Well, last night went about as well as it could for me (gambling wise). Thanks to Marmalarde (aka Phillip Rivers), the Chiefs covered. I'm not sure how many times the Chargers turned it over, but it sure seemed like they were pretty broken up by Kim Kardashian's divorce. The Chargers should have covered this game easily. The Chiefs could barely get a first down after the first quarter and the Chargers were perpetually on the Chiefs side of the field. I guess that's how football goes sometimes, which fucking pisses me off normally. Last night, I was gonna go 1 for 2; it just so happened that the 1 was worth 2 units. A PROFIT! On to tonight's lone game, Northern Illinois vs Toledo.
Toledo -8; Over/Under 67
I think that most people who follow college football remembers that Toledo came very close to beating Ohio State earlier this season. Other than playing the big dog in the state, the Rockets have played other tough opponents. They were prison raped by Boise, which happens to most teams who play Boise. However, they took Syracuse to OT, only to lose by 3. Now, that Cuse team is not the same as last year but they are still a school hailing from an AQ conference. Describing the tough early schedule for Toledo is my way of saying "This Toledo team is resilient."
To their credit, N. Illinois hasn't played an easy schedule either. An early blowout at Wisconsin didn't deter them from playing Kansas very hard the next week in Lawrence. Although Kansas has shown themselves to be one of the worst teams in a BCS conference, you have to admire N. Illinois moxie in scheduling a couple tough opponents. But moxie isn't going to take the Huskies very far in this game.
In a big matchup (for the MAC) last year, N. Illinois ruined Toledo's chances of making it to the MAC Championship. This is a revenge game for the Rockets. Yes, N. Illinois has a formidable ground attack but that is all they have. Their defense gives up 32 points a game, on average. Toledo's offense is averaging 36 points a game and is very balanced. The Rockets have been using a two QB system all year but both of them have combined to only throw 4 INT's. Toledo's defense has only been giving up 20 points on average to MAC opponents but none of those teams possess the offensive attack of the Huskies. I expect N. Illinois to score around 30 but, make no mistake, Toledo will score well into the 40's or more. I expect Toledo to exact vengeance upon the Huskies for last year and win easily by two touchdowns. Toledo is the class of this league and they will show it again tonight.
Pick: Toledo -8 (4 units)
Over 67 (0.5 units)
YTD: 1-1 (+1 unit; +$90)
