College Football Lines
Nebraska, Iowa set for regular-season finale
2014-11-28
It's a meaningless matchup that means everything to the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers.
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini's status is yet again a hot topic ahead of the Iowa game. Pelini kept his job despite a 38-17 home thrashing against the Hawkeyes last November, and he rewarded new athletic director Shawn Eichorst with a bowl win over Georgia and an 8-1 start in 2014.
But a two-game slide has left the Huskers (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten) in danger of their sixth straight four-loss campaign.
A bad showing in Iowa City could spell the end for Pelini.
''I think the last two weeks we didn't play very well. I said this earlier in the year: Some of the things were happening and weren't hurting us. And that's reality. In the last two weeks it's hurt us,'' Pelini said.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz isn't going anywhere, not after signing a huge contract extension in 2010.
But a second straight win over Nebraska - and the 8-4 mark that would go with it - would go a long way toward satisfying a fan base that thought the Hawkeyes (7-4, 4-3) could have won the Big Ten West.
Both teams enter Friday's game unranked and out of league title game contention. But the circumstances surrounding this year's matchup should help turn this series into the rivalry the Big Ten always hoped it would become.
''We want to win really bad. They want to win really bad,'' Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock said. ''Does that make it a rivalry? It probably does.''
Here are a few key things to consider with Nebraska and Iowa set to meet in Iowa City:
ABDULLAH'S DAY? The Big Ten's best backs have done big things against the Hawkeyes in Kinnick Stadium. Indiana's Tevin Coleman had 219 yards rushing on just 15 carries and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon had 200 in last week's 26-24 win. Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah could be the next back to slice through the Hawkeyes, but he hasn't been the same since he sprained his left knee against Purdue this month.
RUDOCK: Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock has made plenty of strides since the last time he played Nebraska. Rudock has 14 TD passes, a league-low four interceptions and is less than a point behind Ohio State's J.T. Barrett for the Big Ten lead in completion percentage. ''It's not only he has ability, but he really works at it hard. The other part is, can you do that when you get knocked around a little bit?'' Ferentz said. ''It's really a tough job. Some guys are better than others. He's really doing a nice job.''
GREGORY VS. SCHERFF: The matchup to watch inside will be Nebraska defensive end Brandon Gregory against Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff. Gregory has seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. But Scherff is one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy given to the nation's top lineman. The Huskers will likely move Gregory around to exploit matchups, but it'll be fun to see Gregory and Scherff square off.
WIDEOUT WOES: Pelini said Monday that Jordan Westerkamp will play after hyperextending his knee in last week's loss to Minnesota. But Kenny Bell, whose 171 career catches are the most in school history, is questionable after sustaining an apparent concussion against the Gophers. ''When somebody has a head injury, it's difficult to say,'' Pelini said.
TICKETS: Iowa and Nebraska's fan bases have long been regarded among the most passionate in the Midwest. But that hasn't translated at the ticket office. Iowa spokesman Steve Roe said Wednesday that just under 3,000 tickets were still available. Kinnick Stadium seats 70,585.
Saban still not satisfied
2013-04-22
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Spring practice Online Bingo Play Slots Online in US NFL Betting Lines is finished for Alabama, and coach Nick Saban is less than satisfied with his team, as usual.
It really wasnt because of those nine turnovers in Saturdays spring game, either. Saban said some Crimson Tide players are too comfortable with their circumstances, but he notes that he found cause for discontent at springs end for each of the three national championship teams in the past four years.
Unabashed praise just isnt his spring thing.
I spoke to a bunch of different alumni groups [Saturday] and they all want me to make a comparison between this years team and last years team and the team before that and the team before that, Saban said after the A-Day game. I wasnt happy with any of those teams at this point.
If I was happy with them, we wouldnt have summer conditioning, we would not have fall camp, we wouldnt have 30 practices to get ready for our first game against Virginia Tech. Wed just pack it in and say, All right, lets go to Atlanta and play the game. Were not there yet.
Bama has more than four months before that opener in the Georgia Dome to get there.
AJ McCarron completed 19 of 30 passes for 223 yards and a 40-yard touchdown to Kenny Bell but also was intercepted twice before an announced crowd of 78,315. McCarrons White team won 17-14 against the Crimson, led by the first-team defense.
The offenses combined for six interceptions and three lost fumbles, mistakes that Saban said werent characteristic of the spring as a whole. He roamed the field surveying the action in slacks and a sports coat.
The biggest thing that I was concerned about is how would the team go out there, he said. What would be their energy, their enthusiasm and their attention to detail. Mental intensity. I dont think that there were enough guys that answered that question in a positive way to my liking. But Im never satisfied.
T.J. Yeldon had 69 yards rushing, 60 receiving and scored the winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 1:04 left to earn MVP honors of the spring game for the second consecutive year. The 1,000-yard rusher is set to replace potential first-round NFL draft pick Eddie Lacy.
McCarron set up the winning score with a 50-yard pass to Christion Jones, who played both receiver and cornerback as he has all spring.
Alec Morris led a drive down to the White 11 in the final minute but threw two incompletions to end the game while going for the win instead of the tie. The winners get a steak dinner and the losers beans and weenies.
Its unclear what the menu would be for a draw.
Alabama played seven quarterbacks and kept with the coaches plan to get a bunch of reserves in the game in the third quarter.
Blake Sims, last years No. 2 quarterback, completed 5 of 10 passes for 52 yards but was intercepted by Nick Perry on each of the first two drives. Early enrollee Cooper Bateman, a highly recruited freshman, had two of his three attempts picked off.
McCarron cautions against making too much of those mistakes.
Its just like playing in an all-star game, he said. You dont get in a rhythm. Its not a real game, but its fun. Its fun to go out there and try to make plays happen and get to do some trick plays and stuff.
McCarron had an interception returned 86 yards for a touchdown by safety Vinnie Sunseri on the final play before halftime and chased him all the way to the goal line. Since he was in a black, non-contact jersey, McCarron only needed to get two hands on him.
AJ almost caught me, Sunseri said. I never would have heard the end of that.
Like their coach, Sunseri & Co. left spring with high ambitions and standards going into next season.
Were trying to be an unbelievable team, Sunseri said. With coach Saban there, hes definitely going to let us know when we mess up. Thats what we need. Weve got a great leader. Weve got a great quarterback. And weve got a lot of guys that are surrounding him trying to do something special.
2015 Kentucky Derby Odds
2015-04-15
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Odds to Win 2015 Kentucky Derby
March Madness Bracket
2015-02-15
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CFB: Capital One Bowl - LSU vs. PENN STATE (1:00 PM ET, ABC)
2010-01-04
Perhaps the best matchup of the New Year’s Day bowl games, LSU & Penn State bring plenty of talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, into their Capital One Bowl matchup. Penn State is the favorite, minus-2 points according to Sportsbook.com, but more bettors seem to be interested in the total going under the posted number of 43.5.
Penn State has gone 7-3 in bowl games since 1995, but two of those three losses came in the Capital One (formerly Florida Citrus) Bowl series. In fact, the Nittany Lions scored just 15 points in those two games. They’ll look to bust out offensively, or at least simply outscore LSU, in the 2010 game, which should be defensive oriented. Penn State yielded just 11.8 points per game, en route to a 10-2 SU and 6-6 ATS record. LSU was 9-3, allowing just 16.0 points per game. The Tigers will also be looking to extend a run of overall success in bowl games, as they boast a 10-2 SU and 9-3 ATS record since 1995. Under head coach Les Miles, the Tigers are 15-6 ATS in games versus non-conference foes. Penn State was a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS on the road this year.
On the surface, Penn State (10-2) versus LSU (9-3) would seem like a premier bowl matchup. However, despite both teams’ lofty records, the reality is that neither of these teams were serious factors in their respective conference races. Combined, they were 0-4 against BCS conference foes and more interestingly, their offenses generated just 8.8 points per game in those matchups. Essentially, against quality opposition, both of these offenses shut down. There are also two very simple, yet powerful, trends that point to this one staying under the total of 44. Head coach Joe Paterno and Penn State are 92-69 going UNDER the total since 1992. Finally, if you would’ve blindly bet the UNDER on all Penn State and LSU games this year, you’d have some extra holiday spending money (15-7, +7.3 Units). I’ll call for that trend to continue.
Top FoxSheets.com ATS Trend
PENN ST is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in road games vs. good defensive teams who give up 17 or less points/game since 1992. The average score was PENN ST 16.6, OPPONENT 24.3 - (Rating = 1*)
Top FoxSheets.com Total Super Situation
Play Under - All teams where the total is between 42.5 and 49 (PENN ST) - with a good defense - allowing 315 or less total yards/game, after gaining 475 or more total yards in their previous game. (87-46 over the last 10 seasons.) (65.4%, +36.4 units. Rating = 2*)
CAPITAL ONE BOWL Series Trend: Georgia beat Michigan State last January in the Capital One Bowl to snap a 4-game upset winning streak by the Big Ten in the series. The last two times Penn State appeared in this game, they only scored 15 points combined, losing SU & ATS both times. Three of the L4 games have gone UNDER the total.