NC POWERPLAYS:
16-14-3 OVERALL
NON RATED PLAYS :7-11-2
4.5*:1-0
4*: 5-3
3*: 2-0
2*: 1-0
While you may think of the Longhorns as an offensive unit their defense can also get the job
done. PP is calling for Texas to fi nish with the slightest of edges and a 305-300 total.
NO PLAY: TEXAS 26 ALABAMA 22
16-14-3 OVERALL
NON RATED PLAYS :7-11-2
4.5*:1-0
4*: 5-3
3*: 2-0
2*: 1-0
While you may think of the Longhorns as an offensive unit their defense can also get the job
done. PP is calling for Texas to fi nish with the slightest of edges and a 305-300 total.
NO PLAY: TEXAS 26 ALABAMA 22
Last edited:
Invictus Sports
It is finally the BCS National Championship Game! The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California will host the much anticipated battle between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. This will be ninth meeting between these two schools, the first since the 1982 Cotton Bowl Classic. The first time these two schools met was over a 100 years ago in 1902. The Texas Longhorns are 7-0-1 against Alabama in those previous meetings. This game brings a lot of rich tradition with it, as the Crimson Tide has 6 National Championship Titles, and even if Texas wins this game tonight, they will still trail the Tide by one. So let’s break this puppy down…
Let’s take a quick second to look at the officials for this game. Cincinnati was not invited to the National Championship game this year, but the Big East will still be represented at least, by the officials. The six automatic-qualifying BCS conferences are the only leagues that officiate the five BCS bowl games. Whichever conference works the BCS National Championship Game misses a BCS bowl the next season. Because the SEC and Big 12 are in this year's championship game, those conferences couldn't officiate it. The ACC was eliminated because it officiated last season's BCS title game. That left the Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10. Big East officials got the nod because this will be their second national championship game in 12 years, leaving all six BCS conferences with two national title games in a 12-year period. Interestingly enough, the last time the Big East officiated this game in January 2004, was when Nick Saban's LSU team defeated Oklahoma for the BCS national championship. On to more important pieces to the puzzle…
The coaches are equals. Both Texas and Alabama’s Programs were struggling before Mack Brown and Nick Saban both respectfully came in and restored their perspective teams programs. After Texas slumped its way through the 1990s, Brown came in and restored the Longhorns to greatness. Mack Brown has won at least 10 games for nine consecutive seasons. After Alabama slumped its way through this decade, Saban arrived and over the last two seasons has restored the Crimson Tide to greatness. After going 6-6 in the 2007 regular season, Saban's first year, Alabama has gone 25-2. Nick Saban looks to become the first coach in the modern era to win national championships at two different schools.
Let’s not forget a very important and interesting piece to this game on the coaching side. The Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator is Will Muschamp. Will Muschamp was just coming off his first season as the defensive coordinator at Division II Valdosta State when Nick Saban hired him in the same capacity at LSU. Together they won the 2004 National Championship. Nick Saban then decided to take his coaching box to the NFL, as the Miami Dolphins Head Coach. And would you believe it, Saban had enough confidence in Muschamp that he too went to the NFL and served as Saban’s defensive coordinator at the NFL level. One year later Muschamp decided to go back to college and was the defensive coordinator at Auburn. Nick Saban took the job at Alabama, and they met head to head for the first time in 2007. Let’s not forget that Will Muschamp won that battle, so the scorecard in their rivalry is Muschamp 1, Saban 0. Interesting enough, Alabama’s current defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, and Will Muschamp worked together on the LSU staff together. So it comes as no surprise that the Longhorns and the Crimson Tide are ranked #1 and #2 in rushing defense. Alabama is second in total defense and Texas is third. Both defenses strive on the turnover, and the Tide’s plus 16 turnover ratio is evident, as is the Longhorn’s plus 12 ratio. I would like to call the coaching staff pretty much an equal wash, but I will actually give the Longhorn’s lead by Will Muschamp as the defensive coordinator the edge here.
Let’s take a closer look at the Longhorn’s offense. No surprise the Longhorn’ attack begins with Senior QB Colt McCoy, the all-time winningest QB in NCAAF History. McCoy posted a 45-7 record as the starting QB at Texas en route to the only QB to lead his team to four 10 win seasons. McCoy has uncanny accuracy both in the pocket and outside of it, and his 71% completion percentage is evident of that accuracy. But not only is he a threat to throw the ball, he is not afraid to tuck the ball and take off and run with it. But you don’t score more than 40 points in 8 of your 13 games with only one player, McCoy has benefited from a very good supporting cast. One of those weapons is WR Jordan Shipley, his favorite WR’s. Shipley is not the biggest WR, but he makes up with that lack of height with his precise routes and great hands, as well as some good separation speed that all adds up to balance out his average size. He will go down as one of the greatest WR’s at Texas. I think we also have to note Junior James Kirkendoll who had 48 grabs and 6 of those were for TD’s. Also, Sophomore WR Malcom Williams was second on the team in receiving yards. Texas has a number of high profile players at the skill positions. Of course when it comes to rushing the ball, the Longhorns are not bum-steers. This year they have been lead by talented redshirt freshman Tre Newton. I also think that Cody Johnson will be able to another change of pace back that will be able to really pound the ball between the tackles when they need to do so. Keep in mind that the Longhorns will give it to you from different places. They had 4 rushers with over 300 yards on the ground this year. Up front Texas is as good as anyone, even though Suh made some people question that. They are lead by two All-Americans, Center Chris Hall, and Adam Ulatoski.
Defensively the Longhorns have given up a trifling 15.2 points per game and are anchored on all three layers of their defense. Up front Defensive End Sam Acho and DT Lamarr Houston have caused absolute havoc. Acho is one the nations best pass rushers and led the Horns with 9 sacks and 4 recovered fumbles. He presents a lot of speed that will being coming off the edge. He should have plenty of chances to rush the passer in long down in distances as Houston should plug up the middle pretty good. Roaming behind these defensive lineman are two backers that bring a lot of experience and a lot of athleticism. In fact I love these two guys, Sergio Kindle, and Rodderick Muckelroy. These guys are loaded with athletic ability and are almost hybrid players. Look for them to play a huge impact in stopping the run game and adding some pressure in this game. On the third layer and in the backfield is Earl Thomas. Not only is the guy one of the best ball hawks, if not the best ball hawk safety, he is not afraid to come up and hit some people. He will need to come up and help stopping Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram. But don’t be fooled, Thomas is up for that challenge. He is not just a one-dimensional player. He is second on the team in tackles, so he is use to coming up and helping in the run game. In all, the Longhorns have given up a measly 808 rushing yards on the season. That is only 62.2 yards per game, and only 2.6 yards per carry. They can matchup with potent rushing attack that Bama presents. Through the air they have given up 188 yards per game, but when you outscore your opponents 529 to 197, they are bound to throw the ball a little more against you.
On to Alabama now. Lets take a look at their offense first. The Crimson Tide were a machine that dominated the time of possession. They held the ball almost 34 minutes per game. That ranks 3rd in the nation. Not to mention they take care of the football, with only 10 turnovers this year. Offensively they present a very balanced attack. They rush for 216 per game on the ground, and 198 through the air. Their big weapon is not secret, and his name is RB Mark Ingram, the Heisman Trophy Winner. Over 1,500 yards rushing, and 15 rushing TD’s (18 total). Alabama holds a pretty good edge in my opinion in the running game. Mark Ingram comes to play against the best. Keep in mind that he played in 5 games against top 25 teams, including 3 top 10 teams. In those games he accounted for just over 1,000 total yards, and 6 TD’s. He averaged over 165 yards per game in those games on the ground alone. He will be up for the challenge. No doubt the rushing attack will be tested by Texas and their number 1 ranked rush defense, but their passing offense has improved each and every week. First year starter Greg McElroy completed 61% of his passes this year, and I still have question marks about his ability to make plays if Texas can put Bama in some long down and distances. Fact of the matter is this…passing got easier for Bama because he got more comfortable as a first year starter, but their rushing offense also took a lot of pressure off of him, as the ground game got better too as the year went on. Julio Jones is his main weapon and he presents some serious size, 6’4, 215 pounds. He was injured at the beginning of the year and sat out a few games so lets not read too much into his stats. He is a big time player and finished the year extremely strong. McElroy has a deep receiving corps besides Jones though…8 different guys caught at least 10 catches this year. The offensive line is their biggest strength and they are lead by Mike Johnson upfront. They have only given up 15 sacks this year, and that will be a huge focus in this game against Muschamp and the Texas defense. One of their biggest strengths was keeping drives alive this year…they were successful on 41% of their 3rd downs this year and 63% on fourth downs. This stat is key in this game, and if Texas can get Bama in long down and distances this number will be a lot lower. The only real weakness I see with Bama is their lack of a successful offense in the red zone. This was not a problem against Florida, but if Texas can make them kick FG’s instead of TD’s this game is going to be close, and the Horns might even win this game Straight up.
On to their defense led by Kirby Smart. Smart’s unit was first in the country in scoring defense this year. They were second in rush defense behind only Texas, and their total defense was only second behind TCU. Their heart and soul is linebacker Rolando McClain. Like Texas, he has a big tackle that takes up blockers in front of him so he can roam and make plays all over the field. For Bama, that guy is Terrence Cody. “Mt. Cody” takes on double teams all the time, and in some cases even triple teams. Texas will have to find an answer for this guy, and I think being dominated by Suh in the Big 12 Championship will help them realize this. Not only is Cody very, very big, but he has some very good feet. He is quick and agile. Texas will try and run the ball, but Bama gives up only 78 yards per game this year on the ground. They have not given up a 100 yard rusher in 32 straight games now. The Tide’s passing defense is where I think Texas will be able to gain an advantage. They had31 sacks this year, and that will be a very important piece to this game. If Texas can protect McCoy, which I think they can, they will be able to exploit a pass defense that I think is weaker than Texas. Bama has a talented Safety in Mark Barron as well. He too is not afraid to come up and help in the run game. He too was second on his team in tackles this year. The Tide are best when it matters most. They are 4th in the nation in 3rd down defense. They only allow opponents to move the chains 29% of the time. In the red zone they are 2nd in the country, and have only allowed teams to score 65% of the time. The defense seems to get stronger as the game plays on as well. They have only allowed 10 points in the 2nd half of their last 4 games. They too live by the turnover, and they were 5th in the nation in that category with a plus 16 ratio.
On to what I feel is going to make or break the game for the two teams…special teams. Texas has a place kicker in Hunter Lawrence that has shown on the national stage that he is one the most clutch kickers ever. His .839 FG % ranks #1 all-time in Texas history. Justin Tucker handles the punting and is averaging 40.6 yards per punt. Jordan Shipley returns punts and is averaging 13.3 yards per return this year. Not to mention he has returned 2 for TD’s.
For Bama their place kicker is Leigh Tiffin. He is the school’s all-time leader in FG’s. He too is a very, very good kicker. He is 38 of 41 this year on his FG attempts. Handling the punting duties is P.J. Fitzgerald. He is averaging 42.1 yards per punt. In the return game is another stud, Javier Arenas. He averages 16.3 yards per punt return. He also averages 29.0 yard per kick return. He is only 29 yards short of becoming the NCAA’s All-time leader in punt return yards. With another punt return for a TD he will also be the all-time NCAA career leader.
With all of the broken down I feel that this game is going to become an instant classic. I feel whoever has the ball last is going to kick the game winning FG. I believe that Texas can matchup against Alabama in the run game. I give Texas a big edge in the passing game. I give Alabama the edge in the running game. Both sides of the ball have players that can make plays. Both coaching staffs are brilliant, and both special teams are explosive. This game will come down to turnovers…who can protect the ball better and who can move the chains on 3rd down. I expect that Texas will be the one that can do that better. I am going to take Texas and the points in this game.
Texas +4.5 (10 Units) (Very Rare to be this high)
Texas +174 Moneyline (4 Units)
Texas Longhorns vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
It is finally the BCS National Championship Game! The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California will host the much anticipated battle between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. This will be ninth meeting between these two schools, the first since the 1982 Cotton Bowl Classic. The first time these two schools met was over a 100 years ago in 1902. The Texas Longhorns are 7-0-1 against Alabama in those previous meetings. This game brings a lot of rich tradition with it, as the Crimson Tide has 6 National Championship Titles, and even if Texas wins this game tonight, they will still trail the Tide by one. So let’s break this puppy down…
Let’s take a quick second to look at the officials for this game. Cincinnati was not invited to the National Championship game this year, but the Big East will still be represented at least, by the officials. The six automatic-qualifying BCS conferences are the only leagues that officiate the five BCS bowl games. Whichever conference works the BCS National Championship Game misses a BCS bowl the next season. Because the SEC and Big 12 are in this year's championship game, those conferences couldn't officiate it. The ACC was eliminated because it officiated last season's BCS title game. That left the Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10. Big East officials got the nod because this will be their second national championship game in 12 years, leaving all six BCS conferences with two national title games in a 12-year period. Interestingly enough, the last time the Big East officiated this game in January 2004, was when Nick Saban's LSU team defeated Oklahoma for the BCS national championship. On to more important pieces to the puzzle…
The coaches are equals. Both Texas and Alabama’s Programs were struggling before Mack Brown and Nick Saban both respectfully came in and restored their perspective teams programs. After Texas slumped its way through the 1990s, Brown came in and restored the Longhorns to greatness. Mack Brown has won at least 10 games for nine consecutive seasons. After Alabama slumped its way through this decade, Saban arrived and over the last two seasons has restored the Crimson Tide to greatness. After going 6-6 in the 2007 regular season, Saban's first year, Alabama has gone 25-2. Nick Saban looks to become the first coach in the modern era to win national championships at two different schools.
Let’s not forget a very important and interesting piece to this game on the coaching side. The Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator is Will Muschamp. Will Muschamp was just coming off his first season as the defensive coordinator at Division II Valdosta State when Nick Saban hired him in the same capacity at LSU. Together they won the 2004 National Championship. Nick Saban then decided to take his coaching box to the NFL, as the Miami Dolphins Head Coach. And would you believe it, Saban had enough confidence in Muschamp that he too went to the NFL and served as Saban’s defensive coordinator at the NFL level. One year later Muschamp decided to go back to college and was the defensive coordinator at Auburn. Nick Saban took the job at Alabama, and they met head to head for the first time in 2007. Let’s not forget that Will Muschamp won that battle, so the scorecard in their rivalry is Muschamp 1, Saban 0. Interesting enough, Alabama’s current defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, and Will Muschamp worked together on the LSU staff together. So it comes as no surprise that the Longhorns and the Crimson Tide are ranked #1 and #2 in rushing defense. Alabama is second in total defense and Texas is third. Both defenses strive on the turnover, and the Tide’s plus 16 turnover ratio is evident, as is the Longhorn’s plus 12 ratio. I would like to call the coaching staff pretty much an equal wash, but I will actually give the Longhorn’s lead by Will Muschamp as the defensive coordinator the edge here.
Let’s take a closer look at the Longhorn’s offense. No surprise the Longhorn’ attack begins with Senior QB Colt McCoy, the all-time winningest QB in NCAAF History. McCoy posted a 45-7 record as the starting QB at Texas en route to the only QB to lead his team to four 10 win seasons. McCoy has uncanny accuracy both in the pocket and outside of it, and his 71% completion percentage is evident of that accuracy. But not only is he a threat to throw the ball, he is not afraid to tuck the ball and take off and run with it. But you don’t score more than 40 points in 8 of your 13 games with only one player, McCoy has benefited from a very good supporting cast. One of those weapons is WR Jordan Shipley, his favorite WR’s. Shipley is not the biggest WR, but he makes up with that lack of height with his precise routes and great hands, as well as some good separation speed that all adds up to balance out his average size. He will go down as one of the greatest WR’s at Texas. I think we also have to note Junior James Kirkendoll who had 48 grabs and 6 of those were for TD’s. Also, Sophomore WR Malcom Williams was second on the team in receiving yards. Texas has a number of high profile players at the skill positions. Of course when it comes to rushing the ball, the Longhorns are not bum-steers. This year they have been lead by talented redshirt freshman Tre Newton. I also think that Cody Johnson will be able to another change of pace back that will be able to really pound the ball between the tackles when they need to do so. Keep in mind that the Longhorns will give it to you from different places. They had 4 rushers with over 300 yards on the ground this year. Up front Texas is as good as anyone, even though Suh made some people question that. They are lead by two All-Americans, Center Chris Hall, and Adam Ulatoski.
Defensively the Longhorns have given up a trifling 15.2 points per game and are anchored on all three layers of their defense. Up front Defensive End Sam Acho and DT Lamarr Houston have caused absolute havoc. Acho is one the nations best pass rushers and led the Horns with 9 sacks and 4 recovered fumbles. He presents a lot of speed that will being coming off the edge. He should have plenty of chances to rush the passer in long down in distances as Houston should plug up the middle pretty good. Roaming behind these defensive lineman are two backers that bring a lot of experience and a lot of athleticism. In fact I love these two guys, Sergio Kindle, and Rodderick Muckelroy. These guys are loaded with athletic ability and are almost hybrid players. Look for them to play a huge impact in stopping the run game and adding some pressure in this game. On the third layer and in the backfield is Earl Thomas. Not only is the guy one of the best ball hawks, if not the best ball hawk safety, he is not afraid to come up and hit some people. He will need to come up and help stopping Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram. But don’t be fooled, Thomas is up for that challenge. He is not just a one-dimensional player. He is second on the team in tackles, so he is use to coming up and helping in the run game. In all, the Longhorns have given up a measly 808 rushing yards on the season. That is only 62.2 yards per game, and only 2.6 yards per carry. They can matchup with potent rushing attack that Bama presents. Through the air they have given up 188 yards per game, but when you outscore your opponents 529 to 197, they are bound to throw the ball a little more against you.
On to Alabama now. Lets take a look at their offense first. The Crimson Tide were a machine that dominated the time of possession. They held the ball almost 34 minutes per game. That ranks 3rd in the nation. Not to mention they take care of the football, with only 10 turnovers this year. Offensively they present a very balanced attack. They rush for 216 per game on the ground, and 198 through the air. Their big weapon is not secret, and his name is RB Mark Ingram, the Heisman Trophy Winner. Over 1,500 yards rushing, and 15 rushing TD’s (18 total). Alabama holds a pretty good edge in my opinion in the running game. Mark Ingram comes to play against the best. Keep in mind that he played in 5 games against top 25 teams, including 3 top 10 teams. In those games he accounted for just over 1,000 total yards, and 6 TD’s. He averaged over 165 yards per game in those games on the ground alone. He will be up for the challenge. No doubt the rushing attack will be tested by Texas and their number 1 ranked rush defense, but their passing offense has improved each and every week. First year starter Greg McElroy completed 61% of his passes this year, and I still have question marks about his ability to make plays if Texas can put Bama in some long down and distances. Fact of the matter is this…passing got easier for Bama because he got more comfortable as a first year starter, but their rushing offense also took a lot of pressure off of him, as the ground game got better too as the year went on. Julio Jones is his main weapon and he presents some serious size, 6’4, 215 pounds. He was injured at the beginning of the year and sat out a few games so lets not read too much into his stats. He is a big time player and finished the year extremely strong. McElroy has a deep receiving corps besides Jones though…8 different guys caught at least 10 catches this year. The offensive line is their biggest strength and they are lead by Mike Johnson upfront. They have only given up 15 sacks this year, and that will be a huge focus in this game against Muschamp and the Texas defense. One of their biggest strengths was keeping drives alive this year…they were successful on 41% of their 3rd downs this year and 63% on fourth downs. This stat is key in this game, and if Texas can get Bama in long down and distances this number will be a lot lower. The only real weakness I see with Bama is their lack of a successful offense in the red zone. This was not a problem against Florida, but if Texas can make them kick FG’s instead of TD’s this game is going to be close, and the Horns might even win this game Straight up.
On to their defense led by Kirby Smart. Smart’s unit was first in the country in scoring defense this year. They were second in rush defense behind only Texas, and their total defense was only second behind TCU. Their heart and soul is linebacker Rolando McClain. Like Texas, he has a big tackle that takes up blockers in front of him so he can roam and make plays all over the field. For Bama, that guy is Terrence Cody. “Mt. Cody” takes on double teams all the time, and in some cases even triple teams. Texas will have to find an answer for this guy, and I think being dominated by Suh in the Big 12 Championship will help them realize this. Not only is Cody very, very big, but he has some very good feet. He is quick and agile. Texas will try and run the ball, but Bama gives up only 78 yards per game this year on the ground. They have not given up a 100 yard rusher in 32 straight games now. The Tide’s passing defense is where I think Texas will be able to gain an advantage. They had31 sacks this year, and that will be a very important piece to this game. If Texas can protect McCoy, which I think they can, they will be able to exploit a pass defense that I think is weaker than Texas. Bama has a talented Safety in Mark Barron as well. He too is not afraid to come up and help in the run game. He too was second on his team in tackles this year. The Tide are best when it matters most. They are 4th in the nation in 3rd down defense. They only allow opponents to move the chains 29% of the time. In the red zone they are 2nd in the country, and have only allowed teams to score 65% of the time. The defense seems to get stronger as the game plays on as well. They have only allowed 10 points in the 2nd half of their last 4 games. They too live by the turnover, and they were 5th in the nation in that category with a plus 16 ratio.
On to what I feel is going to make or break the game for the two teams…special teams. Texas has a place kicker in Hunter Lawrence that has shown on the national stage that he is one the most clutch kickers ever. His .839 FG % ranks #1 all-time in Texas history. Justin Tucker handles the punting and is averaging 40.6 yards per punt. Jordan Shipley returns punts and is averaging 13.3 yards per return this year. Not to mention he has returned 2 for TD’s.
For Bama their place kicker is Leigh Tiffin. He is the school’s all-time leader in FG’s. He too is a very, very good kicker. He is 38 of 41 this year on his FG attempts. Handling the punting duties is P.J. Fitzgerald. He is averaging 42.1 yards per punt. In the return game is another stud, Javier Arenas. He averages 16.3 yards per punt return. He also averages 29.0 yard per kick return. He is only 29 yards short of becoming the NCAA’s All-time leader in punt return yards. With another punt return for a TD he will also be the all-time NCAA career leader.
With all of the broken down I feel that this game is going to become an instant classic. I feel whoever has the ball last is going to kick the game winning FG. I believe that Texas can matchup against Alabama in the run game. I give Texas a big edge in the passing game. I give Alabama the edge in the running game. Both sides of the ball have players that can make plays. Both coaching staffs are brilliant, and both special teams are explosive. This game will come down to turnovers…who can protect the ball better and who can move the chains on 3rd down. I expect that Texas will be the one that can do that better. I am going to take Texas and the points in this game.
Texas +4.5 (10 Units) (Very Rare to be this high)
Texas +174 Moneyline (4 Units)
Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
Charlotte Bobcats at New York Knicks (-3, 197)
At first glance, the NBA’s lone Thursday game appears to be a stinker. But diehard league fans will tell you that the Bobcats and Knicks are two of the hotter teams in the Association.
Charlotte is 5-2 over its last seven games and 6-2 against the spread over its last eight contests. Larry Brown’s club is stinging together tough wins without a healthy starting center (Tyson Chandler) and starting forward Boris Diaw sleepwalking.
Stephen Jackson and Flip Murray are giving the Bobcats what they’ve been missing for years (crunch-time killers), and Gerald Wallace is doing everything but cleaning the team’s towels.
The versatile swing player made it his goal to lead the league in rebounds this season, a lofty aspiration for the 6-foot-7 forward. He’s averaging a career-high 11.8 boards per game in 2009-10.
“Gerald has always been an effective rebounder for his size, but he’s taken it to another level,” coach Brown told Fanhouse.com last week. “He’s improved not just his rebounding, but in every phase of the game.”
The Bobcats have won all three of their games against the Knicks this season. Look for the club to improve to 4-0.
Pick: Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats at New York Knicks (-3, 197)
At first glance, the NBA’s lone Thursday game appears to be a stinker. But diehard league fans will tell you that the Bobcats and Knicks are two of the hotter teams in the Association.
Charlotte is 5-2 over its last seven games and 6-2 against the spread over its last eight contests. Larry Brown’s club is stinging together tough wins without a healthy starting center (Tyson Chandler) and starting forward Boris Diaw sleepwalking.
Stephen Jackson and Flip Murray are giving the Bobcats what they’ve been missing for years (crunch-time killers), and Gerald Wallace is doing everything but cleaning the team’s towels.
The versatile swing player made it his goal to lead the league in rebounds this season, a lofty aspiration for the 6-foot-7 forward. He’s averaging a career-high 11.8 boards per game in 2009-10.
“Gerald has always been an effective rebounder for his size, but he’s taken it to another level,” coach Brown told Fanhouse.com last week. “He’s improved not just his rebounding, but in every phase of the game.”
The Bobcats have won all three of their games against the Knicks this season. Look for the club to improve to 4-0.
Pick: Bobcats
Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
Ottawa Senators at Washington Capitals (-200, 6)
The Senators can’t get no satisfaction.
Ottawa is in a jam concerning its goaltending situation. After a poor performance against the Philadelphia Flyers, the team benched goalie Pascal Leclaire in favor of backup Brian Elliott for Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.
But after Elliot gave up four goals on 16 shots, including one on the first shot of the game, the Sens were forced to swallow their pride and put Leclaire back in for the final two and a half periods. He stopped all 19 of the shots on goal, limiting the damage in a 4-1 loss.
"Not a good (start). Puck off skate. Pretty tough to play these guys when you give up that kind of a lead," Ottawa coach Cory Clouston, who has made three goaltending changes in the past seven games, told reporters.
"We didn't have any time to get our feet underneath us. The next thing you know it's 2-0 and it takes a while to recover. They pushed hard, but it's very difficult when they have that kind of a lead."
Now, the Sens face an explosive Capitals offense that ranks tops in the league in scoring, with 3.5 goals per game. Washington is coming off a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday.
Pick: Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-185, 6)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are finally back from Christmas vacation.
The defending Stanley Cup champs were nowhere to be found since the holiday break, losing five straight games before snapping that skid with a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers Tuesday night.
"It's nice to get on the winning side again," forward Jordan Staal, who scored two goals in the victory, told reporters. "We kept it simple, didn't turn the puck over a whole lot and we played in their end a lot more. When you do those things, you're going to find ways to win games."
The Pens' biggest snag during that slump was their special teams. The power play was 0-for-13 heading into Tuesday but finally got a goal with the man advantage when Ruslan Fedotenko found the back of the net in the second period.
Pittsburgh is 17-2 when it scores on the power play this season. That includes three wins over the Philadelphia Flyers in which the Penguins have scored at least one goal on the man advantage.
The most recent victory was a 3-2 shootout win. Both of Pittsburgh’s regulation goals were scored on the power play.
Pick: Penguins
Ottawa Senators at Washington Capitals (-200, 6)
The Senators can’t get no satisfaction.
Ottawa is in a jam concerning its goaltending situation. After a poor performance against the Philadelphia Flyers, the team benched goalie Pascal Leclaire in favor of backup Brian Elliott for Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.
But after Elliot gave up four goals on 16 shots, including one on the first shot of the game, the Sens were forced to swallow their pride and put Leclaire back in for the final two and a half periods. He stopped all 19 of the shots on goal, limiting the damage in a 4-1 loss.
"Not a good (start). Puck off skate. Pretty tough to play these guys when you give up that kind of a lead," Ottawa coach Cory Clouston, who has made three goaltending changes in the past seven games, told reporters.
"We didn't have any time to get our feet underneath us. The next thing you know it's 2-0 and it takes a while to recover. They pushed hard, but it's very difficult when they have that kind of a lead."
Now, the Sens face an explosive Capitals offense that ranks tops in the league in scoring, with 3.5 goals per game. Washington is coming off a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday.
Pick: Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-185, 6)
The Pittsburgh Penguins are finally back from Christmas vacation.
The defending Stanley Cup champs were nowhere to be found since the holiday break, losing five straight games before snapping that skid with a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers Tuesday night.
"It's nice to get on the winning side again," forward Jordan Staal, who scored two goals in the victory, told reporters. "We kept it simple, didn't turn the puck over a whole lot and we played in their end a lot more. When you do those things, you're going to find ways to win games."
The Pens' biggest snag during that slump was their special teams. The power play was 0-for-13 heading into Tuesday but finally got a goal with the man advantage when Ruslan Fedotenko found the back of the net in the second period.
Pittsburgh is 17-2 when it scores on the power play this season. That includes three wins over the Philadelphia Flyers in which the Penguins have scored at least one goal on the man advantage.
The most recent victory was a 3-2 shootout win. Both of Pittsburgh’s regulation goals were scored on the power play.
Pick: Penguins
St.Bernadine Sports
Andrew Bucciarelli
Wednesday 1-2 (-1.66 unit)
Week to Date 9-7 (+4.68 units)
Current RUN 44-24 (+25.14 Units)
4**** Vancouver Canucks (-168) over Phoenix Coyotes The teams are meeting for only the second time this season, and the Coyotes are visiting GM Place for the first time this season. The Canucks will continue to try to bank points at home as they prepare for their 14 game Olympic induced road trip. The combo of Sedin and Burrows has proven to be advantageous as Burrow has 10 goals and 18 points in 22 games. The Coyotes will be without Martin Havlat and Scottie Upshall, which is two big hits for them. At 17-6-0, the Canucks have more home victories than any team other than Chicago. At the GM Place versus the Coyotes, Vancouver is 12-2-1 in their last 15 meetings and 17-4-1 with two ties since moving from Winnipeg to the Desert. (phoenix)
Take VANCOUVER.
3*** Nashville Predators (-172) over Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes will be without center Eric Staal tonight as they try for their third consecutive road win. They also will be without Erik Cole, Chad LaRose, Scott Walker, Joe Corvo, and possibly Sergei Samsonov. Cam Ward is the most likely starter for the Canes and is 6-14-5 with 3.03 GAA on the season and 0-2-0 with 3.02 GAA against the Predators. The Canes are 1-4-0 all-time at Nashville and the Preds have won 2 in a row and three of the last four in the series. Look for a strong outing from the Preds against injury plagued Carolina.
Take NASHVILLE
2** Detroit Red Wings (+115) over Los Angeles Kings
This is the second of four meetings this season as Detroit won the first matchup, 5-2. The Red Wings have held the upper hand over LA recently, winning five in a row overall against the Kings and four straight at Staples Center. Detroit has only lost twice in its last 21 contests against the Kings. Todd Bertuzzi has four points and is a plus-3 in his last five games for the Wings. Zetterberg and Cleary are aiming for their returns tonight. Detroit is second in the Western Conference with an average of 33.3 shots per game. Detroit looks to continue its domination of the Kings tonight.
Take DETROIT.
2** Montreal Canadiens (-140) over Florida Panthers
A tight matchup tonight occurs between two teams that are doing the same exact thing but differently. The Canadiens are 7-3-1 in games away from home in their last 11 as the Panthers are doing great at home and poorly on the road, as they have dropped the last 8 of 11. Canadiens will be looking to start Jaroslav Halak as he is 5-1-0 with 2.15 GAA in his last six starts overall and is 3-0-0 with a 3.25 GAA in three career games against the Panthers. The Canadiens also have the league’s top power-play unit in which they convert 25.0% in the man advantage and will look to take huge advantage of the Panthers low ranked penalty kill. (bottom third of NHL, 79.0%) Look for Stephen Weiss to step up and score in this game as Montreal has won six of seven meetings with Florida.
Take MONTREAL.
1* Edmonton Oilers (-130) over Columbus Blue Jackets
The worst two teams of the Western Conference head to war tonight as the Oilers look to extend the Jackets record road skid to 14 games. The teams have split the season series 1 a piece. Both clubs have just one win since December 10. There is not much to say other than poor performances all around. The Edmonton Oilers seem to be the more productive of the two and have been taking advantage of scoring opportunities unlike Columbus.
Take EDMONTON.
Andrew Bucciarelli
Wednesday 1-2 (-1.66 unit)
Week to Date 9-7 (+4.68 units)
Current RUN 44-24 (+25.14 Units)
4**** Vancouver Canucks (-168) over Phoenix Coyotes The teams are meeting for only the second time this season, and the Coyotes are visiting GM Place for the first time this season. The Canucks will continue to try to bank points at home as they prepare for their 14 game Olympic induced road trip. The combo of Sedin and Burrows has proven to be advantageous as Burrow has 10 goals and 18 points in 22 games. The Coyotes will be without Martin Havlat and Scottie Upshall, which is two big hits for them. At 17-6-0, the Canucks have more home victories than any team other than Chicago. At the GM Place versus the Coyotes, Vancouver is 12-2-1 in their last 15 meetings and 17-4-1 with two ties since moving from Winnipeg to the Desert. (phoenix)
Take VANCOUVER.
3*** Nashville Predators (-172) over Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes will be without center Eric Staal tonight as they try for their third consecutive road win. They also will be without Erik Cole, Chad LaRose, Scott Walker, Joe Corvo, and possibly Sergei Samsonov. Cam Ward is the most likely starter for the Canes and is 6-14-5 with 3.03 GAA on the season and 0-2-0 with 3.02 GAA against the Predators. The Canes are 1-4-0 all-time at Nashville and the Preds have won 2 in a row and three of the last four in the series. Look for a strong outing from the Preds against injury plagued Carolina.
Take NASHVILLE
2** Detroit Red Wings (+115) over Los Angeles Kings
This is the second of four meetings this season as Detroit won the first matchup, 5-2. The Red Wings have held the upper hand over LA recently, winning five in a row overall against the Kings and four straight at Staples Center. Detroit has only lost twice in its last 21 contests against the Kings. Todd Bertuzzi has four points and is a plus-3 in his last five games for the Wings. Zetterberg and Cleary are aiming for their returns tonight. Detroit is second in the Western Conference with an average of 33.3 shots per game. Detroit looks to continue its domination of the Kings tonight.
Take DETROIT.
2** Montreal Canadiens (-140) over Florida Panthers
A tight matchup tonight occurs between two teams that are doing the same exact thing but differently. The Canadiens are 7-3-1 in games away from home in their last 11 as the Panthers are doing great at home and poorly on the road, as they have dropped the last 8 of 11. Canadiens will be looking to start Jaroslav Halak as he is 5-1-0 with 2.15 GAA in his last six starts overall and is 3-0-0 with a 3.25 GAA in three career games against the Panthers. The Canadiens also have the league’s top power-play unit in which they convert 25.0% in the man advantage and will look to take huge advantage of the Panthers low ranked penalty kill. (bottom third of NHL, 79.0%) Look for Stephen Weiss to step up and score in this game as Montreal has won six of seven meetings with Florida.
Take MONTREAL.
1* Edmonton Oilers (-130) over Columbus Blue Jackets
The worst two teams of the Western Conference head to war tonight as the Oilers look to extend the Jackets record road skid to 14 games. The teams have split the season series 1 a piece. Both clubs have just one win since December 10. There is not much to say other than poor performances all around. The Edmonton Oilers seem to be the more productive of the two and have been taking advantage of scoring opportunities unlike Columbus.
Take EDMONTON.
COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR
Guys this it the game I have waited all Bowl Season for as this is the Game I have made my Biggest play of the Bowls on. You know I don't have Games of the Year everyday but when I do they win at a very high percentage. Over the last 8 years my Bowl Game of the Year is 7-1 and I'm looking for it to be 8-1 after tonight.
For the first time ever here at Pregame I am joining forces with Vegas Runner and we are offering both our plays for one price and you ask why???
Because Vegas Runner & I are on the same game and it's his Bowl Game of the Year as well. Get both games in one Package with complete analysis for $75. And you get a special Money Back for the Comeback Insurance see the package for complete details.
This is a rare money making opportunity from 2 of the Biggest Names in the Sports Betting industry join myself and Vegas Runner for this Big Game and bet the same game as Marco D'Angelo & Vegas Runner.
This should be available early Thursday!!
Texas
VR's rating 5* GOY. Texas +4 Bodog is using +4.5 (not sure what Marco's rating is)
Guys this it the game I have waited all Bowl Season for as this is the Game I have made my Biggest play of the Bowls on. You know I don't have Games of the Year everyday but when I do they win at a very high percentage. Over the last 8 years my Bowl Game of the Year is 7-1 and I'm looking for it to be 8-1 after tonight.
For the first time ever here at Pregame I am joining forces with Vegas Runner and we are offering both our plays for one price and you ask why???
Because Vegas Runner & I are on the same game and it's his Bowl Game of the Year as well. Get both games in one Package with complete analysis for $75. And you get a special Money Back for the Comeback Insurance see the package for complete details.
This is a rare money making opportunity from 2 of the Biggest Names in the Sports Betting industry join myself and Vegas Runner for this Big Game and bet the same game as Marco D'Angelo & Vegas Runner.
This should be available early Thursday!!
Texas
VR's rating 5* GOY. Texas +4 Bodog is using +4.5 (not sure what Marco's rating is)
Last edited:
NCAAF WRITE-UP
Thursday, January 7
BCS National Championship game
Pasadena
Texas won its last five bowl games, with four wins by 3 or less points; Alabama is 3-2 in its last five bowls (1-1 under Saban). Saban is 4-6 in bowls in his career; Brown is 12-6. Longhorns have a senior QB, Tide has a freshman. Coaches met once when Saban was at LSU; Texas (-10) won 35-20 in '02 Cotton Bowl. Texas has nine seniors back on offense, Alabama nine back on defense. Underdogs are now 22-10-1 vs spread in this bowl season. Under is 19-14.
Alabama is 8-5 vs spread in last 13 games as favorite of less than 10 pts; Texas is 10-5 as underdog with Brown as coach, with nine outright wins. SEC favorites are 21-12 vs spread in non-conference games this year; Big 12 underdogs are 4-4. Crimson Tide had only two wins this year by less than 10 points-- 12-10 over Tennessee (blocked FG on last play), 26-21 in rivalry game over Auburn. Texas also had two close games, 13-12 in Big 12 title game over Nebraska, 16-13 in rivalry game over Oklahoma.
To me, this game is a tossup, so why not take the points?
Thursday, January 7
BCS National Championship game
Pasadena
Texas won its last five bowl games, with four wins by 3 or less points; Alabama is 3-2 in its last five bowls (1-1 under Saban). Saban is 4-6 in bowls in his career; Brown is 12-6. Longhorns have a senior QB, Tide has a freshman. Coaches met once when Saban was at LSU; Texas (-10) won 35-20 in '02 Cotton Bowl. Texas has nine seniors back on offense, Alabama nine back on defense. Underdogs are now 22-10-1 vs spread in this bowl season. Under is 19-14.
Alabama is 8-5 vs spread in last 13 games as favorite of less than 10 pts; Texas is 10-5 as underdog with Brown as coach, with nine outright wins. SEC favorites are 21-12 vs spread in non-conference games this year; Big 12 underdogs are 4-4. Crimson Tide had only two wins this year by less than 10 points-- 12-10 over Tennessee (blocked FG on last play), 26-21 in rivalry game over Auburn. Texas also had two close games, 13-12 in Big 12 title game over Nebraska, 16-13 in rivalry game over Oklahoma.
To me, this game is a tossup, so why not take the points?
BCS Championship
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns (+3.5, 45.5)
It’s cold outside. Anyone ready to sweat?
The National Championship Game is poised to deliver.
Alabama and Texas are evenly matched, with coaching staffs that are very familiar with each other.
This isn’t Ohio State-Florida or LSU-Ohio State. This is a game between two elite teams with comparable amounts of NFL talent on both sides of the ball. Neither team is going to be overwhelmed by the other’s speed, athleticism or talent. And neither staff is going to get out-schemed.
“It's really funny when you start looking at the defenses," Texas coach Mack Brown told the Associated Press. "They're exactly the same. The calls are the same. That's the positive for us. The negative is that both staffs will be trying to out-think what the other one is going to do, because we know so much about each other."
Like the line suggests, the game appears destined to be decided by around one score. A wider margin would be a mild surprise, and anything remotely resembling a blowout would be a complete shock.
Crank up the AC, boys and girls, because the BCS National Championship Game has all the makings of a real sweater.
The Line
Alabama opened up as a 4-point favorite in Las Vegas and as high as -5 at several offshore sites.
“If the game was played this week, Alabama would have been -7,” oddsmaker Pete Korner told cov.com directly after the opening line went up in early December. “But we’ve seen it so many times, these teams playing their best football at the end of the season, only to have a month off before the bowl game. It’s a momentum stopper.
“Even though, [the line] went up to just under a touchdown, we still believe we will have good two-way action at number below six by kickoff.”
Korner was spot on. Early action on the Crimson Tide pushed the number up to as high as -6 in the middle of December. But, as of late Monday afternoon, it was back down to -4, with a bunch of -3.5s available.
It might get down to -3 by Thursday’s 8:35 p.m. ET kickoff, but don’t expect it to go any lower. Likewise, Texas backers shouldn’t expect to get any more than +4 at the absolute most.
Moneyline players are looking at laying -170 on Alabama and will be getting +150 on Texas.
The Total
It opened at 44.5 and has moved up slightly. On Monday, it was up to 45 with several 45.5s available.
The Crimson Tide went 6-6-1 over/under with an average total of 46.07.
Alabama averages 31.69 points per game and allows just 11. Against the three top statistical defenses it faced—Florida, Virginia Tech and South Carolina—the Tide averaged 28.6 points.
Texas averages 40.69 points per game and allows 15.15.
The Longhorns went 6-7 over/under with an average total of just under eight touchdowns, 55.88. Against the two toughest defenses it faced—Oklahoma and Nebraska--Texas averaged 14.5 points per game.
Teams that gave them trouble
Alabama had a tough time putting away Tennessee and South Carolina at home. Quarterback Greg McElroy struggled in both of those games, throwing two interceptions, no touchdowns and passing for just 212 yards combined.
South Carolina and Tennessee also had more first downs than Alabama in their close losses to the Tide.
Texas struggled in its three rivalry games, nipping Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas A&M by a combined score of 99-76. The Red Raiders, Sooners and Aggies were the only three teams to pass for more than 300 yards against the Longhorns.
The Longhorns also had trouble with Nebraska, especially slowing down defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Alabama’s mammoth defensive tackle Terrence Cody isn’t as athletic as Suh, but he is a force in the middle.
Statistically speaking
Stats-wise, it’s extremely equal with both squads among the national leaders in multiple categories on offense and defense.
Alabama is No. 2 in total defense. Texas is No. 3. The Tide has a better rushing attack, led by Heisman winner Mark Ingram. The Longhorns are more potent through the air, led by Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley.
But there are a couple of statistical mismatches that could be a factor.
Texas has one of the best kickoff return units in the nation. Featuring Shipley, the Horns average 27.8 yards per return, fourth most in the nation.
The Crimson Tide has been vulnerable on kickoffs and allowed returns for touchdowns to Virginia Tech and Florida International early in the season. Alabama’s kickoff-return defense ranks 116th in the nation.
The Longhorn pass rush is also superior to Alabama’s, averaging three sacks per game.
Quarterbacks
Advantage Texas, but not by much.
McCoy has much more big-game experience than McElroy and will be starting his fourth bowl game. McElroy will be starting his first.
McCoy’s also the better runner out of the two, although McElroy looked nimble in the SEC Championship Game against Florida.
McCoy is 17th in the nation in passing efficiency, with a 27-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. McElroy is 26th in pass efficiency with a 19-to-9 TD-to-INT ratio.
Key Notes
• There are no significant injuries or suspensions for either team.
• Heisman trophy winners are 1-6 in BCS National Championship Games.
• Both teams have reliable kickers, with Texas’ Hunter Lawrence converting on 22-of-25 attempts and Alabama’s Leigh Tiffin connecting on 29-of-33 attempts.
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns (+3.5, 45.5)
It’s cold outside. Anyone ready to sweat?
The National Championship Game is poised to deliver.
Alabama and Texas are evenly matched, with coaching staffs that are very familiar with each other.
This isn’t Ohio State-Florida or LSU-Ohio State. This is a game between two elite teams with comparable amounts of NFL talent on both sides of the ball. Neither team is going to be overwhelmed by the other’s speed, athleticism or talent. And neither staff is going to get out-schemed.
“It's really funny when you start looking at the defenses," Texas coach Mack Brown told the Associated Press. "They're exactly the same. The calls are the same. That's the positive for us. The negative is that both staffs will be trying to out-think what the other one is going to do, because we know so much about each other."
Like the line suggests, the game appears destined to be decided by around one score. A wider margin would be a mild surprise, and anything remotely resembling a blowout would be a complete shock.
Crank up the AC, boys and girls, because the BCS National Championship Game has all the makings of a real sweater.
The Line
Alabama opened up as a 4-point favorite in Las Vegas and as high as -5 at several offshore sites.
“If the game was played this week, Alabama would have been -7,” oddsmaker Pete Korner told cov.com directly after the opening line went up in early December. “But we’ve seen it so many times, these teams playing their best football at the end of the season, only to have a month off before the bowl game. It’s a momentum stopper.
“Even though, [the line] went up to just under a touchdown, we still believe we will have good two-way action at number below six by kickoff.”
Korner was spot on. Early action on the Crimson Tide pushed the number up to as high as -6 in the middle of December. But, as of late Monday afternoon, it was back down to -4, with a bunch of -3.5s available.
It might get down to -3 by Thursday’s 8:35 p.m. ET kickoff, but don’t expect it to go any lower. Likewise, Texas backers shouldn’t expect to get any more than +4 at the absolute most.
Moneyline players are looking at laying -170 on Alabama and will be getting +150 on Texas.
The Total
It opened at 44.5 and has moved up slightly. On Monday, it was up to 45 with several 45.5s available.
The Crimson Tide went 6-6-1 over/under with an average total of 46.07.
Alabama averages 31.69 points per game and allows just 11. Against the three top statistical defenses it faced—Florida, Virginia Tech and South Carolina—the Tide averaged 28.6 points.
Texas averages 40.69 points per game and allows 15.15.
The Longhorns went 6-7 over/under with an average total of just under eight touchdowns, 55.88. Against the two toughest defenses it faced—Oklahoma and Nebraska--Texas averaged 14.5 points per game.
Teams that gave them trouble
Alabama had a tough time putting away Tennessee and South Carolina at home. Quarterback Greg McElroy struggled in both of those games, throwing two interceptions, no touchdowns and passing for just 212 yards combined.
South Carolina and Tennessee also had more first downs than Alabama in their close losses to the Tide.
Texas struggled in its three rivalry games, nipping Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas A&M by a combined score of 99-76. The Red Raiders, Sooners and Aggies were the only three teams to pass for more than 300 yards against the Longhorns.
The Longhorns also had trouble with Nebraska, especially slowing down defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Alabama’s mammoth defensive tackle Terrence Cody isn’t as athletic as Suh, but he is a force in the middle.
Statistically speaking
Stats-wise, it’s extremely equal with both squads among the national leaders in multiple categories on offense and defense.
Alabama is No. 2 in total defense. Texas is No. 3. The Tide has a better rushing attack, led by Heisman winner Mark Ingram. The Longhorns are more potent through the air, led by Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley.
But there are a couple of statistical mismatches that could be a factor.
Texas has one of the best kickoff return units in the nation. Featuring Shipley, the Horns average 27.8 yards per return, fourth most in the nation.
The Crimson Tide has been vulnerable on kickoffs and allowed returns for touchdowns to Virginia Tech and Florida International early in the season. Alabama’s kickoff-return defense ranks 116th in the nation.
The Longhorn pass rush is also superior to Alabama’s, averaging three sacks per game.
Quarterbacks
Advantage Texas, but not by much.
McCoy has much more big-game experience than McElroy and will be starting his fourth bowl game. McElroy will be starting his first.
McCoy’s also the better runner out of the two, although McElroy looked nimble in the SEC Championship Game against Florida.
McCoy is 17th in the nation in passing efficiency, with a 27-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. McElroy is 26th in pass efficiency with a 19-to-9 TD-to-INT ratio.
Key Notes
• There are no significant injuries or suspensions for either team.
• Heisman trophy winners are 1-6 in BCS National Championship Games.
• Both teams have reliable kickers, with Texas’ Hunter Lawrence converting on 22-of-25 attempts and Alabama’s Leigh Tiffin connecting on 29-of-33 attempts.
hno:SPORTS ADVISORS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
(at Pasadena, Calif.)
(2) Texas (13-0, 5-7-1 ATS) vs. (1) Alabama (13-0, 8-5 ATS)
Two schools that just missed out on the opportunity to play for the national championship a year ago get that chance tonight as top-ranked Alabama squares off against the No. 2 Longhorns in the BCS Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.
Texas barely squeaked into this contest, getting a last-second 46-yard field goal that snuck just inside the left upright as time expired to upend Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 championship game back on Dec. 5. In the victory, the Longhorns – who never threatened to cover as a 14-point chalk – gained just 202 yards (including 18 rushing yards on 38 carries), and star QB Colt McCoy was sacked a career-high nine times and threw three interceptions and no TD passes. However, the defense stepped up as it has all season, limiting Nebraska to a paltry 106 total yards (67 rushing, 39 passing), two third-down conversions and five first downs, while recording three interceptions.
Unlike their opponent tonight, the Crimson Tide punched their ticket to the BCS Championship Game in emphatic fashion, crushing then-No. 1 Florida 32-13 as a five-point underdog to win the SEC championship Dec. 5. In ending the Gators’ national-best 22-game winning streak and their hopes for a repeat national championship, Alabama boasted eye-popping edges of 490-335 in total yards, 251-88 in rushing yards, 26-13 in first downs and 39:37-20:23 in time of possession. Star RB Mark Ingram, who would win Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy a week later, rushed for 113 yards and three TDs in helping his team avenge a 31-20 loss to Florida in the 2008 SEC championship game that kept Alabama out of last year’s BCS title contest.
Texas is back in the BCS Championship Game for the second time and the first since the 2005 season, when Vince Young led the Longhorns to a thrilling 38-35 upset win of USC as a seven-point underdog in a game that was also played at the Rose Bowl. Texas is seeking its fifth national championship.
Alabama can lay claim to its 12th national championship with a victory tonight, the most recent coming in 1992. That year, the Crimson Tide knocked off top-ranked Miami 34-13 as an eight-point underdog in the Sugar Bowl to finish off a 13-0 campaign.
Teams from the SEC have won the last three BCS title games both SU and ATS. The favorite has won and covered the last two years following a 4-1 SU and ATS run by the underdog. The winner has covered in all 11 BCS Championship Games.
Tonight marks the ninth time these college football powerhouses have met, with Texas dominating the rivalry with a 7-0-1 record. However, the most recent meeting came way back in the 1982 Cotton Bowl, which the Longhorns won 14-12 as a 1½-point underdog. The average final score in the previous eight meetings – five coming in bowl games – was 16-8.
Alabama is in its 58th bowl game, by far the most in the nation, and its 31 bowl victories are tied for first with USC. However, after losing to Florida in last year’s SEC title game, the Crimson Tide failed to show up in the BCS Sugar Bowl and got rolled by undefeated Utah 31-17 as a 10-point favorite. ‘Bama coach Nick Saban is 4-6 SU and ATS in bowl games (1-1 SU and ATS with the Tide), and this storied program is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight postseason contests.
Texas ranks second to the Crimson Tide with 49 postseason appearances. Last year in the BCS Fiesta Bowl, the Longhorns got a touchdown with 16 seconds left to rally past Ohio State 24-21, but failed to cover as an eight-point favorite, falling to 3-7 ATS in their last 10 bowls. Coach Mack Brown is 12-6 in 18 career bowl games, but just 8-10 ATS.
Texas played just two competitive contests all year, edging Oklahoma 16-13 as a three-point favorite on Oct. 17 and holding off Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game. The Longhorns’ other 11 wins were double-digit routs, including nine victories of 24 points or more. With the exception of Oklahoma and Nebraska, Texas scored at least 34 points in every game, eclipsed 40 points nine times and held nine opponents to 14 points or less. Only Texas Tech (24 points) and Texas A&M (39 points) topped 20 points against the Texas defense.
Alabama kicked off the season with a 34-24 rout of Virginia Tech as a 6½-point favorite at a neutral venue in Atlanta, the first of 11 double-digit victories. Like Texas, the Crimson Tide were challenged just twice: getting a blocked field goal as time expired to hold off Tennessee 12-10 as a 14-point home favorite on Oct. 24, then rallying from a 14-0 deficit at archrival Auburn on Nov. 27, winning 26-21 but failing to cover as a 10-point road chalk. Alabama scored 34 points or more in each of its first five games but just once over its final eight contests, when it averaged 26.5 ppg. However, the defense didn’t bend all year, holding 12 consecutive opponents to 21 points or less after the Virginia Tech game, including yielding 15 points or fewer 10 times.
After finishing second in last year’s Heisman voting, McCoy returned to Texas for his senior season and completed 70.5 percent of his throws for 3,512 yards with 27 TDs against 12 INTs. He also rushed for 342 yards and three scores. McCoy, who took over for Vince Young following the 2005 championship season, is a four-year starter who has connected on 70.1 percent of his passes for 13,244 yards with 112 TDs and 45 INTs, plus 1,571 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs.
McCoy guides an attack that ranked in the Top 15 nationally in scoring offense (40.7 ppg), total offense (432.3 ypg) and passing offense (279.7 ypg). Texas also rushed for 152.6 ypg (4.1 per carry). Defensively, the Longhorns have one of the stingiest units in the country, allowing 15.2 ppg, 251.1 total ypg, 188.8 passing ypg and 62.3 rushing ypg, figures that ranked eighth, third, 23rd and first, respectively. Texas allowed opposing RBs to gain just 2 yards per carry, gave up an NCAA-low five rushing TDs and led the country with 24 interceptions.
En route to winning the Heisman Trophy, Alabama sophomore Ingram rushed for 1,542 yards and 15 touchdowns. Ingram was aided by QB Greg McElroy, who overcame a midseason slump and completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,450 yards with 17 TDs and just four INTs. Together, Ingram and McElroy lead an offense that averaged 31.7 ppg and 413.8 total ypg, with a rushing attack that netted 215.8 ypg (12th best in the country) and 5.1 ypc.
Alabama led the nation in scoring defense (11 ppg allowed) and was second to TCU in total defense (241.8 ypg). The Tide were seventh in passing defense (163.8 ypg), tied for seventh with 20 INTs and second to Texas in rushing defense (78.1 ypg, 2.8 yards per carry). Like the Longhorns, ‘Bama surrendered just five rushing scores.
Since Brown took over in Austin, the Longhorns have been an underdog 15 times, going 10-5 ATS with nine outright upsets (including the 2005 national title game). Going back further, Texas is 20-8-1 ATS in its last 29 as an underdog and 4-0 ATS in its last four as a ‘dog at neutral sites. Texas had a 4-1 ATS run toward the end of the season, but failed to cover in its final two contests, and it is also in pointspread slumps of 1-4 in non-conference games and 2-6-1 against winning teams.
Alabama is 10-3 SU and 8-5 ATS in its last 13 games as a single-digit chalk, going 6-2 ATS in its last eight when favored by 3½ to 10 points. The Tide have also cashed in five of their last six games against Big 12 opponents.
The under is on runs of 6-2 for Texas at neutral sites, 8-2 for Texas against winning teams, 5-2-1 for Alabama overall, 5-1-1 for Alabama as a favorite and 4-1-1 when Alabama plays on grass. Finally, last year’s BCS title tilt between Florida and Oklahoma (24-14 final) stayed under the total, ending a 4-0 “over” run in this contest.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan (7-6, 3-6 ATS) at Penn State (8-6, 5-6-1 ATS)
The day’s only game matching teams from a power conference comes from the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., as Penn State tries again for its first Big Ten victory when it hosts the Wolverines.
Michigan has alternated SU wins and losses in its last eight games, most recently knocking off archrival Ohio State 73-64 Sunday as a two-point home favorite. The Wolverines have dropped all three of their true road games, including a 71-65 loss at Indiana as a 4½-point favorite in their Big Ten opener on New Year’s Eve.
Penn State gave Minnesota a fight in its conference debut on Dec. 29, falling 75-70 as a 13-point underdog, but then the Nittany Lions came home Sunday and got destroyed by Wisconsin 63-46 as a five-point underdog. Penn State, which won last year’s postseason NIT title, hasn’t lost three straight games since last February, a stretch of 27 contests.
The Nittany Lions’ last three-game slide began with a 71-51 loss at Michigan as a 4½-point underdog on Feb. 5. However, Penn State won the first meeting two weeks earlier, rolling 73-58 as a two-point underdog. The home team has won each of the last five in this rivalry both SU and ATS, all as a favorite, and Michigan is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four trips to State College. Going back further, the host is on an 8-0-1 ATS roll and the chalk is 13-3-1 ATS in the last 17 clashes. Also, the SU winner is 8-1-1 ATS in the last 10 series battles.
The Wolverines are on ATS runs of 5-2 in Big Ten play and 8-1 on Thursday, but they’re otherwise in pointspread funks of 2-6 overall, 16-33-3 on the highway and 2-5 after a SU victory. Penn State is 4-1 in its last five on Thursday and 7-2 ATS in its last nine against winning teams, but the Lions have failed to cash in five of their last six lined home games.
The under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings in this rivalry, and the under is also on streaks of 18-7-1 for Michigan on the road, 7-3 for Penn State after a SU loss and 3-1-1 for Penn State versus winning teams.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PENN STATE and UNDER
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
(at Pasadena, Calif.)
(2) Texas (13-0, 5-7-1 ATS) vs. (1) Alabama (13-0, 8-5 ATS)
Two schools that just missed out on the opportunity to play for the national championship a year ago get that chance tonight as top-ranked Alabama squares off against the No. 2 Longhorns in the BCS Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.
Texas barely squeaked into this contest, getting a last-second 46-yard field goal that snuck just inside the left upright as time expired to upend Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 championship game back on Dec. 5. In the victory, the Longhorns – who never threatened to cover as a 14-point chalk – gained just 202 yards (including 18 rushing yards on 38 carries), and star QB Colt McCoy was sacked a career-high nine times and threw three interceptions and no TD passes. However, the defense stepped up as it has all season, limiting Nebraska to a paltry 106 total yards (67 rushing, 39 passing), two third-down conversions and five first downs, while recording three interceptions.
Unlike their opponent tonight, the Crimson Tide punched their ticket to the BCS Championship Game in emphatic fashion, crushing then-No. 1 Florida 32-13 as a five-point underdog to win the SEC championship Dec. 5. In ending the Gators’ national-best 22-game winning streak and their hopes for a repeat national championship, Alabama boasted eye-popping edges of 490-335 in total yards, 251-88 in rushing yards, 26-13 in first downs and 39:37-20:23 in time of possession. Star RB Mark Ingram, who would win Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy a week later, rushed for 113 yards and three TDs in helping his team avenge a 31-20 loss to Florida in the 2008 SEC championship game that kept Alabama out of last year’s BCS title contest.
Texas is back in the BCS Championship Game for the second time and the first since the 2005 season, when Vince Young led the Longhorns to a thrilling 38-35 upset win of USC as a seven-point underdog in a game that was also played at the Rose Bowl. Texas is seeking its fifth national championship.
Alabama can lay claim to its 12th national championship with a victory tonight, the most recent coming in 1992. That year, the Crimson Tide knocked off top-ranked Miami 34-13 as an eight-point underdog in the Sugar Bowl to finish off a 13-0 campaign.
Teams from the SEC have won the last three BCS title games both SU and ATS. The favorite has won and covered the last two years following a 4-1 SU and ATS run by the underdog. The winner has covered in all 11 BCS Championship Games.
Tonight marks the ninth time these college football powerhouses have met, with Texas dominating the rivalry with a 7-0-1 record. However, the most recent meeting came way back in the 1982 Cotton Bowl, which the Longhorns won 14-12 as a 1½-point underdog. The average final score in the previous eight meetings – five coming in bowl games – was 16-8.
Alabama is in its 58th bowl game, by far the most in the nation, and its 31 bowl victories are tied for first with USC. However, after losing to Florida in last year’s SEC title game, the Crimson Tide failed to show up in the BCS Sugar Bowl and got rolled by undefeated Utah 31-17 as a 10-point favorite. ‘Bama coach Nick Saban is 4-6 SU and ATS in bowl games (1-1 SU and ATS with the Tide), and this storied program is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight postseason contests.
Texas ranks second to the Crimson Tide with 49 postseason appearances. Last year in the BCS Fiesta Bowl, the Longhorns got a touchdown with 16 seconds left to rally past Ohio State 24-21, but failed to cover as an eight-point favorite, falling to 3-7 ATS in their last 10 bowls. Coach Mack Brown is 12-6 in 18 career bowl games, but just 8-10 ATS.
Texas played just two competitive contests all year, edging Oklahoma 16-13 as a three-point favorite on Oct. 17 and holding off Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game. The Longhorns’ other 11 wins were double-digit routs, including nine victories of 24 points or more. With the exception of Oklahoma and Nebraska, Texas scored at least 34 points in every game, eclipsed 40 points nine times and held nine opponents to 14 points or less. Only Texas Tech (24 points) and Texas A&M (39 points) topped 20 points against the Texas defense.
Alabama kicked off the season with a 34-24 rout of Virginia Tech as a 6½-point favorite at a neutral venue in Atlanta, the first of 11 double-digit victories. Like Texas, the Crimson Tide were challenged just twice: getting a blocked field goal as time expired to hold off Tennessee 12-10 as a 14-point home favorite on Oct. 24, then rallying from a 14-0 deficit at archrival Auburn on Nov. 27, winning 26-21 but failing to cover as a 10-point road chalk. Alabama scored 34 points or more in each of its first five games but just once over its final eight contests, when it averaged 26.5 ppg. However, the defense didn’t bend all year, holding 12 consecutive opponents to 21 points or less after the Virginia Tech game, including yielding 15 points or fewer 10 times.
After finishing second in last year’s Heisman voting, McCoy returned to Texas for his senior season and completed 70.5 percent of his throws for 3,512 yards with 27 TDs against 12 INTs. He also rushed for 342 yards and three scores. McCoy, who took over for Vince Young following the 2005 championship season, is a four-year starter who has connected on 70.1 percent of his passes for 13,244 yards with 112 TDs and 45 INTs, plus 1,571 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs.
McCoy guides an attack that ranked in the Top 15 nationally in scoring offense (40.7 ppg), total offense (432.3 ypg) and passing offense (279.7 ypg). Texas also rushed for 152.6 ypg (4.1 per carry). Defensively, the Longhorns have one of the stingiest units in the country, allowing 15.2 ppg, 251.1 total ypg, 188.8 passing ypg and 62.3 rushing ypg, figures that ranked eighth, third, 23rd and first, respectively. Texas allowed opposing RBs to gain just 2 yards per carry, gave up an NCAA-low five rushing TDs and led the country with 24 interceptions.
En route to winning the Heisman Trophy, Alabama sophomore Ingram rushed for 1,542 yards and 15 touchdowns. Ingram was aided by QB Greg McElroy, who overcame a midseason slump and completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,450 yards with 17 TDs and just four INTs. Together, Ingram and McElroy lead an offense that averaged 31.7 ppg and 413.8 total ypg, with a rushing attack that netted 215.8 ypg (12th best in the country) and 5.1 ypc.
Alabama led the nation in scoring defense (11 ppg allowed) and was second to TCU in total defense (241.8 ypg). The Tide were seventh in passing defense (163.8 ypg), tied for seventh with 20 INTs and second to Texas in rushing defense (78.1 ypg, 2.8 yards per carry). Like the Longhorns, ‘Bama surrendered just five rushing scores.
Since Brown took over in Austin, the Longhorns have been an underdog 15 times, going 10-5 ATS with nine outright upsets (including the 2005 national title game). Going back further, Texas is 20-8-1 ATS in its last 29 as an underdog and 4-0 ATS in its last four as a ‘dog at neutral sites. Texas had a 4-1 ATS run toward the end of the season, but failed to cover in its final two contests, and it is also in pointspread slumps of 1-4 in non-conference games and 2-6-1 against winning teams.
Alabama is 10-3 SU and 8-5 ATS in its last 13 games as a single-digit chalk, going 6-2 ATS in its last eight when favored by 3½ to 10 points. The Tide have also cashed in five of their last six games against Big 12 opponents.
The under is on runs of 6-2 for Texas at neutral sites, 8-2 for Texas against winning teams, 5-2-1 for Alabama overall, 5-1-1 for Alabama as a favorite and 4-1-1 when Alabama plays on grass. Finally, last year’s BCS title tilt between Florida and Oklahoma (24-14 final) stayed under the total, ending a 4-0 “over” run in this contest.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan (7-6, 3-6 ATS) at Penn State (8-6, 5-6-1 ATS)
The day’s only game matching teams from a power conference comes from the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., as Penn State tries again for its first Big Ten victory when it hosts the Wolverines.
Michigan has alternated SU wins and losses in its last eight games, most recently knocking off archrival Ohio State 73-64 Sunday as a two-point home favorite. The Wolverines have dropped all three of their true road games, including a 71-65 loss at Indiana as a 4½-point favorite in their Big Ten opener on New Year’s Eve.
Penn State gave Minnesota a fight in its conference debut on Dec. 29, falling 75-70 as a 13-point underdog, but then the Nittany Lions came home Sunday and got destroyed by Wisconsin 63-46 as a five-point underdog. Penn State, which won last year’s postseason NIT title, hasn’t lost three straight games since last February, a stretch of 27 contests.
The Nittany Lions’ last three-game slide began with a 71-51 loss at Michigan as a 4½-point underdog on Feb. 5. However, Penn State won the first meeting two weeks earlier, rolling 73-58 as a two-point underdog. The home team has won each of the last five in this rivalry both SU and ATS, all as a favorite, and Michigan is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four trips to State College. Going back further, the host is on an 8-0-1 ATS roll and the chalk is 13-3-1 ATS in the last 17 clashes. Also, the SU winner is 8-1-1 ATS in the last 10 series battles.
The Wolverines are on ATS runs of 5-2 in Big Ten play and 8-1 on Thursday, but they’re otherwise in pointspread funks of 2-6 overall, 16-33-3 on the highway and 2-5 after a SU victory. Penn State is 4-1 in its last five on Thursday and 7-2 ATS in its last nine against winning teams, but the Lions have failed to cash in five of their last six lined home games.
The under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings in this rivalry, and the under is also on streaks of 18-7-1 for Michigan on the road, 7-3 for Penn State after a SU loss and 3-1-1 for Penn State versus winning teams.
ATS ADVANTAGE: PENN STATE and UNDER
