JULY 6 COFFEE CLUB

[Thomas]

WHAT'S BREWING TODAY Wednesday, July 6 On Today's Scorecard Bigger Than Ever

In 1990, the Big Ten universities voted to expand the conference from 10 to 11 teams and extended an invitation to Atlantic 10 member and football independent Penn State, which accepted it. When the Nittany Lions joined in 1990, it was decided the conference would continue to be called the Big Ten. Roll the clock forward to 2022 to the West Coast expansion when UCLA and USC announced they would be joining the conference in 2024. Somehow we feel it won't stop there with the brand of "Super Conference" being bandied about. What we do know is that since 1946, the Big Ten champion has had a tie-in with the Rose Bowl game. It was not until the 1975 season that the Big Ten allowed teams to play in bowl games other than the Rose Bowl. With expansion running wild, the future of Big Ten/Rose Bowl tie-ins is up in the air. And thanks to the 2022 Playbook Big Ten Football Betting Preview we also know that the Michigan Wolverines are 3-17 SU in their final two games of the season since 2012, while Penn State head coach James Franklin is 4-18 SU and 5-15-2 ATS away versus greater than .666 opponents. To read the entire 2022 Big Ten College Football Betting Preview click here.

Trending Today Hammer Time

The passing of Hank Goldberg on his birthday, July 4, leaves the world a little less bright. He was a good friend of mine with whom I spent many a Saturday at Gulfstream Park talking football and handicapping the ponies. This was my tweet on Monday upon learning of his passing...... RIP HAMMER: They say that a good friend is someone to be cherished, whether in this life or the next. My good friend, Hank Goldberg, passed today and he will surely be missed. He was a legendary visionary and is now likely sharing stories with Jimmy The Greek and Don Shula. RIP.

Grinding Out The Profits Knock, Knock

When UCLA and USC join the Big Ten Conference for the 2023 football season next year they will bring along an impressive body of work. According to my well-oiled machine, since 1980, both schools are 41-21 combined against Big Ten opponents (USC 24-10; UCLA 17-11). Better yet when facing .900 or greater Big Ten teams, USC is 12-1 SU and 11-2 ATS, while UCLA is 9-3 SU and 9-3 ATS. The one knock would be the fact that the Trojans are riding a 0-8 ATS streak in their last eight contests against Big Ten foes. Forewarned is forearmed.

[Chamblin]