The 2010 college football postseason heads to Miami Gardens on Thursday. It's time to start your betting engines as Stanford and Virginia Tech hit the field in the Orange Bowl. With bowl season slowly winding down, chances to blow money on meaningless college games are at a premium, so act fast..
The line: Stanford by just over a field goal (3.5 points)
Notable Stanford units: The Cardinal's rushing attack finished the 2010 campaign ranked 19th in the nation. Andrew Luck gets plenty of publicity, and rightfully so, but it's the offensive line and smash-mouth running game that gets it done for Stanford. The defense also gives up just 17.8 points per game, good for 11th in the nation.
Notable Virginia Tech units: Like Stanford, it's the running game here, as well. The Hokies zone-read look means quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back Ryan Williams are both threats to break a big run. Taylor has also been a strong passer in 2010, throwing for 23 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. As with any Frank Beamer coached team, keep an eye on the special teams.
The pick: Stanford is a big, physical, smash-mouth type squad that should take this one. The Cardinal's only loss came to BCS No. 2 Oregon in a game Stanford likely has plenty of regrets left over from. We'll take Stanford to win and to cover.
The 2010 Orange Bowl kicks off at 8:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN. Browse our 2010 college football postseason schedule for a complete list of bowls.