[nobs]

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this one ?

I have pulled trigger hard on the Mean green.

Now, no doubt the Mean Green arent going to be winning their conference, and they arent a great team. This bet is more of a bet against Ball State - 17 1/2 ??? Are you kidding me.

The Cardinals had 1 good year. And now they start this year with a madly inflated number. Nate davis is gone, Their Head Coach Hoke is gone. They return 1 starter on The OL. They return 1 starting WR. Their QB's are all unproven without any college level experience. This is a team that traditionally sucks. They went 12-0 against a crap schedule last year and when they finally had to face some decent competition, they got smoked in back to back games.

Not to mention, pretty much their entire starting team from last year is gone. How do you lay or favor a team by 17 1/2 when we dont even know who the starting QB is yet ? And even if they have decided, whoever it is has no college experience. Justice is their most experienced QB and has has 3 completions in his college career.

Now the mean green, return 9 on offense and 8 or 9 on Defense. Yes, they had a bad year last year finshing 1-11. BUT, their losses came against KANSAS STATE, a 10-3 Tulsa team, LSU, a 9-3 Rice team, an 8-4 TROY team. My point is, they played much much stronger competition and while that makes your record suffer, it also makes you a better team.

These 2 teams had 2 common opponents last year, WESTERN KENTUCKY. Ball State won by 17, and the Mean Green won by 11. Then TULSA, where North Texas actually stayed closer than Ball State.

If the Mean Green played Ball States schedule last year, they would have probably gone, 6-6 or 7-5. The mean green has a lot of their team still in place. Its all new and unknown for Ball State.

Would you really want to lay 17 1/2 here ?

North Texas has a big edge at QB. They are starting Riley Dodge. The Texas 5A player of the year his senior year in high school. He was Gatorade player of the year, one of the most highly recruited players in the country. He was recruited and signed with TEXAS. He knows the North Texas offense well, because North Texas is now coached by the same person who coached him in high school, when they won the Texas 5A state championship. The North Texas offense is the same offense, so he knows the system already.

Here I am going to say it now. The Mean Green just might win this game. I am not saying they will, just they might. I will take the points, but this should be a close game.

I put this on other boards, I am just trying to get as many opinions as possible.

Any thoughts ?

[larojoes]

With you on this one. I got North Texas at +18. For me it comes down to what should be their advantage on the line of scrimmage, on both sides of the ball, and their experience compared to Ball State's inexperience.

[The General]

Welcome to SBR

[GatorFan]

North Texas +17.5 is what I am leaning. I might add this one on my card.

[nobs]

Thanks general.

agree larojoes. North Texas has a lot of advantages in this game. Better starting QB, Better coach, better starting line, a lot more returning starters, and on top of that we are getting 17 1/2 -18 points. Wow, I just love this spot. I think North Texas has a lot to prove after last year, and I really think North Texas can win this game outright.

I havent heard anyone make any logical argument for backing Ball State - 17 1/2.

[ImmaBammer12]

Great write up on this. I'm on North Texas as well as part of my Thursday night parlay to get the football season started off.

Best of Luck to you!!

[SoonerBS]

I'm considering adding North Texas to my card for tomorrow night. I had this game as a "play-on" game in my previews and I have been watching the line close the last couple of weeks. I thought we might get a line of around +21 in this game, so the +17 has caused me to wait and see. If it is still at +16.5 tomorrow, then I may buy a point and play it. If it goes lower, I may pass.

I think NT will be much improved on offense this year with this being the second year of Dodge's system and having his son run the offense at QB. Everyone should be more experienced on this side of the ball.

It's the defensive side that is a great concern. They allowed over 47 ppg last year and that is just horrible. They bring back nearly everybody so you would hope they might be a little better just because they are a year smarter, but I am not going to give them a pass on that just yet. The KEY to me is this: Ball State, as we know, lost a ton of experience off last year's team. The offensive line lost the most. That is key for the reason that they will likely rely on their running game, and RB, Lewis, to produce their points this year. As weak as NT's defensive line has been, they did go and recruit a couple of giant DTs from Junior Colleges this past season to fill some holes and make it tougher for teams to run against them. Ball State has a couple of offensive linemen that could get eaten for dinner by these guys Thursday night. So, I think it's possible for NT's defense to get some stops Thursday night and I think their offense can keep them in the game.

[Rich Boy]

Line moved to 16.5

Good job all the sharps that nailed it at 17.5

[oiler]

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this one ?

I have pulled trigger hard on the Mean green.

Now, no doubt the Mean Green arent going to be winning their conference, and they arent a great team. This bet is more of a bet against Ball State - 17 1/2 ??? Are you kidding me.

The Cardinals had 1 good year. And now they start this year with a madly inflated number. Nate davis is gone, Their Head Coach Hoke is gone. They return 1 starter on The OL. They return 1 starting WR. Their QB's are all unproven without any college level experience. This is a team that traditionally sucks. They went 12-0 against a crap schedule last year and when they finally had to face some decent competition, they got smoked in back to back games.

Not to mention, pretty much their entire starting team from last year is gone. How do you lay or favor a team by 17 1/2 when we dont even know who the starting QB is yet ? And even if they have decided, whoever it is has no college experience. Justice is their most experienced QB and has has 3 completions in his college career.

Now the mean green, return 9 on offense and 8 or 9 on Defense. Yes, they had a bad year last year finshing 1-11. BUT, their losses came against KANSAS STATE, a 10-3 Tulsa team, LSU, a 9-3 Rice team, an 8-4 TROY team. My point is, they played much much stronger competition and while that makes your record suffer, it also makes you a better team.

These 2 teams had 2 common opponents last year, WESTERN KENTUCKY. Ball State won by 17, and the Mean Green won by 11. Then TULSA, where North Texas actually stayed closer than Ball State.

If the Mean Green played Ball States schedule last year, they would have probably gone, 6-6 or 7-5. The mean green has a lot of their team still in place. Its all new and unknown for Ball State.

Would you really want to lay 17 1/2 here ?

North Texas has a big edge at QB. They are starting Riley Dodge. The Texas 5A player of the year his senior year in high school. He was Gatorade player of the year, one of the most highly recruited players in the country. He was recruited and signed with TEXAS. He knows the North Texas offense well, because North Texas is now coached by the same person who coached him in high school, when they won the Texas 5A state championship. The North Texas offense is the same offense, so he knows the system already.

Here I am going to say it now. The Mean Green just might win this game. I am not saying they will, just they might. I will take the points, but this should be a close game.

I put this on other boards, I am just trying to get as many opinions as possible.

Any thoughts ?

well i must be the odd duck cause i like ball state,they have covered last 7 in sept and n texas doesant play to well against non conference

[nosniboR11]

no oiler I like ball state also, but good luck everyone, its football time, now grab a beer and relax

[nobs]

oiler,

they have covered the last 7 in september, but they were never a 17 point favorite in those games and in all of those games they had a QB who is now playing in the NFL. They dont have him anymore, they have a redshirt freshman who has never played at the college level.

No offense, but thats like comparing the BULLS the year after they lost Jordan, Pippen, and rodman to the BULLS when they had those 3. They won 70 games a year with them, but that didnt keep them from losing 65 games the year after they all left.

Im just saying, it doesnt mean jack what they did last september or the one before that, because this is an entirely different team. the O line is gone, the D is gone, The QB is gone, The head coach is gone. And in addition to that, they are now laying 17 1/2 points where they would have probably been a 6 or 7 point favorite in this exact same spot last year.

But then they went 12-0 against a shit schedule, got ranked #24 for the first time in school history, and now everyone wants to play them. As a result, the linesmakers add a couple TD's to the line. It opened at 21 1/2.

Im sorry, but if I am going to lay 17 1/2 points on someone, I need a lot more than they have covered their last 7 games in September. To me, that is a meaningless stat. Not to mention, they didnt win most of those games by 17 1/2, in fact they lost a couple of those games. But of course, in 2007 and 2008, Ball State was North Texas. The kind of team that was always plus huge points and noone would bet on them even with that. Its funny, now people are laying 17 1/2 points on them, even though pretty much noone can name anyone on the team other than Lewis.

Im just saying, We will see tommorow night, but I look at this line and I just wonder how anyone could possibly lay that many. North texas could very very well win this game outright. But Im not taking a +500 ML when it should damn well be at least +800 so just the + 17 1/2 for me. Even so, I almost expect North Texas to win this game straight up. Its your money, but how in the world you like this Ball State team laying this many points is just mind boggling to me.

[pimike]

no oiler I like ball state also, but good luck everyone, its football time, now grab a beer and relax

[bearmz]

BSU lost too much including the HC. Gotta lean towards NTexas, but I want the 17.

[Mikail]

pointspread down to 16

[bearmz]

I believe I read somewhere the original opener was BSU-23. A 7 point drop
I just can't back BSU. They had a great run last year, but cannot believe they're that great of a program to lose that much and reload. Think former HC Hoke would've stayed around if it had that much left in the tank.
+16 it is.

[Jimmydafreak]

Love the Mean Green!!! I'm all over it!!!

[dodger33]

two words for north texas "coaches son" haha i like the under. two new quarterbacks. miquale lewis will be running wild and running down the clock.

[pico]

north texas looking good

[spurginobili]

You make a good case nobs and right now 59% on Ball State and the line has gone down. I might bet it with a tease, but will concentrate on other games. For those who don't have it, here's a link to returning starters in Div. I.
http://www.vegasinsider.com/christia...ning-starters/

[SpiderMonkey]

N Texas vs Ball St (ESPNU)
07:35 pm
Ball St -15.5

Football - 131 Oregon +3½ -110 for Game

Both for 1 unit*.

Staying away from So. Carolina/NC State

*Disclaimer: I am ice cold.

[Jimbo42]

On it!

[jagaf22]

You make a good case nobs and right now 59% on Ball State and the line has gone down. I might bet it with a tease, but will concentrate on other games. For those who don't have it, here's a link to returning starters in Div. I. http://www.vegasinsider.com/christia...ning-starters/

I was looking for this information earlier...Thanks!

[nobs]

North Texas 10
Ball State 0

Halftime


Gotta love a 17 1/2 point favorite putting up a goose egg in the first half.

This was the easiest money the linesmakers will ever offer.

[TPowell]

very nice guy, almost pulled the trigger on it as well because of the line movement

[homerbush]

I took both MAC teams. So far I am loving Bowling Green but hating this Ball State game.

[pico]

north texas might win straight up here

[jpowderly]

nice call nobs