National Playoff Implications in This Week’s NCAA Football Match Ups
By Charles Jay
Now that we are several weeks into the college football season, we are seeing patterns develop, and we know what match ups on the schedule are going to have national football playoff implications. As VietBet customers know in the new format, there are four teams who are going to be engaged in a playoff to determine the national champion, not a single game as was the case with the BCS. So you are still going to have the polls in a position to make the decision on the teams that will get in on the tail end of all that.
This is where we will focus on our match ups.
Alabama Crimson Tide vs Ole Miss Rebels
First we start in the SEC, where the team that is now ranked #1 in the coaches’ poll will do battle with a nationally-ranked foe that has designs on its own hopes to rise through the conference and win it all. The Alabama Crimson Tide visits the Ole Miss Rebels at 3:30 PM ET on Oxford. The Tide is laying seven points in the college football betting lines at VietBet, but let’s not forget that Ole Miss is eleventh in the nation in both major polls.
Last season it was not a real pleasant experience for the Rebels, as they gained just 205 yards and became the first ranked team to be shut out by a a #1-ranked squad since 2001. Alabama looked very imposing in its three-touchdown win against Florida; this team just continues to throw running backs at its opponent. Blake Sims had one of the biggest games ever for a Tide quarterback in that one, and he could be an even match for Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace. Alabama, amazingly, has won by a touchdown or more in 38 of its last 40 victories.
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Michigan State Spartans
Despite their double-digit loss at Oregon, the Michigan State Spartans are still hanging around. They are 10th in both the AP and coaches’ polls and they prepare to play host to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are 19th in the AP and 17th in the coaches’ poll and don’t think they are getting enough respect. The guy to watch here is clearly Ameer Abdullah, the great back for Nebraska who is positioning himself for Heisman Trophy consideration. In fact, he is listed at +1200 to win the award in the football futures. QB Connor Cook is priced as a long shot at +9000 for Michigan State, which is laying seven points in the college football betting odds at VietBet (8 PM ET).
Stanford Cardinal vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish
One game that may be played in the trenches is the one that pits the Notre Dame Fighting Irish against the Stanford Cardinal at South Bend (3:30 PM ET). Well, actually that might have been in the last couple of seasons but we might see more balls in the air, as Everett Golson, who at one point completed 25 straight passes against Syracuse last week, may be coming into his own as a passer, with eleven TD’s and just two INT’s. We already know that Kevin Hogan of Stanford is very capable, and the Cardinal may not have the muscle to beat up the Irish at the line of scrimmage. Both are ranked; Notre Dame is #8 with the coaches, while Stanford is #13.
LSU Tigers vs Auburn Tigers
Should we have this hard a time figuring out LSU? The Tigers are accomplished enough to have blown right by Wisconsin after spotting them an early lead, but were dominated by Mississippi State on their home turf. The Auburn Tigers are better than either of those two opponents, and at #5 in both polls, they are very much in the hunt for the playoff. LSU (#15 in each poll) still gets some respect, but they may be uncertain about which way to go at quarterback after Anthony Jennings has shown so much inconsistency. Auburn’s offense is hard to stop, and they have revenge for last year’s 35-21 defeat. Auburn lays 7.5 points in the college football betting lines at VietBet (7 PM ET).
Oklahoma Sooners vs TCU Horned Frogs
The Oklahoma Sooners are a team that might be a little upset, as they tore apart Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in January and are undefeated now, but are #3 in the coaches’ poll while Alabama is #1. But the Sooners get a chance to show how dominant they can be against a good team when they visit Fort Worth to play the TCU Horned Frogs, who are off a workout against the discombobulated SMU Mustangs, but still llooked pretty crisp in the process. Last year was a tight game; although TCU only had ten first downs, they covered the football pointspread in a 20-17 defeat. Oklahoma has covered seven of its last eight games, and even though one must respect the Frogs (#25 in both polls) and their athletic quarterback, Trevone Boykin, OU only has five points to cover in the college football odds at VietBet (3:30 PM ET).
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