College Football Odds: Miami Hurricanes Win the ACC 2010

2010 looks like it will be a strange year for college football betting . The most decorated player in college history, Tim Tebow, is gone. USC is suspended from the playoffs, and multiple teams are about to change conferences.

Thankfully, we have a conference like the ACC, which is one of the few conferences that should play out “normally.” Here’s my ScoresOddsPicks betting breakdown for 2010—featuring only the top contenders.

 

BOSTON COLLEGE (8 to 1)

The Eagles aren’t the flashiest team in the conference, but there’s a reason for optimism in Beantown. Montel Harris could be poised for a big junior season as he tries to up his NFL draft stock. Boston College also plays strong defense; it was 19th in the nation in scoring defense last year.

 

CLEMSON (12 to 1)

The Tigers are one of the riskiest but most fascinating picks in the ACC. They have a potentially elite quarterback in Kyle Parker, who threw 20 touchdown passes versus 12 picks as a freshman. Unfortunately, he’s such a good athlete that the Colorado Rockies drafted him to play baseball for them this past spring. As of press time, he was still undecided. Do you wait until he returns before you make your bet, or do you try to get better value while you can and cross your fingers?

 

FLORIDA STATE (31 to 10)

The Seminoles are the safe pick to win the ACC, but they don’t get the full endorsement from this sports betting blog . It’s true that the offense looks very promising. Christian Ponder is a senior now, and he has a veteran O-line protecting him. But I’m not totally sold on the defense. The secondary in particular looks like it’ll be suspect now that Patrick Robinson is gone.

 

GEORGIA TECH (10 to 1)

The multiple-option offense will sway some betters, but entertaining football isn’t always winning football. The Yellow Jackets probably don’t play good enough defense to really contend in the ACC. They also lost high-impact players on both sides of the ball—Jonathan Dwyer on offense, Derrick Morgan on defense—to the NFL.

 

MIAMI (5 to 2)

Are the Miami Hurricanes ready to take the next step? Jacory Harris made major strides last season and, if he carries his improvements into 2010, could make Miami the most balanced team in the conference. The ’Canes play great defense and that goes a long way in a conference filled with suspect units.

 

NORTH CAROLINA (5 to 1)

Could the Tar Heels sneak up on everyone this year? They join Miami as one of the only ACC teams that plays strong “D.” More importantly, they return a whopping 18 starters—nine on offense, nine on defense. It’s not insane to consider North Carolina a legit sleeper.

 

VIRGINIA TECH (9 to 4)

Virginia Tech, like many other ACC teams, has a promising offense but suspect “D.” Ryan Williams should help them put plenty of points on the board. VT certainly looked strong down the stretch last year, but how can a defense that returns only three starters keep opponents off the board?

 

Expert sports predictions :  I think Harris showed last year that he can be as strong as any pivot in the ACC; he threw for 24 scores in 13 games. If he can cut down on his turnovers, Miami should win the ACC, as its stellar “D” will back the offense up.