UCLA Bruins vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
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Prediction: Under 47 (December 31st 2011)
Illinois, which finished the regular season ranked 42nd in the nation with 171.2 rushing yards per game, will play to its strength and look to run the football against a UCLA defense ranked 95th against the run with 191.5 yards allowed per contest. This scenario plays in our favor in terms of the under as “plays under” on any average rushing team (140-190 yards/game) when matched up against a team with a poor rushing defense (190-230 yards/game), provided they were held to 100 or less rushing yards last game, are 40-19 the last 5 seasons. In addition, the under is 6-0 in the Fighting Illini’s last 6 games and 6-2 in the Bruins’ last 8 games. We’ll take the Under. -Dave Price

Prediction: Illinois -3
Illinois checks in off 6 straight losses, but it didn’t completely collapse. It gave formidable foes Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin all they could handle down the stretch. UCLA played in a weaker conference (top-to-bottom) and was blown out each time it took a step up in class. The Pac-12 was definitely a weaker conference defensively, and I expect UCLA to have a great deal of trouble moving the football on an Illinois stop unit ranked No. 7 in the nation with 291.8 yards allowed per game. Offense was an issue for Illinois this season, but I like their chances covering this small number against a UCLA defense ranked 91st with 424.2 yards allowed per contest. The Bruins are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games overall, 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games as an underdog and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog of 3.0 points or less. Lay the number. -Jeff Alexander

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Utah Utes vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Betting Prediction: Utah +3 (December 31st 2011)
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This will be Georgia Tech’s 15th straight bowl appearance. That’s quite an impressive stat. What’s not so impressive is the fact the Yellow Jackets have lost their last six bowl games. Recently, the Yellow Jackets’ regular season success hasn’t translated into the postseason. With a month to game-plan, teams have been able to slow down Tech’s one-dimensional offense. I expect Utah, which is giving up the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (98.3) nationally, to have success in slowing down Georgia Tech’s run-heavy triple-option offense. The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, who are tied for 70th in the country with an average of 162.9 rushing yards allowed, may have a more difficult time slowing down a Utah running attack led by John White, who finished ninth nationally in the regular season with 1,404 rushing yards to go along with 16 total touchdowns. Utah has won 9 of its last 10 bowl games and is 6-1 in bowls under coach Whittingham. Last year’s loss to Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl ended the Utes’ run, but I expect them to start a new one Saturday. The Utes are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 bowl games and 36-15-1 ATS in their last 52 games as an underdog. The Yellow Jackets are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 bowl games. We’ll take Utah.

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Oklahoma vs. Iowa
Betting Pick: Iowa +14 (December 30th 2011)
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Iowa has been an excellent team to back in bowl games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes have won outright and covered the spread in three straight bowl game appearances, and I think getting them at +14 is an absolute gift.

Dating back to the Hawkeyes 24-26 loss to Texas in the Alamo Bowl, Iowa has covered four straight in postseason play. Iowa was a 9-point underdog in that game to Texas, and they nearly won outright. The Hawkeyes were 6-point underdogs against Georgia Tech in the 2009 Orange Bowl, they won that game 24-14. Last year they were getting 2-points against Missouri in the Insight Bowl and won that game outright 27-24.

The big concern for Iowa is they will be without starting running back Marcus Coker, who finished second in the Big Ten with 1,384 rushing yards to go along with 15 touchdowns. Coker has been the predominant back this season, as no other running back has more than 18 attempts.

A big reason why Coker had so much success, is because he was running behind a talented offensive line. I see no reason why someone can’t step up and give Iowa some production on the ground. Last year Coker came out of nowhere to rush for 219 yards and two touchdowns against Missouri in the bowl game.

It’s not like Oklahoma has a powerhouse run defense. The Sooners come in 45th against the run (139.6 ypg). They just gave up 278 rushing yards in their regular season finale against Oklahoma State.

All of that and we haven’t even got to talking about the weapons Iowa has in the passing game. Junior quarterback James Vandenberg threw for 2,806 yards with 23 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Vandenberg has a future NFL wideout at his disposal in Marvin McNutt, who finished up the year with 78 catches for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Oklahoma is going to be able to move the ball against a suspect Iowa defense, but I don’t think they are going to have as much success as some might think. Oklahoma’s offense has not been the same since the loss of star receiver Ryan Broyles, and I expect Ferentz to have a solid game plan ready for what the Sooners will be looking to do offensively.

Iowa is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater, while Oklahoma is just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Bowl games as a favorite. BET THE HAWKEYES +14! If you enjoyed this Oklahoma vs. Iowa Betting Pick, be sure to purchase Steve Janus’ expert sports picks.

Week 17 NFL Picks: January 1st 2012
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Week 17 NFL Pick: New Orleans Saints -9
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers (6-9 SU, 9-6 ATS, 9-6 O/U) have won two straight and four of its L/5 games overall, but they’ll be hard-pressed t nab a season-ending ‘W’ when they take on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (12-3 SU, 11-4 ATS, 8-7 O/U) in an intriguing NFC South divisional matchup that has all the makings of a thriller. Carolina – and Newton – looked absolutely phenomenal in spanking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-16 in their Week 16 matchup to cash in as a 7.5-point home favorite and move to 4-1 ATS over its L/5 games. New Orleans also looked awesome in routing the Atlanta Falcons 45-16 a week ago and has been on fire since the start of November by winning seven consecutive games coming into this expected thriller.

Analysis: The Carolina Panthers have exceeded all expectations this season NFL gamblers and clearly have one of the brightest futures of any franchise in the NFL. Having said that, I still don’t like them to beat the Saints in this contest, mostly because Drew Brees and company will be looking to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and know they need a win in this one if they want to break a tie with the 12-3 San Francisco 49ers. Carolina is just 3-4 SU on the road this season and 1-4 ATS in their L/5 road games versus a team with a winning home record. The Saints will almost assuredly pull their starters a bit early in this contest, but they’ve still managed to go 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall and 10-1 ATS in their L/11 home games overall. The Carolina Panthers are 4-9 ATS in their L/13 games versus a team with a winning record and are tanked 26th in points allowed defensively – and that’s not a good thing facing Drew Brees and the Saints.
NFL Pick: New Orleans Saints -9 Points

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Week 17 NFL Pick: Detroit Lions -3.5
The Detroit Lions (10-5 SU, 7-6-2 ATS, 9-6 O/U) and Green Bay Packers (14-1 SU, 10-5 ATS, 10-5 O/U) will meet in a fairly meaningless game for both teams when they meet in their Week 17 NFC North divisional matchup on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Still, this contest is offering NFL gridiron gamblers a ton of value as both teams get set for the playoffs. The Lions have won three straight and are coming off an emphatic 38-10 blowout win over San Diego as a 1-point home favorite in Week 16 while the Packers bounced back nicely from their only loss this season to beat Chicago 35-21 the last time out and narrowly cover the spread as a 13-point home favorite.

Analysis: Okay pro football gamblers, the Detroit Lions are just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 road games against Green Bay and an even more discouraging 3-8 ATS in their last 11 meetings, but I’m going to urge Touthouse NFL bettors to back the Lions anyway as Green Bay assuredly pulls Aaron Rodgers and most of the team’s other starters by halftime while Detroit sticks with their starters a bit longer. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy can not take a chance of Rodgers getting hurt by Ndamukong Suh or one of Detroit’s other high-motored defensive players. The Packers should be able to take this narrow loss in stride as they really focus on getting a bit healthier for the playoffs while the Lions look to get the highest seed possible in the NFC. Detroit can score the ball like crazy and Green Bay’s defense is mediocre at best this season. Add it all up and I believe you’re looking at a narrow SU and ATS win for the Detroit Lions. Get more week 17 nfl picks for January 1st 2012 at Touthouse.com.