BCS Championship Game

Ohio St. +3.5
The Buckeye's are being overlooked on defense by all the SEC faithful. The Buckeye's defense was outstanding this year and it will show in a game tonight where they need to play big. Losing last year after the long lay off has helped the buckeyes and they will learn by it and win on the field.

Orange Bowl

My selection: VT/Kansas Under 52

BET THE GAME HERE

Bowl Information for Tonight's game

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (-3 ½, 53)
Battle of opposites
Thursday’s Orange Bowl will be a battle between one of the best offenses and one of the top defenses in the nation. Kansas has produced the second most points per game this season (44.3), while Virginia Tech is allowing the second fewest (15.5).
“Something is going to give,” Virginia Tech linebacker Xavier Adibi told the Kansas City Star. “That’s the way you have to look at it. That is gonna be an exciting part of this whole game. They have an excellent offense, and we have an excellent defense. It’s going to come down to who executes better.”
In the regular season, getting the job done was not a problem for either team. The Jayhawks finished 11-1, while the Hokies were 11-2. One thing that could separate the sides is experience.
Virginia Tech has made as many bowl trips in the last ten years as Kansas has made in all 117 seasons of its football program. This is the Hokies’ fifth BCS bowl matchup in 12 years, but they are not taking their rivals lightly.
"I don't think it'll be a factor at all," VT offensive lineman Duane Brown told The Associated Press. "I think Kansas, not being in this position before, it makes them a little more excited, anticipating that day. I'm sure they're preparing as hard as they can. We've got to match that. Being too comfortable can get you in trouble."
Bettors have to decide whether the Jayhawks’ high-powered offense (490.7 yards per game) or the Hokies’ stingy defense (293.3) will win out. They can certainly find food for thought in Kansas’ ATS record this season. The team beat the number in all but one of its eleven games offering a spread.
One-two punch
Junior Hokies quarterback Sean Glennon started poorly this season and his understudy Taylor Tyrod struggled with injuries and inconsistency. To get the best out of their patchy offense, Virginia Tech employed a two-quarterback system.
Glennon is a traditional drop-back passer. Taylor – a freshman – is more of a running QB. Their differences made them suited to splitting time, but as Glennon told reporters this week, that didn’t guarantee the plan’s success.
“If either me or Tyrod took the route where we said, ‘This is B.S., I should be the guy out there,’ that could lead to kind of rooting against him when he’s in there,” he told the Kansas City Star.
“That’s not going to help the team win. The quarterback is a reflection of leadership and attitude. If the guy in charge of the huddle had that attitude, it’d be easy to self-destruct.” Instead, the VT offense went on to play its best football of the season after the decision.
The Hokies dominated Florida State and Miami, then beat rival Virginia on the road to make the ACC title game. In that contest, VT produced one of its best offensive performances of the season in a 30-16 win over Boston College.
The Jayhawks, meanwhile, are hopeful that facing two totally different quarterbacks will make life easier for the Kansas defense.
“It’d be hard to go against one that does both,” KU linebacker Joe Mortensen said. “When Taylor comes in, he likes to run the ball. When Glennon is in, he hardly ever runs. We know what to expect when they both come in the game.”
Glennon has thrown for 1,636 yards and 11 TDs this season, while Taylor has put up 916 yards and five TDs.
Talib will return punts
Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib has been practicing punt returns all season and Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino has finally decided to give him a chance.
Talib will return punts against Virginia Tech mainly because of a lack of production from regular return specialist Anthony Webb – who was averaging less than a yard per return.
“It’s out of necessity,” Mangino told reporters this week. “Talib is a playmaker, a dependable guy. He’ll do a great job. We’re blocking people, but we’re not returning the ball.”
Talib has denied that he is using the Orange Bowl as an opportunity for him to showcase his talents to NFL scouts. “No, man, I use these extra games for my team!” he told the Star. “That’s what we’re here for. I couldn’t care less about pro scouts right now.”
He has eight receptions for 182 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Ore out for first quarter
Virginia Tech will be without its leading rusher for the opening quarter of the Orange Bowl. Associate head coach Billy Hite confirmed last week that running back Brandon Ore has been suspended for the first quarter of Thursday’s game for showing up late to practice on Dec. 21.
“I talked with coach (Frank) Beamer on Friday, and I recommended that we suspend Branden for a quarter,” Hite told the Roanoke Times. “I’m not putting up with that kind of stuff.
“In order for us to win ballgames, we can’t have guys showing up at practice whenever they want to. Everybody else made it to practice on time, so there’s no excuse for Branden not making it, too.”
Ore leads the Hokies with 876 yards on the ground and eight rushing touchdowns. He will be replaced for the opening quarter by sophomore Lewis Kenny Jr., who has 183 yards and four TDs.
Ore ran for 1,137 yards and 16 touchdowns last season and was named a first-team All-ACC performer.