Stanford @ NU - interesting "hmmm...." by Pat Forde

[LACatFan]

Scroll down to #28. And yea, I know. Stats are for losers.

"Should Stanford be nervous as a likely heavy road favorite at Northwestern to open the season? Maybe. The Wildcats’ last four wins of 2014 were all as an underdog, and the Cardinal lost four times last year as a favorite. Oh, and the game kicks off at 9 a.m. PT."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/40-sch...1Zmd1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Scroll down to #28. And yea, I know. Stats are for losers.

"Should Stanford be nervous as a likely heavy road favorite at Northwestern to open the season? Maybe. The Wildcats’ last four wins of 2014 were all as an underdog, and the Cardinal lost four times last year as a favorite. Oh, and the game kicks off at 9 a.m. PT."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/40-sch...1Zmd1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--

Why do we think the betting line will or should have any influence on the outcome of the game?

 

[catlitter]

Because the betting line indicative of the confidence level of the betting public. Players are aware of the betting line and sometimes they are influenced by it and as a result, become over confident and are not mentally prepared.

I personally tend to discount this factor in opening games of the season because teams are always jacked up for the opener, regardless of the competition.

 

[Bwm57]

Sure wish kickoff wasn't at 11:00am

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Because the betting line indicative of the confidence level of the betting public. Players are aware of the betting line and sometimes they are influenced by it and as a result, become over confident and are not mentally prepared.

I personally tend to discount this factor in opening games of the season because teams are always jacked up for the opener, regardless of the competition.

Eh... that's a stretch. Not once did I ever hear a player or coach make reference to being an underdog or the betting line. If you can't self-motivate to prepare for a BCS football game, you shouldn't be a BCS football player.