Graded Week 11 NFL and college football selections for Circa Friday Football Invitational

November 22, 2022 01:21 AM
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On Friday nights in the fall for more than a decade, football bettors would crowd a small, smoky sportsbook on the Strip to see two handicappers go head to head in a $10,000 winner-take-all contest. The contestants’ names were lit up outside on the marquee, adding an element of prestige to being a part of the Stardust Invitational.

The contest concluded after the 2005 season -- the Stardust closed on Nov. 1, 2006 and its two hotel towers were imploded in March 2007 -- and it has been missed.

So it’s time to bring back memories of an old friend. In a tip of the cap to the Stardust Invitational, Circa owner Derek Stevens is putting up his money and putting his support behind a new VSIN-produced event, the Circa Friday Football Invitational.

The theme is the same, but the contest format is slightly different and improved. While there are still 16 handicappers in a bracket, all contestants are involved each week in a season-long competition, as opposed to the Stardust format that pitted only two handicappers a week in a head-to-head elimination duel. Stevens has boosted the prize money to $25,000.

The 16-handicapper field is officially set. Here are the contest details:

Sixteen handicappers compete -- with no entry fee required -- in a season-long contest with $25,000 in prizes awarded.

When: Friday, September 9 through Friday, January, 6, 2023 (18 weeks)

Where: VSIN studio at the Circa sportsbook

Contest plays: Five plays, college and NFL sides and totals (no props, team totals, first-half plays etc.) with one designated as the Best Bet (BB).

STANDINGS

GRADED WEEK 11 SELECTIONS

(Updated through Week 11, Nov. 21)

 

BOBBY “BUCKETS” BRUBECK

UAB +15 L

Bears +3 P

Cowboys -1.5 W

Browns-Bills Over 49.5 W

(BB) UCLA +2.5 L

Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)

Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

CHUCK EDEL

Georgia-Kentucky Under 48 W

Western Kentucky-Auburn Under 52 L

Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L

Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W

(BB) NC State-Louisville Under 45 W

Record (points): 34-21 (34)

Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

BRIAN EDWARDS

Duke +7 W

LSU -15 W

Boston College +21 L

UL Monroe-Troy Under 48 L

(BB) Giants -3 L

Record (points): 25-30 (25)

Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

CHRIS “THE BEAR” FALLICA

Texas-San Antonio -13.5 W

UCLA +2.5 L

Vanderbilt +14 W

Marshall -4.5 W

(BB) Baylor +2.5 W

Record (points): 33-22 (33)

Best Bets: 8-3 (8)

X-STEVE FEZZIK (second eliminated)

Record (points): 21-28-1 (21.5)

Best Bets: 6-3-1 (6.5) 

JOEY “TUNES” FORTUNA

Cincinnati-Temple Under 51 W

Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W

Colts +7 W

Lions +3 W

(BB) Raiders +3 W

Record (points): 30-25 (30)

Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

DOUG KEZIRIAN

Michigan State -10.5 L

Western Kentucky +5.5 L

Houston +6 W

Arkansas +2.5 W

(BB) UNLV -11.5 L

Record (points): 34-20-1 (34.5)

Best Bets: 6-4-1 (6.5)

MARC LAWRENCE

Illinois +17.5 W

UCLA +2.5 L

Arkansas +2.5 W

Vikings +1.5 L

(BB) Baylor +2.5 W

Record (points): 28-25-2 (29)

Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

RANDY MCKAY

Fresno State-Nevada Over 54 W

Hawaii +11.5 W

Colts +7 W

Eagles-Colts Under 46 W

(BB) Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L

Record (points): 30-23-2 (31)

Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

X-MIKE NORTH (first eliminated)

Record (points): 16-26-3 (17.5)

Best Bets: 3-6 (3)

X-ERIN RYNNING (third eliminated)

Mississippi-Arkansas Over 65 W

Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Over 66.5 L

Colts +7 W

Bengals-Steelers Under 40.5 L

(BB) Cowboys-Vikings Over 47.5 L

Record (points): 24-30-1 (24.5)

Best Bets: 3-7-1 (3.5)

DAN SALEY

Penn State -18.5 W

Iowa +2.5 W

UCLA +2.5 L

Arkansas +2.5 W

(BB) Utah State -1 W

Record (points): 26-27-2 (27)

Best Bets: 5-6 (5)

JAMES SALINAS

UCLA +2.5 L

Raiders +3 W

Steelers +4 L

Browns +7.5 L

(BB) Eagles-Colts Under 46 W

Record (points): 32-20-3 (33.5)

Best Bets: 6-5 (6)

PAUL STONE

Texas Tech-Iowa State Under 47.5 W

Arkansas +2.5 W

Oklahoma State +7.5 L

Hawaii +11.5 W

(BB) Connecticut +10 L

Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)

Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

JEFF WHITELAW

TCU-Baylor Over 57.5 L

Colts +7 W

Commanders -3 W

Steelers +4 L

(BB) Falcons -3 P

Record (points): 29-23-3 (30.5)

Best Bets: 6-3-2 (7)

CRIS ZENIUK

Jets +3.5 L

Lions +3 W

Bears +3 P

Raiders +3 W

(BB) Bills -7.5 W

Record (points): 25-28-2 (26)

Best Bets: 4-7 (4)

———————

MIKE PALM

Illinois +17.5 W

USC -2.5 W

Commanders -3 W

Giants -3 L

(BB) Jets-Patriots Under 37.5 W

Record (points): 30-23-2 (31)

Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

MATT YOUMANS

Northwestern +18 W

Kansas +9 L

UCLA +2.5 L

Hawaii +11.5 W

(BB) Jets +3.5 L

Record (points): 30-24-1 (30.5)

Best Bets: 7-4 (7)

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