College Football Thoughts

College football as we presently know it is about to change. When earlier reports of the Big 10 (11), likely to expand beyond the expanses of its name again, this time everyone took it very seriously. The Big Ten Network has become a cash cow only a few would have imagined at its inception. That forced the SEC (with its better overall sports programs) to jump into bed with ESPN and other entities to “keep up with the Jones”.

The Big Ten has always thought its importance was more than everyone else’s and targeted Texas and other Big 12 schools, like that conference was from the local Goodwill and they could pick and choose what they wanted and everyone would idly sit by and wait and see what the Big Ten wanted to do.

That might have worked 50 years ago, no more. The Pac-10 went on the aggressive and word leaked this past week they wanted half the teams from the Big 12, quickly making it the Little Six.

Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado would join Arizona and Arizona State in league that could be known as – The 16 Pac(k) Conference. (Sponsored by Bud Light of course) While A&M has a huge ego problem about following the Longhorns lead, the fact is they would as big a non-factor in the SEC as Arkansas has become.

This places the Big 12 in a world of hurt. Commissioner Dan Beebe is trying to rectify the situation by keeping Texas, since they are the linchpin; however he seems less inclined to force their hand knowing the Longhorns can do about whatever they want. If the six Big 12 schools go, Missouri might be forced to go to go to the new Big 12 since the previous conference is now the Big 10 and dwindling. (Can you follow this?)

For sports bettors, this will really turn the college sports world upside down. The haves and have not’s will further separate in this revised two class system. Much like the middle class of our country heading downward, the same will be true of sports programs that are presently average. What chance would an Arizona or Arizona State have in football with the Longhorns, Sooners and to a lesser degree the Cowboys from Okie State in the same division? Yes they would have more money, with that satisfaction lasting maybe three years, but what about five seasons of 4-5 to 2-7, with faltering attendance and the revenue gains start going backwards?

And what about the Big 12, if they would manage to survive, Beebe would have to do a Mike Tranghese, the former commish of the Big East and go do some raiding of his own. That might include a quasi- Southwest Conference division of the Big 12, chasing down TCU, Houston, Rice, and SMU and adding possibly Memphis (for basketball purposes) to go along with Kansas, K-State, Baylor and Iowa State.

And what about Notre Dame? The smartest suggestion I’ve seen is for the Big Ten to invite the Irish in all other sports but football. Let them share the money (double-dipping) while keeping their independence in football as long as they add one Big Ten football game per year until their NBC contract expires, essentially making them a full-fledged member by 2015.

While it is true more than enough college football bettors will just want to see a number assigned to any matchup and give a you know what about expansion or reduction, or whatever happens, it will impact many conferences and teams positively and negatively.

Just remember, this is all about MONEY. If you ever hear anybody say it’s not fair to the student-athlete foe this or that get that person’s name and send them an email telling them you are busting them as liars. Much like Wall Street, this only about the cash and while it seems important now, like all money, after awhile it’s just not enough.

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Got a good laugh about defending national champion Alabama asking the SEC to review the schedules of other teams and politely move a few conference games around so the Crimson Tide doesn’t have to play six teams coming off a bye week. I have nothing against Alabama, but that is WEAK.

Wednesday Sports Action

A 1-2 off night saw Cleveland fall in our system play, which directly related to the Cavs allowing 100 points (see related article below) and failing to cover. Tonight’s Best System returns to the NBA with the look of a winner at 85.3 percent. The Top Trend is reverse perfect in the A-10 and the LCC will have free play shortly trying to continue winning ways. Good Luck

What I thought last night – It’s not every night you fail to cover a single digit spread in college basketball when your team was leading by 17 points in the second half, but Miami-Fl went on to lose the game outright. I also had a loser on Alabama, thinking they would be fired up to favored Tennessee, instead the Crimson Tide players and fans were as about as emotional as if they were playing Tennessee State.

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Free Basketball System -1) Play On home teams like Orlando, a good shooting team (45.5-47.5 percent) against an average defensive team (43.5-45.5%), average rebounding team (+/-3 reb/game) against a poor rebounding team (-3 to -5.5 reb/game). This system checks in at 29-5 ATS, 85.3 percent including 6-1 this season.

Free Basketball Trend -2) The Charlotte 49ers are 0-12 ATS in January games over the last two seasons.

Free Basketball Pick -3) The LCC takes the Charlotte Bobcats as top play.

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Super Tuesday

Let’s jump into the NBA today and take a look at team that is 80.6 percent. Not hard to locate with just two games. The Top Trend finds a SEC team in a near perfect spot as an underdog. The Top Free Play follows what suddenly losing Purdue might do on Super Tuesday. Good Luck

What I thought last night - Sports bettors yesterday saw this coming, just not in the manner it occurred. Kansas State opened as Pick at home against top ranked Texas and were quickly bet up to 1.5-point favorites on the morning line, before settling to one point by game time.

It wasn’t so much a complete surprise Kansas State pulled the upset, since they had proven to be a very good basketball team. It was the manner in which the Wildcats won that will cause many to take a second look at both teams.

Kansas State was supposed to be a decided disadvantage in the front court, this ended up not being true. Chris Kelly and Jamar Samuels were both impressive in totaling 37 points and 20 rebounds combined. Dexter Pittman and Damion James were presumed to superior to what the Wildcats would have to offer up front, however they scored just 15 points and grabbed 14 boards as a combo and Pittman in particular seemed passive after getting roughed up early.

K-State was the aggressor from the start, playing better defense and being the smarter team. The upset, at least from rankings perspective, is all the more amazing when you consider Jacob Pullen was 2-15 shooting (0-6 on 3’s) and committed five turnovers.

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Free Basketball System -1) Play On good shooting teams like Cleveland making 48 percent or better on the season, after a game they allowed of 55 percent or higher. This system is 29-7 ATS, 80.6 percent the last five seasons.

Free Basketball Trend -2) Alabama is 12-1 ATS as a home underdog of three points or less or pick, winning by three points per game.

Free Basketball Pick -3) The Left Coast Connection Consensus likes Purdue to wake up and cover the spread as favorites.

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Team toughness on display Tuesday

Adversity will often determine character. For Purdue, Tennessee and to a lesser degree Northern Iowa and Wichita State, they will all be tested on Super Tuesday. The Boilermakers have lost three in a row; the Vols take to the road since having best player dismissed and the Panthers look to stay perfect in conference action, while the Shockers look to rebound from loss.

Purdue pride on display

The Boilermakers (14-3, 8-9 ATS) started 14-0 and looked like one of the best teams in the country, three conferences losses later they might not even be a Big Ten contender unless they can overcome inadequacies. The question around the country has been what’s wrong with Purdue? Unfortunately, the warts are in more than one location.

Start with the Boilermakers are a good not a great shooting team. Purdue makes 45.2 percent from the field, which is only good for a tie for fifth in the conference with Wisconsin. When they have an off shooting night like they did at Northwestern (35.6 percent) their defense alone can’t overcome bad shooting eye. Though they are a +7 in turnover margin, coach Matt Painter has another issue, rebounding.

Beyond 6-foot-10 JaJuan Johnson, Purdue lacks height, as Robbie Hummel continues to be miscast as power forward. The Boilers have been out-rebounded in every Big Ten game thus far, by an average of over eight per game. That means few offensive boards for opportunities to score and giving up too many chances to the opposition. If Johnson gets in foul trouble, then the problem becomes even larger.

Purdue is a 2.5-point road favorite at Illinois (12-6, 5-10-1 ATS) according to Bookmaker.com, who is 3-7 ATS in last 10 games. The Boilermakers are on 2-6 ATS slide as favorites and 3-8 ATS against teams with a winning home record. Possibly there only saving grace is the Illini are 1-10 ATS as a home underdog of three points or less or pick, losing by almost six points game.

This Big Ten tilt starts at approximately 9 Eastern on ESPN.

Why don’t we do it on the road?

It’s been a test of character for Tennessee, losing four players to suspension, especially its best player Tyler Smith, who has been dismissed from the squad. The Vols (14-2, 7-6 ATS) have been able to overcome a shortened roster playing at home, which has been a big plus. Though guards Melvin Goins and Cameron Tatum returned to practice Sunday, coach Bruce Pearl’s club takes to the SEC road for the first time since the off-campus incident occurred.

Coach Pearl and his team have done great work in rallying, playing with just six scholarship players on the roster until Goins and Tatum returned. A hostile environment sets up a different set of circumstances for a team that is 17-32 ATS in road games after four or more consecutive wins.

Look for this to be an angry Alabama (11-6, 7-7 ATS) club having lost two straight. The Crimson Tide student body will likely have an opinion about Tennessee’s returning players, who according to Pearl might not see any action, preferring to keep the recent rotation intact. The Volunteers are 2.5-point favorites; however Bama is 12-1 ATS as a home underdog of three points or less or pick. ESPN has coverage at 7 Eastern.

Missouri Valley matchup a beauty

If you haven’t seen Northern Iowa (16-1, 12-4 ATS), all they do is systematically disassemble opponents. They have a collection of skillful guards with different abilities. Center Jordan Eglseder is 7’0, 285 pounds, with a deft left-handed touch and forward Adam Koch is dependable 13 points a night with five boards and solid defender for squad that is 16-4 ATS versus clubs that concede 64 or fewer points a game over the last two seasons.

Wichita State (16-3, 7-5 ATS) has proved its pedigree with wins over Texas Tech and quality road triumphs at Cleveland State and Missouri State. The Shockers have imposing depth, with eight players averaging 17 to 30 minutes a game, with no drop off. Guards Clevin Hannah and Toure Murry, along with center J.T. Durley are the team’s three leading scorers that are part of a very balanced attack. Coach Gregg Marshall stresses defense and his players are wholly committed to limiting descent looks at the basket by the opposition. Wichita State is off tough one-point loss at Creighton and is 5-0 ATS after a defeat.

The Shockers are a three-point favorite which doesn’t mean much since Northern Iowa is 16-4 ATS as an underdog over the last two seasons. These combatants are 6-6 SU and ATS at Charles Koch Arena the last 12 years. This MVC matchup starts at 9:05 on ESPNU.

Florida and Alabama for SEC Title

As soon as the first BCS ratings were announced, it was a foregone conclusion these two SEC teams would meet again for what is essentially a semi-final game for the national championship. This is the second year in a row these teams will meet sporting a perfect records, however Alabama (12-0, 7-4 ATS) has closed the gap, now 5.5-point underdogs compared to +10 a season ago. The Crimson Tide have tailback Mark Ingram running behind five behemoths.

Quarterback Greg McElroy has rectified mid-season slump and again is on target to Julio Jones and other pass-catchers. The defense is led by nose tackle Terrence Cody and has a number of large bodies and they have been ranked with Florida all season among the top three defenses in college football. Bama is 13-5 ATS after eight or more consecutive straight up wins.

Just how good has the Florida (12-0, 6-5 ATS) football program been the last several of years? This senior class is 47-6, the best ever in the long history of the SEC and they are impressive 31-17-2 ATS, often facing spreads bigger than the Mt. Cody. Besides the numbers, this Florida team wants to leave an indelible mark, like the basketball team did a few years back.

The Gators are trying to be back-to-back champions and be first Florida squad to claim a national championship being unbeaten. Tim Tebow (that's him in the picture in case you weren't sure) has put up numbers and accomplished feats that arguably make him the greatest college football player of all-time. The offense lacked the playmakers of a year ago but offensive line has pulled them through. The defense covered up what rough patches the offense suffered. The Gators are 9-2 ATS away from Gainesville after two or more consecutive straight up wins.

This is a de facto BCS Final Four encounter. Florida has the edge because they have Tebow and shined on this stage every time they have played under Urban Meyer. Pick the style of play, the Gators eat it up. Teams with winning records, Florida is 11-2 ATS. You play great defense and hold teams to 17 or fewer points, the Gators are 6-0 ATS. What about teams with high scoring offenses that total 31 or more points a game, 8-1 ATS the last three years. Did we mention Tin Tebow?

Job one of Alabama’s tremendous defense; take away the Florida dive play, that means you Mr. Cody. If LB Rolando McClain is making tackles within four yards of line of scrimmage, the Crimson Tide defense is doing its job. The Florida passing tends to run in streaks during games, don’t let Tebow get comfortable throwing the ball. Coach Nick Saban’s offensive line had played outstanding until last week in Auburn. They have to be great against fabulous Florida defense and they got early Christmas present, not having to deal with DE Carlos Dunlap (suspended for drunk driving charges). Mark Ingram can’t run like he did last week and QB Greg McElroy cannot crumble in the moment for a team that is 7-0 ATS away from home vs. excellent passing defenses allowing 5.25 or less passing yards per attempt.

DiamondSportsbook.com has the Gators as favorites; however from our friends at Playbook.com, we find No.1 teams are 2-9 and 1-10 ATS off a win by 25 or more points. The total has been steady at 41 and Florida is 7-1 UNDER after allowing 125 or less rushing yards in two straight games and Alabama is 11-2 UNDER after five or more consecutive straight up wins over the last two seasons.

This has the making of classic defensive struggle and Florida is 6-4 and 5-4-1 ATS since 1992.

3DW Line – Florida by 2

Conference Championship Games History

The Southeastern Conference was the innovator of the Conference Championship game back in 1992 and when you think about, this has helped propel them to being arguably the best conference in college football year in, year out. The leaders of the SEC knew their customer was a football starved fan and would relish the opportunity for one more game to decide the league’s title. Most years this has provided additional excitement by splitting the conference into two divisions, giving more schools an opportunity to compete in this confrontation.

Alabama and Florida met in the first three games between these schools in this instant classic. In the first game, unbeaten Alabama came in ranked number two in the country and was a solid 10-point favorite over a Florida team that had lost three times, coached by Steve Spurrier, who had just started things rolling at his alma mater. With this being such a new venture, the SEC settled on Legion Field in Birmingham, the Crimson Tide’s home away from home. This guaranteed a sellout and the game was played there the first two years.

Alabama had allowed only eight points a game with its stifling defense, but a cocksure Spurrier had his team well prepared and with nothing to lose, took the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Tide’s defense had trouble all game long with the Gators, allowing 347 yards, after surrendering only a 183 yards per game all year. Alabama hung on to win 28-21 over Florida. This year will be the sixth matchup between these teams in this contest, with Florida 3-2 SU and ATS. The Gators are 3-1 ATS when favored.

This will be the fifth appearance for each Nebraska and Texas in the Big 12 championship with the Cornhuskers 3-1 ATS and the Longhorns just the opposite at 1-3 ATS. This will be their third get-together in this battle.

Do you think Marshall ever wonders about leaving the MAC? They played in the first six championship games (won five) and haven’t been heard from since, moving on to Conference USA. Central Michigan looks to move into second place for MAC titles (seeking third) behind the Thundering Herd with a win this season, since this contest began in 1997.

Bettors receive five additional possibilities to consider that have often had their share of surprises. Here’s a look at the history of each of the conference championships.

SEC

The SEC will be playing it 18th championship game and has a rematch from last season, with Alabama facing the top-ranked team in the country in Florida. In the previous seventeen years, four teams, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee or LSU have been one of the participants in this contest. The favorite has won 14 of the 17 games; however it has been a battle most of the time as 8-8-1 against the spread record shows. For many college football fans, especially in the South, this game would do just fine to settle the national championship in 2009. However, it is just another step closer for the winner, moving to BCS title game and this team will likely be a favorite against whomever they play. Since 1996, the total has gone on runs of two or more and the UNDER has been the play the last two seasons.

Past SEC Championship Game Results
Date - Favorite (Line, Total), Underdog: SU / ATS / O-U
12/6/08 –FLORIDA (-10, 54) 31, ALABAMA 20 –FAV/FAV/UNDER
12/1/07 - LSU (-7, 58) 21, TENNESSEE 14 - FAV / Push / UNDER
12/2/06 - FLORIDA (-3, 44.5) 38, ARKANSAS 28 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/3/05 - GEORGIA 34, LSU (-2, 42) 14 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/4/04 - AUBURN (-14.5, 47.5) 38, TENNESSEE 28 - FAV / DOG / OVER
12/6/03 - LSU (-3, 42) 34, GEORGIA 13 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/7/02 - GEORGIA (-9, 47) 30, ARKANSAS 3 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/8/01 - LSU 31, TENNESSEE (-7, 54) 20 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/2/00 - FLORIDA (-10, 51.5) 28, AUBURN 6 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/4/99 - ALABAMA 34, FLORIDA (-7, 51) 7 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/5/98 - TENNESSEE (-15, 48) 24, MISSISSIPPI ST 14 - FAV / DOG / UNDER
12/6/97 - TENNESSEE (-7.5, 58.5) 30, AUBURN 29 - FAV / DOG / OVER
12/7/96 - FLORIDA (-14, 48.5) 45, ALABAMA 30 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/2/95 - FLORIDA (-24, 56) 34, ARKANSAS 3 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/3/94 - FLORIDA (-7, 46.5) 24, ALABAMA 23 - FAV / DOG / OVER
12/4/93 - FLORIDA (-4.5, 43.5) 28, ALABAMA 13 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/5/92 - ALABAMA (-10, 37) 28, FLORIDA 21 - FAV / DOG / OVER

Big 12

The Big 12 joined the festivities in 1996 and exploded onto the scene with a memorable contest. Nebraska had its usual powerhouse and was huge 20.5-point favorites over Texas, who had lost four regular season games. Longhorns coach John Mackovic emptied the playbook, utilizing trick plays and fourth down attempts and upset the heavily favored Cornhuskers 37-27. This gave the Big 12 affair instant credibility. Two years later, an unbeaten Kansas State squad cruised into the title game as 17.5-point favorites and was upset 36-33 by Texas A&M. Five seasons later, the Wildcats were able to pull the same trick on Oklahoma. The Sooners were unbeatable and two touchdown favorites over Bill Snyder’s K-State club. The Wildcats came out throwing deep and caught an overconfident Oklahoma team off-guard and buried Bob Stoops Sooners 35-7. Those represent three of the four losses by the favored team in 13 tries. The favorite is 8-4-1 ATS in the history of the game. Since 2002, this contest has been a series of blowouts, with the average winning margin being 31.7, with the closest three years ago, as Oklahoma won 21-7 over Nebraska. Eight of the 13 contests played have covered the spread by 10 or more points. The South Division has been by far the better of the two Big 12 divisions and that is shown by 5-0 SU and ATS dominance the last five years in this encounter. The UNDER has been the play five of the last seven contests.

Past Big 12 Championship Game Results

Date - Favorite (Line, Total), Underdog: SU / ATS / O-U
12/6/08 – OKLAHOMA (-16.5, 78.5) 62, MISSOURI 21 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/1/07 – OKLAHOMA (-3, 64.5) 38, MISSOURI 17 - FAV /FAV / UNDER
12/2/06 - OKLAHOMA (-3.5, 44.5) 21, NEBRASKA 7 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/3/05 - TEXAS (-25, 60.5) 70, COLORADO 3 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/4/04 - OKLAHOMA (-23.5, 54.5) 42, COLORADO 3 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/6/03 - KANSAS ST 35, OKLAHOMA (-14, 53) 7 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/7/02 - OKLAHOMA (-7, 51) 29, COLORADO 7 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/1/01 - COLORADO 39, TEXAS (-7, 54.5) 37 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/2/00 - OKLAHOMA (-3, 53) 27, KANSAS ST 24 - FAV / Push / UNDER
12/4/99 - NEBRASKA (-8, 52.5) 22, TEXAS 6 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/5/98 - TEXAS A&M 36, KANSAS ST (-17.5, 46) 33 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/6/97 - NEBRASKA (-19, 53) 54, TEXAS A&M 15 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/7/96 - TEXAS 37, NEBRASKA (-20.5, 56) 27 - DOG / DOG / OVER

MAC

In 1997, the MAC joined the fun and has been the most entertaining of the conference championships. Eight of the 12 games played have been decided by eight points or less in highly competitive conflicts. This will be Central Michigan’s third appearance in the last four years in this game. This sets up another meeting with Ohio U., whom they whipped in 2006. Being the underdog is the better position in this contest as they are 7-4 ATS, with the favorite only 6-5 SU in lined MAC matchups for the crown. Following the same line of thinking, the team with the poorer record heading into the game is 7-2-1 ATS (Ohio U, this season). The dog has covered a double digit spread in all four instances.

Past MAC Championship Game Results
Date - Favorite (Line, Total), Underdog: SU / ATS / O-U
12/5/08 – BUFFALO 42, BALL STATE (-15, 62.5) 24 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/1/07 – C MICHIGAN (-3, 64) 35, MIAMI OHIO 10 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
11/30/06 - C MICHIGAN (-3, 46.5) 31, OHIO U 10 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/1/05 - AKRON 31, N ILLINOIS (-13, 53.5) 30 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/2/04 - TOLEDO 35, MIAMI OHIO (-1.5, 64) 27 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/4/03 - MIAMI OHIO (-6.5, 57) 49, BOWLING GREEN 27 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/7/02 - MARSHALL (-2.5, 62.5) 49, TOLEDO 45 - FAV / FAV / OVER
11/30/01 - TOLEDO 41, MARSHALL (-2.5, 63.5) 36 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/2/00 - MARSHALL 18, W MICHIGAN (-6.5, 54.5) 14 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/3/99 - MARSHALL (-20, 56.5) 34, W MICHIGAN 30 - FAV / DOG / OVER
12/4/98 - MARSHALL (-12, 48) 23, TOLEDO 17 - FAV / DOG / UNDER
12/5/97 - TOLEDO 14, MARSHALL 34 - N/A / N/A / N/A

ACC

The ACC has engaged in the fray in the last four years and it does not elicit much support on a local or national level. The ACC has had severe attendance problems; not being able to bring many of the locals to the contests played in Jacksonville or Tampa and would probably be better suited in Charlotte. The ACC championship has seen the favored teams lose outright three of four times, opening up more conjecture for this season. This is the second straight year the game features a rematch, with Georgia Tech having stopped Clemson 30-27 as five-point home favorites. After several years of not living up to expectations, the Tigers have finally made it to the title tilt. This is the Yellow Jackets second appearance in ACC finale and rest assured it will be a much higher scoring affair then their last visit.

Past ACC Championship Game Results
Date - Favorite (Line, Total), Underdog: SU / ATS / O-U
12/6/08 – VIRGINIA TECH 30, BOSTON COLLEGE (-1, 38) 12 - DOG / DOG / OVER
12/1/07 – VIRGINIA TECH (-4, 48) 30, BOSTON COLLEGE 16 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/2/06 - WAKE FOREST 9, GEORGIA TECH (-1, 40) 6 - DOG / DOG / UNDER
12/3/05 - FLORIDA ST 27, VIRGINIA TECH (-14.5, 45) 22 - DOG / DOG / OVER

Conference USA

Conference USA does not have the football tradition to play such a game at a neutral site and instead has one of the teams participating as the host. The home team has won and covered the first three conflicts, until East Carolina pulled the big surprise. The Pirates are back to defend their title, this time at home. Though the sampling is small, it is not a surprise this defensively-challenged conference is the only one that has not had a total under 50. This leads to negative angles for both teams in this battle. Houston is 2-9 ATS in road games when they allow 28 or more points, while East Carolina is 0-6 ATS when they concede 28 or more points.

In looking at the history of all games played on the home field of one team, the host is 7-3 SU, covering the spread on five occasions. The Over has been the play in six of the 10 affairs.

Past Conference USA Championship Game Results
Date - Favorite (Line, Total), Underdog: SU / ATS / O-U
12/6/08 – EAST CAROLINA 27, TULSA (-12, 66) 24- DOG /DOG / UNDER
12/1/07 - CENTRAL FLORIDA (-7.5, 73) 44, TULSA 25 - FAV / FAV / UNDER
12/1/06 - HOUSTON (-5.5, 53.5) 34, SOUTHERN MISS 20 - FAV / FAV / OVER
12/3/05 - TULSA (-2.5, 57) 44, C FLORIDA 27 - FAV / FAV / OVER

Black Friday could take down college powers

In case you missed it, tomorrow is considered a big shopping day and virtually every store in the country has a deal, no really it its true, saw it on the news and online. It’s called Black Friday because of the frenzied pace of the day at these stores. Today in college football, several teams with high aspirations are looking to avoid the dark cloud that could ruin their dreams today. On this Black Friday, Temple, Cincinnati, Alabama and Pittsburgh all hope to sidestep and not come up empty like many people’s debit accounts at the end of the day. Lines from DiamondSportsbook.com. (Note - This picture is from very first Alabama and Auburn game, the Crimson Tide according to local legend were favored by 7.5, but they had not thought about totals back then.)

Temple (-2.5, 46.5) at Ohio 11:00E ESPNU

After being kicked out of the Big East, Temple (9-2, 8-2 ATS), in just its third season in the MAC, plays for Eastern Division crown at Ohio U. The Owls are strong in the trenches, a mark of a successful football team and will seek to embark their will on the Bobcats. In last three years, Temple is 23-10 ATS in all games. The Bobcats (8-3, 6-4 ATS) have kept the pressure on Temple all season with just one MAC defeat and can play for second conference crown in four years. Ohio U. has split their last 10 home finales of the season, but is 7-3 ATS, including three in a row. Since this series began, the home team is 2-0 SU and ATS. The winner moves on to face Central Michigan next Friday for the MAC championship.

3DW Line – Temple by 5.5

Illinois at Cincinnati (-21, 57.5) 12:00E ABC

Illinois (3-7, 2-7-1 ATS) evidently is the first Big Ten team to aggressively pursue playing games later in the year and not being caught having a month or more before playing a bowl game. Turns out it didn’t matter this year, besides the Illini are 2-15 ATS vs. passing teams like the Bearcats (314 YPG) averaging 275 or more passing yards game. Cincinnati (10-0, 6-4 ATS) finishes off the home portion of schedule and needs this win to set up colossal battle with Pittsburgh for Big East title and more. The Bearcats are off a bye and 14-4 ATS after two home games. This is first ever meeting between these teams and first Big Ten team at Nippert Stadium since 2001.

This game doesn’t directly affect Cincinnati as far as BCS bid goes, however should Texas be upset; the Bearcats want to be at the doorstep to possibly play for national championship. Bettors have a great deal of faith in Cincy, as they opened at -17.

3DW Line – Cincinnati by 17

Alabama (-10, 46.5) at Auburn 2:30E CBS

While Michigan State and Ohio State is known as the best college football rivalry, the amount of true hatred that divides the state of Alabama for this matchup is legendary. There is no game that has loyalties running deeper than Alabama and Auburn. This is a regionalized affair that is important to every Alabamian. In a state that has had a century-old love affair with college football, this one is about 60 minutes of football determining bragging rights in Alabama for the next 364 days.

The Crimson Tide (7-3 ATS) is in a precarious position, thinking about next week’s mega-matchup with Florida, while trying to get there having to visit a dangerous Auburn squad on the road. Alabama is 11-0 for the second straight year and appears to have regained offensive rhythm, with quarterback Greg McElroy back to previous form. The defense is relentless and it will be intriguing to see what Auburn’s offense does against the Crimson Tide. Alabama routed Chattanooga last week in tune-up 45-0 and is 13-4 ATS in road games after scoring 37 points or more in last game.

Auburn’s offensive firepower has been stymied in last six SEC games, averaging just 21.6 points per contest. Quarterback Chris Todd hasn’t been as effective against stronger competition and turnovers have manifested themselves as a part of the offense. The Tigers (7-4, 5-5 ATS) have started fast the last three games, which would help before crowd looking for blood after Auburn was shutout 36-0 last year in Tuscaloosa, the most lopsided game in 47 years. The Tigers are 2-8 ATS in last 10 contests off a loss.

The Tigers are 7-4 ATS in last 11 encounters with Alabama and the home team 4-1 against the number.

3DW Line – Alabama by 10


Pittsburgh (-1, 49) at West Virginia 7:00E ESPN2

This is known as the “Backyard Brawl” and it has grown in stature nationally, with West Virginia (7-3, 3-6 ATS) being a national contender in recent years and Pittsburgh (9-1, 6-2-1 ATS) improving steadily. This year shows a changing of the guard, with the Panthers the high ranked team, playing for a BCS bowl berth. This places the Mountaineers in the enviable position of being the home underdog, as least perception wise and they will look to end two game losing streak to Pitt. West Virginia’s defense will have to prevent Dion Lewis from attacking the weak side like Cincinnati did (9.7 yards per carry) and get pressure on quarterback Bill Stull. The offensive line has to open up more running lanes for Noel Devine and QB Jarrett Brown needs to find the magic touch he had early in the year. The ‘Teers are 2-6 ATS in home finales.

As much as this game means to Pittsburgh from emotional perspective, the matchup with Cincinnati offers even more with Big East title on the line and BCS bowl berth. Coach Dave Wannstedt won’t want his troops going to battle next week off a loss. Pittsburgh will try to use proven formula this season, have the defensive front four control the other teams offense and keep everything in front of them. On offense, stay balanced, moving the chains and hit enough big plays to surprise the opposing team. The Panthers are 3-8 ATS before their final home game.

This is the 102nd meeting between these bitter rivals and Pittsburgh hasn’t won three straight in 27 years. The Panthers are dismal 5-15 ATS in road games after a two-game home stand

3DW Line – Pittsburgh by 3

College Football Saturday Betting Options

It’s been jam-packed season of crazy occurrences in college football and we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty. With what the schedule looks like, this is the last chance for TCU to be knocked off facing quality Utah club. The Big Ten title is on the line in Columbus, but sports bettors believe it will be one-sided. Florida and Alabama look to keep matching towards what appears to be BCS semi-final tilt. Oregon’s slip last week left them no room for error if they expect to be Pac-10 champions. What about ABC promoting potential Notre Dame train-wreck, instead of just how good this Pittsburgh team is and that they will have real chance to knock off unbeaten Cincinnati in the coming weeks. Jimmy Football is even more fired up than usual about Saturday’s action. Odds courtesy of Bookmaker.com.

Iowa (+16.5, 37.5) at Ohio State 3:30E ABC/GP

Ohio State (8-2 SU&ATS) understands their Big Ten fate after winning impressively at Penn State 24-7. The Buckeyes offense has never found a comfort zone and in recent weeks and has dipped into coach Jim Tressel’s bag of tricks to score or setup better field position to score points. Though quarterback Terrelle Pryor has made improvements this season, he’s not taken the big stride forward. Part is dissonant offensive line, barely average running backs and receivers lacking experience. The defense has been at usual Buckeye standards, holding eight opponents to 18 or fewer points, including three shutouts. Ohio State is 11-0 ATS the week after battle with Nittany Lions.

While Iowa (9-1, 6-3 ATS) had drawn comparisons to 2002 Ohio State national championship team by winning a large number of close games, they are not in the same class, which home loss to Northwestern proved. If anything, that Buckeyes team underachieved, winning half their games by seven or fewer points and having 19 players drafted over a two-year period. The Hawkeyes talent level is not anywhere close to that benchmark and has achieved success by playing hard and never giving up.

Iowa has trailed on the scoreboard in eight of nine wins this season and that was with Ricky Stanzi at quarterback. Now QB James Vandenberg gets his chance. Last week he had a lot of pressure on his, especially after the Hawkeyes fell behind. This week, nobody is giving the Hawkeyes a chance, as bettors have pounded Ohio State. Mental resolve goes a long way as Iowa has outscored the opposition 148-57 in the second half, including 107-44 in the final 15 minutes. Iowa will be a conference road underdog for the fourth time this season and they are 3-0 SU and ATS and 9-1 ATS on the road the last two seasons. Since 2000 the Hawkeyes are 17-10-1 ATS in this exact role.

Ohio State is 12-2 SU and 11-3 ATS since 1989 against Iowa including five straight SU and ATS beat-downs with average margin 20 points per game. If Iowa doesn’t turn the ball over, they’ll have a great chance to cover, if they do, the Buckeyes build on aforementioned numbers over the Hawkeyes.

3DW Line – Ohio State by 17

Florida (-17.5, 42) at South Carolina 3:30E CBS

This is Florida’s last SEC game already, having peculiar schedule that ends with two non-conference tilts. Scheduling Florida International next is a wise move before annual confrontation with Florida State. The Gators (9-0, 4-4 ATS) haven’t always looked like the best team in the country, but has shown signs of putting everything together with last two wins over Georgia and Vanderbilt. The red zone issues are being answered and Tim Tebow has been more in sync with his receivers, like Riley Cooper. The defense is as good as there is ranked second in the country (232.4 YPG), led by team leader and linebacker Brandon Spikes. Wide receiver Brandon James and TE Aaron Hernandez have dropped more passes than necessary this season and a game might be coming in which that could haunt Florida. The Gators are 8-1 ATS as SEC road chalk.

This is also South Carolina’s last conference clash and has just in-state rival Clemson left. Since scoring 28 points against Kentucky, the offense has not been able to turn digits on the scoreboard, averaging 12.2 points per game. Facing a hungry Gators defense is not the easiest way to find a way to manufacture points. Quarterback Stephen Garcia has to keep wits about him in the passing game with the pressure he will face and be on target when the Gamecocks (6-4, 5-5 ATS) are in position to put up points. This will be a touchdown game, not field goal fest. Senior linebacker Eric Norwood and defensive mates have to throw off the timing of Florida offense and force turnovers that can lead to points. They haven’t lately and are 3-12 ATS in home games after two consecutive games where they forced one or less turnovers.

South Carolina is 4-7-1 ATS as home underdogs under coach Steve Spurrier. The former Gators head man is 1-3 and 2-2 ATS vs. his alma mater.

3DWLine – Florida by 15

Alabama (-12.5, 43.5) at Mississippi State 7:00E ESPN

Alabama (9-0, 6-3 ATS) has won six of last eight against Mississippi State; however that doesn’t tell the whole story. From 1996 to 2000, the Crimson Tide lost four of five to the Bulldogs, with a matching spread record. In the last two decades, Mississippi State has covered the spread 14 of 20 times and been a real nuisance to Bama. Other than Ole Miss, Alabama is the next biggest rival on the Bulldogs menu and for the most part aren’t even given consideration by Alabama, which irks the folks from Starksville to no end.

Part of the Crimson Tide’s lack of focus comes from having LSU just after or before the Bulldogs, just like this season. No team can be emotionally ready week after week and this is a plausible explanation for Alabama’s problems with Mississippi State. Alabama has had to make adjustments offensively. In the first part of the 2009 campaign, opponents made a concerted effort to take away WR Julio Jones. This took a player out of the box and running back Mark Ingram has had big year. More recently, Ingram has been the focus of attention and QB Greg McElroy’s inability to complete passes has prevented the Tide from taking advantage until last week. Bama is 13-7-1 ATS since 1999 as SEC road faves and is perfect 6-0 ATS as visiting team the last two seasons.

The Bulldogs (4-5, 5-3 ATS) have played every ranked team they have faced tough, losing by 10 or less points. New coach Dan Mullen is seeking a first year signature win to help attract better recruits and an upset of Alabama has them on the front page or home page of every sports news outlet. Mississippi State has one of the premier running games in the country (12th) at 219.2 yards per game, with Anthony Dixon toting the pigskin. The Bulldogs are 6-6 ATS as home dogs vs Top 10 teams in last dozen tries. Seven of last 11 conflicts have been UNDER the total.

3DWLine – Alabama by 12

Notre Dame (+6.5, 58.5) at Pittsburgh 8:00E ABC/GP

Notre Dame saw their BCS bowl aspirations drown in upset loss to Navy 23-21. What looked like a 10-2 season, could easily turn into 7-5, starting with Pittsburgh next. The not always Fighting Irish (6-3, 2-7 ATS) welcomed back receiver Michael Floyd last week, giving quarterback Jimmy Clausen his full complement of weapons, like he had in the first 2 ½ games of the season. With Golden Tate having All-American season, the offense will be as dangerous as it has been all season. The offensive line will be tested against top quality Pittsburgh defensive front that is among the top 10 in the country. Notre Dame’s defense is always a concern and they will have to play above proven ability to stop one of the balanced attacks in the country. The Irish are 2-11 ATS in road games after gaining 6.75 or more yards per play in previous game.

Once beaten Pittsburgh (8-1, 6-2 ATS) scheduled wisely for this brawl. The Panthers have yet to lose in the Big East and have closing games with West Virginia and Cincinnati to determine who wins the conference and the BCS berth. However, they can give Notre Dame their full attention with a bye next week. Arguably the most improved quarterback in the country is Bill Stull, who’s blossomed under new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. A more harmonious offense line has kept Stull’s jersey clean and freshman RB Dion Lewis has made a big splash, as the nation’s first 1,000 yard rusher. Pitt stopped Syracuse 37-10 last week and is 16-5 ATS in home games off a win against Big East rival.

The Panthers are just 3-9 ATS versus Notre Dame including 1-4 ATS at home. The visitor has won and covered four in a row.

3DWLine – Pittsburgh by 13

Utah (+20, 47) at TCU 7:30E CBSC

This is potentially the last big game in the Mountain West Conference if Utah can’t pull the upset of highly-ranked TCU. The Utes (8-1, 3-6 ATS) have just one blemish in the loss column, which occurred at Oregon, a 31-24 loss as four-point road dogs. Utah’s defense allowed the Ducks just 312 yards on that mid-September afternoon and has only allowed 14.3 points per game since. The Utes have reputation for being effective when it counts most and they have won eight of their last nine games decided by a touchdown or less. Coach Kyle Whittingham made the tough choice, going with talented true freshman QB Jordan Wynn, who’s provided a lift, particularly in the red zone. Utah is celebrated 41-20 ATS as an underdog, including 12-1 ATS as a Mountain West road dog of three or more.

Since the decade began, TCU (6-3 ATS) has won 92 games and been a continual contender in the Mountain West, now in its fifth season. The Horned Frogs have higher expectations this year sporting 9-0 record. With a victory over Utah, only at Wyoming and New Mexico stand in the way of perfect season and possible BCS berth. Just how good has TCU been, take away the snow and wind contest at Air Force (20-17 win), they have conquered all other teams by average score of 39-10. The Horned Frogs have domineering defensive front and quickness throughout the defensive two-deep. After years of being an efficient game manager and good runner, QB Andy Dalton has become more accurate thrower, making TCU much more alarming on offense. The Frogs are 11-3 ATS as a home favorite over the last three seasons, winning by 26.3 points per game.

Utah is 5-1 and 4-2 ATS and has won three in a row in this confrontation. TCU is 17-1 and 15-3 ATS in November battles in Fort Worth.

3DW Line - TCU by 18

Arizona State (+18.5, 50.5) at Oregon 10:15E ESPN

The Oregon Ducks (7-2, 6-3 ATS) look to continue their march towards a Pac-10 title and have home game against the Sun Devils. Oregon’s seven game winning streak ended at Stanford with foul defensive performance. The offense is hardly a duck out of water, averaging over 40 points a game in conference action, including the 24 against UCLA when quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was out with knee injury. Opposing teams have much to fear, as one Pac-10 coach said about Ducks offense after watching USC massacre. “The execution was at the highest level I’ve ever seen someone run the spread option attack,”

Another aspect is the athleticism of the Oregon defense, which is evident watching them play (when motivated) and fly around to the ball. It’s no wonder they are 28-11 ATS when they allow 15 to 21 points.

Folks in Tempe are showing signs of restlessness after three straight Pac-10 losses and 2-5 record since starting 2-0. Injuries have been a big factor for a squad lacking any real depth. Rumors are circulating that Dennis Erickson has a coaching staff littered with too many cronies and not enough younger energetic types that can recruit and keep the players fired up. Erickson is also calling the offense and questionable clock management has surfaced in different games, with many believing the head coach’s plate is too full. The defense is well above average (15th in total defense); however they will have to be uncommonly extraordinary to slow Oregon. The Sun Devils are a pale 8-18-2 ATS as a conference club catching points.

Oregon has oppressed Arizona State (4-3 ATS) in last four meetings, winning and covering each time, with average differential 24 points a contest. These two schools have averaged 64 points per game the last three years.

3DWLine –Oregon by 18.5

Looking Ahead in the Rearview Mirror

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way before we start. I liked when Notre Dame hired Charley Weis, I really did. I enjoyed his bravado, his I’m smarter then you attitude, it was a refreshing change for a truly holier than thou place.

In the last couple of years, I defended Weis as Notre Dame slid to levels not seen before in South Bend, but it’s over, no more. It’s time for Weis to be on the clock towards heading back to the NFL, it’s not going to work.

Chances are numerous 10-year old children raised families and could have become grandparents between Navy victories over Notre Dame from 1963 to 2007, now it’s happened twice in three years at Notre Dame Stadium. Weis deserves the blame. The players he’s recruited can’t stop the run or the pass. He’s changed defensive coaches, he’s called the plays, he’s let somebody else call the plays and then decided he should call them again. Generally speaking, the feeling is the only constant is change and not for the better.

I heard ESPN radio’s Colin Cowherd say Charley Weis didn’t just become dumb. He’s a smart man; he helped build the New England Patriots dynasty if you will. He certainly knows more about football than the average fan. He went on to add that sometimes even the smartest people make bad decisions, but that doesn’t make them stupid.

But how smart is Weis to not to have players prepared for Navy? They lost to them just two years ago, who cares if they are a foot shorter and 70 pounds lighter, the Middies are going to bring it, especially against Notre Dame. But an unmotivated team after pounding up on Washington State was out-everythinged by Navy. Goodbye BCS. The Irish are underdogs at Pittsburgh this week and very likely will be underdogs at Stanford, so thoughts of 10-2 in August are realistically heading towards 7-5.

The Notre Dame brass was dumb enough to give Weis 10-year contract, I’m certain they are three phone calls away from somebody donating for buyout of his contract. Brian Kelly of Cincinnati by all appearances is the right guy; a self-made coach who has won at every level and shown even the Bearcats can win at very highest of levels. Is Notre Dame relevant to an 18-year old, probably not that much, but no reason for this! I admire what his family life has been like, but that is separate from football. Sorry Charley.

While mentioning Cincy, I wonder when was the last time a team had over 700 yards of offense and didn’t cover. That was the Bearcats who hung on to win over Connecticut 47-45 as 16-point home favorites.

Another team similar to Notre Dame, lacking overall talent is Iowa and it finally caught up to them in loss to Northwestern. Losing QB Ricky Stanzi was chaotic blow and they lacked enough other offensive weapons to survive yet again. Unbeaten teams that lose late in the year are good play against clubs and Ohio State was impressive on both sides of the ball in dominating Penn State on the road. The Buckeyes have won by 20 points per game in last five meetings.

Stanford was setup for perfect situation and delivered upset over Oregon 51-42 as a touchdown home underdog. Often when teams are flat it shows up on defense and penalties. The Ducks were torched for 505 yards against the Cardinal and had nine penalties to three for Stanford. Oregon should have no problem with Arizona State this week, however the trip to Tucson won’t be a picnic and Oregon State is starting to play very good football.

Kudos to Alabama for sucking it up at home against LSU, winning 24-15 as seven-point favorites. A 14-0 fourth quarter run showed championship ability. Granted, the Tigers didn’t have all their offensive weapons due to injury late in the game, but the Crimson Tide’s desire was wholly evident.

In the NFL, its official, the New York Giants are as Tom Petty once sang “free fallin”. Giants’ apologists are saying nobody knows his team better than coach Tom Coughlin, trying to explain away why the Giants never threw the ball twice when at the San Diego 14-yard line, before settling for field goal and 20-14 lead. Should New York have stopped the Chargers in game winning drive, of course, nonetheless having 10-point lead would have made it a whole lot easier. The Giants may have failed just the same, but you have to try and score a touchdown. The bye couldn’t have come at a better time for New York, who faces a very challenging last seven games.

Recent history has told us to never judge Dallas until December, yet the win at Philly showed a tougher Cowboys club and a smarter Tony Romo.

The New England at Indianapolis game this week should be ridiculously fun.

The Green Bay Packers are not well-coached (went over that last week) and have put together poor game plans on offense and defense the last few weeks. Rookie Bucs QB Josh Freeman looked like a 10-year against Green Bay, who had former DE Aaron Kampman guarding a back out of the backfield near the goal line in new defensive scheme. Touchdown Tampa Bay. Packers get Dallas at home, good luck.

Wonder if Jay Cutler has Denver nightmares? Did you know the New Orleans defense has as many touchdowns as Drew Brees has touchdown passes the last three weeks?(5) Are the Bengals really more physical than Baltimore? After beating them twice as underdogs and running the ball effectively both times the answer is yes. The loss of receiver Chris Henry will hurt however.

As talented as Anquan Boldin is, are the Arizona Cardinals better without him? Bolden was unhappy sideline viewer with injury against Chicago and really for the first time all year, the Cardinals made concerted effort to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald and the offense looked like the one that went to the Super Bowl. The Bears defense was embarrassed at home.

Good for Vince Young, with Tennessee winning consecutive games. He’s sparked the entire team. He’ll never be a fantasy player pick, but if he keeps working at his craft and plays to his strengths, he could well become a solid winning NFL quarterback. The Titans are not going anywhere, but they will be a dangerous underdog the rest of the year if they keep playing hard.

College Football Watch and Win Action

It’s crunch in college football. Conference titles are up for grabs as calendar rolls into the first weekend of November. Upsets are not only likely, they are expected. Does LSU have the muscle to knock off Alabama? Will Ohio State win at Penn State to set up bigger Big Ten battle with Iowa next? If Stanford is going to upset Oregon, they couldn’t ask for better setup. Connecticut and Nebraska have had tumultuous seasons for different reasons; do they have one big game left in them? Can Tulsa rise from three-game losing streak and mess with Houston’s dreams? Answers forthcoming. Lines courtesy of Bookmaker.com.

LSU (+7.5, 40) at Alabama 3:30E CBS

Sage SEC watchers knew, all the preseason talk of Ole Miss being an upstart in the West Division was bunk, the winner was going to come down to who wins this matchup. For a team that squeaked by Mississippi State (30-26) and Georgia 20-13) on the road and did nothing offensively against top-ranked Florida in falling 13-3, the Tigers (7-1, 4-3 ATS) are receiving a lot of love. There are a number of reasons as to why. If LSU wins out, they will be 11-1 and have rematch with Gators in SEC title tilt. Talent is not an issue for Les Miles club, desire to execute is the conundrum. Besides, it’s more fun to overlook Alabama and Mississippi games are on the road. The Bayou Tigers are 2-6-2 ATS since 2004 on the road after two or more home games.

With a week off, Alabama (5-3 ATS) is expected to be refreshed and continue journey towards showdown with Florida. That means quarterback Greg McElroy has to play like he did in the first five games, not the last three. The Crimson Tide is on unfortunate roll of 11 field goals and one offensive touchdown in the last three SEC contests. Thanks to Mt. Cody (Terrence Cody) single-handedly moving Tennessee linemen backwards twice, Bama is 8-0 for a second straight year. All the blame shouldn’t fall on McElroy, as the offensive line could makes everything easier if sophomore RB Mark Ingram had a few more lanes to run thru. Alabama is 9-1 ATS off two home non-covers where the team won as a favorite.

Have mentioned before the SEC is stuffed with quirky rivalries and this is another that is a head scratcher. The visiting team is 10-1-2 against the spread in the series. Given the preceding number, it would figure close contests right, not a chance with average victory margin of 14 points during this span. The Tide is after first back-to-back covers since 1995-96.

3DW Line – Alabama by 10

Ohio State (+5, 39) at Penn State 3:30E ABC/ESPN2

With Iowa having won last week, this Big Ten battle is elimination game for all practical purposes. Ohio State (7-2 SU& ATS) and Penn State (8-1, 5-4 ATS) both have a conference loss, though the Buckeyes does hold one edge since they face the Hawkeyes at home next week. Ohio State’s chances of success will fall on the young shoulders of Terrelle Pryor, who has played his best against the weaker teams (Purdue not included) and strained taking on better competition with stronger defenses. It does help when the defense plays up to capabilities and creates a turnover or three, giving the Buckeyes momentum and short field. Ohio State is 12-1 ATS playing teams with .666 or higher win percentage.

Penn State needs help in order to be Big Ten champions, having lost to Iowa earlier in the season. The first step is knocking off Oho State, who would presumably be angry and want to topple Iowa from the ranks of the unbeaten. Beyond that, the Nittany Lions can only hope the Hawkeyes lose. Since falling to Iowa, Penn State has been like an approaching November storm, gathering momentum and raining down on opponents. Quarterback Daryll Clark is playing at highest level of the season, connecting with big-play threat wide receiver Derek Moye, which has opened up the rest of the field for other pass catchers. Running back Evan Royster has been patient in picking his spots behind an improving offensive line. Though the non-conference schedule lacked any punch, the Nittany Lions defense has only surrendered more than 17 points once. Penn State is 6-0 ATS after consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better over the last two seasons.

After the home team had covered nine in a row in this series, the visiting club has covered two in a row. Here’s an absolutely insane angle, The Jo Pa’s are 0-15 ATS vs. defensive teams who allow 12 or less points a game. (Iowa was one such team at the time)

3DW Line – Penn State by 6.5

Oregon (-7, 48.5) at Stanford 3:30E FSN

This is the absolute perfect setup for Stanford (5-3 SU&ATS) to pull the upset in Pac-10 play. The Cardinal is off a home game vanquishing of Arizona State and enjoyed a bye week to get healthy in preparation for Oregon, who is in first place all alone in the conference. The Ducks are off exhilarating USC home triumph and have to gather themselves quickly for the most physical team in the Pac-10. The Stanford game plan will be to bludgeon Oregon with RB Toby Gerhart and if successful, this sets up play-action passes for redshirt freshman QB Andrew Luck. Gerhart’s pounding style is like body blows and later in a game; tackler’s might be less inclined to take punishment. Luck has shown ability to complete passes all over the field and has deft touch on in-and-out fade routes. Stanford is 12-5 ATS against Top 10 teams.

Oregon’s offense attracts a great deal of attention and deservedly so, but what has made this team special is a Top 20 team defense that forces a large number of negative plays. The Ducks (7-1, 6-2 ATS) have powerful players in the defensive line that have excellent quickness and speed throughout the entire defense to limit big plays. QB Jeremiah Masoli makes the run-based spread option work and his throwing accuracy has been distinguished for most of the season. Freshman LaMichael James has been stabilizing spoke in the wheel to make Oregon’s run offense work, with ability to make tackler’s miss with his cutting ability. The Ducks are 10-2 ATS in road games after scoring 37 points or more in consecutive contests.

Oregon has captured the Cardinal, winning eight of last nine, with 7-2 ATS mark. The Ducks have plenty to quack about with 6-1 ATS record at Stanford. Coach Jim Harbaugh’s team is 12-1 ATS since Oregon’s last visit to Stanford Stadium, including 11 straight covers.

3DW Line – Oregon by 4.5

Houston (-1.5, 67.5) at Tulsa 7:30E CBSC

Though both Houston and Tulsa lost to UTEP, this is momentous matchup in the Conference USA West Division. The best the loser can likely hope for is minor bowl bid, with the winner still in contention to capture division crown. The Cougars (7-1, 6-1 ATS) are the most talented team in the league and they have wins over Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Mississippi State to prove it. Coach Kevin Sumlin has done exceptional work in keeping Houston focused week to week and QB Case Keenum is precise dart thrower leading the Cougs attack. The defense has picked up lately, forcing more turnovers and more three and outs. Houston is 0-7 ATS in road games after two or more consecutive straight up wins over the last three seasons.

Besides trying to make third consecutive appearance in C-USA championship game, Tulsa (4-4, 4-3 ATS) also has another motive, revenge. Last season, after suffering first loss of year at Arkansas 30-23, a down Golden Hurricane team at 8-1, ran into a hot Houston club, who smoked them 70-30. That left a raw mark on the returning Tulsa players and guaranteed coach Todd Graham has had the number 70 and box score’s strategically displayed for a constant reminder all week. The Tulsa offensive line must have standup effort as quarterback G.J. Kinne has seen more pressure in the pocket against more advanced competition. Keeping focus shouldn’t be an issue, since this is the first of three challenging league conflicts with East Carolina and at Southern Miss on tap. Tulsa has to move the pigskin and is 9-2 ATS when they gain 6.5 or more total yards per play.

These teams have only been together in this conference four years, with Houston having 3-1 SU and ATS edge. Dating back further, the underdog is 5-1 ATS. Tough to figure total, with Cougars 8-0 OVER off a home win and Tulsa 7-0-1 UNDER in 2009.

3DW Line – Houston by 5

Connecticut (+17, 51.5) at Cincinnati 8:00 E ABC/GP

Cincinnati’s unexpected odyssey continues when they host a caustic Connecticut club. The Bearcats stand at 8-0 and 6-2 ATS after smashing Syracuse 28-7 and can write their ticket if they keep winning. Before being injured, quarterback Tony Pike was having marvelous campaign, with his name being tossed around in Heisman conversations. His injury ended that talk and he hopes to be ready starting this week for season-ending push. In his place backup Zach Collaros has filled in magnificently. In spite of one defensive starter returning and changing schemes to 3-4 defense, the athletes that were in waiting have been tremendous, with Cincy among the leaders in the country for tackles for loss. Color these Cats successful with 14-4 ATS Big East record under coach Brian Kelly.

Ask any Big East coach, their least favorite opponent is Connecticut (4-4). The Huskies may lack in the talent department compared to other teams, but they will earn the highest marks in preparation under coach Randy Edsall and almost never relent. This year’s team has made the one or two critical mistakes in suffering four losses (7-1 ATS). The offense is playing more consistent and UConn has more playmakers at the skill positions than ever before. One staple missing is the typical Huskies defense, which has surrendered over 26 points per game in league action. All season against better competition, Connecticut has struggled on third down defense. These Huskies are 5-12 as conference underdogs.

Cincinnati was clobbered at Connecticut 40-16 as three-point favorites last season and would relish the opportunity for payback. The home team is 3-1 SU and ATS, with the underdog having covered three of four since the Bearcats joined the Big East. Cincy is 7-0 ATS off two straight wins by 17 or more points since 2007.

3DW Line – Cincinnati by 11

Oklahoma (-4.5, 42.5) at Nebraska 8:00E ABC/GP

Remember when this contest used to be one of the premier games each and every year? Since the formulation of the Big 12 in 1996, these former intense competitors now meet every three years, playing home and away. Last season, Oklahoma (5-3, 3-4-1 ATS) blasted Nebraska 62-28 as 21-point home favorites. The Cornhuskers are the host this time around and are thankful for the opportunity the Sooners provided, knocking off Kansas State last week 42-30. The last two games in Lincoln have been disastrous for Nebraska (5-3 SU&ATS), tripping up against Texas Tech 31-10 and committing a school-record eight turnovers in 9-7 loss to Iowa State, including four inside the Cyclones five-yard line. Quarterback Zac Lee has not played well versus stiffer completion and lost his job to Cody Green. The freshman will have to go against dauntless Oklahoma defense. The Huskers 6-1 ATS as conference home underdogs.

Oklahoma has no major bowl bid in its future, but that won’t stop a Bob Stoops team from playing hard and giving its all. With the team officially under the direction of signal caller Landry Jones, it’s about moving the chains and finding a rhythm and creating snowball effect. Jones hits a couple of passes and a running back rips off 12-yard run, suddenly the Sooners are in business and rolling. After a few misgivings about the defense’s desire to dominate, they have answered every question since loss to Miami. Oklahoma might not win the Big 12 South; nonetheless they will try to make sure Texas knows they better not screw up. The Sooners are 16-1 and 12-5 ATS vs. the Big 12 North the last five years.

In the last six meetings, the Sooners are 5-1 and 4-2 ATS. The home team is 9-5 ATS dating back 20 years.

3DW Line – Oklahoma by 11

Super Saturday in Store

Today is going to be a great day, I can feel it. Our Best System is in the SEC at 85.4 percent and on the underdog. The Top Trend is an important game in the MWC, looking at how one team performs (It’s not good). Our friend Slick Rick is making serious dough and has afternoon SEC Winner he believes. Good Luck

NEW Feature: Thanks for taking our poll, you thought Penn State vs Michigan was the toughest wager on the board.

What I thought last night – Can you believe Pam Anderson is out of cash! Maybe she can do “America’s Got Talent” and hook up with David Hasselhoff again. Or better yet a new tape with Tommy Lee.

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Free Football System-1) PLAY ON road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points like Auburn in conference games, off an upset loss as a double digit home favorite. Since 1992, this system is 35-6 ATS, 85.4 percent.

Free Football Trend-2) BYU is 4-21 ATS after a two-game road trip the last 17 years, including a loser this season.

Free Football Pick -3) Slick Rick is 11-3 in his last 14 CFB plays and believes Alabama will win by 20 or more points.

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The Platinum Sheet has a capper at 24-9-1 ATS in college football Best Bets. (Not me)

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Top Saturday College Football Tilts

What a great day! Meaningful college football games from coast to coast all day long. South Florida needs the upset in Western Pennsylvania to stay in Big East race. Big Ten contenders will be in action with both state of Michigan teams trying to defeat fellow members ahead of them in the standings. After last week’s bruising Red River Rivalry, both Texas and Oklahoma venture out on the Big 12 road. It’s the first of three important Mountain West matchups, this one in Provo. Tennessee and Alabama have long history of unusual outcomes, upset in the making? Finally, USC seeks revenge for its lone loss from 2008 playing host to a rested Oregon State squad. Lines courtesy of Bookmaker.com

South Florida (+6.5, 48.5) at Pittsburgh 12:00E BE Network/GP

South Florida (5-1, 2-2 ATS) emerges with its first loss after being defeated by Cincinnati 38-17. With a few extra days to prepare, the Bulls get ready for another Big East bash at Pittsburgh. Surprisingly, South Florida’s offense has kept pace with redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels, taking over for the injured Matt Grothe. Daniels style compliments Grothe’s, being able to run and throw the pigskin effectively. USF is second in the Big East in scoring (33.7) and third in total offense. The Bulls defense has been stingy all year in allowing 286 yards per game (18th nationally) and has been one of the best in the conference in allowing seven red zone touchdowns. The Bulls are just 2-6 ATS in road sandwich contest.

Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-2 ATS) has a bit more rest than normal also, after handling Rutgers 24-17 on the road. The Panthers have turned into a fine-tuned offensive machine, able to gobble up vast amounts of real estate, playing extremely physical football. On occasion, Pitt’s production in scoring points falls short, which could be a conundrum against a fine defense like South Florida. Pittsburgh can control the line of scrimmage in this contest with its sturdy front seven, but has to be careful of the deep ball against the Bulls. Pittsburgh is 2-7 ATS against teams with .600 record or better.

This is just the seventh meeting between these two schools and the home team is 2-4 SU and ATS. Pitt will look to establish the run and are 6-2 ATS before a bye. South Florida’s Top 10 ranking was ruined by Pittsburgh last season 26-21 and they will seek revenge.

3DW Line – Pittsburgh by 8.5

Penn State (-4.5, 47.5) at Michigan 3:30E ABC/ESPN

The Nittany Lions (6-1, 3-4 ATS) will attempt to stay in the Big Ten hunt when they visit Ann Arbor. Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark has rebounded nicely from his career-worst game against Iowa in Penn State’s lone defeat with a trio of fine performances. “Daryll’s just a great leader. He doesn’t let things like that bother him,” wide receiver Brett Brackett said. It will be the defense that will have to play at their best to slow down Michigan attack. The Wolverines multiple offense has moved the ball on everyone and this will be the most lethal attack Penn State have seen to date. Penn State is 0-6 ATS off two consecutive home wins by 14 points or more over the last three seasons.

Michigan (5-2, 4-2 ATS) should have a great deal of confidence playing in the Big House with 5-0 and 3-1 ATS record. The Wolverines freshman quarterbacks have been much more poised at home. Ball security will be imperative against an opportunistic opponent like Penn State, meaning no forced throws. Coach Rich Rodriguez would prefer to depend on his offensive line and let RB Brandon Minor pound away, since they are averaging 5.4 yards per carry. The Wolverines defense has been spotty all season (7th in Big Ten), showing moments of greatness and futility within the same quarter. Michigan is 11-6 ATS as single digit Big Tem home underdog.

The team with the funny helmets has dominated this series, winning nine in a row before falling 46-17 last year at State College. The Wolverines are 7-3 ATS in those 10 meetings and has knocked them off five times when Penn State was in the Top 25.

3DW Line – Penn State by 4

Oklahoma (-8, 55.5) at Kansas 3:30E ABC/GP

The seventh game of the Kansas schedule will provide an indication of which way the season might go for the Jayhawks. Kansas (5-1, 2-3 ATS) has been involved in a few shootouts this campaign and have been bailed out most of the time by senior quarterback Todd Reesing. The defense has been especially vulnerable to the pass (95th), surrendering over 245 yards per game and plagued by poor tackling all season. With QB Sam Bradford out and the Sooners having punishing running game, the Mangino’s can’t expect Reesing to save them against Oklahoma’s seventh rated defense. Kansas is 7-12 ATS a Big 12 home underdog since 2000.

These are riveting times in Norman, with Oklahoma at 3-3 and looking at a second non-BCS bowl bid in eight years. Oklahoma pass receivers are not helping whoever is throwing the ball for the Sooners (2-3-1 ATS), with too many dropped balls occurring. The offensive line needs to play with more grit inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and start moving more bodies that lead to touchdowns. Reesing in a handful, thus continual pressure up front is a necessity. The Sooners are 12-1 and 8-5 ATS after Red River Rivalry.

Last year’s game produced 75 points and but this contest doesn’t figure to approach that number. Kansas is 8-15 ATS as home dog the last nine years; however watch the line since they are 5-0 ATS when receiving eight or loss points with revenge. Coach Mangino was on the Bob Stoops staff prior to taking Kansas job. Oklahoma is 9-3 ATS following a straight up loss in the regular season.

3DW Line – Oklahoma by 4.5

Tennessee (+13, 43) at Alabama 3:30E CBS

Tennessee may only be 3-3 SU and ATS; nevertheless signs of improvement are everywhere. In the Volunteers three losses, they have a turnover margin of -4, showing they could have closed the gap in those games which were lost by a total of 18 points. The 45-19 spanking of Georgia was huge confidence booster, outgaining the Bulldogs 472-243, with Jonathan Crompton looking like presentable BCS signal caller. Coach Lane Kiffin’s father Monte, has worked with a defense that has faced numerous injuries, yet led by All-American safety Eric Berry, the Vols have conceded just 220 yards against offenses averaging 374 yards per game. Tennessee is 23-8 ATS in road games in weeks five through nine the last 16 years.

Nick Saban has won more than 69 percent of the game he has coached at the collegiate level and these days that number just continues to rise. Saban isn’t much interested in being pals with the alumni, his message is let him win football games and everyone “should” be happy. Saban has a wrecking crew on defense, in the Top 10 of every important category. They vitiate opponents and are not only fast, the front seven has larger bodies more associated with the fellas that play on Sunday. The Crimson Tide (7-0, 5-2 ATS) is rolling with 12-4 ATS record after two or more consecutive SU victories.

The SEC is loaded with quirky rivalries and this is one of them. Dating back to 1992, the visitor is 15-2 ATS. Alabama has covered three in a row and last year was the first time in five seasons the favorite won and covered.

3DW Line – Alabama by 13

Iowa (+1.5, 42) at Michigan State 7:00E BTN

Iowa kept their unbeaten season intact at Wisconsin and with 7-0 start for the first time since 1985 and the Hawkeyes will play a second consecutive road game, this time in East Lansing. The Iowa (4-2 ATS) offense still sputters, as QB Ricky Stanzi makes enough foolish plays to keep the opposition in games and the offensive line been unsettled with injuries, causing consistency problems. After a fast start, the defense had shown cracks and survived lately on making big plays. The Hawkeyes defense has to rise to occasion and they are 18-6 ATS in road games when they allow 300 to 350 total yards.

After a lumbering 1-3 season start, Michigan State (4-3, 3-3 ATS) could really get themselves back into Big Ten title contention with triumph over Iowa. The Spartans have stabilized defensively in winning their last three Big Ten battles, getting a better pass rush and finding the right combination the secondary after early season shuffling. On offense, the always burly Michigan State offensive line has been moving people off the line of scrimmage and whatever healthy running back has run the ball effectively. Both quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol have run the offense capably for Sparty to average 29.3 points per game. The Spartans are 13-5 ATS in home games off a win by 10 points or more over a conference rival.

The home team has won nine straight (6-3 ATS), but for the most part these teams have been evenly matched, as the last six meetings have seen the line be seven points or less. This is why the underdog is 15-4 against the number.

3DW Line – Iowa by 1.5

TCU (-2.5, 52) at BYU 7:30E Versus

If you think you have seen this act before, well you have as TCU, BYU and Utah are all in contention for another Mountain West title. The first major matchup takes place in Provo. BYU (6-1, 3-4 ATS) has handled last four opponents with relative ease since Florida State mishap, which is all the more painful with how the Seminoles have played since. The Cougars running game has hit another gear the last month averaging over 200 yards per game. They will be confronted by angry Horned Frogs who hold opposing teams under 82 yards per contest on the ground. QB Max Hall is the catalyst to exceptional passing that totals 9.6 yards per pass attempt. BYU doesn’t allow backers to feel real comfortable with 1-9 ATS mark after playing a MWC contest over the last two years.

Visiting TCU doesn’t change much under coach Gary Patterson. They have a terrific front four that rushes the passer with abandon; linebackers that stuff the run (8th nationally) and most years an above average secondary. On offense, roughly 60 percent or more plays involve the run and the passing game features either short out-routes and taking deep shots. The Horned Frogs stuffed Colorado State last week 44-6 and are 7-0 ATS after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game.

TCU spoiled BYU’s perfect season a year ago 32-7 at home, holding the Cougars to season-low 297 yards. BYU will look to return the favor on their gridiron and is 12-5 ATS before a bye week. Revenge aside, the visiting team is 5-2 ATS in this encounter.

3DW Line – BYU by 1

Texas (-13, 49.5) at Missouri 8:00E ABC/GP

After deposing of Oklahoma 16-13, the Texas Longhorns (6-0, 1-4-1 ATS) are uncanny 12-0 SU in next game and have covered the spread in nine of last 10. This is the first of two prickly road games for Texas, moving on to Oklahoma State next. Coach Mack Brown is still seeking receiver to compliment wide receiver Jordan Shipley. The running game hasn’t been all that productive against better competition (107.6 YPG). Because of injuries, inexperience and ineffectiveness of the offensive line, Colt McCoy has been forced to run similar to last season. The Horns defense has shut the door to prevent opponents from starting fast or locked them down after they owned brief lead. They rank 5th in the country in total defense and have forced 19 turnovers this season.

Sporting a 0-2 record in the Big 12, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is being scrutinized in the blogging community for not changing his run offense, which is 10th in the Big 12. “We want to run the football better,” Pinkel said. “But we’re not going to change how we run the ball.” Most complaints have been about the lack of quick hitting plays and miniscule 3.8 yards per carry. The defense will have to rise to the challenge again and try and corral a quality colt in Mr. McCoy. Missouri (4-2, 3-3 ATS) is just 1-9 ATS vs. good passing teams with a completion percentage of 58 percent or better.

Since 1916, Missouri is 1-14 vs. Texas with 5-6 ATS mark. The Longhorns are 11-3-1 ATS after one or more consecutive straight up wins, but 6-18 ATS on the road after five or more consecutive victories.

3DW Line – Texas by 10.5

Oregon State (+20.5, 52) at USC 8:00E ABC/GP

As if USC needs any more incentive after Notre Dame 34-27 triumph, in comes Oregon State, who hung the only “L” on the Trojans last season. Last year’s 27-21 loss as 25-point favorites was the lone blemish on USC card and they can’t afford another if they want to keep Pac-10 and national championship hopes alive. Pete Carroll’s offensive is beginning to churn, with Matt Barkley more comfortable, which has opened up the playbook and made the offense something other than vanilla. Defensively, USC (5-1, 2-4 ATS) is choking opposing team’s offenses, yielding just six touchdowns this season. With safety Taylor Mays preventing anything deep and a sack-happy front four, the Men of Troy are a load. USC is 54-13 ATS when they outgain their opponents by two or more yards play.

Oregon State is 4-2 (2-3 ATS) and knows what kind of situation they are heading into. The Beavers are off a bye week and have been busy. Coach Mike Riley after losing home games to Cincinnati and Arizona tried to change his club’s focus. Riley explained, “…if you can live in the moment and get ready for one game at a time,” much can be accomplished. After defeating Arizona State and Stanford, Oregon State has been tweaking the offense and refining things they do well. James Rodgers leads the Pac-10 in all-purpose yards and OSU coaches have to feed him the ball to give offense a chance. The Beavers are 11-3 ATS off a Pac-10 win.

Oregon State is 3-31 SU in last four decades vs USC, but has two upsets in last three years. The favorite is 3-6 ATS since 1999.

3DW Line – USC by 12.5

Going Green has payoff with right methods

In these times of trying to be environmentally friendly, it is good for the earth to do so. The three R’s are at the centerpiece of this movement, recycle, reuse and reduce. Buying in larger quantities helps reduce the amounts of garbage is placed in landfills. Other tips include product lifecycle, sustainability and value. In the spirit of looking to do what’s right for the earth, adding Green to one’s wagering account also is beneficial since the more greenbacks a person has; it makes it easier to buy in bulk.

Let’s be clear, Al Gore might not wholly endorse this idea, but winning college football wagers surely creates a friendly environment, especially in these economic times.

As mentioned, the first aspect to consider is lifecycle. While there is no way to know exactly what the future holds, a true Green investor likes to have a good start to the future based on prior results. Take these college football teams for example.

ATS Records
Idaho 7-0
Connecticut 6-0
Central Michigan 6-1
Nebraska 5-1
UL-Monroe 5-1
Wyoming 5-1
Alabama 5-2
Ohio State 5-2

As these college football teams approach or are at the midpoint of their respective schedules, they have shown to be worthy of furthering the cause of Going Green by generating a vast amount of cash. What these teams have proven is they can look the wisest of oddsmakers and prove to the world they are more wrong than your local weatherman.

In most cases, the sportsbooks don’t take too heavy a beating since many teams on this list are below or off many sports bettors radar. That’s just fine since the majority of us are more concerned about doing what is right within our means and would prefer the public stayed away from our opportunity to Green-up our world.

Idaho a wonderful example of exercising one’s right of Going Green. The Vandals have been like Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor with six covers of the spread as underdogs, which has included five OUTRIGHT upsets. Idaho is bowl eligible for the first time since 1999, having last played a in bowl game the previous year in Boise, ID at the Humanitarian Bowl against Southern Mississippi. The Vandals were favorites last week against Hawaii, which was the second time this has happened in 37 games. Trips to Nevada and Boise State will be challenging, however this just might be year to back Idaho and stay in the green.

Another consideration is sustainability for Going Green. It won’t happen every year, but tried and true college football programs are like blue chip stocks, they may not pay out huge dividends every year, but over time your money will grow. This season such marquee names include Nebraska, Alabama and Ohio State.

The Cornhuskers haven’t been in the public eye a great deal since winning the national championship in 1997. Frank Solich was a good coach, but wasn’t a great recruiter and Bill Callahan would be wise to stay two states away from Nebraska. Bo Pelini has brought back the Husker mentality of playing hard-nosed defense and placed the offense in the hands of able assistant coaches. With a Top 12 defense and quality offense, the covers should keep coming in Husker Nation.

When Nick Saban was hired, everyone figured it was just a matter of time before Alabama was a national power again and were they ever right. Alabama is a physically dominant team on both sides of the ball and since Saban has been able to bring in these type of players, the Crimson Tide are rolling with 14-6 ATS record in the regular season the last two years.

It’s hard to imagine a name like Ohio State not being given their due, but the Buckeyes just go about their business and keeping winning games. This is far from one of coach Jim Tressel’s best squads in Columbus and sports bettors have been able to take advantage of the situation with oddsmakers dissing them to a certain extent. A couple points to remember about Tressel teams that have Buckeye leaves on helmets. Ohio State won’t cover all the time, but they seldom lose when they are not supposed. In 45 regular games the Buckeyes have been favored by 10 or more points since 2001, they’ve lost only three times, including at Purdue last Saturday. Since “The Vest” was in his second year, Ohio State has never had a losing ATS record on the season (52-38 ATS).

The final part of going Green is value. The whole aspect of doing what is right for the world doesn’t come easy; you have to work for it. A lot of time it costs money and energy spent in terms of consumable workload. The beauty of the putting in the time is there can be a payoff in the end.

Searching thru figures to find teams that have a stellar defense like Connecticut is invaluable to Going Green. Coach Randy Edsall had built a program on defense and though the Huskies offense can make an adult more squeamish than a Six Flags rollercoaster ride, few people constantly monitor every penny they make or lose. The Huskies bring home the money.

The MAC conference generally draws about as much attention as a Carly Simon comeback (google to see how many CD’s she sold with last project). This makes a team like Central Michigan a valuable commodity. The Chippewas have been putting up outstanding offensive numbers since Dan LeFevour arrived at Mt. Pleasant what seems like eight years ago. LeFevour’s first two years C. Mich was 18-7-1 ATS, however last year without much of a defense, they sank to 5-7 against the spread. With 10 starters back on the defensive side, covering spreads is back to normal for Central Michigan.

Wyoming has scored 10 points or less three different times including being shut out twice, however that hasn’t stopped them from posting 4-3 SU record and sparkling spread mark. The Cowboys have relished the role of underdog and are 4-1 against the spread in that situation. With the offense lagging, Wyoming’s defense has raised the level of their play in 2009 with its eight returning starters. Take away the 41 points they allowed to No. 3 Texas and these Cowboys have permitted just 17.7 points per game.

Our hope this has been a valuable lesson in understanding some of the elements of what it takes and what it means to Go Green. Now is the time to get it right since Dec. 5 is the last day to have everything in order before a different type of opportunity presents itself for going even further Green, with the bowl season.

Top College Football Games to Consider

For this Saturday on the collegiate gridiron, two longstanding rivalries top the schedule. The evenly divided Cotton Bowl, half burnt orange and half red, presents a perfect setting for the Red River Rivalry, with the winner again taking command of the Big 12 South. The best annual intersectional rivalry resumes with USC traveling to South Bend. An influential Big Ten battle has Iowa at Wisconsin and the same goes in the ACC with Virginia Tech visiting Georgia Tech. Nebraska still hasn’t forgotten 70-10 loss to Texas Tech five years ago and would love to lay out the Red Raiders. Can the Ol’ ball coach work magic and upset No. 2 Alabama? Everything will be determined on another great Saturday of college football action. Lines courtesy of Bookmaker.com.

Oklahoma (+3, 52) vs Texas 12:00E ABC

For Oklahoma (3-2, 2-3 ATS), it has been a tough go in 2009. Having to play without its Heisman Trophy quarterback for most of the season, potential All-American tight end and recently losing its best receiver. Despite having more problems than David Letterman, the Sooners still control their own destiny with a win over archrival Texas. Like most coaches, Bob Stoops doesn’t worry about whose not there, instead trying to get the most out of who is. Sam Bradford played last week in Baylor bounce back win 33-7 and is having to go without TE Jermaine Gresham for the season and WR Ryan Broyles is questionable. Another factor in this equation is a defense lacking in big stops. In spite of nine starters returning and No.9 ranking, the Oklahoma defense did not made an important shutdown in their losses to BYU or Miami. The Sooners are 1-3 in last four meetings and haven’t covered since 2004.

As Texas (5-0, 1-4 ATS) found out last season, beating Oklahoma isn’t enough and they have to keep focused with road games at Missouri and Oklahoma State up next. Colt McCoy hasn’t been quite the quarterback he was a season ago, but still having a very good 2009 campaign. He’s been helped by a running back by committee this season, as coach Mack Brown has gone with the hot hand and kept feeding the ball to that back. What might make the difference for the Longhorns this season is the defense (No.4 overall). The defensive line was hit by graduation, nonetheless defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has pleaded with his team about the importance of seizing the momentum with key stops and turnovers and its paid dividends. Texas is 5-12 ATS vs ranked teams on neutral fields.

The underdog is 14-7 ATS since 1988 in Red River Rivalry’s, with the margin of victory 10 or more points in 10 of last 11 battles. The Longhorns are 6-18 ATS away from home after five or more consecutive straight up wins. The Sooners are 8-1 ATS after a game with a turnover margin of +2 or better over the last two seasons. Oklahoma is 6-2 ATS as road underdog under coach Stoops, upset in the making?

3DWLine – Texas by 2

Iowa (+2.5, 47.5) at Wisconsin 12:00E ESPN

If a person is ardent fan of Big Ten football, than you know Wisconsin hates Iowa. Neither school would consider the other its biggest rival, nevertheless Badger fans detest Iowans. After losing at Ohio State last week 31-13, Wisconsin (5-1, 2-3 ATS) is setup nicely to run the table in the conference after their upcoming bye week. Running back John Clay has dropped a few calories and is back to running hard behind an improving offense line, with Badgers rushing for over 200 yards per game. Quarterback Scott Tolzien has more weapons at his disposal than what was believed in the preseason, with better athletes manning skill positions. Coach Brett Bielema and his defensive staff have out-maneuvered opponents with attacking defense. The Badgers are 20-11 ATS as single digit Big Ten favorites.

Coach Kirk Ferentz has never big on style over substance, which is why he’s pleased with Iowa’s 6-0 record. Closer than anticipated victories over Northern Iowa (17-16) and Arkansas State (24-21) are much better than a loss from Ferentz point of view. After last week’s thrilling 30-28 victory against Michigan, the Hawkeyes hit the road for a pair. Top priority is stopping the Wisconsin run game and making the Badgers as one-dimensional as possible. This strategy worked versus Arizona and Penn State and Iowa is confident it can work again. On offense, quarterback Ricky Stanzi has hit a few big plays the last couple of weeks and Wisky is vulnerable in the secondary, allowing 210.3 yards per game against opponents that only throw for 174 YPG. Iowa is 5-9 ATS in the first of two road games.

The Hawkeyes are 19-10-1 ATS since the turn of the century as conference dogs of 9.5 or less and they are 6-1 ATS facing the Badgers. Wisconsin has not covered last three tilts at home against the Iowa and the underdog is 4-0 ATS in Madison.

3DW Line – Wisconsin by 1

USC (-10, 50) at Notre Dame 3:30E NBC

Forget all the come-from-behind wins, forget the 4-1 record and forget Jimmy Clausen Heisman talk, for Notre Dame followers and detractors, this is the benchmark game of the season. The Fighting Irish have a BCS bowl offense and an International Bowl defense. Notre Dame (1-4 ATS) has lost seven in a row to USC (1-6 ATS) and six of those games, the Trojans margin of victory has been Nancy Pelosi eye-opening 31 points per game. Charley Weis and his team feel this team is different, having a potential All-American quarterback and an offense that keeps overcoming the defenses’ flaws. The two biggest factors for Notre Dame will be keeping Clausen in vertical position and the ability of Irish defenders to keep USC out of the end zone. Notre Dame is 11-27 ATS having won four out of their last five games.

If the California game is precursor of USC’s true abilities, watch out. The Trojans (4-1, 2-3 ATS) defense tamed the Bears like a zoo keeper and now has similar numbers to last year’s unbelievable group. QB Matt Barkley was productive against Cal and won’t be intimidated at South Bend, having played at Columbus and at Berkeley already. Pete Carroll is pleased to report injured players like wide receiver Ronald Johnson should be back, which can open up the Trojan playbook. The Men of Troy are 39-7 and 29-17 ATS in non-conference action.

Rest assured, USC has no problem playing the Irish since they have a “who’s your daddy sticker” on them. The Trojans are 14-3 ATS with two or more weeks of preparation and figure to be in good shape wanting to continue domination. This has to be a “Wake up the Echoes” game for Notre Dame. Somehow, someway they find a way and pull the upset and move to 5-2 ATS as home underdog against Top 10 team.

3DW Line – USC by 3

Texas Tech (+11, 61) at Nebraska 3:30E ABC/GP

With regular starting quarterback Taylor Potts out with concussion for undetermined amount of time, coach Mike Leach looks on building the confidence of his backup Steven Sheffield. Leach not only likes his quick delivery, but his mobility also. “Of our quarterbacks we have right now, he creates the best tempo for the group,” said Leach. The Texas Tech head man as other issues, like an offensive line that is allowing too much pressure on his pigskin passers. That needs to be solved with Nebraska’s ability to turn up the heat. They will face a strong Huskers running game (5.2 yards per carry), however the Red Raiders (4-2, 3-2 ATS) are 15-4 ATS versus excellent rushing teams averaging 5.25 or more rushing yards per carry.

Playing in a steady downpour, it’s hard to look overly impressive; nonetheless Nebraska (5-0 ATS) played 15 minutes of football that will be remembered in Lincoln. Down 12-0 after three quarters at Missouri, the Cornhuskers scored the game’s last 27 points to raise record to 4-1. Led by likely All-American defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, he and his defense teammates took over the game and a soggy Nebraska offense cashed in on their opportunities. If coach Bo Pelini’s squad can win this Big 12 contest, this sets up for the Cornhuskers to be 7-1 when they host Oklahoma on Nov.7. Nebraska is 7-3 ATS in the first or two or more home games.

Nebraska has dropped three straight to Texas Tech after winning the first seven meetings in the series. No Cornhusker fan will ever forget the 2004, 70-10 massacre in Lubbock and returning the favor would be the sweetest revenge. The Huskers are 15-3 ATS in home games vs. good offensive teams scoring 34 or more points a game. This has become a potentially ruse line, with Nebraska money flooding in from opening line of the Huskers at -6.

3DW Line – Nebraska by 9

Virginia Tech (-3, 52) at Georgia Tech 6:00E ESPN2

Virginia Tech (5-1, 3-3 ATS) buried Boston College 48-14 at home and has rugged assignment. The Hokies defensive front will be put to the test against the Georgia Tech option offense. This isn’t your vintage Frank Beamer defense, allowing over 123 yards rushing per game and not in the Top 25 in total defense (34th). This will be another tester in terms of desire to succeed and hold the line. Virginia Tech might gain one advantage if Tyrod Taylor continues to throw the ball well, since the Yellow Jackets are a rambling wreck against the pass, being burned for over 249 yards a game. Hokie offensive football is still based around the running game and they will have to run the pigskin on the ground to be successful. The Hokies are sensational 17-3 ATS as a road favorite of seven points or less.

Georgia Tech (5-1, 3-2 ATS) has a Sesame Street lineup having three games against teams that start with the letter V (Virginia and Vanderbilt on deck) in a row. The success the Yellow Jackets have enjoyed this season is when they attack early, both on offense and defense. The option will bog down from time to time, which means if Josh Nesbitt can get things started quickly, that helps momentum, particularly helpful in front of the throng at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The defense has been plagued by missed assignments in the secondary and poor tackling. The Jackets will look to crank up the running game and are 17-6 ATS when they rush for 5.5 or more yards per attempt.

Virginia Tech has won four of the last five tilts; with the road team 5-1 ATS in recent clashes. Prior to last season’s 20-17 Hokies win, the average margin of victory was 23 points per game.

3DW Line – Virginia Tech by 5

South Carolina (+17.5, 45) at Alabama 7:45E ESPN

This has to rank among the stranger seasons the ol’ ball coach has had being a head coach (working for Daniel Snyder not included). The defense lost a ton of talent from last year, yet South Carolina (5-1, 4-1 ATS) has only conceded more than 17 points twice this season. Despite constant shuffling in the offense line, the Gamecocks total on average just over 370 yards per game, not bad considering the turmoil. Senior linebacker and captain Eric Norwood finds a way to make an impact in every game and he will need to in a big way to slow down the Alabama attack. South Carolina is 9-4-1 ATS as road underdogs under coach Steve Spurrier.

Coming into the season, Crimson Tide (6-0, 5-1 ATS) backers thought their team had the potential to be even better than last year’s club that took 12-0 record into the SEC title game. The 55 returning lettermen are all physically stronger and a year wiser to coach Nick Saban’s no nonsense approach and if quarterback Greg McElroy could come thru, no telling how far Alabama could rise. McElroy has been tremendous and other pieces have fallen into place. Sophomore running back Mark Ingram has been as good as advertised, but tight end transfer Colin Peek is really fitting in, as he and McElroy have gotten more comfortable with each other. The Tide is 9-22-2 ATS in SEC home games, which includes three straight covers.

This is the first of trio of conference home games for Bama, who is 9-16-1 ATS when favored by 10 or more points. In studying Crimson Tide trends, most have come from the past and under coach Saban, most everything has been a lot different. For proof, check out 9-2 ATS record after a win by 17 or more points over the last two seasons, winning by 21.6 points per game. These teams last met in 2005 and the visitor has covered the oddsmakers number the last three times.
3DW Line – Alabama by 17