Super sportsbook Bodog takes a look at the college football picks schedule.

Saturday night’s game between No. 21 LSU and No. 18 North Carolina at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta was targeted in the offseason as a potential showdown between dark-horse national championship contenders, but now the focus is on the Heels and who they aren’t.

Because of an ongoing investigation, North Carolina’s defense, which should be one of the best in the nation and is stacked with  future NFL players, is totally gutted. North Carolina has said 12 players — including stars Marvin Austin, Robert Quinn and Kendric Burney – will miss tonight’s game as the NCAA looks into agent-related benefits and potential academic misconduct involving a tutor.

Also out are the team’s best offensive player, WR Greg Little, and two top running backs, Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston. The team did get some good news late in the week, however: linebackers Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter have been cleared to play after originally not taking the team flight to Atlanta. This is an unprecedented situation for the Heels (or any team), and the NCAA Football Odds

The line has jumped from an open of LSU -4 to the Tigers now as 10-point favorites.

LSU coach Les Miles, meanwhile, is on the hot seat a bit with just a 17-9 record since winning the national title three seasons ago. Jordan Jefferson returns at quarterback after passing for 2,166 yards and 17 TDs last year in his first season as the starter. However, the offense was very uneven in last season’s 9-4 campaign. LSU has won 29 consecutive non-conference games (never lost one under Miles), seven season openers in a row and is 7-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome, with six of those wins against teams ranked in the Top 15. The Tigers and Heels are meeting for the first time.

But now in which is the best bet of the day for professional bettors ESPN Oregon State vs. TCU. “Big Red” is a major figure and pioneer in offshore betting. He has unique access to professional oddsmakers and gamblers. All his bets are based on consulting with elite handicappers, pro bettors and linesmakers.

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North Carolina-LSU was supposed to be the best game of college football’s opening weekend, but with the Heels being gutted by suspensions now the best matchup looks to be No. 24 Oregon State against No. 6 TCU at Cowboys Stadium – the only other matchup in the first weekend featuring two ranked teams. The Frogs are 13-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA odds.

If TCU wants to get back to a BCS bowl and have any national title hopes it can’t afford to lose this one because there is no other quality team on the Horned Frogs’ schedule other than Utah. The Horned Frogs return 16 starters from a one-loss team that lost in the Fiesta Bowl last season. TCU always has one of the nation’s best defenses but also has one of the underrated QBs in the nation in Andy Dalton, who will start for a fourth year in a row. He will set a school record with his next victory – it would be No. 30. Dalton threw for 2,756 yards and 23 touchdowns last season and also ran for 512 yards and three scores. TCU has won 13 of its past 16 against BCS teams.

Oregon State has two of the best offensive players in the country in brothers Jacquizz and James Rodgers. Jacquizz, a legit Heisman candidate, rushed for 1,440 yards and 21 TDs last year, while James, a receiver, had 91 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. They are two of eight starters back on offense – the same number returns on defense. However, the Beavers do break in a new QB in Ryan Katz, who makes his first collegiate start – he has thrown 27 career passes at this level. OSU has been a very consistent team in recent years but tends to start slow: It is 10-11 in the past five Septembers. This is the first time since 2001 the Beavers have started a season ranked.

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How many players are being either suspended or held out by their schools because of an ongoing NCAA investigation over alleged improper contact between agents and players on several teams.

And the latest player to sit is Georgia star wide receiver A.J. Green, who is out for at least Saturday’s opener against Louisiana-Lafayette – the Dawgs won’t really miss him today as they are 30.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA odds. But certainly Green, the team’s best player, would be missed if he’s out next week against a South Carolina team that looked tremendous on Thursday night.

Georgia issued a release Saturday saying Green would miss Saturday’s game “pursuant to UGA Athletic Association policy and pending a ruling from the NCAA clarifying his status.” Green, an All-American candidate and likely first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft, had 53 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns last season.

The Bulldogs, ranked 23^rd in the Associated Press preseason poll, had been notified by the NCAA late last month that it had begun a review over whether one Georgia player had violated NCAA rules. All these teams are suspending players because teams can be forced to vacate victories if it later is determined they used an ineligible player. It’s not known when this NCAA investigation will conclude, so this could affect a handful of teams for weeks.

The Bulldogs now have four players suspended for the opener. Running back Washaun Ealey, receiver Tavarres King and safety Alec Ogletree were all suspended by Georgia coach Mark Richt because of arrests.

Western Michigan vs. Michigan State   Is one of the biggest games this week for college football scores bettors.

A college point spread bulletin has been issues for all sports betting handicappers.

The Vegas odds for this game has Michigan State -23 though at many it’s the Spartans -23.5.

Spread betting trends (all records are against the spread): Broncos are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games on grass, 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games, 0-4 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.

Spartans are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games, 1-4 grass.

Over/under trends: Under is 12-5 in Broncos last 17 games overall, under 6-2 road. Over is 5-0 in Spartans last 5 games overall but the under is 9-4 in Spartans last 13 home games

Top expert pick on this game:  It’s from Power of 620 sports services behind every selection, the MasterLockLine.

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The game is broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

Las Vegas betting odds are up for college football picks and predictions on Northwestern vs. Vanderbilt.

There is a sharp players bet on this game so strong that OffshoreInsiders.com has issued a Wise Guy betting advisory for this contest.

Spread betting trends (all records are against the spread): Wildcats are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games, 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games in September. Commodores are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on grass, 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games in September, but 0-5 at home.

Over/under trends: Under is 9-2 in Wildcats last 11 road games, 7-3 in Wildcats last 10 non-conference games. Under is 27-8-1 in Commodores last 36 games overall, under 6-0 grass.

The bookmaker’s point spread is Northwestern -3.5.

The posted online sportsbook’s total is 42.5.

NCAA football power ratings say that Northwestern should be -2.5, hence an edge to Vanderbilt since it crosses a key number.

Top expert pick on this game: Matt Rivers says: Pretty much the biggest and most powerful play I own is here today. My 500,000* plays are as respected as anything has ever been in this industry and you’ll see why with this lock from Nashville between Northwestern and Vanderbilt. Bonus 300,000* as well involving Oregon State and TCU along with a 100,000* on the diamond between Colorado and San Diego.

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It’s not all NCAA Football Odds betting Saturday. Super sportsbook Bodog knows that football sports services have the winning picks, but there is also auto and horse racing.

Saturday’s (G1) $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course has Todd Pletcher trained Quality Road (and jockey John Velazquez) as the 1-4 morning line favorite. Breaking from the No. 1 post, though, is Convocation, 6-1 on the morning line and the only likely candidate to challenge the favorite for the win.

“It’s a big pot, Grade 1, you got a horse in shape you might as well take a shot then,” said Jimmy Jerkens, Convocation’s current trainer and Quality Road former trainer. “Quality Road, as great as he is, is coming off for him a dismal effort. Knowing him I’m sure he’ll bounce back, but if not maybe we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”

2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will break from the No. 2 post, while the No. 3 post belongs to Quality Road.

Earlier this year Quality Road proved victorious in the Hal’s Hope, Donn Handicap and Metropolitan Handicap, but a win in the Woodward would be wonderful.

Post-time for Saturday’s Woodward Stakes is 5:50 p.m. Eastern.

The favorite heading into Sunday’s $300,000 (G2) Del Mar Derby for 3-year-olds is Twirling Candy, a pretty sweet name for a horse owned by weight loss queen Jenny Craig (Craig Family Trust). Jockey Joel Rosario will ride Twirling Candy for trainer John Sadler from the No. 6 post.

Once again, the weekend’s hottest race tracks are at Del Mar and Saratoga and as always — Bodog’s got the coolest horse racing action.

The Nationwide Series continues on NASCAR Bodog odds Saturday with the Great Clips 300. This week, Kyle Busch finds himself atop the Bodog auto racing odds at 7/4.

Busch is third in the Nationwide standings after winning at Bristol in his last start. Incredibly, it was Busch’s 10^th victory in 20 races this season. He’s been pure dynamite lately, too, winning four of his last six outings and never finishing worse than fifth in that span. Obviously, Bodog has it right when it makes Busch the overwhelming favorite. In fact, Busch hasn’t finished worse than seventh since a 34^th-place finish at Talladega in April.

Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano each clock in with 9/2 NASCAR odds. Keselowski leads the standings but has started five more races than Busch. Still, he’s been quite strong, earning 21 finishes in the Top-10, including four victories. Keselowski placed fourth in Montreal last week.

Logano has started just 17 races this season, but he’s been competitive in all of them, finishing among the Top-10 in 16 races and the Top-5 in nine races. He has just one win, however, and finished sixth in Montreal last week.

Up next is Kevin Harvick – ranked sixth in the Nationwide standings — with 6/1 odds. He’s been incredibly solid if unspectacular, racking up 17 finishes among the Top-10 in his 19 starts. He’s also poured in another 10 finishes among the Top-5. That said, he could use a little more “boom” — Harvick has earned just two victories this season. The U.S. Coast Guard driver came in 10^th in his last race (the Carfax 250 at Michigan) but managed to secure Top-3 finishes in his two starts before that.

Also keep an eye on Carl Edwards, who has 8/1 odds. Edwards ranks second in the Nationwide standings but finished just 20^th in Montreal. That said, he finished fifth and second, respectively, in his two starts before that.

Get all of today’s top sports picks are up.

ESPN Gameday kicks off the NCAA point spread schedule. Today’s top service picks include from Right Angle Sports RAS totals pick, Phil Steele, Nationwide Gold Sheet, that famed attorney turned football handicapper, Lake Tahoe service and more.

Among the bigger name services that frankly don’t rise to the level of the biggest plays of the biggest sports services in their highest rated sports are Mark Lawrence, Brandon Lang, Pointwise, Sports Reporter, and more.

Courtesy of OddsShark.com: Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Twins play host to the Rangers, the Braves take on the Marlins, and the top-ranked Tide start their season against San Jose State.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

The college football season gets underway in earnest on Saturday, with a slate that includes a pair of ranked matchups: No. 21 LSU vs. No. 18 North Carolina (at the Georgia Dome), and No. 24 Oregon State vs. No. 6 TCU (at Cowboys Stadium). Oddsmakers like the Tigers that first matchup; they’re a 6.5-point favorite, with the total at 42 points. Meanwhile, TCU is a 13.5-point favorite in their game, with the total at 50.5.

Other games involving ranked teams on Saturday: Samford at No. 20 Florida State, Youngstown State at No. 19 Penn State, Miami (Ohio) at No. 4 Florida (-36.5), Eastern Illinois at No. 9 Iowa, LA-Lafayette at No. 23 Georgia (-28.5), South Carolina State at No. 16 Georgia Tech, Coastal Carolina at No. 25 West Virginia, No. 5 Texas (-30.5) at Rice, New Mexico at No. 11 Oregon (-34), Utah State at No. 7 Oklahoma, Western Kentucky at No. 8 Nebraska (-37.5), Arkansas State at No. 22 Auburn (-31), Tennessee Tech at No. 17 Arkansas, No. 12 Wisconsin (-20.5) at UNLV, and finally San Jose State at No. 1 Alabama (-37). The Crimson Tide will be playing without star running back Mark Ingram on Saturday.

Top expert picks on today’s card…

Matt Rivers says: Pretty much the biggest and most powerful play I own is here today. My 500,000* plays are as respected as anything has ever been in this industry and you’ll see why with this lock from Nashville between Northwestern and Vanderbilt. Bonus 300,000* as well involving Oregon State and TCU along with a 100,000* on the diamond between Colorado and San Diego.

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Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Saturday has Toronto at the Yankees, the Angels at Oakland, Tampa Bay at Baltimore, Detroit at Kansas City, the White Sox at Boston, Cleveland at Seattle, and Texas at Minnesota. The Rangers are expected to send Colby Lewis (9-11, 3.56 ERA) to the mound in that last contest, while the Twins counter with Carl Pavano (15-10, 3.52 ERA). Righthander Lewis picked up a no-decision against the Twins back on August 24, giving up three runs over 6 1-3 innings; Texas is just 1-7 in Lewis’ last eight starts. Righthander Pavano was tagged with the loss in that August 24 meeting, surrendering four runs on eight hits over his eight innings of work in that game.

Over in the National League on Saturday it’s then the Mets at the Cubs, Colorado at San Diego, Cincinnati at St. Louis, Washington at Pittsburgh, Milwaukee at Philadelphia, Houston at Arizona, San Francisco at the Dodgers, and Atlanta at Florida. Jair Jurrjens (6-4, 4.38 ERA) is set to take on Josh Johnson (11-5, 2.28 ERA) in that Braves/Marlins matchup. Righthander Jurrjens is coming off a win over the Mets, giving up three runs on six hits over 5 2-3 innings in that contest while fanning eight. Righthander Johnson was denied a win against the Braves in his most recent trip to the mound despite giving up just one unearned run on three hits in his six innings of work.