How do college football players keep up academically

It must b hard for good teams which play constantly and travel a lot some players aren’t that bright to begin with so Of course they have tutors but @ notre dame the need to keep a good GPA to play. how else I bet a lot of professors don’t like it

Big programs have a mandatory study hall where the coaches walk around and make sure you are studying and not goofing. It is usually 2 hours every day If you spend 2 real hours studying every day you will keep on track for the less demanding majors.

In college you are with your team all day. Breakfast in the morning, class with a few friends, Meetings and film room every day, practice on the field every day, study every day.

You wouldn’t believe the support that is available in Big Time College Athletics. Student athletes receive a great deal of help. Each program usually has at least one full-time academic counselor assigned specifically to football. They not only set up schedules, but coordinate study hall, hire tutors or mentors for the athletes, and make sure their eligibility remains in tact. Many programs also employ class checkers to make sure the athletes are going to class, which is obviously most important. They usually hire current students in the class to report back the athletes’ activity.

In regards to travel, they usually only have about 5-6 away games each season, and the team usually travels on fridays, so there is minimal absence from class. If there is a problem, the academic counselors are usually aware of it and communicate well with professors. I can just imagine the amount of class that basketball players miss. They play 2 games a week and travel a lot more!

If you are good and decide to go to Auburn you wont have to worry about that. They take the tests for you or just give you good grades anyway since your an athlete….

Oklahoma Baylor Betting: Oklahoma Tries To Stay In Big 12 And National Title Hunts

The Oklahoma Sooners are still playing for every possible college football prize this season. As long as OU can win in November, it will set up a showdown with Oklahoma State on Dec. 3.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Baylor Bears – Saturday, November 19

Sports betting line: Oklahoma -15.5

Why Oklahoma Will Win

The college football betting  experts who are looking at this game are mindful of the fact that last year, a wobbly Oklahoma team – an Oklahoma team that wasn’t fully trusted – went into Baylor with a lot of questions hanging over its head… and crushed Baylor from start to finish. The 2010 Sooners had looked very frail in losses on the road against Missouri and Texas A&M. Oklahoma had been outmuscled and outmaneuvered in those two contests, and quarterback Landry Jones suffered because of his penchant for not looking off the safety, focusing on one receiver and ignoring the other half of the field. However, against Baylor, none of that mattered for the Sooners, who righted their ship and began the rally that catapulted them to the Big 12 championship. OU destroyed Baylor, 53-24, tearing apart a paper-thin Bear defense. The Sooners pretty much did whatever they wanted, and the memory of that game will loom large this weekend in Waco, Texas, which was the site of last year’s contest as well. Oklahoma is a better, more complete team than it was last season. The Sooners are even more stout on the offensive line and play with more authoritativeness on a weekly basis. Baylor trailed lowly Kansas by three touchdowns last week before rallying for a one-point win. The Bears’ defense simply has no answer – and precious little hope – against the formidable offenses of the Big 12. Oklahoma is going to have a field day in this game on the offensive side of the ball. It would be a huge surprise if the Sooners score fewer than 42 points.

Why Baylor Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you need to be cognizant of a few things. First, the betting line is 15.5 points (although subject to change in the hours before kickoff). This means that Baylor can lose by two touchdowns and still cover the spread. It’s true that Baylor won’t defend the Sooners all that well, but the Bears can definitely win this game outright in a shootout. Do recall that Oklahoma lost to Texas Tech, 41-38, earlier this year. The Sooners’ secondary was fully eviscerated by the Red Raiders’ passing game. The back line of defense is clearly OU’s biggest defensive weakness, and since the Sooners are playing without their top receiver, Ryan Broyles (lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament), Baylor has the offensive weapons – with quarterback Robert Griffin III and receiver Kendall Wright – to win a 56-49 firefight.

Who Will Win

It’s not going to be close. Baylor might very well score 35 points, but Oklahoma will probably score 56. The Bears have no defense; the Sooners will make at least a few plays.
College Football Betting Pick: Oklahoma

Kansas State Texas Betting: Kansas State And Texas Vie For Big 12 Positioning

The Kansas State Wildcats and the Texas Longhorns won’t win the Big 12 championship this year, but they can both take a big step toward a better bowl game by winning this Saturday.
Kansas State Wildcats @ Texas Longhorns – Saturday, November 19
Sports betting line: Texas -9.5
Why Kansas State Will Win
The college football betting  experts who are looking at this game are wondering how Texas can possibly be favored by nine points. Sure, Texas is playing at home, but can that one fact enable the Longhorns to not only win this game, but claim it by more than one score? The Longhorns will be playing without star running back Fozzy Whittaker, who suffered a gruesome injury last week in a road loss at Missouri. Whittaker kept defenses honest – he forced a defensive front seven, especially linebackers, to stay near the tackle box and focus on Texas’s ground game. Without him, it will be much harder for the Longhorns to establish the kind of run-pass balance they want. It’s true that quarterback David Ash showed surprising speed and a heightened degree of precision against Texas Tech a few weeks ago, but one must realize that Texas Tech is in the midst of a tremendous tailspin. Texas’ offense is simply lacking the weapons it needs to keep up with Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, who has become a one-man playmaking machine in the Big 12 this season. Klein has topped 1,500 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. He’s accounted for 34 touchdowns, 10 in the air and a whopping 24 on the ground. Klein’s throwing mechanics aren’t textbook perfect, but he is absolutely fearless. He bounces off tacklers at the first point of contact and knows his way around a football field. The fact that Klein can make plays in multiple ways makes KSU’s offense less predictable than Texas’ offense. The more you contemplate this game, the more you realize this should be something close to a pick-‘em game, not a nine-point spread for the Longhorns.
Why Texas Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you need to realize that a few weeks ago, a lot of people were incredulous that Texas could be posted as an 11-point favorite against a Texas Tech team that had beaten Oklahoma a few weeks before. However, Texas’ offense flourished in a thorough demolition of the Red Raiders. This is another game in which the spread might seemingly be way too large, but one needs to notice that as long as the Longhorns are playing at home, they stand a good chance of performing well on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback David Ash is steadily learning how to play the position; he struggled last week at Missouri, but his poor performance in a 17-5 loss was largely due to the fact that his teammate, star running back Fozzy Whittaker, got injured in the first half. Texas had to absorb a difficult blow, and it was hard for the Longhorns to adjust on the fly, both mentally and tactically. Now, Texas has had a week to regroup, giving offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin a chance to formulate the right game plan. Texas has made considerable strides on offense from September, when it looked horrible. The Longhorns can easily surprise people in this contest.
Who Will Win
It’s going to be a dogfight down to the wire, but one thing’s very likely: Kansas State is going to cover the spread. Texas might win the game outright, but KSU will stay close because of Klein’s playmaking ability and the injury to Whittaker. Too many factors play in Kansas State’s favor on Saturday. Take the Wildcats.

College Football Betting Pick: Kansas State

USC Oregon Betting: Oregon Fights For A Possible National Title Game Berth

The Oregon Ducks are back in the hunt for the BCS National Championship Game following their big win over Stanford last weekend. They’ll continue their push against USC on Saturday.
USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks – Saturday, November 19
Sports betting line: Oregon -15.5
Why USC Will Win
The college football betting  experts who are looking at this game are aware of a few important realities, one of them being that the Stanford team which fell so markedly short against Oregon last weekend was playing without its fastest receiver, Chris Owusu. The Cardinal lacked the kind of game-breaker on the boundary who could gain separation against Oregon’s receivers and stretch the Ducks’ defense. Without a vertical passing threat, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was forced to restrict his attack to short- or short-intermediate throws. The Cardinal couldn’t go for deep balls or other particularly aggressive plays against Oregon’s secondary. USC, then, has something Stanford lacks: the deep threat in the passing game. Receiver Robert Woods is an elite pass catcher, one of the very best receivers in college football without a second thought. Woods’ combination of speed, size and strength has set him apart in the sport; he will cash an NFL paycheck as long as he doesn’t suffer a severe injury. Woods, who has a superb quarterback throwing him the ball in the person of Matt Barkley, gives USC’s passing attack the potency that will be needed to keep up with Oregon in a shootout. As long as the Trojans can make a handful of key plays on defense, such as a third-down stop here or a turnover there, they can definitely stay close to the Ducks, which is exactly what they did for the better part of three quarters last season in Los Angeles. It’s not hard to envision USC staying close in this game. It will be tough for the Trojans to win on the road in Eugene, but one can imagine a scenario in which they do pull off the upset. Other teams can’t even begin to realistically entertain the notion of winning at Autzen Stadium.
Why Oregon Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you have to keep coming back to the fact that Oregon simply owns the second halves of games. The Ducks outscored Stanford by 17 points in the second half of last week’s game against the Cardinal. They outscored Washington by 10 in the second half. They outscored Arizona State by 10 and California by 29. This team simply has more stamina and durability than its opponents. It is able to push the pace with its spread-option attack and wear down other defenses in the Pac-12 Conference. Last year, USC led Oregon 32-29 with 11 minutes left in the third quarter. The final score was 53-32 in favor of Oregon. The Ducks simply outlast opponents, taking away their legs and their heart by the time the fourth quarter arrives.
Who Will Win
It’s Oregon’s game to lose. The Ducks are virtually untouchable at home, and with their offense in full flight right now, there’s no reason to think that USC can stay appreciably close in the second half. This game might be tight for two and a half quarters, but Oregon usually pulls away from opponents. This will be a typical outing for the Ducks.

College Football Betting Pick: Oregon

Nebraska Michigan Betting: Nebraska And Michigan Play For Big Prizes

The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Michigan Wolverines did not figure to be in the running for a BCS bowl a few weeks ago, but now, they have an outside chance to gain gridiron glory.

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Michigan Wolverines – Saturday, November 19

Sports betting line: Michigan -3

Why Nebraska Will Win

The college football betting  experts who are looking at this game are wondering how Nebraska and Michigan are alive in the running for a BCS bowl. The Huskers and Wolverines have both had up-and-down seasons and have been exposed by less-than-imposing foes: Northwestern for Nebraska and Iowa for Michigan. However, Nebraska really manned up last weekend and gutted out a tough 17-14 win at Penn State. Nebraska’s players faced a unique emotional challenge due to all the distractions surrounding the contest. The week of controversy and tumult connected to the firing of head coach Joe Paterno made it difficult for Nebraska to focus on football, but the Huskers did exactly that. One week after showing such composure on the road, traveling to Michigan for a much more “normal” road game shouldn’t be as daunting as it might have seemed a few weeks ago. Nebraska will be calm and centered for this game; such an emotional disposition puts the Huskers in great position to win.

Why Michigan Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you are obviously aware of the fact that Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has his limtiations, but you’re also aware that Nebraska is little more than an average team. Nebraska got dominated at the line of scrimmage on Nov. 5 by Northwestern. Nebraska is just not consistent or imposing on either side of the ball; a home loss to a Northwestern squad that had won only one Big Ten game through the first two months of the season shows that the Huskers are incredibly flawed. The thing to realize about Northwestern is that while the Wildcats don’t have much of a passing game, they were able to spread out the Huskers’ defense and use a zone-read-based running attack to exploit Nebraska’s lack of speed. Robinson is a fleet-footed quarterback who is very familiar with the zone-read running game. Michigan has the athletes to outflank Nebraska in this contest. The Wolverines have their problems, particularly in the passing game, but Nebraska’s deficiencies could still allow the Maize and Blue to win this game. The fact that Michigan is playing at home should matter a great deal. You want to have late-November showdowns on your own turf; advantage, Wolverines.

Who Will Win

It’s really a matter of location, location, location. These are two very flawed teams with mediocre offenses and inconsistent quarterbacks. Their defenses display great effort but are far from supremely talented. The quarterback who can make fewer mistakes in this game is the quarterback who will walk off the field victorious. Martinez and Robinson are both mistake-prone signal callers, but at home, Robinson – who should be able to run the ball more than he normally does – is in position to throw fewer passes and therefore commit fewer turnovers. Give the edge to Michigan in a close one.

College Football Betting Pick: Michigan

Pittsburgh Louisville Betting: Pittsburgh Tries To Regroup Against Surging Louisville

The Pittsburgh Panthers simply aren’t going to win the Big East championship this season before heading off to the Atlantic Coast Conference. They just want to win this week against Louisville.

Pittsburgh Panthers @ Louisville Cardinals – Saturday, November 12

Sports betting line: Louisville -2 1/2

Why Pittsburgh Will Win

The college football betting  experts who look at the Big East Conference are aware that Pittsburgh came up short last weekend against league-leading Cincinnati. This was another in a season of disappointing losses for a Pittsburgh team that began the year on the fringe of the top 25 and considered itself a contender for the Big East title. But even in defeat, there is a silver lining for Pittsburgh. The team entered the game simply decimated by injuries, including one to star running back Ray Graham. With Graham out, however, quarterback Tino Sunseri and Graham’s replacement, Zach Brown, ran the ball well and kept the Panthers in the game. While the Big East title is likely out of reach, the Panthers can still rally for bowl eligibility and build momentum for the future. It’s not as though Pittsburgh was complete outclassed by the first-place team in the Big East. Sunseri made some head-scratching throws and the Panthers faltered in key moments. By eradicating a few lapses in concentration and playing a slightly more airtight brand of ball, Pittsburgh can most definitely pull out a win on the road in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Why Louisville Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you simply can’t deny that Louisville is a confident team which has learned how to play together. The Cardinals are soaring after a huge 38-35 win at preseason league favorite West Virginia on Nov. 5. Yes, for the first time since 1990, Louisville won in Morgantown, West Virginia. It did so without Brian Brohm, the quarterback who led then-coach Bobby Petrinos offense to a 17-point fourth-quarter lead against West Virginia in the 2005 matchup against the Mountaineers. Louisville won without Michael Bush, the burly yet light-footed running back who was such a weapon for the Cards in their ascendancy in the middle of the past decade. Louisville, in short, won this game without any of the top-shelf talent it brought to the dance against West Virginia in the Petrino era. Precisely when ULs talent haul seemed to be less substantial than ever before, coach Charlie Strongs team found a way to beat a faster and far more athletic opponent in a hostile environment. Louisville hasn’t lost a game (3-0) since Strong’s contract was extended. It’s clear that this team loves to play for its coach, and it’s particularly clear that young UL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is locked in at the moment; the freshman is playing with great awareness, vigilance, and responsiveness. As long as Louisville continues to perform at this level, it will be hard for an inconsistent Pittsburgh squad to deliver an upset.

Who Will Win

It’s not hard to arrive at a winner in this game. Louisville is the more confident team, the more inspired team, the more focused team, the more prepared team… and it’s playing at home. It wouldn’t be stunning if Pittsburgh won, but it’s certainly difficult to give the Panthers the benefit of the doubt. Louisville has to be seen as the favorite in this contest.

College Football Betting Pick: Louisville

Nebraska Penn State Betting: Nebraska And Penn State Play In The Shadows Of Sadness

The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions will play a football game this weekend at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Few people will care.
Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Penn State Nittany Lions – Saturday, November 12

Sports betting line: Nebraska -3 1/2

Why Nebraska Will Win

The college football betting  experts who are looking at this game are wondering how the scandal enveloping Penn State University will affect the outcome. It’s simply impossible to talk about this game in a pure X-and-O context, all because the psychology of this game has been so drastically affected by the bombshell indictments levied against former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. He was charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse of minors last Saturday, and more victims are coming to the forefront this week.

Two leading Penn State administrators – Athletic Director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President of Finance and Business Gary Schultz – were indicted on one count of perjury and one count of failure to report the abuse of a minor, only adding to the scandal that has rocked a university community and stunned the nation. Last but certainly not least, iconic Penn State coach Joe Paterno – while possibly fulfilling a minimal legal role by reporting Sandusky’s conduct to Curley, the athletic director, in March of 2002 – did not report Sandusky to the police. Paterno’s failure to go to law enforcement, combined with his failure to follow up on the investigation of Sandusky, makes him a person who allowed a dangerous situation to persist. Paterno did not do everything he could – not even close – to make sure that Sandusky was vigorously and fully investigated.

Precisely because of Paterno’s reputation as one of the most honorable and properly-oriented people in all of college sports, his inability to do anything more than the absolute minimum is a glaring indictment of him… not in the eyes of the law, but in terms of his infidelity to the high standards he had set in 46 years as Penn State’s head coach. With this scandal swirling around the Penn State program, it is extremely hard – almost impossible, in fact – to imagine how Penn State’s players will be mentally ready to play this game. One can’t even know for certain that Paterno will coach this game. It strains the imagination to think that Penn State’s players will be focused on football. Their minds have to be dwelling on the deep sadness that has engulfed the program, and the fact that Paterno’s tenure is certain to not last into the 2012 regular season. He will be gone by then.

Why Penn State Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you are obviously aware of Penn State’s distractions, but you’re also aware that Nebraska is little more than an average team. Nebraska got dominated at the line of scrimmage last week… by a Northwestern team that got pounded by Penn State. Nebraska is just not consistent or imposing on either side of the ball; a home loss to a Northwestern squad that had won only one Big Ten game through the first two months of the season shows that the Huskers are incredibly flawed. Penn State has its problems, but Nebraska’s deficiencies could still allow the Nittany Lions to win this game.

Who Will Win

It’s simply unrealistic to expect Penn State to play well under these circumstances. Human nature being what it is, the sadness and shock permeating the Penn State campus will prevent the Nittany Lions from being at their best. It’s unfortunate that off-field developments figure so heavily in a game’s outcome, but really – can you envision Penn State playing a focused, determined, resolute game in the face of such sad and wrenching news? Nebraska will win this game decisively.

College Football Betting Pick: Nebraska

Virginia Tech Georgia Tech Betting: Virginia Tech And Georgia Tech Vie For Division Title

The Virginia Tech Hokies and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have won every Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division championship. They’ll decide another one this Thursday night.
Virginia Tech Hokies @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – Thursday, November 10
Sports betting line: Virginia Tech -1
Why Virginia Tech Will Win
The college football betting  experts who have followed the Atlantic Coast Conference through its previous period of expansion – in 2004, not the current period of expansion involving Syracuse and Pittsburgh with the possibility of other schools in the coming months – know that ever since the ACC added Virginia Tech and Miami in 2004, only the Hokies have made good on their potential. Miami, who joined Virginia Tech as a new ACC school after being plucked from the Big East by ACC Commissioner John Swofford, was expected to dominate the league in tandem with old rival Florida State, who joined the ACC in 1991 after playing as a football Independent. However, it was Virginia Tech who took charge in the new-look ACC, winning an 11-team league in 2004 and then remaining a formidable presence when the ACC expanded to 12 teams (by adding Boston College) in 2005. Ever since the ACC went to 12 teams and adopted two six-team divisions in 2005, Virginia Tech has won four Coastal Division titles in six seasons and has claimed three ACC championships. The Hokies have become the standard bearer in the conference and are accustomed to winning. This Virginia Tech team is young at key positions, especially at quarterback with Logan Thomas, but it is a program that expects to win, and that mentality should come in handy when it plays a road game at night under difficult circumstances. One very big advantage for Virginia Tech is that it had a bye week to prepare for Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense. Teams that get an extra week to prepare for this assignment-based challenge generally fare better if they have the defensive horses. Virginia Tech is beat up on defense, but the extra preparation time should give the Hokies just enough of an edge in this game.
Why Georgia Tech Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you need to take note of the fact that Virginia Tech’s defense has been battered by injuries this year. Several Hokies have missed extended playing time, and one of their key performers, inside linebacker Bruce Taylor, is out for the season due to injury. It’s true that Virginia Tech has had a bye week to heal up for this game, but with so many players in and out of the lineup, one wonders if the Hokies will have the cohesiveness and continuity they need to play assignment football against Georgia Tech’s triple option, an offense that overwhelmed the Clemson Tigers on Oct. 29 in the game that turned around the Jackets’ season. Georgia Tech had been playing without a bye week until this past weekend. The rested Yellow Jackets will be fresh and reinvigorated – mentally more than physically – and that cannot be discounted when sizing up this matchup.
Who Will Win
The betting line is reflective of a coin-flip matchup, and that’s what this is. The key to the game will actually be Virginia Tech’s offense, not Georgia Tech’s. The Hokies have the ability to control the ball just as much as Georgia Tech can. Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas is an imposing physical specimen who is being asked to play quarterback. If Thomas plays extremely well, Georgia Tech’s defense can and will be gashed. The fact that Thomas has had an extra week of preparation will put him in a good position to succeed, and that’s why Virginia Tech will win a shootout in Atlanta.

College Football Betting Pick: Virginia Tech

What about gambling on sports

I’ve been gambling on horse races for awhile now, a little over a year. I never exceed my paltry gambling allowance each week, and I limit time I devote to it. Doin great in that gambling is not an addiction for me or money problem. Damn sure wish I could win some though lol. Actually I have a very good system: I surf the races on twinspires tv looking for horses that are 20/1 and that stay with new odds, you know the ones that change every second, if they stay 5 or below the whole time on twinspires tv til the start of the race that horse will come in first. It works often and with betting the longshot I can miss some. It’s a great system and would win me money over the long haul if I were more patient lol. But the thing is man I’ll not find some for like 20 minutes, find one miss, bet $2 again win, then I’ll be excited and bet like 3 in a row that I know don’t fit my system. I’ll lose, start back over at $2.00 and pretty soon I’ll exhaust it and have to start over next week. Sports betting appeals to me I guess in the same way that it appeals to everybody. Oh man like LSU plays northwestern state next weeek in football, oh ill put all those types of games in a 10 team parlay and win with 150 to 1 odds. A top ranked NCAA I team playing a NCAA IAA or Division II almost always comes out the winner unlike horse racing where the favorite wins 1/3 of the time. With Parlays with heavy favorites like that man I’ll win often. I’m guessing the casino already knows this and will not offer those blowout games even with bad odds like 1:1/100 or something. LIke the caesars in windosr. They don’t even offer NCAA football I believe. Thanks for hearing me out yall.

You will lose your parlays 99.999999999999% of the time.

E

The ponies are one of the toughest rackets to beat. That’s because there is a 20% rake on all the money right off the bat. In other words, if there is $100,000 wagered on a race, the track will keep $20,000 for themselves and only put $80,000 into the betting pool.

Why is that important to know? It’s important because a 20% take is all but impossible to beat. You said you had a “system”. I promise you that it is a losing system. It’s not going to lose all the time, but it WILL LOSE money in the long run.

If you truly enjoy betting on horses, and it’s worth SPENDING your money in order to continue doing so, then have a good time! If you ever have thoughts that you will be able to win more than you lose, then I’m afraid you are living a dream. It won’t happen.

That doesn’t surprise me that you don’t see NCAAF in Windsor! Saturdays are all about Hockey Night in Canada up there. Last time I was north of the border, I couldn’t even sniff an NCAAF score on the tube on a nice, fall Saturday.

Oregon Stanford Betting: Oregon And Stanford Meet To Determine Pac-12 Primacy

The Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Cardinal have clearly established themselves as the two best teams in the Pac-12 Conference over the past few seasons. They meet this Saturday.

Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal – Saturday, November 12

Sports betting line: Stanford -4 1/2

Why Oregon Will Win

The college football betting  experts who study the Pac-12 Conference are well aware of Oregon’s place as the two-time defending champion on the West Coast. Coach Chip Kelly swooped into Eugene and quickly elevated a decent program to the top tier of college football. Kelly’s teams are well prepared for big games, and the tempo they establish with a spread option attack is so hard for defenses to keep up with. Oregon has succeeded in large part because it did what Auburn did last year and what Clemson has done this year: Throw so many athletic bodies at an opposing defense that a point of collapse occurs in the fourth quarter. Oregon trailed Stanford by a 21-3 score early in the second quarter of last year’s clash in Eugene. The Ducks wound up winning by a 52-31 score because they completely dominated the final 40 minutes of regulation. Stanford might have controlled the first 20 minutes, but Oregon is regularly able to outclass its foes in the second half. Oregon led Washington in a tricky road game last weekend, taking a modest 17-10 lead to the locker room at halftime. In the third quarter, the Ducks blew the game open against the Huskies and cruised to the finish line for a 34-17 triumph that looked even easier than the final score suggested. This is a team that knows how and when to peak. It is a team that should be trusted in the crucible of big-game competition.

Why Stanford Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you need to realize that as brilliant as Oregon has been over the past few seasons, Stanford has the offense and the tools to combat Oregon’s explosive attack. The Cardinal can play smashmouth ball with running backs Stepfan Taylor and Tyler Gaffney. They will pound the ball between the tackles and exploit Oregon’s defense, which is fast and athletic but not particularly powerful. Then, of course, one must also realize that Andrew Luck is one of the few quarterbacks in college football you want on your team in a must-win situation. Luck will be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and it’s because of his complete package of skills. The mental game is there, the arm is there, the pocket presence is there, the running ability is there, the field vision is there – nothing about Luck is appreciably deficient. He scored 51 points for Stanford in a nine-point win over Oregon in 2009. Luck might do the same thing this weekend.

Who Will Win

It’s not as though Oregon is deficient; Stanford is simply better and is playing at home. In Eugene, Oregon, the Ducks would be favored. In Palo Alto, California, one should trust Stanford in a matchup of two teams that are both dealing with a number of injuries and limitations.

College Football Betting Pick: Stanford