Well Ive been on a cold streak lately, hopefully I can turn it around this weekend and keep my legs from being broken
As an aside, if you are an offshore and they give oscar odds, take Al Gore to win best documentary
NIU +3' v. Cent Mich U. - Well this is a look on how Northen is not as bad as they seem. NIU have dropped 3 of their last 4 (and the win was over Temple, which is a program that is really messed up). CMU has been a relative surprise in the MAC (winning 7 of their last 8 [including an impressive drubbing of WMU in the rain and wind] CMU has clinched the west already. NIU has nothing but pride left to play for at home. They are better than a 5 and 5 team here. Horvath was put on the bench and the Brother Rice product Nicholson could be back QBing the team (as a Fresh he beat Toledo). I think NIU shrugs off this string of poor performance and takes one for the home team on senior day. Ill take the points and the will to win one for the home team on what looks to be an epilogue for NIUs relative success over the last 3 years.
USF v. Louisville over 54- Louisville has decided to show the world how their defense has no interest in tackling anyone. USF has up trended their offensive production and has a balanced offense. Louisville has shown the ability to put up the points, over comes in.
NC State -3' @ North Carolina- The rivarly game has to be the reason for the low number. Will the tarheel step up for lame duck coach Bunting and hated NC State. I dont think so. Wolfpack have dropped 5 in a row, by 2, 6, 7, 8 and 6 points repectively (against Wake, Maryland, Virginia, GT and Clemson). North Carolina has dreams about being 60 percent as good as any of those teams. Wolfpack (this is a game where the rivarly game factor will screw you, but when you look at the teams you just have to take the road chalk (this is a great tactic to lose large sums of kwan) but you gotta take NC State here).
Oklahoma -20' @ Baylor- I know I sound like a broken record. The loss of Peterson is not that bad. Impressive win by 1 over A&M and handling of Texas Tech once again proved the Oklahoma D adage. Baylor is coming off of a drubbing from Ok State. and losing by 34 to Texas Tech. The number is huge, but Oklahoma is trying to establish themsevles as the best 2 loss team in the running. theyll need to house Baylor on senior day to show the pollsters and scribes that they are the best 2 loss team, Im pretty sure they will.
Wash v. Wash State over 43'- tell yourself its a rivarly game and should be hard fought. Then remind yourself that this is the PAC 10 and the battle for the Apple Cup. Wash state D has been increasing the number of points they give up (23, down to 15, up to 27, up to 47) over the last 4 games. Wash has been really down trend on their O (24, 23, 14 and 3) over their last 4. Wash State is the number 1 passing team in the Pac 10, Washington is the second to worst pass D in the Pac 10 (232 ypg given up), the worst pass D in the pac 10....you got it Wash State (240.5 ypg). Over city
Miami -2' @ Virginia- will the canes drop 4 in a row. Nope. Virgina shut out by FSU 33- 0 when we last saw them. here is the Virginia Offense in the last 4 games- (26 points,23 points, 14 and 0) this is a downward trend. the 26 points was v. Maryland (impressive) the 23 was against NC (not that impressive). Miami D shut out FIU (and showed that the helmet can be used as a bludgeon), gave 15 to Duke, 30 to GT, 17 to VT and 14 to Maryland (losing by 1). Ill give the points on the road and say Coker rights the ship and takes the Canes over the recent deaths, arrests, and whatever the hell else is going on in that program.
Sj state +24 @ Hawaii- sometimes you make one of those late night saturday plays. Heres one. Hawaii has a screaming offense that racks up the yards and the points (they avg 48 points per game) Sj state avegaes 21. Hawaii avg 542 ypg, D gives up 399. The value in this play lay in the fact that SJ State has the best Pass D in the WAC giving up 186 yards per game and has 9 picks to only 12 passing TDs given up. San Jose has a balanced offensive attack as well. SJs O avg 21 points per game. SJ state loses, but doesnt get housed. Good value here, (See APs recent write up on how the nation doesnt know how good Hawaii is)- well until they play a team with some semblance of Defense in a bowl game, then we will find out.
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