COLLEGE FB PACKAGE: Buckeyes, Bulls face trick first tests as new Nos. 1 and 2

NCAA Football Betting Lines

10/17/2007 -

It had been 11 years since Nos. 1 and 2 lost on the same day before LSU and California pulled the trick last week.

In this unpredictable college football season, would it be all that surprising to see the top two teams in the AP poll and the BCS standings go down in the same weekend again?

Top-ranked Ohio State and No. 2 South Florida both face unranked opponents. But 10 teams with top-10 rankings have already lost to unranked opponents, so what's a couple more?

The Buckeyes' (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) first game this season as No. 1 will be at home against Michigan State and former Ohio State defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, who in his first season as head coach has the Spartans (5-2, 1-2) well positioned for their first winning season since 2003.

Dantonio has the Spartans getting after the quarterback, they're second in the nation in sacks with 29, and running the ball well (243 yards per game).

Ohio State's rise from No. 11 to start the season includes only one victory over a team that's been ranked at any point this season.

South Florida, the feel-good story out of the Big East, faces last year's feel-good story out of the Big East. The Bulls (6-0, 1-0) visit Rutgers on Thursday night.

The Scarlet Knights (4-2, 1-1), who started the season 16th in the rankings, broke a two-game losing streak with a win over Syracuse last week. Another conference loss would put Rutgers' league title hopes in peril.

The picks:ThursdayNo. 2 South Florida (minus 2 1/2) at Rutgers

Scarlet Knights stopped late 2-point conversion to beat Bulls last season ... USF 24-23.Saturday's GamesMichigan State (plus 17) at No. 1 Ohio State

Buckeyes have won 10 of 12 against Spartans ... OHIO STATE 28-10.No. 4 Oklahoma (minus 29) at Iowa State

Cyclones have worst offense in Big 12 ... OKLAHOMA 48-14.No. 18 Auburn (plus 11) at No. 5 LSU

Auburn won last season's Tiger Fight 7-3 ... LSU 21-13.Vanderbilt (plus 13) at No. 6 South Carolina

Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier has never lost to Vandy ... SOUTH CAROLINA 34-17.No. 7 Oregon (minus 11) at Washington

The 100th meeting between Ducks and Huskies ... OREGON 35-21.No. 14 Florida (minus 7) at No. 8 Kentucky

Gators have won 20 straight against Wildcats ... FLORIDA 34-28.Mississippi State (plus 23 1/2) at No. 9 West Virginia

Mountaineers won first meeting 42-14 last season in Starkville ... WEST VIRGINIA 41-17.No. 10 California (no line) at UCLA

Status of Cal QB Nate Longshore (ankle) questionable ... UCLA 28-24.No. 13 Southern California (minus 18) at Notre Dame

USC has won five straight vs. ND, though last trip to South Bend needed Bush Push to win ... USC 34-14.No. 15 Kansas (minus 4) at Colorado

KU QB Todd Reesing debuted vs. Buffs last season with three TDs ... KANSAS 29-17.No. 22 Texas Tech (plus 3 1/2) at No. 15 Missouri

Red Raiders are No. 1 passing team in nation; Tigers are fifth ... MISSOURI 54-43.No. 19 Texas (minus 24 1/2) at Baylor

Longhorns have scored 125 points in last two seasons against Bears ... TEXAS 50-17.No. 20 Tennessee (plus 1) at Alabama

Volunteers have won 10 of 12 in rivalry ... ALABAMA 31-28.No. 23 Cincinnati (plus 9 1/2) at Pittsburgh

How bad has it gotten for Panthers? Their coach is injured ... CINCINNATI 33-21.No. 24 Michigan (minus 2 1/2) at Illinois

Wolverines are 38-4-2 against Illini since 1959 ... ILLINOIS 28-24.No. 25 Kansas State (plus 3) at Oklahoma State

Cowboys have run for more than 200 yards in six straight games ... KANSAS STATE 34-30.

---

Last week's record: 15-6 (straight); 13-7-1 (vs. points)

Season: 123-25 (straight); 67-62-2 (vs. points)Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Bigno NCAA Football Betting News

<< Record number pre-entered for 24th Breeders' Cup
Oceanport, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness champ Curlin are two of the record 141 thoroughbreds who have been pre-entered for all 11 Breeders' Cup races scheduled for October 26 and 27 at Monmout

<< Messi shines again as Argentina downs Venezuela
Maracaibo, Venezuela (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lionel Messi scored another fantastic goal on Tuesday as Argentina took care of Venezuela, 2-0 at Jose Pachencho Romero in a World Cup qualifying contest. Gabriel Milito scored his first interna

<< FBS College Football - Week 8 Predictions
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) Below is a compilation of The Sportsbook Betting Lines's predictions for the top games in Week 8 of the college football season. (Detailed previews for each game can be found by following the "Top 25 scoreboard" link

<< Ranked Big 12 foes meet in Columbia
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 22nd-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders bring their high-flying act to Columbia to take on the 15th-ranked Missouri Tigers in what should be a thrilling Big 12 Conference affair. Texas Tech has won three straig

<< Bulls and Knights meet in Thursday night action
Piscataway, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a year of upsets, the second-ranked South Florida Bulls will try to avoid one at the hands of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this Thursday, as the two teams do battle in Big East play in Piscataway. Wi

AT&T and Oak Hills stay involved with Champions Tour >>
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Champions Tour announced on Wednesday that the AT&T Championship will return to Oak Hills Country Club for at least two years with an option for another year. The venue, which held the Texas Open on

Report: Patriots RB Morris has chest injury >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris reportedly injured a bone in his chest during Sunday's 48-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and could be sidelined up to a month. According to the Boston Hera

NFL reinstates Packers' Koren Robinson >>
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -The NFL reinstated suspended Green Bay Packers wide receiver Koren Robinson on Wednesday.``He received notification today,'' agent Alvin Keels said in a telephone interview. ``He was excited to be given another chance. He's jus

From trailers to No. 2: South Florida pulls off college football miracle in the Sunshine State >>
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Wally Burnham was one of the lucky ones. From his desk in the doublewide trailer, he actually could see the world beyond.``Some of the offices had windows. Some didn't,'' Burnham remembered. ``I had a window. It came with the job.

FANTASY FOOTBALL: Griese looks like more than a journeyman heading into Week 7 >>
It's hard to believe a guy who's been cut or benched for the likes of Jake Plummer, Rex Grossman, Chris Simms and Jay Fiedler could come back and become a solid quarterback.But Brian Griese has overcome those devastating blows to his ego to become q

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting