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‘Yeah, fine. But what about college?’ I know. Believe me, I know. Speak- according to the long line of media goobers desperate for hype to invent. ing of , did you see the headlines early last week that were all over the place?: “The experience was well-deserved for Lambert because he made his- tory in more than one way and officially cemented himself as the leader “Nine Florida players out with the flu!” of this football team -- his football team.”

“So we’re gonna struggle today...we’ve got some guys getting IV’s al- “His” football team, 4-0 with wins against 1-3 UL-Monroe, 1-3 Vanderbilt, ready, we had a bunch in yesterday and a bunch of guys today,” said 2-3 South Carolina and Southern U. of FCS. Attaboy, Greyson! Go Grey- Florida head coach JIm McElwain. “Obviously...it hurts in preparation...it son, Go Greyson, Go Greyson! Did they etch initials into him certifying is something we have to deal with.” official cementation? By the way, I made history after I left my bathroom earlier this morning. In more than one way, too. “McElwain didn’t name the nine infected players, but with players in such close quarters, they might not be the only ones infected before Saturday’s “Lambert was surgical with how he carved up South Carolina. He was game. And that’s not exactly great news considering the Gators have No. a man possessed with how focused he was and how he checked down 2 Ole Miss coming into Gainesville on Saturday.” when first options didn’t work out. He didn’t miss guys on easy routes…”

When I saw it for the first time, I said, “Send it in on the Gators, right?” Look at this kid check down! He didn’t miss the easy completions, which So right! I mean, really: ‘Infected players!’ ‘IVs!’ ‘More disease to come!’ makes him just like…any other average out there! Amazing!

All that was missing was a Twitter tweet from a Florida player’s relative “It might have taken longer than anyone wanted, but Georgia has its quarterback.” asking for prayers for his dying cousin with fluids dripping from his arm who was having last rites administered through a bubble by the team He’d been announced as the starter before the season began. chaplain wearing a haz-mat suit. To me, it was shocking that the line stayed at 7 all week after that alleged news broke. But you never know. “It has a guy who shrugged off a mediocre performance with a masterful Without it, maybe it would have come down to 4. We just don’t know. We outing. Talk about resiliency.” do know this: What everybody knows isn’t worth knowing: Florida, 38-10. Nobody was talking about resiliency. You were talking about ‘cementing I find so much of today’s sportswriting to be amusing because it is so bad. his place at Georgia.’ Say, was that Greyson Lambert’s butt plastered You already know how I feel about Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert, to the bench for the second half of the Alabama game? Why, yes. Yes, who nobody heard a hoot about while he was anchoring Virginia’s offense it was. with an 11-13 TD-INT ratio for most of two seasons. After Georgia blew out hapless South Carolina a few weeks ago, an article with these ex- “First” News of the week: cerpts appeared at .com, the prime source of most things bad: “Tulane long snapper Aaron Golub became the first legally blind person to play in a D-I game when he snapped on an extra point after the Green “Record-breaking QB Greyson Lambert cements place at Georgia” Wave’s final touchdown in a 45-31 victory over Central Florida.”

That was the headline. I don’t have to check to see what irrelevant “stat” Well, all I can say is that when it comes to legally blind people actually got called a “record” by the clown who wrote this. It would be a waste participating in high-profile football games, Golub had forerunners for at of my time. There are about 12 “record-breaking” a week, least a dozen years: the Pac 12 and NFL referees. – B. Smith *ATLANTA over WASHINGTON by 3 We at SR tabbed the Falcons as a Best Bet, last week, but make no PRO FOOTBALL mistake -- handfuls of rational people took up with the Texans in their invasion of Atlanta. The projected return of RB Arian Foster was an attrac- tion (Foster did play, but was hardly a factor). Those with long memories THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 were aware of the modern Atlanta history of being unable to string to- gether more than a couple of superlative efforts in a row, before the air in

*HOUSTON over INDIANAPOLIS by 6 the room gets close and throats tightened. But under ex-Seattle DC Dan Quinn, the all-too-familiar loss of focus after a stretch of success has dis- File Sunday’s very predictable Atlanta blowout win against Houston into appeared. Atlanta came from behind in two successive games to prevail, the nearest circular file, then hearken back to last year’s Thursday game then proceeded to dismember the Ryan Mallett-led Texans. The Redskins between these AFC South rivals, on this field, when then-rookie NFL head are by no means great, and Kirk Cousins at QB realistically places a cap coach Bill O’Brien had his nuts coached off by Chuck Pagano of the Colts, on their upside, but this is a regular-season non-divisional so you might who came out as if they were off a bye week. That has to stick in O’Brien’s expect a measure of regression from the Falcons after they’ve scored 137 craw. The Colts were able to eke past Jacksonville on Sunday with Matt points in their first four. Given this fat spread, believe Redskin line and Hasselbeck playing a full game plus overtime at quarterback. His 40-year- ground game can eat clock and condense this proposition to manageable old body, off short rest, against Angry J.J. Watt and some other young and proportions. Would expect Falcon OC Kyle Shanahan would love to stick hungry Texans defensive dudes would not seem like a good thing. Neither it to Daniel Snyder off his recent years at D.C. with Pop Mike, but feeling would a sub-par Luck seem ripe for beating these guys here right now. isn’t necessarily doing. ATLANTA, just 23-20. Houston bringing RB Arian Foster back from injury last week for light duty means that he should be ready to sneak through some nice holes tonight. RECOMMENDED Indy is 14-0 SU vs. the AFC South since 2013. But what were once domi- *KANSAS CITY over CHICAGO by 20 nant wins have become squeakers in 2015. HOUSTON, 23-17. The poor (and getting poorer) Bears are well-situated for some seri- SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 ous disappointment here, after managing to ride the sure right foot of one of the few top-drawer professionals (PK Robbie Gould) left JACKSONVILLE over *TAMPA BAY by 1 on the roster to eke out seasonal win #1 against the road-favorite (let that roll around your tongue for a while) Raiders at Soldier Field. We’re still waiting for the wakeup call to sound through Bucs HQ, as Now away, against a non-conference foe, with two NFC North divi- their home sonambulence continued last week against the Panthers, as sionals on tap, you might surmise this assignment might not get the Jameis Winston continued to distribute interception gifts . . . four, just Bears’ optimum attention. So, the situation is ripe for the Big Red last week. Vinny Testaverde at least had the excuse of being color-blind! Chiefs to take advantage. Alex Smith remains the prototypical “Game In public pronouncements, the Jaguars’ Blake Bortles likes to play the Manager,” anything but a mad bomber, but conservative, precise at “You think this is so easy, try it!” card. We all know league defenses are short range, frequently subject to having his limitations exposed damned fast and it isn’t at all easy or everyone could do it, but Bortles when striving to close deals in various league Red Zones. But after must be judged by journeyman NFL standards. Going 28-for-50 against enduring another frustrating visit by Peyton Manning, followed by an the lousy Indy defense and winding up being unable to beat a Colt contin- arduous journeys to Lambeau and the fearsome regular-season of- gent WITHOUT Andrew Luck (in part, due to a trio of miserable field-goal fensive machinery operated by Andy Dalton, entertaining the Bears misfires) was ugly. Still, we’re left with the relatively-experienced Bortles will be akin to an afternoon of babysitting a meek group of Little Lord and Co. – despite the fact the Jags are enduring their third consecutive Fauntleroys. Given Will Montgomery’s broken leg, Chicagoans march road game! Tampa home woes continues. JACKSONVILLE, 22-21. forward without an experienced center. At last, Andy Reid’s defense *TENNESSEE over BUFFALO by 1 isn’t slated to face the Broncos, Packers or Bengals. Even if the Kan- sas City offense is by no means The Greatest Show on Earth, the Go back to Week 2 for Tennessee, when they lost 28-14 at Cleveland. The Bear defense has been a devolving disaster area for the past two- Browns’ 3-4 defense – head-coached by Mike Pettine, who followed Rex plus seasons when faced with competent professional competition, Ryan from Baltimore’s 3-4 to the Jets’ 3-4, then went to the Bills and ran a with no relief in sight. KANSAS CITY, 34-14. 3-4 before going to Cleveland to direct his DC formerly from the Jets’ 3-4 to build another 3-4, leaving behind a 3-4 that was changed to 4-3 last BEST BET year but changed back to a 3-4 when Ryan and his DC Dennis Thurman *PHILADELPHIA over NEW ORLEANS by 18 got there from the Jets before this season -- helped burn Tennessee 28- The Cowboys went empty backfield on the Saints with 1:50 remain- 14. Got that? The Browns sacked Titans’ QB Marcus Mariota seven times ing in regulation in Sunday night’s game, going zip-zip-zip down the that afternoon and injured his ankle in the process. However, the Bills will field and into the end zone. and the Eagles’ assistants have to weather some bye-week tweaks by the Titans, their own pen- were no doubt watching and thinking, ‘Us, and our sorry 1-3 butts, chant for penalties, Ryan’s penchant for being out-coached, and other can do that from the start! Spread ‘em out! Zip-zip-zip! Down the field things Bills-like, such as who’ll carry QB Tyrod Taylor home if WR Sammy against this Saints’ defense!’ The Saints are dragging their own sorry, Watkins and RB LeSean McCoy are still out injured? TENNESSEE, 18-17. 1-3 butts up to Philly after doing overtime vs. the Dallas B squad. *BALTIMORE over CLEVELAND by 3 Dallas’ defensive line didn’t have enough healthy bodies on it to bring serious pressure against Drew Brees for one quarter, never mind four, Browns’ opponents usually know they’ve been in a ballgame. They also and note that Dallas’ defensive captain, linebacker Sean Lee, left that usually beat the Browns because the Browns do Browns-like things, game injured in the first quarter. The Eagles’ defense is in better posi- like mental errors on top of mental errors that compound physical er- tion to bring pressure for the entire game. The Saints seem to have rors and lead to more mental errors. The “spread score” for this game been reduced to a small-play team which, when matched against is Baltimore, 25-19. But in the preface of the recently released second a decent defense, goes on boring drives destined to be stifled by edition of a book entitled, “How to Beat the Pro Football Pointspread,” penalties, or end in a turnover just as easily as they could end in a (hey, is that a book plug?!) it is noted, in a teaching example, that Balti- score. When the Eagles beat the Jets in New York, they faced a better more hasn’t scored more than 25 points in a game vs. the Browns since version of the “Ryan 3-4” defense than they’ll line up against in this 2009, including when the Ravens positively had to beat the Browns in game. For instance, the Jets allow only 5.7 yards per pass attempt the regular season finale a year ago. The Ravens’ offense and defense and have 6 INTs. The Saints allow 9.3 yards per pass attempt and still have much to prove when their only win was against the Steelers have 0 INTs. Eagles’ RB Darren Sproles to Saints: ‘Remember me? with quarterback Michael (Ugh!) Vick having only three days to prepare You could use me right about now.’ PHILADELPHIA, 34-16. for his start against them. BALTIMORE, 20-17. 2 offense is quick to the against a Dallas defense accustomed to playing the fewest minutes in the NFL, now being pressed into longer duty: 34:13 vs. Atlanta, 30:53 vs. New Orleans. PRO FOOTBALL In their first two games, the Dallas defense only needed to be on the field for 22:50 and 19:35 vs. the NY Giants and Philadelphia. Huge *GREEN BAY over ST. LOUIS by 15 difference! Like, 2-0 vs. 0-2! NEW ENGLAND, 34-17. The marketmakers lured the susceptible into the trap with that superfi- cially-cheap line on the Cardinals last week, as Ram HC Jeff Fisher horn- BEST BET swoggled another NFC West rival. Unfortunately for ex-Bear Mr. Fisher, DENVER over *OAKLAND by 18 the canny Ram mentor is well-aware of what he’s in for, here. Given his No doubt relieved by their ordeal-by-fire escape against the hang- limited resources on the offensive side of the ball (if the Ram attack unit tough Vikings and the Purple Gang’s refreshed and rededicated Adri- isn’t the weakest in the league, statistically, it’s right there), Fisher is com- an Peterson, Peyton Manning and friends will be looking to rewrite pelled to pick his spots in order to show the world just how smart he can more lines in the record book with their annual seasonal visit to their be, and the chances of his being able to rouse the troops into possibly country cousins down San Francisco Bay way. Yes, the Raiders are scaring the daylights out of Aaron Rodgers and his Packer pals at Lam- improved, with ex-Alabama Amari Cooper provoking reminiscences beau are – to be kind – remote. The Packers absorbed San Francisco’s about Cliff Branch, as Cooper augments the already-decent Raider best powder-puff shot, emerged unscathed, and return to their beloved air attack commanded by Derek Carr. Seasonal results demonstrate home grounds to put on yet another display of offensive firepower. Yes, Carr is improving with experience, but after the Raid’s two-game win- Fisher’s a renowned giant-killer, but in just how many big spots can you ning streak was snapped in the final moments by the beyond-des- attain the upset successfully, with this offense? GREEN BAY, 31-16. perate Bears, this figures to be just one more unpleasant experience for the Silver and Black, this time at the hands of what is undoubtedly *CINCINNATI over SEATTLE by 4 one of the best and deepest defenses we’ve seen emerge in this The road to the 4-0 SU and ATS Bengals’ eventual first-game playoff -de league over the past few decades. The prevailing Raider offensive feat continues, as Seattle just ended the first quarter of its season and line isn’t set up to deal with the kind of carnage the likes of Von Miller figures to start the “next four” a tad flat off the short week foranon- and T. J. Ward can mete out, and when the Broncos have the ball, conference road game. The 2-2 Seahawks have a home game against there’s That Man again, throwing deadly-accurate midrange darts 4-0 Carolina coming up next, which could be a head-to-head home-field against an overmatched secondary, in order to arrive at a “safe”, if decider for a post-season game, or tie-breaker for a playoff berth. Cincin- modest, double-digit final margin. Raider head man Jack Del Rio is nati is showing a versatile offense that can hit big plays and also convert fresh from his multi-season stint as Broncs’ DC, but since he didn’t in, short-yardage situations. Andy Dalton’s 10.2 YPA is tops in the NFL. Of quite have the personnel Wade Phillips enjoys now, he can only look course, Seattle’s defense tends to bring down the YPA of good quarter- on with a mixture of envy and chagrin. Oakland has multiple defen- backs. Yet the Seahawks’ defensive YPA of 7.9 is way off from the 6.3 and sive flaws to exploit. DENVER, 31-13. 5.8 YPAs that carried them to those two Super Bowls. CINCINNATI, 24-20. *NY GIANTS over SAN FRANCISCO by 4 ARIZONA over *DETROIT by 2 A good performance by the Giants in a stand-alone, nationally televised After waving goodbye to Ndamukong Suh, the Lions are finding to their game last happened…when? Granted, the G-Men are usually pitted chagrin they can’t prosper without Suh, either. The Detroit fan base has against a better foe than these 49ers when the nation is watching them come to the realization that QB Matthew Stafford is most-unlikely to uplift bumble and stumble. West Coast visitors have a slight edge when they the prevailing roster to potential championship levels. Flat on their backs at kick it off at night on the East Coast and it’s only 5:30 pm, their time. But 0-4 after their trip to Seattle after their sprightly first-half opening-day spurt as noted in the Midweek Update Best Bet on Green Bay over San Fran- at San Diego fizzled out, the Suh-less defense has been unable to support cisco last week, bad teams tend to be the ones who cannot make favor- Stafford and an aging Calvin “Megatron” Johnson in the style towhich able situations work, such as the 49ers scoring only 3 points at home vs. they’ve become accustomed. Stafford’s always been a hifalutin’ sort, with the Packers, when Green Bay had come to their place off a short week a far-higher opinion of his personal abilities than that shared by the broad and a Monday Night win. San Francisco’s Week 1 game-plan of power public. As is often the case, pronouncements of likely results without ac- rushing with two tight ends might work well enough for a while here. The cess to the Monday-night fallout from the Pacific Northwest Rules-Gate Giants are running a version of the Packers’ offense and the Niners did come with caution. But as Cards currently lay, Arizona maintains a healthy well enough against the real Packers last Sunday – in straight-up and Carson Palmer, a demonstrated ability to travel well for Bruce Arians, and pointspread defeat, of course. The Giants have NFC East rivals Philadel- a far-brighter 2015 future. To be fair, this 0-4 home dog with a roster mon- phia and Dallas on deck. NY GIANTS, 20-16. strously-superior to that of a typical winless outfit is not likely to roll over and die. But can they get over the hump, here? For now, ARIZONA, 22-20. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

RECOMMENDED *SAN DIEGO over PITTSBURGH by 4 NEW ENGLAND over *DALLAS by 17 Ben Roethlisberger’s knee sprain is virtually certain to keep him away from ‘Say, the Cowboys have defensive ends Randy Gregory and Greg the battles for a few more weeks. For those who have viewed Michael Hardy returning for this game. Their stop unit will suddenly be like Vick’s prevailing quarterbacking form over the past few years, that does the ol’ Doomsday Defense and beat back this invasion by the mighty not seem like good news for Steelers supporters. With grievous o-line and Patriots!’ Nah. Hardy hasn’t played a down for the Cowboys in a real secondary health issues, the Chargers were life-and-death to hold off the game, Gregory only two quarters of the season opener. By rights, invading Browns on Sunday. One positive development will be the return it should be an exhibition game for them, against a New England of redoubtable TE Antonio Gates, back in business after a first-four-weeks offense that is as close to a well-oiled machine as it gets. Bill Belich- suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. But the addition of Gates ick and staff, coming off a bye week, were watching Dallas struggle to the Bolt arsenal could be offset by a loss if head-bonked WR Malcom through the Sunday Night game at New Orleans against a sub-par Floyd is forced to miss the game. The Steelers counter with their own pass- Saints team, passing around the Cheese Nips, Mister Saltys and catching suspension returnee, WR Martavius Bryant. With good reason, Mountain Dews, confident that they are catching the Cowboys before Le’veon Bell remains the most-prominent ground asset for the Steelers, and the defense hits its peak, and as the Dallas offense still tries to figure Antonio Brown remains one of the most resourceful, dependable wideouts out the best way to play with QB Brandon Weeden to WR Terrance in the league. Bryant’s return makes Brown more dangerous, and Vick will Newman – not Tony Romo to Dez Bryant -- as the main connection. have had almost three times as long to prepare for this start, compared to The Dallas offense is slow to the line of scrimmage. The Patriots’ his three-day Baltimore prep. SAN DIEGO, 24-20. 3 AKRON over *EASTERN MICHIGAN by 11 The Zips won 31-6 in Akron last season, when Rob (I played at Penn State so I must be good, but I’m really not) Bolden was still anchoring the Eastern COLLEGE FOOTBALL Michigan offense. Akron’s run defense has shined so far this season, includ- ing in the home 14-12 loss vs. Ohio on Saturday. You’d think their own - ing attack would improve by practicing against their defense, but it never THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 does. And Thomas Woodson being hailed as a great QB off one big game at Louisiana-Lafayette was kind of ridiculous. Bring back Pohl! AKRON, 28-17. *HOUSTON over SMU by 26 The host Cougars are probably built better for a short-week home game BEST BET than SMU is for a short-week road game. After all, the formerly June Jones- *WEST VIRGINIA over OKLAHOMA STATE by 20 coached team now being coached up by Chad Morris & Crew have already Oklahoma State was drubbed at home by Texas last season, by 21 banged their overmatched bodies vs. TCU, Baylor and even East Carolina points. They went to Texas a few weeks ago and won by only 3. We last week. They got caught up in a shootout vs. ECU and soon realized that say only 3, because Texas has been beaten by 35 points at Notre they didn’t have the ammo for one. That may not stop the head coach from Dame and by 43 points at TCU. Okie State was also beaten at home having them play poorly now so they can play better later. HOUSTON, 47-21. last season by West Virginia, by 24 points. West Virginia knows that they blew the Oklahoma game on Saturday by committing mistakes *SOUTHERN CAL over WASHINGTON by 23 and being -3 in Turnover Margin. They know Oklahoma State’s offen- It’s USC head coach Steve Sarkisian and many of his assistants, against the sive system very well, and they know that when Okie State’s offense Washington program they abandoned for more money and prestige. Wash- doesn’t have its customary 200-200 Rushing/Passing balance, then ington has to know that they’re in the Trojan crosshairs here, with Sarkisian it’s not the Oklahoma State offense. It doesn’t have the balance: only and five former Huskies staffers, including the ex-recruiting coordinator, pre- 691 rushing yards in five games, vs. 1,725 passing yards. Meanwhile, paring for a visit from their former pupils. If that wasn’t already enough intel, nobody has been shy about running the ball vs. Okie State’s defense: then there’s the hire Sarkisian made in February of the former Oklahoma 51-176 for UTSA, 42-171 for Texas, 42-144 for Kansas State. The State offensive line coach – who spent a month preparing to beat Washing- door has been kept shut, but West Virginia’s RBs, Smallwood and ton in the Cactus Bowl last season – as his o-line coach and run game co- Shell, can knock it down. WEST VIRGINIA, 41-21. ordinator. The visitors may as well pull down the window shade and prepare for impact. SOUTHERN CAL, 38-15. *PENN STATE over INDIANA by 7 Because they won 13-7 vs. the Hoosiers last season, Penn State’s defense FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 would love to have another gander at Zander Diamont, if that kid has to play QB in place of oft-injured Nate the Great Sudfeld, the 6’6”, 240 senior with a *MARSHALL over SOUTHERN MISS by 7 steady 60% completion rate in his four collegiate seasons. The Indiana de- Southern Miss has been hanging the kind of offensive numbers on people fense sacked Christian Hackenberg five times in that game. Look out, now. that Marshall hung on them the last several seasons: 56, 52, 49 points at Big task for the Indiana coaches here, bringing them back off the narrow their own level or below, and they also moved the ball well vs. Mississippi home loss to Ohio State. PENN STATE, 24-17. State and Nebraska. Marshall needs to beware, here. They are coming off five straight games against weak offensive opposition: Purdue, Ohio U., Nor- DUKE over *ARMY by 13 folk State, Kent State, Old Dominion. Their quarterbacks are not lighting it Duke’s run defense has to be considered a major advantage in this match-up, up like Rakeem Cato (40-13, 39-9 TD-INT, yow!) did for two seasons. In fact, considering that they allowed Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense to gain only Southern Miss’ senior QB Nick Mullens is on a Cato-like pace, with a 14-3 173 total yards last month. We refuse to be put into position to be fooled by TD-INT after five games. That projects to about 33-8! MARSHALL, 28-21. the narrowness of Army’s 20-14 loss at Penn State. That was nice, but it was accomplished while Penn State was looking ahead to Indiana, and included *VIRGINIA TECH over NORTH CAROLINA STATE by 3 the usual three lost fumbles by Army (out of seven fumbles they made!) that Oh, God. Virginia Tech is on television again? The same old story-line: De- are always liable to kill any wager made on this team. DUKE, 31-18. fense and special teams desperately try to find a way to bail out the hapless offense while the crusty-but-benign beloved head coach looks on. While this *TEMPLE over TULANE by 18 familiar ‘A’ plot plays out, the ‘B’ plot involves Wolfpack idiots who stole The final score of their regular season finale last season was Temple, 10- candy from babies in September almost getting away with robbing the Hok- 3. The offenses were actually worse than that, because each team’s de- ies’ house. But they make a mistake and are caught before they can get fense had a touchdown called back for a penalty. Temple has the kind away. VIRGINIA TECH, 21-18. of turnover-happy defense that Tulane’s mistake-prone offense tends to feed. Same deal, favoring Temple, when the special teams are on the SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 field. TEMPLE, 31-13.

OKLAHOMA over TEXAS by 22 (at Dallas) *IOWA over ILLINOIS by 14 In last year’s 5-point loss, Texas pulled a Jets vs. Patriots: 38:00 possession Although Illinois was off a bye when they lost a home game 30-14 to Iowa time, 482 to 232 edge in total yardage, +1 in turnovers, but lost. After the win, last season, their quarterback Wes Lunt was rusty coming off an injury ab- OU head coach Bob Stoops blamed 14 of his team’s non-offensive points sence, and two starting offensive linemen were out. Sure, excuses, excuses. for messing with his offense’s momentum: “You lose an offensive possession It’s Illinois, they don’t need an excuse for losing because they’re so good when you return the kick for a touchdown, the offense doesn’t get their pos- at it, right? Off a rare, Big Ten win, accomplished in the final seconds, the session when you return an interception for a touchdown…it throws you off.” Fighting Illini travel to face an Iowa defense that has yet to allow a rushing That is just so weird, it might have been true. OKLAHOMA, 45-23. touchdown this season…and now they’ve played Wisconsin! IOWA, 24-10.

MINNESOTA over *PURDUE by 5 *OHIO STATE over MARYLAND by 38 The teams were separated by 1 yard of offense, 1 turnover (favoring Minne- When Maryland head coach Randy Edsall signed his contract, he didn’t sota) and 1 point in last season’s 39-38 Gophers win. We’ll avoid the obvious know he’d be coaching in the Big Ten. There isn’t a quarterback on the ros- temptation to knee-jerk onto Purdue, off their closer-than-expected loss at ter the coaches can trust, not after Caleb Rowe tossed his 11th interception Michigan State, and Minnesota’s larger-than-expected loss at Northwestern. in three-and-half games, and Daxx Garman tossed another in relief. Garman Purdue thinks they have a great quarterback find in David Blough because bailed on Oklahoma State’s very nice system, and can now play out the he completed 48% of his passes for 4.4 yards per attempt at Michigan State. string of his collegiate career for an offense with no identity backed by a That’s how bad the ones before him have been. MINNESOTA, 22-17. similarly faceless defense. OHIO STATE, 49-11. 4 BEST BET *WESTERN MICHIGAN over CENTRAL MICHIGAN by 20 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Who’s eager to step in against the ‘perfect’ 4-0 ATS Central Michigan team? Do we have to go it alone? Their three covers in losses to Okla- homa State, Syracuse and Michigan State were exhibitions for the *BOSTON COLLEGE over WAKE FOREST by 10 other sides. When they beat Northern Illinois on Saturday, they were merely doing what they always do – beat Northern Illinois. So what Although Boston College is without its original starting quarterback, the if nobody else in the conference can? When the WMU game meant back-up Flutie-gene kid is also hurting, the third-stringer is a lousy passer everything to Central last season – regular season finale, MAC West (good runner) and their top is also hurt, they’d have to have title still within reach, senior day and all that – the Chips choked on it. three offensive linemen, two tight ends and half the defensive front seven Unlike the Northern Illinois team that came into their place kind of gut- joining those kids on the sidelines before we’d consider using Wake Forest ted off two 60-minute efforts vs. very physical Ohio State and Boston on the road again. BOSTON COLLEGE, 23-13. College teams, CMU travels into a fresh and fit home side playing its

*OHIO over MIAMI-OH by 20 conference opener. The Zach Terrell to Corey Davis connection rises again, supported by… how many rushing yards by Jarvion Franklin? They met in last year’s regular season finale. Miami-OH had a 21-7 lead 150 maybe? WESTERN MICHIGAN, 41-21. with 5:00 left in the third quarter, intercepted Ohio QB J.D. Sprague in the end zone… and that didn’t seal it. They lost the game 24-21. Ohio has now *ALABAMA over ARKANSAS by 18 won eight of the last nine meetings and that may have been Miami’s best chance for a while. OHIO, 30-10. In last season’s 14-13 win vs. an Arkansas team they’d beaten 52-0 two years in a row, Alabama was plagued by turnover bug that its offensive RECOMMENDED body is host to. Sometimes, they take medication and beat back the bug. *TOLEDO over KENT STATE by 26 Other times, they forget to take the meds, the bug thrives, and Alabama For a 1-7 dead piece going in, Kent State was pretty scrappy when plays under its influence. Everyone knows that Arkansas’ rushing style is they played Toledo to a 30-20 defeat in one of those ESPN2 week- not destined to blow up the scoreboard vs. the Tide’s defense. The tran- night affairs last November. Or did Toledo just pack it up and start sition from Tennessee’s defensive front, where success was expected, looking ahead to Northern Illinois after they’d taken a 23-0 lead? Aha! to Alabama’s, is very drastic. Ask Georgia’s Heisman candidate RB Nick So that was it, wasn’t it? After this, it’s only Eastern Mich and UMass Chubb about that. ALABAMA, 31-13. for the Rockets, whose 225-pound RB Kareem Hunt has been kept nice and fresh for a wild run through the MAC. Don’t mess with 4-0 SU *AIR FORCE over WYOMING by 20 and ATS Toledo. Quarterback Philip Ely has a chance to start hitting A team that gave up 7.4 yards per play to New Mexico’s triple-option offense more throws against the MAC defenses. Already, he went from 48.3% and was a +24 road underdog at Appalachian State on Saturday makes a sec- to 55% in one game after meeting Ball State, who they handled de- ond straight road trip and will attempt to improve their “assignment defense” spite the absence of unstoppable RB Kareem Hunt. He hasn’t been technique against Air Force’s flexbone. All those in favor of sending it in on sacked yet! TOLEDO, 37-11. Wyoming, stand up and be heard. Silence, eh? Not surprising. Catching Air Force in Week 2 last season, before Falcons had gotten their attack in sync, *NORTHERN ILLINOIS over BALL STATE by 10 probably benefited Wyoming’s cause in a 17-13 win. AIR FORCE, 33-13. It seems that Central Michigan has Northern Illinois’ number. The Chips are the only MAC foe that has beaten Northern Illinois in the regular season since *BOWLING GREEN over MASSACHUSETTS by 10 2011, and they’ve done it three times! Ball State is not Central Michigan. Ball One of these defenses will make a stop at some point. UMass’ offensive line State just watched Toledo get flagged 13 times for 135 yards – 100 more pen- was getting good push at Notre Dame two weeks ago using extra tight ends. alty yards than Ball State had – yet lost the home game by two touchdowns. The Minutemen seem to have a strategic edge with the better rushing attack Northern Illinois returns home off three straight road losses and should re- to at least keep the other side’s offense off the field for a while longer. But if discover some its conference class mojo. NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 34-24. they don’t score at the end of their possessions, Bowling Green probably will at the end of theirs. BOWLING GREEN, 41-31. APPALACHIAN STATE over *GEORGIA STATE by 20 Appy’s defensive back Latrell Gibbs had a Pick Six vs. Wyoming, his fourth *MISSISSIPPI STATE over TROY by 36 INT in four games. Georgia State throws a lot (rushes for only 3.5 ypc), and Angry SEC host, off loss vs. very together offense of Texas A&M, returns home QB Nick Arbuckle gets intercepted a lot, so Latrell Gibbs will have an op- to face Sun Belt also-ran coached by first-season guy who replaced down- portunity for his fifth or sixth interception in five games. In last season’s 44-0 trending 24-year head coach, and just lost his conference home opener to a win by Appy, the yardage was 567 to 62. GSU coaches, to players: ‘Can we transition-year South Alabama team getting less than 300 total yards of of- show up this time?’ They didn’t last week, in a 8-point home loss to Liberty fense. Good luck to all prospective Troy backers. MISSISSIPPI STATE, 45-9. of FCS. APPALACHIAN STATE, 34-14. *MISSISSIPPI over NEW MEXICO STATE by 45 *PITTSBURGH over VIRGINIA by 10 Under head coach Doug Martin, NMS has been blown away 56-7 at Texas, Virginia has played four games without getting a turnover from the other 59-13 at UCLA, 63-7 at LSU and 61-13 at Florida. New Mexico State’s ath- team. They got 1 vs. Pitt last season, which was the main reason they won letic director calls these $1 million guarantee games “a necessary evil. The the game 24-19; that turnover was a Pick Six that put them up 24-3 at half- loss at Florida was Week 1 this year. The AD also said, “I think that playing time before they went scoreless in the second half. In addition to not getting more than one of those [in a season], isn’t the best way to build a football turnovers, the Cavaliers are not pressuring opposing passers. So, good luck program.” Neither is playing the second one seven days after Ole Miss loses to any Virginia backers out there! They’re off a bye, maybe DC Tenuta will by 4 touchdowns. MISSISSIPPI, 52-7. tinker successfully, but then again, maybe not. PITTSBURGH, 30-20. *BYU over EAST CAROLINA by 13 Tough deal for East Carolina, going out to Provo, UT for a non-conference BASEBALL BRIEF! -- Every day of the Baseball road game after making a round trip to and from SMU in Dallas, with a Post-season. BEST BET, RECOMMENDED look-ahead to conference foe Tulsa. Take a step farther back, and you see that it’s a fourth road game in five weeks, against a 55% Pass vs. Run Side and Totals action only for our Sports team, the first non-run skewed opposing offense they face this season. Reporter Online members! Is BYU getting some scheduling love back for the bad set-up at Michigan that we whiffed on? BYU, 40-27. 5 RECOMMENDED MIAMI-FL over *FLORIDA STATE by 1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Everett “Big Game” Golson? Not quite. If FSU’s QB is without his crutch, possibly-injured RB Dalvin Cook, then faith in Golson should dwindle more. Miami had the Seminoles dead to rights last season BAYLOR over *KANSAS by 46 but Jameis Winston did his usual comeback thing. Florida State’s Jayhawks players may want to replace the names and numbers on their jer- defense is racking up nice stats but if they’ve faced a real quarter- seys with ‘Please don’t kill us’ you have your only Big 12 revenge game of the back and passing attack yet from among South Florida (ugh), Boston season on deck vs. West Virginia’ signs. Iowa State, not known for offensive College (yuck!) and Wake Forest (help!) the last three weeks, then explosions, just got their season high points total vs. Kansas. If Baylor is we haven’t seen it and neither, we’d wager, has anyone else. The U. destined to get their season high, then the Bears will be scoring 71 or more. lost a non-conference road game at Cincinnati last Thursday night, Goodness, gracious. BAYLOR, 60-14. a good public diversion, and has had a couple of extra days to fuel the intra-state revenge fires. Fire Golden! No! Wait! MIAMI-FL, 28-27. *FLORIDA ATLANTIC over RICE by 6 Owl not be denied! For this Give-a-Hoot Bowl, Rice’s defense, coming off BEST BET Baylor and Western Kentucky, will appreciate the change to a slower-paced, NORTHWESTERN over *MICHIGAN by 4 more run-centric opposing offense specializing in turning the ball over. But if Michigan’s Happy Harbaugh Homecoming Month of September was FAU can ever play a clean game offensively, they’d be dangerous. Perhaps greatly aided by inviting three Western teams to get off planes and their bye week and the return of QB Jacquez Johnson – who is very hard kick off at 9 am, PDT. Two of them were lousy teams with first-season to tackle once he gets a head of steam -- and RB Jay Warren can help ’em coaching staffs. The other was BYU, emotionally and physically gut- remove those blips. FLORIDA ATLANTIC, 34-28. ted from three, 60-minute games in a Power-5 gauntlet. Great early scheduling, Michigan! Following up to play a Maryland team with a *OREGON over WASHINGTON STATE by 17 team-killing interception tosser, and a defense with a 14-1 TD-FG split The Ducks of Oregon: 40.6% passing plays this season. The Cougars of in the red zone, and getting only two first-half field goals against that, Washington State: 73.7% passing plays this season. You’re supposed to exposed some Michigan cracks that will become gradually wider – like a heavily pass-happy underdog when it plays against a heavily run- very gradually, with so much time (Zzzzz) between snaps -- as Big reliant favorite. Maybe that’s why Washington State has covered the last Ten season progresses. Northwestern pretty much already beat Michi- two meetings in defeat? OREGON, 44-27. gan’s offense when they beat Stanford, right? Meanwhile, the misdi- rection, diversity, and – very important -- tempo of the Northwestern GEORGIA over *TENNESSEE by 7 offense figures to put the Michigan defense on its heels for the first The Georgia coaching staff must now coach them well enough so that they time in a while. NORTHWESTERN, 24-20. don’t lose the Alabama game twice. Actually, they seemed to be doing that during Alabama week, saying that if they lost that game, they’d still have RECOMMENDED all their goals ahead of them. And, it’s true. It’s also true that their rush- GEORGIA TECH over *CLEMSON by 2 ing attack should return vs. Tennessee’s suspect defensive front after the Tech won their division of the ACC and played in the conference Crimson Tide shut it down, and after Arkansas re-exposed Tennessee’s run championship game last season. Now, 0-2 in ACC. Clemson feels like defense. GEORGIA, 34-27. it won the National Championship Game last Saturday night vs. Notre Dame, believing the hype about that match-up. ‘They didn’t quit until *WESTERN KENTUCKY over MIDDLE TENNESSEE by 14 the end!,’ raved head coach Dabo Swinney about his players in Satur- By playing to win at Illinois and Vanderbilt the last two Saturdays, but losing day night’s late aftermath. And now comes the perfect time to “Clem- narrowly, Middle Tennessee is now eligible to become this Saturday’s version son it up,” as those in College Football World have long said about the of Northern Illinois and drop a winnable conference road game against a fresh- Tigers’ program. The one-dimensional offense of Georgia Tech returns er opponent that is coming off two easy wins. WESTERN KENTUCKY, 41-27. to its preferred status – underdog. Georgia Tech’s best defensive effort *TULSA over LOUISIANA-MONROE by 4 of last season came against Clemson in a 28-6 win. Different quarter- back for Clemson then, but still…GEORGIA TECH, 26-24. Who would be interested in laying points with a Tulsa team that is 7-21 SU since the beginning of 2013, and is facing a stranger with a thieving defense? *LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE over TEXAS STATE by 8 The Monrovian staff knows what Tulsa wants to do, because the first-season ULL is ‘reeling’ off 21- and 29-point losses to Akron and La. Tech. But head Tulsa staff came from Baylor, who played UL-M in 2012 and 2013. ‘You don’t coach Mark Hudspeth is a cute, little switch-flipper mostly concerned with scare us! You don’t have Baylor’s players! And we owe you from when you Sun Belt Conference games and their relevance to the team’s annual goal beat us 70-7 in 2013!’ TULSA, 34-30. – winning the conference. The Lafalot offense has only 2 TD passes in five

*NOTRE DAME over NAVY by 11 games. But they’re taking aim at a Texas State defense that has allowed 59, 56 and 59 points to Florida State – who can’t score much against anyone else When Notre Dame’s defense wasn’t as banged-up as it is right now, this is – Southern Miss and Houston. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE, 29-21. how the unit fared against Georgia Tech’s triple-option attack: 47 rushes, 216 yards allowed, for 4.6 per carry. An option attack needs at least 5.0 per carry *UTAH over CALIFORNIA by 10 and no turnovers to beat a Power-5 type foe. ‘Hi, we’re Notre Dame. People think we should be ranked high and in the national title picture because we If the Utes get a lead against Cal, then the back door should always be open. beat Texas, Virginia and really creamed UMass? Thank you?’ Kelly is a great Utah led the nation in sacks last season but has only 8 right now. They can coach but come on, man. NOTRE DAME, 34-23. probably bring the heat as needed, but the ball gets out quickly in Cal’s pass offense. A less favorable opinion of Cal would be that any overly physical de- *ARIZONA STATE over COLORADO by 17 fense, away from their home, would make them put their tails between their ASU has to be glad they’re not facing the Buffs at high altitude in Boulder, legs. Which do you choose? UTAH, 30-20. CO after that big, hard-fought win at UCLA that took a lot of effort and con- CONNECTICUT over *CENTRAL FLORIDA by 1 centration following what had to have been a super-serious week of prepa- ration. Colorado’s QB, 6’4”, 235 Sefo Liufau, can extend plays with his legs, UConn head coach Bob Diaco is a bit of a loon, and has picked out Central unlike UCLA’s true frosh skinny-boy Josh Rosen, who they rattled in the Florida as UConn’s “rivalry” game. Central Florida, at 0-5, has bigger prob- pocket. Liufau is reportedly playing with a sprained AC joint in his throwing lems than worrying about manufactured hatred from an opponent located shoulder, so he’ll have to switch to DC but the battery may not have enough 1,500 miles away. Ya’ lose home games to FIU and Furman, and lose by 14 to juice. ARIZONA STATE, 37-20. Tulane, ya’ may as well lose home to UConn. CONNECTICUT, 21-20. 6 *TEXAS TECH over IOWA STATE by 11 There was a time when you could expect Iowa State to put forth a pesky defensive effort against a pass-happy opponent that wasn’t going to punish COLLEGE FOOTBALL it at the line of scrimmage. You could have expected Iowa State to pick a few passes, maybe take one to the house, and snuff out Texas Tech’s pass hap- piness before it got a chance to grow into joyful celebration. Texas Tech’s QB are 16-5 TD-INT and have been sacked only 1 time in 240 drop-backs. But *FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL over UTEP by 16 Pat Mahomes is injured and if Davis Webb has to QB Tech in his place, he Run-first visitor vs. pretty good run defense on the host FIU squad. Prob- has had his pick problems in the past. TEXAS TECH, 45-34. ably not a good day to be a UTEP offensive player. UTEP head coach Sean Kugler isn’t just blowing smoke when he says, “We’re beat up, man. You RECOMMENDED lose your entire starting [offensive] backfield and it’s tough to regroup. We’re MICHIGAN STATE over *RUTGERS by 26 bare bones and we’re just going to have to fight. I can’t put it any other way.” Penn State held Rutgers to a field goal in Happy Valley. Michigan State’s Thanks for the heads-up, coach! FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL, 23-7. defense is better, right? Rutgers scored only 27 points here vs. Kansas, who’d allowed 41 to South Dakota State and 55 to Memphis. Rutgers LOUISIANA TECH over *TEXAS SAN ANTONIO by 15 lost 37-0 here to Wisconsin last season when they probably had a bet- Louisiana-Lafayette held La. Tech’s star RB Kenneth Dixon to 22-59 rush- ter team than this, and, of course, they lost 45-3 at Michigan State last ing last Saturday. But Tech still won the game by 29 points. Uh-oh. UTSA season. Not many points being scored by Rutgers against this class welcomes a much more talented squad than the rudderless UTEP bunch of opposing defense, eh? Rutgers is a home dog, off a bye week, with they avenged on Saturday night in a game delayed by two hours because revenge for a lopsided loss last season. Lots of angles. But Michigan lightning struck twice. LOUISIANA TECH, 34-19. State has the players and coaches to work around the angles. When favorable poll position has a team well-leveraged to maintain a high na- BOISE STATE over *COLORADO STATE by 18 tional rank with making the playoff as a goal, easing up – even with the Boise State’s thieving secondary against Colorado State quarterback Nick trip to Michigan on deck – shouldn’t happen. MICHIGAN STATE, 34-8. Stephens is a match-up we’d be willing to buy into if Boise State wasn’t com- ing off back-to-back blowout wins, 56-14 and 55-0. Something has to come BEST BET back to Earth. Maybe the true freshman QB? Don’t interpret that as any kind WISCONSIN over *NEBRASKA by 14 of endorsement for Colorado State. Boise’s secondary knows Stephens is Nebraska’s offense is in the process of implementing head coach locked in on Rashard Higgins. ‘Take it to the house!’ BOISE STATE, 37-19. Mike Riley’s pet pro-style system. ‘How nice to see it again,’ says Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst, Riley’s offensive coordinator at *MISSOURI over FLORIDA by 2 Oregon State in 1997-98 and again in 2003-04, before he added some After two big wins in the Swamp, where a lot of credit goes to the environ- components of it to Wisconsin’s offense in his six-season tenure as ment, the Gators have to travel to play a very underrated defense that wants coordinator with the Badgers. ‘And I just happen to have as my d-line to prove it’s the equal of Florida’s, if not better. The Missouri defense and coach, a guy who played d-line for Oregon State defensive coordina- special teams certainly made Florida’s offense look dopey with four (4) re- tor Mark Banker, now the Nebraska defensive coordinator. How use- turn touchdowns at Florida last season. Missouri’s QB that day, Maty Mauk, ful. And don’t we tend to run all over Nebraska’s defense no matter didn’t have to anything for the team to get 42 points. Mauk hasn’t done any- who’s coaching them?’ A Nebraska offensive line not accustomed to thing this season and Missouri is 4-1, so, yeah. MISSOURI, 22-20. pass protection as a priority, which has been playing against vanilla and soft opposing defense, figures to be exposed by Wisconsin de- LSU over *SOUTH CAROLINA by 16 fensive coordinator Dave Aranda’s blitzes. A better day to be a Badger For LSU backers, doubling the score on Eastern Michigan meant missing the than last Saturday’s giveaway day vs. Iowa. WISCONSIN, 27-13. spread by three touchdowns. If the Tigers can get to 30 points, then doubling the score on Spurrier in front of the South Carolina home fans would get the *NEVADA over NEW MEXICO by 6 job done for LSU backers. Even though they can’t throw the ball, they can Nevada’s weak rushing D pretty much ensures that New Mexico’s triple- still make it happen because South Carolina can’t throw it, either. LSU, 32-16. option offense will penetrate midfield often and give Nevada’s offense plenty of poor starting field position. That’s after possessions where New *ARIZONA over OREGON STATE by 16 Mexico has to . New Mexico has been getting dynamic defensive ‘Hi, I’m an Arizona defensive player and I’m terrible. Please help me!’ Prayers plays and special teams scoring to help out the one-dimensional offense, answered with Oregon State’s offense visiting, featuring a freshman quarter- which is piling up rushing yards but sometimes scores too quickly for the back probably not quick enough to outrun the Wildcats to the edge, or lead defense’s benefit. NEVADA, 31-25. his team back from a deficit that Oregon State’s defense is likely to hand him. Two blowout losses vs. pro-style offenses with good offensive lines that were SAN JOSE STATE over *UNLV by 3 supported by two good defenses, set up Arizona to blow out a lesser visitor Asking UNLV to win back-to-back road games – coming off the predictable that is attempting to convert to a run-based spread system they are better revenge win at archrival in-state foe Nevada – seems like too tall a task. equipped to contain. ARIZONA, 40-24. They’ll be throwing into a highly ranked pass D with their own interception- prone quarterbacks, the best one who didn’t finish the UNLV game. How SYRACUSE over *SOUTH FLORIDA by 1 high the San Jose pass D rank? ‘We’re number 2!’ says Little Sparty. SAN South Florida eked out the cover vs. Memphis by running Marlon Mack 20 JOSE STATE, 24-21. times for 107 yards. Syracuse’s good run defense will probably hold Mack in check. Then what? ‘If you let me get loose, I’m gone,’ says USF QB Quinton UTAH STATE over *FRESNO STATE by 8 Flowers. But what if Syracuse doesn’t let him get loose? He’s a mere 50% Colorado State handed USU favorable field position repeatedly, yet Utah passer so far playing out of conference vs. ACC foes. SYRACUSE, 21-20. State stalled in the red zone for four field goals. Lingering ffensive issues were masked by playing that Colorado State team whose turnover issues TCU over *KANSAS STATE by 6 we warned you about. UTAH STATE, 29-21. K-State head coach is a wizard when he has points to work with, spinning point-spread covers with the zone-read rushing, defensive take- SAN DIEGO STATE over *HAWAII by 4 aways and big special teams plays. Their offensive system gives fits to -al San Diego State just held Fresno State’s offense to 89 total yards, so the ol’ most any defense, certainly more than TCU was going to get from Texas, or 3-3-5 defense has something legitimate to shoot for as improvement after Minnesota, or SMU, or anyone else they’ve played. K-State looks like the Hawaii’s QB, Big Stiff Max Wittek, passed 7-for-24 for only 68 yards at Boise home dog with the better D. TCU, 41-35. State. SAN DIEGO STATE, 24-20.

7 COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOARD Time SATURDAY, 10/10 Line sr line 2014 2013 2012 Baylor -42 -45 60* 59 41* 12:00 Kansas 14 14* 14 This week’s match-ups, listed in Vegas/Offshore order, home team at bottom, Rice 18* with: Kickoff time (ET), Opening line, Sports Reporter computer-made line, 2:30 Florida Atl -3.5 -5 14 and past scores of 2014, 2013 and 2012 meetings, where applicable. The as- Washington St. terisk (*) in past scores indicates home team. No asterisk: was neutral field. 31* 38 26* 6:00 Oregon -18 -15.5 38 62* 51 Time THURSDAY, 10/8 Line sr line 2014 2013 2012 Georgia -2.5 -5 35* 34 51* 3:30 Tennessee 32 31* 44 SMU 9* 0 72* Middle Tenn 50* 34 8:00 Houston -24.5 -25 35 34* 42 12:00 Western KY -8.5 -10.5 47 29* Washington 14 Louisiana-Mon. Southern Cal -17 -20 9:00 24* 6:00 Tulsa -10 -7 Navy 39* 34 10 Time FRIDAY, 10/9 Line sr line 2014 2013 2012 3:30 Notre Dame -14 -11 49 38* 50 Southern Miss 17* 13 24* Colorado 24* 13 17* 7:00 Marshall -6.5 -6.5 63 61* 59 10:00 Arizona St. -15 -18 38 54* 51 North Carolina St. Miami FL 26* 14 20* 8:00 Virginia Tech -1 -2.5 8:00 Florida St. -9.5 -5.5 30 41* 33 Northwestern 9* 19 31* Time SATURDAY, 10/10 Line sr line 2014 2013 2012 3:30 Michigan -8 -5.5 10 27* 38 Georgia Tech 28* 31 31* Oklahoma -16 -19.5 31 20 63 3:30 Clemson -7.5 -3 6 55* 47 12:00 Texas 26 36 21 Texas St. 10* 24 Minnesota -2.5 -4 39* 44* 7:00 Louisiana-Laf. -3.5 -7 34 48* 3:30 Purdue 38 28 California 27 Akron -8.5 -10.5 31* 10:00 Utah -7 -8.5 49* 3:00 Eastern Michigan 6 Connecticut 37* 17 Oklahoma St. 10* 21 55* 3:45 Central Florida -2 P 29 62* 7:00 West Virginia -7 -11.5 34 30* 34 UTEP 33* Indiana 7* 44 22* 12:00 Florida Int -14.5 -16 10 12:00 Penn St. -8 -7.5 13 24* 45 Louisiana Tech -12 -14.5 27* 10 51* Duke -12 -12 7:00 Tex San Antonio 20 30* 27 12:00 Army Boise St. -15 -17 37* 42 42* Tulane 3* 7:00 Colorado St. 24 30* 14 12:00 Temple -15 -16 10 Florida -4.5 -1.5 13* 17 14* Illinois 14* 7:30 Missouri 42 36* 7 12:00 Iowa -10 -12.5 30 LSU -13 -14 23* Maryland 24* 12:00 South Carolina 21 12:00 Ohio St. -32.5 -35 52 Oregon St. 35* 38* Wake Forest 17* 10 28* 4:00 Arizona -10 -14 27 35 3:00 Boston College -7.5 -10 23 24* 14 Syracuse 37 Miami OH 21* 16 23* 3:30 South Florida -4 -2.5 36* 2:00 Ohio -16 -18.5 24 41* 20 TCU -8.5 -6 41* 31 10* Kent St. 20* 7:30 Kansas St. 20 33* 23 3:00 Toledo -16 -20 30 Iowa St. 31* 35 13* Ball St. 21* 27 23* 3:30 Texas Tech -12 -9.5 34 42* 24 3:30 Northern Illinois -10.5 -9 35 48* 35 Michigan St. -16 -18.5 45* Appalachian St. -16.5 -18 44* 8:00 Rutgers 3 3:30 Georgia St. 0 Wisconsin -1.5 59* 70/27 Virginia 24* 3 3:30 Nebraska -2.5 24 31/30* 12:30 Pittsburgh -8.5 -11 19 14* New Mexico 24* Central Michigan 20* 27 31* 7:00 Nevada -6.5 -4 31 12:00 Western Michigan -7.5 -12 32 22* 42 San Jose St. -1 -2.5 33* 34 Arkansas 13* 0 0* 9:00 UNLV 10 24* 7:00 Alabama -16 -19.5 14 52* 52 Utah St. -11 -8.5 59* 17 Wyoming 17* 56 27* 10:30 Fresno St. 27 24* 10:15 Air Force -24 -20.5 13 23* 28 San Diego St. 20* 28 52* Massachusetts 42* 7 0* 12:00 Hawaii -2.5 -1 10 21* 14 2:00 Bowling Green -12.5 -11 47 28* 24 Troy 7 24* 4:00 Mississippi St. -30.5 -34 62* 30 BE A PREMIER V.I.P.! 6 months of Web access to Sports New Mexico St. Reporter Online, with continuous call-in privileges for all Premier 12:00 Mississippi -42.5 -46.5 Players star-rated, game-day picks, including 5-Stars! For more de- East Carolina tails, check out details on the Web site www.sportsreporter.com, or 7:30 BYU -7.5 -10 call between 10:30 and 6 pm, ET: 1-800-305-9604 8 PRO FOOTBALL BOARD Time SUNDAY, 10/11 Line sr line ‘15 PF ‘15 PA Base D St. Louis 46.5 45 16.7 22.3 4-3 This week’s match-ups, listed in Las Vegas/Offshore order, home team at 1:00 Green Bay -9.5 -12 32.0 22.7 3-4 bottom, with: Kickoff times, Opening Line and Total, Sports Reporter com- Seattle 44.5 43 24.7 20.3 4-3 puter-made line, this season’s average Points For and Against, and each team’s base defense. 1:00 Cincinnati -1 -1 28.3 18.7 4-3 Arizona -3 -2 42.0 16.3 3-4 Time THURSDAY, 10/8 Line sr line ‘15 PF ‘15PA Base D 4:05 Detroit 43.5 44 18.7 27.7 4-3 Indianapolis -- 18.7 26.7 3-4 New England -7.5 -11 39.7 23.3 3-4m 8:25 Houston -- 18.7 20.0 3-4 4:25 Dallas 49 50 25.0 25.0 4-3 Denver Time SUNDAY, 10/11 Line sr line ‘15 PF ‘15 PA Base D -5.5 -8 24.7 16.3 3-4 4:25 Oakland 43.5 46 25.7 28.7 4-3 Jacksonville 42.5 41 16.3 30.3 4-3 1:00 Tampa Bay -3 -1 16.3 26.7 4-3 San Francisco 43 40 15.0 31.0 3-4 8:30 NY Giants -7 -6.5 27.3 19.3 4-3 Buffalo -3 -1.5 33.3 22.7 3-4m 1:00 Tennessee 42.5 38.5 29.7 25.7 3-4m ‘14 Time MONDAY, 10/12 Line sr line ‘14 PF Base D Cleveland 44 41 19.3 24.0 3-4m PA 1:00 23.3 28.0 3-4m Baltimore -6.5 -4 Pittsburgh 46 44.5 25.3 17.3 3-4m 8:30 Washington 47.5 48 18.3 19.7 3-4 San Diego -3.5 -5 22.0 27.7 3-4 1:00 Atlanta -8 -7 25.3 26.0 4-3 BYE WEEK: Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, NY Jets Chicago 45.5 49.5 15.3 35.0 3-4 1:00 Kansas City -10 -12.5 26.3 29.7 3-4 SPORTS REPORTER ONLINE: NBA BEGINS in 3 weeks! New Orleans 48 52 20.0 28.0 3-4m College Hoops in a month! Get DAILY uninterrupted 1:00 Philadelphia -5 -7 20.0 21.3 3-4 Sports Reporter Web access monthly, or for six months!

PRO FOOTBALL : WEEK 5 PAST PERFORMANCES

Yr. Wk V Pts H Pts Vis QB Hm QB v off v next h off h next Notes 2014 15 HOU 10 IND 17 Savage Luck W at JAX W BAL W at CLE L at DAL Despite down day, 2 TDs from Luck lead Colts to division title 2014 6 IND 33 HOU 28 Luck Fitzpatrick W BAL W CIN L at DAL L at PIT Colts hold on after 24-pt 1st quarter despite another JJ Watt TD 2014 17 CLE 10 BAL 20 Shaw Flacco L at CAR NONE L at HOU W at PIT 17-pt 4th quarter in must win game send Ravens to playoffs 2014 3 BAL 23 CLE 21 Flacco Hoyer W PIT W CAR W NO BYE Tucker kicks 2 FGs in final 5 minutes to get by Browns 2013 15 WAS 26 ATL 27 Cousins Ryan L KC L DAL L at GB L at SF Redskins somehow lose by only one despite seven turnovers 2013 WC NO 26 PHI 24 Brees Foles W TB L at SEA W at DAL NONE Graham's 4 FG enough to get by Birds. Ingram 97 yds, TD 2012 7 GB 30 STL 20 Rodgers Bradford W at HOU W JAX L at MIA L NE Rodgers 30-37, 342 yds, 3 TDs overwhelms Rams. Cobb 89 yd, 2TD 2014 11 DET 6 ARI 14 Stafford Palmer W MIA L at NE W STL L at SEA 306 yds, 2TD, 2INT good enough from Stanton to beat Lions again 2013 2 DET 21 ARI 25 Stafford Palmer W MIN W at WAS L at STL L at NO 4th quarter pass interference call gives Cards life. Palmer 248, TD 2012 15 DET 10 ARI 38 Stafford Lindley L at GB L ATL L at SEA L CHI Arizona converts four turnovers into TDs to cage Lions for needed W 2014 17 OAK 14 DEN 47 Carr P.Manning W BUF NONE L at CIN L IND 3 TDs and 87 yards from unheralded CJ Anderson help rout Raiders 2014 10 DEN 41 OAK 17 P. Manning Carr L at NE L at STL L at SEA L at SD Manning throws for 5 TDs in dominating win. Anderson 90 yds 2014 11 SF 16 NYG 10 Kprnck E.Manning W at NO W WAS L at SEA L DAL Niners don't need to do much as 5 INTs from Manning doom Giants. 2012 14 SD 24 PIT 34 Rivers Big Ben L CIN L CAR W at BAL L at DAL Roethlisberger returns from inj but it's not enough to beat Chargers

5-STAR FEVER IS BACK, BABY! -- Premier Players Game-Day Club: 8-2 last weekend, +36 Stars of Net Profit in the 2015 Football Season!Premier Players members get star-rated releases on every game-day and night, for $100 a week, $295 for four weeks, or $995 for the entire football season -- College and NFL -- thru the Super Bowl! You gotta call this number now!: 1-800-305-9604

9 MIDWEEK UPDATE Copyright 2015, Sports Reporter, Inc. NFL, COLLEGE FOOTBALL, SATURDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10-11

GREETINGS TO ALL SPORTS REPORTER ONLINE members! Welcome to the collection of forecast es- says known as the MIDWEEK UPDATE, whose name should probably be changed to the LATE WEEK UP- DATE, but probably won’t be. Click here to email me if you have something interesting to share, discuss, complain about, etc. Thanks for being with us! -- Bobby Smith

give up field position with no guarantee they’ll be getting field goals, and NFL who wants field goals anyway? Touchdowns! JACKSONVILLE, 21-14. BEST BET TOTAL RECOMMENDED UNDER 43 JACKSONVILLE (+3) over TAMPA BAY SAN FRANCISCO at NY GIANTS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 – The Bucs are one of the worst home teams SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 – The 49ers and Giants rank in the bottom third out there, and it’s been that way for a while. They are 3-15 SU on this of the NFL in first downs per game: 17.5 for SF, 18.8 for NYG. (The field since the beginning of the 2013 season. The three wins came in Patriots lead the NFL at 29.7, followed by Arizona, 25). The 49ers are succession in November and December of 2013. The Bucs’ spread re- last in Yards Per Play: 4.7. The Giants gain 5.5 yards per play, but that’s cord in home games during this span isn’t much better: 6-12 ATS. One mid-pack in the NFL. San Francisco has punted 2.1 times per offensive habit that would inhibit their ability to shed this well-earned reputation: score. Their QB, , is looking pretty bad. The team’s best an NFL-high 2.5 turnovers per game at the moment. With rookie Jameis offensive showing was on opening night when they scored 20 points vs. Winston quarterbacking against a defense he has never faced, and a Minnesota, and the score was tied near halftime. This enabled them to defensive-minded opposing head coach Gus Bradley (former Seattle run the ball in a two tight-end offense, a carry-over from the Harbaugh defensive coordinator who senses turnover opportunities and will pre- days. They move down the field this way, and a penalty or a turnover pare accordingly), this trend figures to continue. sets them back, or they stall in the red zone and kick a field goal.

The flip side, of course, is that Blake Bortles, Mr. Interception, is quarter- The 49ers’ defense is hanging in there. Eventually, the offensive inept- backing the team being picked here. However, since opening day, when ness will get to that unit. But for now, they are playing well enough when he tossed a Pick-6 in the first quarter, Bortles hasn’t thrown an intercep- the scoreboard stays close. They had no shot to keep it close on the tion. Already, Winston has 7. With all studies about turnovers showing road in Pittsburgh, or home vs. Arizona, two teams that can heave it that they are worth 4 points, and Tampa Bay laying -3, these simple deep. The Giants have moved away from that. The Giants’ offensive numbers seem to dictate that Tampa is a decent bet to not overcome coordinator, Ben McAdoo, has been molding the offense into a Green the numbers. Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, Dirk Koetter, seems Bay-styled system since the beginning of last season. The 49ers are to be speaking in a no-win situation as far as a favorite is concerned. pretty familiar with it, having faced Green Bay four times in the last three “Jameis is definitely playing better in no-huddle,” Koetter told the St. seasons, most recently just last week in a 17-3 defeat. They handled the Petersburg Times earlier this week. “Obvious next question is, why ar- Giants’ version of it well enough last season, winning 16-10 on this field en’t you going no-huddle more? You can’t do everything you want to do and intercepting Eli Manning five times. Note the low scores. game plan-wise out of no-huddle. It’s harder to do some of the things you want to do, especially with this being everybody’s first year in the “I think they’re still good up front,.” Eli said Wednesday. “With the 3-4 system. We probably should be doing no-huddle more. We are playing (scheme), they can bring a lot of guys from different spots. We’ve got to better probably in no-huddle than when we’re not.” make sure we’re prepared for that and are sharp in our assignments.” Like, handing off to avoid the same kind of horrors in front of the home So, for various reasons, they have to play less well than they should be. fans. Meanwhile, Giants’ head coach Steve Spagnuolo is getting credit No-win, right? Another no-win situation is when a defense for which for “saving” what is called the Giants’ “no-name defense.” If he is saving turnovers are important is not getting them. How do we know turnovers it, then he’s been getting big assists from opposing quarterbacks like are important to Tampa? Head coach Lovie Smith says so: “Our M.O. Kirk Cousins of Washington and Tyrod Taylor of Buffalo, because Tony on defense is to take the ball away…” Jacksonville’s defense is allowing Romo and Matt Ryan took it apart when they needed to in Weeks 1 and the fewest rushing yards per carry in the NFL, 3.1. That’s how to keep 2. Kaepernick appears to be ready to lend yet another assist, and his a rookie quarterback in bad down-and-distance situations for throwing. favorite target, TE Vernon Davis, continues to be limited in practice with Bradley, by the way, is a former Tampa Bay linebackers coach, from injuries. Poor Anquan Boldin is averaging only 8.1 yards per reception. 2006 to 2009. Although there is a lot of water under the bridge, he knows His career average is 13.1 and his two prior 49ers’ seasons were 13.9 that the way to attack the Bucs’ return to a Cover-2 defense is to ham- and 12.8. That the Giants are last in the NFL in pass defense is not mer it with power rushing, which, when the scoreboard allows them to a big issue vs. the worst pass offense in the NFL. That they are #1 focus on it, they can do well enough. Rookie kicker Kyle Brindza was cut against the run isn’t an issue, either. It Together, they seem to be a during the week, so they’ve brought back Connor Barth for a third stint good combo for low scoring by San Francisco. Meanwhile, Giants’ with the team. Barth kept getting let go because he couldn’t boom it on WR Victor Cruz continues to milk his injury and be mostly invisible kickoffs. They wanted Brindza for . So now they’ll probably on the practice field. NY GIANTS, 16-12. Last week, after starter Nate Sudfeld got hurt, Diamont led three COLLEGE FOOTBALL scoring drives for the Hoosiers against Ohio State, and brought the Indiana offense to within 9 yards of a tying or winning touchdown at game’s end. The injury to Jordan Howard is a little dicier, be- BEST BET cause he’s been given 20, 27, 31 and 33 carries for the IU offense *LSU (-18.5) over SOUTH CAROLINA before getting hurt after 14 totes of the ol’ rock vs. Ohio State. But SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 – As you are probably aware, this game they haven’t ruled him out. Ditto for Sudfeld. If Howard can’t go, has been moved from Columbia, SC to Baton Rouge, LA due to then there will be some Devine intervention from soph Devine Red- flooding in South Carolina areas that caused too much of a dis- ding, who got the ball 30 times last week and didn’t make much traction for the game to take place at the Gamecocks’ home base. of a dent in the Ohio State defense. But he didn’t fumble, either, So, instead of returning home, it’s a third road trip in four weeks, in and he has 5 TD runs this season. Indiana is +9 in Turnover Margin a schedule that wasn’t supposed to have anything near that. this season and their quarterbacks have been sacked only 3 times in 162 attempts. Penn State quarterbacks have been sacked 15 LSU’s athletic director Joe Alleva has an interesting quote: “Our times in 126 attempts: five times more frequently in 75% of the goal is to make South Carolina feel at home. We will play some of attempts. Can Indiana play well on the road? Well, they won at their songs and their alma mater.” Well, South Carolina is 0-2 in Missouri last year and Missouri won their division of the SEC. IN- SEC play at home so far, so they’ll feel right at home with a loss, DIANA, 24-20. even more so if it’s in the neighborhood of the 52-20 that Georgia hung on them there. LSU is the #7 team in the nation, and Alleva, BEST BET TOTAL Les Miles & Co. can play the fight songs on a sad violin for the OVER 56.5 visitors. EAST CAROLINA at BYU SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 – We need to have learned some- “We’re going to change some things around,” said Spurrier during thing from the defeat of SMU vs. East Carolina last week, and get a press conference earlier this week. “We’re not going to run into that money back. Can’t do it by going against East Carolina, be- the line on first down.” Ha-ha. A sportswriter, as sportswriters of- cause they have speed to make plays on both sides of the ball and ten do, went back in time to the last time South Carolina had an are habitually good on special teams, where BYU is habitually bad. 0-2 start in SEC play, and noted that they finished well, and asked Spurrier if there were any similarities in that team and this team. So, that combo could lead to some unexpected points. Actually, Spurrier seemed to be holding back laughter. He knows, and he how can the points be ‘unexpected’ if we kind of expect them? pretty much said 1,000 words when he responded, “No.” Anyway, also on the “over” view here is that the pace of the game South Carolina’s offense has faced the nation’s #8, #17 and is picking up. ECU had been playing against plodding opposing #59-ranked defenses in SEC play, topping out at 20 points, home, offenses like Virginia Tech and Florida. Also, Navy, a run-laden out- vs. both Georgia and Kentucky, the #17 and #9 teams. They got 10 fit that takes its time between snaps, and Towson, a run-heavy points at Missouri, #8. LSU’s defense is ranked #16, and after this team from the FCS-level. Last Saturday, SMU sped up the tempo unscheduled road-heavy grind is completed for the Gamecocks, and streaked to a 23-7 lead on East Carolina’s defense before the LSU’s defense should jump up by a few more ranking spots. Mustangs remembered they were a depth-shy squad and ran out Meanwhile, Georgia rushed 38 times for 246 yards against South of gas. But now it’s ECU’s turn to run out of gas, in what is a fourth Carolina’s defense, Kentucky 38 times for 207 yards. Good day to road game in five weeks. BYU goes zip-zip-zip, spreads ’em out be Leonard Fournette, LSU’s Heisman candidate RB who has had in a prolific passing system with tall receivers vs. a smaller sec- three straight games of 200+ rushing yards on his own, in fewer ondary, and is gonna make nice pass plays at high altitude as the carries than those teams’ entire backfields. LSU, 37-3. East Carolina defensive backs get tired at 4,549 feet of Provo, UT altitude. They’ll be thinking back to how little they’ve been asked RECOMMENDED to defend against the pass thus far this season. Clear and sea- INDIANA (+6.5) over *PENN STATE sonable with barely a breeze is your favorable Provo, UT weather SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 – Well, this is interesting. The spread forecast for the evening. BYU, 41-34. score says: Penn State, 30.5 to 24. That’s interesting because Penn State didn’t score 30 vs. Temple, Penn State didn’t score 30 vs. Buffalo, Penn State didn’t score 30 vs. Rutgers, Penn State didn’t score 30 vs. Army. They got 37 vs. San Diego State, give Premier Players Game-Day Club ‘em credit for that, but two of the touchdowns the offense scored came off short-field set-ups on drives of 27 and 23 yards, and the 5-STAR FEVER IS BACK, BABY! defense scored a touchdown on a strip-sack fumble return of 71 yards. 3-1-1 and another on the way! Penn State scored only 13 points against Indiana last season. Sports Reporter’s 5-Star Game of the Week is an ex- They won the game, give’em credit for that. But Zander Diamont, clusive benefit for Premier Players members, who Indiana quarterback that afternoon, was a true freshman pressed get star-rated releases on every game-day and night, into action because of injury to the top two Indiana quarterbacks. They wanted to redshirt him, but couldn’t. The game was played in not just the weekends, for $100 a week, $295 for four November, when Indiana is habitually worn down. In fact, the Hoo- weeks, or $1,195 for the entire football season -- Col- siers were losing for the fourth straight time in what would be six lege and NFL -- thru the Super Bowl! You gotta call consecutive defeats, coming off the grind that was Iowa, Michigan this number now!: 1-800-305-9604 State, and Michigan. This time around, they play it much earlier. SPORTS REPORTER MIDWEEK UPDATE 2