BSNblog

Tostitos’ BCS National Championship Game

Oregon Ducks vs. Auburn Tigers

Monday January 10, 2011 – 8:30 PM ET

Online Sports Betting Odds: Auburn – 3

It was the Tigers that ensured that at least a couple of those teams wouldn’t have their shot in the big game after sweeping through the SEC with a perfect 13 wins. Auburn took down a couple of big programs, including the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: Oregon

The Ducks will present a different type of challenge for Auburn, with their top-ranked offense looking to prove their speed and capability in a spread offense the Tigers have yet to face this year. Heisman trophy runner-up and running back LaMichael James rushed for 1,682 yards and 21 touchdowns, but that’s just the beginning of an offense that finished first in the FBS with an average of over 49 points per game. Dual-threat quarterback Darron Thomas may be one of the most underrated players in the game after throwing for 2,518 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for another 492 and five scores. The Ducks’ defense has improved as the season continued, but still gave up over 500 yards on three separate occasions, and will need to prove its speed and tackling ability can overcome the strength of the Auburn line.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: Auburn

That Tigers’ line kept Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton up long enough to throw for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for another 1,409 and 20 scores. What’s more, Newton played his best football in the biggest games, and remained calm and poised in the face of adversity in times where other signal-callers would have lost their composure. Auburn found the perfect complement to Newton in running back Michael Dyer, who rushed for 950 yards and five touchdowns. Newton and Dyer represent as lethal a tandem as any in college football. The Tigers’ defense struggled at times this season against tough, hard-running teams, and will now need to prove that they can keep up with a speedy, spread football betting offense.

The Match Up: Oregon vs. Auburn

The Ducks impressed many online bookies with their play in the PAC-10, and will prove that they can succeed against the top programs from any conference in the national title game. Oregon will attack relentlessly on both offense and defense, and will spoil the Tigers’ chances of giving the SEC a fifth straight national title.

BSNblog Pick: Oregon + 3

The NFL football betting action in Minnesota has been dark and depressing this season. The offense entered the season with no real receivers for Brett Favre to throw to, and then the offensive line started allowing Brett Favre to get beat up. Running back Adrian Peterson had his usual great season, but he could not compete with the pass-happy Favre who was costing the Vikings games.

The Philadelphia Eagles thought they had a plan when the season started, but they did not seem really sold on it. The thought of Kevin Kolb being the full-time starting quarterback seemed like an interesting experiment, but the early NFL scores were not promising. Michael Vick stepped in and now the Eagles are NFC East champions and one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Offense:

The online betting services had no clue what to expect from Michael Vick. He was a difference-maker with the Falcons, but the effects of prison on his mind and his game were unknown. Vick is turning out to be the best thing that has happened to the Eagles in a long time, and he is making everyone around him better. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson has stepped up and become a kick return threat as well as a 1,000 yard receiver. Running back LeSean McCoy gives team something else to worry about besides Vick when it comes to the running game.

The Vikings are in huge trouble on offense when it comes to this game. Even if quarterback Brett Favre passes his concussion tests, his shoulder is so tight that he cannot throw accurately beyond 15 yards. Promising back up Tavaris Jackson is out for the season, and running back Adrian Peterson is also out. The Vikings are struggling to determine if Brett Favre at around 60 percent gives them a better chance to win than a healthy Joe Webb. If they don’t go with Webb, then it makes you wonder why they drafted Webb in the first place.

Defense:

This whole Michael Vick thing is contagious on the Eagles team; even on defense. The Eagles defense is fast and dangerous. The linebackers are monitoring the middle of the field limiting what the opposing tight ends can do, and the front line is becoming adept at putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. Chasing Michael Vick around at practice every week has definitely made the Eagles a faster defense.

The Vikings defense is extremely inconsistent, especially on the front defensive line. Defensive lineman Jared Allen has nine sacks this season, which is way off his mark from last year. But the other three defensive line have a total of 7.5 sacks combined. The Vikings defense just cannot get to the quarterback this season, and that will be a huge problem in this game.

The Bottom Line:

The Vikings just want this season to end, and the Eagles cannot wait for the playoffs to begin. That should give you all you need to know about each team going into this game.

BSNblog Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

NCAA football betting: Connecticut Huskies vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Online Betting Odds: Oklahoma -17

Why To Bet On Connecticut

The Oklahoma Sooners are 0-3 in January Fiesta Bowls. Yes, Oklahoma won the Fiesta Bowl once upon a time, but that was in 1976, when the game was played in December and the Fiesta Bowl was a third-tier bowl game. Ever since the Fiesta Bowl moved to New Year’s Day (or in general, the month of January) in 1982, Oklahoma has floundered and flopped on this big stage. The Sooners fell to Arizona State in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl. Then, under current coach Bob Stoops, Oklahoma experienced a pair of egg-on-the-face moments in Glendale, Arizona. In the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners lost as a heavy favorite to then-unheralded Boise State, 43-42, in one of college football’s biggest New Year’s Day bowl upsets. One year later, on January 2 of 2008, the Sooners came back to the Westside suburb of Phoenix and got destroyed by West Virginia, 48-28, in yet another Fiesta Bowl debacle. Oklahoma has not won a BCS bowl since the 2003 Rose Bowl against Washington State. The Sooners, even as a commanding favorite, have not handled this particular kind of event with any distinction or consistency. Connecticut might not be a particularly formidable team, but the Huskies are at least lucky in that they’re facing a program that has not delivered the goods in prime-time bowl games. This is far from Oklahoma’s best team under Bob Stoops; the Sooners were embarrassed in double-digit losses at Missouri and Texas A&M. They were also fortunate to escape Utah State and Air Force by one-score margins at home. Connecticut could make this game close enough to beat the number.

Why To Bet On Oklahoma

The Sooners, for all their inconsistencies this past season, still won their seventh Big 12 championship in the past 11 years. Oklahoma captured its fourth Big 12 crown over the past five seasons. The Sooners continue to establish a track record of remarkable consistency. Even when they’re far from their best, they’re still very, very good. Moreover, they’re going up against a Connecticut team with a thin resume.

The Huskies from New England got roughed up this year by teams that aren’t very distinguished. Connecticut got run out of the building by a 7-5 Michigan team, and coach Randy Edsall’s UConn crew also got whacked by a Temple team that didn’t even make a bowl game in 2010. Connecticut’s best Big East win was a two-point squeaker over Pittsburgh; UConn’s other huge conference win was a 16-13 overtime triumph over West Virginia. In that game, UConn needed seven West Virginia fumbles just to stay alive and then win in the extra period. UConn has four losses, easily the most for a BCS bowl representative… not only this season, but all time. Oklahoma is facing a very mediocre opponent.

How The Game Will Play Out

Oklahoma’s Fiesta Bowl struggles would have continued against an elite opponent such as Stanford or Ohio State, but not against Connecticut. The Huskies have no firepower and will not be able to throw the ball against the Sooners’ secondary. This will be a bloodbath; don’t seek an upset in this contest.

Connecticut Oklahoma Betting Pick: Oklahoma -17

The Dallas Cowboys get to spend Christmas Day in the desert, and it almost seems a fitting sentence for the season the Cowboys have had this year. The preseason NFL predictions surrounding the Cowboys were all about the playoffs, but the NFL scores that Dallas was generating told a different story. The Cowboys had the talent to prove the NFL betting experts right, they just did not want to find a way to start winning games until it was way too late.

The Arizona Cardinals are lost without now-retired quarterback Kurt Warner. The Cardinals are now on their fourth starting quarterback this season if you count the short but unsuccessful Matt Leinart experiment in the preseason. The Cardinals are without an offensive leader and that means they have no offensive identity. With players such as wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back Tim Hightower languishing in an unproductive offense, the Cardinals are a study in how important a good quarterback can be.

Offense:

The Cowboys seem to be rolling right along with Jon Kitna playing quarterback instead of the injured Tony Romo. But the injuries are starting to pile up against the Cowboys, and that could be a problem in this Christmas Day matchup. Running back Marion Barber and wide receivers Roy Williams and Dez Bryant are all expected to miss this game. Their status of Roy Williams and Marion Barber is questionable for this game, but the Cowboys are not talking like they will have all of their starters for this game. That means the backup quarterback will have to work with second and third-string receivers to try and win this game.

The Cardinals are on plan “C” at quarterback with rookie John Skelton. What the Cardinals are doing is trying to survive until the end of the season, and it will be a long last two games for the team from Arizona. As bad as the Cowboys seem to have it on offense with injuries, the Cardinals have it much worse and the Cardinals are not suffering from injury problems.

Defense:

The Cowboys defense has been unpredictable for much of the season. The team is ranked 14th against the run allowing an average of 109 yards per game, but the same defense is ranked 31st in points against by allowing an average of 28 points per game. The Cowboys defense seems capable of exploiting the weak Arizona offensive line and rattling the rookie quarterback early. The only problem the Dallas defense may experience all day is trying to contain running back Tim Hightower.

The Arizona Cardinals defense is ranked at or near the bottom of the league in every category. The Cardinals have a more serious problem trying to stop the run and, considering the injuries that Dallas has at wide receiver, that may mean a lot of Dallas running back Felix Jones in this game.

The Bottom Line:

The Cardinals will probably pull back and start all over after this season, but for now they are going to have to work extremely hard to avoid being embarrassed at home by the Dallas Cowboys.

BSNblog Pick: Dallas Cowboys

Rose Bowl Game Presented By VIZIO

Wisconsin Badgers v. TCU Horned Frogs

Saturday January 1, 2011 – 5:00 PM ET

Online Sports Betting Odds: TCU - 3

Wisconsin and TCU actually finished tied for scoring with an average 43.3 points per game. That makes the argument for how much the schedules of smaller conference schools should factor in to BCS rankings a big factor in this game, as it would be a major blow should the Horned Frogs falter against a Big Ten champion.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: Wisconsin

The Badgers were never projected to be this good offensively, and while Unitas award winner and quarterback Scott Tolzien is a big reason for the team’s success, the nation’s 12th-ranked running game is the biggest reason why Wisconsin is ranked fifth in the country. A mammoth offensive line that six All-Big Ten members has opened countless holes for the trio of James White, John Clay, and Montee Ball, each of whom finished the football betting year with over 880 yards rushing. The ground game helped open the skies for Tolzien, who finished with a 74.3-completion percentage- the best mark in the country. The Badgers didn’t allow any of their final four opponents to score more than 28, but will need to flex their defensive muscle against the high-scoring Horned Frogs.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: TCU

The Horned Frogs were dominant defensively this season, allowing an average of just 11.4 points per online football betting game, the best mark in the FBS. However, TCU’s defense is based on speed, and it will be difficult for them to match up against the much bigger Badgers. That will put even more pressure on senior Andrew Dalton who has thrown for 2, 638 yards and 26 touchdowns this year, while rushing for another 481 along with five touchdowns. The Horned Frogs will need running backs Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker to be at their best after they combined to help TCU average 261.2 yards per game.

The Match Up: Wisconsin v. TCU

While the Badgers are the much bigger team, the Horned Frogs will be determined to prove that their speed can match Wisconsin at every turn, and that will be the difference in this game. Look for TCU to swarm to the ball on defense, and open things up on offense with Dalton leading their explosive passing attack.

BSN Sports Pick: Horned Frogs - 3

You have to be very careful when making NFL predictions about the NFL scores in games like this one. On the surface, the NFL betting looks to be for a very good game between two teams fighting for the AFC South title. But there are things to take into account when looking at this game that go beyond team records and offensive and defensive rankings.

Peyton Manning is not an x-factor; everyone knows what he is capable of. But it seems like Peyton Manning has taken a season of frustration, and managed to put together one final push towards the playoffs. At 7-6, the only hope the Colts have of making the playoffs is to win the AFC South. as a 10-6 record may not be enough to get a wildcard spot. The team standing in the Colts’ way is the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Offense:

Peyton Manning pulled his team together to score a 30-28 week 14 win over the Tennessee Titans. It was an important divisional win, and Manning did not throw an interception. The Colts running backs combined for only 87 total yards, but Manning threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Joseph Addai is practicing, but it is unknown whether or not he will be able to play in this game. With or without Addai, the Colts’ key to success for the last three games of the season is simple; if Peyton Manning can avoid throwing interceptions then the Colts win.

The Jaguars are trying to shake the notion that they have been more lucky than good this season. One “Hail Mary” win and the Jags are considered a fluke for the season. The truth is that Jacksonville is a potent balance of an effective passing game headed by quarterback David Garrard, and a powerful running game featuring running back Maurice Jones-Drew. If you shut down Garrard, then Jones-Drew will beat you. The Jaguars offer a lot of surprises for any team that takes them lightly.

Defense:

Defense is where the Jaguars might fall short in this game. Jacksonville is ranked 28th against the pass, and this is not the same Peyton Manning that the Jaguars defense terrorized in their week four win over the Colts. This Peyton Manning is measuring each throw and avoiding turnovers. The Jags do not have the kind of secondary that can cover receivers like Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon when Peyton Manning is on target.

Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are two defensive linemen that are expected to play for the Colts in this game. That makes all the difference in the world. With Freeney and Mathis in on defense, the Colts will control the line of scrimmage. They will put pressure on Garrard and make it very difficult for Jones-Drew to run. With middle linebacker Gary Brackett returning last week, the Colts defense is ready for this game.

The Bottom Line:

This will be a good game, but it has the potential to be a Colts blowout. If the Jaguars can play a ball possession game and keep Peyton Manning off the field, then they have a chance. But with Brackett, Freeney and Mathis all playing on the Colts defense for this game, it is unlikely that Jacksonville will be able to keep the ball away from the Colts for long.

BSN Sports Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Wisconsin TCU Betting – Saturday, January 1st, 5:00 PM ET

The No.3 Horned Frogs (BCS bid) are 2.5-point favorites in the “Granddaddy of Them All”, also known as the Rose Bowl. TCU is making their second straight BCS appearance, while the No.5 Badgers (Big Ten champions) are in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2000. These two have never met before, and it’ll be a matchup of Wisconsin’s No.12 rushing attack against TCU’s No.3 rush defense.

Connecticut Oklahoma Betting – Saturday, January 1st, 8:30 PM ET

The No.7 Sooners (Big 12 champions) are 17-point football betting favorites in the Fiesta Bowl, where they have lost their last two appearances as big favorites. The Huskies (Big East champions) are making their first BCS appearance and fourth straight bowl game in a row, and they’re going up against the Sooners for the first time. Oklahoma is 17th in points scored, while UConn is 23rd in scoring defense.

Stanford Virginia Tech Betting – Monday, January 3rd, 8:30 PM ET

The No.4 Cardinal (BCS bid) are favored by a field goal in the Orange Bowl, and they’re making their first BCS appearance since 2000, when they lost to Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The No.13 Hokies (ACC champions) are back in the BCS after a one-year absence, and they’ve won 11 straight games after a poor start. Both teams are ranked in the top five in terms of turnover margin, so expect them to take care of the ball.

Ohio State Arkansas Betting – Tuesday, January 4th, 8:30 PM ET

The No.6 Buckeyes (BCS bid) are field-goal favorites in the Sugar Bowl, and this is their sixth straight BCS appearance, finally winning last year against Oregon in the Rose Bowl after three losses in a row. The No.8 Razorbacks (BCS bid) are making their BCS debut, and they’ll pit quarterback Ryan Mallett against OSU’s Terrelle Pryor in a matchup of future NFL picks.

Oregon Auburn Betting – Monday, January 10th, 8:30 PM ET

The No.1 Tigers (SEC champions) are 3-point favorites in the BCS title game, led by probably Heisman favorite Cam Newton. The No.2 Ducks (Pac-10 champions) are powered by LaMichael James, who may end up with the Heisman if voters stay away from Newton. This could end up being a shootout as both are ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense, so the over could be very enticing for betting players.

Auburn Oregon Betting – January 10th, 8:30 PM ET

The BCS gets it right at the top as the No.1 Tigers are 3-point favorites in the title game against the No.2 Ducks, and there are storylines aplenty. Auburn’s Cam Newton will likely win the Heisman, but if voters look too much into the scandal that surrounds him, it may go to Oregon’s LaMichael James. This will also be a matchup of two of the most explosive offenses we’ve seen in recent memory.

Alabama Michigan State Betting – January 1st, 1:00 PM ET

The No.16 Crimson Tide are 11-point online football betting favorites against the No.9 Spartans, who may be ticked off that they were left out of the BCS bowls, and now they’re double-digit underdogs against the defending national champions. These are two of the most physical teams in the country, and the Capital One Bowl will not be for the faint of heart.

Utah Boise State Betting – December 22nd, 8:00 PM ET

The No.10 Broncos are favored by 16.5 points against the No.19 Utes, who haven’t beaten Boise State in three meetings. The Broncos are two missed field goals out of a BCS bowl, while the Utes had their chances smashed by TCU, so you should see two hungry non-AQ teams in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Florida State South Carolina Betting – December 31st, 7:30 PM ET

In the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, the No.20 Gamecocks are favored by a field goal against the No.23 Seminoles, who are no strangers to South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. FSU is 8-5 in 13 meetings with Spurrier when he was at Florida, so you know both sides will have some added motivation. Both teams also were dismantled in their conference-title games, so they would like to show that they’ll be a force to be reckoned with as well.

Hawaii Tulsa Betting – December 24th, 8:00 PM ET

Those checking out NBA scores may feel that they’re watching a hoops game in the Hawaii Bowl, as there should be some high scoring. The Warriors are 12-point favorites in what is essentially a home game, and if you’re a fan of defense, stay away from this game as both are top-10 teams in terms of points scored. They’re also no strangers as they met five times between 2000 and 2004, with Hawaii claiming three wins. It may not be pretty, but this could be the most fun that you’ll have betting online this month.

This will go down in NFL history as Peyton Manning’s worst season ever. It is convenient to blame his problems on the loss of tight end Dallas Clark or wide receiver Austin Collie, but the problem with the Colts is Manning and a beat up Indianapolis defense. The defense could not hold against the Dallas Cowboys in week 13 and that, along with a few Manning interceptions for touchdowns, is what cost the Colts the game. Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne are still out there for the Colts. Peyton Manning needs to look in the mirror to find the problems for the Colts.

The Titans are caught up in the annual drama created by quarterback Vince Young. Backup quarterback Kerry Collins isn’t getting any younger, and if Young is not the quarterback of the future then the Titans need go find their franchise QB. Luckily for Tennessee, Kerry Collins still has some play left in him. But Young has thrown the team so out of whack that they took a promising season and are on the verge of flushing it all away.

Offense:

The NFL predictions for the Indianapolis Colts were for the NFL scores to have the Colts as the best team in football leading into the Super Bowl. As the NFL betting experts know, the Colts aren’t even the clear-cut best team in their own division, much less the rest of the league. The problem is Peyton Manning and his interceptions. These are not just any kind of interceptions; these are pick 6 interceptions that get returned for touchdowns. To make things worse, with or without running back Joseph Addai the Colts have no running game. The offensive line is a patchwork of guys that have never played together before, and the results on the field are showing that.

The Titans running back Chris Johnson has slowed a little, but only because he is mired in an indecisive offense. Johnson has 1,026 yards and nine touchdowns this season, which is excellent by any standards. He will not reach the 2,000 yard mark again, but expecting him to do that consistently is unreasonable. The Titans have fallen from first to last in the AFC South because of their inconsistent offense. They have no solid presence at quarterback, and Vince Young’s instability cost the team more than one game this season.

Defense:

Tennessee has a defense that bends but will not break. The Titans defense is ranked 24th overall but they are eighth best in the league at opposition points allowed. The problem is that, eventually, Peyton Manning will remember how to play quarterback again. When he does, the bend but don’t break policy of the Titans defense will be a problem.

The Colts are going to start getting key defensive players back starting with this game. Dwight Freeney should play and Bob Sanders may come back. Linebacker Gary Brackett is expected to play as well. With some of their key defensive personnel coming back, the Colts should be able to put up a fight against a shaky Tennessee offense.

The Bottom Line:

The Colts really need this game, and so do the Titans. But the Colts have it in them to improve and rise to this challenge where the Titans do not. If Peyton Manning can stop throwing interceptions, then the Colts should win this game.

BSN Sports Pick: Indianapolis Colts

It is time to take the Oakland Raiders seriously. In week 13 of the 2010 season, the Raiders did something that no other team has done in years; they beat the San Diego Chargers in December. The Raiders defense had the Chargers number one ranked offense frustrated. The Raiders offense completely fooled the Chargers number one ranked defense. It was a well-played, and well-coached, game by the Raiders and now the Raiders are looking at catching up to the AFC West leading Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars also require serious thought. The NFL predictions for the Jaguars by the NFL betting community had this being head coach Jack Del Rio’s last season. But, through some hard work and some unbelievable luck, the Jaguars are 7-5 and leading the AFC South. From the smallest, but yet one of the most prolific, running backs in the league to Hail Mary plays to win big games; the Jaguars are showing that they want to stick around and have a say in the AFC playoff race.

Offense:

Many of the most memorable NFL scores this season have been compliments of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Quarterback David Garrard is not tearing up the league, but he is a consistent force in the Jacksonville offense that helps the team win games. Garrard has 1,982 passing yards and 17 touchdowns this season. That is a respectable season to this point, but it does not show exactly how valuable Garrard is to the offense. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew continues to be the glue that holds the Jaguars together. He has 1,177 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He is a surprisingly powerful runner that is pushing defensive lines backwards in every game.

The Oakland Raiders want desperately for Bruce Gradkowski to be their starting quarterback. But Jason Campbell is becoming so good at managing games that Gradkowski may have to sit. Campbell only threw for 117 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. But he ran for a touchdown and helped spread out the Chargers defense to make the Raiders offense more potent. It looks like Campbell will be the quarterback to take the Raiders to the playoffs, and that makes the Raiders offense very dangerous.

Defense:

The thing that killed the Chargers was the Raiders’ ninth ranked pass defense. Once Philip Rivers was out of sync, the whole Chargers offense went south. The Raiders have problems containing the run, but they are tough at the line of scrimmage. The Oakland defense can get into the opposing backfield and cause all kinds of problems. For a team as organized as the Jaguars, a persistent Oakland pass rush could be a problem.

The Jaguars defense has been living off the heroics of the Jacksonville offense. The Jags allow 25 points per game, and that is not going to help them shut down an offense like the Raiders. Jacksonville has been playing consistently against the run this season, but with a mobile quarterback like Campbell back there, that will change things considerably.

The Bottom Line:

The Raiders and the Jaguars are flying high as both are coming off week 13 divisional wins. This will be a good game, but the Raiders just have too many offensive weapons for the Jaguars to handle.

BSN Sports Pick: Oakland Raiders

(2) Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers

Saturday December 4, 2010 – 3:30 PM ET

Reser Stadium, Corvalis, Oregon

Online Sports Betting Odds: Oregon - 17

Oregon State has just one win through its last four games, but that lone victory is significant because it came over a ranked opponent in No. 20 USC. The Beavers destroyed the Trojans on their home field, and although they will not finish inside the top-four in the PAC-10, this will be their own championship game with the chance to provide the biggest college football betting upset of the year.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: Oregon

The Ducks clinched at least a share of the PAC-10 title on Friday night when they took down Arizona 48-29 in front of a packed house at Autzen Stadium, but this season is about much more than that. Oregon will clinch sole possession of the conference title and a spot in the BCS title game with a win in their season finale on Saturday afternoon, and at this point anything less than just that would have to be considered a failure. While the top-ranked offense in the country should have little problem dismissing a team that is giving up an average of 25.9 points per game, look no further than Boise State’s 34-31 overtime loss to Nevada this past pay per head weekend and you will find every reason for this team not to get to far ahead of itself. Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are one of the most explosive threats in the game, and will be relied on heavily to finish strong.

NCAA Football Betting Preview: Oregon State

After building a reputation as a school that usually excels as the season progresses, the Beavers have found themselves going the opposite way this year with just one win through their last four games. None of that will matter if they can clinch a Civil War victory and become bowl eligible this week. Running back Jacquizz Rodgers wears No. 1 on the back of his jersey, and will need to be the best player for either team in this game for Oregon State to have a chance of even keeping it close. A football betting win is highly unlikely, but that’s what we said last week about Nevada.

The Match Up: Oregon @ Oregon State

The Ducks are rolling with 11 straight wins, eight of which came in the PAC-10, and have beaten all three ranked opponents on their schedule by double-digits. This is a team destined for the national championship game, and they will arrive there as PAC-10 champions with a final statement in a big win this weekend.

NCAA Football Betting Pick: Ducks - 17