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Florida State Seminoles at North Carolina Tarheels

Posted by on October 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

NCAA Football Betting Preview
Florida State Seminoles (2-4) at North Carolina Tarheels (4-2)
Thursday October 22nd, 8:00PM Eastern

Betus.com betting line – North Carolina -2.5, 47 O/U

The Florida State Seminoles program has taken a turn for the worse as they stare down an ugly 2-4 record on the season and have also failed to capture a conference win with a disappointing 0-3 mark in the ACC. The Seminoles were expected to be front runners in the ACC this season, but they are ranked dead last in the ACC and Bobby Bowden’s career is in jeopardy. The Seminoles will get the luxury of playing on the big stage this Thursday night thanks to a nationally televised ESPN contest when they travel to Kenan Stadium to battle the North Carolina Tarheels. The Tarheels have been equally disappointing in conference play with a 0-2 mark which included an upset loss to Virginia. However, the Tarheels are above the .500 mark at 4-2 on the year and they will be slight favorites at home this Thursday night. The Seminoles will desperately be trying to right the ship on the road as try to avoid falling to 2-5. If that happens, Florida State chances of not making a bowl will be in doubt for the first time in 28 years.

North Carolina is also a team that feels that should be playing a little better than they have this season. The offense has not been very impressive, but the defense is the best in the ACC. The Tarheels rank 3rd in overall defense holding teams to just 237 yards per game behind only Alabama and Florida. One number that also jumps out heading into their meeting with Florida State is their pass defense which ranks number 1 in all of college football holding teams to just 125 yards passing. The Tarheels have yet to play a quarterback like Christian Ponder or a really good passing offense, but they are still very talented in the secondary. Those corners and safeties will look to shut down the Florida State passing game and prolong the Seminoles disappointing season.

Florida State on the other hand must find a way to pick apart the Tarheels strong pass defense. The Seminoles have had very little success running the ball this season and it is safe to say the offense relies on Ponder. Ponder is completing an impressive 68% on the season and has 9 touchdowns to just 1 pick. Not only is Ponder a very talented thrower, but he has some talent to target as well. Senior Richard Goodman and sophomore Bert Reed are consistent playmakers at the receiver position. Each player has posted a little over 350 yards receiving this season and own a solid 13 yards per catch average. If the receivers can help Ponder make some big plays the in result equals into points, then they could really put the pressure on the North Carolina offense.

The Tarheels offense has been fairly terrible this season ranking towards the very bottom of the nation averaging just 282 yards per game. Junior QB T.J Yates has been more of a liability than a luxury. Yates has 7 picks on the season including two a piece in both ACC match-ups. The Tarheels quarterback has not been very helpful in the passing game averaging just 173 yards per game. Of course the Tarheels lost some big time receivers a year ago and there has not been anyone to step up to fill that void either. As a result, the running game gets the biggest work load. Tailback Shaun Draughn gets most the action and has been a stable runner averaging 4 yards per pop. Draughn is the more elusive back, but Ryan Houston will get the ball in power needed situations. The bulldozer is a scoring machine in short yardage plays and has 7 scores on the year. Expect North Carolina to run the ball well against the Florida State offense. If that can keep the chains moving and the defense does not give up many big plays, the Tarheels will take down the road victory.

Pick – North Carolina -2.5

Pooh Leads Parade of New Kidvids

The Washington Post March 16, 1997 | Martie Zad Celebrating “The Year of Friendship,” and just in time for Easter, Walt Disney Home Video has launched its new Winnie the Pooh line entitled “Pooh Friendship” with three heart-warming episodes.

They are “Tigger-ific Tales,” “Pooh Wishes” and “Clever Little Piglet.” ($12.99, 44 mins. each). in our site cartoon network video

Paramount Home Video has released a sizeable spring package including the award-winning film “Harriet the Spy” ($19.95, 102 mins); two Corduroy adventures, “The Dinosaur Egg” and “Home” ($11.95, 25 mins.); and eight good old Charlie Brown titles headed by “It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown.” These spring releases of Peanuts, Snoopy and the gang are $12.95 and range from 25 to 48 minutes. Paramount also has four “Gullah Gullah Island” titles ($9.95, 30 mins.): “Dance Along With the Daise Family,” “Sing Along With Binyah Binyah,” “Play Along With Binyah & Friends” and “Binyah’s Surprise.” Also for the tots, there is “Wide Awake at Eureeka’s Castle” and “Sing Along With Eureeka” ($9.95, 30 mins.), released this week along with two volumes of Rugrats, “Grandpa’s Favorite Stories” and “The Return of Reptar” (12.95, 60 mins.). There is also the four-piece Oz Kids Collection, “Journey Beneath the Sea” (66 mins.), “The Monkey Prince” (65 mins.), “The Return of Mombi” (89 mins.) and “Underground Adventure” (64 mins.), full-length features for little ones at $12.95. Miramax Family Films Home Video has released two live-action family films, “The Thief and the Cobbler” (72 mins.) and “The NeverEnding Story: Escape From Fantasia” (95 mins., $14.99). Another live-action full-length feature, Moonbeam Entertainment’s “Foul Play” (89 mins.), has also been released through Paramount, which this spring has re-packaged many favorites in attractive clamshell covers at $14.95. This group is made up of Jodi Foster in “Bugsy Malone” (94 mins.), Debbie Reynolds and Agnes Moorehead providing voices in “Charlotte’s Web” (94 mins.), Cicely Tyson in “Sounder” (105 mins.), Danny Kaye in “The Court Jester” (101 mins.), “Black Beauty” (105 mins.), “A Dog of Flanders” (96 mins.), “The Silver Stallion” (93 mins.), “Andre” (96 mins.) and “Lassie” (95 mins.). “At the Zoo 2″ offers a 25-minute journey amidst the world’s wildlife for the under-8 bunch, $14.95, Goldsholl: Learning Videos, 1-800-243-8300. For the same under-8 people, three titles have been added to the Video Adventures of Lost and Found series ($14.95, 25 mins. each). The new cassettes are “Stay Safe,” “Stolen Sounds” and “Learning Tunes.” Call 1-800-327-4269. Due out this week from Live Entertainment is “The Animated Kids’ Songs of Woody Guthrie” ($12.98, 23 mins.), which includes Guthrie’s mega-hits “This Land Is Your Land” and “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You.” Turner Home Entertainment is also offering its 13 “Bible Classics” as well as its eight “Timeless Tales From Hallmark” for $9.98. Each has a running time of 30 minutes. Cartoon Network Video has released “Yogi the Easter Bear” for $12.98. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young narrates “Tyler, A Real Hero” ($19.95, 62 mins.), about a high school football hero who had it all until he suffered a crippling injury. Call 1-800-383-8811. And an animated “Hercules” has been added to Sony Wonder’s Enchanted Tales series ($9.98, 48 mins.). go to website cartoon network video

Martie Zad

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