Marc Lawrence Sports Handicapping News

2007 COLLEGE SEASON IN REVIEW...

With the College Bowl games now underway, let’s take a moment to reflect on the 2007 season.  Here is one handicapper’s vote on the BEST and WORST performances for the year, prior to the bowl games…

BEST GAME OF THE YEAR –
Navy’s 46-44 overtime win over Notre Dame. Not only did it snap a 43-game series losing streak, it left you with feel-good goose bumps watching it happen.

MOST PUZZLING GAME OF THE YEAR –
Stanford 24, Southern Cal 23.  Not only did the Cardinal win as 39-point underdogs, they were outgained by 234 yards in the game.  Go figure.

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LOSING CAUSE –
North Texas freshman QB Giovanni Vizza throwing for 478 yards and 8 TD’s in a 74-62 loss at home against Navy.  That’s what happens when you allow 572 rushing yards in a game.  Runner-up: North Texas WR Casey Fitzgerald caught 18 passes for 327 yards in a 45-31 loss against SMU.

BEST UNDERDOG –
Ucla.  Bruins dressed up as dogs five times this season, taking home the cash in all five contests.  Runner-up: UTEP.  The Miners posted a neat 7-1 ATS mark as dogs.  Money line dogs: a three way tie between Maryland, Temple and Virginia – all of whom won four games SU as puppies.

BEST GAME IN AGES –
Illinois 28-21 win over Ohio State marked the first time since 1956 that the Illini had defeated a top-ranked team.  Runner-up: Kansas 76-39 win over Nebraska.  The Jayhawks were 1-30 SU in the previous 31 meetings in the series.

BEST ESCAPE ARTIST –
Virginia.  The Cavaliers won six games by a combined total of 12 points.

WORST FAVORITE –
California.  Bears were 1-7 ATS as chalk, with Kent State righ on their heels at 1-6 ATS as favs.  Worst Money Line favorite: Kent State - the Flashes lost six games SU as chalk.  Runners Up: California, Kansas State, Louisville, Miami Florida and Oregon - each with four SU losses as favorites.

WORST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR –
Miami Florida’s 48-0 loss against Virginia in the final game ever at the historic Orange Bowl.  Talk about stinking up the joint.  Runner-up: West Virginia’s 13-9 loss at home against Pittsburgh, as 29-point favorites, in their final game of the season.  Easily the biggest choke-job of the year.

BIGGEST COLLAPSE OF THE YEAR –
California.  The Bears were 5-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation when they lost 31-28 at home against Oregon State.  The went on to win one of their next five games.  Runner-up (tie): Nebraska.  Cornhuskers started the season 4-1 before dropping six of the final seven games.  They allowed an average 46 PPG in the last seven games. South Carolina: Gamecocks started the year 6-1 before losing their final five games of the season.   

That’s my take on the 2007 College Football regular season.  Drop me a line and let me know yours.  If I get enough response I’ll post the best (and worst) replies…

WEEK FIFTEEN COLLEGE BOWL PREVIEW...

2007 COLLEGE BOWL PREVIEW

With the College Bowl games ready to go, let’s focus on how bowl teams from the six BCS Conferences have fared this season and in bowl games in the past, dating back to 1980, as we analyze ksome of the key stats in bowl games from these conferences. All the info shared here is gleaned from the 2007 PLAYBOOK COLLEGE BOWL STAT REPORT .  To get your hands on this 16-page ‘must-have’ publication for only $20, call toll free 1.800.PLAYBOOK or log into the online store and download a copy right now at: www.PLAYBOOK.com

Note: most of the content contained here can be heard in depth, long with other invaluable information from our team of handicappers on this week’s edition of MARC LAWRENCE AGAINST THE SPREAD RADIO SHOW.  To here the podcast log on the PLAYBOOK.COM and click on the Radio Show icon.

All THIS SEASON results are collective by all teams from each conference in games played during the 2007 season.  All BOWL GAME Results are since 1980, unless indicated otherwise...

ACC CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 8 bowlers – collectively they were 25-43-2 ATS as favs / struggled vs non-cons (11-18-1 ATS – 6-8 vs > 500) / at best against opp allowed 28.5 PPG season (16-0 SU – one team TY: Florida State

ACC BOWL GAMES: 7-1 ATS as dogs L3Y / best; 25-10-1 dogs 7 < pts:  Florida State, Maryland and Virginia

BIG EAST CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 5 bowlers – collectively they were 11-5 ATS as dogs / 17-4-1 ATS vs non-cons (7-1 SU & 6-2 ATS vs > 500) / at best against opp allowed 23 > PPG season (22-4 SU & 16-9-1 ATS – 4 teams (one a dog): Cincinnati, Connecticut, So Florida and Rutgers

BIG EAST BOWL GAMES: hot hand 5-0 SU LY / worst role: dogs 6 > pts (3-12 ATS / 0-6 off loss): West Virginia

BIG 10 CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 8 bowlers – collectively 8-2-1 ATS off BBL’s (4-0 vs non-cons):  Michigan and Purdue / 17-9 ATS vs non cons (7-1 SU vs > 500) / at best vs opp allowed 28 > PPG season: 17-1 SU & 12-5-1 ATS : Indiana and Wisconsin

BIG 10 BOWL GAMES: from BSR – 10-2-1 ATS bowlers off BBL: Michigan and Purdue

BIG 12 CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 8 bowlers – collectively 5-1-1 ATS w/rest and 11-4 ATS off BB SUATS wins: Oklahoma / 27-5 SU & 18-9 ATS vs non cons (22-1 SU & 18-5 ATS as favs –but- 0-4 SUATS as dogs) / at best vs opp allowed 25.5 PPG on season: 31-6 SU & 22-12-2 ATS:  Missouri and Oklahoma State

BIG 12 BOWL GAMES: 2-9 ATS off SU fav loss: Texas and Kansas / 1-7 ATS vs opp off BB losses: Colorado / 2-11 ATS vs opp off DDL: Texas Tech and  5-14 ATS vs opponent off loss: Texas Tech and Oklahoma

PAC 10 CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 6 bowlers – collectively 8-4 SUATS w/rest / 15-3 SU & 10-7 ATS vs non con (3-1 SUATS vs > 500) / nothing special against bad defensive teams (because most of the themselves are just that) – best being 25-11 SU vs opp allowed 24.5 > PPG: Arizona State

PAC 10 BOWL GAMES: quite simply: Good Dog (30-16 ATS / Bad favs (25-45-2 ATS)… best dog role: 13-1 ATS off SUATS loss - Oregon / best fav role” 6-15-2 ATS off SU loss - California

SEC CONFERENCE BOWL REVIEW:
THIS SEASON: 9 bowlers (most all conferences) – collectively 7-0-2 ATS w/rest, also 19-12-2 ATS as dogs / 31-5 SU & 19-10 ATS vs non con (10-3 SUATS vs > 500) / at best vs opp allowed 27 > PPG: 27-5 SU:  Alabama and Mississippi State

SEC BOWL GAMES: best roles: 13-6 ATS off SU fav loss:  Kentucky / 39-23-1 ATS dogs 3 > points (19-7 ATS if .666 <): Arkansas and Mississippi State

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WEEK FOURTEEN FOOTBALL REVIEW...

LAST WEEK'S COLLEGE & NFL GAMES - INSIDE THE STATS...

And then there were two – OSU and LSU.  After the dust finally settled on the wild and wacky 2007 college football season, it will be Ohio State and Louisiana State meeting in the BCS Championship Game on January 7th. 

Looking inside the stats at the final week of college games there were a total of 5 teams that won ‘inside-out’ In The Stats (won the game but lost the yardage).  These ITS teams included: Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Stanford and Virginia Tech.

Navy was the only team to have gained 200 or more rushing yards in every game this season. They are also the No.1 rushing team in the land, averaging 352 RYPG.

From the PLAYBOOK MIDWEEK ALERT weekly stat rankings report, there were only two STAT KINGS (teams that managed to win every game in the stats this season: BYU and Hawaii.

The two STAT QUEENS (teams that have lost every game in the stats this season) were:  Florida International and Utah State.

On the NFL front, New England lost ITS for the first time this season in their narrow win over Baltimore.   They are 11-1 ITS on the year, with Dallas and Pittsburgh right on their heels at 10-2 ITS.

On the flip side San Francisco is 1-11 ITS.  Buffalo, Chicago and Miami bring up the rear each owning 3-10 ITS marks for the season.

Interesting ITS NFL tidbits… ITS STREAKERS, and the amount of games involved in current streak, include: HOT – Cleveland (+3) and San Diego (+3). NOT – Chicago (-3) and St. Louis (-3).

Be sure to check out the MIDWEEK ALERT for complete up-to-date records on every team this season. And if you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to order your copy of the 2007 PLAYBOOK COLLEGE BOWL STAT REPORT – the most comprehensive bowl publication on the market.  It’s only $20.  Call 1.800.PLAYBOOK or order fromt he online store at www.PLAYBOOK.com.

Good luck as always this week…