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Oregon expects to excel after offseason turmoilNCAA Football Betting Lines08/12/2010 - EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -When Oregon's season ended in Pasadena on New Year's Day, it appeared all but certain that the Pacific-10 champions would lead the conference again this fall. But after a tumultuous offseason, the Ducks' outlook in the league is far more tenuous. Even though Oregon is still considered the league's strongest team in light of Southern California's downturn, the Ducks' fate this season really depends on how the team handles expectations and the loss of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Nobody is more aware of that than second-year coach Chip Kelly. ``Preseason rankings don't mean anything to us,'' Kelly said. ``The great thing about our game is that it's played out on the field.'' Oregon's offseason troubles started in the weeks following their Rose Bowl appearance against Ohio State. Whispers about a fraternity house theft that involved football players led to charges against Masoli. Then prolific freshman running back LaMichael James was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Both athletes went on to plead guilty to charges connected to the allegations. Kelly suspended Masoli - projected as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate - for the upcoming season, while James was suspended for the season opener. Masoli's fall from grace was complete weeks later when he was stopped for a traffic violation and marijuana was found in the car. Kelly kicked him off the team. Nate Costa, the Oregon quarterback whose injury two seasons ago ultimately led to Masoli's rise, looks favored at this point to take over this fall as the Ducks try to put the disarray in the past. But he's going to be challenged by Darron Thomas and there's even a possibility that the Ducks could rotate both. A final decision will be made the week before fall camp ends, Kelly said. Costa is more of a traditional passer while Thomas is more of a threat on the ground. Costa is a senior and has been with the Ducks for five years. But he's had three knee surgeries - and only one start - in that span. Kelly has said the role of the quarterback this season will be to distribute the ball to James, receiver Jeff Maehl and others, but it cannot be ignored that the quarterback has historically been key in Kelly's offenses. Masoli and Dennis Dixon before him prove the point. In fact, when Costa went down just before the start of the 2008 season, the Ducks appeared to flail for a time without a true replacement. But Kelly is correct that Oregon has a talented corps of returning players with the ability to boost anyone in the QB role. ``Our players understand what we expect of them,'' he said. ``We think we're going to have a pretty good team this year.'' Among the most visible is James, who rushed for 1,546 yards last season, the ninth-highest total in the nation. He had seven consecutive 100-yard games before Ohio State limited him to 70 in Oregon's 26-17 loss in the Rose Bowl. He will sit out the season opener against New Mexico on Sept. 4 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge stemming from the altercation with his former girlfriend. Place-kicker Rob Beard was also suspended for the opener after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge for his role in a street fight that left him seriously injured. James will be backed up by fellow sophomore Kenjon Barner and complemented by Maehl, who had 53 catches last season. Oregon also returns all five starters on its offensive line. Oregon's offense racked up more than 37 points and 424 yards per game during the regular season while ending USC's seven-year reign as Pac-10 champion. The Ducks have eight returning starters on defense, including defensive linemen Kenny Rowe and Brandon Bair, along with linebackers Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger. The Ducks were picked by the Pac-10 media to finish atop the conference, followed closely by USC. Oregon State was third. ``This is a conference that any team in it can win,'' Bair said recently at the Pac-10 media day at the Rose Bowl. ``It's not just about one or two teams. There's talent across the board.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though. Arizona 20-1 To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.
Super Bowl XLIII Betting OddsSuper Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset. The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown. The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns. Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy. MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line) Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line) Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00. Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards |
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