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December 22nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The city of San Diego welcomes the host San Diego State Aztecs and the Navy Midshipmen to Qualcomm Stadium for the Poinsettia Bowl on December 23rd. These two teams have distinctly different styles, but both teams find ways to score points in bunches. Who will prevail on Thursday night? Check out our Poinsettia Bowl free picks for the big duel!

Poinsettia Bowl Matchup: Navy Midshipmen vs. San Diego State Aztecs
Date: Thursday, December 23rd, 8:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Poinsettia Bowl Line: San Diego State -3
Over/Under 60.5

Midshipmen Notes: Navy scored at least 31 points in each of its last six games and averaged 41.0 points per game in that stretch, but its offense is going to be up against in versus a San Diego State team that plays significantly better defense than one would expect. QB Ricky Dobbs is closing out his career with the Middies and is clearly one of the best signal callers to run the triple option in Annapolis. Dobbs didn't quite have the year that he did last season when he rushed for 27 TDs, as he only totaled 25 scores between his rushes and passes this year. The ball stayed in his hands 369 times this year, more than half of the touches for the offense, but that is to be expected out of a triple option attack. RB Alexander Teich had a fantastic year as well, rumbling for 825 yards and five scores. As always in the triple option, a ton of different players are expected to touch the rock. Nine different players had at least 100 yards on the ground for a team that averaged over 280 yards per game on the turf. Don't discount the passing game either for the Midshipmen, as they really do resemble the Georgia Tech offense from a year ago with WR Demaryius Thomas catching all those passes. WR Greg Jones does the damage for the Naval Academy, and though he doesn't have numbers like Thomas, he does have fantastic figures for a Navy wide out, catching 30 passes for 577 yards and four scores on the year. Defensively, this team was the definition of mediocre, ranking No. 63 and No. 65 respectively against the rush and the pass.

Aztecs Notes: When you talk about an offense that is as well rounded as could be, you have to talk about the San Diego State 'O'. This team is only getting better, as the majority of the key cogs are still underclassmen and are growing under second year Head Coach Brady Hoke. Hoke has done a tremendous job with this team, as the Aztecs average 450.3 yards per game, No. 22 in the land. They put up 35.0 points per game and were really the only team this year that hung around with the TCU Horned Frogs. The losses this year all came by four points or fewer, and it is clear that SDSU really could have been a BCS team with just a few bounces in the right direction this year. QB Ryan Lindley, a third year starter, clearly had the best year in his career, throwing for 3,554 yards and 26 TDs against 14 picks on the year. He was helped out by a pair of seniors, WR DeMarco Sampson and WR Vincent Brown a ton. Both men are amongst the best receivers in the land statistically, as Sampson had 65 grabs for 1,175 yards and eight scores, while Brown had 58 grabs for 1,127 yards and nine TDs. Both are incredible deep threats and are fantastic in the open field, creating a ton of yards after the catch. On the ground though, this is going to be a chance for RB Ronnie Hillman to be on showcase. The freshman might have been the best first year man on the ground in the nation, and that's saying something considering the fact that South Carolina Gamecocks RB Marcus Lattimore was a freshman as well. The numbers between the two are basically indiscernible. Hillman ran for 1,304 yards and 14 TDs this year and had five games on the campaign with at least 150 yards on the ground. Defensively, Hoke has made some great strides with this team. The Aztecs ranked in the Top 50 in every single major defensive category on the year, and though there were some lapses, only three teams scored more than 27 points against this unit all season long.

The Final Word: If this game were later in the bowl season, we'd be more confidence in San Diego State's ability to win. Though it's not really a home game, there is a sense of familiarity for the Aztecs, knowing that this is their home field. The Middies always seem to be able to draw a great crowd, especially for bowl games. However, the problem that they have is that they have given the Aztecs basically a month to be able to prepare for the triple option attack. Hoke is a fantastic coach and has done one of the best transformation jobs in the country this year. The Aztecs won't lose this game.

Poinsettia Bowl Free Pick: San Diego State -3
Poinsettia Bowl Prediction: San Diego State 37 – Navy 28

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December 22nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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For the college football betting fans of the mid major programs, this is the big time bowl bash for you! The Las Vegas Bowl features two of the best teams from across the country, both of which happen to play in smaller conferences. Though both will be upgrading in recent years into better leagues, they're both still crying for more respect. However, both the Boise State Broncos and Utah Utes can't be winners on Wednesday night in Sin City. This is a hefty set of bowl odds facing the men from the Smurf Turf in this one, and we have all of the Las Vegas bowl news and notes that you need to know before making your Las Vegas Bowl picks on the game for Wednesday night!

Las Vegas Bowl Matchup: Utah Utes vs. Boise State Broncos
Date: Wednesday, December 22nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas Bowl Line: Boise State -17
Over/Under 58

Utes Notes: Utah was having a fantastic season and was ranked in the Top 10 in the country this year before falling victim to the TCU Horned Frogs at home in a loss that really seemed to take all of the wind out of their sails. They lost the very next game to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and were removed from having any chance of going to the BCS. This is perhaps the luckiest draw for any of the 70 bowl teams this year, as Utah still gets a chance to play a premier team in a big time, standalone bowl spot. The problem that the Utes have on Wednesday is that QB Jordan Wynn is going to be sitting out with a should injury that he suffered in the Holy War against the BYU Cougars in the regular season finale. Backup QB Terrance Cain, who was a starting quarterback for this team as a youngster, came in and went just 2-for-7 for eight yards with two picks, but he was responsible for claiming the 'W' in the game. Cain knows what he is doing both as a starter and a backup though, and he played well when Wynn was injured earlier in the season, throwing for six scores and no INTs in big time wins against lesser opponents from the Mountain West. The running game is going to be key to keep the Boise State offense off of the field. RBs Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide both put up subpar numbers this year, but when combined, they did roll for over 1,300 yards. This defense is also going to have to force some stops against one of the most feared offenses in the country. The Utes ranked No. 22 in the land in total 'D' at 319.7 yards per game and averaged 19.8 points per game allowed to boot. However, these numbers are down tremendously in the second half of the season. From October 30th through the end of the year, Utah allowed a stunning 29.6 points per game, something that Head Coach Kyle Whittingham really needs to make sure improves for the Las Vegas Bowl.

Broncos Notes: It was supposed to be a banner season for Boise State this year, but after losing ground for most of the regular season thanks to a lousy schedule and a devastating overtime loss to the Nevada Wolf Pack, its BCS dreams were shattered to bits and pieces. The argument absolutely could be made that the Broncos were hosed by the BCS, as their one loss came against a one loss Top 20 team on the road, as opposed to the Arkansas Razorbacks, who lost twice, including once at home to a three loss team. There is a big question whether Head Coach Chris Petersen really has his boys ready to go in this one, though there were clearly no ill effects the week after the Nevada loss. The Broncos came back and rolled over the Utah State Aggies in the home finale 50-14 the very next week. Though these numbers are really courtesy of this weak schedule, the Broncos ranked No. 4 in the land both in total offense (521.4 yards per game) and total defense (264.1 yards per game). Outscoring any combination of 12 foes by 33.1 points per game is impressive as well. QB Kellen Moore is going to fall short of 4,000 yards this year, as he has 3,506 yards and 33 TDs against five picks this year, but this is going to be a crucial game in his Heisman Trophy campaign for next season. Moore is going to be one of the big time favorites to capture the Heisman in 2011, and he can make a big time statement in this game, his last with a number of the heroes for the Broncos over the years. RB Doug Martin, RB Jeremy Avery, WR Titus Young, and WR Austin Pettis all had at least nine trips to the end zone this year, and these four men combined for 240 points between them, more than a ton of teams in the country scored over the course of the year.

The Final Word: Don't be all that surprised if the Utes hang in this game for a long, long time. There is no doubt in our minds that the Broncos are the superior team in this game. If they want to, they can win this one by 30. However, we really aren't so sure that they have any care to be here in Sin City. The Utes are going to embrace this underdog roll, and the longer they can stick around in this one, the more the crowd is going to get on their side as well. Boise State will probably pull out the win, but Utah is doing to beat the Las Vegas Bowl spread in this one.

Las Vegas Bowl Free Pick: Utah +17
Las Vegas Bowl Prediction: Boise State 34 – Utah 28

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December 20th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Louisville Cardinals and Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles took some major steps in the right direction this year, as both programs were fantastic by their standards. For the Cards, a trip to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl shows growth for a school that featured years of dismay under the direction of departed Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe. The Golden Eagles really wanted to win Conference USA this year, and though they didn't pull it off, they did beat the C-USA champs and ended up with arguably one of the best teams in the history of the school. But which team will beat the Beef O'Brady's Bowl odds in this one? Here are our college football bowl picks for Tuesday night's duel in the Sunshine State.

Beef O'Brady's Bowl Matchup: Louisville Cardinals vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
Date: Tuesday, December 21st, 8:00 ET
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Beef O'Brady's Bowl Line: Louisville -2.5
Over/Under 57

Cardinals Notes: It was a great first year calling the shots for Head Coach Charlie Strong, who guided the Redbirds to a bowl game in his first year as a head coach in the rough and tumble Big East. Strong could have a major problem on his hands on Tuesday night if QB Adam Froman's leg injury continues to act up. Froman was supposed to be the catalyst for a spread attack this year, and though he had a respectable 11/4 TD/INT ratio, a 60.6 completion percentage and just 1,633 yards through the air wasn't really what the doctor ordered. What we found out about the 'Ville this year was that the wide receivers just weren't good enough to compete at this type of level in a BCS conference. None caught even 40 passes, and none got to the 500 yard mark either. However, the ground game was a significantly difference story. RB Bilal Powell only had about 800 yards in the running department for his career coming into this year, but all of a sudden, he shined very, very brightly. Powell was the second best runner in a Big East full of top backs, as he rumbled 211 times for 1,330 yards and ten scores. The Cardinals really made a name for themselves defensively in the Big East this year, though. They shut out two foes this year and only allowed two teams to score more than 24 points against them all season long. This should be a great test for a defense which allowed just 298.4 yards and 18.7 points per game. The aerial game for the opponents was just shut down on a regular basis, as teams only averaged 162.5 passing yards per game, No. 9 in the country.

Golden Eagles Notes: Was this the best version of the Golden Eagles ever? Even though SMS has had seasons with more than eight wins before, it's not often that you can go on the road and beat the conference champs and put up a legitimate Top 20 offense in the nation in the same year, especially without winning the league title. Head Coach Larry Fedora has a lot to be proud of for this squad this year, especially offensively. QB Austin Davis will be a 3,000 yard passer by the time this one is over, and he already has ten TDs on the ground and 18 more through the air, against just six INTs. Just like Louisville, there aren't a ton of great receiving options on this team, though WR Kevin Bolden and WR Johdrick Morris both had at right around 660 yards on the season. On the ground, five different men, including Davis, rushed for at least 228 yards, led by RB Kendrick Hardy, who had 855 yards and seven scores on the campaign. The Golden Eagles ranked No. 15 in the country in total offense at 461.1 yards per game and No. 15 in scoring at 37.6 points per game. However, their defense was a totally different story. SMS allowed 56 and 41 points respectively in its final two games of the season, and the unit gave up at least 41 points five times on the year. Giving up 29.4 points per game certainly wasn't what was expected this year, but it was the reason for which the Golden Eagles didn't win the East Division of Conference USA.

The Final Word: The Cardinals are going to make for a tough team to top in this one, but we're not so sure that the Golden Eagles aren't the right side. Conference USA was significantly better than people give it credit for this year, and it made start to be proven this week at the Beef O'Brady's Bowl. Louisville will get a great final game out of Powell, but its strengths will be countered by the strengths of the C-USA reps. The Golden Eagles fly out of St. Pete with a win in the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

Beef O'Brady's Bowl Free Pick: Southern Mississippi +3
Beef O'Brady's Bowl Prediction: Southern Miss 31 – Louisville 27

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December 17th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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In the final game on the bowl schedule on Saturday night, the Troy Trojans and Ohio Bobcats duke it out in what could be a very, very interesting clash between two teams that are fortunate just to be in bowls. The Trojans, the Sun Belt favorites at the outset of the season, especially after beating the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, choked away a chance at winning the conference, while Ohio lost its composure in the final game of the regular season and cost itself a chance of playing in the MAC Championship Game. The oddsmakers expect to see a close game, but is that really justified? Check out our New Orleans Bowl picks for this duel in the Crescent City.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Matchup: Ohio Bobcats vs. Troy Trojans
Date: Saturday, December 18th, 9:00 ET
Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Line: OTB
Over/Under OTB

Bobcats Notes: The reason that the New Orleans Bowl odds are off the board right now is due to the fact that QB Boo Jackson may or may not be playing for the Bobcats. The starting quarterback for the team is fighting some academic issues right now, and though the team left on Wednesday to head to the Bayou, Jackson wasn't one of those making the trip. This could still be sorted out before Saturday, and if that's the case, Jackson would be the man under center, presumably. However, if he is suspended for the game, it will be up to QB Philip Bates to take over. Bates started the season as the man for Head Coach Frank Solich, but he has really been reduced to just an option/Wildcat type of quarterback. Bates is the team's second leading rusher with 508 yards this year, but his passing stats are atrocious. He went just 9-of-20 for 178 yards with a TD and two INTs on the year. Either way, this probably means more work for RB Vince Davidson. Davidson was a large disappointment this season in Athens, as he only ran for 509 yards and an average of 3.9 yards per carry. He did find pay dirt six times on the campaign, as well as once as a receiver. Speaking of receivers, there certainly aren't a heck of a lot of them for Ohio to be proud of. This was a dismal passing game all season long with an average of just 158.4 yards per game, and as a result, there were no receivers which caught more than 481 yards worth of passes this year. Defensively, Ohio was consistent for the majority of the year, allowing just 98.9 yards per game on the ground and 21.8 points per game in total. However, if you take out the 43 points that the Ohio State Buckeyes put on the Bobcats, they didn't allow another foe to score more than 31 all season long.

Trojans Notes: As the Trojans continue to prove, they are not just your average Sun Belt team. Yes, Troy did blow the Sun Belt title by getting inexplicably blown out of the water by the Florida International Golden Panthers at home earlier in the year, but the squad rebounded and locked up its bid here in the New Orleans Bowl once again. This is a quick firing offense that you really don't want to mess with. Troy put up 444.8 yards per game this year, losing just a bit of production from the days of QB Levi Brown. However, assuming that he stays healthy and is the starting signal caller for all four of his years in Alabama, QB Corey Robinson is going to shatter every school, and potentially some national records as well. Robinson is absolutely the best quarterback in the Sun Belt, and he legitimately might be one of the top 25 signal callers in the land as well. The true freshman threw for 3,339 yards and 24 TDs this year, and though he also threw 15 picks, mistakes are to expected from youngsters. There were a number of different backs that carried the football this year, and four of them made it over the 300 yard mark. One of those, WR Jerrel Jernigan really isn't a running back, but he is used as the Wildcat quarterback. He is also the team's top receiver, catching 77 passes for 774 yards with five scores, and he is one of the more effective kick returners in the nation. Needless to say, this senior has done everything possible in his career at Troy, and he hopes that one more stellar game in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl can get him on the draft board this coming year in the NFL Draft. He might need to be very, very explosive in this one though, as the Trojans really struggled at times defensively. Outside of the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders the other bowl teams that they faced this year all scored at least 41 points on them. Troy ranked No. 94 in defense overall in the country.

The Final Word: Regardless of whether Jackson plays in the R&L Carriers Bowl or not, we have no doubts in our mind that the Trojans are the right play. Ohio already nearly lost to a significantly lesser Sun Belt team, the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and Troy is a much, much better team than this. There should be at least a slight home field advantage for the Trojans, who are very familiar with playing in this building, and the end result should be a comfortable two score win to score a 'W' for the Sun Belt.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Free Pick: Troy
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Prediction: Troy 44 – Ohio 31

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December 17th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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In the second bowl game of the year, the Humanitarian Bowl will kick it off on the Smurf Turf in Boise. The Fresno State Bulldogs are very familiar with this field, playing here every other season against the Boise State Broncos, but this will be a new location for the Northern Illinois Huskies, who have a lot of new things to try to break into before the end of the weekend. These two teams are knotted right down the middle in the eyes of the oddsmakers, but we have our college football picks for the game that can sort of which team should be favored.

Humanitarian Bowl Matchup: Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, December 18th, 5:30 ET
Location: Bronco Stadium, Boise, ID
Humanitarian Bowl Line: Northern Illinois -1
Over/Under 58.5

Huskies Notes: The poor Huskies are going to have their work cut out for them just to get up the energy to play in this bowl game. This is clearly the less desirable location for the bowl, especially after losing the MAC Championship Game in stunning fashion to the Miami Redhawks. On top of that, right after the game, Head Coach Jerry Kill up and left the program, heading for the Minnesota Golden Gophers instead. That leaves linebackers coach Tom Matukewicz in charge until this one is over. The good news for NIU is that it really could still be classified as "on a roll," knowing that it had gone 8-0 SU and 7-0-1 ATS in conference play before the dud at Ford Field. This is clearly a team that is either a product of a weak MAC or is just that darn good. We tend to believe that the Huskies belong ranked in the Top 25 in the country, even with three losses. The defensive numbers definitely suggest that, as this team ranks No. 28 in the land overall at 328.2 yards per game and is No. 29 and No. 35 against the rush and pass respectively. No 'D' in this conference allowed fewer points per game than did NIU at 19.1, and the only team to score in the 30s against it all season long were the Toledo Rockets… who promptly gave up 65 points on that same night. Offensively, this is one of those teams in the land that is averaging over 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards per game, and the end result is a tremendously balanced attack in which you never really know what's coming. QB Chandler Harnish should be putting on a real display in the Humanitarian Bowl. He threw for 2,230 yards and just five INTs this season, and he rushed for another 764 yards. The junior accounted for 25 TDs on the year. However, he would be nowhere without his top rusher, RB Chad Spann. Spann is clearly where this offense starts and finishes most of the time. He has toted the rock a whopping 243 times for 1,293 yards with 20 scores, making him one of the best scorers in the country.

Bulldogs Notes: The Bulldogs might not have the same type of offensive or defensive numbers that the Huskies do, but NIU also didn't play teams like the Boise State Broncos, Nevada Wolf Pack, and Hawaii Warriors either. The WAC was downright tough this year, and save those three games, there was no doubt that this was the best team amongst the rest in this conference. Fresno absolutely was a decided bowl bound team from the start, and unlike NIU, there is no doubt that it is going to love to be here in Boise with a chance to redeem itself from the beat down suffered on the Smurf Turf at the hands of the Broncos. The best news that Head Coach Pat Hill has to work with in this one is that his top runner, RB Robbie Rouse should be back in the fold after his injured ribs kept him out of the final two games of the regular season. There were just no runners that could do what Rouse did on a regular basis for the Bulldogs this year, as he rushed for 1,097 yards and ten scores, and he had a pair of 200+ yards performances in a row before getting hurt to boot. The play of QB Ryan Colburn has been okay, but not fantastic this year. Colburn threw for 2,529 yards and 21 TDs, numbers which are solid, but not amazing. His nine picks were acceptable, but at times, he really did look like a deer in headlights, especially against Boise State. The problem that the Dogs had this year was that they really didn't play very well against teams going to bowl games. There is only one win, a 25-23 'W' over the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the 'D' allowed at least 35 points in each of the other three games in the WAC. Still, that unit held teams to just 342.7 yards per game this year, and that number was right around 300 yards per game if you take out the biggies in the WAC.

The Final Word: We just love what Fresno State is bringing to the table here. The last time the Bulldogs played a team with a crazy offense like this on the ground, they nearly upset the Nevada Wolf Pack. This is just not a very good matchup for NIU, and its lack of heart and energy after getting everything sucked out of it over the course of the last two weeks or so is going to prove to be too much to overcome. Hill's team gets the job done and wraps up another solid season.

Humanitarian Bowl Free Pick: Fresno State +1
Humanitarian Bowl Prediction: Fresno State 31 – Northern Illinois 21

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December 17th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Finally, the college football bowl schedule gets underway on Saturday afternoon, starting with the duel in the desert in the New Mexico Bowl, as the BYU Cougars take on the UTEP Miners! These two teams really didn't play anything like each other all season long, as the two really essentially played polar opposite seasons. The Miners only won once in their final month of the season, while BYU was only defeated once, by a stout Utah Utes club during that stretch. The oddsmakers have placed a hefty set of New Mexico Bowl odds in this one, but will the Cougs have the goods to cover?

New Mexico Bowl Matchup: BYU Cougars vs. UTEP Miners
Date: Saturday, December 18th, 2:00 ET
Location: University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
New Mexico Bowl Line: BYU -11.5
Over/Under 50.5

Cougars Notes: BYU is in great shape in this one, especially if QB Jake Heaps plays as well as he did down the stretch this year. He had four straight 200+ yard passing games, something that was never a guarantee at the outset of the year, and he wasn't picked off. Heaps also threw nine of his 11 TDs for the entire season in this stretch at the end of the year when the Cougars were playing at their best. The offensive numbers for this team were still nothing to rant and rave about and were nothing like what they were during the QB Max Hall era that just ended last year. The team averaged just 355.0 yards per game this year, approximately what Hall averaged just in the passing game in recent years. Scoring 24.0 points per game used to be what was expected in the first half. However, the defense has really stepped up its game this year and has been the difference to getting this squad to a bowl. Especially in the offense happy Mountain West, holding teams to just 341.0 yards and 21.4 points per game was very, very impressive for BYU, and is even more notable when you consider the fact that the out of conference schedule wasn't easy at all. The man to keep an eye on in the backfield is RB JJ Di Luigi. Di Luigi was one of the better backs in the MWC this year, and he really picked up the slack for a dismissed RB Harvey Unga, who was expected to once again carry the load, especially for an offense that had lost its departed quarterback and was banking on a true freshman. Di Luigi was the team's leading rusher at 819 yards and seven TDs, and he was also the leading receiver with 42 receptions for 422 yards and a TD. There was only one play in the passing game this entire season that went for more than 50 yards, and that went to WR Luke Ashworth, who led the team with six receiving TDs. However, he was one of three wide outs that had at least 300 yards on the year, but none of the three had even 400 yards.

Miners Notes: When the problems got going for the Miners around the middle of October, the first issue was the offense. This unit was held to just six points by the UAB Blazers in a disgraceful outing, and the team didn't put up more than 28 points again for the rest of the season. UTEP scored at least 28 in four of its first six games. Now, the defense has to be scratching its head as well, as this unit allowed 89 points in its final two games of the year, both of which came on the road. One thing is for certain though, and that's that QB Trevor Vittatoe really needs to play at his best in his final collegiate game. Vittatoe only completed 54.5 percent of his passes for 2,511 yards and 19 TDs against ten picks this year, and for a man that was figured to throw for at least 3,000 yards and be amongst the best signal callers in the conference this year, this has been a brutal disappointment. The ground game has been spread out amongst a number of different backs this year, but none of them have really been able to bust out and make themselves one of the best in Conference USA. RB Joseph Banyard took over and rumbled for 612 yards and eight TDs, but he has had too many inconsistent performances this year, especially down the stretch. Keep a close eye on WR Kris Adams, who has 917 yards and 11 TDs on just 44 receptions. His 20.8 yards per reception was amongst the best in the entire country. UTEP is allowing a shade under 400 yards per game this year, but this unit can't expect to give up those types of yards and still win this game.

The Final Word: The Cougars are just the superior team in this game. UTEP is a team that is headed nowhere quickly, and if not for the fact that Conference USA had so many bowl tie-ins, it would be sitting at home and watching this and the other 34 bowl games play themselves out. BYU is a legitimate team that would have probably won nine games this year with the Miners' schedule. The difference in class will certainly show, as the bowl season gets kicked off with a big time blowout.

New Mexico Bowl Free Pick: BYU -11.5
New Mexico Bowl Prediction: BYU 38 – UTEP 17

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December 10th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It's the annual tradition in the second week of December that college football betting fans everywhere always look forward to the most. The Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen meet up in a game full of honor, integrity, and everything else that is right about this great country. There is little pressure on the line for both teams, as they already know that they have bowl destinations wrapped up, which should make for even more enjoyment for this crucial tilt.

Matchup: Navy Midshipmen vs. Army Black Knights
Date: Saturday, December 11th, 2:30 ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Game Line: Navy -8
Over/Under 53.5

Midshipmen Notes: The Middies have come on strong this year, and they are right at the verge of finishing the season in the Top 25 in the rankings. They have once again put together a great year, though many wonder whether this could have been significantly more special without a homecoming loss to the Duke Blue Devils or an inexplicable loss to the Maryland Terrapins to start the season. If that were the case, a Top 25 bid would already be sealed, while a trip to a better bowl game than the Poinsettia Bowl against the San Diego State Aztecs might have been on the line. Offensively, we've come to know and love the standard triple option assault, something that has been used at the Naval Academy for eons. QB Ricky Dobbs has generated a ton of offense in his career with Navy, and he is wrapping up his illustrious career with one last attempt at taking down Army. Dobbs threw for 1,110 yards and rushed for 806 more, totaling 23 TDs against just four INTs on the campaign. His top man on the option is RB Alexander Teich, who has 778 yards and five TDs on the year. RB Gee Gee Greene and RB Vince Murray will inevitably get their touches, and the two have combined for just over 800 yards and seven trips to the end zone. Remember that WR Greg Jones is a legitimate passing threat, though. The top receiver for the Middies has 28 receptions for 554 yards and four TDs on the year, numbers that are absolutely phenomenal by the standards of the triple option.

Black Knights Notes: The Cadets haven't won a game in this series since 2001, but they are hoping that a stellar defense can be the key to getting the job done here in 2010. This 'D' ranks No. 25 in the country at 322.6 yards per game allowed and has been stellar against the run at 131.7 yards per game. Teams are only scoring 24.6 points per game, but over the L/3, the Black Knights have allowed an average of 32.3 PPG and have gone 1-2 SU and ATS in that stretch. Army has been off since November 20th, and the hope is that there isn't too much rust shown in this one, particularly on offense. The Black Knights only have a total of 857 passing yards on the season, and there are over 50 individual receivers on teams that have more than that across the country. QB Trent Steelman isn't exactly your standard passer, and throwing the ball clearly isn't his strength. He has run the ball 168 times and done a masterful job electing whom to hand the ball to on a regular basis. Steelman has 620 yards and a team high 11 scores on the ground. RB Jared Hassin is his favorite option to hand the ball to ,as Hassin is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, has 881 yards, and nine scores. The sophomore is trying to follow in the footsteps of RB Collin Mooney, who was the academy's most recent 1,000 yard rusher and was the first in over a decade to pull off the stunt. He is just 109 yards shy of that number coming into this one, and between this and the bowl game against the SMU Mustangs, he should have no problems. RBs Patrick Mealy, Malcolm Brown, and Brian Cobbs are also standards in the triple option, and all three should get at least a handful of carries on the day. The three have combined for almost 1,000 yards on the ground and have a total on ten TDs.

The Final Word: Is this Army's year? It is certainly the best chance that the Cadets have had in a number of years of pulling off the upset against the Naval Academy, that's for sure. Though we tend to believe that Navy's winning streak is extending to nine in this one, we have a hard time believing that a defense that has been relatively inconsistent for most of the season is holding down Steelman, Hassin, and the Black Knights for the entire game. Go Army! Beat Navy! (Or at least lose by a touchdown or less!)

Army/Navy Picks: Army +8
Prediction: Navy 27 – Army 23

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December 3rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Two and a half months ago, the South Carolina Gamecocks could have ended the perfect season and most likely the BCS Championship dreams of the Auburn Tigers if they were able to finish off their game at Jordan Hare Stadium. Instead, Auburn found a way to come all the way back and win. Now, playing in the team's first SEC Championship Game, the Gamecocks are the only team standing between Auburn and a date with destiny in the BCS Championship Game.

Matchup: Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Date: Saturday, December 4th, 4:00 ET
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Game Line: Auburn -5.5
Over/Under 61.5

Tigers Notes: Is it just us, or do the Tigers seem to have the look of a team that is just touched and is destined to find its way to the National Championship this year? These Tigers have certainly had nine lives, as they have found ways to put away games in which they looked to be dead in the water. Up until last week against the Alabama Crimson Tide though, it appeared as though all of those games were happening at home. Now, the biggest test in Tuscaloosa against the defending National Champions has been passed, and my, how was it passed! The Tide had a 24-0 lead in the second quarter and watched it evaporate, as Auburn stormed back and won the game 28-27 for arguably the biggest win in the school's history and certainly the biggest ever for HC Gene Chizik. QB Cameron Newton also seems to be an untouchable force this year. The NCAA has tried its best, but it can't find anything to suspend him for at this point that would make him ineligible for this game or for the rest of the season, and as long as that remains the case, he is clearly the odds on choice for the Heisman Trophy, if he isn't a lock for the honor already. Newton has rushed for 1,336 yards and thrown for 2,254 more, and between his passing TDs and rushing TDs (and his one receiving TD!), he has visiting the end zone 43 times, by far the most in college football. This isn't just a one man team, though. On the ground, both RB Michael Dyer and RB Onterio McCalebb are capable of taking games over in a heartbeat. Dyer has rushed for 886 yards, while McCalebb is at 733 for the campaign, and the two have 14 scores combined. There's a reason that Auburn is averaging 292.5 yards per game on the ground and is scoring 41.6 points per game, one of the top marks in the entire country. The key this week though, is going to be the defense. This unit has some great numbers on the year, but it just doesn't pass the eye test. There are too many mental lapses, like allowing over 300 yards in the first half through the air to QB Greg McElroy or the 43 points conceded, mostly to a backup quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks. If this unit falters, title dreams could be smashed to smithereens.

Gamecocks Notes: The Ol' Ball Coach, HC Steve Spurrier, has been waiting for this moment at South Carolina for a long, long time. It has clearly been a special season for the Gamecocks, as they have embarked upon a number of firsts. It was the first time that they have been in the SEC Championship Game, the first time in which they beat the Florida Gators in the Swamp, and is probably the first time that the offense has been this good in school history. RB Marcus Lattimore has arguably been the best freshman in the entire country this year, and the argument could certainly be made that if he isn't the best, he is the most valuable. Lattimore has come up huge with three straight games in triple digits in rushing yards, and he now has 1,114 yards and 19 TDs on the season. He was held in check against Auburn the first time around, but we must remember that that was really his first true road game in his career. Now, he has significantly more experience and is ready to rock and roll on the SEC's biggest stage to try to pull off this upset. QB Stephen Garcia feels like he has been the butt of every joke in Columbia for years, but he is the last one laughing now. Garcia has thrown for 2,646 yards and 18 TDs on the season, and he has only been picked off nine times, something that Spurrier has been begging him for years about. However, it really helps when you have a 6'5" 240+ pounder that has springs for legs like WR Alshon Jeffrey to throw the ball to. There is no doubt that this young man will be playing on Sundays soon enough, as he is arguably the top receiver in the SEC, which is saying something considering that he shares a division with WR AJ Green of the Georgia Bulldogs. Jeffrey has 75 receptions for 1,351 yards and eight scores this year. Just like Auburn though, we're more worried about the South Carolina defense. This unit did not play well at Jordan Hare Stadium, allowing over 330 rushing yards on the day to the Tigers. Still, this is a team that has held a number of great offenses in check this year, and it has held foes to just 91.6 yards per game on the ground. If you take out that huge performance for Auburn, others have only averaged right around 70 yards per game, and if that's where SC can keep the Tigers, it has a chance for the upset.

The Final Word: Say goodbye to your National Championship dreams, Auburn. If there is justice in this world, the Tigers are going to get beat, as it seems like it is only a matter of time before the NCAA drops the hammer on the program and wipes this season clean regardless. South Carolina looks like the team full of good ol' boys right now, led by a good ol' coach who knows how to get the job done in games like this. There is absolutely no pressure whatsoever on the Gamecocks on Saturday afternoon, and we love them for it. Their rush defense is the difference on Saturday. Jeffrey and Lattimore both have huge games, while Newton, Dyer, and company just don't get anything going. Not only is South Carolina winning this game. It's winning it in a huge way.

SEC Championship Game Picks: South Carolina +5.5
Prediction: South Carolina 41 – Auburn 17

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December 3rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers truly hate each other, and they will engage in the Civil War on Saturday afternoon with all to play for on both sidelines. Should the Ducks prove to be victorious, they will have their ticket stamped to the BCS Championship Game in Glendale in January. Oregon State needs this 'W' to qualify for a bowl game in December after playing the nation's most brutal schedule. Which one will get the job done? We have our Civil War picks right here at Cappers Info!

Matchup: Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers
Date: Saturday, December 4th, 3:30 ET
Location: Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR
Game Line: Oregon -16.5
Over/Under 64.5

Ducks Notes: Is there a team out there in the country that can stop the Quack Attack? The Ducks are on a roll right now, having won all 11 games this season by posting 42+ points in all but one of the 11. The bad news for those backing them on the college football odds is that they are only 0-2-1 ATS in their last three games, but that isn't going to bother HC Chip Kelly one bit. Kelly made a huge stand at the outset of the season by suspending his top rusher RB LaMichael James for one game for some off the field issues, but he made even bigger waves by kicking his quarterback, Heisman Trophy contending QB Jeremiah Masoli off of the team. With QB Nathan Costa being injured for most of the year, the pressure has fallen onto the shoulders of QB Darren Thomas. Talk about answering the bell! Thomas has rushed for 496 yards and five scores and has thrown for 2,355 yards and 26 TDs against just seven INTs on the campaign. As for James, he didn't turn out all that bad either. The sophomore has rushed for 1,568 yards, received for 169 yards, and has 20 total TDs on the campaign. Not too shabby for a man that was suspended for a game in which his team racked up 720 yards, eh? James is probably a Heisman Trophy finalist, as he is averaging well over 150 yards per game on the ground this year and is virtually impossible to keep out of the end zone. As always, keep an eye on WR Jeffrey Maehl as well. Maehl has 61 catches for 857 yards and 12 scores on the year, and he leads the team in all three categories. The only question is whether or not this defense is going to be able to slow down the Beavers. There is no doubt that the averages for the U of O are great, as allowing 328.5 yards and 18.3 points per game is nothing to sweat about, especially if you have an offense like this that is averaging over 50 points and nearly 550 yards per game, but this is a unit that has allowed at least 29 points three times this year and can be had.

Beavers Notes: The poor Beavers are probably the fourth best team or so in the Pac-10, and they are certainly deserving of going to a bowl game, but the fact that this is the fourth team this year that they are going to play that will be ranked in the final Top 10 in the country in nauseating. The averages for this team are terrible this year, as 330.2 yards and 24.8 points per game are not nearly what a HC Mike Riley team should be putting on the board on a regular basis. Nor should the defense be allowing 401.0 yards per game. Part of the problem has been that WR James Rodgers has been out for the majority of the season, which has really left QB Ryan Katz out to dry. Katz has thrown for 2,159 yards and 16 scores this year, but his eight picks have hurt, especially for a man that turns around and hands the ball off more often than he drops back to throw. And why wouldn't you want to turn around and give the pigskin to RB Jacquizz Rodgers? Many thought that Rodgers could be a dark horse for the Heisman Trophy this year, and though that hasn't panned out, he is clearly the man that the Ducks are most afraid of on Saturday. Rodgers has rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 scores and has caught 38 passes for 274 yards and two TDs. No one else has really been able to step into the shoes of the elder Rodgers brother though, as Markus Wheaton is the team's leading receiver with just 44 receptions, 523 yards, and three scores.

The Final Word: Though we know that taking points in rivalry games is usually a great idea, especially when you're talking about a ton of points for a team that is playing at home, we just can't do it on Saturday. The Beavers just appear to be snake bitten right now, and the fact that they were just shut out by the Stanford Cardinal last week isn't exactly appealing to us. There's just too much James, too much Maehl, and too much Thomas for OSU to stop. It will be a long, long night in Corvallis for the hosts, as they are going to end up waiting another year to return to a bowl game. The Ducks are heading to the BCS Championship Game with ease.

MAC Championship Game Picks: Oregon -16.5
Prediction: Oregon 52 – Oregon State 23

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December 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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There was never much of a doubt this season that the Northern Illinois Huskies were going to be playing in the MAC Championship Game this December, but who their opponent would be was very much so up in the air. In a vicious three team battle that came down to the very last second of the very last game, the Miami Redhawks got the job done and are here in Motown ready to pull off what would be a shocking upset of a team that just finally cracked into the Top 25.

Matchup: Miami Redhawks vs. Northern Illinois Huskies
Date: Friday, December 3rd, 7:00 ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Game Line: Northern Illinois -18
Over/Under 54.5

Redhawks Notes: Things aren't going all that well for the Redhawks right now, as they know that they have a huge mountain to climb in this game. They did finish up the regular season with four straight wins both SU and ATS and took a year in which might not have ended in a bowl game and made it a guarantee. It's unfortunately that QB Zac Dysert won't be here to join in the celebration of winning the East Division of the MAC, as he has a ruptured spleen that will keep him out of the fold until the bowl game, only if it is played late in December or in January. Dysert threw for 2,406 yards and 13 TDs this year against a dozen INTs, and he was a tremendous asset to a team that went just 1-11 last year. Now, the ball belongs to QB Austin Boucher, who has thrown for 498 yards and has led the team to two wins in its final two games this year. RB Thomas Merriweather has come quite some way as well. The senior was thrown out of the first game of the year against the Florida Gators, and he fell out of favor for quite some time with his team. However, over the last three games, he has been the brightest star on the team. The Redhawks' back has rumbled for at least 80 yards in three straight, and at least 140 in his last two since Dysert has been out of the lineup. Merriweather has also scored in four consecutive games, and one would like to think that that number needs to reach five for the Redhawks to have a chance of pulling off this upset. Don't rest on this 'D' either. Miami has a defense that has allowed just 339.1 yards per game on the season, one of the best totals in the MAC and ranking No. 39 in the country.

Huskies Notes: Then there are the Huskies, who have not just been beating teams this year, but they have been beating them down as well. If not for a push against the Western Michigan Broncos, this would be a team with ten covers on the campaign, and ten straight at that. Since losing to the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign back in September, the Huskies have rolled off ten straight wins. The last three victories have come with at least 59 points hitting the scoreboard. Northern Illinois has outscored its foes by almost three full TDs this year. The 'O' ranks No. 17 in the country at 454.0 yards per game, while the 'D' is conceding just 18.5 points and 319.6 yards per game. All of those numbers are tops for teams in the MAC. QB Chandler Harnish has had a fantastic season this year, and he is taking care of the pigskin. Harnish has completed 66.0 percent of his passes for 1,949 yards with 17 scores and just five INTs. On the ground, there are few like RB Chad Spann in the country. Spann will absolutely earn a bunch of All-MAC honors for his 2010 campaign in which he rushed for 1,239 yards and a whopping 20 TDs. Over his last five games, Spann has rushed for at least 70 yards in all five and has scored a total of 12 times. Harnish has also added 761 yards on the ground for a team that is averaging just over 280 rushing yards per game. NIU has always been one of the better teams that this conference has to offer, but when push really came to shove over the last four seasons, QB Dan LeFevour and the Central Michigan Chippewas often ruled the day. Now's the time for the Huskies to shine.

The Final Word: Though NIU isn't going let that opportunity go, we still have to realize that this is a conference championship game between two teams that are awfully solid. No, the Redhawks aren't going to be the victorious team in this one, and it probably wouldn't have mattered whether Dysert played or not. The Huskies dumped the rest of the contenders in the MAC in the regular season, but they hasn't gotten their hands on Miami yet. The Redhawks will represent well, but come up short by a comfortable margin to give NIU the league title.

MAC Championship Game Picks: Miami +18
Prediction: Northern Illinois 37 – Miami 24

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