The Wiz of Odds

Win in Belk Bowl Starts 2015 Hype for Georgia

Georgia mascot UGA IX takes in the festivities during Tuesday's Belk Bowl in Charlotte. The Bulldogs had no problems winning their 10th game, brushing aside Louisville, 37-14.

Image of Sport provided these photographs. Click here to see the complete gallery.

Troy

Troy could be in for a big season if a fix can be found for its leaky defense. The Trojans gave up a program-worst 431 points in 2013. The offense did its best to keep pace, averaging 35.92 points per game. It resulted in a 6-6 season. Troy gets a shot at Georgia on Sept. 20.

Louisville's Win Is All About Bridgewater

Thursday night's Louisville vs. Cincinnati game at Nippert Stadium was the last before an $86 million renovation of the facility, which has been home to the Bearcats in rudimentary form since 1901.

Cincy will play at Paul Brown Stadium in 2014 while work is being done on Nippert. The project is expected to be completed in time for the 2015 season.

Wiz correspondent Greg Laughlin was among the 35,097 who braved cold conditions on Thursday. Louisville, behind quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, pulled out a 31-24 victory in overtime.

There are more photos after the jump.

Cincinnati Gets Off to Fast Start in Big East

Cincinnati opened defense of its Big East title and kept the Keg of Nails with a 35-27 victory over Louisville Friday night at Louisville. Wiz correspondent Greg Laughlin was among the 55,106 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, and you can view his gallery by clicking here.

It was a significant victory for the Bearcats, who have won 13 consecutive Big East games. Cincinnati plays four of its last six games at Nippert Stadium, where it has won 14 in a row.

Game of the Weak

Mike Hlas is an award-winning columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette and force behind The Hlog. Each week, he will break down the worst matchup in college football. Considering the increasing number of uncompetitive and uninteresting games, Mike's task is more difficult than getting Carrie Prejean to stay on the set of "Larry King Live."

Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got till it's gone?

They didn’t pave paradise to put in a parking lot at Syracuse, because Syracuse was never paradise in the first place. But it was pretty darn good in football.

Until 2004, Syracuse's football team was known as the Orangemen. And the SU women’s teams were the Orangewomen. Then they all became the Orange.

It was a landmark decision.

Anyway, Syracuse football slipped on an orange peel after the 2004 season. Coach Paul Pasqualoni had one losing season in 14 years at the school, but new SU athletics director Daryl Gross must not have been taken with his coach. Especially after the Orange lost the Champs Sports Bowl in 2004 to Georgia Tech by the unseemly score of 51-14.

Big East Crew's Error Nearly Cost Some Bettors

Big East Conference officials working last Saturday's Louisville-Connecticut game wrongly allowed the Cardinals to attempt an extra point with no time left on the clock, a move that nearly proved costly to bettors in Las Vegas who were backing the Huskies.

Connecticut was 12.5-point favorite at kickoff and covering the spread after Jordan Todman scored on a two-yard run with 3:13 remaining, giving the Huskies a 38-19 lead.

Louisville had one last push, marching down the field and scoring on a four-yard pass from Adam Froman to Blayne Donnell as time ran off the clock, cutting Connecticut's lead to 13 points at 38-25.

The officiating crew then wrongly allowed Ryan Payne to attempt the conversion with no time remaining. Much to the relief of Connecticut supporters, Payne missed the extra point, keeping the Huskies a pointspread winner.

Payne should not have been given the opportunity to kick under rule 8-3-2a: