NCAA College Football Betting: BBVA Compass Bowl Preview

Saturday, January 08, 2011

by Bodog Sportsbook

NCAA College Football Betting: BBVA Compass Bowl Preview

Something called the BBVA Compass Bowl is your only college football action on Saturday before the NFL playoffs take over later in the day, with Pittsburgh Panthers facing Kentucky Wildcats in Birmingham, Ala. The Pittsburgh Panthers are 3.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA football odds.

Pittsburgh (7-5) was a preseason Big East favorite but struggled to a 7-5 record. And those struggles cost head coach Dave Wannstedt his job. OK, no problem, the school hired Mike Haywood of MAC champion Miami (Ohio) to take over for Wannstedt, who was expected to coach the team in the bowl game. However, then Haywood was arrested for a domestic violence issue and Pitt fired him less than three weeks on the job. Then on Monday, Wannstedt said he wouldn’t be coaching the team after all.

So defensive coordinator Phil Bennett was named the team's interim coach for the bowl game. The Panthers are 5-0 when rushing for at least 150 yards while the Wildcats were 73rd in nation against run in allowing 170 ypg. Pitt QB Tino Sunseri struggled down the stretch with just three TDs and four picks in the final four games.

Kentucky (6-6) extended its school-record bowl streak to five straight years with this invitation, with UK having won three of the past four. UK could be arguably one of the worst teams in the bowls as the Wildcats only beat three teams from BCS conferences: Louisville, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. And UK won’t have starting Mike Hartline for this game as he was suspended back in December following his arrest on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

Sophomore Morgan Newton will start in Hartline's place. Hartline had his best season with 3,178 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. Newton started eight games as a freshman after Hartline injured a knee but has thrown for only 54 yards this season. UK does have two players who could start on any team: running back Derrick Locke and receiver/return man Randall Cobb. Locke missed four games this year with an injury but finished strong with 242 rushing yards and three TDs in UK’s final two games. Cobb accounted for 16 touchdowns four different ways this season and is ranked second nationally with 2,192 all-purpose yards.

Be a player and bet at Bodog Sportsbook on whether Pitt can avoid all the distractions and beat Kentucky

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compass bowl - dave wannstedt - derrick locke - kentucky wildcats - mike hartline - mike haywood - morgan newton - phil bennett - pittsburgh panthers - randall cobb