College Football Picks – Wisconsin vs. Oregon

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Last Updated on Monday, 02 January 2012 14:37
Written by BetRepublic
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Two explosive offenses hook-up for what should be a high-scoring game Monday when the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl

Oddsmakers are expecting a back and forth game between the Badgers and Ducks, evidenced by a posted total which has been bet from 72 up to 74 on 82-percent action by "Over" bettors.

Wisconsin scored an average of 44.6 points per game (PPG), with 9 overs and 4 unders while the Ducks, who will be making their fifth appearance at the Rose Bowl ranked third overall with 46.2 PPG.

The Badgers (11-2 SU, 7-5-1 ATS) started strong in the Big 10 Championship game vs. Michigan State, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter but needed a come from behind effort to pull off a 42-39 win. With the speed and offensive prowess in the Ducks lineup, a fast start for the Badgers is critical.

Oregon (11-2 SU, 6-5-2 ATS) scored 82 touchdowns this season and running back LaMichael James averaged nearly 150 rushing yards per game for a total of 1,646.  He’s a big reason online sportsbooks have the Ducks favored in 4- to 5-point range.

Action from side bettors favors the Ducks (70-percent) but it’s interesting to note that 78-percent of moneyline players are backing the Badgers at the lucrative price of +165 at Sportsbetting.ag. The Badgers are 16-1 straight-up in games where they record at least 450 yards of offense and with Oregon giving up 382 average yards this season to much weaker offenses, hitting that target is a realistic possibility.

BADGER DON’T CARE
The Badgers won five-straight down the stretch but failed to cover three times on pointspreads of -9.5, 14.5 and 29.5. It sets up good value, in our opinion, for a team that has covered 23 out of 30 times in this situation, winning straight-up by an average of more than 11 PPG.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS
Skeptics point to the Badgers 21-point loss in last year’s Rose Bowl but QB Russell Wilson, who passed for three touchdowns in the win over Michigan State, was an instrumental part of the team’s current five-game win streak. Good decision making and the ability to make plays in the red zone keep defenses guessing and Wilson has a complete grasp of the system. An outright upset is possible but we will gladly take the points on the dog.
Pick: Take Wisconsin


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