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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PRO TIPS & PICKS

A Numbers Game: Be careful betting baseball games right now, if they don’t involve teams still trying to make the playoffs. Teams that have clinched or teams that are completely out of it will be approaching games far differently. View more tips.

Ian Cameron: USC at Colorado - OVER (73.5). View more picks.

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