The WAC has two teams—Boise State and Nevada–capable of busting the BCS.
It also has a handful of teams capable of being complete busts (Hawaii, New Mexico State, Idaho).
Either way, there is money to be made on the WAC. The below power rankings will help.
Conference USA Power Rankings (ATS records are from last three seasons.)
1. East Carolina Pirates
ATS: 23-17 (Home: 11-6. Away: 10-9)
Thing to remember: This is coach Skip Holtz’s best team, featuring 16 returning starters and plenty of all-conference talent on both sides of the ball.
The balance has shifted in the North from the old days of Nebraska and then everyone else, to the rise of Kansas State in late 90’s and then a myriad of teams rising and falling like Colorado. The power the past few years has centered on the border war between Missouri and Kansas, both of whom were consistent in the top 10 the past couple of years, with Mizzou having huge expectations last year only to get embarrassed on more than 1 occasion in the national limelight.
The last time we heard from the Mountain West, Utah was dismantling Alabama as 14-point underdogs in the Sugar Bowl.
The upset capped the Utes’ second undefeated season in the last five years and gave the MWC ammunition to make its case to be included in the BCS.
The BCS pushed aside the Mountain West like it was the WAC.
Florida’s assumed dominance is going to make handicapping the SEC very difficult.
College Football Oddsmakers, fearing being pounded by public Gator action, will be forced to inflate lines. But it might not even matter.
With Superman Tim Tebow back at quarterback and all 11 starters back on defense, covering 30-point spreads might seem like child’s play to the defending champs.
Betting the Pac-10 is all about figuring out Southern Cal.
When will the Trojans be at their best? (11-1 ATS in non-conference games the last three years).
When will they lay a brick? (4-10 ATS on the road in the Pac-10 the last three seasons).
Pete Carroll’s juggernaut lost a ton off of last year’s team. Only three defensive starters return, and it was pretty obvious from Carroll’s whining just how much quarterback Mark Sanchez meant to the Trojans.
As football season fast approaches, I have made it my mission this year is to repeat my 2003 season prowess where I won the Ultimate Handicapping Challenge with a 69% ATS NFL record, and finished the College season at 68% ATS…
I finished 1st and 2nd respectfully in those 2 sports.
While those are lofty numbers, I accept that challenge personally this year and look forward to large profits, as 17 years of experience have taught me much.
The Big 12 is spewing confidence.
Texas coach Mack Brown and Nebraska AD Tom Osborne claim their conference is top to bottom as competitive as the mighty SEC.
Whatever.
Heya,
Q here from Capperspicks.com. Discussion has started, and I would love your opinion, and quick hitting point of view comments for threads started on pre-season football….(NFL AND CFB).
Not a member??? Don’t worry it’s free to JOIN and CHAT about football in our forums. We Promise…No Hooks or Lines.
All you Big Ten haters better be changing your tune. The Big Ten is back, with four teams capable of making a BCS-sized impact and a couple of upstarts flying under the public’s radar. In recent years, the conference’s reputation has taken a major beating. The Big Ten went 15-26 ATS in non-conference games in 2008.
Ohio State and Penn State each got clobbered by USC, and the Buckeyes looked slow in BCS Championship Game losses to Florida and LSU.
If you thought the Big East has been bad in recent years, just wait ’till this season.
There is no favorite, just a bunch of mediocre teams, for the most part lacking big-time talent.
College Football Oddsmakers seem to like South Florida to win the conference. The media prefers Pittsburgh, with the Panthers picked in multiple preseason publications. Rutgers and West Virginia also should be in the mix. But none of the above is heads and shoulders better than UConn, Louisville or even Syracuse (gasp).
Each Friday, Burns and Payne prepare college football bettors for the upcoming season. This week the pair break down the ACC and highlight several items to keep in mind when September rolls around.
The ACC has a reputation as a second-tier conference.
It has the potential to exceed its bad rep this year.
The biggest betting event of the college football season is knocking at your door. It’s the BCS Championship Game between the No. 1 Florida Gators (that’s No. 1 on the AP poll) and the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners, the last and by far the most important of the 34 bowl games this year.
You can go on the internet and find countless articles on how the BCS has ruined college football or how it is the greatest thing that college football has ever seen. Adding another one to mix might be worthless but I feel I need to add my two cents into discussion.
I am not a fan of the USC Trojans and I am certainly not a fan of Pete Carroll. I think I dislike USC because it is so good year in and year out, Carroll acts smug all the time and the fans suck.
MREAST takes a look at the top teams in NCAAF and the week ahead, and predicts the National Title game matchup.
What a game between Texas and Texas Tech. It was a nearly impossible spot for Texas, having played 3 undefeated teams in a row, and heading to Lubbock to meet their 4th. They left with the loss, being the 2nd undeated team to drop from the ranks, as Tulsa went down to Arkansas as well.
A 4-1 SU record might not warrant a “struggling” tag, but the Florida Gators have been nothing short of disappointing this season. A stunning loss to Mississippi still leaps out when you look at Florida, and they’ve otherwise played horrific teams. Going 3-2 ATS this season has helped affirm the belief that the Gators are still a good bet, but LSU has been playing too well this season for the Gators to take them lightly.
