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January 9th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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There has been a ton of talking between the New York Jets and the rest of the NFL, and this week, you know that there is going to be a lot of jabber going back and forth with their divisional rivals, the New England Patriots. These two teams split the NFL betting proceedings in the regular season, and today, we are taking aim at our NFL picks for the final game of the weekend.

Matchup: New York Jets @ New England Patriots
Date: Sunday, January 15th, 4:30 ET
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Game Line: New England +9
Over/Under 45.5

Jets Notes: It should be interesting to see whether the Jets are going to stick to their run first attack or not this weekend. Head Coach Rex Ryan knows that New England's pass defense can be porous (more on that in a moment), but its ground game was devastated a few times this year as well. RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene probably didn't get enough carries this season, as the two only just barely exceeded 400 carries and didn't come anywhere near 500 total touches as expected. However, in that first playoff game, they had 35 carries and 39 total touches for 152 yards combined (169 if you include Tomlinson's 17 receiving yards), and LT ended up with two TDs, both of which came in the second half of the win against the Indianapolis Colts. The confidence level for QB Mark Sanchez really could have been shattered in the first half of that game, as he was picked off in the end zone to ensure that New York would be shut out in the first 30 minutes. However, when all of the marbles were really on the line in the fourth quarter with less than a minute to play, Ryan called Sanchez's number, letting him throw the ball to WR Braylon Edwards on the final offensive play of the game. The ball was complete, and K Nick Folk ended up with a significantly easier job to win the game. The Jets know that they did a fantastic job keeping Indy down to just 16 first downs and 312 total yards on the day, but their defense is going to have to put forth an even better effort to hold the Pats to such numbers on Saturday.

Patriots Notes: New England has confidence coming into this one, knowing that it scored 45 points in a complete romp when these two teams met up at Gillette Stadium earlier this year. It knows that it has an offense that is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best in the NFL. For the last eight weeks of the season, there were definitely some shades of the undefeated regular season, as the Pats scored at least 31 points in all of their games to bump up their scoring average for the year beyond 32 points per game. QB Tom Brady is, without a shadow of a doubt, the league's MVP this year, as he threw for 36 TDs against just four picks and threw for 3,900 yards. Though his numbers don't necessarily suggest it, Brady probably had just as good of a season this year as in that perfect season in which he threw 50 TD passes and broke virtually every record in the books. He could be hampered if TE Aaron Hernandez is kept out of the lineup in this one, as Hernandez was one of the top pass catchers on this team and made a great sidekick for fellow rookie TE Rob Gronkowski. The two had almost 90 catches this year and had 16 TDs. The difference between this year and in 2007 is that RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a legitimate superstar on the ground. He had 1,008 yards and 13 TDs this year, and he had a great complement in RB Danny Woodhead. The problem, if there is one, is that aforementioned defense, which ranked just No. 25 in the league at 366.5 yards per game and was third to last in the league in pass defense at 258.5 yards per game. Still, New England overcame that all season this year and only had two losses, though one of the two did come against these Jets.

The Final Word: Be very, very careful, New England. The layoff might not be what the doctor ordered for the perceived best team in the NFL. New York is the real deal, and there is a reason that this team won two more games in the regular season this year than it did last season. Eleven wins teams don't go down without a fight in the playoffs, and you can bet that this is going to be no exception. The Jets could pull off the tremendous upset in this game as well, just like they did last year against the San Diego Chargers in this exact same spot.

Free Pro Football Picks: New York Jets +9
Prediction: New York 20 – New England 19

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

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The Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers have already met once this year here in the City of Brotherly Love, and on that day, the visitors scored a 27-20 victory. However, the Eagles made a huge stand that day and nearly erased a three score deficit. The two are going to have at it again this Sunday to wrap up the first round of NFL betting action in Wild Card Weekend.

Matchup: Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles
Date: Sunday, January 9th, 4:30 ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Game Line: Philadelphia -2.5
Over/Under 46.5

Packers Notes: About the only thing that has really changed for the Packers since Week 1 is that RB Ryan Grant hasn't been in the lineup. He suffered his season ending injury in that game against the Eagles and has not been heard from since. RB Brandon Jackson really didn't cut it as his replacement, rushing for just over 700 yards on the year. The argument could be made that QB Aaron Rodgers was the league's MVP this year, as he really put this team on his back and carried it to the postseason in the face of adversity. Rodgers threw for 3,922 yards and 28 TDs this year against just 11 picks, and he was the man responsible for winning these last two must win games of the year to get the Pack into the playoffs. He turned WR Greg Jennings into a Pro Bowler this year, as he caught 76 passes for 1,265 yards and 12 TDs. WRs James Jones and Jordy Nelson both replaced a struggling and aging Donald Driver, though all three had at least 565 yards and 45 receptions this year. The real key to this team is the defense, which was one of the best in the NFL this year. LB Clay Matthews might be the Defensive Player of the Year after he picked up 13.5 sacks on the season. Green Bay ranked No. 5 in the land in total 'D' at 309.1 yards per game and No. 2 in scoring at 15.0 points per game. Though there were some shoddy games, there were some absolutely fantastic ones as well. The Packers held a whopping six foes to seven points or fewer this year, and the only team to score more than 26 points on this unit all season long was the New England Patriots, and QB Matt Flynn was forced to start in that game.

Eagles Notes: The difference between this NFL betting affair and the one in Week 1 for the Eagles is that the signal caller starting the day will not be QB Kevin Kolb. Instead, QB Michael Vick has turned himself into an MVP candidate, and a surefire Comeback Player of the Year winner. Vick, who was only in prison just two years ago at this time, came back this year to throw for 3,018 yards and rush for 676 more. Had you prorated his numbers over a full 16 game season, Vick would have thrown for 4,024 yards and 28 TDs and rushed for 901 yards and 12 scores on the ground, and he surely would be the owner of the league's most illustrious individual award. Alas, injuries and some shoddy coaching at times by Head Coach Andy Reid kept him on the bench for far too long. When Vick was in the lineup, this team averaged over 400 yards per game, and the unit would have averaged 33.8 points per game, both numbers of which would have been No. 1 in the league. Watch out for WR DeSean Jackson, as he led the NFL in yards per reception with 22.5. He had 47 catches for 1,056 yards and six TDs, and he also had 104 yards and a TD on the ground and 231 yards and a TD while returning punts. WR Jeremy Maclin had 70 catches for 964 yards and 10 TDs. On the ground, RB LeSean McCoy was one of the most underrated backs in the league. he had 1,080 yards and seven TDs as a runner, and he led the team with 78 receptions, accounting for 592 yards and two more TDs as a receiver. The Philly defense is suspect in spite of the fact that DB Asante Samuel ranked No. 2 in the NFL with seven picks. This unit allowed 326.8 yards and 23.6 points per game.

The Final Word: The Packers are a trendy selection both here and for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year, but we tend to disagree. Beating the same team twice in the same season on the road both times has to be one of the hardest things to do in the NFL. The Eagles have learned their lesson, and Vick and company are sure to be pulling out the 'W' in front of their hometown crowd.

Free Pro Football Picks: Philadelphia Eagles -2.5
Prediction: Philadelphia 27 – Green Bay 20

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

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There might not have been a more improbable team in the playoffs this year than the Kansas City Chiefs. They were one of the longest shots on the board to win their division regardless of what division you were talking about in football, but they are laughing last. KC beat the NFL odds all year long, and now it has to overcome some awfully long Super Bowl odds this week to take care of the Baltimore Ravens, who have become known as killers to home teams in the AFC playoffs.

Matchup: Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Sunday, January 9th, 1:00 ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Game Line: Baltimore -3
Over/Under 40.5

Ravens Notes: Over the course of the last two seasons, the Ravens have really done well in the playoffs, taking care of a number of teams en route to the AFC Divisional round of the playoffs and the AFC Championship Game in back to back years. This is the third year in a row that they are going to have to win three road games if they want to play for the Lombardi Trophy. The argument could be made that this is the best team that the Ravens have put together in a number of seasons, and that might even include the Super Bowl squad. QB Joe Flacco is one of the best up and coming signal callers in the league, and he proved it this year by throwing for 3,622 yards and 25 TDs against just 10 picks on the season. He has a great crop of receivers to work with as well, as WR Derrick Mason, WR Anquan Boldin, WR TJ Houshmanzadeh, and the always dependable TE Todd Heap were all great this year. RB Ray Rice was also used as a pass catching option quite a bit, 63 times to be exact. Rice had 556 yards through the air and 1,223 more on the ground, and though he only had six scores for the season, we know that he can go off for a tremendous game at the drop of a hat. Boldin, Mason, and Heap all also hit the 600 yard barrier this year. Boldin and Mason had nearly identical numbers, as the two combined for 125 receptions, 1,639 yards, and 14 trips to the end zone. Defensively, things really changed when S Ed Reed came back into the lineup. He has eight picks this year, which led the league, and he missed the first six weeks of the year on the PUP list. As always, LB Ray Lewis is one of the best in the biz as well, as he had a pair of picks, a pair of sacks, a pair of fumble recoveries, and a team high 102 tackles on the year. Needless to say, he and several of his teammates on this side of the ball will be playing in the Pro Bowl this year.

Chiefs Notes: Arrowhead Stadium has become a real house of horrors for the opposition this year, as the only team to come in here and pull out a victory was the Oakland Raiders. However, what we have to remember is that there was only one team that this team beat all season long that finished above .500, and the 'W' against the San Diego Chargers came way back in Week 1. In fact, there was only one other team that even finished this year above .500 on this entire slate, and the Chiefs lost to the Indianapolis Colts by 10. The good news for KC is that it has a great mold for winning games. Run the ball, and play great defense. The 'D' has some real stars on it this year, and the addition of S Eric Berry has clearly made a big difference. DE Tamba Hali is headed to the Pro Bowl as well after he picked up 14.5 sacks on the campaign. Offensively, the team averaged 164.2 yards per game on the ground this year, led by RB Jamaal Charles. The former University of Texas standout averaged a league high 6.4 yards per carry this year, and he had 1,467 yards and five TDs this year. Don't forget about RB Thomas Jones either, who had 896 yards and six TDs. When QB Matt Cassel has to put the ball in the air, he generally does well, though he is coming off of the worst game of his career against the Oakland Raiders. Cassel threw for 3,116 yards and 27 TDs against seven picks this year, one of the best TD/INT ratios in the league. WR Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in receiving TDs with 15, and he had 72 catches for 1,162 yards in 2010.

The Final Word: Kansas City has been a nice story this year, but this team is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The Chiefs really haven't done anything but beat the teams that they were supposed to beat this year, and unfortunately for them, this isn't a team that they are supposed to beat. Going on the road isn't going to intimidate the Ravens, and unfortunately for the hosts, they are going to be the next team in line that had no business getting in their way. Quoth the Ravens: Never score. Don't be shocked if this one gets very, very ugly.

Free Pro Football Picks: Baltimore -3
Prediction: Baltimore 17 – Kansas City 6

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

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If you listen to Head Coach Rex Ryan, the New York Jets think that this battle against the Indianapolis Colts is one that is personal on Saturday night. These two behemoths will square off at Lucas Oil Field, where they are going to be slugging it out with one another in the 3/6 battle in the AFC side of the playoffs. Check out our NFL playoff picks for this one!

Matchup: New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts
Date: Saturday, January 8th, 8:00 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Game Line: Indianapolis -2.5
Over/Under 44.5

Jets Notes: This was supposed to be a season for the Jets in which they won the AFC East, earned a first round bye in the playoffs, played two home playoff games, and captured the Super Bowl. The media hype in the Big Apple is tremendous here, and there will be a lot of pressure on Ryan's shoulders to perform next season if New York doesn't at least get out of the first round of the playoffs. QB Mark Sanchez has improved, but we are still questioning whether he really has the ability to win as a quarterback in this league without a ton of help. He only completed 54.8 percent of his passes this year for 3,278 yards, and though his TD/INT ratio improved, 17/13 in that category is really nothing to write home about. He does have a great crop of backs and receivers, and a stellar offensive line around him, though. The combo of WR Santonio Holmes, WR Braylon Edwards, and TE Dustin Keller is one of the most talented trios in the league, and all three had averaged over 750 yards and 54 receptions apiece. On the ground, we tend to think that New York upgraded by trading in last year's rushing duo of RB Thomas Jones and RB Leon Washington for RB LaDainian Tomlinson and RB Shonn Greene. Greene was probably a bit disappointing with just 766 yards and two TDs this year, but LT proved that he still has some legs, rushing for 906 yards and catching 52 passes for 355 yards, totaling six scores. Defensively, this team can still cause opponents fits, as New York comes into the postseason ranking No. 3 against the rush at just 90.9 yards per game allowed and No. 3 overall at 291.4 yards per game allowed. Giving up 19.0 points per game shows that there have been some chinks in the armor, but when push came to shove this year, the Jets held seven foes to 14 points or fewer.

Colts Notes: QB Peyton Manning certainly wasn't the league's MVP this year, but if he is going to win the Super Bowl this season, he is going to have to put on a fantastic face and put this team on his back to do so. We know that this defense has improved just a tad this year, but there is still no excuse for a playoff team that is hoping to really win the Super Bowl to allow 341.6 yards and 24.2 points per game. The ground game is one of the worst in the league as well at just 92.7 yards per game, though we know that the combination of RB Joseph Addai and RB Dominic Rhodes has played relatively well in recent weeks. It's all up to Peyton though, and he knows it. He led the No. 1 ranked passing attack in the game this year at 288.1 yards per game, and he broke the single season record for most completions in a season with 450. Manning won't have either WR Austin Collie or TE Dallas Clark to work with, but there is still something to be said about how good TE Jacob Tamme, WR Pierre Garcon, and particularly WR Reggie Wayne have been this year. Wayne led the AFC in receptions with 111, and he had 1,355 yards and six scores to show for his work. He was also the only other skill position player, outside of Manning, that played in more than 14 games this year. Garcon had 67 catches and 786 yards in 14 games, while Tamme, who only took over as a starter seven games into the year, had 67 receptions for 631 yards and four TDs. Manning ended the year with 33 scores on the campaign, but he had 17 picks as well that proved to be real eyesores.

The Final Word: Though this sort of feels like the same type of mountain for the Jets to climb this year, the results aren't quite going to be the same. New York clearly has a better team than it did last year, and though it doesn't look this way statistically, it does reflect in the wins and losses. Don't be surprised if the Jets put their money where their head coach's mouth is and come away with an upset to avenge last season's loss in the AFC Championship Game.

Free Pro Football Picks: New York Jets +2.5
Prediction: New York 26 – Indianapolis 21

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

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It might be one of the great mismatches of our time in the NFL playoffs, and it might be one of the most sterling upsets in the history of the league. We clearly have a David vs. Goliath situation on our hands on Saturday afternoon at Qwest Field in NFL betting action, as the defending Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints, take on the only team in major sports to win a division and get into the playoffs with a sub-.500 record, the Seattle Seahawks.

Matchup: New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks
Date: Saturday, January 8th, 4:30 ET
Location: Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
Game Line: New Orleans -10.5
Over/Under 44.5

Saints Notes: Pretty much everything here is in the favor of the Saints in this one, as they are really in a great spot. They were a great road team this year at 6-2, and they know that they can beat some of the best teams in the land; a road win over the Atlanta Falcons, the top seed in the NFC playoffs proved that from a few weeks ago. Still, there are questions surrounding the running game, which is essentially going to be a cut and paste mish mosh between RB Julius Jones and RB Reggie Bush. The two only had about 300 rushing yards on the year between them, but the rest of the running backs in this core are all on IR. That means that the pressure is on the lap of QB Drew Brees, who really does have the chance to be a hero for the city of New Orleans for the second straight year. He threw for 4,620 yards and 31 TDs this year, and his only bugaboo is 22 INTs. The trio of wide outs on this squad, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and Robert Meachem is one of the best in the land, as these three combined for almost 200 receptions, over 2,400 yards, and 20 TDs between them. Where New Orleans has really improved from last season is defensively. This unit is no longer a liability, as it ranked No. 4 in the league in total 'D' at 306.2 yards per game and No. 7 in scoring at 19.2 points per game. We also know that without the terrible efforts of the special teams and the overabundance of turnovers by Brees, this unit could have allowed even as few as 14 or so points per night.

Seahawks Notes: Short of some fantastic prayers, great special teams play, and the resurgence of either an offense or a defense that really hasn't been around all season long, the Seahawks certainly look like they are going to have a very short stay in the second season this year. It isn't often that you see a team rank No. 28 overall in offense and No. 27 overall in defense and still make the playoffs, but then again, you don't normally see a team that is 6-9 controlling its own destiny for the postseason going into the last week of the regular season. The good news is that QB Matt Hasselbeck is back, and he already knows what it takes to bring his team to the Super Bowl. He threw for 3,001 yards and 12 TDs against 17 picks this season, one which will surely be one of the last of his career. Hasselbeck loves looking for WR Mike Williams, a former USC Trojan just like Head Coach Pete Carroll. Williams really has revived his career this year, catching 65 passes for 751 yards and a pair of scores. The problem is that there isn't another receiver with even 40 catches or even 500 yards on the season, and no one had more than four TDs as a receiver. To make matters worse, the rushing game ranked dead last in the conference and second to last in the NFL. RB Marshawn Lynch came over to Seattle early in the year, but he only averaged 3.5 yards per carry and had just 573 yards and six TDs to show for his work. RB Justin Forsett had just 523 yards and two TDs.

The Final Word: Though it would be a great story to see Seattle spring the upset, we just don't see any way that the Saints are doing anything but winning this game by at least three TDs. This is the big time right now, and there aren't going to be any letdowns from New Orleans' perspective. Brees knows that he just has to be good and doesn't have to force things. If that's the case, this should be an easy romp through Qwest Field in what could be another run to the Super Bowl for the fantastic Saints.

Free Pro Football Picks: New Orleans -10.5
Prediction: New Orleans 38 – Seattle 10

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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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