10-21-11

[timbob]

New Guys!

Don’t be afraid to post services if you come across any. Anything you contribute will be appreciated, and your user reputation will grow (the green dots under your name.)

Note:

ALL PLAYS POSTED ARE UNCONFIRMED UNLESS YOU BUY THEM YOURSELF. THERE IS BAD INFO PASSED AROUND FROM TIME TO TIME, SO PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK Edit Post Reply Reply With Quote

[Mr. IWS]

DOC SPORTS

4 Unit Play. #7 Take Rutgers Scarlet Knights +1.5 over Louisville Cardinals (Friday 8 pm ESPN 2)

[Mr. IWS]

ROBERT FERRINGO

5-Unit Play. Take #309 West Virginia (-13.5) over Syracuse (8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21)
Note: This is our Game of the Week.

[Mr. IWS]

West Virginia at Syracuse: What Bettors Need To Know

West Virginia Mountaineers at Syracuse Orange (+13.5, 59)

THE STORY: The bye week has been about the only thing recently slowing down Geno Smith, who leads the prolific offense of No. 15 West Virginia into a prime-time showdown Friday in Syracuse. The Mountaineers have scored 98 points in their last two games with Smith throwing for 688 yards and seven touchdowns. The junior could keep piling on numbers against a Syracuse defense that ranks 112th against the pass. The Orange will need Ryan Nassib to counter every punch, but the senior has struggled in his two games before last week’s bye, throwing for less than 200 yards in each and tossing three interceptions.

TV: ESPN.

LINE MOVES: WVU opened as a 14.5-point road favorite in the Carrier Dome. However, money on the home side has the spread down to 13.5. The total has climbed from 57.5 to 59 points.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (5-1, 1-0 BIG EAST, 3-3 ATS): The Mountaineers four-wide sets will spread an Orange defense lacking in confidence. Syracuse has been eaten up by game-changing targets, allowing a 100-yard receiver in each of its last three games. Smith has three weapons on the outside in Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin and Ivan McCartney, who all rank in the top four in the Big East in receiving yards. Each has helped WVU produce a whopping 19 plays of 30 yards or more. Syracuse conceded three such plays for touchdowns in a narrow win over Tulane two weeks ago.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (4-2, 0-1 BIG EAST, 2-4 ATS): Nassib finished September as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, but secondaries have taken away his top threat in Van Chew. The sure-handed receiver has just two catches for 20 yards and no touchdowns in the last two games after grabbing three scores in the first three games. If Nassib can’t find Chew in this one, he’ll have to once again turn to the ground game to keep his counterpart Smith on the sidelines. The Orange ran the ball 40 times for a season-high 170 yards last time out in a 37-34 road win over Tulane.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Syracuse stunned West Virginia 19-14 last year, when Smith was sacked five times and threw three interceptions in the first half.

2. The Orange haven’t won at home in the series since 2001.

3. Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones returns after missing five games with a lower-body injury. The redshirt senior, who recorded 9.5 tackles for loss in 2010, should help a pass-rush that ranks seventh in the conference and failed to take down the quarterback in its last game.

TRENDS:

* Mountaineers are 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings in Syracuse.
* Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Syracuse.
* Under is 10-4-1 in the last 15 meetings.
* Mountaineers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
* Road team is 6-0 ATS in their last six meetings.

PREDICTION: West Virginia 38, Syracuse 28 – The bye week really aided the Orange’s injuries in the secondary and it could keep Smith in check in the first half. After all, WVU has trailed in all six games this season. Smith, though, should be able to make just enough big plays late to earn the road win.

[Mr. IWS]

Rutgers at Louisville: What Bettors Need To Know

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Louisville Cardinals (-2, 39.5)

THE STORY: Rutgers looks to stay on the inside track toward a Big East title when it travels to Louisville on Friday night. The Scarlet Knights currently sit atop the standings with a 2-0 league mark, just the second time they have won their first two Big East games in 21 seasons in the conference.

TV: ESPN2

LINE MOVES: Louisville opened as a 1.5-point home underdog but has been bet up, flipping the spread to -2. The total has hovered around its opening number of 40 points.

ABOUT RUTGERS (5-1, 2-0 Big East, 5-1 ATS): The Scarlet Knights have made a living off opponents’ mistakes thus far, leading the nation in turnover margin (2.17). Rutgers is tied for the national lead with 24 takeaways, ranking second with 14 interceptions and third with 10 fumbles recovered. The defense has been depleted recently, however, with LB Marvin Booker (knee) and DL Michael Larrow (ankle) both lost for the season last week against Navy.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (2-4, 0-1, 3-3 ATS): The Cardinals let a golden opportunity slip away in their Big East opener last weekend, giving up 18 unanswered points in the second half of a 25-16 setback at Cincinnati. QB Will Stein (621 yards passing, 5 TD, 1 INT), who had missed two games with an injured shoulder, made a brief return against the Bearcats in place of Terry Bridgewater (709 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT). Both are expected to play Friday.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The road team has won each of the last two meetings in lopsided fashion — Louisville rolled to a 40-13 victory last season, while Rutgers earned a 34-14 win in 2010.

2. Excluding the three-point thrillers in 2006 and 2007, the average margin of victory in games between the two schools since 1986 is 37.2 points.

3. Rutgers is third in the nation with 51 blocked kicks since 2002, including four this season. LB Jamal Merrell has three blocks in 2011, including two at Syracuse.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.
* Cardinals are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 conference games.
* Scarlet Knights are 0-5 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 27, Louisville 17. According to head coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals are struggling with confidence right now —and that seems unlikely to improve against the surging, opportunistic Scarlet Knights.

[Mr. IWS]

BANG THE BOOK

Friday's Best CFB Bets

West Virginia Mountaineers at Syracuse Orange (+13.5, 59)

Syracuse traveled to Morgantown as a 13.5 point underdog last year. The Orange shocked the Mountaineers and won the game 19-14. Ironically, the Orange are once again a 13.5 point underdog in this game, but this time they’ll be playing in front of their home crowd. Will West Virginia exact some revenge or will Syracuse pull of a second straight stunner?

Dana Holgorsen has brought a whole new offense to West Virginia. Holgorsen’s version of the spread offense has been extremely successful everywhere he has gone, and so far the Mountaineers offense has been no exception. Geno Smith is making great decisions with the football, and his arm strength can be utilized quite well in this system. Smith has already thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Everyone knew Tavon Austin would be a standout at the wide receiver spot, but the Mountaineers have three players with at least 34 catches in 2011. The running game hasn’t been overly impressive this year, but thus far West Virginia hasn’t really needed to run it very often.

The Mountaineers lost a lot of talent from last year’s defense, but this unit is still solid. West Virginia is ranked 17th in the nation in total defense in 2011. The secondary has been very good, while the front seven has shown it can be vulnerable at times against a good running game. West Virginia appears to be the most balanced team in the Big East at this point.

Syracuse has enjoyed a nice turnaround over the last couple years. The once proud football program fell upon hard times a few short years ago, but the Orange are headed in the right direction once again. Despite their relative success, it is clear after a blowout loss at USC and a home loss against Rutgers that this team still has quite a bit of room for improvement.

The Syracuse offense has struggled to get going in 2011. Ryan Nassib has thrown 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions, but this team seems to lack a deep threat on the outside. Antwon Bailey is a solid tailback, but the Orange definitely do miss Delone Carter. Syracuse is currently ranked 96th in the nation in total offense. The Syracuse defense has been very good against the run this year, but they have been terrible against the pass. This doesn’t bode well for them this week since they’ll be going against the pass happy Mountaineers.

West Virginia is simply a better football team than Syracuse right now. I suspect they’ll be anxious to exact some revenge for last year’s shocking defeat. The Mountaineers offense should roll up a lot of yards in this one, and I just can’t see Syracuse keeping up.

PICK: West Virginia -13.5


Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Louisville Cardinals (-2, 39.5)

In one of the two Big East NCAA football betting affairs on Friday night, the Louisville Cardinals will play host to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

This is the best season that Head Coach Greg Schiano and company have had in quite some time. Rutgers is on the verge of the Top 25, and a win on national television will likely get the job done. The schedule has just been very underwhelming though, to say the least. The only games that have come against teams that we know are probably bowling this year were the narrow escape from the Navy Midshipmen and the loss at the North Carolina Tar Heels. That being said, this team has a real chance of getting to the BCS still via the Big East championship, something that the Scarlet Knights never were able to pull off in the late-2000s when they were at their peak. This is the second to last conference road game of the season, and the West Virginia Mountaineers, South Florida Bulls, and Cincinnati Bearcats all still have to pay visits to Piscataway. Though this offense has been shaky, the defense has averaged allowing just 16.0 points per game, No. 12 in the country. There hasn’t been a team this year that has scored more than 26 on this unit.

Head Coach Charlie Strong just got a contract extension for the next seven years, but the team really hasn’t played up to the level that we would have expected for a team that really took some major steps in the right direction last year. Strong has really helped this defense out dramatically. Just like Rutgers, there hasn’t been a team all season long that has truly figured this unit out. The Cards are allowing just 17.7 points per game, and no one has scored more than 25 on this unit. Still, just like the Scarlet Knights, Louisville still has to think that it at least has a shot of winning the Big East at this point. Three of its next four games are at home, and the last two duels of the year at the Connecticut Huskies and South Florida Bulls are both winnable. That being said, this offense has to really start to pick it up at some point. Getting both RB Victor Anderson and WR DeVante Parker back in the lineup would help as well, as both sat out last week’s loss at the Cincinnati Bearcats. Both are considered questionable for this game.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Louisville Cardinals Pick: If Florida International can come into Papa John’s Stadium and win in primetime, so can the Scarlet Knights. Don’t expect this to be the prettiest game on the docket, as there are definitely going to be games with more points scored. However, when the dust settles, look for the visitors to have pulled off an ugly victory.

PICK: Rutgers +2

[Mr. IWS]

NHL NEWS AND NOTES
Blues Try To End Slump Against Surging 'Canes
By David Kalan

Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues (-145, 5.5)
HURRICANES (3-2-1) at BLUES (2-4-0)

TV: FS-Carolinas (HD), FS-Midwest (HD)

SEASON SERIES: This is the first of two meetings this season between Carolina and St. Louis. The Hurricanes won the only meeting between the two a year ago, a 2-1 shootout victory at Scottrade Center on Dec. 11, 2010.

BIG STORY: As the Hurricanes hit the home stretch of an early-season four-game road trip, they'll look to take two points in St. Louis, where the Blues are off to a disappointing start.

TEAM SCOPE:

HURRICANES: The 2011-12 season got off to a quick and painful start for Carolina, which dropped its first three games in a span of just four days. But the 'Canes have found their legs in the past 10 days; since losing at New Jersey in a Columbus Day matinee on Oct. 10, they have won three straight against fairly impressive competition. One of those wins came against a Buffalo team widely expected to compete in the East while the other two both came against the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins -- one at home and the other in Boston.

A big reason for the turnaround is goalie Cam Ward, who has stopped 98 of the 104 shots he's faced during the three wins. As a result, Carolina is close behind division-leading Washington. The opportunity to make more ground lies ahead. After the Canes finish their current four-game road swing, they'll play five of their next six at home.

BLUES: After opening the season with thoughts of a playoff berth, things haven't gone too smoothly in St. Louis. The Blues are in a difficult stretch in which they play eight of nine games on the road, with Friday's game against Carolina the only pit stop at home. The Blues went 1-3-0 in the first four games of that stretch -- losses that have been particularly rough for netminder Jaroslav Halak. In his last three games he's given up 11 goals, including four on 18 shots before he was pulled in a 5-0 loss at Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

WHO'S HOT: Alex Steen had three goals and two assists in the first five games of the season before the Blues' shutout loss to L.A. ... In addition to scoring the game-winner against Boston on Tuesday, Joni Pitkanen has five points in his last three games.

INJURY REPORT: Zac Dalpe is doubtful for the Canes with a lower-body injury. … Defenseman Taylor Chorney is questionable for the Blues with a knee injury. No. 1 center Andy McDonald (concussion) is on IR; defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (upper-body injury) says he expects to play.

STAT PACK: As the Hurricanes prepare to wrap up their four-game road trip in Winnipeg Saturday night, Friday's stop in the Gateway City could feel a little like home. Carolina hasn't lost in St. Louis since Jan. 5, 2008, nearly four years ago.

PUCK DROP: Friday's game marks the first NHL meeting between St. Louis forward Chris Stewart and his older brother, Anthony, a forward with the Hurricanes. Though Chris is in his fourth NHL season and Anthony in his sixth, they've never faced each other.

Chris has better numbers (69 goals to 20; 138 points to 53), but he says he owes his career to his big brother, who persuaded him to forsake football for a career on the ice.

"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today," Chris said. "He obviously set the bar high for the footsteps to fall in the family. Just watching him growing up and learning that power forward game firsthand, he's the one I learned it from."

[Mr. IWS]

ICE PICKS

Friday's Best NHL Bets

San Jose Sharks at New Jersey Devils (-105, 5)

Most teams would have loved to start the season playing three of their first four games on home ice, but it hasn’t worked out for the struggling San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks have just one win on their resume as they get set to open up an east coast road trip Friday in New Jersey.

"You look at the three games we've played in the last four nights, and they are very similar in a lot of ways," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "We made some real dumb mistakes that led to the other team's goals. And then at the other end a ton of chances but none are going in."

He’s got that right. The Sharks have been accused of sloppiness tons of times before, though at least they’re getting some chances. San Jose has outshot each of its last three opponents but doesn’t have any points to show for it.

They have just four goals since they opened the season with a 6-3 win over Phoenix and you know they’re going to break out with their high-powered offense if they keep getting the chances.

We’re leaning toward both the over and the Sharks here. Might make a nice parlay for those so inclined.

PICK: San Jose


Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues (-145, 5.5)

This is going to be a doozy – two fast, young teams looking to take the next step this season.

Carolina have already downed the defending champion Bruins twice this season and should come into this game fired up after Tuesday’s fight-filled win at TD Garden.

"We battled extremely hard," said Cam Ward, who made 34 saves in the 4-1 win. "We didn't back down from anything and I think you're sensing the chemistry in the locker room - that the guys really want to do it for one another and it showed out there."

You can see similar chemistry developing in St. Louis too. The Blues are pain to play against but a lot of fun to watch.

Their main issue right now is between the pipes as Jaroslav Halak gave up four goals on 18 shots before getting the hook in Tuesday’s 5-0 loss to Los Angeles. Brian Elliott came on in relief and may get some more time in the crease moving forward – not exactly an ideal situation.

We’ll continue to roll with the Hurricanes.

PICK: Carolina

[Mr. IWS]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 17
By David Schwab


All six spots in the CFL postseason have been locked up after last week’s action, so now it is a matter of each team jockeying for position over the final three weeks of the regular season to secure a favorable spot in the upcoming playoffs. Last Friday, Toronto stunned Calgary 31-29 as a 6½ point home underdog to put a crimp in the Stampeders’ quest for the West Division title. Edmonton capitalized on the opportunity to grab a share of the lead in the West with a 24-10 victory over Winnipeg as a two-point home favorite in Friday’s other game.

Saturday’s games started-off with Montreal squeaking-out a 27-25 win over Hamilton as a six-point home favorite to move into the outright lead in the East. Despite the loss, the Tiger Cats still managed to clinch the sixth and final berth in the playoffs. British Columbia’s amazing run reached eight straight wins with a 29-18 victory over Saskatchewan as a 7½-point road favorite in Saturday’s night-cap. The Lions are now tied with the Eskimos for the top spot in the West.

Friday, October 21

Edmonton Eskimos (- 3) vs. Toronto Argonauts Over/Under (48)

Edmonton’s two-game winning streak has helped the club force a tie atop the West at 9-6 straight up (8-7 against the spread). It is 4-3 both SU and ATS on the road this season and the total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of its last 10 games. Toronto’s win over Calgary last Friday was just its fourth of the year against 11 defeats. It is 7-8 ATS overall and 3-4 ATS at home. The total has stayed ‘under’ in six of its last eight games.

The Eskimos beat the Argonauts 26-25 earlier in the season as eight-point home favorites with the total going ‘over’ the 49 ½-point line. It was their fourth SU win in the last five games, but the Argos have a slight 3-2 edge ATS. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the last 10 meetings in Toronto. Edmonton is ranked second in the league in points allowed while Toronto is ranked second-to-last in scoring.

Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Calgary Stampeders (-10) Over/Under (51)

Saskatchewan’s 11th loss of the season officially ended its chance to return to a third straight Grey Cup. It is 4-10 ATS overall and 2-5 ATS in seven road games this season. The total has stayed ‘under’ in its last four games. Calgary is now one game back in the West at 8-7 SU and ATS. It is 3-4 SU and ATS in seven home games and the total has gone ‘over’ in three of its last four games overall.

The Roughriders have lost all three previous games this season to the Stampeders both SU and ATS including a 40-3 rout as six-point road underdogs just three weeks ago. Calgary is now 5-2 both SU and ATS in the last seven meetings. Saskatchewan has been outscored by its opponents this season by an average of 9.1 points a game.

[Mr. IWS]

CANADIAN BACON

Friday's Best CFL Bets

Edmonton Eskimos at Toronto Argonauts (+3, 48)
The Argos got an upset win in the last moments of their game against the Calgary Stampeders, but while it might have been their best performance of the season, don’t expect much moving forward.

Quarterback Steven Jyles looked good in the first half but he only threw for 118 yards with one TD and four picks.

The Stampeders really shot themselves in the foot more than anything else and it would be surprising to see the Eskimos, who still have legitimate chance on first place, doing the same.

The Eskimos have piled up seven sacks, six interceptions and allowed only one TD in their last two games. Edmonton will play the Lions next week in a game that could decide first place in the West. But for that game to bare any significance, they first win in Toronto.

PICK: Edmonton


Saskatchewan Roughriders at Calgary Stampeders (+1, 52.5)

Drew Tate will orchestrate Calgary’s attack after coach John Hufnagel decided to make a quarterback change and put Henry Burris on the bench. Tate, who took over against the Argos after Burris was pulled, threw for 263 yards with two touchdown passes. Now he’s looking to put an end to a two-game slide.

Ken-Yon Rambo, still nursing an Achilles tendon injury, will miss a third game in a row. Nik Lewis, who has fought a virus, claims to feel much better and has been active in full practices all week.

If the Stampeders’ offense is a disappointment, Saskatchewan’s has been frankly pathetic. Darian Durant, who has a left foot fracture, claims it would be best if he was not starting now that Saskatchewan is out of the playoff picture but coach Ken Miller thinks otherwise.

Last week, in a loss that ended the club’s playoff hopes, kicker Chris Milo scored all 18 points for this team. Now the Roughriders only hope is to spoil any chances the Stampeders still have of finishing first.

PICK: Calgary

[Mr. IWS]

Today's CFL Picks

Edmonton at Toronto

The Eskimos look to take advantage of a Toronto team that is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 home games. Edmonton is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Eskimos favored by 6 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-3). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 Time Posted: 9:00 a.m. EST (10/19)

Game 491-492: Edmonton at Toronto (6:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 116.134; Toronto 109.713 Dunkel Line: Edmonton by 6 1/2; 52 Vegas Line: Edmonton by 3; 48 Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-3); Over

Game 493-494: Saskatchewan at Calgary (9:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Saskatchewan 104.646; Calgary 116.071 Dunkel Line: Calgary by 11 1/2; 50 Vegas Line: Calgary by 10 1/2; 52 Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-10 1/2); Under

[Mr. IWS]

DCI CFB

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011

Big East Conference
Rutgers 19, LOUISVILLE 17
West Virginia 36, SYRACUSE 16

[Mr. IWS]

Friday’s Betting Tips: Rutgers-Louisville Line Still Moving

WHO'S HOT

NCAAF: West Virginia has covered in seven of its last 10 meetings with Syracuse.

NCAAF: Rutgers is 5-1-1 against the spread in its last seven overall.

NHL: Detroit is 4-0 to start the season.

NHL: New Jersey is 19-7 in its last 26 home games.

CFL: Edmonton is 9-4-1 in its last 15 games in Toronto.

WHO'S NOT

NCAAF: Syracuse is riding a 1-4 slump against the spread.

NCAAF: Louisville is 0-5 against the spread in its last five home games.

NHL: Dallas is 1-4 in its last five games in Anaheim.

NHL: San Jose is 2-8 in its last 10 meetings with New Jersey.

CFL: Saskatchewan is 4-10 against the spread in its last 14.

KEY STAT

1 – The Columbus Blue Jackets have just one regulation win in its last 28 games.

INJURY THAT SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED

Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils – New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur will be sidelined for 7-to-10 days with his injured shoulder. The future Hall of Famer said he "tweaked" his shoulder while diving back into the net in the first period of Thursday's game against the visiting Los Angeles Kings. The injury forced Brodeur to leave the game, and he sat out Saturday's contest against the Nashville Predators as well. Johan Hedberg, 38, will continue to start in his absence for the Devils, who return to the ice on Friday versus the San Jose Sharks. Brodeur, 39, is 0-1-0 with a 3.00 goals-against average so far this season for the Devils.

GAME OF THE DAY

West Virginia Mountaineers at Syracuse Orange (14, 59)

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

"The truth of this whole situation is I still need to evaluate (Palmer) and give him an opportunity to feel comfortable with our football team, with himself. Like (Palmer) said, he's been sitting on the couch, so what I want to do is make sure that at the end of the day I'm making the right decision for our football team, for our organization, for him, for everybody." – Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson on the speculation that newly-acquired quarterback Carson Palmer would start this week against Kansas. Oakland is currently set as a 5-point favorite.

TIPS AND NOTES

Rutgers heads into its date with Louisville riding a 5-1 run both against the spread and straight up, but after opening as 1.5-point favorites, action has forced the books to flip the line. It bounced around a bit Thursday but currently sits at Standford -2. We talked to Todd Fuhrman, race and sportsbook analyst at Caesar's in Las Vegas earlier this week for our Mid-week line moves piece. “This is a Louisville team which drew a ton of wiseguy action last week against Cincinnati and it looks to be more of the same this week," Fuhrman said. "The Cardinal have shown steady improvement this year and the university has shown faith in Charlie Strong by adding seven years to his deal. Rutgers has been a pleasant surprise but I'm not sure they were ready to be road chalk."

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford was held out of practice for a second straight session Thursday in hopes the extra rest will help his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. The second-year QB is expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the host Dallas Cowboys. Bradford suffered the injury in last weekend's 24-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The 23-year-old has completed 53.1 per cent of his passes this season, throwing for 1,177 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. A.J. Feeley will get the call if Bradford can't go Sunday.

Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers will make his first career start in Saturday's game against Army. The brother of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, he has appeared in all six games for the Commodores this season. Rodgers struggled last week, completing 4-of-19 passes for 47 yards and an interception last week against Georgia. He has thrown for 236 yards with one touchdown and three picks. He will replace Larry Smith, who has exited all six games this season.

The Texas Rangers have announced their starters for their first two home games in the World Series, opting for lefthanders Matt Harrison in Game 3 and Derek Holland in Game 4. Harrison has been decent in two postseason starts, going 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old went 14-9 in the regular season with a 3.39 ERA over 30 starts. Holland's playoff resume is not as impressive, as he's 1-0 with a 5.27 ERA in four games (three starts). He had a career year with 16 victories and a 3.95 ERA in 32 regular-season outings. The Cardinals have not confirmed their pitchers for Games 3 and 4.

[Mr. IWS]

Jeff Scott Sports

4 UNIT PLAY

Rutgers/ Louisville Under 40: For those of you that like low scoring defensive battles this game will be for you. The Rutgers offense comes in ranked 93rd in total offense (323 ypg) and 111th in rushing (91.8 ypg). They have put up 30.3 ppg overall, but just 26.8 vs FBS fores and 20 ppg on the road this year. Now offense isn't rewally how this team makes their money, but it's on the defensive end. Thje Rutgers defense is one of the best in the Nation. allowing just 300 ypg (16th) and 16 ppg (12th), pluas they have allowed just 26 total points in their 2 Big East games thus far. The Rutgers defensive numbers should get even better after this one as they will be facing a Louisville offense that is even worse than the Knights. Louisville's offense is 99th overall (331 ypg), 102nd in rushhing (109.2 ypg and 111th in scoring (16.3 ppg). This team can't run or pass and oh yeah they are also 88th in kicking, hitting just 62.5% of their FG attempts. Now just like Rutgers, defense is the bread and butter of this Louisville team. The Cards allow just 303 ypg, which is 18th in the nation and just 167.7 ppg, which is 16th. They also allow just 312 ypg and 16.7 ppg at home. As you can these are a couple of pathetic offenses, going up against two top 20 defenses and I relly don't see how these teams hit 30 points, let alone 40. This one should be easy. KEY TRENDS--- The OU is 1-8 when Rutgers is off a home win and the OU is 2-11 when louisville is a home fave of 7 or less.

2 UNIT PLAY

West Virginia/ Syracuse Over 58: This is not a Power Angle play, but I do have a good one for this play. Here we play the Over with a OU Line of 56.5 to 63 and both teams allow between 21 and 28 ppg, if at least 1 of the teams scored 31+ ppg in BB games. This has gone 39-13 the last 10 years. West Virginia averages a healther 40.8 ppg on the year, while Syracuse has put up a nice 26.7 ppg so far and both defenses are average at best as the Mountaineers have allowed 21.5 ppg so far, while the 'Cuse have allowed 27.3 ppg. Not my forte to play an Over with a total this high, but I can see these teams hitting at least 60 points in this one.

[Mr. IWS]

Wunderdog

West Virginia vs. Syracuse
Play: Syracuse +14

The Big East is very soft this year with West Virginia the only Big East team to have cracked the Top 25 rankings this season. The Mountaineers have risen above the rest at 5-1 to start the season, but Syracuse at 4-2 should be able to give them a game at home. West Virginia has lived off a lot of home cooking early with five home games, and almost stumbled in their only roadie at 2-4 Maryland, winning by 6 points as an interception return for a TD was the game changer. Maryland matched the Mountaineers yard-for-yard in that contest. The Cuse has a penchant for playing close games, with three games decided in OT already this season and another by a FG and yet another by a single TD. Syracuse went into West Virginia last year and won by 5 points, so they clearly can hang with the Mountaineers. West Virginia is not delivering as big chalk now at 4-10-1 ATS when posted as a -10.5 point favorite or greater. The Orange have had two weeks to prepare for this one and coming off a bye they are now a picture-perfect 5-0 ATS. Take Syracuse in this one.