paid for and confirmed

Friday's Lineup

15 Dime --- RUTGERS (Buy the 1/2 point if your line is -10 or -10 1/2)

This play is more AGAINST Army than it is FOR Rutgers because I'm not really sold on either team. The Scarlet Knights are rebuilding as they've lost a very good RB and QB in the last two years, but their defense is probably a little better than they expected it to be in the beginning of the year. Normally I'd play against Rutgers because they don't have a ton of offense, but they'll clearly have enough against this very porous Army defense. Let me lay it out for you this way...

Army has lost to Duke, Iowa State, Tulane and Temple so far this year. That sounds like the resume of a high school team to me, yet Army couldn't manage a single win against any of them. What's worse... their average point total in those four games was 15 points. If Army gets 15 points tonight, that mean Rutgers is only going to need 26 points to grab the cover... and against this defense they shouldn't have any problem getting it done. They've score 26 or more points 3 times in six chances so far this season against better teams than Army. I'd be shocked if Rutgers doesn't score at least 30 points tonight. And I'm telling you right now, Army isn't scoring 20.

The Black Knights have not had a "bye" yet this year while Rutgers has already gotten a week off, not to mention Army is preparing for this game on short rest having played last Saturday while Rutgers got a full week or preparation because they played last Friday against Pittsburgh. And speaking of Pittsburgh... they have one of the better offenses Rutgers will see this year and the Scarlet Knights were able to hold them to just 24 points. Trust me, that's an accomplishment in itself.

Rutgers has won five straight vs. Army by no less than 12 points and two of those were by 35 or more. Rutgers is 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 on the artificial surface while Army is just 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games vs. teams from the Big East. This one has 20-point blowout written all over it. Lay it with Rutgers.