Hey it's a great day this Saturday
What I’m thinking today – I was as surprised as anybody to find the two awards I won at Cappers Monitor. Obviously I knew I was going well in CBB, yet honestly never gave it much a though otherwise. I’ll have to look further into where I’m at in the overall standings for CBB at other monitors I belong to. I don’t win at every sport, but I keep on making money, off being the champion of MLB at two different monitors last season.
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Free Basketball System -1) Play On home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points like Colorado off a win by 10 points or more over a conference rival, against opponent after they allowed 80 points or more in a loss to a conference rival. This is good, 22-4 ATS, 84.6 percent the last 13 years.
Free Basketball Trend -2) Oklahoma State is 8-0 ATS in home games on Saturday games over the last two seasons winning by 17 points per game.
Free Basketball Pick -3) Kendall’s 13-5 this week in all his plays and like Baylor to take down Texas.
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Cowboys expected to ride Buffalos hard
Among the surprises in college football this season is Oklahoma State. Not in the traditional sense, though the possibility of the Cowboys finishing in second place in the Big 12 South does carry some shock value. It is how Oklahoma State has compiled 8-2 record, having a solid defense that is the cause for surprise.Oklahoma State’s season has been startling, considering their terrific trio has been reduced to basically just one, with quarterback Zac Robinson carrying the burden. All-America receiver Dez Bryant was lost because of a NCAA suspension and running back Kendall Hunter has been slowed by a nagging ankle/foot injuries and only recently has come back to play, lacking his usual explosiveness.
The Cowboys (6-3 ATS) are ranked fourth in the Big 12 in defense and 32nd nationally, surrendering 333.9 yards per game. Okie State has been incredibly stingy on the ground, allowing 89.6 yards per game, good for sixth nationally. Linebacker Patrick Lavine is among those who accepted the challenge once the offense lost several weapons. “He’s a great playmaker for us,” said teammate Andre Sexton, another senior linebacker. “He steps up and makes game-changing plays when we need it.”
Oklahoma State has lost only to Texas in last eight games and is 22-8 ATS in home games after covering the spread in two out of their last three contests. The Cowboys will take on Colorado (3-7, 5-5 ATS), who might have another coach on the sidelines next season.
Dan Hawkins is dismissing reports he’s under fire despite 16-31 record in Boulder. Though Hawkins was brought in to help clean up the program from the scandal-laden days under Gary Barnett and succeeded, big time football isn’t just about getting the players to go to class and keep trouble to a minimum, it’s about winning. This will be the third time in four years with no bowl game for Buffs under Hawkins, who are plagued with inconsistencies and penalties.
This is a burdensome spot Colorado, having lost at Iowa State 17-10 on Saturday and having to playing another road game on a short week. Under Hawkins, the Buffs are 4-12 ATS after scoring 14 points or less and 4-13 against the spread after playing their last game on the road.
Bookmaker.com has Oklahoma State as 17-point home favorites with total of 47.5, suggesting a final score of roughly 32-15. If that score appears to low, than the fact the Cowboys are 11-3 ATS as a favorite over the last two seasons and 13-4-2 ATS at home in November should be more comforting. Colorado doesn’t look to be in a very good situation and 6-15 ATS road record backs up that point up. However, for those that see the glass half full as opposed to half empty, the Buffalos are 4-0 ATS catching 17 or more points in last four tries.
ESPN of course will have this telecast at 7:45 Eastern, with Chris Fowler watching his alma mater. (Colorado if you didn’t know) In the last 17 encounters between these squads, the SU winner has won by 10 or more points 14 times.
CFB Teams to Wager On in November
The last month of the college football season separates the contenders from the pretenders. This is the time where the best teams go and secure conference titles, while those with weakness are found to be fraudulent and meekly fall to the wayside. Teams that have has poor years will often be roughed up by better squads as coaches look to underclassmen seeking better results the following year.In a black and white world, November should tell us who the best teams are and who are not, yet sports bettors understand all too well about that’s not how it works. In 2007, LSU won a national championship, covering one game from the end of September until defeating Ohio State 38-24 as four-point favorites in the BCS title tilt. In November, if it’s possible, it will likely happen.
Here is the complete list of teams that have good or bad track records is the sports craziest month.
*The Baylor Bears have really missed QB Robert Griffin. The offense has stagnated and the defense is not strong enough to compensate. The Bears are 0-20 and 6-13-1 ATS on the November road and have dates at Missouri and at Texas A&M.
*Hard to surmise presently if coach Dan Hawkins is returning, however Colorado backers would just fine if he could carry on lasting tradition of fielding decent football squad. The Buffalos are 24-12 ATS this month and will have say in who wins the Big 12 North.
*If Houston survives trips to Tulsa and Central Florida, they are still in line to win the C-USA West. Their last two games are at home against Memphis and Rice; however this has been a squad that doesn’t always have the binoculars in focus, telling the tale of 7-12 ATS home record late in the season.
*Iowa State has never won a Big 8 or Big 12 football title of any kind. In 2004, they lost to Missouri in overtime 17-14, to see another chance dissipate. They are competing this season for the North Division crown and it could come down to road game at Missouri. A 1-10 and 3-8 ATS road mark is not encouraging.
*Kansas won at Oklahoma State in November of 2007 on the way to Orange Bowl berth. Beyond that triumph, the history is gloomier than the Kansas weather this time of year with 2-31SU and 9-24 ATS record on the road or at neutral sites.
*Kent State’s has enjoyed one winning season in the last two decades (2001 at 6-5). The Golden Flashes could have another if they don’t fall prey to the ghosts of November’s past, which has spooked them, having 5-23 and 9-19 ATS mark.
*Mentioned LSU earlier, is any other top line program have a more sickly spread record at home than the Tigers at 5-20 ATS? The answer is no, with Louisiana Tech and Arkansas paying a visit to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
*Dating back to the days of Randy Moss, Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich, Marshall always had a severe home field edge. Those days have passed, yet the Thundering Herd still has bettors running to the cash out window with 17-4 and 14-5 ATS record in November home games.
*This will not go down as one of Memphis University’s better football teams. They still have three enormously difficult road clashes at Tennessee, Houston and Tulsa. Nevertheless, the Tigers will be catching a truckload of points and are 10-1 ATS away from Memphis this month, on 6-0 spread run.
*Middle Tennessee State had freakish schedule this season. The first four of five bouts were on the road, followed by next five of six at Murfreesboro. Their last contest of the year is at UL-Monroe and they are 3-7 ATS in the 11th month of the year dressed as visitors.
*Nebraska’s fine season has recently taken a wrong turn. Coach Bo Pelini is attempting to get the Cornhuskers back on the track, but with 6-10-1 ATS road record since 1999. With trips to Kansas and Colorado, it might not happen.
*Coach Tom O’Brien has a history of his teams being a finisher, be it at Boston College or now at North Carolina State. The Wolfpack have three home games and road excursion to Virginia Tech and they are 10-4 ATS on the November road.
*Ohio University is the ninth oldest public university in the United States and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes majored in radio and television while attending the Athens school of hirer learning. The Bobcats are also becoming known for 10-5 spread figure at Peden Stadium and will have two chances to improve that number.
*Oklahoma State has multiple personalities this month. At Stillwater, the Cowboys are a handful, sporting a 12-4-2 ATS record. When wearing the road whites, not nearly as potent or intimidating, covering five times in last 19 tries (5-13-1). Two home games and two road tilts await Okie State.
*It’s not the good old days at Texas A&M, seeking magic formula that made them regular participant in the best of bowls in the 1990’s. Besides the cool tradition of the 12th man in Aggie-land, Texas A&M is 11-4-2 ATS at Kyle Field to close the season. Baylor and huge rival Texas will both pay a visit.
*With the oddsmakers attempting to make it harder and harder to bet on USC this time of year, the Trojans still persevere and are 20-5 ATS. Of note, since moving last game to December, Pete Carroll’s team has failed to cover the last three played.
*You know the Allstate commercial, with the butler ready to serve the two guys tailgating and Bergwood says he doesn’t want the sauce with the steak tartar? After the butler rolls his eyes, the other guy says sarcastically “Really?” That’s the same reaction people have when they learn Utah State is 7-1 ATS in November the last two seasons.
*As it turns out, Virginia and Oklahoma State have a lot in common. The Cavaliers are miserable 7-19 ATS as visitors; however at Scott Stadium they are 12-6 ATS. Of the four remaining games, they are evenly split home and away for Virginia in 2009.
*Virginia Tech is very solid anywhere under coach Frank Beamer. They are 18-9-1 in Blacksburg in the final month of the season and they will have N.C. State paying a visit in the final home game for outgoing senior class.
*Wake Forest used to known as the Tigers, but in the 1920’s, the football team was known for "devilish play and fighting spirit." and the name stuck with Deacons added. Right now the Demon Deacons are devilish to wagering accounts with 7-14 SU and 5-16 ATS chronicled account as road team.
*Washington State actually went to the Rose Bowl in 2003, but the Cougars have turned into playful cats with a 4-12 ATS mark the last several seasons. Games at Arizona and Washington and home contests with UCLA and Oregon State don’t figure to change this unbecoming trend.
In the last four years, the Wyoming Cowboys have been knocked off their saddle with 3-11 and 2-12 ATS record in November. With home games against BYU and TCU and at improving San Diego State, plus Colorado State, hope doesn’t spring eternal.
Let's Play Two on the Thursday Gridiron
Coach Dan Hawkins was able to keep the wolves at bay, at least for one game after 24-0 shutout of Wyoming in last contest. Colorado (1-2 SU & ATS) made changes and played the right opponent in convincing victory. The Buffalos went back to basics, running the ball effectively and altering the defensive schemes that caused less confusion, which was frequently seen, especially in the secondary in losses to Colorado State and Toledo. The challenge becomes much steeper starting with West Virginia, who runs multiple attack, which flustered Colorado defenses to begin with. The Buffs are 5-13 ATS in non-conference matchups against BCS teams.A familiar pattern is developing with West Virginia (2-1, 1-1 ATS) football under coach Bill Stewart. Except for East Carolina contest last season, the Mountaineers have been in position for victory, in the other four losses since Stewart has taken over in Morgantown. In the recent defeat at Auburn, West Virginia had over 500 total yards of offense and out-gained the Tigers by more than 100 yards, yet committed six turnovers and failed to win or cover in 41-30 defeat. The weaponry is in place with RB Noel Devine and WR Jock Sanders, it’s just quarterback Jarrett Brown who has to make smarter decisions and not throw into traffic. The Mountaineers are a mere 6-10-1 ATS as home favorites of late.
Bookmaker.com has West Virginia as 17-point favorites with a total of 54.5. This doesn’t necessarily place the Mountaineers in perfect position, since they are 4-9 ATS against teams with losing records. However, Colorado should be trusted like Bernie Madoff, with a 2-11 ATS mark as a road underdog.
Colorado won last year in Boulder 17-14 in overtime as three-point favorites and is 9-2 ATS on the road against teams off a SU and ATS loss with a winning percentage of .600 or higher. If the ‘Teers don’t turn the ball over, they should corral the Buffalos, being eminently more talented. Over the last four seasons, West Virginia is 7-1 ATS on home turf facing non-conference foes.
ESPN has the Big 12-Big East battle at 7:45 Eastern.
Not the only game in town
Southern Mississippi (3-1, 1-2 ATS) gave Kansas all they could handle at home before falling 35-28 as 11.5-point road underdogs. The Golden Eagles could well be without running back Damion Fletcher in this Conference USA contest, who is questionable with a groin injury he suffered against the Jayhawks. Quarterback Austin Davis picked up the slack last week, as the offense total 331 yards passing. Southern Miss runs a diversified passing attack, with five different receivers have caught at least 10 passes this season. The Golden Eagles are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games.
After routing Rice 44-24 in season opener, UAB (1-3, SU & ATS) has gone backwards swiftly. Losses to SMU, Troy and Texas A&M have the Blazers trying to regroup. It’s been a collective effort according to coach Neil Callaway, with the offense not in sync and the defense a sieve. UAB surrendered 544 yards to the Aggies, including 236 yards on the ground and they are 5-11 ATS after allowing more than 200 yards rushing.
Southern Miss is a 10-point favorite with a total of 59 and they have outscored UAB 107-21 the last two years. The Blazers should be motivated after the Golden Eagles hung 70 points on them last season and they are 11-4-2 ATS as C-USA home underdogs.
Southern Miss is 6-1 ATS vs. UAB and is 3-0 ATS in Birmingham. This game will likely be decided on the ground. UAB has the No. 1 rushing offense in C-USA with 230.5 yards per game and the Golden Eagles are No. 1 against the run, surrendering just 64.2 yards per contest. CBS College Sports has the broadcast at 8 Eastern.
Baffling Buffalos in Toledo
Coach Dan Hawkins must have read motivational books about setting high goals as a method to reach better than expected results. In the off-season, Hawkins stated he expected Colorado to win 10 games this season, which is ambitious to say the least for team picked fourth in the Big 12 North. Nevertheless, unless you set the bar high things won’t change and he’s hoping his son Cody or Tyler Hanson come thru at quarterback. Running back Darrell Scott needs to live up star billing and has the ability to make the Buffaloes special on the ground.Well, none of this happened in upset 23-17 upset loss to Colorado State in the open in Boulder. The Rams jumped all over Colorado in building 17-0 lead. The Buffalos were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way and had the opposite of what they wanted from offense with 40 pass attempts, compared to 21 runs. QB Cody Hawkins was off target and when he was accurate, balls were clanging off receivers hands.
Defensively, Colorado has to come up with answers beyond a solid linebacker group led by Jeff Smart. The Buffs secondary was burned repeatedly by QB Grant Stucker of the Rams and with Toledo wanting to throw the ball all over the field, as pass rush is tantamount. Colorado is 5-9 and 5-7 ATS the last three years in non-conference games.
It’s a new era of Toledo football with coach Tim Beckman now at the helm. Reports out of Toledo have he’s sold his squad on the fact of taking ownership, convincing them it’s their team, not his. This will be the third time in four years a Big 12 team has visited the Glass Bowl and the Rockets have won and covered the previous two. Toledo has offensive talent with seniors Aaron Opelt under center, running back DaJuane Collins and wide receiver Stephen Williams. This trio contributed to 493 yards in 52-31 loss to Purdue.
Where coach Beckman has to make impact is on defense, a weak spot the last couple of seasons and again last Saturday, where they were run over for 305 yards and passed on for 220 more. Beckman’s background is defense and he likes swarming defenders to the ball. Right now he needs to have about 13 Rocket defenders on the field at all times. The best news is a nationally televised game before an excited Friday night crowd, with Toledo 15-5 ATS in home games off a road loss.
DiamondSportsbook.com has the Rockets as 3.5-point underdogs with a total of 54.5 and they are 8-3 ATS as a home underdog, which has included six outright upsets in the last 10 years. Colorado has to be ready to play against fired-up Rockets club or this could be the start of the end of the Dan Hawkins era in Boulder. The Buffaloes are just 4-9 SU and ATS in true road openers.
ESPN will be in Klinger’s backyard (of MASH fame) starting at 9 Eastern and Toledo is 21-7 OVER in home games.
Sunday Football Double Dip
Unless you live in the area, most people wouldn’t make the connection that both Sunday college football games are intense local meetings. Ole Miss and Memphis are separated by just 85 miles, while fans from Boulder and Fort Collins get their dander up when these Colorado universities collide. There is a clear morganatic relationship in these heated get-togethers, with the non-BCS schools always feeling they have something to prove. This should be good entertaining football action on Sunday of a long holiday weekend.Ole Miss at Memphis
This will be the sixth straight time these teams will start a new campaign matched against one another. Ole Miss is sexy SEC West pick, led by QB Jevan Snead, who is legit Heisman candidate, with large groups of NFL scouts hanging around the Oxford campus.
Going from trendy underdog to flashy front-runner has sidetracked more than one team in the past and the Rebels know it according coach Houston Nutt, who is trying to downplay public expectations. “It’s the same attitude we had last year when nobody had us ranked,” Nutt said of his approach to Mississippi being ranked No.8.
Bookmaker.com has Ole Miss as 17.5-point favorites with total of 55. The Rebels are 46-10-2 SU against Memphis but just 3-8-1 ATS as road chalk since 2000. Mississippi is 29-11 ATS in non-SEC action.
Coach Tommy West has found success in Memphis, but wants to play in C-USA title game this season. That might be easier said than done with only 12 returning starters. Quarterback Arkelon Hall has targets to throw to in Carlos Singleton and Duke Calhoun, who matchup well with Rebels secondary. Memphis doesn’t have the strength or power to go toe-to-toe with the offensive or defensive lines with their neighbor to the South, however the underdog is 4-2 ATS and the home team is 6-2-1 ATS.
Pulling a massive upset would get people talking about a Memphis team that is 17-9 ATS as a home dog and 18-12-1 ATS vs. the SEC. ESPN will telecast this contest at 3:30 Eastern.
Colorado State at Colorado
Even if you include last year’s 38-17 drubbing by Colorado, the last seven meetings in this in-state rivalry have been decided by 6.5 points per game. It just turns out to be fun to watch these teams get after one another.
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins believes his team could compete for Big 12 North, if injured players return and offense gels. This is meaningful year for coach Hawkins, who is 13-24 (14-21 ATS) at Boulder and has talked about his team achieving 10 wins this campaign. The coach knows this is swing season for him and his club is 10.5-point favorite, with his son Cody needing big season to ease the pressure. If big time sophomore running Darrell Scott hits his stride, the Buffalos move to 15-7 ATS as double digit favorites.
Colorado State had surprising 7-6 campaign with a bowl victory and looks to build on solid season. That could be easier said than done without established quarterback and only five starters back on defense. If senior QB Grant Stucker can gain early confidence, he’ll be able to throw to some of the best wide receivers in the Mountain West Conference. Dating back to 1986, The Rams are 5-14 SU in this Rocky Mountain confrontation with a 12-7 ATS mark
This rivalry returns back to campus just for a year with Buffs 17-4 in home openers (0-7 ATS run). FSN will broadcast starting at 7 Eastern.