**Sorry, the title's date should read 09/08...my mistake.
Hey all! Thanks to Labor Day this year I have time to do my first write up of the year. To kick things off, I'm starting at Robert Stadium where the Houston Cougars play host to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. As a reiteration from last year: I try to choose games no one is talking about. I cannot predict which games are going to be talking points and may occasionally overlap into the "popular" discussions. For the most part I will try and write up an angle or a play on which I don't think many people are going to be doing research. I will never write on a bet that is greater than -175 and will try to find as many underdog opportunities as possible. My write ups are almost always going to be biased as I am portraying why I am personally betting on the game. They are not complete and should never be taken as gospel. If you want a 360 degree view, do further research (as all posters and bettors should be doing anyway).
2011 NCAAF Write Ups 11-11 (+8.3u)
2012 NCAAF Write Ups 0-0 (+0.0)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs @ Houston Cougars
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana missed their chance at an opening game this week due to Hurricane Isaac playing spoiler before they could take on Texas A&M. In 2011, the Bulldogs won the WAC conference with an in-conference 6-1 record having lost to Hawaii 44-26. Freshman (now sophomore) quarterback Nick Isham has transferred to the University of Arizona as a result of losing his starting job to Colby Cameron late in the season. Nick Isham led the Bulldogs to begin last season 2-4 and was pulled losing to Utah State 14-17 against Utah State. Colby Cameron came in to score 10 points and triumph over Utah State, then leading the Bulldogs to finish the season 6-1 only losing to #18 TCU in the Poinsetta Bowl 31-24. Colby Cameron is joined by 7 other returning starters, including his favorite target Quinton Patton with 29 receptions for 529 yards in the 6 games after Cameron took over as starter. While Louisiana Tech's starting RB has graduated, back-up sophomore Hunter Lee is ready and able to fill his shoes rushing for 650 yards on 135 attempts last year for a 4.8 average and 5 TDs. The Bulldogs only return 5 on defense from last year and it is hard predicting any real numbers on this front.
Houston Cougars
Houston started off on a terrible note this season being dominated by Texas State in the Bobcats first game as a WAC team and FBS school. They are sorely missing last year's QB Phenom Case Keenum. The cougars are only returning 4 offensive starters from last year in Jacolby Ashworth, Kevin Forsch, Rowdy Harper and Ty Cloud, all offensive linemen. On a positive note, the offensive line for the Cougars is one of the tallest and heaviest in all of the NCAA (averaging 6'5" and 305 lbs). This however means that every weapon from the prolific offense of a year ago is gone. The lead RB spot is going to be filled by Charles Sims, while not technically considered a starter, Sims took 110 rushes for an amazing 821 yards averaging 7.5 yards per rush last season. David Piland will be taking over the quarterback responsibilities for the Cougars, after seeing exactly 0 snaps during the 2011 season. In fairness, he does have experience from the 2010 season, going 201 for 335 (58.3%) and 14 INTs vs. 24 TDs. The Cougars are also dealing with the loss of an Offensive Coordinator for the second year in a row having lost Dana Holgerson (2010) and Kliff Kingsbury (2011), hiring replacement Mike Nesbitt from Steven F. Austin College. Houston made headlines last year behind Case Keenum and a very easy schedule last year only losing to Southern Mississippi in their final game of the regular season.
Final Notes
Houston University's loss to Texas State may be overblown in the media, but its presence on the minds of attendees will not be lost. If the Bulldogs can take an early lead expect traffic jams leaving the stadium.
The Cougars have had an excellent O-line for the last 3 years, their experience and size up front is formidable, but not a new variable.
The Cougars do return 8 starters on defense, but this is a defense that gave up an average of 22.4 points last year and gave up 34 points to Rice, 42 to UTEP and 49 points to Southern Mississippi to name the most noteworthy examples.
Louisiana Tech played against Houston last year, falling 35-34 against Houston's #1 ranked offense behind Case Keenum.
I am fully acknowledging the public is likely to overreact and take Louisiana Tech just to fade Houston, I am not doing so.
My Play
Louisiana Tech -3.5 @ -110 for 3u (I could see this line falling to around -4.5 to -5.0 come game time due to overreaction against Houston's loss last week, personally I'm saying get in early)
Likely to take the Louisiana TT Over or the total's Over as lines come out.
The End
Thank you for reading and as always please feel free to post anything and everything. I read all comments and continue to check picks against any new data presented here. This is a write-up and contains some of the information I use but not all for the sake of time. I hope this information is useful, despite which way the information is used. Again, Thank you for reading!
Hey all! Thanks to Labor Day this year I have time to do my first write up of the year. To kick things off, I'm starting at Robert Stadium where the Houston Cougars play host to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. As a reiteration from last year: I try to choose games no one is talking about. I cannot predict which games are going to be talking points and may occasionally overlap into the "popular" discussions. For the most part I will try and write up an angle or a play on which I don't think many people are going to be doing research. I will never write on a bet that is greater than -175 and will try to find as many underdog opportunities as possible. My write ups are almost always going to be biased as I am portraying why I am personally betting on the game. They are not complete and should never be taken as gospel. If you want a 360 degree view, do further research (as all posters and bettors should be doing anyway).
2011 NCAAF Write Ups 11-11 (+8.3u)
2012 NCAAF Write Ups 0-0 (+0.0)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs @ Houston Cougars
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Louisiana missed their chance at an opening game this week due to Hurricane Isaac playing spoiler before they could take on Texas A&M. In 2011, the Bulldogs won the WAC conference with an in-conference 6-1 record having lost to Hawaii 44-26. Freshman (now sophomore) quarterback Nick Isham has transferred to the University of Arizona as a result of losing his starting job to Colby Cameron late in the season. Nick Isham led the Bulldogs to begin last season 2-4 and was pulled losing to Utah State 14-17 against Utah State. Colby Cameron came in to score 10 points and triumph over Utah State, then leading the Bulldogs to finish the season 6-1 only losing to #18 TCU in the Poinsetta Bowl 31-24. Colby Cameron is joined by 7 other returning starters, including his favorite target Quinton Patton with 29 receptions for 529 yards in the 6 games after Cameron took over as starter. While Louisiana Tech's starting RB has graduated, back-up sophomore Hunter Lee is ready and able to fill his shoes rushing for 650 yards on 135 attempts last year for a 4.8 average and 5 TDs. The Bulldogs only return 5 on defense from last year and it is hard predicting any real numbers on this front.
Houston Cougars
Houston started off on a terrible note this season being dominated by Texas State in the Bobcats first game as a WAC team and FBS school. They are sorely missing last year's QB Phenom Case Keenum. The cougars are only returning 4 offensive starters from last year in Jacolby Ashworth, Kevin Forsch, Rowdy Harper and Ty Cloud, all offensive linemen. On a positive note, the offensive line for the Cougars is one of the tallest and heaviest in all of the NCAA (averaging 6'5" and 305 lbs). This however means that every weapon from the prolific offense of a year ago is gone. The lead RB spot is going to be filled by Charles Sims, while not technically considered a starter, Sims took 110 rushes for an amazing 821 yards averaging 7.5 yards per rush last season. David Piland will be taking over the quarterback responsibilities for the Cougars, after seeing exactly 0 snaps during the 2011 season. In fairness, he does have experience from the 2010 season, going 201 for 335 (58.3%) and 14 INTs vs. 24 TDs. The Cougars are also dealing with the loss of an Offensive Coordinator for the second year in a row having lost Dana Holgerson (2010) and Kliff Kingsbury (2011), hiring replacement Mike Nesbitt from Steven F. Austin College. Houston made headlines last year behind Case Keenum and a very easy schedule last year only losing to Southern Mississippi in their final game of the regular season.
Final Notes
Houston University's loss to Texas State may be overblown in the media, but its presence on the minds of attendees will not be lost. If the Bulldogs can take an early lead expect traffic jams leaving the stadium.
The Cougars have had an excellent O-line for the last 3 years, their experience and size up front is formidable, but not a new variable.
The Cougars do return 8 starters on defense, but this is a defense that gave up an average of 22.4 points last year and gave up 34 points to Rice, 42 to UTEP and 49 points to Southern Mississippi to name the most noteworthy examples.
Louisiana Tech played against Houston last year, falling 35-34 against Houston's #1 ranked offense behind Case Keenum.
I am fully acknowledging the public is likely to overreact and take Louisiana Tech just to fade Houston, I am not doing so.
My Play
Louisiana Tech -3.5 @ -110 for 3u (I could see this line falling to around -4.5 to -5.0 come game time due to overreaction against Houston's loss last week, personally I'm saying get in early)
Likely to take the Louisiana TT Over or the total's Over as lines come out.
The End
Thank you for reading and as always please feel free to post anything and everything. I read all comments and continue to check picks against any new data presented here. This is a write-up and contains some of the information I use but not all for the sake of time. I hope this information is useful, despite which way the information is used. Again, Thank you for reading!
