CFB - Lock of the Year!

NCAA Football Betting Lines

06/15/2007 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - My 2007 college football conference previews wont begin for another month but with the NBA Finals over and the Triple Crown races completed, its time to jump all over a week one contest that looks too good to be true - Georgia Tech at Notre Dame.

Yes, I know the game wont be played until September 1st. Nonetheless, how many five-star plays are so obvious they cannot wait to be released, even with two and a half months in the interim?

Notre Dame was the NCAAs medias darling last season, despite losing by a combined 73 points to LSU, USC and Michigan. The Fighting Irish had won three games over Georgia Tech, Michigan State and UCLA by a grand total of 10 points and their other seven victories came against teams with a combined record of 37-51.

The Irish finished the season at 10-3, but with a disturbing 4-8-1 mark against the spread (ATS). The much-ballyhooed offensive attack never materialized as the team averaged six points and 66 yards less per game in 07 as opposed to 06. The boys from South Bend ended with a 6-1 home mark with a disastrous ATS record of 2-5.

Georgia Tech had won nine of 10 games after dropping a 14-10 decision to Notre Dame in week one last year. However, three straight losses to end the year left the Yellow Jackets with a disappointing 9-5 record. One statistic that contributed to the losing ways was a turnover differential of -6 in those final three contests.

Calvin Johnson caught his last ball at Georgia Tech, which is a major negative, but the fact that Reggie Ball has thrown his last pass makes up for it. Taylor Bennett will start for the Jackets this season after completing 19-of-29 for 326 yards and three TDs in the Gator Bowl loss to West Virginia. The 326 yards were the most thrown in a game by a single Tech QB since 2001.

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE VS. GEORGIA TECH DEFENSE

We will finally see how much of a difference Charlie Weis can make with a team that returns just nine overall starters, along with a brand new quarterback, halfback and two wide receivers. There are three QBs vying for the number one job, including top prospect, Jimmy Clausen, but none have impressed the coaching staff enough to gain a decided edge.

Weis has already stated that the team will look to run the ball much more in 07, especially in the early going. Unfortunately, both guards from last year have moved on leaving the team extremely inexperienced inside the tackles for that type of offense.

Georgia Techs defensive strength resides in its front four. The Jackets' run defense ranked second to Miami in ACC play, giving up just 91 yards per game. They also tied the Hurricanes with 24 sacks, led by linebacker Philip Wheeler who had nine. The senior finished the year second on the team in tackles (89), including 10 against the Irish!

Another big negative for Notre Dame in this opening day match-up is the lack of height of its new wide receivers. David Grimes and George West are both under six feet, while last years starters Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight were 6-feet-5 and 6-feet-2, respectively. Both of Techs projected starting corners are 6-feet or over. The Yellow Jackets were one of only 30 schools to have more interceptions than TD passes allowed, and they return four players in the secondary who started at least seven games last season.

NOTRE DAME DEFENSE VS. GEORGIA TECH OFFENSE

A new coordinator will be roaming the sidelines for the Fighting Irish this year. Corwin Brown, who had been the New York Jets DBs coach, takes over for Rick Minter, and will institute a change from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. Its a smart move since the club has lost three starters from 2006.

The back seven, led by super safety Tom Zbikowski and leading tackler, LB Maurice Crum, will be the strength of the unit, but the run defense is a major question mark. Last year, with an experienced front four, opponents rushed for just under four yards per carry. In addition, 19 of the clubs 31 sacks have to be replaced as Victor Abiamiri and Derek Landri have taken 17.5 of them to the NFL.

Georgia Techs superb rushing attack will take full advantage of NDs weak defensive line, which allowed 176 yards (4.9 ypc) to its own top four halfbacks in the Spring Game. Yellow Jackets running back Tashard Choice, who led the ACC in rushing last year with 1,473 and a 5.0 average, will have a field day vs. the Irish, especially since hell be running behind an experienced offensive line that returns four starters.

New quarterback Bennett Taylor cemented his position as Techs future signal- caller by completing 10-of-15 passes for 197 yards in the spring game. Even though Calvin Johnson is gone, look for James Johnson and redshirt freshman, Demaryius Thomas to pick up the slack. Johnson caught 39 balls last season, improving from just 14 as a freshman and Thomas was the talk of the spring with six receptions for 87 yards.

LAST YEARS GAME

They met in South Bend on September 2, 2006 with Notre Dame pulling out the four-point victory, failed to cover the 6.5-point spread. The Jackets raced to an early 10-0 lead only to see it whittle away midway in the third quarter. A questionable late hit called on Philip Wheeler gave Brady Quinn and the ND offense an automatic first down on third-and-10 deep inside Georgia Tech territory. The Irish cashed in when Darius Walker scampered 13 yards for the go-ahead and eventual winning score.

Most of the Notre Dame's yardage came from Quinn and Walker. They combined for 345 of the 384 total yards - a figure that wont be repeated this season. Even though the contest will be played in South Bend, Georgia Tech has the edge in all skill positions, and more importantly, on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

WINNING ON THR ROAD

The Jackets have fared well in their opening road contest each of the last three years, so being away from home will pose no problems. They handed Virginia Tech its first loss of the season last year, defeated Auburn the previous season, 23-14, and chopped down Clemson in Death Valley back in 2004. The Irish will be three to five-point favorites in this contest and they wont even win the game!

Throughout the season there will be many other opportunities to cash in, but none look as strong as this match-up of a team geared for a top-15 finish against a highly-overrated club that might get a bowl bid on name alone. Stay tuned throughout the summer, as I preview more opening week match-ups while unlocking the easiest wins in early September.

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Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

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A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

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Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

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Rudy Cardinas
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The girls

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Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
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Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

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To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs.