NCAAF: QB situation affects odds

Get Free & Paid Picks for the NCAA Matchup Between Tennessee & UCLA Here at Cybersportsblog.com >>

An uncertain quarterback situation has made the UCLA Bruins 7.5-point home dogs to the Tennessee Volunteers on college football’s version of Monday Night Football.

This game is being broadcast at 8 pm on ESPN and a whopping 88% of the early bettors favor the Vols. Remember to make Sportsbook.com your home for college football this season. You’ll find the greatest array of game and future odds, all released the earliest in the industry.

UCLA’s starting quarterback for Monday night is junior college transfer Kevin Craft, and if you haven’t heard of him, don’t be ashamed. Craft was the team’s third option and is only starting because Patrick Cowan suffered a season-ending knee injury and Ben Olson is still out with a foot problem.

Check out our all new NCAA Football Betting Forums @ CappersPicks.com - Talk College Football SMACK today!

Advertisement

That’s not how Coach Rick Neuheisel drew it up on the blackboard when he was hired in December. Neuheisel played quarterback at UCLA and is a former head coach at Colorado and Washington. He also hired an elite offensive coordinator in Norm Chow, who held the same position for USC and the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

Craft is trying to make the jump after playing last season for Mt. San Antonio College, and he has struggled more than his share in practice. It doesn’t help matters that the offensive line is suspect and playmakers at the skill positions are mostly unproven. The defense is ahead of the offense at this point, but they have their hands full with Tennessee.

The Vols, out of the SEC, are ranked 18th in the country after going 10-4 last year and 6-2 in the conference. This is the second year in a row they have opened up against a Pac-10 school after suffering a 45-31 defeat at Cal last season as seven-point underdogs.

You can be sure that Coach Phillip Fulmer is hammering away at his team all week about that game to motivate them against UCLA.

The big change to Tennessee this year comes on offense with a new offensive coordinator in Dave Clawson and redshirt junior quarterback Jonathan Crompton taking over for Erik Ainge. Crompton did have two starts against LSU and Arkansas in 2006 and he’s expected to excel in Clawson’s more high powered offense.

Crompton is also aided by the fact the Vols have two talented running backs in Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty. That means they’ll be plenty of play-action passes to a deep receiving corps. The Vols did lose linebacker Jerod Mayo and they have questions on run defense, but the UCLA offensive line doesn’t look good enough to capitalize.

One down note for Tennessee is that starting defensive back Brett Vinson and defensive tackle Donald Langley were suspended for this game due to academic issues.
One betting trend for this game is that UCLA is 20-7 ATS in their last 27 home games, including 5-1 last year. Will that number hold up against a very talented Tennessee team?

Bet now UCLA vs. Tennessee matchup here at Sportsbook.com - Click Here

Tweet This Post 

Posted under NCAA Football Picks, Sports Odds, Sports Predictions