Alabama vs. the Field
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
The Las Vegas Hotel & Casino SuperBook has updated its odds to win the BCS Championship and its lines for Games of the Year. Alabama and Oregon are 3/2 (Bet $100 to win $150) co-favorites while Florida State (3/1) Ohio State (7/1) and Baylor (7/1) are next in line.
LVH has also posted numbers on upcoming regular-season matchups for each of the five teams mentioned above.
Let’s start with Alabama. The Crimson Tide has just two real challenges remaining on its regular-season slate. LVH has ‘Bama favored by 11 vs. LSU in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 9. Nick Saban’s team must close the regular season on The Plains against Auburn. The Tide is currently a 13-point road ‘chalk’ at AU.
Oregon has three huge games looming after Saturday’s showdown vs. UCLA in Eugene. LVH has the Ducks favored by 10½ for a Thursday game (11/7) at Stanford. They will be looking to avenge last year’s 17-14 home loss to the Cardinal in overtime.
Oregon is a 22½-point road ‘chalk’ for a Nov. 23 trip to Arizona. Also, the Ducks are 27-point home favorites vs. Oregon St. in their Civil War regular-season finale.
Florida State is favored by 14 vs. Miami on Nov. 2. The Hurricanes are still unbeaten but they suffered a costly injury in Thursday’s non-covering win at North Carolina. Their best WR Phillip Dorsett is out for the next six weeks and won’t be available in Tallahassee.
FSU will close its regular season at The Swamp against a sliding Florida squad that’s dealing with injuries galore. LVH has the Seminoles installed as 13½-point favorites.
After hosting Penn State this weekend, Ohio State should cruise through its next three foes before closing the year at The Big House. The Buckeyes are 4½-point favorites at Michigan.
As for Baylor, it is going to go through a big step up in competition beginning on Nov. 7. That’s when the Bears will take on Oklahoma in Waco on Thursday night. They are currently favored by 10 over the Sooners at LVH.
Art Briles’s team is an 11-point ‘chalk’ for a Nov. 30 game at TCU. Then in its regular-season finale, Baylor is favored by 18 vs. Texas.
Jay Kornegay of LVH has also provided VegasInsider.com with lines for potential matchups in the BCS Championship Game. The book has Alabama listed as a three-point favorite vs. Oregon. The Tide is favored by 6½ for a potential showdown vs. FSU in Pasadena. Also, Saban’s bunch is a 13½-point favorite vs. Ohio State.
Due to its style of play and the fact that Alabama’s defense is the only one considered stout enough to slow its offense, Oregon has the same number as ‘Bama when matched against FSU and a more expensive number if it faces the Buckeyes.Kornegay and LVH have the Ducks favored by 6½ vs. the ‘Noles and 17 versus the Buckeyes.
The line for FSU-Ohio St. is Jimbo Fisher’s team laying 10 points. Urban Meyer won his first five games against FSU during his time at Florida, but he lost in Tallahassee in his final game in that rivalry.
Below are the latest LVH Future Odds to win this year's BCS Championship (1/6/14) from Pasadena, CA.
Alabama 3/2
Oregon 3/2
Florida State 3/1
Ohio State 7/1
Baylor 7/1
Stanford 30/1
Missouri 30/1
Auburn 60/1
Clemson 200/1
LSU 300/1
Fresno State 300/1
Virginia Tech 500/1
Texas Tech 500/1
Texas A&M 1000/1
Michigan 1000/1
South Carolina 1000/1
Oregon State 1000/1
Nebraska 1000/1
Oklahoma 1000/1
Louisville 1000/1
Michigan State 1000/1
Wisconsin 1000/1
Oklahoma State 2000/1
Texas 9999/1
Notre Dame 9999/1
Arizona State 9999/1
BYU 9999/1
Arizona 9999/1
Boise State 9999/1
Field (Any other team not listed above) 30/1