The Nebraska Cornhuskers will represent the Big Ten for the first time in a bowl game this year, and their first test is going to be a stern one to say the least. They’ll try to topple the NCAA football betting odds when they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2012 Capital One Bowl.

Capital One Bowl: Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Capital One Bowl Location: Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
Capital One Bowl Date/Time: Monday, January 2nd, 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Capital One 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: Connor Shaw and Brandon Wilds have to act like they have been here
If you had told Gamecocks fans at the outset of the season that they were entering their bowl game with Wilds at tailback and Shaw under center, they probably would have told you that they were merely happy to be in a bowl game. They’d be ecstatic to hear that South Carolina would have won 10 games for the second time in school history and would be overjoyed to know that it was favored to become the first Gamecocks team to ever win 11 games in a season. That said, neither Shaw nor Wilds has ever played in a bowl game before, and this is a big one at that. These two are going to be the focal points for the Nebraska defense to key in on, and though names like Prince Amukamara and Ndamukong Suh are no longer on this unit, the Black Shirts are still absolutely a force to be reckoned with. These two have to live up to the moment and perform admirably to get the Gamecocks in the win column at the Capital One Bowl.

Capital One Bowl Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Nebraska Cornhuskers +2
South Carolina Gamecocks -2
Over/Under 46
Click Here to Bet The Capital One Bowl Picks!

Key #2: Taylor Martinez has to get over last year’s Holiday Bowl
The sophomore quarterback for Big Red has had the same problem over the course of the last two seasons. He has started off in fine form and really fallen apart down the stretch. Last year in the Holiday Bowl, a game in which the Cornhuskers were heavily favored against a Washington Huskies team which they had killed in Seattle early in the season, Martinez failed miserably. He went 7-of-9 for 53 yards with a TD and a pick to go with 23 rushing yards before getting hurt in the third quarter. The Nebraska offense only managed 14 first downs and 192 total yards of offense, which was a heck of a lot less than what Martinez was averaging by himself. To put that in comparison to the first time those teams had met, Martinez threw for 150 yards and ran for 137 more, coming up with four total TDs and no turnovers. This is a tough defense that Martinez is playing against on January 2nd, and he is going to be under a slew of pressure both with his legs and his arm to perform.

Key #3: Nebraska’s patchwork offensive line has to hold back the Gamecocks
The battles in the trenches are always important, but for Nebraska, it really needs to make sure that it doesn’t get blown to bits up front offensively. RB Rex Burkhead is a great back when he is given the chance, but this is going to be as stout of a front seven as he has gone up against this year. Mike Caputo, Andrew Rodriguez, and Jake Cotton, all offensive linemen for the Huskers, are likely out of the lineup for this one, and that is going to make for a tough task for the hogs that are in the fold up front. South Carolina is only allowing opponents to average 3.7 yards per carry this year, one of the better marks in the SEC, which is really saying something considering the fact that Alabama and LSU are both in this conference as well.

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

The SEC East really started to take a turn last season when the mighty Florida Gators finally fell from the top of the division down to the rest of the pack, and the up and coming South Carolina Gamecocks finally had their day. These two will meet for the second straight season in what could possibly be considered the SEC East Championship Game.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Picks & Info
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Date: Saturday, November 12th, 2011
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Spread: South Carolina Gamecocks -6.5

The Gators were really shell shocked last season when they were beaten at home by the Cocks with the SEC East crown on the line. This is going to be an incredibly important game for Head Coach Will Muschamp as he tries to restore order in Gainesville for the blue and orange. QB John Brantley had a terrible game when these two met last November, accounting for just 130 yards on 16-of-31 passing with an INT and no scores. In fact, things got so bad that Head Coach Urban Meyer decided to use plenty of Jordan Reed and Trey Burton under center. Needless to say, there is definitely a lot of sour taste in the mouths of the Gators right now that needs to be washed out.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Past Games (Since 1995)
2010: South Carolina 36 – Florida 14
2009: Florida 24 – South Carolina 14
2008: Florida 56 – South Carolina 6
2007: Florida 51 – South Carolina 31
2006: Florida 17 – South Carolina 16
2005: South Carolina 30 – Florida 22
2004: Florida 48 – South Carolina 14
2003: Florida 24 – South Carolina 22
2002: Florida 28 – South Carolina 7
2001: Florida 54 – South Carolina 17
2000: Florida 41 – South Carolina 21
1999: Florida 20 – South Carolina 3
1998: Florida 33 – South Carolina 14
1997: Florida 48 – South Carolina 21
1996: Florida 52 – South Carolina 25

Head Coach Steve Spurrier did his share of beating the snot out of the Gamecocks when he was coaching Florida, but for the first time since leaving Gainesville, he was able to win a game at Florida Field against the team that he guided to national prominence. It was also the first time that the Gamecocks had ever won the SEC East, and just the second time that they had beaten the Gators since the SEC starting having a championship game. QB Stephen Garcia really needs this one though, because he was brought here to Columbia to beat the Gators and put the Gamecocks on the map. He’s still just 1-2 in his three seasons against Florida though, including getting beaten pretty badly in 2009 in Columbia. It almost seems odd that SC is the favored side in this one, but it is pretty clear, especially after watching RB Marcus Lattimore account for well over 200 total yards on the ground last season in Gainesville, that the Gamecocks do have the better of these two teams. It’s only a matter if they can exorcize the demons of history and take care of the Gators for a second straight season.

Florida Gators @ South Carolina Gamecocks Game Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/20/11):
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Florida Gators (+6.5) @ South Carolina Gamecocks

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The storylines between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Florida State Seminoles are very, very deep for the final game played in 2010 in the college football betting campaign. These two will lock horns in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome as the losers of the SEC and ACC Championship games respectively. But which team will recover and post a win to finish up the calendar year? We have the three keys to the game for your Chick-Fil-A Bowl picks.

Key #1: Christian Ponder needs to prove that he is healthy and ready to go against a stout defense
These Gamecocks were no joke this year defensively, as they held teams to just 356.5 yards and 22.9 points per game this year. However, if you can beat this team, you have to do so through the air. If your name wasn’t the Auburn Tigers, you only averaged about 70 yards per game on the ground against SC this year, which puts the onus on the FSU passing game. Ponder has missed some games this year due to some various ailments, but right now, he is fighting with a bursa sac injury that cost him the 2010 ACC Championship Game against the Virginia Tech Hokies. The senior has probably cost himself a lot of money in the NFL Draft this year, but he did throw for 20 TDs on the campaign and is absolutely a capable signal caller. Ponder does have some explosive receivers at his disposal as well, though none of his top four targets had even 600 total yards on the season. The ball is spread around to four different targets, led by WR Bert Reed, who had 55 grabs for 589 yards and a pair of scores.

Key #2: Mark Stoops has to find a game plan to get into the face of Stephen Garcia
Florida State Defensive Coordinator Mark Stoops has done a tremendous job this year getting his defense back in the saddle after a horrifying few seasons. This was the second best team in the ACC in terms of sacking the quarterback, and there were some fantastic games that this unit played up front. LB Mister Alexander is always terrorizing QBs, and he’s going to be tabbed with getting in the face of QB Stephen Garcia in this one. Garcia has been prone to throwing picks in his career, as he has 11 for the season in 315 pass attempts. The pressure needs to get into the South Carolina backfield in a hurry to keep the corners from having to guard the entire field against WR Alshon Jeffrey. It’s bad enough that Jeffrey can go and get a jump ball anywhere on the field. But to give him more than just a couple seconds to get open really just isn’t fair. Jeffrey caught 79 passes for 1,387 yards and nine TDs this year, and he is really one of the best ball catchers in the entire country. If FSU can’t stop him, it can’t stop this offense.

Key #3: Marcus Lattimore needs to be a workhorse
The Seminoles still have some problems stopping ground games at times, allowing 126.8 yards per game in 2010. Meanwhile, you won’t find a better freshman back in the game than Carolina’s RB Marcus Lattimore. Lattimore really made a name for himself this year against the Florida Gators, when he carried the ball 40 times for 212 yards and three TDs to help SC win the SEC East. The frosh wasn’t just a runner either. He had 26 catches for 364 yards and two TDs out of the backfield. However, when Garcia needs to get some of the pressure off of his shoulders, he turns around and hands the ball to No. 21. Lattimore had 248 carries this year for 1,198 yards and 17 scores, and he is likely to be the big time scorer on the day for the Gamecocks if they are going to beat the Chick-Fil-A Bowl odds.

It’s the morning of the first kickoff of the year in the college football betting world, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are zooming in on the props on the card on Thursday that are worth backing. Be sure to sign up for an account at Hollywood Sportsbook for the best NCAA props on the internet!

Dion Lewis (Pittsburgh Panthers) Over/Under 132.5 Rushing Yards
Lewis is arguably the top running back in the nation this season, especially if Alabama’s Mark Ingram is really hurt for any period of time. The Panthers are taking on a relatively stout front seven for the Utes, even though former DE Koa Misi has since graduated and is playing with the Miami Dolphins. The simple fact of the matter is that HC Dave Wannstedt had a heck of a lot more confidence in his former QB Bill Stull than he will in his current one, QB Tino Sunseri. Until that trust is formed, we expect a man that he does trust, Lewis, to get a ton of carries. That being said, he’s probably going to end up Over 132.5 Rushing Yards -115 at Hollywood Sportsbook.

Jereme Brooks (Utah Utes) Over/Under 5 Receptions
Brooks posted four games of at least five catches in his last five games of the season last year, but that doesn’t mean that we like his chances in this one. With Lewis carrying the ball so frequently for the Panthers, the Utes aren’t going to have as much time with the pigskin as they are used to. The last time they played a team with this type of makeup, the TCU Horned Frogs held Brooks to just one reception. That clearly won’t cut it today. Brooks might be the top receiver on this team, but with the ferocious pass rush coming to get QB Jordan Wynn, we aren’t so sure that he is going to have enough time to get rid of the football, particularly up the field. Go with Brooks Under 5 Receptions -125 at Hollywood Sportsbook.

South Carolina Gamecocks Over/Under 30.5 Points
The Gamecocks have already lost TE Weslye Saunders for this game, and there could be more problems on the horizon for them as well before kickoff due to some suspensions. Regardless of whether there are anymore SC players that end up sitting this one out or not, we have to listen to a fantastic head coach in Larry Fedora when he says that this is one of the best front sevens that he has ever coached at Southern Mississippi. That’s saying something considering the fact that the Golden Eagles allowed 392.5 yards per game last season. However, keeping South Carolina Under 30.5 Points -115 at Hollywood Sportsbook shouldn’t be that difficult considering the fact that this is an offense that hasn’t been all that explosive over the course of time with QB Stephen Garcia under center.

Will Either Teams Score in the First 6 Minutes? (USC/Hawaii)
Of course they will. The Trojans are set to come out for blood in this game, and we can’t imagine that it is going to take more than six minutes for QB Matt Barkley to find the scoreboard in the first game of his sophomore season. This is a prop that should probably either be lined at -250 or so, or should be knocked down to about 4:00 or 4:30 or so. Hawaii’s only method of moving the football is through the air, which should result in a lot of clock stoppages as well. It’s an added bonus that the Warriors could score in the first six minutes, but we have no doubt that USC will. One team will score in the first six minutes (-140 at Hollywood Sportsbook) of this game!

It’s almost time for College Football wagering season! To get you ready, we will break down the odds to win the ultra-competitive SEC at Bankroll Sports, brought to you by BetUS.com.

The Alabama Crimson Tide (Odds to Win the SEC: 1 to 1 @ BetUS.com Sportsbook) are locked, loaded and ready to repeat as conference and BCS champions. Last year’s 12th ranked rushing offense is going to improve with the return of Heisman Trophy winning RB Mark Ingram, along with backup sophomore Trent Richardson. QB Greg McElroy is returning for his final season, looking to avoid his first college loss. He will retain his top two receivers in Julio Jones and Marquis Maze. An explosive offense may need to do some early lifting for a defense that returns just two starters. In the secondary, the Tide can build around junior DB Mark Barron. At linebacker, the team returns Dont’a Hightower, while DE Marcell Dareus would anchor the line, pending his NCAA investigation. The schedule isn’t bad, with the four conference road games well spread out. A home date with Florida should be a preview of the SEC Championship game.

The Florida Gators (Odds to Win the SEC: 2.5 to 1 @ BetUS.com) have plenty of talent to return to the SEC Championship game. Believe it or not, there is life after Tim Tebow on offense. Junior John Brantley will take the starting job, having thrown for seven scores and no picks in mop-up time for Tebow last year. The issue on offense is actually the wide receiver spot, with just junior Deonte Thompson returning out of last season’s best five. Formerly a running back, Chris Rainey has converted to receiver to help alleviate this issue. Jeffrey Demps will lead a solid rushing attack, backed up by Emmanuel Moody. The defense has some work to do up front. The line will be led in pass rushing by DEs Justin Trattou and Duke Lemmens, replacing Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham. At linebacker, the Gators feature seniors A.J. Jones and Brandon Hicks. The secondary will be led by two gifted safeties in junior Will Hill and senior Ahmad Black. On the schedule looms that October showdown at Alabama, along with a game at Georgia.

Playing the role of SEC dark horse are the South Carolina Gamecocks (+2000 at BetUS). Nine starters return to the offense, including quarterback Stephen Garcia, who was impressive despite being sacked 33 times last year. This year’s offensive line will be led by senior tackle Jarriel King. At wide receiver, Garcia gets his top option back in Alshon Jeffrey. Sophomore Tori Gurley will have to step up to become the second target. The success of the offense hinges on developing a running game. Sophomore RB Kenny Miles led last year’s unit in yardage, but only scored once. This problem was due in part to the struggling line. The Gamecocks will be strong on defense. Sack leader and all-conference selection Cliff Matthews returns at defensive end, while Shaq Wilson will lead an experienced and deep group of linebackers. The secondary will be anchored by senior safety Chris Culliver, ensuring that South Carolina will again be among the best SEC defenses. The schedule is downright brutal, with Georgia and Alabama coming to Columbia early in the season. The Gamecocks will face Florida on the road.

The Kentucky Wildcats (Odds to Win the SEC: 66 to 1 @ BetUS.com) went bowling last season, but won’t be an SEC factor this year. The offense returns its two star dual threats in Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb, but four starting linemen are gone and who will be the starting quarterback is anything but decided. Senior Mike Hartline and sophomore Morgan Newton are competing for the job, but neither was impressive last year. The defense is also full of question marks, if not holes. A pass rush that accounted for just 15 sacks last year sees Jeremy Jarmon return at one of the end positions. The linebacking unit will have to improve. All-conference selection Micah Johnson will again start in the middle, but the two outside positions will see inexperience, with no clear-cut talented starters. The secondary will be led by senior safety Ashton Cobb. Kentucky opens conference play with consecutive road games at Florida and Mississippi, which will set the tone for a rough year.

Odds To Win The SEC Conference @ BetUS Sportsbook(as of 7/29/10):
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Alabama +100
Florida +250
Arkansas +800
Auburn +800
Georgia +800
LSU +1000
South Carolina +2000
Tennessee +2500
Mississippi +3500
Kentucky +6600
Mississippi State +6600
Vanderbilt +12500

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.

The college basketball season is starting to pick up full steam and is picking up a lot more attention now that college football regular season is in the books. One of the common themes around the nation is that there is a ton of new and rising talent on the hardwood making big names for themselves heading into 2010. Among the headlines this season, we like to point out a group of guys that are shaping out to be a very good class at the point guard position. Of course not to get the confused with shooting guards, these are the guys directing the game and opening up opportunities for their players. Sometimes they do not post the big numbers as do the scorers, but they are equally as valuable. We bring to you a look at the Top 10 point guards in college basketball based on what we have seen thus far in the year.

Be sure check back as we will break down the top 10 shooting guards in our next preview…

#10 – Greivis Vasquez (Maryland Terrapins)

Greivis Vasquez got off to a terrible start this year, but has turned that around over the past few games. Vasquez averaged just 7.5 points through the first 4 games of the year, but has rallied averaging 17 points over the past 5 games. The Maryland Terrapins senior have averaged over 17 points in his last two seasons and is carrying a solid mark of 5.8 assists per game this year. The problem with Vasquez is that he is very inconsistent and just shooting 35% on the year. However, the biggest problem is that he has a big problem with ball control as he has given up 32 turnovers in just 9 games and that part of his game must change.

#9 – Devan Downey (South Carolina Gamecocks)

Devan Downey is a feisty little guy that has not gotten off to a great start this year, but is an excellent player. Downey has carried South Carolina over the last two year’s despite any big success as a team. Downey averaged 20 points, 5 assist, and led the SEC with 3 steals per game last season. Downey is currently averaging 17.6 point per game which is not bad at all considering he has struggled a bit in his most recent outings. However, he still has a good chance to reach 2,000 career points and flirt with 500 assist for his career. Keep an eye on this guy as his stock will rise before all is said and done.

#8 – Kemba Walker (Connecticut Huskies)

Kemba Walker is a guy that understands what it takes to be a point guard. He runs the Huskies offense very well and gets the ball to the right guys. Walker had a decent freshman campaign averaging 9 points and 3 assists per game, but he should improve those numbers a good bit this year. Walker has already had a couple big performances this year and is averaging 5.6 assists and 15 points per game not to mention shooting 50% from behind the arc. He has hinted that he can be a big time player, but may need to develop into a bigger scoring threat before he can really show all his potential.

#7 – Jon Scheyer (Duke Blue Devils)

Blue Devils senior guard Jon Scheyer may like some of the god gifted ability as some of our other guards on our list, but makes up for it with a great knowledge of the game and accurate shooting stroke. Scheyer is the only guy outside of Kyle Singler that returned to the Blue Devils roster this season that had quality playing time last year. So far Scheyer 16 points per game and a very solid 5.3 assists. Another interesting aspect that is growing attention is the fact of how well Scheyer handles the ball. Scheyer has just 5 turnovers in the Blue Devils first 8 games which should have Coach K pleased.

#6 – Nic Wise (Arizona Wildcats)

Despite a disastrous 4-5 start by the Wildcats, Nic Wise has continued to play well. Wise has posted 16 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game this season. The Wildcats senior is one of those guys that just goes out and puts up consistent numbers while rarely having any horrible performances. At the end of last year, Wise scored at least double digits in 14 of his last 15 outings. Wise also sports a career 3 point percentage over 40% which will help his draft status at the end of the year if he continues to play well.

#5 – Jerome Randle (California Golden Bears)

Jerome Randle is a 4 year starter that has reached his prime for the Golden Bears. In fact if California was among the top teams in the nation, Randle may be a household name. Randle not only led the team averaging 18 points last year; he also leads the team this season averaging nearly 20 points per game. Not only is Randle have an excellent touch of the ball, he really finds ways for his guys to get high percentage shots and carries a 5 assists per game average. It is also worth mentioning that Randle leads all of college basketball averaging 93.5% from the free-throw line.

#4 – Scottie Reynolds (Villanova Wildcats)

Scottie Reynolds is a guy that for some reason or another has not received a ton of praise in the national spotlight. Not to say he has not been given credit, but perhaps not as much as he deserves. Reynolds got really hot at the end of last year as has recently started getting hot again. On the year, the Wildcats senior is averaging 16 points, 4.2 assists, and 2 steals per game. Add to the fact Reynolds has scored at least 22 points in each of his last 3 outings, he may be a reason Villanova is another Cinderella type story again in March.

#3 – Kalin Lucas (Michigan State Spartans)

Kalin Lucas holds the top point guard spot in the Big Ten and his importance to the Spartans success is critical. Lucas now in his junior year is averaging 17 points per game with 4.5 assists. Lucas also not known for posting tremendous scoring numbers has shot the ball well this year especially behind the arc where he has knocked down 44% through his first 9 games. It was the Spartans last year who made a late charge in the NCAA Tournament capturing a shot at the National Title before falling to North Carolina. It was also Lucas has knocked down right at 20 points in both of the big games against Connecticut and Kansas during the tournament. Lucas has proved time and time again he is the guy to carry the Spartans when they need it as he will be for the rest of the year.

#2 – John Wall (Kentucky Wildcats)

John Wall is without any doubt the biggest impact freshman in the country and heads up an amazing group of youngsters at Kentucky that could contend for a National Title in John Calipari’s first year as coach. Wall has averaged 18 points per game and ranks 4th in the nation with 7.1 assists per game. Wall has the frame for like a small forward at 6’4, but excellent ball handling skills and ability to slice to the lane quickly. It also is worth mentioning that he has had some great performances against top notch competition like North Carolina and a season high 25 points in a 3 point win over Connecticut. Known a year ago as the #1 recruit in the nation, Wall is on his way to becoming the #1 player in the nation. The freshman has had a great start, but let’s let him prove he can keep it going.

#1 – Sherron Collins (Kansas Jayhawks)

Sherron Collins entered the season as the number 1 point guard in the nation, but he is feeling a lot of pressure from John Wall. However, Collins is an experienced senior that has proven himself in the big games and there is still a long season to be played. Collins is a following a junior campaign in which he averaged 19 points and 5 assist per game even though he is just averaging just 13 points and 4 assist through his first 9 games this season. The thing is that Collins has not had to do much yet this year with Xavier Henry shooting the ball so well, but expect that to change as the season progresses. Also, Collins is still the most complete point guard at this time and understands the game at the college level better than anyone.

Well everyone it is that time of year again when the weather turns cold, leafs fall off the trees, college football is winding down the regular season, and the college basketball season is quietly getting under way. That’s right college hoops are here and time to put some focus on the hardwood. The college basketball season usually does not get the most attention until the majority of the football season is over, but for college basketball enthusiasts our time is here. Over the last 24 hours the first games of the regular season have been played as we anticipate the long exciting season so there is no better time to take a look at some of the teams to watch out for in 2009-2010 basketball season.

The Kansas Jayhawks young talented team has taken the top spot in the polls which should be a surprise considering how well the Jayhawks played in the NCAA Tournament with an inexperienced roster. However, our focus for this article is to shy away from the top 5 teams in America who are receiving all of the attention and spot the potential sleepers who will come on strong. Remember last year we nailed 3 out of the 4 NCAA Bracket winners including the big underdog in Villanova and we have a few teams on our watch that you should keep on your radar throughout the year. Take a look at a few teams that are not receiving a ton of attention, but could be shining brightly in the spotlight by season’s end.

The Mountaineers finished the regular season in 2008 at a mark of 21-10 despite being beaten up by the brutal conference play down the stretch. The fact is that West Virginia would have been a top 10 team all season long if they played anywhere outside the Big East considering how stacked the conference was last year. Coach Bob Huggins now enters his 3rd year in Morgantown and considering the difference he has made in his first two years the program is definitely headed in the right direction. Huggins now has most of his own players running his style of play which will make all the difference. The key player on the West Virginia roster will be sophomore forward Devin Ebanks. Ebanks got off to a slow start last year reaching double digits just 9 times through the first 25 games. However, the young talent really came on strong scoring at least 10 points or more in 13 of the final 15 games giving tons of promise for the 2009-2010 season. Leading scorer Da’Sean Butler will also be back after averaging 17 points per game a season ago. Butler gives the team the dangerous ability to get hot and is dangerous all over the court. If junior transfer Casey Mitchell can come in and give immediate help, the Mountaineers will have the best inside presence in the conference. Look out for freshman Kevin Jones who could make a similar big presence on the inside well with some time as well. If the Mountaineers can find one guy to become a big shooter on the outside to compliment the inside game, dare I say Final Four?

I know what most are thinking when they see Butler, but do not be fooled. The Bulldogs return everyone from the starting rotation a year ago that finished 25-4 on the season. Sure Butler plays a weak schedule, but their style of play proved to cause problems for many different teams last year. The Bulldogs took down Xavier and Davidson during the regular season and fell by a single basket to Ohio State who many had as preseason best in the Big Ten for 2008. Butler also fell just short of knocking off number 2 seed Tennessee who was the best team in the SEC keeping them out of the sweet 16. However, with everyone back things should only get better. This could be the only team in the nation that could put 5 guards on the court and get away with it. Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward will be critical youngsters for the team as veteran senior Willie Veasley will provide the leadership the team will need. How far could Butler go? Well that may be hard to tell, but they will be a team that is extremely difficult to guard and it would not be a big surprise if this shaped up to be a Cinderella Story.

The Gamecocks may be a stretch to make a ton of noise this season, but they deserve a lot more attention than they are getting. South Carolina currently is not even ranked, but they will change after a few short weeks. Senior guard Devin Downey is one of the most exciting players in the SEC to watch with tremendous hustle. Downey scored 19 points per game in 2008 and led the conference with 3 steals per game. The talented senior will be the key guy when South Carolina needs to pull out close wins as he did multiple times in 2008. However, the entire team is on the rise behind Coach Darrin Horn who is in just his 2nd year as head coach. The team may have its best years ahead, but that is not to say they can do some damage in the SEC this year. South Carolina took down Florida once and Kentucky twice in the regular season and they will match-up well with everyone again this year. The Gamecocks will need senior Dominique Archie to have an even bigger season this year especially on the boards. Archie averaged 16.5 points and 8 rebounds last season, but South Carolina really needs him to control the boards as they lack the single big man needed to be really strong. However, this is a quick team that will give everyone a hard time and we would put them ahead of some of the over hyped Big Ten teams already ranked in the top 25.

One of those Big Ten teams that are not over hyped is the Purdue Boilermakers. While Michigan State is receiving the overwhelming attention in the Big Ten and rightfully so, Purdue will have every opportunity to be the dark horse that could steal the thunder. In fact, this is most of the same team that blew out the Spartans by nearly 20 points in late February of last season. The lethal weapon of the team will be forward Robbie Hummel who averaged 13 points and 7 boards last season. Hummel will be even better this year and the Boilermakers will be a force. Purdue as a team has all the players in the right positions to expect big things. JaJuan Johnson is the big guy in the middle and senior guard Chris Kramer will need to improve a bit. However, freshman guard D.J Byrd could be the biggest difference for the Boilermakers. It is usually not a good sign to place a lot of responsibility on a freshman, but Purdue really needs a consistent hot hand from the perimeter. Bryd could do that right away depending on how quickly he adapts at the next level. However, if he can knock down a few shots each game Purdue has all the making to contend in the Big Ten.