Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 11/01/09

Free college plays moved to 6-3 on the season with underdog Rutgers getting the outright win over Connecticut. The end of this game was pretty wild. UConn rallied back from a 21-10 deficit to take a 24-21 lead, scoring what looked to be the game-winner shortly after converting a big play on 4th down. But The Scarlet Knights hit a bomb for more than 80 yards after the ensuing kickoff and got a huge road win. The cover in this game was never really in doubt, but it was still an amazing big play finish. With all that UConn has been through lately, bouncing back from this loss could be difficult. By the way, props to Rutgers coach Greg Schiano for excellent clock management late in the game that, as it turns out, gave his team a chance to come back and get the win.

Quick plug for the personal service. This is a good time of year to get involved with lots of football, and now hoops are underway as well. Just leave your contact info in the comments section and I’ll get in touch.

My Sunday NFL free opinion is on the clash between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.
It’s been the year of the big chalk in the NFL, with the power teams simply crushing the weaklings on a weekly basis. In other words, this season has been an aberration in that laying double digits has not been a bad thing. It’s tough to make a case for any big dogs right now. Nevertheless, I’m going to try to do just that in the Panthers-Cardinals contest.

There’s no question Arizona is the better team here. Carolina has had trouble mounting a consistent attack and their QB play has been abysmal. The Panthers had a chance to get to .500 last week hosting Buffalo, and they laid another egg en route to a 20-9 loss. So it’s safe to say I’m not making much of an argument to support the Panthers here.

My stance is more anti-Arizona. The Cardinals are in a flat spot and even in this year of the monster favorites going wild, we’re still seeing the occasional dead effort that results in an upset or a close call. I see that happening here. The Cardinals can relax a little, as they’ve moved back into first place in their division. They’re off an absolutely huge win on the road in the Sunday night hookup with the Giants. Fact is, Arizona has been superb on the road, but they’ve been less than stellar at home.

Revenge is not a huge factor in pro sports. It’s not nearly the motivator that it is at the college level. But it’s not a negative even in the NFL, and this could be one of those rare spots where it really does make a difference. The Panthers, and QB Jake Delhomme in particular, were humiliated in the playoffs last season by the Cardinals. They got blasted at home as Arizona kicked off its improbable run to the Super Bowl, and I have to believe this is a game the Panthers really want.

The oddsmakers opened Arizona as 7′ point favorites and the number has reached double figures as this is written. Under the circumstances, that’s an inviting number to me, so I’m backing Carolina with the points for the free NFL opinion.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/30/09

I’m geared up for a huge weekend in college football, as this is my deepest card of the entire season. Altogether, I’m on about a dozen games and I’m extremely confident of reaping some substantial rewards. Four of those games are featured right now at vegasinsider.com, where I’m at 26-9 with my college plays for the season to date. If you want to play all the games I’m on myself, just leave me your contact info and I’ll personally get in touch to get you ready to roll right away!

This week’s free college play is the Big East hookup between Rutgers and Connecticut.

It’s been a very trying couple of weeks for Connecticut. The Huskies played a very emotional game last week at West Virginia as they tried to win one for teammate Jasper Howard, who was tragically killed following UConn’s homecoming win over Louisville. The Huskies played extremely hard last week in front of a subdued crowd in Morgantown, and fell just short in their effort to pull off the upset against West Virginia. I’m not sure what’s left in their tank at this point, with the service for Howard taking place on Monday and arrests in the case being made as well. I look at this as a potential letdown spot for UConn, and I’d be surprised if they’re at their best.

Aside from the intangible effects, it’s a close game on paper. Rutgers is probably a little better defensively, and they’re tough against the run, which is UConn’s calling card on offense. UConn still has the edge on offense, but if they aren’t able to run the ball well, the Huskies can be prone to mistakes with their passing game.

This has been an underdog series for the most part with the Huskies cashing most of the tickets since they’re usually the ones getting the points. In fact, this is just the first time in five years that UConn has been the favorite. I expect this to be a very tightly contested clash and getting more than a TD, Rutgers is the choice.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/29/09

I’ve got previews of a couple of the bigger games on this weekend’s college football slate today.

A couple of quick promo notes first. Make sure to call for my free daily plays, on tape at 1-888-712-6800. As for my personal plays, the games I’m wagering on myself, I’ve got a solid introductory offer on the table right now, so if you’re in this to try and make money, it’s worth checking out. Just leave your contact info and I’ll get in touch to get things rolling.

The big game on the college board this week is in the Big 12, as undefeated Texas heads into Stillwater to duel Oklahoma State. I think you’ll see a real division here among those who handicap using various angles and technical trends and those who prefer to focus on the matchup in terms of the personnel. I can tell you with virtual certainty that the tech guys are going to fire on Oklahoma State. If you’re into angles and systems, the Cowboys fit a multitude of power home dog theories. On the other hand, Texas creates a physical problem for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are not going to be able to run the football here. No one runs on Texas, it’s that simple. The Longhorns have a great rushing defense, so if anyone is going to beat these guys, they’re going to have to do it in the air. But can Texas run on Oklahoma State? I’m not so sure they can. The one flaw for the Longhorns is that they’re not loaded with speedy backs, and the Cowboys are also pretty tough against the run. I think the situation favors the home dog. It’s an absolutely huge game for Oklahoma State. This game goes a long way toward indicating whether the Cowboys are finally at an elite level, or whether they’re still in the good by not great category. As for Texas, aside from 2005 when they ran the table, they’ve always managed to have that one pothole on their slate that flattens them, and this could well be it. Texas has owned the series, and I can’t fade them as I think they’re still the more proven entity. But I have a suspicion that this is going to be a real battle, and although I will personally not play this game, I’m leaning to Oklahoma State with the points, although I like the Longhorns to win the game straight up.

The other headliner is USC-Oregon, and you know Autzen Stadium will be an absolute loony bin for this contest. Oregon has raced right back into the BCS hunt since the opening week disaster at Boise State. The Ducks bear little in common with the team that lost to the Broncos and was lucky to slip past Purdue. As for USC, I have said all along that this is the “weakest” edition of the Trojans in the past several years. I use that term loosely, as they’re still a very powerful team. But I do not think they’re as dominating as recent editions and I think the results to date bear that out. There’s no doubt in my mind that Oregon is good enough to win this game at home. But there’s also no disputing that the Trojans just don’t lose the big conference battles. I don’t see Oregon being at all intimidated, but I still believe USC has a slight mental edge coming in. I just don’t know what to do with the side in this hookup, as I can’t even make what i feel is a decent case for either team. But I do think it could turn into a shootout, so call it a lean to the Over. But it’s strictly a lean, so proceed with caution unless you have a strong take on your own.

I’m back on Friday with this week’s free college play.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Hoops 10/28/09

Part Two of the NBA preview in today’s blog. I’ll get back to football on Thursday. Meanwhile, I loved the way opening night went. The Wizards were outright winners, Portland managed to get a win or a push in what was a very easy victory over the Rockets, I won my online release with the Celtics and the free opinion on the Clippers was good. Don’t forget to call 1-888-712-6800 every day for my free play on a taped message.

My opening month guaranteed offer is outstanding. Buy my November hoops and I’ll guarantee a minimum 60% winners on at least 50 selections, or the rest of the season is on the house. That’s a very strong offer, so if you’re serious about getting those dollars this season, leave me your contact info and I’ll be in touch.

On to the Western Conference rundown, starting with the Pacific Division, home of the defending champs. There’s simply nothing I can see that prevents the Lakers from absolutely romping to another division title. They’re loaded again, and if Ron Artest commits to being a role player and Andrew Bynum is finally back at 100% after the knee surgeries, LA will be even better than they were last year…The Golden State Warriors are a blast to watch, and I think they will improve substantially on last year’s disappointing 29-53 ledger. Monta Ellis is back at full strength, Anthony Randolph is a potential star, and I’m high on rookie Stephen Curry. Don Nelson can still coach, and I’ve got the Warriors sneaking into the last playoff spot…I’m not impressed with Phoenix. Steve Nash is still great, and while there seems to be a real commitment on the part of the veterans on this team, my belief is that they will deal Amar’e Stoudemire at some point. I know Shaq became a distraction last year, so that’s addition by subtraction. But that also means Channing Frye is now going to log substantial minutes, and that’s not good at all….The LA Clippers will not lose 60 games again this season, but they’re not jumping into the playoff fray, either. Too much depends on Baron Davis, and I’m just not sold that he can stay healthy or committed enough to lead the team. Eric Gordon is a star, but I’m not a big Al Thornton fan, and the big guys are extremely prone to injuries. The Clippers actually look to have a decent bench, so at least they should be mildly respectable, but that’s about it…Sacramento has no chance. No knock on Kevin Martin, but if he’s your best player, you’re in serious trouble. Tyreke Evans is a very talented rookie, but first-year point guards often struggle. The bigs have upside but remain raw at this point. I don’t see the Kings winning more than 20 games.

The San Antonio Spurs head up the Southwest Division, and they’re lined up for a serious run at league title honors. Bringing Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess on board gives the Spurs a tremendous starting five, and I would not be at all surprised to see this team deal for veteran bench help later. The window hasn’t closed yet for the Spurs, although I would caution that they are built more for the playoffs than the regular season…The Dallas Mavericks are getting a little long in the tooth, and if they’re ever going to make that big run, it needs to be now. I believe the signing of Shawn Marion indicates that Mavs management has the same idea. Marion gives Dallas way more versatility than they had last season. The Mavs probably aren’t good enough to win this division, but if their legs are still fresh come playoff time, they could be a tough out…New Orleans was the sexy pick in many circles heading into last season, but the Hornets fell back under 50 wins and I don’t see them improving this year. Emeka Okafor is a downgrade from Tyson Chandler, I’ve never been especially high on Morris Peterson as a starting guard and the bench is shaky…The Houston Rockets have a great coach in Rick Adelman, but he’s not a miracle worker. This team is way down. There is no go-to guy on offense and they’re weak at the point. I like Luis Scola to have big year, but I’d be stunned if Houston gets past 30 wins…Memphis is a mess. They have some individually talented guys, but there is just one basketball and I can’t see a team with Allen Iverson, OJ Mayo and Zack Randolph functioning as a unit. Rudy Gay is the best player on the Grizzlies and deserves a trade to a real team.

The Northwest Division should be a great race, but I like Portland to come out on top. The Blazers have a franchise player in Brandon Roy and an emerging star in LaMarcus Aldridge. Andre Miller was a smart pickup and the bench is deep and talented. If Greg Oden figures things out, the Blazers are serious title contenders. Even if he struggles, this is still a very good team…The Utah Jazz will be right there as well. If Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko can stay happy and healthy, the Jazz are dark horses to make a lengthy post-season run. Utah should get back on the right side of the 50-win plateau…Denver won this division last year, and the Nuggets will contend again. In fact, I really don’t have a concrete reason for dropping them two notches in the division. The only suspect spot on the floor is at shooting guard, and they have to hope Kenyon Martin and Nene stay healthy. Rookie Ty Lawson could emerge as a key reserve, and Chris Anderson is perhaps the league’s best energy boost off the bench…Don’t sleep on Oklahoma City. The Thunder are probably still a year or two away from big things, but they’re clearly on the rise. Kevin Durant is an incredible talent, and the supporting cast is improving. I’m not putting the Thunder into the playoffs this year, but I would not be shocked if they get there…Minnesota is destined to be at the bottom of the division this season, but even the Timberwolves have some upside. Al Jefferson is terrific, and even off the knee injury he should be outstanding. They have a ton of youth on the roster and while there will be loads of rough spots this season, this team may finally have some direction for the future.

Here’s my 1-8 breakdown in the West.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

2. San Antonio Spurs

3. Portland Trailblazers

4. Utah Jazz

5. Dallas Mavericks

6. Denver Nuggets

7. New Orleans Hornets

8. Golden State Warriors

 

 

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Hoops 10/27/09

I’ll get back in football blog mode in a couple of days. But with the NBA swinging into action tonight, it’s time to hang up the dart board and try to hit the target with some pre-season picks for the brand new campaign.

I’ve also put together an offer for the first month of the hoops season that I’d say is pretty solid. Get my personal plays for the month of November, as well as what’s left of October. I’ll guarantee at least 60% winners on a minimum of 50 selections or the entire balance of the basketball season will be free. Translated, that means I have to be at least 10 games in the black or there’s no balance due for the remainder of the campaign. No extras or gimmicks, just what I’m playing myself on a daily basis. Just leave your contact info in the comments section (not to be published or sold) and I’ll be in touch.

Here’s how I see things breaking down this year in the NBA. I’ll cover the Eastern Conference today, and the West will be featured in Wednesday’s blog.

The Boston Celtics should have clear sailing in the Atlantic. This team is better than it was last year, thanks to a deeper and more talented bench. The Celtics can now go nine-deep and I think they’ve got the best starting lineup in the league…The Toronto Raptors are clearly second best in the division and I think they’re an underrated team. Chris Bosh is in great shape, Hedo Turkoglu is a terrific addition and I really like rookie DeMar DeRozan. If Andrea Bargnani’s late season surge wasn’t a mirage, the Raptors have a chance to be a very good team…I am not high on Philadelphia. I thought letting Andre Miller go was a bad move, and I can’t see Lou Williams as a starting PG. If Elton Brand finds his old form, maybe they can back to the playoffs, but I’m betting against it. Eddie Jordan’s Princeton offense might help camouflage some of the weakness on this team, but I see the 76ers struggling this year…The New York Knicks are simply biding time till next summer, when they will have big bucks available for a major free agent push. For now, Knicks fans will have to enjoy rock steady David Lee, who has emerged as a double-double machine. The rest of the team, aside from Al Harrington and perhaps a healthy Danilo Gallinari, is an assortment of bench types and role players…The New Jersey Nets have a dynamic duo in Brook Lopez and Devin Harris. Courtney Lee is a good young player. The balance of the roster is about as ugly as it gets and I’ll be shocked if the Nets lose fewer than 55 games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers should run away with the Central Division. If Shaquille O’Neal meshes with LeBron James, the Cavs will have a great chance to win it all. Anthony Parker is a good addition to the backcourt, and the bench is set with old pro Zydrunas Ilgauskas and hard working Jamario Moon. My biggest question about the Cavs is whether Mike Brown is the right coach to take them the distance…The Chicago Bulls loom as a distant second in this sector. Derrick Rose is a stud and John Salmons should be solid at shooting guard. The Bulls need Luol Deng to stay healthy and I like the center combo of Joakim Noah and veteran Brad Miller. I’m not a great believer in Tyrus Thomas, though, and the Bulls are going to miss Ben Gordon’s spark. Look for Chicago to be right around .500 again, which will be good enough for the playoffs but that’s about it…The Detroit Pistons are now officially in transition and I don’t see them as a playoff team. Kwame Brown and Charlie Villanueva are starting, and that’s about all one needs to know. The Pistons look very soft on defense, and the offense won’t be good enough to compensate for that liability…The Indiana Pacers will push the ball at every opportunity and Danny Grangers should put up spectacular numbers. I don’t see Troy Murphy duplicating last year’s stats, and the backcourt is below average. Indiana probably ought to sacrifice a little scoring and start defensive whiz Dahntay Jones, but regardless, this is a weak team that might now win 35 games…The Milwaukee Bucks are in for a long season. They might be one of the worst shooting teams we’ve seen in years. I have the Bucks as one of the three worst teams in the conference and they will have trouble winning 30 games.

The best race is in the Southeast Division, with little to separate three contenders for the crown. I’m tabbing the Orlando Magic for the top spot, but it won’t be easy. The Magic will miss Hedo Turkoglu’s ability to hit clutch shots and they have to hope Jameer Nelson stays healthy,as Orlando is thin at the point. On the other hand, Vince Carter should be thrilled to be out of New Jersey. I really like the addition of Brandon Bass. He’ll be a big help on the boards and that takes some of the burden off superstar Dwight Howard. The Orlando bench is not a strength, however, and I’m basically only giving them the division off what they accomplished last season…On paper, I’m not so sure Atlanta doesn’t belong on top. In fact, if Josh Smith decides that team basketball is more important than getting on Sportscenter, the Hawks may indeed be the team to beat in the Southeast. Joe Johnson remains underrated, they have a very hungry new addition in Jamal Crawford and while Marvin Williams may never be an All-Star, I think he’s ready to shed the bust tag…The Washington Wizards will be the most improved team in the league and by a wide margin. Gilbert Arenas is ready to go full tilt, Mike Miller and Randy Foye were absolutely stolen from Minnesota, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison (once he’s healthy) are very talented, and Flip Saunders is a big upgrade as coach. After winning only 19 games last season, I like Washington to have a good shot at 50 wins this year and I would not be shocked to see them grab a first-round home court come playoff time…The Miami Heat are a tough projection. The Heat have a potential distraction with Dwyane Wade in his walk year, and he could actually become a distraction if the Heat struggle early. Michael Beasley is an unknown quantity for now, Jermaine O’Neal is a shell of what he used to be, and I’m not excited by Mario Chalmers at the point. The bench is okay, though, and Miami is likely good enough to eke out a playoff berth…The Charlotte Bobcats came on nicely last year and actually made a run at a playoff spot till they ran out of gas at the finish line. I think the Bobcats can maintain the improvement this season. This team comes to play every night on defense and should be even stronger in that regard with Tyson Chandler manning the middle. Charlotte doesn’t have much offense, however, and they’re in a very difficult division, so they may fall short of a playoff berth again. But they’re finally making progress.

Here’s the way I’m seeding the East.
1. Boston
2. Cleveland
3. Orlando
4. Toronto
5. Atlanta
6. Washington
7. Miami
8. Chicago

I’ll have the Western Conference tomorrow. Meanwhile, check my free pick phone for my Tuesday opinion on the Clippers-Lakers opening night hookup. It’s on tape now at 1-888-712-6800.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/26/09

I’m still on top in the vegasinsider.com college rundown, winning both the percentage and net units category. I’m now at +1610 and hitting 74% for the entire season with the plays I post there. I do need to point out that I don’t post all my plays there, and I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking I’m hitting that percentage on all my plays. But suffice to say I’m very pleased with the way things are going overall, and I’m looking forward to another strong week on the college side.

I would definitely recommend buying the plays at vegasinsider or at ecappermall.com ( I post the same plays at both sites) particularly if you’re a smaller player. More serious bettors should find out about dealing with me directly, particularly with hoops about to get underway. Just leave your contact info and I’ll get in touch to discuss what’s available.

A couple of other notes. My Blowout of the Week is now 6-1-1 for the season, and I’m 10-3 on the other “special” games I’ve advertised. The free college plays posted here are now 5-3 with a very easy winner on Temple this past Saturday.

On the NFL side, I continue to be a coin flip at best and the free play on the Raiders was hysterically awful. This may sound like a stupid thing to say considering I’m in the business of selling picks. But I would definitely NOT recommend anyone buying my NFL stuff. It’s just not worth even a minimal investment. On the flip side, you’ll have a tough time finding anyone who can break down the colleges as well as I can. Safe to say that after roughly 30 years of doing this professionally, plus a good decade or so prior to that just playing on my own, I know my strengths and weaknesses.

Okay, on to some quick hits of what took place on the field this past week in the colleges.

The week started with a pair of dramatic comebacks. UTEP rallied from a double digit final quarter deficit to overtake Tulsa. Florida State played a sensational second half as they came from way down to get past North Carolina. On Saturday, the big comeback was by Northwestern. The Wildcats were trailing Indiana 28-3 in the second quarter, but scored 26 unanswered points, including a very late FG, to escape with a 29-28 win. Ball State also came from behind with 2 TD’s sandwiched around a safety as they nipped Eastern Michigan by a deuce. San Diego State was down 21-7 at halftime vs. Colorado State, and the Aztecs had lost their best WR to a wrist injury. But Ryan Lindley was awesome after halftime as SDSU outscored the Rams 35-7 in the second stanza en route to an impressive road win. The most important comeback was clearly the one staged by Iowa, as the unbeaten Hawkeyes scored a TD on the final play to defeat Michigan State.

There were also a trio of rallies that fell just short. Buffalo kicked a FG on the final play of regulation to force overtime at Western Michigan. But the Bulls missed a kick in the the extra session, and the Broncos made theirs for a dramatic win. Louisiana Tech dug themselves a hole at Utah State. But the Bulldogs had a chance to forge a tie with a successful two-point conversion. The Aggies turned them away, however, and held on a for the narrow win at Logan. The most noteworthy near miss was in the Tennessee-Alabama game. The Volunteers had two kicks blocked in the final quarter, including one right at the end of the game, and the Crimson Tide escaped with a 12-10 win. By the way, ‘Bama had better fix their pathetic red zone offense or they’re going to get knocked off by someone.

The bad beat of the week was absorbed by those wagering on Northern Illinois. The Huskies had the  number covered against Miami Ohio. But the Redhawks hit a 24 yard TD pass on the last play to slip inside the number. The best game of the week had to be Clemson-Miami, which was one of those last time with the ball wins type of games. The Tigers ended up hitting a TD pass on  a 3rd and 11 in overtime to get the victory over the Hurricanes in a classic shootout.

Finally, the worst performance of the week was unquestionably the one turned in by Nebraska. Iowa State was without their two best offensive players, and several Cyclones were physically ill with a nasty flu bug that infiltrated the team. But the Cornhuskers managed to blow the game as huge favorites thanks to one of the most inept efforts in that proud program’s history. Nebraska had an astounding eight turnovers in the game, including four inside the Iowa State five-yard line!

I’ll have a couple of special edition blogs the next two days with the focus on the start of the NBA season.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/25/09

There’s still time to get in on my three-week special, so be sure and leave your contact info if you want to find out more. Meanwhile, here’s a look at my free play for Sunday in the NFL. This one is on the hookup between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are not good at all on offense, but the defense isn’t bad and they match up well with the Jets today. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez is off a miserable game for the Jets, and the team has now lost three in a row after their great start. Traveling coast to coast is never easy, and the Raiders seem excited after getting a nice win last Sunday over the Eagles. The fact that the entire Tom Cable assault incident is now behind them is a plus. Also, the blitz schemes Rex Ryan has been utilizing haven’t been as effective as it appears as though opposing offenses are not being caught as much by surprise as they were earlier in the season. This looks like a good spot for the Raiders to pick up their third win, and I’ll go Oakland’s way as home dogs against the Jets.

I’ll return on Monday with a recap of the college weekend. Good luck to all in the NFL!

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/23/09

This is about the best card I’ve seen all season in the colleges. With the current form outstanding, I could not have more confidence heading into Saturday’s action.

I’m running a three-week special offer for those of you who want to check my stuff out. I’m on top of the college rundown in winning pct. and net units won at vegasinsider.com, so there’s no better time to jump in and actually start collecting that extra cash. Just leave your contact info and I’ll get in touch.

On to the free play for this week, and this one is in the MAC.

Temple is on a 4-0 run after starting the season with losses to Villanova and Penn State. The Owls are positioning themselves for a run at getting to the MAC title game, as they’re 3-0 in league play. The Owls will have to do without freshman sensation Bernard Pierce, their most dynamic offensive performer. The star freshman RB hurt his shoulder last week and is unlikely to see action this week. That’s a big blow to an offense that is workmanlike at best. But the real strength of this team is their staunch defense, which I believe is definitely the best unit in the MAC.

Toledo gets their starting QB back for this game. Aaron Opelt was hurt a couple weeks back in a disastrous effort by the Rockets against Western Michigan. Toledo bounced back for a nice win last week over Northern Illinois, despite missing Opelt and having his backup get hurt during that contest. But the Rockets were also very fortunate to win, as Northern Illinois basically gave the game away with blunders in the kicking game.

The number has shifted fairly dramatically on this contest. Temple opened as the favorite on Sunday night, but the money has come in on Toledo and it’s now the Rockets in the small chalk role. I’m sure that is mostly due to the Pierce injury, but it now looks to me like there’s some decent value on the Owls side. I’ve always been a fan of backing defensive dogs and Temple is the vastly superior team in that realm. So it’s Temple plus the points for this week’s free college play.

Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/22/09

Good result on Wednesday with UTEP and the Under both getting home. Neither was a strong opinion, but it’s always nice to start the week off in the right direction. I’m also light on tonight’s ACC duel between Florida State and North Carolina, but the way it’s been going for me in college football, even a small opinion is worth following. Check it out FREE on tape at 1-888-712-6800. I’ll have my official free play for the week in the Friday blog, and that selection will also be available on the free pickphone.

I’m sitting in the #1  college football slot in both net units won and winning percentage among all the handicappers at vegasinsider and I’m very confident of adding to that bottom line with what looks like an outstanding weekend card. Find out about my direct personal consulting service by leaving me your contact info and I’ll personally get in touch to discuss what’s available.

Here’s a look at some key injuries that could impact this weekend’s slate of games in the colleges.

Air Force lost a major contributor on defense in the Navy game a couple weeks back when LB Ken Lamendola went down with a knee injury. But his absence has not been as critical as I thought it might be as senior John Falgout has stepped in and done a solid job.

Akron has a problem at WR with the loss of Deryn Bowser. He’s the best receiver on the team, and the talent is so thin at that spot that the Zips are having to move safety Andre Jones from safety to fill out the depth chart. Akron is also now down to their #3 QB for the rest of the season.

Javier Arenas is questionable for Alabama as they prep for their battle with Tennessee. Arenas sat out last week’s game with a rib injury. In addition to starting at CB, he’s an extremely dangerous return specialist, so check his status as game time approaches.

Ball State is having a tough campaign and the Cardinals will now be without starting QB Kelly Page for the remainder of the season. Page injured his thumb last week against Bowling Green. Tanner Justice takes over the controls this week as the Cardinals visit Eastern Michigan.

Buffalo has issues at RB heading into their game at Western Michigan. Ike Nduka got hurt last week and is doubtful for this week. #2 RB Brandon Thermilus was also dinged up against Akron and is questionable for WMU. Bear in mind that James Starks was lost for the season before it began. The Bulls could be down to Mario Henry to shoulder the load on Saturday.

Cincinnati QB Tony Pike might not miss the Louisville game after all. He’s been upgraded to questionable for Saturday with the sprained wrist suffered last week against South Florida. In view of how well Zach Collaros filled in, however, it could be that the Bearcats err on the side of caution and keep Pike on the sidelines for what looms as a fairly easy game against the Cardinals.

Colorado State has a couple of key injuries. Leading rusher Leonard Mason is questionable for San Diego State with bruised ribs. Meanwhile, the Rams have lost their leading tackler, Klint Kubiak, for the season.

Connecticut CB Jasper Howard was stabbed to death following last week’s win over Louisville. The team held an emotional candlelight vigil honoring Howard on Wednesday evening.

Florida star wideout Riley Cooper has a hip pointer and his status for the Mississippi State game is up in the air.

UL Lafayette RB Undrea Sails broke his leg last week and is done for the season. That’s a big injury as the senior was the leading rusher for the Cajuns.

Navy QB Ricky Dobbs has been playing through a knee injury, but it may be getting worse. Dobbs left practice this week and was sent to get an MRI. He’s now questionable for the Wake Forest game, and don’t be surprised to see Kriss Proctor calling signals for the Middies on Saturday.

Nathan Tune filled in admirably last week for North Texas after starting QB Riley Dodge went down. Look for Tune to get the start this week against Troy as Dobbs is now doubtful with a bad ankle.

Northern Illinois may be without QB Chandler Harnish as they venture to Miami Ohio. Harnish has a knee injury. Considering that this is a game where the Huskies are heavy favorites, there’s a pretty good chance Harnish might stay on the sidelines.

No word yet on Ohio RB Chris Garrett, who missed last week’s game with an ankle injury and is a question mark for this week. The Bobcats have quality depth at RB regardless and still ran very effectively last week in an easy win over Miami.

Oregon should have QB Jeremiah Masoli back in action as the Ducks visit Washington. Masoli sat out the win two weeks ago against UCLA, but he’s back running the first unit in practice this week and should start against the Huskies.

Stanford star RB Toby Gerhardt’s ankle is apparently okay and he’s slated to play against Arizona State. He was sorely missed late last week against Arizona, so this is huge good news for the Cardinal.

Temple has a significant injury as they travel to Toledo. Freshman sensation Bernard Pierce was removed from the field on a stretcher last week with a shoulder injury, and the star RB is doubtful this weekend. Kee-ayre Griffin is likely to get the bulk of the carries while Pierce is out.

Steven Sheffield took over at QB for Texas Tech when Taylor Potts suffered a concussion. Sheffield played so well he bumped Potts to number two on the depth chart. But Potts is now back as the starter with Sheffield gone for at least the next couple of weeks with a foot injury. If Potts has any residual effects from his head injury, Seth Doege is next in line.

Tulane is handing over the starting QB reigns to redshirt freshman Ryan Griffin. He’s been getting snaps in relief of an ineffective Joe Kemp, and now HC Bob Toledo is going to see how Griffin does as the starter.

Vanderbilt has had offensive line problems all season and now they will likely have to go without their best blocker. Thomas Welch has a bad ankle and has missed practice this week, leaving the Commodres short in the trenches as they visit South Carolina.

Virginia QB Jameel Sewell is questionable for the Georgia Tech game with an ankle that he rolled last week. Backup Mark Verica has plenty of experience as a starter if Sewell cannot go.

Jake Locker left last week’s Washington game with a back injury, but the leader of the Huskies will be back on the field Saturday for the showdown with Oregon. Locker is having a phenomenal campaign, so this is very good news for UW fans.

Jarrett Brown left early last week as the West Virginia QB absorbed a mild concussion. But he has recovered very quickly and now appears likely to play against Connecticut. Geno Smith will step in if Brown has any lingering effects.

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Dave Cokin’s Hardcore Football 10/21/09

I’m taking a day off from blogging and just about everything else, as the radio show is down for the day with the Dodgers-Phillies contest being aired on ESPN1100.

But I will be updating my FREE pickphone, and the taped selection will be on the Tulsa-UTEP Wednesday night football game. Be sure to check it out at 1-888-712-6800.

Back on Thursday with some good college football info for the coming weekend. Meanwhile, make sure to leave your contact info if you want in on my best personal plays. I’ve got my exclusive Net Winners program up and running as well as a terrific three-week special that should get you plenty of profits!