Posts Tagged ‘SMU Mustangs’

December 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Once again, the Lone Star State will be the sight of a bowl game on Thursday afternoon, as the SMU Mustangs take on the Army Black Knights in NCAA football betting action. The Armed Forces Bowl should be one of the great ones this year, as these two teams should be putting on a tremendous show.

Armed Forces Bowl Matchup: Army Black Knights vs. SMU Mustangs
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Gerald Ford Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Armed Forces Bowl Line: SMU -7.5
Over/Under 51.5

Black Knights Notes: The Black Knights really didn't play much of a schedule this year, but they are going to be proud to be in a bowl game for the first time since the 1996 Independence Bowl. There wasn't a single win against a bowl eligible team this year, and this was an offense that really wasn't all that good. Averaging 340.1 yards per game is nothing to write home about, though the triple option attack really isn't that prone to putting up tremendous numbers. A scoring average of 27.5 points per game was one of the best marks that the Cadets have seen in years, and QB Trent Steelman is to thank. Steelman might have only led a passing attack that ranked dead last in the country, but he was the man running the machine in the triple option. Steelman rushed for 694 yards and a team high 11 TDs this year. RB Jared Hassin might be able to become the second Army running back to reach the 1,000 yard mark in two decades. He is at 931 yards and nine scores so far on the season. Defensively, Army did rank No. 22 in the land at 322.8 yards per game, and though a scoring average of 25.2 points per game was respectable, that average soared up to 34.6 points per game against bowl teams.

Mustangs Notes: Head Coach June Jones knows that he is probably still a year away from SMU really becoming a legitimate challenger for the Top 25. This offense is very, very close, though. Scoring just seven points against the UCF Knights in the Conference USA Championship Game wasn't great, but QB Kyle Padron is right about at the point of explosion, and this might be the game in which he really busts out. He threw for 3,526 yards and 29 TDs this year, and made 1,000 yard receivers out of both WR Aldrick Robinson and WR Cole Beasley. These two men combined for 144 receptions and 19 TDs. However, don't forget about RB Zach Line either. He rumbled for 1,391 yards and ten TDs. Finishing drives is a problem, though. Teams don't normally rank No. 34 in the land in total offense at 416.2 yards per game and only average 26.6 points per game in college football betting action. The defense was a lot more proportionate. The team ranked No. 60 in the country both in total 'D' (363.9 YPG) and scoring (26.4 PPG).

The Final Word: This might be a de facto home game for the Mustangs, but the Cadets are thrilled to be here. Army is going to have a decent shot at winning this game, especially if SMU is disappointed to be here instead of being in the Liberty Bowl. Steelman and the Black Knights should be able to at least keep this one within a TD, and it should be one of these down to the wire games. The Mustangs will pull off the victory, but they won't beat the Armed Forces Bowl odds.

Armed Forces Bowl Free Pick: Army +7.5
Armed Forces Bowl Prediction: SMU 27 – Army 24

 
September 23rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Here at Cappers Info, we are taking a weekly look at the teams that could be ones ripe to pull off some major upsets! Check out the potentially ugly dogs that could come up and bite you in the butt in you aren't careful for the Week 4 of college football betting action!

SMU Mustangs (+700 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. TCU Horned Frogs, Friday 8:00 ET: It's not often that we think that a team that is a 17.5 point underdog can reasonably win a game outright, but SMU really has a chance in this one. The passing assault with QB Kyle Padron is good enough to lead the Mustangs to victory over almost any team in the country, anywhere. The key though is that this one is going to be played at home, not on the road, and we've already seen just how dangerous the 'Stangs can be there when they nearly toppled Texas Tech the day before Labor Day. TCU is good… In fact, TCU is great. However, the Horned Frogs are walking into what might be a very, very dangerous trap this week. HC Gary Patterson knows that there are some strong competitors waiting to make names for themselves and the HC June Jones on the other sideline is a natural at pulling off upsets like this to ruin a team's season.

Arkansas Razorbacks (+230 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide, Saturday, 3:30 ET: Sure, we realize that everyone and their brother is calling this upset and that picking against the No. 1 team in the land, a team that hasn't lost a game since the 2009 Sugar Bowl probably isn't all that wise, but we are going to go there anyway. QB Ryan Mallett has a chance not just to become the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, but we think he can legitimately win it going away with a big performance this weekend. And why not? This is the first legitimate test to an Alabama defense which has lost ten of its 11 starters from a year ago and will be tested for the first time against some big time competition. We know that HC Nick Saban isn't one to worry about the road ahead, but if we're members of the Crimson Tide, we're sitting there wondering how we're going to get through a schedule ahead that features games against Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Just getting through the first of the four games is going to be a major, major hassle.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+170 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Stanford Cardinal, Saturday, 3:30 ET: We're continuing with the theme of the home dogs in this one. We've discussed time and time again and prospects of perception in NCAA football betting. The perception on Notre Dame isn't great. The Irish are just 1-2 this season and just barely covered their first spread of the season last week in spite of the fact that it took a fluke, trick play in overtime to beat them in East Lansing. Meanwhile, perception on Stanford is great. The Cardinal are in the Top 25 and just came off of a huge beat down against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The problem is that Stanford really isn't this good and Notre Dame isn't this bad. QB Dayne Crist might be the better signal caller of the two in this game, even though we do love QB Andrew Luck. This is a long, long road trip for the Cardinal, and the last time they won in South Bend in a number of seasons, and there doesn't seem to be a good reason to make them such a big favorite in this game. This is a tremendous price on the Irish.

West Virginia Mountaineers (+250 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ LSU Tigers, Saturday, 9:00 ET: Are we certifiably insane to pick against the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge at night? West Virginia is a stronger team than it is letting on to at this point, and though QB Geno Smith really hasn't come forth with a huge outing on the road yet this year, this is a grand opportunity. We hate the Tigers this year and we know that the offense isn't going to be able to get through this defense for enough points to beat this type of a number if the Mountaineers end up scoring some points. Don't be shocked to see this game turn out to be a big, big upset that spoils the SEC and gives a huge boost to a Big East conference that is considered the weakest of the BCS conferences in the country.

 
September 23rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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#5 TCU Horned Frogs @ SMU Mustangs (+17.5)
Friday, September 24th
8:00 ET, Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX

The #5 TCU Horned Frogs will look to go 4-0 in non-conference play on Friday night when they take on the rival SMU Mustangs. TCU has looked quite dominant in their first three games of the season, winning by an average of 33 PPG. Last week against Baylor the Horned Frogs raced out to a 35-3 halftime lead en route to an easy 45-10 victory. QB Andy Dalton was extremely efficient and showed why he is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the MWC. Dalton completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns against the Bears defense and piloted the Horned Frogs offense to 558 total yards. RB Ed Wesley also had a monster game for TCU, carrying the ball 19 times for 165 yards and two scores. Since coming to the program, SMU HC June Jones has brought some much needed respectability back to the Mustangs. Jones’ pass happy offense has been a delight for QB Kyle Padron, who has lit up the stat sheets in his second season as SMU’s quarterback. In their 35-21 win against Washington State last week, Padron went 19 of 34 for 280 yards and notched four touchdowns. WR Aldrick Robinson was the main recipient of Padron’s prowess, catching four passes for 111 yards and three scores. Padron will certainly need to be on his “A” game Friday night, if the Mustangs have any chance at upsetting the Horned Frogs.

Prediction: TCU 41 SMU 27

 
September 4th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Tulsa Golden Hurricane (-7) @ East Carolina Pirates
Sunday, September 5th
2:00 ET, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC

This is clearly a case between a team that is on the rise and one that is on a freefall. The Golden Hurricane were quite possibly the best 5-7 team in the land last year, and they are still an incredibly feared by the opposition. QB GJ Kinne is a great dual threat, throwing for 2,732 yards and rushing for 399. He totaled 27 scores against just ten picks. Tulsa's problem last year was winning close games. Four of the team's seven losses came by ten points or less and all but losses to Oklahoma and East Carolina came by two TDs or less. On the contrary, the only game that was won by less than two touchdowns was the season ending game against Memphis. As for East Carolina, there are a ton of major issues. Skip Holtz has left for South Florida and QB Patrick Pinkney is gone as well. There are a number of major defensive players that have graduated as well. Bottom line: This isn't your daddy's East Carolina team. The Golden Hurricane should blow into the Carolinas and come out with a 'W'.

Prediction: Tulsa 41 – East Carolina 23

SMU Mustangs (+14) @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
Sunday, September 5th
3:30 ET, Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX

Be very, very careful, Texas Tech. The start of the HC Tommy Tuberville era might not be a good one if the Mustangs can sneak up on the Red Raiders. The offense for T-Tech is still very much so up in the air, as Tuberville is going to be asking players that have gotten used to the Air Raid assault to run the football a bit more. That's great news for RB Byron Batch, but might not be such great news for Texas Tech backers. As far as SMU goes, we know that HC June Jones is going to ask QB Kyle Padron to throw the pigskin all over the place, just as he did when he threw for 460 yards in the Hawaii Bowl last year. The Mustangs are looking to get back on the right path towards Conference USA glory, while it seems like the Red Raiders are going backwards in a hurry. This could be a Texas-sized Lone Star State upset. Taking the two TDs on the NCAA spreads is a great idea.

Prediction: SMU 34 – Texas Tech 30