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Nfac
SATURDAY 10-26-19 =
UFC : ASHLEY YODER +150...($600) via Bet365
UFC : LOMA LOOKBOONMEE -120...($600) via Pinnacle
UFC : MICHAEL JOHNSON -250...($600) via Pinnacle
UFC : CAMACHO-DARIUSH = Not Go Distance (-195)...($600)
BELLATOR : DOUGLAS LIMA -165...($600) via Pinnacle
UFC : DAMIAN MAIA +150...($500) via 5dimes
159) DUKE +3.5...($750) via Bookmaker
162) MICHIGAN ST +6...($750) via Westgate (Bovada at 6.5)
Not quite sure at all how this line came to be what it is...and if this was a higher profile game I'd certainly be scared to death the line just absolutely reeks! As it stands we have a couple of teams trending in different directions, but neither of which the public has much of a pulse on at this point in the season...so starting this off hanging a fairly bland 1.5 or so for a home dog isn't really all that crazy. The fact it is currently ramping up and MTSU is getting more points with each passing minute is also equally unsurprising in my opinion.
Several underlying factors make this play worthy of a very solid 5% (or more) play, similarly to the Navy/Tulsa matchup a few weeks back that was our last 5% TOP play of the season.
FIU did not have a very solid start to the season and MTSU played a bevy of tough Power 5 schools which likely plays a part in the line we're able to take advantage of today. FIU started 0-4 ATS and didn't even cover the smallish spread against FCS New Hampshire which was the Panthers only win in 4 games to open 2019. MTSU battled hard against Harbaugh's overrated UM team and got manhandled by Duke and Iowa losing by a combined 89-21 score, but the teams were on their schedule...during that same period FIU played on the road at Tulane and at La Tech, nothing even close to even the caliber of Duke from the Raiders schedule. The schedule aspect is an excellent red herring and I think possibly one of the reasons this line is so off from the nearly 7 point spread I rate this matchup.
Brass tax:
FIU is fully healthy and has been playing MUCH more like the team I expected to open the season. Butch Davis, by no means, is a coach I find to be honorable or a guy I'd put my long term faith in, and is most likely to be run out of town after an eventual scandal or debacle of some sort, but in the here and now, he is likely going to provide a very solid advantage in the Conference USA facing most any other team in the conference...and this is starting to rear its head as the season moves along. Arkansas transfer Alexy Jean-Baptiste has become a more dominant force with each passing week and his emergence and the win streak is not a coincidence...as well as a 3 headed running attack always keeping fresh legs on the field and QB James Morgan being very careful with the ball doesn't get sacked or turn the ball over with a limited passing attack...but a very solid almost 8 yards per pass attempt on the season. In fact, discipline is someting the Panthers excel in, they are top 10 in the nation with regard to limiting giveaways with just 0.8 giveaways averaged per game on the season...and the 2nd best team in the country limiting penalties, only Rice commits fewer penalties than FIU's 3.7 per game in 2019.
Finally, on the FIU front...continuing to get better and better on the defensive pressure front and MTSU has allowed an average of being sacked 4 times per game at home this season...and the only real offense they have running or passing is the QB O'Hara who has close to 300 more rushing yards than the next closest teammate. FIU linebacker stud Sage Lewis missed the UTEP game but should be healthy enough to go in Murfreesboro on Saturday, and most likely will play QB spy when dual threat O'Hara attempts to tuck and run...further muddying the waters for any offense the Blue Raiders might be able to muster.
MTSU is 2-5 on the season and as we mentioned played a very difficult early season schedule and is 1-2 since that Power 5 stretch, but is bottom 15 nationally in points per game and points per play with just 18 ppg. They convert exactly 1 of 3 third down conversions, but allow on defense damn near 50% to opponents...both ranking near the bottom in the country on offense and allowing on defense. They allow over 500 yards of offense to opponents (almost half of which is on the groun), and facing a hardcore running triple attack in FIU who has been running for more on their own against teams allowing far fewer than 230 yards per game, could get ugly and fast....if FIU can get ANY defensive stops, it will certainly be hard for MTSU to keep up on the scoreboard. They regularly allow 5.3 yards per rush and FIU has rounded into shape rushing the ball for damn near 6 yards per attempt...as we said, across 3 different all capable RBs.
There are few bright spots on the MTSU offense or defense and numerous bright spots on both sides of the ball for the Panthers circa the team they've become in October. This line is stale and reeks of home field advantage, past matchups, and September schedule comparisons for a game I think could very very easily be double digits throughout. The Panthers are not prone to mistakes and run the ball efficiently...almost only by the grace of God and turnovers and fumbles and lucky plays would the Raiders need all of to coalesce to even be able to put up enough points to compete in either half...let alone under a FG for the entire 60 minutes!
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