Texas & Texas Tech a good bet to be classic
Friday, October 31, 2008 09:00 AM ET
When Colt McCoy and the Longhorns hosted the Red Raiders last year in Austin, the two teams combined for more than 100 points and 1,000 yards in Texas' 59-43 win. Now Graham Harrell, who had 5 TDs and 466 yards passing in that game, looks to exact a little revenge over McCoy and the No. 1 Longhorns when the two clash in Lubbock on Saturday night set for an 8:00 p.m. start on ABC.
You can tell a lot about a man by his hobbies. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach picks a new hobby every offseason – whales one year, Jackson Pollock the next.
But Leach is probably best known for his fascination with pirates. The theme fits perfectly with the aggressive nature of the sport and the swashbuckling Texas Tech offense. If you’re handing out treats in Lubbock this Halloween, watch out for a heavy-set Captain Jack Sparrow in his late 40s.
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (-4½, 50)
Saturday, Nov 1, 2:30 p.m. (ET) NBC
These are two very different 5-2 teams. The Panthers (2-5 ATS) have had difficulty against lower-level teams, but came up big at South Florida (-13½) with a 26-21 win. The Fighting Irish (5-2 ATS) have made good so far on their road back to a bowl invitation, mowing down some dubious major conference opponents and covering their last four games in a row.
Notre Dame is one of the better teams Pittsburgh has played this year. The Irish are No. 42 on the CFN Top 119; teams like No. 92 Buffalo and No. 94 Bowling Green have been Pitt’s downfall. Notre Dame is favored by 4½ points with a total of 49. The USF matchup was the only other time the Panthers were favored this season.
On the other side, No. 30 Pitt is one of the tougher tests for the Irish. Notre Dame’s two losses this year were as an 8½-point puppy against ranked Michigan State and North Carolina. The Irish split the chalk by holding the Tar Heels to a 29-24 final in Week 7. Their wins have come versus the likes of Stanford (+5½) and Washington (+8½).
No. 8 Florida vs. No. 6 Georgia (-6, 56½)
Saturday, Nov 1, 3:30 p.m. (ET) CBS
You’ve probably heard enough about last year’s version of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. In case you haven’t, here’s the rundown: Georgia rushed the field in mock celebration after a 1-yard TD run in the first quarter. Then the Bulldogs (+7) won the game 42-30. The Gators want payback.
The betting odds are still on Florida’s side at -6½ for the rematch with a total of 56.6 points. This is a neutral-site game at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium; Florida took over this rivalry 20 years ago after the end of the Vince Dooley Era in Athens, but the Bulldogs are 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS over the last four years.
Georgia (7-1 SU, 3-3-1 ATS) hasn’t had nearly the same success at the pay window this year as Florida (6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS). The Bulldogs defense isn’t quite as stout as we’re used to, allowing 20.2 points per game compared to 11.9 for the Gators. Florida is 3-0 SU and ATS since losing to Ole Miss (+23), while Georgia is 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS since losing to Alabama (+6½).
No. 1 Texas at No. 7 Texas Tech (+3½, 75½)
Saturday, Nov 1, 8:00 p.m. (ET) ABC
Mike Leach’s Red Raiders (8-0 SU, 3-2-1 ATS) are No. 1 in the FBS with 418.4 passing yards per game. But it’s not just about volume; QB Graham Harrell is completing 71.1 percent of his passes for 28 TDs and only five picks. In Leach’s worldview, a “balanced offense” means spreading the ball around to different targets. Six players have at least 20 catches for Texas Tech – a major challenge for the Longhorns secondary.
Texas (8-0 SU, 7-1 ATS) responds with its own big gun: Heisman frontrunner Colt McCoy (21 TDs, four INTs), who’s hitting an incredible 81.8 percent of his targets. The Longhorns are No. 11 in the FBS with 303.1 passing yards per game, and they also run the ball 40 times per game, 15 more than Tech. These are two mighty offenses, close enough in talent that the No. 1 Longhorns are just 3½-point faves in Lubbock.
In a close matchup, the Longhorns’ unheralded special teams take on added importance. Their kicking game has been superb this year, from PK Hunter Lawrence (3-for-3 on field goals against Oklahoma) to P John Gold (43.6 net yards per punt). Texas Tech is strong at returns, but PK Matt Williams is “some guy” the Raiders picked up last month after he won a halftime contest by kicking a 30-yard field goal. Has anyone bought the movie rights yet?