BCS National Championship Game – Battle of the Heisman’s
No. 1 Oklahoma vs No 2 Florida (8:00pm EST – Miami, FL)
The BCS games have been remarkable and it’s made for immeasurable online betting action. Utah’s Sugar Bowl upset victory as 9-point underdogs over Alabama and the dazzling Ohio State-Texas Fiesta Bowl is going to be tough to topple in terms of excitement. But there’s still the National Championship Game lurking, and it has all the makings to be the best BCS matchup of them all, as No. 1 Oklahoma (12-1 SU, 10-2 ATS) takes on No. 2 Florida (12-1 SU, 10-2 ATS) for the first time on Jan. 8 for all the marbles.
In addition to being treated to watching the top-two schools in the country go at it, we’ll also see the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow face 2008 winner Sam Bradford. Bradford, Oklahoma’s amazingly accurate and quick-thinking passer, won the Heisman after leading the highest-scoring team in major college history to the BCS title game. A year after Tebow was the first sophomore to win the Heisman, Bradford became the second and kept the Florida star from joining Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners.
This year’s title game marks just the second time Heisman Trophy winners will meet on the same field to do battle. The first time was in the 2005 Orange Bowl, which then represented the BCS championship game, when 2004 winner Matt Leinart and 1-point favored USC beat 2003 winner Jason White and Oklahoma 55–19, crushing the game ‘total’ of 52.
Bradford led the nation with 48 touchdown passes while throwing just six interceptions, as the fifth Sooner to win the award. He topped the country with a 186.3 QB rating and was second with 4,464 passing yards. Tebow had another fabulous season despite a somewhat slow start to the year, throwing for 2,515 yards, 28 touchdowns and just two interceptions to go with a 176.7 QB rating – second in the country behind Bradford. He also rushed for 682 yards and 12 TDs.
Tebow’s numbers earned him honors of becoming only the second player to repeat as a Maxwell Award winner this season. The Maxwell Award is won by the best collegiate player in the nation as judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, NCAA head coaches and members of the Maxwell Football Club. The other player joined by Tebow as two-time winner of the award is Notre Dame halfback John Lattner, who won it in 1953 and 1954 and also won the Heisman in 1953.
—Gators are 15-3 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
—Gators are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games on grass.
—Gators are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games. —Gators are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
The BetUS BCS championship odds ‘total’ of 70 is in jeopardy of going over with Tebow and Bradford showcasing their potent arms on the big stage in front of millions NCAA football betting fanatics and many drooling NFL scouts in attendance. There’s no doubt we’ll be watching both men under center on Sundays for a long time to come. Which raises the questions: What NFL team colors will each be sporting and which signal caller will be selected first in the 2009 draft?
The Sooners’ offense is loaded with talent, having racked up 702 points to surpass the record of 656 set by Hawaii in 2006, as well, Oklahoma became the first major college team in 89 years to score at least 60 points in five straight games. They’ve scored 54 points per game this season, winning by an average of 33.3 points as winners of seven in a row SU, covering the number in six of those contests. Posting an average of 562.1 yards of offense per game is due-in-part to Bradford’s outstanding receiving corps.
Six Oklahoma receivers had at least 395 yards, and four totaled more than 600. Bradford’s favorite targets were Juaquin Iglesias (1,092 yards, 10 touchdowns), Jermaine Gresham (888, 12), Manuel Johnson (685, 9, 18.0-yard per-catch average) and Ryan Broyles (661, 6 TDs).
Defensively, the Sooners at times were vulnerable. Its ‘D’ unit was shredded by Texas and Oklahoma State this season. Oklahoma gave up 24.5 points and 359.1 yards per game. Tebow will be facing a passing defense of the Sooners that’s given up a FBS ninth-worst 3,290 yards, allowing 253.1 yards per game. Florida, by contrast, gave up a nation’s fifth-best 12.8 points and eighth-best 279.3 yards per contest. The Gators 24 interceptions is second most.
—Sooners are 5-0 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
—Sooners are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
—Sooners are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games in January.
—Sooners are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. SEC.
—Sooners are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games.
—Sooners are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
The Gators also finished strong, having won its final nine games. They’ve covered the spread in eight straight. Florida owns the third ranked scoring offense that’s putting up 45.2 points per game and a stout 442.4 yards. Oklahoma has never won a national title and a Heisman Trophy in the same season. Tebow and company hope to continue the trend as 3-point favorites.
—Gators are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 games as a favorite.
—Gators are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite of 3.5-10.0.
—Sooners are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.
There’s a large volume of props for this big time game. If you bet on college football, check them out and see why they’ve become so popular. This game has something for everyone. Don’t miss it online NCAA football wagering fans!
