For the second time in the last six years, the Utah Utes and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are going to square off in a bowl game. This time around, they’ll both be vying to beat the Sun Bowl odds in one of the many duels on the 2011-12 bowl game schedule on New Year’s Eve.

Sun Bowl: Utah Utes vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Sun Bowl Location: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Sun Bowl Date/Time: Saturday, December 31st, 2:00 p.m. (ET)
Sun Bowl Television Coverage: CBS

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Key #1: The Yellow Jackets have to play with some intensity offensively
Historically, the Yellow Jackets really don’t play all that well in bowl games, as they haven’t really put up a great effort in a bowl in a number of years. The problem of late has been that opposing defenses have had plenty of time to ready themselves for the triple option attack. Last year against the Air Force Falcons in the Independence Bowl, the Ramblin’ Wreck were held to just a single touchdown in spite of the fact that their offense regularly put up 40+ points in the regular season. This time around, Utah is familiar with that triple option having defended it against Air Force virtually every year until this one from its days in the MWC. G-Tech is going to have to pull out all of the stops and led QB Tevin Washington do some new things for it to be able to win this game.

Sun Bowl Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Utah Utes +2.5
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets -2.5
Over/Under 50.5
Click Here to Bet The Sun Bowl Picks!

Key #2: Utah has to get over its bevy of injuries in a hurry
The Utes are fortunate to be playing a bowl game on New Year’s Eve instead of earlier on, because if they were playing earlier, they would probably have a heck of a lot more concerns on the injury front. RB John White IV, the team’s leading rusher, has an ankle injury, while WR DeVonte Christopher, the top receiver, has a chest problem. This offense wasn’t deep enough this year to take hits like this one, and if these two men don’t play or don’t play effectively, it is going to crush an offense that already only ranked No. 110 in the nation, averaging 308.8 yards per game.

Key #3: The team that wins the battle at the line of scrimmage will win this game
It tends to go unnoticed, and it seems to be a bit taboo to say, but in this case, the team that wins the battles up front really will win this game. So much of both of these offenses revolves around the play of the offensive line, and that means that both teams need that unit to play well to keep the ball moving. Holding penalties, sacks, and false starts absolutely kill drives when you’re going to keep the ball on the ground on a regular basis and you really can’t go aerial all that often. What is underestimated though, is the power of the Utah defensive line. This front isn’t particularly flashy, but the unit gets the job done, and that’s why opponents are only averaging 98.2 yards per game against it on the ground. That leaves Utah ranked No. 7 in the game against the rush, and that came against a Pac-12 chock full of teams that love to keep the ball on the ground, get back to the line of scrimmage, and line up to do it all over once again.

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The Boise State Broncos and Utah Utes were two of the best mid major programs all season long, but both fell upon hard times and lost games inexplicably to take them out of the BCS race. Though neither one is playing in that illustrious game that they were hoping for, they are going to meet up in Sin City on Wednesday night in the MAACO’s Las Vegas Bowl, with some big time bragging rights on the line. Boise State will be taking Utah’s spot in the Mountain West Conference in the future, while the Utes head over to the Pac-10. But which team will grab the upper hand when these two match wits on Wednesday night? Check out our keys to the Las Vegas Bowl here at Bankroll Sports.

Key #1: Does Boise State want to be here?
All too often, teams that think they are heading to BCS games that end up playing in secondary events don’t really prepare the same sort of way that they would have if they were in the big bowls. Quite often, the end result shows the team that wanted to be in the game playing a significantly better game than the one that really didn’t want to be there. The Broncos definitely still have to feel spurned just a bit by the BCS in spite of the fact that their one loss came against a team ranked in the Top 20. Still, the WAC shouldn’t have been so difficult this year that they were beaten to the point that they didn’t win the conference crown. Head Coach Chris Petersen definitely has his work cut out for him to be able to make sure that when this one kicks off on Wednesday night that his boys are ready to give its best shot. If it does, this game really shouldn’t be all that close.

Key #2: Terrance Cain must play like a star
When you’re going against a defense that is allowing just 155.8 yards per game through the air, you know you have your work cut out for you, especially when that team held the Hawaii Warriors under 200 passing yards for the game earlier this year. QB Jordan Wynn is being held out of this game with an injury, which has really opened the door for the senior leader of this team, Cain, to take charge once again. Cain really found himself on the short end of the stick in Salt Lake City last year when Wynn, the freshman young gun, came in and played tremendous ball. In last year’s Poinsettia Bowl, Wynn threw for three TDs and had a true bust out game. Though he didn’t play poorly this year, Wynn never really looked like an elite QB in his sophomore campaign, throwing for 2,334 yards and 17 TDs against ten picks. Cain got to start two games and play some mop up time in a few others. For the most part, he played very, very well, throwing for 610 yards and six scores against two INTs. His blunder though, came in the final game of Utah’s season in the Holy War against the BYU Cougars. Cain came in to relieve to injured Wynn and went just 2-for-7 for eight yards with two INTs, nearly costing the Utes the game. He is the man that needs to really be in charge for the underdogs in this one to be able to spring the upset.

Key #3: Boise State’s offense needs to be heroes and prove that they aren’t a product of the weak WAC
In games against teams from outside the major conferences and outside the Top 25 this year, Boise State averaged a stunning 52.2 points per game. It tallied at least 48 in all eight of those games and really played some tremendous ball. However, in its four games against teams from BCS conferences or those against teams from the Top 25 (or nearly in the Top 25) from the WAC, the Broncos only averaged 35.8 points per game and never scored more than 42 in any of those. Now, there’s no shame in averaging 35.8 points per game against any type of schedule in the country, but if they’re going to beat a number like this one and make for successful Las Vegas Bowl picks, the Broncos need to make sure they exceed this number on the scoreboard against the Utes. Putting up all of these yards and points is nice, but doing it against the best competition in the country is what is really going to make the difference. Unfortunately for Boise State, especially against a defense that is averaging allowing just 319.7 yards and 19.8 points per game against a significantly tougher schedule, it really might not be able to just run wild like it thinks it will.

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 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

They are the teams who upset your favorites. They are the underdogs you root for or hate every year. They can win you big money, or they can bust you out with their upset victories. Their dream? Making a BCS bowl game. These are the top ten non-BCS schools, or mid-majors, if you prefer.

#1 Boise State Broncos: We all know the Broncos. Since 2006, the blue turf bandits have made off with victories over Oregon State, Oregon, Utah, and TCU. Let’s not forget the Statue of Liberty play to defeat Oklahoma in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Since that undefeated year, the Broncos have four total losses. Last year’s team saw QB Kellen Moore throw for 39 touchdowns to just three picks. Wide receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis combined to catch 142 balls for 1,896 yards and 24 touchdowns, while running backs Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin averaged 5.5 yards and 6.0 yards per carry, respectively. The two combined for 21 scores. Last season’s top-ranked scoring offense retains all of these leaders, so matching last year’s 450.8 yards and 42.2 points per game is doable. The defense retains star cornerback Brandyn Thompson, who intercepted five balls in 2009. Most of the defense from last year was made up of freshmen and sophomores, so this unit is only going to improve. This season, the Broncos open with Virginia Tech, a school that has struggled in early-season games as of late. With a win, the Broncos would be set to not just make a BCS bowl, but be the first non-BCS school to reach the National Championship game.

Key non-conference games: Virginia Tech (N), Oregon State
Key conference games: @ Nevada, @ Idaho

#2 TCU Horned Frogs: Since 2005, the Horned Frogs have taken out Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Stanford, Utah, BYU, Boise State, Virginia, and Clemson. Last year’s impressive squad, led by quarterback Andy Dalton, averaged 456.7 yards and 38.3 points per game. Dalton threw for 2,756 yards, 23 scores, and eight interceptions. This year, he will be throwing to a trio of seniors in Jeremy Kerley, Jimmy Young, and Bart Johnson, who combined for 110 receptions and seven scores in 2009. Running back Matthew Tucker averaged 6.4 yards per carry last year, scoring eight times. He will be the primary running back with the loss of Joseph Turner. A defense that gave up just 239.7 yards and 12.8 points per game retains the majority of its starters, though both Jerry Hughes and Darryl Washington are now in the NFL. Like Boise State, the Frogs have several freshmen and sophomores returning with great experience. They will have their chance to make another statement with a week one game against Oregon State.

Key non-conference game: Oregon State (N)
Key conference games: BYU, @ Utah

#3 Navy Midshipmen: Navy sails into 2010 coming off a ten win season, including victories over both of the other service academies. The Middies lost three games by seven points or less. With the return of quarterback Ricky Dobbs and another year of the famed spread-option offense, Navy is looking for another great season. Dobbs threw just 105 passes in 2009, completing 56 of them for 1,031 yards, six touchdowns and three picks. Of course, on the ground, he ran 315 times for 1,203 yards and a whopping 27 tuddies. Joining him in the unique offensive attack are fullback Vince Murray and a host of young, but talented slot-backs ready to replace Marcus Curry. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 182 touches, scoring six times. However, Curry was dismissed from the team in May after violating team rules and failing a drug test in January. Eager to step up are backs Gee Gee Greene, Alex Teich, and Aaron Santiago. Greene averaged 6.2 yards per rush last year, while returning 33 kickoffs for 607 yards. Teich contributed 376 yards on 70 carries. On defense, Navy will be led once again by DE Jabaree Tuani and safety Wyatt Middleton. They will have to re-tool at linebacker however, as the three starters are gone. Tyler Simmons will be heavily relied upon to lead the new group. Navy has a favorable schedule, so another ten win season is looking likely.

Key games: @ Air Force, Notre Dame(N), @ East Carolina

#4 Houston Cougars: There is a significant drop-off after Boise State and TCU, but Houston took out Texas Tech, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State last season. The Cougars feature a high-powered offense and the nation’s statistically leading quarterback in Case Keenum. Keenum completed 492 of 700 balls last year for 5,671 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 15 picks. The team returns three 1,000 yard receivers in James Cleveland, Tyron Carrier, and Patrick Edwards. The three combined for 27 touchdowns, all averaging at least 11.3 yards per catch. Clearly, there is not much use of the running game, but if needed, the Cougars have two running backs in Charles Sims and Bryce Beall, who are capable. Sims averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored nine times, while Beall gained 670 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Don’t look for the 108th ranked defense to improve much, however. Last year’s unit gave up 451.3 yards and 30.1 points per game. Senior cornerback Jamal Robinson intercepted five balls a year ago and will lead a defense that is extremely young. Houston will be in the spotlight in its final game of the year at Texas Tech.

Key non-conference games: @ UCLA, Mississippi State, @ Texas Tech
Key conference games: @ SMU, UCF, Tulsa

#5 Temple Owls: You’re asking yourself: “How did Temple get on any top ten lists, other than maybe the worst schools ever?” Well, my friend, Temple has turned it around, at least for a little while. Yes, it lost to Villanova in week one of the 2009 campaign, but then again, Villanova won the FCS championship. The Owls put together a nine game win streak, finishing the regular season at 9-3 before losing by nine to UCLA in their first bowl appearance since 1979. Vaughn Charlton returns as the quarterback for 2010, but last year was not impressive; he completed 107 of 213 passes for 1,390 yards, ten scores, and 11 picks. This will obviously have to improve. The wide receiving corps is deep, with only two players getting more than 20 catches. Five receivers caught at least two touchdowns, but none caught more than three. The ground game is the real excitement for the Owls, with star running back Bernard Pierce. Last season, Pierce carried 236 times for 1,361 yards and 16 touchdowns. Matt Brown also ran for 529 yards and five scores on 89 carries. On defense, the Owls should again be strong against the run, with an experienced and large line and senior linebackers Elijah Joseph and Amara Kamara leading the way. However, opposing quarterbacks racked up 226.4 yards per game, blasting through the Owls’ secondary. The schedule is no cakewalk, with the first four games against Villanova, Central Michigan, Connecticut, and Penn State. However, Temple could easily get another 9-3 season and MAC title game appearance.

Key non-conference games: Connecticut, @ Penn State
Key conference games: Central Michigan, @ Northern Illinois, Ohio

#6 Nevada Wolfpack: The Wolfpack quietly had a 7-1 conference record and the best rushing offense in the nation a year ago. After getting stomped by Notre Dame, Colorado State, and Missouri, the team went on an eight game win streak, before losing its final regular season game and a bowl bid against SMU. Returning this year is quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who completed 166 of 282 throws for 2,052 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six picks. He was the top dual threat in the nation, adding 7.3 yards per rush on 161 carries, scoring 16 times. Rejoining last year’s number one ranked ground game is Vai Taua, who averaged 7.8 yards and scored ten times on 172 carries. The team loses its third 1,000 yard rusher in Luke Lippincott, but there is plenty of depth in Mike Ball and Mark Lampford. At wide receiver, the team returns Brandon Wimberly, Tray Session, and Chris Wellington. The three combined for just nine touchdowns in the nation’s 107th ranked passing offense. The Wolfpack will need to improve their passing offense to keep up their winning ways. Last year’s unit gave up a second to last ranked 297.8 yards per game through the air. In the team’s five losses, the opposition scored at least 31 points. The line and linebacking core losses are minimal, and the only way to go is up for the secondary. The conference road schedule is terribly brutal, however.

Key non-conference games: California
Key conference games: @ BYU, @ Idaho, Boise State

#7 Utah Utes: The Utes are looking tough once again for 2010. They have some holes to fill on defense, but with BYU losing Max Hall and other staples, Utah is primed to be right there with TCU. The offense will be led by sophomore QB Jordan Wynn, who threw for 1,329 yards, eight scores, and four picks in a half season’s work after replacing junior Terrance Cain. The team loses a 1,000 yard wide receiver in David Reed, but retains Jereme Brooks, who led all receivers with seven scores. Sophomore Luke Williams will be the second throwing option for Wynn, having caught just nine passes last year. The rushing attack will be led by Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata. Asiata tore his ACL early last season and was granted an extra year of eligibility. Wide emerged as a more than capable replacement, racing for 1,070 yards and 12 touchdowns on 202 carries. On defense, only five starters return. Last year’s unit allowed just 176.2 passing yards and 20.2 points per game. The biggest hit comes at linebacker, with all three starters now gone. However, junior J.J. Williams is expected to lead a young group. The schedule isn’t easy, but Utah does get most of the big games at home, including Pittsburgh, TCU, and BYU.

Key non-conference games: Pittsburgh, @ Notre Dame
Key conference games: @ Air Force, TCU, BYU

#8 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders: MTSU isn’t exactly one of the most talked about mid majors, but last year it showed it really does have a capable football program. The Raiders finished behind Troy for the Sun Belt title, but won ten games, including a bowl victory over Southern Miss. Now, it might just be MTSU’s year to win the Sun Belt. The offense will be led by a great dual threat in Dwight Dasher. He led his team with 1,154 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, while throwing for 2,789 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. At wide receiver, the team loses Chris McClover and Patrick Honeycutt, who combined for 961 yards and nine scores. Remaining are Garrett Andrews and Shane Blissard. The two only combined for 19 catches last year, though. This year’s defensive unit also has some strength. DE Jamari Lattimore returns, having racked up 5.5 sacks. Safety Jeremy Kellem has been named the Sun Belt preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The Blue Raiders will have their first statement game opportunity in week one, when the Minnesota Golden Gophers come to Tennessee.

Key non-conference games: Minnesota, @ Georgia Tech
Key conference games: @ Louisiana-Lafayette, Troy

#9 Northern Illinois Huskies: The Huskies are again on the rise, with back-to-back bowl appearances and an impressive win at Purdue last season. Now, they return several key starters and look to appear in the MAC Championship game with Temple. The offense will once again feature a strong running game, with senior Chad Spann. Last season, Spann gained 1,038 yards and scored 19 times on 179 carries. Fellow running back Me’Co Brown has left the program, so JUCO transfer Jasmin Hopkins will see action early. Chandler Harnish will again be the quarterback and will try to improve on a mediocre performance, throwing for 1,670 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions last season. The 109th ranked passing offense will be searching for a top wide receiver, as only two caught more than one touchdown. Landon Cox appears to be the man, leading last year’s squad with 535 yards and four scores on 45 receptions. Defensively, the Huskies should be set. Nine starters are returning, but will need to improve on last year’s measly four total interceptions. Last year’s unit also allowed opponents to convert 41.2% of the time on third down, but did sack the quarterback 29 times. Where it really counts, the Huskies only surrendered 21.2 points per game. This season, the Huskies will face a brutal schedule, with four of the first five on the road. However, with the departure of Dan LaFevour at Central Michigan, the MAC West is NIU’s to lose.

Key non-conference games: @ Iowa State, @ Minnesota
Key conference game: Temple

#10: Central Florida Knights: The Knights are going to be a power in Conference USA’s East Division. The story here is the defense, which allowed just 84.7 rushing yards per game last season. Seven starters are returning, including DE Bruce Miller, who was responsible for 16 sacks in 2009. At cornerback, sophomore Josh Robinson will make another impact, intercepting six passes in his freshman debut. A unit that a year ago allowed just 22.5 points per game has nowhere to go but up. The offense is a different story, with junior Rob Calabrese stepping in at quarterback. He threw for three scores and no interceptions in limited action in 2009. Leading running back Brynn Harvey should be back from knee surgery in time for the season opener. On the plus side, the offense returns four starting linemen and its top receiver in Kamar Aiken, who scored nine times and averaged 16.9 yards per catch last year. The Knights have an excellent chance to make the C-USA title game, led by their lights-out defense.

Key non-conference games: North Carolina State, @ Kansas State
Key conference game: @ Houston

The 2009 College Football Season kicks off Thursday night with 9 different games that will take the spotlight as college football enthusiast tune in to the opening night of football. South Carolina travels to North Carolina State in the opening premier match-up which will be followed by a battle between top 25 teams No. 16 Oregon at No. 14 Boise State. There will be plenty of action throughout opening night and surely bettors will be eager to get an opportunity to make some quick cash and get things off to a good start to their seasons. Of course, most will be betting on the game totals and over/unders. However, we take a look at some interesting prop bets from BetUS Sportsbook (100% football bonus using this link) & Sportsbook.com (50% football bonus using this link) for the first night of football and break down unique ways to cash in and earn some money while watching these games.

Free Prop Bet Pick #1 – South Carolina Gamecocks at North Carolina State Wolfpack 

Double Result Odds:
South Carolina/South Carolina +250
South Carolina/Tie +2000
South Carolina/North Carolina State +500
Tie/South Carolina +2000
Tie/Tie +8000
Tie/North Carolina State +2000
North Carolina State/South Carolina +600
North Carolina State/Tie +1800
North Carolina State/North Carolina State -200

The “double result” bet is perhaps one of the simplest exciting bets with the opportunity to really make some money. If you are not familiar with this type of bet, you are basically predicting initially the winner of the first half and then the winner of the 2nd half. There are 9 different scenarios that can play out and all of them usually have profitable odds. North Carolina State will enter the game as 4 point favorites due to a strong offense behind the young talented quarterback of Russell Wilson. However, we tend to warn that Wilson and company may not have an easy task of overcoming the South Carolina defense. The Gamecocks secondary ranked 2nd in the country last season holding teams to just 159 yards per game through the air. South Carolina may have lost a large portion of that secondary, but they have a history of producing a strong secondary and have put plenty of cornerbacks in the NFL over the past few years. The Gamecocks defense will also be very solid up front and should get a lot of pressure making it difficult for the Wolfpack offense. The big question will be if the South Carolina offense can deliver. The quarterbacks had plenty of trouble last year throwing more interceptions than any team in college football (27). Stephen Garcia will be the man behind center this year and he has a lot of upside if he can be accurate. Even with 4 interceptions in the first half last year, the Gamecocks routed the Wolfpack in a 34-0 blowout on opening night. The Wolfpack should have no trouble getting on the board this year, but that is not to say they will have tons of success. The Gamecocks defense should get the job done again and it could be similar scenario despite what the media may be predicting.

Free Football Pick – South Carolina/South Carolina

Free Prop Bet Pick #2- Oregon Ducks at Boise State Broncos

Who will score first?
Oregon -105
Boise State -115

This particular game will highlight two very talented offense in what could very well turnout to be a high scoring shootout. The Ducks offense ranked 7th nationally in 2008 gaining 484 yards per contest while the Broncos ranked 18th racking up 440 yards per game. The over/under total is listed at a lofty 64.5 points a game so touchdowns are to be expected. However, who will score first? Well that could be simple if we first knew who would get the ball first? Well that may be a stretch, but both offenses should get the better of the defense. However, we all know how offenses some time take some rhythm before they spark early in the year especially in the opening match-up. Last year, it took Oregon until the end of the season before the offense became alive. Even if they are to come out ready this Thursday night they will play a solid Boise State defense that ranked 20th overall in 2008. The Broncos on the other hand will go against one of the worse pass defenses from 2008. Oregon ranked an extremely disappointing 111th last season against the pass allowing 270 yards per game. Add to the fact that the Broncos have only lost two games on their home field in the last ten years and there is plenty reason to think they will be the first to ignite on offense. Oregon will give them a run for their money, but they will likely make a late charge.

Free Football Pick – Boise State -115

Free Prop Bet Pick #3 – Utah State Aggies at Utah Utes

First Quarter Betting Line:
Utah State +4.5
Utah -4.5

The Utah Utes became college football’s version of a Cinderella story last year after an undefeated season that was captivated by a heroic and convincing victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah will enter opening night as the number 19 team in the nation when they travel to take on inner state foe Utah State. Utah had an impressive offense in 2009, but despite popular perception it was the defense that made the difference. The Utes will return 8 of those starters that contributed to the nations 11 best defensive unit. Utah State on the other hand returns one of the worse defenses in the land. The Aggies barely ranked inside the top 100 allowing 412 yards per game. The Aggies will have a solid quarterback in Diondre Borel, but it may be a difficult task overthrowing the Utes tough defensive front. The Utes should be able to control the Aggies fairly easy and that is a big reason they are 20 point favorites. America’s new favorite team should control this game from start to finish and the defense should keep the team from getting behind even if they are to come out flat. Points should be easy to come by and the Utes will led by two scores at the end of the first quarter.

Free Football Pick – Utah -4.5