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09/01/2010 - Tallahassee, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jimbo Fisher era in Tallahassee begins this weekend, as the 20th-ranked Florida State Seminoles open up their 2010 football season against the Samford Bulldogs.
Legendary coach Bobby Bowden's reign at FSU has come to an end and it will be up to Fisher to return the Seminoles to college football glory. The team did complete its 33rd straight winning season in 2009 and participated in its 28th straight bowl game, but a change was needed at the top to get the Seminoles back in the national title picture. With a solid nucleus returning, Fisher may just have the pieces necessary to do just that in his first season in charge.
Samford is an FCS program playing out of the Southern Conference. The team struggled in 2009 to a 5-6 overall record, including a 3-5 mark in its second season in the SoCon. The team returns 15 starters from last year and the hope is that Pat Sullivan can lead the Bulldogs to new heights in his fourth season at the helm.
This is just the second time that these two teams have ever meet. The first meeting took place 60 years ago, resulting in a 20-6 FSU win on October 14t, 1950 in Tallahassee.
Offensive consistency was certainly a problem for the Bulldogs in 2009, as the team managed just 19.7 ppg on a modest 306.6 yards of total offense. Junior QB Dustin Taliaferro is back to run the offense, after completing 59.2 percent of his passes, for 1,692 yards. However, his TD total (9) matched his interception total (9) and he will need to get better in that area if the Bulldogs are to make strides forward in 2010. Junior wideout Riley Hawkins may be the top option down the field, as the 5-10 187-pounder hauled in 34 balls last year, leading the way in receiving yards (638) and TD catches (four). The top offensive performer and the go-to-guy on this side of the football however, is senior tailback Chris Evans. The 6-0, 215-pounder led the team with 1,152 yards rushing last season, with seven TDs. He was also a valuable asset out of the backfield, pacing the team with 38 receptions and is an FCS All-American candidate.
While Samford's offensive struggled, the defense certainly held its own, limiting foes to just 17.5 ppg. A feverish pass rush was definitely a strength, with 28 QB takedowns. Senior DE John Michael Clay is the top playmaker along the line, leading the team with six sacks. Veteran leadership is found in the linebacking corps as well in senior MLB Bryce Smith (team-high 102 tackles, 11.0 TFLs, four INTs), who is clearly the defense's top performer and could garner All-American honors as well in 2010.
There wasn't much wrong with Florida State's offense in 2009, as the team averaged just over 30 points per game and did so on a balanced 421.4 yards of total offense. This year the team returns nine starters on this side of the football, including standout QB Christian Ponder. One of the top signal- callers in the nation, Ponder completed nearly 70 percent of his passes last year, for 2,717 yards, despite missing the last four games with a shoulder injury. Ponder will get one more chance to return FSU to football glory.
"I came into this program having high expectations. I wanted to compete at a national level and I expected to compete at a national level. That's something that has driven me. I've been given a great opportunity to try and change that. It's my last year and I'd like to get us back to that level."
The hope was that Ponder would have a slew of talented playmakers on the outside and while he still will, junior wideout Jarmon Fortson (45 receptions, for 650 yards, four TDs) was released from the team in the summer. The cupboard is far from bare in the receiving corps however, as juniors Bert Reed (60 receptions, 710 yards) and Taiwan Easterling (35 receptions, 442 yards, two TDs) will try to assuage the loss of Fortson. The ground game should see similar success in comparison to last year (149.5 ypg), spearheaded by the rushing exploits of junior Jermaine Thomas (832 yards, 5.1 ypc, nine TDs). A real strength for FSU is along the offensive line, where all five starters return, including All-American Rodney Hudson (6-2, 282) at left guard.
Not only did Bowden call it a career, but so did longtime defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews. Mark Stoops (formerly at Arizona) takes over this side of the football and will be charged with getting back to what the FSU faithful expect from a Seminole defense. They didn't find it a year ago, as Florida State allowed 30 points per game, while getting gashed for just over 200 yards rushing per outing. Gone are standout defenders like LB Dakoda Watson and CB Patrick Robinson, but players like LB Kendall Smith (85 tackles) and DE Markus White (38 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, two sacks) provide a good base to work with. The secondary is a bit of a concern though, as only one starter returns in the form of senior CB Ochuko Jenjie (team-high four INTs).
Fisher is impressed with how far the defense has come in such a short time under Stoops.
"We have done a tremendously better job not giving up the big plays. It is hard to find big plays on these guys. You have to really stick balls in holes or someone has to break a tackle and run hard. They are being very sound in what they are doing, and that is the first thing. You have to get that foundation down first. But the way they have played with not giving up big plays and playing very disciplined has been the most impressive in a short amount of time."
<< Cornhuskers open season in Lincoln against Hilltoppers
Lincoln, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In what figures to be a complete mismatch, the
eighth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers entertain the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
in the season opener for both programs this weekend at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska beg
<< Seventh-ranked Sooners welcome Aggies to Norman in season-opener
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 2010 college football season kicks off in
Norman this weekend, as the seventh-ranked Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Utah
State Aggies to Memorial Stadium.
The Aggies are in their second year under head coach G
<< 17th-ranked Hogs host Golden Eagles in 2010 opener
Fayetteville, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 17th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks open
up their highly anticipated 2010 season this weekend, as the welcome the
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles to Fayetteville.
Bobby Petrino is in his third year at the hel
<< Crimson Tide begin national title defense against visiting Spartans
Tuscaloosa, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Alabama Crimson Tide, ranked atop the AP
Poll as the 2010 season gets underway, begins defense of their national title
when they play host to the San Jose State Spartans on Saturday evening at
Bryant-Denny
New Zealand deals Canada another loss at Worlds >>
Izmir, Turkey (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kirk Penney scored 18 points to lead New
Zealand to a 71-61 victory over winless Canada at the 2010 FIBA World
Championship.
Casey Frank added 14 points for the Kiwis, who improved to 2-2 in Gro
Yobo move from Everton to Fenerbahce completed >>
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Everton defender Joseph Yobo has
completed his season-long loan move to Turkish club Fenerbahce, the English
Premier League club announced on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Nigeria internationa
Tottenham adds Van der Vaart from Real Madrid >>
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - English Premier League club Tottenham
Hotspur announced on Wednesday that it reached agreement with Real Madrid
for the transfer of midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart.
The 27-year-old's deal was s
Iowa gets things started against FCS foe Eastern Illinois >>
Iowa City, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The ninth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes lift the lid
on the 2010 season this Saturday, as they play host to the Panthers of Eastern
Illinois in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Eastern Illinois, which pla
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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