Last season, college conference realignments really shook the landscape of college football as we know it. Now, the Boise State Broncos are in the Mountain West, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are in the Big 10, the Big 10 has 12 teams, and the Big 12 has 10 teams… not to mention that the artists formerly known as the Pac-10 are now known as the Pac-10 after taking the Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes. However, conference expansion certainly isn’t done yet, as there are shockwaves that are already rumbling across the country about how conference realignment might pan out.

Here’s what we already know: Next year, the ACC is going to have at least 14 teams in it. The Syracuse Orange and the Pittsburgh Panthers are heading to the ACC to make that conference have 14 teams. It is likely that the ACC is going to be looking for two more teams to add into the fold for an even 16.

We also know that the Big East is at least getting one team back in the TCU Horned Frogs, who made the commitment last year to jump from the Mountain West to the Big East once this athletic year is over.

The Texas A&M Aggies are trying to leave the Big 12 for the SEC, and though the SEC has openly welcomed the Aggies with open arms, there are still schools in the Big 12 like Kansas State, Iowa State, and Baylor that are trying to block the move. Odds have it, they won’t be successful, and in 2012, A&M will be in the SEC.

The question for the SEC though, is who the 14th team is going to be. There are some thoughts that perhaps TCU could go back on its word to the Big East and try to head to the SEC, but the West Virginia Mountaineers are trying to make the move as well. If this happens, it is clear that the Big East is just a dead conference waiting to be partitioned the rest of the way.

To make matters worse for the Big East, the ACC is also reportedly in pursuit of the Connecticut Huskies and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for their Super Conference. This would round out the conference at 16 teams and would likely lock in the conference for the foreseeable future without any further expansion or departure… or does it???

The new realigned SEC Coference would have 14 teams with the additions of Texas A&M and West Virginia, and it would need two more schools. You just know that there won’t be small, unproven schools coming to the SEC, so the conference will do all that it can to poach from a bigger conference. Remember how the ACC thought it was set? Not so fast. Don’t be shocked if Florida State and Clemson headed to their instate rivals Florida and South Carolina and joins the SEC.

And that would leave the ACC with two open slots again to fill…

And that’s only the half of it. The Pac-12 is in talks with the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners about coming to their conference, and if that happens, the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders will almost certainly be on the move to make that conference the Pac-16 as well.

That being said, the Big 12 would only be left with Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State, Kansas, and Missouri. Kansas State and Kansas seem to be a package deal, and they could be headed to the Big 10, and that is the preferred conference for the Tigers as well. Iowa State and Baylor would be hung out to dry and might have to join lesser conferences. The 16th team for the Big 10? You’d like to think since this is probably going to ultimately signal the dawn of a college football playoff down the line, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are probably going to have to join, and this is the conference that makes the most sense.

And if you’re keeping score at home, the Big East could only be left with TCU, South Florida, Cincinnati, and Louisville, with the prospects of Villanova joining the FBS ranks for football in the coming years.

So let’s go back to the ACC, which has two slots to fill. Louisville and Cincinnati make relatively close travel partners, and the conference location does fit those schools, and though really any of the holdovers, or the possibility of South Florida and UCF coming into the ACC together exists, we tend to think that it would be the Bearcats and the Cardinals that enter into the ACC.

Thus, the dawn of the college football super conferences that we’ve been hearing all about… And right now, this is what we really could end up seeing when this alignment is said and done…

Proposed College Football Realignment & New Super Conferences
(College Footall Teams in Italics Designate New Teams Entering Conferences)

ACC “Super Conference”: Wake Forest, Maryland, NC State, Boston College, North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Miami, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville

Pac-16 “Super Conference” (the old Pac 10): California, Stanford, Oregon, Washington, Washington State, Oregon State, USC, Arizona State, UCLA, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech

Big 10 “Super Conference”: Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri

SEC “Super Conference”: Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, West Virginia, Florida State, Clemson

Still, that leaves a lot of questions to be answered… Baylor, TCU, South Florida, and Iowa State all wouldn’t have places to go, though they could all come together in Conference USA. BYU is another team that is basically left out in the cold for all of this, and save for going to the WAC and hoping that eventually the WAC and the MWC combine, it could end up as an independent for the foreseeable future without a conference, and potentially without a spot in college football’s prospective playoff.

And then of course, there’s Boise State, the team that thought it was going to a conference in the MWC that could have been a powerhouse… until BYU opted for independence, TCU left for the Big East (or did they???), and Utah went to the Pac-12. There are going to be very, very unhappy teams in all of this, and in all likelihood, these are going to be the unhappy campers that are left out of the super conferences of college football.

The other question is what is left to do with the rest of the Big East Conference in basketball. Teams like Georgetown, Marquette, DePaul, and Villanova could be headed to the Atlantic 10, while that conference might have to eliminate some of its members at the bottom of the totem poll to try to get all of these teams under the same conference umbrella.

Conseco Fieldhouse is the site for the Big 10 Tournament this season, and before making your Big 10 Tournament picks, be sure to take a look at how our NCAA basketball handicappers break down the college basketball odds for this great event, which will make or break the seasons of a number of teams.

It’s going to be really hard to bet against the Ohio State Buckeyes (1 to 1.60 Odds to Win Big 10 Tournament at SportBet Sportsbook). After all, this is a team that has already run the table against every single team in this conference in games either played at home or on neutral courts, and the only two setbacks of the season came against Wisky and Purdue, the other two formidable foes in this conference, and both defeats came in legit road games in hostile territories. On top of that, the Buckeyes are going to get a relatively favorable draw, playing one of the lesser seeds in this tournament to start with on Friday before drawing either Illinois or Michigan. That’s about as good as it gets. We’re not so sure that we want to choke on this much chalk, but it seems like a reasonable play to us as it is.

Of course, the other two favorites to take down this conference crown on the NCAA basketball betting lines are the Purdue Boilermakers (2.95 to 1 Big 10 Tournament Odds at SportBet Sportsbook) and the Wisconsin Badgers (4.75 to 1 2011 Big 10 Tournament odds at SportBet Sportsbook). Both teams are legitimately potential very high seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and Purdue could even get all the way up to a No. 1 seed in the dance by the time it’s all said and done if it wins this conference crown. Both teams are predicated on individual stars and fantastic defense, and as long as Jordan Taylor, Jon Leuer, JaJuan Johnson, and E’Twaun Moore come to play, both of these teams are going to be on a beeline for one another in the Big Ten Semifinals. Both have great odds right now to back, though knowing that only one can be in the final makes us prefer to take the Badgers over the Boilers.

The scary team that could come out of the parking lot to win this tournament is the Michigan Wolverines (35 to 1 Big 10 Tournament Lines at SportBet Sportsbook). This is one of the hottest teams in the conference right now, in men like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Darius Morris are really on fire. Big Blue probably needs less to happen right now than a lot of other teams do in the Big Ten to get into the field of 68, but when push comes to shove, it probably has the best chance to really beat the big boys. Remember last season, it was only on the graces of an Evan Turner de facto Hail Mary that the heavily favored Buckeyes were able to knock off these Wolverines in the quarterfinals of this tournament.

2011 Big 10 Tournament Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook (as of 3/8/11):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at SportBet.com When Using This Link)
Ohio State Buckeyes 1 to 1.60
Purdue Boilermakers 2.95 to 1
Wisconsin Badgers 4.75 to 1
Illinois Fighting Illini 16 to 1
Michigan Wolverines 35 to 1
Michigan State Spartans 55 to 1
Penn State Nittany Lions 100 to 1
Minnesota Golden Gophers 125 to 1
Northwestern Wildcats 225 to 1
Indiana Hoosiers 350 to 1
Iowa Hawkeyes 1,250 to 1

It is time to spark up the ever going debate that consumes college football fans every year towards the end of each season in the age old question who is the best conference in college football? There is little doubt that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has held their reign for at least 3 years running now considering they have won 3 straight National Championships with stacked talent in the conference. However, recently this debate has emerged again as the SEC is having a less than dominating season from teams top to bottom in the conference. There are many of the experts giving Pac-10 the new title of America’s top football confidence, but if you say that why is the ACC out of the picture since they have more teams ranked higher in the BCS Standings? All of this debate going on while the SEC still has the number 1 and 2 teams in the BCS Standings means it may be all irrelevant and we will explain as we break down the Top 5 conferences in college football.

#6.

Despite having promising pre-season rankings each year, the Big Ten seems to disappoint year after year. This season has not been any different, but the Big Ten still holds 4 teams in the top 25. However, there is still nobody from the Big Ten that is an elite team and the way they stack up against the out of conference teams have been flat horrible. Ohio State has already clinched the Big Ten title, but even the top team in the Big Ten could not hold off the USC Trojans earlier this year. The Trojans are not even capable of keeping pace in their own conference in the Pac-10 which makes it look even worse for the Big Ten’s sake. The Buckeyes were beaten by Purdue of all teams this year as well which would translate in SEC terms in like Kentucky beating Florida and when is the last time you have seen that happen? Even Northwestern who holds down the middle of the Big Ten was beaten by Syracuse this year which is a team that has just 1 win in the Big East. Sure the emergence of the Hawkeyes could have helped this season, but they are just another team that can only stack up against opponents in the own conference. The Big Ten has famously been one of the most over rated conferences in America and last year’s 1-6 Bowl record is a testament to that claim. Expect similar results in the 2009-2010 Bowl Games again this year.

#5

Outside of Texas is there anyone else in the Big 12 that can truly contend on a weekly basis? Oklahoma State was hyped as one of the most dangerous teams in the preseason but an out of conference loss to Houston set the Cowboys back and they have been truly to catch-up all season. The down year from Oklahoma may be the biggest fall of the conference this year with out of conference losses to BYU and Miami. To make matters worse, the Big 12 North is an embarrassment. Nebraska is a solid team with a defense that keeps them in all games they will take part in. However, the rest of the division is fairly terrible. Kansas State will finish at 2nd in the Big 12 North at 6-6 on the year that included a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette of all teams. Iowa State was completely crushed by Iowa and so was Texas A&M by Arkansas. The Big 12 has been fueled by their powerful offenses over the past few years that could overcome the average defenses from around the conference. However, the offenses have struggled as a whole while the defenses have still allowed giving up big numbers. There is still a ton of talent in the Big 12, but they simply do not have it together this season and it has showed outside the conference. At least there is still hope Texas can bring home a National Championship if they can manage to get by Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship.

#4

The Big East is definitely having a better than expected season with the help of the Cincinnati Bearcats who are still undefeated holding down a 5th place ranking. Pittsburgh is also another top 10 team that is really developing into a solid team. The entire Big East is pretty solid from top to bottom. However, there is still not any team in the conference that has recorded a really huge type of win. Pittsburgh was knocked off earlier in the year by a North Carolina State team that is barely treading water in the ACC. West Virginia was taken down by Auburn who is also below averaging in the SEC. Outside of South Florida and Rutgers capture a pair of wins against the ACC, there is not much to brag about. However, the Big East has definitely shown that they can contend and have a lot of teams with promising futures. The Big East held a 4-2 mark in Bowl records last year and they will give opponents a tough time again this year. However, the entire conference still has a way to go before they will be strong enough to put an undefeated team into a National Championship over some of the other BCS conferences as will be an example when the Bearcats are left out of the title game this year if they can remain unbeaten.

#3

There may be some passionate fans that try and put their beloved ACC above the rest of the nation’s conferences, but that is a far from accurate claim. The ACC may have more teams ranked higher in the top 25 BCS Standings than other schools, but breaking down some of their top teams is far from impressive. The Clemson Tigers clinched the Atlantic Division at 8-3 on the season, but this is the same team that was beaten by a 2-9 Maryland team who was also beaten by Middle Tennessee State. Boston College was beaten by 6-5 Notre Dame and Florida State has had plenty of struggles this season which included an out of conference loss to South Florida. The Coastal Division has some promising hope led by 7th ranked Georgia Tech who continues to tear opponents apart by the triple option attack. Virginia Tech and Miami have shown signs of strength this season, but have also shown signs of inconsistency at the same time. The high BCS rankings may be thanks to their own strides from the upper echelon teams over the inferior teams in the conference. If you put the ACC up against the Pac-10 or SEC top to bottom and had each teams square off against each other in a number 1 vs. number 1 to number 2 vs. number 2 scenario, there is no way the ACC would have a winning record against either conference. Until they can produce some consistent National Championship contenders they will not have a chance to have the best conference in America simply because the likes of Duke, Virginia, Maryland, and others dampen those chances each year.

#2

The Pac-10 may have more teams from top to bottom that is as strong as or stronger than any conference in America. The majority of the teams in the conference can hold their ground with nearly anyone, However, the top teams in the Pac-10 have not stacked up well in their out of conference battles. Oregon has the chance to win the Pac-10 outright next week when they play Oregon State as the top team in the conference, but they were beaten by Boise State in the opener this season. Oregon State could still make claim towards a Pac-10 title, but they also were beaten by one of the nation’s top teams in Cincinnati out of the Big East. Stanford who has helped bring up the strength of the conference this season also suffered a less than stellar out of conference opponent to Wake Forest who has been fairly below average in the ACC. Of course there are 6 different teams that hold the top 15 most difficult schedules in America meaning they are much harder to keep teams from beating up on each other. However, even if you give the Pac-10 the edge with more talent top to bottom, they still do not have a National Championship contender. It is also very irrelevant to make the claim that they would have a National Championship contender if they did not beat up on each other because the SEC has been able to overcome that void for the last 3 years with the best conference in football. However if you stack up the entire SEC vs. Pac 10 in letting each team square off against each other, the Pac 10 will hold their ground and possibly even have the slight edge.

#1

All of this debate can rage on as it will most likely through the media and fans from around the nation. However as the debate continues, the SEC will be locking down their 4th straight National Championship. There is not any other team on neither Florida nor Alabama’s level and until a conference can take the National Title Trophy away from the SEC the argument is pointless. Sure the conference as a whole may be down, but what is down when you are talking about the SEC. Having a down year in the SEC is not having 4 to 5 teams in the top 15 instead of just having 4 ranked in the top 25. Outside of Mississippi State and Vanderbilt who hold down the bottom in both divisions, the entire SEC has just 2 out of conference losses and both fell in the first two weeks of the season. The SEC may have found a way to equal out in terms of records this season, but they stack up plenty well against the other top teams around the country. Last year, the SEC ranked 2nd in Bowl Games at a 6-2 mark behind the Pac-10 which was 5-0. Not only did they put more teams in Bowl Games than any other conference in America, they proved how good they were against other teams around the country that were supposedly on an equal level. It is no different this season, but the top 25 polls that impacts popular perception simply does not have as many teams from the SEC as usual and that is why people think the SEC is no longer the best conference in college football. However, they will have another stellar record in the postseason and they will bring home a 4th consecutive National Championship which will again silence all other conference claims as the best in the nation yet again.

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Earlier this summer, we broke down all of the NCAA College Football Conferences and provided some betting tips of who to keep on your radar for the 2009 season. Well the season is upon us, meaning the speculations and predictions of how the teams should perform are out the window. We have had the luxury of watching college football teams take the gridiron on the main stage and perhaps have a better understanding of what to expect for the remainder of the season. One thing that is certain for the 2009 season is that everyone is vulnerable to the upset bug. There has been 5 different top 5 ranked teams fall to upsets and last week 4 top 10 teams were beaten on the same weekend. The shakeup among the rankings is an equal indicator of how wide open the conference races will be for the remainder of the season. The major conferences have a long road before crowning their next champions. Based on some early performances and expectations, we bring to you a more updated look at the 2009 Conference Championships.

ACC Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The ACC:
Boston College +2000
Clemson +1200
Duke +10000
Florida State +400
Georgia Tech +600
Maryland +7500
Miami +400
North Carolina +600
North Carolina State +1000
Virginia +10000
Virginia Tech +150
Wake Forest +2000

The Miami Hurricanes appeared to be the surprise contenders in the conference jumping up to an early 9th place national ranking while capturing big wins over Florida State and Georgia Tech. However as quick as dreams for an ACC Title appeared feasible, Virginia Tech crushed the Hurricanes 31-7. Miami still has chances, but they have been desperately dampened considering they reside in the coastal division with Virginia Tech. However, the entire conference still has many contenders. Florida State has just one conference loss even though they have played very inconsistent. North Carolina and Georgia Tech both have one loss. The Yellow Jackets are perhaps too one dimensional in the running game to truly contend and North Carolina dropped their first test of the year against Georgia Tech last weekend. The Atlantic division still has a wide open race for a team to get in the ACC Championship, but the talent level is pretty significant drop off from the Coastal division. We predicted Virginia Tech in our first conference predictions and we are sticking with that decision strongly. The Hokies suffered a small letdown losing to Alabama in their opening game, but with all respect Alabama is among the very best in the nation. The Hokies blew out their big test against Miami and also managed to pullout a close out of conference win against a solid Nebraska team. The Hokies defense gives them the advantage to beat any team in the ACC. Also, Tyrod Taylor is starting to make plays with his arm which would be a huge boost to the team that has relied on the premier running attack.

ACC Conference Champion Pick: Virginia Tech

Big East Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The Big East:
Cincinnati +175
Connecticut +1000
Louisville +2000
Pittsburgh +400
Rutgers +800
South Florida +200
Syracuse +2000
West Virginia +400

The Big East is still as wide open as any conference in America. Cincinnati exploded to capture the crown in 2008 and are well on their way to making claim for a repeat. Despite some key losses, the Bearcats senior quarterback Tony Pike is a passing machine with 11 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions already this season. Pike gives the Bearcats every chance to have a huge season and a big reason Cincinnati has reached the number 10 ranking in the nation. South Florida took a big hit losing QB Matt Grothe which has to play into factor for the rest of the season. Sure the Bulls beat Florida State without Grothe, but it did not require a great passing performance from B.J Daniels to accomplish the feat. Perhaps we will see just who takes the early lead in the conference when South Florida meets Cincinnati in two weeks. Pittsburgh is the surprise story of the conference with a 4-0 start. Freshman running back Dion Lewis is sensational. The Panthers may not have the firepower to take down the conference this season, but best believe they will decide who does. Of course you also have to keep West Virginia in the picture due to their great rushing attack. Noel Devine is still among the best backs in the conference, but it may be the West Virginia defense that prevents them from returning to glory. The Mountaineers have allowed 27 points per game against some very average teams and they will only face better teams throughout the year. The likely scenario here again is Cincinnati repeats. South Florida will most likely fade, but Pittsburgh has the team to be the big surprise as they also get their biggest games at home. However, the Bearcats should bring down the conference but it may be very close.

Big East Conference Champion Pick: Cincinnati +175

Big 10 Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The Big 10:
Illinois +2500
Indiana +2500
Iowa +500
Michigan +800
Michigan State +2000
Minnesota +2000
Northwestern +5000
Ohio State +175
Penn State +250
Purdue +5000
Wisconsin +1000

The Iowa Hawkeyes have shaken up the Big Ten for the 2nd straight season in a row taking down Penn State. The Hawkeyes have the talent especially on offense to contend with any team in the league. However, in some of the brutal low scoring games controlled by the running game which is fairly accustom to the Big Ten may not favor the Hawkeyes. Rich Rodriguez has the Wolverines back in the spotlight as the conference’s number 1 rushing team averaging 240 yards per game on the ground. It will be interesting to see if the Wolverines emergence back to the top can continue as the schedule toughens. Ohio State is the leading candidate to take down the conference. The Buckeyes defense is still extremely talented and is only allowing 11 points per game. If the offense can pick up the pace, our preseason pick in Ohio State will still be extremely tough to beat. Penn State is still going to be a factor despite an early loss. The Nittany Lions are still perhaps the most talented team in the conference, but they too need the offense to pick up the pace.

Big Ten Conference Champion Pick: Ohio State +175

Big 12 Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The Big 12:
Baylor +10000
Colorado +5000
Iowa State +10000
Kansas +800
Kansas State +10000
Missouri +1500
Nebraska +800
Oklahoma +175
Oklahoma State +1200
Texas -140
Texas A&M +10000
Texas Tech +5000

The 2008 college football season was the year of the Big 12 as their explosive offenses took center stage and did not disappoint. However, the high scoring offenses of the Big 12 have not been very convincing so far this season. Oklahoma was upset in their opener to BYU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech both lost to Houston, Iowa State was blown out by Iowa, and the emerging Nebraska Cornhuskers were put back in the place by Virginia Tech. However, the Cornhuskers are better than expected and they will be heard this season. Nebraska has a balanced offense and a defense that will put them in every game they enter. The Jayhawks are expected to come out of the North, but they will have their hands full with Nebraska. Of course the winner of the South division will likely be the winner of the Big 12. Oklahoma State received tons off attention this summer due to their offense before struggling out the gates. The offense has been mediocre for Big 12 standards and it is unlikely they are going to beat out Texas or Oklahoma. However, the Cowboys still have the firepower to upset either one of the two. Texas is the overwhelming favorites as Colt McCoy already has 1,145 yards and the Longhorns offense is averaging 49 points this season. The Oklahoma Sooners have seemingly been thrown out the picture ever since their loss to BYU and Sam Bradford went down due to a shoulder injury. However, the Sooners are yet to play their first conference game and could be firing on all cylinders by the time they meet Texas on October 17th. The Oklahoma defense is going to give the Longhorns all they can handle in that meeting and if they force McCoy to a few turnovers the Sooners will be back on top of the Big 12 once again. The schedule may be tougher for Oklahoma to manage, but their defense along with the sharp running backs makes up for any letdowns in the passing game.

Big 12 Conference Champion Pick: Oklahoma +175

Pac 10 Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The Pac 10:
Arizona +4000
Arizona State +
California +250
Oregon +600
Oregon State +2500
Stanford +1800
UCLA +800
Southern Cal -150
Washington +1200
Washington State +5000

The Oregon Ducks nationally televised loss to Boise State on opening night put their hopes at a Pac-10 title on the backburner even though it was not a conference loss. However, the performance was fairly terrible and the Ducks were simply written off making the conference likely a two horse race between California and USC. The Trojans of course have had a share in 7 straight Pac-10 titles and are big favorites to win again. However, they have a huge road test with California this weekend they could really make a difference in the conference race. California reached the number 6 ranking the country last week behind Heisman hopeful running back Jahvid Best. However, the forgotten Oregon Ducks completely blew out California in a 42-3 thrashing. The Ducks recorded their 2nd straight win against a top 25 team and catapulted themselves right back into the conference race. USC already has a conference loss to their record as they were upset by Washington who was winless in 2008. The Trojans are under control from a freshman quarterback Matt Barkeley. For that reason along with the losses on defense, we predicted this would be the year that the Trojans do not make their claim at an 8th straight title. California could possibly confirm that prediction with a win over the Trojans this weekend and give the Golden Bears and Oregon the upper hand in the conference race. The Trojans defense is sure to make things tough for their opponents, but their inconsistent offense production will take its toll. We predicted California, but listed Oregon as the dark horse in the preseason. However, Oregon’s opening night loss may have been the best thing the team experiences this season. They are playing like a completely different team and they already have one of their biggest victories out of the way to bring down the Pac-10. We going to reverse that earlier prediction and put Oregon ahead of California to win the Pac-10 Championship especially with the odds begging for attention.

Pac Ten Conference Champion Pick: Oregon +600

SEC Championship Odds

Current Odds To Win The SEC:
Alabama +250
Arkansas +10000
Auburn +1500
Florida -275
Georgia +700
Kentucky +10000
LSU +1000
Mississippi +1500
Mississippi State +10000
South Carolina +10000
Tennessee +10000
Vanderbilt +10000

If you are not a Florida Gators fan, you may be possibly tired of hearing about the Florida Gators. However, you have to respect what they are trying to accomplish which is a 3rd national championship in 4 years which is simply ridiculous. Still, the odds are favoring Florida so much it nearly makes it a lose-lose situation to bet on. Mississippi appears to have been over rated after getting shut down by South Carolina. LSU is in similar situation, but they have escaped the upsets. However, the Tigers may not be able to escape their meeting with Georgia this weekend. The Tigers have not been able to run the ball and that will not get them anywhere in a SEC Title race. Auburn should start getting some attention as they are truly developing nicely. Auburn will not win the conference by any means, but they have every possibility to upset someone that has hopes to win the SEC. The race really comes down to the two teams that meet in last year’s SEC Championship. Florida as stated before are huge favorites considering their elite defense returned every starter from last year’s championship team and are holding teams to just 7 points per game which is best in the conference. Also, is there any need to even mention the Gators are led by Tim Tebow? However, Alabama is still a team for worthy consideration. The Crimson Tide is ranked number 3 in the country with quality wins over Virginia Tech and Arkansas. The Crimson Tide offense appears to be more dangerous this season than they were in 2008 behind veteran players like John Parker Wilson and Glenn Coffee. However, QB Greg McElroy can make the throws and has just 1 pick this season compared to 7 touchdowns. Mark Ingram has been very effective on the ground and the offense is spreading the ball around well through the air. The Crimson Tide defense remains the team’s strength, but with more firepower developing on offense they are going to be very tough to beat. It may seem absolutely crazy to go against Florida, but Nick Saban knows how to win the big games and when these two teams meet again in Atlanta that could very well be the outcome. Sure 99% of everyone will go with Florida, but getting Alabama at +250 odds is something to take a gamble on.

SEC Conference Champion Pick: Alabama +250

The college football season will be here in just a few short weeks. One of the main reasons college football is so exciting is because each week team’s can either make or break their season. Predicting Conference and Division Champions can be a difficult task with all the upsets and unexpected events that go into every college football season. Betus.com has released all types of pre-season betting scenarios including all major Conference and Division odds. The betting odds are always most profitable before the year starts and before pre-season rankings are released because many people simply do not know what to expect. We will take a look at some of the best teams to bet on heading into 2009 while taking advantage of these great betting odds.

Future Pick #1 – Odds to win the ACC Atlantic Division

Boston College +3000
Clemson +350
Florida State +125
Maryland +800
North Carolina State +200
Wake Forest +325

The ACC Atlantic Division is up for grabs in most expert’s perception heading into the new season. Clemson, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Florida State all have great chances to take down the division. However, we expect one team in particular to be better than predicted. The Florida State Seminoles return a very strong defense heading into 2009. The Seminoles were also the best offense in the ACC a year ago. Quarterback Christian Ponder led the Seminoles to 33 points per game. The Seminoles will be rock solid on both sides of the ball again this season and we expect them to get another division title for the 2nd year in a row. Clemson seemingly always finds a way to fall apart. North Carolina State is a bit overrated, and Wake Forest is not the team they have been over the last few years. We encourage a big play on the slightly favorite Florida State Seminoles.

Pick – Florida State +125

Future Pick #2 – Who will win the Big 10 Championship?

Illinois +650
Indiana +6000
Iowa+550
Michigan +1000
Michigan State +550
Minnesota +2500
Northwestern +2500
Ohio State +150
Penn State +250
Purdue +8000
Wisconsin +900

The Big Ten had a load of talented teams last year. Teams like Michigan State, Iowa, and Northwestern all had surprisingly strong seasons. The conference really displayed a lot of up and coming teams. The Iowa Hawkeyes will again be a team to watch out for heading into the season. Penn State dominated most of the season and looked like they were headed to a BCS National Championship game before being upset by Iowa late in the season. The Nittany Lions will be strong in 2009 as well. However, the team that will likely breakout from the pack will be the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State only lost one game in the conference last year and that was a great game against Penn State. Freshman Terrelle Pryor really matured as the season progressed destroying defenses with his running ability. However, Pryor actually displayed his arm in a few games late in the year. Pryor should be a well-oiled machine by the time the season kicks off and could have a breakout type season. The Buckeyes will also sport a stealthy defense that held the high power Texas offense to 24 points and nearly handed the Longhorns an upset in the Fiesta Bowl. Look for Ohio State to be just as dangerous this season on offense and not just on the defensive side of the ball.

Pick – Ohio State +150

Future Pick #3 – Who will win the Heisman Trophy?

I’m sure the vast majority of the betting world will be favoring the prominent Florida Gator’s quarterback Tim Tebow for this year’s Heisman Trophy predictions. While it may be hard to bet against Tebow and the Gators, we will look out west for this year’s Heisman winner. Texas Longhorn’s quarterback Colt McCoy has a great opportunity heading into 2009. After becoming a finalist just one year ago, the Longhorns sport another high powered offense that will likely post big numbers week in and week out. The Texas offense should be tops in the Big 12 over Oklahoma and McCoy will have the chance to put up some crazy statistics in the high scoring conference. Tebow is a great choice as well, but it is a bit harder to post superior statistics in the SEC. Not only will McCoy post the best numbers out of this year’s Heisman hopefuls, but Texas looks to have the best team in the Big 12. As always, it’s hard to win the most prestigious award in college football unless you team is performing at championship level. We take a gamble and bet on McCoy to get the job done

Pick – Colt McCoy +275

Other College Football News:

• NCAA Football Head Coaching Changes in 2009
• 2009-10 BCS National Championship Odds

The 10^th annual college basketball ACC/Big 10 challenge is now underway. The ACC has dominated this affair winning the last 9 challenges in the series. The last two years in the challenge the ACC has won 8 of the 11 events. The ACC will be favored again to win the challenge this year, but there will be a number of interesting match-ups to watch. Also find out which games our experts like the Big 10 to be a factor in.

Last night in the first game for the ACC/Big 10 challenge, the #22 Wisconsin Badgers edged out the Virginia Tech Hokies 74-72. The Badgers win gets the Big 10 rolling in the right direction to try and finally win the challenge. Junior guard Trevon Hughes hit a game winning shot with just under 2 seconds in the game to seal the deal for the Wisconsin victory. The win marks the first of many exciting games to come.

The Challenge will hit full swing tonight as a slate of teams will take the floor. Highlighting the night will be the #5 Duke Blue Devils and #10 Purdue Boilermakers. (9EST) The Boilermakers have perhaps the best team in the Big 10 right now and they will try to pull off what would be a big win. Duke has been rolling fairly well this season winning 6 of their 7 games by 15 points or more. Purdue has already suffered one loss to #13 Oklahoma this season and definitely does not want to lose two games this early in the season.

Tuesday, 12/02 Games:

Clemson at Illinois 7:30PM ET – A pair of undefeated teams plays tonight in Clemson Tigers and Illinois Fighting Illini. Both teams considered middle of the road will square off with one team getting their first loss of the season. Clemson is the favorite for the game and considered the better all around team. Illinois has struggled with field goal % and 3 point shooting in some under rated games. Look for the ACC to roll in this one unless the Illini can pull of the upset.

Ohio State at Miami 7:00PM ET – This game will be a classic for size against speed in college basketball. Miami has some lethal guards led by Jack McClinton scoring 15 points per game. Ohio State has a really big team and will look to control the inside. Once again the ACC team in considered the favorite while the Big 10 will be looking to surprise.

Iowa at Boston College 7:00PM ET – The Boston College Eagles have won their last 3 games in the ACC/Big 10 challenge and look to make it four in a row. Their contest with the Iowa Hawkeyes showcases two very similar teams. These two teams may not have the ability to make a run at conference championships, but both teams do have the ability to pull of some big wins this season. Both teams shoot the ball well, but who will be able to pull out the win?

Virginia at Minnesota 8:30PM ET – The Cavaliers are one of bottom dwellers in the ACC while Minnesota is standing at a season record of 6-0. Minnesota is considered the favorite to win the game and improve the undefeated mark. Golden Gophers guard Lawrence Westbrook is an extremely gifted player that leads a strong offensive front for Minnesota. Watch and see if Minnesota can score a much needed win for the Big 10.

Wednesday, 12/03 Games:

Indiana at Wake Forest 7:00PM ET – Wake Forest should have a big advantage in this game giving their extremely talented team. Wake is one of the best teams in the ACC this season while Indiana is expected to struggle in the Big 10. Indiana is 3-2 this season with two of those wins coming against Division II opponents. The Demon Deacons on the other hand are a perfect 5-0 led by sophomore guard Jeff Teague averaging 22 points per game. Hopefully the Hoosiers can keep this game close.

Michigan at Maryland 7:30PM ET – Both teams have one loss this season and this contest looks to be an exciting one. Michigan upset #4 UCLA early this season while Maryland had an upset of their own knocking off #6 Michigan State rather convincingly. Michigan may have the slight advantage with their excellent back court in guard Manny Harris (23ppg). Watch for this game to go right down to the wire.

Florida State at Northwestern 9:30PM ET – The Noles are undefeated at 7-0 mark while Northwestern is 3-1. Florida State will be the favorite for the ACC to win yet another game, but I believe Northwestern could be primed for the upset. The Wildcats are on of the top field goal percentage teams in the country and I believe their slow pace style they sometimes find themselves playing present some problems for FSU. Interesting contest between two teams considered not so good in their conferences.

Penn State at Georgia Tech 7:30PM ET – Georgia Tech has been struggling against some pretty week teams despite their 4-0 record. The Nittany Lions are 6-1 on the season and love to shoot the ball from the 3-point range. Georgia Tech should be able to over power the Penn State defense scoring down low while controlling the boards. Advantage Georgia Tech

#1 North Carolina at #12 Michigan State 9:00PM ET – The #1 ranked Tarheels will take the court against #12 Michigan State in perhaps the most anticipated game in the tournament. North Carolina averages a 2^nd best 96 points per game and are in the top 20 in nearly every offensive category led by 2008 Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough. Michigan State forward Raymar Morgan is a force to be reckoned with averaging 17 points per game and 5 rebounds. The Spartans lone loss of the year came from another ACC opponent the Maryland Terrapins. Michigan State will look to even the score against the ACC in the last game of the Challenge.