Category Archives: ncaa football

Tyrann Mathieu Enters Drug Rehab

Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu has checked into a Houston-area rehab center and will not attend college or play football this season. Mathieu’s father told WVUE-TV in New Orleans on Thursday.

Right Step center is where Mathieu will stay during his rebah. He is being mentored by former NBA player and coach John Lucas, who has success building character in young, troubled athletes.

Mathieu was kicked off LSU’s team last week for an alleged substance-abuse issue. He won the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

If he sits this year out, he can play football next season or enter the 2013 NFL Draft.

By: TwitterButtons.com

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

2012 College Football Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Joe Pasquali, our resident college football analyst, is back again this year to cover NCAA college football. We will be unveiling his Big Ten team previews later this week, but to whet your appetite, here is his 2012 college football preview for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 2011 season was a frustrating one for the Irish, a year marred by turnovers, late game collapses, and inconsistent play on the offensive side of the football. Notre Dame ranked 118th (third from the bottom) in turnover margin last year, forcing 14 while turning the ball over 29 times. Many turnovers came in crucial points in the game or in the red zone (where ND finished 88th in efficiency), making it nearly impossible to win games. This year Notre Dame returns 15 starters and a wealth of experience on both sides of the ball, making them some people’s dark horse in 2012. Though picking the Irish for a rebound seems like the thing to do every summer, their schedule makes it impossible for me to do so. With no set quarterback and the loss of Michael Floyd you can chalk up losses to Michigan State, Michigan, USC and Oklahoma. Outside of that, they still play talented teams in Stanford, Miami (FL), and BYU. Oh, and don’t forget pesky little Purdue.

Offense (B)

Quarterback Tommy Rees decided to kick a cop and is serving a one game suspension for the Irish, though many people weren’t sure if he would have been the opening day starter anyways. Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson, and Gunner Kiel are battling for the starting position and the current word is Golson has a head up on the others.  It’d be no surprise if we saw all four quarterbacks at some point this year; Brian Kelly has shown he has no qualms about switching QB’s, even mid game. Cierre Wood returns as the starting running back and impressed last year with 1,102 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tyler Eifert is an all-American and all around stud at tight end.  He should make the job for whoever is throwing the ball a bit easier, he is a huge target and has great hands.

Defense (A-)

The front seven of Notre Dame is very experienced and should improve on what was a decent year in 2011. All- American Manti Te’o leads a linebacker core that is as physical and good against the run as any in the country. The front three are back as well, and though a little thin, are very disruptive. The secondary could see a lot of rotation in 2012, especially at the corner position. Juniors Lo Wood and Bennett Jackson should step into the starting roles but if they can’t stop big plays on the outside Kelly will look to younger players. Breakout player to watch is freshman Aaron Lynch who should see some time at defensive end.

Special Teams (B)

Nick Tausch looks to have regained the kicking duties after not seeing any game action last season. He made 14 consecutive field goals as a freshman before his season ended early with an injury. Ben Turk enters his third season as punter for Notre Dame and has averaged 39.0 yards a punt in his career.

Coaching (B)

Brian Kelly has had success at every program he has coached, all the way from Grand Valley State to Cincinnati. Back to back 8-5 seasons doesn’t seem that bad, but it was the way Notre Dame lost games in 2011 that left fans with a bad taste in their mouth. Notre Dame at times looked rattled and without leadership, this starts at the top. Though the schedule is brutal, people have high expectations out of Notre Dame, even if those expectations are somewhat unrealistic. You hate to say it is a make or break year for Brian Kelly, but his predecessors didn’t get long to make an impact either.

2012 Win/Loss Prediction: 7-5

By: TwitterButtons.com

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

Should Arkansas Have Fired Bobby Petrino?

The University of Arkansas fired Bobby Petrino this afternoon. They stated that he “knowingly misled the school and engaged in reckless behavior with a 25-year old employee. This probably wouldn’t be an issue if he wasn’t the head football coach. The 51-year old was injured in a motorcycle accident and he lied about the presence of Jessica Dorrell, who was also on the motorcycle too. Dorrell was just hired a few weeks ago by Petrino. It is unknown if there was a “casting couch” situation, but this situation doesn’t stop the rumors. Should the University of Arkansas live under a different set of rules than Bill Clinton, who is the former Governor of Arkansas. Shouldn’t that state be lenient with this kind of activity?

Mr. Petrino should have known that if he went all “Ruff Ryderz” with his side-piece, he was begging for trouble. He was coming off a few successful seasons and was entrenched in his job. He was becoming an iconic figure in Arkansas. If he notched a few more bowl game victories, he would have surpassed Nolan Richardson in status. It is hard to believe that Arkansas went ahead with the firing of Petrino.

I was shocked by the news of the firing, because football money is a huge part of a university’s sports department’s revenue. Then the news came out about a clause that would free them from Petrino’s contract of roughly $3.53 million a year. If he “engaged in conduct that was clearly contrary to the character and responsibilities of a person occupying the position of head football coach or which negatively or adversely affects the reputation of the (university’s) athletics programs in any way,” he’d be canned. I understand the seriousness of this issue, but as Louisville did with Rick Pitino’s affair, I thought that they would sweep it under the rug.

When the University of Arkansas hired Bobby Petrino, he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The season wasn’t quite over yet and the next thing you know, he’s leading the Razorbacks in a “Woo Pig Sooie” chant. He quit on his team and left to take a job in the NCAA, a place where he knew how to win. It’s hard to look over the fact that he backtracked from a commitment and retreat with his tail between his legs.

I can’t deny that Petrino is a great college football coach. He’s helped direct two schools into premiere bowl games and he’s orchestrated a great offense at each school. He’ll get another job very soon and I don’t think he should have been fired. I respect Arkansas for making a moral decision, which is lacking in NCAA sports, but it was a dumb decision. He wasn’t drunk behind the wheel, in which many college coaches have been arrested for (Bob Huggins, Billy Gillispie, etc), but the university deemed this worse than endangering the innocent lives of others. Let this be a warning to any future coach at Arkansas, if you’re seeing a 25-year old on the down-low, get a designated driver.

By: TwitterButtons.com

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

2010 NCAA Football – Week 3 Betting Picks

I went 9-3 last week against the spread and I’m feeling pretty good about Week 3. There are a lot of dud games out there, but there are some with good value that you should look at. It’s looking like a week where a lot of favorites may not cover. Which teams did I pick? Check out this my NCAA football picks against the spread for Week 3 of the 2010 season.

Northern Illinois (+8) at Illinois (-8)My pick is Illinois

Neither of these teams look very good so far this year, but I will take a tested Illini team over Northern Illinois. Illinois did get beat in their first game against Missouri, but came back with a strong effort against Southern Illinois. Northern Illinois lost for a weak Iowa State team in Week 1 and came back to win a close game against North Dakota, a team they should have smoked.

Iowa State (+4) at Kansas State (-4)My pick is Kansas State

The game is listed as a “neutral site,” but it is being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, it’s basically a home game for Kansas State. KSU already has a home win over UCLA, though a bit ugly, they still pulled it out. Iowa State’s victory came against Northern Illinois and followed that by getting smoked by Iowa. Bill Snyder is back going KSU, the team will improve as the season goes on.

Arkansas (+2.5) at Georgia (-2.5)My pick is Arkansas

Arkansas has yet to be tested this year…and they will get their test on Saturday at Georgia. Ryan Mallett will need a big game to keep his stock high, I believe he does that over the Bulldogs.

Hawaii (+11) at Colorado (-11)My pick is Hawaii

Hawaii is coming off a weak win over Army and Colorado limps into this contest by losing to Cal 52-7. Hawaii held their own against USC for most of the game and proved that they can compete on the mainland. The Rainbow Warriors are 2-0 against the spread so far this season and will win against it again this week.

Nebraska (-3.5) at Washington (+3.5)My pick is Nebraska

This will be a very far away game for Nebraska to play, but I’m sure Cornhusker fans will still make it there. Sportsbook.com has Nebraska projected 10 point favorites, so this line seems quite low, so expect this to get higher as the week progresses. Nebraska looked good against small programs so far this year and Washington comes in 1-1 with a win against Syracuse and a loss at BYU. Nebraska will cover, but if line gets close to 6, stay away, it will still be a contest.

Toledo (+4.5) at Western Michigan (-4.5)My pick is Western Michigan

Western Michgan beat Toledo last season 58-26 with a balanced offensive attack. Both teams come into this contest with 1-1 records, both losing to a major program. Toledo’s offense hasn’t looked good this season and their defense is even worse. Western Michigan has used their passing attack this season and is only averaging 100 yards on the ground. WMU will win this game and cover easily.

Notre Dame (13.5) at Michigan State (-3.5)My pick is Notre Dame

Notre Dame was an injury to Dayne Crist away from beating Michigan last week. If Crist didn’t miss a substantial portion of that game, the Irish could be sitting at 2-0. Michigan State hasn’t played any elite talent yet and Notre Dame has already played two other Big Ten teams this season. The Spartans are weak against the pass and that is what Notre Dame has excelled at this season. The Irish will win against the spread AND win the game in East Lansing.

Boise State (-24) at Wyoming (+24)My pick is Wyoming

Let me start by saying that Wyoming has very little hope in winning this game. Boise State will come into this game with something to prove, but Wyoming’s defense is stout and will cause them problems. I rode Wyoming all season last year and they did very well against the spread, you can get good value with them. BSU will win, but not by 24 points.

Iowa (-2) at Arizona (+2)My pick is Iowa

This line has a possibility of moving towards Arizona, since the game is at home and Iowa has trouble on the road at times. Both teams have played very well this season, but Iowa has played better competition. The Big Ten is stronger than the Pac-10 this season and I’ll go with Iowa to cover and win outright.

Utah (-23.5) at New Mexico (+23.5)My pick is Utah

New Mexico has been outscore 124-17 in their first two games. Utah has a win against, then top-25 ranked Pitt. Utah will win this game…BIG.

Texas (-3) at Texas Tech (+3)My pick is Texas

The Longhorns and Red Raiders are more equal this year than ever. Texas lost a lot of talent in the draft and the Red Raiders are playing more balanced football, since Mike Leach is no longer there. Tech hasn’t played much talent this season and UT has played an improved Rice & Wyoming teams. Even though the game is in Lubbock, the Longhorns will come out winners and cover the spread. (Michael Crabtree isn’t walking through that door)

Middle Tennessee State (-6) at Memphis (+6)My pick is MTSU

MTSU went 10-3 last season and even beat Souther Miss in a bowl game. Memphis has been a weak football school and only won two games last year. MTSU has looked strong early this season with a close loss against Minnesota and a routing of Austin Peay. Memphis has been routed by Mississippi State and East Carolina so far and should get routed again, this time by MTSU of the Sun Belt Conference.

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.

Did Heisman Trust Leak The Bush Story?

This is purely speculative, but could the Heisman Trust be the party that leaked the story about Reggie Bush getting stripped of his Heisman trophy? Could they have leaked the story to see what the public’s reaction to the news be? It makes sense, right? I explain why this would have been a smart move and breakdown the whole Reggie Bush situation.

Yahoo! Sports ran a story yesterday that former USC tailback, Reggie Bush, would be getting his Heisman trophy stripped from him. He won the trophy as the best college football player in 2005. He took gifts and cash from agents and boosters while he was a college player, which retroactively made him ineligible to play during the 2005 college football season. USC was hit with sanctions and was forced to forfeit the games in which Bush played that season and was hit with the loss of scholarships and a two-year postseason ban.

The Heisman trust came out after this story went public and said that the trust hasn’t even taken a vote on the subject and are still deciding what to do about the whole Reggie Bush situation. I doubt that an established site like Yahoo! would have ran this story without multiple sources confirming that he was indeed getting the trophy stripped. The trust have never been put in a situation where they would have to strip a player of their award. The public could have reacted negatively to the story and could have swayed the votes of the trust. Since the reaction seems to be somewhat positive of the news, I’m sure the trust will act in stripping Bush of the award.

I want to stress once again that this is purely speculative, but it makes sense. The trust wants to make sure that the award keeps its prestige and isn’t tarnished in any way. If Bush is stripped of the award, it is rumored that the trust would just say that the award was vacant that year and wouldn’t award it to the person that came in as runner-up, Texas quarterback Vince Young. Young mother even came out today and said that Young told her that he wouldn’t accept the award if they decided to give it to him.

This whole situation is muddy and it would be best to keep the award vacant, it isn’t Miss America. In doing this, the trust would set a precedent that this would be the way to handle situations like this, if they were to happen again. Let’s hope that this will be the last one like this, since it has taken the NCAA five years to react to a situation that came out many years ago.

By: TwitterButtons.com

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

2010 NCAA Football – Week 2 Betting Picks

Week 2 of this college football season is looking to be a very entertaining week, especially for the Big Ten. You have three marquee teams facing national powerhouses. Ohio State is at home against University of Miami of Florida, Michigan plays Notre Dame, and Penn State travels to Alabama. Here are my college football picks for week 2 of the 2010 college football season.

Auburn (-2.0) at Mississippi State (+2.0)My pick is Auburn

Auburn should be able to travel to Mississippi State and handle them. This betting line is trending towards Auburn, so this line may get pushed farther in Auburn’s favor.

West Virginia (-13.5) at Marshall (+13.5)My pick is West Virginia

The Thundering Herd didn’t have much to cheer about last week when they opened their season in Columbus, Ohio against Ohio State. If it wasn’t for scoring on a blocked field goal, they could have ended up not scoring at all in that game. West Virginia is another well-coached team and blanked Coastal Carolina in their opener. I see the Mountaineers running up this score and 13.5 points should be the spread at the half.

Georgia (+3) at South Carolina (-3)My pick is South Carolina

South Carolina seems to have trouble with Georgia, but this season, the tables have turned. The Gamecocks are the favorites and have a better squad. Steve Spurrier doesn’t have to worry facing a more talented team, if South Carolina keeps to their gameplan, they should win and cover.

South Florida (+15.5) at Florida (-15.5)My pick is Florida

Matt Grothe and George Selvie are no longer on South Florida, so the Gators shouldn’t have much trouble covering the 15.5 points. This is a transition year for Florida, but they haven’t slipped that much.

Florida State (+8) at Oklahoma (-8)My pick is Florida State

Bobby Bowden is no longer strolling the sidelines for Florida State and Jimbo Fisher has them looking pretty good. Bob Stoops is trying to replace some key pieces from their team a year ago. I look for Florida State to score early and keep Oklahoma from controlling the game. If this happens, not only could FSU keep the Sooners from covering, but they could squeak out an upset win.

Michigan (+3.5) at Notre Dame (-3.5)My pick is Michigan

I tried to stay away from Notre Dame last season, but I feel a little better about them after they beat Purdue last week. I’m not saying that I feel better about them as in they are going to win, but I feel like I got an idea of who they are. They have lack an identity the last few seasons. Michigan looked really good against Connecticut last week and I see them going into South Bend and winning this game.

Iowa State (+13.5) at Iowa (-13.5)My pick is Iowa

This is a big rivalry game for both of these teams. You usually get the underdogs’ best effort, but the Hawkeyes should roll all over Iowa State in this game, Iowa is a much better team.

BYU (pick) at Air Force (pick)My pick is BYU

This game rests on only one thing….can BYU stop Air Force’s running attack. I think BYU should be able to do that, since they handled Washington last week and won by a touchdown. This will be Air Force’s first test of the year and BYU will win this game.

Wyoming (+29.5) at Texas (-29.5)My pick is Wyoming

Let me say first, Wyoming will not win this game. I rode them last season and they were great against the spread last season. I think that they will go down to Texas and not let the Longhorns cover this huge spread. Wyoming is sneaky and this line may even get larger since Texas is a “public” team and people will bet on them with this large of a spread.

Penn State (+11.5) at Alabama (+11.5)My pick is Alabama

Alabama is one hell of a team, but we all know that they have trouble putting points on the board at times. Penn State lost a few weapons last season, but they still have Evan Royster. Paterno seems concerned about his recent weight gain and his stamina, he will have to have a great game if the Nittany Lions wish to keep this one close. I see the Crimson Tide controlling the tempo of this game with their defense and winning this game 24-6.

Texas Tech (-24.5) at New Mexico (+24.5)My pick is Texas Tech

The Oregon Ducks blanked New Mexico last week with the score of 72-0. The Texas Tech Red Raiders could probably dress an average intramural squad in Lubbock and cover this 24.5 point spread. They win this game and cover big.

Miami (+9.5) at Ohio State (-9.5)My pick is Ohio State

This is the first time these two teams have met since Ohio State upset the Hurricanes to win the 2002 BCS Championship. The kids playing in this game were in elementary school when that happened, but revenge is on Miami’s mind. Ohio State has a talented team and they have the advantage this year with the game being played in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State has a reputation for not showing up for big games, well that should change with a big win over a ranked team on National television. The Buckeyes should win this game 34-17.

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.

Notre Dame Should Go To A Bowl Game

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish decided to forgo a bowl game this season. They finished 6-6 and would have gone to a decent bowl game, since they are Notre Dame. I don’t see why they would pass up the chance to recoup some of the money that they paid Charlie Weis to get out of town. I know that the Fighting Irish don’t look like they have much fight in them, but they made a big mistake by passing up their bowl game.

Remember Notre Dame’s bowl game last year? They beat Hawaii 49-21, which was one of the biggest highlights of a dim season. If it wasn’t for that game, many people wouldn’t have been so high on the Irish this season. It looks like a few of the players are going to forgo their senior year and head to the NFL, wouldn’t it be good for them to have one last showcase before the combines? I just don’t get the reasoning behind this decision.

Notre Dame said that they spoke to their assistant coaches and team leaders to make their decision. I understand that the players were behind Charlie Weis and didn’t want to see him go. This could be one last moment of standing up for their coach. I can understand that, but as the University, in these economic times, I don’t care if you are Notre Dame, you need the money. South Bend, Indiana isn’t exactly Manhattan, they are hit just as bad as any other place in the Midwest. You should have taken the money, even if it meant that you stand the chance of finishing the season under .500.

I don’t see the reasoning behind this decision and I probably never will, but hey I wouldn’t have been accepted to Notre Dame, even if I could afford it.

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NCAA Football – Week 8 Betting Picks

I went 9-4 picking against the spread last week and I’m still fuming over the Notre Dame/USC game. I’m a fan of the Fighting Irish, but they pick the one week that I pick USC to cover to play very well against the Trojans. I have a lot of teams covering the spread this week, but you may find my upset pick of the week pretty interesting. Can we have another good week ATS? I feel pretty confident, but here are my NCAA Football picks against the spread for Week 8.

I’m staying away from a few teams this week. I’m not touching Oklahoma (because of Sam Bradford), Cincinnati (because of Tony Pike), and UConn (because of the murder of a player). Those games are very unpredictable and I would stay away.

Tulsa (-7.5) at UTEP (+7.5)My pick is Tulsa

Tulsa had a close game against Boise State last week, but fell short by a touchdown. They have an explosive offensive and UTEP won’t be able to keep up. Tulsa will win this game by two touchdowns.

Florida State (+2.5) at North Carolina (-2.5)My pick is Florida State

The Seminoles have had a pretty bad year so far, but North Carolina has been very unimpressive against BCS schools. This game is a must-win if they have any aspirations on going to a bowl game this year. Florida State will win this game, but I feel it will be close.

Georgia Tech (-5.5) at Virginia (+5.5)My pick is Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech had an impressive win against Virginia Tech last week. The Hokies couldn’t stop their running game and Virginia won’t be able to do it either. I’ll give the points and take Georgia Tech.

Arkansas (+6) at Mississippi (-6)My pick is Arkansas

Who knew that Bobby Petrino would get Arkansas playing well this soon? They almost knocked off Florida last week and I’ve seen a few Ole Miss games this year and they are pretenders. Give me the points and I’ll take Arkansas.

Oklahoma State (-9.5) at Baylor (+9.5)My pick is Oklahoma State

Even without Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State has looked pretty good and Baylor has been very inconsistent. I believe 9.5 points is a pretty big point spread, but the Cowboys will cover it.

Ball State (-2.5) at Eastern Michigan (+2.5)My pick is Ball State

Neither of these teams have won a game this season, but Ball State’s offense is better than Eastern Michigan’s defense. Give me my old alma mater and the Cardinals will get their first win.

Buffalo (+5) at Western Michigan (-5)My pick is Western Michigan

Buffalo was a cinderella team last year, but they haven’t looked like a pumpkin this year. Western Michigan hasn’t had as good of a year as last either, but they are a much better team. I’ll take Western Michigan ATS of 5.

Clemson (+5) at Miami (FL) (-5)My pick is Miami (FL)

This line seems pretty low with Miami with only one loss. They have looked very good since they lost to the Hokies. Clemson are only a .500 team and they have to travel to Miami. I’ll take Miami all day ATS, this should be an easy cover.

Boston College (+8) at Notre Dame (-8)My pick is Notre Dame

Notre Dame is a team that I haven’t been able to predict. I have been wrong nearly every week with this team and I even refused to make a pick in the Notre Dame game for about three weeks. Their games have been pretty close the last four weeks, but Boston College haven’t looked very good. BC does have a pretty long winning streak against Notre Dame, but this will be the year that the Irish will win and cover the spread.

Penn State (-4.5) at Michigan (+4.5)My pick is Penn State

Can we finally say that Michigan isn’t very good? I know they looked good at the beginning of the year, but they have looked pretty bad against the Big Ten so far. Penn State was my preseason pick to win the Big Ten and I’m sticking with them. JoePa will win this game and cover the spread.

UCLA (+7.5) at Arizona (-7.5)My pick is UCLA

This one is my upset pick of the week. UCLA has a three game losing streak, but Arizona is a little bit over-rated. Their wins have come against Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, Oregon State, and a close win against Stanford. I feel that UCLA could go in there and make it a close game. I’m not saying UCLA will win, but it will be within a touchdown.

Iowa (pick’em) at Michigan State (pick’em)My pick is Iowa

I’ve been perfect this year on picking Iowa games. Michigan State has been playing well, but Iowa has a perfect record since changing their quarterback at mid-season last year. Iowa is the real deal and they will win this game in East Lansing.

Auburn (+7.5) at LSU (-7.5)My pick is LSU

LSU is coming off of a bye week and Auburn lost to Kentucky. LSU is a very good team and they want to do as much to erase the memory of the Florida loss. They will beat Auburn by two touchdowns and cover the spread.

These picks are for entertainment purposes.

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NCAA Football – Week 7 Betting Picks

I was 7-6 in my picks against the spread last week, but I barely missed a couple. I am around .600 for the season and I hope that improves this week. There are some big games on the schedule this week and who are some moneyline underdogs? I have a few in my Week 7 NCAA college football picks against the spread.

I have stayed away from Notre Dame the last couple weeks, but I have a better feel for what kind of team they are now and you will finally get a Notre Dame game pick this week.

Cincinnati (-2.5) at South Florida (+2.5)My pick is Cincinnati

I love the Bearcats in this game. Tony Pike and the rest of Cincinnati’s offense is very explosive. I think that they will do damage on the road. Cincinnati’s is one of the best teams in the nation in turnover margin.

Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Rutgers (+3.5)My pick is Rutgers

I really don’t know what kind of team Pittsburgh is. They have yet to play many tough opponents and Rutgers plays well at home. Rutgers is 10-7 against Pitt in since 1992. I think Rutgers keeps this game close and could end up winning this game.

Ohio State (-14) at Purdue (+14)My pick is Ohio State

I like Purdue’s offense, but I like Ohio State’s defense even more. The Buckeyes have had trouble scoring points on offense, but I think that they can get some turnovers and nice field position. Purdue hasn’t looked good since Week 2 and I don’t see them doing much against the physical defense of Ohio State.

Iowa (+2.5) at Wisconsin (-2.5)My pick is Iowa

Wisconsin turned the ball over a lot last week against Ohio State and Iowa has a defense that’s just as good. Iowa beat Penn State and until someone knocks them off in the Big Ten, they shouldn’t be the underdogs in any game.

Oklahoma (+3.5) at Texas (-3.5)My pick is Oklahoma

The Sooners may have not had a great game against Miami two weeks ago, but bounced back against Baylor. Texas is a one-trick pony, they can’t run the ball and Colt McCoy will have to have the game of his life to beat Oklahoma. The series is all tied up with Oklahoma since 1992 and I think Oklahoma has the edge with a better defense and a balanced offensive attack.

Wyoming (+10.5) at Air Force (-10.5)My pick is Wyoming

I went against Wyoming last week and they came out and just flat out took it to their opponent. They have shutdown their opponent’s rushing attack and that’s all Air Force does on offense. Not only do I pick Wyoming ATS, but I am picking them to win this game.

California (-3.5) at UCLA (+3.5)My pick is California

Cal has looked shaky the last couple weeks and UCLA has looked pretty good. I can’t pick UCLA in this one because California is a much better team. You have to think that they will turn it around in this game and beat the spread against UCLA. Jahvid Best is going to have a big game against the Bruins.

Central Michigan (-6.5) at Western Michigan (+6.5)My pick is Central Michigan

Everyone knows that Central Michigan can pass the ball, but their running game is starting to blossom as well. They have looked great this season and is the MAC’s best team. Western Michigan had a nice game against Toledo last week, but CMU is a much better team. Central Michigan should be favored by more than a touchdown in this contest, so get in early, the line will move.

USC (-10) at Notre Dame (+10)My pick is USC

If you think Notre Dame can win this game, please put down the kool-aid. This is the game that everyone will know how good this Notre Dame team really is. I would say that this game could be close if Malcolm Floyd was healthy, but USC will be double-covering Golden Tate and Jimmy Clausen will be handcuffed. USC will win this game big, even if the game is in South Bend.

Virginia Tech (-3.5) at Georgia Tech (+3.5)My pick is Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech’s running attack has been very good this year, but the Hokies are for real. I wasn’t sure about this team a few weeks ago, but they have impressed me. I think that they go on the road and cover the spread this week.

Troy (-9.5) at Florida International (+9.5)My pick is Troy

FIU is bad and Troy is good. I wish that kind of analysis would work on this site, but let’s go a little deeper. FIU has given up nearly 250 yards a game on the ground and Troy will be crushing through the line and gaining 200+ yards rushing against them.

South Carolina (+17) at Alabama (-17)My pick is South Carolina

I have a feeling that this game will be very low scoring. The defenses on both of these teams is ridiculous. I watched South Carolina’s defense really turn up the screws against some nice teams this season. Alabama is a good team and deserves to be ranked high, but the Gamecocks aren’t to be taken lightly. I think this game will be very close with the Crimson Tide winning.

Washington (+6.5) at Arizona State (-6.5)My pick is Washington

The Huskies had rough game last week, but the Sun Devils can be beat. I am not picking Washington to go on the road and win this game, but it will be within the spread and i’ll pick Washington with the points.

These picks are for entertainment purposes.

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NCAA Football – Week 6 Betting Picks

Week 5 was a pretty good week for my picks. I went 10-4 against the spread and picked a few money-line winners. There are some good games this week and some games that the lines look a little skewed. Can America’s White Boy’s weekly upset team, Wyoming, keep their winnings ways against the spread? Here are my Week 6 College football betting picks against the spread.

I am throwing out two games that I would advise to avoid this week. Iowa/Michigan will be tricky and both teams have been severely inconsistent. I would also like to add the Connecticut/Pittsburgh into that category as well. Both of those teams haven’t play any top-tier teams and you really don’t know what kind of teams they are. UConn beat North Carolina earlier this year, but UNC has had a few bad games this year already. The line for the LSU/Florida game hasn’t been released yet, but once I find out if Tim Tebow is listed as playing, I will update this post.

Nebraska (-3) at Missouri (+3)My pick is Missouri

Missouri has won the last two games against Nebraska by a combined total of 93-23. Missouri doesn’t have Daniel or Maclin anymore, but they still match up well against the Cornhuskers. The Tigers are at home, so I expect a good showing. I’ll take the points and Missouri in this game.

West Virginia (-10) at Syracuse (+10)My pick is West Virginia

Syracuse has had a hard schedule this year and they don’t have any easy opponents. The Mountaineers have looked strong this year and should win this game by a few touchdowns. Syracuse is a decent team, but when you play the best teams, you look horrible.

Michigan State (-4.5) at Illinois (+4.5)My pick is Michigan State

Illinois is a trainwreck and they’ve benched Juice Williams in favor of Eddie McGee as their starting quarterback. Michigan State looks to have finally righted the ship last week against Michigan and they should win this game by at least a touchdown. I like the Spartans to win this game on the road.

Auburn (-2.5) at Arkansas (+2.5)My pick is Auburn

Auburn had a bad year in 2008, but so far this year, they have did what they had to do to stay undefeated. Arkansas has relied on the passing game to win, but have fell short in 2 out of the last 3 games. I like Auburn to win this game on the road as the slight favorites and cover ATS.

Georgia (+1.5) at Tennessee (-1.5)My pick is Georgia

The Vols are a better team under Lane Kiffin, but they still have a lot to prove. They have been competitive in games, but haven’t won any big games. They are favored in this game, but I look for Georgia to go into Knoxville and win this game. The Bulldogs are good and I believe that their defense will finally show up in this game.

New Mexico (+10) at Wyoming (-10)My pick is New Mexico

I usually don’t pick against Wyoming this year, but they haven’t won their games by much this year and 10 points seems like a little too much. If it was down to maybe 3, I would say Wyoming, but it is. New Mexico has been able to score points in their losses and I think this one stays close. New Mexico has won the last two games against Wyoming, but I think they will lose a close game, I pick New Mexico ATS.

Houston (+1) at Mississippi State (-1)My pick is Houston

Houston has looked great this year, but lost a shootout against UTEP last week. They can still put points up and Mississippi State has given up a lot. Houston should be able to throw all over the Bulldogs and win this game. I like Houston to win this game, take the money-line.

Wisconsin (+16) at Ohio State (-16)My pick is Wisconsin

Ohio State’s defense has finally started to click, but the history of the games between Wisconsin and Ohio State have been nail-biters. A 16-point spread is a large number for any Big Ten game and I don’t see Ohio State covering that large of a spread. The game will be closer than that, so give me the points and I’ll pick Wisconsin.

Utah (-7.5) at Colorado State (+7.5)My pick is Utah

The spread offense can do damage to any defense and Utah runs it as good as any team. Colorado State has a couple nice wins under their belt this season, but Utah is a much better team

Stanford (-1) at Oregon State (+1)My pick is Stanford

Jim Harbaugh has the Stanford Cardinal playing very well this year and Oregon State has also shown up for some big games this season. I like both of these teams going forward this season, but I like Stanford to win a close game on the road.

East Carolina (-6.5) at SMU (+6.5)My pick is East Carolina

SMU, thanks to June Jones, has a high-powered passing attack, but they have not had any big wins so far this season. East Carolina has played a couple marquee games and faired well, but did not win either of those contests. East Carolina is good at forcing turnovers and expect them to get some points off of them against SMU. Give me East Carolina to cover the spread in this game.

Georgia Tech (+2.5) at Florida State (-2.5)My pick is Georgia Tech

Bobby Bowden is under a lot of pressure in Tallahassee and this is a must win game for them. Georgia Tech has looked impressive this season and should give the Seminoles a good game. I look for the Yellow Jackets to go into Florida State and win against a distracted team. If you pick Georgia Tech, pick the money line, I think they have a chance.

Arizona (-3) at Washington (+3)My pick is Washington

Why is this line not favoring the Huskies? Have we not learned anything the last few weeks? Washington is a pretty good team and they will be dangerous at home. Arizona has a better record and a win at Oregon State, but Washington are clutch. I will take Washington and the points in this game.

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NCAA Football – Week 5 Betting Picks

Week 4 was a great week and a lot of upsets happened. I went 9-3 last week with my betting picks against the spread for Week 4. This week I have a lot of teams that cover and a few underdogs that I pick to win the game. Here are my college football picks against the spread for Week 5.

I once again leave off the Notre Dame game from my picks. I don’t think that they could be in trouble against Washington, but they only play well at home. South Bend could have a decent game going on, but I’m staying away from it.

I want to add another game that I am staying away from and it’s taking place in Bloomington, Indiana. Ohio State is going to play Indiana, which was supposed to be bad. They have impressed me a few times this season and I just don’t know which way to go in that game. If you would have asked me two months ago about this game, Ohio State would win easily and the line would open up at around -20, but it’s a different now and I’m staying away.

Pittsburgh (-6.5) at Louisville (+6.5)My pick is Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a good team and Louisville didn’t even win with the points last week against Utah. Pittsburgh is going to win this game by a few touchdowns, but the over/under could be nice, since this game will have a lot of points.

South Florida (-6.5) at Syracuse (+6.5)My pick is South Florida

I like this line, since it’s under a touchdown. Syracuse have only looked great in flashes and has barely put an entire game together. South Florida and that new quarterback should take care of business in Syracuse.

Northwestern (+7) at Purdue (-7)My pick is Purdue

Neither of these teams have really impressed me, but Purdue is fairing better than expected. This line open at Purdue -6.5, but has moved. I would get in on this before it moves to -7.5, and a touchdown win would leave you in the loss column.

Toledo (-4.5) at Ball State (+4.5)My pick is Toledo

I hate to pick against my alma mater, but Ball State is bad. They won against the spread in the Auburn game, but they the Cardinals scored some points in garbage time. Toledo played Purdue well, but laid up a goose egg against Ohio State. Toledo will score points against the bad Ball State defense..

Michigan (+1.5) at Michigan State (-1.5)My pick is Michigan

I love the Wolverines in this game. This game opened at a pick’em, but moved towards the Spartans. Michigan will bounce back from a rough outing against Indiana.

Central Michigan (-8) at Buffalo (+8)My pick is Central Michigan

Central Michigan has a star quarterback and should shred the Buffalo defense up. Buffalo has not looked very good at all this season and are much worse than their team from last season. Turner Gill can’t work miracles, Central Michigan wins this game easily.

Penn State (-7) at Illinois (+7)My pick is Penn State

I have had success picking against Illinois all season and I’m not going to stop this week. Penn State is still a good team, they lost to a good Iowa team and Illinois is very, very bad. I still feel that Penn State is a better team than Ohio State and they killed the Illini last weekend.

UNLV (+3.5) at Nevada (-3.5)My pick is UNLV

Nevada’s betting lines are still being swayed by last season’s team. They are bad this year and I’m not buying them at home or on the road. UNLV may not be impressive either, but Nevada can’t do anything right this year.

Wyoming (+3.5) at Florida Atlantic (-3.5)My pick is Wyoming

No matter if it is FIU or FAU, both of them stink. Wyoming have looked good so far this season and I think that they travel to Florida Atlantic and take care of business.

Mississippi (-8) at Vanderbilt (+8)My pick is Mississippi

I was hosed last week when Mississippi played South Carolina. I wasn’t sold on the Gamecocks defense, but I’m officially sold, they’re good. Mississippi will bounce back against the Commodores and Snead will light them on fire.

Oklahoma (-7.5) at Miami (+7.5)My pick is Oklahoma

Miami has beaten some over-rated teams and somehow they shot up the rankings. Oklahoma lost a game when their quarterback was injured and the entire was in shock. The Sooners have looked great since and they will smoke the Hurricanes.

USC (-4.5) at California (+4.5)My pick is USC

It’s a shame that Stafon Johnson was injured in a weight room accident, but USC has depth at running back. Joe Mcknight will run all over and Cal could be over-rated after getting smoked by Oregon last week. Give me USC by at least a touchdown.

LSU (+3) at Georgia (-3)My pick is LSU

Georgia can put up plenty of points, but LSU can stop them a few times this game. Georgia’s defense is bad and it will be a shootout. Give me LSU in this high-scoring game.

I hope you enjoy our picks. They are for entertainment purposes and please bet responsibly.

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NCAA Football – Week 3 Betting Picks

Week 2 was a pretty difficult week and a lot of upsets happened, but I still have faith in the system. My betting picks against the spread for Week 3 have a lot of teams that cover and a few underdogs that I pick to win the game. Here are my college football picks against the college football lines for Week 3.

How did you do in Week 2? The consensus is that people lost money by betting on Oklahoma State, USC to cover, and Notre Dame, who saw that coming? This week will be much better and I think everyone will make their money back and much more.

Arizona (+5.5) at Iowa (-5.5)My pick is Iowa

Iowa laid it to Iowa State last week and Arizona kept up their winning ways as well. Arizona relies on their rushing attack and Iowa can stop the run. The Wildcats need to get their quarterback situation under control if they expect to keep winning. I like Iowa by a touchdown in this game.

Indiana (+5) at Akron (-5)My pick is Akron

I don’t normally pick a MAC team over a Big Ten team, but Indiana is very bad. Akron should be able to control this game and win easily at home. Indiana will have trouble winning any more games this season.

San Diego State (-3.5) at Idaho (+3.5)My pick is San Diego State

The Aztecs should roll over the Vandals in this one. Out of all of my football picks, I like this one the best. Brady Hoke came from Ball State and they have a pretty good offense in San Diego. Idaho is a decent team and should keep it within 10 points, but San Diego will cover in this game.

Connecticut (+10.5) at UConn (-10.5)My pick is Baylor

Uconn played well against North Carolina, but their offense isn’t clicking just yet. Baylor can put points up very easily and UConn will have trouble keeping up. I like Baylor in this game by two touchdowns, their offense is just too good.

West Virginia (+7) at Auburn (-7)My pick is West Virginia

Auburn has looked great under their new coach, but 7 points is just too much of a point spread against West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won both of their games and their offense is clicking. I think this game will be close and Auburn will win by a field goal. Give me West Virigina with the points, I wouldn’t be surprised if they came out the winner.

Georgia (+1) at Arkansas (-1)My pick is Georgia

I like this line a lot, since I think Georgia will win this game. Arkansas played LSU very well their first game and they knocked Missouri State against last week. Georgia lost to Oklahoma State in Week 1, but they won against South Carolina last week, which has a tough defense. Mark Richt will have the Bulldogs playing well and come out a winner against the Razorbacks this week.

Northwestern (-3.5) at Syracuse (+3.5)My pick is Northwestern

Neither of these teams have looked very good this year, but Northwestern is a better team. Syracuse got blown out by Penn State last week and Northwestern barely squeaked by Eastern Michigan. Both of these teams will be playing hard and up to their ability. If this line goes down to 3 points, I really like Northwestern, but I could see this game being a 28-24 type of game. I like Northwestern in a close one.

Florida State (+7.5) at BYU (-7.5)My pick is BYU

BYU have looked great this year and the Seminoles are barely keeping their heads above water. They did lose a close game against Miami, but they barely got past Jacksonville State last week. BYU is the one non-BCS team that has a shot at the Championship game if they win out, I like BYU to win this game by at least 10 points.

Cincinnati (-1) at Oregon State (+1)My pick is Cincinnati

This line has moved over the last 24 hours, since Oregon State was initially the favorite in this game. I like the Bearcats to win this game on the road, since Tony Pike looks like the real deal for Cincinnati. Oregon State will make noise in the PAC-10 this year, but they won’t be able to handle the best from the Big East.

Navy (+7) at Pittsburgh (-7)My pick is Navy

Navy is a hard team to get ready for and their triple power option offense can really throw a team off of their game. You saw an example of that when they played Ohio State earlier this season. Pittsburgh has looked great this year, but you have to respect Navy and think that this game will be closer than a touchdown.

Ohio State (-20.5) at Toledo (+20.5)My pick is Toledo

This game is being played at a neutral location and Browns Stadium isn’t the Horseshoe, but many Buckeye fans will make their way up to attend the game. Toledo has a pretty good offense and I am not sold on Ohio State being a very good offensive team yet. Ohio State will win the game, but this line is too high, I’ll take the points and pick Toledo.

I hope you enjoy our picks. They are for entertainment purposes and please bet responsibly.

BallHype: hype it up! submit to redditDigg my article

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