Week 3 with Marsski (Inside the Line Tues & Thurs as well)

Marsski

MAC Marvel
NCAA YTD: 8-3-1, +4.68
(NFL: 2-0, +1.5)

Had a great week 2, going 5-0-1 in the NCAA. Hope to keep it going.

No reason to hop off the Dwayne train right now just because they play TCU this week on what will be close to a neutral field. I wasn't very impressed with what I saw out of Patterson's bunch last Friday and think there is a real chance they get boat raced.

All bets 1 unit unless otherwise indicated...

Be in to talk later.

Card goes here:

Saturday:
The OSU -13
Maryland -16
NIU -14
Ohio U.+3.5
Toledo +10
Bama -21
Utah +7 (-120)

ML parlay: OSU/N Illinois/Maryland/Auburn (-111)

Sunday:
Browns/Saints Over 49.5
Denver -6
 
Last edited:
Yup on that first bet.

Give me some Akron background if you have time.

Also, how ya think the Kent offense does this week?
 
Kent fascinates me this week. Gonna be total overreaction to PSU which looked super sexy only in the score line. Prob lots of frosh will play vs Kent and i wonder if the D is really all that improved from the App opener. I mean Pitt was really moving on PSU right then game just kinda unravled after many missed oppos? Excited to hear Marsski on Kent as well
 
I like Kent catching 35, I think the number could rise too because who is betting allegedly shitty Kent?

I didn't see Kent v Howard because NOONE is that big of MAC fan, but Howard gave my Bobcats a good game and beat UNLV last year so it's not a totally unimpressive win to blow the doors off them as Kent did on Saturday.

I liked the QB transfer Woody Barrett against Illinois. He made a lot of plays with his legs and operated the offense pretty well especially considering they were switching systems. Not a ton of quality playmakers though outside of RB Rankin who led them in rushing and receptions last year. To me, the real worry here is along the line of scrimmage as Kent's D wore down against Illinois and looks to be a bad match-up with a rebuilt offensive line against beefy PSU. But a better than you think Kent offense, flat spot for PSU, likely blowout with back-ups in....Kent plus mid30s sounds decent to me.

Anytime you are getting 35, you really only need a few scores to cover in most scenarios. I think Kent can score 10-14-17 and that should be enough to cover. That said, I don't know if I'll bet it...but I wouldn't have PSU unless it was down in the 28ish range. 42-17, 45-14, 38-10 something like that maybe...
 
Yup on that first bet.

Give me some Akron background if you have time.

Also, how ya think the Kent offense does this week?

I don't have the much for you on Akron mainly because they got rained out vs Nebraska and beat up on shitty Morgan State.

Their new QB Cato Nelson played some at the end of last year and has a strong arm and can scramble around and make plays. He was green last year though and only 50% completion rate. Still, a drop-off from Woodson early in the year no doubt. I'm not that high on their running game now that Morgan and Ball are gone...I like their WRs, but the best ones are tiny...Smith and Williams....Ulysses Gilbert is stud LB and the back 7 should be solid. DL is a work in progress and led by a Pitt transfer Davis.
They lose DC Chuck D'Amato to retirement and his protege Todd Stroud takes over as DC. I don't think that helps early.

I really don't know how they'll do against Northwestern. 21 seems like a lot with NW struggles scoring vs Duke, but Cato is pretty inconsistent and I'm wondering how they'll look on the line of scrimmage considering they got waxed by Penn State and Iowa State LY.
 
What are your thoughts on Miami OH? I posted in the Big 10 thread about taking the u46. They played in heavy rain last week against Cincy.

Do you think they can put up points against Minny? Week 1, they played well against Marshall.
 
NCAA YTD: 8-3-1, +4.68
(NFL: 2-0, +1.5)

Had a great week 2, going 5-0-1 in the NCAA. Hope to keep it going.

No reason to hop off the Dwayne train right now just because they play TCU this week on what will be close to a neutral field. I wasn't very impressed with what I saw out of Patterson's bunch last Friday and think there is a real chance they get boat raced.

All bets 1 unit unless otherwise indicated...

Be in to talk later.

Card goes here:

Saturday:
The OSU -13



Sunday

Totally agree with this play. Turpin is a really nice player but, outside of him, there is no one that scares you on TCU's team. As always, Patterson will have them playing hard. But they're simply overmanned in this game. Feels like a 38 - 17 type game.
 
NCAA YTD: 8-3-1, +4.68
(NFL: 2-0, +1.5)

Had a great week 2, going 5-0-1 in the NCAA. Hope to keep it going.

No reason to hop off the Dwayne train right now just because they play TCU this week on what will be close to a neutral field. I wasn't very impressed with what I saw out of Patterson's bunch last Friday and think there is a real chance they get boat raced.

All bets 1 unit unless otherwise indicated...

Be in to talk later.

Card goes here:

Saturday:
The OSU -13



Sunday

This one jumped out at me as well and got all over it. Completely agree with your assessment and appreciate all of your insight. Good stuff.
 
What are your thoughts on Miami OH? I posted in the Big 10 thread about taking the u46. They played in heavy rain last week against Cincy.

Do you think they can put up points against Minny? Week 1, they played well against Marshall.

Yes, I do. They have a very good QB (behind only Buffalo and Ohio U) and a bunch of seniors on that team. I think they can score some although I only saw some of Minnesota's game vs NM State (not any of Fresno). I thought Minny's freshman walk-on QB was so-so. No RB Smith for MInny (I think) has me leaning Miami plus the points. As for the total, I wouldn't bet it either way. Can Minny pound the run with the back-up RB? I have no idea who it is.
 
Yes, I do. They have a very good QB (behind only Buffalo and Ohio U) and a bunch of seniors on that team. I think they can score some although I only saw some of Minnesota's game vs NM State (not any of Fresno). I thought Minny's freshman walk-on QB was so-so. No RB Smith for MInny (I think) has me leaning Miami plus the points. As for the total, I wouldn't bet it either way. Can Minny pound the run with the back-up RB? I have no idea who it is.

Surprised you feel that Ragland is a better QB than Ball State's Riley Neal. Ragland has not shown much this year while Neal has kept Ball State in both games this year.
 
Surprised you feel that Ragland is a better QB than Ball State's Riley Neal. Ragland has not shown much this year while Neal has kept Ball State in both games this year.
Fair enough. I only caught a little piece of Ball State this year. I'm kind of giving Ragland a mulligan for the rain @ Cincy.
 
I'll have write-ups out tomorrow in my column on OSU, Maryland, Toledo and Utah for sure as well as 2 NFL plays...
 
I enjoy reading your cleveland.com articles, keep up the good work!

I am chewing on Miami, Oh myself this week. Disappointing start for them no doubt. They had some O vs a tougher D in Marshall week 1, but Miami D didn't do enough. Last week they had to play vs the weather and Cincy, and with being more of a QB-throw oriented O compared to more of a run-first team, that definitely hurt their chances. It was just 7-0 early in the 4th qrt there, so for 3+ qrts it was competitive despite being a 21-0 loss.

I am starting to sour on Miami some overall. I am getting to the point that they need to show me they can play good again. Part of me holds out for Ragland because of how he was able to finish the 2016 season. Then he gets injured last year, comes back late with some rust and this year at 0-2, they aren't 0-2 necessarily because of him, but I am at the point now that I want to see him and them prove it. They have a very veteran team and this is was supposed to be the year it finally fell into place and they play up to expectations. This game strangely enough could be a let down spot for them, off two important rivalry games and have the MAC opener on deck. So other than just being hungry for a win, I don't think we have any motivational angles for Miami and perhaps it could even work against them if they are flat this week.

Minnesota I believe is going to rely on Annexstad more now. Tyler Johnson is good and has been now their #2 and #3 receivers are both Fr and rFr. Last year Johnson caught 35 in 12 games, he has 11 already now after just two games. #2 had 11 catches all of last year, that #2 has 10 already now. They avg 10 more pass attempts this year compared to last year on average and their QB is Fr. With Smith out I think we continue to see this evolution take place and they will keep giving Annexstad more and more as the season wears on. That is still alot of youth in the passing game to be relying on and there should be opportunities for mistakes opposing Ds can create and capitalize on.

Gophers O should remain fairly limited in the near future. The D is pretty good and they will have to continue to rely on that to lead them (and a good special teams group).

So for them to cover 2 TDs vs an experienced team that has played alot of ball together and a QB that should have the skills to move the ball and make plays, how would Gophers cover? Minny isn't likely to do it with their O. It comes down to who will make more plays, Miami's O or Minny's D? The under would look like a logical play. Minny's D vs Fresno was pretty impressive and I don't think Miami fields a better O than Fresno so this will be interesting to see what Miami can do. I think they have the potential to play well, but they don't put a complete game together very often.

On that final play vs Fresno, the RB throw into the EZ that Winfield made a great pick on. Fresno got what they wanted, they saw the DBs agressively playing towards the LOS, and they did on that play too, but the RB/passer hesitated, the receiver was open right away the play was there and the ball was underthrown, a better throw and it would've been a TD and Fresno ties the game and then who knows who wins. It was great recovery and amazing play by Winfield, but Fresno got exactly what they wanted, just failed on the most important part, the execution.
 
I enjoy tHis thread each week as well as your columns, mr. mars. I wish you good luck and keep thue good stuff coming.
 
I enjoy reading your cleveland.com articles, keep up the good work!

I am chewing on Miami, Oh myself this week. Disappointing start for them no doubt. They had some O vs a tougher D in Marshall week 1, but Miami D didn't do enough. Last week they had to play vs the weather and Cincy, and with being more of a QB-throw oriented O compared to more of a run-first team, that definitely hurt their chances. It was just 7-0 early in the 4th qrt there, so for 3+ qrts it was competitive despite being a 21-0 loss.

I am starting to sour on Miami some overall. I am getting to the point that they need to show me they can play good again. Part of me holds out for Ragland because of how he was able to finish the 2016 season. Then he gets injured last year, comes back late with some rust and this year at 0-2, they aren't 0-2 necessarily because of him, but I am at the point now that I want to see him and them prove it. They have a very veteran team and this is was supposed to be the year it finally fell into place and they play up to expectations. This game strangely enough could be a let down spot for them, off two important rivalry games and have the MAC opener on deck. So other than just being hungry for a win, I don't think we have any motivational angles for Miami and perhaps it could even work against them if they are flat this week.

Minnesota I believe is going to rely on Annexstad more now. Tyler Johnson is good and has been now their #2 and #3 receivers are both Fr and rFr. Last year Johnson caught 35 in 12 games, he has 11 already now after just two games. #2 had 11 catches all of last year, that #2 has 10 already now. They avg 10 more pass attempts this year compared to last year on average and their QB is Fr. With Smith out I think we continue to see this evolution take place and they will keep giving Annexstad more and more as the season wears on. That is still alot of youth in the passing game to be relying on and there should be opportunities for mistakes opposing Ds can create and capitalize on.

Gophers O should remain fairly limited in the near future. The D is pretty good and they will have to continue to rely on that to lead them (and a good special teams group).

So for them to cover 2 TDs vs an experienced team that has played alot of ball together and a QB that should have the skills to move the ball and make plays, how would Gophers cover? Minny isn't likely to do it with their O. It comes down to who will make more plays, Miami's O or Minny's D? The under would look like a logical play. Minny's D vs Fresno was pretty impressive and I don't think Miami fields a better O than Fresno so this will be interesting to see what Miami can do. I think they have the potential to play well, but they don't put a complete game together very often.

On that final play vs Fresno, the RB throw into the EZ that Winfield made a great pick on. Fresno got what they wanted, they saw the DBs agressively playing towards the LOS, and they did on that play too, but the RB/passer hesitated, the receiver was open right away the play was there and the ball was underthrown, a better throw and it would've been a TD and Fresno ties the game and then who knows who wins. It was great recovery and amazing play by Winfield, but Fresno got exactly what they wanted, just failed on the most important part, the execution.

I think it comes down to how good you think Minnesota's defense is....I'd be surprised if Minny got too far away from their ground and pound running attack in this game because I don't think they trust Annexstad yet...but later in the year yes...
 
NIU bet: Huge class drop for NIU going from facing Iowa and Utah on defense to Central. Central is terrible, NIU every year beats the snot out of the bad MAC teams. They cruise this week....
 
Bama bet: 66-3 last year means lots of ground to make up for Ole Miss. Tua gives Bama an offense like we've never seen before. Maybe Bama's defense has slipped or maybe they are just playing back-ups a lot. I know Ole Miss offense is decent but they gave up 600+ yards on D to a shitbag D3 school. I might take Bama TT over too...
 
Ohio U bet: I didn't really like this game when I thought it was going to be played @ Va. in the rain. Ohio U has the more explosive offense so I wanted a fast track for this one and I got it with the move to Nashville with small chance of rain.

Look, Ohio U didn't look great in their opener against Howard, but they have struggled before again lesser opponents losing to Texas State to open 2016 and having a few problems with Gardner Webb that year.

Bobcats have a T. Pryor type runner @ QB who can sling the ball a little too, a deep stable of RBs, and a pair of good WRs, and a very good offensive line. I think they'll put up some big-time points this year.

The defense outside of the secondary is definitely in rebuild mode, they will miss their stud LB Pohling a lot. Va. is gonna line up and run a bunch and I feel like OU can match up in the trenches. Their DBs are on the short side, so tall WRs could give them problems. Va. has one guy at 6'3 but otherwise not too big...

OU very good in special teams especially for a MAC team...catching more than a FG on a true neutral field, I liked it...
 
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