Home | Sports Forums | Chat Room | Blog | Free Picks | Sportsbooks | Tools | Odds | Injuries | Articles | Links | Contact Us

Posts Tagged ‘San Diego State Aztecs’

March 23rd, 2013 By Andrew Ryan

March Madness Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

March Madness free picks are one of our top specialties this time of year here at Cappers Info, and we have another great one on the NCAA Tournament schedule on Sunday night. The #15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and the #7 San Diego State Aztecs will meet in the Round of 32 in the South Region, and we’re breaking down the NCAA basketball betting lines for the clash.

South Region Picks: #15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles vs. #7 San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Sunday, March 24th, 7:10 PM
South Region Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Florida Gulf Coast vs. San Diego State Live on TV: TBS

Round of 32 Betting Lines
#15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles +7.5
#7 San Diego State Aztecs -7.5
Over/Under 131.5

First it was Harvard. Now it’s Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles have made themselves sweethearts of the NCAA Tournament in their first ever trip to the dance. They knocked off the Georgetown Hoyas in a game which they truly dominated, especially in the second half. We’ve all learned a lot about a lot of the men that play on this team. F Sherwood Brown scored 24 points and had nine boards, while G Brett Comer had 12 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. It really felt like just about everything was falling for FGCU, while Georgetown clearly was just frustrated every step of the way. The Mountain West has had a terrible tournament thus far, knowing that New Mexico was the subject of that first loss at the hands of the aforementioned Crimson. San Diego State was a rare exception to the rule, fending off the Oklahoma Sooners with ease in the second half of its second round game. The athleticism for the Aztecs is there, but we are really wondering whether these Eagles are a team of destiny at this point. Of course, Florida Gulf Coast isn’t winning the NCAA Tournament, but could it get into the second week of the dance? We would deem it at least possible at this point, and we know that we want the points on our side. This is going to be a very interesting game to watch on Sunday, and we’re going to back Cinderella as a result.

Florida Gulf Coast vs. San Diego State Free Pick: Florida Gulf Coast Eagles +7.5
Florida Gulf Coast vs. San Diego State Predictions: Florida Gulf Coast 71 – San Diego State 68

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Basketball |

 
March 21st, 2013 By Andrew Ryan
Exclusive 50% Sportsbook Bonus For Cappersinfo Visitors
Deposit $400 For a $200 Bonus (Plus -107 Vig) @ 5Dimes!
(Visa Deposits Available: Must Use This Link For Bonus & -107 Vig)

The #10 Oklahoma Sooners and the #7 San Diego State Aztecs are set to do battle in the Second Round. Join us for this and all of our 2013 NCAA Tournament picks here at Cappers Info, as our college basketball handicappers’ picks are hot off of the presses and ready for you to enjoy.

South Region Picks: #10 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #7 San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Friday, March 22nd, 9:20 ET
South Region Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Oklahoma vs. San Diego State Live on TV: TBS

Second Round Betting Lines
#10 Oklahoma Sooners +2.5
#7 San Diego State Aztecs -2.5
Over/Under 134

5Dimes NCAA TournamentThe Aztecs and the Sooners both have some real problems that they need to conquer if they are going to get the job done here in the NCAA Tournament. Both played poor ball down the stretch, and both have a lot of holes that they are going to need to fill if they are going to get out of this game and potentially into next week’s action. Head Coach Lon Kruger knows that he has a team that can score quite a few points, as OU put up at least 83 in five straight games from the end of February through the beginning of March. What happened at the end of the year, though? The offense went MIA in games against TCU and Iowa State, and that’s really difficult to believe considering how bad the Horned Frogs are and how fast the Cyclones play the game. G Jamaal Franklin plays like he has a chip on his shoulder; in fact, so do all of the Aztecs. This San Diego State team is a veteran core that has been together now for quite some time. Last year’s NCAA Tournament didn’t go so well, as the team was quickly bounced by NC State in the first round. We don’t think that the Aztecs are poised for a particularly deep run in the dance, but they’ll get through this game and send the Sooners packing.

Oklahoma vs. San Diego State Free Pick: San Diego State Aztecs -2.5
Oklahoma vs. San Diego State Predictions: San Diego State 76 – Oklahoma 70

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Basketball |

 
December 25th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan

Exclusive College Football Betting Promo & Bonus Offer
100% Bonus Up to $500 on ALL College Basketball Bets @ GT Bets!
(Use This Link or Link Above For Promo – Valid For New Customers)

CappersInfo is back with its San Diego State Aztecs vs. Arizona Wildcats picks and predictions, as we look to give you all of the college basketball advice and tips that you need to beat your online sportsbook for this crucial Tuesday night tilt.

College Basketball Picks: San Diego State Aztecs vs. Arizona Wildcats
Date: Tuesday, December 25th, 9:30 ET
Location: Diamond Head Classic, Honolulu, HI
San Diego State vs. Arizona Live TV: ESPN2

GT Bets Banner

San Diego State and Arizona have both had great tournaments, and they’re back in the saddle in the finale of the Diamond Head Classic. To reach this point in the dance, the Aztecs had to take on the San Francisco Dons and the Indiana State Sycamores, while the Cats made very short work of both the East Tennessee State Blue Raiders and the Miami Hurricanes. The common thought has got to be that Arizona, an undefeated side, is just going to roll, but we aren’t all that sure that a San Diego State team that hasn’t been beaten since the opening night of the season, is going to go down quietly. We really think that this is the year that the Mountain West is going to be able to crack into the Final Four, and this is a great team to be able to do the trick. There is no doubt that last year’s 61-57 win for the Aztecs in this series will loom large, and we think that this is a time that they are going to be able to do it again to get themselves perhaps into the Top 10 in America.

San Diego State vs. Arizona Pick: San Diego State Aztecs
San Diego State vs. Arizona Prediction: San Diego State 72 – Arizona 68

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Basketball |

 
December 15th, 2012 By Jack Wilshire

BovadaThe BYU Cougars and the San Diego State Aztecs are set to kick off the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday 12/20, and I’m set to make my Poinsettia Bowl pick for the affair at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. Kickoff is set for 8:00 ET, and I’ve got the perfect NCAA football pick for the Poinsettia Bowl.

2012 Poinsettia Bowl
BYU Cougars (7-5, 6-6 ATS) -3.5
San Diego State Aztecs (9-3, 8-4 ATS) +3.5
Over/Under 48

Historically speaking, this is a tough game to handicap. These two teams used to play together in the Mountain West, and I would like to think that that history should play into my handicapping, but I’ve got two contrasting problems. The first problem is that bowl games tend to be higher scoring. The second problem is that these two teams used to play offense a heck of a lot better than they do right now. So to sit here and say that four of the last five reached at least 53 points in this series doesn’t do me a heck of a lot of good.

My next inkling is to compare the two styles of offense against what the other defense is good at. It seems as though the Aztecs are going to struggle on the ground against the Cougars, but I’m not so sure that that is actually the case. San Diego State has not just one, but two very good backs in RB Adam Muema and RB Walter Kazee that are going to run the ball and run it hard for the whole game. The Cougars did rank second in the nation against the run this year, but they also did play a schedule that included teams like Washington State and Hawaii, who rarely put the ball on the ground. Granted, they also took on Georgia Tech and shut the Ramblin’ Wreck down, and that’s a totally run-based triple option attack.

Huge 50% Sportsbook Bonus at Bovada Sportsbook

And in the end, I’m backing to looking what these offenses have done of late. The Aztecs, playing with a backup quarterback in QB Adam Dingwell, did put 42 up on the Wyoming Cowboys in the closing game of the regular season, and they did score at least 34 points in eight out of 12 games on the campaign and at least 21 in every game since the opening week of the year. BYU scored at least 41 in three of its last four. In games in which QB Riley Nelson was active and played the majority of the snaps, the team averaged 30.1 points per game. That’s all good enough to make me think that this one, in spite of the fact that both teams do have very good defenses, will get past this relatively low number posted on the board.

BYU vs. San Diego State Picks & Tips: Over 48

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football Tips, Football Tipster |

 
December 15th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan

Huge 50% Exclusive Sportsbook Bonus For Cappersinfo Visitors
Exclusive 50% Free Bet (up to $250) at Bovada Sportsbook!
(Must Use This Link New Customers Only, Seasonal Reloads Available)

The BYU Cougars and the San Diego State Aztecs are going to square off on the Poinsettia Bowl odds and betting lines. Join us here at Cappers Info, as we make our Poinsettia Bowl picks & predictions for football for what should be a great game on Thursday.

Poinsettia Bowl Picks: BYU Cougars vs. San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Thursday, December 20th, 8:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Poinsettia Bowl Betting Odds: BYU -3.5
BYU vs. San Diego State Live TV: ESPN

The Aztecs are going to be the de facto home team in this game against BYU, and these two teams know all about each other having shared the Mountain West together for a number of years. It could make this one of the chippier bowl games of the year for sure, knowing that there could be some bad blood spilling over from the days that these two shared in the MWC. However, both of these clubs are rich in bowl history in recent years. The Cougs have won three bowls in a row and five out of six, while San Diego State was beaten at the gun last year in the New Orleans Bowl. This is the second time that the Aztecs have played in the Poinsettia Bowl, having won it in 2010 over the Navy Midshipmen.

Bovada Sportsbook

It’s been a trying year for both of these teams. The Aztecs graduated out a ton of players from last year’s team, and Head Coach Rocky Long knew that he had his work cut out for him. Matters were made even worse when QB Ryan Katz was knocked out for the season, and QB Adam Dingwell had to replace him. However, the ground game and the rushing attack have stayed solid this year. SDSU ranks 44th in the land in scoring defense and 15th in the land in rushing, and in both cases, the ground work of RB Adam Muema and RB Walter Kazee has made the difference.

It’s a tough draw for the Cougars. Yes, they do have the defense that can stand up to any team in the country, as this unit ranks fifth in the nation in scoring and third in total ‘D’. Still, QB Riley Nelson isn’t at 100%, and he and his teammates know it. That could make for a long game against a very good team. We want the points on our side in spite of the fact that BYU won each of the final five meetings that these two teams had in the Mountain West this year.

BYU vs. San Diego State Pick: San Diego State Aztecs +3.5
Poinsettia Bowl Score Prediction: San Diego State 24 – BYU 16

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football |

 
November 2nd, 2012 By Jack Wilshire

Making sports betting picks is one of my specialties, and today, I’m making my Saturday Football Tipster pick based upon the football trends and Week 10 college football odds for the San Diego State Aztecs vs. Boise State Aztecs game on Saturday, November 3rd at 10:30 p.m. ET.

San Diego State Aztecs (6-3, 5-4 ATS) +16
#19 Boise State Aztecs (7-1, 5-3 ATS) -16
Over/Under 59.5

QB Ryan Katz is out for the Aztecs for the rest of the season, and that really makes life a whole heck of a lot harder for the Aztecs. QB Adam Dingwell didn’t really look all that good last week against the lowly UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, and that’s awfully bad news going against a Boise State team that rarely loses at home.

What we will say about Dingwell is that he was able to come off of the bench and beat the Nevada Wolf Pack on the road, but there is a big difference between winning games off of the bench cold and when a team has the chance to scheme for you. Dingwell is going to be playing against one of the toughest teams in the nation to play on the defensive side of the ball.

Last year, the Aztecs ended up dropping 35 on the Broncos, but that wasn’t good enough to win the game. Boise State came up with 497 yards and 52 points. In the end, it was good enough to cover the point spread, but this year, it won’t be a problem. The Mountain West title will essentially belong to the Broncos when this one is said and done with ease.

San Diego State @ Boise State Tips: Boise State Broncos -16

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football Tips, Football Tipster |

 
October 20th, 2012 By Jack Wilshire

BovadaThe San Diego State Aztecs and the Nevada Wolf Pack are set to kick off their college football clash on Saturday 10/20, and I’m set to make my college football pick for the affair at MacKay Stadium. Kickoff is set for 10:35 ET, and I’ve got the perfect NCAA football pick for this outstanding clash.

San Diego State Aztecs (4-3, 4-3 ATS) +6.5
Nevada Wolf Pack (6-1, 2-5 ATS) -6.5
Over/Under 66.5

I just love betting on the last game on the college football rotation schedule on a weekly basis. It’s the last shot that anyone has to chase money that they lost over the course of the day, and when they look at this game, they are going to just make the assumption that it is going to be a high scoring affair with at least 70 on the board. I just don’t see it like that.

The Aztecs are starting to get their acts together defensive this year. It’s going to be tough to come on the road and take down the Pistol offense with just one week’s worth of preparation, but over the course of the last two weeks, they have held both of their foes to just a total of 14 points. Remember that the Washington Huskies were held down to just 21 as well at the outset of the season. The Wolfpack also likely are going to score in the mid-30s in this game, just as they did against the likes of Texas State, Wyoming, and South Florida.

These two last met in ’04, so there isn’t much to speak of there, but both of the last two meetings did stay ‘under’ the ‘total’. Just don’t be all that shocked when, in the end, this is a game that creeps into the high-50s or low-60s but nothing more, as late chasers go to bed angry and with empty pockets.

San Diego State vs. Nevada Tips: Under 66.5

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football Tips, Football Tipster |

 
December 17th, 2011 By Andrew Ryan

BetOnline Is Giving An Exclusive NCAA Football Bonus to Cappersinfo Readers
Click Here To Get A Free $100 Signup Bonus w/ a $100 Deposit @ Bet Online
(100% Sportsbook Bonus – Use Promo Code “BANK100″ to Receive This Bonus)
Horse Racing Bonus

Down on the Bayou, the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns are going to look to take advantage of their home field advantage when they try to make for great New Orleans Bowl picks against the San Diego State Aztecs.

Click Here For The Rest Of Our 2011-12 Bowl Game Previews

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Matchup: Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns vs. San Diego State Aztecs
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Date/Time: Saturday, December 17th, 9:00 ET
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Odds: San Diego State -5
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Total: 59
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl TV Coverage: ESPN, ESPN3.com

San Diego State has done a heck of a lot of playing in bowl games in or near Qualcomm Stadium in recent years, but now, the tables are going to be turned. The Aztecs have to travel several thousand miles across the country to take on a team in the Superdome that is from right up the road in Lafayette in the Ragin’ Cajuns. Still, for a team that is headed to the Big East next year, this is the type of roadie that it should get used to, and it is the type of game that should be won against a Sun Belt squad significantly more often than not.

That being said, the Ragin’ Cajuns have absolutely nothing to lose. They are expected to lose this game, though they have been expected to do poorly this year in general. ULL was able to go 8-4 and got one of the automatic bids for the Sun Belt to a bowl game, something that doesn’t always happen and certainly wasn’t expected to happen with the emergence of the Arkansas State Red Wolves and FIU Golden Panthers. This offense averaged 32.3 points per game this year under the direction of QB Blaine Gautier, who threw 20 TDs against five picks for the season and really kept the offense moving. Sure, the defense is a tad iffy, but we know that the ‘O’ can make up for any deficiencies of the ‘D’.

Again, San Diego State is a talented team. Many thought that this could be a BCS type of season with QB Ryan Lindley and RB Ronnie Hillman, but a schedule that included games against the Boise State Broncos, TCU Horned Frogs, and Michigan Wolverines was just too much to overcome. Lindley did only complete 52.5 percent of his passes this year, but it took him awhile to get used to a virtually entirely new set of receivers. Hillman was a beast this year, running for 1,656 yards and 20 TDs on the campaign.

We know that we sound like a broken record, but we still love the ‘overs’ in these bowl games. It’s not often that we try ‘over’ plays in three games on one day when there is a full slate of college football duels, let alone just the three games to choose from. However, we once again think that this is going to be a high scorer, and this will be the highest scorer of the bunch on the first day of the bowl season.

Free R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Pick: Louisiana Lafayette/San Diego State Over 59

Chime In With Your Thoughts On The Cappers Info Sports Forum By Clicking Here

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football |

 
December 22nd, 2010 By Andrew Ryan

Oddsmaker has a huge signup bonus offer for Poinsettia Bowl Bettors

Click Here For A 100% REAL MONEY Bonus (Up to $1K) @ Oddsmaker
(100% cash bonus – $50 Min – $1,000 Max – Contact us after depositing for bonus credit)

The city of San Diego welcomes the host San Diego State Aztecs and the Navy Midshipmen to Qualcomm Stadium for the Poinsettia Bowl on December 23rd. These two teams have distinctly different styles, but both teams find ways to score points in bunches. Who will prevail on Thursday night? Check out our Poinsettia Bowl free picks for the big duel!

Poinsettia Bowl Matchup: Navy Midshipmen vs. San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Thursday, December 23rd, 8:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Poinsettia Bowl Line: San Diego State -3
Over/Under 60.5

Midshipmen Notes: Navy scored at least 31 points in each of its last six games and averaged 41.0 points per game in that stretch, but its offense is going to be up against in versus a San Diego State team that plays significantly better defense than one would expect. QB Ricky Dobbs is closing out his career with the Middies and is clearly one of the best signal callers to run the triple option in Annapolis. Dobbs didn't quite have the year that he did last season when he rushed for 27 TDs, as he only totaled 25 scores between his rushes and passes this year. The ball stayed in his hands 369 times this year, more than half of the touches for the offense, but that is to be expected out of a triple option attack. RB Alexander Teich had a fantastic year as well, rumbling for 825 yards and five scores. As always in the triple option, a ton of different players are expected to touch the rock. Nine different players had at least 100 yards on the ground for a team that averaged over 280 yards per game on the turf. Don't discount the passing game either for the Midshipmen, as they really do resemble the Georgia Tech offense from a year ago with WR Demaryius Thomas catching all those passes. WR Greg Jones does the damage for the Naval Academy, and though he doesn't have numbers like Thomas, he does have fantastic figures for a Navy wide out, catching 30 passes for 577 yards and four scores on the year. Defensively, this team was the definition of mediocre, ranking No. 63 and No. 65 respectively against the rush and the pass.

Aztecs Notes: When you talk about an offense that is as well rounded as could be, you have to talk about the San Diego State 'O'. This team is only getting better, as the majority of the key cogs are still underclassmen and are growing under second year Head Coach Brady Hoke. Hoke has done a tremendous job with this team, as the Aztecs average 450.3 yards per game, No. 22 in the land. They put up 35.0 points per game and were really the only team this year that hung around with the TCU Horned Frogs. The losses this year all came by four points or fewer, and it is clear that SDSU really could have been a BCS team with just a few bounces in the right direction this year. QB Ryan Lindley, a third year starter, clearly had the best year in his career, throwing for 3,554 yards and 26 TDs against 14 picks on the year. He was helped out by a pair of seniors, WR DeMarco Sampson and WR Vincent Brown a ton. Both men are amongst the best receivers in the land statistically, as Sampson had 65 grabs for 1,175 yards and eight scores, while Brown had 58 grabs for 1,127 yards and nine TDs. Both are incredible deep threats and are fantastic in the open field, creating a ton of yards after the catch. On the ground though, this is going to be a chance for RB Ronnie Hillman to be on showcase. The freshman might have been the best first year man on the ground in the nation, and that's saying something considering the fact that South Carolina Gamecocks RB Marcus Lattimore was a freshman as well. The numbers between the two are basically indiscernible. Hillman ran for 1,304 yards and 14 TDs this year and had five games on the campaign with at least 150 yards on the ground. Defensively, Hoke has made some great strides with this team. The Aztecs ranked in the Top 50 in every single major defensive category on the year, and though there were some lapses, only three teams scored more than 27 points against this unit all season long.

The Final Word: If this game were later in the bowl season, we'd be more confidence in San Diego State's ability to win. Though it's not really a home game, there is a sense of familiarity for the Aztecs, knowing that this is their home field. The Middies always seem to be able to draw a great crowd, especially for bowl games. However, the problem that they have is that they have given the Aztecs basically a month to be able to prepare for the triple option attack. Hoke is a fantastic coach and has done one of the best transformation jobs in the country this year. The Aztecs won't lose this game.

Poinsettia Bowl Free Pick: San Diego State -3
Poinsettia Bowl Prediction: San Diego State 37 – Navy 28

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football |

 
November 12th, 2010 By Andrew Ryan

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Georgia Bulldogs @ Auburn Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 3:30 ET
Location: Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Game Line: Auburn -7
Over/Under 62.5

Allegations around QB Cam Newton could really be hurting the college football betting lines in this one, as the Tigers continue to drop like a rock through the day on Friday. We just don't buy into the hype, though. At some point, we all have to realize that there is a reason that the Tigers are 10-0 this year, and a reason why they are considered such heavy favorites against a .500 Georgia team. The Bulldogs just aren't that great. Sure, QB Aaron Murray is going to be a star one day, but he isn't right now, and the only way he becomes a star is if WR AJ Green makes him one. Green is great and will surely get his yards and touches, but that doesn't mean that he can single handedly beat Auburn. There is just too much on the line for HC Gene Chizik, and we aren't buying the fact that the Tigers can't go 12-0 and that they can't figure out how to win the SEC or the National Championship. Newton is one of the best 2-3 players in the entire country, and as long as he is on the field and the NCAA doesn't put the boom down against him in this whole issue with "pay to play" at Auburn, the Tigers are certainly seven points better than the Bulldogs are on any field, especially their own.

Free College Football Picks: Auburn -7
Prediction: Auburn 41 – Georgia 24

Matchup: Penn State Nittany Lions @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 3:30 ET
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Game Line: Ohio State -18.5
Over/Under 49.5

The Buckeyes have gone a perfect 6-0 SU and ATS at home this year, and they really don't seem like they're going to get stopped any time in the near future. They have looked relatively flawless, short of that loss to the Wisconsin Badgers, yet the oddsmakers and the pollsters don't seem to be giving them the respect that they deserve. It appears as though the time really is not now for QB Robert Bolden, as he has been replaced by QB Matthew McGloin by HC Joe Paterno. McGloin has played well this year, throwing for 551 yards and seven TDs against just one pick in limited action. However, that limited action doesn't normally include going against a defense anywhere near as good as that of Ohio State. The Nittany Lions were spanked 24-3 on the road by both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Alabama Crimson Tide this year, and there's no reason to think that a relatively similar score line won't be the end result on Saturday. Don't fall into the trap and assume that this is a lot of points to be giving a 6-3 Penn State team. The Buckeyes really are that good.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio State -18.5
Prediction: Ohio State 30 – Penn State 6

Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Oklahoma Sooners
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 3:30 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
Game Line: Oklahoma -15
Over/Under 63.5

The Sooners have played down to the level of their competition all season long, and there's no reason to believe that that won't continue on Saturday. There is a major matchup issue here between the Oklahoma secondary, which is allowing over 230 yards per game in ranks in the 80s in the country, going against the Air Raid passing attack, which is always one of the best in the country. Normally, it has been talent at the corner position that has kept the Red Raiders at bay when these two teams meet, but now, we aren't so sure what's going to happen with the Sooners struggling so much. What isn't a question to us is that QB Landry Jones is going to get to the 3,000 yard barrier this week and that he is going to put points on the board. He probably needs to drop at least 40 to stop the Red Raiders at this kind of a college football line, though. Do you have confidence that he can do it and that Texas Tech isn't going to find a way to put 24 or so on the board? We sure don't. We'll take the points.

Free College Football Picks: Texas Tech +15
Prediction: Oklahoma 31 – Texas Tech 27

Matchup: Virginia Tech Hokies @ North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 3:30 ET
Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
Game Line: North Carolina +3.5
Over/Under 51.5

We're really amazed that the Tar Heels have really been able to keep up this year with the rest of the ACC in spite of the fact that they have 23 men on scholarship that are either suspended on the injured list at the current moment. HC Butch Davis has done a yeoman's job putting North Carolina on the verge of the Top 25 and potentially within one or two steps of the ACC Championship Game if it can pull off the mild upset here on Saturday. Just one problem: Virginia Tech probably has one of the best ten teams in the country and certainly has the best team in the ACC. The Hokies have been on fire, winning nine straight and going 6-1 ATS since losing to the James Madison Dukes, and with QB Tyrod Taylor finally putting together a fantastic season, we have no reason to believe that the men in purple won't be able to come on the road and pull off a victory by more than a field goal. The Hokies have too much to lose to screw around here, and though the ACC Coastal will still be won if they win out after this game, it could be all over but the crying with a win. HC Frank Beamer won't miss this chance.

Free College Football Picks: Virginia Tech -3.5
Prediction: Virginia Tech 28 – North Carolina 20

Matchup: San Diego State Aztecs @ TCU Horned Frogs
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 4:00 ET
Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Game Line: TCU -27
Over/Under 53.5

Way to go Horned Frogs! TCU really has seized control of the BCS Championship picture, and though right now, it would be on the outside looking into the big game and playing in the Rose Bowl instead, we know that this is probably the biggest favorite of it, the Auburn Tigers, and Oregon Ducks to be in the desert for the National Championship Game. San Diego State really couldn't have asked for a better time to run into the Horned Frogs though, as they are coming off of that huge 47-7 win over the Utah Utes on the road. Just one problem: This is TCU's final home game of the season. Do you think that it really wants to leave Fort Worth with anything less than another incredibly dominating victory? Sure, the Aztecs have already played well at the Missouri Tigers this year, but this is a totally different challenge. This year at home, TCU has outscored its foes 221-27 in five games. Without a doubt, this has to be one of the most impressive statistics in the country. Even more impressive? The Horned Frogs are allowing just 8.5 PPG on the season. No way they win this one by less than four TDs.

Free College Football Picks: TCU -27
Prediction: TCU 45 – San Diego State 13

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football |

 
March 13th, 2010 By Andrew Ryan

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern), Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit), Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon), North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt), Robert Morris Colonials (23-11, Northeast), Montana Grizzlies (22-9, Big Sky)

Teams that clinched automatic bids on Friday…

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (22-10, Patriot): The Mountain Hawks reached March Madness for the fourth time in school history when they took out Lafayette without any real consequence on Friday afternoon. This is a team that can rain down three pointers like it's no one's business (40.2% on the season), but unless there is an upset of absolutely epic proportions, this team won't make it to see the weekend. Expect to see Lehigh either as a #16 seed or in the play-in game.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Saturday…

Boston Terriers (19-12, America East): The Terriers were slight favorites against the top team in this conference, Stony Brook, in the America East League semifinals, and they didn't disappoint. Now, leading scorer, F John Holland (19.3 PPG) will look to lead the way for BU to make it to its first NCAA Tournament since 2001. This will be the Terriers' first appearance in the America East finale since 2003.

Vermont Catamounts (24-9, America East): Vermont has one of the most well-rounded players in the entire nation in F Marqus Blakely. Not only is Blakely leading the team in scoring (17.2 points per game), but he is also one of the best defensive players in the conference, as he is averaging 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, all team highs. The Catamounts haven't been dancing since HC Tom Brennan was on the sidelines, but they're the clear choices to go to March Madness this year.

UTEP Miners (26-5, Conference USA): UTEP already knows that it's got its spot to the NCAA Tournament on lock down, as it is probably going to be a middle seed in the dance thanks to a great season in C-USA play. G Randy Culpepper is one of the elite scorers in the entire nation, and he has the ability to take over an entire game very, very quickly. He put up 21 points as his team bounced Tulsa from the conference tournament on Friday, and his scoring average over the L/8 games is a solid 22.4 points per game.

Houston Cougars (18-15, Conference USA): G Aubrey Coleman put on a heck of a show in the Conference USA semifinal against Southern Miss on Friday, scoring 27 points. He's the conference's leading scorer at 25.9 points per game. No one expected the Cougs to reach this point in the season, but after pulling off the upset of Memphis and taking down Southern Miss, they'll have an improbable chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

Sam Houston State Bearkats (24-7, Southland): The Bearkats are going to have their hands full in the Southland final. SHSU has limped to a pair of victories in the conference tournament, which is uncharacteristic for a team that is now 16-2 against divisional foes. F Gilbert Clavell will have to do a better job staying out of foul trouble than he did in the Southland semis. Even though he only played 24 minutes though, the team's leading scorer (17.6 points per game) still managed 16 points.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (23-8, Southland): Playing second fiddle to a crosstown rival never sits well, but that's where Stephen F. Austin found itself all season in relation to the Bearkats. The Lumberjacks will get their chance to use their fantastic defense to make their way to the NCAA Tournament out of the Southland Conference. Four of the team's L/5 foes have been held under 55 points. With another effort like that, SFA will be dancing next week.

Akron Zips (24-9, MAC): There aren't any real prolific scorers on this team, but what the Zips do well is spread the scoring options around. Eight scorers are putting up at least five points per game. Now that Kent State is out of the MAC Tournament, there's no reason for Akron, who was clearly one of the top two teams in this conference all season long, to not grab the automatic bid from this conference.

Ohio Bobcats (20-14, MAC): At the beginning of the MAC Tournament, you probably didn't have the Bobcats in the finals. Alas, after going just 7-9 in conference play this year, Ohio is here, just one step away from dancing. The Bobcats picked a great time to have their best defensive half of the season, as they held the Redhawks to just 12 points in the first frame in Friday's semifinal. It's going to take another Herculean effort to take care of the Zips to go to March Madness.

Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions (16-15, SWAC): This hasn't been a great year for SWAC basketball, but the Golden Lions did go 14-2 in conference and are deservedly playing for a right to play in the play-in game in the NCAA Tournament. Senior F Terrance Calvin put up a double-double with a dozen points and a dozen rebounds in the semifinals. The team's leading scorer is averaging 10.6 points per game this season.

Texas Southern Tigers (17-15, SWAC): If the Tigers are going to find a way to make it to March Madness, they're going to need a great game out of their big three. G Deandre Hall, G Whitworth Treasure, and F Travele Jones combine to average a whopping 44.5 of the team's 69.1 points per game. Texas Southern caught a major break when Jackson State was bounced out of this tournament, as eliminating Grambling was significantly easier than beating a team that went 17-1 in conference would've been.

Morgan State Bears (26-9, MEAC): The Bears have been the best team in the MEAC all season long, and anything less than a conference crown and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament would be brutally disappointing. G Reggie Holmes has been off of his game in this tournament, scoring just 28 points in two conference tournament contests, which would be great if not for the fact that he averaged 22.1 points per game during the regular season. He'll need to pick it up to the get the conference's automatic ticket.

South Carolina State Bulldogs (18-13, MEAC): Whatever has gotten into the Bulldogs' defense had better keep up for one more game to get SCSU into the NCAA Tournament. The Dogs would've kept five straight foes under 65 points, if not for the fact that they had to play overtime against Delaware State to reach this point of the MEAC Tournament. This is a miserable three-point shooting team though, as 30.4% just isn't going to cut it for a team that is hoping to make it to the dance.

Georgetown Hoyas (23-9, Big East): Many were down on the Hoyas coming into the Big East Tournament, but if there were any doubts about how good this team is, those were erased over the past few days. Blowing out South Florida and Marquette and sandwiching a win over Syracuse between them took this team from a potential #5 seed up to possibly a #2 with a win at MSG in the finale of this tournament on Saturday night.

West Virginia Mountaineers (26-6, Big East): Could West Virginia earn a #1 seed to the NCAA Tournament with a win on Saturday night? It's not likely, but it's certainly a possibility. The Mountaineers have stormed through the Big East tourney at Madison Square Garden thanks in large part to the play of leading scorer F Da'Sean Butler. WVU's star scored 24 in the semifinal against the Fighting Irish, and he'll look to carry that momentum into Saturday's finale.

Kansas Jayhawks (31-2, Big XII): The #1 team in the country continues to get up off the mat when it is down. On both Thursday and Friday, Rock Chalk not only stormed back from a deficit, but they ultimately put away their foes by double digits. Now, HC Bill Self's team has its sights set on another conference title, but the top seed in the Midwest Region has virtually already been wrapped up.

Kansas State Wildcats (26-6, Big XII): Kansas State is one of at least seven or eight teams that believes that it can be a #1 seed when Sunday rolls around. The Wildcats have looked awfully impressive on the offensive side of the court in this tournament, rolling up 80+ points against both Baylor and Oklahoma State. It's going to take a very similar performance to be able to stick with the Jayhawks on Saturday night in Kansas City.

San Diego State Aztecs (24-8, Mountain West): The Aztecs were one of the teams that was sitting firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble before conference tournaments started, but when other teams fell flat, they excelled. The win against New Mexico absolutely sealed the deal. There's going to be a question about motivation for this team, but it's hard to go against a team that just stopped the squad with the longest winning streak in the MWC.

UNLV Rebels (25-7, Mountain West): UNLV has seemingly been the forgotten team in the MWC all season long, but it has a chance to take down the conference crown after both New Mexico and BYU bit the dust in the league semifinals. No one has crossed 70 points on this team since February 10th. Considering the fact that this is the host team for this tournament, the Rebels are going to be hard to take out, no matter how hot the Aztecs are.

Utah State Aggies (27-6, WAC): All of the carnage around the bubble has probably made the Aggies a tournament team for certain, but don't tell that to them! Utah State came out and absolutely annihilated Louisiana Tech on Friday night, which sets the stage for it to take the league's automatic bid to the tournament and save a slot on the bubble for someone else. The Aggies ride into Saturday night on a 17-game winning streak and don't look to be stopped.

New Mexico State Aggies (21-11, WAC): The odds were stacked up against the Aggies in the WAC semifinals on Friday night, as they had to play in Reno against the host school, Nevada. However, a gritty performance down the stretch led New Mexico State to the conference final with an 80-78 victory. The question is going to be whether or not a team that largely relies on just six players can find a way to win the battle of the Aggies in the WAC Championship.

California Golden Bears (23-9, Pac-10): For the duration of the season, the Golden Bears have looked like the only team that really could make the NCAA Tournament without the league's automatic bid. However, the Pac-10 crown is up for grabs at this point, and Cal is the favorite for the title. After a pair of double digit victories in the conference tourney, is anyone going to pick against this team? Leading scorer G Jerome Randle has had a great tourney, scoring 20+ points in both games.

Washington Huskies (23-9, Pac-10): The Huskies did what the Sun Devils couldn't do: Get rid of Stanford. There's still a big question whether or not U-Dub really needs to win the Pac-10 to make the NCAA Tournament. If the bubble shrinks any more, it's plausible to think that the Huskies could get left home if they get blown out by Cal. Still, this team has too good of a resume to ignore right now. Washington has won six straight games and takes one of the highest scoring marks in the land into the Pac-10 finale (79.8 points per game).

Santa Barbara Gauchos (19-9, Big West): The Gauchos took advantage of a first round bye in the Big West Tournament and bounced UC-Davis with ease on Friday night to get within one step of the NCAA Tournament. This can be a lethal three-point shooting team, as it is shooting 37.9% from downtown this year. Leading scorer G Orlando Johnson is the main candidate for long balls, as he shot a shade under 40% from beyond the arc. That's why he's averaging 18.0 points per game.

Long Beach State 49ers (17-15, Big West): No one really saw the 49ers making it to the finals of the Big West Tournament, but they stepped on the gas pedal right from the get go and dismissed the top seeded Tigers on Friday night. Now, after going just 8-8 in conference play this year, leading scorer and rebounder F TJ Robinson (15.7 points, 10.2 rebounds per game) will lead Long Beach State into battle in the Big West Championship.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Basketball |