The decision to put the Michigan Wolverines and the Virginia Tech Hokies in the BCS was a bit controversial to say the least. That being said, these two should still be in for a great battle, and that is going to make our Sugar Bowl predictions difficult to say the least.

Sugar Bowl: Michigan Wolverines vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Sugar Bowl Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Sugar Bowl Date/Time: Tuesday, January 3rd, 8:30 p.m. (ET)
Sugar Bowl Television Coverage: ESPN, ESPN3.com

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2011-12 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

Key #1: The Hokies have to figure out how to slow down mobile quarterbacks
QB Denard Robinson is one of the most athletic quarterbacks that you’re going to find in the entire country. He now has two straight seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and double digits worth of rushing touchdowns, and he has a decent arm and can get the ball up the field as well. The closest thing that the Hokies saw to that all season long was Clemson Tigers’ QB Tajh Boyd. Boyd didn’t have the two greatest games in the world against V-Tech, but he did find ways to make the plays when he really had to, and in the two games in which the Tigers knocked off the Hokies, a lot of those plays came after he left the pocket. Robinson generally likes to get outside first and see what he can make out of a play at that point, especially if he is designed to throw and doesn’t have his first read, and that’s when the Virginia Tech defense has tended to be picked apart. It’s odd to say for a team that has this much speed on this side of the ball, but it might be that speed that is truly costing the Hokies and pushing them out of position.

Sugar Bowl Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Michigan Wolverines -2.5
Virginia Tech Hokies +2.5
Over/Under 51
Click Here to Bet The Sugar Bowl Picks!

Key #2: David Wilson needs to be contained
If the man that Virginia Tech has to stop is Robinson, the man that the Wolverines have to stop is Wilson. You really didn’t hear a lot of hype out of Wilson as a Heisman Trophy candidate, but if you take away those two games against Clemson and make them wins, the Hokies might have had the Heisman winner. Wilson only had 32 yards in the ACC Championship Game against Clemson, but he still ended the campaign with 1,631 yards on the ground with a total of 10 trips to the end zone. The junior averaged over six yards per carry, and his speed is what earned him kick returning duties as well. Though not nearly as proficient as he was last year, Wilson has shown that he can break the big ones based on his 26.5 yards per return average in 2010. Whether it be as a rusher, a receiver, or a returner, all eyes are going to have to be on Wilson. Without stopping Wilson, it will be awfully difficult to keep tabs on…

Key #3: Danny Coale has to make a lot of the grunt work plays for the Hokies
… Coale. When you look at Coale, you really aren’t all that impressed. He’s a 6’0″ receiver, weighs 200 pounds soaking wet, and he really doesn’t even remotely look like a wide receiver. Look at the stats for his career, and you still won’t be all that impressed. Coale did have four years worth of reps in this offense, and he has 157 career receptions, 2,541 yards, and eight TDs. His numbers should theoretically be better than that, but if you just sit and watch the tape, you realize how many huge plays that he makes for this team. It feels like QB Logan Thomas only has eyes for Coale on all of those 3rd and 7 plays, and he is always right there to get the job done. More than that in this game though, might be Coale’s ability to kick. He had a dozen punts this year and had the best net punting average for any of the V-Tech kickers at 44.1 yards per punt. On top of that, he may be forced into kicking duties. K Cody Journell, the team’s original kicker has been suspended, while K Tyler Weiss, his backup, missed curfew and won’t play in the Sugar Bowl. K Justin Myer has kicked for the team this year, but both punters Michael Branthover and Scott Demler were nothing special this year either. Coale is going to be called into a ton of duties for the Sugar Bowl, and he is going to have to really make some of those plays that you aren’t going to necessarily recognize how important they are on the stat sheet for the Hokies to pull off the upset.

Click Here to get the best college football picks that you’ll find on the internet, including our Sugar Bowl picks and the NCAA football picks for the rest of the bowl game odds.

2011-12 Top 25 College Football Games of the Year
#25 San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines and the San Diego State Aztecs aren’t going to be putting on the biggest show of the year, as neither of these two are going to be National Championship contenders this year, but they are still clearly going to a ton of storylines, as former SDSU Head Coach Brady Hoke tries to take down his former team in his new maize and blue.

San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Picks & Info
San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Date: Saturday, September 24th, 2011
San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
NCAA Football Lines: Michigan Wolverines -7

This is a year in which Michigan is expected to do a lot better now that the Big 10 has expanded to 12 teams. QB Denard Robinson is going to end up as a Heisman Trophy contender again this season, as he is going to end up putting up some gaudy statistics. He threw for 2,570 yards and rushed for 1,702 yards last year, and he really came out on nowhere to do so. Scoring isn’t an issue for Big Blue. It accounted for 489.1 yards per game a season ago and put up 32.8 points per game.

San Diego State Aztecs vs. Michigan Wolverines Past Games
2004: Michigan 24 – San Diego State 21

The issue is going to be whether there is going to be any defense to stop the San Diego State offense. Michigan really struggled last season, allowing a ton of points to a ton of teams. The Wolverines will be up against it going against an offense that averaged 458.1 yards per game last year. RB Ronnie Hillman is going to have his work cut out for him picking up the slack for an offense that must replace a number of departed players… not to mention its head coach from a year ago.

San Diego State Aztecs @ Michigan Wolverines Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/10/11):
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San Diego State Aztecs (+7) @ Michigan Wolverines

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In the third game of the “New Year’s Resolution” between the SEC and the Big Ten, the Gator Bowl will pit the Mississippi State Bulldogs against the Michigan Wolverines. These two teams have taken very different paths to get here this year, but they are both going to be proud to be here in Jacksonville. But which team will beat the Gator Bowl odds at Ever Bank Stadium? The three keys to this game are going to be the difference.

Key #1: Mississippi State’s defense has to use the exact same game plan it used against Auburn
It’s not often that you see Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton be held down in a game, but that’s exactly what happened when he faced these Bulldogs early in the season. Now, what we need to remember is that this was several months ago before we even knew that Newton was going to be a Heisman candidate, let alone a runaway winner of the award. On that day, he rushed for just 70 yards and threw for just 136 yards and two total scores with a pick. The Tigers were held to just 350 yards on the day, and the Bulldogs were able to stay alive every step of the way to nearly pull off the upset. (However, on that day, MSU was only a one point underdog.) QB Denard Robinson is built in the exact same mold as Newton from the standpoint that he will look to throw the ball after he checks his running options. Newton was originally viewed as a poor man’s Robinson, but what ended up happening was the exact opposite. Still, this is a dynamic rusher that can make a lot of things happen, but the MSU defense needs to figure out how to contain him.

Key #2: Michigan has to keep Robinson clean
The problem with Robinson is that he is really a one man band on this team. He handled the ball 495 times this year, 245 of them coming on the ground. He really has no regard for his body at times and takes a tremendous beating. Michigan had to switch to backup QB Tate Forcier on several instances over the course of the year when Robinson either wasn’t at his best or when he had taken a few too many shots. In this game though, Forcier won’t be here. He was ruled academically ineligible for this game, which really just leaves Robinson to take care of himself. The offensive line has to do a great job taking care of him in the pocket, and RB Vincent Smith and RB Michael Shaw might have to do some more carrier of the football at times if Head Coach Rich Rodriguez wants to stay competitive in this game. If anything happens to Robinson, Big Blue is finished.

Key #3: Someone has to step up in the passing game for the Bulldogs
We know that it just isn’t in the nature of the Bulldogs to try to throw the ball all that much, but this secondary for Michigan is very, very bad 260.2 yards per game allowed. Normally speaking, QB Chris Relf would be trying to get the ball in the air to WR Chad Bumphis. However, Bumphis isn’t likely to be in the lineup in this one due to a collarbone injury. Both WR Malcolm Johnson and WR Leon Berry are questionable as well, while TE Marcus Green is definitely out of the game. Relf only threw the ball 195 times this year for 1,495 yards and nine scores, but a ton of his passes were in the direction of his top receiver. With Bumphis out, WR Arceto Clark becomes the team’s top receiver. The problem with that? Clark only had 22 catches for 317 yards and a pair of TDs. Someone has to step it up in a big way to be able to keep this offense balanced.

The college football betting world has been waiting for this day all year, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are zooming in on the props on the card on Saturday that are worth backing. Be sure to sign up for an account at Hollywood Sportsbook for the best NCAA props on the internet!

Texas/Rice Longest Touchdown Over/Under 57.5 Yards
This is quite the interesting prop to back in this game. HC Mack Brown has made the vow that he is going to use the rushing game more this year, especially considering the strength of his plethora of running backs. Without WR Jordan Shipley in the fold, QB Garrett Gilbert is probably going to see his playbook thumbed down quite a bit. The Longhorns are going to be perfectly content to get out of this game with a modest score line even though that hasn’t been the case in recent seasons against the Owls. Rice hasn’t even formally named a starting quarterback yet, and three different players could be in the rotation by the time it is said and done. That being said, we tend to believe that the longest touchdown will be Under 57.5 yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) more than at least 55 percent of the time.

Florida Gators Over/Under 45 Points
The Gators are going to want to make one heck of a statement in this game. We tend to believe that the rushing combination of RBs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps is going to go wild for the Gators, but the man that we are really keeping an eye on is QB John Brantley. Many think that Brantley has a better arm than the departed QB Tim Tebow, and HC Urban Meyer is going to be out to prove a point that his Gators are going to be National Championship contenders once again this year. Though even beating lowly Miami by 70 points wouldn’t ultimately decide the season, we tend to believe that this 45 point barrier is significantly too low. Look for the Gators to go Over 45 points (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Saturday afternoon.

Oregon State Beavers Over/Under 18.5 Points
We know that the Horned Frogs have one heck of a defense, but this is an Oregon State team we are speaking of that has the potential to bust plays wide open at the drop of a hat. The Beavers have two very, very dangerous threats in RB Jacquizz Rodgers and his brother, WR James Rodgers, and though they are going to have to adapt to a new quarterback, that doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to find pay dirt. HC Mike Riley knows what he is doing at this level, and he is going to have his boys ready to take on this defense in what could be the most important game of the year. TCU is rightfully favored by double digits in this game, but that doesn’t mean that the Beavs won’t be able to drop at least three tuddies on the board. Oregon State will go Over 18.5 points (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) and could threaten to pull off a big upset. Don’t be afraid to go with the Longest Touchdown of the Oregon State/TCU game Over 48.5 yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) either.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Over/Under 33.5 Points
The Irish are in their first game under new HC Brian Kelly, but that doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed to all of a sudden run up and down the field and cripple what the offense did last year. Don’t get us wrong, this is still a very talented team offensively. QB Dayne Crist has a ton of potential, and WR Michael Floyd, TE Zach Rudolph, and RB Armando Allen are amongst some of the most talented skill position players in the country. However, you don’t just immediately replace QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate and think that your offense is going to be able to drop five TDs in a game against a Big Ten opponent. Purdue is going to challenge Notre Dame in this game every step of the way, so we don’t think that a blowout is in the cards. All that being said, we don’t like the Irish offense in this game to do this much damage. Go with Notre Dame Under 33.5 points (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Junior Hemingway Over/Under 2 Receptions
My, what a sucker prop this is! Hemingway only went over two receptions in a game twice all of last season and he had two games in which he pushed that two. Yes, this is a man that could really stretch the field for the Wolverines, but it is tough to get him the football for the various Michigan quarterbacks. There has just been no continuity on this offense yet this year, which is going to cause a rotation of QBs under center for HC Rich Rodriguez. Parlay all of that with the fact that the Huskies are going to try their best to milk the clock and make this game as short as possible with the rushing abilities of RB Jordan Todman, and the recipe is ripe for fewer plays than normal in this game. It looks so enticing to take a receiver at this level over two receptions, as it only requires three little dump passes to produce a winner. Trust us that it won’t happen more often than not. Hemingway will go Under 2 receptions (+115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) in this game and in several others this year.

It’s here! Our 2010 college football picks are ready and raring to go here at Bankroll Sports, and to get you ready for the first week of play, we’ve got the list of only the best NCAA football trends that can point you in the right direction towards cashing in on a slew of winners! Get your college football betting season off on the right foot with these hot college football trends!

Thursday, September 2nd: Pittsburgh Panthers @ Utah Utes
Trends of Note
-The Panthers are only 2-6 ATS in their L/8 games played in the month of September
-Utah is a whopping 27-12-1 ATS in its L/40 games played outside of the MWC
-The Utes are 10-4-1 ATS in their L/15 home games

Series History
Utah defeated the Panthers 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl in 2005, marking the first time that a non-BCS team went to one of college football’s premier bowl games. The Utes destroyed the 14 point spread that day and made an embarrassment out of U-Pitt, the Big East champs for that year.

Friday, September 3rd: Arizona Wildcats @ Toledo Rockets
Trends of Note
-The Wildcats are just 2-7 ATS in their L/9 road games
-Arizona is 0-4 ATS in its L/4 games played outside of the Pac-10
-Toledo is just 1-4 ATS in its L/5 games overall dating back to last year

Series History
These two teams have met twice before, in 2008 and in 1985. Arizona won both games, crushing the Rockets 41-16 in ’08 and easing to a 23-10 decision two and a half decades ago. Young RBs Nick Grigsby and Keola Antolin, both of which are still around for the Cats, combined to rush the ball 29 times for 157 yards and three TDs in the victory two years ago.

Saturday, September 4th: UCLA Bruins @ Kansas State Wildcats
Trends of Note
-The Bruins are a perfect 5-0 ATS in their L/5 non-conference tussles
-UCLA is 34-16-2 ATS in its L/52 games played in September
-K-State is 4-1 ATS in its L/5 home games and 5-1 ATS in its L/6 overall
-The Wildcats are just 5-17 ATS in their L/22 non Big XII games

Series History
Last year, the Bruins used a stifling defense and 119 rushing yards from RB Johnathan Franklin to roll to a 23-9 victory over the Wildcats. That was the only lifetime meeting of these two schools prior to this week’s NCAA football betting bash in Manhattan.

Saturday, September 4th: Connecticut Huskies @ Michigan Wolverines
Trends of Note
-The Huskies are 7-0 ATS in their L/7 road games and are 12-2 ATS in their L/14 overall
-UConn is 34-16-1 ATS in its L/51 non-conference clashes
-Michigan is 4-1 ATS from last September

Series History
First meeting

Saturday, September 4th: LSU Tigers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
Trends of Note
-The Tigers have covered four straight NCAA football spreads against the ACC and 15-7 ATS in their L/22 non-SEC duels
-LSU is 4-1-1 ATS in its L/6 neutral site games
-North Carolina failed to cover both spreads last season against the other five BCS conferences

Series History
You have to go back to 1985 and 1986 to find the last two times that these teams met. LSU won both games and covered both spreads, winning 30-3 in the Bayou and 23-13 on Tobacco Road.

Saturday, September 4th: Oregon State Beavers @ TCU Horned Frogs
Trends of Note
-Oregon State is 23-9 ATS in its L/32 games overall
-The Beavers are 8-21-1 ATS in their L/30 games played in the first month of the season
-TCU is 6-2 ATS in its L/8 games overall

Series History
First meeting

Sunday, September 5th: SMU Mustangs @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
Trends of Note
-SMU has gone 4-1 ATS in its L/5 road games
-The Mustangs are just 3-13-1 ATS in their L/17 games against the Big 12
-Texas Tech is 3-1-1 ATS in its L/5 games played in the month of September

Series History
The home team is 4-1-1 ATS in the L/6 clashes of these Lone Star State rivals. The Red Raiders are 3-1-1 ATS in their L/5 and 6-2-1 ATS in their L/9 against SMU. Two years ago, the Mustangs were defeated 43-7 by T-Tech, marking the third straight year in which they were beaten by at least 32 points in this series. SMU hasn’t covered a college football betting line in this rivalry since 2004, a 27-13 win for the Red Raiders. The Mustangs haven’t won a game in this series for two decades.

Monday, September 6th: Boise State Broncos vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Trends of Note
-The Broncos are 7-1 ATS in their L/8 games played outside the WAC
-Boise State is 17-7-1 ATS in its L/25 games overall
-Virginia Tech has covered five straight spreads
-The Hokies are just 4-9 ATS in their L/13 games played in September

Series History
First meeting

The 2010 college football betting season is nearly here! Though anyone can rank the teams No. 1 to No. 25 in the nation in terms of SU records, here at Bankroll Sports, we are ranking our Top 25 underrated teams that could be monsters for your against the college football odds this season.

25. Ball State Cardinals (2-10, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – After a magical run in 2008 in which the Cardinals flirted with an undefeated season, Ball State came crashing back down to Earth last year under first-year HC Stan Parrish. However, this year Ball State returns their entire offense from 2009, including 2nd team All-MAC RB Miquale Lewis who should go down as the school’s all-time leading rusher with even a halfway decent 2010 campaign. The Cardinals have been friends to college football betting fans over the past five years, going 35-22-1 ATS in that span.

24. Air Force Falcons (8-5, 7-4-1 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for the legendary Fisher DeBerry, HC Troy Calhoun has excelled in his first three years at the Air Force Academy, taking the Falcons to a 25-14 record and three straight Armed Forces Bowl appearances. QB Tim Jefferson is a dual-threat passer who can beat team with his arm or his legs and should be one of the best in the conference if he can stay healthy for the whole season.

23. Syracuse Orange (4-8, 6-5 ATS in 2009) – The Orange may be seen as a surprising candidate to be on this list, but Syracuse showed marked improvement in their first year under new HC Doug Marrone. Although the Orange managed just one more win in 2009 than in 2008, the Syracuse program showed signs of life for the first time in years, especially when the mass exodus of 20+ players prior to the start of the 2009 season is considered. The key to the offense will be RB Delone Carter who carried the ball for 1,021 yards and 11 TDs last year.

22. Rice Owls (2-10, 4-7-1 ATS in 2009) – Much like Ball State, Rice went from a fantastic 2008 CFB wagering season to a disastrous campaign in 2009. For the 2010 season though, the Owls bring back 18 starters and one of the more experienced offensive lines in the nation to provide protection for QB Nick Fanuzzi. Fanuzzi showed some promise last season in completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,598 yards with 11 TDs and eight INTs and will look to get even better in 2010.

21. Idaho Vandals (8-5, 8-5 ATS in 2009) – In any other conference in America, QB Nathan Enderle would have garnered all-conference honors last season and would be considered one of the conference favorites for Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Venderle completed over 60 percent of his passes for 2,906 yards with 22 TDs and nine INTs while leading the Vandals to their first winning season of the decade.

20. Oregon State Beavers (8-5, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Over the last decade, the Beavers have been one of the best teams against the NCAA betting odds in the country, going 68-48-1 ATS. With the return of the Rodgers brothers (WR James and RB Jacquizz), HC Mike Riley’s Beavers have one of the most formidable offenses in the Pac-10 and should once again challenge for the Pac-10 title now that the Trojans are ineligible to take home the trophy.

19. North Texas Mean Green (2-10, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – With only five wins over the past three seasons, it seems rather unlikely that North Texas could be on any Top 25 list, but the Mean Green have 17 returning starters and a very manageable schedule. RB Lance Dunbar had a monster season for North Texas last year, carrying the ball for 1,378 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to 1st team All-SBC honors in 2009. Dunbar looks to continue the tradition of quality running backs at North Texas, following in the footsteps of Jamario Thomas and Cedric Cobbs.

18. Baylor Bears (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Many pundits thought that 2009 would be the year that the Baylor Bears turned the corner, but those dreams were derailed in Week 3 after sensational QB Robert Griffin tore his ACL and back-up QB Blake Szymanski injured his shoulder. Griffin looks like he is back to form though and if he can stay healthy has a real chance to take the Bears to their first bowl appearance since 1994.

17. Miami Redhawks (1-11, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Things haven’t looked good in Oxford over the past half decade, but there is reason for Redhawks fans to be excited in 2010. In HC Mike Haywood’s second year, the Redhawks return 19 starters from 2009 while many of their opponents in the MAC East are reloading. Miami probably isn’t good enough to make a bowl this season, but should keep games close and cover a lot of college football gambling spreads.

16. UTEP Miners (4-8, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Inconsistent wouldn’t even begin to describe the UTEP Miners’ 2009 season. In their first C-USA game of the season, the Miners upset #12 and then undefeated Houston 58-41 as a two TD underdog on the NCAA gambling odds. In UTEP’s very next game they suffered an embarrassing 15 point loss at Memphis, giving the Tigers their only FBS win of 2009. With one of the best backfield tandems in the conference in QB Trevor Vittatoe and All-American RB Donald Buckram, the Miners will be able to put up a lot of points this season.

15. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-6, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – With the graduation of the record-setting Tim Tebow, the SEC East is the most open its been in years and the Gamecocks are in good position to take advantage of this. They usually have one of the better defenses in the country and if QB Stephen Garcia can continue to develop like he has over the past two seasons, South Carolina could flirt with a 10 win season.

14. Connecticut Huskies (8-5, 9-2-1 ATS in 2009) – Few would deny that Randy Edsall has done one of the best jobs in the country in guiding UConn from the FCS level to the FBS level. Over the past three years, Edsall has really hit his stride with the team going 25-14 and winning back-to-back bowl games. The Huskies have also been one of the best teams for NCAA wagering enthusiasts with the team going 63-42-2 ATS since 2000.

13. Texas A&M Aggies (6-7, 6-7 ATS in 2009) – Mike Sherman’s Aggies benefit from only having four road games this year, and in only one of those four road games (@ Texas) will they be a prohibitive underdog. Texas A&M has 16 returning starters this season, including QB Jerrod Johnson who passed for 3,579 yards to go with 30 TDs against just eight interceptions on his way to a 2nd team All-Big 12 selection in 2009.

12. UCF Knights (8-5, 9-3 ATS in 2009) – Last year, not much was expected of the UCF Knights after a 2008 campaign in which the Knights had one of the worst offenses in the country. However, HC George O’Leary turned to the running game last year and found a valuable asset in RB Brynn Harvey. Last season, Harvey ran for 1,109 yards and 14 touchdowns while picking up 3rd team All-C-USA honors. Harvey suffered a knee injury in spring, but is expected to miss no more than a few games at most.

11. Michigan Wolverines (5-7, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – HC Rich Rodriguez might be on the hottest seat in the country after managing just an 8-16 record and zero bowl appearances in his first two seasons as the head coach of one of the most storied programs in the country. This season, though, will be the first where Rodriguez has a clear-cut choice at QB to run his system in Tate Forcier. With Forcier at the helm, the Wolverines will almost certainly improve on their paltry 7-16 mark against the CFB betting line over the past two seasons.

10. Temple Owls (9-4, 8-4 ATS in 2009) – Al Golden has done a remarkable job in turning around a horrific Temple program that hadn’t made a bowl game in 30 years prior to the Owls making the EagleBank Bowl in 2009. This season, the Owls return almost all of their skill position players and 16 starters to a team that should be considered the favorite to win the MAC East.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-5, 5-6 ATS in 2009) – North Carolina may have the best defense in the country this season with a bevy of NFL prospects at every position along the defensive front. DE Robert Quinn, LB Quan Sturdivant, CB Kendric Burney, and FS Deunta Williams all garnered 1st team All-ACC selections in 2009, while DT Marvin Austin, LB Bruce Carter, and SS Da’Norris Searcy all picked up 2nd team honors. With 19 returning starters in all, the Tar Heels should be one of the best teams against the NCAA odds in 2010.

8. Nevada Wolfpack (8-5, 7-6 ATS in 2009) – When QB Colin Kaepernick pulls the strings, the Wolfpack have one of the most exciting offenses in the country. Last season, Nevada managed an NCAA first when the Wolfpack had three different players (Kaepernick, Vai Taua, and Luke Lippencott) rush for over 1000 yards. In WAC play, the Wolfpack have been especially great the past five seasons, going 26-14 ATS for CFB wagering fans over that time.

7. Washington Huskies (5-7, 7-5 ATS in 2009) – Jake Locker is considered by many to be the top pick in the 2011 draft, and the strong-armed quarterback showed off just what he could do in his first year under new HC Steve Sarkisian. In 2009, Locker became much more polished as a quarterback, throwing for 2,800 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in a season where they flirted with a bowl bid. This year, with 18 returning starters, the Huskies will be in great shape to make their first bowl appearance since 2002.

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Although QB Jimmy Clausen and WR Golden Tate have departed, the Fighting Irish are primed to turn some heads in the first year of new HC Brian Kelly. Kelly had one of the best offenses in the country at Cincinnati last year and inherits an offense with a lot of weapons in RB Armando Allen, WR Michael Floyd, and TE Kyle Rudolph. The key to the season for Notre Dame will be how well sophomore QB Dayne Crist can perform in his first season running the offense.

5. Florida State Seminoles (7-6, 4-8 ATS in 2009) – Before getting hurt, QB Christian Ponder looked well on his way to having one of the best seasons in school history. Still, Ponder finished with great numbers, completing 68.8 percent of his passes for 2,717 yards with 14 TDs and seven picks. He’ll also have the luxury of being behind one of the best and most experienced offensive lines in the country, anchored by Jacobs Award winning LG Rodney Hudson.

4. Auburn Tigers (8-5, 6-6 ATS in 2009) – Despite questions over whether he was the right man for the job or not, HC Gene Chizik led the Tigers to a respectable season in 2009. With the help of offensive guru Gus Malzahn, the Tigers offense went from one of the worst in the SEC in 2008 (17.3 PPG) to one of the best in the conference last year (33.3 PPG). The Tigers dodge both the Vols and the Gators in conference play and with eight home games could turn many heads this NCAA wagering season.

3. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (10-3, 10-3 ATS in 2009) – QB Dwight Dasher may have been playing in the lowly Sun Belt last season, but his numbers were good enough for any conference in the country. The athletic Dasher turned a lot of heads in 2009, by throwing for 2,789 yards along with 23 TDs and 14 INTs while also running for 1154 yards and 13 scores. With Dasher under center, the Blue Raiders have a very good chance for back-to-back 10 win seasons.

2. Cincinnati Bearcats (12-1, 5-7 ATS in 2009) – Though QB Tony Pike and HC Brian Kelly have since departed, the Bearcats should still have one of the best offenses in the Big East in 2010 under new HC Butch Jones and QB Zach Collaros. Collaros was impressive in his limited playing time in 2009, completing 75 percent of his passes for 1,434 yards with ten TDs against just two INTs. USC transfer WR Vidal Hazelton will also pack some punch to a WR corps that lost Mardy Gilyard.

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4, 9-5 ATS in 2009) – Since taking over for Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini has brought respect back to the Blackshirts and pride back to Husker Nation. Pelini’s Huskers were one last second FG away from making it to a BCS bowl and ruining Texas’ undefeated season in the Big XII Title Game, and although they do lose Heisman Trophy candidate DT Ndamakong Suh, Nebraska returns six starters to the defense that only gave up 10.4 PPG last CFB gambling season.

A week ago we broke down the top point guards on the hardwood this year in college basketball. Our attention now turns to the guys that share the back court with the point guards by the way of the shooting guards. These are the sharp shooters from the perimeter that carry their teams when they catch the hot hand and have the ability to post big numbers. These guards are normally the best pure shooters on the court and of ten times the guys you try to get the ball to when the game is on the line. Shooting guards compiled 2 of the top 4 picks in the NBA Draft last season and there is a good crop of players again this year. Take a look as we break down the top 10 shooting guards in college basketball.

#10 – Terrico White (Mississippi Rebels)

The Mississippi Rebels have jumped out to a strong 10-1 start to trail only Kentucky in the SEC. The Rebels success is a result of their stellar guard play and SG Terrico White is coming on strong to averaged 16.6 points per game this season. White is just a sophomore with plenty of time to develop into an even bigger scorer. However, White has proved to be a consistent scorer already this season and along with PG Chris Warren the Rebels possibly the best guard duo in the SEC.

#9 – Klay Thompson (Washington State Cougars)

The Cougars are off to one of the best starts of any team in the Pac-10 at a 9-2 record this season and one of the main ingredients to their success has been the play of sophomore guard Klay Thompson. Thompson has averaged 24.9 points per game this season to rank 4th individually in the country. Thompson is one of a few young sophomores on our list, but he is a guy that can post really big numbers like the 43 points tallied against San Diego earlier this year. Thompson is knocking down 49% on the season, but it will be interesting to see if those numbers can continue once conference action picks up.

#8 – Jordan Crawford (Xavier Musketeers)

Jordan Crawford started his career in Indiana before transferring and finding home with the Xavier Musketeers. So far, the move has been a good one for the Musketeers as Crawford is averaging 18 points per game in his first season with the team. Crawford is a player who has a lot of upside with his potential to get really hot from behind the arc. Crawford is already hitting 46.4% from the field and 42% from 3 point range this season. Again, he is a guy that could flourish as he develops.

#7 –Dominique Jones (South Florida Bulls)

There may not be any other player that has been as consistent from his very first appearance at the college level as South Florida’s Dominique Jones. Jones averaged 17 points per game as a freshman, 18 points as a sophomore, and currently averaging 18.2 points per game this season. Jones is completing 48% from the field this season and over the last few games is growing confident in his 3 point shooting. As a result, Jones has attempted more shots from behind the arc. South Florida has a tough road ahead of them but if Jones along with teammate Augustus Gilchrist can play well then they can have a successful season.

#6 – E’Twaun Moore (Purdue Boilermakers)

E’Twaun Moore is a guy that may not post the big numbers that some of the other players can accrue, but nonetheless an equally dangerous talent. Moore is averaging 16.1 points per game in the Big Ten which is a rather low scoring conference and knocking down a strong 48% from the field. Sharing the court with players like JaJuan Johnson and Robbie Hummel makes it even more impressive that Moore leads the team in scoring. However, he may need to become a more consistent big scorer to improve his rank among shooting guards. Then again Moore attempts fewer shots than anyone on our list which may mean he just needs to shoot the ball more often.

#5 – Aubrey Coleman (Houston Cougars)

Senior guard Aubrey Coleman has exploded offensively for the Cougars this season leading the nation with 26.9 points per game. Coleman averaged just less than 20 points per game a year ago and is inflicting even more damage this season. In fact, in recent performances the Cougars star has really displayed improvement in his long range shooting ability. Coleman is already shooting 41% from behind the arc, but if he continues to shoot the ball well then his numbers may continue to climb.

#4 – Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall Pirates)

Junior guard Jeremy Hazell has gotten off to a great start this season averaging 20.4 points per game. Hazell actually averaged 22 points per game last season which was very impressive considering how stacked the competition was in the Big East. Hazell will again play a huge factor for the Pirates this season as their main scorer. On the season, Hazell is down a bit in field goal percentage hitting just 41% of his shots. However, those numbers may be a bit misleading considering Hazell is attempting a ton of shots perhaps for the fact he is not getting a lot of help in the scoring department. However, Hazell continues to strive and he is a proven threat from behind the arc.

#3 – James Anderson (Oklahoma State Cowboys)

James Anderson led the Cowboys averaging 18.2 points per game as a sophomore, but he has shown that he is going to be even more dangerous this year. Anderson leads the Big 12 in scoring with 21.2 points per game and is knocking down 47% of his shots this year as well. Anderson has been a consistent shooter throughout his career at Oklahoma State and is a feared scorer from behind the arc where he knocked down over 40% from 3 point range a year ago. Anderson has reached double digits scoring every game this season and as long as he stays on the floor the Cowboys are a dangerous basketball team.

#2 – Willie Warren (Oklahoma Sooners)

If you are not familiar by the name Willie Warren, he was the young freshman that excelled in Blake Griffin’s injury absence at the end of last year. Warren now a sophomore has taken over the leading role in the Sooners rotation leading the team with 18 points per game. Warren has not developed the consistency this early in his career that Coach Capel may like to see, but he is still a guy that can determine the outcome of a game while posting big numbers. Warren is still improving his range and with a little more time he is going to be one of the most dangerous players in the country even though he may be already there.

#1 – Manny Harris (Michigan Wolverines)

Michigan may not be in for a big year after starting the season with a disappointing 5-5 record. However, junior guard Manny Harris gives Wolverines fans plenty of excitement to watch on the hardwood. Harris leads the Big Ten with 21.6 points per game and has scored no less than 16 points all season. Of course Harris helps out in other ways averaging 8 boards and 5 assists per game, but he is one of those players that are a factor every time he takes the court. On the season Harris is shooting 47% and he will be a possible lottery pick in the NBA Draft. The only problem that Harris has may be that he does not bury the 3 ball as well as some of the others on our list. However, he makes up for it by penetrating and creating high probable scoring opportunities.