2011-12 Top 25 College Football Games of the Year
#25 San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines and the San Diego State Aztecs aren’t going to be putting on the biggest show of the year, as neither of these two are going to be National Championship contenders this year, but they are still clearly going to a ton of storylines, as former SDSU Head Coach Brady Hoke tries to take down his former team in his new maize and blue.

San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Picks & Info
San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Date: Saturday, September 24th, 2011
San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
NCAA Football Lines: Michigan Wolverines -7

This is a year in which Michigan is expected to do a lot better now that the Big 10 has expanded to 12 teams. QB Denard Robinson is going to end up as a Heisman Trophy contender again this season, as he is going to end up putting up some gaudy statistics. He threw for 2,570 yards and rushed for 1,702 yards last year, and he really came out on nowhere to do so. Scoring isn’t an issue for Big Blue. It accounted for 489.1 yards per game a season ago and put up 32.8 points per game.

San Diego State Aztecs vs. Michigan Wolverines Past Games
2004: Michigan 24 – San Diego State 21

The issue is going to be whether there is going to be any defense to stop the San Diego State offense. Michigan really struggled last season, allowing a ton of points to a ton of teams. The Wolverines will be up against it going against an offense that averaged 458.1 yards per game last year. RB Ronnie Hillman is going to have his work cut out for him picking up the slack for an offense that must replace a number of departed players… not to mention its head coach from a year ago.

San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/10/11):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5Dimes.com When Using This Link)

San Diego State Aztecs (+7) @ Michigan Wolverines

Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus @ BetUS Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

Complete List of The Current 2010 Heisman Trophy Odds Can Be Found Below

Tonight, the Heisman Trophy will be handed out to the nation’s top player, though we are already very certain that this award will be given to the great Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton. Newton was absolutely the top player over the course of the entire season, and if there weren’t any scandals going on about whether he or his family is being paid to play at Auburn, he would have walked away with this award comfortably with a number of weeks to spare. He still might post the biggest margin of victory for this award in its illustrious history.

Newton ended the season ranked No. 10 in the land in rushing at 1,409 yards, and he easily was the top touchdown scorer on the year, accounting for 49 total TDs. He threw for 28 of them, rushed for 20, and even caught one. Newton became the second man ever to have at least 20 passing TDs and 20 rushing scores in the same season, joining a fellow Heisman Trophy winner, QB Tim Tebow from the Florida Gators. Ironically, Newton played his first two years at the University of Florida, watching Tebow tear apart the competition in the SEC.

There is very little drama surrounding who is going to win the Heisman Trophy this year, but the runner up could be a significantly more interesting thing.

Oregon Ducks RB LaMichael James was really the favorite to finish second for the majority of the season, and for good reason. He ran hog wild on everyone in the Pac-10 this year, and he was absolutely the best player on arguably the best offense that the nation has ever seen. James, only a sophomore, had 1,702 rushing yards on the season, tops in the country. The more impressive thing that we have to remember is that unlike Newton, James only had 11 games in which to put up these stats, as he was suspended for the first game of the season against the New Mexico Lobos and didn’t get the chance to play in a Conference Championship Game like Newton did.

If James does stay with the Ducks for all four years, he is probably going to obliterate every single rushing record in the books. He already has 3,248 rushing yards for his career and he a total of 35 TDs on the ground and one through the air.

James’ top competitor for second place is Stanford Cardinal junior QB Andrew Luck, who is likely to get an even bigger prize once this season is over. You can bet that whatever team has the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft this year is going to be eyeing this signal caller. Luck is built like a prototypical quarterback, as he is 6’4″ and 235 lbs. He has a cannon for an arm, and though his legs clearly aren’t what Newton’s are, Luck has the ability to get around in the pocket and escape when he really has to.

Luck really sewed up his bid to New York in his final game of the season against the Oregon State Beavers when he threw for 305 yards and four TDs without an INT. In total, the junior has 3,045 passing yards and 28 TDs against seven picks, and his 70.2 completion percentage was one of the highest in the entire country.

The fourth finalist isn’t really expected to compete in this race, but it is nice to see Boise State Broncos QB Kellen Moore here in New York. Should Moore’s Broncos have finished off the Nevada Wolf Pack, they would be playing in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and he would most likely have finished second in this race.

Moore has numbers that are absolutely unrealistic looking. He threw for 3,506 yards and 33 TDs, marking the third straight year in which he reached the 3,500 passing yard mark, and he now has 97 TD passes against just 18 picks for his career. Should he decide to come back to Boise for his senior year, Moore is likely to challenge all sorts of passing records. Though the Heisman Trophy is clearly out of his grasp, it is great to see a mid-major player as a finalist for college football’s biggest prize. Hawaii’s QB Colt Brennan was the last man from a mid-major conference to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2007.

Current Odds To Win The Heisman Trophy From BetUS Sportsbook (as of 12/11/2010):
(Get a HUGE 100% Signup Bonus at BetUS.com When Using This Link Only)

Total Number of Points for Each Heisman Trophy Finalist
Cam Newton: 2310.5
Andrew Luck: 860.5
LaMichael James: 765.5
Kellen Moore: 500.5

Some of the biggest programs in college football have seen changes right at the top this year. The odds to win the 2011 BCS Championship have altered as well, as there have been hirings, firings, and replacements, along with some surprise changes that could shake the entire core of the NCAA football betting world. A number of schools have made changes at the top in what has been a very, very interesting offseason. Here is the list of the schools that are heading in new directions with their football programs and their 2011 BCS Championship odds.

Akron Zips (+700000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Akron has been a train wreck in the MAC for a number of years, and last season was no exception. The Zips went just 3-9 and just 2-6 in conference, and a 4-8 ATS record didn’t make many college football betting friends either. Now, there is a huge quarterback battle going on in Akron, as QBs Patrick Nicely and Matt Rodgers are both candidates for the job. Rodgers’ injury last year might’ve been the final straw to getting JD Brookhart fired. Rob Ianello, the new man in charge, has a long way to go to get this program back to the form that it was in back in 2005 when it won the MAC Championship.

Buffalo Bulls (+500000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Without a doubt, Turner Gill was the most beloved coach in the history of Buffalo Bulls football. He really helped put the program on the map, especially two seasons ago when the Bulls upset the previously unbeaten Ball State Falcons to win the MAC Championship Game when no one gave them even the remotest of chances. If the name Jeff Quinn sounds familiar to you, think back to both Central Michigan and Cincinnati. Both of those teams lost Brian Kelly right before their bowl games. Quinn was the man in charge of both a bowl win for the Chippewas over Middle Tennessee in 2005 and last season’s Bearcats loss to the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl. Getting back to a bowl game would be a triumph for Buffalo, which fell a game short of eligibility last year.

Central Michigan Chippewas (+120000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): The Chippewas had a chance to really make some noise last year, the final season with QB Dan LeFevour. However, just as has been the case in quite a few instances when a legendary coach leaves a program, Butch Jones decided that LeFevour’s departure was the best time for him to try to move on to a big time coaching gig. Now, the Chippies are left with Dan Enos, the former running backs coach for the Michigan State Spartans. Enos has never been a head football coach at any level, clearly showing that CMU didn’t have a heck of a lot of options. No one wanted to be the man that followed Jones in Mount Pleasant, especially without LeFevour there to quell the pain of transition.

Cincinnati Bearcats (+15000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Shame on Brian Kelly for leaving the Bearcats right before their bowl game after a perfect regular season and a Big East championship! The team made the right call by going after Kelly’s successor at Central Michigan, Butch Jones as a replacement. We already know that Jones knows Kelly’s system after taking over for him without missing a beat at Central Michigan, and several teams were eager to grab his services. Jones made a good call as well, as he knows that QB Zach Collaros might actually be better than the departed Tony Pike. Collaros can win this team the Big East title this year, which might immediately put Jones in line for an even better position.

East Carolina Pirates (+160000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): ECU was on the verge of something special with Skip Holtz in charge, but when South Florida came calling for the second generation coach, he had to move on to the bigger named school. Ruffin McNeill has been an assistant at Texas Tech for a number of years. Many thought that he would be a logical successor to Mike Leach, especially after guiding the Red Raiders to a 41-31 Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State last year. Will the spread offense work at East Carolina, though? It is certainly a huge shift from the traditional, “take care of the football and play good defense” mentality that Holtz had. There could be a bit of a transition period for the Pirates, but ultimately, McNeill should make a good director of the ship there.

Florida State Seminoles (+7000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): For the past three seasons, Jimbo Fisher has just been waiting patiently for Bobby Bowden to retire so he could take over command at Florida State. Truth be told, the Noles have been under Fisher’s watchful eye ever since he stepped foot in Tallahassee, so this might not be a huge transition for the garnet and gold. Fisher has transformed this offense into a train wreck from the Drew Weatherford/Xavier Lee days into one that is genuinely feared with QB Christian Ponder at the helm. It’s going to be fun watching this team grow once again, especially with the QB of the future, EJ Manuel already waiting in the wings. A defense still needs to be picked back up to get Florida State back on the map. Fisher has huge shoes to fill from the second winningest coach in NCAA FBS history.

Kansas Jayhawks (+35000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Kansas had to think that last season was the year that it could really contend for a National Championship. However, Mark Mangino, who helped resurrect the program and turn it into a national contender in the first place, failed miserably, as he wasted the talents of seniors like Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier, Todd Reesing, and Jake Sharp. Turner Gill was the hottest young coaching commodity on the planet, and KU was sure to snatch him up. He is already looked at as a hero in Lawrence, as very few of the players and even fewer of the alumni had any care for the way that Mangino treated his team at all.

Kentucky Wildcats (+50000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Rich Brooks deserves a lot of credit for keeping Kentucky football relevant for a number of years. Still, it was time for him to go, as it seemed as though the program hit a peak under his direction. Head coach in waiting Joker Phillips is set to unleash his offensive talents on the rest of the SEC in a move that is probably going to take a few years to get perfected. The Cats are always going to be a second rate team in the SEC, particularly in the East, where programs like Florida and Tennessee will always be the hottest recruiting beds. Phillips has his work cut out for him to make the Wildcats more than Music City Bowl honorary members on an annual basis.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (+150000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Here’s a team that wasn’t so certain that it was really changing coaches. La Tech was shocked when Derek Dooley left for Tennessee, and they had to scramble to try to replace him at the last second with most of the best coaching options already off the board. Little known Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes is the man that was suddenly put in charge on January 20th. He is bringing in a spread offense which will bring La Tech essentially into the 21st century of WAC football. This program has bigger problems, though… trying to figure out what conference it is going to be playing in once the WAC finishes falling apart.

Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (+750000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Mired in the middle of a bad conference for a number of years, the Warhawks are just trying to figure out how to get to a bowl game and to challenge the top teams in the Sun Belt. Signing Todd Berry made a lot of sense though, as he is very familiar with the system at Louisiana-Monroe having served under previous head coach Charlie Weatherbie as an assistant for two years. He has bounced around as assistants in other locations since 2005, but he’ll return to the Bayou and try to get the Warhawks on the map for the first time in the history of the school.

Louisville Cardinals (+50000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Simply put, the firing of Steve Kragthorpe was an absolute must in Louisville. Kragthorpe single handedly destroyed the program that Bobby Petrino turned into a Top 10 program year in and year out in the Big East. Kragthorpe couldn’t find a way to win in the senior year of QB Brian Brohm, one of the most decorated players in the history of the school’s football team, and since then it has been all downhill. Charlie Strong comes in from Florida, where he will bring a spread offense that should at least spark a bit of promise for a program that has been dropped into the doldrums of the Big East for the past few years.

Marshall Thundering Herd (+140000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Mark Snyder was one of the many coaches that were essentially forced out of their positions. Snyder wasn’t even allowed to hang around for the team’s bowl game, a 21-17 win in the Little Caesar’s Bowl over Ohio. John “Doc” Holliday has been the associate head coach at West Virginia for a number of years, and many are surprised that it took this long for him to land a head coaching job. The cupboard certainly isn’t bare at Marshall, and many think that Holliday can be the man that can bring this program back to prominence in its new conference, C-USA.

Memphis Tigers (+350000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Simply put, Memphis is in terrible shape right now. The Tigers might not be favored in any game which they play this season, and if that’s the case, the prospects of a one or two win campaign is a real possibility. Former coach Tommy West blasted the program on the way out the door, which might cause us to never hear his name again. Larry Porter is going to be taking over, but even he knows that this is probably nothing more than a temporary stop before he gets fired as well. The Tigers are going nowhere fast, and unless the school pumps some more money into the facilities there, this program is closer to being gone than being relevant.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+11500 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Notre Dame football has been on a steep decline ever since Lou Holtz retired. Coaches like Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie helped wreck what was once one of the most proud programs in the history of college football. Charlie Weis didn’t help matters any either, though he at least took the team to a BCS game in his reign. Former Cincinnati HC Brian Kelly accepted the Irish position just days before his Bearcats tried to complete an undefeated season with a Sugar Bowl victory over the Florida Gators. Cincinnati’s players elected to play without their skipper, and the end result was a huge loss to mar an otherwise fantastic campaign. Kelly probably has three years to turn the Irish into winners.

San Jose State Spartans (+800000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): There aren’t many programs that have been as inept as San Jose State in recent years. The Spartans really were never in a position to let Tomey, a legendary coach in West Coast college football go. However, he announced his retirement, which is leading way to Mike MacIntyre to come across the country from Duke, where he was the team’s defensive coordinator. Working on the defense would be a good start for the Spartans, as they were one of the worst ‘D’s in the land last year… Of course, they had one of the worst offenses as well. A couple home wins would be a huge triumph this season.

South Florida Bulls (+50000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Jim Leavitt was the only head coach that the Bulls ever knew, even when they were just a tiny I-AA school just trying to make ends meet. However, amidst some off the field issues, the university decided to get rid of their head coach and sign Skip Holtz to replace him. The move made a lot of sense, as Holtz has been leading East Carolina up the ranks of Conference USA, the same conference that South Florida came out of from back in the day. With QB BJ Daniels and a host of returning starters, the Bulls might be the most BCS ready hire of the bunch, especially with a proven coach like Holtz on the sidelines.

Tennessee Volunteers (+50000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): The poor Volunteers finally looked to be heading in the right direction, as the family of Kiffins, Lane and Monte were finally starting to round this program into shape after several lousy years with Phil Fulmer in charge. Kiffin decided to bolt to USC when the opportunity arose this year in spite of the fact that the program could be in shambles. That left the men on Rocky Top scrambling. Though it wasn’t a sexy hire, Derek Dooley was about the only name that the Vols could come up with. No one is expecting this hire to work, and if someone better becomes available next year than a coach that was mediocre with a WAC school, expect Tennessee to jump on it.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (+17500 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): In one of the more bizarre stories in a very awkward offseason, Texas Tech fired Mike Leach following allegations surrounding one of his players. Leach is still sitting out this season to sure up some legal matters against the university, but hiring Tommy Tuberville was a huge coup for the program. The biggest question that is yet to be answered is whether Tuberville will let the Air Raid continue, or whether he will instead install a more run first offense which is similar to the ones used in the SEC where he came from at Auburn two years ago. Texas Tech was on the verge of being a real national power under Leach. Tuberville is expected to, at minimum, keep that up.

UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (+300000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): One of the two FCS coaches that took the jump into the FBS this year was Montana’s Bobby Hauck. Hauck takes over for Mike Sanford, who went just 16-43 overall in five years with the Runnin’ Rebs. Not only did Hauck have a lot of success at the FCS level, but he also coached under one of the great FBS coaches of our time as well in Rick Neuheisel both at Washington and Colorado. The Rebels might have themselves a real winner coaching them up, but reaching a bowl game would be a huge accomplishment for a program that has been a wreck since turning over its coaching staff the last time.

USC Trojans (No Line to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Pete Carroll saw this one coming. He knew that USC was about to get hammered by the NCAA for recruiting violations which saw RB Reggie Bush lose his Heisman Trophy. Before the dust settled though, the university successfully conned Lane Kiffin into coming back to Southern Cal, the place which he became a highly coveted assistant coach just a few years ago. Kiffin is upset about the punishments, which make the Trojans ineligible for the National Championship or a bowl game for the next two years and costs the program a number of scholarships. Still, this is clearly a very, very talented team that could run the table… if it wanted to. It’s Kiffin’s job to make sure that his team is ready to play and isn’t worried about the fact that it won’t be in a bowl game this year.

Vanderbilt Commodores (+60000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Bobby Johnson actually had the Commodores ranked for the first time in their history just two years ago, but since that point, they have fallen upon relatively hard times. He elected to resign just a few months ago, which was a shocking move to the program which he helped assemble. Assistant head coach Robbie Caldwell was immediately named the interim coach of the team, and just a few weeks ago, he had that tag removed. Still, Vandy isn’t going to be competing in the SEC East any time soon, and six wins would be a massive, massive triumph any year.

Virginia Cavaliers (+60000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): Be careful what you wish for, Cavaliers fans. UVA at least had a lot of great recruits coming to Charlottesville under former head coach Al Groh, and for quite awhile, it was a relevant team in the ACC. However, the Cavvies got tired of Groh and got rid of him this year, bringing in Mike London, a former assistant and the previous head coach of the Richmond Spiders, making London the other FCS coach to leap up to an FBS program as a head coach. However, the cupboard is entirely dry for Virginia. This could be the worst BCS conference school in the land this year.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (+900000 to win 2011 BCS Championship at 5Dimes Sportsbook): With the transition to the Sun Belt now fully complete, the Hilltoppers decided to go in another direction this season, firing David Elson after an 0-12 season in which the team really wasn’t competitive at all. Taggart is a WKU alumnus and has since been the running backs coach at Stanford. His key project? Toby Gerhart, who became one of the top running backs in the nation last year. The Hilltoppers hope that Taggart can bring just a shadow of respectability to this program over the next few seasons as they try to establish themselves as a legitimate member of the FBS.

It’s almost time for College Football wagering season! To get you ready, we will break down the odds to win the ultra-competitive SEC at Bankroll Sports, brought to you by BetUS.com.

The Alabama Crimson Tide (Odds to Win the SEC: 1 to 1 @ BetUS.com Sportsbook) are locked, loaded and ready to repeat as conference and BCS champions. Last year’s 12th ranked rushing offense is going to improve with the return of Heisman Trophy winning RB Mark Ingram, along with backup sophomore Trent Richardson. QB Greg McElroy is returning for his final season, looking to avoid his first college loss. He will retain his top two receivers in Julio Jones and Marquis Maze. An explosive offense may need to do some early lifting for a defense that returns just two starters. In the secondary, the Tide can build around junior DB Mark Barron. At linebacker, the team returns Dont’a Hightower, while DE Marcell Dareus would anchor the line, pending his NCAA investigation. The schedule isn’t bad, with the four conference road games well spread out. A home date with Florida should be a preview of the SEC Championship game.

The Florida Gators (Odds to Win the SEC: 2.5 to 1 @ BetUS.com) have plenty of talent to return to the SEC Championship game. Believe it or not, there is life after Tim Tebow on offense. Junior John Brantley will take the starting job, having thrown for seven scores and no picks in mop-up time for Tebow last year. The issue on offense is actually the wide receiver spot, with just junior Deonte Thompson returning out of last season’s best five. Formerly a running back, Chris Rainey has converted to receiver to help alleviate this issue. Jeffrey Demps will lead a solid rushing attack, backed up by Emmanuel Moody. The defense has some work to do up front. The line will be led in pass rushing by DEs Justin Trattou and Duke Lemmens, replacing Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham. At linebacker, the Gators feature seniors A.J. Jones and Brandon Hicks. The secondary will be led by two gifted safeties in junior Will Hill and senior Ahmad Black. On the schedule looms that October showdown at Alabama, along with a game at Georgia.

Playing the role of SEC dark horse are the South Carolina Gamecocks (+2000 at BetUS). Nine starters return to the offense, including quarterback Stephen Garcia, who was impressive despite being sacked 33 times last year. This year’s offensive line will be led by senior tackle Jarriel King. At wide receiver, Garcia gets his top option back in Alshon Jeffrey. Sophomore Tori Gurley will have to step up to become the second target. The success of the offense hinges on developing a running game. Sophomore RB Kenny Miles led last year’s unit in yardage, but only scored once. This problem was due in part to the struggling line. The Gamecocks will be strong on defense. Sack leader and all-conference selection Cliff Matthews returns at defensive end, while Shaq Wilson will lead an experienced and deep group of linebackers. The secondary will be anchored by senior safety Chris Culliver, ensuring that South Carolina will again be among the best SEC defenses. The schedule is downright brutal, with Georgia and Alabama coming to Columbia early in the season. The Gamecocks will face Florida on the road.

The Kentucky Wildcats (Odds to Win the SEC: 66 to 1 @ BetUS.com) went bowling last season, but won’t be an SEC factor this year. The offense returns its two star dual threats in Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb, but four starting linemen are gone and who will be the starting quarterback is anything but decided. Senior Mike Hartline and sophomore Morgan Newton are competing for the job, but neither was impressive last year. The defense is also full of question marks, if not holes. A pass rush that accounted for just 15 sacks last year sees Jeremy Jarmon return at one of the end positions. The linebacking unit will have to improve. All-conference selection Micah Johnson will again start in the middle, but the two outside positions will see inexperience, with no clear-cut talented starters. The secondary will be led by senior safety Ashton Cobb. Kentucky opens conference play with consecutive road games at Florida and Mississippi, which will set the tone for a rough year.

Odds To Win The SEC Conference @ BetUS Sportsbook(as of 7/29/10):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at BetUS.com When Using This Link)

Alabama +100
Florida +250
Arkansas +800
Auburn +800
Georgia +800
LSU +1000
South Carolina +2000
Tennessee +2500
Mississippi +3500
Kentucky +6600
Mississippi State +6600
Vanderbilt +12500

With College Football betting season just around the corner, we want to get you prepared by looking at the odds to win the Pac 10 at Bankroll Sports, sponsored by BetUS Sportsbook .

With USC ineligible for a title, the road is paved for the Oregon Ducks (+250 at BetUS.com) to repeat as champions. The biggest problem standing in their way is replacing QB Jeremiah Masoli. Senior Nathan Costa is expected to lead the unit and will be aided by the return of the entire starting line. Jeffrey Maehl will be a solid playmaker at wide receiver, while D.J. Davis looks to become the second target. All-conference tailback LaMichael James is also expected to again spearhead a top ten ranked rushing offense, though he has been suspended for the first game of the season for off-the-field issues. The defense returns several key players, starting with last year’s sack leader in linebacker Kenny Rowe. At cornerback, the Ducks return their interceptions leader in CB Talmadge Jackson. Safety John Boyett will be a mainstay in the secondary. The Ducks’ conference schedule has two challenging road games at USC and Oregon State, but the rest of the way should be smooth sailing back to the Rose Bowl.

Keep an eye on the Arizona Wildcats (+500 at BetUS.com). The offense returns starting QB Nick Foles behind a line that features two All-Conference award winners in center Colin Baxter and tackle Adam Grant. The wide receivers run deep, with Juron Criner and David Roberts looking to become the top two options. The ground game will be led by two strong backs in Keola Antolin and Nicholas Grigsby. The defense only returns four starters from last year, but has talent to build on. The worst problem will be at linebacker, where JUCO transfer Derek Earls will be among the new starters. On the bright side, the line retains sack leader DE Ricky Elmore and another powerful end in Brooks Reed. The secondary contains junior CB Trevin Wade, who was last year’s interceptions leader. The schedule isn’t the worst, with USC and Oregon State coming to the Wildcats. The big road tests will be at Oregon and Stanford. The defense will be the make or break factor for the Wildcats’ season.

Continuing their run as one of the worst FBS programs in the nation are the Washington State Huskies (+2500 at BetUS.com). The offense will again be led by sophomore Jeff Tuel. He will need to improve on last year’s 6 touchdowns and five picks. His primary target will be junior WR Jared Karstetter. He is the only returning receiver who caught more than one touchdown pass last season. At running back, the Huskies feature senior James Montgomery, who is relatively inexperienced. The talent pool is more like a puddle on defense, as well. A success would be giving up less than 500 yards per game. The pass rush will be led by DEs Travis Long and Kevin Kaoyman, who returns from a knee injury. The schedule does the Huskies no favors, with road games at Stanford and Oregon State. Winning a conference game would be a huge step for Wazzu, but a lack of playmakers on both sides means a winless year is more likely.

Pac 10 Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook(as of 7/29/10):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at BetUS.com When Using This Link)

Oregon +250
Oregon State +250
UCLA +350
Arizona +500
Washington +500
California +800
Stanford +800
Arizona State +1200
Washington State +2500
USC – Not Eligible

Get An Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

The 2010 college football betting season is fast approaching and to prepare you, we will look at the odds to win the Big Ten at Bankroll Sports, provided by BetUS Sportsbook .

It’s no secret that the clear-cut favorites are the Ohio State Buckeyes (-250 at BetUS). The offense is led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Terrelle Pryor. As we know, he is a powerful passer, but would have no trouble leading his unit’s ground game for a second consecutive year. However, that might not happen with several strong running backs, including senior Brandon Saine and junior Daniel Herron. Junior DeVier Posey and senior Dan Sanzenbacher will again be effective at wide receiver. The offensive line is full of experience and depth, but struggled at times last year. The defense returns seven starters, including its sack leader Cameron Heyward and two outstanding starting LBs in Brian Rolle and Ross Homan. The Buckeyes benefit greatly from a schedule that contains eight home games. Road contests at Wisconsin and Iowa will ultimately decide if OSU runs the table, but the Buckeyes should have no problem topping the Big Ten.

The Penn State Nittany Lions (+650 at BetUS.com) are an unknown this year, with the potential to surprise the major powers. Obviously, the quarterback situation is the top issue. Kevin Newsome appears to have won the job, having thrown just eleven passes in his young career. At running back, the Nittany Lions feature Evan Royster, who could break school rushing records. WRs Derek Moye and Graham Zug return after being the top two targets last season. The offensive line also returns three starters. On defense, Penn State needs to replace some major talent, including conference Defensive Player of the Year DT Jared Odrick. At linebacker, the Lions will need big playmakers to replace three NFL picks. Look for DE Jack Crawford to make an impact in the pass rush. The unit is strongest in the secondary, with returning junior safeties Nick Sukay and Drew Astorino. On the schedule, Penn State will face Iowa and Ohio State on the road, but avoid Wisconsin. If the offense can click, the Nittany Lions could shock the conference.

Looking up at the contenders will be the Minnesota Golden Gophers (+3000 at BetUS.com), who will drop like flies after last year’s Insight Bowl appearance. On offense, starting quarterback Andrew Weber returns, having thrown more picks than touchdowns last season, however. Juniors Da’Jon McKnight and Troy Stoudermire will be counted on to become the top two wide receivers. Stoudermire has also shown himself to be an effective kick returner. The running back situation should be solid with juniors Duane Bennett and DeLeon Eskridge. It all sounds good so far, but the monumental problem for Minnesota is the defense. The unit returns just two starters, the fewest among FBS teams. Some positions will also be filled with inexperience, with freshman Ra’Shede Hageman expected to play defensive end. All the pressure will be on the offense to dominate time of possession, at least until the defense can find itself. A brutal non-conference schedule with games against USC and Northern Illinois could have the Gophers beat up just in time for the conference home opener against Northwestern.

Big Ten Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook(as of 7/29/10):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at BetUS.com When Using This Link)

Ohio State -250
Iowa +350
Wisconsin +350
Penn State +650
Michigan +1200
Michigan State +1200
Illinois +2000
Northwestern +2000
Purdue +2000
Indiana +3000
Minnesota +3000

Get An Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

College Football betting season will be here in just over a month! To get you ready, let’s take a look at the odds to win the very contentious Big East conference at Bankroll Sports, sponsored by BetUS.com.

Among the solid contenders for this year’s title are the Pittsburgh Panthers (+250 at BetUS). The offense has a new starting quarterback in sophomore Tino Sunseri, but new QBs are not uncommon this year in the conference. Plenty of talent surrounds him, starting with RB Dion Lewis, last season’s National Freshman of the Year. Sunseri will also have two talented throwing options in junior Jonathan Baldwin and sophomore Mike Shanahan. The defense will remain difficult to beat, with an excellent pair of pass rushing senior DEs in Jaball Sheard and Greg Romeus. Senior safety Dom DeCicco will anchor the secondary. The Panthers have a difficult schedule; they will face Connecticut and Cincinnati on the road, while hosting West Virginia. However, non-conference games against Utah and Miami(FL) will prepare this unit for Big East glory.

The Connecticut Huskies (+250 at BetUS.com) lost several close games last season, but return plenty of stars to take another crack at the title. It starts with senior QB Zach Frazer, who didn’t end up with impressive numbers last season, but had a strong finish. He is accompanied by junior running back Jordan Todman, a rising star in the Big East. The wide receiving corps is now lacking a big playmaker, but juniors Kashif and Isiah Moore at least have some experience. On defense, there is little concern. Eight starters return, including first-team all conference linebacker Lawrence Wilson. Three of the front four are also back. The Huskies kickoff conference play at Rutgers, but things are made slightly easier because Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Cincinnati all travel to East Hartford.

Looking to sneak into contention are the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+500 at BetUS). Their offense features the return of QB Tom Savage, who showed great talent last season as a freshman. With him will be a versatile weapon in sophomore WR Mohammed Sanu. Senior RB Joe Martinek will again lead the rushing attack, while freshman Casey Turner will provide a second option. The Knights’ defense could again be one of the best in the nation, let alone the conference. All-American DT Scott Vallone leads a large line upfront. Two senior starting linebackers return, and safety Joe Lefegad will lead the secondary. Rutgers opens conference play at home against Connecticut, with spread out road tests at Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and West Virginia.

The Big East is loaded with talent, but somebody has to lose. In the cellar, you will find the Louisville Cardinals (+800 at BetUS). First year head coach Charlie Strong is implementing a new spread offense for senior quarterback Adam Froman, who took a beating on the field and on the stat sheet last year. A razor thin wide receiving unit will be led by junior Doug Beaumont, who didn’t catch a touchdown pass last year, and sophomore Josh Chichester. The rushing attack will be led by three backs: Victor Anderson, Darius Ashley, and Bilal Powell. A defense that has just four starters returning will see plenty of new faces. Short of two senior linebackers coming back, several starters remain unnamed. The team is expecting big things from freshman DT De’Antre Rhodes. It will take awhile for this unit to gel, and the pressure will be on as the offense learns its new system.

Big East Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 7/27/10):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at BetUS.com When Using This Link)

Connecticut +250
Pittsburgh +250
West Virginia +250
Cincinnati +500
Rutgers +500
South Florida +500
Louisville +800
Syracuse +1500