Football Articles
Your Big 12 Football Primer, Friend-o
Posted by Scipio Tex on October 2nd, 2008 under Football
This is the segment in which a cattle gun is placed against my head by Anton Chigurh and I’m told to call it. I have to pick every game, even the ones I feel aren’t subject for righteous divination. I’m much better at picking winners than handicapping, but Anton has no pity. The lines this week suck so flipping a coin is probably my best bet, but nonetheless….
Iowa State – Kansas Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa 11:30 a.m. VERSUS
Your first instinct is to take KU and not sweat the points, isn’t it? Admit it. Consider this though: Iowa State is bad, but has pride at home. Yeah, they’re dirt poor, but they put plastic on the furniture and mow the yard occasionally. Their two losses were both competitive and both on the road. Kansas is coming off of an uninspired home performance against Sam Houston St. And no one, and I mean no one, wants to experience the madness that is Jack Trice Stadium at 11:30 in the morning! Will Iowa State win? No. Can they keep it close enough to make a +12.5/+13.0 betting line interesting? Hmm. Not so sure I’ll run to my sportsbook for this one either way, but Anton is getting impatient, so let’s call it….
KU – 34
ISU – 24
Baylor – Oklahoma Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, Texas 11:30 a.m. FSN
Robert Griffin is the most exciting freshman in the country and Art Briles has jacked Baylor’s loser mentality up against a locker and given it a bracing slap across the face. OU will score on Baylor’s defense like Rosie O’ Donnell on the Yale field hockey team. Can Baylor cover +27? There are a lot of a sound historical reasons to dismiss Baylor completely and predict a 56-7 result, but this is an attitudinally different Bear football team. Their performance against UCONN suggests actual balls. But to cover, you’re counting on a late score against scrubs and I’m not interested in that….soooo….what to do? Alright, Anton! Alright. Enough with the threats, damn you.
OU – 48
BU – 22
Kansas State – Texas Tech Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kan. 2:30 p.m. ABC
It’s appropriate that KSU named their stadium Bill Snyder Family given his famous comment that losing a football game is like losing a child. Perspective, Bill. You emotionless eel. This is a crucial SOT game. SOT = Same Old Tech. If they aspire to be something more than the team that crushes A&M and upsets an occasional big boy while blowing games to the lame and halt – Same Old Tech – they need to go into a hostile environment and convincingly pistol whip a middle of the pack football team like they’d keyed their IROC. Dedfischer’s sly West Texan propaganda guised as plain speakin’ has influenced me. His posts are the Zimmerman Telegram and I’m easily led. Texas Tech can offer the -7.5 because they’re being merciful.
TT – 45
KSU – 28
The betting lines are rough this week
Oklahoma State – Texas A&M Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Okla. 6:00 p.m.
If A&M Football isn’t a mess, it’ll do until the mess gets here. Let’s face it: everyone in the league is looking forward to this game. Not for the quality of the football, but for the quality of the graphic art that will be placed on Texags.com post-game. The 24.5 point line is shocking. Shocking. Shocking! Let’s make this clear: Vegas is saying that OU is to Baylor in roughly the same way that Oklahoma State is to Texas A&M. Think on that for second. If I were an Aggie fan, my mouth would taste of retch. Still, I can’t say I disagree. Go get the Scope and cue up the graphic art.
OSU – 45
A&M – 17
Colorado – Texas Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo. 6:00 p.m. FSN
I cover my thoughts in my Texas/Colorado Football Preview. Altitude schmaltitude. Ralphie Schmalphie. Hemp Schmemp. Brian Orakpo, Lamarr Houston, Roy Miller, Sergio Kindle and our 19 other rotating defensive ends will pass Cody Hawkins through their stool as easily as Trips Right can pass a vaselined heroin balloon in an El Paso alley.
Texas – 31
Grateful Dead – 13
Nebraska – Missouri Memorial Stadium/Tom Osborne Field, Lincoln, Neb. 8:00 p.m. ESPN
Missouri hasn’t won in Lincoln in since the late 1970s when James Wilder ran amok. I don’t think I really care. Different Nebraska, different Mizzou. So why is the line 10.5? Is this some sort of trick? It has to be. Still, only way to fight out of an ambush is to trigger it. So fire those claymores.
Mizzou – 34
Nebraska – 21
I’d like to invite you inside to share your own thoughts.
Share This
31 Responses
Leave a Reply
Related Articles
-
22
Big 12 Football Wrap Up
By Scipio Tex on September 13th, 2008 -
17
Big 12 Betting Week 7
By Scipio Tex on November 13th, 2008 -
16
Your Week 3 Big 12 Weekend
By Scipio Tex on October 17th, 2008 -
17
Best and worst coaching moves in Big 12
By HenryJames on August 28th, 2008 -
66
Preseason All Big 12 Teams
By Scipio Tex on August 5th, 2008
Activity
-
Sailor Ripley commented on the blog post Bo Pelini Interview 10 minutes ago
Third and fourth bullets are good stuff.
Good to be able to admit fault and correct it.
This game next year could be an ESPN Game Day special and if so, you’re taking me.
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post Because We’re Dedicated To Doing Stupid Things – Tiny Gallon Reportedly Took Payout 10 minutes ago
Nate,
Missed the point, but par for the course. I’ll go back to my developmentally challenged assistance home and cry.
Indeed, back on point. Any rumblings about anyone else on the take? Tiny and TMG had great panache’. They sounded like a Vegas show….
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
Sailor Ripley commented on the blog post Spring Preview: Texas Tech Offense 16 minutes ago
Good to have you back on the keycaps, ded.
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
RRR commented on the blog post Spring Preview: Texas Tech Offense 31 minutes ago
I agree the RG position will be the most interesting development of the Spring. Last year Okafor couldn’t drive block and couldn’t run in the open field on screen plays. If he’s not physically capable of losing weight and improving, I want to know who will replace him. Suh and McCoy may
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
dick commented on the blog post Second Round Bets 2 hours, 5 minutes ago
I wish they weren’t playing Kentucky next. Same goes for #11 seed Washington having to play West Virginia.
Sucks that we are getting the two best teams left in the tourney playing in the Elite 8 possibly.
-
Farmer Ted wrote a new blog post: Bo Pelini Interview 3 hours, 4 minutes ago
Steve Sipple has a Q&A with Bo Pelini in Sunday’s Lincoln Journal Star. There are some candid comments and it’s worth a read. Some notable excerpts:
On the program’s improvement: “I’m hungrier than I’ve ever been because I think we’re getting close…I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think the players feel the
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
adam-biggers wrote a new blog post: Spartan Hoopla: Here’s What I Really Think About Spartan Basketball 3 hours, 12 minutes ago
Okay, gloves off.
No stats, no recaps, none of that.
If you have ever read my stuff on Bleacher Report you would notice that I keep to a newspaper style of writing. On this blog, I want to be more opinionated, but without being out of line at the same time.
Here it goes, this is what I
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
P.Drez wrote a new blog post: Carlo’s Chelsea Capitulate; United Seize Control 3 hours, 45 minutes ago
An already painful week turned excruciating for Carlo Ancelotti. After being dumped out of the Champions League midweek by former hero Jose Mourinho, Chelsea failed to rebound and dropped two valuable points at Blackburn. Manchester United edged Liverpool and now control the Premier League race.
A forlorn figure on the touchline, Carlo Ancelotti could
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
Tim commented on the blog post Spring Preview: Tech Offense 4 hours, 25 minutes ago
With Leach at the wheel I was expecting a 10 win minimum season with the guys this team has coming back in 2010. Now with Tubbs, Willis, and Brown running the show I’m in agreement it’s anywhere between 9-12 wins this year.
Very exciting to hear your take on the O-line ded, as
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
adam-biggers wrote a new blog post: Spartan Hoopla: Michigan State Stamps Its Ticket to Sweet 16 Without Kalin Lucas 6 hours, 5 minutes ago
No Kalin Lucas?
No problem.
“Too Easy” has had his share of leg and ankle problems this season, and with two minutes left in the Spartans’ second round matchup with Greivis Vasquez and the Maryland Terrapins, he made an early exit.
State’s 5′11″ point-man Korie Lucious may have a little something to
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 7 hours, 57 minutes ago
This really has been a great start. It’s pretty exciting to see dark horse teams winning by playing solid basketball rather than just shooting the lights out. 4 year players are so key.
-
Bob in Houston commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 7 hours, 59 minutes ago
And nobody melts down like Maryland fans. I can’t even post some of the stuff they have spewed.
-
dick commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 8 hours, 46 minutes ago
Hopefully, yall caught the Maryland Michigan St ending. Freakin’ thrilling. Maryland almost pulled off a comeback for the ages.
officially the best opening weekend ever
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 8 hours, 51 minutes ago
Tom Izzo can coach some ball.
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 8 hours, 53 minutes ago
MSU at the buzzer!!!!!!
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 8 hours, 55 minutes ago
Fear the Turtle! Came all the way back from a dozen down to take the lead on MSU…
-
D W commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 9 hours, 1 minute ago
It’s incredible how few teams play good, fundamental basketball.
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 9 hours, 5 minutes ago
tOSU will be moving on. Evan Turner does a little of everything. 22 pts, 8 reb, 8 ass. Great player.
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 9 hours, 5 minutes ago
tOSU will be moving on. Evan Turner does a little of everything. 22 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast. Great player.
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 9 hours, 12 minutes ago
Bob Huggins looks like a guy I wouldn’t want to play for. He makes Barnes look like Dick Vermeil….
-
Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 9 hours, 14 minutes ago
Scratch that. The Big Red are blowing Wisconsin out.
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 9 hours, 16 minutes ago
I’d be happy to see the last two minutes of the OSU/Tech game. 4 pt game with just under two minutes.
Cornell putting it to the Bo Ryan’s….
-
Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 9 hours, 42 minutes ago
Cornell is playing phenomenally well. I’d be surprised if Wiscy doesn’t cut into the lead in the 2nd half.
Jay Bilas may end up looking like a genius.
-
admin commented on the blog post Best Opening Round I Can Remember 9 hours, 58 minutes ago
parlin – Shoot me an email sailorripley at barkingcarnival dot com.
-
ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 10 hours, 52 minutes ago
I really want Mizzou to give it to WVU.
-
Sailor Ripley commented on the blog post Round 2 Saturday Recaps 11 hours, 5 minutes ago
What kind of NBA player does Samhan end up as?
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
dick commented on the blog post Second Round Bets 11 hours, 17 minutes ago
I really like Cal today.
ATM and Cornell look too good to be true and the public is all over both of them.
I gotta believe that Izzo beats Maryland today, I haven’t been impressed with the Terps this year. I am surprised that they are favored.
-
ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 11 hours, 39 minutes ago
Gonzaga is getting plowed like a future Zeta during her Provisional Summer session.
-
Alex wrote a new blog post: The Top 10 Reasons our Cal Bears will beat the Duke Blue Devils 11 hours, 43 minutes ago
Kevin Berger from March To March lays it out for us here.
1) Interior Worries. As in the Bears shouldn’t have any defensively even if Cal is an undersized group. Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas aren’t going to drop step and dunk you to death on the low block so Mike Montgomery can
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: ””, url: ”” });
-
Patrick Bateman commented on the blog post NCAA Tournament Open Thread: Weekend Edition 11 hours, 50 minutes ago
Jordan Hamilton + 2 years ~ Wesley Johnson. Discuss.
Minnesotahorn said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
“…as easily as Trips Right can pass a vaselined heroin balloon in an El Paso alley.”
Oh that’s a winner.
I certainly like Robert Griffin but I’ll be quite (pleasantly) surprised to see Baylor post 22 on OU.
Huckleberry said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Robert Griffin, Freshman.
It just screams big plays against Oklahoma. But not all in Baylor’s favor. I wouldn’t be surprised by two big plays for Griffin and three bad turnovers.
OK Guy said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Half the Oklahoma print media are picking CU in the upset. The other half think CU has at least a good chance to upset.
Are we blinded by our desire for UT to be good or are they blinded by their desire for UT to be bad?
Huckleberry said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
They are blinded by the fact Oklahoma got upset in Colorado last year.
Dr. Clarkus said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
They are blinded by the fact they suck.
EyesOfTX said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Covers:
Kansas
Oklahoma State
Texas
Baylor
Missouri
Kansas State
Take the overs (whatever they might be)in every game and you’ll win four of six.
Boone Pickens State said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:18 pm
OSU 56 – 17 TAM
sinless1 said:
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
> will score…like Rosie O’ Donnell on the Yale field hockey team.
Men’s or women’s?
'01 Ag said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:05 am
“If A&M Football isn’t a mess, it’ll do until the mess gets here.”
Precisely stated. Still, I think A&M plays well enough to keep it within four scores. It won’t be pretty though.
Huckleberry said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:57 am
Covers:
Kansas
Oklahoma State
Texas
Baylor
Missouri
Kansas State
In order of confidence, my ratings say to bet on:
Texas
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Oklahoma St.
Nebraska (?)
Iowa St.
The question mark next to Nebraska is because that’s the one I really don’t get. The Iowa St. pick is with basically zero confidence, so that doesn’t bother me that much.
Vasherized said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 am
Is that what you’re asking me? Is their something wrong with anything?
Apparently there is and Mike Sherman is the man to talk to.
Nut cuttin time for Texas, OU, Mizzou, and Tech to assert their dominance against the dregs of the Big 12 and get some early separation, like Dez Bryant on Saturday.
All of these projections are covers (save ISU/KU) and that’s exactly how it should play out.
Can we take Robert Griffin to Dallas with us next week?
What time do you close?
Now.
Now is not a time.
What time do you close?
EyesOfTX said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:28 am
Oops. I want to amend one game – I though the line in the Tech/KSU game was 17.5, not 7.5. Tech will cover that.
Shockthenation said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 am
“Are we blinded by our desire for UT to be good or are they blinded by their desire for UT to be bad?”
I am not dumb enough after watching Stoops/Mack butt heads for a decade to think Texas will win but wow it is hard to not like the way no one gives Texas a prayer against OU this year. They are a complete afterthought on the national stage. Take care of business this week and it should be a highly motivated team in Dallas. At least you would hope so.
dick said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:23 am
“Can we take Robert Griffin to Dallas with us next week? ”
To play running back?
Kafka said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 am
Scipio:
I think the horns win by something like 10 points (i.e. I am less confident than you about this outcome by 8 points).
The buffs will be a step up in competition from the previous 4 opponents and will be able to exploit some of the horns’ weaknesses.
Quan and Ship will not be as wildly successful as in previous games. The buffs will focus on containing them and trying to force Colt to throw to somebody else.
The buffs will play a bunch of nickel and dare the horns to run.
It will be interesting to see how the horns react. Does GD line up 2 TE sets and try to pound the ball down the buffs’ throat? My guess is that won’t work too well against the buffs (though it will get the horns out of the nickel).
I am guessing Fozzy plays as little as possible so that he will be available against OU. That won’t help the running game against the buffs.
Does GD essentially give up on the TEs and go with 4 WRs or 3 WRs and 2 running backs? Does he make no change and pretend that the TE situation is cool?
On D, it will be interesting to see how UT defends the buffs’ running game. If the buffs can’t run, they are in deep shit and the game is a rout.
If the buffs can run OK, it really changes the dynamic of the game:
* the game gets a lot shorter (not a good thing for the horns),
* UT is forced to play mostly 4-3 instead of nickel,
* CU gets to pick on LBs in the short passing game,
* CU TBs will be dealing with slower LBs (relative to safeties) on outside runs,
* UT’s freshman safeties will probably get burned on play action passes a few times
2teamer said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
where is trips? Not that there is anything wrong with these picks.
ATXHorn said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Zimmerman Telegram
Nice
TWC said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
sinless1: I didn’t realize field hockey was played by men too?
Scipio Tex said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
2teamer:
Trips isn’t doing his damn job, so you’ll have to make do with my shitty picks.
Kafka:
CU’s base personnel grouping is one back, three wide, one TE (11) but they obviously give you a lot of looks. We’re not running a 4-3 against that. We’ll be in nickel. If they insert an extra TE or back, we’ll respond accordingly. I’m not really concerned. It’s a telegraphed adjustment.
As for us, CU must play a nickel because we’ll spend 80% of our downs in 3 or 4 WR. If Ullman is at TE, we’ll probably max protect with him unless Colorado just completely ignores him in which case we’ll be delighted by the sight of Peter running a 5.2 40 down the seam. I’ll be very curious to see if CU walks their corners up and tries to press cover to knock of our timing and challenge our guys ability to get deep.
Parlin Hall said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Can’t wait for the day Mark Richt brings the Bulldogs to College Station.
Sunday headline: “Georgia Marches Through Sherman”
Bob in Houston said:
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Good one, Parlin… good one…
BRAGGonUT said:
October 4th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Over 67 in Texas Tech/K State game seems extremely doable.
Illinois +3 at Michigan…The wrong team is getting points.
Over 64 in Texas A&M/Oklahoma State again very doable…Gundy might make that number himself.
I like Mizzou -10.5 too.
Kafka said:
October 4th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Scipio:
“CU’s base personnel grouping is one back, three wide, one TE (11) but they obviously give you a lot of looks. We’re not running a 4-3 against that. We’ll be in nickel. If they insert an extra TE or back, we’ll respond accordingly.”
Yeah, this is all SWAG on my part. My SWAG is that coach Hawkins adjusts his O to match up with UT’s D (you had mentioned previously that he is a take what the D gives you kind of coach).
CU can’t pass pass block against the UT rush with half their O line hurt so there is not that much point in playing 3 WRs. In addition, you mentioned that CU only has 1 good WR but several good RBs so why not replace one of the mediocre WRs with a good RB? It not only boosts the CU run game (which is critical to the buffs’ success) but it also permits better pass blocking.
Scott has been hurt but they say he is healthy now so today might be a great game for him to get more PT (as that additional RB).
If my SWAG comes true, then UT has to play a 4-3 against CU. Unless, of course, CU inserts the additional RB as a WR (ala Ramonce in 2005). Then the horns probably stay in nickel.
CU would be insane not to run a nickel against UT, the question is can UT run effectively against that nickel. I hope I don’t see to much of Ullman (except on 3rd and 1).
I guess CU changes up their coverages (multiplicity) so they are going to be pressing some of the time on Shipley and Quan.
ATXHornsFan said:
October 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
sooners have hung 21 in the first 11 minutes. Muy feo!
HenryJames said:
October 4th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I think the halftime reporter of the Iowa St-Kansas game just grabbed Gene Chizik’s ass.
ArmTackler said:
October 4th, 2008 at 10:35 am
“…I’ll be quite (pleasantly) surprised to see Baylor post 22 on OU.”
Consider yourself quite (pleasantly) surprised, Minnesota–Baylor’s going to put up 24. They put up 119 yards rushing against OU in the first half. Can Colt do what Robert Griffin is doing? We’ll know soon enough.
Scipio Tex said:
October 4th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
5-1 ATS.
4-0 on my high confidence picks, 1-1 on my uncertains.
NateHeupel said:
October 4th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Baylor put up 17. Not quite 22, but about what I expected.
That said, can Colt do what Robert Griffin is doing? I don’t know, can he be a legit contender for a spot on the 2012 Olympic track team as a 400m hurdles sprinter? Can he be a mediocre passer? I think the answer to both of those questions is “no”.
dick said:
October 4th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
you’re still no trips
2teamer said:
October 4th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
well done my friend. Anything at noon tomorrow?
west_coast said:
October 5th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Scipio
Based on the outcomes of this past weekend, I just need a couple of rides in that DeLorean so that I, too can get the copy of Grays Sports Almanac you evidently found in the garbage.
What do the pages say about Saturday’s game in Dallas?