2006 College Football betting odds

This 2006 College Football betting odds blog is the best place to find all the latest betting odds on all your favorite college football matchups.

Check back regularly to see changes in odds and important news related to your favorite college team.

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November 14, 2006

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have shocked and amazed this season.  The current BCS standings list Rutgers at #6.  PinnacleSports.com (see website here) lists them with odds of +2402 as of November 16.  So if you were to bet $100 and Rutgers wins, you walk off with $2402.  Considering how well Rutgers has performed, there is some great value for sure.  Pinnacle Sports has Ohio State listed as the even favorite and Michigan +338 (or $338 paid out for every $100 bet). 

Read more of "Rutgers Scarlet Knights longshot to win BCS Championship scenarios" here

October 27, 2006

With close to 65% of sports bettors siding with the Missouri Tigers at -1 1/2, this is one of the highlights of an impressive college football season thus far.  The line has not moved much since opening at -2.

The No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners (5-2 SU & 4-2-1 ATS) hope their rejuvenated defense continues making up for the absence of Adrian Peterson in a Big 12 matchup Saturday with the high-powered offense of the No. 23 Missouri Tigers (7-1 SU & 5-2 ATS).

Oklahoma lost its Heisman Trophy hopeful and a player who has run for nearly 4,000 yards in his college career when Peterson broke his collarbone in the fourth quarter of a 34-9 victory over Iowa State on Oct. 14.

Article continues below...

The following week, the Sooners faced a Colorado team which had reached at least 30 points and 350 yards of offense in back-to-back games. Oklahoma, though, limited the Buffaloes to 113 total yards and five first downs in a 24-3 victory. The Sooners are now 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a SU win.

While Oklahoma allows 267.4 ypg to rank 12th nationally in total defense, Missouri is 14th in total offense with 419.5 ypg.

Tigers sophomore QB Chase Daniel is eighth in the country with 2,003 passing yards. He's tied for eighth with 19 TD passes, eclipsing the single-season school record held by Terry McMillan, who had 18 in 1969.

Daniel, who has only five interceptions and has completed 66.8 percent of his passes, faces a Sooners squad which has given up 200 yards passing only once all season.

Missouri's defense suffered a devastating blow in last Saturday's 41-21 win over Kansas State, with Brian Smith breaking his right hip. The senior defensive end, who is likely to miss the rest of the regular season, has 7.5 sacks this season to rank fifth in the country and is Missouri's all-time leader with 31.5.

Smith's absence is a good break for Oklahoma QB Paul Thompson, who is facing more of the offensive burden with Peterson sidelined. Thompson was not particularly impressive in his first game without the star runner as he threw for a season-low 105 yards against Colorado, but the senior did complete 17 of 26 passes with one TD and no picks.

Allen Patrick had a decent showing last week starting in place of Peterson with 110 yards and a TD on 35 carries. The junior had only 62 yards on 18 carries in his other four games this year.

Oklahoma has won the last three meetings SU with Missouri and has a 61-21-5 lead in the series, though the teams have not met since 2003.

Notable Game Trends:

- Sooners are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Sooners are 4-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Sooners are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Sooners are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0.
- Sooners are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
- Tigers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games.
- Tigers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite.
- Tigers are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.

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Robby Maddux, Special to www.sports911.com

Originally published October 27, 2006 10:05 am ET

Carrie Stroup here and Saturday's matchup between the Tennessee Vols and South Carolina Gamecocks sees even betting action on either side with both the Tennessee -3 spread and the money line. 

Sportsbooks the likes of  Sportsbook.com will see a wash on this game no matter which way it goes unless the favorite wins and the bookmaker can get a little bit off the vig.  But this is a pretty darn close matchup in the eyes of bettors.

Read more of "Tennessee Vols vs South Carolina Gamecocks: Game sees even betting action" here

October 26, 2006

Carrie Stroup here with a look at the Clemson Tigers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies game and boy do we see a ton of lopsided action on this one folks.  Nearly 80% are on Clemson -4 1/2 and 75% are taking Clemson on the money line.  WOW!

The nationally ranked Clemson Tigers, 7-1, travel to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on the 5-2 VA Tech Hokies in an ACC battle. This game should be won on the line of scrimmage as Clemson’s high powered rushing attack (260.8 YPG) squares off against a Hokies' "D" that has only allowed about 2.7 yards per rush all season long. As the early action rolls in, nearly 90% of the money is on the favored Tigers (-4.5).

Although VA Tech has a very good record, they are a mediocre 3-3 ATS and their D-1A wins have come against teams with a combined record of 9-20. Clemson hasn't had the most challenging of schedules either, but they are an impressive 6-2 ATS and they are coming off an imposing victory over ranked ACC foe Georgia Tech. With numbers like these, it isn't too difficult to see why the early bettors are pouncing on the Tigers.

Last week the betting public got crushed.  Let's see if that trend continues this weekend. 

Sportsbook.com maintains a strong opinion on this game, moving it only a half point to Clemson -4 1/2. 

If I were a betting lady I'd be on the Virginia Tech Hockies to cover +4 1/2

October 5, 2006

Among the games getting affected by sharp betting action, The Tennessee Vols vs. Georgia Bulldogs and LUS vs. Florida appear to be getting hit the hardest and generating the bigger line moves, according to PinnacleSports.com.

LSU -1 -101 v Florida

Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com: "Florida was originally a 2.5 point favorite, but public money has kept coming in on LSU at Pinnacle Sportsbetting. While there have been twice as many bets on LSU as Florida, there has not been a clear consensus from our sharps at the time of writing."

Tennessee -2 -109 v Georgia

"The oddsmakers at PinnacleSports.com opened the Vols’ as a 2.5 point favorite. The Bulldogs have struggled two weeks in a row to mediocre teams, which was enough to get the public to fade them heavily. We have three times as many bettors on Tennessee as Georgia. Despite the public money, the line has drifted down to -2 as our sharps are collectively on the Bulldogs."

Article and more line moves appear below:

Why bet $110 to win $100 when you can bet $104 to win $100 Here

Pinnacle Sports has also seen some substantial line moves in the NFL.

Kansas City -3 -125 v. Arizona

Simon Noble:  "The opener of Chiefs -2.5 (-110) drew a downpour of money at a rate of three bets on K.C. for every one on Arizona. Some sharper players also took an early position on the Chiefs, and sold it off by playing Arizona +3.5 (with point buying). A lot of players are buying half-points on this game, which will make this an ugly game if we’re middled on the “3”."


Pittsburgh +3.5 -115 v San Diego


"This game is one of the most heavily traded games of the week at Pinnacle Sports. The action has been balanced and the sharps have not picked a side on this match-up yet. There is a “resistance point” at San Diego -3.5 (+109). While the price is currently -3.5 (+107), it occasionally creeps up when we take a few large Pittsburgh bets. Every time the line hits Chargers -3.5 (+109), we take a limit bet on them. There are two common causes of this: either scalpers are playing our numbers versus other sportsbooks, or some players are slowly building up a larger position on the Chargers."

October 4, 2006

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas State Wildcats alert

Hi Carrie Stroup here with an Oklahoma State Cowboys at Kansas State Wildcats alert.  Sportsbook.com has made Kansas State a -5 favorite whereas everyone else has the team at no more than -2 1/2.

Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Kansas State, 33-21. The series, which dates back to 1908, is the second oldest for OSU among current Division I membership.

Oklahoma State’s 3-0 start was disrupted by a 34-25 setback at Houston on Sept. 23. However the Cowboys, who are in the midst of a three straight road games, are coming off of an open week before they close the season with eight straight conference games.

Kansas State, under first-year head coach Ron Prince, got off to a 3-0 start before falling at home to Louisville and on the road at Baylor in their league opener.

The game features a matchup between a Kansas State defense ranked 28th nationally and a Cowboy offense ranked 24th in the country. Both teams allow less than 15 points per game.

September 29, 2006

With a line that hasn't budged beyond -14, the favorite Notre Dame has received close to three quarters of the betting action on this week's game verses Purdue. 

12th-ranked Notre Dame is hoping they don’t need another miracle rally this week to stay in the BCS bowl picture, as they host undefeated Purdue on Saturday.

Read More on "Gamblers all over Notre Dame: Purdue gets no love" here

September 27, 2006

September 22, 2006

The sixth-ranked Wolverines look to continue building momentum when they host Wisconsin on Saturday in a match up of unbeaten Big Ten teams. 

''We have an outstanding opponent,'' Head coach Lloyd Carr said. ''You have to be able to handle all of the hype that goes with being up there in the rankings, and some can handle it and some can't. That will be our challenge here. I think our players understand that. They know what Wisconsin will bring in here on Saturday.''  

The Wolverines (3-0) moved up five spots in the Top 25 with a 47-21 win at Notre Dame last Saturday. The win was keyed by a dominant defensive effort and the emergence of sophomore receiver Mario Manningham who had a career-high three touchdown receptions to help the Wolverines take a 34-14 halftime lead, and finished with four catches for 137 yards. 

Michigan is a 14 point home favorite at

Nearly 95% of the betting population believes that the Wolverines will beat Wisconsin.  65% believe they will beat the 14 point spread. 

This season, the Badgers (3-0) are holding opponents to 220.7 yards and 8.0 points per game. That defense's best performance of the season came last week in a 14-0 win over San Diego State. Wisconsin has not allowed a touchdown to the opposing offense in nine consecutive quarters. The Michigan defense has been just as good. Michigan has allowed 20.7 rushing yards per game and 1.0 per carry. 

The Badgers offense was led last Saturday by P.J. Hill Jr., who ran for 184 yards and a score on 26 carries. ''Every game is going to have somebody that's favored and somebody who's the underdog,'' said Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema. ''If we're the underdog this week, it's probably a new position for us, but it's not going to change up the approach we have as a coaching staff or the preparation we have.''  Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco, who threw for 2,920 yards and 21 TD’s last season, has not needed to do much this year with Hill and the stout defense. 

Michigan offensive tackle Rueben Riley said the team wants revenge from last year’s loss to Wisconsin and won’t be looking past the Badgers. ''We don't need anymore motivation than that,'' Riley said. ''That's it. I think our team is very mature. We are ready to get better. That was a great win (over Notre Dame) and it is over now. We demand that of ourselves.''

Asking Michigan to cover two touchdowns may be too much to ask, so we’ll take Wisconsin plus the points. 

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Michigan State Spartans

The Fighting Irish look to bounce back from last week's disaster against Michigan when they travel to Michigan State to take on the Spartans. No. 12 Notre Dame (2-1) suffered its most-lopsided home loss in 46 years last Saturday, as it lost to Michigan 47-21.

Most of the action on this game not surprisingly is on Notre Dame, up to three quarters of bettors are on the Fighting Irish in fact.

The Irish are 3 point road favorites at

''They stopped us in the passing game. They stopped us in the running game. They beat our defense. They really just beat our complete team,'' Notre Dame running back Darius Walker said. ''It was a complete team loss.''  

The loss dropped the Irish 10 spots from No. 2. ''I was surprised that we collectively, from me on down, laid an egg,'' Weis said. ''I expected us to have a better performance.''

Notre Dame has lost seven of its last nine meetings with the Spartans, but has won its last two visits to East Lansing. 

Quinn threw for a career-high 487 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in last season's loss to Michigan State. He has thrown for 805 yards and seven touchdowns in three career games against the Spartans, and has thrown for 767 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in his first three games of this season.

The Spartans have allowed just 123 rushing yards in their last two games, and held Pittsburgh scoreless during the second and third quarters of a 38-23 victory on Saturday. ''I'm not going to sit here and say we're one of the top defenses in the country,'' defensive lineman Clifton Ryan said. ''We've got a ways to go. We're making improvements. But we didn't play a complete game on the defensive end. We've got to build on the things we do well and correct the things we didn't do so well.'' 

The Spartans are ranked third in the nation in total offense (506 yards per game) and seventh in the nation in scoring average (39). Drew Stanton has thrown for 677 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions this season, and passed for 327 yards, three touchdowns and one interception last season against Notre Dame. 

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September 19, 2006

The PAC 10 has issued a one game suspension for the entire officiating crew and instant replay officials who worked the Oklahoma Ducks vs. Oregon Ducks game this past weekend.

"Errors clearly were made and not corrected, and for that we apologize to the University of Oklahoma, coach Bob Stoops and his players," Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen said in a statement. "They played an outstanding college football game, as did Oregon, and it is regrettable that the outcome of the contest was affected by the officiating."

Two plays were reviewed on Oregon's game-winning drive - an onside kick that gave the Ducks possession and a pass interference call one play before the winning touchdown.

Hansen said the onside kick was touched by an Oregon player before it had traveled the required 10 yards, and, therefore, the ball should have been awarded to Oklahoma. The video also shows a Sooners player actually recovered the ball, although that aspect of the play was not reviewable under the instant replay rule.

Oklahoma president David Boren, in turn, wrote an open letter to Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg asking that the game be stricken from the record books. Although Weiberg agreed that the call was an injustice to the Sooners, he also said the result of the game would stand.

The Oklahoma Sooners are now 2-1 whereas they should be 3-0 and the Oregon Ducks are now 3-0 as opposed to 2-1.  As a result the Ducks are listed with odds of winning a BCS championship at 20 to 1 compared with Oklahoma's odds of 75 to 1. 

"A single loss will make an otherwise solid team less likely to achieve a BCS title in the oddsmakers eyes," claims Tyrone Black, Senior Sports Handicapper for Sports911.com, referencing the Odds to win the BCS title found at

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September 15, 2006

Louisiana State Fighting Tigers vs Auburn: Most action on Auburn Tigers

It's the Fighting Tigers vs. just the plain 'ol Tigers but there is nothing plain about the later Tigers who are listed as -3 1/2 favorites at

Nearly 60% of the wagering volume was on the Auburn Tigers as opposed to 40% on the Louisiana State Fighting Tigers as of Friday afternoon.

Peter Finney of the Times Picayune writes:

"For No. 3-ranked Auburn and No. 6 LSU, it has to be like going from preseason to the playoffs in the wink of an eye.

"One moment, one bunch of Tigers are warming their engines against Washington State and Mississippi State, while another bunch is doing the same against Louisiana-Lafayette and Arizona.

"Then, suddenly, it's Armageddon.

"You've got a rivalry that in five of the past six years sent the winner to the SEC championship game and one year to college football's version of Kismet.

"It wasn't supposed to happen so quickly. When the 2006 schedule was drawn up, Auburn was going to host LSU on Oct. 21, after which both schools agreed to a change aimed at breaking up a tough October-November SEC stretch.

"So here we are, on the eve of a Sept. 16 date both coaches circled months ago, waiting for the two best teams in the SEC West to determine who'll play for the conference championship in December."

For the sports bettor, some good things to know are that LSU were 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 road games while Auburn are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  In other words these are two very good teams.  More useful historical stats include the fact that the home team has won outright the last 6 head-to-head matchups, the last two being very close, though five of the last six were won by 3 or more points. 

It might be worth considering Auburn in a 7 point or higher teaser.

Bet on it at

September 9, 2006

BYU bloodbath, Notre Dame demolishes Penn State

This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Sports911.com....

BYU had dropped from a -5 1/2 favorite to -4 vs. Tulsa then it went back to -5 with late action coming in on BYU.  At one point 88% of the action on the money line fell on Tulsa.  By game time, that action was carved to 65% betting BYU.  And BYU clobbered Tulsa 49-24.
 

Read more on "BYU bloodbath, Notre Dame demolishes Penn State" here

 

College Football: Biggest line moves

Carrie Stroup here with all the latest college football line moves for Saturday.

First off, if you want to get down on some action and have a credit card handy (Mastercard or Visa) Sportsbook.com offers some of the highest credit card acceptance rates in the industry.  They can have your new sports betting account up and running within minutes plus you will receive 10% additional cash on whatever you choose to deposit.  Check out 

Looking at the 3 pm Eastern Time games we have big favorite Iowa becoming an even bigger favorite from -18 1/2 to -20 1/2 vs. Syracuse.  Nearly 90% of the betting action was still on Iowa.

Notre Dame had gone from -8 to -8 1/2 vs. Penn State and the action is starting to even out quite a bit with Notre Dame having 60% of all bets on both the spread and run line.  Great game folks!

BYU has dropped from a -5 1/2 favorite to -4 vs. Tulsa and could fall all the way to -3 1/2 by game time.  It's an interesting matchup with sharp money on the Tulsa side.  Notice the disparity here: While most of the action on the spread (-4) is still on BYU (68% of the betting is on BYU), 88% of the action on the money line is going towards Tulsa to win outright.  That's a $160 payout for every $100 bet.  THIS IS A HOT ONE! DON'T MISS IT!  Tulsa has "upset" written all over them.

Watch out for San Jose St. folks!  There's a +9 line, down from +10 1/2.  Even action on the spread but the money line action has San Jose St. winning against Stanford outright and the payout is an impressive $320 on every $100 bet.  I'll tell you looking at these numbers we have 94% of money line action on San Jose St.  That's a hard one to pass up!

UAB vs. Minnesota has gone from UAB -6 to -7 with much of the action going towards UAB.  The money line action is pretty even. 

Elsewhere, New Mexico has gone from being a -9 favorite to a -6 favorite against New Mexico St.  There is still heavy action on the New Mexico State line and in particular the money line which pays out $220 for every $100 bet.  I would not be the least bit surprised to see this line go even below -5 1/2 by the time this one kicks off at 8:00 pm Eastern Time.

That's all from me folks.  Don't forget to check out Sportsbook.com and tell them Sports911.com sent you ---->

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September 8, 2006

Ball State gets little respect going up against Indiana Saturday, at least not from sports bettors.  Nearly 90% of the betting action was on Indiana against the spread and 62% on the money line.

Still, the odds remained at Indiana -3 1/2 after opening at -3.

"Some books are starting to list this one at -4 in order to get more action on Ball State," commented Sports911.com resident Sports Handicapper, Tyrone Black.  "Indiana has clobbered Ball State over its last two meetings between each other but that was pre-2000."

Read more of "Ball State gets little respect vs. Indiana" here

The Tulsa vs. BYU game on Saturday is looking to be one of the most anticipated of the weekend.  Tulsa was originally a +5 1/2 road dog before heavy action on that team forced the line movement down to +4, where it will probably remain just prior to game time.

Read more of "Tulsa vs. BYU: Heavy money on Tulsa moves line from -5 1/2 to -4 here

 

Notre Dame vs. Penn State is one of the bigger games of the week despite a 7 1/2 point line that favors the Fighting Irish.

The general betting public often wagers heavily on the favorite and more than usual on the wrong side - hence the reason online sportsbooks hold such a high winning percentage over players.  With Notre Dame vs. Penn State, the action betting the spread is relatively even heading into Saturday.

Read more of "Notre Dame vs. Penn State: Nittany Lions will win outright according to bettors" here
 

September 6, 2006

Buckeyes vs. Longhorns: 78% of action on Ohio State

An early look at the Buckeyes vs. Longhorns fabulous showdown between the #1 ranked Ohio State vs. #2 Texas has the Longhorns line at -2 1/2 but 78% of those betting this game were all over the Buckeyes.

The line on this game has moved between the -2 and -3 over the past few days and should continue to do so.  Sportsbook.com has maintained a line smack in the middle at -2 1/2, but is likely to move down to -2 by this weekend.

September 2, 2006

Tennessee Vols demolish California as home underdogs

The Tennessee Vols started off as -1 1/2 favorites, ending up as +3 underdogs heading into Saturday's home game.  The Vols beat number 9 California in convincing fashion, 35-18.

Erik Ainge passed for career-high 291 yards and four touchdowns Saturday as the 23rd-ranked Tennessee Vols beat the No. 12 California Golden Bears, 35-18.

The son of Boston Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, the Tennessee quarterback completed 11-of-17 passes for the Volunteers (1-0).

The Vols, with seven new offensive starters, netted 514 yards of total offense.

"They're a good football team," Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "Their quarterback played really well tonight, and you can't give up big plays on our side of the ball."

Tennessee didn't have any problem racking up big plays. The Vols scored on plays of 42, 80, 50 and 43 yards to grab their 12th consecutive season-opening win.

"I'm obviously very proud of our football team," Tennesse coach Phil Fulmer said. "I honestly can't sit here and tell you that I didn't expect it."

The game was played in front of the 65th consecutive Knoxville crowd of more than 100,000 fans, who expected the same result as Fulmer.

Maybe not to this extent: The Vols piled up 514 yards of total offense.

It wasn't supposed to be that way with plenty of sharp money coming in on the Vols late Friday night into early Saturday.

The line opened at online bookmaker BetUS.com with Tennessee as a -1 1/2 home favorite with sharps taking it all the way to California -3 by the time this game got underway.

You can already bet on marquee games such as Tennessee vs. Arkansas with the Vols a +3 road dog at BetUS.  Learn More Here ---->

Other Saturday stunners included Rutgers beating North Carolina as +3 1/2 underdogs.  Army also lost to underdog Arkansas.

September 1, 2006

California Golden Bears vs. Tennessee Vols big line move has 65% betting on Cali

Coming into Saturday's college football games, the betting public believed that the California Golden Bears had a much better chance of beating the Tennessee Vols, resulting in a dramatic line move whereby Tennessee - once the -1 1/2 favorite - now found itself a -3 dog.

That move happened this morning at Sportsbook.com where 65% of those betting this game were still siding with California.

"This is an unusual role for Tennessee to be playing at home, rooting for their team as an underdog," commented Tyrone Black, Sports911.com Resident Sports Handicapper. 

Sharp money has helped make California a favorite in this matchup, which goes off at 5:30 pm ET.

Over the past four years, The Golden Bears have registered 6-1 ATS record against BCS conference teams outside the Pac-10.  And Tennessee's home record is even more concerting.  They were a horrendous 0-6 ATS last year.  In fact, the Vols have failed to cover the spread in their last 10 home games.

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September 1, 2006

College Football: 77% of betting action on Ohio State

If you are looking to get some money down on Ohio State, this will mean a line of -17 vs. No. Illinois but it might be worth the price considering 77% of those betting this game are on Ohio State.  The line actually went down from -17 1/2 earlier.

90% of the betting public playing Wisconsin at Bowling Green is on Wisconson as the -10 road favorite.  Wow!

California at Tennessee was -1 1/2 Tennessee with balanced action coming into Saturday. 

Indiana had gone from being a -6 favorite to -7 with 84% of the action still on Indiana vs. West Michigan.

UCLA was a -3 favorite from an opening line of -3 1/2.  52% of those betting on this game were on Utah however.

84% of customers betting Virginia at Pittsburgh were on Virginia at -3 1/2 and that line has not moved at all.

70% of bettors were on Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech.  Notre Dame was a -7 road favorite.

91% were on Mississippi vs. Memphis at press time for an fyi.  The line being Mississippi -3.

For all your college football betting needs go to Sportsbook.com

August 28, 2006

Will the Florida Gators be any good?

The Florida Gators rank among the top 5 most likely teams to win the 2007 Fiesta Bowl BCS.

"Offensively, the Gators look solid at the skilled positions, but they're going to need to break in an entirely new O-Line," comments Mike Rose of BetWWTS.com.   "Still, that might not be a bad omen considering their rushing numbers decreased and they allowed a whopping 35 sacks last season. There's no doubt the offense will dramatically improve its numbers with a year's worth of Meyer's schemes under their belts.

"Every team that HC Urban Meyer has coached in his young career has done better in the second season. Look for that trend to hold true once again in '06 even though they have a hellacious SEC road schedule with trips to Tennessee , Auburn, and Florida State. Look for the November 11 date with the Gamecocks to be one of the more hyped games of the year, since it was Steve Spurrier's South Carolina squad that knocked them out of SEC East contention last year.

"A huge '06 season is there for the Gators if they live up to their potential, stay relatively injury free, and protect its home turf once again."

Florida is a huge -20 favorite verses Southern Mississippi Week 1.

You can find more odds here ---->

"The defense looks as if it can be something real special this season. The D-Line is stacked with experienced returnees, and the LB corps is one of the best the Gators have marched on the field in years. Special teams also look great in the kicking department with both K Hetland and P Wilbur back."

With Earl Everett and Brandon Siler in the mix, the strength of this Florida defense is clearly the linebacker corps. The Gators ranked among the top 10 nationally last season in total defense and top 20 in scoring defensive. With six starters gone, the linebackers will have to be better than ever to help this team repeat its 2005 defensive success. Everett led the team in tackles in 2005 with 72 stops, while posting 3.5 sacks and two INTs. Siler ranked second with 64 tackles, posting four sacks. Marcus Thomas and Joe Cohen are a pair of senior defensive tackles who have plenty of experience. Jarvis Moss recorded 7.5 sacks and 11 TFLs a year ago (both team-highs), and he is back as a pass rush specialist. In the defensive backfield, players such as Kyle Jackson and Reggie Nelson bring experience and a wealth of talent.

Florida's non-conference schedule lacks any real teeth early, with Southern Mississippi and UCF coming to Gainesville to start the season. October will be the telling month for this Florida team, as it will face LSU, Auburn and Georgia in succession. It is so extremely hard for an SEC team to make a legitimate push for a National Championship because the competition is fierce from week to week. Still, Florida seems to have as good a chance as any to make its run, especially if Leak plays up to his vast potential.

August 20, 2006

Notre Dame favored by oddsmakers despite Ohio State AP poll ranking

Ohio State finishes atop AP poll of schools but it is Notre Dame that has the best odds of winning a BCS championship according to oddsmakers

For the first time since 1998, Ohio State is preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25.

"Around here, whether you're high in the polls or not, the expectations are still the same," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.

The Buckeyes received 35 of a possible 65 first-place votes from a panel of media members in the poll released Friday. Notre Dame was No. 2, the best preseason showing for the Fighting Irish since they were second in 1994.

Read more of "Notre Dame favored by oddsmakers despite Ohio State AP poll ranking" here

August 15, 2006

USC players detained; threatening post card sent to Maurice Clarett

USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett and lineman Thomas Herring were briefly detained by police early Tuesday after they were picked up by a female driver in a car that may have been used during a crime, authorities said.

Both players were walking to morning practice about 8 a.m. when a woman offered them a ride, said coach Pete Carroll. As the players were being dropped off, police swarmed the vehicle and handcuffed the woman, Jarrett and Herring.
Carroll said there was an "investigation on the car" and the players were released after it was determined they weren't involved.

"Our guys were let go but for a moment it was quite a scare," Carroll said. "LAPD realized our guys were not involved. The lesson is don't take rides from strangers."

The vehicle was stopped because it may have been used during a crime, said police Officer Sara Fraden, who was unable to elaborate. The driver was being questioned by police.

Jarrett and Herring both attended practice, said USC spokesman Tim Tessalone.

Jarrett was ruled ineligible earlier this year by the NCAA because he failed to pay full rent on an apartment he shared with Matt Leinart last season.

The All-American receiver was reinstated last week and will not miss a game. He had a team-high 91 receptions for 1,274 yards and scored 16 TDs during 2005.

USC was listed with 10 to 1 odds of winning a BCS championship at press time.  Bet Here --------------->

.....A typewritten, "cryptic" threat against Maurice Clarett was sent to the law office representing the jailed former Ohio State football star, his attorney said Tuesday.

The message, sent from Los Angeles and received Monday, was typed on a piece of paper, cut out and taped on a postcard, said Michael Hoague, one of Clarett's attorneys. He said Clarett has received threats before, but did not detail what was written in this one.
"We don't know quite what to make of it," Hoague said. "It's very cryptic."

Clarett was arrested last week following a police chase near the home of a woman set to testify against him in a January robbery. Four loaded guns were found in his sport utility vehicle, and officers said they had to use pepper spray to subdue him because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest that thwarted their stun guns.

A judge handling the robbery case said he will most likely issue a gag order on Clarett and his attorneys because of all the national media coverage the case has received.

"This case will be tried in the courtroom and not in some newspaper or radio station or TV station or in some national publication," Judge David Fais said. He expected to make a decision in the next few days.

Assistant prosecutor Doug Stead requested the order, accusing defense attorneys of talking to reporters too much.

The judge hastily summoned Clarett and attorneys from both sides to his courtroom Tuesday afternoon after the sheriff's office notified Fais that a reporter was planning to visit Clarett. During the hearing, Clarett's attorneys withdrew the request for their client to meet with the reporter.

Clarett had been set for trial Monday on charges accusing him of robbing two people of a cell phone outside a bar early on New Year's Day. The judge delayed the trial and ordered a mental evaluation over the objections of Clarett and his attorneys following his arrest Aug. 9 on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

Clarett, who scored the winning touchdown for the Buckeyes in the 2002 national championship game, is jailed without bond.

"He's been in very good spirits," Hoague said. "He's basically sitting in his cell, doing sit-ups and push-ups and reading the Bible, all day long."

During a 10-minute court appearance Tuesday, Clarett, wearing standard-issue jail clothing, was permitted to enter the courtroom without handcuffs. At the end of the hearing, he turned and raised his hand to greet his mother and girlfriend who were sitting a few feet behind the defense table.

His mother, Michelle Clarett, declined to comment.

Florida Gators hit road block

Still a +1000 favorite to win the 2007 BCS championship, the Florida Gators were hit with bad news Monday. 

Redshirt freshman Ronnie Wilson, the projected starter at right guard, was lost for at least the team's first three games, including the always anticipated Sept. 16 road game at Tennessee.

Wilson fractured his left ankle in Saturday's practice and underwent surgery later that night at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., Florida assistant athletics director Steve McClain confirmed. Wilson is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.

The Gators, ranked No. 8 in the preseason USA Today coaches' poll, are trying to replace four departed starters from last season's offensive line. Wilson, 6 feet 4 and 309 pounds, is one of the team's most promising young lineman after a stellar career at Blanche Ely High in Pompano Beach, Fla.

Florida's offensive line was already its biggest concern heading into the season. The Gators shuffled the starting unit after losing four senior starters, including All-SEC center Mike Degory, from last season.

There is good news to report for the Gators however.  Receiver Andre Caldwell will be back and better than ever.

Caldwell was timed in 4.29 seconds during a practice dash this weekend, the fastest player on the team. He was even faster than he was before his injury early last season.

Caldwell broke the femur bone in his upper right leg Sept. 17, 2005, against Tennessee. A rod was inserted in his leg, prompting concerns he might never be the same.

The Gators weren't the same without Caldwell last season.  Caldwell caught 43 passes for 689 yards and three touchdowns in 2004. He had 10 receptions for 148 yards, including a 63-yarder, before the injury.

Oddsmakers at lists only 5 teams in the NCAA with better odds of winning a BCS National Championship in 2007 than Florida.  Notre Dame has the best odds at +500 (a $100 bet would pay out $500).  Ohio State, West Virginia, USC and Oklahoma also have better odds of winning the title this year. 

With Florida still listed at +1000 as of August 15, the payout would translate into a $1000 win for every $100 bet should the Gators capture the BCS title.

August 14, 2006

Matt Leinart reaches deal with Arizona Cardinals: Still favored to win under 8 games

Quarterback Matt Leinart has finally reached an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals.  According to ESPN.com, the deal includes a maximum value of $50.8 million on a six year contract.

The former Southern California star and the 10th overall selection in the 2006 draft combined with star running back Edgerrin James would appear to make the Arizona Cardinals a true contender for the post season.  They play in a division along side Seattle but this was also among the weakest divisions last year, featuring the likes of St. Louis and San Francisco.

 may be erring on the side of caution with the release of its odds on Arizona's regular season wins for 2006.  They have the team winning 8, much improvement over last year for sure.  Odds of -130 are on the UNDER 8 total wins however.

Total regular season win betting is among the most fun future bet options entering any NFL season.  You simply bet on how whether a team will win more or less games than the posted line (in this case, Arizona has a line of 8 wins for the season).  Depending on a bookmakers opinion, the OVER or UNDER that number of wins may offer a better payout.  In the case of Arizona, which has odds of winning UNDER 8 games, one would have to bet $13 to win $10.  Betting the OVER would pay even money.

As for Leinart, he becomes the last of the 255 prospects chosen this year to agree to terms, and the accord will end his two-week absence from training camp.

The basic six-year deal averages about $6.75 million per season and includes $14 million in guarantees. The value of the contract, negotiated by agents Tom Condon and Ken Kremer of CAA, will increase if Leinart reaches predetermined playing time levels that will then trigger so-called escalators in the latter years of the deal.

It remains to be seen if Leinart will have an serious impact in Arizona this year, certainly not early on.  The 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, Leinart, who posted a brilliant 37-2 record as the USC starter, is now expected to battle two-year veteran John Navarre for the backup job behind starter Kurt Warner. Navarre threw a pair of interceptions in Saturday's preseason opener. The consensus is that the Cardinals chose Leinart to groom him as the team's quarterback of the future.

August 12, 2006

2006 College Football betting odds: California Golden Bears vs. Tennessee Volunteers

When reviewing early 2006 College Football betting odds we see that the game between the California Golden Bears and Tennessee Volunteers offers one of the tighter lines, Tennessee -2 at .

Most experts do not believe the Vols are ready for the BCS this year.  California, meanwhile, had some very close losses and a record of 8-4 last year.  They should be in contention for the Pac-10 title.

Scout.com raises an interesting point about the Tennessee Volunteers.

"A program looking to rebuild its confidence after a 5-6 disappointment should not play two top-10 opponents in the season’s first three weeks. But that’s the fate awaiting the Tennessee Volunteers, who sandwich California (Sept. 2) and Florida (Sept. 16) around Air Force (Sept. 9) in the early going of 2006."

Read more of "2006 College Football betting odds: California Golden Bears vs. Tennessee Volunteers" here

August 4, 2006

Ohio State ranks number one in coaches poll, Notre Dame bookies favorite

To nobody's real surprise, the Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked number one in the preseason USA Today coaches poll released late Friday.

The folks at Betonline.com (Visit Website Here) disagree somewhat with the poll findings.  They list  Ohio State with +575 odds to win the BCS Championship compared to Notre Dame with odds of +525.  A win by Ohio State would pay out $575 for every $100 bet.  Notre Dame is tied at #3 in the coach's poll with the Texas Longhorns (+1200 odds or $1200 paid out for every $100 bet if they win the BCS Championship).

The Ohio State Buckeyes rank number one despite having to replace nine starters on defense with the graduation of several stars including the entire linebacking trio of A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel. 

The team comes off a 10-2 record from last season and a Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame.

In 5th place, the coaches selected Oklahoma, with odds of +650 to win the Championship at BetonLine.com.  Auburn was selected #6.  There is great value here with odds of +1500.

The complete rankings include:
 
1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. Notre Dame (tie)
USC
5. Oklahoma
6. Auburn
7. West Virginia
8. Florida
9. LSU
10. Florida State
11. Miami (Fla)
12. California
13. Louisville
14. Georgia
15. Michigan
16. Virginia Tech
17. Iowa
18. Clemson
19. Penn State
20. Oregon
21. TCU
22. Nebraska
23. Tennessee
24. Alabama
25. Texas Tech

College Football: Oklahoma Sooners offer great value at 7 to 1 odds

At 7 to 1 odds to win the 2007 NCAAF Championship, the Oklahoma Sooners offer great betting value and for good reason.  The team is ranked #3 among online oddsmakers worldwide including SportsInteraction.com (See Web Site Here)

Popular sports handicapper, Phil Steele, recently commented on why he thinks the Oklahoma Sooners could win the 2007 NCAAF Championship.

Steele relayed to Scout.com:

"A lot of folks do question when you pick a team number one that has lost four games the previous season but, ironically, three times in the last six years, the eventual national champion has lost five games the previous year. So the Sooners are in pretty good shape compared to that crowd. And one of those teams that lost five games the previous year was the 1999 Sooners, who were playing in the lowly Independence Bowl.

Read more about "College Football: Oklahoma Sooners offer great value at 7 to 1 odds" here