Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Week 1-2017 Early Edition

With merely a pair of ranked-teams in action this weekend, we're treatin' this as one of those standard-issue, early-November, Tuesday-nighter MAC tilts... 
 
SAT. AUG. 26 
#14 Stanford (-30) over Rice (@ Sydney, Australia): Rematch of Owls' season-finale of 2016 (won 41-17 at Palo Alto by da' Trees). Stanford reloads at RB after losing McCaffrey and a four-year starter at QB, but Barnyard Fowl have shown regression on both lines-of-scrimmage in each of the last 3 years and figures to be little-more-than-bait against an ugly non-conference schedule. Rice will have an easier time feeding not-eucalyptus leaves to the koalas and winning matches vs. da' boxin'-kangaroos. Just a bye-week up next for SU, so "Down Unda'", (Insert yer fave "Crocodile Dundee" quote here), it's ...Stanford 44 Owls On Da' Bahbie 10 
 
#19 South Florida (-21) over SAN JOSE STATE: Bulls' outright win totals have increased from 2 to 4 to 8 to 11 last season and USF is a Group of Five contender for a New Year's Six berth, but have some issues on defense after allowing 35 ppg in 2016.  San Josie was also generous to opponents and we considered an "over 65" here, but will instead lay the points against team with a new head coach, first-year assistants and little depth...South Florida 45 SJSU 19
 
Fear-not, faithful readers...we'll be back in our normal full-blown format, about this time next Wednesday, with our more-traditional opening-week regalia, including lead story, revelation of our preseason forecasting team, upset-pick (s) of da' week, best bets and, of course... "Between Da' Hashmarks"! Don't touch that dial! 

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