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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (covers.com): acc football coastal preview. Last year’s ACC Coastal featured two football teams fighting for supremacy, two proud schools fighting for mediocrity and two basketball campuses fighting for nothing in particular. The main change in 2007 is at the top. Virginia Tech should separate itself from the rest of the conference, while Miami, Georgia Tech and Virginia could be in a tight battle for second. North Carolina and Duke will once again be far better at hoops than on the gridiron. Quick question: who’s the best quarterback in the division? No matter who your answer is, I’ll bet he’s pretty iffy, isn’t he? Every team in the Coastal has concerns at QB, not a great thing for the four teams entertaining bowl hopes. Virginia Tech Hokies The Hokies lost in consecutive weeks to Georgia Tech and Boston College last year, costing them a shot at the ACC title. It was a bad slip-up for the conference’s strongest team, as Va. Tech allowed less than five points per game over its final six regular season meetings despite playing four bowl-bound opponents. The good news for head coach Frank Beamer is that the bulk of last year’s starters return. The Hokies will have one of the best defenses in the country and can always be counted on for good special team play. The offense should be solid with loads of talent at the skill positions, but can be better than solid if quarterback Sean Glennon steps up or backup Ike Whitaker is ready to step in. The Sept. 8 visit to Baton Rouge has BCS Bowl ramifications for both Tech and LSU. The biggest conference tests for the Hokies are the Oct. 6 visit to Clemson and the Oct. 1 Thursday-nighter at Georgia Tech. Predicted record: 10-2 Miami Hurricanes The good news for the ‘Canes is that 2007 can’t be worse than 2006. New head coach Randy Shannon has a huge early challenge with a Sept. 8 visit to Oklahoma. Miami’s other non-conference test is a Sept. 20 visit from Texas A&M. The ACC slate starts off a lot easier than it ends, with intimidating trips to Virginia Tech and Boston College on Nov. 17 and Nov. 24 respectively. The Hurricanes’ defense was their strength in 2006 and should be just as strong this year despite losing two first-round talents in the NFL Draft. Opposing quarterbacks will drop back in fear this year against Miami. The question marks are on the offensive side of the ball. Miami doesn’t recruit skill players like it did in the glory days and last season’s scores prove it. The starting quarterback slot is still open. If Javarris James can dominate in his sophomore year, an ACC title could be possible, but the Hurricanes’ combined 8-16 against-the-spread (ATS) record over the last two seasons underlines the school’s status with the betting public. Predicted record: 9-3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Georgia Tech could’ve and should’ve clinched a berth in the Orange Bowl last year but couldn’t score a touchdown in a dreadful ACC Championship game last December. They settled for the Gator Bowl, where they proceeded to rack up 35 points on a quintet of offensive majors. The Yellow Jackets lost superstar Calvin Johnson from last year’s squad, but otherwise return a ton of talent. The offensive line might be the best in the ACC and Tashard Choice is a very good college running back. Taylor Bennett looked good at quarterback last year but doesn’t have a deep receiving corps to help him along this year. The blitz-happy defense returns eight starters from 2006 and will be a strength again this fall. Tech’s schedule has tough bookends with a visit to Notre Dame to open the season and its annual hate-fest with the Dawgs to close it out. Trips to Maryland and Miami are the toughest conference road games. Predicted record: 8-4 Virginia Cavaliers The key number in Charlottesville is 19. That’s how many starters return this year, including 10 players on an already decent defense. The Cavaliers were young in 2006 and weren’t expecting to compete for the Coastal title, but still disappointed with the school’s first losing season since 2001. They were especially bad against non-conference opponents, going 1-3 straight up (SU) and 0-4 ATS. Their sole non-conference win was an overtime victory at home over Wyoming when the Cavs had been 9-point favorites. Virginia opens 2007 with a visit to Wyoming, a measuring stick for the team’s improvement. The Cavaliers could be a good bet this season because of the question marks at quarterback and running back. Those are marquee positions that attract public bettors when filled but keep tem away when there are concerns. The defense alone could be good enough for a 6-1 start while the offensive backfield sorts itself out for the tougher ACC games. Predicted record: 7-5 North Carolina Tar Heels North Carolina’s new head coach Butch Davis will have a decent team … in 2009. The Heels are in the exact opposite boat the Cavaliers find themselves in as only nine starters return to Chapel Hill after a very bad 2006 season in which UNC went 3-9 SU and 4-7 ATS. The offense could be ugly. Last year’s top passer, Joe Dailey, moved to wide receiver. The top returning rusher, Barrington Edwards, is suspended indefinitely and the projected top tailback for 2007 is named Richie Rich. The young offensive line has to replace both starters on the left side. The defense was poor last season, save for a late two-week stretch in which it held consecutive conference opponents to single digits. It could be even worse this year with only four starters returning and the highly-acclaimed recruits too inexperienced to play starring roles. The schedule goes downhill after opening with James Madison. Predicted record: 3-9 Duke Blue Devils Duke’s 0-12 SU record in 2006 screams disaster, but highlights can always be found if you look hard enough. The Blue Devils lost by a single point to the eventual ACC champs, they could’ve beaten usually-mighty Miami, and the offense kept them in an entertaining 45-44 loss to UNC. All 11 starters return on the offensive side of the ball, but there just isn’t enough talent to get excited for SU wins. The key will be watching their development through the season to see if Duke’s worth playing with the points. The Blue Devils were 3-2 ATS on the road last season, a fact worth noting with seven away games in 2007. The defense returns only five starters and lost its biggest talent when cornerback John Talley graduated. Duke didn’t schedule a Division 1-AA opponent this year and will be vulnerable to every single attack it faces. The opener against UConn and the finale at Chapel Hill are the Devils’ best chances for wins. Predicted record: 0-12 NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS: (covers.com): new quarterbacks to watch in 2007. Football games are won – and pointspreads covered – by the combined efforts of the 11 men on the field, not one man acting alone. But the quarterback can legitimately claim a bigger influence on the closing line and the final score than anyone else. He’s involved in every offensive play and when he’s hurt, bettors generally see a much bigger line move than with injuries to players at other positions. None of the dozen quarterbacks listed below were regulars last year, but all of them will get significant snaps in 2007. While they tossed only 210 combined passes in 2006 Division 1 games and five of them haven’t thrown a single NCAA pass, bettors looking for value from a potentially underappreciated pivot should keep a close eye on their progress this season. In alphabetical order: Seth Adams, Mississippi Rebels 2006: completed 17 of 31 passes for 177 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions Adams may not start the season at QB with last year’s starter Brent Schaeffer still in Oxford. But the 6-foot-4 senior made a big impression in his limited snaps last season and his stellar performance in the spring. The Rebs have maxed out at four wins since their successful 2003 campaign, but the defense has been decent during head coach Ed Orgeron’s tenure. Now the pressure’s on the offense and, because of that, it won’t take long for Adams to take the field. When he does, his steady play could bring around an upset or two. Taylor Bennett, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 2006: 35 of 58 for 523 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT Bennett’s excellence in the Gator Bowl last New Year’s Day (326 yards and three touchdowns to help Tech cover as 10-point underdogs) guaranteed him the starting job once incumbent Reggie Ball left school. The Gator Bowl performance also made many wonder if the Yellow Jackets would’ve been better off with Bennett all season in 2006. We'll get an indication of the answer this year. Top target Calvin Johnson went pro, but Bennett will have an experienced line and an All-ACC running back to give him time and space to work. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Sooners 2006: Scout team Player of the Year while redshirting It’s hard for a ranked team to exceed expectations by much, but redshirt freshman Bradford could be the difference between playing in one of the “nice” bowl games and playing for all the BCS marbles. Bradford’s in a three-way fight for the starting spot, but it’s one he has the inside track to win. Remember what Colt McCoy did as a redshirt freshman at Texas last year? Sooners fans are hoping for some of that magic in Norman. Bradford will have a stacked array of targets at his disposal and one of the nation’s finest offensive lines to protect him. Sean Canfield, Oregon State Beavers 2006: 28 of 45 for 335 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Canfield had a taste of action last year when the Beavers were faltering early. Matt Moore reclaimed the starter’s job and led OSU to a 10-win season and now it’s up to Canfield to lead the team to another double-digit win campaign. He’s a big lefty with a big arm and a big enough backfield star in Yvenson Bernard to keep opposing defenses focused elsewhere. Oregon State opens with a pair of tough non-conference games against Utah and Cincinnati – how quickly Canfield can assert himself in those games could set the tone for the season. Jake Christensen, Iowa Hawkeyes 2006: 23 of 35 for 285 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Christensen, like Canfield, is a southpaw taking over for a departed senior. And like Bennett, he impressed in his sole outing with extended action last season. Unlike Canfield or Bennett, however, Christensen faces the pressure of returning a proud team to its accustomed heights after a losing season in 2006. There’s some offensive talent to help him do so, but Christensen needs to outplay his quarterbacking counterparts in his Big Ten road games for the Hawkeyes’ season to meet expectations. Nick Graziano, Nevada Wolf Pack 2006: 9 of 17 for 92 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT The Wolf Pack were a bettor’s delight in 2006, going 11-2 ATS behind its high-scoring offense. Graziano takes over for Jeff Rowe in the pivotal QB role in head coach Chris Ault’s modified shotgun formation. Graziano knows the offense and has a cannon for an arm. The Pack averaged 32.5 points per conference game with Rowe at QB and there’s no reason they can’t do the same with Graziano. Season-opening road games at Nebraska and Northwestern, however, could either boost the sophomore’s confidence or destroy it. Max Hall, Brigham Young Cougars 2006: Scout team following transfer from Arizona State Hall might not have NCAA game action under his belt, but he’s no teenaged frosh. He redshirted at Arizona State in 2004 and went on a mission before transferring and he quarterbacked BYU’s scout team last season while John Beck led the Cougars to an 11-2 SU and 10-2-1 ATS campaign. The BYU coaching staff thinks Hall can be another star in the school’s galaxy of excellent quarterbacks and he has the pedigree to prove them right – Hall is former Dallas Cowboys QB Danny White’s nephew. Cody Hawkins, Colorado Buffaloes 2006: Scout team while redshirting The last name says it all. Cody’s the son of Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins and while he hasn’t sewn up the starting job yet, you know Hawkins understands his father’s offensive schemes. Hawkins is only 5-foot-11, which isn’t ideal size for the position, but has a winner’s mentality after going 41-0 during his high school days in Boise. That’s a good sign in Boulder where the Buffalos’ 2-10 SU and 4-7 ATS records in 2006 shocked a football town accustomed to winning. Willy Korn, Clemson Tigers 2006: High school (true freshman in 2007) Clemson will let Cullen Harper start the season behind center, but Korn comes with such advance billing that the true freshman is expected to see significant game-time action this season. The Tigers open with Florida State, then plays NC State, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in consecutive weeks to close out the first half. If defenses are keying in on Clemson’s rushing game due to a non-existent passing game, Korn gets the call sooner rather than later and we’ll all see if the hype was warranted. Blake Joseph, Houston Cougars 2006: 6 of 8 for 56 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT Joseph takes over for a near-legend in Houston with Kevin Kolb going pro this year. He looked strong in the spring game, completing 16 of 23 for 148 yards and was on target in the end zone twice only to have his teammates drop sure touchdowns. The Cougars return a ton of talent and a strong offensive line to give Joseph time to fully learn head coach Art Briles' offensive schemes, which can be counterintuitive. Houston should win the C-USA West, but if Joseph’s a quick learner, first-half upsets in Oregon and/or Alabama are possible. Jake Locker, Washington Huskies 2006: Scout team while redshirting The wait is over for Seattle’s new big man on campus. Locker has the size, speed and football smarts to be something special, so much so that head coach Ty Willingham named Locker the 2007 starter in the spring despite the presence of senior Carl Bonnell, who started five games last year. The Huskies are overdue for a winning season, but based on their uber-tough schedule it won’t happen this year. Washington can, however, improve on last year’s 6-5-1 ATS mark if Locker plays well. Ike Whitaker, Virginia Tech Hokies 2006: 10 of 16 for 119 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT The Hokies have a monster defense, special teams that really are special and a good running game to thank for being the preseason ACC favorites. Great quarterback play, however, could boost V-Tech into the national championship picture. Sean Glennon’s the starter and Whitaker’s alcohol rehabilitation stint last winter raised questions. But Ike’s athleticism is special. The Hokies have an early-season headliner visit to LSU. Does Glennon have the skills to threaten the Bayou Bengals? A dedicated Whitaker might.
NCAA FOOTBALL FREE PICKS- (associated press) : former ok state qb set tpo play at houston.

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Al Pena has received a waiver from the NCAA that will allow him to play football at Houston this fall. Pena graduated from Oklahoma State in May but had a year of eligibility left. He had planned to take advantage of a rule that allows graduating seniors to transfer without having to sit out a year, but the NCAA rescinded the rule in January. Pena needed a waiver. ''We thought it was a good case. We welcome him and we are glad to have him in the program,'' Houston athletic director Dave Maggard told television station KRIV. Pena was a backup last season, but did not play. In 2005, he completed 89 of 179 passes for 1,102 yards in seven games with eight touchdown passes. NCAA FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): big ten betting preview teams to bet on and against.

Bet Against: Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines went 11-2 last year, but were awful in their two most important games, failing to step up in class against Ohio State or USC in their regular season finale and in the Rose Bowl. Michigan’s two most impressive victories both came early in the campaign, beating Notre Dame by 26, then handing Wisconsin their only loss of the season in their Big Ten opener, a two touchdown Michigan win. The reality is that the Big Ten was down last year and the Wolverines non-conference slate wasn’t all that tough. This year, they’ll face tougher competition right from the get-go, with tests against Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State all in September. Lloyd Carr has a long and storied track record as an underachiever when the Wolverines are highly touted. Since Michigan’s national championship back in 1997, they’ve come into the season with a top 5 ranking on several previous occasions, failing to live up to the hype each time. Last year was the first time in the 21st century that Michigan didn’t suffer at least three losses. They’ve lost their last four bowl games and five of their last six meetings with Ohio State, consistently unable to step up their level of play against elite level competition. Rumors about Carr’s health continue to swirl around Ann Arbor and many observers expect this to be his last year coaching the Wolverines. Extra hype and a lame duck head coach make for a bad combination for this program. Michigan’s offense looks spectacular on paper. They’ve got Chad Henne back at QB, poised to set all kinds of records in his fourth year as the starter. Heisman Trophy candidate Mike Hart is back for his senior year at running back. The offensive line is loaded, led by senior left tackle Jake Long, the top-rated player at his position in the country. Michigan averaged 29 points per game last year, and they could easily top that figure in 2007. But Michigan’s success in 2006 was predicated on their defense, not their offense. And few teams in the country lost more defensive talent than the Wolverines did this past offseason. Alan Branch, Lamar Woodley, David Harris and Leon Hall were all drafted into the NFL in the first or second round. Three other starters are gone as well, leaving gaping holes on the line, the linebacking corps and in the secondary. Remember, this defense was torched in losses to Ohio State and USC, allowing 74 points and more than 900 yards of offense in those two ballgames alone. There’s little reason to expect anything but a continued decline from Michigan’s defense in the upcoming campaign. The rest of the Big Ten is slowly but surely getting better. Penn State is poised for a stellar season. Illinois will be significantly better than they’ve been in recent years. Michigan State is going to be tougher than they’ve been, and Wisconsin continues to search for respect from both the oddsmakers and the general public, despite a consistent, continued run of success. The Wolverines have lost three of their last five against Notre Dame, and, as mentioned above, five out of six against the hated Buckeyes. The Wolverines can’t afford to take Oregon lightly either – the Ducks upset the Wolverines in Eugene when these two teams last met. Michigan may well win 10 or 11 games again this season although I would bet them 'under' in terms of victories before I bet them 'over'. But, most importantly, I expect the Wolverines to be vastly overvalued from a pointspread perspective. We see this every year in college football. A team has their well-publicized skill-position players back, without the same level of their supporting cast. TV and print pundits are drawn by the marquee names on the roster, driving up the pointspread. But the team as a whole isn’t good enough to cover those inflated numbers. Michigan should be a home favorite on seven different occasions this year. The Wolverines have suffered through three consecutive losing seasons against the spread as a home favorite, and with their defensive concerns, I’d be willing to bet that they’re on track for a fourth consecutive losing pointspread record at home in 2007. Three of their four road games have "trap" written all over them. And Michigan doesn’t have a bye week again this year, playing 12 consecutive Saturdays from September through November. Again, this is just a first impression – we’re not even in July yet. But I’ve got red flags galore surrounding the Michigan program this year, and expect fading the Wolverines at every reasonable opportunity to be a profitable strategy for the 2007 campaign.
Bet On: Illinois Fighting Illini Since Kurt Kittner guided Illinois to the Rose Bowl back in 2001, the Illini have steadily gotten worse. Illinois went 5-7 in 2002, then followed that up with 1-11 and 3-8 marks, leading to the dismissal of former head coach Ron Turner. The Ron Zook era began with 2-9 and 2-10 seasons over the past two years. Forget the straight-up records – Illinois hasn’t enjoyed a winning season against the pointspread since 2002 and is just 15-28 against the spread (ATS) over the last four seasons. When a team has been down as long as the Illini have been down, progress generally results in a strong ATS record. Zook has been a tireless recruiter – there’s no question that the talent base in Champaign is greater than it’s been since their Rose Bowl campaign. We saw Zook’s recruits at Florida win a national championship this past January. This year, we can expect Zook’s recruits to begin taking the program back to respectability. Illinois had two wins in Zook’s first year on the job and two wins in his second. But the Illini were far more competitive last year than they were in ’05. Unfortunately for them that competitiveness didn’t always show up in the final score. In ’05, all nine of Illinois’ losses came by more than two touchdowns. Last year, they lost four games by a touchdown or less. Illinois was dynamite as a double-digit underdog. They upset Michigan State outright as 26-point road dogs. They covered with ease against Iowa as 21 point dogs. Penn State, at +18.5, Wisconsin at + 21.5, and Ohio State at +24 were all easy pointspread winners. Illinois suffered only one loss by more than 17 points in ’06 after losing eight times by 17 or more in ’05. The stats clearly showed improvement from ’05 to ’06, on both sides of the football. Illinois improved their points per game allowed from 39.5 in ’05 to 26.8 in ‘06. Only four teams scored more than 30 points against them last year, following a season in which ten of their eleven opponents scored 30 or more against them. They improved dramatically against the run, from 5.5 yards per carry allowed down to 3.3 last year. Opposing quarterbacks completed 67 percent of their passes against the Illini in ’05, but only 55 percent last year. These are major, dramatic defensive improvements. With nine starters back, along with a bevy of speedy, talented recruits, this has the makings of the best Illinois defense since their Rose Bowl season. Led by dual-threat quarterback Juice Williams, Illinois improved their yards per carry on offense dramatically last year as well. They gained 4.0 yards per carry as a team in ’05, but upped that number to 5.2 yards per carry last year. You don’t find many teams with 2-10 records that outrushed their opponents by a substantial margin (5.2 ypc to 3.3 ypc). These types of numbers clearly show expected improvement in 2007 in terms of both wins and losses, and against the spread. Illinois has lost the turnover battle in each of the last five seasons, a whopping -58 in turnovers during that span, including -15 in turnovers last year. Now, Juice is on the loose, with a full year’s worth of starting experience. Williams has a dramatically improved supporting cast for ’06, with a revamped receiving corps and a steady, experienced offensive line. There’s little reason to think that the Illini won’t be able to improve their turnover differential in ’07, leading to dramatic improvement from last year’s 19.6 points per game on offense. Illinois faces most of their toughest foes at home. Their road schedule is rather friendly, with visits to Syracuse, Indiana and Minnesota. You can pencil the Illini in for a bowl berth right now – the only question is whether their turnaround is going to be dramatic enough to put them in contention for a New Year’s Day bowl. This team went 5-0 ATS down the stretch as a double-digit underdog last year, but 0-5 as a favorite. Look for those results as a favorite to improve dramatically in 2007 as the Illini finally shake the stigma of longtime losers.
NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS- (associated press): indiana ready to focus back on football after coaches death. Bill Lynch has no plans to break out a win-one-for-the-Hepper speech. The new Indiana football coach would rather use his businesslike style and Terry Hoeppner's vision to send the Hoosiers a message: Just play football. ''People who are not involved with the program think the motivation is going to carry you,'' Lynch told The Associated Press on Tuesday, one week after Hoeppner died from complications of a brain tumor. ''But about five minutes into the first game, you'll realize the other team has players, too. We have a good football team and the makings of the team Hep wanted, but we've got to get better.'' Lynch isn't new to the head coaching circuit. In 14 seasons at Division I-AA Butler, Ball State of the Mid-American Conference and DePauw, a Division III school, Lynch went 81-67-3. He also stepped in for two games last season when Hoeppner had his second brain surgery and again this spring when Hoeppner took his third medical leave. But this is new territory, even for a coaching veteran of nearly 30 years. Lynch's promotion came four days before his longtime colleague and friend died, and most coaching manuals do not include how-to chapters about replacing community icons or helping dozens of 18- to 22-year-old students cope with death. ''These are young guys who have had a traumatic event take place in their life,'' Lynch said. ''I'm sure it will take time. It's not something you figure out in a week. We've got professional people around, people who they can rely on for advice.'' He also takes over a program with rising expectations, thanks in part to an uncharacteristically soft schedule this fall. Indiana plays three Mid-American Conference teams and a Division I-AA school while avoiding perennial Big Ten powerhouses Michigan and Ohio State. Sportsbook.com has Wisconsin listed at +3500 to win the national championship this season. Many fans believe the Hoosiers are close to ending the Big Ten's longest current bowl drought, dating to 1993, and at Hoeppner's public memorial service Saturday, his wife, Jane, told players they would go to a bowl game this year. While Lynch believes Indiana can do it, that will not be his season-long rallying cry. ''We've talked about going to a bowl game for three years, and we do have high expectations,'' Lynch said. ''But as Hep would say, let's not put any limitations on those expectations.'' Clearly, Lynch would prefer to talk football. Instead, with nearly 1 1/2 months before players report for practice, Lynch and his players are anticipating a litany of repetitive questions. - How will the team honor Hoeppner? - How will players respond after the emotional 18-month battle Hoeppner waged? - How will Lynch handle his first full season as a Big Ten coach? - And, of course, can the Hoosiers achieve their first winning season since 1994? ''The grind for our kids is going to be answering those questions,'' Lynch said. ''But when you've been doing it for 30 years, like I have, you expect it.'' Lynch has tried to lead by example. But the emotional strain is also evident on Lynch's face and in his words. Rather than the bubbly personality he exhibited at Ball State, Lynch has been more stoic, repeating catch phrases such as ''the program never stops'' and ''we're all in this together,'' which he hopes players will embrace. ''I've said before there is no way you replace Terry Hoeppner, no way you follow Terry Hoeppner,'' Lynch said. ''His charisma and enthusiasm and positive approach to life is what were so endearing. I'm not trying to replace him in that way. But we have a responsibility to the players and to the program and there's a vision that we've all bought into.'' So what will Lynch say? Work hard, play smart and make Hoeppner proud by playing 13 games this year. ''A lot of what you tell them is a gut feeling,'' Lynch said. ''If you plan your speeches right now, that's how it will come across. What we need to do is compete every day and get better, that's what Hep would have wanted.'' NCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (associated press): michigan stadium getting even larger. The Big House is getting bigger. University of Michigan Board of Regents on Thursday approved a $226 million renovation of Michigan Stadium. Sportsbook.com has listed the Wolverines at +800 to win the 2008 BCS Championship. The decision allows the university to open the project for bids. When work is completed in 2010, the stadium will include 83 suites and 3,200 club seats, raising its total seating capacity from 107,501 to more than 108,000. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 for $950,000. A disabled-veterans group filed a federal lawsuit against the university on April 17, claiming the design of the project does not meet federal standards for wheelchair-accessible seating. The school disputed the claim made in the suit, filed by Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America, saying the plan complies with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements that specify the number and location of wheelchair seating within stadiums. FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press): colorado put on probation.

Colorado was placed on two years' probation and fined $100,000 by the NCAA on Thursday for inadvertently undercharging 133 athletes for meals totaling $61,700 over six academic years. The school also was ordered to cut one football scholarship for the next three seasons. The violations are considered ''major,'' the infractions committee said. The fine is to be paid to a hunger- or homeless-relief charity. The NCAA said the violations were discovered by the university's athletic staff, which promptly reported them. The NCAA found the impermissible benefits for walk-on athletes from 2000-01 through 2005-06. The NCAA said Colorado failed to adequately monitor training-table regulations.

FREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS- (associated press) florida lineman arrested.

Prosecutors have filed two charges against suspended Florida player Ronnie Wilson in an early April shooting incident. Wilson, 19, allegedly fired a semiautomatic weapon into the air after being chased following a nightclub incident. He was charged with battery and discharging a firearm in public. Arraignment was set for July 3. The alleged victim claimed Wilson spat on him and slapped him in the face at a nightclub. Wilson told police he did spit on the victim but denied hitting him. Wilson allegedly left the club, pulled a rifle from his trunk and fired a shot in the air. Florida coach Urban Meyer called the incident a ''major concern'' following the arrest in April, and suspended Wilson indefinitely from team activities. Meyer declined comment on the charges through sports information director Steve McClain. ''Nothing has changed in his status,'' McClain said. Wilson was a member of the Gators national title team as a redshirt freshman offensive lineman. COLLEGE FOOTBALL FREE PICKS: (associated press) odds to win 2008 national championship. USC +250

Florida +700

Michigan +800

LSU +1200

Texas +1000

West Virginia +1200

Oklahoma +3000

Penn St +3500 Arkansas +3500

Georgia +4500

Nebraska +3500

Virginia Tech +3500

Ohio St +2000

Florida St +3500

Wisconsin +3500

Texas A&M +6000 Louisville +2000

Auburn +6000

California +5000

Tennessee +5000

Miami FL +4000

Rutgers +5000

Notre Dame +4000

Alabama +7500

Iowa +10000

UCLA +5000

Clemson +7500

Oregon +10000

BYU +20000

Colorado +20000

South Carolina +10000

TCU +20000

Arizona St +20000

Oregon St +20000

Boston College +20000

Missouri +20000

Texas Tech +2000

Boise St +20000

Arizona +20000

Wake Forest +20000

Maryland +20000

North Carolina St +20000

Georgia Tech +20000

Hawaii +20000

Oklahoma St +20000

Pittsburgh +20000

Kansas St +20000

Purdue +20000

South Florida +20000

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