Home | Sports Forums | Chat Room | Blog | Free Picks | Sportsbooks | Matchups | Odds | Injuries | Articles | Links | Contact Us

Posts Tagged ‘Northwestern Wildcats’

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

Bet On The Ticket City Bowl With Our Featured Sponsor…
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

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

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
November 26th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Virginia Cavaliers @ Virginia Tech Hokies
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Game Line: Virginia Tech Hokies -23.5
Over/Under 57.5

The rivalry in the state of Virginia this year doesn't have all that much meaning to it, as the Hokies are already going to the ACC Championship Game next week, while the Cavaliers can't make it to a bowl game one way or the other. Both of these teams are solid ATS squads as well, as they are a combined 14-8 in that department. The Hokies have dominated this series, going 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS since 2003, and there is little reason to believe that that won't continue. The Hoos are trying out a bunch of new things this year, and unless QB Marc Verica plans on getting to the 3,000 yard mark this year (which requires 369 passing yards), we don't see how UVA is sticking around with the red hot Hokies, who just want to keep their mojo going into the conference title game.

Free College Football Picks: Virginia Tech -23.5
Prediction: Virginia Tech 38 – Virginia 10

Matchup: Michigan State Spartans @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Game Line: Michigan State -1.5
Over/Under 51

This is the game that will essentially lock up the Big Ten for the Wisconsin Badgers. The Spartans are just barely hanging on by a thread this season, as they have already had to post major comebacks against both the Northwestern Wildcats and the Purdue Boilermakers to hold on for victories. If those games went the other way and nothing else changed, we know that Penn State would be favored by close to a TD in this one. The bottom line here is that we've had this game circled for quite some time. The Spartans have killed off a number of National Championship hopes for the Nittany Lions over the years, and now Penn State can return the favor and end the Rose Bowl dreams of Michigan State. You know that Joe Pa's crew isn't going to want to pass up on that opportunity.

Free College Football Picks: Penn State +1.5
Prediction: Penn State 23 – Michigan State 17

Matchup: Michigan Wolverines @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Game Line: Ohio State -16.5
Over/Under 63.5

Ohio State has a chance to finish off an 11 win season if it can continue dominance over the Wolverines. Previous Michigan HC Lloyd Carr was canned because he couldn't beat the Buckeyes, and though we know that HC Rich Rodriguez is safe this year after winning seven games and taking Big Blue to a bowl game, eventually, a win over OSU is going to be required for him to keep his job. QB Denard Robinson is going to have to go wild against one of the top defenses in the country to pull off this upset, but with what we've seen thus far with the Buckeyes at home, where they are 7-0 SU and 7-0 ATS, the NCAA football odds aren't looking so good for the visitors.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio State -16.5
Prediction: Ohio State 41 – Michigan 21

Matchup: BYU Cougars @ Utah Utes
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Game Line: Utah -8.5
Over/Under 50

This is going to be one of the most interesting Holy Wars in years. The Utes are really slumping right now, as they only stopped a brutal two game skid in which they scored a total of just nine points last week. BYU, on the other hand, really has its offense in high gear right now, and it has salvaged a bowl bid in a year in which looked like it was going to be a disaster. This is the last meeting of these two teams as members of the MWC. The Cougs will be going independent next year, while Utah is headed to the Pac-10. QB Jake Heaps has really figured it out of late, as he is up to 1,824 yards and ten TDs on the campaign, while his counterpart in this one, QB Jordan Wynn, really hasn't gotten it together this year for the Utes to the fullest capability. Last year's game was an epic 26-23 overtime win for BYU in Provo, and this year's encounter should be every bit as entertaining. We think that Rice Eccles Stadium will claim another foe, but that the Cougs are going to find a way to get out of Salt Lake City with another cover.

Free College Football Picks: BYU +8.5
Prediction: Utah 27 – BYU 21

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Game Line: Wisconsin -23.5
Over/Under 57

As long as nothing else screwy happens in the Big Ten over the course of the day, this is going to be the farewell song for the Badgers at home this year, as they head to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl or to Glendale for the BCS Championship Game. The equation in this one is painfully simply. The Wildcats gave up 360 rushing yards last week to Illinois' RB Mikel LeShoure. Last week, Wisconsin's RB Montee Ball and RB James White both rumbled for at least 170 yards apiece. Now, RB John Clay is going to be back in the fold this week as well. At this pace, all three of them could end up with 150 on the ground, especially since the Northwestern offense has totally fallen apart with QB Dan Persa out of the lineup with an Achilles tear. RB Jacob Schmidt and RB Mike Trumpy probably aren't playing either, and if this is the case, QB Evan Watkins is going to be looking like a deer in headlights. Camp Randall will be Jumpin' Around on Saturday afternoon, as their Badgers will have roses between their teeth when this one is over with.

Free College Football Picks: Wisconsin -23.5
Prediction: Wisconsin 63 – Northwestern 17

Matchup: NC State Wolfpack @ Maryland Terrapins
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD
Game Line: NC State -1.5
Over/Under 52

The Wolfpack haven't played all that well on the road this year, but they knew coming into last week's clash with the North Carolina Tar Heels that they needed to win twice in order to lock up the ACC Atlantic Division to go to their first ACC Championship Game. The equation is simple. An NCSU win sends the Wolfpack to the game. A loss puts the Florida State Seminoles there for the second time in school history. QB Russell Wilson has all of the pressure on his shoulders to try to take down a team that has played incredibly well at home this year. The Terps don't have anything to really play for except positioning in bowl games, but you can bet that after a great season, Maryland doesn't want to see it all come crashing down with a pair of home losses. Back the hosts, which will send FSU to the league title game.

Free College Football Picks: Maryland Terrapins +1.5
Prediction: Maryland 21 – NC State 20

Matchup: Florida Gators @ Florida State Seminoles
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game Line: Florida State -2
Over/Under 51

The truth of the matter is that this game really doesn't mean much to either one of these teams from the perspective of where they are going to go to a bowl game. Odds have it, Florida's fate will be in the hands of the Outback Bowl, which may or may not take it. If not, there will be a lot of bowl games that surpass the Gators before they land one way or the other. The Noles though, are probably going to be the No. 2 or No. 3 team in the conference, which means that they will either be in the Gator Bowl or the Champs Sports Bowl unless they win the ACC. You know that there will be plenty of scoreboard watching in Tallahassee, win or lose against UF. The Maryland Terrapins will be rooted on just as hard as the Noles will at the Doak on Saturday. A win for the team that FSU disposed of last week will send it to the ACC Championship Game. Still, this game takes top priority for the men on the field, as the Seminoles haven't beaten the Gators in six tries. Florida just doesn't look like it has the oomph right now, particularly offensively, to be able to take down the men in garnet and gold. Florida State will get the job done, and there will be a ton of celebrating on the streets of Tallahassee for the first time in years.

Free College Football Picks: Florida State -2
Prediction: Florida State 30 – Florida 21

Matchup: LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AR
Game Line: Arkansas -3
Over/Under 54

These two teams really hate each other, as the battle for the Golden Boot is always one of the most brutal battles to watch on the collegiate gridiron all season long. Depending on what happens with the Iron Bowl on Friday afternoon, Arkansas might think that it has a great chance of playing for a BCS bowl game, as a second team from the SEC is likely going to find its way to a major bowl game. LSU knows that a spot in the BCS is guaranteed with a win, as a one loss SEC team is not going to be passed upon under any circumstance. The chance is still there for the Mad Hatter, HC Les Miles and company to go the National Championship Game, especially if they are impressive in this one on the road. We know that statistically speaking, all signs point to Arkansas winning this game, but we're not so sure. LSU just has this knack of winning games like this one, while the Hogs have had the nature to lose them. That parlayed with the fact that the Bayou Bengals have been the dominant team in this series over the years has us waving around purple and gold flags in college football betting action.

Free College Football Picks: LSU +3
Prediction: LSU 23 – Arkansas 20

Matchup: Mississippi State Bulldogs @ Mississippi Rebels
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:00 ET
Location: Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Game Line: Mississippi State -2.5
Over/Under 54

The annual Egg Bowl is usually a very close run thing, and this year is probably going to be no exception whatsoever. The Bulldogs have lost a pair of games in a row, but no one is blaming them after having a fantastic first nine games of the year. Ole Miss has been disappointing, losing close game after close game. HC Houston Nutt needs something to bring into next season, but we tend to think that the combination of QB Jeremiah Masoli and RB Brandon Bolden are going to get stuffed up. MSU has no fear about going on the road and winning games like this one. Just ask the Florida Gators. The Bulldogs are going to find a way to sneak out of Oxford with a big time win to hopefully snare a bid in a strong bowl like they deserve after a great regular season.

Free College Football Picks: Mississippi State -2.5
Prediction: Mississippi State 27 – Mississippi 20

Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks @ Clemson Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Game Line: South Carolina -2.5
Over/Under 45

Winning in Death Valley is never an easy thing to do, but the Tigers just haven't looked like a team all season long that can beat a team the quality of the Gamecocks. South Carolina didn't take its foot off of the gas pedal last week in the demolition of the Troy Trojans, and we don't see it doing anything of the sorts again this week even though the SEC Championship Game is on deck. The Gamecocks are a legitimate team, and they are going to give Auburn fits for the second time this year inevitably. But before any of that takes place, RB Marcus Lattimore is once again going to prove that he is the best freshman in the entire country, as he leads Cocky over the Tigers in Death Valley on the road.

Free College Football Picks: South Carolina -2.5
Prediction: South Carolina 26 – Clemson 17

Matchup: Oregon State Beavers @ Stanford Cardinal
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:30 ET
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA
Game Line: Stanford -13
Over/Under 57

HC Mike Riley has his work cut out for him for his Beavers, as they need to beat either the Cardinal or the Oregon Ducks to go to a bowl game this year. The problem that the Beavs have is that they just can't win games on the road. They've had too many close calls to deal with and have just consistently found ways to drop. Stanford knows that this could be a play in game for the BCS, and maybe even for the BCS Championship if enough you know what breaks loose. The Cardinal are going to be locked in this dog fight with teams like the TCU Horned Frogs, LSU Tigers, and Ohio State Buckeyes for the last at large bowl bids to the BCS, and an impressive victory here against a former Top 25 team would go a long, long way. The offense for Stanford is just too strong, as it has put at least 42 on the board in three of the last four. The Cardinal are 3-0-1 ATS in those four games, and there is no reason that we can see that they would do anything less than come away with a three score victory against Oregon State.

Free College Football Picks: Stanford -13
Prediction: Stanford 38 – Oregon State 21

Matchup: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:45 ET
Location: Bulldog Stadium, Athens, GA
Game Line: Georgia -13.5
Over/Under 58.5

The winner of this game is certainly going bowling, while the loser might be in a bit of trouble. We already know that Georgia is playing for its bowl life, something that the Texas Longhorns failed at on Thanksgiving night. One of the most proud programs in the SEC posting a losing season would be fatal for the career of HC Mark Richt, as he will almost certainly be fired by the end of the weekend if the Dawgs don't come out on top in this one. QB Josh Nesbitt has been out of the lineup for the Ramblin' Wreck though, and he isn't going to be back in the fold for the rest of the year. Even though Georgia Tech already has the six wins required to be eligible for a bowl game, there is still a huge question as to whether or not anyone would take the Yellow Jackets if there are more bowl eligible teams than there are tie ins to these bowl games in the ACC. Some weird results have happened in this rivalry game, just like last year when UGA pulled off the upset in Atlanta in a game in which no one really gave the Bulldogs a shot. Don't be overly surprised if HC Paul Johnson has something in store for the Georgia offense that it hasn't seen this year. Take all the points you can get, as un upset might be in the cards.

Free College Football Picks: Georgia Tech +13.5
Prediction: Georgia Tech 21 – Georgia 17

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Game Line: USC -4.5
Over/Under 49.5

We're not so sure what in the heck the Fighting Irish have been doing in recent weeks, but even without five of their offensive stars, they just keep continuing to find ways to win games. The Golden Domers fortunately locked up their bowl berth before this game kicked off. But now that that has happened, does USC really have much in the way of motivation to finish off this year? The Trojans slumped down the end of the season last year, and that was with a bowl game coming up. Now, they don't even have one of those to look forward to. These are two of the most bi-polar teams in the entire country that we're dealing with, and as long as that remains the case, we'll take the hotter team with the points and pull for the Irish.

Free College Football Picks: Notre Dame +4.5
Prediction: Notre Dame 20 – USC 13

Matchup: Oklahoma Sooners @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Game Line: Oklahoma State -2.5
Over/Under 67.5

Unless the BCS rankings have some tricks up their sleeves that we don't see coming, the winner of this game is going to be taking down the Big XII South and heading to the Big XII Championship Game, where they will be facing with the Nebraska Cornhuskers or Missouri Tigers. This is the first time that Okie State has been favored in this series in well over a decade, and for good reason. The men from Norman have won Bedlam 80 times in 104 meetings and have beaten up the Pokes seven times in a row. That all changes this year, though. This offense for Okie State is just downright scary, as QB Brandon Weeden, WR Justin Blackmon, and RB Kendall Hunter are all capable of putting up absolutely bananas numbers on a regular basis against anyone in the country. Though things have gotten better for Oklahoma, they still aren't where they should be. This defense is still certainly down from what we were expecting at the outset of the season. The team that deserves to win the Big XII South is Oklahoma State, and that's exactly how it is going to be playing out at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday night, as the goalposts are coming down in Stillwater.

Free College Football Picks: Oklahoma State -2.5
Prediction: Oklahoma State 37 – Oklahoma 31

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
November 12th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 12:00 ET
Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, IN
Game Line: Northwestern +10
Over/Under 50.5

The Wildcats really need another win just to make sure that there is no way that they could be left out of the bowl season this year, but this is going to be an incredibly difficult task. The four teams sitting atop the Big Ten all think that they are the one going to the Rose Bowl, and none of them can afford a slip. Iowa knows that this is a tricky spot with the Ohio State Buckeyes coming up in the near future, but it can't forget that this was the team that knocked it off last year to end its undefeated season. You can bet that QB Ricky Stanzi, who was hurt in that game, has a very, very long memory, and isn't going to be afraid to go after this 'D'. Still, the Wildcats are catching a ton of points in this game, and we aren't afraid to take them.

Free College Football Picks: Northwestern +10
Prediction: Iowa 27 – Northwestern 21

Matchup: Indiana Hoosiers @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 12:00 ET
Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Game Line: Wisconsin -21.5
Over/Under 58

QB Scott Tolzien and company were really given more of a hassle than they should have been by the Purdue Boilermakers last week, and we have no doubt that this is really still just a case of a good team playing to the level of its opponents. The Badgers know that they can still win the National Championship this year, but it isn't going to come without some luck. They have to take care of business in this game. However, QB Ben Chappell has the ability to do some real damage with the Indiana offense, and though he isn't nearly going to be able to win this game in Camp Randall, we tend to think that the NCAA football odds are more focused on Wisconsin's ranking and less focused on the fact that these two teams really aren't three TDs apart from each other.

Free College Football Picks: Indiana +21.5
Prediction: Wisconsin 34 – Indiana 17

Matchup: Miami Hurricanes @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 12:00 ET
Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Game Line: Georgia Tech +3
Over/Under 49.5

Are we missing something here? We know that the Ramblin' Wreck really haven't had that great of a season, but this is slightly ridiculous to make them home dogs against a divisional rival not named the Virginia Tech Hokies. Without QB Josh Nesbitt, we get out first real look at QB Tevin Washington for G-Tech, and he is capable of doing the exact same thing that Nesbit is. If not for a special teams blunder, the Yellow Jackets might have won last week in Blacksburg, something that Miami probably won't be able to say. We admire the fact that QB Jacory Harris keeps finding ways to get back into the game and play for the Canes, but is he really ready to go after his concussion? With QB AJ Highsmith potentially on the shelf as well, Miami could be in a heck of a lot of trouble if this one gets physical. Remember that Miami hasn't won a game here in Atlanta since 2004, and that's going to make for one heck of a tussle on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: Georgia Tech +3
Prediction: Georgia Tech 24 – Miami 17

Matchup: Mississippi Rebels @ Tennessee Volunteers
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 12:20 ET
Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
Game Line: Tennessee -2
Over/Under 55.5

It isn't really often that we care about two teams that are under .500 and quite possibly not going to bowl games, but this is the SEC, and this is about as big of a game as it gets at the bottom of any conference. The Rebels are getting their acts together and are two wins away from bowl eligibility, and this is a must win game if they hope to get the job done. Unfortunately for HC Houston Nutt and company, the Vols are virtually thinking the exact same thing. The Tennessee offense continues to do just enough to push games past the 'total', but there really haven't been any big home wins all season long. Here's a great opportunity to erase the memories of losses against teams like Oregon, Florida, and Alabama. Rocky Top will take one step closer to a bowl game this weekend.

Free College Football Picks: Tennessee -2.5
Prediction: Tennessee 38 – Ole Miss 27

Matchup: Kansas State Wildcats @ Missouri Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 12:30 ET
Location: Faurot Stadium, Columbia, MO
Game Line: Missouri -13
Over/Under 54.5

Last week, the Wildcats decided to employee the strategy of, "We aren't throwing the football under any circumstance," and it worked, as they destroyed the Texas Longhorns on the ground. QB Carson Coffman has to be wondering what he really did wrong to get benched, but he isn't as mobile as backup QB Collin Klein. If the intent is to just run the football to try to beat these Tigers though, that's not going to go all that well. It's not that Mizzou is a fantastic team against ground games, because it isn't (see: Roy Helu running for over 300 yards against it a few weeks back). If the Tigers take the lead though, something is going to have to change. Is Coffman going to be willing to come in off the bench cold and try to lead a comeback against a relentless team that just keeps finding ways to score? We think not. The Tigers get back on track and end this little two game skid with ease.

Free College Football Picks: Missouri -13
Prediction: Missouri 34 – Kansas State 16

Matchup: Utah Utes @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: Saturday, November 13th, 2:30 ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Game Line: Notre Dame +5.5
Over/Under 54.5

The Golden Domers are ready to pack it in for the season, and we tend to believe, even off of a bye week, that that's exactly what's going to happen. HC Kyle Whittingham is one of the best in the biz at Utah, and he knows that his team can still make it to the BCS with some luck, but it can only do so by being impressive for the rest of the season. The Utes need to stay in the Top 14 to have a chance, and even if they don't go to the BCS, finishing in the Top 10 in the country would be a tremendous achievement. Without TE Kyle Rudolph, QB Dayne Crist, RB Armando Allen, and potentially even WR Theo Riddick, Notre Dame doesn't stand a chance to move the ball against this stout defense, though we do love what QB Tommy Rees did two weeks ago against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Still, if teams like Tulsa are coming into South Bend and winning, what is Utah going to do? Our guess is that it's certainly not going to be a thing of beauty for the hosts in their first ever tussle with the Utes.

Free College Football Picks: Utah -5.5
Prediction: Utah 38 – Notre Dame 13

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
November 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Washington Huskies @ Oregon Ducks
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Game Line: Oregon -34.5
Over/Under 67.5

Simply put, without QB Jake Locker in the lineup, the Huskies don't even remotely have a chance of hanging around in this game. Locker is the heart and soul of this team, and he has basically accounted for all of the offense this year. Now, QB Keith White is going to thrown into the mix having thrown just nine passes in his entire career. The true frosh won't last against an Oregon offense that has dropped 42 or more points on everyone it has faced this year and is averaging over 575 yards per game. This could be a real showcase for RB LaMichael James, who is gunning for his third 200+ yard rushing game this year, a feat which could certainly be had against a defense that was just run over last week to the tune of 41 points against the Stanford Cardinal. All you'll be hearing atop the BCS rankings for another week is Quack! Quack!

Free College Football Picks: Oregon -34.5
Prediction: Oregon 52 – Washington 10

Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Game Line: LSU +6.5
Over/Under 44

We've already talked quite a bit about this big time tussle in the Bayou, and we think that we have already made our point clear that we love the Bayou Bengals. This is a rough scheduling spot for the Tide even though they are off of their bye week, as it was also a bye for LSU. Giving two weeks for HC Les Miles to draw up more tricks seems to be a little unfair. The question is going to be whether the offense for LSU can really get enough going to keep the Alabama offense out of sync. If the Tide get this game into the high 20s, there is no chance for LSU to survive. However, we've seen the "Mad Hatter" pull off stranger things, and we think the Tigers are going to roar loudly on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: LSU +6.5
Prediction: LSU 20 – Alabama 16

Matchup: Hawaii Warriors @ Boise State Broncos
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bronco Stadium, Boise, ID
Game Line: Boise State -21
Over/Under 66

One would think that the only hope the Warriors have in this one is to try to make it a shootout. Their defense just isn't good enough to compete with Boise State, and the Broncos have one of the most high octane offenses in the land as well. This isn't a test like that of the Virginia Tech Hokies earlier in the season. This is a legitimate home game against a long time rival, and it isn't an opportunity that Boise State figures to pass on in its showcase season. QB Bryant Moniz is going to be in for his biggest test of the season, even bigger than when the USC Trojans paid a visit to the Big Island. Hawaii has the longest ATS winning streak in the nation coming into this week at six games, but that all comes to a close as QB Kellen Moore and the gang put the Warriors down and move one step closer to the BCS.

Free College Football Picks: Boise State -21
Prediction: Boise State 41 – Hawaii 17

Matchup: TCU Horned Frogs @ Utah Utes
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Game Line: Utah +4.5
Over/Under 51.5

Is this really the game of the year? The Horned Frogs know that the reward for winning this game on the road would probably be the coveted No. 2 ranking in the BCS next week, as they will probably hop over the Auburn Tigers, who are taking on an FCS opponent. TCU has a lot of great things going for it, including a defense that ranks No. 1 in the nation in three major statistical categories. HC Gary Patterson lives for games like this one, and he knows that QB Andy Dalton is the man that can get the job done by going on the road and taking care of the Utes. Don't think for one minute that the combination of QB Jordan Wynn, RB Eddie Wide, and RB Matt Asiata are just rolling over and dying, though. Rice Eccles Stadium is one of the more hellacious places to go play in the MWC. Here's the thing, though. Utah has struggled just a bit against some of the better teams on its schedule. Against better teams than that, the Horned Frogs just keep continuing to roll and really haven't had a close call this year. They might get challenged on Saturday afternoon, but when push really comes to shove, TCU is winning this game by two scores.

Free College Football Picks: TCU -4.5
Prediction: TCU 24 – Utah 13

Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels @ Florida State Seminoles
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game Line: Florida State -10.5
Over/Under 49

If you really believe that the garnet and gold have the best team on their half of the ACC Atlantic Division, this is the game for you. Florida State is coming home for what should be an emotion tie just a week after getting beaten at the gun in a crushing defeat by the NC State Wolfpack at Carter Finley Stadium on national TV. QB Christian Ponder is going to want to make amends for fumbling on the final drive of the game that could've won it, and the defense is certainly going to want to make up for its three second half touchdowns allowed to the Wolfpack. The Noles haven't even given up that many points in a full game this year at home. North Carolina is a mess right now, and it was lucky to survive against lowly William & Mary last weekend. The Heels are well on their way to another disappointing defeat in the Sunshine State after getting blown away by the Miami Hurricanes two weeks ago.

Free College Football Picks: Florida State -10.5
Prediction: Florida State 31 – North Carolina 16

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Game Line: Penn State -6
Over/Under 48

Don't be overly shocked if this turns out to be a fantastic game in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions and Wildcats are both looking to improve their bowl positioning this year and they are both rock solid clubs. Northwestern has really slipped against the NCAA football odds of late, dropping five in a row. However, the Wildcats still have one of the most consistent dual threat quarterbacks in the Big Ten in QB Dan Persa, and he is figuring out on the job how he can win games in a very tough conference. The Nittany Lions are getting back QB Robert Bolden after his one week absence, and this is going to be one of the more difficult games for the youngster to deal with this year. It feels like every single season, Northwestern has this way of playing really, really tight games against Big Ten teams in games that maybe aren't of the utmost importance, and this sort of feels like one of those games. Fortunately, unlike last week against the Indiana Hoosiers, we don't have to pick a winner. We just need the Cats to stay close to stick in front of the number.

Free College Football Picks: Northwestern +6
Prediction: Penn State 28 – Northwestern 24

Matchup: Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Iowa State Cyclones
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA
Game Line: Iowa State +17.5
Over/Under 57.5

Here's the million dollar question in this NCAA football betting affair: Which Iowa State team is going to show up? Is the one going to take the field that was absolutely blown to bits by both the Utah Utes and Oklahoma Sooners in back to back weeks, or will the ISU that went on the road and beat the Texas Longhorns and smashed both the Kansas Jayhawks and Texas Tech Red Raiders be on the gridiron? It's not totally inconceivable to think that the Cyclones could still win the Big XII North, but obviously, this is a must win game. The Huskers are probably in no mood to screw around after finally making themselves the only team in this conference that really controlled their own destiny last week when they beat the Missouri Tigers. Still, we know that RB Roy Helu isn't rushing for 300 yards again this week, and we aren't so sure how healthy QB Taylor Martinez really is. On top of that, this is a ton of points to be giving a home team in a conference tussle, especially one that has the caliber enough to go bowling this year.

Free College Football Picks: Iowa State +17.5
Prediction: Nebraska 31 – Iowa State 20

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
October 27th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Kansas State Wildcats
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Bill Snyder Family Field, Manhattan, KS
Game Line: Kansas State +5
Over/Under 66

Had the Pokes won last weekend, we would be a lot more inclined to think that the Wildcats would be able to wake up just a tad and beat one of the top teams in the country. Now, we're not so sure, though. The Oklahoma State offense is a finely tuned machine, and the fact that WR Justin Blackmon is out of the lineup in this one isn't going to be a killer. Yes, Blackmon is the best receiver in the entire country, and yes, a DUI is going to prove to be costly, but QB Brandon Weeden has plenty of other options to throw the ball to. K-State is still a one man band with RB Daniel Thomas, if the Cowboys can just remotely contain him, the offense should prove to be good enough to score enough to win this one by at least a somewhat comfortable margin. If Okie State can score 41 on the Nebraska Cornhuskers with Blackmon, it can surely find a way to score at least in the 30s against Kansas State without him.

Free College Football Picks: Oklahoma State -5
Prediction: Oklahoma State 38 – Kansas State 30

Matchup: Miami Hurricanes @ Virginia Cavaliers
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA
Game Line: Virginia +15
Over/Under 51

The Hoos have three wins this year, but those three wins have come against the Eastern Michigan Eagles and a pair of teams from the FCS. We were fooled last week by the Canes, who came out and absolutely dominated the North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, we aren't so sure which Miami team is going to show up on Saturday. We know that the last time "The U" played on the road, it struggled mightily with the Duke Blue Devils for the full 60 minutes and only won by two scores. QB Marc Verica really isn't taking too many strides in the right direction, but we do believe that this Virginia team is good enough to get its act together and at least make this one respectable at home on Saturday afternoon, especially if the defense can find a way to put at least a tad bit of pressure on QB Jacory Harris.

Free College Football Picks: Virginia +15
Prediction: Miami 30 – Virginia 17

Matchup: Louisville Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Panthers
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Game Line: Pittsburgh -10
Over/Under 56

We've already talked about just how good RB Bilal Powell is turning out to be, as he is probably the best back in the Big East. We have totally forgotten about the Panthers, as they are probably the best of the worst in a very questionable conference. However, we just aren't so sure that QB Tino Sunseri and the U-Pitt offense are good enough to keep up with Powell and the gang, especially if the Redbirds keep pushing like this. The Panthers have proven nothing quite yet, and though this one won't necessarily showcase anything one way or the other, we do tend to believe that Louisville is taking one giant step towards a bowl game in HC Charlie Strong's first season on the job.

Free College Football Picks: Louisville +10
Prediction: Louisville 28 – Pittsburgh 24

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Indiana Hoosiers
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
Game Line: Indiana +3.5
Over/Under 58.5

It's hard to think that this could be one of the best games of the day. Both of these teams love running up and down the field, and neither one can really play defense that well when push comes to shove. Indiana's QB Ben Chappell could be in for a huge day against his instate rivals, and if that's the case, the Hoosiers are going to be tough to beat. There's something about the way that the Wildcats lost last week to the Michigan State Spartans that scares the wits out of us. We'll give Northwestern the slight nod here, because QB Dan Persa can take care of the football quite well, but we'll go with the fact that it should be decided at the gun. This arguably the toughest game on the entire board to try to handicap.

Free College Football Picks: Indiana +3.5
Prediction: Northwestern 41 – Indiana 39

Matchup: Tennessee Volunteers @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 12:20 ET
Location: Williams Bryce Stadium, Columbia, SC
Game Line: South Carolina -18
Over/Under 48.5

We got burned by the Vols last week, as they really had no answers for WR Julio Jones and the offense of the Alabama Crimson Tide. That game at home might have finally been the backbreaker for this Tennessee team that we have been riding all season long. They're good enough to stick around in this game, but the combination of QB Stephen Garcia and WR Alshon Jeffrey are just going to be too tough to take out. Jeffrey is every bit as good as Jones is, and you can bet that HC Steve Spurrier was sitting back and watching this game last weekend and smirking. The SEC East is still wide open, but South Carolina is going to finally put away the Volunteers once and for all with a big time beat down to send a message to the rest of the teams in this conference.

Free College Football Picks: South Carolina -18
Prediction: South Carolina 35 – Tennessee 10

Matchup: Tulsa Golden Hurricane @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 2:30 ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Game Line: Notre Dame -8.5
Over/Under 63

The Irish are in dire need of a win here, especially with four losses already to their name and games against the USC Trojans and Utah Utes sitting there on the schedule for the rest of the season. Still, this doesn't appear to be the first year in South Bend that HC Brian Kelly really envisioned, and the prospects of missing a bowl game are starting to look more and more real. There are just too many injuries on the offense to account for in South Bend, especially if WR Michael Floyd can't play as well. WR Theo Riddick and TE Kyle Rudolph, two of the top targets in America, are already both on the sidelines in this one. Tulsa has had a week to prepare for its first ever trip to South Bend, and QB GJ Kinne and the crew are licking their chops at going against this defense, which several teams have torched this year, even on the road. Tulsa is ready to pounce, and there's no reason that it should be such a sizeable underdog in this game.

Free College Football Picks: Tulsa +8.5
Prediction: Tulsa 33 – Notre Dame 20

Matchup: Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Ever Life Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Game Line: Georgia -3
Over/Under 47

This is another game that we have already called the outright upset for, and there is no reason to believe that this won't be a game that goes in the way of the "visitors." First off, remember that Jacksonville is always the home of more Gator fans than Bulldog fans when these teams meet in the World's Largest Cocktail Party, and this season will be no exception even though Florida is down this year. Perception on the Gators took a total flop when they lost to the Mississippi State Bulldogs two weeks ago, but this team is still one of the best 25 in America, and we have no reservations about saying that. Bad coaching has kept this team down all season long, something that is uncharacteristic for an Urban Meyer coached team. Florida's game plan in this one is simple: Stop WR AJ Green. If you can take Green out of the game, you can stop the Bulldogs. Yes, RB Washaun Ealey has the ability to crack the century mark on the ground in this one, but we don't see it happening. Florida has the better defense, and it has the better talent level on offense. It won't take a ton from the 'O' to win this one outright, and we think that the 'D' will come up with just enough to put together the upset.

Free College Football Picks: Florida +3
Prediction: Florida 23 – Georgia 17

Matchup: Michigan State Spartans @ Iowa Hawkeyes
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
Game Line: Iowa -6.5
Over/Under 50.5

They're calling this day "Roadblock Saturday," right? For whatever reason, we just aren't so sure that this game is going to be a "roadblock" for Michigan State after all. We have no choice but to believe in the Spartans at this point. They've won every game on their schedule, and regardless of how weak that slate is, they are still one of just seven clubs in the country with donuts in their loss column. Don't count this team out. Kinnick is an absolutely bear to play in, but the Wisconsin Badgers proved last week that it was doable to win there, even against QB Ricky Stanzi, who had never lost a game he both started and finished there in his career. The Spartans are a trendy pick to go down and go down in a big way on Saturday, but we aren't so sure that that's the case. The combination of QB Kirk Cousins throwing the ball with RB Le'Veon Bell and RB Edwin Baker running it is just enough for the Spartans to overcome a defense that has been shoddy every step of the way this year. Just don't count these guys out. Don't be shocked to see another Sparty upset, and you might even see MSU at No. 1 in the country by the time this week is said and done!

Free College Football Picks: Michigan State +6.5
Prediction: Michigan State 30 – Iowa 27

Matchup: East Carolina Pirates @ UCF Knights
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bright House Stadium, Orlando, FL
Game Line: UCF -7.5
Over/Under 53

Conference USA isn't a place that we take a look at games often, but this one has too much importance to let go. The Knights are already eyeing a trip to the Liberty Bowl this year to take on the Florida Gators in a game that could shift the balance of power of programs in the Sunshine State, but that can't happen unless they take care of business in games like this one against ECU. The Pirates have the best offense that UCF has run into all season long, but the same could be said about the ECU offense running into the Knights' 'D'. Bright House should be rocking on Saturday, and take it from this Orlando boy. The Knights are not getting beaten at home in this type of an environment by anyone in Conference USA on Saturday afternoon. Back UCF with confidence to shut down QB Dominique Davis and the Pirates.

Free College Football Picks: UCF -7.5
Prediction: UCF 28 – East Carolina 14

Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Texas A&M Aggies
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, College Station, TX
Game Line: Texas A&M -7
Over/Under 59.5

The Red Raiders and Aggies don't have the greatest teams this year, but both of these squads still feel as though they at least have a remote chance of winning the Big XII this season. HC Tommy Tuberville would just be content getting to a bowl game in his first season to help take the pressure off of him after replacing the loved HC Mike Leach. QB Jerrod Johnson is totally a hit or miss guy for the Aggies this year, and if he's on, there isn't a team in the country that he can't single handedly beat. QB Taylor Potts has a great arm as well, and in the gimmicky "Air Raid" offense, he is destined to put up some huge numbers. Seven is a lot of points to be giving in a rivalry game, especially to a Texas Tech team that was upset as whopping 22 point favorites last year in Lubbock. We're not so sure that Tech is going to win outright, but it should keep A&M within this number.

Free College Football Picks: Texas Tech +7
Prediction: Texas A&M 31 – Texas Tech 30

Matchup: Cal Golden Bears @ Oregon State Beavers
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR
Game Line: Oregon State -2.5
Over/Under 53

Don't kid yourself about the Beavers. These guys are the best 3-3 team in the country, and they know it. QB Ryan Katz is starting to get his feet underneath him after replacing the departed QB Sean Canfield, and even though WR James Rodgers is out for the season, we still think that his brother, RB Jacquizz Rodgers, is set for a breakout game. The Golden Bears have lost all three times that they have gone on the road this year, including getting crippled by both the USC Trojans and the Nevada Wolf Pack. Oregon State is every bit as good as both of these teams are, and Reser Stadium is one of the most devastating places to travel in the country. A converted two point conversion two weeks ago against the Washington Huskies would probably have OSU favored by a touchdown in this game, as the Pac-10 title would still reasonably be a possibility. The Beavers have had two weeks to prepare and haven't had a home game since October 2nd. You'd better believe that they're bringing their 'A' game on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: Oregon State -2.5
Prediction: Oregon State 34 – Cal 24

Matchup: Missouri Tigers @ Nebraska Cornhuskers
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
Game Line: Nebraska -7.5
Over/Under 55.5

Here's another case of one of those teams that could be facing a "roadblock" on Saturday… The difference here is that the Tigers are going to get tamed. There's just no way that QB Taylor Martinez is going to let his Huskers lose this game, even if he is just a freshman. This young man has already done some truly remarkable things as a freshman, and he will likely become one of the handful of 1,000 yard rushers on the season this week with a good game against a suspect Missouri defense. We're sorry, Mizzou, but we just don't buy you yet. We know that you can play in Columbia, but struggling with the San Diego State Aztecs and Illinois Fighting Illini just doesn't do it for us. Big Red knows that this is the last shot to win the Big XII before heading on to the Big Ten next season. There's no way that they lose this opportunity and relegate themselves to a lesser bowl game this year.

Free College Football Picks: Nebraska -7.5
Prediction: Nebraska 38 – Missouri 24

Matchup: Arizona Wildcats @ UCLA Bruins
Date: Saturday, October 30th, 3:30 ET
Location: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA
Game Line: UCLA +9
Over/Under 49.5

We could really care less whether or not QB Nick Foles plays in this game or not. QB Matt Scott proved to be a viable replacement last week against the Washington Huskies, and he really surprised us by outdueling QB Jake Locker and company. The bottom line is that this is a bet against UCLA, not a bet on Arizona. The Bruins have failed to cover five straight in conference dating back to last year, and the only two covers that they have this season have come via sheer luck, not total skill. As long as Foles and Scott don't get hurt, we don't see any way that there is enough offense with QB Richard Brehaut at quarterback for the Bruins to make it out of this one alive. There should be a big claw mark from the scratch that Arizona is going to leave UCLA when this one is over with.

Free College Football Picks: Arizona -9
Prediction: Arizona 28 – UCLA 6

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

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

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Navy Midshipmen
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 12:00 ET
Location: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Game Line: Notre Dame -6.5
Over/Under 49.5

The Middies are still struggling, though they're finding ways to scratch wins together of late. The Irish, on the other hand, have been dominating games lately, going 1-0-2 ATS and 3-0 SU in their L/3. QB Dayne Crist hasn't missed a beat without TE Kyle Rudolph in the lineup, and the offense blew up last week for 44 points in spite of the fact that WR Theo Riddick was largely missing in action. WR Michael Floyd is going to be the most dangerous weapon on the field for the Middies to try to defend. This is a game that is historically owned by the Fighting Irish, though Navy has taken the L/2 meetings in South Bend. You have to go back five decades to find the last victory that didn't occur in front of the watchful eyes of Touchdown Jesus, though. This will be a legitimate neutral site game, which probably favors the Fighting Irish just a tad. Go with the Golden Domers to take care of this one on the "road," as it appears as though HC Brian Kelly finally has enough going to get a real winning streak in the works.

Free College Football Picks: Notre Dame -6.5
Prediction: Notre Dame 27 – Navy 19

Matchup: Syracuse Orange @ West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 12:00 ET
Location: Mountaineer Field, Morgantown, WV
Game Line: West Virginia -13.5
Over/Under 43.5

Don't let the 4-2 mark beside the name "Syracuse" fool you. Instead, remember that this program is still just that… "Syracuse." The Orange probably aren't going bowling this year, though in the pathetic Big East, you never really know what's going to happen from Saturday to Saturday. However, one thing that we do know is that West Virginia is the only team in this conference that would stand a chance of even remotely competing in the other divisions in college football. WVU is clearly head and shoulders the better team here, and QB Geno Smith and one of the best defenses in the country is probably going to prove it. The 'Neers are 7-2 ATS in their L/9 against the Orange, and in spite of the fact that those two duds came in the L/2 meetings in Morgantown, we aren't afraid of just a two score NCAA football spread.

Free College Football Picks: West Virginia -13.5
Prediction: West Virginia 31 – Syracuse 10

Matchup: Purdue Boilermakers @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 12:00 ET
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Game Line: Ohio State -24
Over/Under 47.5

The Buckeyes have quite a lot to be angry about in this game. They lost last week to the Wisconsin Badgers in a game in which they were totally dominated until about halftime when they decided to finally wake up and play some football. HC Jim Tressel can also point to the fact that this is one of the last Big Ten teams standing without a conference loss. Oh yes, this was also the same Purdue team that spoiled any hopes of OSU winning the National Championship last year… You think this one is going to be ugly? The Boilers have just had the Buckeyes' numbers in recent years, as they have pulled some upsets and done a lot of good work against the college football odds as well. However, this one just won't be the same. Without QB Robert Marve and RB Ralph Bolden in the fold, Purdue is just dead in the water. There's no semblance of an offense that can do any sort of damage against this potent 'D' that has to still be angry about the huge number that Wisky dropped on the board last weekend in Camp Randall. In the end, too much QB Terrelle Pryor, too much OSU defense, and not nearly enough Purdue offense. This should be a laugher.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio State -24
Prediction: Ohio State 41 – Purdue 6

Matchup: Michigan State Spartans @ Northwestern Wildcats
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 12:00 ET
Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, IN
Game Line: Michigan State -6
Over/Under 53

Northwestern was upset by the Purdue Boilermakers last week at home in what clearly amounted to be the worst game of the season. The Cats were scratched in a big way, but they are clearly rabid right now. Remember that this was the same team that ended the perfect campaign of the Iowa Hawkeyes last season. Michigan State needs to watch out and watch out in a big time way. The rush defense for the Wildcats is going to be tested by RBs Edwin Baker and Le'Veon Bell. We're not so sure that QB Dan Persa really has what it takes to beat this team, but this is a passing attack that ranks No. 20 in the nation against one of the country's worst secondaries. At some point, Sparty is going to get picked off, and it might get picked off a few times. This could just be the beginning of the end.

Free College Football Picks: Northwestern +6
Prediction: Northwestern 26 – Michigan State 24

Matchup: Mississippi Rebels @ Arkansas Razorbacks
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 12:20 ET
Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Game Line: Arkansas -9.5
Over/Under 58

Last week, we warned that this Ole Miss team was good enough to pull some big time upsets, even in the SEC West this year, and we at least got a close game against the Alabama Crimson Tide to show for it. QB Jeremiah Masoli has all the talent in the world, and if the defense for the Rebs can start to show up like it has in recent weeks, this could be a very interesting ball game. Who knows how much QB Ryan Mallett is going to be affected by that concussion he suffered last weekend? One thing we do know is that the running quarterback, QB Cameron Newton, absolutely destroyed this defense for the Hogs. Masoli is built in the exact same mold, and he just had to be loving watching that game tape this week. Arkansas can be had. This is a team that might just be poised to fall flat. If the Rebs want to go bowling this year, this is the type of game that they are going to have to win at some point. There's no better time that the present to pick of a wounded Arkansas team that has played in three straight very tight ball games against good teams and could really use a breather. They're not getting one.

Free College Football Picks: Ole Miss +9.5
Prediction: Mississippi 41 – Arkansas 31

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers @ Iowa Hawkeyes
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30 ET
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
Game Line: Iowa -6
Over/Under 48

If you look up the definition of an awful scheduling spot, you're going to see Bucky the Badger's face plastered right there in the dictionary. Wisconsin is just in so much trouble in this game, it's not even funny. This team is clearly high on life after beating the Ohio State Buckeyes last week at home. Fantastic. Now, the test is certainly more difficult. The Hawkeyes might not only be just as good, if not better than the Buckeyes, but they are also going to be playing at home as well. Iowa has absolutely owned the Badgers in recent years, and we don't expect that to change any. HC Kirk Ferentz really used last year's win at Camp Randall as the boosting point for the fantastic season that ended with an Orange Bowl victory. This could be the start of a National Championship run if the Hawkeyes get some lucky bounces from other teams along the way. There's too much on the line for Iowa to get beaten at home. This game will look a lot like the game against the hapless Penn State Nittany Lions for Iowa.

Free College Football Picks: Iowa -6
Prediction: Iowa 30 – Wisconsin 10

Matchup: Kansas State Wildcats @ Baylor Bears
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30 ET
Location: Floyd Casey Stadium, Waco, TX
Game Line: Baylor -6.5
Over/Under 56.5

Would you even imagine that Baylor would be favored over Kansas State by basically a full touchdown in a game? All of a sudden the Bears, the program that became the whipping boy for so many other teams in the Big XII over the years, have figured out how to make the most out of their QB Robert Griffin. This offense is absolutely tearing through teams this season. K-State is a very one dimensional team, as it is RB Daniel Thomas or bust. If that doesn't work, its defense is going to be in a ton of trouble. You'd better believe that this game is the equivalent of the Super Bowl in Waco, as a win for the Bears would ensure a bowl game for the first time in eons. Remember, this team has won games this year 34-3, 34-6, and 55-7 at home and hasn't played any other games there… Yet, it is still 5-2 on the season. You'd better believe that the crowd will be out in full force. The Wildcats won't know what hit them in this one, as this could be on the more entertaining displays to watch on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: Baylor -6.5
Prediction: Baylor 34 – Kansas State 17

Matchup: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ Clemson Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30 ET
Location: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Game Line: Clemson -5.5
Over/Under 52

Death Valley is a horrifying place for opponents to go into, as it is one of the loudest venues in the nation. However, we still just aren't so sold on QB Kyle Parker and the men in orange. Georgia Tech hasn't really had much in the way of success defensively this season, but that doesn't mean that it can't muster up just a tad in this one. QB Josh Nesbitt's triple option attack absolutely blew up this Clemson defense last year twice, and if Nesbitt can get out in some open space, he can really hush the crowd in Death Valley once, and potentially for all. The Ramblin' Wreck have something to prove with the ACC Coastal Division title once again within reach. Winning out will take care of that. For Clemson, the only goal is a bowl game. The wrong team is favored in this one.

Free College Football Picks: Georgia Tech +5.5
Prediction: Georgia Tech 28 – Clemson 20

Matchup: LSU Tigers @ Auburn Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30 ET
Location: Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Game Line: Auburn -5.5
Over/Under 51.5

We've already discussed this game just a tad, and we are going dig just a bit deeper right now. The Bayou Bengals have all of the tools that it takes to stop this Auburn offense, so the only question in our mind on this side of the ball is whether the combined rushing force of RB Michael Dyer, RB Onterio McCalebb, and QB Cam Newton is going to be able to do enough to penetrate this defense. So far, no one has really been tremendously successful. If you take away one bad quarter, the LSU defense has looked phenomenal, even on the road against the Florida Gators. Last week, know that Auburn's secondary got exposed by a backup quarterback, and if that's the case, perhaps the combination of QB Jarret Lee and QB Jordon Jefferson actually has a chance of making some headway. We'll say this… If the LSU offense can get anywhere near the 30 point barrier, this game is as good as over. HC Les Miles and his team know what it takes to win big games like this one. HC Gene Chizik and his Tigers aren't anywhere near that level yet. One of these teams is a legitimate contender for the National Championship. The other one, we believe to be fool's gold.

Free College Football Picks: LSU +5.5
Prediction: LSU 27 – Auburn 21

Matchup: Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Saturday, October 23rd, 3:30 ET
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Game Line: Nebraska -6
Over/Under 60

If the Pokes find a way to really start torching the Nebraska defense, this could be one heck of a rodeo in Stillwater. Nebraska has the offensive weapons to get through a defense that really hasn't had much success stopping anyone this year. You can bet that QB Taylor Martinez is going to want to make amends for failing last week against the Texas Longhorns. This is also a very, very dangerous game for the Huskers because a second loss in Big XII play parlayed with a win by the Missouri Tigers over the Oklahoma Sooners later that night takes the Big XII North race out of their hands. They'll need the 'Zou to come back to the pack to be able to head back to the Big XII Championship for another go around. The matchup to watch is the hookup of QB Brandon Weeden to WR Justin Blackmon against the Nebraska defense. Blackmon might be the best receiver in college football, and he certainly has the stats that back that claim up. If he gets going, watch out! This should be a great one, but we tend to think that there's too much defense for Big Red to get beaten here even though Stillwater is one hellacious place to go place college football.

Free College Football Picks: Oklahoma State +6
Prediction: Nebraska 34 – Oklahoma State 31

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
October 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NCAA Football Betting Bonus Offer From Premium Cappersinfo Sponsor
Get a 100% Free Play Bonus @ JustBet Sportsbook By Clicking Here!
Get An Exclusive VIP Service Agent & 50% Match Play Bonus on Reloads From Cappersinfo

Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes @ Illinois Fighting Illini
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 12:00 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL
Game Line: Illinois +17
Over/Under 50.5

This game has the makings to be a very interesting one. The 2010 Buckeyes have never seen what it's like to play on the road, while the 2010 Illini have never felt what it is like to go up against a defense on this caliber. Here's what we do know. QB Terrelle Pryor is going to get his yards and his points, and there's nothing that Illinois can do about it. Pryor is just that good. There's a reason that he leads this team in rushing and is starting to put up passing numbers that can rival anyone in the nation. Pryor is completing 66.4 percent of his passes, is averaging right around 235 passing yards per game, and a 10/2 TD/INT ratio. Here's what else we know. The Buckeyes have an amazing defense. The 'D' did look relatively mortal last week, allowing three TDs to the Eastern Michigan Eagles, the lowliest team on the schedule, but prior to that, the unit had only allowed three TDs all season. The other three scores came via special teams blunders. For Illinois, RB Mikel LeShoure is going to have to take the pressure off of freshman QB Nathan Scheelhaase. If Scheelhaase is forced into trying to make things happen, he is going to be in for an incredibly long day. The frosh is only completing 54.4 percent of his passes, and he is just barely over 120 yards per game on average. However, the Fighting Illini had two weeks to prepare for this game, and the Buckeyes might be caught napping just a tad. This could be closer than the experts think.

Free College Football Picks: Illinois +17
Prediction: Ohio State 31 – Illinois 20

Matchup: Louisiana Monroe Warhawks @ Auburn Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 12:00 ET
Location: Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Game Line: Auburn -35
Over/Under 54

The Warhawks might be coming into this battle at 1-2, but they are clearly going to be outmatched by a very strong Auburn team. Perception on the Tigers is awfully high right now after they took out both the South Carolina teams, the South Carolina Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers in close calls at home in the L/2 weeks. QB Cam Newton is still in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy, and for good reason. It's not what Newton is doing with his arm that is so dangerous. It's what his legs are accomplishing. Newton has rushed for 485 yards and five TDs, and he has directly accounted for all but three scores for Auburn all season long. Newton parlayed with RBs Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb creates a backfield that cannot be stopped by a team from the Sun Belt. The three are the majority of the Tigers' seventh ranked rushing attack in the land. The defense has been shoddy at times, but when push comes to shove, Auburn knows how to buckle down and get three and outs and turnovers when need be. The same just can't be said about ULM. The Warhawks are averaging just 16.0 points per game offensively and are conceding 413.0 yards per game in total, a number that is significantly higher against FBS foes. This will be a blowout from the start.

Free College Football Picks: Auburn -35
Prediction: Auburn 41 – Louisiana Monroe 3

Matchup: Miami Hurricanes @ Clemson Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 12:00 ET
Location: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Game Line: Clemson +3
Over/Under 50.5

These two ACC foes have only locked horns three times in their existence, and all three games have been classics won by the road team in overtime. Clemson is already 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS against Miami all-time. However, the Tigers have some real problems right now. QB Kyle Parker was supposed to be the savior this year, but that just hasn't been the case since he decided to come back and play another year at quarterback for Clemson instead of pursuing a baseball career. Though Parker's 6:1 TD/INT ratio is rock solid, he is only completing 58.3 percent of his passes and has just 504 yards through the air in three games. The defense has been even more questionable, allowing 388.3 yards per game and 19.3 points per game. Those numbers might not all seem that bad, but the game against the Auburn Tigers was the only game of substance on the schedule. For the Canes, they took care of the Pitt Panthers last week in resounding fashion with a 31-3 victory on primetime football on Thursday night. The victory more than atoned for the 36-24 defeat at the Horseshoe back on September 11th. QB Jacory Harris has an outside shot at winning the Heisman Trophy this year, but the defense is going to have to carry this team. This unit has only allowed 131.7 passing yards per game, a number that Parker had better test for the Tigers to have a shot at victory in this one. Don't be shocked if Miami jumps out to another quick start in this one and runs away with it in the second half.

Free College Football Picks: Miami -3
Prediction: Miami 27 – Clemson 13

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Minnesota Golden Gophers
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 12:00 ET
Location: Mall of America Field, Minneapolis, MN
Game Line: Minnesota +5.5
Over/Under 53.5

There's something fishy that's bothering us about this game. The Wildcats are 4-0 this year, and even though they haven't looked all that great in doing so, there's a great chance for them to crack into the Top 25 with wins in these next few weeks. QB Dan Persa has been one of the most efficient signal callers in the entire land, as he has accounted for 1,221 yards of offense and ten total scores against just one pick on the year. His 80.2 completion percentage is also the tops that the country has to offer for QBs with at least 100 attempts. The Northwestern defense also ranks 22nd in the nation in scoring defense at 15.5 points per game and hasn't allowed more than 25 all season long to a foe. Meanwhile, Minnesota is a mess. The Gophers have lost three straight, all at home, and they haven't covered any of the three games. The offense has totally lost its identity after rumbling all over the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders on opening night on the ground. As for the defense, is it ever a good thing to give up 41 points to South Dakota? 32 to USC was remotely acceptable, but 34 to Northern Illinois really wasn't either. So why on earth are the Wildcats only short favorites? Logic tells you that at some point, the Golden Gophers are winning a game at home, and with the only home dates left after this one coming against Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa, there is certainly a desperation to avoid a winless season at home. Don't be shocked if this one ends with the mild upset.

Free College Football Picks: Minnesota +5.5
Prediction: Minnesota 37 – Northwestern 31

Matchup: Navy Midshipmen @ Air Force Falcons
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 2:30 ET
Location: Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO
Game Line: Air Force -10
Over/Under 49.5

If you like the triple option, this is the game for you! The Middies and Falcons clearly do it as well as anyone in the country, and they'll do it down after down after down regardless of what the situation is. The bottom line here is that these offenses are both stellar and both know exactly what the other defense is up to. For Navy, it's QB Ricky Dobbs that is going to be leading the way one year after he led the nation in rushing TDs. For Air Force, QB Tim Jefferson has the ability to throw some as well as running the option to a high level of success. The question that is going to separate these two teams is whether either can really stop the other or not. So far this year, no team is holding foes to fewer passing yards per game than the Naval Academy at 99.3, while the defense ranks in the Top 25 in both total 'D' (262.0 YPG, 12th) and scoring 'D' (15.7 PPG, 24th). For Air Force, the unit has been a little bit more modest at 306.8 yards per game and 19.0 points per game. The difference that we must consider though, is strength of schedule. The Falcons have already taken on BYU, Oklahoma, and Wyoming this year, a far cry from Louisiana Tech and Maryland Terrapins for Navy. This is a lot of points, but we are going to trust the hosts to sink the Middies in what could be a big statement game towards the Commander in Chief Trophy.

Free College Football Picks: Air Force -10
Prediction: Air Force 45 – Navy 28

Matchup: Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 3:30 ET
Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX
Game Line: Oklahoma -3
Over/Under 45

Speaking of games that look a little fishy… Ok, we'll be the first to admit that the two combatants in the Red River Rivalry this year haven't played up to par, especially last week when the 'Horns were trashed at home by the UCLA Bruins 34-12. Oklahoma hasn't played well either, except when good competition comes calling. The Florida State Seminoles were dumped 47-17. Aside from that, the Sooners haven't beaten anyone by more than a TD this year. Still, we tend to think that DC Will Muschamp is going to be the difference maker in this game. We aren't quite sure how he does it game in and game out, but Muschamp always finds a way to frustrate opposing quarterbacks and come up with great game plans. He got a great look at QB Landry Jones last year and knows what the sophomore is up to. Now, it will be up to the likes of DE Sam Acho to get to Jones and pressure the OU offense into some dumb decisions. The season is on the line for the Longhorns, who absolutely will not be able to recover from defeat. We tend to believe that Texas got its wake up call last weekend and will be able to shake it off. Oklahoma has had some close calls, but has yet to be defeated. If the Sooners just try to coast by in this one, they'll get beaten and potentially beaten bad. We love the Longhorns on Saturday afternoon.

Free College Football Picks: Texas +3
Prediction: Texas 27 – Oklahoma 16

Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers @ Michigan State Spartans
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 3:30 ET
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Game Line: Michigan State +2
Over/Under 50.5

Will the real Wisconsin Badgers please stand up? The Badgers have had three very questionable games and one totally dominating one this year, but that doesn't instill a lot of confidence in us that this is a squad that is really ready for Big Ten play this year. We know what we're getting out of Michigan State, a team that we are convinced is incredibly overrated. Without that "Little Giants" play, the Spartans are 3-1 right now and are probably 5-6 point underdogs against the Badgers, particularly off of their 70-3 romp over Austin Peay last week. We tend to believe that we've seen as good as it gets out of HC Mark Dantonio's men. We know that we haven't seen the best from Wisconsin yet. There's a reason that this is a Top 10 team in the nation. The combination of a massive, veteran offensive line, a second year quarterback that many think is a pro prospect (QB Scott Tolzein), a Heisman Trophy caliber running back (RB John Clay), and a defense that is historically stifling should be too tough to tame. If the Badgers can give this one everything that they have, they'll pick up a monstrous win in Big Ten play to start off their march towards the Rose Bowl this year.

Free College Football Picks: Wisconsin -2
Prediction: Wisconsin 34 – Michigan State 16

Matchup: Tennessee Volunteers @ LSU Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 3:30 ET
Location: Tigers Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Game Line: LSU -16.5
Over/Under 42.5

Perception is certainly down right now on HC Derek Dooley's team, especially after needing OT to just narrowly knock off a bad UAB Blazers squad last week. However, this is a team that finds ways to scrap and claw in games and just stick around to be a thorn in the opposition's side, something that the Bayou Bengals will be finding out on Saturday afternoon. We still have absolutely zero confidence in QB Jordon Jefferson's abilities to run this offense. The Tigers rank 116th in the nation in passing 'O' at 110.0 yards per game and just 102nd overall at 299.8 yards per game. The toughest part of this schedule hasn't even gotten started yet. In order to cover 16.5 points in NCAA football betting action, you have to find a way to score at least 17 points. Though this is a team that has scored at least 20 in all four of its games, it is also one that has not scored more than 30 against anyone either. Meanwhile in Rocky Top, QB Matt Simms is starting to round into his own, and it could get scary for the opposition as this season wears on. Simms has a 6/3 TD/INT ratio and has thrown for 836 yards in four games. No, he's not better than his departed brethren QB Jonathan Crompton, but he is doing the little things to make this work. The Vols were victorious here in 2005, so they know that beating the Bayou is possible. We might be a little adventurous to be calling for the outright upset, but this is certain a ton of points that we are catching regardless.

Free College Football Picks: Tennessee +16.5
Prediction: Tennessee 17 – LSU 14

Matchup: Michigan Wolverines @ Indiana Hoosiers
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 3:30 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
Game Line: Indiana +10.5
Over/Under 65

Last year, it was a 36-33 win by the Michigan Wolverines in this series that really started the downward spiral for Big Blue, as things never really got better from there. The Hoosiers have to be beaming with confidence right now from the standpoint that they are 3-0, albeit against lousy competition, but that they have a legitimate chance to go bowling, especially if they can pull off this upset. QB Ben Chappell, again, against bad competition, has been stellar this year and is really learning how to take care of the football. He is completing 72.4 percent of his passes for 890 yards and nine scores without an INT. Meanwhile, all eyes are going to be fixated on Heisman Trophy favorite QB Denard Robinson. All of a sudden, Robinson went from being the second best signal caller on his team to one of the best in the country. He still leads the nation in rushing with 688 yards, and his six rushing scores leads the team. Michigan ranks second in the country in rushing offense at 331.2 yards per game and is tops overall at 562.8 yards per game. An experienced Indiana offense which returns the majority of the players from last year's team that also went into Ann Arbor at 3-0 should be able to move the ball against the offense. The key last year was keeping QB Tate Forcier, and eventually Robinson in the pocket. The two quarterbacks only combined for 21 carries, 39 yards, and a TD. If that's all that Robinson comes up with on Saturday on the road, the Wolverines are in a boatload of trouble. There could be an upset brewing in the Big Ten, but we tend to believe that Big Blue will find a way to narrow survive, just like last year.

Free College Football Picks: Indiana +10.5
Prediction: Michigan 42 – Indiana 38

Matchup: Virginia Tech Hokies @ NC State Wolfpack
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 3:30 ET
Location: Carter Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
Game Line: NC State +3.5
Over/Under 53

When are the oddsmakers going to learn that the Wolfpack are for real? HC Tom O'Brien has a winning team that gained all sorts of momentum from last year's narrow escape at home against the North Carolina Tar Heels to end the year. Since that point, the Wolfpack are 5-0 SU and ATS. QB Russell Wilson is largely to thank for that. The third year starter has thrown for 1,112 yards and 11 TDs against just one INT this year. Many probably don't realize it, but NC State is averaging 434.2 yards per game against a respectable schedule that includes games against C-USA favorites, the UCF Knights, a team that went undefeated last year in the regular season, the Cincinnati Bearcats, and last year's ACC champs, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Though it is fairly clear that this Virginia Tech team is significantly better than your average unranked 2-2 team, we still don't quite buy in yet. RB Ryan Williams is out once again from this game, which really leaves some big question marks at running back. QB Tyrod Taylor is the only man averaging more than 45 rushing yards per game on the season. If NCSU can lock down Taylor in the pocket and keep him from finding deep threats WR Jarrett Boykin and WR Danny Coale, this game will be relatively easy. Time for some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for the Wolfpack in a game in which the wrong team is favored by the oddsmakers.

Free College Football Picks: NC State +3.5
Prediction: NC State 31 – Virginia Tech 20

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in College Football | No Comments »

 
February 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Cappersinfo.com begins its new weekly installment of the Top 10 Teams to bet on across all of sports that you should be betting on religiously this season.  We breakdown the top teams ATS, combine all sports, and rank them. Teams ranked by Score Coefficient Ranking (SCR), which takes the amount of money earned over the course of the season and divides it by the number of games played in relation to games that will be played. Must have 18 games played to qualify.

1: Oregon State Beavers (College Basketball) (14-5 ATS, +$850) (SCR: 34.0) The Beavers continued to roll for college basketball betting fans by taking a 63-55 SU win at Arizona on Saturday and covering ASU by the hook on Thursday.

2: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (College Basketball) (14-5 ATS, +$850) (SCR: 34.0) Watch out for Southern Miss! The Golden Eagles have covered eight out of nine, including roadies at UTEP, UAB, Houston, and now Tulsa. A 66-50 win against Rice was more than enough to beat the spread on Saturday.

3: North Texas Mean Green (College Basketball) (13-5-1 ATS, +$750) (SCR: 33.9) North Texas' win over Denver on Saturday helped keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. A 68-46 win at New Orleans on Thursday was far more impressive.

4: Syracuse Orange (College Basketball) (15-6 ATS, +$840) (SCR: 31.2) Any time you can say that you've won ten straight Big East games and are 7-3 ATS in those games, you've done something special. Syracuse gets a pass for "only" beating Connecticut by five as ten-point favorites.

5: Kansas State Wildcats (College Basketball) (13-5-1 ATS, +$750) (SCR: 30.0) KSU's romp over Colorado erased the memory of a close call against Iowa State of two weeks ago. That's four out of five for what may be the Big XII's second best squad.

6: Villanova Wildcats (College Basketball) (16-7 ATS, +$830) (SCR: 28.5) The Cats won't mind not covering Providence this week, especially after going into Morgantown and absolutely demolishing the Mountaineers.

7: Northwestern Wildcats (College Basketball) (14-6 ATS, +$740) (SCR: 28.5) A loss to Iowa midweek probably signaled the end of the season for the Wildcats. More defeats like that one will send Northwestern off of this list as well.

8: New Mexico Lobos (College Basketball) (16-7-2 ATS, +$830) (SCR: 27.6) Here's a team on the rise. The Lobos spanked UNLV midweek to assert itself as the top team in the MWC. They nearly blew it against Utah on Saturday, but a 68-65 win at least salvaged an ATS push.

9: Washington Capitals (Hockey) (33-29 ATS, +$2,000) (SCR: 24.3) The Caps slumped to three straight losses after posting 14 straight victories. Still, as long as the offense is averaging 3.9 goals per game and has scored at least three in 21 straight, the Caps are probably going to hang on to a spot on this list.

10: San Jose Sharks (Hockey) (31-31 ATS, +$1,908) (SCR: 23.3) San Jose only covered twice in this wicked five-game road trip right before the NHL's sabbatical for the Winter Olympics. The Sharks have a slew of home games coming up, and a lot of those will need to be multi-goal victories to move up on the power polls.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General Sports | No Comments »