5Dimes appears to be the only offshore sportsbook currently offering a line on the Oregon/LSU matchup. The game was pulled off the board last Tuesday when word broke that Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas may be suspended after it was discovered he was in the vehicle when cornerback Cliff Harris (suspended) was busted for driving nearly 120 mph. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly later said Thomas wouldn't be suspended but before the books could react, the media caught wind of the LSU bar brawl. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson was suspended earlier today leaving Jarrett Lee as the starter – Lee's been around the block with 2,643 yards, 18 TDs and 18 INTs in three years. LSU will also lose the services of wide receiver Russell Shepard (33 catches, 254 yards) who was ironically tied to the Willie Lyles recruiting fiasco.

Oregon originally opened as a -2/-2.5 point favorite which was bet down to -1 prior to Thomas' potential suspension. According to Sports Option's line history, 5Dimes reopened the game Oregon -1 on Thursday which was bet up to -2.5 before settling in at its current number of -2. With Jefferson officially out, we assume the remainder of the offshore world will pop up their numbers shortly. Despite all of the brew-ha-ha, it appears come game day the line won't be too far off of what the Golden Nugget released back in mid-June (Oregon -3) and what the books were offering prior to the arrests/suspensions. Stay tuned.

Former Toledo running back Quinton Broussard pleaded guilty to sports bribery and admitted he accepted $2K from a Detroit gambler on Thursday. Broussard was also given $500 prior to the 2005 GMAC Bowl of which he said he intentionally fumbled a carry. The Rockets were a three-point favorite over UTEP and ended up winning 45-13. According to the play-by-play of the game, Broussard fumbled early in the second quarter with Toledo leading 7-3. Following the fumble Broussard didn't see action until the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. He finished with eight yards on five carries.

On today’s Sportsmemo Radio Show, handicapper Rob Veno discussed Five Things We Must Know About the Big East. Below are the list topics. You can listen to the Podcast segment right here.

1. South Florida will average 30 ppg this season.
2. Syracuse will not make a bowl game this season.
3. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith will be a legitimate Heisman candidate and the Mountaineers’ defense will be better than many think.
4. Louisville will be the best “over” team where value is concerned in the conference.
5. UConn will use a three-headed QB system with separate packages for each which could make them very difficult to prepare for.

Huge blow to the Purdue Boilermakers as projected starting quarterback Rob Henry tore his ACL and will miss the 2011 season. All is not lost for the Boilers however with Robert Marve back after tearing his ACL last season. There are some concerns about Marve’s current health and heading into the season, head coach Danny Hope hinted they may go with a two-quarterback system. Assuming Marve does play, the Purdue offense will be drastically different. Marve will likely be limited in terms of mobility and he isn't a running quarterback to begin with. After he got hurt, Purdue was primarily a running team as Henry averaged only 14.7 pass attempts per game (Marve attempted 99 in just over three games). Henry was also the team's leading rusher (547 yards, 5.3 ypc) but more out of necessity because running Read more

Oregon State's defense was a major weakness at times last year and with offseason losses and injuries (see chart below), more of the same could occur in 2011. The Beavers entered the preseason with only four returning starters and just lost cornerback Brandon Hardin for a minimum of six weeks. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Two more projected starters are listed "out" for Week 1 while another is listed as questionable. And the defense isn't the only unit to suffer losses. Wide receiver James Rodgers (knee) is listed as doubtful while starting tight end Joe Halahuni (30 catches, 390 yards, 6 TDs) is still recovering from a shoulder injury. The injuries could make for a slow start to the season – something Oregon State is notorious for. It also could provide pointspread value if and when OSU Read more