/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71673329/1064662602.0.jpg)
(DISCLAIMER: No one actually cares about the War on I-4. Also, this game is for entertainment purposes only. No actual money is being wagered.)
I suppose I should say something about the end of the War on I-4 rivalry series. But I said it all the year it started:
Neither school really wants a rivalry with the other. They want to be in a better conference, bigger, and more important than the other.
Jamie said it even better in 2010:
It’s a completely unhealthy, sometimes dangerous relationship, and I can’t believe how many Bulls fans get sucked into it... whatever grudge match exists between the two schools is more like a quicksand trap that both sides constantly sink into.
None of these things has changed.
I hoped the formalization of the rivalry in 2013, with a formal trophy and being in the same conference, would normalize things a bit. But it has the same petty, sniping, too-online tone it always did. Even the epic 2017 football game, which will someday consume a chapter of a future “greatest games in Florida football history” book, didn’t help. All it created was another dumb thing for the fan bases to bicker about.
And there’s just no reason for it. There have been no real on- or off-field incidents. It has no roots in long-ago fan conflicts, or one of their own students being killed in one, or bitterness about the creation and purpose of the institutions, or pre-Civil War raids. There was never even an FIU-Miami brawl. Or anything that happened in the 20th century!
There was the tackle that gruesomely injured McKenzie Milton in the 2018 game, but he and Mazzi Wilkins actually became friends over it. Milton had this to say, at a faith conference:
“It doesn’t need to be a thing anymore. It’s just cool to have a USF Bull here and a UCF Knight coming together and becoming friends. That’s the kind of stuff football can do.”
That’s... the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.
Not because of the noble idea that friendship should be more important than sports rivalry. It’s the implication that USF Bulls and UCF Knights should exist in some default state of being enemies. Imagine hearing that about Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee, or Henderson State-Ouachita Baptist, or any other passionate but irrelevant local annual game.
If a guy who nearly lost a leg in the War on I-4 can publicly forgive and move past it, then whatever axe you have to grind with an opposing fan base probably isn’t worth the effort.
So I’m glad that the War On I-4 is going into timeout for at least a couple years. I’ll miss the games, but I won’t miss the “rivalry.” Maybe someday, when it’s about something other than who gets to be in what power conference, it’ll start to gain some actual meaning. And if Twitter is going to die like everyone says it is, that would be a big help.
Having said all that, let’s see how many spite bets were made on this game. I made one like I do every year, but I found a new target for it:
User | Wager | Final Score | Units | Result | Payoff | GT |
AnthonyVito | Under 61.5 points in the Mississippi State-Mississippi game | Mississippi State 24-22 | 50.00 | WIN | 45.45 | 0 |
bullsonparade96 | Over 46.5 points in the Tulane-Cincinnati game; Over 57.5 points in the Florida-Florida State game; Over 48.5 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 200.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
bullsonparade96 | Ohio -7.0 points over Bowling Green State; Over 55.5 points in the Bowling Green State-Ohio game; Miami (OH) -2.5 points over Ball State (WIN,LOSS,LOSS) | Ohio 38-14; Ohio 38-14; Miami (OH) 18-17 | 62.11 | LOSS | -62.11 | 0 |
bullsonparade96 | South Florida +820.0 money line to beat Central Florida | TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Danj725 | Texas -8.0 points over Baylor; Boise State -17.0 points over Utah State; Cincinnati -1.0 points over Tulane (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 75.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Danj725 | Southern Methodist -4.0 points over Memphis; Over 48.5 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game; Florida State -9.5 points over Florida (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 75.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Danj725 | Over 68.0 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game; South Florida +20.0 points over Central Florida (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 65.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Danj725 | Michigan +8.0 points over Ohio State; Clemson -14.0 points over South Carolina; Alabama -22.0 points over Auburn (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Utah -29.5 points over Colorado; Over 52.0 points in the Utah-Colorado game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 70.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Georgia -35.0 points over Georgia Tech; Illinois -14.0 points over Northwestern (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 60.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Coastal Carolina +13.5 points over James Madison; Over 49.0 points in the Auburn-Alabama game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Over 43.5 points in the Pittsburgh-Miami (FL) game; Over 52.0 points in the Utah-Colorado game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Florida International +20.0 points over Middle Tennessee State; Tennessee -14.0 points over Vanderbilt (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 35.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | Florida State -9.5 points over Florida; Over 68.5 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 25.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Defdans | South Florida +800.0 money line to beat Central Florida | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Under 67.0 points in the Tulsa-Houston game; Under 64.0 points in the Oklahoma-Texas Tech game; Over 57.0 points in the Oregon-Oregon State game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 200.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Texas -8.0 points over Baylor; Mississippi -2.0 points over Mississippi State (TBD,LOSS) | TBD; Mississippi State 24-22 | 25.00 | LOSS | -25.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Miami (OH) -3.0 points over Ball State; Under 55.0 points in the Bowling Green State-Ohio game (LOSS,WIN) | Miami (OH) 18-17; Ohio 38-14 | 25.00 | LOSS | -25.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Over 54.5 points in the Central Michigan-Eastern Michigan game; Over 52.0 points in the Toledo-Western Michigan game; Cincinnati -2.0 points over Tulane (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 23.37 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | South Florida +20.0 points over Central Florida; Under 69.5 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 21.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Florida State -9.5 points over Florida; Coastal Carolina +13.5 points over James Madison; Ohio State -7.5 points over Michigan (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 15.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | Under 66.0 points in the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game; Southern California -5.5 points over Notre Dame; Wake Forest -3.5 points over Duke (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 12.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
E-dogg42 | South Carolina +15.0 points over Clemson; Buffalo -4.0 points over Kent State; Over 49.0 points in the Auburn-Alabama game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 12.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Ohio State -8.0 points over Michigan | TBD | 80.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Under 67.0 points in the Tulsa-Houston game; Under 55.5 points in the Purdue-Indiana game; Under 72.0 points in the Memphis-Southern Methodist game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 70.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Over 34.5 points in the New Mexico-Colorado State game; Over 37.5 points in the Nebraska-Iowa game; Over 34.5 points in the Minnesota-Wisconsin game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 70.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Miami (OH) -2.5 points over Ball State; Ohio -7.0 points over Bowling Green State (LOSS,WIN) | Miami (OH) 18-17; Ohio 38-14 | 70.00 | LOSS | -70.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Michigan State +740.0 money line to beat Penn State | TBD | 25.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | South Florida +18.0 points over Central Florida | TBD | 25.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Michigan State +740.0 money line to beat Penn State | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Akron +310.0 money line to beat Northern Illinois | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | New Mexico State +2650.0 money line to beat Liberty | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Georgia State +200.0 money line to beat Marshall | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ElliotMoore | Miami (FL) +215.0 money line to beat Pittsburgh | TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
GaryStephen | Over 70.0 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game | TBD | 131.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
GaryStephen | Georgia -35.0 points over Georgia Tech | TBD | 44.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
GaryStephen | Florida +9.5 points over Florida State | TBD | 14.09 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
jrjs | Over 49.0 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game; Georgia -35.0 points over Georgia Tech (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 300.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
jrjs | Georgia Tech +35.5 points over Georgia; Under 49.5 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 300.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
jrjs | Under 63.5 points in the Mississippi State-Mississippi game; Under 49.5 points in the Georgia State-Marshall game (WIN,TBD) | Mississippi State 24-22; TBD | 100.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Michigan State +740.0 money line to beat Penn State | TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Indiana +310.0 money line to beat Purdue | TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Coastal Carolina +460.0 money line to beat James Madison | TBD | 50.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Alabama-Birmingham -17.0 points over Louisiana Tech; Central Florida -17.0 points over South Florida (TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD | 25.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Over 43.5 points in the Pittsburgh-Miami (FL) game; Under 72.0 points in the Memphis-Southern Methodist game; Over 51.0 points in the New Mexico State-Liberty game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 15.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
ULhothot | Under 63.5 points in the Arizona State-Arizona game; Under 66.5 points in the West Virginia-Oklahoma State game; Under 67.0 points in the Tulsa-Houston game (TBD,TBD,TBD) | TBD; TBD; TBD | 10.00 | TBD | 0.00 | 0 |
Results will be posted after the weekend. Most futures bets will be resolved at that time as well.
RESULTS
Let’s start with the big winning bets in Week 14:
bullsonparade96 | Over 46.5 points in the Tulane-Cincinnati game; Over 57.5 points in the Florida-Florida State game; Over 48.5 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game (WIN,WIN,WIN) | Tulane 27-24; Florida State 45-38; Georgia 37-14 | 200.00 | WIN | 1200.00 |
bullsonparade96 | Southern California -4.0 points over Notre Dame; Over 63.0 points in the Notre Dame-Southern California game; Over 67.5 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game (WIN,WIN,WIN) | Southern California 38-27; Southern California 38-27; Central Florida 46-39 | 150.00 | WIN | 900.00 |
McIntyre2K7 | Over 49.0 points in the Georgia Tech-Georgia game; Over 55.5 points in the Michigan-Ohio State game; Over 67.5 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game (WIN,WIN,WIN) | Georgia 37-14; Michigan 45-23; Central Florida 46-39 | 100.00 | WIN | 600.00 |
ElliotMoore | New Mexico State +2650.0 money line to beat Liberty | New Mexico State 49-14 | 10.00 | WIN | 265.00 |
Defdans | Over 52.0 points in the Utah-Colorado game; Utah -29.5 points over Colorado (WIN,WIN) | Utah 63-21; Utah 63-21 | 70.00 | WIN | 182.00 |
ElliotMoore | Under 67.0 points in the Tulsa-Houston game; Under 55.5 points in the Purdue-Indiana game; Under 72.0 points in the Memphis-Southern Methodist game (PUSH,WIN,WIN) | Tulsa 37-30; Purdue 30-16; Southern Methodist 34-31 | 70.00 | WIN | 182.00 |
Danj725 | Over 68.0 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game; South Florida +20.0 points over Central Florida (WIN,WIN) | Central Florida 46-39; Central Florida 46-39 | 65.00 | WIN | 169.00 |
Defdans | Over 52.0 points in the Utah-Colorado game; Over 43.5 points in the Pittsburgh-Miami (FL) game (WIN,WIN) | Utah 63-21; Pittsburgh 42-16 | 50.00 | WIN | 130.00 |
dsidwell31 | Over 64.5 points in the Oklahoma-Texas Tech game; Under 64.0 points in the Tennessee-Vanderbilt game (WIN,WIN) | Texas Tech 51-48; Tennessee 56-0 | 50.00 | WIN | 130.00 |
GaryStephen | Over 70.0 points in the Central Florida-South Florida game | Central Florida 46-39 | 131.00 | WIN | 119.09 |
Defdans | Florida International +20.0 points over Middle Tennessee State; Tennessee -14.0 points over Vanderbilt (WIN,WIN) | Middle Tennessee State 33-28; Tennessee 56-0 | 35.00 | WIN | 91.00 |
ULhothot | Over 43.5 points in the Pittsburgh-Miami (FL) game; Under 72.0 points in the Memphis-Southern Methodist game; Over 51.0 points in the New Mexico State-Liberty game (WIN,WIN,WIN) | Pittsburgh 42-16; Southern Methodist 34-31; New Mexico State 49-14 | 15.00 | WIN | 90.00 |
Before we can get to the standings, we have to update the pre-season futures bets. All over/under won/lost bets can be resolved, because all teams have completed their regular season. (Four teams still have a regular season game left, but no one bet on them.) A complete list of bets is here, as always. Here is a list of the winning futures bets so far:
Andrewpina | 50.00 | Under 9.5 wins for Boise State | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
Andrewpina | 50.00 | Under 3.5 wins for Hawaii | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
Andrewpina | 50.00 | Over 3.0 wins for Vanderbilt | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
briank19 | 100.00 | Over 7.0 wins for Texas Christian | WIN | 0.9091 | 90.91 |
defdans | 50.00 | Over 7.0 wins for Texas Christian | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
defdans | 50.00 | Under 8.5 wins for Utah State | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
dsidwell31 | 50.00 | Under 3.5 wins for Hawaii | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
LrdNorman | 40.00 | Over 6.5 wins for Florida State | WIN | 0.9091 | 36.36 |
LrdNorman | 40.00 | Over 5.0 wins for Syracuse | WIN | 0.9091 | 36.36 |
McIntyre2K7 | 30.00 | Over 3.0 wins for Kansas | WIN | 0.9091 | 27.27 |
ULHotHot | 50.00 | Under 6.5 wins for Auburn | WIN | 0.9091 | 45.45 |
ULHotHot | 30.00 | Under 8.0 wins for Michigan State | WIN | 0.9091 | 27.27 |
These winnings have been added to your bankroll. Unlike regular season bets, you also get your bet back. (It was deducted before the season.) So some of you are getting a windfall. If you lost a futures bet, you don’t lose any further money, because the bet was deducted from your starting bankroll before Week 1. Also, the Pending Futures Amount has been updated.
The following bets are still live:
defdans | Futures bet on Ohio State at +350 to win national championship | 40.00 |
LrdNorman | Futures bet on Georgia at +425 to win national championship | 50.00 |
LrdNorman | Futures bet on Toledo at +400 to win conference championship | 40.00 |
ULHotHot | Futures bet on Texas Christian at +1800 to win conference championship | 30.00 |
ULHotHot | Futures bet on North Texas at +2000 to win conference championship | 30.00 |
Only two conference/national championship futures bets have already lost: ULhothot had bet on Oklahoma State for the Big XII championship and national championship. These have already been marked as losses.
Current money standings are:
User | Total | Pending Futures | Grand Total Excluding Futures |
bullsonparade96 | 5436.32 | 0 | 5436.32 |
jrjs | 2650.80 | 0 | 2650.80 |
McIntyre2K7 | 1978.42 | 0 | 1978.42 |
ElliotMoore | 1802.63 | 0 | 1802.63 |
Defdans | 1542.20 | 40 | 1582.20 |
Danj725 | 1038.95 | 0 | 1038.95 |
GaryStephen | 1036.62 | 0 | 1036.62 |
Gym399 | 1015.40 | 0 | 1015.40 |
E-dogg42 | 1000.11 | 0 | 1000.11 |
andrewpina | 1000.05 | 0 | 1000.05 |
dsidwell31 | 883.01 | 0 | 883.01 |
jjlovecub | 677.00 | 0 | 677.00 |
Gibbsak | 576.55 | 0 | 576.55 |
mcgies852 | 519.66 | 0 | 519.66 |
anthonyvito | 518.19 | 0 | 518.19 |
Squirbs | 497.01 | 0 | 497.01 |
ULhothot | 409.22 | 60 | 469.22 |
briank19 | 366.13 | 0 | 366.13 |
Julmisteforheisman | 235.15 | 0 | 235.15 |
lrdnorman | 195.66 | 90 | 285.66 |
speruche | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 |
BullsOnParade96 has busted open the race with two more big parlay wins. jrjs’ recent tactic of betting over/under and money line on the same game didn’t work this time, as Georgia hit the over without scoring enough points to cover against Georgia Tech. He also had the USF money line, but we all know how that ended. BullsOnParade96 had it too, so it wouldn’t have helped anyone make up much ground. It will take some huge wins - or losses - this late in the season.
Points won this week and overall points standings:
bullsonparade96 | 1987.89 | 15 |
McIntyre2K7 | 300.00 | 10 |
Defdans | 258.00 | 7 |
ElliotMoore | 225.73 | 5 |
anthonyvito | 131.82 | 4 |
GaryStephen | 87.90 | 3 |
dsidwell31 | 84.15 | 2 |
PLAYER | TOTAL POINTS | WEEK 13 POINTS |
bullsonparade96 | 84 | 15 |
McIntyre2K7 | 83 | 10 |
jrjs | 74 | - |
ElliotMoore | 52 | 5 |
Defdans | 49 | 7 |
Danj725 | 47 | - |
GaryStephen | 28 | 3 |
e-dogg42 | 23 | - |
dsidwell | 22 | 2 |
AnthonyVito | 21 | 4 |
We’re down to the final 3 in the points race. ElliotMoore can finish no higher than third. Week 14 will be a “week” and bowl season will be a “week” in which points are awarded.
Coming up next is championship week; it runs from now until the Army-Navy game is played. It consists of the ten conference championship games, plus the rescheduled Akron-Buffalo regular season game, plus Army-Navy on December 10. So only 12 games total.
Loading comments...