BCS WAGERING PREDICTIONS

By Matt Lichtel for Steve Merril Sports

We need a playoff system in place for Division 1-A College Football. While this might not be a ground breaking revelation, I just thought I'd get that off my chest in case you hadn't heard such a claim recently. In all seriousness, it's time to revisit this annual mid-season college football discussion. The names will not be changed to protect the innocent. In fact, you'll recognize most of the names as they are in the mix each and every year.

It is amazing that most media outlets are starting to put out their official Bowl projections this week, especially considering how realistic and accurate these projections will turn out considering it is only early November. Many of the predictions will probably be right on the nose which is a painful reminder of how color-by-number the College Bowls have become. No one seems to care whether the best team wins the national title.

Perhaps the best way to achieve an eventual Division I-A playoff system is to root for BCS failure. First, we will obviously need as many undefeated teams as possible-at least one from every conference. This means we will have to start cheering for all the favorites, and resist any natural inclination you might have to root for an underdog even if it is "your" team.

The next time Texas faces off with North Texas, I'll be the guy hoping they cover the forty-three point spread. Do I want USC to trip up this year? Nope. I hope they win their next 50 games.along with any other team daring to go undefeated. Oh yeah - it would also be helpful if all the undefeated teams hailed from BCS conferences (and Notre Dame, the parenthetical BCS superstar).

I would also appreciate it if all the 119 Division 1-A teams would please comply with the AP Preseason Poll. If nothing changed in the polls from the season's start to finish, then teams ranked third or lower would stop trying so hard on the field and start squawking at Bowl Traditionalists, a.k.a. the university's presidents.

Unfortunately, there are only a few undefeated teams remaining this season and we are losing ground on our goal of total BCS destruction, but we can still rest our hopes on Virginia Tech, UCLA, or Alabama to be the squawkers. Perhaps they will blast their opponents, win their respective conferences, and continue to go unscathed. Even if Virginia Tech plays Alabama in the #2 BSC bowl, one of those teams will finish the season 13-0, just like the eventual winner between USC and Texas. Last year Auburn was the odd team out and a lower preseason ranking than Oklahoma was the only thing depriving the Tigers of an eventual shot at national champion USC.

STEVE MERRIL is a professional sports handicapper and a documented member of The Professional Handicappers League. Steve has accumulated numerous No. 1 titles in all three major sports as documented by Sports Watch, Sports Monitor, and Bigguy. Steve finished No. 1 in the nation in 2002 in the NFL and the College Bowls. He also finished No. 1 in basketball during two of the past four seasons, and has achieved No. 1 rankings in baseball using his Underdog System which has accumulated over 100-plus units of profit the past seven years. Steve Merril's daily selections are backed by detailed reports which include a full analysis of why the play will win along with highly profitable ATS super-systems. When you purchase Steve Merril's selections you receive winning and detailed information in each and every report.

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