Click The Banner Below For a 100% Signup Bonus From BetUS

The countdown to the 2009 College Football Season is nearly just one month away. While the anticipation continues to build, college players around the nation prepare their first practices of the 2009 season which kicks off in the next two weeks. The weeks leading up to the season is the time when you can always find the biggest variety of preseason college football betting odds on the web. BetUS Sportsbook (100% match play bonus when using this link) and Superbook (50% cash signup bonus using this link) have nearly every preseason betting opportunity imaginable; from wins totals, championship odds, division winners, props, and more. Our writers here at Bankroll Sports have provided free picks along with some general advice on cashing in on these odds, and we will continue to do this over the next few weeks. In today’s addition, I will break down some of the best college teams in America and give my predictions on the amount of wins they will capture in 2009.

Play The Best Golf of Your Life in Just Two Weeks; Click Here!!

#1. Illinois Fighting Illini (5-7 record)

Over 7 ½ Wins -140
Under 7 ½ Wins +125

Illinois had a big letdown season in 2008 with a dismal 5-7 overall record. However, the offensive production was among the best in the Big Ten and this year’s unit could be among the best in the nation. Quarterback, Juice Williams threw for 3,173 yards and also rushed for 713 yards a year ago. The offensive line looks to return a solid group, meaning that Williams could be in for another big year. The senior quarterback should provide the leadership to put this team over the hump. Standout wide receiver, Arrelious Benn could be on the verge of a huge season after racking up over 1,000 receiving yards last year as a sophomore. Expect this offense primarily the passing attack to be the best in the Big Ten. The defense definitely has some question marks, but if they can just be decent, the Illini should be able to make a lot noise flying under the radar this season. Coach Ron Zook’s 2009 class could be even more talented than the 2007 unit that produced 9 wins and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Anything less than 8 wins would simply be inexcusable.

Pick – Over 7 ½

Consensus:

#2. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4 in 2008)

Over 8 ½ Wins -125
Under 8 ½ Wins -115

Is it just me or can you hear the nail biting over in Morgantown? The Mountaineers had a very promising approach to 2008, but the 9-4 record was a bit of a letdown in coach Bill Stewart’s first year. However, there are a ton of concerns this season on offense that could make matters a lot worse. Not only does West Virginia have to replace the elusive Pat White, but new quarterback, Jarrett Brown has very little experience despite entering his senior season. Brown has yet to attempt over 50 passes in one year in his previous 3 seasons and he will have to prove himself on the field. The biggest concern could be on the offensive front, which will nearly have an entire new appearance. Not only will that affect Brown’s level of comfort, but it will take away from the Mountaineer’s best offensive threat in tailback, Noel Devine. Offensive productivity could be in jeopardy here. The defense should be very solid and perhaps even the best in the Big East. There will be many who pick the Mountaineers to win the Big East, but this actually could be a disaster in the making on the offensive side of the ball.

Pick – Under 8 ½ Wins

Consensus:

#3. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-3 in 2008)

Over 9 ½ Wins -115
Under 9 ½ Wins -125

If you happened to catch some of our other preseason articles, then you will know we keeping the Buckeyes on the lookout alert. Ohio State really came on strong at the end of 2008, and nearly beating the Texas Longhorns in the Fiesta Bowl. Terrelle Pryor destroyed defenses with his legs last season, but we believe he will do a lot more with his arm in 2009. The youngster was able to keep defenses on their heels in his freshman season while only showing flashes of his passing ability. Giving the time he has had to work on his throws, there could be a big upgrade in the air assault, giving a huge lift to the offense this season. Many experts try to argue that the defense lost too many big players, but Ohio State has had very little problems reloading on talent over the last few years. Expect those guys that were not on the field last season to be very skilled players who will take to the gridiron come kick off time. While the defense may take a step back, don’t expect it to be a big step by any means. The Buckeyes biggest test will be the trip to Happy Valley late in the season. Outside of their showdown with the Nittany Lions, Ohio State should be favored in every game.  And, we don’t expect them to be upset more than once this season which is what will have to happen in order for them to finish under 9.5 wins.

Pick – Over 9 ½ Wins

Consensus:

#4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-4 in 2008)

Over 8 ½ Wins -120
Under 8 ½ Wins -120

The Yellow Jackets were the biggest surprise team in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. New coach Paul Johnson implemented his famous rushing offense and the affects surpassed all expectations. Jonathon Dwyer is among the best running backs in the nation and he has good company. Backup tailback, Roddy Jones and quarterback, Josh Nesbitt are both very solid athletes who only making the rushing attack more dangerous. Look for WR Demaryius Thomas to become a bigger focus the few times Nesbitt drops back to pass. Thomas caught for just 39 passes last year for 637 yards, but there numbers could take a drastic impact as the Yellow Jackets will catch defenses off guard with a few more passing attempts. However, the offense main production will come from the rushing attack. The offense excelled on the ground as the year progressed in 2008 and as they continue to get accustomed to the new offense the improvements will only continue. Georgia Tech will also return one of the best defenses in the ACC as well. The Yellow Jackets defense ranked in the top 25 in college football during the 2008 season and they return 8 starters from that impressive unit. With all the ingredients for more improvement, Yellow Jackets fans should be anticipating making a legitimate run at an ACC crown.

Pick – Over 8 1/2 Wins

Consensus:

#5. USC Trojans (12-1 in 2008)

Over 10 ½ Wins +120
Under 10 ½ Wins -160

The USC Trojans will enter the 2009 season with a lot of question marks surrounding the most important position on the field. Quarterbacks, Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain will be fighting for the starting spot.  However, neither quarterback possesses any experience. The defense may have been the best in college football last season, but after losing 8 starters there are some legitimate concerns. The defense will likely be alright as the Trojans reload talent like no other team in the country. However, we just don’t see this team ending with the same record from 2008 with such a big question mark behind center. The offense will struggle at times and there will be some better teams in the Pac-10 ready to throw a big punch. The Trojans make some scary road trips to Notre Dame, Oregon, and California, giving a lot of opportunity for mistakes. The Trojans seem to give up one big upset a year, but this season they could let a few more slip away.

Pick – Under 10 ½ Wins

Consensus:

Exclusive March Madness Bonus For Bankroll Sports Visitors (Credit Cards Are Accepted)
Click Here For An Exclusive 100% Signup Bonus ($100 to $500) @ BetUS!

One of the most interesting aspects of the NCAA Tournament is the upsets. Every year there are plenty of heart breaking losses and exciting underdog stories that highlight the March Madness venue. The unexpected is always certain in March and that is what makes the NCAA Tournament so intriguing. Every year fans embrace a breakout underdog that will steal the spotlight from the top names in the country. In the basketball world, we call that the Cinderella team. One of the toughest things to do when filling out your bracket can be predicting some of these unexpected upsets and teams that will emerge from the darkness to shine in the spotlight. Last year Davidson was the Cinderella story. Stephen Curry and the Davidson Wildcats surged from their 10th seeded position into the elite eight barely losing to the Kansas Jayhawks who later went on to win the National Championship. Before you complete your brackets this year, we will try to break down the best suited teams that could be the breakout story and wear the Cinderella slipper in 2009.

**Click Here for the Full List of Free Bracket Contests on the Web**

Usually by the NCAA Tournament, there are clear favorites on the teams that will be expected to win it all. While of course many people will expect the Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina teams to do well there are plenty of less popular names to consider. Perhaps this year more than any, there are many teams who definitely have the capability of knocking off the top seeds. For example, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons appeared unbeatable earlier this season. The Demon Deacons started a perfect 16-0 and were the number 1 team in America for many weeks. However, after a sluggish second half of the season the Demon Deacons are only a 4 seed in the tournament. While a number 4 seed is not considerably a low seed, there are still plenty of lower seeds that could surge in their brackets and there is not a team in America that looks forward to playing a team like Wake Forest.

Bankroll Sports Handicapping Promotion
March Madness Picks Special Expires Soon
(Click Here For Full Promotion Details)

One of the first teams on the radar to break out in the NCAA Tournament is the Marquette Golden Eagles. Marquette got off to a brilliant start in the brutal schedule that is the Big East. The Golden Eagles come in the Tournament as a number 6 seed slated to take on Utah State in the opening round. Marquette will be favored to win the first round, but may be an underdog in round 2 where they will likely meet No. 3 seeded Missouri. Missouri was the surprise team of the Big 12 this season and their match-up with Marquette would be very compelling. We got the winner of this game coming out of the bottom part of the bracket meaning they take down Memphis and challenge Connecticut for a spot in the final four. Missouri is a very solid team that won the Big 12 Tournament Championship during conference week leading up to the big dance. However, last time the Tigers were matched up with a smaller type team like Marquette they were blown out by Kansas 90-65. The Golden Eagles smaller lineup and tremendous backcourt make them extremely tough for Missouri to beat. We take a gamble on the Golden Eagles soaring into the elite eight in exciting fashion.

Another team to keep an eye on is the Clemson Tigers. Clemson was another ACC team that got off to a perfect 16-0 start before hitting the blunt of conference play. However, the Tigers blasted Duke midway through the season handing Coach K one of the biggest losses of his career 74-47. Clemson struggled down the stretch in the ACC losing 4 of their first 5 games. One might think the Tigers have lost their way in the 2nd half of the season. On the other hand Clemson will come out of the gates taking on Big 10 opponent Michigan. While the game is expected to be close, if the Tigers come out knocking down outside shots like they tend to do it should be enough to handle the Wolverines. The Tigers will get Oklahoma most likely in the second round and this could be the first really big upset of the entire tournament. Oklahoma would have an extremely difficult time defending the outside shooting that makes Clemson so dangerous. If the two Tigers’ guards K.C Rivers and Terrence Oglesby get hot, you can say goodnight. While these two games may be a long shot for Clemson to overcome, their style of play could present problems for their early round opponents that could work to their advantage.

Even though we mentioned the Clemson Tigers being a surprise team in the South bracket, the Syracuse Orange could also be a surprise team from the lower half of the bracket. Syracuse has the most manageable path of any 3 seed in the tournament. Syracuse gets South Florida in round 1 and the winner of the Arizona State vs. Temple match-up for round 2. The Orange men could easily find their selves in the sweet sixteen taking on anyone from Oklahoma, Michigan, or our surprise pick Clemson in that game. Syracuse could manage a victory against any of these opponents on any given night. Syracuse made a strong run in the Big East Tournament beating Connecticut in the 6 overtime thriller before losing in the Championship game to Louisville. Considering that lone loss was the Orange only defeat in the last 3 weeks of basketball they appear to be peaking at the right time. Would it be crazy to predict Clemson to beat Oklahoma, and then Syracuse beat Clemson? Maybe, but whoever they do play we will take Syracuse to be the biggest surprise threat in the South.

In our final area to keep your eye we turn our focus to the East bracket. There are a number of possible scenarios if you are looking for an underdog in this bracket. The Villanova Wildcats would be a good candidate to take coming of the bottom half of the bracket. Villanova will most likely be favored to win their opening two games and could meet up with No. 2 seed Duke in the sweet sixteen. The Wildcats sets screens, and roll off the ball very well scoring points on cuts to the paint. That is the very type of team Duke has struggled with this year. Not to mention this seems to be the area in the tournament the Blue Devils have failed to get past over the last few seasons. On the upper side of the bracket if there is any team that could knock off Pittsburgh it would be Florida State. The Seminoles knocked off North Carolina in the ACC Tournament and they have played very well at times this season. Standout guard Toney Douglas gives the Seminoles a chance in any close game considering he is one of the best guards in the country. If any team was to pull off an early upset over Pittsburgh, it could be the Seminoles chance to shine.

In attempt to cover every bracket, we finally move a little focus to the Midwest. The Midwest could possibly be the toughest bracket top to bottom in the tournament. The USC Trojans could come out to surprise people if they keep up their momentum that propelled them to their first Pac-10 Tournament Title in history. However, in the end we will expect some familiar faces to square off to represent the Midwest. Louisville defense should carry them solidly through the first two rounds and possibly throughout the tournament. On the lower side of the bracket we may expect a very familiar name to emerge. No. 3 seeded Kansas is different and young team compared to the 2008 National Championship team. However, they captured the Big 12 regular season crown and played extremely well as the year progressed. We will expect the higher seeds to prevail in this bracket avoiding any big upsets. While the upsets may happen in the Midwest, we will just say we predict that Cinderella will come from one of the other brackets in the tournament.

(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 NCAA Basketball season is winding down to the last week or so in terms of the regular season which will be followed by the conference tournaments. As selection Sunday approaches, many teams are running out of time to impress the selection committee in efforts to make the big dance. There are of course many teams locked in and some locked out, but then there is what we like to call the bubble teams who still have a chance to get in. We take a look at some of the teams that are on the verge of making the NCAA Tournament in March and who could be left out. Some of these names may come shocking as teams like Kentucky, Georgetown and more are in danger of missing this year’s March Madness.

Bankroll Sports Handicapping Promotion
March Madness Picks Special Now Available
(Click Here For Full Promotion Details)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (16-11)

Once upon a time, the Fighting Irish were ranked no. 7 in the country and off to a great start to their season. However, Notre Dame went missing during the middle of the season losing 7 straight games that really hurt their chances of an NCAA Tournament type postseason. The Fighting Irish have one of the best players in America in Luke Harangody who is averaging 24 points and 12.3 rebounds and have won 4 of their last 5 games since the 7 game losing streak. Still the Fighting Irish lack a lot of big time wins outside of their slashing over Louisville when they routed the Cardinals 90-57. Notre Dame could make really make it hard for the selection committee if they could come up with an upset on Saturday when they battle number 2 Connecticut on the road. Unfortunately, without that win and possibly at least one more victory Notre Dame’s chances look slim.

Virginia Tech Hokies (17-10)

Things are not looking good for the Hokies. A little over a week ago things looked bright for Virginia Tech as they stood at a 16-7 record with a key win over Wake Forest to go on the resume. However, lately Virginia Tech has dropped 3 of their last 4 and the forecast is not pretty. The Hokies get Duke, North Carolina, and Florida State in their last 3 games making it a very possible chance they could lose all 3 games. The Hokies will have to come up big some how against the top ACC teams in the conference and they will likely need to win 2 out of 3.

Boston College Eagles (20-9)

Eagles fans should breathe a sigh of relief because they are most likely a lock to make the dance. It would be extremely hard for the selection committee to reject one of the only team in the ACC outside of Wake Forest to beat both North Carolina and Duke. Boston College sits fairly nice right now with a record of 20-9 with games with NC State and Georgia Tech left on the schedule. Boston College should have no problem at least getting a victory in a least one of those games, but they could make it even if they lost the last two.

Kentucky Wildcats (19-9)

Staring at the Wildcats record you might favor them to be selected. However, the SEC has really been down this year and they are not likely to put many teams into the big dance. Kentucky was crushed by the surprise team of the conference in South Carolina on Wednesday 77-59. Add to the fact their best wins are likely Tennessee and Florida it does not impress as much as one might think. Kentucky has 3 games left to play that include both Florida and No. 18 LSU meaning the Wildcats could lose at least two of those games. If that were to happen they would stand at 20-11 with a rather weak schedule losing 4 of the last 6 which would not exactly scream for attention.

UAB Blazers (19-8)

The Blazers are 2nd in Conference USA behind the Memphis Tigers who are ranked number 5 in the nation and could sneak in as a number 1 seed if the top 4 continue to have problems. However, UAB sports a pretty poor schedule and do not have any big out of conference wins. The Blazers stand at the 19-8 mark with 3 games to go and believe they really need to win all 3 to make a legitimate case for the postseason.

Cincinnati Bearcats (18-10)

The question that the selection committee will have is not that if the Bearcats can play and contend with the NCAA Tournament teams, but how many Big East teams will contend in the big dance. The elite conference could put anywhere from 7-10 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati still has a legitimate chance to get to a 20 win season with 3 games remaining with the weaker side of the conference. If they get to 20, they will most definitely be included into this year’s tournament.

USC Trojans (16-10)

Southern Cal’s resume looked like a lock a few weeks ago when they were standing at 15-6 in the Pac-10. However, the Trojans have now lost 4 of their last 5 and simply must turn things around before the season concludes. Luckily USC still has 4 games left meaning they have extra time to right the ship. In those final 4 games, the Trojans are 3-1 against those teams that are in the conference and they have already played once this season. Southern Cal could definitely use another 3-1 run to make up for the recent struggles.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (18-9)

The Cowboys were on the outside looking in just two weeks ago. Oklahoma State had come off a stretch where they had lost 4 out of 5 games and stood at 14-9. However, the Cowboys have knocked off 4 straight wins improving their resume quite a bit. Oklahoma State gets Kansas State, Baylor, and Oklahoma left to round out the season. The Cowboys are already 0-2 against Oklahoma and Baylor this season and they will need to find a way to avoid losing the last 3 games. Each win concretes their chances a little more considering the Big 12 has been pretty solid this season.

Michigan Wolverines (17-11)

Michigan’s chances have took a plummet during the latter part of the season. The Wolverines have lost 8 of their last 12 games dropping down the Big Ten rankings like a falling rock. However, Michigan still can get into the March spectacle with 4 final games left on the schedule. Michigan plays Purdue tonight and many think that is a must win for the Wolverines to continue to have NCAA postseason hopes. Going out on a limb and saying the Wolverines get the win over Purdue tonight, then they still get Minnesota twice and Wisconsin to bring in a few more wins to help the cause.

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.