In a sport that’s had so much change, scandal and upheaval over a short period of time, this clash for the National Title is a welcome surge of nostalgia for the college football traditionalist. These two historical football powers will meet on the strength of defense and motivation.
If you’re looking for a match-up that showcases the modern incarnation of the college game, you needn’t look any further than the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. This BCS clash pits two high-octane offenses and two Heisman candidates against each other.
Many are expecting the Gators to stomp (and chomp) on Louisville but lets remember that as good as they are on defense they are offensively challenged. Louisville is solid all around and I think this game can be a pleasant surprise.
So is this the new normal for the Miami Heat? Run and preen at home for the locals, then go after it hard on the road only when the pressure builds? .
They aren’t dominating teams or the headlines but the Spartans are in good shape entering Big Ten conference play. They have won 6 in a row including a solid victory against Texas on the weekend. The Big Ten is really tough and winning on the road is going to be a challenge.
The Bearcats were cruising along undefeated until getting stunned by New Mexico last week. The Lobos are a good team but it should have been a game the Bearcats win if they are truly a contender this season.
Rule No. 1 for firing coaches:
Make sure that when you bring down the guillotine, the new coach taking over has a crappy opponent to face in his first game. He can get his feet wet and the GM or owner will look good.
If you like tough, physical football, this is the matchup for you. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. is set to host the Stanford Cardinal and the Wisconsin Badgers, and both teams have quite a bit in common. Each squad runs the football and plays great defense, and while this won’t be the highest scoring bowl game this season, it will still be a battle of which team can assert their dominance from the start of the contest.
No. 6 Stanford Cardinal (8-2) vs Wisconsin Badgers
January 1, 2012
Rose Bowl, PASADENA, CALIF.
5:00 PM ET
Moneyline: Stanford -245, Wisconsin +205 from GTBets.eu
Spread: Stanford -6
O/U: 47
ATS Matchup Stats | Gambling Insight!
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The big question about the Wisconsin Badgers is whether or not they truly deserve to be in the Rose Bowl. An undefeated Ohio State and a rejuvenated Penn State both finished with better records than the Badgers, but because of bowl ineligibility, it’s Wisconsin who earns the nod despite being the No. 3 team.
But that being said, the Badgers are in, and they’ll look to prove that they can make the most of this opportunity.
Wisconsin’s defense is what propelled them to success in 2012. They’re ranked 19th in the country in points allowed, they’re 14th in total yards allowed, and they’ve been solid against both the run and the pass.
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But where this game is going to be won or lost is with running back Monte Ball. The senior tailback wasn’t able to re-create his 2011 Heisman-like season, but he is still the heart and soul of the offense. He’ll be matched up against one of the best run defenses in the country, so getting him going early is going to be a huge part of Wisconsin’s game plan.
The major storyline this season for the Stanford Cardinal was the insertion of Kevin Hogan into the starting quarterback spot. In four of his five appearances, the team scored at least 27 points, and his dual-threat abilities added a whole new aspect to Stanford’s offense. Running back Stephan Taylor also had a good year—he became the university’s all-time leading rusher—and he’ll be another player who looks to get Stanford going.
But the truth is that Stanford’s offense was just a mere footnote on a season that was carried the entire way by an elite defense. The Cardinal have one of the best front lines in all of football, and they showed it on a regular basis. In their statement win of the year—a road victory over No. 2 Oregon—they held Heisman hopeful Kenjon Barner to just 66 yards on the ground, and they’ll look to do the same thing to Monte Ball. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Stanford’s rushing defense was ranked third this season, as they allowed just 88 yards per game in that category, but their passing defense was just 85th in the country.
They don’t have to worry about Wisconsin throwing the ball too much, as the Badgers ranked 115th in the country in passing yards, but a weak defensive attack in that area could allow their opponent some breathing room.
If Wisconsin can come out and find success against Stanford’s defense, all the talks about whether or not they deserve this game will go away.
But if they can’t, and Stanford comes out prepared as they always seem to be, this one will belong to the Cardinal.
•Cardinal are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
•Cardinal are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
•Cardinal are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
•Cardinal are 4-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
•Over is 4-0 in Badgers last 4 games on grass.
•Over is 5-0 in Badgers last 5 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
O/U Pick: Over 47
Score Prediction: Stanford 27 – Wisconsin 20
Big 12 vs Conference USA in this one…I think, who knows these days. Tulsa is always an entertaining program to watch but Iowa State can be full of surprises.
Georgia nearly beat Alabama but because of the current rules they get a lame matchup against Nebraska on New Year’s Day. From what we have seen lately there is a huge difference in class in this matchup.
Both teams are eliminated but have something to play for. The Saints can make it to .500 a nice accomplishment for this regular season while Carolina seeks to continue to progress and finish strong.
This one comes down to one question only:
Does Atlanta coach Mike Smith want to risk the health of one or more of his key players in order to keep them sharp for the playoffs?
Its too bad the Colts couldn’t have stolen the previous matchup making this one the best game of the week by far. As it is it could add some intrigue to a potential playoff matchup if the Colts win, even with the Texans having little to play for.
California Clunkers – Raiders Visit Chargers to Wrap Up Brutal Campaigns
Two of the more disappointing teams in the NFL assemble for the final time in 2012 when the free-falling Oakland Raiders head south to take on the San Diego Chargers. Both teams have work to do on Sunday but that work is nothing compared to the overhaul that is certain for each during the offseason.
The Eagles are a disaster and believe it or not there is still a chance the Giants actually qualify for the playoffs…if they win. Lots of intrigue for this one but it should be an easy win for New York.
In New England there is talk that Bill Belichick called in a few IOUs and got the NFL and networks to move the starting time to 4:25 so the Pats could get a better look at the AFC playoff landscape (in other words, know the result of the 1 p.m.
