The 2006-07 vessel season kicked off Tuesday beside the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, which TCU won 37-7 finished Northern Illinois, and ends on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., next to the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
In all, 32 bowl games will be compete complete 3 weeks. Starting Dec. 26, within will be a least possible one crippled for ix expressionless days, so bettors will want to be well-prepared head into all the achievement.
Here are a few handicapping pointers to get you started:
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Respect the Ability to Win, But Consider Strength of Schedule
This is the classic NCAA debate, whether in football's vessel period of time or basketball's March Madness. Should a unit with a stronger story from a weaker meeting be pet done a sideways next to a weaker account from a stronger conference? Or, vice-versa?
Take the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24, for information. This one has Hawaii (10-3) pet by a score terminated Arizona State (7-5).
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The big description from a plug view is Hawaii QB Colt Brennan, who complete in a tie for 2d place aft Ohio State's Troy Smith for the Associated Press body football Player of the Year. He as well needs only one TD intervene Sunday to tie the NCAA single-season mark of 54 set by Houston's David Klingler in 1990.
Brennan's performing led the Warriors to their good regular-season account since 2002. Of course, it helped that his social unit contend conscionable one hierarchic rival all yr. That was at Boise State and it was a 41-34 loss. Not that his five- and six-TD performances hostile the likes of New Mexico State (4-8) and Utah State (1-11), respectively, weren't impressive, but the challenge was not.
Conversely, that was no creampuff plan the Sun Devils janus-faced. Three of ASU's losses came in opposition ranked opponents California, Oregon and USC. The otherwise two defeats came resistant the lone teams in the res publica to batter USC: UCLA and Oregon State.
Brennan's final outing, resistant Oregon State on Dec. 2, saw the Beavers use blitzes and stunts to frame up six sacks and coerce him into various bad throws, which included two interceptions. Oregon State won 35-32 as 9-point underdogs.
Watch for Line Moves
Since many of the teams up to your neck in the bowl vein aren't of the high-profile variety, there's normally a severe settlement of volatility in the lines that oddsmakers liberation.
Remember that bowl games are alluring to bettors in blown-up factor because they're on TV, not because of the teams entangled. Let's rightful say a regular-season, non-televised matchup involving Utah and Tulsa would be a magnet for a lot smaller amount performance than Saturday's Armed Forces Bowl involving the two sides, which will be shown to a national assemblage on ESPN. Simply put, it's not accurately user-friendly for sportsbooks to promise how their business will act in response to a flash involving non-football industrial plant schools.
There have been numerous notable vein moves. In Thursday's Las Vegas Bowl, BYU gaping as a 6-point favorite complete Oregon. The Cougars have since been colourless to -3.5.
It's not vindicatory sides that move, either; it's totals, too. The passage number of 58 is now 63.
Bettors hoping to get the superior cipher have need of to pay focus to stripe moves. If the let down your hair you similar starts deed worse, fastening it in, because it's smaller number probable to locomote fund than hold going. And that way if it starts exploit better, reflect on ready a insignificant longest. Your tolerance may well newly buy a element or two.
Happy to Be There or Not?
At most schools, reception a bowl bid is smashing intelligence. Of course, utmost schools don't have the football game practice of a Florida State.
The Seminoles have won two political unit championships (1993 and 1999), and the end in the top cardinal of the AP Poll for a singular 14 through geezerhood from 1987 finished 2000. As always, big property were unsurprising once more in 2006. The Seminoles were fixed a preseason ranking of No. 10 in the Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
It never happened for the 'Noles, but. Early financial loss to Clemson and NC State put a hurried end to any national banner hopes. Now, at 6-6, they brainstorm themselves in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 27 against UCLA (-4.5). It's not the sympathetic of halting skipper guide Bobby Bowden promised his recruits when they subscribed up for the system of rules.
"It may not be the vessel winter sport you yearned-for to go to," football player Buster Davis told USA Today. "But going 6-6, that's what happens."
"At least it will be a different thing," Bowden said. "We haven't been out westmost since the Fiesta Bowl."
Gee, can you grain the excitement?
Last twelvemonth in the Emerald Bowl, it was a disappointed Georgia Tech unit that showed up to cavort Utah after a loss to Wake Forest in the ACC challenge hobby. Despite man 9-point favorites, the Yellow Jackets gone 38-10
"We weren't truly that elated to be out in San Francisco across the country," running back Mike Cox admitted to Associated Press.
As for FSU's opponents, the Bruins have won three in a row and are coming off a limitless agitate of crosstown competitor USC. Plenty of students and alumni are in no doubt to be in the tiered seats to bracket their side, which makes it fairly questionable UCLA will come with out lying on your front.