17th-ranked Hogs host Golden Eagles in 2010 opener

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/01/2010 - Fayetteville, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 17th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks open up their highly anticipated 2010 season this weekend, as the welcome the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles to Fayetteville.

Bobby Petrino is in his third year at the helm at Arkansas and has obviously made an impact in a short time considering the team comes into the season with its highest ranking since 1990. The Razorbacks went 8-5 overall in 2009, including posting their first bowl victory since 2003, a 20-17 win over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl.

The Golden Eagles are an FCS squad out of the Ohio Valley Conference. Tech finished last season with a winning record at 6-5, but fourth-year coach Watson Brown has his work cut out for him in trying to replace a record- setting QB. However, with 55 lettermen and 16 starters back in the fold, there is a good chance that Tech will be vying for a conference crown this season. Overall depth and a quick start are keys according to Brown.

"We need to play well on the road early in the year to have a chance to win the OVC championship. If we do that, then we'll be in the hunt when we host those games later in the year. It could make for a really exciting season for our fans. I believe that our depth will give us the chance to win every week. We might not have the best player in the league at any one position, but taken altogether I think that were as good as every team in the league at every position."

This marks the first-ever meeting between these two teams on the gridiron.

The Golden Eagles must first and foremost find a replacement for Lee Sweeney under center. The team will start the season with sophomore Tre Lamb leading the way. As a freshman, Lamb saw spot duty, completing just 8-of-18 passes, for 113 yards. The good news is that the team has a slew of returning playmakers, as well as an offensive line that brings back three starters. The ground game last year was paced by sophomore Dontey Gay, who averaged a solid 5.6 yards per carry and was tied for the team lead in rushing scores at six. More is expected in his junior campaign. Fellow junior Tim Benford will resume his role as primary target downfield, after the wideout led the Golden Eagles in receptions (33) and receiving yards (580).

Tech's defense struggled at times last year, especially against the run, allowing an alarming 194.7 yards per game rushing. The team will certainly need to shore that area up if success is to follow. The hope is that with the return of veteran leaders in all three areas will be able to do just that. The defensive front is highlighted by DE Charlie Seivers (19 tackles, one sack) and DT Dedrick Miley (39 tackles, four sacks). The linebacking corps is led by Kelechi Ordu (55 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, one sack) and the secondary features standout DB Dustin Dillehay (team-high 78 tackles, three INTs, one fumble recovery).

The Arkansas offense will center around All-American candidate Ryan Mallett at the quarterback position.

"He's a young man that's a tremendous leader for us, has amazing talent," says Petrino of his signal caller. "Every Saturday when you watch the video after the game, he makes two or three throws that you say, Wow, nobody else might be able to make that throw in America."

In his first season as the starter for Arkansas, Mallett, a transfer from Michigan, led his team to 36.0 ppg (first in the SEC). The Razorbacks paced the SEC in passing (295.3 ypg), and Mallett finished the campaign with 3,624 yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is expected to be one of the top draft picks whenever he decides to come out of school, but has his immediate sights on winning the SEC Championship.

Mallett is not the only talent on the offensive side of the ball, as there is playmakers at all the skill positions. Three returning starters at wide receiver and the return of the SEC's best tight end in D.J. Williams, will make Mallett that much more effective. The top guy on the outside is WR Greg Childs, who turned 48 catches into 894 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009.

Talented tailback Michael Smith is gone, but there are a few runners who are more than capable of filling the void. Ronnie Wingo Jr. and Dennis Johnson are two obvious candidates, along with Knile Davis and Broderick Green.

Arkansas' sub par finish in the SEC last season had a lot to do with inconsistent play on the defensive side of the ball. The Razorbacks ranked last in the league in passing defense and total defense, while placing ninth in scoring defense (25.1 ppg).

Jerry Franklin posted 94 tackles last season, including 51 of the solo variety, but there is enough significant talent at linebacker that Franklin may have to fight for playing time. Up front, junior defensive end Jake Bequette hopes to build on the 5.5 sacks he posted a year ago. Willy Robinson, the defensive coordinator of the squad, was the target of much criticism in 2009, largely because his secondary couldn't stop anyone. Things should be better this year, as an improved pass rush and an infusion of young talent will help.

"We're excited about Isaac coming back," says Petrino of Isaac Madison, a junior corner. "He played almost every snap two years ago for us. In camp last year, he got injured, missed the entire season. He's done an excellent job in his rehab."

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SPORTS BETTING

NFL Football Betting Online

In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.

It is called the "pointspread."

Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.

But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.

A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.

In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.

The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .

Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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