Bet On NCAA Football – Crimson Tide Look to Drown Bulldogs

If you bet on NCAA football, you may think that Mississippi State is one of the biggest surprises in the country, and you’ll probably be right. But the Bulldogs have a tall order in front of them on Saturday night when they head to Tuscaloosa, where they’ll face an Alabama team who will be angry after seeing their chances at a BCS-title repeat go up in smoke last week.

Mississippi State Alabama Betting – Saturday, November 13th, 7:15 PM ET

The No.19 Bulldogs (7-2, 3-2) won their sixth straight game with a 24-17 victory at home against Kentucky, forcing four turnovers out of the Wildcats. Chris Relf was 7-of-16 for 111 yards and a touchdown, while adding 79 yards and the game-winning score on the ground. Vick Ballard ran for 103 yards and a touchdown for the Bulldogs, who had 214 yards on the ground, but were still outgained 347-325. Their defense was opportunistic, picking off Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline three times, and all football betting players know that if you win the turnover battle, you’re likely to come away with a win.

The No.12 Crimson Tide (7-2, 4-2) fell just short in a 24-21 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, and it burns even more because Alabama coach Nick Saban, who won a national title at LSU in 2003, was outcoached by counterpart Les Miles, who called a fake punt in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide also had a couple of turnovers which didn’t help their cause, and they were outgained 433-325. Greg McElroy was 21-of-34 for 223, two touchdowns and a pick, while Mark Ingram ran for 97 yards and a score for the Crimson Tide, whose defense went soft early in the fourth quarter and allowed LSU to take over.

If you’re a fan of defense, this will be well worth the price per head if you have a ticket to the game, where the Crimson Tide are a 13.5-point favorite. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally in terms of scoring defense (Alabama is fifth, Mississippi State is ninth), so it should be a low-scoring affair. The Crimson Tide are 5-2 SU in their last seven at home against the Bulldogs, but only 2-5 ATS, and while we think Alabama will win the game, we think Mississippi State to keep it to within a touchdown. The Bulldogs are 71st against the pass, but we don’t know if the Crimson Tide can take advantage of it. McElroy hasn’t been as sharp as he was in last year’s run to the national title, and that’s partly because the running game hasn’t been as strong. We’re taking Alabama to win straight up, but go with Mississippi State if you want to go against the online sports betting spread.

NFL Game Odds Preview for November 14, 2010: Minnesota Vikings (-1) vs. Chicago Bears

Overview:

NFL observers were betting on some level of drama surrounding the Minnesota Vikings (3-5) this season. The Vikings did use a private jet to fly to Brett Favre’s house and convince him to play one more season. But the NFL betting experts were probably not counting on more coaching drama from head coach Brad Childress and the quick visit of wide receiver Randy Moss.

The football betting enthusiasts also did not know what to make of the Chicago Bears (5-3) in the preseason. The NFL predictions surrounding the Bears were favorable. The Bears had linebacker Brian Urlacher back from injury, they picked up defensive lineman Julius Peppers and they also brought in running back Chester Taylor to help the offense. But the Chicago offense is still sputtering, and many are starting to wonder if the problem does not start with quarterback Jay Cutler.

Offense:

Why the Chicago Bears have the 27th ranked passing game in the NFL is a mystery. It could be the same problem that the 29th ranked passing game is having; the quarterback and the offensive line are inconsistent. Quarterback Jay Cutler only has nine touchdowns this season to go along with seven interceptions. But Cutler is getting sacked an average of three times a game. That indicates that the Bears offensive line is having all kinds of problems protecting for the pass, and opening up holes in the running game.

The Minnesota Vikings thought they had the perfect replacement for oft-injured wide receiver Percy Harvin when they brought in veteran receiver Randy Moss. But after insulting the Vikings caterer, and initiating a Patriots love-fest after the Vikings lost to the Patriots in week eight, the Vikings decided that they did not need the services of Randy Moss any longer and let him go. Luckily for the Vikings, Brett Favre is starting to really warm up and push Minnesota into the win column. It looks like some of that Favre magic still exists.

Defense:

The Vikings have the fifth-ranked defense in the NFL allowing an average of only 305 total yards per game, but they have had problems putting pressure on the quarterback. In their week nine win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Vikings defense finally found its way to the quarterback and registered six sacks. Up to that game, the Vikings had only six sacks all season long. The Minnesota secondary looked a little confused against the Cardinals, but they brought it together in the fourth quarter to help force overtime.

The Bears defense is as intimidating as it has always been. The Bears are ranked third against the rush allowing an average of only 84 yards per game on the ground. Even with the addition of Peppers and a healthy Urlacher, the pass defense on the Bears is ranked 19th. The Bears have a problem giving up the big pass play at least once or twice a game, and if they give that play up early to Favre then it could open the flood gates.

The Bottom Line:

The Bears struggled to hold on and beat the Buffalo Bills in week nine while the Vikings came back from two touchdowns back to force overtime and beat the Cardinals. Momentum can sometimes account for a lot in the NFL, and the Vikings are carrying a lot of momentum into this game.

BSN Sports Pick: Minnesota Vikings