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Handicapping AP Top 25: NCAA Football Top 10 – Betting Preview

Week 3 AP Top 25

The most recent AP Top 25 college football rankings were released at their regular time this week. Some reshuffling in the top-5, and a huge jump up to No. 15 for Miami, but not many surprises beyond that.

This week, all eyes will be on the season’s marquee matchup when the Alabama Crimson Tide travel to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 teams and their chances of moving up, or down on Sunday when the next set of rankings is released.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0, previous: 1)

Alabama didn’t impress anyone in a lackluster opening win over Virginia Tech. They’ll face a stiff challenge this weekend in the form of a Texas A&M team that handed the Tide their only loss of 2012. Alabama has had a week off to prepare for the game, so expect a better performance than what we saw from them in Week 1.

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2. Oregon Ducks (2-0, previous: 2)

Oregon hasn’t missed a beat without Chip Kelly. Former offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich has kept the ship running smoothly – the Ducks have outscored their first two opponents by a combined score of 125-13. This week they get a Tennessee team that has scored 97 points of their own, so we can expect some fireworks in Eugene.

3. Clemson Tigers (2-0, previous: 4)

Clemson might not be in the top 3 when they get back from their break. Their Week 1 win over Georgia was impressive, but their win over South Carolina State wasn’t anything to write home about. They’ll have a chance to make a statement in a prime time matchup with NC State next Thursday night.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0, previous: 3)

Ohio State drops a spot in the rankings despite another win on Saturday. Braxton Miller’s leg injury is the reason for that, although head coach Urban Meyer says he expects Miller back in time for Saturday’s game against Cal.

5. Stanford Cardinal (1-0, previous: 5)

Stanford faced a tough opponent in their opener, but they handled their business against San Jose State. This week they’ll have a chance to run up the score on Army as 27.5-point favorites. The Cardinal are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 non-conference plays. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

6. Texas A&M Aggies (2-0, previous: 7)

It’s a make or break type week for Texas A&M. They’ve beaten up on the likes of Rice and Sam Houston State, but now they get No. 1 Alabama, although they’ll play the game in the friendly confines of Kyle Field.

7. Louisville Cardinals (2-0, previous: 8)

Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been brilliant through two games, throwing for 752 yards and nine touchdowns. This weekend, the Cardinals will take on rival Kentucky in Lexington, opening as 11-point favorites. Kentucky’s four-game win streak in the series came to an end when Bridgewater arrived at Louisville.

8. LSU Tigers (2-0, previous: 9)

The thought of LSU’s offense functioning competently will surely strike fear into any and all Tiger opponents going forward. Quarterback Zach Mettenberger seems to have gotten things together, throwing for six touchdowns without turning the ball over through two weeks. They’re the biggest favorite among top 10 teams this week, giving 38 points to Kent State.

9. Georgia Bulldogs (1-1, previous: 11)

Georgia bounced back from a disappointing Week 1 loss to Clemson with a big win over rival South Carolina in Week 2. There’s plenty of time for them to climb in the rankings if they take care of business in the SEC East. They’ll get North Texas in two weeks before a big showdown with LSU.

10. Florida State Seminoles (1-0, previous: 10)

Florida State had the week off but remains in the top 10. Jameis Winston dazzled us in his first start, and he’ll have a chance to put up another big day against Nevada with the Seminoles listed as 31-point favorites.

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!