CAA Football teams find it hard to catch breath

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quarterback Pat Devlin doesn't care if an opponent on Delaware's CAA Football schedule is from the north or the south. He says they could even come from the east or west, if that were possible.

No matter the direction, there rarely is a break for any CAA team in the FCS' premier conference.

"They put the teams on your schedule and you've got to go out and play 'em," Devlin said.

Devlin's positive, business-like approach isn't embraced as much by others within the CAA who are gulping over what lies ahead this season. After the conference lost two of its lower-tier programs following last season - when Northeastern and Hofstra dropped the sport - the conference dropped from two six-team divisions to one 10-team alignment. And, oh, are there now even fewer chances for a team to catch its breath than in past seasons.

Underscoring the CAA's success is the fact its teams have appeared in six of the last seven FCS championship games, and Delaware (2003), James Madison (2004), Richmond (2008) and Villanova (last season) have won titles during the big run of success. Massachusetts won in 1998.

The conference is so strong that Richmond was picked in the Top 10 nationally of at least five preseason media polls, yet was selected only sixth in the CAA's preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors. That poll was released yesterday at the conference's media day at M&T Bank Stadium, and the brutally tough top five is led by defending national champion Villanova, followed by William & Mary, New Hampshire, James Madison and Devlin's Delaware squad.

Second-year program Old Dominion, which enters next year, and first-year program Georgia State, which follows in 2012, probably can't arrive fast enough for the rest of the conference.

"It's a league that has a lot of talent," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "You've got to show up; you just have to show up and know that any of those teams have the ability on any given day to beat you. I love our league. The coaching is as good as it's ever been. So you're going to be challenged every week."

As in past seasons, CAA teams will continue to play eight conference games - not the possible nine. But the loss of Hofstra (5-6, 3-5 last season) and Northeastern (3-8, 3-5) from the former North Division will be felt, especially if a team faces injuries to key players during the heart of their conference schedule.

Delaware has played two of the toughest schedules in the FCS over the last two seasons, so it probably deserves some type of break this season. It gets one in the fact that the one CAA team it won't play is New Hampshire. Villanova won't play Massachusetts (picked eighth), William & Mary doesn't get Towson (10th), James Madison will miss Rhode Island (ninth), and Richmond and Maine (seventh) won't square off.

"It attests to how competitive our league is. You really can't take a week off," said Dino Vasso, New Hampshire's preseason all-conference cornerback. "There's really four or five teams that could win the whole thing (FCS title) every year."

"It's going to be a hard year with everything combined," added William & Mary preseason all-conference linebacker Jake Trantin, "so we're going to stay focused and really concentrate on each week."

Richmond defensive tackle Martin Parker, who will challenge for national defensive player of the year honors (The Sportsbook Betting Lines's Buck Buchanan Award, sponsored by Fathead.com), points out that Northeastern and Hofstra weren't gimmes on anybody's schedule. Their record last season just happened to reflect that they faced CAA teams week-in and week-out.

"If you put them in any other conference, they're probably tops in that conference," Parker said.

But not having those teams on the schedule could hurt a CAA team come playoff time. Perhaps one will have a 6-5 record instead of the 9-2 it could have in another conference. Perhaps one will make the playoffs, but be beaten up physically.

Delaware finished 15-1 and won the national title in 2003, but had to escape last-minute or overtime wins over Villanova, UMass, Maine and New Hampshire to get there.

"It's the nature of this conference," Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said. "And what you have to do is win the close games. Us losing that Richmond game (16-15) early in the season (last year) really, really killed us because it came back to bite us. We didn't get that seventh win or we'd have been in the playoffs."

"I think any of us, to get into the playoffs has the ability to win the whole thing," Talley said. "Last year, New Hampshire did, William & Mary certainly did, Richmond certainly did. The four of us would have had a chance to go depending on whether you had a home seed or didn't have a home seed or where you ended up playing somebody. If William & Mary played us at William & Mary, they probably would have beaten us."

The team that emerges the least damaged come the end of the regular season, on Nov. 20, will be a true champion, according to Mickey Matthews, the two-time Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) at James Madison.

"I've looked at people's schedules down through the years, and whether it is a southern team or a northern team, you would see a team got a schedule break - who the crossover games were," Matthews said. "When I was at Georgia, it was that way. In the SEC, your crossover games many times determine how difficult your schedule was. That's the way we were, the three crossover games. Although we're still not all playing each other, it's going to be a more truer champion this way."

Of course, the extra grind of this season will relent a little in the coming seasons, with ODU and Georgia State pushing the CAA to 11 or 12 teams, with Rhode Island perhaps dropping out. That Rams' decision is likely to be made next month.

"It will change once the other two teams come in," Richmond coach Latrell Scott said. "That just makes it that much more competitive. I think it will be fun to have one champion."

CAA PRESEASON POLL (Head coaches and sports information directors)

1. Villanova (17 first-place votes)

2. William and Mary

3. New Hampshire (2)

4. James Madison

5. Delaware (1)

6. Richmond

7. Maine

8. Massachusetts

9. Rhode Island

10. Towson

PRESEASON CAA ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Offensive Player of the Year - Matt Szczur, WR, Villanova

Player of the Year - Terence Thomas, LB, Villanova

Offense

QB- Chris Whitney, Villanova. RB- John Griffin, Massachusetts; Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary. FB- Kendall Gaskins, Richmond. WR- Tre Gray, Richmond; Kevin Grayson, Richmond; Matt Szczur, Villanova. TE- Emil Igwenagu, Massachusetts. OL- Brant Clouser, Villanova; Keith Hill Jr., William & Mary; Ben Ijalana, Villanova; Drew Lachenmayer, Richmond; Theo Sherman, James Madison

Defense

DL- Ronnell Brown, James Madison; Yaky Ibia, Towson; Brian McNally, New Hampshire; Martin Parker, Richmond. LB- Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts; Eric McBride, Richmond; Terence Thomas, Villanova; Jake Trantin, William & Mary. S- Anthony Bratton, Delaware; John Dempsey, Villanova. CB- Justin Rogers, Richmond; Dino Vasso, New Hampshire

Special Teams

Return Specialist- Matt Szczur, Villanova. PK- Nick Yako, Villanova. P- David Miller, William & Mary

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Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”.  With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit.  Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

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