Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
09/02/2010 - Newark, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - OK, now, the Delaware offense consists of quarterback Pat Devlin and, well, uh, um ...
Yes, the answers don't necessarily role off the tongue.
Don't be mistaken, however, UD will be much more than PD this season. In fact, the Blue Hens will have to be if they are going to accomplish their goal of being an elite team again in CAA Football and, ultimately, the Football Championship Subdivision.
Last year's trying season of injuries and youthful mistakes has led to a seasoned lineup for ninth-year head coach K.C. Keeler. After his squad shook off the early rust that often goes with a season-opening game, Devlin threw for three touchdowns and the Blue Hens shut out Division II West Chester for the second straight year, 31-0 before 19,421 sweaty fans Thursday night at Tubby Raymond Field.
Quite frankly, the game ball belonged more to Delaware's defense, which was smothering in allowing only 115 yards on 57 West Chester plays. Sixth-year senior linebacker Matt Marcorelle returned from injury and the veteran secondary of Anthony Bratton, Anthony Walters and Tyrone Grant was ridiculously good with three interceptions.
But everyone around UD is so anxious for the All-America Devlin to play like the next Joe Flacco that the intrigue around the team is how much the rest of the offense can support Devlin's starring role. Against West Chester, it looked like the unit has come of age a year after the Blue Hens went 6-5 and two years after - gulp - the low point of Keeler's tenure, a 4-8 record in 2008.
"I think we know each other better," said Devlin, the Penn State transfer who is one of 17 returning starters. "I think that turns into better chemistry on the field. And I think we're having more fun when we're out here just because we're kind of in each other's heads and we know what each other person is going to do.
"Just overall, there's more confidence in the offense, more confidence in the guys around me. I think everyone believes that everyone is going to get their job done."
The Blue Hens' offensive line features four returning starters, led by right tackle Kevin Uhll and his 27 straight starts. New tailback Andrew Pierce is a grayshirt freshman, but was on campus last spring, impressed in the spring game and has raced past last year's talented freshmen, David Hayes and Leon Jackson, on the depth chart. The receiving corps is so deep that it's hard for anybody to focus on just one or two of them.
"We did want to come out strong today, and I think we did that overall," Devlin said. "I think there are some things that we can improve on (two lost fumbles, six penalties) and we'll learn that in film.
"I think a lot of the guys showed it tonight. You know, Rob Jones is not only a good wideout, he can return punts, return kicks as well. Mark Mackey is a really good player on the outside, just as Phil Thaxton is. You saw that, make a 5-yard catch and turn it into a touchdown."
A half dozen or so NFL scouts were in attendance to watch Devlin (three have put in requests for all seven Delaware home games). He was out of the game in less than three quarters, a relative peace offering to West Chester when the score was 31-0.
Devlin completed 14 of 23 passes for 163 yards and spread the wealth with touchdowns to Nihja White (7 yards), Tommy Crosby (15 yards) and Thaxton (23 yards). Meanwhile, Pierce rushed for 119 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown, on 13 carries in his first career start.
"We gave A.P. (Pierce) an opportunity today and he was as advertised," Keeler said. "We really felt during the course of training camp he was proving that he needed to be our number one back. Gregg Perry, the running back coach, was really adamant about we need a guy that we can give the ball to 25 times a game. And A.P. is that kind of guy - 200-pounder, great speed, catches the ball in the backfield, doesn't make a lot of mistakes. So for a grayshirt freshman, he had a pretty good day."
"I've been waiting for this day to happen," Pierce said. "My line blocked great today. I ran well. I'm just happy for that, I'm happy for this win.
"I've talked about it before," Pierce added. "Playing with a guy that has a good chance of going to the NFL is going to be a great opportunity, teaching me things that I didn't know. It's just a great opportunity for me."
Delaware put the game away late in the second quarter with a third touchdown that flashed images the Blue Hens hope to see all season. Flashed was the optimum word because the three-play drive lasted a mere 46 seconds.
On the second play, Pierce sprinted for a 34-yard, across-the-field run to the West Chester 15. On the next play, Devlin tossed a 15-yard out pattern to Crosby in the end zone for an easy score and a 21-0 Blue Hens' lead.
It was impressive, quick and more than just Devlin.
Delaware, ranked 16th in The Sportsbook Betting Lines/Fathead.com FCS Top 25, will get a much bigger test next Saturday when ninth-ranked South Dakota State comes across the country for a big non-conference showdown.
Rest assured the Jackrabbits will be familiar with plenty of Blue Hens besides Pat Devlin. They'll need to be.
<< Red Sox edge Orioles to win series
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Ortiz drove in a pair of runs and
Adrian Beltre homered as Boston used an early burst of offense to
down Baltimore, 6-4, in the rubber match of a three-game set from Camden
Yards.
<< Ohio State rolls over Marshall in opener
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Terrelle Pryor threw for 247 yards and three
touchdowns, as second-ranked Ohio State blew out Marshall, 45-7, in the season
opener for both teams.
Pryor, coming off a sophomore season in which he led the B
<< Tigers' Cabrera exits with biceps tendinitis
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera
left Thursday's game against Minnesota with left biceps tendinitis.
Cabrera did not return to the field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and is
considered day
<< Jaguars hold off Falcons
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brock Bolen's 16-yard touchdown run in the
second quarter helped the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 13-9 win over the Atlanta
Falcons in the preseason finale for both clubs.
Josh Scobee kicked a pair of filed
Steelers top Panthers in preseason finale, QB questions unresolved >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dennis Dixon completed his only pass of the
night for a 23-yard touchdown to Emmanuel Sanders in the second quarter
the Steelers beat Carolina, 19-3, in the preseason finale for both teams.
Dixon, w
Jets down Eagles in preseason finale >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Brunell's 51-yard touchdown throw to
Santonio Holmes shortly into the fourth quarter put the Jets in front, and New
York held on for a 21-17 victory over the Eagles in the team's final preseason
game.
Dawson's last-moment FG lifts Browns over Bears >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Phil Dawson's 36-yard field goal in the final
seconds lifted Cleveland over Chicago, 13-10, in the final preseason tilt for
both clubs at Browns Stadium.
Colt McCoy took the majority of the snaps and finish
Rams top Ravens in preseason finale >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Thaddeus Lewis' 26-yard TD pass to
Brandon McRae in the fourth quarter helped the St. Louis Rams beat the
Baltimore Ravens, 27-21, in the preseason finale for both clubs.
Lewis completed 6
Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.
MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts US credit cards needs.
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting