college football 8/30 thru 9/3

[Mark's Moneymakers]

Best Bets (0-0)(even)
Strong Plays (0-0)(even)
Regular Plays (0-0)(even)

Overall (0-0)(even)


Opinions (0-0)(No units, just for fun)




Back again for another college football season. My plays are Best Bets (3 units), Strong plays (2 units) and Regular plays (1 unit) I normally do very well in college football and I normally suck really bad in the NFL. Last year I won both in college and pro football…..the first time in a long time that I came out on top in both. Here are my records from last year.



NFL


BEST BETS (19-12)(+17.40 UNITS)
STRONG PLAYS (23-13)(+17.40 UNITS)
REGULAR PLAYS (18-27)(-15.70 UNITS)

TOTAL (60-52)(+23.10 UNITS)


OPINIONS (24-25)(NO UNITS, JUST FOR FUN)




COLLEGE


BEST BETS (19-8)(+30.60 UNITS)
STRONG PLAYS (15-13)(+1.40 UNITS)
REGULAR PLAYS (15-19)(-5.90 UNITS)

TOTAL (49-40)(+26.10 UNITS)

OPINIONS (30-27)(JUST FOR FUN, NO UNITS)





I hope to continue that success, but don’t hold me to it. This early in the year, you really don’t have a ton to go with. I guess my basic thinking is last years record and this years returning starters are the most important. There are also sets of power ratings out there, but who can really make accurate power ratings before the season starts? Just have to trust your gut sometimes and start off slow until you get a feel for things. With that said…here are my selections for opening week in college football. Here are Thursday’s games. I will be back on Friday with my Friday and Saturday selections.

This being opening night makes me a little nervous. All plays are regular plays, just for one unit. Not going to get crazy and make big plays this early unless I really love something.



Miami-Ohio +6 vs Ball State (regular play)…………………..Reading many forums, this game seems to be about 50-50. I think Miami’s bad year last year was a fluke and they will get back to their winning ways. Based on last year and returning starters this year, I would think Ball State would have been a bigger favorite at home. I think there is a reason this line is under a touchdown. Miami should get the cover and maybe the win. Lets call it Ball State 27-24.

Iowa State -3.5 vs Kent (regular play)……………..This line is fishy to me. Teams out of the MAC no longer sneak up on people. A few years ago they were famous for some big upsets throughout the year. Iowa State was pretty bad last year, on offense and defense and they only have 9 starters back on both sides of the ball. Kent has their QB plus 17 starters returning. Kent is the better team in my eyes in this matchup and getting more than a field goal just looks too good. I will take Iowa State and lay the points.


I think I will stop at two and hope to do no worse than a split to start the year. Of course I am hoping for 2-0...might happen.


OPINIONS (no units, just for fun)


Since it is opening night, thought I would just throw a couple more out there.


Mississippi State +18 vs LSU (opinion)……………Nobody and I mean nobody is giving Miss State a chance in this one. Home dogs always have a chance and LSU has been know to play down to the competition every now and then. Of course I am not putting any money on this one.

Tulsa -3 vs LA Monroe (opinion)……………This one probably a suckers bet (another reason no money put on it), but Tulsa is clearly the better team here. Game might be close for a while because of home field, but final score won’t be.



Win or lose it just feels good to have college football back again. I will be back on Friday sometime with my Friday night plays and all of my Saturday action.


Good Luck Everybody!!

[Mark's Moneymakers]

Best Bets (0-0)(even)
Strong Plays (0-0)(even)
Regular Plays (1-1)(-.010 units)

Overall (1-1)(-0.10 units)


Opinions (1-1)(No units, just for fun)



I can live with my start in college football. Miami-Ohio was looking like a sure push and they got a late TD for the cover and straight up win.. I lost my play with Iowa St as I said Kent was the better team and the line was fishy. Maybe it is too early in the early to try and figure out “fishy lines” And my opinion plays just for the heck of it also split going 1-1 with one easy winner Tulsa and one easy loser Miss St. Got my feet wet though and it felt good. I watched most of the LSU/Miss St game. I am not sure if LSU’s defense is that good or MSU offense is that bad….probably a little of both.


FRIDAY

Syracuse +3.5 vs Washington (opinion)…………….I almost made this a regular play, but I think the PAC-10 is a very good conference from top to bottom, maybe the best in college football, while the Big East is a little over rated this year. Neither team very good last year. Both teams are pretty much in the same shape as far as returning starters..neither have their QB. I love going against a new QB on the road in his first game. That first game happens to be at the Carrier Dome. Now playing in the Carrier Dome is not as tough as it used to be 5-6 years ago, in fact they sucked for a while, but they have done well the past year and a half. If my memory serves me, Washington is a poor road team as well. I actually think Washington might be the slightly better team, but not at Syracuse. I would not be shocked to see an outright win, but something tells me Washington wins by three and that would be fine with me, the hook would make me a winner.




SATURDAY


Wyoming +3.5 vs Virginia (Best Bet)……………..I am not sure why Virginia is favored at Wyoming in this one. Wyoming was only 6-6 last year, but they had some tough losses, as a matter of fact they lost by one at Virginia last year. Virginia struggles on offense, while Wyoming was ranked nationally in total yards allowed. Home field is definitely the difference maker in this game. Very, very live home doggie here. No reason this should not be a defensive struggle like last years 13-12 game, so getting that extra half at the end of 3 might be huge, but I expect an outright win here.

Arizona +4 vs BYU (Best Bet)……………Byu had a great season last year, have a winning streak at home and are playing an underachieving Arizona team and yet they are only favored by slightly more than a field goal. The whole reason for that is that Mr. Beck is now playing for the Miami Dolphins. BYU is certainly capable of blowing this team out, but my gut says no. Zona has most of their team back, including their QB, so I look for significant improvement on offense, while their defense is usually pretty decent anyways. BYU will struggle offensively the first few games until they find a replacement at QB (and they usually do), but it will take time. I really think either BYU blows them out, or Arizona wins outright, obviously I am going with the outright prediction. Zona is either going to come to play and be “on”, or they might run into a buzz saw in Provo.


I feel pretty good about my two best bets and would be shocked if I go 0-2, but it is early and you never know.



C Michigan +7.5 vs Kansas (Strong Play)……….For starters, C Michigan (10-4) had the better record last year ( I know, they are from a worse conference), but they have 14 starters back including their QB and Kansas (6-6) only 11 starters back and no QB. Here is something I read than sold me on this pick. C Michigan’s QB is probably the best in their conference, so you know he can throw the ball, and Kansas was last in the nation last year in pass defense. I don’t really need to know anything else. Getting more than a touchdown is a gift in my eyes.

E Michigan +20 vs Pittsburgh (Strong Play)………….Let me start by saying I am a Pitt fan. COACH DAVE WANNSTEDT IS THE MOST UNDER RATED COACH IN AMERICA. Just kidding, he might be the worst. He has ruined almost every program (college or pro) that he has gone to. He might be coaching high school football next year. I have never seen a worse second half coach in my life. How can you trust Pitt as this big a favorite. I am not sure of their ATS record when favored by this many, but I am sure it sucks. E Michigan sucks too going 1-11 last year, but six of their losses were by 8 points or less. With Pitt losing their best receiver for the year and a new QB coming in, Pitt will run the ball most of the day, play conservative and not run up the score. E Michigan will find a way to score enough points for the cover. I am not calling for a E Michigan win, but if there was ever a coach who could lose a game like this, it would by Wanny. Have I mentioned I hate him. I am a Dolphins fan and he screwed them up and then went to my favorite college team. Like I said, next year he will probably be coaching my local high school team and work his way down to Jr. High and finally an elementary school flag football team. Guess I should stop ranting now.


Mississippi -2.5 vs Memphis (Regular Play)…………..Not a ton of reasoning behind this one, other than I think Ole Miss is the better team and usually plays well vs Memphis. Both teams had losing records last year, but Memphis was really bad. Just going with my gut in this one. Should be a tight one with Ole Miss finding a way to win again.

Georgia Tech +2 vs Notre Dame (regular play)………..I am just so sick of Notre Dame, the most over rated team in the country. This team just lives off history. Georgia Tech is the better team. It will be close being at the Irish, but Tech will win this game.


The rest of these plays are just opinions, no units, just for fun. Very short write-ups.


Marshall +18 vs Miami-Florida (opinion)………….Miami not what they used to be while Marshall always surprises people.

Houston +16 vs Oregon (opinion)………….Houston had a nice season last year and even thought lost a bunch of players have some confidence and getting more than two TD’s looks good to me.

Colorado St +2.5 vs Colorado (opinion)………Taking the better team here. Could go either way though.

San Jose State +15 vs Arizona State (opinion)………….San Jose should score enough to get the cover.

Florida International +38 vs Penn State………….Even though Fla Int sucks, they do play some defense. PSU might sleep walk through this one. I see a 34-3 type of game.



There you have it, the first Saturday in college football. I will almost always post my plays on Thursday or Friday seeing how I work Saturdays. I feel pretty good about my six plays. It is so important to get off to a good start and get some handicapping confidence going early. I hope to pick up right where I left off last year. We will see.

Back on Monday with those two Labor Day Games.


Good Luck Everybody!!

[Mark's Moneymakers]

Best Bets (1-1)(-0.30 units)
Strong Plays (0-2)(-4.40 units)
Regular Plays (2-2)(-.020 units)

Overall (3-5)(-4.90 units)


Opinions (1-7)(No units, just for fun)



Not the start that I hoped for. No excuses….I just plain sucked. Does Arizona even have an offense this year? I think that is the thing the surprised me the most of all my picks. My thinking was just not right for the first week off college football. I just thought some of the teams I played were better than what they showed and maybe I did not give enough credit to some other teams. Oh well, you learn from your losses. I still feel good about the season. At least now after seeing a lot of teams play, we now may have a better feel than what we did before it all started. Things could be worse……I could be a Michigan fan.

Texas Tech -9 vs SMU (regular play)……………..Not in love with the game and it always makes me nervous going against a home dog, but I have to go with Tech. Tech always puts up a lot of points, that is a given. SMU sucks, but has a decent QB who likes to throw. SMU will get their points tonight, but I feel like Texas Tech will light it up tonight. Should be a wild shootout. Over probably a good bet, but I don’t play totals. 48-34 Tech wins.

Florida State -3.5 vs Clemson (regular play)……………From what I have read, I will be going against most people tonight. At first glance Clemson and the points at home looked real good to me. Clemson has a good running game, but nothing else. I really think Florida St shuts down the running game and forces Clemson to throw more than what they would like and it will lead to some FSU points. Florida St 27-17.


Not in love with these, but I do like them. How can I pass up two games this early in the year on Labor Day? Really looking forward to the FSU/Clemson matchup tonight. I am really hoping to get a little of my cash back after my terrible Saturday, but I can live with a 1-1 day also.


Good Luck Everybody!!