Time for another 3-0 Day

Took a 1-1 day to start the work week and we’ll see what we can do about improving on that figure. Willie has been doing well in the NBA of late and has his Best Bet for Free. The Top Trend is in Big East action and so is the Best System, which is 85.2 percent. Good Luck

What I thought yesterday – When you wager daily, you are going to make mistakes for a variety of reasons. Yesterday I was 0-1 in both CBB and the NBA being too conservative, not trusting my own numbers and judgment and passed up three plays I could have won on. Live and learn.

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Basketball System -1) Play Against home teams like Marquette when the line is +3 to -3, against a team outscoring their opponents by eight or more points a game in March. Does 23-4 ATS put a smile on your face?

Free Basketball Trend - 2) Cincinnati is 2-12 ATS playing against a team with a win percentage of 80% or higher the last two seasons.

Free Basketball Pick -3) Willie of the LCC is 8-3 on NBA sides in last 11 and likes Boston to break out of the slump.

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Jets vs. Bengals Betting Matchup

All the NFL analysts on television and radio keep saying the same thing don’t read too much into the New York Jets clocking Cincinnati 37-0 last week. The Jets had to win and the Bengals had nothing to play for blah, blah, blah. In theory that makes sense, but is losing by such a horrific score ever a good thing, especially when you have to play the same team again the next week?

The motivation angle works that Cincinnati will be more fired up after being throttled and will be back on home field before adoring fans and bring full playbook as opposed to Cliff Notes version they used last week.

There are a number of troubling signs for Bengals fans despite the dismissal. Cincinnati is 3-4 in its last seven games and has covered the spread just one time. They have scored more than 20 points just twice since November and one of those was 23 against Detroit, not exactly newsworthy. Say what you will about playing possum, but after allowing 257 yards on the ground to the Jets, Cincy is 4-15 ATS after surrendering 200 or more rushing yards last game.

Cincinnati has lost four defensive starters since the Week 3 of the season and they plainly are not as good as they were earlier in the year. Carson Palmer has really only played one outstanding game the second half of the season, when he threw for 293 net yards at San Diego. Granted the focus has been running the ball more, nonetheless the loss of Chris Henry as a player has impacted the passing game tremendously.

The Jets defense ranked No.1 in total defense and Darrelle Revis had a special year at corner. He certainly has the ability to take away the Bengals top receiver, Chad Ochocinco. As Coach Rex Ryan pointed out, New York at least in theory is built for the playoffs. They feature a strong defense with top-rated running game at 172.2 yards per game, led by Thomas Jones and are 12-2 ATS when their defense allows 150 or less net passing yards.

Coach Ryan made no specific reference to quarterback Mark Sanchez and for good reason, since he is realistically their top liability coming into the game. Undoubtedly, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will do everything he can to protect his rookie signal, but will have to deal with Cincinnati’s run blitzes on early downs after going totally vanilla a week ago.

Sanchez will be forced to complete slant passes or quick outs against solid Bengals corners Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. The Jets traded for Braylon Edwards during the season and it is his time to be a difference-maker. The Flyboys are 6-2 ATS on the road vs. teams with winning home records.

The Bengals, making just their second postseason appearance in 19 years, may not stick around long, unless the running game clicks and Palmer starts completing some passes. Expect Cincinnati to run crossing routes to either free up Ochocinco or create space for other pass-catchers to be a factor. The Bengals offensive line has to bring it and create lanes for Cedric Benson.

Bookmaker.com has Cincinnati favored by 2.5-points with total of 33.5. The Cats are 0-7 ATS as favorites this season and 0-8 ATS vs. good defensive teams who give up 17 or less points a game the last three years. New York is hardly a picture of prosperity with 2-10 ATS record after two straight wins by 10 or more points; however are 8-3 ATS as road dogs catching three or fewer points.

The home team has covered the last four meetings and Cincy is 9-0 UNDER as a home favorite.

Pittsburgh visits the Queen City

The Pittsburgh Panthers drew the dreaded Saturday-Monday Big East slate to begin league play, both on the road. The first part of the process was no problem after upsetting previously undefeated Syracuse 82-72. Now it’s off to the Queen City for the Panthers (12-2, 5-4-2 ATS) who have won five in a row.

Pittsburgh has survived despite having its fewest number of returning starters in years. Brad Wanamaker has emerged as more of a scoring guard than expected and Nasir Robinson has added to the offense. Jermaine Dixon is finally healthy and making solid contributions and Ashton Gibbs has been dropping some three-point bombs.

Even with how good Pitt basketball has been for a number of years, highly-touted freshman Dante Taylor is their first McDonald’s All-American in 21 years. Pittsburgh comes into this game 10-1 ATS after four straight wins by 10 points or more over the last three seasons.

Cincinnati (10-3, 4-4-1 ATS) is a tweener team, they could be better or worse than preseason prognostications or just middle of the pack in the Big East. The potential is there for the Bearcats to be quite good as the backcourt Deonta Vaughn, redshirt freshman Cashmere Wright and true frosh Lance Stephenson could be second only to Villanova. For Cincy to be noticed, they must be unbeaten at home and close to .500 on the road.

The Bearcats have started strong in Big East play with wins over Connecticut and Rutgers and to move up on the next rung of the conference ladder, they must overcome 5-18 ATS record after playing a game as favorite.

DiamondSportsbook.com Cincinnati has 4.5-point favorites, with total of 126. The Bearcats are unsightly 0-10 ATS after playing consecutive games as favorite and 11-2 OVER in home games after three contests allowing a shooting percentage of 40 percent or less. Pittsburgh is well aware of Cincy’s failures vs. better clubs (2-9 ATS against teams with win percentage of 80 percent or higher the last two years) and will have to match their intensity on the road. The Panthers are 10-2 OVER when the total is 129.5 or less over the last three seasons.

ESPN has this telecast for the unofficial start of Big Monday and Pittsburgh has won five of last six encounters against Cincinnati with .500 spread mark.

Sugar Bowl Preview

Florida (12-0, 6-6 ATS) had bigger plans, but had to “settle” for a Sugar Bowl date with unbeaten Cincinnati (12-0, 7-5 ATS). With two national titles in three years, Florida’s motivation is questioned after the SEC title game loss. It is the last collegiate game for Tim Tebow, and he surely wants to go out on a high note. The Bearcats mental state is also unknown, having a coaching change. Hopefully the time off helped the Cincy defense recover, as they surrendered 36.5 points per game in its last four contests. It’s an entertaining matchup of Cincinnati’s prolific offense against Gators domineering defense. The Gators boast a 9-2 ATS mark when rested under sabbatical in the making Urban Meyer.

Let’s be honest, their arguably has not been a more meaningless BCS game since the system was put into place. The outcome of this game has zero bearing on what happens this year or next year as Cincinnati has Butch Jones following Brian Kelly again for his next job (Central Michigan was the other) and though the philosophies may be similar, they are different.

The Meyer saga is far different. This is a guy so conflicted internally, that one crisp practice made him feel better. His news conference needed another chair and microphone, as Meyer is walking around with two personalities and he doesn’t know which one to trust. Make no mistake, the recruits Florida has lined up for will be receiving calls from other programs asking them to reconsider since who will really be the coach at Florida not only next year, but in the future for a four year commitment.

As far as the game it, the Bearcats felt they were getting disrespected before the whole Meyer revelation came to fruition, most consider this contest a mortal lock for Gators, wanting to send their coach out to his “leave of absence” feeling much better. Granted, Cincinnati plays in the Big East compared to Florida in the SEC, but the Bearcats see they have 33 wins since 2007 and the Gators 34.

Tony Pike is a cool senior who is calm in the face of adversity (remember his performance against Pittsburgh) and the Cincinnati coaches will be intent on moving Mardy Gilyard around to allow him to make big plays. The Cinny defense wore down in the second half the season and should be refreshed with the time off and has to concentrate on taking away the dive play from Florida offense, as that usually sets the tempo. Cincinnati is 8-1 ATS when playing against team with a 75 percent or higher win percentage over the last three seasons.

The Florida seniors and juniors expected to leave are going to be SO JACKED to send their coach into “sabbatical” they might not need helmets. Defensively, make Pike throw the pigskin quickly, before plays develop to their entirety. This leaves narrower windows for completions and makes Pike less confident. With as focused as Tim Tebow figures to be, the Florida offense might be like an executioner, coldly gaining first down after first down before busting a long play for six. The Gators are 9-1 ATS vs. teams outscoring opponents by 10 or more points per game on the season under Meyer, winning by average 17.3 PPG.

Diamondsportsbook.com has the Gators ready to chomp as 12.5-point favorites, with total of 57.

In life it’s always interesting to wonder - what if? If Texas loses to Nebraska and Florida beats Alabama, they likely are playing for national championship and would any what has happened with the coaches occurred if they were about to face one another.

Here’s a great reason to watch the Sugar Bowl, it might be the end of an era in Gator football. Even if Meyer does return, the casualties will be too heavy to overcome next season. Can he mentally and physically continue to push himself so hard and if he delegates more, will he be satisfied with the results. Stay tuned.

3DW Line – Florida by 9

Time to start checking out the College Hoops

With only one contest on the collegiate gridiron Saturday, sports bettor’s interest start to wander more specifically over to the hardwood. This is the first full weekend of televised college basketball and a number of stirring contests are on tap for watching and wagering enjoyment. If you happen to Christmas shopping or lucky enough to get to stay home while somebody else fights the crowds, take the time to get in the mood for college hoops and enjoy.

Saturday, Dec.12

Kentucky at Indiana 12:00E CBS

Coach John Calipari’s club finishes a challenging non-conference slate the last eight days taking on Indiana. Kentucky (9-0, 3-4 ATS) has defeated North Carolina and Connecticut this past week, as his young players get ready for SEC play. Coach Cal has also shown his stern side as head coach, recently reprimanding his most prized pupil John Wall. As you might expect, Wall has only heard people praising his basketball abilities since his youth and seemed genuinely shocked when Calipari expressed his opinion about his play. That sends a very positive message to vets like Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson and lets the other talented first year players know who is in charge. Big Blue will have to play defense against Indiana, since they are 2-7 ATS off a spread cover.

The Indiana Hoosiers (4-4 SU & ATS) are more talented than a season ago, however they are far from a finished product for coach Tom Crean. With a squad filled with young players, Indiana fans will have to take the good with the bad. Guard Maurice Creek and Christian Watford have made the steadiest contributions and the coach is thrilled about the effort Verdell Jonnes III is giving, working hard on the glass and transfer Jeremiah Rivers is adding stability in the backcourt. The Hoosiers are 3-9 SU and 4-8 ATS vs. Kentucky.

Ohio State at Butler 12:00E ESPN

The Buckeyes (7-1, 6-2 ATS) got the clinching victory over Florida State 77-64 for the Big Ten in their first ever win against the ACC and moves on to face another rugged opponent, this time on the road. Ohio State’s forward Evan Turner has been a force (now injured) and Jon Diebler is emerging from early season shooting slump and burying three’s again. Coach Thad Matta’s club lacks size and 6’8 Dallas Lauderdale is doing his best to be a factor in the post. Despite tremendous start, sophomore William Buford has been lost and he could be important against balanced Butler squad. The Buckeyes are 14-4 ATS after two or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons.

It’s not that the Bulldogs (6-3, 3-6 ATS) are playing poorly; they just weren’t playing Butler basketball. Coach Brad Stevens team may have played in the top early season tourney in Anaheim, but were sloppy in ball-handling and took far too many poor shoots in finishing with 1-2 record. In the loss against Georgetown, they shot 31.4 percent and had no answers for Hoyas center Greg Monroe. What Butler has to do is get back to basics, making the extra pass for the layup or the wide open three-ball shot. This is another big opportunity for the Bulldogs to regain stature, especially at home, if the knock off Ohio State. Butler is 20-11 ATS in non-conference games under coach Stevens.

LaSalle vs Kansas 2:00E ESPNU

Top ranked Kansas (8-0, 3-2 ATS) has not entered any tournaments the last couple of years, preferring to played selected opponents at home, on the road or at neutral sites. Everyone understood the Jayhawks talent deserved a top ranking; however teams that were supposed to push them don’t give the appearance they will. UCLA offered little resistance and upcoming games against Michigan and California might not provide the competition needed for Kansas before Big 12 play. Swingman Xavier Henry is proving to be the perfect compliment as freshman that could keep Kansas at or near the top of the ranking all season. With its high octane offense (90.4 points per game), the Jayhawks are 13-2 ATS when they score 81 or more points.

Though the crowd will be pro-Kansas in Kansas City, at least it’s not a true home game for the Jayhawks, which has to make LaSalle (6-2,2-3 ATS) feel a bit better. The Explorers do have talented individuals like guard Rodney Green, its top scorer. Kimmani Barrett and Jerrell Williams both have the ability to fill up the basket and freshman big man Aaric Murray will find out how much progress he’s made going up against Cole Aldrich. LaSalle has to maintain poise and if they do, the Explorers could improve on 19-9 ATS record as underdogs of 10 or more.

Georgetown vs Washington 2:00E FSN

This is a solid opening matchup for the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim. Georgetown (7-0, 2-1 ATS) has a trio of players that can matchup with any in the country. With Greg Monroe patrolling the paint, Austin Freeman making things happen from the wing and Chris Wright handling the rock, the Hoyas can ball. Where the view turns to 20-50 vision is when one of the trio has an off-night. Julian Vaughn has the ability to be reliable scorer and rebounder and sophomore Jason Clark has the length and quickness to be lock-down defender. The bench, what bench? G-Town is 11-19 ATS in all lined games over the last two seasons.

Coach Lorenzo Romar’s U-Dub squad is acquiring some good battle scars. Washington (6-1, 1-6 ATS) has been pushed by Wright State, Montana and lost to Texas Tech in OT, while the starters have learned to play together and a feisty bench has added a spark. Leading scorer Quincy Pondexter and Isaiah Thomas are going to be at the forefront, nonetheless junior Venoy Overton and long-range shooting reserve Elston Turner add greater flexibility for team that is 37-20 ATS away from home vs. foe outscoring opponent by eight points or more a game.

Marquette at Wisconsin 5:00E ESPN2

Shhh, quiet, if you listen intently, you can still here a couple dozen Badgers fans partying from the upset win over Duke. As per usual, nothing much was expected from Wisconsin (6-2, 3-3 ATS), however few work the chalkboard better than coach Bo Ryan. Guard Trevon Hughes is the leader of Badger attack and he is complimented by a group of players that don’t make mistakes and play defense that always leads opposing player into anther defender. This conflict is HUGE deal in the Badger State and Wisky is 25-12 ATS as a home favorite of six points or less or pick.

Marquette (7-2, 3-2 ATS) was supposed to disappear, after losing “triplets” from last season, whom all finished in the Top 10 in scoring in Golden Eagles history. But senior forward Lazar Hayward is having none of that talk. Marquette will have size issues all year, but the amount of quickness will catch more than one unassuming competitor off-guard. Darius Johnson-Odom has a nice upside and swingman Jimmy Butler finds ways to score. Coach Buzz Williams team isn’t going to win the Big East, nevertheless, they will have say. The Golden Eagles are 2-4 SU in Madison, yet have four covers. The UNDER is 6-1 in last seven encounters.

Virginia Tech at Penn State 7:00E ESPN2

No its not another Big Ten/ACC Challenge contest, this was just part of the regular scheduling between these universities. Virginia Tech (7-1, 2-4 ATS) has already claimed one Big Ten victim, Iowa, and seeks another on the road. The Hokies tend to be erratic offensively, as there are few answers beyond guard Malcolm Delaney and forward Jeff Allen. It is tantamount neither gets in foul trouble, which occurred in loss to Temple. Watch the line closely on this matchup, with Virginia Tech 3-16 ATS on the road when the line is +3 to -3 since 1997.

The Basketball Prospectus website has come with something called the “Degree of DeChellis”. Named after the Penn State coach, it factors an element that the Nittany Lions continually out-play --per possession performance. The basic principle of this exercise is Penn State (6-3, 4-4 ATS), under DeChellis, continually outperforms year after year expectations and common game situations. He has them playing competitively, despite being out-gunned most nights. He’s not on anybody’s top coaches list, but he works with what he has as good or better than any coach. DeChellis’ teams are 6-0 ATS playing a team with a winnng record.

Purdue at Alabama 9:00E ESPN2

Purdue (8-0, 5-3 ATS) is enjoying its highest ranking in 13 years in the Top 25 and they are starting to look like are going to be the team to beat in the Big Ten. In winning the Paradise Jam and handling Wake Forest, they have shown diversity in style of play. The offense has a vast array of ways to score inside or outside and the defense can play lockdown opposing team’s offensive sets. One difference over the last couple years that has manifested itself, the Boilermakers have another gear, a Usain Bolt if you will, with E’Twaun Moore at the controls. Purdue is 6-1 ATS on the road after three or more home games.

By most accounts of those that follow SEC basketball, Alabama (6-2, 4-2 ATS) has underachieved the last several seasons, held hostage by the health of point guard Ronald Steele and former coach Mark Gottfried’s apparent inability to get the most out of team. New coach Anthony Grant is already turning a few heads with the Crimson Tide’s smarter play. He’s leaning on veteran guards like Mikhail Torrance and Charvez Davis, especially with Andrew Steele out with stress fracture. This could be early signature win Grant is looking for and the Tide is 18-7 ATS as a home underdog or pick since 1997.

Sunday, Dec.13

Cincinnati at Xavier 7:00E ESPNU

There are special rivalries all across the college basketball landscape, but when the teams are in the same city and the players facing one another in playground battles most of the year, this takes the emotion to the next level. This Queen City battle is bitter and often very physical, which suits Cincinnati (6-1, 3-2 ATS) just fine. Guard Deonta Vaughn is the unquestioned leader of this team. Yancy Gates, Rashad Bishop, Lance Stephenson, and Cashmere Wright are a stellar supporting cast. This team could be a much larger factor in the Big East than previously given credit for, especially if the lauded frosh Stephenson blossoms. The Bearcats are respectable 22-15 ATS as underdogs.

Xavier basketball has been on a high plane the last few years, averaging better than 27 wins per season, and former assistant Chris Mack is entrusted with keeping the program rolling. Guard Jordan Crawford and center Jason Love are the leading scorers for the Musketeers (5-3, 4-3 ATS), however beyond this twosome; points are iffy game in and game out. In losses to Baylor, Marquette and Kansas State, Xavier shot below 38 percent. The Musketeers have won eight of last 12 encounters (7-4-1 ATS), including five of last six at home (3-3 ATS).

Championship Saturday

Our last post was another 2-1 day and we believe we have the right stuff to make today even better. We’ll start with an 85.3 percent system on the gridiron that is perfect this season. That is followed by a perfect trend in the ACC title game and finally Steve of the Left Coast Connection has it going on and releases his Best Bet today. Good Luck

What I’m thinking today – I’m caught in one of those rare situations where I want to bet one team but I really like the other team. When I say like, I mean I want them to win. This doesn’t happen often for me, but it does occur. I actually like the 11-0 Cincinnati team. I like the way they play, I like their coach and I would like to see them go unbeaten. That aside, I have the suspicion they may have peaked, especially on defense and I believe an angry Pittsburgh team beats them. I’ll be rooting for the Bearcats and don’t want money to take away from my enjoyment of watching the game and pulling me in opposite directions.

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Football System-1) PLAY ON Home favorites of 21.5 or more points like Louisiana Tech, who are average offensive team (4.8 to 5.6 yards per play) against a team with a terrible defense (6.2 or higher YPP), in conference games. This system checks in at 29-5 ATS, 85.3 percent, with 3-0 mark this season.

Free Football Trend-2) Georgia Tech is 8-0 ATS versus good defensive teams allowing 310 or fewer yards a game over the last two seasons.

Free Football Pick -3) Steve’s hot streak continues and he is making a big play on Rutgers today.

Great start to college football Saturday

By game time on Saturday, two more conference tiles will have been decided over the last couple of games and now it’s time to fill the last five spots, which includes four specific BCS bowl slots. Starting in Pittsburgh, the home of the defending professional football and hockey champions and the Pirates (keeps things in balance), the Big East championship game will be played. Over in Greenville, NC, where they average 50 inches of rain a year, the Conference USA crown will be determined, with the winner advancing to the Liberty Bowl. Let the fun begin.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh 12:00E ABC

The Bearcats (6-5 ATS) are perfect 11-0 heading into what is Big East championship contest. Coach Brian Kelly has done a terrific job of keeping all the excitement in perspective, saying “…the program has conceivably has arrived, but it is not built”. Tony Pike is back as the starting quarterback; however Kelly has deftly changed the offense from a passing team, to one that has compiled 180 yards or more rushing in the in four of the last five games. This strategy has worked well in thinking ahead to the potential of inclement weather and given opposing defenses something else to worry about. The defense has worn down as the season progressed, especially against the run, being gouged for over 200 yards in the last two of last three games which will be a focal point Pittsburgh will certainly attack. Cincy is 27-9 ATS vs. teams outscoring opponents by 10 or more points per game.

Pittsburgh (9-2, 6-3-1 ATS) is off confidence deflating loss at West Virginia 19-16 and now like many of the teams playing this weekend for championships, can focus on the task at hand. Coach Dave Wannstedt has taken a lot of grief as head coach in several stops; nevertheless he is to be commended for this job. He built the program his way, defense first and a pro-style offensive attack. He not only was able to get the right players to fit his program, but worked with players that improved each season like QB Bill Stull. He wasn’t afraid to take a chance on dynamic RB Dion Lewis, considered too small by others. The Panthers are 12-5-1 ATS in last 17 lined contests.

Bookmaker.com has seen Pittsburgh go from opening as 1.5-point favorites to two-point underdogs. In order to prove bettors wrong the Panthers must be the more physical team, control the clock with run game and have defensive front pressure Pike. Pittsburgh’s 43 sacks was the best in college football, while Cincinnati has given up nine, the nation's third-fewest. Wanny’s crew really gave a non-effort in loss to West Virginia last week and is 5-1 ATS off a spread loss.

Pittsburgh’s secondary is not as good as its numbers (45th) which provides coach Kelly an opportunity to dissect it, while looking thru companies in South Bend that make business cards. If the offensive line holds up, Pike should carve Pitt up like a surgeon. Pike is the better quarterback in this BCS battle. Defensively, the Cats have to find ways to get off the field, since they lose in slug-fest. Cincy is 28-11-1 ATS as visitors against teams with winning home records.

This series is known as the River City Rivalry and Pittsburgh is 7-1 and 4-1 ATS and the total of this Big East bash is 58.

3DW Line – Pittsburgh by 4.5

Houston at East Carolina – 12:00E ESPN2

It took all season, but two of the teams that were thought to be in the Conference USA championship game in early October have emerged as division champions. East Carolina held off Southern Mississippi 25-20 and now has a chance to be back-to-back champs. The Pirates (8-4, 5-6 ATS) advanced to the championship contest based on many of the same things that helped them all season. Sixth-year senior quarterback Patrick Pinkney led the way throwing for 269 yards and the defensive line made play after play, allowing East Carolina survive. East Carolina will be the host for this title tilt, however they are only .500 against the spread in last 52 home games.

Houston (10-2, 8-3 ATS) was supposed to play in this game a season ago, but was derailed by Rice. The Cougars made sure that didn’t happen two years in a row by obliterating the Owls 73-14 and moving on to first championship conflict. Quarterback Case Keenum will bring the nation’s top passing game into Greenville, averaging over 440 yards thru the air, with its dizzying array of pass patterns and movement. Keenum is a finalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and has terrific receivers to throw to. The Cougars are consistent offensively, scoring in 45 of 48 quarters this season, which is the highest average in college football at 93.7 percent. Houston is only 10-22 ATS in road games after gaining 325 or more passing yards in last game.

East Carolina pulls the upset as 2.5-point dogs if Pinkney throws accurately and RB Dominique Lindsay runs wild. Both are possibilities as Houston allowed 445 yards per game (those same teams averaged 370 YPG) and was 113th in run defense. The best way to beat Houston is a cliché, but it’s true, keep the offense on the sidelines. The Pirates can steal a win since they are 13-2 ATS when they score 28 or more points.

ECU is lucky to be here. Southern Miss fumbled and lost the ball at the one going in for touchdown and had blocked extra point returned for two points. Houston has to block a very good defensive line to give Keenum time to throw. This offense is unstoppable if pass patterns are given time to develop (ask losers). On defense, the Cougars will allow a ton of yards, but need to make a few stops or force turnovers. Houston historically has a vast collection of bad angles; nonetheless they are 8-3 ATS THIS season.

Here are numbers to chew on about this C-USA 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. The road team has won four of last five meetings and covered the spread each time. Additionally, in head to head matchups, Houston won by 21 points and East Carolina by 14.2.

3DW Line – Houston by 1

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

The beginning of holiday week

We should have gone 3-0 yesterday, but the Giants lousy pass defense couldn’t hold a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, allowing us to slip to 2-1. Today out Best System is in the NFL and is in article listed below. The Top Trend heads all the way out to Maui and the Sal’s Top Free Play will arrive shortly.Good Luck

What I learned yesterday – The Colts defeated the Ravens, 17-15, to continue their recent trend of extending their winning streak in closely-contested games. The Colts' three other victories this month had come by scores of 18-14 over the 49ers, 20-17 over the Texans and 35-34 over the Patriots, and as in their win over the Ravens, the Colts had trailed in the fourth quarter in each game. Indianapolis became the first team in NFL history to win four consecutive games after trailing during the fourth quarter in each of those games.

The Colts became the first team in NFL history to win four consecutive games in the same season by a total margin of 10-or-fewer points. And they did it by filling an inside straight, having won those games by margins of one, two, three and four points. The previous record was set by the 1986 Giants: en route to winning the Super Bowl, Bill Parcells's team defeated the Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings and Broncos by a combined margin of 11 points. Thanks, Elias

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Football System-1) See the Monday night system in below article

Free Basketball Trend-2) The Cincinnati Bearcats are 1-12 ATS after two or more consecutive wins over the last three seasons.

Free Football Pick -3) Sal’s says take the points with the Titans, he's also playing them on the money line.

Paul Buck’s Monday Night Magic- Guaranteed

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West Virginia in upset mode

West Virginia (7-2, 2-6 ATS) is in a unique situation in the Big East. They can make themselves conference champions by knocking off Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Rutgers in their remaining games. A loss to either the Bearcats or Panthers would help determine who eventually is named champion or beating those two schools, but losing at Rutgers would be the cruelest fate of all. West Virginia’s offense has slowed, after scoring 30 or more points in their first five games; as they have not managed to climb to that barrier since.

The Mountaineers defense, once a fixture in the Top 30, now allows far too many big plays of 20 or more yards, which is a real issue having to deal with Cincinnati offense. West Virginia will need A-game and is 11-4 ATS in road encounters in Nov/Dec. regular season contests.

The Bearcats are 9-0 for the first time in 58 years and brimming with confidence. Coach Brian Kelly is a noted taskmaster, yet his in-game demeanor has been much calmer this season. Cincinnati (6-3 ATS) players always look to be prepared and seem to enjoy playing, something not always seen from others on a week to week basis. A win here and just two games remain, a final home contest in non-conference action against Illinois and a likely huge showdown at Pittsburgh.

Cincy can’t ignore a mildly underachieving West Virginia squad who is capable of big upset. That’s where the defense had to play smart and whoever is the quarterback has to remain composed. The latest information has sophomore Zach Collaros makes his fourth straight start as the Bearcats chase the first 10-0 start in school history. Coach Kelly has waffled a little this week about who his starter once Tony Pike is healthy. Pike is expected to see playing time in this Big East battle. The Bearcats are 7-0 ATS when playing against a team with win percentage of 75 percent or higher over the last three seasons.

DiamondSportsbook.com has West Virginia as nine-point underdogs, with total of 55. The Mountaineers are 14-2-1 SU against Cincy and will be an underdog for the first time since the ‘Cats joined the Big East.

West Virginia’s offense has taken notice that the two best rushing attacks Cincinnati has faced, Fresno State and UConn, both went over 200 yards on the ground. Can the ‘Teers take advantage on a short week, since they are 1-5 ATS on Friday nights? The Bearcats have shown ability to rebound off a weak defensive effort and are 8-1-1 ATS after conceding 200 or more yards on the ground. Coach Kelly teams are 7-0 ATS at home after ringing up 37 or more points.
ESPN2 will bring this Big East confrontation into viewers living rooms, with the visitor is 5-1-1 ATS and the Under is on 4-1 run.

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

Cincy Favored in Big East Bash

It won’t be long before some big-time college football program is going to be ready to cough up the cash to have the services coach Brian Kelly. Since taking over at Cincinnati, Kelly is 27-6 (5-0 in 2009) and 17-12-1 against the spread. Last year’s Big East title and appearance in the Orange Bowl has the Queen City fired up about something besides college hoops.

A few nay-sayers will complain that the Bearcats (3-2 ATS) have not played a Miami Hurricanes schedule to this point, however how many teams would be undefeated today if they had ONE returning defensive starter? Quarterback Tony Pike is leading a sensational offense averaging 329.8 yards passing, often looking towards playmaker Mardy Gilyard. If teams try to double Gilyard, that has opened up chances for running back Jacob Ramsey to slice and dice the opposition. Cincy is 6-0 ATS when playing against a team with a win percentage of 75 percent or higher over the last three seasons.

South Florida (5-0, 2-1 ATS) was on the edges of Big East title conversations coming into the season, after not meeting expectations a year ago. When senior quarterback Matt Grothe went down to injury, what supporters they had bailed faster than General Motors did on Saturn.

However, redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels has stepped in under center and delivered big plays and wins against Florida State and Syracuse and all the sudden, more seats are being added to the Bulls bandwagon. They are 5-1 ATS in last six lined games.

On defense, watch for defensive tackle George Selvie and safety Nate Allen, two outstanding talents. This gruesome twosome will have to get after Pike and their defense ranks fifth in scoring defense (9.4) and 10th in total yards allowed (263.0) nationally. They have forced 16 turnovers on the season.

“We'd be concerned if our defense was out there struggling, but as you can see the last two weeks, they've bowed up when they needed to and they're continuing to make plays," said Pike. "On offense, we're going to come out when we get the possessions and make the most out of it."

Cincy opened as 1.5-point favorites and were swiftly moved to -2.5 by the wagering public , bot retreated since back to two points at Bookmaker.com, with total of 48.5. Cincinnati ranks third in the country in scoring with 43.2 points per game, with Pike throwing a TD pass in 15 consecutive games. The Bearcats are 15-6-1 ATS against teams with winnings records. South Florida has to contain the Cincinnati offense and hope to hit a few big plays to grab the momentum. The Bulls are only 3-9 ATS against winning teams in last dozen tries.

This could be head-buster and a lower scoring than it appears. USF is 6-0 UNDER when playing against a team with a winning record and the Bearcats are 12-3 UNDER when the line is +3 to -3.

These are two programs that will showcase their considerable talents to a national cable audience and South Florida is 8-3 ATS at home against Big East competition the last three years. One of those losses has been against Cincinnati, whom they are 1-4 and 0-5 against the spread.

ESPN has this Big East showcase at 7:45 Eastern.

NFL Week 5's Big Games

Of the various boggle the brain teams, Cincinnati has to be right at the top, as they are one beyond belief tipped pass away from being 4-0 this season. The Bengals play their third straight AFC North conflict and could wrestle first place away from Baltimore with the upset. What is wrong with the Cowboys that a trip to Kansas City wouldn’t fix? Atlanta and San Francisco tries to prove which team truly is on the rise in 2009. After a sluggish start, Arizona is back from a bye looking at Houston team that is similar to their club from a year ago. It’s another big test for unbeaten Denver with New England in the Mile High City.

Cincinnati at Baltimore 1:00E CBS

Who would’ve thought this just over a month ago?…Cincinnati (2-2 ATS, 3-1 Ov) and Baltimore (3-1 ATS, 3-1 Ov) will be battling for the AFC North lead when they clash in Week 5. The Bengals have been one of the league’s pleasant surprises, boasting a 3-1 record, same as the Ravens. In fact, take away the tipped ball miracle play in Week 1 and Cincy is unbeaten right now with wins over Green Bay and Pittsburgh on its resume. Here, they’ll be looking to up their record in Baltimore to 4-3 under Marvin Lewis and win their third ATS win in four tries vs. a division foe. The Ravens are 9-1 ATS as a favorite under John Harbaugh and 6-2 ATS versus AFC North opponents, but are off the humbling setback in New England. Favorites in this series are on a 14-5 SU and ATS run.

Keys to the Game-

The Bengals have to catch some Flac, as in sack Joe Flacco to limit the Baltimore passing game. Keep DE Antwan Odom’s motor on high and have him keep after Flacco. Against the run, gap control is mandatory or the Ravens will run the ball down Cincy’s throat for four quarters. Cincinnati 10-1-1 ATS after playing Cleveland and it will be Carson Palmer’s job all day to read S Ed Reed’s keys and change plays off of his actions.

In Ravens loss to New England, too often various members of the secondary took bad angles, which led to poor tackling. This can’t happen against Chad Ochocinco and the dangerous Chris Henry, who is nightmare matchup for any team’s third cornerback. Baltimore has stopped Cincinnati’s straight ahead running game for years, but Cedric Benson has the speed to get wide and Brian Leonard is solid as one-cut-and-go runs. The Ravens have NFL’s top run defense, however Bengals aren’t pushovers anymore at 4.5 yards per carry. The Birds are 12-3 ATS in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points.

3DW Line – Baltimore by 12

DiamondSportsbook.com Line – Baltimore -8.5, 42.

Dallas at Kansas City 1:00E FOX

After losing at Denver, Dallas (2-2 SU&ATS) continues its two week road trip through the AFC West with a trip to Kansas City. The Cowboys record as a road favorite dropped to 10-3 SU & 7-6 ATS under Wade Phillips by losing to the Broncos, but more importantly, they lost another game in the NFC East standings. They’ll enjoy next Sunday off, important since Dallas is on a run of 9-2 ATS in pre-bye week games. Kansas City (0-4 SU&ATS) is playing its second straight as host to an NFC East club, after coming up short 27-16 against the Giants. With that spread loss, the Chiefs fell to 1-4 SU & 1-3-1 ATS in their last five at home vs. NFC opponents. The Cowboys have only visited Arrowhead Stadium once in the last 18 years (’98) and the home team is 4-0 SU & 2-0-2 ATS in the last four games of this series.

Keys to the Game-

Without Terrell Owens, teams no longer fear the Dallas deep passing attack. Roy Williams (who might not play) is a poor route runner as are many of the Cowboys receivers. Tony Romo isn’t always the most accurate passer and needs help from pass catchers to get more open and hang onto the ball. Dallas is 4-15 ATS as a road favorite of 7.5 to 10 points and defensively needs to shutdown the Chiefs on first down, which sets up bring the house on third down. The Dallas pass rush has been anemic, but with K.C. 29th in pass offense, great time for the Boys to get happy.

Dallas is third in rushing yards at 163.7 yards per game, which would leave Kansas City with fewer possessions if they let them play keep away. Stop the Cowboys and look to discourage them since they allow 4.7 yards per attempt. The Chiefs are not making any big plays and have to in all three phases to pull the upset. A couple of big passing plays, an interception or fumble recovery and a long punt return gives the Chiefs a chance since they are 7-0 ATS after allowing 25 points or more in two straight games. Lastly, score touchdowns in the red zone and concede field goals in the same area, which would different this season.

3DWLine – Dallas by 8
Bookmaker.com Line – Dallas -7.5, 43.5

Atlanta at San Francisco 4:05E FOX

When Atlanta (2-1 ATS, 2-1Un) left the NFC West Division in 2002, it meant making fewer trips to San Francisco. That was welcomed news since the Falcons have struggled when visiting the Bay Area, and in fact, are just 1-10 SU & 3-8 ATS in their last 11 adventures when visiting the 49ers. That one win came in the most recent trip though, in 2004, and now looks to make it two in row. Atlanta comes in at 2-1 and off its bye week, but the next seven games will make or break its chances for a second straight playoff appearance. San Francisco (4-0 ATS, 3-1Un) is 3-1 after shutting out St. Louis and very well could be 4-0. The 49ers seem to be restoring some long lost home field advantage, having gone 5-0 SU & 4-0-1 ATS under Mike Singletary. Atlanta is 9-0-2 UNDER the total in post-bye week games since 1999.

Keys to the Game-

Atlanta has done a poor job against the run (25th) and has to shore up this area up against San Francisco who prefers to establish a ground game. Defensive tackles Trey Lewis and Thomas Johnson must be more stout in the A and B gaps and at least won’t have to fret about Frank Gore, who is out. The Falcons are 14-4 ATS after allowing 400 or more total yards in consecutive games. Atlanta brought in Tony Gonzalez to open up the passing game, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of Roddy White, who’s averaging only eight yards a catch. White is deep threat and home run hitter, use him.

San Francisco only manufactured 228 yards of offense in scoring 35 points last week against the Rams, thanks to three defensive scores. The lack of offensive punch is due to supposedly strong offensive line looking and acting worse than Jon Gosselin. This contingent needs to come together and start exploding off the ball and Birds D-Line is custom made to so. The defense is sixth overall and would be wise to take away Gonzalez and make Matt Ryan go after their excellent corners. The Niners are 6-0 ATS at Candlestick Park after covering the number.

3DWLine – San Francisco by 5.5
DiamondSportsbook.com Line – San Francisco -2.5, 40.5

Houston at Arizona 4:15E CBS

Two high-powered passing attacks, Houston & Arizona, will go head-to-head in what is expected to be a game featuring plenty of offensive fireworks. That should showcase the talents of the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald and the Texans’ Andre Johnson. Both are big, strong receivers with excellent hands. The Cards have tended to come out of bye weeks not so chipper and are 11-3 UNDER in post-bye week games since 1994. The defending NFC champion Cardinals (1-2 ATS&UNDER) took last week off to find answers for their slow 1-2 start. The good news is they are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. teams passing for more than 7.0 yards per attempt. Houston (2-2 ATS) has averaged 7.7 YPA in its 2-2 start, and comes in on a 7-1 ATS surge as an underdog. The Texans are 5-9 ATS when visiting NFC foes. This will be just the second time these teams have met, and the first time in Arizona.

Keys to the Game –

Houston is 29th against the run and if they can’t stop Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells (3.2 YPC), they have no business in talking about playoff possibilities. The Texans have been blitzing a lot, yet have only five sacks to show for their efforts. Kurt Warner is a top five quarterbacks with protection, however in the bottom 25 percent when pressured. Houston is 4-14 ATS as road underdog off a conquest and they will add one more to the right side of the ledger unless they get Steve Slaton started (Texans 3.2 YPC). Run screens, quicker hitting plays, whatever it takes, since Matt Schaub’s effectiveness shrinks without running game.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? The 2009 season! Arizona players and coaches said they were unaffected by Super Bowl loss, yet based on actions; they appear to be less than truthful. Start with protecting Kurt Warner. Yes, he’s going to hang on the ball too long, this isn’t news to those wearing Cardinal red. Give him time to make the throws. Coach Ken Whisenhunt is calling the plays, hey a coach, your receivers are REALLY good, throw them the ball. Arizona is 16-5 ATS in home games versus mediocre defensive teams allowing 5.65 or more yards a play, punish them. On defense, the Redbirds can stop the run, they have to protect against the big pass play.

3DWLine - Arizona by 1
Bookmaker.com Line – Arizona -5.5, 50

New England at Denver 4:15E CBS

There will be plenty of hype surrounding the New England-Denver showdown, for more than the coaching matchup, as Bill Belichick takes on his former offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. Surprisingly, it is McDaniels that is receiving more accolades, with his team atop the AFC West. With a 4-0 SU & ATS record and the NFL’s best defense at 6.5 points per game allowed, the Broncos continue a treacherous eight-game stretch as three-point home dogs to the 3-1 Patriots. Belichick’s club is seemingly regaining its footing as QB Tom Brady becomes more comfortable. New England (2-2 ATS) boasts a 25-5 SU & 21-7 ATS record as road chalk of less than a touchdown in the Belichick era. The last seven games these teams have played in Denver have averaged 48 points per contest, while going OVER the total six times.

Keys to the Game-

It must be the altitude, because New England is 3-10 ATS in Denver. The loss of Fred Taylor means Laurence Maroney better get his game together quickly, since the Patriots need offensive balance against the No. 3 pass defense. The Pats showed great improvement last week in the red zone, converting touchdowns instead of settling for field goals, that must continue. This had to be a cerebral week of practice for the New England offense, since McDaniel is the one that set it up. The Brady bunch has to use false keys and give new looks to the same plays to confuse Denver D. New England is 7-1 ATS off consecutive covers.

The Broncos defense is the most important aspect of quick start and they have the secondary that can allow Denver to blitz Brady, much in the fashion the Jets did in holding the Patriots to nine points. New England shows up at eighth in total defense, but they are surrendering 4.5 yards per carry. The Denver’s offensive line is good enough to tie up Pats D-Line, and a set of ordinary linebackers will get caught in the scrum. See if the Pats can really contain the run. The Broncos can reverse trend of 4-12 ATS record off a home game by making big plays like last week. Look for Brandon Marshall and get the ball to Eddie Royal short to restore his confidence.

3DW Line – Denver by 1
DiamondSportsbook.com Line – New England -3, 41

Big East Tourney Thoughts -First Round

It had to happen and it was the right thing to do, but the amount of people waiting for the start of the Big East Tournament that now includes all 16 teams for the first time, has all the excitement surrounding it as the MEAC Conference tournament, which also starts today. The first day is so lightly regarded, even the Big East Network isn’t going to telecast it, and instead it is available online at BigEast.tv, which would draw this response from Homer Simpson. “Woowhoo”.

At least St. John’s, South Florida, Rutgers and DePaul are not shunned to some sort of basketball purgatory for having terrible season and will have a chance to compete, should they choose to do so. Three teams actually have something to play for, though it’s a reach, as Georgetown, Cincinnati and Notre Dame have the slimmest of chances to still be invited to the Big Dance. To even be considered part of that conversation, that would require a visit to the semi-finals, at least.

Cincinnati will face DePaul at high noon Eastern and it is hard to believe the Blue Demons will put up much of a fight after going zero for the Big East this season in 18 tries (6-12 ATS). DePaul has played with the enthusiasm of person finding out they are being laid off, but have to work two more weeks in order to get a two month severance package. On the year, DePaul is 8-18 ATS and Bookmaker.com has them as a rock solid eight-point underdog. The Bearcats are not exactly smokin’ coming in, with three consecutive losses and in need of OnStar to find the basket, as they have not converted over 38 percent from the field in last trio of tilts and are 0-8 ATS after playing two consecutive games as favorite over the last two seasons.

Immediately following, the next contest would have greater appeal if they ran ESPN Classic between Georgetown and St. John’s. This is actually the hot matchup of the day, with the Hoyas 3-3 in last six and the Storm 3-2 to close the year and 5-2 ATS in final seven tries. As you probably know, the fortunes of St. John’s altered when they caved in to political correctness and changed the school’s nickname away from Redmen. As a semi-educated adult, I know that has nothing to do with it, but can’t St. John’s start attracting a few kids from the city to at least be .500 and not have a sorry 6-13 ATS record against teams with winning records. Georgetown lost their confidence early in the Big East campaign and never regained it, finishing 7-11 and never met Wall Street-type expectations either with 4-14 ATS record in conference. The Hoyas and DePaul totaled 88 points in last game and G-Town is 0-8 ATS after playing a game where both teams score 65 points or less this season. Georgetown favored by six, smells like an upset.

In the evening, Notre Dame will bring its defenseless team into Madison Square Garden to take on Rutgers, a team that has given them trouble, at least when giving points. The Irish had a season reminiscent of the football team, high expectations, few results. Notre Dame did mange to defeat the teams they were supposed late in the season, including routing St. John’s by 19 as 11.5-point favorites, but they are just 1-7 ATS after a game where they covered the spread. Rutgers won two Big East games, including their last one over South Florida in a defensive classic (?) 45-42. The Scarlet Knights have shone to be pesky for Notre Dame with three covers in three losses the last three years and are receiving 11-points.

Oh, excuse me, I just yawned thinking about South Florida and Seton Hall. The Pirates looked like they might have some life when they won five games in a row in Big East action, however those wins all came against teams playing today and they finished 2-5, with one of the wins coming against tonight’s opponent. If you want to trace South Florida problems, it’s easier than finding fake Cartier watches in New York City. The Bulls shoot 39.8 percent from the field, make 29.6 percent from beyond the arc and convert 60.2 percent from the charity stripe. It’s no wonder USF is 5-14 ATS off a road loss. Seton Hall is a 5.5-point favorite and is 10-2 ATS in road games after covering two of their last three against the spread.

Opening day plays- Cincy, St. John’s, Rutgers and Seton Hall. Back here tomorrow for second round from MSG.

Bringing on the Best for Saturday

Yesterday’s 2-1 record takes us to 19-6-1 in last 26 plays and showing one nice profit. We have a reverse perfect trend going today and the number is high enough you have to at least take a look. With all the basketball today, there is only two systems 80 percent or higher and I’ll post the best one and hope its right since I don’t personally like it. Sal from the LCC has a college play for Free in the midst of a very solid week. Good Luck.

Free Basketball System-1) PLAY ON underdogs like the Clippers, revenging a blowout loss vs opponent of 30 points or more, being well rested team, playing only their 2nd game in five days. This system is a sweet 25-4 ATS, 86.2 percent.

Free Basketball Trend -2) The Cincinnati Bearcats are 0-12 ATS after playing a game as a home favorite over the last two seasons.

Free Basketball Selection -3) Sal from the Left Coast Connection is 8-3 this week in college basketball wagering and likes Michigan to knock off Ohio State. I'm playing Denver Nuggets in a scheduling spot against Orlando.

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2009 Orange Bowl Betting Preview

Even in the middle of November, nobody could have foreseen this as an Orange Bowl encounter. What each team proved down the stretch how resilient they were and seized the opportunity when presented with it to be conference champs. Cincinnati (11-2, 6-6 ATS) arrives in South Florida as the more impressive team, with balance on both sides of the ball. The Bearcats are 14-4 ATS vs defensive teams permitting 285 or less yards per game. Don’t sell Virginia Tech (9-4, 5-7 ATS) short, with seventh-ranked defense and offense with almost a month to improve. The Hokies are 12-2 ATS off an upset win as an underdog. This is an important game for the ACC’s reputation, as they have lost eight straight BCS games and are 2-6 against the spread.

Why to Watch and Wager

In terms of national excitement, the Poinsettia Bowl had a better matchup with TCU and Boise State. This BCS Bowl has drawn a collective yawn form the media and frankly is drawing a good slot playing New Year’s night, as opposed to the other bowls.

Irregardless, these two schools managed to do something nobody in their respective conferences could, take charge and win. Coach Brian Kelly, thought to be goner, will stay at least for one more year in the Queen City, and is a fabulous taskmaster, getting the most out of players by not accepting excuses. When the Bearcats had more quarterback injuries than a five-car pileup, Kelly told everyone not to fell sorry for them, it’s part of the game and his squad persevered. This team has proven they can win anywhere and are 13-4 ATS away from home when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 75%).

Frank Beamer has been through many situations as coach of Virginia Tech, but getting a team that ranks 107th in total offense to a BCS game, well that might be a bigger miracle than not having a hangover after drinking two bottles of $3.00 bubbly. With limited weapons on offense, the defense has to force turnovers and the Hokies must win the field position battle or else. Virginia Tech is 26-11 ATS after allowing 17 points or less in three straight games.

Players to watch for Cincinnati are quarterback Tony Pike, receiver Mardy Gilyard, safety Brandon Underwood and punter Kevin Huber, who led the nation in net punting and could force Virginia Tech to travel long distances to score. For the Hokies, impact players include Tyrod Taylor, corners Victor Harris and Stephan Virgil and tight end Greg Boone. If the Virginia Tech secondary limits the Cincy passing game, they have a real shot.

Look for each team to be selling out for respect in South Florida.