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January 7th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The BBVA Compass Bowl might look like just another bowl betting bash featuring a pair of mediocre teams from power conferences, but there are a ton of storylines that go along with the duel on Saturday after that kicks off a triple header of football action including the NFL playoffs.

BBVA Compass Bowl Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, January 8th, 12:00 ET
Location: Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
BBVA Compass Bowl Line: Pittsburgh -3.5
Over/Under 52

Wildcats Notes: This is the first bowl game for Head Coach Joker Phillips, who did a fantastic job taking care of this team this year in spite of the fact that many thought they would struggle to get into the second season. Kentucky survived the rugged SEC this year to finish at .500 and would love nothing more than to be able to pull off the upset here at Legion Field to finish up the campaign with a winning record. If he is going to do that though, it is going to have to happen with QB Morgan Newton calling the shots, not QB Mike Hartline. Hartline, who had a fantastic senior season, was suspended for this game and has not made the trip to Birmingham with the team. Newton, just a sophomore, is the future of the Kentucky program, and he brings a significantly tougher challenge to the table than Hartline does for the U-Pitt defense. No, Newton really isn't set to break all sorts of passing records, but he does have great legs, making this offense very, very fun to watch. Mr. Do It All, Randall Cobb is inevitably going to be taking some snaps as well as the Wildcat signal caller. Cobb threw the ball 10 times this year and accounted for 58 yards and three TDs. He was the second leading rusher on the squad as well with 401 yards and five scores. And of course, he was the top receiving option as well with 79 receptions, 955 yards, and seven TDs. Don't forget about the play of WR Chris Matthews either, though. This explosive star only caught 57 passes, but he averaged 15.7 yards per catch, giving him 897 yards and nine TDs on the year. RB Derrick Locke had 816 yards and 10 TDs on the ground as well. UK's defense had some bad games this year, like when it allowed 44 to the Georgia Bulldogs and 48 to the Florida Gators, but in totality, things weren't really that bad. The Wildcats held teams to just 344.9 yards and 28.5 points per game, numbers which probably would be good enough to beat the BBVA Compass Bowl odds on Saturday.

Panthers Notes: Trying to find a man that can take control of the Panthers right now is a hard enough task. Head Coach Dave Wannstedt was forced to resign at the end of the season, and the man that was hired to replace him, former Miami Redhawks Head Coach Mike Haywood, was fired on New Year's Day amidst allegations stemming from a domestic violence case. That alone, might be causing enough turmoil to cause the Panthers not to want to really show up here in Birmingham. On top of that, U-Pitt really didn't play well down the stretch, losing to both the Connecticut Huskies and West Virginia Mountaineers in games that really should have been won. Instead of playing in the BCS, something that seemed like a foregone conclusion going into the month of November, here it is in Birmingham, playing in a second tier game against a second tier team. Still, the Pittsburgh defense can make a real difference here at the BBVA Compass Bowl. This team allowed just 298.6 yards per game this year, ranking No. 9 in the land, though we must remember that this schedule wasn't nearly as tough as the one that the Wildcats faced. Do watch out for both RBs Dion Lewis and Ray Graham, who combined to account for almost 1,800 yards between them on the ground on the season. They also scored a combined 20 times. QB Tino Sunseri will be starting his first career bowl game as well after a 2010 season in which he threw for 2,476 yards and 15 TDs against eight picks.

The Final Word: We're not really so sure why the line in this game keeps going in Pitt's favor. We're not so certain that Kentucky isn't the better team in this game, and we really know that the Panthers probably don't have a lot of motivation to be here. Don't be surprised if Cobb, Newton, and company just continually find ways to puncture hole after hole in this Pittsburgh defense, and if that's the case, the Cats very well could run "Wild" in Birmingham.

BBVA Compass Bowl Free Pick: Kentucky +3.5
BBVA Compass Bowl Prediction: Kentucky 38 – Pittsburgh 20

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January 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Cotton Bowl is one of the oldest bowl games that we, the college football betting nation, has a chance to catch on an annual basis. This year, two old division rivals meet up in Arlington, as the LSU Tigers try to tame the Texas A&M Aggies.

Cotton Bowl Matchup: Texas A&M Aggies vs. LSU Tigers
Date: Friday, January 6th, 8:00 ET
Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Cotton Bowl Line: LSU -2
Over/Under 49

Aggies Notes: This season really changed on the heels of arguably the most important decision of the entire NCAA football betting campaign. Head Coach Mike Sherman decided that he was going to bench the man that was a Heisman Trophy candidate once upon a time in QB Jerrod Johnson. All of a sudden when QB Ryan Tannehill took over, A&M went on a tear, covering the college football odds in its last six games, all of which ended in Aggies' outright victories. Tannehill, a junior, is going to be ready to lead this team to bigger and better next year. He threw for 1,434 yards and 11 TDs against just three picks. He doesn't quite have the legs that Johnson had, but RB Cyrus Gray made up for that. Gray rumbled for 1,033 yards and a dozen scores on the campaign. What we have to remember is that this team lost RB Christine Michael relatively early in the year after he rushed for 631 yards. Watch out for WR Jeff Fuller and WR Ryan Swope in this one. Fuller had 65 catches for 983 yards on the year with a dozen TDs, while Swope had 67 catches for 780 yards and four scores. Defensively, Sherman's bunch really came on strong as well at the end of the year. The team ultimately only allowed 356.8 yards and 20.3 yards per game.

Tigers Notes: The Bayou Bengals have a lot of work to do in the locker room right now. Head Coach Les Miles is being connected in the media to the job available with the Michigan Wolverines, and though he is denying any interest right now, it is clearly going to be causing a distraction in Arlington on Friday night. RB Stevan Ridley, the heart and soul of this offense, was listed as "out" for this game just two weeks ago, but now, he is considered "probably eligible" for the game. Assuming that he gets his academics in order before this one kicks off, Ridley is going to be the man to watch out for when LSU is on offense. He carried the ball 225 times this year for 1,043 yards and 14 scores this year, and he is capable of being a huge force in this one against A&M. If he either can't go or isn't effective, there is a major problem under center that must be worked out. QB Jordan Jefferson and QB Jarrett Lee only threw for a combined 1,826 yards and just six scores against 10 picks between them. It's amazing that LSU won as many games as it did this year, but when you look at its defense, you can see why the Tigers have been so dangerous. The Bayou Bengals held teams to just 297.2 yards and 17.8 points per game this year, numbers which are absolutely remarkable considering how difficult the SEC West turned out to be this year.

The Final Word: The Aggies know that they are in great shape in this game, especially if there is really some inner turmoil with the Tigers. The reps from the Big XII are going to want to pick up a huge win, and if the offenses start to get going, this is going to be a big problem for LSU. The defense is the key to the game for the Bayou Bengals, and if A&M finds a way to keep the ball moving up the field, regardless of whether or not it is scoring all that many points, we could be in line for an upset, especially with the slight home field advantage coming for the Aggies.

Cotton Bowl Free Pick: Texas A&M +2.5
Cotton Bowl Prediction: Texas A&M 26 – LSU 24

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January 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The MAC champs will be back on the field for the first time in over a month on Thursday night at the GoDaddy.com Bowl. The Miami Redhawks will take on the disappointing Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, who are really just fortunate to be here in a bowl game this year. These two make for very interesting bedmates though on Thursday night, as they have two vastly different styles of playing, which should make the analysis of the GoDaddy.com Bowl lines very, very interesting.

GoDaddy.com Bowl Matchup: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders vs. Miami Redhawks
Date: Thursday, January 6th, 8:00 ET
Location: Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
GoDaddy.com Bowl Line: MTSU -2.5
Over/Under 48.5

Blue Raiders Notes: We know that you probably didn't pay all that much attention to Sun Belt football this year, and the two times that you saw the Blue Raiders on national television, they were getting destroyed by the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Troy Trojans. However, this is a team that is chock full of talent, and it was absolutely a legitimate hope for this team to run the table at the outset of the season. The four game suspension for QB Dwight Dasher really set the whole season up for failure though, and it started right out of the blocks when the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who turned out to be a giant train wreck this year, came into Murfreesboro and beat down the Blue Raiders. All things considered, ranking No. 65 in the nation in total offense at 375.7 yards per game and No. 67 in defense at 376.4 yards per game allowed wasn't all that bad this year. The play of Dasher is critical though, as he is clearly going to be the best athlete on the field at all times, and he is the man that can bust this game wide open… one way or the other… Dasher did had 14 picks this year, which was awful considering the fact that he only played in eight games, and he did account for 13 TDs as well. These numbers were down from last year, but when bowl season rolled around for the Blue Raiders at the New Orleans Bowl in 2009, he accounted for over 350 yards of offense and four TDs in a magnificent display. Obviously, if he does that again, the Blue Raiders are well on their way to beating the GoDaddy.com Bowl odds.

Redhawks Notes: At least for the whole of the calendar year 2009, there isn't a man in the nation that probably deserves more credit for what he did on the field than Mike Haywood. The former head coach of these Redhawks flew the coop for the Pitt Panthers just before New Years, and though we don't approve of the fact that he was arrested on New Year's Day for a suspicion of domestic violence, thus fired from U-Pitt, we know that he brought a lot to Miami this year. The Redhawks were an embarrassment at 1-11 last season, and they would have just been thrilled with a four or a five win season this year. Even though the schedule at times was rough, particularly out of conference, Miami really excelled, winning nine games, including the MAC Championship Game over the Northern Illinois Huskies in fine fashion. The Redhawks were led by QB Zac Dysert this year, but the second year man lacerated his spleen in the middle of November and hasn't been back on the field since. He probably won't be in the fold this week either, which leaves freshman QB Austin Boucher to lead the troops. Boucher is going to need some help from RB Thomas Merriweather, who rushed for over 800 yards this year and had 11 of the offense's 29 TDs on the season. The real transformation came on the defensive side of the ball. This was one of the best defenses in the MAC this year, allowing 341.7 yards and 23.4 points per game.

The Final Word: The Blue Raiders have a lot more to prove and lot more to be happy about if they beat the GoDaddy.com Bowl odds in this one than the Redhawks do. Miami could be beaten by 120 in this game, and the season will still be looked at as a tremendous success. For MTSU though, finishing above .500 and with a bowl win in a season that really had so much on the line is paramount, as the program really might not recover if this were to be a losing season. Though we know that Dasher hasn't shown us much of anything all year long, we tend to believe that he gets the job done and puts together another fantastic bowl preparation in a GoDaddy.com Bowl victory on Thursday night.

GoDaddy.com Bowl Free Pick: Middle Tennessee State -2.5
GoDaddy.com Bowl Prediction: Middle Tennessee State 31 – Miami 24

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January 3rd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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A pair of teams that probably felt like they were going to be in better shape this season meet up as the second best teams in the Big Ten and the SEC respectively in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. The SEC has really put a whooping on the Big Ten so far in this bowl season, but the Buckeyes have a great chance to buck the trend in this one, as they are short favorites down in New Orleans. Is it justified, though? Check out our 2011 Sugar Bowl picks.

Sugar Bowl Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
Date: Tuesday, January 4th, 8:30 ET
Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Sugar Bowl Line: Ohio State -3.5
Over/Under 57

Buckeyes Notes: The Buckeyes are going to have a lot of issues to set aside in this one. QB Terrelle Pryor, WR DeVier Posey, and RB Daniel Herron are amongst the five players that are going to be suspended for the first five games for next year. However, this could be the last stand for all five players, especially the three offensive superstars. Pryor had his best season this year to date, throwing for 2,551 yards and 25 TDs against 11 picks, and he rushed for 639 yards and four TDs. Herron was fantastic this year on the ground, rushing the ball 192 times for 1,068 yards and 15 scores. Posey was the second leading receiver with 50 catches, 778 yards, and six scores. WR Dane Sanzenbacher led the team in all of the receiving categories in 2010. He caught 52 passes for 889 yards and 10 tuddies. OSU's defense ranked No. 2 in the country this year at 251.6 yards per game, and though that was quite a ways behind the TCU Horned Frogs for No. 1, this was clearly a tougher schedule that the Buckeyes had to face. There is no doubt that this would have been the top scoring team in the land if not for the fact that the defense and special teams really gave up too many scores either directly or indirectly. Still, the Wisconsin Badgers were the only team on the docket this year that scored more than 24 points against this unit this year, and half of the dozen teams ended up scoring ten points or fewer.

Razorbacks Notes: Head Coach Bobby Petrino was really looked upon as one of the biggest skunks in football after bailing both on the Louisville Cardinals and then the Atlanta Falcons, but we have to admit that everywhere this man goes in college, he just continues to produce winners. This year, he beat the LSU Tigers in the regular season finale in the game that inevitably put this team here in the BCS for the first time in the history of the program. Of course, it helps that QB Ryan Mallett is one of the best signal callers in the entire country. Mallett threw for 3,592 yards and 30 TDs against 11 picks, but more importantly, he averaged a whopping 9.9 yards per pass attempt. Of course, that means that there are a lot of receivers on this club that can stretch the field. The three receivers that are healthy on this team, WR Jarius Wright, WR Joe Adams, and WR Cobi Hamilton, are all averaging at least 17 yards per reception this year, while TE DJ Williams was the possession receiver of the bunch at 49 catches, 589 yards, and four scores. Six different receivers caught at least four TD passes this year, while five men had at least 580 yards. RB Brodrick Green was really expected to come to the forefront this year in the SEC, but he never really panned out, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and amassing three scores. RB Knile Davis had his back though, rushing for 1,183 yards and 13 scores to lead the team in both categories. Arkansas had a very underappreciated defense this year, allowing just 338.4 yards and 22.8 points per game, and if you take out that ridiculous 65-43 loss to the Auburn Tigers, the team allowed just 19.0 points per game.

The Final Word: We've already mentioned how badly the SEC has beaten the Big Ten this year, but the Buckeyes are bound to get some revenge in this one. The scoring might not be nearly as high as many are expecting in this one though, as both of these defenses are built like rocks. We tend to believe that this is the last time we see Pryor in a college uniform, and we think that he is going to go out on top with a 'W' in the Sugar Bowl.

Sugar Bowl Free Pick: Ohio State -3.5
Sugar Bowl Prediction: Ohio State 24 – Arkansas 16

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January 2nd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Virginia Tech Hokies and Stanford Cardinal 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 Orange Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Orange Car Care Bowl picks.

Orange Bowl Matchup: Stanford Cardinal vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Date: Monday, January 3rd, 8:30 ET
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL
Orange Bowl Line: Stanford -3.5
Over/Under 58

Cardinal Notes: This could be the end of a tremendous era of Stanford football. QB Andrew Luck is most likely going to end up going to the NFL after this game is over, where he is likely to be the No. 1 pick in the draft and become a member of the Carolina Panthers. Luck, a two year starter down on "The Farm," threw for 3,045 yards and 28 TDs this year, and he also showed his mobility by running for 438 yards and three scores. The other major problem that the Cardinal might have in this one is that Head Coach Jim Harbaugh might be leaving for either another collegiate job or one in the NFL, as he is the most highly sought after coach in the country right now at either the pro or college level. On the ground this year, the Cardinal really did a great job, getting the ball in the hands of RB Stepfan Taylor quite a bit. The frosh really took over, replacing the departed RB Toby Gerhart, and he rushed for 1,023 yards and 15 scores on the campaign. This Stanford offense averaged 468.7 yards per game this year, and though it wasn't as heralded as the offense of the Oregon Ducks, there is no shame in averaging 40.3 points per game. On the other side of the ball, there wasn't a defense in that country that pitched more shutouts than that of the Cardinal, which had three clean sheets. Stanford allowed an average of just 17.8 points per game this year and was really only blown to bits by Oregon's offense.

Hokies Notes: Virginia Tech could have really just run and hid after just two weeks of the season, as the team was 0-2 and had dropped clear out of the Top 25 in the country after getting beaten by the James Madison Dukes in a loss that was absolutely unforgiveable. However, give a lot of credit to Head Coach Frank Beamer and his team, which surged to 11 straight victories and a 10-1 ATS mark over the course of their last 11 games this year to not only win the ACC, but to make it here to the Orange Bowl with a chance to finish ranked in the Top 10 in America. The Hokies have QB Tyrod Taylor, the ACC Player of the Year on their side in this one. He threw for 2,521 yards and rushed for 637 more, accounting for a total of 28 scores against just four turnovers. The offense for the Hokies really did play well this year thanks to the fact that the ground game was just so darn good. Not only did Taylor reach the 600+ yard barrier, but so did RB Darren Evans and RB David Wilson, who rushed for 813 and 616 yards respectively. The man we haven't talked about yet is last year's ACC Freshman of the Year, RB Ryan Williams, who spend a good chunk of the year on the sidelines injured. The defense for VT only allowed 339.7 yards and 19.1 points per game on the campaign.

The Final Word: We know that the Cardinal have an underrated team this year, but there is still a big time question about the schedule that they played. No one is doubting the way that V-Tech just absolutely dominated foe after foe down the stretch, and they played a non-conference schedule that was absolutely legitimate. The Hokies are the right side in this one whether they win it or not, as this should be a close call the whole way. We tend to think that Beamer Ball gets the job done with a narrow 'W'.

Orange Bowl Free Pick: Virginia Tech +3.5
Orange Bowl Prediction: Virginia Tech 31 – Stanford 27

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Each and every year, the Fiesta Bowl is one of the best bowl games in the country, and this year should be no exception. It'll be a real David vs. Goliath situation in college football betting action here in Glendale, AZ, as the Big XII champs, the Oklahoma Sooners, battle it out with the Big East champs, the Connecticut Huskies.

Fiesta Bowl Matchup: Oklahoma Sooners vs. Connecticut Huskies
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 8:30 ET
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Fiesta Bowl Line: Oklahoma -16.5
Over/Under 55

Sooners Notes: Oklahoma is going to have to shake the demons from horrifying Fiesta Bowls of the past. It was shocked by the Boise State Broncos a few years ago in the game that really shook the very nature of college football betting action and gave a lot of credence to some of these mid major clubs. The Sooners were also beaten by the West Virginia Mountaineers just days after losing Head Coach Rich Rodriguez to the Michigan Wolverines. They do have a dynamic offense this year, as the trio of QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles and RB DeMarco Murray might be the best in America. This unit combined for 482.4 yards and 36.4 points per game this year. Jones, whom we have to remember is just a sophomore, threw for 4,289 yards and 35 TDs on the year, and he put the ball in the air a whopping 568 times. Broyles had 118 receptions, the most in the nation, accounting for 1,452 yards and 13 TDs. Murray does a little bit of everything. He rushed for 1,121 yards, caught 69 passes for 595 yards, and had 249 kick return yards on the year, accounting for a total of 19 trips to the end zone. The reason that the Sooners aren't playing for a National Championship though, is their defense. This unit just wasn't all that good this year, allowing 364.6 yards per game, something that was really unheard of by Head Coach Bob Stoops' standards.

Huskies Notes: Head Coach Randy Edsall is being rumored to go to virtually every single high end job in the country, but the tycoon that he is in the process of building here at Connecticut might be the start of something tremendous. The Huskies were once 2.5 games back in the Big East race, but the season really changed with a 16-13 OT win over the West Virginia Mountaineers. From that point forward, they went 5-0 SU and ATS, including winning four games outright as underdogs. The man that is going to be controlling this offense is RB Jordan Todman, who legitimately could have been a Heisman Trophy finalist this year. Todman carried the ball a whopping 302 times on the season, and he turned those carries into 1,574 rushing yards and 14 scores. The problem that he has is that there really isn't a passing game to speak of. Edsall has deployed three different signal callers this year, and none of the three have really been able to get the job done. QB Zach Frazer is going to be calling the shots, but completing 52.7 percent of his passes for just 1,202 yards and five TDs isn't anything that we are overly excited about. Defensively, the Huskies held teams to just 19.8 points per game this year, and only the Temple Owls put 30 points up on this squad.

The Final Word: Many think that the Huskies are going to pull off the upset here in Glendale, but the third time is the charm for the Sooners. If UConn falls behind in this game, it is dead, and this wasn't the case in Fiesta Bowls of the past against these guys. OU is going to get up early and put this one away from the get go, and even if the defense does end up getting plastered, the offense should always stay one step ahead. The Sooners are tired of hearing about the potential choke job. They flex their muscles on New Year's Day.

Fiesta Bowl Free Pick: Oklahoma -16.5
Fiesta Bowl Prediction: Oklahoma 37 – Connecticut 17

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Wisconsin Badgers and TCU Horned Frogs 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 Rose Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Rose Car Care Bowl picks.

Rose Bowl Matchup: TCU Horned Frogs vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 5:00 ET
Location: Rose Bowl Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Rose Bowl Line: TCU -2.5
Over/Under 57.5

Horned Frogs Notes: The team with the top defense in the nation is about to get its sternest test, and you can bet that Head Coach Gary Patterson and his Horned Frogs are looking forward to this challenge. TCU only allowed 215.4 yards and 11.4 points per game this year, both of which ranked No. 1 in the country. If you think that bowl teams did would do better against this squad, think again. They only scored an average of 15.2 points per game. QB Andy Dalton is leading an amazing offense as well that put up at least 45 points six times on the campaign. He is the winningest quarterback in the history of this program, and he is about to wrap up his career. In his senior season, he threw for 2,638 yards and 26 TDs against just six picks. On the ground, seemingly everyone touched the football, as Dalton, RB Ed Wesley, RB Matthew Tucker, and RB Waymon James all had at least 400 yards on the ground. They also combined to rumble for 28 TDs. Through the air, watch out for WR Jeremy Kerley. Kerley is the possession receiver of the bunch, and he caught 50 passes for 517 yards and ten scores on the campaign. Just as was the case with the running game, Dalton spread the ball around to four difference receivers on a regular basis, all of which will have at least 30 catches and at least 400 yards by the time the Rose Bowl is over with.

Badgers Notes: Head Coach Brett Bielema makes no bones about what he is going to do to you when he has the ball on offense. He's running it and running it right at you. This was supposed to be the year that RB John Clay ended up being a Heisman Trophy finalist, but injuries ended that thought. He did rush for 936 yards and 13 TDs on the season, but what his absence did was allow both RB James White and RB Montee Ball to run the heck out of the football. The two had virtually identical stats this year. White rumbled for 148 carries and 1,029 yards, while Ball had 141 rushes for 864 yards. All three runners had at least 13 TDs this year, and no three men in the country, regardless of position, had more TDs combined than these three, who had 44 scores. There is an outside chance that these three can all reach the 1,000 yard barrier for the season, and if they can pull this off, they would be the second trio in the history of college football to pull off the stunt. QB Scott Tolzien was efficient as well, throwing for 2,300 yards and 16 TDs against six picks. WR Nick Toon came on strong at the end of the year, catching 33 passes for 413 yards and three TDs in spite of the fact that he missed the first half of the season due to injury.

The Final Word: One might think that this is a game for the Horned Frogs to make a statement, but we aren't so sure that they are physical enough to stand in and take Wisconsin's best shot. TCU is going to put up a good fight, but this is a game that belongs to the Big Ten for a reason. The Badgers will get their rushing groove on and dump the Horned Frogs in the most physical bowl game of the season, but the little men aren't going to embarrass themselves either.

Rose Bowl Free Pick: Wisconsin +2.5
Rose Bowl Prediction: Wisconsin 27 – TCU 21

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Mississippi State Bulldogs and Michigan Wolverines are back in a bowl game this year, and the two will be looking for a massive victory in the Sunshine State on New Year's afternoon at the Gator Bowl.

Gator Bowl Matchup: Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:30 ET
Location: Ever Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Gator Bowl Line: Mississippi State -4.5
Over/Under 60

Bulldogs Notes: There's not a team in the country that had a more interesting year than the Bulldogs, who fought hard in the SEC to finish at 8-4 on the season. They really did compete with the "Big Four" in the West Division, the Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, and LSU Tigers, and though they were defeated in all four games, they did beat all of the teams on their slate from the East Division. This is an old school SEC team that runs smash mouth ball and plays rock solid defense. RB Vick Ballard has rumbled the ball 167 times for 905 yards and a whopping 17 TDs this year, and when he gets near the end zone, it feels like an automatic six points. QB Chris Relf threw for 1,495 yards in his first year leading this offense, but he is going to probably be without his top receiver, WR Chad Bumphis, who caught 44 balls for 634 yards on the campaign. Instead, Relf will have to us his legs in this one, as he rushed for 671 yards and four scores. RB LaDarius Perkins rumbled for 526 yards on 92 carries and will be used quite a bit in this one as well. The defense for Mississippi State was really the last team to hold down Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton. Only the Arkansas Razorbacks put more than 30 on this team this year. The squad only allowed 348.2 yards and 20.3 points per game for the season.

Wolverines Notes: Is this a game for the job of Head Coach Rich Rodriguez? The buzzards are swarming right now in Ann Arbor, and even though the Wolverines didn't collapse and fail to miss a bowl game the same way that they did last year, they didn't exactly play well down the stretch either, losing five of their last seven games. The defense was absolutely horrendous at times, allowing 65 to the Illinois Fighting Illini, 48 to the Wisconsin Badgers, and 41 to the Penn State Nittany Lions. The unit ranked No. 104 in the nation at 432.7 yards per game and was No. 102 in scoring at 33.8 points per game. Offensively, averaging 501.3 yards per game was one of the top marks in the nation, but we have to face the fact that this really was a one man band. QB Denard Robinson accounted for almost 4,000 total yards of offense this season, throwing for 2,316 yards and rushing for 1,643 yards. He did miss pieces of games this year, and if he gets injured, there isn't going to be another signal caller to trust, as QB Tate Forcier is academically ineligible. Robinson threw for 16 TDs and rushed for 14 scores, but he really sort of fell apart down the stretch and went from a Heisman Trophy favorite to a man that wasn't even considered as a finalist.

The Final Word: Still, Robinson is a man that refuses to lose at times. He won't quite get the job done, but he can keep the Wolverines inside of this number. Mississippi State is very deserving of a bowl win, and it won't be concerning to anyone in Starkville if this one is won, but not covered. The Dogs will be victorious, but the key to beating the Gator Bowl odds is going with the Wolverines.

Gator Bowl Free Pick: Michigan +4.5
Gator Bowl Prediction: Mississippi State 34 – Michigan 31

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The great Head Coach Urban Meyer is set to step away from the Florida Gators this year after the conclusion of the Outback Bowl. However, standing in his way are going to be Head Coach Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are no strangers to the big upset against SEC teams in bowl games.

Outback Bowl Matchup: Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Florida Gators
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:00 ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL
Outback Bowl Line: Florida -7
Over/Under 48

Nittany Lions Notes: This wasn't the prettiest season for the Nittany Lions, but Joe Pa knew that this was going to be a tough season now that QB Darryl Clark was gone. He elected to start for true freshman QB Robert Bolden, but after a tough offensive stretch to the year, he changed his mind and went to sophomore QB Matt McGloin. McGloin threw for 312 and 315 yards in his last two games of the regular season, and he accounted for 1,337 yards and 13 TDs in his handful of appearances. WR Derek Moye had a great third season here in Happy Valley, catching 48 passes for 806 yards and seven TDs, all of which were team highs. This is the final game in the illustrious career of RB Evan Royster, the school's top rusher of all-time. Royster wasn't the Heisman Trophy candidate that the Nittany Lions were hoping for this year, but he did throw for 916 yards and six TDs on the campaign. This defense only allowed 347.5 yards and 22.6 points per game this year, numbers which were great considering the fact that the Big Ten was so strong this year.

Gators Notes: After a pair of BCS National Championships and countless memorable seasons, it looks as though this is the end of the line for Coach Meyer, who will step away and leave the program under the direction of new Head Coach Will Muschamp in 2011. It's also the final game for Offensive Coordinator Steve Adazio, who is heading to the Temple Owls to be their head coach when this one is done with. QB John Brantley might be leaving as well, as he is a young man that just didn't work at this university. He's not QB Tim Tebow, and he isn't the man that he caused to transfer away from Gainesville either… some man name QB Cam Newton. Brantley threw for just 2,020 yards and nine scores on the season. He was a massive disappointment this year, just as RB Jeff Demps was. Demps has explosive speed, but he just doesn't look the same without Tebow in there handing him the ball. He rushed for just 531 yards in 2010. WR Chris Rainey was suspended for half of the season, and as a result, he really never put forth some great numbers either, rushing for 300 yards and catching 22 passes for 198 yards. The defense for UF was the key this year. When it held teams under 30 points, it went undefeated this season. Allowing 294.8 yards per game was great, but without DB Janoris Jenkins, a four year starter, playing is his last game as a senior, UF could be in some trouble.

The Final Word: The Gators seem to be the consensus pick here, but we're really not all that sure. They're not in great shape in this game with a slew of injuries, and the Nittany Lions do have some confidence having beaten the LSU Tigers last year in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day. McGloin has this Penn State offense moving, and if PSU can put just a few scores on the board, the 'D' might be able to lead the way to victory in a big upset.

Outback Bowl Free Pick: Penn State +7
Outback Bowl Prediction: Penn State 20 – Florida 16

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December 31st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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The Michigan State Spartans were probably the one team this year that really deserved to be in the BCS that didn't get there. However, they're going to be playing in a game that is going to feel like a BCS encounter when they take on the defending national champs, the Alabama Crimson Tide in Champs Sports Bowl betting action.

Capital One Bowl Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan State Spartans
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:00 ET
Location: Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
Capital One Bowl Line: Alabama -10
Over/Under 52

Crimson Tide Notes: The Crimson Tide have a real question mark in this game about motivation. The last time we saw this team play in a bowl that wasn't the BCS National Championship Game, they were supposed to clock the Utah Utes. Instead, they were manhandled by the top mid major in the land in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. The challenge is going to be getting the offense rolling. We know that this unit can really play well at times. Case in point: Alabama really came out of the blocks strong against the Auburn Tigers. We also know that this unit can fall apart as well. Case in point: The second half against Auburn. QB Greg McElroy isn't used to losing, as the three losses this year marked the only three defeats of his career since middle school. He did throw for 2,767 yards and 19 TDs this year, and it really helped that he had WR Julio Jones to get the rock up to. Jones is one of the most purely talented receivers in the land, and though his numbers could have been better, there is no shame in the fact that he had 75 grabs for 1,084 yards and seven trips to the end zone on the season. RB Mark Ingram didn't have anywhere near the success this year that he had hoped for, and even though he did miss the first few games of the season, he still didn't put up the numbers that were expected. Ingram and his backup, RB Trent Richardson, combined for 1,474 yards and 16 TDs this year, numbers that Ingram put up on his own last season. The good news for the Tide is that this defense is still one of the most brutal in the country. Allowing 289.9 yards per game in the rugged SEC is nothing to mock, and even though this team graduated seemingly everyone after last year's National Championship, Head Coach Nick Saban still kept foes to just 14.1 points per game.

Spartans Notes: Give Sparty a ton of credit for going 11-1 this year. Even though this schedule was relatively easy by Big East standards, 11 wins are 11 wins. This was a team that was good enough to stick with the power running game of the Wisconsin Badgers. It had the wit to outsmart the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with the "Little Giants" play in overtime. And it had the craftiness to hold off a clever team like the Penn State Nittany Lions, who came back from a big deficit to nearly pull off an upset. MSU can play from ahead thanks to its power running game with RB Edwin Baker, and it can come back on the right arm of QB Kirk Cousins. Why this team is still not getting the respect it deserves is beyond us. Baker rumbled for 1,187 yards and 13 TDs this year, while Cousins threw for 2,705 yards and 20 scores against just nine picks. Do keep an eye on both WR Mark Dell and WR BJ Cunningham, as both have the speed and skill to change any game they play in a hurry. The two combined for 99 receptions, 1,372 yards, and 15 TDs.

The Final Word: Michigan State is good enough to win this game outright. Don't kid yourself about that. Saban is going to be drawing a lot of questions about the way he motivates his teams when there is little to nothing on the line if this one is lost, and there isn't a team that would rather stick it to him than his former mates. Sparty gets the job done and finishes in the Top 10 in the country with an upset at the Capital One Bowl.

Capital One Bowl Free Pick: Michigan State +10
Capital One Bowl Prediction: Michigan State 24 – Alabama 20

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