bull
Coattailing Cheerleader
Last Week 2-2 Season to date 7-9
Time to get this thing rolling. When one team is playing its 3rd or 4th game and the other is playing its season opener, which has the advantage? On the one hand, one side has tape of 3 games to help with their game plan; on the other, teams are said to improve on the second or third week of the season. I lean toward the latter, and come down on the side of teams playing against the Ivy League tomorrow.
Colgate -5 1/2 v Cornell - Over the past 6 years these upstate NY rivals have met 5 times. Colgate has won by - beginning with last year - 41-20, 35-28 in ot, 44-3,
45-23, and 38-22. May the trend continue on the Red Raiders home field.
Fordham -31 @ Columbia - Both these teams are located in NY City so there is really no home field advantage here. Fordham can score; Columbia can't score and can't defend.
Jacksonville + 11 1/2 v Columbia - The Dolphins are not an FCS powerhouse, but then neither is Penn. If their heads are out of the clouds after that big win vs San Diego last week, I like their chances.
Duquesne -2 1/2 v Monmouth - The 1-2 Dukes have covered all 3 games, losing by 10 to FBS Buffalo and by 11 to Missouri Conf power Youngstown and then beating Dayton by 20 last week. They won this encounter by 10 on the road last year and get this game at home.
Southern Utah +17 @ Fresno St - This looks like easy pickings for the Bulldogs after giving up 165 points in 3 games against the iron. But SUU is an improved team with impressive wins last year over Big Sky powers Eastern Wash and Montana. Somebody likes SUU because the points have come down from 21 1/2.
and not for the faint at heart -
Central Conn +17 @ Dartmouth - This seems like a heavy impost for the Big Green against a team that has beaten last year's FCS finalist, Towson.
Rhode Island +7 1/2 v Albany - The Colonial league doormats. URI has been hammered
by Marshall and high scoring Fordham but take on a team that they beat on the road last year and get the game at home this time.
Richmond -1 v New Hampshire - Classic encounter between two Colonial league heavyweights. Hunch says the Spiders at home are the right call.
New Mexico -3 1/2 @ New Mexico St. - As bad are the Lobos are, they seem to have enough to whip the Aggies most years.
U Mass +27 @ Penn State - The Minute men are showing some life under new and former coach Mark Whipple. After scoring 69 points in 3 point losses to Colorado and Vanderbilt, both games they coulda shoulda won, they go to Happy Valley and we'll see if Penn State can even score 27 points.
I'll stop here and wish one and all Good Luck ( unless you're fading me )
Cheers
bull
Time to get this thing rolling. When one team is playing its 3rd or 4th game and the other is playing its season opener, which has the advantage? On the one hand, one side has tape of 3 games to help with their game plan; on the other, teams are said to improve on the second or third week of the season. I lean toward the latter, and come down on the side of teams playing against the Ivy League tomorrow.
Colgate -5 1/2 v Cornell - Over the past 6 years these upstate NY rivals have met 5 times. Colgate has won by - beginning with last year - 41-20, 35-28 in ot, 44-3,
45-23, and 38-22. May the trend continue on the Red Raiders home field.
Fordham -31 @ Columbia - Both these teams are located in NY City so there is really no home field advantage here. Fordham can score; Columbia can't score and can't defend.
Jacksonville + 11 1/2 v Columbia - The Dolphins are not an FCS powerhouse, but then neither is Penn. If their heads are out of the clouds after that big win vs San Diego last week, I like their chances.
Duquesne -2 1/2 v Monmouth - The 1-2 Dukes have covered all 3 games, losing by 10 to FBS Buffalo and by 11 to Missouri Conf power Youngstown and then beating Dayton by 20 last week. They won this encounter by 10 on the road last year and get this game at home.
Southern Utah +17 @ Fresno St - This looks like easy pickings for the Bulldogs after giving up 165 points in 3 games against the iron. But SUU is an improved team with impressive wins last year over Big Sky powers Eastern Wash and Montana. Somebody likes SUU because the points have come down from 21 1/2.
and not for the faint at heart -
Central Conn +17 @ Dartmouth - This seems like a heavy impost for the Big Green against a team that has beaten last year's FCS finalist, Towson.
Rhode Island +7 1/2 v Albany - The Colonial league doormats. URI has been hammered
by Marshall and high scoring Fordham but take on a team that they beat on the road last year and get the game at home this time.
Richmond -1 v New Hampshire - Classic encounter between two Colonial league heavyweights. Hunch says the Spiders at home are the right call.
New Mexico -3 1/2 @ New Mexico St. - As bad are the Lobos are, they seem to have enough to whip the Aggies most years.
U Mass +27 @ Penn State - The Minute men are showing some life under new and former coach Mark Whipple. After scoring 69 points in 3 point losses to Colorado and Vanderbilt, both games they coulda shoulda won, they go to Happy Valley and we'll see if Penn State can even score 27 points.
I'll stop here and wish one and all Good Luck ( unless you're fading me )
Cheers
bull
