Happy 2024!

It’s New Year’s Day which means it’s College Football Playoff time in the NCAA. The 4-seed Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the 1-seed Michigan Wolverines and the 3-seed Texas Longhorns will take on the 2-seed Washington Huskies.

As always, our odds, previews, and predictions are powered by our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook. So head over there to make every moment more.

Here’s a preview of both New Year’s Day contests:

Odds – Alabama (4) vs. Michigan (1)

Spread: Michigan -1.5

Moneyline: Michigan -122/Alabama +102

Total: O/U 45.5

Storylines, Predictions, and Pick

Monday’s first game will kick off at Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. EST.

The Alabama Crimson Tide come into this one with a 12-1 record while riding an 11-game win streak after their Week 2 loss to Texas. Their quarterback in Jalen Milroe, after being benched early on in the season, has tallied 2,718 yards passing and 23 touchdowns while adding 12 scores on the ground.

“I think the biggest thing was embracing hard,” he said when asked how he improved over the course of Alabama’s campaign. “For a quarterback to strive in the SEC and to play at an elite level you have to hard, because there are a lot of uncertainties while you play the position, and with that, you have to have the right proper mindset.”

The Crimson Tide’s opponents in the Michigan Wolverines enter Monday afternoon with a perfect record, but not without controversy. A sign-stealing scandal reportedly led by assistant Connor Stalions resulted in head coach Jim Harbaugh being suspended for three games this season, but it didn’t stop them from winning all 13 games on their slate.

That streak stops on Monday, however. I’m going with Alabama to win a tight one in Pasadena. The Crimson Tide win outright and the total goes over.

Score: Alabama 31 – Michigan 28

Side: Alabama +1.5

Total: OVER 45.5

Odds – Texas (3) @ Washington (2)

Spread: Texas -3.5

Moneyline: Texas -178/Washington +146

Total: O/U 61.5

Storylines, Predictions, and Pick

Monday’s night game is the Sugar Bowl from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It’ll kick off at 8:45 p.m. EST.

The second perfect team in the playoff, the PAC-12’s Washington Huskies enter this one with a 13-0 record behind a Heisman Trophy-worthy performance from quarterback Michael Penix. Though he ultimately finished second behind LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Penix’s 2023 season was arguably just as impressive. The senior signal caller threw for 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns for Washington’s high-powered offense.

They’ll take on 12-1 Texas for a chance to play in the National Championship. Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns only loss on the season came against the 12th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in a 34-30 defeat. Other than that? Texas has been sensational thanks to quarterback Quinn Ewers, wide receiver Xavier Worthy, and a solid defense on the other side.

I’m taking the ‘Horns in this one, setting up an Alabama vs. Texas rematch in the National Championship Game next Monday.

Score: Texas 42 – Washington 38

Side: Texas -3.5

Total: OVER 61.5

Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.

The post 2023-24 College Football Playoff – Odds, Previews, and Predictions appeared first on CLNS Media.

Michigan and TCU will face off in the Peach Bowl from Glendale, Arizona at 4pm on New Years Eve – and Georgia and Ohio State will face off in the Fiesta Bowl from Atlanta’s Mercedez Benz Stadium at 8pm. Below are the betting odds and preview for the Fiesta Bowl according to our exclusive wagering partners at BetOnline.ag. You can check out a Peach Bowl preview HERE.

Fiesta Bowl

January 31, 2022 – Mercedes Benz Stadium

8:00pm – ESPN

Odds – (1) Georgia vs. (4) Ohio State

Spread: Georgia -6.5

Moneyline: Georgia -255/Ohio State +215

Total: 63

Storylines

Below is an InfoMap, from BetOnline, outlining who the betting public in each state is placing their money to win the College Football Playoff National Championship:

Ohio State has eight states (Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia), while Georgia is second to only Michigan with 19 states. Here’s what I wrote about each team in my College Football Playoff Preview:

Many will say that Ohio State backed its way into the playoff after a 22-point spanking against Michigan, but it was obvious that they deserved a spot following USC’s loss to Utah in the PAC-12 championship. Heisman candidate CJ Stroud now has a chance to win a Natty after throwing for 3,340 yards and a nation-leading 37 TDs in 2022.

The defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs steamrolled their way through the SEC once again this season behind another dominant defense and some quality quarterback play from Stetson Bennett. The Dawgs are 11-0 and are SEC champions for the second time under head coach Kirby Smart.

The two quarterbacks in this game, Stroud and Bennett, were both Heisman trophy finalists this season and will faceoff for the first time in their storied careers. Stroud is 21-3 in two seasons at the helm for Ohio State, while Stetson Bennett is 30-3 as a starter for the Bulldogs. Both of these guys only know winning.

Prediction/Pick

Though this one will be closer than people think – the better team will pull it out in the end.

The Georgia defense proves to be too much for CJ Stroud, and the Stetson Bennett-led Bulldogs to their second consecutive National Championship game.

Prediction: Georgia 31 – Ohio State 28

Side: Ohio State +6.5

Total: UNDER 63

Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @CLNSMedia for the latest up-to-date Boston sports news!

Also be sure to check out our new sports betting Twitter account @CLNSBetting for all the latest odds and content from CLNS Media.

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The post Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal: Georgia vs. Ohio State Odds, Preview, and Prediction appeared first on CLNS Media.

1. Georgia

2. Michigan

3. TCU

4. Ohio State

—

5. Alabama

6. Tennessee

Michigan and TCU will face off in what will be the Peach Bowl from Glendale, Arizona – and Georgia and Ohio State will face off in the Fiesta Bowl from Atlanta. Here are the betting odds for each game according to our exclusive wagering partners at BetOnline.ag:

(2) Michigan vs. (3) TCU

Spread: Michigan -8.5

Moneyline: Michigan -325/TCU +270

Total: 59.5

(1) Georgia vs. (4) Ohio State

Spread: Georgia -7

Moneyline: Georgia -280/Ohio State +235

Total: 60.5

Let’s take a quick look at the final four:

Many will say that Ohio State backed its way into the playoff after a 22-point spanking against Michigan, but it was obvious that they deserved a spot following USC’s loss to Utah in the PAC-12 championship. Heisman candidate CJ Stroud now has a chance to win a Natty after throwing for 3,340 yards and a nation-leading 37 TDs in 2022.

TCU was the team that many thought could find themselves on the outside looking in after losing the Big 12 championship game on Saturday, but quarterback Max Duggan had other plans. After being down 11 late against Kansas State, Duggan willed the Horned Frogs to overtime before some boneheaded offensive playcalling led to a 31-28 Wildcat win. The committee didn’t knock them down a single spot despite the loss.

Jim Harbaugh looked to be on his way out of Michigan after struggling out the gate in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines have now won their second BIG-10 Championship in a row and are on their way to their second consecutive College Football Playoff.

The defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs steamrolled their way through the SEC once again this season behind another dominant defense and some quality quarterback play from Stetson Bennett. The Dawgs are 11-0 and are SEC champions for the second time under head coach Kirby Smart.

We’ll preview each matchup more in-depth here on CLNSMedia.com once the games get closer, so make sure to keep it here for all of the best sports betting coverage courtesy of our partners at BetOnline.

Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @PatriotsCLNS for the latest up-to-date Patriots news!

Also be sure to check out our new sports betting Twitter account @CLNSBetting for all the latest odds and content from CLNS Media.

Use code CLNS50 for 50% off your first deposit at Betonline.ag.

The post The 2022-2023 College Football Playoff is Set appeared first on CLNS Media.

Most Outstanding Player Jerome Ford had game-breaking touchdown runs of 79 and 42 yards and finished with 187 yards on 17 carries, while Alec Pierce made a critical 44-yard diving catch early in the fourth quarter as the No. 4 Bearcats raced away from No. 16 Houston, 35-20, before a frenzied sellout crowd of 37,978 at Nippert Stadium to capture its second consecutive American Athletic Conference championship and improve to 13-0 for the first time in school history.

The Bearcats, who jumped into the fourth spot two weeks ago, now await the committee selection announcement noon ET on ESPN.

“What a special, special night,” Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell said. “What a game, too. I give a lot of credit to Houston. That is a really good football team. The way we came out in the second half…we weren’t going to be denied. The seniors stepped up right before we came out at halftime. Coby Bryant, Desmond Ridder and some of those guys stepped up and said ‘we are going to go out in the second half and take control’. They came out in the second half on a mission.”

Luke Fickell sums it up smartly: “We let our play speak for ourselves” Says he probably won’t watch CFP show Sunday. Has a team banquet. pic.twitter.com/3bp9jgiPwh

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 5, 2021

Pierce also had a 21-yard touchdown catch as part of a 21-point explosion in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to break open a one-point game and help UC keep its national championship aspirations alive. Linebacker Joel Dublanko picked off Houston quarterback Clayton Tune in the third quarter burst to set up another score.

.@GoBearcatsFB has scored 21 unanswered points to start the second half. #AmericanPow6r pic.twitter.com/zYucTfsC61

— American Football (@American_FB) December 4, 2021

Desmond Ridder threw touchdown passes to Tyler Scott and Leonard Taylor and finished the day 11-of-17 for 190 yards.

All-American corner Sauce Gardner had a critical corner blitz sack on Tune late in the second quarter as the Cougars were threatening to the take the lead before halftime.

The game featuring two of the top quarterbacks in the nation lived up to its billing in the opening 15 minutes.

Clayton Tune directed the Cougars down to the Cincinnati 15 in three plays before a sack by Curtis Brooks and Jabari Taylor forced Houston to settle for a 37-yard field goal and a 3-0 Houston lead.

Ridder was razor-sharp in his response, starting with a perfectly-thrown ball to Jerome Ford on a wheel route for 15 yards on UC’s first offensive snap of the day. Three plays later, Ridder threw a dart on a post to Tyler Scott for a 25-yard touchdown and UC’s first lead of the day, 7-3. Ridder was 4-for-4 for 76 yards on the opening drive.

.@desmondridder making it look easy ??

Houston 3 | Cincinnait 7 | 1Q 9:38#AmericanPow6r pic.twitter.com/glMbYjJvlq

— American Football (@American_FB) December 4, 2021

Tune and Houston didn’t waste much time answering, converting a pair of third-and-long chances on a 10-play, 74-yard drive that ended when Tune found Nathaniel Dell on an in-cut between a pair of Bearcats for a 10-7 Houston lead.

.@ClaytonTune7 and @Tankdell4 answer right back and @UHCougarFB takes the lead.

Houston 10 | Cincinnati 7 | 1Q 4:23#AmericanPow6r pic.twitter.com/8nxTbml00A

— American Football (@American_FB) December 4, 2021

That Houston advantage lasted all of 17 seconds as Jerome Ford ran off the right side and into daylight for a 79-yard touchdown run that featured a great downfield block from Alec Pierce and a 14-10 lead.

JEROME FORD IS FASTER THAN YOU@GoBearcatsFB

pic.twitter.com/GEzf38Rok4

— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) December 4, 2021

The Cougars opened the second quarter by driving to the Cincinnati 29 but had to settle for Dalton Witherspoon’s second field goal of the day, a 47-yarder that drew Houston closer at 14-13.

The Bearcats had a golden opportunity to punch in their third touchdown when a horse-collar tackle on a 37-yard Tre Tucker kickoff return put the Bearcats at the Houston 40. The Bearcats drove to the Houston 8 when Ridder’s pass in the end zone for Pierce was broken up.

Then two curious runs into the middle of the line by Ford yielded only three yards. Christian Lowery’s 23-yard field goal attempt was wide left and the momentum of the game shifted.

Luke Fickell “It’s a great time to be a Bearcat” pic.twitter.com/mrbRCtN5JK

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 5, 2021

Houston drove the ball to the Cincinnati 45 but appeared to do the Bearcats a favor by punting on fourth-and-3. The momentum of the missed field goal continued to ride with Houston as Ridder was sacked for a 10-yard loss at his own 2 on third down.

After a 50-yard Mason Fletcher punt, the Cougars had a golden opportunity to take the lead. But Sauce Gardner came up huge. First he combined with Bryan Cook to hold Alton McCaskill to a four-yard loss on an outside run. Then the All-American corner came on a corner blitz on second down that Tune didn’t see coming. The nine-yard loss pinned the Cougars back at the Houston 47. The half ended with UC clinging to a 14-13 lead.

TRAGS RECAP: @GoBearcatsFB make their biggest statement on the field. They belong in @CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/wTBbwtjc2n

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) December 5, 2021

The post Run to Glory: No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats Beat Houston, 35-20, Ready To Accept College Football Playoff Bid appeared first on CLNS Media.

Never have we enjoyed both the Bearcats and Bengals being relevant national storylines in football into December. But that’s what we have thanks to a Bearcats team reaching and perhaps even surpassing its expectations coming into a 2021 season that featured senior leadership on both sides of the ball.

The Bearcats did what they needed to in a 35-13 win at East Carolina Friday. They’re 12-0 for the second time in program history. But their dreams of a college football playoff berth come down to one more test, the American Athletic Conference title game next Saturday at Nippert against 11-1 Houston. They find a way to win that on home turf, they’re 13-0 and the committee won’t be keeping them out. Period.

Did that just happen?! https://t.co/ZEvhSrRsTC

— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) November 26, 2021

The Bearcats, with a win over Houston, will be heading to the College Football Playoff and Ohio State will be on the outside, playing a New Year’s Day bowl. And if we dare dream, if the Bearcats win their next two games, the National Championship is up I-74 in Indianapolis on Jan. 10.

Think about the possibility of the following, UC plays Alabama on New Year’s Eve in the national semifinal. Two days later, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs play the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bearcats beat Bama and play Georgia or Michigan on Jan. 10, a day after the Bengals finish the regular season in Cleveland. Such a scenario would transcend sublime to surreal.

A tradition unlike any other…

????? ?? ???? @COACHFICK#Bearcats pic.twitter.com/c5u6AOtJQr

— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) November 27, 2021

The Bengals have had their disappointments, losing in Chicago and New Jersey to far inferior opponents. But a 6-4 record following last week’s win in Las Vegas has them playing relevant football heading into Sunday’s huge rematch with the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium.

Zac Taylor has had his share of statement wins this season, the win over the Vikings in the opener when the game was won, lost and then salvaged in overtime, the road win at Pittsburgh, the comeback from 14-0 down to Jacksonville, the domination of the Ravens at Baltimore and the 32-13 win over the Raiders in Vegas.

But Sunday at home is not going to be easy. It’s in many ways their biggest psychological test. Can they handle a Pittsburgh team out for blood after the Tyler Boyd “quitter” label in September? The Steelers have T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Diontae Johnson, three key players that missed the Week 3 game at Heinz.

“To be the team that we want to be consistently, you have to be strong in the division,” Taylor said. “Whether it is Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore, we want our team to feel confidence every time we walk on the field with those guys that we belong and we are going to win the game. This division is just so strong.”

The AFC North is going to make men out gentlemen. This division is exactly what Taylor thinks his Bengals need to reach that intensity level that will prepare them for a deep run in the playoffs against teams like the Patriots and Titans.

“I have said it over and over again,” Taylor continued. “I wouldn’t want to be in any other division because I just see the teams that come out of this in the playoffs, and they are talked as Super Bowl contenders every single year. If you can prove you can win in this division, you have to feel pretty good if you can get out of it and get to the playoffs that you got a shot. Because playing these teams six times, no other team in the league wants to sign up for that. But that’s what we got. And once you got it, I love it. I really do love it.

“It’s physical. There are great skill players. There’s such physical guys on both sides of the fronts. Well-coached. I mean, the coaches in this division are tremendous. Again, when you come into the division people say, ah, that sucks, you are in the AFC North. But three years into it and I’m sure the other guys would say the same thing, I wouldn’t trade it for anything because you got to earn your way through the division. Obviously, you are not in it to go 11-6 and lose in the first round of the playoffs. You are in it to win the Super Bowl. This division gets you as tested as anything to feel like you could win the division then go on to do much bigger things.”

To Taylor, these Bengals are in the process of proving they belong in the December discussion and Sunday would go a long, long way in legitimizing that belief.

“I think the first year was difficult,” Taylor said of his rookie year in 2019. “Last year better feeling, just weren’t quite there yet. Then you go into this year, now we know the outcome could be anything any time we walk on the field with these guys but there’s certainly confidence among our coaching staff and our players that we belong. We can trot out there and win every game.”

Steelers Week in The Jungle ?

Looking for our third straight win against Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/LiP8HOorkL

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 26, 2021

What’s so fun about watching the Bengals and Bearcats simultaneously ascend to great heights is to compare their DNA. Bearcats coach Luke Fickell has gone from four wins to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons. That’s 20 straight wins. Throw in the AAC title win over Tulsa last year and the win over Boston College in Jan. 2020, you’re looking at 22-1 in their last 23 games. That’s better than any program in football.

The transformation in Zac Taylor has been just as dramatic when you look at the way the Bengals play. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have a lot to do with it but the reworked defense under Lou Anarumo is even more telling. The roster is deeper and more aggressive. The closeout on Derek Carr last week. The finishing of Lamar Jackson and Ben Roethlisberger have the earmarks of a legitimate playoff contender.

The Bearcats and Bengals have built a certain DNA.

“It’s how you draft – which they have always done out here,” Taylor said. “That’s nothing new. I think just from my own experience now when you acquire players, I’ve said this a lot, playoff experience. National championship experience. They have been in big moments, they have been in physical games when you play at the Alabamas and the Ohio States and all the teams that come at that level, it’s relative up here.

“You want guys that know how to handle that moment and aren’t just content winning one big game a year then missing the playoffs. We don’t want guys that are content like that. We want guys that are built to come in here and enjoy the process every single day and winning matters most to them. We got a room full of guys that that is the case.”

Xavier men’s basketball started out 4-0 and was ranked 25th before their 12-point loss this week to Iowa State. They had a nice bounce back 59-58 win over Virginia Tech in the NIT Tip-off class in Brooklyn on Friday.

UC hoops under first-year coach Wes Miller started 5-0, beating No. 14 Illinois by 20 before hitting a major speed bump in losses to No. 13 Arkansas and home Saturday to Monmouth, 61-59, in a heartbreaker. The Bearcats head to Oxford to take on the Miami RedHawks Wednesday at Millett Hall.

Dayton lost at home to UMass-Lowell, Lipscomb and Austin Peay before stunning the basketball world Friday with a 74-73 win over No. 4 Kansas in Orlando.

So much going on at once. It’s almost as if it’s too much desert after a great Thanksgiving feast. By Sunday at 1 p.m., we’ll all be hungry for more.

The post Bearcats, Bengals Offer Cincinnati Fans A Feast For The Ages appeared first on CLNS Media.

1. Age

The American Collegiate Sports Associations, which oversee university competitions, do not formally impose age restrictions on athletes. However, in practice, it is rather difficult for a student over 23 years old to obtain a scholarship. The optimal age of the applicant is from 15 to 20 years. We highly recommend that you start looking for a scholarship 2 years before graduation or 1-2 years of study at a Russian university – this significantly increases the chances of finding the best option and calmly preparing for passing all the necessary tests.

2. Academic progress

Students need to start preparing an application for a sports scholarship 18-24 months before the competition. The main documents that the application includes:

• CV, resume or biography describing your sporting path and achievements;
• motivation letter;
• confirmation of sporting merit – diplomas, medals;
• recommendations from your coaches and other mentors (school teachers, any teachers in additional subjects that know you well, employees of volunteer organizations, etc.);
• cover-letter or essay (to perform this item flawlessly, you can use the services of professionals. You can find writing help for students on websites like EssayShark.com)

Find out the details of the application and the full list of documents at the college that provides the scholarship and be very careful when registering and sending it to several places – the requirements for documents can, and most likely will, be somewhat different.

3. Sports achievements

Of course, the main criterion for the selection of student-athletes is their athletic achievements, reflected in a special athletic resume. Also, playing sports at the university opens up excellent prospects for professional implementation for a graduate. After graduation, an athlete who has proven himself in intercollegiate competitions can continue his sports career or choose a coaching job.

4. Divisions

There are three divisions in total. The first and the second are large universities with a large number of students and considerable scholarship budgets. They provide funds to support successful students in sports. The third is small, not very popular educational institutions, whose sports funding is small. It is easiest to get into the universities of the third division. Due to their low popularity, there are few up-and-coming athletes there. It will also be easier to enter a not the most popular university of the first division than to enter a university that is among the thirty best in the ranking from the second.

5. Recruiter

The athletic scholarship is awarded by the university sports department, in which the sports director and coaches have the main role and the final word. Thus, a recruiter must go to a game or performance – a person who attends games or performances to find talented students in sports.

6. Choose suitable conditions

You should go to the college of your choice and speak with financial aid, sports department, or sport of your choice to find out what opportunities a particular institution has to offer. The rules that apply to you will largely depend on the sport, the type of college you will attend and the level you hope to play at. Many additional factors will affect eligibility for certain financial support, including the state of residence, academic performance, anticipated college degree, and many other personal factors that may be relevant to your athletic and academic success.

7. Make a list of universities

Admissions to universities for athletes are conducted under the auspices of one of three associations:

• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
• National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
• National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Make a list of universities where you would like to study. This can be done easily by going to the NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA websites, clicking on the unit you want, and then under the “Participating Universities” section.

8. Increase your chances

Be realistic about your expectations and take action to improve your chances of earning an athletic scholarship in the United States. Such steps include:

• Academic excellence – upgrade your grades if you want to be able to enroll in an American university;
• Liaising with coaches in programs that may interest you;
• Participation in summer schools / volunteering (especially abroad);
• Create your own YouTube channel and other online/social networks to showcase your talents.

9. Find out all the nuances

The scholarship does not usually cover all of the student’s tuition and living expenses. For only six sports at Division I universities, an athlete can receive full funding. These are football, basketball (for men and women), gymnastics (for women), tennis and volleyball.

10. Select faculty

In American educational institutions, there is no specialty “sports”. Representing his college in competitions, the student must still choose to study any scientific direction. The scholarship holder is not limited in the choice of disciplines, but do not forget to study.

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