College Football’s Biggest Games – Part I
by Aaron Torres
Over in the sports book, there are already many college football bets you can make, with the season still six weeks away.
But before you wager on who will be your BCS National Champion, Heisman Trophy victor or conference winner, it’s important to know what the most important games are, and how they might impact your bets.
Let’s take a look at some of this season’s most important games:
LSU vs. North Carolina, Saturday, September 4: This will be a key matchup for both schools, each looking to bounce back from disappointing 2009 campaigns and break through in 2010.
For North Carolina, everything has been building towards this year, as nine starters return off one of the best defenses in college football, including as many as five who could have been selected early in last year’s NFL Draft. But with the recent arrest of superstar linebacker Quan Sturdivant and an ongoing NCAA investigation, how will that affect the Tar Heels, as they look towards their opener?
As for LSU, they have hardly been one of better college football bets over the last few years, as quarterback Jordan Jefferson comes off an inconsistent 2009 campaign, and looks for stability in 2010. He will have help at wide receiver with Terrence Tolliver and Russell Shepard, but can Stevan Ridley step into the shoes of the departed Charles Scott and Richard Murphy at running back?
We’ll start getting answers to these questions on the first Saturday in September.
Boise State vs. Virginia Tech, Monday, September, 6: After all the great wins Boise State has had through the years, this will be their toughest regular season test ever, as they travel across the country to play Virginia Tech on a “neutral,” field in Washington D.C.
Boise State knows what’s at stake in this one, as they will almost certainly start the year ranked in the top five, and look to become the first team from a non-BCS conference to ever play for a National Championship. They return 21 starters off of last year’s undefeated Fiesta Bowl champion.
Virginia Tech on the other hand has title aspirations of their own, at Tyrod Taylor returns at quarterback for his senior year. He is joined by two former 1,000 yard rushers in the backfield, Ryan Williams (2009) and Darren Evans (2008), who missed all of last year with a knee injury. The defense however needs to find replacements for seven departed starters.
One of these teams will have National Championship dreams crushed in the first week of the season. The other’s will be over before it began.
The question for you, is who it’ll be.
Miami (FL) at Ohio State, Saturday, September 11: These two college football superpowers will do battle for the first time since they played for the 2002 BCS National Championship. With so much returning talent on both sides, each feels like they have what it takes to play for a championship again this year.
Miami will hit the road for their biggest non-conference test of 2010, behind the big arm of Jacory Harris and a defense which returns eight starters. But before you make your college football bets, ask yourself this, can Harris improve on the 17 interceptions that plagued him in 2009?
Speaking of inconsistency under center, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a man with as much natural skill as anyone in the game, as his dominating Rose Bowl (266 yards passing, two touchdowns, 72 yards rushing) showed. But he had struggles of his own in 2009, including a stunning loss at Purdue.
Before you make your college football bets for the season, take a look at these games and many more on the schedule. Remember, the research you do now is what will make you a successful bettor come kickoff! All the futures are available here!
