Here at Bankroll Sports, college football picks aren’t just our experts’ specialty. Our writers and bloggers are also massive NCAA football junkies and fanatics.  There’s a slew of exciting matchups on the 2012 college gridiron schedule.  In becoming a successful football handicapper, being prepared and taking advantage of early line mistakes is extremely vital.  Our bloggers are ready to help you get a look at the best games of 2012.  We’ll help you break them down and get a look at the early NCAA football odds for these big matchups in 2012.  Check out the links below as our writers break down and rank the Top 25 NCAA Football Games of 2012. In the August weeks leading up to the 2012 season, we’ll be counting down the Top 25 college football games on the 2012 schedule. Check back as we update this page & count down 2012’s Top 25 NCAA football matchups!

The Florida Gators and the LSU Tigers both have rich histories of late that include a number of appearances in the BCS National Championship Game. The Bayou Bengals might be contenders again this year, but we just don’t see the Gators being able to play that same role in spite of the fact that they are on the verge of being in the Top 10 in the nation. However, for LSU to be BCS bound once again, it is likely going to have to go into the Swamp and avoid the upset against a UF team that will be playing in one of its biggest games of the entire season. Our LSU vs. Florida picks are second to none here at Bankroll Sports, and we have our first look at this college football matchup in our Top 25 games of the 2012 season.

LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Picks & Info
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Date: Saturday, October 6th
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Spread: LSU Tigers -2.5

Losing DB Tyrann Mathieu really is hurting the LSU defense, which really still is one of the best in the nation this year. The unit is still great, knowing that DE Sam Montgomery is an All-American, and he is joined by a heck of a lot of returning defensive linemen. This unit has absolutely crippled the Florida offense in recent years, especially last season when the unit just had zip going without QB John Brantley in the fold. The offense is going to be up in the air for sure with a true freshman in QB Zach Mettenberger under center, but the offensive line should be strong once again, and the backfield is just loaded. Expect to see a lot out of RB Spencer Ware, especially in this one, knowing that Head Coach Les Miles is going to want to take good care of the football against a normally very opportunistic defense.

LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: LSU 41 – Florida 11
2010: LSU 33 – Florida 29
2009: Florida 13 – LSU 3
2008: Florida 51 – LSU 21
2007: LSU 28 – Florida 24
2006: Florida 23 – LSU 10
2005: LSU 21 – Florida 17
2004: LSU 24 – Florida 21
2003: Florida 19 – LSU 7
2002: LSU 36 – Florida 7
2001: Florida 44 – LSU 5
2000: Florida 41 – LSU 9
1999: Florida 31 – LSU 10
1998: Florida 22 – LSU 10
1997: LSU 28 – Florida 21
1996: Florida 56 – LSU 13
1995: Florida 28 – LSU 10

The bottom line for Florida in this game is that QB Jeff Driskel (and maybe QB Jacoby Brissett) just has to do better than it did last year in this game. Missing RBs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey won’t hurt all that much in relation to last year as the LSU defense was just too quick for them to use their speed to get to the outside. The question is going to be where that offense is coming from though, with so many pieces to the puzzle already gone from a unit that has been suspect at best since QB Tim Tebow graduated. RB Mike Gillislee has had a great start to the season, but he has never faced a defense that has this much talent. Defensively, there is definitely a lot here to work with for Head Coach Will Muschamp. He is a defensive specialist for sure, and with 10 returning starters and a lot of depth working its way into the regular rotation, there is no reason to believe that LSU will be able to put anywhere near the 41 points on the board that it did a campaign ago in the Bayou.

LSU @ Florida Free Picks^^: This could be a massive statement of a game for the Gators. This is a perfectly placed game, right in the middle of the season as it normally is. UF should be riding high with confidence at this point, and we think that it will be a lot closer to a pick ’em by the time this game kicks off. As it is, the college football point spread has dropped from 4.5 to 2.5. Florida is good enough to pull off the upset in what could be the signature win of Coach Muschamp’s career to date. Even if the Gators don’t get the job done, 4.5 points at the open might ultimately be the difference between a cover and a failure. This is one of the toughest calls for the entire college football season.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here

Our NCAA football expert handicappers will have their LSU @ Florida picks on Saturday, 10/6/2012.

Big XII football always has and always will revolve around the state of Texas. The biggest school in the biggest state in football is the Texas Longhorns, regardless of how good they are or aren’t. It is going to be very interesting to see how the West Virginia Mountaineers do in their very first trip to Austin, a trip that is going to very potentially make or break the season for either of these teams. Both squads have upper echelon talent, and both have gotten through the first month and change of the season with great records intact. Join us for our Texas vs. West Virginia picks for the very first game in this newly born rivalry.

West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Picks & Info
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Date: Saturday, October 6th
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Location: Royal Texas Stadium, Austin, TX
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Spread: Texas Longhorns -7

There is no doubt that what makes the West Virginia offense move is its passing attack. The team really has a knack for getting up and down the field this way, and why not? QB Geno Smith is clearly one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a legitimate pro prospect, while WRs Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin might both also be future NFLers. Ivan McCartney is the underappreciated receiver of the bunch, and the work of RB Dustin Garrison will likely end up going overlooked as well. Defensively, Head Coach Dana Holgorsen knows that he has his work cut out for him. His 3-3-5 unit does return seven starters, but there is going to be a real question as to how the ‘Neers are going to be able to contend with the Texas running game with just three returning starters up front.

Thus far this year, Smith has had himself a heck of a year, and he is coming off of one of the best passing games that a quarterback has ever had in college football, throwing for over 600 yards and eight TDs against the Baylor Bears. The defense though, is predictably not all that great, knowing that this unit just allowed 63 last week as well.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Texas Longhorns Past Games (Since 1995)
None

This is going to be a great make or break type of a game for the Longhorns. They clearly haven’t hit the hardest part of their schedule, and losing this one clearly will separate the idea of a BCS type of a team and one that is going to be mired in the middle of the field with seven or eight wins that can only hope for a bid in the Alamo Bowl (or one of the sorts). The defense will have its work cut out for it going against Smith and the gang, but the offense might finally really have a chance to shine against a sometimes very weak unit. QB David Ash have had a few confidence boosting games in front of him to start off the campaign, and he has numbers that stack up against most of the Big XII quarterbacks right now. The good news is that this defense isn’t going to be all that good that he sees on the other side of the ball, but the bad news is that he is going to have to score a ton of points to get the win. Watch out for RBs Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron, and DJ Monroe to try to control the clock by keeping the ball on the ground, which could make for some room for Ash to get the ball up the field as he has done over the course of the first few games of the campaign.

West Virginia @ Texas Free Picks^^: We really want the points on our side in this game. West Virginia is a team that is built just like your average Big XII team, and in fact, it almost might have seemed displaced in the Big East in the past. Texas is starting to creep back towards the somewhat dominating team that it had over the course of the middle and end of last decade, but there is still quite some ways to go. Will the Longhorns get there? Sure they will… eventually. This probably isn’t the time for them to be laying 6.5 in a game like this one quite yet, though.

^^Notice: The NCAA football picks & predictions listed on the sports betting blog are made by our staff writers early in the season and do not represent the Bankroll Sports expert handicapping team’s actual premium service releases. Click Here to receive our expert handicappers premium college football picks for the 2012 football season.

You can purchase our premium West Virginia vs. Texas picks from our experts on 10/6/12

The SEC East title might be on the line relatively early in the season in Columbia, when the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs square off at Williams Brice Stadium. These two teams have played quite the rivalry over the course of the last few years, and this year should be no exception. Both of these teams were ranked in the Top 10 in the Preseason AP Poll, and they are both in the Top 6 in the land right now. Join us for our South Carolina vs. Georgia picks and predictions for what could be one of the best games of the season in the SEC.

Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Picks & Info
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Date: Saturday, October 6th
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Location: Williams Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Spread: South Carolina Gamecocks (-2)

The Dawgs started off the season in poor shape last year, losing their first two games of the season. They were in a heck of a lot of trouble at that point, and Head Coach Mark Richt was probably on his way out the door. UGA rolled to 10 straight wins to end the regular season though, and it ultimately went to the SEC Championship Game as a result. QB Aaron Murray is expected to be one of the best in the SEC this year, especially knowing that this is his third year as a starter. The Dawgs aren’t going to have RB Isaiah Crowell, who was kicked off the team, but there are still some sturdy backs in the backfield to help carry the load. Thus far, Georgia’s problem has been with its defense, which has been bipolar at times. The unit is clearly going to be up against it versus the powerful Gamecocks offense, which features one of the most underrated offensive lines in the country. This defense for the Bulldogs though, has allowed at least 20 points in four of their five games this year, and considering the fact that there hasn’t been a great team on the schedule yet, that’s definitely a cause for some concern.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: South Carolina 45 – Georgia 42
2010: South Carolina 17 – Georgia 6
2009: Georgia 41 – South Carolina 37
2008: Georgia 14 – South Carolina 7
2007: South Carolina 16 – Georgia 12
2006: Georgia 18 – South Carolina 0
2005: Georgia 17 – South Carolina 15
2004: Georgia 20 – South Carolina 16
2003: Georgia 31 – South Carolina 7
2002: Georgia 13 – South Carolina 7
2001: South Carolina 14 – Georgia 9
2000: South Carolina 21 – Georgia 10
1999: Georgia 24 – South Carolina 9
1998: Georgia 17 – South Carolina 3
1997: Georgia 31 – South Carolina 15
1996: South Carolina 23 – Georgia 14

South Carolina has really made a nice renaissance here over the course of the last half dozen years or so under Head Coach Steve Spurrier, and this should be yet another great year with at least eight or nine wins. The fact of the matter is that this team is bringing back 13 starters, many of which are still young and quite talented. RB Brandon Wilds is just a sophomore, and RB Marcus Lattimore and QB Connor Shaw are just juniors. WR Ace Sanders is also a junior. DE Jadeveon Clowney is one of the best defenders in the nation, and he just a sophomore as well. Times are clearly only going to be getting better here for the Gamecocks, though it is clear that this is going to be a test of epic proportions against a fantastic UGA squad. South Carolina knows that this is the best chance that it has had over the course of the last several years to make it to the BCS for the very first time, and though that still doesn’t seem likely, it would really be virtually impossible if this game happened to be lost.

Georgia @ South Carolina Free Picks^^: There is a reason that this point spread is oh so close. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks are both great teams, and this should be the war of all wars in the SEC East this year. We do expect that the winner of this game is going to be the one that goes to the SEC Championship Game. Home field advantage is crucial for the Cocks, but in the end, we still think that Murray has the ability to come on the road and beat any team in this side of this conference. Back the Bulldogs for your college football picks.

^^Notice: The NCAA football picks & predictions listed on the sports betting blog are made by our staff writers early in the season and do not represent the Bankroll Sports expert handicapping team’s actual premium service releases. Click Here to receive our expert handicappers premium college football picks for the 2012 football season.

You can purchase our premium Georgia vs. South Carolina picks from our experts on 10/6/12

Last year in the SEC West, there was a point that the Arkansas Razorbacks, Alabama Crimson Tide, and LSU Tigers were ranked Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in the nation. This year though, matters are basically going to start over for these three teams, as they try to work their hardest to get back in the chase for the BCS bowl games and the National Championship Game. Alabama and Arkansas don’t quite have the same type of returning year though, as the Tide had a great offseason chock full of more recruits and high expectations, while Arkansas had to go through the dismissal of its head coach and a totally new scheme to put into place. This is going to be one of the top games in the SEC all season long, and especially since it is so early in the season, it is a game that we are going to watch on the college football betting odds as one of our Top 25 college football games of the year.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Picks & Info
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Date: Saturday, September 15th
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Alabama vs. Arkansas Opening Point Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -6
Alabama vs. Arkansas Current Point Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -20

The Crimson Tide won the BCS National Championship last year, and this time around, they are going to be favored to do the exact same thing. There are only going to be 12 returning starters from last year’s title team, but at Alabama, the Tide don’t rebuild; they reload. And that’s exactly what we have seen so far this year. The talk of the town in Tuscaloosa is that this is the best offensive line in the country. Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack are anchoring what should be an awesome line to block for QB AJ McCarron and a loaded running back stable. We think that this is a team that has the potential to put up a ton of points like it did last year, and at least at this point in the season, that has proven to be the case. Defensively, the Crimson Tide are always amongst the best team in the land, and this is no exception even though there are only five starters back in the fold. This early in the year though, it should be a bit of a task to ask some of these freshmen and sophomores to come on the road for the first time in what should still be a hostile environment.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Alabama 38 – Arkansas 14
2010: Alabama 24 – Arkansas 20
2009: Alabama 35 – Arkansas 7
2008: Alabama 49 – Arkansas 14
2007: Alabama 41 – Arkansas 38
2006: Arkansas 24 – Alabama 23
2005: Alabama 24 – Arkansas 13
2004: Arkansas 27 – Alabama 10
2003: Arkansas 34 – Alabama 31
2002: Alabama 30 – Arkansas 12
2001: Alabama 31 – Arkansas 10
2000: Arkansas 28 – Alabama 21
1999: Alabama 35 – Arkansas 28
1998: Arkansas 42 – Alabama 6
1997: Arkansas 17 – Alabama 16
1996: Alabama 17 – Arkansas 7

Head Coach Bobby Petrino is out of the loop after some major off the field issues, but the cupboard isn’t nearly bare for the new coach, John L. Smith. There are only seven starters that are back on offense, but the losses of the likes of WR Joe Adams, WR Greg Childs, WR Jarius Wright, and RB Broderick Green won’t hurt the team all that much. QB Tyler Wilson is a senior quarterback now, and the fact that he is going to be out of the fold injured is why this point spread has jumped up by two touchdowns. The offensive line only has three returners, and that could really be exploited against the terrorizing Alabama defense. The defense will be challenged as well, though at least the secondary has three starters that are back. Watch out for LB Alonzo Highsmith, who could be the centerpiece of this lineup, though he could find it tough to get into the Alabama backfield as he did last year against the majority of the SEC. The defense is going to have to keep the Hogs in this game from start to finish, because if the offense’s play last week against Louisiana Monroe was any indication, it is going to be a long, long game for them against Bama.

Alabama @ Arkansas Free Picks (as of August 2012)^^: We know that this could be a tough test for the Crimson Tide early in the year, but we just don’t see how the Razorbacks, with so many changes going on this year, are going to be able to beat the big boys from the SEC West. Arkansas might live to tell about this in the end, but we just don’t think that Wilson is going to be able to get the job done, even at home. Alabama should be able to punish the Arkansas offense, and that could send the end result of this one into a romp for the guests.

Update 9/14/12: Obviously, matters changed in this game when Wilson was knocked out for the biggest game of the year. The Crimson Tide really have looked great and are the top ranked team in the nation. Arkansas will be hard pressed to figure out how to stop this offense, and it will surely have a tough time scoring points. The crowd is literally going to have to be the 12th man on the field for the whole game if Arkansas has a fighting chance.

^^Please Note: The Alabama @ Arkansas picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium Alabama vs. Arkansas picks from our experts on Saturday, 9/15

It was only five years ago that the Stanford Cardinal, a tiny little team that was on the upswing coached by Jim Harbaugh, came into the LA Coliseum and shocked the USC Trojans as 39-point underdogs. Since that point, these two have played back and forth football, including some tremendously competitive games. Now that USC is back from its probation, this could be a heck of a clash in the Pac-12, and it might be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game if the chips end up falling right for both teams. Coaches on both sides have changed, and both teams have gone through some massive overhauls, but in the end, the results should still be the same. There is a reason that this is the No. 9 game in our list of the Top 25 college football matchups of the season.

USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Picks & Info
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Date: Saturday, September 15th
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Location: Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Spread: USC Trojans -11.5

After last year’s loss to Stanford in overtime at the Coliseum, the Trojans figure to be out for blood. They have actually lost three in a row in this series, and this is a part of the reason why QB Matt Barkley has come back to school for his final year. Barkley is one of the many future NFLers that will be on the field in this game on both sides, and a lot of them are going to be wearing the colors of the Trojans. Still, you have to go back to 2008 to find the last time that USC was able to come into “The Farm” and post a victory, and at that point, Stanford was still a team that was up and coming. The defense is what is going to be challenged for USC, as the Cardinal have dropped 56, 37, and 55 points on the board against the Trojans over the course of the last three seasons, something that Head Coach Lane Kiffin is surely going to be pointing out to his team when this one comes up on the schedule.

USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Stanford 56 – USC 48
2010: Stanford 37 – USC 35
2009: Stanford 55 – USC 21
2008: USC 45 – Stanford 23
2007: Stanford 24 – USC 23
2006: USC 42 – Stanford 0
2005: USC 51 – Stanford 21
2004: USC 31 – Stanford 28
2003: USC 44 – Stanford 21
2002: USC 49 – Stanford 17
2001: Stanford 21 – USC 16
2000: Stanford 32 – USC 30
1999: Stanford 35 – USC 31
1998: USC 35 – Stanford 9
1997: USC 45 – Stanford 21
1996: Stanford 24 – USC 20

We haven’t spoken a heck of a lot about the Cardinal this year, but we still think that they are going to be a dangerous team in spite of the fact that QB Andrew Luck is now playing with the Indianapolis Colts. QB Brett Nottingham is a heady player, and he learned at the feet of Luck to be able to come into this position. This might be the time for him to shine. He has a great offensive line in front of him even though OL David DeCastro elected to go to the NFL early. There are four returners, and a heck of a lot of tight ends that know what they are doing both in the passing game and the blocking game. RB Stepfan Taylor could be in for a massive game this time around, almost like what RB Toby Gerhart was able to do to the Trojans a few years ago when these teams played here in Palo Alto.

USC @ Stanford Free Picks^^: The hype that has surrounded USC over the course of the last few months has been out of this world. There is no doubt whatsoever that the Trojans have the superiorly talented team, but we have to remember that Stanford has covered nine out of the last 13 here in this series. That’s definitely not a mistake. Especially for a game that is being played here “On the Farm,” it could be a heck of a challenge for the Men of Troy. We definitely want the points on our side, and we wouldn’t be all that shocked if there is an upset that is in the cards.

^^Please Note: The USC @ Stanford picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium USC vs. Stanford picks from our experts on Saturday, 9/15

The Missouri Tigers are moving into the SEC this year, and they are going to have a heck of a battle right off the bat when they take on their first foe from the SEC East, as they will fight it out with the Georgia Bulldogs. Both of these teams are going to hope to challenge this year in the conference, but both know that this is going to be the start of a heck of a year that could prove to be difficult for both clubs. Don’t miss out on our Georgia @ Missouri picks in the first SEC game of the season for both clubs.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Picks & Info
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Date: Saturday, September 8th
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Location: Farout Field, Columbia, MO
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Spread: Georgia Bulldogs -4.5

The Bulldogs started off the year at 0-2 last season, only to go on a great run to get all the way to the SEC Championship Game. They ended up losing their last two games of the year though, and they aren’t going to want to be in that situation once again in 2012. This is a very tough game though, as Georgia is becoming the first team in the SEC to take a trip to Columbia. Fifteen starters return, but the man of the hour is going to be QB Aaron Murray. Murray is just a junior, but he already is showing the promise of being one of the best quarterbacks, not just in the SEC, but in the nation as well. He is really doing well following the footsteps of QB Blaine Gabbert, and that’s a great sign moving forward for the Dawgs. This defense could really be tested though, as the nine starters that return are going to be facing the type of task that they haven’t really had to deal with in recent years. It’s been quite some time since Georgia has had to play a team out of the Big XII, and this is going to be a totally different contest from the normal SEC games.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Missouri Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
None

The Tigers are going to have to win this game with their offense. We just don’t think that their defense is going to be able to stop the Georgia offense, especially this early in the year with just six starters returning. Offensively, the keys are really in place for something special. QB James Franklin is in his second year under center, and RB Henry Josey might be able to poke some holes in that Georgia defensive line. WR TJ Moe is back as well, as are three of the offensive linemen from last year. Senior and junior leadership is all over the place this year for Mizzou, and this is the unit that is going to have to step it up if there is going to be a victory over the Bulldogs in the first game of the team’s time in the SEC.

Georgia @ Missouri Free Picks^^: It’s going to be a challenge, but we think that Missouri is going to figure out how to make this a very, very close game. Georgia might have been a tad overrated last year, knowing that it got to dodge the best teams in the SEC West. We aren’t so sure how the Tigers are really going to stack up when they have to take on Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU, but we do think that they have the ability to win this game, especially in front of the hometown crowd here at Farout Field.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here

Our college football expert handicappers will have their Georgia @ Missouri picks ready on Saturday, 9/8.