Cavaliers travel across country to tangle with Trojans
NCAA Football Betting Lines
09/08/2010 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Virginia Cavaliers will play their first-ever game in the state of California on Saturday night, as they take on the 16th-ranked USC Trojans in a non-conference affair.
Last weekend's opener against Richmond was a big deal for Virginia head coach Mike London. Not only was he leading the Cavaliers into battle for the first time, he was playing against the same school that he left to accept the Cavs coaching vacancy. Virginia beat up on the Spiders by a 34-13 final.
"I graduated from there," said London after the game. "I spent a lot of years there as a coach and as a player but we're playing for (UVa) President Sullivan and the Charlottesville community now and that's what is most important."
The Cavaliers struggled throughout the 2009 season, finishing the year at just 3-9, including 2-6 in the ACC. However, the coaching change has fans of the program feeling cautiously optimistic.
USC has been in the news quite a bit in recent months, but not for the reasons that fans would like. Pete Carroll, who restored the program to dominance, left for the NFL, and many believe that a major factor in his departure was the looming possibility of NCAA sanctions. Lane Kiffin, a polarizing figure, took over as the new head coach, and the Trojans were indeed hit with penalties, ensuring that scholarships would be lost and the postseason wouldn't be in the teams immediate future.
With all of the controversy swirling as USC entered its opener against Hawaii last week, the team was able to earn a 49-36 victory.
"We did end up winning the game, which is good, but obviously as you can see, we've got some depth concerns and issues," said Kiffin. "We've got a lot of work to do."
USC crushed Virginia by a 52-7 final during the 2008 campaign in the only previous meeting between the two programs.
Virginia established outstanding offensive balance in the opener against Richmond, posting over 200 yards on the ground and through the air en route to 488 total yards. Keith Payne was the most impressive performer for the Cavaliers, as the bruising tailback posted 114 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries.
As for the passing attack, quarterback Marc Verica was impressive as well, connecting on 24-of-35 passes for 283 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
"He didn't try to win the game by doing something heroic," said London of Verica. "He stayed within himself and threw high percentage completions and moved the chains. If he continues to do that, he'll continue to help us."
Kris Burd was tops among the receivers with 122 yards and a score on seven catches, while Dontrelle Inman made seven grabs as well.
Richmond was able to rip off a 70-yard touchdown run against Virginia in the first quarter of the opener, but the defense settled down after that big play. The Cavs did not allow another touchdown and surrendered just two field goals the rest of the way. In all, Virginia permitted 333 yards and 13 first downs to the Spiders.
LaRoy Reynolds paced Virginia with eight total tackles, including three TFLs. Chase Minnifield, who recorded seven stops, posted the lone interception for the Cavs.
USC rolled up 524 total yards against Hawaii and was able establish tremendous balance. The Trojans were 9-of-12 on third-down conversion attempts and suffered just one turnover in the tilt. Matt Barkley was outstanding under center, completing 18-of-23 passes for 257 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. His top target, Ronald Johnson, recorded seven catches for 59 yards and three scores.
As for the ground attack, Marc Tyler put up big numbers, gaining 154 yards and a score on 17 carries. USC posted 246 rushing yards in the game at a clip of seven yards per attempt.
"Defensively we didn't play very well today, obviously," said Kiffin, clearly disappointed in the overall poor play and lack of discipline exhibited by his defenders.
USC permitted 31 first downs and 588 total yards to Hawaii, which was 8-of-15 on third-down conversion attempts. The Warriors had possession of the ball for over 32 minutes and did most of their damage through the air, completing 27- of-49 passes for 459 yards with no interceptions.
Both Wes Horton and Jurrell Casey had a pair of TFLs in the game, including a sack apiece. In all, the Trojans tallied three sacks.
Little Rock, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 14th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC will attempt to knock off the UL-Monroe Warhawks, a team from the Sun Belt Conference set to open its season. In December, ULM announced Todd Berry as the prog
<< Sunshine State showdown pits Bulls against Gators
Gainesville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-ranked Florida Gators struggled
a bit in their season opener, and they are undoubtedly eager to get back on
the field this weekend against the South Florida Bulls in a non-conference
affair from The
<< Utes open Mountain West slate against visiting Rebels
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vaulting into the AP poll at the 20th
position, the Utah Utes are at home again this week as they kick off their
Mountain West Conference schedule against the UNLV Rebels at Rice-Eccles
Stadium in Salt Lake
<< No. 4 TCU hosts FCS foe Tennessee Tech
Fort Worth, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With one of the toughest games on their
schedule already out of the way, the fourth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs now focus
their attention on the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech in a non-conference
showdown at Amon
<< Sooners and Seminoles meet in Top-25 showdown
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams with a lot to prove square off in a
tiop-25 showdown in Norman this weekend, as the 10th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners
play host to the 17th-ranked Florida State Seminoles.
The Seminoles got the Jimbo Fisher
Huntington, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - State rivals will square off in Huntington on Friday night, as the Marshall Thundering Herd welcome the 23rd-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers to town. On opening weekend, West Virginia cruised past Coastal
Grief-stricken Cowboys face tall task in clash with Longhorns >>
Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a game overshadowed by tragedy, the grieving
Wyoming Cowboys take on the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns in a non-conference
affair.
On Monday, 19-year-old Wyoming freshman linebacker Ruben Narcisse was killed
Spartans face another uphill battle in bout with Badgers >>
Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Spartans continue their early-
season trek through some of the most treacherous waters imaginable as a week
after taking on the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide, they
head north to bat
Traditional national powers collide in Tuscaloosa >>
Tuscaloosa, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One of the premier matchups on the 2010
college football docket takes place in Tuscaloosa this weekend, as the top-
ranked and defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide square off against
the 18th-ranked
Bruins host Cardinal in Pac-10 opener >>
Pasadena, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 25th-ranked Stanford Cardinal kicks off
its Pac-10 Conference slate against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Stanford vaulted into the national rankings following a convincing 52-17
victory over Sacramen
Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook
Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds. The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.
Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.
Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).
Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.
World Series odds
Adam Dunn 15-1
Albert Pujols 5-1
Alex Rodriguez 12-1
Alfonso Soriano 15-1
Andruw Jones 25-1
Barry Bonds 50-1
Carlos Delgado 40-1
David Ortiz 8-1
Jermaine Dye 40-1
Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1
Lance Berkman 40-1
Manny Ramirez 20-1
Richie Sexson 40-1
Ryan Howard 6-1
Travis Hafner 20-1
Vladimir Guerrero 40-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
NFL Football Betting
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.