Fresno State Bulldogs

QB Zach Collaros can get it done in the air or on the ground. He's the real deal.

When I saw the line open at Cincinnati -1.5, my eyes opened up and I was in a state of disbelief. Something has to be up because this football spread is just too favorable if my first impression serves me correct. Sure, Cincinnati lost their head coach Brian Kelly to Notre Dame and they don’t have QB Tony Pike this season either (29 TDs last season in just 8 starts), but did the oddsmakers forget that Fresno State lost the nation’s best running back RB Ryan Matthews (1808 yards, 19 TDs) and play in the WAC?

Cincinnati has a more than capable quarterback in QB Zach Collaros (1436 passing yards, 344 rushing yards, 10 passing TDs, 4 rushing TDs in 4 starts), who filled in for the injured Tony Pike last season. I am enamored with this kid. In Collaros’s five games after Pike’s injury (he had 132 rushing yards in his debut once Pike went down vs. USF), he averaged 65 rushing yards per game. Collaros helped lead the Bearcats to a 12-0 regular season by going 4-0 as their starter and beating quality teams such as Connecticut and West Virginia. He threw for 4 TDs against Syracuse and racked up 480 passing yards, 75 rushing yards, and 3 TDs against Connecticut. Collaros won over Bearcats fans and there were many who wanted him to remain the starting QB for the rest of the season.

Collaros also has a ton of weapons to work with again this season as the offense returns 8 starters including returning RB Isaiah Pead (806 rushing yards, 201 receiving yards, 11 TDs), WR Armon …

Current Profit/Loss -1.4 units

Nice win last night and looking to start rolling as we get into the third weekend of college football. I know you can’t make a living playing against home dogs, but tonight I just think Fresno State is simply out-classed. Tough spot for Fresno State here coming off that difficult road loss to Wisconsin in double overtime. Now they return home to face a Boise State team that is much better than Wisconsin or Fresno State in just about every statistical category. Currently Boise State seems to be in what I will term the “Killer Position.” Boise State literally destroyed an Oregon team that will feel the effects of that loss for the rest of the season. They completely crushed Miami-Ohio and covered the 38.5 point spread. Tonight they take on Fresno State in a very vulnerable position (still feeling the blow from last week). Plus add to that, that Boise State loves playing in these nationally televised games and will be pumped up to show off their talent again. Fresno State has not faced a defense as tough as Boise State. Fresno State’s QB looked great in the first half verse the Badgers, throwing 3 TDs, but threw 3 Ints in the second half. I just see Boise State really coming out prepared, focused, and determined to show they belong in another BCS game. Remember this, Boise State will likely not play in a bowl game if the suffer even one loss, so each game is that much more important to them.

The Play: Boise State (-7.5) for 2 units…