Football Betting

BCS Playoffs?

In a move that shocks absolutely no one, Bowl Championship Series presidents this week rejected the Mountain West Conference’s playoff plan.

The MWC proposed an eight-team playoff system that would allow greater access to the national championship game to teams outside the six most powerful leagues. The BCS presidential oversight committee rejected the concept during a teleconference on Wednesday.

“There was no overall support for the proposal, although some conferences were interested in considering certain elements of it in the future — particularly those related to revenue, access and governance of the BCS arrangement,” said University of Oregon president David Frohnmayer, the outgoing committee chairman.

The MWC is still angry that Utah went unbeaten last year and didn’t get a chance to play for the national title, while one-loss Florida and Oklahoma did. Then the Utes went out and stomped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah finished the season No. 2 in the Associated Press final poll and No. 4 in the  USA Today/Coaches poll. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham voted his team No. 1.

 

The Mountain West’s plan would have used the current BCS bowls — Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and Rose — as well as a fifth unnamed bowl. Ultimately the teams would be whittled down until a national champion was determined.

Of course, the BCS schools and Notre Dame had no use for this, because they are getting rich off the current system. The BCS and ESPN agreed to a four-year, $500 million deal in November that will keep the current system intact. Somewhat surprisingly, all of the other mid-major conferences opposed this plan as well.

The Mountain West could see another one of its teams go unbeaten this year and be left out, as Texas Christian has a very realistic chance of running the table. Bet on the Horned Frogs futures at WagerWeb.

And the MWC isn’t done. In May, conference commissioner Craig Thompson appeared before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Thompson says he will discuss options with the MWC Board of Directors and decide the league’s next move.

“The Mountain West appreciates the thorough review that each conference gave our reform proposal,” Thompson said in a statement Thursday. “However, the MWC continues to believe that there are fundamental flaws in the BCS system that need to be addressed. We will take yesterday’s action under advisement and consider our next steps.”

Don’t hold your breath for anything substantial to happen this decade.

Texas Longhorn vs Ohio State Pointspread Free Pick

Texas Longhorns -10
Over/Under 53½

The tenth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2 SU, 5-6 ATS, 5-6 O/U) have won and covered the spread in three straight games for BetUS NCAA college football online betting backers.

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The third-ranked Texas Longhorns (11-1 SU, 9-3 ATS, 6-6 O/U) have also won three consecutive games in the BetUS Sportsbook, while covering the spread for backers in each of their last two contests.

Now, one team’s winning streak will come to an emphatic end in the season’s biggest and final game for both schools when they meet in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Monday, Jan. 5.

The Buckeyes have routed three straight opponents since losing to Penn State 13-6 back on Oct. 25 and are coming off a convincing 42-7 win over beleaguered Michigan on Nov. 22, covering the spread as a 20.5-point home favorite as they handed Michigan their worst in the longtime rivalry in over four decades.

Starting quarterback Todd Boeckman went 3-for-3 for 64 yards with one touchdown and exciting freshman Terrelle Pryor threw two additional TD passes, completing 6of 13 passes for 120 yards with one interception.

Wide receiver Brian Hartline caught two scoring passes while running backs, Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells rushed for 134 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries and Daniel ‘Boom’ Herron added another 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

"The turning point was when they punted us down to the 9 and then two plays later we scored," head coach Jim Tressel said. "That was huge. A big run by Beanie, and then a big run by 'Boom" Herron. That really made a difference."

No. 3 Texas has laid into two opponents since losing their only game of the season 39-33 in Texas Tech back on Nov. 1 and are coming off a 49-9 rout of Texas A&M on Nov. 27, covering a whopping 35-point spread at home.

Quarterback Colt McCoy completed 23 of 28 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 49 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. Running back Cody Johnson added 102 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries.

Even with their spectacular final regular season performance, the Longhorns were left on the on the outside looking in when it came time to choose the national championship teams, despite the fact that the handed Oklahoma their only loss of the season, a convincing 45-35 win back on Oct. 11.

"I felt they made the statement they needed to make," head coach Mack Brown said. "Starting with Colt."

"The voters have a real tough decision," Brown said. "Oklahoma is a great team. Texas Tech is a great team. I do not want to sit here and take anything away from them. This league is better than it's ever been."

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NCAAF Free Pick.

• The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
• The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big 12.
• The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games.
• The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
• The Under is 4-0 in Buckeyes last 4 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
• The Over is 6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 games on grass.
• The Over is 4-1 in Longhorns last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
• The Over is 6-2 in Longhorns last 8 neutral site games.

Analysis: Okay NCAA college football betting enthusiasts, I really don’t think this matchup requires much though as I fully believe the Longhorns and far and away the better team in this contest.

While the Buckeyes are by no means, pushovers, I don’t think they will be able to contend with the numerous offensive weapons on the Longhorns roster, starting with quarterback Colt McCoy.

Besides, I think the Longhorns are going to be absolutely furious they are not playing for the BCS National Championship and will take out their frustration on an Ohio State team that isn’t all that impressive if you ask me.

I say take the Texas Longhorn to win and cover the spread with room to spare.

NCAAF Free Picks: Texas -10 Points/Over 53½ Total Points

BCS Bowl Betting Pointspread and Preview

The BCS Selection Committee went ahead and filled out the slate for the BCS Bowl Games for the 2008 – 2009 NCAA College Football Season. For online betting fans, it doesn’t get any better than making online football bets on these bowl games.

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Since the BCS started their new format, some brilliant games have been played on the grid iron. It’s too early to actually pick a winner, a lot came happen in three weeks to a month, but it’s not too early to take a peek at the BetUS online sportsbook betting odds for the BCS Bowl Games as well as provide some early Bowl Season analysis.

Let’s get to it!

Rose Bowl Presented by Citi

Date: 1/1/2009

Time: 4:30 pm est.

USC Trojans vs. Penn State Nittany Lions - - The USC Trojans will be playing in their fourth Rose Bowl in a row. Any other team would be ecstatic but BCS Championships are expected out of USC every year not Rose Bowl berths. Because they won’t have to travel too far, the Trojans should go into the Rose Bowl with an advantage, but in assessing who wins this game against the BetUS online betting spread, college football betting fans need to look beyond the obvious. Yes, USC has a fantastic defense, but Penn State is led by junior quarterback Daryll Clark who’s been doing his best impersonation of Vince Young this season. The USC defense will be tested and USC’s offense has been spectacular against teams like Washington State and downright awful against teams like Arizona. The Nittany Lions have a chance.

BetUS online sportsbook against the spread line: Penn State + 10

FedEx Orange Bowl

Date: 1/1/2009

Time: 8:30 pm est.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Cincinnati Bearcats - - Yes, Cincinnati is in a major BCS Bowl. I know. I expect Bob Huggins and Danny Fortson to parade on the sidelines too, but this is the Cincinnati football team not the Cincinnati basketball team from the 1990’s that dominated NCAAB. Cincinnati has been very, very, very good this season. For online college football betting fans, they’ve been one of the better squads in the country straight-up going 11 and 2. Of course, against the BetUS online sportsbook wagering spread, they’ve been anything but great going 6 and 6. Still, it’s been a down year for the Hokies who got lucky against the BC Eagles in the ACC Championship game. In fact, the ACC hasn’t been all that great. I’m going to wait before really deciding where my online betting dollars will go in this one but I do believe that the Bearcats might just be the better team.

BetUS online sportsbook against the spread line: Cincinnati – 1 ½

AllState Sugar Bowl

Date: 1/2/2009

Time: 8:00 pm est.

Utah Utes vs. Alabama Crimson Tide - - The Utes make the Sugar Bowl based on their undefeated season in a bad conference. The Crimson Tide make the Sugar Bowl based on their runner-up effort in the SEC Championship game. The last time an undefeated small conference team faced a good SEC team in the Sugar Bowl was last year. Georgia destroyed Hawaii in that Sugar Bowl. Will the same happen this season? Utah is a seemingly better team than Hawaii was. So, online betting fans should rejoice but I wouldn’t start jumping up and down in my Utah red. I mean, the Crimson Tide is loaded on defense and their offense is underrated. The biggest issue Utah is likely to face? Alabama pretty much had that game against Florida in the SEC Championship Game until Florida quarterback Tim Tebow willed his team to victory. ‘Bama is going to be excited about lighting up the Utes.

BetUS online sportsbook against the spread line: Alabama – 10 ½

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Date: 1/5/2009

Time: 8:00 pm est.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Texas Longhorns - - Okay, so the Buckeyes finish second in the Big-Ten and for that terrific season they get to face the Texas Longhorns. How good was Texas this year? They lost only one game, to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and in the Red River Shoot-Out against Oklahoma the Longhorns were exceptional. Texas has one of the best offenses in the nation and their defense is dominating. I didn’t want to pick a winner straight-up and against the BetUS online betting spread so early in the Bowl Season, but I can’t mess around with this game. The Texas Longhorns should absolutely dominate an Ohio State offense led by a freshman, Terelle Pryor, and an Ohio State defense that won’t be able to keep up with the speed that Texas possesses on offense. This looks like an online football betting lock to me.

BetUS online sportsbook against the spread line: Texas – 10

BCS National Championship Game

Date: 1/8/2009

Time: 8:00 pm est.

Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners - - This is a dream match-up. First, online sports betting fans have to be ecstatic that the Ohio State Buckeyes didn’t make it to this game. Second, can online football betting fans think of a more interesting match-up than the Florida Gators coached by Urban Meyer and led by quarterback Tim Tebow facing off against the Oklahoma Sooners led by coach Bob Stoops and led by quarterback Sam Bradford? Both Oklahoma and Florida have unbelievable offenses. The Sooners scored over 60 points in four straight games. Florida had to play defense when facing the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game. Both teams are expertly coached. Both offenses are terrifically balanced. Both defenses are very good. What’s the difference between these two teams? Usually, I would say that the Gators had to traverse a much tougher schedule since they play out of the SEC. Not this season. The Oklahoma Sooners had to play Texas, Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Every single one of those teams was ranked in the Top Ten at one point during the season. That makes the Sooners the team to beat in my eyes. My first impression is that this is Oklahoma’s game to lose.

BetUS online sportsbook against the spread line: Oklahoma + 3

USC vs Penn State More Important Than the BCS Title Game?

USC and Penn State are two of the most wagered upon teams in the country.  Here's a good article about why the Rose Bowl could be more important than the so-called Championship game.

Rose Bowl matchup could rival national-title game

By Jeff McLane
Philly Inquirer Staff Writer

They both have one loss.

Because of knocks against their conferences, they both could not recover from those close defeats when it came to reaching the national championship. Both, however, probably believe they belong in that game as much as the next team.

But Penn State (11-1 overall, 7-1 Big Ten) and Southern Cal (11-1, 8-1 Pac-10) will not vie for a national title - at least as far as the Bowl Championship Series is concerned. The Nittany Lions and Trojans will meet in the 95th Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. And that's a not-too-shabby consolation prize. Oddsmakers have made the Trojans early 10-point favorites.

It could also mark the return of Penn State coach Joe Paterno to the sideline. The legendary coach, who turns 82 on Dec. 21, had hip-replacement surgery on Nov. 23. An arthritic right hip hobbled Paterno for much of the season and forced him to coach from the press box for the last seven games.

"I'm feeling good," Paterno said. "I'm walking around pretty good and I think I'm going to be able to be on the sideline. I hope to be. I'd hate to miss that experience."

The Rose Bowl, in fact, could rival the BCS championship game between No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 Florida.

"It should be a great game," USC coach Pete Carroll said last night. "Maybe this is the best game in the country."

Carroll had been outspoken about the BCS system before, once saying he did not understand its method. Recently, he argued that the Trojans' one loss - a 27-21 stunner to Oregon State on Sept. 25 - was no worse than Florida's last-second loss to Mississippi on Sept. 27. Last night, his "best game in the country" statement was about as close as he got to dissing the BCS.

Paterno, meanwhile, has never been a fan of any system other than a playoff, but the coach was not about to get into any conversation about whether the Rose Bowl winner could lay claim to a piece of the national title.

"I'm looking forward to playing Southern Cal," said Paterno, who will be coaching in his record 35th bowl game. "That's all I'm looking forward to."

As for his team's No. 8 ranking in the final BCS standings, Paterno probably understood that the Lions' 24-23 loss to Iowa on Nov. 8 had doomed their chances. It didn't help that the Big Ten was considered a lightweight compared to the Southeastern and Big Twelve conferences. The Pac-10 suffered the same assessment; USC finished No. 5 in the standings.

"I think we're in similar situations," Carroll said. "We played a game earlier in the year that we didn't get done and it weighed heavily on the voting."

Nevertheless, a Penn State-USC meeting should draw plenty of national attention. For the Lions, it marks their first trip to Pasadena in 14 years and just their third ever. The Trojans, meanwhile, will be staying home for the fourth straight season and fifth time in six years. It has led some to believe USC is less than enthusiastic about playing another Big Ten opponent.

"That's absolutely media-driven," Carroll said. "If you watch the interviews from our players and coaches, we're pumped about this opportunity."

In the four Rose Bowls in which USC has faced a Big Ten opponent, it has won easily by an average score of 37-17. If the Trojans want to sneak into any unofficial national title conversation, a marginal win over a Big Ten foe may not rouse the pundits.

Penn State, though, has more to gain in beating USC, especially considering that the Lions opened the season ranked just No. 22 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. They were No. 6 in both polls yesterday.

"I think we're going to play one of the two or three best football teams in the country," Paterno said.

The Lions are certainly playing one of the best defensive teams in the country. Southern Cal led the nation in total defense (206.0 yards per game) and scoring defense (7.75 points). Penn State was nearly as good, finishing fifth in total defense (263.9 yards) and fourth in scoring defense (12.4 points).

Both teams are almost as strong offensively.

LSU vs Ohio State Preview

The national championship will be decided at the Superdome, where the No. 2 LSU Tigers should enjoy a decided home-crowd advantage when they face the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes. SEC teams have won six of their first eight bowl games at 5-2-1 ATS, giving weight to their claim as the nation’s top conference, while the Big Ten is 3-4 both straight up and ATS.

At the top of this Big Ten pile sits Ohio State (11-1 SU, 7-4 ATS). The Buckeyes are back to the title game for the second year in a row, powered by the nation’s top-ranked defense in both yards allowed (225.3 per game) and points allowed (10.7). However, this year’s model is a bit more challenged offensively with QB Todd Boeckman at the wheel. His last two games were not stellar, producing four of Boeckman’s 12 interceptions on the season.

This is where the Tigers (11-2 SU, 5-7-1 ATS) have the advantage. They also bring a shutdown defense to the championship game: third in the country in yards allowed (283.9 per game) and No. 21 in points (19.6). But LSU also has the very effective combo of steady Matt Flynn and crafty Ryan Perrilloux at quarterback. Their contribution to LSU’s power running offense is dangerous enough to make the Tigers the understandable favorites. The total for this matchup is 48.5 points; LSU sent the over to a 9-4 record during the regular season. The over went 6-5 for Ohio State.

Kick-off is Jan. 7 at 8:00PM Eastern on FOX.

PapaJohns Bowl? Southern Miss vs Cincinnati

Preview: The Bearcats were one of the most surly teams in the nation this season. With victories over Rutgers, South Florida and Connecticut, they pleased their betting faithful by going 7-4 ATS this season. Can they overcome a double-digit spread to bury the Golden Eagles in the sand at the Papajohns.com Bowl?

Southern Miss Offense vs. Cincinnati Defense

Overcoming injuries has not been the forte of Southern Miss this season. The easiest way to do so is to send forth a strong rushing attack, and that is certainly what Damion Fletcher is doing. Southern Miss averages 202.6 rushing yards per game, and Fletcher is a massive part of that. However, the Bearcats stiff line-backing corps sees to it that rushing offenses get silenced to 106.1 yards per game.

Perhaps the biggest injury of all has been to Chris Johnson, the game changing receiver that was the chief weapon of quarterback Jeremy Young. Without Johnson, Young and the passing game have dwindled to just 193.6 passing yards per game. The Bearcats are vulnerable through the air, allowing 265.0 passing yards per game, but Young is simply not the kind of player that can succeed without talent around him at receiver.

The Golden Eagles average 28.3 points per game, while the Bearcats only surrender 18.6 points per game.

Cincinnati Offense vs. Southern Miss Defense

Quarterback Ben Mauk and the Cincinnati offense have shattered school records this year. This sharp offense averages 36.8 points per game and throws for 282.2 yards on average, while balancing it all out with 157.4 rushing yards per game.

Mauk’s steady throwing has freed up lanes in the interior for Greg Moore and Butler Benton in the backfield. Both are averaging over 5.0 yards per carry. They will have to contend with Gerald McRath at inside line-backer but the Cincinnati offensive line will do a solid job of protecting their rushing assets.

NCAAF Betting Trends

-Southern Miss is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

-total has gone UNDER in 4 of Southern Miss’s last 5 games

-Southern Miss is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

-Cincinnati is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

-Cincinnati is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games

Final Verdict

This game will be anything but close. The Bearcats are playing at a whole new level, and will trounce Southern Miss with ease. The Bearcats betting faithful can rest assured in their team’s ability to decimate the spread against Southern Miss as they have done in the past.

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (7-5) vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3)

Saturday, December 22 --- Legion Field, Birmingham --- 1:00pm EST

Opening NCAA Football Line: Cincinnati -12.5 (56)

NCAA Football Betting Free Pick: Southern Miss 21 Cincinnati 38

Tim Furious
 

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New Mexico Bowl- Nevada Vs. New Mexico Point Spread Winner

The relative superiority of the Nevada Wolf Pack football team over that of the New Mexico Lobos is evidenced by the fact that the football betting line favors the Pack by a field goal in a bowl game even thought New Mexico has the distinct advantage of playing in front of their home crowd and on their own field. Considering the fact that the Lobos have won five out of the six games they have played at home in 2007, this advantage must be taken into account if you bet on college football odds and want to place one on this game.

Nevada Wolf Pack -3 vs. New Mexico Lobos +3

Nevada runs what is known as a Pistol offence and it features quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Luke Lippincott. In the Pistol, the QB is lines up in the shotgun with his RB behind him a couple of yards. What this allows for is the possibility of having a strong downhill running game while also allowing the quarterback the quicker reads made possible by being in the shotgun. It seems to be working for the Pack’s running game, as Lippincott has amassed 1,380 yards on 257 carries and has scored 15 TDs. He is fast of the line and well balanced in his running and his game is helped by the fact that Kaepernick possesses the ability to also take off downfield. The fact that both key elements of the Pistol offense are able to run the ball makes it very tough for defenders to prepare for and ward off.

New Mexico Bowl @ University Stadium: 4:30 PM EST, Saturday, December 22, 2007

Kaepernick is a very smart QB and the offensive coordinators of the Pack design quite a few running plays for him. Still, when a play is busted, they can relax even more knowing that their QB can pick up what has gone wrong quick enough to make something out of nothing with his legs. This does not necessarily mean downfield, though. Kaepernick has been playing a very well managed passing game, with 19 TDs through the air, compared to just three INTs in only his first year as a starter.

He and the rest of the offense will have to play a careful game against a Lobos defense that ranks 25th in the nation in scoring. They have the issue of size on their part, which should help, but the New Mexico Lobos are fast and smart. If Nevada can establish the run early and pound the ball for a few drives to start the game, they should be able to maintain a lead and cover this field goal spread.

Russell Edward

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Las Vegas Bowl Point Spread Winner

LAST POINTSPREAD RESULT: UCLA lost 24-7 to USC in the Los Angeles Coliseum, covering as a 19.5-point underdog but gaining only 168 yards on offense. BYU won a 48-27 decision over San Diego State, covering as a 16.5-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: These teams actually met back on September 8. UCLA almost blew a 20-0 lead, but held on for a 27-17 win, covering as an eight-point favorite. BYU's Max Hall threw for 391 yards in that game, but BYU turned the ball over four times.

ABOUT UCLA:

The Good News -- Maybe it's good, but maybe it's bad. Either way, coach Karl Dorrell is out the door, replaced for this bowl game with defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker. The Bruins should be healthier than usual; QB Ben Olson, a BYU transfer who went down to injury in the loss to Notre Dame, is slated to start. Chris Markey, the star tailback who gained 598 yards in an injury-plagued season, should also feel better after some time to rest.

The Bad News -- UCLA has been playing musical chairs at the quarterback position, at times being down to their fourth-string signal-caller, converted wide receiver Oscar Rasshan. As a result, the offense has often stalled; the Bruins have given up more touchdowns on defense (31) than they scored on offense (23). And the defense isn't all that bad.

UCLA TRENDS:

* UCLA has covered its last five games as an underdog

* UCLA has covered nine of its last ten games as an underdog

* UCLA has covered 12 of its last 17 games

* UCLA is 14-3 SU following a straight-up loss

ABOUT BYU:

The Good News -- BYU averages 458 yards per game. That ranks 15th in the country. The Cougars also have a defense; BYU held opposition rushing attacks to only 2.9 yards a carry. Quarterback Max Hall threw 24 TD passes with only 12 interceptions. This team carries a nine-game winning streak into this bowl game.

The Bad News -- BYU's turnover ratio is minus-9. The rushing game, while not pedestrian, is nonetheless not a staple (4 ypc), and the Cougars were held to just 44 net rushing yards in the previous meeting with UCLA.

BYU TRENDS:

* BYU has played seven of 11 posted games UNDER the total

* BYU is 22-10 ATS in its last 32 games

* BYU is 9-2-1 ATS last 12 games after an ATS win

* BYU is 17-6-1 ATS last 24 as a favorite

THE BOTTOM LINE: What's important to keep in mind is that the relative schedules of these teams is quite different. BYU plays in the Mountain West Conference, while UCLA competes in the Pac-10, which is much stronger. A big concern for UCLA is that the offense produced just 388 yards in the last two games combined. But with Olson against at the controls, this should start to resemble a bowl-level offense a bit more. In their last three games, UCLA played three teams who were at one point late in the season ranked at #2 in the country, and they held their own defensively against all three (covering all three games). And the Bruins have been double-tough as a dog, covering the last five and nine of the last ten in that role. We'll grab the points with UCLA, the 7-point underdog in the BetUS NCAA football betting odds.

WHAT: The Las Vegas Bowl

WHO: UCLA Bruins (6-6 SU, 8-4 ATS) vs. BYU Cougars (10-2 SU, 6-5 ATS)

WHEN & WHERE: December 22, 8 PM ET at San Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas (artificial turf)

BETUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING LINE: BYU -7, Total: 47

-Charles Jay

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New Orleans Bowl Point Spread Pick

The New Orleans Bowl could turn into one of the most exciting games to watch in this 2007 college football bowl betting season. Both offenses can light up the scoreboard and both possess defenses that, while not bad, will certainly be tested in this matchup. This game should come down to the wire and will, in all likelihood be won by the team that wins the turnover battle.

Florida Atlantic Owls –2.5 vs. Memphis Tigers +2.5

Thanks to the arm of quarterback Martin Hankins, the Tigers have put up some of the nbest offensive numbers in school history. The passing attack ranks 13th in the nation, led by Hankins’ 22 TDs vs. just 12 INTs. His main targets have been Duke Calhoun and Carlos Singleton, the 6-foot-8 red zone monster who leads the team with 10 touchdowns.

They will be challenged by a secondary that has tallied 17 INTs this season, but many of those came against inferior opponents. Still, a defense that ranks first in turnover margin, at plus-19, is nothing to be taken lightly. The Tigers will have to take care of the football and use the running game to set up the pass. If they fail to get a running game established, they will lose the turnover battle and this game.

Running back Joseph Doss will get the rock for most of the game, but he won’t have an easy time against the tough run defense of the Owls. The Owls’ linebackers will try to stop Doss early so they can focus on getting to Hankins in the pocket. However, that battle will not be easy, either, as the Tigers offensive line is good, and they don’t let their pass protection crumble without a fight, having allowed just 13 sacks all season.

New Orleans Bowl @ Louisiana Superdome: 8 PM, Friday, December 21, 2007

A key battle for covering the 2.5-point football betting spread will take place as Owls CB Tavious Polo takes on Carlos Singleton in the secondary. Polo is fast and had a good nose for the ball. He leads his squad with seven INTs and should be able to run with Singleton. He may have problems in the red zone, though, where size could become more of an issue. He stands 5-foot-ten; almost a foot shorter than his rival.

Russell Edward

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NCAA College Football Bowl Schedule

Here"s the Full Line-up:

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