Whitey Badger Back On Top, $lines Rule the Top 20
After giving up the lead for less than ten games, Whitey Badger has returned to the top of the standings in what will likely be the closest finish we have seen in years. Despite losing 3 of his last 5, Badger still holds an astonishing 73.8% point conversion rate and holds a 4.5 point lead. In 2nd place sits Mustang Grills, who despite losing his 41 on his beloved SMU squad, also converts points at nearly 74% rate. With “best possible” scores of nearly 690+, should these two keep winning at this clip, it will be a two person race to the championship.
A little history lesson, shall we? Around six bowl seasons ago, “The Guy Behind the Guy” won his championship by making 100% moneyline picks on his submission. His pick sheet was ridiculed at the time, but that championship taught us that bowl games are volatile and the extra points were extremely valuable. While it has not translated into a championship since, this year we have had 16 dog winners in our first 32 games. With the extra “risked” points that come with moneylines, that 50% conversion rate has resulted in a number of players with opportunities if upsets continue. Perhaps more fascinating than the 50% rate of dog winners is that only THREE of our first 32 games have been dog covers without the dog winning the game straight up.
Here are the full standings through 32 of 41 games
Saturday Offers Four Games, All of Major Consequence
On Saturday, one can find joy in many different places, as long as you are in front of a Bowl Game broadcast. Ole Miss/Penn State offers the most compelling match-up, FSU/UGA should have been the game of the day, and Toledo/Wyoming game sends the Cowboy Coach off riding into the sunset as Craig Bohl retires today. Today’s games also offer the 7, 8, 9, 12th most valuable in terms of points risked. We can term today as “moving day” because the results of these four games will either contract or expand the number of players who have a chance at the money on New Year’s Day.
Here is how the Top 15 have picked today’s games:
Here is what picks look like for the full field for the last nine games of the Bowl Season
Finally, here is a look at who scored big yesterday and who could cash in on Saturday
On the right, the biggest point winners on Friday’s games.
Further updates before the NY Day games kickoff and during games on Twitter…