COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING – PRESEASON MWC POWER POLL
The MWC produced three 10-game winners and two legitimate BCS contenders last season. BetUS Sportsbook gets you ready for the upcoming college football betting season with a look at how the teams stacked up ATS in 2008…
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1: Utah Utes (8-3-1 ATS, 13-0 SU in 2008) Should the Utes have legitimately won last season’s National Championship? As the only undefeated team in the land, they sure had a gripe to the distinction. They covered six of their L/7 games of the season, including a rough and tumble 13-10 victory against TCU, an impressive 48-24 whipping of BYU, and the coup d’ grace, a 31-17 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah is still solid this season, but without QB Brian Johnson and a host of others from a defense that ranked 12th in the nation; repeating an undefeated season will be nearly impossible.
Up Next: Home vs. Utah State
2: TCU Horned Frogs (8-4 ATS, 11-2 SU in 2008) The Horned Frogs were perhaps a few untimely mistakes away from being in the BCS themselves. Had TCU won that game at Utah, without a doubt, it would’ve had a strong gripe to go to the Sugar Bowl. The Frogs’ defense was absolutely impenetrable last season. They only allowed 216.8 yards of offense per game, which included a measly 46.2 yards per game on the ground. Both numbers were tops in the country. This season, the Utes have to come to Fort Worth. If TCU can find a way to win at Clemson, this may be the year HC Gary Patterson and company crack the BCS for the first time.
Up Next: Away @ Virginia
3: Air Force Falcons (7-5 ATS, 8-5 SU in 2008) The Falcons were sort of a forgotten team in the MWC mix last season. They started the season 8-2 SU and 7-2 ATS, but were finally knocked down by BYU, TCU, and Houston to end the season. The wishbone attack will always produce plenty of rushing yards, and last year was no exception. Air Force averaged 266.8 yards per game on the ground, the sixth best tally in the land.
Up Next: Home vs. Nicholls State
4: Colorado State Rams (7-5 ATS, 7-6 SU in 2008) Colorado State will have to improve its defense from 2008 if it hopes to go bowling again in 2009. The unit allowed 30.2 points per game, the 91st ranking in the country. The Rams closed the ’08 season out in style by scoring three straight victories; two of those three outright wins came as short underdogs. As usual, the Rams will be looking to hand their rivals from Boulder a loss to kick off the season this week.
Up Next: Away @ Colorado
5: UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (6-5-1 ATS, 5-7 SU in 2008) Considering how poor UNLV’s defense was last season, it’s remarkable that the Rebels found a way to post a winning record ATS. The key number was 20. When the Runnin’ Rebels were dogs of more than 20 points, they were a perfect 3-0 ATS. As favorites, they only went 1-3 ATS in 2008.
Up Next: Home vs. Sacramento State
And the rest…
6: New Mexico Lobos (6-6 ATS, 4-8 SU in 2008)
7: San Diego State Aztecs (5-6 ATS, 2-10 SU in 2008)
8: BYU Cougars (3-8 ATS, 10-3 SU in 2008)
9: Wyoming Cowboys (2-9 ATS, 4-8 SU in 2008)
