BCS Championship Game Preview: Texas vs. Alabama
Written by Greg Waters
Fri, 8 Jan 2010
Category sportsbook
Feedback Rating - no votes
The college football season is at an end as the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide take on the No. 2 Texas Longhorns for BCS supremacy on Thursday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Online sportsbooks have Alabama favored by 3.5-points and the Total is set at 46.
The Crimson Tide captured the SEC title when they defeated the Florida Gators 32-13 in the conference championship game while the Texas Longhorns barely held on to defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big 12 championship, winning 13-12.
Texas and ‘Bama both own 13-0 records straight up but ‘the Tide are 8-5 against the spread while the Longhorns are 5-7-1 ATS.
Dating back to 1997, Texas has not been a profitable play for bettors in January bowl games, going 3-4 against the spread (5-2 straight up).
In the Longhorns last 20 games, they are only 8-11-1 ATS enroute to a 19-1 straight up record.
How about ‘Bama? The Crimson Tide are 6-1 SU in their last seven games when favored by 4-points or less, going 4-2-1 ATS at the same time.
In Texas’ last 10 games when an underdog of 4-points or less, they are 7-3 SU and a very impressive 7-2-1 ATS.
Online sportsbooks are are reporting reasonably balanced action, with 58% of all the volume on this game on Alabama.
The national championship will also see two Heisman Trophy candidates showcased with 2009 winner and Alabama RB Mark Ingram and Texas Longhorns QB and 2009 candidate Colt McCoy.
Both are prominently displayed in BCS championship game-related proposition betting.
The Over/Under on McCoy’s “Total Pass Attempts” is 36.5, the O/U for his “Total TD Passes” is 2.5 and the Total for his rushing yards is 30.5.
If McCoy scores a rushing TD, it will pay out at +160 and if he doesn’t it will pay at -200.
Will Ingram score a TD in the first half? -155 for Yes and +125 for No.
Like McCoy, the 2009 Heisman winner is also featured in a number of Over/Under bets as well.
The Over/Under for the number of Ingram’s rushing yards is 99.5 and the O/U for his rushing attempts is 19.5.
Alabama star LB Rolando McClain was suffering from a stomach virus but according to Tide head coach Nick Saban, the Butkus Award winner should be ready to go for the title game.
“He did not do much in practice [Tuesday], and I think he's better today, and he's practiced all year, and I don't think he's missed a practice in the three years that he's been here,” Saban told the USA Today.
“But I think he's capable of recovering and being able to play in the game if he's medically cleared to play in the game.”
If he does take the field, the Over/Under on McClain’s total and assisted tackles is 8.5.
All good things must come to an end and that includes the college football season.
It’s been a good season and it should end on a high note with Texas and Alabama.
Enjoy the game.
link: http://wheretobet.com/redirect/sportsbetting.com-205/all