Archive for the ‘NCAAF’ Category
NCAA Power Rankings Entering Week 3
The 2011 college football betting season is already in its third week. So far this season, the NCAA has been rather predictable, as several powerhouse programs have remained atop the standings. On the other hand, the first two weeks of the season, have had sports betting enthusiasts chomping at the bit, as there has been a few huge upsets. Entering week three, here are the power rankings and a few picks to keep in mind.
- Oklahoma Sooners – Coming off a bye week, the Oklahoma Sooners remain in first place in the MLB betting NCAA standings. On Saturday, the Sooners will be facing a Florida State Seminoles squad that has jumped up in the rankings early in the season. If there was ever a game for bettors to take the underdog in, this would be it, as the Florida State Seminoles, look to avenge a fishing games loss last season, in which they were destroyed 47 – 17. In theory, the Seminoles top ranked defense, should be able to hang with the explosive offense of the Sooners.
- Alabama Crimson Tide – At two and zero, the Alabama Crimson Tide find themselves ranked second in the NCAA. AJ McCarron emerged as the starting quarterback for the Tide after a supposed controversy after week one. Alabama beat the Penn State Nittany Lions in week two rather convincingly, laying the smackdown on a defense that was supposed to be one of the best in the nation. If Oklahoma loses to Florida State, Alabama should be able to slide into the number one spot next week.
- Louisiana State Sound Tigers – Projected by many before the season to be the team that gets to play the loser to Oklahoma in the National Title game in January, the LSU Sound Tigers are off to an impressive two and zero start. However, last week in their victory over Northwestern, LSU’s defense gave up points to Northwestern for the first time in 11 tries. This in turn, has posed the question is the defense a weakness, heading into Thursday’s contest with Mississippi State?
- Boise State Broncos – The Broncos are coming off a bye week, and are looking to make 2011 the year that they make it to the National Title game. Quarterback Kellen Moore leads a Boise State Broncos team that is playing a Toledo squad for the second season in a row. Last year, Moore and company destroyed Toledo, as they led by as much as 50 points heading into the fourth quarter. But, with that said, Toledo is a squad that gave Ohio State a run for its money last week, and may be banking on Boise State over looking them this week.
- Florida State Seminoles – At two and zero, the honeymoon period is over for Florida State and their top ranked defense heading into week three. Florida State will be welcoming the nation’s best team Oklahoma, in a rematch of last season’s biggest loss. In theory, the Seminoles should be pumped up for this game, as they look to prove that they belong amongst the NCAA’s elite in 2011.
College Football Week 2 Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3 ½) @ Michigan Wolverines
Sports Betting Online Overview
Despite losing its opener to South Florida, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ranked at number 16 and were able to stay in the top 20 in the country. The Irish caused a bit of preseason controversy when senior Dayne Crist was picked as the starter over Tommy Rees. The fans were confused as Crist had a 4-5 record last year while Rees was 4-0 and that included Notre Dame’s bowl win. But head coach Brian Kelly stuck with Crist and put the senior on the field to start the season for the Fighting Irish. Crist’s tenure did not last long as he was replaced by Rees before halftime of the South Florida game. The pressing issue for the Irish now is that Rees did not fare much better than Crist. Some online casino wagering fans are speculating that Rees suffered from not enough preparation during the week. Kelly is expected to announce Rees as the starter for the week two matchup against Michigan, and that could make a significant difference in the outcome.
The Michigan Wolverines are not ranked in the top 25 in the coaches’ poll or the USA Today poll. But that did not stop Michigan from going out in week one and dominating Western Michigan 34-10. But Western Michigan did not offer the challenged that Notre Dame does. The Notre Dame defense is more aggressive than Western Michigan and if Rees gets a chance to work with the first team offense all week, then Michigan will have to deal with the phenom Tommy Rees. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson did not have to be very effective in week one as the Michigan defense did most of the work. But in this week two matchup with Notre Dame, the Michigan offense and defense will need to be on track and ready.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Many of the NCAA football betting experts are picking Notre Dame to grab a high profile bowl bid this year. But the setback in week one could hurt the Irish’s chances of reaching one of the top bowls. Quarterback Tommy Rees and wide receiver Michael Floyd will look to rekindle the Notre Dame offense along with running back Cierre Wood who gained 104 yards on the ground in week one and scored a touchdown. The confusion at quarterback helped bring down the Irish in week one. Notre Dame will try to add some stability to make up for it in week two.
Michigan Wolverines
The bet online reviews of the Michigan offense are not promising for this game. Michigan had enough defense to suffocate Western Michigan in week one but, in this game, Michigan will need more of a focused offensive and defensive attack. The Michigan offensive line will have problems protecting quarterback Denard Robinson from the Notre Dame defense. The Michigan receivers cannot outrun the Notre Dame pass coverage, and the Irish linebackers are excellent at stuffing the run. The best chance Michigan has in this game is matching up its defense against Notre Dame’s offense. But even that seems suspect as Rees gets ready to take over.
The Bottom Line
If a college football fan is fishing games out of the week two schedule to watch, then this may be a good one to take in. The Irish need to re-establish their winning ways while Michigan could use a marquee win to get into the top 25. But Michigan just does not have the tools to take down Notre Dame.
Pick: Notre Dame
Can The 2011 College Football Season Be The Best This Generation Has To Offer?
With only a few days left until the start of the college football fishing games regular season, fans and experts alike are already circling several games for the 2011 – 12 seasons. For another consecutive year, the SEC appears to be the conference where the BCS Champion or runner up will come from. Today, for your sports betting pleasure, we will be looking at a few marquee games on the schedule.
Oregon Ducks At Stanford Cardinals November 12 – In a battle of potential NFL betting lines number one draft picks, the Oregon Ducks led by running back LaMichael James will take on the Stanford Cardinals led by Andrew Luck. In theory, this game should give both fans and experts a good idea of which player will be taken first overall, and which player will see there stock drop significantly.
Heading into the 2011 – 12 seasons, Andrew Luck is considered by many to be the number one pick in the 2012 draft. On the other hand, LaMichael James, a distant fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last season, will be looking to show the NCAA, that he was the reason why Oregon went to the National Title game last year.
This game is also perfect for college football betting enthusiasts using the revenge system for handicapping games, as Stanford will be looking to payback Oregon after an embarrassing defeat last season. After leading 21 to three, the Cardinals ended up conceding 49 of the next 59 points to lose to Oregon in embarrassing fashion.
Alabama Crimson Tide At Auburn Tigers November 26 – After one of the greatest Iron Bowl games a season ago, a new look Alabama and Auburn will renew hostilities this season. The Crimson Tide, much like the Stanford Cardinals against Oregon, will be looking to lay the proverbial smack down on rival Auburn. For those unfamiliar with the situation, a lot has gone on in the state of Alabama, from the recent tornado, to the Cam Newton Investigation.
Meaning to say, as football fans, this is a game worth watching, as many people, we included, wonder if Auburn can handle Alabama without Cam Newton. What’s more, if both schools are still in contention for a National Title berth by late November, this game will have that much more meaning to it.
Oklahoma Sooners At Texas Longhorns October 8 – The two most storied football programs in the Big 12 will collide, in a game that could decide if either or neither goes to the National Championship. Essentially, depending on which poll you read, Oklahoma is the top ranked school in the nation. On the other hand, the Texas Longhorns are ranked in the top 25, but not in the top 10.
For the reason that Oklahoma verses Texas is one of the most classic rivalries in sports, we believe that this game will be of grave importance to both sides. In fact, if Landry Jones and Oklahoma struggle against Texas, don’t be surprised if the NCAA keeps the Sooners outside the National Title picture.
NCAA Football Preview: Big Ten Teams to Watch for in 2011
Sports betting sites are starting to buzz with NCAA college football predictions as the season draws closer. The Big Ten has gone through some changes, but it still promises to give fans some exciting football. Here are some of the Big Ten teams to keep an eye on this year and what their chances are for making the BCS title game in January 2012.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
With the collapse of the Ohio State program due to scandal, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were the only Big Ten team to get a preseason ranking the AP poll top 10. The key for the Cornhuskers is the health of junior quarterback Taylor Martinez. The value of having Martinez in the line-up was made clear last year when he was injured for the last four games of the season and Nebraska lost three of those games. But fans that bet football online will want to see just a bit more consistency out of Martinez in 2011. Last year, the Nebraska passing game was ranked 113th in the country primarily because Martinez likes to run the ball. If the Cornhuskers want to compete for the national title this year, Martinez will have to learn to get the ball to his receivers before he considers taking off on a run.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes lose out on some of their best offensive players because of the four game suspensions handed out by the NCAA during the summer. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor has bolted to the NFL where he will have to sit out five games before he can take a snap for the Oakland Raiders. But college football betting experts are putting a lot of faith in Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel. The NCAA agreed with the Ohio State investigation findings that said that Tressel was unaware of the depth of the problem with players getting gifts and money. Tressel will likely remain as the Ohio State head coach, and that is why the team is projected to win eight or nine games despite having a depleted offense for the first four games of the season. The Buckeyes will not be competing for the national title, but they will still be offering some exciting football.
Wisconsin Badgers
Even though the Badgers lost only one game last season, they still managed to get an relatively easy schedule for 2011. Wisconsin lost two offensive linemen who went on to become NFL betting picks. But the core of that stout Wisconsin offensive line remains intact. The Badgers also retained their running game with the return of running backs Montee Ball and James White. The only unknown factor for the Badgers is quarterback Jon Budmayr, who takes over for Scott Tolzien who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers. Budmayr takes over for a player in Tolzien who was respected by the players, an extremely accurate passer and was adept at reading a defense and running his offense. The Badgers season could depend on how well Budmayr develops and how quickly he gets comfortable under center for the Badgers. The rest of the pieces are in place for a dominant Wisconsin team, but it all centers on how the quarterback plays.
With Nebraska Entering The Big Ten Is This The Best Conference?
College football betting fans chomping in the bit for some action need not wait any longer, as in a couple of weeks the 2011 – 12 regular seasons will be underway. This season, marks the sports betting beginning of the super-conference era, as both the Pac 10 and Big 10 now have 12 teams and two divisions, while the Big 12 is technically the Big 10, with the losses of Nebraska and Colorado. Speaking of Nebraska, as NFL betting lines on college football would suggest, they have the best shot at winning the Big 10 crown this season. Here is a preview of the Big 10 conference for 2011 – 12 seasons.
Since January when both Wisconsin and Ohio State played in BCS Bowl games, a ton has changed in the Big 10 conference. Ohio State in particular, has undergone a huge revamping process, as both Head Coach Jim Tressel and star quarterback Terrell Pryor are no longer with the club. Over in Michigan, it looks like new Wolverines Head Coach Brady Hoke has a plan to lay the proverbial smack down on the new Ohio State Buckeyes. What’s more, Wisconsin and Nebraska appear to be the top of the class for the Big 10 this season.
The Big 10 has been divided into two separate yet equally impressive divisions this season, called the Leaders and the Legends divisions. For all intents and purposes, each division has six teams, with three in each division being really good and the other three being mediocre to average at best.
In the Leaders division, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State are considered the best teams, while Purdue is a wild card, and Illinois and Indiana are considered the basement teams in the division. Conversely, in the Legends division, Nebraska, Michigan and Michigan State are considered the top three teams, while Minnesota just hopes to win one game, and Northwestern and Iowa look to be decent.
Furthermore, according to our colleagues at CBS Sports, Northwestern is the dark horse in the entire conference, as they return several key members of last year’s star squad. The centerpiece of the Northwestern offense is quarterback Dan Persa. Currently recovering from an Achilles injury, Persa’s on field vision and the growth of the offensive line makes Northwestern one of the scariest teams in the NCAA.
This season looks to be one of the most exciting in Big 10 history, with 12 teams battling for the Big 10 Championship. In our opinion, the best part of the realignment in the Big 10 is that there will finally be one clear cut division leader. Last season, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan State all had identical records and were forced to share the Big 10 Championship. Yet, with two division winners battling for the Big 10 title, one clear cut winner of the trophy will finally be a reality.
NCAA 2011 Football Preview: News and Notes from College Football
As the college football season gets ready to start, there seems to be more confusion than ever before about who is playing in which division and how a national champion will be decided. After the shake-up of schools moving to and from conferences, one of the results was that BYU is without a conference and will play 2011 as an independent. Does that mean that BYU will not be eligible for a bowl bid? What about rankings for BYU? There are a lot of questions and stories of interest as the college football season prepares to get underway.
JoePa is going to be Ok
Nearly every sports betting online fan heard about Penn State’s head coach Joe Paterno’s injury in practice the other day. The 84-year-old head coach was not watching behind him when a player running a drill ran into him giving him arm and hip injuries. The official release from Penn State indicated that Paterno has a fractured pelvis and fractured shoulder. Although surgery is not expected to be required, the school did indicate that Paterno may be unable to attend some media obligations this week. Paterno and the school are waiting to see how JoePa feels before they determine the extent of his injury and whether or not it will sideline him for any extended period of time.
Joker knows what Kentucky Needs
The Kentucky Wildcats had a disappointing 6-7 season last year. But head coach Joker Phillips says he has identified the online casino issue for the Wildcats, and he sent his team out to repair it in practice last week. When Kentucky won the turnover battle in a game its record was 4-0. When the Wildcats gave the ball up more than they took it away, it was 2-7. That adds up to 6-7, and it was math that Phillips said was pretty easy to do. Now the second-year head coach has his team doing drills to hold on to the football on offense and take it away on defense. The potential results seem pretty simple to the head coach. If Kentucky can hold on to the ball in 2011, then it has a chance of being one of the top teams in the country.
Ohio State gets back to Football
While it wasn’t college football betting that did in the Ohio State football program, there has been a whirlwind of activity at Ohio State that has resulted in the suspension of key players and the resignation of a 10-year head coach. Interim head coach Luke Fickell takes over after former head coach Jim Tressel resigned in disgrace over the summer. A sports memorabilia scandal rocked Ohio State and five key players were suspended for the first five games of this season. The final betonline.com review of Ohio State’s activity will come when the school sits in front of the NCAA to determine if Ohio State’s collective penalty. The school has already imposed its own sanctions by surrendering the 2010 season which includes their bowl win. But even after giving themselves some pretty tough punishment, the program still has to face official condemnation from the NCAA which could result in scholarship suspensions and a loss of post-season play for this and possible future seasons.
NCAA Football 2011 Preview: Underdogs to Watch in 2011
Sports betting fans love the underdog, and nothing brings out sympathy for the underdog like NCAA football. While some sports fans bet on MLB baseball this summer, others are trying to find those diamonds in the rough that will make headlines in the 2011 NCAA football season. Let’s take a look at some of the underdog teams that may be a big part of the NCAA football betting in 2011.
State University of New York at Buffalo Bulls
When Turner Gill was the head coach in Buffalo, the team made its first college bowl appearance when it played in the 2009 International Bowl. Ever since Gill left for the Kansas Jayhawks, the Bulls have gone back to their losing ways. But the team showed some improvement last year, and could be good for a couple of surprises in 2011. While the Bulls are not expected to get another bowl bid in 2011, or even finish with a winning record, betting enthusiasts should pay close attention to the Buffalo Bulls as they very well could pull off a few upsets in 2011.
Syracuse Orange
People seem to forget that the Orange finished 2010 with an 8-5 record and played in the very first Pinstripe Classic. Much of the offensive parts that seemed to gel together so well last year will be back for Syracuse in 2011. The defense took a bit of a hit from graduation, but there are a couple of promising freshmen on the roster that could contribute. This is a fairly stable Syracuse team that made a lot of progress in 2010, and it will be looking to capitalize on that progress in 2011.
Navy Midshipmen
The Kansas City Chiefs dominated the AFC West with a powerful running game. Navy has a similar type of offense that is bolstered by a strong backfield. Navy may not be looking to grab a bowl game in 2011, but they have just enough power in their running game and punch on defense to surprise more than one team in 2011.
West Virginia University Mountaineers
Despite an offseason filled with turmoil that resulted in the resignation of its head coach, the West Virginia University Mountaineers are still a talented football team. The hometown fans in Morgantown won’t let the Mountaineers use excuses to lose football games. The West Virginia offense is still as potent as it was last season, and the defense is able to hold the team in most games. Don’t let the controversy throw you; the Mountaineers are still a very dangerous football team.
Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have several players that either need to show betonline review NFL potential or say goodbye to their playing career when college is over. Chief among them is quarterback Jacory Harris. NFL scouts are waiting to see what Harris can accomplish this season before moving him up the draft board. The fans of The U will have to wait and see if their quarterback can respond to the pressure and take the team to a post-season bowl game.
NCAA Football Preview: Big 12 Predictions
Sports betting experts are getting ready for NCAA football betting as the college football season approaches. The online casino wagering on college games will be hot and heavy this year as last year’s national champion Auburn tries to keep its standing in the BCS chase. This betonline review of the chances for each Big 12 team in the coming season may be filled with some surprises and it may even be cause for debate. But that is what college football betting is all about.
Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners will not only rule the Big 12, they have a very good chance at finishing the season as the top-ranked team in the country. Alabama is still the consensus number one pick for this pre-season, but the Sooners’ schedule and talent will help them rise to the top of the Big 12 by season’s end.
Missouri Tigers
The exit of Blaine Gabbert in the 2011 NFL draft left hole in the Missouri offense, but it was about the only hole that the offense had to deal with. Much of the Missouri team from last year returns, and they have a capable second-year quarterback that can bring the team a bowl bid.
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies have an outstanding offense, but their defense tends to get caught out of position a lot of the time. Texas A&M may be able to squeak out a bowl bid this year, but they will not be able to win the Big 12.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys are a good team, but they lack depth to take on Oklahoma or Missouri. This should still be a good season for Oklahoma State that may result in a top bowl berth.
Baylor Bears
The Bears have a strong defense but a less than adequate offense. There should be some exciting finished for Baylor this season, but they will not win nearly enough games to get a bowl bid and see any post-season action.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech finishing ahead of Texas? Texas is looking to be very unpredictable this season. Tech is not much better off, but if the Red Raiders get some luck on their side then they have the talent to win games.
Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns offense is going to struggle to score points this season. The Texas defense is not the kind of unit that scores points, so wins will be hard to come by for the Texas Longhorns in 2011.
Iowa State Hawkeyes
Iowa State is a young, up and coming team that will be exciting to watch all season long. In the next two years, fans will see this team rise from the bottom ranks of the Big 12 to the top. But this season will still be a growing year for the Hawkeyes, and they will not win enough games to be a post-season contender.
Kansas State Wildcats
The talent is just not there with Kansas State on offense or defense. Recruiting has been a problem for Kansas State for the last couple of years, and the team they will field this season will show some of the ill-effects of bad recruiting.
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas will be better in 2011, but not much. They will definitely not have enough offensive punch to win many games at all.
BCS 2012 Championship Preview
When you are involved in sports betting, you understand how quickly college football teams change. Because of graduation and the NFL draft, a college team looks different every year. Online casino wagering on the upcoming college football season has already started even though the first games are months away. The sports betting bonus for college football fans is that this year is a wide-open field. Very few of the dominant teams from last year will be able to stay on top this year. Let’s take a look at the betonline reviews of the top teams for this 2011 college football season that may be competing for the BCS title in January.
Auburn Tigers
The biggest killer for the Auburn Tigers is that several pieces of their 2011 championship team are not there for 2012. Quarterback Cam Newton and defensive tackle Nick Fairley went to the NFL. The Tigers really do not have a quarterback waiting in the wings to take over for Newton, so they will probably spend the majority of 2011-2012 breaking a new quarterback in. The Tigers should be good enough to grab a bowl bid this season, but they need to build back up to becoming a legitimate BCS contender.
Boise State Broncos
The Blue Field Broncos will be a team to watch in 2011-2012. The Broncos put on an impressive display last season, and quarterback Kellen Moore will be coming back to Boise State for this season. Much of the rest of last year’s team is intact and ready to make a push. The Broncos may be one of the more premier teams in the BCS this season, provided that their defense can hold out against some of the better offenses that Boise State will face.
Stanford Cardinals
The Cardinals remain a favorite in the 2011-2012 season based almost solely on the fact that quarterback Andrew Luck did not enter the NFL draft. Luck sees the potential in his team, and he wants to make one more run for a national championship. Running back Stepfan Taylor is entering his second year with the Cardinals, and he looks to be a solid offensive weapon as well. The Cardinals defense was shaky at times last year, but another year of experience will help them to compete with some of the best teams in the BCS.
Oregon Ducks
Oregon and Boise State may be fighting it out to see who plays for the BCS title in 2011-2012. Oregon running back LaMichael James enters the 2011-2012 season as the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Second-year quarterback Darron Thomas is looking to build on an impressive first season as the full-time starter for Oregon. The Oregon offense is looking to break records and be one of the most dominant forces in college football. But the offense has its moments when it lets up, and that could be the difference between Oregon becoming national champions, or Oregon losing out to a team like Boise State in the BCS Championship bowl.
College Football Betting – Newton Will Watch His Son Play In BCS Title Game
Quarterback Cam Newton of the No. 1 Auburn Tigers was all smiles on Wednesday during a press conference for the Tostitos’ BCS National Championship game, fielding several questions from online sports betting reporters about his past, present, and future in the game. The most pressing question of course came in the form of Cam’s father, Cecil Newton, and whether or not he would be at the game. The Heisman trophy-winning quarterback simply smiled and said that his father and the rest of his family would be in the crowd, and that they would be very proud to be there.
Newton’s father came under fire after reports that he tried to convince recruiting officials from Mississippi State to take his son on as part of a pay-for-play venture, an obvious violation of NCAA rules. Both men were investigated by the NCAA, but it was only the father that was reprimanded after it was ruled that the Tigers’ quarterback was not aware of what was going on, even despite the Mississippi claims that he was. Cecil Newton had restraints all year with Auburn’s athletic program, and limited access to how close he could get to the team in direct correlation with his tactics, but that won’t stop him from supporting his son in what will be the biggest game of his college football betting career.
Newton was a junior college national champion, and after winning the Heisman trophy as the best player in college football, he will now have the chance to win another championship trophy at an even higher level. Newton deserved that award based on his play with the Tigers this season, after he threw for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior. The 21-year old didn’t seem to back down for even a minute in the face of adversity, rising to the task to play his best football under the most scrutiny. It was as though the football betting superstar realized when the critics were pulling him down the most, brushed them off, and responded with an even better performance than in the previous game. Beyond the intangibles to what makes Newton such a great quarterback, the most important thing is the numbers, which don’t tell a lie.
Newton threw for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns, and threw just one interception over the course of his final seven pay per head games. The 21-year old got the job done with his legs as well, running for another 1,409 yards with 20 rushing touchdowns, a direct illustration to how dangerous of a threat he was to opposing defenses. Those that stacked the box and left a spy were beaten by his arm, and those that didn’t were beaten with his legs. Newton was undoubtedly the best player in college football this season, and will back up that notion against the No. 2 Oregon Ducks in this year’s championship game, with his father watching on proudly from the stands.