Now I can’t help but wonder: What is the greatest upset (in terms of point spread vs. end result. Not necessarily biggest underdog to squeak out a win.) SMU was a 12-13 point underdog, and they are now leading by 42 points. That’s a 54-55 point difference between what the bookies said was going to happen*, and reality.
Anybody got an idea as to the record on this? Guinness? Anybody?
I understand that the odds-makers don’t necessarily base the spread on what they think will happen, but on where they think the betting will be even. Even if they could look into the future and see the end result of this game, they wouldn’t change the line by more than a point or two.
Ruck, this game would have to be close. I can’t remember a double digit under-dog blowing out an opponent like this. I don’t bet on football (I think you can tell why), but i do pay attention to point spreads in the back of my mind.
The Nat’l Championship game btwn USC/OU a few years ago might be close. IIRC, OU was a favorite and they lost 55-19. But I am sure OU was not a double digit favorite. My google skills are failing me as I cannot find any info on the spread. (on a personal side, I do remember predicting a USC blowout to all Big XII buddies)
Impossible. I think it highly likely the Pac-10 goes 2-5, maybe even 1-6. The game I have the most confidence in is the Rose. USC should beat BC, but they’ve got to be completely unmotivated and distracted by off-field issues. Stanford and Arizona are totally screwed.
I don’t think so. The Big XII was very weak this year. They played only 11 BCS games and only won 4 of those games. Historically, I think Oklahoma and Nebraska would be big favorites, but this year I think they will lose.
Then again, I am 0 for 6 in picking these games, so what the hell do I know!
Stanford has a Winebago offense. They have a huge runner that may not be able to be stopped. That translates into ball control football that keeps the other teams offense on the sidelines getting nervous and desperate.
jsc1953, you seem to have a read on the pulse of the PAC-10. Are there any rumors of PAC-10 expansion to 12 teams? Frankly, I don’t know what teams would be good fits for the PAC-10.
Boise St brings nothing else besides a very good football team. Even with an outstanding team, only 35K show up for their home games. I don’t think they have other good athletic teams and the TV market in Idaho cannot be too big.
Utah and BYU seem to be better fits, but the political and religious views of Utah wouldn’t quite mesh with the West Coast.
I could see the PAC-10 trying to poach Colorado from the Big 12 (if Big 10 poaches Mizzou). The Big XII could add some old SWC teams like TCU and Houston to replace Mizzou and Colorado.
IMO, both the Big 10 and Pac-10 would be better off with 12 teams. There are lots of potential teams for the Big 10, not so many for the PAC-10.
There aren’t even any strong rumors about a Pac-10 expansion; so if it’s going on, it’s being solidly closed doors. There’s always “what if” speculation, like which teams would be invited. The Pac10 is currently comprised of 5 solid rivalry pairs, so the speculation tends to look for another pair, which leads us to Utah-BYU, which is a dead-end. Politics and religion haven’t much to do with it, but BYU would be reluctant to play basketball on Sundays, and that would be a big problem.
Do I need to tell you who I picked in this game? I’ll give you a hint: It’s the team that was favored by 3 points and is down by 2 touchdowns in the first quarter.
Why do you think they would be better off? The champ game would certainly bring in more money and would keep top teams in the voters eyes while others are playing also, is that what you are thinking?
Yay!!! I won one! (Of course, being the kind of guy that sees a cloud in every silver lining, I notice that Pitt didn’t beat the spread. Anyone that bet on these games and took all the underdogs plus the points would have done very well for themselves.)
I just remembered how much I had Southern Cal, and I wish I hadn’t picked them. Since this game isn’t going to cost me any bowl pool that I’m in, I’m rooting for BC.
Incidentally, it was 3 years ago when I found myself (in a mexican restaurant) in a position where I was rooting for UK over Clemson, even though I had picked Clemson in my pools (because Clemson was a big favorite). It was then that I decided that I should just pick who I want to win (in games that I care about), so that I could just root for the team.
I said all that to say this: UK over Clemson is the first bowl game this season that I picked the underdog. I should have picked BC over Southern Cal, but I didn’t, because I don’t trust the ACC to outperform in OOC games like I do the SEC. (See: Georgia and (the real) USC earlier this year against GaTech and Clemson, and UK over Clemson 3 years ago, etc…)
Yep, I picked PITT as well for my first win in the bowl pool. It was a pick for Pitt as it was a pick against the ACC, which really sucked this year. I am an ACC-man. Just telling it like it is.
I got USC against BC, again an anti-ACC pick. Are there any fans at this game? USC fans probably don’t care and San Fran is a long way to go for BC fans.
I did pick Clemson over Kentucky, cuz I just don’t like Kentucky at all. Rich Brooks apparently has no respect for the ACC because he voted GT #15 in the final coaches poll. Therefore, I will be rooting for a Clemson blowout.
