Las Vegas Football Review Sample
Kelso Sturgeon's
The Las Vegas Review
Volume V, Issue 2 $20.00 Per Issue
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Published Weekly Through The End Of The NBA Season
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Data & Selections Good Through Monday, Sept. 16, 1996
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Managing Editor/Lead Handicapper: Kelso Sturgeon
Editor: David A. Sturgeon
Contributing Editor: K.E. Sturgeon III
Contributing Writers: Keith Glantz, W. K. Sumner
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COLLEGE & NFL COACHES THAT WIN FOR BETTORS....
By KELSO STURGEON
Those who bet race horses discovered early on that most trainers have a
specific pattern they follow in getting their horses ready to run their best
races, and they use this knowledge to win bets. These trainer patterns are
all part of handicapping. Football bettors would do themselves a big favor if
they wouild develop coaches patterns, because all coaches have them, and this
history can be an important element in successful handicapping.
Who can forget the years Jimmy Johnson coached Miami-FL to those
national championships? Big bettors noted early in his career he loved to run
up the score on his opponents, regardless of who they were, and thus set a
pattern that followed him to the Dallas Cowboys and most certainly to his new
job as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Like Johnson, every single college and National Football League coach
has a pattern which offers insight into how his team will play on this weekend,
for the season, against specific teams, coming off byes, going into byes etc.
It is all there for the serious handicapping student. The pattern may be good,
or bad, but bettors do not care. A positive past performance by a coach makes
him a man on which one can bet. On the other hand, a shakey past performance
makes a coach a man to go against. Afterall, in the world of betting, it
matters not whether one lays the points or takes them--only that he win.
It may come as a surprise to some who bet their money but New York
Giant coach Dan Reeves, who is the target of more criticism than most NFL top
dogs, may be just 26-24 straight up since taking over this team, but he is
30-19-1 against the spread. That 61.2 win percentage is the best in the NFL
and makes Reeves the best friend of those who like to bet.
The only other NFL coach with a win percentage over the 60 percent
mark is June Jones of the Atlanta Falcons. He is 16-17 straight up as a head
coach, but 20-13 against the number, for a 60.6 percent mark.
In the colleges, the bettors best friends have to be Gary Barnett of
Northwestern and Bobby Bowden of Florida State. Barnett has gone just 18-26-1
in Evanston, but stands 27-17 against the number, for a win percentage of 61.3
. Bowden, who has gone 187-49-3 straight up at Florida State, is a remarkable
124-82-1 against the number, for an amazing win percentage of 60.6.
While one must respect Barnett for being at the head of the cover
class, some of his figures were earned because he quietly put together an
outstanding football program at Northwestern and then spent 1995 sneaking up
on people, going 10-2 overall and against the number. It is easier to roll up
impressive ATS (against the spread) numbers, when nobody is expecting
anything from you or your team.
On the other hand, the fact the high-profile Bowden and his high-
profile program in Tallahassee could go 60.2 percent against the number over
the past 20 years is amazing. Florida State is a sitting duck everytime it
takes the field, a team everyone loves to beat and a team at which all
opponents take their best shot. That Bowden could have such an amazing ATS
record ranks up there with the Seven Wonders of the World.
While Barnetts pointspread strength has come from being lightly
regarded in Las Vegas, the linemakers in the gambling capital of the world make
everyone pay an inflated price to bet on Florida State, and the Seminoles still
cover. This tells us Bowden, like Jimmy Johnson, likes to run up the score on
his opponents. He is the kind of guy who will, if he can beat you by 50, try
to beat you by 60. This is his past performance, and tells us where he is
going in the future.
Bettors need to use these ATS past performances as part of their
handicapping. Whether a coach keeps covering because he tries to run up big
scores, or whether he covers because he comes from a low-profile program which
doesnt get much betting respect, is extremely important in analyzing each teams
chances for covering the number.
While most bettors do give some consideration to the coaching factor,
when it comes to analyzing and betting on football teams, some still do not and
they will have to pay a price for that, since coaches, like the trainers of race
horses, have patterns they seem to follow year-after-year.
These patterns will reveal, among other things.....
--How each coach fared in important, big games--games where
something was on the line.
--How each coach fared in conference games, and non-conference
contests.
--How each coach fared in games in which his team was a big favorite.
Did he run up the score, or call off the dogs.
--How each coach fared in games at home, and on the road.
--How each coach fared in the first game of the season, the last game of
the season, or coming off a loss.
Regardless of how many different aspects of a coachs history one studies,
how that coach fares under these, and many other conditions, are an indicator
of how his teams will perform under similar cirumstances in the future.
In our annual poll to rate both college and NFL coaches, The Las Vegas
Review uses 10 factors to determine just which coach is doing the best job.
These factors offer insight into what things a coach needs to be successful.
The factors are:
1. What is the coaching history of the coach, whether at the college or
NFL level? Bettors should look for coaches who have proven they can win, and
whose record reflects that, either straight up, or against the number. Remember
that any coach beating the spread with regularity, but with a losing straight up
record, is an over-achiever and his teams are live plays.
2. Does the coach send out a fundamentally sound football team to play
each week. A team which is not fundamentally sound cannot win a
championship, or a Super Bowl. Nebraska is a perfect example of a
fundamentally sound football team. It makes few mistakes, goes about its
business a in workman-like way and has earned back-to-back national
championships because of it. A good example of a football team that is
fundamentally unsound is the Oakland Raiders. Regardless of the level of talent
they have, they beat themselves in close games with foolish mistakes, ie
requently jumping offsides etc. Bettors need teams they can trust, and those
that play fundamentally-sound football are those teams.
3. Coaches also must be judged by their ability to first build a winner
and then sustain that level of play over a period of time. College and NFL
football has history books lined with one-season wonders. Bettors should look
for coaches who have few peaks and valleys in their carrers, but who win with
consistency over a period of time.
4. Bettors also need coaches who bring their teams to each game with
their best chance to win. Coaches who repeatedly come with game plans to
neutralize the effectiveness of of a more talented opponent can become the
bettors best friend. A perfect example of such a game plan was the one
Vanderbilt used last week in taking Notre Dame to the limit, before losing,
14-7, as a 22-point underdog.
5. Bettors also need coaches who can adjust his game plan at halftime,
if things are not going as they were planned. A sideline presence is a require-
ment to being a good coach. The best at it in the colleges is Joe Paterno
of Penn State, while Bobby Ross of the San Diego Chargers is tops in the NFL.
6. Good coaches also have a proven track record of refueling his team
between each game, and having it back at its best to compete next week.
7. Good coaches have the ability to handle their players and have them
playing together in every game. It is no mistake Penn State, which under
Paterno has always promoted the team concept, does not permit its players to wea
r
jerseys with their names on them.
8. Good coaches know how to teach players, to give them confidence
and to get them to mature into effective performers and competitors at their
respective positions.
9. Good coaches develop a winning chemistry--some call it tradition--
which seems to carry forward to each new team. New players arrive with great
expectations, and then pursue them.
10. Good coaches are motivators, knowing which players to pat on the
head and which players to hit on the head--and then handling them in the manner
that best inspires them.
It has not easy to pin down all the elements that make up a good coach,
but these ten things are what this publication looks for in rating college and
NFL coaches each year. Maybe they will lay a foundation by which one can judge
coaches.
The bottom line is simple: coaches who are covering the Las Vegas line
with an above-average frequency are the good coaches. The fact they are
covering more than they are not is a sign their teams perform above expectations
on most weekends.
Here is a complete list of coaches and their records. The records are
those compiled with their current teams and schools.
LEADING NFL COACHES AGAINST SPREAD
RANK COACH TEAM AGAINST SPREAD
1. Dan Reeves New York Giants 61.2%
2. June Jones Atlanta Falcons 60.6%
3. Bobby Ross San Diego Chargers 58.5%
4. Bill Cowher Pittsburgh Steelers 57.1%
(Tie) Wayne Fontes Detroit Lions 57.1%
(Tie) Mike Holmgren Green Bay Packers 57.1%
7. Marv Levy Buffalo Bills 56.3%
8. George Seifert San Francisco 49ers 56.0%
*********************
LEADING COLLEGE COACHES AGAINST SPREAD
RANK COACH TEAM ATS
1. Gary Barnett Northwestern 61.3%
2. Bobby Bowden Florida State 60.2%
3. Bill Snyder Kansas State 59.4%
4. John Mackovic Texas 59.3%
5. Frank Beamer Virginia Tech 59.0%
6. Paul Pasqualoni Syracuse 57.4%
7. Tom Osborne Nebraska 56.5%
8. John Cooper Ohio State 56.3%
9. Lou Holtz Notre Dame 55.4%
10. Spike Dikes Texas Tech 55.2%
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NFL COACHES
(Record With Current Team)
TEAM COACH STRAIGHT UP ATS
Atlanta June Jones 16-17 20-13
Baltimore Ted Marchibroda 0-0 0-0
Buffalo Marv Levy 105-48 85-66-3
Carolina Dom Capers 7-9 10-6
Chicago Dave Wannstedt 26-24 22-25-3
Cincinnati David Shula 18-46 33-31
Dallas Barry Switzer 28-9 18-17-2
Denver Mike Shanahan 8-8 6-9-1
Detroit Wayne Fontes 62-60 68-51-1
Green Bay Mike Holmgren 41-30 40-30-1
Houston Jeff Fisher 8-14 12-10
Indianapolis Lindy Infante 0-0 0-0
Jacksonville Tom Coughlin 4-14 9-7
Kansas City Marty Schotenheimer 75-45-1 62-57-2
Miami Jimmy Johnson 0-0 0-0
Minnesota Dennis Green 38-29 31-36
New England Bill Parcells 21-28 25-23-1
New Orleans Jim Mora 104-89 99-91-2
N.Y. Giants Dan Reeves 26-24 30-19-1
N.Y. Jets Rich Kotite 3-13 6-10
Oakland Mike White 8-8 6-10
Philadelphia Ray Rhodes 11-7 8-9-1
Pittsburgh Bill Cowher 46-25 40-30-1
St. Louis Rich Brooks 7-9 6-9-1
San Diego Bobby Ross 42-28 41-29
San Francisco George Seifert 95-30 70-55
Seattle Dennis Erickson 8-8 9-7
Tampa Bay Tony Dungy 0-0 0-0
Washington Norv Turner 9-23 12-19-1
***********************
COLLEGE COACHES
(Record At Current School)
COLLEGE COACH STRAIGHT UP ATS
Air Force Fisher DeBerry 92-54-1 65-70-1
Alabama Gene Stallings 60-13-1 37-33
Arizona Dick Tomey 60-40-4 44-50-1
Arizona State Bruce Snyder 18-15 17-14-1
Arkansas Danny Ford 17-17-1 12-21
Army Bob Sutton 24-30-1 15-17
Auburn Terry Bowden 28-5-1 15-13
Baylor Chuck Reedy 19-15 15-15
Boston College Dan Henning 11-12-1 10-12-1
Brigham Young LaVell Edwards 215-80-2 86-82-1
California Steve Mariucci 0-0 0-0
Cincinnati Rick Minter 8-13-1 10-6
Clemson Tommy West 14-10 13-9
Colorado Rick Neuheisel 10-2 7-5
Colorado St. Sonny Lubick 23-4 17-13-1
Duke Fred Goldsmith 11-12 12-11
East Carolina Steve Logan 22-23 17-19-2
Florida Steve Spurrier 61-13-1 37-30
Florida St. Bobby Bowden 187-49-3 124-82-1
Fresno St. Jim Sweeney 142-64-3 29-29
Georgia Jim Donnan 0-0 0-0
Georgia Tech George OLeary 6-5 5-5
Hawaii Fred von Appen 0-0 0-0
Houston Kim Helton 4-28-1 10-17
Illinois Lou Tepper 23-21-2 20-22-2
Indiana Bill Mallory 65-70-3 65-61-4
Iowa Hayden Fry 124-74-6 95-91-4
Iowa St. Dan McCarney 2-8 3-6
Kansas Glen Mason 43-47-1 41-40-1
Kansas St. Bill Snyder 46-33 38-26-1
Kentucky Bill Curry 22-45 28-33
Louisiana St. Gerry Di Nardo 7-4-1 7-5
Louisville Ron Cooper 7-4 6-3
Maryland Mark Duffner 16-28 22-21
Memphis Rip Scherer 3-8 4-6
Miami-FL Butch Davis 8-3 3-7
Michigan Lloyd Carr 9-4 5-7
Michigan St. Nick Saban 7-5 7-5
Minnesota Jim Wacker 12-32 16-22-1
Mississippi Tommy Tuberville 6-5 4-6
Mississippi St. Jackie Sherrill 29-28-1 26-24
Missouri Larry Smith 6-16-1 11-10
Navy Charlie Weatherbie 5-6 6-3
Nebraska Tom Osborne 231-47-3 144-111-2
New Mexico Dennis Franchione 18-27 18-20-1
North Carolina Mack Brown 49-43-1 40-43-2
N.C. State Mike OCain 19-16 13-18
Northwestern Gary Barnett 18-26-1 27-17
Notre Dame Lou Holtz 91-28-2 66-53-2
Ohio State John Cooper 65-28-4 53-41-3
Oklahoma John Blake 0-0 0-0
Oklahoma St. Bob Simmons 4-8 6-5
Oregon Mike Bellotti 9-3 4-5-1
Oregon St. Jerry Pettibone 11-43-1 25-23-1
Penn State Joe Paterno 278-72-3 142-120-2
Pittsburgh Johnny Majors 41-39-1 39-34-2
Purdue Jim Colletto 16-35-3 24-21-4
Rice Ken Hatfield 7-14-1 9-12
Rutgers Terry Shea 0-0 0-0
San Deigo St. Ted Tollner 11-11 11-10
San Jose St. John Ralston 8-25 0-0
South Carolina Brad Scott 11-11-1 10-10
Southern Cal John Robinson 92-24-4 59-53-5
SMU Tom Rossley 12-42 26-25
Southern Miss Jeff Bower 25-30-1 26-20
Stanford Tyrone Willingham 7-4-1 6-5
Syracuse Paul Pasqualoni 42-15-1 31-23-2
Temple Ron Dickman 4-29 15-15-1
Tennessee Phillip Fulmer 29-7-1 19-13
Texas John Mackovic 29-16-2 30-16
Texas A&M R.C. Slocum 68-15-2 44-38
TCU Pat Sullivan 19-25-1 21-22-2
Texas-El Paso Charlie Bailey 5-7-1 8-10-1
Texas Tech Spike Dykes 56-47-1 53-43
Tulane Buddy Teevens 8-37 15-26
Tulsa David Radar 35-51-1 35-42
UCLA Bob Toledo 0-0 0-0
UNLV Jeff Horton 9-14 0-0
Utah Ron McBride 41-30 35-26-1
Vanderbilt Rod Dowhower 2-9 5-5
Virginia George Welsh 98-63-3 80-66-1
Virginia Tech Frank Beamer 51-49-2 52-36-4
Wake Forest Jim Caldwell 5-27 10-19
Washington Jim Lambright 21-12-1 13-19
Washington St. Mike Price 38-41 34-35-2
West Virginia Don Nehlen 115-68-4 82-77-3
Wisconsin Barry Alvarez 32-31-4 32-28-1
Wyoming Joe Tille 28-29-1 27-24
(Editors Note: Records of Johnny Majors at Pittsburgh and John Robinson
at Southern Cal reflect two coaching stints at each of their respective schools.
This is he second time around for both)
BET SYNDICATES GET SUCKERED ON SOONERS!
WORLD GETS BURIED ON TENNESSEE AND 'CATS!
By Kelso Sturgeon
LAS VEGAS--If you are one of those football bettors who tends to get down
when you do something foolish, take heart. The smartest football bettors in
the country--the big Las Vegas betting syndicates--took stupid pills last week
and lost their shirts betting on those "we never cover" Oklahoma Sooners,
proving even the experts suffer from temporary mental deficiencies.
This past week the betting syndicates decided Oklahoma was the big play of
the day. When they stopped betting, the game had moved from -7 to -9 1/2, and
some houses even closed the game at -10 as they attempted to get action on
underdog Texas Christian in that game. We are not making fun of the wiseguys,
but are merely pointing out even they can go for the biggest traps on the board.
It may come as a sudden surprise to these big betting groups, but Oklahoma
must suffer from some Osage Indian curse, since the Sooners are an amazing
7-20-1 against the number over the past five years. And just in case you
think this situation has a short history, please note this national football
power is just 19-34-1 against the Las Vegas line over the past 10 years.
Maybe this team is living proof that the public lives in the past. Folks
step in to bet Oklahoma each week as if Bud Wilkinson were still coaching and
the Sooners were in the running for a national championship. For heaven's sake,
folks, this team lost to Oklahoma State last year and can no longer even beat
the Kansas States of the world.
It would seem to us that a person who wants to make money would simply bet
against Oklahoma every week. If one had done that last year, he would have
gone 9-1-1 against the number, or won 90 percent of his bets. Over the past
two seasons, those betting against the Sooners are 18-4-1 against the number,
and that means serious paper.
We will never put ourselves into the same category with those who manage
the money and handicap for these groups, but we would ask, if they develop a
real love affair with Oklahoma, to bet with us each week. We certainly have
history on our side.
*******************
VOLS, 'CATS MAKE BOOKIES RICH!
While the betting syndicates got buried by Oklahoma, the world took the
gas pipe with second-ranked Tennessee and the guys in purple, Northwestern.
Tennessee opened as a 17 1/2-point favorite and closed -19 1/2 as the bettors
could hardly get enough of the Volunteers, and most big bettors were on the
latter. As for the Northwestern game, this was a game in which the public
simply went nuts over a team--more for what Wake Forest was not than for what
Wake Forest was, using the Wildcats on almost every parlay card they played.
When it was all over, Tennessee had won, 35-20, and did not cover. As for
Northwestern and all the Wildcats parlay pals, Wake Forest, which was 1-10 last
year and which is 6-27 over the past three years, got the outright win, 28-27.
For the record, that win left Wake 2-0 on the season, since the Demon Deacons
whipped I-AA Appalachian State, 19-13, in the opening game of the season.
The only lessons to be learned here is that you still pay a big price to
bet on popular teams as Tennessee and that, in the case of Wake Forest, there
is a God in heaven and miracles still do happen. Just more hazards on that
long journey through the minefield of handicapping.
************************
READING BETWEEN THE LINES
Ponder the power of Nebraska's 55-14 win over Michigan State. The Cornhusk
ers absolutely destroyed a team that the week before killed a decent Purdue
team, 52-14. The news from last week's game was not that Nebraska's offense
was in high gear, and scored 55 points, but that it's defense looked to be as
good as to ever grace the college field--and we mean just that. The
Cornhuskers were so dominating defensively that Michigan State looked like a
high school football team. When it was all over, MSU had 11 touchdowns, 83
yards rushing on 49 carries, an average of 1.6 yards per carry, and 163 yards
passing. And let's not forget Nebraska intercepted three passes and forced
Michigan State to punt 11 times. Remember you read it here first--Nebraska
will win its third straight national championship. This team operates a level
above the rest. . . . .In the PAC-10 this past week, we decided Arizona State's
highly regarded football team is nowhere near as good as its press clippings,
that Arizona may be better, but that Southern Cal and UCLA are the best two
teams in the conference. ASU looked awful in blowing the big lead against
Washington, unveiling a defense that couldn't stop anybody. . . . .Do you think
Fresno State got a wakeup call? The Bulldogs, which lost to a good Oregon team
in overtime in the first game of the season, made the mistake of going to
Auburn, where they take the home field seriously, and lost 62-0. For the
record, Auburn is now 2-0 and has outscored its opponents, 91-0. Upgrade this
team immediately. . . . .What's the price on Illinois scoring a touchdown this
season? Two games into 1996, the Fightin' Illini (maybe they should give up
fightin' and take up football),
have not scored a single touchdown. Last season, they scored 14 or more points
in only four games. Come on, Lou. Defense is nice, but you have to score to
win.
THE REAL STORY ON OFF-SHORE BOOKIES....
By Kelso Sturgeon
The biggest growth segment of the sports betting business in
the United States is not taking place in the United States, and it
apparently is legal in the eyes of the Federal government. If this is so,
and the experts say it is, bettors in all 50 states can now wager with off-
shore shops and not have to worry about ending up in court.
There is one caveat, however. Both bookmakers and bettors
can get in trouble if money does not change hands in a specific way. In
fact, four men running an off-shore bookmaking operation were
arrested last week in Texas--not for booking bets but for the manner in
which they paid off.
Kenneth F. Hense, the countrys foremost lawyer in the world
of gambling, said by telephone from his office in Point Pleasant, NJ,
that he is among those who have changed their minds in the last year,
and now say off-shore bookmaking is legal and beyond the jurisdiction
of the United States government.
Hense said John Russell of the United States Department of
Justice, said in April and again in July the justice department has no
jurisdiction over off-shore bookmakers--that it does not fall under the
interstate gambling laws of the country. The only thing the federal
government can do is to request a foreign government curtail such
activities. But it can do nothing more than make such a request.
According to Hense, here is what both bettor and bookmaker
must do to avoid breaking the law:
--There first must be a transfer of money from the
bettor to a bank account in a foreign country. The money can not be
tranferred from bettor to bookmaker.
--The bank, working with the bettor and bookmaker,
then becomes the third party to betting, paying the bookmaker when the
bettor loses, and accepting transfers from the bookmaker when the
bettor wins. Both bookmaker and bettor do their business via a
legitimate banking facility, and not between each other.
--The player can then have the foreign bank transfer
his money, in dollars, back to his American bank account anytime he
wishes.
This specific transfer of money avoids the United States law,
the so-called Travel Act, dealing with interstate commerce, which
specifically discusses gambling and prohibits the transfer of gambling
money across state lines, or from the United States to a foreign country.
It also applies to all United States territories, such as Puerto Rico or
Guam.
The key is the money transfer, Hense said. If the money is
transferred directly from a bettor in the United States to bookmaker in a
foreign country, or vice versa, that could permit the U.S. government to
claim jurisdiction under the Travel Act and everybody could be in
trouble.
By using the third-party foreign bank as an intermediary, there
is no violation of the Travel Act, and the money and what it is to be
used for moves beyond the jurisdiction of the United States government,
Hense said.
Hense said the first question any court asks is who has
jurisdiction, and the government has already said it has no claim on
this under interstate gambling laws.
He also went on to say interstate gambling laws which were
passed almost 40 years ago have nothing to do with bettors, but were
designed to deal with bookmakers, especially organized crime
bookmakers who were laying off money across state lines. The courts,
he said, have ruled for years it is not a violation of federal law for a
person to bet. Only the bookmaker was held accountable. There are
some states which do have laws against bettors.
Hense said there are two off-shore bookmaking operations
which serve as good examples of what is going on in the business. He
noted a company named TISS (Telecommunications Information Service
System, NV) has set up operation in Curacao, 20 miles off the coast of
Venezuela, and is booking in the United States. He said TISS obtained
the only license offered by Curacoa, an island controlled by the
Netherlands, and operates under the jurisdiction of the Dutch
government.
He also pointed out a company named Interactive Gaming
Communications Corporation, operating out of Antigua, West Indies, is
a publically-held company now being sold on the over-the-counter stock
market in this country. This American corporation, which operates
under the name Sports International Limited, also gives people a peek
inside what a tremendous business off-shore bookmaking has become.
The companys prospectus states the company, which has no
other business but booking bets, did $47,817,172 in business in 1995,
with profits of $2,579,945, while it did $48,187,264 in business in
1994, with profits of $2,704,041. This means this company is
holding about five percent of its volume, which means it is
considerably more profitable than the average bookmaking operation in
Las Vegas.
Hense said he cites these two company because both are
operating as legitimate licensees of the governments of Curacoa and
Antigua and that Sports International Limited has put its entire business
in front of the public via a public stock offering.. He said bettors
should know with whom they are doing business and whether the
bookmaking operations are licensed by a legitimate government.
*****************
VEGAS BETTING OFF TO FASTEST START
The opening weekend of football betting in Las Vegas, the
sports betting capital of the world, was the biggest in history. While it
ended up as a standoff between bookmakers and bettors, it was the
bookies who did most of the sweating, facing massive losses if the
parlay card players won a single game--Buffalo (-7) over the New York
Giants. They also found themselves desperately needing the underdog
Chicago Bears (+3) over the Dallas Cowboys Monday night.
A trip through the bookmaking parlors late Saturday night and
early Sunday found long lines at every betting window at every casino.
Big bettors were lined up 20 deep at Caesars Palace in a line restricted
to to those betting at least $10,000. The same could be said of the
Mirage and the Horseshoe which traditionally take the biggest single-
game action in town. If youve got the money, theyll take it.
The New York Giants cover against Buffalo saved some of the
local shops from taking a $300,000 hit on their parlay cards, and may
have saved the big houses closer to a million. While any bookmaking
parlors can/will limit action on a team, if they get overloaded one way.
But there is no way a legitimate bookmaker can stop anyone from using
hot teams in parlays, and Buffalo was as hot as a firecracker.
The Bills were bet on the parlay cards, and in parlays, by the
public, the wiseguys, the powerful betting syndicates and the
professional handicappers. Bookmakers could not stop the parlay
action and kept raising the number on the Bills, which went all the way
from -4 1/2 to -7 at kickoff, in an effort to get single-game action on the
New York Giants. It did not work. No matter how high the number
went, the players were laying it.
One bookmaker at a big locals place told this writer he had had
a tremendously profitable weekend, but stood to lose more than
$350,000, if Buffalo covered. Ive never had this much at risk, even on
a Super Bowl, he said. Ninety percent of all the parlays I took today
ends on the Bills.
The story was the same at almost all the sports books. It is one
thing for bettors to be taking 11-10 on a straight bet and quite another
to be holding two-team parlays that payoff at 13-5, or $260 for each
$100 bet, or for them to be holding three-teamers at 6-1, which means
the bettor will get $600 for each $100 wager.
But the gods took care of the bookmakers, as the Giants took
Buffalo to overtime before losing by three, 23-20. This meant the
bookmakers made hundreds of thousands, instead of losing the same.
While the bookmakers slept well after the Sunday night win,
they started sweating again on Monday, knowing the public would pour
it in on the Dallas Cowboys. They were in somewhat of a trap again,
even in a parlay coupling the side and total. Regardless of whether a
parlay bettor took the over or the under in his parlay, he started it with
the Dallas Cowboys. This mean the bookmakers had 90 percent of their
bets on either Dallas and the over, or Dallas and the under.
Again, the gods took care of the bookmakers, as the Chicago
Bears handed the Cowboys a real old-fashioned country whippin,
winning 22-6 as a 3-point underdog.
The Monday night game is, by far, the biggest single parlay of
the week, since bettors are trying to get that 13-5, instead of laying 11-
10. Interesting, many bookmakers said they had two-way action on the
game. The total tickets written were heavily in favor of Dallas, which
means the public was on the Cowboys. However, the money wagered
on the game was equally split, which means the wiseguys and big
bettors were wagering on the Bears.
*********************
Jacksonvilles Jaguars, which upset Pittsburgh as a 3 1/2-point
underdog in the first game of the season, were favored by 2 1/2 points
over Houston this past weekend--the first time in team history they went
into a game as a favorite. The Jaguars joined the NFL as an expansion
team last year and were not favored in a single game.
A LOOK AT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
Arizona Cardinals
Just in case youre still wondering why the Arizona Cardinals
got rid of running back Garrison Hearst, it was an easy call. While
Hearst rushed for 1,070 yards last year, he could not put the ball in the
endzone and, in fact, became absolutely ineffective one the team moved
to inside the opponents. Hearst carried the ball 38 times in the red zone
for 58 yards, an average of 1.5 yards per carry. He scored but one
touchdown and fumbled twice. No one else was even close to him in
effectiveness. Hearst did not play behind a great offensive line, but he
worked hard at making it look worse. . . . .Did you know the Arizona
Cardinals have never been a successful franchise. The failed in Chicago
and later in St. Louis. Vince Tobin is the teams third coach in the past
three seasons and it must be noted that only once coach in franchise
history, Charlie Winner (8-5-1 in 1966) ever had a winning first season
with the Cardinals. . . . .And for those of you who bet a bob or two,
please note: Arizona is at New England this week as it plays the first of
two straight road games (it plays three of its first four on the road), and
the Cardinals are 2-1 straight up and against the number in their last
three games. Arizona was 1-7 SU and 4-4 ATS on the road in 1995.
Atlanta Falcons
As any Falcon fan knows, Atlanta must come up with a pass
defense and learn to win away from home, if it is to make it to the
playoffs this season. Last season, the Falcon defense gave up 16 plays
on which the pass receiver gained more than 20 yards after catching the
ball. It was by far the worst record of any team in the NFL. As for
winning on the road, the figures dont lie. Atlanta is 21-11 at home
over the past four seasons and just 7-25 on the road. It should have
shocked no one the Falcons lost as favorite at Carolina in the opening
game of the season. . . . .Quarterback Jeff George had 35 passes which
gained more than 25 yards last year, which left him second only to
Green Bays Brett Favre. It also must be noted George is an excellent
dome quarterback and his play there is far superior to that he turns in
in outdoor games. . . . .Atlanta gets this week off, before hosting the
Philadelphia Eagles. These teams have met four times in the past
decade and the record stands 2-2 straight up and against the spread.
Atlanta was 7-1 straight up and 6-2 against the number at home last
year.
Carolina Panthers
The early success of this expansion franchise should surprise
no one. The front office is veteran NFL through-and-through, which
meant this was a team built by successful NFL folk, and not some
whining rich kid spending his inherited wealth. It appears to us the
Panthers are picking up right where they left off last year, when they 7-9
in their first year of operation. For the record, that 7-9 mark was the
best in NFL history for an expansion team. In 1995, the Panthers did it
with defense, and are now trying to come up with a matching offense.
Last year, Carolina blitzed on 382 plays, more than any team in the
pros, and allowed only two runs of 20 or more yards last year. Throw in
the fact the Panthers permitted the opposition to gain yardage on just 56
percent of their first downs, and you get the picture. NFL observers say
this team is ions ahead of other expansion franchises, and may get to the
playoffs this year. . . . .Carolina is off this week, before hosting the San
Francisco 49ers, a team they beat, 13-7, in San Francisco last year,
before losing to the Niners at home, 31-10. Carolina was 7-5 straight
up and 9-3 against the number on artificial turf last year.
Chicago Bears
If coach Dave Wannstedt has a wish this year, it is that second-
year running back Rashaan Salaam get a better hand for the ball, so to
speak. While Wannstedt was delighted with the production he got from
Salaam last year (1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns), he was unhappy
with the fact he fumbled nine times. The Bear coach believes Salaam
can be one of the truly great NFL running backs, if he breaks that
fumbling habit. . . . .For a bit of trivia: did you know Chicago was the
only 9-7 team not to make the playoffs last season?. . . . The Chicago
Bears will be working hard this season to improve their defense, while
fine-tuning the offense. If that great defensive performance against the
Chicago Bears in the opening Monday night game of the season is any
indication of progress, the Bears seem to be on their way. Last year, the
Chicago defense permitted the opposition to convert on third and long
(more than 6 yards) 35.8 percent of the time last year, the worst figure
in the NFL. The Bears allowed 4,001 passing yards last year, the fourth
most in the league and allowed the opposition to complete 62.9 percent
of their passes. . . . .Chicago hosts Minnesota this week. The Bears are
5-4 straight up and against the number in the last six games played with
the Vikings at Soldier Field.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas fans will just have to be patient. The Cowboys are
hurting right now but should begin to get well about the time suspended
wide receiver Michael Irvin returns for the October 13 home game
against Arizona. No team in the NFL started the season with an injury
list as long as that of the Cowboys and it is going to take the team time
to get over it. It was embarrassing to see the Cowboys so inept against
the Chicago Bears in that Monday night game, but they had so many
people missing the result was inevitable. . . . .Did you know coach
Barry Switzer has a lifetime coaching record of 185-38-4 (.824). He
compiled most of those figures while at Oklahoma, where he built the
Sooners into a dominating football team. . . . .Speaking of Switzer, you
can bet hes already thinking about that home game Nov. 10 against the
San Francisco 49ers. Switzer has met the 49ers three times and is 0-3
against them. . . . .This week Dallas hosts the Indianpolis Colts. These
teams have met just once in the last 10 years--in 1993 at Indianapolis--
and the Cowboys won 27-3 as a 12-point favorite.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions may well be the most offensive team in the
NFL. The Lions have it all--a great quarterback in Scott Mitchell, a
great running back in Barry Sanders and record-breaking wide receivers
in Herman Moore and Brett Perriman. When this group is in action, the
playing field gets as wide as it can. The fact the Lions had 11
touchdown drives of just three plays last season shows one just how
explosive the team is. In 1995, Mitchell, out of Utah by way of the
Orlando Thunder of the World Football League and the Miami
Dolphins, looks to many NFL observers to be the superstar of the
future. . . . .How good are receivers Herman Moore and Brent Perriman?
Last season, Moore caught 123 passes for 1,686 yards and 14
touchdowns, while Perriman caught 108 for 1,488 yards and nine
touchdowns. The combined receiving yardage of the two totaled 3,174
yards and was the most ever by two receivers on the same team. The
second best figure was turned in in 1984 by Mark Clayton and Mark
Duper, who had 2,695 yards together for the Miami Dolphins. . . .
.Detroit is at Philadelphia this week. The Lions and Eagles have met
just twice in the last 10 years and have split the games. Philadelphia
destroyed Detroit, 58-37, last year in the NFC playoffs.
Green Bay Packers
When one discusses which NFL teams will get to the Super
Bowl this year, the name which pops up for more than any, including
Dallas and San Francisco, is Green Bay. The Packers have the respect
of every team in the NFL and it is the concensus opinion the Packers
are, right now the best team. Whether that translates into a Super Bowl
win, only time will tell. One thing we do know for sure, the Packers
have certainly looked impressive this season, with quarterback Brett
Favre looking better than ever. Thats saying some, since Favre was the
second-ranked quarterback in the NFL last year. . . . .Tis never a zero
sum game. Green Bay turned the ball over on fumbles an NFL-low six
times last year, but its defense recovered only three of the oppositions
fumbles, also fewest in the league. . . . .Green Bay hosts San Diego this
week in a game some think could be a Super Bowl preview. These
teams have met just one time in the past 10 seasons, in 1993 in San
Diego, and Green Bay won that game, 20-13, asa 3-point underdog.
Green Bay is 22-4 straight up and 17-7-2 against the number at home
over the past three seasons. Last year, they were 8-1 in both categories
in games played in Green Bay.
Minnesota Vikings
With Warren Moon recovering from an ankle injury, fifth-year
quarterback Brad Johnson is getting his chance. Johnson, a 6-5, 220-
pound native of Lynchburg, VA, played his college ball at Florida State.
Last season, he appeared in five games, completed 25-of-36 passes
(69.4%) for 272 yards. . . . .Speaking of Moon, he has three of the top
six single-season pass completition totals in NFL history. He
completed a league record 404 passes in 1991, had 377 in 1995 and 371
in 1994. Not bad for an old guy. . . . .And, here is a deceiving figure.
Last season, the Minnesota pass defense intercepted 25 passes (second
in the NFL), but nobody had any fear of throwing against them. Teams
thew 620 times against the Vikings, second in number to the 650 passes
thrown against Atlanta. . . . .Minnesota is at Chicago this week and is 4-
5 straight up and against the number on its last five trips to Soldier
Field. The Vikings were 1-4 straight up and 2-3 against the number as a
road dog last year.
New Orleans Saints
For those who asked, coach Jim Mora is in the last year of his
contract and will be gone at the end of the season if he doesnt get the
Saints into the playoffs and then make some additional noise. This
team has not had a winning record since it went 12-4 in 1992, and there
is no question the heat is on Mora to produce, or else. The biggest
knock on Mora, and it is legitimate one, is that he has never had any
confidence in his offense. This makes him play not to lose, rather than
to win, and there is a big difference. The Saints get leads and the try to
sit on them, and they get beat more often that not. . . . .For the record,
quarterback Jim Everett has found a home in New Orleans. He plays
extremely well in the dome and finished 1995 with the highest fourth-
quarter rating of any NFL quarterback--107.2. But it must be noted
that, offensively, the Saints ranked third worst in the NFL in time of
possession (28:34) in 1995 and had only three touchdown drives of five
or more minutes. No one in the pros was that inefficient. . . . .New
Orleans plays at Cincinnati this week and will hope to continue its
recent dominance of the Bengals. These teams have played three times
in the past two years--once in New Orleans and twice in Cincinnati--
and the Saints are 3-0 straight up and against the Las Vegas line.
New York Giants
The New York Giants continue to make progress, despite the
cool relationship between the front office and coach Dan Reeves. The
Giants looked like a decent football team in their opener, when they lost
23-20 in overtime. Quarterback Dave Brown even showed signs of
getting the job done in that game, but the most important fact was that
Reeves had his team ready to play, and to take its best shot at winning. .
. . .Brown as been the target of a tremendous amount of media and fan
criticism, with many people saying he will never make it big as an NFL
quarterback. They point to his fast starts in games and then his collapse
in the fourth period. Maybe they are right. The stats say Brown has an
efficiency rating in the first quarter of 97.2, 71.3 in the second, 70.4 in
the third and 61.7 in the fourth. Thats quite a dropoff and it has to be
troublesome to even Reeves and the Giant coaching staff. . . . .This
week the Giants play host to the Washington Redskins. They are 8-2
straight up and 7-2-1 against the number in their last 10 meetings with
Washington at The Meadowlands. Last year, playing at home, the
Giants won 20-13 as a 3-point favorite.
Philadelphia Eagles
There are few NFL teams who are coached as well as are the
Philadelphia Eagles. Ray Rhodes has done an outstanding job of
building a football team in his two years at the helm and every opponent
on the Eagles schedule knows this team is coming to play. The Eagles
play the hardest-nosed offensive football of anybody in the pros,
running the ball 61 percent of the time on first down last year. Rhodes
said when you have running backs like Ricky Watters (1,273 yards) and
Charlie Garner (588 yards), you use them. It is of interest that, at the
end of last season, Philadelphia had the NFLs best first-down rushing
game, better than even the Dallas Cowboys, who take pride in the fact
they can run the ball. The biggest question in all of this remains
quarterback Rodney Peete, whose figures dont shine. Still he seems to
get the job done. Peete finished last season with a subpar quarterback
rating of 67.3, but when one reads between the lines, those figures were
in the low 40s in the second half. How does one win a championship
when production drops off at crunch time?. . . . .Defensively, the
Eagles opponents came away with a touchdown or a field goal 40 of
the 44 times they got inside the 20 last year. This meant the opponents
scored 90.0 percent of the time when in the red zone, and that is
something that must be stopped. . . . .The Eagles, which host the Detroit
Lions this week, were 7-2 straight up and 5-3-1 against the number at
home last year.
St. Louis Rams
Remember. You ready it here first. There will be a major
quarterback controversy in St. Louis at the midway point of the season
and dont be surprised if the Rams decide to go with rookie Tony
Banks, a strong, smart signal caller out of Michigan State. While
everybody in the front office and the coaching staff plays down the
situation, there is no concensus support for veteran QB Steve Walsh. In
fact, there are many people connected with the club who say Walsh may
not last in the starting spot after four games, unless the Rams have a
winning record at that point. The problem with Walsh is simple. He
really doesnt throw well down field and makes the Rams too easy to
defense with his very predictable short passing game. The latter reason
was why the Chicago Bears didnt resign him, despite his previous
success with the Bears. The field is too short, too narrow and too
dificult to defend when hes calling the shots. Meantime, Banks has
been nothing short of sensational in practices and the staff believe he is
the future franchise. . . . .St. Louis has this week off, before playing
host to the Washington Redskins. The Rams are just 1-3 straight up
and against the number in their last five home games against
Washington. . . . .Wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who suffers a bit with
Walsh in the lineup, had 18 receptions of more than 25 yards last year,
placing him second behind Jerry Rice in this category.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco began the season with almost as many injuries
as Dallas and probably wont blossom as a good football team until
early October. The 49ers, who last year failed to make it to the
championship game for the first time since 1991, are still considered the
team to beat in the NFC, and well they should be. The biggest problem
facing San Francisco this year will be at the running back spot. The
team must find someone to step up and give the team a rushing game.
Last year, the 49ers had only four rushing plays that gained 20 or more
yards. . . . .Defensively, San Francisco was as tough as it gets last year,
and should be better this year. In 1995, the teams opponents scored
only 15 touchdowns from the 46 times they got inside the 20-yard line.
This meant San Francisco permitted teams to score but 32.6 percent of
the time once they were in the red zone. Thats about as good as it gets
and the defense will again be the strenght of this team. . . . .And, for a
bit of trivia: coach George Seifert has a career win percentage of .760.
He has an actual won-lost record of 95-30. Of all th coaches who have
won at least 100 games in the NFL, th late Vince Lombardi has the
highest win percentage--.740, on a 105-35-6 record. . . . .San Francisco
is off this week, before going to Carolina to play the Panthers next
week. The 49ers were 5-3 straight up and just 4-4 against the spread on
the road last year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The entire NFL football world was pleased when former
Minnesota assistant Tony Dungy landed the head coaching job with
Tampa Bay. He had paid his dues and a head coaching position was
long overdue. Now, even Dungy must be wondering if he has done the
right thing. He inherited a team which was walking the fine line, always
just one step from disaster. Disaster may have arrived, if the first game
of the season, an awful, one-sided loss to Green Bay is any indication
of what is to come. It has become obvious quarterback Trent Dilfer is
not yet ready to do the job, if he ever will be. Dilfer last year turned in
the worst touchdown-to-interception differential since 1971, and he
looks worse this year. In 1995, Dilfer had 4 touchdown passes and 18
interceptions--an absolutely unacceptable figure. . . . .How weak was
Tampa Bay last year? The Buccaneers had an average time of possesion
of only 5:50 in the first period last year--lowest in the NFL--and then
scored an NFL low 107 points in the second half of their games last
season. And thats the good news. Dungy may wish he had stayed in
Minnesota, rather than have accepted what may well be the biggest
challenge in the NFL. . . . .Tampa Bay is at Denver this week. These
teams have played just once in the past 10 years and Tampa Bay won
that game. Tampa Bay was 2-6 straight up and 3-5 against the number
on the road last year. Over the past five seasons, the Bucs are just 8-32
on the road.
Washington Redskins
Lets get to the nitty gritty with the Washington Redskins. Its
time for coach Norv Turner to prove he can do the job, or hit the road.
The former offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys has done such
a poor job (9-23 in his first two years) that he has become quite
offensive to Washington fans. This is a franchise that rode the genius
to Joe Gibbs to the top, and to Super Bowl championships, and the
natives are restless. The fact Washington played so poorly in its
opening-season loss at home to Philadelphia didnt help matters either. .
. . .The Redskins have now had three straight losing seasons. The last
time they lost for so long came from 1957 to 1965 when they never
broke .500. . . . .The quarterback controversy in Washington has not
ended, even though Gus Frerotte deserved the starting job and got it.
The Skins simply dont know what to do with Heath Shuler, who is on
the payroll to the tune of $19 million. He wants to start, but simply
isnt good enough to win the job from Frerotte. At some point in time,
the Redskins will either have to start Shuler, even though he is not the
best quarterback, or eat the big contract and trade him to somebody. In
the eyes of most NFL observers, either way, they .lose. . . . .Washington
is at the New York Giants this week. They are 2-8 straight up and
against the number on their last 10 trips to The Meadowlands.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYSIS
MIAMI-FL at RUTGERS
This will be the fourth meeting between the Hurricanes and the Scarlet Knights
in the past 10 years and Miami stands a perfect 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against
the Las Vegas line. Last season, when these two schools met in Coral Gables,
the Hurricanes embarrassed the Knights, winning 56-21, as 14-point favorites.
Rutgers has no offense this season and will have a hard time scoring on the
always tough Hurricane defense.
Predict: Miami by 42
EAST CAROLINA AT WEST VIRGINIA
This is going to be the first real contest for both of these teams, as
East Carolina opened the season with a 45-21 win over East Tennessee State and
West Virginia played Pittsburgh to a 34-0 trouncing in week one of its season
and a tighter than expected 34-9 game against Western Michigan last week. For
the record, ECU and WVU have met five times in the past 10 years, with the
Mountaineers holding a 4-1 record straight up, however, West Virginia is just
1-3-1 against the spread.
Predict: East Carolina by 7
VIRGINIA TECH AT BOSTON COLLEGE
Virginia Tech opened the season last week with an easy win over a
improving Akron team, but starts its run at repeating as Big East Conference
champions with this Saturday's game with Boston College. The Eagles started
their season with a overtime victory over Hawaii, 24-21, two weeks ago, but
will have a hard time hanging on with this Hokies squad. This is only the
fourth time these two school have met in the past 10 years and Virginia Tech
stands 2-1 straight up and against the spread in those games.
Predict: Virginia Tech by 13
AUBURN AT MISSISSIPPI
While Auburn opened its football season with victories over Alabama-
Birmingham and Fresno State, 29-0 and 62-0, respectively, Mississippi also
made a 2-0 start with wins over Idaho State, 38-14, and VMI, 31-7. This is the
seventh time the Rebels have met in the past 10 years and the Tigers and Ole
Miss stands just 1-5 straight up in those previous games, however, Mississippi
is 3-3 ATS in those contests. A tough Auburn defense shuts out Ole Miss.
Predict: Auburn by 17
CINCINNATI AT KANSAS STATE
Kansas State, which opened the season two weeks ago with tough win over Texas
Tech, 21-14, takes on an unimpressive Cincinnati team that lost 34-14 to
Tulane, as a 12 1/2-point underdog in its first contest of the year and played
a mediocre Kentucky squad to a 24-3 victory last weekend. The Wildcats and the
Bearcats have met just once in the past 10 years, in 1995, and, as 13-point
favorites, Kansas State held on for a 23-21 win in Cincinnati.
Predict: Kansas State by 10
MARYLAND AT VIRGINIA
Maryland, which enters this contest with victories over Northern
Illinois and Alabama-Birmingham, 30-7 and 39-15, respectively, is taking on a
Virginia squad that is coming off an impressive victory over Central Michigan,
55-19.While the Cavaliers have won four straight against the Terrapins and
six-of-10 since 1986, Maryland stands 6-4 against the number in those outings.
Maryland is the slightly better team here and should overcome the home field
advantage of Virginia, at least to cover the spread.
Predict: Maryland by 3
GEORGIA AT SOUTH CAROLINA
Georgia opened up its college football season with a tough 11-7 loss to
Southern Mississippi, but has had 14 days to recover and build on the mistakes
it made in that contest. South Carolina started its season last week with a
33-14 win over Central Florida. The Bulldogs and the Gamecocks have met eight
time since the 1986 campaign and these two southern teams are locked with a
4-4 mark straight up, however, South Carolina is 6-2 against the number in those
games.
Predict: Georgia by 6
HAWAII AT WYOMING
Hawaii has opened the season with two straight home losses to Boston
College and Ohio University, 24-21 and 21-10, respectively. Wyoming began its
1996 campaign with a two tight overtime games. Its first came with the Big
West's Idaho, as it won 40-38, then took to the road a week ago to face Iowa
State to a 41-38 victory. For the record, the Cowboys are 3-0 ATS in the last
three games with the Rainbow Warriors and 8-2 against the spread in their
Western Athletic Conference home openers. Also, the home team has covered
seven of the last nine games.
Predict: Wyoming by 5
PURDUE AT NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame got a little scare in Nashville last Thursday night, when it
just squeaked by Vanderbilt, winning 14-7, but it hopes to get back on track
this Saturday, as it hosts Purdue, a team that lost to Michigan State, 52-14,
in week one of its season. In the past 10 meetings between these two
universities Notre Dame has posted a 10-0 mark straight up, but stands just
3-7 against the line, however, this statistic can be somewhat misleading, since
the Fighting Irish have cover in their last three games with the Boilermakers
after failing to cover for seven straight.
Predict Notre Dame by 14
VANDERBILT AT ALABAMA
Alabama is 2-0 thus far this season, with victories over Bowling Green and
Southern Miss, 21-7 and 20-10, respectively, and is planning to make it three
straight wins with its contest with Vanderbilt this week. The Commodores played
an outstanding game against Notre Dame, despite the 14-7 loss, will be tired
and should have a tougher time scoring on the Crimson Tides tough defense. For
the record, Alabama has won 10 straight against Vandy, but is just 4-6 ATS in
those games and has failed to cover in four straight.
PREDICT: Alabama by 10
MICHIGAN AT COLORADO
Billed the game to watch this weekend Colorado is coming off a 48-34
victory over Colorado State while Michigan has had two weekends off, after
opening up the year with a 20-8 win over Illinois. This is but the second time
these two teams have met in the past 10 seasons and Colorado won the last
outing, 27-26, as a 5-point underdog. By the way, the Buffaloes are 8-2 against
the spread in games versus the Big Ten Conference, and the Wolverines are just
1-4 ATS in comes coming off a bye week.
BYU AT WASHINGTON
After beating Texas A&M, 41-37, in the opening game of the college
football season and stomping a lesser Arkansas State team, 62-7, Brigham Young
took the week off to prepare for this game against Washington, who opened its
season with a 45-42 loss to Arizona State. The Huskies are 5-2 against the
number versus Western Athletic teams in the past 20 years while Brigham Young
has lost five straight ATS to PAC-10 teams.
Predict: Brigham Young by 14
SAN DIEGO STATE AT CALIFORNIA
California opened up its season last week with a 45-25 victory over San Jose
State, but will have to play better if it wishes to compete with this weeks
opponent, San Diego State, who opened up its 1996 football campaign with a
40-21 win over a strong Idaho squad. The Aztecs humiliated the Golden Bears
last year, winning 33-9, and Cal is just 2-9 against the spread in its last 11
revenge games. However, SDSU is also just 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games against
PAC-10 opponents and only 2-10 in non-conference away games since 1987.
Predict San Diego State by 8
IOWA STATE AT IOWA
Iowa held off a strong Arizona team in week one of its season, winning
21-20, while Iowa State took on a inconsistent Wyoming team to a 41-38 overtime
loss. The Hawkeyes have won 14 straight in the series with the Cyclones but
the visitor in this series is 8-1 against the spread in the last nine. Last
year when these two teams met Iowa did its best to keep Iowa State in the game
but pulled away late to win, 27-10, and cover the spread of 13 points.
Predict Iowa by 9
NORTHWESTERN AT DUKE
Northwestern takes on its second straight ACC opponent, as it faced down Wake
Forest last week to a hard 28-27 loss. Duke also started its season with a
loss, as it was defeated 44-7 by Florida State. For the record, this is the
sixth time these two schools have met in the past 10 years and Duke stands a
perfect 5-0 straight up and 3-2 ATS in those five previous meetings. However,
their last meeting was in 1990, when Duke won 27-24, as an 11-point favorite,
and, in the past three seasons, the Wildcats have gone 12-4 against the line.
Predict Northwestern by 10
SAN JOSE STATE AT STANFORD
San Jose State has given up 45 points in both of its first two games, as
it lost to Air Force and California, 45-0 and 45-25, respectively. Stanford
opened its season last week with a 17-10 loss to inconsistent Utah. Bettors
should watch the Cardinal closely when they are a home favorite, as they are
just 4-11 against the spread in that position since 1992. When these two teams
met in 1995, Stanford won 47-33 as a 16-point favorite.
Predict Stanford by 10
COLORADO STATE AT OREGON
Oregon has started its 1996 football season 2-0, with wins over Fresno State and
Nevada, 30-27 and 44-30, respectively, while Colorado State has begun its year
1-1, defeating Tennessee-Chattanooga, 61-19, and losing to Colorado, 48-34.
The Ducks are 5-1 against the spread when playing at home off of a home game.
The Rams, on the other hand, are 2-6 on artificial turf, but have posted a 4-1
mark ATS as a away underdog over the past two years.
Predict: Oregon by 3
OREGON STATE AT USC
After losing to Penn State, 24-7, in the opening game of the season, Southern
California bounced back to defeat Illinois, 55-3, last week and now will take
on a mediocre Oregon State team that started its season last week with a loss
to the Big Sky's Montana, 35-14. The Trojans are 12-0-1 against the number
since 1978 against the beavers and 15-0 straight up since 1976. USC is also
10-4 ATS in a home game before a road game, sine 1992.
Predict USC by 42
HOUSTON AT PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh rebounded from its 34-0 opening game loss to West Virginia
to beat the Mid-American Conference's Kent, 52-14. Houston, on the other hand,
started its season with a 43-25 victory over Sam Houston State and just lost,
35-34, to a powerful LSU squad. The Panthers are 4-1 against the Las Vegas
line against non-conference teams, while Houston is just 1-5 ATS versus the Big
East since 1978.
Predict Houston by 2
WAKE FOREST AT GEORGIA TECH
An inconsistent Wake Forest team just squeaked by Appalachian State,
19-13, in week one of its season, but then came back last week to upset
Northwestern, 28-27, as a 17-point underdog. Georgia Tech opened its 1996
football campaign a weekend ago, defeating N.C. State, 28-16. The Demon Deacons
are 4-1 against the spread in their last five with tech and 7-2 in their last
nine, however, WF is also just 1-5 ATS in its first road game of the season
since 1990.
Predict Georgia Tech by 30
TULSA AT OKLAHOMA STATE
Oklahoma State started its 1996 football campaign with a 23-20 home win over
Southwest Missouri State and then traveled to Texas Tech to loss 31-3, as a
14-point underdog. Tulsa opened its year with a 17-10 defeat at Southern
Methodist and had last weekend off. The underdog in this contest is 4-0
against the number in the last four and 9-2 ATS in the past 11. Also, the last
six games between these two school have been decided by an average of five
points.
Predict Tulsa by 7
MEMPHIS AT MISSOURI
Mephis has played well in its first two games, despite losing 30-7 to
Miami-Fl and 31-10 to Mississippi, while Missouri was man-handles by Texas,
40-10, two weekends ago. This is but the second time these two teams have met
in the past 10 years, and Missouri got the victory in that contest, winning
31-21, as a 2-point favorite. Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its first road game of the
season over the past six seasons and 5-1 against the number in its last six
away games following a contest versus Mississippi State. Missouri is 4-1 ATS
in its last five home openers.
Predict Missouri by 2
KANSAS AT TCU
Texas Christian upset Oklahoma, 20-7, in its opening game of the season last
week. Kansas had last weekend off, but cruised to a easy victory over Ball
State in a Thursday night game two and a half weeks ago. The Jayhawks are 3-1
against the spread after a bye week and are 4-0-1 straight up and 4-1 ATS in
the last five with the Horned Frogs. However, Kansas is just 1-5 against the
number as a double-digit favorite in its last six.
Predict Kansas by 13
RICE AT TULANE
While Tulane opened its season with an impressive, 34-14 win over
Cincinnati, as 12 1/2-point favorites, two weeks ago, Rice began its 1996
football year with a 70-7 loss to Ohio State, as a 28-point underdog. The Owls
have covered in five of the last six games in this series, but Tulane is 5-2
ATS in its last seven games versus former Southwest Conference teams. Also,
the visitor in the series is 5-1 ATS in their last six.
Predict Tulane by 7
UTAH AT SMU
An inconsistent Utah team started the season off with an upset loss to Utah
State, 20-17, but rebounded last weekend two defeat Stanford, 17-10, as a
5-point underdog. Southern Methodist defeated Tulsa, 17-10, in its home opener
and upset Arkansas, 23-10, on the road as a 11 1/2-point underdog. This will
be the first meeting between these two schools, but the Utes are just 3-8
against the number in final of two or more straight road games.
Predict SMU by 1
NE LOUISIANA AT UCLA
UCLA opened its 1996 football season with a hard-fought 35-20 loss to
Tennessee. Northeast Louisiana began its year with a 14-12 victory over
Nicholls State and then lost to Minnesota, 30-3. For the record, the Bruin are
just 2-5 against the Las Vegas line in their home openers, but are 17-9-1 on
the grass over the past three seasons. By the way, this will be the first
meeting between these two schools on the gridiron.
Prediction: UCLA by 32
ILLINOIS AT ARIZONA
Illinois started off the season with a close 20-8 loss to Michigan, but then
fell hard to Southern California, losing 55-3. Arizona, on the other and,
began its season with an unimpressive victory over Texas-El Paso, 23-3, and
then lost to Iowa, 21-20, in a hard-fought game last week. The Fighting Illini
are 8-2 ATS coming off a straight up home loss, and are 9-3 against the number
in their past12 on grass and 13-6 in the last 19. Arizona is also just 2-8 ATS a
s a home favorite.
Predict Arizona by 18
WISCONSIN AT UNLV
Nevada-Las Vegas has begun the season with two straight losses, losing 62-3 at
Tennessee and 65-17 at home. Wisconsin opened up its season at home a week ago
with a 24-3 win over Eastern Michigan. While it appears as if the Badgers will
easily win this contest here is some interesting statistics: Wisconsin is 2-4
against the spread in its last six road openers and 3-8 ATS as a road favorite
during the regular season. When these teams last met, in 1986, UNLV won 17-7.
Predict Wisconsin by 35
LOUISIANA TECH AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Central Michigan opens its home schedule this weekend, after going 1-1 to start
the season with a win over Boise State, 42-21, and losing to Virginia 55-21.
Louisiana Tech, also 1-1 thus far this year, began its season with a 20-0 home
win over Middle Tennessee State and a hard-fought loss to Baylor, 24-16. The
Chippewas failed to cover in their first line game with Virginia, missing by
nine points, while this will be Louisiana Tech first game offering a line.
Predict Central Michigan by 4
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT PENN STATE
Penn State opened its college football season with a impressive 24-7 win over
Southern California and a mediocre victory against Louisville, 24-7, but get a
breather this weekend. Northern Illinois is 0-2 thus far this season, with losse
s to Maryland and Western Illinois, 30-7 and 17-0 respectively. For the record,
the Nittany Lions are just 1-4 against the Las Vegas line when favored by 25
or more points.
Predict Penn State by 55
TEMPLE AT BOWLING GREEN
Temple is rebuilding itself towards competitiveness, as it opened the season
with a 28-24 win over Eastern Michigan, as a 2 1/2-point favorite, and just
lost to Washington State, losing 38-34, as a 10-point underdog. Bowling Green
lost to Alabama, 21-7, in its opening contest of the year. Temple is 11-4-1
against the spread after a straight up home loss over the past two season and
is 2-5 ATS in its last seven outings with a Mid-American Conference opponent,
including a cover this season by the owls over Eastern Michigan.
Predict Temple by 5
OHIO AT ARMY
While this is Army's opening game of the season, Ohio has had two contest to
work out its kinks, with victories over Akron and Hawaii, 44-14 and 21-10,
respectively. The Cadets are 5-1 in their last six home openers with a line.
Army is 22-6 ATS spread as a home underdog since 1983, but are just 5-10 as a
home favorite over the past seven seasons.
Predict Ohio by 1
MIAMI-OH AT INDIANA
Indiana is playing against its second straight Mid-American Conference opponent,
it defeated Toledo, 40-16 last week, as a 3-point favorite Miami of Ohio began
its season 2-0, with victories over Kent and Ball State, 64-6 and 16-6,
respectively. The Hoosiers are just 1-5 ATS in games where it is a double-digit
favorite and has lost four straight home games against the spread versus
non-conference opponents.
Predict Indiana by 18
UTAH STATE AT SOUTHERN MISS
Southern Mississippi opens its home schedule this weekend after being on the
road for two weeks, against Georgia and Alabama. The Golden Eagles upset the
Bulldogs, winning 11-7, as a 11-point underdog, but feel short with the Crimson
Tide, losing 20-10, as a 10 1/2-point 'dog. Utah State also opened up its
season with an upset, when it defeated Utah, 20-17, as a 14-point underdog.
For the record, Southern Miss is 3-7 against the number versus the Big West
since 1989 , but are 6-3 ATS in its last nine lined home openers.
Predict Southern Miss by 8
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Both Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan have started off their 1996 campaigns
0-2, with the Eagles losing to Temple, 28-24, and Wisconsin, 24-3, while the
Broncos lost to East Illinois and West Virginia, 28-20 and 34-9, respectively.
Eastern Michigan lost to Western Michigan 23-13, as a 1-point underdog, in 1995,
and 33-14, in 1994, as a 10-point 'dog.
Predict Western Michigan by 2
TOLEDO AT AKRON
While Akron opened up the season with a 44-14 loss to Ohio University the Zips
came back last weekend and played Virginia Tech to a respectable 21-18 loss.
Tech may have been playing under wraps, as it opens its Big East Conference
schedule this week, but it still tired out this Akron team and should leave
them easy prey for Toledo. The Rockets returned 39-of-52 lettermen, started
off its 1996 football campaign with a loss to Indiana, 40-6, as a 3-point
underdog, but should rebould here with a somewhat easy victory.
Predict Toledo by 21
BALL STATE AT MINNESOTA
While Minnesota began its football season with an easy 30-3 win over Northeast
Louisiana, Ball State was losing Kansas,35-10, and Miami of Ohio, 16-6. For
the record, Minnesota is just 1-6 against the Las Vegas line in its last seven
lined home openers, however, the Golden Gophers are also 4-1 ATS in their last
five outings as a touchdown or more favorite. When these two teams met last
season, Muncie, IN, Minnesota won 31-7, as a 14-point favorite.
Predict Minnesota by 19
TEXAS A&M AT SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA
Texas A&M has had three weeks off to brew on its 41-37 loss to Brigham Young in
the Kickoff Classic and Southwestern Louisiana is going to bear the brunt of
the Aggies frustration with that loss. The Ragin' Cajuns started off its season
with a 55-21 loss to Florida. For the record, Texas A&M is just 3-7 against the
spread in the last 10 when in their second straight home contest, and 6-3 ATS
off of a bye week.
Predict Texas A&M by 55
NEW MEXICO STATE AT TEXAS-EL PASO
Texas-El Paso has had two weeks off since its 23-3 loss to Arizona in its
opening game of the season and should be rested up enough to face a New Mexico
State team that has played with New Mexico and Texas in the past two weeks,
For the record, the Aggies lost, 28-7 to the Lobos and 41-7 to the Longhorns.
The good news for New Mexico State bettors though is the fact the Aggies are
7-0 ATS in their last seven with UTEP. Texas-El Paso is also just 1-4 in its
last five after a bye week
Predict UTEP by 5
NORTH TEXAS AT ARIZONA STATE
North Texas, now competing in just its second season as a Division I-A school,
started off the year last week with a 20-14 win over Illinois State, as Arizona
State opened its 1996 football campaign with a tight 45-42 victory over
Washington. The Sun Devils are 7-3 ATS in second game of a two or more game
home-stand, but are 3-8-2 in last 13 contests played in the month of September.
ASU is also just 3-7 against the line after a straight up win.
Predict Arizona State by 14
NATONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE ANALYSIS
San Diego at Green Bay
There is some chance this is a preview of the Super Bowl.
Both teams are talented and well-coached and each does have the talent
to get to the big one. San Diego comes into this off impressive home
wins over Seattle and Cincinnati, while Green Bay opened with a win at
Tampa Bay and then met Philadelphia on Monday night. You can take
it to the bank that San Diego coach Bobby Ross will come with a game
plan that keeps the ball in the Chargers hands as much of the time as is
possible. The Charger offense is designed for ball control and it takes it
8.9 more plays to score than the NFL average. For the record, San
Diego is 10-6 straight up and 12-4 ATS on the road over the past two
seasons. Green Bay was 8-1 SU and ATS at home last year and is 16-2
and 12-4-2 in those categories over the past three years. This one
should be a cat-and-mouse game that goes right to the money.
Predict San Diego by 3
New York Jets at Miami
The New York Jets showed improvement between their first
and second games but one must seriously question if the talent on this
team is enough to compete against the better teams in the NFL. Jet QB
Neil ODonnell was on his game last week in 21-7 home loss to
Indianapolis, hitting 26-of-46 passes for 319 yards and a TD. But he
cant do it by himself. Jets are 0-2 straight up and ATS this year and
are 4-6 SU and 6-4 ATS on their last 10 trips to Miami. Dolphins come
into this off tough game at Arizona, but look ready to play their best.
We dont think it will be close.
Predict Miami by 17
Minnesota at Chicago Bears
Is this the bounce game for Chicago? Bears (1-1) were
lifeless in 10-3 loss at Washington last week, but had to be in letdown
mode after emotionally-draining 22-6 Monday night win over Dallas
Cowboys. Bears need desperately to get RB Rashaan Salaam (1,074
yards last year) back into lineup. Salaam missed first two games of
season, which has made Bear offense struggle. Minnesota comes into
Soldier Field 2-0 straight up and ATS. Of note to bettors is fact each of
the four games these teams have been in this season have gone under.
Chicago is 5-4 straight up and ATS in last nine home games against
Vikings. Minnesota has won and covered in last three.
Predict Chicago by 7
Baltimore at Houston
Baltimore, formerly the Cleveland Browns, arrives in Houston
1-1 on the season, and with a decent record against the Oilers in
Houston, going 6-4 straight up and 7-3 ATS on its last 10 trips to that
city. Houston (1-1) looks to be one of the most improved teams in the
NFL. The Oilers won straight up as an underdog last week in
Jacksonville and got great games from QB Chris Chandler and rookie
running back Eddie George (143 yards on 17 carries). If Houston plays
its game, and there is every reason to believe it will, it should get the
win and cover in this spot.
Predict Houston by 6
Detroit at Philadelphia
The Eagles come into this off a tough Monday night game at
Green Bay and may find themsleves a sitting duck for a Detroit Lion
team that should be ready to explode. The main cog in the Detroit
attack--QB Scott Mitchell--is overdue for a standout game, and if he has
it here, it wont be any contest, with all due respect to Eagle coach Ray
Rhodes, who always comes to play. Lion RB Barry Sanders is off to
great start, but Mitchell has been mediocre thus far. As always, we have
no confidence in Eagle QB Rodney Peete to get the money when heat is
on. His 4th quarter figures are among worse in NFL and he wont win
any shootout with Mitchell, who excells late. Home opener for Eagles,
which may be some edge.
Predict Detroit by 10
Arizona at New England
The New England Patriots (0-2) have scored just 10 points in
each of their first two games and that simply is not enough offense to
win in the NFL, even when the defense is giving up an average of just
20.5 points per outing. There is no question the Patriots gave away
their opener at Miami, giving up two touchdowns on turnovers, and then
last week at Buffalo died within the shadow of the goal posts as the
clock ran out, losing 17-10. NE defense has been great, but offense is
going to have to pick it up to get the job done. This is home opener for
New England and lets take the position they will put it together here.
Cardinals looked punchless and confused in 38-10 home loss to Miami
last week. Arizona and Patriots have played three times in the 1990s
and the Cardinals are 2-1 straight up and ATS in those games. Cards
are 0-2 over all, 0-1 on road this year and were 1-7 when traveling last
year.
Predict New England by 14
New Orleans at Cincinnati
This is the home opener for the 0-2 Bengals, who have lost at
26-16 at St. Louis and 27-14 at San Diego. New Orleans comes into
this 0-2, having lost at San Francisco, 27-11, and at home last week to
Carolina, 22-20. The Bengals have an accuse for getting blanked in
their first two games. Theyre a young team, learning with every game
and holding their own with better teams. As for the Saints, they have no
excuse. They have a veteran lineup that simply refuses to play to win
early in the season. This is third straight year Saints have opened 0-2
and coach Jim Mora continues to run his play-not-to-lose offense,
which lets every opponent stay alive and in game until final gun sounds.
Teams have met three times in the past 10 years and New Orleans is 3-0
straight up and ATS in those games. That streak stops here.
Predict Cincinnati by 9
Indianapolis at Dallas
Indianapolis is off to first 2-0 start in 19 years, with wins over
Arizona and New York Jets, and actually arrives in Dallas an unknown
commodity. The feeling in most circles is that the Colts are a very good
football team. They have tremendous offensive firepower with top-rated
QB Jim Harbaugh and with RB Marshall Faulk. Dallas is 1-1 and
looked like a decent football team in putting 27-0 stopper on N.Y.
Giants last week. Cowboys still are hurting, however, and will find
Indianapolis a tough opponent. These teams have played but once in
the past 10 years, in Indianapolis in 1993, and the Cowboys won, 27-3,
as a 12-point favorite. Times have changed, and Colts may now be
better team.
Predict Indianapolis by 4
Kansas City at Seattle
Kansas City is off to 2-0 start and looking like the real thing.
Chiefs took tough win at Houston and then came back last weak and
beatup on Oakland, 19-3, in a game that was not as close as it looked.
Seattle is now 0-2 and stumbled badly at home last week against Denver
Broncos. It would not surprise us to see Seattle coach Dennis Erickson
change quarterbacks. Rick Mirer is not getting job done and maybe a
change would fire up this team. While Kansas City is 14-6 straight up
and 12-8 against number in last 20 games played in this series, Chiefs
are just 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS on last 10 trips to Kingdome. Of note is
fact KC is 9-1 straight up and 7-3 ATS in last 10 games between two
teams. Chiefs have covered in four of last five. Seattle is better than 0-
2, but are Seahawks good enough? We think so.
Predict Seattle by 3
Washington at New York Giants
Call this the Futility Bowl. Giants are 0-2, Redskins 1-1 and
it is obvious neither has the talent to go anywhere. In other words,
dont put these two teams in your Super Bowl predictions. It has to be
disturbing to coaches of both teams that neither can put ball into end
zone. Washington is averaging 12.0 points per outing, while Giants,
who were shutout by Cowboys last week, are averaging 10.0. We think
problem in Washington likes with coach Norv Turner, who cant, and
with simple lack of talent in New York. No NFL team is going to get
there with Dave Brown playing QB. His stats fall off so dramatically as
the game progresses Giants have no chance to win close ones.
Statistically, New York is 8-2 straight up and 7-2-1 against number in
last 10 games in Meadowlands. This one may be ugly.
Predict New York by 7
Jacksonville at Oakland
Jacksonville (1-1) plays on road for first time this season,
while 0-2 Oakland makes its home debut. Raider coaching staff says
QB Jeff Hostetler will be back in starting line up, after missing losses to
Baltimore and Kansas City with leg injury. Jaguars much improved
team this year, and are as well coached as any team in NFL. With
Hostetler still suffering effect of his injury, and with Jacksonville in
their road mode, this may be low scoring game, with the under the best
play. Jacksonville was 2-6 AU and 5-3 ATS on road last year. Have to
believe Jaguars will come to town to win and will take uncoachable
Raiders to limit.
Predict Oakland by 4
Tampa Bay at Denver
Denver, a team many say will get to the Super Bowl this year,
comes into this 2-0 and looked impressive in 31-6 season-opening win
over New York Jets and even more so last week in strong 30-20 win at
Seattle. Tampa Bay (0-2) has scored just nine points, and no
touchdowns, in its first two games and there is no reason to think some
miracle will occur and things will get better in Denver. QB Trent
Dilfer, who has thrown six interceptions in his first two games, just gets
worse. The fact Tampa Bay will still be without holdout running back
Erict Rhett makes the task the Bucs face here about three degrees the
other side of impossible. If you cant score, you cant win.
Predict Denver by 27
Monday Night
Buffalo at Pittsburgh
These are two real mystery teams. Buffalo (2-0) is the choice
of many to get to the Super Bowl, but one has to wonder how. QB Jim
Kelly is off to a miserable start, which leads us to believe his shoulder
surgery was not successful. This guy threw three interceptions last
week and looked absolutely terrible, even though the Bills managed to
beat New England, 17-10. Pittsburgh (1-1) woke up behind QB Mike
Tomczak last week, but it has never taken other NFL clubs long to get
up to speed to stop him. Which Steeler team will show up? The one
that lost at Jacksonville, or the one which beat Baltimore last week.
These teams have played four times in Pittsburgh during the last 10
years and the Steelers are 3-1 straight up and ATS in those games. Last
year, in the AFC semi-final, Pittsburgh won, 40-21. Buffalo is 3-5-1
ATS as a road dog on Monday night. Pittsburgh is 7-3 ATS as home
favorite on Monday night.
Predict Pittsburgh by 2
KELSO STURGEON'S BEST BETS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
EAST CAROLINA plus pts over WEST VIRGINIA
CINCINNATI plus pts over KANSAS STATE
SAN DIEGO STATE plus pts ove CALIFORNIA
GEORGIA TECH minus pts over WAKE FOREST
MISSOURI minus pts over MEMPIS
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
SAN DIEGO plus pts over GREEN BAY
CHICAGO minus pts over MINNESOTA
NEW ENGLAND minus pts over ARIZONA
NEW YORK plus pts over WASHINGTON
JACKSONVILLE plus pts over OAKLAND
CURRENT COLLEGE POWER RATINGS
Graded By Kelso Sturgeon
(The following college power ratings are simple to use. Just
keep in mind the lower the rating, the better the team. To use these
power ratings, first determine the home team and the visiting team.
Then take the lower power rating and subtract it from the higher power
rating. The difference between the two will be the projected win
margin of the team with the lower numbers. If teams are playing on a
neutral site, use the road rating of each team)
(Updated Sunday, Sept. 8)
TEAM HOME POWER RATING ROAD POWER RATING
Air Force 12.5 13.5
Akron 33.5 36.0
Alabama 8.0 9.5
Alabama-Birmingham 24.0 27.0
Appalachian State 23.0 24.0
Arizona 13.0 14.0
Arizona State 9.0 10.5
Arkansas 13.5 16.0
Arkansas State 29.5 33.0
Army 15.5 16.5
Auburn 5.0 7.5
Ball State 19.5 23.0
Baylor 9.5 10.5
Boise State 31.0 33.0
Boston College 12.0 13.5
Bowling Green 17.0 19.5
Brigham Young 10.0 11.5
Brown 79.0 81.0
California 15.0 16.5
Cal-Sacramento 47.5 50.0
Cal-Northridge 48.0 51.0
Central Florida 29.5 31.0
Central Michigan 21.0 23.0
Cincinnati 15.0 16.5
Citadel 29.5 32.0
Clemson 13.0 14.5
Colorado 2.5 3.5
Colorado State 13.0 14.5
Columbia 71.5 75.0
Cornell 69.5 73.0
Dartmouth 66.5 70.0
Delaware 25.5 27.0
Duke 18.0 19.5
East Carolina 9.5 11.0
East Tenn. State 31.0 33.0
Eastern Illinois 30.0 33.0
Eastern Kentucky 26.5 28.5
Eastern Michigan 27.0 29.0
Eastern Washington 41.0 44.0
Florida 4.0 5.0
Florida State 3.0 4.0
Fresno State 18.5 19.5
Furman 30.0 31.5
Georgia 12.0 13.5
Georgia Southern 30.0 31.0
Georgia Tech 11.0 12.5
Harvard 79.0 81.0
Hawaii 19.0 20.5
Houston 14.0 16.5
James Madison 28.5 30.0
Idaho 23.0 25.0
Idaho State 31.5 34.0
Illinois 12.5 14.5
Illinois State 45.0 46.5
Indiana 14.0 15.0
Indiana State 35.0 37.0
Iowa 7.5 8.5
Iowa State 15.0 16.5
Kansas 10.5 11.0
Kansas State 8.0 10.0
Kent 35.5 37.0
Kentucky 18.5 20.0
LSU 6.0 7.5
Louisiana Tech 22.0 25.0
Louisville 11.0 13.0
Marshall 26.5 28.0
Maryland 12.0 13.0
Massachusetts 37.0 39.5
McNeese State 23.5 25.5
Memphis 17.5 19.0
Miami-FL 7.0 8.5
Miami-OH 14.5 17.0
Michigan 6.0 7.5
Michigan State 12.5 14.0
Mid Tenn. State 24.5 27.0
Minnesota 16.0 17.5
Mississippi 15.0 16.0
Mississippi State 12.0 13.5
Missouri 15.5 16.5
Montana 26.0 37.5
Montana State 42.0 43.5
Murray State 27.5 29.0
Navy 19.5 21.0
Nebraska 0.0 1.0
Nevada 28.5 30.0
New Mexico 15.0 16.0
New Mexico State 29.5 32.0
Northeast Louisiana 25.0 27.0
North Carolina 6.0 8.0
N.C. State 16.5 18.0
North Texas 24.5 26.5
Northern Arizona 28.5 30.0
Northern Illinois 23.0 25.0
Northern Iowa 22.5 25.0
Northwestern 11.0 13.0
Notre Dame 6.5 8.5
Ohio State 2.0 3.0
Ohio University 21.5 23.0
Oklahoma 14.0 15.5
Oklahoma State 17.5 19.0
Oregon 9.0 10.5
Oregon State 23.0 24.5
Penn 60.0 61.5
Penn State 5.0 5.5
Pittsburgh 18.0 20.0
Princeton 62.5 65.0
Portland State 39.0 40.5
Purdue 19.0 20.5
Rice 18.0 19.0
Rutgers 19.5 21.0
San Diego State 7.0 8.5
San Jose State 25.0 27.5
South Carolina 16.0 17.5
Southern California 5.0 6.5
Southern Illinois 47.0 49.5
Southern Methodist 13.5 15.5
Southern Mississippi 12.5 14.5
Southwest Missouri State 22.5 24.0
Southwestern Louisiana 19.0 21.0
Stanford 12.0 14.0
Stephen F. Austin 24.0 26.0
Syracuse 9.0 10.5
Temple 18,5 19.5
Tennessee 2.5 3.5
Tennessee-Chattanooga 38.0 40.0
Texas 7.5 9.0
Texas A&M 9.0 11.0
Texas Christian 13.0 14.5
Texas-El Paso 24.5 26.0
Texas Tech 8.5 10.0
Toledo 22.0 24.0
Troy State 24.5 26.0
Tulane 16.0 16.5
Tulsa 17.5 18.0
UCLA 8.0 9.5
UNLV 33.0 35.0
Utah 12.5 14.0
Utah State 24.0 26.5
Vanderbilt 16.0 17.5
Virginia 8.5 10.0
Virginia Military 30.0 31.5
Virginia Tech 11.0 12.5
Wake Forest 19.0 20.0
Washington 8.5 9.0
Washington State 16.5 18.0
Weber State 39.0 40.0
West Virginia 11.0 12.5
Western Illinois 32.5 34.0
Western Michigan 21.0 23.0
William & Mary 29.5 31.0
Wisconsin 9.5 11.0
Wyoming 17.0 19.0
Yale 84.5 85.0
Youngstown State 25.0 30.0
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