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A balanced attack was used by the Orange last season to the tune of 330 yards per game of total offense.  Running the ball seemed to produce better results, however, as Delone Carter rushed for 1021 yards and 11 touchdowns.  The senior back was a workhorse last year, carrying the ball 236 times and will be leaned on heavily once again in 2010.  QB Ryan Nassib will get an opportunity to start after backing up former Duke basketball player Greg Paulus.  The mobile quarterback was used mainly to run the zone read last season, but his passing skills will be on display this year.  He attempted just 68 throws in 09’, completing 36 passes for three scores.  Alec Lemon seems to be the likely top target in the passing game.  The sophomore wide receiver came on strong at the end of last season by catching nine passes for 140 yards against Uconn.  Two transfers from Hofstra will join this group to give it much needed depth.  Coach Marrone will call the plays himself this season after giving Rob Spence just one year as coordinator.

The Orange defense lose only one starter from a defense that was stout against the run last year.  They allowed a Big East best 102 yards on the ground per game thanks in large part to DT Arthur Jones.  Their pass defense wasn’t quite as good which resulted in giving up almost 28 points/game.  That was an improvement from the two previous seasons when they allowed over 32 points.  DE Chandler Jones (Arthur’s brother) will play a key role up front.  His 8.5 tackles for loss led the team in 2009, but he needs raise the 1.5 sacks recorded.  Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer is notorious for blitzing and does not to let offenses dictate the pace.  Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue combined for 18 sacks from their linebacker position and both return for their senior seasons.  This is a veteran group with eight upperclassmen that are projected to start.  With so many returning starters, this should be one of the better defenses in the Big East.

To reach the magic mark of six wins, Syracuse will have to pull off a couple upsets along the way.  They have four games in which they should be favored in, but only one of those will be a Big East game vs. Louisville.  Conference play will open with a road trip to South Florida (0-5 all time vs. USF) and Pitt comes to town on Oct 16 for Homecoming.  While I believe this team has enough talent to reach a bowl game, I think a 5-7 record will have them on the outside looking in.

Offense: Despite being taken by the Colorado Rockies in this year’s MLB draft, Wilson will be back to lead one of the more potent offenses in the ACC. He helped the Wolfpack finish as the No. 2 ranked passing offense in the league last season while throwing for 3,027 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. Wilson also showed off his athleticism in the open field, scrambling for 260 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground. He may have to use his legs even more this season as the line must replace three starters. Wilson has outstanding targets in wide receivers Jarvis Williams and Owen Spencer. All-league tight end George Bryan is another sure-handed option. Williams is the team’s top returning receiver. He made 45 grabs for 547 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The Wolfpack were among the weakest running teams in the conference a season ago, and that could remain the case with so much new blood on the offensive line. But O’Brien is highly regarded for his ability to develop strong offensive fronts. Hopefully that is that case because the Wolfpack offense would benefit from a little more balance. Curtis Underwood and James Washington look like the two best tailbacks following spring practice.

Defense: After holding its first three opponents to 14 of fewer points, N.C. State allowed its next nine foes to score at least 27 points last season. That’s just not going to cut it if the Wolfpack are going to end their streak of losing seasons. The defense will have a lot or new blood in 2010, but the program is hoping some old blood will help this unit improve. The old blood I’m referring to is linebacker Nate Irving, who missed the 2009 season due to injuries suffered in a car accident. I expect him to return very hungry. He will get plenty of help from fellow linebacker Audie Cole, who is coming off a strong 85-tackle, four-sack campaign. Both of these guys are capable of making plays all over the field, and they will likely have to playing behind a defensive line which lost four starters. N.C. State’s biggest problem a season ago was its pass defense. The defensive backs weren’t good enough to lock up receivers and they were offered very little help in the way of a pass rush. Defensive ends Michael Lemon and David Akinniyi must help provide that pass rush or N.C. State will be very susceptible to air attacks again in 2010.

Prediction: 4th ACC Atlantic – I really like Wilson and the offense, but it may be asking too much for this unit to outscore six opponents to become bowl eligible, which is what it will have to do if the defense doesn’t improve. I’m optimistic that this could be the year O’Brien breaks through with a winning season, but it won’t be easy. Check out my 2010 ACC football predictions to see who I have winning the overall league title.

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Led by quarterback Ryan Mallett, the Razorbacks boasted the No. 1 scoring offense in the SEC last season. However, the defense ranked No. 12 in the SEC in total defense, giving up 401.2 yards per game. The offense will once again be tough to tame, but a defense that has ranked dead last in the SEC the last two years could keep the Razorbacks from a claiming an SEC West title.

Offense: Mallett led the No. 1 passing attack in the SEC last season, one that averaged 295.5 yards per game through the air. With one of the best wide receiver units in the country returning, Arkansas will be ready to air it out again in 2010. Head coach Bobby Petrino wants to be a little more balanced this season. Running the ball more will eat clock, which will help keep his weaker defense off the field. Mallett threw for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdown strikes with just seven picks in 2009. Returning wide receivers Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton combined for 2,490 of those yards and 22 of those touchdowns. Childs is the top returning receiver. He caught 48 passes for 894 yards and seven scores a season ago. The Razorbacks lost running back Michael Smith, but Ronnie Wingo Jr., Dennis Johnson, Broderick Green and Knile Davis are all talented backs. They will also benefit from an experienced offensive line which returns four starters.

Defense: If Arkansas is going to win the West, it’s going to need improved play from a defense that allowed 25.1 points per game last year. The Hogs must especially improve their pass defense. They finished last in the SEC in defending the pass, allowing 248.5 yards per game last season. While the Razorbacks’ gambling defense finished No. 2 nationally in turnover margin, it gave up way too many big plays in the process. I have no doubt that this unit will be better this season, but it’s hard to think it will be drastically better. With guys like Jake Bequette, Patrick Jones, Zach Stadther and Tenarius Wright back up front, the Hogs should continue to improve against the run. But the true key to their success will be how well they defend the pass. Key personnel returns in the secondary, but the Razorbacks must be able to mount a better pass rush in order to keep teams from picking them apart through the air.

Prediction: 2nd SEC West – I won’t be at all surprised if Arkansas finds a way to win the West, but I’m giving the early edge to defending national champion Alabama. Bama may have lost a lot of key players on defense, but coach Nick Saban has proven that he can reload. Bama looks to be the better defensive team, and that’s why I’m giving the Tide the edge in the West. Check out my 2010 SEC football predictions to see how I have the rest of the league playing out.

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Rutgers turned their opponent over at an alarming rate in 09’ resulting in a +20 turnover differential.  This number is remarkable and is the major reason for the nine win season they experienced.  It will be difficult to even come close to this stat this year as only six starters return.  The Scarlet Knights lost five of their top six tacklers in a group that included their best player CB Devin McCourty.  There will be many new faces that Rutgers fans will have to get acclimated to.  DE Jonathan Freeny is one of the top playmakers for the defense.  His 9.5 sacks led the team by quite a bit.  LB Antonio Lowery should see his tackle total increase after a 55 stop performance as a junior.  DT Scott Vallone had a impressive freshman year with 7.5 tackles for loss.  It will take a collective team effort for Rutgers to be considered one of the top defenses in the Big East. 
 
Rutgers will face the 81st ranked schedule in 2010.  They only host three conference games at Rutgers Stadium but do play three of their five non conference games at home (one neutral site).  Hosting Uconn in the conference opener will be no easy task as Randy Edsall always has his players ready.  Rutgers will try to make it three in a row at Pitt on October 23rd.  A trip to West Virginia in the season finale could have conference title and bowl implications.  I predict Rutgers will go 8-4

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The defensive side of the ball has some question marks that need to be addressed.  Only five starters return from a defense that featured four NFL draft selections in 2009.  The Bulls put up respectable numbers last year, holding opponents to under 200 yards passing a game due in large part to the pass rush that was generated by the outstanding duo of George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul.  Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder will not have the luxury of having these two studs come off the edge for the 2010 season.  Newcomer Claude Davis could provide some extra punch up front along with red shirt freshman Ryne Giddens.  Former coaches at USF were high on linebacker Sam Barrington before they were let go.  The sophomore showed positive signs in his first year in the Big East totaling 41 stops and should be one of the major forces on defense for the Bulls.  South Florida has quite a bit of depth in the secondary even though they lost their two best players.  It will not be easy to replace 160 tackles and eight interceptions, but there is enough talent available to form a solid secondary.
 
South Florida gets a warm up game against Stony Brook in the opener before heading to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators.  Road games at West Virginia, Cincinnati and Miami (FL) will test this group of young players and a first year head coach.  They do have three non conference games that are all but guaranteed wins.  The offense should score enough points to pull off a couple of key wins, but I am not sure the defense is going to stop many teams.  If they catch a couple of breaks, I see this team going 7-5 and heading back to bowl play.

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Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory bolted for Boise State after the 2009 season saw his defense allow close to 400 yards per game.  It is not often that a college program can pull in a former NFL coordinator, but that is what Cal did.  Clancy Pendergast will take over for Gregory in what many believe to be an upgrade after Pendergast spent the past 15 years in the NFL.  Cutting down on the 267 yards given up through the air last year will take a collective team effort.  The Bears should be much more blitz happy under the new dc and linebacker Mike Mohamed should continue to flourish.  Mohamed eclipsed the 100 tackle mark last season and is one of the best at his position in the Pac 10.  Cameron Jordan is a classic defensive end in the 3-4 scheme.  His 6 sacks were second on the team in 09’ and he is primed for a breakout year.  There isn’t much star power on this side of the ball compared to the offensive end, but they will need to be just as good collectively to reach a quality bowl game this year. 
 
Cal will open the 2010 season at home against UC Davis.  The Golden Bears will get an up close look at new conference member Colorado (will join in 2011) in week 2.  They face tough road tests at USC, Arizona and Oregon State.  The game at Arizona on Sept 25th should separate the contender/pretender in a game that features two middle of the road teams.  Three homes games to finish out the season could give the Bears plenty of momentum heading into their bowl match-up.  I predict a 7-5 finish for the kids out of Berkeley.

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The Illinois defense could not stop anyone in 2009 allowing an average of 30 ppg.  They seemed to get worse as the season progressed by giving up 49 and 53 points to the opposition in the final two games of the season.  Seven starters return for a unit that was torched with big plays in the air and on the ground.  The front four needs to put more pressure on quarterbacks which will in turn lower the 250 yards per game the secondary allowed last year.  This group managed only 19 sacks as a team in 09’ after recording 32 the prior season.  Turning their opponent over in general has been a work in progress.  Since the 03’ season, Illinois has been on the minus side of turnover differential.  This makes it hard to win in the Big Ten where many of the games come down to the wire.  Improvement is almost guaranteed with new defense coordinator Vic Koenning along with the fact that not improving spells the end to the Zook era at Illinois.
 
Scheduling wise, Illinois is getting a pretty fair shake from both their AD and Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney.  Their annual game with Missouri gives them an opportunity to defeat the Tigers for the first time in six tries.  It will be their last chance to do so as the contract expires after this season.  They will play five of their nine conference games at home and do not have to face two of the conference favorites Wisconsin and Iowa.  It seems feasible that they could return to a bowl game for the first time since 2007.  I don’t see it, however, predicting a 4-8 season that sends Zook packing.

After finishing 7-1 in conference and 10-3 overall, the ‘Raiders concluded their best season since joining Division I FBS in 1999 with its first ever bowl victory over Southern Miss in the 2009 New Orleans Bowl. It was just MT’s second ever bowl game in school history. Despite returning eight starters from a team that averaged 32 points and 422 yards a game in 2009, the ‘Raiders defense could be the hole in their Titanic, losing four starters in the front seven. They will have to get to work reinventing their strategy and formations early in the fall, possibly shifting to a 3-4 defense. After last year’s second place finish behind rival the Troy Trojans, you can expect head coach Rick Stockstill to have his team ready to not only repeat a 10-win season, but to be the frontrunner for the Sun Belt Championship at the end of the 2010 season. 

Here’s a closer look at the 2010 Middle Tennessee to help make your College Football wagers winners.

Offense:

Much of the ‘Raiders success in 2009 was their ability to put points on the board, and most of that scoring could be attributed to then junior quarterback Dwight Dasher, who finished the season second in the league in total offense (303.3 yards per game) with 3,943 yards overall — 1,154 on the ground, and 23 touchdowns.

The MTSU offense was the best that the school has seen in the past decade ranking 27th nationally with 5,482 yards for an average of 428 per game. Over 3,000 of those yards were by passing, and scoring never seemed to be an issue as the Raiders ranked 23rd nationally with 32 points per game.

Dasher will return to the line up and one can only guess that after his first year as a full time starter, he will only get better. A versatile quarterback, Dasher not only completed 55 percent of his passes for 2,789 yards, but is also a threat on the run, racking up 89 yards per game on the ground while totaling 1,100 for the year and finding the end zone 11 times.

He will have plenty of protection as four starters return to the o-line along with OL Preston Bailey. A transfer from Tennessee, the 6-5, 315 pound sophomore sat out last season but is now eligible to play.

The bulk of the receiving group is inexperienced with the exception of senior wide out Phillip Tanner who returns after being sidelined most of last season with a knee injury. There are a few promising new candidates, one being sophomore Sancho McDonald. He had 24 catches last year for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and with an increase in playing time should see those numbers rise.

With a lean passing game the ‘Raiders are likely to depend on their core rushing attack that includes two of the top six rushers in the conference — Phillip Tanner and D.D. Kyle. Tanner’s season-ending knee injury held him to just 83 yards and a single TD, while Kyle put up 857 yards and three TDs. Expect both to get more workload in this season’s offensive scheme.

Overall the offense looks strong and Stockstill will continue to confuse the opposition with the option and spread offense. 

Defense:

After finishing the 2009 season ranked 7th in sacks and 12th in interceptions, the Blue Raiders defense will have some significant holes to fill with the departure of defensive linemen Chris McCoy and Brandon Perry, linebackers Danny Carmichael and Cam Robinson, and cornerback Alex Suber.

In the face of all of those loses, the foundation is still solid for getting the job done.

It will all need to start up front with defensive end Jamari

Lattimore. Selected as one of the conferences’ defensive players of the year, the senior wrecked havoc on the opposition recording 5.5 sacks, along with 9.5 tackles for a loss, and snagged three interceptions. Stockstill will expect him to step up as a leader and anchor the ‘Raider front four.

Bookending that line will be The DE Omar McLendon.  The sophomore appeared in 11 games last season and posted four sacks. His presence could help to improve the teams’ pass rush if he can step up his game.

With so many holes in the second row, the ‘Raiders will count on the redshirt freshman Stephen Roberts, who ended spring practice being named the “most improved” linebacker.
The secondary returns Safeties Jeremy Kellem (three interceptions), and Kevin Brown (four interceptions).

2010 Prediction: First in the Sun Belt: The Blue Raiders finished the 2009 season winning seven straight games and were the first Sun Belt team ever to record 10 wins. With a roster jammed packed with talent including QB Dwight Dasher, they are the favorite and my pick to win the conference in 2010.

For a detailed look at the 2010 Sun Belt Football Predictions check this out.

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Offense:

Despite all the losing that has been going on in St Louis over the last three seasons (6 wins), one staple for this team has been running back Steven Jackson, who put up his fifth straight 1,000 yard season in 2009 rushing for 1,416 yards. Jackson however only found the endzone four times in 2009, but I still believe this is the most underrated back in the NFL, as I think he would be in the MVP talks on a better team.

Jackson could be getting some help, as the Rams selected Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the No.1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. Bradford will likely start the season on the bench behind A.J. Feeley, but if he is as advertised he will keep opposing defenses from loading the box to keep Jackson in check.

The Rams are sticking with what they got at the wide receiver position, and they need a lot of players to step up this season, as Jackson led the way with 51 catches last season. Donnie Avery will come into the season as the No.1 target on the outside, after catching 47 passes for 589 yards and five scores in his second season. Keenan Burton, Laurent Robinson, Brandon Gibson, Danny Amendola, and rookie Mardy Gilyard will all fight for playing time in training camp, and at least one of these guys has to step and produce.

It’s almost as if the Rams are getting two new starters at the two tackle spots this season. 2009 first round pick Jason Smith started just five games last season at right tackle, but will make the switch to left tackle. The Rams used their second round pick on tackle Rodger Staffold and he is expected to start right away on the right side. Center Jason Bell lived up to expectations in his first season with the Rams, and enters into the 2010 season as the leader of this group. Jacob Bell is back at left guard, while Adam Goldberg, Hank Fraley, and John Greco fight for the starting job at right guard.

Defense:

The Rams are hoping for a breakout year for third year defensive end Chris Long, who was the team’s first round pick back in 2008. Starting opposite of Long at the other end spot will either be Victor Adeyanju or veteran James Hall. The Rams added some much needed depth at the two defensive tackle spots, as they welcome in veterans Chris Hovan and Fred Robbins to a unit that already features two promising young players in Darell Scott and Clifton Ryan.

At linebacker the Rams have added two new starters over the offseason, as they traded with Dallas for outside linebacker Bobby Carpenter and signed veteran Na’il Diggs to start at the other outside spot. James Laurinatitis led the team in tackles in his rookie season, and figures to be  a stud here for years to come.

In the secondary the Rams will more than likely send Ron Bartell out at the left corner spot, but the other starting job is likely up for grabs during training camp with Justin King, Bradley Fletcher, and Jerome Murphy all fighting for playing time. The Rams will bring back the starting safety duo of Oshiomogho Atogwe and James Butler this season.

Prediction – 4th NFC West: While I don’t have the Rams finishing outside of the basement in the NFC West, I think this team has the potential of really turning things around this season and I look for them to be much more competitive than they have in years past. I think 4-5 wins would be a success for this organization.

For a complete look at the upcoming season check out our complete 2010 NFL predictions. Make sure you have the best odds for every game this season with our live NFL odds feed.

Offense:

Just how good the 49ers will be in 2010 will depend on the play of quarterback Alex Smith, who looks to finally live up to his potential after being drafted No.1 overall back in 2005. Smith played well at times in 2009, but still has plenty of room for improvements. The 49ers added another former No.1 overall pick in David Carr, who will step in as the lead backup to Smith.

One thing that has to make you think Smith will have a better season is the big improvements the 49ers made up front on the offensive line. The 49ers had two first round picks and used them on tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati. Davis will step in right away at right tackle, while Iupati will join forces with left tackle Joe Staley at left guard. With the new additions look for 2009 right tackle Adam Snyder to battle Chilo Rachal for the starting right guard spot. This unit figures to make drastic improvements this season.

Look out for the 49ers running game this season, as the improved offensive line should pave plenty of big holes for running back Frank Gore, who had one of his best seasons of his career in 2009 with 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns. Gore has been a workhorse for this offense in his five years with the team, but  the plan is to spell Gore more in 2010 and allow second year back Glen Coffee and rookie Anthony Dixon to take over some of his carries.

The 49ers might have had to wait a little while to see what they got in 2009 first round pick Michael Crabtree, but they have to be excited that this guy is in a 49ers uniform for some time to come. Crabtree looked very impressive in 11 starts last year grabbing 48 passes for 625 yards and two scores. I look for Crabtree to have a monster second season, and will soon be grouped with the other elite receivers in this league. The 49ers also have a solid No.2 receiver in Josh Morgan and one of the league’s top tight ends in Vernon Davis, who led the team with 13 touchdown receptions in 2009.

Defense:

The 49ers were one of the top rush defenses in the NFL last season, and that doesn’t figure to change in 2010, as all three defensive lineman return. Aubrayo Franklin has been a pleasant find at nose tackle, and his solid play forced the team to use the franchise tag on him. Defensive end Justin Smith has a motor that never seems to stop and fellow defensive end Isaac Sopoaga has been a reliable starter playing in 79 of the teams last 80 games.

Another reason the 49ers have been so good against the run, is All Pro middle linebacker Patrick Willis, who rarely lets a runner get by him. Takeo Spikes is back to play alongside Willis in the middle, and has surprisingly played well despite the fact he is getting up there in age. Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson are back on the outside, and the team is hoping to get a much better season of Haralson in 2010.

The 49ers were 21st in the league against the pass in 2009, but a lot of that had to do with the fact that star corner Nate Clements started just six games. Clements is back and healthy for the 2010 season and will once again team up with Shawntae Spencer. The 49ers bring back 2009 starting safeties Michael Lewis and Dashon Goldson, but used their second round pick on USC safety Taylor Mays, and it won’t be long before he finds himself making big plays for this defense. 

Prediction – 1st NFC West: I think the 49ers could win the West going just 9-7, but I think they end up finishing the season right around 10-6. The key will be making sure they at least win one of two against the Cardinals and avoid any upsets against the Seahawks and Rams.

For a complete look at the upcoming season, check out our 2010 NFL predictions. If you plan on betting the NFL this season, than you want to make sure you have the best NFL odds for every game, and that is exactly what we provide at Betfirms.