NBA Betting – Los Angeles Clippers vs. Boston Celtics

The Celtics received a boost this weekend with Kevin Garnett returned to the lineup to help them survive against the Blazers. With the return of KG, the Celtics are hoping that everything will return to normal and will have their Big Ticket receive a big test against Chris Kaman. And yes, I’m totally serious about that last sentence. Kaman is on a bit of a vengeance tour after being unceremoniously snubbed from the All-Star game.

After being given a serious run by the Blazers over the weekend, who were without Brandon Roy, it’s not unrealistic to think a punchy Clippers team can cover this game. But will they?

Getting back to Kaman, who’s just a 6 year veteran though he looks like he was fighting back during the mythical age of ogres and demons, the fact that fans ignored his play this season is a Chris Brown level slap in the face. The big man is averaging a 20-10 this season, and his return to the floor has actually stabilized the Clippers.

For those of you who have kept the Clippers off your pro NBA betting radar this season, they’re 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against Boston.

One of the main reasons that the Clippers have been faltering late in games is that point guard Baron Davis is running out of fuel before games are running out of time. He also has had trouble breaking down defenses by driving the line like a bull dozer like we’re used to seeing. Coming of an injury riddled season last year, and with 10 years of NBA mileage on his legs, it’s somewhat expected for Davis to slow down. Getting matched up against the young and ruthless Rajon Rondo tonight won’t make matters easy for Baron.

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Monday, January 25th — TD Garden, Boston — 7:30pm EST
NBA Betting Line: Boston -11.5 (190)

The Celtics failed to cover a big spread against Portland over the weekend and could very well face challenges against the Clippers, especially if shooting guard Eric Gordon returns to the lineup tonight. That’s an injury you absolutely have to track in to this evening before tip-off. With Gordon, the Clippers have the scoring capability to keep the Celtics challenged.

Naturally what we’re expecting from the Celtics tonight is for KG’s return to amp up their defense. While they still are technically one of the best defenses with 93.8 points allowed per game this season, Garnett will be counted on to contain the technically sound Kaman and the resurgent Marcus Camby. Even for a front court that boasts Rasheed, Perkins and Garnett, that will be a tough challenge for Boston.

The Clippers are not a championship contending team, and likely won’t be until they see what Blake Griffin is capable of at the pro level, but hey are definitely a team that is serving their notice to the league. They’ll put themselves even more emphatically on the betting map of the gambling community by covering against the Celtics. Even with Eric Gordon on the bench, the slump of Ray Allen is enough for me to question the scoring capability of the Celtics. With Gordon, this is a lock.

Furious Free Pick: LAC +11.5 (UNDER)

College Basketball Betting Rankings – Big 12 Power Poll

The boys in the Big XII are all off to great starts in 2009-10, and college basketball gambling fanatics are having a field day with them. Check out how BetOnline Sportsbook ranks the teams in this conference against the college basketball spreads…

1: Baylor Bears (7-2 ATS, 14-2 SU) (LW: 1) College basketball gambling fans had to be glad to see the Bears crack the Top-25 last week, but they couldn’t have been so overjoyed about their lousy effort at Colorado. If the road is going to be this unkind, what will the Jayhawks do to them this week?

On Deck: Away @ Kansas, Home vs. Massachusetts

2: Kansas State Wildcats (8-3-1 ATS, 15-2 SU) (LW: 2) This is your chance K-State! You’ve rolled to 15-2 on the season, but a lot of people still don’t believe in you. Beat Texas this week and all of that will change.

On Deck: Home vs. Texas, Home vs. Oklahoma State

3: Texas A&M Aggies (7-4 ATS, 12-5 SU) (LW: 6) The Aggies may have split the proceedings against the college basketball spreads, but they couldn’t pick up that big road victory to help out their NCAA Tournament resume. Things should get back on track for A&M this week.

On Deck: Home vs. Oklahoma, Home vs. Colorado

4: Missouri Tigers (7-5 ATS, 14-4 SU) (LW: 7) The Tigers may ultimately rue the day that they lost in Norman. There’s only one game on the docket this week, and it’s a crucial clash with Big Red.

On Deck: Home vs. Nebraska

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5: Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-4-1 ATS, 13-4 SU) (LW: 2) Losses at Oklahoma and Baylor are really going to hurt Okie State down the line. This game against the Buffs this week had better be a ‘W’, because victories may be hard to come by in the weeks to come.

On Deck: Home vs. Colorado, Away @ Kansas State

6: Iowa State Cyclones (8-6 ATS, 12-5 SU) (LW: 9) Iowa State is going to need to put together a heck of a run in the Big XII to really make an impact on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but a win at Nebraska was a good start. Figure on needing nine more wins in conference to have a chance, and games like this upcoming one in Lubbock are must-wins.

On Deck: Away @ Texas Tech, Home vs. Kansas

7: Texas Longhorns (7-6 ATS, 17-0 SU) (LW: 4) Survival. That’s been the name of the game of late for the undefeated Horns. They got two more SU wins under their belt to move to 17-0, but after failing to cover four straight games, it’s hard to believe that Texas is going to ultimately survive this week.

On Deck: Away @ Kansas State, Away @ Connecticut

8: Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-5 ATS, 12-5 SU) (LW: 4) A Texas Tech team that was once 12-2 and looking good going into Big XII season is now 12-5 and hanging on for dear life. These next two are very winnable, but slip ups will surely be demoralizing, especially with trips to Austin and College Station looming.

On Deck: Home vs. Iowa State, Home vs. Oklahoma

And the rest…

9: Kansas Jayhawks (7-6-1 ATS, 16-1 SU) (LW:

10: Colorado Buffaloes (5-7-1 ATS, 10-7 SU) (LW: 11)

11: Oklahoma Sooners (6-8 ATS, 11-6 SU) (LW: 12)

12: Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-6-1 ATS, 12-6 SU) (LW: 10)

NFC Wild Card Betting – New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Jets vs. Bengals (-2)
(O/U) 34½
Saturday, January 9 4:30 PM ET

If looking for a high-scoring shootout, this isn’t the game for you. The Cincinnati Bengals (10-6 SU, 7-8 ATS, 6-9 O/U) and New York Jets (9-7 SU, 8-7 ATS, 6-8-1 O/U) square off in an AFC wild card matchup that figures to be a major defensive battle, and a very close and entertaining game.

The Bengals didn’t have anything to play for in their regular season finale against the Jets, having already clinched the AFC North crown and a berth in the playoffs prior to Week 17.

However, Cincinnati’s resounding 37-0 loss to their wild card opponents may have given the aggressive Jets a huge psychological edge heading into Saturday’s opening-round showdown.

Now, the Bengals will try to extend their Cinderella season while the Jets look to take down Cincinnati for the second consecutive week. Either way – one team’s postseason is coming to a swift end – and I know exactly which one.

New York 411

• Jets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
• Jets are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.
• Jets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a ATS loss.
• Under is 4-1-1 in Jets last 6 games overall.

The Jets defeated Cincinnati 37-0 in Week 17, covering the NFL moneyline as a 10-point favorite as Thomas Jones rushed for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Brad Smith also rushed for 92 yards and one touchdown on four carries out of the wildcat.

While the Jet’s regular season finale was off the board for NFL football gambling experts, the Jets have gone a robust 4-1 ATS over its last five games and respectable 5-4 ATS over its last nine games overall.

New York ranked 20th in total offense, but boasted the league’s top-ranked rushing attack (148.8 ypg) while ranking 17th in scoring (21.8 ppg).

Defensively, New York ranked first in total yards and first against the pass, allowing just 152.9 yards per game through the air.

The Jets also ranked eighth in the league against the run (98.6 ypg).

Cincinnati 411

• Bengals are 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Bengals are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games as a home favorite.
• Bengals are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
• Under is 9-0 in Bengals last 9 games as a home favorite.

Not only did the Cincinnati lose to New York in its regular season finale, but the Bengals lost three of its final four regular season games overall and has gone a dismal 1-6 ATS in its last seven games.

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The Bengals ranked 24th in total offense and 26th in passing, but fielded the league’s ninth-best rushing attack (128.5 ypg). Cincinnati ranked 22nd in scoring, averaging just 19.1 points per game.

Like their counterparts in this contest, the Bengals thrived on the defensive side of the ball this season, ranking fourth in total yards allowed, sixth against the pass (203.1 ypg) and seventh against the run (98.3 ypg). Cincinnati ranked sixth in points allowed, limiting their opponents to just 18.2 points per game.

What the Jets need to do to win

First and foremost, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has to be careful with the football. In five of New York’s seven losses this season, Sanchez tossed multiple interceptions, effectively lessening New York’s chances of winning any of those games.

Next, New York must stop Cedric Benson and the Bengals’ bruising ground game. If New York can bottle up Benson and backup Larry Johnson, harassing quarterback Carson Palmer will be much easier for New York’s aggressive defense.

Conversely, New York must also run the ball the way they have all season long and get at least two or three big plays out of its passing attack.

What the Bengals need to do to win

I think Cincinnati needs to be able to run the ball somewhat effectively. If the Bengals can’t run the ball, New York’s blitzing Defense will get a chance to pin its collective ears back and go after Palmer with reckless abandon.

I also believe head coach Marvin Lewis will need to open up his offensive playbook better than he has all season and let Palmer take a few more chances downfield than he normally does. If the former Heisman Trophy winner can take advantage of New York’s sometimes overly aggressive defensive back with a pump fake or two, the Jets will be forced to temper their all-out blitz-happy style.

Last but certainly not least, Cincinnati could cruise to victory – if they pester Sanchez enough and force him into a couple of interceptions. This scenario would be the easiest path to victory for the Bengals, but I’m fairly certain that Jets coach Rex Ryan won’t put his rookie quarterback into a situation where he has to win the game by passing the ball.

Analysis: I love Rex Ryan’s aggressive coaching style and outgoing personality and I believe he’s been a breath of fresh air for a league that prides itself on not creating controversy.

Having said that, I’m going to advise you to play the Cincinnati Bengals to win this game and cover the NFC wild card point spread with a close win at home.

NFL Playoff Free Pick – Bengals -2 Points/Under 34½ Total Points

NFL – Lovie Smith Keeps His Job in Chicago… Here’s Why

When Jay Cutler arrived in Chicago, nobody was more exited than Lovie Smith who felt he had hit the same pay dirt that Doc Rivers did when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett landed with the Boston Celtics. At 7-9 SU and 6-10 ATS, with Cutler leading the league in interceptions and the vaunted Bears defense ranking an abysmal 21st in the league in points allowed, many expected Lovie to get fired for a lackluster effort that saw him miss the playoffs for a third straight year. Surprisingly, Lovie has somehow clung on to his job.

Since arriving in Chicago in 2004, Lovie has gone 52-44 as a head coach and appeared in Super Bowl XLI in a loss to the Colts during the 2006 campaign. He’s had three winning season, three losing ones and his team has been a virtual betting disaster the past two years. This year especially, the Bears were sports gambling kryptonite.

With a Pro Bowl worthy talent like Cutler, the Bears were supposed to make the playoffs and contend for the Super Bowl. The former Denver quarterback had big games against Seattle, Arizona and Minnesota this season but failed to deliver Chicago to the promised land and Lovie was supposed to be the one that got the axe.

It’s not just this season. I’ve lambasted Smith on a skewer for removing Devin Hester from special teams as a kick returner. As the team’s supposed number-one guy, Hester had a world of studying and work ahead of him to become a reliable receiver at the NFL level and though he led the Bears with 757 receiving yards, he had just 57 catches and three touchdowns. As the failed Dante Hall experiment proved, sometimes guys are just great kick returners. That doesn’t mean that you have to make them the core of your entire offense.

Smith and his coaching staff have also been unable to turn guys like Earl Bennett, Greg Olsen or Johnny Knox in to reliable targets for their quarterbacks. Running back Matt Forte didn’t crest the 1,000 yards mark this year and had just 4 touchdowns completely offset by the fact he fumbled the ball 5 times. I know that this isn’t college, but at some point a coach and his staff simply have to get the job done with the talent that they have and Lovie has failed at every turn to do so.

With Brian Urlacher leading an insanely productive defense in 2005 and 2006, the Bears won the NFC North in back-to-back seasons. You can’t credit Lovie for having one of the scariest defenses ever seen on the NFL landscape during that time because the personnel he was working with was unreal. The fact that the much-injured Bears defense hasn’t survived injuries the past three years (ranking 16th, 16th and 21st over the past three years) speaks volumes about Lovie’s inability to develop player talents.

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When that’s the main flaw of a coach, then he can’t stay in Chicago. Jerry Angelo, owner of the Bears, has been staunch on his stance that he will build his team through drafting. The fact he traded away his drafting future for the next two seasons for Chicago was the biggest trade in Bears history, and with Chicago not possessing any viable trade bait on their current roster (they’re not trading Urlacher if that’s what you’re thinking), Chicago is stuck idling as teams like Minnesota, Green Bay and even Detroit get better each year.

The main hindrance that many thought was the problem in Chicago was the $11 million buyout price of the remainder for Lovie’s current deal. The Chicago Bears are worth reportedly $1.082 billion, making them one of the most valuable franchises in the sport. You can’t tell me that $11 million scares the ownership that much when their team is floundering like a beached whale.

The real reason that Lovie is staying in Chicago is simply continuity. Teams like Cleveland and Buffalo change their coaching staffs so frequently that their players get confused by revolving playbooks. The Bears don’t have any tangible trading assets, they have no draft picks in the 2010 NFL Draft and they have no building blocks to be hopeful about aside from Cutler himself.

The Bears aren’t pulling the trigger on Smith because they expect this team to do well with somebody else holding the clipboard, and they’re certainly not gaffing at the $11M buyout price. I think, more than anything, they know there’s no point in making a change at the top because it wouldn’t matter if they did. The Bears will be struggling for a playoff spot for the next two seasons no matter who’s coaching. They might as well ride out the Lovie Smith era while they’re financially obliged to.

That’s right, Bears fans. The ownership has thrown in the towel for next year already.

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3 Game BCS Bowl Parlay – Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and BCS Championship

My final 3 Team Parlay college bowl wager of the 2009-2010 NCAAF Season begins on Monday night when the TCU Horned Frogs take on the Boise State Broncos and ends in the BCS Championship when the Texas Longhorns battle the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The middle game of the parlay is the Orange Bowl where two terrific 2 loss teams, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, figure to battle it out for bowl honors.

Let’s take a quick peek at each game. Below are my college bowl predictions for each game that is part of my 3 Team Parlay: the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and BCS Championship.

Fiesta Bowl – 1/4/2010

Boise State Broncos vs. TCU Horned Frogs

Kick-off: 8:10 pm EST

College Bowl Betting Odds: TCU -7 ½, Total 53 ½

Analysis: TCU has the #1 ranked defense in college football. They also have the 4th ranked offense in college football sports gambling.

Boise State runs a spread offense that in most cases can put up a ton of points, but the Broncos haven’t faced a team quite like TCU this season. The Horned Frogs beat 6 teams during the regular season that would go on to bowl victories in 2009. That’s very impressive. TCU also has a key road victory over the Clemson Tigers in their win column.

Boise State’s lone quality win in my opinion was against Oregon in Week 1 of the season. There’s been a lot of time since that win. The Broncos simply aren’t as good as TCU and it should show on the field in the Fiesta Bowl.

Pick: TCU Horned Frogs -7 ½

Orange Bowl – 1/5/2010

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Kick-off: 8:10 pm EST

College Bowl Odds: Georgia Tech -4 ½, Total 50 ½

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Analysis: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were absolutely terrific when winning the ACC Championship in their last game. They beat a very good Clemson Tigers team for the second time in 2009 and will go into the Orange Bowl with some momentum.

But Tech really hasn’t faced a team with the type of defense that Iowa will put onto the field in the 2010 Orange Bowl. Iowa held both Penn State and Wisconsin, two teams that won January 1st bowl games, to 10 points during the regular season and allowed only 4 teams to score 20 or more points against them in 2009.

That should set things up well for this game to go under the total of 50 ½. Georgia Tech might cover because they could definitely win by a touchdown, but Iowa’s often times pedestrian offense will try to control the clock with the run and the Hawkeyes’ D should keep Tech from putting up more than 28 points in this.

The Orange Bowl should go under on Tuesday night.

Pick: Under the total of 50 ½

BCS National Championship – 1/7/2009

Texas Longhorns vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Kick-off: 8:10 pm EST

College Bowl Odds: Alabama -4, Total 44 ½

Analysis: Alabama went 8 and 5 against the spread during the regular season. The Texas Longhorns went 5-7-1 ATS.

Don’t get me wrong, Texas is a good team but their against the spread record should definitely cause gamblers to pause. Texas, as good as they were in certain games, like their victories over Texas Tech and Oklahoma, were just as bad in other games, like their 10 point victory over Texas A&M where they allowed the Aggies to put up 39 points or their squeaker against Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship where they needed a questionable call in order to beat the Cornhuskers 13 to 12.

Yes, ‘Bama got lucky against Tennessee when winning 12 to 10 but that was many games ago. Since that tough victory, the Tide has rolled against LSU, Mississippi State, Auburn and, in one of the most dominating performances I’ve ever seen in a #1 versus #2 matchup, the glorified Florida Gators.

‘Bama is hitting on all cylinders, Coach Nick Saban is a terrific big game coach and QB Greg McElroy threw for a 66.7 completion percentage against the Florida Gators and their #1 (at the time) ranked defense.

Three other things are in Alabama’s favor in this game: ‘Bama’s defense allows less than 242 yards per game on average, 11 points per game on average, and they’ve got the Heisman Trophy winner carrying the ball for them.

They’re the pick.

Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide at -4

College Football Insider – Week 9 Prime Time Players

Big players step up in big games, and this week, BetOnline Sportsbook takes a look at the top individual performances from last week’s games that helped you cash winning football gambling tickets against the college football point spreads…

QB Riley Dodge, North Texas Mean Green: Ok, so it was a game against Western Kentucky, but any time you account for seven touchdowns, you deserve to be recognized. Dodge missed out on North Texas’ last game and a half with a nagging injury, but he picked a good time to come back to the lineup. The Mean Green’s freshman signal caller had the best game of his career bar none, going 24/30 for 257 yards and four scores through the air. He also chipped in 73 yards and three TDs on the ground as well. Not a bad day for a guy who only had four total touchdowns to his credit before the day started, eh?

The pass defense for the TCU Horned Frogs: The Horned Frogs are doing absolutely everything they can to prove that they belong in the National Championship talk. On Saturday, they pitched a 41-0 shutout against UNLV. The TCU ‘D’ ranks #1 in the land in total defense (235.6 yards per game), sixth in pass defense (146.2 yards per game), eighth in rush defense (89.4 yards per game), and third in scoring defense (11.1 per game). No FBS team has scored more than 17 points against the Horned Frogs this year, and with four more wins, they’ll at bare minimum be playing in a BCS game.

QB Adam Weber, Minnesota Golden Gophers: With the Golden Gophers badly needing a victory to have a chance to gain bowl eligibility, Weber stepped up and had the best game of his career. The junior went 19/31 for a whopping 416 yards and five TDs against a porous Michigan State defense. The win moved Minnesota within just one victory of going to its seventh bowl game in the L/8 years.

RB LaMichael James and QB Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon Ducks: It was impossible to figure out whether James or Masoli was the most impressive player on the field for the Ducks on Saturday night, so we’ll take this moment to recognize them both. James ran for 184 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, gashing through a disinterested looking USC defense the entire game. Meanwhile, QB Jeremiah Masoli was getting it done with his arm and with his legs. Through the air, Masoli went 19/31 for 221 yards and a score. On the ground, he rushed 13 times for 164 yards and a TD. James has now rushed for 490 yards in his L/3 games, and he’s rounding into a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. All of this came against a USC defense that is largely accepted as one of the best in the country. Now the Ducks are the top rated one-loss team in America and may have a stake in the National Championship picture when it’s all said and done.

QB Tim Tebow, Florida Gators: Was this the game that will propel Florida’s senior QB back into the top of the Heisman discussions? Tebow went 15/21 for 164 yards and two scores and ran for another 84 yards and two TDs in the Gators’ 41-17 victory over the Dawgs. However, the most impressive part of the day was that Tebow’s first rushing touchdown of the day gave him 50 for his career to surpass UGA RB Herschel Walker for the most rushing touchdowns in the history of SEC football.

NCAA Basketball Preview – Final Four Prediction

NCAAB: North Carolina Looks to Stay on Top but Kansas and Michigan State Might Have Something to Say about That

Tyler Hansbrough no longer plays for the North Carolina Tar Heels. It feels like Hansbrough had been in college for 10 years. I mean, every time I looked up and stared at my television, I saw Hansbrough staring back at me.

It’s going to be odd not to see Hansbrough’s mug on the screen, but that doesn’t mean that the North Carolina Tar Heels are in any danger of not excelling again in the 2009-2010 NCAA Basketball Season. No Hansbrough, no Ty Lawson, no Danny Green, no problem! The Tar Heels figure to be a tough team to beat in the ACC this year and nobody can coach a team into a Final Four better than Roy Williams.

But the Heels won’t be alone, that’s for sure. It’s the Final Four, not the Final One which is why four teams, the Heels included, figure to make a big run to the NCAAB Championship in the 2009-2010 College Basketball Season. Let’s take a look at those four teams right now.

2009-2010 College Basketball Season Early Final Four

1. Kansas Jayhawks +450 – - Kansas is the favorite in the NCAAB sportsbook and they probably should be. The Jawyhawks made it all the way to the Sweet 16 in the 2008-2009 College Basketball Season without stars. Well, this year, their stars are back which means they should run roughshod over a Blake Griffin less Oklahoma Sooners and a Texas Longhorns squad that, although talented, just won’t be able to stick with Kansas’s firepower.

   Guard Sherron Collins averaged 18 points a game and 5 assists last season. He also averaged a steal per game. That cannot be overlooked. As Collins’s ability to take away the ball could lead to a number of fastbreak opportunities for the Jayhawks because 6’ 10” center Cole Aldrich has the wheels get it done from the center position. Aldrich averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds per game last season. He can get up and down the court too which means that the Jayhawks can do whatever they want, fast-paced, slow-paced, pick and roll, whatever they want on offense. On defense, Coach Bill Self is a master at getting his fellas to play that pressure zone that leads to blow-outs. These guys might be worth the bet at +450.

2. Michigan State Spartans +1400 – - The Spartans return one of the best point guards in college basketball in Kalin Lucas. Lucas averaged 15 points and 5 assists last year when running Coach Tom Izzo’s offense. The college basketball odds on Michigan State are much higher than they should be as the Spartans won’t face a lot of competition in the Big Ten and Izzo, as every NCAA basketball betting fan should know, knows how to get his teams to peak right before March Madness.

   When he gets it going, forward Raymar Morgan can be one of the better players in the Big Ten at his position. He averaged over 10 points per game last season. If Izzo can get more out of forward Delvon Roe, who averaged a paltry 5 points per game in the 2008-2009 season, then the Spartans figure to challenge for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. No matter what, the hoops odds on the Spartans should make some gamblers salivate.

3. North Carolina Tar Heels +700 – - Forget the talk about Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson leaving. If you want to get on the Heels’ case for not having talent, then talk about Danny Green and Wayne Ellington leaving as well. Then, take a look at their roster and marvel at Ed Davis, Deon Thompson and Tyler Zeller. Expect Ed Davis’s numbers to skyrocket in his sophomore season the. The 6’ 10” 215 lbs forward put up roughly 7 points and 7 rebounds in the 2008-2009 season, but he was a freshman back then and he backed up Hansbrough.

   How good could this guy be? Expect him to be a lottery pick in next year’s NBA Draft. Deon Thompson averaged close to 11 points a game last year coming off the bench and the 7 foot Zeller should average close to a double-double each game. Then, there’s Marcus Ginyard who’s a senior guard that can also play forward and used to be one of the top players at NC until Lawson, Green and Wellington showed up. Something drastic for the basketball version of Pete Carrol’s USC football team to not win the ACC Conference.

4. Villanova +3000 – - Texas would have been a better choice for some basketball gambling fans, but I prefer ‘Nova to round out my Pre-Season Final Four. Coach Jay Wright turned down the job at Arizona, although some will say he wasn’t even offered it, because he liked what was returning for the Wildcats this season. Yes, Dante Cunningham is gone, but Scottie Reynolds is a super stud.

   Arguably the top guard in the Big East, Reynolds went for 15 points and 4 assists per game last season. His numbers will increase this season and Corey Fisher hanging out with him in the backcourt makes for a terrific guard centric team. That’s the way Wright likes it. The Wildcats won’t be as good as they were last season, but neither will N.C. or Kansas and nobody in the Big East will be able to stop this team. Wright will have these guys ready for another Final Four run.

College Football Week 5 – Bets to Keep in Mind on Saturday

Some of the best wagers that an NCAA betting fan make are the ones that they might not be paying attention to during the week.

Nobody, for instance, cares about Houston vs. UTEP, right?  That would be a mistake because the games that nobody cares are the ones that could provide plenty mistakes in the betting line. Taking advantage of betting line mistakes is what this game of college football gambling is all about.

Let’s take a look at some interesting games this Saturday in NCAA College Football.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Duke Blue Devils

Kick-off:  12:00 pm EST

Virginia Tech -16 ½

Analysis:  VA Tech was brilliant against the Miami Hurricanes last Saturday when destroying that team at home.  Now, they have to travel to Duke to take on the Blue Devils.  Usually, this would set up as a trap game for the Hokies, but not against Duke.  Duke is atrocious having lost to Army 35 to 19 and Kansas 44 to 16.  What’s up with this weird betting line?  Only 16 ½ points?  The Hokies should roll.

Pick:  Virginia Tech at -16 ½

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Illini

Kick-off:  3:30 pm EST

Penn State -7

Analysis:  After running over Akron, Syracuse and Temple, Penn State faced the best team in the Big Ten, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and failed as 9 ½ point favorites to beat Iowa at home.  Now, they travel to Illinois to take on an Illini team that was blitzed 30 to 0 by Ohio State last week.  Penn State is a good team, but their offensive line is terrible.  Iowa showed how to exploit that bad offensive line.  Illinois was taking notes, I promise.  This game should be close with the Illini possibly pulling off the upset.

Pick:  Illinois Illini at +7

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers

Kick-off:  7:00 pm EST

Ohio State -17 ½

Analysis:  Here’s another Big Ten team that might be slightly overrated.  Ohio State, like Penn State, is having issues along the offensive line.  They looked great when beating Illinois up last week, but Indiana was terrific on the road versus Michigan.  Indiana now gets to face Ohio State at home and the Hoosiers are an underrated bunch.  They’ll put up a fight in this one.  The Buckeyes are the better team, no doubt, but they usually don’t like to cover spreads and Indiana is no push over.

Pick:  Indiana Hoosiers at +17 ½

Houston Cougars vs. UTEP Miners

Kick-off:  8:00 pm EST

Houston -14 ½

Analysis:  Houston is a good team and the Miners are not, but in last year’s game the Cougars only won by 5 points.  UTEP can be tough at home and Houston is due for a let down after rolling through Oklahoma State and beating Texas Tech by a point.  One would think that the Cougars would appreciate playing a team like UTEP after facing those two Big 12 teams, but this could be a trap game for the Cougars.  I doubt UTEP wins, but keeping it within the number is a definite possibility.

Pick:  UTEP Miners at +14 ½

NFL AFC Recap – Jets do it again while Pittsburgh Loses 2nd in a Row

For two teams in the AFC this past Sunday things couldn’t have been any different. Both weren’t living up to expectations, one in a positive way and one in a negative way.

The New York Jets weren’t supposed to be this good. Most football betting so-called experts, this one included, figured the Jets to be a pocket burner. Bet on the Jets and then by Week 3 there’d be a whole so big in your pocket, you wouldn’t have any money left to lose out of it.

Wrong again. Not only are the Jets undefeated straight-up but they are undefeated against the spread after taking down the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday. New York took a 14 to nothing lead, let the Titans get back into it, and then went on to beat Tennessee by a score of 24 to 17. Once again, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was sharp.

Things don’t get any easier for New York this week as they travel down the Mississippi themselves to New Orleans where the Saints will be waiting for them. Sanchez faces Drew Brees in that game after going toe to toe, and beating, Tom Brady in Week 2. What a way to start an NFL career!

On the negative side of expectations were the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday who, for some reason, couldn’t put the nail into the coffin and wound up losing to the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. Hey, losing to a rival on the road happens, but the Steel Men were coming off of a loss on the road to the Chicago Bears. Pittsburgh seemingly stopped the Bengals on their final game winning drive more than once, but allowed Cincy to stick around and stick around until Carson Palmer finally found Andre Caldwell in the end zone for a 23 to 20 victory. Now, the usually hapless Bungles are suddenly 2 and 1 in the AFC North while Pitt is 1 and 2. Pitt is also 0 and 3 ATS. So much for taking advantage of that easy schedule, Steelers!

Baltimore Reigns Supreme

They were playing the Cleveland Browns so you should get too excited, but Baltimore looked absolutely awesome. Because they beat the San Diego Chargers last week on the road straight up as underdogs, the Ravens had every right to pack it in and just beat the Browns by a field goal or touchdown. Instead, they manhandled the Browns, the worst team in the NFL right now, and coasted to a 34 to 3 win. The betting line was 13 ½ points. The Nevermores covered that easily and are now 3 and 0 against the spread. The main reason this team is so good is QB Joe Flacco. The man is awesome. He threw for over 300 yards again this past Sunday.

The Bolts Drown the Fish

San Diego needed a victory this past Sunday but so did Miami. It turns out that Chad Henne, that would be the Fins’ back-up QB, isn’t ready for primetime. The Bolts D took him to school in their 23 to 13 victory.

Miami looked terrible out there, never able to get anything going once Chad Pennington got hurt, while the Chargers got enough going to get themselves the victory. It’s a shame that Miami’s season is pretty much over considering their magical run to the playoffs in 2008. That’s the NFL for you. Things could be looking up for the Chargers but with the attitude they bring to the field, a lack of heart emanates from these guys every time I watch them. Unless they find that swagger that winning teams have, they will probably just continue to be a good team that underachieves.

Broncos Trample Raiders

Denver was only favored by a single point versus the Oakland Raiders this past Sunday. The lines makers got that one wrong as Denver jumped all over the Raiders, winning the game 23 to 3. The Broncos are a stout defensive team. That’s something nobody has been able to say in a while and their offense, led by two very, very good running backs in rookie Knowshon Moreno and former Eagle Correll Buckhalter, may not need Kyle Orten to be Jay Cutler.

Moreno had 90 yards and a touchdown and Buckhalter had 108 yards. That’s impressive. Denver is undefeated straight-up and 3 and 0 ATS. I just gotta say, “Sorry Josh McDaniels! I thought I was smarter than you too!” The Broncos are legit, my fellow gambling friends, and should win the AFC West this year.

Brady Gives Ryan a Lesson

Atlanta QB Matt Ryan should have been taking notes during the Falcons 26 to 10 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Ryan and the Falcons were undefeated going into the game and the Patriots were coming off of a loss. That’s what great quarterbacks and good teams do off of a loss, regroup and win the next week. Brady and the Pats looked terrific out there while Atlanta and Ryan struggled. The Patriots easily covered the 4 ½ point wagering spread.

Colts and Jags Show Up

The Indianapolis Colts, as 3 point favorites on the road, routed the Arizona Cardinals 31 to 10 in Glendale on Sunday night proving that they are one of the top teams in the AFC in 2009. The Jacksonville Jaguars bounced back from an embarrassing loss to Arizona in Week 2 to beat the Houston Texans as 4 point road dogs 31 to 24.

That’s it for the AFC. We’ll go over the NFC games and the NFC/AFC inter-conference games that the NFC won, after tonight’s Carolina vs. Dallas showdown!

NCAA Week 5 Preview – Cal vs. USC and Oklahoma vs. Miami

The SEC begins its full schedule this week with LSU taking on Georgia. Both teams ranked in the Top 25 which means this one should be a good game. Georgia was all out to beat the ASU Sun Devils this past Saturday and LSU, thanks to three fantastic plays by safety Chad Jones, escaped with a victory over Mississippi State. Georgia should be between 1 to 3 point favorite in this game although LSU will definitely have supporters. The Georgia offense should fly high against an LSU defense that at times has proven to be pretty mediocre.

When it comes to stopping the LSU offense, however, Georgia could be in some trouble. This is the most important game this weekend because after this weekend, LSU faces the #1 NCAA ranked Florida Gators. Should LSU win this game, they could easily march against Florida as a Top 5 ranked team.

Cal Looks to Bounce Back Against USC

California will not be ranked in the Top 5 when they take on the USC Trojans this weekend because Oregon absolutely annihilated them. But that was on the road, and they get to face USC at home. USC wasn’t very impressive against the overmatched Washington State Cougars. The team that wins this matchup is supposed to have the inside track to the Pac 10 Championship, so somebody better step up.

Oklahoma’s Bradford Could Return Against Miami

The final top game for college football gambling fans to really pay attention to is the Oklahoma Sooners vs. the Miami Hurricanes. Miami was so awful against Virginia Tech this past Saturday that the only way they could put themselves back into the BCS mix would be to go undefeated the rest of the season.

The road to redemption for the Hurricanes begins this weekend when they face the Sooners at home. 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford could be back for the Sooners who would like to do nothing more than to beat Miami like a drum and get themselves back onto the BCS track to glory.

Boise State Looks For 5th Straight Victory ATS in 2009

Boise State has not only won four games in 2009, they’ve covered the spread in those four games. That easily makes them the best team for online betting fans to bet on so far this college football season.

That could end this Saturday when they face UC-Davis. The reason? What online football wagering spread could the BetOnline NCAA sportsbook odds makers possibly create for this game? 54 points? 60 points 70 points? UC-Davis is a ridiculous team. Some gamblers, this one included, didn’t even know they had a football team. Boise State will either be favored by too many points this Saturday or the odds makers won’t even set a line. Either way, the Broncos will be looking at 5 and 0.

Mississippi Could Be in Trouble Again Versus Vanderbilt

The Ole Miss Rebels went into South Carolina as one of the most talked about teams so far in 2009 but they failed to get the job done and lost to the Gamecocks straight up and against the spread. The same thing could happen this Saturday as Mississippi travels to Tennessee to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Commodores are the type of defensive team that could give that Rebel offensive line fits. With Alabama looming two weeks or so from now, Ole Miss can’t afford to lose to the Commodores. A loss is possible, a victory against the Commodores in the sportsbook might be improbable.

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