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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Northwestern Wildcats and Texas Tech Red Raiders 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 Ticket City Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Ticket City Car Care Bowl picks.

Ticket City Bowl Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 12:00 ET
Location: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Ticket City Bowl Line: Texas Tech -9.5
Over/Under 60.5

Red Raiders Notes: True to his word, Head Coach Tommy Tuberville really did a nice job bringing at least a more well balanced attack between rushing and passing to Lubbock this year, but he also stayed true to the traditions of the team with its hurry up, shotgun offense. The Red Raiders flew up and down the field all year long, averaging 456.6 yards per game, 314.8 of which came through the air. These numbers ranked Texas Tech No. 17 and No. 8 in the land respectively. Tuberville would have preferred to see his team score a few more points this year, but especially in the rough and tumble Big XII, putting up 32.1 points per game was respectable. QB Taylor Potts is finishing up a great senior season in which he threw for 3,357 yards and 31 TDs, and he has a pair of great receivers to work with as well in WR Lyle Leong and WR Detron Lewis. Leong caught 64 passes this year, but more importantly, he had 17 TDs. On the ground, RBs Baron Batch and Eric Stephens combined to rush for over 1,400 yards, and each had five scores. The defense wasn't fantastic for Texas Tech, especially against opposing passing games. This unit ranked second to last in the country at 306.1 yards per game allowed, and the end result were averages of 453.7 yards and 30.3 points per game conceded. The Red Raiders had some miserable defensive efforts this year, most notably allowing 52 to the Iowa State Cyclones and 45 to the Oklahoma Sooners in Big XII play.

Wildcats Notes: Injuries are all over the place for the Wildcats in this one, as the team's top four rushers could all be sidelined. RB Mike Trumpy and RB Jacob Schmidt are dealing with injuries, while RB Arby Fields transferred a few weeks ago and won't be in Big D in this one. The biggest blow though, is the loss of QB Dan Persa. Persa did a fantastic job taking over for the departed QB Mike Kafka, who led the Cats to the Outback Bowl last season. Persa completed over 75 percent of his passes and had a great TD/INT ratio of 15/4, but he was also the team's second leading rusher with 519 yards on the ground, and he led the team in TDs to boot with nine. Since QB Evan Watkins has taken over, nothing good has happened, but the defense can be blamed just as much as the offense. Teams have rushed for over 800 yards on Northwestern over the course of the last two games of the season, and though the offense scored 50 points in total in those two efforts, the 'D' gave up a whopping 118. There's just no excuse for play like that, and the hope is that things really have been worked out before we see the Wildcats take on the Ticket City Bowl odds on Saturday.

The Final Word: The Wildcats haven't won a bowl game since 1949, and that was the only time in their history that they tasted bowl glory. There's just something about this crazy season and the crazy way that things have gone lately that makes us believe that Northwestern really has a chance of pulling this upset. Texas Tech has to believe that it has a shot to blow these Cats out of the water, but when push comes to shove, the extra time for Watkins in practice leading up to the Ticket City Bowl will probably help immensely. Don't be shocked if there is an upset in the cards.

Ticket City Bowl Free Pick: Northwestern +9.5
Ticket City Bowl Prediction: Northwestern 38 – Texas Tech 34

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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