NCAA Football Betting – Rose Bowl Preview
How They Got Here: Ohio State Buckeyes
Early on in the season, it didn’t look like the Ohio State Buckeyes would be BCS-bound. Although the Big Ten had a down year with teams like Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois falling short of expectations, the Iowa Hawkeyes rose out of the shadows to start 9-0.
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Until they played a mundane contest against Northwestern, the Hawkeyes had the conference signed, sealed and delivered with a two-game lead. But quarterback Ricky Stanzi was injured against Northwestern and then the Hawkeyes lost, which set up an ultimate showdown with the Buckeyes for the Big Ten.
Without their starting quarterback, the Hawkeyes were an underdog on the college football odds heading into the Horseshoe and of course the Buckeyes took advantage.
How They Got Here: Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks didn’t have an easier path to the Rose Bowl but they earned their spot just the same. The Ducks started the season with a big thud as they lost on the road at Boise State and then also had their star running back punch out a member of the other team. At that point, internet betting handicappers didn’t think much of the Ducks – especially since they nearly lost to Purdue the following week – but Oregon turned it up a notch after that.
The Ducks stomped California 42-3, then made their presence known nationally by dismantling USC 47-20. After a tough loss to Stanford, the Ducks edged out Arizona and rival Oregon State to earn their berth in the Rose Bowl.
The Matchup
The sports wagering community has been favoring Oregon in this contest and it is no surprise. The Buckeyes have a good defense but it has become evident this year that no defense is good enough to stop Oregon’s spread attack. That means, Ohio State will need points and as many bettors have noticed this year, points have been hard to come by. The Buckeyes don’t really have much of a running game and their passing offense is inconsistent with Terrelle Pryor manning the show. If the Ducks get ahead by 10 or 14 points early, the Buckeyes will not be capable of coming back.
Considering the Ducks have scored 40+ on defenses like Arizona and USC, they probably won’t have many problems doing the same against Ohio State.
Sports Betting 101 Pick: Oregon -3.5
Yes, 34 bowl games played over 20 days is a lot of college football even for hardcore fans.
One reply on “2010 Rose Bowl Preview / Free Gambling Pick”
This should be a great match up between a very conservative Buckeyes defense trying to contain an explosive Oregon offense. I agree that If the Ducks can get an early lead they should be able to coast to a victory in this one.