Get to the Point

By Jimmy Harris

The summer is moving fast, and believe it or not college football kicks off in just over a month. Jimmy was patrolling the college football futures at today looking for some value, but it was pretty slim pickings.

In the Big Ten this year it's hard to pick anyone other than Ohio State to dominate. The Buckeyes have 19 returning starters from a team that went to the BCS Championship Game last year.

Unfortunately there's no money to be made in picking the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten, as they are a 1/3 favorite at online sportsbook . If Jimmy had to pick someone to upset Ohio State and take the Big Ten title it would have to be Penn State.

The Nittany Lions' defense should be fierce, and if the switch back to the spread offense pays off they could be a good pick at 11/2 on 's Big Ten future odds list.

Also heavily favored to win their conference this season are the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Big East. The oddsmakers at BodogLife have tabbed the Mountaineers as a 4/5 favorite. I don't think West Virginia is going to roll through the rest of their conference, though.

The Mountaineers only have a dozen returning starters this year, and they also have to adjust to a new head coach after Rich Rodriguez bolted for Michigan. I also don't see West Virginia quarterback Pat White lasting the entire season. The fragile White seems to always get hurt at least once a season, and this year won't be any different.

So instead of West Virginia I'll take South Florida at 2/1 in the Big East. The Bulls are very talented on both sides of the ball, and the only thing standing in their way of winning the Big East might be a trip to West Virginia to finish off the regular season.

If the Bulls can upset the Mountaineers at home in December, they take the Big East. All in all, a juicy-looking start to the season for college football bettors like myself.