Should You Take the Dog in Rivalry Games?

Good news!  The betting line for this year's Apple Cup has been revealed, and well, just to get the obvious out the way - the Cougs are the underdog - and rightfully so.  But wow, 26 points??  To a 3-win team, in a rivalry game??  Yeah yeah, we know, we know.  The betting lines aren't always indicative of who they believe is going win by a certain number of points.  No, the point to the line is to generally spur betting activity on both sides.  Get 50% action on both sides, the house doesn't lose, and Vegas gets to pay their mortgage for another month.  And as we've seen all year, they generally know what they are doing in Sin City.  But a nearly four-TD advantage to a 3-7 football team that hasn't won a game since October 10th?  It absolutely screams about how low things have sunk in Coug-ville. 

Then again, when you are only able to have 13 defensive players in uniform who can actually play, as was the case when Brandon Jones went down with a back contusion vs. the Beavs, well, they are the definition of the walking wounded. 

Why is it good news though, this whole underdog thing?  It's actually good for this Apple Cup game.  You know why?  Well, since 2001, the underdog has covered the spread in SEVEN OF THE LAST EIGHT TIMES these two teams have gotten after it.  That's right, the underdog is now 7-1 in the last 8 against the spread.  We actually looked at this last year, prior to the 2008 game, and at the time it was 6-1 in favor of the dogs.  Remember, the defeated UW'ers were a 7.5 to 8-point fav heading into last year's game in Pullman, and we all know how that turned out.

Does any of this actually matter?  Who knows.  But I think it clearly shows one thing.  In recent years, WSU has had seasons where they have been better than UW, and there are years where UW was favored with what was thought to be the better team, and yet somehow the rivalry game turns up the juices on the underdog.  And come on, we're WSU.  No matter how depleted the team is, no matter how young, injured, etc, the roster happens to be, does anyone really think they are just going to go into Seattle and lay down?  I know it's only Monday, and we don't even know if it's going to be Kevin Lopina or Jeff Tuel at QB, but if recent trends are any indication?  Take the underdog to cover.

Moving on.....


This is a couple of days late, but Jim Sterk bellied up to the AD forum and gave another update to the Martin Stadium Phase III renovation process.  Sounds as though things are moving along, but we are in major crunch-time right now.  Remember December 18th.  We've been hearing that date since early fall, and that is key for one major reason.  IF the premium seat sales goals are reached by this day, then Phase III will be a reality for the 2011 season opener!  If not, then the whole thing gets pushed back an additional year, to 2012.  And since the world is ending in December of that year, that means we'd only get to enjoy the new phase for one season, not a full two seasons if we can hit the 12/18 goal.....


Grippi's latest from last night touches on the newest injuries, rust from Kevin Lopina, and the surprise showing from converted WR-to-safety in Easton Johnson, who logged 10 tackles vs. the Beavs and was generally all over the field.  It's a good read.

Meanwhile, get the hard liquor secured away and bring lots of cash for hot chocolate next year.  Why?  The Apple Cup will be played on December 4th in Pullman in 2010!  And you thought it was cold in late November??