Owls and other stone-cold-mortal locks

By Mike Gibson
Temple might sport what on the surface looks like a sorry 1-4 record, but the Owls are virtually unbeaten against the spread this year.
Virtually unbeaten, because there is that little matter of Penn State.
That's where the virtual part comes into play.
Going into the Penn State game, Temple was unbeaten against the spread.
Before that game, I got asked by the popular website Black Shoe Diaries my thoughts on why Temple would cover the then 28-point spread.
I said two words.
Adam DiMichele.

Temple vs. Miami (Ohio)
Game time: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN360 (pay-per-view, $21.95)
Favorite: Miami by 7
Radio: WNTP,990 AM
Harry Donahue and Steve Joachim
(free, but they should have to pay you)

Those two words were taken out on the third play of the game, when Devin Tyler did his best impersonation of Winston Justice and failed to protect his franchise quarterback from the blind side. (Throw in an assist to head coach Al Golden and offensive coordinator Matt Rhule, who probably should have had big tight end Kevin Armstrong on that blind side providing Tyler help.)
Anybody who thinks the Owls don't cover the 28 against Penn State with the slick DiMichele in there for four quarters just missed Temple's first three games.
Which is what most Penn State fans did anyway.
That's not to say the Owls are stone-cold-mortal locks tomorrow in their game at The Fake Miami.
They just aren't.
I'd stay away from them, just like I'd stay away from taking a stroll in the direction of 17th and Daulphin.
Not because I don't believe, but moreso that the matter is too close to my heart.
If Temple doesn't win, I'm going to be bummed out big-time tomorrow.
If Temple doesn't win and I lose major coin, it's not going to bum me out that much more.
If Temple loses by four and I win major coin, that's really not much consolation to me.
So I'm staying away even though the Owls have proven to be a good bet this year.
Last week, the Saturday morning line moved from 4 to 4 1/2 points. So if you got a quick bet in on Temple, you would have won.
The reality is that the Owls do not get much respect nationally (yet) so they are a good value against the spread if you want to go in that direction.
I don't.
I also happen to be unbeaten in Stone Cold Mortal locks this year (2-0, betting the under in Temple games against UConn and Western Michigan).
Last week, in my "regular" locks, I was 3-1 (I blew it big-time on the Navy game) but won when Buffalo played Central Michigan close and Ball State got a late cover against Kent State.
The secret to good betting in college football is taking a look at the games on the list and picking the "wow" game.
Like, "wow, they really messed up on that one."
So my wow game becomes my "stone-cold-mortal-lock" of the week.
I don't like the card this week so I'm staying away from the regular locks.

THIS WEEK'S STONE-COLD-MORTAL LOCK

BOWLING GREEN (+20 1/2) hosting Eastern Michigan _ Eastern Michigan is really bad and Tyler Sheehan, the Falcons' quarterback, is really good. Twenty and change is a lot to cover but BG will do this easily. After Saturday, my stone-cold-mortal-lock record goes to 3-0.