The Four To Score: Week 5

Conference Races Begin This Week

The fourth week of the CFB season took its toll on us in every way possible.  Not only could we not find a half-decent game on the TV, but we were also unable to find a winner.  Yes, once again Ray Charles could have probably made some better picks than The Four To Score was able to muster up.  Florida and Tennessee, two teams extremely inept when the ball is on their hands, scoring exactly 48 points to cause a push was the icing on the feces cake.  Thankfully this weeks' slate of games is filled with a bunch of dandies, so if the well runs dry once again, at least there will be some good football on the tube.  If only I could translate some of that success from the NFL down to the college level...No excuses though, and here are my hopefully-not-completely-God-awful picks of the week.   

First Down: Washington -9.5 vs. Arizona

Home teams have dominated this series the past three seasons, with the visiting school losing by double digits in every contest.  Two of the games were absolute blowouts, and despite both these teams being 3-0, I expect this year's version to follow the trend.  You see, this Washington team looks much more like the 2011 squad, not the lame 2012 version.  Furthermore, the Huskies have played much better competition than the Wildcats this season. beating both Boise State and Illinois by double digits.  Arizona no longer has Matt Scott under center, and I'm not sold on current QB BJ Denker.  Washington will be seeking revenge after last year's drubbing in front of its rabid fans, and Arizona will have to make the long trip up to the Pacific Northwest.  This one will probably get out of hand early, as the Huskies win big.  

Second Down: LSU +3 vs. Georgia

The Tigers barely missed out on getting the cover last week by giving up a late score, but I think they will get the outright win this week in Athens.  Though they missed getting the ATS win, LSU moved to 3-0, and I'm still convinced they are the most complete team in the SEC West.  Georgia has given up points to every team it has faced this season, as even lowly North Texas was able to put 21 on the board last week between the hedges.  Zach Mettenberger is emerging right before our eyes, and Georgia hasn't shown me anything to make me think they can stop LSU's balanced attack.  Give me the better defense and the points in Athens this weekend.  

Third Down: Arizona State -4.5 vs. USC

There is no doubt that the Sun Devils had to change their bed sheets after last week's performance in Stanford.  Yup, Todd Graham and his boys went up to Palo Alto and got rick-rolled, as the outcome of the game was decided about twenty minutes after kickoff.  However, the Sun Devils have a very favorable matchup this week, despite the name on the scoreboard being USC.  The Trojans were underwhelming on offense once again, struggling to beat Utah State at in Los Angeles.  USC may have a great defense, but with Arizona State's ability to put up points at home, Lane Kiffin's offense will have to muster up some serious offense to keep pace.  The home team has dominated this series the past three years, and I expect the trend to continue, as the Sun Devils are 4-2 as home favorites dating back to last season.  Todd Graham and the Sun Devils bounce back at home, and get themselves back in the race for the PAC-12 South.  

Fourth Down: Ohio State -6.5 vs. Wisconsin

The Horeshoe. Primetime.  Braxton Miller is back.  Yes, everything is in favor of the Buckeyes in this giant Big Ten matchup.  Last year's game went to overtime at Camp Randall, and though Gary Andersen's boys have looked impressive early on, this just does not seem like the spot to back the Badgers.  Ohio State's defense is rounding into form, and with this spread dipping under the key number of 7, the value is on the Buckeyes.  Don't be surprised if this game opens up tight and stays close, but the Buckeyes should pull away late, as Braxton Miller will look to impress after his absence due to injury.

Extra Point: Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma UNDER 50 

I am going to keep this short and sweet.  Last year's game finished with 43 points, with offenses led by Everett Golson and Landry Jones.  Neither of them return, and neither team has shown an ability to put up a ton of points on a consistent basis.  Both teams boast very solid defenses, and they should be the units that dominate this game.  Everything on paper says this should be a hard-fought, low-scoring game.  Hopefully the defenses do their jobs, and the UNDER easily hits. 

The Four To Score: 4-11 

Extra Points: 1-1-1

Overall: 5-12-1.......El Peor. 

The Four To Score: Week 4

The CFB Gods Have Frowned Upon Us

Last week was absolutely brutal for The Four To Score.  It was darker, and contained more punches to the gut than Sunday's episode of Breaking Bad.  First, Alabama gave up a meaningless, garbage time touchdown to leave us hooked by the line.  Then both Auburn and Arizona State failed to cover by a single score, and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, UCLA and Nebraska failed to go over the total after scoring 59 points in the first three quarters.  Bo Pelini may have had some choice words for Husker fans after that Ohio State game a few years ago, but the only forceful language needed to be spoken this week should directed at him and his offense for failing to score in the final 37 minutes of the game.  You would think the CFB Gods would pay us back for enduring such misery by giving us a week full of juicy, enticing games.  Instead, they defecated on us some more and decided to give us a Week 3 schedule that can only be described as "El Peor."  That being said, here is the best of the worst. 

First Down: USC -6 vs. Utah State

I know, I know. Yes, this team is coached by Lane Kiffin, one of the biggest douches in football.  Yes, this team lost to Wazzu earlier this season, and burned the hell out of us in doing so.  However, they got back on track with a win at Boston College last week, and this defensive unit is still extremely solid.  The offense should get better with every week that passes, and Marqise Lee should start seeing more of the ball.  On the flip side, Utah State lost their other game against a PAC-12 foe earlier this season against in-state rival Utah.  The Aggies defense gave up 30 points to the Utes, and 20 to the Air Force Falcons.  I expect them to give up a considerable amount of points to the Trojans, and for the USC defense to keep Utah State in check.  For the love of God, Lane Kiffin, get us to the window! 

Second Down: Arizona State +6.5 vs. Stanford

Todd Graham's Sun Devils came up with a huge victory against Wisconsin last week, albeit with a controversial ending.  I said in last week's edition that this ASU team is probably the best in the PAC-12 South, and their come-from-behind victory made me an even bigger believer, as last year's team would have probably folded under such conditions.  Graham will certainly have his team up for their second big game in a row, against a Stanford team that has been surprisingly unimpressive so far this season.  The Cardinal could have just been going vanilla in the early weeks to save up for this game, but this week's only matchup between ranked opponents should go down to the wire.  

Third Down: LSU -17 vs. Auburn

Auburn may be 3-0, but they are also a young team, and they have to play at Tiger Stadium this week...at night.  The difference between day and night games at LSU is worth at least three points with the book, and Phil Steele goes as far to say the home field advantage is worth eight points at night.  Malzahn is doing a great job of bringing this team back from the depths Gene Chizik took it to, but they will be outmanned and outclassed on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.  When all is said and done, LSU could be lifting the crystal ball in Pasadena.  The big guns in Vegas love this LSU team, and they very well may be the more complete team after seeing Alabama give up 42 points to Texas A&M last week.  If there was ever a time to lay a lot of chalk in the SEC, its on the LSU Tigers at home, under the lights, against a team who has gone 2-7 ATS as a road dog the last two years.  Geaux Tigers, and leave the Mad Hatter antics at home, Les.

Fourth Down: Arkansas +2.5 vs. Rutgers

Woo Pig only has one thing on their mind this week: REVENGE.  Arkansas fell into a deep, dark abyss last season, losing to Rutgers at home along the way.  With Bret Bielema now in charge though, the Razorbacks are 3-0 and showing signs of life again.  Though the Scarlet Knights are not an SEC opponent, they provide Arkansas a perfect opportunity to show the country that this year's team is vastly improved from the one that took the field las season.  Rutgers played Fresno State very tough in the season opener, but they are only 5-9 ATS as a home favorite over the past four seasons.  Arkansas has all the motivation in the world here, and should edge out a victory thanks to the fact that they actually have a competent coach leading their program again.  Oh, and for those of you who doubt Bielema, I give you this: 

Yeah, this dude out-kicked his coverage by a country mile.  How can you doubt this man's ability after seeing that? 

Extra Point: Florida vs. Tennessee UNDER 48

Since the start of the 2012 season, Will Muschamp's defense has only given up more than 20 points on three occasions: to E.J. Manuel's Florida State; to Teddy Bridgewater's Louisville; and to Miami last week.  As you can see, it takes a pretty special talent at quarterback to put up points on Florida, and I don't see first-round NFL talent under center for the Volunteers this season.  The Gators will be out for blood after losing to Miami two weeks ago, and Tennessee is going to be the sacrificial lamb.  This should be a low-scoring, physical contest with the Florida defense attacking the Vols like rabid dogs, and Jeff Driskel keeping his own offense from scoring too many points as well.  

The Four To Score: 4-7

Extra Points: 1-1

Overall: 5-8

The Four To Score: Week 3

It's Finally Here... Darth Saban vs. Johnny Moneyball 

Everyone's "Game Of The Year" has finally arrived, and with a few other great matchups out there, The Four To Score should get back on track easily after a brutal Week 2.  There is no need to shy away from what happened last week.  When you're in the business of predicting football games, you're bound to get you're tail kicked every once in awhile, that is just the harsh reality of the business.  Thanks to the talents of Devin Gardner, and the complete disregard for ball security from West Virginia and Oklahoma, The Four To Score ended up an underwhelming 2-3 for the week, which at least isn't as bad as Jeff Driskel in the red-zone, or the Texas defense against a simple option play.  Fear not though, as this week's games have me more confident than Nick Saban in a revenge game.  

First Down: Alabama -7.5 vs. Texas A&M

This is the absolute lock of the week.  As mentioned above, Nick Saban has every reason to be confident heading into a revenge game, as he has never lost one.  For those of you with hazy memories, all you have to look back to is the 2011 BCS National Championship, where Saban and Alabama drew an actual "red line" at half field, and refused to let LSU cross it.  While Johnny Manziel is a gamer, he will bet outmatched this year due the departure of some of Texas A&M's key offensive players from last year (Luke Joekcel and Ryan Swope to name a few), and the fact that Saban had an entire offseason to prepare for the Texas A&M spread offense.  Additionally, Texas A&M's defense gave up over 500 yards to Rice, and 390 to Sam Houston State.  If that doesn't tell you what's going to happen when they go up against two-time BCS National Champion A.J. McCarron and Co., who are 7-2 over the past two years as a road favorite, you're blinder than USC and Texas fans who still support Lane Kiffin or Mack Brown.  The hype behind this game leads people to believe it's the "Game Of The Year", but really it will just be a comfortable, double-digit win for Alabama.  All hail Darth Saban.

Second Down: Colorado +8.5 vs. Fresno State

You can now pick your jaw up off the ground after seeing Colorado as my Second Down pick.  This Colorado team is vastly improved from last year's squad, and will be looking for redemption after getting stomped by Fresno State last year.  Speaking of the Bulldogs, they've been very underwhelming this year, as they nearly lost their home opener against Rutgers after being projected by some to be a BCS-buster this year.  After a string of terrible seasons, bettors are going to be very hesitant on Colorado solely because of how bad they were ATS under previous coaches.  But Coach Mike MacIntyre was phenomenal ATS in his last two years at San Jose State, going 19-6 against the number.    Take the points and the team out for revenge. 

Third Down: Arizona State -5.5 vs. Wisconsin

Coming into this game, neither team has allowed its opponents to get on the scoreboard.  That will all change late Saturday night once this Pac-12 vs. Big Ten matchup gets under way.  After seeing USC soil its pants last weekend (to my demise), there is now no doubt that the Sun Devils are the best team in the Pac 12 South.  Under Todd Graham last year, Arizona State went 8-5 ATS, but more importantly they went 4-1 as a home favorite, the scenario in play here.  Led by junior QB Taylor Kelly, this offense should be able to put up points on every opponent they play this year.  On the other side, you can always expect Wisconsin to be solid in the fundamentals of the game.  Yet this team is too one-dimensional for my liking in this big game, as it relies far too heavily on its ground game.  Lay the points here, as the Sun Devils should get their first win over a ranked opponent under Todd Graham.   

Fourth Down: Auburn -5.5 vs. Mississippi State

Mississippi State makes its second appearance in The Four To Score, and once again, they are on the wrong side of the action.  The Bulldogs looked terrible in their opener against Oklahoma State, mustering up next to nothing on the offensive end.  Contrast that to Auburn, a team who is now on the upswing now that Guz Malzahn is holding the reins.  The former OC under Chizik has come back to Auburn after a single season at Arkansas State, where he went 9-4 ATS.  The Tigers are nowhere near the 2010 team in terms of skill, but they are improving under Malzahn (especially on the offensive side of the ball), and should be able to get the cover at home against a very bad Mississippi State team.  

Extra Point:  Nebraska vs. UCLA OVER 69

Last year's version of this game saw 66 points put up on the board, and I expect this year's edition to easily get into the 70s or 80s.  Brett Hundley and Taylor Martinez are both back to lead their high-powered offenses, but both teams struggle mightily on defense.  The Huskers gave up 34 points to Wyoming in their season opener, and the Bruins gave up loads of points last year when they went on the road.  This might be the most fun game to watch all week, as both teams could easily get into the 40s in what should be a very close game. 

The Four To Score: 4-4

Extra Points: 1-0

Overall: 5-4

Texas vs. BYU Aftermath

The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth

If you're the type of Texas Longhorn fan who watches Longhorn Network obsessively, and thoroughly enjoys all the sugar-coating they provide, this isn't an article for you.  If you're the type of fan who knows Mack Brown and blindly gives him a pass because of his gentleman qualities, and because he brought this program back from the depths Mackovic took it too, this isn't an article for you.  If you're not the type of fan who critically analyzes your team, athletic department, and university,  then this definitely isn't an article for you.  Actually, if you are one of those fans mentioned above, maybe this is the article for you.  Maybe these words will get through to you.  Hopefully they will make you reassess your view of our athletic culture at Texas, and question what needs to be done on the Forty Acres.  Like Manny Diaz's defense tonight, this isn't going to be pretty.

Before we get into the meaty diatribe this piece will ultimately become, I feel it is only appropriate that I let you know my history with the University of Texas to better understand where I'm coming from.  I was born and raised to be a Texas fan since I was a young tot.  My earliest memories, good and bad, are the upset of Nebraska in the inaugural Big XII championship, and the infamous "Route 66" game against UCLA.  After attending many games with my family during middle and high school, I started attending our glorious university in the Fall of 2007.  I was there for "the good, the bad, and the ugly."  I was there when Colt struggled as a sophomore, and people were calling for John Chiles every weekend.  I was there for both runs at National Championships, from the Crabtree catch in Lubbock to the Colt McCoy injury the Rose Bowl.  Finally, my senior year was the season of 5-7 epic failure, the one that many would argue created the monster we are currently left with.  I love my alma mater, am deeply invested in it, and want only the best for our school in every single way.  So when you read the following following paragraphs, you know the analysis and opinions aren't coming from some jackwagon who has never attended a game at DKR, much less the university.

Tonight was the full reveal of the institutional failure that has pervaded our athletic department for some time now.  To some, this is nothing new, as many people have pointed to the shortcomings at Texas over the past few years.  These fans have often been called irrational, and short-sighted for blaming the higher-ups who got us to where we are today. For others, the ones who have stuck by the team, coaches, and athletic department through thick and thin, tonight has to be the realization that there is something wrong within our athletic department. This goes far beyond blaming Manny Diaz, Major Applewhite, or any other positional coaches.  After all, this staff was hand-picked by the head coach, and they are paid quite handsomely for their coaching duties.  Instead, this loss points directly to the arrogance and blindness of the two most powerful people on the Forty Acres: Mack Brown and Deloss Dodds.  Yes, I'm talking about the coach who said this was the year Texas would be "back."  Yes, I'm talking about the athletic director who has given loose leashes to Mack Brown and Rick Barnes based on their performances many moons ago, despite their inadequacies and failures in their most recent seasons.  Due to the success Dodds and Brown achieved in the mid to late 2000s, they think they can get our program back to where it needs to be.  Yet in reality, they are the ones driving it into the ground, refusing to let go of the reigns when change is desperately needed, almost as if they are the sailors saying "the captain goes down with his ship."

I know no other way than to lay it out in the simplest manner possible.  We have top-notch facilities, an incredible environment for students, and more money than most colleges and third-world countries dream about.  There is no reason an institution such as Texas should fail at anything for an extended period of time based on the advantages it has.  The head coaches of our two biggest revenue-generating sports, football and men's basketball, have underachieved for multiple seasons.  Despite this, the Athletic Director has refused to make any changes, and even worse, President Powers has backed him on it.  If you can't see the easily-apparent institutional failure here, the only thing I can assume is that you've consumed far too many adult beverages tonight, induced by the Longhorns performance.

The only thing the belief held onto by Powers, Dodds, and Brown has led us to is mediocrity.  No longer are we a feared team on the football field.  No sir, the days of Vince Young, Will Muschamp, and us imposing our will on people is long gone.  We are no longer the best football program in the state, or even the second-best program in the state.  Hell, we might not even be the third-best program in the state.  What we truly are is a soft, entitled program mocked by much of the country, led by two of the biggest egos in the entire state that refuse to realize what they have done.      

For those of you who will try to rebut where Brown and Dodds have led us, and argue that no changes should be made, the only argument you can really bring sounds something like this: "they got us here, they've earned the right to stay, and they do things the right way."  In truth though, the only "right way" is to win.  The reality is that everything comes second to winning.  It's the reason why Bobby Petrino will be coaching at a major program in a year or two, and it's the reason Johnny Manziel's antics are forgotten and why he is the starter at Texas A&M.  The good guys at Texas who used to win are no longer winning the way they used to, and it's a fact that cannot be denied.  If you think Texas, one of the biggest and most powerful universities in the country, can't find someone better, or you are afraid to risk further failure that may come with a change in the status quo, then you too have resigned yourself to mediocrity, because there will be no major improvements made under this regime.  Don't let yourself fall into the same trap that Brown and Dodds are ensnared in.  All you have to do is open your eyes...    

   

The Four To Score: Week 2

Lots of Chalk, Few Big Games

Week 1 has come and gone, but it was certainly a good one for those who read last week's edition of The Four To Score.  To briefly recap, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss narrowly covered, while Washington beat the daylights out of Boise State.  TCU was the only team that failed to get the job done, giving us a 3-1 record while leaving Gary Patterson to violently wipe the sweat of defeat off his face.  

Fear not though Gary, as another week of football is here to give your Horned Frogs a chance at righting the ship, and provides us with a chance at improving upon our 3-1 mark by going undefeated.  There are big numbers all over the board in Vegas, with very few big games on the docket.  That being said, after lots of analyzing, number-crunching, and caffeine-consumption, I've found four games that should provide winners for any of you that take part in that terrible, degenerate, government-frowned-upon activity known as "sports betting".  Now that Gary has gotten all the sweat out of his eyes, here are this week's picks:

First Down: Florida -3 vs. Miami

Miami is the savy underdog pick of the week for some college football fans out there.  After all, the Canes have 18 returning starters, and are getting points at home in a rivalry game, so it's easy to see why some people might think Florida should be on "Upset Alert."  However, these people are overlooking the fact that Miami was absolutely garbage against the three best defenses they played last year.  In games against Kansas State, Florida State, and Notre Dame, the Canes averaged 8.66 points a game.  Given that statistic, the coach Miami does not want to face is Will "Coach Boom" Muschamp, one of the best defensive minds in the game.  The Gators defense was ranked third in the country last season, and showed no signs of letting up in their game against Toledo last week, despite only returning 4 starters on that side the ball.  They say "defense wins championships", but it should really be phrased as "defense wins close rivalry games."  Florida's offense won't be pretty, but its defense will get the job done.  Lay the road chalk with the Gators, who have gone 10-3 as a road favorite since since 2008.

Second Down: South Carolina +3.5 vs. Georgia 

The Gamecocks and Bulldogs will square off this weekend between the hedges, with the winner becoming the favorite to win the SEC East.  Many pundits are picking Georgia to bounce back after their narrow loss to Clemson last week, but I'm a big believer in Spurrier and Clowney this year, and the value here lies with the Gamecocks.  Spurrier owns Mark Richt's soul, beating the Bulldogs each of the last three years.  Additionally, Clowney and Co. had extra time to recover and prepare for this week's game after an easy win against UNC last Thursday, while Georgia exerted a tremendous amount of energy Saturday night in that heavyweight bout with Clemson.  Though this year's game should be much closer than last year's rout, the Gamecocks still have the better defense, and are better suited to win a low-scoring slugfest.  I expect this game to come down to the wire, and with special teams play potentially deciding the outcome, you can't overlook the suspension of Georgia's starting kicker.  Give me Spurrier, Clowney, the three points, and the hook. 

Third Down: Michigan -3.5 vs. Notre Dame

Notre Dame travels to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines in this "big rivalry" game that is not a "historic rivalry" depending on what day of the week it is for Brian Kelly.  Michigan has won three of the last four games played between these two teams, covering the spread every time.  In the one game they lost, which was last year, the Wolverines lost by only a touchdown despite turning the ball over six times.  Notre Dame may be stout up front with their defensive line this year, but I think the Wolverines have a definite edge at quarterback with Devin Gardner.  The Big House will be rocking on Saturday, and the Irish's luck has to be close to running out given how many close games they won last season.  Take the primetime home favorite as they look to get revenge in the last game of this rivalry to be played in Ann Arbor for some time. 

Fourth Down: USC -15.5 vs. Washington State

This line opened up at -17, but has since been moved down by bettors unimpressed with USC's opening week performance at Hawaii.  While USC looked very shaky last week, I try to avoid putting too much value into individual games.  Many people have the Trojans as their pick to win the PAC 12 South, and for good reason.  With Marqise Lee returning along with 14 other starters, the only thing this team needs is a serviceable quarterback.  I expect whomever starts this week to perform much better than last, given that the Trojans will be in the friendly confines of the Coliseum.  Over the past two years, USC has been phenomenal as a favorite at home, going 7-3 when laying the points.  On the other sideline, Washington State put up a great fight at Auburn last week, but turned the ball over three times, as quarterback Connor Halliday threw three picks.  A quarterback making errant throws is the last thing you want when Mike Leach is your coach, calling fifty pass plays a game.  Lay the points, as the Trojans should win big.

Extra Point: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia UNDER 58

Very seldom do I take totals, but I just can't help myself here.  Last week, the Oklahoma defense put up an extremely impressive performance, shutting out a Louisiana-Monroe offense that brought back eight starters.  OU's performance was very surprising considering the defense was considered a question mark before the season started, but they were very solid on tape.  Meanwhile, West Virginia struggled mightily at home against William and Mary, barely notching a 24-17 victory.  The Mountainers lost their three best players from last year's offense, and I expect that unit to have a very rough time in their first conference trip to Memorial Stadium.  With each team starting inexperienced quarterbacks, and the Oklahoma defense looking stout, I love the under here.

Best of luck, and hopefully we won't have to sweat-out any of these games like Gary up there. 

USMNT Qualifiers: Three Points Gets Us To Brazil

Two Tough Games, Two Very Different Histories

The wheels of club soccer have begun to spin, and transfer deadline day has come and gone, but soccer fans this weekend won't have their eyes on the Barclays Premier League, La Liga, or Serie A.  Instead, fans around the world will be tuned into the penultimate round of World Cup Qualifiers, cheering on their countries as teams look to seal the deal and punch their tickets to Brazil.  While there will certainly be many great games across the globe worth analyzing and watching, the two most important for obvious patriotic reasons are the ones our USMNT will be playing.  Both contests should be tough and hard-fought matches, but other than that, you will be hard pressed to find any similarities between the upcoming US qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico.  Before we delve into the differences between the matchups, lets first take a glance at the roster (with projected starters italicized) Jurgen Klinsmann has called up.  

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard (Y), Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando

Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron (Y), Edgar Castillo, Michael Parkhurst, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley (Y), Mix Diskerud, Fabian Johnson (Y), Jermaine Jones (Y), Graham Zusi, 

Forwards: Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey (Y), Aron Johannsson, Eddie Johnson (Y)

Without a doubt, this is one of the most talented and deepest lineups our country has ever fielded.  Combine the pace at which Jozy Altidore has been scoring goals with a revived Landon Donovan reuniting with Clint Demspey, and our players up front should cause havoc for any team's back line.  That being said, there are some things to worry about with this roster, and some tricky issues for Klinsmann to navigate.  First, seven players are carrying yellow cards into these matches, who I have pointed out above by placing a (Y) next to their name.  As you can see, there are a lot of big names facing a one-game suspension should they receive another card, so don't be surprised if you see some of those players start one of these two games on the bench.  Additionally, Klinsmann might have to leave Altidore out of the lineup due to a sore hamstring, and he will have to replace Brad Evans (sent home due to injury), who had become quite reliable as the starter at right back over the last few games.  Expect to see utility man Geoff Cameron fill the void there, and while he is a talented and imposing presence on the field, don't be surprised if you see some errors in the back due to the absence of Evans, especially during the team's first game in hostile territory...

United States @ Costa Rica

Friday, September 6th; 10:00 P.M. EST

Estadio Nacional; San Jose, Costa Rica

3 Way: USA +200, Costa Rica +162, Draw +229; USA PK +107, Costa PK -122

The average U.S. sports fan will look at this fixture and think this should be an easy three points for the Yanks.  After all, Jurgen's team is on a streak for the ages, having won twelve straight games with big wins coming at home against Germany and on the road at Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Hell, if the USMNT wins four more games, it will break the world record for consecutive games won by a national team, currently held by reigning World Cup champion Spain.  But, the sobering reality is that history is not on the USMNT's side when it plays in Costa Rica, and this is the most likely place for the streak to end.  The last three times Sam's Army has ventured down to Costa Rica for World Cup Qualifiers, it has been wiped off the pitch by Lost Ticos to the tune of 3-1, 3-0, and 2-0.  Based on recent history, one could argue that Costa Rica is the hardest place for the USMNT to play, not Estadio Azteca.  Then you have the three words giving Los Ticos all the motivation in the world..."The Snow Game."  Costa Ricans could probably not care less as to what we do in Syria, because the only thing that matters this week is avenging their 1-0 loss to the Yanks in the highly-controversial game played in March.  Los Ticos have plenty of quality players throughout their squad, led by Fulham player Bryan Ruiz.  In addition to having solid players, this team has played extremely well as a unit of late, evidenced by the fact that they have not conceded a goal in their last 360+ minutes of World Cup Qualifying.  While Jurgen's boys have had a great run, they are in a terrible spot here, as there is just too much going in favor of Los Ticos.

Pick: Costa Rica 2-1 

United States vs. Mexico

Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio

Tuesday, September 10th; 8:00 P.M. EST

Odds not currently posted

While the USMNT may play very poorly when they travel to Costa Rica, the exact opposite occurs when they play against Mexico in Columbus.  Over the years, Columbus Crew Stadium has become the stadium of choice for the Yanks when they play El Tri, and for very good reason: the U.S. has never lost to Mexico there, beating them by a 2-0 margin in every qualifier.  It is because of this that unique history of scorelines that the stadium is known by die-hard fans as the home of "Dos a Cero", the trio of words that make a Mexico fan's blood boil.  Unlike other stadiums across the country, Columbus Crew Stadium is completely packed with red,white, and blue when the USMNT comes to town, and has given the U.S. a huge home-field advantage over the years.  Beyond this, Sam's Army has been fantastic at home during World Cup Qualifying, having won every game while not conceding a single goal.  Contrast that with Mexico, who is in the dogfight of their lives for the final automatic CONCACAF qualifying bid, doing everything they can to avoid a playoff with Oceania champion New Zealand.  There is unquestionably great individual talent in Mexico's squad, but they have played well below standards as a unit, having only scored three goals in six qualifiers.  The most surprising part is that Mexico has failed to win or score at home in Estadio Azteca, which over the years has been a fortress for El Tri.  Even if Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and Co. get a win against Honduras on Friday, I can't see them getting any kind of a result in Ohio given their recent form and history at Columbus Crew Stadium.  Expect the USMNT to come out firing with the crowd at their back, knowing that three points here will secure a trip to Brazil.

Pick: USA 2-0 (If it ain't broke, don't fix it)


Best of luck to everyone, and let's hope the Yanks prove me wrong in San Jose!