This year, there is definitely a new sheriff in charge of the Mountain West in the form of the Boise State Broncos (Current Mountain West Odds: 1 to 2.80 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Simply put, the Broncos have the best team in this conference, and the only game that really should have any chance of tripping them up is the home date with TCU late in the season. Of course, Boise State’s eyes aren’t on winning the MWC. They’re on winning the National Championship. Many forget that the Broncos did not win their last season in the WAC last year; Nevada did. That being said, there is definitely some unfinished business for QB Kellen Moore and company, and though the team might take a bit of a step back in terms of talent from a year ago when it was a one-loss team, there’s no doubt that Head Coach Chris Peterson and company have themselves a legitimate shot at an undefeated season this year.

The bad news here is that the TCU Horned Frogs (2011 Mountain West Lines: 4.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) probably aren’t going to be contending for anything but perhaps an MWC title in their final season in this conference before heading to the Big East. Head Coach Gary Patterson knows that this is a very, very important season for recruiting purposes for next year’s jump to the big time, but after last year’s Rose Bowl performance, the team this season has a ton of hurdles to climb. We know that TCU is going to have a tremendous defense, something that has become a staple of a Gary Patterson team. However, missing QB Andy Dalton, the winningest signal caller in TCU history, is going to be a bit of a problem.

About the only other team that we could see making any noise out of this conference is the San Diego State Aztecs (Current Mountain West Odds: 12.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Head Coach Brady Hoke has moved on to the Michigan Wolverines, but he definitely hasn’t left the cupboard dry. QB Ryan Lindley is going to be on the short list for conference player of the year honors after throwing for 3,830 yards and 28 TDs last year, and RB Ronnie Hillman is coming off of a freshman campaign in which he rushed for 1,532 yards. Both TCU and Boise State are home games, but the Aztecs are going to be major underdogs in both outings.

2011 Odds To Win The Mountain West @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/31/11):
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Boise State Broncos 1 to 2.80
TCU Horned Frogs 4.50 to 1
San Diego State Aztecs 12.25 to 1
Air Force Falcons 16 to 1
Colorado State Rams 26 to 1
Wyoming Cowboys 36 to 1
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels 81 to 1
New Mexico Lobos 165 to 1

Many believe that this is a season that belongs to the Florida State Seminoles in the ACC. However, if history is any indication, the Clemson Tigers are once again going to put up a big time fight to try to put a crimp in the style of the garnet and gold en route to an Atlantic Division triumph. This game might be for all of the marbles in the conference when it’s all said and done this year.

Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Picks & Info
Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Date: Saturday, September 24th
Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Location: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Spread: Clemson Tigers +5

The Seminoles have really had very little luck playing in Death Valley, and this year really could be no exception. The question is going to be whether or not QB EJ Manuel, the new kid on the block, is going to be able to go into a hostile environment and win a game. There will be 82,000 packed into Clemson Memorial Stadium, and this is definitely the one game on the slate that every single player, coach, and fan clad in orange and purple wants to win. This will be the first road game of the year for the Seminoles, and it comes on the heels of what could be the biggest win that the program has had in quite some time if they can knock off the Oklahoma Sooners the week before, so this is most certainly a big time trap spot.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Clemson Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
2010: Florida State 16 – Clemson 13
2009: Clemson 40 – Florida State 24
2008: Florida State 41 – Clemson 27
2007: Clemson 24 – Florida State 18
2006: Clemson 27 – Florida State 20
2005: Clemson 35 – Florida State 14
2004: Florida State 41 – Clemson 22
2003: Clemson 26 – Florida State 10
2002: Florida State 48 – Clemson 31
2001: Florida State 41 – Clemson 27
2000: Florida State 54 – Clemson 7
1999: Florida State 17 – Clemson 14
1998: Florida State 48 – Clemson 0
1997: Florida State 35 – Clemson 28
1996: Florida State 34 – Clemson 3

Clemson has never really had a dominating side in the ACC; in fact, it has never won the conference title since the Noles have joined the league. However, this is one field and one team that it has always played well at and against respectively. The Tigers have actually won five of the last eight meetings in this series and have covered six of the last eight, and they haven’t lost a game here in Death Valley against the garnet and gold since 2001. This will be the first big test for the no huddle, up tempo offense that new Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris is going to implement this year, and it should be a real test for new starting QB Tajh Boyd. Dual threat QBs have usually had decent success against FSU, especially in the past, and Boyd will hope to add to that level of success by pulling off another upset at home against it.

Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/5/11):
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Florida State Seminoles (-5) @ Clemson Tigers

It feels like the MAC is one of the toughest conferences in America to handicap on the NCAA football odds each and every season. This year, the favorite of the bunch is the Toledo Rockets (Current MAC Odds: 3.65 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), but we’re really not all that sure that it’s justified. THe team went 7-1 last season in conference play, but in total, it was outscored by eight points. Nine starters are back from a defense that was one of the better ones in the MAC at 365.5 yards per game. However, we have a real question as to whether QB Austin Dantin is really going to be able to get the job done or not. The only godsend is that Northern Illinois is coming to the Glass Bowl this year, and the only other potentially difficult games are at home, save for the duel at Temple on October 1st.

Speaking of the Temple Owls (2011 MAC Lines: 6.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook)… What better way for new Head Coach Steve Adazio to take over his program than to win the MAC? Temple showed a lot of promise last year, and it was absolutely unjustly left out of a bowl game. This defense is legit, and the offense has some budding stars like RB Bernard Pierce that can do some real damage. Northern Illinois is dodged on the slate, and Toledo comes to the City of Brotherly Love, while the only tough game in the East Division is a home date with Ohio.

The team of the hour though, very well could be the Northern Illinois Huskies (Current MAC Odds: 4.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Losing Head Coach Jerry Kill could be a problem, but the return of QB Chandler Harnish and eight others on offense will inevitably make anyone’s trip to DeKalb a nightmare this season. Replacing RB Chad Spann might be difficult, but this is definitely a team with some unfinished business after making it to the MAC Championship Game last season after going 8-0, only to lose in the finale to Miami. As long as the roadie to Toledo turns out to be a good one, there should be no one else getting in NIU’s way this year on the road to Ford Field for the MAC Championship Game again.

2011 Odds To Win The MAC @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/23/11):
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Toledo Rockets 3.65 to 1
Northern Illinois Huskies 4.25 to 1
Ohio Bobcats 4.95 to 1
Temple Owls 6.25 to 1
Miami Redhawks 6.80 to 1
Western Michigan Broncos 7.50 to 1
Central Michigan Chippewas 22.50 to 1
Kent State Golden Flashes 23.50 to 1
Ball State Cardinals 36 to 1
Bowling Green Falcons 37 to 1
Buffalo Bulls 41 to 1
Eastern Michigan Eagles 42 to 1
Akron Zips 46 to 1

2011 Odds To Win The MAC East Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/23/11):
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Ohio Bobcats 2 to 1
Temple Owls 2.65 to 1
Miami Redhawks 3.10 to 1
Kent State Golden Flashes 9.50 to 1
Bowling Green Falcons 15 to 1
Buffalo Bulls 16 to 1
Akron Zips 18 to 1

2011 Odds To Win The MAC West Division @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/23/11):
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Toledo Rockets 1.75 to 1
Northern Illinois Huskies 2.10 to 1
Western Michigan Broncos 3.90 to 1
Central Michigan Chippewas 9 to 1
Ball State Cardinals 14 to 1
Eastern Michigan Eagles 16.50 to 1

Back before the Boise State Broncos were truly on the map as one of the elite programs in the country, they took on the Georgia Bulldogs “Between the Hedges” in an effort to really land a signature win on the road against a big time SEC opponent. They failed miserably that day, and UGA never did pay the visit back to the Smurf Turf the next season. That being said, these two are set to meet at the Georgia Dome right at the outset of the season, and it should be a tremendous doozy of a game.

Boise State Broncos @ Georgia Bulldogs Picks & Info
Boise State Broncos @ Georgia Bulldogs Date: Saturday, September 3rd
Boise State Broncos @ Georgia Bulldogs Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Boise State Broncos @ Georgia Bulldogs Spread: Georgia Bulldogs +2.5

If Boise State is going to legitimately be a National Championship contender once again this season, they are going to have to win this game and likely win it impressively. There aren’t a whole heck of a lot of bumps in the road aside from this one, but the team has never slain an SEC opponent. This is a big time road trip across the country against a tough team that badly needs some wins of its own to keep its relevant status, and this is going to be a particularly tough test for QB Kellen Moore. Moore, who is certainly on the Heisman Trophy watch list at the start of the season, knows that he is going to have to break in a full new set of skill players this year, and with this being the very first game of the season, things could be difficult. A defense which historically hasn’t played all that well against the best programs in the country could have to have a near perfect game for Boise State to pull this one off.

Boise State Broncos vs. Georgia Bulldogs Past Games (Since 1995)
2005: Georgia 48 – Boise State 13

The Bulldogs definitely have to set a tone this year if they want to keep their Head Coach, Mark Richt safe from criticism. UGA was knocked off by the UCF Knights in the Liberty Bowl last year, a game which really hurt the status of the program, and many think that Richt was lucky to keep his job. This is also going to be a huge game for QB Aaron Murray, as he tries to not only win over the Athens faithful, but to poise himself for a legitimate Heisman Trophy run this year after throwing for 3,049 yards and 24 TDs in his freshman campaign. The only question is what receiver is going to step up to replace the departed WR AJ Green, who led the team in all receiving categories last season in spite of the fact that he was suspended for four games.

Boise State Broncos @ Georgia Bulldogs Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/4/11):
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Boise State Broncos (-2.5) @ Georgia Bulldogs

Pac-12 football should be interesting this season, especially knowing that there is the dynamic of the USC Trojans not being eligible for the conference crown. The Oregon Ducks might not need to beat USC to win the conference this year, but they might need this one to contend for the National Championship Game.

USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Picks & Info
USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Date: Saturday, November 19th, 2011
USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Spread: Oregon Ducks -10

If the Trojans really open up as 10 point underdogs in this one, you know that Head Coach Lane Kiffin is going to use that as some big time bulletin board material. It’s big enough that this is the Game of the Year for the Men of Troy, knowing that this is the duel against the team that nearly won the whole enchilada last year. QB Matt Barkley knows that he is going to have the onus of this offense on his shoulders. He led the team to a 32-29 lead in the third quarter against the Ducks, but the defense just had no chance, giving up a whopping 600 yards. Ultimately, two picks cost Barkley and really countered his 264 passing yards.

USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Past Games (Since 1996)
2010: Oregon 53 – USC 32
2009: Oregon 47 – USC 20
2008: USC 44 – Oregon 10
2007: Oregon 24 – USC 17
2006: USC 35 – Oregon 10
2005: USC 45 – Oregon 13
2002: USC 44 – Oregon 33
2001: Oregon 24 – USC 22
2000: Oregon 28 – USC 17
1999: Oregon 33 – USC 30
1998: Oregon 17 – USC 13
1997: USC 24 – Oregon 22

Oregon’s offense has scored a whopping 100 points in the last two meetings against the Trojans thanks to Head Coach Chip Kelly’s offense. Last year, QB Darron Thomas threw for 288 yards and rushed for 42 more, and RB LaMichael James rumbled for 239 yards and three TDs. Like we said, we already know that the Ducks put up those 600 yards against USC, something that was really unheard of before. The only question is that defense, but that was the same unit that was questioned all season long before rallying to the National Championship Game. Ironically, it was the offense that came up short against the Auburn Tigers. The Ducks also haven’t lost a home game since losing to the Boise State Broncos in September 2008, and they haven’t been beaten at home in Pac-10 play since losing the Civil War against the Oregon State Beavers in 2007.

USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/1/11):
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USC Trojans (+10) @ Oregon Ducks

Some of the best soccer teams in Europe will get together over the course of the next 10 months to determine the top club in European soccer! Our expert soccer handicappers have their fingers on the pulse of the Champions League odds this year, and we are all set to make our free Champions League picks!

Two out of the last three seasons, Barcelona (Champions League Odds Favorites: 2 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook) has ended up winning the Champions League title. For good reason, the top Spanish side is the favorite to win it all again this year. This is a club with a very, very rich history in this championship, and with so many Spanish players that are on arguably the best team assembled in the world right now, the Spain national team, it is no wonder why Barca has such a great pedigree. Sure, it stumbled out of the blocks in the World Football Challenge against Man U in the United States, but we know that we are going to see better out of this team as the year goes by to the point that we are definitely not going to want to bet against it.

List Of Past Champions League Winners (Since 1995)
2010-11 Champions League Champions: Barcelona
2009-10 Champions League Champions: Inter Milan
2008-09 Champions League Champions: Barcelona
2007-08 Champions League Champions: Manchester United
2006-07 Champions League Champions: AC Milan
2005-06 Champions League Champions: Barcelona
2004-05 Champions League Champions: Liverpool
2003-04 Champions League Champions: FC Porto
2002-03 Champions League Champions: AC Milan
2001-02 Champions League Champions: Real Madrid
2000-01 Champions League Champions: Bayern Munich
1999-00 Champions League Champions: Real Madrid
1998-99 Champions League Champions: Manchester United
1997-98 Champions League Champions: Real Madrid
1996-97 Champions League Champions: Borussia Dortmund
1995-96 Champions League Champions: Juventes
1994-95 Champions League Champions: Ajax

The teams that are all overvalued are the ones from England. The biggest overachiever of the bunch is Manchester United (2011-12 Champions League League Lines: 8 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook). Are the Red Devils the best side in England? Absolutely. However, they do have a major target on their backs this year, and we’re really not all that sure that they’re going to be able to survive what could be a potentially lethal Champions League draw. Teams like Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal are all overrated as well, and there is no doubt that they are all going to end up going out of this competition before the Final Four even begin.

The interesting teams are the middling favorite clubs. Bayern Munich (Odds to Win the Champions League: 20 to 1 at Bet Online Sportsbook) is always a big time contender out of Germany, and it has the winning pedigree necessary to be able to go a long way in this competition yet again.

A team like FC Porto (Odds to Win the Champions League: 25 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook) is a great choice after rolling right through Portugal and the UEFA Cup last season. The only problem with Porto is that Head Coach Andre Villas-Boas has left for Chelsea. However, the winning nature is still there, and the Dragons are going to be stacked once again for another run through Portugal and the rest of the world.

Both of the Italian sides, AC Milan (Latest Champions League Odds: 20 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook) and Inter Milan (2011-12 UCL Odds: 20 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook) are always good bets for this tournament as well, though we would probably be more inclined to back AC right now over Inter knowing that the blue clad Milan side is having problems contractually with one of its best midfielders, Wesley Sneijder.

Latest 2012 Champions League Odds @ Bet Online Sportsbook (as of 8/1/11):
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Barcelona 1.90 to 1
Real Madrid 5 to 1
Manchester United 7 to 1
Chelsea 8 to 1
Manchester City 15 to 1
Arsenal 20 to 1
Bayern Munich 20 to 1
FC Porto 20 to 1
AC Milan 20 to 1
Inter Milan 20 to 1
Borussia Dortmund 30 to 1
Lyon 50 to 1
Napoli 60 to 1
Bayer Leverkusen 60 to 1
Marseille 60 to 1
Villarreal 60 to 1
Shakhtar Donetsk 80 to 1
Zenit St. Petersburg 80 to 1
Lille 80 to 1
Ajax Amsterdam 80 to 1
Udinese 100 to 1
CSKA Moscow 100 to 1
Fenerbahce 150 to 1

Odds To Win 2011-12 Champions League @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/1/11):
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Barcelona 2 to 1
Real Madrid 5 to 1
Chelsea 8 to 1
Manchester United 8 to 1
Manchester City 12 to 1
Bayern Munich 16 to 1
AC Milan 20 to 1
Arsenal 20 to 1
Inter Milan 20 to 1
FC Porto 25 to 1
Borussia Dortmund 33 to 1
Valencia 40 to 1
Lyon 50 to 1
Bayer Leverkusen 66 to 1
Marseille 66 to 1
Napoli 66 to 1
Villarreal 66 to 1
Ajax Amsterdam 80 to 1
Lille 80 to 1
Zenit St. Petersburg 80 to 1
Benfica 80 to 1
CSKA Moscow 100 to 1
Dynamo Kiev 100 to 1
Fenerbahce 100 to 1
Rubin Kazan 100 to 1
Shakhtar Donetsk 100 to 1
Udinese 100 to 1