Friday, November 13

Temple over AKRON by 6

It’s Friday the 13th and the Temple Owls are riding a 7-game winning streak. Who
would have thought it after a season-opening home loss to Villanova! Strange
things do happen on this day but they’ll be nothing strange about a win over
an Akron group that’s zipped to only one victory this season (Morgan State)
and who is 0-11 SU and 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games versus lined opposition.
Yes, the Owls are in foreign territory – that of conference road chalk – but they
did prevail in that role earlier this season at Eastern Michigan. Plus, Temple’s
rushing attack (169 YPG) against Akron’s 99th-ranked run defense supports the
price tag. Zippity-Do-Not – take the points, that is.

GAME OF THE WEEK UPSETUPSET UPSETUPSET
West Virginia over CINCINNATI by 1
The Hawkeyes fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last weekend and if Bill
Stewart’s Mountaineers have any say in the matter, “another one bites
the dust” this week. While we’re sure Brian Kelly would prefer Queen’s
other hit, “We are the Champions” to be playing over the course of
the next few weeks, the ATS archives make a solid case for the quality
hillbillies. Besides the visitor carrying an AMEX Gold-like 5-0-2 series
mark, the Mountaineers are a spotless 6-0 ATS as conference dogs of 6 or
more points. In fact, since the 2002 season, West Virginia is a mountain-
like 40-11 SU in Big East play with only four of those losses coming by
double-digits. Inside those numbers lurks a 20-6 SU and ATS road mark,
including 9-1 ATS when taking points. Bearcat backers will remind us that
they are 10-4 ATS as conference favorites of less than 14 points and a
perfect 6-0 ATS on weekdays, but our database has uncovered this little
gem: undefeated favorites of more than 8 points off four SU and ATS wins
are just 16-29 ATS, including 9-21 ATS off a win of 19 or more points. The
noose tightened for the Bearcats in last week’s 2-point win over UConn.
Look for West Virginia to avenge their only home loss last season and
apply the strangle hold.