Immersion Effect: September 22nd Edition

I took last week off due to some interesting changes in life, but I'm back. I don't think anybody actually follows this week to week, but it's new, so it'll take time. This week's games are okay, but nothing stands out as *the* game to immerse yourself in. However, with LSU already being a subject of this series two weeks ago, it made it easier to pick this weekend's immersion game.






Alabama was a team I pegged back in March as a darkhorse this fall, and Phil Steele made the same assertion. Their win over Arkansas was both dramatic and important. Saban and the Tide needed a victory like that - a game they would have lost last year, but won. They scored 41 points, something they did only once last year - against Louisiana-Monroe. You have to worry a bit about their defense, giving up 38 points and all. But, the Hogs offense, as everyone knows, has the stud running backs and a good offensive line. This week, with a more straight forward offense, I doubt Georgia scores too many on Saban's D, maybe 20. This game is much more important than the Florida State game next week, and Saban knows it. To stay with LSU in the SEC West, he needs to have his team win this game no matter what. How great would it be for these players and fans to see their team beat two SEC teams they usually would lose to? For Georgia, they need to bring the same defensive intensity they did 2 weeks ago in the loss to South Carolina. Alabama's offense is better at almost every position over the Cocks, so Georgia will be tested. I see this game staying close.

Georgia 20, Alabama 28

Drink of the Week
Crimson Tide
You'll need:
1/4 oz Southern Comfort
1/4 oz Sprite
1/4 oz Vodka
1/4 oz Coconut Rum
1/4 oz Raspberry Liqueur
1/4 oz Cranberry Juice
1/4 oz Maui Blue Hawaiian Schnapps

This one could get a little expensive, but a few things: 1.) You should have most of it anyway and 2.) Get the entire party to pitch in - it's the damn IMMERSION EFFECT people! Anyway, combine all that crap, chill over ice, and strain it into an old fashioned glass. Voila!

Recipe of the Week
Southern Grilled Barbecued Ribs
You'll need:
4 pounds baby back pork ribs
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup prepared mustard
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place ribs in two 10x15 inch roasting pans. Pour water and red wine vinegar into a bowl, and stir. Pour diluted vinegar over ribs and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Baste the ribs with their juices halfway through cooking.

In a medium saucepan, mix together ketchup, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, butter, brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer barbeque sauce for 1 hour.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil preheated grill. Transfer ribs from the oven to the grill, discarding cooking liquid. Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes, turning ribs once. Baste ribs generously with barbeque sauce, and grill 8 minutes. Turn ribs, baste again with barbeque sauce, and grill 8 minutes.

Also, if you don't like your sauce TOO tangy or "vinegary," add a glop of honey and another spoonful of brown sugar to the sauce part of the recipe.

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The ribs are going to be amazing, and I hope you can get all the necessary alcohol for the cocktail. If not, google "Crimson Coma" and you'll find a really simple, red cocktail.

Why is Anyone Surprised by Notre Dame?

One of the biggest mainstream media storylines is Notre Dame sitting at 0-3, without scoring an offensive touchdown. From Rece Davis, to Sportscenter, to fanboys on forums, people are talking about Notre Dame before anything else in college football. And it's confusing me. On forums across the country, there is an underlying argument about Charlie Weis in comparison to Ty Willingham. People wonder why Weis isn't feeling pressure, and again, it's confusing me.

As the title asks, why is anyone surprised at Notre Dame's struggles? We all knew the losses they had coming into this season. It's impossible to expect that team to be any better than 1-2. Penn State and Michigan, in the preseason, were in the top 20. Georgia Tech, too. So why would anyone reasonably expect better than 1-2? You shouldn't have. 0-3 is very understandable for a young team.

Remember, this team lost a 1st round draft pick and all-time leading passer in Brady Quinn. They lost their top 2 wide receivers who combined for 1,924 yards and 27 touchdowns! They also lost the most underrated player on the entire team - Darius Walker. He ran for over 3,000 yards in his 3 seasons, and in his senior year, he had 1,267 yards at 5 yards a pop, plus he caught 56 passes! All in all, the offense lost their top 4 playmakers to the NFL and MLB.

Defensively, the losses were heavy, too. They had a 2nd round draft pick in DE Victor Abiamiri gone, along with 5th round pick DT Derek Landri, and starter Chris Frome graduated. Landri and Abiamiri combined for 17.5 sacks, or 56.5% of the sacks for the entire defense. Losses were rough in the secondary, as well. FS Chinedum Ndukwe was 2nd on the team in tackles, and in my opinion, a more dynamic player than Tom Zbikowski. CB Mike Richardson was a fulltime starter and was drafted by the Patriots.

All in all, of the 5 returning starters on defense, only Maurice Crum and Zbikowsi are dynamic. Trevor Laws at DE can be one, too. Offensively, TE John Carlson is about it. C John Sullivan returned from an already mediocre line that 3 lost starters.

Now, keep in mind of the stats. The offense only returned 74 starts, with 50 coming from Carlson and Sullivan. The defense only returned 125 starts, 35 from Zbikowski.

So, again, why is anyone surprised?

Now, the Weis/Willingham debate. Some people wonder why Weis's seat isn't a bit warm, because you know, Ty only got 3 years. It comes down to 2 numbers: 15 and 19. The former is the number of wins Ty had in 2003 and 2004, with the latter being the number of wins Weis had in 2005 and 2006. Period. Willingham had a 10-3 season followed by a 5-7 season. Weis? 9-3 and 10-3.

While I don't need to go on, I will. In Willingham's 10 win season, ND outscored opponents by an average of 5.4 ppg, and in 2003, they were outscored by an average of 6 ppg. In Weis's 2005, they outscored the enemy by an average of 12.2 ppg, and in 2006, 7.2 ppg.

Starting to make sense? Good. Also, keep in mind Notre Dame is starting 7 freshmen and sophomores on offense. They put together the #8 Rivals recruiting class this past February, and the same rank in 2006. As of right now, for 2008, they are #1. Willingham had #12 in 2003, but #32 in 2004. So, Weis is taking these wins and making the future brighter. But he needs time, and he's earned it. It's unfair to expect a young team to keep pace with a team that had the best 2 year win total at ND since 1992-1993!

So, I ask, why are you surprised?

Money Making Monday: Week 4

So far, I'm making money, but it's a slow grind. There will certainly be a week where I make a big splash. Still, I'm up so far.

YTD: 19-16 +1.4u

Kentucky +7 @ Arkansas

Kentucky will be able to throw all over the Razorbacks, and the Hogs will run all over the Cats. The O/U is out yet, but when it is, I'm hitting the over. Arkansas's defense isn't any better than Louisville's, and while their offense as a whole isn't as good as the Cards', their run game is out of this world. I think Kentucky with a senior QB can go into Fayetteville and not get rattled. A touchdown is a big gap when I think the visiting Wildcats could win outright.

Georgia Tech -3 @ Virginia

Tashard Choice might be out for this game, but I still love the number. Virginia is a wretched team with a wretched offense. They only scored 22 on a bad North Carolina defense, and this Ramblin Wreck defense is for real. Honestly, if Georgia Tech only scores 14 points, they should cover. GT allowed over 400 yards passing to Boston College, but BC has one of the best QBs in the country with a dynamic offense. BC still only scored 24. I like the under in this game, whenever it comes out.

Connecticut @ Pittsburgh -7

This has moved to 8.5, so I feel good about the bet. Pitt's defense has looked really good so far, which is something they didn't have last season. Connecticut barely beat Temple, and we saw with Navy that if you struggle with Temple, you end up being pretty average. UConn loves to run the ball, and Pitt held a very good running Spartan team to 2.8 yards per carry. Hell, UConn ran for only 3.2 ypc against Temple. Blowout alert.

San Jose State +1 @ Utah State

This has gone to +3.5, so I'm not feeling too confident. I guess I'm expecting SJSU to play like they did last season. Utah State is awful, but not as awful as I anticipated. Still, this is essentially a pick at the number I got, and I think SJSU is good enough to win 6/10 times. Isn't it weird to have a write up on a game like this?

Purdue -11.5 @ Minnesota

This moved to -14 within minutes, so I feel damn good about my number. Minnesota is absolutely awful defensively, and Purdue will put up 45+, maybe even 60. Whatever the O/U is, I'll be inclined to get the over. The Gophers are awful - gave up 42 to FAU! Jesus, they have given up OVER 30 points to every team they played - FAU, Miami (OH), and Bowling Green. Two MAC teams and a Sun Belt team. Ouch.

Arizona @ California -17

Revenge game for the Bears, and we saw what they did in the revenge game with Tennessee. Arizona was JUST beaten by New Mexico 29-27 on Saturday. Cal's offense, obviously, is on another level or 8 than UNM. Arizona's offense is still bad, but now inconsistently bad. Cal's defense is definitely a question, but I don't see them, with all the incentive to beat the hell out of Arizona, letting up. Arizona won on a fluke last year, and cost Cal the Pac 10 title. Cal rolls, I think.

Duke @ Navy -10

I've been bitten betting on Navy so far, but this one seems like a good bet. Duke was completely demolished by UConn on September 1st, and UConn is the only team that runs close to as much as Navy. Navy's offense is a lot better than UConn's, so I ecpect Navy to rack up the rushing yards and keep the already awful Duke offense on the sideline. Yes, Duke won a game, but 10 points? C'mon!

Check link at left as usual for updated slate.

Money Making Monday - Week 3

Last week, I went 8-7, but it looks a lot better after the early games were 1-3.
Year to Date: 12-10 +1unit

TCU (-8) @ Air Force

TCU played Texas a lot closer than that final score indicated. It was 10-10 going into the 4th quarter! Air Force did beat Utah, but I think Utah is nowhere near as good as I anticipated. Also, go look at the last 2 games from these two teams. TCU has owned the Falcons. I hate road favorites, but I like this play. TCU's D will stifle that option.

Texas (-20) @ Central Florida

UCF alrighty bit me once this season when the upset NC State in Week 1. Still, this number seems like Vegas responding to the average fans overreacting to poor Texas play in the first 2 weeks. I think the Longhorns got some much needed confidence in the 4th quarter last week, and will beat a very below average Knights team. I only need a 3 touchdown win.

Ball State @ Navy (-5')

Really? Another line that seems too good to be true. Which means I'll get it wrong. Navy lost by 17 to Rutgers on national TV, but Ball State isn't Rutgers. Ball State is probably one of the 6 best teams in the MAC this year, MAYBE, but Navy beats up the stinkies pretty well. And Ball State is a stinky. Run run run all over them.

Ohio State (-4) @ Washington

Beautiful. Ohio State struggles with Akron, Washington beats Boise State, and we have this line. 4? If you combined the best players of Boise State and Syracuse, you wouldn't even touch the speed that Ohio State has. Washington beat an awful awful Syracuse team, and then beat a Boise State team that isn't the 2006 version. This Boise team is a 9-3 team, I think. This is too little of a line. I've been wrong on Washington for 2 weeks in a row, so take that for what it's worth.

Check the link on the left side for updates throughout the week.

Couch Potato September 8th - Block B

Main Game:
Oregon @ Michigan
3:33 EST: No wagers on this game, because, who in the hell knows what to expect. Half the people say Michigan will be fired up. The other half are focusing on last week's Appy State loss and Oregon's defense getting pushed around by Oregon. The over of 64.5 seems reasonable, but I'm staying away from this game like Mark Mangino stays away from salads.

3:42 EST: Chad Henne is awful. Awful like es cargo. Awful like Ann Coulter. One route in the entire play, and he throws it into double coverage. The return on the INT was 60 yards. I have the Ducks finishing 2nd in the Pac 10, so I'd like for them to give me some confidence today.

3:44 EST: Jon Stewart battles his way to the 1, after multiple plays from Oregon's offense that already show you that the Wolverines are awful on defense.

3:50 EST: Big mistake not scoring from the 1. FG good for a 3-0 lead. They will regret those 4 points lost. Dennis Dixon is going to shred Michigan today ... like a block of cheddar cheese.

4:01 EST: Adrian Arrington FLOATED! Like ... David Blaine style floated. Henne with the smart throw, but Arrington FLOATED! He went up and got it with his momentum taking him out of bounds, but he levitated and got a foot in bounds easily. Neither of these teams can play a lick of defense.

4:14 EST: Oregon is pwning the Michigan defense. That is all.

4:19 EST: Oregon misses FG. That's now 7 points they screwed themselves out of.

4:41 EST: Oregon goes for it on 4th and 2 when they could have easily taken the FG. They score, to make it 18-7 with the PAT. This game could easily be 24-10 right now, but some missed FGs from both teams, and a 1st and GL at the 1 wasted by Oregon. In the 2nd quarter, it's clear that Michigan will need to score almost every possession to win this game. The defense stinks like spoiled milk.

4:59 EST: I'm not sure I can find more ways to tell you how awful this Michigan defense is. Oregon touchdown on a FAKE statue of liberty. It's now 25-7, and Michigan has shown ZERO ability to stop a versatile offense. Michigan can't fix the defense - it's that bad. They might lose 6 games because of it. It's an embarrassment.

5:06 EST: Holyyyyy crap. Another Oregon touchdown, 1 play, 7,000 yard pass, nobody close to the receiver. 32-7 Oregon with 3:03 left in the FIRST HALF! Lloyd Carr might not make it through the season. Seriously. These fans are booing, and mostly booing HIM, during the 2nd game of the season. If he makes it through January 1st as head coach, it won't be a day longer than that before he's fired. His players aren't fighting for him, regardless of what they say. Just watch Arrington or Manningham near the sidelines. They step out of bounds without any kind of tackle pressure. The Wolverines this year are mentally weak, and should be ashamed of themselves.

5:13 EST: There it is again. A subtle piece of evidence that Michigan is so poorly coached. Or have idiot players. Henne scrambles out of the pocket, has around 5 yards ahead of him, but runs laterally at the LOS so he can throw it. Everyone is covered, so he steps out of bounds FOR A LOSS OF TWO. Unbelievable.

Secondary Game:
NC State @ Boston College (for now)
3:48 EST: Boston College has it all on offense. If their defense can maintain this intensity all season long and continue to create turnovers, they'll be in the hunt for an ACC Title. Tons of football to play, though.


Random Other Thoughts in Block B:

3:53 EST: Washington takes a quick lead over Boise State 7-0. I have the Broncos -3, sooooo let's hope that isn't a sign to come.

4:15 EST: Crap, Boise State is down two touchdowns already to Washington. I told myself to quit playing small, road favorites. I never learn.

4:58 EST: Washington is a different team this season. I know Syracuse is nothing special, but Boise State is a quality opponent this year. Locker is a stud, and my money for THAT game is going to be gone.

Couch Potato September 8th - Block A

For the Block A games (12-3 EST), I'll be giving the "LAST CHANNEL" button a good workout. My main channel will be ABC with:

Miami @ Oklahoma

12:11 EST: Loud as hell "Boomer Sooner" during the pregame build up. That cheer is one of the two or three best in college football.

12:20 EST: I know it's early, but the Sooners offense looks good against one of the most talented defenses in the nation. Murray, Patrick, and Brown are interchangeable and they take a lot of pressure off Bradford.

12:27 EST: Nice pitch and catch for a touchdown for the Sooners. Bradford's audible shows he's wise beyond his rFr years. Malcolm Kelly is underrated.

12:38 EST: Completely horrible breakdown on punt attempt for OU. He recovers it 7 years later, at their own 8. Do you possibly kick it out of the endzone there?

12:43 EST: Big hold for the Sooners. Kept Miami to a field goal, and keeps my early hopes for a final score under 43 in line.

12:51 EST: Another touchdown for Kelly from Bradford, 14-3 OU in the 1st quarter. My under of 43 might get smashed.

1:07 EST: Another touchdown for OU, on a fumble return. Under review, still a touchdown. My U43 is toast, I guarantee it.

1:40 EST: Touchdown Miami. Kyle Wright needs to be their full fledged starter. Enough musical chairs. 21-10, almost halftime. Only 12 points below my U43 wager. Crap.

2:30 EST: Touchdown Oklahoma to make it 28-13. If anybody scores, I lose. With 7:22 left in the 3rd quarter, I kiss that money goodbye.

2:49 EST: Oklahoma FG, 31+13=44>43. UGH, this was one of my more confident wagers. We'll bounce back. 4th quarter starting, this one is basically over.

Secondary channel:
Nebraska @ Wake Forest

12:12 EST: I have a wager on this game, so it brings my interest up a bit more. I think Wake is a fraud, considering last season they were +5 in close games, and I'm fading them against any good team this year, regardless of venue.

12:31 EST: Wake's offense looks better than I expected. Micah Andrews has great vision and patience. Nebraska had a poor pass defense last year, but Wake doesn't scream "pass happy" in any language.

1:01 EST: Uggggh, get that in the endzone Huskers! FG good, 6-3 Nebraska. Missed opportunity.

1:12 EST: Wake goes ahead 10-6 in the 2nd quarter. My Block A wagers aren't looking so hot right now.

1:34 EST: Touchdown Huskers! Beautiful throw from Keller, 13-10 Nebraska going into half. Good momentum shifter for my bet. :)

2:22 EST: Wake TD, then Nebraska touchdown to make it 20-17. Really was confident about Nebraska -8, but they'll need to improve their play over the last 23 minutes of the game for that to happen.

2:37 EST: Keller throws an interception. Excellent. I might go 0-4 this morning.

3:29 EST: Nebraska gets lucky to win this game, and I'm unlucky to not cover. Nebraska did not look good today, and the Missouri game might be ugly.

Random Other Thoughts in Block A:

12:27 EST: Akron safety! tOSU's OL was owned on that play. Weird.

12:32 EST: Marshall is holding WVU to 6 points with 1:51 left in the 1st half. What .. the ... hell? Marshall gave up 31 to Miami, who, until they prove otherwise, is an average offense.

12:41 EST: Marshall leads West Virginia 13-6 at halftime. That's insane! The Mountaineers will get it figured out, though, and probably win by 14+.

12:58 EST: Alabama with an early 10-0 lead. I've told everybody I can that Alabama will beat Vandy pretty handily. I have Alabama -3.

1:03 EST: West Virginia ties it up early in the 3rd quarter. Both teams are tossing it around, rather than working the ground game.

1:44 EST: Buffalo killing Temple, which is good for my wallet. And yes, if you wager, then CARE about Buffalo at Temple, you're in too much.

2:25 EST: WVU, close to a final, is killing Marshall by 25+. If that holds up, they'll cover. I called it correctly at halftime.

2:50 EST: Colorado State should be up 14-7 right now on Cal, but it's 7-7. CSU is giving Cal fits.

3:28 EST: At halftime, Cal leads Colorado State 17-14. This game seems just like Tennessee-Air Force last season. An emotional letdown for the Bears?

Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Week 2

Boy, after one week of gamesh, thingsh are already heating up! The Univershity of California Golden Bearsh really took it to the Volsh. I told you it wouldn't be closhe and it washn't. Appalachshshian Shtate ish the biggesht shtory of the year, but I think Michshigan will reshpond very well. Did you shee my shegment on Shportshcshenter thish morning? Pep Talk with Lou Holtzsh? It wash fun to do, becaushe it reminded me of my coaching daysh.

-Thish week, the obvioush game to watch is Louishiana Shtate Univershity againsht the Virginia Tech Hokiesh. The Hokiesh didn't look very good lasht week againsht Easht Carolina, but Frank Beamer will have them ready for Baton Rougshe. Matt Flynn will facshe a real tesht thish week with that Hokiesh defenshce led by Xavier Adibi and Thomash Flowersh. I think the Bayou Bengalsh win a closhe one.

-The other big game ish in Athensh, Georgia where the Bulldogsh take on Shteve Shpurrier and the Gamecocksh of Shouth Carolina. Thish Gamecock team ish the besht they've had down there, and they shshould eashily win againsht a team with no defenshce. I'd be shurprished if the Univershity of Georgia keepsh it within two touchshdownsh.

-The Univershity of Oregon Ducksh travel to the Big Houshe thish weekend, attempting to add another lossh to the Michigan win lossh record. Can they do it? No. It will be like a cricket inshide of a glassh jar - not even closhe. Dennish Dixon played too much basheball thish shummer to be prepared for an athletic Michigan defenshce. Mike Hart ish going to rushsh for over 200 yardsh. Did you shee the Houshton offenshive line lasht week? Amazshing!

-Notre Dame ish going to bouncshe back thish week from a fluke lossh lasht week. Jimmy Claushen will shtart hish Heishman campaign thish weekend when the Irishshsh upshet Penn Shtate in Beaver Shtadium. Anthony Morelli hashn't proven he can win gamesh yet, and they don't have Tony Hunt thish year. Notre Dame thirty-shix, Penn Shtate, ten.

What a great shlate of gamesh to watch thish weekend! I'll check in next Thurshday.

Immersion Effect: September 8th Edition

I hope you took advantage of the immersion effect last week. This week, and weeks to follow, should be a lot better, considering the Bay Area isn't a rich college football area. This week's game has taken a hit, after a lackluster showing by one of the teams last week. Still, a top 10 game against two gritty teams makes for an exceptional immersion weekend.




LSU is coming off a simple victory over Mississippi State where the Bulldogs gave LSU everything they needed to whip their asses. LSU didn't show much, and didn't need to. Virginia Tech is coming off a tough win on an "emotional" day over East Carolina, who has become a thorn in the side for many big time schools. If Virginia Tech plays like they did against ECU last week, LSU will win by 3 touchdowns. Something tells me that they'll arrive in Baton Rouge ready to play and this game will be a great one.

Matt Flynn won't have the pleasure of throwing with no hands in his face, as the Hokies always have an excellent defense. Their D blitzes like they were being outlawed the next day. On the other side of the coin, Sean Glennon, who's average as it is, gets to face one of the two best defensive lines in the country. Brandon Ore will need to find a way to help alleviate the pressure on Glennon, but against the LSU defense? Good luck.

My prediction: LSU 17, Virginia Tech 10

Drink of the Week
Hurricane
You'll need:
Light rum
Dark rum
Passion fruit juice
Lime juice
Cherry
Pineapple spear
Froofy paper umbrella

Grab your hurricane glass, or if unavailable, a Collins glass or a highball. A tall glass, okay? Fill it with ice. Add 1 oz. of your dark rum, 1 oz. of your light rum, 1/2 oz. of passion fruit juice, and 1/2 oz. of lime juice. I usually stir for a little bit. Then, if you really want to, add a squeeze of lime (I just add a touch of the lime juice), add the cherry, and add the pineapple spear on the side of the glass. Then the umbrella. This is the drink of Mardi Gras. Drink up, but be ready for hangovers.

Recipe of the Week
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
You'll need:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound andouille sausages
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausages and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausages to cutting board. Cut sausages into 1/4-inch slices. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic to saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice, broth, sausage, cayenne, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in chicken. Cover and simmer until chicken is just done and rice is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, about 2 minutes.

Recipe reprinted by permission of Food and Wine. All rights reserved.

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I was going to post a gumbo recipe, but I think this should do you just fine for this weekend. I know I'll be having both the drink and the jambalaya starting Friday night. Hope this makes your weekend more of a blast!

Money Making Monday: Labor Day Holiday Edition

I'm back from Berkeley and still feeling a bit tired. When you travel to see your team lose, it's taxing on your emotions. I did find time last night to place some wagers for the week, and this week will be heavier than last week, I expect. Right now, four plays for you to read about.

Nebraska (-8) @ Wake Forest

It's no secret that I think the Deacons are going to have a losing record and finish 5th or 6th in their division. I told myself to fade this team early until the rest of the country caught up. Nebraska did beat a typically solid Nevada team, but that Wolfpack team played awful. The Huskers are better than the Deacs at almost every position, and the home field advantage is average for Wake. Lastly, Nebraska is better than Boston College by a few points, as well.

Kent State @ Kentucky (-13)

I've made a point to say that Kentucky could regress a bit this season, possibly into bowl-less land. However, as decent a mid-major as Kent is, Kentucky is going to rack up points in this one. I like the over, and I'll end up adding that, too. My only only worry is that Kentucky could be looking ahead to Louisville next week. Kent beat Iowa State last week, but the Cyclones are nowhere near dynamic on offense as the Wildcats.

Boise State (-3) @ Washington

You can find this at -2' at some sites, but not any that I have money at. Boise State is still a very good team, but aren't being touted as much as last season. Washington, who I think could still finish last in the Pac 10, looked very good (at least in comparison to their usual play) at Syracuse, but Boise State is like ... a stratosphere better than them. This one is a bit of a gut play, which is good. Last week, I passed on a lot of gut plays, and many of them would have made me money. I believe this line is a bit of a reaction to Washington playing their best game in years. Overreact much?

Alabama (-3) @ Vanderbilt

In sports betting, I'll snap a man's neck, then stab him in the thigh with a pen if he ever says a game is a "lock." That word is only used by touts who want to steal your money. No game is ever a lock (coughAPPYSTATEcough), and I'll never tell you I have a lock. Ever. However, I will say that sometimes I'm quite confident about a certain wager. Sometimes I lose those. This is one where my confidence level is really high. Fans still remember Alabama going 6-7, and Vegas knows it. Alabama is a different team, mostly because of Saban. Their attitude is different, which is more important than anything else. This game has been close the last few seasons, but I think the Tide wins by 10 or more.

Indiana (PK) @ Western Michigan

Air Force @ Utah (-7')

Miami @ Oklahoma U43

Southern Miss @ Tennessee O50

Kent State @ Kentucky O51

UAB @ Florida State U51'

Nevada @ Northwestern U53

Toledo (+3) @ Central Michigan

Buffalo (+3') @ Temple

Mississippi State (-6) @ Tulane
Check the link to the left for updated Week 2 cash monaaayyyys.