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Archive for December 30th, 2010

December 30th, 2010 By GridironGreat

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I am the Gridiron Great, and I have been handicapping the NFL for a number of years. I've learned the ins and outs of what it takes to beat the bookies at this game, and I know just how difficult it can be. Do you think you can beat me at my own game? Every week that you do, you'll be entered into a grand prize drawing at the end of the season for a $1,000 Oddsmaker Sportsbook account. You can also collect a $100 account from Oddsmaker just by having the most picks correct amongst Cappers Info readers, so long as you beat me!


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There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 17 picks…

Oakland Raiders (+3.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs – Can you say, "Motivation?" The Raiders have it. The Chiefs don't. The only thing that KC really has to play for is the difference between being the No. 3 and the No. 4 seed, and the truth of the matter is that it is far more important to stay healthy and get ready for either the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, or Pittsburgh Steelers next week. QB Jason Campbell and company are trying to save the job of Head Coach Tom Cable. They might get the job done by finishing at .500 this year. Oakland +3.5

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (-3.5) – Sure, I know that QB Tom Brady isn't playing much, if at all this week, but this is still QB Chad Henne on the other side of the field. I could care less whether it's Tom Brady or Tom Cruise under center. If this one is anything like the last meeting, the special teams will cover this spread for the Pats. Go with New England -3.5.

Tennessee Titans (+9.5) @ Indianapolis Colts – The Titans found a way to hit the backdoor a few weeks ago against the Colts, and there is no reason to think that they might not be able to do it again. Don't be shocked if QB Peyton Manning is looking at the scoreboard for the Jacksonville Jaguars game. If the Jags are losing handily, Manning is inevitably going to be taking himself out of this game. I'll play the odds with Tennessee +9.5.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) @ Houston Texans – Haven't Houston fans suffered enough this year? If there is a football god watching over this team, the Jags are going to win this game to help put Head Coach Gary Kubiak out of his misery. QB Trent Edwards has to be smirking right now that he has a chance to take this team to the playoffs and potentially the Super Bowl, while his former team, the Buffalo Bills are just sitting there thinking about draft picks for next year. If Tim Tebow can throw for three bills against this secondary, so can Edwards. Jacksonville +3.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns (+6) – Don't kid yourself in this one. The Steelers are in a lot of trouble if S Troy Polamalu doesn't play. This is the whole season for the Browns, who are one of the teams that might be playing for the job of their head coach next year. Cleveland finished up last year in good shape, and it might be able to pull it off again in this one. Remember that QB Colt McCoy played relatively well the first time around when these teams met, and that was his first career start. The Browns might not win it outright, but Cleveland +6 is still the easy choice for me.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-9.5) – The Ravens are just too strong to be taken down in this game with so much on the line. It might not ultimately mean anything, and as a result, there might be some changes in the lineup earlier than the end of the game, but before Baltimore turns out the lights in this one, it will have a comfortable enough lead for it to not make a difference. Baltimore -9.5

Minnesota Vikings (+3) @ Detroit Lions – Blah. Whatever. The Vikes looked good last week, and it still seems like there is an ethical issue with laying points with the Lions. Minnesota +3.

New York Giants @ Washington Redskins (+4) – The Giants might be the team that is looking forward to the playoffs with a win and some potential help this week, but this just feels like a situation where QB Eli Manning completes one too many passes to DB DeAngelo Hall… Sexy Rexy, QB Rex Grossman gets the job done and eliminates Big Blue, potentially putting Head Coach Tom Coughlin at risk. Washington +4

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (-10) – What a sucker set of NFL odds this is from the oddsmakers… Green Bay is absolutely going to demolish the Bears in this one, whether they rest their starters or not. QB Aaron Rodgers gets to the 4,000 yard barrier and blows out Chicago to get into the second season by a comfortable margin. Green Bay -10 for me.

Carolina Panthers (+14.5) @ Atlanta Falcons – This would be the biggest collapse in the history of the world as we know it if the Falcons end up having to go on the road for the playoffs this year. It won't happen, but it could be a lot more interesting than Head Coach Mike Smith really wanted. Take Carolina +14.5 and don't be so shocked if this ends up being a lot closer than the NFL lines suggest.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7.5) @ New Orleans Saints – This could be the biggest game that the Bucs have played in quite some time, and even though it probably won't ultimately mean anything, it would be huge to end this year with ten wins one way or the other. There are too many offensive pieces to the puzzle out of the lineup in this one for the Saints to beat this type of a number. They'll probably win this one SU, but Tampa Bay +7.5 is the right side.

Arizona Cardinals (+5.5) @ San Francisco 49ers – Head Coach Jim Tomsula came into San Fran as the new man in charge and promptly guaranteed victory against the Cards this week. You know what that means, right? Arizona +5.5 is a mortal lock.

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos (+3.5) – It would only be fitting for the Chargers to go out with a fizzle this year. This was just the team that you hated to see underachieve all season long, and this is the type of team through college that QB Tim Tebow just destroyed. Don't be shocked if he does it again. Go with Denver +3.5 for one of the upsets of the day.

St. Louis Rams (-3) @ Seattle Seahawks – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! QB Charlie Whitehurst is really going to be playing in a de facto playoff game? Really? Let's get realistic here. The Seahawks can't possibly head to the postseason with this guy at the helm. QB Sam Bradford and Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo really deserve this division title this year even though they are only going to finish at .500. That's still a tremendously marked improvement from a team that won just one game a year ago. St. Louis -3

Official Week 17 NFL Lines Courtesy of Oddsmaker Sportsbook
Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5)
Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (-3.5)
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-9.5)
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans (-3)
Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) @ Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-9.5)
Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions (-3)
New York Giants (-4) @ Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (-10)
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (-14.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (-7.5)
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers (-5.5)
San Diego Chargers (-3.5) @ Denver Broncos
St. Louis Rams (-3) @ Seattle Seahawks

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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College football historians remember the days when a young buck name Steve Spurrier was leading the Florida Gators into battle against the Florida State Seminoles each and every year. He's traded in his blue and orange visor for a red and black one, and he is set to face his old nemesis for the first time since leaving Gainesville when he brings his South Carolina Gamecocks into the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida State Seminoles
Date: Friday, December 31st, 7:30 ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Chick-Fil-A Bowl Line: South Carolina -3
Over/Under 54.5

Gamecocks Notes: It was a year of firsts for the Gamecocks. They went into the Swamp in Gainesville with the Head Ball Coach and beat the Gators for the first time, and as a result, they went to the SEC Championship Game for the first time as well. Sure, SC was destroyed by the Auburn Tigers, but we're quite possibly talking about the BCS National Champions here that killed them. QB Stephen Garcia really took a major stride and was the difference maker in the game in which the Gamecocks beat the BCS Champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Garcia ended up throwing for 2,816 yards and 20 TDs against 11 picks this year, and he clearly had a breakout season. Of course, it really helps when you have a 6'5" target in WR Alshon Jeffrey to throw to. Jeffrey is really one of the best receivers in the land, and he showed his worth this year, catching 79 passes for 1,387 yards and nine trips to the end zone. This was a well balanced attack though, as RB Marcus Lattimore was a real workhorse. He rumbled 40 times in a game against the Gators, and he ended up carrying the football 248 times this year. Lattimore had 1,198 yards and 17 scores on the ground, and he was third on the team in receiving with 26 grabs, 364 yards, and two more TDs. This was a defense that was tremendous against the rush but horrid against the pass. The Cocks allowed less than 70 yards per game this year on the ground to every team save the Auburn Tigers, but the unit also gave up 253.6 yards per game through the air, ranking just No. 108 in the land.

Seminoles Notes: The Noles made it back to the ACC Championship Game for the second time in school history this year, but this time around, the Virginia Tech Hokies got the best of them and dropped them into the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Still, the garnet and gold aren't going to mind, as they really did have a great first season under the direction of new Head Coach Jimbo Fisher. FSU still has its problems and it isn't quite back to a position where it can dominate the ACC, but it is getting there. Allowing 347.9 yards per game this year is a marked improvement from a team that allowed over 400 yards per game a year ago. Still, there were some lapses this year against teams like the Virginia Tech Hokies, Oklahoma Sooners, and North Carolina Tar Heels that really hurt. When this team allowed more than 20 points, it went 0-4 SU and ATS. When it allowed 19 or fewer, it went 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS. QB Christian Ponder is likely to be on the lineup after missing the ACC Championship Game with a bursa sac injury in his throwing elbow. He's going to need to improve upon his 20 TDs against eight picks on the year to make sure that the Noles can get going against this SC defense.

The Final Word: South Carolina really needs to have this game to carry some momentum into next season. Everything does set up perfectly for this crew, as there are plenty of returning members next year. However, if there is one knock of the Cocks, it is that they haven't played well in bowl games under Spurrier. Fisher had a great first year with FSU, and it would be pivotal to end this season with a 'W' to carry some mo' into 2011 as well. However, Carolina is the team that will snare it on New Year's Eve with its well balanced offensive attack.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Free Pick: South Carolina -3
Chick-Fil-A Bowl Prediction: South Carolina 27 – Florida State 20

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Some very interesting storylines are surrounding this year’s Liberty Bowl, as the UCF Knights and Georgia Bulldogs are ready to engage in NCAA football betting action on New Year’s Eve. The Knights have been to several bowl games in their history, but they have never won one. They’ll be taking on a Georgia team that has never finished under .500 in the coaching tenure in Athens of Head Coach Mark Richt. Needless to say, you won’t want to miss our Liberty Bowl picks in this one!

Liberty Bowl Matchup: UCF Knights vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Friday, December 31st, 3:30 ET
Location: Liberty Bowl Stadium, Memphis, TN
Liberty Bowl Line: Georgia -6.5
Over/Under 53.5

Knights Notes: When you think of mid major teams in the country, you think about the TCU Horned Frogs, Boise State Broncos, Utah Utes, Nevada Wolf Pack, etc. However, the Knights are about as good as it gets as well, and Head Coach George O’Leary knows that a school record 11th win in this season would probably put them in the Top 25 to start next season, which would give them a chance to crash the BCS in 2011. O’Leary has done a fantastic job building this team where it really counts in the trenches. UCF averages over 90 yards per game more than its foes on the ground this year, and this is why this team doesn’t fit the bill as a prototypical C-USA squad. The Knights are one of two teams in the country that have three players that had visited the end zone at least ten times (the other being the Wisconsin Badgers). RB Latavius Murray and RB Ronnie Weaver played well this year, mostly in the power running game, as the two combined for over 1,400 rushing yards. QB Jeff Godfrey didn’t expect to do all that much this year, but he was called into duty when QB Rob Calabrese was injured earlier this year. Godfrey promptly won Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and he might become one of the best players in the entire state of Florida by the time it is said and done. He accounted for over 2,500 yards between his arm and his legs this year, and he was responsible for 23 TDs.

Bulldogs Notes: It was a tail of two seasons for the Bulldogs. In the first half of the year, the team really didn’t play that well, and it opened up at 0-3 in the SEC and 1-4 overall for the first time in the coaching career of Coach Richt. From that point forward though, QB Aaron Murray and the newly reinstated WR AJ Green took over. These two hooked up for nine TDs over the course of the final eight games of the season. The offense put together at least 31 points in each of its final seven games of the campaign thanks to the play of Green, who ended up with 771 yards on the year, and RB Washaun Ealey, who had 751 yards and 11 trips to the end zone. Murray has a lot of growing to do as a signal caller, but it is clear that the future is bright in Athens. This freshman threw three of his six picks against the Florida Gators back on October 30th, but he also threw half of his 24 TD passes in his final four games of the year. Murray ended the year with 2,851 yards, and he is going to be expected to reach the 3,000 yard barrier for the year in this game. Georgia does have a major problem on defense right now, as its last four opponents from FBS conferences have scored at least 31 points against it and have averaged 37.0 points per game.

The Final Word: Though the Knights have yet to win a bowl game in their history, they have been excruciatingly close in recent years. Unfortunately, this is probably going to be another one of these games in which UCF plays its heart out, but when push comes to shove, Green is going to make the play that finds its way to beat this team. The Knights won’t embarrass themselves, but they won’t walk away with a win either in a game that could be a tremendous shootout.

Liberty Bowl Free Pick: UCF +6.5
Liberty Bowl Prediction: Georgia 41 – UCF 37

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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The Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ready to rock and roll on Friday afternoon down in El Paso in the Sun Bowl, one of the most highly anticipated games of the bowl season. These two teams are rich of history and tradition, and they should put on a fantastic show to close out 2010.

Sun Bowl Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 2:00 ET
Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Sun Bowl Line: Miami -2.5
Over/Under 47.5

Fighting Irish Notes: The Fighting Irish had to fight hard this year just to make it to a bowl game, as they needed to beat at least two of their final three games of the year to finish at .500 to qualify. They did more than that and took down all three, and they are carrying all of the momentum in the world into the Sun Bowl. Three crucial injuries have crushed this team all season long, as QB Dayne Crist, TE Kyle Rudolph, and RB Armando Allen have all missed substantial time. DT Ian Williams has missed over two months as well, but after his knee injury, he is finally going to be back in the fold in all likelihood. Still, this was a team that averaged 25.8 points per game on offense and allowed just 20.5 points per game on the other side of the ball. As always, this team played a brutal schedule, so these seven wins made for a very legitimate team. Keep an eye on QB Tommy Rees in this one. He is the man that replaced Crist in the lineup after he was knocked out for the season against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Rees completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 905 yards with 10 TDs against eight picks. He's going to be looking for the man that was the constant in this lineup all season long, WR Michael Floyd, who is probably the best pro prospect amongst the Golden Domers. Floyd caught 73 passes for 916 yards and ten scores this year, all of which were team highs.

Hurricanes Notes: If anything happens to QB Jacory Harris, the Hurricanes are in a lot of trouble. Both their second and third string quarterbacks are out of the lineup in this one, which leaves on scholarship quarterbacks left to take snaps. Harris has had all sorts of problems staying healthy this year, and as a result, he only completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,756 yards and 14 TDs against 12 picks. In spite of the fact that this passing game struggled no matter who was calling the shots, WR Leonard Hankerson was incredibly lethal. He caught 66 passes for 1,085 yards and 12 TDs on the season and is legitimately going to be one of the top receivers drafted in the NFL Draft this coming year. On the ground, the three pack of RB Damien Berry, RB Lamar Miller, and RB Mike James all did well this year, pacing an offense that averaged 191.0 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, this unit really has to step up this year. This was probably the reason that Head Coach Randy Shannon was fired before this game. Though there were times that "The U" really played well on this side of the ball, allowing 167.3 yards per game just wasn't acceptable. This unit did allowed 54 points over the course of the last two games of the season against the Virginia Tech Hokies and the South Florida Bulls.

The Final Word: The Hurricanes just have far too many question marks in this game, and it is a little puzzling to us as to why they are the favorites in this game after having lost back to back games to end the season. Notre Dame is riding a wave of momentum right now, and the Golden Domers should finish up this year with a fulfilling victory in El Paso.

Sun Bowl Free Pick: Notre Dame +2.5
Sun Bowl Prediction: Notre Dame 30 – Miami 21

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Clemson Tigers and South Florida Bulls probably underachieved this year, but they are both going to be playing on Tobacco Road on New Year's Eve for the first of a four pack of NCAA football bowl games at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Meineke Car Care Bowl picks.

Meineke Bowl Matchup: South Florida Bulls vs. Clemson Tigers
Date: Friday, December 31st, 12:00 ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Meineke Bowl Line: Clemson -5.5
Over/Under 40.5

Bulls Notes: The good news for Head Coach Skip Holtz is that his team really did a nice job this year responding to his system defensively. For a team that struggled at times last year, holding teams to just 19.5 points per game was fantastic. However, the offense really didn't do well enough for this team to finish significantly better than .500. The Bulls didn't ran higher than No. 71 in the nation in any major offensive category this year, and 312.2 yards per game ranked No. 69 of the 70 bowl teams in the country this season. QB BJ Daniels went in the wrong direction this year after a relatively successful freshman season in which he replaced the injured QB Matt Grothe. This year, Daniels only completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 1,496 yards and 9 TDs. Tossing 12 picks was awful for a man that only averaged 18.2 passes per game this year. His top target was WR Dontavia Bogan, who caught 46 passes for 670 yards and five TDs. On the ground, things weren't significantly better, but for a team that had a run/pass ratio of over 1.50:1, this is the most important part of the team. RB Moise Plancher was the team's leading rusher with 743 yards, while RB Demetris Murray will carry the ball a lot as well. He had 517 yards this year. Both had four trips to the end zone.

Tigers Notes: Clemson knows that it really underachieved this year. Though the defense was fantastic, the lack of an offense was the reason why this team went 5-0 for 'under' bettors on the campaign. The Tigers built their defense around DE Da'Quan Bowers, who was the nation's sack leader. This team only conceded 312.4 yards per game and 17.8 points per game, making this one of the best units in the ACC. Before giving up 29 to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson had held six straight foes to 16 points or fewer. However, in those six games, it only went 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS. Thank the offense, which also really wasn't worth much this year, much like its counterparts in this game. The Tigers only got 2,080 yards out of QB Kyle Parker this year, and he had 12 TDs against 10 picks. On the ground, both RB Jamie Harper and RB Andre Ellington played relatively well, but neither was all that explosive. The two combined for 1,415 yards and 16 scores on the campaign, but this accounted for half of the offensive TDs on the year.

The Final Word: Clemson is probably the better team in this game, but we aren't really so sure that that is going to translate into a victory. The Tigers will get some good defensive player for certain, but Daniels and company should be able to put just enough points on the board to win this game outright. Don't be shocked if this starts all of the upsets that we have all been waiting for on New Year's Eve.

Meineke Bowl Free Pick: South Florida +5.5
Meineke Bowl Prediction: South Florida 23 – Clemson 20

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Holiday Bowl pits teams from the Big XII and the Pac-10 against each other every single season. This year's set of college football picks on this illustrious battle doesn't quite have the same luster as normal, as the Washington Huskies were a bit of a farce this season, while the Nebraska Cornhuskers don't even feel like a Big XII team anymore since they are moving to the Big Ten next year. Still, this is the only rematch of the bowl season from a regular season duel. The Cornhuskers won the first go around by five TDs up in Seattle, and U-Dub has a ton of work to do if it thinks it is turning the tide in this one.

Holiday Bowl Matchup: Washington Huskies vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 10:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Holiday Bowl Line: Nebraska -13.5
Over/Under 52.5

Huskies Notes: Washington just has to feel fortunate to be playing in a bowl game this year. The only reason that it has moved so far up the bowl ladder is because the Arizona Wildcats slid down the stretch and were shut out in this game last year, and the Holiday Bowl wanted some new blood. With both the Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks going to the BCS, this was the only bowl eligible team remaining to select. QB Jake Locker will be playing in his final game at U-Dub, and it is his first and only bowl appearance as well. He remembers that dreadful 4-for-20 game against the Black Shirts defense when these teams met in the Northwest, as it was a game that probably cost him millions of dollars this year in the NFL Draft. Locker really needs a big performance to leave a good taste in the mouths of the scouts for these NFL teams, as he has never had a 3,000 yard season and with a loss here, will have never led his team to an above .500 record. Do keep an eye on WR Jermaine Kearse and RB Chris Polk. These are the two men that have any chance of helping this offense out, along with Locker. Polk accounted for 1,238 yards and eight scores on the ground, while Kearse led the team in receiving with 56 grabs for 954 yards and 12 trips to the end zone. Washington has the worst scoring discrepancy of teams in the bowl season, getting outscored by 9.1 points per game on average on the campaign. The only positive to look at is that the Huskies did win their final three games of the season both SU and against the college football odds.

Cornhuskers Notes: This isn't quite what Nebraska had in mind this year, especially in its final season in the Big XII. However, going to the Big XII Championship Game for a second straight season and nearly taking down the Oklahoma Sooners provided a nice consolation prize here in San Diego. The key to watch out for is how well the Nebraska running game takes care of the Washington defense. When these teams met the first time around, all three of the Huskers' main runners made it to the 100+ yard barrier. It would be unfair to assume that RB Roy Helu, RB Rex Burkhead, and QB Taylor Martinez are going to be able to put on that type of a show once again, but if they do, they'll all end up as 1,000 yard runners, marking the second time in the history of college football that that would have happened, joining last year's Nevada Wolf Pack. Martinez needs 58 yards on the ground to get there, while Burkhead has to have 88 yards. Should Burkhead score three TDs, this would also be one of just three trios in the country to have three players with ten rushing touchdowns as well. The 'D' for Nebraska stumbled just a tad down the stretch, but there is no doubt that this is the superior unit in this game. The Cornhuskers average allowing just 294.8 yards and 17.2 points per game.

The Final Word: The only question in our minds is whether or not Nebraska really wants to be here in the Holiday Bowl or not. If it does, it is going to smoke the Huskies for a second time this year. If not, that's when the upset can happen. Locker is probably one of the most overrated players in the country though, and he isn't going to be able to get the job done. If U-Dub couldn't do it at home, it isn't going to be able to do it at the Holiday Bowl either.

Holiday Bowl Free Pick: Nebraska -13.5
Holiday Bowl Prediction: Nebraska 44 – Washington 21

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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The great of Tennessee is going to be decked out in white and orange with fans screaming the lyrics to Rocky Top at the tops of their lungs on Thursday, as the Tennessee Volunteers will essentially play host to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Music City Bowl Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 6:30 ET
Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Music City Bowl Line: Tennessee pk
Over/Under 50.5

Tar Heels Notes: Give Head Coach Butch Davis some credit for really surging through this year in spite of the fact that he lost a ton of players due to ineligibility right at the outset of the season. The men in baby blue really could have just curled into a ball and died, but they continued to fight to make it here to the Music City Bowl. They were clearly playing in the better half of the ACC, as the Coastal Division provided a ton of challenges. This was still a very respectable club offensively this year, averaging 335.0 yards and 22.9 points per game allowed, but there just wasn't enough here to be the truly dominating force that we were expecting at the start of the season. Offensively, QB TJ Yates did a great job without really having a ton of help. He threw for 3,184 yards and 18 TDs against eight picks, and though those numbers aren't exactly screaming at you, he was a much maligned signal caller before this year and has seemed to win over some of the faithful in Chapel Hill. WR Dwight Jones was the only man in this offense that caught more than 30 passes or had more than 400 yards this year. He snared 57 balls for 895 yards. RB Johnny White had 720 yards on the ground and visited the end zone seven times.

Volunteers Notes: If you want to talk about some fantastic coaching jobs though, you really have to talk about Head Coach Derek Dooley. Dooley was a very, very late hire in Knoxville this year, as he was still the man in charge of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs until deep into the recruiting season. Though that may ultimately cost the boys from Rocky Top down the road, it is clear that Dooley knows what he is doing and is capable of eventually turning this program back around into prominence. He pushed the perfect button in the final four games of the season and gave up on QB Matt Simms, instead electing to go to QB Tyler Bray. Bray promptly dropped 102 points in two games against the Memphis Tigers and Mississippi Rebels, and he never looked back down the stretch. Bray threw for 1,537 yards and 14 TDs against seven picks. The only thing really working against him this year was his completion percentage, which was an iffy 54.7. RB Tauren Poole had 994 yards on the ground this year with 11 scores. The top receiver was WR Denarius Moore, who caught 43 passes for 912 yards, a whopping 21.2 yards per catch average. Moore scored nine times on the campaign.

The Final Word: Though North Carolina might be the more talented team (and certainly would be the more talented team if not for all of the suspensions), it just isn't going to be able to overcome the red hot Volunteers in this one. The men from Rocky Top have a renewed sense of winning right now that came with that four game roll at the end of the season, and anything less than a Music Bowl betting triumph would be a disappointment.

Music City Bowl Free Pick: Tennessee pk
Music City Bowl Prediction: Tennessee 28 – North Carolina 26

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