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Posts Tagged ‘Stanford Cardinal’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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Matchup: Florida Gators @ Alabama Crimson Tide
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
Game Line: Alabama -8.5
Over/Under 48

This is the game that everyone has been waiting for this year. The winner of the Alabama/Florida battle has played for the BCS Championship in each of the last two seasons, and this year very well might not be an exception either. The Gators enter this one with a defense that is probably significantly underrated. There aren't many teams in the land that can say that they have held four teams, all of FBS quality to 17 points or less. RB Jeff Demps has been knocked up just a tad, but that is probably because he has been called upon too many times this year. Still, this is a man with lightning quick speed that can bust a game open in a heartbeat. Watch out for QB/WR/RB Trey Burton, who comes in on the goal line to run the old QB Tim Tebow playbook. QB John Brantley might not be capable, but Burton already has seven scores on the year on the ground and one through the air. As for Brantley, he is improving as his center Mike Pouncey is improving. He has thrown for 700 yards with six scores and a pick this year. However, stopping the Tide is going to be a totally different challenge. RB Mark Ingram is averaging over 150 yards per game on the ground since coming back to the lineup, while QB Greg McElroy still hasn't lost a game at this level. He came up big last week, throwing for 194 yards in the comeback win against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Still, when push comes to shove, we think that we've seen every trick in HC Nick Saban's book. We certainly haven't seen it all out of HC Urban Meyer as of yet. This could be a mighty interesting game, and we want as many points as we can in this NCAA football showdown.

Free College Football Picks: Florida +8.5
Prediction: Florida 24 – Alabama 23

Matchup: Stanford Cardinal @ Oregon Ducks
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Game Line: Oregon -6.5
Over/Under 66

These two Top 10 teams could both be in the running both for the Rose Bowl and for the National Championship, and both are clearly at the top of their game right now. The Quack Attack might have the best offense in the land, and RB LaMichael James might be reintroducing himself to the world on Saturday night. James has rushed for 475 yards this year, which is saying something considering the fact that he was suspended for the first game of the year. This is an offense which has put at least 42 points on the board in all four meetings. Of course, save that 31 points against Arizona State last week, the 'D' had only allowed 13 total points as well. It's not like Stanford has slacked, though. In two home games, the Cardinal have a combined margin of victory of 120-41. On the road, it is 72-14. QB Andrew Luck might be making himself a Heisman Trophy contender. He'll get over the 1,000 yard mark for the year on Saturday, and he'll hopefully add to his 11 TDs on the season. The problem that Luck has is that no one will be watching this game, since they'll all be watching Alabama play Florida. The good news for Luck, though? He'll be leading a tremendous upset at Autzen Stadium.

Free College Football Picks: Stanford +6.5
Prediction: Stanford 38 – Oregon 34

Matchup: Washington Huskies @ USC Trojans
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Game Line: USC -10
Over/Under 60.5

If there is one game that the Trojans should be getting up for this year, this is it. The Huskies embarrassed USC last year, and considering the fact that there isn't a bowl game to look forward to, an immense heaping of payback would be the sweetest recourse. U-Dub has a lot of troubles right now. The Huskies need to get a much better game out of QB Jake Locker, and Locker needs to have the big game as well, not just for his team, but for his NFL Draft stock as well. It feels like centuries ago, but two weeks ago when Locker ran up against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, he only went 4-for-20 through the air. QB Matt Barkley has already thrown for 12 TDs and 941 yards this year, and he is clearly showing that he wants to lead this team. The last time that Washington came to LA, the Men of Troy won 56-0. It might not be that bad in the end, but when push comes to shove, even a victory by 11 points is as good as one by 50. Back the Trojans on Saturday night.

Free College Football Picks: USC -10
Prediction: USC 34 – Washington 17

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Boston College Eagles
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA
Game Line: Boston College +2.5
Over/Under 46

The two Catholic schools that are bitter rivals in on the collegiate gridiron will duke it out on Saturday night. The Eagles and Fighting Irish really don't like each other, and that really takes away the fact that neither of these teams are heading anywhere in particular this year. Notre Dame badly needs a win to get going, or HC Brian Kelly might be finding himself out on the streets very, very soon in his first year. QB Dayne Crist has thrown for 1,155 yards and eight scores this year, which is a far cry from what anyone on Boston College has been capable of doing this year. The Eagles are coming off of a pathetic offensive performance that they have had in quite some time in the form of a 19-0 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies. This is an interesting battle between teams that could blow up and could fizzle out. BC has covered three of the L/4 in this series, but this seems to be too important of a game for the Fighting Irish to lose. We've been losing with the Golden Domers quite a bit, but we still think this is a team that is underrated and is worthy of backing.

Free College Football Picks: Notre Dame -2.5
Prediction: Notre Dame 27 – Boston College 20

Matchup: Penn State Nittany Lions @ Iowa Hawkeyes
Date: Saturday, October 2nd, 8:05 ET
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
Game Line: Iowa -7
Over/Under 40.5

This is a very interesting tussle between two teams that don't like each other, and no one is really talking about it. The Hawkeyes just seem to have Penn State's number, and HC Joe Paterno knows that this is going to be a very, very difficult task. His freshman QB Robert Bolden is trying his best this year, but he is only completing 60.2 percent of his passes for 823 yards with three scores and five picks. Last week was the resurgence of RB Evan Royster, who finally had his first 100 yard rushing game against the Temple Owls. However, Iowa is still upset about that loss to the Arizona Wildcats two weeks ago. The Hawkeyes still have to have the ability to win the BCS Championship, but they have a lot of work to do and need to get quite a bit of help in doing so. QB Ricky Stanzi has thrown for 999 yards and has nine scores and a pick, but the Hawkeyes' 'D' has been the key. Save allowing 34 to Arizona, the defense has only allowed a total of 14 points in three games. Go with the Hawkeyes and lay the tuddy.

Free College Football Picks: Iowa -7
Prediction: Iowa 21 – Iowa State 7

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September 24th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Bowling Green Falcons (+25.5) @ Michigan Wolverines
Saturday, September 25th
12:00 ET, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI

A week after the Wolverines really struggled with the Massachusetts Minutemen, they have to get right back at it against a relatively potent Bowling Green offense. We all know how good QB Denard Robinson is, and we aren't doubting that he is going to go off for 400+ yards of total offense and five scores in this one, as Bowling Green's defense is flat out terrible. However, the Falcons are a 3-0 ATS team this year for a reason. The oddsmakers still aren't giving them nearly enough respect. Yes, QB Tyler Sheehan and WR Freddie Barnes are both gone, but the combination of QB Aaron Pankratz and WR Kamar Jorden should be enough to beat this number. QB Matt Schilz is out of action in this one, but are we really going to miss a guy who has thrown for just two scores and four picks on the year? We think not. The Falcons will stick around in this game and improve to 8-0-1 ATS in their L/9 overall.

Prediction: Michigan 41 – Bowling Green 24
NC State Wolfpack (+8) @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Saturday, September 25th
12:00 ET, Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA

The Techsters need to be awfully careful in this game. The team with the best rush defense right now in the ACC has been NC State, and this is a team that really can do some damage this year. QB Russell Wilson just doesn't throw interceptions, and this year has been no exception to the rule that he started in his freshman season three years ago. If HC Tom O'Brien's defense can force just a couple turnovers and ground the triple option of Georgia Tech for just a few drives, Wilson and the offense have the skill to do some real damage here. Don't be so sure that the Ramblin' Wreck are rolling to 2-0 in conference play. This NC State team reminds us a lot of the team that O'Brien left a few years ago, as his first season away from Boston College was when the Eagles moved up as high as No. 2 in the land. A college football upset might be in the cards on Saturday.

Prediction: NC State 30 – Georgia Tech 27
Alabama Crimson Tide @ Arkansas Razorbacks (+7)
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR

Yesterday, we called for QB Ryan Mallett to lead the Hogs to an upset of the Crimson Tide, and for good reason. He is the only 1,000 yard passer in the nation coming into this week, and he is going to test the newly constructed Alabama defense for the first time all season. This isn't a freshman quarterback coming to Tuscaloosa under the lights like it was a few weeks ago for the Tide against the Penn State Nittany Lions, and though QB Sean Renfree is solid for the Duke Blue Devils, the Razorbacks are certainly several steps up from the ACC cellar dwellers. Alabama is the best team in the nation and we aren't taking anything away from it. However, HC Nick Saban knows that his team has one get out of jail free card under its belt this year, as even an 11-1 (or as the case may have it, 12-1) Crimson Tide team is probably heading to the BCS Championship. The duel with Florida next week might still be first and foremost in the Tide's minds, which could lead for the shocking upset that will shake the nation.

Prediction: Arkansas 35 – Alabama 31
Eastern Michigan Eagles (+44.5) @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH

We aren't exactly calling for an outright upset here, but we have plenty of reason to believe that the Eagles can stick around and at least make this final score look somewhat respectable on Saturday afternoon. First of all, the Buckeyes clearly have bigger fish to fry, as there are plenty of upcoming games against Big Ten foes that are going to be significantly more challenging than this. But the play of Eastern Michigan is improving week by week, and we think that it's only a matter of time until this dreaded losing streak that dates back to 2008 will go by the boards. QB Alex Gillett and RB Dwayne Priest are capable of putting a TD on the board against this defense in garbage time, and if that happens, it's going to take quite the effort from the standpoint of the Buckeyes to beat this hefty spread. We tend to think that OSU is going to leave EMU with a shred of confidence to back to Ypsilanti with.

Prediction: Ohio State 41 – Eastern Michigan 7
UCLA Bruins @ Texas Longhorns (-15.5)
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX

Many are going to be on the bandwagon of HC Rick Neuheisel and company this weekend due to the fact that the Bruins are coming off of a big 31-13 upset of the Houston Cougars from last week. However, we know that without the services of QB Case Keenum (let alone his backup), Houston is nothing more than a mediocre team from a mediocre (at best) conference. This is a totally new challenge. Laying this many points with a Texas offense that has looked shaky in all three of its games is dangerous, but how on earth is UCLA scoring in this one? The Bruins have RB Johnathan Franklin, but the 'Horns have the top rushing 'D' in the land now two years running. Is QB Kevin Prince going to put points on the board? We don't think so. It's going to take a lot more than 45 percent completions to score on the men in burnt orange, and the end result here should be a whitewashing. If the Longhorns find even some sort of an offense, this NCAA football spread will never be in doubt.

Prediction: Texas 31 – UCLA 3
Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+4.5)
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN

Bottom line: The wrong team is favored in this game. Without WR Ryan Whalen in the lineup, the Cardinal are going to be missing a key component in the passing game, and this is going to be the first time their defense is going to run up against a formidable opponent all season long. Irish eyes haven't been smiling on Notre Dame yet this year, but that could all change on Saturday. The Irish are a miserable team in front of their hometown crowd, going just 4-10 ATS in their L/14 overall there, but all of that is going to change on Saturday. The Golden Domers have covered three straight and seven out of nine in this series. Make it four straight and eight out of ten on Saturday with an easy outright upset that makes the oddsmakers cry about the line they set. This one might never be that close either and certainly doesn't qualify as a huge upset in our eyes.

Prediction: Notre Dame 37 – Stanford 20
Temple Owls (+14) @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA

Last week, the Kent State Golden Flashes were three TD underdogs to the Nittany Lions and came up just short of the cover. Is Temple really only seven points better than Kent State? We tend to believe not. These two teams have a history against each other, and it isn't a good one for the Owls. PSU has absolutely owned them over the last two decades, and don't think for one second that this isn't going to be used as motivation in that Temple locker room. The Owls are solid this year and could legitimately be a Top 25 team by season's end. RB Bernard Pierce and QB Chester Stewart are as good as anything that the Nittany Lions are trotting out there right now. If the running game with RB Evan Royster can't get going, Penn State is going to be on major upset alert. We tend to think that the Nittany Lions are going to escape Happy Valley with another 'W', but this is going to be significantly closer than recent history suggests.

Prediction: Penn State 27 – Temple 21
Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ Florida State Seminoles (-19)
Saturday, September 25th
3:30 ET, Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL

Welcome to our beat down of the week! The Seminoles absolutely have the Demon Deacons outmatched this week, and it should show on the field. QB Christian Ponder has really yet to have a rock solid game this season, and that could change against a Wake Forest defense that has been absolutely mauled all season long. Is Florida State as good as Stanford was last week in a 68-24 win? Nah. But we don't need a 44 point beating. We just need a three TD beating. The Noles are coming off of their best defensive game in years, a 34-10 victory over the BYU Cougars. Keep in mind that the last two trips to Tallahassee for the Deacs have resulted in upset wins of 12-3 and 30-0. That's going to be all that HC Jimbo Fisher is talking about all week and all day leading up to that 3:30 kickoff. The heat will be too much for Wake Forest to take this time around, and as long as the garnet and gold show up with at least a few stops, the offense is going to be able to slam this defense time and time again. The cover won't be in doubt in the fourth quarter at any point.

Prediction: Florida State 51 – Wake Forest 20

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

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Baylor Bears @ TCU Horned Frogs (-21.5)
Saturday, September 18th
4:30 ET, Amon Carter Stadium, Waco, TX

The Horned Frogs have absolutely beat the living heck out of the Bears, winning 27-0 at home in 2007 and 17-7 in Waco in 2006. TCU has won three straight in this series ATS dating back to 1995. On the field itself, the winningest QB in the history of the program, QB Andy Dalton is going to hopefully have a showcase game, which would be his first big outing of the year. However, Dalton has a pair of fantastic running backs in Matthew Tucker and Ed Wesley, both of which have the ability of going for 100+ yards against anyone in the nation. The Bears really only have one man that can take over a game. The good news is that he plays the quarterback position. QB Robert Griffin is absolutely going to have to have one of those games where he throws for 300+ yards and probably runs for near another 100 and accounts for four scores. The bad news? TCU hasn't given up more than 28 points in a game at home since 2006. Without scoring at least 24 or so, the Bears don't have a chance of sticking in front of this number.

Prediction: TCU 41 – Baylor 17
Mississippi State Bulldogs (+7.5) @ LSU Tigers
Saturday, September 18th
7:00 ET, Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA

Could the Bulldogs be ready to pull off a big time upset of the Tigers in the Bayou? Mississippi State has played the role of a very strong side so far this year, and the 17-14 loss to Auburn last week really could have gone either way. The play of QB Chris Relf is improving, the QB Tyler Russell could get into the act as well after playing a strong game against Memphis in Week 1. As for the Tigers… We're not sold yet. The Bayou Bengals barely hung on against a depleted North Carolina side in Week 1 and really hasn't done anything even remotely impressive since that point. LSU might not even win this game, let alone beat the TD+ spread. However, this is LSU, and this is a team that just keeps finding ways to win games. And just as we said last week when it was Vanderbilt playing against the Bayou Bengals, Mississippi State usually just finds ways to lose.

Prediction: LSU 20 – Mississippi State 17
Clemson Tigers @ Auburn Tigers (-7)
Saturday, September 18th
7:00 ET, Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

This tussle of the Tigers is going to be a rematch of bowl games of the past. However, just as always seems to be the case when these two teams lock horns, there is a little twist in the plot. QB Cameron Newton has played like a Heisman Trophy candidate so far this season, and his brother, Syvelle already spent a number of years tearing apart Clemson when he was at South Carolina. As for the purple and orange Tigers, head coach Dabo Swinney has his work cut out for him. QB Kyle Parker seems to be the only real offensive threat, as guys like Ford, Spiller, etc. are all gone from the program. Clemson's offense doesn't seem to be able to quite keep up with Auburn's. Both of these teams have played relatively well this year, but we think that we'll be yelling "War Eagle!" at the end of the night.

Prediction: Auburn 28 – Clemson 17
Texas Longhorns @ Texas Tech Red Raiders (+3.5)
Saturday, September 18th
8:00 ET, Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX

The Longhorns return to the scene of the crime where their 2008 National Championship hopes were dashed by the Red Raiders the night after Halloween on an absolutely amazing play by WR Michael Crabtree. It was one of the games of the year, if not one of the games of the decade, as HC Mack Brown's team narrowly fell short to a Texas Tech squad that nearly found itself playing for the National Championship as well. Now, both of these teams have new looks. The Red Raiders are at least running the ball a tad more with new HC Tommy Tuberville in charge, while Texas appears to have some problems both at the running back position and at quarterback. The starting running back job has changed hands already, while QB Garrett Gilbert, who many thought was a Heisman Trophy candidate at the start of the season, just hasn't played up to his expectations thus far. Texas is ripe for the picking in this one if it isn't careful. Don't be shocked if the guns are up once again in this NCAA football betting affair in the Lone Star State.

Prediction: Texas Tech 37 – Texas 34
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3.5) @ Michigan State Spartans
Saturday, September 18th
8:00 ET, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI

Very simply put, the Fighting Irish seem like a team that is going to fight through the entire season, and it only seems like a matter of time until the Spartans collapse. HC Mark Dantonio just doesn't have a good history, and that history seems to kick in right around this time every single season. QB Dayne Crist and the Irish are on their way to something special, as they put up a great fight last week against a Michigan team that might be contending for the Rose Bowl this year. Sparty has covered three straight in this series, but the road team had won seven straight outright from 2001 to 2007. These games are always close, as eight of the L/10 clashes have been decided by a TD or less. This one won't be an exception.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 – Michigan State 24
Fresno State Bulldogs @ Utah State Aggies (+4)
Saturday, September 18th
8:00 ET, Romney Stadium, Logan, UT

The Aggies are really on the verge of something special in the WAC. No, they're not going to be contending with Boise State, and no, they probably aren't going to be able to score with Nevada, but this is a winnable fixture that could ultimately end up sending them to a bowl game if they can pull it off. Utah State has done just about as well this year as it ever could have imagined, as it nearly pulled off the upset in Norman and took care of Idaho State without any real hassles. The Bulldogs have only played one game this year, and though we tend to believe that a 28-14 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats was relatively impressive, the more win watch the U of C, we aren't so sure that's the case. This is going to be a great test for both of these teams, but we think that USU is being severely underrated. This game should be a heck of a lot closer to a pick 'em, and if that's the case, we'll take the points in hopes for the Aggies to, at bare minimum, keep this one close.

Prediction: Utah State 34 – Fresno State 33
Iowa Hawkeyes (+1.5) @ Arizona Wildcats
Saturday, September 18th
10:30 ET, Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ

This is the game of the day without a doubt. College football betting fans have gone back and forth with this one throughout the week, and with good reason. This is the same Arizona squad that nearly beat the mighty Oregon Ducks last year at home that would've won the Pac-10 and sent the Wildcats to the Rose Bowl. Unfortunately, this is also the same Arizona team that marched into Kinnick Stadium last year and left with its tails tucked between its legs in a bad defeat. What tends to be forgotten is that this Iowa bunch hasn't lost a game that QB Ricky Stanzi has both started and finished in his career. The Hawkeyes found ways to win last year at Penn State and at Wisconsin. This is a long, long roadie, but there aren't many coaches that we'd rather have in our corner in this situation than HC Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has always been good. This is a chance to make it great. Go with the Hawkeyes in what should be a very, very tough game.

Prediction: Iowa 16 – Arizona 14
Houston Cougars @ UCLA Bruins (+3.5)
Saturday, September 18th
10:30 ET, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

Be very, very careful, oddsmakers. We were taught a long, long time ago that NCAA football betting and NCAA basketball betting both have one thing in common. If it looks like a fish and it smells like a fish, something is probably really, really fishy. The Bruins were shutout last week by Stanford at home in one of the most embarrassing losses the team has suffered this year. The Cougs avenged last year's loss to UTEP in a big way, crushing the Miners to improve to 2-0. However, this is the first time that QB Kevin Prince and the UCLA offense has seen a beatable defense. Houston flat out stinks defensively. We think that this is also the first time that QB Case Keenum is going to be facing a defense with a ton of great athletes on it. Regardless of how banged up the Bruins are on that side of the ball, these are still great recruits, largely from a very talented base in California. This looks to be a very, very sharp play for us, as UCLA could be the team to end the Heisman Trophy dreams of Keenum and the BCS busting dreams of these Cougs.

Prediction: UCLA 31 – Houston 26
Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ Stanford Cardinal (-17.5)
Saturday, September 18th
11:15 ET, Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA

Last season, the Cardinal flew all the way East to tango with the Demon Deacons and left town with their heads held high in spite of the fact that they lost 24-17. In short: It's payback time. Basically that entire Wake Forest team has turned over, and it is clear that the defense, which allows a whopping 325.0 yards per game this year through the air, doesn't have the goods to keep up with the Stanford offense. With QB Ted Stachitas already not that great, his injured thumb is going to force HC Jim Grobe's hand. Needless to say, this isn't Presbyterian or Duke anymore that the Demon Deacons are going up against, and this is one heck of a road trip to get to Stanford. The Cardinal should be able to get a ton of yards from QB Andrew Luck in a game that should be all one way traffic. Wake Forest will get exposed as a fraud on Saturday night in the final game of the day.

Prediction: Stanford 48 – Wake Forest 13

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

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Penn State Nittany Lions @ Alabama Crimson Tide (-12)
Saturday, September 11th
7:00 ET, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL

This might be the best game of the entire day on the college football betting slate on paper, but that doesn't mean that it is going to live up to its hype. The Nittany Lions are going to be bringing a true freshman quarterback into one of the most hostile territories in the country against arguably the nation's best team. This isn't a good combination. Yes, Penn State does have a history of playing teams like this tough, particularly in the regular season, but if the Tide can keep their relatively newly formed defense together and put enough pressure on QB Robert Bolden, the offense is going to be able to do enough to put away the Nittany Lions, potentially very early. Most think that this is going to be a lower scoring game, and though the possibility is definitely there for that, we tend to believe that Alabama is going to press the issue and force the scores up just a tad. The Crimson Tide could have a very big number on the board by the end of the day.

Prediction: Alabama 38 – Penn State 20
Oregon Ducks @ Tennessee Volunteers (+12)
Saturday, September 11th
7:00 ET, Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN

It still feels weird to see the Volunteers as double digit underdogs at home. We totally buy into the hype of the Ducks, as we think that even without QB Jeremiah Masoli, they have one of the best teams in the country. Is it capable of coming halfway across the country and beating the snot out of UT? Sure. But let's be realistic here for a second. If you were looking to bet on Oregon this week, you have to be kicking yourself after watching the Ducks drop 72 and 720 yards on the Lobos last week. Perception of this team literally could not be any higher than it is right now. We tend to forget that the Vols just smacked a probably relatively comparable Tennessee-Martin team 50-0 as well. Tennessee is not the better team in this game, thus probably won't win it. But we have to imagine that HC Derek Dooley is going to have his crew as high as a kite. This is an undercard game for sure on the day, but is one that could be very interesting if the screws get tightened by the UT 'D'.

Prediction: Oregon 31 – Tennessee 27
LSU Tigers @ Vanderbilt Commodores (+10)
Saturday, September 11th
7:00 ET, Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN

Just across the way from Rocky Top, the 'Dores are going to be looking for their first win of the season and their first 'W' since September 26th of last season. New HC Robbie Caldwell knows that his team let one slip away last week against Northwestern, while LSU HC Les Miles knows that his team got away lucky against North Carolina. Bottom line: The Tigers aren't as good as their record indicates, and the Commodores probably aren't as bad. This is historically a series with a bunch of slugfests that end up being ridiculously low scoring games. The 'Dores can hang in this game, especially since it isn't in Baton Rouge. If some of the sloppiness gets cleaned up from last week's defeat against the Wildcats, this is going to prove to be a winnable fixture for Vandy. However, in typical LSU fashion, the Tigers will find a way to win, just like in typical Vanderbilt fashion, the Commodores will find a way to lose. This is still a great spot to pick up a cover in a very close game.

Prediction: LSU 22 – Vanderbilt 20
Mississippi Rebels (-20.5) @ Tulane Green Wave
Saturday, September 11th
9:00 ET, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA

The whole world is ready to jump ship on the Rebels after they were beaten by the lowly Jacksonville State Gamecocks in double overtime last week. Had they won that game in regulation by eight points, the margin that they were ahead before the dying seconds, this spread would be significantly higher. But instead, perception has gotten the better of the oddsmakers and several bettors, as Tulane is getting a lot of action in this one. However, we aren't ready to write off Ole Miss quite yet. HC Houston Nutt is still one of the best in the country, and though his team has been decimated by graduation and early departures over the past two years, he picked up a real gem in QB Jeremiah Masoli. Now that Masoli has had a full week of practice with his new team, he is inevitably going to be ready to shine. There is still a whole season in front of the Rebs, and as long as they don't dwell too hard on the past, they should be able to march into the Bayou and beat the snot out of a Tulane team which narrowly avoided the same sort of embarrassing fate of losing to an FCS team last week.

Prediction: Ole Miss 56 – Tulane 10
Stanford Cardinal @ UCLA Bruins (+6)
Saturday, September 11th
10:30 ET, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

Once again, perception is the key to this game. UCLA went into Manhattan last week against a game Kansas State squad and was beaten 31-22. A nine point loss looks terrible, right? Imagine if UCLA had converted on that two point conversion try with 1:19 to play… or had Daniel Thomas not ripped off that 35 yard TD run with a minute to play… The Bruins would've ended up posting either a win or a loss that was a lot more indicative of how the game went. UCLA proved that it still has some mojo about it after last year's Eagle Bank Bowl victory over Tulane. We still have some questions about Stanford, though. We love HC Jim Harbaugh and think that he has done an amazing job down on the farm, but QB Andrew Luck has never played a road game like this before without the services of RB Toby Gerhart behind him. Yes, Luck threw for 316 yards versus Sacramento State last week, but we all know what that's worth. The Bruins should provide a significantly different challenge. This was a series that the gold and baby blue dominated for a number of years before losing 24-16 last year. The Bruins might be able to score the big upset, which would be a much needed win for HC Rick Neuheisel.

Prediction: UCLA 31 – Stanford 23
Colorado State Rams @ Nevada Wolfpack (-23.5)
Saturday, September 11th
10:30 ET, MacKay Stadium, Reno, NV

Welcome to MacKay Stadium, where the Wolfpack beat the living crap out of their opponents! Last week, the challenge against Eastern Washington was to stop Bo Levi Mitchell, the QB transfer out of SMU that learned under June Jones. The mission wasn't totally accomplished, but there is no shame in a 49-24 victory against one of the potentially better teams of the FCS this year. Colorado State proved last week that it has no business being on a field with even remotely good teams. The Colorado Buffaloes steamrolled these guys 24-3 in a game that really was a complete butt whipping. If the Rams only have 245 yards of total offense again this week, the Wolfpack are going to be winning by 50. It was a fairly ho hum 553 yard day for the Nevada offense last week. This is going to be a very one-sided romp in a game that might set some personal records if the Wolfpack want to see them broken. Watch for QB Colin Kaepernick to go absolutely crazy.

Prediction: Nevada 58 – Colorado State 17

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

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For every team that is expected to have a fantastic season this year, there are several others that are probably going to be squads to stay away from in this 2010 college football betting campaign. Check out our preview of the 2010 college football odds with our five teams that you should be avoiding this year.

North Carolina Tar Heels under 8 wins (-130 @ Brobury Sports): The Tar Heels return plenty of starting talent, but it may not translate into a great year. The biggest problem is at quarterback, where the starter may not be named until late August. Fifth year senior T.J. Yates may be supplanted by freshman Brynn Renner. At wide receiver, the Heels have plenty of weapons in Greg Little, Jheranie Boyd, and Erik Highsmith. Running back Shaun Draughn returns to the team after a season ending shoulder injury last year. The offensive line will be composed mostly of sophomores. The defense, on the other hand, is full of stars. Up front, the Heels feature DE Robert Quinn, who was last season’s sack leader. Other mainstays include all-conference award winner and last year’s interception leading safety Deunta Williams, and all-ACC cornerback Kendric Burney. Schedule wise, there may not be a guaranteed win, short of William & Mary. The Heels open with a neutral site game against LSU and then start ACC play with Georgia Tech before traveling to Rutgers. Miami and Florida State will be huge road tests, as will a home game against Virginia Tech. North Carolina is going to get banged up this year; making any bowl game would be a great success.

Penn State Nittany Lions under 8.5 wins (-125 @ Brobury Sports): The Nittany Lions are coming off an 11-2 season, but now face the task of rebuilding an offense in a tough conference. For starters, the quarterback situation is murky at best. Joe Paterno has sophomores Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin, as well as freshman Paul Jones, to choose from. With none looking impressive this spring, Penn State will be forced to become a run-first team. Star RB Evan Royster will be a major factor. At wide receiver, the team returns its top two targets in Derek Moye and Graham Zug. The experienced O-Line has its work cut out. Defensively, Penn State has several holes to fill. Bani Gbadyu will lead three new starting linebackers, replacing three NFL draft picks. DE Jack Crawford will be an impact player on the line, while the secondary will be led by cornerback D’Anton Lynn and safety Nick Sukay. After a first week tune-up game against Youngstown State, the Nittany Lions will go to Alabama. In conference, Penn State avoids Wisconsin, but will have to face Iowa and Ohio State on the road. Seven wins would be a great success this year.

Auburn Tigers under 8.5 wins (-120 @ Brobury Sports): Auburn faces a tough year on offense, putting pressure on a strong defense. The Tigers, for the third straight year, will need a new starting quarterback. Cameron Newton, former backup to Tim Tebow, appears to be the favorite, beating out senior Neil Caudle and sophomore Barrett Trotter. At running back, the Tigers will have Mario Fanin and Onterio McCalebb to replace Ben Tate. Fanin proved to be a talented receiver and rusher last season, averaging 8.4 yards per rush and 9.8 per catch. Fortunately, the unit does retain its top two wide receivers in Terrell Zachery and Darvin Adams. The offensive line returns four starters, which will allow Newton time to throw. On defense, the Tigers look very strong. All four starting linemen have experience. Senior linebackers Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes will add talent and experience. In the secondary, there are four capable safeties to choose from. Auburn faces a favorable schedule, but a highly questionable offense will keep them from a nine or ten win year. The Tigers will face LSU and Georgia at home and travel to Alabama. Expect seven or eight victories.

UCLA Bruins under 5.5 wins (-120 @ Brobury Sports): Last year’s six regular season wins were sandwiched around a five game conference losing streak. This year, QB Kevin Prince will again be the starter, but with a new offensive scheme. Prince was not an effective player last year and suffered several injuries. At his disposal will be last year’s top two wide receivers, Taylor Embree and Nelson Rosario. The running game has a few options, starting with last year’s leader Johnathan Franklin. Joining him will be freshman Malcolm Jones. The offensive line returns four starters. On defense, the Bruins lose six starters, including Pac 10 Player of the Year Brian Price. However, the unit can build around a strong secondary, which includes free safety Rahim Moore. Moore led the nation last season with ten interceptions. At linebacker, the Bruins have Akeem Ayers to lead the way, but UCLA will need to find more talent to fill out the front seven. Things have to gel quickly for both units, as the schedule leaves little room for error. The non-conference schedule includes games at Kansas State and Texas, as well as a home game with Houston. In conference, UCLA goes to California and Oregon. The Bruins are going to be hard pressed to dig out five wins.

Stanford Cardinal under 7.5 wins (-135 @ Brobury Sports): The Cardinal has some work to do this season. It starts with replacing, Heisman runner-up RB Toby Gerhart. To keep the running game from sliding too far back, Stanford will use a pair of backs in Stepfan Taylor and Jeremy Stewart. The focus will shift to QB Andrew Luck, who was also last year’s second leading rusher. His passing game wasn’t stellar, but should be improving upon his 2,575 yards of a year ago. His two top targets will return, in Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu. After them, though, there are no proven options. On defense, the Cardinal returns eight starters, but a new scheme will have them in different spots. DEs Thomas Kaiser and Chase Thomas led the team last season in sacks. The secondary is still up in the air, with no solid prospects to play free safety or fill one of the cornerback spots. The schedule offers little rest for the Cardinal, as three of the team’s first four FBS games will be on the road. Stanford travels to Notre Dame and Oregon before returning home to face USC in September. Seven wins would be a great success for an offense that is finding itself and a defense with holes in the backfield.

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