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Fantasy Football

Week 8 NFL Fantasy Football Studs + Duds

Week 8 Studs and Duds

Each week, the CappersPicks.com fantasy football guru Dave B brings you players you need to be paying attention to – Remember – fantasy football championships are often won by those who live eat and breath fantasy football.

After all of the weekly games are finished be sure to check our waiver wire column, cheatsheets, a who’s hot, and who’s not report plus more in our fantasy football guide.

Categories
NFL

San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs Week 8 NFL Lines & Spread Prediction

MNF – San Diego vs. Kansas City Week 8 Gambling Preview

There may not be anything more annoying this NFL season than the radio ads that they relentlessly run to hype the fact that the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs are set to meet this Monday Night Football on Halloween night.

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Nascar

Nascar Tums Fast Relief 500 Race Gambling Picks/Preview

2011 Tums Fast Relief 500 Predictions – Betting Preview + Picks + Odds

Preview: Weather has been an issue already this weekend, both in Martinsville, Virginia, and along the entire northeast coast of the U.S. Rain on Friday and early in the day Saturday forced a change to the Cup schedule, resulting in just one practice session, held Saturday morning, and the cancellation of Cup qualifying.

Categories
NFL

Lions vs. Broncos Gambling & NFL Free Prediction (Week 8)

Gambling Matchup Week 8 – Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos

The Tim Tebow era officially began in Denver last week, and they rode his fourth quarter performance to their second victory of the season. Meanwhile, the Lions couldn’t come back from their first half deficit against the Falcons, and fell for the second consecutive game.

Categories
NCAA Football

#13 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Tennessee Volunteers Predictions

#13 South Carolina Gamecocks (6-1, 4-1 SEC) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (3-4, 0-4 SEC)

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville TN
Saturday, October 29, 7:15 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: Carolina -170, Tennessee +150
Spread: Carolina -3.5, Tennessee +3.5
Over/Under: 44

When healthy, the Tennessee Volunteers have some dynamic elements that are developing nicely, but recent weeks have shown that UT is still a long way away from where they need to be in the East division.

The Vols have been shellacked in consecutive weeks by the big boys in the SEC – Alabama and LSU. In those two losses, Tennessee has scored a combined 13 points, while the defense has given up a combined whopping 75. That is a two-week stretch which certainly will not inspire confidence.

To be fair, the Vols have had a couple reasons to belly-ache and make excuses. Injuries have compromised the most skilled region of the team – the passing game. Starting pivot Tyler Bray has been out for several weeks now with a thumb ailment and key target, WR Justin Hunter, is out for the year with a knee injury. Freshman DeAnthony Arnett is doing his best to replace Hunter, but he can’t bring quite the same dynamic Hunter has with his speed. Herman Lathers, a starting LB, is also on the shelf.

The Vols would have been in tough playing ’Bama and LSU even with a perfectly healthy squad – with a diluted vertical passing game, Tennessee was screwed from the word “Go.” Tennessee scored more than 40 points in three of the first four weeks, but since the injuries, the prolific offense has slowed to a trickle. Matt Simms, the veteran charged with replacing Bray under center, has played quite miserably. He’s never lived up to expectations and without the big arm of Bray, the Vols just don’t have the same explosiveness. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

It hasn’t always been pretty for South Carolina, but it’s been effective for the most part in 2011. The Gamecocks’ only blemish is a narrow 16-13 loss versus Auburn, and Carolina has persevered through kicking former starting QB Stephen Garcia off the team, sophomore Connor Shaw stepping in to take his place and a ghastly knee injury for starting workhorse RB Marcus Lattimore. Shaw has shown he is up for the job, but losing Lattimore is a major blow for the Gamecocks for the rest of the season. Lattimore had registered 818 rushing yards and 10 TDs on the season, he would have cruised well past 1,000 yards had he stayed healthy. A reliable RB is also all the more vital with a young starting pivot that may experience growing pains.

Carolina will have to rely more on Shaw’s athleticism and his developing ability to hook up aerially with WR Alshon Jeffery – Carolina’s best remaining healthy target – and Ace Sanders. Neyland Stadium – a.k.a. “Rocky Top” – can be a truly daunting place to play, but SC is lucky that Tennessee also has profound injuries to important pieces of its team. The Gamecocks still have #10 Arkansas and #5 Clemson on their schedule, but given Tennessee’s struggling defense and one-dimensional (plus injured) offense, the odds look pretty good for Carolina to steal a win in Knoxville.

If Tennessee is going to get a win at home, Simms must play better and the Vols must also get more production out of RB Tauren Poole; the senior has ability but has been pretty pedestrian (4.0 yards per clip, just two TDs) thus far. Tennessee fans are yearning for a winner, but they probably will have to wait a bit longer.

Carolina, meanwhile, has been imperfect, but it has been good enough. Whether the Gamecocks will finish strong without Lattimore remains to be seen, but head coach Steve Spurrier and his men should expect to travel to Knoxville and grab a win in the hostile confines of Neyland Stadium.

Score Prediction: South Carolina 24, Tennessee 17
Over/Under Prediction: 41

Categories
Soccer

Chelsea vs. Arsenal EPL Preview & Free Picks

Chelsea vs. Arsenal EPL 2011 Betting Picks + Odds

This Saturday we’ll see two bitter, cross town rivals square off in London as Chelsea hosts Arsenal in their first meeting of the season.   

Categories
Canadian Football

CFL Picks – Calgary Stampeders vs. Montreal Alouettes

Week 18 CALGARY STAMPEDERS (9-7) vs. MONTREAL ALOUETTES (10-6)

Date/Time: Sunday, October 30, 1:00 PM ET
Venue: Percival Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Broadcast: TSN

Stampeders vs. Alouettes Betting Lines from betonline.com.

Spread: Alouettes -4 ½
Moneyline: OFF
Over/Under: 56 points

In what is one of two marquee matchups in the CFL in Week 18, the Calgary Stampeders, in desperate need of a win to remain in the hunt for a home playoff game, travel East to take on a Montreal team that fell into a tie for first in the East last week with their 26-25 loss at Winnipeg – in a game that they appeared to be in total control of. Both teams have a lot to play for on Sunday which makes this a very intriguing late-season matchup.

The Calgary Stampeders did their part last week – they beat a reeling Saskatchewan team to remain in striking distance of Edmonton and BC in the West. Drew Tate has seized the starting QB role from Henry Burris and is doing all he can to hang onto it. Tate completed 23 of 32 passes in his first career start last week while throwing one touchdown and two interceptions. With weapons like Nik Lewis, Ken-Yon Rambo and Romby Bryant, Tate could have some success against Montreal’s sketchy pass defense.

Calgary saw the return of Joffrey Reynolds last week – a return from Football oblivion. His presence, along with Jon Cornish gives the Stamps one of the best 1-2 punches out of the backfield in the league. If these two are touching the ball, Calgary is having success!   [ad-4437448]

The Montreal Alouettes played perhaps their worst game of the season last week and still they lost by only one point. Anthony Calvillo passed for only 199 yards while throwing three interceptions – this after throwing only five picks all season! Still, the league leader in passing yards and touchdowns is bound to bounce back. Calvillo isn’t the most prolific passer in pro football for no reason!

Jamel Richardson continues to be virtually unstoppable and Brandon Whitaker has been playing at a very high level the last few weeks. Montreal is due for a bounce back week – Calvillo simply doesn’t struggle two weeks in a row!

Betting Prediction: Drew Tate won in his debut last week and looked pretty good. But that was against Saskatchewan – Montreal is a totally different challenge. The Alouettes continue to be the highest scoring team in the CFL with Calgary, surprisingly not far behind. It has been a long time since the Alouettes had something to play for this late in the season and I think that their focus will be spot on. With an inexperienced quarterback opposing them, expect a veteran and elite Montreal squad to easily cover on Sunday.

Pick: Montreal Alouettes -4 ½

Categories
NFL Sports

Indianapolis Colts vs Tennessee Titans Free Gambling Prediction

Indianapolis Colts vs Tennessee Titans

LP Field – Nashville, Tennessee
Sunday October 30 – 1:00Moneyline:  Tennessee -445, Indianapolis +355
Spread (ATS): Tennessee -10
Over/Under: 43.5
Odds courtesy of 5Dimes

Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Colts are one of three winless teams in the NFL; and if recent performance was the only indicator they are the worst one.  The only hope for this team is the old adage that you are never as bad as your worst game, which was a 62-7 hammering by New Orleans last weekend.  This team has to still be reeling a bit but the Titans are definitely feeling a little wobbly too.

Everything went wrong last week for the Colts – EVERYTHING.  This week will pose a challenge too but the defense should be able to catch their breath against a Tennessee team that was pretty awful last week.  The key will be keeping their running game in check.  As bad as they have been this team has been close to winning on multiple occasions.  They need somebody, anybody to step up and make a play at winning time.

When Peyton Manning was at the helm the Colts had little trouble with Tennessee, winning 5 in a row against their division rivals.  Perhaps some of that familiarity will be helpful on Sunday.  At +10 I think there is some value on Indy but you have to be comfortable betting with a team that might be the worst in football this season.  That is a fair amount of faith.    [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Tennessee

Tennessee’s performance last week against Houston was surprising.  Not that they lost the game but that they were never really in it.  This team is sitting at 3-3 but it is hard to gauge their level.  Are they the team that hammered Baltimore in week 2 or the team that got throttled last week?  One question that is easy to answer is whether investing in Chris Johnson was smart.  Nope.

After holding out for big bucks, and getting them, running back Chris Johnson has been a complete bust this year.  Tennessee is not blessed with a lot of weapons and now that star receiver Kenny Britt is out for the season they need Johnson more than ever.  He has had only one game all season long where he has averaged more than 4 yards per carry.  If he can’t get it done against Indy than his and the team’s problem become even bigger.

If Tennessee wants to stay in the playoff race they have to win on Sunday.  If they want to avoid the embarrassment of losing to a horrible team they have to win on Sunday.  You wouldn’t think it given the opponent but there is actually some pressure on them in this spot.  I think they are going to wilt but not collapse.  They will win but it will be closer than it should be.

ATS Pick:  Indianapolis +10
Over/Under Pick:  Over
Score Prediction:  Tennessee 27 – Indianapolis 24

Categories
NFL

Week 8: Jaguars vs. Texans NFL Preview & Free Pick

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) vs. Houston Texans (4-3)

Time/Date: 4:15 PM EST, October 30, 2011
Venue: Reliant Stadium
Broadcast: CBS
Jaguars vs. Texans Gambling Odds from JustBet
Spread: Texans -9.5
Moneyline: Texans (-425) Jaguars (+345)
Over/Under: 41

Jacksonville shined bright in the spotlight of Monday Night Football last week. The Jaguars pulled off a shocking 12-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Now, they’ll have to travel west to Houston and take on an impressive Texans team on short rest. Houston has high hopes for this season, and this is precisely the type of game they cannot afford to lose if they are going to get into the playoffs.

The Jaguars have turned to rookie Blaine Gabbert as their starting quarterback. The reviews on Gabbert’s performance in his first few games in the NFL have been mixed. Gabbert has only thrown two interceptions, but he also has completed just 48% of his passes. Maurice Jones-Drew had issues with fumbling last week, but he has had a very solid start to the season. MJD is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, which is particularly impressive considering the opponent is constantly loading the box against Jacksonville’s offense. Gabbert doesn’t have a very good group of receivers. Jacksonville really needs to find a play maker to stretch the defense on the outside.

Jacksonville’s defense played an amazing game last Monday night. Now, they’ll have to face a very tough Texans offense. The Jaguars don’t have too many stars on defense, but they do have a lot of players who play their position wisely. This is a unit that has no clear cut strengths or weaknesses. The play of Tyson Alualu has been a nice surprise in the middle of the defensive line.    [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Houston is committed to shedding the image of a team that chokes away its playoff chances. Every year the experts believe this team is going to get over the top, but they find a way to miss the playoffs. The team is much more well-rounded this year than they have ever been before. The signing of Johnathan Joseph has really helped their secondary. Houston had the worst secondary in football at this time last year, but this year they rank eighth in the NFL against the pass. Brian Cushing is the team’s main play maker in the middle of the defense, and J.J. Watt has provided another good pass-rusher on the outside.

Matt Schaub has been a solid quarterback for the last few years, and he is off to another good start this year. Schaub has thrown 12 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 96.8. Andre Johnson may well be the best receiver in the NFL, but he has missed the last two games. He is listed as a game-time decision in this one. Arian Foster is healthy again, and he is doing damage both in the running and passing game. Foster is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and he also has 21 receptions already this year.

Jacksonville’s defense is solid, but I can’t see their offense putting up too many points in this one. Houston should load up the box and make Gabbert beat them through the air. This should stay low scoring.

Free NFL Pick: Jaguars/Texans under 41

Categories
NFL

New Orleans Saints vs. St. Louis Rams Free NFL Betting Picks

New Orleans Saints vs St. Louis Rams NFL Lines

Venue/ Stadium: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Time/Date: 1 PM EST Sunday, October 30, 2011
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: Saints -800 / Rams +620
Spread (ATS): Saints -13.5
Over/Under: 48

New Orleans Saints vs. St. Louis Rams Preview

The Saints (5-2) are big betting favorites facing the Rams (0-6) in St. Louis and it is really not hard to see why, as not only are the Rams struggling, but the Saints scored more points in last week’s game (62) than St. Louis has scored all season (56). NFL lines have the Saints as 13.5-point away favorites in this NFC match up with a total of 48.

In their last games the Saints crushed the Indianapolis Colts 62-7 and the Rams were killed by the Dallas Cowboys 34-7.

Not only do the Rams have issues, big ones, on both sides of the ball, but also QB Sam Bradford is questionable for this Sunday’s game and did not practice on Thursday because of a high ankle sprain.

The Rams may need Bradford to play to have any chance to win, as while backup AJ Feely did pass for 217 yards in the loss to Dallas he was picked off and he also had a fumble. Whoever starts under center will have to deal with a Saints pass defense that ranks a respectable 16th in the league. The Rams have one of the weakest WR corps in the league and their passing offense only ranks 23rd in passing yards per game.

The Rams only rank 26th in the league in rushing yards per game and if Bradford cannot go they will have to rely on RB’s Steven Jackson and Cadillac Williams, who only has 5 carries in the last 2 games, to shoulder the offensive load.   [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Can the Rams’ defense keep Drew Brees and a Saints’ offense that is the highest scoring team in the league from lighting up the scoreboard? I would say no, as Brees not only has many targets and a legit running game, but the Rams rank 2nd to last in the league in scoring defense giving up an average of almost 29 ppg.

While the pass defense has been decent for the Rams, ranking 13th in the league, their rushing defense ranks dead last. That is not good facing a Saints’ team that has a trio of solid RB’s in Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, and Darren Sproles and rushed for 236 yards against the Colts in last week’s blowout win.

Betting Trends

This season the Rams are 0-6 ATS and have an Over/Under record of 2-3-1 and the Saints are 4-3 ATS and have an Over/Under record of 4-3.

The Saints are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games and has an Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 games facing a team with a losing record.

The Rams are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games, 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog, and has an Under record of 3-1-1 in their last 5 games.

Jason’s Pick: Really, a pick? Yeah, take the Saints to easily win this game and cover and take the Over, as New Orleans may score 48 points themselves.

Categories
NFL

Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers Free NFL Betting Picks

Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers NFL Lines

Venue/ Stadium: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Time/Date: 1 PM EST Sunday, October 30, 2011
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: Vikings +155 / Panthers -175
Spread (ATS): Panthers -3
Over/Under: 47

Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers Preview

Cam Newton had another great game last week and the Panthers (2-5) finally put it all together and won, which snapped their 3-game winning streak. Christian Ponder got his first start of his career last week against the packers and after a fast start the Vikings (1-6) still lost, but his play gives Minnesota fans hope. NFL lines have the Panthers as 3.5-point home favorites in this NFC match up with a total of 47.

Last week the Vikings lost to the Packers 33-27 while the Panthers beat my beloved Redskins 33-20.

Newton has sparked a Carolina offense and the Panthers have already scored 2 more TD than they did all of last season. In the win over Washington Newton was 18/23 for 256 yards with 1 TD and he also rushed for a season high 59 yards with a TD. The Vikings have the league’s 29th ranked pass defense and they must try to contain Newton and his main target of Steve Smith (39 rec 818 yards 3 TD), who leads the NFL in receiving yards.

One thing the Vikings have going for them is that they lead the league in sacks (21), but Newton is a running QB that can avoid pressure. Still, getting to Newton is key for the Vikings’ defense this Sunday. Newton has the 2nd most INT (9) in the league, but the Vikes only have 6 picks all season.   [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Jared Allen leads the league in sacks and if he can add to his total the Vikes have a much better chance to win.

The Panthers are also running the ball well ranking 8th in the league in rushing yards per game behind RB’s DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, but they will be facing a Minnesota run defense that ranks 4th in the league.

Ponder was 13/32 for 219 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT last week and he and WR’s Michael Jenkins and Percy Harvin will be going up against a Carolina pass defense that ranks 12th in the league.

One player that is key in this game is Vikings’ RB Adrian Peterson. He had his best game of the season last week rushing for 175 yards with 1 TD and will be facing a struggling Panthers’ run defense that ranks 29th in the league. He and the Minnesota defense will have to get off to a good start, as if they get down early their rookie QB will have to air it out more often for the Vikings to win.

Betting Trends

This season the Vikings are 3-3-1 ATS and have an Over/Under record of 4-3 and the Panthers are 5-2 ATS and have an Over/Under record of 5-2.

The Vikings are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 road games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games facing a team with a losing record, and has an Under record of 6-1 in their last 7 road games.

The Panthers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite, and has an Under record of 8-1 in their last 9 games as a favorite.

Jason’s Pick: This one is a tough one to call, as I think Newton and Peterson will both have good games. However, the Panthers are at home and I think that gives them the edge, as Carolina will win and cover the 3.5-point spread. With the defensive issues both teams have I would take the Over in this game.

Categories
MLB

World Series Gambling – Texas vs. St. Louis Game 7 Preview & Pick

MLB Betting – World Series Game 7 Rangers vs Cardinals Preview & Pick

Texas pounded out 15 hits and scored nine runs but, after a one-day delay due to rain, still could not seal the deal in Game 6 to bring home its first ever world title.  

Categories
NCAA Football

Buffaloes vs. Sun Devils Free Predictions & Preview

Pac 12 Gambling – Colorado vs. Arizona State Preview

The hapless Buffaloes head into Tempe, Arizona to take on the Sun Devils of Arizona State on Saturday.

Buffaloes v Sun Devils
When: Saturday, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
TV: N/A
LINE: -31 (Arizona State), O/U 56.5

Colorado is coming off of yet another loss of 20 or more points. That makes three in a row now, and four games out of the last five.

Their only points a week ago were a result of a misplayed punt. They forced a safety on that play and that is the only thing that saved the Buffaloes from being shut out a week ago in their 45-2 loss. To boot that game was at home and things probably won’t get any better anytime soon.

After last week’s performance, Colorado is now 1-7 , with an 0-4 mark in conference play. Good for last in the PAC12 south unsurprisingly. They rank near the bottom in most statistical categories, which is where you would expect a 1-7 team to be.

They sit at 113th in rushing yards, 107th in points per game, then 117th in points allowed. The latter number is over 37 points per game. Not a good sign when going up against a top 50 offense.

The one semi bright note is that they can sling the ball around on occasion. They average over 225 yards through the air per contest. If Arizona State has a weakness that can be exploited in this one, it is their passing defense that ranks in the bottom half of the country. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The Sun Devils meanwhile, are coming off of a tough loss in Eugene against Oregon. If not for a back breaking interception at the end of the first half, we could be looking at a top 15, one loss team here.

Sophomore quarterback Brock Osweiler had another solid day at the office, throwing for nearly 300 yards and two scores. What killed the Sun Devils though, were the two picks that he threw in crucial situations. When you have a rushing game that ranks in the bottom third of the country, you have to limit those mistakes against top flight competition.

What the Sun Devils lack on the ground, they more than make up for it in the passing department. They have a top 20 passing attack, which should be more than enough to secure a win in this one.

This week they are fortunate to face Colorado in their one break at home amidst a run of four of five road games. Osweiler should be able to exploit this horrendous Buffalo defense into a few scores.

Matt’s Prediction: Colorado 13 Arizona State 34-
This one is going to get out of hand in a hurry. This Colorado team just isn’t ready for Pac 12 play, or any BCS league play for that matter. You combine that with an Arizona State team that is on the upswing and you get a game that is destined to be a blowout from the opening kickoff.

Categories
NCAA Football

Cardinal vs Trojans Free Pick & Preview

Pac 12 Gambling – Stanford vs. USC Preview

The Stanford Cardinals look to stay unbeaten as they travel into Southern California to take on the Trojans pm Saturday night.

Cardinal v Trojans
When: Saturday, 8:00 PM EST
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
TV: ABC, ABC Regional, ESPN3
LINE: +7.5 (USC), O/U 60

The Cardinals got here a little differently than usual, as Andrew Luck threw for a season low 169 yards a week ago. Although he still managed to put up two touchdowns.

Nevertheless, it was the running game that took the reins against Washington. They had three halfbacks that rushes for at least 93 yards, and all three had at least one touchdown as well. Anthony Wilkerson upped the ante a bit by adding two.

Stanford tallied a total of five touchdowns on the ground against the Huskies. That number is one quarter of their total number of rushing scores on the season, so it was a pretty marquee day for the Cardinal ground attack.

The Cardinals are a top ten team for a reason. They rank up near the top in most offensive and defensive categories. They are generally known for their passing attack, but it has been the running game that is more highly touted of late.

They average just under 220 yards a game on the ground. That number is good for 17th in the country. However, it isn’t to say that the passing game isn’t excellent. It is up in the top 25 nationally.

The other two Stanford stats that jump out at you have to be their point per game averages. They haven’t faced the toughest schedule to this point, but they have still put up almost 50 points a game. Good for second in the country. While their defense has allowed less than 15 per contest. Also in the top 5.

As for the Trojans, they are also coming off of a win. The difference is their win happened to come against the biggest rival that USC has in Notre Dame, so they will be riding high headed into this one. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

QB Matt Barkley is coming off of another top notch performance as well. He tossed for over 200 yards, while adding three touchdowns in the process to vault the Trojans to a 6-1 record. Sophomore Robert Woods seemed to be the target of choice for Barkley. He racked up twelve catches for 119 yards, including two scores.

While the Trojans have a nice record on the year, they don’t really have the stats to back up their 6-1 mark. In fact, in this match-up, they only have an advantage in one area. That is passing yards, and they only hold that edge by 2.2 yards per game.

They fall outside of the top 35 for all of the major stats outside of passing yards. Not really the recipe to take down a top ten juggernaut like Stanford.

Matt’s Prediction: Stanford 38,USC 24–The Trojans have benefited from an incredibly weak schedule thus far. They may possess the best win between the two teams in this one though with their win a week ago against the Irish. The stats on paper obviously favor the Cardinals., who I expect to win this one rather convincingly. Even on the road.

Categories
NCAA Football

Cougars vs. Ducks Betting Preview & Free Pick

Washington State vs. Oregon Preview

Oregon, coming off of a huge win in Colorado, are looking to do the same thing as they did a week ago back at home against the Cougars of Washington State.

Annihilate their opponent.

Cougars v Ducks
When: Saturday, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
TV: N/A
LINE: -35 (Oregon), O/U 69

Washington State are coming off a game in which they were throttled by the lowly Oregon State Beavers. Granted they did lose their starting quarterback shortly after they tied the game at 14, so that probably had a little bit to do with the final score.

But there is more bad news coming their way. Jeff Tuel is not coming back for this week’s game. As everyone saw, this just isn’t the same team when he isn’t on the field.

The Cougars do not have much of a running game, and they basically solely relied on the arm of Tuel, and now that he’s out, no one is quite sure where their points are going to come from.

Remember, this was a team that boasted a top ten passing attack. Outside of that one, single, silver lining. They fall near the bottom of the NCAA in most other categories.

They rank 91st in rushing yards per game, and are giving up around 30 points per game. The latter number is good for 87th in the country but will probably drop after their meeting with the Ducks.

Even if Oregon decides to hold out their number one backfield tandem in quarterback Darren Thomas and running back LaMichael James, they will likely field a team more than capable of putting up at least 30 points on the scoreboard. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The only thing holding this one up from being a complete laugher is the fact that Washington State actually has a solid run defense. As we all know, running the ball is what this Oregon team excels at.

Even with that being said, it is going to be hard to keep this offense down for too long. As they are a pretty efficient passing team, even though they do not turn to the air all that often. Why would you when you average well over 300 yards per game on the ground?

They are also putting up over 48 points a game total, which is just ridiculous given the strength of their schedule thus far. Their season low came against LSU in their first game of the 2011 campaign, but they still managed 27 points in that one. Oh by the way, LSU boasts the 4th best run defense in the country, so it doesn’t look good for Wazzou this weekend.

Matt’s Prediction: Oregon 52, Washington State 3-Washington State didn’t really have a chance in this one if they were 100 percent healthy. Now they are without the man that makes their offense go in Tuel. I think everyone can add 2+2 here. This is going to be a blowout with or without Oregon’s Thomas or James. There is just no way around it.

Categories
NCAA Football

Navy Midshipmen vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Predictions

Navy Midshipmen (2-5) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-3)

Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend IN
Saturday, October 29, 3:30 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: OFF
Spread: Navy +21.5, Notre Dame -21.5
Over/Under: 62

This traditional match-up against Independent teams pits two squads against each other with wildly different offensive strategies.

The Midshipmen are built on the ground game; Navy is third in the nation in rush yards per game (just over 325 yards per contest) while sitting 117th in the FBS in passing. The Middies run an option offense that puts heavy emphasis on ball possession and moving the chains.

The Irish, meanwhile, are aerial specialists.  They like getting their production through the passing game with excellent targets like WR Michael Floyd and TE Tyler Eifert. The well-oiled attack seized up somewhat last week versus Southern Cal, however, the Irish lost 31-17 to USC in a game where they looked largely uninspired. The Golden Domers need to rebound nicely to get the momentum on track – Navy looks like the perfect opponent to accomplish this end.

Navy is still more vulnerable because of starting QB Kriss Proctor’s hand injury in last week’s 38-35 loss to East Carolina. Trey Miller should start in place of Proctor this week, there will absolutely be a drop-off because Proctor is leading the team in rushing (591 yards, eight TDs) to go along with six passing majors. During this time of year when seemingly every team is battling the injury bug, the Middies will also miss LB Matt Brewer (neck stinger), CB David Wright (foot) and RB Aaron Santiago (arm). Navy doesn’t need top-line recruits to run its gameplan, but the injuries will doubtlessly test a team that does not have great depth to begin with.

Notre Dame needs to get a sustained effort from its players right from the opening whistle, because if the Irish play like they are capable of, the passing game will shred Navy’s secondary. Unlike the past couple seasons, the Irish are also getting a nice contribution from the running back position; junior Cierre Wood and senior Jonas Gray have combined for 1,100 yards and 11 TDs. The Irish “D” is coming off consecutive games where they surrendered 33 points to Air Force and 31 to USC, so they must smarten up against a pesky option attack. Notre Dame is dealing with two key injuries at the defensive end spot – starters Ethan Johnson is “Questionable” with an injured ankle and Kapron Lewis-Moore is out for the year with a knee. As the defensive line is crucial to stopping the run game, new faces must step up this week. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Irish signal-caller Tommy Rees hyper-extended his knee against the Trojans last week, but he was able to return to the game and should be ready to go this Saturday. Rees is in the school’s record books for going the third-longest streak of passes without an interception (135 pass attempts) so, while the streak was snapped when Rees threw a pick last week, he’s obviously been playing within himself. Notre Dame has everyone else healthy on offense to utilize, so Navy’s 83rd-ranked defensive unit will likely feel the wrath of Rees, Floyd, Wood and Co. (that sounds like a company that should be selling nappy sweaters to tourists in Maine).

Irish head coach Brian Kelly and his men should be frustrated after their lackluster showing against rival USC, so they ought to come out with an eye to steamroll the Middies. If the team uses the Southern Cal shortcomings as fuel to play with an edge this week at home, the Golden Domers should win by multiple scores against the banged-up visitors from the Naval Academy.

Score Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Navy 12
Over/Under Prediction: 50