The best college football betting teams in the land don’t always put together the best performances for NCAA football picks. Here at Bankroll Sports, we have your ATS Top 25 rankings ready and raring to go following one week of play.

1. Boise State Broncos (1-0 ATS) – The Broncos clearly made a name for themselves by putting up a huge cover that totally went against the grain of popular belief last week. Virginia Tech went from a short dog to a short favorite in this de facto road game across the country. Give Boise credit. It certainly proved it was for real and definitely got our attention.

2. Arizona Wildcats (1-0 ATS) – On national TV in a standalone game, when you can basically hold your opponent scoreless on defense and put together 41 on your own in one of your most impressive offensive displays in decades, you’re going to turn heads. The Wildcats did just that, and they’re going to start the year as a team we watch for as an ATS hero.

3. Michigan Wolverines (1-0 ATS) – Welcome to the big time, Denard Robinson! Michigan has a new hero, and he is finally the vintage dual threat quarterback that Rich Rodriguez has been dying for. Robinson torched one of the best defenses in the Big East in the form of the UConn Huskies last week, and more covers like that against big time foes are going to have us wondering whether Rich Rod really has his team heading towards a huge bowl game.

4. Utah State Aggies (1-0 ATS) – When you can march into Norman and nearly come away with an outright victory as five TD underdogs, you’ve done something special. The Aggies were one of the top ATS teams in the land last year, and they are well on their way this year to doing the same type of thing. For whatever reason, the oddsmakers just have not caught up to this team yet.

5. Oregon Ducks (1-0 ATS) – The Ducks posted 72 points and 720 yards last week, so it’s no wonder that they absolutely pounded an already huge spread against the New Mexico Lobos. We clearly think that this is a team that can beat anyone in the nation, and as long as the oddsmakers are wondering how well these guys will cope without Jeremiah Masoli, we’ll continue to capitalize.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0 ATS) – Few coaches in the country know how to coach ’em up like good ol’ Steve Spurrier. He had never lost a game before, having gone a perfect 38-0 against non-BCS conference schools in his career. However, Southern Miss came to Columbia looking to take the bagel out of that category. There were suspensions to deal with and a ton of pundits picking the Golden Eagles, and what happened? Spurrier is now 39-0 all-time against non-BCS conference schools and his team picked up one of the most impressive covers of the season to date.

7. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0 ATS) – The Pokes got some great running from Kendall Hunter and used a tremendous offensive explosion to ditch Washington State at home over the weekend. We are really impressed with the way that this team is already coming together in the post Zac Robinson era, and this might be the start of a slew of covers for a feisty team.

8. East Carolina Pirates (1-0 ATS) – Style points certainly count for something. A Hail Mary to beat the Golden Hurricane last week really wasn’t necessary for East Carolina to pick up an already impressive ATS victory, but it did affirm that this team is significantly better than the oddsmakers think. We’ll hope that the Pirate ship leads us to some buried treasure all season long.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0 ATS) – The only blunder for the Buckeyes in the first week of the season was a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. Aside from that, Terrelle Pryor played like a Heisman Trophy candidate and the defense that was billed as one of the best in the land lived up to expectations. A comfortable cover only added the cherry on top.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-0 ATS) – A seven point victory against a Sun Belt team is usually nothing to be impressed about, but we loved the way that the Gophers came together and took care of business in a very workmanlike manner against Middle Tennessee State on Thursday night. If Minnesota can get Duane Bennett running like this all season long, it might be able to contend for a bowl game in the crowded Big Ten.

11. Syracuse Orange (1-0 ATS) – Ok, so it was Akron… No big deal, right? Still, any covers for the ‘Cuse are still good ones, and few teams in the land did it by more points this week than they did. Syracuse might be able to sneak up on some teams this year and hit some backdoors, as the offense appears to be competent. This is a team to watch for certain.

12. Florida State Seminoles (1-0 ATS) – It was a picturesque performance for the garnet and gold in Jimbo Fisher’s first game on the sidelines, and we think that that could really continue this week. The Noles might not beat the Sooners, but one thing is for certain, and that’s that they are going to give everything they’ve got to try to get back on the map. For a team that historically struggles with covering games, this could be the year it all changes.

13. Florida Atlantic Owls (1-0 ATS) – Do the Owls really have some spark in them this year in spite of the fact that Rusty Smith has finally graduated? We trust Howard Schnellenberger 100% in this case, and we can’t help by wonder if there are a ton of covers coming after FAU pulled the outright upset off at UAB last week.

14. Georgia Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) – Beating the Ragin’ Cajuns wasn’t really all that impressive, and neither was covering the spread. What got our attention Between the Hedges was the fact that the Dawgs did all of this without AJ Green. Green is a real difference maker in the lineup, and he could make this team very, very scary.

15. BYU Cougars (1-0 ATS) -It was one of the games that sort of flew under the radar last week, but the Cougars went on the road and took out U-Dub in what could be the first of a number of covers this year. BYU is sort of the forgotten team in the Mountain West and can change that this week against Air Force with another big win to start off the campaign.

16. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-0 ATS) -For the first time in a number of years, the Bulldogs might finally have it going on this year. Ditching Chris Relf might be a great start for a team that has direly lacked quarterback play, and we think that the 49-7 win over Memphis might be the start of some great things in the deep south.

17. Miami Hurricanes (1-0 ATS) – The Canes could be incredibly underrated this season, and a stomping on Florida A&M probably didn’t sway the oddsmakers one way or the other. Still, Miami put together one of the most complete performances in the country last week, albeit against a team that will struggle to finish .500 in the FCS.

18. Iowa State Cyclones (1-0 ATS) – Does anyone realize that this has the potential to be a bowl team once again this year? ISU, behind Austen Arnaud, might really have a chance to contend in the Big XII North, and because the opening act against NIU really flew under the radar, this could be a great chance to hop aboard and start a good run of ATS results for the Cyclones.

19. Maryland Terrapins (1-0 ATS) – In a week where BCS busting was the theme, the Terps would have none of it against one of the best mid major programs in the country. Navy was sunk by Maryland thanks to some fantastic defensive play. If Ralph Friedgen can ever get his offense in gear, the Turtles could come out of their shell and post some ATS victories in a hurry.

20. Idaho Vandals (1-0 ATS) – Idaho came out of nowhere last season to impress and make a bowl game, and the same could be said this year. No one really thought that the Vandals were capable of beating anyone 45-0, but in spite of the fact that this was an FCS foe, it was impressive nonetheless.

21. Tennessee Volunteers (1-0 ATS) – Does Derek Dooley really have his ducks in a row? UT might not be such a bad spot right now to be, especially since the SEC is starting to look more and more open. Knocking off UT-Martin by a whopping 50-0 score is really, really impressive for a team that many were down on to start the year.

22. San Diego State Aztecs (1-0 ATS) – The ranks of the teams posting shutouts continues with San Diego State, who blanked Nichols State 47-0 to start off the season. The Aztecs are going to get a cupcake roadie before the fun really starts. That’s when we’ll see whether these guys are for real or not.

23. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0 ATS) – We just couldn’t leave the Tide off of this list after rolling over San Jose State. Yes, the Spartans stink, and yes Trent Richardson is probably every bit as good as Mark Ingram, but when you take a Heisman Trophy winner out of the lineup and still win by 45 points, your accomplishment is worth noting.

24. Buffalo Bulls (1-0 ATS) -Ya think Turner Gill wants to trade places right now? His current team was just beaten by an FCS nobody. His former team posted a 31-0 shutout. That’s a major, major improvement for a club that missed a bowl game this year. The Bulls might be worth watching.

25. Central Florida Knights (1-0 ATS) – UCF isn’t getting all that much respect this year in Conference USA by the oddsmakers even though several accredited media people think that it is going to challenge for the conference crown. Starting off with a 38-7 win against South Dakota was good enough to cover a spread, but not so alarming as to catch the oddsmakers’ eyes.

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Most of the 120 teams across the country in FBS are set to kick it off between Thursday and next Monday, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’ve got all you need to know when you’re ready to analyze the Week 1 college football betting lines!

As always, there are a number of huge favorites that are going to be all over the board in the first week of play across the nation. The Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, Michigan State Spartans, Florida Gators, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma Sooners, Wisconsin Badgers, Georgia Bulldogs, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Clemson Tigers, and Auburn Tigers are all favored by at least three touchdowns will be likely coast to easy victories against their lesser foes.

However, not every game on the slate has such little intrigue. On the opening day of the season on Thursday, the Utah Utes and Pittsburgh Panthers will square off in a rematch of the first ever BCS busting game. The Utes became the first team from a non-BCS conference to make it to a major bowl game, and they crippled the Panthers that day at the Fiesta Bowl. This will be the first time these two squads meet. Second year men will be on display, as RB Dion Lewis for Pitt and QB Jordan Wynn for Utah will be at center stage.

Keep as close eye as well on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders on Thursday, as QB Dwight Dasher might be able to lead the hosts to a big win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers. MTSU is a three point underdog but is certainly a live dog that might be worth backing.

The Connecticut Huskies and Michigan Wolverines will fight it out in the Big House in what could be a huge game for both programs. The Huskies are still searching for some respect, and Heisman Trophy candidate, RB Jordan Todman will be the main focus of the attack. This is a do or die year for HC Rich Rodriguez in Ann Arbor, and he’ll need to come forth with a good effort to start the season or risk the wrath of the media and boosters calling for his head before the Big Ten season even gets started. This is a game that Michigan certainly expects to win even though it is just a three point favorite.

There are two big time rivalry games to keep on your radar as well. The Colorado Buffaloes will meet the Colorado State Rams at Mile High in a neutral site game to determine the top team in the Rockies for another year. It’s a big one for HC Dan Hawkins, who knows that a second straight loss to a poor CSU squad will ultimately probably cost him his job. The Buffs are 13 point favorites.

It’ll also be a battle to see whether the Bluegrass becomes a red state or a blue state, as Joker Phillips takes over the Kentucky Wildcats and Charlie Strong starts his coaching career with the Louisville Cardinals. Both of these new coaches would love a win over their arch rivals to get the teams going in 2010, but only one will cover the NCAA football odds in this one. The visiting Wildcats are favored by 3.5 points.

Saturday night wraps up with a crucial tilt between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Fresno State Bulldogs. We all know HC Pat Hill’s mantra… Anyone, anytime, anywhere. Cincinnati has no fear of coming West, as it did so last year in beating Oregon State en route to its perfect regular season. QB Zach Collaros will have a ton of pressure on his backside in this game, as he is taking over for QB Tony Pike. New HC Butch Jones is a 2.5 point underdog in this, his first game at U of C, but the Cats could scratch out a victory to open up their campaign.

However, Week 1 wouldn’t be complete without one of the biggest games of the entire year. The Boise State Broncos are probably going to put their BCS dreams on the line at FedEx Field when they take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in a “neutral site game” that is going to look at lot like Lane Stadium would on your average Saturday. The stars will be shining in this, the first Top 10 battle of the year. The winner will have a massive leg up towards the BCS this year, while the loser will already have their National Championship hopes dashed in Week 1. The Broncos have finally gained some respect against the big boys in the big conferences, as they are 2.5 point favorites in this de facto road game.

2010 NCAA Football Week 1 Lines & Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 8/29/10):
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133 – Southern Miss Golden Eagles +14
134 – South Carolina Gamecocks -14
Over/Under 47
135 – Marshall Thundering Herd +28.5
136 – Ohio State Buckeyes -28.5
Over/Under 47.5
137 – Northern Illinois Huskies +3
138 – Iowa State Cyclones -3
Over/Under 47
139 – Pittsburgh Panthers +2.5
140 – Utah Utes -2.5
Over/Under 49
141 – USC Trojans -21
142 – Hawaii Warriors +21
Over/Under 53.5
143 – Minnesota Golden Gophers -3
144 – Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders +3
Over/Under 48.5
145 – Florida Atlantic Owls +15
146 – UAB Blazers -15
Over/Under 51.5
147 – Arizona Wildcats -15
148 – Toledo Rockets +15
Over/Under 60.5
149 – Western Michigan Broncos +22.5
150 – Michigan State Spartans -22.5
Over/Under 53.5
151 – Miami Redhawks +35
152 – Florida Gators -35
Over/Under 53
153 – Illinois Fighting Illini +12
154 – Missouri Tigers -12
Over/Under 53.5
155 – Colorado Buffaloes -13
156 – Colorado State Rams +13
Over/Under 46
157 – Northwestern Wildcats -5.5
158 – Vanderbilt Commodores +5.5
Over/Under 44.5
159 – Memphis Tigers +21.5
160 – Mississippi state Bulldogs -21.5
Over/Under 53.5
161 – Texas Longhorns -29
162 – Rice Owls +29
Over/Under 59
163 – Purdue Boilermakers +11.5
164 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish -11.5
Over/Under 54.5
165 – Connecticut Huskies +3
166 – Michigan Wolverines -3
Over/Under 54.5
167 – Kentucky Wildcats -3.5
168 – Louisville Cardinals +3.5
Over/Under 49
169 – New Mexico Lobos +33
170 – Oregon Ducks -33
Over/Under 56
171 – UCLA Bruins +2.5
172 – Kansas State Wildcats -2.5
Over/Under 43
173 – Syracuse Orange -8.5
174 – Akron Zips +8.5
Over/Under 43.5
175 – Washington Huskies +2.5
176 – BYU Cougars -2.5
Over/Under 56.5
177 – Washington State Cougars +15.5
178 – Oklahoma State Cowboys -15.5
Over/Under 48.5
179 – San Jose State Spartans +38.5
180 – Alabama Crimson Tide -38.5
Over/Under 53
181 – Utah State Aggies +32
182 – Oklahoma Sooners -32
Over/Under 57
183 – Army Black Knights -9.5
184 – Eastern Michigan Eagles +9.5
Over/Under 42
185 – Oregon State Beavers +13.5
186 – TCU Horned Frogs -13.5
Over/Under 50.5
189 – Cincinnati Bearcats +2.5
190 – Fresno State Bulldogs -2.5
Over/Under 58
191 – Wisconsin Badgers -21
192 – UNLV Rebels +21
Over/Under 57.5
193 – UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns +28
194 – Georgia Bulldogs -28
Over/Under 52.5
195 – Western Kentucky Hilltoppers +36.5
196 – Nebraska Cornhuskers -36.5
Over/Under 51.5
197 – North Texas Mean Green +23
198 – Clemson Tigers -23
Over/Under 56.5
199 – Bowling Green Falcons +14
200 – Troy Trojans -14
Over/Under 55.5
201 – Arkansas State Red Wolves +31
202 – Auburn Tigers -31
Over/Under 58
203 – Tulsa Golden Hurricane -8.5
204 – East Carolina Pirates +8.5
Over/Under 60.5
205 – SMU Mustangs +13.5
206 – Texas Tech Red Raiders -13.5
Over/Under 60.5
207 – Maryland Terrapins +7
208 – Navy Midshipmen -7
Over/Under 49
209 – Boise State Broncos -2.5
210 – Virginia Tech Hokies +2.5
Over/Under 50.5

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.

It is time to spark up the ever going debate that consumes college football fans every year towards the end of each season in the age old question who is the best conference in college football? There is little doubt that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has held their reign for at least 3 years running now considering they have won 3 straight National Championships with stacked talent in the conference. However, recently this debate has emerged again as the SEC is having a less than dominating season from teams top to bottom in the conference. There are many of the experts giving Pac-10 the new title of America’s top football confidence, but if you say that why is the ACC out of the picture since they have more teams ranked higher in the BCS Standings? All of this debate going on while the SEC still has the number 1 and 2 teams in the BCS Standings means it may be all irrelevant and we will explain as we break down the Top 5 conferences in college football.

#6.

Despite having promising pre-season rankings each year, the Big Ten seems to disappoint year after year. This season has not been any different, but the Big Ten still holds 4 teams in the top 25. However, there is still nobody from the Big Ten that is an elite team and the way they stack up against the out of conference teams have been flat horrible. Ohio State has already clinched the Big Ten title, but even the top team in the Big Ten could not hold off the USC Trojans earlier this year. The Trojans are not even capable of keeping pace in their own conference in the Pac-10 which makes it look even worse for the Big Ten’s sake. The Buckeyes were beaten by Purdue of all teams this year as well which would translate in SEC terms in like Kentucky beating Florida and when is the last time you have seen that happen? Even Northwestern who holds down the middle of the Big Ten was beaten by Syracuse this year which is a team that has just 1 win in the Big East. Sure the emergence of the Hawkeyes could have helped this season, but they are just another team that can only stack up against opponents in the own conference. The Big Ten has famously been one of the most over rated conferences in America and last year’s 1-6 Bowl record is a testament to that claim. Expect similar results in the 2009-2010 Bowl Games again this year.

#5

Outside of Texas is there anyone else in the Big 12 that can truly contend on a weekly basis? Oklahoma State was hyped as one of the most dangerous teams in the preseason but an out of conference loss to Houston set the Cowboys back and they have been truly to catch-up all season. The down year from Oklahoma may be the biggest fall of the conference this year with out of conference losses to BYU and Miami. To make matters worse, the Big 12 North is an embarrassment. Nebraska is a solid team with a defense that keeps them in all games they will take part in. However, the rest of the division is fairly terrible. Kansas State will finish at 2nd in the Big 12 North at 6-6 on the year that included a loss to Louisiana-Lafayette of all teams. Iowa State was completely crushed by Iowa and so was Texas A&M by Arkansas. The Big 12 has been fueled by their powerful offenses over the past few years that could overcome the average defenses from around the conference. However, the offenses have struggled as a whole while the defenses have still allowed giving up big numbers. There is still a ton of talent in the Big 12, but they simply do not have it together this season and it has showed outside the conference. At least there is still hope Texas can bring home a National Championship if they can manage to get by Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship.

#4

The Big East is definitely having a better than expected season with the help of the Cincinnati Bearcats who are still undefeated holding down a 5th place ranking. Pittsburgh is also another top 10 team that is really developing into a solid team. The entire Big East is pretty solid from top to bottom. However, there is still not any team in the conference that has recorded a really huge type of win. Pittsburgh was knocked off earlier in the year by a North Carolina State team that is barely treading water in the ACC. West Virginia was taken down by Auburn who is also below averaging in the SEC. Outside of South Florida and Rutgers capture a pair of wins against the ACC, there is not much to brag about. However, the Big East has definitely shown that they can contend and have a lot of teams with promising futures. The Big East held a 4-2 mark in Bowl records last year and they will give opponents a tough time again this year. However, the entire conference still has a way to go before they will be strong enough to put an undefeated team into a National Championship over some of the other BCS conferences as will be an example when the Bearcats are left out of the title game this year if they can remain unbeaten.

#3

There may be some passionate fans that try and put their beloved ACC above the rest of the nation’s conferences, but that is a far from accurate claim. The ACC may have more teams ranked higher in the top 25 BCS Standings than other schools, but breaking down some of their top teams is far from impressive. The Clemson Tigers clinched the Atlantic Division at 8-3 on the season, but this is the same team that was beaten by a 2-9 Maryland team who was also beaten by Middle Tennessee State. Boston College was beaten by 6-5 Notre Dame and Florida State has had plenty of struggles this season which included an out of conference loss to South Florida. The Coastal Division has some promising hope led by 7th ranked Georgia Tech who continues to tear opponents apart by the triple option attack. Virginia Tech and Miami have shown signs of strength this season, but have also shown signs of inconsistency at the same time. The high BCS rankings may be thanks to their own strides from the upper echelon teams over the inferior teams in the conference. If you put the ACC up against the Pac-10 or SEC top to bottom and had each teams square off against each other in a number 1 vs. number 1 to number 2 vs. number 2 scenario, there is no way the ACC would have a winning record against either conference. Until they can produce some consistent National Championship contenders they will not have a chance to have the best conference in America simply because the likes of Duke, Virginia, Maryland, and others dampen those chances each year.

#2

The Pac-10 may have more teams from top to bottom that is as strong as or stronger than any conference in America. The majority of the teams in the conference can hold their ground with nearly anyone, However, the top teams in the Pac-10 have not stacked up well in their out of conference battles. Oregon has the chance to win the Pac-10 outright next week when they play Oregon State as the top team in the conference, but they were beaten by Boise State in the opener this season. Oregon State could still make claim towards a Pac-10 title, but they also were beaten by one of the nation’s top teams in Cincinnati out of the Big East. Stanford who has helped bring up the strength of the conference this season also suffered a less than stellar out of conference opponent to Wake Forest who has been fairly below average in the ACC. Of course there are 6 different teams that hold the top 15 most difficult schedules in America meaning they are much harder to keep teams from beating up on each other. However, even if you give the Pac-10 the edge with more talent top to bottom, they still do not have a National Championship contender. It is also very irrelevant to make the claim that they would have a National Championship contender if they did not beat up on each other because the SEC has been able to overcome that void for the last 3 years with the best conference in football. However if you stack up the entire SEC vs. Pac 10 in letting each team square off against each other, the Pac 10 will hold their ground and possibly even have the slight edge.

#1

All of this debate can rage on as it will most likely through the media and fans from around the nation. However as the debate continues, the SEC will be locking down their 4th straight National Championship. There is not any other team on neither Florida nor Alabama’s level and until a conference can take the National Title Trophy away from the SEC the argument is pointless. Sure the conference as a whole may be down, but what is down when you are talking about the SEC. Having a down year in the SEC is not having 4 to 5 teams in the top 15 instead of just having 4 ranked in the top 25. Outside of Mississippi State and Vanderbilt who hold down the bottom in both divisions, the entire SEC has just 2 out of conference losses and both fell in the first two weeks of the season. The SEC may have found a way to equal out in terms of records this season, but they stack up plenty well against the other top teams around the country. Last year, the SEC ranked 2nd in Bowl Games at a 6-2 mark behind the Pac-10 which was 5-0. Not only did they put more teams in Bowl Games than any other conference in America, they proved how good they were against other teams around the country that were supposedly on an equal level. It is no different this season, but the top 25 polls that impacts popular perception simply does not have as many teams from the SEC as usual and that is why people think the SEC is no longer the best conference in college football. However, they will have another stellar record in the postseason and they will bring home a 4th consecutive National Championship which will again silence all other conference claims as the best in the nation yet again.

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Current BCS Standings (as of October 25, 2009):

2009 BCS Predictions (as of October 20, 2009):

Well let the controversy begin or at least that is what the BCS Standing major goal is to accomplish right? In case you missed it, the first BCS Standings were released this week for college football. Will this finally be the year we have such a catastrophe in the BCS Polls that it finally causes a playoff to be adopted in college football? We think it could be for a number of reasons. Most importantly is that one of the non major conference teams will be undefeated and when say non major we mean outside the SEC and Big 12. Boise State, Cincinnati, and TCU all have really good chances to end the season undefeated. Of course if any team ends the year undefeated they have the right to make their claim for a National Title especially after Utah thumped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last year. All of this expectations and predictions may be a little premature. However rest assured in early December after all the Conference Title games have been played, the BCS will implode and cause some major disappointments for college football enthusiasts. Check out these big BCS Standings predictions.

BCS Standing Prediction #5 – TCU and Iowa will fade.

TCU is catching a lot of attention as there is a lot of people who think they can run the table. The Horned Frogs have a very talented defense that will keep them in every game they play this season. However, they have some big games left on the schedule against BYU and Utah. The TCU offense will have to step up if they are to run the table and quite honestly they do not have the firepower to keep up with those explosive scoring teams. TCU may get a win out of those two games, but they will lose at least one knocking their chances for a BCS Bowl out of the picture. Iowa is in a similar boat as well. The Hawkeyes keep winning in less than convincing fashion, but their momentum is running on thin ice. The Iowa offense is not moving the ball very well and they rank outside the top 75 in total offense with just 351 yards per game. In fact the offense has just produced 24 points per game this season as well. While the Big Ten teams are not known for huge offensive numbers, they are known for strong defenses. The Hawkeyes offense will be stopped in their tracks and it could be as early as this weekend on the road at Michigan State. If that does not knock them off track, the Buckeyes will get their chance to do the deed at the Horseshoe.

BCS Standings Prediction #4 – The SEC will sport two BCS Bowl Berths

Well this is a pretty easy prediction. Florida ranks number 1 in the standings and Alabama holds down the number 2 spot. In fact they are exactly vice versa in the AP Polls. It is a fair argument to say they are the best two teams in the country and are on a huge collision course for the Georgia Dome that will host the SEC Championship game. There is not any team left on either schedule that poses any big threats. Of course Florida has looked vulnerable while the Tide has rolled. Even if one falls to an upset they will meet in the SEC Championship. The winner will be fighting for the SEC’s 4th straight National Championship and the loser will still earn an at large berth in one of the other 4 BCS Bowl Games.

BCS Standings Prediction #3 – No. 20 Pittsburgh will earn a BCS Bowl Berth

The Pittsburgh Panthers may be well down the BCS Standings at this point in the season, but they will make a climb to the top. Despite being a fairly average team, the Panthers conference schedule sets up beautifully for them to win the Big East. Pittsburgh already suffered a loss to North Carolina State this year and will likely suffer another out of conference defeat when the Fighting Irish come to town in a few weeks. However, those losses will keep the in conference games in perspective and not allow any upsets. West Virginia and South Florida will both have a good chance to take down Pittsburgh, but the Panthers will have just one Big East loss when they host Cincinnati in their final game of the year. QB Bill Stull and freshman running sensation Dion Lewis provides Pittsburgh with plenty of weapons to take on Cincinnati. Plus Cincinnati star QB Tony Pike is questionable for his arm to stay healthy. Pittsburgh may have anywhere from an 8-3 to 9-2 record when they host the Bearcats in the season finale. However, there will only be one conference loss giving the Panthers the opportunity to win the Big East at home and they will get the job done.

BCS Standing Predictions #2 – USC quest for 5th straight Rose Bowl will end

USC has been to the Rose Bowl the last 4 straight season and 5 of the last 6 years as well. The Trojans have won 7 straight Pac-10 titles and have reached and has reached a BCS Bowl Game in every year of that impressive stretch as well. However, we are sticking to our early season prediction that USC will not win the Pac-10 title this season. The Trojans got a big win over California, but the Golden Bears are not the team we thought they would be. However, the Oregon Ducks will play the spoiler role. Oregon is still the only team left in the Pac-10 that has not suffered a conference loss and they control their own destiny in terms of a BCS Bowl Game. The Ducks also hold a big advantage as they will get USC at home on October 31st. That will be a huge game for both sides and we still like Oregon to pull out the victory. However even if USC wins and they experience another slip up as they are accustomed to experiencing, Oregon will still make it to the Rose Bowl ending the Trojans impressive run.

BCS Standings Prediction #1 – Boise State will shake up everything

If the other BCS Busters can not get the job done, the Boise State Broncos should throw a wrench into everything this year. Boise State faced one of their biggest remaining challenges towards perfection this past week with a 28-21 victory over Tulsa. Out of the remaining 7 games on the schedule, only Idaho owns a winning record. However, the Broncos are not likely to give into the upset bug like so many others will experience during the latter part of the year. QB Kellen Moore has the offense under control with 16 touchdowns to only 2 picks this season along with 1,404 yards. Hawaii and Nevada are potential teams that could pull of the upset along with Idaho. However, it does not seem things will work out so perfectly for the BCS as it has in year’s past. The Broncos offense will run the table against the weak pass defenses of the WAC and they will be undefeated when the BCS puts a 1 or maybe even a 2 loss team in the BCS Championship game instead.

BCS National Championship Odds From BetUS (as of October 20, 2009):
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College Football action is just starting to enter the heart of conference play. This is normally the time of year when you really start to find out which teams are for real when the competition picks up on a weekly basis. Top teams are sure to fade and new faces are to emerge. Nearly everyone has Florida meeting up with Texas in the National Championship, but there is so much football left to play that nothing is certain especially since both teams are coming off rather sluggish performances. Judging by the amount of upsets this year, then how could you even think about a National Championship match-up just halfway through the year. The major conference teams are very vulnerable this time of year because they are facing top teams each and every week. We are not going to try and predict the National Championship match-up because it just seems to far fetch to think anything is a guarantee as crazy as college football turns out. However, we have taken the time to break down a few teams that will see BCS Bowls this season. Breaking down the way some of these talented teams are playing and their remaining schedules, we bring to you the Top 5 BCS Bowl teams for 2010.

#1. Florida Gators (5-0)

The Gators may not be the best team in the country, but who is going to beat them for the rest of the year? Florida captured its biggest win of the season in a 13-3 defensive battle last week over LSU. The Gators remaining schedule is very weak and they play just two teams with a winning record and only South Carolina is ranked in the top 25. The only logical room for an upset here outside of South Carolina, is a loss in the SEC Championship. If that happens, the Gators still got to a BCS Bowl even though it would not be the National Championship Game. The Gators defense is so good that an upset becomes highly unlikely until they square off in the SEC Championship. The Gators offense has not racked up the points as expected this year which could hold them back from repeating as National Champions. However, they are still 100% locks for a BCS Bowl Game.

#2. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0)

The Crimson Tide is in an extremely similar situation in the SEC West. Alabama is not only perhaps playing better than anyone in the country, but have a manageable schedule from here out. Alabama has a solid test against South Carolina this week and LSU two weeks following. If they can win both those two games they will obviously have a perfect regular season record for the 2nd straight year in a row. Even if they lose one game they can still get to the SEC Championship with another LSU loss. In that scenario, the Crimson Tide still make a BCS Bowl even if they lose to Florida and that may be the worse case scenario for Alabama. The Crimson Tide would have a great chance at beating Florida if they were to play right now. The Alabama offensive and defensive lines are as big and strong as an NFL team. They have dominated on both sides of the ball and Nick Saban has the Tide rolling once again. All scenarios point to another BCS Bowl Game as well for the beast of the west in the SEC.

#3. Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1)

The Hokies were a bit unlucky to get a chance at Alabama in their opener this year, because their offense just was not clicking at the start of the season. However, quarterback Tyrod Taylor is starting to make a lot more plays with his arm and that is making the entire offense very dangerous. Freshman Ryan Williams is one of the best young guys in the nation. The Hokies running back has rushed for 734 yards and 9 scores this season to keep the running game going after losing star back Darren Evans before the season even started. The Hokies defense is strong as always, but their offense has become explosive. If Taylor continues to throw the ball well, Virginia Tech is the most dangerous one loss team in the country. The Hokies have more quality wins than any team in the Top 10 and they played Alabama tough when they were not even playing well. The Hokies square off with Georgia Tech this week and a win would all but guarantee a trip to the ACC Championship. However, more importantly there is not any other team in the ACC that can play with the Hokies if they keep pace meaning an automatic BCS Bowl Berth for the conference champions.

#4. Texas Longhorns (5-0)

The Longhorns appear to be on the path to fight for a National Championship and a Big 12 Title as well. However, both of those hopes face a huge test this Saturday when they take on rival Oklahoma. A loss would actually give the Sooners the lead in the Big 12 South considering both of Oklahoma’s losses have been outside the conference. Still the Longhorns are favorites to win the game and if they can edge out the Sooners, they will be in a BCS Bowl Game. The Longhorns have a much more difficult schedule than some of the other teams on our list with meetings with Oklahoma State and Kansas remaining. All Texas really has to do is beat Oklahoma this weekend to control their own destiny. A win over the Sooners means they can still suffer a loss and make the trip to the Big 12 Championship. It’s hard to think Kansas or Nebraska could beat Texas in the Big 12 Title Game and that gives the Sooners a ticket to a BCS Bowl despite what happens the rest of the year.

#5. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-0)

The Bearcats may be the most unlikely of BCS Bowl contenders heading into the season, but they have an offense that can contend with anyone in the nation. QB Tony Pike is receiving Heisman type attention after a wonderful start completing 67% for 1,493 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions. The offense is among the best in the country averaging the 42 points per game. The Bearcats appear to have too much firepower which will make it tough for teams like South Florida and Pittsburgh to steal the conference crown away. Cincinnati goes on the road tonight in one of their biggest games of the season against South Florida and a win would make the BCS Bowl picture an instant reality. Pittsburgh has become a factor in the conference, but they don’t seem to have the talent to keep it together for another half of the season considering they really struggled last week against Connecticut. Cincinnati has all the opportunities to cash in here and make their way to one of the big bowls. However, a win tomorrow night would give the Bearcats a very considerable chance to win out. If that happens the BCS Standings will then again be a big factor as always in deciding who is worthy of competing for the National Championship. Would it let the Bearcats out of the Big East into the big game?