SU. This
is the Wednesday Night ESPN Play on November 20 and will be available on
Phil Steele’s Private Play Hotline for only $9. Call 1-900-903-9467 or log
onto the NCstore at www.ncsports.com after 5:00 pm EST on gameday for the
Wednesday Night Winner which is 1-0 this year!!
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Thanks again for all these Pete!
MC