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Daily Market Wrap Up: Wednesday Night Football

Nov 5, 2008

Moving Today's Market

There's no lack of options in tonight's marketplace. A couple of Wednesday night NCAA football games adds to the usual NBA and NHL action. Ball State looks to remain undfeated against Northern Illinois. There is a huge discrepancy in the betting percentages with Ball State receiving 56% of the public's spread bets as 9.5 point favorites. Also in college, the Toledo Rockets travel to Ohio to take on the Akron Zips. Both teams allow a ton of points, so this could be a high-scoring affair. The Zips opened as 5 point favorites at Pinnacle. The line dipped down to Akron -4 before climbing back to its current standing of Akron -6.5. The Zips are receiving almost 75% of the public's spread bets. All of this led to a pair of Smart Money plays triggered on Toledo, including one at The Pig (84-68, +7.60).

In the NBA, the Spurs are still looking for their first win of the season as they travel to take on the young Timberwolves. This Spurs team isn't the squad that has been a league headliner over the last 15 years. Those teams were a strong defensive squad, but this team is allowing over 100 points per game. They are also without one of their best players as Manu Ginobli is still recovering from an injured ankle. San Antonio is a 5 point favorite, and the public is backing them with 70% of the spread bets. The Spurs opened as 4 point favorites at Pinnacle, and the line quickly dropped to San Antonio -3.5 before climbing up to -5. During that movement a Smart Money play was triggered on the Timberwolves at BetOnline (6-1, +4.40).

Key Injury Updates

PlayerTeamInjuryStatusComments
Ben RoethlisbergerSteelersshoulderquestionableAn MRI on Roethlisberger's throwing shoulder showed no structural damage and the Steelers said Wednesday that he remains "day to day."
Donte StallworthBrownsquadricepsprobableStallworth was limited in Browns practice Wednesday, but is listed as probable for Thursday night's game.
Larry HughesBullsshoulderoutHughes will not play Wednesday against the Cavs.
Emeka OkaforBobcatsshoulderprobableOkafor took part in the Bobcats' morning shootaround and is expected to face the Knicks Wednesday night.
Raymond FeltonBobcatshamstringprobableAfter taking part in the Bobcats' morning shootaround, Felton is now expected to play against the Knicks on Wednesday.
Deron WilliamsJazzankleoutWilliams has been ruled out for Wednesday's game and may not return until next week.


Today's Best Bets

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Tomorrow's Market Mover

The NFL kicks off its string of games on Thursdays with a Broncos-Browns face off in Cleveland. A pair of games in college are also on the schedule with Maryland visiting Virginia Tech and TCU traveling to face Utah. A pair of games take place on the hardwood. The 76ers take on the Magic in Orlando, and the Rockets play the Trail Blazers in Portland. It's a busy night in the NHL with 11 games on the schedule, including an Original Six match up between Toronto and Boston.

Better Know a College Football Blogger: Akron vs. Ball State

Sep 12, 2008

(Welcome to this week's installment of Better Know A College Football Blogger. This week's guest is Mike Rasor, who is all things Akron sports. He blogs about the Zips on "Rasor on the Zips" and the budding lawyer took some time to answer a few questions in our little niche in the blogosphere.)

THE SIXTH BALL BROTHER: The one person who scares me is quarterback Chris Jacquemain. What makes him such a threat, and is there anyone else who should concern Ball State as well?

RASOR ON THE ZIPS: Chris Jacquemain shouldn't be scaring anyone until he puts together a few good games in a row. Most Zips fans still know him as the guy who was a focal part of the team's greatest weakness in 2007: the passing game. Can he be a good MAC quarterback? Absolutely. Is he the "scary" part of Akron's offense now? No.

TSBB: Alright, maybe I was wrong about Jacquemain. He lit me up in NCAA Football 09 so maybe my opinion came from there. Who should the Ball State defense be most concerned about?
ROTZ: Haha. NCAA Football's rankings are a little out of whack. I would be concerned about the running game. It should definitely be an entertaining offensive shootout.
TSBB: The Zips are coming off a huge BCS win over Syracuse. Ball State has never beaten a BCS opponent. Tell us what it's like.
ROTZ: Great question. The best part, for me, is watching the reaction from the opposition. N.C. State's coach berated Akron's recruiting tactics in 2006. Beating Syracuse was like delivering a death blow to a suffering animal on the side of the road. Fun, but not quite an upset. With Nate Davis, you guys will feel the exhilaration against Indiana next week.

TSBB: I remember the Chuck Amato outburst. Wasn't he saying something like you guys can take anyone and they cannot? That's not right but I can't remember. I just remember his point being completely ridiculous. No question there, I guess. Just a comment.
ROTZ: MAC teams are allowed to take non-qualifiers (guys who couldn't play NCAA football after their senior year of high school). ACC schools are not. It's a lame excuse, because with taking these risky players comes pitfalls as well as benefits. Amato was on his way out, and didn't feel like being classy as he left.
TSBB: How good is Akron's running game? You mentioned on your blog that there is a lot of talent at the running back position. Who's your pick for a breakout game?
ROTZ: Akron is super-deep at running back. You have an Ohio State transfer (Dennis Kennedy), a University of Miami transfer (Andrew Johnson), and a guy who just scampered for more than 100 yards last week (Alex Allen). The Zips are almost guaranteed to have one guy who's hot each week. I think Johnson is due for a big game.
TSBB: The Cardinals are seven-point favorites as they march into the Rubber Bowl. Fair or unfair?
ROTZ: Quite fair. Ball State looked fantastic against Navy. Davis is a big-league passer, and the Zips' secondary is questionable. I think Akron will cover, but the spread is certainly a fair representation of the teams' accomplishments so far.
TSBB: What kind of environment can Ball State expect on Saturday?
ROTZ: The Rubber Bowl is entering its final year of existence. The atmosphere is probably similar to most MAC stadiums. The fans are friendly and respectful (as long as you aren't from Kent State). Ball State fans should definitely tailgate and feel free to visit some Zips tailgates, too.
TSBB: After our big, nationally televised victory over Navy and with Indiana looming the following week, this Akron game has "letdown" written all over it. I'm not concerned about that (Kellen Lewis' running concerns me more), but what will Akron have to do to pull off this "upset?"
ROTZ: The Zips' offense does not concern me. It's the defense that could give up 500 passing yards or 300 rushing yards on any day. Akron needs to get a couple turnovers and hope to lock down in the red zone. Giving up three points instead of seven will win the game for either team.

(You can read my answers to his questions here.)

Wisconsin vs. Akron: Badgers Run All Over Zips

Aug 30, 2008

The Wisconsin Badgers opened up their 2008 campaign with a 38-17 win over the Akron Zips at Camp Randall.

The Badgers used a steady ground attack against Akron to the tune of 404 yards on the ground, compared to the Zips' 70 yards.

Wisconsin's go to guy and Heisman hopeful, running back P.J. Hill, was the star again. He had 210 yards off 26 carries, and added two touchdowns. Hill had over 100 yards through the first quarter, and Akron's 3-3-5 defense was no match for Wisconsin's ground game.

Backups Zach Brown and John Clay also got into the mix, with both of them getting into the end-zone once. Brown had 87 yards and Clay 71.

The Badgers ran more than normal (if that's possible) because they were without All-American tight end Travis Beckum, due to him resting an injury.

That didn't stop Wisconsin from passing the ball, as Allan Evridge, making his first start, hit wide open backup tight end Garrett Graham for the game's first score.

Evridge finished the game going 7-10 for 75 yards with a touchdown and interception thrown. I think Badger fans will take that from him every week, minus the pick, and assuming that the ground attack remains consistent with each passing week.

Overall, the Badgers outgained the Zips 479 yards to 297. Wisconsin did it on the ground and Akron through the air.

Even with the runaway victory, there still is one lingering problem for the Badgers. The defense tends to 'fall asleep' near the end of both halves in a game.

Coming to the end of the first half, and after the interception from Evridge, the Zips had possession with just under four minutes left. They proceeded to march down the field and kick a field goal with :02 on the clock and pull the score to 17-10 in favor of Wisconsin at the half.

Then to end the game, all Wisconsin had to do was run down the clock with ocassionally gaining a first down. But the Badgers coughed it up and turned it over to Akron with just under four minutes left again.

Akron went 42 yards and scored a touchdown to make it 38-17, but that last Zip drive looked way too easy against a normally stingy Badger defense.

Wisconsin walked away with the all important 'W', and satisfied head coach Brett Bielema's "1-0" motto to begin their 2008 BCS chase with a 1-0 start.

The Badgers play host to the Marshall Thundering Herd next week, and Wisconsin fans hope they will continue to stay "1-0".

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