Pointwise Red Sheet...
Troy 38 - FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 16 - (7:00 EDT) -- Line opened at Troy minus 11, and is now minus
9½. Always dangerous Trojans (3 bowls in past 5 yrs), are finally clicking, after getting off to
a horrendous start, losing their first 2 games by a combined 87-20 score. Three straight
wins & covers, including last week's 31-7 wipeout (19-pt cover) of a decent Middle Tenn
squad, which had posted earlier wins over Memphis & Maryland. As far as the Panthers are
concerned, they've managed just 1 win, over winless WesternKy (entered that one with the
worst defense in the nation). Spread is more than reasonable for streaking Troy.
RATING: TROY 89
ALABAMA 41 - South Carolina 13 - (7:45) -- Line opened at Alabama minus 17, and is still minus 17. The
line in this one is certainly a bit scary, especially in light of the fact that the Gamecocks have
held 4-of-6 foes to 16 pts or less, ranking 14th in the land, defensively, before being stung for
26 pts by Kentucky. But this Tide squad is another matter, altogether. Not only the 3rdranked
defense (holding OleMiss to a single FD, along with a mere 19 total yds in the 1st half
of last week's showing), but an offense which checks in at number 14. Fully expect Spurrier
to have his troops ready, but the fact is, they are totally overmatched hr.
RATING: ALABAMA 89
Georgia 19 - VANDERBILT 16 - (12:20) -- Line opened at Georgia minus 8, and is now minus 7½. Repeat
of predicted score posted earlier on Pointwise. The Bulldogs are slipping by the week, with
their debacle at Tennessee (45-19 loss, 25-pt spread setback; no offensive TDs) dropping
them to just 3-3 for the season. They've averaged a mere 12 FDs the past 2 weeks, have
reached 100 RYs just twice all year, & are caught in a Vol/Gator sandwich. The 'Dores are
hardly anything to write home about, with this season nowhere near the quick starts of '07 &
'08. But they own a decent defense, & are rarely blown away. Tite.
RATING: VANDERBILT 88
Navy 48 - SMU 24 - (8:00) -- Line opened at Navy minus 8, and is now minus 7½. Still kicking ourselves for
not stepping out with the Middies a week ago, after calling for them, not only to win, but to
cover by 17 pts. Well their 63-14 rout of Rice (38-pt cover), along with their 450 RY edge
certainly lights the "Buy Sign" when taking on foes of this nature. They are led by jr QB
Dobbs (7 TDs last week: 4 running, 3 passing), & should continue vs a Mustang team which
not only fields the 95th "D" in the land, but ranks 117th in rushing (6 RYpg last 2 weeks).
Check allowing 30 pts to WashingtonSt's 115th ranked scoring "O". Romper!
RATING: NAVY 88
So California 45 - NOTRE DAME 20 - (3:30) -- Line opened at USC minus 11½, and is now minus 10. The
Irish have certainly been put to the test, in their last 4 contests. Note the scores of those 4:
38-34, 33-30, 24-21, & 37-30. So moving the ball behind Clausen (top-rated passer in the
nation: 68%, 1,544 yds, 12 TDs, & only 2 INTs) hasn't been a problem. It is that "D" (96th in
the land) which has enabled the opposition to stay with 'em. Well, the Trojans have no such
problem with their stop unit, as it ranks 5th best in the land (3rd in scoring). Total domination
at Cal in their last outing, allowing just 3 pt, an omen for this..
RATING: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 88
NEW ENGLAND 34 - Tennessee 13 - (4:15) -- Line opened at NewEngland minus 9, and is still minus 9.
Well, the Titans just continue with their collapse. Not only have they dropped all 5 games
this season, but their defense has been carved up to the tune of 34, 24, 37, & 31 pts the past
4 weeks. As we've written many times, they had held 18 of 21 opponents to 17 pts or less,
before the above failures. The defection of Haynesworth, along with a hurting secondary
has resulted in the dreaded word, "vulnerable". And no one better to exploit that lacking unit
than Brady & Co. And catching the Pats off a loss is pure poison. Lay it!
RATING: NEW ENGLAND 89
NEAR CHOICES (Rated 87): Fresno, Northwestern, Missouri, BYU -- NFL: Packers, Giants, Broncos
LINE MOVES (from largest to smallest): Nebraska (-5½ to -10); SoMiss (-10 to -14); Louisville (+13½ to
+10); WestVa (-17 to -20; Kent (-3½ to -6½); ArizSt (-3 to -6); Texas (-1 to -3); Wyoming (+12½ to +10½);
Rice (+20 to +18); LaTech (-17 to -19); Boise (-8 to -9½); N'western (+13½ to +12); PennSt (-15 to -16½);
NoDame (+11½ to +10); Tulane (+19½ to +18); TexA&M (-4 to -5½); Stanford (+6½ to +5) - NFL: GreenBay
(-11½ to -14); Wash (-4½ to -6½); StLouis (+12½ to +10½); Tampa (+4 to +3) -
TIME CHANGES: 'Bama/
SoCaro: 7:45; Fla/Ark: 3:30 - KEY INJURIES: A'Force QB Jefferson (ankle) ??; Akron down to 3rd string QB
Nicely; Ark RB Smith (hamstring) ??; Georgia RB King (jaw) ??; Indiana RB Willis (ankle) ??; Kans RB Sharp
(calf) ??; Kentucky QB Hartline (knee) out; LaTech RB Porter (hamstring) ??; Memphis RB Bass (shoulder)
doubtful; MichSt QB Cousins (ankle) prob; Mo QB Gabbert (ankle) prob; Nebraska RB Helu (shoulder) prob;
Okla WR Broyles (shoulder) ??; OklaSt RB Hunter (ankle) ??, & WR Bryant (suspension) out; Oregon QB
Masoli (knee) ??; Texas RBs McGee (shoulder) & Newton (concussion) both ??; TexTech QB Potts (concussion)
??; Toledo QB Opelt (shoulder) prob; UCLA RB Franklin (ankle) ??; Va RB Simpson (neck) doubtful -
NFL: Cincy QB Palmer (thumb) prob; Detroit WR Johnson (knee) ??, & QB Stafford (knee) ??; Colt QB
Manning (knee) prob; Niner RB Gore (ankle) ??; Ram QB Bulger (rotator cuff) prob....
Troy 38 - FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 16 - (7:00 EDT) -- Line opened at Troy minus 11, and is now minus
9½. Always dangerous Trojans (3 bowls in past 5 yrs), are finally clicking, after getting off to
a horrendous start, losing their first 2 games by a combined 87-20 score. Three straight
wins & covers, including last week's 31-7 wipeout (19-pt cover) of a decent Middle Tenn
squad, which had posted earlier wins over Memphis & Maryland. As far as the Panthers are
concerned, they've managed just 1 win, over winless WesternKy (entered that one with the
worst defense in the nation). Spread is more than reasonable for streaking Troy.
RATING: TROY 89
ALABAMA 41 - South Carolina 13 - (7:45) -- Line opened at Alabama minus 17, and is still minus 17. The
line in this one is certainly a bit scary, especially in light of the fact that the Gamecocks have
held 4-of-6 foes to 16 pts or less, ranking 14th in the land, defensively, before being stung for
26 pts by Kentucky. But this Tide squad is another matter, altogether. Not only the 3rdranked
defense (holding OleMiss to a single FD, along with a mere 19 total yds in the 1st half
of last week's showing), but an offense which checks in at number 14. Fully expect Spurrier
to have his troops ready, but the fact is, they are totally overmatched hr.
RATING: ALABAMA 89
Georgia 19 - VANDERBILT 16 - (12:20) -- Line opened at Georgia minus 8, and is now minus 7½. Repeat
of predicted score posted earlier on Pointwise. The Bulldogs are slipping by the week, with
their debacle at Tennessee (45-19 loss, 25-pt spread setback; no offensive TDs) dropping
them to just 3-3 for the season. They've averaged a mere 12 FDs the past 2 weeks, have
reached 100 RYs just twice all year, & are caught in a Vol/Gator sandwich. The 'Dores are
hardly anything to write home about, with this season nowhere near the quick starts of '07 &
'08. But they own a decent defense, & are rarely blown away. Tite.
RATING: VANDERBILT 88
Navy 48 - SMU 24 - (8:00) -- Line opened at Navy minus 8, and is now minus 7½. Still kicking ourselves for
not stepping out with the Middies a week ago, after calling for them, not only to win, but to
cover by 17 pts. Well their 63-14 rout of Rice (38-pt cover), along with their 450 RY edge
certainly lights the "Buy Sign" when taking on foes of this nature. They are led by jr QB
Dobbs (7 TDs last week: 4 running, 3 passing), & should continue vs a Mustang team which
not only fields the 95th "D" in the land, but ranks 117th in rushing (6 RYpg last 2 weeks).
Check allowing 30 pts to WashingtonSt's 115th ranked scoring "O". Romper!
RATING: NAVY 88
So California 45 - NOTRE DAME 20 - (3:30) -- Line opened at USC minus 11½, and is now minus 10. The
Irish have certainly been put to the test, in their last 4 contests. Note the scores of those 4:
38-34, 33-30, 24-21, & 37-30. So moving the ball behind Clausen (top-rated passer in the
nation: 68%, 1,544 yds, 12 TDs, & only 2 INTs) hasn't been a problem. It is that "D" (96th in
the land) which has enabled the opposition to stay with 'em. Well, the Trojans have no such
problem with their stop unit, as it ranks 5th best in the land (3rd in scoring). Total domination
at Cal in their last outing, allowing just 3 pt, an omen for this..
RATING: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 88
NEW ENGLAND 34 - Tennessee 13 - (4:15) -- Line opened at NewEngland minus 9, and is still minus 9.
Well, the Titans just continue with their collapse. Not only have they dropped all 5 games
this season, but their defense has been carved up to the tune of 34, 24, 37, & 31 pts the past
4 weeks. As we've written many times, they had held 18 of 21 opponents to 17 pts or less,
before the above failures. The defection of Haynesworth, along with a hurting secondary
has resulted in the dreaded word, "vulnerable". And no one better to exploit that lacking unit
than Brady & Co. And catching the Pats off a loss is pure poison. Lay it!
RATING: NEW ENGLAND 89
NEAR CHOICES (Rated 87): Fresno, Northwestern, Missouri, BYU -- NFL: Packers, Giants, Broncos
LINE MOVES (from largest to smallest): Nebraska (-5½ to -10); SoMiss (-10 to -14); Louisville (+13½ to
+10); WestVa (-17 to -20; Kent (-3½ to -6½); ArizSt (-3 to -6); Texas (-1 to -3); Wyoming (+12½ to +10½);
Rice (+20 to +18); LaTech (-17 to -19); Boise (-8 to -9½); N'western (+13½ to +12); PennSt (-15 to -16½);
NoDame (+11½ to +10); Tulane (+19½ to +18); TexA&M (-4 to -5½); Stanford (+6½ to +5) - NFL: GreenBay
(-11½ to -14); Wash (-4½ to -6½); StLouis (+12½ to +10½); Tampa (+4 to +3) -
TIME CHANGES: 'Bama/
SoCaro: 7:45; Fla/Ark: 3:30 - KEY INJURIES: A'Force QB Jefferson (ankle) ??; Akron down to 3rd string QB
Nicely; Ark RB Smith (hamstring) ??; Georgia RB King (jaw) ??; Indiana RB Willis (ankle) ??; Kans RB Sharp
(calf) ??; Kentucky QB Hartline (knee) out; LaTech RB Porter (hamstring) ??; Memphis RB Bass (shoulder)
doubtful; MichSt QB Cousins (ankle) prob; Mo QB Gabbert (ankle) prob; Nebraska RB Helu (shoulder) prob;
Okla WR Broyles (shoulder) ??; OklaSt RB Hunter (ankle) ??, & WR Bryant (suspension) out; Oregon QB
Masoli (knee) ??; Texas RBs McGee (shoulder) & Newton (concussion) both ??; TexTech QB Potts (concussion)
??; Toledo QB Opelt (shoulder) prob; UCLA RB Franklin (ankle) ??; Va RB Simpson (neck) doubtful -
NFL: Cincy QB Palmer (thumb) prob; Detroit WR Johnson (knee) ??, & QB Stafford (knee) ??; Colt QB
Manning (knee) prob; Niner RB Gore (ankle) ??; Ram QB Bulger (rotator cuff) prob....
