YTD: 100-82, + 52.8 units
Went 4-1 on the 4*, but frittered some away on the 1* plays. Anyways, was going to keep the pot full for the bowl games, which can be $ much of the time. But I had to play this one early since it fit a lot of the criteria for a larger play:
5* Wisconsin -3 If you caught some of the PSU- MSU game Saturday, you might have noticed the celebratory mood of the Nittany Lions. They celebrated when Ohio State won, and then played their best football in the 2nd half when they knew they only had to play one great half to go to the Big Ten Championship Game. And they celebrated often then, hugging and dancing long before the game was sewn up. Even the announcers noted that. It makes me think that Penn State has already reached the height of a successful season, and this week's game is a bit post-climatic. I see a letdown coming. One of the keys to Penn State's success is their great RB, Saquon Barkley, and he left the MSU game early with his foot and ankle heavily wrapped. Barkley is more of the "guy", I think, than QB Tracy McSorley. McSorley is a freelancer at times, and make something out of nothing at times, but he has also been risking injury and fumbled the ball 8 times. McSorley is also inconsistent with his accuracy. PSU is missing 4 OL this year, and a fifth is questionable- Two are starters, one a new starter due to injury. This will likely be exploited by a great Wisconsin front 7. Wisconsin's defense has played incredibly well except for the beginning of last week's game with Minnesota, and the 2nd half vs. Ohio State. They are ranked 4th nationally in defensive efficiency, and in the top 10 in many other categories.
Even if Barkley plays, he likely won't be 100%, and the Wisky LBs will limit his big plays. After Michigan and Alabama, Wisconsin might have the next best LBs in college football. The Wisconsin secondary was a question mark going into the season, but has also proven to be stellar- 7th in pass completion % and only 8 passing TDs(4th). I really like games like this where a good, but not great team comes off a big win, and faces a defensive dynamo. A team that can run the ball well, and now has their senior QB, Bart Houston, starting again. Houston led his team back from a deficit last week, and for a game like this is the better alternative than freshman Hornibrook. Penn State got massacred by Michigan, a team that resembles Wisconsin. PSU also beat OSU at home, but I saw that game, and I still think the Buckeyes outplayed them. In Columbus, OSU wins 9 out of 10 times vs. Penn State, and sometimes by a lot.
Wisconsin is just one of the those gamer type teams. Beat USC in their bowl as a fairly large underdog, beat LSU, took OSU to OT, and has a memory from 2 years ago that they will point to as a "Never again" moment- their blowout loss to Ohio State in the Big 10 CG. The Badgers were looking ahead to this game when they fell behind Minnesota last week, while Penn State is going to have a hard time coming down from their high of last Saturday. Game is in Indianapolis.
Went 4-1 on the 4*, but frittered some away on the 1* plays. Anyways, was going to keep the pot full for the bowl games, which can be $ much of the time. But I had to play this one early since it fit a lot of the criteria for a larger play:
5* Wisconsin -3 If you caught some of the PSU- MSU game Saturday, you might have noticed the celebratory mood of the Nittany Lions. They celebrated when Ohio State won, and then played their best football in the 2nd half when they knew they only had to play one great half to go to the Big Ten Championship Game. And they celebrated often then, hugging and dancing long before the game was sewn up. Even the announcers noted that. It makes me think that Penn State has already reached the height of a successful season, and this week's game is a bit post-climatic. I see a letdown coming. One of the keys to Penn State's success is their great RB, Saquon Barkley, and he left the MSU game early with his foot and ankle heavily wrapped. Barkley is more of the "guy", I think, than QB Tracy McSorley. McSorley is a freelancer at times, and make something out of nothing at times, but he has also been risking injury and fumbled the ball 8 times. McSorley is also inconsistent with his accuracy. PSU is missing 4 OL this year, and a fifth is questionable- Two are starters, one a new starter due to injury. This will likely be exploited by a great Wisconsin front 7. Wisconsin's defense has played incredibly well except for the beginning of last week's game with Minnesota, and the 2nd half vs. Ohio State. They are ranked 4th nationally in defensive efficiency, and in the top 10 in many other categories.
Even if Barkley plays, he likely won't be 100%, and the Wisky LBs will limit his big plays. After Michigan and Alabama, Wisconsin might have the next best LBs in college football. The Wisconsin secondary was a question mark going into the season, but has also proven to be stellar- 7th in pass completion % and only 8 passing TDs(4th). I really like games like this where a good, but not great team comes off a big win, and faces a defensive dynamo. A team that can run the ball well, and now has their senior QB, Bart Houston, starting again. Houston led his team back from a deficit last week, and for a game like this is the better alternative than freshman Hornibrook. Penn State got massacred by Michigan, a team that resembles Wisconsin. PSU also beat OSU at home, but I saw that game, and I still think the Buckeyes outplayed them. In Columbus, OSU wins 9 out of 10 times vs. Penn State, and sometimes by a lot.
Wisconsin is just one of the those gamer type teams. Beat USC in their bowl as a fairly large underdog, beat LSU, took OSU to OT, and has a memory from 2 years ago that they will point to as a "Never again" moment- their blowout loss to Ohio State in the Big 10 CG. The Badgers were looking ahead to this game when they fell behind Minnesota last week, while Penn State is going to have a hard time coming down from their high of last Saturday. Game is in Indianapolis.
