11/19/2008 - Baton Rouge, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - SEC foes will collide in Baton Rouge this weekend, as the 18th-ranked LSU Tigers welcome the Ole Miss Rebels to town. Both teams are 3-3 in league play and figure to produce a highly competitive ball game.
Ole Miss has won its last three games to improve to 6-4, and while the team is already eligible for a bowl invite, a road victory over LSU would certainly improve the program's postseason prospects. The Rebels took a break from SEC play last weekend to post a 59-0 decision over UL-Monroe. First-year head coach Houston Nutt has his team playing with a great deal of confidence, and in addition to the fact that Ole Miss is the only team in the nation to beat Florida this season, all three league losses have come by seven points or fewer.
As for LSU, it came out completely flat against Troy last weekend, and the Homecoming crowd looked on in disbelief as the Tigers fell behind by a score of 31-3 in the second half. What ensued what the greatest comeback in program history, as Les Miles' team fought all the way back for a 40-31 victory. LSU, which hasn't won back-to-back games since September, was fresh off a heart- breaking loss to top-ranked Alabama, so a setback against Troy would have been devastating. At 7-3, the team is in good position to get a solid bowl bid.
LSU holds a 55-37-4 series advantage over Ole Miss, including six straight victories over the Rebels.
Ole Miss is scoring 29.4 ppg to go along with 391.4 total ypg, solid production from an offense lacking noticeable stars. The team is generating 4.9 yards per rushing attempt, and rather than rely on one player to carry the load, the Rebels have three men with at least 400 rushing yards. Dexter McCluster, who has run for 457 yards and four scores, leads the team in receptions with 34 to date. Shay Hodge has only caught 31 passes, but seven of those grabs have gone for scores. Jevan Snead has completed 53.5 percent of his passes for 1,983 yards and 17 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
Snead was able to pad his stats last weekend against UL-Monroe, as he threw for three touchdowns on just six completions and ran for a pair of scores. Cordera Eason paced the ground attack with 106 yards and a touchdown, while Mike Wallace finished with 111 yards on just two catches, including an 88-yard reception. "Once again, we challenged the offensive line about being physical," said Eason after the game. "Coach said he was going to come out and set a tone by running the ball seven or eight times to open up the drive, and he held onto his word."
Opponents are scoring 20.0 ppg against Ole Miss, which is yielding 328.6 total ypg. The Rebels have been strong against the run, limiting foes to 3.0 ypc and 103.4 ypg. Unfortunately, they have yielded their fair share of big pass plays. Ole Miss has done a good job of getting off the field, as opponents are making good on just 33 percent of their third down conversion attempts. Jamarca Sanford leads the Rebels with 71 total tackles, and Peria Jerry is tops with 10.5 TFLs.
Ole Miss pitched the shutout against UL-Monroe last time out, limiting the Warhawks to 131 total yards. The Rebels permitted just 2.1 yards per rushing attempt and allowed only 7-of-18 passes that they faced to be completed. Ole Miss intercepted two passes and limited their overmatched opponents to 3-of-15 success on third down conversion attempts. "For the seniors, it was the biggest game we've had since we've been here," said triumphant defensive lineman Chris Bowers. "Getting bowl eligible is what we wanted to do, and we went out and did it."
"That doesn't happen a lot," said LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee after the thrilling victory over Troy. "I've never been part of a comeback that big. That shows you a lot about our team tonight. Not one time in our minds did we think we were going to lose this game." Lee threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, something that has happened to the signal caller multiple times this season. Still, he remained focused and finished the game with 216 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell in the second half that got the crowd back into the game. Charles Scott ran for 90 yards and a touchdown, and Quinn Johnson added a pair of short rushing scores. LSU is averaging 32.1 ppg this season on 394.2 total ypg.
The Tigers are posting 4.7 yards per rushing attempt and 12.8 yards per pass completion, proof that they have found success via both means of attack. Scott has been tremendous, rushing for 1,071 yards and 14 touchdowns while churning out 5.9 ypc. Lee has connected on 54.1 percent of his passes for 1,824 yards and 14 scores, but he has been intercepted 15 times. LaFell has made 55 catches for 772 yards and seven touchdowns and is clearly Lee's go-to guy.
Coach Miles credits his defense for beginning the turnaround in the second half against Troy. "With our defense, it was three and out, and our defense got turnovers," said Miles. "Our defense showed just great effort and energy." Sure, the Trojans managed to rack up 380 total yards in the clash, including 316 yards through the air, but a closer look at the box score reveals that Troy ran 89 offensive plays. The Tigers did not allow a single point over the final 26 minutes of the tilt, key to the victory. LSU was expected to play dominant defense this season, and that simply has not been the case. The Tigers are yielding 24.9 ppg and 311.1 total ypg this season, and while those numbers aren't horrendous, they also aren't good enough to lift the team to elite status. Harry Coleman leads the Tigers with 55 total tackles, and Rahim Alem has posted six sacks.
<< Lacking luster, Michigan visits Ohio State
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - College football's most storied rivalry will
add another chapter this weekend, as the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes host
the Michigan Wolverines. In the past, this showdown has often determined the
Big Ten titl
<< 'Noles and Terps duke it out in key ACC contest
College Park, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ACC remains up for grabs, and
Saturday's game between the 22nd-ranked Maryland Terrapins and the Florida
State Seminoles has major implications.
Maryland sits atop the Atlantic Division with a 4-2 leag
<< No. 3 Florida gets late breather against The Citadel
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The third-ranked Florida Gators will take
on The Citadel in a non-conference mismatch this weekend. Considering the
strength of the Florida program, it is unclear what the Gators hoped to
accomplish by schedul
<< Beehive State rivals square off with Mountain West crown at stake
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The regular-season title in the Mountain
West Conference and a chance to compete in a BCS bowl game all come down to
this, the meeting between 16th-ranked BYU and the eighth-ranked Utah Utes at
Rice-Eccles
No. 9 Boise State puts perfect mark on line versus Nevada >>
Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ninth-ranked Boise State Broncos try to keep
their perfect season intact as they face off against the high-scoring Nevada
Wolf Pack in a Western Athletic Conference battle in Reno this weekend.
Boise State is
Crucial Mountain West clash pits Falcons against Horned Frogs >>
Fort Worth, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the possibility of earning a share of
the Mountain West Conference regular-season title, the 15th-ranked TCU Horned
Frogs hit the field in Fort Worth this weekend against the Air Force Falcons.
TCU, whi
Biggest game of weekend has Red Raiders visiting Sooners >>
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A huge matchup with possible national title
implications takes place in Norman this weekend, as the second-ranked Texas
Tech Red Raiders attempt to remain perfect on the season when they take on the
fifth-ranked Ok
ACC foes collide in Atlanta as Miami takes on Georgia Tech >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a crucial ACC Coastal Division battle, the
23rd-ranked Miami-Florida Hurricanes square off against the Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium this Thursday.
After starting the season just 2-3, the
While the NFL is the sport wagered on the heaviest, college football betting lines has become more and more popular as people realize it’s a game that can be beat. The NCAA football season gets longer each year with the addition of numerous bowl games and with that comes more opportunities for more money in your pocket, if handled correctly.
Betting on college football is not the same as with the NFL, so make sure you separate the two. Because of the vast number of teams, the parity between college football programs is slight and thus, you are going to see some high numbers in the NCAA. Teams favored by more than 40 points are not uncommon especially early in the season when teams playing their non-conference schedules.
The best advice when trying to tackle these enormous spreads and is to just stay away. A team that is favored by 40 points is favored by that many for a reason while teams getting 40 points are bad enough that they shouldn’t be touched. Set yourself a spread limit. Getting rid of these games will cut down on the number of contests that you need to handicap while staying away from backdoor or front-door covers.
What is a backdoor and front-door cover you ask? A backdoor cover is a team that is getting beat by more than the spread, but scores late to get within that number thus covering the spread. A front-door cover is just the opposite where the favorite scores late and covers the number they are favored by.
These front-door and backdoor covers are common when second and third string players enter games in college football and it can be the worst nightmare for some bettors. These players can also be your best friend, but ask any bettor and he will give you more instances on losing in this situation than winning. It just seems to work out that way even though everything evens out in the end.
College football betting has some of the softest lines of any sport and it’s being able to find these lines that will make you a successful college football handicapper. The NFL and NBA have the tightest lines around and while those sports can be beat by looking at situations and systems, college football doesn’t quite work that way. It’s much more manual, but when done correctly, it’s much more gratifying as well.
Getting into the nuts and bolts of college football means looking at the many stats in order to beat the number. As opposed to pro football, college football is less dependent on situations and angles and more on certain statistics. Rushing offense and defense, pass efficiency offense and defense and turnover margins are huge. These are vital in the NFL, but even more so when it comes to college football.
Being able to run the ball in college football has always been a key factor in the overall success of a team. The same adage also goes for teams who have the ability to stop the run. Putting these two factors together can produce some positive results in a team’s record both straight up and against the spread. These numbers show huge differences in teams and the spread may not take those into effect, which is where the value comes into play.
Passing yardage numbers both for and against can be a misinterpreted statistic. However, pass efficiency has always been one of the best ways to look at a teams’ passing game ability both offensively and defensively. But is it really a true indication of how they perform? I wouldn’t say so since they are raw passing numbers with nothing else taken into consideration.
I use pass efficiency ratings when doing my handicapping but I adjust my numbers based on a number of factors including power ratings, strength of schedules, personnel and injuries. This gives a much better picture of a team’s ability to pass effectively and also being able to defend the pass. Tweaking pass efficiency stats instead of raw passing yards is the key.
Turnovers are the single most frustrating, and at times the most gratifying, aspect of a college football lines, mostly because they are so unpredictable. They are part of the game and most of the time nothing can be done to control them. However, turnovers are contagious and they can carry over from game to game and season to season.
It’s important to know how to forecast these unforeseen events and how to use them to your advantage. You can find ways to give yourself an edge by looking at past histories of teams and coaches and how they have fared in turnover wars in the past. Instead of turnovers hurting you at the wrong times, find ways to use them to your advantage.
As you can see, college football handicapping is very labor intensive and isn’t just based on where teams are ranked in the AP and coaches polls. Experience, coaching and match-ups are all important since unlike the NFL, college teams turn over much more often with new personnel at most positions every single year. Keeping current on this information is vital.
Betting NCAA football can be lucrative if done correctly, but more importantly, it’s just plain enjoyable because it can be beat. College football is one of the best sports to watch with some of the best rivalries taking place in all of sports. The only downfall is that a championship isn’t decided on the field but on a computer-based system that is the Bowl Championship Series. That will change someday and we will all be better off for it.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your NCAA college football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
MySportsbook.com : Fortune Favors Favorites in March Madness betting?
Just like Day 1 of the “Sweet 16”, Friday’s games are chock full of some of the nation’s elite. Unlike Thursday’s games, there is a little bit more of a “Cinderella” feel as #7 seed UNLV and #6 seed Vanderbilt will attempt to move on to the Elite Eight. With powerhouses Florida, UNC and Georgetown looking to continue their momentum against lesser known teams, it isn’t surprising that once again the “betting public” is backing most of the favorites. As the early coin rolls in, 56% of Sportsbook.com bettors prefer Georgetown (-7.5) as they take on Vanderbilt; 84% of the early money is backing Oregon (-3) as they square off against UNLV; and a slight majority (52%) of the early cash is on Florida (-10.5) against Butler as the Gators continue their quest for another National Title. The only favorite the public don’t seem confident in is UNC, as 59% of the cash is backing the underdog Trojans (+8).
Midwest
#1 Florida vs. #5 Butler
The defending National Champs have been on a mission since last April. Joakim Noah and Al Horford turned down millions of dollars for one reason, to REPEAT. After a late season hiccup which saw them lose three out of four, the Gators have won six straight by an average of 20.3 points. More importantly, they covered in five of those six games. Behind their stymie defense that yields only 56.9 PPG, Butler has been a very pleasant surprise this season. As their 20-11 ATS record will indicate, “surprise teams” like Butler are often good bets for gamblers. Playing in an average conference, Butler wasn’t and underdog too often but when they were, they covered (6-0 ATS). Butler’s defense will have its hands full against a Gators offense which averages 80.1 PPG on an amazing 52.9% shooting from the field. With Florida’s tournament experience over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that they are 5-1 ATS this season, 20-4 ATS over the last three seasons and 38-20 since 1997 in tournament action.
#3 Oregon vs. #7 UNLV
As a #7 seed, UNLV is the closest thing to a “Cinderella” we have this year. If you bet on UNLV this season with any regularity, you most likely cashed in. Behind their guard oriented attack, the Rebels are an impressive 20-11 ATS this season. As an underdog they covered in 8 out of their ten games which isn’t surprising since they are 52-30 ATS as a ‘dog since 1997. The Rebels have been a consistent cover during the month of March as well. This March they are 6-0 ATS, 11-3 ATS over the last three seasons and 24-11 since 1997. Their impressive ATS trends don’t end there; versus teams with a winning record they are 15-6 ATS this season and 41-21 over the last three seasons. Although Oregon hasn’t been as generous to gamblers as UNLV this season, they have been covering consistently as of late. There is no question that they are playing their best ball of the season having won their last 8 straight up (SU) by an average of 14.5 points. Not surprising they covered in 7 of those games. It is interesting to note how similar these teams are in regards to scoring and scoring defense. UNLV averages 75 PPG while giving up 66.5 PPG and Oregon scores 75.8 PPG while yielding 65.5 PPG.
East
#6 Vanderbilt vs. #2 Georgetown
“Hoya Paranoia” is officially back! After a decent start, Georgetown has rolled through the second half of the season. Over their last 18 games, they are 17-1 SU. They have definitely improved ATS as the season has progressed as well. After opening the season 1-4-1 ATS, the Hoyas have covered 78.3% of their games. With their great interior play of Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas as a team shoot 50.5% from the field. Like the Georgetown teams from years ago, they also excel on defense. Hoya opponents averaged only 56.8 PPG on 38.2% shooting from the field and an extremely low 30.4% from beyond the arc. The last stat could be of some concern to Vanderbilt considering they shoot 37.7% from long-range. Ranking second to last in the SEC in rebounding margin, Vanderbilt will have its work cut out for them against the Hoya trees. As far as covering is concerned, Vanderbilt has been almost a “sure thing” (7-1 ATS) versus good defensive teams that allow less than 64 PPG.
#1 UNC vs. # 5 USC
The Tar Heels are as talented and as deep as any team in the country. Going ten deep and chock full of HS All-Americans, UNC averages 86.1 PPG and scored 100+ seven times. Led by All-American forward, Tyler Hansbrough (18.6 PPG 7.9 RPG) UNC has a very balanced attack which can kill you on the inside as well as on the perimeter. UNC only real concern is their youth as eight of their rotation players are either sophomores or freshmen. UNC was a reliable cover this season going 20-13 ATS. An intriguing covering trend for the Tar Heels in recent years has been how they fared after non-conference games. This season they are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games and over the last three seasons they are 31-13 ATS. USC is also a pretty deep team which is loaded with swingman types. An match-up to keep an eye on will be freshman forward Taj Gibson (12.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG) as he squares off against the AA Hansbrough. USC has been a covering machine this season achieving a 21-10 record ATS. They have thrived in the underdog role, having covered 10 out of 12. When playing a team with a winning record, the Trojans are an incredible 20-6 ATS. Keep in mind, USC dedicated their season to former star to Ryan Francis who passed away before the season so as they get closer to the ultimate goal, emotion could definitely be on their side.
With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action. Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at this sportsbook “Betting Trends”. By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards
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