| Betting "marquee" or television games is a | | | | that fell by the wayside in the Ragin' |
| popular Saturday recreational activity for | | | | Cajuns' loss to Texas was that of the 418 |
| squares and wise guys that causes radical | | | | yards allowed, the Cajuns managed to hold |
| fluctuations in the spread and can turn a | | | | Texas' air attack to 173 yards. If the Cajuns |
| sure winner into a sure loser. To protect us | | | | can hold Bohnet to pedestrian numbers they'll |
| from denting our bankroll in the first weeks | | | | even have a shot at winning this game. |
| of the season we see the value in wagering on | | | | |
| NCAA football games that are under the radar. | | | | |
| The more obscure the game the better. What | | | | |
| does it matter if you win a nickel on Eastern | | | | Pick: ULL Ragin' Cajuns +7 |
| Michigan or on the University of Michigan? | | | | |
| This means you won't see Kirk, Lee and Chris | | | | |
| spotlighting these games on Saturday morning. | | | | |
| | | | MTSU BLUE RAIDERS (-4) vs. North Texas Mean |
| | | | Green (48 O/U) |
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| In this space this college football season | | | | |
| you won't see us recommending a lumber-play | | | | Question: How do you not bet North Texas |
| on USC, Texas or Iowa. In fact, the games we | | | | when they're grabbing four points against a |
| recommend you'll have a hard time finding on | | | | team they have never lost against? Mean Green |
| television, unless you live within the | | | | puts its 25 game Sun Belt Conference winning |
| region. So fire-up the gamecast at your | | | | streak on the line as they travel to the MTSU |
| favorite online sports news website and flex | | | | Blue Raiders this weekend. Las Vegas Sports |
| your "refresh button" finger since the | | | | Consultants opened the Blue Raiders as a |
| scoring lag will be great and they won't | | | | 5-point home favorite and set the total at 48 |
| flash the score in the middle of the Notre | | | | points, the total has not moved while the |
| Dame-Michigan game. Despite the setback of | | | | early action had bettors grabbing the five |
| easily finding an accurate up-to-date score, | | | | points for the four-time defending Sun Belt |
| and if you can bear betting a game you can't | | | | champions. Maybe it is I, but don't you see |
| watch, we believe that you'll get as much | | | | something funky in that number, something |
| value, if not more, betting schools in | | | | that screams sucker bet? Due to the |
| smaller conferences than you will in the | | | | devastation from Katrina North Texas' opener |
| bigger conferences where square money can and | | | | at LSU was postponed, while the Blue Raiders |
| often does kill your bet or parlay.This week, | | | | dropped their first game against the Crimson |
| we have two games that the line has moved in | | | | Tide 26-7. In their loss one thing was |
| our favor, despite being bet up early. We see | | | | abundantly clear to all who watched the game, |
| that EMU has moved from five points to seven | | | | the Blue Raiders will have to figure out |
| points and North Texas has moved from five | | | | their running game if they hope to win this |
| points down to four. Now lets take advantage | | | | week against North Texas. Against the Crimson |
| of the steam since we see something that the | | | | Tide's stingy defense MTSU managed a paltry |
| early money has not. | | | | 34 yards on 25 carries! However, playing |
| | | | against a North Texas team with four new DL |
| | | | starters maybe the balm the Blue Raider |
| | | | running game needs. |
| EMU EAGLES (-7) vs. ULL Ragin' Caguns (56 O | | | | |
| U) | | | | |
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| | | | We'll see if having played one game versus a |
| | | | team that has not played a game yet will make |
| This week we turn our attention to | | | | a difference. Keep in mind that North Texas |
| Yipslanti, Michigan. This added game opened | | | | has lost eight straight season openers. There |
| with the Eagles as a 5-point "chalk" but was | | | | is also the revenge factor for the Blue |
| quickly bet up to seven by gamblers looking | | | | Raiders. Recalling last year at Denton, Texas |
| to get on the offensively minded Eagles | | | | when these two teams went head-to-head, MTSU |
| before the square money takes over Saturday | | | | held a 14-0 lead over Mean Green (who were a |
| morning. So far the steam is on the Eagles | | | | 3-point favorite) until the second quarter |
| and that makes me like this play even more. | | | | when the Blue Raiders gave up 24 points and |
| The total has remained locked at 56 points as | | | | suffered a tough 30-21 road loss. Last year's |
| the odds brokers fully expect this game to be | | | | loss was MTSU's fourth consecutive loss to |
| a high scoring affair. We see the number in | | | | North Texas. Remember, defensively last year |
| this game (even at five points) inflated due | | | | was a down year for Mean Green and certainly |
| to several reasons. First and foremost is the | | | | this year is still a rebuilding year for the |
| 60-3 dismantling of the Ragin' Cajuns by the | | | | DBs and DLs (four new starters). These are a |
| Texas Longhorns. While Texas dominated every | | | | few of the reasons that the Blue Raiders are |
| aspect of the lopsided affair, one has to | | | | the favorite in this game. However, what I |
| consider that the Ragin' Cajuns were one of | | | | believe is the key factor for North Texas in |
| the only teams in Louisiana playing last week | | | | this game is red-shirt freshman Daniel Meager |
| in the aftermath of Katrina and about 20 | | | | taking over for Scott Hall. True, all Meager |
| players are from the New Orleans area. The | | | | has to do is not lose the game by handing the |
| Eagles dropped their season opener to | | | | ball off to stud RB Cobbs and Thomas. But |
| Cincinnati 26-28, but led at the half 20-14. | | | | this is Meager's first start in the NCAAs and |
| However, it was the stellar play of the | | | | it comes on the road at Floyd Stadium. For |
| Eagles QB Matt Bohnet and the woeful display | | | | the Blue Raiders I see QB Clinton Marks |
| of the Cajuns defense against Texas that is | | | | having a better day than against the Crimson |
| also likely to account for the large number. | | | | Tide (12-of-18 attempts for just 117 yards |
| Against the Bearcats, Bohnet went 22-of-33 | | | | and a 14-yard TD toss). On defense, Blue |
| for 167 yards and a 27-yard scoring pass to | | | | Raider linebacker Jonathan Bonner returned |
| Eric Deslauriers in the first quarter. Bohnet | | | | from a season ending neck injury in '04 and |
| accounted for 65 rushing yards on 10 carries | | | | collected 5 1/2 tackles. Bradley Robinson had |
| making him the Eagles leading rusher. | | | | significant impact against Alabama with 8 1/2 |
| | | | tackles and one interception. |
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| Looking at this week's battle between the | | | | |
| Sun Belt and Mid-American Conferences, we see | | | | Answer: You bet against North Texas because |
| a much more favorable situation for the | | | | they are playing their first game of the |
| Ragin' Cajuns-despite going on the road for | | | | season on the road with a red shirt freshman |
| their second straight week. Both teams bring | | | | quarterback against a team that has one game |
| identical 0-1 records and look at this game | | | | under their belt and a super accurate passer |
| as a must win. No doubt about it, the Eagles | | | | and is looking to revenge a loss. Despite the |
| are loaded with offensive weapons, however, | | | | power running game the SBC streak ends at 25 |
| their running game is suspect as is the case | | | | for North Texas. |
| when your QB is your leading rusher. On | | | | |
| defense, the Eagles had a hard time stopping | | | | |
| the Bearcats as they allowed 469 yards of | | | | |
| total offense of which 293 yards were rushing | | | | PICK: MTSU -4 |
| yards. Good thing for the Eagles they'll face | | | | |
| an aerial attack by the Ragin' Cajuns as they | | | | |
| get back their star WR Bill Sampy after he | | | | |
| served his one-game suspension last week. | | | | Let me know what you think at Doc's Sports |
| Last year Sampy led the team with 57 | | | | Handy Links:college football oddscollege |
| receptions and 6 TDs. You can count on the | | | | football picksfree college football |
| Cajuns to throw the ball since their starting | | | | picksDoc's Sports Handicapping Service |
| TB Chester Johnson is nursing an injured | | | | |
| shoulder and is questionable for the EMU | | | | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has |
| game. This is the first time that these two | | | | been recognized as one of the leaders and |
| teams have met, and we see the teams trading | | | | most trusted names in sports handicapping |
| points throughout this game as both team's | | | | information. |
| defenses have proved porous. One statistic | | | | |