Man, listen here, y'all know I been slingin' that sweet tea and fried chicken tenders at the Publix customer service counter longer than some of these young bucks been breathin', noimsayin? And every year 'round this time, after the Florida high school titles get wrapped up—shoutout to them private school juggernauts still runnin' the table like they own the damn state—I flip the script to these college bowl games 'cause a brother's gotta keep the action goin'. Lifetime gambler, that's me. I'll bet on whether the rain gon' hit before that drunk lady in aisle 9 finishes complainin' about expired coupons.    Last week, Laz dropped them spreads, and this neutral observer—me, playin' it straight like a deacon on Sunday—told y'all to grab them points and ride the dogs heavy. Hit pretty good too, 'cause them favorites was gettin' fat heads thinkin' they invincible, kinda like that stripper I dated back in '78 who swore she was gon' leave the club "any day now." Yeah, that worked out 'bout as well as me pickin' favorites blind.   Now Laz got this week's slate, and I'm eyein' these New Year's quarterfinals and the bowls leadin' up. We talkin' big boy football now, playoff style.   Here's how this old hood scholar see it, straight no chaser:First off, that Cotton Bowl on the 31st: Ohio State layin' 9.5 or so against Miami. Buckeyes got that defense lookin' meaner than my ex when I forgot Valentine's, but Miami got speed everywhere and they playin' with house money after sneakin' in. I remember back in the day at FAMU, we played a team favored by double digits—took the points, cashed easy 'cause pride make favorites sloppy. Gimme Miami plus the points. Dog barkin' loud here.   Then New Year's Day got a triple-header. Orange Bowl: Oregon small favorite, like 1.5 over Texas Tech. Ducks fly high all year, but Tech slingin' that ball like it's Tallahassee on a Saturday night. Short spread? Hell, I'm takin' Texas Tech and the points, maybe even moneyline if you feelin' froggy. Underdog with a gun-slinger QB? That's my kinda chaos.Rose Bowl: Alabama favored big over Indiana, I seen lines 'round double digits. Bama got tradition thicker than Publix subs, but Hoosiers played everybody tough and got nothin' to lose. Reminds me of that time I bet on a 14-point dog in a bowl back in '85—hit when the favorite partied too hard in Pasadena the night before. Take Indiana plus them points; they cover or keep it close enough to cash. Sugar Bowl: Georgia layin' it on Ole Miss, probably similar big number. Rebels got offense for days, but Dawgs bite hard in big spots. This one tougher—I lean Ole Miss with the points 'cause Lane Kiffin crazy enough to pull tricks, but if you force me straight up, Georgia wins but don't cover clean.  As for them regular bowls this week—like whatever scraps left on the 29th or 30th, Tennessee small over Illinois, USC over TCU, etc.—most lines skinny, so I'm still ridin' dogs and points where I can. Favorites win games, but underdogs pay bills, noimsayin? Overall, this week lookin' like last: grab them points, fade the big chalk, let the dogs hunt. I already threw a couple hunnid on these—gotta pay for that sweet tea habit somehow. Y'all play smart, don't chase like I did that escort in Jacksonville back in '92... lesson learned the hard way. Stay up, watch the games, and holler at Laz for them numbers—he solid as a rock. Peace.

I will have to do some digging to get you the specific margins, but it should also be noted, Public Schools have won nearly 70% of all the state championship games since 1963.

You remind me of a certain message board poster from Fla Varsity Football Central. 

I don't know a lot about high school football teams in South or West Florida. MarkECannon, I will try once again: How many months to the NHL All-Star Game please? Thank you.  

The year prior (2006) we clung to a 3-0 lead at home during the regular season before Chris Rainey ripped off a 70 or so yard run late in the 4th quarter to seal the deal 7-3 in Lakeland's favor.  That is when Lake Gibson was rolling and they also beat us at their place to keep us out of the playoffs which we would have qualified for under current format of seeding.  That district had some of the best running backs in the state with Rainey, Bilal Powell and "Bubba" Brown in no particular order.  Also the year (2006) Lakeland not only was state champ, but National Champ.