A Crimson Tide swept through the SEC last season, unrelenting until a kiss from the Rose Bowl that crowned Alabama national champions in 2009-10.

This off-season the tide may be changing, beginning in Miami where the Hurricanes are maturing into a team that many observers across the nation consider ready to start challenging for championships.

“The U” dominated sports betting non-conference regular season play last season, finishing undefeated against opponents outside the ACC, including wins over Oklahoma and Georgia Tech early in the season. Head coach Randy Shannon accomplished that feat with a young team, including starting quarterback Jacory Harris and linebacker Sean Spence, who both return as juniors.

Miami has improved every season under Shannon, from five total wins in 2007 to nine in 2009. That trend is likely to continue in the upcoming campaign.

Alabama has lost three starters in its secondary, massive defensive tackle Terrence Cody, and linebacker Rolando McClain, who is certain to be selected in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. The Crimson Tide’s Rose Bowl opponent Texas loses its starting quarterback Colt McCoy, as well as defenders Earl Thomas and Sergio Kindle who are also likely to be selected in the opening round of the draft. Florida’s winning tandem of Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow is no longer with Tebow heading to the NFL and Meyer’s health a concern.

There has been a lot of movement at the top this off-season in the NCAA.

That momentum should be enough to help spark the Hurricanes into a national title contender.

 

After Texas Nebraska betting and the big Florida/Alabama game, we’ll know the BCS title game matchup and all the other bowl games. Don’t be surprised at all if we see Tim Tebow’s Florida Gators battle Colt McCoy’s Texas Longhorns for all the marbles.

No. 1 Florida obviously has the tougher draw for a conference title game, as it gets the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide in what many feel is the “true” national championship match. The road won’t be easy but Florida should triumph. Alabama needs running back and Heisman candidate Mark Ingram to excel if it wants a chance and, if last week’s flop (16 carries, 30 yards) against Auburn is any indication, he may not have what it takes to overcome the Gators’ top-ranked defense. Brandon Spikes may contain Ingram, forcing Alabama to rely on Greg McIlroy. He’s not a great beat to light up the Gators whereas Tim Tebow can overcome the Crimson Tide’s ballhawk defense.

No. 3 Texas gets a much more reasonable Northbet path to the BCS championship game, drawing Nebraska for the Big-12 championship. The Cornhuskers are a developing team but they’re young and their starters haven’t experienced a game of this magnitude before. Colt McCoy is a winner – the winningest quarterback in NCAA history – and he’s ready to give his team as shot at the national title.

We’re almost guaranteed a good matchup in the BCS title game and, if you like to make football picks, be prepared to bet on Florida vs Texas.