Alabama Crimson Tide Number 1 – USA Today Poll and Odds: The USA Today Coaches poll that ranks college football's top-25 teams was released early Friday, and as expected, the Alabama Crimson Tide are the team voted number 1. Not only are the Tide No. 1 in the poll, but are on top of the Bodog.com 2011 BCS board at 4-to-1 odds.
Ohio State was voted No. 2 behind Alabama followed by Florida, Texas and Boise State. The Bodog BCS board has the Buckeyes installed at 6-to-1 odds, Florida (10-to-1), Texas (14-to-1), and Boise State (8-to-1).
Virginia Tech is sixth (18-to-1), followed by TCU (18-to-1), Oklahoma (15-to-2), Nebraska (15-to-1) and Iowa (20-to1) to round out the top 10.
Schools ranked 11-15 and their betting odds are, Oregon (35-to-1), Miami (18-to-1), Penn State (25-to-1), and Pittsburgh (50-to-1). They are followed by LSU (25-to-1), Georgia Tech (50-to-1), North Carolina (60-to-1), Arkansas (35-to-1), and Florida State (50-to-1). Georgia (35-to-1) is No. 21, followed by Oregon State (40-to-1), Auburn (40-to-1), and tied at No. 24 Utah (100-to-1) and West Virginia (80-to-1).
Readers should not get confused with how a team is voted in a poll and betting odds. Betting odds are based on how oddsmakers feel fans will bet regardless of how good a team actually is. Polls are more of a popularity contest, based on the number of players returning and a teams record the previous year. One area where polls and betting odds are similar is when teams are traditionally ranked near the top. Fans who bet love to bet on Alabama, Florida and Texas. Even Notre Dame, a team not ranked in this years USA Today poll, often gets the benefit of doubt due to tradition.
Point-Spreads.com has nothing to do with any rankings or posted betting odds but reports both as a service to fans who like to wager on games.
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