Bodog.com
Lists USC as Rose Bowl Favorites
With two Heisman Trophy winners
sharing the backfield, a mercurial quarterback
leading an undefeated powerhouse, and a defending
national champion considered to be one of the
best college teams ever assembled, this year's
Rose Bowl is certain to live up to all the hype
and expectations.
Bodog.com
bookmakers list No. 1 USC as a 7.5-point favorite
to repeat as national champion and defeat No.
2 Texas on January 4, 2006, in Pasadena, Calif.
The Rose is the culmination of an NCAA postseason
that features 28 bowl games and Bodog.com has
odds on each one.
"Although
I am looking forward to all of the exciting
college bowl games , the Rose Bowl stands out
– and it should," says Calvin Ayre,
Founder and CEO of Bodog.com. "This year's
Rose Bowl features the two teams who were favored
to be here when Bodog.com bookmakers posted
the odds at the beginning of the season. Both
USC and Texas have garnered a large amount of
action from bettors throughout the year, and
we expect to see a lot more interest leading
to this game that will decide the national champion."
Betting
trends are a good indicator of the mindset of
the public, so perhaps it is no coincidence
Bodog.com bookmakers report that most of the
betting action has been on the Trojans to cover
the 7.5-point spread. During the season, bettors
w ere more inclined to wager on games involving
the Trojans than on those featuring Texas. However,
those who bet on Texas were far more profitable.
Though
USC went undefeated, it only beat the spread
in half of its 12 games. In fact, during one
stretch in October, the mighty Trojans failed
to cover in four straight games. On the other
hand, Texas (12-0) went 10-2 against the spread,
the best record of all Division 1-A teams.
In
the two days prior to the Rose, the three other
BCS games will be played. On Jan. 2, the Fiesta
Bowl features two 9-2 squads as 4-point favorite
Ohio State battles Notre Dame. That night, Georgia
(10-2) takes on West Virginia (10-1), a 7.5-point
underdog, in the Sugar Bowl. On Jan. 3, Florida
State (8-4) meets Penn State in the Orange Bowl;
the Nittany Lions (10-1) are favored by 7.5
points.
In
notable non-BCS games, UCLA (9-2) is a 3-point
favorite over Northwestern (7-4) in a Vitalis
Sun Bowl tilt that could be the highest scoring
of all the games. The two explosive offenses
meet on Dec. 30 in El Paso, Texas.
Also
on Dec. 30, South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier
face Missouri (6-5) in The Independence Bowl
in Shreveport, La. The Gamecocks (7-4) are 4-point
favorites.
Two
powerhouse programs face off in the Alamo Bowl
as Michigan (7-4) takes on Nebraska (7-4) on
Dec. 28. The Wolverines, currently favored by
11.5 points, are expected to leave San Antonio
with the win.
In
the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22, a talented Cal
team meets the surprising BYU Cougars (6-5).
The Golden Bears (7-4) are 7-point favorites.
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