The 2008 NCAA College Football season has arrived and we highlight two tilts on Saturday, as well as a pair of MLB matchups. Week 1 of the College Football season kicks off with the Michigan State Spartans visiting the California Golden Bears, and the Alabama Crimson Tide taking on the Clemson Tigers, both games Saturday night. In Major League Baseball, the Chicago White Sox visit their red-socked cousins in Boston, and the New York Mets face the Florida Marlins in a battle of NL East rivals, both games Friday night. In Hot Props, there?s still time to wager on the Super Bowl champion before the NFL regular season gets started next week.
TRIVIA:
How many SEC Conference football championships have the Alabama Crimson Tide won?
1. 27
2. 16
3. 34
4. 21
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
NCAA FOOTBALL:
Saturday
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS @ CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
8 pm ET, ABC
The California Golden Bears host the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday in the NCAA College Football season opener for both teams.
This is just the fourth time these teams have met ? and the first two were in 1957 and ?58. Michigan State won the first two matchups back in the ?50s, while the Golden Bears won 46-22 win in the most recent meeting in 2002.
The Big Ten conference Spartans are coming off their first winning season since going 8-5 back in 2003. They went bowling last season, but lost 24-21 to the Boston College Eagles in the Champs Sports Bowl.
The Pac-10 conference Golden Bears posted their sixth-straight winning season last year, finishing with a 7-6 ledger. Coach Jeff Tedford's team won its third-consecutive bowl, beating Air Force 42-36 in the Armed Forces Bowl. California is 69-39-4 in season-opening matchups, including 4-2 in the past six seasons.
betED Line: Golden Bears (-4.5)(-110) Total: 56
Bet this Game!
Saturday
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE @ CLEMSON TIGERS
8 pm ET, ABC
The Alabama Crimson Tide battle the Clemson Tigers in the NCAA College Football season opener for both teams on Saturday, a neutral site game at the Georgia Dome.
Alabama was 7-6 SU and 3-8-1 ATS last season, while Clemson was 9-4 SU and 6-6 ATS.
Going back to last season, Alabama is 1-4 SU in its past five games, and 2-8-1 ATS in its past 11. Clemson is 5-2 SU in its past seven. The total has gone under in four of Clemson's past six.
On the injury front, Alabama linebacker Charlie Higgenbotham (groin/hamstring) is probable for Saturday's game. Linebacker Prince Hall (three-game suspension) will be eligible to return on Sept. 20 against Arkansas. Wide receiver Will Oakley (stress fracture in foot) is questionable. For the Tigers, defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson (quadriceps tendon surgery) is out indefinitely.
betED Line: Tigers (-5)(-110) Total: 46
Bet this Game!
MLB:
Friday
CHICAGO WHITE SOX @ BOSTON RED SOX
7:05 pm ET, Comcast, NESN
The Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox meet at Fenway Park in a clash of top American League teams.
The White Sox will start righthander Javier Vazquez, who is 10-11 record with a 4.37 ERA this season. Boston will counter with Daisuke Matsuzaka. The righthander is 15-2 with a 2.98 ERA.
Chicago was pasted 11-3 by the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Baltimore was a +165 underdog and the 14 runs went over the total of 11. The Red Sox failed to complete a sweep of the New York Yankees on Thursday, dropping the series finale 3-2 on the road. The Red Sox were +115 underdogs and the score went under the total of 9.
The White Sox are 4-1 SU in their past five on the road and 11-4 SU in their past 15 overall. The total has gone over in eight of the past 11 meetings, and in eight of Chicago?s past 12 on the road. Boston is 9-2 SU in the past 11 meetings, and 6-2 SU in its past eight at home.
betED Line: Red Sox (-178) (-1.5)(+110) Total: 9
Bet this Game!
Friday
NEW YORK METS @ FLORIDA MARLINS
7:10 pm ET, SNY, DTVSUNN
The New York Mets and the Florida Marlins meet Friday at Dolphin Stadium in a battle of National League East division rivals.
Lefthander Oliver Perez will be on the mound for the Mets. Perez is 9-7 this season with a 4.00 ERA. Starting this game for the Marlins will be Chris Volstad. The righthander has a 3.56 ERA to go along with a 3-3 record.
The Mets scored four runs in the eighth inning on Wednesday en route to a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets won that game as -165 favorites, and the nine runs went over the total of 8.5. The Marlins were doubled 4-2 by the Atlanta Braves in the rubber match last time out, as -130 favorites. The six runs went under the total of 9.
The total has gone over in all five of the Mets's past five games. The Mets are 7-2 SU in their past nine on the road, and 13-4 SU in the past 17 meetings with Florida. The total has gone over in 17 of the past 23 meetings.
betED Line: Mets (-132) (-1.5)(+125) Total: 9
Bet this Game!
Hot Props:
The 2008 National Football League season kicks off next week and there?s still time to put some money down on this season?s Super Bowl winner.
As football betting fans know, you?ll always get better odds in Super Bowl futures betting than you will when the matchup is decided in January.
Who will win Super Bowl XLIII?
1. New England Patriots +300
2. San Diego Chargers +500
3. Dallas Cowboys +525
4. Indianapolis Colts +900
Bet the Super Bowl at betED.com
TRIVIA ANSWER:
4. 21
The Crimson Tide has won the most conference championships of any SEC team.
TRIVIA:
How many SEC Conference football championships have the Alabama Crimson Tide won?
1. 27
2. 16
3. 34
4. 21
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
NCAA FOOTBALL:
Saturday
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS @ CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
8 pm ET, ABC
The California Golden Bears host the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday in the NCAA College Football season opener for both teams.
This is just the fourth time these teams have met ? and the first two were in 1957 and ?58. Michigan State won the first two matchups back in the ?50s, while the Golden Bears won 46-22 win in the most recent meeting in 2002.
The Big Ten conference Spartans are coming off their first winning season since going 8-5 back in 2003. They went bowling last season, but lost 24-21 to the Boston College Eagles in the Champs Sports Bowl.
The Pac-10 conference Golden Bears posted their sixth-straight winning season last year, finishing with a 7-6 ledger. Coach Jeff Tedford's team won its third-consecutive bowl, beating Air Force 42-36 in the Armed Forces Bowl. California is 69-39-4 in season-opening matchups, including 4-2 in the past six seasons.
betED Line: Golden Bears (-4.5)(-110) Total: 56
Bet this Game!
Saturday
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE @ CLEMSON TIGERS
8 pm ET, ABC
The Alabama Crimson Tide battle the Clemson Tigers in the NCAA College Football season opener for both teams on Saturday, a neutral site game at the Georgia Dome.
Alabama was 7-6 SU and 3-8-1 ATS last season, while Clemson was 9-4 SU and 6-6 ATS.
Going back to last season, Alabama is 1-4 SU in its past five games, and 2-8-1 ATS in its past 11. Clemson is 5-2 SU in its past seven. The total has gone under in four of Clemson's past six.
On the injury front, Alabama linebacker Charlie Higgenbotham (groin/hamstring) is probable for Saturday's game. Linebacker Prince Hall (three-game suspension) will be eligible to return on Sept. 20 against Arkansas. Wide receiver Will Oakley (stress fracture in foot) is questionable. For the Tigers, defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson (quadriceps tendon surgery) is out indefinitely.
betED Line: Tigers (-5)(-110) Total: 46
Bet this Game!
MLB:
Friday
CHICAGO WHITE SOX @ BOSTON RED SOX
7:05 pm ET, Comcast, NESN
The Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox meet at Fenway Park in a clash of top American League teams.
The White Sox will start righthander Javier Vazquez, who is 10-11 record with a 4.37 ERA this season. Boston will counter with Daisuke Matsuzaka. The righthander is 15-2 with a 2.98 ERA.
Chicago was pasted 11-3 by the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Baltimore was a +165 underdog and the 14 runs went over the total of 11. The Red Sox failed to complete a sweep of the New York Yankees on Thursday, dropping the series finale 3-2 on the road. The Red Sox were +115 underdogs and the score went under the total of 9.
The White Sox are 4-1 SU in their past five on the road and 11-4 SU in their past 15 overall. The total has gone over in eight of the past 11 meetings, and in eight of Chicago?s past 12 on the road. Boston is 9-2 SU in the past 11 meetings, and 6-2 SU in its past eight at home.
betED Line: Red Sox (-178) (-1.5)(+110) Total: 9
Bet this Game!
Friday
NEW YORK METS @ FLORIDA MARLINS
7:10 pm ET, SNY, DTVSUNN
The New York Mets and the Florida Marlins meet Friday at Dolphin Stadium in a battle of National League East division rivals.
Lefthander Oliver Perez will be on the mound for the Mets. Perez is 9-7 this season with a 4.00 ERA. Starting this game for the Marlins will be Chris Volstad. The righthander has a 3.56 ERA to go along with a 3-3 record.
The Mets scored four runs in the eighth inning on Wednesday en route to a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets won that game as -165 favorites, and the nine runs went over the total of 8.5. The Marlins were doubled 4-2 by the Atlanta Braves in the rubber match last time out, as -130 favorites. The six runs went under the total of 9.
The total has gone over in all five of the Mets's past five games. The Mets are 7-2 SU in their past nine on the road, and 13-4 SU in the past 17 meetings with Florida. The total has gone over in 17 of the past 23 meetings.
betED Line: Mets (-132) (-1.5)(+125) Total: 9
Bet this Game!
Hot Props:
The 2008 National Football League season kicks off next week and there?s still time to put some money down on this season?s Super Bowl winner.
As football betting fans know, you?ll always get better odds in Super Bowl futures betting than you will when the matchup is decided in January.
Who will win Super Bowl XLIII?
1. New England Patriots +300
2. San Diego Chargers +500
3. Dallas Cowboys +525
4. Indianapolis Colts +900
Bet the Super Bowl at betED.com
TRIVIA ANSWER:
4. 21
The Crimson Tide has won the most conference championships of any SEC team.
