Twas the week before Bowl Games….it's the calm before the storm in the college football world as the bowl season begins Saturday, December 20. The matchup that kicks it all off is the Wake Forest Demon Deacons playing the Navy Midshipmen in Washington, D.C.- Wake is listed as a three-point fave.

Looking back at last week's betting action, it wasn't totally void of college football as the 2008 Heisman Trophy was awarded in New York.

Everyone talked about how close this year's vote was going to be with three QBs; Florida's Tim Tebow had won the year before, Texas' Colt McCoy was at the top of the final Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll-which, up until Saturday, had correctly predicted 18 of the last 21 awards-but when all was said and done, the -400 favorite, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, won the award.

Tebow and Bradford will renew acquaintances in the BCS national championship game with Tebow's Gators favored by 3-points.

- In the NFL Sunday nighter, those expecting an implosion in Dallas-in light of the T.O., Tony Romo and Jason Witten fiasco-were sorely disappointed on Sunday night as the Cowboys justified the love they were receiving from bettors, covering as a 2.5-point favorite in a 20-8 win.

The loss increases the importance of the New York Giants' match against the Carolina Panthers next Sunday as both have identical 11-3 records.

Home field will be on the line and the Panthers looked very good on Sunday, covering as 7.5-point favorites in a 30-10 home win over the Denver Broncos.

- The Buffalo Bills were whacked from the AFC playoff picture as they lost, as a 7.5-point underdog, 31-27 to the New York Jets. The AFC East should have a photo finish, even though the Bill won't be involved.

The Jets won, the Miami Dolphins just missed out on a cover (-5.5) in a 14-9 win over the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots beat up on the Oakland Raiders 49-26, covering as 7-point road faves.

That trio of teams remain in a three-way tie for top spot in the AFC East; photo finish indeed.

- It happened again…the refs screwed bettors in a Pittsburgh Steelers game again.

Back in Week 11, and listed as 4-point faves, the refs erased a Steelers TD vs. San Diego on the final play of the game and Pittsburgh won 11-10 as opposed to 17-10. A straight up win is a win, except to bettors who played the pointspread. That TD debacle swung a lot of money - Pitt backers lost and the underdog bettors cashed.

This week it was the bettors who backed the Steelers who had the call go their way.

With Pittsburgh listed at +2.5 road dogs against Baltimore, the Steelers were down 9-6 when QB Ben Roethlisberger threw a pass to Santonio Holmes, who had his feet in the endzone but not the football, or at least it seemed.

The refs reviewed the play and ruled it a TD despite the ball not seeming to cross the plane of the goal line.

Instead of a Baltimore ATS payday, Pittsburgh won and clinched the division and a first-round bye, albeit under controversial conditions.

- Meanwhile, good news for bettors of the Detroit Lions, the team covered as 17-point underdogs against the Indianapolis Colts.

The bad news is it was only an ATS cover, as they dropped to 0-14 on the season; Detroit could very well be on their way to a winless season.

SPORTSBETTING.COM has the Lions listed as -200 to go winless in its "Detroit Perfect Season" prop.

- Grab 70% in bonus cash this week from SPORTSBETTING.COM with their special Bowl Bonus week. It starts on Wednesday and runs through Saturday.

Have a great week