Week 1 College Football Picks: Bad Beats & Lucky Wins

During week 1 of the 2006 season there were plenty of bad beats and lucky wins. The key is to figure out which games showed which and take advantage as the lines makers adjust too much for teams they shouldn’t the following week. Larry Ness is going to detail what happened in week 1 so you can win in week 2.  For anyone who plans to do any NCAA football betting throughout this season, even if you already have a sportsbook account, you should open a new account with BetUS and deposit $500 or more.  If you do, they’ll automatically add another $500 to your account!

As sports bettors, we all seem to remember our “bad beats” while taking for granted our “lucky wins.” One must remember that for everyone suffering from a bad beat, someone else is celebrating a lucky win. One often hears a bettor talk about having the “right side” or “wrong side” of a game. After more than two decades in this business, I’ve resigned myself to the proposition that there are no right or wrong sides but rather winning and losing sides. Here’s some of this past weekend’s “bad beats and lucky wins.”

The college weekend started on Thursday with Oregon State at Boise State. The Beavers opened the game with a long TD drive and after Boise State was held to a three-and-out on the team’s first possession, OSU returned the punt for a TD. Up 14-0 and getting between 7 1/2 and nine points, the Beavers NEVER scored again. ‘Over’ players suffered a tough loss as the total was around 59 or 60 and the halftime score was 28-14 Boise. Boise made it 42-14 with almost 12 minutes left in the game and one more TD would push the game over. With no pressure on them, the Beavers easily drove to the Boise 20 yard-line but an offensive holding call set them back and they were eventually stopped on downs at the 18. No one scored after that.

Friday night Pittsburgh was in Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats. Pitt closed a 7 1/2-point favorite and the total closed 44. Pitt led just 7-0 at the half, making the ‘under’ look pretty safe. Pitt went up 23-0 midway through the third and led 26-7 after a FG with just about 7 1/2 minutes left in the game. However, things changed quickly. The Bearcats, whose only TD to that point had been after recovering a fumbled punt at the Pitt 17, drove 79 yards for a score and added a two-point conversion to make it 26-15. Pitt then promptly fumbled and Cincy was faced with a 4th and one around the Pitt 10. The Bearcats decided to go for it and were stopped with about 3 1/2 minutes left. Pitt bettors looked safe, as did under bettors. However, Pitt couldn’t run out the clock and punted, leaving Cincy time for just one play. Pitt intercepted Cincy’s pass and returned it for a TD, leaving under bettors shaking their heads, as the final read, 33-15!

Saturday’s games provided a number of beauties. Last year at Clemson, BC beat the Tigers 16-13 in OT, in the school’s first-ever ACC road game. Saturday’s game was expected to be close as BC opened as a the small favorite but questions surrounding the health of QB Ryan saw the money make Clemson the small favorite by Saturday. Clemson jumped out to a a10-0 lead and led 17-10 at the half. However, BC returned the opening KO of the second half for a TD and the game remained tied at 17 into the fourth quarter. Clemson went up 24-17 but BC tied it with 4:59 left.

In OT, BC was held to a FG on its first possession and after a 22-yard completion, the Tigers had 1st and goal at the three. Lined up in a full-house backfield, Clem ran a sweep(?), losing four yards! BC then sacked the Clemson QB on second down and the Tigers had to settle for a FG. In the second OT, Clemson got the ball first and overcame a 2nd and 26 situation from the 41 with consecutive 20-yard completions. The Tigers scored but saw the extra-point blocked! BC then won the game on its possession by scoring and converting the extra-point (34-33).

Fresno State has made a habit of beating BCS schools under Pat Hill but the Bulldogs have suffered some heart-breaking losses to Oregon over the years. Last Saturday was no different. Midway through the third quarter Fresno State tied the game at 17-all. Oregon responded with a long drive but was forced into a FG attempt. FSU blocked the try but instead of allowing the ball to roll dead, FSU attempted to recover the ball. It squirted free and Oregon recovered at the FSU five-yard line. The Ducks scored to go up 24-17.

The Bulldogs tied the game on a 74-yard TD drive with just under 11 minutes to go. However, the Ducks mounted one last drive and faced a third-and-goal at the FSU four-yard line with just about five minutes left. On third down the Ducks were stopped and they set up for the go-ahead FG. Oregon was a 3 or 3 1/2-point choice, so a 27-24 final would see the game land “on the number”, or given FSU bettors a half-point win. Oregon faked the FG attempt (remember FSU had blocked the last try) and kicker Paul Martinez took the pitch for a four-yard TD, scoring the first TD of his eight-year football career. The 31-24 final also gave Oregon the ATS win.

A quick look at Va Tech’s 35-10 win over North Carolina could give one the impression that the Hokies dominated the Tar Heels. Not so. NC’s first three drives all reached inside the Va Tech 35 but the Tar Heels came away with just three points. The last of those three drives resulted in an interception which was returned to the NC one-yard line, setting up Va Tech’s first TD. Va Tech’s second TD came after a blocked punt was recovered at the NC one! Leading 21-3 in the third quarter (Tech closed as 13-point favorites), the Hokies added a 69-yard interception TD and their other fourth-quarter TD was also set up by an interception.

Let’s not forget the NFL. The Sunday night game featured Peyton vs Eli and while the Giants outrushed the Colts 186-55 for the game and Eli played Peyton to a standstill, the Colts got the win and cover. Indy led 16-7 at the half (Colts were three-point favorites) but the Giants got to within 16-14 in the third quarter. An Eli fumble near mid-field in the late third quarter led to an Indy TD in the early fourth but Giants closed to 23-21 with about eight minutes left. NY got the ball back deep in its own territory when everything went wrong for Giant bettors.

Eli completed a third-and-two pass for about 20 yards (apparently getting out of danger) but NY was called for offensive pass interference (phantom call!). Naturally on the ensuing play, Eli’s pass was intercepted. The Colts faced a third-and-two of their own with about 1:30 left in the game. If the Colts could convert, they’d run out the clock for a two-point win, giving the Giants the cover. However, Indy didn’t convert and Vinatieri’s 33-yard FG (I thought he had a broken foot!) gave Indy the 26-21 win and the cover!

Arizona got to open at home for the first time since 1988 and was rewarded with a game against the 49ers (13-35 these last three seasons). The Cardinals opened as 7 1/2 point favorites but were bet up to 9 1/2 or even 10. The 49ers scored first but Arizona quickly took a 21-7 lead. A 49er FG with 8:52 left in the game cut Arizona’s lead to 31-24 but a 13-play Arizona drive led to a FG with just under two minutes left, restoring that 10-point lead. SF quickly moved 44 yards and on FIRST DOWN, kicked the ‘covering’ FG from 44 yards. SF then recovered the onside kick but went nowhere. However, for Cardinal bettors, the damage had already been done.

Under players cashed 12 of 16 tickets in Week 1 (games averaged just 34.6 PPG) but should have been 14-2! The Jets/Titans game opened 37 and closed 35 1/2. The Jets led 16-0 into the 4th with the Titans getting nowhere. Then, the Titans but together a nine-play 80-yard TD drive plus converted on the two-point try. With just over six minutes left, Pennington was hit and fumbled on a third-and-10 play from the NY Jets’ 11. Tennessee recovered at the one. The Titans scored and again converted the two-pointer (you can’t make this up!). Now under players were sweating and praying the game would be decided by a FG. No such luck, as Pennington drove the Jets on a seven-play 57-yard TD drive, giving the Jets a 23-16 win and over bettors a rare win in Week 1.

In the Dallas/Jacksonville game (total of 37), the Cowboys jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and the Jags returned in kind by outscoring the Cowboys 10-0 in the second. No one scored in the third and under players still looked safe with the Jags leading 17-10 late in the fourth. It still didn’t look too bad when Jacksonville made it 24-10, as there was just over three minutes left and Dallas hadn’t scored since the first quarter, However, that T.O. is a “money player” and he caught a 21-yard TD pass from Bledsoe, capping a 79-yard drive that took only 1:19.

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PAC 10 College Football Betting Recap

If you live on the west coast and bet the Pac 10 then you did a great job this past weekend. The teams that were supposed to win did and overall the conference looked fairly strong. This is supposed to be a weak conference with Cal getting blown out in week 1 by Tennessee, but things are looking up.  Get the best college football odds and a $500 match bonus with BetUS!

Recap: All four teams ranked in the Top 25 won this past Saturday, and the conference as a whole went 7-1. The two most impressive wins came from USC and Oregon at their home fields against Nebraska and Oklahoma, respectively. The lone loss from the Pac-10 falls on the shoulders of Stanford, which was embarrassed at home against Navy by the tune of 37-9. The same four teams: USC, Oregon, Cal and Arizona State are again ranked in the top 25.

A Silly Voter: And journalists are supposed to be smart, right? Associated Press poll voter and Charlotte Observer columnist Ken Tysiac said he mistakenly sent the AP his Sept. 10 poll instead of his current one. Essentially, the vote broke a tie between Arizona State and Boston College. And in fact, Tysiac had Arizona State ranked so low, the Sun Devils dropped two spots to No. 22. He became aware of the mistake when his home paper published his picks and everyone believed he officially fell off his rocker when Notre Dame was still ahead of Michigan after the Wolverines thwarted the Irish at home 47-21.

What Quarterback Controversy? At the beginning of the season, Arizona State head coach Dirk Koetter named Sam Keller the starter. After an uprising from the players, Keller transferred and last year’s backup, Rudy Carpenter, (who replaced Keller when he was injured), took the job and has been phenomenal. Despite throwing two interceptions Saturday, Carpenter still has a 9:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and Arizona State averages 285 yards through the air (good for 15th in the nation).

Still a Dynasty? Despite winning 47 of their last 49 games, national championship hype has been quiet when speaking of the USC Trojans. USC has efficiently gone 2-0, successfully avoiding any confrontations on the road against an Arkansas team in Week 1, and a ranked Nebraska team this past week. Matt Leinart’s replacement, John David Booty, has quietly been one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Booty has a 158.0 passer rating, including a nifty 6:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio. “We’re not as quick as we were last year, yet, but it’s a scrappy bunch,” Booty told the Washington Post. “It’s definitely a work in progress, and we’ll get better as the season goes on.”

Ducks Under Radar: The teams in the Pacific Northwest just don’t get enough love. The Oregon victory over Oklahoma has now been overshadowed by suspensions of referees and outcries from Oklahoma’s university president. How about giving credit to the Ducks for scoring two touchdowns in 22 seconds? Mike Bellotti’s spread attack has been phenomenal this year. The Ducks rank 9th in the nation in total offense (473 yards per game), which has put them on their way to 37.7 points per game and a 3-0 start. Dennis Dixon has completed 65.4 percent of his passes, and RB Jonathan Stewart averages 6.8 yards per rush. You can make some money if your college football picks follow these undervalued teams.

A Look Ahead: Pac-10 play begins for six teams — the most notable game coming with No. 22 Arizona State heading to No. 21 Cal (the Bears are -7.5 on WagerWeb.com). Jeff Tedford’s crew wants to prove it deserved to be ranked after the embarrassing loss to Tennessee to open the season. The trendy sleeper pick in this conference at the beginning of the season was Arizona. The Wildcats get their shot against USC this week (Trojans are -21 at WagerWeb.com). In a battle for the presumable cellar of the Pac-10, Washington State (-10) and Stanford face off.

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College Football Betting: Factoring Emotional Situations

Do you factor emotion in your college football betting? Bryan Leonard does and thinks that you should as well. If you want to read his thoughts on the matter then this is the page for you.  Get a $500 match bonus when you sign up for a new account with BetUS and deposit at least $500.

We all look at matchups and stats when assessing college football point spreads and potential winning angles. Another area most noticeable in college sports is emotion. Sometimes things happen on and off the field that can affect a team`s attitude. Rivalry games, bounce-back spots and revenge situations are several.

One factor cropped up on Saturday. Last week, undefeated USC dropped to No. 2 behind Texas in the bowl championship series standings after being No. 1 all season. Coach Pete Carroll dismissed the slip, but several players said after the game that they used it as motivation. “It`s definitely something in the back of our minds,” said WR Steve Smith. “What are they doing? They`re messing us up. We just have to show them on the field.” And they did, not only winning but covering as a 30-point favorite. USC amassed a season-high 745 yards and the defense shut down Washington State`s high-powered attack, 55-13. It worked, too, as USC grabbed back two first-place votes from Texas in Sunday`s AP poll.

One of the plays I had Saturday was South Carolina. I thought Tennessee was vastly overrated based on its play and erratic offense this season, and the Gamecocks were getting no respect as a +14 dog. South Carolina had never won at Tennessee, and there was the extra emotion of Steve Spurrier against Phil Fulmer. Sparks often fly, both on the field and off, when those two hook up. It was also interesting that Randy Sanders resigned as Tennessee`s offensive coordinator on Monday, two days after the Volunteers lost their third straight game with another weak performance. Tennessee`s offense is one of the worst in the country, averaging 16 points a game. They are 99th in total offense, 98th in rushing offense, 79th in passing offense and 101st in passing efficiency, all factors as to why they have been overvalued.

Emotion certainly played a roll when Notre Dame hosted USC a few weeks ago. All the money came in on the Irish as a double-digit dog, and the public and sharpies were right as Notre Dame not only covered easily but came within a few seconds of winning.

The Miami/Virginia Tech matchup this week is going to elicit emotion, as well. Both teams have a good rivalry and are fighting for the top spot in the ACC Coastal division. This week some players from Miami were talking about their last trip to Blacksburg in 2003, when the Hokies ripped them, ending a long Miami win streak. Players and coaches do recall many times what happened in recent years. Think back to the Oklahoma/Texas game a few weeks ago. The Texas players delighted in pouring it on a Sooners team that had beaten them 5 straight years. Channeling emotion can be a big edge – of course, you then have to have the talent on the field to help make an upset possible.

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Football Odds: Kansas vs Toledo

This week’s Friday night football preview will help you if you plan on betting on the Kansas Toledo game. We have enlisted the expert of handicapper Jimmy Boyd to help guide us, but if you want to really take advantage then you will need to head on over to Locksmith Sports and pick up his college football picks package.  For a limited time you can get a $500 match bonus with a new account at BetUS!

Toledo may be 0-2, but it is still giving up five points to the Kansas Jayhawks in Friday night’s matchup. The Jayhawks are off to a 2-0 start, but they are yet to play any competition. The Rockets nearly opened up the season with a huge road win against the Iowa State Cyclones, but they fell in triple overtime. That game showed us Toledo’s strengths and weaknesses that we can expect this season. There’s no doubt that the Rockets will be able to move the football and put some points on the board as Clint Cochran is running the spread offense well. Kansas boasts a strong defense, especially against the run, but it will most likely struggle against the spread in this one.

The Jayhawks return just three defensive starters from last season’s team, but they have showed in their opening two games that they will get better and better as the season progresses. However, their inexperience could cost them in this one, especially in the secondary where they have a major lack of depth. But we must also consider that prior to this season, Cochran’s only experience in college football was some mop up duty in one game last season. Iowa State may be a Big 12 team, but they don’t have a high caliber defense and Cochran’s success against it may not be the best indicator. He will get his first major test of the season in this matchup as will Kansas’ defense.

Kansas’ defense has kept it in nearly every game in the last three seasons when it qualified for two bowl games in three years. However, the offense is much improved this season and will cause trouble for the Rockets. Quarterback Kerry Meier is a future NFL signal-caller. At 6’3’’ and 210 pounds, Meier has the athletic ability to make plays himself for the offense, much like Jay Cutler did last season for Vanderbilt. If the defense shuts one door, Meier has the ability to open another one. The Rockets will also have to deal with tailback Jon Cornish, who may be the best back in the Big 12 North. Iowa State could have had its way on the ground with Stevie Hicks and you can expect Kansas to exploit them on the ground Friday night.

Ultimately, this one comes down to which defense will be able to slow down the other’s offense. It’s apparent that Kansas has the better “D”, but the spread will likely give it some problems. On the other hand, Toledo may not have an answer for Kansas’ potent rushing attack. I have researched this matchup inside and out and I have the winning angle down to a science. I’m so confident in Friday’s matchup that I’m making this my College Football Friday Night Game of the Year. Make sure you’re on board for a big winner this Friday night.

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College Football Picks: Toledo vs Kansas

This week’s Friday night football preview will help you if you plan on betting on the Kansas Toledo game. We have enlisted the expert of handicapper Jimmy Boyd to help guide us, but if you want to really take advantage then you will need to head on over to Locksmith Sports and pick up his package and start winning against the college football odds.

Toledo may be 0-2, but it is still giving up five points to the Kansas Jayhawks in Friday night’s matchup. The Jayhawks are off to a 2-0 start, but they are yet to play any competition. The Rockets nearly opened up the season with a huge road win against the Iowa State Cyclones, but they fell in triple overtime. That game showed us Toledo’s strengths and weaknesses that we can expect this season. There’s no doubt that the Rockets will be able to move the football and put some points on the board as Clint Cochran is running the spread offense well. Kansas boasts a strong defense, especially against the run, but it will most likely struggle against the spread in this one.  If you love betting college football you’ll love this $500 match bonus offer from BetUS.

The Jayhawks return just three defensive starters from last season’s team, but they have showed in their opening two games that they will get better and better as the season progresses. However, their inexperience could cost them in this one, especially in the secondary where they have a major lack of depth. But we must also consider that prior to this season, Cochran’s only experience in college football was some mop up duty in one game last season. Iowa State may be a Big 12 team, but they don’t have a high caliber defense and Cochran’s success against it may not be the best indicator. He will get his first major test of the season in this matchup as will Kansas’ defense.

Kansas’ defense has kept it in nearly every game in the last three seasons when it qualified for two bowl games in three years. However, the offense is much improved this season and will cause trouble for the Rockets. Quarterback Kerry Meier is a future NFL signal-caller. At 6’3’’ and 210 pounds, Meier has the athletic ability to make plays himself for the offense, much like Jay Cutler did last season for Vanderbilt. If the defense shuts one door, Meier has the ability to open another one. The Rockets will also have to deal with tailback Jon Cornish, who may be the best back in the Big 12 North. Iowa State could have had its way on the ground with Stevie Hicks and you can expect Kansas to exploit them on the ground Friday night.

Ultimately, this one comes down to which defense will be able to slow down the other’s offense. It’s apparent that Kansas has the better “D”, but the spread will likely give it some problems. On the other hand, Toledo may not have an answer for Kansas’ potent rushing attack. I have researched this matchup inside and out and I have the winning angle down to a science. I’m so confident in Friday’s matchup that I’m making this my College Football Friday Night Game of the Year. Make sure you’re on board for a big winner this Friday night.

Get winning football picks right here all season long from the top handicappers in the business.  Our experts also give out free NCAA football picks so you can find out what they’re all about.

ACC College Football Betting Recap

Each week this notebook goes over all you need to know about ACC football betting. Entering week four of the college football season there are going to be a lot of opportunities to take advantage of the lines offered by your sportsbook and we are here to help you do just that.

Our analysis start with Miami, where the AD, head coach Larry Coker and starting quarterback Kyle Wright all got a vote of confidence. Sadly though that might not be the news fans wanted to hear.  Be sure to check out this incredible $500 match bonus from BetUS before you make another wager this season!

After embarrassing themselves to Louisville last week in a 31-7 loss, the Hurricanes’ demise became was the talk in South Florida. The fans are clamoring for a change after their 1-2 start but they are going to have to wait. Dee said Coker’s job is safe and that Miami can still reach their goals of winning the ACC and making a BCS bowl.

Dee, also, became part of the rumors, but UM president Donna Shalala told the Miami Herald that an unscheduled meeting of the school’s trustees had nothing to do with Dee’s job status. There had been speculation that Dee would be forced to retire. Dee said he expects to fulfill his final contract, which runs through 2010.

Coker, who got a three-year extension last year extending his contract through 2009, said he expects to be on the hot seat and the Hurricanes do have a $2 million buy-out option.

The endorsement hasn’t stopped the Miami faithful from speculating about a future coach. The two names that lead the way are Butch Davis, the former UM head coach, and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, an ex-Miami assistant. Former Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez also earned some buzz as a possible replacement.

“You don’t like (the rumors) at all,” Coker said. “But you understand it, realize it. I’ve been in high-profile programs before at Oklahoma and Ohio State. I understand it and understand the frustration of our fans. We have great fans, and this is a great program, and they expect greatness out of the program. So I understand it. Believe me, nobody wants to win any more than I do and our staff does and our players do.”

Coker indicated that he’s not worried about his future at with the Hurricanes.

“I’m not concerned about job security, I’m really not,” Coker said. “I’m concerned about getting our football team back to where they need to be and winning football games. We do that, and job security will take care of itself.”

With an off week and Houston next on the schedule (Sept. 30), Coker is trying to build the confidence in his team. He started by saying that Wright is still his starting quarterback. “He’s our starter,” Coker said.

As for the rest of the team, Coker admits that a shakeup could happen.

“You always consider (making changes),” he said.

Miami is expected to get big left tackle Reggie Youngblood back in the starting lineup. Youngblood, who missed the Louisville game because of ankle injury, returned to practice this week.

Coker isn’t the only one on the hotseat as Florida State offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden is getting accustomed to criticism. So why should his habits or the fans’ outrage change because the Seminoles’ offense is 105th in the nation?

The Seminoles message boards have called Bowden’s firing for sometime. When asked if he’s still avoiding the newspapers and message boards, Bowden answered, “Why?”

“Just asking,” said the reporter.

Bowden laughed and then said, “Why, you don’t have to ask me that question.”

Despite the obvious answers, Bowden admitted that a quarterback controversy might be brewing. With starter Drew Weatherford not exactly setting the world on fire, the coach said that there was a plan to give backup QB Xavier Lee a look.

“We had a plan (to get Xavier in the game) last week and a plan the week before. I sure would like to see that plan happen,” Bowden said.

The lack of offense hasn’t prevented WagerWeb from making No. 18 FSU a 30-point favorite over Rice on Saturday.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK: Georgia Tech will feature an old look Thursday night against Virginia in the nationally televised game. The Yellow Jackets will wear throwback uniforms from the 1970s. With white helmets, gold jerseys, white pants and black cleats, head coach Chan Gailey doesn’t get too hyped about the threads.

“It’s a uniform,” Gailey said. “We’ve got a job to do, and a game to play. It’s fun for the fans and for the marketing people, I guess, but fun is not the word I would use. We’ve got make sure it’s not a distraction.”

We are going to have to take the Yellow Jackets this week with our free college football picks. Georgia Tech (2-1) is a WagerWeb 16.5-point favorite over Virginia (1-2).

SPECIAL SEASON: With its second double-overtime victory, Boston College is looking as if it might have one of those storybook seasons. The miracle wins are shades of 1984 and Doug Flutie. And QB Matt Ryan is starting to remind people of Flutie. At his current pace of 297 yards passing per game, Ryan would smash the school’s 22-year-old record. Flutie threw for 3,454 yards in 1984.

Boston College moved up three spots, from 23 to 20, in the AP poll with the win over BYU. The Eagles are a 7-point road favorite on WagerWeb against North Carolina State on Saturday.

DYING FOR RESPECT: At Clemson, head coach Tommy Bowden commemorates big road wins against Top 25 opponents by putting a tombstone on the practice facility. But as of Wednesday, the tombstone denoting the 27-20 win over No. 9 Florida State had not been delivered.

Bowden joked about the absence of the marker.

“Most people die, and they get it in three days,” Bowden said.

North Carolina is a 16-point underdog at WagerWeb this weekend at home against Clemson and is probably not looking forward to being the No. 19 Tigers’ next victim.

You can get free college football picks from our many handicappers right here at the site!  When you are ready to really start working over the college football odds, be sure to pick a premium NCAA football picks from top rated experts in the business.

Big 12 College Football Betting Recap

If you were betting on the Big 12 football teams last weekend then more than likely you came away disappointed. The conference did horribly and lost their backers quite a big of cash.

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It wasn’t the Big 12’s finest moment.

The conference had a shot to make a big splash in the national scene on Saturday, and instead it reaffirmed what many experts believed: that the conference is weak. The Big 12 went 0-5 against teams in the Top 25 and held a 5-7 mark overall.

To make matters worse, Texas A&M needed a late defensive stand to hold off Army 28-24 on national television.

Heartbreaking Loss: Oklahoma allowed 14 points in 22 seconds to fall to No. 18 Oregon in Eugene. Two calls went against Bob Stoops’ club. An onside kick and a pass-interference call both showed on televised replays that they should have been reversed Oklahoma’s way. Stoops told USA Today: “Even though (the officials) acted like they did, at least the whole country and everybody…sees what really happened.”

The Fab Four? There are four undefeated teams. All four of them aren’t conference favorites. Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Missouri are undefeated – but who did they play? The four teams’ opponents combined record is 9-24. Yes, that includes four Division I-AA opponents also.

Battle-Tested? Oklahoma State is in the same situation it was a year ago. Mike Gundy’s squad started 3-0 last year before losing seven of its final eight. This year could be different because never in Oklahoma State history has a Cowboys team opened up by winning its first three games by at least 28 points. OSU’s toughest test so far is this week with Houston, which sits at 3-0 and is averaging 39.33 points per game. “All we can ask them to do is to stop people, and they have until this point,” Gundy told SportingNews.com.

A Strenuous Stretch: Iowa State knew after its first two games that the tough stretch was upcoming. On Saturday, the Cyclones lost to No. 16 Iowa, next week they travel to No. 7 Texas, and then Northern Iowa, which was Division I-AA runner-up in 2005. After UNI, it’s Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas Tech. “It’s a season of opportunity, and that’s the way we’re looking at it and we’re not going to duck and hide,” coach Dan McCarney told the Daily Kansan. Don’t think that we are going to be taking the Cyclones to have any upsets in the coming weeks with our college football predictions.

Looking Ahead: A couple of tough tests await Big 12 teams. It doesn’t get easier for Colorado, which sits at 0-3. The Buffaloes head to Athens to play Georgia. Kansas State will finally be tested when it hosts Louisville. The Wildcats have a shot at an upset now that the Cardinals will be without both Brian Brohm and Michael Bush.

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Big East College Football Recap

It was an impressive week for Big East football last week when Louisville put a beat down on Miami. There is also good news with two teams being ranked in the top 10, and this is a conference that has gotten little to no respect by most of the nation.

For Bobby Petrino’s Louisville Cardinals, it was the good and the bad last week.

Now it’s going to get ugly.

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Louisville trounced the then-17th-ranked Miami Hurricanes, spotting them seven points and then taking the Canes to the woodshed by scoring 31 in a row. However, it came at a cost. Senior QB Brian Brohm dislocated his thumb in the third quarter and will be out 3-6 weeks. The great one-two punch of Brohm and Michael Bush is currently extinct.

Filling in will be Hunter Cantwell, a walk-on who threw for over 7,000 yards in high school, as well as a guy who put the dagger in Miami by throwing a 45-yard bomb to Henry Douglass to set up the game-clinching touchdown.

The Cardinals head to Manhattan, Kan., for a hungry Kansas State team, which would like to get its first big-time win for new coach Ron Prince. We’ll find out this week if Louisville’s success has been because of great players or because of great coaching. The Cards are favored by 14 at WagerWeb against KSU and with our free college football predictions we are going to take Louisville.

Recap: Overall, the Big East went 5-3 last week. The conference could have asked for better performances from Pittsburgh and UConn, which both lost at home in winnable games. Syracuse matched its win total from a year ago with a 31-21 victory over Illinois.

In Good Company: The Big East has two teams ranked in the AP Top 10: Louisville and West Virginia. Only two other conferences in college football can claim at least that many: Big Ten (2) and SEC (4). The Big East always wants respect, now it is are getting some. It doesn’t hurt to go 17-7 as a conference through three weeks to warrant that respect.

Good On The Road: So far, West Virginia is 3-0 ATS. And so far the Mountaineers have played all their games at Milan Puskar Stadium. Rich Rodriquez brings his circus on the road this week as WVU faces East Carolina (WagerWeb line: WVU -21). The Mountaineers were moneymakers on the road last year, going 5-0 ATS. But beware: the Pirates gave West Virginia a scare last year by only falling 20-15 in Morgantown.

The New Rutgers: After opening up the season by defeating their first ACC opponent in 21 tries (North Carolina), the Scarlet Knights have cruised to a 3-0 record. Part of the reason for Rutgers’ success is running back Ray Rice, who is turning into a household name. After rushing for more than 1,100 yards and 5 touchdowns last year, Rice already surpassed his touchdown total with his sixth score in Saturday’s game, and he is averaging 166 yards per game. He was a workhorse last week, carrying the ball 29 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win against Ohio.

A Look Ahead: Cincinnati’s treacherous schedule moves on. After facing off against No. 1 Ohio State, the Bearcats get Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech Hokies in Blacksburg this week (WagerWeb line: Va. Tech -26.5). Could Syracuse pass its win total from all of last year? The Orange host an 0-3 Miami of Ohio team that has looked atrocious (WagerWeb line: SU -6.5). South Florida and Louisville have the ability to knock out both Kansas schools this week as those teams head to Kansas and Kansas State, respectively.

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College Football Odds: Miami vs Florida State

The Miami Hurricanes went down at Florida State last season in a surprisingly low scoring 7-10 game. It looked hopeful that the tides would turn in 2006 with the game being played down in Miami, but the suspensions of several key players including tailback Tyrone Moss and receiver Ryan Moore may have made this one tighter than many originally expected, though Miami is still favored by 3 points in Monday night’s matchup.  BetUS is currently offering a $500 match bonus you can use to help you beat the NCAA football odds this year.  Just open a new account and deposit at least $500 to take advantage of this incredible offer.

Miami Hurricanes 2005 record: 9-3
Returning starters offense: 5 defense: 6

The Offense: In 2005, Miami’s offense was under much scrutiny as the Hurricanes turned in their lowest point production since 1997. Larry Coker is looking for new offensive coordinator Rich Olson to revitalize Miami’s attack. This will be quite the daunting task in the opener with their starting tailback out against last season’s 14th ranked defense, but the Seminoles lost 6 of their top 7 tacklers and although they’ll be a solid defensive unit, they won’t be at their best in game 1. QB Kyle Wright, who led the ACC in touchdown passes last season, should improve along with his talented but underachieving receiving core of Lance Leggett, Darnell Jenkins, and Ryan Moore. Miami also has one of the best tight ends in the country again this year in Greg Olsen. Despite the suspensions, the Hurricanes will be able to put more than 7 points on the board against the Seminoles defense.

The Defense: It was Miami’s defense which made most of the big plays last season and it will be the defense again in 2006 with far fewer worries than the offense. Just how good were the ‘canes’ defense last season? They had the 4th best total “D” in the nation and they were number 1 against the pass. The secondary should be strong once again with the return of safeties Brandon Meriweather and Kenny Phillips. Miami’s secondary will be a major test early on for the young Drew Weatherford who has created plenty of hype for himself by breaking Phillip Rivers’ ACC Freshman record for TD’s and yards. With the problems the Seminoles had on the ground last season, you should expect to see plenty of Miami’s strength, the secondary, against Florida State’s, the passing attack, on Monday night. I’ll give the edge to the Miami defense initially, but if Miami’s offense has trouble moving the football, a tired defense could give up some late game strikes to Weatherford.

Florida State Seminoles 2005 record: 8-5
Retruning starters offense: 5 defense: 5

The Offense: If Miami’s defense does have a weakness, it’s against the run as they return just 2 defensive lineman starters and an undersized linebacker core. However, if the Seminoles have a weakness, it’s running the football. Florida State ranked 109th out of 117 Division I-A programs last year with just 94 yards per game on the ground. If the ‘noles can’t do a better job on the ground in this one the ‘canes will be able to sit back and make it difficult for Weatherford to find any open targets. The running game was a huge emphasis all spring and I expect it to be improved with senior Lorenzo Booker and sophomore Antoine Smith’s 2-back attack. Any improvement at all will free up Weatherford for an even bigger year in 2006.

The Defense: The Seminoles produce NFL talent on the defensive side of the ball year after year as their players always make up one of the fastest defenses in the country. Replacing All-ACC players and All-Americans normally hasn’t been too difficult of a task for defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, but he’s had to replace 6 of FSU’s top 7 tacklers from last season including the best linebackers in the conference in Sims and Nicholson. The ‘noles will build around senior linebacker Buster Davis who was the second leading tackler last season with 91 stops. The Seminoles defense will be young, but they will be talented and lightning fast. I anticipate them sticking with a Hurricanes offense, which won’t be a well-oiled machine with missing players and a new offensive coordinator.

Inexperience could overshadow the talent of Florida State’s youngsters on the defensive side of the ball allowing Miami to capitalize with crossing patterns and motion sets on offense. On the other side of the coin, if Miami isn’t prepared for an improved running attack out of Florida State, the Hurricanes could lose their projected ACC title in week 1.

Ultimately, Jimmy Boyd knows which team will be more prepared in the season’s first big matchup and you’ll be able to cash in big by picking up his college football picks on Monday Night’s game.

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