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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.

(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

The College Football version of the postseason is underway and teams they would normally never play each other are squared off to battle in front of the nation. The College Football Bowl season is always exciting for a number of reasons. One reason is that fans get to see their favorite teams play one last game. Often times these teams get to play schools from another conference which promises for exciting football. Ever year the Bowl Season has some great games and its share of one-sided affairs. However, this season the majority of the Bowl Games have been really intriguing. Nearly every game has been very close and this Bowl Season has been perhaps a lot more entertaining than in previous years.

So far there has been 8 Bowl Games played this season. While usually the Bowl Games that take place early in the postseason are not as entertaining, this season all the games have been impressive. The majority of College Football fans do not tune into the Bowl Games until New Year’s Day or afterwards when the top games are featured. The early games are often mismatches and bad football games. This season has not disappointed as almost every game has been close and fun to watch. In the 8 Bowls played, 6 of those games have been settled by 10 points or less. Christmas Eve’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl was a one-sided affair, but many watched to see if the Notre Dame Fighting Irish could end the nation’s longest Bowl losing streak. The Fighting Irish snapped the 9 straight Bowl losses streak pounded on Hawaii 49-21. While the game was not as close as others, it was still highly rated for viewings and was fun to watch. The only other game that was one-sided was that of the Magicjack Bowl with the South Florida Bulls crushing the Memphis Tigers 41-14. For the rest of the Bowl Season, it has been nothing but great football.

Wake Forest and Navy started off the season with a great game in the EagleBank Bowl. Navy jumped out in front 13-0, but could not hold off the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest would rally in an exciting comeback to pull off the victory 29-19. The New Mexico Bowl was the next to take the stage and it would showcase two very talented offenses in a scoring shootout. Talk about exciting, Colorado State and Fresno State combined to score 75 points. Colorado State would hold on late for a 40-35 win over Fresno State in what was a fun game to watch for two schools you normally may not see on T.V. The Bowl Season is always full of upsets and surprises, but nobody really expected Arizona to be able to pull off a victory against #16 BYU. However, the Wildcats did just that when they took down Brigham Young 31-21. The game was a great battle for the nation to watch between the PAC-10 and the Mountain West Conferences.

Two of the best games so far this postseason came from the Poinsettia and New Orleans Bowl Games. The New Orleans Bowl showcased an instant classic between Southern Mississippi and Troy. The Trojans came into the game as the favorites and the two teams went back and forth trading the lead the entire game. Regulation time could not decide this exciting battle as the teams had to go to overtime. In College Football, both teams get the ball in overtime. Southern Miss scored on a field goal in their offensive possession. Troy was held on offensive and attempted a field goal of their own, however the Golden Eagle blocked the field goal to end the game highlighting one of the more exciting games in recent history. Another absolute wonderful football games came in the way of the Poinsettia Bowl. #11 TCU faced off with one of only two undefeated teams in College Football this season in #9 Boise State. The battle between nearly two top 10 teams would be anything but disappointing. The Broncos felt a little disappointment as they felt they should have received an at-large BCS Bowl berth due to their undefeated campaign. A win over TCU who sports the nation 2nd best overall defense would have made their statement even stronger. The Broncos jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the game and seemed to be rolling. However, the defense for TCU would rise to the challenge shutting down Boise State for the rest of the game. TCU captured a late game winning in exciting fashion 17-16 ending Boise State’s undefeated season. The win marked the 4th straight Bowl victory for TCU which equaled a school-record.

Last night’s Bowl match-up was another that did not disappoint football fans. Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan held up a strong battle featuring two inferior programs. The Owls of Florida Atlantic held on by a field goal 24-21 to capture the win in the Motor City Bowl. The game capped off a series of great games in the last week over the Christmas Holidays. From here on out, the Bowl Games will pick up in numbers. Today there will be 3 exciting Bowl Games to take place and many will follow featuring highly notable teams. If the start of this Bowl Season is any indication of how the next two weeks will play out, then we are in for some very exciting football.

3 Other games that will be worth to keep an eye on besides the game everybody will be watching in the BCS Championship is:

Capitol One Bowl: Georgia vs. Michigan State

Two teams with identical records (9-3) square off in a classic battle between the SEC and the Big 10. Georgia brings the speed of the SEC and the Spartans bring a powerful running game to the table. This should be a great game highlighting the play of two conferences that take great pride in beating each other

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Penn State

This particular match-up features two of football’s elite powerhouses. The Trojans are hosting in their 4th straight Rose Bowl. The game should be rather low-scoring compared to the way many would expect. USC has one of the best defenses in recent memory and Penn State has a great defensive themselves along with a good running game. These two teams were both predicted at times to contend for a National Title this season and it will be interesting to see who can conquer who in a clash of titans.

Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders were ranked as high as #2 this season before getting blasted by Oklahoma. Ole Miss is among one of the most improved teams in the nation. Texas Tech has one of the very best offenses in College Football, but it will be interesting to see how they stack up against an SEC defense. The SEC has made their name known for defense in recent years and they will get the chance again in a game that many think Ole Miss has no chance to win.

The College Football regular season is over and coaches are hard at work on the recruiting trail pitching their best efforts in trying to per sway the best talent to come to their schools. National signing day is vastly approaching and teams are trying to pull out all stops to sign some big players. Recruiting is very important as year after the year the top schools in recruiting shine through in August when their talent steps on the field.

According to rivals.com which keeps up with recruiting year round, the LSU Tigers currently have the best class in the nation with a month to go before signing day. The Tigers have signed the #1 rated quarterback coming out of high school in Russell Shepard. Shepard could come in and be an immediate impact for LSU. The Florida Gators have had a top 3 recruiting class the last 3 years and that has shown to carry onto the field considering the Gators will be making their 2^nd National Championship appearance in 3 years. However, the Gators surprisingly only rank 15^th in recruiting and have some work to do to close out the year. The Southern California Trojans are currently 2^nd with only 16 signees. The Trojans will more than likely jump to the top spot after a few more signatures before signing day. USC has an amazing 8 players in the top 100 players coming out of high school nearly twice as many as any other team.

The Ohio State Buckeyes nearly have a full roster of 25 players to commit and they rank 3^rd out of all Division I teams. Two teams that barely missed National Championship appearances in Texas and Alabama make up the 4^th and 5^th place teams in recruiting. Both schools have 19 commitments and a lot of time to improve their overall class. Alabama signed one of the most elusive backs of the 2009 class in Pensacola, Florida native Trent Richardson. Richardson rushed for 1,340 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior and promises to be one of the most elusive backs in America. Texas signed a stud in defensive end Alex Okafor. Okafor has a rare combination of size and speed that has a future Sunday ticket written all over his resume. The North Carolina Tarheels have perhaps been the biggest surprise in the 2009 recruiting class. Head Coach Butch Davis is doing an awesome job down in Raleigh turning the basketball school into a football force. The Tarheels rank 6^th right now in the nation and are one commitment shy of a full class.

There are a number of surprises and disappointments involving the recruiting front. The South Carolina Gamecocks are ranked 8^th in the nation with a few top 100 prospects on their list. The Ole Ball Coach seems to still be bringing in a lot of talent and perhaps one day he will do the unthinkable and win a SEC Championship at South Carolina a task Spurrier has claimed he will achieve. Former ACC powerhouses Florida State and Miami have both quietly climbed the rankings in attempt to return to their former dominance. The Seminoles rank 9^th while Miami ranks 11^th. Both schools only have 17 commitments and still have a lot of room to climber even higher in the recruiting polls. Another mild surprise in the recruiting trail is the success reached by Rich Rodriguez of Michigan. Rodriguez was the mastermind behind that explosive offense at West Virginia and was brought to Michigan to turn the program around. Rodriguez has the Wolverines listed right now to bring in the 7^th most talented class of 2009 and that would definitely help get Michigan pointed in the right direction.

A few disappointments in the recruiting department hold the names of two of the most prestigious programs in college football. Penn State is currently ranked 21^st for the class of 2009 with nearly a full class of commitments and not much room for improvement. The Nittany Lions have got the guys they want, but rivals.com has the talent ranked lower than the majority of teams with that commits. Another team that has not lived up to their high expectations is that of the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners had a breakout year on the field and are scheduled to meet Florida in the National Championship game. Usually that kind of exposure, leads to the most elite recruiting classes. However, Oklahoma is slightly further down the rankings than many would expect at #12. While the #12 ranking is nothing to be ashamed of, many thought Oklahoma would have assembled a most definite top 5 recruiting class. Interesting enough there were also a number of notable teams that did not even make the top 25 at this point in the recruiting process. Virginia Tech, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Clemson, and West Virginia all still have a lot of work to go in the final month of recruiting.

There are a number of reasons to keep your eye on the recruiting process in college football. Will the former ACC powerhouses Florida State and Miami make a return as one of the nations most elite programs as they were for so many years? Will South or North Carolina provide some program turn arounds that lead to the entering the National spotlight? Or will something happen like one of the current college football powerhouses like Penn State start to dwindle away. One thing recruiting has proven year in and year out is that recruiting success is parallel to wins. Keep your eye on the recruiting news as we enter the final month before every high school player signs their letter of intent to their school of choice on National Signing Day.