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CONFERENCE ROAD WELL TRAVELED
By Tom Stryker
This week’s college system is one that took me by surprise. When I handicap
games, I try and look for specific situations where I think a team will either
rise or fall. In this particular set, I envisioned a team emotionally spent
and on the verge of an upset loss. Not to my surprise, after some intensive
research, the exact opposite came to be true.
Let me set the stage for you. In this scenario, we have a conference road favorite
coming off a SU and ATS conference road favorite victory. Without saying another
word, the knee-jerk would be to fade that piece of road chalk thinking an encore
performance, especially as a guest, wouldn’t be possible. That couldn’t be further
from the truth. In fact, if our conference road favorite is matched up against
a greater than .200 foe that checks in off a straight up loss, this situation
boasts an impressive 49-29 ATS record for 62.8 percent.
Common sense would lead us to believe that this road favorite would struggle.
Thankfully, my powerful college database dismisses that way of thinking and
puts us on the correct side.
Like all of my systems, there are certain tighteners that apply that make stronger
sets. This one is no different. First, if we take all of the “Class A” teams
out of the original 49-29 ATS system – those with a won/loss percentage greater
than .900 – this technical situation improves to a sparkling 42-21 ATS for
66.7 percent. That actually makes perfect sense. Teams that carry a won/loss
percentage greater than .900 are most likely overpriced. In this situation,
we are able to remove a 7-8 ATS record by eliminating those teams.
If we take our 42-21 ATS set and bring their foe in off a straight up loss of
31 points or less, this college system zips to a powerful 37-12 ATS for 75.5
percent. After researching so many different technical situations, I’ve
discovered that it’s usually a good thing to dismiss teams that enter off really
big losses. Those teams tend to try a little harder coming off an embarrassing
performance. Plus, the linemaker has probably over compensated for these teams
coming off the blowout loss.
This weekend, there is one team that fits the general system and both tightereners
– OHIO STATE! The Buckeyes looked fantastic in their win and cover at Indiana
last Saturday and travel to Minnesota to take on a Gophers team that lost by
four in their last game at home against the Wisconsin Badgers!
Good luck with Ohio State and be sure to check back next week for another powerful
system. Thank you and best of luck, Tom Stryker.
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