Week 1’s college football schedule is just about set to get started, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be taking a look at all of the games that are on the slate for the week ahead! Below, you will find a full listing of all of the Week 1 college football odds and betting lines, along with a discussion regarding some of the best games that are going to be on the Week 1 NCAA football schedule.

We’ll start right at the top on the first Thursday night of the season. The South Carolina Gamecocks are the only Top 25 team in action to start off the year, and they are going to have a tough game on the road against the Vanderbilt Commodores to start off SEC play. No one is really expecting to see Head Coach Steve Spurrier and company struggle all that much this time around, though the wonder is there whether the ‘Dores are going to be able to put up a fight in the unusually somewhat weak SEC East. Vandy is the home team, but as expected, it is a 7-point underdog to start off the campaign.

There are four new teams that are going to be playing their first FBS games this year, including the Massachusetts Minutemen, South Alabama Jaguars, Texas State Bobcats, and San Antonio Roadrunners. U-Mass starts off on Thursday night on the road against the Connecticut Huskies, and the fledging program is +25 in spite of the fact that UConn is expected to have one of the worst programs in the Big East this year. Also on the first night of the season, either South Alabama or Texas San Antonio will be getting their first win, as these two teams are playing each other in ‘Bama. The Jaguars figure to have the sturdiest program coming into FBS this year, and they are probably rightfully -6.5 at home. Texas State opens up on Saturday on the road against the Houston Cougars. The Cougs will be playing their first game without QB Case Keenum, but they are still expected to romp right through this one. The C-USA reps are -36.5, amongst the biggest favorites on the board.

The other showcase game to start off the season pits the Washington State Cougars against the BYU Cougars. This Cougar showdown is probably going to be a rather one-sided affair in Provo, but considering the fact that just four of the nine games on the first night of the season feature spreads of nine points or fewer, this shouldn’t be considered all that much of a surprise. BYU gets the nod in this one by 13.5.

Three games are on the college football schedule for Friday night. No one expects to see the Stanford Cardinal (-25.5) struggle against the San Jose State Spartans in their first game without QB Andrew Luck. The Tennessee Volunteers and NC State Wolfpack are going to battling it out in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome in a clash of middling teams in the SEC and ACC respectively. With the game being played in the heart of SEC Country, it is no surprise that Tennessee, opening up a very important season under Head Coach Derek Dooley, is a four-point favorite.

The key game on the Friday docket though, pits the Boise State Broncos up against the Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans have a heck of a schedule this year, and they are going to be in for quite the battle on Friday. This will be the debut for QB Andrew Maxwell, who is taking over for QB Kirk Cousins. Boise State has to undergo a massive change from the teams that have won just a slew of games over the course of the last few years. For the first time in four years, a quarterback not named Kellen Moore is going to be leading the troops out of the tunnel for the boys from the Smurf Turf. That doesn’t mean that QB Joe Southwick can’t get the job done, but he is going to have a tough time here in East Lansing. Michigan State is favored by a touchdown on Friday night. For more analysis and our Boise State vs. Michigan State picks, be sure to Click Here.

We have seen some crazy start times for college football betting affairs, but perhaps we have never seen anything quite like what we are going to be seeing at the top of the mornin’ on the first Saturday of the regular season. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are going to be playing in the land of the real Irish, Dublin to be exact. The Golden Domers are playing in the Irish Motherland against the Navy Midshipmen in a 9:00 a.m. ET start. QB Tommy Rees has been suspended for this one for Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish are still getting the nod by 17 points over what has really turned into a rather hapless Naval Academy football program.

The first game for the Penn State Nittany Lions since the finalization of the Jerry Sandusky situation could turn out to be a disaster. The Ohio Bobcats are coming to Happy Valley, and they are going to want to represent themselves well against a national power. PSU has had a ton of problems in this offseason on the field and off of it, and this is a dangerous game against a veteran team out of the MAC. The Bobcats are only six-point underdogs, but they definitely could be in for an upset when push comes to shove, and such a small college football betting line suggests just that.

As always on the Week 1 NCAA football betting lines, we have a ton of teams that are favored by just outrageous margins. Amongst them include the West Virginia Mountaineers (-24 vs. Marshall), Ohio State Buckeyes (-22.5 vs. Miami OH), Georgia Bulldogs (-37.5 vs. Buffalo), Florida Gators (-29 vs. Bowling Green), Texas Longhorns (-28.5 vs. Wyoming), Houston (already mentioned at -36.5 vs. Texas State), USC Trojans (-39 vs. Hawaii), Oklahoma Sooners (-30.5 @ UTEP), Oregon Ducks (-35.5 vs. Arkansas State), and the biggest of all, the LSU Tigers, who are -43 at home against the North Texas Mean Green.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great clashes that are going to be played over the course of the rest of the day, though. It’s strange to be seeing the Boston College Eagles and the Miami Hurricanes playing this early in the season, but the two are going to be having at it for sure. No, these teams aren’t powers like they were in the Doug Flutie days, but both know that they are going to need a few wins in the ACC this year to reach bowl eligibility. With this one in Chestnut Hill, the Eagles are getting some respect, but they are still just one-point favorites.

That night back in Hot ‘Lanta, the Georgia Dome will be hosting its second game. The Clemson Tigers and Auburn Tigers are going to be fighting it out in what will look a heck of a lot like a potential Peach Bowl. In fact, these two have met in this venue a number of times before. The stakes could be higher this time around, especially for a Clemson team that is trying to prove that it can legitimately contend for a National Championship this year. Is it farfetched? Probably. But if the Tigers can’t beat the three-point spread in a neutral site game against Auburn to start off the year, there will be no doubt that they won’t be able to contend for much more than an ACC title.

But of course, the game of all games on the Week 1 College Football Schedule is the clash in Arlington between the Michigan Wolverines and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The defending BCS National Champions know that they are going to have their work cut out for them in this one, but they are going to hope to flex their muscles as they did against the Big Ten over the course of the last two seasons against Penn State. QB Denard Robinson has more on the line in this game than any individual probably has in quite some time. He is as explosive of a player as the Tide will ever see, and with a defense that could be doing some rebuilding this year, Robinson might be able to find some cracks. If the Wolverines can pull this one off, it would easily be the biggest win in the brief coaching career for Head Coach Brady Hoke, and it would really make the National Championship race this year wide open. Click Here for our Michigan vs. Alabama Preview, as it was the No. 3 game in our countdown of the Top 25 NCAA Football Matchups of 2012.

Most weekends, college football betting is said and done with on Saturday, but this week, there are still three more games to choose from. The two clashes on Saturday really might not be anything all that special. The Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals play their annual Battle for the Commonwealth on Sunday, a game which features the Cards as 13.5 point favorites. The SMU Mustangs are also going to be on the road against the Baylor Bears, who are prepping for life without QB Robert Griffin III. Baylor is favored by 10.5.

And finally, in what has become a great Labor Day tradition, the ACC opens up with its showcase game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The stakes are clearly going to be high in Blacksburg, knowing that the loser of this game is probably already going to be out of the ACC Championship hunt. With stakes this high, it is no wonder that this is one of the top games of the weekend even though only Virginia Tech is ranked in the Top 25 of these two teams. This should be a thrilling one that comes down to the wire, as the Hokies are favored by 7.5-points. This game is so important that it is also one of our Top 25 College Football Matchups of the Year, so don’t miss out on our Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech Game Preview.

2012 NCAA Football Week 1 Odds @ Bookmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/1/12):
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Week 1 NCAA Football Betting Lines for Thursday, 8/30/12

133 South Carolina Gamecocks -6.5
134 Vanderbilt Commodores +6.5
Over/Under 45

135 UCF Knights -24
136 Akron Zips +24
Over/Under 49

137 Eastern Michigan Eagles +3
138 Ball State Falcons -3
Over/Under 58.5

139 Texas A&M Aggies POSTPONED
140 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs POSTPONED
Over/Under POSTPONED

141 Massachusetts Minutemen +22.5
142 Connecticut Huskies -22.5
Over/Under 45.5

143 UCLA Bruins -16.5
144 Rice Owls +16.5
Over/Under 59.5

145 Washington State Cougars +12
146 BYU Cougars -12
Over/Under 65.5

147 Minnesota Golden Gophers -8.5
148 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels +8.5
Over/Under 49.5

301 Towson Tigers +8
302 Kent State Golden Flashes -8

303 Southeast Missouri State +27.5
304 Central Michigan Chippewas -27.5

305 Northern Colorado Bears +42
306 Utah Utes -42

307 McNeese State Cowboys +7.5
308 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders -7.5

309 Southern Utah Thunderbirds +20.5
310 Utah State Aggies -20.5

311 Sacramento State Hornets +6.5
312 New Mexico State Aggies -6.5

313 Eastern Washington Eagles +6
314 Idaho Vandals -6

315 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks +30
316 Arizona State Sun Devils -30

College Football Lines for Week 1 for Friday, 8/31/12

151 Tennessee Volunteers -3
152 NC State Wolfpack +3
Over/Under 52

153 Boise State Broncos +7
154 Michigan State Spartans -7
Over/Under 46.5

155 San Jose State Spartans +25.5
156 Stanford Cardinal -25.5
Over/Under 51.5

317 Villanova Wildcats +18.5
318 Temple Owls -18.5

319 Wagner Seahawks +17.5
320 Florida Atlantic Owls -17.5

NCAA Football Week 1 Odds for Saturday, 9/1/12

157 Notre Dame Fighting Irish -14.5
158 Navy Midshipmen +14.5
Over/Under 52

159 Marshall Thundering Herd +26
160 West Virginia Mountaineers -26
Over/Under 68

161 Ohio Bobcats +6.5
162 Penn State Nittany Lions -6.5
Over/Under 44

163 Northwestern Wildcats +1
164 Syracuse Orange -1
Over/Under 53.5

165 Miami Redhawks +25
166 Ohio State Buckeyes -25
Over/Under 51

167 Western Michigan Broncos +10
168 Illinois Fighting Illini -10
Over/Under 49

169 Tulsa Golden Hurricane -1.5
170 Iowa State Cyclones +1.5
Over/Under 50.5

171 Nevada Wolf Pack +11.5
172 Cal Golden Bears -11.5
Over/Under 57

173 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles +20
174 Nebraska Cornhuskers -20
Over/Under 53

175 Miami Hurricanes -2.5
176 Boston College Eagles +2.5
Over/Under 44

177 Iowa Hawkeyes -9.5
178 Northern Illinois Huskies +9.5
Over/Under 50

179 Colorado Buffaloes -6
180 Colorado State Rams +6
Over/Under 47

181 Buffalo Bulls +38
182 Georgia Bulldogs -38
Over/Under 54.5

183 Bowling Green Falcons +28.5
184 Florida Gators -28.5
Over/Under 47.5

185 Wyoming Cowboys +31.5
186 Texas Longhorns -31.5
Over/Under 53.5

187 Texas State Bobcats +36
188 Houston Cougars -36
Over/Under 61

189 Clemson Tigers -2.5
190 Auburn Tigers +2.5
Over/Under 55

191 Hawaii Warriors +42
192 USC Trojans -42
Over/Under 63

193 Michigan Wolverines +13.5
194 Alabama Crimson Tide -13.5
Over/Under 47

195 Rutgers Scarlet Knights -20.5
196 Tulane Green Wave +20.5
Over/Under 47.5

197 Oklahoma Sooners -30
198 UTEP Miners +30
Over/Under 62.5

199 Toledo Rockets +11
200 Arizona Wildcats -11
Over/Under 62

201 San Diego State Aztecs +14.5
202 Washington Huskies -14.5
Over/Under 56.5

203 Troy Trojans -6
204 UAB Blazers +6
Over/Under 63

205 Florida International Golden Panthers +2.5
206 Duke Blue Devils -2.5
Over/Under 52.5

207 North Texas Mean Green +44
208 LSU Tigers -44
Over/Under 52

209 Arkansas State Red Wolves +37
210 Oregon Ducks -37
Over/Under 69

217 Texas San Antonio Roadrunners +6
218 South Alabama Jaguars -6
Over/Under 46

321 Appalachian State Mountaineers +19
322 East Carolina Pirates -19

323 Elon Phoenix +34.5
324 North Carolina Tar Heels -34.5

325 Jacksonville State Gamecocks +45
326 Arkansas Razorbacks -45

327 South Dakota State Jackrabbits +19.5
328 Kansas Jayhawks -19.5

329 Missouri State Bears +30
330 Kansas State Wildcats -30

331 Idaho State Bengals +38
332 Air Force Falcons -38

333 William & Mary Tribe +20.5
334 Maryland Terrapins -20.5

335 Nicholls State Colonels POSTPONED
336 Oregon State Beavers POSTPONED

337 Richmond Spiders +22.5
338 Virginia Cavaliers -22.5

339 Eastern Kentucky Colonels +22.5
340 Purdue Boilermakers -22.5

341 Northern Iowa Panthers +38
342 Wisconsin Badgers -38

343 Murray State Racers +45
344 Florida State Seminoles -45

345 Youngstown State Penguins +18.5
346 Pittsburgh Panthers -18.5

347 Liberty Flames +25
348 Wake Forest Demon Deacons -25

349 Lamar Cardinals +36.5
350 Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns -36.5

351 Tennessee Martin Skyhawks +8.5
352 Memphis Tigers -8.5

353 Tennessee Chatanooga Mocs +27
354 South Florida Bulls -27

355 Central Arkansas Bears +19.5
356 Mississippi Rebels -19.5

357 Austin Peay Governors +30.5
358 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -30.5

359 Jackson State Tigers +37.5
360 Mississippi State Bulldogs -37.5

361 Southeast Louisiana Lions +47
362 Missouri Tigers -47

363 Savannah State Tigers +62
364 Oklahoma State Cowboys -62

365 Northwestern State Demons +36.5
366 Texas Tech Red Raiders -36.5

367 Indiana State Sycamores +11
368 Indiana Hoosiers -11

369 Southern Jaguars +22
370 New Mexico Lobos -22

371 Weber State Wildcats +23
372 Fresno State Bulldogs -23

Week 1 NCAA Football Odds for Sunday, 9/2/12

211 Kentucky Wildcats +13
212 Louisville Cardinals -13
Over/Under 42

213 SMU Mustangs +8.5
214 Baylor Bears -8.5
Over/Under 58.5

Week 1 College Football Odds for Monday, 9/3/12
215 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +7.5
216 Virginia Tech Hokies -7.5
Over/Under 49

Michigan Wolverines fans and fans of the Big Ten have been barking for years that they don’t get primetime love in the big time games of the week. The Penn State Nittany Lions had their chance against the Alabama Crimson Tide over the course of the last two years, only to get pummeled in both outings. Now, it’s up to Big Blue to see if they can represent the Big Ten in what should be one of the best games of the season against the Tide in Arlington at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on the first Saturday of the season. You surely don’t want to miss this one, as the Wolverines and Crimson Tide should make for one of the best college football matchups of the season.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Picks & Info
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Date: Saturday, September 1st
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -12.5

Welcome to the big time, QB Denard Robinson! Robinson knows that this is the game that will make or break his entire season. Finding a way to pull off the upset of the Crimson Tide in what might feel like a de facto road game would make Michigan a National Championship contender, would solidify Robinson as a Heisman Trophy finalist nearly for certain, and it could make Robinson a first round pick in the NFL Draft next year. No pressure, kid. Of course, around Robinson is the core that returns from a defense that ranked surprisingly high last year in the Big Ten. This is going to be a heck of a challenge against an Alabama defense that is always one of the best in the nation, knowing that the Michigan ‘D’ won’t be able to make all that many mistakes and live to tell about it. Watch for WR Roy Roundtree in this one, as he might be the best receiving option that Robinson has to get the ball up the field to against a stout secondary.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Past Games (Since 1995)
2000: Michigan 35 – Alabama 34
1997: Alabama 17 – Michigan 14

We know full well that Alabama is going to be a contender to back to the BCS National Championship Game this year. The Tide are stacked once again in spite of the fact that they are only returning 12 starters from last year’s title team. That being said, the Crimson Tide don’t know how to rebuild. They just know how to reload. RB Eddie Lacy is going to end up being the next featured back now that RB Trent Richardson is gone, and there will surely be some great linebackers that step up to replace LB Don’t’a Hightower and LB Courtney Upshaw. The key to what will make this team go though, will be the offensive line. The four remaining members from this outstanding OL will be protecting QB AJ McCarron, who could suddenly become one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC as well.

Michigan vs. Alabama Free Picks^^: Michigan is going to end up being disrespected in this game, and we just don’t know if it is justified. Granted, we think that the Crimson Tide are going to end up winning this game, but we don’t know if laying a dozen is a great idea with a team that is going through so much change. Michigan knows that it has a real shot of pulling off the upset, and if it goes into this one feeling like that can happen, it should be able to stick around with the Tide. This really could live up to the billing as one of the best games of the year, unlike what happened last year when the LSU Tigers took on the Oregon Ducks here in Jerry World.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here.

Our expert college football handicappers have a huge 10* Inside Info Release going (@ 8pm EST) in the Michigan @ Alabama matchup for Saturday, September 1, 2012. Don’t miss it!

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Over the course of the last few weeks, we here at Bankroll Sports have counted down the Top 25 college football matchups. The first 24 games were awfully difficult to be able to place, but there has never been a doubt as to what the top game on the docket would be. The LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide clashes in two absolutely amazing games last year, including in the BCS National Championship Game. Almost a full year later, the two are going to meet again, and they are likely to once again be meeting as two of the top teams in the entire country. Don’t miss what should be the most highly anticipated NCAA football matchup of the season, as we make our LSU vs. Alabama picks for the biggest clash of the year.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Picks & Info
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Date: Saturday, November 3rd
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Spread: LSU Tigers -2.5

We have spoken a ton about Alabama in this countdown of our Top 25 college football games of the year. QB AJ McCarron is going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this year, and he is going to have a great team in front of him once again. Last year, the Tide came into this battle with the Bayou Bengals with a ton of experience. The bad news is that LB Dont’a Hightower and LB Courtney Upshaw are gone, as are a slew of other starters from a campaign ago. The problems in the kicking game clearly haven’t been fixed, and that could come back and really hurt the team this time around as well. Remember that if Head Coach Nick Saban had a solid kicker, the Tide would have ran the table and finished the year with a 14-0 mark, and Alabama would have been known as arguably the best team of all-time. This year, there definitely isn’t that threat that this could be the best team ever, but being a National Championship contender definitely isn’t out of the question. However, losing this game would not just cost the Tide a shot at the title, but once again at the SEC West, too.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
2012: Alabama 21 – LSU 0 (BCS National Championship Game)
2011: LSU 9 – Alabama 6
2010: LSU 24 – Alabama 21
2009: Alabama 24 – LSU 15
2008: Alabama 27 – LSU 21
2007: LSU 41 – Alabama 34
2006: LSU 28 – Alabama 14
2005: LSU 16 – Alabama 13
2004: LSU 26 – Alabama 10
2003: LSU 27 – Alabama 3
2002: Alabama 31 – LSU 0
2001: LSU 35 – Alabama 21
2000: LSU 30 – Alabama 28
1999: Alabama 23 – LSU 17
1998: Alabama 22 – LSU 16
1997: LSU 27 – Alabama 0
1996: Alabama 26 – LSU 0

Meanwhile, LSU was the team that did run the table in the regular season last year, and had it not put forth a total dud in January, it would have been known as the greatest team ever. Once again, this is going to be one of the best defenses in the nation, and that’s in spite of the fact that DB Tyrann Mathieu, last year’s Heisman Trophy finalist and DB Mo Claiborne are gone from the team. Head Coach Les Miles always finds way to replenish his team in a hurry though, and there aren’t all that many years in which t Bayou Bengals aren’t one of the Top 10 teams in the land. QB Zach Mettenberger is going to be the man that has to take over this offense, and he can’t possibly score any fewer touchdowns than QB Jordan Jefferson and QB Jarrett Lee did last year in two starts against the Tide. Look for the big time stable of running backs to try to do it all against Alabama. That was the recipe last year in this game when these two teams met in Tuscaloosa, and it is going to surely be the recipe once again if the Tigers are to roar loudly and get the job done in the biggest game of the season.

Alabama @ LSU Free Picks^^: We know that this is going to be the biggest game of the college football season, and it should live up to that billing. Both of these defenses are going to be excellent once again, and there is just no reason to think that there is going to be anything but a struggle for both offenses no matter how many returners that are on both sides. The two games last year featured a combined 36 points, and though we do think that we are going to see some touchdowns, we know that they are going to be few and far between. In the end, just as LSU was able to go on the road and win this fixture, we think that the Crimson Tide are going to repay the favor in Baton Rouge in the biggest game of the year.

^^Disclaimer: Our college football picks by our sports blog writers are independent of those from our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. All NCAA football odds and lines in our Top 25 are from the month of August, and those lines could and likely will change by the time the game kicks off.

You won’t want to miss our Alabama @ LSU picks when our expert college football handicappers have them posted on the week of 11/3/12.

Last year, the Big Ten ended up featuring five teams ranked in the Top 20 in the country. Two of those teams, the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Wisconsin Badgers, were amongst the best, and they were both contenders for the Rose Bowl for most of the year. Of course, we know that it was Wisconsin that ended up going to Pasadena a campaign ago, while Nebraska was left out of all of the action after losing just three conference games. The Badgers are likely to waltz to the Big Ten Championship Game once again this year, but Nebraska is going to have a heck of a road to be able to get there. One of those tough games comes against this Wisconsin outfit, which will come to Lincoln for the first time ever to end the month of September. Join us for our Wisconsin @ Nebraska college football picks for what should be one of the best games of the year in the Big 10, and a game that could legitimately be a preview of what is to come down the road in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Picks & Info
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Date: Saturday, September 29th
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Spread: Nebraska Cornhuskers -3

Those tricky Badgers did well last year to make it to the Rose Bowl, but we also have to remember that Nebraska came to Camp Randall, and the only two losses over the course of the season came against Michigan State and Ohio State. Both games came on the road. In fact, it has been quite some time since Wisconsin has won a legitimate road game of note, and this is going to be the first, and really quite possibly the only big time road test that this team has to face this year. QB Joe Brennan is definitely no Russell Wilson, but at least he is going to have the pleasure of having RB Montee Ball in the backfield to hand the rock to. The Heisman Trophy finalist from a year ago knows that this is the type of game in which he can make himself a lot of money, as he could be a first round draft pick this coming year in the NFL Draft. The defense has six returning starters but is very deep, and this unit will have to really buckle down to be able to shut down the Big Red offense.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Wisconsin 48 – Nebraska 17

The Cornhuskers are only going to go as far as QB Taylor Martinez takes them. Last year, getting just 17 points on the board in Camp Randall clearly didn’t cut it, especially knowing that he turned the ball over three times and completed just 50.0 percent of his passes in the effort. He is going to have to do a lot better job this year against this defense to have any chance whatsoever of winning this game. The Huskers don’t have a heck of a lot of big time playmakers on defense, but they do have a lot of experience coming back this year with eight returning starters. This unit was embarrassed last year in Madison, allowing 48 points in a game that was a romp from the second quarter on, and Head Coach Bo Pelini knows that this is the type of game that his squad has to win if it wants to contend to go to the Rose Bowl and play for a National Championship.

Wisconsin @ Nebraska Free Picks^^: We are a bit puzzled as to why Nebraska is really favored in this game. We think that it is clear that Wisconsin has the better of the two sides, and with a legitimate chance at the BCS National Championship potentially on the line, the Badgers just aren’t going to relent. Martinez hasn’t proven that he can win big games, as he just hasn’t played well in bowls and isn’t going to be one of the elite quarterbacks in a Big Ten where all of a sudden, quarterback play looks awfully good. Look for Ball to run all over the Nebraska defense in what will turn out to be another great victory for the Badgers.

^^Please Note: The Wisconsin @ Nebraska picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium Wisconsin vs. Nebraska picks from our experts on Saturday, 9/29

The LSU Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks play against each other every single season, and they have always have something special on the line. This one is played the day after Thanksgiving every year, and though things are changing in the SEC, at least this SEC West clash isn’t changing. The Hogs and the Bayou Bengals have had some great battles over the years, last year of which was definitely no exception when they were ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the nation. This could be the same sort of game this year, though both of these teams feel like they have taken a step backwards. This clash in Fayetteville could be a great college football matchup, and that’s why this is one of our Top 25 NCAA football games of the year.

LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Picks & Info
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Date: Friday, November 23rd
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Spread: LSU Tigers -3.5

The Tigers know that they are going to have one of the best defenses in the country this year, not that that is all that much of an exception from last year. The ‘D’ really didn’t have a bad game last year at all. In the end, it was the offense that failed LSU in the BCS National Championship Game and cost it the season. Now, both of the top corners from last year are gone, and that could be a bit problematic. We know that the Bayou Bengals might have some issues offensively, too. QB Zach Mettenberger is going to be leading the team on the field to start this season, and odds have it, he’ll still be the man that has to stick around with one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. RB Spencer Ware is going to be carrying the ball a ton, and there are going to be a lot of other backs that see the rock as well.

LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: LSU 41 – Arkansas 17
2010: Arkansas 31 – LSU 23
2009: LSU 33 – Arkansas 30
2008: Arkansas 31 – LSU 30
2007: Arkansas 50 – LSU 48
2006: LSU 31 –Arkansas 26
2005: LSU 19 – Arkansas 17
2004: LSU 43 – Arkansas 14
2003: LSU 55 – Arkansas 24
2002: Arkansas 21 – LSU 20
2001: LSU 41 – Arkansas 38
2000: Arkansas 14 – LSU 3
1999: LSU 35 – Arkansas 10
1998: Arkansas 41 – LSU 14
1997: LSU 31 – Arkansas 21
1996: LSU 17 – Arkansas 7
1995: LSU 28 – Arkansas 0

The Hogs had their chance last year at the BCS National Championship Game, and though they ran through the rest of their schedule to 11 wins without a defeat, they weren’t able to take down either LSU or Alabama, and they quite frankly didn’t come close on either account. This year, the game against the Bayou Bengals is going to be at home, where Arkansas doesn’t lose all that often, and that is going to make this all the more special of a game, especially after last year’s beat down in Baton Rouge. QB Tyler Wilson has to remember what it was like going against the LSU defense, which totally shut him down and held the Razorbacks down to just 17 points, and he has to know that he is going to have to do more than that to win this game this year. His receivers should be fine by the time this one kicks off, unlike the problems that could come early in the year against Alabama. Defensively, the Hogs aren’t going to be allowing 41 points in this game again, and that should make matters all the more palatable for Wilson and this offense as well.

LSU @ Arkansas Free Picks^^: There are a few things that we really have to consider here when we back Arkansas. For starters, this game is in Fayetteville, where the Hogs have won back to back games against the Bayou Bengals. Secondly, and perhaps as important as anything else, if you take away last year’s game, six straight meetings were decided by eight points or fewer, and four of those six were decided by three points or fewer. Needless to say, that means that we are going to want these points on our side, and we think that we are going to have the team that can win this game outright as well.

^^Disclaimer: Our college football picks by our sports blog writers are independent of those from our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. All NCAA football odds and lines in our Top 25 are from the month of August, and those lines could and likely will change by the time the game kicks off.

You won’t want to miss our LSU @ Arkansas picks when our expert college football handicappers have them posted on the week of 11/23/12.

There was a time that the Red River Rivalry between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns was one of the most important games of the year. It often determined which team would end up playing in the Big XII Championship Game, and it also usually knocked one of the two teams out of the National Championship picture. Both squads are hoping for a renaissance this year, but once again, it is going to take going through the other to be able to do it. Join us for our Red River Rivalry game preview and picks, as we highlight what should once again be a fantastic Big XII battle.

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Picks & Info
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Date: Saturday, October 13th
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Location: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Spread: Oklahoma Sooners -7

Texas knows that it has to get some better play out of its quarterback position this year if it hopes to win the Red River Shootout. QB David Ash and QB Case McCoy are both trying to become the starter for the Horns this year, though it does feel like Ash has the edge having taken every snap of the Holiday Bowl at the end of last campaign. The rest of this team really feels like a Top 10 team in the country this year. The offensive line returners three starters, and the receivers and running backs are still quite deep. The defense is going to be all over the place as well, as even though former DC Will Muschamp has left for Gainesville, there are still a heck of a lot of holdovers that still have that mean streak and really command a lot of attention.

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Oklahoma 55 – Texas 17
2010: Oklahoma 28 – Texas 20
2009: Texas 16 – Oklahoma 13
2008: Texas 45 – Oklahoma 35
2007: Oklahoma 28 – Texas 21
2006: Texas 28 – Oklahoma 10
2005: Texas 45 – Oklahoma 12
2004: Oklahoma 12 – Texas 0
2003: Oklahoma 65 – Texas 13
2002: Oklahoma 35 – Texas 24
2001: Oklahoma 14 – Texas 3
2000: Oklahoma 63 – Texas 14
1999: Texas 38 – Oklahoma 28
1998: Texas 34 – Oklahoma 3
1997: Texas 27 – Oklahoma 24
1996: Oklahoma 30 – Texas 27

Oklahoma could be up for a big time season, knowing that QB Landry Jones is back for his senior season. The offensive line in front of him is going to be awesome as always, and the running back corps should still be solid. Defensively, Head Coach Bob Stoops has had some issues in recent years, but he is hoping that his eight returning starters are able to step up to the challenge and get the job done. The secondary has really been under scrutiny. DB Demontre Hurst is the senior leader of the group, and he is going to be challenged in this game specifically against a great set of Texas wide receivers. In the end though, against a sometimes suspect Texas offense, the OU offense could get the job done by itself as long as Jones ends up not falling on his face.

Texas vs. Oklahoma Free Picks^^: The Sooners have had a strong run of games against the Longhorns in recent years, and we just don’t see how that’s going to be stopping in this one. Oklahoma and Texas are both improved teams, but in the end, it is OU that has the ability to win the National Championship, and this isn’t going to be the game that trips the men in crimson and cream up.

^^Note: These college football picks are independent of the picks of our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. These NCAA football picks are made as of 8/12/12, though we will keep the college football matchup page updated for this clash on the week of the game.

When the Texas vs. Oklahoma odds are on the board on the week of 10/13, we will have our college football picks that you won’t want to miss!

Over the course of the last few years, the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans have really played some fantastic games that have featured just a ton of points. These two teams are going to be battling for what could be a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game on both sides. National Championship dreams could be up in the air as well for both sides. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is going to be the most important game of the year in the Pac-12, and if we are lucky, it might be the first of two meetings of the season between what should be two tremendous juggernauts. This will be Pac-12 football at its finest, and it is the No. 2 game in our countdown of the Top 25 NCAA football matchups in 2012.

Oregon Ducks @ USC Trojans Picks & Info
Oregon Ducks @ USC Trojans Date: Saturday, November 3rd
Oregon Ducks @ USC Trojans Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Oregon Ducks @ USC Trojans Spread: USC Trojans -3.5

The Ducks only lost two games all of last season. The first came against the LSU Tigers in Dallas. The second came against the Men of Troy in a fantastic finish in November. The loss took Oregon out of the BCS National Championship picture. Sure, the team made it to the Rose Bowl, but that was a minor consolation for sure. The high octane offense for the U of O is going to be at it again this year with QB Bryan Bennett calling the shots. RB Kenjon Barner will finally get a chance to be a featured back, and we expect that he is going to account for at least 1,500 yards this year. WRs Josh Huff and De’Anthony Thomas should both be All-Pac-12 types of performers. The defense has a few big time stars amongst its eight returning starters. Granted, this isn’t a team that is thought of for its defense, but USC has to know that it could be up for quite the challenge.

Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: USC 38 – Oregon 35
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

The Trojans hadn’t beaten the Ducks in two straight seasons before last year, and that has to be worrisome for a team that is used to be a National Championship contender. This is one of the biggest games of the year for a squad that has to be considered a real threat to get to the title game, but without this win, it is going to be awfully tough to get the job done. The Trojans probably won’t have all that much of a threat to beat them out for their spot in the Pac-12 title game, so at least this won’t be up for concern. Still, QB Matt Barkley might be up for a Heisman Trophy at this point, and losing this game would probably be a huge hit against him. There are a number of other offensive stars that are going to have to come to play, but the defense is going to be up for the biggest challenge. Remember that this unit has allowed 135 points over the course of the last three seasons to the Ducks, and Head Coach Lane Kiffin cannot be thrilled to say the least about that.

Oregon @ USC Free Picks^^: Oregon is going to have a great team this year, and it did go on the road and beat the Stanford Cardinal in its biggest game of last season. That being said, this just isn’t going to be the time for the Ducks to shine. The Trojans are just too good this year, and asking them to lay basically just the value of home field advantage against Oregon isn’t enough. We think that this spread will be a touchdown when this game actually kicks off, and with that being the case, we have to back the Men of Troy right now.

^^Note: These college football picks are independent of the picks of our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. These NCAA football picks are made as of 8/12/12, though we will keep the college football matchup page updated for this clash on the week of the game.

When the Oregon @ USC odds are on the board on the week of 11/3, we will have our college football picks that you won’t want to miss!