Posted on 12/26/2007 5:21:40 PM

NCAA Football – Bowl Wagering Trends

By Robby Maddux

Rose Bowl - The Rose Bowl is the Grand Daddy of them all and always makes for a spectacular event for the NCAA football betting community.

The No. 6 USC Trojans (-14) are no stranger to playing in the premier game, as they make their 32nd appearance which includes last year's beating of Michigan 32-18 to improve to 22-9 SU (straight up) in the Rose Bowl.

USC opened the campaign ranked No. 1, and was 4-0 SU with its sights set on the BCS title game going into what appeared to be an easy matchup with Stanford on Oct. 6. Instead, the Trojans were shocked 24-23 by the Cardinals as the 40-point favorites, and lost 24-17 to the Ducks three weeks later earning them a trip to Pasadena to play the No. 20 Fighting Illini of Illinois (+14).

USC finished the regular season at 10-2 SU and 6-6 ATS (against the spread). They closed things out by covering the spread in three of its final four games and winning them all SU en route to a sixth straight Pac-10 title via tiebreaker over Arizona State.

Illinois has owned the Big Ten at the ticket counter, where they're 6-0 ATS in their last six games versus opponents in the smash-mouth conference.

A healthy John David Booty at quarterback has been key to USC's strong finish. Booty fractured the tip of his middle finger against Stanford and missed the next three games.

The senior, who completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 2,106 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions, has thrown eight touchdowns and one interception in the last four contests.

Offensively, the Trojans score 31.3 points per game and collect 418.4 yards. The passing game puts up 233.4 yards per game and the rushing attack earns 185.0.

USC's second-ranked defense, which allows 258.8 yards per contest, has given up an average of 12.7 points during its four-game winning streak, which is more than three fewer than its season average of 16.0.

The Trojans allow just 79.2 rushing yards per game, and that run defense will be tested by Illinois' fifth-ranked rushing attack that averages 266.2 yards and is led by Big Ten offensive player of the year Rashard Mendenhall.

Mendenhall is complemented by sophomore signal caller Juice Williams, who threw for 1,498 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and ran for a career-high 774 yards. Williams, the first Illinois quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a career, teams with the powerful Mendenhall to give the Illini a versatile and dangerous backfield.

Williams leads an offense that manufactures 28.8 points per game and 423.3 yards. They averaged just 157.2 yards through the air but 266.2 on the ground, which is fifth-best in the nation.

Defensively, the Illini gives up a respectable 19.5 points per game and 355.4 yards. The passing game is allowing 240.9 yards, while the rushing defense surrenders a solid 114.5.

Illinois' improvement from 2-10 SU in 2006 marks the biggest turnaround in school history. The Illini went 9-3 SU and 7-4 ATS to finish second in the Big Ten and defeated three ranked teams, highlighted by their 28-21 road victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 10, the Buckeyes' only loss.

The Illini has covered the spread in seven of its last ten games. However, when playing outside of the Big Ten, they are just 1-5 ATS in their last six non-conference games.

Illinois is 3-1 SU in the Rose Bowl, but lost 45-9 to UCLA in 1984 in its most recent appearance.

Though USC leads 10-2 SU in the all-time series with Illinois, this will be their first matchup in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans won 55-3 on Sept. 7, 1996 in Champaign in the most recent meeting.

This year's Tournament of Roses highlights a fantastic day of football wagering action. There's six major bowl games on January 1st, so be sure to visit our NCAA football odds to get your cash-making numbers for them all, and start your new year off in winning fashion.

Sugar Bowl - This year's Sugar Bowl features the undefeated No. 10 Hawaii Warriors (+7½) and the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs (-7½), and Hawaii's high-octane offense versus Georgia's stout defense will make for a very interesting football betting contest, to say the least.

Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Colt Brennan and Hawaii make the 4,000-mile trek to New Orleans to showcase their top-ranked offense that's putting up a colossal 46.2 points per game and 529.3 yards.

Brennan is college football's all-time leader in touchdown passes. In three seasons, the senior has thrown for 14,024 yards and 131 touchdowns in the run-and-shoot offense.

Brennan's success is built from a fantastic receiving corps. Three of the team's wideouts - Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen and Jason Rivers - rank among the top eight in the nation in receptions per game and each of the three eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark this season.

Defensively, there's room for improvement for the Warriors. On this side of the ball, they are giving up 24.2 points and 348.9 yards per game.

Hawaii comes into this game at 12-0 SU (straight up) and 4-6 ATS (against the spread). They finished the season having dropped the cash in two of its last three games and five of the final seven.

Hawaii is the third team from a non-BCS conference to make a BCS bowl and the other two both won. Hawaii, which has never faced Georgia, will be playing its first bowl game outside the Aloha State since the 1992 Holiday Bowl.

Georgia lost 16-12 in the second week of the season to South Carolina and was routed 35-14 at Tennessee on Oct. 6. However, since that defeat, the team has won six consecutive games SU, covering the spread in four during the win streak. They are 10-2 SU and 7-4 ATS on the season.

They seemed positioned to move into a top-two spot when then No. 1 Missouri and then No. 2 West Virginia lost in the season's last week. Voters, though, gave more credence to the fact LSU won the SEC championship, and thus jumped the Tigers over the Bulldogs in the polls.

Georgia will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after getting snubbed from a title game. They'll try to take its frustrations out on Hawaii with an offense that's scoring 31.9 points per game and collecting 379.1 yards and a defense that's allowing only 21.0 points and 324.7 yards.

The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in their last five neutral site contests, but they're a money-dropping 1-4 ATS in their last five games played on turf.

NCAA football odds list Georgia the 7½-point favorites with a game total of 68½. The contrasts in styles between the Warriors and Bulldogs makes this an appealing game. So don't be sidelined, jump in the bowl and taste the sweet sugar.

Fiesta Bowl - The No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners (-8½) are 2-1 SU (straight up) all-time versus the No. 11 West Virginia Mountaineers (+8½), as these programs have not met since 1987, but that'll change when the powerhouses collide on Wednesday, Jan. 2 in the Fiesta Bowl at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona with the NCAA football betting crazies in attendance.

The final day of the regular season marked the most devastating loss in the history of West Virginia football. The Mountaineers fell 13-9 to unranked and sub-.500 Pittsburgh on Dec. 1 as the 28-point favorites with a nation title game appearance on the line.

They'll try to rebound with a victory in this year's Fiesta Bowl, but they'll have to do so without their head coach. Rich Rodriguez will now be sporting maze and blue in Michigan and says he will not coach West Virginia in the bowl game.

The Mountaineers are 10-2 SU and 6-6 ATS (against the spread). They finished the season having dropped the cash in three of its last four games and five of the final eight.

Postseason has been unkind to West Virginia supporters in recent years, as their club is 1-4 ATS in their last five bowl games.

Quarterback Pat White will be key to West Virginia's ability to recover lost funds. White is the Big East record holder for rushing yards by a quarterback with 3,356, including 1,185 this season to go with his 1,548 yards passing. He ran for 14 touchdowns while getting sacked just eight times, and threw for 12 scores with only four interceptions.

The Mountaineers posted 38.9 points per game and 450.5 yards this year as the eleventh-best offense in the nation. With White and tailback Steve Slaton, who ran for 17 touchdowns and his third straight 1,000-yard season, the Mountaineers own the country's fourth-ranked rushing offense with 292.9 yards per game.

Defensively, West Virginia ranks seventh having allowed 17.3 points and 291.9 yards.

The defense will be tested by Oklahoma's quarterback Sam Bradford, who completed 70.1 percent of his throws for 2,879 yards, had only seven interceptions and was sacked just nine times - once in the last five games.

Bradford orchestrates an offense that's putting up a nation's third-best 43.4 points per game and 451.2 yards. Oklahoma is also stout on defense where they rank ninth, surrendering 18.2 points and 324.0 yards.

The Sooners are 11-2 SU and 7-6 ATS. They finished the season having won seven of its final eight games SU, but was able to cover the spread in only three games during the span.

When playing outside its conference, Oklahoma has cashed in their last four. However, they are just 1-4 ATS in their last five games played in January.

In last year's Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners were upset 43-42 by Boise State in what was arguably the most exciting bowl of them all. Oklahoma is 1-2 SU at the Fiesta Bowl and West Virginia lost its only appearance, falling 34-21 to Notre Dame in 1989.

This game features two of the best quarterbacks in the business and will be a magnificent contest. Be sure to visit our NCAA football odds for all the numbers and props.

Orange Bowl - NCAA football betting fans were surprised when the matchup for the Orange Bowl was announced, but the game has the potential to be one of the best bowls this season when the No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks (+4½ EV) and their high-powered offense meet the rock-solid defense of the No. 5 Virginia Tech Hokies (-4½ -110) at Dolphin Stadium on Jan. 3.

Kansas played a schedule that was ranked 109th out of the 119 major college teams. But the Jayhawks are second in the nation in scoring (44.3 points per game) and sixth in total yards per game (491.1), while holding opponents to 16.0 points which fifth-best in the nation.

Kansas enters this game at 11-1 SU (straight up) and a wallet fattening 10-1-0 ATS (against the spread). They are 4-0 ATS in their last four non-conference games and a solid 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall.

Virginia Tech is 11-2 SU and 7-5-0 ATS. The Hokies finished the regular season ranked second nationally in points allowed per game (15.5) and fourth in yardage allowed (293.3).

The Hokies offense is solid having scored 29.3 points per game while racking up 332.4 yards. The offense is led by a two-quarterback system of junior Sean Glennon and freshman Tyrod Taylor, but it's Virginia Tech's defense and special teams that make the team stand out.

The Hokies are third in the nation with 43 sacks and tied for fifth with 21 interceptions, returning five for touchdowns. On special teams, Virginia Tech has returned two punts and one kickoff for scores. Beamer ball has been key to Virginia Tech covering the spread in their last five games.

The task of the Hokies dynamic defense in this game is to contain Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, as well as the Jayhawks' stellar rushing attack.

Reesing, a sophomore, has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 3,259 yards, with 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions. On the ground, the Jayhawks are led by Brandon McAnderson and Jake Sharp, who have combined to rush for 1,838 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Kansas is playing in the Orange Bowl for the first time since 1969, and in a bowl for only the 11th time in school's history. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is making its 15th consecutive bowl appearance, including four BCS games.

This is a classic matchup of offense versus defense and that always makes for an entertaining football wagering experience. NCAAF odds list Virginia Tech the 4½-point favorites with a game total of 53.

NCAA football betting is coming to an end, and BetUS sportsbook already has tons of college football Bowl Game odds and NCAA football lines available for those of us who can't wait. Bet on the 2008 BCS National Championship winner. Bet NCAA Football Futures in our sportsbook today in the Future / props section!