2008 Big 10 Betting Preview | Gambling Odds

[Shame About Ray]

Big 10 Belongs to Ohio State

This used to be a two-horse race between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. With the Buckeyes clearly leading this division, the question remains if Wisconsin, Illinois, Penn State or Michigan have what it takes to dethrone the two-time BCS Championship finalist.

Ohio State Buckeyes (-175 to win Big 10)
They may be the big time losers of the BCS two years running, but that doesn’t mean that The Sweater Vest and his troops will lay down heading in to the 2008 College Football betting season.

The defense will be the best in the nation once again, especially considering the lack luster offenses that they will be facing. James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins both return to ensure that the Buckeyes will be virtually impossible to score against. The Buckeyes went 7-4 ATS last season because of a tempered offense.

Expect them to come back with a vengeance as Todd Boeckman continues to improve behind one of the better offensive lines in the league.

Michigan Wolverines (+800 to win Big 10)
Can the mighty rise again? Only time will tell. The Wolverine’s opened up last season with a stunning 32-34 loss to Appalachian State, which was an ominous warning to the betting community that virtually nobody listened to. The Wolverines staged a comeback of sorts, but finished the season with two losses to rivals Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Michigan stumbled to a 7-5 ATS record, and now they’ve lost Chad Henne, Mike hart, Mario Manningham and Jake Long to the NFL, with only four defensive starters returning from last year. Rich Rodriguez created a world of bad karma for the way he departed West Virginia, and now begins with a team which has a depleted talent roster and a wilting ego.

Stay away for your own sanity!

Wisconsin Badgers (+300 to win Big 10)
Everyone waited for the bubble to burst for the Badgers after they started the season 5-0 SU last year. When all was said and done, they finished the season 4-8 ATS and with three-losses on the line.

P.J. Hill, who made some noise in the Heisman race last season, is back with the same offensive line that helped him gain 1,212 yards rushing last season, along with 14 touchdowns. The team also has nine starters on defense, so their ability to win games isn’t in question. It’s their ability to beat the spread that I have doubts about.

Prove me wrong, Badgers. Please prove me wrong. For the sake of the well-being of all your betting investors, prove me wrong.

Penn State Nittany Lions (+900 to win Big 10)
Penn State continues to stand exactly where we expect them as mainstays in the dreaded “Middle of the Pack”.

Their alumni and betting backers expect more every year, but their 6-7 ATS record caused nothing but frustration across the board. With four conference losses last year, and another year rolling over for Jo Pa, those wishing to profit off Penn State may have no choice but to against them. They haven’t proven that they could protect their investors’ betting investments in the regular season, and there’s no way they have the talent to do that in our college football futures.

Illinois Fighting Illini (+500 to win Big 10)
Rashard Mendenhall bullied his way to 1,681 yards on the ground and steadied Illinois to 7-4 ATS record. The turnaround for this team was tremendous. They flipped a 2-10 SU record in 2006 in to an appearance in the Rose Bowl.

Now they’re staring down the barrel of a gun with ten seniors departed. Juice Williams returns at quarterback with his biggest weapons, wide receiver Arrelious Benn, but there are too many questions surrounding this team overall with so many new faces filling out the starting line.

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