NCAA Football Futures Preview - Trojans look to continue Pac-10 dominance
NCAA football odds - USC (-300) Arizona State (+400), Oregon (+650) UCLA (+800), California (+800)
- USC goes for seventh title in a row
- Arizona State looks to prove 2007 was no fluke
- Oregon hopes to stay competitive despite massive losses
If you love betting sports, you've watched the USC Trojans either win outright or share the Pac-10 championship for the last six seasons and they are a perennial threat for the national title. The Trojans are heavy favorites in the online sportsbook to extend that streak to seven when the Pac-10 season commences on August 30.
The Trojans are favored at -300 and defense will be the story for USC, at least early in the season. Seven starters return to a group that finished second in the nation behind Ohio State, including linebacker Rey Maualuga, who probably would have been a first-round pick in last spring's NFL draft had he declared. Only four starters return on offense and it will be interesting to see how quickly quarterback Mark Sanchez gets used to being the top gun in the USC attack.
Arizona State follows with +400 odds. The Wildcats were one of the surprises of the season after sharing the conference title with USC. Seven starters are back on both sides of the ball to a team that began 2007 with an 8-0 record before losing steam down the stretch. With an improved offensive line and pivot Rudy Carpenter at the helm, look for the Sun Devils to put more points on the board.
Oregon lost its two biggest offensive threats in quarterback Dennis Dixon and running back Jonathan Stewart, but that hasn't deterred oddsmakers from giving the Ducks NCAA football odds of +650. Dixon's versatility was key to the Oregon attack; his late-season knee injury severely handicapped the offense. Nate Costa will have his hands full stepping into Dixon's cleats, but he will have six returning starters to aid his progress.
UCLA and California are listed at +800, but neither team presents much of a threat to the Trojans, or the Wildcats for that matter. Both teams suffered major losses in the offseason in addition to being very shaky at quarterback. In the pass-happy Pac-10, this puts you behind the eight-ball from the beginning.
It would be difficult to bet against the Trojans, and I just can't do it. Arizona State should challenge them, and the Wildcats' trip to USC on October 11 will have a major say in the conference championship. However, the Trojans' defense will be just too strong, and they should rank in the top-five nationally once again.
Complete list of NCAA Football Odds (Pac-10)
Arizona - +2000
Arizona State - +400
California - +800
Oregon - +650
Oregon State- +5000
Stanford - +3300
UCLA - +800
USC - -300
Washington - +2000
Washington State - +500
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand, and he was one of the few who gave the Giants a chance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Thoughts or questions?
