College Football Bowl Projections: BCS Bowl Odds for the Top 25 Teams
The odds makers in Las Vegas are paid big-time money to set the lines and offer odds on almost anything in sports.
The rest of us? Well, we don't get the money and, let's be honest, we're not as smart as the professionals.
That won't stop us though.
So here is our best shot at offering some support for each of the preseason Top 25 teams (according to CollegeFootballNews.com).
25. Virginia Tech
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The Hokies have some big shoes to fill in 2011, but Frank Beamer is a proven coach and the schedule is Tech's best friend.
Virginia Tech's toughest games will be played at Lane Stadium—Clemson (Oct. 1), Miami (Oct. 8), Boston College (Oct. 22) and North Carolina (Nov. 17).
The Hokies' road schedule is manageable; in fact, the strongest test will come at East Carolina on Sept. 10.
Don't be shocked if Tech is playing for an ACC championship and reaches a BCS game. But there is almost no chance that this squad plays for a BCS Championship.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 25-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 300-1
24. Georgia
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The pressure is on Mark Richt to win this season and there's a good chance the Bulldogs will compete for the SEC East title.
Georgia is counting on quarterback Aaron Murray to be the talent the coaching staff believe him to be.
The Bulldogs must also play better defense and beat rival Florida for a real shot.
Because they're in the SEC, Georgia has a legitimate shot at playing in the BCS. Have a season like Arkansas did last year and the Bulldogs are in.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 60-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 100-1
23. West Virginia
3 of 25
It's a transition year in Morgantown. Bill Stewart is coaching his final season and Dana Holgorsen hopes to work some magic repairing the damage recently inflicted on WVU's offense.
The Mountaineers have the talent on offense to put up some points, especially with Geno Smith and outstanding receivers Tavon Austin, Bradley Starks, Stedman Bailey and Ivan McCartney.
It's on defense that WVU must fill some serious holes. Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel has worked magic in the past. If he does it again, WVU could easily win the Big East and earn a spot in the BCS.
A win over LSU at Mountaineer Field in September could be the key to reaching the BCS Championship game.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 10-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 150-1
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Missouri
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If Missouri is going to play its way into the BCS it might as well be the championship game.
If the Tigers couldn't make the BCS with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, are we supposed to believe they'll do it with James Franklin?
Missouri also has some tough road contests (Arizona State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Baylor) that make it highly unlikely that we'll see the Tigers in a BCS game.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 175-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 175-1
21. Michigan State
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The Spartans sort of played a BCS Game last year—against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl—and got whipped.
That performance will hurt MSU when it comes time to pick at-large teams for BCS games.
If the Spartans catch some breaks again (getting Ohio State without Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tressel is a huge break), they may earn a spot by winning the Big Ten.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 75-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 90-1
20. Mississippi State
6 of 25
Dan Mullen's Bulldogs are going to be a lot of experts' underdog to win the SEC, or at least have a BCS quality season.
Mississippi State catches a big break with home games against LSU (Sept. 15), South Carolina (Oct. 15) and Alabama (Nov. 12).
Chris Relf had a breakout season in 2010 and Mullen will continue to work his magic.
The Bulldogs have a chance at an incredible season, but they may need some luck.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 60-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 75-1
19. Auburn
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The odds are long on reaching the BCS Championship game in consecutive years. Those odds get even worse when you lose players like Cam Newton and Nick Fairley.
Gene Chizik and his staff have recruited some of the nation's best talent, so the Tigers should still be good in 2011.
Running back Michael Dyer now becomes the star player and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will develop a master plan that utilizes Dyer's special talent.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 50-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 900-1
18. Texas
8 of 25
Texas is in the discussion because, well, it's Texas.
Mack Brown cleaned house and the Longhorns are primed to compete for a Big 12 championship again.
It's still not clear if Garrett Gilbert is going to be handed the starting quarterback job, but he's the most experienced guy they have.
Brown brought in Boise State's Bryan Harsin, to reshape the offense, and Mississippi State's Manny Diaz to do the same on defense.
So one lackluster won't keep Texas out of the picture.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 40-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 80-1
17. Florida State
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Since Jimbo Fisher took over for Bobby Bowden at FSU, Seminoles fans believe ACC and BCS championships will soon follow.
With E.J. Manuel at quarterback and the ACC ripe for the taking, Florida State looks like a good bet to reach a BCS game.
Two games stand in the way of the Seminoles playing in the BCS Championship Game: Oklahoma (Sept. 17) and Florida (Nov. 26).
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 5-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 12-1
16. Notre Dame
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Notre Dame isn't exactly championship material, but almost every college fan realizes that, if the Irish go 11-1, they will get realistic consideration for the title game.
Despite a 0-3 record in BCS games, Notre Dame is still highly sought after by big-paying BCS bowls. The Irish's last BCS game was a 41-14 loss to LSU in the 2007 Sugar Bowl.
If Notre Dame finishes in the Top 8 it gets an automatic bid. While many critics believe this isn't the year, just look at the way the Irish closed last season under Brian Kelly.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 8-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 25-1
15. Wisconsin
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The Badgers are one of those squads that are considered a possible contender in the Big Ten, but no one really sees Wisconsin as a BCS title game contender.
Wisconsin is breaking in a new quarterback, most likely Joe Budmayr. The Badgers are also hoping to continue their solid running game Montee Ball and James White.
They get Nebraska and Penn State at home, and five of their first six games are at Camp Randall.
Two of Wisconsin's toughest challenges are on the road, in Michigan (Oct. 22) and Ohio State (Oct. 29).
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 15-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 35-1
14. Arkansas
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The Razorbacks got a taste of the BCS last season and Bobby Petrino believes he can keep Arkansas among the nation's elite.
Playing in the SEC is both bonus and detriment. Win enough games and you have a great shot of playing in the BCS, but winning is especially difficult against strong SEC competition.
Arkansas must find a replacement for Ryan Mallett, but whoever it is will have a great receiving corps, led by Greg Childs and Joe Adams.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 40-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 50-1
13. Nebraska
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The Cornhuskers' timing in joining the Big Ten is lining up to be a perfect storm.
Nebraska was close to being a serious BCS Championship contender in 2010, but some slip-ups along the way cost Bo Pelini's team what could have been a magical season.
Pelini is maniacal at times; he's also a great coach. The Cornhuskers have a tough road game at Wisconsin (Oct. 1), but the other big games will be in Lincoln, most notably contests with Ohio State (Oct. 8), Michigan State (Oct. 29) and Iowa (Nov. 25).
Nebraska also has a solid non-conference slate that includes Fresno State (Sept. 10) and Washington (Sept. 17).
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 12-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 20-1
12. Boise State
14 of 25
It will be hard for Boise State to reach the championship game, even if they go 12-0 . There are just too many forces against them.
Now if Boise is the lone undefeated team, Chris Petersen's team may finally get a shot.
The talent is there to win every game this fall, including an interesting opening game with Georgia at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Quarterback Kellen Moore is the key. He has led them to a BCS Bowl before and he'd love to do it one more time.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 25-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 50-1
11. TCU
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The Horned Frogs are talented, but this is not Gary Patterson's best team.
TCU opens with back-to-back road games, so an early loss knocks the Frogs out of contention right away. They will also have serious battles at San Diego State (Oct. 8) and at Boise State (Nov. 12).
Reaching a BCS Bowl would be a great way to usher in TCU's move to the Big East in 2012.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 50-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 200-1
10. Florida
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There are new coaches and a new approach in Gainesville, but can Will Muschamp and Charlie Weis really lead the Gators to the BCS Championship Game?
If Florida can escape the stringent SEC schedule with just one loss, and find a way to beat Alabama or LSU in the SEC Championship, it could happen.
The more plausible scenario is Florida finishing 11-2 and reaching the Sugar Bowl.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 12-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 16-1
9. Texas A&M
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The Aggies made some big strides in the second half of 2010, but it's hard to see Texas A&M really being that much better this season.
A 10-win season is attainable, but even with that it is very unlikely the Aggies will reach a BCS game.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a solid spring game and the A&M defense should give the Aggies a shot at winning the Big 12 this season.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 12-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 28-1
8. Stanford
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Even without fiery coach Jim Harbaugh, the Cardinal have to be a dark horse BCS Championship contender.
With Andrew Luck at quarterback you can't rule anything out for this team.
Stanford must rebuild its offensive line, but the Cardinal remain the most physical team in the Pac-12 and they should compete with Oregon for the championship.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 8-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 16-1
7. Oklahoma State
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Really, how seriously can you take Oklahoma State?
Sure the Cowboys scored a boatload of points in 2010, but in their two biggest games they lost to Nebraska (51-41) and Oklahoma (47-41).
Until T. Boone Pickens's squad gets over this hump, it's difficult to see them reaching any BCS game.
However, OSU could get on a roll when that day finally comes.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 10-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 25-1
6. South Carolina
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The Gamecocks achieved a lot last season, including their first ever SEC East title. But the blowout loss to Auburn in the SEC championship game had to hurt.
With Stephen Garcia at quarterback you just never know where to go with your South Carolina predictions. Now we're trying to figure out if he'll even be the quarterback.
If Garcia does return from his third suspension and he's teamed up with receiver Alshon Jeffery, running back Marcus Lattimore and No. 1 overall recruit Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina will have to be considered a serious contender.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 4-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 20-1
5. Ohio State
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When 2011 starts, only Ohio State fans will really know who's playing and coaching the Buckeyes.
But anyone who is counting OSU out—because of mounting suspensions and turmoil surrounding the program—doesn't understand how talented this group is.
If the Buckeyes get through the first five games unscathed, the issue could prove to be whether to let Terrelle Pryor and Jim Tressel back in.
The Buckeyes are almost a perennial BCS lock each season.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 8-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 14-1
4. LSU
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Les Miles's team is shaping up to be a true threat to Alabama in the SEC West. The Tigers have great shot at a BCS Championship date if that happens.
Offensive production is still an issue, and so is the nation's toughest schedule.
If LSU goes 11-1 and wins the SEC title game the Tigers are probably a lock for the BCS title tilt.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 2-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 14-1
3. Alabama
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After an average season by Alabama standards, Nick Saban and his followers won't settle for anything less than a return to the top.
But a new quarterback and a serious challenger in LSU may be too much to overcome.
The big key to the season—when Alabama hosts LSU. If the Tide pulls off that win, a 12-0 season is in reach.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 2-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 8-1
2. Oregon
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Oregon will score points in bunches in 2011, but it's unclear if their defense will be as good as last year's.
Another knock on the Ducks is the way they play on the road. Oregon's biggest challenge of the season (Stanford) is on the road.
Besides, reaching the big game in consecutive seasons is never easy.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 10-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 12-1
1. Oklahoma
25 of 25
Bob Stoops and the Sooners are set up for a memorable season, one that may rival the 2000 season in which OU defeated Florida State 13-2 in the championship game.
Landry Jones is probably the best quarterback in the nation not named Andrew Luck. Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills provide two serious threats at receiver.
The Sooners weak spot may be at running back, as they don't have a DeMarco Murray-type that can carry the ball 30 times a game.
Odds to reach BCS Bowl Game: 2-1
Odds to reach BCS Championship: 4-1
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
