Category Archives: ncaa football

2013 NCAA Football – Week 8 Betting Picks Against Spread

My streak of winners is still intact.

I went 11-7-1 last week with my picks, bringing my season total to 50-28-45 on the season. I didn’t match the previous week’s domination, but 11-7-1 is solid.

Week 8 of the 2013 college football season (October 19th to be exact) has possibly the biggest marquee game all season, Florida State at Clemson.

We’re at a point in the season where favorites often fall or fail to cover the spread. When making a bet, look to see if any teams had a common opponent earlier in the season. That could help you with your decision. Injury reports and weather conditions also grow more and more important deeper in the college football season.

We pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few Thursday night games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference. Enjoy!

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 7 Betting Picks Against Spread

I’m on a hot streak.

I went 12-5 last week with my picks, bringing my season total to 39-21-4 on the season.

Week 7 of the college football season (October 12th to be exact) isn’t filled with as many marquee games as last week, but there are plenty of rivalry games.

We now have a good idea on which teams are good, but trap games and upsets often happen in the middle of the season. Favorites are often overvalued, so be careful with your picks. Vegas knows who the best teams are too, so the value isn’t there anymore.

We answer those questions and pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few Thursday night games in the MAC and American Athletic Conference

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 6 Betting Picks Against Spread

The fifth week of the college football season was very kind to me. I went 11-4 with my picks against the spread. I improved my overall record to 27-16-4 on the season.

Week six of the college football season (October 5th to be exact) is filled with a lot of fun games to watch. All the teams are in their conference schedule, with a few exceptions. We will start to see which teams are contenders and which teams clearly benefited from a weak non-conference schedule.

There are some huge Big Ten and Big 12 games on Saturday. You will know a lot more about Northwestern and Texas Tech after 10/5/13.

We answer those questions and pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few smaller games in the MAC and Mountain West conferences.

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2013 NCAA Football – Week 5 Betting Picks Against Spread

Wow, I actually have my college football betting line post completed before Friday? I deserve a Pumpkin Spice Latté, or ‘PSL’ as it’s known in the suburbs and cul-de-sacs (I roll hard).

After last week’s college football snooze fest, we have a lot of good games on Saturday. After Saturday, the college football landscape will be less muddy. The good teams will be known and the pretenders will have money left on their night stand.

Will Wisconsin ruin Ohio State’s national championship aspirations? Can Notre Dame hold off Oklahoma? Which SEC powerhouse will win the LSU/Georgia game?

We answer those questions and pick all the big college football games on Saturday…we also sneak in a few smaller games in the MAC and Mountain West conferences. Continue reading →

2013 NCAA Football – Week 4 Betting Picks Against Spread

I apologize for being a little late with this week’s college football picks against the spread, I’ve been immersed with winning my fantasy baseball leagues and giving out fantasy football advice to friends and readers.

I’ve had a decent year so far picking college football games, but I’m looking to have a big week on September 21st in Week 4 of the NCAA football season.

Can Johnny Manziel forget last week’s loss against Alabama? Will Notre Dame and Florida ramp up their play after poor performances early this season?

We answer those questions and help you decide who you want to bet on this week (we mention a possible addition in a parlay). Continue reading →

2012 NCAA Football – Week 11 Betting Picks

I’ve had a very successful college football season. The spreads have been easy to work with and the favorites have covered in a lot of games I picked. Notre Dame has been fairly dependable to cover the spread (except last week), so their game against Boston College looks like a quality play in Week 11.

Will Oregon State keep surprising Vegas? They have done very well in the Pac-12 against the spread. They are on the road and play in Palo Alto on Saturday. Is Stanford up to the task of stopping the Beavers from winning a moneyline play?

We breakdown the bets and pick some NCAA college football games against the spread.

Florida State (-14.5) at Virginia Tech (+14.5) – My pick is Virginia Tech +14.5

Both of these teams are under .500 against the spread this season. I think this line is too high for Florida State to cover on the road. Blacksburg is a tough place to play at night. Even though VT is having a down year, the crowd will be into this one.

Louisville (-3) at Syracuse (+3) – My pick is Louisville -3

Louisville is coming off a tough loss to Cincinnati. They will be motivated to keep their great season alive. Syracuse is no pushover, but Louisville is 14-4 ATS (against the spread) in their last 18 road games.

Massachusetts (+17) at Akron (-17) – My pick is Akron -17

This game will be ugly. UMass has yet to win a game and Akron has only one win under their belt. In their last three games, UMass has been outscored 136-7. Akron will cover in this contest.

Arizona State (+9) at USC (-9) – My pick is USC -9

USC is coming off of two losses against Pac-12 opponents…in games they could have won. The are coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder. ASU is a good team, but I see USC winning this game large.

Notre Dame (-19) at Boston College (+19) – My pick is Notre Dame -19

The Fighting Irish know they are lucky to come out of last week’s game unbeaten. They were leapfrogged by Oregon in the BCS polls and need to start winning games with extra style points. I don’t expect Notre Dame to lay off the accelerator in this contest. I know 19 points is a big number to cover on the road, but I expect them to cover the spread.

Wyoming (-1) at New Mexico (+1) – My pick is Wyoming -1

I have long had a love affair with the Wyoming Cowboys…from a betting standpoint. I spent most of the 2009 betting with them and I had a nice season. They are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight road games. New Mexico is an improved team, but Wyoming will leave Albuquerque with the upset.

West Virgina (+7.5) at Oklahoma State (-7.5) – My pick is Oklahoma State -7.5

I have been burned by West Virginia too many times this season. They are coming off three losses in which they looked pedestrian at times. Oklahoma State is 8-1 ATS at home following a loss. I trust them much more than the Mountaineers at this point in the season. The O/U is currently 79, which could easily be blown out of the water by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Texas A&M (+14) at Alabama (-14) – My pick is Texas A&M +14

Texas A&M and Alabama both have close games against Oregon this season. The Aggies have done very well against the SEC this season. They are an unfamiliar opponent and have taken advantage of the unknown. They had a stretch in the middle of the season that was rough, but rebounded in the last three weeks. If Texas A&M can get their passing game going again, this game could be very close.

Mississippi State (+14.5) at LSU (-14.5) – My pick is LSU -14.5

MSU haven’t played very well the last two games. They were down to Texas A&M by five touchdowns by halftime. LSU is coming off a tough loss to Alabama last week. They always play every team well and never play down to the other team’s talent. LSU should have this spread covered by halftime.

Vanderbilt (+3) at Mississippi (-3) – My pick is Mississippi -3

Ole Miss is 7-2 ATS this season. Vegas and the betting community doesn’t seem to give them much respect. Vanderbilt has looked impressive the last two weeks, but it was against winless UMass and a Kentucky, who look like a high school team. This is close to a lock, since this line should stay around -3, with the public looking at the box scores from the last two Vandy games.

The betting lines are courtesy of Sportsbook.ag. These picks are for entertainment purposes.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 Big Ten Preview: Indiana Hoosiers

Our college football analyst Joe Pasquali wraps up his Big Ten football team previews with the Indiana Hoosiers. I guess we saved the worst for last.

Last year was about as bad as it gets for a Big Ten program. Well, actually any football program. They were 1-11 with their lone victory against a FCS school in South Carolina State. Do I think the team is much improved? Do I think they magically found young men who can run, catch, pass, and tackle? Not really, but you can only go up from 1-11 and I HAVE to think they find a way to win a few games. They’ll have experience on their side at least; the Hoosiers return more starters than any other Big Ten team (19) and fourth most in the nation. Coach Kevin Wilson’s second year will be a better year in Bloomington, just don’t expect them to make a bowl game. Again. Continue reading →

2012 Big Ten Preview: Northwestern Wildcats

Our college football analyst Joe Pasquali is winding down his Big Ten team previews with the Northwestern Wildcats. Can they squeak out a few non-conference wins and shock the world?

Last year Northwestern spent most of the season duct taping and trying to keep Dan Persa on the field, because when he was Northwestern was a decent football team. Injuries took their toll and Pat Fitzgerald saw his Wildcats fall to 6-7 after a 9 win season. Northwestern has lost nine bowl games in a row, but I don’t see them losing one this year. Because they won’t be going to one. Their out of conference schedule is one of the toughest in the Big Ten, with games against Vanderbilt, Boston College, and Syracuse. Yes, none of those are juggernauts, but most Big Ten teams are playing cupcakes in the non-con. (See Indiana). Continue reading →

2012 Big Ten Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is down to the last few Big Ten teams to preview. The Purdue Boilermakers are a far cry from the days of Drew Brees leading the team. Is 2012 a bounce back year for the men of West Lafayette?

Whoever the Purdue athletic trainers are should have been run out of West Lafayette halfway through last season, if not before then. This team, more than any other, was decimated at key positions all season by the injury bug making it nearly impossible to judge the quality of this team. Like a typical Purdue team they won of a game they should not have (Ohio State) and lost a game they should not have (Rice). Expect the same this year out of the little choo choo’s, thought I doubt they’ll be winning in Columbus.

Offense (B)

Everyone and their brother got to play offense last year for the Boilermakers, as they saw three different quarterbacks and nine different players rush for a touchdown. It wasn’t out of scheme for these players to get the ball, but out of necessity due to injuries. Your guess is as good as mine to who will be starting under center. Rob Henry, Robert Marve, and Caleb TerBush will all be competing for the starting job. Only problem is none of them are very good. My guess is Terbush will be the starter. He is a team captain, a senior, and a ginger. All of those things are important to people in West Lafayette. The two Akeem’s (Shavers and Hunt) will be handling the running back duties after ending the 2011 campaign in impressive fashion. Antavian Edison and O.J. Ross lead a talented group of wide receivers, who if they get the ball, can make things happen.

Defense (C+)

Purdue has never been a program built on defense, of any kind, and I don’t see 2012 being much different. New defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar is bringing a 3-4 scheme to West Lafayette and with it you would expect some growing pains. Purdue’s strength is up front on their D-Line with players Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston who had a combined 9.5 sacks and 24 TFL. Putting these explosive players into a 3-4 makes little to no sense, considering Purdue has a great void of talent at linebacker. Only Will Lucas and Dwayne Beckford have experience at the LB position, not an ideal situation for a new scheme. Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson lead a secondary that should be fairly strong. Both are ball hawks and can come up to stop the run.

Special Teams (C)

Thank the lord Carson Wiggs is graduated and on the Seattle Seahawks. If I had to hear another ESPN the Ocho announcer talk about how he can make a 70 yard field goal I was going to ram my head through a wall. Purdue will be relying on freshman Paul Griggs this year when it looks for three pointers. Cody Webster will be handling the punting duties; he averaged a respectable 42.9 YPK.

Coaching (D)

Most Purdue fans will be the first to tell you Danny Hope is the wrong man to be coaching in West Lafayette. Then again, most Purdue fans also have ridiculous expectations because Drew Brees ONCE helped a Boilermaker team win the Big Ten when every other power was in a down year. Purdue gets a D rating not because of Hope but because new defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar last coached in the Canadian Football league. And Canadians can’t play football.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 7-5 (5th in Leaders)

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2012 Big Ten Preview: Michigan Wolverines

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is back to breakdown the upcoming season for the Michigan Wolverines. Denard Robinson started the season off with fireworks (again), but can he last entire season?

The swagger and optimism is back in Ann Arbor. Brady Hoke’s arrival last year paired with an 11 win season and a BCS bowl bid have made for exciting times for Michigan football. This team will be one of the more exciting to watch in the 2012 season, not only because their talent and style of play, but because their schedule boasts some of the biggest games of the season. Opening the year in Dallas against Alabama will be a huge game not only for Michigan but the Big Ten conference as a whole. Can the boys from the Midwest hang with one of the juggernauts from the SEC on a national stage? We won’t have to wait long to find out. In addition, Michigan has to play on the road at Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State. Though this Michigan team has top 10 talent, their schedule is one of the toughest in the nation.

Offense (A)

Anyone who has turned on a TV to watch college football in the last two years knows who Denard Robinson is. The explosive, sometimes chaotic, Michigan quarterback is one of the most dangerous players in all of college football. Though his numbers went down slightly from 2010, (2173 passing yards, 1176 rushing) this was due to offensive coordinator Al Borge’s scheme to try and keep his quarterback healthy and share the rushing duties. Fitzgerald Toussaint won the role midseason as number one running back and finished the year with 1,041 yards, including over 100 yards rushing in his last three games. This offseason he was suspended for off field issues and it remains to be seen if he will miss any games in 2012. Vincent Smith and Thomas Rawls are very capable backups if Toussaint is out. Taylor Lewan (6’8″ 308 lbs) will lead the offensive line and is a preseason All American at left tackle. Look for him to be a day one draft pick come next spring.

Defense (B+)

Michigan’s vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball was a huge reason for their success in 2011. Going from one of the worst defenses in the nation to a top team in many defensive categories was truly remarkable and coordinator Greg Mattison deserves most the credit. Michigan was 4th in red zone defense, 6th in scoring defense, and 17th in yards allowed. Though Michigan loses some key players up front in Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan’s defense as a whole stays intact. The secondary returns all of its key players as well as a linebacker core that has become very solid. Senior Jordan Kovacs at safety and Kenny Demens at linebacker have consistently led the team in tackles and have a wealth of experience. Look for sophomore corner Blake Countess to have a break out year and become a shutdown corner in the likes of Leon Hall and Marlin Jackson.

Special Teams (B)

Michigan goes into 2012 for the first time in a long time with a solid kicker on their roster in Brendan Gibbons. He was 13-17 on the season including three big kicks in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. As long as he keeps thinking about brunette girls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkPiOJdYSkM), Michigan should keep getting production out of their special teams.

Coaching (A)

You really have to hand it to Brady Hoke and the Michigan coaching staff. First year under Hoke the team wins 11 games and a BCS bowl. First year under Mattison and the defense ranks as one of the top in the nation after being a joke for years under Rich Rodriguez. The offense under Al Borges numbers wise took some steps back with the transition to more of a pro-style offense, but look for Denard and company to put up more points in their second year in this scheme.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 10-2 (1st in Legends)

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2012 Big Ten Preview: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Joe Pasquali, our college football analyst, is back to breakdown and pontificate the upcoming season for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Jerry Kill has had one full year of recruiting and coaching, can he turn the program around in a hurry?

Year one wasn’t the greatest season for Jerry Kill’s Minnesota Golden Gophers, but heading into 2012 there is reason for optimism in Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers return five starters on each side of the ball, plus a much easier schedule than 2011. Traveling to USC is no way to start off any campaign, and in 2012 Minnesota should have better luck @ UNLV in week one. Purdue and Northwestern at home should be both good games, and Minnesota avoids Ohio State and Penn State this year. After reading below you’ll probably wonder, why do you have them better than Northwestern? I don’t necessarily think they are a better team per say, but so much went wrong for Minnesota last year I just think they’ll rebound. That and their schedule is kinder than the Wildcats.

Offense (C+)

Word is JUCO transfer James Gillum will get the majority of carries in 2012, which should be a good thing considering he has gained over 1,000 yards each of the last two seasons. Having a weapon in the backfield is going to be key to keep defenses from spying dual threat quarterback MarQueis Gray. When healthy, Gray is one of the more dangerous weapons in the conference. Last season Grey passed for 1,495 yards while running for 966. Though the offensive line lost three starters, six big men up front return with some experience and should remain strength of this offense. Another year under Kill and another year in this scheme should improve the dreadful 18 points per game of 2011.

Defense (C)

Minnesota ranked 93rd in the nation last year in points against, giving up almost 32 points a contest, but only gave up 26 points a game in their last five. I believe the key to a bad season is trying to end on a good note and for Minnesota they did just that. Drubbing Illinois 27-7 at home should have left the team as a whole with positive feelings for the 2012 campaign. Replacing both defensive tackles plus 75% of their secondary won’t be an easy task, but the Gophers do have Keanon Cooper and Gary Tinsley returning at linebacker to clean up in the middle. In 2011 Minnesota only forced 9 turnovers, which was good enough for dead last in the nation…NINE! Teams thrive on opponents turning the ball over. Momentum swings, short fields for your offense, and potential big plays are all huge for a team’s success. Minnesota will force more than nine turnovers in 2012 and in turn they’ll win more than three games.

Special Teams (B+)

After taking over the kicking duties halfway through 2011, Jordan Wettstein returns to what is a very strong Minnesota special teams unit. Wettstein was a perfect 6-6 in field goals last year, including kicks from 48 and 51 yards. Dan Orseske returns to do the punting duties as well as top return man Marcus Jones.

Coaching (B-)

It took three years for Jerry Kill to really find success at Saginaw Valley State, so no one is jumping the gun after one year in Minnesota. Both coordinators return for Minnesota as well and another year in both schemes should serve the Gophers well. Did you know this season Minnesota will have the only stadium in the conference that serves beer? That’s good for an upset at home.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 5-7 (5th in Legends)

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 Big Ten Preview: Illinois Fighting Illini

Joe Pasquali, our resident college football analyst, is back with some more of Big Ten team previews. Can Illinois rebound from the “Ron Zook era”?

Last season was a Jekyll and Hyde season for Illinois to say the least. After starting 6-0 and getting ranked as high as 15, the Illini lost their last 6 before beating a dismal UCLA team in the Fight Hunger Bowl. Yes, that was an actual bowl game… Anyways, after the firing of master recruiter/terrible strategist Ron Zook, and hiring Toledo’s Tim Beckman, Illinois is ready to rebound. Their conference schedule is brutal, with trips to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State, but my guess is Illinois will end up bowling. This team has too much talent on defense and some very winnable home games.

Offense (C)

Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase had a roller coaster year along with the rest of the team, starting out hot and garnering national attention to then only fade down the stretch. In his last five conference games Scheelhaase threw for one touchdown. For Illinois to improve in 2012 they will need more consistent play from their mobile quarterback. Up front the line should be more solid this year as Illinois returns two good starters in center Graham Pocic and guard Hugh Thornton. Behind them Donovonn Young will get most of the carries after splitting time line 2011. Outside Illinois will be without playmaker AJ Jenkins. Juniors Spencer Harris and Darius Millines are expected to try and pick up the slack. Also, you have to watch out for any offense with a player named Fritz Rock. That’s awesome.

Defense (A)

The bright spot for Illinois in 2011 was on defense, where the unit put up crazy numbers and kept the Illini in most games. They were 15th nationally in points against (19.6 per game) but even more impressive was the pressure they put on opposing quarterbacks. Illinois racked up 3.15 sacks per game last year, more than any other Big Ten team. Though 16 of those came from All American and now Houston Texan Whitney Mercilus, Illinois returns enough defensive playmakers to be a force once again. Even though Illinois is switching to a 3-4 defense, Akeem Spence will be a force to reckon with up front. Linebackers Michael Buchanan and Jonathan Brown both are returning starters and had impressive seasons. The secondary is physical, fast, experienced, and only lost one starter from a year ago.

Special Teams (C)

A host of underclassmen are after the special teams’ positions at Illinois this year. Front runners for the kicking position are Taylor Zalewski and Brennen VanMieghem. Both have pretty cool names and both redshirt freshmen. Justin DuVernois returns at punter after a less than stellar freshman year only averaging 38.3 yards a punt.

Coaching (??)

This will be the first year for all three major coaches at Illinois. Head Coach Tim Beckman comes from Toledo where he enjoyed a MAC conference title in 2011. Billy Gonzales will be the offensive coordinator after working as an offensive assistant at LSU and Tim Banks takes over the defense after being co-defensive coordinator at Cincinnati. All have decent resumes, but only time will tell for this lot.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 7-5 (4th in Leaders)

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.