Will add to them as they get posted. feel free to add any but lets keep personal picks in the week 1 thread and leave this for "touts" that you pay money for Jimmy Boyd NCAA Football 8/30 - 9/3 Texas A&M -7.5 Tennessee -3 Miami FL +1 Baylor -10.5 Virginia Tech -7 UCLA -15 South Alabama -6.5 Michigan St -6.5 Auburn +3.5 Auburn/Clemson Under 56.5 Notre Dame -16.5 Iowa St +1.5
that's the thing with most of these touts out there, they just throw out a bunch of picks and hope they get lucky and brag like a motherfucker with "i told you about so and so" when they win and don't say shit if they lose. There are a select few that are consistent, but honestly I am more inclined to go with picks from average joes like us that know the teams they're betting on back and forwards and actually like the picks enough to wager their own money on it
NCAA Football Game Picks Central Florida at Akron The Knights look to take advantage of an Akron team that is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games as an underdog of 10 1/2 points or more. Central Florida is the pick (-23 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Knights favored by 36. Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (-23 1/2). Here are all of this week's games. THURSDAY, AUGUST 30 Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST (8/27) Game 133-134: South Carolina at Vanderbilt (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina 102.039; Vanderbilt 93.110 Dunkel Line: South Carolina by 9; 49 Vegas Line: South Carolina by 7; 46 Dunkel Pick: South Carolina (-7); Over Game 135-136: Central Florida at Akron (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Central Florida 86.476; Akron 50.613 Dunkel Line: Central Florida by 36; 42 Vegas Line: Central Florida by 23 1/2; 46 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Central Florida (-23 1/2); Under Game 137-138: Eastern Michigan at Ball State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Michigan 75.683; Ball State 76.073 Dunkel Line: Even; 60 Vegas Line: Ball State by 3 1/2; 56 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Eastern Michigan (+3 1/2); Over Game 139-140: Texas A&M vs. Louisiana Tech (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Texas A&M 104.900; Louisiana Tech 91.430 Dunkel Line: Texas A&M by 13 1/2; 57 Vegas Line: Texas A&M by 7; 62 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Texas A&M (-7); Under Game 141-142: Massachusetts at Connecticut (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Massachusetts 62.432; Connecticut 84.790 Dunkel Line: Connecticut by 22 1/2; 43 Vegas Line: Connecticut by 25; No Total Dunkel Pick: Massachusetts (+25); N/A Game 143-144: UCLA at Rice (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: UCLA 84.577; Rice 76.933 Dunkel Line: UCLA by 7 1/2; 61 Vegas Line: UCLA by 15 1/2; 56 Dunkel Pick: Rice (+15 1/2); Over Game 145-146: Washington State at BYU (10:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington State 82.208; BYU 99.316 Dunkel Line: BYU by 17; 55 Vegas Line: BYU by 13; 61 Dunkel Pick: BYU (-13); Under Game 147-148: Minnesota at UNLV (11:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 78.079; UNLV 71.562 Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 6 1/2; 46 Vegas Line: Minnesota by 9; 50 Dunkel Pick: UNLV (+9 1/2); Under Game 149-150: Texas-San Antonio at South Alabama (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Texas-San Antonio 51.492; South Alabama 63.068 Dunkel Line: South Alabama by 11 1/2; 41 Vegas Line: South Alabama by 6 1/2; No Total Dunkel Pick: South Alabama (-6 1/2); N/A OTHER MAJOR GAMES: Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST (8/27) Game 301-302: Towson at Kent State (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Towson 77.076; Kent State 79.142 Dunkel Line: Kent State by 2 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 303-304: SE Missouri State at Central Michigan (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: SE Missouri State 43.595; Central Michigan 70.525 Dunkel Line: Central Michigan by 27 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 305-306: Northern Colorado at Utah (7:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Northern Colorado 51.200; Utah 99.791 Dunkel Line: Utah by 48 1/2 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 307-308: McNeese State at Middle Tennessee State (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: McNeese State 55.949; Middle Tennessee State 58.939 Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 3 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 309-310: Southern Utah at Utah State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Southern Utah 72.649; Utah State 85.682 Dunkel Line: Utah State by 13 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 311-312: Sacramento State at New Mexico State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento State 64.337; New Mexico State 68.284 Dunkel Line: New Mexico State by 4 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 313-314: Eastern Washington at Idaho (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Eastern Washington 66.693; Idaho 68.977 Dunkel Line: Idaho by 2 1/2 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A Game 315-316: Northern Arizona at Arizona State (10:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Northern Arizona 64.100; Arizona State 91.363 Dunkel Line: Arizona State by 27 1/2 Vegas Line: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A OTHER GAMES: Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST (8/27) Butler at Western Illinois (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Butler 25.705; Western Illinois 52.709 Dunkel Line: Western Illinois by 27 New Hampshire at Holy Cross (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: New Hampshire 70.934; Holy Cross 59.789 Dunkel Line: New Hampshire by 11 Southern Illinois at Eastern Illinois (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Southern Illinois 67.345; Eastern Illinois 54.288 Dunkel Line: Southern Illinois by 13 South Carolina State at Georgia State (7:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: South Carolina State 53.675; Georgia State 51.003 Dunkel Line: South Carolina State by 2 1/2 Hampton at Tennessee Tech (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Hampton 49.275; Tennessee Tech 68.417 Dunkel Line: Tennessee Tech by 19
Marcus Lattimore & South Carolina-Vanderbilt Props Doc’s Sports South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore was the nation’s top freshman running back in 2010 and on a short list of Heisman contenders heading into the 2011 season. And it looked early on as if Lattimore would get an invitation to New York as a Heisman finalist. In his first three games, Lattimore had a ridiculous 534 yards rushing and seven touchdowns as USC started 3-0, including a crucial win over Georgia in Week 2. Lattimore was held a bit in check in the Gamecocks’ Week 4 win vs. Vanderbilt and Week 5 loss to Auburn, but he still scored in each game. The sophomore then topped 100 again in Week 6 vs. Kentucky but was held out of the end zone. Unfortunately, Lattimore’s season would come to an end in the next game against Mississippi State when he tore his ACL. And it wasn’t even while being tackled but blocking downfield. He finished the year with 818 yards on 163 carries, a tidy average of 5.0 yards per carry, and had 10 rushing touchdowns. Extrapolate those numbers over a 12-game regular season and Lattimore is among the national leaders in both. And maybe with him, the Gamecocks don’t lose Nov. 5 at Arkansas, which essentially cost South Carolina the SEC East title. Lattimore missed the spring while rehabbing that injury but will be good to go Thursday night when South Carolina opens at Vanderbilt. And Lattimore is among the Top 7 Heisman favorites at 18/1 on bovada as well as 9/2 to finish in the Top 3. I wouldn’t take Lattimore to win the Heisman because it’s so hard to do these days at his position. Only one running back – if you don’t count Reggie Bush’s vacated trophy – has won a Heisman this century. Coach Steve Spurrier is known for his “Fun ‘N Gun” passing offense at Florida, but these Gamecocks will pound the ball and win with defense. So Lattimore will get his carries. And QB Connor Shaw is good enough to where defenses can’t just stuff eight in the box to slow the ground game. Thus it might be worth betting on a Top 3 finish for Lattimore if you believe South Carolina goes, say, 11-1, and reaches the SEC title game. bovada’s props for Lattimore’s season are “over/under” 1,400 yards (under a -135 favorite) and 15.5 touchdowns (both -120). I would worry about the over on both because USC faces very good defenses in Georgia, LSU and Florida this year – all three games in a row, by the way. But those totals include a possible SEC Championship Game and a bowl game. I would still take the under on the yards as just one SEC back went over 1,400 last year (Alabama’s Trent Richardson), but the touchdowns over should be an easy winner because Lattimore will get the ball every time at the goal line. You can also bet on Lattimore vs. other top SEC backs in most rushing yards and rushing scores. Lattimore is +135 on yards and +185 on TDs. He’s up against Arkansas’ Knile Davis (+180/+190), Alabama’s Eddie Lacy (+280/+190), Vanderbilt’s Zac Stacy (+455/+445) and Texas A&M’s Christine Michael (+475/+455). Lacy will be sharing carries on the Tide, defenses frankly aren’t scared of any Vanderbilt player and Michael himself is coming off a torn ACL and the Aggies are going to find defenses much different in the SEC. Davis was a stud in the second half of 2010; he missed all of last season with his own major knee injury. But the Hogs should have the best offense in the conference and I think Davis puts up big yardage numbers. Take him there and Lattimore on the touchdowns. This year’s Gamecocks are being touted as easily the most talented in the Spurrier era and potentially the best group in school history. No. 9 USC is the only ranked team in action next Thursday night and is a seven-point favorite vs. Vandy with the total at 46 on 5dimes. Vanderbilt was 6-7 last season and lost to Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. The Commodores’ only two SEC wins were against the worst teams in the conference, Ole Miss and Kentucky. They were 0-3 vs. ranked teams, including a 21-3 loss at South Carolina (-14.5) on Sept. 24, 2011. Vandy managed only three points despite picking off USC QB Stephen Garcia four times because the Gamecocks held the Commodores to 77 total yards and five first downs. It was the fewest yards USC had allowed since 1987. Lattimore had 77 yards and a TD on 20 carries; he also had three receptions for 73 yards and a score (his only receiving TD of 2011). I see no reason why this year’s game will be any different. Jordan Rodgers, younger brother of Green Bay’s Aaron, won the Commodores’ QB job in camp. He was 4-for-7 for 29 yards in relief in that South Carolina game. Stacy is a fine back who rushed for 1,193 yards and 14 scores last year. But he was held to 18 yards on seven carries vs. South Carolina. Nine starters are back on offense for Vandy. The 2011 Commodores scored more points (347) than any Vanderbilt team since 1915 but against good defenses they struggled. And South Carolina is a very good one. Vandy’s was pretty solid last year but lost studs Chris Marve (three-time All-SEC linebacker) and Casey Hayward (All-American cornerback), the team’s two best on that side of the ball. Seven starters are back overall. I don’t see how Vanderbilt can score more than 14 points Thursday. The Gamecocks likely won’t blow out Vandy, and, yes, the Commodores are 7-1 ATS in their past eight at home, but USC will cover. And definitely take the under as it has it in four of the past five meetings.
Jimmy Boyd NCAA Football 8/30 - 9/3 Boyd's 5* 14-1 ATS Thursday NCAAF *BEST BET* Texas A&M -7.5 Boyd's 5* NCAAF *Friday Night Feast* (27-12 Run)! Tennessee -3 Boyd's 5* NCAAF Game of the Week (Saturday)! Miami FL +1 Boyd's 5* 40-0 ATS Sunday NCAAF *BEST BET* Baylor -10.5 G. Tech/VA Tech 5* 7-0 ATS NCAAF Labor Day *BEST BET* (ESPN)! Virginia Tech -7 Boyd's 4* 27-5 ATS Thursday NCAAF *BIG CHALK BLOWOUT* UCLA -15 Boyd's 4* Thursday NCAAF 'Under the Radar' SMASH! South Alabama -6.5 Boyd's Boise St/Mich St 4* Friday NCAAF *MARQUEE MATCHUP* (ESPN)! Michigan St -6.5 Boyd's Clemson/Auburn 4* NCAAF Saturday Night SMASH (ESPN)! Auburn +3.5 Boyd's Clemson/Auburn 4* 7-0 NCAAF "Total" Dominator (ESPN)! Auburn/Clemson Under 56.5 Boyd's N. Dame/Navy 3* NCAAF Early SMASH Saturday (9 AM ET, Sat)! Notre Dame -16.5 Boyd's 3* 10-0 ATS Saturday NCAAF Vegas Line Mistake! Iowa St +1.5
DENVER MONEY 2* (137) Eastern Michigan +4 1* (135/136) Central Florida / Akron UNDER 46.5 1* (139) Texas A&M -7.5 2* (158) Navy +17 2* (179) Colorado -6 1* (211) Kentucky +13.5 1* (214) Baylor -10.5 1* (167) Western Michigan +10
JACK JONES 25* CFB Season-Opening GAME OF THE YEAR! (Thursday) Texas A&M-7 20* Tennessee/NC State ESPNU Friday No-Brainer! Tennessee-3 15* South Carolina/Vanderbilt ESPN Thursday No-Brainer! Vanderbilt+7 15* WSU/BYU ESPN Late-Night BAILOUT! (10:15 Thursday) Washington St.+13.5
DCI CFB Season Straight Up: 0-0 (-----) ATS: 0-0 (-----) ATS Vary Units: 0-0 (-----) Over/Under: 0-0 (-----) Over/Under Vary Units: 0-0 (-----) Thursday, August 30, 2012 Mid-American Conference BALL STATE 30, Eastern Michigan 26 Southeastern Conference South Carolina 28, VANDERBILT 16 FBS Non-Conference ARIZONA STATE 42, Northern Arizona 24 BYU 39, Washington State 18 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 38, Southeast Missouri State 28 CONNECTICUT 34, Massachusetts 16 Eastern Washington 40, IDAHO 32 Louisiana Tech 32, Texas A&M 30 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 29, McNeese State 25 Minnesota 35, UNLV 17 NEW MEXICO STATE 34, Sacramento State 20 SOUTH ALABAMA 26, UT San Antonio 18 Towson 29, KENT STATE 20 Ucf 40, AKRON 9 Ucla 32, RICE 23 UTAH 42, Northern Colorado 3 UTAH STATE 33, Southern Utah 23 FCS Non-Conference New Hampshire 28, HOLY CROSS 20 South Carolina State 26, GEORGIA STATE 20 Southern Illinois 35, EASTERN ILLINOIS 20 TENNESSEE TECH 29, Hampton 19 WESTERN ILLINOIS 35, Butler 16
What bettors need to know: Thursday's NCAAF action The NCAA football season kicks off Thursday with 17 games on the schedule for bettors to choose from. We give you the essential tidbits on five of them to make your wagers. Minnesota Golden Gophers at UNLV Runnin' Rebels (+8.5, 50) Jerry Kill's first season as the head coach in Minnesota resulted in a 3-9 record. Kill, a kidney cancer survivor, suffered two seizures last year, including one on the field against New Mexico State on Sept. 10. Minnesota ranked 110th in total offense in 2011 and will rely heavily on senior quarterback MarQueis Gray to improve the offense this season. UNLV’s passing offense ranked 118th out of 120 FBS programs with an average of just 109.6 YPG. If quarterback Caleb Herring doesn’t show he’s improved since last season, 6-foot-5 freshman Nick Sherry could get a shot at running the offense. Washington State Cougars at Brigham Young Cougars (-13.5, 62) Mike Leach became well known for his "Air Raid" offense while at Texas Tech and will bring similar schemes to Washington State this season. The Cougars ranked ninth in the nation in passing (322.3 YPG) last season and should only improve on that mark under the tutelage of Leach. BYU is coming off of a 10-3 season and has a returning starter at quarterback. Senior Riley Nelson, who went 6-1 in games he started last season, is already considered a candidate for the 2012 Davey O'Brien Award. UCLA Bruins at Rice Owls (+15.5, 56) Jim Mora Jr's first game as a college head coach is on the road against Rice. The Bruins are 60-28-5 all-time in season openers, but are still searching for a No. 1 quarterback to lead the offense this season. Senior Richard Brehaut is the most likely candidate for the starting gig, but Kevin Prince and redshirt freshman Brett Hundley have been impressive in camp. The Owls missed the bowl season for the third consecutive season and finished fourth in the C-USA's West Division last year. Head coach David Bailiff spent a significant amount of time reviewing Arizona State tape with his players to break down the schemes that Noel Mazzone, UCLA’s new offensive coordinator, used during his tenure with the Sun Devils. South Carolina Gamecocks (9) at Vanderbilt Commodores (+7, 46) South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw missed most of practice Thursday because of back spasms, just a week before the ninth-ranked Gamecocks open the season at Vanderbilt. Shaw is a junior beginning his first full season as starting quarterback. He took over last fall for Stephen Garcia, who was dismissed from the program. Running back Warren Norman will see his first game action since Oct. 30, 2010, because of injuries. Remember, Norman broke Herschel Walker’s SEC single-season freshman all-purpose yardage record in 2009 and should be a force this season for Vandy. Central Florida Knights at Akron Zips (+23.5, 46.5) The Knights hold a 21-12 record in openers and have won their last six. The Knights went 5-7 in 2011 with a 3-5 mark in Conference USA. Central Florida had six selections to the C-USA All-Freshman Team, marking the most by a league school since 2008. The Zips have six quarterbacks on their roster, five of which are either freshmen or redshirt freshmen. The only pivot with collegiate experience is senior Dalton Williams, who was the backup quarterback at Stephen F. Austin from 2008-11. The Zips are 3-0 all-time when hosting the Knights.
Not me. I'm not really down with buying tout picks. Especially when I can get them for free here and other places. I did purchase with some of my buddies from a guy one time, and he proceeded to lose 11 straight games. Hell, I can do that for free!
nebraska line needs to sit still and stop going up until i have enough bankroll to put out saturday bets
Wunderdog Sports Game: Eastern Michigan at Ball State (Thursday 8/30 7:00 PM Eastern) Pick: Eastern Michigan +3.5 (-110) The Eastern Michigan Eagles have pretty much been an automatic win for opponents for quite some time. This is a team that won four games or less, and a total of 42 games over the last 15 years. That is less than three per season. Last year they went 6-6 for the first time since the 1995-96 season, and may have turned the corner. They have a lot back from that team, including QB Alex Gillet who passed for over 1500 yards, and ran for another 700+. He also cut down his INTs from 13 to 7. He should continue to improve. Ball State has not been very impressive since their big year, winning no more than six over the last three seasons. They could likely be improved this season, but Eastern Michigan is starting from a higher place, and have already learned how to play on the road, at 6-2 ATS in their last eight. The Cardinals have no magic at home where they are 5-16 ATS in their last 21. Take the points on Eastern Michigan.
NCAAF Write-Up Week 1 Thursday's games South Carolina won 10 of its last 12 games with SEC rival Vanderbilt, winning last three by average score of 19-7. Gamecocks won five of last six visits here (4-2 vs spread). This is smallest series pointspread since 2006, a Commodores have improved their program. Vandy was 3-0 as a home dog LY, after going 8-18 from '04-'10; their QB is Jordan Rodgers, brother of Packer QB Aaron- he started seven games LY. Carolina's QB is Connor Shaw, who was nine career starts. Gamecocks are 7-4-1 as a road favorite since '06. Terry Bowden is the new coach at Akron, which is 5-31 last three years. Central Florida-Akron haven't met since 2004; Zips have eight starters back on offense, five on defense- they're 4-8 as home dogs over last three years. Akron's starting QB LY completed only 48% of his passes LY, which is awful, so not sure if he is still the starter. UCF has 8 starters back on both sides of ball; since '03, they're 7-13 as a road favorite and will have a new QB. One candidate is Tyler Gabbert, brother of Blaine. Underdogs covered seven of last nine Eastern Michigan-Ball State games, with Ball State winning five of last six. Last three series games have been decided by three or less points. Eastern had 570 rushing yards last two meetings, but split the pair. Ball has 8 tarters back on offense; their QB has 22 career starts, so they're strong there, especially with four starters back on OL. EMU is 8-5 as a road dog last two years; they've got nine starters back on offense and a QB with 27 career starts. Ball State is 1-7 as a home favorite since Brady Hoke left town. Texas A&M-Louisiana Tech game has been postponed because of the tropical storm. Game will be made up on October 13. UMass is playing its first game in I-A; they lost 42-37 at Michigan two years ago, 45-17 at Boston College LY; UMass QB Pagel is son of Colts' alum Mike Pagel; he had nine TDs, nine INT LY. Minutemen have had negative turnover ratio four years in row, while going 23-22. UConn has 8 starters back on defense, 6 on offense; over last decade, they're 30-20 as a favorite, 20-15 at home. Huskies have three starters back on the OL; they're +20 in turnovers the last two seasons. First game at UCLA for former NFL coach Mora, with 7 starters back on offense, 9 on defense. Bruins have Nebraska coming to Rose Bowl next week, better not be looking ahead here-- this is first time since '09 they're favored to win a road game (2-0 as road fave under Neuheisel). Rice is 10-26 last three years, but 13-7-1 vs spread as home underdog since 2006. Owls lost six starters on both sides of ball, but their junior QB has started ten games. They lost four starters on offensive line. Mike Leach is new coach at Washington State, so we know Coogs will be throwing the ball; State has 7 starters back on both sides of ball, with three starters back on OL-- they were 7-4 as road dog last two seasons under Wulff, but they were 9-40 SU in his four years. Independent BYU is 19-13 as a home favorite since '06; they play archrival Utah in couple weeks, not sure they'll show everything here. BYU also has 7 starters back on both sides of ball, with a senior QB who has 17 career starts. UNLV is starting a redshirt freshman QB, as they try to turn around a program that is 4-21 SU under Hauck, but 6-2-1 vs spread as home dog. Home side has covered 20 of their last 24 games. Rebels have 7 starters back on offense, 5 on defense, with their whole OL back. Minnesota is 7-13 as a favorite since '07, losing 11 of last 15 road games SU. Gophers have six starters back on both sides of ball, with athletic senior QB who has also played some WR- they've got three sophs, two juniors starting on OL. It'll take some onions to lay 8 points on road with Gophers. UT-San Antonio-South Alabama game has been moved to Saturday due to the tropical storm. This is both teams' first game in I-A.
NCAAF biggest betting mismatches: Week 1 If your handicapping method leans heavily on spotting mismatches, Week 1 of the college football season is your Christmas morning. Heavyweight title-contending programs like to stretch their legs against much weaker foes, even locking horns with some FCS squads in an effort to boost confidence and iron out the details before the “real” games begin. However, some teams are tested right out of the gate. And those are the contests we’ll focus on in our first NCAAF mismatches article of the year. UMass Minutemen at UConn Huskies (-24.5) UMass' FBS jitters vs. UConn's aggressive defense The Minutemen meet an old foe in their first FBS game. Massachusetts goes up against an aggressive and experienced defense, with the Huskies returning eight starters including all three linebackers. Connecticut ranked at the bottom of the Big East in pass defense last year but gambled a lot, forcing 31 turnovers (13 fumbles, 18 interceptions). Expect the Huskies to take advantage of a nervous Minutemen squad. Boise State Broncos at Michigan State Spartans (-7, 45.5) Michigan State RB Le'Veon Bell vs. Boise State run defense Bell finished eighth in the Big Ten in rushing as a sophomore and will get even more carries as a junior with the major turnover in talent in the Spartans’ passing game. Boise State head coach Chris Petersen knows he’s in for a long night against the 6-foot-2, 244-pound running back, losing all for starting linemen as well as the top three linebackers from 2011. "We've taped two of our running backs together and they carry the ball at the same time to get a little feel of what it'd be like to really tackle a guy (that size), because we don't have anybody around here who looks like that," Peterson told mlive.com. "He is a load. And that'll be different for our guys." Nevada Wolf Pack at California Golden Bears (-10.5, 55.5) Nevada’s pistol offense vs. California defense The last time these two met, Nevada’s option-heavy package rolled over the Golden Bears for a 52-31 win back in 2010. Of course, former QB Colin Kaepernick did most of the damage. The Wolf Pack have another dangerous dual-threat in sophomore QB Cody Fajardo, who rushed for 11 touchdowns last season. Cal’s defense suffered some serious losses, most notably Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year LB Mychal Kendricks.
- denotes a tout that I like PowerSweep: 5* Michigan State 34 Bise St. 17 4* UCF 43 Akron 3 3* California 38 Nevada 17 2* Western Michigan (+) 30 Illinois 17 2* Boston College 27 Miami 17 2* Ohio State 38 Miami Ohio 6 UnderDog Kentucky (+) 21 Louisville 20
Richard Saber @ Gaming Today Thursday, Aug. 30 S. Carolina -7 at Vanderbilt: The Gamecocks from Columbia look to be a great teaser play. They have won their opening game the last 12 years. Carolina -1 on a teaser. E. Michigan +3½ at Ball St.: One of my many sources, Mr. Zimmy, a great college football handicapper, says the Eagles from Ypsilanti are the right side plus points. E. Michigan. Washington St. +13½ at BYU: This is another Zimmy play for Thursday. He says the Cougars from Pullman and not the Cougars from Provo will get the cover. Washington St
Mark Mayer @ Gaming Today Thursday, Aug. 30 S. Carolina -7 at Vanderbilt: Buildup in Nashville is off the chart. Fans a’Dore’ QB Jordan Rodgers, Aaron’s brother. Vandy. UCLA -15½ at Rice: New coach, QB and attitude. Bruins need to make a statement. A nice opener. UCLA. Washington St. +13½ at BYU: Cougars now an independent. Mike Leach can coach ‘em up. Wazzou. Minnesota +8 at UNLV: Rebels are treating the Gophers like Wisconsin. And they had some success against the Badgers. UNLV.
Three potential upsets for Week 1 of college football By JASON LOGAN It seems every college football season opens with at least one shocking upset. The popular pick among upset hunters this year is Vanderbilt to knock off South Carolina as a home underdog Thursday night. That line recently dropped from a touchdown to Vandy +6.5 as the kickoff to college ball draws closer. Here’s a look at three other potential outright upsets, with some help from our live odds trackers and Covers Consensus: Washington State Cougars at BYU Cougars (-12.5, 65) Cougar-on-Cougar action sounds like a promo for a porno flick, but this Week 1 matchup is oozing with upset potential. New WSU head coach Mike Leach is bringing his high-flying offense to Spokane and books expect some fireworks with a 65-point total. Expect stud WR Marquess Wilson to become a household name by the time this one is over. The spread has dropped from 13.5 and 47 percent of Covers Consensus players are taking Wazzu to at least cover. Toledo Rockets at Arizona Wildcats (-10, 60.5) History is against Arizona and new head coach Rich Rodriguez. In his West Virginia debut, RichRod’s Mountaineers were spanked 34-10 by Boston College as 5.5-point underdogs back in 2001. His first showing in Michigan was a 25-23 flop versus Utah as a 3-point fave in 2008. And now, Rodriguez makes his desert debut versus a dangerous Toledo squad that upset the Wolverines under RichRod’s watch in 2008. This line climbed as high as 11 but has come back to the key number. Thirty-one percent of Covers Consensus bettors are picking the Rockets to cover. SMU Mustangs at Baylor Bears (-10, 58) Baylor not only has to fill the Texas-sized hole left by Robert Griffin III but was also dealt a loss to the defensive line with Kaeron Johnson being ruled out for the season following back surgery. The Bears are weak in the trenches and face a very good SMU offense led by Texas-transfer QB Garrett Gilbert and FB Zach Line, who led the C-USA with 122.4 yards per game before suffering a foot injury in November. The spread has plummeted from as high as 12.5 and 37 percent of Covers Consensus players are backing SMU to at least stay within the 10 points.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt: What bettors need to know South Carolina Gamecocks at Vanderbilt Commodores (+6.5, 45.5) Ninth-ranked South Carolina, which has a legitimate shot at its first SEC championship, jumps right into conference play Thursday when it visits Vanderbilt in the season opener. The Gamecocks have won 17 of 21 meetings over the Commodores, including last year’s 21-3 home victory. Vanderbilt, however, is a program on the rise under second-year coach James Franklin. The Commodores are coming off only the fifth bowl appearance in school history, and feature a slew of offensive stars led by quarterback Jordan Rodgers, younger brother of the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers. South Carolina figures to test Vanderbilt’s questionable defense with a heavy dose of running back Marcus Lattimore, a Heisman candidate who looks healthy after tearing his ACL last October. Lattimore had 150 total yards and two touchdowns in last season’s matchup. TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: South Carolina -6.5. Oddsmakers opened this line at seven points but it has since been moved to 6.5 and even 6. The total is 45.5 at most offshore books, though most Las Vegas books have the line set at 45. ABOUT VANDERBILT (2011: 6-7, 2-6 SEC): Running back Zac Stacy is the centerpiece of a potent offense. He ran for 1,193 yards and 14 TDs last season while averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Rodgers is a dual threat who ran for 420 yards last year. His favorite target is Jordan Matthews, who caught 41 balls for 778 yards and five TDs last year. The Commodores have an underrated offensive line anchored by versatile junior tackle Wesley Johnson, who can also play guard and center. The defense lost several key contributors from a unit that ranked seventh in the SEC in points allowed (21.6). ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (2011: 11-2, 6-2 SEC): Junior quarterback Connor Shaw has won eight of his nine starts, the best nine-game record in the last 40 years of Gamecocks football. Lattimore, who led the team with 818 rushing yards despite missing half of last season, said he is not thinking about the injury anymore and won’t change his power running style. With star wide receiver Alshon Jeffery gone to the NFL, coach Steve Spurrier plans to ride Lattimore and a fierce defense led by ends Jadaveon Clowney (eight sacks) and Devin Taylor (six). South Carolina allowed 18.4 points last season, third-fewest in the SEC. BETTING TRENDS Gamecocks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Thursday games. Commodores are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games. Commodores are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog. Under is 8-3 in Gamecocks last 11 games overall. Over is 5-0 in Commodores last 5 home games. Under is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings. EXTRA POINTS: 1. The Gamecocks have won nine of 11 games against Vanderbilt in Nashville. 2. Rodgers completed only 50 percent of his throws last season. He was 108-of-216 for 1,524 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 3. The 6-foot-6, 256-pound Clowney forced five fumbles and made 12 tackles for loss as a freshman and was named Freshman of the Year by SEC coaches.
DOUBLE DRAGON NCAA 2 - WASHINGTON STATE +13 at byu 1 - VANDERBILT +7 vs south carolina 1 - UCLA / RICE OVER 59
Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports Our Free Plays are 899-663 (58 %) over the last 4 years PLUS ! Free play Thurs: BYU -12
Football Crusher Ball State -155 over Eastern Michigan (System Record: 2-0, won last game) Overall Record: 2-2
EAGLE EYE--WINMART Akron +24 Ucla/Rice Over 59.5 South Carolina/Vanderbilt Over 45 -------------------------------- EAGLE EYE-- PHILLY-CONNECTION Eastern Mich+3 Minn-7.5
SB Professor Original NCAAF Picks 8/30 7 PM 134. Vanderbilt +7* (mostly +6.5's but buy it up to +7 if you have to, there are a couple 7's out there) 10:15 PM 145. Washington St. +12*
DAVID BANKS Washington State vs. BYU Controversial former Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach is now the new head man of the Washington State Cougars, but his first game at the helm is a tough one vs. the BYU Cougars Thursday night from LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, UT at 10:15 ET on ESPN. This Battle of the Cougars features two teams that figure to be on the opposite end of the spectrum, as Leach will be implementing his offense on a Wazzou team that went 4-8 last season while BYU is looking for bigger things following a nice 10-3 campaign. The BYU offense returns seven starters on offense, with those being senior quarterback Riley Skinner, his top three receivers from last season and three members of the offensive line. The one major loss on that offensive line was four-year starter Matt Reynolds, but the passing game should still be successful as long as Skinner stays healthy. Skinner split time with Jake Heaps last year, yet he still managed to throw for over 1700 yards on only 116 attempts (8.5 YPA) with 19 touchdowns passes, and having all of his favorite targets back helps. The running game needs to replace Josh Quezada and J.J. Di Luigi, but that duo only combined to rush for 882 yards last year. Junior Michael Alisa now tops the depth chart after averaging 5.4 yards per carry as a sophomore, and he could end up being an upgrade after all is said and done. The BYU defense also returns seven players including five starters on the back seven, which is significant because that defense ranked 32nd nationally against the pass last season, permitting only 200.9 passing yards per game. Thus, this seems like a difficult defense for the pass-happy Leach to make his debut against. The good news is that although Washington State won only four games in 2011, at least the offense returns seven starters including last year's leading receiver Marquess Wilson, who accounted for over 1400 receiving yards. One player not returning is quarterback Marshall Lobbestael, but new starter Jeff Tuel is a senior that completing 64.4 percent of his attempts in limited action in 2011. Leach went through quite a few quarterbacks in his days with the Red Raiders, and almost all of them put up great passing numbers in his system without having much success in the NFL. The big question thus becomes how quickly Washington State can learn the system, and whether the players he inherited are the right fit. Perhaps we should wait for Leach's first major recruiting class in the next year or two to proclaim whether his hiring was a stroke of genius or a mistake. Wazzou also returns seven starters on the defensive side, but after allowing 31.8 points per game last year and ranking 82nd in total defense surrendering 410 yards per contest, is that a good thing? BYU was an underrated team last year that finished 9-4 ATS, bringing it to 16-5 ATS in the last 21 games overall. Washington State went a rather surprising 7-5 ATS despite the losing record, probably because it was a big underdog so much and it is now 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games as an underdog of +10 or more. Pick: BYU -11.5
FantasySportsGametime Football Thursday 1000* Play Vanderbilt +6.5 over South Carolina (TOP NCAA PLAY) Starts at 7:00 PM EST Vanderbilt has covered the spread in 7 consecutive home games and they have also covered the spread in 3 of the last 4 games when playing in the 1st two weeks of the season. Vanderbilt has covered the spread in 2 consecutive games as a home underdog of seven points or less and they averaged over 33 points a game on offense in home games last season. 1000* Play Connecticut -22.5 Massachusetts (TOP NCAA PLAY) Starts at 7:30 PM EST Massachusetts has lost 13 of the last 16 road games and they have also lost 12 of the last 15 non-conference games. Connecticut has covered the spread in 4 consecutive games when playing on a Thursday and they have covered the spread in 3 consecutive games as a favorite of 21.5 to 31 points. 1000* Play UNLV +8.5 over Minnesota (TOP NCAA PLAY) Starts at 11:00 PM EST Minnesota has lost 8 of the last 10 road games and they have also lost 11 of the last 13 games when playing in the 1st half of the season. Minnesota has lost 6 of the last 8 non-conference games and they only averaged 14 points a game on offense last season.
VegasTout Football Plays for Thursday Play UCF -24 over Akron—NCAA FOOTBALL TOP PLAY 7:00 PM EST Akron has lost 11 of the last 13 games when playing in the 1st half of the season and they have also lost 21 consecutive games as an underdog. Akron only averaged 14 points a game on offense last season and they allowed an average of 38 points a game on defense in those same games.
- Like Patron a lot. He killed it early last season Frank Patron 20,000 Unit Opening CFB Move Vanderbilt Commodores +6.5 over South Carolina
SPORTS WAGERS - FOOTBALL Kansas City -1½ vs. GREEN BAY Kansas City -1½ over GREEN BAY There’s a reason that the Chiefs are favored in Green Bay for the final warm up before the regular season kicks off. The Packers couldn’t give a rat’s behind about this game while the Chiefs need to do something positive this preseason to provide some confidence. The Chiefs have allowed 74 points against in the past two pre-season games against Seattle and St. Louis respectively. They’ve looked awful in both games and they surely don’t want to drag that kind of stench into the regular season. Expect the starters to play longer than Green Bay’s. The real kicker here is Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Since he arrived in Green Bay, the Packers are 1-5 straight up in the final preseason game. The Packers showed nothing in the first two preseason games but in the all-important third preseason game against Cinci last week they cruised to a 14-point win. That’s more than enough for McCarthy, who will use Aaron Rodgers and company for one series and that’s it. The Chiefs are obviously not supposed to be favored in Green Bay but the fact that they are is information that should not be ignored. VANDERBILT +6½ +100 vs South Carolina VANDERBILT +6½ +100 over South Carolina Right off the bat, in a televised ESPN Thursday night college opener, we see a ranked team as a road favorite against an unranked opponent. The Gamecocks come in as the #9 rated club in the nation. Coach Steve Spurrier is an incredible 21-1 all-time in season openers as a head coach. South Carolina also set a school record for wins last season with 11. With Spurrier coaching, with momentum carrying over from last year and with one of the best backs in the nation in Marcus Lattimore returning from a season ending knee injury (he hasn’t played in a year), there is a lot of hype and big predictions for the Gamecocks. Such sentiment has inflated this number. Vanderbilt was just 6-7 a year ago but they aren’t without talent. They too have a stud running back, as Zac Stacy rushed for 1,193 yards and scored 14 TDs, while averaging six yards per attempt. QB Jordan Rodgers also returns. You may have heard of his brother, as his brother Aaron is the starting QB for the Green Bay Packers. The Commodores went 5-2 against the number when Rodgers started last year. In those games, Vandy averaged 31 points. Aaron has been working extensively with Jordan this past summer. The left side of the offensive line returns intact and defensively, the Commodores should be in decent shape with seven starters back. The Commodores went 7-0 at home against the spread a year ago. They have experience and talent on both sides of the ball. NCAA football provides opportunities, such as this one, to fade overhyped ranked teams playing on the road against unranked opponents, especially early. An upset would not surprise but we’ll gladly accept the generous points being offered.
root goes on hot streaks for 2-3 weeks and then ice cold for a week wayne root BILLIONAIRES... Vandy The Vanderbilt Commodores and the South Carolina Gamecocks kick off the 2012 College Football season as they meet on Thursday Night in Nashville. Look for some conservative play and for the offenses to still not be 100 percent in sync against two pretty solid defenses. With the total set at 46.5, that indicates to me that in a lower scoring game than average, taking the points is the right side as they will some into play. Last season the Vanderbilt Commodores entered the college football season with a new Head Coach and modest expectations and went to a bowl game, this year they have more experience and are looking to build on last year’s success and get a bowl win. Offensively Vandy has depth across the board and while that means that there will be challenges for playing time, it also means plenty of players who can get the job done. Jordan Rodgers is the QB and in games he started the Commodores averaged over 31 points per game, a nine point improvement from where they were before him. Vandy lost their two best defensive players from last season, Chris Marve and Casey Heyward, but they should still be solid. The Vanderbilt defensive line is experienced with three returning starters led by Walker May. The Commodroes are thin at linebacker but Chase Graham looked good last year and he moves to the MLB spot where Marve used to be. Vandy is still strong at corner with Trey Wilson and Andre Hal while Javon Marshall is back at safety. The South Carolina Gamecocks enter the season nationally ranked in the top 10 but as always Steve Spurrier has just one goal for his team, winning the SEC. South Carolina was 74th in total offense last year which leaves plenty of experimenting for the veteran Coach. Vanderbilt is 7-1 against the spread in their last eight home games, 4-1 against the spread in their last five SEC games and looks to keep this game winnable throughout the contest. NO LIMIT... BYU The BYU Cougars face the Pacific-12 Conference three times this year want to let the nation know that they're still a quality team. They also play Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in late October. Tonight is not a game to mess around and play with for BYU. Brigham Young returns 29 seniors and 16 starters for the 2012 season. Bronco Mendenhall's Cougars appear to be a team to be reckoned with and you have to like their experience in close games. The BYU defense was flawless last year 13th nationally in total yards allowed. If the Cougs' offense can sustain drives WSU won't have much of a shot. Brigham Young returns seven starters each on offense and defense including senior quarterback Riley Nelson. The Cougars should run with the same effectiveness of last year's squad and should try to establish themselves (return running backs senior JJ Di Luigi and sophomore Joshua Quezada) on Washington State's defense to keep the Cougars from loading up on the receivers. Washington State was 9th in passing and 111th in rushing a season ago. Washington State's led by Mike Leach in 2012 so expect the Cougars to pass just as much. I trust the Pac-12's Cougars are on the upswing, but playing at BYU on a Thursday to start the season is not the most advantageous way to begin a facelift on any program.
Brandon Lang [COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=#000000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR] 25 DIME [COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=#000000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR] COLLEGE FOOTBALL [COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=#000000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR] UNDERDOG [COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=#000000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR] MONEY MOVE [FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#ff0000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=green][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#0000ff][COLOR=#000000][COLOR=#008000][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT] Eastern Michigan +3