RATINGS: 89 & ABOVE: SUPERIOR PLAY
88 & BELOW: ABOVE AVERAGE PLAY
NOVEMBER 24, 2007 VOLUME 39, NUMBER 13
CENTRAL FLORIDA 61 - Utep 30 - (2:00 EST) -- Line opened at CentralFlorida minus 17, and is now minus
18. Quite a job O'Leary has done with the Knights, who can clinch a spot in the C-USA title
game with a win here. Behind the running of Smith, who ranks 2nd in the land (1,945 yds,
177 ypg, 5.9 ypr, 25 TDs), UCF has averaged 40.7 ppg in 10 of its 11 games to date, with
only South Florida holding them in check. But SoFla ranks 18th in scoring "D", vs the likes
of Auburn, WestVa, Louisville, Cincy, etc, while the Miners of Utep bring the nation's 109th
scoring "D" into this match. Five straight losses for Utep, while ranking 101st in rushing "D".
Incentive, and a +67? pt ATS edge at home. It all adds up to romp.
RATING: CENTRAL FLORIDA 89
OHIO U 34 - Miami-Ohio 20 - (2:00) -- Line opened at Ohio minus 2?, and is still minus 2?. We were
figuring a pick-em spread in this contest, so when it came in at 2? on Sunday Night, we
backed off for the time being. However, respected sources feel that the chalk weight shouldn't
result in tabling this selection. The fact of the matter is that OU needs this game for a 6-6
season, while Redhawks have already clinched the MAC East, & are fully focused on their
conference title game with Central next week. And to make this even juicier, note that the
Bobcats have had 17 days in which to nurse their wounds. Week ago, Miami posted zero
offensive TDs, while McRae (18 TDs this year) ran wild year ago.
RATING: OHIO U 89
SOUTH CAROLINA 27 - Clemson 20 - (7:00) -- Line opened at Clemson minus 2?, and is still minus 2?.
No question about it, the Tigers of Clemson are one of the streakiest teams in the nation.
Year ago, they seemed the match of just about any team in the land, until being upset by
VaTech on a Thursday Night, & then proceeded to limp home with a 1-3 SU record, along
with an 0-4 spread run, by 14.6 ppg ATS. Last week's loss to BostonCollege was just the
latest crushing blow, as Clemson entered on a definite high, but managed just a single TD
over the game's final 53:20. Note a 41-23 loss to VaTech this year, directly on heels of a
13-3 loss to GaTech. Spurrier's squad is rested, & punted just once in LY's meeting.
RATING: SOUTH CAROLINA 89
Cincinnati 43 - SYRACUSE 14 - (7:15) -- Line opened at Cincinnati minus 19, and is now minus 20. Is there
a more predictable team in the land, than the 'Cuse, especially in the role of home dog?
Opening with great fanfare, it took about a quarter of game #1 (Washington) to realize that
the pre-season hype was just that, & nothing more. As noted earlier, their record as home
dogs this season is 0-5 ATS, by an average score of 43-14. Sure, the Orange home schedule
is among the toughest in the nation, but competitiveness just isn't in their vocabulary.
The Bearcats have climbed as high as 15th in the nation, have 38 takeaways, & are led by
heady Mauk, who ranks 15th among quarterbacks. Romper!
RATING: CINCINNATI 88
PITTSBURGH 38 - Miami 3 - (8:30 Monday) -- Line opened at Pittsburgh minus 16, and is still minus 16.
Catching the Steelers off an embarrassing loss is hardly what the winless Dolphins needed
in their quest to snap their franchise-record of 13 straight losses. Sure, Miami has been
competitive the past 3 weeks, with a pair of 13-10 setbacks, & then leading the Eagles in
the 2nd half, before finally falling, 17-7. But note that Miami posted only 9 FDs, with its lone
TD coming on a kick return. Hardly the credentials to take into this game with the angry
Steelers, who rank a mere 1st in total, rushing, passing, & scoring "D", along with the 2nd
best overland game in the NFL. Double digit dogs are juicy, but not in this setup.
RATING: PITTSBURGH STEELERS 88
New Orleans 23 - CAROLINA 13 - (1:00) -- Line opened at NewOrleans minus 3, and is still minus 3. At the
moment, neither of these squads is anything to write home about. The Saints completely
turned their anemic start around, with a 4-game run, led by Brees, who threw for 11 TDs,
with only a single INT over that span. But down to earth the past couple of weeks, as he
was just 3/4. And Bush has hardly been the hoped-for game breaker. But NewOrleans
normally plays its best away from the 'Dome, & has covered its last 2 RGs by 17? & 19 pts.
The Panthers have dropped 4 straight, rank a lowly 28th on offense (Saints rank 6th), &
have Vinny throwing for them. And you can throw in revenge motive.
RATING: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 88
NEAR CHOICES (Rated 87): Vanderbilt, Tulane, UtahSt, Kansas - NFL: NwEngland, Oakland, Tennessee
LINE MOVES (from largest to smallest moves): Kansas (Pick to -2); NCSt (Pick to -2); BowlingGn (-4? to
-6); Kentucky (-1? to -3); Idaho (-1 to -2?); OklaSt (+14 to +12?); CentFla (-17 to -18); Cincinnati (-19 to -
20); Memphis (-6? to -7?); NoIllinois (+9? to +8?); KansasSt (+1 to Pick); So Miss (-13 to -14); Fla Int'nal
(+12? to +11?) - NFL: Minnesota (+9 to +7); Atlanta (+12? to +11?); SanDiego (-8? to -9?). - TIME
CHANGES: WestVa/UConn: now 3:30; CentFla/Utep: 2:00; Kansas/Mo: 8:00; NoCaro/Duke: 12:30; Vandy/
Wake: 2:00; Syracuse/Cincy: 7:15; SoCaro/Clemson: 7:00; Kentucky/Tenn: 1:30; Auburn/Alabama: 8:00;
Fla/FlaSt: 5:00; Fresno/KansSt: 3:30; Wash/WashSt: 7:00; WestMich/Temple: 2:00; BC/Miami: Noon; Virginia/
VaTech: Noon; Stanford/NoDame: 3:30; SanDiegoSt/TCU: 8:00 - NFL: Chicago/Denver: 4:15....