2005 Louisiana Monroe Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Louisiana Monroe is yet another perennial straight up loser from the Sun Belt Conference that has, at times, provided sports betting value to the more astute members of the college football sports handicapping community. After a 2000 season in which they went 1-10 straight up and 1-7 against the odds the Indians began a sports handicapping market correction in 2001 with five covers in their first seven lined games to finish 6-4 against the sports betting line for 2001, despite a 2-9 straight up record. In 2002, after dropping three of their first four games against the odds, the Indians rallied to beat the sports betting odds in five of their final seven games, finishing 6-5 against the odds despite a 3-9 straight up record. Entering 2003 Louisiana Monroe received some online sports betting blog attention as a decent Sun Belt Conference value team, and was mentioned as a potential “bargain” to keep in mind when one assembled their lists of football picks.

But just as more sports bettors began to take notice of the Indians sure enough they dropped five of their first seven games against the odds. After being written off by sports betting bloggers and appearing on few, if any, lists of football picks, Louisiana Monroe got the cash in two of their final three games of 2003.

As 2004 started, Monroe continued their mild sports handicapping market correction with two straight wins against the odds. The first was a classic lesson in sports betting value as the Indians got the cash as 36.5-point dogs at Auburn in a 0-31 loss. This was followed up with another cover against a “name brand” team as Monroe beat the sports betting odds as 30-point dogs in a 20-49 loss at Arkansas for their fourth win in five games against the odds.

Having gotten the cash against two Southeastern Conference 2003 bowl teams, Louisiana Monroe was once again being touted by some sports betting bloggers as a good “value” team to consider including on one’s lists of football picks. But as 6-point chalks in their home opener against Arkansas State, the Indians proved to be no value at all as they were defeated 21-28. This shot whatever appeal Louisiana Monroe may have had and they went on to lose six of their final nine games against the odds. The general sports betting public is quite fickle about weak teams from conferences such as the Sun Belt and Louisiana Monroe is a classic sports handicapping lesson as to why.