We are in phase two right now, conference play. Conference play is unique in that schools are not traveling as much. A few years ago, North Carolina opened the season at Santa Clara, meaning a team from the southeast was traveling all the way across the country. After which the Tar Heels took on teams from the Big 10, Mountain West, the SEC and the Pac 10. That is a lot of travel time as well as facing teams they had never seen before. This makes matchups often difficult and upsets more likely (North Carolina lost 77-66 at Santa Clara as a 13-point favorite).

Conference play means playing teams in your region, which cuts down significantly on travel time. It also means players are facing other players they’ve seen last year, probably several times, and playing in facilities they have seen before. Home/road play is certainly a key element for handicappers to pay attention to, but with shorter distances and familiar places to go to, it can be less a factor with certain teams because they’ve been to the opposition’s gym before.

I recall one season Buffalo off the MAC came off an impressive win over Eastern Michigan, followed by a close 84-82 loss in overtime at a very good Northern Illinois squad. Buffalo got the cover in both games. The Bulls were experienced and not caught off guard by these teams, because Buffalo had beaten both a year ago. In fact, the prior season Buffalo beat Northern Illinois twice, 86-80 at home and again in the MAC tournament, 73-66. That’s three games against each other in less than a year. Familiarity may breed contempt in some social circles, but it helps in preparation in college basketball.

As conference play continues this month, it’s important to look back at how these teams did in recent years, especially with teams loaded with seniors. Another example could be a team with a significant rebounding advantage in the frontcourt taking on a team with a small frontcourt. Again, go back and look at recent games. Did they own the glass the last meeting? How about the last three meetings? Conference play offers many opportunities to do this, especially with teams facing each other two and even three times a year ago.

This article was written by Bryan Leonard

Cotton Bowl (Fri., Jan., 6): The all-running team against the all-passing one…and a pair of dynamite scoring offenses. Kansas State (10-2 SU, 9-2 ATS) is not flashy, with a ground game carrying the offense (33.1 points, 193.7 yards rushing), as the poor passing game is 109th in the nation behind 6-foot-5 junior QB Collin Klein (12 TDs, 5 INTs, 1,745 yards), a better runner. He leads the team with 1,099 yards rushing and 26 TDs, along with 5-7 sophomore RB John Hubert (933 yards, 5.0 ypc). They have overachieved for Coach Bill Snyder. K-State is on a 15-6 run over the total. The Wildcats are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog.

Arkansas (10-2 SU, 6-5 ATS) has a wide open passing game for coach Bobby Petrino behind junior Tyler Wilson (22 TDs, 6 INTs, 3,422 yards), averaging 37.4 points and 307.8 yards passing (13th in the nation). He has experienced targets to throw to in senior WRs Joe Adams (630 yards) and 6-3 WR Jarius Wright (1,029 yards). Arkansas is on a 14-4 run over the total and 16-2 SU/12-5 ATS its last 17 games. The under is 8-0 in Razorbacks last 8 bowl games.

BCS Championship Game (Mon., Jan., 9): Here they go again! The SEC has won the last 5 national titles and will win again. Defense is the story (and revenge), with Bama No. 1 in points allowed (8.8) and LSU No. 2 (10.5). Alabama (11-1 SU, 8-3 ATS) has junior RB Trent Richardson (1,583 yds, 6.0 ypc), along with sophomore RB Eddie Lacy (631, 7.5 ypc) on another powerhouse team for Nick Saban. Sophomore QBs A.J. McCarron (16 TDs, 5 INTs) runs this balanced attack averaging 36 points, 213.6 yards passing, 219.8 yards rushing. The defense is sensational, yet they botched their first showdown at home with No. 1 LSU, a stunning 9-6 OT defeat. 3 missed field goals, 2 crushing turnovers and countless missed opportunities and poor execution cost them. They held LSU to 234 total yards and forced 2 turnovers. Bama is 21-10-1 under the total in their last 31 conference games.

No. 1 LSU (13-0 SU, 10-3 ATS) has a ton of talent, especially on defense. Senior QB Jarrett Lee (14 TDs, 3 INTs) has been very good, though the ground game leads the way behind soph RBs Spencer Ware (700 yds, 4.0 ypc) and Mike Ford (755, 6.1 ypc), a dynamic one-two backfield punch, averaging 38 ppg, 209 yards rushing and 167 passing. 6-4 junior WR Rueben Randle (904 yards) can stretch defenses averaging 18.1 yards per catch (though he caught only 2 passes in the first meeting against Bama). The Tigers are 8-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

This article was written by Jim Feist

This also ties into emotion, which is much more apart of college athletics than the pros. Simply put, a home team has more chances to get fired up and play hard in front of the screaming home fans than on the road. At home, even bad teams can look like World champs for 48 minutes.

Another reason is confidence. Pro athletes are usually in their mid to late twenties or thirties, when confidence is most often developed. But college athletes are aged 18-21, when young players are still learning the game and – just as important – young minds are still learning about confidence. And when a college road team, for example, gets behind by ten points, psychologically a team can lose confidence or “pack it in” with the thinking, “Well, it’s just not our night. We’ll play better next time when we’re at home.”

Professional handicappers take careful note of rosters and identify which teams have an excess of youth and ones that have experience. You’ll often find new coaches who are trying to build a winning program will first try and get their young players to learn to win at home and to build confidence and excite the fan base. Once they’ve developed that, the next step is to teach them how to win away from home. Sports bettors take note: This is a slow process that can take years to develop – but sometimes never does.

Smart handicappers pay close attention to this and it takes knowledge, experience and hours of study to begin to identify when these young teams might be beginning to blossom. From a bettor’s perspective, for example, this offers opportunities “to play on” a young team at home and “go against them” when traveling.

Another reason for the home/road disparity is comfort. That is, players will practice at their own gym for a home game, where they know the layout of a building, a place where the temperature and even lighting conditions are always the same. If a guard shoots one-hundred jump shots at practice and gets in a groove, he knows the next day he’ll be taking those same jump shots in the same building from the same place on the floor he just hit, say, 75% in practice. But, on the road, a player’s comfort level can be very different. Players are taking bus rides, sleeping in airports or on planes, and even changing time zones. The comfort level is tweaked, and then they have to practice and play in unfamiliar surroundings, all of which contributes to the athletes not being at the same comfort level as when they’re home.

With big-name college programs, history and mystique can also play a role. Visiting teams walking into the home arena of Duke, Indiana, North Carolina or Kentucky can be awed by the championship banners hanging overhead and the huge crowds rooting against them. Athletes won’t admit that they’re “nervous” about playing those schools, but deep in their minds they can be thinking, “We have no shot here. Let’s just play this thing and get out of here. We’ll get them later in the season – at our place!”

Sometimes schools have longer road trips than others, too. The Denver Pioneers happen to be in the Sun Belt conference (go figure), where they have to face mostly teams from the southeast, such as Arkansas State, Florida International, Arkansas Little Rock and Western Kentucky. Denver has to cross time zones to play its road games in conference play, just as their opponents have to when traveling to Denver.

Many teams can look like world-beaters at home, and then go on the road the next game and look as sloppy as a kindergarten pick-up game. Sometimes a combination of factors can provide good go-against spots. And it’s not just the big-name schools where this takes place, either. College basketball offers great opportunities for handicappers as there are so many games and extreme home/road disparities like this. You can find excellent betting edges in college hoops by looking at large conferences like the ACC, Big East and Pac 10, as well as smaller conferences such as the MAC, Sun Belt or WAC.

Also, when tournament time rolls around, you’ll find teams playing on a neutral court. I examine the road records of both schools to see how each played away from home that season in an attempt to find edges. Some teams will be playing in their home state and may have a more fans in the stands than their opponents, which creates a “near home court edge,” which can sometimes mean making an adjustment in the number, though it’s usually not as prominent as the normal home court edge.

So make sure you break down home/road stats in college hoops for teams and even individual players. If you see what you perceive to be a soft line, look carefully at how each team scores and defends at home and on the road. Just as miners and archeologists till the soil to unearth hidden gems, successful sports handicappers dig through stats and situations to find bad lines and winning plays.

This article was written by Bryan Leonard

The BCS National Championship Game has a history of producing some controversial matchups and this one is no different. This year’s 1-vs-2 clash features two teams from the same division of the same conference who already played each other. One team won the league’s automatic BCS berth, while the other didn’t even play in the league championship game for the right to earn the BCS bid. While there are other conference champions in other bowls, a conference runner-up is considered deserving of the right to play for the national title.

No matter what you may think of the system, there is some or little argument that LSU and Alabama have proved themselves to be two of the best, if not the best, teams in the nation at the end of a wild 2011 season. And these two longtime rivals get a rare rematch for a national title. While the first meeting was in Tuscaloosa, this one will be in New Orleans the Tigers’ adopted home.

This should make for a very interesting end to an entertaining bowl season, and a college-football campaign overall.

LSU has won the last seven meetings between these two storied programs, including the 9-6 win in Tuscaloosa and a 24-21 win in Baton Rouge a year ago.

The latest BCS Championship odds show Alabama favored by 1 points, while the over/under is posted at 41 points.

Alabama

After the epic 9-6 home loss to LSU, the Crimson Tide finished the regular season with three straight wins, outscoring the opponents 111-42. The Tide has allowed fewer than 10 points seven times in 12 games. Alabama is 5-0 away from home this year and is coming off a 42-14 Iron Bowl win over Auburn.

The Tide are ranked first in the country in scoring defense (9 points per game) and allows 191 yards per game (116 passing, 75 rushing) while recording 26 sacks and forced 18 turnovers four of which were returned for touchdowns (DeMarcus Milliner, DeQuan Menzie and Courtney Upshaw, interceptions).

Dont’a Hightower leads this unit with 81 tackles, while Upshaw leads the squad with 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Milliner has three interceptions and Dre Kirkpatrick has two forced fumbles.

Alabama ranks 16th in the nation in scoring offense (36 ppg) while compiling 433 yards per game (220 rushing, 213 passing).

Trent Richardson anchors the running game with 1,583 yards and 20 TDs on 6.0 yards per carry, while Eddy Lacy adds 631 yards and seven TDs on 7.5 ypc. A.J. McCarron has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions, while the offensive line allowed 15 sacks. Marquis Maze is the top pass-catcher with 56 receptions (29 more than anyone else) for 627 yards and a TD.

LSU

LSU is the only undefeate team in the country and they have been ranked No. 1 in the nation for the majority of the season. Since defeating Alabama, the Tigers seemed to find their offense, outscoring their final four opponents 177-39, including wins over Arkansas and Georgia on their way to the SEC title.

LSU is second nationally in scoring defense (10 ppg), ranking only behind Alabama, and allows 252 yards per game (167 passing, 85 rushing) while compiling 37 sacks and forcing 30 turnovers six of which were returned for TDs (Morris Claiborne and Ron Brooks, three interceptions; Tyrann Mathieu and Kevin Minter, three fumbles).

Mathieu paces the defense with 70 tackles, six forced fumbles and five recoveries, while Sam Montgomery has recorded nine sacks and Barkevious Mingo added eight. Claiborne is one of the top pickoff artists in the nation with six interceptions.

The Tigers rank 12th in the country offensively (38 ppg) while recording 375 yards of offense per game (215 rushing, 160 passing).

Michael Ford and Spencer Ware lead the rushing attack with a combined 1,455 yards and 15 TDs on 4.7 yards per carry. Jordan Jefferson has completed 60 percent of his passes for 684 yards and six TDs with just one interception, while the offensive line has allowed 14 sacks. Reuben Randle is the top receiving target with 50 catches for 904 yards and eight TDs.

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The very last game in this bowl season before the main dish the Allstate BCS Championship Game the next day two of the best teams in the non-BCS conferences will face off in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala., when Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State faces MAC champ Northern Illinois. Both teams come into this game with a combined 17-game winning streak.

These two programs have met seven times in the past between 1990 and 1996, with Northern Illinois winning six of the seven games. The last contest in 1995 was a 31-30 NIU victory the only win in a 1-10 season. The lone ASU victory was a 28-21 final in 1995. Three of the contests came when the two teams were part of the Big West Conference.

The current GoDaddy Bowl odds show Arkansas State -1.5 and the over/under placed at 62.5 points.

Arkansas State

Other than LSU, Arkansas State just might be the hottest team in America entering the bowl season, as they have won nine games in a row and a Sun Belt Conference title (8-0) coming into this matchup. Most recently, Arkansas State won its last two games by a combined 90-33 over Middle Tennessee and Troy. The Red Wolves are 4-2 as a visitor, winning the last four the only defeats were at Illinois and Virginia Tech.

Defensively, Arkansas State ranks a stellar 15th in the nation in points allowed (19 points per game) and gives up 325 yards per contest (219 through the air, 107 via the run) while recording 32 sacks and enticing 28 turnovers two of which were taken back for touchdowns (Darryl Feemster, fumble; Sterling Young, interception).

Demario Davis paces this unit with 65 stops, while Kelcie McCray has 62 tackles and a team-best four picks. Darron Edwards has three forced fumbles and three picks.

Offensively, the Red Wolves rank 28th in the nation in scoring (33 ppg) while generating 454 yards per game (289 throwing, 165 via the run).

Ryan Aplin has completed 66 % of his throws for 3,235 yards and 18 scores with 13 picks, while the offensive line has given up 24 sacks. Dwayne Frampton leads the receiving corps with 90 catches (38 more than anyone else) for 1,125 yards and six touchdowns, while Aplin and Derek Lawson anchor the running game with a total of 1,064 yards with 12 TDs on 4.0 yards per tote.

Northern Illinois

The Huskies, like Arkansas State, finished their regular season on a roll. After a 48-41 loss to Central Michigan left the Huskies at 2-3, it won the next eight contests, including a 23-20 win over Ohio in the MAC Championship Game to get to this bowl against the Sun Belt champ. The Huskies were 4-3 away from home, but has won the last four such games, three of them by a total of seven points.

On offense, Northern Illinois ranks 13th nationally in offense (38 ppg) while compiling 482 yards per game (248 on the ground, 234 through the air).

Chandler Harnish paces the ground game with 1,382 yards and 11 scores on 7.5 yards per attempt, while Jasmin Hopkins has 932 yards and 15 touchdowns on 5.2 yards per carry. Harnish hits on 63 percent of his throws for 2,942 yards and 26 scores with five picks, while the offensive line has given up just nine sacks. Nathan Palmer paces the receivers with 46 catches for 683 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Huskies don’t do well defensively, ranking 90th in the nation in scoring (31 ppg) and surrendering 418 yards per contest (240 through the air, 178 rushing) while recording 25 sacks and generating 20 turnovers with one returned for a TD (Nabal Jefferson, interception).

Pat Schiller leads this unit with 108 stops, while Sean Progar has 5.5 sacks. Rashaan Melvin and Dechane Durante each have two interceptions.

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Birmingham, Alabama is the site of this season’s BBVA Compass Bowl, where SMU will face off against Pitt.

These teams have met five times before, with each team recording two wins (one tie). They met four times between 1938 and 1948 before being reunited in the 1983 Cotton Bowl – a 7-3 SMU victory.

Our latest Compass Bowl odds show Pittsburgh favored by 3.5 points, while the over/under is listed at 47 points.

SMU

The Mustangs got off to a 5-1 start in 2011, but dropped four of their next five games. They were able to bounce back in their season finale, however, with a 27-24 win over Rice. SMU hasn’t had much success on the road this year, notching just a 2-4 record away from home. They enter the Compass Bowl on a three-game road losing streak.

The Mustangs rank 54th nationally in points allowed (24 points per game) and allow 351 yards per game (224 passing, 127 rushing) while recording 27 sacks and forcing 14 turnovers two of which were converted to touchdowns (Chris Parks and Ja’Gared Davis, fumbles).

Taylor Reed leads the unit with 93 tackles (16 more than anyone else), while Taylor Thompson has seven sacks and six forced fumbles. Davis and Richard Crawford each have two interceptions and Margus Hunt has four blocked kicks.

The Mustangs enter the game ranked 71st in the country in scoring offense (26 ppg) while compiling 396 yards per game (278 passing, 118 rushing).

J.J. McDermott has completed 59 percent of his passes for 3,182 yards with 16 touchdowns with 16 interceptions, while the offensive line allows 27 sacks. Cole Beasley (79 receptions) and Darius Johnson (72) leads the receiving crops with 151 combined catches for 1,952 yards and nine TDs, while Zach Line anchors the running game with 1,224 yards and 17 TDs on 5.9 yards per carry.

Pittsburgh

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Pitt Panthers. They alternated wins and losses in their last six games of the year, and ended up losing their head coach, Todd Graham, to Arizona State. Pitt managed just a 1-3 record on the road this season, but keep in mind that two of those losses (Iowa and West Virginia) came by a combined five points.

Defensively, Pittsburgh ranks 33rd nationally in points allowed (22 ppg) and gives up 355 yards per game (233 passing, 122 rushing) while recording 39 sacks and forcing 20 turnovers one of which was returned for a TD (Antwaun Reed, fumble).

Max Gruder leads this unit with 107 tackles (43 more than anyone else), while Aaron Donald has 10 sacks and Brandon Lindsey has 8.5. K’Waun Williams has posted three forced fumbles.

On offense, Pittsburgh ranks 70th nationally in scoring (26 ppg) while recording 362 yards per game (211 passing, 151 rushing).

Tino Sunseri has completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,433 yards and 10 TDs with 10 interceptions, while the offensive line has allowed 56 sacks. Devin Street leads the receiving corps with 48 receptions (13 more than anyone else) for 692 yards and two TDs, while Ray Graham has needed just eight games to lead the team in rushing with 958 yards and nine scores on 5.9 yards per carry and Zach Brown adds 336 yards and five scores on 4.1 yards per attempt.

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Two of the top non-conference winners in college football this year, Arkansas (2nd, SEC West) and Kansas State (2nd, Big 12), meet in the 2012 version of the Cotton Bowl. The meeting marks the first time in over 80 years that these two squads have played eachother.

K-State leads the all-time series, 3-1, but keep in mind that all four previous meetings came between 1910 and 1926.

Our latest Cotton Bowl odds list Arkansas as 7.5-point favorites, while the total (over/under) has been posted at 62.5 points.

Kansas State

The Wildcats started 7-0, then lost two straight before rebounding with three straight wins, closing the regular season with a 30-23 home win over Iowa State to finish second in the Big 12 (6-2). Kansas State was 4-1 away from home, with the lone loss at Oklahoma State (52-45).

The KSU offense ranks 30th nationally in scoring (33 points per game) while recording 344 yards per game (194 rushing, 150 passing).

Collin Klein runs this offense by leading the running game with 1,099 yards and 26 touchdowns on 3.8 yards per carry and completing 58 percent of his passes for 1,745 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 36 sacks.

When Klein hands off, his top running mate is John Hubert with 933 yards and three TDs on 5.0 yards per carry. When Klein throws, his top receiving target is Chris Harper with 39 catches (16 more than anyone else) for 536 yards and five TDs.

On defense, K-State ranks 71st in the country in scoring defense (28 ppg) and surrender 399 yards per game (267 passing, 132 rushing) and recording 19 sacks and forcing 26 turnovers three of which have been returned for TDs (Nigel Malone, David Garrett and Allen Chapman, interceptions).

Arthur Brown leads the unit with 95 tackles, Meshak Williams paces the group with seven sacks. Malone has seven interceptions, Garrett has two fumble recoveries, Emmanuel Lamur has two forced fumbles and Raphael Guidry has four blocked kicks.

Arkansas

Arkansas finished the season 10-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC play, their only two losses coming on the road to the two teams that are playing in this year’s BCS Championship game – LSU and Alabama.

Offensively, the Razorbacks rank15th in the nation in scoring offense (37 ppg), compiling 446 yards per game (308 passing, 138 rushing).

Tyler Wilson completes 63 percent of his passes for 3,422 yards and 22 TDs with six INTs. The offensive line has allowed 25 sacks. Jarius Wright is the top receiver with 63 receptions (14 more than anyone else) for 1,029 yards and 11 TDs, while Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo Jr. anchor the running game with a combined 1,077 yards and six TDs on 5.5 yards per carry.

Arkansas enters the game ranked 37th in the country in scoring defense (23 ppg) and gives up 371 yards per game (197 passing, 174 rushing) while recording 22 sacks and forcing 19 turnovers two of which were returned for TDs (Jerry Franklin and Alonzo Highsmith, fumbles).

Franklin leads the unit with 93 tackles and two fumble recoveries, while Jake Bequette has eight sacks and four forced fumbles. Tramain Thomas has five interceptions to go with 87 tackles.

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In a matter of days, the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl turned quickly into the Urban Meyer Classic. Is it just a coincidence that just prior to the Gator Bowl matchup between Ohio State of the Big Ten and the Florida Gators of the SEC was announced that Ohio State unveiled former Florida head man Urban Meyer as its new field general?

Coincidence or not, the interest in two 6-6 teams has been heightened with the story of Meyer watching his new school take on his old one.

This will be Florida’s ninth showing in the Gator Bowl, which shares their name, but the first appearance dating back to 1992. These two schools have met just once previously, with Florida posting a 41-14 victory over Ohio State in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.

A look at our current Gator Bowl line shows Florida favored by 2 points, while the total has been listed at 44 points.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes come into this game off three straight losses to finish fourth in the Big Ten Leaders Division (3-5). Most recently, the Buckeyes lost a 40-34 contest to rival Michigan then hired Meyer as their coach. The Buckeyes were 1-4 as a visitor, dropping the final two.

Defensively, Ohio State is a commendable 26th in the nation in defense (21 points per contest) and surrender 329 yards per contest (186 through the air, 143 rushing) while recording 23 sacks and generating 17 turnovers.

C.J. Barnett anchors the defense with 69 tackles, while Andrew Sweat has 68 stops and Jonathan Hankins has 64. John Simons leads with seven sacks, Bradley Roby and Orhian Johnson each have three picks and Ryan Shazier and Travis Howard has two forced fumbles.

On offense, Ohio State rates just 75th in points (25 ppg) while compiling 320 yards per contest (196 running, 124 through the air). The ground attack is led by Braxton Miller, Dan Herron and Carlos Hyde with a combined 1,840 yards and 16 scores on 5.0 yards per carry.

Miller connects on 50 percent of his passes for 997 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions, while the offensive line has given up 40 sacks. The main receivers on the team are Corey Brown and Jake Stoneburner with 14 grabs each for a total of 398 yards and eight touchdowns, while Devin Smith has 12 grabs for 247 yards and four scores.

Florida

Florida began the year 4-0 under new head coach Will Muschamp, but faltered during the meat of their schedule, going 2-6 the rest of the way with five defeats versus current top-25 schools to end up third in the SEC East (3-5). Florida was 1-4 away from home but 5-3 in their home state.

Florida ranks 25th in the nation in defense (21 points per contest) and gives up 299 yards per game (167 passing, 132 on the ground) while recording 22 sacks and enticing 12 turnovers three of which were returned for touchdowns (Jaye Howard, fumble; De’Ante Saunders and Jelani Jenkins, picks).

Jonathan Bostic anchors the defense with 86 tackles, while Ronald Powell has five sacks. Matt Elam leads with two interceptions and two forced fumbles while chipping in 72 tackles.

Florida ranks 72nd nationally in points (26 ppg) while totaling 334 yards per game (190 passing, 144 running). John Brantley has completed 59 % of his passes for 1,912 yards and 10 scores with six picks. The offensive line has allowed 23 sacks.

Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps anchor the running attack with a combined 1,329 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.3 yards per attempt, while Rainey and Jordan Reed are the top receiving threats with 28 grabs each for a combined 657 yards and four touchdowns.

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Nebraska and South Carolina will square off in this season’s version of the Capital One Bowl.

This is just the fourth time these two teams have met on the football field, and the first time since 1987. Nebraska won all three previous meetings, including the most recent, in Lincoln, 30-21.

The latest Capital One Bowl odds list South Carolina as 2-point favorites, while the total has been set for 46 points.

Nebraska

Nebraska opened the season 7-1, including an impressive 24-3 win over Michigan State, but traded wins and losses over their last four games of the season to finish 5-3 in conference play, good for just 3rd in the Big Ten Legends Division. The Huskers went 3-2 away from Lincoln this year, including a win at Happy Valley over Penn State.

The Huskers enter the game ranking 39th in the nation in scoring defense (23 points per game) and gives up 351 yards per game (189 passing, 162 rushing) while compiling 17 sacks and forcing 18 turnovers one of which was returned for a TD (Austin Cassidy, fumble).

Lavonte David leads the defensive unit with 122 tackles (45 more than anyone else), two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, while Cameron Meredith has a team-best five sacks.

Offensively, Nebraska ranks 43rd in points scored (30 ppg) while recording 390 yards per game (224 rushing, 167 passing). Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez anchor the offense with the running game, combining for 2,105 yards and 24 TDs on 4.9 yards per carry.

Martinez completes 56 percent of his passes for 1,973 yards and 12 TDs with seven interceptions. The offensive line allowed 15 sacks. Kenny Bell is the top pass-catcher with 29 receptions for 408 yards and two TDS, while Brandon Kinnie has 22 catches for 257 yards and a score.

South Carolina

The Gamecocks finished the regular season with a win over Clemson, giving them a 10-2 record overall and 6-2 record in SEC play (good for 2nd in the East). The Clemson win was their third-straight to end the season and they enter the Capital One Bowl with a 4-1 record on the road.).

The Gamecocks rank 13th nationally in points allowed (19 ppg) and gives up 269 yards per game (136 rushing, 133 passing) while recording 25 sacks and forcing 30 turnovers five of which have been returned for TDs (Melvin Ingram and Antonio Allen, three fumbles; Allen and Devin Taylor, interceptions).

Allen leads this unit with 81 tackles, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries, along with four forced fumbles. Ingram has a team-best 8.5 sack and Jadeveon Clowney has five forced fumbles.

On offense, South Carolina ranks 45th nationally in scoring (30 ppg) while posting 375 total yards per game (198 rushing, 177 passing).

The offense is anchored by three players Marcus Lattimore, Brandon Wilds and Connor Shaw with a combined 1,787 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry. Shaw has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,218 yards and 12 TDs with six INTs, while Alshon Jeffery is the top receiver with 45 receptions for 614 yards and seven touchdowns.

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The 2012 version of the Fiesta Bowl pits the Stanford Cardinal against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. With two of the most prolific offenses in the country on the field, this is expected to be one of the top games outside of the National Championship.

This game will be the first time these two teams have every played eachother.

A look at the most recent Fiesta Bowl odds shows the Cowboys listed as 3.5-point favorites, while the over/under sits at 74 points.

Stanford

The Cardinal tied for the top spot in the Pac-12 North Division (8-1) but lost to co-champ Oregon to miss a spot in the league title game. The team has won its last two games, most recently a 28-14 win over Notre Dame. Stanford is 5-0 away from home this year.

The Cardinal are the 5th-best scoring offense in the country (44 ppg) while recording 481 yards per game (273 passing, 208 rushing). Andrew Luck completes 70 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards and 35 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Griff Whalen leads the receiving corps with 49 catches (14 more than anyone else) for 664 yards and four TDs, while Stepfan Taylor anchors the running game with 1,153 yards and eight TDs on 5.6 yards per carry.

On defense, the Cardinal rank a respectable 23rd in the nation in points allowed (20 ppg), giving up 331 yards per game (241 passing, 90 rushing) while compiling 38 sacks and forced 21 turnovers two of which were returned for TDs (Michael Thomas, interception; Max Bergen, fumble).

Jarek Lancaster leads the unit with 63 tackles, while Michael Thomas has 61 tackles and a team-best three interceptions. Chase Thomas pitches in with 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Oklahoma Stat e

Oklahoma State started 10-0 this season, and looked well on their way to a possible BCS Championship game appearance before suffering a shocking double-overtime loss at Iowa State. The Cowboys bounced back well, however, blowing out instate rival Oklahoma, 44-10. Oklahoma State went 5-1 on the road this season, including wins at Texas and at Texas A&M.

OSU ranks second in the country in points scored (49 ppg) and recording 557 yards per game (386 passing, 171 rushing). Brandon Weeden completes 73 percent of his passes for 4,328 yards and 34 TDs with 12 interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 11 sacks.

All-American Justin Blackmon leads the receiving corps with 113 receptions for 1,336 yards and five TDs, while Joseph Randle anchors the running game with 1,123 yards and 23 scores on 6.0 yards per carry.

Defensively, the Cowboys rank 61st nationally in points allowed (26 ppg) and give up 446 yards per game (266 passing, 180 rushing) while recording 28 sacks and forcing 42 turnovers three of which were returned for TDs (Richetti Jones and Josh Stewart, fumbles; Shaun Lewis, interception).

Daytawion Lowe leads the team wit 88 tackles and three forced fumbles while Jamie Blatnick has seven sacks and two fumble recoveries. Brodrick Brown has five picks to go with two fumble recoveries and Jones has three forced fumbles and three recoveries.

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