Off to a 1-4 start for the bowl games – typical. Glad I didn’t wager too much.
Here’s a good example of my luck this year. I took the over 60.5 on the App State vs Toledo game. Toledo is trailing 31-28 with 2 minutes to go. It’s 4th and 2 at the App State 8. Get the FG and the over is in the bag. But Toledo lines up to go for it – crap! And then, for some bizarre reason never snap it, and take a delay of game. I can see trying to draw App State offsides (which didn’t seem to be happening either) but to not call a timeout? Weird.
Still, it’s a chip shot FG from the 13. And, of course, the kicker misses it. Replay show it went over the upright and could be argued he made it but it’s not reviewed. App State runs out the clock.
My luck has to change at some point right? Probably not this year, but just in case, here are the picks for the rest of the week (and the NFL too)
Here’s a good example of my luck this year. I took the over 60.5 on the App State vs Toledo game. Toledo is trailing 31-28 with 2 minutes to go. It’s 4th and 2 at the App State 8. Get the FG and the over is in the bag. But Toledo lines up to go for it – crap! And then, for some bizarre reason never snap it, and take a delay of game. I can see trying to draw App State offsides (which didn’t seem to be happening either) but to not call a timeout? Weird.
Still, it’s a chip shot FG from the 13. And, of course, the kicker misses it. Replay show it went over the upright and could be argued he made it but it’s not reviewed. App State runs out the clock.
My luck has to change at some point right? Probably not this year, but just in case, here are the picks for the rest of the week (and the NFL too)
Miami Beach Bowl -Tulsa -13.0 vs Central Michigan [Pick 1 Tulsa 34] [Pick 2 Tulsa 35] – Well, Tulsa better win this one or my pools are blown up. Then again, so would pretty much everyone else – except Fuss. Fuss has 32 points on the Chips! If they win he is in great shape.
Last time the Chips played a team from Oklahoma, they were beating Oklahoma State with a controversial, no time left on the clock, Hail Mary, hook and ladder, win the game final play. Turns out the MAC officiating crew (which was later suspended) had mistakenly given the Chips an extra untimed down.
It’s been pretty much down hill for the Chips since then who have lost four of its final games including a heart breaking 26-21 loss to EMU on a TD pass with 21 seconds left. If it weren’t for the help from the refs, CMU would be spending their time skiing Mt Pleasant rather than on South Beach.
Tulsa quietly put together a great season. They were second to Navy in the American with their three losses being to Navy (42-40), Houston (38-31) and Ohio State (48-3 –their only clunker)
As usual the Golden Showers have a high powered offense ranking 6th in total offense, 8th in rushing offense and 11th in scoring offense. Tulsa’s offense is as balanced as it can get. They average 262 yards per game running and 261 yards per game throwing.
There are playmakers all over the field, In face, if WR Josh Atkinson gets 63 yards in this game it will be the first time in Div 1A history that a team with a 3,000 yard passer, 2 1,000 yard rushers and 2 1,000 yard receivers on the same squad.
So, can CMU make a game of it? Perhaps. Tulsa has a way of playing down to the competition. They needed OT to beat Fresno State, Cincinnati and SMU. Not exactly the cream of college football. And Chip QB Cooper Rush is regarded as a Dak Prescott lite QB. Very light - he's a fourth rounder at best with much less mobility.
The trends favour Tulsa as they are 5-1-1 ATS while CMU is 2-7 ATS
Tulsa is too balanced and prolific for the Chips to keep up. I’ll take the Hurricanes in a blow out for a Mini Mega
Last time the Chips played a team from Oklahoma, they were beating Oklahoma State with a controversial, no time left on the clock, Hail Mary, hook and ladder, win the game final play. Turns out the MAC officiating crew (which was later suspended) had mistakenly given the Chips an extra untimed down.
It’s been pretty much down hill for the Chips since then who have lost four of its final games including a heart breaking 26-21 loss to EMU on a TD pass with 21 seconds left. If it weren’t for the help from the refs, CMU would be spending their time skiing Mt Pleasant rather than on South Beach.
Tulsa quietly put together a great season. They were second to Navy in the American with their three losses being to Navy (42-40), Houston (38-31) and Ohio State (48-3 –their only clunker)
As usual the Golden Showers have a high powered offense ranking 6th in total offense, 8th in rushing offense and 11th in scoring offense. Tulsa’s offense is as balanced as it can get. They average 262 yards per game running and 261 yards per game throwing.
There are playmakers all over the field, In face, if WR Josh Atkinson gets 63 yards in this game it will be the first time in Div 1A history that a team with a 3,000 yard passer, 2 1,000 yard rushers and 2 1,000 yard receivers on the same squad.
So, can CMU make a game of it? Perhaps. Tulsa has a way of playing down to the competition. They needed OT to beat Fresno State, Cincinnati and SMU. Not exactly the cream of college football. And Chip QB Cooper Rush is regarded as a Dak Prescott lite QB. Very light - he's a fourth rounder at best with much less mobility.
The trends favour Tulsa as they are 5-1-1 ATS while CMU is 2-7 ATS
Tulsa is too balanced and prolific for the Chips to keep up. I’ll take the Hurricanes in a blow out for a Mini Mega
Boca Raton Bowl - Western Kentucky -5.5 vs Memphis [Pick 1 WKU 26] [Pick 2 WKU 23] – Two teams coming in hot. I like it.
Memphis has won three of its last four including an upset of Louisville. Western Kentucky has won seven straight including the CUSA championship. With that win HC Jeff Brohm bolted for better pastures (emphasis on pastures) in Purdue.
Both of these can score. WKU is 2nd in scoring and 7th in total offense. Memphis averages 39.5 points and 460 yards per game.
But has WKU beaten anyone? Sure they took Vandy to OT but they lost. It took double OT to beat Middle Tenn State. In fact, they have only 2 wins over Div1A teams with a winning record.
And they come into the game with an interim HC. They didn’t work out too well with Houston on Saturday. Memphis has a couple of quality win over Houston and Temple.
Memphis has a decent secondary allowing 17 TDs while nabbing 15 picks so they’ll give some pushback to the Hill Topper passing game. And the Tiger defense is opportunistic as they +10 in turnovers.
They’ll have trouble getting to the QB though. WKU has only allowed 16 sacks on the year.
Now I'm torn, I like Memphis and the points but I have too much wagered on WKU. The sweet spot is a Pill Popper last second walk off FG win.
I'll take WKU on the spread to be consistent but no quatloos. But for fun I'll put a quatloo on the over 79.0. Not only do these teams have great offenses, they have great special teams too. Tigers freshman Tony Pollard was named the AAC's Special Teams Player of the Year after ranking third in the nation with 993 kickoff return yards and tied for third with two kickoff return TDs.
Memphis has won three of its last four including an upset of Louisville. Western Kentucky has won seven straight including the CUSA championship. With that win HC Jeff Brohm bolted for better pastures (emphasis on pastures) in Purdue.
Both of these can score. WKU is 2nd in scoring and 7th in total offense. Memphis averages 39.5 points and 460 yards per game.
But has WKU beaten anyone? Sure they took Vandy to OT but they lost. It took double OT to beat Middle Tenn State. In fact, they have only 2 wins over Div1A teams with a winning record.
And they come into the game with an interim HC. They didn’t work out too well with Houston on Saturday. Memphis has a couple of quality win over Houston and Temple.
Memphis has a decent secondary allowing 17 TDs while nabbing 15 picks so they’ll give some pushback to the Hill Topper passing game. And the Tiger defense is opportunistic as they +10 in turnovers.
They’ll have trouble getting to the QB though. WKU has only allowed 16 sacks on the year.
Now I'm torn, I like Memphis and the points but I have too much wagered on WKU. The sweet spot is a Pill Popper last second walk off FG win.
I'll take WKU on the spread to be consistent but no quatloos. But for fun I'll put a quatloo on the over 79.0. Not only do these teams have great offenses, they have great special teams too. Tigers freshman Tony Pollard was named the AAC's Special Teams Player of the Year after ranking third in the nation with 993 kickoff return yards and tied for third with two kickoff return TDs.
Lions +4.0 @ NY Giants – OK I’ll jinx it. I’ll take the Lions for a Mega Bet. And no Lucky beads from Bruce either. I’ll be watching the game away from home.
This line opened at Lions +6.0 and the sharps jumped all over it. And no wonder. The Lions have a way of keeping games close and winning in the end.
Much has been made of Stafford’s dislocated finger but it’s his middle finger which should not affect him too much today.
The Giants rely on Manning to Beckham but the Lions should be able to contain that threat with Darius Slay tracking Beckham.
The Giant defense will get some pressure up the middle with the return as the Lions going to be without center Travis Swanson. QB’s hate pressure up the middle but Stafford is pretty mobile and will work his magic. He’ll find Ebron and Theo Reddick over the middle. The Giants LBs are terrible on coverage.
This is going to be a FG game so I’ll take the Lions to win or lose on a last second FG.
This line opened at Lions +6.0 and the sharps jumped all over it. And no wonder. The Lions have a way of keeping games close and winning in the end.
Much has been made of Stafford’s dislocated finger but it’s his middle finger which should not affect him too much today.
The Giants rely on Manning to Beckham but the Lions should be able to contain that threat with Darius Slay tracking Beckham.
The Giant defense will get some pressure up the middle with the return as the Lions going to be without center Travis Swanson. QB’s hate pressure up the middle but Stafford is pretty mobile and will work his magic. He’ll find Ebron and Theo Reddick over the middle. The Giants LBs are terrible on coverage.
This is going to be a FG game so I’ll take the Lions to win or lose on a last second FG.