Blog Archives

Predicting the success of high school football players at the next level is far from being an exact science, but it is fun. Now that National Signing Day has come and gone, let’s take a look at who came out on top.

Depending on where you look, the rankings of success will be different. No one can argue the SEC looks to be the big winner though, with four schools having their class ranked among the top ten. The Alabama Crimson Tide had a great class, grabbing 15 four or five star recruits according to ESPN. The defending champion Auburn Tigers looked to restock well, with 16 highly touted recruits.

The SEC has dominated the college football landscape in recent memory, winning the last five national championships in a row. The early college football odds for the 2011 title feature several teams from the conference with a good chance to win it all.

The most likely team to win the championship from the SEC, and second most likely in the nation, is the Alabama Crimson Tide at +750. Even though they lost their top quarterback, wide receiver and running back, there is still a lot of talent on the squad. 22 of their players this year were first time starters, and four of their offensive linemen will be returning along with sensational tailback Trent Richardson.

Well, the college football season is finally over and there is a national champion. The Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks 22-19 in a tightly contested matchup. The margin of victory left many people happy and many angry, as the Tigers just barely covered the 2.5 point spread given them in the college football odds.

It was far from certain that Auburn Tigers would win this one, with both defenses playing surprisingly well. Considering these were two of the best offenses in the nation, it was a shock to everyone to see a scoreless first quarter. The second quarter saw 27 combined points scored, with two touchdowns from Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton.

The only two undefeated BCS teams will finally square off on Jan. 10th to determine this year’s national champion. The top ranked Auburn Tigers (13-0) take on the Oregon Ducks (12-0) in a game that features two teams that started the season outside of the top 10. Offense should rule the day, as both teams rank in the top ten in total yards and scoring. The Tigers are a 2.5 point favorite in the college football lines.

The SEC championship game has special significance this year because if the Auburn Tigers win, they will earn a spot in the BCS national championship game. The top ranked Tigers take on the 19th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks in the second meeting between these teams this season. The Gamecocks led the first meeting by 13 points, only to fall 35-27. Auburn is a 5.5 point favorite in the college football odds.

SEC unbeatens collide as the 4th ranked Auburn Tigers host the 6th ranked LSU Tigers. With perennial powerhouses Alabama and Florida having suffered at least one loss, the winner of the game will be the only perfect team in the conference. LSU has had some “lucky” wins this year, and they struggled offensively when defeating McNeese State last week.

Auburn had no trouble with their offense, putting up 65 points in a victory over Arkansas in the highest scoring regulation game in SEC history. Auburn is a six point favorite in the college football odds.

Two of the nation’s premiere quarterbacks will be on stage this Saturday as Cameron Newton leads the 7th ranked Auburn Tigers against the visiting 12th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks and Ryan Mallett. This SEC battle could go a long way in deciding who will have a shot at the conference championship.

The Auburn Tigers (6-0) are coming off a last second victory over Kentucky by the score of 37-34.  The Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) most recently defeated Texas A&M 24-17. Auburn is a four point favorite in the college football betting lines.

The 12th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks travel to Jordan Hare Stadium to take on the 17th ranked Auburn Tigers in a weekend matchup. Both teams have a perfect record this year, but have shown some weaknesses. Neither team’s passing game has been very strong, and it will be interesting to see if one of these quarterbacks can finally have a big game. The NCAA football odds have Auburn as a 3 point favorite.

2009 Total Offense Rank (yards per game): 16
2009 Total Defense Rank (yards per game): 68

Gene Chizik and his crew have some work ahead of them, but at least they all know each other. The Auburn Tigers coaching staff is the only one in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) that returns every member from a year ago. They look to build on an 8 win season, including an Outback bowl win over Northwestern.

Two significant contributors to the Tigers will be missing this year in quarterback Chris Todd and running back Ben Tate. Tate, a second round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, rushed for over 1,400 yards last season.