Title game helps Southland seize national spotlight

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time in 14 years, the FCS national championship game will not run through Chattanooga, Tennessee. Understandably, people aren't pleased in Chattanooga. "It's hard to believe that the NCAA would walk away from 13 years of solid game experience to start over, regardless of the site," said Scott Smith, president of the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee.

The site Smith refers to is Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The stadium, which is home to Major League Soccer's FC Dallas, has a capacity of 23,500. The city, which was recently named the nation's fastest-growing city by the U.S. Census Bureau, is the home of the FCS' Southland Conference. Folks around the league, as you might imagine, are pleased.

"It's certainly an honor for our conference to be one of the hosts for the FCS championship game," says McNeese State head coach Matt Viator. "Since I have been here we have played in one championship game and it was a great experience. I know that everyone connected with our football program feels a bit of pride in our conference's hosting roll this coming season."

The game Viator is referring to is the 2002 FCS championship game between Western Kentucky and McNeese State. McNeese lost 33-14, but the coach still recalls the experience fondly.

In 2010, with the road to the FCS championship running through their backyard, will any team in the Southland prove capable of representing its conference on the division's largest stage?

In both the media and coaches polls released today, Stephen F. Austin has been established as the favorite. SFA, the reigning Southland Conference co- champion, received seven of eight first-place votes in both polls. The Lumberjacks advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year, before suffering a severe 51-0 defeat to eventual FCS runner-up Montana.

Speaking on SFA's status as team to beat in the Southland, head coach J.C. Harper refers to incumbent stars Jeremy Moses and Jabara Williams as reasons for self-assurance. "When you start with two guys like that on both sides of the ball, we welcome it all," says Harper.

Also on Wednesday, Moses and Williams were both announced as 2010 Preseason All-Southland Conference First-Team members. The quarterback and linebacker, respectively, would seem to represent the Southland's best shot at taking home a national award in Frisco this January.

In a conference rife with parity, McNeese State proved to be the only other team worthy of a first-place vote in the polls, receiving one vote in both the media and coaches preseason polls. In 2009, McNeese lost only one conference game; a tough 16-13 decision against Stephen F. Austin. As with SFA, McNeese reached the playoffs, falling in the first round to New Hampshire.

MSU returns 15 of its starters in 2010, including 2009 Southland Conference freshman of the year Malcolm Bronson. Bronson heads a defensive backfield which placed three players on the 2010 Preseason All-Southland Conference First-Team. Along with Bronson, defensive backs Darrell Jenkins and Seth Thomas were also selected. In all, McNeese State had a conference-leading 14 selections.

Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State represent the Southland's best chance to capitalize on a unique opportunity. To host one of their own in the FCS championship game would be dream scenario for the Southland. Both teams will have to significantly improve their playoff performances from a year ago. Both teams will have to survive tough competition within the conference itself. Both teams will have to rely upon returning veteran leadership. Both teams, in reality, will need a little bit of luck.

Stephen F. Austin head coach J. C. Harper is aware. Speaking about championship aspirations, the coach says, "My dad always told me, 'If you're going to win a championship, you've got to be a little lucky.'"

It took a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck to get the FCS championship game moved to Frisco. Maybe adherence to the same formula will result in another victory of sorts for the Southland.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL (Coaches)

1. Stephen F. Austin (7 first-place votes), 49 points;

2. McNeese State (1), 43;

3. (tie) Southeastern Louisiana, 29;

3. (tie) Texas State, 29;

5. Central Arkansas, 27;

6. Northwestern State, 20;

7. Sam Houston State, 18;

8. Nicholls, 9

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL (Media)

1. Stephen F. Austin (7 first-place votes), 49 points;

2. McNeese State (1), 40;

3. Southeastern Louisiana, 35;

4. Texas State, 31;

5. Central Arkansas, 29;

6. Sam Houston State, 16;

7. Nicholls, 13;

8. Northwestern State, 11

2010 PRESEASON ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEAMS

First-Team Offense

QB- Jeremy Moses, Stephen F. Austin; RB- Champlain Babin, McNeese State; RB- Jackie Hinton, Central Arkansas; FB/HB- Rico Moss, Central Arkansas; WR- Da'Marcus Griggs, Texas State; WR- Willie Landers, Central Arkansas; TE- Simmie Yarborough, Southeastern Louisiana; OL- D. J. Hall, Texas State; OL- Miguel Gauthreaux, McNeese State; OL- Austin Emerson, Central Arkansas; OL- Michael Booker, Northwestern State; OL- Jonothan Landry, McNeese State

First-Team Defense

DL- Desmund Lighten, McNeese State; DL- Markell Carter, Central Arkansas; DL- Kenneth Charles, Stephen F. Austin; DL- Sean Warren, Stephen F. Austin; LB- Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin; LB- Mark Newbill, Southeastern Louisiana; DB- Re'Keem Wilson, Southeastern Louisiana; DB- Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State; DB- Darrell Jenkins, McNeese State; DB- Seth Thomas, McNeese State; DB- Tommy Connors, Southeastern Louisiana

First-Team Specialists

PK- Eddie Carmona, Central Arkansas; P- Patrick Dolan, Nicholls; RS- Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin

Second-Team Offense

QB- Paul Harris, Northwestern State; RB- Zeke Jones, Southeastern Louisiana; RB- Romonte Hampton, Stephen F. Austin; FB/HB- Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin; WR- Daren Dillard, Texas State; WR- Chris Royal, McNeese State; TE- Corday Clark, McNeese State; OL- Kevin Hughes, Southeastern Louisiana; OL- Taylor Johnson, McNeese State; OL- George Bias, Stephen F. Austin; OL- Zach Case, Northwestern State; OL- Brandon Ward, Nicholls

Second-Team Defense

DL- Terrance Freeman, McNeese State; DL- Devan Walker, Southeastern Louisiana; DL- Adley Eshraghipour, Texas State; DL- Josh Ellison, McNeese State; LB- Geremy Pilate, McNeese State; LB- Devin Ducote, Stephen F. Austin; DB- Bobby Felder, Nicholls; DB- Andre Banks, Stephen F. Austin; DB- Ford Smesny, McNeese State; DB- Henry Minor, Central Arkansas; DB- Marcus Clark, Texas State

Second-Team Specialists

PK/P- Drew Nelson, Stephen F. Austin; RS- Bradley Brown, Northwestern State

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Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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MySportsbook.com Releases World Series Championship Lines

New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox early favorites to win 2008 World Series
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