JIMMY THE GREEK SAYS

jimmythegreek

The opening odds start here
Boston College -37 over Massachusetts:
After 2 embarrassments last week with each team in this matchup on both sides of the pendulum, Boston College (1-0) looks to continue their dominating ways against interstate foes Massachusetts (0-1). Not just because one lowly foe is an independent since 2016 and the other hails out of the ACC, you simply couldn't call this an interstate rivalry despite both schools being just an hour and 45 minutes from each other. U Mass, now a subdivision 1 independent, has lost 15 of 16 games covering 2 seasons under head coach Walt Bell, doesn't look like their program will get any stronger. The last time the Minutemen tasted postseason play was back in 2007 when they lost to Southern Illinois 34-27 in the Division 1-AA playoffs. Most recently, these two teams met in 2018 with the Eagles winning 55-21. Boston College looks to 2021 with a positive outlook beginning with new head coach Jeff Hafley after Steve Addazio was fired in 2020 with a 6-6 record. Boston College broke a 5 game bowl losing streak with a 36-30 victory over Maryland in 2016. Boston College joined the ACC in 2005 and went to 12 consecutive bowl games from 1999-2010, the longest streak which was tied with Oklahoma in a similar span.

The Eagles humbled Division 1 Colgate of the Patriot League 51-0 in week 1. Sophomore QB Phil Jurkovec has now made tracks early on for BC by completing 18/27 for 332 yards and 3 TD. The 6'5" QB redshirt junior who transferred from Notre Dame, threw for 2,558 yards, the most ever by a BC under center in his first 10 games. Zay Flowers caught 7 passes for 135 yards including a 39 TD catch. Trae Barry also caught a 51 yard TD pass, and a 14 yard score to Jaden Williams. The Eagles defense limited the Raiders to 189 yards of total offense and forced 3 turnovers, including 2 by Grant Breneman (9/16 77 2 INT), who was also sacked 5 times. Travis Levy (9-32 3.6 1 TD) scored on a 3 yard run, and Jahim Muse added a 22 yard INT return to paydirt. Meanwhile, U Mass was punished by Pittsburgh 51-7 last week at Heinz Field. The Minutemen defense, or lack thereof surrendered a net total of 612 yards to the Panthers. Kenny Pickett (28/38 273 2 TD) started the scoring by completing a 5 yard TD pass to Lucas Krull (5-58 1 TD) and followed shortly thereafter with a 13 yard score to Jordan Addison (5-40 1 TD) from 12 yards out. 5 different Panthers each scored a rushing TD as Pittsburgh ran for 213 rushing yards in all. With Pitt up 37-0 to begin the 4th quarter, Minutemen QB Tyler Lytle ran up the middle one yard for a TD, the only score for U Mass all game long. Lytle threw for just 161 yards on 14/31 passing overall despite no turnovers, The Minutemen were held to just 42 yards rushing and 209 total yards overall in the blowout.

McQuirk Alumni Stadium is not ideally your typical home field advantage, as the venue holds just a little more than 21,000, and those who show up will likely be in wine and gold gear. While the magnitude of the Eagles' opener didn't seem fair to judge due to the lack of competition, this is the time early in the season where head coach Hafley would love to make an impactful scoring statement against less familiar foes due to the disparity in overall talent especially before ACC play begins shortly. BC has plenty of versatility on the ground, where they averaged north of 5 yards running the ball supporting their 178 rushing yards. Jurkovec didn't have many hitches in his giddyup, and should further take advantage of a lackluster U Mass defense this week. Granted, of BC's rushing yardage, their top back ran for a game high 39 yards, but they have so much balance in the backfield as Jurkovec led the team with 61. Their receiving core is equally impressive, as BC will likely look again to top target Flowers who had his way with the U Mass secondary. U Mass barely averaged 1.5 rushing yards against a feisty Pitt defense, and were shut out on their first 6 offensive plays of the game when it came to any type of positive yardage.

This may be a lot of lumber to lay, but given the personnel advantages on both sides of the ball, as well as future growth, I see another one-sided affair that in which the initial spread could easily be covered by halftime or in the early part of the third quarter. Lytle does have some size at 6'6" and 225, but he's at best statuesque in the pocket, tailor made for BC's defenders like Muse, along with transfer Jaiden Lars-Woodbey and strong safety Kam Arnold. playing at a 4-2-5. It will take a herculean effort for U Mass to get on the board with struggles pointing to garbage points during which BC has already put the game away.
 

jimmythegreek

The opening odds start here
Purdue -34 over UConn -120:
Jack Plummer (29/41 313 2 TD) sealed a closely contested contest with the second of his 2 TD passes to Payne Durham (7-120 2 TD) , a 50 yard strike as the Purdue Boilermakers (1-0) held off Oregon (0-1) St 30-21 at West Lafayette last week. Over 72,000 fans came to see Purdue win their home opener becoming the largest crowd in 644 days at Ross-Aide Stadium. David Bell led the Boilermakers receiving core catching 8 passes for 134 yards, but Durham, who earlier caught a 5 yard TD pass, benefitted from a clincher as head coach Jeff Frohm was willing to air it out after a couple of key late 4th down stops by the defense. Zander Horvath (21-81 3.9 1 TD) added an 11 yard TD run for Purdue. The defense kept the Beavers out of the end zone through the air despite allowing 386 total yards, most of it in the decisive second half. using a dual QB system, Chance Nolan completed 12/18 for 178 yards. However Sam Noyer struggled and was pulled in his OSU debut completing just 10/23 for 94 yards and an INT. Mitchell Finneran converted on all of his 3 field goal attempts.in the second and third quarters. The Beavers have now lost 4 straight and still has only 2 conference wins over the last 4 years for head coach Johnathan Smith. Purdue held Oregon St to just 80 yards rushing and the Beavers got 2 TD's from BJ Baylor (9-24 2.7) and one from Tyjon Lindsey (2-10 5.0 1 TD).


Connecticut (0-2) will host Purdue this week at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium after an embarrassing loss to FCS Holy Cross 38-28 last week. The loss was so revolting that a mutual decision was made to let head coach Randy Edsall go for a second time, prompting Lou Spanos to head the program as interim head coach. Matt Sluka (9/16 123 2 TD) and the Crusaders only trailed once by a TD after one quarter, and Sluka's 76 yard run set up a 14 yard TD by Tyler Purdy (10-40 4.0 1 TD). Sluka (14-112 8.0 1 TD) added a 6 yard run on his own that all but put away the Huskies for good. The Crusaders totaled 403 yards of total offense, including 227 on the ground. Zack Zergiotis (17/42 174 3 TD 3 INT) was sacked 3 times and Connecticut was responsible for 5 turnovers including 2 lost fumbles. Keelan Marion (3-60 2 TD) tried to keep U Conn in the game thanks to TD receptions of 35 and 15 yards, but it wasn't enough as the Huskies have been outscored 83-28 over the first 2 weeks.

Things have certainly not gotten any better after a canceled 2020 season due to COVID, and pretty much left for dead since becoming an independent. Kevin Mensah certainly has potential if he received some blocking up front from the line, but has mustered just 97 yards on 32 carries (3.0). <Arion and Cameron Ross (8-60) are certainly set up for Zergiotis, but it's going to be tough if the latter cannot limit the mistakes, Plummer (no relation to Jake, by the way) looks to be one of the Big 10's better kept secrets as well as a pass first QB under Brohm. Seeing that U Conn's defense seems to be privy to giving up big plays, Purdue seems to be the more complete choice especially when it comes to the passing game, and with enough damage late could use the running game to kill clock wearing the Huskies down in time of possession.

Best of luck however you play!
YTD 1-1 .500 -.10
 

jimmythegreek

The opening odds start here
Where are my fellow cappers with balls?

[TABLE]

Ticket#:342663269
Sep 11 12:00 PM​

INTERNET / -1

Sep 11 11:51 AM

CFB

STRAIGHT BET
[309106] AUBURN -49½-110​

83/75

[/TABLE]

[TABLE]

Ticket#:342663268
Sep 11 12:00 PM​

INTERNET / -1

Sep 11 11:51 AM

CFB

STRAIGHT BET
[309105] TOTAL o60-110 55/50​

 [/TABLE]
 
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