Week 1...LARGE selection

Buck

Adding Texas.  Like I said, I'm going to back Okla and Texas many, many times this year.  They both will be in a tight race and they know how important style points will be.  This game should have NL as the difference between the two is insurmountable.  We all know about Texas....If you want to know about UL Monroe, all I have to say is that this team was 4-8 LY and they will be lucky to get that many wins this year.  They have a new QB, 6 new assistant coaches and a new offensive system.  I would take this line up to 50 as this will get ugly.

I will confirm the amount closer to game time, but it will be close behind Okla. if not the same.

Texas 69
UL Monroe 7


Tex

Ksu- I believe Okla. is 3-2 in week 1 in the past 5yrs...look for this to be 4-2 after this year.  TY and GL

Adding a game:  Rice@UAB

If you simply looked at the Rice Owls defensive numbers LY, you would never guess this team won 10 games.  How a team that allowed over 33 ppg (103), over 182 rushing ypg (99), over 269 passing ypg (110), for a total of over 452 ypg (110) even managed to be over 500?

The answer to this is simple.  #1) their offense, #2) their offense, #3) oh yeah, their offense!!!   The combination of Chase Clement and Jarret Dillard was unstoppable.  This duo carried the offense to over 41 ppg (8), over 327 pass ypg (5), and 10th in the nation in overall offense.  This tandem also set the NCAA D1-A record for career TD's between QB-WR with 50.

Well the difference in 2009 is that this tandem is gone along with 4 other offensive starters, which include 3 offensive linemen.  The only thing that remains constant is the defense with 8 returning starters, and with the stats above, this is not a good thing.  With so many losses on offense and an abysmal defense, this offense will not bail out this team this year.  The 2009 year looks bleak for Rice to say the least and a five hundred record will be a surprise.  This year will be a challenge and it begins week 1 when the Owls travel to UAB to face Webb and company.  With 10 players returining on offense, including a talented WR corp for Webb, the Blazers will improve their offense and be able to exploit the weak Owls defense.  I look for UAB to win fairly comfortably.

im with you on uab

vegas crunch- GL 2 you

Just got back from a 4hr drive to lock in a couple parlays at the Peppermill in Reno.

2 team:
Oklahoma -21.5
Texas -40.5

3 team:
Oklahoma -21.5
Texas -40.5
Penn St. -27

I will also play each team separately...still undecides on the amounts...but these will be larger than my std plays.

Cal, I agree with your picks especially OU.  I'm a little hesitant on PSU.  Their front 7 will be really good and better than last year against the run.  Odrick is a monster and commands double teams and Ogbu is good.  That DE named Jack is going to be this year's Maybin.  They always have someone come out: Maybin and bowman last year, Evans the year before, and Sean Lee the year before that.  Josh Hull was going to start over Mauti, they just lose a little depth but they're loaded.  Bowman and Lee are studs and will cover. 

I have no worries on the O-line.  Wisniewski and Landolt return but move to center and LT respectively.  Lou Eliades (RG) played a ton last year and played RT against SC when Landholt went down.  Pannell, the stud sophomore also got a lot of playing time and will be the RT.  I'm happy Troutman got demoted because I like the RS freshman Stankiwitch. 

The receivers are good, I watched PSU a lot last year.  Brackett has good hands and size (6-6) and Grahm Zug 6-2 is great.  Derek Moye is 6-5.  They have been killing it since spring and Clark said they've been working on timing since last January.  Quarless and Shuler are solid as well.  I don't think they'll miss a beat.

Akron will get Ryan Bain back from Iowa.  They run 3-3-5 and their secondary sucks.  PSU will run at will. 

With all that said, the secondary worries me.  I don't know why.  Sciritto and Ruban were awful safeties against the pass last year.  Wallace is suspended for game one.  Astorino is smart and has good coverage.  He had a pick against Purdue which saved my but.  The other free safety is better in college.  PSU's system doesn't need good corners. 

In closing, I don't know why, but I have that gambler's feeling about this game.  PSU beat Temple 45-3 last year and Temple beat Akron 27-6.  However, that is misleading because it was tied 3-3 going into the 4th but still highlights where akron is.  Finally, they gave up a ton of points last year: 49 to Ohio, 35 to a pathetic Eastern Michigan, 41 to ball state, and here's the kicker, they were tied with Syracuse at 28 heading into the 4th.  Syracuse's inability to tackle is why they won. 

Please give me some tidbit.  I love Green he is so fast.  I really respect your opinions and seeing you on it makes me more confident. 

When the lines came out these games jumped at me: Texas, LSU, OU (my number one), and Alabama over va tech, and PSU.  However, i got a nervous feeling about PSU and don't know why.  You're dead on UAB, I watched them last year and realized Webb is a stud and last year was their practice run. 

You got me.  PSU will roll.  I also forgot about Clark who's so jacked that he'll have the troops ready.  Jaqueman is inconsistant and a couple hits will make him revert to his turnover prone side.  

Thats a whole lotta chalk...cant say I don't like it though... Good luck Cal

Supadame, I also like CAL.  I see many big favs covering, which is traditional during the first few weeks.  GL