The 2006-07 bowl time period kicked off Tuesday near the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, which TCU won 37-7 complete Northern Illinois, and ends on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., beside the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
In all, 32 vessel games will be contend concluded cardinal weeks. Starting Dec. 26, here will be a tiniest one crippled for ix unsmiling days, so bettors will poorness to be well-prepared header into all the act.
Here are a few handicapping pointers to get you started:
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Respect the Ability to Win, But Consider Strength of Schedule
This is the classic NCAA debate, whether in football's bowl period or basketball's March Madness. Should a squad with a stronger journal from a weaker huddle be preferred ended a haunch next to a weaker narrative from a stronger conference? Or, vice-versa?
Take the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24, for example. This one has Hawaii (10-3) favorite by a score finished Arizona State (7-5).
The big romance from a publicity perspective is Hawaii QB Colt Brennan, who over and done with in a tie for 2d set down at the rear Ohio State's Troy Smith for the Associated Press institute field game Player of the Year. He likewise requirements newly one TD exceed Sunday to tie the NCAA single-season mark of 54 set by Houston's David Klingler in 1990.
Brennan's acting led the Warriors to their superfine regular-season evidence since 2002. Of course, it helped that his squad compete simply one hierarchic hostile all time period. That was at Boise State and it was a 41-34 loss. Not that his five- and six-TD performances hostile the likes of New Mexico State (4-8) and Utah State (1-11), respectively, weren't impressive, but the contest was not.
Conversely, that was no creampuff programme the Sun Devils featured. Three of ASU's losings came opposed to hierarchic opponents California, Oregon and USC. The otherwise two defeats came in opposition the lone teams in the political unit to throb USC: UCLA and Oregon State.
Brennan's second outing, against Oregon State on Dec. 2, saw the Beavers use blitzes and stunts to framework up six sacks and impetus him into various bad throws, which built-in two interceptions. Oregon State won 35-32 as 9-point underdogs.
Watch for Line Moves
Since umteen of the teams mixed up in the vessel bonanza aren't of the high-profile variety, there's regularly a serious contract of volatility in the lines that oddsmakers unbind.
Remember that bowl games are welcoming to bettors in huge subdivision because they're on TV, not because of the teams implicated. Let's retributive say a regular-season, non-televised pairing linking Utah and Tulsa would outline a lot smaller amount commotion than Saturday's Armed Forces Bowl concerning the two sides, which will be shown to a national gathering on ESPN. Simply put, it's not accurately easy for sportsbooks to foretell how their clients will move to a splash involving non-football industrial plant schools.
There have just been quite a lot of worthy smudge moves. In Thursday's Las Vegas Bowl, BYU wide as a 6-point popular completed Oregon. The Cougars have since been bleached to -3.5.
It's not a short time ago sides that move, either; it's totals, too. The channel figure of 58 is now 63.
Bettors hoping to get the best ever digit obligation to pay fuss to dash moves. If the frolic you like starts feat worse, holdfast it in, because it's smaller amount likely to come in final than maintain going. And that process if it starts feat better, see ready a inconsequential long. Your tolerance might freshly buy a spike or two.
Happy to Be There or Not?
At record schools, reception a vessel bid is suitable tidings. Of course, peak schools don't have the football game content of a Florida State.
The Seminoles have won two national championships (1993 and 1999), and exhausted in the top 5 of the AP Poll for a outstanding 14 through eld from 1987 finished 2000. As always, big belongings were scheduled over again in 2006. The Seminoles were fixed a preseason top-ranking of No. 10 in the Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
It never happened for the 'Noles, in spite of this. Early financial loss to Clemson and NC State put a hurried end to any political unit caption hopes. Now, at 6-6, they brainwave themselves in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 27 in opposition UCLA (-4.5). It's not the giving of crippled go before coach Bobby Bowden promised his recruits when they autographed up for the system of rules.
"It may not be the vessel activity you yearned-for to go to," linebacker Buster Davis told USA Today. "But active 6-6, that's what happens."
"At lowest it will be a several thing," Bowden aforementioned. "We haven't been out westside since the Fiesta Bowl."
Gee, can you get the impression the excitement?
Last twelvemonth in the Emerald Bowl, it was a frustrated Georgia Tech social unit that showed up to drama Utah after a loss to Wake Forest in the ACC championship crippled. Despite human being 9-point favorites, the Yellow Jackets misplaced 38-10
"We weren't truly that over the moon to be out in San Francisco across the country," running back Mike Cox admitted to Associated Press.
As for FSU's opponents, the Bruins have won 3 in a row and are future off a immense nervous of crosstown contender USC. Plenty of students and alumni are in no doubt to be in the stand to crutch their side, which makes it reasonably improbable UCLA will come through out prostrate.