Sugar Bowl Odds

The Sugar Bowl is an annual NCAA Bowl Championship Series games, played on January 1. Fans betting on the game can expect to see two BCS at large teams, normally ranked as the number one seed from the SEC conference and a BCS at large team compete for the Sugar Bowl trophy. In last year's Sugar Bowl, betting enthusiasts were able to wager on the Florida Gators led by Tim Tebow, against rival Cincinnati Bearcats.

Along with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl BCS games, the Sugar Bowl is the second longest BCS game to be played ever since it was created in 1935. The Sugar Bowl was played annually at the Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1935 to 1974, before moving to its current host the Louisiana Superdome, which also hosts NFL club the New Orleans Saints.

From 1969 to 2006, ABC broadcast the Sugar Bowl to a national audience. However in 2006, FOX sports took over the broadcasting duties and have called the games since. Further, since 1987, the Sugar Bowl has been sponsored by three different companies, first by USF&G financial services from 1987 to 1995, then by Nokia Cellular Phones of Finland from 1995 to 2006, and currently they are sponsored by Allstate Insurance, since 2006.

The first ever Sugar Bowl was played on January 1 1935 between Tulane and Temple, a game in which Tulane won 20 to 14. As noted earlier, the game is played between the top seed of the SEC conference, unless that team is in the national championship game. If the top seed of the SEC is playing in the National game, a BCS at Large team fills in to play another BCS at Large team. Also, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers are tied for most appearances in the Sugar Bowl at 13 apiece, however the Crimson Tide hold a better record at eight wins and five losses.

After speaking with several important conference presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors in the NCAA football betting and athletics, PAC-10 commissioner Larry Scott has been cleared to pursue any of the options for expansion he presented as of this week. The conference meetings were held this past weekend, and when Scott spoke with the media at the conclusion of the talks, he noted that the conference will decide on its future plans by the end of the year before negotiating a new television contract for the 2012-13 academic year. The Pac-10 will now likely take the next six to 12 months to go over all its options, which will more than likely feature a significant expansion.

According to media sources reporting on the matter, the expansion options include adding Colorado and Utah to form a 12-team conference, which would feature two six-team divisions. The second option, which would include creating a merger with six teams from the Big-12, which would reportedly only happen if one of those betting on sports teams are Texas. The final option would be creating a full merger with the big 12, creating a massive 22-team conference never before seen in college athletics. Supposedly Scott prefers the third option over the first two, which would create a situation unlike anything currently in college sports, and likely provide the new conference with the biggest television deal ever ratified. The plans come during a time when several other conferences are also planning reformation.

Auburn running back dismissed

Sports betting fanatics should be paying attention to what's happening with the Auburn football program. The following are some interesting college football gaming news pertaining to this team.

Running back Dontae Aycock, according to multiple news reports, was dismissed from the team this past week by head coach Gene Chizik for violating an unspecified team rule. Aycock, a four-star member of the Tigers' 2009 recruiting class, was a redshirt last season but, as noted by the Birmingham News, was slated to be a part of Auburn's rotation at the running back position. With the unanticipated shakeup on the roster and the depth chart, Michael Dyer is the next man in the queue for Chizik, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, and the rest of the Tigers' coaching staff. Dyer appears to be in line for an even bigger role during his freshman season as one of the top options behind starter Mario Fannin.

BCS director fires shots at senators

Continuing the political drama surrounding the Bowl Championship Series, BCS Director Bill Hancock fired a shot across the bow last Thursday. Hancock released a letter in which he fended off United States Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Max Baucus (D-Montana) on the matter of the BCS's practices. Hatch is leading the effort to get the BCS to open up its five-bowl rotation to the Mountain West Conference, a league which includes two prominent teams from Hatch's home state (BYU and the University of Utah). If Hancock continues to stonewall, Hatch is holding out the threat of examining and perhaps challenging the BCS's antitrust exemption. The claim would be that the barring of the Mountain West Conference from automatic or locked-in BCS status represents an unfair business practice. Don't expect this drama to end - or produce results - anytime soon.

Law firm releases study showing that Mountain West Conference deserves automatic BCS status

NCAA football betting diehards might not have gained much from the Bill Hancock letter last Thursday, but since a lot of college football fans want a playoff, they probably liked the way the Mountain West Conference responded to Hancock in the days since. Earlier this week, attorneys from the law firm Arent Fox - which is representing the Mountain West Conference - said that the champions of the MWC and its cousin, the Western Athletic Conference, have fared appreciably well in BCS bowl games when they've been given the chance to compete in them. Arent Fox said that MWC and WAC teams playing in BCS bowls have, on average, been ranked higher, drawn better TV ratings and brought more fans to BCS games than the ACC and Big East champions. ACC and Big East champions are, of course, guaranteed a spot in a BCS bowl along with the winners of four other power conferences: The SEC, the Big XII, the Big Ten, and the Pac-10. This will make the BCS drama that much more interesting in the years to come, but no one knows when or if any resolution will emerge.

College football fans have been waiting for the University of Miami to re-emerge as a power on the national scene, and the program is on the ascent under Randy Shannon, who has the Hurricanes on the brink of a 10-win season, and the university decided to reward him.

On Thursday, it was reported that Shannon received a four-year extension and a raise on the $1.2 million he earned last year. The Hurricanes were 5-7 in his first year back in 2007, but they improved to 7-6 in the second year before a 9-4 campaign in 2010 had the Hurricanes at No.19 at the end of the season. Last year was more impressive because the Hurricanes opened the season against four ranked opponents, and came away with three wins, taking a 38-34 thriller at rival Florida State, along with home wins over Oklahoma and Georgia Tech, although they were romped at Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes still have yet to win a bowl game under Shannon, but they've only had two opportunities.

The Hurricanes should find themselves in the top 25 to start the season, and they should be one of the favorites in the ACC. Shannon's extension shows a sign of commitment from the university to get back to their past glory, and it's also a good sign for kids that are being recruited to come to Miami. The program looks to be as stable as it has been in years, and that can do nothing but good things for the Hurricanes' betting odds.