Ohio University Bobcats (9-4 SU, 5-8 ATS)(2012) vs. Louisville Cardinals (11-2 SU, 6-7 ATS)(2012)
College Football Week 1
Date and Time: Sept. 1, 2013 3:30 pm EST
Where: Turf of Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium
TV: ESPN
by Tim, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: OU +21/UL -21
Over/Under Total: 55 1/2
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Uh, No! The spread is too huge here for Louisville. The Cardinals sported an 11-2 record that could easily have been 8-5 (and should have been!). UL was blown out by a not very good Syracuse football team in the Carrier Dome then came home to get beat by an awful Connecticut team. UL did Roll Damn Cardinal over Florida in the Ford Fiesta/Gator Radiator Sugar Bowl but Florida really wasnt all that good and seemed highly unmotivated to play that January evening. Ohio University stumbled to a 9-4 record in 2012 destroying Louisiana-Monroe (aka: Giant Killers) in the Sack-A-Suds/AMWAY/Halliburton/Attica Prison Independence Bowl 45-14. OU opened up with a win at Penn State in 2012 on their way to 7 straight wins. The Bobcats lost their final 3 Conference games in a meltdown of confidence before beating up on La-Monroe. OU put up great numbers on offense and return 8 starters including Quarterback Tyler Tettleton. The defense? The defense returns only 2 Starters which truly isnt so badOUs defense in 2012 was mostly horrible especially through the last 3 games. OU isnt a Lay down for any team and now that Head Coach Frank Solich has kicked the sauce back across the Welcome mat, the Bobcats are a perennial 8 to 9 game winner every year (why in the crap did Nebraska fire Solich? Hes incredible!). Lets take a look at Louisvilles 2012 season, game-by-game double-checking how good this Cardinal team was last year!
Louisville plays out of the brand spanking new AAC conference which is the Devil child from the old Big East. Louisville won 6 of their 11 total wins by less than a TD. This game is setting up to be a 2 TD thriller(+-14 points) with the chance for an upset by the visiting Bobcats if a few turnovers happen. Louisville is overrated because, in the end, theyll waltz through a very weak AAC with only a loss or 2 on their resume looking to play the UC Bearcats in a rivalry game with a BCS Bowl game on the line.
OU can play with Louisville and Im not certain Charlie Strong has what it takes when the chips are down. Louisvilles win against NC last year was a gift, ULs loss to Connecticut was just horrible, and playing a lethargic Florida team (other than Florida International) that couldnt pass the salt at Thanksgiving dinner was unimpressive. I look for OU to keep this pretty close and OU might just get an upset if a few tipped balls go their way?!
Tims Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Ohio University
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