11/19/2008 - Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A huge matchup with possible national title implications takes place in Norman this weekend, as the second-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders attempt to remain perfect on the season when they take on the fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
Mike Leach's Red Raiders are a perfect 10-0 on the season and are enjoying the school's highest-ever ranking. Tech can clinch the Big 12 South Division title with a win in this game and has had an extra week of rest, as the team was idle last week following a 56-20 rout of a very good Oklahoma State team.
The Sooners have had this game circled on their calendar for a few weeks now. Bob Stoops' squad has lost just once, falling to Texas on October 11th. Since then, the team has won four straight games. Oklahoma also had the luxury of a bye week coming in and was last on the field on November 8th, when the Sooners destroyed Texas A&M in College Station, 66-28.
Oklahoma leads the all-time series with Texas Tech 11-4, including a 6-1 advantage in Norman. Last season, the Red Raiders took full advantage of a concussion that sidelined OU's Sam Bradford and went on to post a 34-27 victory.
At this point in the season, almost everyone knows what kind of offensive firepower Texas Tech possesses. The team has put up some ridiculous numbers this year, averaging 47.9 ppg (third nationally), on 566.3 yards of total offense (second nationally). It is the passing attack that is the preferred mode of travel, as the Red Raiders lead the nation in passing at 433.7 yards per game.
That is where Heisman hopeful Grant Harrell comes in. The 6-3 senior has certainly erased the stigma of being a "system" QB this year and has played lights out, especially against top-tier competition. Harrell has completed 71.7 percent of his passes thus far, for a whopping 4,077 yards and 36 TDs.
The weapons on the outside are numerous, but the undisputed top target downfield is All-American wideout Michael Crabtree. The 6-3 sophomore is having another superb campaign in Lubbock and leads the team with 78 receptions, for 1,010 yards and 18 TDs. Detron Lewis (57 receptions, for 730 yards, one TD) and Eric Morris (56 receptions, for 595 yards, six TDs) are the direct benefactors of all the attention paid to Crabtree by defenses.
The ground game shouldn't be overlooked either, as the Red Raiders are churning out a steady 132.6 yards per game rushing. Baron Batch and Shannon Woods have done the majority of the damage in the backfield, combining for well over 1,200 yards and 16 TDs.
Although it is the quarterback and the rest of the skill players making the highlight reels in Lubbock, Harrell credits his offensive line with much of the team's success.
"I feel very comfortable. I always feel comfortable behind those guys. They're the heart of this team and that's the truth. Those guys are unbelievable. Those guys are so big and they pass block well, they run well, and they block well. To be that size and move and protect like they do, it's just impressive to see."
When you have a prolific offense, the play of the defense often times goes unnoticed. The Red Raiders though, have played solid defense for the most part, limiting foes to just 22.2 ppg thus far, on 351.4 yards of total offense. The unit has come up with big plays when needed the most and has amassed 26 sacks and 24 takeaways thus far.
Sophomore LB Brian Duncan currently leads the team in tackles with 74 stops. Up front, the team has a pair of quality bookends in Brandon Williams and McKinner Dixon. The 6-3, 250-pound Dixon has just 19 tackles on the season, but 11 have come behind the line of scrimmage, including 10 sacks. Williams has eight TFLs and seven sacks to his credit. The play in the secondary is highlighted by safeties Daniel Charbonnet and Darcel McBath, who have combined for 106 tackles and 11 interceptions.
Not many teams have the personnel to win a shootout with the Red Raiders, but the Sooners are certainly one of them. Oklahoma ranks among the nation's elite in most offensive categories, including leading the country in scoring (51.4 ppg), ranking third in passing (355.5 ypg) and fourth in total offense (549.8 ypg).
The team boasts of its own Heisman candidate in sophomore gunslinger Sam Bradford. The 6-4 youngster has played like a seasoned veteran since he stepped on the field in Norman and is putting up huge numbers this year, completing 67.9 percent of his passes, for 3,406 yards, with 38 TDs and just six interceptions. He has certainly spread the ball around, with six players catching 20 passes or more. Juaquin Iglesias (51 receptions, for 853 yards, six TDs), Jermaine Gresham (36 receptions, for 553 yards, nine TDs) and Manuel Johnson (34 receptions, for 587 yards, eight TDs) are the best of the bunch and all three are capable of being the go-to-guy in any given game.
The ground game plays second-fiddle in Norman, but not by much, averaging 194.3 yards per game. DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown have shared the workload thus far. Murray is averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has scored 11 TDs. Brown is netting 6.1 yards per attempt and has 12 rushing scores to his credit.
Defensively, the Sooners have been solid, allowing 23.6 ppg, on 345.6 yards of total offense. The team has been particularly stout against the run, limiting foes to a mere 107.5 yards per game, on 3.2 yards per carry. This is another team that has thrived in terms of making big plays, recording 34 sacks and 24 takeaways in the first 10 games.
It isn't all good news on this side of the football however, as the team has lost standout end Auston English (9.0 TFLs, 4.5 sacks) to injury. The Sooners may be able to assuage the loss though, as there is still plenty of depth along the defensive line, highlighted by tackle Gerald McCoy (9.0 TFLs, 6.0 sacks) and rush end Jeremy Beal (40 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks). The linebacking corps is superior, headlined by Travis Lewis and Kennan Clayton. Lewis is just a redshirt freshman, but is among the best LBs in the country, with 105 total tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and three INTs. Clayton is a distant second in terms of tackles (62), with 8.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks and one pick. Senior safety Lendy Holmes is the top performer in the secondary, ranking third on the team in tackles (58) and first in INTs (four).
Despite all the big plays thus far for the OU defense, the prospect of trying to stop Harrell and the Tech passing attack is concerning for Stoops, especially containing Crabtree.
"He is just a great athlete. He is a big guy with great speed and great hands. He is competitive and is just one of those special players that you always have to be aware of, and pay attention to. He is big number five. You can't miss him. They will move him around some, although he does have a generally standard position."
<< No. 9 Boise State puts perfect mark on line versus Nevada
Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ninth-ranked Boise State Broncos try to keep
their perfect season intact as they face off against the high-scoring Nevada
Wolf Pack in a Western Athletic Conference battle in Reno this weekend.
Boise State is
<< State bragging rights on line as Wolfpack visit Tar Heels
Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - ACC foes and state rivals will collide in
Chapel Hill on Saturday, as the 25th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels take on
the NC State Wolfpack.
The goal for NC State is simply, win the final two regular seaso
<< Rebels and Tigers mix it up in SEC action
Baton Rouge, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - SEC foes will collide in Baton Rouge this
weekend, as the 18th-ranked LSU Tigers welcome the Ole Miss Rebels to town.
Both teams are 3-3 in league play and figure to produce a highly competitive
ball game.
<< Spartans battle Nittany Lions with Big Ten title at stake
University Park, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A trip to the Rose Bowl is on the line
for the seventh-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, as they play host to the
17th-ranked Michigan State Spartans in what figures to be a highly competitive
Big Ten battl
Beavers continue quest for Pac-10 title with trip to Arizona >>
Tucson, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 21st-ranked Oregon State Beavers will try
continue their remarkable run and move one step closer to capturing the Pac-10
title, as they take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson this weekend.
After losing to St
Top-20 showdown in Big East pits Panthers against Bearcats >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Top 20 programs with Big East
title aspirations clash at Nippert Stadium this weekend, as the 20th-ranked
Pittsburgh Panthers square off against the 19th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats.
The Bearcats en
Surging Bruins welcome Sabres to Beantown >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will aim for their seventh victory in
eight games when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres for tonight's Northeast
Division clash at TD Banknorth Garden.
Boston, which leads the Northeast with 26 points, had
Rangers, Canucks clash in NYC >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers will shoot
for a fourth consecutive victory tonight, when they welcome the Vancouver
Canucks for a matchup at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers are leading the East with 30
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
Elite 8 NCAA Tournament Betting at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
In what should be an outstanding Saturday of March Madness betting action, the top four teams in the South and West Regions square off in what should be extremely close match-ups. Three of the four teams are coming off extremely close games on Thursday evening, only UCLA won semi comfortably over Pitt 64-55.
Ohio State is coming off their second game in a row where in all reality they should have lost. Of course that doesn’t matter now since the name of the game is “survive and advance” but as the tournament continues, they can’t afford to keep getting down to their opponents early. Kansas also avoided a scare by holding off a scrappy Southern Illinois squad. In the third thrilling game of the evening Memphis pulled off the minor upset (+3.5) despite being the higher seed to Texas A&M.
Although the spreads are fairly small for Saturday’s games, MySportsbook.com continue to bet against the underdogs. Despite OSU’s two scares, 86% of the “betting public” feels the Buckeyes (-1.5) have what it takes to make the Final Four. In fact, so much of the early money is on OSU that the line has already moved from -1 to -1.5. In the second game of the doubleheader, Kansas and their high-powered offense are 2 point favorites as they take on UCLA and their effective defense. About 63% of the early money thus far is once again backing the favorites. If those percentages stay that high, don’t be surprised if this line moves as well. If you like Kansas (-2) you might want to jump on it early.
Memphis vs. Ohio State
Both squads were involved in thrillers on Thursday evening and should come out fired up. OSU can ill afford to get behind early like they did versus their previous two opponents (Xavier, Tennessee). Greg Oden needs to stay out of foul trouble; the Buckeyes are a completely different team when he is on the court. Memphis definitely has the athleticism and length to match-up with OSU. Of Memphis’ five leading minute earners, the shortest of the bunch is 6’5”. Each team has a very effective defense; Memphis surrenders 62.3 PPG whereas the Buckeyes give up only 61 PPG. With those type of numbers, it isn’t surprising that Memphis covered the UNDER almost 69% of the time this season. As a favorite, OSU has covered the UNDER almost 66% of the time over the last three seasons. The major concern for Memphis which is magnifies this time of the year is their brutal foul shooting (62%). This season, OSU is 17-11 ATS versus teams with a winning record and 7-2 ATS in all tournament games. Memphis has been an extremely reliable cover in tournament play in recent years with a 23-8 ATS record over the last three seasons.
UCLA vs. Kansas
In the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, UCLA will play in a role which they are very unfamiliar with that of the underdog. Only twice this season have they been getting points from the handicappers and both times they covered. Over the last three seasons UCLA is a reliable 23-7 ATS in this unfamiliar role. UCLA has not fared well against Big 12 opponents recently going 1-7 ATS since 1997. Giving up only 59.6 PPG, UCLA will definitely look to do what they do best: keep this game as low scoring as possible. Their defense has been especially tough during the tournament. UCLA opponents have been able to muster up only 48.7 PPG while shooting a combined 34.5% from the field. UCLA definitely has a challenge at hand with a Kansas team that is capable of putting points on the board in bunches. As a team, they average 79 PPG and shoot an impressive 49.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc. During the tournament Kansas has been “lights out” from the field having shot 56.2%.
With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action. Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting