Game Time: 09/20/2007 07:45 PM -
By: Mike Rose | who2beton.com
Thursday night's college football matchup has Texas A&M in Miami against the Hurricanes. Look for Jorvorskie Lane and the Aggies to win outright and cash on the moneyline.
We don’t get to see one of the top five teams in action tonight, but this matchup between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Miami (FL) Hurricanes should be a good one. Aggies head coach Dennis Franchione’s club is off a pasting of UL-Monroe (the same team we saw Tulsa smash in their own house a couple weeks ago), while the Hurricanes took their Sooner frustrations out on good old Florida International.
This will be the Aggies' first road game of the season, and they’ll be looking to improve upon last year's solid 4-0 mark in the regular season. The Aggies returned 15 starters this year, so I’m expecting them to play like a cohesive unit in this spot regardless of the fact they’re playing in the Orange Bowl under the lights. In other words, the surroundings won’t hinder their performance having played in Lawrence, Stillwater, and Austin last season.
Many will be quick to jump on the Hurricanes in this spot, but I just don’t see it. Sure, they’re 9-0 straight up on Thursday night since 2000, but this is a much different Hurricanes team that will have its hands full with what the Aggies throw at them. Gone are the days of racking up 40+ PPG behind QB Ken Dorsey and company. Also gone are the days where they could soften up opposing defenses with a stout running game. Until their offense shows me that they can easily put points up on the board, I’m fading them.
I mean come on, a combined 54 points combined at home against Marshall and FIU? That’s disgraceful! It doesn’t matter which QB leads them, this attack is impotent.
The Aggies, on the other hand, boast a nasty little combo in the backfield: Thunder (Jorvorskie Lane) and Lightning (Mike Goodson), and a competent field general in QB Stephen McGee who has proven to me the last couple of seasons that he can move this offense. I’m very much aware of the 'Canes ability to limit rushing attacks, but this is quite unlike any they’ve seen for awhile. I expect Franchione to run it down their throats all night long, and then execute some of the downfield passing they practiced throughout their scrimmage with ULM last week.
This is the type of game A&M should win with this being the fifth season under Franchione and his staff, and I expect them to do just that. Look for A&M’s offense to wear down the Hurricanes as the game progresses, and for their defense to come up with enough stops to send the Aggies back to College Station an perfect 4-0 on the year.
Free Pick: Texas A&M +130
Last edited by Willie Bee; 09-19-07 at 12:32 PM.
Reason: correct ML price