Number one ranked Kentucky against the NCAA competition hopefuls Georgia? Looks like a recipe for a blowout, specifically as Kentucky just barely regained that desired No. 1 location on the rankings for the 1st time in the prior 2 months. Whilst the Wildcats are on top of the rankings and enjoying an 11 game win streak, the Georgia Bulldogs can best be described as inconsistent so far in the year.
These two teams have been doing relatively well this season. This should not be an unexpected to any person as both of these colleges are well noted for their share of triumphs in basketball for many years. When Western Virginia visits Connecticut these two teams will be at it out on the court on January 9.
While this particular contest might not have the same depth that its football version does, the Jan 9 – Oklahoma at Oklahoma State game still has its own kind of excitement. With the conference basketball season just arrived, both the Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys will make an effort to set the tone for the remainder of their season with this match. In Oklahoma’s case, they will be seeking to continue what has been a great start as they finished the non-conference slate with a 10-2 record.
On January 8th, postseason college football comes to Mobile, AL when the Red Wolves take on the Northern Illinois Huskies at the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Both squads come into play with rookie head coaches with the Northern Illinois Huskies helmed by first-year head coach Dave Doeren. Temporary head coach David Gunn who’s been the running backs coach all season helms the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Arkansas State has hired Gus Malzahn who will take the reins after the season ends. The take from the sportsbook is now Arkansas State (-1 ½) with an over-under established at 63 points.
It is not just the Division I-A schools gaining face time on ESPN, on January seventh the NCAA Division I-AA Tournament game is competed at Pizza Hut Park in Fricso, TX. The North Dakota State Bison take on the Sam Houston Bearkats in a fight of the two top small colleges in the country. Both the Sam Houston Bearkats and the North Dakota State Bison have steamrolled their competitors all year long and both are furthermore arriving into play with comparable styles on offense. Expect lots of running and lots of first downs by each squad as the defenses are going to get a work out. The sportsbook is having a hard time with this one as the line currently stands at North Dakota State (-1) with the over-under set at 46.
Birmingham, AL plays host to the Compass Bowl on January seventh with the Panthers facing the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The Pitt Panthers come in just after the one-year Todd Graham experiment at head coach. After taking the head coaching position at Arizona State, Graham resigned his post on December 14th. Defensive Coordinator Keith Patterson will don the headset for the Pitt Panthers in this clash of titans. SMU comes into play with the specter of the “Death Penalty” handed down in the 1980′s still being referred to today. Former Nfl and Hawaii coach June Jones is already in his fourth year on the sidelines of SMU. The gambling line has this established at Pittsburgh (-3) with an over-under of 47 points.
It all boils down to this as the #1 ranked Tigers face the #2 ranked Crimson Tide in the BCS National Tournament Game at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA on January ninth. After winning the national championship in 2009 and furthermore winning it with LSU as a head coach in 2003, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is no stranger to this game. LSU head coach Les Miles is furthermore no stranger at this instant as he’s won the national championship in 2007. Two fantastic squads and head coaches coming together on a collision course in what will certainly be an awesome game. The oddsmakers presently have this at Alabama (-1) with the over-under scheduled at 40 points.
If you prefer your Bowl matches hot and ready, the Little Caesars Bowl kicks off at Ford Field in Detroit on December 26th with the Broncos taking on the Purdue Boilermakers. Back in 1998 when it was formerly called the Motor City Bowl, former Michigan State football coach George Perles helped give birth to the Little Caesars Bowl. It is been a Michigan tradition since that time with great bouts every year and this year is no distinct. The sports book has the line pretty tight with the Purdue Boilermakers at -2 ½ with the over/under at 60.
On December 24th, the tenth anniversary of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl occurs in Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii when the Nevada Wolf Pack takes on the Golden Eagles. The sportsbook has its eyes on this game too with Southern Miss at -6 with the over/under at 62.
NCAA football revolved around a number of season-ending contests before the influx of bowl matches in recent years. One of these matches started 35 years ago in Shreveport, Louisiana was the Independence Bowl. The sportsbook has this at Missouri -5 with the over/under at 52 ½.