The MAC Championship Game will be contested on Friday night at Ford Field, and we are set to make our Ohio Bobcats vs. Northern Illinois Huskies picks for one of the biggest games on the schedule! Check out the MAC Championship keys to the game!

MAC Championship Game: Ohio Bobcats vs. Northern Illinois Huskies
MAC Championship Game Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
MAC Championship Game Date/Time: Friday, December 2nd, 7:00 p.m. (ET)
MAC Championship Game Television Schedule: ESPN2, ESPN3.com

Key #1: The Bobcats have to put a harness on Harnish
QB Chandler Harnish is one of the most athletic players in the entire country, and he is going to be the one player on the field that the Bobcats truly have to contain. If Harnish gets going with his legs and his arm, this NIU offense is absolutely impossible to stop. Harnish accounted for 2,692 passing yards and 1,351 rushing yards this year, and he has a total of 34 TDs to his credit. He hardly ever turns the ball over either, as he only has five picks on the campaign. The Bobcats have the speed in their front seven on defense to be able to at least keep Harnish under wraps, but the problem is that he can beat you with his arm as well in a big time way, and he isn’t afraid to spread the ball around to a slew of receivers. Ohio only ranked No. 62 in the nation against the pass at 226.7 yards per game.

Key #3: NIU special teams have to at least be remotely special
Though the Huskies do score a slew of points, they have a big time problem on special teams. Kick and punt returning isn’t a problem, but when it comes to the kicking game, there are some issues. P Ryan Neir is only averaging 35.3 yards per punt this year, and his long boot is only 54 yards. Meanwhile, K Mathew Sims has had problems kicking the ball from any sort of distance. He is only 3-of-6 in kicks that are longer than 38 yards on the season, and he hasn’t hit one from further than 44 yards. We tend to think that Ohio’s defense will at least make this sophomore kicking in his first big time game work for his points, and if that turns out to be the case, the Huskies could be in some real trouble.

The first annual Pac-12 Championship Game kicks off on Friday night at Autzen Stadium, as the Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins odds will be contested. The team that makes for great college football picks in this one will end up playing on January 2nd in the Rose Bowl!

Pac-12 Championship Game: UCLA Bruins vs. Oregon Ducks
Pac-12 Championship Game Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Pac-12 Championship Game Date/Time: Friday, December 2nd, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Pac-12 Championship Game Television Schedule: FOX Sports

Key #1: UCLA has to show some heart
It goes without saying that the Bruins are the decided underdogs in this game, and everyone is just expecting them to lay down and die on Friday night. This is the last time that Head Coach Rick Neuheisel will get to coach the Bruins, and the team might be brutally disappointed, especially knowing that a bowl game would require a petition to the NCAA if this one is lost. Last week, UCLA just looked like it gave up after the first quarter against the USC Trojans, a game that ended 50-0, and if it isn’t going to show any more intensity than that on Friday, the final score could be a heck of a lot worse than that.

Key #3: UCLA has to hit the big play
We know that the Ducks are going to have a number of plays that travel at least 30 yards on Friday night, especially at home, but UCLA has to take advantage of its chances as well. Oregon doesn’t have the greatest defense in the world, and just as its offense plays with a lot of spunk, its defense does as well. Sometimes, that leaves the Ducks out of position and prone to the big play. Last week, QB Kevin Prince had his chances to hit players like WR Shaq Evans and WR Nelson Rosario down the field, until the last drive of the game, it just didn’t happen. Neuheisel is surely going to use every last trick that he has in his bag to get his team to Pasadena in shocking fashion, but when those tricks come out, the Bruins have to capitalize.

If last week’s game was the “Game of the Century,” this week’s game can’t be all that far behind. After all, the stakes are virtually as high for the Cardinal and the Ducks. The winner’s hopes of winning the Pac-12 and going to the BCS National Championship Game are still quite intact, and the loser can pack its backs for either the Rose Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl in all likelihood. Both teams are still going to be ranked in the Top 10 when it’s said and done as well. And, much to the contrary of last week’s game, when neither team was able to score a touchdown, even with the aid of overtime, we expect to see plenty of scores in this one down on “The Farm.”

Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal Picks & Info
Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal Date: Saturday, November 12th
Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal Location: Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA
Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal Spread: Stanford Cardinal -3.5

The Ducks have had their share of problems this year, most notably injuries to both RB LaMichael James and QB Darron Thomas. That being said, both are back in the saddle and are ready for this game. Oregon already has 414 points scored this year, and 600 seems to be a formality when it’s all said and done with. This team just does not stop trying to score under any circumstance, regardless of who is out there on the field, and it is that mentality that will keep it going in this game as well. The Quack Attack is only blemished this year by a loss to the LSU Tigers at the outset of the season, a loss that is certainly nothing to be ashamed of now, seeing all of what the Bayou Bengals have accomplished.

Oregon Ducks vs. Stanford Cardinal Past Games (Since 1995)
2010: Oregon 52 – Stanford 31
2009: Stanford 51 – Oregon 42
2008: Oregon 35 – Stanford 28
2007: Oregon 55 – Stanford 31
2006: Oregon 48 – Stanford 10
2005: Oregon 44 – Stanford 20
2004: Oregon 16 – Stanford 13
2003: Oregon 35 – Stanford 0
2002: Oregon 41 – Stanford 14
2001: Stanford 49 – Oregon 42
1998: Oregon 63 – Stanford 28
1997: Stanford 58 – Oregon 49
1996: Stanford 27 – Oregon 24
1995: Stanford 28 – Oregon 21

The argument could be made that the only thing that kept the Cardinal out of the National Championship Game last year was a loss to these Ducks at Autzen Stadium, a loss that came after scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter. QB Andrew Luck has bad memories of that one, and he wants to make amends by putting down the U of O once and for all. The Cardinal have done it both through the air and on the ground this year, and the end result has been not just nine wins, but nine covers in nine tries as well. Not bad for a team which was a 41.5 point underdog just four years ago in a conference game at the USC Trojans, eh? A win in this one would essentially lock up a BCS bowl bid for the Cardinal, though they’ll obviously have to finish off the Pac-12 slate and the conference title game to ensure nothing worse than a trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 11/6/11):
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Oregon Ducks (+3.5) @ Stanford Cardinal

In the SEC, virtually every game is an important one. However, there probably won’t be a game in the SEC this season that means more than our No. 2 game of the season, the clash between the LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

LSU Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Picks & Info
LSU Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Date: Saturday, November 5th
LSU Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
LSU Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -5.5

The Tigers are going to open up this game ranked as the No. 1 team in the country, as they are just in front of the BCS Rankings. They have had a tumultuous season chock full of suspensions and players that have been dealing with other off the field issues. QB Jordan Jefferson was suspended for the first month of the season, but he is back, though he is splitting time with QB Jarrett Lee. This defense is one of the best in the country, and it has shut down virtually every team that it has run up against. There isn’t a team in America that has played a schedule that has been this tough. The Bayou Bengals have already won a de facto road game against the Oregon Ducks and a legitimate road game against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Past Games (Since 1995)
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

This was supposed to be a rough year for the Crimson Tide, as they had to replace their three biggest offensive stars at quarterback, wide receiver, and running back. However, RB Trent Richardson has been a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, and the likelihood is there that he could end up taking the honors for this award right here in this game. Scarily enough, the Tide have allowed less than half the touchdowns to opponents that Richardson has scored. Heck, the total yardage between the opponents and Richardson isn’t all that far apart either. Head Coach Nick Saban and company haven’t played that tough of a schedule yet, but that win at the Penn State Nittany Lions is looking better and better as the weeks pass and the Lions climb up the polls.

Alabama opened up this season at -6 in this game, but since that point, the line has come out at +5.5 at 5Dimes, and +5 at some other outlets. We fully expect to see this number drop over the course of the next two weeks, though both of these teams are on bye until the game the first weekend of November.

LSU Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 10/23/11):
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LSU Tigers (+5.5) @ Alabama Crimson Tide

With Boise State leaving the WAC, things have definitely opened up for the other teams in this conference. Of course, what we have to remember most about last season is that it wasn’t the boys from the Blue Turf that won the conference: the Nevada Wolf Pack (Current WAC Odds: 2.15 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) did. Sure, Nevada has its own problems this year replacing a stud signal caller in Colin Kaepernick, who felt like he was playing in Reno for at least seven years, and the likes of Vai Taua and Luke Lippincott are gone from the backfield, but Head Coach Chris Ault almost always fields a competent side. After dealing with four straight hellacious road games to start off the season (including a trip to Boise), Nevada plays six of its last eight games at home with those two roadies at New Mexico State and Utah State. There’s no excuse for the Wolf Pack not to win this conference.

Head Coach Pat Hill always has his Fresno State Bulldogs (2011 WAC Lines: 3.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) ready to take on anyone in the country, and this season, he gets to face Cal, Nebraska, Ole Miss, and Boise State out of conference play. The problem here is that this team just plays too many games on the road (seven to be exact), and it’s stuck with the extra road game in conference this year. Games at Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii won’t be fun to say the least, and unless Hill’s defense can rank a whole heck of a lot better than No. 83 in the nation in scoring like it did last year, the Dogs are in trouble.

The media has selected the Hawaii Warriors (Current WAC Odds: 2.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) as the favorites for the WAC this year, but we just aren’t so sure that it is justified. WRs Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares were both 1,500+ yard receivers a year ago, and RB Alex Green rumbled for nearly 1,200 yards and accounted for 19 scores. QB Bryant Moniz is back in the saddle, and he is surely going to throw for over 5,000 yards once again this year, but this Hawaii defense is just woeful at times. Parlay all of that with the newcomers that have to slot in on offense and the road trips to Nevada, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, and San Jose State, and the makings are there for a 5-2 or 4-3 mark in conference play.

2011 Odds To Win The WAC @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/28/11):
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Nevada Wolf Pack 2.15 to 1
Hawaii Warriors 2.50 to 1
Fresno State Bulldogs 3.50 to 1
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 7 to 1
Idaho Vandals 17.50 to 1
San Jose State Spartans 19 to 1
Utah State Aggies 22 to 1
New Mexico State Aggies 36 to 1

The Sun Belt is one of the more open conferences in America this year, but the teams in this division are definitely up and coming. This is no longer just the doormat for the rest of college football. Case in point: The Florida International Golden Panthers (Current Sun Belt Odds: 2.40 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). FIU didn’t exactly come out of nowhere last season, but it did end up winning the conference crown and winning its bowl game against Toledo. Getting both Troy and Florida Atlantic at home this year is a big plus, but there are definitely some challenges coming if this offense can’t put up anywhere near the 28.8 points per game that it did a year ago.

You know that the perennial powers of the Sun Belt, the Troy Trojans (2011 Sun Belt Lines: 2.40 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) are bound and determined to get their conference title back this season, especially after losing it at home against FIU in bad form last season. Even though WR Jerrel Jernigan has moved on to the next level, QB Corey Robinson still has the potential to be the best player in this conference. He threw for 3,726 yards as a true freshman, and he should easily eclipse the 4,000 yard barrier this year in this offense as long as he stays healthy.

The team to watch out for as the up and coming bunch is the third favorite in the conference, the Arkansas State Red Wolves (Current Sun Belt Odds: 6.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Both FIU and Troy are paying visits to Jonesboro this year, and that bodes well for a team which was a lot better than its 4-8 record indicated last season. ASU lost five games by a TD or fewer last season, and its 52-26 loss at eventual National Champions Auburn Tigers turned out to look not all that bad, all things considered. QB Ryan Aplin was good for right at 30.0 PPG last season, but the key for the Red Wolves will be establishing a defense after allowing a miserable 440.5 YPG on the campaign in 2010.

2011 Odds To Win The Sun Belt @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/28/11):
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Florida International Golden Panthers 2.40 to 1
Troy Trojans 2.40 to 1
Arkansas State Red Wolves 6.25 to 1
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks 6.75 to 1
Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 8.50 to 1
North Texas Mean Green 11 to 1
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns 15 to 1
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 16 to 1
Florida Atlantic Owls 19 to 1

Last season, the Florida State Seminoles looked completely outclassed on the road against the Oklahoma Sooners. This year, with both teams starting off ranked in the Top 5 of the country, the Noles will look to exact some revenge for what might amount to be the start of a National Championship season for both.

Oklahoma @ Florida State Picks & Info
Oklahoma Sooners @ Florida State Game Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011
Oklahoma @ FSU Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Oklahoma @ Florida State Game Line: Florida State Seminoles +2

The Sooners have some high hopes this season after a few years of relative disappointment after the injuries and departure of QB Sam Bradford. However, it wasn’t the offense that was the problem last year. QB Landry Jones tore apart defenses to the tune of over 4,700 yards, and he very well could be in for even better numbers this year with more emphasis coming on the passing game. WR Ryan Broyles had a field day in this fixture last year, going for 124 yards and a score on a dozen receptions. The defense was an issue for the most part, but not against FSU. This unit held the Noles down to just 345 total yards, a true accomplishment after racking up 500 yards of offense.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Florida State Seminoles Past Games (Since 1995)
2010: Oklahoma 47 – Florida State 17
2001: Oklahoma 13 – Florida State 2 (National Championship Game)

FSU has never really had any luck against the Sooners, getting beaten twice relatively badly. Now, Head Coach Jimbo Fisher is going to hope that QB EJ Manuel has the goods to get the job done this year in what could amount to be the biggest game that the Garnet and Gold have had in quite some time. The defense picked up the slack over the back half of the season until the ACC Championship Game, and Fisher knows that this unit is going to be the key at home to stopping the Sooners’ mighty attack. Look for DB Greg Reid, who had a terrible game last year, to have a significantly better showing. He could be the difference maker in this one.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Florida State Seminoles Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/26/11):
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Oklahoma Sooners (-2) @ Florida State Seminoles