Volume 27, Issue 2 August 30-September 3, 2012

COLLEGE FOOTBALL KICKOFF TIME!

Exclusive NCAA Football Over/Under Breakdown!

• ‘Betcha Didn’t Know’ Handicapping Article

• Awesome Angle & Tremendous Trends

• Incredible Stat of the Week

• Analysis on Every Lined Game

• Best Bets and Key Plays

• Full Schedule with Opening Lines

w w w . P L A Y B O O K . c o m 1 . 8 0 0 . P L A Y B O O K

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View Marc's Awesome Angle Of The Week at the PLAYBOOK.com website!

ATS W-L Record Since 1990:

14-1(93%)

HERE WEGO AGAINPLAY AGAINST any college

conference team in Game One of the season if they are playing

with triple revenge exact.

AWESOME ANGLE OF THE WEEK

T R I V I A T E A S E R

This coach loves messing with foes outside his conference, especially in underdog roles, going 20-9-1 ATS in his career as a non-conference

puppy. When taking 13 or fewer points, he zooms to 15-3 ATS, winning over half the games SU. Who is this week’s pain-in-the-ass antagonist?

For the Trivia Teaser answer, turn to page 13

THIS WEEK'S AMAZING SITUATIONAL PLAY

Be sure to check out the COACHES LEAGUE for ATS records on every College & NFL coach in 16 key situational roles. Simply log on to www.PLAYBOOK.com and click on the COACHES LEAGUE.

T R I V I A T E A S E R

Play AGAINST: Vanderbilt Commodores

ONE MORE TIME…IMPROVED DEFENSES

A Weekly Insight Into The Art Of Sports Handicapping

Marc Lawrence's

BETCHADIDN'TKNOW

PLAY ON any college football team in Game One through

Four in a conference game if they improved their defense by 100 or more yards last season

from the previous year…

“Do that to me one more time... once is never enough...

Pass that by me one more time... once just isn’t enough

Tell it to me one more time... I can never hear enough...”

Improvement. No matter how it’s measured it still comes out the same. That’s because forward

progress is always preferred. No one ever likes taking a step backward unless, of course, it’s from a fi ring squad.One of a serious handicapper’s main priorities is measuring a team’s value. By discerning whether a team is improving or declining, we can ferret out any remaining benefi ts in making a case for our team. And because statistics don’t lie, the measure is easier to gauge as the season wears on.The opening month of the season makes it extremely diffi cult to determine whether a team is ascending or descending. Without results or opponents to grade against, we are perilously shooting in the blind as we attempt to formulate any kind of reliable power rating throughout September.What we can do, however, is to look back on last year’s performance and weigh it against the previous campaign’s effort. Remembering that

‘improvement’ is the operative word, we can attempt to calculate whether a team actually improved or declined on the season. Betterment can be determined in numerous manners. It can be measured either from an ATS (Against The Spread) and/or a SU (Straight-Up) aspect, or from a statistical view. When we look at a team statistically, we look to weigh offensive and defensive progress.To help guide us through the fi rst four games of the season we will look to concentrate on teams who improved substantially on the defensive front last season. That’s because if we were to –

we would own a nifty 41-27-2 ATS winning mark since 1990. That, my friends, is a solid 60.2% winning angle unto itself. And by simply bringing our team in as a dog or favorite of 7 points or less, we improve our ATS W-L numbers to 34-13-2. By making sure our defense is still dependable (allows 33 or fewer points per game), we improve our ATS W-L mark to 34-8-2 ATS when not being

forced to lay more than 7 points. And best of all, when these same guys own the aforementioned dependable defense and are priced accordingly, they are 23-4-1 ATS when seeking revenge – and a 17-2-1 ATS winning proposition when playing at home!For what it’s worth – and we feel it’s a lot – there are fi ve teams team that will enter the 2012 season with a 100-yard improved defense, namely Alabama, Arkansas State, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan and Michigan, with the avenging Eagles of EMU a qualifi ed play for opening week.You know what to do – do it to me one more time…By now we’re sure you have come to enjoy PLAYBOOK’S exclusive ‘learning while you are earning’ handicapping articles like the one above. If so, be sure to subscribe now to the 2012 PLAYBOOK Football Newsletter – documented the WINNINGEST FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER ON THE PLANET! It’s available online every Tuesday after 6:00 PM ET via instant internet download. Call our friendly customer service department toll-free today and prepare to win more than ever before this football season. Call now while special prices are still in effect: 1.800.PLAYBOOK – that’s 1.800.752.9266.

SMARTBOX

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College Football Games

2-MINUTE HANDICAP ATS = Against The Spread • A = Away • Con = Conference • D = Dog

F = Favorite • H = Home • Rev = Revenge • R = Road • SU = Straight-Up

FOR A COMPLETE 2-MINUTE HANDICAP OF EVERY GAME ON TODAY'S CARD, VISIT www.PLAYBOOK.com

Thursday, August 30S Carolina SERIES: Visitor 6-2… 3-1 Game One… 5-0 vs conf revengeVANDERBILT 2-8 conf HD’s 3 > pts… 3-8 H w/ conf revenge

Friday, August 31Boise St 4-1 Game One… 5-1 weekday RG… 5-1 as non conf dogsMICHIGAN ST 3-1 Game One favs… 2-9 as non conf favs 15 < pts

San Jose St 0-4 Game One… 1-6 vs Pac-12… 2-8 as dogs 22 > ptsSTANFORD SERIES: 4-0 L4… 4-1 as favs 21 > pts… 8-2-1 Game One

Saturday, September 1Notre Dame 7-3 L10 on neutral sites… 0-4 bef Purdue… 1-4 Game OneNavy SERIES: 16-7 L23… 5-1 as dogs 10 > pts… 1-3 Game One

Marshall 3-0 w/ non conf revenge… 3-1 away bef BB HG’sW VIRGINIA 5-2 as favs 23 > pts… 2-5 vs non conf revenge

So Miss 7-3 bef Bye week… 1-3 Game One… 3-8 as dogs 17 > ptsNEBRASKA 6-0-1 Game One… 1-3 vs Conf USA… 3-8 as favs 14 > pts

Buffalo 4-1 as dogs 29 > pts… 3-11 away bef BB HG’sGEORGIA 4-0 Game One favs…. 1-3 as favs 31 > pts

Bowl Green 5-0 Game One… 2-5 as dogs 23 > ptsFLORIDA 8-3 as favs > 25 pts… 1-4 home bef BB RG’s

Wyoming 4-1 away bef BB HG’s… 3-1 as RD’s 24 > ptsTEXAS SERIES: 3-1 L4… 5-0 Game One… 7-1 bef Va Tech

Clemson SERIES: 2-0 L2… 7-2 vs non conf revenge… 3-1 bef BB HG’sAuburn 0-5 vs ACC… 1-5 w/ non conf revenge… 1-4 bef Miss St

Hawaii 5-1 as RD’s 23 > pts… 3-1 away bef BB HG’sUSC 0-5 vs non conf revenge… 1-4 as HF’s > 35 pts

Michigan 4-0 Game One dogs… 8-1 L9 as non conf dogsAlabama 4-0 Game One… 3-0 vs Big Ten… 5-2 L7 on neutral sites

Oklahoma 6-2 vs Conf USA… 3-8 away bef BB HG’s… 2-5 Game OneUTEP 7-2 as HD’s 20 > pts… 2-8 vs Big 12… 3-9 Game One

Monday, September 3Georgia Tech 8-1 as dogs > 7 pts… 16-2 away bef BB HG’sVA TECH 0-4 Game One… 2-9 as HF’s < 10 pts… 1-4-1 weekdays

TEAMS KEY FACTS, STATS & ATS TRENDS

All results are ATS – Against The Spread – and most recent, unless noted otherwise. Content contained in this report remains the exclusive private property

of PLAYBOOK™ and PLAYBOOK.COM™ and may not be reused or disseminated in any form without express written consent of the publisher.

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is 31-6-1 ATS versus non-conference foes,

including 18-2-1 ATS at home.Be sure to read the INCREDIBLE STAT OF THE WEEK each week in the PLAYBOOK Football Newsletter!

INCREDIBLE STAT OF THE WEEK

NEW COLLEGE COACHES

Pair a ‘new coach/lousy team’ against a ‘good team’ (one who won six or more games last year) in season openers and you have the makings of a massacre, as these pairings fi nd ‘new coach/lousy team’ combinations at 5-60 SU and 19-40-3 ATS. There are three such pairings to open the 2012 season (the ‘new coach/lousy team’ listed fi rst): 8/30 – Washington State at BYU, 9/1 – Arizona vs. Toledo and Tulane vs. Rutgers. Forewarned is forearmed!

New Head Coaches With Lousy Teamsvs. Good Teams Spell Disaster

New Head Coaches Are MoneyburnersFor the most part, new coaches are brought into college football programs that are in need of a transfusion. Much like a body that undergoes alterations during a lifestyle change of diet and exercise, it also takes a while before fi rst year coaches turn a program around. In fact, all teams with 1st year head coaches are1642-1824-59, or 48.1% ATS in all lined games, since 1990.The groundwork is laid in the fi rst year, when new coaches install new playbooks and game plans. Consequently, these teams really struggle out of the gate. That’s confi rmed by the fact that, since 1990:

• 1st Year College Football Head Coaches in Game One are a 42.3% pointspread proposition, going 104-135-8 ATS. A whopping 28 coaches will make their debut this week and next in lined games.

New Head Coaches With Lousy TeamsAre Lousy In Season Openers

A lousy team is defi ned as winning four or fewer games the previous year. We agree with that statement because:

• Four win (or less) teams, with a new head coach, are 43-70-6 ATS in their initial game of the season. No less than thirteen teams open the season in this role this week. They include: Akron, Arizona, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Fresno State, Kansas, Massachusetts, Memphis, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tulane, UAB and Washington State.

COMING NEXT WEEK

THE WISE GUYS ARE BACK!Now in its 28th year, the WISE GUYS CONTEST is a $10,000 winners-take-all contest sponsored by sports-watch.com. Top SINGLE PLAY BEST BETS appear every week in the PLAYBOOK Football Newsletter!

NOTE: Next week’s PLAYBOOK (issue #3) will include a complete slate of NFL writeups and will be available after 6:00 PM ET on Tuesday, 9/4.

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2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK ONE

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South Carolina over VANDERBILT by 13 It’s not often you fi nd a conference clash in August but that’s the case tonight in Nashville where the Gamecocks and Commodores offi cially kick off the 2012 NCAA football season underway. Under rookie head coach James Franklin, the Commies were ‘electric’ at Vanderbilt Stadium last season, posting a 5-2 SU and 6-0 ATS mark, including 3-0 ATS as home dogs. However, the visiting Ol’ Ball Coach takes to season openers like the ‘Real Housewives’ take to public annoyance, winning 21 of 22, including all seven on the Columbia sidelines. Making matters worse for the Music City faithful is Spurrier’s 34-17 ATS mark as a conference road favorite and Carolina’s dominance in this series (6-1 SU, 5-1-1 ATS) when favored by 7 or less points. With Marcus Lattimore back and healthy, Spurrier feels this is the best Gamecocks squad he’s had – and that should spell trouble for a Vandy bunch that was held to 77 total yards of offense in last season’s 21-3 loss at Williams-Brice Stadium. We don’t butter our bread backing road favorites but we just don’t see the Commodores catching teams napping this season, especially under tonight’s ESPN lights. With that being said, and our AWESOME ANGLE (see page 2) at work here tonight, we’ll lean hard to the left (side of the page) as the ‘Cocks improve to a ‘Game’ 8-1 ATS on weekdays.

Ucf over AKRON by 27 After grudgingly laying a touchdown on the road with the highly-rated Gamecocks, how can we possibly make a case for a 23.5-point road favorite that went 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS away from home last season, including 0-3 ATS as road chalk? Or one that is 5-14 SU and 6-13 ATS versus the MAC since 2002 with no wins coming by more than 18 points and eyeing a meeting with Ohio State, you ask? Two words: SMART BOX. Simply put, new head coaches with lousy teams are awful propositions in season openers. And though this isn’t his fi rst FBS rodeo, Akron’s Terry Bowden hasn’t been on the Division 1-A sidelines since resigning from Auburn in 1998. His 30-10-1 SU mark at home, with no defeat by more than 20 points, certainly looks good but that was largely a product of those dominant Tiger teams. For this week, at least, we’re more interested in his 2-6 ATS career mark as a home dog. And though series history should have us backing the Zips (3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS), we’d be ‘Smart’ to expect the Knights to get out of the ‘Box’ quick, especially with a tough three-game non-conference slate on tap. Though we’re not exactly doing ‘wheelies’ over this one, we have no choice but to lay the lumber as the rubber meets the road tonight in Akron. Editor’s note: check the College Football ATS Top 10 Teams video for the 2012 season ahead on the new Playbook.com website and see where UCF ranks. You might be surprised!

NOTE: Home team is shown in ALL CAPS. PLAYBOOK selection is Underlined and Bold. Should we pass or not have a

strong opinion on a game, neither team will be bolded.

Texas A&M over Louisiana Tech by 6 Let’s see if we can fi gure this out. The Aggies are a perfect 10-0 SU all-time in this series, 4-0 ATS since the Techsters became a lined team in 1999, have never been favored by less than 13 points and have outscored the Bulldogs, 421-124. Yet, they stroll into Shreveport as a mere 7-point choice. Why? Simple: Vegas doesn’t like to get burned. Louisiana Tech, last year’s pointspread kings, rewarded their backers with 11 covers in 12 tries – and now looks to be paying the price for that success. The problem we’re having in mining this apparent short-line, however, is two-fold. Our SMART BOX reminds us that (1) teams with new head coaches are not sound investments out of the gate and (2) new head coach Kevin Sumlin is just 2-12 ATS as a favorite of less than 14 points away from home in his college career. Though it’s hard to yet consider the Aggies a true member of the SEC, we still have to point out that the Bulldogs have covered their last three versus this conference and are 6-2-1 ATS all-time as dogs of 20 or less points against SEC foes. So from the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it department,’ until the Bulldogs burn a ticket (and that hasn’t happened since last October 1st), we’ll bark with the ‘home’ dogs every so slightly as we fade Sumlin in his unfavorable new coach role.

CONNECTICUT over UMass by 31The Minutemen are one of four new kids on the (chopping) block this season and according to new head coach Charley Molnar, it’s going to take some time for his Amherst bunch to get used to the FBS neighborhood. The former Notre Dame offensive coordinator, who inherits a defense that was chewed up by FCS foes last year, cautions, “We are playing a 1-A schedule with 1-AA players.” It’s no wonder that this game, which opened at 21 points, shot up to 27 in a New York minute. Despite the jump, we still fi nd ourselves in the Connecticut corner as the Huskies enter 2012 as a full-fl edged ‘Mission Team.’ After tallying 33 wins and garnering four bowl bids the previous four seasons, UConn fell to 5-7 when former Syracuse veteran head coach Paul Pasqualoni returned to the college sidelines in Storrs after a seven-year itch. Despite the hiatus, Pasqualoni reverted back to his good home/bad visitor ways as the season progressed, so we’ll look for the host in his games to improve to 95-66-4

GAME OF THE WEEKUPSETUPSET UPSETUPSET

E Michigan over BALL ST by 7 It’s time to get back in our comfort zone and in a big way: with an outright dog winner. We ‘Betcha Didn’t Know,’ though, it would be with a feeble away team like Eastern Michigan. Yes, road wins (just 11 since 1999) have never been a part of the Ypsilanti vocabulary but 2011 MAC Coach of the Year Ron English has the Eagles speaking a different language these days. Thanks to a defense that improved 20 points and 105 YPG, the EMUs tallied more victories (6) last year alone than in the previous three seasons combined. And the present looks bright as dual-threat QB Alex Gillett heads an offense that returns nine starters. That’s not a good sign for a Ball State ‘D’ that was torched for 501 yards in last season’s phony 33-31 win at Rynearson Stadium. Coincidentally, that pretty much mirrored the Cardinals’ season as a two-game improvement in the win column from the previous year fortunately overshadowed a stop-unit that slipped dramatically in 2011 (112 YPG). And with only fi ve starters back on that side of the ball, can we expect Gillett and company to be anything but ‘razor’ sharp tonight in Muncie? Points are optional as the series favorite drops its third in a row on the scoreboard and fi fth straight against the number..

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ADDED GAME

Friday, August 31NC State over Tennessee by 1

From glory to gory. That’s been the story of the Tennessee Volunteers at the Georgia Dome. After capturing back-to-back SEC championships in this building in the late 90’s, the Vols have since dropped six in a row in this building. That’s a stark comparison to the SEC’s 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS dominance as road or neutral-site season-opening favorites versus ACC foes since 1982. While we would love to ride that trend and back loaded Rocky Top (18 returning starters, including 10 on offense that includes QB Tyler Bray and the entire line up front), we’re well aware of UT’s dismal 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS log versus the ACC this century and 3-12-1 ATS mark when not getting points against this conference since 1980. We’re also very familiar with NC State HC Tom O’Brien’s 54-33-2 ATS work as a dog. That number even improves to 28-12 ATS when the line drops below a touchdown, including 16-3 ATS with the ‘Pack. Yes, we hate fading returning starter-loaded teams in season openers, but this is the spot where short dogs work best – especially one that returns a QB (Mike Glennon) who tossed for over 3,000 yards and 31 TD’s in 2011 and an O-line that totals an ACC-leading 113 combined starts. It won’t be pretty but we say grab the capable dogs. Editor’s note: Tennessee All-SEC receiver Da’Rick Rogers has been indefi nitely suspended from the team.

MICHIGAN ST over Boise St by 6In a rare dog role, we’d normally be all over the Broncos like O.J. on a golf course looking for Nicole’s murderer. And for good reason! Since Boise State became a lined team in 1999, they’re 146-22 SU and have covered 19 of the 26 times they have been on the take, including 4-0 ATS since 2008. Chris Petersen’s pups are also 7-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in lid-lifters since 2004, 5-1 ATS in weekday roadies and 5-1 ATS as non-conference dogs. The latter fi ts like a glove (really, it does) to Sparty’s 2-9 ATS mark as non-conference chalk of 15 or less points. So why the hesitance, you ask? The Broncos are what we classify as a ‘green team’ – and not in the color of money – as they return fi ve or less starters on each side of the ball. Historically, these squads tend to struggle away from home early in the season. Complicating matters for Boise Blue is the fact that the Spartans welcome back eight starters to a stop-unit that was top-ranked in the Big Ten last season. Off back-to-back 11-win seasons, this 7-point line tells us Mark Dantonio’s gang is commanding a lot of respect but his 1-3 ATS record versus a foe who won 12 or more games the previous season has us thinking a bit too much respect. Reluctantly, though, we’ll probably yield to caution and simply tune in to ESPN and watch these ‘white’ Broncos as they hope to take Sparty for a ride.

STANFORD over San Jose St by 27The Cardinal may be out of ‘Luck’ this season but that won’t stop our PLAYBOOK.com database from watering the Tree tonight in Stanford Stadium. You see, Big Red is 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 season openers while the Spartans are 0-4 ATS in lid-lifters as of late. The Cardinal are also 6-0 ATS as favorites of 20 or more points under 2nd-year HC David Shaw while San Jose is just 2-5 ATS as dogs of more than 20 points under 3rd-year head man Mike MacIntyre. The Spartans also check in with a

(continued on page 7)

ATS once the clock hits zero. Take a minute… but if you’re in it to win it, you’ll come along for the ride.

Ucla over RICE by 10 Riddle me this, Betman: when does a post-season appearance turn into a compete failure? When you own the distinction of being the only bowl team in NCAA history to end the season with eight losses! Thus, the Bruin brass is looking for Mora – Jim Mora. The former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach arrives with a slew of NFL assistant coaches as he tries to put the UCLA program back on the map. We won’t make the trek with him tonight, though, as the SMART BOX warns us to keep our distance. Our PLAYBOOK.com database also reminds us that the visiting team in UCLA/Conference USA clashes is just 1-5 SU and ATS. And though we don’t feel the Owls – who have won just 10 games total over the past three seasons after winning 10 alone in 2008 – have enough to spring the outright upset with just fi ve starters back on each side of the ball, we still must respect their long-time 28-13-2 ATS as home dogs. Rice is also a ‘Krispie’ 4-1 ATS in home openers of late and we don’t expect that to snap, crackle or pop tonight with Mora and company getting their college feet wet. A solid take.

BYU over Washington St by 20There’s nothing better then seeing a pair of Cougars who like to score… points that is. And speaking of which, there should be aplenty in Pullman and Provo this season. Wazzu improved its attack 10 points and 94 yards per game last year alone and now welcome the ‘Air Raid Offense’ of Mike Leach. Leach returns to his Mormon alma mater with a defi nite chip on his shoulder after his unceremonious, well-publicized fi ring by Texas Tech and will look to make a statement early. However, that looks to pale in comparison to the message delivered by our PLAYBOOK.com database as it notes: Leach is a non-competitive 8-35 ATS in games his team loses SU, including 0-10 ATS in non-conference affairs. The Cougs of WSU are also 3-26 SU away since 2006 with 23 of those losses coming by 14 or more points! That’s not a good sign against a BYU bunch that is 10-3 SU and 10-2 ATS in season openers and has averaged 43 PPG in its only three meetings with State. We don’t expect any different from Bronco Mendenhall’s gang this season. After wrestling the QB job away from Jake Heaps in Week Four last year, Riley Nelson led his Cougars to a 9-1 fi nish, averaging over 35 PPG. In what looks to be a big-time shootout, we’ll opt for the hosts to apply the full ‘Nelson’ and take down the visitors before they have a chance to ‘Leach’ on. Lay the host Cougars, if you get our drift.

Minnesota over UNLV by 6 Year Two of ‘Operation Kill or be Killed’ fi nds the Gophers in Sin City looking to build on a 2011 season-ending win over Illinois. The rodents actually cashed their fi nal fi ve tickets last season but each one was as a double-digit dog. Now they’re asked to lay points on the road – and despite a surprising 11-3 SU and ATS mark in road openers (including a 2-point loss at USC last season) and 17-8 ATS log in their last 25 as road chalk, this signifi cant line may be too big a hole for them to dig out of. Speaking of holes, UNLV head coach Bobby Hauck may start resembling Joe Pesci at the end of ‘Goodfellas’ unless he start winning games. A 4-21 SU record doesn’t cut it – not even in the desert – and he’ll need to take advantage of a season-opening four-game home stand as his 0-14 SU and 1-13 ATS record on the road comes very much comes into play at the end of September. Eight returning starters on offense, including the entire line, is promising for the Rebs… as is a 13-8 SU record in their last 21 home openers and 5-0 ATS mark in their last fi ve versus the Big Ten. We’re not sure if the Rebels can pull off the outright win but we have a feeling some people will be dying to fi nd out. UNLV… only if you must.

SOUTH ALABAMA over Tex-San Antonio by 3 Like the Minutemen, the Jaguars and Roadrunners also make their initial descent into FBS waters. They, however, get to play each other before entering tougher territory. Most pundits feel South Alabama is more prepared for the jump as they are just two years removed from a perfect 10-0 season and return nine starters from a defense that ranked No. 16 in FCS play last year. They’ll also unveil a new spread offense; however, until that attack is ironed out, we really have no interest in laying points with this bunch. Remember, former Miami Fla and current UTSA head coach Larry Coker is a solid 7-3 ATS in his career as a dog, with six of the seven wins in SU fashion. Of course, those came during his days with the Canes. But the ex-Hurricane coach does return 21 starters, the most of all FBS teams this season. We don’t see any reason to get involved but if you must, Coker’s experience suggests there’s really only one way to look. Take it or leave it.

SIMPLY THE BEST

All results Monitored and Documented by Sports Monitor in Oklahoma and Sports Watch in Las Vegas.

• No. 1 NFL Win Percentage: 30-17 (63.8%)• No. 1 Wise Guys Contest Champion: 26-10 (72.2%)• No. 1 Wise Guys Contest Best Bet Co-Champion: 14-4 (77.7%)

2008 Football Season

• No. 1 Wise Guys Contest Best Bet Champion: 14-4 (77.7%)

2007 Football Season

• No. 1 NFL Win Percentage: 30-17 (63.8%)

2006 Football Season

• No. 1 College Football Win Percentage: 38-18 (67.9%)• No. 1 Stardust Football Invitation Contest Champion• No. 1 Handicapper of the Year – Football News

2005 Football Season• No. 1 NFL Handicapper in Money Won at VEGASINSIDER.COM• Overall College & NFL Results: 69-52 (57.0%)• College Bowls & NFL Playoffs: 13-4 (76.5%)

2009 Football Season

• NFL Win Percentage: 25-16-1 (61%)2010 Football Season

Honesty. Integrity. Documented Winning Results.MARC LAWRENCE • 1.800.321.7777

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Like their MAC brethren Bobcats, the RedHawks have also played the role of Big Ten guinea pigs to a tee this century, dropping 13 of 14 on the SU scoreboard. The Oxford Ohioans are also 0-3 SU and ATS the last three times they opened the season against Big Ten foes, including a 34-14 setback as 15.5-points dogs at the Horseshoe in 2005. And it certainly won’t get easier for the visitors with an ‘Urban renewal’ taking place in Columbus this season. Meyer’s 18-2-1 ATS log at home in non-conference affairs answers the call as our INCREDIBLE STAT OF THE WEEK and that’s just the tip of the iceberg on this 3* Best Bet. The veteran head coach is also 10-0 SU and 5-2 ATS in season openers with the average win coming by 30 PPG. Need more? OSU’s 10-0 SU and 7-1 ATS log in lid-lifters along with its 20-0 SU and recent 4-1 ATS mark against the MAC is clearly tattooed in our PLAYBOOK.com database. And while we’re at it, let’s toss in the Buckeyes’ 9-1 ATS record as favorites of 21 or more points and comfortable 11-2 ATS log in the fi rst of back-to-back home games for good measure. The bottom line is with Ohio State on post-season probation, expect every game to be played like a bowl game under Meyer’s tutelage. As we’ve learned from Bowling Green, Salt Lake City and Gainesville, this renewal project has no problem making the neighborhood look nice – while running up the score whenever possible. A must lay.

OHIO ST over Miami Ohio by 35

Saturday, September 1

0-7 SU and 1-6 ATS log versus the Pac-10/12 since 2007 with four of those SU and ATS losses coming against Stanford. And while it’s true MacIntyre’s men improved dramatically on both sides of the ball in 2011, they unfortunately lose their two biggest weapons – QB Matt Faulkner and RB Matt Rutley – to graduation. They also lose four starters from their defensive front seven so expect to see a heavy dose of Cardinal RB Stephan Taylor as he eyes his third straight 1,000-yard season. Hey, it looks like Stanford may be in ‘Luck’ after all since the Spartans can’t go to the ‘Matt.’ Slight lean to the hosts.

Notre Dame over Navy by 10Can the unimaginable happen: the Irish fall on their homeland? Nah, not with the Dame owning 12 straight neutral fi eld wins against foes that won fi ve or less games the previous season. However, our ATS accountant quickly reminds us that the lads are only 4-8 ATS in those contests. And despite Notre Dame’s 45-3 SU record in this series since 1964 – including a 54-27 win in Dublin in 1996 as 19-point favorites – the Midshipmen have covered 16 of the last 23 in this series. Longtime PLAYBOOK reader and Irish fanatic Mike O’Brien will be at this year’s game looking to lay the lumber but he won’t be happy to learn that the Middies are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 as double-digit dogs, including 5-1 ATS under 5th-year HC Ken Niumatalolo. In fact, Niumatalolo’s only loss in this role was a 42-point thrashing last season in South Bend – the worst loss of his career. Following eight consecutive winning seasons, Navy recorded only fi ve wins in 2011, making them a certifi ed ‘Mission Team’ this year. And these squads are historically good investments as dogs looking for revenge. Don’t be like Mike – grab the points as the Irish, with suspended QB Tommy Rees weaning himself on the sidelines with an O’Douls, fall to 7-16 ATS in season openers.

WEST VIRGINIA over Marshall by 20The Herd pick up right where they left off last year when they faced the 2nd strongest non-conference slate in the nation. Through it all, Doc Holliday’s defensive gang ranked in the Top 20 in the country in tackles for a loss, fumble recoveries, fourth-down and red-zone effi ciency. Though they have dropped their last fi ve lined openers against the spread, interestingly enough Marshall was under the 22-point number in last year’s opener at Morgantown before bad weather caused the game to be stopped with 14 minutes left in the 4th quarter and West Virginia declared a 34-13 winner. That sets the table for this year’s rematch as the Thundering ones are 3-0 ATS in their last three non-conference affairs when seeking revenge. We also don’t expect the Mounties to show much in a weak three-game non-conference slate (James Madison and Maryland are the other two foes) as they prepare for life in the Big 12. Nope, even with Geno Smith and nine offensive starters returning to Mountaineer Field, they’ll be no 70-point outburst as in last year’s Orange Bowl romp over Clemson. They may seem outmanned but, frankly, it’s really never hard taking the underdog McCoys with this kind of spot against the mighty Hatfi elds. We suggest you do the same. Just don’t tell Devil Anse...

PENN ST over Ohio U by 13In what would normally be a meaningless, ho-hum non-conference beatdown for the Nittany Lions, this contest now has more twists and turns than a Steven King novel. The Bobbies have played the role of guinea pigs almost to perfection, dropping 22 of their last 25 SU on the road against BCS opposition. They’re also just 2-13 SU versus the Big Ten since 1980 with this (+6) being the smallest number they’ve taken. That doesn’t bode well against a Penn State squad that is 10-0 SU in its last 10

home openers (average margin of victory 29 PPG), 16-0 SU versus the MAC this past decade (average win coming by 26 points) and 24-1 SU in their last 25 at Happy Valley against non-conference foes. Yes, we realize these were all Joe’s numbers but that’s just another twist in what is suddenly an interesting opener. Heck, talk about turns, we’re even going against our own SMART BOX! With that being said, look for the caged-up Lions to vent months of pent-up rage and do ‘The Shining’ this afternoon in State College. Please join us as we lay the reasonable spot and reluctantly go against our sagacious square because – as Mr. King would say – ‘Misery’ loves company.

SYRACUSE over Northwestern by 3‘Misery loves company’ has to be the ONLY reason this pair of mediocre squads is meeting for the third time in fi ve seasons. Unless they’re trying to make a case for which color is superior (purple or orange), it’s hard to imagine a rivalry forming between upstate New York and Evanston, Illinois. Nope, each fi gures they can beat the other and they’re right – as long as they get to play host. The series visitor is 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS and we don’t see much changing this afternoon in the Carrier Dome. As it is, the Wildcats are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS on the Big East highway since 1980 and return just fi ve starters on offense and six on defense. HC Pat Fitzgerald also has not fared well as a non-conference favorite, covering just fi ve of 16, while the ‘Cuse is a money-making 5-1-1 ATS as dogs in home openers. Now ‘Orange’ you glad you read this before playing knock, knock with the Wildcats? Grab the spot as the hosts squeeze out the victory.

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ILLINOIS over W Michigan by 8New Illini HC Tim Beckman may be familiar with Western Michigan from his days at Toledo but our SMART BOX is strongly opposed to laying doubles in this spot. Yes, Beckman was 7-2 ATS as double-digit chalk versus MAC foes but the two times he entered as a favorite against the Broncos (both at home), he failed to cover – even losing one of the contests in SU fashion, 58-26, as a 7.5-point choice. Illinois has also had its share of troubles with the Kalamazoo clan. Since 2004, these schools have met three times with the Broncos bringing home the cash on all three occasions, including last year as 13.5-point dogs in a 23-20 loss. And though Western is a mediocre 5-5 ATS as double-digit dogs against the Big Ten since it became a lined team in 1998, that still outweighs the Illini’s 2-9 ATS mark as chalk in season openers since George Orwell’s favorite year, 1984. And like Orwell, we’re independent thinkers on this one: grab the points as the Broncos, unlike Miami Ohio and Ohio U, fi nally get a cover against Big Brother on this fi rst Saturday in September.

IOWA ST over Tulsa by 6It’s no surprise to see Iowa State installed as a dog in this opener as they puppied up in 10 of 11 lined regular-season games in 2011. And that suits us just fi ne as the Cyclones are 12-1 SU in their last 13 home openers while the Golden Hurricane are just 3-14 SU and 4-12-1 ATS in road openers since 1995. In fact, Tulsa has won just 5 of 32 lid-lifters since 1980 so don’t be surprised to see this line take a bit of a ‘roller-coaster’ ride and fi nd the Cyclones favored by kickoff. We’ll still side with the hosts as the Hurricane replaces QB G.J. Kinne, who started 83 games over the past four seasons, with Nebraska transfer Cody Green. To take the pressure off Green, look for Tulsa to rely on a pair of RB’s who each tallied over 800 yards on the ground last season. However, that plays right into the Cyclones’ funhouse as they boast the best linebacker duo in the land with A.J. Klein and Jake Knott combining for 231 tackles in 2011. We also want no part of a Hurricane team with a ‘Green’ quarterback on the road that turns into a tropical depression at the sight of a Big 12 foe (0-15 SU and 3-12 ATS since 1999). At pick, plus or minus, we’re taking a ride on the Cyclone.

CALIFORNIA over Nevada by 16It appears as if only Boise State stands in the way of a conference crown as Nevada looks to make its mark on the Mountain West after arriving from the WAC. However, the Wolf Pack must fi rst deal with a salty opener in Berkeley as the Bears will be out to make amends for a 52-31 setback they suffered in Reno as 3-point favorites two short years ago. As it is, our PLAYBOOK.com database reminds us that Chris Ault’s men are just 1-15 SU in their last 16 road openers. And if you’re thinking this double-digit line may come into play, don’t bother: our NCAA Coaches League chart (available inside the BETTING TOOLS section on the newly designed PLAYBOOK.com website) points out that that the veteran Ault has always been more comfortable at home (30-13-2 ATS) than on the road (22-33-1 ATS), including 6-11 ATS on the non-conference highway. Cal’s telling 10-0 SU and 6-1 ATS mark in home openers the last decade adds further support as the combination of revenge and HC Jeff Tedford’s hot fanny (no bowl wins since 2008) may be reason enough to back the Bears this afternoon in Memorial Stadium. It’s a lay.

NEBRASKA over Southern Miss by 24The Eagles are coming off a school-record 12-win season, falling just 9 points short of perfection. However, that was then and this is now as that success fi nds Larry Fedora roaming the Chapel Hill sidelines and Ellis Johnson hitting Hattiesburg. The former South Carolina defensive coordinator brings a pair of former head coaches (Ricky Bustle and Tommy West) with him but he will likely need more as he makes his debut in a hostile environment. How hostile, you ask? Consider that since 1986, Big Red is 26-0 SU and 12-4-1 ATS in home openers with the average win margin by 35 PPG. They’re also 26-0 SU and 13-4-1 ATS in actual season openers over that time span with the average margin of victory 31 PPG. Take your choice on which you prefer but neither fi gures to be much to the Eagles’ liking, especially with them sporting a not-so-Golden 3-8 ATS log in their last 11 as dogs of 17 or more points. And though we’re a bit concerned with an un-Pelini like defense that slipped 6 points and 44 YPG last season, we fully expect QB Taylor Martinez and stud RB Rex Burkhead to light up a Southern Miss stop unit that returns only four starters. With that being said, we think you’ll agree there’s only one way to look today in Lincoln.

Miami Fla over BOSTON COLLEGE by 1Talk about a tough call in Beantown. Heck, even the wise guys don’t know what to make of this one as the line sits at pick as of this writing. Do we side with an Eagles squad that has slipped three straight seasons under HC Frank Spaziani’s tutelage and is just 2-15 SU in this series since the Flutie Hail Mary in 1984? Or do we back a Hurricane team that is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight road openers? Of course to complicate matters, BC’s two wins have come in the last two matchups, and its only cover in the last fi ve meetings came last year when they won the whole game outright, 24-17, as 13-points dogs. While we’d love to play the revenge card and jump on the better coach (Al Golden), the ‘Canes are undergoing a radical transformation of their own (read: NCAA breathing down their neck). So with Spaziani’s ‘Chestnuts’ roasting on an open fi re and Golden’s group too ‘green’ for this road opener (just nine starters return from last year’s 6-6 squad), we’ll let discretion be the better part of valor and reluctantly take a pass.

Iowa over No Illinois by 8Another group light on returning starters are the Iowa Hawkeyes as just 11 (six offense/fi ve defense) familiar faces return to Iowa City. That won’t make Captain Kirk’s job easy as he looks to improve a defense that regressed light years by his standards (7 points and 46 YPG) in 2011. Yes, Ferentz is 7-1 ATS in lined openers and 12-2 SU and 10-3-1 ATS versus the MAC in his career but we can offset those numbers with the Huskies’ recent 5-1 ATS log against Big Ten foes and 7-3 ATS mark in season openers since 2002. Furthermore, this ‘neutral’ site Soldier Field contest also favors Northern Illinois as the Dekalb campus is just a 64-mile hike down I-88 West. And from an Iowa standpoint, you can’t like the fact that this game opened at 6.5 points and now stands at double digits. We won’t chase that and neither should you. Nope, there’s no need to beam us up to Chicago – it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with these Huskies. Lean to the sled dogs.

Colorado over Colorado St by 10We expect marked improvement from the Buffs in 2012 as their second-year head coach is now through the ‘Embree-otic stage of his young career. Not only did HC Jon Embree have to endure a 13-game slate played over 13 weeks (read: no rest) in his rookie campaign, only three of the 22 starting positions saw the same player start all 13 games. Now it’s Colorado State fi rst-year head man Jim McElwain’s turn to face some growing pains. While the former Alabama offensive coordinator should prove to be a good hire, he must immediately deal with the suspension of his top two linebackers and transfer of starting signal-caller Peter Thomas to NC State. And sorry to say Jay Kornegay (LVH sportsbook director and Colorado State grad), but the Rams fi nd themselves smack in the middle of this week’s SMART BOX as new coaches with lousy teams are just 43-70-6 ATS in season openers. Yes, we realize CSU is 11-5 ATS as dogs in lid-lifters since 1988 but we also know that four of those losses came at the hands of the Buffaloes. And the suddenly-seasoned Embree also knows he must capitalize on a favorable early slate (fi rst six foes ended 2011 with losing records) if he has any chance of bowling as fi ve of the Buffaloes’ fi nal six foes ended last season with a winning mark. Remember, the song goes “it’s a Colorado Rocky Mountain High” – not Colorado State. Lay it this afternoon in Denver.

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GEORGIA over Buffalo by 35While the Bulls have absolutely no business locking horns with the Bulldogs, the ATS outcome really boils down to how long Mark Richt intends to play his starters with an SEC road opener at Missouri looming. And anyone who says they know, we say Bulls**t! We really don’t care that the Bulls are 3-0 ATS in their last three lined openers – not with the Dawgs 4-0 ATS in their last four openers when favored. We’re not even going to put much credence in the fact that Buffalo is 4-1 ATS as dogs of 29 or more points. However, we will tell you that should this line continue to expand (already up to 38.5 from 37.5), we won’t ignore the fact that MAC dogs are 3-0 ATS when taking 40 or more points from SEC opponents since becoming a lined league in 1998. Even with that being said, it still comes down to our initial thought: how long does Andy Murray (the QB, not the Brit playing tennis at the U.S. Open), and a loaded defense led by two All-Americans, play between the Hedges? We say maybe just long enough (or short enough, if you will) to allow a back-door cover. Another case of take it or leave it.

5� BEST BET

The Bee Gees have more than stayed alive in season openers of late, not only cashing fi ve straight tickets but actually winning four of them in SU fashion – despite being dogs in every contest. In fact, two of those were of the double-digit variety and the other two were as 5.5 and 7.5-point pups. Wow. They now return 18 starters from a squad that improved 90 YPG on offense, 23 YPG on defense and three wins on the overall scorecard from the previous season… so you can see why our 5* Best Bet of the Week has us singing their praises. To boot, the Falcons are a certifi ed ‘Hibernating Wolf’, those being 17-returning starter dogs in season-opening games who won their fi nal game of the previous season SU as a dog. These wolves pack a mighty bite, cashing nearly 70% of the time since 1990. Our PLAYBOOK.com database also chips in with this 76% beauty: season-opening dogs of 21 or more points with 17 or more returning starters are 16-5 ATS since 1990 if they won three or more games the previous season. And while the Gators, themselves, welcome back 17 starters (7 offense/10 defense) to the swamp, the QB spot has yet to be decided with sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel unable to make a strong impression in spring camp. “Both guys will play in the fi rst game. They both deserve the right to play,” said Florida head coach Will Muschamp. That sounds like coach talk for ‘neither was good enough to claim the stating job.’ And though we feel the Gators will be moneymakers by season’s end, we’re not about to lay this kind of lumber out of the gate until this fuzzy QB situation clears up. How deep is our love for this game? With Muschamp just 3-6 SU and ATS against foes that won fi ve or more games the previous year, and the Gators 2-4 ATS all-time versus the MAC, we’d say quite deep. You know what to do.

FLORIDA over Bowling Green by 14

TEXAS over Wyoming by 24Texas head coach Mack Brown knows the natives are getting restless. The Longhorns may be ranked No. 15 in both major preseason polls but fans are still concerned about last year’s mediocre 8-5 effort, a campaign that saw UT trashed by Oklahoma (38 points) and Baylor (24 points) while also dropping a pair of Big 12 games at home to Oklahoma State and Kansas State. Though the bulk of the ‘Horns’ troubles seemed to come from playing too many freshmen, Brown threatened his squad with the same scenario this spring should the upperclassmen fail to deliver. “I told the entire team that you’ve got seven days to get your spot,” Brown said, “or we’re going to put freshmen in your place.” Word is David Ash beat out Case McCoy to separate a two-headed quarterback situation but the feeling here is that Ash will continually be looking over his shoulder should the team’s offense not ignite (return of their top three wideouts from 2011 should help). A lack of offensive production should NOT be a problem for Wyoming this year as OC Greg Brandon’s (former Bowling Green head coach) spread attack caught fi re last season, averaging 7 points and 104 YPG more than the 2010 edition. And despite Texas winning the most recent meetings by 27 and 31 points in HC Dave Christensen’s fi rst two years with the Cowboys, the pokes from Laramie cashed in both contests. With the host ‘Horns just 1-5 versus the spread as non conference chalk of 24 or more points, don’t be surprised to see the visitors pull off the ATS hat trick today. Can’t back Bevo this early at such a high price until he grows a set of horns.

HOUSTON over Texas St by 31The Bobcats from San Marcos make their ‘big board’ debut today in a battle between Lone Star State felines. Head coach Dennis Franchione guides the team into uncharted territory with 17 starters back from last year’s 6-6 squad (technically a WAC member, TSU will be moving to the Sun Belt next season). Hopefully, Dennis will choose NOT to regale his squad with footage from its last meeting with Houston – a 69-28 thrashing by the Cougars to open the 2010 season – simply because UH is a team in transition. Gone are head coach Kevin Sumlin and 6-year QB Case Keenum from last year’s 13-win edition, the fi rst-ever thirteen win team in Cougar history. New head coach Tony Levine, who led the team to a TicketCity Bowl win over Penn State in January, loses half the starters from last year’s unit, including Keenum. The bottom line here is you have a new coach laying serious wood into a keyed-up, 17-returning starter opponent whose coach (Franchione) is 8-3 ATS in his career when taking 16 or more points.

Clemson over Auburn by 10If there’s one team in America that’s been counting the minutes until kickoff of the 2012 season, it’s Clemson. Why? After beating Virginia Tech twice in 2011 to earn the ACC championship, the 14th-ranked Tigers made their fi rst major bowl appearance in 30 years – and got totally annihilated by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, 70-33. Adding insult to near-injury, WVU provided the exclamation point to a 35-3 second quarter explosion when safety Darwin Cook returned a fumble 99 yards for a TD, then leaped on the Clemson mascot, knocking both of them to the turf (“I didn’t know you were a girl,” Cook later told her. “I apologize.”). Needless to say, HC Dabo Swinney and the Tigers from upstate South Carolina will be primed to make amends tonight when they hook up in the Georgia Dome with an Auburn team they handled at Clemson last year, 36-24. Swinney sports a 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS record in season openers – with every win by 24 or more points – and even though Auburn clobbered Virginia in last year’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl, the Tigers from Alabama are a surprising 0-5 SU of late in regular season confrontations against the ACC. More bad news: Aubbie is just 1-5 ATS playing with non-conference revenge and a moneyburning 3-7 ATS in Game One. Most damning of all, however, is the fact that Gene Chizik’s team won eight games last year despite allowing 70 YPG more than they gained. Clemson jumped from No. 88 to 26 in offense last season under new OC Chad Morris’ no-huddle offense and with one year of learning under his belt, expect QB Tajh Boyd to put up big numbers in 2012 (Tigers rolled to 624 yards of offense in last year’s win over Auburn). Don’t let the two-game suspension of CU star WR Sammy Watkins scare you away as it only brings value to this game. Lay it and play it.

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USC over Hawaii by 36Finally free from postseason probation, the Trojans will be anxious to prove their mettle in what looks to be a made-to-order bloodletting (history tells us that preseason AP No. 1 ranked teams are a profi table 72-45-2 ATS during the fi rst four games of the campaign since 1980). It’s also a perilous position for new head coach Norm Chow, a former USC offensive coordinator, as he makes his collegiate head coaching debut against a squad that’s won the last four meetings between these schools by an average score of 58-23. But that’s just what lies on the surface: things get a bit more interesting underneath. Since 1980, the Warriors have lost only 13 of 408 games they’ve played by 40 or more points, plus they’ve covered fi ve of the last six as road dogs of 23 or more points. Our PLAYBOOK.com database also chips in with this beauty: dogs of more than 7 points in season openers who fi nished the season 6-7 the previous year are a healthy 6-1 ATS. If that’s not enough to make you lean to the Green, you should know Southern Cal is 0-5 ATS versus non conference revengers, 1-4 ATS as home favorites of more than 35 points, and 1-4 ATS in Game One at the Coliseum. Whew! Yes, we know we’re supposed to fade new head coaches at this level but it’s just not in our pedigree to lay 40 points – not when season-opening chalk of -40 or more is 1-4 ATS when facing a foe that won three or more games the previous year. We won’t be getting involved but if you must, channel your inner warrior and take the points.

Alabama over Michigan by 6Tonight’s ‘perception versus reality’ special. The public perception – certainly bolstered by a double-digit opening line – is that Bama is damn near invincible. And why not? With the Tide’s merciless destruction of unbeaten LSU in the last BCS championship game still fresh in everyone’s mind, Alabama looks to keep rolling behind veteran QB A.J. McCarron, one of the nation’s most experienced offensive lines and a stable of quality running backs. Head coach Nick Saban brings some powerful numbers to the fray, too, going 13-5 SU and 14-4 ATS the last 18 versus Big Ten opposition, including 8-0 ATS as a favorite of 7 or more points. Solid numbers, to be sure, but the Tide will be carrying the ‘defending champion bulls-eye’ on their back this season – and these teams are 5-9 ATS in season openers when facing a foe that won eight or more games the previous year. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke, who clearly exceeded expectations with an 11-2 debut at Ann Arbor, owns a 17-12-2 ATS mark in his career versus non conference foes while the Wolverines have cashed

four straight as Game One dogs and posted a superb 8-1 ATS record when taking points outside the Big Ten. Need more? The Wolves appear as one of our ‘100-Yard’ improved defenses as outlined in Marc’s BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW on page 2, and while this is not a conference game, the defense never rests.. Bama lost some major talent on that side of the ball (5 defensive starters returning) and will be facing potentially the most explosive player in college football, Michigan QB Denard Robinson. The Tide’s superior depth and speed will ultimately prevail but we think the Maize-and-Blue can keep this one close throughout. Regardless, we want to thank both schools for treating fans to a big-time matchup between two of America’s most storied programs. THIS is the way to open a season!

Rutgers over TULANE by 11And this is NOT the way to kick things off – especially with Hurricane Isaac looking to rough up New Orleans earlier in the week. Should the Crescent City be spared, Greenie fans will get their fi rst look at an impressive new coaching staff roaming the Superdome sidelines. New head man C.J. Johnson takes over, bringing 25 years of coaching experience and some serious hardware: a Super Bowl trophy during his days with the Saints and a National Championship ring as an assistant at Miami Florida. But this season Tulane may also fi eld enough talent to capitalize on its coaching acumen. QB Ryan Griffi n has started 30 games the last three seasons, and RB Orleans Darkwa has totaled 1,849 yards in 17 career starts (together they upset the Scarlet Knights as 17-point dogs at New Jersey in the last meeting in 2010). With Rutgers’ Greg Schiano now in the NFL, Kyle Flood takes over. The good news is he was the offensive line coach under Schiano; the bad news is Schiano gutted the coaching staff and took most of them with him to Tampa Bay. As a result, Flood fi ts into the worst of our SMART BOX ‘new coach’ situations this week. Making matters worse for Knight backers is the visitor’s awful 5-17-1 SU mark in road openers, with only two wins coming by more than 20 points. Can C.J. and company bring a halt to Tulane’s nine straight losing seasons? Maybe not… but they can grab the money here.

Oklahoma over UTEP by 31With USC possibly facing Oregon twice this year, and Georgia lying in the weeds as LSU and Alabama slug it out yet again, Oklahoma – clearly the class of the Big 12 – just might sneak into the Big One at season’s end. Not only do the Sooners welcome back Heisman hopeful QB Landry Jones and fourteen other starters, head coach Bob Stoops’ brother Mike re-joins

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ADDED GAMESTroy over UAB by 11

Trojans are in prime position to bounce back from a rare losing effort last season as a ‘Mission Team’ in 2012. Here, they’ll look to take advantage of new Blazers’ skipper Garrick McGee in his debut. McGee, the former OC at Arkansas, inherits an offensive line that returns only one starter. Worse, he’s saddled with a defense that ranked dead last in sacks last season, and one that was torched for more than 500 yards on seven different occasions. UAB has prospered as a home dog, going 17-7-2 ATS, but the visitors arrive in Birmingham with some ATS ammunition of their own: 6-2 ATS away in season openers while HC Larry Blakeney owns a career 8-3 ATS mark in road openers. With Blakeney looking to quiet the masses after the worst season in his 22-year tenure in lower Alabama, we’ll dismiss the Blazers’ normally good home dog log in favor of our SMART BOX and fade new head coach McGee.

(continued on page 13)

3� BEST BET

We’ll be the fi rst to admit that the Blue Devils are improving under HC David Cutcliffe, having gone 15-33 SU under his lead after a 10-82 run before his arrival four years ago. But as Yoda might say, “improvement does not a pointspread cover” – and in this case, it may not be enough to bag the SU win, either. Simply put, we don’t like the fact that Duke is a lowly 1-9 ATS as non-conference chalk of 3 or more points, nor do we care for the Devils’ 1-8 ATS mark in lined home openers. An indication of the U-turn the Panthers have made under Mario Cristobal is the fact they went 3-0 SU in their fi rst three games of the season last year, after having gone 0-18 in the same span of games the previous six years. With 10 starters back from a defense that has improved each of the last two years, plus revenge from a home loss as 3.5-point chalk last year (in which FIU outgained Duke, 568-384), we feel this game has been circled in red on the Panthers’ schedule for quite some time. Hey, the fact that FIU is a spotless 6-0 ATS when looking to gain revenge in non-conference games under Cristobal clinches it. With coach Cutcliffe fl oundering at 4-11-1 ATS when favored by less than 7 points in Durham, we have just one thing to say: Get thee behind us, Devils!

Florida International over DUKE by 7

LSU over North Texas by 39Had the Honey Badger not been a preseason casualty, the Tigers – despite their incredible BCS humiliation by Alabama – might very well have been the top-ranked squad in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll. But after losing multi-talented Tyrann Mathieu to drug rehab, LSU slipped to the 3rd spot in the AP lineup. No matter… these guys are LOADED, again, and this year fans in Death Valley will get to witness the debut of new gunslinger Zach Zettenberger, a 6’5” transfer from Georgia. Even though he looked downright perplexed by his team’s futile play against the Tide, head coach Les Miles is still 9-0 SU and 6-3

the team for the second time as its DC (in an earlier stint, his defense at OU fi nished No. 7 or better in scoring and Top 10 overall). Oklahoma’s offensive line was hit with several injuries during camp but luckily the line was the deepest position on the squad and should be good to go here. Six straight losing seasons puts the Miners’ Mike Price squarely on the proverbial hot seat this campaign and opening against this bunch is no way to turn down the heat… especially when the Sooners are 7-0 ATS of late as non conference road favorites of more than 14 points. OU’s 6-2 ATS mark against Conference USA also fi ts right in with UTEP’s 2-8 ATS failure versus Big 12 foes. But – and there’s always a but – before snapping the rubber band and laying the 30+ points, you should at least acknowledge the Sooners’ wobbly 4-3 SU log in road openers the last seven years. That’s not a recommendation to back the hosts; it’s a warning that the 62-3 wipeout you’re envisioning may not materialize in Game One of a new season. There should be several solid opportunities to hitch a ride on the Sooner Schooner in 2012 – but not right now.

ARIZONA over Toledo by 7It’s here: Act Three of the Rich Rodriguez Saga. Act One chronicled his rise in the hills of West Virginia while Act Two, a tragedy straight out of Shakespeare, dealt with his spectacular fall at Michigan. Will this latest act be titled ‘Rich Rod’s Redemption’? One thing’s for sure: the good folks in Tucson fi nally had their fi ll of the aforementioned Mike Stoops (11-14 SU, 7-16 ATS fi nal two seasons at Arizona) and dangled enough money in front of Rodriguez to bring him to the surface ($9.5 million for fi ve years). But if RR can’t cut the pointspread mustard better than he did in Ann Arbor – would you believe 9-25-1? – he’ll never survive the length of the contract. Standing across the fi eld from Rodriguez tonight is the youngest coach in the FBS, 32-year-old Matt Campbell, the Rockets’ OC for the last three seasons. He inherits a squad short on returning starters (4 offense, 5 defense), making them a certifi ed ‘green team.’ Nonetheless, Campbell asserts, “We’ve been able to play a lot of kids, whether as starters or in critical situations. We have a wealth of experience.” He’ll also fi eld a pissed-off bunch looking to avenge a 41-2 drubbing suffered at home against the Wildcats in the 2010 season opener. Campbell may be a newbie himself but it’s Rodriguez who fi ts squarely into the best of our SMART BOX ‘new coach fade’ profi le. Toss in Rich Rod’s less-than-intimidating 14-21 ATS effort as chalk of 13 or fewer points along with new schemes on both sides of the ball and we see no reason not to buck a high-profi le coach under immediate pressure to restore his reputation. Wildcats win… but not by enough.

WASHINGTON over San Diego St by 14Is this the year Washington capitalizes on a pair of 7-win bowl seasons to become a legitimate contender in the Pac-12 North? Probably not, especially since the Huskies open the season against six straight foes that ended the 2011 season with a winning record – a slate that includes LSU, Stanford, Oregon and USC. The biggest concern is a defense that slipped 69 yards and 7 ppg from the previous edition, though in this matchup U-Dub’s weak 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS performance versus the Mountain West is what commands our attention. Even so, there’s very little to like on the San Diego State side. Yes, they won 8 games and earned a bowl bid but Year One of the Rocky Long experiment saw the Aztecs regress 30 yards on offense, 37 yards on defense and 8 points scoring combined. Gone is the backbone of that team, starting QB Ryan Lindley and RB Ronnie Hillman. Former Oregone State QB Ryan Katz steps in to numb the losses but is he up to the task of taking on foes that combined to go 59-44 ATS last season? Don’t hold your breath… or as our powerful database suggests, don’t pull the trigger on EITHER of these two just yet. Keep an eye on Washington QB Keith Price, one of the most underrated signal callers in the country, but don’t be surprised if the Aztecs take another ‘Long’ step backwards in 2012.

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Sunday, September 2

Monday, September 3VIRGINIA TECH over Georgia Tech by 3

After a promising 6-0 start, the Jackets dropped fi ve of their fi nal seven games in 2011 and cemented a seemingly permanent scowl on the face of head coach Paul Johnson. The Techsters will be anxious to make amends early behind a rushing attack that has averaged 302 YPG the past four seasons – tops in the land. Surprisingly, the highly rated Hokies may be the perfect fodder. Beamer’s boys are just 2-3 SU and 0-5 ATS in their fi rst lined-game of the season the past fi ve years and 1-4-1 ATS on weekdays. They’re also just 2-9 ATS as home favorites of less than 10 points and 3-7 ATS at home versus a conference opponent with revenge. That revenge stems from their 11-point win in Atlanta last season and brings Tech’s 6-1 ATS road mark with conference payback clearly into play. In fact, the Wreck has brought home the cash in each of their last three visits to Blacksburg. They’ve also delivered as dogs of more than 7 points (8-1 ATS last nine) and on the road before back-to-back home games (16-2 ATS). And even though Beamer is the active leader in FBS victories with 251, we prefer Johnson’s 30-20 SU and 32-17-1 ATS away log, including 21-8 ATS as a dog, under these ESPN Monday night lights. Grab the points and fade the slow-starting Hokies.

LOUISVILLE over Kentucky by 17With the NFL still a few days away, the NCAA takes advantage of a dark Sunday with a pair of interesting non-conference affairs. It starts in the Bluegrass State where the Cardinals have the look of a team on the rise while KY is looking more and more like jelly. Led by QB Teddy Bridgewater, the Big East Rookie of the Year, the Redbirds rallied to capture the conference crown and garner a second straight bowl appearance. The last time both of those things happened, Bobby Petrino was seen ‘riding’ out of Louisville in 2006. While those teams were winning it with offense, third-year HC Charlie Strong has been doing it with defense as his stop-unit has limited foes to a respectable 319.5 YPG in his fi rst two seasons. And they should get downright defensive immediately as a whopping nine starters return to wrangle a Wildcats’ attack that was in serious decline in 2011 – dropping 15 points and 168 YPG while fi nishing behind the likes of Akron, Memphis and New Mexico. Kentucky’s defense also appears to be in shambles as new DC Rick Minter inherits a unit that loses fi ve of its top seven tacklers. Other than the fact that this is an SEC dog taking double-digits from a Big East foe, there really is not a lot to like about UK (other than their basketball team, of course). We’re even going to overlook the fact that the series dog checks in with a healthy 4-1 ATS log. Louie, Louie is the way we’ll go.

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ATS versus the Sun Belt, holding eight of those foes to single digits and winning by an average score of 45-6. The Lean Green may have lost, 41-3, in their last visit to Tigerland in 2008 but 2nd-year HC Dan McCarney is building this team back up the right way – via recruiting rather than the JUCO infusion they relied upon under former coach Todd Dodge. And though they may appear as little more than whipping boys for the highly-ranked Bengals, McCarney’s teams are a respectable 7-3 ATS in their last ten road openers and 5-1 ATS as non conference dogs of more than 21 points. We’ll respect that… just not enough to consider a play on the visitors. But we’re not interested in the Tigers, either – even if they’re still seething over that shutout loss to Bama. As we mentioned in the USC writeup: it’s not in our pedigree to lay 40, not when season-opening favorites of -40 or more points are an undependable 1-4 ATS when facing a foe that won three or more games the previous year. It’s like that snake out in the yard: reach for it or just leave it alone.

OREGON over Arkansas St by 35Fortunately our BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW editorial won’t be put to the test tonight in Eugene as the Red Wolves and their 116-yard per game improved defense take to the non-conference road. Despite the improvement, do we REALLY want to rely on a stop-unit that returns only four starters and must take on Oregon’s blur offense – an attack so fast that it ranked dead last in 2011 in time of possession despite averaging 46 PPG! But do we really want to battle our SMART BOX as Gus Malzahn makes his collegiate head-coaching debut? Ironically, the offensive-minded Malzahn inherits an attack that broke every Arkansas State record in last year’s 10-win campaign. He is also a big fan of opposing coach Chip Kelly, saying “He’s kind of on the cutting edge and not afraid to take chances with new things.” The question becomes what kind of schemes will Kelly come up with as his offense (5 returning starters) was hit hard with losses during the offseason? As we alluded to in our Playbook Football Handicapper’s Yearbook, the Ducks have a downy-soft schedule (only one true road game through the fi rst two months of the season) and that should help freshman QB Marcus Mariota – the Hawaiian Hurler – gain confi dence as he prepares for the showdown at USC in early November. FYI: This just in from our database: season-opening dogs of 20 or more points who won 10 or more games the previous year are 6-2 ATS. This game may be over in a ‘blur’ but all we can say is be careful here. Pass for now.

BAYLOR over Smu by 7The second game of this Sunday doubleheader has us doing the Texas two-step and answering today’s TRIVIA TEASER (page 2) as SMU head coach June Jones has been a royal pain in the ass to non-conference opponents. In fact, the Mustangs made their biggest score this off-season when Jones opted to stay in Dallas rather than take the job offer from Arizona State. Under their fi fth-year headman, the Methodists’ defense has improved each and every year, while 2011 saw them win seven or more games for the third straight season – the fi rst time that’s happened since the days of the Pony Express. And though the Bears have had their way in this series (9-0 ATS) since 1989, the last meeting actually took place in 2005. Before we can classify these Bears as more than average, we need to fi nd out if last year’s success (fi rst 10-win campaign since 1980) was more RG3, or Art Briles’ system. Senior QB Nick Florence takes over having stepped in for Griffi n in the past and he’ll have six starters, including three linemen, joining him. While we do think Briles – thanks to Griffi n – has laid the groundwork in Waco, we’re just not ready to lay doubles with this bunch out of the gate. It’s a take as Artie falls to 3-6 ATS in season openers.

NOTE: Home team is shown in ALL CAPS. PLAYBOOK selection is Underlined and Bold. Should we pass or not have a

strong opinion on a game, neither team will be bolded.

page 14 • www.PLAYBOOK.com • 1.800.PLAYBOOK

2012 College Football OVER/UNDER Breakdown

COMPILED BY VICTOR KING OF KING CREOLE SPORTS

Best ‘OVER’ teams:Baylor (11-2 O/U)… Arizona State, Middle Tennessee (9-2-1 O/U)… TCU (10-3 O/U)… Indiana (9-3 O/U)… Central Michigan, Texas Tech (8-3 O/U)… Purdue (8-3-2 O/U)… Oregon, Wisconsin (10-4 O/U)… Fresno State, Hawaii, La-Lafayette, West Virginia (9-4 O/U)… Arkansas, Kansas State, Syracuse (8-4 O/U).

Best ‘UNDER’ teams:Boston College (1-11 O/U)… Penn State (2-9-1 O/U)… Wyoming (2-8-2 O/U)… Florida International, Illinois, Virginia Tech (3-10 O/U)… Memphis, Virginia (3-9 O/U)… Florida State, Tulsa (4-9 O/U)… New Mexico, Rice (4-8 O/U)… Notre Dame, SMU (4-8-1 O/U).

MOST combined PPG (offense + defense):Baylor (82.5)… Oklahoma State (75.5)… Toledo (73.9)… Texas Tech (73.0)… Houston (71.7)… Oregon (70.7)… Washington (69.3)… Northern Illinois (68.6)… Texas A&M (67.3)… Arizona (66.1)… Kansas (66.0)… Stanford (65.1)… West Virginia (64.4)… Western Michigan (64.0).

LEAST combined PPG (offense + defense):Penn State (36.1)… Kentucky (40.5)… Kent State (41.3)… Boston College (41.7)… Louisville (42.0)… Tennessee (42.9)… Miami Ohio (44.2)… Florida International, Temple (44.5)… Rutgers (44.7)… Mississippi State (45.0)… Utah (45.2)… Central Florida (45.4)… Eastern Michigan, Ohio State, Virginia Tech (45.5).

HIGHEST average OU line:Baylor (71.6)… Oklahoma State (70.5)… Houston (69.3)… Oregon (67.3)… Texas Tech (67.0)… Texas A&M (65.0)… Northern Illinois

With the 2012 College Football season commencing play on August 30th, KING CREOLE has dissected last year’s OU results for all Division 1-A schools (see chart on page 15).

The teams are listed in alphabetical order. The fi rst column is each team’s OU results with OVERS listed fi rst and UNDERS listed second (along with any OU ties). All teams that went Over or Under 67% of the time or greater are in BOLD font.

Columns two and three list each team’s average points scored on offense and allowed on defense. Column four lists the total amount of points scored and allowed. Column fi ve lists the average Over / Under line. And the last column lists the average Over / Under MARGIN for each team. Signifi cant Over / Under average margins will also appear in a BOLD font.

NOW, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP TEAMS IN VARIOUS OU CATEGORIES:

(64.6)… Kansas (64.5)… Oklahoma (63.1)… Washington (62.7)… Toledo (62.2)… Arizona, Stanford (61.9)… East Carolina (60.8)… Tulsa (60.5)… Rice (60.2)… Nevada (60.1).

LOWEST average OU line:Kent State (44.4)… Penn State (45.0)… Kentucky, Louisville (45.4)… Ohio State (45.7)… Connecticut (45.9)… Florida (46.2)… Alabama (46.6)… Boston College (46.7)… Vanderbilt (47.0)… LSU (47.7)… Central Florida, Rutgers (47.8)… Temple (47.9).

HIGHEST average OU MARGIN:Toledo (+11.7)… Baylor (+10.9)… Clemson (+8.1)… West Virginia (+7.9)… Washington (+6.6)… TCU (+6.2)… Texas Tech (+6.0)… La-Lafayette, Purdue (+5.9)… Western Michigan (+5.8)… Air Force, Fresno State (+5.7)… Wisconsin (+5.3)… New Mexico State (+5.1).

LOWEST average OU MARGIN:Penn State (-8.9)… Tennessee (-7.2)… Illinois, Florida International (-7.0)… Eastern Michigan (-6.6)… Florida State (-6.4)… SMU (-6.2)… Miami Ohio (-6.1)… Mississippi State (-5.3)… Boston College, Virginia Tech (-5.0)… Kentucky (-4.9)… Texas (-4.6)… Notre Dame (-4.2).

Crystal-‘BALLIN’:King’s surprise ‘OVER’ teams for 2012 (more Overs than Unders):Arkansas State… Duke… South Florida… Tennessee… UAB… UCLA… Washington

King’s surprise ‘UNDER’ teams for 2012 (more Unders than Overs): Auburn… Baylor… Florida… Georgia… LSU… Michigan State… Texas

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1.800.PLAYBOOK • www.PLAYBOOK.com • page 15

AIR FORCEAKRONALABAMAARIZONAARIZONA STARKANSASARKANSAS STARMYAUBURNBALL STBAYLORBOISE STBOSTON COLLBOWL GREENBUFFALOBYUC FLORIDAC MICHIGANCALIFORNIACINCINNATICLEMSONCOLORADOCOLORADO STCONNECTICUTDUKEE CAROLINAE MICHIGANFLA ATLANTICFLA INTLFLORIDAFLORIDA STFRESNO STGEORGIAGA TECHHAWAIIHOUSTONIDAHOILLINOISINDIANAIOWAIOWA STKANSASKANSAS STKENT STKENTUCKYLA-LAFAYETTELA-MONROELA TECHLOUISVILLELSUMARSHALLMARYLANDMEMPHISMIAMI FLMIAMI OHIOMICHIGANMICHIGAN STMID TENN STMINNESOTAMISSISSIPPI

9-36-66-77-4

9-2-18-44-96-67-68-411-28-51-116-65-76-74-78-35-85-77-76-76-67-44-75-75-6

4-7-13-106-74-99-47-77-59-48-66-5

3-109-37-55-76-58-46-6

5-6-19-46-56-7

4-7-17-6-15-86-63-96-66-65-87-7

9-2-15-75-7

34.914.234.830.733.236.832.524.825.725.345.344.218.226.522.230.127.122.628.333.333.619.821.424.222.526.221.212.925.025.530.628.532.034.331.549.320.222.621.427.522.722.331.817.115.832.324.630.121.935.721.823.116.226.521.333.331.022.218.416.1

28.438.58.235.428.622.220.828.228.934.737.218.723.528.829.420.418.333.324.220.329.336.531.224.331.232.224.334.719.520.315.135.220.626.129.122.433.219.637.323.829.443.727.924.224.729.825.423.220.111.328.634.235.120.122.917.418.436.731.732.1

63.352.743.066.161.859.053.353.054.660.082.562.941.755.351.650.545.455.952.553.662.956.352.648.553.758.445.547.644.545.845.763.752.660.460.671.753.442.258.751.352.166.059.741.340.562.150.053.342.047.050.457.351.346.644.250.749.458.950.148.2

57.649.946.661.957.657.055.151.354.757.071.659.246.755.451.452.147.854.454.254.354.755.550.545.956.760.852.149.451.546.252.158.051.458.057.769.352.949.254.951.555.864.557.744.445.456.252.055.545.447.750.854.054.650.850.354.350.555.751.851.0

+5.7+2.8-3.6+4.2+4.2+2.0-1.8+1.7-0.1+3.0+10.9+3.7-5.0-0.1+0.2-1.6-2.4+1.5-1.7-0.7+8.1+0.8+2.1+2.6-3.0-2.4-6.6-1.8-7.0-0.4-6.4+5.7+1.2+2.4+2.9+2.4+0.5-7.0+3.8-0.2-3.7+1.5+2.0-3.1-4.9+5.9-2.0-2.2-3.4-0.7-0.4+3.3-3.3-3.4-6.1-3.6-1.1+3.2-1.7-2.8

AVGMARG

AVGLINE

TOTPPGPAPFO/UTEAM

MISSISSIPPI STMISSOURIN CAROLINAN ILLINOISNAVYNC STATENEBRASKANEVADANEW MEXICONEW MEX STNORTH TEXASN’WESTERNNOTRE DAMEOHIO STOHIO UOKLAHOMAOKLAHOMA STOREGONOREGON STPENN STPITTSBURGHPURDUERICERUTGERSS CAROLINAS FLORIDASAN DIEGO STSAN JOSE STSMUSOUTHERN MISSSTANFORDSYRACUSETCUTEMPLETENNESSEETEXASTEXAS A&MTEXAS TECHTOLEDOTROYTULANETULSAUABUCLAUNLVUSCUTAHUTAH STUTEPVANDERBILTVIRGINIAVIRGINIA TECHW KENTUCKYW MICHIGANW VIRGINIAWAKE FORESTWASHINGTONWASH STWISCONSINWYOMING

5-87-66-67-75-65-75-76-74-88-57-56-7

4-8-16-77-76-77-6

10-46-5

2-9-15-8

8-3-24-83-95-86-6

5-6-16-6

4-8-16-87-68-410-35-7

4-6-16-77-68-37-56-66-64-96-65-9

7-4-16-6

4-7-17-64-77-53-93-107-58-59-45-87-56-5

10-42-8-2

25.332.828.038.329.728.229.231.712.024.524.828.929.224.530.539.548.746.121.819.324.226.923.326.430.129.229.824.525.836.943.224.240.830.620.328.139.133.842.222.421.133.120.223.117.235.725.033.626.626.723.227.922.935.337.626.033.429.844.126.1

19.723.524.830.328.924.723.425.241.736.830.727.720.721.021.922.126.824.630.816.822.826.833.318.318.422.725.030.323.120.821.928.521.513.922.622.228.239.231.733.737.527.336.731.440.423.620.227.930.321.623.817.624.828.726.827.035.931.719.027.8

45.056.352.868.658.652.952.656.953.761.355.556.649.945.552.461.675.570.752.636.147.056.756.644.748.551.954.854.848.957.765.152.762.344.542.950.367.373.073.956.158.660.456.954.557.659.645.261.556.948.347.045.547.764.064.453.069.361.563.153.9

50.358.153.364.658.452.652.360.155.356.254.357.254.145.754.963.170.567.355.945.050.550.860.247.849.950.356.752.355.159.561.950.156.147.950.154.965.067.062.256.857.960.556.654.555.857.448.857.855.547.051.050.550.558.256.553.262.758.957.855.0

-5.3-1.8-0.5+4.0+0.2+0.3+0.3-3.2-1.6+5.1+1.2-0.6-4.2-0.2+2.5-1.5+5.0+3.4-3.3-8.9-3.5+5.9-3.8-3.1-1.4+1.6-1.9+2.5-6.2-1.8+3.2+2.6+6.2-3.4-7.2-4.6+2.3+6.0+11.7-2.7+0.7-0.1+0.3-0-

+1.8+2.2-3.6+3.7+1.4+1.3-4.0-5.0-2.8+5.8+7.9-0.2+6.6+2.6+5.3-1.1

AVGMARG

AVGLINE

TOTPPGPAPFO/UTEAM

A TEAM-BY-TEAM LOOK AT LAST SEASON’S COLLEGE O/U STATS

PLAYBOOK MIDWEEK ALERT1.800.752.9266

www.PLAYBOOK.com

ADDED GAMES

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

TEX-SAN ANTONIO7:30 PM TIME CHANGE SOUTH ALABAMA

149 150 6 3

ADDED GAME

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

page 16 • www.PLAYBOOK.com • 1.800.PLAYBOOK

A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STAR-RATED BEST BET SELECTIONSTHIS WEEK'S BEST BETS

FOR WEEK ENDING MONDAY,SEPTEMBER 3, 2012 4� BEST BET3� BEST BET 5� BEST BET

2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FLORIDA INT’L OHIO STATE BOWLING GREEN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

GEORGIA TECH8:00 PM VA TECH ESPN

215 216

TROY12:00 PM TIME CHANGE UAB FLORIDA INT’L7:00 PM DUKE

NORTH TEXAS7:00 PM LSU ESPNU

ARKANSAS ST10:30 PM OREGON ESPN

203 204

205 206

207 208

209 210

2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK ONE

All times listed are Eastern Standard Time • Games in Offi cial International Rotation sequence • Dates & times subject to change

Listed next to the games below are two entries: OL is the opening line on the contest and PB is the PLAYBOOK margin on the game. You have a PLAYBOOK BEST BET whenever our predicted margin of victory is 7 or more points in favor of your line. Remember, opening lines

are subject to change during the week so always check YOUR CURRENT LINE against the PLAYBOOK line to determine a play.

OL PB

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30

SOUTH CAROLINA7:00 PM VANDERBILT ESPN

UCF7:00 PM AKRON

E MICHIGAN7:00 PM BALL ST

TEXAS A&M7:30 PM @Shreveport, LA LA TECH ESPNU

MASSACHUSETTS7:30 PM CONNECTICUT

UCLA7:30 PM RICE CBSC

WASHINGTON ST10:15 PM BYU ESPN

MINNESOTA11:00 PM UNLV CBSC

133 134

135 136

137 138

139 140

141 142

143 144

145 146

147 148

NOTRE DAME9:00 AM @Dublin, Ireland NAVY CBS

MARSHALL12:00 PM WEST VIRGINIA

OHIO U12:00 PM PENN ST ESPN

NORTHWESTERN12:00 PM SYRACUSE ESPN2

MIAMI OHIO12:00 PM OHIO ST BIG 10

W MICHIGAN12:00 PM ILLINOIS ESPNU

TULSA3:30 PM TIME CHANGE IOWA ST

NEVADA3:00 PM CALIFORNIA PAC-12

157 158

159 160

161 162

163 164

165 166

167 168

169 170

171 172

OL PB

6’ 13

SOUTHERN MISS3:30 PM NEBRASKA ABC

MIAMI FLA ABC3:30 PM BOSTON COLLEGE

IOWA3:30 PM @Chicago, IL NO ILLINOIS ESPNU

COLORADO4:00 PM @Denver, CO COLORADO ST FX

BUFFALO 12:20 PM TIME CHANGE GEORGIA

BOWLING GREEN3:30 PM TIME CHANGE FLORIDA ESPN

WYOMING 8:00 PM TIME CHANGE TEXAS LN

TEXAS ST8:00 PM TIME CHANGE HOUSTON

CLEMSON7:00 PM @Georgia Dome AUBURN ESPN

HAWAII7:30 PM USC FOX

MICHIGAN8:00 PM @Arlington, TX ALABAMA ABC

RUTGERS8:00 PM TULANE

OKLAHOMA10:30 PM TIME CHANGE UTEP

173 174

175 176

177 178

179 180

181 182

183 184

185 186

187 188

189 190

191 192

193 194

195 196

197 198

OL PB OL PB

KENTUCKY 3:30 PM LOUISVILLE ESPN

SMU6:30 PM BAYLOR FSN

211 212

213 214

23’

3’

4

7

25’

16’

24

7

1

22’

9’

1

17’

1

6’

5

37’

29

29

37

3

38

14’

5’

4

14’

11

7’

27

7

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�

�

1

6

27

10

20

13

3

35

8

6

24

1

8

10

35

24

31

10

36

17

14

11

7

7

3

12 6

14

6’ 6

43 39

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25 31

15’ 10

13’ 20

8 6

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31

151 152

153 154

155 156

TENNESSEE7:30 PM @Georgia DomeNC STATE ESPNU BOISE ST8:00 PM MICHIGAN ST ESPN

SAN JOSE ST10:00 PM STANFORD PAC-12

11’ 16

31 31

TOLEDO 10:30 PM ARIZONA ESPNU

S DIEGO ST PAC-1210:30 PM WASHINGTON

199 200

201 202

10’ 7

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