College Football Handicapping Styles
by Jerald of Predictem.com
There are many ways to handicap a college football game. The old adage different strokes for different folks can be applied to this venture. Lets look at some of the different styles.
Fundamental approach This approach looks at the various matchups of the 2 teams to try to determine which side will have an advantage. This can be done by looking at statistics such as rushing yards per game or rushing yards per play or any other statistic that you feel is relevant to a team having success. Other handicappers use a set of power ratings to determine which team has the better chance of winning. You can also analyze the matchups by watching the game; there are many handicappers that have success with this because they are adept at spotting strengths and weaknesses of teams.
Technical approach This approach use trends and/or systems that exist to support one team or the other. There are many trends that can be found but the important thing for the handicapper is to determine which of these trends or systems are relevant. Do not base your plays on a trend that is meaningless or a trend that is back fitted to meet certain criteria. Any trend that you base a play on should have a reason that it works.
Situational approach This approach will look at the teams and the situation they are in. Are they coming off a big win? Are they looking ahead to next week? How do they perform against this particular team? Do they play well after a loss? These are all questions that can help you determine how a team will perform in their upcoming game.
Line analysis This approach looks at the line movement to determine which side to play. This is a very difficult concept to grasp because it is not always clear why a line is doing what it is. This approach is probably best employed by the most experienced of handicappers because there can be a lot of misinformation out there.
The successful handicapper will know which approach or combination of approaches works for him. There are many ways to come up with a winner but the challenge is to determine what works best for you.