Posts Tagged ‘Ole Miss Rebels’

2014 NCAA Week 13 Line Breakdown

November 20th, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 13 Line Breakdown

The college football playoff race is heating up and week 13 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap in the SEC, and PAC-12, and Big Ten conferences. All times Eastern.

Thursday, November 20

No. 12 Kansas State at West Virginia (-2, 57.5) 7:00 PM FOX Sports 1

The #12 ranked Kansas State Wildcats will travel to Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers. Kansas State is coming off their bye week and before that had lost to TCU pretty much eliminating them from the playoff picture. West Virginia is also off the bye week and coming off a loss at Texas.

North Carolina at No. 21 Duke (-6, 66.5) 7:30 PM ESPN

The Duke Blue Devils are coming off an upset loss to Virginia Tech, they’ll try to rebound when they take on the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are coming off a 40–35 when over Pitt.

Saturday, November 22

Indiana at No. 6 Ohio State (-34, 65.5) 12:00 PM Big Ten Network

The #6 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will look to make a statement and try to get themselves into the college football playoff picture when they host the Indiana Hoosiers, who were blown out at Rutgers 45-23.

Boston College at No. 3 Florida State (-19, 65.5) 3:30 PM ABC

The #3 ranked Florida State Seminoles are coming off a come from behind win over Miami. They’ll have to be on upset alert when they host the Boston College Eagles, who upset USC earlier this season and are fully capable of pulling the stunner.

No. 8 Ole Miss (-3, 45.5) at Arkansas 3:30 PM CBS

The Arkansas Razorbacks finally got their SEC win for head coach Brent Bielema, defeating LSU 17–0 last Saturday. They’ll look to make it to in a row when they host the #8 ranked Ole Miss Rebels.

No. 15 Arizona at No. 17 Utah 3:30 PM ESPN

To PAC-12 teams with contrasting styles will take the field in Salt Lake City, Utah. The #17 ranked Utah Utes will host the high-scoring attack of the #15 ranked Arizona Wildcats.

#24 Louisville at Notre Dame (-3.5, 53) 3:30 PM NBC

The Notre Dame fighting Irish will look to rebound off to straight losses and a 43–40 upset loss for northwestern when they host ate one of the better defenses the face this season in the #24 ranked Louisville Cardinals.

#16 Wisconsin (-10, 51.5) at Iowa 3:30 PM ABC/ESPN2

The #20 ranked Wisconsin badgers will head to Iowa City, Iowa to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a Big Ten affair. Wisconsin is coming off a huge 59–24 win over Nebraska, which saw running back Melvin Gordon rush for a record for 408 yards, putting himself in serious Heisman trophy consideration.

#19 USC at #91 UCLA (-3.5, 61) 8:00 PM

Cody Kessler and the #19 ranked USC Trojans will take on the #11 ranked UCLA Bruins in a key PAC-12 battle for the Lexus Gauntlet. The Trojans have won three of the past four meetings, with UCLA getting the win last season.

 

2014 NCAA Week 10 Line Breakdown

October 29th, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football, General Handicapping   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 10 Line Breakdown

Week 10 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap in the SEC, Big 12, and PAC-12, and Big Ten conference.

Thursday, October 30th

#2 Florida State (-4, 50.5) at #25 Louisville 7:30 PM ESPN

Week 10 of the 2014 college football season kicks off on Thursday night when the #2 ranked Florida State Seminoles take on the Louisville Cardinals in a huge ACC matchup. This could be the biggest regular season game in the history of the Louisville program, and it will be an electric crowd at Papa Johns Stadium in Louisville.

Saturday, November 1st

Florida vs. #11 Georgia (-13, 51) 3:30 PM CBS At EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

The Florida Gators and the #11 ranked Georgia Bulldogs meet in Jacksonville in what is called the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party. The Bulldogs are rolling as of late, and have won 5 straight. The Bulldogs won last years meeting 23-20.

#7 TCU (-5.5, 72.5) at #20 West Virginia 3:30 PM ABC

The #7 ranked TCU Horned Frogs, fresh off their 82 point performance against Texas Tech will travel to Morgantown to take on the #20 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in a matchup with huge Big 12 title implications. West Virginia has been impressive as well, after defeating Baylor at home, they took it to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, winning 27-10.

Kansas at #13 Baylor (-36, 61.5) 4:00 PM FOX Sports 1

The Baylor Bears will look to rebound off their 14 point loss at West Virginia. They’ll get to take their frustrations out on Big 12 bottomfeeder Kansas, who have lost 4 in a row and might have a tough time keeping up with the Bears.

#3 Auburn at #4 Ole Miss (-2.5, 51)  7:00 PM ESPN

The Ole Miss Rebels will look to rebound from their loss at LSU when they take on the #4 ranked Auburn Tigers in an SEC conference matchup with huge national championship implications. It will be a classic matchup of an explosive ground attack against one of the nation’s best defensive units.

Arkansas at #1 Mississippi State (-10, 64)  7:15 PM ESPN 2

The Arkansas Razorbacks will travel to Mississippi to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who survived their first test after being ranked #1 in the country, defeating Kentucky 35-21.

Stanford at #5 Oregon (-7.5, 54.5) 7:30 PM FOX

The Oregon Ducks will look to shake the proverbial monkey off their back when they host the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford has had Oregon’s number the past few years, but Oregon may have the upper hand this season, as Stanford has suffered 3 losses this season.

Illinois at #16 Ohio State (-27.5, 65) 8:00 PM ABC

The Ohio State Buckeyes escaped defeat with a 31-24 overtime victory in Happy Valley last Saturday. They’ll host Illinois, who defeated Minnesota in a mild upset last Saturday. The Buckeyes will play Michigan State next weekend in a key Big Ten tilt.

#12 Arizona at #22 UCLA 2014 (-6.5, 70.5) 10:30 PM ESPN

Scoring should be rather prevalent when the #12 ranked Arizona Wildcats take on the #22 ranked UCLA Bruins on Saturday night. Arizona thumped Washington State 61-38 last weekend, while UCLA escaped Colorado with a 40-37 win in overtime.

#17 Utah at #14 Arizona State (-5.5, 56.5) 11:00 PM FOX Sports 1

The #14 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils host the #14 Utah Utes in a key PAC-12 matchup from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly will face the nation’s best pass rush with Utah, who has 35 sacks on the season.

2014 NCAA Week 8 Line Breakdown

October 15th, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 8 Line Breakdown

Week 8 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap in the SEC, Big 12, and PAC-12 conference.

Thursday, October 16th

#20 Utah (-3, 53) at Oregon State 10:00 pm PAC-12 Network

The #20 ranked Utah Utes will be looking for a little payback when they travel to Corvallis to take on the Oregon State Beavers. The Beavers defeated the Utes last year 51-48 in overtime. the Utes are coming off a huge win at UCLA in week 6.

Saturday, October 18th

#4 Baylor (-8, 79.5) at West Virginia 10:00 pm EST Fox Sports 1

The Baylor Bears travel to Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in a key Big 12 tilt. both teams are coming off huge come from behind wins, with West Virginia winning at Texas Tech, while Baylor defeated TCU. It may take an act of god for it not to go over the total.

#14 Kansas State at #11 Oklahoma (-7.5, 58) 12:00 pm EST ESPN

Jake Waters and the #14 Kansas State Wildcats travel to Norman to take on the Oklahoma Sooners. The last time these two teams met was last year, where Oklahoma won in Manhatten 41-31.

#8 Michigan State (-16, 59) at Indiana 3:30 pm EST ESPN

One of the best defenses in the country in Michigan State will travel to Bloomington to take on the high powered offense of Indiana. The meeting comes at a bad time for the Hoosiers, as quarterback Nate Sudfeld was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.

#21 Texas A&M #3 Alabama (-10.5, 61.5) 3:30 pm EST CBS

The #21 Texas A&M Aggies head to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The home field has not mattered the past two years between these two schools, as the visitor has won the past two matchups.

#15 Oklahoma State at #12 TCU (-9, 61.5) 4:00 pm EST FOX Sports 1

The TCU Horned Frogs are coming off consecutive games, and will need to be focused against an under the radar oklahoma State Squad. In the past two weeks, TCU has defeated Oklahoma, and lost to Baylor in the final seconds.

Tennessee at #3 Ole Miss (-16.5, 46) 7:00 pm EST ESPN

The Ole Miss Rebels are coming off two monumental wins over Alabama and Texas A&M. They’ll try to avoid the letdown when they take on the Tennessee Volunteers. If Tennessee can play the way they did against Georgia, this could be a game.

#5 Notre Dame at #2 Florida State (No Line) 8:00 pm EST ABC

In what will be the marquee game of the week, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the Florida State Seminoles. There is currently no word on the status of quarterback Jameis Winston, who might be facing a possible suspension. The last time Winston was suspended, the Seminoles escaped with a 23-17 overtime win against Clemson.

#23 Stanford (-3, 54) at #17 Arizona State 10:30 pm EST ESPN

The Stanford Cardinal will look to rebound from a loss at Notre Dame when they take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a PAC-12 tilt. The Sun Devils are coming off a huge win over USC due to a last minute hail mary touchdown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 NCAA Week 6 Line Breakdown

October 1st, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 6 Line Breakdown

Week 6 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap, including 3 SEC conference matchups with huge national championship implications.

Thursday, September 2nd

Arizona at #2 Oregon (-23) 10:30 PM (EST) ESPN

The Oregon Ducks will be looking for revenge when they host the Arizona Wildcats from Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR. The Wildcats shocked the Ducks last year, upsetting them 42-16.

Friday, October 3rd

Louisville (-2.5) at Syracuse 7:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The Louisville Cardinals with head to upstate New York to take on the Syracuse Orange. This will mark the first time the two schools have met in ACC play.

Saturday, October 4th

#6 Texas A&M at #12 Mississippi State (-1.5) 12:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The #6 ranked Texas A&M Aggies take on the #12 ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs in a pivotal SEC matchup. The Aggies are coming off a 35-28 overtime win over Arkansas, while the Bulldogs had a bye week last weekend, and were last seen winning in Baton Rouge, defeating LSU 34-29.

#20 Ohio State at Maryland 12:00 PM (EST) ABC

The Maryland Terrapins, a new comer to the Big Ten, will look to make it 3 straight wins when they host the #20 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Maryland got a nice road win in Indiana last Saturday, while the Buckeyes defeated Cincinnati 50-28.

#3 Alabama (-6) at #11 Ole Miss 3:30 PM (EST) CBS

The #11 Ole Miss Rebels will host the #3 Alabama Crimson Tide in a highly anticipated SEC contest.

It will most likely be the biggest game in recent history for #11 Mississippi when they host #3 ranked Alabama. Alabama handled the Rebels last season, winning 25-0 in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide were idle last weekend, while Ole Miss defeated Memphis 24-3.

#4 Oklahoma (-4) at #25 TCU 3:30 PM (EST) FOX

The #4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners are ranked 25th in the country in total offense. That offense will be tested when they take on #25 ranked TCU, who are second in the nation in total defense, allowing just 2187.y yards per contest.

#14 Stanford (-1.5) at #9 Notre Dame 3:30 PM (EST) NBC

The Notre Dame fighting Irish will face their stiffest test this season when they host the #14 ranked Stanford Cardinal. The two teams are in the top 5 in scoring defense, with Stanford at #1 (6.5 ppg) and Notre Dame at #4 (11.5).

#15 LSU at #5 Auburn (-8.5) 7:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The #15 ranked LSU Tigers take on the #5 Auburn Tigers in a key SEC contest. Both teams had a relatively easy test in week 5, with LSU defeating New Mexico St. 63-7 and Auburn defeating Louisiana Tech 45-17.

Arizona State at #16 USC (-11.5) 7:30 PM (EST) FOX

Arizona State will try to rebound from their 62-27 loss to UCLA when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the #16 ranked USC Trojans. USC got back on track last weekend with a 35-10 win over Oregon State.

#19 Nebraska at #10 Michigan State (-8) 8:00 PM (EST) FOX

The #10 ranked Michigan State Spartans have been flat out dominant since their loss to Oregon in week 2. They’ll have a chance to continue their impressive run when they host the #19 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are the only undefeated team in the Big Ten conference.

Ole Miss vs. Pittsburgh Bowl Game Picks for BBVA Compass Bowl 1/5

January 4th, 2013 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on Ole Miss vs. Pittsburgh Bowl Game Picks for BBVA Compass Bowl 1/5
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BBVA Compass Bowl 2013The X’s and O’s of the BBVA Compass Bowl predictions aren’t shared by many expert handicappers, but here at Bankroll Sports, we are giving up all of our insight and telling you all of the keys to the game for the Ole Miss Rebels vs. Pittsburgh Panthers. The BBVA Compass Bowl picks are some of the hardest to make this year of all of the bowl games, so don’t miss out on all of our Ole Miss vs. Pittsburgh predictions!

2013 BBVA Compass Bowl: Ole Miss Rebels vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
2013 BBVA Compass Bowl Location: Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
2013 BBVA Compass Bowl Date/Time: Saturday, January 5th, 1:00 p.m. (ET)
2013 BBVA Compass Bowl On TV: ESPN

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Key #1: The Panthers have to want to be here in Birmingham
The words “Anywhere but Birmingham” have come up quite a bit over the course of the last month and change for the Panthers, as they really wanted to go anywhere but here for their bowl trip in the winter. The truth of the matter is that the upperclassmen are right; they shouldn’t have to be coming to the same bowl game for the third straight year. But alas, the options are the Compass Bowl or no bowl for the Panthers, and they weren’t good enough to warrant going anywhere else on the Big East bowl ladder. The truth of the matter is that this club limped through the motions in the Compass Bowl last year, getting blown to bits by the SMU Mustangs 28-6. Of course, the way that SMU dismantled the Fresno State Bulldogs in this year’s Hawaii Bowl as big time underdogs does help out the credibility of that loss to the ‘Stangs, but it doesn’t sting any less. Will we see the Panthers team that came out with their hair on fire a month and change ago versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, or the one that was romped by the Youngstown State Penguins at the outset of the year? That’s the big question in this one and will be the deciding factor in this game.

BBVA Compass Bowl Odds at BetRevolution Sportsbook
Ole Miss Rebels -3.5
Pittsburgh Panthers +3.5
Over/Under 54
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Key #2: Bo Wallace has to play like the man that he was in the final three games of the year
There had to be some clamoring through nine games to sit QB Bo Wallace down as the starting quarterback of the Rebels. The team was 5-4 at the time and still one win away from bowl eligibility, and it knew that it was probably going to be an underdog in each of the last three games of the year. As it turns out, Ole Miss was favored over the Vanderbilt Commodores in a game that was lost, but it was still a defining moment for Wallace. Prior to that game, he had averaged just 204.0 passing yards per game and had just 11 passing touchdowns. In his last three, which came against Vanderbilt, the LSU Tigers, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs, mind you, he averaged 335.7 passing yards per game and had eight TDs. The transformation has been remarkable for this young man, and the end result has been more points and more efficiency offensively in spite of the fact that the defenses that he has been facing have been outstanding. If Wallace plays like the man from November and less like the man from September and October, the Rebs could put a slew of points on the board.

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Key #3: The Panthers have to find a way to run the football
It’s odd to think that a smash mouth team like Pittsburgh would have a tough time moving the ball on the ground, but that’s exactly what happened this year. The team ranked just 92nd in the nation, averaging 137.4 rushing yards per game. The big problem has been opening up holes for the often injured RB Ray Graham. Graham averaged 5.7, 6.2, and 5.8 yards per carry over the course of the first three years of his career, but he averaged just 4.7 yards per carry this year. Many figured that Graham was going to threaten being a 1,500+ yard back and could have led the nation in rushing this year, so 222 carries, 1,042 yards, and 11 TDs seems to be a bit underwhelming. To make matters worse for Graham in this game, his starting right guard, OL Arthur Doakes has been sent home for violating team rules, and he is going to be running the ball against a defense that ranks 31st in the nation at just 134.3 rushing yards per game. This could be key for the Panthers, as if they can’t run it, we just don’t trust that QB Tino Sunseri can throw this team to victory.

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2009 College Football Preseason Top 10 Power Rankings

July 15th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in College Football   39 Comments »
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Tradition, pageantry, and all out excitement will fill the air when the 2009 college football season kicks off in just a few short weeks. The anticipation has been building all summer for college football enthusiast around the nation. After such an exciting and competitive year in 2008, the 2009 season expects to be even better considering the circumstances. All 3 Heisman Trophy Finalist are back including previous winners Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford not to mention the Florida Gators will be seeking their 3rd National Title in the last 4 years. Also, the South Eastern Conference will seek their 4 straight National Championship and look to continue their dominance among the nation’s most elite football conferences. Like many others you probably can not wait to see how your favorite team and players will fair in the upcoming season. We go a step further by trying to bring you predictions of the top teams in America heading in to 2009. We bring you an in-depth preview by predicting this year’s Top 10 teams before the rankings are released.

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#1 Florida Gators –

How can you not bet on the Florida Gators? Two National Titles in 3 years and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is back for his senior campaign. The offense was nearly untouchable in the SEC last season averaging a lucrative 43 points per game ranking 4th in the nation. The Gators may not have the explosive talent of Percy Harvin back, but Tebow will have plenty of talented targets in his sights. Expect wide receiver Riley Cooper to have a breakout year on the outside. The Gators have so many talented players just ready to explode on offense. However, the strength of this team will definitely be on the defensive side of the ball. Whether you are tired of hearing about it or simply not accepted it, the SEC is the premier defensive conference in America. The Gators defense nearly has everyone back from the unit that held the so called “unstoppable” Oklahoma offense to just 14 points in the National Championship Game a year ago. Linebacker Brandon Spikes may very well be the best defensive player in the country and he will be on of the key figures in what appears to be an even better defense in 2009.

#2 Texas Longhorns –

The Longhorns should still be bitter about last season’s outcome considering they likely should have been playing for a national championship. However, Texas will be a force to be dealt with again in 2009 and they may be out for some payback. QB Colt McCoy posted great numbers with 3,849 yards and 34 scores. McCoy will also get the pleasure of taking aim towards his favorite target Jordan Shipley. Shipley who is the Longhorns most prominent receiver was granted an NCAA medical hardship waiver at the end of last season giving him an extra year of eligibility. The extra year of eligibility is huge in a year where the Longhorns would have lost all of their big time receivers. However, Texas now will not only have Shipley but a number of talented receivers ready to get in on the action. Defensively, you can not replace defensive end Brian Orakpo. The Longhorns defense will not be bad, but we do question the front four and how effective they will be getting to the quarterback. Also, it would be nice to see someone step up in the back field on offense considering McCoy led the team in rushing with only 561 yards last season.

#3 Oklahoma Sooners –

The Sooners return another outstanding group of players heading into 2009. The Oklahoma offense was one of the best in recent memory last year averaging an insane 51 points per game. Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is back along with some other very big names. Bradford who is coming off a ridiculous 4,720 yard and 50 touchdowns junior campaign will also get tight end Jermaine Gresham back in the mix. Gresham caught a team high 14 touchdown passes last season and appears to have a very bright future with Bradford back under center. However, surprisingly the running game is just as important as their dangerous air assault. Running backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark in 2008 and will have a chance to do the same again this season. Both tailbacks provide Oklahoma with as much danger on the ground as Bradford does with his arm equaling a lethal combination. However, the offense may lack a down the field threat with the young receivers who will step in and must overcome losing a ton of talent on the offensive line.

#4 USC Trojans –

If the Trojans could slightly mirror last year’s defensive unit, then they would have nothing to worry about. However, the defense that ranked #1 in the nation will only return 3 starters on that side of the ball. Usually that would throw up all types of red flag, but there is perhaps no team in the nation that can reload talent like USC. The big hurt that the Trojans will feel is losing quarterback Mark Sanchez. The reason is not necessarily because Sanchez was irreplaceable, but rather of the lack of experience that USC is left with. The offense will return an impressive 9 starters giving opposing defenses a lot to worry about. However, to be a great football team you got to have reliability behind center and the Trojans will be searching for either Aaron Corp or Mitch Mustain to step up big in 2009.

#5 Oklahoma State Cowboys –

Could this be the upset team of the year? Well if you are familiar with the Oklahoma State offense it would not be much of an upset. This may sound crazy, but the Cowboys could have the best offense in the Big 12 this season. Quarterback Zac Robinson, running back Kendal Hunter, and wide out Dez Bryant provide the most dangerous trio of explosion in the country. Oklahoma State ranked 6th in the nation last year in total offense averaging 469 yards per game and there is no reason to think they can not be better in 2009 with the big 3 returning. The Cowboys offense will give them the opportunity to beat any team in the land. Unfortunately Texas and Oklahoma reside in the same division meaning the idea of winning the Big 12 outright is trimmed. However, the Cowboys could likely decide who does win the Big 12 if in fact they do not win it themselves.

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#6 – Alabama Crimson Tide –

The Crimson Tide were actually suppose to be a young talented team with their best years ahead in 2008. Instead, they were the only team to go through the SEC regular season undefeated. Alabama may have stumbled at the end of the season losing to Florida in the SEC Championship and Utah in the Sugar Bowl. The early out pouring of wins has left Tuscaloosa with unlimited amount of expectations. Julio Jones remains probably the best young receiver in the country. However, who will be throwing Jones the football? The likely candidate will be Greg McElroy. McElroy has very little experience, but he will inherit one of the best receiving groups in the country. The ability for the offensive line to rebuild and McElroy to establish ball control will determine the amount of success for the Tide. Crimson Tide fans should not worry much about the defensive side of the ball. The SEC’s best defense returns 9 starters and will be primed again for another fantastic season.

#7 – Ohio State Buckeyes –

The Buckeyes lost a good deal of talent at the end of last season that will be hard to replace. However, watching how the team progressed throughout the 2008 season should cause a bit of concern for the rest of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes offense really spread their wings during the latter part of the season behind freshman sensation Terrelle Pryor. Pryor legs add a big threat to the Buckeyes offensive attack and if his passing skills can continue to develop he could be a nightmare for any defense. However, Pryor lost some very talented receivers last year and it will be interesting to see who will step up. The defense lost some key players as well like Malcolm Jenkins and James Laurinaitis, but will likely reload confidently. The Buckeyes success will all be in the hands of the offense. Remember this is the team that was 36 seconds away from upsetting Texas in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of last season. If they can get the offense clicking early in the year, then they will be a team to watch out for.

#8 – Ole Miss Rebels –

We picked the Rebels to be a surprise story in the SEC last season and we forebode similar types of warning again this year. Ole Miss strived under new coach Houston Nutt turning the program from a 3-9 into a 9-4 season that was capped off by a thrashing over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. The offense that the Rebels displayed at the end of last year may be an eerie tale of what is to come in 2009. Ole Miss averaged 45 points per game in their final 4 games of the season. Quarterback Jevan Snead is on the verge of a breakout year and he may just be the best pure passer in the conference. Dexter McCluster will be used in all types of situations and is a guy you must contain. The defense looks to be very strong as well especially up front. The Rebels rush defense ranked 4th in the nation last year holding opponents to just 85 yards per game and that does not look to change in 2009.

#9 – Penn State Nittany Lions –

The Nittany Lions were one single game away from playing for last year’s National Championship. In fact, they were a single point away from their devastating defeat from Iowa late in the season. Penn State could have one of the better offenses in the Big Ten with the return of QB Daryll Clark and tailback Evan Royster. Royster rushed for over 1,200 yards last season while Clark threw for over 2,500 through the air. Look for Stephfon Green to be a bigger help with the offense as well. The Nittany Lions will have the most complete offense in the Big Ten, but they must be able to execute accordingly. The defensive front lost a load of talent that will be hard to replace. The losses of Aaron Maybin, Josh Gaines, and Maurice Evans cause a lot of concern on the defensive side of the ball. The rush defense which was the Nittany Lions biggest strength a season ago may be their biggest weakness in 2009.

#10 – LSU Tigers –

The Tigers downfall toward the end of last year was very surprising to college football fans. LSU lost 3 of the last 4 games of the regular season which included a heroic comeback to salvage a win over Troy. The problem was obviously the play behind center which kept the Tigers offense in neutral for the majority of the season. Freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee recorded 16 interceptions on the year before losing his job to another freshman by the name of Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson was not overly impressive, but did manage to hold on to the ball and will likely be the best back by the team the season starts. The return of Brandon Lafell at wide out gives the offense many reasons for excitement. Also, running back Charles Scott had a big junior season and will prime for another big year as a senior this season. The defense will have to replace a lot of guys up front including Tyson Jackson who was selected as the number 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. However the Tigers look to be back on the right path, but the question is will they get back to the top of the SEC West this season?

What is the most powerful college football conference in 2009?

  • SEC (49%, 906 Votes)
  • Big Twelve (24%, 444 Votes)
  • Big Ten (9%, 177 Votes)
  • Pac 10 (8%, 154 Votes)
  • ACC (7%, 131 Votes)
  • Big East (3%, 52 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,864