We're Going to Sizzler

Two Gun Pete and I normally have an informal meeting of the minds to select the objects of our affection for Saturday. This week we had an actual work session. The question now is: will it float?

* Texas Tech +1 @ Houston

The Red Raiders of TXTech beat the NDakota Fighting Sioux (p.c. alert) and Rice before losing to the 'Horns last week. Houston beat Northwestern "we're not THAT Northwestern" State and OK State in weeks 1 and 2 and then had last weekend off. At +1 this is pretty much a straight bet on the visitors, who this week will eschew traditional football uniforms and instead outfit their team as itinerant Mexican gauchos, so as to create an aura of obfuscation in Houston, the fourth largest city in the US of A and home to more Fortune 500 companies than anyplace but NYC, also the home of overrated really crappy pizza.

** Indiana @ Michigan -19

The Indiana Hoosiers have raced out to a 3-0 record, rare air for the Lynch Mob. They've beaten Eastern Kentucky, Western Michigan and the neither Eastern nor Western Akron Zips. The once and future mighty Wolverines have returned to prominence in 2009, beating Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and the University of Notre Dame du Indiana Toll Road. Sr Rodriguez will bid Bievenido a La Casa Grande del Futbol Americano, where 110,000 will bear witness this Saturday as the bubble bursts for Indiana. Bad news is that Michigan center David Molk from Lemont is out for six weeks and having surgery on a broken bone in one of his feet. Michigan 44, Indiana 9.

*** Army @ Iowa State -10

The eerie (woooo-ooo-ooo) Eastern Michigan commonality continues. ...EM was Be All That You Can Be Army's first week opponent, a 27-14 Army victory. The Cadets lost to Duke Duke Duke in Week 2 and then beat a bad Ball State bunch (famous alumnus: David "Will It Float" Letterman)last week. The Cyclones of Iowa State beat North Dakota State to start, got pummeled by state rival Iowa (who this week visits @-10 Joe Paterno & His Band of Renown) at home in Week 2, then beat Kent State last Golden Saturday. Iowa State is improving, is at home this week AND is going to win us some cash for a second consecutive week. Iowa State 31, Army 17.

**** Buffalo +2 1/2 @ Temple

Oh, those Bulls. They beat UTEP in Texas, got whacked by Wannie in the Steel City and then ran out of gas right on cue in Orlando. Why spend 4 stars on them? The friend of my friend is my friend, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The opponent of the Bulls is the reason this is the PPP, Pete's Perfect Pick, up there in the marquee glare with 4 stars. Temple has lost to Villanova and to Joe Paterno & the Union Gap. Two Gun's pronouncement, with which I concur, is that the wrong team is the favorite, and bestowing upon it the PPP designation is an endorsement of the highest order from my investment partner of lo these many years. They win and we're going to Sizzler.

By the way, Temple University is located in Philadelphia, has 32,600 students and had revenue last year of $1.2 billion. The first factoid is on the front page of their website, the second is in their student profile and the third eyebrow raising disclosure is in their tax return, which is published and linked to the school website. I'll have a (click) cherry lime rickey and a hard boiled egg.

Strike While the Iron's Hot

The oddsmakers started letting the numbers fly earlier this week, making it necessary to rearrange the orderly selection process that I had planned. The change is required because Week 1 is all about exploitation, and time is of the essence. Witness:


**** Louisiana Monroe @ Texas -36
Shop around, Two Gun, and get this for us at 36. That's the price at which it opened, and I'm hoping that the offshore houses haven't caught up with Vegas, where they're stretching it out quickly. The Warhawks of Louisiana Monroe are destined to become a footnote in what can be a historic year for Texas, and Mack Brown is probably going to hang 60 on them to start. Margin of victory can translate into rankings. Sorry, Warhawks, it's just business.

***Akron @ Penn State -26.5
Joe Paterno is not going to live forever. It just seems that way. The Akron Zips are being brought to Happy Valley as the opening victim in PSU's drive to unseat Ohio State. Joe speaks so kindly of his victims...after his boys have pounded them senseless. This one should be covered by halftime.

**Maryland Terrapins @ Cal Golden Bears -20.5
Run, Two Gun, run, 'cause I saw this open as low as 15!!! If you can get it anywhere under the current price it's gold. The Terps are good, but the Bears will maul their opening day opponents.

* LSU -15 @ Washington
The Tigers are opening on the road against a Washington team that is improved but still not very good. Take LSU and lay 15 now, as Nick Saban will want to put a beat down on the Huskies to make sure nobody forgets there are other teams in the SEC.

There are some games with no published line, games at which I hoped to have an opportunity, e.g. Wofford @ SoFlorida and Youngstown @ Pitt. They're apparently too grand of a mismatch to publish. Too bad for us! Some of the stuff that I'm looking for will probably surface somewhere with a spread, but these four look plenty hot, and the old saw applies...strike while the iron's hot.
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PS: Two Gun jumped on this in his pre-publication review, and our actual spreads turned out as follows

• Texas -40
• Penn State -27 1/2
• Cal -21
• LSU -16

Big numbers, and now a long wait for prove-up.

PPS: I brain cramped and referred to Les Miles as Nick Saban. Sorry...