Dalton leads TCU past Oregon State

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/04/2010 - Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andy Dalton threw a touchdown and ran two in, including the go-ahead score in the third quarter, as sixth-ranked TCU downed No. 24 Oregon State, 30-21.

Dalton went 17-for-27 with 175 yards and two interceptions, and also had 15 carries for 64 yards for the Horned Frogs (1-0), who finished last season 12-0 to capture the Mountain West Conference title, but lost to Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Saturday's win was the 30th of Dalton's collegiate career, moving him into first all-time at the school, surpassing legend Sammy Baugh.

Ed Wesley finished the game with 17 carries for 134 yards and a score while Jeremy Kerley caught a touchdown as part of a six-reception, 49-yard effort for TCU.

Ryan Katz went 9-for-25 for 159 yards and two scores for the Beavers (0-1), who posted an 8-5 mark last season, but ended the campaign on a down note after a 44-20 loss to BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. Jacquizz Rodgers had 18 carries for 75 yards and a score while James Rodgers and Jordan Bishop each caught a touchdown pass.

Holding a seven-point lead, TCU started the second half with the ball and drove into scoring position, but on 3rd-and-1 at the Oregon State 14, Dalton was picked off by Dwight Roberson.

Facing a 3rd-and-2, Oregon State moved the chains on a 22-yard catch by James Rodgers that saw a 15-yard personal foul call on TCU move the ball past midfield. A 15-yard run around the right side by Jacquizz Rodgers set up a 1st-and-goal at the one-yard line and he punched it in on the next play to tie the contest at 21-21 with 5:33 left in the third.

The Horned Frogs, though, responded on their next touch to retake the lead. First down carries of 14 and 10 yards by Wesley got the ball past midfield and Matthew Tucker setup a 1st-and-goal at the 10 with a four-yard run. Three plays later, Dalton kept the ball himself on a four-yard score for a 28-21 lead with under a minute to play in the third.

From there it became a game of punts as each team booted the ball twice before the next score came.

After an Anson Kelton punt for 34 yards was fair caught by James Rodgers, Oregon State had the ball at its own 18-yard line.

On the first play, Katz was calling and audible and tried to get set back up in the shotgun, but the ball was snapped before he was ready and it sailed over his head before he kicked it out of the end zone to give TCU a safety and the ball back with just over four minutes to play.

From there, TCU ate up the rest of the clock to open the season with the win.

Lance Mitchell helped setup the first score of the game as he picked off Dalton and returned the ball 21 yards to the TCU 31. Two plays later, Katz tossed a 30-yard touchdown to James Rodgers to give the Beavers a 7-0 lead a bit over three minutes in.

Dalton and the Horned Frogs, though, responded with an impressive drive to tie the game. The nine-play, 84-yard drive was capped when Dalton took the ball himself six yards into the end zone with 7:19 left in the first.

Oregon State got into scoring position on its next touch, but Justin Kahut's 47-yard field goal attempt went well wide to the left.

TCU was forced to punt on its next possession and the Beavers promptly moved the ball down the field to take the lead. After a 23-yard catch from Jordan Poyer on a fake punt moved the ball to the TCU 34, Katz lofted a perfect pass to an in-stride Bishop, who took it into the end zone for a 14-7 lead just over three minutes into the second.

The Horned Frogs, though, answered after the kickoff to again tie the game. The seven-play, 74 yard drive was capped on a one-yard catch by Kerley from Dalton with 8:39 left in the half.

Later in the second, a poor punt from Johnny Hecker was returned 34 yards by Kerley to give TCU the ball at the Oregon State 23. Four plays later, Wesley picked his way into the end zone inside the right guard from eight yards out to make it a 21-14 lead heading into the break.

Game Notes

This was the first-ever meeting between these schools...TCU totaled 453 yards on the ground and held the ball for close to 39 minutes...Oregon State finished the game with 255 yards...Tucker had 20 carries for 74 yards.

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SPORTS BETTING - Tennis is an underrated and under-utilized bettors' sport.

Ten years ago, at just about this time, I called Alan Boston in Vegas and left him a voicemail that went something like this (abridged version): "Hey Alan, Chad Millman from ESPN The Magazine calling. I want to do a book about wise guys, you in?"

A couple weeks later I got a message back (abridged version): "I don't know, maybe," Boston said. "Call me and we'll talk about it. But not later today. I got $1,000 on Andre Agassi to win the French Open at 40-1, and he's in the finals."

Here's what happened next (abridged version): Agassi won his tourney. Boston won his $40,000. I wrote sportsbook.

In the ten years since, how much has been wagered on the big-time tennis events? Put it this way: The Nevada Gaming Commission doesn't even track the number year by year because it's so small.

"Tennis makes up about one-tenth of one percent of our take," says Lucky's bookmaking boss Jimmy Vaccaro. "The last big golf major we probably had $100,000 worth of bets. In tennis, we might have written two big tickets."

Tennis' lack of popularity amongst the American bettoratti is no surprise, really. For starters, the biggest sports betting holidays -- the Super Bowl, the NCAA tourney -- are must see TV. People, at least the degenerates I know, plan vacations around watching those events in Vegas sports books.

But Wimbledon? Doesn't exactly reel in the whales. "Seriously, it's the nuts as an event," says Boston. "But who even knows when it's on?"

Here's another reason that helps explain why golf gets traction, something I call "The Bubbe Theory." My Bubbe is pushing 95 and has cataracts so bad that, to her, even the most crystalline Chicago day is mostly cloudy. But she still listens to the Cubs games, and she still calls me in a fit if she disagrees with something Rick Telander writes in the Chicago Sun Times. She's a sports fan. If she doesn't know you, you're just filling a niche. And niche players, even historically good ones like Roger and Raf, don't drive betting volume. Only the highest profile names attract square money, which inflates wagering totals like a shot of saline to the lips. Bubbe, and the public, loved Agassi, tennis' last cross-the-rubicon, mainstream draw. She also has a crush on Tiger. She's given me standing orders to put a sawbuck on the big cat whenever I walk through a sports book (or mistakenly tap into one via my Internet machine.) That explains why the Masters is getting $100K in action at some books while the four tennis majors might not get that combined this year.

This isn't a case of tennis being a difficult sport to bet. In fact, in Europe, it's probably the second most popular sport for gambling after soccer. Granted, as the WSJ football betting last week and The Mag's Shaun Assael examined in even greater depth last year, that might be because gamblers across the pond see it as an easy game to fix. But it could also be because, over there it holds the kind of sway the big two do over here.

Street corners in Spain are peppered with public courts and kids doing their best Raffy impressions. In some war torn parts of Eastern Europe poverty-stricken kids view tennis as an escape route, like football or basketball here. A couple years ago The Mag's Lindsay Berra wrote a great piece about Belgrade's Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic. They learned the game as kids while bombs were raining down on their homeland. They practiced in drained swimming pools. Not exactly Nick Bolletierri conditions.

In the United States, casual fans think tennis is played four times a year. But on the tightly packed European continent, national interest in homegrown talent runs deep every weekend. Of the ATP's current top 20 players, only two, tennis betting and James Blake, are American. Fourteen are from Europe, representing six different countries.

No wonder fans from Lisbon to Bhudapest get jacked up for the net game, whether it's Wimbledon or a low-level tourney like the Estoril Open in Portugal (congrats to Spain's Albert Montanes for winning that one, btw). Chances are good that someone representing their flag will not only be playing, but have a shot at winning.

And that's all any bettor can ask for.

To visit this sports book go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.

MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines


Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow.  Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season.   Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints.  These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order.  As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS.  The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens.  The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.

MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:

Saints +6 @ Colts -6

Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)

Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)

Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5

Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1

Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3

Patriots -5 @ Jets +5

Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5

Steelers -4 @ Browns +4

Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6

Bears +6 @ Chargers -6

Lions +3 @ Raiders -3

Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5

Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4

Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3

Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3

 Super Bowl line (2008)

NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5

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To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.