Former Top 10 teams will face off in the Insight Bowl on Tuesday night at Sun Devil Stadium in one of the most intriguing bowl games of the season. The Missouri Tigers still have a chance to finish this year in the Top 10 in the nation, but the Iowa Hawkeyes are just trying to end the season with a flurry after losing a number of games on the campaign down the stretch. Which team will you make your college football picks with on Tuesday night? Don’t be shocked if these three keys turn out to be the difference maker one way or the other.

Key #1: The Hawkeyes need to believe that they can win even without a pair of their offensive stars
As we mentioned earlier, Iowa got into the Top 10 in the nation as early as Week 2 this year, but a 34-27 loss to the Arizona Wildcats ended those dreams. Still, the Hawkeyes were ranked as the highest one loss team in the country for awhile, then were one of the highest two loss teams after losing by a point to the Wisconsin Badgers, and then they were the highest ranked three loss team in the land after losing to the Northwestern Wildcats. However, at that point, the wheels really fell off. The Hawkeyes were downed by the Ohio State Buckeyes and Minnesota Golden Gophers to end the campaign to drop out of the Top 25. To make matters worse now, they lost the services of leading rusher RB Adam Robinson and WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos to suspension for the Insight Bowl. There really aren’t a ton of tremendous athletes for the Hawkeyes to count on at this point, but QB Ricky Stanzi is one of the best signal callers in the history of this school. This is a man that had not lost a game as a starter until that duel in the desert earlier this year, and he has found a way to overcome all sorts of odds. Head Coach Kirk Ferentz is one of the best in the nation, and he is always on the NFL short lists for jobs, though he has never left Iowa. If the Hawkeyes buy into their head coach and their scheme in spite of their losses at the end of the season, they’ll be able to stick around with one of the best teams in the nation.

Key #2: Missouri’s defense has to stay strong in one of its toughest games of the season
When you think of the Tigers, you think of a team that really loves to go aerial and put a lot of points on the board, and though this has been the case for several years, the difference that made Missouri a legitimate BCS Championship contender for a good chunk of the season was a defense that kept teams to just 15.2 points per game, good enough to rank No. 6 in the land. There were five teams kept to single digits this year, including in each of the last two games of the season. One of those four came against the Texas A&M Aggies, who ended up with a better bowl bid in the Cotton Bowl than the Tigers. Mizzou ended up beating six bowl teams this year, more than most in the country, and certainly more than many in the Big XII. There wasn’t a team that scored more than 31 points this year against the Tigers, and that includes the high flying Oklahoma Sooners and the surging San Diego State Aztecs. This wasn’t always a fantastic team in terms of total yards this year, averaging allowing 346.9 yards per game, but there is no doubt that this is a team that knows how to bend, but not break. Iowa’s offense is a lot more efficient than its numbers suggest, but this is certainly going to be a tremendous challenge against one of the best units in the Big XII.

Key #3: Blaine Gabbert needs to look like a pro in the face of a stout defense
We already mentioned that the Tigers are used to throwing the ball all over the place, and that really wasn’t an exception this year. There wasn’t a man that had 100 carries this year for Mizzou, while Gabbert threw the pigskin 418 times. However, for a player that was supposed to at least be an outside contender for the Heisman Trophy this year, Gabbert just didn’t put together the numbers necessary. He threw for just 2,752 yards and 15 TDs, a far cry from his 3,593 yards and 24 scores on the year in 2009. WR TJ Moe and WR Michael Egnew were the top two targets for this team, as the two combined for 160 receptions and 1,591 yards with ten of the team’s 16 passing TDs for the year. Iowa’s defense has a ton of potential NFL stars on it, but it really isn’t all that deep. Still, these Hawkeyes allowed just 312.5 yards and 16.4 points per game in the Big Ten, one of the more surprising offensive conferences in the nation this year.

List of Odds to Win The 2011 College Football National Championship Can Be Found Below!

After months of waiting from the final gun of the Alabama/Texas National Championship Game, the college football betting season is back! With kickoff just hours away for the start of the season, here at Bankroll Sports, we are making our final NCAA football predictions with our BCS National Championship picks!

Boise State Broncos (+800 @ BetUS Sportsbook): It’s going to be incredibly difficult to beat the Broncos this season. The oddsmakers are essentially making them the favorites to go the BCS Championship Game, as they are clearly on East Street if they can get past the Virginia Tech Hokies on Monday night at FedEx Field. With 21 of the team’s 22 starters returning from a year ago, it’s hard to complain about anything that HC Chris Petersen has put together. This is the ring bearer for non-BCS conference schools to walk behind, and most of them are pulling for the Broncos to pull off the upset of upsets this year. Plain and simple, this is the team that you want to win it all in all likelihood if your team can’t do it. Boise will be in the title game if it can win this weekend.

Iowa Hawkeyes (+2000 @ BetUS Sportsbook): Save a road game at the Arizona Wildcats, the rest of the tough matchups for the Hawkeyes this year are going to be at home. Last year, Iowa snuck up on a ton of teams, but we must remember that wins against Penn State and Wisconsin and the near upset against Ohio State all came on the road. Guess which three teams all have to pay a visit to Kinnick Stadium this year? If you had to buy season tickets for one team to see the best college football betting action all year long, Iowa would be where you want to go. QB Ricky Stanzi has still never been beaten as a starting quarterback, and in a power conference where an undefeated season almost always leaves you in the BCS title game, there is no reason to believe that Iowa can’t take a perfect record deep into the fall once again this year. These are still fantastic odds on a team that is essentially intact from last year.

TCU Horned Frogs (+2000 @ BetUS Sportsbook): Is it really out of the question for the Horned Frogs to be playing the Broncos for all the marbles this year? The two programs certainly put on a great show last season in the Fiesta Bowl, making the BCS proud for doing the right thing and welcoming both non BCS schools to the show. TCU returns the bulk of its starters from a year ago, though replacing RB Joseph Turner, LB Daryl Washington, and DE Jerry Hughes will be difficult. Still, the Horned Frogs have an easiest enough schedule in the MWC that they should be able to get through with a chance to be unscathed. If they pull it off and enough chaos ensues, you never know what could happen… We’ve seen stranger things. Regardless, we think there is a significantly better chance than 1 out of 20 than TCU ends up winning the whole enchilada this year. Don’t be shocked if the Horned Frogs absolutely roll Oregon State this weekend to move up in the Top 10.

Pittsburgh Panthers (+5000 @ BetUS Sportsbook): It’s a bit of a reach, but if the Panthers can survive this road test at the Utah Utes this weekend, they will almost certainly jump into the Top 10 in the country, and deservedly so. Are you willing to pass on +5000 odds on a Top 10 team to win the National Championship? We certainly aren’t. We know that the Panthers already have one of the best running backs in the country in the form of RB Dion Lewis, who rushed for 1,799 yards a year ago. He could break all sorts of school and NCAA rushing records over the course of the next three years. As QB Tino Sunseri gets more comfortable with his surroundings, the Panthers are going to be tougher and tougher to beat. Good luck throwing against this ferocious pass rush as well. Odds have it, Pittsburgh will get picked off a couple times at some point this season. However, especially early on, if the tests are survived, the Panthers are a great choice.

2011 BCS National Championship Odds @ Oddsmaker (as of 9/2/10):
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Alabama +800
Oregon +4000
Nebraska +1200
Virginia Tech +3000
Florida +500
LSU +1200
Georgia +5000
Arkansas +4000
Miami +1500
Penn State +6000
Florida State +4000
BYU +20000
Utah +15000
California +10000
Oklahoma State +25000
Mississippi +20000
South Carolina +12500
Auburn +2000
Stanford +12500
Northwestern +60000
Notre Dame +1500
North Carolina State +75000
Tennessee +20000
Texas A&M +12500
Ohio State +350
Boise State +600
TCU +2000
Texas +1500
Oklahoma +300
Georgia Tech +10000
Pittsburgh +5000
Oregon State +10000
Wisconsin +5000
Cincinnati +10000
South Florida +30000
Washington +7500
Rutgers +75000
West Virginia +6000
Missouri +12500
Arizona +12500
Clemson +10000
North Carolina +7500
Illinois +75000
Baylor +75000
Michigan +10000
Michigan State +50000
UCLA +50000
Field +5000

Odds To Win The 2011 BCS Championship @ BetUS (as of 9/2/10):
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Alabama +425
Ohio State +600
Boise State +800
Oregon +2500
Texas +1400
Oklahoma +700
Nebraska +1400
Florida +900
Penn State +2500
Iowa +2000
Miami +2000
TCU +2000
LSU +2500
Georgia +3000
Oregon State +4000
Arkansas +3000
Wisconsin +4000
Clemson +4000
Pittsburgh +5000
Florida State +5000
Michigan +6000
Missouri +6000
Auburn +4500
Georgia Tech +5000
Tennessee +8000
Washington +5000
North Carolina +6000
UCLA +6000
Notre Dame +5000
South Florida +8000
Texas Tech +8000
Cincinnati +10000
Oklahoma State +10000
West Virginia +8000
Arizona +10000
BYU +12000
Baylor +15000
California +10000
Illinois +15000
Michigan State +10000
Mississippi +10000
North Carolina State +20000
Northwestern +15000
Rutgers +15000
South Carolina +8000
Stanford +12000
Utah +10000
Kansas State +12000
Boston College +12000
Virginia Tech +1800
Houston +15000
Connecticut +20000
Navy +20000
Kansas +20000
Purdue +20000
Wake Forest +20000
Iowa State +25000
Nevada +25000
Southern Mississippi +25000
Maryland +25000
Vanderbilt +25000
Fresno State +30000
Air Force +30000
Kentucky +30000
Duke +30000
Colorado +30000
Minnesota +30000
Virginia +30000
Indiana +35000
Syracuse +35000
Central Florida +40000
Louisville +40000
Temple +50000
SMU +50000
Army +75000
Hawaii +75000
Ohio +75000
Utah State +100000
UNLV +100000
Memphis +100000

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Current BCS Standings (as of October 25, 2009):

2009 BCS Predictions (as of October 20, 2009):

Well let the controversy begin or at least that is what the BCS Standing major goal is to accomplish right? In case you missed it, the first BCS Standings were released this week for college football. Will this finally be the year we have such a catastrophe in the BCS Polls that it finally causes a playoff to be adopted in college football? We think it could be for a number of reasons. Most importantly is that one of the non major conference teams will be undefeated and when say non major we mean outside the SEC and Big 12. Boise State, Cincinnati, and TCU all have really good chances to end the season undefeated. Of course if any team ends the year undefeated they have the right to make their claim for a National Title especially after Utah thumped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last year. All of this expectations and predictions may be a little premature. However rest assured in early December after all the Conference Title games have been played, the BCS will implode and cause some major disappointments for college football enthusiasts. Check out these big BCS Standings predictions.

BCS Standing Prediction #5 – TCU and Iowa will fade.

TCU is catching a lot of attention as there is a lot of people who think they can run the table. The Horned Frogs have a very talented defense that will keep them in every game they play this season. However, they have some big games left on the schedule against BYU and Utah. The TCU offense will have to step up if they are to run the table and quite honestly they do not have the firepower to keep up with those explosive scoring teams. TCU may get a win out of those two games, but they will lose at least one knocking their chances for a BCS Bowl out of the picture. Iowa is in a similar boat as well. The Hawkeyes keep winning in less than convincing fashion, but their momentum is running on thin ice. The Iowa offense is not moving the ball very well and they rank outside the top 75 in total offense with just 351 yards per game. In fact the offense has just produced 24 points per game this season as well. While the Big Ten teams are not known for huge offensive numbers, they are known for strong defenses. The Hawkeyes offense will be stopped in their tracks and it could be as early as this weekend on the road at Michigan State. If that does not knock them off track, the Buckeyes will get their chance to do the deed at the Horseshoe.

BCS Standings Prediction #4 – The SEC will sport two BCS Bowl Berths

Well this is a pretty easy prediction. Florida ranks number 1 in the standings and Alabama holds down the number 2 spot. In fact they are exactly vice versa in the AP Polls. It is a fair argument to say they are the best two teams in the country and are on a huge collision course for the Georgia Dome that will host the SEC Championship game. There is not any team left on either schedule that poses any big threats. Of course Florida has looked vulnerable while the Tide has rolled. Even if one falls to an upset they will meet in the SEC Championship. The winner will be fighting for the SEC’s 4th straight National Championship and the loser will still earn an at large berth in one of the other 4 BCS Bowl Games.

BCS Standings Prediction #3 – No. 20 Pittsburgh will earn a BCS Bowl Berth

The Pittsburgh Panthers may be well down the BCS Standings at this point in the season, but they will make a climb to the top. Despite being a fairly average team, the Panthers conference schedule sets up beautifully for them to win the Big East. Pittsburgh already suffered a loss to North Carolina State this year and will likely suffer another out of conference defeat when the Fighting Irish come to town in a few weeks. However, those losses will keep the in conference games in perspective and not allow any upsets. West Virginia and South Florida will both have a good chance to take down Pittsburgh, but the Panthers will have just one Big East loss when they host Cincinnati in their final game of the year. QB Bill Stull and freshman running sensation Dion Lewis provides Pittsburgh with plenty of weapons to take on Cincinnati. Plus Cincinnati star QB Tony Pike is questionable for his arm to stay healthy. Pittsburgh may have anywhere from an 8-3 to 9-2 record when they host the Bearcats in the season finale. However, there will only be one conference loss giving the Panthers the opportunity to win the Big East at home and they will get the job done.

BCS Standing Predictions #2 – USC quest for 5th straight Rose Bowl will end

USC has been to the Rose Bowl the last 4 straight season and 5 of the last 6 years as well. The Trojans have won 7 straight Pac-10 titles and have reached and has reached a BCS Bowl Game in every year of that impressive stretch as well. However, we are sticking to our early season prediction that USC will not win the Pac-10 title this season. The Trojans got a big win over California, but the Golden Bears are not the team we thought they would be. However, the Oregon Ducks will play the spoiler role. Oregon is still the only team left in the Pac-10 that has not suffered a conference loss and they control their own destiny in terms of a BCS Bowl Game. The Ducks also hold a big advantage as they will get USC at home on October 31st. That will be a huge game for both sides and we still like Oregon to pull out the victory. However even if USC wins and they experience another slip up as they are accustomed to experiencing, Oregon will still make it to the Rose Bowl ending the Trojans impressive run.

BCS Standings Prediction #1 – Boise State will shake up everything

If the other BCS Busters can not get the job done, the Boise State Broncos should throw a wrench into everything this year. Boise State faced one of their biggest remaining challenges towards perfection this past week with a 28-21 victory over Tulsa. Out of the remaining 7 games on the schedule, only Idaho owns a winning record. However, the Broncos are not likely to give into the upset bug like so many others will experience during the latter part of the year. QB Kellen Moore has the offense under control with 16 touchdowns to only 2 picks this season along with 1,404 yards. Hawaii and Nevada are potential teams that could pull of the upset along with Idaho. However, it does not seem things will work out so perfectly for the BCS as it has in year’s past. The Broncos offense will run the table against the weak pass defenses of the WAC and they will be undefeated when the BCS puts a 1 or maybe even a 2 loss team in the BCS Championship game instead.

BCS National Championship Odds From BetUS (as of October 20, 2009):
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