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College football notes: oddsmakers picking Vols over Gators, 'Canes
By GARY LUNDY
Scripps Howard News Service
July 08, 2002
- You know it's getting close to football season when the bookies start establishing the early betting lines.
Tennessee is favored by four points over Florida, and by two points over defending national champion Miami.
Those are the spreads on two of the Vols' biggest games of the season, according to Oasis Casino and Sportsbook. UT plays host to the Gators on Sept. 21, and the Hurricanes come to town for homecoming Nov. 9.
Remember last year when some of UT's players were angry after Las Vegas oddsmakers installed the Gators as 17-point favorites? Looks like there won't be any rumblings about the Vols being disrespected this season.
- BIZARRE LIST: According to collegefootballnews.com, Michigan's Charles Woodson had a far better career than anyone who has ever played football at the University of Tennessee. How absurd is that?
Woodson, who beat out Peyton Manning for the Heisman Trophy in 1997, is listed No. 34 among the all-time top 100 players in college football. UT has nobody in the top 75 and Bob Suffridge is the top-rated Vol at No. 80. Peyton Manning (No. 91) and Reggie White (No. 119) are the only other UT players in the top 150.
Illinois halfback Red Grange is No. 1 on the list, and Georgia running back Herschel Walker is No. 2.
- BEST UT GAME?: Tennessee's dramatic 28-24 victory over previously undefeated Arkansas on Nov. 14, 1998, is ranked No. 75 on the collegefootballnews.com list of the top 100 college games. No other UT game made the list.
Arkansas led 24-22 when quarterback Clint Stoerner tripped and fumbled and UT recovered at the Hogs' 43. Travis Henry scored the winning touchdown with 28 seconds remaining and the Vols went on to win the national title.
Selected as the best all-time game was the Jan. 1, 1984 Orange Bowl, won by Miami 31-30 over Nebraska.
- LOOK OUT BELOW: University of Louisville football coach John L. Smith just might have more guts than anyone else in his profession. On Friday, he tried skydiving for the first time, jumping from a plane while he was 11,000 feet above the ground. Last year he went to Pamploa, Spain, and ran with the bulls.
Smith's partner in summer thrill-seeking is former Louisville assistant coach Art Valero, who is now on the Tampa Bay Bucs' staff. Flying an F-14 or F-16 fighter jet is next on their list of things to do, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal. Smith said he also wants to ski the Alps.
- FRIES WITH THAT?: Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews didn't go skydiving last week, but he is going out on a limb. Andrews' Goal Line restaurant is scheduled to open Tuesday in Tallahassee, Fla. Barbeque, catfish and homemade pies are the specialties.
Can you imagine the sarcastic food comments on call-in shows if Florida State's defense struggles this season?
- LABOR DAY BASH: Part of ABC's Labor Day weekend sports schedule will be LSU-Virginia Tech on Sept. 1, and Auburn-Southern Cal on Sept. 2.
- SECOND CHANCE: Former South Carolina running back Derek Watson is expected to show up for South Carolina State's first practice Aug. 9. Watson was kicked off the Gamecocks' team in January when he was arrested for marijuana possession. Watson rushed for 1,684 yards the past two seasons with the Gamecocks.
- JUDGE AND JURY: Arkansas running back Cedric Cobbs is scheduled to go on trial in North Little Rock on Thursday for possession of marijuana, speeding and having no proof of insurance. He was clocked going 73 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone.
Coach Houston Nutt suspended Cobbs shortly after the arrest Jan. 8, but reinstated him in time for spring practice.
- WYOMING CHANGE: Aaron Alford has left Western Illinois to become secondary coach at Wyoming, which faces Tennessee in the season opener August 31 in Nashville. Alford replaces Vance Joseph, who resigned last month to join the staff at Colorado.
ESPY NIGHT: Miami coach Larry Coker is scheduled to be at the ESPY Awards show in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Coker is nominated as "best coach" along with Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, Bob Brenley of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phil Jackson of the Lakers.
- ORANGE PAYDIRT: Boise State is spending $648,000 to replace its old blue artificial turf football field with, well, another blue turf field. The new surface, called AstroPlay, is supposed to be softer and less abrasive. By the way, the end zones are colored orange.
By GARY LUNDY
Scripps Howard News Service
July 08, 2002
- You know it's getting close to football season when the bookies start establishing the early betting lines.
Tennessee is favored by four points over Florida, and by two points over defending national champion Miami.
Those are the spreads on two of the Vols' biggest games of the season, according to Oasis Casino and Sportsbook. UT plays host to the Gators on Sept. 21, and the Hurricanes come to town for homecoming Nov. 9.
Remember last year when some of UT's players were angry after Las Vegas oddsmakers installed the Gators as 17-point favorites? Looks like there won't be any rumblings about the Vols being disrespected this season.
- BIZARRE LIST: According to collegefootballnews.com, Michigan's Charles Woodson had a far better career than anyone who has ever played football at the University of Tennessee. How absurd is that?
Woodson, who beat out Peyton Manning for the Heisman Trophy in 1997, is listed No. 34 among the all-time top 100 players in college football. UT has nobody in the top 75 and Bob Suffridge is the top-rated Vol at No. 80. Peyton Manning (No. 91) and Reggie White (No. 119) are the only other UT players in the top 150.
Illinois halfback Red Grange is No. 1 on the list, and Georgia running back Herschel Walker is No. 2.
- BEST UT GAME?: Tennessee's dramatic 28-24 victory over previously undefeated Arkansas on Nov. 14, 1998, is ranked No. 75 on the collegefootballnews.com list of the top 100 college games. No other UT game made the list.
Arkansas led 24-22 when quarterback Clint Stoerner tripped and fumbled and UT recovered at the Hogs' 43. Travis Henry scored the winning touchdown with 28 seconds remaining and the Vols went on to win the national title.
Selected as the best all-time game was the Jan. 1, 1984 Orange Bowl, won by Miami 31-30 over Nebraska.
- LOOK OUT BELOW: University of Louisville football coach John L. Smith just might have more guts than anyone else in his profession. On Friday, he tried skydiving for the first time, jumping from a plane while he was 11,000 feet above the ground. Last year he went to Pamploa, Spain, and ran with the bulls.
Smith's partner in summer thrill-seeking is former Louisville assistant coach Art Valero, who is now on the Tampa Bay Bucs' staff. Flying an F-14 or F-16 fighter jet is next on their list of things to do, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal. Smith said he also wants to ski the Alps.
- FRIES WITH THAT?: Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews didn't go skydiving last week, but he is going out on a limb. Andrews' Goal Line restaurant is scheduled to open Tuesday in Tallahassee, Fla. Barbeque, catfish and homemade pies are the specialties.
Can you imagine the sarcastic food comments on call-in shows if Florida State's defense struggles this season?
- LABOR DAY BASH: Part of ABC's Labor Day weekend sports schedule will be LSU-Virginia Tech on Sept. 1, and Auburn-Southern Cal on Sept. 2.
- SECOND CHANCE: Former South Carolina running back Derek Watson is expected to show up for South Carolina State's first practice Aug. 9. Watson was kicked off the Gamecocks' team in January when he was arrested for marijuana possession. Watson rushed for 1,684 yards the past two seasons with the Gamecocks.
- JUDGE AND JURY: Arkansas running back Cedric Cobbs is scheduled to go on trial in North Little Rock on Thursday for possession of marijuana, speeding and having no proof of insurance. He was clocked going 73 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone.
Coach Houston Nutt suspended Cobbs shortly after the arrest Jan. 8, but reinstated him in time for spring practice.
- WYOMING CHANGE: Aaron Alford has left Western Illinois to become secondary coach at Wyoming, which faces Tennessee in the season opener August 31 in Nashville. Alford replaces Vance Joseph, who resigned last month to join the staff at Colorado.
ESPY NIGHT: Miami coach Larry Coker is scheduled to be at the ESPY Awards show in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Coker is nominated as "best coach" along with Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, Bob Brenley of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phil Jackson of the Lakers.
- ORANGE PAYDIRT: Boise State is spending $648,000 to replace its old blue artificial turf football field with, well, another blue turf field. The new surface, called AstroPlay, is supposed to be softer and less abrasive. By the way, the end zones are colored orange.