2008 Mountain West Conference College Football Predictions courtesy of Alex Smart. A Professional Football Handicapper at Touthouse.com. If you are betting on college football this season, don’t miss out on Alex Smart’s Expert College Football Predictions!

Despite the Mountain West not being a BCS conference, they are a cut above most of the non-BCSers and are better than those at the lower end of the BCS leagues.

Gradually, the Mountain West is getting more respect. Fan base is swelling due to the exposure the conference receives, especially on the East Coast compared to the other non-BCS leagues. In fact it could be argued that the MWC has greater exposure on the Atlantic side than does the Big-12 or ACC.

The BCS conferences have had to sit up and take notice to how well the MWC has represented itself when it goes up against the big boys. Just last year alone Air Force handed Notre Dame a spanking, BYU beat UCLA, Wyoming defeated Virginia to go with Utah’s destruction of UCLA and victory over Louisville. In all, the Mountain West went 9-10 against BCS schools and given that two of the MWC worst teams in Colorado State and San Diego State accounted for five of the losses, it really was a commendable effort. The season was rounded off nicely when the five Mountain West teams went 4-1 in bowl games. Compare those numbers to the Pac 10, who registered an 8-5 record against non-conference BCS schools, and removing USC from the equation, the Pac-10 went just an even 5-5.

The following Non-Conference Games that Mountain West opponents we had better take seriously are:
UCLA at BYU, Sept. 13
Utah at Michigan, Aug. 30
TCU at Oklahoma, Sept. 27
Texas A&M at New Mexico, Sept. 6
Oregon State at Utah, Oct. 2

Conference Series Trends:

AIR FORCE/UTAH Series: UNDERDOG is 7-4 SU and 10-1 ATS in L11 games.

BYU/AIR FORCE series: Since 1983, the Cougars are 17-5 SU and 15-7 ATS in this series including 7-0 SU and 7-0 ATS in this situation priced as a favorite of -9 or more points.

NEW MEXICO vs. SAN DIEGO STATE Series: New Mexico are 12-3 ATS their last 15 games vs. San Diego State.

UTAH vs. BYU Series: This is a series that has seen the underdog cover 17 of 23 since 1982, including 14-2 ATS when getting +11 or less points.

KEY MOUNTAIN WEST Conference Trend: Road underdogs are 8-0 ATS before a road game @ Wyoming.

AIR FORCE
Air Force like all service academies, always have to retool year by year. This year the Falcons have to find replacements for QB Shaun Carney, RB/WR Chad Hall who was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year together with three All-Mountain West defensive performers. Not only that, but the entire offensive backfield has to be replaced along with six starters in the defensive back eight. Talking of defense, Troy Calhoun was able to transform the defense from abysmal to solid in his first year thanks in a large part to switching to a 3-4 scheme. Given all the replacements needed, it might take a few games before the new group start to produce.

Air Force are 11-23 ATS on the conference road and matched up against a foe that enters off a SU win, including 6-15 ATS in this set with the Falcons coming off a conference affair.

BYU
I predict that BYU’s ‘Quest for Perfection’ will come unstuck. If it’s not broken before the final week (November 22nd), then the Cougars better look out, as they travel to one really upset opponent in Utah that has some serious revenge. Utah had the Cougars under control all game long before they gave up a 49-yard pass on fourth-and-18 which led to BYU’s game-winning score with 38 seconds to play. Two years ago, John Beck came up with a heart-stopping, last-second scramble/touchdown pass to beat the Utes. This year’s encounter should be on everyone’s must watch list. That aside, BYU’s offense led the Mountain West in every major category except for rushing offense. And once again this year there will be plenty of passing and lots of points as nine starters return. On defense only three starters return to the 3-4 D that finished 10th in the nation and ninth in points allowed. Even with all of the replacements, the front seven should be tremendous as the BYU coaching staff know how to plug the holes. Bronco Mendenhall has everything in place, and the schedule works out well with UCLA and New Mexico coming to Provo.

BYU are 8-20 SU and 8-17-1 ATS as a non-conference guest, including 3-12 ATS in this set coming off a straight up win.
BYU is 11-4 O/U off a win against a conference rival since 2005.

COLORADO STATE
Steve Fairchild will bring in a new and fresh attitude to the team. A slew of new starters will make it a losing year, but given last season’s ending two-game winning streak might just be something to build on. The offense will surprise very few, if any, with a big, beefy, veteran line, and the powerful 1-2 rushing punch. The Rams are just going flat out to try to flatten defenses. The defense wasn’t awful last season, but it was ranked among the worst in the Mountain West. The line isn’t anything special and has to be far more physical, but given the line backing corps is set with all three starters returning, as are the two safeties, the bits are in place to be more successful.

Colorado State are 9-3 ATS as home dogs.
Colorado State is 22-35-1 ATS in their last 58 games, including 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games.

NEW MEXICO
New Mexico has enough pieces in place to have a successful season, but not enough to get past BYU, TCU and Utah. Last year the offense did just enough to get nine wins despite not putting many points on the board. Defensive coordinator Osia Lewis has left for UTEP and Troy Reffett takes over, but there won’t be much of a change in styles as this is still head coach Rocky Long’s defense with the 3-3-5 system looking to attack and blitz and be disruptive. The system and the defense will be better than the players, and there will be production as the season goes on, but it could be a long first month.

New Mexico is 19-9-2 ATS their last 30 road games, including 8-2 ATS when playing off a conference game.

SAN DIEGO STATE
The loss of QB Kevin O’Connell will be a huge loss and with little experience at the RB and WR positions, the offense is going to struggle to put points on the board with any regularity and will be a work in progress as the season moves along. The defense lived up to expectations last year finishing 115th in the nation in yards allowed while giving up 34.42 points per game. The potential is there for some improvement as nine starters return and the front four will have to be stronger against the run.

San Diego State is 15-36-1 ATS their last 52 games after rushing for 100 yards or less.

TCU
They often say that you need to take one step back to move two steps forward and that is exactly what I expect from TCU’s offense this year. The offense comes together off a solid running game and this year could be devastating if the running backs (Aaron Brown and Joseph Turner) can remain healthy. The defense finished 15th in the nation and tenth in scoring defense and this year’s D should be rock-solid given that 4-2-5 should be fantastic against the run.

TCU are 43-8 SU and 33-16 ATS at Amon G. Carter Stadium since 1999, including a more recent 9-2 ATS when off consecutive SU losses.

UNLV
Nine starters return to the Rebel Shotgun Spread which should be able to produce on a consistent basis. The line is big and strong while the receiving corps boasts one of the Mountain West’s best 1-2 punches. The one big question mark hovering over the offense is who will prove to be the most consistent at quarterback. On the defensive side of the ball, UNLV as always have plenty of good athletes and there’s more talented depth than usual. But the size of the back seven could be a big problem for new defensive coordinator Dennis Therrell.

UNLV are 1-19 SU and 3-16-1 ATS in their last 20 road games.

UTAH
Utah’s season was in turmoil after just two weeks last year as QB Brian Johnson and RB Matt Asiata were lost in first game of the season and top receiver Brent Casteel’s services were finished in the second game. This year all the pieces are in place to explode. The defense became a killer last year as the season went on and this will be the Mountain West’s best D this year as the secondary welcomes back four starters in a five-spot rotation that led the nation in pass efficiency defense last year.

Utah is 15-0-1 ATS as a conference dog versus an .800 or less opponent.

WYOMING
Five starters return up front which should help the running game, but let’s face it, the offense failed to improve as the weeks went past last year and struggled mightily against the better defenses. The Mountain West’s most inefficient passing attack needs more production. On defense it was the same old story it has been in past seasons . Three straight years, the Cowboy defense started strong and died at the end. On the positive side the pieces are in place to improve upon previous campaigns.

Wyoming are 8-20 ATS off a SU and ATS loss.

Summary
While everyone assumes it’ll be BYU and their “Quest For Perfection that run out convincing winners of the Mountain West, don’t forget Utah who are loaded, TCU will be nasty again, and New Mexico are better equipped than most give them credit for. From top to bottom the conference has improved and given the returning talent and experience, everything is in place to make even more noise.

Don’t fall into the trap that the BCS conferences will run rough shod over Mountain West opposition. Your wallet will be lighter taking that attitude.

2008 SEC Conference College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart. A Professional College Football Handicapper at Touthouse.com. Purchase his Expert College Football Predictions Today!

The Southeastern Conference has provided the last two National Champions and 2008 promises to be real exciting. No other conference has as many quality coaches, Alabama’s Nick Saban, Florida’s Urban Meyer, LSU’s Les Miles, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer. No other conference has the strength in depth of quality teams and no other conference has as many heated rivalries.

The SEC should provide two tight division races this season that will go down to the wire. And once again the conference promises to have at least two teams finish in the top ten, with one of the teams going on to compete for the national title.

The SEC is extending itself this year with the big boys playing some huge non-conference games, but the best from the conference will still come down to the league schedule.

Top Ten SEC Games
1. Florida vs. Georgia, Nov. 1
2. LSU at Auburn, Sept. 20
3. Florida at Tennessee, Sept. 20
4. LSU at Florida, Oct. 11
5. Georgia at LSU, Oct. 25
6. Tennessee at Georgia, Oct. 11
7. Georgia at Auburn, Nov. 15
8. Auburn at Alabama, Nov. 29
9. Alabama at LSU, Nov. 8
10. Alabama at Georgia, Sept. 27

Top Ten Non-Conference Games
1. Auburn at West Virginia, Oct. 23
2. Georgia at Arizona State, Sept. 20
3. Alabama vs. Clemson, Aug. 30
4. Florida at Florida State, Nov. 29
5. Miami at Florida, Sept. 6
6. Georgia Tech at Georgia, Nov. 29
7. South Carolina at Clemson, Nov. 29
8. Arkansas at Texas, Sept. 13
9. Tennessee at UCLA, Sept. 1
10. Kentucky at Louisville, Aug. 30

East Division

Florida - Have a realistic chance of going unbeaten and walking away with a National Title. Getting Ole Miss from the West is offset by the home date against LSU, while the non-conference schedule is easier than it appears on paper. In SEC play it’s all about the East, and if the Gators can get by their early showdown at Tennessee it all opens up with South Carolina and Kentucky going to The Swamp.

15-4 ATS in non-conference action coming off a strong offensive performance in which they scored 55 points or more.
1-9 ATS as a road favorite off a win.

Georgia - The Dawgs chances of being a contender could be decided by as early as week four with road trips to South Carolina and Arizona State and a home date against two-time defending MAC champion Central Michigan. The inter division draw couldn’t be any worse than facing Alabama and going on the road to play LSU and Auburn with both Tiger games book ending a brutal four-week stretch of at LSU, Florida, at Kentucky, at Auburn. If Georgia can get through their schedule with just one blemish, the Dawgs will truly have earned a spot in the national title game.

23-42-3 ATS at home in Athens coming off a SU and ATS win. In this situation off a point spread win of more than 10 points, the Bulldogs crash to 5-22-3 ATS.
4-26 O/U since 2000 off a SU win of 21 or more points.

Kentucky - The Wildcats aren’t going to be as good as last year and given their joke of a non-conference schedule, they will start the season either 4-0 or 3-1. This may just offer some line value in the early conference games. Avoiding LSU and Auburn from the West is a plus, but given Kentucky’s back-heavy slate getting the Gators, Vols, and Georgia from October 25th on, an 8-4 season would represent a commendable effort.

20-36-1 ATS as a SEC dog of +7 or less.

South Carolina - It doesn’t get any simpler than this … win early or it could be an ugly year. The Gamecocks see three of their last five dates with LSU and Tennessee at home and Florida and Clemson on the road. Outside of the trip to The Swamp, the SEC road slate is a relative breeze going to Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Kentucky.

20-13-2 ATS under head coach Spurrier, including 10-3 ATS on the road.
9-25 O/U on the road since 2001.

Tennessee - The Vols season hinges on how they come out of their top-heavy early schedule. Trips to UCLA, Auburn and Georgia and a home date with Florida fill two-thirds of Tennessee’s first six games. Going unbeaten through the remainder of the schedule, Mississippi State, Alabama, at South Carolina, Wyoming, at Vanderbilt and Kentucky to finish determines if a bowl invitation comes their way.

14-1 SU and 12-3 ATS coming off a double-digit SU loss.
2-10 ATS (L12) as home favorites of -7 or less points.

Vanderbilt - Vandy are a long way from being competitive in the SEC East. Road trips to Ole Miss and Mississippi State from the West is a nice break in the first half of the season. But Vanderbilt’s problem’s come in the back half of the year with no gimme November home games playing Florida and Tennessee to go with two tough road games at Kentucky and Wake Forest.

21-35-1 ATS at home vs. an opponent that enters off a straight up loss.

West Division

Alabama - On paper at least, Alabama will have a winning season and end their season with a bowl game. That is mainly due to a powder puff non-conference schedule against Tulane, Arkansas State and Western Kentucky. Throw in home dates against Kentucky, Ole Miss and Mississippi State and you see what I mean. Nasty games vs. Clemson (played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta), at Arkansas, at Georgia, at Tennessee, at LSU and hosting Auburn will prevent the Crimson Tide going on a big streak of wins.

30-13-1 ATS as dogs off a SU win.
2-14-1 ATS as a home favorite vs. a conference foe.

Arkansas - A .500 season or one game above or below beckons for Bobby Petrino’s troops in his first season. Starting off against Western Illinois and UL Monroe will give the Razorbacks time to prepare for the road trip to Texas and the SEC opener against Alabama. Life gets tougher with the first two dates in October, hosting Florida and visiting Auburn. After those two the schedule lightens up with just two tough tilts against South Carolina in Columbia and a season ending game against LSU in Little Rock.

12-4 ATS at home coming off a straight up conference loss.

Auburn - The Tigers have plenty of big-time games, but luckily, almost all of them are at home. Going on the road to face West Virginia in a mid-season Thursday night game is the only road date problem until the season-ender at Alabama. LSU, Tennessee and Georgia are all good enough to win the SEC title, but they’re all coming to Jordan-Hare. A successful season beckons for Auburn as they catch a favorable schedule with it all ending with a top two finish in the West and a bowl invitation. One must doff their cap to Auburn for going to Morgantown to face the Mountaineers in the last weekend in October.

14-4 ATS their last 18 as an underdog, including a more recent 8-1 ATS.
9-22 O/U as underdogs, including 3-10 O/U in their last 13 on the road.

LSU - Division aspirations may be decided as early as week four with a visit to Auburn. The defending national champions don’t get much of a break from the SEC scheduling gods having to travel to Florida and South Carolina before hosting Georgia in Death Valley. Get through those three, and the end of October, with just one loss, and the national title could be there for the taking with a manageable November facing Tulane, Alabama, Ole Miss and a road trip to Arkansas.

12-7-1 ATS as a double-digit road favorite since 1988 season.
3-13 ATS as home favorites of -14.5 to -21 points.

Ole Miss - Depending on the outcome in week two when the Rebels travel to Winston-Salem (Wake Forest), Houston Nutt’s boys could just be 4-0 or 3-1. Then comes a road trip to Florida, before the defining part of the Rebels schedule with South Carolina, Auburn and Mississippi State coming to Oxford. With only five road games, this could be the year the Rebels turn into an SEC factor again.

1-16-1 ATS at home vs. opponents off a DD loss.
6-17 O/U off a home loss.

Mississippi State - Overall the Bulldogs schedule isn’t that bad getting what can be best described as a ‘walk in the park’ of a non-conference schedule and dates with Vanderbilt and Kentucky from the East. Three killer road dates, at Georgia Tech, at LSU, and at Tennessee, all before the end of October will makes life hard to improve on last season’s breakthrough campaign.

6-12 ATS coming off two or more straight up wins vs. an opponent off a DD los

CONFERENCE TREND: SEC conference games played in the first three weeks of the season are 8-20-1 O/U since 2004 and are presently on a 4-14 O/U run.

CONFERENCE SERIES TRENDS:

ALABAMA vs. AUBURN: The underdog is 18-9 ATS in this series since 1980, including 4-0 ATS off a loss as a favorite.

AUBURN vs. LSU: 0-7 O/U in the last 7 meetings since 2000. The average combined points is only 29.3 points in those last 7 meetings.

AUBURN vs. GEORGIA: Auburn are 9-1 ATS when playing with revenge against Georgia.

GEORGIA vs. FLORIDA: The Cocktail Party rivalry has been a very unpleasant experience for Georgia who has lost 15 of 17, covering a mere five times. The favorite is 1-4-1 ATS the last six years. Since 2002 five games have been decided by a touchdown or less. The straight winner is 21-3-1 ATS in the last quarter century.

LSU vs. ALABAMA: The host is 5-10 SU and 2-12 ATS since 1992.

LSU vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE: The Bayou Bengals are 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS. NOTE: Those eight wins came by an average of 30.6 points per game.

SOUTH CAROLINA vs. GEORGIA: The UNDER is 11-0 in the L11 games since 1996. The average OU line in this series has been 44.5 in those eleven meetings. And the average points scored in those games is an EXTREMELY low 27.8 points.

VANDERBILT vs. ALABAMA: The Commodores are 0-13 SU but 10-3 ATS in L13 games.

VANDERBILT vs. SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina is 13-2 SU and 11-3-1 ATS in its last 15 meetings against the Commodores.

VANDERBILT vs. GEORGIA: The Commodores are 1-11-1 SU and 4-9 ATS at home versus Georgia.

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CLICK HERE FOR OHIO STATE VS. LSU: BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PICKS

The last time Ohio State was in the BCS National Title game, they were drubbed by the Florida Gators. The last time that LSU played in the Superdome, they destroyed Notre Dame in the 2007 Sugar Bowl. Can the Buckeyes overcome last year’s loss and go the distance this year, or will the Tigers make them back-to-back losers?

Perhaps the most intriguing element of the Buckeyes preparations is how they cope with a 51-day layoff between their last game and the BCS National Title tilt. It was obvious in their 41-14 loss to Florida last season that they were complacent and apathetic heading in to the matchup. Back then, they were invincible and an obvious top-seed in the nation. This year, they are anything but invincible despite the attaining the top-seed again.

CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT LSU VS. OHIO STATE BCS CHAMPIONSHIP BETTING ODDS

LSU Offense vs. Ohio State Defense
Whether it’s Matt Flynn or Ryan Perrilloux at the helm, the LSU offense has been nothing short of prolific for the entire season. They rank ninth in scoring with 40.2 points per game and hurl the ball for a solid 227.3 pass yards per game. Flynn will get the start as his shoulder looks to be healed, but the two-quarterback system of LSU will keep Ohio guessing at every turn. 

Mobile quarterbacks have given this stout defense fits for the majority of the year. However, this unit proved it was the best in the nation by silencing opponents to an astounding 10.7 points per game against, while containing offenses to only 148.2 pass yards and 80.5 rushing yards per game. John Laurinaitis, the line-backing leader of this incredible unit, still has the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth and will rally this defense to throw everything it has at this LSU offense.

The top priority will be stopping running-back Jacob Hester, who averages 5.0 yards per carry and is responsible for moving the chains between the twenties for the Tigers. Ohio State will have trouble containing Hester on the edges because the line-backing corps, while strong, lacks speed and will lose a step as they are forced to spy on Flynn who can demoralize the Buckeyes with a play-action pass.

Ohio State Offense vs. LSU Defense
Ohio State’s offense is efficient, well-balanced and focused on pounding the rock. Starting tailback Chris Wills averages 5.8 yards per carry and has amassed 14 touchdowns. He is spelled by Maurice Wells, who gains 3.3 yards per carry and has the kind of breakaway speed that can ruin a defensive coordinator’s day. Both will be challenging a fierce front-seven led by defensive-tackle Glenn Dorsey. The Tigers only give up 106.1 yards on the ground.
 
Todd Boeckman is nowhere close to the threat that Troy Smith was in college, but he is an efficient passer who completed 64.5 percent of his passes while gaining 2,171 yards, 23 scores and 12 picks through the air. LSU is fast, agile and aggressive in the secondary and allows only 175.1 passing yards per game.

The LSU defense is slightly more vulnerable on the scoreboard, as is proven by their 20.1 points allowed per game. While Ohio State only puts up 32.0 points on average, it is important to note that they usually go in to squat mode after gaining a decisive lead and pull the reigns off their offensive assault when they gain a lead.

The Tigers defense has only been ripped by two players this season – Andrew Woodson of Kentucky and Darren McFadden of Arkansas. Ohio State lacks that kind of game-breaking superstar, but that will lend itself to their advantage as LSU will have trouble keying off any single player on the Buckeyes. Expect Jim Tressel to deploy Wells early and often to open up passing lanes for Boeckman as he targets Brian Robiskie as much as possible. Robiskie holds a strong physical advantage over anyone on the LSU secondary and will be the Buckeyes main scoring threat.

NCAA Football Betting Trends
-Ohio State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
-Total has gone OVER in 4 of Ohio State’s last 6 games
-LSU is 1-7-2 ATS in its last 10 games
-Total has gone OVER in 7 of LSU’s last 8 games

Final Verdict
The bandwagon is pulling hard for LSU and for good reason. They are essentially playing at home, in a bowl that they’ve enjoyed a truckload of success with a team that has only been beaten when two teams threw the kitchen sink at them. So why bet against them?

Because Ohio State has been here before, and the team leader’s will refuse to be complacent about letting another national title slip them by. The well-balanced attack of Ohio State will help move the chains against an LSU defense that has appeared vulnerable at time.

Ohio State will win this game as their defense grounds Hester and forces Flynn to throw against a secondary that is underrated in their ability to cause turnovers and generate coverage sacks. Vindication is a powerful motivator, and it will turn the tides against LSU as Ohio State goes on to win the BCS Championship.

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CLICK HERE FOR EXPERT KANSAS VS. VIRGINIA TECH ORANGE BOWL PICKS & ODDS

LAST POINTSPREAD RESULT: Kansas went into the season finale undefeated but lost to Missouri 36-28 as a 1.5-point favorite. Missouri burned the Jayhawks for 519 yards in that one. Virginia Tech won the ACC title and got revenge for an earlier loss at the same time with a 30-16 win over Boston College as a 4.5-point favorite on a neutral field.

ABOUT KANSAS:
The Good News — Kansas was second nationally, scoring 44.3 points a game. They were also fourth in scoring defense, allowing only 16 points per contest. Kansas leads the nation with a +19 turnover margin and is sixth in defending the run, yielding 91.4 yards a game and 3.1 yards a carry. Todd Reesing was the ninth leading passer in the country, with 32 TD’s and only six INT’s.

The Bad News — With only 21 sacks, the Jayhawks are only so-so at getting to the passer. And the bloated statistics may be, to a considerable extent, a reflection of a VERY weak non-conference schedule (Central Michigan, SE Louisiana, Toledo, Florida International).

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH:
The Good News — Virginia Tech ranked just ahead of Kansas (5th) in rushing defense, giving up 2.75 yards a carry and 86 yards a game. the Hokies were also fourth in pass efficiency defense and fifth in total defense (yards per game). Only Ohio State allowed less points per contest. Sean Glennon re-established himself as a viable quarterback in the season’s second half, and threw just one interception in his last nine games.

The Bad News — There were offensive line problems. VT allowed 49 quarterback sacks and priduced a running game that averaged only 3.4 yards an attempt. Brandon Ore, the feature back, has had only one 100-yard game.

Here are some college football betting TRENDS relative to this matchup:
* KAN has covered 14 of its last 16 games
* KAN has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* VT has won and covered its last five games
* VT is 18-5 ATS in its last 23 games away form home
* VT has played three of its last four games OVER the total
* VT has covered two of its last six bowl games

THE BOTTOM LINE: Kansas did not exactly run wild against any solid defense it faced, and in Virginia Tech it could be encountering its finest defensive opponent yet. Against Missouri, Colorado and Texas A&M, Reesing had three TD’s and two INT’s. Against the rest of the schedule, his ratio was 29-4. KU had just 42 net rushing yards in it sbiggest test against Mizzou. Virginia Tech got shellshocked early against LSU (give me a few points with them NOW), but came on to win and cover the last five, four of those against teams that went to a bowl. It was encouraging to see Sean Glennon re-emerging as an effective QB for Virginia Tech. Brandon Ore doesn’t have to be dominant; he only has to provide a little balance. Throw in a little “Beamer Ball” on special teams, and you’ve got a recipe for victory.

We lay the points with Virginia Tech, the 4.5-point favorite in the BetUS college football betting odds.

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Smart has won 65% of his Bets in CFB 2007
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Smart Money is 32-18 - an awesome 65% on the CFB Season. THE GREATEST Football Expert ever has won 12 of his last 19 CFB Cards and 16 of his 25 (+65%) of the CFB Cards bet this year. He is also on fire right sitting on a 17-10 and 24-13 CFB Run and his Side Betting Run is a big 26-14. Through the end of regular season play, Smart’s on track for his 8th Straight Winning Season. His Bests are 29-10 over 7 seasons and his Tops are 100% perfect 9-0.
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Mr. Ben Lewis is up $65,000 for CFB Dime Bettors
Mr. #1 has 3 Bets Tues, incl. the bets on the Gator and Cotton Bowls - $40»
Our #1 CFB Expert has made his dime bettors $74,000 before bowls and cashing in at an 61% of all his CFB Bets on the season. After DEMOLISHING the Books all season long, Ben has won 12 of his last 18 and 32 of his 52 put out all year - WOW - he won 2 out of every 3 CFB Cards this season. His Top Bets cashed in at 3-1 on the year and he is on a 7-1 CFB Best Bet Run. He is also on a 8-3 Totals run and ended the year 63% in all his CFB Totals.
Get Alex Smart, The Prez and Ben Lewis’ CFB Bowl Bets Tuesday - $120»
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Teddy Covers is on a BIG 8-3 and 12-5 CFB Run
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Teddy is rolling, going 8-3 his last 11 CFB Bets and is on a 12-5 run. On the entire CFB Season, he is 59% and has made his dime bettors OVER $33,000 and his CFB Best Bets are on a 6-1 run and are 70% on the season. His CFB Side Bets are on an 10-5 roll, are 37-23 his last 60 and ended the College Football season at over 60%.
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LT is a Big 12-4 in 3 full Years of CFB Best Bets
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LT is back at the Books for 2007, and firmly asserting their dominance. The Bottom line is no other CFB Expert has averaged 59% in 7 Years of CFB, hit over 60% in 4 of those years, cashed 65% of their CFB in 2005 and have only had 1 season under 57%. The season is done, and we are into the Bowls, and as always LT is ready to start their Legendary Run. Don’t miss their BIG Bowl Bets. Monday they are back with their 1st Bowl Best Bet. LT’s Best Bets are some of the RAREST to come along and are an AMAZING 12-4 over their last 16 CFB Best Bets.
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Paul Stone is on a 15-4 CFB Run - 2 Winners Mon
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Texas-based handicapper Paul Stone has been successfully and professionally handicapping sports for more than 20 years. This is his 1st year with Who2beton and his Football 2007 is going great. Heading into the Bowls, Paul has cashed in 6 of his last 8 Cards, is 6-2 in Bowls so far and is on a 15-4 CFB Run. His Sides are on a 6-2 and an insane 14-3 Run and he is 25-13 his last 38 CFB Side bets.
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Star is on a 6-1 Best Bet Run -7 Tues, 2 Best
Get Star’s 3 CFB New Years Day Winners, Two big 5* Best - $40»
They have owned this week of betting, sitting on an 8-3, 15-4 run and going 28-11 their last 39 bets. Last year The Pacific Star Group released 250 CFB Bets, won a 59% of them and cashed an astonishing +101 units. They’ve been capping CFB with us for 7 years now and are up huge. Their CFB Best Bets are 59% over 7 years and their Famous Top plays are 20-8. They SWEPT their last 2 Bowl Cards going 6-0 and extended their amazing 35-23 Side Betting Run.
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Sugar Bowl Free Pick: Hawaii +8.0
Tuesday January 1 ‘08 8:30p
Certain stereotypes die hard, we suppose. Such as the argument that the gap remains wide between BCS and non-BCS conference powers. Which, depending on the matchup, might still prove true. But recent wins by “outsiders” Utah (35-7 over Pitt in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl) and Boise State (who could forget that epic 43-42 thriller over Oklahoma in last year’s Fiesta?) in BCS bowls, not to mention some of the upsets during the just-completed regular season (remember Appalachian State over Michigan?) ought to dispel those notions…at least for the time being.

Still, just because Boise beat OU last year, and Utah whipped Pitt three years ago (a game in which the Utes were a rather prohibitive 14-point favorite, by the way), doesn’t mean Hawaii is going to do the same against Georgia. Indeed, there are some potentially troubling fundamental matchups for the Warriors to overcome in New Orleans, not to mention evidence that, at least based on its schedule, June Jones’ bunch really doesn’t belong in the BCS, especially vs. a Bulldog team tested week in and week out by rugged SEC competition. Mainland travel has also often been a thorn for Hawaii teams and came very close to scuttling this season’s BCS plans, with UH experiencing narrow escapes at modest WAC outposts such as La Tech (45-44 in OT), San Jose State (42-35 in OT), and Nevada (28-26 on a last-second FG). And last time we checked, trips to Ruston, San Jose, and Reno sure aren’t to be confused with excursions to Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, or Jacksonville for a date vs. Florida, all of which UGa dealt with in ‘07.

Thus, the challenge for the Warriors is for their defense not to be manhandled by a maturing Bulldog OL that began to open holes for breathtaking RS frosh RB Knowshon Moreno (1273 YR) as the season progressed and allowed soph QB Matthew Stafford ample time to look downfield for speedy deep-threat WRs Sean Bailey & Mohammed Massaquoi. Although most WAC observers believe Moreno might do significant damage, they also suggest this Hawaii “D” is more fundamentally sound under 1st-year d.c. Greg McMackin (who has lots of NFL background) than it was under Jerry Glanville the past two seasons. In particular, McMackin’s in-game adjustments were invaluable, reflected in the fact Hawaii jumped from 93rd a year ago to 33rd in total defense stats this season.

But we’re not sure a bigger challenge doesn’t await a Georgia “D” that admittedly dealt with a lot of firepower in ‘07, but never had to cope with a strike force quite like the UH Red Gun piloted by sr. QB Colt Brennan, now healthy after throwing 38 TDP in 2007 after tossing 58 a year ago. Brennan’s prolific squadron of wideouts will allow the Red Gun to keep firing for a full 60 minutes. And even if the Bulldogs extend the margin, keeping the back door “shut” against Brennan might be easier said than done.

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Chick-Fil-A-Bowl Free Pick: Auburn +2.5
Mon Dec 31 ‘07 7:30p
Auburn was a relatively boring, defense-first team this year, exactly the type of team that gets overlooked when bowl season comes around. The Tigers lacked a single marquee offensive playmaker in a conference loaded with them. QB Brandon Cox, a senior, threw only nine touchdown passes all year, and the Tigers finished with the 107th ranked passing offense in the country. And leading rusher Ben Tate split carries with Brad Lester and Mario Fennin, leaving Auburn without a 1000 yard rusher either. In short, this team didn’t impress the betting public very much, giving us value supporting them here as an underdog against an inferior team from a weaker conference.

Auburn’s defense was downright dominant all year. On the road, against Heisman winner Tim Tebow, Auburn held the Gators to their season low in both points and total yards, engineering the outright road upset. On the road, against Heisman runner-up Darren McFadden at Arkansas, the Razorbacks, too, were held to a season low in both yardage and points in an outright upset win for the Tigers. We’re talking about a defense that held five of their last seven opponents to ten points or less, the type of defense that should have little trouble shutting down this pedestrian Clemson attack.

Clemson dominated weak foes all year long, but in sharp contrast to Auburn, they did not fare well when stepping up in class. These Tigers were more like kitty-cats against their elite level foes, blasted at home by both Virginia Tech and Boston College, while being held to a single field goal in an ugly loss at Georgia Tech. And, unlike Auburn, Clemson did not fare well away from home against quality defenses. Tommy Bowden’s squad lost straight up as a double digit favorite against Kentucky in their bowl game last year. Expect a similar result this time around. Take Auburn.

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Sun Bowl Free Pick: South Florida -6.0 (-105)
Monday Dec 31 ‘07 2:00p
The Sun Bowl is by no means the venue either of these clubs felt they’d be this bowl season. Each at one point was ranked the #2 team in the country, yet each failed to hold onto that spot the following week. South Florida saw its hopes squashed when they paid Rutgers a visit and lost by a 30-27 final count in a wild and wacky contest. Oregon’s hopes to play in the National Championship were all but squashed in the desert when QB Dennis Dixon ripped apart his knee, and the Ducks went on to get embarrassed for the second year in a row to Arizona.Still, it was a very successful campaign for the SFL Bulls who won nine games for the second time under the watchful eye of Head Coach Jim Leavitt. A win here would give them double-digit wins for the first time in the programs history. QB Matt Grothe opened up many people’s eyes with his efforts throughout the regular season. He’s a dual threat that threw for 2473 yards with a TD/INT ratio of 13/12, and he also rushed for 850 yards and hit pay dirt 10 times. The offense exploded this season with him at the helm as the 36 PPG they averaged this season was 13-points higher than their average of a year ago.

If only Dixon didn’t hurt himself….you’ll hear that a lot from the Duck faithful, but you do have to ask yourself what might have been if he didn’t screw his knee up against ASU on to have Arizona finish the job off. Their lone loss up until that point was against Cal in a game they handed away, and with the Top 10 in the polls changing on a weekly basis, they had an excellent opportunity to play in the BCS Championship Game with games against UCLA and Oregon State only left on the docket.

I question the Ducks mindset here greatly whereas South Florida is still looking to build the foundation of its young program that only started playing D1 A ball back in 2001. Lay the points…..

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