80-1 in Ought-8

There is no off-season for oddsmakers... Bodog.com has already released their odds for teams to win the 2009 BCS Chamionship game and Nebraska opened at 80-1. Fellow 80-1 longshots include: Arizona, Boise State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Oregon State, Texas Ag. & Mech, Virginia and Washington.

Not exactly rarefied air but all the more reason to throw a $20 down if you get to Vegas in the near future.

The good news is Nebraska isn't the worst of the Big 12 teams listed. That honor belongs to K-State at 100-1. The bad news is that Notre Dame--based presumably on the strength of Charlie's Angels--edged Nebraska at 60-1.

Not surprisingly, USC is the chalk at 3-1 to win it all next year but if you ask the wiseguys--and we probably should as they provide the only current ranking system that seems to make any sense--the Trojans were the best team in 2007 as well. Fellow short-odds contenders include Florida, Georgia and Ohio State at 6-1 and Oklahoma 8-1. Nebraska's biggest non-conference opponent, Virginia Tech, opened at 15-1 which seems a bit ambitious to me.

In addition to Nebraska, A&M, KSU and Oklahoma the rest of the Big 12 broke down like this: Kansas 30-1, Missouri 20-1, Oklahoma St 60-1, Texas 12-1 and Texas Tech 50-1. Iowa State, Colorado and Baylor, sadly, were all relegated to THE FIELD which will get you 15-1.

What does it all mean? It's going to be a long, slow climb into the Top 25 next year. Would a win against VT be enough to do it? Perhaps, but I wouldn't call it a sure thing.

Respect is like currency for college football fans and Nebraska is going to have to earn every dollar.

(HT: The Wizard of Odds)

Photo: palmsrick