The fifth-ranked (AP) Stanford Cardinal (11-1) had the misfortune to be great in the same year Oregon was greater. With the Ducks heading to the BCS Championship Game, Stanford would be the logical choice to represent the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl. But do to an agreement with the BCS, it was the Rose Bowl's turn to host the highest ranked Non-Qualifier; hence TCU. So instead of playing in Califorinia on New Years Day, the Cardinal is flying cross-country to play ACC Champs Virginia Tech (11-2) in the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fla., on Monday, Dec. 3 (8 pm ET, ESPN). Oddsmakers across the offshore college football board list Stanford as a -3 1/2 spreads favorite versus the Hokies with a 58 1/2 total. Be sure and get the most up to the minute College Football Point Spreads for tonight's Orange Bowl where the Cardinal and Hokies collide.
Early betting averages show fans are strongly backing Stanford, as 72% of spreads wagering is falling on the Cardinal, and 75% are hammering the money line for a SU Stanford victory. A smaller majority of players (62%) are betting the combined score goes OVER the 59 points posted by odds makers.
Virginia Tech started the 2010 season off as a top-10 team, ranked No.6 in the USA-Today/Coaches Poll and ranked 10th by the Associated Press. In their opener, the Hokies gave up a late fourth quarter drive by No. 3 Boise State losing 33-30 and starting the year off 0-1. Operating on a five-day turn-around, the Hokies went into their game with Division-1 FCS James Madison unprepared and losing 16-21. Following the loss to the Dukes, Virginia Tech fell out of any BCS conversation; or for awhile anyway. Virginia Tech did not lose again, victorious in 10-straight games and winning the ACC Coastal Division outright. The Hokies followed with a 44-33 victory over Atlantic Division winner Florida State for the ACC Football Championship.
Stanford enjoyed a great season with its 11-1 record and strong second place finish to No. 1 Oregon. No other Pac-10 team was even close to the Cardinal's 8-1 league record other than the Ducks,finishing the season one game in the standings better. The only loss Stanford suffered was to Oregon; and it wasn't pretty, losing by three touchdowns and giving up 52 points. Since that loss in Week-5, the Cardinal went 7-0 the rest of the way. Once the Stanford machine got rolling behind its Heisman Trophy finalist quartberback Andrew Luck, few teams put up much of a fight. The Cardinal ended Pac-10 play by blanking Oregon State 38-0.
Orange Bowl Prediction: Coach Jim Harbaugh really got the Cardinal on the right track in the Pac-10 the past couple of years and they have been rewarded with a top-5 ranking and a BCS bowl bid. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer did a great job getting the Hokies minds off their two season opening losses getting his players focus back on business at hand, and that is to win the ACC football championship. I personally expect the Hokies to cover the betting spread of + 3 1/2 points. Its my opinion that Virginia Tech has been a mere afterthought to many fans throughout the country after their slow start. But you can't argue with 11-0 to finish the season. I like the smash-mouth approach of football the Hokies play. They have a big mobile quarterback in Tyrod Taylor and a couple of big and fast running backs. That's why I consider the BEST BET is Virginia Tech +3 1/2.
