College Football Betting – TCU Get To See What They’re Made Of Against Wisconsin

NCAA football betting players have listened all season to the great debate: do non-AQ (automatic qualifiers) teams belong in the same category as AQ teams? This year, we get a matchup that will be a huge statement in that debate as Wisconsin will go against TCU in the “Granddaddy of Them All”, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The Horned Frogs were left out of the national-title party, and this is their chance to step up for non-AQ teams everywhere (before they head off to the Big East).

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

The No.5 Badgers (11-1) fell just once, on October 2nd by 10 points at Michigan State, and that led them back to Pasadena for the first time since 2000. The Badgers offense was out of control down the stretch, averaging 67 points over their last three games, and they’re doing it on the strength of the No.12 rushing attack in the nation. The star of the show, John Clay, has missed the last few games and will likely be back for the Rose Bowl. UFC betting players may think they’re getting ready to watch a battle in the octagon, because the Badgers aren’t fancy, they step up and punch you in the mouth.

Only twice did the No.3 Horned Frogs (12-0) fail to beat an opponent by double digits, and only four opponents managed to reach double digits against TCU, who could end up with their fifth No.1 ranking in total defense in the last 10 years. But the offense caught up to the defense, coming in ninth in total offense and fourth in points scored. In fact, the Badgers and Horned Frogs are tied for fourth in the nation in points scored.

Your pay per head sportsbook has the Horned Frogs favored by a field goal in this massive game, and these two programs have never met. Wisconsin is 3-3 in their all-time Rose Bowl record, while TCU is looking to bounce back from a loss to Boise State in last year’s Fiesta Bowl, their debut appearance in a BCS bowl. This game will be won and lost at the line of scrimmage, as Wisconsin looks to impose its will, and their power running game, while the Horned Frogs have to protect Andy Dalton and their aerial attack. We’re going to take Wisconsin because of their running game, but it’s not going to be a blowout; in fact, it’ll likely be decided by a field goal in what could be the most exciting game of the bowl season. It won’t be a high-scoring affair, so take the under on the posted total of 58.5.

BSN Sports pick: Wisconsin +3

NFL Odds Preview for December 16, 2010: San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers (-9)

Betting Overview:

When San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York proclaimed that his then 0-3 San Francisco 49ers would not only make the playoffs but they would also win the division, it was considered one of the most ludicrous NFL predictions of the season. But as the NFL scores kept rolling in, the 49ers find themselves at 5-8 and only one game out of first place in an extremely weak NFC West. After pounding the Seattle Seahawks 40-21 in week 14, the 49ers turn their attention to the San Diego Chargers.

The San Diego Chargers used to be good money for NFL betting in December. No matter how the Chargers had done earlier in the season, they always seemed to sweep December and make the playoffs. This December has been a bit different. The Chargers lost a key week 13 game to the Oakland Raiders that put San Diego two games back of first place Kansas City in the AFC West. But the Chargers beat Kansas City in week 14, and are riding a wave of momentum into this game against the 49ers.

Offense:

The San Diego Chargers have watched their offensive production fall off in December. The Chargers are now ranked second in the league in offense averaging a total of 400 yards per game. But do not let a fall in the rankings fool you. The Chargers still have a potent running game headed by a healthy rookie running back Ryan Mathews, and the passing game still features an extremely accurate quarterback in Philip Rivers.

The San Francisco 49ers just cannot seem to make up their minds. For some reason, quarterback Troy Smith was benched for the already-once-benched Alex Smith two games ago. When Troy Smith was playing, he was creating a buzz in the league. But the 49ers have shown that they desperately want Alex Smith to be the starting quarterback and it looks like they made the right choice so far. Running back Frank Gore cannot get blocking from the offensive line, and there is no underneath passing game that features tight end Vernon Davis. The problems with the San Francisco offense seem to be coaching rather than the players.

Defense:

The San Diego Chargers still have the number one ranked defense in the league. It is a fast defense that puts pressure on the quarterback and stuffs the run at the line of scrimmage. The defensive backfield is extremely fast and getting smarter every week. The 49ers defense is the very kind of defense that the San Francisco 49ers cannot play well against.

The 49ers have the 11th ranked defense in the league allowing an average of 327 yards per game. But that was established against teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers won’t have any answers for an offense like the one the Chargers bring to the table.

The Bottom Line:

The sad thing about the NFC West is that the 49ers could lose this game and still be in the hunt for the divisional crown. When you spend all season playing weak teams like the ones in the NFC West, you are in no condition to take on the San Diego Chargers.

BSN Sports Pick: San Diego Chargers

NFL Betting Preview for December 19, 2010: Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers (-2.5)

Betting Overview:

These games between NFL teams trying to figure out who will be on the roster next season are usually very interesting. The NFL predictions for the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers were not optimistic in the preseason, and the regular season NFL scores have shown both teams to be living down to expectations. This will be a difficult game for NFL betting enthusiasts because you really never know which Arizona Cardinals team will show up. It could be the Cardinals team that has put together a 4-9 record this season, or it could be the Cardinals team that laid a 43-13 beating on the Denver Broncos in week 14.

The Carolina Panthers should be on the hunt for a new head coach after this season is over. Current head coach John Fox did not have the personnel to win this season, but he made some extremely bad moves in an attempt to win. Rather than develop a young team into something that Carolina fans could be excited about, Fox has dismantled his team and shattered the confidence of rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen. There will be a lot of pieces for a new coach to pick up in Carolina next season.

Offense:

The Cardinals are still searching for the answer at quarterback. Right now, the only in-house solution seems to be the young Max Hall. But he has been injured almost all season long and there is no chance of getting him any game play experience this season. Rookie John Skelton did an excellent job of managing the 43-13 win over the Broncos in week 14, but he did not have any major hand in determining the outcome of the game. It is expected that the Cardinals will release quarterback Derek Anderson at the end of the season and try their luck in the draft. Running back Tim Hightower had 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the week 14 win, and he looks to be as potent as ever.

The Carolina Panthers are clueless on offense. The offensive line cannot protect Clausen or block for the run. Head coach John Fox pulled Clausen from the lineup twice in favor of journeyman Matt Moore until Moore finally suffered a concussion. Wide receiver Steve Smith is wasting away in Carolina, and last year’s 1,000 yard rusher Jonathan Stewart will be lucky to get 800 rushing yards this season.

Defense:

On defense, the Cardinals cannot stop the run or the pass. But they have just enough firepower on defense to shut down a unit like the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals are strongest against the pass, and they will limit Clausen’s ability to throw deep. The Cardinals linebackers will have to determine whether or not Jonathan Stewart has a big game on the ground.

The most frustrating thing for Carolina fans is that their 1-12 record includes stellar performances by the 12th ranked defense in the league. Carolina’s biggest defensive weakness is against the run where they are ranked 25th in the league. There is no passing game in Arizona to shut down, so the Panthers will be able to shift all of their defensive resources to stopping Tim Hightower.

The Bottom Line:

The Panthers are about as well-matched as they can get against the Cardinals. But it is hard to bet for the Panthers because they keep finding new ways to lose games. A team does not get the distinction of being the worst team in football without making critical mistakes at the worst possible times.

BSN Sports Pick: Arizona Cardinals