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09/28/2011 - Madison, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten action with conference title implications is on tap this weekend in Madison, as the seventh-ranked Wisconsin Badgers play host to the eighth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Bo Pelini's Cornhuskers will get their first taste of Big Ten action, as the newest members of the league. Nebraska navigated its way through its non- conference schedule unscathed, moving to 4-0 on the season with last weekend's 38-14 win at Wyoming.
Bret Bielema's Badgers have their sights set on the conference crown and perhaps much more. Wisconsin, behind a Heisman candidate under center, has made light work of the competition thus far, outscoring foes, 194-34. Last week the team finished up its non-league slate with a 59-10 rout of South Dakota.
This is just the sixth meeting between these two teams and the first since 1974. Nebraska holds a 3-2 series advantage and the two teams have split a pair of matchups in Madison.
Nebraska presents a problem for opposing defenses with a prolific ground attack that is averaging 272.5 yards per game. Quarterback Taylor Martinez and tailback Rex Burkhead have been quite the duo. Both have 63 carries on the year and are separated by a single yard (Martinez at 421 yards and Burkhead at 420 yards). The pair have seven touchdowns apiece on the ground.
A one-dimensional offense, Martinez is a much better runner than passer. This season, he has completed just over 50 percent of his throws (.506) for 647 yards and four TDs. Jamal Turner and Quincy Enunwa are tied for the team-lead in receptions with only eight.
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck knows his squad will need to be at its best in Madison against the Badgers.
"They're a good football team all the way around. Their front seven is good, their secondary is good," Beck said. "They can run. They're physical guys. It's a big challenge for us. We have to have guys step up and make plays for us."
The Cornhuskers' defense has played to mixed reviews this season, but Wisconsin will represent the toughest challenge to date. Nebraska is yielding 22.0 ppg and almost 350 yards (349.8).
There are playmakers at each level of the defense, headlined by All-American candidate Lavonte David at linebacker. David is a tackling machine, leading NU with 38 stops in the first four games. The frontline features All-American candidate Jared Crick (14 tackles, one sack) at tackle and Cameron Meredith (17 tackles, three sacks) at end. Safety Daimon Stafford (29 tackles, one forced fumble) has stabilized the play in the secondary and will be aided with the return of All-American candidate Alfonzo Dennard, who played at Wyoming but missed the first three games of the season.
The Badgers were already one of the favorites in the Big Ten prior to Russell Wilson making the decision to play his last year of eligibility in Madison. Wilson has been everything the Wisconsin faithful hoped he would be, leading the Big Ten's top offense at 532.2 yards per game. It is a pick-your-poison when it comes to stopping the Badgers. The team is averaging 245.5 yards rushing and another 286.8 yards passing per game.
Wilson has played lights out, completing 75.8 percent of his passes, for 1,136 yards, with 11 TDs and just one INT. He has the luxury of a stable of reliable receivers, led by WR Nick Toon (21 receptions, for 353 yards, five TDs) and TE Jacob Pedersen (11 catches, 175 yards, four TDs).
Wilson isn't satisfied with his play just yet.
"I think I've done a good job. I always believe there's room for improvement though, and so my job is to facilitate the ball to the right guy at the right time, and that's my goal throughout the season and every single practice and every single game."
The team has the luxury of a potent one-two punch in the backfield in tailbacks Montee Ball (360 yards, 5.7 ypc, nine TDs) and James White (303 yards, 6.7 ypc, three TDs).
The Badgers are also the top defensive team in the Big Ten heading into October. Teams are averaging a mere 8.5 ppg and haven't had much luck moving the chains on the ground (89.2 ypg) or through the air (157.2 ypg).
Sophomore middle linebacker Chris Borland leads the team in tackles (35) and TFLs (5.0). Defensive ends David Gilbert (10 tackles, three sacks) and Louis Nzegwu (nine tackles, two sacks) have been effective off the edges.
<< Broncos seek revenge in bout with Wolf Pack
Boise, ID (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Winners of 33 straight home games, the fourth-
ranked Boise State Broncos try to keep that run going this weekend as they
entertain the Nevada Wolf Pack in non-conference play at Bronco Stadium.
Boise State, whic
<< Texas and Iowa State hook up in clash of undefeated Big 12 foes
Ames, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Big 12 Conference slate gets underway for a
pair of undefeated teams this weekend, as the 17th-ranked Texas Longhorns come
calling on the Iowa State Cyclones. Both teams were idle last week, giving
them ample tim
<< Sixth-ranked Cardinal get back to work against Bruins
Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The UCLA Bruins will travel north this weekend
for a Pac-12 battle with the sixth-ranked Stanford Cardinal, who are perfect
on the year and are well rested following a bye last weekend.
After struggling to get
<< Sun Devils battle Beavers in Tempe
Tempe, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In desperate need of a win, the struggling Oregon
State Beavers will travel to Tempe to meet the 25th-ranked Arizona State Sun
Devils this weekend, in a Pac-12 battle featuring a team in turmoil against
one on the
Land of Lincoln battle pits Wildcats against Illini >>
Champaign, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Big Ten rivals will collide in Champaign on
Saturday, as the hometown Illinois Fighting Illinois, ranked 24th in the
nation, play host to the Northwestern Wildcats.
Northwestern opened the season with back-to
Royals, Twins conclude season at Target Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lefty Bruce Chen can equal a career-high in victories
tonight when the Kansas City Royals wrap up the 2011 season in the finale of a
three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
Chen, who's played fo
Reds, Mets end campaign at Citi Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran right-hander Miguel Batista starts his fourth game
with the New York Mets when they end the 2011 season with the finale of a
three-game series against Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.
Batista began the year with 26 a
Cardinals hope to keep playoff hopes alive vs. Astros >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals have a chance to punch their ticket
to the postseason tonight in the finale of a three-game series against the
Houston Astros from Minute Maid Park.
The Cardinals forced a tie with Atlanta atop the
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
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According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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