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December 30th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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The Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ready to rock and roll on Friday afternoon down in El Paso in the Sun Bowl, one of the most highly anticipated games of the bowl season. These two teams are rich of history and tradition, and they should put on a fantastic show to close out 2010.

Sun Bowl Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Miami Hurricanes
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 2:00 ET
Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Sun Bowl Line: Miami -2.5
Over/Under 47.5

Fighting Irish Notes: The Fighting Irish had to fight hard this year just to make it to a bowl game, as they needed to beat at least two of their final three games of the year to finish at .500 to qualify. They did more than that and took down all three, and they are carrying all of the momentum in the world into the Sun Bowl. Three crucial injuries have crushed this team all season long, as QB Dayne Crist, TE Kyle Rudolph, and RB Armando Allen have all missed substantial time. DT Ian Williams has missed over two months as well, but after his knee injury, he is finally going to be back in the fold in all likelihood. Still, this was a team that averaged 25.8 points per game on offense and allowed just 20.5 points per game on the other side of the ball. As always, this team played a brutal schedule, so these seven wins made for a very legitimate team. Keep an eye on QB Tommy Rees in this one. He is the man that replaced Crist in the lineup after he was knocked out for the season against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Rees completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 905 yards with 10 TDs against eight picks. He's going to be looking for the man that was the constant in this lineup all season long, WR Michael Floyd, who is probably the best pro prospect amongst the Golden Domers. Floyd caught 73 passes for 916 yards and ten scores this year, all of which were team highs.

Hurricanes Notes: If anything happens to QB Jacory Harris, the Hurricanes are in a lot of trouble. Both their second and third string quarterbacks are out of the lineup in this one, which leaves on scholarship quarterbacks left to take snaps. Harris has had all sorts of problems staying healthy this year, and as a result, he only completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,756 yards and 14 TDs against 12 picks. In spite of the fact that this passing game struggled no matter who was calling the shots, WR Leonard Hankerson was incredibly lethal. He caught 66 passes for 1,085 yards and 12 TDs on the season and is legitimately going to be one of the top receivers drafted in the NFL Draft this coming year. On the ground, the three pack of RB Damien Berry, RB Lamar Miller, and RB Mike James all did well this year, pacing an offense that averaged 191.0 yards per game on the ground. Defensively, this unit really has to step up this year. This was probably the reason that Head Coach Randy Shannon was fired before this game. Though there were times that "The U" really played well on this side of the ball, allowing 167.3 yards per game just wasn't acceptable. This unit did allowed 54 points over the course of the last two games of the season against the Virginia Tech Hokies and the South Florida Bulls.

The Final Word: The Hurricanes just have far too many question marks in this game, and it is a little puzzling to us as to why they are the favorites in this game after having lost back to back games to end the season. Notre Dame is riding a wave of momentum right now, and the Golden Domers should finish up this year with a fulfilling victory in El Paso.

Sun Bowl Free Pick: Notre Dame +2.5
Sun Bowl Prediction: Notre Dame 30 – Miami 21

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

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The Clemson Tigers and South Florida Bulls 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 Meineke Car Care Bowl. Which team will beat the college football betting lines? Check out our preview and our Meineke Car Care Bowl picks.

Meineke Bowl Matchup: South Florida Bulls vs. Clemson Tigers
Date: Friday, December 31st, 12:00 ET
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Meineke Bowl Line: Clemson -5.5
Over/Under 40.5

Bulls Notes: The good news for Head Coach Skip Holtz is that his team really did a nice job this year responding to his system defensively. For a team that struggled at times last year, holding teams to just 19.5 points per game was fantastic. However, the offense really didn't do well enough for this team to finish significantly better than .500. The Bulls didn't ran higher than No. 71 in the nation in any major offensive category this year, and 312.2 yards per game ranked No. 69 of the 70 bowl teams in the country this season. QB BJ Daniels went in the wrong direction this year after a relatively successful freshman season in which he replaced the injured QB Matt Grothe. This year, Daniels only completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 1,496 yards and 9 TDs. Tossing 12 picks was awful for a man that only averaged 18.2 passes per game this year. His top target was WR Dontavia Bogan, who caught 46 passes for 670 yards and five TDs. On the ground, things weren't significantly better, but for a team that had a run/pass ratio of over 1.50:1, this is the most important part of the team. RB Moise Plancher was the team's leading rusher with 743 yards, while RB Demetris Murray will carry the ball a lot as well. He had 517 yards this year. Both had four trips to the end zone.

Tigers Notes: Clemson knows that it really underachieved this year. Though the defense was fantastic, the lack of an offense was the reason why this team went 5-0 for 'under' bettors on the campaign. The Tigers built their defense around DE Da'Quan Bowers, who was the nation's sack leader. This team only conceded 312.4 yards per game and 17.8 points per game, making this one of the best units in the ACC. Before giving up 29 to the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson had held six straight foes to 16 points or fewer. However, in those six games, it only went 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS. Thank the offense, which also really wasn't worth much this year, much like its counterparts in this game. The Tigers only got 2,080 yards out of QB Kyle Parker this year, and he had 12 TDs against 10 picks. On the ground, both RB Jamie Harper and RB Andre Ellington played relatively well, but neither was all that explosive. The two combined for 1,415 yards and 16 scores on the campaign, but this accounted for half of the offensive TDs on the year.

The Final Word: Clemson is probably the better team in this game, but we aren't really so sure that that is going to translate into a victory. The Tigers will get some good defensive player for certain, but Daniels and company should be able to put just enough points on the board to win this game outright. Don't be shocked if this starts all of the upsets that we have all been waiting for on New Year's Eve.

Meineke Bowl Free Pick: South Florida +5.5
Meineke Bowl Prediction: South Florida 23 – Clemson 20

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

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The Holiday Bowl pits teams from the Big XII and the Pac-10 against each other every single season. This year's set of college football picks on this illustrious battle doesn't quite have the same luster as normal, as the Washington Huskies were a bit of a farce this season, while the Nebraska Cornhuskers don't even feel like a Big XII team anymore since they are moving to the Big Ten next year. Still, this is the only rematch of the bowl season from a regular season duel. The Cornhuskers won the first go around by five TDs up in Seattle, and U-Dub has a ton of work to do if it thinks it is turning the tide in this one.

Holiday Bowl Matchup: Washington Huskies vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 10:00 ET
Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Holiday Bowl Line: Nebraska -13.5
Over/Under 52.5

Huskies Notes: Washington just has to feel fortunate to be playing in a bowl game this year. The only reason that it has moved so far up the bowl ladder is because the Arizona Wildcats slid down the stretch and were shut out in this game last year, and the Holiday Bowl wanted some new blood. With both the Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks going to the BCS, this was the only bowl eligible team remaining to select. QB Jake Locker will be playing in his final game at U-Dub, and it is his first and only bowl appearance as well. He remembers that dreadful 4-for-20 game against the Black Shirts defense when these teams met in the Northwest, as it was a game that probably cost him millions of dollars this year in the NFL Draft. Locker really needs a big performance to leave a good taste in the mouths of the scouts for these NFL teams, as he has never had a 3,000 yard season and with a loss here, will have never led his team to an above .500 record. Do keep an eye on WR Jermaine Kearse and RB Chris Polk. These are the two men that have any chance of helping this offense out, along with Locker. Polk accounted for 1,238 yards and eight scores on the ground, while Kearse led the team in receiving with 56 grabs for 954 yards and 12 trips to the end zone. Washington has the worst scoring discrepancy of teams in the bowl season, getting outscored by 9.1 points per game on average on the campaign. The only positive to look at is that the Huskies did win their final three games of the season both SU and against the college football odds.

Cornhuskers Notes: This isn't quite what Nebraska had in mind this year, especially in its final season in the Big XII. However, going to the Big XII Championship Game for a second straight season and nearly taking down the Oklahoma Sooners provided a nice consolation prize here in San Diego. The key to watch out for is how well the Nebraska running game takes care of the Washington defense. When these teams met the first time around, all three of the Huskers' main runners made it to the 100+ yard barrier. It would be unfair to assume that RB Roy Helu, RB Rex Burkhead, and QB Taylor Martinez are going to be able to put on that type of a show once again, but if they do, they'll all end up as 1,000 yard runners, marking the second time in the history of college football that that would have happened, joining last year's Nevada Wolf Pack. Martinez needs 58 yards on the ground to get there, while Burkhead has to have 88 yards. Should Burkhead score three TDs, this would also be one of just three trios in the country to have three players with ten rushing touchdowns as well. The 'D' for Nebraska stumbled just a tad down the stretch, but there is no doubt that this is the superior unit in this game. The Cornhuskers average allowing just 294.8 yards and 17.2 points per game.

The Final Word: The only question in our minds is whether or not Nebraska really wants to be here in the Holiday Bowl or not. If it does, it is going to smoke the Huskies for a second time this year. If not, that's when the upset can happen. Locker is probably one of the most overrated players in the country though, and he isn't going to be able to get the job done. If U-Dub couldn't do it at home, it isn't going to be able to do it at the Holiday Bowl either.

Holiday Bowl Free Pick: Nebraska -13.5
Holiday Bowl Prediction: Nebraska 44 – Washington 21

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

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The great of Tennessee is going to be decked out in white and orange with fans screaming the lyrics to Rocky Top at the tops of their lungs on Thursday, as the Tennessee Volunteers will essentially play host to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Music City Bowl Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 6:30 ET
Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Music City Bowl Line: Tennessee pk
Over/Under 50.5

Tar Heels Notes: Give Head Coach Butch Davis some credit for really surging through this year in spite of the fact that he lost a ton of players due to ineligibility right at the outset of the season. The men in baby blue really could have just curled into a ball and died, but they continued to fight to make it here to the Music City Bowl. They were clearly playing in the better half of the ACC, as the Coastal Division provided a ton of challenges. This was still a very respectable club offensively this year, averaging 335.0 yards and 22.9 points per game allowed, but there just wasn't enough here to be the truly dominating force that we were expecting at the start of the season. Offensively, QB TJ Yates did a great job without really having a ton of help. He threw for 3,184 yards and 18 TDs against eight picks, and though those numbers aren't exactly screaming at you, he was a much maligned signal caller before this year and has seemed to win over some of the faithful in Chapel Hill. WR Dwight Jones was the only man in this offense that caught more than 30 passes or had more than 400 yards this year. He snared 57 balls for 895 yards. RB Johnny White had 720 yards on the ground and visited the end zone seven times.

Volunteers Notes: If you want to talk about some fantastic coaching jobs though, you really have to talk about Head Coach Derek Dooley. Dooley was a very, very late hire in Knoxville this year, as he was still the man in charge of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs until deep into the recruiting season. Though that may ultimately cost the boys from Rocky Top down the road, it is clear that Dooley knows what he is doing and is capable of eventually turning this program back around into prominence. He pushed the perfect button in the final four games of the season and gave up on QB Matt Simms, instead electing to go to QB Tyler Bray. Bray promptly dropped 102 points in two games against the Memphis Tigers and Mississippi Rebels, and he never looked back down the stretch. Bray threw for 1,537 yards and 14 TDs against seven picks. The only thing really working against him this year was his completion percentage, which was an iffy 54.7. RB Tauren Poole had 994 yards on the ground this year with 11 scores. The top receiver was WR Denarius Moore, who caught 43 passes for 912 yards, a whopping 21.2 yards per catch average. Moore scored nine times on the campaign.

The Final Word: Though North Carolina might be the more talented team (and certainly would be the more talented team if not for all of the suspensions), it just isn't going to be able to overcome the red hot Volunteers in this one. The men from Rocky Top have a renewed sense of winning right now that came with that four game roll at the end of the season, and anything less than a Music Bowl betting triumph would be a disappointment.

Music City Bowl Free Pick: Tennessee pk
Music City Bowl Prediction: Tennessee 28 – North Carolina 26

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December 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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For the first time in the history of New Yankee Stadium, a bowl game will head to the Big Apple! On Thursday, in the second college football betting battle in the Bronx this year, the Syracuse Orange will take on the Kansas State Wildcats in what should be a hot and heavy duel at the Pinstripe Bowl. Our Pinstripe Bowl picks are hot off the presses in time for Thursday afternoon's clash, and you certainly won't want to miss them!

Pinstripe Bowl Matchup: Kansas State Wildcats vs. Syracuse Orange
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 3:20 ET
Location: New Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Pinstripe Bowl Line: Syracuse -1
Over/Under 48

Wildcats Notes: The Wildcats know that they could be up against it in this game if their defense doesn't prove to stand the test of the Syracuse rushing game. We do have to give KSU some credit for this being a very tough schedule played this year, but when push really comes to shove, we know that these guys allowed the fifth most rushing yards in the land at 219.5 yards per game. That's nearly as many as the Orange are giving up in total! There is still a question as to whether Head Coach Bill Snyder really wants to use QB Carson Coffman or QB Collin Klein under center, but one thing is for certain, and that's that he really doesn't want to let either man throw the ball all that much. KSU once threw just two passes in a game this year, and it was a team that had a run/pass ratio of almost 2:1. RB Daniel Thomas actually ran the ball by himself more times (276) than the Wildcats threw in passes (267) all year. Thomas made the most of those carries, rushing for 1,495 yards and 16 TDs to cap a fabulous two years on the offensive side of the ball. WR Aubrey Quarles was the team's leading receiver with 690 yards on 48 catches, and he was the only man that had more than 25 catches this year that didn't come out of the backfield.

Orange Notes: The first thing that we have to remember when analyzing the Pinstripe Bowl betting odds in this one is that the Orange really did play a soft schedule that included arguably the worst team in major college football (Akron) and the two teams from the FCS (Maine and Colgate). That being said, this was a defense that really was no joke this year. Allowing 270.0 yards per game is probably inflated by about 30 yards, but when push comes to shove, even allowing 300 yards per game is fantastic, especially in major college football, even if the Big East was down just a tad this year. The offense though, was absolutely horrifying. Averaging 309.4 yards per game leaves the 'Cuse ranked dead last amongst the 70 bowl teams this year, and it was only good enough to rank No. 106 in the nation. Now, the team's leading receiver, WR Van Chew, could miss the game as well with a groin injury. If he is out of the lineup, there isn't a player available that caught more than 32 passes or one that had even 400 yards in receiving. QB Ryan Nassib has a lot of pressure on his back, but he did a good job of holding onto the football this year, throwing just eight picks against 16 TDs with 2,095 yards. The key to this offense is on the ground though, where RB Delone Carter rushed for 1,035 yards and seven TDs and RB Antwon Bailey had 504 yards and two scores on 107 carries.

The Final Word: If not for the fact that the Wildcats were just so darn bad against the rush, we would back them in this game. There is a serious motivation factor here as well, as the Wildcats probably aren't going to be so thrilled to be here, especially after a relatively horrible stretch at the end of the year that only featured one win, a narrow escape from the lowly North Texas Mean Green. This should feel like a home game for the 'Cuse, and we tend to believe that they're going to capitalize with an ugly victory.

Pinstripe Bowl Free Pick: Syracuse -1
Pinstripe Bowl Prediction: Syracuse 17 – Kansas State 13

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December 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Once again, the Lone Star State will be the sight of a bowl game on Thursday afternoon, as the SMU Mustangs take on the Army Black Knights in NCAA football betting action. The Armed Forces Bowl should be one of the great ones this year, as these two teams should be putting on a tremendous show.

Armed Forces Bowl Matchup: Army Black Knights vs. SMU Mustangs
Date: Thursday, December 30th, 12:00 ET
Location: Gerald Ford Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Armed Forces Bowl Line: SMU -7.5
Over/Under 51.5

Black Knights Notes: The Black Knights really didn't play much of a schedule this year, but they are going to be proud to be in a bowl game for the first time since the 1996 Independence Bowl. There wasn't a single win against a bowl eligible team this year, and this was an offense that really wasn't all that good. Averaging 340.1 yards per game is nothing to write home about, though the triple option attack really isn't that prone to putting up tremendous numbers. A scoring average of 27.5 points per game was one of the best marks that the Cadets have seen in years, and QB Trent Steelman is to thank. Steelman might have only led a passing attack that ranked dead last in the country, but he was the man running the machine in the triple option. Steelman rushed for 694 yards and a team high 11 TDs this year. RB Jared Hassin might be able to become the second Army running back to reach the 1,000 yard mark in two decades. He is at 931 yards and nine scores so far on the season. Defensively, Army did rank No. 22 in the land at 322.8 yards per game, and though a scoring average of 25.2 points per game was respectable, that average soared up to 34.6 points per game against bowl teams.

Mustangs Notes: Head Coach June Jones knows that he is probably still a year away from SMU really becoming a legitimate challenger for the Top 25. This offense is very, very close, though. Scoring just seven points against the UCF Knights in the Conference USA Championship Game wasn't great, but QB Kyle Padron is right about at the point of explosion, and this might be the game in which he really busts out. He threw for 3,526 yards and 29 TDs this year, and made 1,000 yard receivers out of both WR Aldrick Robinson and WR Cole Beasley. These two men combined for 144 receptions and 19 TDs. However, don't forget about RB Zach Line either. He rumbled for 1,391 yards and ten TDs. Finishing drives is a problem, though. Teams don't normally rank No. 34 in the land in total offense at 416.2 yards per game and only average 26.6 points per game in college football betting action. The defense was a lot more proportionate. The team ranked No. 60 in the country both in total 'D' (363.9 YPG) and scoring (26.4 PPG).

The Final Word: This might be a de facto home game for the Mustangs, but the Cadets are thrilled to be here. Army is going to have a decent shot at winning this game, especially if SMU is disappointed to be here instead of being in the Liberty Bowl. Steelman and the Black Knights should be able to at least keep this one within a TD, and it should be one of these down to the wire games. The Mustangs will pull off the victory, but they won't beat the Armed Forces Bowl odds.

Armed Forces Bowl Free Pick: Army +7.5
Armed Forces Bowl Prediction: SMU 27 – Army 24

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December 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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We hope you're a fan of football from the Lone Star State! If so, this is the day for you! After making your NCAA football picks on the Texas Bowl, kick back and soak in the game just a few miles up the road in San Antonio, where the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Arizona Wildcats will have at it in Alamo Bowl betting action.

Alamo Bowl Matchup: Arizona Wildcats vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Wednesday, December 29th, 9:15 ET
Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Alamo Bowl Line: Oklahoma State -4.5
Over/Under 66.5

Wildcats Notes: The most alarming stat about Arizona this year is that QB Nick Foles hasn't won a game in which he was the starting quarterback and didn't leave injured since Week 4 of the season against the California Golden Bears. That's right. You have to go all the way back to September to find the last time that he was credit for the win in a game. Don't blame Foles, as he has averaged over 340 passing yards per game in that stretch and has thrown for exactly three TDs in that run four times in five games, but his defense and the rest of his team just haven't found ways to get the job done. For the season, Foles did end up with 2,911 yards and 19 TDs against just seven picks, but we have to remember that he missed two full games and essentially all of a third game with a knee injury in the middle of the season. Though not the most fluid offense in the world at times, the U of A knows how to put the stats together. Averaging 447.4 yards and 29.8 points per game was above average in the Pac-10, though that's not saying much since it is one of the four teams that were bowl eligible this year in this conference. WR Juron Criner is going to be in for a big day in all likelihood. He led the team this year in receiver with 74 grabs for 1,197 yards and ten scores. However, Head Coach Mike Stoops knows that the running game is going to be key. RB Keola Antolin and RB Nick Grigsby combined to rush for just 1,141 yards this year, but they did visit the end zone 15 times between them. A defense which allowed just 14.4 points per game in the first eight games of the season ended the year with four games in which it allowed 36.0 points per game, and matters could be made worse, not better, by the time the Alamo Bowl is over with tonight.

Cowboys Notes: If you love high flying teams that just damn playing defense on a regular basis and want to snap the ball 80 times per night, Okie State is the team for you. Head Coach Mike Gundy is going full speed ahead 100% of the time, even if his team is leading late in games. Sure, this quick fire offense has ultimately put the defense in some compromising positions this year, as it allowed 413.5 yards and 27.8 points per game this year, but when your offense in this good, you get a few passes. We also have to remember that the Cowboys did play one of the most difficult schedules in the nation. They didn't end up playing Iowa State and Colorado in the Big XII North, and they had both the Troy Trojans and Tulsa Golden Hurricane, both of which had great years and are bowling this season, out of conference. That gives even more credibility to this offense, which was really supposed to struggle at times this year with the departures of WR Dez Bryant and QB Zac Robinson. Unfortunately for the Big XII, no such luck. QB Brandon Weeden was the man that made the machine go. He threw for 4,037 yards and 32 TDs this year, and Gundy is already eyeing him for a 5,000 yard year next season. His top receiver was sophomore WR Justin Blackmon, who came out of nowhere to catch 102 passes for 1,665 yards and 18 TDs in 2010. On the ground, RB Kendall Hunter was great, rushing 261 times for 1,516 yards and 16 scores. To make matters worse for the rest of the country, all of these guys are still young and have at least one, and if some cases, multiple years in Stillwater. This unit was already averaging over 540 yards per game this year, second behind just the Oregon Ducks nationally, and we can only imagine what another year of training is going to do for these guys.

The Final Word: Even though this has lately become a bowl season of upsets and unexpected results, we think that we should finally expect the expected instead of the unexpected on Wednesday night. The Cowboys overachieved all season long, while Arizona, once a Top 10 team in the country in its own right, really has just fallen off the face of the earth. There should be a ton of points in this one, but when push really comes to shove, the game will belong to Okie State, as there will be celebrating in the streets of Stillwater on Wednesday.

Alamo Bowl Free Pick: Oklahoma State -4.5
Alamo Bowl Prediction: Oklahoma State 51 – Arizona 38

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December 28th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Down in the Lone Star State, the field at Reliant Stadium should be alight with tons of green, gold, blue, and orange. The Illinois Fighting Illini and their prolific running attack will take on the Baylor Bears and their "Air Bear" assault on Wednesday afternoon, and NCAA football betting fans certainly aren't going to want to miss this one! Take a look at our Texas Bowl picks for Wednesday night.

Texas Bowl Matchup: Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Baylor Bears
Date: Wednesday, December 29th, 6:00 ET
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Texas Bowl Line: Baylor -1
Over/Under 62.5

Fighting Illini Notes: Head Coach Ron Zook knew that he was going to be up against it this year if he didn't bring Illinois to a bowl game this year. However, even with that in mind, he trusted a true freshman as his quarterback for the entire season, as QB Nathan Scheelhaase led the way for the Illini. Scheelhaase didn't make for a terrific passer this year, as he only completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,583 yards and 17 TDs against eight picks. There were some real moments of brilliance, and we have to remember that this was just a first year man that has a lot of growth still over the course of the next three years in Champaign. Scheelhaase ran all over the field though when his number was called, rumbling for 806 yards and four TDs. RB Mikel LeShoure was really the dominator, though, and without him, Illinois would never have been anywhere near bowl eligibility. He had the best game of the year on the ground in the country, accounting for 330 yards and three TDs against the Northwestern Wildcats, and when it was said and done, he finished with 1,522 yards and 14 TDs. In total, Illinois rushed for 243.5 yards per game this year, one of the best marks in the Big Ten and No. 13 in the nation. The real concern for Baylor in Texas Bowl betting action is that this Illinois defense really has played substantially better ball this year than in years past. Allowing 340.4 yards per game ranked No. 38 in the country, and the end result was giving up just 24.2 points per game.

Bears Notes: In the third year of his collegiate career, QB Robert Griffin did his job and took this team on his back to the Texas Bowl. He threw for 3,159 yards and 21 TDs against eight picks, and he rushed for 591 yards and eight tuddies. There were five different players that had at least 36 receptions this year for the Bears, and though only WR Josh Gordon averaged more than 12.5 yards per reception on this team, there was definitely no shortage of yardage. All five receivers had at least 379 yards. WR Kendall Wright led the way with 66 receptions, 825 yards, and six TDs. The running game has been key this year as well. RB Jay Finley had some tremendous games this year, and he ended the campaign with 1,155 yards and 11 trips to the end zone. The Bears ended up averaging 480.4 yards per game this year, ranking No. 13 in the country, and this was one of the handful of teams in the country that averaged over 200 yards per game both through the air and on the ground. The defense was terrible down the stretch, though, giving up at least 42 points in each of its last three games. In total, 420.2 yards per game was just too high, even by Big XII standards, and the end result was a lofty 29.8 points per game average. When push came to shove though, just getting to a bowl game was good enough for this team, which competed for the Big XII South title until the very end of the campaign.

The Final Word: Baylor just isn't as good as Illinois is this year, and if recent form was any indication, the Illini are the team that we have to go with. Griffin is inevitably going to end up playing his heart out, especially right in his own backyard in Houston, but there's going to be too much LeShoure for the Bears to stop. Scheelhaase has a breakout day and leads Illinois to victory.

Texas Bowl Free Pick: Illinois -1
Texas Bowl Prediction: Illinois 38 – Baylor 34

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December 28th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Military Bowl will be playing its third edition at FedEx Field in our nation's capitol, and the hometown team, the Maryland Terrapins will be taking on a team from just up the road, the East Carolina Pirates. This clash should be a very, very interesting one, as these two teams have significantly different styles, and it should make for a great duel for NCAA football betting fans to take in. Check out our Military Bowl picks for Wednesday afternoon.

Military Bowl Matchup: East Carolina Pirates vs. Maryland Terrapins
Date: Wednesday, December 29th, 2:30 ET
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Military Bowl Line: Maryland -7.5
Over/Under 67.5

Pirates Notes: The Pirates are the far more interesting team in this game, as there is no doubt that this team is going to be scoring a ton of points, but will be conceding just as many. We'll start on defenses, where things were just awful this year. Six different teams put at least 49 on the board against ECU, including a season worst 76 points allowed to the Navy Midshipmen, the second most points conceded by an FBS team this season and the most for a team that is playing in a bowl game this year. Allowing 480.4 yards per game ranked dead last in the FBS, and it really goes without saying that this can't be the case again on Wednesday if the Pirates really have any chance of winning the Military Bowl. Regardless of how bad the defense plays on a regular basis, ECU is never out of games because of how strong QB Dominique Davis is. Davis is familiar with the Terps having transferred from Boston College. He had the second most TDs in college football this year with a total of 45, trailing just Auburn's QB Cam Newton. Davis threw for 36 TDs and 3,687 yards, and he was certainly good for a few miracles along the way, such as the Hail Mary against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at the start of the season. Davis has two fantastic receivers to get the ball to. WR Dwayne Harris caught 93 passes for 1,055 yards and ten TDs this year, while WR Lance Lewis had 78 grabs for 979 yards and 13 trips to the end zone. On the ground, RB Jonathan Williams had 846 yards and ten TDs.

Terrapins Notes: Poor Head Coach Ralph Friedgen knows that this is probably the last game of his coaching career, as he has been bought out by the team and will be replaced by Mike Leach once this one is over with. This came as a bit of a shock for a man that figured to be able to stay in College Park for as long as he wanted, especially after getting back on track this year after a terrible year in 2009. The Terrapins didn't end up winning the ACC this year, but to think that this was a team that was really in it the entire way in the Atlantic Division was impressive. Maryland was shoddy at times offensively, though the ACC never really gave it a week off. Averaging 345.0 yards per game is one of the worst marks amongst teams in bowl game this year, but 30.7 points per game was enough to win eight games on the campaign. Over the course of the last five games of the season, the Terps averaged 35.6 points per game in spite of the fact that they only went 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS. The hero of this offense this year was WR Torrey Smith, who caught 65 balls for 1,045 yards and 12 TDs, but he really sparked the team in the finale against the NC State Wolfpack, catching 14 passes, four of which went for TDs. QB Danny O'Brien threw for 2,257 yards and 21 TDs this year against just six picks, and his key is going to be taking care of the football. Maryland knows that its defense is going to be tested in this one, especially by Davis. Allowing anywhere near the team's averages of 352.7 yards and 22.3 points per game would be quite the accomplishment and would probably be enough to beat the Military Bowl odds going away.

The Final Word: This one is just too important for the Terps to lose. East Carolina is probably one of the worst bowl teams this year in the nation, and there was a reason that this squad just wasn't expected to challenge in Conference USA. The Pirates overachieved all season long, but this battle is just too difficult for them to overcome. The Terrapins should get some fantastic offense going, and Smith should really shine with a tremendous afternoon. If that's the case, just a few stops on the Pirates should be enough to seal the deal by a double digit margin.

Military Bowl Free Pick: Maryland -7.5
Military Bowl Prediction: Maryland 44 – East Carolina 28

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

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Making college football bowl picks on the Insight Bowl could be intimidating, as this matchup between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Missouri Tigers is one with a ton of ins and outs that could trip you up. However, we have all of the news and notes, along with the stats and analysis in this one to point you in the right direction for your Insight Bowl picks!

Insight Bowl Matchup: Missouri Tigers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Date: Tuesday, December 28th, 10:00 ET
Location: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ
Insight Bowl Line: Missouri -2.5
Over/Under 46.5

Tigers Notes: The Tigers have had a fantastic year, but they might be up against it in the Insight Bowl against a hungry Iowa team with a lot to prove. This was a team that was really built on its defense, something that you don't normally see in the Big XII, especially this year with any sort of success. No one in Columbia probably thought that Mizzou was going to hold teams to 15.2 points per game this year, but this was the difference for a team that probably underachieved on the other side of the ball when push came to shove. Sure, the Tigers averaged 30.3 points per game, but we're talking about a squad that didn't have a 500 yard rusher, a 3,000 yard passer, or a 1,000 yard receiver all season long. RB De'Vion Moore was the leading rusher at 485 yards with eight scores, but the man that carried the ball the most this year was QB Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert had 99 rushes for 239 yards and four scores. He only threw for 2,752 yards and 15 TDs this season, but he was only picked off seven times as well. Gabbert was through to be a shoe in for a 3,000 yard season, but he just never really got going and was never able to get the ball up the field all that much. The top two receivers on the team, WR TJ Moe and WR Michael Egnew only averaged 11.6 and 8.4 yards per reception. Yes, they had a combined 160 catches, but these aren't the types of numbers that the 'Zou figured to put up this year.

Hawkeyes Notes: The big problem for the Hawkeyes in this one is that they have lost the services of RB Adam Robinson and WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos in this one. Between these two players, Iowa is losing 2,016 yards between rushing and receiving and 21 TDs. The good news is that RB Marcus Coker has had some good games this year and has averaged 5.0 yards per carry. WR Marvin McNutt also had a great year on the outside, catching 51 balls for 798 yards and eight TDs. QB Ricky Stanzi is going to be finishing up a fantastic career at Iowa, and many think that he is going to go down as the best signal caller in the history of this program. In 2.5 years as a starter, Stanzi didn't lose his first game until the third week of this season. He threw for 2,804 yards this year and had 28 TDs against just four picks, and he had one of the best TD/INT ratios in the entire country. Efficiency is the key of this Iowa offense, as keeping the ball is really the road to success. The Hawkeyes had some major ups and downs this year, but when they were on defensively, they were virtually impossible to score on. They held four of their first five foes to seven points or fewer, and they had two more games over the course of the year in which they kept teams to 13 points or fewer. There were some real duds, though, and if this unit puts up one of those blanks in this one, it is going to be a long, uphill climb to be able to take down the Tigers. Still, for a unit that allowed just 312.5 yards per game this year, one of the best 'D's that the Big Ten had to offer isn't one to overlook.

The Final Word: The Insight Bowl betting lines have moved just a bit in Missouri's favor after the notice of the suspensions. Perhaps against a team that didn't quite play as well on the defensive side of the ball, the Hawkeyes would be the pick in this one. However, they just don't have enough options available here on offense to be able to score enough points to win this game. If Gabbert and company can get to 24 in this one, that should be more than enough to beat the Insight Bowl odds.

Insight Bowl Free Pick: Missouri -2.5
Insight Bowl Prediction: Missouri 24 – Iowa 13

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