Posts Tagged ‘Oklahoma’

2013 Week 11 College Football Lines & Odds Breakdown

November 6th, 2013 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on 2013 Week 11 College Football Lines & Odds Breakdown
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Complete List of Week 11 College Football Lines & Odds Can Be Found Below

Below you will find the complete list of week 11 lines.  We also have provided a little info on all the marquee matchups for week 11 of the 2013 college football season. Sports fans and bettors are in for a great weekend as there are 2 matchups of teams in the top 10, as well as the #1 team in the nation in action against a ranked SEC rival. One thing is for sure, the jockeying for BCS title contention is sure to make this weekend one of the more memorable ones of the 2013 season.

Week 11 NCAA Game Lines For Thursday, November 7, 2013

#3 Oregon (-10.5) at #5 Stanford 9:00 pm EST

The #3 ranked Oregon Ducks will head to Palo Alto, California to take on the Stanford Cardinal in what some will call the game of the year in the PAC-12. These two met up last year in Eugene, and Stanford ruined Oregon’s BCS title hopes with a 17-14 overtime victory. This game is sure to get a lot of attention from the betting public. Oregon is currently getting about 75% of the action.

#10 Oklahoma at #5 Baylor (-15) 7:30 pm EST

The undefeated #5 Baylor Bears will host #10 Oklahoma in what will be Baylor’s stiffest completion thus far in 2013. The Sooners will look to limit Baylor’s offense, which is tops in the country in most offensive categories. The Bears are one of 5 unbeaten teams, and will look to win big to get style points in a crowded BCS race.

Week 11 NCAA Game Lines For Saturday, November 9, 2013

#2 Florida State (-35) at Wake Forest 12:00 pm EST

The #2 ranked Florida State Seminoles will try to keep the momentum going when they travel to Winston Salem, North Carolina to face the upset-minded Demon Deacons of Wake Forest. The Seminoles have reeled off 4 impressive victories in a row and won those contests by an average margin of 39 points. Wake Forest has had a couple of upset wins this year over N.C. State and Maryland.

Kansas St at #25 Texas Tech (-2.5) 3:30 pm EST

The Texas Tech Red Raiders will try to rebound from an 18 point home loss last week, as they host the Kansas St Wildcats. This is a tough spot for the Red Raiders, as they will need to stay focused with a game at Baylor last week. Kansas St won this matchup last year 55-24, but most know that this is not the same Wildcat squad from a year ago.

#9 Auburn (-7.5) at Tennessee 12:00 pm EST

The Auburn Tigers will try to keep their SEC championship hopes alive as they face the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. Since losing at LSU, Auburn has won 5 straight, including an impressive victory at Texas A&M. Tennessee has played extremely well at home this season, losing by 3 to Georgia in overtime, and upsetting South Carolina 23-21.

Nebraska at Michigan (-7) 3:30 pm EST

Two 6-2 teams in the Big 10 clash in Ann Arbor, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers face the Michigan Wolverines. Nebraska got back in the win column last week, with the help of a hail mary touchdown pass at the end of regulation to beat Northwestern. Michigan on the other hand, had a rough time with Michigan St, losing 29-6. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke is still undefeated at Ann Arbor. This will only be the third road game for the Cornhuskers this year. They are 1-1 away from Lincoln, winning at Purdue 44-7, and losing at Minnesota 34-23.

Houston at #21 Central Florida (-10.5) 7:00 pm EST

The Houston Cougars and Central Florida Golden Knights meet in Orlando on Saturday night in an American Athletic Conference showdown. These teams are no strangers to each other, as they were both in Conference USA prior to joining the AAC. Central Florida’s only loss came at the hands of South Carolina 28-25. Houston’s only loss was against BYU, losing by 1 in a 47-46 shootout. If this game is anything like the prior meetings between these two, it should be quite entertaining.

#13 LSU at #1 Alabama (-12.5) 8:00 pm EST

The game on Saturday that will have the majority of sports fans and bettors attention is none other than the battle in Tuscaloosa between LSU and Alabama. In the past few seasons, no other regular season matchup has received as much attention as this one. The last meeting between these two SEC rivals lived up to the hype, as Alabama scored with 51 seconds left to seal a 21-17 victory. This might be one of the best offenses LSU has had in quite some time, yet the defense has not been as stellar as in years past. As for Alabama, their defense is playing at an extremely high level. Since giving up 42 points to Texas A&M in their second game, Alabama has not allowed more than 10 points in a game; while winning by an average of 36 points per game.

Current Week 11 College Football Lines @ 5Dimes Sportsbook & Casino (as of 11/6/13):
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Note: All Times Below Are Listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Week 11 NCAA Football Game Lines For Wednesday, 9/8/2013
#TeamsSpreadTotalOdds
8:00 PM    
105CENTRAL MICHIGAN +20½-110 o56-110 +850
106BALL STATE -20½-110 u56-110 -1400
     
Week 11 College Football Game Lines For Thursday, 9/7/2013
#TeamsSpreadTotalOdds
7:30 PM    
109OKLAHOMA +15-110 o73½-110 
110BAYLOR -15-110 u73½-110 
7:30 PM    
111TROY +14-110 o66½-110 +430
112UL LAFAYETTE -14-110 u66½-110 -560
9:00 PM    
113OREGON -10½-110 o61-110 -370
114STANFORD +10½-110 u61-110 +300
     
Week 11 College Football Game Odds For Friday, 9/8/2013
#TeamsSpreadTotalOdds
8:30 PM    
115LOUISVILLE -27½-110 o49-110 -6000
116CONNECTICUT +27½-110 u49-110 +1800
9:00 PM    
117AIR FORCE +3-120 o59-110 
118NEW MEXICO -3EV u59-110 
     
All the Saturday Week 11 College Football Game Lines, 9/9/2013
#TeamsSpreadTotalOdds
12:00 PM    
119IOWA -15-110 o45½-110 -700
120PURDUE +15-110 u45½-110 +510
12:00 PM    
121WESTERN KENTUCKY -6½-110 o57½-110 -230
122ARMY +6½-110 u57½-110 +192
12:00 PM    
123SMU +8½-110 o63½-110 +265
124CINCINNATI U -8½-110 u63½-110 -320
4:00 PM    
125NC STATE +9½-110 o56½-110 +295
126DUKE -9½-110 u56½-110 -360
3:45 PM    
127TULSA +17½-110 o52½-110 +720
128EAST CAROLINA -17½-110 u52½-110 -1100
3:30 PM    
129ILLINOIS +10-110 o76-110 +315
130INDIANA -10-110 u76-110 -390
12:00 PM    
131TCU -7-110 o47-110 -270
132IOWA STATE +7-110 u47-110 +225
12:00 PM    
133FLORIDA STATE -35-110 o54-110 -15000
134WAKE FOREST +35-110 u54-110 +14980
12:00 PM    
135UAB +23-110 o67-110 +1100
136MARSHALL -23-110 u67-110 -2000
12:00 PM    
137VIRGINIA TECH +6½-110 o44-110 +200
138MIAMI FLORIDA -6½-110 u44-110 -240
12:00 PM    
139PENN STATE +2½-110 o47½-110 +115
140MINNESOTA U -2½-110 u47½-110 -135
3:30 PM    
141SYRACUSE +6-110 o53-110 +192
142MARYLAND -6-110 u53-110 -230
12:00 PM    
143MISSOURI -14-110 o56-110 -550
144KENTUCKY +14-110 u56-110 +425
12:30 PM    
145VIRGINIA +13½-110 o51½-110 +400
146NORTH CAROLINA -13½-110 u51½-110 -520
12:00 PM    
147VANDERBILT +10-110 o43-110 +310
148FLORIDA -10-110 u43-110 -380
1:00 PM    
149WESTERN MICHIGAN -2½-110 o58½-110 -135
150EASTERN MICHIGAN +2½-110 u58½-110 +115
2:00 PM    
151TULANE +8-110 o51-110 +255
152TEX SAN ANTONIO -8-110 u51-110 -310
10:15 PM    
153FRESNO STATE -9-110 o79-110 -320
154WYOMING +9-110 u79-110 +265
12:00 PM    
155KANSAS STATE +3-110 o59½-110 +130
156TEXAS TECH -3-110 u59½-110 -150
3:30 PM    
157BYU +7½-110 o55½-110 +255
158WISCONSIN -7½-110 u55½-110 -310
12:20 PM    
159ARKANSAS +16-110 o53½-110 +480
160MISSISSIPPI -16-110 u53½-110 -640
3:30 PM    
161NEVADA +9-110 o64½-110 +270
162COLORADO STATE -9-110 u64½-110 -330
8:00 PM    
163COLORADO +28-110 o61-110 +1700
164WASHINGTON U -28-110 u61-110 -5000
7:00 PM    
165TEXAS -6½-110 o56-110 -245
166WEST VIRGINIA +6½-110 u56-110 +205
4:00 PM    
167ARIZONA STATE -6½-110 o64½-110 -250
168UTAH +6½-110 u64½-110 +210
3:30 PM    
169NEBRASKA +7-110 o57½-110 +220
170MICHIGAN -7-110 u57½-110 -265
3:30 PM    
171HAWAII +16½-110 o53-110 +540
172NAVY -16½-110 u53-110 -750
3:30 PM    
173UTEP +25-110 o57-110 +1500
174NORTH TEXAS -25-110 u57-110 -3000
4:00 PM    
175KANSAS +31-110 o53½-110 +1800
176OKLAHOMA STATE -31-110 u53½-110 -6000
3:00 PM    
177USC -16-110 o55½-110 -650
178CALIFORNIA +16-110 u55½-110 +485
3:30 PM    
179NOTRE DAME -4-110 o51-110 -180
180PITTSBURGH U +4-110 u51-110 +155
3:30 PM    
181MISSISSIPPI ST +19-110 o66½-110 +720
182TEXAS A&M -19-110 u66½-110 -1100
3:30 PM    
183BOSTON COLLEGE -24½-110 o60½-110 -3000
184NEW MEXICO STATE +24½-110 u60½-110 +1500
8:00 PM    
185UTAH STATE -14-110 o56½-110 -500
186UNLV +14-110 u56½-110 +390
4:00 PM    
187FLORIDA INTL +18½-110 o48½-110 +850
188MIDDLE TENN ST -18½-110 u48½-110 -1400
7:00 PM    
189ARKANSAS STATE +4½-110 o57-110 +170
190UL MONROE -4½-110 u57-110 -200
7:00 PM    
191SOUTHERN MISS +15½-110 o52-110 +485
192LOUISIANA TECH -15½-110 u52-110 -650
12:00 PM    
193AUBURN -7½-110 o54½-110 -280
194TENNESSEE U +7½-110 u54½-110 +230
7:00 PM    
195HOUSTON U +10½-110 o64-110 +335
196CENTRAL FLORIDA -10½-110 u64-110 -420
10:00 PM    
197UCLA -1-110 o56½-110 
198ARIZONA U +1-110 u56½-110 
8:00 PM    
199LSU +12-110 o55-110 +335
200ALABAMA -12-110 u55-110 -420
10:30 PM    
201SAN DIEGO STATE +6½-110 o55-110 +205
202SAN JOSE STATE -6½-110 u55-110 -245

2009 College Football Top 10 Running Backs

July 25th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in College Football   5 Comments »

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College football today is composed of countless teams using spread offenses and relying on passing games to rack up a load of points against opponents. Far from the old roots of football that was led by ground and pound rushing attacks. Today’s game is based mostly around teams that spread the field with 4 and 5 wide receivers and try to stretch out defenses before picking them apart. However, look at any championship caliber team and you can bet they have a strong running game. The rushing game will always be the best offense when used effectively because it allows a team to take control of the clock along with taking control of field position in tight games. Even though the hard core rushing offenses seem to have vanished in today’s game, there are still a load of players who have the ability to rack up big chunks of yards on every play. These players give their teams an edge that most do not possess; the ability to not only break big plays, but keep opposing offenses off the field. Keep your eyes on these guys for the upcoming football season as we break down the best running backs in the nation.

#1 Jahvid Best (California)

Jahvid Best is not only the best running back in college football, but he also has the best chance to be a big name at the next level. Best has a raw combination of quickness and immeasurable strength giving him the ability to run through defenses. Best was extremely impressive in his first full season as starter for the Golden Bears rushing for 1,580 yards to go along with 15 touchdowns as a sophomore. Best averaged a lucrative 8.1 yards per carry and broke California’s single game rushing record against Washington bulldozing his way to 311 yards. If it was not for Heisman winners Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford returning, Best would be right in the middle of the talk for winning the Heisman Trophy this season. Expect nothing less than a huge year from the Golden Bears running back as California makes a run at a Pac-10 title.

#2 Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State)

Kendall Hunter had a big season in 2008 rushing for 1,555 yards and 16 scores making numerous big plays. Hunter who resides in the pass happy region of the college football world, led the Big 12 in rushing yards. Add to the fact, Hunter will be a part of one of the most explosive offenses in the nation this season and things are looking very promising. Hunter probably has the quickest cutback of any tailback on our board and can bust plays open quickly. Expect Hunter to be a big reason, the Cowboys have a lot of success in 2009 and just maybe come up with a big upset or two.

# 3 Jonathon Dwyer (Georgia Tech)

The option style offense the Yellow Jackets turned to last season may have been a nightmare if they did not have the talented Jonathon Dwyer in the backfield. Dwyer took over 200 carries cashing in for 1,395 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets entire offense was based around the running game and defenses knew it making Dwyer’s numbers a bit more impressive. During the time that defenses keyed in on the running game, Dwyer’s numbers actually picked up during the latter part of the season giving promising hope to 2009. Dwyer who has a knack for shaking off tacklers led the ACC in rushing in 2008. Anticipating how many carries he is likely to get in 2009, it looks to be another big season for the Yellow Jackets star player.

# 4 Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State)

So who here remembers the Beavers upset over the USC Trojans last season? If you do then you probably remember a small freshman sensation by the name of Jacquizz Rodgers slicing through the best defense in the country. Rodgers had a big season in his freshman campaign rushing for 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns. Possibly the best sophomore in the country heading into this season, Rodgers averaged 114 yards per game in his first year at Oregon State. Expect the 5’7 little guy to improve on those numbers this season and become one of the best tailbacks in the Pac 10.

# 5 Evan Royster (Penn State)

Evan Royster was a big part to the Nittany Lions success in 2009 that had them in National Title contention for the majority of the year. Royster exploded onto the scene racking up 6.5 yards per carry in route to a plus 1,200 yard season. The Nittany Lions offense was a well balanced machine last year with Royster in the back field and Daryll Clark delivering the air assault. However, Penn State lost big time receivers Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, and Derrick Williams. The big losses at wide out means the Nittany Lions will give Royster a big increase in carries and we expect no less than 1,500 yards from the best back in the Big Ten.

#6 MiQuale Lewis (Ball State)

MiQuale Lewis is probably the least known name on our board, but surprisingly one of the best on the board as well. Lewis ranked 3rd individually last season tallying up 1,736 yards on the season. Lewis put up those impressive numbers as a junior and there will be big expectations for him again in 2009. The Cardinals running back already led the nation last year with 22 touchdowns. Imagine if those numbers were to improve. Some may argue that Lewis is in a weak defensive conference, but it’s hard to match those numbers regardless of who you are playing.

#7 DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma)

DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown make up the best running back duo in the nation for Oklahoma. Murray received less hand offs in 2008 due to missing the last two games of the season with injury, but both backs averaged a strong 5.6 yards per carry. Murray was also able to post a 1,000 yard season despite missing those few games. If not for sharing carries with an equally talented Chris Brown, Murray could easily be one of the top rushers in the nation. However, the Sooners ability to rotate between the two may be more effective from a team’s standpoint. It is just amazing the numbers that the Sooners running backs are able to produce considering they are such an elite passing team.

#8 Noel Devine (West Virginia)

Noel Devine burst onto the scene at the beginning of 2008 as one of the hottest tailbacks in the nation. Devine averaged over 120 yards during the first 8 games of the season before fading a bit down the stretch. However, his numbers were very impressive considering running threat of Pat White accompanied him in the back field. Devine posted a 6.1 yards per carry average in 2008 despite the Mountaineers taking a step back as a team. However, Devine will be the best returning back in the Big East this season and will try to be the main guy in helping restore the explosiveness on the Mountaineers’ offense.

#9 Chris Brown (Oklahoma)

Another very impressive tailback that comes out of the Oklahoma stable, Brown was able to rush for 1,220 yards last season. Brown ranked 4th among running backs in college football producing 20 scores for the year. The senior tailback will enter 2009 with the expectations for another 1,000 yard plus performance. If not for sharing time with Murray, Brown could be one of the single best rushers in America. However, sharing carries in the back field may actually limit his chances of putting up ridiculous numbers.

#10 C.J Spiller (Clemson)

C.J Spiller perhaps is one of the most under rated backs in college football. However, those are not because he has put up any huge numbers. In fact, Spiller has never eclipsed the 1,000 yard barrier in his previous 3 seasons with the Tigers. Spiller has fell victim of an offense that simply has not allowed him to showcase his skills. One of the quickest backs on our board, Spiller has also had to share time with James Davis over the last 3 years. However, Spiller will be the lone back for the Tigers this season and there is no way he should not rack up well over 1,000 yards against the ACC defenses.

Who is college football's best running back?

  • Jahvid Best (California) (25%, 90 Votes)
  • C.J Spiller (Clemson) (16%, 59 Votes)
  • Noel Devine (West Virginia) (11%, 40 Votes)
  • Jonathon Dwyer (Georgia Tech) (10%, 35 Votes)
  • Evan Royster (Penn State) (7%, 27 Votes)
  • DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma) (7%, 27 Votes)
  • None of the Above (Leave Opinion in Comments) (7%, 27 Votes)
  • Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State) (6%, 22 Votes)
  • Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State) (6%, 21 Votes)
  • Chris Brown (Oklahoma) (3%, 10 Votes)
  • MiQuale Lewis (Ball State) (2%, 7 Votes)

Total Voters: 365

March Madness Impact Players to Watch

March 3rd, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NCAA Basketball   Comments Off on March Madness Impact Players to Watch

The regular season has almost concluded on this exciting year of college hoops and the attention will quickly turn to the conference tournaments games leading into selection Sunday. After selection Sunday, the brackets will be locked in place for the NCAA Tournament and you can already get some of the earliest betting odds for this year’s National Champion at betus.com and bodog sportsbooks. The previous wins and losses mean nothing when the playoff style NCAA Tournament begins and it will come down to who can step up on the biggest stage. We take a look at the players that could affect the NCAA Tournament in 2009 the most and if they will have what it takes to have their team compete for a Championship.

Blake Griffin (Oklahoma Sooners)

I believe the entire nation is aware how important Blake Griffin is to the Oklahoma Sooners after the events over the past few weeks. Griffin suffered a concussion and missed most of the game in the Sooners lost to Texas. Griffin would also miss the next game that also resulted into a losing effort to Kansas. However once Griffin returned to the lineup, Oklahoma returned to their regular dominant stature. The talented sophomore could be a lock to win National Player of the Year with 22 points and a 14 rebound average on the season. Not only could he win National Player of the Year, but would likely be a lottery pick if he chooses to leave for the NBA following this season. Griffin will try and lead the Sooners in a big way in March and he can single handedly take control of games. However, Oklahoma as a team I believe does not have what it takes to keep up with the top schools from the Big East and the ACC in March. However, if Griffin could lead Oklahoma to a Championship it would add that much more to his growing resume.

Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina Tar Heels)

Tyler Hansbrough won the 2008 Player of the Year last season and now is the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina history. That accomplishment alone speaks volumes considering the legendary names that North Carolina has produced through their legendary history. Hansbrough got off to a semi slow start to the season, but has been nothing short of outstanding through the tough conference play this season. Hansbrough has posted 21 points and 8 rebounds on average this season. One thing that is great for Hansbrough is he does not have to be great. North Carolina owns probably the most talented lineup in America. Even if Hansbrough was to have an off night which happens as bout as much as a lunar eclipse, North Carolina still has plenty of talent to pick up the slack. The Tarheels are 5/2 favorites to win it all through the NCAA Tournament this season. Hansbrough will just be a big factor in leading the Tarheels towards a Championship run.

DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh Panthers)

DeJuan Blair is likely the 2nd most impressive sophomore in the nation behind Blake Griffin. Pittsburgh has been stellar all season and they racked up a big win over top ranked Connecticut just two weeks ago. Blair had a solid freshman campaign and has improved in all aspects of his game. Not only has Blair become a very dangerous scoring threat, but he has become a monster on the boards pulling down an NCAA 3rd best 12.7 rebounds per game. In the Panthers big win over Connecticut, Blair had one of the biggest nights of his season with 22 points and 23 rebounds. Pittsburgh will need Blair to have those types of performances in their big games during the Tournament. If that happen, the Panthers will be very tough to beat.

Jeff Teague (Wake Forest Demon Decons)

Jeff Teague is possibly the best young guard in the country. Teague scoring threat was a big contributing factor to Wake Forest’s 16-0 start that put them on top of the polls. Even thought Wake Forest has struggled a big during ACC play, Teague has remained strong averaging 20 points on the season. The sophomore put together his biggest night of the season in one of the Demon Deacons biggest games when he posted 34 points to lift Wake Forest over North Carolina earlier this season. Unfortunately, Teague can only carry the Demon Deacons so far. Wake Forest has really been on thin ice during the latter part of the season and the inconsistent play has left a lot of question marks looming. Wake Forest is receiving 17/1 odds this season making them a team to consider making a gamble on. Teague performance in the NCAA Tournament will go along way in attempting to get Wake Forest back towards top notch play.

Stephen Curry (Davidson Wildcats)

Davidson was the Cinderella story of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats came out of nowhere to earn an Elite 8 appearance. Stephen Curry was a big cause to their late season run. Curry has led the nation nearly all season on top of the scoring charts. The junior guard has posted a ridiculous 28 point average this season that included two 44 point performances. The 44 point nights were not against weak opposition either as Curry put together those performances against Oklahoma and NC State. Davidson has fell victim to some unexpected losses this season and many doubt any big runs this year in March. However, Curry can keep the Wildcats in any game on any given night. Still Curry needs a bit more help from his teammates to really contend with the top teams in the country.

Which of these players would you most want on your team for this year's NCAA tournament?
(You can tell us who you chose and why in the comments section below)

  • Blake Griffin (40%, 8 Votes)
  • Stephen Curry (30%, 6 Votes)
  • Tyler Hansbrough (20%, 4 Votes)
  • DeJuan Blair (10%, 2 Votes)
  • Jeff Teague (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 20

2009-10 BCS National Championship Odds & Outlook

March 2nd, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in College Football   2 Comments »

(Complete Odds Listed at Bottom of Page)

There may not be much attention on the college football front this time of year with basketball season in full stride and football season around 6 months away. However, with National Signing Day wrapped up it is a great time to evaluate the best of the best for next season. The SEC was crowned for their 3rd straight National Championship last season and they also earned the top two recruiting classes for 2009. However, with the competition getting pretty equal in the SEC and perhaps this is the year that the SEC will not even send a team to the title game. Betus Sportsbook (100% Bonus When Using This Link & Mentioning Bankroll Sports) has 2010 BCS Championship odds available and now is a great time to place a wager to receive the best odds. Here we break down a few contenders and pretenders for the 2010 BCS Championship.  Below you will find all the current odds to win the National Championship next season.

Florida Gators

The 2009 and 2007 National Champions will get their heroic Heisman quarterback to return next season in Tim Tebow. Florida lost one of their key playmakers Percy Harvin who declared for the NFL draft a year early. WR Louis Murphy is also gone meaning the Gators will lose their top two receivers. Tebow will have to look towards a very young group of receivers. 2009 Signee Andre Debose will come in and challenge for playing time right from the start, but the question will be if the Gators will have same explosive type offense. Brandon Spikes elected to return for his senior season and he will hold down the middle of a tenacious defense that dominated the SEC last season. The defense should be a championship contender, but the offense could be questionable. However if we learned anything from last season never count out Tebow.

Prediction: Contender

USC Trojans

USC might have suffered a bit of a shock during the off-season when Mark Sanchez announced that he would leave for the NFL after only one season as the starter. Santa Ana, California native and signee Matt Barkley could come in and be the man behind center as a freshman for the Trojans. However, the real hit the Trojans took was losing the majority of their potent defense. The Trojans lost nearly all their key guys on the defensive side of the ball including all of the linebacker core and mainly Rey Maualuga. The Trojans ranked first in total defense and scoring defense last season, but things are not likely to be so pleasant on the defensive side of the ball this season.

Prediction: Pretender

Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma will have Sam Bradford the 2009 Heisman winning quarterback behind center next season. Similar to Florida, Oklahoma lost some key guys through the wide receiving group. The main loss will be Juaquin Iglesias whose eligibility ran out after a strong senior campaign where he led the team with 1,150 receiving yards. The remaining receiving core is young and unpolished. However, the Sooners could compensate that loss if they could run the ball as effectively as last season. Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray both reached the 1,000 yard mark last season and they will need the same this year. Unfortunately for the Sooners, I believe Texas will be the most well rounded team in the Big 12 next year.

Prediction: Pretender

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama was by far the surprise team in the SEC last season and probably one of the biggest surprise stories in America. Nick Saban has the tradition back in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide went through the regular season undefeated before losing to Florida and missing out on a National Championship opportunity. John Parker Wilson is gone leaving some questions behind center. However, the Crimson Tide resorted to a ground and pound type offense backed by stellar defensive style of play last season that worked very well. Glen Coffee will get the carries again this season as one of the best backs in the SEC and the defense should be very strong meaning not much will change no matter who is behind center. After two straight number 1 recruiting classes, there could be a re-match in store for the SEC Championship with Florida.

Prediction: Contender

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Nittany Lions nearly put together a championship run a year ago before losing their first game the first week of November to Iowa. This is the same Nittany Lion team that put up 24 points against the dynamic USC Trojan defense that will return many of the same starters on the offensive side of the ball. Penn State should return another strong defense in 2009 as well. Considering they will catch the Big Ten in a rather down year, if they can get by Ohio State and win the games they are suppose to then they could make another run at a championship. The Nittany Lion offense will have a pair of stellar running backs in the backfield in Evan Royster and Stephon Green that should lead them to see some glory days in Happy Valley

Prediction: Contender

Current NCAA Football Teams with at least 60/1 or better odds:

Odds From BetUS (100% Bonus up to $500 With This Link By Mentioning Bankroll Sports)

  • Alabama 22/1
  • California 60/1
  • Clemson 60/1
  • Florida 7/4
  • Florida State 30/1
  • Georgia 50/1
  • Georgia Tech 50/1
  • LSU 20/1
  • Miami Florida 35/1
  • North Carolina 45/1
  • Notre Dame 30/1
  • Ohio State 17/2
  • Oklahoma 5/1
  • Oklahoma State 50/1
  • Oregon 20/1
  • Penn State 35/1
  • Pittsburgh 60/1
  • Texas 8/1
  • Texas Tech 60/1
  • USC 5/1
  • Virginia Tech 20/1

March Madness Outlook

February 16th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NCAA Basketball   3 Comments »

The College Basketball season enters the final 4 weeks of basketball before we head into the always exciting conference championships and March Madness. We have some numerous events take place already on the college hoops stage with upsets, last second buzzer beaters, to instant classics, and much more. The rest of the season promises to be just as exciting and we will take a look what to possibly expect when the NCAA Tournament rolls around with a prediction of number 1 seeds, along with teams to watch out for, and who could possibly win it all.

The 2009 season has seen many different number 1 teams fall, and a few other teams completely fall apart. However, there are a few that have been rather stellar throughout the year and have a great chance at locking up a number 1 seed in March. The most probable team to lock up a number 1 is the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma stands right now at a 23-1 record for the season along with 13 straight wins since their lone loss to Arkansas in late December. Oklahoma has narrowly escaped quite a few games this season but has managed to get the wins none the less. However, Oklahoma will really get tested in their final 5 games of the season with road trips to Missouri and Texas while also hosting Kansas. Oklahoma benefits from teams like Duke, Wake Forest, Louisville, all having at least 4 losses which are also the teams ranked 4-7 nationally. Even if the Sooners lose 1 or possibly 2 of the last 5 they still have a good chance to receive a number 1 seed because they only have 1 loss at this point in the year. While many have criticized the Sooners schedule, Blake Griffin (22ppg, 13rpg) has proven to be one of the best players in the nation and will likely give Oklahoma a chance to win any game they play in for the rest of the season no matter who they play. Given the Sooners do not completely fall apart they should be a safe bet to holding down the number 1 spot in March.

Another number one seed will likely come out of the best conference in basketball throughout 2009 which is the Big East. The Connecticut Huskies has held the number 1 ranking in America over the last two weeks and they will have a great shot to finish the year strong. Pittsburgh is another strong team that will have a chance as well. The Panthers were the top ranked team in America for a good while during the early part of the year, but suffered two losses rather close together to top 15 teams Louisville and Villanova. However, both of these two teams are first and second in the conference and will battle two more times this year including a showdown tonight at Gampel Pavilion. It is safe to say if one of those teams could win both games they could likely win the Big East will continuing to be one of the top ranked teams in the country. Pittsburgh and Connecticut have only 5 games left to play and you would have to give the Huskies the advantage with their outstanding defense and excellent rebounding. If these two teams split, Connecticut will still have the edge with one less loss at this point in the season and many would have to consider them the biggest favorite to capture a number one seed. However, it is too early to count out Pittsburgh heading into tonight’s big game.

The North Carolina Tarheels came out of the gates this season as strong as any team in recent history. North Carolina won 13 straight games in dominating fashion and had some fans believing in an undefeated campaign. However, the Tarheels would lose 2 out of the next 3 to unranked Boston College and also Wake Forest. Since those slips, North Carolina has returned to early season form with 9 straight wins including double digit victories over Clemson and Duke. The Tarheels have a rather light schedule ahead of them with the season finale at home against Duke once again. North Carolina can lose 1 game and still become a number one seed, but considering how well they have been playing they may not lose any. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington make up an all-star type college hoops lineup and there is no doubt they possess the most talent in America.

The final number one seed could be up for grabs. Pittsburgh will have the best opportunity even with their two match-ups with Connecticut that could go either way. The Panthers only have two losses and if they could avoid dropping both to the Huskies they have the best shot at locking up the final number one seed. However, teams like Memphis and Louisville still have legitimate chances. Louisville suffered their 5th loss of the season and will take a slide towards the bottom of the top 10. However if they could get some help from Connecticut taking down Pittsburgh once or twice, the Cardinals will also get Pittsburgh and they have already beat them once this year. Memphis on the other hand is a team that lacks the strength of schedule or RPI as the top teams, but they have racked up 16 straight wins with the optimistic outlook of an easy schedule. The Tigers could very well have the best chance with the other team’s difficult schedules to rally and earn the final number one position in the NCAA Tournament.

Now we move on to one of the more difficult task in predicting a team that many would not expect to turn the NCAA Tournament into their Cinderella story in 2009. Davidson was one similar scenario last year when they seemingly came out of nowhere to make the Elite 8 before losing to Kansas who went on to win the National Championship. There are some teams that would love to impact the tournament this season and make similar noise. One team that could likely breakout in 2009 Tournament time is the Marquette Golden Eagles. Marquette has played against the best teams in America all season as has hung right with the best of them and is currently only one game behind Connecticut in the Big East. The Golden Eagles are a fast pace team that could give the usual power teams a lot of problems with players like Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews. Another team that could make an impact in the tournament is an unlikely wonder out of the SEC and the only unranked team we have mentioned in the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks have really played well behind new coach Darrin Horn. After two straight seasons of 15 or more losses, the Gamecocks now stand at 18-5 and in the lead of the SEC East division. South Carolina was definitely not considered to even make the Tournament this year much less make an impact in the spectacle. However, South Carolina is a scrappy bunch lead by Devan Downey who is one of the better guards in America. South Carolina has won with some exciting close games this year in the SEC and if they can hang in some ball games they will be tough to beat late in games. All of these teams appear to have the ability to surprise some teams, but we never know what will truly shake out. One thing is for certain and that is the uncertain in March.

Part 2 BCS Controversy Continues…

December 2nd, 2008 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on Part 2 BCS Controversy Continues…

Earlier in the week I discussed how crazy the BCS has gotten keeping the Texas Longhorns out of the Big 12 Championship game. Instead of Texas, Oklahoma is playing in the Big 12 Championship despite the Longhorns 45-35 win this season. The national media has assumed that the winner for the SEC Championship game would go on to play in the BCS National Championship. However, taking a closer look at the computer ratings things may be even more bizarre.

BCSThe Florida Gators are ranked #2 in the AP top 25 polls but come in as the #4 team in the BCS rankings. The popular speculation is that Florida would go play in the National Championship given they could defeat #1 Alabama. Although, with last weeks jumbled BCS rankings keeping Texas out of the Big 12 Championship a win for Florida still might not be enough to put them in the National Championship.

Texas is ranked #3 in the BCS Standing slightly behind Oklahoma at #2. The Sooners jumped the Longhorns last week in the standings by .0128 and that put the Sooners into their conference championship game over Texas due to the Big 12 tie breaking rules. The Big 12 rule for tie breakers state that the highest rated team in the BCS will win the tie breaker. So despite Oklahoma not be able to defeat Texas head to head, they will still represent the Big 12 South in the championship game.

Can you imagine how mad the state of Texas has been this week? Texas has been kept out of the Big 12 Championship game and their chance to earn a spot in the National Championship game was taken away as well. Texas has been ahead of Oklahoma since the BCS ranking were released until last week which mattered most. Last week BCS standings determined the fate for the Longhorns, considering the Big 12 Championship will be held this weekend. Texas again felt like their chances have been stolen from them and there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

Not so fast Texas faithful, taking a closer look at the BCS rankings things might actually not be so bad. Keeping Texas out of the Big 12 Championship may have in fact benefited them as much as playing and winning the championship game. Florida trails Texas in the BCS Standing by .0328 a pretty fair margin. Florida is an 8.5 point favorite to defeat the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide. Assuming Florida does win the SEC Championship, it may not be enough to jump the ahead of a Texas team that does not have to play this weekend. The Longhorns computer ranking should not change while Florida’s ranking may not be able to overcome the .0328 deficit placing Texas and most likely Oklahoma in a rematch for the National Championship.

Florida trails Texas by .160 in the computer rankings for the BCS while holding pretty even with Texas in the Harris and USA Today polls. If the Gators do pull off the victory over Alabama, they will definitely get some help from the Harris and USA Today polls which are human voters. However, the computer rankings that has to do with other things like strength of schedule will still favor Texas, but by how much? The Gators would have to receive a big help from the computers to overtake the Longhorns.

Then again things may not be that controversial after this weekend if Alabama wins and Oklahoma loses. However, that will be tough for both of those things to happen. Florida as mentioned before is more than a touchdown favorite to win their game while Oklahoma is a two touchdown favorite to win the Big 12. In a perfect world, Alabama and Missouri will win and the BCS will again dodge another missile targeted to take down the BCS rankings forever. However, this year it will not happen. The chances of both Alabama and Missouri winning are bout as good as Ohio State beating an SEC team in a championship game. Even if Alabama can pull of the win over Florida, Texas fans will still feel like they have been robbed of an opportunity to play for the title. An opportunity they have earned.

Be sure to check out the free and premium college football picks from the expert handicappers at Bankroll Sports.  The Bankroll Sports handicapping duo of Henry Ness and Wade Sterling will have premium releases for a variety of this weekend’s Conference Championship games.  Click here to purchase premium service picks from our handicappers.  Also, be sure to check out our ncaa football top 25 previews for this weekend’s college football matchups.