College Football Week 1

While my wittier and more inspired partner summons his actual expertise about college football to draft his own preview, I am launching my own weekly feature where we will examine the week of university gridiron games and make some picks sure to go wrong. Don't forget, Murray will be picking all NFL games against the spread in his attempt to dominate the Sports Guys predictions, so why not have some fun with some college lines?

(Required PCC Disclaimer: This blog does not support betting on sports, even though I may feel that smart betting is an easy way to make money, until you blow it all in the online sportsbook casino because you are a degenerate gambler with no money to actually gamble with)

So, without further ado, your week 1 games of interest:

Towson @ Indiana -28.5

I know, I know. "Why the hell should I care about this game?" Because I am going to it in order to get as early of a college football fix as possible. Indiana picked a bad year to be mediocre again. They will breeze through the non-conference and then run into the buzz saw that will be the Big Ten. Indiana fans have hope thanks to good skill positions on offense, stability in recruiting and a new football facility. In the end, it's Indiana football. If they really want to be taken seriously this season, this is a game where you need to put a Spurrier-Grossman-esque non-conference beatdown on some fools. I'm talkin 78-0 "wow, my team is good, but I was embarrassed to cheer at some points" beatdown. This is where Vegas is brilliant - no idea about what the spread might be, but throwing that half point on top of a 4 touchdown cover really makes you scratch your head. This game might provide me with my first Bet On Both (from this point forward known as the BOB rule): There is no way Indiana loses and no way they cover. I am not as confident in the latter, but it might rain tonight and IU is running last year's scout defense on the field to start the season, including two converted offensive players back in the secondary.

Indiana wins 41-14 giving up a garbage TD late to ruin the cover. It's a BOB; barely

Marshall @ #2 Ohio State -28

Either Marshall is a lot better than Towson (that was sarcastic) or Ohio State is less impressive than Indiana (now, I am just screwing with you). While the world tunes into tOSU and the Vest's debut on the Big Ten Network, the parents of the crew calling the Indiana-Towson tussle will give the BTN their only viewers in the JV match. Does Ohio State play like a team people to pick to win a national championship (Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights) and leave an impression , or do they go through the motions (Will Ferrell in Semi-Pro) banking on their track record to carry the performance? The Herd got annihilated in Blacksburg in a similar game last year and welcome a new coach (Doc Holliday, former assistant at Florida, not played by Val Kilmer), who, replaced five-year coach Mark Snyder, former D-Coordinator for The Vest at Ohio State. Oh snap! Exact some revenge, Tressell!

Ohio State wins 35-3

So. Miss @ South Carolina -14

I really would love to have this be my opening TV game. SEC school. The Ol' Ball Coach. Goosebumb Introduction. Then, after a few plays, I'd lose interest. Cocks will win because they should. It will be sloppy.

South Carolina wins 27-13 (No bet ramifications here)

#15 Pittsburgh @ Utah -3

Make a mental note. This game is on Versus. You know, that TV station that has IndyCar racing, hunting, hockey and bull riding. The station that still hasn't crept its way into my rotation when bored and flipping. This might be the best game of the weekend. Pitt is ranked and GETTING points on the road. Why? The Utes have won 18-straight at home, have one last year in the MWC before joining the big boys on the west coast and, well, they are good. This is what is so hard about forecasting college football. We don't know anything. I don't care about practice reports or fat, dweebs blogging about inside information. Until they play the games, you just don't know. I've got a gut feeling about Dave Wannstedt and the Panthers this season. They were playing tough and inspired at the end of last season. Perfect to go into a tough environment. I definitely take the points in this situation, and I'll go for the all-out victory.

Pittsburgh 20, Utah 17

#14 USC @ Hawaii

No spread posted on this game because I only have it in here for one reason. The over/under is 54. You're telling me that this opening game with two teams that have exploded offensively over the past decade are only going to manage 27 a piece? Yeah, it's a big number, but I like offense out of the gate for both teams.

Don't care about the score, just do it a lot!

#24 Oregon State @ #6 TCU -13.5

Holy Action, Batman, that's a lot of points! TCU was a fun story last year. A little too fun. They lost some playmakers on defense and, as I talked about in my season preview about Boise State, it is hard for the little guy to live up to expectations when the bullseye is finally there. Now, to open the season at home with a big game is different. Oh, and Oregon State was 1-4 last year against ranked opponents AND got violated by another Mountain West soon-to-be traitor, BYU, in a bowl game.

TCU wins AND COVERS 31-17

(Wow, there are a ton of good games this weekend. Cancel the tee time and contract recalled-egg disease)

Purdue @ Notre Dame -11

Why this game? It's got local relevance, but in reality, this would be like sitting down on the couch to watch a Rocky marathon only to realize that you've missed the first four movies, when the franchise was relevant, good and entertaining. Such is this matchup. At least both schools upgraded coaches, allegedly. While I am hoping for a total train wreck, I am putting all of my stock in Dayne Crist to propel the Irish to a big victory. Why? Because he has the sexy QB name that Robert Marve was denied at birth. You would have had better luck with Boring McDull.

Irish win but don't cover in a close one. Let's just say 7-6 with 200 penalty yards and 8 turnovers

#21 LSU vs. #18 North Carolina +6

This is a spread where Vegas and I are on the same page. LSU is off a mini slide recently, but you know they'll be well coached, fast and athletic. UNC players are more recognizable at illegal Miami parties than Tony Montana. Can Butch Davis really bring his team into this game, through the muck, and get a signature win to start the season? Yep, I don't think so either. It's a bloodbath defensively, which makes the 6 points hard to gamble with, so...

LSU 17 - UNC 13

#3 Boise State vs. #10 Virginia Tech +2

There is really only one way to predict or bet this game. You have to ask yourself this question: Do you trust Boise State to be as good as people say they are? It really is a simple question. I remember how they looked last year in the Fiesta Bowl. Faced a good (not great) opponent and won a battle. Solid, solid team effort. I just don't have the faith coming in to this season. I'll take Beamer Ball on a neutral field.

VA Tech 22 - Boise 18 (Why the score? Who cares.)

FINAL DISCLAIMER - Again, I don't bet on sports (unless you count a friendly fantasy football, or if I had disposable income), but if I did: I really only consider NONE. Man, Vegas is good at this. Bet the OSU cover and the USC over if you have to. I expect to eat a ton of crow on Tuesday morning for all of this, including my distrust of Boise State.

I hate the first week of the season. We are all idiots...

- Will

Your Arbitrary College Football Preview

How many college football previews have you read? Enough. Well, here comes another one, and it is based on nothing but guts, stupid logic and ego. So, without further ado, here is my top 8 prediction for the season. Why eight? See below.

Preface - This is not a preseason, midseason or postseason ranking. This is what I think are the top 8 teams in the nation for this season. Should be right now and at the end of the season

#8 - Boise State

Call me unwilling to accept Butler in the Championship Game. But, the little guys climbing to the top of the mountain just doesn't seem possible, not when the big boys are recruiting/paying better, building better and playing (consistently) better. Boise State has been the sexy, household name. But now? They are a pick to win it all. Enjoy that bullseye boys. I just don't think they dodge enough arrows to stay in the top 5. They'll lose once and that's all it takes.

#7 - Iowa

They will be the rich girl prom date of 2010. Looks good when you pick her up, delivers the whole night, flirts well and then leaves you with turquoise nuts at the end of the night. The Hawkeyes were awesome a few years back, when you just knew that Kirk Ferentz would leave. He didn't, they got worse and then "Hello!" they're back. Just like Boise, a lot of big expectations, and a schedule that will wet your appetite (cupcakes, big boys at home) until Ohio State comes in on November 20th. I'm guessing that will be a top 5 battle. You know who I think will win.

#6 - Texas

No Colt McCoy, no problem. Ummm... How many times did Mack Brown stroke Colt's awesomeness last year? He knows something. That's all I need. They won't be a top 5 team. But they are Texas.

#5 - Oklahoma

I have no idea why Oklahoma will be a top 5 team. They are due for a Red River win? People smarter than me really like their chances? Bob Stoops is no longer elite, so he needs to prove himself? Sure, all of the above. (What, you got a problem with that prediction? What if I get it right? A complete shot in the dark. That's how much this prediction business is worth)

#4 & #3 - Florida and Alabama

There should be two national championships. Like the good ol' days. I want a Nebraska-Michigan split. Only this time, it goes to the SEC champion. The SEC is the NFL of college football. It's faster, bigger, better and just intimidating as hell week to week. Neither of these teams will breathe from the beginning of October to the end of November. If, for some reason, they make it to the SEC title game undefeated, the winner should automatically get rings, a trophy and all of the bling that normally comes from their boosters. Nick Saban got 10 minutes of smiling in after the championship game. Urban Meyer healed his panic attacks by taking a leave of absence that lasted shorter than a routine physical. Oh yeah, bring it on SEC!

(So, that leaves two teams that waltz into the top 2 because of the beating alluded to above)

#2 - USC

I hate rooting for blatantly obvious cheaters. Especially programs that cheat, and then hire a dirtier coach. I was on the USC bandwagon for the Pete Carroll era and loved every minute of it. USC was the cocky bully from high school who could beat your ass, but then show up in the principal's office and eloquently talk his way out of trouble. You loved to hate them because they were so damn good. They should've won it all after Joe McKnight carried them down the field in the Horseshoe last year. They didn't. Now, they can't play for anything. I'd like to say that they'll run the table with their middle finger in the air the whole time. Snoop Dog style biatch! But, I'll slot them in here because of a number of questions (Barkley's development, defensive talent to replace, media confusion)

#1 - Ohio State

I really like the balance of the schedule (@Wiscy and @Iowa are spread out). I really like Pryor 3.0 (or at least the thought of it). I like the Vest. I like how they have rebuilt their roster to compete a little better with the fast teams since the title game meltdowns. What's not to like? Yep, that's sufficient evidence.

But, does that mean Ohio State is your national champion? Maybe not. Why? Because we have a playoff. Yes, a playoff! Novel idea isn't it? It's my preview, so I've cut through all of the politics and university presidents and made the playoff happen

Quarterfinals

Ohio State beats Boise State

Iowa gets a bye because USC is not allowed off the bus

Alaorida brings back 2010 Rose Bowl memories in punking Texas

Florbama runs the score up on Oklahoma

Semis

Ohio State plays in a freakishly late-season topical storm in the Orange Bowl against Alaorida. Tressell panics and opens in the wishbone. He even tries to play four corners at one point, bringing in Thad Matta as offensive coordinator. Buckeyes win 2-0

Florbama beats Iowa (really no contest; Iowa was offered the opportunity to forfeit, but declined)

Finals

Ohio State loses handily to Florbama, so much so that Ohio State debates leaving the Big Ten and joining the SEC to try and figure out how to recruit. 6 months after the epic blowout, it is determined that half of Florbama's roster, who all got drafted in the summer of 2011 were at a party at LeBron's new house in Miami, where Drew Rosenhaus' Clone showed up with a bag full of plasmas, Cristal and Latinas. The NCAA finds this to be an improper benefit, nullifying their national championship and awarding Ohio State the top spot.

See, I really don't think Ohio State is #1, or do I?!?

- Will

It's not what's on the back of the jersey...

It has been over a decade since I was the part of an actual athletic team, competing with other individuals for a championship. (And even then, it was a golf team, so that counts as one-third; maybe) So, who is my team now? I can't cheer as an equal of my favorite sports teams. I haven't done the work, spilled the blood, shed the tears. But I've realized now that I do have a team...

The United States of America

No, this isn't a patriotic call to arms, but just a basic observation. Sports become entirely more interesting when the good ol' USA is on the jersey. I've got three recent reasons...

1) The World Basketball Championships - When was the last time you (hell, anybody) cheered for an outlet pass from Tyson Chandler to Andre Iguodala, or a kick out from Russell Westbrook to Rudy Gay? I did this week. Why? Because there are a group of guys who were willing to spend their offseason competing in an ever-improving international basketball competition, while others stayed home. It's the jersey, I swear. I will watch the games online. Yeah, we got the gold back in the Olympics, but the last time America won the World Basketball Championships? Hakeem Olajuwon was the NBA MVP, OJ "didn't" murder his wife and Nancy Kerrigan just wanted to question 'Why.' Yep, 1994. Wow! Get it done boys!

2) The Ryder Cup - Why can't it hurry up and get here? This professional golf season has been more about young American players choking (see Johnson-comma-Dustin or Watney-comma-Nick) than about them excelling, or providing anything worth watching. Look at the golfers who showed up with more balls than just their Titleists in the majors:

a) Mickelson - Been there, done that, and had the cajones to pull this off.

b) Graeme McDowell - Only person who bothered to grab the club tight and swing it

c) Louis Oosthuizen - Didn't read the papers and just kept the accelerator down

d) Martin Kaymer - Knew how to make a putt when it counted

What do the final three have in common? Not from this country. And two will be donning blue and gray trying to bring the Cup back. I want the US to prove they can actually win something.

3) LLWS - Japan finally beat the US at something. In honor of my grandfather, I say this for all WWII Vets and their misguided grudge... "Scoreboard!"

Honorable Mention to the US Open (tennis), for being the major after Wimbledon that allows for (gasp) creatively colored outfits, fist pumps, drunk fans and midnight matches. That's how we play it in Amurrica!

- Will

Welcome Back... Sort Of

I am working on a new entry before football season officially kicks off later this week. In fact, I am hoping to actually have storylines in the works in advance.

(Let me preface this mini entry by saying welcome back to Awful Announcing, one of the better sports blogs out there that went MIA, but has been brought back from the dead thanks to some writers)

I was excited next week to post an entry about "Top 10 Things I Learned from Watching Hard Knocks," only to see that AwfulAnnouncing beat me to the punch, with an entire episode still to be aired. C'mon boys. Well, it's an unlimited stratosphere of web content, so we should have plenty to both add. And then, Boom! #10 on their list is verbatim #2 on my list (of course, in draft form, so they win). That was my punch line. The clincher. The hook. I have been rendered useless, stale and unoriginal.

Back to the drawing board for now...

- Will

Random Musings From A Summer Spent In Relative Hibernation

It is time for me to stop riding Will's coat tails, and actually contribute to this blog. And I decided what better way than to just spout off on random topics from the summer months? So, without further delay, here is my debut with CTZ:
(did....did you see what I did there?....instead of Cover Two Zone, I abbreviated it to 'CTZ'...)

Am I the only one who finds themselves cheering more for Tiger Woods now? I mean, even before the world knew he was flying sluts all over the world into Pound Town, I appreciated his elite level of golf. (Or, at least as much as I could while alseep on the couch during a Sunday afternoon.) But, now he has been exposed, and everyone is jumping off his preverbial bandwagon. There is one thing we must all remember: Tiger Woods is a champion. And we all know champions don't go down like some punk bitches. Woods is about to embark on an international F-you tour to everyone counting him out. The last time the sporting word has seen something like this was with the Patriots in 2007.

Remember? The Patriots were respected for winning at an uncommonly high level in the NFL, then all sorts of drama came out about Spygate. How did they respond? With an undefeated regular season that set all sorts of records for offensive production. Same type of thing here. Woods is going to blow up all over again. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

...after last night's game against the Colts, is there anyone that wouldn't put Aaron Rodgers in the top three QBs for fantasy football? He tore up a good Colts defense, and was without his top
wide receiver.

I really couldn't care less about the NBA, but I have a hard time becoming a Utah Jazz fan out of principle. I realize that, as a Butler alumnus, I am legally obligated to be a Jazz fan, but, really? The Jazz? I just can't see myself hustling home this winter to catch a Jazz game.

I switched coaching positions this year, and will be moving from Rockford High School on to Grand Valley State University. I'm not surprised if you didn't know about it. My decision aired on ESPN2 at the same time as Lebron's decision. No one in Rockford took to the streets burning bow ties though.

I can't wait for michigan football to start out 0-2 this year. They open with UConn at home, then travel to Notre Dame. One of my former players at Rockford is a manager at michigan now. He said Forcier isn't getting any reps with the first string. Gardner, the incoming freshman, is. (How is THAT for some inside infomation!!) If East Grand Rapids can shutdown Gardner (and they did), I have a feeling UConn and Notre Dame won't have much of a problem with him, either.

The Little League World Series is the only baseball worth watching. A kid gives up a three-run shot, and cries right there on the mound. Everytime I see that, I think of the scene from Step Brothers, when the parents tell Will Ferrell they are getting a divorce. Will Ferrell starts sobbing uncontrollably while saying 'I..think..I'm..going...to...throw...up'. Brilliantly funny. Gets me everytime.

I'm glad the World Cup is over. Now people can stop having to pretend they give a crap about soccer. And don't give me that 'you just don't understand the subtleties of the game' garbage. Soccer is boring. Vuvuzellas suck. End of story.

I think the next Olympics should do away with drug testing. All athletes should compete on the 'honor system'. I don't care about integrity in sports. I want to see some Hulked-up Russian 'chick' throw the shotput out of the stadium.

That's all I have for now. Thanks to everyone for reading. I promise to write more in the future, and in fact, will use this time to announce that Beat The Sports Guy will be coming to Cover Two Zone this fall. That's right, BTSG will be found only at CTZ. Be sure to check back in!

- Murray

Appetizers

The summer sports season certainly didn't help grow the readership of this blog. Sure, I was spending a few days on the road or the golf course, and not writing. But, what was there to write about? Roger Clemens is going to write the same "How'd You Spend Your Summer" essay as Lindsay Lohan. Brett Favre has gone from my favorite NFL QB Story to a cliche of most grandfathers: indecisive, creaky and self-righteous. And.... that's about all we've missed over the past month. (Oh yeah, Pete Dye's course design finally cost somebody a major unintentionally. Those circus designs were going to bite somebody other than me one day.)

Hurry Up Football Season! The scholarship athletes will be here a week from now. And, if Roger Goodell and his owners get their way, we'll be playing professional football this week, for real, by 2012. This week has me giddy for sports again because actual "sport" is taking place. Week 3 of the NFL Preseason is the one time when I feel like an actual scout. First teams play a significant chunk of time, so you get a feel for how your team will actually fare (1st Team Colts is better than 1st Team Packers, EDIT - I wrote this with 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Despite the outcome, I still stand by it. A touchy pass interference call, botched punt/TD and silly Peyton int made a world of difference. I'd take the Colts in the regular season). And, let us not forget that every game is a tryout for my fantasy team. (I saw those buttery hands, Ryan Grant)

I've forgotten the art of football a little bit since early February. I like being able to just watch the game with nothing on the line. I am building up the excitement, wetting the appetite.

[Side note: How good is John Gruden in the booth? He is 1996 John Madden without the stutter. MNF finally found a team]

The other reason to be excited about sports: Little League World Series. There is so much drama and good balance between amazing, mature-for-their-age skill and sheer dumb, young mistakes. Watch the elimination games when you have to balance pitch counts and bring in 12-year-olds who have never thrown. Just pure, nail-biting drama. I would say it is one of the few remaining pure sporting events, but then we would have to forget Danny Almonte, and that would be wrong, wouldn't it?

[Side note: How good is Brent Musberger at the LLWS? Perfect pace for his delivery, like college football. (Not so much in college hoops) And, why couldn't I have had Musberger call a little league game of mine?]

You can't watch these kids play, as a sports fan, and not fall in love with competition and sports even more. You really can't. If you disagree, I'll file a stolen property report for your soul.

Do me a favor... Watch the elimination games tomorrow and take a mental picture. Then, when the World Series finally gets here and some overpaid juicers from the AL East beat up on some pitchers from the NL, tell me which was better.

So, get excited America... Sports is back and it's only going to get better. Feel free to frequent Cover Two a bit more starting next week as there will be a bit more content, including weekly football game predictions, maybe even against the spreads, not that there is gambling at all. Time to go rank my fantasy players again...

- Will

Ending the Silence

How boring has the sports world been the past few weeks? So boring, that this blog has gone from useless to downright deceased. A summer wrap-up rant is coming, along with increased chatter around football season. Oh, and that 'other guy' who is a member of this blog, who knows what ever became of him... http://www.collegelax.us/news/2010/08/24/slate-wiped-clean-at-gvsu/ (Love the tie!)

- Will