Football Picks Against the Spread

Keep your eyes on WR Michael Floyd in this game.

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS @ NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (-10.5)

Scanning through the week 1 college lines, Purdue at +10.5 caught my eye. Although Purdue had a losing record at 5-7, they were a competitive team, losing to Oregon by 2 points, Notre Dame by 3, and Michigan State by 3. Purdue was probably best known for upsetting Ohio State 26-18. They knew how to fight in games against the top competition, which is why I was tempted to take the points here. I also figured that Notre Dame may be facing a major set back with the losses of QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate.

Unfortunately for Purdue, the injury bug has hurt the Boilermakers this past spring. Their star RB Ralph Bolden, who finished 3rd in the Big Ten in rushing, tore a ligament in his knee and may miss the entire season. Purdue’s QB Robert Marve, who was recruited by Miami, but left when he wasn’t chosen as Miami’s starter, will be the new face of the team and will have a talented receiver in WR Keith Smith (91 receptions, 1100 yards last season) to throw to.  Marve isn’t anything to write home about though: he threw more INTs (13) than TDs (9) last season at Miami. Purdue had a solid secondary last year, giving up just 203 yards per game, but they’ll have to deal with replacing 4 starters in that group, a tremendous challenge for any defensive coordinator.

Notre Dame will be led by junior QB Dayne Crist. Crist is a physical specimen at 6’4″, 235 pounds, but inexperienced (just 10 completions in 20 attempts in his collegiate career) and he’s coming off …

Andy Dalton hopes to lead his team to an undefeated year if they can get past OSU.

OREGON STATE BEAVERS @ TCU HORNED FROGS (-13)

Coming into this season, TCU is ranked 7th while Oregon State is ranked 23rd. The TCU/OSU spread jumped out at me because Oregon State is a quality team and they’re getting double-digit points here, which had me think about taking a game where you’re starting off with some points. However, with the Horned Frog’s extraordinary offense and rushing attack, TCU may end up beating the Beavers convincingly.

TCU was ranked No. 3 last year going into the Fiesta Bowl ultimately losing 17-10, so my last impression of them was that they’re impressive offense when playing competition in the Mountain West Conference, but when faced with a legitimate defense like BSU’s, they get shut down.

Oregon State closed the regular season losing to the 7th ranked Oregon Ducks in honourable [sic] fashion, 37-33. Oregon State was a 10-point dog in that game and we recommended a teaser taking the Ducks at -3 with the over 55 — a spot on call if there ever was one. Oregon State finished the season 8-5 crushing the likes of California, Washington, and Washington State, and topping quality teams like Stanford and Arizona State, before competing against Oregon at a high level. In that game, they nearly had the Ducks beat. They had the lead going into the half and trailed by just 1 point going into the 4th quarter. It was an excellent game and a nail-biter for those who had money on the line. It was probably one of the best games of the season if you ask me.

Oregon State has the Rodgers Brothers coming back from …

Good to be back.  I do have to apologize for struggling down the stretch last year.  I had a lot going on personally and really wasn’t focused on football.  No EXCUSES though, it is what it is and life goes on.  I have done a lot of pre-season review of the teams and have actually already placed a bet on a college football game. If you don’t know, Vegas books release early lines and the one that jumped out at me was Louisville +7 at home verse Kentucky. However, that line was changed quite a bit, with Louisville at +3.

Another key to betting the first week is to look for teams with returning offensive linemen.  Protecting your QB and giving your RB some holes to run through is critical early in the season b/c it really helps avoid those unnecessary turnovers. One team that will be a bet against at every opportunity is Florida Atlantic who returns NO offensive linemen with a collegiate start.  To make matters worse their projected starting center just went down with an injury to his knee and it is not looking good that he will make it back for the first game.

If some of you are into future bets on who may be the BCS Champion I would lean towards the following:

1. Oklahoma at 12to1. Bottom Line: QB did get several starts last year and their schedule sets them up perfectly to go undefeated.

2. Boise State at 10to1. Bottom Line: If they beat VT in the opener then they will go undefeated and may get that chance at BCS Title game this year.

These are just some early thoughts. More to be posted over the next couple weeks. If I get …

I looked at the College Football Week 1 spreads and there’s 10 games that wet my appetite. I want to provide a thorough analysis of each game, yet can’t make up my mind on which games I should start looking into. Help me out by voting in this poll. Thanks.

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As I await the start of the NFL season like an addict going through withdrawal, I would like to welcome old friends and new acquaintances to THE PASS RUSH. By the looks of our pick ’em league, it’s good to see some old names show up on the list. THE PASS RUSH’s pick ’em league is for only the most distinguished gentlemen of this website. By distinguished gentlemen, I mean loyal readers who contribute to the site on a weekly basis to talk football. You may register by checking the info here.

THE PASS RUSH has been in business for four years now, opening up to the interwebs in 2007. In four year’s time, we have handedly taken the books to the woodshed via weekly NFL and NCAA football picks against the spread. Like any season, it’s a roller coaster. There will be highs and lows, ups and downs, thrilling victories, and crushing defeats. There will be injuries, blown calls, turnovers, and ludicrous penalties that will combine to conspire against you, but you must not let them affect you.

During the 2009 football season, we immediately got off to a hot start. My philosophy to start last year was to bet against the reh-tards of the NFL. It was like a bully picking on the kid with down syndrome — completely shameless and without remorse. By betting faithfully against the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers week-in and week-out, the first half of the season was a phenomenal success. It was like sports books were giving away free money each week. What happened in the second half you ask? The books wised up and …

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Yup… It’s that time of year again! NFL training camps are in full gear. Talks about who’s in and who’s out! Talks about the aging but still worthy receiver Terrel Owens heading to Cinci….Finally Albert Haynesworth passes his fitness test, but will Mike Shanahan and Haynesworth get it together in time? Will Shanahan’s return to Mile High be received with embrace and recognition or will we hear boos and mockery? Will my beloved Steelers fair well without their starting QB for the first quarter of the season?

Many questions and many concerns hovering around the league. The uncertainty coupled with parody certainly perpetuates our desire to spend our Sundays,  Monday and sometimes Thursdays with our football friends and foes, while demonstrating a complete disregard to the many off season efforts at the local gym, as we endure our NFL games while eating fatty foods, drinking lots of beer and using profanity over/under 4.5 times per hour, while shaving those precious years away due to the stress associated with our handicapping successes and failures. Yes it’s back! September 9th at The Superdome at 8:30 PM Sharp! Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints host the Favre plagued Minnesota Vikings. Two dome teams promising us an action packed full throttle type game which will surely be a shootout! I’m personally curious to see how New Orleans will defend their title, after having spent an offseason celebrating. This season will surely be another great chapter to out NFL memories!…