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February 13th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Cappersinfo's College Football Top 25 Rankings

Our staff has developed college football power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NCAA football team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NCAA football power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and college football predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NCAA Football Power Rankings
(Final 2011 Standings)

1: Auburn Tigers (14-0) – The Tigers did just about everything right this season, and they overcame some very close calls at the end of the year to ultimately end up with the National Championship in tote. It's going to be hard without QB Cam Newton and DT Nick Fairley next year, as both are potentially Top 10, and maybe even Top 5 picks in the NFL Draft, but Head Coach Gene Chizik has brought in a great recruiting class which could have Auburn sniffing around for another SEC title this coming season.

2: TCU Horned Frogs (13-0) – In other years, perhaps the Horned Frogs would have been good enough to be called BCS National Champions. They did snare a few first place votes in both polls, which really did help out the case for the little guys, but now, it's off to the Big East and away from the Mountain West. Unfortunately for Head Coach Gary Patterson, this could be a rebuilding year, as there are a ton of seniors that have left the program over the course of the last two seasons that badly need to be replaced. Still, this is a unit that, at least as members of the MWC, reloaded, not rebuilt. We'll have to see what happens now that the Horned Frogs are in a power conference.

3: Oregon Ducks (12-1) – Oregon is going to make a case to start off as the No. 1 team in the country next year, as a tremendous number of the key cogs of this offense, including Heisman Trophy runner up RB LaMichael James will be back next year. The Quack Attack came up just short when push really came to shove in the BCS Championship Game, but there was no shame in the way that the team played this entire season. There wasn't a squad that was more fun to watch than this one, and there is no doubt that Head Coach Chip Kelly is going to be looking for bigger and better next year.

4: Stanford Cardinal (12-1) – Had the schedule makers put the game against Oregon down on "The Farm," Stanford might be the team claiming glory right now. It just doesn't get much better than what Head Coach Jim Harbaugh did this year for this team, and no one should be shocked that he left in the offseason to head for the San Francisco 49ers. QB Andrew Luck would've almost certainly been the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but he has elected to come back to school for his junior season, one which could be a banner year for the Cardinal.

5: Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) – Hanging on to beat a very game bunch of Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl was a big, big win for the Buckeyes to wrap up this season. Head Coach Jim Tressel has a big time challenge ahead to figure out whether his team is going to be ready to contend again next season, as QB Terrelle Pryor and four others have been suspended for the first month of the season. OSU has been one of the most consistent programs in the country over the course of the last decade or so though, and we don't doubt that this won't once again be one of the best teams in the Big Ten.

6: Oklahoma Sooners (12-2) – QB Landry Jones and WR Ryan Broyles hooked up more times this year than any quarterback to receiver combo in the land, and goodness knows that they'll be favored to do it again this coming season. The Sooners looked incredibly talented at times, but there were others that just made you scratch your head this year. Still, OU finishes up this year pretty much at No. 6 in every set of NCAA football power ratings you'll find, including here in this one.

7: Boise State Broncos (12-1) – We never really may know just how good Boise State really was last season, and we might not get the chance again this year either with it going to a shell of the MWC. The Broncos were only beaten once, and on the foot of a kicker at that, but they certainly stormed to their win early in the bowl season over the Utes, the team they're replacing in the Mountain West. It would've been a lot more fun to see these guys playing in the BCS this year, but that's the life of a mid major, where one loss really kills you.

8: Wisconsin Badgers (11-2) – There really wasn't all that much shame in losing to TCU in the Rose Bowl for the Badgers, as they really proved their worth in the Big Ten campaign this year. RBs Montee Ball, James White, and John Clay all had amazing seasons, and all three would have led a whole boatload of teams in rushing on the campaign. QB Scott Tolzien ended a number of straight seasons where the signal caller had to change in Madison, but this season, he'll be gone and someone else will have to take over.

9: LSU Tigers (11-2) – The win over the Crimson Tide in the regular season was great, but the victory in the Cotton Bowl over Texas A&M was perhaps even bigger. Head Coach Les Miles was dangling for the Michigan job for awhile, and he parlayed that into a(nother) raise at LSU. The Bayou Bengals will once again have great defense even though DB Patrick Peterson is moving on to the NFL Draft.

10: Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2) – Who knows what would've happened with the Cowboys had they found a way to win Bedlam this year… We know that Head Coach Mike Gundy had a team that was underappreciated all season long, and having to play Arizona in the Alamo Bowl just wasn't right for the type of season that the Pokes had. Okie State will be back with most of the pieces to its exciting offensive puzzle, and it could once again find itself contending in the Big XII South.

11: Alabama Crimson Tide (10-3) – It wasn't quite another National Championship year for the Tide, but there is no doubt that they really proved their worth in that beat down of Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. A bevy of talent is leaving the program this year, as names like QB Greg McElroy, WR Julio Jones, and RB Mark Ingram all move on to the next level, but there are a number of top recruits coming in as well that could really help turn the "tide" back in favor of Alabama in the SEC West this coming year.

12: Nevada Wolf Pack (13-1) – Hindsight 20/20, Nevada maybe should have been in the BCS this year instead of Arkansas. It's not that the Hogs weren't deserving, but this Wolf Pack club really was that good. A Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl win over Boston College was great over Boston College, but we want to know what a significantly better team would've done against QB Colin Kaepernick and company. It'll be tough to top what this graduating class did for Head Coach Chris Ault and company, as Nevada has to totally rebuild next season.

13: Arkansas Razorbacks (10-3) – Arkansas snuck into the back end of the BCS this year thanks to a win over LSU in the regular season finale, but it couldn't quite close out with a win over Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Losing QB Ryan Mallett is going to be a tough blow to take, as the junior leader of this team was really one of the best passers in the nation this season and will be sorely missed. Head Coach Bobby Petrino still has a great team to work with next year even though Mallett is gone, but in the SEC West, it's going to be hard to do any better than this.

14: Michigan State Spartans (11-2) – The Spartans either really weren't all that good this year, or they just never found a way to get off the bus in the Capital One Bowl, as they were absolutely railroaded by the Tide in arguably the biggest non-BCS bowl game of the year. QB Kirk Cousins led some miraculous drives, and there were a ton of very memorable plays in a season that not only might have saved Head Coach Mark Dantonio's job, but will really live in lore in East Lansing for quite some time.

15: Virginia Tech Hokies (11-3) – Give the Hokies a ton of credit for fighting back from an 0-2 start, including losses to Boise State and lowly James Madison. However, they have a lot of work to do this year to replace QB Tyrod Taylor, who wrapped up a great career by winning ACC Player of the Year honors. Unfortunately, a win wasn't in the cards to end the season against Stanford, but that was as tough of a task as any team had in America.

16: Florida State Seminoles (10-4) – Head Coach Jimbo Fisher did a great job this year not only restoring some order to the pride of Florida State, but also on the recruiting trail, nailing down what many consider to be the best recruiting class in the nation. The garnet and gold got a great glimpse of the future, as QB EJ Manuel prepares to take over the reins for the next two seasons in Tallahassee. Don't be shocked if the Noles are back in the Top 10 next year, and if they can beat Oklahoma at home, if they contend for the BCS Championship as well.

17: Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-4) – Head Coach Dan Mullen was right to stay at Mississippi State and forgo any potential opportunity to go coach at Florida when Head Coach Urban Meyer stepped down. We know that life is very difficult in the SEC West, and it's really hard to argue with a team who only lost to LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, and Auburn this year. Mullen realizes a good thing when he sees it, and he really had the better team than the Gators did when the two collided in Gainesville.

18: Missouri Tigers (10-3) – Without QB Blaine Gabbert, Head Coach Gary Pinkel probably isn't going to know what to do this coming season. Gabbert never really rounded into total form because of a concussion that he had in the middle of the season, but he was definitely the undisputed leader of this team. The 'Zou has been consistently in the Top 25 though, something that it has to be proud of, and if Gabbert was able to take over for QB Chase Daniel without a hitch, the next man in line might be able to do the job as well.

19: UCF Knights (11-3) – UCF posted the best season that it has ever had, and it snared its first bowl win as well in the ugly Liberty Bowl over Georgia. The Knights have a very big future in front of them with QB Jeff Godfrey calling the shots, and in Orlando, the media is already preparing for a season which really could result in a potential run towards the BCS. No one in Conference USA should be standing in UCF's way next season.

20: Texas A&M Aggies (9-4) – Head Coach Mike Sherman might have saved his bacon when he sat QB Jerrod Johnson down and turned the ball over to QB Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill was fantastic from the moment he got the pigskin, and though he didn't lead the team to a win in the Cotton Bowl, he knows that he really set the foundation for what could be a great year in College Station in 2011. The question is going to be whether or not this defense can keep it up to contend with teams like Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in the Big XII.

21: Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4) – Big Red did a great job at the outset of the season, but all of a sudden, it felt like QB Taylor Martinez and the rest of the team just sort of fell off the wagon. The end result was a devastating loss in the Holiday Bowl to Washington, a team that it had killed up in Seattle in the first go around for these two. Now, Nebraska heads to the Big Ten, where it will take on a new set of challenges in a new conference, leaving behind a ton of history and tradition against a bunch of old rivals.

22: Maryland Terrapins (9-4) – You don't really think of Maryland as a team that really belonged in the Top 25 when push came to shove this year, but nine wins and a bowl victory in a power conference certainly was good enough for our standards. The Terps destroyed East Carolina in the Military Bowl to send out Head Coach Ralph Friedgen in style, but we can't help but wonder if karma is going to serve the university for essentially forcing Friedgen into retirement following a season in which he won ACC Coach of the Year, or if that same karma will come back to bite new Head Coach Randy Edsall, who left UConn without even taking the team charter home from the Fiesta Bowl.

23: Northern Illinois Huskies (11-3) – NIU had a great team this year, and it was the only club that was truly that notable in the MAC. The Huskies finished up strong by absolutely demolishing Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl. Head Coach Jerry Kill had a great team this year led by QB Chandler Harnish and RB Chad Spann, and the Huskies were certainly rewarded in spite of the fact that they weren't able to finish up the year with a MAC title after losing to Miami.

24: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (10-3) – When you can go into the Big Island and take care of Hawaii, even if it is in a bowl game, you're deserving of a spot in the Top 25. Head Coach Todd Graham is gone now, but he leaves behind a cupboard that is anything but bare. Graham did a great job keeping Tulsa relevant even though it is in Conference USA, and it should once again be able to challenge the likes of UCF and Houston next year.

25: South Carolina Gamecocks (9-5) – It was a rough end of the season for South Carolina. Getting beaten down by both Auburn in the SEC Championship Game and Florida State in the Chic-Fil-A Bowl wasn't anything to be thrilled with, but what we do need to remember is that this was a big time season of firsts for the Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. He beat his old team for the first time, and he did so in Gainesville. That win put SC in the SEC Championship Game for the first time as well. Needless to say, South Carolina had a banner season in spite of those five losses, and Spurrier hopes there is better on the horizon next year.

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

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The BCS National Championship 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 Auburn Tigers try to tame the Oregon Ducks.

BCS National Championship Game Matchup: Oregon Ducks vs. Auburn Tigers
Date: Monday, January 10th, 8:30 ET
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
BCS National Championship Line: Auburn -2.5
Over/Under 74

Ducks Notes: There is no doubting the fact that the Quack Attack was absolutely fantastic this year, blowing through the Pac-10 with very few problems. The only real snafu came in a brutal 15-13 win over the Cal Golden Bears back on November 13th. Aside from that, there wasn't a win that came by fewer than 11 points this year, and there was never a game that was in any sort of doubt in the fourth quarter. It's going to take an absolutely boatload of points to make happen, but the U of O has a chance to become the top scoring offense by average in the history of college football. This team ranks No. 1 in the country both in total yardage at 542.1 yards per game and No. 1 in scoring at 49.3 points per game. The Ducks hold up those fancy play cards with faces, numbers, colors, etc. on them, they get the play, and they go. They played 12 games this year and ran a total of 935 plays, an average of nearly 78 per game. QB Darron Thomas gets all the credit in the world for coming in and leading this offense in spite of the fact that he was No. 3 on the depth chart at the start of the Spring last year. He hopped over QB Nathan Costa and took over for QB Jeremiah Masoli, who was booted off of the team. Thomas threw for 2,500 yards and 28 TDs and had 492 yards and five scores on the ground as well. Speaking of the ground game, there might not be a better running back tandem in the land than that of Heisman Trophy runner up RB LaMichael James and RB Kenjon Barner. James had 1,702 yards and 21 TDs this year in just 11 starts, while Barner had just 81 carries, but picked up 537 yards and six TDs to boot. WR Jeffrey Maehl is inevitably going to be a part of the action as well on the outside. He had 68 receptions for 943 yards and 12 TDs this year.

Tigers Notes: Then there is Auburn, which many perceive to be a one man band with QB Cam Newton. There's no denying that this man is one of the scariest players to try to defend in college football. He threw for 2,589 yards and 28 scores on the year, and he rushed for 1,409 yards and 20 more TDs. Granted, he had an extra game to do all of this damage in, but unlike Oregon, the Tigers played in the rough and tumble SEC and were challenged quite a bit at the beginning of the season. There are two fantastic backs to work with at Auburn as well this year. RB Michael Dyer needs just 50 yards to become a 1,000 yard back on the year, and he has found the end zone five times, while RB Onterio McCalebb had 763 yards and nine TDs, and he averaged 8.6 yards per carry on the campaign. The last time we saw WR Darvin Adams, he was breaking all of the SEC Championship Game records in just one half of football, as he had seven catches for 217 yards and two scores, all of which came in the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks. What we need to remember is that Auburn isn't just an offensive club either. This defense was the real deal in the SEC, led by DL Nick Fairley, who is sure to be a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft if he elects to come out of school early. This unit allowed just 354.5 yards per game this year and ranked No. 7 in the country against the rush at 104.0 yards per game. Opponents only averaged 24.5 points per game, a far cry from the 42.7 points per game that the Tigers averaged on offense. If you like a fast paced game, Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn will do the trick for you. He had Auburn snap the ball 856 times this year, an average of nearly 66 times per game.

The Final Word: Offense very well could ultimately be the word for these two teams in the title game, but we aren't so sure that either team is going to be in the swing of things after having over six weeks off at the outset. Auburn has the better defense in this game, and it appears to really be a touched team this season. Allegations about Newton or not, the Tigers just keep beating the odds and beating every single team on their schedule. They'll wrap up a fantastic bowl season for the SEC by winning the BCS Championship Game with relative ease against the Ducks.

BCS National Championship Free Pick: Auburn -2.5
BCS National Championship Prediction: Auburn 34 – Oregon 23

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January 7th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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One of the top offenses in the country takes on one of the top defenses that the land has to offer out in San Francisco, where Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl betting action will ensue on Sunday night after all of the NFL playoff betting festivities for the first round are said and done. The Nevada Wolf Pack will look to send QB Colin Kaepernick and company out of Reno as winners against the youthful Boston College Eagles, who have a lot to prove down the stretch.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Matchup: Boston College Eagles vs. Nevada Wolf Pack
Date: Sunday, January 9th, 9:00 ET
Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Line: Nevada -7.5
Over/Under 55

Eagles Notes: It's clear that the key to winning this game for Head Coach Frank Spaziani and company is going to be contain the Nevada offense. The good news is that there has been a full month and a half to prepare for this Pistol look, something that really should play into BC's hands. Though this unit never saw an offense like this in 2010, the Eagles can rest assured that they have now allowed more than 16 points in a game since a 24-21 loss to the Maryland Terrapins at home on October 23rd. They also only gave up more than 31 points in a game once this year, a brutal 44-17 beat down at the hands of the NC State Wolfpack on October 9th. In totality, Boston College only surrendered 302.5 yards per game this year and were No. 1 in the land against the rush at 72.7 yards per game. Offensively, it's all about the running game for the young Eagles, who are going to be using this game as a bit of a springboard for the 2011 season in which the mass majority of the skill players are back. RB Montel Harris has had a great three year career thus far in Chestnut Hill, rushing for a total of 3,599 yards and 27 TDs in his career. He has six straight games with at least 100 yards on the ground, and has rumbled for an average of over 130 yards per game in that stretch. The play of QB Chase Rettig is going to be key, though. Rettig isn't going to be asked to put the ball in the air even 30 times in this game in all likelihood, but when he does throw the pigskin, he has to do it without turning the ball over. He is just a freshman playing in his first ever bowl game, but Rettig has to stay calm. He threw for 1,117 yards and six scores against seven picks in roughly half of a season's worth of action this year.

Wolf Pack Notes: Some of the numbers that you are going to see here for the Wolf Pack might shock and amaze you, as Head Coach Chris Ault deserves all the credit in the world for designing this Pistol attack and utilizing the pieces to the puzzle that he has to the fullest. If not for a 27-21 at the Hawaii Warriors, Nevada probably would have been playing in a BCS bowl game this year, as they surely would have been ranked in the Top 10 in the nation and would have had a significantly better argument to be in the Sugar Bowl than the Arkansas Razorbacks with two losses had. This is an offense that was held under 34 points just twice all season long, and was a team that put at least 49 on the board six times, including in each of the first three games of the season. The defense allowed just 22.1 points per game this year, and it was a unit that was sneakily good at times during the campaign. Nevada ranked No. 2 in the nation in total yardage at 536.1 yards per game and dropped 42.6 points per game to boot, No. 5 in the land. We've already mentioned the name of QB Colin Kaepernick. He has done a ton for this program in his four years as a starter, and Ault would love to send him out with a victory. He threw for 2,830 yards and 20 TDs this year and ran for 1,181 yards and 20 scores, making him just the third man in the history of college football to both throw for and rush for 20+ scores in the same season. RB Vai Taua will inevitably touch the ball at least 20 times on the day. He had 262 carries and 15 more receptions this year, accounting for a total of 1,750 yards and 22 TDs, one of the top marks in the country.

The Final Word: The real problem that Nevada has, we have already made mention of. It's going to be very, very hard to put new wrinkles in this rather simplistic offense. The Eagles have spent so much time analyzing this tape on this team, and you know that the squad is going to be pumped up to prove it can stop a great offensive assault. Sure, Nevada will get its points on the board, but it won't get as many as it is used to. We tend to think that Kaepernick and company will come out of San Fran with a win, but it won't be by more than a TD.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Free Pick: Boston College +7.5
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Prediction: Nevada 30 – Boston College 24

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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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