Big Guns in the Big Sky

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/20/2010 - Ogden, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Big Sky Conference will not be short on offensive firepower this coming season. From the top down, the conference is laden with talented, proven, and productive offensive threats.

Preseason favorite Montana boasts two Walter Payton Award watch lists members. Running back Chase Reynolds was a finalist in 2009, finishing 13th in the voting. A senior, Reynolds has rushed for 3,075 yards and 44 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

Joining Reynolds on the Payton watch list is senior quarterback Andrew Selle. Selle manned an offense which finished first in the Big Sky in scoring last season. He threw for 3,043 yards, 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while leading the conference in passing efficiency.

Despite those gaudy numbers, first year head coach Robin Pflugrad describes himself as "cautiously optimistic" about his team's prospects this season. To Pflugrad, roster turnover is the main cause for concern. Most notably, the Grizzlies are without First Team All-American wide receiver Marc Mariani, who recently took his talents to the NFL's Tennessee Titans. Also gone are key offensive line components Levi Horn and Chris Dyke. In speaking of his team's inexperience, Pflugrad says, "We have some guys who haven't been in the war together."

Still, as the battle for the Big Sky title nears commencement, Montana appears poised to prevail. The going may get tough however, as many teams in the conference have weapons to burn.

Montana first runs into a stalwart Big Sky gun when they visit Eastern Washington on September 18th. Waiting on EWU's new red turf will be the Eagles' own Payton watch member, Taiwan Jones.

Says Pflugrad of Jones, "When he turns the corner we don't have anyone that can catch him." The numbers bear this out. In 2009, Jones averaged 7.5 yards per carry and scored 15 touchdowns. Originally a cornerback, Jones also proved to be a dual threat for Eastern Washington, catching 40 passes for 561 yards.

Perhaps the biggest threat facing any Big Sky defense this year is Northern Arizona senior quarterback Michael Herrick. Herrick, a Payton nominee, has also been named first-team preseason all-conference. Herrick had a sensational year in 2009, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,356 yards and 22 touchdowns. Sure to add quake to defensive coordinators' kneecaps is the word out of Flagstaff that Herrick appears to have improved his accuracy leading into the 2010 season.

Not to be outdone, senior Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins will look to create some fireworks of his own. Higgins has been a candidate for the Walter Payton Award each of the past two seasons. He has also guided Weber State to two consecutive FCS playoff births. Higgins will meet Herrick on November 13, in Flagstaff. The meeting is sure to be a summit of gunslinging prowess.

In all, it appears there are many gunners aiming for the well-adorned bull's eye on Montana's back. With the Grizzlies facing some significant question marks, the battle for the Big Sky could come down to who has the biggest weapon to hit that target.

2010 Preseason Conference Poll (coaches and media)

1. Montana 2. Eastern Washington 3. Montana State 4. Weber State 5. Northern Arizona 6. Sacramento State 7. Northern Colorado 8. Portland State 9. Idaho State

Trifectas NCAA Football Betting News

<< Crafty Yzerman making his mark with Lightning
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman brought a copious amount of credibility to the organization when he was hired in May. Less than two months later, he has also brought in a mass of talent t

<< United's Cristman out 2-3 weeks after surgery
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United announced Monday night forward Adam Cristman underwent successful sports hernia surgery and will miss two to three weeks. Cristman traveled to Munich, Germany for surgery, where a tear to h

<< Revolution's Ralston to retire
Foxborough, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Revolution and Major League Soccer original Steve Ralston will announce his retirement from professional soccer on Tuesday night. Ralston, who has been a member of MLS since the league'

<< Gaming: Can the Mid-American Conference Rebound?
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Mid-American Conference came into last season fresh off a 28-21 against the spread mark outside its own league, while going 17-12 against Bowl Championship Series competition. Unfortunately, those solid

<< Bornstein to join Mexican club Tigres UNAL
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA and United States defender Jonathan Bornstein, a four-time Major League Soccer All-Star, will join Tigres UANL of the Mexican First Division following the 2010 season. Bornstein will complete his c

Phils option disappointing Kendrick to Triple-A >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies optioned struggling starter Kyle Kendrick to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, recalling pitcher Andrew Carpenter to take his place. Kendrick suffered the loss as the Phils dr

Chelsea goalie Cech injures calf in training >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech had to leave training early Tuesday with a calf problem, putting his status for the start of the English Premier League season in doubt. Cech, 28, underwent scans Tuesday a

Tottenham, Arsenal ban vuvuzelas >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tottenham became the first English Premier League club to ban vuvuzelas Tuesday, and fellow London side Arsenal followed suit. The vuvuzela, a plastic horn that produces a humming sound, was prominent a

Monmouth Park welcomes Horse of the Year >>
Oceanport, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra has safely arrived at Monmouth Park in preparation of her start in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Lady's Secret Stakes. The four-year-old champion filly was taken from h

Gerrard commits to Liverpool >>
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - England captain Steven Gerrard ended speculation about his future Tuesday, committing to Liverpool following a meeting with new coach Roy Hodgson. Gerrard and Spain striker Fernando Torres have

It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.

As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.

Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.

Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.

Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.

2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.