FOOTBALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL ARTICLES

Like the ACC and Big Ten, the Big 12 has seen one powerhouse dominate the proceedings for a number of years. That team residing in the Big 12 is none other than Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma Sooners who enter the 2021-22 college football betting season gunning for a seventh straight conference title. Online sportsbooks currently have Spencer Rattler and company installed favorites to pull off the feat with the Iowa State Cyclones – the team that finished right behind them in the standings last year –... 

While the Big Ten has thrived on the hardwood, the same can’t be said for the gridiron with the Ohio State Buckeyes being one of only two teams of the 14 representatives that’s gotten a taste of the College Football Playoff since it came into existence back in 2015. The other was the Michigan State Spartans in case you were curious. Regardless, the B1G is starting to look a whole lot like the ACC these days with it owning a supreme alpha (Clemson) and a few betas (North Carolina, Miami) that cou... 

The ACC has been Dabo Swinney’s stomping ground for the last decade. Save for the Florida State Seminoles cashing futures odds tickets from 2012-14, the Clemson Tigers have taken home the seven other titles. That includes last season which saw the Tigers streak of securing conference bragging rights extend to a sixth straight year. Online sportsbooks don’t expect the makeup of the conference to change much in 2021-22 with Clemson installed gargantuan one to nine chalk to win it and likely punch ... 

For the fourth time in the last six seasons, an SEC team enters the upcoming college football betting season as national champions. It was Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide that took home the honors at online sportsbooks after pasting the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-24 as near 10-point favorites in the National Championship Game. With little surprise, it’s the Tide that once again enters the regular season installed favorites to hoist the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy a second straight year. A similar cast of contenders line up right in back of the Tide with the Clemson Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners rounding the favorite tier out. Unfortunately, the college football landscape has become entirely too repetitive over the last handful of years with the same teams routinely battling it out for the right to earn championship glory. As of now, it doesn’t look like that will change entering 2021-22 but these are my favorite, underdog and longshot recommendations to win it all regardless. ... 

The 2021-22 college football betting season will be here before you know it. Online sportsbooks have had betting lines posted for the opening week of the season for months. If you haven’t begun breaking down the teams that are about to entertain us all through the winter, there’s no better time than now to get yourself acquainted. In case you lived under a rock throughout last season’s COVID-marred campaign, the Alabama Crimson Tide won the National Championship. They’re also favored to win it all again; shocker! While there’s a bunch of snoozers set to go down throughout the first week of the regular season, there all also a number of must-see matchups that could set the tone for the weeks ahead. Consider this your first look into Week 1 of the college football campaign. Tailgating, fans in the stands, college cheerleaders – it’s back baby! ... 

It is a marquee matchup in the National Championship Game, as the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. In the past 100 years, only Michigan has won more games than the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide. Ohio State has won 931 games, while Alabama has won 928. Ohio State has 8 national titles, while Alabama has 15. This will be just the fifth all-time meeting between the teams. Both teams are led by potent offenses, as the Buckeyes have Josh Fields, while Alabama has the trio of DeVonta Smith, Mac Jones and Najee Harris. Let’s look at the game and college football picks. ... 

Nobody is giving the Notre Dame Fighting Irish a chance. Everyone is calling their College Football Playoff matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide a certain blowout. Considering how dominant Alabama has been this season that sentiment is understandable. Notre Dame’s blowout loss to the Clemson Tigers in the ACC championship game adds fuel to the fire. Also factoring in was the last meeting between these two teams. On January 7, 2013, Alabama annihilated Notre Dame 42-14 in the national champio... 

A clear difference was seen in the Clemson Tigers rematch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the ACC championship game. Trevor Lawrence was sidelined for Notre Dame’s 47-40 upset win over Clemson on November 7. However, he was back in the lineup for the December 19 revenge match. Lawrence led the Tigers to a 34-10 win and payout. As a result, he re-emerged as a top-tier Heisman Trophy candidate. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes have had an undefeated but choppy season. Frequent pandemic ... 

NFL caliber talent giveth and taketh. The North Carolina Tar Heels were sparked to an Orange Bowl berth by such stars as Michael Carter, Javonte Williams, and Dyami Brown. But now that UNC has reached New Year’s Six Bowl status they will lose this terrific trio, who instead will begin preparations for the 2021 NFL Draft. On the positive, the Tar Heels will still boast quarterback Sam Howell, one of the most productive signal-callers in the country. The Texas A&M Aggies were outraged at getti... 

The Oregon Ducks got a late call from the Pac-12 Conference asking if they could fill in for the Washington Huskies in the league championship game. Washington had to bow out due to the pandemic. Oregon made the most of the opportunity that fell into their lap. The Ducks upset the USC Trojans as 3-point road dogs 31-24 to become Pac-12 champs. Meanwhile, the Iowa State Cyclones were reaching new heights. ISU made the Big 12 championship game for the first time in program history. However, the Ok... 

The only thing that can add to the perfection of a three-day Christmas Holiday weekend is college football bowl games. On Saturday one of the best matchups of the entire postseason will take place at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl between the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and the Texas San Antonio Roadrunners. Louisiana earned considerable credibility with gamblers after an upset win at Iowa State on opening day. UTSA is not well known with the masses but sharps respect them for bringing consistent board value. Gerald J Ford Stadium, home of the SMU Mustangs, will be hosting a dandy! ... 

On November 7 the Notre Dame Fighting Irish staked a claim to ACC and College Football Playoff contention with a 47-40 overtime win over the Clemson Tigers as 5-point home dogs. For many fans and gamblers, the game had an asterisk because of Clemson being without superstar quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Trevor Lawrence. For others the fact that Notre Dame could beat a still-strong Clemson team that is proof that coach Brian Kelly’s program has reached the next level. Clemson was hardly... 

The Florida Gators are coming off the worst possible self-inflicted wound. Last Saturday night the Gators were hosting a down-and-out LSU Tigers team that seemed to have packed it in for the season many weeks ago. Florida was bet up to a 24-point favorite. Yet from the start, the Gators were noticeably off their game and were upset in the shocker of the weekend 37-34. Now Florida has to regroup to face the most terrifying team in the nation. The rampaging Alabama Crimson Tide has bossed the cash... 

The USC Trojans will look to clinch a spot in next week’s Pac-12 Championship game, as they visit the UCLA Bruins on Saturday in what will be the 90th edition between the crosstown rivals. USC has dominated the series of late, winning 16 of the last 21 meetings, but UCLA did win the last meeting at the Rose Bowl. USC comes into this game unbeaten and ranked No. 16 in the country, while the Bruins are 3-2. The Trojans are listed as 3-point road favorites, with the total listed at 61. Let’s look a... 

The big question heading into Saturday’s Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes matchup is whether this is the last game for head coach Jim Harbaugh. The once-revered “Michigan Man” is said to be interested in an NFL return. Harbaugh is in the midst of his worst season as Wolverines coach and the program has declined so rapidly under him that many fans are eager for their former hero to leave. When Harbaugh arrived with great fanfare in 2015, he was proclaimed as the Victor Valiant and Conquering Hero. After two strong years at the start of his tenure Harbaugh and the Wolverines have been in a steady decline. And they no longer play with what Harbaugh once called “an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” ... 

The Ohio State Buckeyes truly have no margin for error. If they have one more game cancelled, they are disqualified from the Big Ten championship. So too is that the case if they lose a game. The Michigan State Spartans aren’t much to look at. But upset wins over the Michigan Wolverines and the Northwestern Wildcats serve warning to all. Last week Northwestern had their season ruined as an 8th ranked team at Michigan State. The Buckeyes were COVID-19 cancelled last week. Head coach Ryan Day was ... 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround. Following a 4-8 record in 2016 he was forced to look into his mirror and face reality. Kelly admitted that he was too distracted and became distant from his players. So too did he see the need to update schematically. Since that introspection Notre Dame and college football haven’t been the same. Following his self-assessment Kelly dived into details with players and staff and changed assistants where necessary. Now comes the payoff as the Irish are closing in on the college football playoff. At the very least. By contrast Syracuse Orange coach Dino Babers went 10-3 in 2018 and was rewarded with a new contract. Babers is now sitting on a seat that is starting to flame. ... 

No rivalry in sports can match the Iron Bowl when it comes to hate, passion, high stakes, and college football tradition. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers boast the ultimate college football betting rivalry. The Iron Bowl has also provided job security for Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. Auburn’s wins in two of their last three against Alabama spared Gus a date with the unemployment line. Consider that back in 2017, Auburn’s Iron Bowl win over Alabama trigged a massive new contract for Malzahn. In the emotional high of that time it seemed like the right thing to do. However, since then, many Tiger fans probably wish that the extension never occurred. Of course, NOT at the cost of a loss to the Crimson Tide! ... 

At the onset of Mack Brown’s return to North Carolina as Tar Heels head coach was optimism. After all, Brown had already won big at UNC during the 1990’s. From there Brown went on to National Championship glory at Texas. Further, everyone knows of Brown’s recruiting brilliance. Which is why there was little doubt about quick Tar Heel improvement. Yet North Carolina is far ahead of schedule. Brown has made the Tar Heels an immediate College football betting success. But this Friday is North Carolina’s biggest challenge so far in 2020. The Notre Dame Fight Irish will come calling on Black Friday. So far Notre Dame has made itself at home, even if temporarily, in the ACC. In fact, the Fighting Irish have already beaten ACC super power Clemson to lead the league. ... 

So far Indiana has been enjoyed a level of football success not seen since the late 1960’s. To show, the Hoosiers beat Michigan for the first time since 1987 and it was no accident as IU dominated the Maize and Blue. An earlier win over Penn State was another name brand payout. But Saturday brings the ultimate College football betting test for the Hoosiers. Indiana travels to Ohio State for the FOX Big Noon Kickoff. OSU is college football playoff material. As impressive as the Hoosiers have been this is the proverbial next step. ... 

There was a time not long ago when Florida State vs. Clemson was appointment viewing. Almost every year these teams would decide the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. However, in recent years this series has been the College football betting property of the Tigers. Florida State is in the initial stages of coach Mike Norvell’s rebuild. FSU lost its winning culture and Norvell will need time to get minds right as well as to recruit a roster that can actually compete with Clemson. All of which means the Tigers will be massive chalk on Saturday. ... 

No coach in recent college football history arrived with more fanfare and higher expectations than Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. They called him “Khaki Jesus” and his first two years were full of energy and confrontation. Harbaugh recruited the country and held camps all across the United States. He held star studded recruiting nights with such big names as Derek Jeter. In the spring he took his team on exotic trips to Europe and other countries across the pond. He angered millions and faced a barrage of criticism but the Maize and Blue faithful ate it up. However, since Michigan’s epic and heartbreaking loss at Ohio State in 2016 there has been a noticeable change in Harbaugh. It’s as if he never recovered his intensity after that game. Now Michigan is getting dominated by teams like the Indiana Hoosiers. The program is regressing. And the Honeymoon is over. Saturday night the Wolverines host the Wisconsin Badgers. ... 

A clear difference was seen last week at Clemson as without superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers barely escaped College football betting odds disaster against Boston College. And that is what has gamblers salivating for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this weekend. As home dogs against a team missing their best player the Fighting Irish are undeniably appealing. But the fact remains Clemson will bring one of America’s best defenses to Notre Dame Stadium. Also factoring is Clemson Tige... 

On Saturday one of the great college football rivalries will be renewed when the Florida Gators meet the Georgia Bulldogs in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” This matchup features two elite coaches with Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Florida’s Dan Mullen. Both have had immediate college football betting line impacts. Smart nearly won the 2017 national championship and the 2018 SEC title. While Mullen has put together back to back double-digit win and top ten seasons. Saturday’s differenc... 

When Mississippi State routed LSU in a stunning week one road win coach Mike Leach was celebrated for being different. In fact, the slobbering media said he would revolutionize the SEC. Since then the narrative has changed for the Bulldogs and Leach. Mississippi State has lost three in a row with quarterback PJ Costello in hot water. As always Leach was quick to blame his players as he vowed to “Purge” the roster of uncommitted players. Furthermore, SEC coaches have figured out Leach’s Air Raid ...