The Wiz of Odds

Making the Postseason Is a Snap for Power 5 Teams

Vegas Insider has released the opening lines for the 2014-15 bowl games. The biggest favorite is Stanford, a 14-5-point pick over Maryland in the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, just a short drive from the Cardinal's campus.

Three teams are favored by a point. They are Nevada over Louisiana Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl, Bowling Green over South Alabama in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl and Fresno State over Rice in the Hawaii Bowl.

The Dec. 20 New Orleans Bowl kicks off the run of 39 games, which ends with the playoff title game on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

There were 128 teams competing in Division I-A this season, and 76 of the teams are going bowling, meaning 59.4% of teams made the postseason. Next year there will be 40 bowls with the addition of the Cure Bowl in Orlando.

The odds of making the postseason are even better if a team is from a so-called Power 5 conference, plus independent Notre Dame. That group consists of 69 teams and 48 of them made the posteason (69.6%).

Give the People What They Want — Duck Cheerleaders

Yes, we could have used an action shot from Monday's Rose Bowl to lead this post, but we're all about giving customers what they want. And that means an image of the Oregon cheerleaders.

This shot, along with the others after the jump, are courtesy of Image of Sport. You can view Image of Sport's full gallery by clicking here.

As for the game, it was a classic, with the Oregon Ducks holding off the Wisconsin Badgers, 45-38.

Next Time, Remember to Use the Spell Checker

Monday was a tough day all around for Georgia. It not only lost to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl, but failed a spelling test on national TV. Clip the image to enlarge. Thanks to 30fps.

Rose Bowl Snack for Wisconsin Coach

The latest installment in nose picking comes from Monday's Rose Bowl, where an unidentified Wisconsin coach digs deep and strikes gold.

If you know the identity of the coach, please let us know.

Guest Post: Once Again, the BCS Got It Right

By John Witzke

What's all of that noise I hear? Yes, we've reached the point in the football calendar when sports fans are yelling and screaming about the alleged inequities of the Bowl Championship System system. This, of course, is always accompanied by cries for a Division I-A playoff and the assumption that it would cure all that's supposedly ailing the great sport of big-time college football.

Here's what the critics overlook. Nearly every season, things break just right for the BCS, and the two teams that should be playing in the title game end up doing so. In spite of all of the excitement, the proponents would rather air their frustrations than enjoy the great drama that is bred by the Greatest Regular Season in Sports.

Don't you think those critical missed field goals by Oklahoma State and Boise State would've been easier to make had a playoff spot been clinched? While we can feel pity for kickers succumbing to pressure, the "choke factor" is an evil imperative in sports, especially college football.

What makes 2011 unique compared to every other year of the BCS era (1998-present) is that everybody agrees that undefeated Louisiana State is the No. 1 team and deserving of a spot in the title game. The controversy came in determining who should challenge the Tigers on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

Legitimate arguments can be heard coming from Stillwater and Tuscaloosa. Hundreds of columns have been written to decry the more "established" Crimson Tide receiving the nod by the slightest of margins.

Fight Hunger, Eat Boogers

If you missed the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, here's your highlight. An Illinois ballboy digs deep and finds gold.