With the season opener fast approaching, there's quite a bit on the minds of Penn football fans. Who will kick? Will the new offense produce? Is Coach Lake still alive?
Well now, it's time to address the questions and let the betting begin. Straight from Las Vegas, here is the official 2007 Penn Football bettors' guide.
Covering the spread
Last season, the Quakers played much better than their 5-5 record would suggest. After all, Penn lost all of its five games by a combined total of 15 points. In conference play, the Red and Blue lost four games by a total of eight points.
So what does this mean when you phone in your picks on Friday night? Whenever Penn is tagged as an underdog, pick them to cover. If they drop the game, it'll probably be a one-point loss on a missed 24-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation. The Quakers might break your heart, but they'll cover the spread.
Interestingly, Penn's victories last season were rather convincing, including a 16-0 shutout of Columbia and double-digit wins over Bucknell and Lafayette.
So even if they go .500, the Quakers, as either favorites or underdogs, can be a safe bet.
Over/Under
With a rookie quarterback, first-year offensive coordinator that lost his job at season's end, and no semblance of a kicking game, Penn still averaged an impressive 22.8 points per game last season.
Now, Robert Irvin is battle-tested, and new coordinator Bill Schmitz has designed a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that is likely to give Penn more possessions each game.
While the kicking game might still be in limbo, Irvin - who improved over the course of last year and has become more mobile over the off-season - has all of the tools necessary to put points on the board for the Quakers.
Furthermore, the return of fifth-year senior running back Joe Sandberg will not only keep the running game stable, but it will also open up passing lanes for Irvin.
Penn will certainly miss the soft hands of Matt Carre and Chris Mizell, but it will still manage get into the end zone frequently.
Vegas may not adjust to all that for a few games. Over is a good bet.
Ivy Sleeper?
Though Penn was ranked second in the Ivy League preseason poll, there is no majority - on campus or elsewhere - who seem to think that the Quakers will win the title.
But in a league full of parity, pretty much anyone outside of Dartmouth has a shot to win it all. Penn certainly has all of the ingredients it needs to come out on top and, with the right odds, would be a solid pick to finish first in the Ancient Eight.
