A few weeks ago we broke down some of the most exciting players in college basketball giving you detailed looks at both the point and shooting guard positions. Now we want to switch focus from the back court to down inside the paint to break down some of the big men in the middle. Of course there are plenty of big forwards around the nation, but we actually want to break down the centers in college basketball. These are the beast on the inside that manufacture points and control the boards. Often times at the college level, centers do not get the respect they deserve. However, you never know when some emerging youngster is going to become a Dwight Howard type player in the NBA with the ability to capture 20 rebounds and 20 points per game. There is not any doubt that there are some big time centers on the hardwood this season in college basketball, but who are the best? Take a look as we break down the top 10 centers in college basketball.

#10. Dexter Pittman 6’10 (Texas)

Dexter Pittman is quite possibly the best center in the Big 12 and an experienced senior that has helped the Longhorns get off to an undefeated 12-0 start. Pittman has averaged 13.8 points per game even though his scoring is often times hot and cold. However, he is an extremely effective shot taker and is knocking down a lucrative 74% from the field. The problem that Pittman has is his size does not allow him to move around well without the ball and when he gets the ball he has troubles creating scoring opportunities. Also, the Longhorns would love for Pittman to increase his rebounding total on the inside. However, he is still a big time player and dropped a season high 23 points in the Longhorns biggest victory of the year against the North Carolina Tarheels.

#9. Jerome Jordan 7’0 (Tulsa)

Jerome Jordan is the 2nd of many seniors on our list. Jordan posted 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in his junior campaign. However, Jordan has started heating up in the past few weeks and it appears that he could have a great opportunity to increase those numbers from a year ago. Despite back to back losses, Jordan is just one rebound short of 3 straight double-double performances. Jordan is a big guy that normally takes high percentage shots close to the basket. In fact, he could finish his career with a 70% field goal percentage. Jordan has also become a solid defensive player and if he continues improving on the defensive side of the ball his stock will continue to rise.

#8. Soloman Alabi 7’1 (Florida State)

Soloman Alabi is a guy that is going to be a big force in a short time period. Alabi is an extremely big sophomore standing at 7’1 for the Seminoles of Florida State. Alabi is still developing, but leads the Seminoles with 12.3 points per game along with 7.1 rebounds. Alabi has proven to have the ability to post big scoring numbers, but the problem is consistency. Alabi has posted 20 plus points on 3 different occasions this season, but has also been held to less than 8 points on 4 occasions as well. If he can develop into the consistent threat the Seminoles need, he will be a big player in the ACC.

#7. Larry Sanders (Virginia Commonwealth)

Larry Sanders is the leading playmaker for the Virginia Commonwealth Rams and is grabbing some mainstream attention for his efforts. Sanders and the Rams play a pretty light schedule in terms of competition. However, Sanders has played well against the top teams on the schedule dropping 17 against Oklahoma and a season high 23 against East Carolina. Sanders currently averages 14.8 points per game and is also pulling down 8.5 rebounds on average as well. Sanders ability to grab some rebounds has improved dramatically since the start of the season and he could be averaging double-double figures by season’s end.

#6. Trevor Booker 6’7 (Clemson)

Trevor Bookers is a guy that many will have listed as a forward, but he actually plays as a center for the Tigers. Booker has been the rock for the Tigers over the past few years. He currently leads the team in scoring averaging 15 points per game against the brutal competition in the ACC while also bringing down 9 boards per game. Booker seems to always step up in the pressure situations whether it involves a needed basket or an important rebound. Clemson would definitely not be the team they are if not for their experienced senior in the paint.

#5. JaJuan Johnson 6’10 (Purdue)

JaJuan Johnson is coming off his biggest performance of the season posting 25 points against the Mountaineers on New Year’s Day. Johnson sometimes gets overshadowed behind teammates Robbie Hummel and E’Twaun Moore. However, Johnson is becoming a big scorer inside the paint and knocking down a healthy 54% from the floor. The Boilermakers are undefeated on the season and a big part of that can be contributed to Johnson’s 13.8 point average on the season. However, he still needs to improve against the glass before he becomes a dominating presence on the inside. Johnson’s 6.5 rebound average is the highest of his career and that is something that will definitely need to improve.

#4. Jarvis Varnado 6’9 (Mississippi State)

Jarvis Varnado has slowly developed into a monster for the Bulldogs inside the paint. Varnado leads the SEC as the all-time blocked shots leader and broke the single season record last year with 171 blocked shots. If Varnado can stay on pace, he will break the NCAA all-time blocked shots record at 535. However, Varnado can do much more than just block shots. He has slowly developed into a solid scoring threat averaging 14.1 points per game. Also, Varnado has steadily improved against the boards and this is his first season averaging over 10 rebounds per game. Varnado is a guy that with some continued hard work could make get immediate playing time at the next level just for his defensive tendencies, but overtime will contribute as a scorer.

#3. Omar Samhan 6’11 (St. Mary’s)

Omar Samhan may be a guy that few people know about around the nation, but he is a guy terrorizing the West Coast Conference. Samhan has exploded as a dominating scorer averaging 20.8 points and also takes care of business on the boards averaging 11 rebounds per game. Samhan is a big guy that moves around well and creates a lot of scoring opportunities. What may be even more impressive is that he tends to play very well against the top competition the Gaels’ face and has dropped a couple of 30 plus point performances. While Samhan may not face the level of competition that most will face, he is definitely an experienced threat that is proving his self week in and week out. A few games against Gonzaga and other respectable teams in the near future will give us an even better idea of just how good the St. Mary’s star has become.

#2. Greg Monroe 6’11 (Georgetown)

If you remember watching Georgetown last year, then perhaps you can recall the 7’0 monster kid on the inside that looked a little lost at time. Monroe had the size the moment he stepped on the court. However, Monroe spent most of his freshman year learning how to use that body. Monroe attempted very few shots in his freshman campaign, but still averaging 12.7 points per game with 6.5 rebounds. So far this season, Monroe is slowly emerging as the go to guy in the paint which should have been the case all along. However, Monroe has scored at least 15 points in 5 straight games and currently averaging 15 points with 10.3 rebounds per game. Monroe is definitely the guy with the most potential on our list and there is no doubt that he could be the top center in the nation by the end of the year. Considering the number of games he puts up really high rebounding totals, he will be an eye catcher on NBA Draft boards.

#1. Cole Aldrich 6’11 (Kansas)

Cole Aldrich put up some very solid numbers as a sophomore scoring 14.1 points and pulling down 11.1 rebounds per game. Easily the most experienced and possibly even one of the most important big men in the country for the number 1 Kansas Jayhawks. This season Aldrich is averaging double-double numbers yet again with 11.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Aldrich is one of those guys that consistently get his numbers. However, once he learns how to use his body and become a true post player he is going to be even more dangerous at the next level. Most NBA scouts believe Aldrich will shine outside of the college system and some boards have him listed as a potential lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

Utah pulled of one of the biggest upsets so far in the college football season last night when the beat the no. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide 31-17. The Utes impressive victory came on the side of the ball that received the least attention this season by the way of the defense. The defense had an amazing 8 sacks and forced 3 turnovers in an unexpected dominating performance. Many may not understand the significance of this win, but it will affect the rest of college football around America. The Utes capped off the only undefeated season in the NCAA Division I this season with a perfect record of 13-0 and their huge win over Alabama will be felt for many months to come. The win for the Utes was the victory the small schools around the nation needed to change the way polls rank teams from here on out.

Utah comes from a non-BCS conference and received the invite to the Allstate Sugar Bowl by an at-large bid. The Utes were squared off with what was the best team in college football for much of the latter part of the season. Alabama closed out the second half of the regular season holding onto the #1 ranking. It wasn’t until the week after the regular season in the SEC Championship when the Crimson Tide received their first loss of the season against the Florida Gators. The loss in the SEC Championship game knocked the Crimson Tide out of their chance for a National Title and into the Sugar Bowl against Utah. Utah entered the game as a 10 point underdog with 89% of the nation picking Alabama to win. The Utes would pull of the impossible and dominate the team that went through the potent SEC undefeated this season. The win for Utah marks huge implications around college football for the “little-guys.”

Utah can now make the claim legitimately that they deserved to play for a National Championship. Utah only received the #9 ranking in the nation despite their undefeated record against a fairly weak schedule. However, now this will make voters think twice before keeping an undefeated team out of a National Championship game when both teams in the Title game have at least one loss. Utah has made a loud noise for the smaller schools around college football. The next time a Boise State, a BYU, or another less popular football team ends a season undefeated they will have a firm argument to play for a National Championship. After all, Boise State and Utah both have won the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in the last 3 years. Everyone remembers the statue of liberty handoff that led Boise State running back into the end zone in over time to give the Broncos the victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. The small schools are starting to make a name for themselves as consistent threats in the Bowl Games and it will not be long before voters start to acknowledge their late season success.

College Football enthusiasts and fans have longed desired for a playoff system in the NCAA. Many people believe that type of system would really benefit teams from the SEC and perhaps the Big 12 with their records in postseason play over the years. The SEC especially feels they would benefit the most from a playoff scenario considering every year that has at least two teams in BCS Bowl games. However, Utah exposed what we could call a myth of the SEC status amongst the College Football totem poll. A playoff system might benefit the smaller conferences and non-BCS schools as much as it would the national powerhouses across the land. Utah’s win opens the eyes for many people in college football especially in the days leading to the National Championship game with Florida and Oklahoma. Florida has been perceived as the favorite to win and with Utah’s dominate performance over Alabama one must wonder if that will affect the way the betting public acts on the game. Alabama nearly beat Florida and the Gators reputation as the best in the nation may have diminished with the Utes victory last night.

Utah victory will perhaps have people thinking twice about the strength of schedule a team has during the regular season. Is it Utah’s fault or any other team for that matter that they have an undefeated season and the rest of the conference plays poorly that season? A team should be rewarded for an undefeated season, but nobody could have expected Utah to beat Alabama. This gives all the more reason to institute a playoff system considering the BCS has been exposes to yet another weakness. With the system we have today, there can actually be co-national champions for those that are not familiar with the college football postseason. In recent years, teams have won the national championship game while another team may end the year ranked #1 giving both teams a share of the National Title. While Utah will likely not jump all the way to #1 this season, the Texas Longhorns do have that chance. The Longhorns beat the Oklahoma Sooners this season in their lone loss. However, Oklahoma is in the National Title proving once again while the BCS System has failed miserably. If the Sooners beat Florida in the National Championship, Texas will have the possibility by voters to receive the # 1 ranking in the polls. While the scenario is unlikely to happen, another college football season will end without truly knowing who is the very best across the nation. Utah can definitely make their argument along with a cast of other one loss teams.

Earlier in the week I discussed how crazy the BCS has gotten keeping the Texas Longhorns out of the Big 12 Championship game. Instead of Texas, Oklahoma is playing in the Big 12 Championship despite the Longhorns 45-35 win this season. The national media has assumed that the winner for the SEC Championship game would go on to play in the BCS National Championship. However, taking a closer look at the computer ratings things may be even more bizarre.

The Florida Gators are ranked #2 in the AP top 25 polls but come in as the #4 team in the BCS rankings. The popular speculation is that Florida would go play in the National Championship given they could defeat #1 Alabama. Although, with last weeks jumbled BCS rankings keeping Texas out of the Big 12 Championship a win for Florida still might not be enough to put them in the National Championship.

Texas is ranked #3 in the BCS Standing slightly behind Oklahoma at #2. The Sooners jumped the Longhorns last week in the standings by .0128 and that put the Sooners into their conference championship game over Texas due to the Big 12 tie breaking rules. The Big 12 rule for tie breakers state that the highest rated team in the BCS will win the tie breaker. So despite Oklahoma not be able to defeat Texas head to head, they will still represent the Big 12 South in the championship game.

Can you imagine how mad the state of Texas has been this week? Texas has been kept out of the Big 12 Championship game and their chance to earn a spot in the National Championship game was taken away as well. Texas has been ahead of Oklahoma since the BCS ranking were released until last week which mattered most. Last week BCS standings determined the fate for the Longhorns, considering the Big 12 Championship will be held this weekend. Texas again felt like their chances have been stolen from them and there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

Not so fast Texas faithful, taking a closer look at the BCS rankings things might actually not be so bad. Keeping Texas out of the Big 12 Championship may have in fact benefited them as much as playing and winning the championship game. Florida trails Texas in the BCS Standing by .0328 a pretty fair margin. Florida is an 8.5 point favorite to defeat the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide. Assuming Florida does win the SEC Championship, it may not be enough to jump the ahead of a Texas team that does not have to play this weekend. The Longhorns computer ranking should not change while Florida’s ranking may not be able to overcome the .0328 deficit placing Texas and most likely Oklahoma in a rematch for the National Championship.

Florida trails Texas by .160 in the computer rankings for the BCS while holding pretty even with Texas in the Harris and USA Today polls. If the Gators do pull off the victory over Alabama, they will definitely get some help from the Harris and USA Today polls which are human voters. However, the computer rankings that has to do with other things like strength of schedule will still favor Texas, but by how much? The Gators would have to receive a big help from the computers to overtake the Longhorns.

Then again things may not be that controversial after this weekend if Alabama wins and Oklahoma loses. However, that will be tough for both of those things to happen. Florida as mentioned before is more than a touchdown favorite to win their game while Oklahoma is a two touchdown favorite to win the Big 12. In a perfect world, Alabama and Missouri will win and the BCS will again dodge another missile targeted to take down the BCS rankings forever. However, this year it will not happen. The chances of both Alabama and Missouri winning are bout as good as Ohio State beating an SEC team in a championship game. Even if Alabama can pull of the win over Florida, Texas fans will still feel like they have been robbed of an opportunity to play for the title. An opportunity they have earned.

Be sure to check out the free and premium college football picks from the expert handicappers at Bankroll Sports.  The Bankroll Sports handicapping duo of Henry Ness and Wade Sterling will have premium releases for a variety of this weekend’s Conference Championship games.  Click here to purchase premium service picks from our handicappers.  Also, be sure to check out our ncaa football top 25 previews for this weekend’s college football matchups.