Spurrier could be anti-BCS savior

An invitation to a black-tie dinner has arrived for Steve Spurrier, and you can bet he's not going to show up wearing overalls and a straw hat while chewing on a toothpick and spitting tobacco. This occasion is too important.

Spurrier, the wily South Carolina coach, is the last man standing between Auburn and a spot in the Bowl Championship Scam title game.

Boise State is done, and Nick Saban's image of invincibility is gone. It was a bad week for those of us who want to see the BCS system blown to smithereens, and for those of us who strongly suspect Auburn paid Cam Newton six figures to play quarterback.

But Spurrier could be the savior when the Southeastern Conference stages its championship game Saturday in Atlanta. The Gamecocks are 5½-point underdogs to the undefeated Tigers.

"Spurrier is a hell of a coach," Cal Neva sports book director Nick Bogdanovich said. "South Carolina is improving down the stretch. I really think this one goes to the wire."

Maybe it's wishful thinking, because maybe Newton and the Tigers are just too good and too lucky.

Saban is a hell of a coach, too, and he stood on his home sideline last week and helplessly watched his Alabama team blow a 24-0 lead in a 28-27 loss to Auburn. (After seeing that, I now think it's plausible that Bigfoot exists and will soon be captured.)

We're headed for an Auburn-Oregon title game unless Spurrier can do something to stop it, and that is definitely possible.

The Gamecocks smoked Clemson 29-7 last week and embarrassed Florida 36-14 in Gainesville three weeks ago. Spurrier's team is peaking at the perfect time.

South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has played well enough to satisfy the hard-to-please Spurrier, and running back Marcus Lattimore and wideout Alshon Jeffery will help the Gamecocks move the ball and neutralize Newton.

When these teams met at Auburn on Sept. 25, the resilient Newton rallied the Tigers from a 20-7 deficit to a 35-27 victory.

My money will be on Spurrier, so I'll play the underdog and pray.

"I would love to see Auburn lose because it's going to create further chaos. I want an eight- or 16-team playoff," said Bogdanovich, speaking for the masses. "The more controversy the BCS has, the better for me."

The bowl season is great, and I never want to see it end, but a bowl season with an eight-team playoff included would be ideal.

Unfortunately, Boise State is headed for a meaningless bowl after its stunning collapse in Reno a week ago. The Broncos led 24-7 late in the third quarter before Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick woke up, Boise's kicker choked and UNR pulled out a stunning 34-31 overtime win.

Bogdanovich said the wagering handle for Boise State-UNR was the largest for any college game this season at Cal Neva's books, which are anchored at Club Cal Neva and Eldorado in Reno and Binion's and Tuscany in Las Vegas.

"There was a lot of money on Boise," Bogdanovich said. "The professionals were on Nevada and the public was on Boise, and that was a monster game for us."

One of the biggest moves this week is against UNR, an 8½-point favorite at Louisiana Tech after the line opened 12.

"It's the old letdown theory," Bogdanovich said. "Louisiana Tech is not chopped liver, and it's a tough travel from Reno to Ruston. I can understand the move. I think it's a good spot for the 'dog."

UNLV is not an appealing underdog. The Rebels are getting 35 points in their season finale at Hawaii on Saturday night.

How bad has it been for the 2-10 Rebels and first-year coach Bobby Hauck? This puts it in some perspective: When the Golden Nugget opened lines on selected games in June, Hawaii was a 5-point favorite over UNLV.

"I think the 'over' might be the way to look," Bogdanovich said of the total of 64½. "I think there will be plenty of points on the board in that game."

Most of the scoring will be done by Hawaii. Hauck's debut season is coming to a merciless end.

By the time that game kicks off, let's hope Spurrier and South Carolina will have risen to the occasion and finished off Auburn.

Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts the "Las Vegas Sportsline" weeknights at midnight on KDWN-AM (720) and thelasvegassportsline.com.