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**InsiderEdge** · 10-09-2004, 10:31 AM

Just added a Baseball winner to today’s card. Grab them all for $14.95!

Today’s football lineup:

Wisconsin Badgers at Ohio St. Buckeyes 3:30 PM ET
Tulane Green Wave at East Carolina Pirates 2:00 PM ET
Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Bobcats 2:00 PM ET
Eastern Michigan Eagles at Ball St. Cardinals 3:00 PM ET
Purdue Boilermakers at Penn St. Nittany Lions 4:30 PM ET
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Texas Tech Red Raiders 7:00 PM ET
La-Monroe Indians at Idaho Vandals 5:00 PM ET

*** Click Here For Saturday’s One Day Pass - $14.95 ***

**InsiderEdge** · 10-09-2004, 05:12 PM

Ohio stays within the number nicely with the free play....good luck to everyone who jumped on our Big 10 Game of the Year!

Purdue Boilermakers at Penn St. Nittany Lions 4:30 PM ET

Penn St. Nittany Lions +11 -107 (3 Units)

Coming off two road games against two ranked teams, Penn State returns home to face yet another ranked opponent but things are looking up. Losing by a combined 22 points in those two road games may not look good for Penn St. standards, but they were good efforts and now they catch a Purdue team that is playing their third straight on the road. The Boilermakers face Wisconsin and Michigan in their next two games so this has uninspired effort written all over it. This game mirrors a Purdue visit to Beaver Stadium back in 2000 when they came in as 13-pint favorites. Penn St. won that game outright 22-20.

The Penn State defense mostly contained the normally unstoppable Golden Gophers last week and is only allowing 15 ppg on the season. Coming into the game, the Gophers had not scored fewer than 34 so that says something about the effort of the Nittany Lions defense. "This was the best defense we have played against in a long time," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. The Purdue offense is ranked 1st in the country in total offense but Minnesota came into last week’s game ranked 3rd and were held in check. The loss dropped Penn State to 2-3, 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference, but it was an effort that left coach Joe Paterno smiling and content, with a feeling that the importance of his team's effort eclipsed the importance of the result. No question, the Penn State football team is frustrated with its 2-3 record. Still, the Nittany Lions see a glimmer of hope, and that's in the performance of many of their younger players. Offensively, Paterno believes he has found the epicenter of his team's problems. Better production from the wide receivers won't necessarily serve as a cure-all elixir, but it will open up the running game. He replaced Terrance Phillips in the lineup with Mark Rubin, who became the first true freshman to start at wideout for the Lions in more than a decade. Rubin, a 6’3” possession receiver, finished with six catches for 60 yards against Minnesota. Paterno said there's a very slim chance that Michael Robinson will be ready to play this week. He has been out since the Wisconsin game and was expected to miss this one but any chance of him playing is positive. Paterno also hinted that a simplified offensive approach is in the works. Quarterback Zack Mills is still not 100% but at least he is back. Mills stayed in the game after being sacked by defensive end Darrell Reid for a loss of 11 yards on Penn State's first drive and finished with 250 yards and one touchdown on 24-of-46 attempts. Penn State's players keep telling themselves that if not for a dropped pass here or a missed block there, the fine line between success and failure, they could be undefeated instead of staring hard at a sub-.500 record. After two great performances to start the season, the Purdue defense has been very average in their last two games. Not only did Illinois go on to score 30 points but finished with 390 yards of total offense, four yards less than what Syracuse and Ball St. combined to gain while being outscored 110-7. Last week, they allowed only 16 points, but they were outyarded 536-512 by Notre Dame. So after allowing 197 yards in each of their first two games, they have given up a combined 926 yards in their last two wins. It’s important to note that the first two games were at home while the last two have been on the road, where they play yet again this Saturday. Coach Joe Tiller and his staff were incensed by what they perceived to be lackadaisical play against Illinois, particularly by a young defense that includes eight first-year starters. Tiller is concerned about a letdown and rightfully so. "You don't have to get a team pumped up to play Notre Dame," Tiller said. "The downside of that is: What are you going to do next week? My only disappointment in my team so far was the way we came off of the bye. The reason I bring that up is because I think the way you come off a bye or open date is based on your maturity level." Despite the struggles this season for the Nittany Lions, the game Saturday is sold out.

**InsiderEdge** · 10-09-2004, 10:43 PM

Member card goes anywhere from 7-1 to 6-2 depending on the line everyone got for the Idaho game. For our monitoring purposes, it’s a 6-2 day as we had the Vandals at +1.5. The 6-2 record includes our only baseball play, a +155 win with the Dodgers. Information and analysis like this is available from about 1% of the services out there and yes we are in that 1%. Football stands at 47-29 (61.8%) for the season. We have 5 more goodies like this for tomorrow in the NFL in case you missed out on today.

Wisconsin Badgers at Ohio St. Buckeyes 12:00 PM ET

Wisconsin Badgers +3.5 -109 (2 Units)

Wisconsin fits into 3 very solid systems this weekend and with this looking more and more like a defensive game, we’ll gladly grab the field goal here. Ohio St. is more balanced on offense but that isn’t a good thing when they are 56th in passing and 90th in rushing. Wisconsin is 2nd in the country in total defense and they are solid in stopping both the run and the pass as they are ranked 4th in both. Surprisingly, the Buckeyes are just 48th in the country against the run as they are allowing over a yard and a half more per carry than the Badgers are giving up.

Wisconsin goes for a third straight victory at Ohio State so they know what it takes to win here. Wisconsin's defense passed its toughest test to date by holding the Illini to just 206 yards. The resurgent defense held its fifth consecutive opponent to seven points or fewer. They now face an Ohio St. offense that spent the first half looking as tentative as ever. The Buckeyes managed just 95 yards in the first half. With a big punt return by Santonio Holmes and a kickoff return by Maurice Hall, the Buckeyes had more return yardage (116) in the first 30 minutes. For the second consecutive game, Ohio St. gained fewer than 100 yards on the ground. In the past three games against Marshall, North Carolina State and Northwestern, Ohio State has been outgained on the ground 473-240. Quarterback Justin Zwick didn't get on track until the fourth quarter against one of the Big Ten's worst defenses. He finished 18 of 38 for 211 yards, but 90 of those came in the fourth quarter. Coach Barry Alvarez consistently raves about how fast his defense plays, and the improved speed at linebacker is perhaps the biggest reason for that. Besides having players with more speed, Wisconsin's defense is playing faster because the players are more sure of their assignments. And they feel they can play with more abandon if they know they're not going to be jerked out of the game every time they make a mistake, which is a new philosophy this season. The Buckeyes have not exactly been a dynamic offensive team in four years under coach Jim Tressel, finishing eighth, 10th and ninth in the Big Ten in total offense his first three years. Northwestern had its way with the Buckeyes last week. The Ohio St. defense gave up 444 yards, 113 to running back Noah Herron, and was steamrolled in overtime. The return of Anthony Davis showed why this team missed him so much, as we thought he would need some time to return to form. Davis produced six "explosive" plays, runs of 12 yards or more and pass receptions of 16 yards or more. He had three plays of 25 yards or longer, one less than the Badgers had as a team coming into the game. Davis should make life easier for everyone, from quarterback John Stocco to the linemen to offensive coordinator Brian White. As much as we were down on Stocco, it would be unfair to ignore the good things he has done. He has managed games well, allowing the Badgers to rely on their strong defense and special teams to win games. He made several key passes in the fourth quarter to lead the Badgers to a 9-7 come-from-behind victory at Arizona. And his ability to get rid of the ball has helped limit the number of sacks to just three through five games. Wisconsin will be the first Top 25 team that Ohio State has faced this year.

Tulane Green Wave at East Carolina Pirates 2:00 PM ET

Tulane Green Wave +3.5 -109 (2 Units)

Tulane came into this season knowing they should be able to throw the ball with some consistency but that hasn’t been the case. However, it might not matter here as this game will be won at the line of scrimmage where the Green Wave have a huge edge. East Carolina is allowing 287.5 ypg and 5.5 ypc, which puts them at 116th in the country while Tulane is putting up good numbers on the ground, gaining 160.3 ypg but an impressive 4.7 ypc. The average is good for 30th in the country. The Pirates can’t run it on offense either, averaging only 89.8 ypg and 2.99 ypc. East Carolina has lost 9 straight games going back to last season.

The East Carolina run defense has been putrid every game and it's been established that it will be non-existent all year long. Louisville’s Eric Shelton rushed for 129 yards last Saturday and for the Pirates' tattered run defense, it was the fourth time in as many games that at least one opposing rusher eclipsed the 100-yard plateau. East Carolina has allowed at least 215 rushing yards in each game this season, giving up a season high 478 yards to West Virginia. With the Tulane running game clicking against Southern Mississippi, the Green Wave passed 21 times, the fewest since it passed 20 times in the season-finale against East Carolina last season, a 28-18 win. Tailback Jovon Jackson's two 100-yard rushing games (134 against Florida A&M and 112 against Southern Mississippi) are among the top 15 performances by Conference USA running backs this season. In the six games he's started, Jackson has run for more than 100 yards three times. With four juniors and a senior playing their third season together as starters, the Green Wave offensive line is one of the most seasoned groups on the team. The five-man unit has 110 starts between them. It has been a real struggle on offense for East Carolina this season, as it is producing a dismal 16.5 ppg behind just 322.0 total ypg. Louisville's defense had its way with the Pirate offensive line. Just like a week ago in a 24-19 home loss to Cincinnati, QB James Pinkney was sacked four times. The Cardinals blitzed all day long and we can expect Tulane to do the same. The Green Wave has had success getting through the line and they won’t find much resistance from East Carolina. They have 13 sacks in their 3 games (11 in one game) while the offense has allowed just 4. "I've never been in a situation where a quarterback kept having to get up time and time again," Eeast Carolina head coach John Thompson said. "Me and Noah (Brindise) were on the sideline thinking, 'Is he going to get up?' And he kept getting up, picking grass out of his teeth. He was beat up, and we can't allow that to happen." The passing game took a huge hit this week. The Pirates announced that senior wide receiver Damarcus Fox has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Pirates coach John Thompson readily admitted that the Pirates are weak at wide receiver to begin with. Planning for life without Fox is no small task as his speed, big-play propensity and special teams expertise will be tough to replace. His leadership is perhaps just as valuable, especially on a team with precious few experienced seniors to go around. Special teams could play a role in this one as field position will be a key factor. Of punter Chris Beckman’s 14 kicks in 2004 for Tulane, just two have been returned, six have been downed and opponents have called for a fair catch on the other six. He is second in Conference USA and ranks 19th nationally. Tulane's kick return duo of redshirt freshman Ray Boudreaux and sophomore Fred Smith have put the Green Wave second in Conference USA and 17th in the country in kickoff returns. East Carolina punt returner Demetrius Hodges has been ruled out of the contest because of an ankle injury sustained at Louisville. For the season, he's returned seven punts for an average of 10.9 yards per return.

Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Bobcats 2:00 PM ET

Ohio Bobcats +9 -115 (2 Units)

The last time Ohio University started a football season with at least three wins after five games came back in 1997 so this is definitely something special for the Bobcats. Their wins weren’t against world-beaters (Eastern Michigan, Buffalo and Kentucky) but those were games they would lose in the past. They finished 2-10 last season but half those losses were by 9 points or less and 4 were by a touchdown or less showing that they never quit for coach Randy Knorr. Of Marshall’s last 13 losses, 11 have been on the road, including one at Ohio. This is one of the bigger rival games you may have never heard of and Ohio is looking to avenge a shutout at the hands of Marshall last season.

Marshall is very aware of a new style of Ohio attack, as the Bobcats have scrapped the wishbone of the last decade and opened up the passing game It’s better for Marshall to prepare for but it’s better for the Bobcats as the offense of the past could never get anything going anyway. Along with newfound depth, Knorr said the Bobcats are benefiting from a belief in the dramatic offensive overhaul. Speed was the difference last weekend in Ohio’s 28-16 victory over Kentucky. Quarterback Ryan Hawk has thrown for 951 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions and his receivers are developing into playmakers. Knorr said his quarterback was sidelined in the second half against Kentucky after being "dinged up a little" but should be fine for Saturday. Ohio opened conference play with a 40-20 loss to Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 18. Following the game, Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said his team was fortunate to face the Bobcats early, noting that the new-look offense would produce progressively better with each game. Ohio’s defense also has made strides compared to recent seasons, allowing just 286 yards a game. The Bobcats have been especially stingy in its coverage, giving up 164 passing a game. Ohio picked off three passes and recovered two fumbles against Kentucky, the fourth time this season with a positive turnover margin. The Bobcats are ranked 10th in the nation in turnover margin at +1.80 (17 gained, 8 lost). Knorr hopes to have several defensive starters back, including middle linebacker Dennis Chukwuemeka. He was among four defensive starters who did not play against Kentucky. Chukwuemeka, FS Chip Cox and FS Rob Stover each could return against the Thundering Herd, and Knorr listed DL Tyler Russ as questionable. Overall, Marshall coach Bobby Pruett graded his offensive line as "a work in progress." Miami sacked quarterback Stan Hill four times, upping the season total to 18. "It is, something like that," quarterback Stan Hill said. "We’ve had our ups and downs but we’re just trying to come out day by day and get better." Ohio figures to challenge Marshall’s special team's unit. Ohio’s punt and kick coverage is a team strength, and punter Matthew Miller ranks fifth in the league, averaging 42.1 yards a kick. Marshall’s big special teams shortcoming has been on kickoff returns. Marshall ranks 13th in the MAC and 111th nationally, averaging just 15.5 yards. A win over an SEC team could mean letdown for most teams but that won’t be the case here, especially in a rival game and the ‘Battle of the Bell’. "We haven't had much success against Marshall lately," Knorr said. "So, I think our players are grounded in that they realize the tough task ahead." The Bobcats always show up at home against Marshall even when their team was awful. In 2002, Marshall edged Ohio 24-21, in 2000 Ohio scored a 38-28 win, and in 1998 Marshall again edged the Bobcats 30-23 in Athens.

Eastern Michigan Eagles at Ball St. Cardinals 3:00 PM ET

Eastern Michigan Eagles +7.5 -115 (2 Units)

This is a fun offense to watch as the new spread look is working for Eastern Michigan. The Eagles are 28th in total offense with 415.6 ypg and they are showing nice balance with 222.6 ypg passing and 193.0 ypg rushing. Ball St. meanwhile is 114th in total offense, averaging only 264.4 ypg. The defense is still non-existent, but the offense will keep the Eagles in the game. As bad as the Eastern Michigan run defense has been, the run defense of Ball St. is even worse, something Eastern Michigan will exploit. The Cardinals are averaging just 88.2 ypg and 2.5 ypc in their rushing game. Matt Bohnet is growing into a bone fide MAC playmaker showing that he's equally dangerous throwing and running the ball. The Eagles have to prove themselves on the road but Ball St. shouldn’t be laying more than a touchdown to anyone.

The offensive turnaround has been dramatic for the Eagles. The Eagles' offense is ranked 28th nationally after finishing the 2003 season ranked 116th. They found success against the two best teams they have faced, Florida and Toledo by gaining a combined 834 yards in total offense in those games. "There were probably 25 or 30 plays (against Idaho), that if we make one of them, we win the game," head coach Jeff Genyk said. "Those last two games were right there in front of them." A good sign for the offense was the way they came out in the second half. After going scoreless in the third quarter of three straight games, Eastern Michigan broke out for 17 points in the third against the Vandals. Receiver Chris Talley dropped what looked to be the game-winning pass - a play that Genyk believes Talley would make "99 out of 100 times." In addition, Genyk said quarterback Matt Bohnet started pressing, which kept him from making fundamental plays. "Those last two games were right out in front of them for the taking," Genyk said. "We just have found a way not to make a play to win the game. As a staff, we expect to win those games.” Ball State allowed Toledo's offense to gain 645 yards. The total was the highest given up by the Cardinals in the past 16 years. The Cardinals surrendered nine gains of at least 23 yards. Ball State's pass defense has been stretched in nearly every way imaginable through the first five football games of the season. There seems to be no let up in sight for the unit that ranks last in the Mid-American Conference in yards allowed. "We're starting a (true) freshman (Ryan Patrick) and a true sophomore (Randall Means) at the corners." Ball St. coach Brady Hoke said. Bohnet, a junior who transferred from Iowa, ranks 10th in the nation and third in the MAC in total offense. Bohnet averages 222.6 yards passing and 62.6 yards rushing per game. Eastern Michigan must continue to rely on a defense that is struggling to get off blocks due to the size differential at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles are currently ranked 10th in the MAC in total defense and 103rd nationally. Ball St. doesn’t pose a huge problem though. Last weekend, the Rockets' last-ranked MAC defense held Ball State to just 90 yards in the second half. The Eagles won’t be shutting anyone down but this will be the easiest test they’ve had since Buffalo. "We know Ball State is going to come in looking to run the ball," Genyk said. "So our main priority will be to stop the run." Ball St. hasn’t been able to do anything on the ground up to this point so there is no reason to think that they will find great success here.

BIG TEN GAME OF THE YEAR

Purdue Boilermakers at Penn St. Nittany Lions 4:30 PM ET

Penn St. Nittany Lions +11 -107 (3 Units)

Coming off two road games against two ranked teams, Penn State returns home to face yet another ranked opponent but things are looking up. Losing by a combined 22 points in those two road games may not look good for Penn St. standards, but they were good efforts and now they catch a Purdue team that is playing their third straight on the road. The Boilermakers face Wisconsin and Michigan in their next two games so this has uninspired effort written all over it. This game mirrors a Purdue visit to Beaver Stadium back in 2000 when they came in as 13-pint favorites. Penn St. won that game outright 22-20.

The Penn State defense mostly contained the normally unstoppable Golden Gophers last week and is only allowing 15 ppg on the season. Coming into the game, the Gophers had not scored fewer than 34 so that says something about the effort of the Nittany Lions defense. "This was the best defense we have played against in a long time," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. The Purdue offense is ranked 1st in the country in total offense but Minnesota came into last week’s game ranked 3rd and were held in check. The loss dropped Penn State to 2-3, 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference, but it was an effort that left coach Joe Paterno smiling and content, with a feeling that the importance of his team's effort eclipsed the importance of the result. No question, the Penn State football team is frustrated with its 2-3 record. Still, the Nittany Lions see a glimmer of hope, and that's in the performance of many of their younger players. Offensively, Paterno believes he has found the epicenter of his team's problems. Better production from the wide receivers won't necessarily serve as a cure-all elixir, but it will open up the running game. He replaced Terrance Phillips in the lineup with Mark Rubin, who became the first true freshman to start at wideout for the Lions in more than a decade. Rubin, a 6’3” possession receiver, finished with six catches for 60 yards against Minnesota. Paterno said there's a very slim chance that Michael Robinson will be ready to play this week. He has been out since the Wisconsin game and was expected to miss this one but any chance of him playing is positive. Paterno also hinted that a simplified offensive approach is in the works. Quarterback Zack Mills is still not 100% but at least he is back. Mills stayed in the game after being sacked by defensive end Darrell Reid for a loss of 11 yards on Penn State's first drive and finished with 250 yards and one touchdown on 24-of-46 attempts. Penn State's players keep telling themselves that if not for a dropped pass here or a missed block there, the fine line between success and failure, they could be undefeated instead of staring hard at a sub-.500 record. After two great performances to start the season, the Purdue defense has been very average in their last two games. Not only did Illinois go on to score 30 points but finished with 390 yards of total offense, four yards less than what Syracuse and Ball St. combined to gain while being outscored 110-7. Last week, they allowed only 16 points, but they were outyarded 536-512 by Notre Dame. So after allowing 197 yards in each of their first two games, they have given up a combined 926 yards in their last two wins. It’s important to note that the first two games were at home while the last two have been on the road, where they play yet again this Saturday. Coach Joe Tiller and his staff were incensed by what they perceived to be lackadaisical play against Illinois, particularly by a young defense that includes eight first-year starters. Tiller is concerned about a letdown and rightfully so. "You don't have to get a team pumped up to play Notre Dame," Tiller said. "The downside of that is: What are you going to do next week? My only disappointment in my team so far was the way we came off of the bye. The reason I bring that up is because I think the way you come off a bye or open date is based on your maturity level." Despite the struggles this season for the Nittany Lions, the game Saturday is sold out.

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Texas Tech Red Raiders 7:00 PM ET

Nebraska Cornhuskers +7.5 -110 (2 Units)

Nebraska is the only Big 12 Conference team Texas Tech has never defeated. If the Huskers are to keep that streak alive, they'll likely need another stellar defensive effort. Nebraska is 2nd against the run and 6th in pass efficiency defense. This will obviously be the most complex and explosive unit they have seen but similar to their defenses in the past, it won’t be a big problem. They've been tremendous at stopping teams from getting into any sort of passing rhythm. Texas Tech has given it away 15 times so far with Sonny Cumbie throwing 11 interceptions. Texas Tech doesn’t have a great defense so the Huskers should find success on the offensive side.

Callahan insisted he remains optimistic about the progress of both quarterback Joe Dailey and the offense as a whole. Watching game film, Callahan said, gives him a different perspective that the average fan can't grasp on game day. He said the running game is getting into a rhythm and that the offensive line has picked up the new system quicker than most NFL teams he's had. The line is blocking well downfield, finishing plays and performing in sync, particularly in the running game. In addition, pass protection has been excellent, Callahan said, especially considering the line's transition from a run-based offense to the West Coast attack. Indeed, Nebraska has allowed only three sacks. Nebraska will continue to mix the run and pass. To this point, the Huskers have rushed the ball 160 times and passed it 120. Dailey knows the offense can't put the Blackshirts in the hole they were in Saturday night. The defense was on the field for 82 snaps. "We believe in our offense," offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. "We know it works. We just continue to coach it and execute it and improve it. Our players believe in it. When they watch the film, they see opportunities we have." It was just those handful of crucial plays last Saturday against Kansas that weren't executed that could have made a significant difference. The 14-8 win easily could have been 28-8. Texas Tech should help when the Huskers get into these situations. They are ranked 10th in the Big 12 Conference in red-zone defense, having allowed opponents to score on 16 of 18 trips inside their 20-yard line. The opposition has 13 touchdowns and three field goals. This is a very young defense that started only one senior last weekend. The Red Raiders have played good football for the most part in building a 3-2 record, but consistency has been a problem. Two of the wins came after the Red Raiders fell behind by at least three touchdowns. Those comebacks came against Kansas and TCU, who are not at the same level as Nebraska. The Husker defense is currently fifth in the nation and first in the Big 12 allowing 255.5 yards per game. They see a challenge against the Red Raiders but nothing they can’t figure out. "They do a tremendous job of executing their offense," defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. "The No. 1 thing you have to do, you have to try to slow them down. They're going to get their yards, and we have to do a good job of slowing them down and doing very good in the red zone." Nebraska linebacker Stewart Bradley said the wide splits are meant to separate people and make it harder for defenders to fill gaps. "That can cause some problems," Bradley said. "But I think we have enough defensive speed that we'll be able to counteract that. Against a high, explosive offense like that, definitely quickness is going to be the biggest factor you're going to need." Nebraska should be full-strength Saturday night for the first time in nearly a month. Cornerback Lornell McPherson, who sat out the last two games with a hamstring pull, is expected to play. So is defensive end Adam Carriker, who missed the Pittsburgh game because of a high ankle sprain and played sparingly against Kansas. The Blackshirts haven't allowed a touchdown in the first half of any game this season.

La-Monroe Indians at Idaho Vandals 5:00 PM ET

Idaho Vandals +1.5 -103 (2 Units)

La-Monroe is 7-43 overall their last 50 games, including 2-25 on the road yet they are favored in this game. Granted Idaho is not at the top of their league either but they have won twice as many games during this span and they are coming off a solid win at Eastern Michigan which gives them some great momentum heading home. This will be their first home game of the season and also since the death of SS Eric McMillan so this will be a very emotional and uplifting game for Idaho. Last year Idaho throttled the Indians 53-20 in Monroe.

Idaho's chances of competing for the Sun Belt title aren't very realistic this season, but La-Monroe is certainly an opponent the Vandals can match up with this week. The confidence in getting their first win is huge for the Vandals. The Vandals are playing only two games in the Kibbie Dome this season so they will make them count. The offense finally came together as quarterback Michael Harrington, younger brother of Detroit Lions quarterback Joey Harrington, enjoyed a career game by completing 28-of-36 passes for 318 yards. The passing game finally got untracked down field, while the running game continues to improve. This young offensive line is coming together nicely, and they are slowly forcing defenses to account for the running game, which ultimately will open things up for the Vandal passing game. They are not too strong on the defensive end but this is by far the weakest offense they will have faced thus far. "We do have some concerns offensively about our consistency and being able to put a whole game together," ULM assistant head coach Bob Leahy said. "Those are things that we're trying to get a remedy for." Head coach Charlie Weatherbie said the Indians are battling a myriad of breakdowns here and there that add up to stalled drives. In a 31-10 setback to Wyoming last week, the offense was once again inept, racking up just 236 total yards. The team was only able to gain 91 rushing yards on 30 carries. Top rusher is sophomore Kevin Payne who is averaging a mere 52.5 ypg after rushing for 976 yards a season ago. The Indians failed to score in the second half for the third time in four games. The Indians have been outscored 59-7 in the third and fourth quarters this season. Because of its inability to maintain offensive potency for four quarters, they are averaging just 12.8 points per game to rank 115th in the country. Unable to maintain scoring drives, the Indians have converted on third down just 20 times in 59 attempts (34%) while opponents have converted 26-of-53 third-down chances (49%). Penalties are also an issue as La-Monroe has been penalized 33 times for 316 yards compared to opponents that have been flagged only 21 times for 185 yards. The Indians have dropped five in a row on the road and their nine-game losing streak ranks second nationally. La-Monroe might have a true freshman in at quarterback on Saturday. Weatherbie is considering taking the redshirt off freshman quarterback Kinsmon Lancaster. He is listed as the backup to starter Steven Jyles. "I think it would be good to get him in there," Weatherbie said. "He can do some things Steven can't do with his feet."

Announcement

Big Ten Game of the Year Today!

Big Ten Game of the Year Today!

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