North Texas is a sheep that’s about to be led to slaughter. While it’s true that a Sun Belt Conference school, Louisiana-Monroe, went into Tuscaloosa and shocked Alabama four years ago, that 2007 upset was very much a product of the fact that Alabama was trying to rebuild under current coach Nick Saban.
It’s rivalry time in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but while the locals in Bluegrass country might be very excited about this reunion of two bitter foes, it’s going to be hard for this game to draw considerable national interest.
Week 1 produced a win for N.C. State’s first game in the post-Russell Wilson era but the win over the FCS’ Liberty showcased some red flags. It turns out the concerns were legit. In a game they were favored to win, the Wolfpack fell to Wake Forest last week. Life gets easier again when N.C. State hosts South Alabama this Saturday.
Week 3’s cross-conference clash between Tigers in the wild jungle of Clemson’s “Death Valley” Stadium should absolutely be worth the price of admission.
OSU ranks first in the FBS with 1,260 yards from scrimmage and they have scored a grand total of 98 points in their first 2 wins and they face a Tulsa team that gave up 47 points in their season opener against Oklahoma.
Texas A&M is coming off a bye week, but they have been in the news with their possible move to the SEC next season.
This non-conference game has HUGE BCS implications, as the loser will have a major uphill battle to make it to the BCS title game. NCAAF lines have Oklahoma as a 3-point favorite in this game with a total of 55.
After two games the Wahawks sit at 1-1 but it is hard to gauge this club right now. They were shutout by Florida State in their opener and followed that up with a 35-7 pasting of Grambling State.
The Arizona Wildcats can expect to be challenged on both sides of the ball and just about every aspect of the game when the host the No. 6 Stanford Cardinal on Saturday night in at Memorial Stadium in Tucson.
It may not be the headliner this weekend, but this PAC 12 vs. Big Ten matchup at Illinois has all the makings of one of the best games of the week.
After starting a season 2-0 for the first time since 1999, the Syracuse Orange will travel across the country to meet USC in Los Angeles this weekend in a non-conference battle of unbeatens.
The Texas Longhorns will head west this weekend to take on UCLA bent on avenging last year’s meeting when the Bruins came into Texas and embarrassed the ‘Horns 34-12.
While at first glance this may look like a big mismatch, the Missouri State Bears will be making their trip to Autzen Stadium as high-caliber Football Championship Subdivision team.
MLB Betting – Brewers vs Reds Preview & Pick
Date: Friday, September 16, 2011
Venue: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, OH
Broadcast: FSWI, FSOH
Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds Betting Lines from Sportsbook.com
Money Line: OFF
Over/Under: OFF
Milwaukee Brewers (87-63 through September 14)
Randy Wolf (12-9, 3.44)
Though the St. Louis Cardinals aren’t fully going away, the Milwaukee Brewers remain firmly in control of the National League Central. Still, they have a few minor demons to exorcise. For one, they’d lost six of eight through Wednesday’s action. Secondly, they’d like to prove they can win on the road before the playoffs arrive. The Brew Crew’s 52-23 home record has carried them; their 35-40 away mark leaves plenty to be desired.
Randy Wolf will try to reverse the losing road trend at Cincinnati on Friday night. For all the fanfare Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo and Shaun Marcum get, Wolf has been the rotation’s unsung hero this season. He’s provided seven quality starts in his last 10 tries.
Wolf has fared well against the Reds in his career. Over 22 starts, he’s 10-4 with a 3.40 ERA and 136 strikeouts over 140.1 innings.
Cincinnati Reds (73-76 through September 14)
Bronson Arroyo (8-11, 5.28)
2011 is officially a lost season for the Reds, last year’s NL Central champs. Their obituary will read: “couldn’t pitch.” Cincy is the majors’ seventh highest-scoring team and is fifth in homers but is 23rd in ERA.
Guys who usually got it done – like Bronson Arroyo – haven’t this season. In Arroyo’s case, it feels like 2011 was a case of an overrated guy finally getting what many people thought was coming to him for years. Arroyo has been a good innings eater but he isn’t overpowering and he’s so darned hittable, so it’s not a huge surprise that he’s been rocked this year.
His control is sharp as ever; he has just 40 walks in 175.2 innings. But Arroyo has allowed an MLB-worst 40 homers on the year – seven more than any other pitcher. Opponents are betting .293 off him.
The pick:
Arroyo is 11-7 against the Brewers all-time and he’s actually 2-0 against them with a 2.70 ERA this year. However, both those starts came in April, when he wasn’t pitching nearly as poorly. Now that the gopher balls are out of control, I think the Brewers should smash Arroyo on Friday. Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks all have multiple homers off Arroyo in their career and might add to their totals.
Brewers vs Reds prediction: Brewers 6, Reds 4
Many series over a team’s season qualify as “make or break” but the expression doesn’t apply much better than it does to Tampa’s four-game set with Boston this weekend.
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