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This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Gambling911.com and I am so elated about the start of college football I can hardly contain myself. The best game on tap tonight: Boise State faces Oregon.
Boise State is the unanimous choice to win the WAC this season and is the early season darling from the non-BCS schools to possibly pluck another BCS berth when the bids come out in December. Any BCS talk will die however if the Broncos are upset on Thursday. Over 70% of bettors at Sportsbook.com think that is a possibility, backing the Oregon Ducks as a 3-1/2 point dog.
Consider the track record of Boise State coming into the season.
Boise State has had three unbeaten regular seasons in the last five years and is 55-9 in all games since 2004. Faced with oddsmakers' numbers just begging the sports bettor to play the other side, the Broncos are 33-25-1 against the spread in that time period.
In games played on the "Smurf Turf" blue carpet at Bronco Stadium, Boise State is 64-2 and 40-17 ATS the last decade, which includes 49 in a row during the regular season. Boise State returns a dozen starters, including quarterback Kellen Moore, who broke onto the scene last year as a freshman. In truth, Coach Chris Peterson might have a team equal to or better than the 2006 squad, which was 13-0 and knocked off Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl.
The Oregon Ducks are not to be taken for granted just because they have a new coach in Chip Kelly. With just ten returning starters from last year's surprising 10-3 squad, the ranking appears a trifle inflated, however three components help justify the number.
Oregon might not average 41.9 points per game this upcoming season, however, will still have ample firepower with Jeremiah Masoli at the controls. The junior quarterback is far from classic passer, but he's accurate and is powerful runner and is listed as All-Pac 10 QB in several preseason publications. Speaking of powerful, 240-pound LeGarrette Blount is one blunt object in the open field. The architect of this high-powered offense is coach Kelly, whose been the Oregon offense coordinator. The Ducks are 27-5 ATS in first road game, including covering nine of last 10.
Sportsbook.com has Boise State listed as 3.5-point home favorite, down from opening number of 5.5, with the total having risen to 64.
This is the second game on ESPN Thursday night, which will start at 10:15 Eastern. Oregon has revenge on their minds after last year's 37-32 home upset as 10.5-point favorites to the Broncos. Masoli told a Eugene television station during the offseason that the loss was "embarrassing" and that this year he and his team would "take it to (Boise State)."
Log on to Sportsbook.com for all of your College Football action this year.
Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
