If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
2011 COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S "THE GAME' TOTAL OF THE YEAR!!!!!
Ohio State/Michigan over 44.5
2011 COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S "IRON BOWL" TOTAL OF THE YEAR!!!!!
Alabama/Auburn under 46.5
2011 BATTLE OF THE "PALMETTO STATE" TOTAL OF THE YEAR!!!!!
Clemson/South Carolina under 49.5
BONUS BEST BETS TOTALS WINNERS:
Georgia/Georgia Tech under 54.5
Iowa State/Oklahoma over 61.5
Florida State/Florida under 45.5
Notre Dame/Stanford over 58.5
Virginia/Virginia Tech over 45.5
Penn State/Wisconsin over 49
NORTHWESTERN +6/+201 over Michigan State PINNACLE
12:00 PM EST. We’re going to split this up and play Northwestern on both the money line and point-spread. As more conferences have moved to a 12-team format over the years, we've seen more and more teams that have divisional titles already locked up failing as favorites during rivalry week while looking ahead to their league championship games. Both Clemson and Georgia Tech lost outright as favorites in 2009, and double-digit chalk Alabama had to come from behind that same year to nudge Auburn by five. Missouri went down to Kansas as a 16-point favorite in 2008; Central Florida couldn't cover a big number against lowly Memphis last year. And the most recent example was just this Tuesday night, when MAC East champ Ohio had to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Miami and couldn't get there as eight-point chalk. We can expect the trend to spread to the Big Ten and Pac-12 as well, and we should constantly question the upcoming performances of teams that clinch divisional championships before the last week of the season. Michigan State finds itself in that spot this week, and it's certainly uncharted territory for the Spartans. It would be a surprise to see the visitor play anything resembling its best game of the year against an ever-improving, senior-dominated Northwestern team that has blown halftime leads against Sparty the past two seasons and is now out to finish the job. The Wildcats have won seven straight home finales, six of them as underdogs. We'll call for them to make it eight. Play: #148 Northwestern +6 (Risking 1.09 units to win 1). Play: #148 Northwestern +201 (Risking 1 unit).
Penn St +14½ over WISCONSIN PINNACLE
3:30 PM EST. Wisconsin is a deserving favorite in this winner-take-all Leaders Division matchup, but the two-touchdown price is way too much to give a Penn State team that matches up really well. The Badgers boast a pair of all-conference linebackers, but as Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Illinois have demonstrated, this Wisconsin defense can be run on. Penn State may not light up the scoreboard, but the Lions tailbacks will move the chains and keep the visitor in striking distance. On the other side of the ball, it's strength-on-strength, as Penn State's stout rush defense will try to hold the line against Montee Ball and the Badgers' bruising running game. The Lions sport the best pair of defensive tackles in the Big Ten, and this will be the game in which Wisconsin really misses injured center Peter Konz. Wisconsin has overwhelmed its lesser foes this year, but against the three teams that matched up physically in the trenches, the Badgers have lost two games and managed an 11-point comeback win in the other. All were on the road, and playing in Camp Randall is a significant advantage, but two touchdowns is considerable weight in a title bout and the Badgers haven't demonstrated that they're capable of blowing away an equally physical opponent. Play: #177 Penn State +14½ (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).
Texas Tech +13½ over BAYLOR PINNACLE
7:00 PM EST. Baylor is coming off one of the biggest wins in school history and is now laying double digits to a team with a losing record that it hasn't beaten in 15 years. It's really difficult to foresee the Bears showing up at the Jerrydome in Arlington, Tex. prepared to give a championship effort. This is not a very good Texas Tech edition, but the Raiders have outstanding senior leadership, are in a must-win spot to get to the postseason, and boast enough offensive weapons to trade scores with Baylor even if the defense can't stop RG3 & Co. at all. That may or may not be enough to keep the streak intact, but it should be plenty to get the Raiders under this bloated number. Don’t be surprised to see Tech win this one outright. Play: #179 Texas Tech +13½ (Risking 2.12 units to win 2).
Comment