Tag Archives: Northwestern Wildcats

New Years Day Football Bowl Games Picks & Previews

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Friday’s Bowl games boast some pretty intriguing match-ups for die-hard football fans – you have Bobby Bowden rocking his last game at the head of the Florida State empire that he built. You have two college powerhouses, old – Penn State against new – LSU – and both did work in their respective conferences this season. And then you have the two BCS games, but I’ll talk about them separately. Here are the three games for New Years Day.

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OUTBACK BOWL
Northwestern Wildcats @ Auburn Tigers (-7): Well, Northwestern beat Iowa and Wisconsin, and I guess both of them had solid seasons in the all powerful Big 10 – but besides that, there’s hardly another noteworthy victory on their schedule, and their only good loss came against Penn State – good as in good team, not as in good game, they got beat 34-13. Other losses include Michigan State, Minnesota, and Syracuse – yikes. Auburn has had their fair share of piddlers, I mean they ended the season 2-5, but their 5 losses came to Arkansas, LSU, Georgia, and Alabama – and Kentucky, all pretty good teams in a pretty good conference. That’s enough for me, I think they win by double digits.

GATOR BOWL
Florida State Seminoles @ West Virginia Mountaineers (-2.5): The ACC hasn’t wowed me this season, and West Virginia has speed to burn. This Mountaineer team is built for Bowl Games, because the longer they prepare, the more their speed can be put to use. Florida State is playing without their big guy, as Christian Ponder is down and out with injury – and I don’t think they have the firepower to put up enough points to beat FSU. There it is.

CAPITAL ONE BOWL
LSU Tigers (+3) @ Penn State Nittany Lions: This is the first really big Top 15 match-up of the Bowl Season, as the Tigers and Nittany Lions go at it. Not only are they highly ranked, and with just two losses between them, but both have the talent to play with anyone – but as is, I think the tigers are the better team. They don’t have the greatest rushing attack, and through the air they leave a little to be desired, but Penn State hasn’t had one impressive win all season long. Honestly, Michigan State, Northwestern? That’s about it. And while they killed both of those teams, those teams aren’t LSU. I think the Tigers win.

Week 11 College Football Picks Review: 2007

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11 is hardly even, but 1 and 1 is even, and that makes 11, and 5-5 is the same as 1-1 as both are .500… Thank you sadistic number crunching version of John Madden. The way it goes, I finished the Week at .500 with my free picks, as my 5 free dogs did the most damage, pulling me even on the week. This is how it went down.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Free Picks: Week 11 (2-3) (3-2) (5-5)

Michigan State Spartans @ Purdue Boilermakers (-4): loss
(Line: Thursday, 2:00am EST: Belmont)

Michigan State looked pissed off about last week’s loss to the Wolverines, and probably more importantly Mike Hart’s comments about them being the little brother. Well, they stepped right back up and put the Boilermakers in a strangle hold, which helped me toss my money out the window.

Indiana Hoosiers (-2) @ Northwestern Wildcats: loss
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

In another huge surprise for me, the Wildcats actually won a football game against a solid opponent. The Hoosiers were stuck admiring their success from last week’s game, and crumbled in this one. A game I thought was a sure win ended in blood and tears for Ole Lucky Lester.

North Carolina @ North Carolina State (-3.5): win
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

North Carolina fought hard after falling way being early in this game, but they couldn’t get close enough to bust my balls, losing by 4 to the Wolfpack. NC State just can’t finish off games, even when their very well being depends on it. They managed a win here, but didn’t impress me much, and nearly gave me a heart attack while doing so. In the end, they gave me a much needed win.

South Florida Bulls (-16) @ Syracuse Orange: win
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

Weird, the Bulls absolutely destroyed, sausage rolled, or straight train wrecked the Syracuse moldy Orange. South Flordia was just too good, and they put up 40 points. No way the Orange were about to get close to that number. A big win for me.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+9) @ Clemson Tigers: loss
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: BodogLife)

Despite my hopes that Clemson would fall back to their losing ways, the Tigers stepped up in a must win game to smash the Deacons of Wake Forest. This game wasn’t close, ever, and Wake Forest just looked outmanned and outcoached from the very get go. Like I said, I knew Clemson was the better team, I was just expecting the implosion that usually comes late in the season from the Tigers. Maybe next week?

Five Free Dogs! 3-2

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Mississippi State Bulldogs (+5.5): win
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodog)

Michigan Wolverines @ Wisconsin Badgers (+3): win
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodog)

Illinois Fighting Illini (+15.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes: win
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodog)

Connecticut Huskies (+6.5) @ Cincinnati Bearcats: loss
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

Texas Tech Red Raiders (+6.5) @ Texas Longhorns: loss
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

5-5 Even Steven!

Free College Football Picks Week 11 – 2007

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Week 10 wasn’t successful, but you win some and you lose some – that’s the nitty gritty. For week 11’s action, I have 5 free underdog sides that I’m posting after my 5 free picks, as a sort of double pick bonus for the week of double snake eyes. Celebrating the 11 weeks of my Free College picks thus far this season. Enjoy the big wins! Ride those dogs!

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Free Picks: Week 11

Michigan State Spartans @ Purdue Boilermakers (-4):
(Line: Thursday, 2:00am EST: SBG Belmont)

Michigan State is 1-3 on the road, while the Boilermakers are 5-1 at home. State has always been a poor road team, and obviously Purdue feels most comfortable in front of their home crowd. Weird. Purdue’s offense and overall team make-up is much more impressive than the Spartans unit that seems to be wearing down fast after losing 5 of their last 6 ball games. The games have all been close, but that kind of wear and tear on a football teams’ mental psyche can certainly have an impact. Always getting close and always coming short can only allow you so many “moral victories”. Those kind of wins are over in Michigan State – Purdue will assist that assurance.

Indiana Hoosiers (-2) @ Northwestern Wildcats
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

The Hoosiers are the much better team here. Some expect a let down after the Hoosiers got a much needed win over Ball State last week, but I don’t see it. They’ve handled every bad team they’ve played all season long, and a couple decent squads as well. They have 4 losses on the season, all to Big 10 contenders, Wisconsin, Penn State, Mich State, and Illinois. The Wildcats shouldn’t put up much of a fight, despite the Hoosiers two game road losing streak. They still beat Iowa in Iowa. Look for Kellen Lewis and James Hardy to hook up for a couple TD passes that seal the deal, and the 7th win for Indiana. Indy is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall, and they haven’t lost a game that they’ve been favored in all season long.

North Carolina @ North Carolina State (-3.5):
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

North Carolina played around with the idea that they were back in the mix as a solid college football program, but like many pretenders realize, the early months can mask the reality of the matter, and a few close games haven’t amounted to anything in terms of their record. They sit at 3-6. North Carolina State has played better and better as the season has moved forward, while the Tarheels struggled besides a win against Miami, and a win over Maryland last week. This week, they go on the road, where they’ve been terrible thus far. They lost at East Carolina in Week 2, at South Florida (10-37) in Week 4, at VaTech in Week 5, and at Wake Forest (10-37) in Week 8. They are 0-4 on the road. NC State should win by 10.

South Florida Bulls (-16) @ Syracuse Orange:
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

Syracuse is bad, and the Bulls are a solid football team. Sure, they have struggled of late, but they won’t turn the ball over like they did last week, and I don’t see the Orange doing much in terms of stopping South Florida either. Defensively, I expect 10 points or less out of the Orange, which means 27 points from SF will win it. They’ve scored at least that much in 6 of their 9 games. This will be the 7th time.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+9) @ Clemson Tigers:
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: BodogLife)

I’m pretty sure this is the game Clemson always loses. Yep, they tease the public into believing they are for real, win some big games, and then fold like a freaking lawn chair. I don’t know how to see it any other way, the Deacons are no pushover, and they play their best ball when their opponent is supposed to be a big favorite. Over the last 3 seasons, the Tigers are 15-19 ATS as a favorite. And while they are 11-2 SU in games where they are favored by 7.5 or more over the last three seasons, the Tigers don’t seem to play well when they are playing in a game that will decide the difference between a very nice season, and a Clemson-like mediocre campaign.

Five Free Dogs!

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Mississippi State Bulldogs (+5.5)
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodog)

Michigan Wolverines @ Wisconsin Badgers (+3):
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodoglife)

Illinois Fighting Illini (+15.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes:
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Bodoglife)

Connecticut Huskies (+6.5) @ Cincinnati Bearcats:
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

Texas Tech Red Raiders (+6.5) @ Texas Longhorns:
(Line: Wednesday, 11:00pm EST: Belmont)

Week 5 College Football Picks Review: 2007

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It was a bad week. That’s a sure thing. Check it out, these are the games I picked, and this is how it went wrong.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Michigan Wolverines (-16) @ Northwestern Wildcats:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This game was closer than I thought, but the Wolverines had it in hand. It was just an unlucky week for old Lucky – what more can I say?

Alabama Crimson Tide (+2.5) @ Florida State Seminoles:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bet-Jam)

0-0 at half, Nick Saban’s offense was absolutely terrible. The Seminoles didn’t play amazing, but that FSU defense is stout. I lost another pick.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (+14) @ South Carolina Gamecocks:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

The Carolina Gamecocks scored about 10 more points than I figured. I just hated picking games this week, the un-luck had me wondering what I did wrong earlier in the week to deserve all the bad ju-ju. I still haven’t figured it out, but stealing candy from those kids earlier in the week might have had something to do with it.

Pittsburgh Panthers @ Virginia Cavaliers (-7):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

Yay! I picked one right. This went just like I thought it would. Weird. Because in every other situation this weekend, that didn’t happen. Thank you Cavs – you are now an all time Lucky Lester favorite. Thanks for keeping me off the snide.

USC Trojans (-20.5) @ Washington Huskies:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

UW almost pulled this one out, and that’s because the USC Trojans just couldn’t get their emotional woes under control. Locker was solid, but Josh Booty wasn’t accurate. The Huskies secondary was allowing receivers to get open, just as I had imagined, but Booty wasn’t finding them. He may have axed himself from the Heisman picture on Saturday evening in Seattle.

Free College Football Picks Week 5 – 2007

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Just to let you guys in on my lines, I put the place I picked them up this week. I place my bets early, and to get the best lines, that’s not such a bad move. However, weather, mid-week injuries, and health question marks could hurt or help you, so be cautious. Week 5 looks like a great one, with big non-conference match-ups and some conference games that hold all the importance in the world. I have a couple of each in my Free Picks for Week 5.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Michigan Wolverines (-16) @ Northwestern Wildcats:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I just think Northwestern is absolutely brutal and they aren’t going to catch the Wolverines off guard. If Michigan hasn’t learned by now that they can’t take anybody lightly they’ll never learn. I have a feeling that this cover will be covered by the end of the first quarter, and the beating won’t stop. Expect Mike Hart to have one hell of a game against one of college football’s worst football teams.

Alabama Crimson Tide (+2.5) @ Florida State Seminoles:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bet-Jam)

Alabama met their match against a solid Georgia team last week, but I don’t think the Noles will end up beating ‘Bama this week. Florida State just hasn’t impressed me. They have only one loss, Week 1 against Clemson, but overall, this isn’t your daddy’s FSU club. They will have trouble with the Tide’s defense, and offensively I think Alabama will put up the 20 points you need to beat a Seminoles offense that just can’t score.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (+14) @ South Carolina Gamecocks:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I like Carolina to win this game, because that’s what Steve Spurrier does – but I don’t buy SC walking away from last week’s emotional trial against LSU and beating down the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. MSU has a solid club, and while South Carolina looked much better against LSU that State did, I just don’t think that will translate into a win of two scores or more. Look for South Carolina to control the game, and stay on top, but only win by 6-10 points.

Pittsburgh Panthers @ Virginia Cavaliers (-7):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I think the Pittsburgh Panthers are very bad, and while I’m not the biggest fan of the Virginia Cavaliers, I do think that they are a good enough football team to take advantage of bad defenses and ineffective offenses. They’ll do both when they easily oust the road team this weekend.

USC Trojans (-20.5) @ Washington Huskies:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

The Huskies will be a good football team in the next few years; will be is a key part of that sentence. The Huskies waste too much time trying to fake people out with that shotgun fake handoff quarterback sneak and that draw in the backfield to Louis Rankin. The Huskies need to take more chances with their young quarterback’s cannon. They have receivers that can make plays. But, until they stop playing football “not to lose” – they won’t be able to win big games in the Pac 10. USC has one of the fastest defenses in the land, and believe me, that will bother Jake Locker. USC might let the Dogs hang around early, but by the end of the 3rd quarter, this game should be covered.