Articles by Cappers Picks related to online NCAA Football betting, and handicapping live CFB matchups.
The Ball State Cardinals opened the season with a solid home victory against Eastern Michigan. I know it didn’t make national headlines from the opening weekend but it gave them a head start towards competing in the MAC.
The East Carolina Pirates emerged from Week 1 unscathed, collecting an easy win against Appalachian State (at least score wise). They always schedule up in the non-conference so it is no surprise to see them making the short trip to South Carolina.
Logan will be buzzing Friday night as the Utah Utes invade Romney Stadium to take on the beloved Utah State Aggies. Utah State was a program that was an afterthought in college football a few short years ago, but Gary Andersen has this team moving up in a hurry over the past couple years.
The Cincinnati Bearcats will kick off their 2012 season this week, while the Pittsburgh Panthers look to bounce back from an embarrassing defeat in week one.
Given what a dud Alabama/Michigan was this could easily be the best and certainly the most important game of the opening week. Georgia Tech is always in the mix in the ACC and whoever wins this one will have a leg up both in the conference and in confidence.
Texas Tech is still trying to get back to the success levels that they reached under Mike Leach. Tommy Tubberville is a proven coach who has the respect of the players, but the defense needs to get better. Texas Tech finished dead last in the nation in rushing defense last year. New defensive coordinator Art Kaufman’s job is to fix that problem.
The Bowling Green Falcons are returning a lot of talent from last year’s 5-7 team. Their 17 starters are among the most in the nation but it still may not be enough to rise to the top of their division in the MAC.
The last time we saw Clemson they were getting one of the worst beatdowns in BCS history in the Orange Bowl at the hands of West Virginia. Some games just get away from you but don’t be lulled into thinking they didn’t deserve their shot to be there.
It is hard to know that much about FCS squads but here is what we do know about the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. They finished 7-4 last year and in a game against another SEC team – Kentucky – handled themselves fairly well losing 38-14.
It has been a steady slide since Turner Gill left Buffalo for Kansas (that didn’t go so well). When Gill was at the helm they were having success and it looked like they were a program on the rise in the MAC, now they are skimming the bottom as other programs have ascended.
Well, the Cardinal are a ranked team, but they have big shoes to fill since Andrew Luck and TE Coby Fleener are gone. Josh Nunes won the QB battle, but he has not thrown a pass for Stanford since the 2010 season.
The Ducks lost star RB LaMichael James and QB Darron Thomas, but they still are staked and their defense may be much better than last season.
USC heads into the season as the odds on favorite to win the BCS title and it not hard to see why with the great offense they have led by Heisman favorite QB Matt Barkley.
Iowa State hasn’t had a ton of success over the past decade, but Paul Rhoads is doing his best to change that. The Cyclones shocked the entire college football world when they beat then-unbeaten Oklahoma State last November.
Wake Forest has had the same coach now for 11 years. The Demon Deacons are always fighting an uphill battle as the smallest school in the Bowl Subdivision. Team depth has been an issue for many years. Jim Grobe thinks the team’s overall depth is a little better this season.
The Oklahoma Sooners are expecting another very good season. Almost all polls have them in the top 5 as this talented team is returning a lot of experience too. Oklahoma is always in the argument but hasn’t won a championship in a while.
