Gambling on the Games: NCAA Week Three

Last week was about a wash, but oh so very close to a sweep. Notre Dame's incompetence in South Bend held that badly played game under. In the Swamp, Urban Meyer gave the Gator Boosters a late cover with a field goal with 25 seconds left in the game.

The bet against the fading program and fired-man-walking coach theory won again, as Akron ran up 500 yards of offense and scored 42 points against Greg Robinson's utterly demoralized and talentless Syracuse Orange. Akron plus two units.

Dan Wannstedt's Pitt club played dull enough to allow Buffalo to squeak in the cover plus two units.

The big money boosters love when their home town coach goes out of his way to make them money. Florida covers with a late game field goal and the celebration drinks flow post-game. But not for Boone minus one unit.

Notre Dame's offensive ineptitude held their game under minus one unit.

Plus one unit for the week. Plus seven units for the year.

Let's roll into week three.

Penn State minus 27 1/2 at Syracuse

Play against the Orange until they prove otherwise. Joe Paterno has one of his quietly good teams that he thinks can make a serious run for the Big Ten title. The Orange have nothing.

Penn State 61 Syracuse 15 for two units

UCLA plus 8 at BYU

Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow had the Bruins looking good against Tennessee. BYU needed a little help from the zebras to beat Washington last week 28-27. Last year UCLA handled BYU 27-10. Look for the Bruins to do it again.

UCLA 34 BYU 31 for three units.

UAB plus 30 at Tennessee

The Vols are still fuming over their UCLA loss. Look for them to take it out on overmatched UAB.

Tennessee 54 UAB 14 for one unit.

Ohio State plus 10 1/2 at USC

Everyone loves USC. Swim away from public opinion. Try the Contrarian Theory of Gambling.

USC 38 Ohio State 35 for one unit.

Michigan minus 2 at Notre Dame

The line moved from a pick 'em to Michigan as a road favorite. Another Contrarian play. If Charlie Weis can't beat Michigan now as they adjust personnel to a new scheme he never will.

Notre Dame 23 Michigan 21 for one unit.

Good luck, happy hunting, and roll them bones to feed that jones.